Photos by Laura Luft.

On Saturday, area veterans gathered at the WNY National Veterans Cemetery in Pembroke to remember those who have served their country and have passed.

This was the third consecutive year for the Memorial Day weekend event.

For details on Monday's Memorial Day events, click here.

The men from Genesee County who fought in the War of 1812, the Civil War, and the wars of the 20th Century are well represented in the Holland Land Office Museum.

The men who served the cause of freedom starting in 1776 are less well represented, and the HLOM, with the help of the Anna Ingalsbe Lovell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, hopes to provide visitors to the museum information on those men who fight for liberty and then helped settle Western New York.

On Saturday, DAR members presented Tyler Angora, HLOM curator, with a check for $700 -- a $500 grant from DAR and $200 from the local chapter -- to create a display honoring the patriots who settled present-day Genesee County and immediately contiguous towns.

"There are a lot of people buried here but why did they come here? What did they do to help found our county?" said DAR member Robin Ettinger. "This is what our project is about."

In the past, DAR members identified all the patriots who purchased property from the land office and those names are already listed in a book in the research room. There are also men who acquired land in the county before the Holland Land Office started selling plots. 

Western New York was not part of the colonies at the start of the Revolution.

The Senecas did not cede control of Western New York until the Treaty of the Big Tree in 1797. In the treaty, the Senecas agreed to establish residences on reservations in the territory and receive $100,000 (about $1.8 million today) for 3.75 million acres of land. 

The Holland Land Company participated in the negotiations after acquiring rights a portion of the territory from Robert Morris in 1792. 

Joseph Ellicott started surveying the land in 1798. Two years after Ellicott completed the survey, new settlers were able to buy plots of land in Genesee County (then, all of Western New York).

The project involved creating a slideshow of names and background information on the patriots to display on a flat-screen TV in the War Room.

"Right now, the only Revolutionary War piece that we have is the drum (acquired by a prior, now defunct DAR chapter)," Angora said. "We do talk about it on tours and stuff, but people don't actually get to see the men; they don't get to see their history. Ryan (Duffy, HLOM director) and I don't personally have the time to do that (put the display together). We're running the entire museum. We've wanted to expand this because the rest of the War Room has all the veterans listed except this part."

He said the TV will show a slide show of the men sharing their stories and showing their connections to this county and how they built this county, Angora said.

"We've researched them and we found a lot of men who purchased large plots, multiple plots in certain sections," Angora said. "Once the land office was here, they started flooding into this area to start farming because it was wilderness and it was a good opportunity for those patriots to come and build their lives here."

DAR members concentrate a lot on history and geology because in order to become a member, you must document that you have an ancestor who was either a patriot or supported a patriot at home.

Most of the patriots were farmers, but they were also mill owners, tavern owners, and shopkeepers.

"There's a lot of farmers and they just came out this way and had to have that tenacity to -- especially the women -- to say let's go out there and build log cabin. So the whole focus is what these guys did, who they were in the war, and they came out here and settled our area."

Press Release:

Last week, Abbi Leone and Judith Newton, both juniors at Batavia High School, as well as Attica High School ninth graders Sophia Biniaszewski and Trinnity Whatle, joined more than fifty youths and advocates from nine national organizations to protest Altria Group, Inc.’s 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. 

These advocates held a demonstration outside Altria’s Washington, D.C. office, while several youth activists had proxy tickets to directly address Altria’s executives and ask questions during the virtual shareholders’ meeting.

“I’m so proud of Abbi, Judith, Sophia, and Trinnity for fighting against the manipulative tactics the tobacco industry uses to target them,” said Brittany Bozzer, Youth Coordinator at Tobacco-Free Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming (TF-GOW). “Now that they have shared their voice in Washington, D.C., they plan to continue to address the challenges of tobacco use in their communities back home, as well as mobilize their peers to take action.” 

This year marks the ninth consecutive year that Mobilize Against Tobacco Lies (MATL), a collaborative of youth programs and national partners, gathered to expose and fight back against the tobacco giant’s lies.

Reality Check youth from across New York State rallied with a coalition of tobacco control youth programs and national partners including Dover Youth to Youth of New Hampshire, Wisconsin FACT, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Traditional Tobacco Voices, American Indian Cancer Foundation, Corporate Accountability, Counter Tools, Center for Black Health and Equity and Truth Initiative.

Altria and its Philip Morris subsidiary sell the number one most popular cigarette brand among kids, Marlboro, and its John Middleton subsidiary sells one of the most popular cigar brands among kids, Black and Mild. Altria has a long history of targeting kids and other vulnerable groups with its products and invested in Juul at the height of the youth e-cigarette epidemic. 

Altria claims to be “moving beyond smoking,” but the truth is that they make most of their revenue from cigarettes and fight real efforts to reduce smoking – such as bans on menthol cigarettes.

Despite Altria and the tobacco industry’s efforts, the United States has made great progress in reducing youth smoking. However, the latest government survey shows that 2.8 million U.S middle and high school students still use tobacco products, including 2.13 million who use e-cigarettes.

Reality Check is a teen-led, adult-run program that seeks to prevent and decrease tobacco use among young people throughout New York State.  

For more information about Reality Check, visit realitycheckofny.org. 

Press Release:

Madisonation, an annual golf tournament dedicated to raising awareness and funds for children battling cancer, announces its 13th annual tournament on Saturday, August 10, at the LeRoy Country Club located at 7759 E. Main Rd, LeRoy.

Initiated by Kevin Muckle in 2011, Madisonation serves as a testament to the resilience and triumph over adversity, inspired by his daughter Madison Marie Muckle's battle with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia cancer. Madison, diagnosed just after her 3rd birthday in 2010, endured relentless treatments for 2 ½ years until her last chemotherapy session in April 2013. Now 16 years old and cancer-free, Madison seeks to extend a helping hand to others grappling with this relentless disease.

Madisonation, affectionately termed, embodies a community's collective effort in rallying behind those affected by childhood cancer. Over the past 12 years, the tournament has raised over $85,000 in donations, benefitting families and organizations dedicated to alleviating the burdens faced by cancer-stricken children. 

Beneficiaries have included prominent institutions such as Golisano Children's Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, Make A Wish Foundation, and Michael Napoleone Foundation, as well as numerous families confronting the harsh realities of pediatric cancer.

This year, Madisonation pledges its support to the family of Ellie Porter, a brave soul battling Hepatoblastoma, a form of liver cancer. Diagnosed at the tender age of 2 in October 2023, Ellie's journey has been arduous, with the cancer spreading to her lungs necessitating urgent treatment and a liver transplant. 

Madisonation aims to alleviate the financial strain on Ellie's family, led by her parents Jackie and Jeffrey, who have been tirelessly seeking treatment in Pittsburgh.

In a bid to raise funds, Madisonation appeals to the community for support through donations of signed memorabilia, tickets, items, or services for raffle during the tournament. Contributors will be duly acknowledged in the tournament brochure, website, and social media campaign.

For those interested in contributing or seeking further information, please contact Kevin Muckle at 585-300-7499. Donations can be mailed to Madisonation at 30 Lake St., LeRoy.

Madisonation stands as a beacon of hope, symbolizing solidarity in the fight against childhood cancer, underscoring the power of collective action in making a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected. Join us in our quest to turn adversity into triumph and support warriors like Madison and Ellie in their battle against cancer.

Press Release:

Kathy Zipkin, the president of the Friends of the Richmond Memorial Library, was honored with the Norm Sinclair Award on Thursday, May 23 at the NIOGA Library System’s Annual Meeting at Wurlitzer’s in North Tonawanda.

“Kathy is the current president of the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library and has served on that board for many years,” shares Samantha Stryker, Community and Adult Services Librarian at RML. “She is unwavering in her support of the library and is a dynamic and dedicated leader. She routinely goes out of her way to discover the best ways the Friends can enhance the services and programs the library provides.”

In addition to countless hours spent preparing donations for the monthly book sale, Kathy has served as a Friends representative on hiring committees and regularly organizes lovely events to honor volunteers at the library. She is always willing to step up when volunteers are needed at the library for various programs or projects. She frequently takes the time to attend library programs to show her support.

Press Release:

Four GLOW area seniors have been named recipients of Arc GLOW’s 2024 Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarship.

The $1,000 scholarship award winners — Katrelle Grover, Emma Millar, Claire Zehler, and Corina Dunn — are planning to pursue careers related to healthcare or working with people with disabilities.

Genesee County Winner:

Corina Dunn, a student at Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School hailing from Le Roy, plans to go to SUNY Geneseo for early childhood/special education.

“I have always wanted to be an early childhood teacher, but after working with other students who have disabilities through my high school career has made me realize I want to be dual certified in special education as well,” Dunn said. “I believe that the first years of a child’s life are the most important, and I want to ensure that children with disabilities are welcomed, accepted, and have the basic blocks to succeed in their futures.”

Dunn keeps busy inside and outside of school. Not only does she work as a cashier and customer service lead for Tops Friendly Markets, but she’s the vice president of her school’s National Honor Society and volunteers for the Le Roy Youth Soccer Association. 

Dunn is active in Le Roy’s music council, student council, marching band, jazz band, musical pit orchestra, math team, success, basketball, track, and Unified Bowling.

Other winners include:

• Katrelle Grover, a Warsaw Central School senior from Silver Springs
• Emma Millar, a Caledonia-Mumford High School senior from Caledonia
• Claire Zehler, an Attica High School senior from North Java

Now in its 19th year, the Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarship is given out to area high school students planning to attend college to pursue a degree in human services, special education, or a field related to helping people with developmental disabilities.

It is in honor of Mary Anne Graney, a special education teacher who died in 2004. The scholarship is funded by the Friends & Family 5K, scheduled this year for Sept. 16 in Elba. In all, 63 scholarships, including this year, have been awarded since 2006 to local high school students. 

Anyone who has met Vito Gautieri may find it hard to believe that the distinguished Batavia businessman once chased a union rep off a job with a piece of timber, but he swears it’s true.

That was during his first big job — a commercial page-turner in the record books for VJ Gautieri Constructors to build Elba Fire Hall and municipal offices. 

“I was in the trenches with the boys pouring concrete, and he tried to get my boys to join the union,” Gautieri said during an interview with The Batavian. “I shooed him off-site with a two-by-four. He left. He was trying all the time. And then there was a masons union guy, his name was Jesse James. He came to the job and asked, ‘Can I buy you a beer when you’re done working?’ I said of course. He told me ‘I’m going to let you finish this job, I’m not going to picket or anything. You’re young and very ambitious. I think you’re going to go places.’”

And he was right. Since Gautieri’s modest beginnings in 1954—working out of an office over his family’s garage on Liberty Street—he has continued to gain the trust of clients in his home territory of Genesee County with projects including City View Residences in downtown Batavia and to the west and east, just completing a $10 million, 188-unit apartment complex in Baldwinsville outside of Syracuse. 

See Also: Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation names 2024 scholarship winners for June 4 event

Of course, the way Gautieri tells it, there were a few different twists and turns his life could have taken had it not been for someone sort of guiding his path. Back when he was in the U.S. Army, freshly graduated from engineering school at Fort Belvoir, his paperwork had him going straight to the Korean War. When his mother found out, she raised a little fuss and informed the head honchos that he couldn’t go to war because she had already lost a boy, Vito’s brother Mike, to World War II. 

It was determined that Vito couldn’t be sent to a battle zone, so he was stationed in Frankfort, Germany, for two years with the 142nd Signal Company. He wound up as a driver for Col. Hewitt, who took him to various maneuvers. Gautieri was discharged in 1954 and headed home. 

Gautieri was preparing to attend college while contemplating a career with the FBI, and you either had to be a lawyer, which took six years, or an accountant, which took four, he said, so “I picked that.” But fate intervened, and Uncle Dominic brought him along to a job building a house for Lou DelPlato. 

Gautieri worked with two or three carpenters from the Viele Company there, and “I loved it,” he said, admitting to being instantly attracted to the contracting work. He switched gears immediately.

“And then I came home and told my mother, she had a fit,” he said. “I said I was gonna go into construction, and that’s what I did.”  

Before any ink was dry on the Elba deal, there were some council members not so certain that Gautieri had the chops for the job — he was young and inexperienced. Although he was the low bidder for the job, there was the next bidder up working hard to persuade the members to reconsider giving it to this Batavia guy.

The Elba mayor at the time, Anthony Garnish, went to Gautieri’s family home, and his mother brought him up to the garage office to show her son’s professionalism and how he treated the business. Perhaps it was fortunate that Gautieri wasn’t home at the time.

“She said ‘he knows what he’s doing,’ Gautieri said. “She took the mayor up the ladder to the second floor of our garage, that’s where I had my office and did all my estimating and stuff like that. So she took him up there, and she must have been very convincing because Mayor Garnish went back to the board …  and he convinced them to give me a job. And that was my first commercial construction job.”

The mayor went back to those board members and confronted some of them about their own meager beginnings, reminding them that “didn’t you start out” with little experience? He got the job for what he recalled was for six figures, which was quite a nice contract back then. He ended up also getting the fire station demo while he was at it.

His later encounters with union reps were another hurdle he eventually realized he wouldn’t win. “You had to be union,” he said, even with another relentless mason rep named Jesse James. They ended up becoming friends, and Gautieri’s company remained unionized until the late 1980s, he said. 

“Now we’re an open shop company, we could go union or open shop,” he said. 

VJ Gautieri Constructors was part of Urban Renewal, like it or not, because even though a hapless part of Batavia’s history that phase of knock-down America was a lucrative step for local contractors. Gautieri got jobs for Salway, a few banks, Alexander’s clothing store — “we knocked down half of the buildings in Batavia” — and built other projects along the way. 

The former Montgomery Ward, site of the current Save-A-Lot and City View Residences, was originally on a 20-year lease, and got out of that in eight years, leaving the building to just sit there. So Gautieri traveled back and forth from Batavia to Pittsburgh and Chicago putting together a deal, and he and other developers purchased the building. Since then, there have been four supermarkets that ended up bailing on Gautieri as landlord, and Save-A-Lot has remained a constant for the last several years. 

Gautieri’s vision to renovate the upper floor for apartments came to fruition a year ago. Ten upscale units accessible by an elevator are fully rented and have a waiting list. Other surrounding office space is also occupied by nonprofits and businesses. 

He remembers one of the more difficult land acquisitions, around 1980, when a City Council with members including Florence Gioia and Benny Potrzebowski were not in favor of him purchasing the land at Washington Avenue and State Street. It was a five-year tussle that ended when Potrzebowski came back to ask Gautieri to pursue the project.

“He kneels down in front of my desk and says, Vito, I got the votes, come on,” Gautieri said. “So we went here and everything was fine, we got the plans approved. This one guy who was against the project didn’t like the way we laid out the site. I said sir, are you an architect? He says no. I said, ‘I paid $150,000 in architect’s fees, and they’ve located the building the best way for the building. He was the one who voted no, but then I got seven out of nine votes. Then we started the project after five years.” 

At the time, Ronald Reagan was an incoming president and was said to be against affordable housing, so the timing was fortuitous for Gautieri to establish his HUD-subsidized senior housing Washington Towers complex. He had a bulldozer quickly move onto the property “and push some dirt around, and we took some pictures, and we started building” just in case there were government changes coming.

Beyond the financial assistance it would give to local senior citizens, the materials used were of prestressed concrete, which “made me feel happy,” he said because if there was ever a fire, it would be a rugged warrior against flames to protect those residents. In fact, there have been a couple of fires there, but they’ve been isolated to a room without spreading, he said. 

“When we were getting approval of the plans from Buffalo, they wanted me to do it like 400 Towers, just plain concrete on the outside. I said ‘no way.’ So I finally convinced them that it would be better in the long run for brick, and they approved it.”

They began the project in 1979, completed it in 1980 and filled the 130 units in about four or five months. Tenants pay 25% of their income with the government subsidizing the remainder.

“Affordable housing. I think we still need some more of that,” he said.

He tried to calculate quickly how many projects the company had completed in the city alone, surpassing more than a dozen.

“We have done at least 10 to 15 buildings in Batavia. We remodeled the county building, we had to scaffold it, and we did new roofs, windows, remodeled it,” he said. “We did not do the mall, when they gave the presentation, we took on Kings Plaza, we built and rented it.”

Not every transaction as smooth sailing, especially when it came to doing business with New York State, he said. Late or nonpayments have meant taking the state to court. By contrast, he eagerly worked with “Mr. Carr,” of C.L. Carr’s department store fame, who was as meticulous as he was dependable. There was an electrical engineer on the job with Gautieri’s men, and Carr’s brother was an architect in New York City. The contract was signed on a Sunday as a “cost-plus job,” which was low risk for the contractor, Gautieri said. 

“You get better workmanship,” he said. “He was so meticulous, he wanted a second floor all moved back an inch and a half. My guy Charlie came and told me, and I said, do what he says, you do what the owner wants. He was a wonderful man, Mr. Carr. I’d give him the bill today, and he’d give me the check tomorrow. You don’t get that today. Things change, and change is good.”

Gautieri put in a bid for the Carr’s Reborn project but was not the lowest bidder and didn’t get the job. He does hope that “the Carr’s building is very successful,” he said. 

Early on, the Gautieri company had its own workers, and time and experience have taught him that “when we see a company that can do a job safer and quicker, we sublet it out,” he said. For example, that job in Baldwinsville had subcontractors for carpentry, masonry, roofing, parking lots and blacktop.  

Gautieri founded the first of many Gautieri companies in 1954. General construction was the organization's primary focus for the first decade. In the early 1960s, Gautieri diversified the organization and became involved with commercial real estate development while continuing the traditional contracting portion of the business.

Today the organization offers general contracting, construction management, design/build, property management and real estate brokerage services throughout the Western New York area. 

The organization's day-to-day management is handled by a staff that includes his two sons, Victor and Vito Jr., and daughter Valerie. Preparing to celebrate his 93rd birthday in July, Vito participates in regular business meetings but doesn’t go to job sites anymore. 

Honored recently as the longest-serving member of the Alexander Volunteer Fire Department (he joined in 1960), Gautieri is also one of the remaining founders of the Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation, which honors the Italian heritage of many locals. There is a Vito J. Gautieri scholarship given out in his honor during the annual scholarship awards dinner, which is on June 4.

While he appreciates the women on the board who contribute and do good work, Gautieri would like to see more men serving on the board as well. 

“I’m not happy with that, and I’m going to do something to help move that along,” he said.

Vito has been married to Marjorie (Marge) since 1979. His previous wife, Connie, died in 1977. He has two stepsons from Connie's previous marriage, Anthony Pullinzi Jr. and Michael Pullinzi. The Gautieri children are Victor (Julie) Gautieri, who has assumed the role of president at the company, Valerie (Bobby) Tidwell, Vinessa (Merle) Schreckengost and Vito Gautieri, Jr.

Press Release:

The Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation 40th Scholarship Awards Dinner will be held on Tuesday, June 4 at 6 p.m. The Foundation is excited to be able to celebrate their heritage together. It promises to be a wonderful evening of friendship, pride and of course, delicious Italian food being hosted at Batavia Downs. Tickets are $35.00 and may be purchased from Board members and Ben’s Appliance, East Main St. Rd. Batavia. The Foundation will also have tickets available to purchase for our Spring 50/50 Raffle which helps supports our Senior Scholarships. 

The Foundation is pleased to dedicate the evening to one of our Foundation’s Founders, Vito Gautieri. Together, with the first board of directors worked diligently to create the Batavia chapter of the Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation. Through many fundraisers the Paolo Busti Park alongside the Holland Land Office Museum was created. A monument engraved with the founding founders can be visited.

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See also: Batavia businessman shares humble beginnings, dedication to local roots

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Andrew David Strollo

Andrew Strollo is a student at Le Roy High School and is the son of Jeff and Jessica Strollo. He will graduate this spring Summa Cumm Laude. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Deca, Knight Media, and the Scholastic Bowl. 

Andrew will be majoring in finance at the University of Rochester and will be playing football for the Yellow Jackets. Playing football at the collegiate level has been a dream since childhood.

Andrew participated in football, indoor track, outdoor track, and baseball. He has volunteered as a Pier Counselor and aided students in learning the skills of bowling and basketball. He has volunteered in the community kitchen, youth football, Little League Knights Closet, and Genesee County Fair as well.

Andrew received the Citizen Award for assisting students with Special Needs, Earth Science, Above and Beyond, Knowledgeable Knight Award, and Mock Trail.

"Growing up in an Italian household comes with faith," Andrew stated. 

A bible verse he lives by is Proverbs Chapter 16 Verse 3 – “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plan.” 

Andrew believes the values he has acquired in his 17 years will continue to guide him through College and adulthood. This will be the driving force in all that he does when raising a family, to keep memories and this beautiful Italian culture present and thriving.

Julia Clark

Julia Clark is a graduating Senior at Batavia Senior High School and is the daughter of Paul and Patricia Clark. She plans to attend Mercyhurst University, with a double major in Business and Intelligence studies. Julia will also be playing softball for Mercyhurst.

A member of the National Honor Society, student government, National Art Honor Society, Key Club, Lend Crew, Genesee Youth Lead, and a hostess in the Mr. Batavia Challenge.

Julia has been awarded the Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas Award from the University of Rochester. She has also received Scholastic Scholarship Awards for all four years of High School, Athletic Awards in softball, basketball, flag football, travel baseball, and the Chic-fil-a Player of the Week for Flag football. 

Community service is a big part of Julia’s life. She serves at the Soup Kitchen at Ascension Parish, Youth softball camp, the concession stand for football, and Genesee Youth Lead.

Julia states, "Growing up Italian American, one often acquires a rich tapestry of values that are deeply woven into the cultural fabric!" 

She believes the family serves as the cornerstone of life. She expresses that the Italian American work ethics are often coupled with a zest for life embodies the Italian concept of “La Dolce Vita.”

In 1955, a new Catholic church opened on Liberty Street and Central Avenue in Batavia. One local woman remembers her Italian grandmother as a young girl of 5 and how excited she was about the new church—but also how very upset she grew as her granddaughters talked during the Mass.

Today, the woman can recall how she was removed from the pew and taken to a room for noisy children. Later on, this young girl grew up, joined St. Anthony’s Parish, had her children baptized and confirmed at the church, and continued attending weekly Mass on Liberty Street.

One Saturday in 2011, as she was sitting in her favorite pew, she looked around at the beautiful architecture of St. Anthony’s Church, imagining all of the milestones in this church. The church was decorated for Christmas, and the altar was surrounded by poinsettias with the added touch of little white lights. It is hard to believe that this church, like many other churches of various denominations, was facing the same fate of having to close its doors.

Sacred Heart and St. Anthony’s Church were consolidated in 2007 to form Ascension Parish, but the two churches were also referred to by their respective names. The merger combined the church bodies, finances, and administration under one roof, a linkage that united the churches with a shared priest. Masses were held at both churches, which were then called Ascension Parish east and west.

On Dec. 31, 2012, the doors of this 104-year-old Catholic Church were closed. Ascension Parish/St. Anthony’s Parish would no longer exist. Liberty Street and Central Avenue corner and side streets are no longer filled with cars for Saturday and Sunday worship.

Many people will look back and remember the day the first Mass was held in the new church, the day they entered St. Anthony’s School in their brown uniform, or when their family celebrated a marriage in the church and their wedding reception in the Community Center/school. Many beautiful memories are connected with all three areas.

St. Anthony’s story began in 1908 when 150 families of Italian descent lived in Batavia, most of them on Ellicott, Thorp, and Hutchins streets. This was the result of a significant influx of immigrants to this area, and it became necessary to build a place of worship. Bishop Colton of Buffalo appointed Rev. Hyacinth Ciabbatoni to go to Batavia and organize a chapel church for the Italians. 

The first Mass was celebrated in Teresi’s Hall on Ellicott Street in 1908. Shortly after that, Rev. Ciabbatoni bought the Sheer Property on Ellicott Street and Liberty Street. He had the house on the property rebuilt to serve as a church. The lot was purchased for $5,800. There was a 50/50 chance the new church’s name could be called St. Michael’s. The two names were put into a hat, and St. Anthony’s name was chosen; hence, St. Anthony’s Church was born. 

The average monthly collection was around $58. A year later, Rev. Joseph Laguzzi was transferred to Batavia. He bought additional property on Central Avenue to enlarge the church. Services were held on the first floor, and a school was set up above, organized by Two Sisters of Mercy. Now that a new church was established, a new school was recommended. 

In 1911, a small four-classroom school was built, but by 1913 it was closed. In 1916, St. Anthony’s had a new pastor, Rev. Victor Fassetta. He opened the school and had plans for a new church. The original small church caught fire in 1917. Rev. Victor Fasetta served as pastor until he died in 1918. He was replaced by Father William Kirby, St. Anthony’s fourth pastor. Father Kirby had two missions: one was for a new school, and the other for a new church. 

In 1920, Father Kirby had a temporary building erected on the corner of Central and Liberty, and the building previously owned by the church was taken down. The parishioners were so excited about the church that they gathered enough money for a bell for the steeple, and had to store it until the new church was built. Father Kirby started a drive for funds to replace the makeshift quarters occupied by the church and school.

In 1929, a drive for a new school was established. At the cost of $100,000, the school would also be a community center for athletic and social events. Frank Homelius prepared the plans, and Andrew Schneckenburger was the building contractor.

Father Kirby’s second objective was a new church. From 1919 to 1920 he had a temporary building erected on the corner of Central and Liberty as the building that was then in use was torn down. He had the foundation built on the site of the former building. The new structure was generous in size but not very attractive from the street. This basement was furnished as a church and served as one until December 1954.

In 1953, Father Kirby again asked for funds to build a new church and set the goal of $100,000. Before the month was over, he had $112,000. Plans were drawn, and Carl Espersen of Batavia was given the contract to build them. Leo R. Smith laid the cornerstone in April 1954.

Father Kirby had promised parish members they would celebrate Christmas Mass the following year. On Dec. 20, 1955, Father Kirby served Mass from the new altar. The new church could seat 700 worshippers. The church’s décor combined modern and traditional architecture with a simple classical front and bell tower. The main body had wainscoting. Carrara marble was used in the interior of the sanctuary. There was a hand-carved crucifix with a decorative window depicting St. Anthony of Padua. The altar was also made out of Carrara marble. On the two sides of the altar were niches for the statues of the various patron saints.

Father William Kirby served 47 years in Batavia. In November 1964, he rose to the title of Monsignor and became one of the community’s most honored and beloved men. When Monsignor Kirby became ill, Father Paschal Aquavia was named administrator. In 1964, a new rectory and offices were built.

St. Anthony’s, like all Catholic churches, had many societies within the church: The Holy Name Society, Altar and Rosary Society, St. Nicholas di Bari Society, St. Michael the Archangel Society, Our Lady of Loretto Society, St. Joseph’s Table Committee and Msgr. Kirby’s Knights of Columbus. 

From 1966 to 1983, significant projects were undertaken to revamp the heating system and the parking facilities. After many discussions, the Ascension Parish Council recommended to Bishop Richard Malone of the Diocese of Buffalo that St. Anthony’s no longer be utilized. The decision took effect in January 2013. The council cited financial difficulties in the decision. Kevin Keenan, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Buffalo, said that several factors contributed to economic problems for local Catholic churches, such as fewer priests, fewer baptisms, and a declining population. Keenan said the decision would benefit the parish’s mission.

“What they do is, they put parishes in a position where they can put more of their resources into ministry and not so much into the maintenance of buildings that may be underutilized,” Keenan said.

If Bishop Malone approved the recommendation, all Ascension activities would be moved to Sacred Heart. On Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, the recommendation was accepted at Mass in St. Anthony’s Church. 

After a Mass by the Bishop of Buffalo on Jan. 13, and with much sadness, St. Anthony’s Church doors were closed for good. All that is left are the memories the faithful parishioners carry in their hearts about their church, St. Anthony’s.

Submitted Photos of St. Anthony's Church.

Press Release:

It is thanks to a $18,360 grant from NYSARC Trust Services that Arc GLOW can continue to offer recreational activities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

This grant, which Arc GLOW receives very year, helps pay for the various recreational activities it offers to the individuals it serves throughout the year: movies, bowling, concerts, amusement parks, sporting events, crafts supplies, games, and outdoor equipment. 

“The Arc GLOW Community Services department is most grateful for the 2024 NYSARC Trust Recreation Grant. These monies allow numerous individuals we support the opportunity to participate in multiple recreational activities and events in their own communities and surrounding areas,” said Vice President of Self Direction and Community Services Jill Pegelow. 

“Without these grant monies, many individuals would not get the opportunity to enjoy some of these experiences, as often they are on fixed incomes and do not have the extra funds to participate. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to engage with their peers and experience inclusion in the community.”

Since 1972, NYSARC Trust Services administers supplemental needs trusts (SNT) and pooled trusts that can make dramatic improvements to the lives of people with disabilities by enabling individuals to maintain financial eligibility for Medicaid and other means-tested government benefit programs. 

Arc GLOW is a parent- and family-driven organization that empowers and supports people of all ages with a broad spectrum of emotional, intellectual and developmental disabilities. For more information, visit ArcGLOW.org or call (585) 343-1123.

In a town hall meeting at the American Legion Botts-Fiorito Post #576 in Le Roy on Thursday, Sen. George Borrello drew a clear distinction between upstate interests, represented chiefly by Republicans, and downstate interests, represented mainly by progressive Democrats.

"These are not the Kennedy Democrats," Borrello said during an opening statement. "These are not like my father and my grandfather, who were Democrats because that was the party of the working class, right? This is no longer the party of the working class. These are folks who truly believe that we should be pushing toward socialism. And that's no joke. We have committed socialists in our New York State Legislature, people who are endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, the DSA. We have people who truly believe that, quite frankly, none of us are smart enough or enlightened enough to understand what's good for the greater good."

He covered a range of topics in the evening, from the push to ban natural gas, crime, the shortage of healthcare workers, Thruway revenue and MTA revenue, the safety of elections, climate change and solar farms.

The first question to Borrello was about assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.  Borrello said he is against it because it represents a slippery slope toward a lack of respect for the sanctity of life.

The natural gas ban and climate change are examples, Borrello said, of radicals pushing an agenda that is unrealistic. He thinks the push for solar panels across the state isn't about climate change but about profits.

"They've become so desperate to try to virtue signal that we're going to cure climate change here in New York State that they've created so many lucrative incentives that have resulted in a glut of projects and an inability for those projects to really be fed into the system," Borrello said. 

The revenue from these projects is the result of public support, he said.

"Unfortunately, the only profit comes from taxpayer subsidies," Borrello said. "If there weren't state and federal taxpayer subsidies of renewable energy, there would never be another industrial wind or solar installation ever built anywhere in the country, period."

While he disagreed with renewable energy subsidies, he expressed support for the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

"I believe those incentives are good when you're doing something like some of the great projects that have come to Genesee County under the great economic development organization you have here," Borrello said. "You want to give incentives to ensure that we get some some great new jobs and economic activity that's great, but not for a solar installation."

Helen Hanes asked about the shortage of healthcare workers, and Borrello tied part of the problem to the $2.5 billion New York is reportedly spending on migrants in New York City (Borrello called them "illegal immigrants" but the migrants in NYC are mostly asylum seekers in the country legally), and Hanes pushed back on that assertion. 

Borrello made two points that he thinks directly tie into fewer healthcare workers -- nurses who lost their jobs because of their refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and the fact they haven't been hired back, and the need for more young people to be encouraged to seek out the medical field as a career option.  He also suggested that poorly regulated Medicaid spending creates greater expense and burden on hospitals.

"One of the biggest challenges that (hospitals) face is that people on Medicaid using the emergency room as if it's the primary care physician for non-emergency situations," Borrello said. "Talk to any health care professional, they will tell you that that's the problem."

In response to a question, he said there is a longstanding problem -- not just with the current administration -- of governors taking money from the profitable Thruway Authority and giving it to the money-losing Transit Authority in NYC.  He said one of the problems with the MTA is the city's unwillingness to deal with toll avoiders.

As for elections, Borrello said voters said citizens should have confidence in New York's elections and that there is very little fraud, certainly not enough to sway a presidential or statewide election, but there are areas of concern, such as "ballot harvesting," which he said allows third parties to pick up completed ballots from residents and deliver them to election commissioners. He's also concerned about a Democratic push to make voter registration automatic when people get a new driver's license, which has no check on citizenship.

On crime, he said progressive reforms are creating more crime, and it's hurting most of the people they say they most want to help -- marginalized populations in urban communities.

"It's unfortunate that the people that they say that they want to help the most, you know, the people that are low income, people that are who are members of minority communities, the people they claim to have in mind whenever they make these ridiculous laws and regulations, they are actually the ones that are probably hurt the most by spiraling crime," Borrello said.

An agenda of smaller government and greater freedom is what most New Yorkers want, Borrello said.

"New York needs to be safer, more affordable, and ultimately a better place to live because we need less government, not more government," Borrello said. "That's the fundamental difference between the way I think, and I think most of you think, and what my colleagues downstate think. They think the government is the answer for everything."

Anyone catch the full moon Friday evening?  Here is an image by photographer Steve Ognibene in case you missed it.

Press Release:

The Reverend Canon Cathy Dempesy-Sims is ready to welcome the community on Memorial Day. St. James Church will be hosting Hot Dogs on the Lawn during the Memorial Day parade this coming Monday. 

Stop by the front lawn of the church at 405 East Main Street, Batavia, and enjoy a hot dog, a bottle of water, and a bag of chips while you enjoy the parade. 

This is offered free of charge courtesy of The Reverend Canon Cathy Dempesy-Sims, St. James Episcopal Church, and H.E. Turner & Co., Inc.

Press Release:

Genesee County law enforcement agencies, including the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the Village of LeRoy Police Department will be participating in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign will start Friday, May 24 and will continue through Monday, May 27. Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest travel holidays and marks the official start of summer. New York State Police, County Sheriffs, municipal law enforcement agencies, and local STOP-DWI programs will be collaborating in force across the state in an effort to reduce the number of impaired driving-related injuries and deaths. 

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have made great strides in reducing the numbers of alcohol and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers.

You can make a difference by having a sober plan to get a safe ride because impaired driving is completely preventable – all it takes is a little planning. Visit www.stopdwi.org for more information.

Contrary to what city and county leaders said they would have wanted for the type of housing complex in the heart of downtown Batavia, Ellicott Station’s low to very low-income levels are warranted according to the latest housing needs study, says Chris Lankenau of Urban Partners.

While Lankenau did not specifically mention the south side apartment complex, he said, in response to questions from The Batavian, that “it appears there is a need for all of those housing types,” which would include the Ellicott Station project, which has been gradually making construction progress throughout the winter and into spring. 

Lankenau and his partner Isaac Kwon presented their study this week as an updated version of the 2018 county housing study in which they took “a deeper dive”  into the current for-sale and rental housing markets than most studies, Lankenau said.

This current study used “real-time data that we acquire, while certain demographic and employment trends are gathered from typical sources such as the U.S. Census,” he said.

The city of Batavia, though short on home ownership — 53% compared to the town of Batavia at 88% — edged out the other municipalities in showing a slight uptick in housing growth, at .2%, versus the town’s 7% decrease, he said.

Who’s moving to Genesee County? There's a trade-off, with folks moving in and out of both Erie and Monroe counties, to the tune of more than 250 a year. There were 254 per year, or 21.6%, of all new households in 2021 came from Erie County and 247 from Monroe County, versus 218 that went to Erie County and 279 to Monroe County.

The latest data show that the median household income is $68,178, and housing is considered affordable when rent or mortgage plus utilities are no more than 30% of a household’s gross income, Lankenau said.

Just over 22% of residents were considered “cost-burdened,” with nearly half of them earning less than 80% of the annual median income. Ellicott Station was set up for occupants earning between 50 and 60% of the AMI for low-income households and less than 50% for very low-income households, and Section 8 housing vouchers are available.

Workforce housing, which is 80 to 120% of AMI, according to HUD definitions, is not included in the Ellicott Station project.

Not far from the Ellicott Street complex is the Carr’s Reborn site on Main and Jackson Streets. That will provide the opposite end of the scale with 10 market-rate apartments—which also falls within the needed housing types, Lankenau said. The landlord sets the market rate, and it is not dependent on any type of income level, as a low-income housing unit would be. 

“We do think the city is on the right track in this regard. In fact, the city is the only submarket in the study that is increasing both its for-sale and rental housing stock,” he said. “Continuing this trend of expanding housing opportunities that focus on Batavia – the county’s center of commerce and transportation – is a good policy for growth. 

“In addition to new construction, we think it will also be important to support the rehabilitation of the county's existing older housing stock, especially in Batavia, to accommodate more homeowners and renters,” he said.

The city has announced programs to supplement qualifying homeowners and developers with grant money for projects that meet guidelines for particular housing types and for improvements to boost the value of one’s property and overall neighborhood.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday that Batavia was one of 61 local governments that have already been certified for the state's Pro-Housing Communities Program, launched last year as part of a package of Executive Actions to increase the housing supply.

As part of the 2025 Enacted Budget, the governor secured an agreement to require Pro-Housing Community certification for up to $650 million in state discretionary funding.

“Across our state, local leaders are joining our Pro-Housing Communities program to take a stand against New York’s housing crisis and commit to building the homes New Yorkers deserve,” Hochul said in a press release. “My administration is ready to work with any community that shares our determination to build safe, stable, and affordable housing, and I encourage even more local leaders to launch their applications, get certified, and help us achieve our housing potential in every part of the state.”

So it certainly seems that pursuit of new housing is the trend moving forward. Along with that, Urban Partners will be determining more detailed housing needs as part of the next steps of the study. The Batavian asked if and when other elements will be part of the bigger picture, such as zoning, utilities, and availability of land for building.

“We will conduct an assessment of existing and future demand for housing in Genesee County for the next 20 years based on long-term projected growth for the county, detailed in five-year increments,” Lankenau said. “Which will lead to a series of recommended policies and actions to meet those needs. While examining available land, zoning, and utilities in detail goes beyond the scope of this study, we will suggest when and where these factors will need to be addressed to accommodate future housing.”

 The Batavian also asked about other works in progress in the towns of Pembroke and Batavia, and how they fit into the study’s findings.

The study discusses the completed part of Brickhouse Commons in the Rental Market section and identifies the future phases of that development as well as the additional new project in Pembroke and Town of Batavia in the Home Building Activity section. The total future housing needs quantities will take into account those projects under construction or in the development pipeline.

 During the past five years, 2022 was the hot one for home sales, with 783 homes sold in the city, compared to 539 in 2019. That has fallen down to 626 in 2023, and now “homes are nowhere to be found,” he said. The median house price jumped from $115,000 to upwards of $200,000, thanks to the continuous ballooning of home sizes, which incidentally haven’t seemed to accommodate either end of the shopper's list: a young family just starting out and looking for something affordable or the senior wishing to downsize, he said. 

As for those senior citizens, a survey of 540 people found that 61% preferred to age in place, but of those, 32% said their homes weren’t suitable to do so due to stairs and maintenance issues. Of those respondents, 95% lived in a single-family home and 44% of them have lived there for more than 20 years.

More than a third of those people said they were planning to purchase a new home, which is promising news for realtors, and unsurprisingly, the biggest barrier is cost. Nearly 40% of those answering said that they had difficulty paying for their basic needs.

The Batavian asked how the respondents were chosen and how the survey was administered. It was an online Google document with a survey link provided on the county’s website, he said. 

“In addition, we encouraged county staff and key stakeholders to share the survey with colleagues, employees, and all members of their communities,” he said. “Results of the survey were automatically tabulated in a spreadsheet of raw data from which we highlighted specific relevant questions and responses.”

 To view the entire presentation, go HERE. 

It's time for spring cleaning, and for Genesee County's community organizations, that's where volunteers on the Day of Caring prove invaluable.

They paint, pull weeds, clean and scrub, trim and rake, pick up debris -- just about anything that will help or beautify a community organization's property.

On Thursday, hundreds of volunteers started the morning at Dwyer Stadium before dispersing to nearly 40 locations throughout the county, including Crossroads House, the Community Garden, GO ART!, Gillam Grant Community Center, the International Peace Garden, Machpelah Cemetery, Purple Pony, and many other locations.

These photos are from the Batavia Girls Fastpitch Softball field at Lion's Park, the Pathway of Life Garden at Grandview Cemetery, and the Historic Batavia Cemetery.

The event is organized by United Way.

Photos by Howard Owens.