DeFazio has been a resident of Le Roy since his marriage to is wife Elizabeth (Lee) Costa, 46 years ago. They have two daughters, Christina (Tim) Carvel and Stacy (Jason) Wentworth, and six grandchildren, Brayden, Nolan, Matthew, Addison, Tyler and Dominic.

DeFazio is a graduate of Notre Dame High School and has a Associate of Applied Science degree from Genesee Community College.

He has been active with many school programs, including PTA and the Le Roy Sports Boosters. He was one the of the first coaches for the Le Roy Youth Soccer and also coached Le Roy Youth Football and Le Roy Little League. He has always been a strong supporter of Le Roy Athletics, supporting his daughters during their involvement, and still continuing to cheer on the local teams.

He has been a member and served on the board of the Le Roy Jaycees, Knights of Columbus Edward Powers Council 2936, the Le Roy Historical Society (currently oversees all the building maintenance ), and Le Roy Christian Community Project. He was also on the Oatka Festival Committee for several years.

He is an active member of the Our Lady of Mercy Parish.

DeFazio also serves his community by being elected as a councilman for Town of Le Roy and at one time was its deputy supervisor. He also serves as a member of the Genesee County Parks and Water Commission.

To honor him, the 51^th annual LeRoyan of the Year Award Dinner will be held on Oct. 26. Social hour is at 6 p.m. with dinner served at 6:45 p.m., at the American Legion at 53 W. Main St, Le Roy. Tickets are available at the American Legion or at Mickel’s Nickels, 80 Lake St., Le Roy. Cost is $25 per ticket.

Information and photo submitted by Joan Fernaays.

The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department during the Meek Mill/Future concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Sunday:

Kaylauni C. Factor-Hamilton, 18, Kalar Road, Niagara Falls, Canada, is charged with harassment, 2nd, resisting arrest, and criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd, after allegedly slamming a gate into a Sheriff’s deputy, resisting that arrest and then being found in possession of a fictitious Quebec Identification Card. Factor-Hamilton was arraigned in Alexander Town Court and jailed in lieu of $1000 bail.

Joseph M. Dilaura III, 26, McKoon Avenue, Niagara Falls, is charged with trespass after allegedly attempting to reenter the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Kyle W. Ruge, 23, Polaski Street, Freedom, is charged with trespass after allegedly attempting to reenter the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Jacob M. Bell III, 21, Post 5, Niagara Falls, Canada, is charged with harassment, 2nd, after allegedly striking a Live Nation Employee in the face. 

Donald P. Mullen Jr., 21, Locust Street, Lockport, is charged with trespass after allegedly attempting to reenter the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Tyler L. McKeown, 21, Robinson Road, Lockport, is charged with trespass after allegedly attempting to reenter the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Kennedy R. Kuzma-Ball, 21, Locust Street, Lockport, is charged with trespass after allegedly attempting to reenter the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Brittany C. Cotton, 25, Trent Square, Cheektowaga, is charged with harassment, 2nd, after allegedly shoving a Live Nation employee.

Kesi F. Muhammad, 25, West Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with harassment, 2nd, after allegedly shoving a Live Nation employee.

Takiesha M. Jackson, 23, Jefferson Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with false personation and trespass after allegedly attempting to reenter the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return, and then providing false information about her identity.

Several residents of Galloway and Lewiston roads in the Town of Batavia spoke out tonight against a plan to build a 19.8-acre, 4-megawatt ground-mounted solar system at 3565 Galloway Road, citing potential adverse effects on the environment, property values and the aesthetic benefits of rural living.

Bright Oak Solar LLC is proposing to place the solar panels on property in an Agricultural-Residential district owned by Wayne Dunham.

His neighbors who commented at a public hearing, attended by about 30 people prior to the Batavia Town Planning Board’s meeting at the Town Hall, didn’t see it as such a bright idea.

“It will be in my backyard and I’ll have to look at it,” said Brandon Miller, of Lewiston Road, who added that he would be hampered in a bid to sell his home. “It is right in the middle of almost two roads like that (with many houses). It’s ridiculous.”

Miller’s words were the first in a half-hour’s worth of remarks pointed at Tom Healy, project manager for Prowind Inc., the developer, and Daniel Yanosh, project manager with Hunt engineering out of Rochester.

Yanosh explained that the solar system would be placed on the southern part of Dunham’s property, facing Galloway Road (see diagram), with the land to the north remaining as agricultural acreage.

He said that a gravel access road would be installed, that the solar farm would be surrounded by a 7-foot chain link fence and that part of it would be screened by plantings and trees. He added that the plan calls for five utility poles (but planners later requested that number be reduced to three or four).

“The grading goes up and falls off, so you’re not going to see much of it from across the road,” Yanosh said. “It’s 300 feet off the road and with the natural topography, there will be minimal visual impacts.”

Mike Hall, who lives on Galloway Road, asked if developers considered moving it back further from Galloway, if an environmental impact statement had been done and who is going to benefit from this.

“Are we going to see any benefit from this? Where is the electricity going and who benefits from it?” he said.

Healey responded that developers strive to minimize the distance from the connection point (in this instance, on Galloway Road) and will be upgrading an existing gas track that runs from the road through the middle of the solar panel array.

“As far as who benefits, energy is exported to National Grid, and the state has a community solar (program), which offers a discount on your energy bill (to those who opt in to the program),” he said.

Linda Fox, of Lewiston Road, said she sees the solar farm as a disruption to her enjoyment of wildlife in the area.

“I’m totally against that,” she said. “I look outside and see deer, all kinds of animals … chipmunks, birds, everything you can think of. If he decides to do this, we might as well sell the house and go.”

Healey countered by saying that the project is at its maximum capacity, which is correct due to Town code restrictions.

But Hall said he wasn’t convinced of its value.

“Maybe in the future we could see some benefit from it, but I am concerned about the environmental impact. I’ve seen these things all over the United States, and they’re really ugly.”

Planning Board Chair Kathy Jasinski then noted that the board is charged with conducting a State Environmental Quality Review -- gathering information from the town engineer, project engineer, zoning officials and staff to make an informed decision.

Miller brought up the solar farm’s effect on property values. When asked if it was going to drop, Jasinski advised him to talk to his assessor, but also noted that there isn’t enough data in this area to make an accurate determination.

Hall, stating out loud that this is “probably a done deal,” said any impact upon assessments should be considered before approval of projects such as these.

Galloway Road resident Sonja Armbrewster requested that the developers add screening on the southeast portion of the system, which is near her property.

“It’s just off my backyard and all I will see is a bunch of solar panels,” she said. “Now, we’re able to look at deer and nature.”

Moments later, she too asked about the impact on property values, stating “these people are making a lot of money. Who is going to reimburse us?”

Tim Call, of Galloway Road, asked Yanosh about the construction involved.

“We drive piles into the ground. We’re not running concrete trucks like crazy and it’s a stone base,” Yanosh said. “There will be some deliveries but once it’s done, there will be only two or three trips per year. And when it’s decommissioned (put out of service in 25 years), it's back to farm land.”

Responding to a question from Hall about possible flooding, Yanosh said grass, pollinators and clover will be planted.

“This will provide a lot more vegetative uptake and slow that rush of water quite a bit,” he said. “That’s a benefit for the stormwater aspect.”

After all comments were heard, the board declared lead agency status for the SEQR, approving a negative declaration (no serious environmental impacts) but stopped short of voting on the special use permit and site plan.

Instead, acting on board Member Steve Tanner’s request, they asked Yanosh and Healy to come back to the Oct. 1^st meeting armed with another visual assessment of the land, taking into account the calls for additional screening, reduction of the number of utility poles, decommissioning bond details and other information requested by the town engineer.

Upon exiting, Yanosh said they will add more trees to the southeast side.

In other action, the board asked representatives of Borrego Solar Systems LLC to provide more information as to how their plan to construct two 20-acre, 7.2-megawatt ground solar systems at 8050 Oak Orchard Road (Route 98) does not run contrary to the parameters set forth by the Town in connection to 600 acres earmarked as a Planned Business Development District.

Borrego is hoping to place the solar farm on land owned by Eric Saile, located north of the NYS Thruway interchange.

The board was looking to declare lead agency status for the SEQR review, but put that on hold after Town Engineer Steve Mountain brought up several points – farmland protection, archeological study, zoning inconsistencies – that need to be cleared up.

According to requirements of the PBD District, the minimum development size is 100 acres. This was set up by the Town to ensure large-scale commercial development that would benefit the municipality, preserve the agricultural land and avoid piecemeal projects that could hinder future marketability of the parcel.

Marc Kenward, senior engineer with Erdman Anthony, and Emilie Flanagan, project developer for Borrego, contended that their project is in line with Town code in that solar farms are allowed in all zoning districts by a special use permit and also is of a “temporary nature” in that the solar farm would be decommissioned in 25 years.

“I can see that a lot of commercial developments could come from this,” Flanagan said. “As we read it, the plan meets every detail of the (Town’s) Comprehensive Plan.”

Mountain acknowledged that since this is the first project submitted for the PBDD, it is “very unique” and could be open to interpretation. He urged the developer to take the time to provide more information, detailing how the plan fits in.

Flanagan agreed that more dialogue is needed and proposed a meeting with Town officials before presenting the new information at the board’s next meeting on Oct. 1.

Previously, the Genesee County Planning Board recommended disapproval of a special use permit and area variance based on the PBD District guidelines.

The matter will have to be addressed, once again, by the Town Zoning Board of Appeals, which doesn’t meet again until Oct. 21.

Unlike what transpired with the solar project on Galloway Road, no one spoke at a public hearing on this project prior to the board meeting.

Photos: Mike Hall, white shirt in center, makes a point during a public hearing tonight about a proposed solar farm on Galloway Road. Looking on are developers Tom Healy, left, and Dan Yanosh and Town Building Inspector Dan Lang (in orange shirt). Diagram shows Galloway Road at bottom and Lewiston Road diagonally. Photos by Mike Pettinella.

Nearly a year ago, the former P.W. Minor factory on Treadeasy Avenue in Batavia quietly started producing high-end men's shoes again with a small work crew.

The new company, Artisan Boot & Shoe, is owned by Nicole Porter, the granddaughter of local businessman Pete Zeliff, who helped rescue P.W. Minor in 2014 from closure and operated the company for more than three years before selling the company and the factory to a group of investors.

That company couldn't make a go of it and Zeliff foreclosed on the property, the equipment, and inventory and after 150 years of business in Batavia, P.W. Minor ceased to exist.

Later that month, in October of 2018, Porter approached her father with a business plan to start a new shoe business. She acquired from him the equipment for Goodyear welted boots (which describes how the sole is welted and sewn to the top of the shoe) and hired 10 former P.W. Minor employees and took over the contracts with about a half-dozen shoe companies to continue making top-quality men's boots for them.

Porter said the company is growing, doing well financially, and she hopes the day will come when they can expand production, start making women's boots again, and perhaps launch their own boot or shoe brand.

The company leases space from Custom Vehicle Outfitters, which recently acquired the property from Zeliff in order to expand operations from its current location on Ganson Avenue. The company is currently remodeling the front of the building while Artisan Boot & Shoe operates in the factory space at the rear of the building.

Press release and submitted photos:

The Oakfield-Alabama Alumni Hall of Fame Committee will be honoring the Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2019 during an Alumni Hall of Fame weekend scheduled for Oct. 10th-12th.

This year's honorees are: Daniel Hopkins ('70), Linda Baldwin Potter ('72), and Kim Wolcott ('72).

On the evening of Saturday, Oct. 12th, there will be a community dinner and ceremony to induct our newest members. The dinner will be held at the OACS High School cafeteria, located at 7001 Lewiston Road in Oakfield.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with appetizers for guests to enjoy and the dinner will begin at 6 o'clock.

Tickets are on sale only through Oct. 4th and are available at the high school attendance office or by contacting Committee Member Brandon Brummert through email at bbpennstate10@aol.com. Tickets are $25 each.

The Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding OACS alumni who have achieved distinction in their lives and chosen field after high school through significant contributions to their career, community or through personal achievements. 

Beginning public service as a trustee on the Haxton Library Board, Dan continued on to be a village trustee and Mayor of Oakfield. In these roles he helped establish the current village offices and headed the project to improve water quality in the village.

An early advocacy of ARC group homes in the community helped earn him NYS ARC Public Official of the year and Genesee County Public Official of the year awards.

As a member of the Board of the Children's Home Association Dan helped allocate funds for underpriveleged children. Dan was also a fixture at Labor Daze and Oakfield Youth Baseball.

Dan worked at Batavia Metal Products before being given an opportunity to buy Kaplan Container in East Rochester. He ran Kaplan Container for several years before selling it, and returning to Batavia Metal Products, which had become Strong Forge, in a leadership role.

An early supporter of computers for students, Linda was instrumental in placing the first computers in Texas schoolrooms.  She also played key roles in helping the corporate world adapt to computerization and continual new technological advances. Linda received an award from the state of Texas for accomplishments in the War on Drugs.

While raising her two children, Linda also became deeply involved in public service in the Houston area, beginning with school and Girl Scout volunteer leadership roles, culminating in her 2017 role as head of the Hurricane Harvey Family Relief Shelter at NRG Center, and including several other past and ongoing volunteer and leadership roles.

She is the Global Shared Services manager at Powell Electrical Systems Inc. in Houston. Multiple charities in the Houston Area benefit from Linda's involvement through her role at Powell.

Linda has devoted her life to others in the Houston area. For this and her professional accomplishments, Linda Baldwin Potter is inducted into the OACS Alumni Hall of Fame.

Starting as an installer at Will's Wallpaper and Floor Covering in Batavia in 1974, Kim rose to the position of sales representative, president and part owner.

He continues in these roles today and has helped shape Will's Carpet One Floor & Home into one of Genesee County's leading businesses.

Kim's community involvement begins with the Oakfield Baptist Church as a youth group leader and trustee.

An active participant in Labor Daze, Kim also helped coach OACS's girls' soccer teams for many years.

We hope to see you there!

For more information about the Oakfield-Alabama Alumni Hall of Fame, click here. 

The Barber Conable Post Office Building in Batavia is 100 years old.

Construction of the post office began in 1916 with a $57,993 bid awarded to contractor George F. Rossell, of Rochester, according to the City of Batavia History book by Ruth M. McEvoy.

Because of World War I, Rossell had a hard time completing the project as he was beset by higher costs and construction supervisors who kept going off to war. He gave up in October 1917, voiding the contract.

Progress continued slowly under the supervision of E.D. Gray and it was finally ready for postal employees to relocate from a rented building on Jackson Street to their new headquarters.

The post office was built based on plans by John Taylor Knox, the former architect of the U.S. Treasury. He designed dozens of federal buildings during his career, including the post office in Buffalo and Niagara Falls. 

The cornerstone was laid in 1916 and bears the name of William G. McAdoo, who was Secretary of the Treasury, as "supervising architect."

A few post offices in other communities share common designs with our post office, including Live Oak, Fla., Fulton, Mo., and Menomonie, Wis.

The name of the post office was changed in 2004 by an act of Congress to the Barber Conable Post Office Building. Conable is a former congressman who represented our area and later became president of the World Bank.

Ironically, perhaps, according to McEvoy's book, the Batavia Daily News reported in 1970 that the area's congressman -- who would have been Conable at the time -- had promised the community a new post office building. "In 1990," McEvoy notes, "that promise had not been fulfilled."

When the post office first opened, it had a front porch area. It was enclosed in 1961.

The postmaster in 1919 was John F. Ryan. According to McEvoy, Ryan and his brother William opened a light shop at 79 Main St., Batavia, in 1898. In 1910, they installed an electrical device that opened and closed their shop windows automatically.

His daughter was Dr. Edith F. Ryan. She intended to open a practice in Philadelphia but war disrupted her plans. She opened an office on Jackson Street and was then appointed as a medical examiner for the school district. That helped her practice grow. She retired in 1957.

Batavia's first postmaster was James Brisbane, who handled postal duties through his general store. He eventually became a wealthy man and the current police headquarters is the former Brisbane mansion. His son Albert was a social reformer and his grandson was the famous journalist of the early 20th century, Arthur Brisbane, who is buried in the Historic Batavia Cemetery. Arthur was also Nellie Bly's editor. The Brisbane Family Papers (1819-1965) are in the Special Collections Research Center at Syracuse University.

The second postmaster was Ebenezer Cary followed by Trumbull Cary. The Cary Mansion, long destroyed, is commemorated by a historic marker on East Main Street.

In 1829, Simeon Cummings became postmaster. He also owned a harness shop in Batavia.

The next postmaster was William Seaver wrote what is perhaps the first history of Batavia in 1849. Another William Seaver, perhaps his son or possibly grandson, or maybe not related at all, took two pictures of Downtown Batavia that The Batavian previously published.

Following Seaver the postmaster was Levant B. Coates, who appears to have owned a drug store that was destroyed in a fire in 1833. 

Then came Frederick Follett, publisher of a local newspaper, Spirit of the Times, and the author of a book on the history of the press in Western New York.

The first woman postmaster was Elizabeth R. Erbland, who served from 1994 to 1998, followed by Catherine M. Maniace.

Today (top photo), current and former local postal employees gathered on the front steps of the building for a photo.

Do you know what else is 100 years old? The Upton Monument (watch the video).

John M. McGowan, Ph.D., of Batavia,  took leadership of Genesee Community College's BEST (Business and Employee Skills Training) Center effective Sept. 1.

This is an important transition time as the former director retired and the Center completed a critical analysis of its functionality, allowing McGowan to take the reins with some strategic new direction.

"Having been part of GCC for nearly 15 years and specifically, the last five as part of The BEST Center team, I am excited about the results of our FAR (Functional Area Review) assessment," said the new director of The BEST Center.

"In my new role, I will be able to implement changes to make program registration easier, allocate resources for new program development and so much more."

McGowan intends to use his creative staff to identify continuous improvement opportunities and pull together new and exciting training topics which are the lifeblood of community and workforce development.

The BEST Center offers hundreds of training courses throughout the year to individuals looking to enter a new field. For example, it offers the Dental Assisting Program, which prepares students for entry-level administrative jobs and serves as the ideal launching point into a Dental Hygienist program. You can advance a career through a number of Career Enrichment courses, or even take a class for leisure -- like any of the Drone courses.

In addition, The BEST Center provides Custom Workforce Solutions to support any business or organization looking to bolster employee and organizational performance and improve the bottom line. Businesses can contact the BEST Center for training needs assessments and consultations, work with skilled and experienced trainers to develop customized training plans and even count on the Center's equipped locations and laptops to deliver online and on-site custom training. 

McGowan earned his Doctor of Psychology with specialization in Sport and Performance Psychology from University of the Rockies in Denver in 2018. He earned a Master of Science in Education and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the SUNY College at Brockport in 2003 and 1994 respectively. He has an Associate Degree in Business Administration from GCC (1986). He is also a 2017 graduate of Leadership Genesee.

McGowan is a lifelong resident of Batavia and has four children (John Jr., Joseph, Michael and Jennifer) and seven grandchildren.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department along with other local agencies, will be offering free car seat inspections and education to parents and caregivers on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Fire Headquarters (18 Evans St.).

This event is part of National Car Seat Check Saturday, and will include instruction on how to choose the right car seats for children, with an emphasis on how to install them correctly.

Many parents and care givers assume they know how to choose and use the correct restraint for their child, but sadly these restraints are frequently used incorrectly. In fact, car crashes are a leading killer of children, and the latest research from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that nearly two out of three car seats are misused or installed improperly.

Beginning Nov. 1, all children age 2 and under will have to be secured in a rear-facing car seat per New York State Law.

It is recommended keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, up to the top height or weight allowed by their particular seats. It’s the best way to keep them safe.

Once a child outgrows the rear-facing seat, he or she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.

After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat, a child should ride in a booster seat until tall enough to fit in a seat belt properly.

The safest place for a child under the age of 13 is in the back seat.

National Seat Check Saturday is part of Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 15- 21). The week is dedicated to teaching caregivers and parents about the importance of correctly choosing, installing, and using car seats, booster seats, and seat belts.

Parents and caregivers will also be reminded of the importance of registering car seats with manufacturers so they can be notified in the event of a recall.

For further information please call the City of Batavia Fire Department at 585-345-6375.

A resident at 511 Ellicott St., Batavia, was seriously hurt in a 1:57 a.m. fire, according to City Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano.

The woman was rescued from a second-floor bedroom by firefighters shortly after the alarm came into City Station.

It took city crews about three minutes to arrive on scene, Napolitano said.

The victim was transported to UMMC by Mercy EMS and then transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital. Napolitano said he believed her to be in critical condition with lung damage.

Her name has not yet been released.

The fire may have started in the kitchen area, cause unknown at this time, but the fire is still under investigation, the chief said.

When the first crew arrived, heavy smoke and flames were showing from a first-floor window on the east side of the structure. Firefighters made an aggressive initial attack, he said, while other firefighters used a ladder to reach a second-floor window to rescue the woman who was trapped upstairs.

Five adults and one child lived in the two apartments, according to the chief, and the four other adults and the child escaped the fire unharmed.

All have been provided shelter by the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross will provide further assistance.

One apartment unit is still habitable, the chief said, but all utilities were cut off during the fire and have not yet been restored.

The fire quickly went to a second alarm and additional city crews responded. Alexander Fire's Fast Team also responded along with a heavy rescue truck from Le Roy Fire Department to assist with refilling air bottles. Town of Batavia fire filled in at the city fire station to cover city calls during the incident.

Batavia PD and Batavia DPW also assisted at the scene.

Photos by Frank Capuano.

Rachael Anderson shared this picture from this evening of sunset in Alabama.

During Saturday's Night of Champions at Batavia Downs, Western OTB President/CEO Henry Wojtaszek talked about the speed humps installed the day before on Park Road outside of the casino.

The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during the Rascal Flatts Concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Friday.

Jason E. Cook, 39 of Ritt Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with obstructing governmental administration, 2nd, harassment, 2nd, and disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting with Live Nation security while being ejected from the concert and refusing to be taken into custody. 

Patricia Cook, 46, of Ritt Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting with Live Nation security guards.

Joseph D. Gerace, 31, of Beatrice Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting with Live Nation security guards.

Matilda M. Martin, 44, of 15th Street, Buffalo, is charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting with Live Nation security.

The Local Drug Task Force has nabbed two suspected drug dealers they believe were operating in the Batavia area, one selling Adderall and suboxone and the other dealing in cocaine.

Chad S. Bzduch, 33, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with: criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd; criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd; criminal sale of a controlled substance, 5th; criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th; and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th.

Bzduch was arrested on a warrant after being spotted walking on Bank Street on Thursday by Batavia PD. He is accused of selling Adderall and suboxone to an agent of the task force on two occasions. He was allegedly found in possession of fentanyl at the time of his arrest. He was arraigned in Genesee County Court and released on his own recognizance.

Sergio I. Santana, 38, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd.

Santana was picked up on Ellicott Street on Thursday by Batavia PD. Santana is accused of selling cocaine to an agent of the task force on two occasions. He was arraigned in Genesee County Court and released on his own recognizance.

With nearly 500 local organizations in Chamber membership, we consider this the “who’s who in business” in Genesee County. Descriptions and contact information for small businesses, large corporations, nonprofits, municipalities and schools, all operating in Genesee County, all in one convenient publication!

Stop by The Chamber today to get your copy: Our office is located at 8276 Park Road, Batavia.

We are also pleased to announce the launch of our new Online Business Directory on www.geneseeny.com. With links to member websites, social media pages, emails, and phone numbers: the online directory is the perfect place to interact and learn more about local organizations right here in Genesee County!

Some member listings even have video and pictures to accompany their contact info, Check it out on website here.

The Genesee County Chamber is a not-for-profit organization that consists of nearly 500 local businesses and organizations. Whether you operate a small operation or a large corporation, a membership with the Genesee County Chamber is the perfect way to improve your visibility and make your business more engaged within Genesee County!

If you are interested in scheduling a tour to find out more information, please contact Steven Falitico at 585-343-7440 or by email at sfalitico@geneseeny.com

More membership information can also be found on our website under “Membership.”

Press release:

The Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame committee has selected the Class of 2019 honorees.

The 2019 Hall of Fame inductees will be introduced at halftime of the Batavia vs. Bishop Kearney homecoming football game on Friday, Oct. 4^th. Game time is 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Oct. 5^th, we will be hosting the Hall of Fame Dinner at Batavia Downs Banquet Facility. A social hour will begin at 5 p.m. with dinner served at 6 o'clock and the ceremony immediately following dinner.

The Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame 2019 Inductees:

• Elizabeth Varland, Class of 2002, Soccer, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field
• Ryan Gugel, Class of 2005, Football, Wrestling, Ice Hockey, Baseball
• Stephanie Conway, Class of 2003, Cross-country, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field
• Amanda Page, Class of 2006, Soccer, Basketball, Softball
• Sumiyya Hunter Roff, Class of 2004, Cross-country, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field
• Jennifer Gurrant, Class of 2005, Gymnastics, Cheerleading, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field
• Phillip Santiago, Class of 2003, Basketball

The cost of the Hall of Fame tickets is $35; tickets must be purchased by Friday, Sept. 27^th. 

To attend, purchase your Hall of Fame tickets in the Athletic Office at Batavia High School, locate at 260 State Street, or send a check there payable to: The Batavia Coaches Association.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact my office, (585) 343-2480, ext. 2003.

The Batavia Middle School Kindness Project is an effort by fifth- through eighth-graders at the school, led by teacher Sarah Gahagan, to spread a bit of warmth and joy.

The students look for opportunities to be kind to each other. 

Friday, Gahagan's class sent letters to a fifth-grader in Tennesee who is battling leukemia. The letter-writing effort followed a schoolwide "circle up" meeting on the theme of perseverance.

Gahagan said students discussed different levels of problems we have in our lives and successful coping strategies.

This year's Genesee County participants are:

1. David Burke art (David Burke, Ell Bee Arts (Lyndsay Baker), Miranda Fix (Linda Fix), at GO ART’s Tavern 2.o.1, 201 E. Main St., Batavia;
2. Ivy Lane/The Potter’s Nest (Jean Grinnell) – 3384 Broadway Road, Alexander;
3. Art a la Carte (Kimberly Argenta) – 39 Jackson St., Batavia;
4. Shelley Acquard Moore art (Shelley Acquard) – 9510 Alleghany Road, Corfu;
5. the ART of Mandy (Mandy Humphrey), 20 Main St., Le Roy;
6. Julie Lambert Coleman – 44 Summit St., Le Roy;
7. Eric Wulfgang – 23 Lincoln Ave., Le Roy;
8. Bethany Arts and Antiques (Terry Weber) – 5769 Ellicott Street Road, East Bethany.

For more information, contact GO ART! at 343-9313, or email Executive Director Gregory Hallock at: ghallock@goart.org

Taylor S. Wyder, 25, of Alleghany Road, Alabama, is charged with unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Following the investigation into a complaint of an adult serving alcohol to a minor at 1 a.m. on Sept. 16 on Alleghnay Road in Alabama, Wyder was arrested, then released on his own recognizance. An order of protection was issued against Wyder favor of the victim. Wyder is due in Alabama Town Court on Oct. 3. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Forsyth.

Colby L. Ellis, 30, of West Academy Street, Albion, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. Ellis was arrested at 4:35 p.m. on Sept. 13 on Apollo Drive in Batavia. He allegedly violated a stay-away order of protection during a traffic stop in the parking lot. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court at held on unspecified bail. He was due in Batavia City Court this afternoon (Sept. 16). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Schnell Alexandria Ogletree, 30, of Eagle Lane, Canillus, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree; driving while ability impaired by drugs; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree; speeding; and unlawful possession of marijuana in the second degree. At 9:14 a.m. on Sept. 14 on Clinton Street Road in Stafford following the alleged observation of a vehicle and traffic observation. She was subsequently arrested on the charges. She was taken to Genesee County Jail and evaluated by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Richard Schildwaster, a certified drug recognition expert. She was issued appearance tickets and is due in Stafford Town Court on Oct. 1. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Brock Cummins, assisted by Deputy Ryan DeLong, and also aided by Deputy Ryan DeLong and Deputy Chris Erion.

Jesse James Smoody, 43, of 8th Court, Westfield, Wis., is charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated -- with a BAC of .18 percent or more, and DWI. At 1:13 a.m. on Sept. 15, Smoody was arrested on Byron Holley Road in Byron following the welfare check on a male who had fallen off his morocycle in the parking lot of a convenience store. He was arrested and released on appearance tickets for Oct. 21 in Byron Town Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy David Moore.

Matthew C. Olcott, 40, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of drugs and criminal use of drug paraphernalia in the second degree. Olcott was arrested at 1:16 p.m. on Sept. 12 on Osterhout Avenue in Batavia after a search allegedly led to the discovery of narcotics paraphernalia. Olcott was taken to Batavia Police Department and processed, then released on an appearance ticket for Sept. 17 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Miah Stevens, assisted by Officer Adam Tucker. 

Somewhere in the city, Batavia police are responding to a complainant who called emergency dispatch after a having a verbal dispute with a neighbor about "children playing in the front yard."