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Press release:

Data Update:

• Genesee County received 23 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Byron, Darien, Le Roy and Pembroke.
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s.
  • Forty-eight of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Twenty-one of the positive individuals are hospitalized.
  • One of the new cases is a resident is at the VA Medical Center.
• Orleans County received 30 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Murray, Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby.
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.
  • Six of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Twelve of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Five of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
  • One of the new cases is a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.

Update 12:35 p.m. with comments from Interim Superintendent Jared Taft:

"This has been almost a year in the planning process with the board (of education) ... and we feel that we have put together a responsible project with zero tax implication," Taft said, adding that is a scaled down version of a similar proposal that was defeated in late 2018.

See the body of the story for Taft's comments on specifics of the project.

---------------

Alexander Central School District voters on Wednesday passed a capital project proposition that authorizes construction, reconstruction and equipping of school buildings and facilities, including elementary school building reconstruction and demolition and the replacement of the existing transportation facility.

The vote was 113 in favor and 90 against.

According to information on the district’s website, the project is expected to cost up to $15 million, with $11,830,000 of that amount (79 percent) to be covered by state aid. The remaining $3,170,000 cost is to be covered by district’s capital reserve and current funds.

Specifics of the project are as follows:

Classroom Modernization and Accessibility – Renovation of select classrooms at the elementary school, new accessible toilet rooms, and minor renovations at the high school, including Freezer and Agriculture/Science, Technologoy, Engineering and Math classroom.

Taft said work at the elementary school consists of taking care of the water problems in the basement and with the gymnasium floor, making enhancements to the scanner system at the entrance and redesigning the stairway for safety purposes.

Transportation Facility – Construction of a new transportation building and fuel island, and realignment of traffic areas.

Taft said water damage also is an issue with the transportation building, which he said is well beyond its useful life. He said the project calls for a "modest bus garage" with two bays (one with a lift), along with a training room, storage space and break room.

Vehicle and Pedestrian Safety – Reconfiguration of the roadway, traffic calming design, sidewalk connection through the campus, and construction of a barrier to separate buses and cars.

Taft said the parking lot will be reconfigured to make it "tremendously safer" -- including curbing and islands and a bus turnaround. He also said that upon completion, pedestrians will be able to walk continously on the sideway from the elementary building to the main road.

Genesee County legislative action to schedule a public hearing on a local law to compensate coroners for time spent on extraordinary cases is welcome news to Jeff McIntire, a recently retired county medical examiner who worked 260 hours following the tragic plane crash off Boyce Road in Corfu on Oct. 2.

The crash resulted in the deaths of prominent attorney Steve Barnes, the pilot, and his niece, Elizabeth Barnes, who also practiced law.

“I’m pleased,” said McIntire, speaking by phone from his new home in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he has relocated following his Nov. 15 resignation as a county coroner. “It is good to know that if it does happen again, some provision is in place to make sure the coroner will get paid appropriately.”

Legislators, at their regular meeting tonight via Zoom videoconferencing, voted in favor of setting the public hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 3 for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Old County Courthouse.

If passed, the law will enable lawmakers to consider additional pay for elected or appointed coroners for a fixed term – beyond a negotiated $100 stipend per case (deceased individual) – when a catastrophic event occurs.

County coroners also receive an annual stipend of $1,500 – paid throughout the year on regular paydays – but do not receive mileage reimbursement.

McIntire not only worked an inordinate number of hours during the plane crash investigation, but also lost wages as a result of not being able to work his regular job.

“As coroners, we understand that it’s not a job that you get into to make money, but on the other hand, this was a situation where wages were lost,” he said.

Apparently, legislators agree and have taken steps to instill some flexibility into future compensatory matters.

McIntire, who served more than five years as a county coroner, said he plans to submit his hours to Genesee County as the proposed law stipulates that “any coroner may submit a claim retroactively to Oct. 3, 2020, by a submittal in writing, which details the services rendered and the times and dates of the same.”

An emergency medical technician, McIntire said he is working as a full-time scuba instructor at his new residence in the Sunshine State.

County Republican Party leaders reportedly are seeking someone to replace McIntire. The other county coroners are Karen Lang, Tom Douglas and Adam Palumbo.

In other action, legislators:

-- Passed four amended resolutions relating to tax equalization tables, taxable assessed valuation tables, and tax warrants for the county’s towns and City of Batavia that slightly changed the figures due to a court-ordered assessment reduction on a parcel of land in the Town of Pembroke.

Deputy County Treasurer Kevin Andrews brought the matter to the board’s attention in time for amendments, avoiding the need to pass revised amendments at a future legislature meeting. He said that the court lowered the parcel in question’s assessment from $2.9 million to $2.6 million.

As amended, the taxes for the towns based on 2020 assessment rolls are as follows:

• Alabama, $1,726,593.76;
• Alexander, $2,134,938.83;
• Batavia, $7,460,274.92;
• Bergen, $2,821,306.39;
• Bethany, $1,664,249.96;
• Byron, $2,443,824.80;
• Darien, $3,257,061.47;
• Elba, $2,536,131.54;
• Le Roy, $5,788,202.93;
• Oakfield, $2,398,440.44;
• Pavilion, $2,040,817.01;
• Pembroke, $3,999,315.92;
• Stafford, $2,416,914.48;
• Total, $40,688,072.45.

The county’s share of the total amount collected for the 2021 tax year is $27,761,253.04.

The 2020 total was $39,419,355.44, with $27,734,757.10 being the County’s share.

The City of Batavia’s share of the tax levy for 2021 is $6,058,672.57, which is about $60,000 less than the 2020 tax levy.

-- As previously reported on The Batavian from a legislative committee meeting, gave formal approval to a local law setting salaries of the following county officers, effective Jan. 1:

• Commissioner of Elections (2), $49,761;
• Highway Superintendent, $115,110;
• Director of Real Property Tax Services, $66,385;
• Director of Human Resources, $80,050;
• Commissioner of Social Services, $89,319;
• Public Defender, $103,453;
• County Attorney, $127,845;
• County Clerk, $97,862.

Previous: Legislature proposes local law for discretionary coroner pay for catastrophic events

Major League Baseball Enterprises Inc., a multinational corporation based in New York City, is killing off professional baseball in Batavia.

That's an oversimplification but that is likely the end result.

The New York-Penn League, founded in Batavia in 1939, is breaking apart -- though a smaller independent league may survive -- and since the NY-P owns the Muckdogs, the league in its new form, if it survives at all, won't have the wherewithal to operate a baseball club in Batavia.

Today, MLB announced that its Major League teams have selected their affiliates for the 2021 season and Batavia is not on that list.

Only four NY-P teams are on the list.

Some NY-P teams have chosen to join what will be known as the MLB Draft League. The new league will consist of collegiate players who compete on a limited schedule from May until the All-Star break when the MLB will conduct its annual amateur draft.

For more than a year, MLB and MiLB have been in negotiations over a new operations agreement, with the number of Minor League teams being reduced by at least 40 franchises.  That plan also would have eliminated the Muckdogs as a Major League-affiliated team.

The plan announced today goes a step further by eliminating the MiLB completely. MLB teams will have license agreements (they'll no longer be known as franchises), with each affiliated team and the Minor League system will be operated out of the MLB offices in NYC.

It's unclear if the owners of the 120 teams being offered license agreements will agree to the MLB terms. They just received the proposed contracts today.

Red Wings Gave it Their Best Shot

In 2008, the Genesee County Baseball Club, owner of the Muckdogs at the time, entered into a 10-year operations agreement with Rochester Red Wings. The Red Wings operated the team at a loss for those 10 years but the agreement gave them a 50-percent ownership stake in the team.

In 2018, the NY-P would not allow a new operations agreement and took over ownership of the team with an agreement that would allow the NY-P to recover its operating losses from any eventual sale of the club. The GCBC, a community-owned organization, would receive any money left from the sale that wasn't paid out to the Red Wings or the NY-P.

It is unclear if any of the financial stakeholders in the Muckdogs will be compensated for MLB's apparent unilateral elimination of the team.  

Ben Hayes, commissioner of the NYPL, said he's asked the question directly and hasn't gotten an answer.

Naomi Silver, chief executive officer of the Red Wings, said she also doesn't know whether the Muckdogs owners will be compensated for the loss of the team. 

An attorney who specializes in antitrust and business competition law, Luke Hasskamp, with Bonalaw, based in Los Angeles, said Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball are both protected by an antitrust exemption that prevents those harmed by MLB's actions from filing an antitrust claim. 

Major League Baseball is a legal monopoly.  

Where to Go from Here?

The legal options for the Muckdogs stakeholders are limited, he said. The last affiliation agreement the Muckdogs had with a Major League team, the Miami Marlins, expired after the unplayed 2020 season, so there may not be a breach-of-contract claim. 

Other legal options don't seem to apply to the Muckdogs, such as claims that the stakeholders made financial commitments and investments based on a promised continued relationship. Since the Muckdogs have been under a cloud of financial hardship -- making them a target for acquisition and relocation -- there are no apparent promises of continued play in Batavia.

The commissioner's office, with its new plan for player development, is not specifically eliminating the Batavia Muckdogs. The lack of an affiliation with a Major League club, however, along with the upheaval in the NY-P caused by the new alignment, makes it impossible to operate the Muckdogs as a professional baseball team, causing its estimated $6 million value to evaporate. 

Asked if the stakeholders could claim the MLB unjustly deprived them of appropriate compensation for making the Muckdogs as a financial asset valueless, Hasskamp compared the idea to eminent domain, but said since MLB is a private organization any such comparison does not legally apply.

"It’s an interesting argument, not one I have thought through much, but it’s challenging, in my opinion, not only because MLB isn’t a public entity because also, as you pointed out, MLB isn’t really taking property," Hasskamp said. "It’s just taking action that will impact the value of others’ businesses. This may be relevant to a party’s damages."

At the end of that email to The Batavian, Kasskamp said, "One other thought: It will be interesting if this stirs any greater interest in Congress to revoke baseball’s antitrust exemption. These contractions are going to impact a number of communities / congressional districts, and more than 100 congressmen noted their displeasure when the contractions were first announced."

Will Schumer Keep Fighting for Batavia?

On a couple of recent visits, we've asked Sen. Charles Schumer, a die-hard baseball fan, if he would pursue legislation to revoke MLB's antitrust exemption. He didn't give a direct answer. He just promised to keep fighting to save teams like the Batavia Muckdogs and Auburn Doubledays.  

This afternoon, we asked a member of his staff for a statement and clarification on Schumer's position on the antitrust exemption and didn't get a response.

Today, in a phone conversation, Hayes offered no hopeful take on the future of the Muckdogs given today's announcement, other than to say there is still much that is unknown about the MLB plan and how Minor League team owners will respond to the license offers.

Silver said the team owners haven't even had a chance to fully review the contracts and discuss the best course of action. She said she's hopeful the Red Wings will be made whole for their losses incurred while operating the Muckdogs.

"We're sad to think there will be no Muckdogs baseball in Batavia," Silver said. "We worked hard for 10 years to try and save the team."

She noted that Batavia is not the only community suffering a loss of a team because of the MLB's decision.

"Batavia is not being singled out," she said.

Tabelski: Games Will be Played at Dwyer

While the prospect of a professional baseball game ever again being played in Batavia seems dim, that doesn't mean there won't be organized baseball played at Dwyer Stadium in the coming years.

Rachael Tabelski, interim city manager, said she has been contacted by representatives from collegiate leagues (often called wooden bat leagues) and semi-pro leagues looking to move into Dwyer. She said the city has yet to respond to those inquiries because there is still a contract in place with the NY-P that gives the league control of what baseball is played in the stadium. Unless and until that contract is resolved, the city can't find a new tenant. 

There will be a tenant in Dwyer again, Tabelski said. 

"As somebody who grew up going to Clippers and Muckdog games, it's very sad to think about losing the team," she said. "I think it's very difficult to look at losing the baseball team we've loved, but there will still be an opportunity for baseball in this town."

And the next team to make Batavia home could very well be called the Muckdogs. The Genesee County Baseball Club has retained the rights to the Muckdogs trademark (it was recently renewed).

Press release:

Data Update:

• Genesee County received 46 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, Le Roy, Pavilion and Pembroke.
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.
  • Fifty-eight of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Twenty-one of the positive individuals are hospitalized.
  • One of the new cases is a resident at the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia, two of the new cases are residents at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation, and two of the new cases are at the VA Medical Center.
  • One of the previous community active cases has been identified as a resident of the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia.
• Orleans County received 37 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby.
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.
  • Thirteen of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Six of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Six of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

Andre Lamar Roberts (inset photo right), 28, of Burrows Street, Rochester, is charged with assault on a police officer and resisting arrest, a Class C felony and Class A misdemeanor, respectively. On Dec. 8, Genesee County Sheriff's deputies apprehended and arrested Roberts following an investigation of an incident that occurred on Oct. 21 on Church Street in Alexander. Roberts allegedly resisted arrest when being taken into custody, resulting in a deputy being injured. Roberts was arraigned in Genesee County Court and put in jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond. He is scheduled to reappear in county court on Jan. 8. The case was investigated by Deputy Erik Andre, assisted by Deputy Jonathan Dimmig, Deputy Jeremy McClellan, and Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush.

Genesee County Planning Board members are in for a busy night on Thursday as 14 project referrals are on their monthly meeting agenda.

The meeting will take place via Zoom videoconferencing at 7 o’clock.

Four of the referrals -- including a site plan review for a new state-of-the-art LandPro sales, storage and maintenance facility in the Town of Batavia -- are coming to the board following initial action taken by the Town of Batavia Planning Board last week.

LandPro, dealer of John Deere tractors and equipment, is lined up to build what Paul Williams, operations manager/north, says will be the company’s “main hub for technology” at 4554 W. Saile Drive – on a 14-acre parcel just east of Vantage Equipment at the corner of Call Parkway.

“This will be a full-servicing John Deere dealership and that will include agriculture as we know it, turf, all turf products and a limited, what we call a compact construction equipment (facility),” said Williams, who is in charge of half of LandPro’s 20 stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. “Additionally, it will be our main hub for technology – our integrated solutions as we call it – GPS (Global Positioning System) and all of the fancy technology that is in our equipment.”

Williams said technology has made its way to the forefront over the past 15 to 20 years.

“It continues to grow and continues to be an extremely critical piece of our business,” he said. “The machines are now talking to us, they’re talking to John Deere at the factory and we’re getting early warning signs of failures so we can be on site before things fail.”

He said the tractors, by utilizing GPS, have the capability to be within an inch of accuracy as they drive down the rows of corn, for example.

“The technology is very, very high at this point, and it continues to grow. That’s why this facility will not only be state-of-the art and our largest shop, but it will also house our high-technology product division,” he said, adding that LandPro is partnering with Stihl and Honda products for handheld supplies and generators.

When asked if the new location would replace the John Deere stores in Oakfield and Alexander, Williams said that “eventually, they probably will (close) but we want to make sure that we can still serve the capacity of the customers in that geography … before we close those locations.”

“So, we’ve got a little bit of work to do – but that is the long-term plan,” he said.

Williams said that 60 to 65 employees will work out of the new building, which is expected to be completed in the spring or summer of 2022, with current workers in Oakfield and Alexander relocating to West Saile Drive.

He didn’t disclose the amount of investment into the facility, which shows 13,000 square feet for retail sales, 5,000 square feet for parts storage and 28,000 square feet for maintenance, but without question, it is a multimillion dollar venture.

LandPro will seek tax credits through the Genesee County Economic Development Center and grants through National Grid, Williams said.

Other highlights of Thursday’s Genesee County Planning Board meeting:

• A site plan review and area variance for a four-story, 140,000-square-foot medical office building proposed by Rochester Regional Health at 8103 Oak Orchard Road (Route 98), near Call Parkway, in the Town of Batavia. The facility will have 90,000 square feet for office space and 63 of its 360 parking spaces in a lower-level parking garage.

• Special use permits and an area variance for a pair of solar projects named Trousdale Solar I and Trousdale Solar II at 5117 Ellicott Street Road, Batavia. The first phase is a 5-megawatt array covering 18 acres of a 65-acre parcel while the second phase is a 4-megawatt system covering 19.6 acres on a 71-acre parcel. Pending recommendation of approval (with modifications) from county planners, it will go to a public hearing conducted by the Town of Batavia Planning Board.

• A special use permit for two ground mounted commercial solar systems, one generating 5.3 megawatts and the other generating 6.6 megawatts, at 7984 Tesnow Road in the Town of Pembroke. The applicant, Solar Liberty Energy Systems, Inc., of Buffalo, wishes to place the solar array on property owned by Kreher Brothers LLC of Clarence.

• A site plan review to change the use from professional office space and art studio to a medical office for acupuncture and physical therapy at 10 Lake St. (Route 19) in the Village of Bergen. Documents submitted by applicants David and Anna Marie Barclay reveal a plan to use about half of the building’s lower level for their clinic, which will have four employees.

• A site plan review to relocate Precious Paws to an existing commercial building at 10571 Main St., Alexander. Plans submitted by the applicant, Alicia Brenkus, call for slight modifications to convert a former pizza shop to the owner/operated dog grooming business.

Previously: Rochester Regional Health plans to build four-story medical office building in the Town of Batavia

Press release:

Data Update:

• Genesee County received 21 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Elba, Le Roy, Oakfield and Pembroke. 
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 70s. 
  • Fifty-seven of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Seventeen of the positive individuals are hospitalized.
  • We received notification of two deaths of community members. Both of the individuals were over the age of 65. To protect the individual and their family we will not be releasing any further information. We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this community member during this very difficult time.

​

• Orleans County received 23 new positive cases of COVID-19.
• The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby.
• The individuals are in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.
• Two of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
• Twenty of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Six of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

We are saddened to report the COVID-related community death of an Orleans County resident who was over the age of 65. We will not be releasing any further information to protect the individual and their family. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of this community member during this very difficult time.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” have taken on a new meaning for Batavia City School District Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr., who has had to make the difficult decision of implementing 100-percent virtual learning at all four district buildings prior to the holiday break.

“I think these 12 school days off (Dec. 7-22) will allow us to get a little bit of the staff back and hopefully limit the number of people needing to quarantine since there are no kids in the building and there are no additional staff members needing to congregate or walk by each other or be in the same place,” Soler said today. “We should be able to have our staffing back to the levels that they need to be to and be able to reopen Jan. 4.”

Soler said that the inability to adequately staff the classrooms drove him to shut the schools down, adding that 81 teachers, aides and other employees have had to quarantine since the start of the school year.

“The issue is not so much students, it’s the staff members,” he said. “If a teacher has to quarantine at home for 14 days, then I need another adult to cover the class for the in-person kids because the teacher is now home. It makes it extremely hard knowing that we already struggle with the substitute teachers, so it also makes it hard to deliver a quality program. We gratefully have some of our teachers who are willing to tele-work, but we still needed another adult to supervise the kids in front of them.”

The superintendent said he was not under any statewide pressure to enforce all distance learning, but pointed to a couple variables – the rolling seven-day average for positive cases in Genesee County at around 8 percent and the daily calls from students and staff needing to quarantine.

He said that 21 staff members and 21 students have tested positive “and every single one of those positives results in a group of people that have to quarantine for 14 days.”

“It becomes unmanageable and we’re at a breaking point. Definitely 50 percent of our buildings would have been significantly impacted,” he said. “By having kids home, we wouldn't have to worry about substitute coverage and teachers could still teach remotely during these next 12 days.”

Soler said that most students will miss five in-person days (due to a schedule that features a mix of in-person and remote learning).

“That was a heartbreaking thing because we prided ourselves on being able to offer at least some in-person learning to our students, unlike other communities that have been shut down all year,” he offered.

He also mentioned that people continue to gather socially, which makes it even tougher to provide in-person learning.

“As we work with the Genesee County Health Department on contact tracing, we find out that people did go to somebody’s house for Thanksgiving or kids did have a sleepover at someone’s house,” he said. “We know these things are occurring, unfortunately, but when they do occur, they come back into the building and make it hard for us to staff the building.”

Only about 20 students – those who have special needs -- are being allowed in school buildings, he said.

Soler said he believes strongly that Gov. Andrew Cuomo should classify school personnel as “essential workers.”

“If the governor were to label all school staff members as essential employees then they wouldn’t need to quarantine if they don’t have any symptoms. We’d really like to see that rule changed because then we could have had in-person learning – keep school open,” he said. “We should be able to designate them as essential and not make them quarantine if they don’t have any symptoms. As it stands now, that seems pretty harsh.”

He said Cuomo has said on multiple occasions that schools are the safest place … “so why not give us some additional leverage and leeway with the guidelines?”

Soler said he expects that the buildings will reopen on Jan. 4 unless there is a resurgence and the governor deems otherwise.

“Right now, we’re working on increasing the number of parents to give us consent to do the Binax rapid testing in school in case that is required for us to stay open,” he said. “And we’re also focusing on delivering a high-quality virtual experience for the next 12 days.”

The path to cultural competence, an attribute that is increasingly important in police/community relations, starts with an understanding of others’ life experiences, according to Julie Carasone, a certified instructor in areas designed to bridge societal gaps and foster civic unity.

Speaking at the Genesee County Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative meeting on Monday night via Zoom videoconferencing, Carasone said her role is to get people to “think outside of the box and think about things other than your world.”

“… Understand that your lived experiences are different from my lived experiences and that’s OK, but understand where someone is trying to come from when they interact maybe with the police department, when they interact with mental health or with somebody at GCASA (Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse),” she said.

Carasone took about 20 minutes to present implicit bias awareness training to the committee, which is convening on a regular basis in response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order 203 mandating that municipal police agencies adopt policies and procedures that ensure racial equality.

While acknowledging people’s sensitivity to the subject, Carasone emphasized that everyone has some type of implicit bias – thoughts and tendencies developed over a lifetime.

She said that implicit biases are activated involuntarily.

“Our brain is hardwired to take little bits and pieces, and that forms our biases,” she said. “It can be favorable bias, such as toward our military, and sometimes police officers, but nowadays it’s sometimes not favorable.”

MEDIA IS CRAFTING THE NARRATIVE

She said that currently the media is dominating the narrative and reinforcing people’s associations.

“This is the biggest thing right now – media -- both social media and regular print media or TV,” she said. “Sometimes the news organizations get the most ignorant person that’s out there and they’ll put them on TV, and that causes our biases toward someone.”

Calling it “confirmation bias,” Carasone said this causes the brain to favor information that conforms to a person’s existing beliefs and discounts evidence that does not conform.

“(Whether it’s) FOX News or CNN or a certain newspaper, or pro-life, pro-choice, pro-gun or anti-gun, they (people) will seek out information that confirms those biases,” she said.

Carasone said that steps to overcome implicit biases include:

• Check your Blind Spot: We all have implicit bias. Refusing to acknowledge or accept that you have bias creates a blind spot.  

• Play Devil’s Advocate: Seek out information that would contradict your initial thoughts. Listen to others that have a different lived experiences than you.

• Avoid the Ostrich Effect: It can be uncomfortable to talk about unpleasant facts that drive negative emotions. Don’t let your discomfort cause you to stick your head in the sand.

• Opinion vs. Fact: When you are stuck in a disagreement with someone, avoid opinions and use facts -- fair, data-driven information.  Remember “Your opinion is not fact.”

WORDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

She also said the words that people use indicate how people look at others, and suggested replacing “addict” with “individual with a substance use disorder” or “criminal” with “justice involved individual.”

On the latter, Carasone said that 4 percent of the people in jail or prison are innocent.

“And that’s just the people that we know,” she added.

Carasone said that implicit bias does not equal racism but, when applied to a group of people, it becomes the foundation of racism.

She said racism is evident at different levels – individual, institutional and structural – and can be directed at a person’s gender, race, religion or economic status.

Policies, practices and procedures that make discriminate against certain classes of people – “usually what we call redlining,” Carasone said – can be mitigated, but it takes a commitment from both individuals and organizations to effect positive change.

“How can your organization mitigate implicit biases in your services in staffing and polices?” she asked. “Become culturally competent. Make policy and procedural changes that will provide equity for the underserved population.”

“That means taking a big look at what we’re doing right now, and looking at your strategic plan. What are your strengths and what are your barriers and your weaknesses that need to be improved upon?”

Carasone defined cultural competence as the ability to understand, communicate with and effectively interact with people across cultures.

MANY LAYERS WHEN IT COMES TO CULTURE

“Culture is like an iceberg. You have the top part where you can see on the outside – our clothes, our language, and so forth -- and the things that we don’t see,” such as background, talents, likes, dislikes, traditions, she said.

Using herself as an example, she mentioned that she is from a military family, that she lived in poverty and below poverty and, “me opening up, you can’t tell that I had a mental illness as well. So, there are a lot more layers that you can’t see underneath.”

She promoted a brainstorming exercise that focuses on cultural awareness, knowledge and sensitivity, and emphasized the many benefits of cultural competence, such as building healthier families and communities, and increasing productivity and revenue at all the levels of commerce.

Carasone said plans call for her to provide implicit bias awareness training – on a volunteer basis -- to all Genesee County Sheriff’s Department personnel as well as to the City of Batavia Police Department and Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department.

In response to a question from committee members about language barriers, Undersheriff Brad Mazur said the sheriff’s department recognizes contracts with a company that provides an 800 number through dispatch to provide translation when necessary, such as in traffic stops, criminal proceedings and emergency situations.

Carasone said it is preferable to get a live interpreter on the line instead of using an online application (app) due to the fact that some words may not be translated correctly. She said interpreters are trained extensively to properly interact in these situations and also have received cultural competence education.

Press release:

Data update covering the weekend and today until 2 p.m.:

• Genesee County received 130 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, Le Roy, Oakfield, Pavilion, Pembroke and Stafford. 
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. 
  • Thirty-eight of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Twenty of the positive individuals are hospitalized.
  • Two of the new positive individuals are residents at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia, one is a resident at the NYS Veterans Home, and one is at the VA Medical Center.
  • We received notification of three deaths. One is a resident at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia. Two of the deaths were community members. All three individuals were over the age of 65. To protect the individual and their family we will not be releasing any further information. We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this community member during this very difficult time.
•  
• Orleans County received 32 new positive cases of COVID-19.
• The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby.
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s 70s and 80s.
• Four of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
• Twenty of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Nine of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

​

Jason Allan Klinkbeil, 32, of Lockport Road, Alabama, is charged with: first-degree vehicular assault; felony driving while intoxicated -- drugs; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; reckless driving; failure to keep right; speed not reasonable and prudent; moving from lane unsafely; driving left of pavement markings; improper passing; failure to notify DMV of address change; and failure to change address on vehicle registration. Following an investigation into a motor-vehicle collision with injury at 8:48 p.m. Sept. 12 on Bliss Road in Oakfield, Klinkbeil was arrested. He allegedly drove a vehicle while he was impaired by drugs and caused serious physical injury to a passenger in another vehicle. Klinkbeil was released with appearance tickets and is due in Oakfield Town Court on Feb. 1. The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, assisted by Deputy Erik Andre.

Aaron Joseph Romani, 29, of Milestrip Road, Blasdell, is charged with driving while intoxicated -- drugs; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 7th degree; and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Romani was arrested Dec. 3 for an incident at 2:48 a.m. on Aug. 2 when he was found pulled to the side of the road on Byron Elba Road in Byron. He was allegedly driving while intoxicated by drug and in possession of methadone which was not prescribed to him. His driver's license was expired. He was issued appearance tickets returnable to Byron Town Court on Jan. 11. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Gauthier, assisted by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun.

Renee Irene Brown, 40, of Harris Road, Waterport, is charged with petit larceny and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree. At 3:09 p.m. on Dec. 3, the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center received a call of a woman stealing items from the Crosby's convenience store in the Village of Elba, then fleeing in a vehicle southbound on Route 98. Deputies located the car in the Town of Batavia a short time later and conducted a traffic stop. Following an investigation, Brown was arrested. It is alleged that she possessed 72 packages of Starburst candy chews, 19 packages of Slim Jim meat snack sticks, and 14 packages of Jack Links Wild Snack Sticks XXL Original. Brown was also allegedly found driving while her license to do so was suspended. She was released with appearance tickets and is due in Elba Town Court on Dec. 23. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush.

Health Alert

The Genesee Orleans County Health Departments have received a positive COVID-19 test result from an individual who was at Sport of Kings, Batavia on:

• Monday, Nov. 30^th from 2 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 1^st from 2 to 8 p.m.

Contact tracing is in progress; however unidentified individuals may have unknowingly been in contact with the positive cases. 

We advise all individuals who were at Sport of Kings on the stated dates and times to monitor their symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms of COVID-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include but are not limited to: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.

For more information please visit: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home.

Statement from Batavia City School District Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr.:

Dear Batavia Blue Devil Families,

As the number of positive COVID-19 cases continue to rise across New York State and specifically in Genesee County ​(8-percent positive test rate -- current highest in New York)​ it brings a number of challenges for the school district.

These challenges include but are not limited to the following:

• Our ongoing ability to staff in-person learning with certified staff members.
• Guidance regarding close contact and quarantining: we continue to have a large number of students and staff members unable to attend in-person learning and work because of the fact that educators/ district staff are not designated as essential employees under current New York State Department of Health guidance, which forces them to quarantine even if they are not showing symptoms.
• Despite the CDC reducing the number of days for quarantining to 7-10 days, the NYSDOH is still requiring a 14-day quarantining window.
• Social gatherings are still occurring outside of school, which bring new positive cases into our school district.
• The influx of parent and family requests that want to move their children from in-person hybrid learning to a 100-percent full virtual model.
• Over this last week our number of total positive cases in our schools increased to 39 and the number of students and staff that have had to quarantine as a result was over 100 between our four school buildings.

  Therefore, ​I have made the difficult decision to move our school district to 100-percent Virtual Remote Learning effective immediately and through the upcoming winter break. I will monitor and reassess this decision and I will provide families an update prior to our return on Monday, Jan. 4th.

  Moving our entire district to 100-percent Virtual Remote Learning will give us the ability to focus primarily on one mode of teaching and learning and allow us to prepare for updated guidance from New York State that prioritizes safe in-person learning for all. Families of children who receive specialized instruction and various mandated therapy will be contacted by the district with options for teletherapy and targeted support. BOCES Career Technical Education students will also attend their program virtually. This does not impact out-of-district placements and students who attend BOCES Alternative Academy and ITP programs. For the majority of our students this equates to the loss of five in-person learning days over the course of the next 12 school days.

• The district will continue to provide daily breakfast and lunch for pick up at Jackson Primary and John Kennedy from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. during this period.

  It is also important to remind you that if we are to return to any form of in-person learning that we still need parents and guardians to fill out our consent form located here. To date, we only have 483 (24 percent) of in-person learning families who have given consent. Please know that if and when we are designated a color zone, that random testing will be required and only families who give consent will be able to attend in-person learning.

  At a time where we should be focused on celebrating an upcoming winter break and spending time with our families, I know that this decision will impact many of you negatively and that is not my intent. Ultimately, my intent and one of my main responsibilities as your Superintendent, is to always protect the physical and mental health and safety of our students, staff and community.

  If you have any additional questions or concerns please feel free to call your child’s school for support.

  WE are Better Together...WE are Batavia!

  Anibal Soler Jr.
  Superintendent of Schools

Press release:

The Genesee County Health Department has received a positive COVID-19 test from an individual who was at Applebee's Grill + Bar in Batavia on Friday, Nov. 27th from 12 to 2 p.m. Contact tracing is in progress; however unidentified individuals may have unknowingly been in contact with the positive case.

We advise all individuals who were at Applebee's on Nov. 27th between the hours of 12 and 2 p.m. to monitor their symptoms for 14 days (through Dec. 11th). If symptoms of COVID-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include but are not limited to: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.

Press release:

Data Update:

• Genesee County received 50 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Byron, Elba, Le Roy, Oakfield and Pembroke.
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
  • Twenty-nine of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Fifteen of the positive individuals are hospitalized.
  • Fifteen of the new positive individuals are residents at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia.
  • We received notification of three deaths of residents at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia. Two of the residents were over the age of 65 and one of the residents was under the age of 65. To protect the individual and their family we will not be releasing any further information. We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this community member during this very difficult time.
• Orleans County received 24 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby.
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s and 60s.
  • Three of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Six of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Eight of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

To review the raw positive data for each of the counties click this following link.

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

A reminder the numbers listed as positive/active are current community cases. The recovered numbers are only for community cases and do not include non-county regulated facilities. The total positive cases include community active/positive, community recovered and all those from non-county regulated facilities.

Rapid Testing: Genesee County will be hosting two rapid testing clinics on Dec. 8th and 10th from 1 – 4 p.m. The focus is for asymptomatic individuals and is free. This is a self-administered rapid test at the Genesee County Emergency Management Office & Fire Training Facility, at 7690 State Street Road in the Town of Batavia. 

To schedule a test, please register online here. Anyone needing additional help for online registration may contact the Genesee County Health Department at (585) 344-2580, ext. 5555.

To help the process please not the following guidelines:

• If you completed the form online, please print it out and bring it with you;
• Make sure you have a pen in your vehicle;
• Everyone in the vehicle is to have their mask on when they pull up at the testing site;
• For those who are getting tested, they may get a call fairly quickly from an unknown number…answer the phone. Staff cannot leave messages and can only give results to the individual tested or the guardian of minor children. Hard copy results will be emailed within 48 hours if we have a valid email address.

Orleans County will be holding a rapid testing clinic on Dec. 16th. More details to come.

Business Reminder: It is important to periodically review your Business Safety Plan that was developed earlier on in the pandemic. As part of the plan businesses were encouraged to develop contact sheets for all patrons to assist with contact tracing in the event of a potential COVID-19 exposure. This will help in investigations and will limit the necessity of press releases which will help limit potential spread. 

COVID-19 101 Reminders: If a person is identified as a contact, they will be notified by the County Health Department, quarantined and if warranted, swabbed if indicated. Limited information is provided to the public in compliance with HIPAA regulations and out of the respect of those impacted by this virus.

• When, and if, there is a situation where potential contact is made in a public location where contact tracing doesn’t have actual names of close contacts, we will send out a media announcement to help seek contacts.
• If you are experiencing ANY COVID-19 related symptoms STAY HOME! Do not go to work, do not go to the store, do not go anywhere, YOU are spreading the virus. STAY HOME!
• We encourage everyone to remember to be polite and respect individual privacy. If you have a complaint about someone or a business use the appropriate channels provided by the state. Using social media to air your complaints and accusing individuals / businesses of wrong doing generally does nothing to fix the problem. Be compassionate of other people and spread kindness.

Updates

Testing: FYI: Due to increased COVID-19 cases and testing demand in the region, the MCC drive-in testing site will be expanding to seven days and expanding Saturday and Sunday hours to 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (starting this weekend). Appointments are required; click here.

• Effective Nov. 13 at 10 p.m., bars, restaurants and gyms, as well as any State Liquor Authority-licensed establishment, must close in-person service from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily.
• Effective Nov. 13 at 10 p.m., indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences will be limited to no more than 10 people.

Faith-based Organizations:

• Consider continuing or reinstating remote worship due to increased numbers of positive COVID-19 cases to protect your more vulnerable population.
• For those who are at risk of complications for COVID-19 or the flu, consider to connect with your house of worship remotely to lessen the risk of contracting COVID-19 or the flu.
• If you are sick or experiencing new symptoms, STAY HOME and worship remotely. Don’t share your germs with others.

Gathering Size: According to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.45, all nonessential gatherings of up to 50 individuals of any size for any reason at venues (celebrations, weddings, or other social events at public facilities or private venues) unless otherwise designated (ex. Religious gatherings), are now allowed for those regions in Phase 4.

So long as appropriate social distancing, wearing cloth masks/face coverings over their mouth and nose, and cleaning and disinfection protocol requirements are followed. With the recent uptick of individuals testing positive and the stricter guidance placed by the Governor, it is important to remember that those who plan and host nonessential gatherings (whether at a venue or a private residence) as noted above, can be fined up to $15,000, and/or cause our counties to be considered a micro-cluster which will place the area under stricter restrictions.

Micro-clusters: The initiative will take the most significant action within the cluster (Red Zone), moderate action in the area surrounding the cluster to stop the spread (Orange Zone), and precautionary action in the outlying communities (Yellow Zone). To learn more about the Cluster Action Initiative, click here.

• Erie County -- New Orange Precautionary Zone -- Click Here for Map
• Niagara County – New Yellow Precautionary Zone – Click Here for Map
• Monroe County -- Yellow Precautionary Zone - Click Here for Map

The number of patients visiting UMMC's urgent care clinic at the Jerome Center has more than doubled over the past month due to a greater prevalence of COVID-19 in the community, according to Dr. Andrew Tisser, urgent care medical director.

"We've seen a very large increase in both symptomatic and asymptomatic covid testing and need for medical care in Batavia specifically speaking to the urgent care center," Tisser said this morning during a conference call with local media. "Our volume in the last three or so weeks has increased by about 110 percent."

The number of patients visiting urgent care has done from about 25 per day to 50 or 60 per day, and about 80 percent of the visitors are coming to the client for COVID-related reasons.

There is currently a surge of COVID in the community and there is no way to know if we're at the peak or if the caseload will only get bigger in the coming weeks or months. Either way, Tisser expressed confidence that UMMC and Rochester Reginal Health is ready to adapt to changing circumstances. He believes the urgent care center can handle the coming caseload even if there is an increase in community spread.

That said, the community can help, Tisser said. He encouraged local residents to wear a mask, keep socially distant and follow other CDC guidelines to help control the spread of COVID.

In the spring, healthcare workers were hailed as superheroes and feted with free meals and parades. That attention has faded and people are seemingly paying less attention to guidelines about social gatherings. Tisser acknowledged that there may be a degree of COVID fatigue that may have set it but healthcare workers aren't looking for any special attention.

"We don't want to be seen as heroes," Tisser said. "We want everyone to be socially responsible and know that we're doing our best. So if everyone would please do their best, that would be really helpful. But we are here to help you. We're here to take care of you."

Tesser explained to help people and to keep everybody safe, there are now two ways to access the urgent care clinic. The main lobby for standard urgent care but for people seeking COVID-related service, a doorway with a phone where clients can speak to a nurse who can triage their needs. If it's a test for symptomatic or asymptomatic clients, they are asked to wait in their car where the test can be administered.

People who show up at the clinic are usually there because they're symptomatic and were referred by a primary care physician or they are a known close contact with a COVID-positive person and need to be tested as a result.

Tesser said people who are symptomatic should contact their primary care physician to get guidance on testing and evaluation.

The urgent care clinic only handles mild COVID-19 cases, people with a low-grade fever, a mild cough, other mild symptoms. More serious cases are generally referred to the emergency room.

"We're here to help you, but please try to help us," Tisser said. "The virus is not going away any time soon. We are hopeful with the vaccine coming, but it will take time to get everyone on the vaccine. So everyone needs to keep doing what they're doing to the best of their ability and just be smart and stay safe."

The Genesee County Legislature has set a public hearing for next month to adopt a local law that would give lawmakers the ability to compensate coroners more than currently allowed for time spent during catastrophic events.

Resolutions forwarded by the Ways & Means Committee to Wednesday’s full legislative meeting call for the following:

• The scheduling of a public hearing on proposed Local Law Introductory No. 3, Year 2020, at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Old County Courthouse in Batavia;

• The adoption of the local law to allow discretionary compensation for services rendered during catastrophic events by elected or appointed coroners for a fixed term for the County of Genesee as introduced Dec. 9, 2020.

The measures stem from the airplane crash on Oct. 2 off Boyce Road in Corfu that claimed the lives of attorneys Steve Barnes and his niece, Elizabeth Barnes.

Coroner Jeff McIntire of Oakfield reportedly put in 260 hours on that case but, as the law stands now, is eligible to receive $200, based on $100 per case (or deceased individual). The pay increases to $150 per case on observed holidays.

The county’s four coroners also receive an annual stipend of $1,500 – paid throughout the year on regular paydays – but no mileage.

McIntire informed county officials of the situation, prompting the decision to put forth a new local law that gives the legislature some flexibility regarding compensation in unusual circumstances, County Manager Matt Landers said.

“It’s something that I don’t believe was thought of when the compensation was put in place for our coroners,” Landers said. “We’re trying to make this local law … so the legislature can determine what an extraordinary event is and what they want to compensate. Every case can be different, and we don’t want to end up in the future having to change the local law again because we were too restrictive.”

McIntire received a commendation from the legislature for his work (along with a team of responders) at the scene.

He resigned on Nov. 15 after serving more than five years as a county coroner. Landers said McIntire had planned to resign before the crash as he looks to relocate to Florida.

McIntire, who also is assistant chief of the Oakfield Fire Department, did not respond to phone calls from The Batavian seeking comment.

Landers said without this local law, legislators' hands are tied.

“Right now, there really is no ability for this legislature to legally give any compensation above and beyond what he was paid because of the local law that we have,” he said.

Karen Lang, Tom Douglas and Adam Palumbo are the other county coroners. Republican Party leaders are in the process of finding a replacement for McIntire.

The resolution’s specific wording as is follows:

Section 1.  In addition to the existing compensation for Genesee County Coroners that are elected or appointed for a fixed term, the Genesee County Legislature is hereby authorized to provide additional compensation when Coroners provide extraordinary services above and beyond their normal duties after a catastrophic event leading to the death of one or more individuals within Genesee County.          

Section 2:  The determination as to whether or not an event qualifies as catastrophic; as well as the determination as to the amount to be paid to Coroners for extraordinary services, shall be made in the sole discretion of the Genesee County Legislature.

Section 3.  Any Coroner may submit a claim retroactively to October 3, 2020, by a submittal in writing, which details the services rendered and the times and dates of the same. 

Section 4.  This Local Law is subject to referendum on petition pursuant to the provisions of Section 24 of the Municipal Home Rule Law.

Section 5.  This Local Law shall take effect upon proper filing with the Office of the Secretary of State.

Today, the first time since the pandemic hit Western New York, residents of Genesee County who are not showing symptoms of COVID-19 could get free coronavirus test locally.

The newly available rapid test is important, said Paul Pettit, public health director, because asymptomatic people can spread the disease. Identifying them will help slow the spread.

"The folks in the community that may be positive, that don't know they have it, they may be contributing to some of our higher numbers that we've been seeing over the last month," Pettit said.

In the first hour, 100 people were tested and three tests were positive.

Those three people, Pettit said now know they should isolate themselves and avoid contact that might lead to the disease being passed on to a vulnerable person, perhaps a family member.

"These folks probably would not have gotten tested," Pettit said. "So they would have been out in the community going to hang out with their friends or family, doing different activities and they might not have known they had it so bad. By doing stuff like testing like this, it allows them to be identified and now we can put them under isolation and again, hopefully, reduce those transmissions."

As many as 350 tests were administered today. The final number of positive tests of that 350 has not been released yet.

Pettit said rapid tests for asymptomatic people will be available in Genesee County on Tuesday and Thursday through at least January. The location may not always be at the Emergency Management Office on State Street Road. Future locations, or if it will be moved, has not yet been determined.  

More than 30 people volunteered to help with testing. More may be needed in the future.

Among the advantages of the free rapid test is that people who might want to travel or visit elderly family members in senior facilities were having a hard time getting required tests.  

The testing will also help get a clearer picture of how prevalent the disease is locally.

Getting the tests for Genesee County has been a long and concerted effort by local officials, state and federal representatives.

People who do get tested need to recognize that the test is only a "snapshot in time," Pettit said.

"Literally, if you test today and your negative, that's great," Pettit said. "Go home, go do your thing, continue to practice all the social distancing. But the bottom line doesn't mean you won't be positive tomorrow or the next day or the day after. So really, it's one of those things there really isn't a rhyme or reason necessarily on getting tested. I mean, obviously, we don't want people coming out here every day because we want to make sure we have availability for people that need it also. But a test is a snapshot. It's only good for the time you get tested, just like with anything else."

Press release:

The Genesee County Health Department has received multiple positive COVID-19 test results from individuals who were at Eli Fish Brewing Co. in Batavia on:

• Wednesday, Nov. 25^th from 6 - 8:45 p.m.

Contact tracing is in progress; however unidentified individuals may have unknowingly been in contact with the positive cases.

We advise all individuals who were at Eli Fish on the stated dates and times to monitor their symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms of COVID-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include but are not limited to: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.

For more information please visit: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home.