Three women from Rochester were arrested following a felony traffic stop June 13 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, and were then accused of possessing more than $6,000 in stolen property.

A felony traffic stop is conducted when police officers consider it a potentially high-risk situation. Officers keep their distance from the vehicle and order the occupants out of the vehicle with their hands in view.

The incident began at 12:26 p.m. when the Erie County Sheriff's Office contacted local law enforcement about a theft of property from an undisclosed location in Erie County. A suspect vehicle was apparently believed to be eastbound.

Later, a patrol spotted the possible suspect vehicle on West Main Street Road, Town of Batavia. 

A felony traffic stop was initiated in Batavia just east of Oak Street.  All three occupants exited the vehicle without incident. 

The suspects were identified as Klara A. Bates, 31, of Agnes Street, Rochester, Jayona D. Henderson, 20, of Hooker Street, Rochester, and Ashanay J. McBean, 27, of Terrace Street, Rochester.

The vehicle they were in was reported stolen on May 28 to the NFTA Transit Police.

All three were charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, a Class D felony.

Bates, Henderson, and McBean were arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court. Bates and Henderson were released and turned over to the Erie County Sheriff's Office to face potential further criminal charges. McBean was held because a town court cannot set bail for a defendant with two prior felonies.

The Sheriff's Office was assisted by Batavia PD, State Police, the NFTA Transit Police, and the Ultra Organized Retail Crime Investigation unit.

Press Release:

Following an extensive application and site review process, National Children’s Alliance recognizes the Justice for Children Advocacy Center (JFCAC) for its delivery of high-quality and effective services to child abuse victims through accreditation. 

As the accrediting agency for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) across the country, National Children’s Alliance awards various levels of accreditation and membership to centers responding to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient and put the needs of child victims of abuse first. Accreditation is the highest level of membership with the National Children’s Alliance and denotes excellence in service provision.

The Justice for Children Advocacy Center has a long and successful history of providing services to children and families in the GLOW region. In 1992, Genesee Justice, a department of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, helped establish a multidisciplinary team to serve the unique needs of children that have been physically or sexually abused. 

With the support of many dedicated members of the community and the multidisciplinary team, the Justice for Children Advocacy Center opened its doors in Batavia in 1998. As the program grew, satellite offices in Albion and Warsaw were opened in 2017. The goal of the Justice for Children Advocacy Center is to provide a child-friendly location where highly trained professionals provide forensic interviews, medical examinations, mental health counseling, and advocacy services to children from birth to age 18 and their non-offending family members regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, or financial status. 

Since 1998, approximately 4,500 children have received services at the Justice for Children Advocacy Center, and in 2022, 274 children benefitted from the services available. As an Accredited Member of the National Children’s Alliance, the Justice for Children Advocacy Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive, coordinated, and compassionate services to victims of child abuse.

National Children’s Alliance awards accredited membership based on a CAC’s compliance with 10 national standards of accreditation to ensure effective, efficient, and consistent delivery of services to child abuse victims. 

National Children’s Alliance updated these standards in 2017 to reflect the most recent evidence-based practices in the field of child abuse intervention and prevention. According to these standards, accredited members must utilize a functioning and effective multidisciplinary team approach to work collaboratively in child abuse investigation, prosecution, and treatment.

National Children’s Alliance also considers standards regarding a center’s cultural competency and diversity, forensic interviews, victim support and advocacy, medical evaluation, therapeutic intervention, and a child-focused setting.

“As a team of individuals who are fiercely devoted to professionally and compassionately responding to reports of child abuse, we strive to meet the highest standards of care for child victims and their loved ones. Accreditation from the National Children’s Alliance not only validates our organization’s proven effective approach to responding to allegations of child abuse but also provides consistency across the child advocacy center movement as a whole. A team response to child abuse is what we stand for, and it is our entire team that allows us to provide the highest level of care and service to children and families in our community,” said Theresa Roth, Justice for Children Advocacy Center Program Coordinator.

“The Justice for Children Advocacy Center is to be commended for its excellent work serving victims of child abuse. As the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country, our goal is to ensure that every victim of child abuse has access to high-quality services that result from professional collaboration,” remarked Teresa Huizar, Executive Director of National Children’s Alliance.

For more information about the Justice for Children Advocacy Center, visit them on Facebook @justiceforchildrencac. 

The Sheriff's Office reported the following arrest on June 14 at the Dave Mathews Band concert at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center:

Kelly P. Jones, 43, of 80th Street, Niagara Falls, is charged with harassment 2nd. Jones allegedly punched a Live Nation security guard and also attempted to bite a guard.

Press Release:

With the warmer weather here, more home renovation projects are starting. If you have a home built before 1978, it is important to make sure renovations are done safely. 

Homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint that can be disturbed when renovating. Renovations can put lead dust into the air as well as into the heating and cooling systems of homes with lead-based paint.

Children (and adults) exposed to this lead dust are at risk of lead poisoning. There is no safe level of lead to have in the body. The effects of lead poisoning are permanent and can affect a child into adulthood. 

“Lead poisoning can affect anyone, but is especially dangerous for infants and small children,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). 

“Childhood lead poisoning can harm the brain and nervous system leading to learning challenges, lower IQ, difficulty in paying attention/hyperactivity, kidney damage, and very high levels can be fatal. Lead poisoning can also be dangerous for pregnant women because lead can pass to the baby during pregnancy.”

While thinking about renovation plans for this summer, consider using a lead-safe certified contractor if you live in a home built before 1978. If planning to do the work yourself, here are some simple steps you can take to keep both you and your family safe.

1. Set up safely in a way that should prevent dust from escaping the work area and keep anyone not working on the project from entering. This can include removing all furniture, rugs, curtains, and other household items, tightly wrapping items that cannot be removed with plastic sheeting, covering floors with plastic sheeting, closing and sealing all doors, turning off forced-air heating and
   air conditioning systems, and covering vents with sheeting. All sheeting should be taped in place to ensure it is secure.
2. Protect yourself. Wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when working, wash your hands and face every time you stop working, wash your work clothes separately from the rest of your family’s laundry, and do not eat, drink, or smoke in your work area. Dust and debris can contaminate food or other items and cause you to ingest dangerous lead dust.
3. Minimize Dust. Many renovation tasks (drilling, cutting, opening walls, etc.) create dust that may contain lead. Using proper tools and simple practices can help limit and control dust. 
4. Clean your work area at the end of every day. This helps minimize dust and protects you and your family. Easy ways to keep your work area clean include; putting trash in heavy-duty bags as you work, vacuuming with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) cleaner frequently, cleaning tools daily, disposing of or cleaning PPE, and keeping non-workers out of the work area.
5. Control Waste. Collect all waste and secure it tightly with duct tape or a double bag to prevent lead dust or debris from escaping before disposal.
6. Clean again. When your renovations are complete and before using the room again, use wet-cleaning methods in order to control the dust and prevent the dust from going back into the air. Make sure to mop uncarpeted floors thoroughly, clean walls with a HEPA vacuum or damp cloth, thoroughly vacuum all remaining surfaces and objects with a HEPA vacuum, and then wipe down all surfaces with wet cloths until the cloths are clean.

For any questions and more information on GO Health Lead Programs, contact the Genesee County Health Department at (585) 344-2580 ext. 5555 or Health.GOlead@co.genesee.ny.us. You can also visit the GO Health website at www.GOHealthNY.org.

Press Release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) this week voted in favor of two pieces of legislation that work to preemptively block any future attempts from the Biden administration to restrict the use of gas stoves or otherwise limit consumer choice.

H.R. 1615, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act, passed the House by a vote of 248-180. This bill would prohibit the Consumer Product Safety Commission from using federal funds to regulate a gas stove ban under the pretense that they are “hazardous products.”

H.R. 1640, the Save Our Stoves Act, passed the House by a vote of 249-181. This legislation would stop the Energy Department from finalizing a rule that sets energy conservation standards for household appliances.

“Nearly 46% of New York households rely on natural gas to fuel their cooking appliances, power their electricity, and run their home heating systems,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Earlier this year, Kathy Hochul’s $229 billion dollar budget made New York the first state in the nation to ban gas stoves. 

Now, under the Biden administration, federal agencies are potentially exploring similar policies in what would be an unprecedented and inappropriate expansion of federal power. Federal bureaucrats have no right telling American consumers what kind of stoves they can use, and this week, House Republicans made that abundantly clear.”

File photo

What began four years ago as a grassroots effort to celebrate the end of slavery has this year drawn city and county organizations into the mix for a community-wide gathering of food, arts, crafts, activities, educational and wellness materials, entertainment, and lots of fun on the city’s north and south sides.

That’s what happens when Juneteenth, hosted by Just Kings, meets up with the city schools’ Creative Communities: Interactive Health Fest. It began when Community Schools Coordinator Julia Rogers began discussing possibilities of a collaboration with Just Kings members.

“It's important that when we as a community are planning events, we try to work together.  As many know, we tend to have many events on the same day in our community, so I wanted to make sure that everyone had the chance to attend both,” Rogers said to The Batavian.

Both events happily fit into one another’s schedules, with Creative Communities first set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Robert Morris School, 80 Union St., Batavia.

“Our interactive event will focus on local artists sharing talents with Batavia students, their families, and the community. We are encouraging Batavia community members to focus on whole body health: physical, mental, social and emotional,” Rogers said. “The difference between this and past events is, in addition to Go ART!, we have partnered with Just Kings, the Suicide Coalition of Genesee County, and the Madeline Bartz Mission, Inc. Families will be able to visit various agencies who have tables at the event, including Rochester Regional's Teddy Bear Clinic and the Batavia Lions Club's Vision Screening. 

“They will have the chance to visit our Heart of Kindness Center (formerly the Community Closet), have a chance to win prizes, and most importantly, learn various ways to stay healthy,” Rogers said.

Integral to this program has been a free bus service, which will pick up and drop off students and families throughout the day at designated school locations from 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Buses will then be available to transport families to the Just Kings event beginning at 1:45 through 4:45 p.m. For details and the full bus schedule, go HERE. 

That’s where the second half of the day fits into this partnership. Just Kings will be hosting its annual Juneteenth, A Freedom Celebration from noon to 8 p.m. at Williams Park on Pearl Street, Batavia.

Greg Monroe and fellow Just Kings members were thrilled to join forces with Rogers for a jam-packed day full of activities, he said.

“It means more people, which is just awesome,” Munroe said. “They had their health fest going, and they pitched their idea to us. I say the more the merrier, celebrate Juneteenth with us. It’s a celebration of the end of slavery, and a day that everyone can celebrate.”

There will be arts and crafts, food and nonprofit vendors at the park, a DJ, an African dance troupe, and Buffalo recording artist Marchon Hamilton II performing at 3 p.m. 

Just Kings will have a booth with brochures and history about the significance of the date — June 19, 1865 — and its designation as Jubilee, or Freedom or Liberation, Day, to mark the end of slavery in the United States.

Saturday is only the beginning of this joint effort, and “collaboration is the key” in moving forward, Rogers said.

“Everyone is part of the Batavia community, and coming together to support one another in any way possible is the best way to be role models to our children. Greg Munroe, a member of Just Kings, has been very helpful in getting the word out about both of our events,” she said. “The Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Madeline Bartz Mission, Inc. also helped develop the idea, and our Community Schools subcommittee (made up of local and state agencies) got the ball rolling.  We are very lucky to be in a community that wants to work together.”

Just Kings vendor liaison Lydia Bruce worked with Rogers so that attendees will be able to get a $2 voucher toward food at the Just Kings event. Ever been to a Just Kings chicken barbecue? Organization members line up the grills and have that tangy-charred smell of barbecue in the air just waiting for passersby who may find it hard to resist.

Bruce said that there are about 15 vendors signed up to participate so far, and she appreciates the opportunity for them — whether nonprofits or businesses — to let the community know what they offer.

“This is the first year we’re doing that tag team (with community schools), and everyone can attend both events,” Bruce said. “I think it's going to be an awesome day.”

This event is 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 NYS Legislature and administered by Go Art! 

Press Release:

In the fall of 2022, Byron-Bergen Central School District joined the Lifting Our School Community Challenge through the Genesee Area Healthcare Plan (GAHP) in partnership with Excellus BCBS.

The Lifting Our School Community Challenge is aligned with the internationally recognized initiative “The Lift Project,” created by award-winning educator, researcher, and well-being expert Dr. Darren Morton (PhD, FASLM). The Lift Project was designed to help individuals live a happier life by providing tools and tips to help “lift” your overall wellness.

According to an article published by the American Psychological Association, “Spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health, and emotional well-being.”

Through the Lifting Our School Community Challenge, Byron-Bergen School District secured funding to begin a revitalization and maintenance project for the established Nature Trail on the district campus. 

This project includes updated and increased signage created by BB engineering students as well as the newly created Star Trail in the Northeast quadrant of the woods.

Using the provided funds, students in Byron-Bergen High School’s Home Maintenance and Repair class were able to create new trail signage, including a Welcome Area and trail markers throughout the woods.

Byron-Bergen 11th-grade student Brody Baubie acted as team leader with the guidance of teachers Marc Palmer and Jay Wolcott. Brody created scale models and identified the necessary materials and techniques for his designs to take shape.

“This has been a good learning experience for me”, said Brody. “It helped me see and overcome challenges, problem-solving, and finding resources.” Brody is interested in carpentry work and plans to study construction management after graduation. The welcome kiosk he designed includes a roof and a sitting area.

The new trail map signage was geolocated and digitally designed by Buildings & Grounds Manager Roger Caldwell and Technology Teacher Marc Palmer and will be displayed in Brody’s welcome kiosk. Printing of the map signage was donated by Tom Chapell at Visual Impact Graphics in Byron, NY.

Throughout the years, the Byron-Bergen Nature Trail has been maintained by several groups and individuals, both district employees as well as valued members of the Byron-Bergen community. 

In the spirit of paying tribute to all of those who have helped to make the trail what it is today, Byron-Bergen Schools hosted a Grand Re-Opening Ceremony in June.

“A big thank you to Roger Caldwell and the Byron-Bergen Grounds Crews as well as our technology teachers and students for their hard work making the trails fresh and inviting,” said Superintendent Pat McGee. “Thank you also to our team of staff Wellness Champions for their organization and planning of the project.”

The community is invited to enjoy the Nature Trail during daylight hours and dogs are welcome outside of school hours. The trail entrance is located behind the Elementary School and is visible from the road leading back to the softball field and soccer stadium.

Photos submitted by Gretchen Spittler and Sam Herson

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) denounced the recent reports of a deal between Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration and the Seneca Nation to build a casino in downtown Rochester. 

The construction of a new casino in the area would be damaging to the local economy and would jeopardize the more than 400 jobs at Batavia Downs. Local officials and New York lawmakers were also not included in any discussions between the governor and the Seneca Nation. 

Hawley is frustrated that local businesses and communities are once again not being given priority by the state government

“The recent news of the deal between the state and the Seneca Nation is disappointing and yet another example of the livelihood of local businesses, like Batavia Downs, being trampled on by this governor’s administration,” Hawley said. “A move like this that doesn’t take into account the needs or desires of the community while purposely shunning local leaders from the conversation will undoubtedly do nothing more than hinder the local economy and create further consequences down the road.”

File photo

The Genesee County Spartans are in “bounce back” mode heading into Saturday night’s home Northeastern Football Alliance semipro game against the Ithaca Warriors.

Kickoff is set for 7 o’clock at the Genesee Community College field located behind the Richard C. Call Arena.

The Spartans were on the losing end of a 28-0 score last weekend at Lockport, failing to capitalize on a couple of excellent scoring chances in the opening half when they trailed by only 8-0.

“The game wasn’t as lopsided as the score suggests,” Head Coach Harry Rascoe said. “An interception right before the half when we were driving really hurt us, and right after intermission, a fumble thwarted another drive.”

Rascoe said the team was missing a few key players against the Wildcats, but expects them to be back in action on Saturday.

“Tight end Howie Wilson was unable to play due to injury, but he’ll return, as will our captain and standout lineman Adam Hausfelder,” Rascoe added. “We’re revamping the offense a bit to give quarterback Joe Canzoneri more opportunities to showcase his skills.”

Against Lockport, Alex Rood was the signal caller, completing 10 of 20 passes for 75 yards, while Tyler Budzinack, filling in for Wilson, caught six passes for 50 yards. The Spartans couldn’t get the ground game going, however, rushing 20 times for just 46 yards.

On defense, defensive end Gunner Rapone forced a fumble and he and fellow Batavia High graduate Kaden Marucci combined for several tackles.

Admission for this weekend’s game is $5 per person with children under 12 admitted at no charge. The contest has been designated as Dan’s Tire & Auto Night.

Press Release:

The City of Batavia announces the appointment of Rebecca McGee to the position of Human Resources Director for the City of Batavia.  McGee was selected following an extensive search for candidates and an active recruitment campaign.  She will assume her new role on Monday, July 10, 2023.

A Batavia native, McGee holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Plattsburgh State University in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.  She is currently serving as the Human Resources Manager at Liberty Pumps in Bergen.

McGee has served in several other Human Resources positions aside from her current role at Liberty Pumps. She was the Human Resources Generalist at Liberty Pumps from 2015-2019.  Prior to her roles at Liberty Pumps in Human Resources, she was the Human Resources Coordinator at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia for nearly two years and Human Resources Assistant at Oxbo International Corporation for five years.

McGee is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Genesee.  She currently serves as the President of the Genesee Area Personnel Association.  She also serves on several Board of Directors in Genesee County including UMMC and the UMMC Foundation, Business Education Alliance (BEA), Richmond Memorial Library, and the United Way.  Rebecca is a student mentor at the Western New York Tech Academy and has served in the past as the City of Batavia School District’s School Budget Ambassador and on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross.

“Rebecca’s current position with Liberty Pumps and other experience in HR have given her a wealth of knowledge and experience in Human Resources.  She has the ability to lead teams effectively and efficiently, problem solve, address human resource issues with dignity and respect, and see things from a global perspective.  We are excited to have her join our team at the City,” said City of Batavia City Manager Rachel J. Tabelski. 

Rebecca, a 2000 graduate of Batavia High School, lives with her husband Patrick in the City of Batavia.

A Chevy HHR was northbound on Liberty Street around noon in Batavia Thursday when it apparently ran a red light, City Assistant Police Chief Chris Camp said.  The vehicle was struck by a Ford sedan that was traveling southbound on Ellicott Street.

One occupant was in each vehicle, and both were evaluated at the scene, Camp said. The status of the patients is unknown. 

UPDATE: The driver of the sedan, Edwin Perez of Holley, was cited for allegedly running a red light, according to new information released by Batavia PD. Contrary to earlier eye-witness statements, Camp said, the driver of the HHR did not run the red light. 

Statement by police: "Upon review of the street camera at this intersection, it was determined that the silver SUV, that was traveling northbound on Liberty Street, in fact, had the green light. The silver four-door sedan, traveling south on Ellicott Street, traveled through the steady red light at Liberty Street and struck the silver SUV in the intersection."

After a brief ceremony to incinerate retired flags on Wednesday at the VFW Post 1602, Veness-Strollo, in Batavia, members celebrated the freedom the U.S. Flag represents and the price paid and sacrifice made by those who served in the military to protect that freedom.

Members of the post incinerated dozens of flags as part of the ceremony. 

A crew from the City of Batavia Fire Department was on hand to assist in the Flag Day ceremony.

The flags are collected from area residents throughout the year.  

A flag that is torn or faded should be disposed of in a dignified manner, according to the U.S. Flag code, and incineration is the generally preferred method to dispose of flags that are "no longer a fitting emblem for display." Flags that are no longer serviceable should not be on public display.

The ceremony was carried out by Vice Commander William Frieday, Robert Kendall, treasurer, and member Ronald Gibson.

Each read from a script for the ceremony that reads in part:

A Flag may be a flimsy bit of printed gauze or a beautiful banner of the finest silk. Its intrinsic value may be trifling or great, but its real value is beyond price, for it is a precious symbol of all that we and our comrades have worked for and lived for and died for a free Nation of free men, true to the faith of the past, devoted to the ideals and practice of Justice, Freedom and Democracy.”

“Let these faded Flags of our Country be retired and destroyed with respectful and honorable rites, and their places be taken by bright new Flags of the same size and kind, and let no grave of our soldier or sailor dead be unhonored and unmarked. Sergeant-at-Arms, assemble the Color Guard, escort the detail bearing the Flags and destroy these Flags by burning.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

After more than a decade of leadership and service to the institution, Genesee Community College President, Dr. James Sunser, announced that he intends to retire at the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year.

In a personal message, Sunser informed the campus community and thanked colleagues for being partners in always holding student success as the highest priority.

"My time at Genesee has represented some of the most rewarding of my long professional career in higher education," said Sunser. "I have been honored to serve a dedicated board of trustees, faculty and staff that always put students and their success at the center of every decision. I could not have asked for more, and I will leave with a heart filled with gratitude. I want to thank the entire GCC community for the support and friendship you have offered me over so many years."

During his time leading GCC, Sunser oversaw the development of the Richard C. Call Arena and the Student Success Center, capital projects that represented the largest fundraising efforts ever undertaken by the College. He also provided leadership during the historic COVID-19 pandemic that drastically altered the delivery of services, never wavering from the commitment to putting students first.

Prior to his service at GCC, Sunser held several senior-level positions at SUNY Onondaga Community College over a 22-year period. In addition, he served five years as an administrator at Syracuse University. He currently serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Middle State Commission on Higher Education's Executive Committee, where he previously served two terms as Chair in 2020 and 2021.

In the coming months, the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees will launch a comprehensive search for the next campus president.

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School Resource Officer Miah Stevens receives a lot of questions about what she does every day at Batavia City Schools, and the answer is simple, she says.

“We're just placed in the school. We do everything we would do on the road and more. We get to build relationships with students, we get to kind of act as counselors in certain situations,” she said during the school board’s meeting this week. “For our agreement with the schools, we go to the training from the state of New York Police Juvenile Officers Association. So we are members of this, and basically they just help us stay up to date on laws that change or any other information that we should need to know.”

She gave the presentation along with the latest addition, second SRO Connor Borchert, who began in September 2022.

"So the roles of an SRO wear many different hats, as you all may know, but typically, the goals of a well-defined SRO program include providing safe learning environments in our nation's schools providing valuable resources, school staff members, fostering positive relationships with youth, developing strategies to resolve problems affecting youth and protecting all students so that they can reach their fullest potential. This is right off of a national school resource officer website,” Borchert said.

A school resource officer (SRO) is defined by that state site as “a carefully selected, specifically trained, and properly equipped law enforcement officer with sworn authority, trained in school-based law enforcement and crisis response and assigned by an employing law enforcement agency to work collaboratively with one or more schools using community-oriented policing concepts.”

So when Stevens is asked what she does, she explains that “we need to participate in the program,” no matter what program that may be. She and/or Borchert were at open houses, Careers and Candy, Shop with a Cop, Polar Plunge, family reading nights, Thanksgiving food drives, bike raffles, Golisano’s Hospital toy drive, Community Night Out, and Lion’s Club Day of Caring.

They were also at various sporting events and banquets, school dances, plays, musicals, the Mr. Batavia competition and graduation ceremonies.

“You know, we're definitely looking for more opportunities to get in the classroom, so the kids know our names and we know their names is truly helpful,” Stevens said. “Some of this is police jargon, it's what we would consider a call, you know, dealing with, we do a lot of community policing, assist, citizen can call for anything. We're doing lockouts for somebody in the parking lot to having somebody with a personal problem. But basically, we have a large range of different types of things we handle, like I said, pretty much anything that we would handle on  the road, if it involves the school in any way.

“You know, it just creates a partnership where now, if students get into an altercation outside of school, they are now coming into school and a lot of times those problems come with them. So it kind of gives the school another resource,” she said. “We get to be that liaison where they can say hey, we heard so and so I was involved in an incident … is there anything we should be on the lookout for and then I can either go back and either I'm getting an email from one of my co-workers or I'm going back and looking at the call log and reading the call and being able to say, okay, this is kind of what we should expect from this.”

Incidents handled or SRO involvements (no total numbers provided) in the 2022-2023 school year included:

• Harassments
• Disturbances
• Suspicious Conditions
• Mental Health Situations
• Community Policing
• Assist Citizen
• Bus Issues
• Fire Alarms (Intentional and Accidental)
• Property Accidents
• Larcenies
• Courtesy Transports
• Superintendent’s Hearings
• Classroom Lessons
• Check Welfare
• Students and staff personal issues
• Criminal Mischief
• Disorderly Conduct
• Home visits
• 911 Hangup calls
• Parking Complaints
• Property Complaints
• Sporting events
• Lockdown/ Fire Drills
• Mediations

Stevens said that adding a second SRO allowed for more feasible coverage of five schools, split up coverage for both officers, and allowed for more positive interactions with staff and students. Both officers will be working toward future goals of a DARE program and the I Love You Guys standard response protocol, which is to enhance proactive communication between the school district, police department and community.

“It's easier now to build relationships with the school community, we have a lot more positive interactions with staff and students, which is really the goal and that's really what we're looking for," she said. "You know, I've had so many more people come up to me this year, now that they're used to seeing my face and they're saying, Oh, my God, I'm so glad you're here today. And then when they get to see both of us and we're both walking around the football games, and we're both handling prom, you know, I had multiple parents come up to us the other night when we were at prom and say, I'm so thankful that you guys are gonna be here all night. Because it's just in this era. It's just, it's an easier solution.”

Things aren’t what they used be on the dairy farm where Ian Keberle has worked since being a kid, he says. Though just 18, the Elba student has witnessed the dawning of technological miracles.

“Everything’s robotic now, like, we just installed a 72-cell robotic rotary parlor that only requires one person to manage it,” Ian said in the lobby of the Old County Courthouse in Batavia. “So the amount of automation that has been involved in the dairy industry is just astounding. I don’t think many people realize that it’s not just a job. For many dairy farmers, it’s a lifestyle. This is what my family chose to do, and this is what we love doing.”

Ian and three fellow Elba students and members of Future Farmers of America had just been upstairs in Genesee County’s Legislative chambers for a photo and reading of a proclamation for June’s Dairy Month.

All four students are active on dairy farms, with three of them working at Oakfield Corners Dairy, a division of Lamb Farms, on Batavia-Elba Townline Road in Oakfield. 

For anyone that thinks farming is strictly a male pursuit, Ian’s peers can counter that notion. Maggie Winspear, 17, is in her third year of FFA.

“It's really important to get the attention from people that don't know a lot about dairy and get them to understand why we love farming so much and why we do what we do,” Maggie said. “And it's just a connection, you make a connection with the animals and the people. And it's always fun working and just coming to work at a farm.”

Ian, 18, and his younger sister Addison also work at Oakfield Corners, where their dad is a manager. While her brother will graduate this year and plans to study agribusiness in college, Addison, 15, is taking care of the clinical aspects of the job.

“I work at the calf facility, I mainly do vaccinations with them. I kind of held out a little bit here and there. I'm still kind of too young to do a lot of major activities,” she said. “Some days, it's easy. Some days, it's hard. It's kind of a mixture.”

The Batavian asked Ian what he’d want the public to know about the dairy industry it might not otherwise understand.

“It’s not just a way to make money; it’s wonderful to see the effects that you have in the community providing a good nutritious dairy product on the tables of everything,” he said.

In October last year, the Elba FFA Chapter competed in the National FFA Dairy Evaluation and Management Competition in Indiana, and Ian was one of two members awarded national gold individually, and Amelia Brewer was one of two members awarded national silver individually.

Amelia is also in her fifth year and has worked on her family’s Post Dairy Farm, also on Batavia Elba Townline Road, “for my entire life,” she said. She has no plans to slow down after going to college.

“It's been in my family for five generations. I'm hopefully going to be the sixth generation,” Amelia said. “So I've just grown up in the industry, and I've grown a passion and a love for it. So it's what I'm going to pursue in the future, and it's something I'm pursuing now.

“I would like to come back to our farm, but I also would like to set up a creamery on our farm and bring another ag tourist stop because I believe that it's very important to give people the opportunity to see where their products are coming from and get to experience what goes into making those products, because a lot of labor goes into the dairy industry, a lot of labor and love.”

The proclamation states:

WHEREAS, the Dairy Industry has contributed to the development and prosperity of our community since the earliest formation of Genesee County, and

WHEREAS, since 1937 the rich history of Dairy production and its producers has been recognized across our great nation in an effort to savor the natural goodness in one of the most wholesome agricultural products, and

WHEREAS, dairy farmers and farm workers strive to produce wholesome dairy milk which is used to make delicious dairy products like yogurts, cheeses, butter, sour cream and ice creams that provide health benefits and valuable nutritional     benefit to residents locally, regionally and globally, and

WHEREAS, in 2014 the fourth-graders at Byron-Bergen Elementary School began the push and later saw signed into law, the recognition of YOGURT as New York State’s official snack, and 

WHEREAS, the Dairy Industry in Genesee County is a significant contributor to the economy of our County, its Bread and Butter, allowing our landscape, citizens and businesses to flourish, and

WHEREAS, as of May 2021, the USDA Food Box Program sent over 176 million boxes to our hungry neighbors brimming with high quality Dairy products to fill a nutritional need nationally yet sourced locally. Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Genesee County Legislature does hereby proclaim the Month of June 2023 as DAIRY MONTH and extend our thanks to the dedicated men and women who produce world-class dairy products enjoyed nationwide.

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Jackson Primary School in Batavia hosted a Flag Day celebration on Wednesday with the help of the Genesee County Honor Guard.

Members of the honor guard at the school were Tom Cecere, who read a history of the U.S. Flag for students, Philip Gaudy, Carl Hyde, and Tom Balonek.  All four men are military veterans.

Photos by Howard Owens