COVID-19

Press release:

Consistent with the news last week that Governor Andrew Cuomo extended his New York State on PAUSE executive order through May 15, Regional Transit Service (RTS) announced today that the temporary waiving of fares will also be extended through May 15.

RTS initially waved fares on March 19 to help protect RTS Bus Operators and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. RTS encourages customers to follow the guidance of elected leaders and health experts by staying home whenever possible and limiting travel to essential rides only. This includes trips to destinations such as the grocery store, pharmacy and medical facilities.

When taking these trips, RTS also encourages customers to follow Governor Cuomo’s executive order to wear a mask on the bus and while in public, and to maintain a distance of six feet between each other on the bus, at the RTS Transit Center and at bus stops.

For all other information, visit www.myRTS.com.

There were three new positive tests for COVID-19 reported in Genesee County since yesterday and six people who previously tested positive have been moved out of mandatory isolation, making the current total of active cases 69 and the total recovered cases 59.

There have been 130 positive tests in Genesee County since the pandemic reached our community.

The Veterans Administration also reported today two additional positive cases among staff at the VA Hospital in Batavia but there have been no new positive patients since the first two were reported last week.

There is no change in the count of positive cases, 45, at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center since yesterday.

The Health Department reports administering 710 tests so far, with 580 coming back negative.

Health Department Daily COVID-19 Briefing:

New Cases

• As of 2 p.m.
  • Genesee County received three new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 130 positive cases
    • Two positive cases reside in Batavia and one resides in Elba.
    • One individual is in their 20s, one individual is in their 50s, and one individual is in their 60s.
    • Two of the positive individuals were on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.
    • Six of the previous positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
    • Three of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.
• Orleans County received two new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 58 positive cases
  • Two positive cases reside in Albion.
  • One individual is in their 30s, one individual is in their 50s.
  • Two of the previous positive cases has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation
  • Four of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.
• Orleans County has received word of one new death notification related to COVID-19. The individual was over 65. Our condolences to the family and friends of this individual during this difficult time.
• Contact tracing has been initiated for all new cases. Known contacts have already been placed under mandatory quarantine and will be swabbed if indicated (if symptoms become present).
• Due to the current limited swabbing kits, there continue to be guidelines in place for primary care providers to order COVID-19 swabbing. This is based upon screening for high risk categories. Contact your primary care provider first to discuss symptoms and the ability to be swabbed. For information about the community testing click here or call the NYS COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 for more information. All individuals will be screened and must have an appointment. The local health departments do not have a supply of swabs for the community, call your primary care provider or the community hotline.
• If a person is identified as a contact, they will be notified by the County Health Department, quarantined and if warranted, swabbed if indicated. Limited information is provided to the public in compliance with HIPAA regulations and out of the respect of those impacted by this virus.
• When, and if, there is a situation where potential contact is made in a public location where contact tracing doesn’t have actual names of close contacts, we will send out a media announcement to help seek contacts.
• If you are experiencing ANY COVID-19 related symptoms STAY HOME! Do not go to work, do not go to the store, do not go anywhere, YOU are spreading the virus. STAY HOME!

Click here to view the Genesee and Orleans County online map of confirmed cases.

Submitted photos and press release:

Registered Nurse Natasha Smith (photo above) joined the United Memorial Medical Center nursing team as a traveling nurse in the Emergency Department, but quickly became part of the family. Smith has been busy making special headbands for her colleagues to alleviate some of the discomforts of regularly wearing masks.

“I came up with the headbands one night when I noticed I was getting raw behind my ears from the surgical masks. I am an avid headband wearer and thought adding buttons might help. I didn’t have anything like buttons that night, so I decided to poke holes in medicine caps and suture them to my headbands. It worked and the idea was born.”

Simply adding buttons to the headbands keeps surgical mask straps from continually rubbing health care worker's tender ears during long shifts.

A coworker posted a photo of her new headband to the "COVID-19: Real talk from Health Care Workers around the Globe" Facebook page and the idea was well received with 150 comments, 3.5K likes, and more than 30,000 shares.

This simple, yet genius, design will also be beneficial to health care workers required to mask during flu season – not just during the pandemic.

The headbands and Smith’s opportunity to help others have been a bright spot for her as a nurse in this coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s been a rough time for me. I haven’t seen my own children since the pandemic began and it makes me happy to know my silly little idea has helped others."

Press release:

Last fall, when the fashion students at Genesee Community College selected "Ebullition" as the theme of the College's annual Fashion Show they had no idea how ironically appropriate the term would become as they planned and developed the 39th annual show.

Defined as eruption of emotion, an overflowing or outburst of passion or feeling, the student producers of "Ebullition" started with excitement, intrigue and an eagerness to express the theme in their fashion designs.

Then many became angry, sad and disappointed, and now their frustrations and creative vision are tempered by hard work as they learn and adopt new tools -- for the show must go on -- virtually.

GCC's Fashion Program students will present Ebullition 39th Annual Fashion Show in a freshly designed "show" debuting online as a comprehensive website GCCFashionShow.com featuring photos, music, scene narratives developed by each coordinator, and a description of their creative journey during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

There will also be biographical sketches of each scene coordinator, professional portraits, and highlights of their future aspirations. The website will go live on May 2, 2020 at exactly 6 p.m. marking what would have been the beginning of the live, professionally produced show had not the Coronavirus Pandemic and social distancing caused its cancellation.

One clear advantage of the new web-based "Ebullition" is that viewing the show is FREE and will be available worldwide to anyone, on any electronic device that has internet access.

Earlier in the semester, Japanese student Yuuka Sano proposed "Ebullition!" to her classmates and through a democratic process, her creative vision was selected as this year's theme. Yuuka suggested each scene connect to authentic emotions consistent with Japanese "ki do ai raku," which translates in English to happiness, anger, sadness and joy.

These four emotions were to be reflected in garment selections using specific color palettes, textures, style, accessories, music, and even places in the world or the obvious mood and motion of the models.

Students are now attempting to shift much of their vision off the runway to a digital platform, and while they continue to have weekly classes online with Laura Taylor, GCC's instructor of Fashion Merchandising Management, many no longer have sewing machines and are now working from their homes from as faraway as Tokyo.

They are using family members as their models, cell phones for photography and video, and finding items from their own closets and bedrooms to complement their creative vision.

"The past two months have been an incredible roller coaster for them, making the "Ebullition" theme so very appropriate," Taylor said. "This is their capstone project and their final grades depend on their efforts to successfully continue on with the show.

"While we have needed to change many aspects of the program and make some obvious compromises, creativity is still flowing, hard work is still happening, and there is a new sense of camaraderie and 'we are in this together.' The positive mindset and grit the students are exhibiting while in this unique circumstance demonstrate they are ready to overcome the many sourcing and design obstacles in the fashion industry."

Under each major "ki do ai raku" emotion, the following scenes will be presented:

Representing HAPPINESS (ki) will be:

• "Enthusiasm" -- Showing enthusiasm, by Manami Horikawa
• "Gaiety" -- Depicting the state or quality of being lighthearted or cheerful, by Chie Kai
• "Delight" -- Representing great pleasure, by Gaoquan Cui, aka "GQ"

Representing ANGER (do) will be:

• "Rebellion" -- The action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention, by Alexis Remington
• "Indignation" -- Illuminates anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment, by Nicole Ortiz

Representing SADNESS (ai) will be:

• "Sonder" -- The profound feeling of realizing that everyone, including strangers passed in the street, have a life as complex as one's own, which they are constantly living despite one's personal lack of awareness of it, by Kim Truesdell
• "Dejection" -- Shows a sad and depressed state, by Yuuka Sano
• "Sorrow" -- Portrays a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by one's self or others, by Olivia Kohorst

The final piece of "ki do ai raku" will represent JOY (raku) through:

• "Elation" -- Eliciting a feeling or state of great joy or pride, by Marissa Conte
• "Entranced" -- Filling one with wonder and delight, holding their entire attention, by Rebecca Siglin
• "Euphoria" -- Shows a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness, by Jessica Piper

"This year's students are rising to the challenge of preparing some truly fantastic designs under a unique theme," Taylor said. "They have had to rethink their vision and retrofit their work for a computer website instead of a live stage. I really hope the worldwide community will visit our 'Ebullition' site, read the student experiences, and share feedback and words of encouragement."

The Fashion Program students at GCC wish to thank everyone who had purchased tickets to attend "Ebullition." All ticket purchases have been refunded. Questions regarding this process should be directed to Laura Taylor at:   ljtaylor@genesee.edu

Links from GCC's website, www.genesee.edu will provide easy access to "Ebullition" website with additional access points from the College's Facebook page @sunygcc.

The GCC fashion students are among many who have transitioned to remote, online learning to continue their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the #SUNYTogether mantra and hashtag, faculty, tutors and many other support staff are helping students embrace online learning technology, and climb an additional learning curve that features a panoply of Zoom lectures, remote labs and assignments -- a decidedly modern twist to the adage, "The show must go on!"

The Batavia City School District is facing the possibility of cutting up to 9 percent of its staff to close a $1.9 million gap in its 2020-21 budget.

Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. on Monday said that up to 30 employees – from administrators to part-time clerical workers – may have to be laid off as a result of the Board of Education’s decision to deliver a final budget with little or no property tax increase.

“The original plan was to propose a tax cap override, with a 2.66 percent property tax increase that would have meant (an additional) $60 per year for a home assessed at $100,000,” Soler said. “Now it’s gone up to 9 percent, which is not possible. The board’s position is to have a zero percent tax increase, especially with so many people losing their jobs.”

Longtime Board President Patrick Burk concurred, adding that seeking a tax cap override – and the 60 percent plus one vote to pass – would put the budget in jeopardy and “undermine any stability that we could give for the coming year.”

Soler said the district was looking at a shortfall of about $1.5 million when he was hired in January. That number grew by another $400,000 (less state aid) when the New York State budget was adopted earlier this month.

The initial $1.5 million deficit is directly related to personnel expenditures, Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said.

“The increase in salary from the rollover of current staffing and the collective bargaining agreements and benefits associated with payroll” are key factors in the gap, Rozanski said, adding that the COVID-19 impact has yet to be fully determined.

Additional state aid cuts approaching?

He said that because the state also foresees a budget shortfall projected to be as high as $15 million, there could be more school aid cuts down the road.

“The state has set four separate measurement periods where state aid could be adjusted,” Rozanski explained. “Locally, we will need to put more resources towards cleaning and our technology needs will change as our instructional program changes. Next year will not be a normal year. Everything we do will be evaluated and potentially impacted.”

In an effort to avoid large-scale layoffs for the next fiscal year, which starts on July 1, Soler said that he asked the Batavia Teachers’ Association to consider a one-year pay freeze. About 70 percent of the district’s expenses are related to payroll and fringe benefits.

“My priorities are, one, no increases in taxes to the community; second, balancing our budget and (third) trying to protect people during what are unprecedented times that we haven’t seen since the situation we had in 2008 with the economic fall nationally,” Soler said.

As it stands now, Soler may be able to accomplish two of those three objectives because the teachers’ union declined to accept his call for a wage freeze.

Soler: Seeking ‘to protect teachers’

“When I spoke to the union president, I was told that they were not interested in discussing any options regarding a pay freeze. My understanding is that they didn’t even put it out there for their members to vote,” Soler said.

“I had to ask it before I went through the process. Would you be willing to take a pay freeze so that we can protect teachers and not lay off somebody who just came into the profession – first- and second-year teachers? Now, I may not be able to protect people with these additional adjustments,” he said. “I thought I was going to be in a pretty good spot if we were to have taken a pay freeze and protected the entire workforce – at least guaranteed them employment into next year and see what these adjustments look like from the governor.”

Soler said that the average salary with benefits for the district’s educators was around $80,000, with first-year teachers’ total compensation package valued at $64,000. “Some are making over $100,000,” he said, while some administrators earn substantially more than that.

Burk said he also was hoping that the union would agree to what he called a “one-year extension of what currently is in its contract.”

“I was told that the teachers didn’t vote on it … it was just decided that that was not going to be part of the discussion,” Burk said. “If we can’t come up with payroll lessening by wage freeze, we have to look at other areas. But that doesn’t come up with the $1.5 million that is required at this time.”

BTA President: Don’t pin this on us

Mark Warren, president of the Batavia Teachers’ Association, said the burden of correcting the budget gap shouldn’t rest on the shoulders of the union, which is completing the first year of a three-year contract.

“All I know is that before state (aid) runs came out, before they decided not to go with a tax levy increase, they already had a deficit (for 2020-21),” Warren said. “They were talking about that at the budget ambassador meetings prior to the closure. They’re going to say that flat state aid is part of it, but they were already talking deficit before state aid was flat.”

Warren, a math teacher in is 16^th year at Batavia, said he discussed the proposal with membership, but the feeling was that the request wasn’t justified.

“When they first brought it up, he (Soler) mentioned that we have added 30 or so teachers in the last eight or nine years, while enrollment has basically stayed flat. He characterized it as an overstaffing issue in the beginning and then asked for a pay freeze after that,” he said.

“To be clear, the only real proposal was ‘I’m going to lay off a bunch of people if you don’t take a pay freeze.’ If we are overstaffed like he claimed in the beginning, then why would we take a pay freeze so that we’d be overstaffed a year from now? It’s not like we’re suddenly going to get this influx of students where we are going to need another 20 extra teachers, where we don’t need them now. If we are overstaffed now, we’d be overstaffed a year from now.”

Burk said that roughly 30 positions could be cut, with the dollar amount of those cuts to be determined by the next board meeting on April 28.

Executive vs. open session discussions

Soler said that position cuts were discussed in executive session at a recent meeting, a move that was appropriate since it focused on specific people in some cases.

“Some of the positions are standalone positions, so there’s only one person attached to it. So that’s why that we didn’t discuss them publicly,” he said. “The next time we meet you’ll probably see more of a public discussion around that only because the board would have had the opportunity to process that, make some recommendations and give me some guidance. So, I’ll be going in and trying to adhere to that guidance.”

The superintendent also said his request for a pay freeze was discussed in an open session, but there was no talk of changes to the union’s contract.

“What I asked them to do was, if you want to help us avoid layoffs, we would love for you to take a pay freeze for the year. That was the only contract item that was discussed, and that would not be something that would require to reopen their contract,” he said. “If all of our employees, if all of our bargaining units were not to take a pay increase, it would save the district $1.5 million. And I even included myself it that conversation. I would not take an increase as well.”

Staff cuts to be across the board

With a moratorium on pay increases off the table, Burk said the board is taking steps to reduce expenses on a department-by-department basis.

“As far as specific positions, we haven’t gotten into that, but we have said what we would do with specific departments,” he said. “This is going all the way across the board. This is administrators being cut, teachers, teacher aides, custodial, food service, clerical. It’s everybody.”

The board is proceeding judiciously, Burk said.

“Our goal is to have the highest contact with students and the greatest impact with students that we possibly can,” he stated. “Cuts would be people who do not have direct, hands-on daily contact with our students; that’s obviously our most important thing.”

Soler said he expects more clarity at the April 28^th meeting, mentioning a detailed list of recommendations that will be shared with the “greater public.”

“Then we can say that it is this many science teachers, it is this many math teachers, it is this many reading teachers and it is this many administrators because it’s every group that is going to be impacted.”

Of the 45 detainees in the Buffalo Federal Detention Center who have tested positive for COVID-19 so far, only three are symptomatic, according to a source familiar with the situation.

The source, who asked we not use his name because he's not an authorized spokesperson for ICE, said all 45 detainees who are positive were living in the same pod when three detainees -- two from New York City and one from the NYS prison system -- were transferred into the facility.

The facility staff, he said, suspected the new arrivals were positive for COVID-19.  

Given the close proximity of living arrangements detainees are considered vulnerable; ICE was able to get all detainees in the affected pod tested.

A pod can hold as many as 72 detainees. 

The original pod now has 29 people in it who tested positive, and 20 more are alone in another POD. There are four people included in the two pods whose tests were inconclusive so they're being kept in isolation for the 14-day quarantine period. 

The spike in positives at the facility had more to do with the testing lab releasing a batch of results on the same day than a sudden outbreak of the disease.

Currently, there are 319 detainees in the facility. The peak capacity of the facility is 650 detainees.

Many members of the staff are not ICE employees but work for contractors. The source said only two staff members have tested positive and both are, last he heard, asymptomatic. 

Only a limited number of new transfers are entering the facility.

According to the source, at the start of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the director of the facility, Thomas Feeley, ordered regular, thorough cleaning, including wiping down door handles with bleach every hour.

"Every time you turn around," the source said, "you smell bleach."

There is medical staff on duty inside the facility 24/7 and posters have been placed in the facility to inform detainees about COVID-19 and how to protect themselves.  

So far, about 20 percent of the detainees have been tested, the source said. 

At the start of the coronavirus outbreak, detainees who were over age 60, had underlying medical conditions that made them vulnerable, but were not convicted of a serious crime such as murder or rape, were released from custody, the source said.

"Nobody was released who was a threat to society," he said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now reporting that a total of 45 detainees at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility have tested positive for COVID-19.

As recently as Saturday, there were only 13 reported cases.

While ICE has stated previous detainees who tested positive were isolated and contract tracing was undertaken and that all CDC guidelines have been followed, there has been no information released that might explain the sudden spike in cases.

The following information was released about the 32 people who most recently tested positive:

• a 35-year-old Guyanese national,
• a 39-year-old Guatemalan national,
• a 29-year-old Colombian national,
• a 51-year-old Jamaican national,
• a 36-year-old Jamaican national,
• a 27-year-old Liberian national,
• a 25-year-old Dominican national,
• a 45-year-old Jamaican national,
• a 32-year-old Indian national,
• a 23-year-old Indian national,
• a 23-year-old Mexican national,
• a 26-year-old Bosnian national,
• a 37-year-old Burkinabe national,
• a 30-year-old Ivory Coast national,
• a 53-year-old Indian national,
• a 41-year-old Jamaican national,
• a 32-year-old Indian national,
• a 27-year-old Salvadoran national,
• a 41-year-old Guyanese national,
• a 39-year-old Dominican national,
• a 36-year-old Jamaican national,
• a 28-year-old Salvadoran national,
• a 33-year-old Guatemalan national,
• a 38-year-old Honduran national,
• a 26-year-old Guatemalan national,
• a 54-year-old Mexican national,
• a 39-year-old Honduran national,
• a 49-year-old Dominican national,
• a 21-year-old Salvadoran national,
• a 29-year-old Cuban national,
• a 23-year-old Salvadoran national,
• and a 42-year-old Dominican national.

The next highest number of detainees who have tested positive in an ICE facility is 20 at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego County, and 20 at Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, La.

Health Department Briefing:

• As of 2 p.m.
  • Genesee County received five new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 127 positive cases.
    • Two positive cases reside in Batavia, two reside in Elba, and one resides in Le Roy.
    • One individual is in their 20s, one individual is in their 30s, one individual is in their 40s, one individual is in their 50s, and one individual is in their 60s.
    • Three of the positive individuals were on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.
    • Three of the previous positive cases has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
    • Three of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.
• Orleans County received seven new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 56 positive cases
  • Seven positive cases reside in Albion.
  • One individual is in their 50s, one individual is in their 60s, two individuals are in their 70s, two individuals are in their 80s, and one individual is in the 90 and above age category.
  • One of the previous positive cases has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation
  • Five of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.
• Regarding the sharp increase in the Genesee County positive individuals, they are not considered community-spread as they are all detainees at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility located in Batavia. Although the detainees are not considered residents, because the facility is housed in Genesee County they are reported as Genesee County positive cases. Any workers with direct contact with those who have tested positive at the facility for COVID-19 will be followed by their county of residence.
• Contact tracing has been initiated for all new cases. Known contacts have already been placed under mandatory quarantine and will be swabbed if indicated (if symptoms become present). 
• Due to the current limited swabbing kits, there continue to be guidelines in place for primary care providers to order COVID-19 swabbing. This is based upon screening for high risk categories. Contact your primary care provider first to discuss symptoms and the ability to be swabbed. For information about the community testing click here or call the NYS COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 for more information. All individuals will be screened and must have an appointment. The local health departments do not have a supply of swabs for the community, call your primary care provider or the community hotline.
• If a person is identified as a contact, they will be notified by the County Health Department, quarantined and if warranted, swabbed if indicated. Limited information is provided to the public in compliance with HIPAA regulations and out of the respect of those impacted by this virus. 
• When, and if, there is a situation where potential contact is made in a public location where contact tracing doesn’t have actual names of close contacts, we will send out a media announcement to help seek contacts.
• If you are experiencing ANY COVID-19 related symptoms STAY HOME!  Do not go to work, do not go to the store, do not go anywhere, YOU are spreading the virus. STAY HOME!

Click here to view the Genesee and Orleans County online map of confirmed cases.

Press release:

• Launches new partnership with ready responders to expand healthcare services and testing to NYCHA residents;
• State will deliver more than 500,000 cloth masks and 10,000 gallons of hand sanitizer to public housing sommunities;
• Announces creation of Reimagine NY Task Force to improve systems in Downstate New York once the State is no longer on pause;
• Announces SUNY is distributing over 8,800 laptops and Chromebooks to students in need to complete their spring semester coursework;
• Confirms 4,726 additional cronavirus cases in New York State -- bringing statewide total to 247,512; new cases in 40 counties.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today called on the federal government to provide hazard pay for essential public workers on the front lines, proposing a 50 percent bonus for these workers. According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, 41 percent of frontline workers are people of color.

Of those frontline workers, 45 percent of public transit workers, 57 percent of building cleaning service workers and 40 percent of healthcare workers are people of color. People of color are also disproportionately represented in delivery and childcare services, and approximately one third of frontline workers are members of low-income households.

Governor Cuomo also announced the state is launching a new partnership with Ready Responders to bring health care services, including COVID-19 diagnostic testing, to residents of public housing in New York City.

The state will also partner with Representative Greg Meeks, Representative Hakeem Jeffries, Attorney General Letitia James, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. on this effort. An initial pilot program will begin this week at locations across New York City, including Highbridge Houses, Edenwald Houses, Washington Houses and Andrew Jackson Houses in the Bronx; Queensbridge Houses and Brevoort Houses in Queens; and Red Fern Houses and Hammel Houses in Brooklyn.

The Governor also announced the state will deliver 500,000 cloth masks and 10,000 gallons of hand sanitizer to public housing communities.

The Governor also announced the creation of the Reimagine NY Task Force to improve systems in Downstate New York once the state is no longer on pause. The Task Force will be led by the state and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and will be comprised of other local elected officials and housing and transportation experts.

The Governor also announced that SUNY is distributing more than 8,800 laptops and Chromebooks to students in need who are currently completing their spring semester coursework online amid the COVID-19 health crisis.

As SUNY and campuses began planning the shift to distance learning in March, SUNY System Administration surveyed all 64 campuses and colleges to gauge student technology needs, and is providing the laptops and Chromebooks based on those findings. SUNY will continue to monitor and fulfill technology needs while remote learning continues.

"Essential public workers are the ones on the front lines every day carrying us through this crisis, and we must ensure their efforts and sacrifice are appropriately recognized," Governor Cuomo said.

"This crisis is not over yet, and as long as these workers continue to work and expose themselves to the virus, they should be properly compensated. I am calling on the federal government to provide hazard pay to these frontline workers and give them a 50-percent bonus because they are the true heroes in this crisis."

Above, Peggy Marone, director of Leadership Genesee and keynote speaker for GCC's June 6 Virtual Commencement Ceremony.

Press release:

Colleges and universities across the United States have all been confronted with extraordinary challenges to help students complete the Spring 2020 semester, and now the coronavirus pandemic stands to cancel or postpone well-deserved commencement ceremonies.

It is heartbreaking for students and their families to be robbed of this celebration and the formal acknowledgement of their significant achievements.

"With a professional career in higher education for more than three decades, commencement remains my favorite day," said James M. Sunser, president of Genesee Community College. "It is always an honor and delight to watch the graduates cross the stage to receive their diplomas and see them celebrate with their family, friends and fellow classmates.

"We could not deprive our college community of this event, and postponement does not accommodate the schedule and the very real demands and obligations of many of our graduates who have jobs or are transferring to other institutions."

Therefore, officials at Genesee Community College decided to create and deliver a commencement ceremony using innovative technology to honor the Class of 2020 and recognize their achievements while simultaneously adhering to the existing social distancing mandates.

At 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, Genesee Community College will launch a Virtual Commencement Ceremony that will be streamed and accessible to all through the College's homepage at www.genesee.edu.

In addition to the Virtual Commencement Ceremony, all members of the Class of 2020 will be invited to return to campus and participate in the College's 53rd Commencement Ceremony in May 2021.

For the upcoming June 6th ceremony, plans are underway to develop a well-prepared online presentation that includes most of the College's commencement traditions, and then a robust social media exchange will also take place. 

This special, all new, online ceremony will include commemorating remarks from President Sunser, along with messages from a few GCC professors and instructors, music and the announcement of each graduate's name.

The keynote address will be given by Peggy Marone, the director of Leadership Genesee since its inception in 2001, which now has more than 500 graduates including nearly 20 GCC employees. 

A native of Genesee County, Marone's leadership extends beyond the borders of Genesee County. In addition to the more than 500 individuals who have benefitted from participation in Leadership Genesee (LG), Marone led a team of LG alumni and Orleans County leaders to launch Leadership Orleans, currently in its third year of operation. She also consulted with Leadership Ontario as their planning committee developed the framework for their program.

She was named a NYS Woman of Distinction in 2015 by Senator Michael Ranzenhofer, who represents the NYS 61st Senate District, and Marone was recognized in 2009 as YWCA Fabulous Female for her work with Leadership Genesee and many other volunteer initiatives.

As a longtime friend of GCC, she served as chair of the Wolcott J. Humphrey III Symposium on Leadership and Community Life which brought many distinguished national leaders to the College and community, including but not limited to: Thomas Golisano, Jim Boeheim, Jerry Greenfield of Ben and Jerry's, Dr. Donna Fernades who oversaw the transformation of the Buffalo Zoo and two former U.S Congressmen, William Hudnut III and Fred Grandy.

After receiving her Bachelor's of Art in Psychology from St. Bonaventure University, Marone worked in human resources for nearly 30 years in the health care, manufacturing and the hospitality industries. She also served as a consultant for nonprofit organizations, and she remains very active in the local theater arts community.

She is past president and board member of Batavia Players, received an Excellence in Ensemble Acting from the Theatre Association of New York State in 2010 during their annual festival, and a Best Performance by an Actress Award in 2013. She is also a judge for Batavia High School Operation Graduation, a Junior Achievement instructor, a business mentor for Pavilion High School Youth Entrepreneur Academy, and a regular volunteer at the United Way Day of Caring.

As the College continues to develop its virtual commencement, details are available online here.

From Tammy S. Hathaway, executive director of the United Way of Genesee County:

It is with sincere sadness and regret that we share with you the UWGC 2020 Day of Caring -- which was set for May 13 and postponed due to COVID-19 early this month -- will not be rescheduled this year.

We will do everything in our power to aid our project sites through these uncertain times and throughout the remainder of the year.

Additionally, we send well wishes to our volunteer teams that they will resume their workforce to the fullest when safe timing permits.

Looking forward to a bigger, better, badder Day of caring in 2021.

You’re all RockStars… stay safe!

“There are no good signs in our local economy right now, if you think about.”

Genesee County Manager Jay Gsell, who is paid not only to “think about” the local economy but also to “act upon” it, summed up the current situation today in light of a recent report by the New York State Association of Counties that predicts the county could lose between $1.8 million to $5.6 million in sales tax because of COVID-19.

Gsell echoed a phrase used by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in describing what looms ahead.

“I keep using the same term that I hear the governor say, ‘the new normal,’ and it’s not a good ‘new normal.’ It’s quite the mixed bag,” he said.

Full year projections in the NYSAC report estimate that sales tax revenues in Genesee County would decrease by $1.8 million – or 4.5 percent – in a “mild” scenario and by $5.6 million – or 13.7 percent – in a “severe” scenario.

In both cases, industries related to tourism, recreation and restaurants are the hardest hit.

“We’re in a shutdown through May 15 and for every two-week period, NYSAC says the numbers are going to get moved further into the higher percentage of loss,” Gsell said. “They’ve been showing us numbers in terms of the overall impact on general parts of the whole sales tax portfolio … auto buying, electronics, gas stations, and all those percentages, with the exception of grocery stores, are in the 20 to 50 percent loss as far as sales as compared to the year prior.”

Gsell acknowledged that all levels of government are facing the same adverse effects.

“Albany, obviously, is seeing this type of thing as well because they get 4 percent of the 8 percent (sales tax). The state is seeing a precipitous drop in their revenue streams, not only in terms of sales tax but also state income tax, millionaires’ tax and mortgage tax,” he said.

Most recent financial data, for December through February, was favorable for the county, Gsell said, but statistics starting in March should tell quite a different story, Gsell said.

“We know that starting this month, which is a new quarter, that the kind of numbers that NYSAC is showing us as far as the various sectors of our economy are going to be negatively impacted. Then we will foresee the same kind of implication for our local sales tax proceeds.”

Statewide, the NYSAC report estimates the total loss to county sales tax revenue in the “mild” scenario at about $350 million (excluding New York City) and in the “severe” scenario at $1 billion. Sales tax is the largest source of locally generated revenue in the average county, accounting for 43 percent of local revenue.

Gsell said he and his staff are “focusing on how to maintain some semblance of our county budget and how to deal with the issues with regard to our own workforce and the services that we provide.”

Auto sales, for example, have fallen dramatically, putting a huge dent in the sales tax budget.

“We’re basically doing just some of the mail-ins and some of the limited car sales that are occurring over the internet,” he said. “The dealers used to bring to us 60 and 70 allotments a week have trickled down to almost nothing. Something as revenue-driven as the county auto bureau under the county clerk’s office could be seeing a significant change even in the future of the kind of business that we have over there.”

He said the county is waiting for its share of the federal stimulus money to help with its weekly Medicaid costs.

“The state has gotten two of their federal Medicaid advances already since that stimulus package was voted on, passed and signed and we haven’t seen a dime yet,” he said.

Looking ahead, Gsell said he believes the recession (to whatever degree) is going to be with us through the end of the year – and he also is wary of a second bout of the coronavirus.

“If that starts to come back and they talk about another wave potentially in September, how do you go out and say, ‘Yeah, we’re not going to pay attention to that. We don’t care what the governor says and therefore, let’s have our economy start coming back,’ ” he said. “That to me is the height of folly.”

Estimated March 2020 Sales Compared to March 2019, U.S. Census Bureau
-- Motor vehicles & parts dealers -- Down 23.7 percent
-- Furniture & home furniture stores -- Down 24.6 percent
-- Gasoline stations -- Down 18 percent
-- Clothing & clothing accessories -- Down 50.7 percent
-- Sporting goods, hobby, music, etc. -- Down 22.7  percent
-- Department stores -- Down 23.9 percent
-- Miscellaneous store retailers -- Down 4.9 percent
-- Food service & drinking places -- Down 23.0 percent

Press release:

The New York State Department of Labor today announced the launch of a new application for New Yorkers to apply for traditional Unemployment Insurance or the new COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. This one-stop-shop for unemployment benefits will connect New Yorkers with the benefits they deserve faster, without requiring them to call the Department of Labor.

Prior to today, due to cumbersome federal guidelines, New Yorkers were required to apply for regular Unemployment Insurance and be rejected before applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. With this new application, which aligns with updated federal policy, New Yorkers will be able to simply fill out one form to get the correct benefits.

In conjunction with this morning’s rollout of the improved application, DOL has been deploying over 3,100 representatives solely dedicated to answering unemployment benefit needs seven days a week. This is up from 400 who previously manned the DOL call center prior to the pandemic.

Since the COVID-19 crisis began, DOL has paid approximately $2.2 billion in Unemployment Insurance benefits to 1.1 million New Yorkers. The application call backlog prior to April 8 has been reduced to 4,305 from 275,000.

“I have been unemployed before myself, and I understand the pain, fear and anxiety New Yorkers are facing. The DOL’s mission is to help our neighbors through some of their toughest days, and in the last week we have made great strides in updating our systems,” NYS Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said.

“While it appears the coronavirus pandemic is beginning to stabilize — at least from the public health perspective — we know that many New Yorkers are still facing an uncertain economic future, and the Department of Labor will continue to dedicate every resource available to helping New Yorkers weather this storm.”

The updated unemployment benefits application system, available here, will determine which unemployment program — unemployment insurance or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance — New Yorkers should apply for and then prompt them to answer a specific set of questions. The application builds on the new online system the department rolled out on Friday, April 10th, in partnership with the State Office of Information Technology Services and Google Cloud, to help manage the exponential and unprecedented increase in new claims resulting from the ‎COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which was included in the Federal CARES Act, provides unemployment benefits for individuals who are ineligible for traditional unemployment insurance. Examples of those covered by PUA include:

• Self-employed New Yorkers;
• Independent contractors;
• New Yorkers who worked for an app-based company (i.e. “gig workers”)
• Farmers;
• Those diagnosed with COVID-19 or who have COVID-19 symptoms and are seeking a diagnosis;
• Those living with a household member who has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• Those providing care for a family or household member diagnosed with COVID-19;
• A primary caregiver for a child unable to attend school or another facility due to COVID-19;
• Those unable to reach their place of employment due to an imposed quarantine or because they have been advised by a medical provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19;
• Those scheduled to commence new employment that cannot reach their workplace as a direct result of COVID-19;
• Those who became a major breadwinner because the head of their household died from COVID-19;
• Those who quit their job as a direct result of COVID-19;
• Those whose place of employment closed as a direct result of COVID-19;
• Those with insufficient work history and affected by COVID-19; and
• New Yorkers otherwise not qualified for regular or extended UI benefits and affected by COVID-19

In addition, New Yorkers concerned about food insecurity are reminded that resources are available across the state. Anyone looking for assistance can find a local food bank, including those supported by New York State, by visiting Feeding America's website here.

The New York State Department of Labor is dedicated to ensuring that every New Yorker who is entitled to unemployment insurance benefits will receive all benefits due. New Yorkers seeking to file an unemployment insurance claim should visit labor.ny.gov or call the Telephone Claim Center at (888) 209-8124. Below are some resources that will assist New Yorkers in filing their claims:

Fact sheet on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

Interview with Batavia City Council President Eugene Jankowski

From Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

Citizens across the state have rallied in response to the COVID-19 viral outbreak in a way that couldn’t make me prouder to serve them. People are making the necessary sacrifices to ease the burden on our healthcare workers and our healthcare system, while at the same time protecting each other and preventing this disease from gaining any foothold in our society.

While the work that is being done is unquestionably important, it is equally as important for us to begin planning for the future, when society does eventually reopen. Part of that plan has to include security for our small businesses, which will not only help to revitalize the economy, but create jobs for many of those looking to get back to work. That’s why I’m proud to support the Assembly Republicans' bold and transformative plan, the “Jump-Start New York” initiative, as a way to get all New Yorkers safely back to work and our new "normal" life. 

Our plan presents a guide for finding economic relief for these small and local businesses in the short term, while also ensuring stability in the long term. By combining federal and state actions, the plan will offer financial relief and protections to small businesses and their workers. It also will remove the costly regulations that stifle growth and will open doors for employers to gain access to assistance that will be critical in allowing them to succeed in such a short amount of time.

The plan is incredibly multifaceted, but I did want to highlight a few that I feel are key to restarting the economy on the right foot.

The first is using any allocated state settlement money to provide immediate cash needs for nonessential businesses to reengage in the economy. Another is the reevaluation of what qualifies as an "essential business," widening the scope and allowing these businesses to resume while following proper health protocols.

Furthermore, the plan allows for the expansion of film tax cuts to nonessential businesses and sole proprietors. The goal of this work is to ensure that the fiscal health of New York is just as secure as the public health of New Yorkers, and with this initiative, I believe we can make that a reality.

It’s true that the severity of this outbreak has hampered our economy significantly. And while we do what we must to help our healthcare professionals ensure they can do their jobs, it also comes down to us to ensure that we help small businesses prepare for the future.

Early and decisive action is the best solution to ending this pandemic, and saving the economy.

To learn more, please read the full proposal here and call or email me with any questions or comments.

Press release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have received one more COVID-19 cases. Orleans has one new case and Genesee has zero. Contact tracing has been initiated. 

Contact tracing has been initiated and all who have had direct contact with the individuals will be notified by Health Department staff.

There is currently no further information to release on ages and location. Mapping to include the positive cases from the weekend will be updated on Monday afternoon.

There are 30 new positive tests for COVID-19 reported in Genesee County, with 29 of them among detainees at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility. 

On Thursday, there were only 11 reported cases at the facility, with one added on Friday and one on reported by ICE this morning, but ICE has not yet released an update to include the apparent 27 additional cases (we are seeking an update from the ICE spokesman).

There have now been 122 positive tests reported in Genesee County since the start of the pandemic. The Health Department has not released an updated count for the number of current active cases and number of recovered patients.

As of this morning, ICE was reporting 20 detainees infected at the Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, La., now the next highest number of positive cases at more than two dozen facilities in the U.S. that house immigration detainees.

This story will be updated if more information becomes available.

Press release:

Junior Achievement of Western New York is releasing a free resource for teens titled "Making Sense: Understanding the Financial Impact of COVID-19."

The guide is designed to answer teens’ questions about the economic implications of COVID-19, including “Why are some store shelves empty?”, “Why are some people losing their jobs?” and “Are we going into a recession, or even a depression?”

The guide is available here. (PDF)

“While social distancing is essential to fighting COVID-19, the disease and the steps we must take to address it are having a financial impact. Our goal is to help young people better understand what’s happening,” said Laurie Mahoney, president of Junior Achievement of WNY. "April is Financial Literacy Month, and this is really an important time to be sharing this kind of information.”

The guide is written with middle school and high school students in mind. It uses relatable examples to explain what a recession is, how the Federal Reserve works and steps being taken by government and the private sector to deal with the economic impact associated with COVID-19.

Additionally, to support teachers and parents who may have students finishing school online this semester, JA is also offering free K – 12^th grade resources that are available here.

“JA is doing this so our kids can spend more time planning for and dreaming about tomorrow, and less time worrying about today," said Alycia Ivancie, senior education manager.

Junior Achievement is committed to doing this until we can all be certain again.”

For information about these JA programs, please contact Karyn Winters, executive director of the Genesee County Business Education Alliance at:   kwinters@geneseeny.com

Press release:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). This new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program will take several actions to assist farmers, ranchers, and consumers in response to the COVID-19 national emergency.

President Trump directed USDA to craft this $19 billion immediate relief program to provide critical support to our farmers and ranchers, maintain the integrity of our food supply chain, and ensure every American continues to receive and have access to the food they need. 

“During this time of national crisis, President Trump and USDA are standing with our farmers, ranchers, and all citizens to make sure they are taken care of,” Secretary Perdue said. “The American food supply chain had to adapt, and it remains safe, secure, and strong, and we all know that starts with America’s farmers and ranchers.

"This program will not only provide immediate relief for our farmers and ranchers, but it will also allow for the purchase and distribution of our agricultural abundance to help our fellow Americans in need.” 

CFAP will use the funding and authorities provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and other USDA existing authorities. The program includes two major elements to achieve these goals. 

1. Direct Support to Farmers and Ranchers: The program will provide $16 billion in direct support based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted and will assist producers with additional adjustment and marketing costs resulting from lost demand and short-term oversupply for the 2020 marketing year caused by COVID-19.
2. USDA Purchase and Distribution: USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat. We will begin with the procurement of an estimated $100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables, $100 million per month in a variety of dairy products, and $100 million per month in meat products. The distributors and wholesalers will then provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to food banks, community and faith based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.

On top of these targeted programs USDA will utilize other available funding sources to purchase and distribute food to those in need.

• USDA has up to an additional $873.3 million available in Section 32 funding to purchase a variety of agricultural products for distribution to food banks. The use of these funds will be determined by industry requests, USDA agricultural market analysis, and food bank needs.
• The FFCRA and CARES Act provided an at least $850 million for food bank administrative costs and USDA food purchases, of which a minimum of $600 million will be designated for food purchases. The use of these funds will be determined by food bank need and product availability.

Further details regarding eligibility, rates, and other implementation will be released at a later date.