Month: July 2020

July 31, 2020

August 5 – American Legion in Arkport 1-6
August 19 – Hornell VFW 1pm 6pm
August 21 – Hornell YMCA 12pm-5pm

July 31, 2020

From Senator O’Mara, Assemblymen Palmesano And Assemblyman Friend:

After hearing reports from regional and statewide nonprofit agencies and organizations that New York State is delaying state contracts and payments, Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats), Assemblyman Chris Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) today sent a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo urging the repeal of the Executive Order responsible for suspending the state’s prompt payment laws.

The area lawmakers said that in early July, Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.48 suspending prompt payments. They called on the governor to immediately rescind the order, which is having a particularly devastating impact on the not-for-profit sector, and fulfill the state’s obligations to nonprofits.

They stressed that at the same time the COVID-19 crisis has increased the demand for human services to confront unemployment, food insecurity, child care and many other challenges, the state’s payment delays are jeopardizing the ability of many nonprofits to continue operating and providing programs and services. That’s also the case for non-profit non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that state government has become increasingly reliant on to provide mental health care, services for persons with disabilities and numerous other concerns, they said.

In their July 31 letter to the governor, O’Mara, Friend and Palmesano wrote, “As you know, the COVID-19 response has taken an enormous toll on individual lives as well as upending the economic and social fabric of our communities. Nowhere has this become more apparent than within the non-profit sector throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions we represent, and statewide. This sector exists as the primary lifeline for countless New Yorkers, especially for some of our most vulnerable populations, and provides a livelihood for more than one million of our citizens in our communities. The not-for-profit sector was already struggling prior to the onset of the pandemic because of persistent underfunding and, in an era of increasingly diminished government resources, an exorbitant demand for services. The coronavirus has only worsened this crisis while, at the same time, even exacerbated the demand for nonprofit programs and services, as millions of New Yorkers continue to confront unemployment, food insecurity, child care challenges and so much more. The same goes for our non-profit non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that state government has become increasingly reliant on to provide mental health care, services for persons with disabilities and numerous other concerns. It’s an enormous and extremely troubling burden that is now made exceedingly difficult by the issuance of your Executive Order 202.48 suspending prompt payment laws.” [see attached copy of today’s letter]

They also highlighted the fact that the not-for-profit sector serves as the primary lifeline for countless New Yorkers, especially for some of the state’s most vulnerable populations, and employs approximately 1.3 million workers.

“We fully recognize the difficult short- and long-term fiscal choices New York State will be forced to make because of the COVID-19 response. One of these choices, however, should not be to turn our back on nonprofits that, despite the extreme circumstances, have stepped up over the past several months to continue providing absolutely essential public outreach that, in so many instances, have made the difference. In return, we believe it is among our highest responsibilities for New York government to promptly and fully honor the contracts and obligations we have with and to our non-profit sector,” O’Mara, Friend and Palmesano wrote.

July 31 2020

From The Hornell School System:

The Hornell City School District has announced its plan for reopening schools in September. In a letter to parents, Superintendent Jeremy Palotti said the plans aim to maintain the safest environment possible while providing rich instruction.

“Balancing these two inside of the current guidelines issued from the New York State Department of Education and the New York State Department of Health have made this challenging for schools,” he said. “Our plans also have to be flexible and allow for seamless transitions between in-person instruction and remote learning, should schools have to be closed due to sickness within the schools, community, and/or region.”

According to Palotti, the district will adopt a hybrid model when schools reopen in September, with students divided into two groups (keeping households together) and following this schedule:
● Monday: Group A attends in person with Group B attending remotely
● Tuesday: Group B attends in person with Group A attending remotely
● Wednesday: Group A and B attend remotely with live remote instruction – schools get a deep cleaning, teachers prepare remote work for when students are not in session
● Thursday: Group A attends in person with Group B attending remotely
● Friday: Group B attends in person with Group A attending remotely

We are breaking A/B groups by household so that an entire household will follow the same schedule. Households will learn their assignment from individual schools early next week. Questions about assignments can be directed to principals. Please wait until assignments have been made.

By reducing the numbers of students physically present on campus, the district can provide safe transport to school, safe transitions within the building and safety in the classroom as fewer students will allow for social distancing. Students also will be required to wear masks and/or work behind barriers when social distancing is more difficult.

“Our hope is that by opening in a hybrid model initially, we will gradually be able to increase capacity over time,” Palotti said. “As we open, we will use the month of September to assess the safety of our current plan and if permitted, we would look to increase student in-person attendance starting with our
youngest students and growing from there. By the end of September, we will be able to communicate if and how this will occur.”

The district’s plan is conditional on approval from Governor Cuomo. The district should be notified if this model of instruction will be allowed on August 7.

Key points for parents:
• Bussing requests can be made through August 13. We’re encouraging all families to complete the busing questionnaire even if their children walk to give us the most reliable data. Please complete the following document https://bit.ly/308juJa
• Registration for total remote learning – If you wish to register your child for a total remote learning plan for the start of the year, please call or email the registration office by August 13. – https://www.hornellcityschools.com/domain/1034 elizabeth.norton@hornellcsd.org
• The district is in regular communication with the Hornell Children’s Home and Hornell Area YMCA. Expanded childcare options with our hybrid schedule in mind are prepared and will be offered to families on their locations and within our school buildings. Please call the Children’s Home and YMCA directly to inquire about options.
Links:
Reopening plan: https://www.hornellcityschools.com/Page/1420
Reopening guidance from NYS: https://www.hornellcityschools.com/domain/1145

July 31, 2020

The New York State Department of Transportation advised motorists today to expect daytime lane closures along Interstate 86 in the towns of Hornell & Howard in Steuben County beginning Monday, August 3, 2020, as crews resurface 10.6 miles of pavement between Exits 34 and 35.

Paving activities are expected to take place between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. through the end of August and motorists are advised to prepare for delays and seek alternate routes if possible.

The on and off ramps at Exit 34 will also be paved as part of this project, with staggered closures for both the eastbound and westbound ramps beginning in mid-August. A detour will be in place guiding motorists to use the next ramp.

Construction activities are weather dependent and subject to change based on conditions.

Motorists are reminded to Move Over a lane, if safely possible, or slow down significantly whenever encountering roadside vehicles displaying red, white, blue, amber or green lights, including maintenance and construction vehicles in work zones.

Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.

For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.

Follow New York State DOT on Twitter at @NYSDOT and @NYSDOTHornell. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/NYSDOT.

BATH – The Steuben County Public Health Department received notification that an additional Steuben County resident tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total to 307 confirmed cases, seven of which are currently active. The individual is a resident of the Town of Hornellsville.
The individual is isolated and being monitored by the County Health Department. Public Health staff investigated and identified close contacts of the confirmed case and exposure risks. All those known to have direct contact with the individual have been notified.
Per CDC and New York State Department of Health guidance, information is collected beginning 48 hours prior to symptom onset or date of test if asymptomatic through the day of the positive test result to identify any potential exposure risks. The investigation indicates the individual is linked with a previously reported positive and did not pose any public exposure risks during this timeframe.
“We are pleased with the prevention efforts shown in our community,” said Public Health Director, Darlene Smith. “The benefit of the public wearing masks, social distancing and doing their best to slow the spread of COVID-19 has been evident in the low number of cases this week. Let’s all continue these strategies so we can have weeks without any new cases.”
All residents should continue to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills or repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell and contact their healthcare provider for instructions if feeling ill.
For the latest Steuben County updates, visit Steuben County’s website at www.steubencony.org or social media pages: www.facebook.com/SCNYPublicHealth and www.instagram.com/SteubenPublicHealth

July 31, 2020

ALFRED, NY – Unsolicited packages of seeds from China, have been sent to people in Alfred. That’s according to Alfred Police Chief Paul Griffith and Steuben County Sheriff Jim Allard. “It was a package that they did not buy themselves, it was a 4 inch by 4 inch package, came from China, and had seeds in it,” Alfred Village Police Chief Paul Griffith told WLEA News this morning. “We’re working with other authorities to figure out what this is and why it was sent, but at this point, we don’t really know.”

This news comes after reports of unsolicited seeds arriving from China, in both Wayland and parts of Livingston County.

July 31, 2020

From Canisteo-Greenwood School Superintendent Tom Crook:

Canisteo-Greenwood School District Reopening Plans

Dear CG Family,
As we approach the potential start to a new school year, the administrative team along with the Reopening Committee has worked feverishly to put the district’s reopening plan together in the short 2-week time frame we were given. Based on the guidance from the New York Department of Health and the New York State Education Department, our plan addresses all the components that are needed to bring our students and staff back to school this fall.

We know that there are a lot of questions about returning to school, but rest assured, the Governor and the state health department would not allow us to return if they thought that it could not be done. The Governor will be assessing the infection rate for our region (Southern Tier Region) and decide the week of August 1st – August 7th. Once we receive his decision, we will be implementing our reopening plan for a potential opening on September 8th. The district’s comprehensive Reopening Plan can be found on the school’s website. Please refer to it often as it may change throughout August based on any new or clarifying guidance from the state. The district will be hosting a webinar for the community highlighting the key components of the reopening plan sometime soon. In that webinar, we will be reviewing transportation, daily screenings, social distancing, mask wearing, students who do not feel well, symptoms of COVID-19, cleaning and disinfecting, and visitor protocols. This webinar will be recorded and placed on the district’s website and on our social media platform. If after the webinar you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Superintendent Crook at tcrook@cgcsd.org.

The main question in everyone’s mind is, what will school look like in the fall? Based on our facilities and following the current guidance of the State Department of Health and Education Department, we feel we will be able to bring back our students almost full-time. The reason I say “full-time” is that we must address the remote learning component that this pandemic has placed upon us. In March, we were thrown into the world of remote learning very abruptly. Our teachers and students did a phenomenal job adjusting and made the best of a terrible situation.

Therefore, our TENTATIVE schedule for the fall is as follows:
Students will be in school Monday – Thursday and virtual on Fridays. For daily attendance purposes, all students are expected to do some remote work on Fridays. This may be logging into their electronic platform or doing assigned work. The in-person schedule will be similar to our normal schedule but we will allow students to enter the building at 7:30 and report to their classroom for breakfast. Arrival times and dismissal times will be staggered and more details will be communicated as we get closer to September 8th.
Teachers will report Monday – Friday, with Fridays giving teachers crucial time to work on remote platforms (SeeSaw for Elementary and Microsoft Teams for the High School) and to reach out to our remote learners.

We cannot stress enough that this is our TENTATIVE schedule. As we have seen since March 13th, this could change on a dime depending on what the Governor decides. Your patience and flexibility will be key this fall (and beyond). This schedule is subject to change before September 8th.
We will be sending a survey out to our families to ask a few key questions so we can begin to prepare. It is important that all families take part in the survey. The survey will be sent out through our mass notification system and NOT social media. We only need the parents/guardians of our students filling out the survey.
The questions will be:
1. If your child is normally bused, would you be willing to self-transport? The reason we are asking this question is that we would like to decrease the occupancy of our buses if possible. Students will always be required to wear masks on a bus, but we would also like to try as much social distancing as possible. The regulations are that if 6 ft. social distancing cannot be supported, a mask must be worn. Any space we can get on our buses will help.
**If you choose to self-transport, we will be asking for a semester commitment to avoid unseen changes in bus occupancy daily.

2. Knowing that we are going back to in-person instruction, will you be sending your child to school? We understand as a district that some families will be hesitant to send their child back to school. With this expectation, we will be offering the following options:
a. Homeschooling – parents will handle their child’s education.
b. Remote Instruction – the school would be responsible for the child’s education through on-line instruction and electronic platform participation. The student will be expected to attend all scheduled sessions with the teachers (attendance will be taken) and new content will be taught and graded. The remote learner will be required to keep up with their work as if he/she were attending in person.
**A semester commitment will be needed for either of these options. If at the end of the semester you would like your child to return to in-person instruction, he/she may return at that time, but not in the middle of a semester.

3. If the district coordinates childcare for any “off” day, would you need it? We have been in conversation with local agencies to be able to offer childcare on the Friday the students will not be in session. There will be a cost incurred payable to the participating agency. It will be hosted here in district in the elementary school.

We cannot thank you enough for your continued support during these unique times.
Sincerely,

Thomas J. Crook
Superintendent

July 31, 2020

From The Lt Governor:

Today, New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed Tracy Mitrano for Congress in New York’s 23rd district.

The endorsement marks Lieutenant Governor Hochul’s third endorsement in her campaign to elect Democratic women candidates up and down the ticket ahead of the November election. Hochul will contribute her political time and resources to help raise money and get out the vote for candidates.

“From her experience living in Western New York, Tracy Mitrano has lived and breathed the experiences of voters across her district,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “We need a representative who will deliver in Congress, someone with the vision, skills, and passion to get things done. We need a champion for our families, workers, and farmers—now more than ever. Tracy Mitrano is that person and I’m proud to endorse her for New York’s 23rd Congressional District.”

“I’m honored and grateful to have the support of Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who like me, grew up in Western New York,” said Tracy Mitrano. “She has been at the forefront of the response effort and is helping lead our state’s economic recovery. Kathy understands the strengths of Western New York and what is needed from our leaders in Washington, DC. She cares very deeply about democracy and citizenship, and she exemplifies for us all the true meaning of public service.”

Tracy Mitrano is a cybersecurity expert, teacher, and mother. She was born and raised in Western New York and has lived in the Southern Tier and the Finger Lakes throughout her adult life.
Hochul has already endorsed New York U.S. Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Grace Meng for re-election, as well as Democratic challengers Jackie Gordon in New York’s 2nd Congressional District and Dana Balter in New York’s 24th Congressional District.

Kathy Hochul is the 77th Lieutenant Governor of New York. Kathy has been a lifelong advocate for women’s rights. After winning a long-shot race for Congress as a Democrat in the most conservative district in the state, she voted 46 times to protect the Affordable Care Act and women’s reproductive health from an onslaught of Republican attacks. As Lieutenant Governor, Kathy championed New York’s paid family leave law and $15 minimum wage, pushed to pass the Reproductive Health Act to protect women’s freedom of choice, and continues to advocate for expanded affordable child care and job training to build back better and more inclusive.

Kathy is also chair of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association, the only organization solely focused on electing Democratic lieutenant governors and candidates each year.

July 30, 2020

From Bath Police Chief Chad Mullen:

On July 28th, 2020 the Village of Bath Police Department with the assistance of the Corning Police Department arrested Brendan R. Wentling, age 27, no accurate address available, on two different Steuben County Superior Court warrants of arrest. The warrants allege that Mr. Wentling sold controlled substances consisting of methamphetamine and heroin in the Village of Bath during the fall of 2019. The charges are two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree.
The investigation consisted of the Bath Police Department, Corning Police Department, Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, and the Steuben County District Attorney Investigator’s.

Mr. Wentling was arraigned in Steuben County Court the same day and released without bail due to 2020 bail reform laws.

July 30, 2020

From Democrat Tracy Mitrano:

Congressional candidate Tracy Mitrano (D-NY23) took aim at Republican and Democratic coronavirus relief plans during her weekly press call, chiding both parties for loading their bills with irrelevant spending proposals. “Both Democrats and Republicans should take the pork out of this new stimulus bill and focus on that which is going to help with the pandemic and the economic fallout,” Mitrano said. “This is a general problem with Congress: You try to do something to help people and everyone sticks their hand in to get this and that. This is not the time!”

Mitrano criticized the first stimulus plan for emphasizing aid to corporations, banks and other special interests instead of those who were hit the hardest: Covid-19 patients, frontline workers, childcare providers and schools. Noting that the average cost of making a school safe to reopen is $1.7 million per district, she declared that “If it can’t be done safely, it can’t be done, and it’s going to take money to do it safely.”
Republicans in Congress have balked at extending the $600-per-week subsidy for workers who lost their jobs in the economy downturn. Many—including Mitrano’s opponent, incumbent Rep. Tom Reed—say they’re concerned that the subsidy will provide a disincentive for going back to work. Mitrano called for research to see whether that’s the case.

“Are people really disincentivized? Is that true, or is it just a Republican trope,” she asked. “And if it is true, what other way can we help people at that level?” Mitrano also called on Congress to pump money into struggling municipalities.
“You move from a recession into a depression when municipalities go bankrupt,” she declared. “Get the help to where it is needed most: Public health and safety, schools, municipalities, and the poorest members of our society, who always suffer the worst under economic downturns. And again: Get the pork out of it. Let’s be clear, clean, transparent and honest.”

Tom Reed: Wrong on farmers, debates

Mitrano sharply criticized Reed for not standing up for dairy farmers against a co-op that she said engages in unfair business practices. Vermont farmers are suing Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) for violations of anti-trust laws. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed an amicus brief in support of the farmers.
DFA “moved into this area, and they are part and parcel of why more than 250 dairy farms a year have gone out of business in this district,” said Mitrano, “and why we had 11 suicides last year here and just north of us.” DFA threatens farmers with claiming their milk is contaminated if they seek relief from their unfair business practices, she said. “That’s illegal!”

A single member of Congress can’t control the strength of the dollar or the price of milk, Mitrano said, but he or she can call for hearings to investigate the complaints. She said Reed won’t do that because agricultural businesses and cooperatives are among his most generous donors, so he won’t even support the DOJ effort. “It is long overdue that Tom Reed paid attention to the people who have supported him the most,” she said. “He does not care about them; he has done nothing to protect them, and in Congress I will.” She also scoffed at Reed’s reluctance to debate with her. His stated reason is that he hosts town hall meetings around the district. But town halls are part of the job for a member of Congress, Mitrano said. Debates are a candidate’s obligation, so voters can hear from both contenders and determine who to support based on where they stand on important issues. “Tom Reed can’t and won’t do that because he has failed this district on the issues: healthcare, education, infrastructure, protecting farmers and our environment,” she said. “People of the 23rd district deserve better: A representative who will show up.”