Kay and Bill McDonald in Jackson Square recently preparing for the Homegrown Concerts hosted by the Old Hippies on June 23 and June 30. Photo by Howard Owens.
Bill and Kay McDonald have spent their living the dream, playing and singing for smiling, clapping, foot tapping, and sometimes dancing audiences.
They decided a few months ago they wanted to give young, aspiring performers a chance to relish the same experience they've enjoyed all these years -- getting on stage with a good sound system in front of an audience looking to be entertained.
The McDonalds are producing concerts on June 23 and June 30 that will feature young performers. Both shows start at 6 p.m. in Jackson Square.
"We're really concentrating on the youth this time," Bill McDonald said. "We've got eight, nine, 10-year-olds that we've wrangled in -- guitar players, a bagpipe player, and accordionist. We've got a couple of more seasoned veterans like Deanna Spiotta and Don Thomas and Steve Kruppner."
The young artists include William Franz (bagpipes), Leah Ford (guitar), Nolen Wright (guitar), Spencer Moscicki (guitar on June 23), and Quinn Karcher (accordion on June 30).
Also on the bill, the Ghost Riders and the Old Hippies.
The name of the show is, naturally, "Homegrown." The event is paid for through a $5,000 grant from the state that was administered by GO ART!
The young performers were found by talking with teachers and friends, but even with the dates set, there might be more room on the bill for other aspiring performers.
"We could probably squeeze room for more," Bill said. "If we had a few more, we could. Every time you do that, it limits somebody else's time. But that's okay. We think the more, the better. Everybody's gonna play. If we (the Old Hippies) only get a couple of songs than so be it."
Gina Schelemanow with some of the pieces of art the Bergen resident created and on display at the Independent Living offices on West Main Street in the Crickler building. Photo by Howard Owens
More than a year ago, Gina Schelemanow went through a bit of a rough patch and decide to take a more positive turn with life.
Schelemanow started creating art with linoleum cut prints.
"t was just kind of nice, like a nice release for me," the budding artist said. "A lot of them are like animals or books or just things that I enjoy in life that make me happy."
This month, Schelemanow's show at the West Main location of Independent Living of the Genesee Region put Schelemanow's work on display, and the show had its official opening on Thursday.
The Bergen resident was a housing coordinator for ILGR and is now doing a similar job for Project Blue in Buffalo.
At Byron-Bergen High School, Schelemanow wasn't particularly into art.
"I did like art classes in school for school, but nothing like extra," Schelemanow said. "I wasn't in any of the fancy art classes or anything."
There's nothing dark in Schelemanow's work, and the artist said that's by design.
"It's just as kind of like a creative outlet," Schelemanow said. "I never thought that you have to be good at doing art to do it. It was never something that I thought I was good at or thought I was creative. And when I started doing it, I really was able to come up with a lot of different things. So it was nice to go through the process of it."
Batavia Downs hosted its annual Batavia Bourbon and Whiskey Fest on Saturday in Park Place Event Center, which included multiple vendors and distilleries.
Attendees were able to sample a variety of bourbons and whiskeys. The event coincided with the running of the 2023 Belmont Stakes.
Join the Genesee County Parks along with the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club and try out fishing at DeWitt Recreation Area on Saturday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.!
No fishing license is required. This is part of the NYSDEC’s Free Fishing Weekend, perfect for beginners!
The program meets at Pavilion 2. Friendly guides will be on hand to assist you. Fishing gear and bait are provided or bring your own.
Hot dogs, chips, and water are for sale. All proceeds benefit the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club. Kids up to age 16 can join the fun and get the chance to win a prize for catching the biggest fish, sponsored by the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club! One lucky derby fisher will also win the door prize!
This program is FREE!! Call 585-344-1122 to register, or walk-ins are also welcome.
Call 585-344-1122 to register. For more information, visit our website at http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/parks/, or contact Shannon Lyaski at Shannon.Lyaski@co.genesee.ny.us or 585-344-1122.
The City of Batavia Fire Department reminds residents to use caution when using and storing lithium-ion batteries. There was a recent fire in the City caused by lithium-ion batteries in an electric bike.
These fires burn hot and fast while simultaneously releasing large amounts of toxic smoke and can quickly spread throughout a structure as well as nearby structures. There were 200 fires in 2022 in New York City alone were caused by batteries from e-bicycles, electric scooters, and similar devices.
As the devices that use lithium-ion batteries grow in popularity, so do the chances of similar incidents happening in the City of Batavia. When these batteries start on fire, they can be difficult to extinguish. When they burn, they burn extremely hot and fast. These fires ignite nearby combustibles much quicker than a standard fire.
It is vitally important that consumers use, store, and charge them according to the manufacturer's guidelines. It’s also a great idea to remain close by while these batteries are charging and unplug them when they are full.
To help prevent a lithium-ion battery fire, please follow these safety tips:
Be sure you have working smoke alarms installed on every floor of your residence.
Use only the original equipment manufacturer's batteries and charging cords.
Refrain from using aftermarket batteries and chargers. While they may be cheaper to purchase, these batteries are more likely to pose a burn, fire, or explosion hazard.
Store any scooters, e-bikes, etc., outdoors if at all possible. If you have to store them inside, keep them away from doors, windows, stairways, and egress paths.
Do NOT use extension cords or power strips to charge the batteries.
Place the batteries on a hard flat surface, do not charge on a pillow, couch, or bed.
Charge only one battery at a time, and do not allow it to remain plugged in once it’s full.
If you notice any changes in the batteries, such as damage, odor, change in color, increase in heat, change in shape, leaking, smoking, or failing to keep a charge, stop using it immediately.
Keep an ABC class fire extinguisher or a dry-chemical extinguisher on hand.
Do not throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash. These batteries should be recycled and you can find a location at the following link https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/
If you have any questions, please contact the City Fire Department at 585-345-6375.
On Tuesday, June 13, and Tuesday, July 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Guy Sceusa from the NYS Department of Veterans Services will be at the Genesee Country Farmer's Market. Veterans will fill out a self-attestation verifying he or she is a veteran. Guy will be issuing checks to the Veterans. The market will be open that day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at Bank Street and Alva Place.
Steve Hawley released a statement regarding the final days of the NYS Assembly session.
“The New York State Assembly finished their session for the year without meaningfully addressing the problems millions across this state are trying to deal with. The Majority ignored the affordability crisis plaguing our state, they ignored the public safety concerns our citizens have raised, and they failed to counteract the immigration crisis spurred by New York City legislators. Instead of focusing on any of these issues, the Majority prioritized removing checks and balances and giving criminals more leeway after they leave prison. It was a wasteful use of the Assembly’s time and energy.”
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at
Albany has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for Fine
Particulates until midnight EDT tonight.
Air quality levels in outdoor air are predicted to be greater than
an Air Quality Index value of 100 for Fine Particulates.
The Air
Quality Index...or AQI...was created as an easy way to correlate
levels of different pollutants to one scale. The higher the AQI
value...the greater the health concern.
When pollution levels are elevated...the New York State Department
of Health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous
outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health
effects. People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of
elevated levels of pollutants include the very young and those with
pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease.
Those with symptoms should consider consulting their personal
physician.
Batavia lost its bid on Saturday to become the first Flag Football champions in Section V history at Monroe Community College with a 20-0 loss to Canisteo-Greenwood.
Batavia entered the game undefeated at 8-0 and as the #1 seed. Canisteo was 7-1 at the start of the game.
It would be tempting to blame the loss on turnover -- there were a couple but were mostly inconsequential -- and penalties -- there were a few.
But more, Canisteo-Greenwood outplayed the Blue Devils.
After stopping Batavia on its first possession, Canisteo scored on its first drive. And on its second.
Batavia advanced the ball to the opposing goal line at least three times, but Canisteo-Greenwood keep the Blue Devils out of the end zone each time.
There are no stats available for the game.
Photos by Howard Owens. For more photos and to purchase prints, click here.
It's been a day-long party in Bergen on Saturday for the 33rd Annual Bergen Park Festival, which included a parade through the village followed by a picnic and events at Hickory Park.
The festival is sponsored by the Bergen Business and Civic Association.
It also included a basketball tournament, a car show, along with 60 vendors, five food vendors, two bounces houses, a dunk tank, a petting zoo, pony rides, book sale, and live music.
Ashley, 5, of Batavia, enjoys what she described as a pink and blue "flavored" snowcone during the second annual Fun in the Son event hosted by Ever Present Church Saturday in downtown Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck.
Raelexiss Velaz, 10, of Batavia, picks out a prize after winning the ping-pong toss at Fun in the Son Saturday afternoon. Photo by Joanne Beck.
Kashmarae Pearsall, 9, of Batavia takes aim with a ping pong ball with hopes to win a prize during Ever Present Church's second annual festival in downtown Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck.
Kashmarae Pearsall and her sister Raelexiss Velaz, both fourth-graders at John Kennedy Intermediate going into fifth grade this fall, play the ping-pong game at Fun in the Son Saturday in the parking lot next to Ever Present Church in Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck.
Kashmarae Pearsall of Batavia poses with Ever Present Church member Colleen Evans, who volunteered to help out during the second annual festival. "It's been pretty steady," Evans said of the kids lining up to play the ping pong game Saturday. And as for this year's event, "It's been really busy," Evans said. "I love it. I get to come outside and meet people. I love it." Photo by Joanne Beck.
Arliss Reed, 2, and his sister Evalyn, 3, goof around in the bounce house as mom Tiffany McAllister of Batavia waits on the sidelines. Photos, here and below, by Joanne Beck.
Several food, craft and game vendors participate in the second annual Fun in the Son festival Saturday in downtown Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck.
On Friday at approximately 4:01 p.m., the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting possible shots fired in the area of 25 Vine St., Batavia. Upon arrival, officers learned that an individual had possibly fired a weapon in the direction of a residence at that location following an earlier altercation between a group of individuals.
There were no reported injuries and it was determined that the act was targeted. Detectives from the City of Batavia Police Department's Detective Bureau were called in to investigate, and developed potential suspects early on in the investigation.
After collecting evidence, witness accounts and video footage the detectives were able to narrow their focus to one individual who fired a single shot towards the rear area of the residence at 25 Vine St. following a verbal altercation at the residence. The altercation stemmed from an earlier altercation not at that location.
The suspect was taken into custody at a residence in Le Roy with the assistance of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police and Village of LeRoy Police Department.
Luke A. Rose (age 19) of Batavia was charged with one count of Reckless Endangerment in the 1st degree and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd degree. He was arraigned in Central Arraignment Part (CAP) Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on $20,000 cash bail/ $40,000 bond/ $60,000 partially secured bond and ordered to reappear on June 20, 2023 at 1 p.m. in City Court.
The Department wishes to acknowledge and thank the Genesee County Sheriff's Office Emergency Dispatch Center, Genesee County Sheriff's Deputies, New York State Police Troopers and Village of Le Roy Police Officers, along with citizens that assisted, in investigating and apprehending this individual.
Batavia's Jaimin Macdonald catches another interception to power Batavia's strong defense
Eastridge got on the board first, but it was all Batavia after that, as the Blue Devils went on to win a smoke-delayed, and then rain-delayed, Flag Football sectional semifinal playoff game on Friday at Van Detta Stadium.
The final: 27-6.
The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday but was canceled because of poor air quality due to wildfires in Canada.
On Friday, Batavia scored 27 unanswered points in the first half on scores by Julia Clark (twice), and Isabella Walsh and a TD keyed off an interception by Jaimin McDonald. Then the rain came, causing another delay.
There was no scoring in the second half.
Batavia plays in the first-ever Section V Flag Football final at 11 a.m. today (Saturday) at Monroe County Community College. Batavia, the #1 seed, will take on #2 seed Canisteo-Greenwood (7-1) for the Class B title.
"We found ways to win," Coach Ben Buchholz told he team. "We found ways to make big plays, and that’s exactly what good teams do.We finally started to click; big players made big plays.
Of the defense, he told them, "We had girls in some spots that did not play there all year. You stepped up, made plays for us, and that’s exactly what we needed, and I’m super proud of you.We have a lot of unfinished business.Tomorrow let’s go win a block, let’s win this.Let’s come in with the best version of us that we have had all year and let’s win this thing."
Game Highlights:
Isabella Walsh - four receptions, 87 yards, a TD and a two-point conversion.
Anna Varland -18 carries, 112 yards
Julia Preston - two receptions, 39 yards
Julia Clark - 127 yards passing. one passing TD, two rushing TDs.
Jaimin Mcdonald - four Interceptions and nine flag pulls
Genesee County DSS Commissioner Carla Mindler during a meeting with county legislators. Mindler and DSS Director Ben Dennis talked about the foster care program and a new initiative, The Village, during this week's Ways & Means meeting. Photo by Joanne Beck.
Back in the earlier days of Hillary Clinton, there was a phrase made popular that “it takes a village” of diverse community members to make a difference in a child’s life.
That popular phrase became a mantra, book and now a harvested philosophy for Genesee County Department of Social Services’ new program: The Village, building connections, cultivating seeds.
DSS Commissioner Carla Mindler and Ben Dennis, director of Social Services, presented the program to county legislators this week. Atypical from most presenters before the county group, Dennis said he was not there for legislators’ wallets.
“The reason for this really is, I’m not going to ask for any money or to alter the budget or anything. What I want to do, though, is just kind of raise awareness to some things that are going on and some ideas that we have, and really just help get the word out there,” he said during the Ways & Means meeting. “For the past few months, what we've seen at DSS, with children especially, is a lot of mental health issues. And more and more of them — I don't know if it's the return to normalcy after the pandemic — we're getting a lot of cases where children are just depressed, a lot of anxiety, not wanting to go to school, being disruptive in the community. So we're needing more and more resources to keep them at home and not going into an out-of-home placement.
“Since September, we've had an increase in children that have gone to residential placements, which are not only not the best for the child to be in, but also the most expensive. We try everything to keep them out of there. And we have preventive services. We have foster care. We have our cluster home program.”
Genesee County has the Cluster Home Program, which is for foster parents who take in older youth and keep them out of institutions. They are specially trained and able to take the older youth who are in DSS custody, “not because of abuse or neglect, but because of their own behaviors that are juvenile delinquent, or adjudicated on their own to us, basically, by the probation department,” Dennis said, when they can't be maintained in the community any longer.
Those parents required “a lot of support from us,” including a youth worker that stayed with the child from the time he/she got off the school bus until bedtime. Those cluster homes have dwindled from seven to one for various reasons, and the agency is looking to recruit people to take care of these children, he said.
Morgan Luce, Gina Giuliani, Ashley Shade, and Becca Nigro "have a shared passion for helping youth in our community. We have come together to create The Village to coordinate support for local youth and families and help them build connections, relationships, and find resources," according to The Village website. Photo from the site.
Meanwhile, however, there’s The Village. A stopgap of sorts to plug in volunteers as a resource, this program will serve up people to help children learn various skills, obtain academic lessons, and catch a ride when needed.
“We’re just going to be looking for volunteers in the community to step forward and be a resource for the child, and what that means and what kind of resources, maybe it's somebody who can tutor a child. You know, there's a child who's struggling with schoolwork that comes to the attention of DSS, some skill-building, transportation, a child that needs to get from their parent’s house to an activity or counseling,” he said. “So we want to look in our community for people who are like, ‘geez, I don’t know if I really want to be a foster parent yet, but I want to get involved with a family.’ I want to be able to help and make a connection with that volunteer and the family that we're working with.
“Just for some extra support for that family, if we can maintain that child in their own home with the help of a volunteer, then it's a win,” he said. “So basically what the village is going to do is advertise for volunteers, volunteers who not necessarily right away want to become a foster parent, but to be a resource.”
Ideally, that volunteer would build a relationship with the child and may end up feeling ready to become a foster parent or at least a trusted source of support for the youth, he said. The Village's mission is “to provide dynamic support to local families and youth by connecting them with qualified and effective volunteers.” The program staff’s goal is “to strive to see the youth in our community be successful and develop meaningful connections.”
“It’ll be a training process for anybody who’s interested in getting involved with that, and we hope that it’s going to fulfill a need that we see right now,” he said.
There may have been at least one gunshot fired late this afternoon in the vicinity of 23 and 25 Vine St., Batavia, according to police.
The report of gunfire is unconfirmed.
Witnesses reported to police that a person fired a shot down the driveway between two houses.
There were apparently people outside at the time of the incident, according to Det. Sgt. Matt Lutey, who managed to take cover or otherwise avoid the gunfire.
Nobody was injured in the incident.
Since no building was struck, Lutey said, there is no physical evidence at this time to confirm that shots were fired.
Lutey said police do not know at this time what type of weapon might have been involved. There is no suspect description available at this time.
There are multiple residents in the area, including small children. The residents were discussing the incident among themselves, that it was "crazy" and that children and pets could have been hurt.
James "Jim" Saraceni, 2023 Outstanding Italian-American Award recipient
A dedication to family and friends and the Italian-American community in Batavia is why James Saraceni was recognized on Wednesday night at Batavia Downs as the Paolo Busti Foundation's Italian-American of the Year.
In his remarks, Saraceni spoke about his friends and family more than about himself and recalled the difficulties that immigrant Italians faced in trying to come to this country.
"Between 1880 and 1920, an estimated four million mostly southern Italians arrived on U.S. shores during these years," Saraceni said. "The Italians primarily came seeking economic opportunities they could not find at home. Southern Italy at the time suffered from a combination of unemployment, overpopulation and natural disaster -- natural disasters being earthquakes. Today, Americans of Italian ancestry are the nation's fifth-largest ethnic group."
On both sides of his family, his ancestors faced struggles to get to America.
"My grandfather immigrated here, and it was nine years before he would see his wife and daughter again," Saraceni said. "So when you hear about immigrants going through tough times trying to get into this country now, legal or not, a lot of you had the same story that it was not easy to do. And that just astonishing to me that they do that."
As part of the introduction of Saraceni, Board President Michele Fuller noted that Saraceni has served on the board for more than 15 years. He's served as treasurer and helped the organization in any way he could.
He was the board's unanimous choice for this year's award.
"We selected Jim because of his commitment to family," Fuller said. "You know how Italians feel about their families. I don't know anyone that is as loyal, caring and loving as he is to his family. He not only loves his children, he loves his nieces, his nephews."
His daughter is Alexandra Zelinsky. She said her father is a devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend.
"My father's motive in life -- he dedicates everything he does to enable a more successful future for his family and prides himself on being hardworking," Zelinsky said. "As long as I can remember, he has instilled a work ethic in our family. He works tirelessly to ensure everyone around him is taken care of - his family, his friends, and his customers, which often includes working late into the evenings and answering calls no matter the time of day."
A big part of the annual dinner is the Foundation's scholarship awards.
This year's award winners are Sean Czyryca, Le Roy, Michael Marchese, Batavia, Cooper Fix, Batavia, Aden Chua, Batavia, and Kaylie Kratz, Notre Dame. For more information on each of the winners, click here.
Not Pictured Sean Czyryca (LeRoy), pictured left to right Michael Marchese (Batavia), Cooper Fix (Batavia), Aden Chua (Batavia), Kaylie Kratz (Notre Dame), James "Jim"Saraceni (Outstanding Italian American 2023)
Michelle Fuller, Foundation President
Italian Musical Entertainment by Ross Chua
Notre Dame Senior Kaylie Kratz received the Kay Ognibene Memorial Scholarship in addition to the Paolo Busti scholarship award
Batavia Senior Aden Chua received a Paolo Busti scholarship award
Michael Marchese received the Vincent G. Gautieri Memorial Scholarship in addition to the Paolo Busti scholarship award
Cooper Fix received the Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation Top Scholar Award in addition to the Paolo Busti scholarship award
Over 130 people attended last evenings awards dinner
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