Students at Batavia High School are in the midst of rehearsals for the musical "Hairspray," which they will perform next weekend.

Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m., March 10 and 11, and 2 p.m. March 12.

The Arc of Genesee Orleans has chosen the March observance of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to share some exciting news. In celebration of The Arc’s rich history of programs and services supporting people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their families, the agency has unveiled its new mission, vision, and values statements and logo. 

MISSION

Be a partner for people with disabilities, and a gateway to opportunities for each person to experience their desired potential.

VISION

Lifelong relationships, enriched by inclusion.

VALUES

Diversity, Respect, Integrity, Visionary, Equality, Empowerment, Excellence (DRIVE³)

“Along with our new mission, vision and values, we are excited about our new logo,” Executive Director Donna Saskowski said. “It’s part of the national brand, uniting affiliated Arc chapters across the country. Look for the logo to be appearing on signs, buses, publications, our website, and at community events!” 

The unification of the former Genesee ARC and Arc of Orleans County was a two-and-a-half-year process that was realized last fall.

“It has been a fairly smooth transition for families and individuals,” Saskowski said. “Administratively, some department locations had to choose a new home base, and our official, legal address is 64 Walnut Street, Batavia.”

The Finance Department and Quality Assurance Staff are among departments located at the former Orleans business office at 122 Caroline St. in Albion.

The Arc of Genesee Orleans serves more than 1,200 individuals with developmental or other intellectual disabilities and their families. The agency will provide a variety of programs and services with renewed strength and commitment. Looking forward, The Arc of Genesee Orleans will be a partner for people with disabilities, and a gateway to opportunities for each person to experience their desired potential.

Children in the second grade at Pembroke Elementary School did their part yesterday to make the world a little brighter place for families at the Ronald McDonald House.

After a fundraiser that the children participated in collecting beverage can tabs and included a $500 donation check from a member of the community. Yesterday, the students stuffed paper bags with snacks, water and candy that will be delivered to the Ronald McDonald House.

The students also colored and decorated bags as part of the gift to the families.

Parents with children undergoing treatment at the Ronald McDonald House will be able to pick up the bags when they visit so they have snacks and water during their daily stay.

A Batavia woman is upset after her 5-year-old beagle Shar-Pei mix was attacked by another dog on State Street last week not only because her dog was injured, but because there was also a recent report of the same dog biting a person earlier in the month.

The dog reportedly bit a person inside of its home on State Street on Feb. 7, according to the owner of the dog that was attacked, who lives on State Street, and a member of law enforcement familiar with the incident. 

Angelina Pellegrino posted about the attack on her dog on social media on Tuesday. 

"Ridiculous that while walking my dog innocently with her harness and leash yesterday I had to witness the horror of my dog getting attacked unprovoked by an unleashed dog," Pellegrino wrote.

Her dog suffered four puncture wounds that had to be treated and the dog has been placed on antibiotics.

"I just kept screaming at the top of my lungs in the middle of the sidewalk," Pellegrino told The Batavian this morning. "I kept trying to get between the dogs to pick my dog up to no avail."

Pellegrino is also upset that the owner of the dog denied that his dog attacked her dog.

"(The) owner insists to the police that his dog did nothing," she said.

According to sources, the dog's owner was cited for letting a dog run off leash. We don't have information on the owner this morning because Assistant Chief Todd Crossett said he would not release the arrest report until a later date with other arrest reports.

"The sad thing is is the cops told me that there is nothing they can do about a dog that attacked their owners or continues to attack their owners," Pellegrino said. "It does not matter. Only what matters is the fact that now the dog attacked my dog and it has to continually attack other people or things for anything to be done."

Staff at Genesee County Economic Development Center responded to 120 leads of businesses looking for locations to set up new facilities, CEO Steve Hyde told members of the County Legislature during his annual review of the agency's progress before the Ways and Means Committee.

The pipeline of high-tech businesses that are looking for the kind of location the STAMP project in Alabama provides includes at least two "whales," Hyde said.

That has kept staff busy, especially in a year when work continues to prepare STAMP for ground breaking this spring.

"We're one of the few counties in the state with lots of sites to choose from," Hyde said.

Those include not only STAMP but the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park, Apple Tree Acres, Buffalo East, Gateway II, Upstate Med-Tech, Oatka Hills and now the Le Roy Food and Tech Park.

"Our body of work is as big as it's ever been at the agency," Hyde said.

It was a tepid year for job growth, Hyde said, and uncertainty around the Federal election in 2016 had many businesses sitting on their hands waiting to see what happened, but he thinks Genesee County is well positioned to move forward in the new era of technology-led growth.

While technology jobs tend to optimize for efficient production, there will be opportunities for people who want to live and work in Genesee County.

"You've got to go after these high-tech jobs because they're good paying, well-paying jobs for kids from high school degrees and technical training all the way up to PhDs," Hyde said. "They don't create as many jobs per square foot, but they create a lot of jobs for what we're used to in Genesee County."

This year will be a big year for implementation, Hyde said, especially on STAMP, with the beginning of a phased approach to a $40 million investment in roads, water, sewer, gas and electric at the site.

The agency is awaiting federal approval of a natural gas pipeline project that has apparently been delayed by the transition of White House administrations.

"There are not enough sitting commissioners Federal Energy Regulatory Committee to approve our little pipeline with natural gas," Hyde said. "Of course, they can approve the Dakota Pipeline but not that little stuff. That didn't get done."

There's also a delay in Department of Energy funding assistance for 1366 Technologies and without securing that funding, 1366 has delayed its own announcement of when it will be breaking ground on its solar wafer manufacturing facility in Alabama.

Meanwhile, to help support STAMP with a qualified labor force, GCEDC is working with area colleges and universities on a program called STEM to STAMP, which will provide course work suitable for the kind of jobs expected to be created at STAMP.

There's also a lot of interest at area high schools in filtering that coursework down to that level of education, including at Pembroke, Oakfield-Alabama, Batavia, and Byron-Bergen.

"We're all talking about, 'How can we take this model where we can take this curriculum that's developed by universities and colleges and bring pieces of that course work down into our secondary schools?' " Hyde said.

Given the potential of STAMP to create 11,500 good-paying jobs in high tech, Hyde said the agency continues to push state and federal officials for support.

"We're not getting there unless we continue to find ways to secure infrastructure funding, to expand the capacity, so I can go out and sell them and try to bag the big whale," Hyde said.

The GCEDC will host its annual meeting at noon today at Batavia Downs.

The Sheriff's Office is investigating an assault on a female store employee at the Arrow Mart in East Pembroke the night of Feb. 25, Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster confirmed this morning.

The attack was reported about 8:25 that night.

A female employee said she was returning to the back door after dropping some cardboard in a dumpster. Brewster said the assailant punched her in the head.

The victim was medically examined and released. 

She said she punched her attacker several times. Investigators also took swabs of her hands and they are awaiting lab results.

There was no sexual assault, Brewster said.

Deputies search the area after the report and did not find the suspect and there were no surveillance cameras that captured events or the suspect.

The suspect is described as a tall, heavy-set male wearing all dark clothing and a hood. He headed south on Reed Road. The suspect may have facial cuts or bruises as a result of the confrontation.

Brewster said there have been no similar reports in Genesee County.

The investigation is ongoing.

People who might be able to provide additional information are asked to call the Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) voted to accept an application for assistance from Genesee Valley Transportation at the board’s meeting on March 2. GVT is looking to add approximately 12,000 square feet to its cross-dock facility in the City of Batavia because of increased customer demand.

In 2010, the GCEDC provided assistance to GVT for the construction of a 25,000-square-foot dock facility where rail cars are loaded and unloaded and then product is transferred to tractor-trailers.  The warehouse features a 280-square-foot indoor rail siding, 27-foot-high ceilings and 22,000 square feet of floor space. GVT is investing $1.011 million to expand the facility and will retain 10 jobs in the process.

“One of the attractions of doing business in Genesee County and Batavia is easy access to transportation routes and GVT provides just that to customers that rely on rail to ship their products,” said Paull Battaglia, chairman, GCEDC.

For every one dollar of investment through the expansion project, it is estimated that there will be a four dollar return. Since the incentives total more than $100,000 a public hearing must be conducted.

More than 700 voters in the City School District turned out today to vote on a proposed $26.7 million capital improvement project and an overwhelming majority of voters checked the "Yes" box on their ballots.

In all, according to the unofficial results released by the school district, 710 people (or 72.6 percent) voted yes and 260 voted no.

The plan uses existing capital reserves plus state aid to undertake improvements at the district's four schools plus rebuild Van Detta Stadium into a more modern facility capable of hosting regional sporting events. School officials said the Vision 2020 plan will not result in a tax increase to support it.

For more on the district's plans, click here.

An explosion is reported and a basement is filling with smoke at 3265 W. Main Street Road, near Wortendyke Road. East Pembroke Fire Department is called to respond in non-emergency mode, along with Mercy medics.

Crews this morning got busy dealing with some of last night's storm damage.

Above, city workers on Jackson Street cleaning up a downed pine tree.

Below, daylight photos of the gas station canopy on West Main Street that blew over last night. Workers there say they won't be able to begin cleanup work until insurance adjusters have finished their work, which may not be today.

Bottom photos, crews on Genesee Street (just west of the NYS Blind School) dealing with snapped utility poles and downed power lines after a large limb on a tree snapped off last night, also damaging a parked car.

Thousands of National Grid customers lost power for at least part of the night last night and currently, National Grid is still dealing with 21 power outages in the county affecting hundreds of customers. There are seven small outages in the city.

To fully understand the ongoing success of the family owned, environmentally conscious Stein Farms on Gully Road in the Town of Le Roy, one needs to comprehend the meaning of a famous quote by Aristotle: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

While many people – the Stein family members and 21 dedicated employees – use their particular talents and skills in a variety of ways, it’s the collective synergy that has enabled Stein Farms to survive and thrive for more than 60 years.

When taking a closer look at Stein Farms, which has been selected by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce as the Agricultural Business of the Year for 2016, it is clear to see how the Greek philosopher’s axiom applies.

The connection among the workers on the 2,500-acre dairy farm that milks more than 900 cows has produced a total effect even greater than what each one could produce individually.

“Ours is one of a number of multigeneration farm families in our county, and that’s why they are successful,” said Dale Stein, who owns the farm along with his son, Nate, 35; his brother, Ray, and Ray’s children, Jerrod, 31, and Natasha Sutherland, 33.

“We want to make it enjoyable for the kids to have a good life – family life, not just work – and we are dedicated to preserving the environment. We want to be known as people who care.”

In her nomination letter to the Chamber’s selection committee (the awards ceremony is set for March 4 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road), Hiedi Librock, of Darien, pointed out the family’s commitment to environmental stewardship, viable employment practices, compassionate animal care, civic and community involvement, and event sponsorship in the Le Roy area.

She also mentioned Stein Farms’ recent $1 million expansion – the Steins also tend to more than 1,000 young stock – and attributed its progress to a decision made in the early years to adopt a dual cropping system that includes fall-planted triticale (a wheat/hay hybrid) for spring silage.

Stein Farms was founded in 1956 by Louis “Bud” and Jane Stein, who took over a former Curtice-Burns farm located next to Oatka Creek and just a couple miles from the Monroe County line. Louis passed away in 2007; Jane resides in Florida.

“Dale and Ray are the second generation, and Nate, Natasha and I are the third generation, coming back to the farm after trying other things,” said Jerrod, who returned to the fold about 10 years ago. “We went out to see what the world is really like … being the low man on the totem pole and seeing the way people were treated.”

Jerrod’s uncle, Ken, also was a co-owner until his death in August 2015.

Each of the owners has specific responsibilities, but is versatile enough to fill in the gaps when necessary, Jerrod said.

Jerrod’s forte is machinery maintenance, keeping the field operations going and overseeing the crew during planting and harvest seasons.

“We have three or four full-time employees on this side of the road and hire three or four retired guys for chopping,” he said.

Dale’s primary task – and a big one at that – is to feed the cows and keep that part of the farm running, which means being on the job six days a week to make sure the cow-milking machinery is working properly.

He also has been the chairman of the New York State Soil & Water Conservation Committee for more than a decade, leading a group that facilitates grants to help farmers implement programs to preserve the environment.

Ray’s main focus is ensuring a bountiful crop as 1,200 acres are used to grow corn for the cows and another 900 acres for hay seedings.

Rochelle Stein, Ray’s wife, who is well-known for her role as a Genesee County legislator, representing District 5 (Town of Le Roy), and Natasha's husband, Richard, also work with the ownership team.

Natasha’s area of expertise is on the health of the nearly 2,000 cows and young stock in the barns, a time-consuming chore that includes interaction with veterinarians and keeping up with the latest technology.

She is a former co-chair of Young Farmers and Ranchers and liaison to the Dairy Farmers of America.

And last but not least, Nate, a Leadership Genesee graduate, can be found handling the feeding duties on Dale’s days off, cleaning the barns, hauling manure, monitoring the separation system, etc., etc.

“Nate is a jack-of-all-trades,” Jerrod said. “He can do it all.”

The entire family hosted a “Field to Fork Feast” in September 2015, a high-end dinner event to help the Town of Le Roy generate funds as part of the America’s Best Communities revitalization competition.

And they are unwavering in their pursuit of maintaining the water quality of Oatka Creek, which features public trout fishing about 300 yards upstream from the farm.

“We get a lot of fishermen here. It gives us an incentive to make sure we are doing things right,” Dale said.

Jerrod and Dale said they are confident the operation will continue for many years, noting that Natasha’s children, Daniel, 4, and Lockwood, 3; Nate’s child, Lucas, almost 2; and Dale’s daughter Casey’s child, Zoey, 4, already are learning the ins-and-outs of farm living.

“The three boys go like crazy,” Dale said. “When they see a tractor, they have to be on it.”

Top photo: Richard Sutherland, left, Jerrod Stein, Natasha Sutherland, Nathan Stein, and back row, Ray Stein, Dale Stein. (Photos by Howard Owens.)

Press release:

Batavia district votes today, March 2, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on proposed capital project

Batavia City School District residents may vote today between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. on the proposed 2020 Vision Capital Project.

The $26,768,813 project has no additional tax impact and is designed to address critical program, infrastructure, renovations, site work, and facility needs in each of the District-owned buildings and Daniel A. Van Detta Stadium at Woodward Field.

For residents who live north of Route 5 (Main Street) voting is at the Robert Morris Building at 80 Union St., and for residents living south of Route 5 (Main Street) voting is at Batavia High School at 260 State St.

For more information, including clarification with a street-by-street guide on where to vote, please check the District’s website at www.bataviacsd.org and click on the link for the 2020 Capital Project.

Alexander's shots just weren't dropping during the first half of their Section V semi-final playoff game against Cal-Mum on Wednesday night at Avon.

The Lady Trojans lost 60-36 after scoring only six points in the first two quarters.

Marissa Scharlau scored 15 points and snagged 16 rebounds. Olivia George scored 11 points.

Sharon Herdtner submitted this photo of a double rainbow that she took from Richmond Avenue that seems to stretch from the Blind School over North Avenue to Northside Deli.

This is a power line arcing on Washington Avenue at Ellicott Avenue this evening.  

There are a total of 14 power outages in the City of Batavia, affecting 4,371 National Grid customers. 

The largest outage by geography starts in the city just west of Clinton Street at Main Street and spreads in a triangle shape from there to Nilesville Road in Stafford, as far north as the Thruway and south to East Bethany.

There are 2,093 customers effected by that outage (that number is included in the 14 outages mentioned above). The power went out for this outage at 7:49 p.m. and there is not yet an estimate when power will be restored.

There are also outages in Darien, Indian Falls, Le Roy, Pavilion and South Byron.

Below, a picture of a broken pole on Ellicott Avenue.

UPDATE: A reader submitted photo of a downed tree on Richley Road, Darien.

UPDATE: Ashley Smith submitted this photo of arcing near the Arrow Mart in Batavia.

Pembroke and Indian Falls firefighters were called tonight to a rekindle of a fire that was reported as a controlled burn in the wee hours of Feb. 25. It's at  8854 S. Lake Road, Pembroke. The crews had to back later that morning for a rekindle, and now they're at it again. 

For the original post, click here.

Reader submitted photos.

A reader submitted this photo of the Sunoco gas station on Main Street in Batavia. The wind toppled the gas tank island's roof, breaking the metal pillar which holds it up at the base. The station was closed at the time and no injuries were reported.

High winds are wreaking havoc countywide and numerous power lines and tree limbs are reportedly down, keeping first responders and maintenance crews busy.

Jason Smith caught a bit of this rainbow of Oakfield-Alabama Central School while driving home from work this afternoon.

Looking back at his formative years, lifelong Batavian Steve “Stump” Grice said the time invested by his buddies’ parents left a lasting impression and helped set him on a course of civic and charitable volunteerism.

“For me, I grew up doing sports and events, and was part of the Ellicott Avenue crew,” Grice said. “I noticed that the fathers of the kids that I hung out with were coaching us, and when I was done with college, I started coaching football.

“Then I got pulled in more and more, and it just kind of clicked. (Volunteering) is like paying a tab … honoring those before us.”

Steve’s wife, the former Lisa Grasso, said was introduced to community service as a Girl Scout and “junior fireman” while growing up in Cheektowaga.

“And after that, when we had our boys (Alex, 24, a special education teacher at Oakfield-Alabama Central School, and Casey, 21, a junior at Brockport State College majoring in Therapeutic Recreation for special needs persons), I started getting involved here,” she said.

Fast forward to 2017, and the Grices have made a tremendous impact upon organizations ranging from Batavia Youth Football to the John Kennedy Home School Association to Genesee Cancer Assistance to the Genesee County/City Youth Bureau to the Batavia Rotary Club to the Genesee County Volunteer Service Tuition Program.

For their efforts, Steve and Lisa have been selected as Geneseeans of the Year by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and will be honored at the 45^th annual awards ceremony on March 4 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road.

They were nominated by Chris Suozzi, who serves with Steve on the Board of Directors of Genesee Cancer Assistance.

“I am nominating Steve and Lisa for their combined volunteer efforts to the community for decades. Their tireless efforts go unnoticed and I feel it’s time for us to reward them!”

Both Steve and Lisa, who celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary last Nov. 2, will tell you that the reward is in doing what needs to be done to ensure that a particular organization reaches its goals.

“The satisfaction comes from the end result … knowing that you’ve accomplished something for the community,” Steve said during an interview at their Chase Park home. “Knowing what the dollar amount (raised) means, and that we had goals and hit those goals.

Steve said he was notified of the award on “Friday the 13th” (of January) during a phone call from Mary Blevins, a member of the selection committee.

“At first, I was thinking it was a joke. I was speechless,” Steve said. “When Mary asked me if I wanted to tell my wife or if I wanted her to do it, I said, ‘You better, she won’t believe me.' ”

Lisa said they are humbled by the recognition but admits to being a bit nervous about having to deliver a speech.

“I like to stay behind the scenes,” she said, noting that Steve is the “out-front person” and she handles the duo’s administrative and organizational responsibilities.

Her volunteer resume includes concession stand work for Batavia’s youth baseball leagues, fundraising for the Batavia Basketball Boosters, coordinating the JK Home School Association’s pasta night dinner for seven years through 2007, scheduling and bookkeeping for Batavia Youth Football, serving on the Batavia City Youth Bureau board for four years, assisting the Rotary Club’s Oktoberfest and directing the county volunteer tuition program since 1995.

“I really enjoyed the pasta dinners at JK, especially seeing the dads and moms as waiters and waitresses, and seeing all the kids who wanted to help,” said Lisa, a 28-year Genesee County employee who has served as principal clerk at the highway department for the past four years.

Steve has been involved with Batavia Youth Football for 30 years, has been a Rotarian for 19 years – he is a former Paul Harris Fellow Award winner – and has been with Genesee Cancer Assistance for 15 years -- six of those as a board member. He also coached youth baseball, volunteered for the Michael Napoleone Foundation and rang the bell for the Salvation Army.

A deputy clerk in the Genesee County clerk’s office following a 29-year career in the real estate title insurance/abstract profession, Steve was the Genesee County Adult Volunteer of the Year in 2013 and the City of Batavia Volunteer of the Year in 2014.

He credited his mentor, the late Joe Gerace, with “getting me into a lot of things” and was fortunate to spend time with Gerace.

“We became family,” he said.

Steve said he was glad to see that Gerace, who passed away last November, stayed involved with Genesee Cancer Assistance right to the end.

“Joe was the co-chair of our golf tournament last August, so we had all of our meetings at the VA (Medical Center) every Wednesday so he could continue to be a part of it,” Steve said. “And he made it to the tournament -- ran his putting contest and visited everyone riding on the golf cart.”