FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 22, 2018

Speaker Heastie Continues Statewide Tour in Western NY

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Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie was today joined by Assemblymember Monica Wallace as he continued his annual statewide tour with stops in Cheektowaga and Depew.

"Today, Assemblymember Wallace and I got to talk with leaders in technology and research, as well as small business owners and first responders here in Western New York," Speaker Heastie said. "This is why I do this tour - so I can be on the ground, learning first-hand about the businesses, lives and livelihoods of New Yorkers, and how we in the Assembly can best help them grow and thrive in our communities."

"I am so glad to have Speaker Heastie back in town to see the great work being done in our communities - from first responders working to keep us safe to the industries expanding and creating jobs," Assemblymember Wallace said. "We will continue working to build on the successes of Western New York, and ensure that our communities are a welcoming place to live, work, and raise a family."

Speaker Heastie and Assemblymember Wallace first toured Calspan Corporation crash lab facility. Calspan Corporation is a technology, research and testing company that works with the aviation, aerospace and automobile industries. They have two facilities in Western New York, including the new automobile crash lab in Cheektowaga, which opened up earlier this year and features two fully enclosed crash halls. It was based on customer feedback and features safety, security and efficiency not available anywhere else in North America. The new facility will allow the company to run 500 crash tests per year and add 40 to 50 new jobs.

Speaker Heastie and Assemblymember Wallace visited the Depew Deli & Grocery, a small business in Depew, which is run by two immigrants. They spoke with the owners about how the Assembly can help address their needs running a small business.

At the South Line Fire District, Speaker Heastie and Assemblymember Wallace were joined by Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Diane Benczkowski. Assemblymember Wallace secured funding for the South Line Fire Company to install new stop lights to replace ones that were inhibiting them from responding to emergency calls. She also sponsored two bills to help support New York's first responders, which both passed both houses of the legislature and are awaiting action by the governor. The first would place requirements on honoring warranties of fire vehicles and ambulances, establish a new emergency vehicle lemon law bill of rights and regulate arbitration proceedings (A.10424). The second directs the commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services in consultation with NYS fire service organizations to develop a plan to increase the number of skills required as part of the Firefighter certification or the Firefighter I and II certifications (A.10311-B).