A crew of other area veterans led by Assemblyman Stephen Hawley take off today on a four-day bus trip down to Washington D.C. to visit solider memorials and Arlington National Cemetary, according to the Daily News. What's more, the paper sent Matt Surtel on the trip with them. Surtel "will be writing stories on the experience for the newspaper."

This would be a perfect oportunity for Surtel to log onto The Batavian and do some live blogging of the trip, even let some of the veterans get on the computer and talk about their time at Arlington, on the road and in the capitol. What would it take to persuade Surtel to post his travelogues on The Batavian? If he can't do that, does he at least have a private blog of his own that we can link to? Batavia would really love that.

Batavia's new fire chief, Thomas Dillon told reporter Joanne Beck that he intends "to include all the members of the department and include them in the day-to-day decisions ... I know I will depend on them tremendously, and I will include them in my decision-making as much as I can." Dillon starts September 17.

John Lincoln will retire as state Farm Bureau president after 14 years in that position. The Bloomfield dairy farmer "was a strong advocate for getting the new federal Farm Bill to finally include aid for specialty crops, the many fruits and vegetables that are grown locally." Tom Rivers put together a detailed piece on this, for those interested.

Genesee County GOP Chairman Richard Siebert told Tom Rivers this morning that he has already "fielded a dozen calls from people looking for signs touting the John McCain and Sarah Palin ticket." Judging from the response we got from a post about Palin we put up following her speech earlier this week, we can see that folks in Genesee County on both sides of the party aisle are fired-up about this election and this veep choice especially.

As always, we encourage you to pick up a copy of the Daily News at your local newsstand. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

Head down to the Cornell Cooperative Extension Saturday, September 13, between 9:00am and 1:00pm for the Fall Harvest Gala.

There will be a traditional mum sale, as well as unusual Colorblends of spring flowering bulbs, perennials right from the master gardeners own gardens, house plants, a Chance auction, free soil testing, and refreshments.

Participants may also try “taste testing” heirloom vs. traditional varieties of vegetables.  Lunch will also be available for a nominal fee at the event.

Don’t miss your chance to pickup some great plants for your own garden.

Call Gail Culver at (585) 343-3040 ext. 132 or stop by the extension at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia for more information.

It looked like it was going to be a close game -- until Jamestown (44-29) scored twelve runs in the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th innings to put it well out of reach for the Muckdogs (44-28), as the Jammers won 13-4 and moved to just a half game out of first place.

Zach Pitts (1-5) started the game and got the loss as he threw four and a third innings with two hits, three runs (one earned), two walks and three strikeouts.  Arquimedes Nieto had a rough outing when he came in to pitch in the 6th.  His once league-leading low ERA rose more than a point, as he allowed seven hits, eight runs and two walks.  Tom Koehler (5-5) was tough for Batavia in his start.  He got the win through his five innings with four hits, one run, one walk and seven strikeouts.

The Muckdogs took a 1-0 lead in the 1st when Colt Sedbrook singled, stole second and came home when Shane Peterson doubled.  Jamestown tied it up in the 3rd on a solo homerun off the bat of Justin Bass.  They added two more in the 5th in an inning that included a throwing error, a walk and two hit batsmen.  Three more Jammer runs in the next inning made the game 6-1.

Batavia scored their second run in the 6th.  Sedbook led off the inning with a walk.  Peterson then doubled moving Sedbrook to third before Charlie Cutler came up with a RBI single. But, Jamestown scored six runs in the very next inning to put the game well out of reach.  Batavia's last two runs came in the 7th when Jose Garcia walked, Jermaine Curtis singled and Sedbrook doubled to score both.

Sedbrook went 3-for-4 in the game with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.  Peterson went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and one RBI. The other multi-hit night came from Edwin Gomez, who went 2-for-4 with a double.

The Muckdogs are home today and tomorrow for the last two regular season games of the year against State College.  Get out to Dwyer and support the team as they try to clinch a first place finish!

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With two games left, here's where our top players sit in the NYPL:

• In his rough outing, Arquimedes dropped to 10th in pitching with a 2.95 ERA and 6-1 record.
• Adam Reifer is 2nd in saves with 21 and tied for 1st in games with 30.
• Colt Sedbrook's .311 BA is 7th in the league.  He is also 3rd in hits (83) and 3rd in on-base percentage (.399).
• Jose Garcia is 2nd in stolen bases with 25 and tied for 4th with 45 runs scored.
• Shane Peterson has a .406 on-base percentage which puts him in 2nd.
• The team is 2nd in batting (.268) and 3rd in pitching (3.34)

Thomas E. Frost, 44, of Alden, was charged with a felony count of driving while intoxicated Wednesday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Frost was stopped on Route 77 in Darien on reports of erratic driving. He was also ticketed with inadequate muffler and unsafe tire. He was sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.

Juan A. Roman, 30, of Washington Ave., Batavia, was charged with driving while intoxicated Thursday, sheriff's deputies said. Roman was driving on Porter Avenue when he was spotted allegedly driving over the cement curb. He was then stopped by deputies and also ticketed with unsafe backing, unlicensed operation, moving from the lane unsafely and comsumption of alcohol in the vehicle.

Dean F. Ivison, 50, of Byron, was charged with two felony counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and two felony counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, sheriff's deputies said. Ivison allegedly sold cocaine to an agent of the Genesee County Local Drug Task Force.

In regional police news... An Atlanta man wanted for murder was apprehended in Buffalo Thursday, state police said. Willie Lumpkin Jr., 33, was charged with being a fugitive from justice and sent to Erie County Holding Center to await extradition proceedings. Lumpkin was wanted on a murder warrant issued in March, 2007, and a subsequent charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution issued out of Atlanta that same month. State police, U.S. Marshals and the FBI searched for over a year for Lumpkin.

A tip to Crime Stoppers aided police in finding Lumpkin who was hiding in an attic crawl space at a residence in Buffalo. He refused to come out once he had been found, and the state police and U.S. Marshals had to cut a hole in the wall to remove him. No injuries were reported.

The Muckdogs lost. Big time. The final score of tonight's big match with Jamestown was a blowout: 13-4.

The Jammers (44-29) now sit a mere half game back of Batavia (44-28) in the Pinckney Division.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn won again, to maintain a half-game lead in the wild card race.

All-in-all, a bad night at Dwyer Stadium.

Or was it?

Tonight was "Bill Kauffman Night." Bill threw out the first pitch, autographed books for fans who gave the correct answers to trivia questions, and his daughter and a friend sang the National Anthem and "America the Beautiful."

I sat with Kauffman and his friends and family in the third-base bleachers. It was a good lesson in what it really means to attend a minor league baseball game in a small town.

It isn't all about the game. It's about the camaraderie, shared memories and hearty laughs.

That said, not a single significant play was missed by the group and the level of baseball knowledge was higher than I've found in big league stadiums where I've seen games.

If that experience in "Little Elba," as General Manager Dave Wellenzohn calls it, could be captured in a marketing message -- if more families and groups of friends could better appreciate how much fun an evening at the ballpark can be, win or lose, the Muckdogs would sell out every game.

As much fun as the evening was, the highlight might have been meeting local legend John Hodgins.

After the fifth inning, when Wellenzohn thanked The Batavian for its sponsorship of the team in 2008, and pointed out that I was sitting with the "Little Elba" group, Mr. Hodgins came over and introduced himself.

I cringed at first. I thought he was going to complain about our "fly swat" post, poking fun at a cartoon he drew for the Daily News. Nope, he said. That didn't bother him at all. He's just curious about what we're doing and wanted to meet me. That, my friends, is quite a complement.

I've seen Hodgins art work. I'm impressed. I hope to own some of it some day. I'll feel honored for a long, long time that he wanted to meet me.

I also got to meet in person for the first time Russ Stresing. We chatted for ten minutes or so as the game drew to a close. That, too, was cool.

So, you see, a night at the ballpark is more than just about the game. It's also about the people.

You should go.

Yes, the division crown isn't wrapped up yet, but there is hope: The Muckdogs, sitting in the cat bird seat, have two home games against State College (18-54) who seem hardly to even be going through the motions anymore, while Jamestown must play third-place Williamsport (38-34).

After the game, however, Wellenzohn and the Red Wing's Dan Mason insisted that State College needs to be taken seriously. There's no guarantees.  With that said, you really need to get out to Dwyer Friday and Saturday and support the team.

Local author (Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette and Ain't My America, etc.) spoke this week at Ron Paul's Rally for the Republic in Minneapolis.

A two-part video has been posted to YouTube.

The normally mild-mannered scholarly writer really gets into it.

In part 2 Kauffman makes the case that localism, the idea that people should look first to their families and their neighbors for their sense of place, for a sense of peace, is asserting itself all over again.

Public radio station WBFO has posted interviews with Jack Davis and Alice Kryzan.  Check the site tomorrow for Jon Powers (hat tip 26th District Congressional Blog).

Republican candidate for the 26th Congressional District Chris Lee came by the office of The Batavian this afternoon, just to say hi. We were pleased to meet him and told him he could come by any time. Lee said that he's a reader of our site and comes through Batavia about once a week. He was out at a farm in Holley today, he said.

He also told us he would be glad to sit for a video interview, which we hope to put together after the primaries. Democrats still have yet to decide their candidate for the 26th. They've got three choices right now: Jack Davis, Jon Powers and Alice Kryzan.

We encourage anyone who isn't armed with a pellet gun to stop by our office and say hello anytime they're in the neighborhood. We're not always here. But if we are, we'd be glad to see you. For those of you who don't already have our address, it's: 200 E. Main St. We're in Room 5 on the second floor. It's the Masonic Temple, next door to Charles Men's Shop.

UPDATE (by Howard): 26th District Blog reports that today, Lee wrapped up his district wide farm tour.

Genesee Community College scholarship students will get to meet two past students and hear their success stories Monday. Students and their families will meet and greet at the Conable Technology Building at 5:00pm for the Discover the Stars banquet.

College almuni Joseph Bell and Ann Bell have been invited to "share their stories and experiences at Genesee that guided them on the road to success."

Joseph Bell graduated in 1979 and continued at Canisius College and the University of Buffalo, picking up his Bachelor's and a Master's along the way. He is now Vice President of process and product integrity at Moog Inc.in East Aurora.

Ann Bell first signed up for classes at GCC when she was a 57-year-old housewife.

Immediately after completing her first week of college Ann was diagnosed with bone cancer. She underwent major surgery but despite the hardship, Ann graduated with honors and was accepted to continue her education at SUNY Brockport. She received her Bachelor's degree in Social Work and began her first professional job as director of the YWCA's domestic violence program.

From there, Ann took over as the executive director of the Genesee Region Independent Living Center in Batavia, where she worked for 16 years before recently retiring.

Republicans in the town of Batavia will head to the polls Tuesday to choose their pick for town justice, according to the Daily News. Roger Muehlig put together a solid, straight-to-the-facts piece on the contenders: Thomas Williams and Dennis Rider.

Williams, 48, is a Batavia native who has a bachelor's degree from Hamilton College and a law degree from Columbia Law School. He is married and works in a law practice with his father in the city.

Rider, 55, is a Genesee Community College graduate who worked in security at GCC, then spent 10 1/2 years as a Genesee County sheriff's deputy before becoming a city police officer in 1987.

Williams already occupies the justice position. He was appointed in March when Joseph Filio retired. Rider is still a police officer but plans to retire whether or not he wins the primary. Williams is also listed on the Conservative line, so he will be an option in the general election regardless of the outcome of the primary.

Genesee County's proposed 2009 budget "for the county's self-insured workers compensation program" could go up 8 percent to $1.8 million. That an increase would mean about $60,000 more coming from "participating governments and school districts." I would suggest checking out the article by Paul Mrozek for the details on this. It's a complex topic—for me, at least. That increase in contributed funds does not necessarily mean an increase from all contributing parties. Batavia City Schools, for example, will contribute $750 less, while Pembroke will contribute $13,000 more.

All of the school districts and municipalities in the county are members of the plan, with the exception of the city of Batavia. The city withdrew from the program several years ago.

Each government and school district is assigned an "assessment," which is the amount of money it contributes toward the compensation fund.

A local veterans group is looking for ways to better assist veterans returning from the war in Iraq who may "run afoul of the law." Hal Kreter, director of the Genesee County Veterans Service, wants to look at setting up a "veterans diversion initiative" that would work much the same way as a drug court. Mrozek writes:

The goal of drug court ... is to provide a criminal defendant the opportunity to resolve a case by getting treatment for substance abuse. If the defendant is successful in rehabilitation, the judge has the option of reducing the underlying criminal chrages.

Kreter said the veterans returning from active service "are overmedicating themselves with alcohol and drugs" and often end up doing "something stupid." Many of them may suffer from undiagnosed post traumatic stress disorder.

One of the key components of Kreter's proposal is to provide the defendants with a mentor who also has seen active duty. Most combat veterans will only trust other combat veterans.

Hopefully we will see more information about this in coming months and maybe even see if some progress is made.

Another neighborhood clean-up has been scheduled for Saturday, September 13, from 10:00am to 1:00pm at the property of an elderly woman at 14 Warren St. Volunteers from God's Helping Hands/Project Hope will be on hand to remove debris from the yard. Anyone can join. Pauly's Pizza will provide refreshments for all the workers.

As always, we encourage you to get out and pick up a copy of the Daily News wherever they are sold. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

OK, maybe you knew this already, but it's news to me.

Michele Iannello, and Erie County legislator and Democratic candidate for the 61st State Senate District is married to Erie County Board of Elections Commissioner Dennis Ward.

If that isn't weird enough, Dennis is the brother of one of the other candidates in the race, Dan Ward.

According to this Tonawanda News story.

The third candidate, boxer Joe Mesi’s, is not, as far as I know, but correct me if I'm wrong, related to any of the three.

Oh, and the real point of the Tonawanda News story is how Mesi and Iannello and hurling charges back and forth.

As Erie County Legislator Michele Iannello renewed her request for an evaluation of Joe Mesi’s campaign finances, Mesi’s camp struck back with a charge of their own.

Their concern over the integrity of Tuesday’s elections stems from Iannello’s husband, Erie County Board of Elections Commissioner Dennis Ward, also the brother of third candidate Dan Ward not responding to Mesi’s request that Commissioner Ward recuse himself from oversight of Tuesday’s elections.

On a somewhat related note: We've asked all three candidates to respond to a short questionnaire, and none have yet responded.

A deer darted out onto Transit Road in Clarence last night, striking a motorcyclist and knocking him from the bike, state police said. James H. Huntz, 59, of Lockport, was riding a Kawasaki motorcycle when the deer ran out and into the side of the bike. Huntz lost control and crashed. He was treated at the scene by East Amherst Fire Department, then taken to the Erie County Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.

WBTA's Dan Fischer spoke with Batavia City Schools Superintendent Margaret Puzio yesterday to get her thoughts on the start of the new school year. Puzio praised the High School's Link Crew, a program designed to welcome new students to the school. She also addressed the wrapping up of construction over at the Middle School.

There's little in the way of Batavia news bleeping on my radar this morning—except for reports on the Muckdogs title hopes, already covered by Howard and Mollie this morning. My lack of news to report could be because I was stuck home for a little longer today owing to an overturned tractor-trailer that spilled crushed cars all over I-490 smack in the middle of my commute—anyone else feel that pain this morning.

So I thought we could try another exercise in national news comparisons. Last night was big for the Republican party. John McCain's choice for vice-president, Sarah Palin, took up the microphone and fired up the party—while riot police fired up the tear gas guns outside.

Below are four excerpts from four different op-ed columnists for the New York Times, each one writing about Sarah Palin. Do you think these columnists make good points? Bad points? No points? What are your thoughts on Palin? Does she represent a tough-nosed America that you know well or not at all?

Thomas Friedman:

With his choice of Sarah Palin — the Alaska governor who has advocated drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and does not believe mankind is playing any role in climate change — for vice president, John McCain has completed his makeover from the greenest Republican to run for president to just another representative of big oil.

Gail Collins:

Sarah Palin came out of hiding Wednesday night, and boy, she seemed ticked off.

“Here’s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I’m not going to Washington to win their good opinion,” said the moose-gutting, polar bear-trashing, aerobics-class-networking vice presidential nominee.

The speech was very well done. The Palin family — who we’re supposed to ignore, but they did sort of seem to be pretty much front and center — were adorable. And she was way more effective than the keynote speaker, Rudy Giuliani, at the red-meat-tossing detail. If you’re going to be really mean for an extended period of time, it’s better if you don’t look as if you want to lunge for the throat of the cameramen.

Maureen Dowd (from Tuesday):

Unable to stop the onslaught of wild soap opera storylines erupting from the Palin family and the Alaska wilderness, McCain campaign adviser Steve Schmidt offered caterwauling reporters a new mantra: “Life happens.”

Indeed, it does. Only four days into her reign as John McCain’s “soul mate,” or “Trophy Vice,” as some bloggers are calling her, on the ticket known as “Maverick Squared,” Palin, the governor of Alaska, has already accrued two gates (Troopergate and Broken-watergate), a lawyer (for Troopergate), a future son-in-law named Levi (a high school ice hockey player, described by New York magazine as “sex on skates”), and a National Enquirer headline about the “Teen Prego Crisis” with 17-year-old daughter Bristol.

Timothy Egan:

As she showed Wednesday night with her acceptance speech, Governor Sarah Palin fits the mold of a certain kind of Alaskan – “take it from a gal who knows,” as she said. The state has a unique political ecosystem, as quirky, odd and compelling as the big land itself.

...

But Palin’s style may not play outside of Alaska.

The governor isn’t so much a tough-minded reformer — see her sidling up to indicted Senator Ted Stevens, the earmarks directed to her hometown or the pressure from her governor’s office against a bad-boy former brother-in-law and trooper — nor is she some Annie Oakley throwback.

She is, though, a very recognizable Alaskan.

Thoughts?

Sleds of Stafford Snowmobile Club

2nd Annual Vintage Snowmobile and Snow Show
Sunday September 14th, 2008

BW’s Restaurant
11070 Perry Road (in Pavilion)
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Rain or Shine


·    New Snowmobiles, ATVs, Helmets, Trailers, Accessories, Gear and Much More!!
·    Sleds of Stafford Membership Drive
GENESEE COUNTY DMV WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE FROM 12 NOON TO 3PM, TO RECEIVE & REVIEW SNOWMOBILE REGISTRATIONS.  ONLY CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS, MADE PAYABLE TO THE "GENESEE COUNTY CLERK" WILL BE ACCEPTED.
·    Used snowmobile & snowmobile equipment corral ($5 per sled or table. Larger quantity of items subject to more )
·    50/50 drawing, Blow up Sled and other raffles and door prizes

Proceeds to help benefit Mercy Flight. $2 Adult admission, kids 12 and under free
Set up and pre-registration for vintage sleds:  8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Judging:  11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (ballots in by 1:30 p.m.)
$5.00 per sled - $15.00 total for 3 sleds or more

Classes: Antique 1967 & Older (Original & Restored), Race 1973 – 1985, Classic 1968 – 1973 (Original & Restored), Mini (Original & Restored), Classic 1974 – 1985 (Original & Restored), Cutter Combo, Trail Muscle Pre 1973 (Original & Restored), Best of Show, Trail Muscle 1974 & Up (Original & Restored, and President’s Choice

For More Info Contact: Dave 585-734-3361 or email Sledsofstafford@rochester.rr.com
Or visit our website at:  www.sledsofstafford.com/show

In the 7-2 loss last night, the Muckdogs (44-27) now sit just a game and a half above the Jammers (43-29) in first place in the Pinckney Division.  Errors proved costly for Batavia in the contest, as they had five, and the pitching staff was less sharp than they have been of late.

Josh Hester (2-2) picked up the loss in his start.  He threw two and a third innings with nine hits, seven runs (four earned) and three strikeouts.  Jammer Elih Villanueva (2-1)got the win as he pitched the first six innings with six hits, one run, one walk and four strikeouts.

Jamestown wasted no time jumping to an early lead as they scored five runs in the 1st inning.  Two singles followed by a three-run homerun off the bat of Miguel Fermin started the assault.  Two RBI singles later in the inning made it a 5-0 game.

The Muckdogs first got on the board in the 3rd.  They scored one run when Edwin Gomez doubled and came home when Shane Peterson singled.  The Jammers answered right back with two more runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.  Ernie Banks reached on a fielding error before Joel Staples singled and Brandon Turner followed with a double.

Batavia tried to rally in the 8th, scoring once more on singles by Peterson and Frederick Parejo.  Parejo went 3-for-4 in the game with a RBI.  Jermaine Curtis went 2-for-5 with a double.  Peterson also was 2-for-5, with a RBI and a run scored.

The Muckdogs come HOME to Dwyer Stadium tonight at 7:05 to take on Jamestown again; a win can clinch a first place finish.

The Muckdogs dropped a crucial Pinckney Division game Wednesday night in Jamestown, as the second-place Jammers closed within a game of division-leading Batavia.

After the 7-2 lose, the Muckdogs (44-27) have a chance to claim the division title at home tonight against Jamestown (43-29).  The two teams square off at 7:05 p.m. at Dwyer Stadium.

A game and a half separate the Western New York rivals.

A lot is on the line for both teams as Brooklyn (44-29) gained a half-game lead in the wild card race. The red hot Cyclones are 9-1 over their last nine games, and beat Hudson Valley last night 9-6.

The Jamestown newspaper reports this morning that because of rain outs that won't be made up, Batavia has a slight mathematical advantage in the division race.

It was a must win for the Jammers, but still might be too little too late. With the victory, Jamestown now trails Batavia by 1 games in the Pinckney Division. The teams play tonight in Batavia and if the Muckdogs win, they claim the title.

If Jamestown wins, it is still alive, but Batavia has a big edge. The Muckdogs had a game each with Mahoning Valley and Oneonta rained out and the NY-P League has announced that those games will not be made up. The Muckdogs have three games left while the Jammers have four, so if the teams end up tied, the Muckdogs would still win the title on percentage points.

In last night's game, Frederick Parejo had three hits, while Jermaine Curtis and Shane Peterson each collected two.

The Muckdogs made five errors and turned two double plays.

Josh Hester (2-2) took the loss, going 2 1/3 innings and giving up four earned runs on nine hits.

The Jammers struck early, as the first four batter reached base, including a three-run homer from catcher Miguel Fermin

It should go without saying, but you need to be at the game tonight.

We've had a few conversations recently about shopping locally, eating locally... living life in the microcosms of city, village, neighborhood, town, and rather than buying your corn at Tops, say, picking up some ears from a roadside veggie stand or hitting up the farmer's market. For more on that, check out Howard's post about the locavore.

That being said, I would like to introduce folks to the first in a new video series here at The Batavian. We're calling it: Genesee's Treasures. Unless you have a better name for it, and if you do, please send it along. Every couple of weeks or so, we will travel to some spot in Genesee County—be it a farm, a shop, a studio, a park—that we feel is a real treasure in Genesee County. In fact, I've already done a couple of these, only I just now thought of the title and dubbed it a series: check out our video on Enchanted Forest Alpacas, for example.

This, our first official episode of Genesee's Treasures, highlights the philosophy of live local, love local, buy local. It's about the Hobby Horse, a fun everything kind of store on Main Street in Le Roy. The Hobby Horse sells antiques, model rocket kits, handmade pot holders, greeting cards, candy sticks, alpaca wool socks, emu eggs, locally-made mustard... like I said: everything. It's a great place in a great village. Here's a little more for you:

Next episode: Herbly Wonderful.

You know sometimes first impressions are right.  Often that is not the case with politicians.  In an effort to ingratiate large numbers of party members to thier campaign they often are nice to all and go out of thier way to show interest in you and your ideas.  Basically, you get a bunch of smiling candidates that nod thier heads to comments you make and inflect that they are caring.  I have seen a ton of that this year with our Senate and Congressional Races.

In the 61st Senate Race, I did see someone different.  I also did a ton of homework to insure that if I supported this person,  I would not be disappointed in the outcome.  I am very careful whom I endorse for political office because I want to be sure that those I tell others to vote for really are deserving.  I also weigh heavy the service that they will support and provide for our children.  The City of Batavia residents and our Youth Bureau fought hard for our kids last year in maintaining our Youth Bureau standards.  One of the reasons, was that there was constant support from our current State Senator, Mary Lou Rath.  I liked Mary Lou.  She is a classy lady that liked her constituents and it showed.  She was a helper, she listened and she reacted.  She served us well.

This Primary Season, we have three candidates in the Democrat Party asking for our support to be placed on the ballot in November.  The object is to pick the one that will serve the Senate District the best as well as be a listener, a problem solver and a helper.  In listening and talking and reading, I have realized which one of the three would be the best for us and the youth of our 61st Senate District.  I care about the young people in Batavia and Genesee County.   I want to see who will stand with them and deliver education, services and opportunities.  I want to maintain the high level of service we have enjoyed with Mary Lou Rath.

Michele Iannello is that person.  She has the experience, the will and the grit to make our district important in Albany.  I also think she will represent our children and fight for our Western New York area.  She has sound ideas about limiting the rural tax burden and knows that most of what local governments have to deal with are mandates from the state.  She rightly realizes that the change we need for economic stimulus upstate really needs to come from Albany.  Time after time, she tells it like it is without the sugar-coating or nodding head.  Michele Iannello has proven that she will represent all of us, including the Batavia and Genesee County area.  We will be an intrical part of her constiuency. 

Needless to say, my first impression was right.  I know Michele Iannello will talk, listen and support all of us, but first Democrats need to support her.   Please vote in next Tuesday's Democratic Primary and for the sake of our young people and our future.  Please pull the lever for Michele Iannello.   

Democratic congressional contenders Jon Powers and Alice Kryzan faced off in a debate yesterday, and Mark Gillespie put together a fine, if lengthy, article on the showdown for the Daily News. Powers and Kryzan met in Geneseo to present their platforms. Fellow Democrat Jack Davis, Republican Chris Lee and Independent Anthony Fumerelle, all of whom were invited to attend, skipped out on the debate. All five candidates are vying for the soon-to-be open seat to represent the 26th Congressional District.

Davis announced last week that he would not join any debates with candidates who did not pledge to turn down special interest money and a five-point pledge to preserve Social Security—a decision roundly criticized in the media from Niagara Falls to Rochester.

Kryzan, "a retired environmental lawyer," took the opportunity to go on the offensive. She criticized Powers for accepting special interest money, claiming that she was the only Democratic candidate that had not taken any money from special interest groups. (It seems each candidate is making the claim not to be taking special interest money while accusing the other two of doing just that.)

Powers countered that the groups that have been supporting him are unions that have members in this district.

Kryzan repeated her charges, including an accusation that Powers has accepted money from a defense contractor—at which point an audience member shouted "Lay off it, already!"

(I wonder if that was our very own Russ Stresing.)

Powers did not shy from getting in a jab at the absent Davis—who refused to shake hands with Powers at a parade in Clarence Monday. "He isn't here tonight to address the challenges facing America's middle class workers," he said of Davis in his closing remarks.

Both candidates repeatedly cited their strengths—Powers as a former army captain, Kryzan's experience in law—but when it came down to the questions, they gave most of the same answers. Both support incentives for small businesses to help them better compete with national retail firms—who would say no to that. Both support renewable energy. Both vow to bring the federal funds home. Both oppose a constitutional ban on gay marriage and drilling for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge.

Where they differed most is in the relationship of a U.S. representative to his or her constituents.

Powers spoke of fostering national service programs such as Americorps, the Peace Corps, and similar programs for teachers and nurses to service inner city and poor rural areas. He specifically cited a nursing shortage in Dansville.

Kryzan said she would focus more on developing projects that would more directly benefit the 26th District.

All in all, fine coverage from Gillespie.