Hoops runs in the McCulley Family DNA, and that trait was fully on display on Tuesday in Rochester when cousins Callie and Amelia took the court against each other for the first time in their respective college careers.
Callie is in her final year, as a fifth-year senior and the University of Rochester. Amelia is just starting at William and Smith College. Both young women helped their respective Notre Dame squads win Section V titles and both scored more than 1,000 points in their high school basketball careers.
Callie graduated in 2019 and Amelia last year.
U of R got the win on Tuesday, 83-72. Calle scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Amelia scored five points and had three rebounds.
Good music was part of the Thanksgiving celebration at Ri-Dans in Batavia on Wednesday night with the Rusty Fisher Band and the Growlers Blues Band both taking the stage.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) recently received an excellent ranking in the New York State Conservative Party’s legislative session ratings report, which was released yesterday. Hawley received a conservative rating of 92 out of 100 with the average score for Assembly Republicans being 88.
The report took into account members’ positions on issues such as criminal justice, Second Amendment rights and tax policies. Hawley is proud to have received this high rating and is committed to supporting pro-business policies and working to lower the cost of living across the state.
“Upholding conservative principles has been the cornerstone of my time serving in Albany,” said Hawley. “Our state has seen rising crime and increased inflation due to liberal policies that have had negative effects on citizens and businesses. What New York needs more than anything right now is representatives who believe in individual liberty and the rule of law. As long as I am still in the Assembly, there will always be someone standing up for these values in our state.”
Six members of the Byron-Bergen Chapter of the FFA joined over 72,000 attendees at the FFA National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana on Nov. 2 and 3. However, their adventure began four days prior when they loaded up the tour bus and set out on an agriculture-themed road trip complete with educational experiences, sightseeing, and celebrity photo-ops. They shared this journey with the Belleville Henderson FFA, Indian River FFA, and Alexandria Bay FFA.
“I really loved meeting people from all over the US,” said 10th-grade FFA member Grace Mundell. “The people I met and got to know on our bus were amazing and I felt such a sense of belonging.”
After a quick stop at the Cleveland Zoo, the group headed to Kentucky for a peak into the world of horse racing. Keeneland Racetrack, Churchill Downs, and the Kentucky Derby Museum were all on the itinerary as well as Ashford Farm. Ashford Farm is a family-owned horse farm specializing in boarding and training sport horses. While at Ashford, FFA members had the opportunity to Meet 2015 Triple Crown Winner, American Pharoah.
“I love how everything and everyone in Kentucky revolves around horses,” said Mundell. “I got to pet American Pharoah, one of two living triple crown winners. I learned that the stud fee for him is $250,000 and I learned about how much work and money goes into horse racing.”
“We learned that a horse sold for 12 million dollars at Keenland racetrack and (at Winstar Farms) I learned that Secretariat’s heart was three times the size of an average horse’s heart,” said 10th grade FFA member Paige O’Brien. O’Brien’s favorite part of the trip was visiting Haygard Equine Medical Facility. “I was able to see other career options that I may want to fulfill.”
From Kentucky, the group headed to Indiana to visit Tom Farms, the largest landowner in the state. They farm 18,000 acres, 3500 acres in seed corn and the rest is a mix of soybeans and field corn. The group received a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into producing over 150 million pounds of corn and soybeans every year.
The final stop on their journey was the 96th Annual FFA National Convention. The main sessions were held in Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. FFA members networked with agricultural industry representatives and representatives from many agricultural, natural resource, and engineering colleges including Cornell University, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Morrisville, Paul Smiths College, and Clarkson University.
“This was a great opportunity for our students to network with FFA members from across the state and nation,” said Parnapy. “There were chapters at the convention representing all 50 states.”
O’Brien stated that “making connections with members from other states” was the most memorable part of the convention. Mundell will always remember reciting the FFA pledge at the convention center in unison with 66,000 other FFA members. One of the last stops before boarding the bus back to New York State was to the Indiana State Fairgrounds to attend a rodeo.
“I think one of my favorite parts was probably the rodeo, I hadn't ever been to one before and it was really fun and super cool to watch and cheer for the cowboys,” said Mundell. “In all that was the best trip I have ever gone on. I will never forget the people I met or the things I experienced and the places we went, it really was amazing.”
Byron-Bergen FFA members board a tour bus for the FFA National Convention.
Submitted photo of BB FFA visits Churchill Downs.
Submitted photo of BB FFA member petting American Pharaoh.
Submitted photo of BB FFA at National Conference.
Submitted photo of Byron-Bergen FFA atop a 110-foot-tall storage silo at Tom Farms, Indiana.
In light of an explosion today at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls of an undetermined nature, Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. would like to remind citizens to be conscious of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity immediately to local law enforcement by dialing 9-1-1.
For those that haven't heard the news, two people died, and a Border Patrol officer was injured when a vehicle exploded Wednesday at the Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge border crossing between the United States and Canada, according to a New York Times article.
The FBI is investigating the incident.
The article cited two American law enforcement officials "with knowledge of the matter."
The cause of the explosion, its precise location and the direction that the vehicle had been traveling were not immediately clear, the article stated. A video from the scene showed what appeared to be an inspection booth at the bridge, with smoke billowing out of the top and debris surrounding it.
At the request of American officials, all four bridges between Canada and the United States in the Niagara area had been closed, including the Rainbow Bridge, Peace Bridge, Lewiston-Queenston Bridge and Whirlpool Bridge, said Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s public safety minister.
“This is a rapidly changing situation,” Mr. LeBlanc told reporters, the article stated. “All measures are being taken to ensure that people will be safe.”
A bicyclist has reportedly been hit by a car on West Main Street, Batavia, between Bogue and Woodrow.
City Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 2:09 p.m. by Joanne Beck: The patient was initially unconscious, but came to and is being examined by Mercy EMS and is likely going to be transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
Today we received a tanker of water from the NY State Office of Emergency Management to temporarily provide water to our residents experiencing dry wells.
For those residents affected, please call 585-343-1399, Ext. 202, and leave your full name, address and phone number. You will then be contacted with times to come to the town hall parking lot to fill your water totes.
Respectfully, Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr.
A Town of Batavia resident and business owner reiterated his objections Tuesday night to a proposed Genesee Biogas plant earmarked for the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park but, once again, project developers attempted to alleviate his concerns over the smell of its emissions.
Speaking at the Batavia Town Planning Board meeting at the Town Hall on West Main Street Road, Eric Biscaro questioned Lauren Toretta, president of CH4 Biogas, and Sara Gilbert of Pinewood Engineering, about the extent of the odor from the facility, which is set to be constructed on Ag Park Drive, not far away from Ellicott Street Road.
“If you go by O-AT-KA (Milk Products Cooperative) on lots of given days, the odor there is enough to … it’s bad,” Biscaro said. “So, it’s seems that it would be more intense at your place if you’re going to bring it over from O-AT-KA and (HP) Hood and Upstate (Niagara Cooperative). If you’re going to be worse than O-AT-KA, then I’m going to tell you that I’m going 100 percent against this.”
Biscaro mentioned his neighbors on Ellicott Street Road and also those on Shepard Road when he added, “We really don’t want you to do that to us.”
The scene mirrored what played out six months ago when Biscaro, as a member of the Genesee County Planning Board, voiced his opposition to the digester based on the potential odor.
Last night, as was the case in May, Gilbert and Toretta, responded by stating that measures are in place to mitigate the smell as the digester handles sanitary waste primarily from the three Ag Park enterprises.
Gilbert said the digester storage tanks feature a process that is “entirely enclosed,” unlike the system at O-AT-KA that has open air containers where “odors can get into the air and get wind dispersed.”
“It is an enclosed process, it has odor filtration, and we also have an odor mitigation plan that we’ve started to prepare if there’s a breakdown in the process; a way to identify it and rectify it,” she said.
Toretta called the digester, which was first proposed about nine years ago, a “next level” project and a “landmark facility” that comes with numerous technological advances.
Biscaro then brought up the placement of the facility and wondered why it couldn’t be shifted further north on Ag Park Drive, closer to HP Hood and Upstate and farther away from people’s homes.
“This is the parcel that the Ag Park asked us to be on,” Toretta replied, noting that Hood is planning an expansion and has use for more of its property. “We also oriented the site as far from the road as possible, up against the tree line …”
Prior to Biscaro’s comments, Gilbert updated planners on the project, emphasizing that waste from the food processing plants will be shipped to lagoons approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and not to the City of Batavia wastewater treatment plant.
She said the waste is deemed by the DEC as “good material for fertilizer.”
Gilbert addressed other key points such as making sure the project aligns with federal requirements concerning environmental impact, stormwater treatment, water usage, truck traffic and wildlife protection.
She noted that county planners have recommended approval of a height variance for the storage tanks, and that the next step is to return to the Town Planning Board to take on the State Environmental Quality Review process.
More than two dozen football players from Genesee County made the West's roster for the Eddie Meath All-Star Game, which was played Monday at U of R's Fauver Stadium.
The East beat the West 21-6.
Genesee County players on the West roster:
Trent Woods, Alexander
Clayton Bezon, Alexander
Case Hill, Alexander
Landyn Thomas
Cole Grazioplene, Batavia
Mekhi Fortes, Batavia
Brian Calderon, Batavia
Damon Linzy, Byron-Bergen
Anthony Leach, Byron-Bergen
Max Wilson, Byron-Bergen
Tony Piazza, Le Roy
Jackson Fix, Le Roy
Drew Strollo, LeRoy
Cal Koukides, Le Roy
AustinPangrazio, Oakfield-Alabama/Elba
Ashton Bezon, Oakfield-Alabama/Elba
Bodie Hyde, Oakfield-Alabama/Elba
Angelo Penna, Oakfield-Alabama/Elba
Tyson Totten, Pembroke
Jeremy Gabbey, Jr., Pembroke
Sean Pustulka, Pembroke
Jaden Mast, Pembroke
Brennan Royce, Pembroke
Joe Bauer, Pavilion
Tyler Brady, Pavilion
Austin Cummings, Pavilion
Ella Mattice of Le Roy participated as a cheerleader.
A tanker filled with 6,700 gallons of water arrives early Wednesday morning in Bethany. Photo submitted by Carl Hyde
All things considered, Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde was in fairly good spirits Tuesday evening after making phone calls to Bethany residents for three hours to, as he put it, serve as an early Grinch and rob them of their holiday.
Those people had been planning on celebrating Thanksgiving at the town’s Community Center because they didn’t have water in their own homes. On Tuesday morning, the Community Center went dry as well.
“They always rent the hall. So today, I had to be the Grinch that stole Christmas and Thanksgiving. I’m just sick to my stomach over it,” Hyde said. “I’ve been here 60 years, other than the six years I was in the military, and I’ve never seen it like this. And even some of the old people that have been in to see me that are out of water, they’ve been here a heck of a lot longer than me, and they’ve never seen it this bad.”
Just how bad? Out of 665 homes, 100 of those households do not have water, plus several dairy farms that either have no water at all or are having to truck water in to supplement the sparse supply that they do have, he said. And then there are the businesses that are also hauling in water because they have none.
Remember those warnings during the summer to use water sparingly because of dry conditions? While Bethany’s intense dehydration is affecting home, dairy and business owners’ wells, it’s due to the same type of drought conditions, Hyde said. There has not been a significant enough snow or rain fall in a long enough time period, that it has made a huge impact on well water levels, he said.
The sliver of silver lining for Hyde was that he heard from the state Office of Emergency Management Tuesday, and it is sending a tanker full of water — 6,700 gallons full — to Bethany to help out. Hyde will be setting up a schedule for folks to fill their 250 and 500-gallon jugs for at least some relief during the holiday week and beyond.
He has been gathering a list of people who are without water and encourages residents to contact him if they have not yet gotten on that list. Genesee County Health Department has also been helping out, he said.
“I can have a system set up for the residents of Bethany that need to fill their water tank. I'm going to have 6,700 gallons to dole out to those people to try to help them out. The Genesee County Health Department's been very helpful,” Hyde said. “They're working, contacting Department of Homeland Services and environmental services to see if they can bring in, get from the state, a truckload of gallons or pallets of bottled water to these people, so we're going all different avenues to try to help relieve some of their pain.
“I’m trying all kinds of avenues. Anybody that wants to help, any big stores, Walmart Tops, wants to donate a pallet of water for the residents, we greatly appreciate it,” he said. “Whatever help I can get for these people, I’m not afraid to ask.”
He will gladly accept donations and distribute them to a community that has struggled with water issues for the last 25 years, he said. He cited one large dairy farm, Lor-Rob, which is trucking in 60,000 gallons of water a day for its 6,000 cows.
“That’s not sustainable for a farm,” Hyde said. “And if they were to sell off the dairy herd, they’ve got 100 employees. What are you gonna do, kick them to the curb? And it’s not just like one dairy farm.”
He went on to list three or four others, all dealing with the same problem.
Well, why doesn’t he apply for assistance, certainly there must be aid for a municipality in this condition. He did. In 2022, Hyde included real-life scenarios of what the residents are enduring to apply for a state Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) grant.
Bethany was turned down, as it didn’t qualify.
“They’re giving money away like candy,” he said. “But when someone is in dire need, you can’t get it. I’m doing everything I can. I've called FEMA, Homeland Security and environmental services. I've called the state, I've called the federal government. I've got everybody in the mix right now.”
He has applied for another WIIA grant and is hoping to hear back by the end of this year. He included a stack of letters fromresidents. The town does have four water districts, two each on the northeast and northwest side of town, and Hyde is pursuing a District 5 in the heart of Bethany, where 52 homes have no water at all.
The town had pursued District 5 in 2018 and a USDA grant of $16.5 million. It was looking hopeful, and then COVID came along, everything shut down, and “prices went through the roof,” Hyde said. That project shot up in price, with the cheapest route using plastic piping for a total of $21.5 million.The grant was still $5 million short.
Several politicians have reached out in support of Bethany, and Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congresswoman Claudia Tenney put in for federal appropriations budget funding. Again, it seems as though timing and circumstances aren’t exactly on Bethany’s side.
Since Congress hasn’t been taking care of much business, that budget vote still remains in the to-do pile, Hyde said.
“You know how confused the federal government's been with getting rid of McCarthy and all that. They've been really confused and have lost sight of the American citizens. So they haven't even voted on the budget yet,” he said. “So we don't know if we'll even get any federal appropriations money. Bethany is literally caught between a rock and a hard place.
I mean, if we get any funding, you know, when we get all the paperwork for that done, whichever route we go, we can't start digging until probably summertime, when we do the bid process. Award the bid, then order the material, and they start digging, it’s probably going to be summer. And the water district is going to take 12 to 18 months to complete,” he said. “So we're looking at 2025-26 when people actually have water at the tap. So how long is the drought going to last? It’s a dilemma.”
He knows all about having to live without water and can empathize all day long with his residents, but in the meantime, Hyde is trying to get something done to help. Once that tanker is empty, it will go to Genesee County for a refill, and that can keep happening for at least the next 30 days, he said.
The state Office of Emergency Management has sent it on loan for 30 days, with the possibility of an extension. He’s not sure who will pay the tab for the water and isn’t as concerned about that right now.
“We’re going to help the residents first, and then worry about that later, how we’re going to work this out,” he said. “There’s got to be an amicable way to work this out. My goal is to get all the logistics worked out by tomorrow afternoon, so those people in their homes on Thanksgiving can have water.”
If you’re a Bethany resident without water and need to get on his list or have a donation of water, call Hyde at 585-356-2658.
You just bought your first house, which has a 16-foot well, and that works sufficiently for your family and your 250-head dairy farm for a few years. Then in 2007, the well goes dry.
So you drill it out and go down 65 feet and hit water. You’re good again, until 2013, when the well goes dry again.
Then you have to go down 125 feet at a cost of $75 per foot. You strike water and are good again, but only for another five years. In 2018 the well goes dry permanently.
That happened to Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde.
“So my wife and I went for one year without water,” he said. “I had to go buy a 250-gallon water tank, and had to go buy a trailer to put it on to haul it and drive it to either Pavilion or Stafford to fill it up and back it up in my yard to my well.”
The well sucked up that water into the house and used it just for the toilets. Additional water was needed for drinking.
One’s lifestyle most definitely changes without running water, he said. You microwave your meals, eat on paper plates and use plastic cutlery. Showers are taken at obliging family members’ homes, and dirty clothes are taken care of at a laundromat.
There’s no turning on the tap, hopping in the shower or taking anything for granted when it comes to a steady stream of that liquid gold labeled H2O.
The Hydes tracked their water-related expenses and spent $2,200 in one year. They are now on public water and pay $40 per quarter. They have walked the walk and can empathize with the town residents who are now wrestling with the effects of an excessively parched Mother Nature.
Out of 665 households, some 350 to 400 “may have water,” Hyde said, and at least 100 do not, plus some dairy farms and businesses. He has applied a second time for a state Water Infrastructure Improvement grant and is anxiously waiting to hear back about approval or denial.
There is another option — a USDA loan of $5 million at 3.1 percent interest to shore up a previously obtained $16.5 million grant to meet a new project total of $21.5 million for District 5. One thing’s for sure, though, he said.
“That’s going to raise the cost for public water,” Hyde said.
A straw poll would be taken of the 400 District 5 residents, and 51 percent have to say yes for it to be approved. Yes would mean they get public water, but it would also mean paying more due to the increased project cost and paying off that $5 million plus interest over 30 years.
On the other hand, there’s the option of doing nothing and having no water at all. That’s an existence Hyde does not wish on anyone.
“Until you live that ugly (experience), you don’t know. I’m not saying my house is a mansion or anything, but, you know, even a $100,000 house is great, but when you have no water, you can’t sell it; it’s worthless,” he said. “And life is miserable.”
413 East Main Street, Batavia. 1144 Square feet of office space for lease is located in an ideal location, close to downtown. The office space is ready for immediate occupancy. Call Michelle Dills today for more information!
A structure fire is reported at 2993 Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Oakfield.
Oakfield Fire dispatched.
UPDATE 4:44 p.m.: Second Alarm. Town of Batavia Fire and East Pembroke Fire dispatched. A person reportedly trapped in the structure. Alabama Fire to fill in at Oakfield Hall. Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 5:15 p.m. Joanne Beck: One occupant and two dogs were rescued from the structure safely. No other occupants are in the home. No flames and only light smoke are on scene at this time.
The fire is under control, and responding fire departments are starting the overhaul.
UPDATE 7:43 p.m.: The scene commander was Chad Williams, first assistant chief of Oakfield Fire. The first chief on scene confirmed that there was a structure fire and a person inside, along with two dogs. That chief and a state trooper coaxed the occupant out.
A neighbor had reported the fire and the occupant was apparently unaware of the fire.
Williams said the first engine on scene arrived quickly.
He said, "We made quick work into the house and ended extinguishing the fire, knocking down the base of it, and we made some headway to find where it was located." He said the fire appeared to have started with or near a wood stove.
The occupant was checked by medics and had no apparent injuries.
Asked about the quick work of the firefighters to knock down the fire, Williams said, "That's that's what we trained for. We don't get these very often. A lot of folks, when we do this training, they're like, 'oh boy, why do we got to keep doing this training?' But you know, once that training kicks in, it's like muscle memory. It just kicks in. It's second nature. They go in they do what they got to do, and then everybody comes out unscathed."
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if you smoke and live in a home with high radon levels, your risk of developing lung cancer increases.
Testing your home for radon is the only effective way to know if you and your loved ones are exposed to toxic levels of this poisonous gas.
Darren Brodie, Environmental Health Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) stated, “Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas. It has no smell, taste, or color. Radon forms from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water and mixes into the air you breathe. When radon is formed under homes and buildings, it can enter through cracks in the foundation. This leads to high levels of radon, especially in enclosed areas. Any home can have high radon levels and the only way to know is to test your home.”
The Genesee County Health Department Radon Program has a limited supply of short-term radon test kits free of charge for residents in Genesee County. We also offer educational materials and presentations to those interested in learning more about radon and its risks.
Residents in other counties can get radon test kits at their local hardware store or through radon testing laboratories found at https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/radon/. For more information about radon and how to receive a free radon test kit in Genesee County, contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 x5555 or Health@co.genesee.ny.us.
The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County Board of Directors meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 28. The meeting will be held at the Association at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia and is open to the public.
For more information, please contact Yvonne Peck at ydp3@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040 x123.
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.
