Photos and information from Meghan Ripstein:

These pictures are from the Alexander Girl Scouts Troop 42031 clothing extravaganza, which took place Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Alexander United Methodist Church.

The girls collected gently used clothing from the community Friday night, Sept. 18th, then sorted it and put it out to the community for free.

The girls interacted and helped more than100 families.

For this project, four girls -- all considered juniors -- earned their Bronze Award:

• Hannah Dellapenna
• Claudia Ripstein
• Ciara Sliker
• Carly Wodrich

Three girls earned their Silver Award by teaching the community different ways to reuse and save money:

• Cadette Mary Grimes used her dad's old T-shirts to make reusable bags;
• Cadette Jayna Krzyzanowki taught people how to make masks out of old T-shirts;
• Cadette Bridget Ripstein handed out samples of homemade laundry detergent, showing people the cost difference.

Local Republicans opened their campaign headquarters on Saturday at 214 Ellicott St., Batavia.

Press release:

 Every year, 2,100 North Americans are killed or seriously injured when they engage in unsafe behavior around tracks and trains. Operation Lifesaver, a nonprofit organization begun in 1972, established Rail Safety Week to help educate the public about these preventable incidents. 

In an historic first for international safety cooperation, Rail Safety Week will be celebrated throughout North America.

Three national organizations, Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI), Operation Lifesaver Canada,and Asociación Mexicana de Ferrocarriles (Mexican Association of Railroads, or AMF) will jointly observe Rail Safety Week, Sept. 21-27.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rail Safety Week activities devoted to saving lives near railroad tracks will have an emphasis on social medial and online safety messaging.

In 2019, 645 police departments, sheriff’s offices -- including Genesee County, and other laws enforcement agencies participated in Rail Safety Week events by sending officers to railroad crossings to join railroad employees and Operation Lifesaver volunteers in handing out safety literature. Nearly 100 Rail Safety Week events occurred throughout New York in 2019.

Though far fewer public events are occurring this year due to pandemic concerns, New York Operation Lifesaver will host an online public awareness campaign designed to increase public awareness of train safety.

 “We want to show that making unsafe decisions around tracks and trains – whether using tracks as a shortcut, going around downed gates or even glancing at a cellphone while at a crossing – can have devastating consequences for you, your loved ones and members of your community,” said Phil Merens, state coordinator of New York Operation Lifesaver.

“While public events with police officials and railroad employees, and Operation Lifesaver volunteers are a great way to show New Yorkers our concern for their safety, our online campaign has the potential to reach even more people than we reached last year.”

New York Operation Lifesaver currently runs three statewide education campaigns devoted to different aspects of train safety. These campaigns have already reached millions of New Yorkers. Throughout Rail Safety Week posts to social media as well as paid advertising will continue to highlight these safety campaigns

“Last year’s Rail Safety Week efforts generated over 1,800 stories on TV, radio, print and online, along with nearly 75 million impressions on social media,” said OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh. “Even with coronavirus restrictions, we are confident that millions of people will be reached through our online efforts this year.

"New York Operation Lifesaver will be highlighting their innovative education campaigns addressing Trespass Safety, At-Grade Crossing Safety and the Emergency Notification System. These campaigns have already reached millions of New Yorkers through the use of cutting-edge technology.” 

Information on this year’s RSW as well as results for last year can be found here. Rail Safety Week. Themes for each day of Rail Safety Week are shown below: 

• Monday, Sept. 21 kicks off the week with a focus on Media Outreach and Rail Safety Week Proclamations in states and localities. 
• Tuesday, Sept. 22 focuses on Law Enforcement and First Responder Partnerships through virtual and social media messaging as part of the fourth annual observance of Operation Clear Track, emphasizing the importance of obeying crossing safety and anti-trespass laws.
• Wednesday, Sept. 23 highlights Crossing Safety, with outreach to professional drivers on safe crossing techniques and highlighting blue and white emergency notification system (ENS) signs at crossings.
• Thursday, Sept. 24, Transit Safety Thursday, showcases how to stay safe as a rail commuter or transit rider.
• Friday, Sept. 25 focuses on Wearing Red or “Red Out” for Rail Safety to show support for safety near tracks and trains. 
• Saturday, Sept. 26 highlights Trespass Prevention, educating pedestrians about the dangers posed by being on or near the tracks. 
• Sunday, Sept. 27 promotes No Photos on Tracks messaging underscoring the risks of illegally taking photos, videos, or filming on train tracks for professional and amateur photographers alike.

Visitors to oli.org will be asked to join the virtual Rail Safety Week effort by sharing the Stop Track Tragedies videos and social media messaging using the hashtags #STOPTrackTragedies and #railsafetyweek.

Press release:

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.18, down 1 cent from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.67. The New York State average is $2.27 – down a penny since last week.

A year ago, the NYS average was $2.76. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages now:

• Batavia -- $2.21 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Buffalo -- $2.23 (down 2 cents since last week)
• Ithaca -- $2.20 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Rochester -- $2.25 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Rome -- $2.32 (no change since last week)
• Syracuse -- $2.21 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Watertown -- $2.31 (down 1 cent since last week)

Gas prices are down by a penny in most areas, and they are significantly cheaper than last year – the national average is 49 cents cheaper than one year ago. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that gas demand saw a slight uptick, however, demand is still much lower than where it was at this time last year.

That lower demand has helped pump prices to decline this week and will likely help pump prices to continue their descent as fall approaches. Crude prices may continue to increase if supplies grow tighter, but demand challenges could contain potential growth in prices.

From GasBuddy:

"Gas prices have tiptoed lower with seasonal factors the primary driver, though with hurricane season continuing to be very active, sporadic shutdowns of oil rigs in the Gulf is leading to volatility in the price of oil, which may become a factor in the weeks ahead," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

"With oil's rally back to $41 per barrel last week, the downturn in the national average may be put on pause for a couple of weeks, but we remain very likely to eventually continue to downward momentum into the heart of autumn. For now, we remain at the lowest prices seasonally since 2004 in most states, and largely, motorists can expect that to continue."

The Office of the New York State Comptroller is recommending that the Alexander Central School District and Board of Education take several corrective measures after an audit issued on Sept. 11 revealed that the district did not follow “applicable statutes” when allocating reserve funds and overestimated appropriations from 2015-16 through 2018-19.

According to the state report, district officials generally agreed with the Comptroller’s findings and recommendations and indicated they have initiated or planned to initiate corrective action.

The Comptroller’s office conducted the audit to determine whether the board and district officials properly used and managed fund balance and reserves.

Its key findings of the audit performed for the period July 1, 2015 through Feb. 21, 2020 show:

• While the Board and District officials used $3.1 million in excess reserve funds as a financing source for a capital project, they did not do so in accordance with applicable statutes;
• Appropriations were overestimated by a total of $7 million from 2015-16 through 2018-19;
• An average of $500,000 of fund balance was appropriated each year, but was not used to finance operations. When unused appropriated fund balance is added back, surplus fund balance exceeded the limit each year by $345,000 to $611,000, or 2 to 3 percentage points.

As a result, the Comptroller’s office put forth four recommendations:

• Develop and adopt budgets that include realistic estimates for appropriations and the amount of fund balance that will be used to fund operations;
• Discontinue the practice of appropriating fund balance that is not needed or used to fund operations;
• Use reserves in accordance with legal requirements;
• Ensure that financing plans for capital projects are properly documented in the Board’s minutes.

This is the second time the state Comptroller's office found issues with the district's budgeting process as an audit issued on Feb. 19, 2017 for the period of July 1, 2010 through Aug. 4, 2015 pointed to similar issues:

• District officials consistently overestimated expenditures during the last five fiscal years, which generated approximately $2.4 million in operating surpluses and appropriated an average of approximately $670,000 in fund balance annually, which was not needed to fund operations due to operating surpluses;
• District officials used approximately $2.5 million of fund balance to fund seven reserves that totaled approximately $5 million. Three of these reserve funds are overfunded.

The key recommendations at that time were to develop realistic estimates of expenditures and the use of fund balance in the annual budget, and to use the excess amounts in reserve funds in a manner that benefits district taxpayers.

In response to the latest audit report, a letter to the Comptroller’s Office dated July 14, 2020, from Superintendent Catherine Huber, Ed.D., and Board President Brian Paris indicated that the “current public health landscape (COVID-19 pandemic) and the financial impact on school districts as well as the uncertain nature of school funding makes a response to the Comptroller’s audit particularly challenging.”

They wrote that the district “consistently has taken a conservative approach to budgeting “and that “these practices have served our taxpayers well …”

The letter indicates that district will act, effective July 14, to meet the audit’s recommendations, including monitoring fund balances, and developing realistic budget estimates by using zero-based budgeting – specifically stating that the 2020-21 budget salary estimates have been calculated as actual.

“The district is currently using Appropriated Reserved Fund Balance to balance the current budget,” according to the letter, which states that Huber and Business Administrator Tim Batzel will be responsible for the implementation of the recommended changes.

The Alexander Central School District serves the towns of Alexander, Batavia, Bethany and Darien in Genesee County and the towns of Attica, Bennington and Middlebury in Wyoming County.

It has a five-member board of education that is responsible for managing and controlling the district’s financial and educational affairs, the superintendent is responsible for the district’s day-to-day management under the Board’s direction and the business administrator maintains financial records.

According to the latest report, enrollment is at 826, with 162 employees, and 2019-20 appropriations totaled $18.2 million.

A group of local supporters of President Donald Trump say the Pledge of Allegiance before riding off in a "Trump Train" of five semi-trucks volunteers in Pembroke painted to read "Trump 2020." The five traliers were parked in strategic locations on Route 5 and Route 33 after the caravan.

Pembroke Town Park was filled with classic cars today -- perhaps more than ever -- for the 13th Annual Pembroke Corfu Darien Kiwanis Club Annual Car Cruise & Fall Festival.

Rep. Chris Jacobs and Assemblyman Steve Hawley were on hand for the opening ceremonies, to meet constituents, and admire the beautiful cars.

A group of area residents came together Saturday night to hold a vigil in Le Roy in memory of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away Friday at age 87.

Ginsburg was appointed to the court in 1993 following an already distinguished legal career as an advocate for equal rights for women.

Photos by Philip Casper.

A possible serious ATV accident is reported in the area of 5946 W. Sweden Road, Bergen.

Bergen fire and ambulance along with Mercy EMS dispatched.

Photo: Miss Anne Marie Peca's third-grade class at Wolcott Street School in 1972.

It was September 1972 and I was about to begin my first year of teaching at Wolcott Street School in LeRoy. My whole life I had wanted to be a teacher but to be able to teach where my mother grew up and where my grandmother still lived made it all the more exciting and memorable.

I have so many memories from that first year. My first week at Wolcott Street School I was in the workroom making dittos (mimeograph copies) by hand when a teacher who I think taught my mother came in and yelled at me and said students are not allowed to use the machine and ordered me back into the high school building.

I will always remember my very first class, of third-graders, and the many rules I broke. I didn’t realize you needed permission to take your class for a walk or you shouldn’t adjust the thermostat in your classroom to 90 degrees to teach the children about what it’s like to live in a desert. My thermostat regulated the heat for the entire second floor.

That year we did the play "Mary Poppins" on the big stage (above is a "ditto" of the program).

I do have so many treasured memories of being a teacher in LeRoy but I also have so many memories living in LeRoy.

One highlight was visiting my grandmother who lived at 25 South St. I loved going to mass with her at Saint Joseph’s Church and visiting Saint Francis Cemetery. We would water all the flowers on the graves of our relatives and it seemed like it was half the cemetery.

Later on, when I was a teacher in LeRoy I learned to appreciate the beauty of the village.

In 1974 I was married and we moved to LeRoy and lived at 15 Lake St. in Mr. Miceli’s upstairs apartment. It was a beautiful two-bedroom apartment with a living room, kitchen and a storage room. The rent was $100 a month and that included utilities.

I always enjoyed walking to school to teach because walking down Main Street was so beautiful, plus we only had one car. I would walk past the village hall and I would wave to Mrs. Fernaays, who I always thought was the mayor of LeRoy.

After school on my way home I would stop at the LeRoy Drugstore to pick up a prescription or a card. My next stop was Peck’s Meat Market to buy two pork chops or a half pound of ground beef. On Saturday, our date night we would walk to the LeRoy Theater and watch a 50-cent movie and then stroll home.

I do remember one thing that took getting used to was a very loud siren that would go off if there was a fire. We lived very close to the village hall and the first time we heard the siren go off, we jumped out of bed and thought we were being attacked.

I will always treasure my time in LeRoy, not just the beautiful village, but the wonderful friends I made, and the outstanding teachers I had the privilege to work with. I was also able to create treasured memories with my beautiful grandmother, Jennie Bellow.

Now when I visit St. Francis’s Cemetery it is to visit my grandparents, aunt, uncle and baby sister’s gravestones. As I sit there I remember that little girl running all around the cemetery watering flowers with her grandmother.

The Village of LeRoy is as beautiful today as it was when we lived there in the '70s.

My memories can’t compare to someone who is a true LeRoyan but I want to thank all of you for letting me be one for a few years!

Images courtesy of Anne Marie Starowitz.

Ed Rath, running for State Senate, Rep. Chris Jacobs, also in the ballot for the NY-27 in November, and Assemblyman Steve Hawley, up for reelection stopped in Corfu this afternoon to check out a group of trailers that have been painted to support President Donald Trump's reelection bid.

The trailers are the project of a group of veterans, business leaders, farmers, truckers, and other community members who came together for many hours of work -- often into the night so a projector could be used to stencil the lettering -- to create the trucks.

Tomorrow at noon, the trailers will be positioned on Route 33 in Corfu, on Route 5 in East Pembroke, and on Route 5 in Bushville.

A 5-year-old girl was reportedly bitten on the face by a dog on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation and has a facial laceration in the 6900 block of Meadville Road.

Alabama Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. The location is between Council House Road and Lone Road.

Press release:

Following the news of United States Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg’s passing Nate McMurray, Democratic candidate for New York’s 27th Congressional District, released the following statement:

“My family and I join with Western New Yorkers and all Americans mourning the loss of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a woman who personified ‘fight’ every day of her groundbreaking and accomplished life. Justice Ginsburg fought for all that she achieved: her education, her children and family, and her distinguished career as a teacher, lawyer, judge, and Supreme Court Justice. At each step, she championed the cause of equality between the sexes and justice at every level of society. 

“Justice Ginsburg encouraged Americans of all ages to ‘fight for the things you care about.’ With reverence and renewed spirit, we will continue to do just that.”

From Anna Sorensen:

I am organizing a Ruth Bader Ginsburg candlelight vigil tonight at 8 o'clock at Le Roy Village Hall, located at 3 W. Main St. We will be meeting by the women's suffrage post.

Wear black, wear a mask, and bring a candle. Parking may be an issue. Please consider walking if possible!

Press release:

The Town of Bergen and the Byron-Bergen Public Library will host a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. to celebrate the renovations that were completed last spring at the 13 S. Lake Ave. building.

The ribbon cutting was originally scheduled for April but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While officials will be in attendance at the library for the ceremony, the public is asked to join the celebration remotely via the Byron-Bergen Public Library Facebook page.

The purpose of the renovations was to remove the architectural barriers that prevent people with physical disabilities from fully participating in the numerous social, educational, recreational and civic activities provided at the facility.

The building also houses the offices of the Town Assessor and Town Code Enforcement Officer.

The work included: renovation of restrooms and kitchenette; new carpeting; new electric and fire alarm system; accessible doors; new entryway; new circulation desk; new lighting; renovation of offices, multipurpose and storage rooms.

The project was funded by a SAM grant through Senator Ranzenhofer, a NYS Library Construction grant and the Library itself. The renovations were designed by Architect David Strabel and the general contractor was Whitney East.

“The Byron-Bergen Public Library has long been a valuable asset to our community,” said Bergen Supervisor Ernie Haywood. “Now it is a facility that is accessible and modernized. The public will be able to enjoy it for many years to come.”

Press release:

"Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” -- Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 1933-2020

Corfu -- The Cloth Option, a national cloth diaper bank, has expanded to Genesee County with a local advocate distributing diaper sets and collecting donations in person and working toward setting up donation sites throughout the county as well as providing cloth diapering classes.

Corfu resident Kim Long is tasked with diaper duties locally, by networking with others. At this time, there is no physical "diaper bank" site for the public to go to.

Long is one of about 60 cloth diaper advocates nationwide who are working to end diaper need through cloth diaper access.

The member-driven organization was founded in 2018 on principles of transparency, communication and social justice.

The Cloth Option is run entirely by volunteers and relies on generous donations from individuals and corporations to distribute cloth diapers to families in need and those interested in making the switch from disposable to cloth diapers.

The mission of the "kitchen table nonprofit," in part, is to help reduce landfill waste.

"Using cloth diapers has a huge impact on landfill waste," said Sadie Cora, one of seven board members for The Cloth Option, who spoke to The Batavian today from her home in Massachusetts. "One cloth diaper can be used at least 200 times, compared to a single-use disposable" wrapped in plastic -- thereby eliminating thousands of them from landfills -- for just one child.

In addition to reducing plastic pollution, advocates say there are many benefits to adding cloth diapers into your family's diapering routine. Whether used full or part time, cloth diapers can help your family save money and reduce diaper rashes.

Qualifying families receive a free starter set of cloth diapers that contain up to 20 cloth diaper changes, depending on the age of the child.

Each kit includes a mix of styles and brands, so that families can find what works best from them.

The Cloth Option also lends newborn diaper sets to both "new-to-cloth" families* and established cloth diaper families who may need that size. Our diaper distribution program is completely free to families, and has no income or citizenship requirements.**

Since no government programs exist to subsidize the cost of diapers, families are often faced with the choice to pay utilities, purchase food or buy diapers at an average cost of $80 per month for disposables. The $80 average increases when families are in poverty and do not have access to club memberships and big box stores.

Using cloth diapers can save a family more than $1,000 on diapers for one child, and even more when used on subsequent children. Studies show that access to a sufficient amount of diapers improves mental and physical health, and has the potential to assist in breaking the cycle of poverty for families. 

Since January 2019, The Cloth Option has provided cloth diapers to more than 2,400 children, replacing at least 7.3 million disposable diapers.

To reach Genesee County's cloth diaper advocate Kim Long (pronouns: she/her/hers) email:   kimberly.NY@theclothoption.org. Text her at:  (716) 949-0127, or visit on Facebook.

*Editor's note: For more on the myths and realities of using cloth diapers, click here.

**However, proof of residency and of child are required for assistance.

Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse staff hosted a Recovery Games event today at the agency's Recovery Station social gathering place (formerly Bohn's Restaurant) on Clinton Street Road.

Activities included ladder ball (top photo) and cornhole, and everyone was treated to lunch.

In bottom photo, Sue Gagne, recovery center coordinator, assists a couple of attendees.

Photo by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

Longtime Corfu resident and dedicated community volunteer Dave Saleh was honored with the dedication of a new bench at the village hall this morning.

Saleh, who is battling cancer, now lives in Batavia, but he's never far from the hearts of Corfu residents and he's still only a phone call away when people have questions or need help with something.

An attorney by training, Saleh has used his legal expertise to help the Village and the volunteer fire department. In 1995, he helped lead the effort to create a fire district to support the department and relive the village of the expense. He's volunteered with the department for more than 40 years.

"He's always given of his time and energy to the people of the village," said Mayor Tom Sargent.

Saleh said he felt overwhelmed by the gesture.

"I raised my kids here," Saleh said. "I have a number of very close friends here who are near and dear to my heart. All of these people are close to my heart. I can't express the appreciation I feel for all the things they do for me."

A pair of luxury sports cars -- a 2007 Lotus Elise and a 2008 Lotus Elise California -- were involved in an accident at about 9:20 a.m. on Colby Road, Corfu, at the railroad crossing.

One of the drivers, from Clarence, said the Lotus doesn't have great clearance for going over railroad tracks so he slowed to go over the tracks and the driver behind him, from West Seneca, didn't notice him slow. The red car rear-ended the orange car, driving it off the road and into a utility pole.

The driver said, "I'm not upset by it. Accidents will happen." 

He figures insurance will cover the damage and nobody was hurt, and that's what really matters.

The two drivers, along with a third Lotus owner in the caravan, were on their way to Watkins Glen for a rally.