This beautiful, unique looking feline decided a couple of weeks ago to take up residence under Jim Schmitt's garden shed.

Schmitt lives in the area of Bank and Ross streets in the City of Batavia. He has two cats already and can't keep this foundling.

He writes "As you can seen he (she?) is very beautiful and most likely not just a stray. He looks to be part Siamese and has blue eyes and four white 'boots.' "

If you are the owner or know who is, please contact Jim at 343-5707.

Photo courtesy of Jim Schmitt.

On a colorful, sunny, fall day, participants from throughout the community turned out to John Kennedy School for the My School Color Run, which was an untimed run/walk over a three-mile course through the City of Batavia.

A two-car accident with minor injuries and entrapment is reported in the area of 8290 Lewiston Road, Batavia.

Batavia fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Le Roy brought their D-Game to Hartwood Park last night and it was a good thing on a night when the offense could only manage to score a single touchdown.

The Oatkan Knights shutout Letchworth/Warsaw 7-0 to advance in Class C sectional play.

Kyler LaCarte had 11 carries for 31 yards, Cineque Robinson 11 for 29, Jake Hill seven for 21, and Luke Stella four for15. At QB, Jake Hill was 12-24 for 97 yards and a TD. Cole Biggins had four catches for 39 yards and Reece Tresco grabbed three passes for 32 yards.

Tresco had five tackles. Gavin Luckey had five and an interception. With four tackles were Bob Locke, Bryce Bordonaro, Jake Hill, Anthony Leitten and Luke Stella. Bordonaro recovered a fumble and Leitten had a sack.

Also in sectional play Friday night:

• Alexander 42, CG Finney 22. The Trojans gained 361 yards on the ground. Chris McClinic ran 24 times for 188 yards and four touchdowns. Terrez Smith had 13 carries for 141 yards and a TD. Kicker Grant Cox was 4-5 on point after attempts. Jake Jasen had 10 tackles, Mich Gordon, eight.
• Pembroke 54, Canisteo-Greenwood 28 
• Batavia 36, Wayne 28 (Game coverage)

Photos by Ed Henry. Top photo, Gavin Luckey with the reception for the lone TD of the game.

Cole Biggins

Ty Williams and Reece Tresco with a tackle.

Jake Hill

Cineque Robinson

Kyler LaCarte

Kyle LaCarte

If you were planning to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and take part tonight in the annual Ghost Walk of the Historic Batavia Cemetery, too late. It's sold out.

Ray leach runs the opening punt return for a touchdown. On Batavia’s next possession Leach runs 71 yards for a touch down by diving into the end zone.

Batavia’s next punt return was run back 61 yards for a touch down by Chandler Baker.

In the first three minutes Batavia lead the Wayne Eagles 21 to zip.

 It was more than impressive. For many in attendance it seemed that the game was over and it was time to go home.

Perhaps this is what the Batavia Blue Devils' offense thought, too. They would not score again until the last two minutes of the third quarter when Wayne had come all the way back to lead the Blue Devils 22 to 21.

During the nearly three quarters when Batavia’s offense had almost no effect on the game, Batavia’s defense had a few impressive stops and forced three turnovers. John Kindig and Josh Barber each had eight tackles for a loss of two yards.

Wayne slowly battled back gaining momentum with each successful play.

With 1:51 left in the third quarter Batavia’s offense returned by scoring a touchdown. With 4:42 left in the fourth, Wayne answered back with a touchdown of their own, but failed to convert on a two-point extra point attempt.

At 1:44 Batavia scored again, making the final score 36 to 28. Chandler Baker passed 14 times for seven completions and 65 yards. Ray Leach had 12 caries for 158 yards. 

Press release:

A water main break has occurred on Union Street south of Richmond Avenue. A Water Department crew is on site to make repairs. Water service on Union Street between Richmond Avenue and West Avenue will be interrupted until repairs are complete.

Longtime community activist Catherine Roth was honored today in a dedication of a new polished granite bench in the Batavia Cemetery.

Roth, 95, and now living in Albany, wasn't able to attend, but Richard Beatty, a member of the board of directors of the Landmark Society of Genesee County, said her presence is still felt in the community.

She wasn't, however, as sometimes misstated, the founder of the Landmark Society. That was Sally Osborne. Roth was, though, a founding board member and served on the board for decades and for many years she was board president.

She was instrumental in saving the St. James Rectory and the Engine House. She also played a key role in getting published the book "Architectural History of Genesee County."

Her other community endeavors included serving on the City Council, the Holland Land Office Museum Board, Girl Scouts, and the YMCA board.

The bench sits on the edge of an arboretum created as a memorial to her son James and overlooks the obelisk of Joseph Ellicott. The project started with an anonymous donation to create something that would honor Roth and the Landmark board came up with the idea for the bench and completed the project.

Lucine Kauffman, a former Landmark board member, said she spoke with Roth this morning and asked if Roth had any words of wisdom to share, and Roth said, "I just wish I could be there to sit on it."

Beatty, who has only been on the Landmark board for two years, said he's heard Roth described as a "force of nature."

"Her name has come up many times, usually along the lines of ‘What would Catherine do?’ " Beatty said. "I got the impression that what Catherine wanted, Catherine got. I’ve learned from those who know her well that her desire to get things done is infectious and she brought many people together to help her achieve her goals. Catherine is the type of person every community needs to thrive.”

Press release:

Don't forget to come out and support your Batavia Bulldawgs Saturday, Oct. 21, at the 2017 NOFA Playoffs!

This is the first season they will have a team representing each of the three playoff divisions. So come support these hard-working young athletes as they continue their mission for a 2017 NOFA championship!

Game times are as follows:

• Mini Division: #1 BATAVIA vs. #4 Pembroke @ 11 a.m.
• JV Division #1 Newfane vs. #4 BATAVIA @ 3 p.m.
• Varsity Division: #1 Albion vs. #4 BATAVIA @ 7 p.m.

Genesee County 4-H Dairy Club at East Hill Creamery.

Press release and submitted photos:

The Genesee County 4-H Dairy Club kicked off the 2017-2018 4-H season with a set of tours.

On Oct. 9, the Dairy Club traveled south to Wyoming Ccounty to visit two innovative agribusinesses. The group consisted of 48 people, including club members, family and friends.  

The first stop, East Hill Creamery -- makers of grass-fed artisan cheese. Gary Burley, co-owner and operator, gave the group a tour of the cheese processing facility and explained how they make their award winning cheeses.

The creamery makes four kinds of the French-Alpine-style cheeses. The group finished the tour with a tasting of each kind: Underpass; Underpass Reserve; Silver Lake; and Happy Accident. It was a perfect stop for the club as October is National Cheese Month, and a great reason to enjoy a slice of real dairy cheese!

Seven miles down the road, the club found themselves at stop #2: Marquart’s Potato Farm and Storage Facility.

Besides seeing millions of New York grown potatoes, the club toured the cleaning washing, sorting and shipping areas of the business. Chad Heeb gave the group insight into their waste-free facility and how the dream of making New York potato chips has become a reality.

After many decades of growth, the Marquart Brothers have now been able to see their locally grown potatoes processed into New York potato chips. To celebrate another great New York made product, the 4-H group concluded the tour with a tasty snack of New York potato chips.

To learn more about Genesee 4-H visit our website: http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/4-h-youth-development or call the 4-H Office at 585-343-3040, ext. 101

Below, photo of Genesee County 4-H Dairy Club at Marquart Potato Farm.

Photo courtesy of Jim Burns.

Information provided by GO ART!

GO ART! will present an exhibit of photography and illustration by local artist Jim Burns Nov. 9 through Feb. 3 at Seymour Place in Downtown Batavia.

Titled "Cabal and Zen," Burns says "The main portion of this exhibit was inspired by the tension of daily life and the desire for change. There are also individual images of beauty and peace."

There will be an artist reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16 at the gallery.

GO ART! at Seymour Place is located at 201 E. Main St. Gallery hours are Thursday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and the second Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(Editor's note: The statement by artist Jim Burns was changed at his request.)

The U.S. Marshals Service is asking for the public's assistance in locating a fugitive who is a suspect in the rape and murder of a 13-month-old girl.

The fugitive is traveling with an unknown male in a pickup truck with New York license plates, which has led them to suspect the two men may travel to or through Western New York.

The men were last seen Oct. 13, in Girard, Pa.

The suspect is Joshua Gurto. He is 37 years old, approximately 5'10" tall and 145 pounds. He may have a deformed right ear, misaligned jaw and tattoos on his right forearm.

A reward is offered for information that leads to his arrest.

He is wanted by the Conneaut Police Department in Northern Ohio 

The two men are traveling in a dark gray Ford F-150.

Anyone with any information that can help identify the unknown male in the photos is asked to call 1-866-4WANTED.

Tips can also be sent via text message by typing keyword WANTED and tip to 84711 (tip411).

People providing tips can remain anonymous. 

A student at Batavia High School has contracted viral meningitis, a contagious but not fatal virus, according to Chris Dailey, superintendent of Batavia City School District.

Dailey informed parents in the school district through a memo released today.

Here's Dailey's statement:

This is to inform you that a Batavia High School student has been diagnosed with viral meningitis. It is caused by a virus and is not fatal. It can be caused by any one of the common cold or intestinal viruses. The difference is, it affects the lining of your spinal cord and brain. It is spread by person-to-person contact, or a cough, just as the common cold virus is.

The symptoms of meningitis can be fever, stiff neck and tiredness, along with a sore throat, cough or intestinal symptoms.

If your child complains of any of these symptoms, he/she should follow-up with their own physician.

The best way to keep healthy is to wash your hands regularly and not share drinking bottles.

Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., the Batavia Players will present "Broads, Boys & Broadway Backwards" at the Harvester 56 Theater on Harvester Avenue, Batavia. 

Tickets are $15 and include a champagne reception after the show.

The players will perform songs from Broadway musicals, but with gender roles reversed. The men will sing the women's parts and the women will sing the men's parts.

Performers are Pat Burk, Amanda Taylor, Anthony Baldwin-Giambrone, Cameron Bontrager, Colin Fleming-Stumpf, Jerrod Baldwin-Giambrone, Joe Kusmierczak, Erin Stamp, Kathryn Fitzpatrick and Wendy Williams.

The show is directed by Pat Burk. Musical direction and accompaniment, Kathy White.

The Richmond Memorial Library was inducted into Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame on Thursday, becoming the first building in Genesee County inducted since the recognition was created five years ago.

There have been 24 buildings inducted into the Hall of Fame, which recognizes outstanding examples of architecture using Medina sandstone.

Other new inductees include the First Presbyterian Church in Albion, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester, and First Lutheran Church of Jamestown.

The Presbyterian Church is the ninth site from Orleans County in the Hall of Fame. Genesee has its first entry with the library in Batavia. Jamestown and Chautauqua County are also making their debut in the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame with the First Lutheran Church. Holy Sepulchre is second site from Rochester to join the HOF.​

From the story by Tom Rivers, Orleans Hub:

The Richmond Memorial Library is a beautiful example of light gray Medina Sandstone and red Albion stone. The style is Richardsonian Romanesque and was designed by Rochester architect James Cutler. The Richmond Library employs the style of two-tone sandstone in a random ashlar pattern with a battered foundation and a steep gable roof.

Mrs. Mary Richmond donated a piece of land at the rear of the family property and construction of a library began on July 11, 1887 and was dedicated on March 12, 1889. Mrs. Richmond donated $24,000 towards the cost and insisted on using local labor to build this magnificent building.

The library was named after her son Dean Richmond, Jr., who died in his youth. Mrs. Richmond, noted for her charity, then donated the library to the Union Free School District. The Richmond Library is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was registered on July 24, 1974.

***

Rob Conrad, library director, said he and the staff are thrilled to see the library go into the Hall of Fame. He praised the Batavia City School District for its ongoing commitment to maintain the site. Conrad said he is impressed by the communities that rallied their dollars to build such impressive buildings in the region, using Medina Sandstone.

"You see the beauty of the buildings and their ingenuity," he said.

Story and photos courtesy Orleans Hub.

Above, Staff Recognition honorees included: Joe Navarra, IT administrator; Eileen Corcoran, pre-vocational specialist; Andrew Reeb, coordinator of Transportation; Kathy Yanik, administrative assistant and Relief Director Support professional and Barbara Agostinelli, assistant residential manager.

Submitted photos and press release:

The Richard C. Call Arena & Event Center at Genesee Community College hosted the Arc of Genesee Orleans Awards Banquet Thursday night, the first for the two-county agency which officially merged one year ago. Assemblyman Steve Hawley was the awards program Master of Ceremonies.

Medina businesswoman Mary Lou Tuohey, owner of Case-Nic Cookies, was honored with the Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by agency Board President John Huber. “Mary Lou is well known throughout Orleans County for her kind heart and giving spirit,” Huber said.

Tuohey is a longtime volunteer and tireless advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “As the Mom of Nicole, Mary Lou wants the best for her daughter and has expanded that love and commitment to all individuals served at the Arc of Genesee Orleans.” Huber said.

Case-Nic Cookies also hired an individual through the Arc’s employment training program and donates cookies and other treats to the Orleans Nutrifair/Meals on Wheels program and agency fund raisers.

Business Partner of the Year honors were presented to AAkron Line, a longtime subcontractor with the agency’s sheltered work centers. AAkron Line is a vendor for hundreds of promotional items used throughout the United States and Canada, all assembled or customized in their Akron, New York facility.

Arc Production Manager Paula Knaak presented the award to AAkron Line’s Kevin Gilcart. Knaak said AAkron Line’s success and growth over the past two decades has provided subcontracts in Arc’s work centers, as well supported employment opportunities.

“We look forward to a continued partnership for years to come that supports Aakron Line, while providing interesting and varied work options to the individuals we serve,” Knaak said.

Applebee's Batavia, Agri-Business Child Development and Genesee Community College received Friend of Arc honors to recognize outstanding service  provided to Arc of Genesee Orleans and the people served.

Staff Recognition honorees included: Joe Navarra, IT Administrator; Eileen Corcoran, pre-vocational specialist; Andrew Reeb, coordinator of Transportation; Kathy Yanik, Administrative Assistant and Relief Director Support Professional and Barbara Agostinelli, assistant residential manager.

Persons of the Year awards went to: Julius Murphy, self-advocate; Joseph Moltrop, self-advocate; Ashley Dioguardi, Work Center; Tyler Nunnery, supported employment; James Gibbs, residential; Community Services, Nick Wityk and Dwight, day habilitation.

Created in 2016 by the joining of two successful and long-standing organizations, Arc of Genesee Orleans offers support, advocacy, services and opportunities for children and adults with disabilities and their families in Genesee and Orleans counties.

Programs include everything from vocational training and full-time residences to service coordination and family support. For expanded program information, access the agency’s new website at www.arcgo.org.

Above are, from left, Arc Board President John Huber; Volunteer of the Year Mary Lou Tuohey; Assemblyman Steve Hawley; Arc Executive Director Donna Saskowski, Kevin Gilbert, manufacturing coordinator at Akron Line, and Paul Saskowski, Arc director of Business Operations.

There will be a breast cancer awareness fundraiser from 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20 at Le Beau Salon inside the City Centre Mall, 106 Main St., Batavia.

It is being held by salon owner Erika Siverling and her friend Jill Meeder, of Pearl Wellness Center.

Attendees can get their makeup done professionally for a $25 donation. There will be lots of raffle baskets to try for and a 50/50 raffle.

Appetizers, beverages and snacks will be served.

Cost to attend if you choose not to have your makeup done is $10 per person. All proceeds will go to the national nonprofit Breast Cancer Prevention Partners.

The San Fransisco-based organization has teamed up with the makeup company used at Le Beau Salon -- Beauty Counter -- and money from the purchase of those cosmetics used also goes to that nonprofit.

Le Beau's proceeds will be donated in the name of their friend, local breast cancer survivor Stacey Brion Cory.

The salon owner says the community ourpouring of support for the event has been amazing.

"We even had tablecloths and napkins donated by Batavia Restaurant Supply, everyone has just been so supportive, it's been great," Siverling said.

Genesee County has lost 100 jobs over the past 12 months, according to data released today by the Department of Labor.

For September 2017, there were 23,600 jobs in the county. The previous September, there were 23,500.

The total number of private sector jobs held steady at 17,800 year-over-year, which is also the same total as September 2015. The lowest number of private sector jobs locally over the past two decades was 16,800 in 2012. There haven't been as many as 18,000 private sector jobs in September since 2004 (18,100).

Labor is reporting 89,100 new jobs in the state since last year, but Western New York's two metropolitan areas reported job losses year-over-year. The Buffalo region has dropped from 564,900 to 561,400 and Rochester has dropped from 532,300 to 529,000.

There are 5,700 government jobs in the county, compared to 5,800 a year ago.