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A caller to dispatch complained about "loud vehicles off-roading" in the 6100 block of Walkers Corner Road in Byron. Genesee County Sheriff's deputies are responding.

Batavia City Council, as is the case with other Genesee County municipal boards, has decided to “zoom” into the world of electronic meetings.

City Council President Eugene Jankowski told The Batavian today that his group’s next Business Meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on April 13 via the video conferencing service, Zoom – with all council members remotely joining the proceedings by using a specific meeting ID and password.

Zoom Video Communications, headquartered in San Jose, Calif., provides a remote conferencing service that combines video conferencing, online meetings, chat, and mobile collaboration.

“We’ve been experimenting with Zoom – testing it and getting instruction about the software – and everyone seems to be on the same page,” said Jankowski, noting that city lawmakers need to meet to “keep things moving forward,” especially since the March 23^rd meeting was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Jankowski said he expects some logistical glitches at first, but is confident that the expertise of Alecia Kaus of Video News Service will go a long way in making the board’s first venture into the electronic age a successful one.

“We’re going to televise it through Video News Service so the public can watch, but they won’t be able to interact … there will be no public (question-and-answer) session,” he said. “We will, however, definitely allow for the public to send questions by email afterwards (to City Manager Martin Moore or to any council member).”

When contacted about the setup, Kaus said that she plans to post the meeting on her Facebook page and YouTube link – something that she normally does – and is open to putting it on other Internet sites as directed by City Council.

“I will be recording it live and airing it not long afterwards,” she said. “I am currently doing that for Spectrum (on its Community Access Channel) for the City and for the Town of Batavia, and I also have been recording the (Genesee County) Health Department meetings and putting them up for everyone to see.”

The Genesee County Legislature also is utilizing Zoom for its full legislature and committee meetings and posting them to YouTube. Its next meeting (a regular session) is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Staff at UMMC received a free lunch paid for by community donations organized by Ben Macdonald to thank them for "strength, courage, and service" during this difficult time.

Macdonald started a GoFundMe campaign last week with the goal of reading $2,000. The community contributed $3,325.

Workers were served lunches from food trucks for Center Street Smoke House and Public Coffee Hub.

Social distancing was maintained throughout the food service.

Submitted photos and press release:

When a crisis occurs, it is vital that communities collaborate. This week, the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP) made a significant donation to both the Genesee and Livingston counties' Emergency Management systems.

These donations amounted to thousands of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including gloves, disposable gowns, hand sanitizer, surgical masks, N95 respirator masks, blood pressure cuffs and alcohol prep pads. 

While schools are closed, these items will be benefit local communities in the fight against COVID-19.  

“Our nation is facing a pandemic that we have never encountered before," said Matt DellaPenna, GVEP director of Safety and Security. "These supplies will help to protect the brave first responders and healthcare workers who are on the frontlines of this COVID-19 outbreak.”

Quentin I. Bloom, 22, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt in the first degree and second-degree harassment. Bloom was arrested after a domestic incident at 2:18 a.m. March 31 at an upper apartment on Edward Street in Batavia. It is alleged that he struck a person who had an order of protection against him. Bloom was arraigned in Batavia City Court at 7:01 a.m. on March 31 then put in jail on $2,000 cash bail, $4,000 bond, or $8,000 partially secured bond. He is due back in court on April 27. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Alec Roberts.

Michael R. Lanze, 30, of Pearl Street, Rochester, is charged with criminal contempt in the second degree and burglary in the second degree. Lanze was arrested after an investigation and arraigned in Batavia City Court at 4:12 a.m. on April 1. It is alleged that he was found at 11:48 p.m. March 31 in the upstairs apartment on Hutchins Street in Batavia of person who had an order of protection against him. He was jailed on $500 cash, $1,000 cash bail, or $2,000 partially secured bond. He is due back in court on April 27. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Alec Roberts, assisted by Peter Flanagan.

Genesee County emergency dispatcher a minute ago: "There are some individuals in the lobby who have cookies for BPD."

City of Batavia Police officer buoyantly: "Received."

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley has voted against budget bills that raised New Yorkers’ taxes for frivolous social programs that should have not been debated and voted on during the current health crisis.

In addition, increased gun control restrictions, shifting of Medicaid policies that leave higher property taxes on our counties, and the banning of Styrofoam packaging all showed that the state budget was not really a budget proposal, but a policy initiative in disguise.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: trying to pass a budget at this time was the wrong approach to begin with,” Hawley said. “The Assembly should have taken steps to pass a Continuing Resolution, which would have allowed the state the ability to function until the health crisis has been dealt with. This budget gives the governor sole authority, instead of duly elected state legislators, to make changes and decisions as he sees fit as the year unfolds.

"The governor is now running the show, and he gets to spend taxpayer dollars however he wants to. Despite the fact that there was some good in this budget, the bad far outweighed the good. The reduction in library aid and the further damaging of small businesses during this health crisis was deplorable.

"And if that weren’t enough, the continued coddling of criminals through the terrible Bail Reform initiative still pesters on in our communities. The Legislature is no longer run by the men and women elected by the people, it’s run by the governor. Shameful!”

Press release:

NY-27 Congressional candidate Stefan I. Mychajliw Jr. is calling on candidate Chris Jacobs to apologize for an inflammatory and false tweet about ventilators being taken from Buffalo General Hospital.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an Executive Order authorizing the National Guard to confiscate ventilators and medical equipment from our medical facilities here to be taken for patients in and around New York City. The Jacobs campaign posted a false claim about 30 ventilators being taken from Buffalo General Hospital.

The incendiary tweet by the Jacobs campaign has since been deleted.

“People are scared," Mychajliw said. "Our community is panicking. Young and old are fearful of dying. Many people lost their jobs. The last thing we need is someone falsely fanning the flames of discord just to score a few cheap political points in the middle of a campaign. Chris Jacobs must apologize for this false, reckless and irresponsible claim.

“We need a steady hand. Elected leaders need to work together to stop Governor Cuomo. During these difficult times we need reassuring, measured leadership. This incendiary tweet represents the worst of politics during these challenging times."

The false tweet about 30 ventilators being confiscated from a Buffalo area hospital comes on the heels of Jacobs voting against paid leave for workers that lost their job due to the coronavirus crisis. The Jacobs family business, Delaware North, also placed almost 2,000 employees on temporary leave.

“Delaware North said it has placed more than two-thirds of its 3,100 full-time employees on temporary leave. That includes several hundred workers at its downtown headquarters on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.”

Source: www.wbfo.org, “Pegulas pledge $1.2M in community aid; Delaware North cuts 2/3 of its workforce,” Mark Wozniak, March 25^th, 2020.

“All you need to know about Chris Jacobs: he voted against providing desperate relief to hard working people that lost their job because of the Coronavirus crisis. Now he’s trying to dodge and deflect that heartless vote by making false claims about ventilators being taken.This is not the kind of leadership we need in Congress,” concluded Mychajliw.

Press release:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced Friday (April 3) that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has heeded his call and will reverse the guidance issued earlier this week requiring Social Security recipients file a tax return in order to receive the direct cash assistance.

Schumer explained that the reversal is essential to the wellbeing of seniors and disabled New Yorkers because the original IRS requirement of filing a tax return in order to receive the direct assistance would have placed an undue burden on vulnerable individuals, especially seniors, who are already facing tremendous stress as the most at-risk population during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

“After successfully pushing for streamlined payments to New York seniors and most vulnerable in last week’s emergency relief package, the IRS turned around and issued bureaucratic and unreasonable guidance, complicating the process and making it harder for thousands of New Yorkers to quickly get the money they deserve,” Senator Schumer said.

“I’m glad the IRS heeded my call and reversed course, because asking vulnerable individuals living in the epicenter of this global pandemic to jump through unnecessary hoops to get their much-needed cash assistance is irresponsible. The new IRS guidance puts the well-being of these New Yorkers first and achieves the intended goal I so fiercely fought for: get New Yorkers the money they deserve and need to help get through this difficult time as quickly as possible.”

The IRS guidance released on March 30^th outlined that Social Security beneficiaries would need to file tax returns in order to receive direct cash assistance, even though the CARES Act explicitly provided the Treasury Department the authority to release cash to those beneficiaries directly.

Schumer opposed the original guidance, saying that the contradicting information only added to the confusion individuals are already facing. The new guidance from the IRS follows the provisions in the Schumer-negotiated CARES Act, providing an avenue for direct cash assistance for the most vulnerable populations.

According to the Social Security Administration, New York has more than 3 million retired and disabled workers receiving Social Security benefits. Below is a breakdown of impacted New Yorkers in each county:

County

Retired Workers on SS

Disabled Workers on SS

Albany

44,140

8,610

Allegany

7,755

1,770

Bronx

126,160

39,975

Broome

32,520

7,395

Cattaraugus

13,290

3,330

Cayuga

12,520

2,590

Chautauqua

23,110

5,245

Chemung

14,500

3,780

Chenango

8,945

2,120

Clinton

12,845

4,025

Columbia

11,595

2,010

Cortland

7,140

1,475

Delaware

8,670

1,615

Dutchess

42,825

8,480

Erie

141,520

30,830

Essex

7,090

1,375

Franklin

7,830

2,065

Fulton

9,405

2,585

Genesee

9,915

2,080

Greene

8,690

2,015

Hamilton

1,360

140

Herkimer

11,305

2,375

Jefferson

14,765

3,530

Kings

238,735

47,025

Lewis

4,080

890

Livingston

10,330

2,090

Madison

10,780

2,100

Monroe

114,385

23,940

Montgomery

9,015

2,145

Nassau

193,170

24,700

New York

194,710

27,880

Niagara

35,840

8,990

Oneida

37,425

8,825

Onondaga

69,845

14,310

Ontario

19,910

3,315

Orange

45,415

10,070

Orleans

6,465

1,630

Oswego

18,035

4,910

Otsego

10,725

1,870

Putnam

13,965

2,225

Queens

251,800

36,485

Rensselaer

24,115

5,190

Richmond

60,895

13,755

Rockland

41,320

5,230

St. Lawrence

16,650

4,610

Saratoga

37,175

5,840

Schenectady

22,935

5,120

Schoharie

5,515

1,125

Schuyler

3,535

740

Seneca

5,765

1,305

Steuben

16,310

3,785

Suffolk

210,475

37,530

Sullivan

11,995

2,890

Tioga

8,655

1,770

Tompkins

12,340

1,925

Ulster

29,810

5,945

Warren

13,170

2,720

Washington

9,990

2,570

Wayne

15,850

3,525

Westchester

128,465

15,680

Wyoming

6,640

1,375

Yates

4,650

820

NYS Total

2,548,783

486,264

Because the Holland Land Office Museum can't hold its Saturday Morning Children's Program nowadays it's putting information online about the activities scheduled.

This month, the topic is covered wagons.

This link shows a materials list and step-by-step instructions with photos so kids can make their very own covered wagon, like the one above from the HLOM website.

You'll need:

• Popsicle sticks
• Skill sticks
• Brown paper bag or scrap fabric
• Cardboard
• Hot glue or wood glue

HLOM and its supporters would love to see pictures of all the homemade covered wagons that families make and ask that you email pictures to the museum and/or share pictures on social media.

Editor's Note: Suggested musical accompaniment -- Jimmie Driftwood singing "First Covered Wagon."

Press release:

With so many new and unanticipated pressures at this uncertain time, we at National Grid know that you and millions of others are relying on us, now more than ever.

As you are spending more time at home, depending on us for the energy to keep your family comfortable, we take our role as an essential service provider very seriously.

To Ease Some of the Burden

It may also help to know that your energy service will continue even if you’re having trouble paying your bill at this time of disruption.

• Your service will not be shut off if you can’t pay.
• You won’t be charged new fees for late payment.
• You may qualify for emergency home energy assistance grants. Visit ngrid.com/discount.
• Your regular billing and due dates remain unchanged. We offer assistance programs and options providing more time to pay. For help, click here.

These policies will remain in effect through at least the end of April.

If you are struggling to pay your bill, please let us know. We encourage you to reach out to our consumer advocates and your local government and community organizations, many of whom we are working together with to provide support.

Helping You Save

Your energy use may also increase and we want to help you manage that. A variety of tips and resources are available at ngrid.com/save. In the meantime, here are a few simple suggestions to get you started at home:

• Lower your water heater setting to 120 degrees.
• Turn off lights and appliances, TVs, stereos and computers when not in use.
• Dry only full loads of laundry – remember to clean the lint filter.
• Turn on your dishwasher’s energy-saver switch to use less water and lower water heating bills.

We’re in this together.

Please continue doing business with us at your convenience online. To set up an account for the first time, visit this regional link:

Upstate New York

You can still reach us by calling the number on your bill. We are ready to serve you. As we’ve adapted, many of our customer service agents are currently working from home. You may experience longer wait times or hear some occasional background noise; we ask for your understanding.

We are Here for You When You Need Us

Your health and safety, and that of our employees, is paramount. We’ve had to modify our operations as we are working hard to supply energy to homes and businesses.

We will continue to provide critical services you count on:

• Responding to emergencies
• Performing essential maintenance and safety inspections
• Requests for critical issues, including turning on service
• Ensuring reliable service to you and all customers

Nonessential work, requiring us to enter your home or business, has been put on hold:

• Some planned maintenance
• Manual meter reads
• Energy efficiency services

Our crews are taking additional precautionary measures, practicing social distancing and following CDC guidelines. If you have a scheduled appointment with us for a critical service, please call if you wish to postpone or if anyone in your home is ill or quarantined. We can assist you with rescheduling.

Please stay connected with us. Visit online here to find updates on our services, our COVID-19 pandemic response plan efforts, and FAQs to assist you as you navigate this difficult time.

We are here for you and all our customers across the communities in which we live and are proud to serve.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley has called out the executive order signed by Gov. Cuomo that requires the National Guard to transport extra ventilators from hospitals in Upstate New York and bring them to Downstate hospitals.

He is also fighting against the increased transport of COVID-19-infected patients from Downstate to Upstate hospitals.

“I am absolutely dumbfounded at the steps the governor has taken today to leave Upstate New York as vulnerable as Downstate has been during this health crisis,” Hawley said. “Not only will Upstate hospitals now be left with fewer ventilators for our citizens who need them, but an increase in transport of coronavirus cases to Upstate almost certainly means the virus will spread even quicker in our districts.

"It’s the worst possible management of this crisis I have seen thus far, and I am asking the governor to rescind his Executive Order. Upstate and Western New York lives matter.”

Press release:

There are many families within the greater Genesee region that, during normal circumstances, don’t know where their next meal may come from. During this time of uncertainty, it becomes clearer that as a community, it is our call to help those around us.

Have you felt that urge to help, but just can’t figure out where to plug yourself in?

• FOOD COLLECTION: Northgate Free Methodist Church will be assisting The Salvation Army with food collection. They are setting up a drop-off point for donations on Monday, April 6, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at their North Campus (8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia).

The Salvation Army is in need of the following items: canned meats, peanut butter, jelly, soups or chili in cans, pastas, rice, beans, breakfast items, snack items for kids and shelf stable milk.

There will be volunteers available to unload items from your vehicle, and safety precautions will be made to maintain social distancing.

• FOOD DISTRIBUTION: Beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8, The Salvation Army, along with the assistance of FoodLink, will oversee a “Pop-up” Mobile pantry at Northgate's North Campus (8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia).

This will be done as a “drive thru” distribution to insure social distancing and proper hygiene. Residents are asked to pull into the church lot and go around the back of the building via the north side.

Pull up to the pallets and volunteers will load the items for you. Do not get out of your car or attempt to help. This will continue until all the product is gone. Items vary. Please arrive no earlier than 9 a.m.

There are NO residency or income requirements.

In a time where we are being asked to remain apart, let’s do what we can to help those who are in need right now.

Above: Byron-Bergen Central School District staff at food distribution site. Photo courtesy of Mickey Edwards.

Submitted photos and information from Byron-Bergen Central School District:

BERGEN -- In the wake of school closings, mandatory social distancing, and the economic downturn, food insecurity is a rising concern. Byron-Bergen Central School District has organized meal pickups to provide breakfast and lunch to school-aged children five days a week, but some local farmers decided to take it a step further.

On Thursday (April 2) a trailer piled with potatoes, onions, carrots, and cabbage pulled into the Byron-Bergen High School parking lot -- a gift to the community from five farms in Genesee County: Mortellaro Farms, Star Growers, Stymus Farms, Torrey Farms, and Triple G Farms.

The produce was distributed directly to community members during their regular school meal pickups for about 300 students at the High School bus loop.

The drop-off was organized with the help of Byron-Bergen Central School District's kitchen manager Rozanne Klycek, who got the idea from a family member at Star Growers in Elba, Barbara "Barbie" Starowitz.

The Byron-Bergen alumna has been in contact with other local farmers, eager to help in these uncertain times. Since the District was already distributing food, the farmers thought it was the perfect way to reach community members in need.

"It's just all of us farmers helping each other out," Starowitz told The Batavian this evening. "We always help out the community in times like this. It's not unusual. It's what we do."

In the space of a mere week, hundreds of pounds of produce has been donated by the farmers help people fight food insecurity -- at the giveways at Northgate Church in Batavia, to help stock Harrington's Market and local food pantries, which many seniors increasingly rely on. They plan on donating to Elba Central School on Monday.

“This community never ceases to amaze me,” said Byron-Bergen Superintendent Mickey Edwards. “I am truly humbled by the generosity of these farmers. It was an honor to help carry 10-pound bags of potatoes out to cars, knowing the relief it will provide to our families.”

Below, produce donated by local farmers being prepared for distribution. Photo courtesy of Susan Kuszlyk.

Bottom: Byron-Bergen kitchen manager Rozanne Klycek and Adam Starowitz from Star Growers during produce drop off. Photo courtesy of Susan Kuszlyk.

Press releasse:

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand today announced that USDA is opening a second application window for funding under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program.

“Due to the COVID-19 National Emergency, USDA is providing an additional window for those who cannot complete applications prior to the first application deadline,” Brand said. “This action will provide more time for applicants to complete their funding requests. Access to distance learning and telemedicine makes it easier for thousands of rural residents to take advantage of health care and educational opportunities without having to travel long distances or be among large groups of people.”

Electronic applications for window two may be submitted through grants.gov beginning April 14, 2020, and are due no later than July 13, 2020. Paper applications will not be accepted under the second window. Additional information on how to apply will be available April 14.

USDA opened the period for the first application window on Feb. 10. That application deadline is April 10.

Applicants eligible for DLT grants include most state and local governmental entities, federally recognized tribes, nonprofits, and for-profit businesses.

Rural Development was provided an additional $25 million in CARES Act for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant program. USDA will make a separate announcement in coming weeks when these funds are available.

USDA Rural Development has taken a number of immediate actions to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. To learn more about Rural Development’s COVID-19 response, click here.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas.

Press release:

The Batavia Tops Friendly Market is overwhelmed with gratitude after receiving a phone call they never expected from a Batavia resident representing the Redfield Drive Association.

It comes as no surprise when this one-block community, comprised of 60 homes, embarked on a campaign to help their fellow neighbors. It’s in their nature to spread goodwill. Spearheaded by one of its members, an email went out to help not only its local restaurant owners, but its local Tops Friendly Markets.

It was just a few days ago when Batavia Tops store manager Kris Ponzi was first contacted about the Redfield Association wanting to show the community's gratitude for all that Tops and its associates are doing during these unprecedented times and that they wanted to “pay it forward.”

The organizer went on to explain that the community has started to collect funds from the neighborhood so they can buy the Tops entire store team lunch, all while also supporting the local restaurants in Batavia.

“It's probably the nicest gesture ever in my 30 years of working for Tops," Ponzi said. "It will be so meaningful to our associates.”

The community not only raised enough for lunch for Tops associates, but also dinner!

So tomorrow (April 4) Tops associates will be treated to food catered by Los Compadres Taqueria, located at 40 Oak St. in Batavia, and T.F. Brown's, located at 214 Main St. in the city. The restaurants will provide enough food for both the day and evening shifts.

Meals will be dropped off at 10:30 a.m. at the Batavia Tops at 390 W. Main St.

Organizers in the Redfield Drive Association encourage other block clubs and associations to follow their lead, to stay connected with one another through their social and email channels, and see how they too can help give back to essential workers and help one another during these uncertain times.

The briefing is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.

New Cases

• As of 2 p.m. today:
  • Genesee County received 4 new positive case of COVID-19 for a total of 21 positive cases;
  • One under the age of 65 residing in the central part of Genesee County;
  • Three under the age of 65 residing in the eastern part of Genesee County;
  • In Genesee County, the four positive cases were previously under mandatory quarantine and have tested positive. They are now under mandatory isolation at home;
  • Orleans County: three new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of nine;
  • All reside in the central part of Orleans County, one is over 65 and two are under 65;
  • One of the three is under isolation at the hospital and the other two are under mandatory isolation at home;
  • None of the Orleans positive cases were under precautionary or mandatory quarantine when they became symptomatic.
• 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).
• 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 we will send out a media announcement to help seek contacts

Cumulative Data

New mapping platform – will be updating daily during the week. Link will be available on our web sites. Monitor both and individual county or both along with current and total numbers

• Healthcare providers are advising patients undergoing swabbing that are symptomatic (based on availability and screening for high-risk) for COVID-19 to self-isolate until test results are received and COVID-19 is ruled out. Follow your healthcare provider’s advice.
• Due to test kit availability, we are not providing community testing at this time. We will be announcing further information on this as local capacity increases.

OPERATIONAL UPDATES

• Be on the lookout for "GO Health Minutes." These short video clips will feature different guests within the health departments as well as legislative members, businesses, organizations and some of our neighbors to highlight important information pertaining to COVID-19. We will frequently be releasing new videos so be sure you are subscribed to our GO Health NY YouTube channel and check our websites and our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
• Social distancing must be practiced in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. This means canceling events such as parties, celebrations, and neighborhood gatherings where people congregate together.
• This also means that children and adults should not play contact sports.
• These are temporary requests that will help stop the spread of the virus so that we can resume normal activities.
• If you must go to the store, always maintain at least 6 feet of space between you and other people and wash hands frequently.
  • Stores are not to be utilized as a social event. It is important people limit their trips to the store, choose a designated shopper and if at all possible leave the children home. Keep a 6 foot distance between other shoppers.
  • Take out / food trucks are not a gathering place. Keep 6’ space between other customers.
• Please remain home if ill, even if a person has a negative COVID-19 result it is important to continue to limit physical contact. Flu and COVID-19 are still transmittable and people should continue to remain home and limiting contact with others.
• If you work with a vulnerable population, self-monitor prior to going to work, if you become sick while at work, contact your supervisor immediately and leave the premises to decrease the risk of contact with others. When not working, follow social distancing and limit time in public.
• Medical Concerns: If you feel you may have COVID-19, call your primary care provider or healthcare facility ahead of time. DO NOT GO DIRECTLY THERE, CALL AHEAD TO GET GUIDANCE. Swabbing will be based on those who are in higher risk categories – elderly and immune compromised and those with underlying health issues.
  • Swab sample results are coming back slower than expected – some are over a week or more. With more testing, we expect this will continue. Whenever anyone is swabbed for potential COVID-19, self-isolation is advised until the test result is back
• Older Adults:  Be alert for scams, including government grant scams. What to look for:
  • Do not accept unsolicited phone calls or e-mails from someone claiming to be an official from the Federal Grants Administration, which does not exist, or a nonprofit organization like the National Residential Improvement Association offering grands or funding for repairs.
  • Don’t click on social media messages or posts from people excited to share thousands of dollars, free grants, etc.
  • The scammers may try using utility companies to access your information. Contact the utility using the number you have on your monthly bill not what the potential scammers have given you.
  • Let calls you don’t recognize go to voice mail, most scams won’t leave a message, however, don’t return unsolicited calls.  Write down the number and check online or have someone check for you to make sure it is legitimate. If you are unsure, or if it sounds too good to be true, ignore it and talk with a family member, the Office for the Aging, the Better Business Bureau or your local police.

Asking that folks be respectful and accommodating of health care workers and responders. They are doing their job to protect you and our community. 

• Anxiety, Depression, Fear: If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, fear about this outbreak call the Care + Crisis Helpline at 585-283-5200, text 741741 or call the NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 884-863-9314, they have trained listeners available 24/7 to help you through this.

LE ROY -- Generations of children and their families have grown accustomed to the yearly Easter Egg Hunt at Hartwood Park. This month, plans have changed but Le Roy's community spirit has not, in spite of the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing.

At high noon on Saturday, April 11th, a drive-thru distribution of prepackaged bags of candy-stuffed eggs will take place at Trigon Park in the village, a site selected for its ability to handle the large volume of expected traffic.

The folks putting this thing together aren't fooling around.

An estimated 8,000 eggs with 24,000 pieces of candy have been sequestered since April 1st.

They will be given out to an estimated 800 children who've all had their childhoods disrupted. As luck would have it, three Easter baskets will be given to the occupants of the 50th, 100th and 150th car in line.

Also, several bags will contain a highly coveted "Golden Egg" -- with special instructions for a Special Prize.

The outsized Easter Bunny will be there, as always, flopsy-eared front and center, assisted by at least 10 members of the Rotary Club of Le Roy and their families, wearing latex gloves and masks 2020 style. The pros at the Le Roy Police Department will handle vehicle traffic and safety.

Many hours of work and strategic planning by volunteers, village officials and civic-minded citizens makes this possible.

Earlier this year, the Le Roy Business Council put the Rotary Club of Le Roy in charge of the project, and they formed a committee, led by Shannon Karcher.

The committee explored avenues to safely distribute the treats. But when schools and a backup location closed due to "New York On PAUSE" mandates, the event was in jeopardy and its cancellation considered.

Working with the Village of Le Roy Board and using the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New York State, the Rotary Club of Le Roy hatched its plot to put safety first while using a village street and park for a massive distribution of seasonal goodies.

Taking the trouble to do this matters because American traditions matter here.

Nearly 30 years ago, through the efforts of the Le Roy Business Council, they started holding an Easter Egg Hunt on the Saturday before Easter at Le Roy Central School’s Hartwood Park.

The date of Easter itself varies. It is observed on the Sunday following the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon that occurs on or after the March 21 spring equinox. So Easter will always occur on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25.

This year Easter Sunday is April 12. And the day before, a midday queue of automobiles in Le Roy might in itself be a testament to something unseen, like COVID-19, but way bigger.

Distribution will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Rain, shine or high water.

Information used in this post was provided by the Le Roy Rotary Club.

Service Above Self Mission Statement: The mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

We're talking with Jason Barrett, founder, and president of Black Button. Black Button, a distillery, is making hand sanitizer and recently donated a batch to the Genesee County heriff's Office.

Here's the link to the GoFundMe page for Black Button's hand sanitizer distribution program.

As discussed in the interview, Black Button is producing the hand sanitizer and making it available to governmental organizations and those nonprofits that can afford it at cost; however, the GoFundMe fundraising effort is to help defray the cost of distributing the hand sanitizer to organizations that can't afford to pay for it.