Lucas Birkby, a 17-year-old from Darien powerlifter recently won a USAPL regional event at Riverworks in Buffalo, where he broke state records and qualified for the nationals in October where he will be ranked #1 in his class.

A student at Genesee Community College, Lucas has been training on his own at home in his garage and he lifted more than any adult at the meet in Buffalo. 

His bench press was 420 pounds, with a squat of 620 pounds and a deadlift of 600 pounds. The previous records for 16- and 17-year-olds were 276 in the bench, 403 in the squat, and 375 for the deadlift. His totals even eclipsed the "equipped" category state records, which were set in 1969.

The USAPL is a drug-free lifting organization. 

By winning the regional event, Lucas now has a coach, Carley Skarupinski of Mustache Fitness and Barbell, who will help prepare Lucas for the national meet. Skarupinski was director of the Riverworks event.

Photos and info submitted by Scott Birkby.

Graham Corporation employees took on a special cause this past week -- donating backpacks and other school supplies to be distributed to local schoolchildren through the Salvation Army.

Student Transportation of America agreed to park a school bus on the Graham property so the 250 local employees could have a convenient place to drop off their donations.

Julie Roloson, human resources director, said the Graham community wanted to take on a new challenge to support the local community.

"Graham takes great pride in how many events and donations we can make locally and this happened to be one that we tried for the first time and we hope it will be very successful year after year," Roloson said. "We’re extremely proud to participate."

As the YMCA and UMMC have developed their plans for a new Healthy Living Center at Main and Bank streets they've found they could have available as much as 7,000 square feet to accommodate new space for the Genesee County Senior Center and the Office of the Aging.

County staff, led by County Manager Jay Gsell are working with the Y and UMMC on determining if such a merger of operations would be feasible.

Rob Walker (top photo), director of the Genesee Area YMCA in Batavia, and Dan Ireland, CEO of UMMC, brought the plan to members of the Legislature during the Human Services Committee meeting on Monday as part of a review of the progress on the Healthy Living Center plans.

"What we want to do is have a meaningful discussion with Jay and the team about what option does that present," Walker said. "How can that space be filled? How can it integrate with the community living area?"

The facility will be 85,000 square feet and contain community space, exercise space, a pool, a gym, meeting rooms and an interior walking/running track.

There will also be what Walker and Ireland called a "community living room" in the middle of the building with access from Main Street that will be open to all members of the community, without requiring a Y membership or the services of UMMC. The community living room will be a hub to access services at the facility or just meet with other community members.

The UMMC portion of the building will provide primary care, Ireland said, as well as a residency teaching program, behavioral health and crisis intervention, telemedicine, cancer prevention outreach services such as breast and colon cancer screenings, diabetes, cardiac conditions, dietary education, education services for team members and community.

The goal, Ireland said, is to increase the integration of services across the spectrum of needs for community members, and partnering with the Office of the Aging will help enhance that integration.

"A fully integrated network doesn’t just mean us getting other doctors or other specialists," Ireland said. "It means integrating services within the community. It’s integration with the YMCA and sharing resources and services to touch the community. It means integrating with the Senior Center and the Office of Aging."

Construction on the new YMCA portion should begin in 2019 and once the new Y portion of the building is open, the existing Y can be torn down and the UMMC portion of the building can be added.

If the county decides to integrate its senior, and perhaps its youth, programs, with the Healthy Living Center, it would be up to the county to decide what to do with the existing Senior Center building on Bank Street. Walker acknowledged it is a county asset.

Walker addressed the future of the building while answering questions about access to the new building for seniors using county services.

"Does the current building need to exist?" Walker said. "If it does, it does. But if it doesn't, that helps the flow of access."

The legislature is not being asked to take any action at this time and members were comfortable with letting Gsell and staff continue the discussions.

Downstairs features a large family room with gas fireplace, pretty ceramic floors, brand new full bath-perfect hang out room or an awesome large master bedroom suite! Upstairs features hardwood floors large open kitchen/dining/living space ideal for entertaining! Three bedrooms with full closets and another brand new bath.

Not a lot to do here but decorate! Outside is nicely landscaped and lot backs up to fields with pretty views – very easy to see. Call Lynn Bezon, Reliant Real Estate 585-344-HOME or click here for more information on this listing.

A female passenger and the middle-aged male driver of a gray Mercedes involved in a high-speed chase with law enforcement earlier this afternoon after a shoplifting incident at Rochester's Marketplace Mall are both now in Strong Memorial Hospital; she is being evaluated and he has minor injuries. No one else was injured.

The chase began after the pair was suspected of a larceny at the Sears store in the mall on Miracle Mile Drive.

New York State Police Troop A Commander, Major Edward Kennedy, flanked by law enforcement officials from Genesee and Monroe counties, gave a press conference within the last half hour in the middle of Kelsey Road in Batavia about what occurred.

He said the call about the suspected shoplifting came in at 12:27 p.m. The suspects took off and got on Route 390, pursued by Monroe County Sheriff's deputies and troopers from E Barracks. The Mercedes then got on the Thruway and took the Batavia exit; it spun around and the driver lost control of the car, which was surrounded by troopers from A and E barracks and deputies from Genesee and Monroe counties.

At that point, Kennedy said the vehicle exited the Thruway plaza and drove aggressively toward law enforcement; an officer fired shots; the Mercedes collided with a police car. The suspects drove to Park Road, to Veterans Memorial Drive, and made their way to Route 5 before turning north on Kelsey Drive. They headed onto private property, driving down a long driveway before the suspected ditched the car and tried to flee on foot. They were quickly apprehended without further incident. 

A press release with more information will be released at 6 p.m., Kennedy said, noting there are multiple crime scenes involved in this ongoing investigation.

UPDATE 6:26 p.m.: Press release from NYSP:

On Aug. 3 at approximately 12:34 p.m., Troop E Troopers responded to assist Monroe County Sheriff’s Office who were following 1997 Mercedes Benz with switched license plates that was involved in a larceny from Sears at Marketplace Mall in Henrietta. 

At 12:51 p.m. the suspect vehicle fled once emergency lights were activated. This pursuit continued onto the Interstate-90 westbound. The suspect vehicle exited the I-90 at exit 48, Batavia. Patrols attempted to block the suspect vehicle near the toll barrier. The suspect vehicle continued aggressively toward Troopers and as a result a Trooper shot his service weapon at the threat. The pursuit continued until the suspect vehicle turned into a private driveway on Kelsey Road in the Town of Batavia at 1:19 p.m.  The suspect vehicle struck a dirt embankment and came to rest in a wooded area. 

The operator, Andrew Adeb Said, 49 of Port Richey, Fla., and the passenger Tara A. Hackrott, 35, of Williamsville, attempted to flee on foot and were subsequently arrested. Both suspects were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital. Andrew Adeb Said had minor injuries and Hackrott was taken for evaluation. 

New York State Police Troop A, E, T, The Bureau of Criminal Investigation, NYSP Collision Reconstruction Unit, NYS DEC, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the Town of Batavia Fire Department assisted in this investigation.

This is still an ongoing criminal investigation. Criminal charges are pending.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Major Edward Kennedy, Troop A commander, center, with Capt. Douglas Comanzo, Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and Major Eric Laughton, Troop E commander.

Jenny Staebell had her first child when she was 19, and put herself through college, earning a master’s degree and becoming a teacher.

Staebell is now the director and community health educator for Project Stork Inc., a nonprofit organization she started, providing services for Genesee and Orleans counties. She is a certified NYS Health Educator for prekindergarten through grade 12.

The program empowers young people to make healthy decisions about education, relationships, sex, parenting and their lives. In addition to helping teen parents, the program has services and workshops for younger children, starting in kindergarten, and parents of teens.

“I decided one day I wanted to do something greater than what I was doing,” Staebell said. “I wanted to impact lives. I took some time off, and Project Stork evolved to what it is today.”

According to the Family and Youth Services Bureau, there are approximately 750,000 teen pregnancies and 400,000 teen births in the United States every year. According to Staebell, in Genesee County, there is a rate of 15.1 teen pregnancies, ages 15 to 19 per 1,000 females. In 2015, there were 28 pregnancies, of which 20 live births occurred and 8 induced abortions.

Staebell started taking participants for the programs, and has nine moms in the programs, between the ages of 16 and 20. Some are pregnant, some are parenting and first-time moms.

“I meet with them once a month, but every day I am in contact with them through texting, or I check on them through Facebook to see if they need anything,” Staebell said. “I go out and drop off a bunch of stuff to get them ready and prepared. I keep in close contact to make sure everything is OK and that they know they have the support also.”

There are multiple programs throughout Project Stork that offer many goals, whether it be finishing high school or finding a career in the work field. Project Stork helps put the parent in contact with resources throughout the county to complete those goals.

There is also positive parenting workshop for young moms or dads. They use a program called “Nurturing Parents,” which is an evidence-based program developed specifically for teen parents.

Through each program, if the participants meet the goals, at the end of the month, Project Stork purchases something the parent may need.

“We’ve purchased crib, car seat, stroller, other baby gear items, or items for their household,” Staebell said. “Also, a microwave, interview clothes, and things of that nature.”

Teens enrolled in the programs also receive a monthly supply of diapers and wipes.

Project Stork offers resources, such as healthy workshops, which have been offered in schools throughout the area for all different age groups. Staebell is hoping the programs will be offered county-wide in the future.

All programs and services are free.

Students in kindergarten through fifth grade learn can about nutrition, growth, mental health, being a good friend, or being in dangerous situations.

Middle school students learn about nutrition and lessons that fit the health curriculum. High school students have lessons that fit the health class curriculum, as well as dating violence, contraception, and various topics in sexual health.

These programs started being offered in Oakfield-Alabama and Le Roy during the end of last year.

Sara Horgan, a teacher in Le Roy, said Staebell is a great resource for her in the classroom, as well as the community.

“I definitely have not taken full advantage of all Project Stork has to offer yet,” Horgan said.

Horgan was looking for updated research-based curriculum to use in her classroom, and Project Stork has been a valuable resource for her.

“I have also referred students and their families to the Project Stork community-based resources,” Horgan said. “In conjunction with our school social worker, we are also currently piloting a girls' wellness group with Project Stork. [It is] very much in the beginning stages, but we are hopeful that group can grow and help more girls make healthy decisions now and in the future.”

Staebell said they are currently looking to get a location in Genesee County for a Project Stork office.

“We want a place to have some office hours for young parents to come in, enroll in classes and get supplies,” Staebell said.

Project Stork is made possible through donations, sponsors, and fundraisers, but Staebell is hoping to eventually get grants to run more programs.

“We’re hoping each month to do a bigger event and a bigger fundraiser,” Staebell said.

Donations can also be made to Project Stork directly through their website, located here. 

The organization's email address is:  projectstorkinc@gmail.com

Press release:

The almost 200-year-old Farmer’s Creekside Tavern & Inn has been fully restored and expanded after a fire nearly destroyed the building in 2004. At just over one year in business, Farmer’s is making waves -- not only received the OpenTable Diners' Choice Award, but also recently being awarded the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.

Establishments awarded, “The Award of Excellence” typically offer at least 90 selections, feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Whether compact or extensive, focused or diverse, these lists deliver sufficient choice to satisfy discerning wine lovers.

At Farmer's, we strive to offer a unique experience:

The world of wine is vast and nearly limitless. There are more than 25,000 different grape varietals grown in more than 6,000 regions. Politics, trade and agricultural economics have largely influenced what grapes dominate the market. Today, the average consumer is generally exposed to the “6 Noble Grapes” which include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.

While Farmer’s Creekside pays homage to many of the “popular kids,” we’ve dedicated ourselves toward exploring many of the other 24,994 grapes from several of the lesser-known regions. Humans are explorers at heart and we hope to lead our guests through an exploration of wine.    

Farmer's Creekside Tavern & Inn Supports Local Agriculture:

Restaurants are a big foundation for supporting the local economy -- from masons to carpenters to cow farmers and wine producers -- we have an economic responsibility to support the local agricultural industry. Sommelier Drew Tschäppät notes that, “Finger Lakes and Niagara wine has come immeasurably far in the last 20 years. Sommeliers and critics have taken note and more and more consumers are getting on board as well. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be working in a region that is producing such incredible wines and that is getting better each year.”

With a modern menus, beautifully appointed guest rooms, and an award-winning wine list, Farmer’s Creekside Tavern & Inn has positioned themselves as a destination dining venue worth visiting. It is located at 1 Main St. in the Village of Le Roy.

For more information visit FarmersCreekside.com or call to reserve a table 585-768-6007.

State Police were pursuing a gray Mercedes on the Thruway and the vehicle exited the Thruway at the Batavia exit. Shots have been fired. The vehicle is passing Gui's Lumber now.

UPDATE 1:03 p.m.: The vehicle is northbound on Kelsey Road.

UPDATE 1:06 p.m.: "Subject is on foot 8370 Kelsey Road. White male late 40s, early 50s," a dispatcher said. Cars are being sent to 3338 Pratt Road to set up a perimeter. A State Police helicopter out of Niagara County is hovering in the vicinity to help in the manhunt.

UPDATE 1:08 p.m.: Two subjects are in custody. Mercy medics #1 and #3 called to evaluate to patients at 8364 Kelsey Road. Law enforcement is with them. The location is between West Main Street Road and Pratt Road.

UPDATE 1:29 p.m.: East Pembroke Fire Department is asked to shut down Kelsey Road at Route 5 and Pratt.

Tomorrow starting at 6 p.m. the place to be is GO ART!, 201 E. Main St., Batavia, where the night's guest bartenders will be Howard Owens of The Batavian and Chris Kalin of WBTA.

Billed as a competition, our goal is to raise as much money as possible for local arts, so come, be merry, enjoy a few drinks, leave tips on the bar.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) voted to approve incentives for the construction of two 2MW community solar farms for a combined total of 4MW at 2901 Pearl Street Road. The developer, Pearl Solar LLC will invest approximately $6 million investment and will receive incentives of approximately $472,000 in sales and property tax exemptions.

“While we were concerned about the fact that the project will only create one job, there are other temporary economic impacts such as construction and installation jobs as well as benefits to the local community in approving a renewable energy project of this nature,” said GCEDC Board Chairman Paul Battaglia. 

Among the benefits of the project include: an enhanced property tax payment through a 15-year PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) resulting in approximately $311,000 in property tax payments to Genesee County and the Pembroke school district; energy discounts of 10 percent for local residents who sign an agreement with the company to purchase solar energy from the project(s); and, a community benefit agreement in which Pearl Solar will make a $50,000 donation to the Genesee County STEM2 STAMP workforce development program when the two projects are completed.

“This project fits into our local economic development strategy and marketing alignment as we are finding that renewable energy is becoming a preference item for site selectors or companies conducting site location searches,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. “The project also will have no carbon footprint, providing environmental benefits to local residents and just as important it aligns with Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative.”

It’s possible to fly an airplane while never leaving the ground, and for the 20 members of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club, that is their preferred method of flight.

The club dates back to the mid-1970s, founded by Gary Bobzin and the late Bill Rudd, Lloyd Mowers and Don Moynihan.

Until 1999 they flew from the front lawn of Genesee Community College.

The group incorporated in 1980 and moved to several locations until setting up camp 14 years ago on the late Ray Heddon’s field on Randall Road. The field is now owned by Aaron and Colleen Garner, who allow the club to continue to meet and fly there in exchange for maintaining the grounds.

The club meets at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month during the summer months. Members fly their models on weekends and evenings when weather permits, and spectators and interested individuals are always welcome.

For prospective members interested in joining the club, there is no cost to join until they can safely “solo,” then annual dues are $25.

Cost of a radio control aircraft can start at $100, and many come ready to fly. Many members prefer to buy a kit and build their own aircraft, like Joe Palmer, of Batavia.

A member since 1999, Palmer scratch-built his Extra 300. He said he does his building in the winter and flies in the summer.

A radio control aircraft is the perfect answer to someone who is interested in aviation, but can’t afford the cost of flying a real airplane.

“I always wanted to fly a real one, but it is too expensive,” said Bob Walters, of Le Roy. “I have a son in aviation who works for Calspan, so I’ve always been interested in airplanes.”

He has been a member of the flying club for at least 15 years, he said.

Palmer first joined the club in 1966, then dropped out for 10 years, but got back involved and has been a member ever since.

Board Member Gary Bobzin got interested in aircraft after his wife bought him an hour flight in a warbird at the Geneseo Airshow.

For club president Bob Ray, of Bergen, flying radio control airplanes is a wonderful way to spend quality time with his grandson Ethan, 16.

“The fact I can come out here and fly a plane and I don’t need a license is kind of cool,” Ethan said.

Jay Fisher, treasurer, also got involved to introduce his 14-year-old son to aviation. That was in 1986 and he bought a kit and built the plane in their cellar.

A majority of the members fly fixed wing models, but all types of aircraft are welcome, such as helicopters and new-to-the-market quadcopters. Jet models are also welcome but must fly under specific safety rules. The club also shares its field with drones.

Most models have gasoline engines, but some are all-electric, such as Ken Beach’s Maule, and another uses glow fuel.

Flight instruction is free and the club owns a trainer to teach new pilots.

To become a member of the club, however, a member must have insurance through the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

The club also participates in special activities, such as a hotdog sale fundraiser today, Saturday and Sunday at Batavia Walmart.

On Aug. 18, they will host a fun-fly, in which clubs from throughout the region will be invited. The public is also invited and as many as 100 models could be participating.

Officers of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club are Bob Ray, president; Jay Ezard, vice president; Dave Swift, secretary; Jay Fisher, treasurer; and Gary Bobzin, board member.

Top photo: Joe Palmer, left, talks with Gary Bobzin during a meeting of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club Thursday at their field on the land of Aaron and Colleen Garner, formerly Ray Heddon’s field at 6684 Randall Road. All photos by Virginia Kropf.

Bob Walters, of Le Roy, puts a wing on his radio control airplane as he prepares to fly it during a meeting of the Batavia Remote Control Flying Club.

Richard Smith, of Morganville, flies his RV4 radio control airplane at the former Ray Heddon field on Randall Road.

A Chipmunk radio control airplane piloted by Joe Palmer, of Batavia, lands during a meeting Thursday night of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club.

Bob Ray, president of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club, starts his Yak 54 with help from his grandson Ethan Thursday night at the former Ray Heddon’s field on Randall Road. The plane has a wingspan of 110 inches and weighs nearly 29 pounds.

As time winds down for the 2018 Jenny Kuzma 5K race, organizers are fearful this could be the last year for the race, which has earned the reputation as one of the most competitive races in Western and Central New York.

Started more than 25 years ago as the Bergen Swamp Race, it was renamed the Jenny Kuzma Memorial 5K race to honor the Byron-Bergen eighth-grader who died of leukemia in June 1990 at the age of 13.

Eric Boyce has chaired the race for the last 12 years, assisted by Joe Chimino, a senior lineman with the Village of Bergen until his retirement in May.

Boyce, however, has moved to Canandaigua, and since Chimino’s retirement, he doesn’t have access to the village equipment needed to set up for the race and handle traffic control. Because of these factors, both men have decided this will be their last year chairing the event.

Both Boyce and Chimino are hoping someone else will come forward to chair and organize the race, which has drawn some pretty impressive participants.

Boyce, who used to run the race and won it several times, became involved in organizing it when Paul Thomas, his former cross-country coach at Byron-Bergen High School, was chairman. Boyce was eventually instrumental in raising the race to the status of a USA Track and Field qualifying race 10 years ago.

“If you look at race statistics in Western New York, this one sticks out,” Boyce said. “Besides promoting healthy lifestyles and community involvement, we’ve had some pretty neat highlights along the way. Several people got engaged at the finish line; the second fastest 5K run by a woman was at this race in 2014, and a man from Kenya set a course record here after riding on a bus all night from Nyack to get here.”

The race begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday on Parkview Drive in Hickory Park.

Early registration ended Wednesday, but racers can still register for $30 from up until 6:15 p.m. today at Medved Running and Walking Outfitters, 3400 Monroe Ave., Rochester; or they can register the day of the race up until 8:30 a.m. for $35.

Proceeds from the race fund a scholarship for an eighth-grader at Byron-Bergen School and Camp Good Days.

Boyce said he doesn’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but he hopes someone will take over.

“We’ve been contacted by several groups who are interested, but most don’t realize how much is involved behind the scenes,” he said. “This event is good for the village and the community.”

If someone is willing to take it over, Boyce said he might possibly be able to help.

Top photo: Hundreds of racers hit the street in last year’s Jenny Kuzma 5K race in Bergen. This could be the last year for the race if new organizers don’t step up.

The annual Jenny Kuzma 5K race in Bergen has earned a reputation as one of the most competitive races in all of Western and Central New York. Here, a runner from Kenya sets the course record after riding all night on a bus from Nyack to reach Bergen in a race several years ago.

Hannah Davidson, of Saratoga Springs, accepts her check in 2014 after posting the second fastest time by a woman in a 5K race in the Rochester area at the Jenny Kuzma 5K race.

A trooper was pursuing two individuals on the Thruway and one rider dumped his bike at the I-490.

At some point, the individual wrestled with the trooper but it's not clear when or where.

He is a black male wearing jeans and a multi-colored jacket.

The other motorcycle exited the Thruway at the 490 and fled in an unknown direction of travel. It's unknown if he circled back and picked up the rider.

Troopers and deputies heading to the area.

A K-9 is requested.

UPDATE 12:03 a.m.: All responding units have switched to L.E. Secure. We won't hear any more about this incident.

Local library directors are asking Genesee County to provide $48,000 in funding in its 2019 budget, which would restore the county's share of funding to 2011 levels.

Without committing, either way, several members of county's Human Services Committee on Monday questioned why towns in the county that don't have libraries aren't doing more to assist funding libraries since their residents certainly use libraries, whether it's the Richmond, Haxton, Corfu, Woodward, or Hollwedel libraries.

"You need to make a presentation to GAM (Genesee Association of Municipalities) because there are still significant portions of the county that are not contributing to the libraries," said Robert Bausch, chairman of the County Legislature. "I hate to say that certain people in certain towns are dumber than other people so, therefore, they don’t need libraries. I don’t think that’s true but the bottom line is, this has gone on now since approximately 1986, so this has gone on for 30 years and these other towns have not stepped up."

Suzanne Schauf, director of the Hollwedel Memorial Library in Pavilion, suggested that because of towns without libraries -- such as Bethany, Alabama, Alexander, and Elba -- aren't legally obligated to pay for libraries, any funding that comes from the towns could be precarious and subject to political whim.

Bethany, she said, used to make a contribution to the Pavilion library, but then somebody said the wrong thing to somebody, somebody else got mad, she said, and the funding was cut.

To secure more funding from these towns, libraries would need to recharter to incorporate these towns either in a library district or as part of an appropriate school budget.

That can be a lengthy process, though the Corfu Free Library rechartered as a school district library and became the Corfu Public Library in 2016.

Bausch was actually part of the committee 30 years ago that came up with the formula for the county to provide financial support to all of the libraries. The original plan was for the county share to be $60,000, or $1 per resident.

Over time, that share was reduced and is now less than $48,000, though the county's population is 58,000.

More than half the money goes to the Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia and though that is the largest piece of the funding pie, said Director Robert Conrad, it is the smallest portion of the library's revenue stream.

The county share is generally used for the purchase and upkeep of technology and purchasing new books.

The Legislature is asking that the topic be placed on the next GAM agenda.

About half the Village of Le Roy will lose power for up to a half hour while crews work on downed power lines along Lake Street Road near Orcon Industries.

About 35 minutes ago, a Waste Management truck coming through the area hit power lines and pulled them down. Before crews could get in place to shut down traffic, more trucks came through the area and pulled down more lines, according to Le Roy Police Chief Chris Hayward.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy PD along with National Grid are on scene.

UPDATE 4:59 p.m.: National Grid has control of the scene now. Le Roy fire is back in service.

Press release:

Batavia -- The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County Board of Directors will meet at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 28.  The meeting will be held at the Extension Center at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia and is open to the public.

Any questions should be directed to Yvonne Peck at 585-343-3040, ext. 123.

The next 2018 CCE Board of Directors meeting will be at the same time/place on Nov. 20.

Ryan Duffy is 18 months into his job as director of the Holland Land Office Museum and members of the Genesee County Legislature have taken notice of the improvements he's made to the local history destination.

Several members praised him Monday after he give his annual review report to the Human Services Committee.

"Two years ago or three years ago there was significant activity and concern about the museum," said Robert Bausch, chairman of the legislature. "I just want to compliment you. The issues that we raised are being addressed and addressed in a positive way. I just want to congratulate you."

During his presentation, Duffy laid out some of the activities at the museum, which include continuing the just-completed History Heroes summer camp, cataloging more than 8,000 items at the museum, bringing in more groups to use space at the museum for meetings, bringing in more guest speakers, and starting a Java with Joe morning speakers series.

Duffy also brought back the annual antique show at Batavia Downs, which this year had vendors from as far away as Syracuse and Binghampton and brought in 450 visitors.

The museum also continues to grow as a tourist destination. Duffy said in 2017, nearly half of all people who visited the museum were from outside Genesee County.

Duffy also suggested people start thinking about their Wonderland of Trees decorations. This year's theme will be "favorite holiday movies."

"You’ve done fantastic," said Legislator John Deleo. "You’ve energized everybody including the board."

During his presentation Monday, Duffy also mentioned two recent acquisitions by the museum.  

Top photo: Six pictures of Gen. Emory Upton. The larger picture on the left is from the West Point yearbook when Upton was an instructor at the academy. The other five are of Upton during the Civil War, showing Upton as a young lieutenant fresh out of West Point through the end of the war when he was a brevet major general (brevet means a temporary promotion usually awarded for valor or exceptionalism; Upton was a brigadier general prior to the brevet promotion).

The photos were obtained from a private collector.

"The pictures show not only the change in himself over time but also his change in rank," Duffy said. "We didn’t have anything like that before. We had later things of him but not something tracing his career. We had the beginning and the end but not the middle."

Bottom photo: A painting of Henry Glowacki on a piece of ivory. Glowacki was a prominent citizen of Batavia in the second half of the 19th century and he had a pretty fascinating biography. Born in 1816, the son of a Polish general, Glowacki was promoted to major in the Polish Army at age 17. He was probably part of the November Uprising, when a group of young officers rebelled against Russian rule of part of their homeland (source). The officers were banished from Poland. He intended to make exile in Illinois but he came into contact with David Ellicott Evans, then manager of the Holland Land Office. Evans hired Glowacki, though he was still only 19 and didn't speak or read English. Within four years, he mastered the language and studied law under H. J. Redfield and he married Mary Redfield. He passed the New York State Bar in 1840 and became a prominent local attorney. He was chairman of the local Democratic Party, a recruiter during the Civil War, a Village of Batavia trustee, an original trustee of the NYS Blind School, and he donated land for the first hospital in Batavia.

Prior to obtaining the painting -- about the size of an egg -- the only pictures HLOM had of Glowacki were as an old man with mutton chops, Duffy said.

Museum staff located the painting while attending an antique show. It is etched on the back with Glowacki's name and his date of birth and death.

The museum already possessed his Polish army uniform and a paperweight he used while employed at the land office.

A car vs. tree accident is reported in the area of 9509 Fargo Road, Bethany.

Unknown injuries.

Bethany fire and Stafford and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 4:15 p.m.: Units can respond non-emergency.

UPDATE 4:58 p.m.: The Fargo Road assignment is back in service. One person transported to UMMC.

Photos by Timothy Chugg.