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Cancer has diminished the speaking voice of Antonia Richenburg but now her spirit, as she made clear at the annual dinner of Genesee Cancer Assistance at Batavia Downs on Saturday night.

Richenburg was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinomas on her right vocal chord in the Fall of 2013.  The following February she was referred to Genesee Cancer Assistance.

"Genesee Cancer Assistance has been a wonderful asset," Antonia said through her daughter Carson, who read her speech. "When I was confused and not able to find the answers I needed, the staff at Genesee Cancer Assistance were there to help out by doing their best to answer my questions. They even made the process of receiving financial assistance during my struggle with cancer a stress-free process."

It has been her family who has been her strength, though, she said.

"Although this has been a rough road for me, I never gave up," she said. "I have a strong support system. My family has been my biggest supporter, with more love and encouragement than anyone has ever asked for. I would have never survived without my husband, Eric, and my children, Todd, his wife, Rachel, and my daughters, Kearson and Carson."

She added later to encompass her entire support entourage, including her doctors, "the love and support of these people kept me focused on what's important."

And ended with advice for anyone diagnosed with cancer.

"Love and support are definitely needed," she said. "It will help keep you alive."

Photos by Howard Owens

Tami Burbules, also a cancer survivor, thanked Genesee Cancer Assistance for its support after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.

Dorothy Schlaggel, a founder of Genesee Cancer Assistance, received a standing ovation when she was introduced.

Schlaggel said the idea for Genesee Cancer Assistance came after she and some others attended the Relay for Life in Rochester and they decided they didn't want to make that trip anymore so they started the Festival of Hope Walk to raise money to help battle cancer.

"There are a lot of our volunteers who are still volunteering, and it's been 30 years or more," Schlaggel said. "And all I've got to say is Genesee Cancer Assistance has the best volunteers ever and this place is fantastic."

Before the speeches, the volunteers were recognized, including, above, Mary Valle and Martha Woodruff.

Sue Underwood applauds Antonia Richenburg after her speech. Soon the whole room was on its feet applauding.

Paul Figlow was master of ceremonies.

 

The cash door prize was awarded by a process of elimination.  Everybody had a little lighted trinket and if your number was called, you turned off your light. At the time this picture was taken, just before The Batavian left, there were 61 lights still on.

A two-car motor vehicle accident has been reported at Route 77 and Ledge Road, Alabama.

A person reportedly has a leg injury.

Alabama Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

It was "A Night in Casablanca" for attendees of the GCC Foundation's annual gala fundraiser, Encore 2022.

Encore co-chairs Robert and Zje Savage prepared a classic throwback to Rick’s Café Americain in World War II era French Morocco featuring gourmet food and dessert stations and live music by the Hanna PK Trio.

Proceeds from Encore support student scholarships at Genesee Community College. 

Top photo: Dr.Ginny Taylor, Chair of the GCC Foundation and Justin Johnston, executive VP of the GCC Foundation, present a plaque of appreciation to
Bob and Zje Savage, co-chairs of this year's event.

Photos Courtesy Genesee Community College.

Bob and Zje Savage, Co-Chairs, Encore "A Night in Casablanca"

The music headliner for the evening was Hanna PK and the Blue Hearts.

Volunteer and career firefighters from Genesee County are being deployed to Erie County to assist with emergency management as a result of heavy snowfall in the area.

Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator for Genesee County, announced Saturday night that the following departments have been approved for deployment starting Sunday morning at 6 a.m. for a 12-hour shift.

• City of Batavia Fire
• Town of Batavia Fire
• Oakfield Fire
• East Pembroke Fire
• Corfu Fire
• Genesee County Emergency Management

Participating personnel are instructed to assemble by 5:15 a.m. at the Corfu Fire Department, 116 East Main St., Corfu, for deployment to the Erie County Training & Operation Center, 3359 Broadway, Cheektowaga.

The Holland Land Office Museum hosted its annual gala Friday evening for the opening of the Wonderland of Trees.

Again, the museum is filled with holiday cheer provided by Christmas trees decorated by various local organizations and businesses.

The trees are on display through the end of the year.

The main gallery at GO ART! is filled with wooly bright colors until Dec. 3 in an exclusive show for East Bethany artist Terry Webber. 

Webber's show of painted wool is unique.  The pictures are bright and vibrant but filled with texture and an element of 3D vision.

Webber, who owns East Bethany Arts and Antiques at 5769 Ellicott Street Road, Bethany, explained the involved process of creating her pictures.  It starts with a sheet of wool, called "pre-felt," and that becomes the background.  She then adds puff balls of color and everything is soaked in soap and water. The work is then placed in a felting machine that spins the felt 4,000 to 5,000 times. The pieces of wool then become one solid piece.  From there, she ads needlework as needed or ads "naps" that provide additional texture.

She's been working in the medium for about a decade. She found out in April she would have a show at GO ART! and began creating 40 new pieces -- she actually exceeded her goal, producing 44 pieces.  

"I like the vibrancy," Webber said.  "It also keeps you from being too nitpicky just because it's not paints and it's not pencil. It's more freeform but the colors are what I like the most."

Stacey A. King is indicted on counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree and falsifying business records in the first degree. King is accused of presenting a forged COVID-19 vaccination record to her employer in the City of Batavia on Oct. 1, 2021.

Katherine J. Briggs is indicted on one count of criminal contempt in the first degree. Briggs is accused of violating an order of protection on July 27 at a location on South Main Street, Batavia.

Martin P. Macioszek, II, is indicted on one count of grand larceny in the third degree.  Macioszek is accused of stealing property with a value greater than $3,000 from a location in the Town of Batavia between May 2020 and September 2020.

 

Savannah Draves measures the snow up to 31 inches this afternoon in Darien Center.

Savannah can expect to find more snow on the ground in the morning.  A snow band is passing over southern Genesee County now and is trying to push north into Batavia.

To submit weather photos, email howard@thebatavian.com or text (585) 260-6970.

A train fire is reported off Silver Road in Bethany.

Bethany Fire, with mutual aid from Alexander, dispatched.

UPDATE 6:56 p.m.: Silver Road is blocked off to traffic. Fire is out, according to dispatch.

Deborah Gorton

Deborah C. Gorton, 25, of Overlook Drive, Batavia, is charged with assault 2nd, aggravated sex abuse 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Gorton is accused of assaulting a child and of sexually abusing the child. The child is reportedly less than seven years old. There were allegedly multiple incidents. Gorton was arraigned in the Town of Batavia Court and released on her own recognizance in accordance with New York's bail law. She was scheduled to reappear in court at a later date.

Brian Stover, 52, of Edward Street, Newfane, is charged with grand larceny 4th. Stover allegedly stole merchandise valued at $1,042.48 from The Home Depot in Batavia. 

Amari Chantelle Glass, 22, of East Water Street, Elmira, is charged with criminal trespass 2nd. Glass is accused of trespassing at Genesee Community College on Nov. 17 at 5:33 p.m. after previously being banned from the campus. She was released on an appearance ticket.

The Pembroke Dragons, already the school's first-time-ever boys sectional championship team, kept right on winning Thursday night with a 54-38 victory over the Morrisville Eaton Warriors (Section III) in the NYS Regional Semi-Final game.

Behind the blocking of JJ Gabbey, Octavius Martin, Jayden Mast, Madden Perry, Ben Steinberg, Chase Guzdek and Caleb Felski, Tyson Totten rushed 40 times for a single game school record 400 yards and five touchdowns.

Caleb Felski added an 80-yard kick return for a touchdown, while Chase Guzdek caught a 14-yard touchdown reception.

The Dragons (11-1) were down 22-20 at the half but played good defense, forced several turnovers and "just pounded the rock, being a tough O-Line." said Head Coach Brandon Ricci.

Dominic Boldt, Sean Pustkulla, and Avery Ferreira had to step into big roles with injuries to Section V and GR All-stars Cayden Pfalzer and Jayden Bridge.

Jayden Mast had 12 tackles, Octavious Martin had 11 and a forced fumble, Jacob Dulski had 6 tackles and an interception, and Chase Guzdek led the way with 15 tackles. 

The Dragons will represent Section V in the final eight-man football game in all of New York State (the New York High School Athletic Association apparently doesn't call it a State Championship but that is essentially what it is) on Friday, Nov. 25, at Union Endicott High School.  Game time is noon.

Photos by Guy and Elizabeth Gabbey

Matt Luft, a resident off Route 98 in Elba, cleared a path through the snow for his chickens this morning.

Photo by Laura Luft.

Send your weather-related photos to howard@thebatavian.com or text to (585) 260-6970.

Dan Maxwell, outside Sacred Hear at Summit and Swan Street, was shoveling snow this morning, like a lot of Batavians were doing today after about a foot of snow fell overnight. 

A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect until 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Shalana Thomas shovels snow on Jackson Street while Trey Odom plays in the snow and Zuri Odom helps with the shoveling.

John Roche outside his store, Adam Miller Toys and Bicycles on Center Street.

Alex Bedford on South Swan.

The Town of Batavia Planning Board voted unanimously on Tuesday night to appoint itself the lead agency in the environmental review process for a new Tractor Supply location at 8727 Lewiston Road.

Tractor Supply is planning a 24,000-square-foot building to replace its current store at 4974 East Main Street Road.

Not only will the new location be larger, but Tractor Supply will also own the land and building.  The company leases the current location.

"The main effort is to expand into a larger space and be an all-inclusive store that competes more with The Home Depot, Lowes, and those types of stores," said attorney Ryan McCarthy.

Real Estate broker Tony Mancuso said previously that he has potential tenants already considering the former Tractor Supply location, so it may not go vacant long.

The current location is owned by 1515 Management Company Inc., which appears to be a company based in Iowa with principles living in Boca Raton, Fla.

Tractor Supply is acquiring 5.08 acres, a portion of a 50-acre farm field owned by the Call family and actively farmed by MY-T Acres.  The five acres will be divided into four parcels.

Tractor Supply will occupy a parcel 340 feet from Lewiston Road.  There will be another parcel between that parcel and Lewiston Road.  It's expected that the parcel, zoned commercial, will be developed at some point, as well as the other two parcels being acquired by Tractor Supply, but there are no firm plans for development at this point.

The new location will have 110 parking spaces, which is 10 fewer than required by ordinance, which means Tractor Supply will need to apply for and receive a zoning variance.

McCarthy said Tractor Supply, which operates nationwide, knows the flow of its business well, and the store will not need 110 spaces, which means less land to cover with asphalt.

Plans to convert the farm field into commercial development have been on the books for more than 20 years. As part of the project, Tractor Supply will start construction of a road -- initially a driveway into the new store -- that will eventually connect Lewiston Road to Veterans Memorial Drive on the north side of The Home Depot.

A planning board member asked if it will be necessary to install a traffic light at the new road and Lewiston Road, and Mancuso said, "not yet."  Not until a planned roadway is installed directly opposite the location that will connect Lewiston Road with West Main Street Road.  That vacant land, in the town's Comprehensive Master Plan, is designated for commercial development.

The proposed project will be back before the board in a month when the board will review the environmental impact report.

John Sumlin, III, 43, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with five counts of criminal contempt 1st. Sumlin is accused of violating an order of protection by contacting the protected party by telephone while being held in the Genesee County Jail.

Ronnie K. Johnson, 52, no permanent address, is charged with grand larceny 4th and burglary 3rd. Johnson was arrested on a warrant stemming from a criminal complaint reported at 7:15 a.m. Aug. 2 at a location on East Main Street. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held in the Genesee County Jail. He is also charged with grand larceny 4th and conspiracy 5th, charges that stem from a criminal complaint filed on Aug. 19 at a location on East Main Street.

Nicholas J. Mruczek, 39, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. On Nov. 6 at 9:45 p.m., Mruczek allegedly physically harassed a woman during a dispute. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Benjamin A. Boyce, 41, of Batavia, is charged with dog running at large. Boyce is accused of allowing his dog to run at large at 8:35 p.m. Oct. 31 on Woodrow Road, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

William J. Galliford, 62, of Bergen, is charged with failure to appear.  Galliford was arrested on a warrant and arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

George J. Budzinack, 42, of Rochester, was arrested on a bench warrant after allegedly failing to appear in court as ordered. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

Johnnie M. Waston, 39, of Dodge Street, Rochester, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment 2nd. Waston is arrested in connection with a disturbance reported at 7:04 a.m. on Oct. 21 on Shady Lane in the Town of Batavia.

Connor Jenkins Rombault, 25, of West Avenue, Brockport, is charged with DWI, moving from lane unsafely, and speed not reasonable nor prudent. Rombault was stopped at 10:09 p.m. on Nov. 11 on Lake Street Road, Le Roy by Deputy Mason Schultz. Rombault was processed at the Genesee County Jail and issued an appearance ticket.

A lake-effect snow warning has been issued by the National Weather Service starting at 7 p.m. Thursday and going until 1 p.m. on Sunday.

The Weather Service predicts heavy lake-effect snow with total accumulations of two to three feet in the most persistent bands of snow.

The heaviest snow is expected late Thursday evening through Friday night when snowfall rates could exceed three inches per hour.

Snowfall totals of up to four feet will be possible if the main snow band remains stationary for a longer period of time.

Wind gusts of 35 mph are expected to produce patchy, blowing snow.

The Weather Service warns that travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions will impact the Friday morning and evening commutes.

"Heavy snow will fall in relatively narrow bands," states the Weather Service. "If traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibilities."

At Stafford's Town Board meeting on Monday night, members of the public who said they would like copies of the town budget were told they couldn't obtain copies until after the budget was approved by the board.

One member of the public, Cathy Worthington, said she tried to obtain a copy but was told she could only read the copy on file with the Town Clerk's office. She couldn't have a copy to take with her.

This appears to be contrary to New York's Town Law and New York's Freedom of Information Law.

The town's attorney, Mark Boylan, agrees.

"In general, documents retained by the town are public documents subject to FOIL unless they contain personal information," Boylan said.

He didn't want to comment further based on the discussion at Monday's meeting because he wasn't there, and it appears he was not consulted prior to the meeting.

Town Supervisor Robert Clement told meeting attendees that the board was following the law, an assertion supported by board member Ron Panek.

Worthington asked at the start of the public hearing, "Why couldn't we get a copy of that budget to look over leisurely? I had to come in and just sit and go through it. Why couldn't I have gotten a copy of that?"

Clement said, "The rules and regulations, I guess, didn't permit it."

Worthington: "I guess what rules and regulations? Because all the other towns give them out. Some even posted on their websites for people to look at. Could I get a copy now to look over?"

Panek: "When it's approved."

Worthington then pressed on with her questions about the budget.

Several minutes later, another citizen in attendance said, "there's no law that says you can't hand them (copies of the budget) out."

Panek then cited Section 108 of Town Law, saying, "'a copy of the preliminary budget is available at the office of the town clerk and may be inspected by any interested person during office hours,' so that's what we're doing."

That is what Section 108 says.

But Section 106 says, "The preliminary budget shall be filed in the office of the town clerk and the town clerk shall reproduce for public distribution as many copies as the town board may direct."

The town board, in accordance with the law, based on Worthington's experience in trying to obtain a copy of the budget, did not direct the town clerk to reproduce any copies of the preliminary budget for public distribution.

Also, the state's public record law, the Freedom of Information Law, makes all government documents public record, with members of the public guaranteed a right to obtain copies of those documents, except for a handful of narrowly defined exceptions.  A preliminary budget does not fall under any of those exceptions, and based on Town Law, the preliminary budget is expressly a public document.

The Batavian twice contacted the Town Clerk's Office on Tuesday to request a copy of the budget, which was approved by the Town Board on Monday, and did not get a response.

Worthington has multiple questions of the board during the public hearing -- noting she would have perhaps had fewer questions if she had been able to study the budget at home -- about various expenditures.

When asked what the new tax levy would be and what the tax rate would be, Clement said he didn't have those precise numbers. 

Panek said, "I recall some of the estimates Heidi came up with were over $1-- $1.12, $1.20 -- something like that."

The current tax rate, Worthington noted, is 89 cents per $1,000 assessed value.

During the board's regular meeting Monday evening, it unanimously approved the budget resolution.

The Batavian can't provide more information on The Budget since we weren't able to obtain a copy.

CORRECTION: The name of the board member who spoke at the meeting has been corrected.  The Batavian regrets the error.

Malcolm K. made his personal best catch at DeWitt Recreation Area on Monday, a 43-inch, 21-pound Northern Pike.

Submitted photo.

It says right on the building, "Arts Council," but GO ART! Director Gregory Hallock has been concerned that people don't realize that Seymour Place at 201 East Main St. is a place anybody can come in and see art.

"I think a lot of people don't see our sign, and a lot of people still think we're a membership club," Hallock said. "Yes, we have members but you don't have to be a member to come in."

His solution: Install some works of art -- in this case, sculptures -- in the garden plots in front of the red brick building at the corner of East Main and Bank streets in Batavia.

Hallock and the GO ART! staff had become familiar with the work of Bill Schutt from his showing at the Ramble, what's on display at Eli Fish Brewing Co., his entries into an art competition there, and knew he worked in metal, which seemed like the perfect medium for sculptures placed outside the building.

It might come as a surprise to some that Schutt is an artist.  The Basom resident has been a volunteer firefighter for 32 years and spent a dozen years working for either Genesee County Emergency Management or Mercy EMS.

He often tinkered around the house, working with metal, installing bookshelves or other useful items for the house, often embellishing whatever he made with artistic touches. A few years ago he became inspired to make sculptures using scrap metal on his property.

He's recently branched out into making larger pieces, so the commission from GO ART! came at an opportune time to expand his portfolio.

Schutt's pieces are about "our shared humanity," he said.

The first one is a riff on a popular social media meme about the difference between equality and equity. In the meme, three people of different heights are shown standing on boxes, trying to see over a fence to watch a baseball game.  They're all on the same size box.  The tall person can see, the smallest person can't see at all. That is equality, according to the meme. When the boxes are restacked, so the tallest has no box, the medium-height person has one, and the shortest has two, all three can see.  The meme labels that configuration, "equity."

The second sculpture is of people in silhouette. Their faces look the same but they're all different based on hairstyle and the jewelry they wear.

"It's kind of a reminder that we are more the same than we are different," Schutt said. "We need to celebrate our differences and find our common humanity.  Art does that. It brings together all walks of life."

Hallock loved the work, he said.

"I didn't know what he was going to do, and I'm pleasantly pleased with the pieces," Hallock said.  "The message of equity and unity is there."

Submitted photos.