ZZ Top’s “Raw” is as close to being an accidental album as it gets. 

The album, which was released in July 2022, is drawn from a session at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas in which singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard played versions of such familiar songs as “La Grange,” “Tush,” “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Legs” in the most live, spontaneous and basic setting possible.

The performances were filmed for use in the recent ZZ Top documentary celebrating the band’s 50-year history with its classic lineup, “That Little Ol’ Band from Texas.” When the trio unplugged and left Gruene Hall that day, they thought it was mission accomplished. The footage was shot and recorded, end of story.

“The tunes on that occasion unfolded quite in the moment,” Gibbons said, recalling the session in a new e-mail interview. “Our director, Sam (Dunn), wanted a sequence where we played in the present day as a balance to the film’s historical narrative. We got in there and did what we did and later, much later, realized we had an album.” 

As Gibbons indicated, upon further review, the performances captured something that was worth hearing in its entirety – the unmistakable Texas blues-rock boogie of ZZ Top in its most authentic state. And the “Raw” album became a reality.

The album figures to take on some significance as one of the last live documents of ZZ Top with Hill, who passed away in July 2021. Long-time guitar tech Elwood Francis had stepped in on bass on occasions when Hill had injuries or health issues that prevented him from touring.

When Hill died, the band barely took time off before resuming the tour, knowing that’s what Hill would have wanted. 

Nevertheless, Hill’s death came as a shock.

“It was quite sudden and we remained under the assumption he’d rally, recover and rejoin us,” Gibbons said. “There was no anticipation mental or otherwise. We just had to deal with the reality of departure and the quick turnaround helped reinforce “the show must go on” ethos. Our crew, our friends, fans and followers have been a huge source of comfort.”

Now ZZ Top, with Francis considered a long-term third member, are back on tour, doing a summer co-headlining run with Lynyrd Skynyrd, playing a show that touches on all 50-plus years of the band’s history. 

“We know we’ll go as far back as possible… perhaps ‘Brown Sugar’ or ‘Just Got Back From Baby’s’ from the cleverly titled ‘ZZ Top’s First Album’ or even Willie Brown’s ‘Future Blues’ that predates us by 40 plus years,” Gibbons said. “Of course, (we’ll include) a few of the ones well known like “La Grange” and “Legs.” What’s certain is the famed adage of ‘something old, something borrowed and most definitely something blue’ (will apply).”

ZZ Top’s longevity is notable enough, but the fact that the classic lineup remained intact for 50-plus years makes ZZ Top a rare example of stability and sustained creativity and quality in what is often a volatile reality of being a rock band.

The ZZ Top story is told quite colorfully in “That Little Ol’ Band from Texas,” during which Gibbons, Hill and Beard take viewers on a trip through ZZ Top’s 50-year history. The film hits a lot of highlights, including how the trio came together, how the group got its distinctive high-powered sound and their initial commercial breakthrough. From there, the film visits a late ‘70s period that included a hiatus and Beard’s battle with addictions and moves onto the 1980s, when ZZ Top incorporated synthesizers and sequencers into their sound and hit a commercial grand slam with the 1983 album, “Eliminator,” before reaching into the present day.

ZZ Top made their first big impact with the 1973 album “Tres Hombres” and its single, “La Grange.” Subsequent early hits like “Tush,” “Tube Steak Boogie” and “Cheap Sunglasses” helped the band notch a string of five gold or platinum albums during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Then a convergence of factors – the arrival of sequencers and other recording tools, the debut of MTV (which aired the groundbreaking videos for the hit songs “Legs,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Sharp Dressed Man”) and some inspired songwriting – made ZZ Top mega-platinum superstars (with Gibbons and Hill debuting their newly grown outsized beards).

But since reaching their commercial peak with “Eliminator” and the sonically similar “Afterburner” (1985) and “Recycler” (1990), ZZ Top have returned to more of a stripped back bluesy guitar sound on their most recent albums -- “La Futura” (2012), “Mescalero” (2003)” and “XXX” (1999). Sales of those albums have fallen off, but ZZ Top remains a touring powerhouse. 

With Francis on board, Gibbons considers ZZ Top a band that still has plenty to say musically. He’s hinted that an album of new material could happen. 

“Elwood is certainly in with us for the long haul,” Gibbons said. “It’s still ZZ Top, not ZZ Top 2 or ZZ Top with an asterisk. The genuine article abides!”

ZZ Top performs at Darien Lake Amphitheater on Thursday, September 12.

Press Release:

The 11th annual GLOW Corporate Cup was run this August with nearly 800 participants registering for the annual 5K run and walk.  The race brought in just shy of $20,000 in support of the GLOW YMCA.  This money will support the YMCA Scholarship program, ensuring that no one is turned away from the Y due to their inability to pay.

In addition to the race, teams design their own T-Shirts and compete for the most creative design.  Each year the local Merrill Lynch office makes a $500 donation to the winning team’s charity of choice.  This year, Liberty Pumps won the contest for the first time and elected to direct the donation back to the YMCA, bringing the total funds raised from the race to over $20,000.

Gov. Kathy Hochul visited East Syracuse Minoa Central School Thursday, and she discussed various school-related issues, including her potential ban on cell phones in the classroom. School districts, students and parents have asked for this, she says, and "we just have to work out a lot of the mechanics of how this will happen."

A partial transcript of the session was shared with The Batavian by Hochul’s office.  

Hochul shared that she was excited about an upcoming state teachers’ union summit later this month. At this summit, she will bring together all of the stakeholders—teachers, administrators, and superintendents—to discuss how to “operationalize a statewide policy” for a phone ban in schools.

“And there's a lot of lessons to be learned from what other schools have already done across the country, but even here in the state of New York. Schoharie, as well, is one example, just outside of Albany. We listened to them in one of our first sessions. And some schools are purchasing the bags that are magnetic and concealed at the beginning part of the day and unlock them at the end of the day,” Hochul said. “There are other schools that are just saying don't bring them to school at all. I'm learning more about what policies are there — but in order to be a policy for the state, we would have to wait until the legislative session and to enact it there.”

A reporter asked if the law would be voted on through a budget or legislative session. 

“I would like to move faster. It could be budget, but it even could be before the budget. If there is sufficient interest, they can pass bills, and I can sign them very early in the session — that's also a possibility,” she said.  “We'll see what other areas we have to find common ground in if there are any obstacles. I'm working on that now already, so I would like to start off early. But the other thing that's important is to start the engagement with parents very early. So I would say, especially after this summit on the 20th, we'll be announcing where we're likely to go.”

Hochul emphasized that school districts should begin hosting parent forums now to allow conversations with other districts that have already implemented bans. This would allow them to share their concerns before taking action and how they overcame them. 

“But also law enforcement. We need to invite law enforcement in to talk to parents and school districts about how, in their best judgment, if there is a crisis that unfolds in the school — you want these students to be focused 100% on the adult in the room who's going to lead them to safety,” she said.  “Going on your cell phone, texting friends, capturing video — this could all put them in harm's way. And that's a strong message that I heard as I did these roundtables, and I want to make sure every parent hears and understands. There's still a process involved, but I feel even more committed than I did at the beginning of this process. After all the stories I've heard from frustrated teachers, anxious parents — and teenagers who are asking us to help save them from themselves.” 

Hochul was asked if she wanted an outright ban on phones. She said her answer is in the listening tour with school districts that began earlier this year. 

“That's what we're looking to — that's part of our listening process. I have personally received enough information for me to believe that we're going to need a ban. School districts have asked for this. Students have asked for this. Parents have asked for this. And we just have to work out a lot of the mechanics of how this will happen — this will take the pressure off of individual school districts,” she said. “I have heard from many superintendents who say, ‘This is hard, it's a lot for us to handle in light of our responsibilities.’ And asking the state to come up with a policy with their engagement that'll be effective. 

“So that's the path we're looking at. But I also have a lot of stakeholders, and I have to work with the Legislature,” she said. “So, we will get to a point where I can announce with finality what we're going for, I still wanted to continue hearing more voices.” 

For the record, Gov. Hochul, there are five voices in Genesee County stating that they don’t want a ban on cell phones in their school districts, primarily because a ban doesn’t offer teachable moments and provide lessons for responsibility for cell phone use. That was the consensus according to superintendents’ responses to questions from The Batavian. 

School’s back in session, and while a cell phone ban in schools might seem like one simple answer to cyberbullying and unnecessary distractions, at least five Genesee County superintendents are against it, according to questions sent to all eight public school district administrators by The Batavian.

Gov. Kathy Hochul went on a listening tour this summer as she has considered a phone ban for students in New York State schools. Such measures at the district level have been rare so far, with Bethlehem Central School cited as one of only a few of the 4,411 state schools to implement such a ban, and not just on phones at that school, but on all electronics, including earbuds and smartwatches.

Questions included the school district’s current phone policy, thoughts about an outright ban on phones in the school/classroom, how the school community would likely respond, benefits and drawbacks of a ban, and whether it’s worth the potential uphill battle and other logistical and financial considerations.

Elba Central School Superintendent Gretchen Rosales listed several reasons for why a ban is not a great idea, from organizational to financial burdens.

“An outright ban would be difficult to enforce and a problematic interruption to the organization of education.  I am much more in support of teaching students how to effectively use cell phones within a system.  This includes educating students on the dangers of social media and how a lack of personal communication affects relationships,” Rosales said. “We model what we want our children to learn; this is also true of cell phone use.  When something is banned outright, we lose the opportunity to teach students how to effectively manage it.

“Right now, this has not been considered, as the legislation has not been passed.  I can see it creating a financial burden on schools to implement another mandate - monitoring for use and detecting possession can be a costly distraction,” she said. “I would not want to speculate on how the entire school community would react to such a ban without having conversations first. This is a topic with varied opinions.  Whenever faced with a large-scale policy shift, having an open dialogue with all stakeholders proves to be most effective.”

Elba’s current policy is that cell phones are not allowed at elementary school and that there’s a limited-use phone policy at junior-senior high school. Phone use for “educational purposes,” such as using a calculator or accessing educational sites, is up to teacher discretion, she said. Per the district’s code of conduct, students are “prohibited from taking pictures of or recording others, or using phones in a way that may disrupt the educational process,” she said.

Officials at one of those few schools with a full ban had been quoted as saying it made a difference in students’ interactions with one another and that an “enjoyable noise” could be heard of kids laughing and talking in the hallways versus focused on the phone screen.

Rosales was one of several superintendents who has experienced this, she said, regardless of whether a phone ban is in place.

“I find that students interacting with each other still happens more frequently than we might believe.  I would also state that any battle we believe in is worthy of fighting.  The crux of the argument lies in a) a balance of providing safe boundaries for children to navigate the world and b) allowing local school districts to decide how best to educate the children in their communities based on the school's specific needs,” she said. “Every school is different — so our approach to the cell phone issue should be as varied as the needs of our individual communities.” 

Pembroke Central School Superintendent Matthew Calderón shared the socialization he observed on Wednesday, even with cell phones in hand.

“Today was the first day of school in Pembroke, and I experienced the common and enjoyable sound of kids interacting with one another in the hallways despite many of them having cell phones.  We have amazing students, strong families, and wonderful employees, and if the state chooses to ban cell phones, I have full confidence we can navigate it in a way that helps everyone overcome their angst.  Is it a battle worth fighting?  Good question.  The fight to nurture and care for the hearts and minds of our young people is a noble and necessary fight, and at the same time, I believe an all-out ban on cell phones will greatly miss the mark in that regard,” he said. “If we want to help young people learn how to interact with each other in real and authentic ways, there are better ways to do that.  I'm also not sure that our academic performance on numerous measures, including state tests, indicates that cell phones are hindering learning here in our small rural school district.”

As for his stance on a cell phone ban, “I believe in local autonomy, and I generally don't support state-wide one-size-fits-all approaches,” he said. “We do not intend to move toward an all-out ban. If it becomes yet another mandate for schools, we will assess what we need to do at that time.”

That being said, Calderón feels that there are advantages and disadvantages to allowing cell phones in schools and to banning them.

“I would need to survey my community to know for sure, but my sense is that the majority of parents, employees and students would be opposed to an outright ban on cell phones,” he said.

Current policy at Pembroke is that cell phone use is permitted during non-instructional time, such as lunch, and during class for instructional purposes in the junior-senior high school, per teacher discretion. 

“While some elementary students may have phones, it's not really an issue at the two elementary buildings,” he said. “School districts already have the autonomy to ban phones if they so choose, and I believe it is a decision that should be left to each school district and its community.”  

Over at Oakfield-Alabama Central School, the question of banning phones isn’t really the point, Superintendent John Fisgus said.

Students at OA are allowed to carry their cell phones with them at all times and are instructed and taught when they are allowed to use them or not. Our students, who show great respect for these limitations, understand that it is not about banning cell phones, but about teaching them the proper use and time to use them,” Fisgus said. “This understanding and respect from our students is a testament to the effectiveness of our approach. I do not support the banning of cell phones. 

"It's important to remember that media literacy is not just a buzzword, but a critical skill for our students who are born and live in a rapidly evolving digital society, of which cell phones are a common denominator,” he said. “Parents and students also find safety in having access to their phones, especially communicating (texting) during emergencies.”

He also cited an important medical reason for keeping one’s phone nearby: apps that work as blood-level monitors.

“I, for one, am a diabetic who utilizes a sensor and a cell phone app to constantly monitor my glucose levels,” he said. “My cell phone provides me with alerts and real-time glucose readings. I certainly know we have students in our district who do the same.

“Outright banning cell phones is an extreme measure in my eyes. Teaching this generation how/when to use cell phones during school hours provides a healthy balance for our staff, students, and their families,” he said. “Again, let's ‘teach’ about and role model when to use cell phones, not ban them.” 

Likewise, Batavia City and Le Roy Central school district superintendents Jason Smith and Merritt Holly oppose a phone ban and believe that it’s a district's responsibility to teach about cell phone use rather than merely banish it from the classroom.

“Our District does not have an outright ban, and I believe we need to teach students how to properly manage their devices' responsibility, as opposed to a total ban, Superintendent Jason Smith said about the Batavia City Schools’ students. “There are cell phone rules on airplanes, concerts, movie theaters, etc., and I believe schools should operate under a similar premise:  use the technology responsibly and appropriately.”

The Batavian must note that, in September 2023, the district’s Board of Education joined a consortium formed to sue social media giants — TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook, for example — for creating “a youth mental health crisis caused by social media addiction” via their cell phones. So, while the district is against banning cell phones during school time, it is also suing social media for bombarding kids through those phones. 

So, The Batavian asked Smith why not remove those opportunities for social media during the school day. 

"At our schools, we have procedures in classrooms that provide structure and guidelines for cell phone use, and we are continually refining and updating these procedures, as well as providing reminders to our students," Smith said. "When used properly, cell phones have a myriad of teaching opportunities, too, as I have seen teachers use apps and programs that enhance lessons.  If we are required to institute a total ban, then we will do so, but again, we have procedures in place at our schools that govern cell phone use.  Completely removing cell phones does nothing to teach students proper use--that is precisely why we have rules and procedures in our schools."   

And is the district educating kids about the dangers of social media on their cell phones since you speak about teaching responsibility to them?

"We have provided training to our library media specialists over the years on digital citizenship, and they have subsequently written a curriculum on this topic.  We have two digital citizenship classes at the Batavia Middle School in grades 5 and 8," he said. "Finally, at every opportunity we have, our principals and assistant principals, along with our counselors,  always remind and teach our students proper cell phone use.  I would continue to encourage families to continue to do the same with their children."

When asked if he thought his school community — parents, staff, faculty, students — would benefit and get on board with a phone ban, Smith replied:

“There would likely be a wide range of opinions on this matter, with some strongly in favor and some strongly opposed, and many views in the middle,” he said. “Regardless, we are educators first and foremost and need to teach students how to use devices properly, just as we teach 16-year-olds how to drive a car properly – both can be dangerous if used improperly.

“Should the governor be successful in gaining legislative support for this measure, we will work with our school community and staff on how to best implement such a policy,” Smith said. “An outright and full ban does not teach students how to properly manage their devices. In addition, cell phones have become an integral part of society and often serve as a measure of safety for parents and students.”

He said the district’s current policy has cell phones off and put away,  but it depends on the school. Each school has its own special guidelines based on the age of students. 

“We do not have a complete cell phone ban at any of our schools, and phones are allowed in schools,” he said.

That policy has not seemed to deter students from interacting with one another, something that may go against one’s belief that devices are isolating, according to Smith’s daily walks through school.

“I am in our schools every day, and not a day goes by when I do not hear the enjoyable noise of students interacting with one another and our staff – with or without a cell phone,” he said. 

Le Roy has a color-coded policy, where the Red Zone at Wolcott Street School for grades kindergarten through grade six signals that phones are to be off and in one’s backpack or locker during the school day, versus a Yellow Zone in the Junior/Senior High School for grades seven through 12 is for the hallway, cafeteria, classrooms, and library. 

The zones were created to guide students in properly using their electronic devices, Le Roy Central School Superintendent Merritt Holly said. The teacher communicates if using a cell phone is allowed in these areas. Red Zones at the high school are in the bathrooms, locker rooms and auditorium. 

He would not support an outright ban of phones in the classroom and believes it should remain a local school decision. Implementing a ban would also eliminate the opportunity to do what schools are supposed to do, he said and ignores the main issues about phone usage.

“Our cell phone procedures function in both buildings and allow teachers and administrators to educate our students on properly using their electronic devices.  The cell phone procedures also allow for flexibility, especially at the Jr/Sr High School.  If a Jr/Sr High School teacher wants to make their classroom a red zone for the day, week, month, or year, they have the option to do so.  Another teacher may have the student use their phone for instructional purposes.  Building principals could also limit cell phone use for a particular student if a student violated the Code of Conduct or had a zone violation,” he said. “Instructing students in and on digital literacy is essential in education.  Students need to learn how to use technology safely, effectively, and responsibly to communicate effectively. Instituting a ban does not address root causes or concerns around cell phone use.” 

The Batavian did not receive responses from Alexander, Byron-Bergen and Pavilion school districts.

Hochul seemed fairly confident in her decision to move toward a ban after her tour of school districts earlier this year. If she approves a state law, New York will join Florida, Louisiana, Indiana, South Carolina and Los Angeles County with similar restrictions. New York City is also reportedly considering its own ban ahead of the potential state-wide mandate.

“I pretty much know where I’m going. I believe people will come along because I know what I’ve heard, that this is probably the one bipartisan — I want to say nonpartisan — issue that really is having a breakthrough,” Hochul said in a recent interview with The NY Times. “I want to go big on this one. We’re going big.”

Hochul also visited a Syracuse-area school on Thursday and answered some questions about a potential ban.

A 48-year-old man accused of firing a weapon at a white SUV that looked like a law enforcement vehicle on Aug. 29 was later released on his own recognizance, according to court documents obtained by The Batavian. 

Robert James Talbot, of Batavia, was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Part Court, but his prior federal convictions were not sufficient for the judge to set bail or order him held.

He was arraigned in the early morning of Aug. 29.

He was charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, and criminal mischief in the third degree.

Those are not qualifying offenses for bail or pre-trial confinement.

The judge noted he had a criminal history but "not two felonies."

The judge can set bail if a defendant has been sent to prison on two separate occasions.

Court documents contain a statement from the owner of the vehicle, who said he was driving a "white 2016 police package Ford Explorer."

He parked at a mobile home lot at 5066 Clinton Street Road, where he was visiting a friend. 

"Moments after I entered the residence, I heard what sounded like two gunshots," the victim wrote. "I didn't think much of it at that time. Then again, between 12:00 -- 12:30 p.m., I heard two more gunshots. Again, I wasn't concerned with the sounds. It was around that time that my friends were going to leave their residence for an appointment, so I, too, was going to leave as I returned to my vehicle. I grabbed my door handle and saw debris on my driver's seat. I then saw more debris on my dashboard. It was then I saw that my windshield looked like it had been shot."

There were four bullet holes in the windshield.

The victim called 9-1-1, and a state trooper was dispatched. State police investigated and concluded the shots came from a specific location. 

The investigation led to the arrest of Talbot.

Talbot was allegedly found in possession of a Savage Mark II .22 LR Rifle and an H+R 1871 Pardner Pump 20-gauge shotgun.

In 2014, while in Texas, Talbot allegedly set up a Facebook page where he tried to recruit followers for an insurgency.  He revealed plans to rob banks to fund the insurgency.  

He was convicted of attempted interference with commerce by robbery and solicitation to commit a crime of violence and was sentenced to Federal Prison in November 2015.

It's unclear on when he was released and when he returned to Batavia.

After learning of his release, Assembly Steve Hawley issued a statement pointing to the case as an example of lax bail reform laws for Talbot's release.

“Once again, we see the disastrous results of bail reform; this man was and is a clear and present danger to society, but unfortunately, due to big city liberals’ soft-on-crime attitude, he was able to walk free and can roam the streets again," Hawley said. "The fact that someone who once went to federal prison for terroristic activities and then fired a gun at cars is not able to be held in jail is asinine. If this isn’t someone who should not be allowed on our streets, then I don’t know who is. One thing is abundantly clear: bail reform must be repealed, and we must allow our judges to determine bail for dangerous individuals; if we don’t, incidents like this one will keep on occurring.”

His next scheduled court appearance is Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. in Batavia Town Court.

 Previously:

• Former Batavia resident in Texas accused of plotting an insurgency
• State Police investigating shots fired in mobile home park on Clinton Street Road
• Man accused of firing shots in Batavia mobile home park previously accused of terror plot in Texas

When Daniel Riggs was nine years old, he helped Joanne Olson dig up her gladiola bulbs just before winter cold set it so they could be replanted in the spring. 

That started the Elba resident's passion for flowers, particularly gladiolas.

"I guess the entrepreneurship in me was instilled at a young age," Riggs said. "I discovered at that time I could grow and raise Gladiolus and sell them at a market. At that time, I was also selling vegetables we planted on our land, and the gladiolas seemed to be a hit right off the bat, so I grew them and sold them at the market until I was 29."

Then he moved to California, working in Palm Springs as a real estate broker for 20 years.

"Throughout that 20 years, I missed the farm," Riggs said. "I missed gardening and being home in the summers."

A year ago, he returned to Elba and started a new business this year. Flours Market, a name he says hints at the idea that a bakery and flower shop might be a good pairing someday.

He planted 60,000 bulbs this spring and has been selling them from a flower stand on the family's property on Batavia Elba Townline Road, as well as other locations.

"It's kind of come full circle, and there are a lot of exciting plans that I have ahead," Riggs said.

Press Release:

Six Flags Darien Lake is now hiring for fall including Boo Fest and Fright Fest. 400 new team members are needed for 2024 fall season including:

• Scare Actors/Ghouls
• Makeup Artists
• Greeters/Ambassadors 
• Entertainment Technicians
• Ride Operators
• Admissions
• And more

Open auditions and interviews take place Tuesday and Thursdays now through September 19, from 3 - 7 p.m. at the Six Flags Darien Lake Human Resources building. Interested applicants should bring their Social Security Card and a current Photo ID with proof of age OR a school ID & Birth Certificate.

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply online by visiting SFDL JOBS. Team members can enjoy benefits like in-park discounts, rewards and recognitions, exclusive team member events and more. For questions, call the Six Flags Darien Lake Human Resources office at 585 599 5108, Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

My earliest memories began at East School on Main Street, Batavia. It was kindergarten, and I only remember it had a wooden playhouse in the classroom.

We had rest time on the floor every day, and it was a half-day session. 

I began school at the new John Kennedy School on Vine Street in 1955 in first grade. I attended John Kennedy School until third grade. I still remember the song “This Is Our School, John Kennedy, the Colors Gold and Blue.”   John Kennedy’s new school was in our back yard, so we could walk through the field and get to school.  My youngest brother, John, remembered that route because he decided to walk home on his first day in kindergarten. I can’t imagine his teacher looking for him!

The following school I attended was St. Joseph’s Catholic School. I entered there in fourth grade. That was the year I met my best friend, Cathy. 

We all have so many memories of the nuns in the Catholic school. My memories are no different. The one thing I remember coming from a family of six was that it was hard to follow my brother Sam; we were nothing alike, and the nuns couldn’t wait to emphasize that. I remember my teacher telling me to stop talking; evidently, I didn’t, so she made me stand in the back of the room in a small corner. I was on the side of the school that faced a group of trees. I was fine. I watched a bird build a nest on one of the branches; it was much more interesting than what Sister Kathleen was teaching. When the principal entered the room, we all had to stand up and say good morning, Sister Mary Evangelist!

I also know that the year "Ben Casey" and "Dr. Kildare" were popular television shows.  Sister Mary Pius was not happy with me again.  I had a picture of Ben Casey taped to the inside of my desk. When I opened my desk, his picture was in my face. Unfortunately, Sister saw me looking at the picture and slammed my desktop down. My best friend liked  Dr. Kildare but was smart enough not to flaunt his picture. I can honestly say that there were times you feared the wrath of your teacher.

Does anyone remember what we were told about wearing patent leather shoes? 

One year, Sister Estelle asked me to come to the front of the room. She told the class to look at my uniform. I was wearing some of my lunch! It was a little embarrassing. I told my husband about this, and he burst out laughing because whenever we went out to eat, and I had spaghetti sauce, I would always come home wearing it.

Another thing I remember is that my youngest sister had a problem staying in her seat, so to help her remember, the nun tied her to her chair. I remember my father saying if you have a problem with my child, you have my permission to discipline them. He also stated that when we got home, he would discipline us. This time was different; he contacted her teacher and said not to tie his child to a chair. What if there was a fire? She was never tied to her chair again, but I can’t guarantee she did not continue to get out of her seat. 

You can’t forget the mission babies. The Sisters would ask us if we had any lunch money change we could donate to the missions. We could pick a name when we had earned enough money to help a mission baby. I was so excited the day they named the mission baby Anne. 

The next chapter of my education was at Notre Dame High School. Again, I was compared to my brother, an excellent student. I do know my conduct mark was always lower than his 99%. The day I wanted to see if I could fit into a locker in our locker room was funny. I could, but Sister Edward Ann, Dean of Students, stood there when the locker door opened. She did not think that was funny. 

You can’t forget the beautiful navy blue uniform, long-sleeved white blouse, and the bolero! They were so attractive, especially to someone who weighed barely 100 pounds. 

I went on to college and graduated in 1972 with a BS in Education. I was a teacher, and my first job was at Wolcott Street School in Le Roy. I loved my time there as a third grade teacher. I knew what kind of teacher I wanted to be. The most important thing I knew I would do was to create an atmosphere where children felt safe and respected, and I would provide them with an atmosphere for learning and always knowing they were loved. 

This is my disclaimer for my early years: I’m 74, so my memories might be fuzzy. 

Pembroke beat Newfane in Girls Volleyball on Thursday in three sets, 25-15, 25-17, 25-21.

Senior Reagan Schneider had 11 kills, nine aces and three digs. Juliana Cleveland dished out 16 assists and three aces. Taylor Bischoff had six kills and two aces, while  Journie Saddler added seven digs. 

For Newfane, Kimberly Schmitt served up three aces and two kills. Julia Leibring added two kills and one ace. 

Batavia City Schools, like other school districts in Genesee County, opened its doors on Thursday morning for the first time of the 2024-25 academic year.

At Batavia Middle School, Superintendent Jason Smith was on hand to welcome students back to classes.

"The opening of school is always a special day for our students, families and staff," Smith said. "There is always a high degree of excitement and optimism with the start of a new school year, and we love having our halls and classrooms filled with the sounds of children, be they three years old or 18 years old, and all ages in between.  Welcome back, Blue Devils!"

An accident involving an ambulance with a patient aboard has been reported at Route 98 and Batavia Elba Townline Road, Elba.

The ambulance is reportedly the vehicle that rolled over.

Elba Fire, Town of Batavia Fire, and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 3:08 p.m. by Joanne Beck: Mercy Flight is being dispatched and a landing zone is being set up.

UPDATE: Preliminary information available at the scene: The ambulance was northbound, and the sedan was eastbound.  No information yet on how the collision occurred. There were two people in the sedan (it had Canadian plates). One was transported to Strong by Mercy Flight. One was transported by ground ambulance. The driver and medic in the ambulance were treated at the scene (at the time, possible transport for one of them was pending).  The patient in the ambulance may not have sustained injuries and be transported by another ambulance to the patient's original destination.

Photos by Howard Owens

Press Release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors will consider an initial resolution for a project by 9 Lent Avenue, LLC in the village of Le Roy.

The estimated $3.8 million project would renovate an existing 32,500 square-foot structure at 9 Lent Avenue and create 4 new jobs.

9 Lent Avenue, LLC has requested assistance valued at $267,725 in property tax abatements and $77,600 in sales tax exemptions, with the project estimated to generate $3,382,738 in fiscal returns based on new employment and new municipal revenue.

The GCEDC Board also will consider final resolutions for two community solar farm projects in the town of Le Roy.

FFP NY Le Roy Project1, LLC and FFP NY Le Roy Project2, LLC represent a total $20 million investment and will generate up to 7 megawatts of power through the installation of ground-mounted solar panels.

The GCEDC board meeting will be Thursday, September 5 at 4 p.m. at the MedTech Center’s Innovation Zone, 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia.

Meeting materials and links to a live stream/on-demand recording of the meeting is available at www.gcedc.com.

Press Release:

“Come and celebrate the grand opening of The Recovery Station. Be among the first to experience our new kitchen and discover your favorite spot in town.”

With that clear invitation, Luke Granger, director of Recovery Services at UConnectCare (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse), is welcoming everyone to check out the agency’s drug- and alcohol-free social gathering place at 5256 Clinton St. Rd., Batavia.

The grand opening is scheduled from 5 - 9 p.m. on Sept. 20 and will feature two bands – Groove and Black Cherry Voodoo – along with free food and refreshments. Reservations are requested by calling 585-815-5248 but not required.

Granger said The Recovery Station has come a long way since UConnectCare purchased the former Bohn’s Restaurant and opened it up to people in recovery in the spring of 2020.

“When the program was launched it was exactly when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, so we’ve never experienced any kind of grand opening,” he said. “And when I came on board, we were on a shoestring budget and did the best we could with what we had to work with.”

Since then, Granger said the agency has received grants and money from the opioid settlement “that has allowed us to do a number of different things, including renovating the kitchen and making some other capital purchases.”

He said he and his staff are pleased to be able to offer a variety of activities and to provide light food and refreshments to those who utilize the completely remodeled facility.

“This grand opening is about opening our arms to the community and allowing them to come in and join us – not only supporting recovery but celebrating those people in recovery,” he said.

Melissa Vinyard, coordinator of The Recovery Station, echoed Granger’s comments while adding that she realizes that people in recovery have a hard time locating social environments that don’t include alcohol.

“As a person in recovery, I think one of the greatest barriers for people in recovery are finding places to go to learn how to have fun again, without the drinking and without the drugs,” she said. “At The Recovery Station, they can find that outlet and take part in all that we have to offer – making new friends, playing pool, watching TV or using our fitness equipment.”

Vinyard also mentioned that The Recovery Station has purchased the NFL’s YouTube Sunday package and will be streaming games on the several big screen televisions that have been purchased recently.

“We’re going to be open on Sundays, starting with the first Buffalo Bills game on Sept. 8, and every Sunday to the Super Bowl,” she said. “We’re going to serve some refreshments and pizza and pop and other snacks and just have a good time rooting for the Bills and your favorite team.”

Submitted photos.

Press Release:

Folk-pop duo Parris and Holly is thrilled to announce a four-night residency at Go Art!, located at 201 East Main Street in Batavia. The duo will host four Thursday night performances, starting on September 19 and continuing on September 26, October 17, and October 24. The performances will be free to the public.

Each evening will kick off with an hour-long set by a local artist from 7 - 8 p.m., followed by Parris and Holly from 8 - 9 p.m.

Featured Opening Acts: 

September 19: Howard B. Owens, publisher of The Batavian LLC

September 26: Alex Feig, area musician, songwriter, and former WBTA news producer

October 17: Billy Lambert, Le Roy resident and singer-songwriter, known for his work in the bands Woody Dodge, Lambertbilly, and the acoustic duo Damn the Flood

October 24: Chris Humel, artist and frontman of the punk band Cowboy Vampires 

Join us for these special evenings of music and community. No tickets are required, and all ages are welcome.

Press Release:

Holland Land Office Museum (HLOM), in honor of Constitution Week (September 17 to 23), has scheduled the museum’s monthly trivia game topic on the U.S. Constitution.  

The HLOM, with support from the Anna Ingalsbe Lovell Chapter NSDAR, is providing the 1st and 2nd place prizes. The chapter has again contributed information for the Robert Morris display which documents Genesee County's connection to the nation’s founding.

Constitution week began in 1956 at the request of the NSDAR to Congress and was enacted by President Eisenhower. September 17 is always the opening day of Constitution week’s celebrations.

For more information on joining the NSDAR or Constitution Week please go to www.dar.org.

Trivia is set for September 12 at 7 p.m., light refreshments will be served. There is a $5 admission fee that covers the Trivia game.

Press Release:

The Batavia Business Improvement District is hosting its annual Scarecrow Contest for downtown Batavia as a creative way to add some more fall flavor to downtown decorating. 

The BID invites any business, group or organization to enter the contest. For $20, each business will be provided basic supplies of straw, a post and zip ties, along with their pole assignment. 

Each business can get creative in creating their scarecrow. All voting for favorite scarecrow ends Sunday, October 27. Winners will be announced on Halloween!

Supply pick up will be in Jackson Square on Tuesday, September 17 through Thursday, September 19 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise arranged.

Payment is due before or upon pick up. All
Scarecrows need to be up no later than October 4, and must be taken down by November 2.

The winner will receive a cash prize!

For more information on BID and Downtown events, please email
director@downtownbataviany.com, visit our Facebook Page or our Website at bataviabid.com.

7487 Fisher Road Oakfield, NY 14125. Country hidden gem! One owner custom built home that was lovingly up-kept throughout the years and it shows! This ranch home has so much possibility for the new owners but can be immediately moved into as it is immaculate and freshly painted thruout and the hardwood floors shine! From walking into large breezeway entrance with parquet floors to the bright and homey large kitchen with plenty of cupboards and counter space you will be impressed with all the room thru out! The bedrooms are large with hardwood floors and closets and the oversized livingroom will make you just want to stay and relax! There are beautiful windows with gorgeous views and very pretty glass French doors to add to the charm. Downstairs adds an **ADDITIONAL almost 600 sq ft!** Clean and brite with cozy gas fireplace and walk out entrance to amazing back yard that boasts an **extra tax ID included with sale that adds an additional 7.4 acres and TWO barns!!**Taxes and assessment reflect both parcels Additionally there is central vac a tear off roof(2014) and charming Eternal Gas lite outside!! Come take a walk and enjoy all of this and more!! Delayed negotiations until Sunday 9/8 at 5:00 Call Reliant Real Estate today, call 585-344-HOME (4663).

Tucked into rural Genesee County is a little-known greenhouse filled with automated technology. It’s overseeing a sweet crop of strawberries that just might turn agriculture on its head.

At least that’s what founder and CEO Gilwoo Lee is banking on with Zordi, her autonomous greenhouses with robots and artificial intelligence (AI) designed to make delicious, high-quality produce available anywhere in the world. Her company has two locations: the most recently acquired farm in southern New Jersey and, through the connection of co-founder and head grower Casey Call, a greenhouse in Oakfield. 

Zordi has made the top 20 list for the annual Grow-NY, a business competition focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage, and agriculture innovation cluster in upstate New York. Winning companies will be required to make a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region, which includes 22 counties located in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier regions.

Lee isn’t quite certain what the pitch will be to snag the winning spot in the contest, but she knows her end goal.

“So basically what we need to prove out, is the largest market in the U.S. gonna love us?” she said. A native of South Korea, Lee has a unique vantage point of that area’s use of controlled environments.

 "I applied to Carnegie University's Robotics Institute. That's like the number one when it comes to robots. So I started studying there, and then, long story short, I graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a Ph.D in AI and robotics. I really wanted to take that to where it felt personally, very meaningful and passionate about climate change sustainability and where there's labor shortage, and that led me to control the environment in agriculture like greenhouses and indoor farming in general,” she said. “One thing just historically is interesting about Korea, and that's kind of why I was a little bit more familiar, is that they do a lot of greenhouses, mainly because they get a lot more scarcity, like land, and not all the weather is as great as California. So I was just studying that and started my company.”

An AI roboticist and product of MIT, University of Washington and Carnegie Mellon University, Lee wants to build robotic greenhouses anywhere, and perhaps even more importantly, “deliver the best food.”

Before she could proceed, though, she needed to get the best farmer/grower for her initiative. After securing a venture capital company, she was able to meet with some 30 different head growers across the country.

She ended up meeting this one guy “doing a lot of greenhouses and vertical farm, indoor farm stuff. Turns out I really, really liked what the person that stood out the most, like way above everybody else in terms of the mission and expertise and knowledge, was working at a company called Plenty, which is in the Bay Area. It is the largest vertical farm, completely indoors, without sunlight,” Lee said. “And he was in charge of the production, and he was ready to basically, and it's super expensive, by the way, to do those things, so he was a little bit really looking for a more affordable, effective solution. And so I asked him to join the company ... So he was my first employee/co-founder.”

His name is Casey Call, son of Peter, president of My-T Acres in Batavia. Lee learned that Casey is a sixth-generation farmer, and she was drawn to Western New York. The co-founders ended up leasing a greenhouse that Pudgie Riner was retiring with Triple P Farms, she said. 

"We were building a new greenhouse as a complete startup; it takes a lot of expertise, and we're like, how do we get this right? You don't have that much time. You kind of have time and money to kind of balance out, and Pudgie at Triple P was really kind to offer a greenhouse that was ready to retire. So we took that, and we are leasing it," she said. "We completely retrofitted it, put a lot of infrastructure to make it essentially, you can flip the season inside of the greenhouse. So that's how we started growing these very new, exciting varieties of strawberries that are really sweet varieties. 

"And we've been very small, and that's why I've been very stealth, not necessarily stealth, it was just a really small growing them, running a robot," she said. "And as a startup, you do actually have to kind of prove it and put your best effort in one location.” 

The crop has been small in volume and Zordi has sold to two stores in Manhattan, and is selling to a Wegmans in New York City, in addition to using family members as guinea pigs to taste test the sweet product, so no one locally will have seen it or been able to purchase these berries yet, she said. 

Bottom line: venture capital investors are looking to confirm that Lee and Call know what they are are doing and can do it well before moving on to the next stage. 

So what’s the next stage?

“We opened a second farm in South New Jersey as part of that kind of one step ahead for kind of proving our points," Lee said. "So we are running both of the farms. Both of them are still pretty tiny; we’re not actually scaling. It’s more like we’re proving these out across these two locations.”

The Oakfield greenhouse opened in September 2022, and Southern New Jersey a year later. They employ up to four full-time people and have three different types of robots on site: scout, which involves the robots moving throughout the greenhouse and capturing all of the growing data; harvest, to collect the plants; and spray the plants. The first two were built in-house, said Lee, an engineer who really likes robots, abstract things, math and computer science and loves it “when I can bring things to real life.”

She foresees using robotics in the greenhouse for other healthy fresh produce, such as cucumbers and tomatoes. As for the Grow-NY contest,  “we’re still trying to hash out the best project, but this particular site and what we’re bringing in is certainly very innovative and futuristic,” she said. 

“We have our own proprietary robots and AI kind of fully managing the greenhouses. We certainly have a lot of experts kind of coming in and really contributing. But really the ultimate goal is, can we make this farming easy enough for young growers to run these farms or young operators to run these farms and have really high yield and quality, that is what we’re tracking,” she said. “We do have, for example, monitoring robots that are running around the farm, literally capturing every single plant, every single day, and then the AI that’s making decisions, harvesting robots that are helping out all the harvesting labor, spraying robots.

"So a lot of these are automation to help the farms scale up. Those are the key things that we’re putting together and pushing demonstrating that it results in a much better quality product, enabling the better quality products to be delivered at a very affordable price," she said. "That, I think, is the ultimate goal of our business, and we’re starting that out. We have been proving that out in Western New York.”

Casey Call, who obtained his master’s in business administration from Boston University, was an agronomist for more than 15,000 acres at Grimmway, the largest carrot grower in the world, and head grower for Plenty, a leading vertical indoor farming system, floats between the two Zordi greenhouse sites in New York and New Jersey to manage them. 

A total of 312 startups applied from 50 countries, including Canada, the UK, and Italy for the Grow-NY competition. Domestic teams also showed strong interest, with 26 states represented in the applicant pool, including 89 entries from New York. Forty-four percent of applicants included a female founder, and 60 percent included a founder from a culturally diverse group.

A panel of 30 judges, reflecting a depth and breadth of regional economic development expertise, knowledge of the region’s agriculture and food production communities, and entrepreneurial experience, reviewed all the applications to determine the top 20 finalists that will pitch their business plans at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit in Ithaca in November. 

Grow-NY will award seven winners a total of $3 million in prize money. This includes a $1 million top prize, two $500,000 awards, and four $250,000 prizes.

Just two years ago, a local company, Craft Cannery of Bergen, won a $500,000 award for Paul Guglielmo's pitch. A tip for future applicant Lee, perhaps: he opted to play the soundtrack from the Broadway musical "Hamilton" to pump him up, and it really energized him, he said. 

“From farming to food production, New York is an innovative, world-class leader in agriculture. Year after year, the Grow-NY competition is instrumental to bringing new, high-growth businesses in the industry focused on critical areas to our state,” State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said. “This event has once again brought to light just how critical agriculture is to our communities and to our economy, and I congratulate these finalists on their innovation that will help bolster our food systems, feed our communities, and move our state forward.”

The last several months and leading right up to the final pitch have included mentorship opportunities, introductions to the region’s leaders and resources to connect applicants with potential partnerships and other strategic opportunities; site visits, business tours, industrial and economic development agency introductions, and pitch training.

The accelerator culminates with a live pitch at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit, scheduled for November 6 and 7 in Ithaca at the brand-new Downtown Ithaca Conference Center. 

The Summit will be held in two formats simultaneously, in-person and virtually, with finalists pitching their business ideas live in front of an audience and answering questions from a judging panel. The event also includes a food and agriculture symposium, ecosystem expo, and student pitches. The 2024 Grow-NY winners will be revealed in a live awards presentation at the conclusion of the Summit.