Press release:

Are you interested in running for a seat on your local school board? The Genesee Valley School Boards Association (GVSBA) is holding an informational meeting for potential school board candidates at 7 p.m. on March 20.

The meeting will be held at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, 80 Munson St. in Le Roy.

This meeting will help you understand the steps that you must take to be included in the election, and what you can expect as a board member.

The meeting will also include panel discussions, featuring Patrick Burk, executive director of the GVSBA; other panelists are a newer board of education member, a veteran member, as well as a school superintendent.

The program will be a comprehensive look at what is required to run for election, some basic education law and the roles and responsibilities of a board of education member.  

“This is an excellent way for a community member to become involved with the educational program in their home town,” Burk said.

Local school boards are comprised of five, seven or nine members, depending on the school district, and terms are either three or five years. Commitment, time and skills as well as required training and programs will also be discussed.

Refreshments will be served. Registration is required; please contact Burk or Sandra Lee James at (585) 344-7537.

Press release:

Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer is advocating for a new set of common-sense solutions to address New York’s ailing business climate so that more hard-working families can live, work and thrive in Western New York.

The Re-Open New York for Business Plan is in response to Senate Democrats outright rejection of the Amazon HQ2 project, costing New Yorkers 25,000 new jobs and $27.5 billion in revenue.

The new plan would help reinvigorate the state economy and establish countless job opportunities for middle-class workers while beginning to undo some of the damage Senate Democrats have done by stopping the Amazon HQ2 project.

“When Senate Democrats turned down 25,000 new jobs, they sent a clear message to job-creators across the nation that New York is closed for business,” said Ranzenhofer. “That is why I am fighting to reopen New York for business by enacting each one of these sensible tax and economic development reforms.”

The comprehensive jobs plan includes: 
• Fighting for Meaningful Tax Cuts for Small Businesses, including a $495 million income tax exemption for Small Businesses & Farmers, as well as a STAR program for Small Businesses, achieving another $275 million in savings;
• Fighting to Cut Burdensome Energy Taxes, including the elimination of the 18-A Regulatory Assessment, and building upon the successful elimination of the Senate Democrats’ 18-A surcharge;
• Making the Property Tax Cap Permanent, currently, a temporary measure which has saved taxpayers $37 billion since its inception;
• Opposing any new taxes to balance the budget, including the Governor’s plan to impose new taxes on internet purchases and prescription drugs, among other fees in the Executive Budget proposal;
• Pushing for much-needed needed reform of the Public Authorities Control Board, so one person can never again misuse their vote to impede job growth and progress for New York; and
• Calling upon the Governor and Legislature to enact comprehensive regulatory reform for small businesses across the state this year.

Barring any unforeseen roadblocks, owners of property located in the Town of Darien’s proposed Water District No. 6 will have their chance to vote in mid-April on a $25 million public water project.

Town Supervisor David Hagelberger, speaking by telephone this afternoon, said a paper ballot election will be run by town employees on or around April 10, likely between noon and 8 p.m., at the Town Hall.

“This election will decide whether this water district will go through,” Hagelberger said, adding that the exact date is expected to be announced at the Town Board’s next meeting at 7:30 p.m. March 6.

Several weeks ago it was reported on The Batavian that a “permissive referendum” – where residents in the proposed district were compelled to get enough signatures to force a vote – would be the guiding force for action.

That fell through, however, Hagelberger said, due to the fact that certain parameters of the referendum were not published in the allowed time limit.

“The residents did get enough signatures to force a vote, and we were going to do that anyway,” Hagelberger said. “In effect, the timing issue is moot. The mandatory referendum in April is set up for property owners to come in and vote.”

The supervisor said there are about 1,400 possible voters considering that people who own multiple properties only get one vote. Citizens representing a business, a church in the district and the cemetery association also get one vote.

“There are no absentee ballots either,” Hagelberger said. “Property owners have to be there to have their votes count.”

Hagelberger said the town board reported at its last meeting that the Genesee County Board of Elections will not be running the election due to constraints in state law.

“We were told that we have to run it and we’re doing what needs to be done,” he said. “There’s a lot of work going on right now that most people don’t realize.”

He said the town is working with the assessor and county clerk’s office to review property deeds to determine the correct number of property owners. The town also has to pay election inspectors, for books for people to sign and to build the property owner list.

The estimated cost to the town will be several thousand dollars, Hagelberger said.

The proposal to supply public water to an estimated 2.095 residents (two-thirds of the town’s population) comes with an annual cost of $1,275 per household -- $914 to cover the project’s debt distribution and $361 to cover water supply, operations and maintenance costs.

Due to increasing construction costs and interest rates, the project’s total price tag has gone up from $24.8 million to $25.25 million. The town is pursuing a $10.82 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to defray some of the cost.

Upfront costs to property owners, estimated at $2,000 for each parcel, will be required to pay for meter changes, account setup fees, service lines and well abandonment and/or separation fees.

The proposal to create the water district was presented initially in the fall of 2016 via a couple public meetings.

Students of the culinary program at Batavia CTE on Thursday presented dishes they created with the goal of cooking up something suitable for astronauts in space to a panel of judges to see if their creations might be worthy of a nationwide competition in Houston later this year.

Six students, three from Batavia and three from Mount Morris, prepared two dishes -- asparagus "fries" from Batavia and berry quinoa salad.

The dishes were scored on presentation, nutritional value and taste. The final dishes will also need to be suitable for freeze-drying to take into space.

Travis Barlow, Kevin Balkota, John Steward, Danielle Rotondo, Patrick Rae, and Darly Pochan.

Nancy Hall from NASA was also on hand to observe and advise during the competition.

There is no winner from yesterday. Both teams will have their scores presented to a panel who will select 10 teams from entries from around the nation to travel to Houston for the final competition.

Students from Batavia were Melissa Voltura, Jose Vanegas and Jason Lowe. Students from Mount Morris were Sam Meyers, Tony Uveino and Mackenzie Wheeler.

Editor's note: The  2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

The phrase “pay it forward” is a bit overworked, but there’s no better way to describe the manner in which Corfu’s Bob Stocking goes about the business of community service and volunteerism.

Stocking, 83 and getting younger every year, is the 2018 recipient of the Geneseean of the Year award from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

He will be honored at the chamber’s 47^th annual Awards Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. on March 2 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road in Batavia.

Nominated by longtime friend and neighbor Penny Arnold, Stocking (who has lived in his Angling Road farmhouse since 1945) has made a difference in the lives of people of all ages – from the children who have found their way as 4-H Club members to the elderly who have found comfort and friendship in HomeCare & Hospice, Genesee Cancer Assistance, Mercy Flight and Crossroads House.

Through it all, he raised a family as a top-notch tractor-trailer driver for 41 years, endured the death of his 48-year-old son, John, to a hunting accident in 2008 and now, with the help of his daughter, Tracy, takes care of his wife of 63 years, Donna, who has health problems.

Stocking also has assumed the role of helping those who need to clear out their homes due to the loss of a parent.

Every day brings a new adventure, a new challenge to the Stocking household, and Bob continues to be up to the task.

“Over the years, people have helped us,” he said. “The first auction barn dance that we did was for Hospice, which had taken good care of my mother when she passed away. I wanted to do something to repay them.”

So, putting his words into action, Stocking agreed to chair an annual fundraiser at Bontrager’s Auction Barn on Wortendyke Road – this year’s event to benefit Crossroads House is set for Oct. 12 and, as you would expect, Bob plans on selling the bulk of the 225 available tickets.

Stocking, per Arnold’s nomination, jumped into it feet first.

“In the beginning the (Bontrager) employees agreed to share the chairing of this event, but Bob always seemed to take on the task,” she wrote. “There have been five wonderful events which have helped (the agencies listed above) … Chairing this event is no small task. Bob held meetings at his home and delegated many of the tasks, but has had his hands into many of the aspects of the event.”

Arnold went on to write about Stocking’s many hours on the phone and spent delivering tickets, and has turned the event into one that people look forward to and raises quite a bit of money for the designated causes through ticket sales, donations and a pie auction.

“Todd Jantzi (of Bontrager’s) has been great to us by donating the facility and helping in other areas,” Stocking said. “Other businesses donate to us and it has become a very successful event. Last year, we raised $5,000 for Crossroads House and we’re going to do it again.”

Stocking said the main reason he does this is “because all the money stays in the county.”

“It’s important to me that we help those in Genesee County,” he said. “With some things, you never know where the money goes.”

He said that a couple he met in Tops Market one day came up to him and thanked him for running the dinner-dance at Bontrager’s.

“They told me that they got some of the money that was donated to Genesee Cancer Assistance for gas and other expenses. That meant a lot to me,” he said.

Stocking’s generosity has touched young people who have participated in horse shows through 4-H at the Genesee County Fair by giving them and their animals rides to the shows in his horse trailer, providing accessories for training and donating trophies to the fair that were won by Tracy during her years showing horses.

“We used to have 25 horses and 25 cows,” said Stocking, who also operated a tack shop, “but now we have a dog and a cat.”

Stocking was active in the East Pembroke Volunteer Fire Department for many years (he’s a lifetime member) and once donated a steer to its carnival to raise money.

In her nomination, Arnold wrote that Stocking, who became a grandfather figure to her daughter, Danielle, is “honest and trustworthy … someone that always helps out other people but doesn’t do it for the acknowledgment … he does it from the heart.”

When he was contacted by a chamber employee, Stocking said he didn’t realize he had won, but thought he had been nominated.

“I never expected anything like this in my entire lifetime,” said Stocking, who said he will have 14 people, including son, Robbie, who lives in Virginia, at the ceremony. “It’s a big, big honor to have something like that. I just do it to help people.”

Editor's note: The 2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

John Harrower said he recalls a story that his late father, Robert, told him about how Genesee Lumber got started way back in 1928.

“My grandfather, a pioneer in his vision and thinking, shook hands (on the deal) with the former owner of what was Franklin Street Lumber at the time, and he (the seller) said, ‘Good luck, it’s a dying business.’ ”

Today, that “dying business” is alive and well – continuing to serve Genesee County and, in recent years, Erie and Monroe counties – as both a contractor yard and retail outlet.

It’s doing so well, in fact, that it is being honored as the 2018 Business of the Year by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and will be recognized as such at the chamber’s 47^th annual Awards Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. on March 2 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road in Batavia.

“We are very honored and humbled to receive this award,” Harrower said, speaking for his wife, Leslie; sons, Michael and Eric, who are both in the business, and his employees.

Genesee Lumber was nominated by Batavia John Riter, who praised the Harrowers for their “vision, willingness to bet on the community and commitment to success” as key elements in the company’s ability to expand considerably in recent years.

“Their success has contributed to the community’s success in a variety of ways, not the least of which is an expanded workforce,” Riter wrote in his nomination letter.

John and Leslie purchased the company from Robert in 1994, but John actually worked for his dad as a child before coming on full time after college in 1983. Leslie, an accomplished business person in her own right, came on board in 1987.

Robert Harrower, well-known for his efforts as a Rotarian and on several community boards, passed away last June at the age of 84.

The origins of Genesee Lumber are best captured in John’s words:

“The company was started in 1928 by my grandfather, Harold Harrower, who was a traveling salesman and a lumber dealer. He wanted to own a lumber yard one day, and he called on this place – the old Franklin Street Lumber – and ended up buying it.”

John said the business prospered through the Depression and World War II, and was supported by three big silos, which kept Harold busy during the winter months. “A big source of revenue, and the fuel supply was coal,” he noted.

In time, the coal aspect went away, the silos were removed and the business became known as Genesee Lumber Company Inc.

Robert Harrower worked beside his dad and uncle as a child. In 1963, he bought out his father (who retired) and owned the business until selling it to his son and daughter-in-law 25 years ago.

John Harrower said he sees himself as a combination of the two – a bit of a risk taker like his grandfather and a sense of conservatism, more like his father.

“Yeah, I think I have some of my grandfather in me in that we took a leap of faith about 15 years ago to venture outside of Genesee County,” John said. “We added four or five buildings, and while continuing to be very heavy in the retail business (in Genesee County) we have expanded those avenues into Monroe and, especially Erie County.”

He said the company owns a fleet of a dozen trucks and 10 forklifts, features a large showroom area to “give people a feel of what they could envision for themselves, no matter the size of the project that they have going on.”

The Andersen Windows line has been a key part of the company’s offerings for about 60 years. “They (Andersen) are, if not No. 1, No. 2,” he said.

Genesee Lumber also carries siding, metal roofing, top quality shingles, the Trex decking product, storm doors, windows and more.

“We also do a large amount of interior packages – styles, color, paint grade option or also a stain finish product,” John said, “and a wide array of exterior door options, and patio doors (with a) great selection. It’s quite an expansive line.”

John said Genesee Lumber has several skilled sales and service employees in the areas of kitchen cabinets and countertops – “not our main line, but we can do pre-built or custom cabinetry,” he said.

Much of the expansion has occurred under John and Leslie’s watch.

“We tore down an old building and a house and put up this nearly 10,000-square-foot warehouse – that mostly houses windows and doors,” he said. “We cut lumber, plywood and have a shop for custom painting.”

John said that they take on a lot of lumber by rail, with one railroad car holding more than four tractor-trailer loads.

“Rail helps reduce our costs quite a bit. It reduces the freight tremendously, which we can pass on to our contractor and customer base,” he said, adding that the majority of the lumber comes from Canada or the West Coast.

The Harrower family continues to be active in the community, as both John and Leslie have served on the Genesee Area YMCA board (Leslie is a former president) and as volunteer coaches for a variety of school and youth sports.

Per Riter’s nomination, “John and Leslie have been great ambassadors in that they are always friendly and welcoming to people who are new to the community, including Liz (his wife) and myself.”

John said he embraces what he calls “the hometown spirit.”

“Nothing comes near it,” he said. “We like to see people within the community; we’ve made a lot of friends and have had a tremendous amount of support from the community. And, for that, we’re very grateful.”

Editor's note: The 2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

As Batavia’s oldest service club prepares to celebrate its 100^th anniversary, it will be honored by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce with the Special Service Recognition of the Year on Saturday.

Rotarian Christopher White stressed the importance of the Rotary Club of Batavia in the community when he nominated it for the Chamber award.

“Founded by local businessmen looking for camaraderie and an opportunity to give back to their community, the Club has made meaningful contributions, not just financial, but of their time, talent and expertise to make Batavia a better place to live,” White wrote.

Rotary’s contributions to the Batavia community include support of Batavia Concert Band, Genesee County Youth Bureau Community Garden, Genesee Cancer Assistance, Crossroads House, Genesee Symphony Orchestra, GO ART!, Fourth of July Picnic in the Park, Genesee/Orleans ARC and United Memorial Medical Center.

And they support local youth in ice hockey, minor league baseball, Boy Scouts, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), YMCA Camp Hough and the YMCA Summer Adventure Program. 

The Rotary Scholarship Program provides $18,000 each year to high school students from Batavia, Notre Dame and Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.

Rotary also gives local high school students a chance to spend a year abroad, and has hosted foreign exchange students looking to experience life in the United States and Western New York. Two of these students, one from Australia and the other from Denmark, are in Batavia now and attended a recent meeting to tell of their experiences at Algonquin Provencial Park in Ontario, Canada.

Rotary has also provided youth leadership training to many local high school and college students through Rotary International. And they support the world by continuing to raise funds from club members to support Rotary International in its quest to eradicate polio from the face of the earth.

Batavia Rotary hosts the annual girls’ and boys’ high school basketball tournaments, the annual Father’s Day Fly-in Breakfast at Genesee County Airport, the annual Beerfest and raffle, and the Memorial Day Flags and Flowers Sale.

Not to be forgotten are the Rotary shows which were put on for so many years.

White noted that many of the current 75 Rotary members sit on boards of local organizations and nonprofit agencies, lending their support and knowledge to them. They can be found making an impact outside of the Club itself, he said. Members range in age from 28 to 88 and all believe in the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”

Batavia Rotary was founded in 1919 by Batavia businessman Carlton M. Sleight, who had only lived in the city little more than a decade, according to William F. Brown Jr. in his book "Service Above Self: The Story of a Rotary Club."

Sleight had attended a Rotary meeting in Elmira, while living and doing business in Canandaigua, and Brown believes that his visit may have inspired him to form a club in Batavia. On March 13, 1919, Sleight invited 25 business and professional men to meet at the Holland Club with Dr. John H. Ready from the Rochester club to learn how to form a Batavia unit.

The group was so enthused that, two months later, a dinner meeting was held at the Batavia Club to discuss the reports of committees working on bylaws and a constitution. Officers were installed May 26 at the Odd Fellows Temple (the former St. James Episcopal Church on Ellicott Street). More than 200 Rotarians attended from Rochester to Niagara Falls and enjoyed a five-course dinner served by the Eastern Star. 

Batavia became Rotary International’s charter No. 491.

Batavia dentist Joseph Rowbottom is a 50-year member of Batavia Rotary, along with Dave Schwartz and Don Iwanicki.  

Rowbottom first became exposed to Rotary after moving to Corfu. When he was a freshman in dental school, he had a friend whose fiancee’s mother knew a dentist in Corfu who was retiring. That turned out to be Guy Patterson and Rowbottom bought his building. (Guy Patterson's daughter was the famous swimmer Greta Paterson, who swam across Lake Erie in 1955.)

In 1966, the Vietnam War was heating up, and Rowbottom didn’t want to be drafted, so Patterson agreed to hold the building and Rowbottom enlisted. He served two years in the military and after returning home, started attending Rotary meetings with dentist Patterson. 

“I’ve been coming ever since,” Rowbottom said. “I continued to block off time on my schedule from noon to 1:15 p.m. so I could attend Rotary. I’ve always had a lot of fun at Rotary. I also liked the Buffalo Club, but they were so formal.”

Rowbottom said his friends challenged him in the beginning to propose that women be allowed to join Rotary. At the time, the Batavia Jaycees were thrown out of the organization for accepting a female member. He proposed Rotary welcome in Terry Carauna, the dean of Business at Genesee Community College.

“They didn’t accept her and I almost got thrown out of Rotary,” Rowbottom said. “Today, we would be in a world of hurt without women. This club could not function as it does without women.”

One of the newer, younger members is Pam Sivret, who joined in 2017. Her sister, Teri Yasses has been a member since 1994 and Sivret has helped her with the fly-in breakfasts and Rotary shows. 

When Yasses said Sivret should join, she did.

“I love the friendship and how we are all very like-minded,” Sivret said. 

She was the first winner of a Rotary Youth Leadership Award to become a Rotary member. She won the award in 1990 while a student at GCC.

Lori Aratari was working for Triple AAA when she joined Rotary. 

“They encouraged us to be part of our community and get involved,” Aratari said. “I explored the service clubs locally and Rotary stood out.”

She has chaired fundraisers and is in her second term on the board.

“I’ve made amazing friends through Rotary and my husband enjoys participating in Rotary events,” Aratari said.

Editor's note: The  2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., a dairy cooperative owned by 340 farm families located throughout Western New York, will be honored March 2 as the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s Agricultural Organization of the Year.

“On behalf of our member-owners, especially those located in Genesee County, we are honored to be presented with this award by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce,” said Keith Telaak, senior marketing manager of Upstate Niagara Cooperative. “We are grateful of this recognition and are proud to be a part of the Genesee County community.”

Upstate Niagara Cooperative is a result of several mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations of local dairy processors over the past 100 years, as dairy farmers realized the need for increased efficiencies to be able to grow their businesses and compete in the changing marketplace, Telaak said.

In 2006 Upstate Farms Cooperative and Niagara Milk Cooperative consolidated, bringing together two of the nation’s top dairy cooperatives. Its history, however, goes back even further.

Some of Upstate Niagara Cooperative’s family-owned farms have been in existence for more than six generations, according to Telaak.

The cooperative operates seven manufacturing facilities – three fluid plants (Buffalo, Rochester and Williamsport, Pa.), with their main office in Buffalo; two cultured facilities (West Seneca and North Lawrence); one cheese plant in Campbell; and O-AT-KA Milk Products in Batavia. The Membership Office is also located in Batavia, Telaak added. 

“Our mission is to serve each one of our customers the highest quality dairy products and services, in order to market milk and maximize returns for our dairy farmer owners, while providing a rewarding environment for our employees,” Telaak said.

“Our commitment to quality dairy products extends to every stage of production, from the farm to the consumer. The success of our cooperative begins with the passion and dedication of our farmer-owners to work hard every single day to produce the highest quality milk.”

Upstate Niagara’s high-quality dairy products have earned several first-place awards at dairy competitions, including their Bison French Onion Dip and light sour cream. They are marketed to consumers throughout the country.

Their products include milk, flavored milk, yogurt, dip, sour cream, cheese and ice cream marketed under the Upstate Farms, Valley Farms; Intense Milk for consumers looking for a healthier way to indulge; Bison; and Milk for Life. 

“We are also a private label manufacturer of dairy products for many of the largest retailers throughout the country,” Telaak said. 

Today, Upstate Niagara employs more than 1,400 people in their offices, manufacturing facilities and distribution network. 

Batavia was chosen as the site for the Membership Office because of its central location to member farmers in Western New York, Telaak said. Mike Davis is plant manager of the Batavia plant.

The Pembroke Dragons knocked off the #1 seed Marion in a Section V Class C2 semifinal Thursday 46-42 to advance to a shot a sectional title Saturday in Victor against Geneseo.

Serene Calderon scored 15 points for the Dragons. Dekari Moss scored 13 and Casey Wertz scored nine. 

Game time for Pembroke on Saturday is 1 p.m.

On Wednesday night, Oakfield-Alabama beat Keshequa to advance to the finals of the Class C3 bracket. O-A, the #2 seed, will play #1 seed South Seneca at 11 a.m. tomorrow in Victor.

For the Hornets on Wednesday, Brianna Smith scored 20 points.

Tonight in Class D2, Elba plays for a sectional title against Whitesville at 6 p.m. at Letchworth, and in Class B1, Batavia plays Midlakes at 8 p.m. at Cal-Mum.

A car has hit a tree and rolled over in the area of 49 Munson St., Le Roy.

No injuries.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance responding.

Le Roy fire police requested to shut down Munson at Gilbert and at Route 19.

A Le Roy police officer is on scene.

A two-vehicle accident is reported at West Main Street Road (Route 5) and Hartshorn Road, Town of Batavia. One vehicle rolled over and there is entrapment. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding along with Mercy medics.

UPDATED 7:56 p.m.: A second Mercy rig is called to the scene.

Smoke is reportedly coming from a residence at 210 S. Main St. in the City of Batavia. The location is between Meadowcrest Drive and River Street. City fire is responding.

Press release:

On Tuesday, Feb. 26, the fourth through sixth grades in the Byron-Bergen Central School District hosted special guests as part of their Black History Month celebration.

Olivia Kim, adjunct professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, shared her experience with the Frederick Douglass sculpture project and “Discover Douglass” self-guided walking tour.

Kim sculpted the 6’7” monument of Douglass out of more than 200 pounds of clay to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of Douglass’ chosen birthday, Feb. 14, 1818. From her mold, 13 statues were completed and placed around Rochester.

The students learned about the complex process to create each of the statues as well as the significance Douglass holds in the Rochester community.

Community educator and choreographer Marcus Bowens shared the history and global influence of hip-hop. Hip-hop originated in New York City in the 1970s and has since spread around the world influencing diverse cultures. Bowens is a Master hip-hop dancer.

“Dance is a form of celebration and expression,” Bowens told the students. “Dance is contagious.

He then led the students in a celebration of hip-hop through a choreographed danced in which everyone participated.

Miriam Tardy, Siomara Caballero, and Hannah Catalino, all Byron-Bergen Senior High School students, introduced the students to the real life characters portrayed in the movie "Hidden Figures."

Their introduction included an overview of segregation and an interactive activity. Students and staff shared something that they were proud of and noted that "Hidden Figures" features real people who were not credited for the vital role they played at NASA until many decades later.

“Don’t let your accomplishments be hidden,” the three presenters concluded.

The day ended with a special screening of "Hidden Figures."

Photos and video courtesy of Gretchen Spittler, Byron-Bergen Communications specialist.

Press release:

Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA) is very pleased to announce that it has been named one of the "Best Companies to Work for in New York State" for 2019 for the second year in a row.

Best Companies Group analyzes employee survey data to determine what companies are selected and how they are ranked.  

“We decided to participate again this year because the feedback we received last year was really helpful," said John Bennett, executive director. "We continue to look for opportunities to enhance employees’ day to day job satisfaction in meaningful ways."

“This honor is because of our amazing employees and board of directors,” said Shannon Ford, director of Communications and Development.

GCASA will be honored at a public awards dinner to be held at the Albany Marriott on Wednesday, April 24. During the event, GCASA will learn its rank among the 26 companies in the category for small employers with 15-99 U.S. employees.

GCASA has been serving Genesee and Orleans Counties for more than 40 years. Services include prevention education and outpatient and residential treatment for individuals with substance use disorders; and an employee assistance program.

GCASA is located at 430 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia.

Press release:

The Fine Arts program at Genesee Community College is proud to share this year's student exhibit with the entire community at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery on the Batavia Campus. The exhibit, prepared entirely by GCC students, is titled "Emerge" and will be on display from March 5 - April 4.

Emerge showcases artwork recently produced by students enrolled in fine arts courses at Genesee Community College. Each piece is crafted for a specific classroom project reflecting a range of the course's learning objectives and challenging students to use their technical skills to create pieces that communicate and express their concepts and messages.

The exhibit includes artwork produced in GCC's Two and Three-Dimensional Design, Drawing I & II, Painting I & II, and Ceramics I & II courses.

The entire community is invited to meet these talented artists from 12:30 to 2 p.m. and again from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 21.

"Each year, the student exhibit features emerging concepts, emerging talent and emerging artists. This year's students have worked hard and have produced meaningful and powerful pieces in a variety of media," Mary Jo Whitman, art gallery coordinator, said.

"The Fine Arts department is excited to celebrate student achievements through this deep and diverse body of work created by GCC students."

The Roz Steiner Art Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information on all upcoming events at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery visit here.

File photo from Tech Wars at GCC in 2012.

Press release:

Anyone interested in watching teams of teens and young adults embrace, engage and enjoy all facets of new and existing technology should come to Genesee Community College Batavia Campus for the 12th Annual Tech Wars on Thursday, March 14.

More than 750 students from 24 regional school districts will be competing in 30 different events and hands-on activities that use technology of all kinds.

New to Tech Wars this year is STEAM Jam @ Tech Wars! (STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). STEAM Jam is a way for students in third through fifth grades around the GLOW region to be exposed to the opportunity of Tech Wars once they reach middle school.

STEAM Jam students will have their own competition including activities with building/engineering, circuit and robotic/coding challenges. Part of their day will be to tour and observe the multiple venues and competitions of Tech Wars, and plan for future participation when they enter middle and high school.

The main Tech Wars event matches area middle and high school students against each other in many competitions including the Robotic Tractor Pull, Catapults and SUMO Bots in the gymnasium, the Regatta in the Aquatics Center, and Bridge Designing in the central Forum.

Also a favored feature is Battlebot Soccer where high school students design and build a remote control robot to compete in a soccer match.

Tech Wars is hosted by the College's ACE (Accelerated College Enrollment) Program for students in the GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties) region.

The event brings area middle and high school students to GCC's Batavia Campus where teams of students work collaboratively to demonstrate their technical expertise through innovative, mind-expanding competitions.

The students arrive at GCC at 8:30 a.m. with the competitions scheduled to run from 9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. followed by the awards ceremony at 12:30.

Students participate in a variety of challenges, many in groups of two or more. Some competitions involve bringing projects they've been working on to GCC, while others provide a more spontaneous opportunity or "mystery" event where materials and directions are shared that day.

The winning Tech Wars 2019 logo, designed by Dylan Duffy from Dansville High School is a great example of the creativity and hard work that happens well in advance of the overall program.

"Tech Wars is a great opportunity for students and instructors to work together toward a common goal," Ann Valento, GCC Career Pathways program specialist said. "It fosters an atmosphere of encouragement and teamwork and the hard-work of each participant is acknowledged and appreciated. It is simply a fun way for students to realize and tap into their talents!"

In addition to the Battlebot Soccer competition listed above, there are 29 other events to challenge students in an array of technologies. The 2019 Middle School events include: Catapult, CO2 Car Challenges, Logo Design, Mystery Project, Paper Airplane, Rube Goldberg, Sculpture and Tower.

The 2019 High School events include: Battlebot Soccer, Bridge Design, Architectural Design in CAD, CO2 Car Challenges, King of the Hill, Logo Design, Mystery Project, On Site CAD Project, Regatta, Reverse Engineered CAD Drawing, Robotic Tractor Pull Limited and Unlimited, Sculpture Event, Skimmer Car, SUMO Bots and Trebuchet which must launch a projectile at a given target 40 feet away. 

For the rules and details on all these competitions, click here.  

Tech Wars is supported by significant sponsorships. The Gold Sponsors this year include: Liberty Pumps, Turnbull Heating & Air Conditioning, Northeast Industrial Tech Inc., Graham Corporation and Amada Tool America Inc.

"Without the generosity of our sponsors and volunteers, the dedication of our area technology teachers and the commitment of our participating students, this event would not be possible," Valento said. "We are grateful for all."

The ACE Program's Career Pathways helps students explore career options and make a smooth transition from high school to college and ultimately to professional careers. Tech Wars is among several dynamic programs giving students the opportunity to learn hands-on, often in business settings and with industry professionals.

For more information, please contact Ann Valento, Genesee Community College Career Pathways program specialist at 585-343-0055, ext. 6316, or amvalento@genesee.edu.

Press release:

Join the Genesee County Master Gardeners this spring as we “Catch the Gardening Bug.”

We will be offering four gardening programs this spring with our first one, “Invaders amongst Our Trees,” from 6 to 8 p.m. on March 26.

Get a DEC Forester’s perspective on what invasive species are threatening our landscape trees and forests -- from Emerald Ash Borer to Oak Wilt.

We’ll also talk about some new threats on the horizon such as Mile-a-Minute Vine and Spotted Lanternfly. This program is free, but registration is required by March 22 as space is limited.

Shade gardens can offer cool relief on hot, sunny days. While flowers offer flash, plants with attractive foliage offer season-long color. If you are looking for shade loving plants other than hostas and pachysandra, join us on April 4 for “Awesome Plants for Shady Sites.”

We'll show you a variety of great plants that you can add to your shady retreat. Registration required by March 29. Cost is $10.

Learn the history of what came to be known as “Kitchen Gardens” on April 16. Find out what settlers to the New World, especially New York, planted in their kitchen gardens and why.

There will be hands on activities to help you start thinking about how you would plant your own kitchen garden. Registration required by April 12. Cost is $10.

Has your compost pile got you down? Maybe you would like to start one but you’re not sure how to. Join us on April 25, for “Fun with Compost!”

We’ll cover the basics of two composting techniques that will turn your vegetable scraps into plant food; either by the traditional method of creating a pile outdoors or by using a container of worms indoors. Registration required by April 19. Cost is $10.

All classes will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension at 420 E. Main St., Batavia.

Unless otherwise noted, the cost is $10 per person, per class. Preregistration is required as class size is limited.

Contact Brandie at 585-343-3040, ext. 101, or stop by our office to register. Visit our website at: http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/events for more information.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia), along with his Assembly Minority colleagues, is introducing the “Budget Blueprint for a Better NY,” a tax relief and funding package that will provide aid to students, homeowners, infrastructure needs, direct care workers, local governments and middle-class families.

The enacted state budget is due April 1.

“I believe in a New York that focuses on middle-class taxpayers, students struggling to afford college, repairing our unsafe roads and bridges and giving direct care workers a living wage – not fringe political issues coming out of New York City,” Hawley said.

“We have a serious exodus problem in this state of people and businesses and we should be putting every resource into making our state a place people want live and work, rather than grow up and move from.

"This is a comprehensive list of bipartisan priorities, and I am hopeful legislative leaders and Governor Cuomo will join us in making these part of the enacted budget.”

Assembly GOP ‘Budget Blueprint for a Better NY’

•          Make the 2 Percent Property Tax Cap Permanent
•          Provide a Living Wage For Direct Care Workers
•          Keep the Middle Class Tax Cuts on Track
•          Increase Funding for CHIPS
•          Increase Library Aid
•          Provide Unfunded Mandate Relief
•          Give Help to Small Businesses
•          Improve the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) & offer Student Loan Relief
•          Call for a Hearing on Prison Closure Proposals
•          Keep AIM Funding Levels & Processes Intact

Assemblyman Hawley represents the 139^th District, which consists of Genesee and Orleans counties and parts of Monroe County. For more information, please visit Assemblyman Hawley’s Official Website.