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Federal prosecutors have an interest in a North Carolina man who was arrested March 19 in Le Roy after allegedly being found in possession of an AR-15 rifle in violation of the SAFE Act.

Michael Alan Jones, 24, of Raleigh, has been charged in U.S. District Court in Western New York with possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and has reportedly reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors.

The FBI's interest in Jones may have more to do with his alleged participation in the Jan. 6 attempted insurrection in Washington, D.C.

The online news site RAW Story links Jones to two extremist groups, the Proud Boys and Patriot Front, and places Jones in the Capitol on Jan. 6.

At 4:36 p.m. March 19, deputies Kenneth Quackenbush and Nicholas Charmoun stopped a gray Nissan Sentra driven by Jones for an alleged traffic violation. Upon approaching the vehicle, the deputies observed several knives, military surplus gear, and two compound bows inside the vehicle, according to a Federal affidavit by an FBI agent. 

 The affidavit says a passenger in the car was identified only as PK.  The deputies reportedly observed a backpack on the passenger-side floorboard with bolt cutters protruding from the pocket.

Upon searching the vehicle, the deputies located pry bars, bolt cutters, and gloves, which, the affidavit states, the deputies believed to be consistent with burglary tools. They also found pepper spray and ammunition. 

When asked about the ammunition, according to the affidavit, both Jones and PK claimed ownership.  

Jones later said he owned everything in the vehicle except the backpack, and that the ammunition was "someone else's."

The agent wrote, "GSCO deputies asked JONES if there was a firearm inside the vehicle. JONES responded, 'There shouldn't be.'"

Deputies determined that the plate on the vehicle didn't match the vehicle, and the plate was removed from the vehicle and the vehicle was towed from the scene.

A subsequent inventory search uncovered, according to the report, military surplus gear, Beofang handheld radios, additional knives, and the "Army Tactical Combat Casualty Care Handbook."

Deputies also located in the trunk a Palmetto State Armory AR-15 rifle, bearing serial number 5CD729076, and a 30-round Magpul PMAG magazine was found in the trunk of the vehicle.

The agent says that Jones told deputies that he purchased the firearm a "long time ago," but never fired it. He allegedly said he brought the rifle from North Carolina to New York.

The agent said that on April 19, the FBI interviewed a person in North Carolina who had worked with Jones at a Cracker Barrel in Mebane, N.C., and that this former co-worker, HN in the report, said initially that he didn't recognize the rifle but that he had purchased it for Jones. He said he purchased it through the Palmetto State Armory website and used PayPal to complete the purchase.

The rifle violated the state's SAFE Act because the rifle was equipped with a flash hider, capable of accepting a removable magazine without a pinned magazine release, and was equipped with a telescopic stock. 

Jones' prior felony conviction in North Carolina, referred to in the Federal charging documents as "a crime against nature," involves Jones, at 18 and 19, having sex with minors, aged 14 and 15. He was arrested on charges.

According to sources, Jones has no known ties to Genesee County. It's unknown why Jones and PK, who is from the Finger Lakes region, were in Genesee County when deputies spotted the Sentra reportedly making an illegal turn in the area of Route 33 in Le Roy.

Locally, Jones was initially charged with criminal possession of an assault weapon 3rd, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd (ammunition feeding device), unsafe turn, number plate violation, and driving an unregistered vehicle on a highway. 

Jones, according to the arrest report, served in the U.S. Army.  The report states he wasn't employed at the time of his arrest and his highest education level was high school.

District Attorney Kevin Finnell said the local case was dropped after Jones was charged Federally because of a defendant's Constitutional protection against double jeopardy. 

Sheriff William Sheron praised the effort of Quackenbush and Charmoun in apprehending Jones.  

"This was another example of good police work," Sheron said. "Looking beyond the traffic ticket."

Traci Russo, a juvenile case supervisor with the county's Probation Department, speaks about options for helping troubled youths during the Systems of Care Summit at Terry Hills on Tuesday morning.

The event was hosted by Genesee County Mental Health.

Lynda Battaglia was the featured speaker and there were three panels of professionals in the area's agencies that deliver mental health-related services and other services for children in the community.

He kind of hates to admit it, but the doom of COVID for most businesses was actually a boon for Empire Hemp Company, Chris Van Dusen says.

“Back then we had hired some employees, and we had COVID hit. So we did a walk-up window for COVID. And it was taking off. So we decided, to survive here we were going to open a store,” said Van Dusen, company founder and CEO. “So we had to let the guys go. And that's how we opened the store. So the store really took off … it was just the two of us doing everything.”

His other half, wife Shelly Wolanske, has been as fully immersed in the business as he has, first with a site on Swan Street in 2019, and a downtown store in April 2020. Van Dusen recently heard of a convenience store about to open with plans for selling cannabis products, and he wanted to clarify how one becomes a legal entity in the ever-growing field of cannabis establishments.

It’s not as easy as hanging up a sign, he said.

First, there’s an official Office of Cannabis Management that operates through the New York State Department of Labor. It regulates everything. That means applications, certifications, inspections, and many administrative hoops to jump through in order to be above board, he and Shelly said.

According to cannabis.ny.gov, the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is charged with issuing licenses for businesses to participate in New York’s adult-use, medical, and cannabinoid hemp industries. The OCM is developing regulations that will outline how a person or business can apply for and receive a license in the new adult-use cannabis industry.

The OCM will promote social and economic equity for applicants who have been harmed by the prohibition of cannabis for adult-use licenses, establishing a goal of awarding 50 percent of licenses to social and economic equity applicants, the site states.

Due to the nature of cannabis — more loosely known as marijuana, pot, weed — it has been tough going with those hoops, especially with banks and credit card companies that want no part of the business, Van Dusen said. That has made it tough to get loans and revert to a cash-only operation for sales, they said. And at the opposite end, there are the certified growers.

“We currently are working with, right around 20 growers right now. So we need this. They're calling us every day ever since we got the conditional licensing process, we're on the list,” he said. “There's people who know what they're doing. There's people who don't know what they're doing. So we need to secure our supply in the supply chain to make sure that we can get products to the dispensaries when they are ready to open at the end of the year.”

What? Empire Hemp is not a dispensary? Nope. It is the top-tier guy who does all of those applications to be able to buy, process and then dispense products. The store carries CBD products, made by the extraction of oil from the cannabis plants. As for straight-up cannabis, that will get shipped to a certified dispensary for retail sale.

That extract was priced at $4,500 a kilo in September 2019, and dropped to $500 a kilo by November of that year, he said.

“So our whole business model just went, and then the price just dropped because the supply became so huge because the whole country was doing it,” he said.

“COVID actually was a blessing for us. We would be out of business, because it got us through with those PPP loans to bridge that gap because that's when we said we're either gonna go out of business or we need to open a store, because we need cash, we need to get it; our online sales have dropped dramatically” he said. “We were doing really well. But because of the credit card processing getting canceled… all of our ranking on Google dropped and we've never been able to recover.”

They built the store at 204 East Main St., Batavia, on a “shoestring budget,” and said it’s been well received so far. There are at least 50 different types of CBD oils, lotions, balms and scrubs that have garnered loyal customers with praise for the pain-relief properties, Wolankse said.

So anyone can sell these products? No.

“We have a CBD retail license, and we have a manufacturing processing license so we can sell them. There's a lot of people that carry CBD products and they don't have a retail license. I don't even know if they know they need a retail license,” Wolanske said.

Merchants that are selling cannabis products without the proper license are not registered with the state, and therefore most likely bypassing sales tax payments. The state will be cracking down on these entities to ensure that only law-abiding — and tax-paying — businesses are operating, he said.

What type of licensing do you have?

"Okay, so the first one we got was a retail license for CBD, but that one is for the adult-use cannabis. We got the adult-use cannabis processing and manufacturing license, and then there's the adult use cultivation license," he said. "So we are now a recreational marijuana cultivator as well as processor so we can grow, process, manufacture, and distribute,” Van Dusen said.

Everyone, from the growers to the Empire Hemp facilities, must be inspected for proper documentation, cleanliness, packaging, and hygiene practices, he said. Empire Hemp’s wholesale license allows them to sell products to “the dispensaries when they open up the legal ones,” he said.

He is waiting for more than 800 dispensary applicants to be reviewed and chosen by the state for the first legal dispensary license. Once selected, those applicants will get a choice of a few locations to set up shop. They won’t be able to dictate where their dispensary will be, he said.

For example, an applicant in Erie County may have a choice of being in Batavia or Brockport, but not necessarily in his/her hometown location. The upside is that the designated site will be a turnkey operation, ready to open for business, Van Dusen said.

Working the steps

The state took steps to first license growers, then the processors and manufacturers, and now the final point of retail sale — dispensaries. He, his wife and his silent partner cannot turn their store into a dispensary, since they are the processor, manufacturer and distributor. But they can have someone else come in and, as a legally chosen dispensary, sell cannabis products in the future, he said.

But what about all of these small shops selling cannabis, usually under the guise of selling a sticker or T-shirt that includes up to 1/8 of an ounce of marijuana?

They’re not legal, Van Dusen said. They haven’t jumped through the hoops of applications, certifications and inspections of the product and sales site. Furthermore, the state has not even selected and announced the legal ones yet.

His frustration is not just sour grapes that others are opening more quickly and with less expense, he said, but also about taking the proper steps to sell a safe, quality product as Empire Hemp has done these last three years.

“And consistent products, you know you're getting the same product each time, you're getting a safe product,” he said. “And the growers, before we even get their cannabis, they've got to go through a line of testing. You want to make sure that their cannabis is secure. We can’t even receive it unless it has passed.”

“It's like when I see that it's really upsetting because we've played by the rules, we do everything we're supposed to do to be complicit and compliant with the law, and then these guys just come in and open up the stores like they're gonna make tons of money,” Van Dusen said. “I think it's had an impact on our retail store.”

“So people are trying to do it the right way, they're trying to follow what New York State has laid out. And then you have this whole other group of people that are just doing like this wild, wild west, and they're just doing whatever they want to … I mean, the milligrams in some of these products. I'm surprised these people aren't in the hospital,” he said.

State cannabis law requires that individual packages contain a maximum amount of product, such as 100 milligrams per package. Some stores are selling 500-milligram packages since they’re not inspected, he said.

“These are messing people up, like people don't know what they're getting into,” he said.

Another issue is the packaging, he said. There are packages out there that are clear, which allows UV rays in that can alter the product, versus Empire Hemp’s opaque packaging with nitrogen injected inside to keep the product fresh — for more than a year, he said.

As for smoke shops on the nearby Reservation, those business owners don’t have to legally abide by the same protocols as other New York State owners have to, similar to the sale of tobacco and gasoline products.

Van Dusen said that selling cannabis is not much different than alcohol. Both are legal in the state, however, you can’t just go and open up a shop to sell alcohol. Same with cannabis. And he wants the public to be aware of illegal operations. He visited a shop in Batavia and bought a package of cannabis quite easily, he said. However, he doesn't know where the product was grown and how it was processed, packaged and distributed. It did only contain 1/8 of an ounce. 

“The products that you buy at these illicit smoke shops that are selling what they think is ‘legal cannabis,’ are not,” he said. “Legal dispensaries will be opening by the end of the year, and keep your eye out for Empire Hemp products.”

Top Photo: Chris Van Dusen and wife Shelly Wolanske, owners of Empire Hemp Company in Batavia, talk about the legal requirements for being officially involved in the cannabis industry; Chris shows a package of product he bought locally from what he believes is an illegal dispensary, since the state has not announced the chosen applicants yet. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Wesley Thigpen

A man already in prison for child sex abuse will have more time to consider a plea offer on the latest charge he's facing following a court appearance in Genesee County on Monday.

Wesley G. Thigpen is being given time to consider an offer of a guilty plea to predatory sexual assault against a child, a Class A-II felony, with a sentence of 10 years to life.

A month ago, County Court Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini rejected a previous guilty plea, entered by Thigpen in May, which would have capped Thigpen's sentence at 13 years.  Members of local law enforcement and the victim's family objected to that prior plea deal.

After reading the Probation Department's pre-sentence investigation report, and considering the letters she received, Cianfrini said the agreed-upon terms of the plea deal were "woefully inadequate."

Thigpen is already in prison on a guilty plea in September 2019. That plea to child sex abuse capped his prison term at four years.

On Monday, he asked for a new attorney, a motion that Cianfrini denied.

He is scheduled to appear in court again at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 24.

 

 

 

Ascension Parish hosted its first Oktoberfest on Saturday in the parking lot of Sacred Heart on South Swan Street in Batavia.

There was beer, wurst, giant pretzels, and traditional German music performed by The German American Musicians.  There was also a basket raffle and pull tabs.  

The event was a fundraiser for the parish.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

The Genesee County Health Department, Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA) and other community partners are excited to join 33 other communities across New York, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Ohio in launching the first communications campaign for the HEALing Communities Study. The first campaign running from Oct. 3 – Dec. 2, 2022 is focused on raising awareness of the dangers of illicit fentanyl, a drug that is present in more than three-quarters of the 2,000+ overdose deaths that occur in New York each year (source: NY State Opioid Annual Report 2021). In addition to sharing facts about the dangers of illicit fentanyl, the HEALing Communities Study campaign teaches ways to protect our loved ones and community members from a fatal fentanyl overdose including: 

• Knowing the signs and how to respond to an overdose.
• Getting trained and carrying naloxone (also known as Narcan® or Kloxxado™), an FDA-approved medication that can save someone’s life if they are overdosing on opioids, whether it is a prescription opioid pain medicine, heroin, or a drug contaminated with fentanyl.

“We are eager to continue the work that we have been doing to reduce overdose deaths in Genesee County,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “The HEALing Communities Study will provide additional technical assistance and financial resources to help support and expand the collaborative initiatives that the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming (GOW) Opioid Task Force is implementing.”

About the HEALing Communities Study
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) estimates that 2.1 million Americans have opioid use disorder (OUD), yet fewer than 20% of those receive specialty care in a given year. New York State has one of the highest rates of opioid overdose deaths in the nation. A menu of evidence-based practices (EBPs) exists, including opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution programs, prescription opioid safety, FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), behavioral therapies, and recovery support services. Unfortunately, these EBPs have largely failed to penetrate community settings. 

As a result, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) launched the HEALing Communities Study (HCS) to identify the EBPs that are most effective at the local level in preventing and treating Opioid Use Disorder. The goal of the study is to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths by 40 percent. The first phase of the study, which ended June 30, occurred in Cayuga, Columbia, Greene, Erie, Lewis, Putnam, Suffolk, and Ulster Counties. The second phase of the study will now run through December 2023 in Broome, Chautauqua, Cortland, Genesee, Monroe, Orange, Sullivan, and Yates counties. In support of this work, Genesee County is collaborating with local partners on a newly formed workgroup as part of the existing GOW Opioid Taskforce to launch three communications campaigns:

1. Naloxone and Fentanyl Education (10/3/2022-12/2/2022)
2. Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Awareness (3/6/2023-5/5/2023)
3. MOUD Treatment Retention (8/7/2023-10/6/2023)

If you are interested in joining the HEALing Communities Work Group or other GOW Opioid Task Force Work Groups, please contact Christen Foley at cferraro@gcasa.org.

To learn more about the HEALing Communities Study and to help end overdoses in Genesee County, visit:

• HEALing Communities Study Website: HealTogetherNY.org/Genesee
• GOW Opioid Taskforce Website: www.gowopioidtaskforce.org/
• GO Health Facebook: www.facebook.com/GOHealthNY

 

Press release: 

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, C,I - Batavia) recently expressed his displeasure with Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon’s decision to lower the farm overtime threshold from 60 to 40 hours. With inflation and minimum wage set to rise again, this decision could force hundreds of farms out of business in the very near future.

“This decision is going to have grave consequences for all New Yorkers because, without farms, our state has no food,” Hawley said. “Farmers provide one of the most important services to our state and many of our farmers and farm laborers rely on the current 60-hour overtime threshold to ensure profits. Farmers face challenges unlike any other business and the last thing Albany should be doing from their ivory towers is telling our local farmers how to run their businesses. I will continue to lead the charge toward overturning this terrible ruling to protect our local agriculture operations.”

Press release:

November 8 General Election & Early Voting Information & Deadlines:

Early Voting There will be nine days of early voting beginning Oct. 29 through Nov. 6 at the ARC Community Center, 38 Woodrow Rd., Batavia.

The schedule is:

• Saturday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m.— 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 30, 9 a.m.— 5 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m.— 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, Nov. 1, noon — 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 2, noon — 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 3, 9 a.m.— 5 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 4, 9 a.m.— 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 5, 9 a.m.— 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 6, 9 a.m.— 5 p.m.

All polling sites will be open on Nov.r 8 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Check your poll-site at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ or call Genesee County Board of Elections at (585) 815-7804

Absentee Ballot Information Call the Board of Elections to request an absentee ballot or use the NY State Portal; https://absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov/  The last day for the Board of Elections to receive an absentee ballot application is October 24th. Last day to apply in person is November 7th and ballot must be received at the poll site or Board of Elections no later than 9:00 PM on November 8th. Last day to postmark ballot is November 8th and must be received by Board of Election by November 15th. Military/Special Federal absentee ballots must be received by November 21^st. Reminder, flip ballot over for proposition(s).

Registration Deadlines October 14th is the last day to register to be eligible to vote in the Nov. 8 General Election and the last day to receive a registration form is Oct. 19. Registration forms can be found here; https://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/elections/index.php
If there is a change of address it must be received and will be processed by Oct. 19.

Press release:

Community members are invited to vote for their preference between three slogans for the Haxton Memorial Library on a special ballot that is available at the library and online at www.HaxtonLibrary.org/slogan.

The library’s new logo and the three slogans being voted on are inspired by the library’s windows. They are a prominent feature of the building that was built in 1967 by the Buffalo architectural firm of Rogers & Smith with funds from the Haxton Fund Inc., a charitable foundation set up by G. Sherwin Haxton, a prominent local businessman.  

“The 9 windows on the front of the building provide wonderful natural lighting for the inside of the library,” says Kim Gibson, Library Director. “They also are very distinctive, and we used their design when creating our logo.”

The slogan choices are Windows of Opportunity, Windows to Discovery, or Your Windows to the World. The ballot to vote for the library’s new slogan are online and they can be cast until October 31. Residents who vote can enter to win a $50 gift card that will be randomly drawn from the list of voters. The gift card will be awarded at an unveiling event to be held at the library at a future date to be announced.

“The Haxton Memorial Library is a community center for all our patrons, children and adults. Libraries today are not just books. In this digital age we have so much more to offer,” says Carol D’Alba, President of the Board of Directors.

“I am proud to a part of our library. It gives me the opportunity to communicate with so many interesting people about the many programs and services that are free for everyone in the community to use,” she adds.

“We will be using our new slogan on our website, our Facebook Page and on all of our materials,” says, Kim Gibson, Library Director. “The Haxton Memorial Library is a busy place, and we hope that as many community members as possible will choose the slogan they think best suits the library.” 

To vote residents can stop by the Haxton Memorial Library circulation desk or vote online at www.HaxtonLibrary.org/slogan.

The Haxton Memorial Library located at 3 North Pearl Street in Oakfield provides residents a variety of programs, events and materials that are listed on the library’s website at www.HaxtonLibrary.org.

Press Release

The City of Batavia Water Department will be repairing a 6” water main on South Main Street today.  The water will have to be shut down on South Main Street from Roosevelt Ave to Brooklyn Ave.

The length of time the water will be off is unknown.

Traffic will be closed in the area of South Main Street, from Orleans Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue while the repairs are being made.

As always, when the water is restored it may be discolored.  Please refrain from doing any laundry until the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated.

 

It’s countdown time for Genesee County’s Office For the Aging, Director Diana Fox says.

She estimates that the last of the Baby Boomers will be turning 65 by 2030, and that will mean more seniors to serve.

“So we're within seven years now, it’s just about here with all those boomers hitting 65. So now, more than ever, I would say ongoing in terms of the services that we have, they're just so important,” Fox said Monday during her annual report to the Human Services Committee. “You know, our OFA started here in Genesee County in 1974. But they're 50 years of service across the nation. So that's really kind of cool. And we all do a lot of the same kinds of things but we’re unique to our own communities. For the most part, we're all doing home delivered meals, we do the insurance counseling, we do legal services, in-home care, caregiver supports, things like that.”

Projections of an aging population on the rise put ages 60 and older at around 16,000 people in the county, to increase to nearly 20,000 by 2035, and ages 65 and older at a close second with some 16,000 to 17,000 by that same time period. Those age groups are prime candidates for OFA services and Medicare.

Fox gets frustrated to see flyers posted that promote misleading information. Her staff visits vendor fairs quarterly to try and educate older folks and guide them toward what may be the best insurance option for them, Fox said.

“So after they've met individually, or come to a group, rather, for Medicare one on one, and get some basic information, then they can be right there in a space with all the vendors at one spot, they can make appointments individually with our staff so that they're getting the right plan for them,” she said. “And we do this every single year because of open enrollment. So there's no pressure, we don't have any skin in the game, in terms of what they choose. And you know, there have been a couple of times when I've walked by my building, that I've had to take off flyers that people have just tacked up (that state) ‘call now we can save you money.’ So just a big shout out to my staff on that, because they are really well versed, and it's what they do.”

The caseload waitlist is close to last year’s at 11 more — 101 versus 90 last year — as people wait for caregiver support for an older loved one, she said, though there are no wait lists for meal deliveries, which are at about 165 active cases right now.

Arc GLOW prepares the meals, and that fee was raised 15 percent this year, “which I actually think is not bad at all,” Fox said. In the past, prices rose only 1 percent a year, so it was understandable for the larger leap this year, she said.

“And between the cost of food, minimum wage had gone up during that time, gas … I would not be surprised if it goes up again next year at some point, I don't know what that will look like,” she said. “In terms of next year, we'll be opening up another one of the congregate group meal sites, opening that backup, and we'll most likely be adding a third day at our Batavia site … so that'll increase the number of meals that we're asking for as well. They're able to do that for congregate without an issue.”

There’s not enough staff to add to the meal delivery sites, she said, but they do try to ensure that current recipients are taken care of even in times of bad weather. Called an “emergency meal,” those are delivered to recipients at some point before the weather is predicted to get nasty so that there will be extra food in their homes for when drivers can’t get out to them, she said.

“The staff has never missed a beat, they have worked so hard to make sure nothing fell through the cracks,” she said of changes in personnel, retirements, promotions, health and family issues. “The other thing I will say with that is that the majority or half, eight people, are now having to take their civil service exams. They've been there, some of them since 2018. And I can lose everyone. So it's interesting, we have a combination of things.”

Legislator Shelley Stein asked where the safe zone was, in terms of those between retirements and new staff. What happens if all of the potential retirees leave?

“That’s a really good question,” Fox said. “Because you just hope everybody doesn't go all at once. And these are estimates. I mean, we don't really know for sure … that would be tough.”

It’s not an uncommon melody, Legislator Gordon Dibble said.

“You realize you sound just like so many other employers. Not just in government,” he said. "I mean, it's the same song. Everybody's singing the same song. Where's all the help?”

It’s a dilemma only to grow more intense, according to U.S. Census Data, which states in 2018, 16 percent — or 52 million — Americans were 65 or older. With an estimated 10,000 people turning 65 each day, by 2030, an estimated 73 million — or one in five Americans — will be 65 or older, a full 20 percent of the population.

“Four short years later, in 2034, older adults are expected to outnumber children under 18 for the first time in history. The aging population is also becoming more diverse, with the proportion of non-white older adults significantly increasing in the next several decades,” it states. “Among this rapidly growing and increasingly diverse demographic cohort, there is an overwhelming desire to age at home rather than in institutional settings.”

What will that mean in the not-too-distant future? Homecare aide availability is currently "critically low nationwide," Fox said, and demand will only rise with those increasing numbers of older Americans.

"We’re fortunate to have the state 'Unmet Needs' funds to come up with creative solutions to address the aide shortage, but it’s not going to solve the overall problem of those who truly need in-home aides to help with personal care, toileting, etc.," she said in her report. "Our state and federal associations continue to advocate for better direct care worker funding and career packaging in order to hopefully entice individuals into this workforce."

Press Release

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will hold its Annual Meeting and Recognition Breakfast on Oct. 27, 2022, at 8 a.m. at Terry Hills Restaurant, 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

CCE of Genesee County cordially invites you to join us for breakfast and help us recognize employees and volunteers. Cornell Cooperative Extension friends, volunteers and members of the community are welcome to attend.

Volunteers of the Year Joanna Miller of 4-H, Eric Holliday of Leadership Genesee and Lori Gattie of the Master Gardener program, plus Friend of CCE 2022 Julia Garver will be recognized during this time. 

Please register by Oct. 20 by visiting CCE's website or contacting Yvonne Peck: ydp3@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040, Ext. 123.

Press Release

Richmond Memorial, Byron-Bergen and Haxton Memorial libraries are excited to announce they will eliminate late fees for a trial period from October 1 to December 31, 2022. They join the other Genesee County libraries – Corfu Public, Hollwedel Memorial, and Woodward Memorial libraries – that have and will continue to offer fine-free circulation.

These Nioga Library System libraries are joining public libraries nationwide that have eliminated late fees as a part of their library practice. The NIOGA trustees representing Genesee County have asked the three libraries located in Batavia, Pavilion and Oakfield to join the other three libraries that have already eliminated overdue fines.

What does going fine-free mean?
Along with the good news that overdue fines will be eliminated, there are still responsibilities for borrowers. Items belonging to the libraries in Genesee County that are checked out from Oct. 1 until Dec. 31, 2022 will not incur overdue fines, and any fines accruing or maximized to currently late or lost materials will be forgiven if returned during the trial. Other library charges for printing, replacement cards, lost and damaged materials, or unpaid fines on materials previously returned late, will still apply.

Materials will still have due dates and patrons are still expected to renew, if possible, or return materials on time. Patrons will receive two reminders to return their items if they are overdue. Materials that are 28 days overdue are assumed lost, and patrons will be charged replacement costs. Patrons with overdue materials will be blocked from library services until the items are returned, and/or bills are paid.

“The Genesee County libraries that have been fine-free have had great success with recovering lost books, and patrons with previous fines are coming back to the libraries to take advantage of our materials, programs, and services,” says Kristie Miller, a Nioga Trustee representing www.batavialibrary.org Genesee County. “This is why we have asked the other three Genesee County libraries to try a fine-free period from October to the end of December.”

Why would public libraries do this?
Because it works! In an article from "CNN," the New York Public Library reported a record number of library card sign-ups after announcing that they would be dropping all fines. Chicago Public Library indicated that they have seen an increase in the number of materials returned of almost 85 percent after going fine-free.

Anecdotal evidence from local parent groups indicates that many families avoid using the library for fear of accumulating fines and creating financial hardship during already economically trying times. Eliminating fines reduces barriers to access: many of the people that need libraries the most are often driven away by late fees and are a deterrent to returning to take part in other
programs or services.

“Some may have concerns that going fine-free will cause a deficit in the library’s operating budget. We do not collect anywhere near enough fines to significantly impact our budget. Most months, the amount of overdue fees we collect totals up to a fraction of 1% of our operating budget,” says Kim Gibson, Library Director at the Haxton Memorial Library in Oakfield. “Our goal is to keep the library as a community resource for as many people as possible, so we are eager to go fine-free,” she adds.

Those with questions can contact their local library’s director or manager!

• Byron Bergen Public Library: Nancy Bailey (585-494-1120)
• Corfu Public Library: Diana Reding (585-599-3321)
• Haxton Memorial Library (Oakfield): Kim Gibson (585-948-9900)
• Hollwedel Memorial Library (Pavilion): Josselyn Borowiec (585-584-8843)
• Richmond Memorial Library (Batavia): Bob Conrad (585-343-9550)
• Woodward Memorial Library (LeRoy): Betsy Halvorsen (585-768-8300)

The Nioga Library System is a non-profit cooperative library system serving the 21 public libraries in Niagara, Orleans and Genesee Counties. The system is one of 23 similar systems in New York State. More information is available on the library system’s website at www.Nioga.org.

Denise Glidden, Karen Reisdorf, Paula Bianchi, Lisa Ingalsbe and Michelle Woodward celebrate the expanded offerings Saturday at Blue Pearl Yoga on East Main Street in Batavia with an open house to introduce new bellydancing classes, sound baths and performances from GO Art! Photo submitted from Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Classes are live and can be found HERE. 

Once STAR ended its contract, Genesee County officials opted to fill in the gap by taking a STEP toward assisting at-risk youth.

Formerly the Student Transition And Recovery program, the county’s version will be similar, with the suggested name of Student Transition and Empowerment Program, which was outlined Monday by newly hired Social Services Department Commissioner Carla Mindler.

STAR had an ongoing contract for these services, and program leaders did not renew the contract, leaving a potential void that Social Services personnel was adamant to bypass. That will involve hiring full-time adolescent behavioral specialists I and II, and a full-time adolescent behavioral coordinator.

“As a behavioral specialist, one will be working directly with the at the at-risk youth in their homes and in their schools, mentoring, guiding them, assisting them, making sure that they're properly ready for school,” Mindler said to the county’s Human Services members in the Legislative Conference Room. “So we have money in the budget already this year for this work, we have an email out to the state to find out if we develop a program of our own, can we pay that under the same funding that we paid the STAR program … But with all the vacancies we've had this year, there's plenty of money in there to cover us for the rest of the year, unfortunately, because of the vacancies, but this will not affect the 2022 budget.”

There will be calisthenics in the morning and getting work done in the afternoon; a tutor, therapists and those behavioral specialists, if approved, she said. Staff will also have some administrative duties, including documented supervision of the specialist I if the coordinator is not present, and the coordinator would be responsible for complete oversight of the program.

Legislator John Deleo saw it as putting a youth back on track versus being derailed by the absence of such a hands-on program. There can be about 40 kids at any given time, Mindler said, with a total of close to 200 going through the program. The county would be employing many of the same people that ran STAR, which offers continuity for participants, Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said.

“It’s good for the children, good for the parents and good for us,” she said.

Clattenburg had asked how the program was categorized, and Mindler said it was a preventive program, within child welfare and prevention.

“I’m so happy you picked it up, it’s so valuable,” Clattenburg said.

Once the full county Legislature votes with an expected approval, the program will be submitted to the state for final approval and details about funding. Mindler was confident the program would soon be addressing at-risk youth.

“I think we’ll be up and running to a certain extent,” Mindler said.

Each county school district that wants to participate — and most have up to now — will pay a flat rate per student, signaling each district’s investment in at-risk behavioral work. Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein was impressed with what’s been done so far.

“You’ve done a lot of work guys,” she said.

The Human Services Committee voted to forward on the request for a salary amendment for the Social Services Department to add on the three positions, to be effective immediately upon Legislature approval.

Since the STAR contract no longer exists, the new position salaries will have no impact on the county’s budget, the resolution states. State and federal reimbursements are expected to be from 66 percent up to 100 percent as determined by case-specific eligibility.

Photo: Social Services Department Commissioner Carla Mindler reviews a program to replace STAR, which addressed behavioral issues of at-risk youth before ceasing its contract this year. Photo by Joanne Beck.

Press Release

City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants on Wednesday, October 5 and Thursday, October 6 from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area of south of West Main Street and west of Jackson Street. Homes and businesses nearby will be affected.

These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about five minutes or until clear.

This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities Class III Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification, and to assure that fire hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes.

Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city's water system, identifies weak areas in the system, and removes material that settle in the water lines. Checking each hydrant improves fire department personnel knowledge of the hydrant locations.

If you have any questions, or should notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the Fire Department at 585-345-6375.

A coral-hued sunset gets draped in clouds during a youth football game Saturday at Hartwood Park in Le Roy. Photo submitted by Jeff Freeman. 

Saturday was not just the beginning of a new month, but also a ‘fresh’ start for a new restaurant venture inside of Eli Fish Brewing Company.

Her nearly two decades of cooking, more than three years of catering, and popping up at various summer events have propelled Dannielle Lumpkin into her own niche as Mama Dee’z Kitchen at 109 Main St., Batavia.

“We did a test run yesterday where we did a soft opening, and that went very, very well. Just learning the ins and outs, from catering to being a restaurant owner, is a big, big difference. But we've had a lot of support from our kitchen staff here, the head chef here, Sam has been very helpful. Matty has been very helpful with anything that I needed to know. And it's just a learning experience. I'm very excited for what the future holds for us,” Lumpkin said during her grand opening Saturday.

“So right before COVID we had started the process of looking for a building, and then COVID was here. A lot of it was really rough. And so once things started getting better, it was that time, I felt, for me to try to find something to open up with. Batavia doesn't really have a lot of diversity when it comes to options for food, and I wanted to be able to bring that to Batavia. So I think that this is going to be a staple in Batavia, because we can offer a different choice of food from different cultures.”

As friends and family poured into the back area where Mama Dee’z is located at Eli Fish, Lumpkin and her staff of family members pulled golden brown fried chicken from a pan to serve. Her specialties are jerk-laced meats, homemade sauces, Caribbean and soul food flavors, but with an expansive menu that also includes a shaved ribeye steak, mixed cheeses, peppers and onion wrapped in an egg roll wrapper appetizer, Caribbean alfredo pasta with chicken or shrimp, macaroni and cheese, sweet bread, and a chicken wing dinner.

The Batavia resident had her eye on Eli Fish some time ago, since it has already served successfully as incubator space for three others, including Eden Cafe & Bakeshop, Eat Well Grill and Matty’s Pizza. The incubator concept was first developed in the late 1950s at Harvester Center in Batavia, and has been a more recent venture for downtown. Lumpkin had to purchase her inventory of food and supplies, however, the kitchen was ready to go with equipment and appliances.

It would have been much more cost prohibitive for her to do it all on her own, entrepreneur and Eli Fish co-owner Matt Gray said.

“It's a second generation restaurant coming in, she's coming into the spot that Eden cafe was in, and successfully transferred over into downtown Ellicott Street and Liberty. So it's great to also offer the same space again to another entrepreneur/restauranteur to add to the business here. Because of the menu, diversity always helps,” Gray said.

“For a very, very small amount of money upfront, they're able to come in and really go after their dream, where normally would cost upwards of more than six figures, to buy your equipment and everything that you need to get stocked up. Here, it's really very minimal," he said. "And they're able to come in for a shorter period of time, work out what their business plan is, work out what kind of food they really want to serve, what their guests are looking for, and hopefully make that leap to another brick and mortar location on their own.”

Lumpkin has signed a deal for six months, and will be open the same hours as Eli Fish: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

While preparing for the big day of ribbon-cutting and celebrating her dream come true, Lumpkin served her food to Eli Fish staff, which was “fantastic,” Gray said. It adds “another level of service” for the brewery, he said. And while the Lumpkin family, which includes husband Myron, continues to strengthen their business, Gray and other staff members are available for advice, suggestions and feedback.

“We work together as much as we can,” he said.

Business Improvement District Executive Director Shannon Maute and Chamber of  Commerce Interim Director Tom Turnbull were also on hand with congratulations and praise for adding another establishment downtown.

“This really evolved out of the Fresh Lab experiment they did a few years ago where we had a couple of successful restaurants come out of here … And this is just the next extension," Turnbull said. "I had a chance to meet with Dannielle and Myron, and the food looks fantastic. I can't wait to try it. It's something unique and I think that brings a different flavor, no pun intended, to downtown Batavia and Genesee County. It's great to see another restaurant open up. And it's such a great opportunity here to do it as an incubator restaurant where you don't have all the expenses of a full-blown restaurant, but you can learn, and under Matt Gray, take advantage of that.”

Maute has gotten to know Dannielle and has learned of her determination, energy and creative culinary skills. Not only has Dannielle now placed another restaurant on the downtown map, but she has joined BID committees and is “a great addition to BID,” Maute said.

“I’m just here to support Danny and her adventure … This is huge for BID, it is something so different. We've never had it before, and to have this quality of food and the style of food is going to do really well. Batavia really is changing, and this just goes with the times,” Maute said. “And now you can come downtown and get different food, and you're not getting the same cookie-cutter food. Eli Fish was one of the first people that did that with their different style of foods. So Mama Dee’z fits right in with the different style of foods. She's determined she's going to do well. I have no doubt that she's going to really do well here and then, eventually, we'll help her get into a brick and mortar.”

For prior coverage:

• Giving Italian Fest a little jerk  
• Eli Fish makes room for a little soul 

Top Photo: Dannielle Lumpkin, with husband Myron, and their family, celebrate the ribbon-cutting of Mama Dee'z Saturday inside Eli Fish Brewing Company at 109 Main St., Batavia; Dannielle gets ready to serve up some chicken; showing off the new Mama Dee'z logo. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Once again, the annual Wine Walk in Downtown Batavia, sponsored by the Business Improvement District, was a sellout.

This year the theme was "dead celebrities."

Which dead celebrities can you spot in the photos?

For more photos and to purchase prints, click here.