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Photos: Songbirds close out Labor Daze Music & Food Festival

By Howard B. Owens
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In two years, the Songbirds, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, has gone from playing for a couple of dozen people at a block party in Batavia to headlining at some of Western New York's top music venues.

On Monday, they closed out, as headliners, the Oakfield Labor Daze Music & Food Festival, drawing, likely, in the area of hundreds of fans for a three-hour set of all the best of Fleetwood Mac along with some deep tracks.

Previously: It's more than just ‘Rumours’ that Songbirds pay tribute to Fleetwood Mac

Photos by Howard Owens.

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Another sign of the band's growing popularity -- fans lining up for merchandise during the break.
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Photos: Labor Daze's Labor Day entertainment opened with Elvis and Salvatore

By Howard B. Owens
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After the parade, on a beautiful blue-sky Labor Day, the third and final day of the music portion of the Oakfield Labor Daze Music & Food Festival opened with power trio Salvatore, an Albion-based band, followed by Elvis impersonator Terry Buchwald. 

Photos by Howard Owens.

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Oakfield Historical Society dedicates bench honoring Vietnam Veterans on Labor Day

By Howard B. Owens
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More than 50 years after the war ended, Vietnam War veterans in Oakfield, at long last, have an appropriate memorial in Triangle Park.

A new granite bench in the park was dedicated on Monday during the final day of the Oakfield Labor Daze Music and Food Festival.

About 18 months ago, an Oakfield resident, George Norway, sat in Triangle Park in his electric wheelchair with a sign on the back.

It read, "Shame on Oakfield."

When people inquired, he disclosed he was upset with the fact that in the park there were memorials to veterans of the world wars and Korea but nothing honoring the sacrifices of Vietnam War veterans.

Norway was not himself a veteran but he had seen friends and family go off to war and was not happy that they were forgotten.

Jill Klotzback, Robyn Gage and Laurie Nanni, along with members of the Oakfield Historical Society, got together and began to plan an appropriate memorial.

After the company they were working with to create the memorial more than doubled the price of the monument, Justin Calarco Smith of H.E. Turner spoke with the company's distributor and he was able to get the bench for less than the original quote.

Before the bench was unveiled, Assemblyman Steve Hawley spoke about how Vietnam veterans were forgotten, ignored, even shunned after the war.  He recalled that for the first five years of his annual trip to Washington D.C., the Patriot Trip, there were never Vietnam War veterans who took the trip.  Over the past few years, their numbers have been increasing. When the tour stops at the Vietnam War Memorial, Hawley speaks with those veterans and thanks them for their service and apologizes on behalf of the nation for how they were treated upon their return. "Thank you for your service and welcome home," he says.

The brother and sister-in-law of George Norway then placed a bouquet of roses on the bench to dedicate it.

Photo by Howard Owens

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Hawley calls for delay to advanced clean truck regulation enforcement

By Press Release

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) drafted a letter to Gov. Hochul yesterday requesting that the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) regulation delay its enforcement start date from January 1, 2025.

Following conversations with constituents and local business owners who rely on trucks for their operations, Hawley has learned that the implementation of the program – which resulted from an effort to curb excess emissions from shipping trucks – is already producing problems businesses are struggling to accommodate in this short timeframe. Hawley is asking for the delay until the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority conducts and concludes the highway and depot charging needs evaluation.

“The New York State Automobile Dealers Association (NYSADA) and the Trucking Association of New York (TANY) have already expressed concerns with the regulation’s implementation next year, and their claims need to be heeded” Hawley said.

“As a government we need to start listening to all stakeholders who will be affected by decisions New York State makes.  In this case, it would appear that truck dealers and trucking businesses have never been consulted. Unfortunately, this happens over and over again with the State of New York” Hawley said.

Previously:

Photos: Good eats at Oakfield Labor Daze

By Howard B. Owens
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Shawn Woodward fries up a blooming onion.  Woodward said he thinks the first time he tried a blooming onion himself was as a child at the Elba Onion Festival.
Photo by Howard Owens.

The Oakfield Labor Daze Music and Food Festival has two main components. We've covered the weekend's music.  Here's a look at the other part of the festival -- all the good food being served up by about a dozen vendors.

Monday's Schedule:

  • 10 a.m.: Parade
  • 11 a.m.: Salvatore
  • 1 p.m.: Terry Buchwald (Elvis)
  • 4 p.m.: Songbirds (Fleetwood Mac)

And food vendors all day.

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Joel Hamm cooking in the Oakfield Betterment Committee food booth.
Photo by Howard Owens.
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Felix Elimihele from Kitchen Africana in the Greece Mall.
Photo by Howard Owens.
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Photo by Howard Owens.
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Photo by Howard Owens.

Photos: Vendors offer a variety of goods at Labor Daze in Oakfield

By Howard B. Owens
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Joe Spath
Photo by Howard Owens

Like any serious collector of vinyl records, Cheektowaga resident Joe Spath comes across many decades old records with little to no value—copies of the soundtrack to “South Pacific,” for example, or any Mitch Miller LP. Ditto Burl Ives. To say these records are a dime a dozen is to overstate their value.

That's why Spath grabs those records from the pile when he finds them to turn them into wall art.

Using computer-guided cutting tools, Spath turns the vinyl records into tributes to legendary artists, such as Chuck Berry, Paul McCartney, Elton John, ABBA, the Bee Gees, and so on.

He carves an artist's image or logo into the record and prints out a faux record label he downloads from the Web to cover over the original less desirable label.

Spath is one of the vendors this weekend at the Oakfield Labor Daze Music & Food Festival.

He started cutting records about 12 years ago. 

"I've been doing this because it makes people happy," the Navy veteran said Sunday.

A former DJ, Spath said he has cataloged in his collection of "keepers" 8,000 LPs, 2,000 45s, 1,500 CDs, and even a lot of cassettes.

The collection spans the 1940s to the 2000s and pretty much every genre of music.

"Variety is the spice of life," he said.

There are close to three dozen vendors at the festival this weekend.

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Five-year-old Lukas Kastelic was quite pleased with the tie-dyed Buffalo Bills T-shirt his parents were buying him.
Photo by Howard Owens
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Photo by Howard Owens
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Photo by Howard Owens
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Photo by Howard Owens
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Photo by Howard Owens

Photos: Nerds Gone Wild at Oakfield Labor Daze

By Howard B. Owens
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Sunday night's headliner, Nerds Gone Wild -- perhaps Western New York's most popular cover band -- thrilled all their fans who turned out in Triangle Park for their headlining performance on the second day of the Oakfield Labor Daze Music & Food Festival.

While waiting for the band make its grand entrance, one woman from Arizona approached a reporter and praised the festival. She couldn't believe all the music was free. And she loved all the food options. She said she extended her vacation an extra week just to see Nerds in Oakfield.

Photos by Howard Owens.

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Photos: The Eaglez at Oakfield Labor Daze

By Howard B. Owens
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The Eaglez, an Eagles tribute band, performed Sunday afternoon at the Oakfield Labor Daze Music and Food Festival.

The band's set was cut about 20 minutes short by a torrential downpour.

Photos by Howard Owens.

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Making a difference: UConnectCare aide Linda Ackley can relate to those struggling because she’s been there

By Press Release
Remote video URL

Press Release:

As someone in recovery for more than four decades, Linda Ackley knows what those struggling with substance use are going through.

Now in her 22nd year at UConnectCare (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse), Ackley is a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor currently is serving as a “tech.”

A dedicated employee, her experience and compassion have made a difference in the lives of her clients at the agency’s Atwater Community Residence and Detox Center.

It was in her mid-20s when Ackley came to grips with her excessive drinking and -- leaning on what she calls “her higher power” -- found the strength to put those days behind her.

“I went back to school and got my diploma (she had dropped out after becoming pregnant at the age of 16),” she said. “Then, I went to Genesee Community College and got my associate’s degree in social work, and from there I went to Brockport and got my bachelor’s degree in mental health/social work.”

Since then, she obtained her master’s degree and has worked tirelessly to counsel and mentor people seeking to break free from the grip of substance use.

“When you’re trying to relate to young people who are in the program, it makes a big difference if you can tell them that you’ve been there; that you know what the heck they’re going through,” she said. “If they find out that your book smart, they’re going to give you a hard time. They’ll say, ‘You don’t know how I feel.’ Yeah, you do know how they feel when you’ve been there.”

Ackley’s work ethic has transferred to her daughter, Carrie Anne, who also works at UConnectCare. She also has a son, John, who lives in Genesee County. Her other son, Francis, died in 2001.

When not at work, Ackley and her longtime partner, John, rescue animals – primarily cats.

“We've been saving the animals for years,” she said. “That’s my big thing now. I’ve got 12 of my own after I fixed them and got them all sets, and four kittens that I’m fostering right now.”

Ackley said she is proud of her granddaughter, Julietta, who is enrolled at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs in pursuit of a PhD.

“I raised her, although not my blood, right along with my other grandchildren (after Francis died),” she said. “I’ve had her for 20 years and she’s doing great.”

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Linda Ackley
Submitted photo.

Ackley suffered a severe injury to her right arm years ago while working at Genesee County ARC (resulting in replacement of the bone from the shoulder to the elbow), but that hasn’t slowed her down. She also underwent heart surgery earlier this year.

“They put a watchman into my left valve,” she said, adding that she returned to her job several weeks later.

As far as working at UConnectCare is concerned, Ackley said “this place is just like family.”

“It’s a great place to work,” she added. “We all work together and do our best for our clients.”

She said she encourages those in recovery – young people who have come through UConnectCare – to pursue a career in substance use or mental health counseling.

“We had two people here that were in the program that I encouraged to get into recovery, and after that come back here to work,” she said. “Guess what? They’re back here working.”

The path to recovery begins with U. At UConnectCare, we want you to work with us. For more information on employment opportunities, go to www.uconnectcare.org.

USDA launches new debt consolidation tool to help farmers manage operating debt

By Press Release

Press Release:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the launch of the Debt Consolidation Tool, an innovative online tool available through farmers.gov that allows agricultural producers to enter their farm operating debt and evaluate the potential savings that might be provided by obtaining a debt consolidation loan with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) or a local lender.

“Providing producers with options to structure their debt in a manner that affords them every opportunity to meet the goals of their agricultural operation is the best way to ensure the nation’s farmers and ranchers build financial equity and resilience,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.  

A debt consolidation loan is a new loan used to pay off other existing operating loans or lines of credit that might have unreasonable rates and terms. By combining multiple eligible debts into a single, larger loan, borrowers may obtain more favorable payment terms such as a lower interest rate or lower payments. Consolidating debt may also provide farmers and ranchers additional cash flow flexibilities.  

The Debt Consolidation Tool is a significant addition to FSA’s suite of improvements designed to modernize its Farm Loan Programs. The tool enhances customer service and increases opportunities for farmers and ranchers to achieve financial viability by helping them identify potential savings that could be reinvested in their farming and ranching operation, retirement accounts, or college savings accounts.  

Producers can access the Debt Consolidation Tool by visiting farmers.gov/debt-consolidation-tool. The tool is built to run on modern browsers including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or the Safari browser. Producers do not need to create a farmers.gov account or access the authenticated customer portal to use the tool. 

Photos: Friday at Wings Over Batavia

By Staff Writer
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A drone formation spells out Wings Over Batavia during the air show on Saturday.
Photo by Jim Burns
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Photos by Jim Burns
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Photos by Jim Burns
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Photos by Jim Burns
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Photos by Jim Burns
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Photos by Jim Burns
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Photos by Jim Burns
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Photos by Jim Burns
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Photos by Jim Burns
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Photos by Jim Burns

Photos: Mayday Buffalo and Dave Viterna Group at Oakfield Labor Daze

By Howard B. Owens
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On Saturday at Labor Daze in Triangle Park in Oakfield, Mayday Buffalo was the afternoon band, and Dave Viterna Group was the headliner for the night.

The rest of this weekend's lineup:

On Sunday:

  • 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Russ Peters Group
  • 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Eaglez tribute to The Eagles
  • 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Hazzard County
  • 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.: Nerds Gone Wild

On Monday:

  • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Salvatore
  • 1 to 4 p.m.: Terry Buchwald tribute to Elvis
  • 4 to 7 p.m.: Songbirds tribute to Fleetwood Mac

The Labor Daze Parade is at 10 a.m. on Monday

Photos by Howard Owens

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Photos: Genesee Ted opens up Labor Daze in Oakfield

By Howard B. Owens
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Genesee Ted kicked off three days of live music in Oakfield for the Labor Daze Music & Food Festival.

Also on Saturday, Mayday from 4 to  7 p.m. and Dave Viterna Group from 7 to 10 p.m.

On Sunday:

  • 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Russ Peters Group
  • 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Eaglez tribute to The Eagles
  • 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Hazzard Country
  • 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.: Nerds Gone Wild

On Monday:

  • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Salvatore
  • 1 to 4 p.m.: Terry Buchwald tribute to Elvis
  • 4 to 7 p.m.: Songbirds tribute to Fleetwood Mac

The Labor Daze Parade is at 10 a.m. on Monday

Photos by Howard Owens

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Top Items on Batavia's List

Town Court Clerk Below are two lists: one details the myriad responsibilities that fall within the purview of the court clerk; the other summarizes the knowledge and abilities that court clerks possess or acquire through training. These lists are provided so that a judge and municipality can intelligently discuss the benefits that a court clerk can provide. The items below can also form the basis for a list of job duties should a municipality need to fill a vacancy in a court clerk position. Primary Responsibilities A. Maintain confidentiality of records and information when required to do so B. Prepare court calendar C. Collect monies, reconcile daily receipts, deposit receipts, prepare reports for monthly disbursements, reconcile bank accounts, and prepare administrative reports D. Enter convictions on drivers' licenses and prepare conviction reports electronically transmitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles E. Enter criminal conviction on NCIC reports and electronically send same to Division of Criminal Justice Services F. Respond to inquiries-in person, by phone, by e-mail and by mail-and provide assistance to lawyers, litigants, media, and members of the public G. Prepare monthly reports that are electronically sent to the Office of the State Comptroller H. Prepare orders, summonses, warrants and other court forms i. Communicate with outside agencies in order to coordinate the Court's activities and provide services to litigants. Such agencies include: ii. Law enforcement agencies, such as local police departments, New York State Police, Sheriffs office, FBI and CIA, US Armed Forces, and the Office of the District Attorney; I. Other courts, including superior courts and other local town and village courts; and i. Miscellaneous county agencies, such as Community Service, Community Dispute Resolution Center, Pre-trial Release, Probation, Stop DWI program, Victim Impact Panel, and Youth Court. ii. State agencies that require periodic reporting, including the New York State Unified Court System, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Office of the State Comptroller, the Division of Criminal Justice Services, and the Office of Court Record Retention. J. Examine court documents to ensure their accuracy and completeness K. Receive and file summonses, traffic tickets and other documents for court proceedings i. Assist the Justice at the bench during all Court proceedings Knowledge of: 1. The functions and organization of the Unified Court System ii. Basic legal terminology, codes and abbreviations iii. Court forms, practices and procedures, including those set forth in the Uniform Justice Court Act and the Uniform Civil Rules for the Justice Courts (22 NYCRR Part 214) 2. Ability to: i. Prepare judicial orders and decisions ii. Effectively communicate information orally and in writing iii. File and retrieve materials, extract data from various sources for entry onto court form iv. Research and interpret laws outlined in court documents and litigants' motions and other papers v. Perform mathematical tasks in order to compile court activity reports, total receipts, accept payments, and verify bills vi. Refer to appropriate documents, statutes, citations or other sources in order to respond to specific questions from attorneys, litigants and members of the general public vii. Interpret policies, statutes, rules and regulations and apply them in specific contexts viii. Establish work priorities ix. Constructively manage conflict with court users Qualifications: Highschool diploma recognized by the NYS Dept of Education or appropriate equivalent. Along with 4 years of college, specialization in criminal justice, law, business administration or related field. -OR- 2 years college with specialization in Business Administration or related field. Please email your resume to abrownell@townofbatavia.com no later than 12/16/2024. Pay is based on experience.
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