The Batavia Muckdogs had an amazing season on the field, finishing first place overall in the West Division, and another amazing year off the field.
The Muckdogs kicked off the season walking in the annual Batavia Memorial Day Parade during training camp. Players & coaches visited local schools as well.
Then the day before the season started the Muckdogs hosted a special meet & greet at Eli Fish Brewing, where season ticket holders met the Muckdogs.
As the season kicked off the Muckdogs hosted over 500 youth baseball & softball buddies during the year playing catch pre-game before games at Dwyer Stadium.
The Muckdogs hosted the Challenger Division Baseball for an incredible day as player & coach buddies, assisting players with physical and intellectual challenges throughout the day. Dwyer Stadium along with Muckdogs staff and players hosted baseball training camps as well, throughout the season.
The Batavia Muckdogs teamed up with over 21 non-profits or charity organizations helping spread awareness and raise funds for their causes. On Friday, July 21, the Muckdogs hosted Strike-Out Cancer Night in partnership with Wilmot Cancer Institute.
On July 6 the Muckdogs hosted Military Appreciation Night with all veterans receiving free entry.
Thursday, July 18 the Muckdogs and Stop DWI teamed up to educate over 500 youth fans on driver safety.
Then the Muckdogs closed out the regular season on July 28 collecting donations for the Genesee County Animal Shelter.
Throughout the year the Muckdogs shared some great community programs with their Katie’s Star Memorial Fund Night (assisting in organ donor recovery), Live Like Levi (St. Joseph’s Schools), and First Responder Recognition (Honoring Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello).
Dwyer Stadium had some amazing visitors this season as well too. Buffalo Bills current rookie Guard Keaton Bills threw out a first pitch. Savannah Banana’s dancing first baseman Maceo Harris entertained fans at a game in June. In honor of the 2024 Olympics Jana Kolukanova 2x Olympian in swimming (sprint freestyle) representing Estonia came for a special appearance & first pitch as well. The Muckdogs also honored their baseball past hosting Batavia Clippers night with original 1939 Batavia Clipper Samuel “Sam” Dretto son throwing out the first pitch.
Dwyer Stadium will host several events before closing for the summer. Saturday August 10 Casella will have a company picnic & kickball game. Sunday August 25 the annual Battle of the Badges – Charity Softball Game (City of Batavia Police vs City of Batavia Fire). Then on Saturday October 19 Muckdogs Trick or Treat makes it’s return for the 4th straight year, a free event for the children of our community.
The Batavia Muckdogs would like to thank their great community for all the support and are honored to keep the Batavia Muckdogs strong in our community. 2025 season tickets are on sale now starting as low as $99. If you are looking for tickets or to sponsor one of the upcoming events email General Manager (Marc Witt) mwitt.canusa@gmail.com.
Bethany native Mike Porter with his dog Hank. Submitted Photo
As a former teacher, Alexander graduate Mike Porter liked to investigate particular issues, including science fiction, the paranormal, and aliens, and it led him to questions about if the universe is so vast, "where is everybody?"
“We should be seeing signs of everyone. And one of the hypotheses that is well known is what's called the great filter, which is civilizations will appear throughout the universe, but they don't last long because they succumb to various disasters, whether it's an asteroid impact or a pandemic or a nuclear war and things like that,” he said during an interview with The Batavian. “Being a social studies teacher talking about these types of issues with students, I think I kind of started thinking, 'geez, I really feel like humanity is coming to or is at a crossroads, where we can kind of come together, overcome our differences, and address some of these key issues. Inevitably, there's going to be a big rock that hits Earth at some point. Are we going to be prepared for that, the next big pandemic?”
It was that thinking and those questions, plus prior discussions with a colleague, that led him to write his first book, the science fiction thriller, “The Graveyard Relays.”
While working as a teacher in Wyndham, Porter was drawn to a fellow teacher named Daniel with colorful stories of adventure, including one that included his dog and a bear. Daniel had a van that he lived and traveled in with his dog. The dog decided to chase the bear one day until it dawned on the bear that he was bigger and it was silly for him to be running away, so he turned around and began to chase the dog back toward Daniel’s van.
It made for an exhilarating story. The owner anxiously waited for the dog to get into the van so he could close the door safely behind both of them, leaving the bear outside.
While that was a fun story, it served as the basis for Porter’s book, with the dog and bear as metaphors for space research: Porter began to see how pursuing life out in the universe could have the same potential effect.
“I thought, how incredible, in terms of interstellar exploration; what if that were to happen with an interstellar probe where we go out exploring and then accidentally bring something back?” he said. “So it was all these things kind of together that gave me the idea for the premise of the book. I didn't really have experience with the writing realm, like writing classes. Never been in a competition, never really practiced, but I just had this kind of urge to start writing these ideas down and see if it came to anything.”
Porter’s first book evolved in the way his off-grid home has: through a series of inspirations that pushed him on toward a final ending.
Just as he and his wife Nicole went from having no electricity, running water or internet connection at their Salisbury Center house to an abode with all the amenities, the 40-year-old Bethany native fine-tuned his science fiction work, which he began in 2016, from an outline of intergalactic premises to a full-fledged collection of researched characters and planets, a plot and enough action to keep readers turning the 338 pages for a debut in June of this year.
Throughout the process Porter was fueled by an undeniable passion for his favorite topic.
“I think since I was a kid, I’m naturally drawn to it. I loved 'Star Wars' when I was a kid. I think my favorite movie is 'Interstellar.' And I’ve always been fascinated by aliens,” he said. “That’s another thing that I was actually concerned about. Since 2017 there’s been this growing disclosure movement, and I thought, ‘great, I’m writing this book about discovering alien life and it’s going to get blown out of the water because the government’s gonna say there are already aliens here.’ That hasn’t happened yet, but I think that time is probably coming.”
He’s not certain what that looks like, exactly, but he feels confident that something — of intelligence life form — is out there, or here, with us.
And this book hinges on that belief that we aren’t alone.
“One possibility is what has become known as the great filter,” he writes. “This theory postulates that civilizations universally succumb to various apocalyptic events before humanity has the opportunity to detect them. Perhaps there are untold numbers of alien graveyards that are just waiting to be found and exhumed.”
The Graveyard Relays is a 25th-century documentary series that finds and investigates extinct alien wastelands for education and entertainment. A team led by Marshall Holst, based in the Catskill Mountains, employs ASIP, an interstellar probe leased from the United Nations to cruise the cosmos searching for intelligent life.
Meanwhile, Marshall likes to escape from the “technologically saturated world” and his own stressful occupation by backpacking into the woods of the Northeast with his dog Wadsworth. However, Porter suggests that, just as with the documentary series, there’s no telling what the pair might encounter in those woods, far from the safety of the interneural Net, a hyper-intelligent artificial intelligence.
“There are risks and dangers inherent with exploration,” he writes. “In the same way, as he and his team continue to send ASIP to strange new worlds, there’s no telling what the probe might find … and what it might bring back.”
Michael David Porter grew up in Bethany and graduated from Alexander High School in 2002. He was an athlete of sorts — playing for Batavia Ramparts hockey team from second through seventh grades before moving onto baseball, football, basketball and then track, winning sectionals as a senior.
He wasn’t particularly into writing, though did some acting in school — winning a Rochester Broadway Theater League Stars of Tomorrow honor for his role in “Oklahoma” and performing in a number of shows at Geneseo State College and Delaware Park. He moved south to Wyndham to become a teacher and also ended up doing a monthly radio show.
Suffice it to say Porter has some creative chops. His parents, Dave Porter, who plays trombone in the Genesee Symphony Orchestra, and Jill, a retired nurse, still live in the Genesee County area, along with other family members, while Porter has since moved to his off-grid place in the summer of 2023.
When he interviewed for his latest job as an instructional coach at the Hamilton Fulton Montgomery BOCES, Porter forewarned them that he might not be able to come right in on severe winter days. The local highway super helps out with plowing the homestead driveway, he said, but it could get harsh.
Why the move to such a modest existence? He and his wife are hikers and nature-lovers who, ironically met online, also like to disconnect from the online world, he said.
“I think it’s important for people to disconnect from technology and get back to nature. People are meant to be active outdoors and studies show that mental and physical health can be improved significantly when people spend time outside,” Porter said, emphasizing a moral for his book. “People should stick together, put down their phones, and go outside.”
He made purposeful decisions about his book along the way, such as making people vegetarians (though he is not) and using androgynous names with no specific pronouns so that readers could fill in their own details for certain characters.
“I envision a future that is international, you know, I think if we're going to get to this future where there's basically world peace, we're going to have to set aside a lot of our differences and learn to live together,” he said. “And I wanted to be inclusive in that way, so I looked up androgynous names from different nationalities and tried to put a lot of these people on the team, and I also, in my book, avoided using any pronouns for those people. (Readers) hadn't noticed that they didn't notice that I didn't use pronouns, which tells me that it's a very fluid, natural thing. And the great thing is the reader then has the freedom to apply and attribute whatever they want in terms of identity to these characters.”
He put the book on a shelf, so to speak, for a few years until he was hit with more inspiration. Then, “I hit it really hard three years ago.” That’s when he fleshed out those 56 chapters and scenarios.
The team has sent ASIP out into exploration and it encounters an unexpected obstacle.
The team watched from their workstations in horror, each individual feeling deep pangs of terror and guilt. “Yes sir,” ASIP replied. “Preparing to return to orbit.”
Without warning, Peace accelerated toward ASIP, having apparently transitioned to its jet turbines. The gray, conical beast was closing in fast. “ASIP, there’s no time, initiate your emergency return now!” Marshall yelled.
“But Marshall, my software is being corrupted and the gravity wake could potentially —“
“Now ASIP! Return to Earth now!”
ASIP engaged the gravity drive, and from within the Pool, Marshall saw the world go dark, but for a fraction of a second, the haunting image of Peace and ASIP alone together in the gravity bubble hung frozen in the air.
Another chapter describes a conversation between Marshall and his dog Wadsworth after a crisis occurs.
“Come on Wads, get your things put together. We have to got a trip.”
“A trip? But aren’t we going to have to …”
“I’ll explain on the way, Wads. Grab your food and some toys and anything else you might need for a few days.”
Marshall ran up the stairs to the bedroom to repack his bag with new clothes. He yawned at the sight of his bed as he considered a five-minute nap, but flashing thoughts of enslavement by an alien robot made him decide against it.
But Marshall, toys won’t be good for a camping trip, and I don’t think we should go camping right now.
“We aren’t going camping. We’re going to the moon.”
Porter hopes that readers give his genre a try and enjoy the stories woven through the book to an ending that he didn’t originally include until both his wife and mother said he needed one that was more conclusive. Though it’s science fiction, there are undoubtedly broader messages about society and a “sink or swim together” attitude.
“The people that do read it, I hope they enjoy it and get something out of it, and maybe at least have some fun conversations for them, and a different way to think about the world,” he said.
When flags start to fade in color or, especially, when they become torn and tattered, they are no longer serviceable and should be replaced, said Jerry Diskin, post adjutant for the American Legion Botts-Fiorito Post #576 in Le Roy.
The proper way to retire a flag that is no longer serviceable, he said, is to burn it.
"Some people have a little concern about, 'why are you burning a flag? That's sacrilegious.' But it's the only proper way to dispose of an American flag, in a ceremonial burn.
The Legion, along with participating veterans organizations, held a ceremonial flag burning on Sunday afternoon at the Northwoods Sportsman's Club on Gulf Road in Le Roy.
Congress approved ceremonial flag burning as the proper way to dispose of old flags in 1949.
"No one wants to see a flag in a landfill or a garbage truck or anything like that," Diskin said. "Unfortunately, you do see that sometimes. We will try to advertise (the flag disposal), and we'll start gathering again right now for next year."
Diskin estimates that more than 3,000 flags, from small cemetery flags to giant flags that flew outside of corporate offices in Le Roy, were piled on the pyre at the sportsman's club.
Diskin encourages businesses and residents to regularly replace flags that have lost their glory.
"Look at the cost of a new flag -- $20, $30 for a three-by-five flag," he said. "It's not a huge investment, and you can get a very decent flag for that price."
Five bands and punk rock fans gathered at Pavilion #2 in the Genesee County Park & Forest on Sunday for the Second Annual Punk Picnic, which featured five bands from Genesee County and Buffalo.
The bands were Privatized Air, Cowboy Vampires, Election Day, Space Cowboys, and Bastard Bastard Bastard.
Free Beer performed Friday evening in Jackson Square, downtown Batavia Photo by Steve Ognibene
Continuing the Friday night concert series in downtown Batavia was the Free Beer band that performed for a good crowd to captivate some music lovers for family and friends in Jackson Square.
In an ongoing effort to obtain information from city residents about water pipe materials, city officials have issued an open letter asking for assistance. Below is the letter from city Water and Wastewater Superintendent Tom Phelps:
Dear Residents of Batavia,
The City of Batavia is reaching out to request your assistance in an important initiative to ensure the safety and health of our community.
We need your help to identify and replace pipes within our water system, specifically the buried service lines that connect the water mains in the streets to your homes. Regardless of the material your pipe is made of, it is crucial for us to gather this information to protect public health.
In the coming days, you will receive a letter from the City of Batavia Water Department regarding Home Lead Line Testing. We kindly ask that you take a few moments to complete the steps outlined in the letter and report the type of pipe that brings water into your home. Your timely response will greatly assist us in expediting the inventory process of the pipes within our city’s water system.
Additionally, some residents will receive a separate letter from our partner, ElectroScan. Their field crews will need to enter select homes to conduct a survey using a hand-held scanner at the water meter. This survey is expected to take about an hour, during which your water will be temporarily shut off, and your pipes will be flushed before service is restored. Please note that this service is provided free of charge, and no digging will be required. We encourage you to schedule the survey as soon as possible upon receiving the notification.
As part of a nationwide initiative mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all water systems in the country are required to complete an inventory of drinking water pipes from the mains to residences. The goal is to identify and ultimately eliminate any water service laterals containing lead.
The Pok-A-Dot is such an iconic location local filmmaker Andy Rich decided to shoot a scene on Saturday morning for a film he and a team of other local filmmakers are putting together for a film festival.
The festival, the 48-Hour Film Project, gives filmmakers just 48 hours to write a script, film it, edit it, and submit it to the contest.
The project can't begin before the Friday night of contest weekend because the team leader must receive two genres the filmmakers must choose from, the two characters that must be included, their professions, a prop and one line of dialogue that must be in the script.
This is the sixth year Rich's team has entered the contest. They've previously made the Top 10 and been nominated for awards.
The Buffalo-area winners will be screened at an international film festival, Filmapolooza, at a location to be announced in 2025. Selected films from that festival will be screened in a special exhibit at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
"Every year, the film gets a little better," Rich said.
Rich likes filming in Genesee County.
"The thing about Genesee County is Genesee County has that feeling of comfort," Rich said.
He was grateful to Tim and Phyllis Beers for allowing the team to film a scene at the Pok-A-Dot.
"It feels like a place that everyone has been to wherever they are in America," Rich said. "It feels like places in small towns all over America."
The Batavia Country Club (BCC) concluded its 2024 Junior Golf Camp with impressive performances from young golfers in two age groups. The camp for ages 7-10 was held from July 29 to Aug. 2, and the camp for ages 11-15 was held from August 5 to 9.
The camps featured instruction from experts, including Tom Tucker, a W.G.T.F. “Top 100 Golf Teacher,” Roxanne Noeth, a 14-time BCC Women’s Club Champion and Byron-Bergen H.S. Men's Basketball Coach, Dominic NiCastro, a single-digit handicap player, and Jada Fite, BCC Girls Junior Golf Camp Champion for 5 out of 6 years.
Ages 7-10: July 29 - Aug. 2
The camp for ages 7-10 saw enthusiastic participation and great weather. The week was highlighted by a shortened Friday tournament due to heavy rain, but the competition remained fierce.
Tournament Champions:
Girls Champion: Macey D’Amico
Boys Champion: Brady Ayres
D’Amico clinched the girls' title by two strokes in the one-hole tournament. The boys' tournament concluded in dramatic fashion, with Ayres winning a four-hole sudden-death playoff against Max Flannery. Flannery’s final putt just missed, allowing Ayres to secure the win.
Girls Medalists:
Macey D’Amico (Champion)
Payton Ford (Accuracy Putting, Lag Putting)
Dakota Ford (Putting Contest, Chipping)
Evie Lankford (Pitch Shot)
Boys Medalists:
Brady Ayres (Champion)
Max Flannery (Putting Accuracy, Lag Putting, Putting Contest)
Ryan Morasco (Chipping)
Micheal Sexton (Pitch Shot)
Additional contests, including team scrambles and “putts for bucks,” kept the campers engaged and lightened Coach Tucker's wallet. Pictures courtesy of Coach Noeth can be found at 2024 Golf Camp Photos Ages 7-10
Ages 11-15: Aug. 5 - Aug. 9
The camp for ages 11-15 featured competitive play and camaraderie. Due to inclement weather on Friday, a four-hole tournament was held on Thursday. This adjustment ensured that the tournament continued smoothly despite the forecast.
Tournament Champions:
Girls Champion: Melina Moscicki
Boys Champion: Trent Darling
Moscicki excelled in a limited field, while Darling won the boys' competition decisively, showcasing impressive power with a nearly 275-yard drive on the long drive hole.
Elizabeth Lankford (Lag Putting Contest, Aimline Accuracy, Closest to the Pin on Hole 17)
Boys Medalists:
Trent Darling (Champion, Long Drive Hole 15, Pitch Shot Contest)
Eli Fancher (Chipping Contest)
Xavier Vargas (Lag Putting Contest)
Arlo Hoisington (Aimline Accuracy Contest)
Lucas Hoisington (Putting Contest)
Cal Fancher (Closest to the Pin Hole 17)
The campers enjoyed daily team scrambles and various skill contests, continuing the tradition of friendly competition, and "putts for bucks". Pictures courtesy of Coach Noeth can be found at 2024 Golf Camp Photos Ages 11-15.
Both groups had great weather, made new friends, and left with improved skills and cherished memories.
For more details on upcoming events and golf instruction, visit TomTuckerGolf.com.
Macey D'Amico, Girls Champion (left) and Brady Ayres, Boys Champion (right) Submitted photo.
Photo of Age 7-10 group Front row: Vinny Ficarella, Lexington Hurd, Duke DeFreeze, Ryan Morasco, Reed McIlroy, Daniel Degolia, Mason FredendallMiddle row: Brody Allen, Anthony Ficarella, Toby Fancher, Austin Culliton, Theo Maier, Jameson Zubrinski, Weston Wilcox. Back row: Coach Jada Fite, Macey D'Amico, Evie Lankford, Payton Ford, Dakota Ford, Lucia Calarco-Smith, Max Flannery, Brady Ayres, Michael Sexton, Alex Tomidy, Alex Vargas, Crimson Hurd, Coach Dominick NIcastro. Submitted photo.
Girls Champion - Melina Moscicki, Girls Champion and Trent Darling, Boys Champion. Submitted photo
Photo of Age 11-15 group Front row: Arlo Hoisington, Nolan Rogers, Leyland Kraus, Melina Moscicki, Ian Bannister, Nathan Konieczny, Garret Morris, Royce Wilson, Noah D'Amico. Middle row: Liam McAlister, Lucas Hoisington, Trent Darling, Cal Fancher, Adam Tehann, Evan Bannister, Xavier Vargas, Parker Dellis. Back row: Elizabeth Lankford, Coach Dominic NiCastro, Eddie Lankford, James Burns, Eli Fancher, Sean Reardon, Ben Vargas, Coach Roxanne Noeth, Coach Jada Fite. Submitted photo.
Ronald Ratulowski, Bill Hume, and Joseph Maniaci at the 2023 Punk Rock Picnic. Submitted Photo.
When you find there isn't much of a punk rock scene in your hometown, you create your own. That's the DIY ethic of the punk movement, after all.
That's the inspiration behind the second annual Punk Rock Picnic on Sunday in Genesee County Park & Forest.
"We come from Batavia, and we don't really fit in the Rochester scene or the Buffalo scene," said Ronald Ratulowski, one of the organizers of the picnic. "I'm old enough to know we're not going to create a scene in Batavia so this our scene."
There will be five bands playing on Sunday, the two Ratulowski plays in, Cowboy Vampires and Election Day, plus two bands from Buffalo, Space Cowboys and Bastard Bastard Bastard, and a fifth band, Privatized Air.
"We've played with the bands in Buffalo and liked them and wanted them to join our party," Ratulowski said.
The picnic starts at 11 a.m. in Pavilion 2, with the first band taking the stage at 1 p.m. Each band will play an hour-long set.
Ratulowski and fellow Cowboy Vampire Chris Humel worked together to organize the event.
There aren't many venues in Batavia that book bands playing original music so this is a chance for people to come out to the park and hear local bands playing their own songs, Ratulowski said.
"They can hear music they might not otherwise hear," Ratulowski said.
In the second quarter of 2024, ESL awarded 150 grants for a total of $7.4 million to local organizations that provide critical services and programs to individuals and families.
“The crucial work of our community partners is producing positive and measurable results that are having a direct impact on individuals and families throughout our community,” said Maureen Wolfe, executive vice president /director, human resource and community impact, ESL Federal Credit Union. “ESL is motivated and inspired to collaborate with our partners in order to help support the growth and prosperity of the Greater Rochester region.”
ESL and its Community Impact team partners with and reinvests in the community through philanthropic grants aligned with expanding individual opportunity through quality education and employment, building strong neighborhoods that are affordable and connected, and strengthening organizations. The team also works to share stories that highlight the positive, measurable outcomes of this important, benevolent work in the community.
“Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity’s 2024 Critical Home Repair Program built a mobility ramp for one of our clients who is preparing to age in place and has just secured his first electric scooter to make getting around easier.,” said Julie Allen, marketing and communications manager, Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity. “His daughter says ‘he refuses to accept help unless he really needs it, so he rides his scooter on the sidewalk down to the market. It gives him some independence that he’s not ready to give up. It’s a sight to see, but at least we know he’s got support. This ramp will make that independence more attainable, longer’.”
A sample of the organizations that received grant commitments from ESL include:
Organization: Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity
Project Title: 2024 Critical Home Repair Program
Grant Awarded: $458,800.00
Description: Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity provides programs and services to support affordable, quality housing and critical repairs needed to ensure the longevity of those homes for hundreds of families in the region. In collaboration with community partners, these programs help build homes, strengthen communities, and foster hope.
Organization: Finger Lakes Workforce Investment Board Inc.
Project Title: Finger Lakes Regional Career Connections Coordinator
Grant Awarded: $200,000.00
Description: Funding for this year two-year regional coordinator position will help build and maintain training for employment programs among high school students preparing to enter work-based education and training programs. These programs are designed to lead directly to employment with partnering employers.
Project Title: Summer Funding for Youth Development
Grant Awarded: $136,000.00
Description: Serving four counties, GLOW YMCA provides summer programming to approximately 1,500 youth in the four-county region to support the continuing development and education of youth.
“Together we can” is the theme for this year’s International Overdose Awareness Day campaign – the annual observance that includes a local event from 3 - 7 p.m. August 28 at Austin Park in Batavia.
The world’s largest annual movement to end overdose, IOAD is dedicated to remembering without stigma those who have died and acknowledging the grief of family and friends left behind.
More than 200 community events have been scheduled across the United States and around the world during the month of August to raise awareness of one of society’s worst public health crises.
Initiated in 2001 by Sally J. Finn at The Salvation Army in St. Kilda, Melbourne, Australia, IOAD spreads the message about the tragedy of drug overdose death and that drug overdose is preventable.
Goals of the campaign include:
Providing an opportunity for people to publicly mourn loved ones in a safe environment, some for the first time without feeling guilt or shame.
Including the greatest number of people in IOAD events and encourage non-denominational involvement.
Providing information about the issue of fatal and non-fatal overdose.
Sending a strong message to current and former people who use drugs that they are valued.
The GOW Opioid Task Force ceremony will feature several guest speakers, including Rob Kent, president of Kent Strategic Advisors, LLC, and former general counsel for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Other speakers scheduled include Lynda Battaglia, director of Genesee County Mental Health & Community Services; Paul Pettit, public health director for Genesee & Orleans Health Departments; and Chris Budzinack, Supportive Living counselor at UConnectCare.
The event will feature live music, a petting zoo, ice cream truck, bounce house and free pizza and refreshments. Representatives of nonprofit agencies have been invited to set up booths at the park.
For more information about the Austin Park observance, contact Jay Baran at jbaran@uconnectcare.org.
Placekicker Julia Petry swings into one during Genesee County Spartans’ practice session at Farrall Park in Batavia. Submitted photo.
Press Release:
Genesee County Spartans Head Coach Harry Rascoe is looking at two “keys” to knocking off the undefeated Lockport Wildcats this weekend and advancing to the championship game of the Northeastern Football Alliance semipro league.
“Not turning over the ball and pressuring their quarterback,” Rascoe replied when asked what the Spartans need to do to defeat the Wildcats in the Western Conference semifinal scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Lockport’s Outwater Memorial Park, 125 Outwater Drive.
The Spartans take a 6-2 record into the game, with both losses coming at the hands of Lockport, 8-0 in league play.
Genesee County lost to the Wildcats, 16-6, in their opening game (although the score was 8-6 with less than two minutes to play), and then fell, 36-14, to Lockport on July 13 in a game marred by six Spartans’ turnovers.
Rascoe, speaking during a practice session on Wednesday at Farrall Park in Batavia, said it’s imperative that the offense hold onto the ball.
“We’re going to have to sustain drives on offense – the defense can’t be on the field the whole time -- and we’ve got to contain (Lockport quarterback) Willie (Fair III).”
Fair, while completing less than half of his pass attempts, has thrown for about 850 yards and 11 touchdowns this season – with several of those TDs coming on long passes after broken plays.
“He’s got a great arm,” Rascoe said. “He can throw pretty much the length of the field so it’s hard to cover receivers on those broken plays. That’s why we have to win the battle in the trenches and get to him.”
Rascoe said he expects defensive back Jzhon Henderson to play on both sides of the ball – splitting the ball carrying duties with standout halfback Jed Reese (363 yards rushing in five games as three of the Spartans’ victories were by forfeit).
“This is the playoffs; there’s no more offense and defense. We’re going to put our best 11 guys on the field to compete with them. We know they (the Wildcats) are already overlooking us, so we’ll play the underdog.”
Quarterback Corey Turpin, who has thrown for 680 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions, said he has to be efficient for the Spartans to win.
“We can’t give them extra opportunities,” he said. “It’s up to me to not turn the ball over, to execute and go in there with confidence. I feel that this is the game where we put everything together.”
Defensive Coordinator Craig Tiberio said the Spartans match up well against Lockport in terms of talent, so it will come down to discipline.
“More than anything, it’s the attention to detail and everyone doing their job,” Tiberio said. “If we can clean up the missed tackles and the few potential interceptions that we dropped, we’ll be right there.”
Tiberio said the Spartans’ front four of Gunner Rapone, who has 6 ½ sacks thus far; Jalen White, Ryley Elliott and Steve Kowalczyk “is the best in the league.” He also praised linebacker Kaden Marucci, who leads the league in tackles and has two interceptions and four fumble recoveries.
“Marucci has had a super year and has been nominated for Defensive Player of the Year,” he said, noting that Rapone earned that honor in 2023.
Linebacker Marley English leads the team with three interceptions.
Genesee County Spartans' projected starting lineup for this Saturday’s game:
Corey Turpin, Genesee County Spartans quarterback. Submitted photo.
Offense
Quarterback: Corey Turpin; Running backs: Jed Reese, Jzon Henderson; Tight end: Rob Thurston Jr.; Wide receivers: Deyonci Farley, Rayshawn Huitt; Center: Tim King; Guards: Austyn Fernandez, Anthony Natrigo; Tackles, Baylee Vercruysse, Jordan Chambers. Kicker: Julia Petry.
Defense
Front four: Gunner Rapone, Jalen White, Ryley Elliott, Steve Kowalczyk; Linebackers: Nick Santos, Kaden Marucci, Marley English; Secondary: Max Rapone, Dontre Woods, Jzon Henderson, Cody Wenner or Amir Cleveland. Punter: Deyonci Farley.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) sent a letter to Federal Election Commission Chairman Sean Cooksey and Vice Chair Ellen Weintraub demanding an investigation into the abnormal transaction activity related to donations to ActBlue, a fundraising platform used to support left-leaning and Democratic nonprofits and politicians.
This letter addresses reports of unusual transactions involving large sums of money through ActBlue. According to FEC data, many individuals have allegedly made numerous donations through the platform each year, often without realizing their names and addresses were being used for these donations.
"As the co-chair of the House Election Integrity Caucus, I am deeply concerned about reports of fraudulent donations through ActBlue undermining the integrity of our elections," said Congresswoman Tenney. "ActBlue's decision not to require CVV numbers for donations raises serious concerns about the potential of fraudulent activity and foreign interference in our electoral system. This is on top of the extremely troubling reports of unauthorized use of individuals' names and addresses to create fraudulent accounts and make substantial donations without their knowledge. It is imperative that the FEC thoroughly investigates these claims and reviews ActBlue's security measures to ensure compliance with the law."
In the letter, Congresswoman Tenney demanded answers to the following questions:
Has the FEC already examined anomalous transaction activity or ActBlue's lax verification processes? If so, please provide a detailed summary of the results of that investigation.
If not, will the FEC commit to investigating potential fraudulent donations to ActBlue, as well as the organization's lack of verification guardrails?
Is ActBlue in compliance with federal rules as it relates to accepting online donations?
Will the FEC consider the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration's August 5 request for emergency rulemaking to require political campaigns to verify the CVV of donors who contribute online?
Depending on the weather, aerial and hand distribution of oral rabies vaccine baits will take place in Western New York from August 12- August 17. Areas of New York State are once again taking part in a nationally coordinated effort to halt the spread of raccoon rabies in 16 states.
Ongoing field evaluation of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) called ONRAB will occur in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Clinton, Erie, Essex, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence, and Wyoming counties.
These sites were selected in part because of ongoing collaborations with Quebec and Ontario, Canada in the fight against rabies to protect human and animal health and reduce significant cost associated with living with rabies across broad geographic areas.
“Rabies is a serious public health concern because if left untreated it is generally fatal. Costs associated with detection, prevention and control of rabies conservatively exceed 500 million annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, greater than 90 percent of reported rabies cases in the United States are in wildlife,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health).
The efforts are focused on controlling raccoon rabies, which ontinues to account for most of the reported wildlife rabies cases in the United States.
Raccoon rabies occurs in all states east of the established ORV zone that extends from Maine to northeastern Ohio to central Alabama. Continued access to oral vaccine and bait options that are effective in all target wildlife species remains critical to long-term success.
The ONRAB bait consists of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blister pack, containing the vaccine.
To make the baits attractive, the blister packs are coated with a sweet attractant that includes vegetable-based fats, wax, icing sugar, vegetable oil, artificial marshmallow flavor, and dark-green food-grade dye.
While humans and pets cannot contract rabies from the bait, those who come across the bait directly should leave it undisturbed. Most bait packets are consumed within four days, and nearly all of the bait will be gone within a week.
Please do not attempt to remove a bait from your dog’s mouth. The bait will not harm the dog and could lead to vaccine exposure.
Should contact with baits occur, immediately rinse the contact area with warm water and soap and contact your local health department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 for Genesee County or 585-589-3278 for Orleans County.
If you have additional questions related to the field evaluation in New York, please contact the Wildlife Services office in Rensselaer, NY at (518) 477- 4837.
AUTOMOTIVE MECHANIC CITY OF BATAVIA SALARY $25.54-$30.08 DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: Assignments in this Class require the exercise of specialized skills in tasks pertaining to the maintenance and repair of a wide variety of machinery and equipment used in public works activities, as well as to other vehicles owned or operated by the municipal employer. In smaller agencies, an Automotive Mechanic may exercise a degree of supervision over assistant mechanics or Equipment Operators performing minor maintenance and repair on equipment, with general supervision being received from a supervisor, superintendent, or other such official or designee. Does related work, as required. TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: Repairs motorized and non-motorized equipment, such as trucks, tractors, mowers, graders, loaders, sweepers, rollers, compressors, and automobiles; Adjusts, repairs, and rebuilds gasoline and diesel engines; Repairs and replaces components of equipment, such as suspension systems, drive assemblies, brake systems, fuel systems, electrical systems, and cooling systems, and makes necessary adjustments to same; Carries out sanding, sandblasting, filling, painting, and related body-work tasks; Makes minor welding repairs; Operates drills, grinders, and other metal-working machines related to automotive repair functions; Performs preventative maintenance tasks which may include vehicle inspections; Attaches and removes snow plows, blades, and other attachments for motorized equipment; Maintains records of tasks performed, and other pertinent records; Requisitions parts and materials, to ensure adequate supply to maintain workflow; Acts as Equipment Operator, or wingman, as directed; May drive buses, cars, or trucks; May deliver fuel to job sites; Keeps shop area neat and clean. The above examples of duties are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITY AND/OR PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Thorough knowledge of standard automotive repair and maintenance methods; thorough knowledge of automotive repair terminology and tools; working knowledge of welding techniques; ability to make difficult repairs to heavy automotive and other mechanical equipment; ability to work from plans and specifications, and to follow rough draft sketches and oral instructions; good motor and hand eye coordination; manual dexterity. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee constantly is required to stand; walk; and use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: One year of full-time paid experience as a skilled automotive repairman. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Some jurisdictions may require appointees to receive and maintain certification as a NYS Motor Vehicle Inspector, within six months of appointment. SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT AND CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT: 1. Possession and maintenance of appropriate valid license(s), as required. 2. In school districts where incumbent may operate a school bus, possession of a valid appropriate level New York State Driver's License is required. 3. Drivers must be at least 21 years of age. NOTE: In addition, candidates must satisfy the requirements for School Bus Driver set forth in the Rules and Regulations of the New York State Commissioner of Education. Non-Competitive Class Civil Service Applications are due to Human Resources no later than October 18, 2024.
