Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
Photographer Laura Luft shared with us some shots of 4-H activities at the Genesee County Fair.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
A 53-year-old Rochester resident on parole for a prior robbery conviction has been charged in Monday's Key Bank branch robbery in Batavia.
Stacy R. Moss is charged with robbery in the third degree and grand larceny in the fourth degree.
Moss is accused of entering the Key Bank branch at 69 Main St. shortly before 9:36 a.m. and handed a teller a note demanding money.
Police said the suspect did not display a weapon or threaten use of a weapon.
The suspect then left on a bicycle with an unspecified amount of money.
Officers from Batavia PD, along with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, checked the area and were initially unable to locate the suspect.
Batavia PD detectives worked quickly to obtain an identification of the individual involved using the Monroe County Crime Analysis Center's facial recognition software.
Batavia shared the suspect's photos from the robbery scene with local media, and officers checked the last known addresses of the person they believed was identified in the photos.
While gathering further information, investigators received information that the suspect was hiding inside a residence on South Spruce Street.
Moss was taken into custody without incident.
Investigators determined that the suspect acted alone
Moss was released on parole in January after serving seven years on a 2016 convict for three counts of robbery in the third degree, grand larceny.
He also has prior convictions for robbery in the first degree in 2004, robbery in the second degree in 1989, and burglary in the third degree in 1987.
Following his arrest, Moss was arraigned and ordered held pending his next court appearance.
You can support local news coverage and help The Batavian continue to bring you local news by signing up for Early Access Pass.
WBTA's Nici Johnson and Rachel Berardini with The Batavian's Kara Richenberg at the Genesee County Fair Media Center in the Exhibition Hall on the fairgrounds on East Main Street, Batavia. When you stop by, please note that there are contests to enter. WBTA is doing a "Voice of Batavia" contest. They'll record you doing a station tagline and you will have a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Senor Leon's Mexican Restaurant. The Batavian's potential prizes are a guitar for those 17 and under, and for adults, a $100 Red Osier Landmark Restaurant gift certificate. Photo by Howard Owens.
The 4-H Market Sheep Show champion is Colton Sugg, and the reserve champion is his sister Makayla Sugg.
Photos by Debra Reilly.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
Parakeets land on the hand and arm -- she's holding a feeding stick -- of Sara Barbur, an East Pembroke resident, inside the Wings on Wheels Trailer, an attraction making its debut this year at the Genesee County Fair. Visitors to the attraction can purchase a stick with seeds stuck to it and enter the enclosure and feed the birds. Photo by Howard Owens.
Ever wanted to check out birds up close and personal? Tammy Sweet came up with an idea for you to do just that, and boy, does she have birds. There are 200 colorful parakeets available in her 30-foot trailer, Wings on Wheels, parked at Genesee County Fair this week.
Employee Sydney Hurlbut explained that it was a new concept that Sweet wanted to try out after operating a petting zoo for about 10 years. The trailer travels the Western New York area from Rochester to Buffalo.
"We travel around, we've seen other things, and we've done the petting zoo for a while, and (Sweet) always saw enclosures that you could visit. But this idea kind of came from, there's nothing like it. So you could go to other enclosures on site, but we bring the birds to you. So we do birthday parties, fairs, different events like that. And it's just, it's exciting. Kids love it. It's just a different experience,” Hurlbut said Monday afternoon. “And we're all about different, we love to bring new things to new places."
Step inside, but be mindful to shuffle as you go. The delicate little birds might be on the floor, as well as on shelves and window sills -- or fluttering in the air -- for your viewing pleasure. There are prices for sticks of millet, $2 for one or $5 for three, and visitors hold them out for the birds to land and munch on the tasty seeds.
"And so you can come in, and you get a stick. And that is your entrance fee into Wings on Wheels. So you go in one side, and the birds will flock to your stick, and they eat the millet off of the stick. And so they'll actually land on you; we get a lot of birds landing on heads and arms and things. And so you can just kind of admire them and their beauty," Hurlbut said.
Once the stick is empty of millet, the tour is over, and visitors exit on the opposite end of the trailer.
"It's kind of a different experience, that there's nothing really quite like it. So we usually have an employee on both sides, so if you have questions, you can always ask us. We always give a spiel about how you have to shuffle your feet through so you don't step on the birds,” she said. “They're all parakeets. They're just kind of a house bird anybody can have them. It's just, you know, people that can't afford to have a bird or things like that, it’s very interesting for them to see, and we get a lot of bird lovers, and we also get a lot of people that are scared of birds, so we have an option to feed them from outside of the bird trailer, so you can put your stick in from the outside so that the birds can come to the window and you can see them like that too.”
The fair runs through Saturday.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
Lilia Buckenmeyer, from Elba, braids the tail of her cow, Becky, in preparation for showing the cow at the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens
Here are some photos today from a walk-through of the 4-H barns to see the livestock that members are showing during the Genesee County Fair.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Brooke Wiater with her goat Tater. Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia police officers Adam Tucker and Wesley Rissinger also visited the 4-H livestock while on duty at the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens
With a doubleheader sweep of Geneva on Sunday, the Batavia Muckdogs are 25-13 on the season and a game up in the Western Division standings of the PGCBL.
In the first game, Batavia won 12-1.
Preston Prince, from Hilton, tossed all five innings of the first game, giving up only one hit while walking three and striking out nine.
Lucas Lopez went 3-4 and drove in seven runs. Josh Leadem was 1-2 with two walks and two RBIs.
In the second game, Batavia won 9-2.
Ryan Kinney went the distance in the seven-inning game, improving to 4-0 on the season with a 0.84 ERA. He scattered three hits and gave up two unearned runs while striking out eight.
Giuseppe Arcuri went 1-4 and drove in two runs.
The next home game for the Muckdogs is Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. against Niagara Power.
Knight Patrol provided Sunday's live music entertainment at the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Knight Patrol headlined the music tent on Day two of the Genesee County Fair, a day full of sun and fun and games at the Midway, along with animal contests and pig races.
The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) held their National Championship shoot at Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio July 4 - 15. This year brought a record setting number of youth athletes with a combined total of over 4,000 competitors from all over the country!
New York was well represented and Kyle Smith a 9th grader at Byron Bergen CSD from Bergen, participated along with others on the A & B Clay Busters team from Rochester Brooks Gun Club. For his first time participating and competing at the SCTP National competition Kyle did very well, placing 3rd in both doubles trap with a score of 182 (out of 200) and singles trap with a score of 194 (out of 200).
SCTP exposes youth to all clay target disciplines including: sporting clays, skeet, trap as well as Olympic disciplines of bunker trap and international skeet. For more information on SCTP visit: www.mysctp.com.
Kevin MacDonald (District Superintendent, GV BOCES), Rachel Slobert(Executive Principal, GV BOCES), Bernadette Harwood (Conservation Teacher, GV BOCES),Sam Maggio (Teacher Aide, GV BOCES), Schuyler Daugherty (Conservation Teacher, GV BOCES), Seana Ellis (Executive Assistant, P&CG), Jason Buchinger, (Vice President, P&CG), Brian Cousins (President,Genesee County Chamber of Commerce), Tim Flack (Assistant Principal, GV BOCES), Kelly Sattora (Education to Employment Program Associate, Livingston County Chamber & Tourism), Melissa Savino (Member Services Coordinator, Livingston County Chamber & Tourism), and Julie Donlon. (Deputy Superintendent, GV BOCES)
Press Release:
Power & Construction Group (P&CG), a prominent industry leader recently made a generous donation to Genesee Valley BOCES, furthering their commitment to empowering students and supporting conservation programs. During a ceremony at the Mount Morris BOCES Campus, P&CG presented a $10,000 gift, which was equally divided between two important institutions: Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center and Mount Morris CTE Center.
The significance of this donation lies in its positive impact onthe student conservation programs. The funds will be allocated towards acquiring essential equipment and resources that will enhance the educational experience of students. By providing them with these valuable tools, P&CG aims to nurture the students' passion for the environment, preparing them to become future leaders in the field of conservation.
The Vice Principal of Mount Morris BOCES Campus, Tim Flack, expressed his profound gratitude for P&CG's generous gift. He emphasized that the contribution exemplifies a shared commitment to empowering students and equipping them with the necessary tools to make a lasting impact on their careers. With this support, our students will have a substantial and concrete opportunity to pursue their passions in this industry.
Jason Buchinger, Vice President of P&CG, highlighted the company's belief in investing time and resources to build a strong future workforce. The partnership with Genesee Valley BOCES, driven by shared goals, underscores their dedication to supporting and shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
Through this donation, Power & Construction Group has demonstrated its commitment to education, the environment, and fostering the next generation of conservation leaders. This contribution will undoubtedly have a lasting and positive effect on the students' educational journey and the world of conservation.
During the ceremony where Power & Construction Group (P&CG) presented their generous donation to Genesee Valley BOCES, two prominent organizations, The Genesee Chamber of Commerce and The Livingston County Chamber of Commerce, were in attendance. Both chambers have a vested interest in supporting educational initiatives and community development within their respective regions. The event presented an opportunity for the chambers to show their support and appreciation for P&CG's commitment to empowering students and promoting conservation programs.
As influential advocates for local businesses and industries, the chambers recognized the significance of P&CG's donation in fostering a skilled and environmentally conscious future workforce. By attending the ceremony, The Genesee Chamber of Commerce and The Livingston County Chamber of Commerce reaffirmed their dedication to collaboration with partners like P&CG, who share a common goal of investing in the education and development of young minds, thereby contributing to the overall prosperity and sustainability of their communities.
Conservation students graduating and entering the local workforce fulfill vital roles in the field, where their expertise is consistently in demand. These students undergo specialized training and education in conservation-related fields, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to make a positive impact in the field.
The generous donation made by Power & Construction Group (P&CG) will have a profound and positive impact on the future conservation students enrolled in the Batavia and Mount Morris Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. The funds provided by P&CG will significantly enhance the educational experience and opportunities for these students, as they pursue their passion for conservation.
With this donation, the CTE programs can invest in state-of-the-art equipment and valuable resources that are crucial for hands-on learning and practical training. Students will have access to cutting-edge technology and tools, which will enable them to gain real-world experience and develop the necessary skills to excel in the conservation field.
The impact of this donation goes beyond the classroom. The students will be empowered with the knowledge and practical expertise to become future leaders in the conservation industry. As they graduate from the CTE programs, these young conservationists will be better equipped and able to contribute to their local communities and beyond.
The generous contribution from P&CG's ensures that the Batavia and Mount Morris CTE programs can continue to nurture and empower future conservation students, preparing them for fulfilling careers in a field that will always be in demand. The impact of this donation will extend far into the future, leaving a lasting legacy.
Liza Baker razzle-dazzles with flashy pompoms during the talent portion of the Genesee County Fair queen pageant Sunday in Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
When a dozen girls aged 6 to 17 talked about agriculture and farming Sunday, followed by quickly changing out of their dresses and heels and into colorful dance outfits, it was clear it was time for the 2023 fair queen pageant at Genesee fairgrounds.
Competitors in varying age categories reviewed facts about beets, showed off their rabbits, read essays about the importance of agriculture and how it has affected their lives and the community, performed jazz, ballet, acrobatics, read a story, led a cheer, and some -- like Katherine Ewert of Batavia -- took a chance for the first time.
“I guess I really just wanted to do it this year, I kind of just felt like it. I saw the ad, and it seemed like a good idea. And I mostly just wanted to put my experience with agriculture to use, and the fair, and how much it's impacted me. And I wanted to maybe inspire some people to start being more involved in 4-H and the fair in general, so that way, agriculture can grow even more,” the 17-year-old said, sharing what she’s learned from working with horses in 4-H. “I’d say it's taught me a lot about hard work and what's really important in life and just how to be a good person and how to inspire change in others.”
Contestants with a full range of essays, talents and personalities took to the stage over the course of two hours in front of an enthusiastic audience. The yellow and white striped entertainment tent was filled with spectators during this first day of a two-round competition.
Girls first demonstrated their speaking abilities, followed by the talent portion, which was a more lively, musical part of the event on yet another very warm day at the fair. The aroma of nearby kettle corn blew into the tent area with occasional compassionate breezes as audience members clapped and cheered for their favorite queen contenders.
Ewert said that she wasn’t so taken with the title of queen — “it doesn’t mean a ton to me” — as what it would mean to achieve it.
“But it's nice to accomplish something if I do win I mean, I know Panorea, she's an amazing contestant. And if she won, she deserves it,” Ewert said. “But I guess it just means that I touched somebody with the most features and that I inspired someone. I think I would want some little girl who was like me to walk away and be like, I want to do that. I want to be involved in the community and be involved with agriculture.”
This is the second time in the pageant for Panorea Tsoukalos, 16. She has what she referred to as her family “farm” at home, a menagerie of dogs and cats. Suffice it to say she loves animals, though she’s not in 4-H.
The Batavia contestant also chose to share about agriculture in Genesee County, and her talent was dancing. Perhaps a bit shy at first, being up on stage is helping with that, she said.
“I feel like I get more confidence just talking in front of people,” she said.
Eleanor “Ellie” Hudson, 9, was one of the few contestants paper free on stage. She began earlier this month to memorize her essay and recited it without the use of notes. Wearing a turquoise and white checked dress and glittery silver Maryjanes, Ellie is not shy about her goals and pursuits in the ag business.
“I said to my mom when I grow up, I want goats,” she said. “We have 11 to 12 goats, and I will name every single one of them for you. My favorite one is Lovey, she had a 7 percent chance of living. We kept her in my mom’s room.”
Ellie is kind of like a speech machine, she seems to know exactly what she wants to say, and she just keeps talking in matter-of-fact form. A resident of Alabama, her precociousness and charm has not gone unnoticed, earning her a spot on regional TV twice so far, she said.
Still, she had a tinge of uncertainty heading up to the stage, she said.
"I was a little nervous. But once I started doing it, I was feeling great,” she said, heading for the restroom to change into her jazz costume. “My nana was giving me a hug.”
Monday is the finale, after introductions and bios of each contestant and questions from the judges and the pageant host. It’s likely to be a tough choice for queen in the end, given the line-up of girls, Pageant Director Verginia Zocco said.
“Because this year for some reason, the girls have gone above and beyond. I don't know if you were listening to some of the speeches, but we got like, information on history this year. We got information on local farms this year. How actually the Genesee County Fair impacts their lives. It has just been stunning this year,” Zocco said. “It seems like girls are really giving 110 percent to the pageant. I don't know what it is. But it must really be just taking shape, I guess. Like, I don't know how to explain it. But it's just, like this year, I saw during the fair girls up on stage practicing for their talent yesterday before the pageant even started. Everyone has just been really serious about it. And I think taking pride in it.
“You know, it's been amazing this year. And I wonder if it's because we have more girls, that they're talking to each other, getting ideas from each other, making more friendships with each other,” she said. “Because last year, we only had like seven girls; this year, we’re up to 12. And it was really cool because one of the girls actually pulled the tractor, put on her dress, and she was running over to the pageant. Yeah. So girl, I'm like, ‘you're my kind of princess,’ pull your tractor and then you put on a gown.”
The fair queen pageant and crowning runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Monday in the entertainment tent.
A. J. Affronti, lead guitarist for Knight Patrol, tries out Harley Benton BigTone White Trem guitar at the Genesee County Fair.
The guitar is a featured contest prize from The Batavian at the Genesee County Fair. The guitar contest is open to kids 17 and under. Visit our booth in the Exhibit Hall on the fairgrounds, and while at the booth, draw an eagle on an entry form. The winner will be randomly selected from among staff-favorite drawings. The winner will need to be able to attend the Eaglez Tribute Band concert on Thursday evening.
The other big prize from The Batavian at the fair is a $100 gift certificate from Red Osier Landmark Restaurant. Same rules apply, except you can arrange to pick up the gift certificate any time before the last day of the fair.
The best 20 drawings from the two age groups will be selected for a "people's choice" award, with voting at The Batavian's booth on Thursday and Friday. The prize is a harmonica.
Knight Patrol is playing at the fair tonight (Sunday) in the Entertainment Tent.
Members of BND Hockey team fundraiser today behind Notre-Dame High School until 2 p.m.
The Batavia Notre-Dame Hockey team is having a drive-thru car wash today behind Notre Dame High School parking lot, 206 Richmond Avenue until 2 p.m. to help fundraise for upcoming hockey tournaments.
Members of BND Hockey team fundraiser today behind Notre-Dame High School until 2 p.m.
Janice Spagnola, the "balloon lady," left, and Rose Topolski, one of the chief Ag Society volunteer leaders, take a quick break from working Saturday while at Spagnola's exhibitor's booth during opening day at Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens.
Day One of the fair at Genesee County Fairgrounds was in its last hour Saturday evening as volunteer Rose Topolski made her rounds scooting around on a golf cart and checking on various people and things as BB Dang played on into a gradually dimming sky.
Although the multi-pronged event can get tense at times, Topolski joked around with balloon lady Janice Spagnola, who had been blowing up pastel blue balloons for Sunday's class. She will be teaching balloon sculpture twice a day at noon and 4:45 p.m. in the Exhibition Building all week.
“I taught her. Janice was my student in Alexander Central School, in seventh grade,” Topolski said.
As Topolski spoke, Spagnola made up years that were earlier than when her teacher was actually at Alexander. That seems to be a trend amongst Topolski’s friends and peers — her fellow Ag Society members recently said that she’s been around for each of the fair’s 183 years.
It’s a camaraderie that seems to work, and Topolski gives as good as she gets. However, The Batavian isn’t at liberty to repeat her favorite responses. There was her one-liner about “before the first supper, we had a picnic,” she said.
No matter her years, it has meant oodles of experience, and Topolski shared that Saturday was a darned good one for the history books.
“It’s the best opening day we’ve had, probably since I’ve been here,” she said. “I know that we had over $8,000 at the gate, and that doesn’t include anybody who has a pass, which there’s a number of people that have passes, and everybody who has animals back there has a pass, all of my vendors have passes. It’s just when you add that to it, it just is an insurmountable number of people that are in here today.”
“And I actually snuck out to go to a graduation party … (and someone told her) there are very few people at Blondies because they're here at the fair; they are pretty excited because, you know, the free events at the fair is a pretty good draw, and the fact that you can load your car up 16 deep, and for $10. Actually, they have to be belted in order to come in that vehicle. But to come in and just enjoy all the free opportunities, and they are very inexpensive.”
All of the 4-H and related animal activities are free, including:
The open class poultry show at 9 a.m., the open class rabbit show at 10 a.m., the stockyard classic beef show at noon and the empire classic sheep show at 2 p.m. Sunday;
The 4-H alumni master showman contest at 7 p.m. Wednesday;
The market animal auction sale at 6:30 p.m. Thursday;
A 4-H Family and Consumer Science Club activity at 11 a.m. Friday; and
NIOGA Dairy showmanship show at 8:30, 10 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
Lori Embt and Dan Embt of Pavilion take photos of Theo Embt, 1 1/2, Nicole Calmes of Le Roy, and Melanie Calmes, 3, during Saturday's opening day of the Genesee County Fair in Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck.
Dan Embt of Pavilion and his family “just came to see the fair” in general. They stopped at an exhibitor booth, Hirsch’s Dairy Farm of Alexander, and posed for some selfies at the painted scene of 4-H kids with cut-out heads for visitors to insert their own faces for a candid shot.
“We used to be in 4-H,” Embt said, recalling what it was like during fair week. “We used to live here practically.”
Superintendent of Water and Wastewater (HELP Program), City of Batavia, NY The City of Batavia, NY seeks a creative, team-oriented professional to serve as Superintendent of Water and Wastewater. The Superintendent oversees all administrative, operational, and maintenance aspects of the community’s water and wastewater systems including the City’s water plant, wastewater plant, and the City’s water distribution system, as well as building maintenance, street lights, traffic signals, and pump stations. $87,300 - $105,856 yearly. Send cover letter, resume, and contact information including email addresses for five work-related references, and completed Genesee County application to: Teri Dean, Employee Payroll/Insurance Clerk One Batavia City Centre, Batavia, NY 14020 or tdean@batavianewyork.com Accepting applications until the position is filled. Background check, personality assessment, and physical with drug testing are required. Candidate must become a resident of the County of Genesee or any adjacent town to the County of Genesee within 6 months of the date of conclusion of the probationary period for the City of Batavia. EEO See the full job description at: https://www.geneseeny.gov/Department-Content/Human-Resources/Job-Specifications Genesee County Application: https://www.geneseeny.gov/Department-Content/Human-Resources/Human-Resource-Forms
AUTOMOTIVE MECHANIC CITY OF BATAVIA SALARY $25.54-$30.08 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: One year of full-time paid experience as a skilled automotive repairman. SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT AND CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT: . Possession and maintenance of appropriate valid license(s), as required. Drivers must be at least 21 years of age. BENEFITS: Health Insurance Dental Insurance Paid Holidays Paid Vacation and Personal Time Paid Sick Time New York State Retirement Deferred Compensation Flexible Spending Life Insurance Civil Service Applications are due to Human Resources no later than November 1, 2024. Human Resources One Batavia City Centre Batavia, NY 14020 tdean@batavianewyork.com Phone: 585-345-6340 www.batavianewyork.com
