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In the eyes of Cathy Preston, moderator of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership-sponsored “Scholastic Bowl,” recognizing students for their academic ability is much more than a trivial pursuit.

Preston facilitated the questions and answers on Wednesday night as the high school competition opened its 32^nd year at the television studio located in the Conable Technology Building at Genesee Community College.

She said that the opportunity to play a role in elevating students who place a high priority on learning has kept her motivated to continue with the show for a 17^th season.

“I like to see kids who maybe aren’t athletically gifted also have a chance to challenge themselves and be in a competition,” said Preston, who was a contestant on the nationally syndicated “Jeopardy” show in 2003 (when she finished in second place). “Far too often, high school sports get all the attention – there’s nothing wrong with that – but it’s nice to see academically gifted students also have a way to compete and (receive some publicity).”

Preston, also a Scholastic Bowl alumna, said that 12 area high schools will be participating over the next seven weeks – 19 regular-season matches in all with semifinals and finals scheduled for Feb. 26 and Feb. 27, respectively.

“There are three or four students per team, depending upon the night,” she said, noting that on opening night each of the three competing schools had three players.

Last night’s contests featured Batavia, Pembroke and Alden in the first match and Notre Dame, Pavilion, Alexander and Elba in the second match.

All the matches are streamed and downloaded live via GCC’s website and also can be viewed later on the GVEP (formerly BOCES) website, Preston said.

During the competition, a viewing room is set up down the hall in the Conable Technology Building for family and friends.

Each show consists of three rounds, Preston said.

“The first and third rounds are random questions, and the second round – the lightning round -- is 10 questions in a given category and each school has 60 seconds to answer those 10 questions,” she said.

Determining who “buzzed in” first is judged by Preston’s sister-in-law, Kathy Jursted, who also has been part of the program for the past 17 years.

“The students buzz in and I’ll call out their school name and then individual’s name -- and then they will answer the question,” Jursted said, adding that questions are provided by GVEP staff. Question topics include subjects taught in school plus some pop culture – arts and music, for example – sprinkled in.

Other high schools in the mix this year are Byron-Bergen, Attica, Le Roy, Akron and Oakfield-Alabama.

Batavia and Alexander got off to a fast start last night with Batavia amassing 230 points to outdistance Pembroke (180) and Alden (120) in the opening match and Alexander rolling up 300 points to defeat Notre Dame (90), Pavilion (90) and Elba (40) in the second match. The tiebreaker for second place went to Notre Dame.

Competition continues over the next six Wednesdays and Thursdays with the first match set for 6 p.m.

Just one match is slated for tonight, with Akron, Attica, Le Roy and Oakfield-Alabama putting their collective knowledge to the test.

Photo at top -- The Scholastic Bowl kicked off its 32^nd year on Wednesday night at Genesee Community College. Taking part in the first match are, from left, representing Batavia, Nico Mirabal, Erik Kessler and Kathryn Fitzpatrick (seated) and advisor Bob Mullen and Sophie Beckman (standing); representing Pembroke, Hannah Clark, Maggie Johnson and Jack Crandall (seated) and advisor Vinny Lazzara; moderator Cathy Preston and judge Kathy Jursted; representing Alden, Michael Frisicaro, Charles Freeman and Kristina Wilson (seated) and advisor Renee Mertz and Peter Tolsma (standing). Photo by Mike Pettinella.

It's Girl Scout cookie season and locally, Girl Scouts kicked off cookie event at the Scout headquarters on Jackson Street.  Pembroke student Hannah Beach was on hand to greet visitors and hand out the new Lemonades cookie. Scouts who participated also received a cookie slide bracelet and engaged in hands-on activities.

Press release:

Girl Scout Cookie lovers across Western New York are currently able to purchase their favorite cookies from a girl for $5 per box via order taking starting Jan. 11 – Feb. 8, directly at cookie booths during March 1 – 29, and online through direct shipping now throughout the sale until March 29, 2020. For more information visit gswny.org.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program® teaches girls about entrepreneurship as they have fun learning essential skills like money management, public speaking, and decision making, which set them up for a lifetime of success. Nine in 10 Girl Scouts say the cookie program has built their entrepreneurship skills and their interest in pursuing entrepreneurship as a career path—so every cookie purchase is an investment in the world-changing business leaders of tomorrow. What’s more, each and every purchase stays local to power amazing experiences and leadership opportunities for girls in communities across the United States.

GSUSA’s refreshed cookie packaging (with the same great taste!) continues to emphasize what the cookie program is all about, and the updated images feature current Girl Scouts taking part in a diverse range of experiences available to members — from adventure-packed camping and canoeing, to exploring space science and designing robots, to taking action to improve their communities. Every purchase of Girl Scout Cookies makes experiences like these possible for girls in your local community.

And with one of two lemon cookies available nationwide this year, Girl Scouts of Western New York is celebrating the Lemonades cookie, a tasty way to support young female entrepreneurs. Lemonades, alongside classics such as the Thin Mints®, Caramel deLites®, and Peanut Butter Patties® varieties, are savory slices of shortbread with lemon-flavored icing. The variety is offered in select council markets for as long as supplies last.

“We are committed to positioning girls for success both now and in the future through our comprehensive, year-round program experience for girls,” said Alison Wilcox, CEO of Girl Scouts of Western New York. “As the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world, the Girl Scout Cookie Program® provides girls with an unparalleled experience to hone their entrepreneurial skills and build a lifetime of leadership. We also welcome adult volunteers and girls to join Girl Scouts.”

Press release:

Nate McMurray, Democrat running in the Special Election in NY-27 to fill the vacancy left by the disgraced felon Chris Collins, has called for ethics reforms in light of multiple members of Congress resigning after guilty pleas and Chris Collins repaying himself over $100,000 from a decades-old campaign loan.

McMurray is calling for Congressional pensions to be forfeited if the member resigns after a felony guilty plea. He first called for pension forfeiture in an October letter to the judge overseeing Collins’ case after Collins pled guilty. Now, McMurray plans to introduce legislation to codify pension forfeiture for members of Congress who break the public’s trust.

“Taxpayer-funded pensions should not go to corrupt Members of Congress who abuse the public’s trust. Americans from California to Western New York deserve better,” McMurray said. “No felon former Congressmember should continue to profit off of their crimes.

"We will send a clear message to every dirty politician -- Chris Collins, Duncan Hunter, and anybody else, Democrat or Republican that they will pay when they break our trust.”

Collins, a multimillionaire, also paid himself back over $140,000 for a personal loan he gave to his 1998 campaign. McMurray also announced plans to introduce legislation to stop this corrupt practice by requiring the repayment of personal loans within two years of the election

“Political campaigns should not be personal piggybanks, and we must close loopholes that allow someone like Collins to raise money and put it into his own pocket twenty years later,” McMurray said.

McMurray also criticized Collins’ efforts to seek a light sentence for his crimes.

“Chris Collins must pay his debt to society and to the voters he lied to and cheated. The rich and powerful should not dictate the terms of our criminal justice system and the U.S. Probation Office should not be recommending a slap on the wrist to one of the president’s cronies after he committed multiple felonies,” McMurray said.

Press release:

Pastors and volunteers from three different churches in Le Roy have come together to plan a pro-life rally and march on Saturday, Jan. 25^th coinciding with  the National March for Life in Washington, D.C., the same weekend.

The event is open to churches and pro-lifers throughout the Western New York region to come and make a public statement that there is no more fundamental right than the right to live.

The event will kick off at 11 a.m. at the gymnasium of the parish center, located at 44 Lake St. in Le Roy, with music, brief speakers and videos, displays and information from organizations that support families after childbirth. That one hour rally will then transition to a respectful and peaceful march through village streets in Le Roy.

The event was organized after Fr. Matthew Phelan of Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Pastor Jack Hempfling of Living Waters Church and Pastor Roger Piger of Calvary Baptist Church attended a meeting of pastors in Buffalo who are pulling together to confront abortion. 

“There is a movement there to support pregnant women and new mothers, to curb the devastating abortion rate in that city (a rate so high that the African American community is not even replacing itself),” Hempfling said.

“After that meeting in Buffalo, we started asking one another, why not bring this issue to the local level? Fr. Matthew offered to host a rally at Our Lady of Mercy, Pastor Roger was onboard, so the rally and march quickly took shape.”

“Since Roe v. Wade, well over 61 million children have been aborted in the USA. That is 10 times the number of people killed by Nazis in the Holocaust, and it’s the equivalent to the entire populations of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Louisiana combined!” Pastor Hempfling noted.

These local pastors agree with this statement: “This is not an onslaught that can be harnessed just by laws and court rulings, although those are so important. This issue requires a heart change in our culture. That’s why we believe that the national marches need to be expanded to the grassroots, local level.

"And we want to declare in the name of Christ that there is healing and support for those who have in the past or currently find themselves in the frightening situation of an unplanned pregnancy.”

Press release:

Issues of housing instability, maintaining gainful employment, and obtaining needed healthcare are not limited to large metropolitan areas, they can occur to people living anywhere.

With this in mind, Batavia’s premier advocacy agency for people with disabilities, Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) plus the Homeless Alliance of WNY (HAWNY), working with other community organizations, will be available to those in need in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties as part of Project Connect on Thursday, Jan. 30.

Join us for a FREE hot meal, with access to local available resources to assist with housing, employment, healthcare, and other needs.

In Genesee County, they will cap off a rather full day by offering the hot meal and information from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Salvation Army, 529 E. Main St., Batavia.

Signing up for a session in advance is encouraged but NOT REQUIRED. For more information or to register, please contact: Amber Mesita at (585) 815-8501, ext. 417, or email her at amesita@wnyil.org

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

Alexander Daniel Neu, 18, of Dubonnet Drive, Depew, is charged with third-degree assault. Neu was arrested for allegedly striking a victim in the face at the Wiz Khalifa concert at 7 p.m. on July 21 at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, causing physical injury to the victim. He is due to be arraigned in Darien Town Court at 4 p.m. on Jan. 14. The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Investigator/Youth Officer Timothy G. Wescott, assisted by Investigator Howard Carlson.

Joshua C. Pesci, 25, of Broadway Avenue, Alden, is charged with: two counts of driving while intoxicated; failure to use designated lane; driving on the sidewalk; unreasonable speed. Pesci was arrested Jan. 3 on South Main Street in Batavia following a property damage accident at 2:05 a.m. He was issued appearance tickets and is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 22. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jordan McGinnis, assisted by Officer Peter Post.

Nathan E. Hinze, 26, of Clifton Avenue, Batavia, is charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated DWI. Hinze was arrested after a property damage accident on East Avenue in Batavia on Jan. 4 wherein he allegedly damaged a telephone pole with his vehicle. Hinze and his vehicle were located at 2:19 a.m. at a residence on Farwell Avenue. He was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 22. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Sean Wilson, assisted by Officer Marc Lawrence.

William J. Haight, 31, no permanent address, is charged with criminal mischief in the fourth degree and unlawful imprisonment in the second degree. Haight was arrested following a omestic incident at 12:07 a.m. on Jan. 6 on Jackson Street in Batavia. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and is there again on Jan. 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Adam Tucker, assisted by Officer Peter Post.

Michael A. Ames, 27, of Le Roy, was arrested by Wyoming County Sheriff's Deputy Nowak on Jan. 3 for failure to pay a fine levied in Wyoming County. Nowak was notified by the Batavia Police Department that Ames was in custody on an active Superior Court Arrest Warrant. Deputies from Wyoming County met with Batavia PD and gained custody of the defendant and he was transported to Wyoming County Jail for commitment. He was due in Wyoming County Court on Jan. 6.

Kim Smith is a candidate for the 61st State Senate District. Yesterday she stopped in Batavia at the Richmond Memorial Library as part of what she calls a "listening tour," a chance for her to hear from residents of the district about what is important to them. This video is a quick introduction to the candidate.

Mobile app users, click here to view the video

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Press release:

Today, New York State Senator Rob Ortt, Army combat veteran and candidate for New York’s 27^th Congressional District, is calling for the State Legislature to take action on Senate Bill 5156, which would amend and strengthen the 2012 passage of the state’s Iran Divestment Act. This legislation would amend the current language of the Iran Divestment Act, conforming current definitions to fit state law.

"New York shouldn't be investing in a country in the business of killing American citizens and military personnel or support a fundamentalist regime committed to wiping Israel off the map,” Ortt said. “Rather than condemning the legitimate use of force in killing one of the leading architects of terrorism across the Middle East (Qasem Soleimani), Senate Democrats should send an unequivocal message that Iran's disturbing past and current aggression is wholly unacceptable.

"Senate Republicans prioritized and passed this important legislation for several years and it is time for Democrats to get on board and condemn this terror-sponsoring, American-killing, the anti-Semitic Iranian regime."

Ortt believes that Iran’s mounting aggression and recent threats necessitate immediate action by New York lawmakers. Senate Republicans successfully passed this bill from 2015-2018, but Senate Democrats have yet to take it up for a vote. The bill memo and justification notes that Iranian leaders have repeatedly sought to target New York City should they acquire a nuclear weapon, putting at risk the health and safety of New Yorkers.

Ortt also contrasted the inaction on Iran with state and national Democrat calls to divest from Israel.

Press release:

Congressional Candidate (NY-27) and State Senator Chris Jacobs announced if elected to Congress he will reintroduce legislation sponsored by former Congressman Chris Collins. The legislation would eliminate New York’s Scaffold Law for federally funded projects in the State and protect taxpayers.

“New York is the last state in the country that still has the outdated Scaffold Law, which was enacted in the 1800s when there were very little regulations on the construction industry," Jacobs said. "The law imposes absolute liability on the owner or contractor if a worker is injured in a fall, no matter how irresponsible the worker’s actions.

"For instance, a worker could be completely drunk and if he fell off even a stepladder, the owner would be completely liable in a lawsuit.”

Due to the Scaffold Law, New York State is home to many more frivolous lawsuits at construction sites and workplaces, and consequently, New York has some of the highest insurance costs.

In New York State a typical single-family home can cost up to $10,000 more as a result of the Scaffold Law. The taxpayer-funded new Tappan Zee Bridge project paid $200 million more in insurance costs due to New York’s Scaffold Law.

“This all translates into construction projects costing more and inevitably taxpayers paying more,” Jacobs said. He continued, “in a state that already has a $6.1 billion budget deficit, we can not afford to put more wasteful costs on the backs of taxpayers.”

The legislation Jacobs will reintroduce –called the Infrastructure Expansion Act— requires that states receiving federal money for projects will not be able to use the Scaffold Law absolute liability standard due to the unnecessary increases it causes in project costs.

“We are no longer going to waste taxpayer money on an outdated law that every other state except New York has eliminated long ago,” Jacobs said. "Hopefully passage of this legislation and the risk of losing federal money will cause state leaders to finally eliminate the Scaffold Law, saving New York taxpayers millions.”

Press release:

The Genesee County & City of Batavia Youth Boards are looking for nominations for their annual Youth Recognition Banquet.

There are three awards presented at the Youth Recognition Banquet:

• Youth Recognition Award — This award recognizes young people who have performed exceptional service to the community and/or have assumed extraordinary roles in their families. Typically, the best candidates for this award are high school students, but we also know there are 12-, 13-, 14-year-olds who exemplify distinctive qualities of service. Several youth will be recognized; however the Youth Boards reserve the right to limit the number of recipients.
• Adult Volunteer — This award recognizes an adult who provides service as a volunteer to youth in Genesee County.
• Adult Youth Worker — This award recognizes a youth service professional whose work surpasses normal expectations.

Recipients will be honored at the Youth Recognition Banquet on March 26.

Nominations are due by Friday, Feb. 14th.

For more information or to receive nomination forms, please call the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 344-3960 or youthbureau@co.genesee.ny.us. The forms are also on the Youth Bureau page of the Genesee County website.

Press release:

To help reduce further transmission of influenza and/or other infectious diseases, the following restrictions are in place at four Rochester Regional Health hospitals, including United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.

• Only two visitors per patient at a time;
• Parents/caregivers are not counted as visitors;
• All visitors must be at least 14-years-old; exception -- healthy siblings of any age may visit newborns;
• Patients should not receive visitors who are experiencing sore throat, fever, runny nose, cough, sneezing, or other flu-like symptoms (even if the visitor has been vaccinated against the flu).

The other three locations with visitor restrictions are: Rochester General Hospital; Unity Hospital (Greece); and Newark-Wayne Community Hospital (Newark).

(Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic in Clifton Springs has no visitor restrictions.)

From the Genesee County Public Health Department:

Looking for something healthy and free to do this winter with your family? Join the Get Fit program!

Get Fit is an eight-week program that encourages a healthier lifestyle through physical activity and nutrition.

The Get Fit program will begin on Thursday, Jan. 16th at the YMCA in Batavia from 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Thursday evenings from Jan. 16 through March 5, families will participate in 45 minutes of FUN physical activity followed by a 45-minute nutrition lesson where participants will get to taste healthy and delicious treats.

The Get Fit program is put on by the Healthy Children and Families Coalition.

The goal of the coalition is to reduce and combat childhood obesity. Locally, 38.7 percent of adults and 20 percent of youth in Genesee County are obese.

According to the Surgeon General, overweight children have a 70-percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This increases to 80 percent if one or more parent is overweight or obese.

Being overweight or obese also increases a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer and other medical diseases.

The increased cost of nutritious foods, larger portion sizes, increased consumption of processed foods (typically having higher salt concentrations), and decreased physical activity are some of the common reasons why we are facing an obesity epidemic.

The Get Fit program encourages families to take action together by using simple ways to improve nutrition and fitness levels. Get Fit makes exercising and eating right enjoyable and realistic.

Throughout the program, families will bond together through exercising, sampling healthy food choices, discovering simple and great tasting recipes, as well as learning how to eat right on a budget. Exercising is made fun with different activities each week including yoga, swimming, and team games.

Over the eight-week program, families who register will receive a FREE family pass to the YMCA that they may use anytime the facility is open. Get out of the house this winter and burn off some energy at the Get Fit program!

Enroll your family today by visiting www.GetFitWNY.org or calling 585-344-5420! Hurry, limited spots available!

Enrollees get a chance to win a YMCA Family Membership, too!

Edward George Ruckdeschel (inset photo), 57, was stopped by Genesee County Sheriff's deputies at 5:04 a.m. in the 7900 block of Clinton Street Road (Route 33).

He allegedly stole a vehicle from a residence in Orleans County. According to the Sheriff's Office, he led deputies on a vehicle pursuit, then a foot pursuit, which ended in the Town of Wheatland, Monroe County.

Ruckdeschel is being charged with: criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree -- a motor vehicle; second-degree obstruction of governmental administration; aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree; unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle; unregistered motor vehicle; failure to yield right of way when entering a roadway; no or inadequate head lamp; side windows non-transparent; and unauthorized stickers.

The defendant was issued appearance tickets and is due in Town of Bergen Court at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

The case was handled by Deputy Jordan Alejandro.

Information from Catholic Charities of Buffalo (serving all of WNY):

The Appeal 2020 workshop for the tri-county region -- Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties --is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church in East Pembroke. The workshop will be held in the Parish Hall behind the church, located at 8656 Church St.

In attendance will be:

• Deacon Steve Schumer, president and CEO, Catholic Charities of Buffalo;
• Meichle Latham, chief operating officer, Catholic Charities of Buffalo;
• Rick Cronin, Appeal 2020 general chair;
• Richard Suchan, executive director, Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo;
• Kelly Grimaldi, tri-county district director, Catholic Charities;
• Hero of Hope Partner Award Recipient June Seager, county coordinator, Orleans County Office of Children and Family Services;
• Approximately 40 community volunteers, clergy, lay leaders and donors, as well as Catholic Charities staff.

This volunteer training workshop kicks off Appeal 2020 in support of Catholic Charities and the Fund for the Faith in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

In addition, a Hero of Hope Partner award will be given to June Seager, county coordinator of the Orleans County Office of Children and Family Services, for her support of Catholic Charities and strong investment in area families, youths and individuals.

Members of the Appeal leadership team and staff will present information about Appeal 2020, including what has changed, how to run a successful parish effort, and ideas for gaining new donors and renewing previous donors.

Donors in parishes from the tri-county region contributed $418,727 to the 2019 Appeal. 

This year’s Appeal week will take place March 28-April 5 throughout the eight counties of Western New York to celebrate the support of those who have made contributions to the Appeal, and to encourage those who have not already donated to do so. 

The funds raised for Appeal 2020 will help support the 51 programs and services Catholic Charities offers across 43 sites, along with a number of ministries through the Fund for the Faith. Catholic Charities provides assistance to people of all ages, races, faiths and walks of life.

Of the 160,000 individuals reached by Catholic Charities last year, the lives of more than 3,600 were impacted in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

For more information, please contact Catholic Charities of Western New York at (716) 218-1400, or visit ccwny.org.

Press release:

Congressional Candidate (NY-27) and State Senator Chris Jacobs announced a congressional endorsement from the New York Young Republican Club. The club made the decision to endorse Jacobs recently after Jacobs delivered the keynote address at their annual holiday gathering.

“This endorsement is a large honor for me as I continue to build my Congressional Campaign to represent the State of New York," Jacobs said. "Young Republicans are the future of this party and their support makes me confident that we can work together to build a party that is strong and vibrant for future generations.

"In a time where Republicans, especially younger ones, are vilified it is inspiring to see so many individuals confident and energized to stand up for their beliefs. I look forward to working with The New York Young Republican Club, and other organizations alike, in Congress to bring our message of solutions, innovation, and conservative values to the nation.”

The New York Young Republican Club was established in 1911. They are the oldest and largest Young Republican club in the United States. The Club is affiliated with and officially recognized by the New York State Young Republicans and the Young Republican National Federation, as well as the county, state and national Republican committees.

NYYRC President Gavin Wax said, “I am proud to announce that our organization has endorsed Chris Jacobs in his Congressional Campaign. Our Club represents the future of the Republican Party and we believe that Chris Jacobs is the best candidate to go down to Washington to represent the conservative values that both the people of Western New York and the youth movement within our party holds dear.”

Press release:

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is now accepting Letters of Intent for its 2020 competitive grant process through 4 p.m. Feb. 3.

Interested organizations should read the detailed guidelines/additional information before submitting a Letter of Intent. A link to the guidelines can be found here.

LOI proposals must address at least one of the Solutions listed under the Community Foundation’s four community goals. The Solutions are listed on the webpage and the goals are listed below:

• Improve educational achievement and workforce readiness for residents living in low-income households;
• Increase racial/ethnic equity;
• Protect and restore significant environmental resources and promote equitable access;
• Strengthen the region as a center for architecture, arts and culture.

Additionally, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in or serving one of the eight counties of Western New York (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming).

In 2019, the Community Foundation awarded more than $500,000 to 28 Western New York nonprofit organizations through the competitive grants process. The Community Foundation is home to more than 900 named funds, totaling over $500 million in assets and is one of the region’s largest grantmakers.

The debut "Crafting for Critters" bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel. All proceeds benefit homeless pets at the Genesee County Animal Shelter.

Admission is free. The event is hosted by Volunteers for Animals.

They would like you to consider being a vendor. For more information and a registration form, please email the volunteers at:   vol4animalscraftfair@gmail.com

Vendors should respond by Feb. 1 to get a spot at this indoor event.

Craft Information Sheet

Craft Registration Form

At $821, the average weekly earnings of a Genesee County resident is on the lower end of wages paid in New York and well below the national average of $1,095 and the New York State average of $1,347.

It's also lower than the other GLOW counties: Livingston, $859; Orleans, $891; Wyoming, $885.

Downstate counties and Albany are where the state's highest wage earners are, of course, with New York City workers earning $2,109 per week on average.

Erie County's average is $986. Monroe County is $1,009.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (a federal agency), "Forty-two of New York’s 44 counties with employment below 75,000 had average weekly wages below the national average of $1,095. Steuben ($1,127) and Schenectady ($1,115) were the exceptions. Yates and Hamilton counties reported the lowest average weekly wages at $690 and $691, respectively."

To quote Charles Bukowski, "it was such a delving day" on Thursday, Jan. 2 when Bella the cat went in for surgery at the Perry Veterinary Clinic on (3699) West Main Street Road in Batavia.

Later that same day, owner Elizabeth went to retrieve her post-op pet and take her home. But instead, at the first opportunity, the calico-striped-white-bibbed feline made a mad dash for the marsh adjacent to the facility.

Let's face it, Bella doesn't like surgery or hospitals and she may have been a little foggy from the aftereffects of anesthesia, which may have made the nearby swamp, fen, slough -- call it what you will -- seem like an opportune escape route.

"I try and drive out to search every three hours and was hoping I would have found her by now but unfortunately that's not the case," laments Elizabeth, adding a frown to her emailed missive :(

Bella "is not aggressive at all and will allow being picked up and held if someone spots her."

Elizabeth says she can be contacted "at anytime day or night through phone call or text at (585) 967-7991."

It's very breezy out, cold, with a chance of snow showers to come, weather conditions that cause Elizabeth to fret all the more.

So, if you spot Bella at anytime -- even 3:41 in the morning -- reach out to Elizabeth. Keep your eyes peeled.

Statement from David Bertola, spokesman for National Grid in WNY, about yesterday's power outage:

A faulty piece of equipment that caused a Le Roy area substation to fail yesterday at around 9:08 a.m.
As a result, around 5,500 customers lost power. Around 5,000 of those customers had power restored by 2 p.m.

The remaining were restored by around midnight.