Mayers has been a school counselor for 16 years and worked at BMS for eight years.  

Currently, her focus is on school attendance, academic achievement, and providing social-emotional skills to students.

She was instrumental, according to information released by the school district, in implementing a daily social-emotional learning program for middle school students. Students are given daily SEL prompts that officials say have been beneficial during the coronavirus pandemic.

She is a certified trauma illness and grief responder.

From Genesee County Highway Department:

North Bergen Road between Merrill Road and Bird Road in Byron will be closed effective immediately for approximately two weeks for bridge repair work. It will not be open to local traffic.

The public will be notified when the road reopens.

Photos and information from Glenn Adams:

Residents from the Town of Bethany said farewell to its long-serving Town Clerk on Monday evening, May 10. Debbie Douglas (in top photo) was presented with a number of gifts by the Town. But, she and husband, Tom, made their own donations to the Town.

"Bethany has done so much for us," she said, "and we wanted to give back in some small way."

Debbie and Tom donated two defibrillators, one for the Town Hall, and one for the highway garage.

They also donated a trainer to get employees up to speed on how to use the defibrillators.

In addition to gifts for the Town, they donated a second defibrillator trainer to the fire department, along with two seek retractors, and two thermal imaging cameras, which will be useful in fire situations where dense smoke precluded being able to see inside buildings.

We will sorely miss her as Town Clerk, and wish her and Tom the very best in retirement.

Below, Interim Town Clerk Ruth Bodkins presents Debbie Douglas with a gift from the Town.

Below, Bethany Fire Chief Jeff Fluker, Debbie Douglas, Tom Douglas, and Bethany Town Supervisor Karl Hyde.

From the Batavia Police Department:

The Batavia Police Department has recently been investigating a plethora of larcenies from vehicles in the city. These larcenies have been occurring mainly in the overnight hours, and from (unfortunately) unlocked motor vehicles.

Patrols remain vigilant in the overnight hours, and we are asking for assistance from the public in reducing the amount of these incidents.

Please remember: ALWAYS lock your car doors. Leave exterior lighting on if possible.

ALWAYS lock your car doors. Remove valuables from your vehicle.

ALWAYS lock your car doors. Theft prevention starts with you, and it starts before you even leave your vehicle.

As always, if you notice anything suspicious around your property, please do not hesitate to the contact the police department.

Presented by Batavia City Schools

A tractor waiting to do more work this morning in a field off of Downey Road in Oakfield.

A total of 37 pots filled with flowering plants will be placed along Main Street in the Village of Oakfield this spring and summer, paid for by residents and business owners to help bring a little color and vibrancy to the community. 

Spearheaded by Village Clerk Kim Staniszewski and Judy Boyle, they asked people to donate $25 for each pot and then the donor will have a sign in the pot recognizing a local achievement (such as the fine seasons of the basketball teams), memorializing a loved one, or mentioning a business sponsor.

The plants and material were purchased from Pudgie's Lawn and Garden with Pudgie's staff assisting in selecting the plants so "we make sure this spring and summer they really grow and flourish and look pretty," Staniszewski said.

Today, members of Oakfield-Alabama's Future Farmers of American potted the plants.

Kaden Cusmano

Colton Yasses

Karly Smith

Sixth Ward Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian spoke up Monday at the city schools board of trustees meeting on behalf, she said, of her constituents, decrying the high cost of education in an age of tighter household budgets.

"I really don't have any solution," Christian said near the end of her remarks. "I'm asking you to seriously think about the people who live in this community and are having a hard time right now."

She noted that assessments have gone up throughout the city and that is putting more of a squeeze on some households.

She asked if the board considered reducing salaries for teachers and other staff members.

"Everything is escalating and it's hurting everyone, even you," she said.

She also asked that Sacred Heart once again be used as a polling station in school district elections.

On May 8, voters will chose among four candidates for three positions on the school board and whether to approve a $661 spending plan for the district for 2021-22, an increase of $625,935 from the current year.

The proposed tax levy (the aggregated of all property taxes collected in the school tax) is $19,493,958, exactly as it is in the current year.  

State and federal aid covers most of the rest of the district's spending.

Photo: Still from video of Monday's meeting.

Press release:

New data format: We will be reporting the total number of positive cases, ages, number of active cases / mandatory isolation and on Fridays we will include the NYS Fatality Data.

We will no longer be reporting by region, facility data, negative and recovered numbers.

Hospitalizations and ages of new positive individuals will be reported in the narrative. 

The total age breakdown and potential community exposure risks will continue to be posted on our websites. The data reporting chart will also include the Finger Lakes COVID Vaccination Hub updates on vaccination in both total number and percentage.

Genesee County is reporting 32 new positive cases of COVID-19 since Friday. 

• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. 
• Five of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

​

Orleans County is reporting 37 new positive cases of COVID-19 since Friday.  

• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
• Zero of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

Press release:

The City Water Department has to do an emergency water shut-off on Wednesday, May 12.

The water will be shut on Ellicott Street from Liberty to Swan, Hutchins from Ellicott to Sumner, Goade, and Hyde Park. This will start at 7:30 a.m. and water will be off until 12 p.m.

We appreciate the patience of the citizens involved.

Submitted photo and press release:

GLOW Women Rise invites the community to join us for our second annual Empowerment Forum, which will be held virtually on Saturday, June 5. The focus will be on the International Women's Day theme #ChooseToChallenge.

Discussions and workshops were selected to motivate participants to challenge themselves and each other in the areas of discrimination, personal finances, body positivity, and community. The Empowerment Forum is a free event (donations gratefully accepted) and is open to the community. 

As an agent of change, MEE has shaped the lives of countless girls and women worldwide by providing tools of transformation while passionately empowering them to reconnect to their own life's purpose to embrace and narrate their own stories. 

The Empowerment Forum encourages women's growth and networking across the region and is appropriate for adolescents and older, and is open to anyone interested in empowering women! Please encourage participation from the teen and young adult women in your lives.

GLOW Women Rise will also be honoring the GRIT Award winners.

The GRIT Award is given to women within the community who exhibit tenacity, fearlessness, and spirit in advocating for an underrepresented group in the GLOW region. Nominees for this honor can be submitted through the organization's website and are due by May 14.

The event includes taking a moment to recognize the loss of many women in our communities and our families. GLOW Women Rise encourages you to participate in this tribute by submitting a memorial at bit.ly/GWRMemorial.

The Empowerment Forum will be held virtually and can be viewed on computers, tablets, and on most cell phones.

To learn more and register, click here. 

To nominate someone for the GRIT Award or to memorialize someone, please click here.

GLOW Women Rise is a registered 501c3.

Eli Fish Brewing Co. is counting on Sanzo Beverage to distribute and promote its core brands, with the goal of introducing Western New York to the independent brewery’s expertise in the craft beer industry and to attract beer lovers to the City of Batavia.

Owners and key employees of the two Batavia businesses announced the joint venture Monday afternoon at the Eli Fish location at 109 Main St.

“We’ve been established as a maker of fine products and for our restaurant in Batavia and we just celebrated our third anniversary,” said Matt Gray, Eli Fish co-owner. “We’ve grown each and every year, and the next logical step is to start this distribution in our own home territory and we’re really thrilled about partnering with Sanzo Beverage.”

Rick Sanzo, owner of Sanzo Beverage, which has been in Batavia since Jan. 1, 1995, said his distribution system is set up for Eli Fish to grow its market share.

“I always told Matt that I would be interested in being a part of Eli Fish if the opportunity every arose,” Sanzo said. “Now, they are making enough beer – they have the tanks to support a mobile canning line – for the hauling of cans and kegs (draft beer). Matty finally let me know that they had the capacity, that they could branch out and we were very interested in branching out with them.”

Sanzo said his company currently trucks beer to Genesee, Wyoming, Orleans, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties and has a group that will distribute it to Erie, Niagara and Monroe counties.

“Batavia is making great beer and Adam (Burnett, the head brewer at Eli Fish) is very well respected in the brewing industry. If we can get it into people’s hands and make Batavia a destination – get people to come here and try the beer – we think it’s great for our community as there are a lot of locally owned businesses that people can go to here.”

Initially, the plan is to distribute three principal brands -- Strange Days, a Scotch ale; Pillow Talk, a witbier (Belgian wheat), and Maple Blueberry Sunshine, a Six Flags Darien Lake co-branded product. The latter is brewed, packaged and sold by Eli Fish for Darien Lake to sell under its name.

“We’re excited about the initial launch of Strange Days, Pillow Talk and Maple Blueberry, both in cans and draft,” said Mark Stark, vice president/craft for Sanzo Beverage. “The nice thing about having a hometown brewery in our network is that if you have the obscure place that is looking for something a bit different, Eli Fish has 23 varieties on tap. We can come and get them because they’re right in our backyard, and we are able to provide these brews to our customers.”

Burnett said that 23 of the 24 beers on tap at the brewery are Eli Fish-made beers, with the other being a cider that is mixed outside of Batavia.

“We have light lagers, pale ales, IPAs (India Pale Ale), stouts, sours, fruited beers and seltzers,” Burnett said. “I try to keep at least two or three of each of those on all the time.”

Eli Fish co-owner Jon Mager handled the brewing on a full-time basis when the business opened, but now assists Burnett.

“I was brewing everything for about a year but working with my other day job (as the owner of Arctic Refrigeration), it started to take a toll,” he said. “I knew Adam from high school and we brought him in full time. Now, I relieve Adam when he needs a break.”

Burnett pointed out that they get all of the malt needed for the brews from Batavian Ted Hawley, who provides it from his Bank Street Road location.

“About 95 percent of beer is malt while hops are minimal,” Burnett explained. “A normal batch of beer is going to be 500 pounds of malt and five pounds of hops. We dechlorinate city water and use salts to make the profile mimic the styles were trying to create.”

Gray said his company has done “very limited self-distribution to a couple local restaurants in town that we have relationships with (including Alex’s Place, which he also owns).”

Sanzo said his drivers will take the beer to restaurants, bars, stores – any venue that has a liquor license.

“They’re already partnering with Darien Lake so that’s a huge sampling opportunity. Maybe this year, the amphitheater will open up again and we can do some sampling there, too,” he said.

Eli Fish also makes Muckdog beer – the official craft beer of the Batavia Muckdogs, who open their baseball season at Dwyer Stadium on June 4.

Gray said he hopes that getting Eli Fish beer to other locales will result in more traffic in Downtown Batavia.

“We’re a community-focused business and we love being downtown, We chose to be downtown for a reason,” he said. “We hope that people who do visit here walk downtown, go to other restaurants and other bars, and go shopping. It helps the entire community.”

For more information about Eli Fish Brewing Co., go to its website – www.elifishbrewing.com.

Photo at top: Jon Mager and Matt Gray of Eli Fish Brewing Co.; Rick Sanzo of Sanzo Beverage, and Adam Burnett, head brewer for Eli Fish; bottom, Adam Burnett stands next to brewing apparatus. Photos by Mike Pettinella.

Above, Adeline Offhaus enjoys a book she found at the Hollwedel Memorial Library about wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Submitted photos and press release:

A proposition to transition Hollwedel Memorial Library, currently chartered to serve the Town of Pavilion, to a Pavilion Central School District public library will be put to a vote May 18.

An online presentation by the Hollwedel Memorial Library Board of Trustees with details about the proposition has been available and can be viewed at www.HollwedelLibrary.org/vote. The slides used in this presentation can also be picked up at the library.

An informational flier with details about the vote was mailed to Pavilion Central School District residents in early April.

The Hollwedel Memorial Library Board of Trustees also hosted two small group sessions at the library for residents on April 24 and 26. At these meetings, Joan Gray, president, and Stephen Gould, vice president, shared information about the proposition to transition the library to a school district public library.

Voting will take place from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 18 at Pavilion High School.

If approved, the library’s service area would expand to serve the residents of the Pavilion Central School District. Currently, the library is chartered to serve the Town of Pavilion.

Stabilizes Funding & Provides Elected Representation

The library would remain housed in the same building with the same staff. The school district would have no direct control of the library but would collect funds for the library. This transition to a School District Public Library would stabilize the funding needed to operate the library, and provide elected representation to the taxpayers as library trustees will be elected rather than appointed.

According to Board President Gray, “We hope that residents remember to vote on May 18. At our meetings and online, we have explained that library usage has increased steadily while our funding has not. With this vote, the proposed level of community-based funding would amount to 44 cents per $1,000 of assessed values on properties in the Pavilion School District.

"Without this transition, the future of the library is uncertain. We have been encouraged by the positive comments we have received from the community who believe that the library is important to all of us.”

The slide presentation along with additional information about the upcoming library vote are available online at the library’s website at www.HollwedelMemorialLibrary.org/vote. Residents with questions can also contact the library at (585) 584-8843. 

Current library hours are: Monday and Wednesday 2 to 7 p.m. / Friday 1 to 5 p.m. / Saturday 10 a.m. to noon / Closed Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Below, Harper Offhaus and her mom, Danielle, often enjoy a book together in the Children’s Reading area at the Hollwedel Memorial Library. Danielle currently serves on the library's Board of Trustees.

Below, grandmother Lisa Schiske shows Chase Radesi, left, and Ari Schiske how to read one of their favorite children’s books online at the library.

Below, Oscar Staba uses the Hollwedel library’s computers to get his homework done, and he enjoys the free WiFi for use on his phone.

Press release:

The 12 organizations that comprise The Collaborative of NY, including Arc of Genesee Orleans and The Arc Livingston-Wyoming have joined forces to launch a recruitment campaign to hire Direct Support Professionals to work with people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. 

The campaign called Is DSP for Me aims to educate prospective applicants about the responsibilities of a Direct Support Professional, spotlight the variety of career opportunities available, and inspire people who have a passion for making a difference to apply for positions across the region. A website, https://www.isdspforme.org/ has been launched and recruitment messaging is reaching potential applicants on Spotify, YouTube ads, and other platforms. 

“Is DSP for Me races to bring attention, interest and most of all, the men and women, young and old, to work in this especially rewarding field,” said Projects Manager for The Collaborative of NY, Roberta Oese-Siegel. “Providing direct supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism is an investment in one’s entire self.

"Working in the field develops universally applicable skills in interpersonal communications, creative problem solving, scheduling, results dependent flexibility and much more. It broadens your perspective and is a daily and direct act of doing one’s part in creating a better world. The Arc’s – the historical champions in the United States for individuals with I/DD – created the standard by which the world measures its progress in this sector. Who wouldn’t be excited to try a rewarding career with us?”

Formed in 1996, the Collaborative of NY Inc. is comprised of 12 chapters of The Arc New York Inc., serving a 19-county region, reaching from Lake Ontario to the Pennsylvania border. The region encompasses counties in Western New York, the Southern Tier, and Central New York. The Collaborative was formed to optimize the supports and services its member agencies provide to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their local communities throughout the region.

Chapters involved include: Allegany-Steuben, Cattaraugus/Niagara – In Tandem, Chautauqua – The Resource Center, Chemung-Schuyler, Erie County, Genesee-Orleans, Livingston-Wyoming, Monroe, Onondaga, Ontario, Seneca/Cayuga/Yates – Mozaic, and Wayne.

Over the last 25 years, Collaborative teams have engaged in training, quality assurance, financial, human resource and self-advocacy projects, identifying and engaging in the efficient and high-quality use of resources. The projects establish goals and benchmarks for both the regional group and for the 12 individual member agencies in order to design high quality supports and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

For more information about the Is DSP for Me campaign, please contact Bobbie Oese-Siegel, (585) 415-1074 or bobbie.oesesiegel@collabfl.org

Submitted photos and press release:

Is your vehicle ready for a bath? Might we suggest the best wash in town? Thank you so much to Ellen Greene-Gruttadauria of Classy Chassy Car Wash, and Kim Pangrazio, for planning a car wash fundraiser to support Crossroads House!

This will be in memory of Kim's mother, Carol, who was our resident back in 2018. Carol was a local gal and made her way deep into the heart of our community. The event will take place Tuesday, May 11^th at the 4120 Veterans Memorial Drive location ONLY (across from Walmart).

Now until 8 p.m., you pay only $5 per Eco Tunnel Wash, which the Classy Chassy is donating back, along with their generous match of $5, to bless us with $10 per car! This is their best wash, the Eco Tunnel Bath, an $18 value for only $5!

Show your car some LOVE on today and thank you for supporting Crossroads House!

Below, Kim Pangrazio, left, and her late mother, Carol.

Press release:

On Wednesday, May 26, Rochester Regional Health’s food and nutrition service team will conduct on-site interviews from 1 to 3 p.m. for a wide range of food service positions at United Memorial Medical Center.

Open positions include:

• Cooks
• Food Service Associates
• Food Service Team Leaders
• Hospitality Office Associates

The organization is hiring individuals with full-time, part-time, and per diem availability.

“People who come to this recruiting event will be able to interview right on-site so we can get to know you and see what position best matches your interests and skills,” said Julie Hamil, senior director of Food & Nutrition Services. “Rochester Regional Health facilities are great places to work and I’m excited to see our team grow!”

The recruiting event will be conducted in compliance with COVID-19 safety guidelines. Interviews will be socially distanced and masks are required. 

Rochester Regional Health Job Fair Recruiting Event

Date:  Wednesday, May 26

Time:  1– 3 p.m.

Location:  United Memorial Medical Center / 127 North St., Batavia / Room -- A110

RSVP: Walk-ins are welcome but candidates are encouraged to RSVP using this link.    

Check-in:  Participants will arrive at the hospital’s main lobby and be directed to the interviews.

Questions:  Contact Patrick Vickery at Patrick.Vickery@rochesterregional.org

About Rochester Regional Health

It is an integrated health services organization serving the people of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, St. Lawrence County, and beyond. The system includes nine hospitals; primary and specialty practices, rehabilitation centers, ambulatory campuses and immediate care facilities; innovative senior services, facilities and independent housing; a wide range of behavioral health services; and Rochester Regional Health Laboratories and ACM Global Laboratories, a global leader in patient and clinical trials. Rochester Regional Health is the region’s second-largest employer. Learn more at RochesterRegional.org.

Press release:

Officials from Batavia Downs today announced they will be partnering with the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments to host a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Friday, May 14^th from 3-7 p.m. on-site at the Park Place Events Center.

The clinic will accept walk-ins and will be offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires a single dose to be administered ("One and done."). The FREE vaccination clinic will be open to the public, and no appointment will be necessary.

As an incentive to help promote participation, Batavia Downs will give all persons who get vaccinated at the clinic $20 in free food and drink. Those who get vaccinated will receive a voucher that will be redeemable anytime at Player’s Club for one week.

Each person who receives a vaccine at the clinic will also receive two entries into a drawing for a pair of Front Row tickets to all 12 Rockin’ The Downs Summer Concerts in the Premium Section. The Season Pass worth of tickets are valued at more than $1,500.

“In order to put the threat of COVID-19 behind us, we need to get as many people vaccinated as possible,” said Henry Wojtaszek, president and CEO of Batavia Downs. “For more than a year, we’ve tried to take a creative approach to dealing with COVID. Our Health and Safety Plan has been implemented since our reopening in September.

"We’ve employed innovative strategies to protect our employees and customers. We are proud to be taking the lead when it comes to the ‘new normal’ in our industry. We hope to see long lines on Friday and are excited to help get more shots in more arms. Getting vaccinated will help us & our region get back to normal, allow for local businesses to welcome back more customers and get our economy moving again.”

“We are grateful to Batavia Downs for not only providing a space for this vaccination clinic to take place, but also for helping incentivize those who are looking to get vaccinated,” said David E. Bell, emergency preparedness coordinator for GO Health Departments.

State Senator Ed Rath said, "I commend Batavia Downs and Western OTB for putting together this vaccine clinic for the public. Working to assure that our residents can easily access these crucial vaccines, right in their own backyard is critical. I appreciate the work they are doing to assure that everyone who wants a vaccine is able to receive one.”

Press release: 

The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the bridge carrying Route 19 over the Black Creek overflow in the Town of Bergen, Genesee County, will be closed to traffic for approximately two days, beginning today, May 11, from 7 a.m. to accommodate repairs to the structure.

During this time, a signed detour will be in place guiding motorists to use Route 33, North Main Street in Churchville, and Peachey Road/Kendall Road. Local roads near the bridge will also be accessible during the closure.

Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.

For real-time travel information, motorists should call 5-1-1 or visit www.511NY.org or the mobile site at m.511ny.org, New York State’s official traffic and travel information source.

The City of Batavia Police Department came through with flying colors last month while thwarting a suspected drug deal in the parking lot at the 400 Towers senior apartment complex at 400 E. Main St., but that’s what the executive director of the Batavia Housing Authority has come to expect from municipal law enforcement.

“I observed two different suspected deals, and the second one just after 5 p.m. seemed like it was just starting,” said Nathan Varland, who heads the agency that operates 400 Towers along with other locations in the city. “So, I called 9-1-1 and they sent a car over without lights and sirens to see what they could see and they jumped right into it. It was very responsive and helpful to us, and I very much appreciate the help and support of police and fire.”

The Batavian contacted Varland by telephone this morning, following up on a report by City Council Member Al McGinnis at Monday night’s City Council meeting about the way in which police officers handled the matter.

McGinnis, a commissioner on the BHA board of directors, said the housing authority “would like to thank Chief (Shawn) Heubusch and his people for responding quickly and professionally to the drug issues that occurred at 400 Towers.”

“The manager (Varland) was out for a run in the evening and came back to his place and noticed some individuals dealing drugs,” he said. “He immediately called the police chief and they responded with no lights and no sirens. They were able to contain them and stop the deal, and arrest the perpetrators.”

Varland said some of the residents have witnessed suspected drug deals “where people have met in our parking lot and did not live here – they were not residents.”

“It didn’t seem like there was a ton of activity going on but it seemed to be increasing. So, I contacted Chief Heubusch and a couple people on the police department, asking for some advice,” he offered. “They were super responsive, super supportive. I just can’t say enough good things about the help that they provided to us, and just how quickly they responded when we needed help.”

Varland said he is not aware of any suspicious activity at the location since then, and is grateful for city emergency services personnel’s continuing protection.

“We count on them,” he said. “Honestly, we wouldn’t be in business without Batavia police and fire. They’re just so supportive in helping to meet all of our needs here.”