With the groundbreaking for Edwards Vacuum's new plant at WNY STAMP in Alabama, it's all going according to plan.

In August 2020, Schumer traveled to WNY STAMP to propose a bill that eventually became law, funding the semiconductor industry in the United States to the tune of $50 billion.  He said ramping up domestic semiconductor production was a matter of national security. He also wanted to create jobs in Upstate New York, including rural counties. At another news conference in 2022, he said chip manufacturing "belongs in Batavia, not Bejing." 

"What makes us so happy about this project is J-O-B-S," Schumer said at Tuesday's ceremony. "Jobs, right here. In just over a year, hundreds of local workers will be employed at this factory behind me, where they will build some of the most sophisticated, cutting-edge equipment for the semiconductor industry, not just in New York and not just in America, but in the world. This will be one of the world-class plants right here in Genesee County."

In November 2022, Schumer announced that Edwards Vacuum had committed to building a $319 million dry-pump plant in WNY STAMP, which would provide a critical tool to semiconductor manufacturers in New York and beyond. Edwards is building a 240,000-square-foot campus that includes manufacturing, a warehouse and administration. The company is expected to employ 600 people.

Schumer said Edwards will pump $300 million into the Genesee County economy.

"This story is going to be repeated over and over again across upstate New York, over and over again, of what we now call the 'Semiconductor Superhighway,' which is I-90, as it runs from Albany all the way to Buffalo, through Rochester and Syracuse. 

Mark Masse, CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center, thanked all the agencies—from Gov. Kathy Hochul and Empire State Development to Genesee County and the town of Alabama—for their efforts to collaborate and help make Tuesday's groundbreaking possible.

"It requires collaboration at all levels of government to make an economic development project like Edwards Vacuum a reality," Masse said.

The work to build out STAMP is ongoing, Masse said, and it isn't easy.

"The competition to develop sites like STAMP and bring companies such as Edwards to New York has never been more challenging," Masse said. "The opportunities for communities across New York State, particularly upstate, are unlimited in terms of creating generational wealth that we have not experienced in a very long time."

Alabama Town Supervisor Rob Crossen said the town welcomed the opportunity for economic growth.

"Why would we accept such a thing in a very small town? It's about jobs. It's about good-paying jobs," Crossen said. "I spent my entire life growing up here, as many of us did, watching everybody move from Genesee County and from Western New York. Now, we're going to start seeing license plates from other states coming here."

During his speech, Schumer recalled watching WNY companies such as Kodak, Bausch and Lomb, Xerox, Bethlehem Steel, Bell Helicopters, and more either reduce manufacturing locally, move away, or close up shop.

"It pained me to see jobs leave Upstate New York to hear the stories and actually witness some parents at airports waving goodbye to their kids in their early 20s who wanted to stay here," Schumer said. "They liked the good life here, but they couldn't find a job here. Now, the reverse is going to be true. Parents will be going to airports in the rest of the country and waving goodbye to their kids as they come to Upstate New York for the good paying jobs."

Press Release:

Congratulations to the Genesee County 4-H members who showcased their skills and dedication during the 4-H Livestock Shows at the 2024 Genesee County Fair. The event culminated in the Overall 4-H Livestock Master Showmanship Contest, held on Friday, July 26.

The contest brought together the winners of master showmanship from each individual 4-H livestock show. This year's participants included Ella Christ, Maggie Winspear, Chelsea Lippert, Kennedy Whiting, Jenna Whiting, Payton Shuman, Emma Tanner, Riley Henning, and Layla Baker. Each contestant demonstrated their expertise in handling various livestock species, including some they had little to no experience with.

After several rounds of rigorous showmanship classes, scores were tallied, and Jenna Whiting was named the 2024 Overall 4-H Livestock Master Showman. Her outstanding performance across multiple species highlighted her versatility and commitment to excellence in showmanship.

The Genesee County 4-H Program would like to congratulate all participants for their hard work and achievements. Their dedication continues to inspire and uphold the values of 4-H.

For more information, please contact the Genesee County 4-H Program at 585-343-3040 or genesee4h@cornell.edu.

Press release:

Last Saturday’s, August 3, Rochester Chargers at Genesee County Spartans’ game has been canceled, meaning that the Northeastern Football Alliance squad will have a long layoff before its semifinal playoff game on Aug. 10.

Head Coach Harry Rascoe announced that the Rochester team has decided not to travel to Genesee County after being eliminated from playoff contention last weekend.

The Spartans will receive a forfeit victory, raising its final regular season record to 6-2 and overall mark to 7-2.

Lockport went undefeated in the semipro league’s Western Conference and will host the semifinal playoff match against the Spartans at 7 p.m. on Aug. 10. That game will be played at Outwater Memorial Park, 125 Outwater Drive, Lockport.

The semifinal winner will advance to the championship match, likely against the Eastern Conference-leading Southern Tier Stallions, on Aug. 17.

For the first time since March 2020, Bontrager Auction is hosting a LIVE AUCTION at the auction center in Batavia! Christian Missions & Relief Sale, a charity auction supporting missions and humanitarian relief organizations, will debut Saturday, August 10th. Auction items include a Ford 8N Tractor, various implements, Amish Shed, tools, home goods, furniture, baked goods, gift certificates, and much more! Doors open at 8AM, auction begins at 10AM.

By James Fink

Don Barnes has good news for .38 Special fans.

Very good news.

Following the band’s summer tour, which includes an August 9 show at Batavia  Downs, they will be headed back into the studio to put together a double CD “legacy” package including greatest hits and new songs. The disc is due out next spring.

“We (the band) are firing on all cylinders,” said Barnes, .38 Special’s longtime lead vocalist and guitar player. 

The new songs will sound familiar to fans of the band - and that’s by design, Barnes insists.

“It is a throwback to our style,” Barnes said.

.38 Special came of age in the 1980s following a musical path carved out by such bands as the Outlaws and Marshall Tucker Band, among others. That translates to a healthy mix of old school rock with a southern bent.

“It’s great that we are still vibrant and relevant,” Barnes said. “When we started this, nobody knew how long it was going to last, or if would last, but it did.”

The band’s musical formula has worked and worked well.  

.38 Special has made 15 studio albums and sold more than 20 million records. The hits and radio-friendly songs were plenty.  

There’s “Hold on Loosely,” “Rocking into the Night” and “Caught Up in You,” among them. Yes, all will be part of .38 Special’s setlist at Batavia Downs. 

“To us, it’s about having a good time on stage and taking our fans on a fun ride,” Barnes said. “It has to be fun for the fans and fun for us.”

Besides Barnes, fellow .38 Special band members include Bobby Capps on keyboards, Gary Moffatt on drums, bass player Barry Dunaway, and Jerry Riggs on guitar.

The band plays - on average - 100 shows a year. 

"It doesn’t get stale," Barnes said. 

Anything but.

“This is the greatest job in the world,” Barnes said. “We love bringing joy to people.” 

Tickets are available at www.bataviadownsgaming.com.

38 Special performs at Batavia Downs on Friday, August 9.

Press Release:

Workforce, business, education, and economic development officials from across the GLOW region unveiled details at Genesee Construction for the 6th Annual GLOW With Your Hands career exploration festival which will take place at the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, September 24. The event will mark the participation of over 5,000 students since the launch of GLOW With Your Hands in 2019.

“For six years, GLOW With Your Hands has ignited career exploration for nearly 5,000 students across our region.  On September 24th at the Genesee County Fairgrounds, will once again showcase the exciting and diverse career opportunities in agriculture, food processing, skilled trades, and advanced manufacturing that are thriving right here in our communities,” said Angela Grouse, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair.

Officials associated with the 2024 GLOW With Your Hands once again anticipate that over 1,000 students will be in attendance from thirty school districts across the GLOW region. More than sixty vendors have already committed to participate in the annual event which will feature hands-on activities and simulations in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, skilled trades sectors as well as the various branches of the military.

“At Dansville, we strive to prepare our students for their post-graduation plans. GLOW With Your Hands provides students with exposure to a variety of careers and allows them to speak with professionals in that area of interest. It is not uncommon for 16-18-year-olds to be unsure about their career pathway. Events like this have resulted in students gaining valuable insight into what life as a particular employee in that industry consists of,” said Dave Moodie, Dansville High School Principal.

Each year’s event features new companies, and the September 24th event features Lakeland Concrete Products, a construction company based in Lima, IK Systems, a leading supplier of integrated surveillance & security systems out of Victor, Davis Fetch, a drywall contractor from Rochester, and Zoldaz, a trucking contractor in Alden.

“The participation and response by the private sector in this annual event reaffirm that making students aware of careers right in their own backyard is paying dividends not only for these companies but the region’s economy,” added Jay Lazarony, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair. “Students need to know that they can find jobs where they grew up and want to stay and be with family because these jobs are right here.”

One of the participating companies that is experiencing the benefits of making students aware of career opportunities is Genesee Construction which hosted the kickoff event. Through the years, Genesee Construction has provided students with hands-on experiences at the annual event through simulated construction projects.

“Through collaboration with students at GLOW With Your Hands, we are able to identify and interact with the next generation of workforce candidates who possess the skills and passion to explore career opportunities in the construction sector,” said Mary Ellyn Merle Calabrese, Project Manager with Genesee Construction. “The construction industry, in particular, relies on the local workforce pool in our region to fill these good paying and strongly in-demand jobs.”

“GLOW With Your Hands highlights the diverse pathways to success, we showcase careers that are accessible right out of high school, as well as those that require trade training, two-year degrees, or four-year degrees through active local programs. We empower students to make informed decisions about their futures, maximizing their return on investment and minimizing student loan debt,” added Grouse.

GLOW With Your Hands still has room for vendors, sponsors, and volunteers. For more information please, visit https://www.glowwithyourhands.com/contact-us to sign up!

Even though the guest of honor was late, dozens of families and city police staff enjoyed the evening Monday during Community Night at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia.

Batu, the canine currently in the K-9 program that receives proceeds from the event, was otherwise occupied at the start of the event, lead organizer and police Detective Matthew Wojtaszczyk said.

"Our canine got called away to a call, but normally he would be here; it serves as a fundraiser for the canine program as well. So it's kind of dual purpose, but the biggest thing is just chatting with the community and getting to know people who come out,” he said at the Evans Street arena. “It's extremely important to us just to meet with the community, spend some time together when not on calls, in a relaxed environment. We have, as you can see, the bounce house, food, just a gathering of the community and us.”

Community Night is an annual community-building campaign that promotes strong police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make safer neighborhoods. Various organizations and groups participated with games, activities, informational displays and free food.

Police officers are often en route to calls for assistance or response to incidents in the city and don’t have the opportunity to just chat with folks on a casual basis, which can be a valuable bonding tool,  Wojtaszczyk said.

“We don't always get the chance to just kind of kick back and meet with the community in a relaxed environment,” he said. “I think it provides that platform to eat together, to hang out together. You'll see we have officers all over.

“So I want to give a shout out to our diamond sponsors for sure, we had a ton of sponsors this year. Western New York Heroes, Batavia Downs Gaming, Upstate Niagara, and O-At-Ka Milk Products all came through huge for us in terms of sponsorships. We have our first responders, city fire is here, a huge shout out to Grace Baptist; they provided 35 volunteers to come out and serve food,” he said. “But there's just a lot of all the information here, too, and everything. We have 35-plus vendors of different community outreach programs, and it provides an opportunity for them too, as well, to connect with the community. It just brings everyone together. That's the whole point.”

Batu made it to the party and met up with many attendees. The police department took on the community night event four or five years ago, Wojtaszczyk said, and began to build it into a bigger happening.

“And we've just kind of grown it more and more,” he said. “And now we have a pretty big event. The weather, I think, kept some people away, but it’s a good event, and it’s grown every year.”

Photos by Howard Owens

Of the $17.2 million in awards issued through Governor Kathy Hochul’s Family-Centered Services initiative, $1.8 million was earmarked for the Finger Lakes region and $165,385 was carved out of that for Genesee County’s more strenuous cases, county Social Services Commissioner Carla Mindler says.

The state released information to counties in July, and “these funds are allocated to allow local DSS offices to hire additional staff or develop contracts with providers to support the needs of families whose circumstances require a more intensive level of case management,” Mindler said to The Batavian Monday.

“These services will target Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) eligible families with complex needs in an effort to help stabilize their household conditions. While use of these funds is optional, Genesee County does intend to utilize them to help supplement the services we currently provide,” Mindler said. “These funds will allow a broader focus on stabilization and well-being of the families we serve who may have a greater spectrum of needs and destabilizing conditions such as homelessness, substance use disorders, mental health conditions, developmental disabilities or domestic violence.

“Local DSS administrators have an upcoming call with the state later this week to discuss options in more detail,” she said. “Our plan is due to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) by August 30, 2024.” 

The $17.2 million of funds are meant to strengthen social services that help vulnerable families achieve financial stability and help social services departments across the state to hire more staff, according to a press release issued from Hochul’s office on Friday. 

“We’re strengthening the critical resources that help struggling New Yorkers meet their essential needs and transition to economic security,” Hochul said in the release. “By giving local social services departments the funding to hire more staff and bolster operations, we can bring more families out of poverty and into a brighter future.”

Finger Lakes was one of 10 regions in the state awarded a piece of the total awards pie.

The Family-Centered Services initiative was first announced in the 2024 State of the State address and continues Governor Hochul’s deep commitment to strengthening the social service network and lifting families out of poverty, the release states.

The initiative addresses the challenges of family poverty by ensuring local social services departments across the state will have trained staff available to provide targeted interventions that support the entire family. This includes assisting families with complex needs such as mental health conditions, developmental disabilities, substance use disorders and those experiencing homelessness or domestic violence.

The funding will enable local departments to hire from one to seven full-time credentialed or appropriately experienced staff, depending on the size of the county’s caseload. The new staff will provide a range of case management services that could include in-depth assessments, crisis intervention, resource navigation and peer support to stabilize household conditions, among others.

Local departments will tailor their initiatives to meet the unique needs of the households they serve. Some may choose to focus on the needs of homeless families or households facing mental health conditions, while others may focus more on encouraging paths to employment. Families will be referred to the program based on locally developed criteria.

Press Release:

The Elba Betterment Committee will be presenting our fifth and final concert of our summer series in a setting that only Elba can create. August 8, The Elba Village Park, Genesee Ted and our annual kids bash with Torrey Farms and Good Tymes Party rentals. 

The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. with music at 6:30 p.m. There will be bounce houses and games, and whatever fun the Torreys are planning – we know it will be delicious! 

The 50/50 that night will be to benefit the Jordyn Torrey Augello Foundation, providing monies towards Strong Hospital and the new gym floor at the YMCA.

The music will be all of our favorites from our local boys, and the food will be outstanding with The Original Red Osier and Islands Hawaiian, the fun foods from Good Tymes, Ice Cream and Chill and Circle B Winery.

And if that’s not enough, we will be drawing the winner of our giant 50/50 raffle that night. You will not want to miss this one!

All concerts are made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the NYS Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the NYS Legislature and administered by GoArt.

Press Release:

The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation and the Preservation League of New York State are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Preserve New York grant. The Preservation League’s independent panel selected 21 applicants in 17 New York counties to receive support totaling $262,041.

Each grant supports important arts and cultural initiatives, as well as economic development related to New York State arts and cultural heritage. This year’s grant recipients are:

• Albany County: The Pine Hollow Arboretum
• Chautauqua County: Jamestown Renaissance Corporation
• Columbia County: Stuyvesant Landing Historic District Subcommittee, Town of Stuyvesant
• Dutchess County: Innisfree Foundation
• Erie County: Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission
• Erie County: Black Rock Historical Society
• Essex County: Town of Jay
• Genesee County: Le Roy Historical Society
• Herkimer County: Village of West Winfield
• Kings County: Prospect Lefferts Gardens Heritage Council Inc.
• Nassau County: Roslyn Landmark Society
• Nassau County: Old Westbury Gardens Inc.
• New York County: South East Area Coalition
• Ontario County: Town of Phelps
• Ontario County: Village of Victor
• Otsego County: The Butternut Valley Arts & Crafts Center, Inc.
• Rensselaer County: Rensselaer County Historical Society
• Suffolk County: East Hampton Historical Farm Museum
• Suffolk County: East Hampton Historical Society
• Warren County: Historical Society of the Town of Chester
• Wyoming County: Silver Lake Institute

“The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation is delighted to have partnered once again with the Preservation League of New York State to support preservation projects on Long Island. These awards prepare our stewards to professionally assess the needs of future renovation and restoration of their historic sites, thus saving them as educational tools for future generations,” said Kathryn M. Curran, Executive Director of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

Preserve New York is a regrant partnership between the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Preservation League of NYS, made possible with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation has generously provided additional funds to support nonprofit projects in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

“This year’s Preserve New York grant cycle was one of the most competitive in the program’s history,” said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League of NYS. “The 19 projects funded truly rose to the top and represent a great cross-section of historic resources found across the state.”

“The breadth of these projects across our state will safeguard the rich and diverse history of New York for generations to come,” said Mara Manus, Executive Director of NYSCA. “We applaud the Preservation League of New York State for this critical preservation program. From all of us at NYSCA, a hearty congratulations to the grantees and our gratitude for the essential work you do.”

Each year, Jesse Coots, his family, and scores of volunteer staff members put on a party like no other in Genesee County at his home and place of business on Linwood Road in Le Roy.

At least 3,000 people come together, as they did Saturday for the Hardcore Happening, to enjoy an afternoon of roaring engines, billowing smoke, squealing rubber, and the site of some marvelously restored classic cars.

A big reason it seems to work year after year, with a minimum of conflicts and bad behavior, is Coots' no-nonsense rules he posts on social media each year.

For example, "No scumbags, No drama, No bullshit. It’s pretty easy to sort out who the dipshits are, and they get shamed and banned every year. Come be a beacon of goodness, not a shit stain of a waste. We have a great turnout of great people, and it’s because we aren’t afraid to throw scumbags the (eff) out; your feelings and privileges are not safe here; you’ll get treated how you act. Don't (eff) this up."

Drivers must be licensed and sober. No drugs. No pets. Children must be well-behaved. Come, meet people, make friends. Be a good human.

Oh, and "Everyone’s car is special; if yours is so special you need special parking, park it in your special garage and sit your special ass on your special couch and stay home."

"I wish we could run our country like that," said Coots during an interview in his garage while cars roared and crowds cheered outside. "This is what we expect out of you. Do it, otherwise you gotta go so and it works great. We have thousands of people here. There are no fights. I've never had anything stolen. Everybody watches guard. The entire place. This place is amazingly immaculate in the mornings because nobody wants to lose the privilege. It really makes me feel good about humanity when sometimes I'm wondering how humanity is going. It's a good group of people."

The party started 20 years ago as a small group of people, and largely by word of mouth, it has grown every year, now drawing car enthusiasts from 20 states. This year, the Coots family and volunteers served more than 2,000 pounds of chicken (there is a $30 entry fee, even if don't plan to stay until 5 p.m. for the dinner).

Coots restores classic cars and specializes in hot rods in his Old Soul Hot Rod Shop on Linwood Road.

The unique thing about the Hardcore Happening is it isn't just another car show. 

There's no shortage of classic car gatherings where people can ogle each other's gems, but few opportunities for hot rod owners to fire up their chariots and let people see and hear what they can do simply but burning a little rubber on the pavement -- and at the Coots home, it's a driveway special built some years ago specifically for this event.

The popularity of the event helps keep it going, Coots said.

"I gotta do it. Plus, I love it. It's a lifestyle," Coots said. We really need this type of camaraderie and community event. You know what I mean? Everybody gets together, and if you notice, they're all constantly cheering and just happy for each other. It's hard to walk away from that."

He said the energy of such a wide range of people coming together and finding commonality is what keeps him going.

"What's amazing is it's hard for men, I found in life, to recognize other men. I can't tell you how many tattooed, wild-looking men come up here, like, 'Dude, you're the man. I appreciate you. Thank you for doing this for us.' And the cool thing is, they introduce their children, and they're teaching their kids like, 'This is how you act when you respect someone. This is how you treat them.' So I'm always blown away with this crowd and this circle. They're always classy, they always care, and they're really genuine. That's what this whole crowd is: genuine. There are multiple millionaires here, and there are people who literally are scratching by, and they all have the same thread. They're all birds of a feather. They all get along."

Photos by Howard Owens.

Jason Aldean performed Thursday evening at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, starting out with one of his smash hits, "Burning It Down," and continuing with more of his hits throughout the evening.

All the performances were amazing, including openers Austin Snell, Chase Mathew, and Lauren Alaina, who all put on great shows. Each one played their top songs at a sold-out show enjoyed by all ages who attended.

Welcome home to 4 Vernon! On the market for the first time in 54 years, this 2-story Colonial home offers 4 bedrooms and 1 bathroom across 1,470 sqft. The home features natural preserved hardwoods throughout, a screened-in front porch, a concrete driveway, a brand new garage door, and a full tear-off roof. A unique opportunity for ownership instead of renting.

Press Release:

After just leading the United States Senate to confirm Meredith Vacca, who will be the first Asian American to serve on the Western District bench, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced Senate passage of the bipartisan Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act, to address nationwide shortages and case backlogs by increasing the number of federal district judges across America.

 These increases, which follow the recommendation of the Judicial Conference, would add 5 additional federal district judges in New York, including one in the Western District of NY (WDNY), which has long sought a 5^th full time federal district judge to address its severe case backlogs, which have ranked among the worst in the nation.

 “Our federal courts in New York and across America simply can’t keep up with the immense workload. As our country has kept growing and growing, our federal courts sadly have not kept pace, with no significant increase in judges since 1991. Western New York’s federal courts have long had one of the largest and worst case backlogs in the nation, leading to months long wait times and adding a long sought after 5^th full time district judge will help tackle that challenge head on. I am proud to have led the bipartisan JUDGES Act to passage which will add the more judges needed to hear cases and address backlogs, including Western NY’s, ” said Senator Schumer. “I urge the House to quickly take up this important legislation. ‘Equal Justice Under Law’ can’t always be counted on if our federal bench is stretched beyond capacity or if you have to wait years and years to get a verdict. Justice delayed is justice denied and we must make sure our federal courts are given the additional judges they need to handle their current caseload.”

 Schumer said that courts in New York and across the country are often overburdened due to a shortage of federal judges. Schumer explained that Congress is responsible for establishing the number of judgeships in the district courts of the United States, but has not passed legislation to significantly address this number since 1991. Back then, the courts had approximately 280,000 pending cases across the country for the current established number of judges. Yet, as of March 2023, there were nearly 690,000 pending cases in federal district courts across the country, averaging 491 filings per judgeship per year. Schumer said this judicial shortage has been felt especially hard in Western NY whose federal courts have routinely ranked in the top tenworst backlogs in the nation, with median wait time at nearly 17 months during the 12-month period ending in March 2023. At the end of 2023, WDNY had 3,565 pending cases for its four judges. During 2023, 2,885 cases were filed for WDNY’s four judgeships, far exceeding the national average of 491 filings per judgeship.

 The JUDGES Act would directly tackle this crisis by adding more judges in line with the nonpartisan recommendations of the Judicial Conference. In total, Schumer said the bill will create 66 new, federal district court judgeships across the country, in addition to the Western District of NY receiving an additional judicial slot, the Eastern District of NY and Southern District of NY are also slated to receive two additional judges each.

 Throughout his time serving as Senate Majority Leader, Schumer has made it a priority to strengthen the federal judiciary, including recommending a number of historic picks to the federal bench in NY. Just this past week, the Senate confirmed Monroe County judge Meredith Anne Vacca, a Korean-American, and also the first woman of color to serve as judge on the Western District of New York bench. 

When Schumer first started recommending judges as a senator, there were no women on the WDNY bench. Schumer changed that when he recommended Rochester attorney Elizabeth Wolford as the first woman to serve on the WDNY bench. Judge Wolford was confirmed in 2014 and currently serves as the Chief Judge for the WDNY. In 2021 Schumer made another historic pick in recommending Trini Ross as the WDNY U.S. Attorney, the first Black woman ever to lead the Western District of New York U.S. Attorney’s office.

 Now, Ms. Vacca will sit on one of the few 50 percent female benches in the country, as Schumer has focused on elevating women to these critical positions. In New York as a whole, including the federal benches in WDNY and NDNY, as well as EDNY and SDNY, 27 out of 51 active federal district court judges are women, thanks in large part to Schumer’s efforts.

A group of 25 6th through 10th graders from throughout Genesee County celebrated on Friday the completion of a trail bridge in Genesee County Park & Forest.

It's the 10th project members of Camp Hardhat have completed in the park in the past eight years.

"This is part of bringing this park into the community," said instructor Rich Monroe. "These kids are part of this community as if they were CCC workers way back in the 30s. This is your park kids. It's your park forever."

The names of the participants, along with business sponsors, are enshrined on a metal sign attached to the bridge.

The program introduces the students to the building trades, combining math, process thinking skills, the use of power tools, safety, and the advantages of teamwork.

They also learn the principles of design and construction from area industry leaders such as Bill Hayes from Turnbull HVAC, Keith Berlinski from Hot Wired Electrical, Joma Akana of the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC), Dustin Beardsley from Rochester Davis-Fetch Corporation, Lindsie Cook from Livingston Associates, and Taylor McCabe from McCabe Enterprises Electrical Contractor.

Classic rock fans certainly got an earful at Batavia Downs on Friday night with what essentially a double headline of a Tom Petty tribute band and a Fleetwood Mac tribute band entertained an estimated 4,500 concertgoers.

Practically Petty took the stage at 6:30 p.m. with a near-note-perfect performance of classics from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, including a few deep tracks.

Then, Rumors ALT took the stage and delivered a satisfying dose of Fleetwood Mac hits.

Photos by Howard Owens

After a flurry of eight days that accommodated 1,800 animals big and small, more than 120 draft horses and another record-breaking crowd, Genesee County Agricultural Society members are pretty satisfied -- and relieved -- with another job well done, Treasurer Norm Pimm says.

This year’s county fair meant hundreds of volunteer hours and much literal sweat due to hot and humid weather throughout the fourth week of July, and the payoff was huge as the event drew more than 72,000 people — more than the largest number from two years ago, Pimm said.

“It was good throughout our last Saturday of the fair; that’s what put us over the edge. And we by far had our busiest closing day of the fair,” he told The Batavian on Friday. “So two years ago, we had just hit 70,000. I think a lot of things (influenced attendance); we spent a lot of time and money advertising the fair, obviously, with all the mobile advertising, like (The Batavian); you guys are awesome, huge supporters of us. And then we did a lot with (social media) and all that.

“And then you guys went live a lot from our fair, which again, that creates buzz, right? So I think just sort of targeting the advertisement. And then we also brought a couple different acts in, like the closing band, Nerds Gone Wild; that might have been our biggest band we’ve ever had, at least in several years. They absolutely packed the entertainment tent. And then all of the other bands that we had throughout the week, BB Dang, the Eaglez, Knight Patrol, all put big crowds under the tent as well. We had the normal demolition derby, but that was absolutely packed in there; we figured about 2,500 people. And then on Wednesday, we did the Enduro race.”

Organizers worked hard to make the fair family-friendly for the types of entertainment and costs, he said, so that Enduro was a $5 entry fee, which pulled in 500 to 600 people.

They had a screaming diesel truck event and were hoping that “if we could get 1,000 people in there, we’d be very happy,” he said. “But we had about 1,500 people in the grandstands for that, so we exceeded our expectations as well.”

“That’s the first time we’ve had that. And then I think there’s all the events that have been over the last couple of years continue to get bigger," he said. "The draft horse show on opening weekend, that’s huge, the stockyard classic, which is a livestock show that we had the first weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, that continues to grow as the second year we’ve done it. And then all our 4-H youth programs. I mean, they continue to grow as well.”

The market animal auction had nearly 230 lots up for auction, for a total intake of $325,000. Business sponsorships continue to grow, including both financial help and loaning out employees to volunteer at the fair, such as when Liberty Pumps sent out nine staff members to pitch in at the food stand, ticket booth and other areas where core volunteers needed a break, Pimm said.

Cornell Cooperative Extension board members, parents, community members and kids also stepped up to volunteer, he said. Genesee County legislators manned the Chuck Wagon again after walking the parade. East Bethany brought an ambulance on standby, and the South Byron Volunteer Fire Department came to help out. Scofield Transfer & Recycling was there every day, and others helped out with services and hands-on labor periodically, he said. 

“That gives us a little bit of a break because, you know, that's one of the things people might forget is that we're 100 percent volunteers, right? We have volunteers putting in well over 100 hours that week just to keep the fire going. (Many of those people) show up and they’d be like, ‘hey, what do you want me to do?’ And that's awesome when you get that kind of support because they're gonna get some of us a little bit of a break,” he said. “And this year, more than ever, I saw a lot more than a couple of local businesses that sent employees to volunteer on their dime, but they basically, they paid them for the day, and then they had them come volunteer.”

Is it time to sit down and relax? Hardly. Pimm is already on the phone about next year. Organizers liked all of the entertainment, but they also want to mix things up, so they’re looking at different bands and “probably will change up a couple” for fair 2025.

They don’t have a big pool of midway companies to choose from since there are only a few in circulation, and those get locked in early. Hammerl Amusements has been a popular one, he said, which is what is used at Genesee County Fair. The only glitch has been that they book from Tuesday to Saturday, which leaves out one weekend of the fair, but organizers filled the gap this year with several bounce houses offered for free. That seemed to be a popular attraction — “it was absolutely packed” — and will be repeated with possibly more features next year, Pimm said.

Power Wheels was another keeper that will return, and organizers are looking to add a utility task vehicle (UTV) side-by-side event, an I Got It! and/or corn hole tournaments to the lineup.

“We’re looking to offer lower-priced entertainment at the grandstand area all week so families can come and enjoy the fair,” he said. We know it's a tough time financially for families, but we want to make sure that they can have a good time without spending a lot of money.”

The other part of using all of the amenities on the fairgrounds is maintaining them, and the Ag Society has invested “a couple hundred thousand dollars” on electrical upgrades, with about another $150,000 to $200,000 to go for those improvements, and then rebuilding the food stand, originally constructed in the 1960s and known as the Chuck Wagon, sometime in the near future, he said. 

Other work is needed at the horse barns and related facilities, and all of it is an investment into the future, he said.

Many people don’t know that the fairgrounds are certainly alive during more than those eight days of the fair, as events happen in spring, summer and fall, with food truck rodeos being an ever-growing fundraiser on Friday evenings. There are some dozen food trucks at the fairgrounds, 5056 E. Main Road, Batavia, from 4 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 23 and Sept. 13 for this season.

Pimm said everything they do is reinvested to keep the grounds and facilities as well maintained as possible for community events. He’s happy that Mother Nature cooperated for this year’s fair and looks forward to an even bigger event in 2025.

"Overall, it was an absolute, big success. We continue to find ways to grow it and make it even better,” he said. “And we couldn't have done any of this without a local community coming out, to check out all the exhibits and all the animals and vendors and everything like that, and supporting them, and then all of our volunteers. No way we’d have done it without a ton of volunteers. 

"And then overall, I’ve gotta go back to the local businesses that help support us, whether it's financially or selling advertising, and all the advertisements and all that. It was just unbelievable.”

Fair photos below by Howard Owens

Wedding gowns have changed over the decades, reflecting the times from the Victorian Era, Industrial Revolution, WW I, The Depression, WWII, the 50s, the 60s, and the 70s. The decade of the 70s is what I will focus on since that was the decade I was married in Batavia, NY. 

There are so many events that go into a wedding. Everyone has a memory of their engagement, wedding day, and honeymoon. I became engaged in my in-laws' living room, surrounded by my future in-laws and my two younger sisters. I wouldn't change a thing. My engagement ring now has two more diamond bands, one for 25 years and one for 40 years. 

I cherish the memory of picking out my wedding gown with my mom. It had to be at C. L. Carr's Department Store. I went in with a picture of the gown I wanted from Brides Magazine. I was so surprised to see my gown on the rack.   I tried it on, ordered my size, and was lucky to have benefitted from one of C.L. Carr's discount days. 

After purchasing my gown, veil, and headpiece for $135, my mom and I went to lunch at another favorite restaurant, The Dagwood. 

The description of my gown from the local newspaper stated, "The bride chose a gown of Marcaine Jersey styled with a fitted bodice, bell-shaped skirt, and long full sleeves. Venice lace and pearls accented the V neckline, and matching lace highlighted the empire bodice. The skirt fell in an A-length train. The bride chose a Camelot cap, a cathedral-length veil, and blusher for her headpiece." 

I just wanted something plain, and the gown was perfect. I borrowed a wedding slip from my best friend, bought my shoes at Thomas and Dwyer, and flowers from Noack's Nursery on Bank Street.

Bridesmaid gowns were plain but timeless for the 70s, halter gowns with a short jacket and a hood.   I applied my makeup. Like many brides of the 70s, my hair was long and straight, as was the fashion. It was styled at North Vine Beauty Salon. My father and brothers organized the bachelor get-together at St. Nick's Club. I don't think we gathered for a bachelorette. 

The gifts I bought my girls were spoon rings and bracelets, another reflection of the times from Herb Brenner on Main Street. 

I carried the wedding missel, a prayer book that my mom had held for her wedding. My brother read the poem Desiderata, and my wedding Mass ended with a favorite  song of mine, "Let There Be Peace on Earth." 

The Polish-Italian reception was held at the Moose Lodge Club. We had a Polish band that played in the early morning hours.   

Our honeymoon was in St. Martins, and we booked our honeymoon at a kiosk in C L Carrs.  

We were married at St. Joseph Church. Today weddings are so different and so expensive! 

The material from my gown could probably make three wedding gowns. What I loved about our wedding was that after the three-course dinner, I cut the cake, danced, and enjoyed pizza from Pontillo's, delivered for a late snack. 

On July 27, 2024, we renewed our vows at what we will always call Sacred Heart Church, surrounded by our children, grandchildren, family, and friends. The Mass ended with the same song that ended our wedding Mass in 1974, "Let There Be Peace on Earth." A reception at Roman's restaurant followed, and KMC Custom Cakes served a wedding cake. Fifty years of living with the man who stole my heart at Gentner's Bar in 1972! It has been an incredible ride.

The Holland Land Office has a wedding exhibit called "Heavenly Traditions and Holy Matrimony Through Time." It is an exhibit you don't want to miss. You might even see my wedding veil on display.