FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 1, 2017

Speaker Heastie Continues Statewide Regional Tour in Erie County

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Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie joined Assemblymember Monica Wallace for another stop on his statewide regional tour to visit the Buffalo region. During the trip Heastie and Wallace visited Western New York landmarks including Scajaquada Creek, a local manufacturing facility and the historic Village of Lancaster.

"Seeing firsthand the contributions of capital funding projects here in Erie County is invaluable," said Speaker Heastie. "The Assembly Majority continues to be committed to revitalizing local communities and supporting business and organizations that invest in communities across the state of New York. "

"Cheektowaga and Lancaster are both rich in history and a great source of pride, and I am honored to represent them," said Assemblymember Wallace. "It was a privilege to host Speaker Heastie today and show him the unique assets that give this community character and make it a wonderful place to live. I look forward to working with Speaker Heastie to build on Western New York's great successes."

The first stop during today's visit was to Scajaquada Creek. The creek spans Cheektowaga, Lancaster and into Buffalo where it pours into the Niagara River and Lake Erie. The upkeep of Scajaquada Creek is inextricably intertwined with the health of all major waterways in Western New York. The issues of the creek's cleanliness have been well documented, including garbage, sludge, and hazards from storm water runoff entering the creek. The 2017-2018 State Budget allocated $1 million to aid in cleaning up the creek.

The Speaker and Assemblymember Wallace also stopped by the "School Supply Closet," an event organized by the Lancaster Youth Bureau. There they helped middle and high school students organize donated school supplies that will be given to children and families in need. Last year the event helped 78 families and 175 children. A contingent of the Youth Bureau also visited the Assembly chamber earlier this year.

The pair then toured the AVOX Systems Inc. manufacturing facility. AVOX Systems Inc. provides oxygen systems and components for both commercial and military aircrafts. Some of the products produced at the Lancaster plant include: oxygen masks, cylinders for storing oxygen onboard, and regulators to control oxygen pressure and flow. Their products are currently flying on most operating aircrafts.

The last stop for Heastie and Wallace included a walking tour of Lancaster Village, a well preserved historic community that is rich with small businesses and boutiques. During the tour, they visited some of the many small businesses and historically preserved buildings in the village including the Lancaster Opera House. The community recently received $200,000 through the Restore New York Communities Initiative to work on bringing West Main Street back to its former standing as a hub for business. Additionally, the 2017-2018 State Budget committed $25,000 to the Greater Lancaster Museum of Firefighting and $30,000 for the Lancaster Opera House.