The Le Roy volleyball team has a shot at a sectional championship this week after beating Holley in a semifinal match on Saturday.
The Knights are now 17-2 and will face Wellsville at 5 p.m., Wednesday, at East Rochester High School.
Photos and info from Tim McArdle.
The Oatkan Knights are heading to a Class C championship game after beating East Rochester/Gananda 35-14 on Saturday.
Kyler LaCarte was 7-12 passing for 170 yards and three TDs, with one interception. He also rushed for 54 yards on six attempts and scored a TD.
Andrew Englerth rushed 10 times for 21 yards and a TD. Jake Hill, Chase Bordonaro, and Nate Andrews each had a TD reception.
Cole Rauscher led the defense with 12 tackles. Alex Panepento and Zach Vanderhoof each had nine and Jake Hill had seven.
Both of the Bombers' TDs came late in the game after the Knights had pulled many of their starters.
Le Roy will face Warsaw in for the Class C championship at 5 p.m., Saturday, at the College at Brockport.
Photos by Jim Burns
The Alexander Trojan defense shut down Red Jacket in a Class D Section V semifinal at Cal-Mum on Friday for a 8-0 win.
Ethan Heineman led the defense by keeping pressure on Red Jacket's QB and recorded seven tackles and a sack. Devin Dean had six tackles. Hayden Walton, 5, and Kam Lyons and Ty Woods each had an interception.
Alexander's lone score came on a quarterback sneak in the first quarter. It was the first TD of the year for Dylan Busch. The Trojans lined up for a point-after-attemp but a Red Jacket offsides moved the ball closer to the endzone so Head Coach Tim Sawyer decided to go for two.
Ty Woods ran for 120 yards on 22 carries and Busch had 45 yards on five carries. He was 4-13 passing for 65 yards. Woods had two receptions for 42 yards.
Next week: Alexander faces Notre Dame for the Class D championship.
The Fighting Irish advanced to the finals of the Class D sections on Friday with a 52-6 win over Bolivar-Richburg at Cal-Mum.
Jed Reese set a new single-season school record for yards rushed at 1,723 with 232 yards on 21 attempts. He scored three touchdowns.
QB Gabe Macdonald rushed for 37 yards on nine carries and scored a TD while passing for 52 yards and a TD. He was 6-10 and had two 2-point conversions.
Mark Sanders rushed for 96 yards on two carries and scored a TD. He had four receptions for 46 yards and a TD.
Cody Henry carried the ball nine times for 72 yards and a TD.
On defense, Henry had 10 tackles and a pass deflection. Macdonald had eight tackles. Reese and Connor McWilliams had five tackles each, one sack. Mason Randall had six tackles and a sack.
In all, Notre Dame notched five sacks and held B-R to 74 total yards.
Next, Alexander at Brockport for the Class D championship.
The two cannons that have sat on the front porch of the Holland Land Office Museum for more than a century have been removed and transported to Altoona, Pa., for a $20,000 period-accurate restoration.
The Museum is paying $10,000 for the restoration and is seeking public donations of $10,000 in a campaign called, "Ready, Aim, Donate."
Press release from the Genesee County Democrats:
“Yard signs, parade floats, and social media posts have ensured the names of local candidates are in the public eye as they geared up for the 2019 elections but none of that matters if we don’t vote,” said Erica O’Donnell, City of Batavia Democratic chair.
While national elections take the spotlight, municipal elections have a bigger impact on residents' daily lives. Supervisor and council positions set policy, create and facilitate budgets, and make decisions on the enforcement of public safety.
"Local elections are important because these are the people that make decisions that directly affect how money is spent and how things are run where you live," said Michael Plitt, Genesee County Democratic chair. "Usually our turnout is low for municipal elections but we'd like to see a big turnout."
“We have an amazing group of candidates this year," O’Donnell added. "They are honest, hardworking, and dedicated to ethical and moral integrity. They are not in the pockets of any county heads or organizations.”
Voting will be at County Building 2, located at 3837 W. Main St., Batavia, on Sunday (Nov. 3) from noon 'til 5 p.m. for ALL Genesee County residents. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, polls open at 6 a.m. at your usual voting locations.
Colin McAllister is a candidate for County Legislature, District 8. His opponent is Marianne Clattenburg.
If elected, what will you recommend to your fellow legislators for county priorities over the next five years?
While I look forward to working with fellow legislators to address the routine needs of the county, a major priority would be getting the county out of corporate welfare. Taking wealth from businesses and individuals to fuel the projects of the few is not morally right. I would also like to focus on challenging NYS mandates and their overreach into county affairs. Legal challenges are one avenue to actively resist the state’s control of our county budget and dictating how our elected government can operate. Together with the citizens of Genesee county and local governments in the region, I hope to come up with solutions to get power back to the local level.
What can or should the County government do to help foster business growth in Genesee County?
We need to work on getting the best tax rates for everybody year in year out, with no hoops to jump through. The county should focus on existing infrastructure needs and not projects we hope will happen. Mainly, the county should get out of the way for business wherever possible. I have faith that the business leaders in this county will excel with less government involvement.
Should the County build a new jail?
The consensus seems to be that we need a new jail to come into compliance with current regulations and, without more in-depth knowledge, I cannot refute that. Given bail reforms’ impact, the previous estimates need to be reevaluated with a fresh perspective. The focus of jail discussion needs to be a realistic look at the county’s needs and coming into compliance with state regulations, not potential revenue from housing overflow from other sources.
Are you satisfied with the way the County has been run for the past decade or so?
To a large extent, I think the Legislature has done its very best for the residents and businesses in Genesee County. The county could stand up to state mandates and overreach in some more substantial ways. As a county, we have been too absorbed in the race to beg a business to come to us when we should actually make an environment that all businesses and residents can prosper in.
What book first published in English since the Enlightenment has influenced your outlook on life the most?
That is a hard question. At this moment running as a third-party candidate, I would have to go with Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72. With as much absurdity and excess as Hunter S. Thompson’s writing contains, it managed to challenge my thoughts on the two-party political paradigm and my understanding of politics in general. His writings provide insight into Nixon that I have yet to find elsewhere. To cover such a complicated time involving such complex people in an insightful way is impressive. Mainly, I have found in his writings, and in life, that conventional wisdom is worth challenging especially if you want meaningful change.
Marianne Clattenburg is a candidate for County Legislature in District 8. Her opponent is Colin McAllister.
If elected, what will you recommend to your fellow legislators for county priorities over the next five years?
First and foremost the main priority will remain the same, to serve the citizens of Genesee County by providing them with the services that are important to them. The second priority will be to provide those services while maintaining the fiscal stability of the county. Part of those services will be to address the growing need in the county for an increased supply of clean water. Another priority is the safety of our citizens. This includes investments in law enforcement and the construction of a new county jail. This construction has been mandated by the state, but must be implemented with the taxpayer in mind.
What can or should the County government do to help foster business growth in Genesee County?
The County has a responsibility to provide the foundational needs that businesses require to expand their existing operations and to attract new investment in the county. The primary reason to foster business is to provide for employment opportunities for our citizens and to expand our tax base. Foundational needs include investment in public works projects. It also means investing in the education and training of our workforce. Whenever possible this is done through private/public partnerships coordinated by the county’s economic development agency. Through this agency, new and existing large companies and small businesses can apply for assistance in reaching their goals of expanding their businesses and job opportunities in Genesee County.
Should the County build a new jail?
The current building that houses our jail is over 100 years old and does not meet the Department of Corrections' operational standards. It also does not allow for the housing of female inmates. The state commission has notified Genesee County that we must bring our jail up to state standards. Due to the age and structure of our existing jail, it was determined that investing in our current jail was not an option. With pressure from the state, we began to look at the options for building a new jail. The members of the legislature spent time touring existing jails to see what size and configuration would work for Genesee County. The process we are currently undergoing is determining the size of our new jail and the operational costs that will be associated with it. We are also very concerned with the financing requirements associated with a major project such as this. All the work done thus far can be found on the county’s website. I will be seeking public input on this decision and I look forward to hearing the views of my constituents. We need to build a new county jail that meets the requirements of the state, but we should build a jail that is financially acceptable to the taxpayer.
Are you satisfied with the way the County has been run for the past decade or so?
The employees who are responsible for the day to day operations of our county work extremely hard to serve our citizens. We have been fortunate to have our County Manager, Jay Gsell leading this effort. Jay and all our employees have given us a county that we can be proud of. From our senior center, veteran’s service office, public works, county parks, youth services, health, and human service providers, law enforcement and emergency services as well as our county clerk’s office, these departments exist to serve the taxpayer. The legislature has worked with our manager and his staff to implement policies that provide for the safety and well-being of our citizens. We have had our challenges and sometimes disagreements. It is challenging at times to satisfy all the required state mandates, but still maintain the service level that our county citizens expect. I believe the county has done a good job during the past decade meeting these needs.
What book first published in English since the Enlightenment has influenced your outlook on life the most?
As a Christian, the book that has influenced my life the most do not meet the language or timeframe requirement of your question. A book that I did enjoy and was thought-provoking was “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” by Mitch Albom. It explores the idea that our lives are connected to the lives of others in ways that we may not know. For those who have not read it, I strongly recommend it!
Kathleen Briggs is a candidate for City Council, Ward 5. Her opponent is Sam DiSalvo.
What do you like about the City of Batavia?
I have lived here most of my life. It's the right mix of country and city. People are friendly. We have great people who are willing to volunteer to help others. For a small city like ours, we have a nice balance of cultural activities like Go Art and the Batavia Players.
What is the number one problem facing the City of Batavia and what is your plan to address it?
In the 5th Ward, the overriding concern I hear when going door to door is crime. Nothing else comes close. I have been working closely with our police to increase their presence in the ward. I also fought to get more surveillance cameras for the Police Department and have them placed around the ward.
Describe your vision for Downtown Batavia in 10 years?
I hope to see the Downtown revitalization project completed. That would include the Health Campus that our local hospital and the YMCA are planning, the "Mall" repaired and fully occupied, and the Carr's building restored and occupied.
Do you support building a new police station?
Yes, I support a new police station. I fully support having our own Police Department and if we are going to do that, then we need a new building. While I will have to study where to locate it, the need is clear. We can no longer continue to try and pretend that a house over 150 years old can continue to serve our police force.
What book first published in English since the Enlightenment has influenced your outlook on life the most?
The voters in my ward do not care what books, if any, I have read. They have their own concerns.
Samuel DiSalvo is a candidate for City Council, Ward 5. His opponent is Kathleen Briggs.
What do you like about the City of Batavia?
When I'm at the local coffee shop the owner and employees know customer's names and have conversations about their lives; when I walk down the sidewalk people say hi; City officials know the names of citizens: Batavia feels like home because of the people who have chosen to live here and strive every day to make Batavia wonderful. Living in a community with good people and having a personalized community where you feel part of the city is why I like Batavia. I was born and raised here and have family roots intertwined with Batavia from relatives who were Fire Chiefs to grandparents who owned a store on Main Street. The community all of this has brought has been wonderful, making Batavia having always felt like home, a feeling I want to help everyone feel while living in Batavia.
What is the number one problem facing the City of Batavia and what is your plan to address it?
The largest challenge I see facing Batavia is the exponential growth of rental properties (now over 55% of homes).
This stems from the following reasons:
1) Closing costs on houses are astronomical. Closing costs on a $100,000 home hover around $13,000. Most single young people cannot afford that. A year of renting is cheaper.
2) With fewer career opportunities here than in large cities, many people require temporary housing, not homeownership. Renting circumvents the hassle/cost of closing and owning a home if they plan to move to one of the cities where they work.
Having so many rental properties has the potential to bring issues:
1) If landlords do not keep their properties maintained for any number of reasons, neighboring property values can decrease. I have met several citizens whose property values have decreased for this reason.
2) Tenants are put at risk of having a landlord that will break leases, keep security deposits for illegitimate reasons, or their landlord doesn't fulfill their landlord obligations. Similarly, landlords are at risk of having bad tenants that may destroy the apartment and cause unnecessary problems for landlords.
3) More people today are transient and may not care about Batavia and may not care to invest in the community, creating a city of people who may not care to keep Batavia beautiful.
To address these problems, I would like to see the City take these steps:
1) Develop a workshop-similar to what Buffalo already does-to educate landlords on how to write a lease, how to follow that contract, how to contact the police for background checks, legal statutes for rent collection, eviction timelines, etc. Tenants and landlords need to be protected and landlords should be fully educated on how to be a landlord. Every job has training.
2) Push for enforcement of codes and for police to follow up with citations (many citizens say that after citations are given, there is no follow-up if the citation is ignored).
3) Explore the possibility with the City Manager of developing something to make Batavia attractive for businesses to come to so there are careers here for people to pursue.
4) With the City Manager, explore the creation of a program to help first-time homebuyers buy and settle in the City (similar to Rochester's).
The number one problem I hear from my neighbors and citizens is the mall. Many people are fed up with it and want it torn down. The problem with the mall is that nothing innovative is being done with the it. Instead money from the $10 million grant Batavia was awarded from the state is going to be used to fix the roof while simultaneously Batavia will spend money to do a "study" on the mall to see what should be done with it. Innovation doesn't exist in regards to the mall and that needs to change if we want anything useful to be done with it. Selling a group of parcels at a lower rate to a private investor who can turn them into a large event center or lowering the price of parcels so business owners can afford the parcels or choose to do a rent-to-buy situation with parcels are three options that could help reinvigorate the crumbling mall.
Describe your vision for Downtown Batavia in 10 years?
Once thriving, Batavia's downtown has been burdened with a mall not innovating for today's Batavia and by privately-owned buildings that have sat empty for decades.
I would like to see the roof of the mall concourse removed to make it an open design with trees planted, benches/picnic tables erected, speakers to play music, lights strung between buildings, etc., and make it easier and cheaper for small business to rent-to-own or outright buy mall parcels from the City, invigorating business and giving citizens a place downtown to have lunch outside during summer, host small concerts similar to Jackson Square, give people a place downtown to relax, etc. I would also like to see more collaboration between downtown businesses, similar to how Brockport's downtown businesses participate in a "Where's Waldo" summer-long activity to increase foot traffic and engage people in walking downtown. In 10 years I hope to see all empty buildings filled and all of our incredible existing businesses going strong. Downtown should also be more handicap friendly, which includes beeping crosswalks.
Do you support building a new police station?
I support creating the most cost-effective and useful station, whether that is building a new police station (not in the Alva Place parking lot) or modifying/updating the current station. The City should be strategic and logical with where they decide to build a new police station, but most of all the City should listen to the input of its citizens. A citizen's group organized by the city chose a parcel on Swan Street as the top location for a new police station with the Alva Place parking lot as a second choice, but the City is looking at Alva Place rather than the citizen's first choice. Too often citizen opinions are ignored by the City. This must change.
What book first published in English since the Enlightenment has influenced your outlook on life the most?
When I was 6 I first read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and since I have been a Harry Potter fan. The series has shaped my outlook on life and my beliefs and has taught me invaluable lessons: the value of friendship, the power we all have inside of us to help others, and the ability young people - and all of us - have to make an impact.
As an adult, Daring Greatly by Brene Brown has most influenced my outlook on life. Though I'm an avid reader (I recently finished The Lightest Object in the Universe and am currently reading Buffalo Soldiers), Brene's TED Talks titled "The Power of Vulnerability" and "Listening to Shame" reshaped how I approach life, leading me to Daring Greatly. Brene cites Teddy Roosevelt's "The Man in the Arena" quote that describes how we must live in the arena. His quote goes on to say that even when we fail, as long as we were in the arena, we failed to dare greatly. When I first heard Brene discuss this quote, I began to live by the philosophy that in order to be a full, active participant in life and make a change and be wholehearted, I had to be vulnerable and put myself fully into the arena, daring greatly to make an impact and to help people. This is partly what inspired me to run for local office and be in the arena to help people.
Deborah Kerr Rosenbeck is a candidate for City Council in the 3rd Ward. Her opponents are Nicholas Russo and John Canale.
What do you like about the City of Batavia?
Batavia has coined the phrase "the hub of WNY" and to me it truly is. Uniquely situated between two larger urban areas, Batavia affords residents the benefits of a small town with cohesive and friendly neighborhoods. There is much to do right here that meets a variety of tastes and interests with minor league baseball, harness racing, symphony, theatre, concerts in the park and in the square, car racing and a variety of unique dining opportunities. And if that’s not enough, I can easily make my way to Rochester or Buffalo, knowing that my beloved Batavia is home. My whole family lives in the area and until just recently all three of my adult children lived on the block. Batavia is my home.
What is the number one problem facing the City of Batavia and what is your plan to address it?
I’ve walked neighborhoods throughout the city and most recently every street in my ward. It has made me acutely aware of our aging population, aging housing and aging infrastructure (sewers, water, streets and sidewalks). The ratio of owner-occupied to rental properties is of concern. Making the city of Batavia affordable and desirable for individuals to stay and providing incentives for people to buy and improve housing will be a priority.
Describe your vision for Downtown Batavia in 10 years?
I envision a downtown that is conducive to the fair and ethical operation of business without the current practice of government choosing winners and losers. I’d like it to be the center and location of community gatherings and events including theatre and music. Downtown storefronts will be occupied with thriving small businesses and a variety of dining choices. This will begin with the revitalization and transformation of the Batavia City Center as a mixed-use retail, services, and entertainment complex.
Do you support building a new police station?
You don’t need to be an expert on what is required to operate an effective local law enforcement operation to realize that a historic Victorian home is not the ideal location for our police department. That being said, I do worry about saddling our citizens with debt for a police station and a new county jail on our about the same time frame. Decision-makers need to proceed with careful consideration. Genesee County and the City of Batavia work closely on planning and development for our community. These two major initiatives should be no different as our elected officials and administration plan for efficient and cost-effective law enforcement services to ensure public safety.
What book first published in English since the Enlightenment has influenced your outlook on life the most?
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz (1997) instantly came to mind as I read this question. It most influenced my outlook on life as I was not holding true to the first three agreements at all. The fourth agreement, always do your best, has pretty much always been my strong suit as no matter what happens I continually strive to do my best, or at least to do the next right thing. The others are a bit more of a challenge for me.
The first agreement of always being impeccable with your word and this references your comments about others as well as yourself. It’s difficult to hold to this standard, especially when it relates to being kind and impeccable about ourselves. The second agreement advises not to take anything personally. Someone’s response to you is much more about what is going on with them and has little or nothing to do with you. Don’t make assumptions is the third agreement. How easy it is to assume what others are thinking and feeling. Instead of focusing your interactions on being kind, complimentary, aka impeccable while honestly communicating your thoughts and feelings is a script for success and well-being. Fortunately, this book is a quick and easy read, allowing for frequent revisits to the four agreements and abiding by their guidance and the peace it can provide in your daily life.
In conclusion, I would tag on a fifth agreement, and that would be to listen. If elected, I will abide by this and carefully listen to my fellow councilmen, city administration department heads and staff, but most importantly to the public, my constituents, my neighbors.
John Canale is a candidate for City Council in Ward 3. His opponents are Nicholas Russo and Deborah Kerr Rosenbeck.
What do you like about the City of Batavia?
The question should be what do I love about the City of Batavia. It's my home...born and raised here, worked my entire career here, and have raised my family here. What's not to love? It's a wonderful, warm community, with residents who care about each other and their neighborhoods. Although we are a city, we are still "Small Town America," with all the ideals that come with that. I can't imagine living anywhere else.
What is the number one problem facing the City of Batavia and what is your plan to address it?
The number one problem we face as a city at the moment is the rise we are experiencing in crime. The majority of the criminal activity has been identified as coming in from Monroe County. We as a government body have already taken action. We have approved the City police department to work with and share information with Monroe County law enforcement through one of Monroe County's crime initiatives. We have also approved the City manager forming a local crime taskforce committee to study and implement actions to deter future criminal activity in the city. In addition, we continue to invest in mobile street cameras to help our local law enforcement with additional needed information and evidence. Another very important initiative we are taking, is the building of our new police station, to give our law enforcement the tools they need to protect us and provide the utmost safe community. It's imperative that not only our residents feel safe in their own neighborhoods, but also that future prospective families, businesses, and corporations view our community as one they would like to be a part of.
Describe your vision for Downtown Batavia in 10 years?
My vision for downtown Batavia in 10 years is one of vibrancy. A central focal point for not only the city but also for the county. A useful mixture of retail, professional offices, a healthy living campus, food and entertainment venues, and downtown living spaces for residents that are looking to live, work and play there. A place where all residents can meet, and enjoy our community, in a safe environment.
Do you support building a new police station?
I support a new police station. As mentioned in one of the other questions, in order to protect our residents, and provide us with a safe community, our police department needs the necessary tools to do the job. For them to have done the tremendous job they have thus far, is nothing short of a miracle, with the facility they are currently working in. Although no one likes to spend that amount of money, we are well overdue for a proper law enforcement facility. I also have said from the very beginning of discussions of a new facility, that I will only support a new facility that includes a plan for what we do with the old facility.
What book first published in English since the Enlightenment has influenced your outlook on life the most?
"90 Minutes In Heaven"...by Don Piper. After reading this book, my faith and belief in eternal life was re-enforced and more importantly, I became convinced that God has a distinct purpose for every one of us here on Earth. Only until our purpose has been fulfilled, will he take us home for eternal life with Him. Look for that purpose in everything you do, and do your best to fulfill it.
Nicholas Russo is a candidate for City Council in Ward 3. His opponents are John Canale and Deborah Kerr Rosenbeck.
What do you like about the City of Batavia?
I love so much about the city it's hard to narrow, the fact it's a bigger city but still has a strong community feel to it. The welcoming feeling the city and its residents share and how it supports businesses and each other.
What is the number one problem facing the City of Batavia and what is your plan to address it?
Continued growth and development and a clear plan from our leaders and making sure the voices of our residents are heard and taken into consideration. Main Street has so much potential that the current council hadn't capitalized on. In my opinion, the key to Main Street is providing incentives for members of our community to open and grow businesses downtown. Let's make Main Street a haven for people to pursue their dreams of owning their own business.
Describe your vision for Downtown Batavia in 10 years?
If we look 10 years in the future, my vision for the City of Batavia is for Main Street to be the model for all others cities as far as local growth and development while continuing to build upon our strengths in the community like entertainment venues, family activities and a wide variety of resources to help members of our community continue to thrive. Simply put, make Batavia a destination.
Do you support building a new police station?
I absolutely support a new police station. Making sure the incredible men and women who keep our city safe have the best resources they can .... shouldn't even be something that should be considered or even need to be discussed for that matter.
What book first published in English since the Enlightenment has influenced your outlook on life the most?
The book to the musical RENT I would say has had the greatest influence on me as a person. It shows you that no matter your background, circumstances or outlook. If you support each other and come together as a community there's no issue you can't face.
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Ben Bonarigo.
Fleet Maintenance Inc., of West Seneca, is nearly ready to open a new 16-bay, 45,000-square-foot semi-truck and RV service center adjacent to the Thruway, just off of State Street.
It will employ 30 people, so yesterday the Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for the new location for the growing company.
Company president Deborah Gawron said the service center will be the first such facility next to the Thruway anywhere in New York.
Unique to the facility is a classroom and service bay where students in BOCES can learn about diesel mechanics.
The company invested more than $4.35 million to build the facility, which will also carry $2 million in parts for sale to others who repair trucks and RVs.
Fleet Maintenance received $437,652 in sales tax, mortgage tax, and property tax exemptions from the Genesee County Economic Development Center to help attract the company to Batavia.
For more information on 9400 Putnam Road, Town of Batavia, click here.
For more information on 2 Narramore Drive, Batavia, click here.
For more information on 6556 Miller Road, Elba, click here.
For more information on 3374 Church Street, Alexander, click here.
Press release:
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the “OneUSDA Internship” opportunity for Summer 2020. As part of the Federal Pathways Program, the OneUSDA Internship Program will provide students a way to explore serving their country through a career in government while gaining work experience in agriculture, natural resources, rural development, and other career fields.
“Our goal at USDA is to recruit the best and retain the best through our OneUSDA Internship Program offered nationwide,” said Secretary Perdue. “Today’s young people are the future of America and there are few things more American than agriculture. We’re aiming to find young talent, with a diverse background, across all 50 states, to begin their careers as interns with USDA.”
The OneUSDA Internship Program offers Federal opportunities to students currently enrolled in qualifying educational programs or institutions, with a comprehensive developmental program intended to provide students with experience in a dynamic work environment that will enhance their educational goals and shape their career choices.
An internship with USDA will involve various components of on-the-job experience, mentorship, and training tailored to the student’s education, experience, and interests.
During 2019, USDA was proud to host thousands of interns throughout the country, many of which were through the Federal Pathways Program. In the Summer of 2020, USDA will hire Pathways Interns in hundreds of locations in nearly every state in the country for the following occupational fields:
USDA is making sure the Summer 2020 OneUSDA internship job announcement is easier-than-ever for students to find and apply for. After choosing the geographic location of preference and the career path that best matches with student’s area of study and professional aspirations online, students simply follow the weblinks here to set up an account, then follow the prompts to apply to the internship.
When applying, students will also have an opportunity to indicate their preferred occupational area of interest and USDA Agency or office. The application window opens today (Nov. 1) and close on Nov. 15th. Application review will begin immediately thereafter.
For more information, visit www.USDA.gov/Internships.
A local attorney representing a woman accused of hitting her child with an object is asking a Family Court judge to disqualify Durin Rogers, and the County Attorney's Office, from prosecuting the case in Family Court because of a perceived conflict of interest.
Thomas A. Burns, representing Niasia Jiggetts, filed the motion Oct. 22 alleging that because Rogers is a sitting, part-time Batavia City Court judge, and Jiggetts is also facing criminal charges in City Court, it opens up an apparent conflict of interest in Rogers access to City Court documents and his interactions with other members of the county's criminal justice system.
If the motion was successful at removing both Rogers, who is also a deputy county attorney, and the County Attorney's Office, the Department of Social Services would need to hire another attorney not affiliated with county government to represent the agency in this case in Family Court.
"As this court is certainly aware, and as DCA Rogers should be aware, a judge is obligated to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all of the judge's activities and a judge is obligated to respect and comply with the law and is obligated to act at all times in a manner that promotes the confidence of the public in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary," Burns wrote in his motion. "As this court is also aware, the judicial duties of a judge take precedence over all of the judge's other activities."
The Batavian contacted Rogers, a candidate for the full-time City Court Judge office, on Wednesday and offered him an opportunity to respond. Rogers said before replying he needed guidance from the Judicial Campaign Ethics Center.
In a request for an interview or statement, Rogers provided the following statement:
As a City Court Judge I cannot comment on pending city court matters, even when it is a case that I am not presiding over. The motion you forwarded to me is directed to me as an attorney. As an attorney with the County Attorney’s Office handling neglect and abuse matters in Family Court, I cannot and will not discuss the specific allegations of such matters due to laws regarding strict confidentiality. As to the motion, it is scheduled in the regular course of proceedings. Based on the Ethics Opinion that I sought and received from the Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics when I first took the bench that ethically permits me to hold both positions, the motion has no merit and I am confident that it will be denied.
He also provided a link to the January 2015 opinion.
In response to the statement from Rogers, Burns said the 2015 opinion is not a ruling and was issued in response to questions posed by Rogers about serving in two capacities in general, not to actual overlapping roles of a specific case.
"The facts present in my client’s case were never considered in the opinion he cites," Burns said. "He is well aware that the opinion does not provide him with the authority to hold the position of both judge and prosecutor in the same case and to suggest otherwise is a complete misrepresentation of the opinion he cites and a total lack understanding of the ethical obligations he should have assumed when he sought the part-time judge position."
Burns added that Rogers' statement doesn't address the rights of his client nor the direct conflict raised by his duel capacities.
"I also find it troubling that he suggests that he cannot comment on a pending City Court case when he continues to argue the case in front of Judge Adams and Judge Balbick as a prosecutor," Burns said.
Jiggetts was arrested in September for an alleged incident on June 10. She is charged with assault in the second degree. Since the case involves her minor child, there is both a criminal case pending in City Court (because it's a felony, it could be referred to County Court later) and a case in Family Court. The Family Court case also alleges neglect of her child from March through April 2017.
She has pled not guilty.
Burns alleges Rogers has a conflict of interest because he shares chambers with Judge Robert Balbick, the presiding judge in Jiggetts' case, with desks only 10 feet apart and they confer frequently. Also, even though the case isn't assigned to Rogers, he could be asked to sit in for Balbick, if Balbick is unable to make court on any particular day. Rogers also has unfettered access to all City Court documents.
As a City Court judge, Rogers also interacts with many of the people involved in these cases for a variety of reasons, including deputies, social workers, child advocates, attorneys and prosecutors.
As an example, Burns stated, when Jiggetts appeared in City Court on Oct. 1, the assistant district attorney handling cases in City Court that day, had to call Rogers to confer with him about the status of an order of protection issued in Family Court and to "remarkably" seek the input of Rogers about a possible order of protection signed by Balbick. Rogers, Burns said, "consented" to a no offensive conduct order of protection.
"The assistant district attorney should not have to be put in a position of conferring with the associate Batavia City Court judge relative to the status of a proceeding in this court with respect to the matter pending before the senior Batavia City Court judge," Burns wrote.
Burns said in his motion, Rogers' position as both a county attorney and a part-time judge has put a number of people in local criminal justice in "extremely uncomfortable and ultimately unethical positions."
"The appearance of impropriety under these circumstances is clear and results from the unwillingness of DCA Rogers to acknowledge the fact that he cannot prosecute a neglect proceeding involving a pending criminal court charge in the Batavia City Court where he is appointed to act as a part-time judge," Burns wrote in his motion.
While Rogers has been both a deputy county attorney and a part-time city court judge for some time, and Burns said he's had concerns in the past, this is the first time, in his view, there has been a clear conflict of interest.
"There are many cases that overlap but I have never seen one that is so over the top obvious as this one," Burns said in response to an emailed question. "I simply cannot understand the unwillingness of the County Attorney's Office to acknowledge the conflict present here."
Asked for a statement, County Attorney Kevin Earl said, "I cannot comment upon the specifics of any allegations, but I know that during my tenure as the Genesee County Attorney as his immediate supervisor, Durin Rogers has always conducted himself exhibiting the highest professional and ethical standards."
Rogers is being challenged for the full-time City Court judge position by attorney Ben Bonarigo. Burns attended Bonarigo's campaign kick-off event last year.
The Genesee County Office for the Aging is offering an exclusive bus trip for a lunch at Salvatore's Italian Gardens Restaurant in Depew, featuring the live show "A 'Sinatra' Christmas My Way" with Buffalo entertainer Gary Quatrani.
This special Sinatra-inspired holiday bash sells out every year. Must RSVP by Nov. 15.
Trip is Tuesday, Dec. 3 and costs $49 per person, including lunch and show ticket. Cash bar is available.
Quatrani brings to life the timeless classics of Frank Sinatra, one of the most influential musical artists of the 20th century. Quatrani includes Sinatra favorites as well as festive holiday songs.
Come and be entertained, reminisce and sing along with this uplifting tribute to Sinatra and fantastic holiday show.
(Here's a link to Quatrani's take on "That's Life" performed at Salvatore's in 2017.)
Upon reservation, you can select one of three entrees:
Departure from the Office of the Aging, located at 2 Bank St. in Downtown Batavia, is at 10 a.m. on Dec. 3.
Doors at the venue open at 11 a.m. There will be a basket auction with tickets available for purchase to benefit a local charity (to be announced). These tickets are nonrefundable.
Lunch is served at noon. Entertainment begins at 1:30. Prizes awarded at 2:45.
Departure for Batavia is at 3 p.m.
For booking or more information call the Office for the Aging at 343-1611.
The bus tour event is provided by Know How Tours.
Alicia Bischoff and her son Weston, of Oakfield, were quite ready for Halloween yesterday evening.
Photos submitted by Jessica Fredo. If you have Halloween photos to share, email them to howard@thebatavian.com. Please include the name of the person submitting the photo and the names of people in the photo and location of the photo.
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