BusPatrol has become North America’s premier school bus safety technology company and was featured on the Today Show in this segment: www.today.com/video/school-bus-safety-tool-helps-protect-kids-keep-drivers-accountable-222357573700.
A high-tech camera program for school buses is using artificial intelligence to help police crackdown on driving that could put children in danger. NBC’s Jesse Kirsch reports for TODAY.
43 Projects across nine regions will support efforts to reduce blight, spur new investments and encourage community revitalization projects, including $1 million awarded to support the new Evergreen Health facility, which will be built on a partially demolished site on Kensington Avenue and will be three stories and approximately 40,000 square feet. It will expand existing primary, behavioral, and specialty health care services and will add a pharmacy and care coordination services, which are both highly sought after in a designated Medically Underserved Area of Buffalo.
As the official mental health partner, BestSelf will partner with the team to provide resources and community support across Western New York.
BestSelf Behavioral Health, an innovative leader in behavioral health services in Western New York, proudly announced today its official partnership with the Buffalo Bills. This trailblazing collaboration, the first of its kind for the Buffalo Bills franchise, promises to bring transformative programming and heightened awareness of mental health issues to the Western New York region.
This partnership will harness the power of sports in the community to bring mental health conversations into the mainstream, breaking down stigmas and encouraging proactive approaches to mental wellness.
READ MORE: https://buffalonews.com/news/local/business/buffalo-bills-best-self-behavorial-health-buffalo-next/article_27c6b1e0-4ddc-11ef-9d6a-c782d189e26f.html
Empire State Development (ESD) today announced the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Graycliff Estate will be adding a new visitor center to complement the recently renovated historic home and surrounding property, improving the 8-acre site’s visitor experience, and better telling the story of Darwin and Isabelle Martin’s spectacular summer home on Lake Erie. The project, located at 6472 Old Lakeshore Road in Derby, includes a complete renovation and expansion of the existing visitor center building to create a new 4,400 square foot, state-of-the-art building that will significantly increase Graycliff’s capacity to offer additional and year-round programming, events, and amenities for the steadily growing base of visitors, as well as support staff and volunteers in a variety of ways.
“The magnificent Frank Lloyd Wright properties are an important part of New York’s rich architectural heritage and scenic beauty. The Graycliff Visitor Center project builds upon Governor Hochul’s efforts to grow the tourism economy in New York by supporting and expanding our unique destinations,” said ESD President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight. “Thanks to investment from New York State, along with many individuals and charitable foundations, the new Visitor Center will complement the completed Graycliff restoration projects and add to the number of sightseers drawn to Western New York from across the state and around the world.”
Governor Hochul Announces More Than $34 Million Awarded Through Round XIII of the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative.
This third round of Empire State Development Grant projects was recommended by each Regional Council because of the project’s readiness and alignment with each region’s strategic plan. Highlights include:
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Graycliff Visitor Center Expansion: Graycliff is a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed property on Lake Erie in Derby, New York that serves as an architectural tourist attraction. Graycliff Conservancy will expand its visitor center to more than twice the current size to accommodate visitors and programs year-round. The new space would be used for rotating exhibits, workshops, lectures, presentations, special events, and meetings.
Sam Hoyt, founder and president of Upstate Strategic Advisors, has been recognized in City & State’s 2024 “Who’s Who in Government Relations.” Hoyt was cited for his firsthand experience, knowledge, relationships, and insight to advance projects and issues with important policymakers and leaders.
Read more: https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2024/04/2024-whos-who-government-relations/395443
BuffaloNews.com — The Buffalo School Board on Nov. 15 approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) among the City of Buffalo, the school district and its transportation partner to allow BusPatrol to install outward-facing cameras on all school buses to catch drivers completing the illegal maneuver. The Common Council approved the contract 7-1 on Sept. 19. State law dictates that first-time violations lead to a $250 fine.
“The use of stop-arm cameras will go a long way toward enforcing existing traffic laws that require motorists to stop for school buses that have stopped to let students board or disembark,” said Jeffrey Hammond, Buffalo Schools’ spokesperson.
“Communities are best receptive to a change in enforcement when they get a little bit of a grace period,” BusPatrol representative Steve Randazzo told the Council in September.
Randazzo said the system is effective in reducing violations and discouraging repeat offenders. Because AI technology will be on every school bus and identifies vehicle license plates, Randazzo said, it does not prey on the poor and does not discriminate.
“The secret sauce to changing behavior is that anywhere in the City of Buffalo where someone passes a school bus and endangers a child’s life, they are held accountable,” Randazzo said.
The program is of no cost to the City of Buffalo or the school district. BusPatrol installs and operates the camera systems, pays for a city employee to manage the program, and troubleshoots problems – all using money collected from fines paid by violators. The safety company receives roughly 60% of the revenue, while the City of Buffalo receives 40%.
ALBANY, NY (Nov. 23, 2022) — Funding will support impactful projects that align with each region’s strategic goals. The application for Empire State Development Grant funds remains open, and applications are being reviewed on an on-going basis until funds are exhausted.
“Through the Regional Economic Development Councils, we continue to make strategic investments across New York that align with each community’s top priorities,” Governor Hochul said. “I’m proud to announce this next round of awards that were recommended by stakeholders who live and work in the regions they represent. This investment will help bring more opportunity for New Yorkers, spur economic development, and fuel the future success of communities across our state.”
This first round of projects was recommended by each Regional Council because of their project readiness and alignment with each region’s strategic plan, including:
The Regional Economic Development Council process continues to support and empower regional stakeholders in developing strategic plans and funding priorities that meet local economic needs. To date, through the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative, more than $7.6 billion has been awarded to support more than 9,300 job creation and community development projects consistent with each region’s strategic plan.
Read the full press release at: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-more-68-million-awarded-round-xii-regional-economic-development
Monroe County has teamed up with a national bus safety company to put an end to speeding past school buses that have their stop arm out.
BusPatrol is a safety technology company that uses AI to detect when cars ignore a school bus’s stop sign. The camera then records the license plate of the offending vehicle.
All 23 school districts in the county will have the opportunity to equip their buses with the tech, regardless of whether the bus is owned by the district or an independent contractor. The technology, installation, and maintenance are provided entirely free of charge, through BusPatrol’s “violator-funded” program.
Full story at: https://www.rochesterfirst.com/monroe-county/monroe-co-employs-new-tech-to-catch-drivers-that-illegally-speed-past-school-buses/
Senator Charles Schumer, Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein and COO of BestSelf, Kelly Dumas in Buffalo, NY. Photo credit Max Faery, WBEN
According to the senator, this will give Erie County more funds to combat the pandemic-fueled increases in opioid addiction. Examples of boosted funds under this plan include $553 million for the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) Expansion Grant program, which funds organizations like BestSelf Behavioral Health, who help those overcoming addiction.
Full story at: www.audacy.com/
