Pending final approval by the full Genesee County Legislature, members of the Civil Service Employees Association Inc. local chapter of county employees will be receiving a raise in the middle of a previously negotiated contract period.

Acting on a resolution proposed by County Manager Matt Landers, the legislature’s Ways & Means Committee on Wednesday voted in favor of granting a 2.25 percent pay increase for 2022 on top of the 2.25 percent increase the CSEA, Local 1000, AFSCME, Genesee County Unit 6950, Local 819 is receiving as part of a four-year agreement that started on Jan. 1, 2020.

“To stay competitive, we needed to provide this wage increase,” Landers said, referring to the part of the resolution that emphasizes that retention and recruitment of employees are crucial to services provided by the county.

The union consists of 272 employees across more than two dozen departments. Its contracted raise for 2023 is 2 percent and is not affected by this resolution, Landers said.

In related action, the committee supported using $86,000 in Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding through the New York State Office of Mental Health to provide workforce retention incentives for eligible CSEA employees of the Genesee County Mental Health Department.

Authorization for this comes through the Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021.

The resolution forwarded to the full legislature also calls for incentive payments to eligible management staff of the department.

In other developments, the committee:

• Approved a request from Genesee Community College officials to apply to the State University of New York for funding of four capital projects at the campus: heating/ventilation/air conditioning system ($1.8 million), data room control unit ($300,000), gymnasium air handling unit ($450,000), touchless restrooms ($949,000).

According to the resolution, the college will pay for half of the total cost, $1,749,500, by using unallocated Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds and is asking the state to pay for the other half.

Genesee County acts as a pass-through in this transaction and is not required to pay any of the expenses of these projects.

• Approved a change order for $220,000 in the county’s contract with Randsco Pipeline of Macedon, effectively ending legal proceedings between the two entities over the costs of extensive work performed by Randsco on Phase 2 of the Countywide Water Project.

“This is the final payment that ends the contractual agreement,” Landers said, opting not to get into the specifics of the dispute, which was reported on The Batavian in October 2020.

Previously: Randsco Pipeline crews return to work on county's Phase 2 water project as contractual issues are put on hold

Previously: County seeks outside legal advice regarding 'serious disputes' with water pipeline installation company

The Oatkan Knights season came to a disappointing end on Wednesday with a 52-48 loss to Myderse Academy in the Class B2 sectional semifinal in boys basketball.

Merritt Holly, Jr., scored 22 points for Le Roy, and Fin Shelby scored 15.

Le Roy came into the game as the #2 seed and Myderse is the #3 seed.

Photos by Ed Henry.

The Alexander Trojans Girls Varsity Team beat the Addison Knights with a buzzer-beater finish to secure a one-point victory, 51-50, and advance to Saturday’s sectional finals.

The Trojans took the first-half lead 25-21 but began to slip scoring only eight points to the Knights 11 points while still maintaining a 1 point lead.  

Both teams rallied in the fourth quarter with the lead changing 4 times, ultimately ending with a shot with 1.1 seconds left on the clock by Natalie Whitmore, scoring 2 points to bring Alexander the win.  

Alyssa Kramer lead the team with 21 points, four two-pointers, three three-pointers, and four free throws made.  Melanie Pow and Natalie Whitmore scored nine, and seven points respectively.

Next up for Alexander, the #7 seed in the C1 bracket, the #1 seed, East Rochester Bombers at Rush Henrietta High School, Saturday at 3 p.m.

Top photo: Alyssa Kramer (5) with a lay-up

Coach Hirsch lays out the gameplay for the Trojans

Melanie Pow (32) reaching for a shot from the corner of the backboard

Natalie Whitmore (32) drives with her eyes on the basket past an Addison defender

Alexander fans celebrating an incredible win after making the 60-mile journey to Canandaigua High School

The Batavia Blue Devils' post-season surge came to an end Wednesday night with a 55-46 loss to Palmyra-Macedon.

Batavia (9-14) entered sectionals an underdog as the #8 seed in Class B1 but kept their season alive with wins over Livonia (the #9 seed) and #1 seeded Northstar.

On Wednesday, Javin McFollins, Mikey McKenzie, and Tanner Mountain each scored nine points, and Cam McClinic scored eight.

Photos by Erin Staley.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) was appointed to the House Education and Labor Committee.

“American students and businesses face unprecedented challenges in today’s world, and I am honored to join a committee focused on finding solutions to these challenges,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs joins the House Education and Labor Committee after Rep. Greg Murphy (NC-03) was appointed to the House Ways and Means Committee in January. Jacobs has long been an advocate for education – his first elected office was a seat on the Buffalo School Board. Additionally, Jacobs started a private voucher program to help students in Western New York attend private or religious schools if their parents chose to send them.

“Giving our students access the highest quality education has long been a priority of mine. Additionally, Western New York, and many other regions in our nation, face a growing shortage of labor in advanced manufacturing and skilled trades. I will be using my position to advocate for policies that put our students first and support strong workforce development initiatives to address our nation’s skilled labor shortage,” Jacobs said. “Finally, together with my work on the House Agriculture Committee I will work to ensure rural students and economies thrive.”\

Jacobs has been a frequent advocate for education policy that puts students and parents first. He cosponsored the Parents Bill of Rights to codify parents’ rights in their children’s education. Recently Jacobs cosponsored the Unmask our Kids Act and introduced the Kids in Classes Act to promote school choice and in-person learning. He also introduced the School Resource Officer Act to provide additional resources to law enforcement officers protecting schools. This fall, Jacobs received the Adult Education Champion Award presented by the Coalition on Adult Basic Education for his work to support adult education in Western New York. Finally, Jacobs and Republican Leader Foxx successfully led the charge to have the CDC update COVID guidance to allow for Test-to-Stay options for students.

“As a small business owner and former school board member, Congressman Chris Jacobs is uniquely qualified to sit on the Education and Labor Committee. We welcome Rep. Jacobs’ insights on building a thriving workforce and making K-12 and postsecondary education as effective as possible. I look forward to working with Rep. Jacobs; I know this Committee will benefit from his leadership, experience, and wisdom,” Education and Labor Committee Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said.

“I am thrilled to welcome Congressman Jacobs to the House Committee on Education and Labor. I look forward to working with him more to advocate for our New York students, support our workforce, and stand up for parental engagement in our state,” Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Senior member of the House Committee on Education and Labor.

“I have had the pleasure of fighting alongside Republican Leader Foxx and Congresswoman Stefanik to promote continued access to in-person learning for our students and parents’ rights,” Jacobs said. “I look forward to continuing that work together on the Education and Labor Committee to put American students first and set them up for future success.”

Press release:

The Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming (GOW) County Health Departments and Hospitals are currently working with community partners to gather information from residents and those who work in these counties to help with public health planning for the next three years. The information will help inform and guide documents called the Community Health Assessment (CHA), Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), and Community Services Plan (CSP). This initiative is part of the New York State Prevention Agenda, the state’s health improvement plan, which is a blueprint for state and local action to improve the health and well-being of New Yorkers.

The 2019-2024 NYS Prevention Agenda Priority Areas are to Prevent Chronic Diseases; Promote a Healthy and Safe Environment; Promote Healthy Women, Infants and Children; Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders; and Prevent Communicable Disease. In the 2019-2022 GOW Community Health Improvement Plan, the community survey and community conversations helped inform some of the public health initiatives that the local health departments and hospitals focused on, which were:

• Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders
  • Prevent opioid overdose deaths
• Prevent Chronic Disease
  • Promote tobacco use cessation
  • Increase cancer screening rates
  • In the community setting, improve self-management skills for individuals with chronic diseases, including asthma, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, prediabetes and obesity.

Now, we are looking for community input to help inform the next Community Health Improvement Plan and to fully assess the health status of our communities. We are asking the public to participate by taking a survey and sharing their viewpoints during community conversations. An online survey is available and paper copies will be available at various locations throughout each county. You can access the survey by visiting the following link:

• English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2022English
• Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2022Spanish

The survey is anonymous, only takes about 15 minutes to complete and focuses on the health of the person taking it. If you are under the age of 18 years old, be sure to receive permission to take the survey from your parent(s) or guardian(s).

“As chief health strategists, the health departments are working toward identifying major community health challenges, gaps in services, and other factors that may contribute to a less than optimal health status for our community residents,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “The input from our residents will help identify community health needs, which will ultimately help us to develop our Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) for the next few years.”

The health departments are also seeking to schedule Community Conversations with willing groups to learn what they feel are the greatest health concerns or issues in their community and thoughts on how they can be improved.

“This process offers an opportunity for our community members to have a voice about the barriers and issues they face when trying to be healthy,” stated Laura Paolucci Wyoming County Health Department Public Health Administrator. “The more members of the community who participate, the more inclusive and stronger these plans will be.”

To participate in a community conversation, obtain hardcopies of the survey, obtain flyers that promote completing the survey online, or have any questions, please contact your local health department:

• Genesee County Health Department at: 585-344-2580 ext.5555, visit their website at www.GOHealthNY.Org or visit Facebook at: Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments.
• Orleans County Health Department at: 585-589-3278, visit their website at www.GOHealthNY.Org or visit Facebook at: Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments.
• Wyoming County Health Department at: 585-786-8890, visit their website at https://www.wyomingco.net/203/Health-Department, or visit Facebook at: Wyoming County Health Department.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement following President Biden’s State of the Union address this evening.

“Despite his words tonight, President Biden’s actions, policies, and agenda have been bad for our nation, and American families are paying the price. Reckless spending has driven our debt to record levels and caused an inflation crisis hitting hardworking families everywhere they spend money. Anti-American energy policies have killed our energy independence and driven fuel costs up for families. Open border policies have caused an illegal immigration and drug crisis at our southern border that continues to rage. Vaccine mandates threaten the viability of critical industries and the personal liberties of every American. And the reckless withdrawal from Afghanistan weakened our position in the world and emboldened our adversaries.

“President Biden’s actions have not been in the best interests of Americans. That is why my Republican colleagues and I have been fighting for common-sense, practical solutions to get our country back on track. We’ve introduced legislation to secure the southern border, to unleash domestic energy production, to protect parents’ rights, outlaw vaccine mandates, support police officers, bring down our national debt, and restore fiscal sanity to our government. We’re going to keep fighting for these policies to get our nation back on track and we’ll keep working to hold the Biden administration accountable.

Press release:

Volunteer registration is now open for United Way’s annual Day of Caring, happening on Thursday, May 19. For the first time in its 36-year history, Day of Caring will take place across Monroe, Livingston, Genesee, Wyoming, Wayne, and Ontario County on the same day.

Day of Caring is the community’s single largest volunteer effort, helping local not-for-profit organizations with projects, or ‘needs’, that they may not otherwise have resources for. Day of Caring needs includes painting, raking, cleaning up parks, planting community gardens, etc.

This year, more than 100 agency volunteer needs have already been registered. To browse through a list of needs, and to sign up to volunteer, visit unitedwayrocflx.org/volunteer. Volunteers can sign up as individuals or as a team. Volunteer registration closes Thursday, May 12. Agencies have until Saturday, April 30 to register a need.

AFL Batavia has announced its April flag football tournament to be held at a location in Batavia yet to be determined starting at 10 p.m., April 16.

There will be an awards ceremony following the championship game at Ri-Dans with food, music, and open bar for an hour.

The league says all teams from the last tournament are returning, including the defending champions, the Dream Killers.  Organizers would like to had three to five more teams. If there are 10 teams the prize pool will grow.

The entry fee is $500 per team. All teams but be local teams but out-of-town players can be on the rosters of local teams.

There is a $2,500 cash prize for the champion.

All players receive a jersey and a team photo.

Fees must be paid by March 31.

The league is also looking for sponsorships from local businesses.

For more information, email Darazian Williams at darazianw@gmail.com.

Photo: Submitted photo.

There will be a 5K walk and run to support GLOW Arc and Notre Dame's athletic department on March 12.

To register for the "Running with the Irish 5k Walk/ Run and Kids Fun Run," click here.

The Fun Run starts at 9 a.m. and is for kids ages 3-12 and will be held at Vandetta Stadium.  The Fun Run is 1/2 mile run (two laps around the track) and registration is $10 with an option to purchase a T-shirt for an additional $10.

The 5K/Walk will start at 10 am across the street at Notre Dame, 73 Union St, in the driveway.  

Registration is $25 and comes with a free T-shirt if you register before March 5th.  After that registration costs $30 and supplies of T-shirts maybe be limited.  

A corned beef and cabbage meal is also available for preorder from T.F. Brown's and can be picked up at the race.  There will only be 100 meals available.

A dozen businesses, seeking more than $500,000 in assistance, have applied thus far for financial assistance through the Genesee CARES Business Recovery Fund -- the new program that is providing up to $75,000 to small businesses negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jim Krencik, marketing director for the Genesee County Economic Development Center, and Michael Zimmerman of The Harrison Studio, which is overseeing the initiative, updated Genesee County legislators today at their Ways & Means Committee meeting at the Old County Courthouse.

Supported by a $1 million Community Development Block Grant, the program has been created to help businesses with 25 or fewer employees that were hurt by the pandemic to receive grants of up to $75,000. Eligible applicants are for-profit ventures within Genesee County with 25 or fewer employees.

Krencik said the 12 businesses that filled out application forms – which can be found at www.geneseecares.com – have asked for $550,000 in relief.

“If they’re all viable, we’re not sure yet,” he said, while encouraging business owners who have completed applications to follow up to make sure everything is in order.

He added that applications are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

A crucial element to the process is that these businesses have to add at least one full-time equivalent job.

“Adding one FTE is a large increase (for small businesses),” he said. “Our goal is to have 20 to 40 businesses supported. If we get more, we could apply for additional funding.”

Krencik said businesses can apply for funds in any or all of four categories.

Those categories are as follows:

• Employment Restoration and Job Hiring -- Businesses will be eligible to receive a grant of up to $25,000 per full-time equivalent job position created, restored, or retained, up to a maximum of $60,000.

• Outdoor Dining Development -- Businesses will eligible to receive up to $50,000 in grants to facilitate outdoor dining enhancements. Eligible activities include professional and soft costs, furniture, and equipment, and working capital expenses related to expanding, installing, or improving outdoor dining and gathering spaces. Construction or renovation costs will not be eligible.

• Working Capital -- Businesses will be eligible to receive a maximum of $50,000 of grant funds to be used to assist with working capital expenditures (such as payroll, marketing, rent, utilities, etc.) for businesses that can demonstrate the impact of COVID has put a strain on their cash flow which cannot be met through other funding sources.

• Business Resiliency -- Businesses will be eligible to receive grants of up to $25,000 to support small business efforts to respond to the pandemic. Funds will be used for projects such as developing safety and resiliency plans, purchasing PPE, installing touchless point-of-sale systems, and other improvements to allow for social distances and all businesses to operate safely.

Zimmerman, responding to a question from Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein about agricultural-related enterprises, said that as long as the business meets the requirements (for profit and 25 or fewer employees), they should be eligible.

“The use of the funds is a pretty broad net,” he said, “and cover most business needs. I imagine (that a farming business) could find working capital needs to which to apply the grant funds.”

To be considered for the first round of approvals, applications must be submitted no later than March 9.

In related action, the Ways & Means Committee approved a resolution to create a line item in the county's budget to reimburse eligible expenses.

Press release:

St. Paul is an accredited elementary school in New York State that educates students from 3-year-old-preschool through grade 6.It provides a Christian education that fosters academics and excellence. Children experience a caring environment in which to grow in character and knowledge. Students are treated as individuals. Their unique talents, skills, and learning needs are valued and considered.

Bus transportation is available through the child's home school district, and before-school care is available.

For more information call (585)-343-0488 or send an email to stpaulbatavia@gmail.com.

It looked like the Batavia Players cast had quite a party as show Director Anthony Baldwin-Giambrone dropped empty beer bottles into a cooler near the stage Monday evening.

There was a party, he said, however, only as part of the 2022 Shakespeare in Springtime series. Beer-drinking during a yearly Shakespearean staple? Only when the setting has been switched up from the typical 16th Century scenario of kings, queens, and jesters, to a modern-day educational setting.

“We took the entire show and set it at a college, with a fraternity house and a sorority house,” Baldwin-Giambrone said during rehearsals at the new venue inside City Centre. “We had this play ready to go in March 2020 … we have two-thirds of the original cast back. We had to recast eight people, and we bumped up an actor from a small role to a lead role.”\

The show didn’t go on then, as all things COVID-19 shut it down. Fast forward two years and construction of the new theater is still in progress as new and returning cast members rehearse in The Backstage space that accommodates 84 patrons. Known as “black box theater,” this space offers a close-up view of the action. It was a welcome sight for 34-year-old Justin Chortie, he said.

“It’s nice and intimate,” the North Tonawanda actor said. “I haven’t done black box since college.”

He plays Ferdinand the King, aka president of the fraternity. Thought to be sort of snobby, his character convinces his friends to give up girls for a while. Of course, this wouldn’t be a comical love story if the king actually followed his own advice, as Chortie said, and the king’s own words get him into hot water.

Chortie believes the two-hour round trip for rehearsals is worth it. He had but one word for why: passion.

“To hear the audience laugh, it’s adrenaline almost, it’s like a drug,” he said. “I mean, it's wild. You gotta go. You’ve got kings and princesses, but they're not really kings and princesses; they're fraternities and sororities. There's all kinds of fun.”

The show is Love’s Labour’s Lost, and it’s set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m Sunday at The Backstage at Main St. 56 Theater, Batavia. For those unfamiliar with this new space at Batavia City Centre, the entrance is a purple door next to Batavia Family Dental.

Love's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance before Queen Elizabeth I. The King of Navarre and his three companions attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. They break their oath through a subsequent infatuation with the Princess of France and her ladies. The play closes with the death of the Princess's father, and all weddings are delayed for a year.

Although Baldwin-Giambrone is no stranger to the Players troop or the Shakespeare series, this is his first time directing this particular show. A resident of Kenmore, he is one of a big handful of actors and staff driving to and from rehearsals after a more typical day job. 

For this director, he goes from being a special education high school math teacher by day to working with a cast of 18 people at night. Think Shakespeare is dull, dry, and a ho-hum display of antiquated dialect? Think again, he and his cast members said. This is a show they described as “fun and funny.”

What hasn’t been so funny is how that unyielding pandemic wiped out this show two years ago.

“We were two weeks away from opening. And then we were shut down before we opened. And then with COVID, we had to make sure we were wearing masks at all rehearsals,” he said. “And then I know my assistant director, Jane (Burk), she actually, after every single rehearsal, stayed after and wiped down all the surfaces and sprayed and cleaned everything.”

Pushing COVID repercussions aside, Baldwin-Giambrone ran with the comical theme of Love’s Labour’s Lost. He replaced the more regal characters of kings and queens with frat boys and sorority sisters and paired them by personality — over the top and very clear cut  — such as the dumb blonds and the studious ones. 

“And they’re funny because this is a comedy. So it’s very funny seeing them do their very stereotypical distinct personalities,” he said. “The biggest challenge, I would say, was rehearsing in a shorter time period … just being able to get in here and start working with people to begin scheduling and everything. It just was a lot more tight.”

Dorothy Gerhart of Alabama had to drop her former role of Holofernes for the sorority mom, Boyet. It wasn’t really a bigger role, she said, because she counted the lines, and they were about equal. However, the mom role provided opportunity for more fun, she said. Her outfits are wild and colorful, with leopard, tie-dye, and purple pok-a-dot patterns. 

“I think she graduated from college but never really left,” Gerhart said. “She sees herself as one of the girls. She’s kind of the comedy relief, with a lot of funny lines.”

Aaron Klafehn is another newcomer to the Players, though not at all new to acting, he said. Working in quality control for HP Hood in Batavia, the 34-year-old discovered Batavia Players through his partner, the show's assistant costumer Marshall McCall. Klafehn has been interested in theater since elementary school. He plays the role of Costard, who he describes as a “chaos-causing math teacher.”

“He purposely does things incorrectly, to try and get a rise out of someone else,” Klafehn said, adding that he had a hiatus from theater during the last couple of years. “I fell right back into it, and am making new connections. It’s much different than the day-to-day aspects of what I do. It’s fun to bring someone’s creation to life. I try and make sure that it's as organic to the character that I'm creating as possible, rather than trying to imitate or copy someone else's. I'm excited to be back performing again, and very excited to see the new performing space when it's finished.”

Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, go to: showtix4u.com

Top photo: Shaun Coburn, Justin Chortie and James Barcomb run through a rehearsal Tuesday night of Batavia Players' upcoming Love's Labour's Lost, which is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at The Backstage at Main St. 56 Theater, Batavia City Centre. The actors are joined by Sam Bowman, shown in the fourth photo from the top, during mandatory masked rehearsals for the Shakespeare in Springtime Series comedy by Batavia Players. Photos by Howard Owens. Editor's Note: Due to scheduling conflicts, this rehearsal was not in costume. 

The front display windows of Charles Men's Shop in Downtown Batavia are now draped and dabbed in blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

Co-owner Don Brown said the display is about supporting freedom and backing the Ukrainian people. It's not necessarily about supporting the Ukrainian government, he said.

"We're on the side of those willing to fight for their freedom," Brown said.

Le Roy High School is presenting a production of the Disney musical Newsies on March 10, 11, 12, 18 and 19 in the school auditorium.

Newsies is the story of a homeless NYC newsboy, Jack "Cowboy" Kelly, who befriends two newcomers to the trade.  Newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer sets new rules that make it harder for newspaper hawkers -- newsies -- to make a buck so the boys go on strike. A journalist sympathetic to the boys' cause gives them some tips on public relations and the newsies battle grips the city.

The story is based on an actual labor dispute between newspaper salesboys and Pulitzer in the summer of 1899.  For more on the history behind the story, click here.

Performances in Le Roy are:

• March 10, 7 p.m.
• March 11, 7 p.m.
• March 12, 7 p.m.
• March 18, 7 p.m.
• March 19,7 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at leroycsd.org or at the auditorium, 9300 South Street Road.

For more photos or to purchase prints, click here.

Kaleb J. Bobzien is indicted on seven counts of rape in the third degree, seven counts of criminal sexual act in the third degree, three counts of criminal contempt in the second degree, two counts of aggravated family offense, and one count each of forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child. Bobzien is accused of forcibly touching on June 1 another person's sexual or other private parts for the purpose of degrading or abusing the person or for the purpose of gratifying his own sexual desire. He is accused of acting in a manner injurious to a child under 17 years old on June 1. He is accused of engaging with sexual intercourse with a person less than 17 years old while being at least 21 years old himself, on dates of between May 9 and May 15, May 16 and May 22, May 23 and May 29, May 30, and June 5, June 6 and June 12, June 13 and June 19, and June 20 and June 26. He is accused of three times violating a stay-away order of protection. He is accused of violating a Family Court order on three occasions.

Arthur J. Brown is indicted on counts of menacing a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, tampering with physical evidence, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, and driving while ability impaired by drugs. Brown is accused of placing a police officer in fear of his physical safety by displaying a deadly weapon on Sept. 19 at a location in the Town of Stafford. He is accused of possessing a loaded firearm. He is accused of possessing cocaine. He is accused of fleeing the scene of an incident. He is accused of driving a 2008 Pontiac on Route 237, Stafford, while impaired by drugs.

Jillian E. Antinore is indicated on counts of felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and aggravated unlicensed operation. Antinore is accused of driving drunk on Oct. 12 on Ellicott Street in the City of Batavia. She is accused of driving without a valid driver's license. 

Nathan W. Stringer is indicted on four counts of felony aggravated DWI and one count of felony DWI.  Stringer is accused of driving drunk on Aug. 28 on Route 77 in the Town of Pembroke with four children less than 15 years of age in the vehicle.

Paul A. Inostroza is indicted on counts of attempted assault in the second degree, criminal obstruction of breathing, reckless endangerment in the second degree, and harassment in the second degree.  Inosroza is accused of slamming a woman's head against a wall on Sept. 5 at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. He is also accused of applying pressure to that person's neck. 

Directors of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. have approved spending up to $190,212 to install a new sewer pipe extending from the Genesee Park Place apartments to an area in front of the Hotel at Batavia Downs on Park Road.

The board, at its meeting last week, approved a resolution to accept a proposal by Town of Batavia officials to put in the pipe as part of the Park Road Reconstruction Project that is set to get underway this month.

“We believe the sewer pipe project will cost around $260,000 and we’ve made a request to owners of the Park Place apartments to split the cost,” WROTB President Henry Wojtaszek said today. “The board agreed to a maximum of $190,000 to take into account any overruns or contingencies, and in case we have to do it on our own.”

Wojtaszek said putting in the sewer line will eliminate the need to use an old pump station just south of Alex’s Place and will result in lower costs to the corporation.

Town Engineer Steve Mountain agreed, adding that it would be more efficient if that work is done as part of the major renovation of the road.

“We posed that to them if they wanted to consider it now rather than later,” Mountain said. “Now's the time -- before the road is built.”

WROTB previously agreed to spend about $450,000 in enhancements to the $4.077 million project -- improvements such as trees, street lights, increasing the size of the sidewalks and replacing the fence along the parking lots.

Mountain said the main water pipe is being delivered today or tomorrow and work will start in a couple weeks. Catco (Concrete Applied Technologies Corp.) Construction of Alden is general contractor for the project, which is expected to take several months, possibly until the end of the year.

“I guess you could say this is the calm before the storm,” Mountain said. “Everything will get started when the weather starts breaking.”

He noted that there will be lane shutdowns during construction but traffic will be maintained.

“There'll be times when it'll be stop and go for sure,” he advised.

The project calls for the installation of new pavement, curbs and curbing from Lewiston Road to Richmond Avenue with sidewalks on both sides of Park Road; overlaying of pavement and installation of sidewalks on one side of the road from Richmond Avenue to Route 98, and installation of new water lines and street lights on Park Road between Route 63 and Richmond Avenue.

Photo: WROTB President Henry Wojtaszek points north on Park Road, where a new sewer line running from Genesee Park Place apartments to Batavia Downs Gaming will be installed as part of the Park Road Reconstruction Project. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

It was a bit FeBRRRary and a lot FeBREWary in Downtown Batavia on Saturday as throngs of beer lovers descended on local businesses to sample a variety of beers from regional breweries.

The LED lights that illuminate the Old Courthouse at Main and Ellicott in Batavia are now rotating in the hues of Ukraine, yellow and blue.

Those are the colors of the country's flag in honor of its blue skies and flaxen fields of wheat.

The color scheme was unanimously approved by the Genesee County Legislature.