Press Release: 

The students, teachers, and staff at Pembroke Intermediate School participated in their annual December Drive which benefits the Corfu Food Pantry. This year, almost 1,400 items were collected! Student Council members, 5th grade students, and 6th grade students delivered the food on Friday, December 17.   

“This is one of the Intermediate School’s favorite holiday traditions. The entire school and community comes together to help those in need,”  said student council and 6th grade teacher Arron Brown.

A one-vehicle accident is reported in the area of 7989 Slusser Road, East Pembroke.

The car is in a field. The driver reportedly sustained only minor injuries but extrication is required.

East Pembroke Fire on scene and Alabama Fire called to assist.

UPDATE 2:59 p.m.: Crews have managed to get the patient out through the door.  Alabama can stand down and the East Pembroke engine can continue non-emergency.

Press Release:

Enjoy the forest in winter and track the secret lives of wild animals on a guided hike! Winter Wonderland Hikes are held at the Interpretive Nature Center at the Genesee County Park & Forest on the following  Saturdays:

January 8th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
February 12th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Hikes will go, snow or no snow. Snowshoes may be used, weather permitting, and are available for rent or you may bring your own. Snowshoeing lesson provided, no previous experience needed! Rental is included in the price, $5/person, $15 max/family. Recommended for ages 3 and up! Space is limited! Pre-registration is required, call 585- 344-1122! Masks must be worn whenever unable to maintain 6 feet of social distance. Join us for Winter Fun Night Hikes from 7:00 to 9:00 pm on the following Saturdays: January 8th Meet at the Interpretive Nature Center February 12th Meet at Pavilion A.

Enjoy the tranquil beauty of the forest at night! Park guides lead you on a night hike for ages 18 and over. Snowshoes may be used, weather permitting, and are available for rent or you may bring your own. Snowshoeing lesson provided, no previous experience needed! Rental is included in the price, $5/person, $15 max/family. Space is limited! Pre-registration is required, call 585-344-1122! Masks must be worn whenever unable to maintain 6 feet of social distance Make a memory this winter with your own Private Group Snowshoe Hike! A Naturalist guides your group through peaceful woodland trails and open meadows. Listen to winter’s quiet beauty and find signs of wildlife in this 431- acre park. Private hikes are available on Saturdays in January and February from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm by reservation only at the Interpretive Nature Center. No previous experience is needed; snowshoes provided or bring your own.
Rental is included in the price. Limit group size of 10 people. $5/person, minimum group fee is $50. Call 585-344-1122 to book your own adventure! Snowshoe Rentals are available at the Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Center 10:00 am – 3:00 pm on
Thursdays and Fridays, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays December through March, weather permitting.
Snowshoes must be used in the park. Fee is $5/pair and all proceeds go to ACORNS, the nonprofit organization that supports the parks!

Call (585) 344-1122 to register. For more information visit our website at
http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/parks/

Former Batavia resident David Bellavia, a Medal of Honor recipient, was the featured speaker today in a ceremony honoring veterans who have passed away and are buried at the WNY National Cemetery.

The event, Wreaths Across America, took place today at military cemeteries across America.  Friends, family members, and volunteers laid wreaths at the grave sites of the men and women who served this nation.

Sophomore Addison Warriner’s power play goal with six minutes and 11 seconds to play lifted Batavia Notre Dame to a 4-3 victory over Webster Schroeder this afternoon in the championship game of the Dave McCarthy Memorial Christmas Tournament at the Batavia Ice Arena.

Host United, now 5-2, prevailed in a fast-paced, well-played contest between evenly-matched Section V hockey clubs

The game featured only seven penalties, but one of those infractions proved to be the difference, however, when Warriors’ defensemen Matt Grattan was hit with a five-minute major for checking from behind at the 10:21 mark of the final period.

BND fired off several shots at Webster Schroeder goaltender Peyton Sanfilippo over the next four minutes before finally cashing in on a Warriner slap shot, with assists going to Jameson Motyka and Gavin Schrader, to break a 3-3 tie.

From there, United employed its neutral zone trap scheme and managed to keep the Warriors off the scoreboard.

United Coach Marc Staley mentioned his team’s all-for-one, one-for all approach when talking about the game-winner.

“The attitude in the locker room is just next man up. And that's what happened, we popped in Addison Warner there in the middle on the power play, and he scores the game winning goal,” Staley said. “And so, what I love about this team is that we have this deep bench. And if someone's not getting it done, we can just bring somebody in to take care of business.”

Freshman Brady Johnson stepped up in a big way as he registered a “natural hat trick” with three consecutive goals for United – two as BDN took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission and a third that erased a 3-2 deficit in the second period.

Webster Schroeder opened the scoring on a goal by Aiden Baldwin (assisted by Gunnar Bolton) at 14:45 of the first period. Johnson evened things up at 4:38 when he took the puck the length of the ice, broke through two defenders and found the back of the net, and put the home team on top at 1:15 after taking a pass from Ronin Hofmaster.

The Warriors responded in the second period on a power play goal by Evan SanSoucie at 16:27 and an even-strength goal by Bolton (assisted by Ryan Reeves) two minutes later to regain the lead at 3-2.

United bounced back once again as Schrader and Hofmaster worked the puck to Johnson at the point and his shot beat Sanfilippo at 10:33 to knot things up.

“Brady is just an incredible talent – a player who mixes great skill level with just a huge compete factor,” Staley said. “He just willed that first goal and that really gave our bench some life.”

Johnson, Schrader, defenseman Andrew Kasmarek and goaltender Courtney Schum were named to the all-tournament team for United, joining Warriors Alex Bollis, Baldwin and Sanfilippo.

They each received medals that were presented by Mike McCarthy and Brian McCarthy, father and brother, respectively, of Dave McCarthy, a standout athlete who was killed in a car accident in 2006.

United outshot the visitors 31-18, but Schum made several spectacular stops among her 15 saves, including a shot at point blank range by Bollis with 1:02 remaining to preserve the lead.

Staley recognized the performance by Schum, who has been filling in admirably for injured starter Frank Falleti Jr.

“She's been steady the whole year for us,” he said. “She makes the saves she's supposed to make and we know when we stay out of the penalty box and we don't give up odd man rushes, she’s going to do the rest for us. I'm very happy for her making the all-tournament team as she deserved it.”

BND, already without forward Cooper Hamilton (broken collarbone) until sometime in January, lost its co-captain, Zack Eschberger, midway through the second period when he was hit from behind into the boards. He reportedly was being evaluated for a concussion.

“I’m really proud of this team for gutting it out,” Staley said. “I mean we were down some of our key players tonight, for different reasons. And then we lost Eschberger, so we’ve got to figure out what his status is going forward as we have a big game against Pittsford (6 p.m. Thursday at Batavia Ice Arena) coming up this week.”

Photo at top: Batavia Notre Dame players gather round goaltender Courtney Schum after the buzzer sounds, marking their 4-3 win over Webster Schroeder. Photo at bottom: Players, coaches and tournament officials celebrate with a group photo. Photos by Mike Pettinella.

The Owen Library, a redesigned room containing art books, a white baby grand piano, a fireplace, seating, and table games, was dedicated at GO Art! in Seymour Place in Batavia on Friday night.

The library honors the family of Jim Owen, himself not an artist but from a family of people who pursued the arts in various ways.

"It totally made sense to dedicate this library in memory of the Owen family," said Gregory Hallock, director of Genesee Orleans Arts Council.

Frank Owen, the family patriarch, was a musician, conductor, and music instructor at Batavia High School. His wife, Natalie Walker Owen, was president of the Richmond Memorial Library Board of Trustees.  Kathy Owen, daughter of Frank and Natalie and sister of Jim Owen, was a photographer, and Robert Owen, also a sibling, was an author and actor (as well as, like Jim, an athlete).

"My parents, my sister, and my brother say thank you from heaven and I thank you from earth," said Jim Owen during his remarks.

Gregory Hallock reads a letter from a former typing student of Jim Owen in Hamburg, Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Proclamations were presented by members of the City Council (Eugene Jankowski and Bob Bialkowski) above, as well as the County Legislature (Marianne Clattenburg, John Deleo, and Gary Maha (not pictured) and Assemblyman Steve Hawley (not pictured).

Senior winger Gavin Schrader scored three goals and freshman Brady Johnson tallied a pair of goals and three assists to lead Batavia Notre Dame to a 9-2 victory over Fulton in Friday night's opening round of the Dave McCarthy Memorial Christmas Tournament at the Batavia Ice Arena.

The victory puts United in the championship game at 3 this afternoon against Webster Schroeder, which defeated Bishop Timon, 10-0.

United, 4-2, scored twice in the first period, three times in the second and four times in the third as it outshot the Red Raiders, 50-20.

Jameson Motyka opened the scoring a minute and 46 seconds into the game (assisted by Parker Corbelli and Johnson) and Johnson made it 2-0 about two minutes later (assisted by Andrew Kasmarek and Motyka).

Kasmarek (assisted by Gino Falleti and Addison Warriner) gave BND a 3-0 cushion early in the second period before Nick Long answered for Fulton with 9:28 on the clock.

About four minutes later, Schrader – who now has 13 goals this season – converted a pass from Ronin Hofmaster before returning the favor, setting up Hofmaster for a goal with 1:40 left in the period. Alex Johnson assisted on Schrader’s goal and Zack Eschberger picked up an assist on Hofmaster’s goal.

In the third period, following a goal by Jameson Motyka (assisted by Brady Johnson), Schrader scored back-to-back power play goals with 11:47 and 9:42 on the clock. Motyka and Brady Johnson assisted on the first one, with Hofmaster and Eschberger assisting on the second goal.

Brady Johnson closed out the scoring with 8:04 left (assisted by Noah Whitcombe).

United goaltender Courtney Schum made 18 saves, including a stop on Fulton’s Nick Long on a breakaway midway through the first period.

Owen Dixon scored the other goal for Fulton, 1-5-2. Fulton and Bishop Timon will meet in the consolation game at noon.

Press Release:

   The condition of buildings and land in the City of Batavia plays a vital role in the quality of life enjoyed by the City's residents, merchants and visitors. Enforcement of the Municipal Property and Zoning Codes ensures that each property meets required standards. The Municipal Property and Zoning Codes protect the health, safety and welfare of those who live, work and visit the City, and conserves the value of the property and neighboring properties. It also conserves the value of the property and neighboring properties.

   The City of Batavia has a total of 4,460 residential structures, 514 commercial structures, and 34 Industrial structures. The condition and maintenance of these existing structures as well as the safe and code compliant construction of new buildings plays a vital role in the success of our businesses and City.  In order to preserve these structure and enhance neighborhoods, the Bureau of Inspection conducts property and building code inspections and code enforcement activity.

  “It is important that residents understand the role inspections plays here in Batavia, “ said Jill Wiedrick, Assistant City Manager. “Residents in Batavia seek a high quality of life in an aesthetically pleasing environment and are affected by what they see when they open their door every day. The Bureau of Inspection’s mission is to ensure a City where all residents have a clean, safe environment to live, work and play.”

  The goal of the Bureau of Inspection is to achieve timely voluntary compliance of code violations. Code Enforcement Officers balance the goal of gaining voluntary compliance with ensuring the health and safety of our residents. They attempt to minimize the negative impact violations such as peeling paint, missing roof shingles, vehicles parked on lawns, trash, debris, and high grass have on neighborhoods.

Code Enforcement Officers follow a scripted process when inspecting structures and enforcing the Code.

Step One: Inspection:

An inspection is conducted by a Code Enforcement Officer on the basis of a complaint, neighborhood survey, or a referral.  The primary focus of these inspections are on health, safety and removal of blight.  If violations are present, a Notice and Order citation is issued to the owner requiring correction.

Step Two: Re-inspection:

The Code Enforcement Officer re-inspects a cited property.  If the owner does not comply with the Notice and Order citation, the case will be prepared for the court process.

Tarrence Yuron Williams, 22, of Porter Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal obstruction of breathing and blood circulation, and menacing 3rd.  On Dec. 15, dispatchers received a report of a disturbance at the Quality Inn and Suites, 8250 Park Road, Batavia.  Williams is accused of choking another person at that location. He was taken into custody and allegedly found in possession of a quantity of crack cocaine.  Deputies obtained a search warrant for his room at the hotel and located an allegedly illegal firearm.  Williams was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and ordered held on bail of $5,000.  Batavia PD and the District Attorney's Office assisted in the investigation.

Sidney Carl Underhill, 72, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, is charged with disobeying a mandate.  Underhill allegedly violated an order of protection at 10:31 p.m., Dec. 8 at a location on Main Street, Batavia.

Dianna Lynn Sprague, 50, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Sprague is accused of shoplifting from Walmart in Batavia. 

Alexander Rian Toal, 18, of Swamp Road, Byron, is charged with menacing 2nd and acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17 years old. Toal is accused of placing a person in fear of his life by displaying what appeared to be a firearm and threatening that person while a child under age 17 was present.  He was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and released on his own recognizance.

Stephen G. Ognibene, 64, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd.  Ognibene is accused of violating an order of protection by not surrendering his firearms.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Press Release:

 On November 20, 2021 at the Stifel Theatre in Downtown St. Louis, GCC Admissions Recruitment Specialist Dan Konopski accepted the Stan Musial Award on behalf of Buffalo Bills fans for their charitable donations to Blessings in a Backpack, a Louisville-based charity that helps feed elementary school students across the country.

While watching the Baltimore-Buffalo AFC playoff game last January from his home in Tonawanda, Konopski, a life-long Bills fan, looked on as Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson exited the game with a head injury late in the third quarter. While Jackson's exit helped Buffalo advance to the AFC Championship, it didn't sit well Konopski. After some research, he discovered that Jackson was affiliated with Blessings in a Backpack and decided to make a donation. He posted the receipt on social media, encouraging others to do the same. Bills fans took notice and a few days later, 18,450 individual donations were made in Jackson's honor and more than $550,000 was raised.

"An individual doing whatever they can to make a difference will always mean something. An army of united and inspired people doing whatever they can do to make a difference means everything. It's a good cause, it was a good game and he's a great player. It just made sense to me at the time. I never imagined it getting to this level but I guess that's just the Bills Mafia way," said Konopski.

Named for Baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial, the Musial Awards honor the year's greatest moments of sportsmanship. The show is presented by Maryville University and produced by the St. Louis Sports Commission and the National Sportsmanship Foundation, a charitable nonprofit organization. In addition to keeping Stan Musial's legacy alive, the mission of the Musial Awards is to encourage kindness, selflessness, integrity and civility in sports and society - and to inspire people across the nation to be good sports. The event has occurred in St. Louis since 2005. Other 2021 Musial award recipients included Wayne and Janet Gretzky, Bryce Harper and LSU Gymnastics.

The Musial Awards will air on CBS on Christmas Day at 5 p.m. EST

For more information about Blessings in a Backpack, please visit https://www.blessingsinabackpack.org

Photo courtesy of GCC

Press release:

Students at Jackson Primary worked very diligently on ornaments for festive Christmas trees that were purchased by the Jackson Parent-Teacher group in every community.

Our teachers Jessica Kolb and Mallory Flanagan helped to create these beautiful decorations for the trees. The students based their ornaments on a themed book. Community 1 read “The Smiley Snowman”, Community 2 read “Santa Bruce”, and Community 3 read “The Library Gingerbread Man.” 

After the students completed the ornaments they were hung on the trees for everyone to see. Teachers participated in a hallway decorating contest with students to showcase their theme. The students created work that complimented their themes. There were pictures of snowflakes, running gingerbread men, and festive sweaters with students' faces on them.

Every staff member and community participated in this holiday wonderland.  Students strolled the halls to see the beautiful and creative scenery all throughout Jackson Primary. 

On December 14th, three community members; Michelle Humes (Batavia Board of Education Member Assigned to Jackson Primary), Firefighter Tedford (Batavia Fire Department), and School Resource Officer Miah Stevens, visited Jackson Primary to be the judges of the Hallway Decorating Contest. 

It was a very tough decision due to the creativity in every hallway, but they decided after a long deliberation that community 3 (Gingerbread Men) was the most creative community in the school. 

Teachers in Community 3 are: Mrs. Amerine, Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Ellingsworth, Mr. Ferri, Mrs. Koukides, Ms. Mattice, Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Reeves, Mrs. Restivo, Mrs. Wolff, Mrs. Richenberg, Mrs. Sprague, Mrs. Wohlers, Mrs. O’Campo, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Wolff, Mrs. DiMartino, Mrs. Conroy, and Mrs. Grasso. The students in that community won a Timbit party donated by Tim Hortons on East Main Street.  All teachers and staff won a pizza party from the administration for their camaraderie and team-building efforts as a Jackson Family.

Photos by Howard Owens. Top photo: Principal Maureen Notaro, left, and Nancy Okoniewski, far right, with students in a UP-K class.

The Genesee County Airport will receive $159,000 in federal funding through the recently-enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced on Thursday.

The latest round of funding will distribute $136,977,897 to 59 airports across New York State. Money can be used for improvements related to runways, taxiways, safety and sustainability projects, as well as terminal, airport-transit connections and roadway projects.

County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens, who oversees operations at the airport on Saile Drive, said he believes this award is another in a series "of standard funding that we normally get that doesn't have any fanfare attached to it."

Hens said he is waiting for more details on a similar funding announcement in the fall and has no specific information about yesterday's news.

Batavia High School senior and school board student representative Kylie Tatarka prepared board members Thursday that there were both positive and negative items in her monthly report. 

The positive was that many school activities — high school football games, boy and girl swim teams, a production of Sherlock Holmes — “have been very successful,” Tatarka said. 

“And now, due to the pamphlet,” she said during the board’s December meeting at BHS. “Students have expressed a lack of safety due to that situation, which was addressed by our administration.”

That “situation” was two weeks ago, when some students, who were frustrated by what they believed was inaction to bullying by the district, created written materials and began to organize a walk-out. Social media buzzed with comments as the school ended up closing for a day following the perceptions of threats of violence and after the distribution of those materials. The district closed Dec. 3 after reports of threats of violence at buildings in the district began circulating on social media.

On the plus side, high school counselors visited classrooms to understand how students have been feeling, Tatarka said, and how the district could potentially make them feel safer. 

“This process went well, where many kids said they finally felt heard by this administration,” she said. “Students go through a lot of stress, especially right now, and we need adults to help go through this together. Communication and trust is key.”

As a senior with little time left in school before graduation, Tatarka still looks forward to seeing a change, she said, “especially for my friends, my peers and my own sibling who goes to school with me.” She was also speaking up for those younger classmates that will remain in school behind her. 

“So I urge you all to think about students first,” she said.

High School Principal Paul Kesler reiterated the student ex-officio's remarks about how counselors went into each social studies class to give all students an opportunity to express their feelings, thoughts and concerns. 

“Their struggle right now is real, they’re feeling a sense of loss in many ways, our staff is feeling that also,” Kesler said. “This is a good time to get some feedback on that.”

There were positive and negative comments, and suggestions  to be followed up on next year, he said. Bullying specifically wasn’t the hot topic, he said, whereas the effects of COVID-19 and the related distancing policy this past year seemed to have a bigger impact on students, he said. 

“A lot of feedback came back in terms of student’s mental health. I have seen that mental health needs have increased. Students have felt the loss of activities, like not having traditional school dances,” he said, listing some of the students’ suggestions. “They talked about public affirmation of the great things that they’re doing; publicize those on announcements more. They want more classroom meetings. It’s important to hear from marginalized students.” 

Another suggestion, indicative of youth’s technological savvy, was to create a check-in sheet with a bar code so that students can remain anonymous while reaching out for help and/or to share concerns about someone else. The feedback so far was a good start, Kesler said, and counselors will be revisiting with students in a similar way in late January.

“All in all, I’m really proud of our students,” he said. “They’ve been really resilient in difficult situations.”

While on the topic of student safety, Interim Superintendent Scott Bischoping referred to a TikTok message that has been circulating nationally.  The Federal Bureau of Investigations and law enforcement concluded that any such threat is unfounded, he said. City police are aware of the post and will monitor the situation, he said.

The popular site TikTok has suggested that school shootings are to take place in a nationwide TikTok school threat challenge on Friday, apparently titled National Shoot Up Your School Day.

The post encourages students to make threats of violence against their school. Some districts are reportedly taking heavier precautions, such as Scotia-Glenville Central School and West Genesee in Syracuse.

Top photo: Batavia High School Principal Paul Kesler reviews the steps taken so far to connect with students, hear them out and develop a list of potential remedies for the void left by COVID-19 protocols. Photo by Howard Owens
 

A severe wind storm. Damage to the high school roof.  A COVID-19 pandemic. Student upheaval about not feeling safe from bullying.

For Interim Superintendent Scott Bischoping, it was six months of doing business as needed at Batavia City School District.

For Board of Education President Alice Benedict, it was impressive to watch the district leader in action, she said.

“I’ve been a board member for a number of years and been a part of having other superintendents. I have never met a calmer person  in my life, with some of the things that have gone on in this school district in the last few months,” Benedict said during Bischoping’s last official meeting Thursday at Batavia High School. “And I totally appreciate it, and I give you a lot of respect for all of the information you have given us, and the leadership. And it’s very nice knowing you.”

The board is sad to see him go, she said, but also happy to have a new permanent superintendent. The board later approved a reorganizational appointment for incoming leader Jason Smith to take on the role of superintendent and chief emergency officer Jan. 3 of next year.

”I just wanted to say a big thank you to Mr. Bischoping; this will be his last board meeting before a new superintendent comes on board,” Benedict said. 

For one of his last pieces of administrative duty, Bischoping briefed the board about recent wind damage sustained to the high school roof this past weekend. Extensive damage forced the temporary closure of the auditorium beneath it, and a three-pronged approach has been recommended for the roof’s repair, Bischoping said. 

First up is to make sure the building is watertight and immediate damage is being take care of. Work will also include covering up any holes, to the tune of “probably close to 6,000 blocks holding the roof piece down now,” he said.

The second part involves some replacement hoods that will allow dampers to work, he said. That in turn enables outside air to be brought in so the auditorium can be used.

“We’re hoping to be able to do that in the next few weeks,” he said.  

The actual repair is the third prong, which will need an estimate of cost. A section of roofing is about 20 years old, he said, and a portion of it is no longer up to code. So the repair will include removing all insulation beneath the roof and replacing it with new insulation material. Replacement insurance may cover a piece of that work, with state aid filling in the gap, he said.

As for the immediate response to the damage caused by winds up to 75 miles per hour, Bischoping credited the maintenance staff for doing “a great job.”

He also thanked the board for its work and assistance, and credited the district community for its role in his return after a prior interim stint. 

"There are great people in this district which made it very easy to come back here," he said. "This is a challenging time for school districts and for most entities, and I think we’re entering uncharted territory. This has made rookies of us all. I look forward to the work that Mr. Smith will be doing with your district and the things that will be happening at Batavia City School District." 

Top photo: Batavia City Schools Interim Superintendent Scott Bischoping conducts business during his last official Board of Education meeting Thursday at Batavia High School. Photo by Howard Owens

Adjusting bullying protocols to better accommodate student needs is in the hands of Batavia City School board members, Rebecca Eldridge says. 

And she urges them and the district at large to work more diligently to improve the way district personnel responds to student accusations of verbal and physical attacks. 

“I stand here tonight on behalf of many students and families whose stories and voices have been dismissed,” she said to the Board of Education during its meeting Thursday at Batavia High School. “Two weeks ago my family became one as well. I implore you to take action for every single student that walks through these halls. Enforce policies for every student every day.”

The story she shared came in between her introduction and final urgings. Her son had been assaulted to the point of a swollen eye, bloody nose, bruised ribs and abrasions to his legs, she said. Yet he, too, was suspended along with the bully for defending himself. Perhaps even more upsetting was that she learned he was sent on to his next class after the attack, and did not receive medical attention until later, she said.

“That is neglect without question,” she said. “Staff failed to report to their superiors, which is school policy.”

Not once but three times her son suffered “intimidation, threats and physical harm” from this bully’s sibling, she said. That history plus this particular assault she highlighted resulted in her son being physically injured and emotionally scarred due to trauma, she said.

The day she learned about the assault, Eldridge received a letter notifying her that her son had been suspended for throwing a basketball at the bully, she said. The bully had been seriously taunting her son for four years, and “the school has done nothing.”

Meanwhile, he has missed out on school academics and sports, she said, as district officials reminded her to “be grateful for two — not five — days suspension.”

“Your son was not the aggressor, but we have to; it’s policy,” Eldridge said, repeating what district officials told her. 

She maintained that the district’s Information Technology and “higher administration” staff confirmed there was audio of the event with her son, and that she was subsequently lied to that there was none. The situation violates school policies, Code of Conduct and the Dignity For All Students Act, she said.

Her son’s record has been expunged, she said, “without conversation or an appeal.” Camera footage has disappeared as prior statements have been recanted, she said. 

Eldridge is looking for a shift in the system.

“Recently students and the community have desperately asked for their voices to be heard, changes to be made,” she said. “Change is in your hands tonight. Students including my son deserve nothing less than that from every one of you.” 

There was no board discussion about the issue after she spoke, however, she told The Batavian after the meeting that she was encouraged by what two board members privately expressed.

“They both thanked me for speaking,” she said. “One said ‘thank you for your courage,’ and the other said ‘I heard you, I heard you.’ I hope me speaking tonight has a positive impact, and brings change for our schools, for our children, and our community. As I said to them, it’s in your hands tonight.”

Parent Lidia Arteaga, who had previously spoken with The Batavian for a related article (Batavia City Schools’ parents speak out about bullying at the district), could not attend the meeting, but agreed with Eldridge’s main message. Arteaga’s daughter has experienced much verbal bullying, she said and deserves to be safe at school. Her daughter had created a pamphlet to raise awareness of the bullying episodes taking place without disciplinary action by the district. Her daughter was suspended for that act.

“Yes, change has to happen,” Arteaga said to The Batavian after the meeting. “Let me tell you that if anyone touches my daughter and they come back with those weak excuses, I will do anything I can to make them pay. I don’t know if change will happen, but I’m proud of my little girl for trying to make a difference. It’s at least opened the door for more communication.”

The Batavian asked Interim Superintendent Scott Bischoping for a response to Eldridge’s accusations, and he could not offer much comment, he said.

“I am unable to discuss a specific student discipline issue,” he said, offering to talk more about the situation in the future. 

Top photo: Parent Rebecca Eldridge urges Batavia City School Board of Education members to take action and ensure the safety of students from bullying during a board meeting Thursday at the high school library. Photo by Howard Owens

In fact, the coronavirus paved the way for a new dynamic – the ability to meet via Zoom and other social media outlets to engage members of the focus groups who have contributed to the Comprehensive Plan, said Eve Holberg, planner/project manager with Joy Kuebler Landscape Architect of North Tonawanda.

Speaking at a presentation to the Genesee County Legislature tonight at the Old County Courthouse (and via Zoom), Holberg (photo at right) said that moving the process online has alleviated the challenge of bringing stakeholders together and has been key in communicating the various surveys that helped mold the documents.

“Zoom and other meeting platforms … can boost the efficiency of the focus groups (who) want to see their quality of life preserved,” she said.

About 10 people attended in person and several others viewed and listened remotely to the presentation, which also included an overview of the Recreation Plan and the Genesee 2050 Hub Site (www.Genesee2050.com) by Michael Kane and Jenny Mogavero, respectively, principals at Prospect Hill Consulting in Buffalo.

Joy Kuebler Landscape Architect and Prospect Hill Consulting have been commissioned by the Genesee County Planning Department to draft the updated plans, which carry the overarching goals of enhancing quality of life issues and providing viable places and opportunities that promote healthy living, recreation and the arts.

‘NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER’S PLAN’

Holberg said the economic, cultural and educational landscapes have changed considerably since the county first embarked on comprehensive planning more than 20 years ago.

“This is not your grandfather’s Comprehensive Plan,” she said, noting that she and others have been working on this for 18 months. She also touted the Genesee 2050 interactive website that will "carry the plan forward.”

The vision of the 2050 Comprehensive Plan targets the wishes of the residents of Genesee County and the willingness of county government “to advance budgeting and funding to achieve these ambitions,” she said.

Overall recommendations include maintaining and expanding the focus groups that have set the plans in motion and to sustain Smart Growth, the component that preserves the county’s farmland, promotes sustainable growth and supports economic development strategy.

The Genesee 2050 Comprehensive Plan lists 10 priority elements that are keys to achieving its goals:

• Land use, environment and place making;
• Agriculture and food production;
• Arts, culture, parks and recreation;
• Housing opportunities;
• Transportation and mobility;
• Technology and utilities;
• Community wellness;
• Economic and workforce development;
• Safety, security and justice;
• Government and education administration.

Holberg provided an example when talking about transportation and mobility, suggesting a pooling of transportation resources (Social Services, Office for the Aging, Veterans Services) “to make it possible to have a better mobility system and to keep people in their communities.”

RECREATION PLAN: AN ALL-IN VENTURE

The first of its kind in Genesee County, the Recreation Plan is a road map for future development – “an ambitious plan” that considers the extensive facilities and parks in the City of Batavia and the county’s towns and villages, Kane said.

The plan’s five goals and objectives – “which remained consistent as the project evolved,” Kane said – are as follows:

• Develop plans that equitably meet community recreation needs;
• Promote healthy living;
• Promote tourism through recreation, arts and cultural attractions;
• Promote new trails and park development, and local and regional trail connections.
• Promote/maintain youth recreational services.

Parks in the county for the most part are in excellent shape, Kane said, adding that information on all the parks and recreation areas is attractively displayed in the Recreation Plan.

His team reviewed more than 50 plans, including county, town and village comprehensive plans and New York State’s open space/recreation plans, and assessed the parks’ accessibility by walking and by car to “identify gaps in the county’s recreational inventory.”

Thus far, more than 20 projects have been identified, including expansion and upgrading of Ellicott Trail, creation of a new trail at Genesee Community College, paving of the shoulders of county roads for recreational use, establishing public spaces at Oatka Creek and reuse of the former amusement park at Indian Falls.

Kane said the projects are prioritized by how strongly they hit the five goals mentioned above. He also said these potential projects give Genesee County and other municipal entities a better chance to receive grant funding.

HUB SITE: AN EXTENSION OF THE PLAN

The Genesee 2050 Hub Site is a tool for the county to maintain the Comprehensive Plan and a platform to support community engagement activities, Mogavero said.

“It includes tools, data and documents for the focus groups .. and ensures that the plan will have a long shelf life,” she said, advising that the website will include the ability for public feedback in real time and links to agencies and maps to obtain current information.

In the end, Holberg said both plans reflect the values shared by county residents.

“Everyone wants more trails, and (because of that) the county can look for funding opportunities,” she said.