If you’re a city property owner, chances are you have already received the letter: a notification from City Assessor Rhonda Saulsbury announcing the change of assessments.

So in addition to a rocky stock market, 401Ks and grocery prices, your home value has probably risen as part of the city’s attempt to keep in flow with full market value. 

Unless, of course, you’re planning to sell, and then you might be quite pleased to have a higher price tag on your commode — tucked between what the New York Post has deemed to be the hottest housing markets in the entire country, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said.

“I can't say that assessments will be raised every year at the evaluation of homes and sale prices. As I was just telling some council members, the New York Post just did an article on Saturday afternoon throughout the entire country. The hottest housing market in the entire country is Rochester, New York. Houses don't sit for more than 13 days in Rochester, New York. Number three is Buffalo, New York. So we are right inside that area,” Tabelski said during City Council’s conference session Monday evening. “We've always had homes that are affordable, that people want to live in. So as they do come into it, people come into our area and buy homes, and values do tend to go up. But we do have a press release that will be issued … just letting everyone know that we strive to maintain 100% equalization, and that's the sale price to assessment ratio. We aim to keep our assessments at 100% full market value across all property types.”

When constituents come to City Hall and ask about their assessments being upwards of $200,000, city staff asks them, “Would you sell your home at this amount, less or more?” Tabelski said.

“And they always say more. And so again, we try with our assessor's office, it’s completely independent to have fair assessment values across the entire city,” she said. “(Along with the assessment) This piece of paper has explicit instructions on how to challenge your assessment. So I encourage everyone to take advantage of coming in, getting the market data that you can look at, look at the comparables for your property and have an informal review prior to the final review with the city assessor's office and then with the final review is the formal grievance in the city clerk's office.

“You can file any time before May 29, but I do encourage everyone to attend the informal review day and to come to the assessor to get all the information they need for comparables so they can see if there's any way they can lower the assessments,” Tabelski said. “And as everyone knows, as assessments are spread out across all properties, that doesn't mean the tax rate will increase or that you will have an increase in taxes. This year, we lowered the tax rate, because everyone remembers, by 50 cents.”

She also wanted to remind citizens that the city tax is 25% of the total bill, with county being another 25% and school taxes taking up the remaining 50% of the total amount. The city tax rate is $8.46 per $1,000 of assessed value.

“And I think Council, with our budgeting process, continues to work as hard as they can to provide the services that our residents want and enjoy at the lowest cost possible,” she said.

Councilman Bob Bialkowski mentioned that a couple of his constituents called him about their raised assessments, and he noted the misconception about who controls that process.

“I’ve run into this repeatedly, where people think that council directs the assessor to go doing new assessments so we can get more money,” Bialkowski said. “A lot of the people just don't accept the fact that, the assessors told me, we have no influence. We don't tell her what to do.”

Information about property assessment, inventory data and sale information became available as of April 7 HERE. 

Part of the process includes the assessor’s office running each property through an appraisal software system, comparing the building style, square footage, year built, bedrooms, baths, and lot size, against recent sales data. A field review is completed to determine the fair full market value based on this data, the assessor’s press release states.

Grievance Day is set for May 29, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. in Council Chambers, second floor, City Hall.

Press Release:

H.E. Turner & Co., Inc. Funeral Home of Batavia, was honored to represent the funeral service profession and the families it serves at the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Advocacy Summit, held April 9 to 11, in Washington, D.C.

Steven L. Johnson, partner and funeral director at H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., participated in the summit as the only funeral firm from the State of New York, joining approximately 200 funeral professionals from across the country who came together to advocate on behalf of the NFDA’s 20,000 members nationwide.

Over the course of the summit, attendees collectively held around 300 meetings with legislators, senators, and their staffs—amplifying the voice of funeral service professionals and the families they support.

During his time in Washington, Mr. Johnson met with the legislative staffs of:

• Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
• Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
• Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)
• Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY24)
• Rep. George Latimer (D-NY16)

Mr. Johnson and other NFDA advocates championed support for a number of bipartisan bills, including:

• H.R. 4275 / S.2191 – The Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act
• H.R. 2436 – The Funeral Coverage Act of 2025
• S.1116 / H.R. 647 – The Ensuring Veterans’ Final Resting Place Act of 2025
• H.R. 1344 – The Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act
• H.R. 1228 – The Prioritizing Veterans' Survivors Act
• S.587 – The Death Tax Repeal Act
• S.623 / H.R. 1415 – The No IRIS Act of 2025

“Our mission in Washington was simple,” said Mr. Johnson. “To advocate for legislation that helps the families we serve—across all walks of life and political affiliations—and to ensure funeral service professionals have a voice in shaping the laws that impact our communities during life’s most difficult moments.”

H.E. Turner & Co., Inc. believes in the power of bipartisan advocacy to advance commonsense policies that uphold dignity, support grieving families, and ensure ethical practices across the deathcare profession.

The firm will continue to track the progress of these legislative efforts in the months ahead and is encouraged by the bipartisan interest shown during the summit. 

For more information, contact Steven L. Johnson, Partner & Funeral Director H.E. Turner & Co., Inc. Funeral Home, at 585-343-8868 or steven@bataviafuneralhomes.com.

Press Release:

Little Free Pantry Batavia is proud to announce the grand opening of its third location, expanding access to food and essentials for even more residents of the community. The new pantry will be located inside the vestibule of the Genesee County Career Center and officially opened to the public April 10.

The pantry will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., aligning with the Career Center’s hours. This location will feature both a full-size refrigerator for fresh food items and shelving for shelf-stable goods, helping meet a wide range of dietary and household needs.

Little Free Pantry Batavia extends heartfelt thanks to the staff and leadership at the Genesee County Career Center for their generous partnership. This location is a perfect fit, as the Career Center already serves individuals and families seeking support.

This new site joins two other Little Free Pantry locations in Batavia:

• 28 Seneca Avenue – Open 24/7, this pantry offers shelf-stable food and essentials.
• 10 City Centre, inside The Hemp Lodge – Open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., this location includes a mini-fridge and shelf space.
• NEW: Genesee County Career Center – Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring a full-size fridge and expanded shelving.

All locations operate on a no-questions-asked basis and are stocked with shelf-stable food, fresh produce, and culturally and medically appropriate options such as vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free items. 

Submitted photos.

Welcome home to 96 S Pearl in Oakfield School District! This three-bedroom, one-bathroom home includes a recently updated bathroom and a first-floor laundry area for added convenience. The main level also features a new mudroom with built-in storage and tile flooring. Two bedrooms have updated finishes, including LTV flooring. This expansive kitchen accommodates a dining area, and the living room includes a wood-burning stove. The property sits on nearly an acre, with a U-shaped driveway and a deep backyard highlighted by a mature weeping willow tree. An outbuilding offers additional storage or workspace, and there is a patio located along one side. Call Sunny Rathod today -- 585-813-2445.

Fayth Rose eagerly volunteered to talk about being in K Kids, an offshoot of the Kiwanis Club, during a recent get-together with Joanne Patri of Crossroads House.

Fayth is one of 26 “kids” in the junior club at Pembroke Intermediate, and they collectively raised $2,950 for Crossroads by selling 2,950 $1 chocolate Oliver’s suckers. Her first year in the club, 10-year-old Fayth joined “so I could help the community,” she said.

“I think it’s a very good thing to do,” she said, admitting to being somewhere in the middle of shy and outgoing as a salesperson. She did learn more about Crossroads House along the way, she said, a nonprofit comfort home based in Batavia for those with a terminal illness.

Her favorite project so far has been the Halloween Trunk or Treat, handing out candy to dressed up ghosts and goblins and such, and also enjoyed this recent chocolate sucker sale. Fayth has no plans to leave the club any time soon, she said.

“Because the longer I’m in the club, the longer I can help people out and just carry them on and cheer them up,” she said.

As a representative for Crossroads, Patri said the group has continued to outperform itself each year.

“They've done a fantastic job for many years. They started out with less than 600 suckers, and they're now up almost to 3,000,” she said, with an armful of recognition certificates and chocolate bars for the kids. “We greatly appreciate what they do for us. (The money will go) toward the functions of the house. It’s kids doing something positive.”

Teacher Jessica Phelps is the K Kids adviser this year, and one of her goals has been to instill a sense of ownership and confidence by having them serve in leadership roles, including president and vice president, she said, and charging them with the responsibility to get tasks done.

“So we're building on leadership, and then also Kiwanis kids is about the community, to bring everyone into the community and doing community service. So just making the kids, showing students that they are role models and leaders and being able to go out and be part of the community,” Phelps said. “We went over to Homeslice and we sold chocolate suckers over there one night when the teachers were making pizzas. So being part of the community, lifting people up and showing everyone that we bring people together, and praising them, no matter where you come from or what you do.”

The K Kids were responsible for sales involving the entire school — with flyers going home, sign-up sheets for those interested in buying and/or selling, and assignments of counting and double counting to ensure there were no miscalculations in what was going out or coming in, delivering the product, learning about the cause from their teacher and talking about how the money raised will help to support it, Phelps said.

And what did they get out of the experience?

“They get out of it pride for helping the community, they get out of it pride for themselves, taking that role in being a leader and feeling good about themselves. The success of being able to do something for the community and for Crossroads, bringing the money back and seeing how much each year it grows, and some of these kids have been in this club since they were in third grade,” she said. “Now it's only fifth and sixth grade, but these kids have been in since we changed it, because it was just easier, because there's 26 students in it now. So just being able to give back and help the less fortunate, help people out there.”

Leah DiPalma and Silas Stock were pleased with their individual results of having sold at least 500 suckers each. Leah, 12, doubled up with her mom and sold a lot at the family diner where her mom works. She thought maybe they had hit the 200 mark, and after continuing to get bags of 25 and 50 each week to sell, Leah finally added it up. “I was surprised,” she said. She’s not at all ambiguous about her club.

“I love K kids. I just feel I like helping people, and when I get that opportunity, I'm just gonna jump right on it,” she said. “I’ve been doing K kids, helping out with it since probably two years before I actually could in third or fourth grade, because I would help at the car show with the bounce house. So I've been helping for a while.”

Many of the kids have also been arriving at school at an unusual time to help prepare for the upcoming Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt on April 19, Phelps said. It has been a sight to behold.

“The kids getting up early in the morning, coming in at 7:15 to 7:30, taking 45 minutes, stuffing the eggs, and just to see that joy on their face being able to do that. I give them directions, they organize it, they put them in bags, they're making the labels,” she said. “And just to see them start to organize and be able to do it without me — seeing them grow, growing on their own, and supporting one another. They want to be here. They want to be part of the community and help with community service around here. So it's a huge community service.”

Byron-Bergen Page Turners Win Regional Title

Press Release:

Byron-Bergen High School’s Page Turners team took the Regional Championship title on April 8, at Pavilion High School. This is the first time since 2018 that the school has earned a championship title, though they have been a finalist in the regional competition all but five times since 2007. 

To qualify for regionals, each team’s combined scores from the fall and spring competitions are totaled. The first and second place teams in each of the three divisions then compete in regionals. This year Byron-Bergen placed first in both the fall and spring competitions for the north division.

“It's been great to participate in Page Turners. It's introduced me to many books which I love, and it's been nice participating with the other team members in the competition,” said Byron-Bergen Senior Eli Kupfer. “I've been in Page Turners since elementary school and hadn't won regionals. It was cool to have won before graduating.”

“I am so proud of this group of students,” said Byron-Bergen Secondary English Teacher and Page Turners Advisor Laurie Penepent. “They really work as a team with each member reading different books to ensure all are learned by at least two students. I’d also like to congratulate seniors Deborah Catalino, Lea Donofrio, Rachel Hanel, Eli Kupfer, Anna Mclaughlin, Adam Piper, and Rose Wilson who have all dedicated so much time and hard work to Page Turners throughout their high school careers.”

“Page Turners has introduced me to books I never would have looked at and I really ended up liking them, it forced me to expand my horizons,” said McLaughlin. “It's been fun to compete with my friends, especially once the competition is over and the stress has been relieved, knowing that we won. I’d like to thank Mrs. Penepent for being an amazing advisor and making Page Turners so fun for my high school career.”

Page Turners is a literary competition in which students read preselected books and answer questions on them. Students read five books for the fall and spring competitions with a knowledge of all 10 books for the regional competition. 

If you attended last weekend’s BND hockey banquet, you had the opportunity to listen to several fantastic stories about team spirit, hard work, and incredible team achievement.  Batavia's BND United hockey team thrives on unity, mutual respect, and camaraderie. The blend of humor and heartfelt moments during the banquet shows the deep bonds between teammates and coaches, making the celebration of their success even more meaningful.

Individuals who make this team extra special were also recognized and Sam Pies is a member who embodies the qualities that make not only a great athlete but also a remarkable person. It is because of his character, leadership, and positive influence on the team that he was awarded the WDF Award by the Wayne D. Foster Foundation Inc. on Sunday.

Sam exemplifies the values of wisdom, determination, and fortitude. Sam’s dedication to his team, to his education, and to his community truly make honoring Sam a cherished opportunity for the foundation. The Wayne D. Foster Foundation is proud to honor Sam in memory of Wayne and to support this incredible group of scholar-athletes.

Press Release:

The YWCA of Genesee County is proud to announce the 2025 Women of Inspiration Awards Luncheon, set to take place on Saturday, May 3, from 12 - 2:30 p.m. at Terry Hills Banquet Facility in Batavia. This year’s event will honor women in five categories, who have made remarkable contributions to their community in the areas of education, leadership, inspiration, and entrepreneurship. 

The honorees include:

Education: Lucy Sackett

Lucy Sackett’s dedication to the Batavia community spans over 50 years, particularly in physical education and water safety. As a passionate swimming instructor, Lucy taught children essential water safety skills, empowering countless young individuals, especially young women. Despite personal hardship, Lucy has continued her community involvement, now supporting Crossroads House, a local comfort care facility. Her lifelong commitment to education and the empowerment of women makes her a deserving recipient of the Education Award.

Leadership: Karyn Winters

Karyn Winters, Director of the Genesee County Business Education Alliance, has long been recognized for her exceptional leadership and tireless efforts to bridge the gap between education and business. Through initiatives like GLOW with Your Hands and youth camps, Karyn has worked to provide students with valuable workforce skills and opportunities. She is a passionate advocate for women in the workforce and a leader who encourages others to reach their full potential. Karyn’s vision, organizational expertise, and dedication make her an ideal recipient of the Leadership Award.

Inspiration: Mary Kate Hoffman

As the Superintendent of Pavilion Central School District, Mary Kate Hoffman has broken barriers in education and inspired countless young women to pursue their dreams. Kate’s leadership has created opportunities for students, especially young women, to excel in fields typically dominated by men. Through initiatives such as a food processing program, Kate has empowered students with practical skills that contribute to both their personal success and the local economy. Her work in education reflects the YWCA’s commitment to equality, justice, and empowerment for all.

TEAM - Leadership Genesee Book Club

The Leadership Genesee Book Club, formed in 2012, brings together a group of women who are committed to fostering education, leadership, and community service. The ladies in this incredible group include, Stacey Anderson, Samantha Stryker, Sue Blanchard, Michelle Dills, Chris Fix, Diana Fox, Brenda Lee Heinemann, Laurie Mastin, Rebecca McGee, Donna Morrill, Lisa Ormsbee, Betty Powers, Barb Shine and Lynn VanDerBeck. As alumni of Leadership Genesee, these women serve on various local boards and organizations, working collaboratively to make a positive impact in Batavia and beyond. The collective work of this club serves as an inspiration for future generations of women leaders, making them deserving recipients of the TEAM Award.

Entrepreneur: Dr. Emily Fraser-Branche 

Dr. Emily Fraser-Branche is a board-certified pediatrician and founder of Three Little Birds Pediatrics. Her leadership in healthcare and her entrepreneurial spirit have made her a vital force in her community. Her dedication to providing high-quality, culturally sensitive care has helped countless women and children. Additionally, her support of the YWCA has ensured the continuation of vital services for the community, cementing her as a powerful advocate for women and families.

The event will also feature Keynote Speaker Linda Dynel, a survivor whose story of resilience will inspire all in attendance. The luncheon will be emceed by MaryAlice Demler of Channel 2 News, promising an empowering and impactful afternoon.

Tickets are available now, and the 2025 Women of Inspiration Awards Luncheon is sure to be a memorable experience for all attendees, celebrating the strength, leadership, and contributions of these remarkable women.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.ywcagenesee.org or call us at 585-343-5808.

Press Release:

The Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association (RTMA) today announced the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has approved the RTMA’s group sponsorship of the New York State Registered Apprenticeship Program as a New York State Approving Agency. This distinction allows the RTMA to provide VA benefits to apprentices who served in the United States Armed Forces. 

Registered Apprentices, who are Veterans, are now eligible for GI Bill and other educational benefits for Veterans and qualified family members to assist with tuition and career counseling. These benefits are in addition to several benefits and incentives already available to Registered Apprentices: including SUNY Tuition Assistance, complimentary Tooling U-SME licenses and several incentives for signatory companies.  

Veterans Affairs backdated the RTMA’s application to August 1, 2022, in order to assist Veterans previously enrolled in the NYS Registered Apprenticeship Program. The RTMA will collaborate with its signatory companies to provide the VA with the necessary documentation needed to receive VA benefits. In addition to receiving this distinction, RTMA Director of Workforce Development Rich Turner and Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator Keri Martin are now trained as School Certifying Officials with the VA. 

 For more information on the RTMA’s sponsorship of the NYS Registered Apprenticeship Program, visit https://www.rtma.org/apprenticeships or contact Rich Turner at rturner@rtma.org or 585-510-6557. 

The first full moon of April is called 'The Pink Moon.' 

The April full moon is not actually pink. It's named after pink wildflowers, such as creeping phlox or moss phlox, that bloom in early spring. This full moon is the smallest of the year, appearing slightly smaller and less bright due to the moon's farthest point from Earth in its orbit. 

Photo by Lisa Ace.

Good Friday at Northgate:  Join us on Friday, April 18, at 7:00 PM for a special Good Friday service as we reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus and prepare our hearts for the hope of Easter. We'll remember the depth of His love and the power of the cross. Location: 8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020. https://northgatefmc.com 

With more than 20 performers already lined up for the return of this year’s Wings Over Batavia Air Show, organizers are continuing to add to this year’s event, dropping in a periodic featured performer every now and again before it takes to the sky Aug. 30 and 31 at Genesee County Airport.

The latest performer spotlight is on the USAF F-35A Lightning II Demo Team, a fifth-generation fighter that combines “advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility,” organizers said.

Of the distinct variants of the F-35, the F-35A is flown by the U.S. Air Force.

Organizers sprinkled some additional details into an email about the F-35A, including that:

It is the first and only stealth, supersonic, multi-role fighter jet.

The F-35 is set to replace aging fighters, including the F-16s, A-10s, F/A-18s, and AV-8B Harriers.

The helmet-mounted display system contains all the intelligence and targeting information an F-35 pilot needs to complete a mission.

With the helmet, the pilots can see what is below the floor of the jet.

Nine countries are involved in the development of the F-35: the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Australia.

The U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II has One Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engine, with a thrust of 43,000 pounds per engine. Its wingspan is 35 feet, length is 51 feet, and height is 14 feet. Its speed is Mach 1.6+, equivalent to approximately 1,200 miles per hour.

This aircraft has an internal fuel capacity of 18,498 pounds and a unit cost of $128 million. As of Oct. 20, 2015, there was an inventory of 81 in the Air Force, including four internationally.

Other announced performers so far include NextGen Eagles, Trucker’s Air Patrol, Rob Holland, GhostWriter Air Shows, Kevin Coleman, Luke Aikins, Redline Air Shows, Good Year FG-1D Corsair, P-51 Mustang “Crazy Horse 2,” B-25 Mitchell “Panchito,” Kyle Fowler-Long EZ, Airythmia, Fireworks - On Final FX, Great Lakes Drone Company, Wall of Fire - Tora Bomb Squad, Pyromusical, Jim “Cookie” Crum - Air Boss, Ric Peterson - announcer, with more to be coming.

Check out the performers page or sign up with the Bataviators Air Show Insights Club for updates.

And go HERE for ticket information.

Speaking of Wings Over Batavia, stop by The Batavian’s booth at the Home Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday or 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the McCarthy Ice Arena, 22 Evans St., Batavia, and fill out our entry form for two VIP tickets to the Air Show, courtesy of Wings Over Batavia.

To read more about the home show, go HERE.

Chuck Flynn is poised and ready to ask visitors a question throughout this weekend.

What do you think your home is worth? Take a guess. What do you think?

“So when they give me their guess, let’s say they guess $220,000, and I type in their address and we get an immediate estimate for what it might be, and we find out how close they are, up or down or not. And then everybody who guesses, they get entered into a drawing for an awesome gift certificate at Max Pies Furniture in Batavia,” said Flynn, a licensed associate broker at Howard Hanna Real Estate Services.

He is representing one of 65 vendors at Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s 10th annual Home Show. It began Friday evening and continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at McCarthy Ice Arena, 22 Evans St., Batavia.

Now, if you’re thinking that Flynn’s game is easy because most folks ought to know their property’s assessment, he has found that many homes are actually worth more than they think. One visitor was surprised to learn that his Southside home’s value ranged some $10,000 more than his overpriced guess.

Besides a source of entertainment, does having a booth at the home show serve a business purpose? Absolutely, Flynn said.

“I definitely have connected with new relationships and reconnected with old ones,” he said. “And we get business from it every year. It’s fantastic.”

It’s a seller's market, he said, because there are more buyers out there than there are properties, “so for every 10 buyers, there’s one seller.”

“So just by the metrics, we’re just getting more buyers. And part of that’s driven by demographics, generational, the millennials are the biggest generation, right? There’s more millennials and baby boomers, so baby boomers aren’t the biggest generation anymore,” he said. “As the newer generation is coming up, there’s just os many more buyers, and they’re entering their prime home buying years, which is a little later in life for those generations than it was for my generation or the baby boomers.”

On the opposite side of the arena was Ron Weiler, owner of Sterling Tents. He’s been part of the home show since the Jaycees operated it at Batavia Downs years ago, he said. His wife’s grandfather, Roie Sterling, founded the company in 1911 on Main Street in Batavia, and it has remained here, except for a location change to Pearl Street.

He enjoys the annual event for the exposure it brings to his company and what it can provide for people, Weiler said.

“You meet the people, bring awareness to them, so that they know that there’s options for like, they put up a beautiful deck and it's too hot, they can't use it. So then we can use covers for that. And what we are is, life's a series of events. There are the poor ones, but there are good ones, like a graduation or wedding. So with our tents and our equipment, we make it so great that when you have a bad day, you can think about the good time you had,” he said. “So we have protection, and it’s festive. You think of tents, you have festivities, and it's social interaction, and that's what we need. We need social interaction and to have fun; life should be fun.”

Are you actually conducting business when you’re here?

“We make contacts, and then you go back and forth. It's always rewarding, you know, and we've always gotten a lot of work from it,” he said. “But it’s not like next week or anything; it’s simmering, and they return. My office manager, Sandy, she’s the one that handles all of that. I’m on the jobs mostly.”

There are other vendors that participate for reasons other than to gain an immediate or impending sale, Adam Clark said, with the clever draw of his 3-year-old golden retriever Dazey nearby.

“Just being part of the community, seeing all the familiar faces, whether it’s the other vendors, your existing customers, or new customers. It’s just nice to get out and be in the public,” said Clark, co-owner of Cedar Street Sales and Rentals. “We might gain a few sales from it, but it’s more of just a PR kind of thing, getting out in the public.

Friday evenings have typically been fairly slow; however, there was a steady flow of visitors carrying the home show bag to store goodies from each vendor.  There are pens, chip clips, magnets, wrapped candies, rulers, bumper stickers, keychains, radon kits, and mini fishing, golf, and pick-a-duck games for entertainment and with chances to win prizes.

Vendors cover a wide range of areas, from driveway sealing, municipal services, and plumbing to realtors, community theater, health and wellness, financial advising, local media, household and garage needs, heating and cooling, and equipment repair.

While many vendors are from Genesee County, some travel from other areas, including Neil Delves, owner of Never Wet Basement Waterproofing. This is his fourth or fifth year at this show, he said.

“It just generates new appointments for us because I'm in the basement waterproofing business, and therefore, we do not really get any repeat business. Once we fix someone's house, we don't have to go back and see them ever again. So it is a one-time fix, done right and permanently,” he said. “Always looking for new customers. So we come here every year, as I do all the other local home shows. This is one of my favorite home shows because it's not very big, but people know what they want here, and they come up to me and say, ‘Okay, I need you to come out and look at my house.’ And the leads we get are very fruitful.”

Perhaps that’s why a third of these booths are new vendors this year, which has provided a good variety, Chamber President Brian Cousins said.

“A lot of Chamber members as well, which is great for the chamber membership. It's great to support the members as a chamber organization, to highlight all the businesses that we have for our community," Cousins said. "We get a lot of people that over the course of time … they've had a lot of home projects or home things that they've needed to do and wanted to do, but either didn't have the wherewithal or thought that they were going to do it themselves, and then come now and they find a vendor to be able to really help them. 

“The other thing that happens throughout these shows too is a lot of the vendors do vendor-to-vendor, business-to-business deals as well, so they can find out how to support each other," he said. "Some of them have like industries, and some of them have a little bit of a different of a context, or a complimentary business to be able to help each other grow and to work. I was just talking with a couple people on the other side over here that were doing just that, so it was kind of nice to see.”

While you're at the home show, please remember to stop by The Batavian's booth to say hi and enter to win two VIP tickets to the Wings Over Batavia Air Show. 

Visit The Batavian's booth at the Home Show today & enter to win 2 VIP Pilot's Lounge tickets to the Wings Over Batavia Air Show!

HOME SHOW Special: Sign Up for Early Access pass before the end of April and get the first month of membership for only $1 or $8 off an annual membership. Visit my.thebatavian.com to sign up and use the coupon code HOME25. 

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home Show is open today from 10am-5pm & Sunday 10am-3pm.

View our featured listings!

Batavia resident Chris Humel completed teaching a six-week course on cartooning at the Senior Center on Bank Street on Thursday.

The students were instructed on drawing and telling stories through cartoon panels or hitting the punch line in a single panel.

"We go through corny jokes and illustrate them," Humel said. "I encourage them to think of funny stories in their everyday life, or, you know, everybody's got those stories in their life, in their family, where just something hilarious happens. So I try to get them to think about those stories and then look for things that make them smile throughout the week."

The class was funded through a $5,000 state grant administered through GO ART!

Humel is a musician, singer-songwriter, and visual artist who got started in cartooning in the 1990s while living in New Hampshire. He said a friend of his would send him illustrated letters that made him laugh, so he wrote back with "a little bit of artistic skill, not a lot really" with his own funny drawings. They combined on a small cartoon book that Humel put in a spinner rack at Ava Art Gallery in New Hampshire and that led to a chance to teach cartooning to a class of middle school students.  Humel said he's taught cartooning several times over the years since.

"I like teaching. It's empowering for me to share my knowledge and skills, and I think (the students) benefit by just having fun," he said.

Shop Oliver's Candies in-store or online. Visit The Sweet Life Country Store on Facebook or stop in and shop for all your Easter goodies!

Tom Sargent and his wife, Jennifer Stevens, had been humming along with Homeslice 33 Pizzeria in Corfu for about three and a half years when they kept getting more ideas for growth without the room to spare. There was, however, a vacant parcel right next door.

So instead of trying to cram more food items into the busy pizza shop on Main Street, they bought the adjacent 10 E. Main St. and, in just 10 weeks time, renovated the 800 square feet into a charming general store with a bit of a market, a candy store, bakery, assorted coffees and teas, homemade macaroni salads, a book nook, gift and novelty items and seating for at least 10.

Sargent credits his wife for coming up with a more succinct tagline.

“It’s all that and a cup of coffee,” he said at the site that opened in the last week. “As mayor, I hear we need to have a grocery store. We were gonna add some deli meats and salads over at the pizzeria, and then we were just kind of, slip in other things that we could possibly do to increase sales at the pizzeria, and we ran out of space with everything that we were coming up with, and wanting to be able to do — give fresh products to the locals, produce, bakery items, try to bring Yancey Fancy cheeses back, which we were able to do. So this property just happened to be available, so next door just made sense."

There’s method to the madness, so to speak, in that the fresh produce can serve twofold: either for customer needs or for products at the pizzeria, say, green peppers for pizzas, salads and subs, he said, and the Market is a conduit for several local vendors — 16 at this time and possibly more — to sell their goods.

Those goods include Yancey’s Fancy cheeses, Shelby M. Turner’s Ready Or Not sourdough-based baked goods, Oliver’s Candies, Upstate Milk products, a few maple syrup and honey companies, including Merle, Great Lakes coffees, Mac salad from Homeslice 33 Pizzeria, and other locally made baked goods, such as the purple-decorated lavender iced cookies, lemon blueberry mini muffins, and a line of gluten-free items.

Since opening on April 2, all vendor goods have been selling, he said. The hours are assertive: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

“We have coffee, so we want to get people in the mornings with coffee. And we're here because we do brew coffee, and we do grind fresh coffee for people,” Sargent said. “And then we want to get the people who come home a little later in the evening, and they need an onion for dinner or whatever it is, they need lunch meat for the next day. So, yeah, we're pretty steady right through till seven o'clock.”

Jordan Stevens has joined her parents to help out at the Market, and they have hired another employee as they gauge the beginning of business. Towards the back is a deli counter with Boarshead meats, hummus and cheeses, and freshly brewed coffee and tea that can be enjoyed at the cozy seating up front in a sunny window.

Salad, sandwiches and breakfast sandwiches, are on the horizon for a hopeful May debut, and Sargent is also hoping to get more locally sourced produce once warmer weather arrives. He’s also thinking ahead to those apple orchards in fall for some cider and apples, and other fresh treats when they become available.

“The alternative is to drive 15 minutes to Batavia or Alden to get that fresh produce or those deli meats, so now they can come here to the village and it’s more of a convenience for them,” he said.

Other items include freeze-dried candies, beeswax and soy-based candles, tea towels, chocolate-covered pretzels, Kindle bookmarks, olive wood cutting boards, bottle stoppers, mugs, dairy and non-dairy goods and cold drinks. One might say it's all that and a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

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