Fri, May 29th 2020 09:20 am
The Town of Lewiston Senior Center will hold a food drive from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 30, to benefit the Care-N-Share Food Pantry in Ransomville. The donation drop-off will take place at the Lewiston Senior Center, 4361 Lower River Road, to assist the pantry in restocking its shelves.
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Tue, May 26th 2020 03:05 pm
The U.S. Census Bureau, in coordination with federal, state and local health officials, will begin to drop off 2020 census questionnaire packets at front doors of households in most upstate New York counties starting Wednesday, May 27. This is done in areas where the majority of households do not receive mail at their physical address. The Census Bureau began hand-delivering census materials on March 15, but suspended all fieldwork for this operation on March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Tue, May 26th 2020 03:00 pm
A report recently released by Niagara University's Levesque Institute for Civic Engagement reveals some sobering statistics concerning the current and future status of Niagara County's licensed, center-based child care centers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Tue, May 26th 2020 10:55 am
The Carnegie Art Center (CAC) announced the Carnegie Art Festival: A Virtual Art Experience as an alternative to in-person art festivals this summer. The virtual festival will be a website that will be released to the public on July 1 and will be on view until Aug. 1. The CAC is currently seeking artists and craftspeople to apply to participate in the virtual festival. Deadline to submit artwork is Saturday, May 30.
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Tue, May 26th 2020 09:45 am
Independent Health is once again teaming up with the YMCA to offer free fitness classes this summer with "Fitness in the Parks: Home Edition!" Through Facebook Live, a series of virtual fitness classes will be offered each week for the community to take part in from the comfort of their own home. All classes will continue to be led by certified YMCA instructors.
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Fri, May 22nd 2020 10:20 pm
Prior to the start of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos encouraged New Yorkers to engage in responsible recreation close to home during the state's ongoing response to COVID-19. DEC recommendations incorporate guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York State Department of Health for reducing the spread of infectious diseases and encourage New Yorkers to recreate locally, practice physical distancing, show respect, and use common sense to protect themselves and others.
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Fri, May 22nd 2020 03:00 pm
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins on Friday announced the New York State Legislature plans to convene session next week to pass legislation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Committee meetings are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, May 26, with session scheduled for the days following.
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Fri, May 22nd 2020 02:55 pm
On Friday, Gov. Cuomo announced the New York Forward Loan Fund aimed at supporting New York state small businesses, nonprofits and small landlords as they reopen after the COVID-19 outbreak and "NYS on PAUSE."
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Fri, May 22nd 2020 11:55 am
Buffalo sports fans, assemble! Join Buffalo sports personality Sal Capaccio and the American Cancer Society at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28, for the ACS's first virtual Buffalo sports trivia contest.
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Fri, May 22nd 2020 11:40 am
A 10-day donation drive organized by Niagara University's Mission Committee and its Levesque Institute for Civic Engagement raised $2,700 to assist three community partners with local food efforts during COVID-19. Community Missions of the Niagara Frontier, the Magdalene Project of Niagara Falls and Heart, Love & Soul will each receive $900 to help as food costs rise and needs escalate as a result of the coronavirus.
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Fri, May 22nd 2020 11:35 am
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation opened 16 beaches across the state for swimming on Friday, with lifeguards staffed at normal levels to ensure public safety.
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Thu, May 21st 2020 04:35 pm
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced summer school will be conducted through distance learning this year to help reduce the risk of spread. Meal programs and child care services for essential employees will continue. School districts must also develop a plan for students with disabilities who participate in extended summer school year programs over the summer to ensure they receive instruction.
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Thu, May 21st 2020 10:10 am
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and AAA Western and Central New York is reminding both drivers and bikers of key safety tips as the weather gets nicer. With Memorial Day weekend upon us, many bikers will choose to ride free on the open road amid summerlike temperatures. As an advocate for traffic safety, AAA hopes to reduce crashes and keep the rest of the spring and summer safe for all roadway users.
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Wed, May 20th 2020 03:40 pm
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Wed, May 20th 2020 03:15 pm
The Buffalo and Erie County Greenway Fund Standing Committee announced five new awards totaling approximately $2 million for beautification and improvement projects along the Buffalo and Erie County portion of the Greenway.
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Wed, May 20th 2020 02:05 pm
Niagara County Pride and the City of Niagara Falls will hold a modified pride flag-raising ceremony at 2 p.m. June 1 at Niagara Falls City Hall.
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Wed, May 20th 2020 02:00 pm
Niagara County has begun phase one of "New York Forward" with some businesses beginning to reopen. As such, Legislator Will Collins on Wednesday announced the Niagara County Department of Emergency Services is hosting a two-day drive-thru mask pickup station for those who need to acquire face coverings for their employees.
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Wed, May 20th 2020 09:05 am
Jericho Road Community Health Center has opened its fourth health center in the City of Buffalo, located in the Buffalo City Mission's new community center, the Alfiero Family Center for Hope and Promise. Located at 100 E. Tupper St., the clinic was developed in partnership with the City Mission as part of its $15 million center - scheduled to open later this fall to the whole community.
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Tue, May 19th 2020 11:55 am
On Monday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the state is bringing in international experts to help advise the state's reopening plan. Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and Dr. Samir Bhatt, senior lecturer at Imperial College London, will work with the state to provide technical advice and analyze data/metrics throughout the state's reopening process and help track the state's progress.
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Tue, May 19th 2020 11:55 am
Congressman Brian Higgins is calling on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to "thoroughly and expeditiously" investigate and publicly report on the details which led to a train derailment in East Aurora on Monday.
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Tue, May 19th 2020 11:55 am
New York State Sen. Chris Jacobs has introduced legislation (S8327) to protect the privacy rights of New York residents as the state begins to engage in contact tracing efforts as a key part of its reopening strategy.
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Mon, May 18th 2020 08:55 pm
The New York State Department of Labor on Monday announced $9.2 billion in unemployment benefits have been paid to New Yorkers since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This figure includes nearly $290 million in back pay that was processed in the past two weeks and which was unlocked through a new, streamlined process that allows New Yorkers to easily submit federally mandated weekly certifications they had missed, unlocking previous weeks' benefits.
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Mon, May 18th 2020 02:40 pm
Starting Tuesday, May 19, the Erie County Department of Health will offer a series of clinics for COVID-19 antibody testing.
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Mon, May 18th 2020 12:05 pm
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday said Western New York will enter into phase one of his "New York Forward" reopening on Tuesday. Nonessential services have been closed since March 20, when Cuomo put "New York State on PAUSE" to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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Mon, May 18th 2020 11:15 am
In a conference call Monday morning with the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul offered additional details on what phase one of "New York Forward" entails. She is head of the "control room" monitoring when Western New York can begin to exit Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "New York State on PAUSE" shutdown.
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Sun, May 17th 2020 02:25 pm
On Sunday, the governor's office posted a site where people can find coronavirus test sites by ZIP code.
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Fri, May 15th 2020 07:30 pm
"The New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Heroes Act, a fifth stimulus proposal that includes funding for the essential public employees providing essential services in our communities. This legislation includes direct and flexible recovery aid to states and local governments - including counties.
"We now urge the U.S. Senate and President Trump to coalesce around a bipartisan agreement as soon as possible so that counties can continue to battle the pandemic while we safely reopen our economies at the local level."
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Fri, May 15th 2020 04:50 pm
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Friday announced the state has again renewed an order to halt the collection of medical and student debt owed to New York that was specifically referred to the office of the attorney general (OAG) for collection for an additional 30-day period.
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Fri, May 15th 2020 03:55 pm
Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz on Friday issued a local emergency order regarding the usage of face coverings and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") has recommended wearing cloth face coverings which cover the nose and mouth in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus as an additional public health measure along with social distancing, frequent hand washing, and other preventive actions.
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Fri, May 15th 2020 01:55 pm
Acting on a commitment to coordinate regional policies in response to COVID-19, Govs. Andrew M. Cuomo, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Ned Lamont of Connecticut and John Carney of Delaware on Friday announced a multistate agreement to reopen public and private beaches with certain restrictions in place effective, Friday, May 22. They said this approach will better align the states' policies ahead of the summer months.
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Fri, May 15th 2020 12:45 pm
This was the first week that Niagara Hospice pet volunteers were able to bring their dogs to visit residential patients through the windows at Niagara Hospice House in Lockport. A spokesperson said, "The volunteers and dogs had missed coming for their regular visits for the last two months. Our patients were very pleased to see the different dogs for few minutes each day this week."
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Thu, May 14th 2020 11:15 am
On Thursday, New York State Sen. Rob Ortt was joined by his colleagues, Sens. Pat Gallivan and Chris Jacobs, in requesting a formal, independent investigation into New York state's nursing homes. The request for this investigation was made to the New York State Senate Health Committee, the New York State Senate Committee on Investigations and Government Operations, and the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
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Thu, May 14th 2020 10:15 am
On Tuesday night, the Niagara County Legislature unanimously agreed to send a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo regarding the situation at Newfane Rehabilitation and Health Center and asking for his intervention. It read:
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Wed, May 13th 2020 03:45 pm
The New York State Department of Labor on Wednesday announced that, in just over a month, more than 330,000 New Yorkers have been approved for the pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA) program, which provides unemployment benefits to individuals who do not qualify for traditional unemployment insurance. In total, the Department of Labor has now paid $7.4 billion in unemployment benefits to New Yorkers since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March - three-and-a-half times the total paid in benefits last year.
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Wed, May 13th 2020 02:15 pm
On Wednesday, the Niagara County Center for Economic Development noted that, "as Niagara County and Western New York prepare to reopen, it is vital that all businesses have a reopening plan, which implements guidelines and protocols to ensure the health and safety of all employees and customers."
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Wed, May 13th 2020 02:10 pm
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday announced that, as of today, the North Country has met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state's regional phased reopening plan when "New York State on PAUSE" orders expire on May 15. The area joins the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Regions.
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Wed, May 13th 2020 12:35 pm
Stephen Hanse, president and CEO of the New York State Health Facilities Association and the New York State Center for Assisted Living, representing over 400 skilled nursing providers and adult care/assisted living communities, issued the following statement on Tuesday:
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Wed, May 13th 2020 12:35 pm
The Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day has been canceled for 2020 due to social distancing requirements in New York state because of COVID-19. The DD Awareness Day committee unanimously voted to cancel this year's events.
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Wed, May 13th 2020 11:45 am
Erie County Medical Center Corp. today announced 10 community health center and primary care practice organizations have been approved to receive $2.3 million in Delivery Service Reform Incentive Program (DSRIP) funds to support COVID-19 testing at 27 sites and from three mobile units operating in 17 priority ZIP codes in Western New York: Amherst, Buffalo, Dunkirk, Jamestown, Lockport, Niagara Falls, North Tonawanda, Wheatfield and Williamsville.
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Wed, May 13th 2020 09:25 am
A study by a University at Buffalo investigator sheds new light on the link between early COVID-19 symptoms and eventual positive test results. The research could lead to new protocols for determining who will be tested and how best to use testing resources.
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