Business

With its owner facing legal problems and employees complaining about not getting paid, the New York Department of Health is aware of "issues" at the Batavia Nursing Home, but isn't giving out any information about the status of the facility.

"Our priority is the care and safety of the residents," said Jeffrey Hammond, spokesman for the department.  "We are working through several issues with the nursing home."

The state health department is the regulatory agency that overseas New York's nursing homes.

Hammond referred nearly every question The Batavian had about the home to his two-sentence his statement.

Jerry Fasano's mother is a resident at the home and he visits her daily. He said recently a representative of the Department of Health has been at the home every day. He had a chance to speak with the representative on Monday and she told him the state has begun a receivership process (take custody of the nursing home).

Asked specifically about whether receivership proceedings were under way, Hammond referred to his previous statement.

Today, employees received their paychecks that were due last Friday.  

One employee immediately cashed the check at her credit union and between the time she cashed it and got home, her home phone caller ID showed three missed calls from the credit union. She won't be able to call the credit union until tomorrow to find out what the calls were about.

Rather than deposit the check, she said, she took the cash, "because I've got bills to pay and groceries to buy." She wanted to make sure she had the money.

When the nursing home supervsor told employees today they would get paid, she said, "We were running down the halls. It was like Christmas for us."

Even so, she said, another three or four employees have quit and if paychecks are delayed this Friday, even more may walk off the job.

Fasano said he's impressed with the professionalism of the remaining staff. 

"It should also be noted that even though the staff is not being paid they are continuing to give the residents the care they need and deserve," Fasano said. "This includes all of the staff from maintenance and housekeeping to the hospital administrator.

"I feel that I can give an accurate description of the staff, in that I have come to know them all very well as I am there each and every morning to visit my mother," Fasano added.

Owner Marc Korn, who has been accused by federal authorities of fraud, visited the facility today -- entering by the back door, according to sources. He visited the home's administrator and left, saying nothing to staff.

Korn is due back in federal court tomorrow. 

The Amherst-based businessman has not returned calls nor answered emails from The Batavian seeking clarification or comment.

The Department of Health conducted an inspection of the Batavia Nursing Home in May and found 23 deficiencies, according to online records. That matches the statewide average. Hammond said as of this morning all of the deficiencies had been corrected. 

None of the deficiencies constituted actual harm or immediate jeopardy.

The owner of the Batavia Nursing Home has been accused by federal authorities of committing wire fraud to help fund a "lavish" lifestyle.

Meanwhile, two employees of the nursing home on State Street have contacted The Batavian to say they've either not been paid or were paid late.

Marc L. Korn, 54, of East Amherst faces a possible 20 years in prison or a $250,000 fine or both. He was arraigned a week ago in federal court and is scheduled to appear again on June 2.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gretchen L. Wylegala, who is handling the case, said that Korn devised a scheme to obtain funds from a charitable organization he headed, the American Friends of Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, an organization which raised funds to support a medical center in Israel.

An IRS investigator told the Buffalo News he's diverted as much as $1 million for his personal use and has also kept employee payroll taxes.

For employees of the nursing home, they're wondering what's going on. Today, they were told there was no money in the payroll account so no checks would be issued. 

"We've been told we would be paid, but we don't know when," an employee said.

This has happened before, according to another employee, who said two weeks ago the employees were given checks but told they couldn't cash them until the following week.

Korn could not be reached for comment.

One of the employees said that the Department of Labor has visited the facility, but she's not aware of any action beging taken.

She said all deliveries -- including food for residents -- are now C.O.D. (collect on delivery)

"The residents have their Social Security checks sent to the nursing home," she said. "Where's the money going?"

A relative of hers is a resident at the facility and the family is trying to move her, but she said she doesn't think the community really understands what's going on at the nursing home.

Five people quit today, she said. She figures she will start pulling 80-hour work weeks to keep up with the work load.

She continues her employment there, she said, because she believes it would be unethical to leave the residents without care.

Her husband's income has also been uneven lately, she said, so times are tough.

"I have to go home and tell my kids we may not eat today," she said.

She said all of the employees are facing similar difficulties, including falling behind on mortgages and car payments.

The woman said employees have been told Korn is trying to sell the facility, but they're not aware of any progress on that front.

We tried Korn's pager number, but it's disconnected. We also emailed him and asked for comment.

The Rathod family of Batavia has a new business venture -- they've taken over the Sunco gas station and West Main Mini Mart at 3845 W. Main St. Road, Batavia.

Raveen Rathod is running the store with help from his brothers, Nick (above, left) and Sunny.

On Friday and Saturday, the family will celebrate the grand opening of their new business. The draw for customers includes 5 cents off a gallon of gas (but not diesel), free slice of pizza with a $5 gas purchase along with drawings and giveaways.

The store will be open both days from 6 a.m to 10 p.m.

Remember the pink gorilla we saw wandering on Main Street on May 25? It was a marketing ploy of local entrepreneur Tim Walton.

Walton has relaunched his T-shirt and clothing business, former Topline Shirt Company, as Pink Gorilla Tees and Graphics.

The location remains 214 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia.

Joe Canzoneri has been named store manager.

Just because the new store has opened doesn't mean the mascot will be retired, Canzoneri said.

"We will continue to send the mascot to events," Canzoneri said. "It's something that we hope the community will enjoy as well. We want to have fun with what we do and Pink Gorilla is just that -- fun and creative just like our shirts"

Pink Gorilla will be open from noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

When hair stylist Amanda Lowe, above left, managed a Super Cuts, she said, she was able to double the business of the store and that success got her to thinking -- what could I do if I struck out on my own?

After some time thinking about it, and getting experience in other salons, she recently stopped wondering and started trying.

Last month, she opened Jagged Edge Salon at 4140 Veterans Memorial Drive with her friends Dawn Williams (next to Amanda) and Alisha Foster (right) along with her sister Sarah Lowe (in between Dawn and Alisha).

Combined, the young women have 38 years experience cutting and styling hair. 

Customers are welcome to walk-in or make an appointment for highlights, lowlights, perms, styling/updos, treatments, and facial waxing.

"I like having a salon where the girls and the customers can come in and have fun," Lowe said. "I also just like the responsibility of running my own business."

The grand opening is June 18. Guests who stop in between now and then can enter to win prizes, including free haircuts for a year.

Store hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Derek Geib, left, and Michael Highland, will officially open their new downtown bar and eatery Wednesday and have spent the past two evenings preparing by serving speciality hamburgers to a limited number of guests.

With the kinks mostly worked out during the "soft launch," the duo is excited to finally be doing business as Bourbon & Burger Co. at 9 Jackson St., Batavia.

There are about two dozen different types of hamburgers on the menu, and the restaurant is aiming to be known as the best place for a burger in the county.

The menu also includes a variety of sandwiches and appetizers, an extensive beer list plus a full bar.

Some time this summer, downtown will have another outdoor dining venue.

On Monday, the Batavia City Council approved the sale of a small downtown parcel to South Beach Restaurant owner Ken Mistler.

The 1,900-square-foot lot is adjacent the restaurant. Mistler intends to convert a portion of it to a seating area and an outdoor grill.

The lot, currently known as Kiwanis Memorial Park, will be divided so that a portion will remain green space with a six-foot-wide walkway dedicated to the Kiwanis Club. 

The purchase price is $1,000, which Mistler said is exactly the appraised value for the lot. He said in order to make the purchase, the city required him to pay for a professional appraisal, which cost $700.

"I think it's going to enhance downtown, and bring more people to downtown," said Fifth Ward Councilwoman Kathy Briggs. "I'm excited about it."

Mistler said that's exactly his goal. He hopes the new place will help promote downtown, generate more revenue for his employees and allow him to add three more staff members.

"This is for downtown," Mistler said. "Batavia is a small community and I like what goes on here."

When completed, the grill will serve customers both inside and outside the dining area. It will also be a place where people can drive to, park at the curb, and get a quick hamburger or hot dog. Walk-up customers will also be welcome.

Still undecided is what alcohol service will be available. If Mistler wants a cash bar outside, he needs to get another liquor license. Or he could knock a hole in the wall behind his current bar and service customers through a window. Or customers could buy liquor inside and bring it out to the patio.

As for the Kiwanis, Mistler said he is offering them the walkway as a place to sell bricks as a fund raiser every five years. He said he will supply the labor to lay the bricks and if the Kiwanis don't sell them, he will, and donate the money to the Kiwanis.

After 17 years of selling and servicing farm equipment at 5563 E. Main St. Road, Batavia, Empire Tractor (former Tri-County Tractor at that location) is moving into a much bigger space about a mile down the road.

The move will allow the company to expand its main building from 8,400 sq. ft. to 22,000 sq. ft., according to company president Tim Call.

"The thing is, farm equipment is getting much bigger," said Call, one of six owners of Empire Tractor, which has locations throughout Western New York. "We couldn't even get some of it into our shop."

The new shop will allow for more repairs to be handled simultaneously and for the bigger equipment to be worked on no matter what the weather.

In anticipation of the move, Empire Tractor has hired three more employees and will hire two or three more after the move is completed.

The new location, formerly a Ford dealership owned by Mike Ognibene, is 5.5 acres and includes two additional buildings (matching in size and function to the buildings at Empire Tractor's current location).

The contiguous space will allow Empire Tractor to consolidate its display and parking space on a single lot. At the current location, for example, some new equipment for sale must be parked across a very busy Route 5.

"This is a lot nicer," Call said. "It's all one side of the road, all blacktop, cleaner, neater. This is a lot nicer."

The location is a bit of a homecoming for Call. One of the buildings on the lot is where his father opened Batavia Farm Equipment in 1960.

Call acquired Tri-County Tractor 17 years ago and eventually merged his company with other farm equipment outlets to form Empire Tractor.  

He is anticipating a big year for Empire Tractor. With corn going from $3 a bushel to $7 and milk from $12 to $19, Call said he anticipates the market for farm equipment will increase. He said the company anticipates a 20 to 25 percent increase in sales.

Press Release:

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is urging U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to approve the application submitted by the Genesee County Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) and the Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation (GCLDC) for a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), a measure that could help attract more businesses to the region, help local businesses find new markets, and create more local jobs. 

In her letter to Secretary Locke, Senator Gillibrand wrote, “This designation would allow for important incentives that could help reduce the cost of doing business for participating companies, increase their competitiveness, and help them access new opportunities to expand their markets. The foreign trade zone designation will also minimize the need for businesses to shift their operations to foreign countries to be nearer to new markets, keeping more jobs within the United States.”

“A foreign trade zone designation for Genesee County will allow existing companies to compete in the global marketplace and attract new companies to Western New York,” stated Steve Hyde, President and CEO of the GCEDC. “Many existing companies will save money on parts they import allowing them to hire more local employees.”

Specifically, an FTZ designation allows for substantial cost savings for businesses on import duties, merchandise processing fees, faster delivery, and higher security. Thousands of businesses use FTZs to handle both foreign and domestic products each year, with more than $30 billion in merchandise exported from FTZs to foreign markets.

The GCEDC is an organization devoted to fostering increased economic activity in local communities throughout the Genesee County region. The GCEDC’s efforts include actively marketing the county to businesses and facilitating capital investment that contributes to the creation of jobs in the region. In fact, GCEDC has sponsored 160 projects, leveraging nearly $45 million in private investment into local businesses, and helping to create or save nearly 6,000 local jobs in the last six years alone.

This is a news release from Genesee Community College.

Genesee Community College is offering a new agriculture class this fall. The new Western New York Agriculture (AGR190) course is the first of its kind at the college.

It will involve a vibrant blend of classroom lectures and labs along with multiple field trips to local farms and agriculture-based businesses to provide extensive hands-on experience and onsite information gathering.

Among the topics for new AGR 190 course will be agronomy, animal care, integrated pest management, dairy, fruit, vegetable and organic food production, high-tech farming equipment, labor issues and conservation planning to name a few.

Overall, the new class focuses on the challenge of feeding an ever-growing world population and the changes needed to increase food productivity through better crops and farming efficiencies. According to the AGR course coordinators and instructors: "If you eat, this course is for you."

The Western New York Agriculture course has been developed in a collaborative effort by GCC and Cornell Cooperative Extension -- Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team. Together, these educators are at the forefront of knowledge and new developments of what farmers in our area face each season, according to James Kingston, a specialist on the team.

The course will not only explain critical aspects of today's agriculture, but also take students right to the farms and many regional businesses that serve and depend on agriculture. Students will have the opportunity to observe all levels of employment and investigate agricultural career paths as they progress through the Western New York Agriculture course.

Students will also use today's computer technology for a portion of the course. Online discussions, readings, assignments and assessments will be conducted through Genesee's Blackboard computer system.

"We're so excited to be able to offer a course of this relevance," Kingston said. "Our area has diverse agricultural needs that will face many challenges as production must continue to grow in the future in response to population growth."

The course will delve into agriculture's economic impact in our region and touch on bioengineering, environmental issues, harvesting, storage and distribution, the biology of livestock, grazing, farm economies, and agricultural careers. Half of the classes will be farm field trip exercises to develop a comprehensive understanding of the importance and scope of the agriculture industry.

Serving the four county GLOW region, which includes Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties, GCC's seven campus locations are in the heartland of New York's most fertile and abundant agricultural area.

From this strong farming base, GCC students will have a chance to embrace their farming community and truly understand how "AG business" is not only the backbone of the local economy but that these fertile valleys are intricately linked to a prosperous future.

"This course represents significant new opportunity for the both the college community and the agricultural community to fully engage one another in the teaching–learning process," said Maureen Leupold, instructor of Biology and Environment Science.

"The diversity of agriculture in Western New York and its economic impact in the region is a topic of great concern and importance to all of us, and I am delighted that GCC students will soon be on the front lines of exploring this critical frontier."  

The AGR190 class will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. on Mondays in room C303. For further information on the AGR190 course, go to:  http://www.genesee.edu/academics/catalog/AGR/190/201109/

To register for the class online go to: http://www.genesee.edu/depts/admissions/apply/

Leupold can be reached via email at MALeupold@genesee.edu  <http://MALeupold@genesee.edu> or by calling 585-343-0055, ext. 6394.

A former captain in the Batavia Fire Department who has worked the past four years as fire chief in Auburn is retiring and returning to Batavia.

Mike Hammon is returning to run Godfrey's Pond, according to the Post-Standard in Syracuse.

A one-time Auburn firefighter before moving to Batavia to become an officer, the 55-year-old Hammon told the newspaper: “This is the end of my fire career. I’m getting out of the politics (of the chief’s job) and this is good for me.’’ 

When Hammon was named chief in Auburn four years ago, it was a controversial appointment, according to the Post-Standard. He was the first chief in the 113-year history of the department not promoted from within.

The article includes praise from officials in Auburn for Hammon's work.

State troopers are converging on the Pawn King shop at 4140 Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia following a report of a customer threatening the cashier. Allegedly, the cashier displayed a weapon to the person to abate the threat.

Earlier this year, Corey Brown and a few of his college friends found themselves in a futile hunt for adult sports leagues to join in their spare time.

"We were searching around for leagues and eventually got sick of it," he said. "We wondered, 'Why can't you ever find sports leagues unless you hear about it from a friend of a friend of a friend?'"

Instead of giving up, Brown and his buddies got to work to solve the problem. They did more research and created the Web site, LeagueHound.com.

"Basically, we're doing the work for other adults like us who want to find sports leagues in their area," he explained.

Brown enlisted the help of his friends, Eric Bartz, Tyler Kossow and Candice Lymburner to get the project going. Now, LeagueHound is functioning quite well -- and is growing every day.

Although he isn't living in Batavia anymore, Brown (who is working on his master's degree at Niagara University) still has a soft spot for his hometown.

"Sports can mean a lot to someone from a small town and that's probably why this was so important to me," he said.

Brown admits that he knew nothing about creating Internet sites when he began, but by mid-February, he had learned the basics and began putting things together. When asked when the Web site would be finished, Brown laughed.

"It will never be finished. New sports leagues can always be added, and we're not trying to put something together for just Western New York or just New York state. Actually, at first we wanted to make a nationwide Web site, but we figured New York would be a good start."

After starting out in Buffalo and Rochester, Brown and his buddies have begun to branch out toward Syracuse scouting for sports leagues.

"We'll work towards the big cities and then try to fill in the gaps in between," he said.

Researching isn't easy, as the college students have found -- it takes weeks to get even a small city covered.

"You have to look in every community center and every bar...there are actually a lot of leagues out there, they are just hard to find. It's the most difficult thing to deal with but we want to be the ones to do it so our clientele doesn't have to."

LeagueHound.com is up and running -- ready for more sports leagues seeking players to send along their information and more potential players wanting some adult sports to enjoy.

Press release:

The NYS Department of Health has issued a Certificate of Excellence to United Memorial for the Maternity Departments efforts to prevent the perinatal transmission of the Hepatitis B virus (Hep B).

A recent medical record review revealed 100-percent compliance with requirements under public health law mandating testing, reporting and recording of Hepatitis B status for all pregnant women and a minimum 90-percent birth dose rate of HBV vaccine was given to all newborns.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can lead to chronic liver infections, liver failure and liver cancer. It may be transmitted through contact with body fluids from an infected person, sharing contaminated needles and from infected mother to newborn.

The Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all infants, older children and adolescents not previously vaccinated and adults at risk for Hepatitis B infection. The rate of infection in the United States has declined by 82 percent since 1990 when the vaccination of children for Hepatitis B was implemented.

Approximately 500 babies are delivered each year at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.

New York is the fifth hardest hit state in the union in terms of jobs lost since the ratification of NAFTA, according to a study released by the Economic Policy Institute, and in New York, the NY-26 Congressional District has lost the most jobs after the NY-29.

The 26th district, which is currently up for grabs in a May 24 special election, has lost 1,800 jobs since 1994.

The study does note that some of the job loss may have been driven by the recent economic downturn, but says in all more than 500,000 U.S. jobs were displaced as a direct result of the ratification of NAFTA.

New York has lost 34,300 jobs. Most of the jobs were in the manufacturing sector.

The study takes into account new U.S. jobs created as a result of trade with Mexico.

Before the passage of NAFTA, the U.S. had a trade surplus with Mexico of $1.6 billion. By 2010, the trade deficit with Mexico had climbed to $97.2 billion.

The introduction to the report reads:

Prominent economists and U.S. government officials predicted that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would lead to growing trade surpluses with Mexico and that hundreds of thousands of jobs would be gained (Hufbauer and Schott 1993; President Clinton 1993). The evidence shows that the predicted surpluses in the wake of NAFTA’s enactment in 1994 did not materialize, for reasons outlined in this briefing paper. However, congressional leaders and administration officials now make nearly identical claims about export growth and job creation under the proposed U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA).

Wikipedia describes EPI as a liberal, nonpartisan think tank.

The next representative of the NY-26 will likely be asked to vote on three new trade deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama, which is why we asked the four candidates for their positions on free trade.  

Kathy Hochul, Jack Davis and Ian Murphy all said they oppose NAFTA. Jane Corwin said, "I am a believer in the free markets and free trade but it must also be fair trade."

Asked specifically whether they would vote yes or no on the South Korean pact, Hochul, Davis and Murphy all said, "No." Corwin did not answer the question.

(via Buffalo First)

This information comes from Genesee Community College.

A new challenge grant program to aid SUNY's four research centers will also create facilities and programs that strengthen the business climate and boost private sector job creation, according to Genesee Community College President Stuart Steiner.

NYSUNY 2020, a new economic development initiative announced earlier this week by SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, aims to spur economic recovery in New York State and create jobs.

The program will rely on a mix of public and private funding, including financing from the Empire State Development Corporation and SUNY Construction Fund.

"We have opportunities right here in Western New York to build thriving industries in such emerging fields as biotechnology, high-tech agribusiness, information technology and many others," Steiner said. "The new SUNY strategic plan commits our university system to help restore an entrepreneurial spirit in New York State. We look forward to NYSUNY 2020 becoming a vital part of this effort.

"Each of our four SUNY university centers -- located in Buffalo, Albany, Binghamton and Stony Brook -- already possesses world-class research and development capabilities. NYSUNY 2020 can help bolster the scientific and technological expertise of these research institutions, and result in business and job creation in their surrounding communities. NYSUNY 2020 is good for SUNY and good for New York.

"Through The BEST Center and through our partnerships with such organizations as chambers of commerce and the Genesee County Economic Development Center, we at Genesee Community College are already working to boost the economic climate of our Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming region. We look forward to the work our great research centers will be able to do through NYSUNY 2020, especially The University at Buffalo, and to be partnering with UB on projects that create businesses and jobs in our local communities."