The musical will hit the stage in March.

Video via Le Roy Central School District. 

Ernie Haywards’s words were humble and to the point Wednesday in regard to his town’s need for additional revenue.

With a depleting fund balance and shrinking sales tax, Hayward turned to the people he believed were responsible for some help.

“I am  here tonight on behalf of the Genese County taxpayers who live in the town of Bergen to plead with the Legislature to consider additional aid to the town of Bergen,” the Bergen supervisor said during the county meeting in legislature chambers. “The loss of sales tax/voluntary contributions from the county has meant a cut in revenue of $211,147 per year since 2018.”

Given his total budget of $2.3 million, a loss of that amount year after year “is having a major impact,” Hayward said.

He highlighted the reduced and capped level of sales tax going back to the town, which, with a modest inflation rate of 3 percent, means the town “will have exhausted the fund balance,” he said, plus raise taxes from $2.35 per $1,000 assessed value to more than $10 per thousand.

“The Genesee County taxpayers who live in Bergen are suffering from the economy and have just been hit with an assessment increase,” he said. “We have cut services to try and balance the budget, we have closed our transfer station and cut funding to the library, to name a few items. There is nothing left to cut, and at this rate, we might have to consider workforce reductions, which would mean a suspension of provision of snowplowing for the county.”

He referred to Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein, and how she “often speaks of the strong partnership between the county and their local town and village partners.” However, a partnership implies a give and take and sharing of good and bad, he said.

The municipalities shared in the financial pain of a new county jail by accepting a significant reduction in sales tax so that the county could build a reserve for jail expenses.

They also agreed with the county’s adoption of water contracts, and believed it when Stein “made a promise to keep county funding to municipalities at 2018 levels, he said. Yet, since 2020, municipalities have received “roughly $3 million less,” than was promised, he said.

“Now I am asking the county to be a partner and demonstrate concern for the Genesee County taxpayers in Bergen and share in the good times by increasing funding,” he said.

“The sales tax agreement is really taking a bite out of all the budgets,” Schneider said.

His predecessor dealt with the water contracts, which meant Schneider “ate a pretty good crap sandwich” from that deal. He surmised that it may be too late for serious discussions at this point in time, but asked for the county to consider a future review of the water and sales tax agreements.

Stein thanked both of them for their input, and said “we hear you.”

After the meeting, she said that yes, it was too late in the season to do anything about the county’s budget now. Stein also said that each county municipality had ample opportunity to share concerns, including during the monthly Genesee Association of Municipalities meetings.

"We have liaisons that attend the Association of Municipalities meetings every month that they are called in, and our county manager Matt is there almost every single meeting, and that is a committee that is on that agenda. And there is always the opportunity for conversation at that point in that forum," Stein said. "Before the sales tax agreement was put into place, I hosted a meeting here a while ago, as they both noted, it was in July when we talked about the necessity ... to change the sales tax sharing agreement, because of the unknown cost of the jail.

"And as I said to the supervisors at that time, it will be at some point in the future when we can share more, but now is not the time. (Collecting water funds to improve the distribution system) helps every single person in our community, even people like me, who don't have water, who don't have access to public water yet, but that change out of that distribution system becomes our first paramount project and obligation to the county's taxpayers. We are doing the business of the county, and we absolutely respect the fact that the supervisors are doing hard work, and they're being responsible to their taxpayers as well."

Landers expects to release his budget message on Thursday. The proposed 2023 budget is $162,567,180, and the tax rate is to decrease by 75-cents due to higher property assessments. The Batavian will have a more detailed budget article in the near future.

Top photo: Bergen Town Supervisor Ernie Hayward speaks to Genesee County legislators during their meeting Wednesday at the Old Courthouse, and Pembroke Town Supervisor Thomas Schneider Jr. also shares his concerns regarding decreased sales tax revenues. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Local educator Greg Kinal was a featured speaker about immigration for a gathering of the Daughters of the American Revolution Saturday at Red Osier Landmark Restaurant in Stafford.

Kinal, who taught social studies at Pembroke High School for 52 years as well as teaching at GCC, shared how immigration shaped the nation. He drew from his own family history to illustrate the hardships, the foods, and the customs of immigrants.

Saturday's meeting brought together members and leaders from DAR's 13 chapters in the State of New York and celebrated “Hearth and Home,” the role of Deputy Husbands during the  American Revolution.

The meeting was hosted by the Daughters of the American Revolution Anna Ingalsbe Lovell Chapter #1197 of Genesee County. More than 60 members attended.

DAR officials in attendance were Vice President General Patrice Briner, State Chaplain Penny Nice, and Kay Green, state librarian.  Also honored were state chairs Deborah Lee Ayers, NYS National Defense, Tammy Lachner, C.A.R. senior, and Joan Sinclair, District VIII director. Daughters with national appointments included Melody Joy Burow, representative VAVS at Buffalo, Margaret Z. Haney, deputy representative VAVS Buffalo, and Pamela J. Ware, representative VAVS Batavia.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley was the keynote speaker and presented a proclamation honoring “Deputy Husbands.”

During the revolution, deputy husbands were the women who stayed at home while the men joined the battle. The term comes from a book by Thomas Fuller, "The Holy and the Profane State" (1642), a woman “in her husband’s absence, is a wife and deputy-husband, which makes her double the files of her diligence.”

Local President Pam Ware said, "Colonial records yield evidence of female blacksmiths, silversmiths, shoemakers, shipwrights, tanners, gunsmiths, barbers, butchers, teachers, and shopkeepers.  Wives were responsible for operating the family farms and businesses, raising and educating their children, supervising the workers, harvesting, and purchasing and selling of crops and livestock. Wives would transact business, settle accounts, and even initiate court proceedings."

Printers, of considerable importance, Ware said, included Mary Katherine Goddard (1738–1816). Upon receiving word from the Second Continental Congress to print and widely distribute the Declaration of Independence, Goddard set to work in 1777, printing her copy with the added typeset names of the signatories, including John Hancock. Hers was the first copy to bear all of the signers’ names. This Goddard Broadside was proudly labeled: Printed by Mary Katherine Goddard.

Two members of the Pembroke Veterans Outreach Club, Lilly Senko, who read the Proclamation from State Senator Ed Rath, and Amelia Geck, who read the Proclamation from the Genesee County Legislature, courtesy of Gordon L. Dibble.

Matt Moscato, Advisor to the PVOC, presented a slide show of the origin and success stories of how the PVOC students honor and support the Pembroke school’s military service personnel with the Wall of Honor, the C. Jay Hall Memorial Highway, the annual Wreaths across America at the National Cemetery in Indian Falls, numerous outreach programs, and fundraising events.

Membership in DAR is open to (from the DAR website) "any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution."

Ware said it's a rigorous process and prospective members must provide documentation for each member of the family tree dating back to the person, or persons, who fought in the Revolutionary War.  The process can take more than a year.

Press release material contributed to this story. Photos by Howard Owens.

Isaiah Lorenzo Poole, 22, of South Clinton Street, Albion, is charged with 16 counts of possession of a forged instrument and criminal contempt 2nd. Poole allegedly possessed 16 counterfeit $100 bills at 4:45 p.m., Oct. 23, at the Crosby's in Elba. He also is accused of violating an order of protection. 

Breanna Michelle Cragg, 29, of Richmond Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Cragg was charged following a roadside check at 1:19 a.m., Oct. 23, on Route 33, Stafford, by Sgt. Mathew Clor and Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Johnnie M. Waston, 39, of Dodge Street, Rochester, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment 2nd. Waston is accused of being involved in a disturbance reported at 7:04 a.m., Oct. 21, at a residence on Shady Lane, Batavia. He was arraigned in Town of Stafford Court and released.

Kevin P. Kage, 35, of West Avenue, Medina, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance 5th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th. Kage is accused of selling methamphetamine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force in Batavia on two separate occasions. He was arrested on a warrant stemming from a sealed indictment and jailed pending arraignment in County Court. He was arraigned on Oct. 20 and released.

Connie Rae Todd, 51, of Slayton Sett Road, Gasport, is charged with DWI and speeding. Todd was stopped at 1:12 a.m., Oct. 26, on Lewiston Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Margareta Tamasi, 75, of Le Roy, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child/alcohol. Tamasi was arrested by State Police on Oct.  24 in the Town of Batavia in relation to an incident reported at 7:04 p.m. on Oct. 21 in Le Roy. She was released on an appearance ticket. No further information released.

With a 6-0 Section V semi-final win at Cal-Mum on Tuesday over Warsaw, the Byron Bergen Bees continued the team's Class C2 dominance in Girls Soccer.

The 19-0 Bees have outscored opponents this year by 126 points and notched 17 shutouts.

Scoring Summary against Warsaw (14-4):

• Mackenzie Hagen (Emma Starowitz)
• Mia Gray (Elizabeth Starowitz )
• Emma Starowitz (Mackenzie Hagen)
• Mia Gray (Emma Starowitz)
• Grace Capostagno (Ava Gray)
• Mackenzie Hagen (Emma Starowitz)

Warsaw managed only five shots on goal, all blocked by Novalee Pocock.

The Class C2 championship will pit Byron-Bergen against Wheatland (15-2-2) at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Cal-Mum.

Photos by Howard Owens. Top photo: Mia Gray after a kick that hit the back of the net for the team's second goal of the game.

MacKenzie Hagen battles for the ball.

Elizabeth Starowitz

Elizabeth Starowitz

Julia Will

MacKenzie Hagen

MacKenzie Hagen

Mia Gray

Elizabeth Starowitz

MacKenzie Hagen

Press release:

The City of Batavia will recognize Halloween on Monday, Oct. 31 from 4 to 9 p.m. Trick-or-treaters should be off the streets by 9 p.m. on Halloween night.

Press release:

Genesee County’s STOP-DWI Coordinator announced today that Genesee County law enforcement agencies, including the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and Village of LeRoy Police Department, will be participating in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving. The statewide STOP-DWI Impaired Driving High Visibility Engagement Campaign runs Oct. 29 – Oct. 31.

Halloween is meant to be scary, but not when it comes to driving. When it comes to drunk driving Halloween can turn the roads into a horror fest. While families spend time trick or treating and hosting parties with loved ones, law enforcement officers and STOP-DWI programs across New York State will participate in special efforts to stop impaired driving, prevent injuries and save lives.

The STOP-DWI Halloween High Visibility Engagement Campaign is one of many statewide initiatives promoted by STOP-DWI NY and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.  The Statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign also targets Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day/End of Summer, Thanksgiving, the Holiday Season, Super Bowl weekend and St. Patrick’s Day.  Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving. 

Impaired driving is completely preventable.  All it takes is a little planning.

Press release:

In advance of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, the Old Courthouse will be illuminated green from Nov. 6 through Nov. 12 as part of Operation Green Light, a nationwide initiative to support veterans and raise awareness about the challenges faced by many veterans.

Operation Green Light also focuses on sharing resources that are available at the county, state, and federal levels to assist veterans and their families. This collaborative effort was developed by the NYS Association of Counties and the NYS County Veteran Service Officers’ Association in 2021 and was adopted this year by the National Association of Counties and the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers.

Locally, the Genesee County Legislature is set to adopt a memorializing resolution in support of Operation Green Light. We want to make sure our veterans and their families know that their service matters, that we are grateful for their sacrifices, and that it is now our turn to make sure they are served by their county government and our community.

In addition to lighting the Old Courthouse green in honor of all those who have served, residents and businesses are encouraged to demonstrate their support by changing an entryway light bulb to a green bulb. By shining a green light, we let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated, and supported. While this event is focused around the week of Veterans Day (November 6th -12th), participants are encouraged to continue shining the light year-round. Participants are encouraged to share photos and messages on social media using #OperationGreenLight. 

Submitted photo.

The Batavia Lady Devils soccer team ended its sectional run Tuesday evening in Brockport against Aquinas in a semi-final matchup with a 3-0 loss. 

Aquinas had 15 shots on goal, Batavia five. 

Julia Petry had 15 saves for Batavia.  Aquinas had 3 corners, with goals scored twice by Emily Silverstein and one by Mya Kotsch.

Batavia finishes the year 11-3-4.

"This team worked for each other and played with their hearts," said Head Coach Roger Hume. "It was a hard finish to a fantastic season.  We congratulate our seniors on a job well done and are looking forward to the future."

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

This month may be October, but there are many people looking forward to OctoFUR this weekend.

It’s a Volunteers For Animals fundraiser (ahem, Furaiser), complete with oodles of baskets with a wide variety of items just waiting to be won. This event is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Pudgie’s Lawn and Garden, 3646 West Main St., Batavia.

Volunteer Shelley Falitico is part of the event committee, which also includes Angie Knisley, Marcy Colantonio and Becca Walters, who have been “committed, dedicated volunteers for several years,” she says.

Falitico has been impressed with all that the nonprofit does to help animals at Genesee County Animal Shelter, from providing much-needed medical care, vaccinations, fostering, walking, assisting with adoptions, to, of course, showering them with lots of TLC. All or at least some of these services have eased the temporary transition to shelter life for dogs, cats, and even a bird, Falitico said.

This event promises to be a good one, and includes an “extra special raffle” this year featuring a grand prize of two Buffalo Bills game tickets. The game pits local favorite Buffalo Bills against the New York Jets on Dec. 11. Get ready to watch from Section 118, Row 6 if you’re the lucky winner. Tickets are $10 each.

There’s free entry and several baskets in the “giant” basket raffle event, and all proceeds support animal care. Winners need not be present to win. Pudgie’s is also offering 10 percent off all pet-safe plants.

For those wanting to help out with the cause another way, donations of new items or themed baskets may be dropped off at the shelter during regular hours: 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, and 1 to 3 p.m. Friday at 3841 West Main Street Road, Batavia.

JJ, top, and Digger are just two of the shelter residents waiting to go to a loving forever home. Photos courtesy of VFA's website.

Former Batavians John and Joelle Lyman had just gotten settled into their new life at Fort Myers, Fla. by renovating portions of their home, making a sizable investment, and preparing to enjoy some sun, beach and relaxation.

After years of uprooting their lifestyles by downsizing and traveling to spend quality time with family, the Lymans had finally landed. Or so they thought. Toward the end of September, Hurricane Ian, with torrential winds and muddy waters, crashed into their serene world.

“We said, ‘OK, adventure time is over,’ it’s time to settle down,” John said during an interview from his current home in Naples, Fla. “We've been here for seven years, and we weathered Irma. And, you know, Irma gave us a false sense of security on the storm this time. I have been through a tremendous number of hurricanes … with this one, the warnings that came in came in fast. With Irma, it was really slow-moving. We had a lot of time to prepare and figure things out.

"Ian brought the fury," he said. "It looked like someone filled (the house) with water, shook it with all of the furniture, and left it as it laid,” he said.

Hurricane Ian was a large and destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane, cited as being the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since 1935. Ian caused widespread damage across western Cuba and the southeast United States, especially the states of Florida and South Carolina.

As a paramedic and responder to several smaller hurricanes over the years, John thought he had seen it all — and was fairly certain that he and his wife could ride out this September storm as well. As fate would have it — or luck or whatever you would call it — their son Philip planned to visit Florida for vacation, and attend a concert while he was there. When the worst of the storm hit, the Lyman family was at that concert in Orlando.

“So we stayed in Disney. Amazingly, we were able to find a hotel, everything really was kind of closed down. And we did get hit there with like category one-ish. We were on the 12th floor and it was still pretty scary as category one. All the while, you know you're thinking what's going on with the house,” Joelle said about their home nearby Sanibel Beach. “You know what's going on with the area because we're so close to the beach, and you know the storm is 400 miles across.”

After learning of the deadly touchdown by Ian, the Lymans weren’t able to contact any neighbors because “everybody left,” John said. Ian moved automobiles, boats, trailers and dumpsters, and knocked down trees, wires, buildings, homes, the Sanibel bridge, and power. Nearly 150 deaths, including 136 people in Florida, and an estimated $50 billion of damage and loss was left in Ian’s wake. Fort Myers and Naples have reportedly been the most hardest hit, and millions lost power.

When the Lymans returned, John’s first thought was that their home wasn’t that bad. From the outside, despite some missing windows, and the wreckage and debris all around them, their place looked fairly intact, he said. First, they had to drive through a lot of water just to get to their place, and it looked like “an absolute war zone,” John and Joelle said, each filling in details for one another. In addition to power outages, the sewer system broke as well.

“So on top of the surge, there's sewer water in our house. Everything was just absolutely ruined, windows blown out we had gotten on Monday, the Monday before the storm we just had the guy who sided our house a week and a half prior finish up by hanging the shutters. We just redid all the floors, furniture, a new wall, windows, doors. And the frightening thing is our insurance covers hurricanes, but a hurricane in their eyes doesn't include storm surge. And we got hit with between seven and nine feet of water in our house,” John said, as Joelle added “So our plumbing, our electrical system, all of our storage, all of my kids, you know, stuff when they were kids, is all gone. It's just devastating.”

The fridge was full of that dirty water, and furniture, appliances, clothing and other household items had been ruined by flood waters. But there were more emotional items, in particular, that got to Joelle.

“I can get another copy of a birth certificate, but there were baby books (in a storage container), and it was filled with water,” she said.

Recounting the danger of even fully inspecting their home, the Lymans said there could be unwelcomed visitors, such as alligators and water moccasins, and certainly, developing mold as the days go by. They aren’t allowed to begin any recovery and restoration until their insurance company and FEMA evaluate it and determine if, and how much, the Lymans will receive in compensation.

They’ve had to fill out paperwork, applications, and more paperwork, all in an effort to try and recoup some of their loss. But, in the face of seeing others living in tents, they feel grateful. A childhood friend of John’s has loaned them a fifth-wheel trailer in Naples until they can move on with their lives.

“There are so many people that don’t have that, there’s no lodging,” Joelle said. “I know that God’s got us. It’s like going through these phases of grief … like when I went to church yesterday, and the pastor told everyone because we're all in the same boat, he said, ‘It's okay to feel this way. It's okay to feel tired. It's okay to feel uncertain, but just know that God's got you.’ And we've known that all along. It's just, it was almost like he gave us permission to feel our feels.”

They have both managed to continue working — Joelle once worked in education at Genesee Valley BOCES and John had worked for Mercy EMS — and her current employer in Florida has set up a fundraiser for the couple to help offset some of the inescapable costs they will have. When they left for the concert in Orlando, Joelle had only brought a pair of flip-flops and some shorts and shirts. Their remaining world possessions stayed behind in their home, she said.

The couple isn’t certain just yet what they’re going to do. With the hope of getting some insurance and/or FEMA money, the Lymans haven’t made any solid plans. Their highest hope is to not have to use the Go Fund Me donations, and instead, they will pay it forward to someone else in need, they said. But right now, it’s hard to say what they’ll have and what they may need in the future.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to afford where we were,” Joelle said. “We don’t know what we’re going to do … You don’t feel rested. Your mind is always going.”

For more information about the fundraiser, go to John and Joelle Lyman. 

Photos submitted by the Lymans of their home and surrounding neighborhood. The car was parallel to the house before getting pushed up onto the lawn, and boats were carried by the storm surge from other parts of the city.

Press release:

The Hollwedel Memorial Library in Pavilion will be hosting an Open House on Monday, Nov. 7 from 3:30-5:00 pm to honor local leader, Esther Leadley.

Mrs. Leadley is moving out of her beloved Genesee County to be closer to family in the Fairport area.

Mrs. Leadley is a long-time community servant in the area. She served as a Genesee County legislator for 15 years, proudly representing the towns of Alexander, Bethany and Pavilion. She has been vital to the Hollwedel Memorial Library, serving as a Library Director, trustee, Friend of the Library, and active member of various library groups and activities. She has been a volunteer in many organizations throughout the county such as GLOW Women Rise, The ARC GLOW, and The Genesee Chamber of Commerce, to name a few.

“I can’t imagine not seeing Esther’s warm smile every week at the library,” says Josselyn Borowiec, Library Director of the Hollwedel Memorial Library. “Her quick wit and vast wisdom will be sorely missed, but I have no doubt she will soon be shining her light brightly in Monroe County. I only hope she will visit often.”

Ms. Borowiec is encouraging anyone who has known Esther over her many years in Genesee County to stop down, enjoy some refreshments, thank Mrs Leadley and wish her much luck in her new hometown.

Photo: File photo of Ester Leadley, center, when she was a member of the Genesee county Legislature, with then County Historian Susan L. Conklin and then Legislature Chair Mary Pat Hancock.

Press release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) recently received a grant from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) to learn more about the intersection of trauma, suicide, overdose, and health.   This conference will help attendees understand how these issues influence our communities and help us work toward becoming a Trauma-informed Care GOW Region.   

To that end, GO Health is coordinating a Trauma & Resiliency Conference this Nov. 9 at the Batavia Downs from 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.  This conference will be looking at what Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are, ACEs data from Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, and what it means to be a trauma-informed care community.

If you are in education, behavioral health, mental health, department of social services, law enforcement, the court system, probation, human services, etc. please take the time to register now.  Seating may be limited.  For more information or to register go to:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/genesee-orleans-wyoming-trauma-resiliency-conference-tickets-440332495347  Registration is required before November 2, 2022.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) sent the following letter to Governor Hochul on Friday, October 21st calling for her to take immediate action to amend the state's bail reform laws following the recent murder of Keaira Hudson earlier this month.

Dear Governor Hochul,

I write to express my ongoing concerns about the flawed and failed bail reform laws which were passed in this state and signed into law by your predecessor in January 2020. Violent crime committed by repeat offenders in New York State is at now epidemic proportions, especially with such crimes as domestic abuse, which put women and children in our communities at grave risk. I implore you to immediately call the legislature into emergency session to make the necessary reforms to this failed law to ensure public safety for all New Yorkers.

Just last week in Buffalo, NY – our shared hometown – a mother of three children was murdered by her estranged husband who was released on his own recognizance without bail, despite being brought in on domestic violence-related charges. This murder is yet another case of preventable death in our state.

It is unacceptable that a man with a record of violence and domestic abuse, one who had been recorded just days before beating his wife in their home and who was arrested on multiple domestic violence-related charges, could be released on his own recognizance because his charges were deemed “bail ineligible.” Numerous studies have shown domestic violence incidents are not isolated, and escalation is highly probable. According to a 2016 study, 10 to 18 percent of those arrested for domestic violence are arrested again within six months, 15 to 30 percent face a second arrest within 28 months, and up to 60 percent are rearrested within 10 years. Had the judge been afforded judicial discretion in this case, this man would have not been released, and a life may have been saved.

This is one of many instances of a police officer making an arrest for a serious crime only to have that offender back in the community committing more violence. In August 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams released a study detailing how a group of career criminals has accumulated hundreds of arrests yet are still roaming the streets, free to commit additional crimes, due to our failed “bail reform” laws. Your office’s defense that this problem was fixed or that these incidents are not data, but rather anecdotal evidence, disregards the countless families whose lives have been upended by violent crime committed by offenders who would otherwise be behind bars.

Our Erie County Democratic District Attorney John J. Flynn said after this needless murder, “This could easily be solved with one sentence in the bail law.” That one sentence would provide judges with discretion to consider “dangerousness” when determining bail.

We have a serious problem in New York State, and there is an immediate need for reform to our failed bail laws. I implore you to call an immediate special session of our legislature to first address the need for increased judicial discretion to limit the release of individuals who are arrested with domestic violence charges; and second, to reform the entire law to give judges the authority they previously had, and now desperately need, to keep dangerous individuals in custody. No family should have to suffer the pain of losing a loved one to a violent criminal who was set free under your failed system.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

An accident involving a motorcycle is reported in the area of 3875 West Main Street Road, Batavia.

The motorcyclist is reportedly down in the road.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 1:51 p.m.: No collision, according to a deputy on scene. A motorcyclist tried to break quickly after a car in front of him slowed suddenly, and he lost control of the bike.  The motorcyclist sustained minor injuries and will be transported for evaluation. 

Press release:

The 60^th and final edition of the Genesee Region USBC (and former Batavia) Masters Tournament was written over the weekend and, once again, Curtis Foss of Medina was the headliner.

The 35-year-old right-hander captured his unprecedented seventh Masters’ crown Sunday at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen by winning six of eight matches and averaging 218 on a challenging oil pattern in the eight-bowler Peterson Point match play final round.

Foss amassed 409 Peterson Points. Under that system, 30 points are awarded for winning a match and points added or subtracted for each game score in relation to 200.

In claiming the $300 first prize, Foss became only the second bowler in Masters’ history to win three consecutive tournaments (2019, 2021 and 2022). The event did not take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tony Martino of Batavia won the Masters’ three straight years from 1974-76.

Foss’ previous titles came in 2008, 2009, 2014 and 2015.

The top-seeded Foss actually started slowly, losing 229-175 to Perry’s Brady Weber in the opening match, before putting together three straight victories with games of 237, 204 and 277 to move into first place.

From there, he held that spot by winning three of his last four matches.

Genesee Region USBC Hall of Famer Mike Pettinella of Batavia finished in second place, posting seven games of 200 or better – highlighted by a 259 in a game five win over Mark Brown of Attica, another GRUSBC Hall of Famer.

Pettinella, 67, averaged 215 in the finals – splitting his eight matches and totaling 288 Peterson Points. He and Foss had a close battle in game two, with Foss prevailing, 237-235, by striking on his first ball in the 10^th frame.

Foss, a Professional Bowlers Tour member who has 60 perfect games and 49 800 series to his credit, called his victory “an incredible achievement and one that I work for day in and day out each year.”

“It has always been my favorite tournament,” he said. “It means a lot to me, sharing it in winning with my dad (the late Robert Foss Jr., who won the event in 2012).”

A user of Storm bowling balls, Foss maps out and drills his own equipment at a pro shop he has set up at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

“I am truly thankful for the support I get from my best friend, Brittany; my mom, Susan; the Hanks family; my grandma, Cathy, and friend, Melissa,” he said. “And, of course, all the love from my dad and (late) grandparents, Darrell and Millie. This is dedicated to them all.”

Rick Pernicone II of Dansville finished in third place, winning six matches while averaging 200 for 213 Peterson Points.

He was followed by Jake Rosenbeck of Medina (4-4, 206 average, 208 points); Weber (4-4, 199 average, 172 points); two-time Masters’ champ Tom Rohl of Le Roy (4-4, 191 average, 69 points); Brown (3-5, 187 average); Derek Leach of Batavia (1-7, 165 average).

The GRUSBC contributed $450 to the prize list through its Masters' designated fund but will be dropping the tournament from its lineup due to a decline in entries over the past few years. This year’s event had 22 entries.

Submitted photo: Curtis Foss, left, is congratulated by Mike Pettinella, Genesee Region USBC association manager, following his Masters victory. Pettinella placed second as the tournament concluded a 60-year run.

An ice rink reserve fund will likely be tapped in the near future due to leaks from the ice chiller.

Water and wastewater Superintendent Michael Ficarella discussed the matter with City Council during its meeting Monday evening.

“We recently had to add emergency refrigerant,” he said to members at City Hall. “The refrigerant creates your ice. In order to get it and keep it up (to operating standards), we needed to add 360 pounds of refrigerant.”

The cost for that emergency measure was $21,950, he said in a memo to City Manager Rachael Tabelski. She suggested holding spending of $170,000 for revamped locker rooms in lieu of rectifying the faulty ice rink chiller.

“We continue to discover issues with the chiller,” Ficarella said.

If there’s no ice, renovated locker rooms wouldn’t be necessary, so the chiller should come first, he said.

Ficarella added that it’s not a matter of asking “can we use it?

“We absolutely need it,” he said.

Improved communication between the city and new management, which includes Carrier Commercial Services, has meant an increased amount of issues brought to light, he said. For example, a compressor replacement installed some time ago hadn't even been turned on and therefore hadn't been working.

"So when Michael and (Public Works Superintendent Brett Frank) talk about the increased communication and relationship between ourselves and Carrier, who we have a contract with, and the rink, we're going to keep running into these things," Tabelski said. "Because we're going to continue to find places that might not have been maintained to the level that they need it to be for operations to continue."

Frank estimated the unit was several decades old — considered to be original equipment with the arena’s construction in the 1970s.

Council member Tammy Schmidt said there was a time when locals weren’t very happy with the condition of the arena, and that is changing with new management led by businessman Matt Gray for the newly dubbed David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street. Her grandson plays hockey there, and "it's not a rink we could have been proud of a couple of years back," she said.

“I know the locker rooms are absolutely in need of repair. They're super bad," Schmidt said. "And I hope we're not just going to spend all the (funding on) refrigerant and not do those locker rooms at all, because we want to be proud of that, right?"

Ficarella asked that the emergency refrigerant cost be taken out of the ice rink reserve, which currently has a balance of $357,000.

The matter, and a related vote, was moved to a future business meeting.

File photo of the McCarthy ice arena in Batavia.