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.
|
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."
|
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.
|
Wed, May 13th 2020 12:35 pm
The state's enacted budget financial plan anticipates a dire fiscal outlook in state fiscal year (SFY) 2020-21 and projects sweeping budget cuts that could affect essential services provided by the state, schools and local governments, according to an analysis released by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
|
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:
|
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.
|
Wed, May 13th 2020 12:00 pm
During the COVID-19 pandemic, drive-thrus are common for COVID-19 testing - and now for eye-pressure tests, as well. UBMD Ophthalmology at the Ross Eye Institute is offering glaucoma patients an alternative to in-office visits for their care with drive-up eye pressure testing.
|
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.
|
Wed, May 13th 2020 11:40 am
Coronavirus stats for May 13.
|
Wed, May 13th 2020 11:20 am
Congressman Brian Higgins, D-NY-26, on Wednesday outlined components of the Heroes Act, the latest emergency package constructed to provide relief to workers, families, small businesses and communities impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.
|
Wed, May 13th 2020 09:25 am
Destination Niagara USA is launching "The Heart of Niagara" campaign to help support two Niagara County charities.
|
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.
|
Wed, May 13th 2020 09:10 am
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Tuesday announced members of New York's congressional delegation - Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Thomas Suozzi, Carolyn Maloney, Hakeem Jeffries, Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng, Eliot Engel, Paul Tonko, José Serrano, Joe Morelle, Adriano Espaillat and Yvette Clarke - will propose the "Americans First Law" to help prevent corporate bailouts following the COVID-19 pandemic. First proposed by the governor on May 10, the proposed law states a corporation cannot be eligible to receive government funding if it doesn't maintain the same number of employees that the corporation had before the COVID-19 pandemic.
|
Wed, May 13th 2020 09:05 am
As part of a "Salute to WNY," a 914th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 from the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station and three F-35 fighter wings from the Vermont National Guard flew over parts of Western New York on Tuesday to salute frontline COVID-19 health care workers, essential employees and emergency responders. The planes were slated to fly over almost a dozen-and-a-half medical locations throughout the late morning.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 04:05 pm
FeedMore WNY recently received a donation of more than 70 communication devices from AT&T in order to increase the efficiencies of the hunger-relief organization's operations and support pandemic relief efforts.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 04:00 pm
The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) is providing this update to the community related to the opening of campgrounds in Erie County.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 03:20 pm
Some 6,027 University at Buffalo students are candidates to receive 6,600 degrees and certificates this commencement season.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 03:15 pm
The American Medical Association (AMA) announced it will host a national celebration to honor the 30,000 medical students who are graduating this spring. It will bring together leading voices in health care, science and culture to offer encouragement, advice and inspiration to these future physicians.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 03:15 pm
The Girl Scouts of Western New York will not open its day and resident camps for more than 2,000 girls this summer due to safety concerns about the COVID-19 virus, officials announced.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 03:05 pm
Local sales tax collections dropped 24.4% in April compared to April 2019, leaving many of New York's local governments grappling with shortfalls, according to state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Sales tax collections totaled $1.02 billion in April.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 03:00 pm
The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance announced additional food assistance of more than $880 million to help New Yorkers with children who previously received free and reduced-price meals at school. The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program will provide eligible households with a total of about $420 per child, with school buildings closed for the remainder of the school year due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 01:20 pm
Coronavirus stats for May 12
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 01:10 pm
Niagara County Legislature Chairwoman Becky Wydysh is encouraging all residents to get a COVID-19 diagnostic test. She said this is a prudent move to ensure public health, as well as a necessary component required for reopening Western New York.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 10:00 am
The elected leaders in North Tonawanda are sponsoring a food drive this Thursday to benefit the North Tonawanda Inter-Church Food Pantry. The event will be held from 2-4 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 755 Erie Ave.
|
Tue, May 12th 2020 10:00 am
Congressman Brian Higgins, D-NY-26, is calling for a $5 billion investment over the next five years supporting research led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) into the treatment and prevention of coronavirus disease.
|
Mon, May 11th 2020 06:50 pm
New York Attorney General Letitia James provided direction to law enforcement departments throughout New York state so they have clear guidance on how to protect the public from unlawful evictions both during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health crisis and into the future.
|
Mon, May 11th 2020 04:55 pm
In a YouTube update Monday, Poloncarz said, "Western New York has met five of the seven metrics, pursuant to the date that was received from Western New York. ... The two things that we have not yet met, which is our hospitalization declines, over a 14-day period or a three-day average, as well as hospitalization deaths over a 14-day period or an average."
|
Mon, May 11th 2020 12:20 pm
Stephen Hanse, president and CEO of the New York State Health Facilities Association and the New York State Center for Assisted Living, representing nearly 400 skilled nursing providers and adult care/assisted living communities with more than 100,000 employees who provide essential long-term care services through New York, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's press conference on Sunday:
|
Mon, May 11th 2020 12:15 pm
Kaleida Health released the following updates over the weekend regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic:
|
Mon, May 11th 2020 11:40 am
Coronavirus stats for May 11
|
Mon, May 11th 2020 11:30 am
Grammy Award-winning rock band Halestorm recently announced the #ROADIESTRONG support campaign aimed at providing essential financial assistance to road crews all over the world who make live music possible. Under the newly launched initiative, fans can purchase #ROADIESTRONG merchandise and make donations, with all proceeds going to Live Nation's "Crew Nation," a global relief fund for live music crews.
|
Mon, May 11th 2020 10:05 am
Over the weekend, Congressman Brian Higgins announced Western New York hospitals will receive more than $65.4 million in federal funding designated for the nation's health care facilities hardest hit by COVID-19 cases.
|
Mon, May 11th 2020 09:55 am
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Sunday announced New York is notifying 49 other states across the country of emerging cases of COVID-related illness in children. The state is currently investigating 85 reported cases in New York where children - predominantly school-aged - are experiencing symptoms similar to an atypical Kawasaki disease or a toxic shock-like syndrome possibly due to COVID-19. The illness has taken the lives of three young New Yorkers and an additional two deaths are currently under investigation.
|
Sat, May 9th 2020 04:50 pm
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Saturday announced the launch of a new initiative to expand access to testing in low-income communities and communities of color. The state is partnering with Northwell Health to establish an initial 24 temporary testing sites at churches in predominately minority communities in downstate New York to build on the state's network of downstate testing sites.
|
Sat, May 9th 2020 04:50 pm
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Saturday announced that, at the request of the CDC, the state is helping to develop the national criteria for identifying and responding to COVID-related illness. The State Department of Health is also partnering with the NY Genome Center and Rockefeller University to conduct a genome and RNA sequencing study to better understand COVID-related illnesses in children and the possible genetic basis of this syndrome.
|
Sat, May 9th 2020 11:40 am
Kaleida Health President and CEO Jody Lomeo said, "Today we received official approval from the New York State Department of Health for the waiver applications to resume limited elective surgical cases at Oishei Children's Hospital and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital. We have also received confirmation that the waiver applications for the Buffalo General Medical Center and our two surgery centers are currently under review."
|
Sat, May 9th 2020 11:20 am
Earlier this week, New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 23 additional attorneys general called for key changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to ensure that funds are distributed fairly and equitably to the small businesses that were the originally intended recipients of the loans.
|
Sat, May 9th 2020 11:20 am
NYSEG, an AVANGRID company, in conjunction with the Avangrid Foundation announced this week an additional donation of $175,000 to emergency response organizations across its service area to support their ongoing COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. The funds will be distributed as follows: $125,000 to various community relief funds, and $50,000 to 14 food resource organizations and programs.
|
Sat, May 9th 2020 11:20 am
Stephen Hanse, president and CEO of the New York State Health Facilities Association and the New York State Center for Assisted Living issued the following statement this week in response to the number of COVID-19 outbreaks and fatalities in New York's nursing homes and assisted living communities:
|
Sat, May 9th 2020 11:20 am
The New York State Association of Counties announced that, this week, counties received their first installment of sales tax directly related to the first month where the statewide lock down on economic activity was in effect. In aggregate, the county sales tax collections compared to the same period last year were down about 26%. This ranges from about 16% to nearly 37% by county (not including tax rate changes).
|
