This pup was lost in Stafford and found by Marrianne Newmark. She called the Sheriff's Office and the dog is being taken to the Genesee County Animal Shelter on West Main Street Road. If you lost your friendly and playful dog, that's where it is.
Genesee County Economic Development Center CEO Steve Hyde said Batavia is certainly a top contender in the Finger Lakes Region because of the progress made, the joint initiatives underway, the recent wins in job creation in Genesee County.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo loves competitions for economic development, Hyde said, and Finger Lakes came out on top a few years ago in a competition of the state's 10 economic development regions, winning a $500 million prize. Of that $500 million, 34 percent is earmarked for use in Genesee County, primarily at the high-tech Science, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in Alabama. With Dairy Farmers of America taking over the $200 million Quaker Muller food processing plant in the ag park, and 1366 Technologies heading into STAMP, Batavia his hitting all the high points the governor's office looks for in these competitions.
"(At build out), we're talking about 30,000 to 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region," Hyde said. "In the Finger Lakes Region, what other community is poised to benefit off that job growth more than Batavia? It will be difficult for any other community."
Stiff competition may come from Rochester, which is battling one of the highest poverty rates in the nation, and fighting poverty is a key goal of the governor's office, but Rochester also got $100 million from that $500 million prize for its anti-poverty efforts. The $10 million could have a bigger impact in Batavia, which could be a factor in the prize consideration.
"The $10 million is a potential drop in the bucket in terms of explosive transformation for Rochester," Hyde said. "The state likes to look at the leverage model and when it looks at $10 million in Batavia and what it could do in Rochester when they have $100 million already committed, they will look at the marginal benefit. That's just my personal view."
Every city and several villages and towns in the Finger Lakes Region are competing for the same $10 million prize, and we should know by the end of June which community wins the award, which would be spent on projects over a five-year period.
Yesterday's panel discussion at the Generation Center on Center Street, with Molino, Hyde, Economic Development Coordinator Julie Pacatte and County Manager Jay Gsell, was a chance to share with the community how Batavia will respond to the application request and gather feedback on how the questions will be answered.
"You would think for a $10-million prize, they would have a 40-page stack of paperwork, but it's just a two-page application," said Councilman Adam Tabelski (inset photo), who moderated the discussion.
The application needs to address issues about downtown boundaries, mixed use, walkability, public gathering places and economic opportunity.
The city already has traction in some key initiatives, Molino said, most notably its brownfield program, known as the Batavia Opportunity Area, or BOA. An experienced brownfield developer has already committed to redeveloping the former Dellapenna building on Ellicott Street, and there is interest from developers in the city's other four target BOA areas.
"Over the past 18 months, we've seen the most interest yet in investment in Batavia," Molino said.
Just an announcement that the city won the prize, if it won, would generate even more interest, Molino said.
Pacatte said Batavia is getting developer attention because of its mixed-use potential. Downtown scores well on walkability ratings; it has parks and open space, both retail and business space and the city's initiative to bring quality housing to downtown has been tremendously successful. The BDC helped developers open up nine refurbished apartments downtown, and all were leased immediately. The apartments at the former WBTA building at Swan and East Main are also all rented, even though two of them have not yet been completed.
"We think that's a great testament to what can happen in our market," Pacatte said.
Pacatte also revealed that in addition to a microbrewery and restaurant incubator being planned by Matt Gray and Jon Mager for the former Newberry building on Main Street, they are also planning a $1.5 million investment to convert the second and third floors of the building into apartments.
Gsell said the city's investment in infrastructure, notably the current work on Washington Avenue, is a further sign the city is moving in the right direction and creating an environment developers will find attractive.
Other projects in Batavia's favor, Molino said, are the flood insurance rating program, which has helped reduce the cost of flood insurance for affected properties by 15 percent, and Batavia's first-in-the-state zombie property law. Batavia is showing tangible success in dealing with zombie properties, which is still unique in the state.
All of these efforts will give Batavia a good start on dealing with its own poverty rates, Hyde said, and putting people to work and reducing poverty is the main reason all of these economic develop efforts exist in the first place.
"If we say we're a democracy and we're a free enterprise society, then we address the poverty issue," Hyde said. "The only way we get a society to function well is if we create opportunities for everybody."
The video below is part of Batavia's application for the prize.
The entire Buffalo Bills football team, along with numerous former and current players and celebrities along with well-heeled business people from throughout Western New York, are at Terry Hills today for the annual Jim Kelly Celebrity Classic.
Kelly, top center, was energetic throughout the morning, joking and posing for pictures and even making a last-minute decision to ride in Pete Zeliff's helicopter for the first-ever Rex Ryan golf ball drop, which carried a 50-50 prize of about $1,500.
The 30th annual event is a fundraiser for Kelly's charity, Kelly for Kids.
Kelly, Gary Pasco (friend of Zeliff's), Ryan and Zeliff prior to the golf ball drop.
After the drop, Kelly and Ryan joked and teased each other about the helicopter ride.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Prior to the start of the tournament, Bills players played miniature golf.
Chris Berman obliged two of the women with a drink cart by posing for a photo.
Michael C. Napoleone was born May 13, 1998. He succumbed to Burkitt's Lymphoma in 2006. Had he lived, he would have graduated from Notre Dame High School yesterday with the Class of 2016. In recognition for his love of Notre Dame and the charitable work of his family through the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation, Michael was granted an honorary degree, accepted by his mother, Laurie, and father, Mark, pictured with Principal Wade Bianco.
Notre Dame graduated 28 seniors yesterday in a ceremony held in the forum at Genesee Community College.
Valedictorian, Luca Zambito.
Salutatorian, Jack Sutherland.
Connor Logsdon walking up to receive his diploma.
Former Principal Joe Scanlan was honored for his contributions to the school.
To purchase prints, click here.
A barn fire is reported at Area 51 Motocross, 3323 Harloff Road, Batavia.
Smoke is showing.
East Pembroke fire and Batavia fire dispatched.
UPDATE 4:08 p.m. Tankers requested from Alabama, Oakfield and Pembroke.
UPDATE 4:12 p.m.: Fire is out, checking for extensions.
A man reportedly entered a business in the Village of Bergen, yelled profanities, dropped his drawers and urinated, then left on a bicycle.
Law enforcement is responding.
UPDATE 4 p.m.: This may actually have been a pre-teen, according to a deputy on scene.
A caller reports an explosion with smoke now visible in the area of Route 63 and East Bethany Le Roy Road, East Bethany.
Bethany fire and one engine from Stafford requested to the scene.
Law enforcement also in route.
UPDATE 3:46 a.m.: Law enforcement in the area reports "fire can disregard."
Genesee Cancer Assistance hosted its annual fundraiser and festival at Batavia Downs, the Festival of Hope, which included a cross-fit competition.
Volunteers who help keep the Batavia Community Garden going, located behind the Youth Bureau off of State Street, held an open house this morning.
Pictured are Dave Graney, Louis Leone, Debbie Rosenbeck and Bob Gray.
There are only nine plots left for this growing season.
Lease prices range from $15 to $25, depending on the size of the plot.
For more information and an application form, visit the Youth Bureau.
John Kennedy School hosted its annual Sons and Mothers Mud Run yesterday, with new obstacles, a DJ and a visit by the city fire department.
The Pembroke, Indian Falls, Corfu and East Pembroke volunteer fire departments came together yesterday to stage a DWI accident drill for the seniors of Pembroke High School in advance of their annual prom.
The drill simulates a fatal accident caused by a drunken driver.
Also participating were the Sheriff's Office, Coroner Karen Long, Mercy EMS, Mercy Flight and C.B. Beach Funeral Home.
To find out more about volunteering with your local fire department, visit ReadyGenesee.com.
To purchase prints, click here.
A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported at Buffalo Road and South Lake Road, Bergen.
Bergen fire and Bergen ambulance dispatched.
Reader-submitted photo.
A car has reportedly hit a utility pole in the area of 8856 Fargo Road, Stafford.
The driver is reportedly unconscious.
Stafford fire and Mercy EMS responding.
UPDATE 5:27 p.m.: Patient extricated. Mercy Flight has landed.
UPDATE: The driver told deputies that he believes he fell asleep. The accident is under investigation, but traffic tickets are possible. The driver was conscious and alert at the time of his transport by Mercy Flight to ECMC. His injuries are considered serious, but not life threatening.
A roomful of business and community leaders heard today from Vincent Esposito, director of Empire State Development’s Finger Lakes regional office, as he talked about the economic development opportunity and effort both regionally and in Batavia.
The gathering comes prior to meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall were officials will discuss Batavia's application for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which is a regional competiton with a $10 million prize. CORRECTION: It's at 5:30 p.m., Monday, at the Generation Center.
Batavia has a good shot at the prize because of all the work already put into improving Downtown, most notably the Batavia Opportunity Area, which has 10 brownfield revitalization projects already in the pipeline.
The Finger Lakes Region has already been a big winner in a statewide competition fro regional economic development areas, receiving a grant of $500 million from the state for projects in the region.
There are three main areas of focus for those funds, Esposito said:
About 50 percent of the $500 million are going to projects in Monroe County, Esposito said, and the rest is spread out in the other county's in the region; however, about two-thirds of that 50 percent is going to Genesee County, he said.
The primary goals of the Finger Lakes regional office is job creation, regional wealth creation, increase private investment and reduce poverty.
In the past five years, economic development activity has created 20,000 new jobs, he said.
The projects expected over the next five years, he said, will result in $6.4 billion in private investments and a conservative estimate of 8,200 new jobs.
"We want to keep that commitment low and then over deliver," he said.
The main economic engines in growth for the region he said are optics/photonics, agriculture and food processing and high-tech wafer and chip manufacturing.
The third area is where GCEDC's STAMP project comes in and why it's attracting a big chunk of the funds from the Finger Lakes Region.
"If ever there was a time to be optimistic about your future, this is it," Esposito said.
A fire alarm has been tripped in the incinerator room of the Batavia Barracks of the New York State Police.
Town of Batavia Fire responding.
The location is 2525 West Saile Drive, Batavia.
UPDATE 11:43 a.m.: Chief on scene reports the building is evacuated.
UPDATE 11:46 a.m.: Fire was in a paper shredder. It was contained to the shredder and is out. They're clearing smoke from the building.
An estimated 513 National Grid customers are without power along the west side of Bank Street, from just north of Main Street, Batavia, out to the County Airport.
The outage was reported at 8:42 a.m. and there is no ETA yet for restoration of power.
UPDATE: Power has been restored.
Smoke is reported in the residence at 6259 Shepard Road, with a cross of Transit Road, Pavilion, after a possible lightning strike.
Pavilion fire and Le Roy's ladder truck are dispatched.
UPDATE 9:11 a.m.: This is now a possible structure fire with a second alarm. Requested to the scene are Bethany's tanker, an engine from Le Roy and a tanker from Stafford, with an engine to fill in at Pavilion's Fire Hall. Le Roy's ambulance also requested to the scene.
UPDATE 9:14 a.m.: Perry Center, Perry, Wyoming and York also requested to the scene.
UPDATE(S) 9:23 a.m. (By Billie): This is now a working structure fire. The city's FAST team is called to the scene.
UPDATE 9:27 a.m.: The second platoon is requested to the city's fire headquarters.
UPDATE 9:29 a.m.: The homeowner is there and is an electrician employed by a power company and he already shut down power to the house so a response to the scene by National Grid will not be necessary, according to the scene commander.
UPDATE 9:34 a.m.: One engine from Bethany is called to stage in Texaco Town.
UPDATE 9:45 a.m.: Caledonia, which was just called to fill in at Le Roy's fire hall, is called to the scene along with Bethany. Bergen is called to fill in for Le Roy.
UPDATE 9:48 a.m.: Alexander's FAST team is called to the scene.
UPDATE 9:49 a.m.: Churchville is called to fill in at Bergen Le Roy; Elba is asked to fill in at Stafford. A second Alexander engine is called to the scene.
UPDATE 10:43 a.m.: The fire is under control. Command is starting to release some of the responding units.
With a cast and crew into the dozens of people in Batavia today, scenes for the upcoming bio-pic about Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, were completed today at the Old Courthouse in Batavia.
There are no pictures here of Chadwick Boseman, who is playing Marshall, because producers asked photographers not to take pictures of him in costume. They want to preserve the mystique of Boseman in character until the film is released, one of the co-producers said. We were free to wander the set and take pictures of all other aspects of the production.
The interior of the Old Courthouse was dressed up to look like a county courthouse in Oklahoma in the 1940s. Light switches were removed and the holes covered, the exit sign removed, an old clock and fans installed and pictures hung on the wall suitable to the time and location. There were also a 48-star U.S. flag behind the bench and the Oklahoma state flag.
Carl Hicks, who grew up in Le Roy, is interviewed by Mike Pettinella for the Buffalo News. Hicks was the construction supervisor for the set.
Movies in Motion, owned by Jeff and Lynda Edenholm, has survived a crosstown move, a couple of recessions, the arrival of red boxes and red envelopes, and even the age of streaming entertainment, for 20 years and that has a lot to do with the kind of customer service you can only get from a mom-and-pop shop, Lynda said.
"We know all of our customers by name," Lynda said. "We don't even have cards."
Movies in Motion opened on Clinton Street Road and Seven Springs Road on May 31, 1996. They moved a little over eight years ago when R&D Outlet acquired the building for its own retail location. The Edenholms picked a small storefront at 511 E. Main St., Batavia.
Some people still like the physical CD, others don't have Internet access and there's no contracts or long-term commitments, and that has kept a core of customers loyal to the store, Lynda said.
The 24/7 dropbox helps, too.
Like any true entreprenuer in a competitive environment, the Edenholms have never been afraid to try new things. They've sold skateboard and video games, pizza and ice cream, and a year ago they started selling handcrafted wooden furniture and handpainted wooden signs. Both new sidelines have been a boost to the business, they said.
"There's no place else in town where you can get handpainted, custom signs," Lynda said.
Jeff builds all the furniture and the Edenholms are pleased with the progress that business venture is making.
Last March, Jeff and Lynda also celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary.
"It's been hard," Lynda said. "When we get home, there's nothing to talk about because we've enjoyed each other all day, so we watch movies."
Jeff and Lynda have two adult children and a grandchild.
While the furniture and signs have been a great addition to the business, DVD rentals are still Movies in Motion's bread and butter.
Lynda said they enjoy providing family entertainment and serving the residents of Genesee County.
"We don't think of it as work, as a job," Lynda said. "We get to do what we love to do."
Movies in Motion is open from noon to 9 p.m. Sundays thru Thursdays, and noon to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The Edenholms now take holidays off to spend more time with their grandchild. For more information, call (585) 343-0971.
Press release:
Partners of the Batavia Pathway to Prosperity (BP2) Program, including the Batavia Development Corp., Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC), Genesee County, City of Batavia and Batavia School District, will host members of the business community for an economic development forum on the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council’s Upstate Revitalization Plan, Finger Lakes Forward.
The forum will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 2, at One City Centre in Batavia (Council Chamber, 2nd floor) and will feature remarks by Vincent Esposito, regional director of Empire State Development’s Finger Lakes regional office.
The event will discuss new initiatives specific to the Finger Lakes region, one of three regions awarded $500 million by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative — a competition designed to help transform local economies by providing $500 million over the next five years to support projects and strategies that create jobs, strengthen and diversify economies, and generate economic opportunity within the region — in 2015.
Attendees will hear about Finger Lakes Forward, a long-term strategic plan which will seek to address workforce development and poverty reduction; entrepreneurship and development; and higher education and research. Information about the NYS Consolidated Funding Application process will also be provided.
“It is important that we continue to educate and keep the business community apprised about the unique collaboration taking place among private and public sector stakeholders to stimulate new growth and development opportunities in our regional economy,” said Steve Hyde, GCEDC president and CEO.
The event is free and open to the public. A lunch sponsored by Clark Patterson Lee and Harris Beach, LLP, will be provided. For more information and to register, please contact Rachael Tabelski, director of Marketing & Communications at GCEDC, at 585-343-4866 or rtabelski@gcedc.com.
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