Photo by Guy Clark of sunrise over DeWitt Recreation Area.

Photo by Frank Capuano.

Press release:

Evan Sidhu and Evelyn Northrup of Pavilion ranked seventh in the nation among Future Farmers of America for their agricultural science research project in the field of natural resources and environmental science.

The two students spent countless hours researching the effects of roadway pollution shown through the dissolved solids in snow.

Evan and Evelyn designed, organized, and executed their research project last winter. They placed first at the New York State FFA Convention in May 2022 and earned a spot in the Top 10 in the nation.

This fall the team competed in an intense interview regarding their research and conclusions. This earned them the seventh spot in the nation. 

"This is a great honor for the Pavilion FFA and Pavilion School Community," said teacher Kylie DeBerardinis

Press release:

Monday, Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Harford Livery Museum and the Historian's Office invite you to stop in for a photo while you are out Trick or Treating on Monday night. We have designed a fall-themed backdrop for you to get a quick picture of your ghosts and goblins or have us take a family picture. There is no charge for this opportunity. We hope to see you there!!

There was no tin or aluminum present when Genesee and Orleans County officials celebrated a decade-old relationship, but it might have been proper, given the description of the two-county health system.

Gifts have been tin or aluminum for such 10-year bonds, as the metals traditionally symbolize strength and resilience. 

A proclamation to commemorate the occasion did include a gold seal and description that aptly translated to those two character traits. It states that residents of both counties have “benefited fiscally and operationally,” and that staff of both health departments “worked cohesively to fill workforce gaps, provide natural redundancy, drive efficiencies and look at innovative ways to advance collaborations” since an agreement was signed on Oct. 1, 2012.

Working as integrated departments, both were able to manage the needs, surges, tests and vaccinations, plus provide updated information to the public, during those crucial times of the pandemic, it states.

Perhaps most importantly, the proclamation — signed by Genesee County Legislature Chairwoman Rochelle Stein and Orleans Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson — calls on their respective citizens to celebrate by “helping our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers and leaders better understand the value of public health, and integrated services.”

In doing so, there would also be an understanding of how this connection supports "great opportunities" as officials acknowledge  "GO Health's accomplishments over these last 10 years and into the future."

The event was conducted in Genesee County’s chambers as members of Orleans County participated via Zoom.

Being able to count on such a merged relationship has meant a lot to Genesee County, Stein said.

“It is absolutely an incredible service to this community,” she said.

Photo of Genesee County Legislature and GO Health members courtesy of Steven Falitico.

Henry Homelius was born in 1850 in Buffalo, New York, to an immigrant family from Germany.  His father was a carpenter and builder.  When Henry was six years old, his family moved to Batavia, an up-and-coming city with many possibilities. 

Henry attended Batavia High School, but no records show he graduated.  He may not have earned a high school diploma but what he had was a determination to succeed.  He spent his evenings studying books on drafting, architecture, and math.  During the daytime, he worked with his father and other craftsmen. 

With Henry W. Homelius's work ethic and hands-on experience, he would be remembered as one of the most talented architects of our time.

In 1874 Henry married Catherine Blenker, a beautiful statuesque daughter of a well-known tailor.  She gave birth to a son, Frank H. Homelius, in 1876.  That particular year seemed pivotal for Henry because he was commissioned to build a home on a new street in Batavia called Ellicott Avenue. 

Today that home can be seen in most of its original glory with a mansard roof tower and ocular dormer windows in the Second Empire Style.  It also features arches on the front porch and two-inch thick double-leaf entrance doors.  Henry and Ann Emmans are the proud owners of this home built by Henry H. Homelius at 32 Ellicott Avenue.

Another example of Homelius' architect is Joe Seidel's home on 30 Ellicott Avenue, next door to the Emmans' Homelius home. Both houses are very similar, just different exteriors.  Seidel's home was built in the Italianate style but had a "Victorian" Interior.  The use of old-growth chestnut, oak, and mahogany woods is prevalent throughout the home, and the original horsehair crown moldings and medallions are evident.   In addition, the floorplan layout reflects the era.

Henry's fame flourished, and he was in demand.  He built more than a dozen homes on Ellicott Avenue and Elba, Oakfield, and Corfu. Henry's homes were in a class of their own.  He created the onion-domed tower, large porches with three pillars on each porch corner.    He built palladium arches over smaller porches, bay windows, and often with pediments above the windows.  The windows in his unique homes would either be stained glass or leaded glass.  His homes often featured elaborate fireplaces and window seats.

Henry also built commercial buildings.  Many of his buildings were on Main and Jackson Street. In 1885 Henry built a small two-room brick shelter that housed pumps that forced water from the Tonawanda Creek into the water mains.  In 1893, he was hired to design a front for the Water Works building to house a power station.  The unique towers were added in 1906.  The Water Works was renamed the Municipal Building.  Over the years, the building has been used in various ways. First, it served as a fire hall, then as a restaurant, and for a time, it was the home of the Genesee County Historian.

In the late 1800s, Henry designed most of the schools in Batavia.  They were the East, West, Pringle, Lincoln, and Washington schools.  Today Reed Eye Associates occupies the historic building on Washington Avenue.

In the '60s and '70s, a new idea was presented to the city of Batavia.  Unfortunately, its attempt to renew the city destroyed our downtown history.  The historic buildings on Main Street were erased with a wrecking ball. Many of us remember these two words with sadness and regret, "Urban Renewal."  Fortunately, some of his buildings, such as the Daily News Building and The Batavia Times Building, survived.

No one would deny that Henry was a gifted architect.   His work was impeccable.  As a businessman, he was considered arrogant and aggressive.

Henry lived most of his life at 39 and 41 Walnut Street.   In 1889, Henry's brother Frank died, and in 1899 Henry's father drowned.  Henry's family is buried in the historical Batavia Cemetery.

Henry's son Frank did not stay in Batavia but traveled the country learning about different building methods and designs.  He also did not graduate from high school.  However, in 1905 Frank returned home, and Henry W. Homelius and Son was created with headquarters in the Dellinger building on Jackson Street.

Frank was considered very good-looking and charming. He fell in love with Maud Scoville Hugaboom, a married woman with a young daughter Eleanor.  The day after her divorce was final, Frank and Maud wed.  Eleanor Homelius went on to be a respected and loved teacher. As an English teacher, she taught many generations of young people at Batavia High School, an interesting fact considering her stepfather never graduated from high school.

In November 1917, Henry W. Homelius died of cancer and was buried in the Homelius Plot in the Batavia Cemetery.

Frank, like his father, was a gifted builder, but Frank also completed many home and building renovations.  His first project after his father's death was the renovation of the Brisbane Mansion into Batavia's City Hall.  He also remodeled the Dipson and Atwater homes.  He added an addition to the Richmond Mansion, used as the Children's Home.  Frank also built the addition to the Richmond Memorial Library by adding a children's room on the lower level of the original building.  This is not to be confused with the newer addition in the 1970s as the current children's room.

He also designed St. Anthony's Community Center.   Frank's father had 32 Ellicott Avenue as his proudest accomplishment; Frank would have 39 Ross Street as his.  Frank built the 6,000-square-foot home for Frank Thomas of the Thomas Coal Company. In 1926, it cost $125,000 to build the beautiful Thomas home.  Frank employed 50 craftsmen from the Batavia Woodworking Company to work on the construction of the house.  The Batavia Woodworking Company consisted of skilled carpenters, bricklayers, masons, and millwrights. These were the craftsmen that Frank used for his buildings.  When looking at this beautiful home today, you will note the red tile roof.  The horizontal lines of the house suggest the Prairie Style.  Frank built many Queen Anne-style homes throughout the city. You can still admire these homes on Summit Street and Lewis Avenue.

The Batavia Woodworking Company became skilled with the designs that constitute a Frank Homelius Home.  They borrowed his techniques and built homes that were called Homelius Design Homes.  These homes can be found on Kibbe Avenue, Morton Avenue, South Jackson St., and Ellicott Street.

Frank lived in a bungalow at 35 Richmond Street.  He was known for his kindness and for being the second Democrat to serve as mayor in the history of Batavia.

The construction of MacArthur Stadium's grandstand, bleachers, and press box in 1939 is considered the final design of Frank H. Homelius.

There was one project that Frank never had the opportunity to complete.  He wanted to build an annex to the Holland Land Office Museum.  This would include a library containing works of history about Batavia and Genesee County.

Frank died on November 20, 1941, ending the remarkable era of the talented craftsmen Henry W. Homelius and Frank W. Homelius.

Photos by Howard Owens. Top photo, 30 Ellicott Ave.; middle photo, 32 Ellicott Ave.

A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported in the area of Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, near Fotch Road.

There is entrapment, but injuries are believed to be minor.

Town of Batavia and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 1:41 a.m.: Engine 20 can respond non-emergency.  Engine 24 can return to quarters. One occupant out of the vehicle upon a chief's arrival.  

UPDATE 1:43 a.m.: Engine 20 can return to quarters. Assignment back in service. Mercy medics are out with the patient.

Press release:

Western Regional Off Track Betting (WROTB) President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek presented representatives from the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester (BCCR) with a check for $23,605.70 to help those who have been affected by breast or gynecologic cancer.

On September 16th, a dinner fundraiser with raffles to benefit the BCCR was held inside the Clubhouse in conjunction with a night of racing.   Businesses and donors located in Western NY sponsored several races that night.  Some monies came from the local harness racing community as some owners, trainers and drivers donated all or a portion of their earnings from the night to the BCCR.  Through the dinner, donations, raffles and auctions for items, the event raised $23,605.70.

“We are privileged to have hosted this event for the BCCR,” Wojtaszek said. “The BCCR is dedicated to eradicating breast cancer through research and advocacy.  The amount of community outreach that they do is inspiring, holding educational and support events so that members of Western and Central New York can come together to learn and receive assistance.   As in years past, the event here was an overwhelming success.  With the hard work of their staff and ours we are pleased to have raised the highest amount ever for this event.”

“On behalf of the Breast Cancer Coalition, I am astounded by this tremendous support, which will help us empower survivors in the nine-county region of Western New York, including Genesee County, “ said Holly Anderson, President and Executive Director of the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester.  “Though October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, we feel the support from the Batavia Downs community all year long. They entrust their friends and family members to us, assist us in making important connections within their community, and stay in touch with us on an ongoing basis. Breast cancer takes much more than "awareness". It needs ACTION throughout the year. Our friends and Batavia Downs walk the talk."

Previously: Batavia Downs hosts fundraiser for Breast Cancer Coalition

Photos by Howard Owens.

Halloween is quickly approaching, then it’s Thanksgiving, and before you know it, the annual Christmas in the City takes hold the first weekend in December.

As members of Batavia Business Improvement District and Batavia Players — led by Co-Chairpersons Pat Burk and Shannon Maute — strive to get things in place for the event, there are plenty of opportunities for others to participate, they say.

Christmas in the City
The main event runs from 1 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 3 Downtown, with a visit from Santa Claus from 1 to 5 p.m. inside the mall and a finale parade at 6 p.m. throughout downtown. Local groups, businesses, emergency services departments, kids, adults, and most anything in between are welcome to join the fun.

Maute has put out the call for not only organizations but also for departments with fire trucks, to sign up.

“You can walk, ride or enter a float,” a BID flyer states.

Mall events will run from 1 to 5 p.m. and include Santa’s Village, pictures with Santa, hot cocoa and cookies, crafts, cookie decorating, a kids’ zone, Santa’s workshop, shopping specials, Dickens Carolers, Scrooge, adult tastings and more, organizers said.

Our Hometown Christmas
Even earlier that day will be a craft and vendor fair that begins at 10 a.m. and runs to 8 p.m., Burk said.

“We already have 22 tables,” he said. “And there will be entertainment; our dance academy is performing, the small brass group from BHS signed up, and there’s Santa’s Village. We’re trying to get people in what used to be the mall, and our Christmas show will be happening Dec. 1, 2, 3 and 4.”

Burk, long-time executive director of Batavia Players, is learning how to juggle theater responsibilities with Board of Elections tasks and being president of the Genesee Valley School Boards Association, he said.

The theater in Batavia City Centre has been one of many projects delayed by the pandemic’s onslaught of labor, supply chain and social distancing issues.

With fingers crossed, Burk is hoping for a completed theater to open in May or June of 2023. There are grants involved, and though the Players are a pre-qualified status through Grants Gateway, there is more footwork to be done, and it is all falling at the same time as taxes being due Nov. 15, he said.

Despite the “bad timing,” he and group staff and members look forward to that day when a performance happens in the fully renovated theater.

“We had some pretty hefty demolition left to do with plumbing, electrical, all those old air conditioning units that were there for the X-ray machines and stuff. Yeah, huge. They're all gone. I mean, we're moving daily. And we're working hard,” he said. “So I don't know what time we're going to be completed. And a lot of it's depending on availability of our stuff, and when we get our reimbursements from the state.”

Grant funding is crucial, due to how — sounds like a broken record by now, he said — COVID affected pricing for everything.

“Our supplies went up by over $260,000. We’re in for $1.2 million already and have raised money. And all that money doesn't mean anything, because we have to come up with more money for it, just to complete everything," he said. "On top of that, we really want to do a good job of accessibility and maximizing use and having good lights and sound and all that other stuff. And all that stuff went up in money … it all went through the ceiling."

They should get word on the grant application in March or April next year, he said, and he has learned how meticulous all of that paperwork needs to be, especially given at least three grant-related changes taking place this year. If one number is off, it gets sent back, and then they wait another month or more for approval of a resubmission of the corrected material.

“You have to have people look over this stuff, over and over and over,” he said.

A Christmas Carole
Nonetheless, the show, as they say, must go on, and the Players will be presenting the seasonal Dickens’ favorite “A Christmas Carole” the weekend of Christmas in the City.  It is set for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1, 2, 3 and 2 p.m. Dec. 4 at Main St. 56 Theater in Batavia City Centre. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 students and seniors, and available at showtix4u.com.

The Players will also be sponsoring Our Hometown Christmas all day on Dec. 3 with an array of gift options at craft and vendor tables. There is still space available, and any interested crafts dealers, food trucks, vendors or antique dealers may want to grab a table NOW. 

Santa’s Village will be part of a festive display, and local schools are to be participating, Burk said. There are so many activities jam-packed into the schedule, that Burk would like to see a future two-day event, he said.

The Hometown event is a fundraiser for the Players, and will provide entertainment and fun for visitors, he said.

“We’re trying to keep the theater going with no theater and with no money,” Burk said. “We are literally scraping together money to pay to keep the lights on.”

Wreath Contest
The BID is also hosting its annual Wreath Contest for downtown Batavia “as a creative way to add some holiday spirit to downtown.” The contest is open to any business, group, organization, or family. For $20, each participant is provided with a 16-inch plain wreath to decorate. Participants may pick up their wreaths on Nov. 19 and have a week to decorate before dropping them back off to the BID for committee volunteers to place throughout downtown, Maute said in a recent press release.

Voting for the most creative will take place from Dec. 3 through 24. The first-place winner is to receive a $100 cash prize, second place $75 and third place $50.

To participate in the wreath contest or parade, contact Maute 

File photos of Christmas in the City 2021 by Howard Owens

Press Release

The City of Batavia invites residents to attend the opening of the forthcoming Mall Market.  Visit the Batavia City Centre Mall on Saturday for the first Mall Market day! 

On Oct. 29, Nov. 12, Nov. 19, Nov. 26, Dec. 10, and Dec. 17, the Mall Market will be open from 8 to 11:30 a.m.  Porter Farms, Garner Farms, and Tastefully Simple are among a few vendors at this time. 

Applications are still being accepted!  Anyone interested in endorsing their business or promoting their products is encouraged to apply.

 

Click here to view our listings.

 

Students at Le Roy Schools are getting broad exposure to STEAM skills and trades (science, technology, engineering, arts and math), STEAM teacher Luke Weaver told the Board of Education on Tuesday during a meeting.

Rube Goldberg Machines, computer coding, food sciences, robotics and drones, and environmental sciences are all getting covered with one class or another, Weaver said.

Superintendent Merritt Holly emphasized what Weaver illustrated during his introduction of Weaver to the board.

"We offer STEAM Club," Holly said. "We offer things in the library. We offer things in the summer. The kids have a ton of opportunities, so there's no like, I'll try this and then I don't care about it again for another year. It's a really a continuing program, which I think is really powerful."

Currently, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders are working on Rube Goldberg Machines and they're excited by the projects, he said.

For those who might not be familiar with a Rube Goldberg Machine, Weaver explained that it is an "unbelievably complicated machine to do an unbelievably simple task. So you would build something with pulleys, levers, catapults, dominoes knocking each other over to do something you could easily do by yourself."

(For an entertaining example of a Rube Goldberg Machine, see the music video below.)

He said when he first introduced the concept to students, they looked at him like he was crazy.

"They went from that mindset to kids coming in in the morning, before homeroom, coming in and start working because they want that extra half hour to work on their project, which is just awesome."

There are 46 students currently enrolled in a coding class. They're starting with blocks of code that fit together to make a working program.

"I've got two kids who are already done," Weaver said. "That is fascinating to me, to see kids who've never done this before, pick this up and be so cohesive going through the process."

The block program will move the students into coding languages commonly used in the business world, such as Python and C++, Weaver said.

The programming experience also moves the students into working in robotics and with drones.

Already this year the school has held a Manufacturing Day, which included a field trip to visit Orcon, Bonduelle, and U.S. Gypsum.

"The kids had an opportunity to see different careers and how many different types of jobs that can happen in one place, which I think is mind-blowing," Weaver said. "I mean, you had electrical engineers, you had manufacturing people, you had artists, anything you could think of at all of these different plants."

The stop at Bonduelle in Oakfield was interesting because spinach was being delivered from a farm owned by one of the student's father.

"So we got to like watch that and see how they go through that whole freeze-drying process and things like that," Weaver said.

An area of expansion for the program that Weaver is working on is aquaponics, he said. 

"Aquaponics is basically a huge fish tank that is fully cyclical," Weaver said. "The plants provide the nutrients for the fish and the fish provide nutrients for the plants. You don't have to clean the fish tank. You can grow vegetables, or fruit and grow flowers. They actually have huge systems where people grow or raise tilapia and actually have harvestable fish. We're going to take baby steps and start with a goldfish that are at my house, bring those in. But we're just trying to pull in other kids that might not have that engineering mindset, they might not only want to be tech-savvy, but they might like some natural science stuff."

Weaver also went through some of the entry-level STEAM projects being introduced at Wolcott Street School.

 "It's fun," Weaver said. "I love this stuff. I love seeing their faces just confused and excited at the same time. That's exactly what you're looking for."

Photo: Luke Weaver. Photo by Howard Owens.

Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. management and union employees at the public benefit company’s branch locations have agreed to a pay contract that will give the workers at 3.5 percent raise for 2022.

The agreement was announced this morning at the WROTB board of directors meeting at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road.

WROTB President/CEO Henry Wojtaszek said it is a three-year pact extending through 2023. The supervisory and non-supervisory branch employees will get the 3.5 percent retroactively back to the first of the year.

The percentage for 2023 has yet to be determined, he said, but noted that the union employees will receive the same pay increase that the rest of the corporation’s employees receive.

“It has been a few years since they've been negotiating and this contract will take them to the end of next year -- to the end of 2023,” he said. “We're very happy and excited to have it completed. And we look forward to a great working relationship.”

Wojtaszek said changes in the contract focus on some work rules related to branch operations and the amount of employee contribution to the health insurance premium.

Each side has “ironed out some of the contribution limits for health insurance,” he said, adding that the union agreed to paying 5 percent of the cost for health insurance.

WROTB officials have been looking at the health insurance issue in recent months, stemming from a report from the New York State Comptroller’s Office and questions from Western New York lawmakers about the “gold plated” coverage given to the board members.

Wojtaszek said there is a good chance the 5 percent contribution will be put in place for all of the company’s employees.

“We certainly intend to suggest that and make that as a recommendation,” he said. “It’s a reasonable amount to have. Again, I think the best part about it is that we were looking to have everybody in the company (including directors) contribute for their health care.”

He credited VP/Administration William White, Payroll Supervisor Danielle Fleming and consultant Carl Monti for their work in reaching the agreement, which will affect about 60 supervisory and non-supervisory employees.

WROTB has pared its branch operations significantly in recent years. Currently, there are nine “brick and mortar” locations, plus Dial-A-Bet and Intertrack Wagering at Batavia Downs.

The Batavian has reached out to Antonella Rotilio, labor relations representative for the Long Island-based United Public Service Employees Union, for comment.

In other developments:

• Wojtaszek mentioned “the great curb appeal for the public” when asked to comment about the completion of the Park Road Reconstruction Project.

“It’s beautiful … It's showing now in our ability to have catering events and other trade shows,” he offered. “The people that are coming in to look at the place are really impressed with the way it looks as you approach the building now.”

He said enhancements paid for by WROTB, such as lighting and trees, have been installed.

“The trees have to grow in and then the grass has to grow a little better, but everything's been seeded and everything has been planted. The light fixtures – the street lights – (are in) and we will add some flags and other measures that will make the approach look even better,” he said. “We will be starting out with American flags for Veterans Day.”

• Batavia Downs Gaming staff will be renovating three bathrooms and installing new carpet tile on the second floor – work necessitated by extensive flooding when a pipe burst in mid-September.

The board approved a contract with Tarkett USA, Inc., for carpet and tile in the amount of #28,857.40, to be installed in the administrative, information technology and finance departments, and an expenditure of up to $130,000 to rebuild the bathrooms to current standards.

• Chief Financial Officer Jacquelyne Leach reported third-quarter earnings of $2,230,525, which will be distributed to member municipalities. Genesee County is set to receive $47,228 of that money, plus another $1,040 in September 2022 surcharge.

The corporation’s total handle for last month was $4.6 million, down about 10 percent from September 2021, while the video gaming “net win” was $6.4 million, up by about 2 percent from the same period last year. All told, operational earnings for September rose by 66 percent to $693,628.

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department is looking for public assistance in identifying the operator of the dirt bike in the photos. The individual has been operating in an unsafe manner throughout the city. Officers would like to speak to the individual to prevent future incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Pete Post at (585) 345-6350, the Batavia Police Department's confidential tip line at (585) 345-6370.

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department would like to advise the public that "rainbow fentanyl" pills have recently been located in the city of Batavia. The drugs were found in a local gas station bathroom and turned over to officers. The tablets are blue in color and stamped into the shape of a bear. There hasn't been any association between these pills and Halloween, but the department wants to remind parents to check their children's candy before consumption. If any candy is opened, appears to have been tampered with, or looks suspicious, throw it out. If any illegal drugs are located in Halloween candy, please contact the police department at (585) 345-6350. Have a safe and Happy Halloween.

 

A vehicle fire is reported following a collision between a tractor-trailer and a passenger car.

Both occupants are out of the car.

A chief approaching reports heavy black smoke.

The Thruway is blocked.

Pembroke and Indian Falls initially dispatched with mutual aid from Corfu but the location now appears to be in East Pembroke's district, so an East Pembroke chief dispatched.

UPDATE 12:28 p.m.: The westbound Thruway is going to be "shut down for a while," a chief advises. There is also a large fuel spill. The Thruway is asked to assist with traffic control.  The accident may involve two trucks. One truck is "burned off" and whatever fuel was there is gone "but I don't know how much has gone down into the ditch," says a chief.

UPDATE 3:30 p.m.  Two semi-trucks were involved, no passenger vehicle. One driver transported to an area hospital for evaluation. The burned out truck was hauling bags of soup.

Photos by Jim Reinhardt, except bottom photo.

Photo submitted by Marge Behl.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is looking for your camera roll!  Submit your photos of family and friends out and about in Genesee County for a chance to win up to $200 for first prize! Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall, we’re looking for them all!

Submit as many as you like at this link which also includes contest details: https://visitgeneseeny.com/about/genesee-county-ny-photo-contest

Medicare Advantage, Drug plan Part D, Drug plan Part D + Medigap policy, only the Medigap policy.

Confused by the options for Medicare during this open enrollment period? It runs through Dec. 7, and there is help for the thousands of people in Genesee County eligible to sign up, Genesee County Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein says.

Given the volume of people who may be wanting to sit down to review plans and ask questions, two staff members in the Office For the Aging cannot handle them all. Not to worry, Stein says, vendor fairs are coming to the rescue.

“There are 10,000 eligible Medicare residents in Genesee County, who all have the opportunity to enroll or re-enroll, or find a new provider for that Medicare supplement,” Stein said Wednesday. “(OFA staff) have collectively arranged for vendor fairs, and for different parts of our county. And the vendors are there, the supplemental insurance providers are there, and they have time to talk to our residents.”

She encouraged her fellow legislators to direct those with questions, comments or complaints about their Medicare coverage to attend a vendor fair.

“Each and every person in our community, those 10,000 that are eligible, they're important. And it is important that they get the right supplemental insurance to meet their own individual needs,” she said. “So, again, this is the most important time of the year for that fragile population that we have. Please encourage them to attend one of these fairs.”

There are three fairs coming up, and all of them go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are scheduled for:

• Nov. 2 at Town of Bethany Hall, 10510 Bethany Center Road, East Bethany
• Nov. 15 at Darien Center Fire Hall, 10537 Alleghany Road, Darien Center
• Nov. 29 at First United Methodist Church, 8221 Lewiston Road, Batavia

Attendees should bring their Medicare card, and a list of each their prescriptions and doctors.

Representatives from local Medicare Advantage Plans will be present to assist you in understanding changes for 2023, and to help sign you up for a different plan or company if that’s what you choose to do.

Medicare specialists from the Office For the Aging will be on hand to answer any questions and to give unbiased information.

A representative from EPIC, the state Prescription Assistance Program, will be available on Nov. 29 at the Batavia location.

For anyone with disabilities or language interpretation needs, requests for reasonable accommodations should be made at least five days before your visit to a vendor.

For more information, call 585-343-1611.

File Photo of Shelley Stein by Joanne Beck.

Who says that Fire Prevention can’t sometimes be cute?

Emergency Management Services Coordinator Tim Yaeger and Deputy Coordinator Gary Patnode lightened up the topic a bit with Sparky, the spotted dalmatian mascot that’s part of National Fire Prevention Month.

Legislator Gary Maha, on behalf of the Genesee County Legislature, presented a proclamation to the trio Wednesday. The goal during October is to raise fire safety awareness and help ensure “your home and family are protected,” Maha said.

“Fire is a serious public safety concern both locally and nationally, and homes are the locations where people are at greatest risk from fire,” he said. “And whereas two of every five home fires start in the kitchen, with 31 percent of these fires resulting from unattended cooking.”

The reminder there is to stay in the kitchen when frying food on the stovetop, retain a three-foot distance between kids and the cooking areas, and keep flammable objects away from stovetops, the proclamation stated.

Residents are encouraged to map out and practice a home fire escape plan, as the more prepared families become, the better their rate of survival. Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in half, and “first responders are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and home fire injuries through prevention and protection,” Maha said.

Genesee County Legislature, therefore, proclaimed October as Fire Prevention Month, and urged all residents to participate by checking their smoke alarms and kitchens for fire hazards, all the while using safe cooking practices in October and beyond.

Sparky didn’t utter a word — not even a bark, per Maha’s suggestion — but his happy demeanor added some levity to an otherwise somber subject, especially given that fires have recently brought destruction to homes and businesses in Genesee County.

Yaeger thanked legislators and emphasized that it’s so important for fire protection systems to be safe.

“The men and women of Genesee County Fire and EMS work every day, training and preparing to provide fire safety training and response,” he said. "The fire dog is not able to speak, but he's here to make sure that both children and adults stay safe. Please, please, please check to make sure you have a clean smoke detector in your home as well as a carbon monoxide detector … be safe everybody.”

Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein said that the proclamation and recognition of the county’s emergency management local fire companies “couldn’t be more fitting” right now.

“After the fires that we've had around us and in our county, we need to be reminded one more time about the preventative measures … thank you for the operational expertise that we have in our fire and EMS service here in Genesee County. Our community and our citizens are well served.”

Top Photo: Genesee County Legislator Gary Maha shakes the paw of the fire dog during Wednesday's legislative meeting; above, Maha, poses with Emergency Management Services Deputy Coordinator Gary Patnode, the fire dog, and EMS Coordinator Tim Yaeger, who accepted a proclamation for National Fire Prevention Month. Photos by Joanne Beck.

The Batavia High School volleyball team held their first "pink game" this season, raising $1,100 for Genesee Cancer Assistance.

"We just wanted to do this because it's something that stays in Genesee County, and it's really good to just have the money stay here and benefit our community," said team captain Olivia Shell.

Head Coach James Patric said he expects pink games to become annual events to benefit Genesee Cancer Assistance. There will be more advance planning next season, he said, with a goal of raising $3,000 to $3,500.

"It's amazing to have them want to reach out and do this for us," said Nickie Fazio. "This money is going to be so beneficial to our patients. We're just very grateful. And if they want to do this next year, we're more than happy to help them."