The winning piece in this year's NY-27 Congressional Art Competition was executed with exemplary technical skill and creative energy, said Mary Jo Whitman, education/SCR director for GO Art!, and competition judge.

The winning painting was a self-portrait by Sarah Durkin, a senior at Iroquois High School. Whitman praised it its technical execution in part because of the difficulty of the medium, oil pastel.

"It's not just traditional portraiture but putting it in the setting and the way she executed the interior of the car,  the complementary colors between the blues and the reds, the sunset in the car," she said. "It was just very well executed and had a kind of very postmodern feel to it."

Heller was unable to attend today's event because she was at a university accepting a scholarship.

Second place went to Kaylee Ziobro of Eden HS, and third to Kendall Heller, also of Iroquois.

Heller's painting will hang in the hallway that leads from the congressional office to the Capitol Building for a year, said Rep. Chris Jacobs, who was on hand to meet the young artists who entered the competition and present the awards. 

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story reversed the names of the first and third place winners.  It's corrected now. The Batavian regrets the error.

Colton Yasses tossed a five-inning no-hitter today to help lead Oakfield-Alabama to a 13-0 victory.

He struck out 14 of the 15 batters he faced. 

Yasses was also 2-4 at the plate, scoring two runs.

Kaden Cusmano also had two hits. He also knocked in three runs and scored a run. 

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

Parents may have questions now that Moderna has requested the emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine for children under six years old.

Dr. Tracy Maier, a pediatrician with Rochester Regional Health’s Penn Fair Pediatric Group, has some answers, she says. Bottom line is that it could help, Maier said during a Zoom meeting with members of the media this week.

“It would be just one more implement in our defense against COVID,” she said. “Clearly, COVID is not going to go away, and we’ve proven that the best way to prevent the spread is to get vaccinated and to wear masks.”

“Traditionally, our population under age two has not been masking, so they are exposed, and our two- to five-year-olds are masking, if they tolerate it,” she said. “This is just one more line of defense against COVID.”

As many adults have experienced, masks, in general, have been dropped in lieu of getting vaccinations, loosened mandates and/or a belief that the imminent danger is gone. Though Genesee County’s data hasn’t exactly supported that notion. Latest statistics have shown an uptick in cases, with 168 new positive COVID-19 cases from April 13 to 19, and 278 cases from April 20 to 26. There have been a total of 185 deaths reported due to the virus as of April 25. 

Ages 0 to 19 had dipped from April 6 to 13 and then began to rise again toward the end of the month, coinciding with an increase of positives from the 60+ group, according to the Genesee Orleans Department of Health website. 

So does that mean that parents should line up to get their four-year-old a shot? Don’t just take Maier’s advice, she said. Have a talk with your child’s pediatrician. Ask questions, such as what are the benefits, the risks, and if there is anything parents should consider as unique to their child’s circumstances that make a vaccine more or less important to their health. 

Other questions may be what are the long-term effects? What difference will it make to my child with the vaccine versus not getting one, Maier said. For those in-between situations where, say, a child is under five and a parent is wondering whether to get the vaccine, “it depends on the circumstances,” she said. 

“If the child is at high risk because they have an underlying medical condition, I’d say let’s go ahead with this when it’s approved for your age group,” she said. “If not, I’d say, let’s wait until the age that we know when it’s effective.” 

Moderna’s request for emergency use, if approved, would make it the first vaccine for children under five. There are 18 million such children in the United States currently not eligible to receive a vaccine, she said. 

Despite lessened vigilance about wearing a mask, getting a vaccination “is still very important at this phase,” she said. 

“COVID is a virus, and we know from looking at other viruses (influenza) that viruses mutate and it’s going to mutate quickly,” she said. “And we know that vaccine is one of the greatest things that we have in our defense of this virus … to continue with our daily lives as usual. Once you are vaccinated, once you have been exposed and don’t have any symptoms, you can go on about your lives … children can still go to school, and they can still go to daycare (if no symptoms). It allows life to continue on as it normally would.”

This week Moderna, a biotechnology company pioneering “messenger RNA” therapeutics and vaccines, announced that it submitted a request for emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine in children six months to under two years, and two years to under six years of age. The request has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval. The FDA has 30 days for the approval process.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, if the FDA does approve the vaccine, it will continue to oversee its production to "ensure continuing safety." Monitoring of the vaccine and production, including periodic facility inspections, must continue as long as the manufacturer holds a license for the vaccine product.

Dr. Tracy Maier is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Penn Fair Pediatric Group in Penfield. 
 

A new business on Harvester Avenue is taking an old concept of “brick-and-mortar” and feeding it with some bright thinking, owner Macy Paradise says.

Paradise, a 2003 Batavia HIgh School grad and owner of Paradise Fit in Elba, has branched out to include an all-inclusive facility for kids, adults, seniors and developmentally disabled folks. His logo is a brain inside of a lightbulb to represent a bright idea.

“The goal of this space is to have a more skill-building style,” Paradise said during the grand opening of The Brick Community Enrichment Center on Friday at The Harvester Center, 56 Harvester Ave., Batavia. “The Brick concept comes from an original idea that Joe Mancuso had in 1959, offering kind of a brick and mortar flex-use space for entrepreneurs. We wanted to rebrand that here, this being a flexible space, using it for all sorts of reasons. So we are trying to rebuild the community brick by brick.”

Paradise spoke while taking a short break from his DJ gig at the event. A versatile host of all things music for special events, celebrity debuts and even dance parties for, in this case on Friday, kids aged three to 12. The site’s overall concept was to host group fitness classes for all ages, and that grew into allowing space for skill-building classes, private events and to offer a more affordable rental option for bridal and wedding showers, birthday parties and the like. 

Paradise, 37, is a Batavia native who returned after a stints in each of Los Angeles, Calif. and Colorado. While living out west, he frequently returned to host events at the former City Slickers and Billy Goats, plus TF Browns. He also ventured into Erie County to host various entertainment gigs, such as international Electronic Dance Music producer and DJs Barely Alive and Virtual Riot, in Buffalo.  

The Brick Community Enrichment Center offers fitness classes from 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays in May, and Paradise is planning other sessions for young and older alike, and also for people with developmental disabilities. It complements his main business, Paradise Fit, which offers personalized training, coaching, nutrition programs and meals, and an app for support. A personal trainer who also owns and operates the Elba-based fitness facility, Paradise initially started with personal training in Elba, doing one-on-one training sessions with clients. He proudly calls Elba home, having purchased one there in 2019, two years after moving back to Western New York. 

Meanwhile, he began to look for a space to do group fitness classes and was also hired as the Harvester Center's marketing director. 

“I found this space … and decided to open it up,” he said. “It’s another thing to do in Batavia.”

For more information or to get in touch with Paradise, call (585) 356-7737, email paradisemacy@gmail.com or visit www.brickcommunitycenter.com or check out @TheBrick on Facebook.

Top photo: Owner Macy Paradise cuts the symbolic ribbon to his new place, The Brick Community Enrichment Center, during a grand opening dance party Friday at The Harvester Center, 56 Harvester Ave., Batavia. Macy Paradise and partner Nici Johnson show off the logo for The Brick Community Enrichment Center. Photos submitted by Steven Falitico/Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

The #1 dog trainer ranking: https://www.sniffspot.com/blog/dog-trainers/new-york
Sign up for a free consult: https://CADScheduler.as.me/

Leaves are reportedly burning out of control in the yard at 84 Gilbert St., Le Roy.

Le Roy Fire responding.

UPDATE 1:47 p.m.: A Le Roy medic on scene reports that people are pouring water on the fire attempting to get it out.  "It doesn't appear out of control," she says.  The burn area is about 200 to 300 feet.

ABBAmania, Canada's top ABBA tribute band, played Batavia Downs on Friday night, with a Cher tribute artist opening the show.

Press release:

Senator Rath is asking for residents to nominate teachers that they would like to honor.  The nominations will be open during Teacher Appreciate Week, which runs from May 2^nd through May 6^th. 

“Teachers play such an instrumental role in children’s lives, many of us can recall a teacher who made a lasting impact on us.  I hope everyone will take a moment to nominate that special teacher,” said Senator Ed Rath. 

To nominate an educator from the 61^st senate district, visit https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/edward-rath-iii. 

The Oakfield-Alabama Hornets shut out Attica in baseball on Thursday for a 6-0 victory.

The Hornets notched 14 hits with catcher Aiden Warner going for 4-4. Colton Yasses was 2-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Bodie Hyde also had two hits.

Hyde tossed a complete game (seven innings) shutout, striking out 13 batters and giving up only two hits. He walked to batters.

Photos by Kristin Smith.  For more, click here.

Press release:

We are honored to be partnering with Batavia Downs gaming to host the first of its kind fundraising concert that will benefit our local UMMC Hospital (Rochester Regional Health), our new YMCA, Strong Memorial Hospital and research at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

Now in its fifth year as a concert venue, Batavia Downs has been averaging about 3000 to 5000 concertgoers per show as part of their Rockin The Downs Concert Series. Although our Concert is not part of this series and tickets must be purchased separately, we are hoping to draw the same kind of crowd with our Nationally recognized headliner Bruce In The USA and local guests including 97 Rock’s Dave “DJ” Jickster and Comedian Nick Marra. As an added bonus from our friends at Batavia Downs everyone that buys a ticket will receive a $15 free play. . “Wouldn’t it be amazing if a bunch of the concertgoers went back inside at the end of the night and won lots of money, with their free play”?

This concert will be the largest event that we have ever attempted and we are very excited to bring so many people together for yet another fun fundraising event. Sponsorship opportunities include special seating, tickets to the show, $30 of free play, signage, verbal promotion, and shout-outs during the concert. For more information about our three sponsorship tiers, visit RickyPalermoFoundation.

Tickets are selling nicely so if you want to look into joining our concert you can go to my site www.RickyPalermofoundation.org OR go to EVENTS while looking at the Batavia Downs concerts. You could also look for our QR code, which will also guide you to the information needed to buy tickets.

Special thanks to Batavia Downs CEO Henry Wojtaszek, Concert Manager Ryan Hasenauer, Kathy Paradowski and so many others who have been great to work with.

Attica resident will serve as an election observer in Northern Ireland on 5 May, the date set for the election of its Legislative Assembly, the legislature of Northern Ireland. Rob Thompson is accredited by the United Kingdom Election Commission and is trained by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the EU.

COVID-19 forced many elections to be rescheduled and now with the world opening back up so to speak election calendars are being filled up as well. Over the next 18 months, my schedule includes, besides Northern Ireland, election work in Sweden, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Estonia. In May, and subsequent short-term missions I will work at several polling places in West Belfast ensuring the election process follows principles established by the 1990 Copenhagen Document; “universal, equal, fair, secret, free, transparent, and accountable.”

An issue I found of interest has been Brexit, during the 2019 vote England and Wales voted to leave the EU while Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain. With Brexit’s victory, the question was would there be a hard border between NI and the Republic of Ireland. But a protocol was negotiated and is intended to protect the EU single market while avoiding the imposition of a 'hard border' that might incite a recurrence of conflict. Under the Protocol, Northern Ireland is formally outside the EU single market, but EU free movement of goods rules and EU Customs Union rules still apply; this ensures there are no customs checks or controls between Northern Ireland and the rest of the island. Periodically NI will vote to remain or reject the protocol, the first consent vote is scheduled for December 2024. May’s election of the Legislative Assembly could be a bellwether vote, of whether or not NI is edging toward desiring independence or will remain Unionist.

Friday was "Drive Your Tractor to School Day" at Elba Central School and several students did just that,

Photos by Debra Reilly.

Press release:

The Genesee County Funding Corporation (GCFC), an affiliate of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC), approved tax-exempt bonds to support projects by Rochester Regional Health (RRH) expanding healthcare services in Genesee County and throughout New York State at its April 28th board meeting.

The tax-exempt bonds approved by the GCFC support the construction of a 105,393 square-foot healthcare facility on Oak Orchard Road in the Town of Batavia and 56,147 square feet of related ground floor parking.

In Batavia, Rochester Regional Health will offer outpatient cardiac care, women’s health services, primary care, urgent care, outpatient surgical services, gastroenterology, outpatient radiology and other outpatient services.

The Batavia project is projected to create approximately 70 full-time equivalent jobs with an average salary of $110,000, and over 200 construction jobs.

In addition to new bonding, the project also includes improvements of machinery, equipment and other tangible personal property, the refunding or refinancing of all or a portion of the outstanding principal amounts of existing bonds, and the construction of a 96,189 square-foot healthcare facility in the town of Potsdam in St. Lawrence County.

The projects will generate over $172.6 million of economic benefits to Genesee County and other communities over 10 years, including $161.4 million of payroll for temporary and ongoing jobs, and $11.2 million of tax revenues.

Children whose parents read to them at home are faster learners, studies show, which is one reason administrators and teachers at Jackson Primary School in Batavia put a strong emphasis on reading.

It's a goal of the school that no child graduates from Jackson to John Kennedy without reading at least grade level, said Principal Maureen Notaro.

"We're promoting early literacy with our "Wild About Reading " theme," Notaro said during the family reading night at the school on Thursday. "Family reading night brings families together to help kids be invigorated and show their love of reading."

Teachers and staff decorated the hallways in a contest to emphasize the "Wild About Writing" theme and Brian Sutton, Steve Hyde, and Officer Miah Stevens judged the wall art, with the winning team getting a pizza party.

This was the first event with a gathering of students and parents at the school in 2 1/2 years.

"Parents who read to their kids get them excited (about reading)," Notaro said. "Kids are so curious. So anything, anything you say or expose them to is just a wonderful experience for them. I always tell parents, any chance you get to read to your children, you know, do it.  Do it in the car, point things out, just involve literacy in everyday life."

Further reading:

• Science Daily: A 'million-word gap' for children who aren't read to at home
• NPR: Why Reading Aloud to Kids Helps Them Thrive

Top photo: Miles McCracken, 5, shows off the book he chose to purchase at Jackson School's "Wild About Reading" night on Thursday.  He said, "Reading is cool." 

Photos by Howard Owens

Officer Miah Stevens.

Superintendent Jason Smith

Teachers with their favorite books from childhood were featured in pictures in the foyer of the school.

Press release:

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office will be offering its third annual Teen Academy July 18 – July 22, 2022, at a new venue, Genesee Community College.

“We are excited to be partnering with Genesee Community College.  The campus provides us the opportunity to introduce Teen Academy participants to the college’s criminal justice facilities, which include a 9-1-1 dispatch console simulator and a firearms simulator.  The Teen Academy is a one-week, structured program which consists of instructional classes designed to provide high-school-aged students within our community an introduction to law enforcement training and gain an understanding of law enforcement’s role in their community.  It is our hope that teens will build confidence while learning good decision-making and leadership skills,” stated Sheriff Sheron.

Academy instructors are experienced deputy sheriffs who will discuss the day-to-day operations of the Sheriff’s Office.  Participants will also:

• visit the County Jail, 911 Emergency Services Dispatch Center, and Sheriff’s Office
• observe displays of the Emergency Response Team (ERT), Hostage Negotiation, SCUBA Team, K-9 Unit and Evidence Recovery
• be provided insight into motor vehicle accident reconstruction
• participate in daily physical fitness runs, defensive tactics, and team-building exercises
• participate in a classroom setting and learn about the  NYS Penal Laws and Vehicle & Traffic Laws
• participate in mock traffic stops and DWI procedures

Qualified candidates will be selected for an interview screening process if they meet the following requirements:

• must be entering grades 10-12 in the fall
• must be in good academic standing with little to no disciplinary issues
• must be able to participate in physical fitness activities
• must have a positive attitude
• must have their parent’s permission

There is no charge to attend the academy.  Application deadline is May 13, 2022. 

For more information or to obtain an application, check out our Facebook page or contact Deputy Rich Schildwaster at (585) 344-7725.

Top photo: Submitted photo.  Photos below, file photos from 2018

Murder suspect Nicholas Marten Maher, 37. accused of killing his 69-year-old father in his Oakfield home on Oct. 18, appeared in court today before Judge Michael Mohun, as the judge and the attorneys discussed procedures in the case. 

District Attorney Kevin Finnell said he is ready for trial but he understood that Public Defender Jerry Ader was awaiting reports that could have a bearing on how the case might proceed and what motions might be made.

Ader said that was correct and acknowledged receipt of the required discovery (potential evidence in the case) and everything seemed to be in order but the discovery material is still under review.

Mohun set May 20 at 2 p.m. for further proceedings.

Martin D. Maher was found dead in his home at 32 Drake St. after deputies were dispatched to his house for a welfare check at 10:57 a.m. Oct. 18 because family members had been unable to contact Maher.

Nicholas was later located in Erie County.  He is being held without bail.

The types of reports Ader is awaiting were not specified but they could have a bearing on whether there is a trial, as well as whether a plea deal is reached.  At the March 20 hearing, the court and attorneys will agree on how to proceed with the case.

A two-car accident with unknown injuries is reported at Lewiston Road and Galloway Road, Batavia.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 6:30 p.m.:Injuries appear to be non-serious. A second ambulance requested to the scene, non-emergency.

There will be no taxpayer-funded trial on criminal mischief charges for a man already serving a life sentence on a jury-trial conviction for attempted murder and arson.

Judge Michael Mohun dismissed the charges against Plush Dozier this morning at the formal request of District Attorney Kevin Finnell.

Finnell cited the inability of Dozier to pay restitution, the cost of a trial, and the fact that, given how sentencing works in New York, if convicted, Dozier would be given credit for time served, since it would run concurrent to the term he's serving now. That means he would get no additional prison time (which could be a factor if he became eligible for parole).

"It's in the public interest not to hold a trial," Finnell said.

The decision apparently came at Mohun's suggestion during a conference on the case, Defense Attorney Fred Rarick suggested during the case and reiterated to a reporter as he was leaving the courtroom.  He said it was the right thing to do and saved the taxpayers the expense of transporting Dozier daily during a trial from Sullivan County.

Mohun, a county court judge in Wyoming County, has been assisting Genesee County since January while also mentoring new County Court Judge Melissa Cianfrini because of a backlog of cases. He inherited more than 80 cases that were more than years old -- going back to Cianfrini's time in the District Attorney's Office.  Much of the delay in the cases can be attributed to COVID-related shutdowns and slowdowns.

He said after court that the last of the cases will be cleared from his calendar on Monday and his duties in helping to catch up Genesee County will be completed. 

Dozier was convicted of attempted murder and arson in October. Dozier intentionally set fire on June 15, 2018, to the house at 35 Maple St., Batavia, in an attempt to kill a person inside the residence.

He appeared in court this morning, accompanied by three state prison guards, including a sergeant. Dozier was dressed in a green state prison jumpsuit, wearing on his head a white knit cap with a band of copper and black stripes knitted in and around it.  Four people, friends and family, sat in court in support of Dozier.  After the hearing, they thanked Mohun for his kindness in handling the case.

It was alleged that on Aug. 4, 2018, Dozier kicked out a plate of glass in a holding cell at the Genesee County Jail, which caused more than $5,000 in damage. He's also accused of causing more than $250 of damage to a Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle on Aug. 20, 2018.  That lead to charges of criminal mischief 3rd and criminal mischief 4th. 

Finnell said he consulted with Sheriff William Sheron on the dismissal and Sheron agreed with the decision.

Sheron said this afternoon, "Dozier is serving a life sentence, therefore in the interest of justice, we agree with the dismissal of the charges."

After about a year as Batavia's assistant city manager, Jill Wiedrick has resigned her post for a job in Monroe County, City Manager Rachael J. Tabelski says. 

Wiedrick was hired in June 2021 as a lifelong resident of Western New York and 15 years of experience in local government. She had been the senior county planner for Genesee County and was manager of zoning for the City of Rochester when she was hired for the assistant manager position.

"I would like to congratulate Jill Wiedrick, Assistant City Manager, for her time with the City of Batavia.  She is moving to a new job with the Village of Fairport.  It was a pleasure to work with Jill, and I wish her all the best in her career pursuit," Tabelski said in an emailed response to The Batavian. "Her last day with the City of Batavia is Friday May 13, 2022.  The City will actively advertise the position of Assistant City Manager in the near future to fill the position."

File photo of Jill Wiedrick