As a result of the ongoing extreme winter weather that has impacted all of western New York over the past week, Batavia Downs management has canceled the live card of harness racing scheduled for Thursday (Feb. 20) in an abundance of caution for the safety and welfare of all the participants.
Live racing will resume on Monday (Feb. 24) at 3 p.m., which will be the last card of the winter meet.
After 27 years with Genesee County — for most of those years as highway superintendent — first managing the roads, bridges, and fleet, and later adding on water, parks, airport, environmental health review and facilities duties, Tim Hens will be retiring later this year with the more all-encompassing title of Public Works commissioner and a need for a change of venue, he says.
As Hens is confident about who he leaves behind — county legislators have appointed his assistant engineer to fill the role — he also looks forward to being able to step away from challenging and stressful projects. He plans to retire May 30.
“It's weird to walk away after so many years. I have always been a big believer in being where your feet are, doing your best to leave the community in a better place, and handing things off to someone else when you know it's the time. Well, it's time,” he said to The Batavian Wednesday. “I have put an amazing DPW staff together that does so many good things, and we have such good relationships with all of the town highway superintendents, but the job is stressful, and you're always in the public eye. The regulatory environment, especially within New York State, isn't getting any easier--this is certainly one of my biggest reasons to leave.
“I’m in a good place with my decision. A change in scenery/perspective will be good for me, and new leadership will be great for the County. In terms of champion projects, it’s a duel between the rebuild/success of the County Airport versus Countywide Water, but I think Countywide Water will have a longer/more significant impact on our community than any other project the County has ever accomplished,” he said. “It certainly hasn’t been the easiest or smoothest process (nor is it done yet), but getting reliable, safe drinking water for Genesee County makes a difference to the economy but, more importantly, for people's health and well-being.”
2024 File Photo of Laura Wadhams, assistant engineer for Genesee County's Public Works Department, showing progress at the new county jail during a county meeting. Photo by Joanne Beck
He has recommended the department’s assistant engineer, Laura Wadhams, who has become an increasingly visible staff member for major projects, such as the $70 million county jail that opened in late 2024.
“Laura is being considered by the Legislature as my replacement. I hired Laura in 2018 and knew right away that she was a perfect candidate to replace me in the future,” Hens said. “She has done an amazing job in so many different areas, from award-winning bridge projects to airport work, facilities projects and managing the construction of the new county jail. She is an excellent communicator and has the demeanor to work with all different types of agencies, contractors, community leaders, and people.”
Wadhams has worked as a civil, staff, and transportation engineer and transportation construction inspector for the New York State Department of Transportation. The new county jail was her largest county project since being hired as assistant engineer in September 2018, she said during a March 2024 meeting about the jail’s near completion.
The commissioner’s role oversees seven divisions, 57 full-time and 11 seasonal or part-time employees within the department, including highways and bridges; fleet management; engineering; facility management; parks and forestry; Genesee County Airport; countywide water; and environmental health, which means engineering reviews for water, septic, campgrounds and pools.
The Genesee County Legislature has interviewed and selected a candidate to fill this future vacancy, and based upon qualifications and the recommendation of County Manager Matt Landers, the Ways and Means Committee recommended Wadhams for the position during its meeting Wednesday.
Wadhams has shadowed the Commissioner of Public Works and “has demonstrated commitment to safe, reliable, professional and cost-effective planning and maintenance of county resources, facilities and infrastructure,” a related county resolution states. The group appointed Wadhams as commissioner of Public Works at a Grade of 124, Step 15 on the Management Salary Schedule, for a four-year term, effective June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2029. The full Legislature is expected to vote on the resolution during a future meeting.
High school students can be generally divided into three groups: about 10% are the “movers and shakers.” These are the student body presidents, sports stars, honor society members, cheerleaders, etc; Another 10% are on the bottom, the skippers, the disciplinary problems, strugglers. The biggest group is the kids who are just trying the best they can to navigate their way through their challenging teenage years of life and school. They have small groups of friends, get by academically, and might participate in some activities but don't really stand out.
That group would be exactly where I fell at Notre Dame between 1960 and 1964.
As I look back on my high school years, the things that stand out are how shy and immature I was. I did not turn 17 until the end of January of my senior year. So, I spent over half my graduating year at 16.
In retrospect, my parents should have held me out of kindergarten for one more year, but there were no preschool programs as there are now. So, spending over half of my first year in school at 4 years old was not a recipe for success. I recall almost nothing about my year in kindergarten at Washington School and no wonder – I was not far removed from being a toddler.
By the time I arrived at Notre Dame in September of 1960, after 8 years at St. Mary's Elementary, I could be described as being scared and unready. I had not developed any appreciable study habits and had a pretty low self-esteem. I would guess that same description would fit a lot of other freshman, both then and now.
I did manage to make it through my 4 years at Notre Dame and graduate on time.
As I think back, the memories I have are mostly not of the classes and subjects, although I should recall geometry and chemistry as I took them twice and three times, respectively. I was a mediocre student at best. I didn't get a Regents Diploma and had to attend a summer school class in math at St. John Fisher College in Rochester just to get accepted.
My recollections are mostly just random events that took place during my 4 years, some poignant and others “sophomoric,” although they didn't all happen in the sophomore term.
Lasting Impressions A few things took place while I was at Notre Dame, and they have stayed with me to this day. The first happened in Freshman Religion class, but it had nothing to do with religion. The teacher was Father Dave Scheider, who was also at times the Athletic Director, coach of various sports, and eventually the Principal. He was a good guy and allowed students to speak their minds in class.
I don't know how it came up, but a young lady of Polish ancestry named Dolores complained that she and other Polish and Italian students felt marginalized because they came from “the south side of the tracks.” (By way of explanation, Batavia was a railroad town, and the tracks of 4 different rail lines split Batavia in half. South of the tracks, the neighborhoods were predominantly folks of Polish and Italian ancestry who settled around their churches, which were Sacred Heart and St. Anthony's. There were bakeries, delis, restaurants, etc., related to their cultures. In the late 1950s, the New York Central tracks were moved south of the city to solve traffic problems, but there was and still is a “South Side”).
I certainly knew about the railroads (my grandfather was a railroad man, and until the tracks were moved, the New York Central main lines ran right next to the house where my father grew up on Cedar Street). I also was aware that many Polish and Italian people lived on the south side of town. But, just like I was unaware that those people were not allowed at Godfrey's Pond, a recreation area where my family was members, I was also ignorant of any discrimination or bad feelings. The innocence of childhood, I guess you could call it.
But Dolores bringing this up in school led to a lively discussion ( I don't recall specifics), and it was certainly a wake-up call for me going forward. It was brave of her to call attention to it, and I have never forgotten it.
The second lasting impression was, unfortunately, a negative one for me.
At some point (I don't recall which year), we had a day off from classes for a “retreat.” This was supposed to be a day of reflection and introspection about faith. The guest speaker was a priest who was brought in from outside our community. During his lecture, he brought up the notion of “hell.” He tried to impress upon us how long eternity would be if we ended up there for whatever sins we might commit. He told us to imagine a little bird coming and pecking on the side of our school once every 1,000 years. According to him, by the time the school was pecked into nothingness, it would be one second in eternity. What? That scared the hell out of me. I actually think I spent some restless nights (what horrible “mortal sins” had I committed? I was 14 or 15, probably). As I grew older and more thoughtful, the idea that a priest would try to frighten an auditorium full of teenagers like that made me angry. It still does.
In my senior year, an event happened on November 22, 1963, that anyone who was over the age of 10 will remember forever where they were when they heard about it – the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
I was in study hall, and the football coach, Lou Lodestro, came in and got some of the boys who he knew to help clean up the locker room. As we were cleaning, he was in his office doing paperwork and had the radio on. All of a sudden, he came out looking as pale as a ghost. “ Boys”, he said. “I've got something really bad to tell you. President Kennedy has been shot in Dallas, Texas”.
I can't really remember much after that. I don't know if we said anything, or just sat there, or went back to study hall and told others. At some point, an announcement was made over the loudspeaker. I'm sure people were crying, but I can't recall specifics.
I do recollect going to downtown Batavia on the next day, Saturday, and most of the stores were closed, and the street was virtually empty. Like many others, I was watching TV on Sunday morning when Jack Ruby shot and killed Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, before our very eyes. Monday was a National Day Of Mourning, and Tuesday was the President's funeral, so I assume we had both days off from school. Teenagers are fairly resilient, but I'm pretty sure that whole event affected me and my classmates for the rest of our senior year.
Teens Will Be Teens Notre Dame was no different than any other high school when it came to teen shenanigans. Once in a while, things would get a bit out of control in the cafeteria, and I remember a couple of epic food fights. What I recall the most about those, though, is how when the Principal, Father Eugene Kolb, entered the scene. Everything stopped dead. You could hear a pin drop. He wasn't a very big guy, kind of short and portly, but some people just have that aura of instilling fear about them. As a teacher for 33 years, I saw it many times, and often it was a diminutive woman. It was just their presence and the way they carried themselves. By the way, I never had “it”. The kids always knew I was a big (6' 3'') softy.
Our school, like most Catholic Schools, had a dress code. But being teenagers, it was our daily quest to try to get around it somehow. Boys had to wear a sports coat and tie, and sneakers were not allowed. A certain number (probably in that previously mentioned top 10%) saw themselves as stylish and were always sharply dressed. But most of us wore the same sports jacket every day, and at home, it was casually tossed on a chair or bed until the next day, so it became pretty raggedy looking. Who wanted to retie a tie continuously? So those were just loosened, taken off and redonned the next day.
When the Beatles and other English rock groups became popular, a fad among the boys was “pegged” pants. These were tight and very narrow at the bottom (no cuff). Of course, you had to be skinny, which most of us were at that age. It was a constant battle with the Dean of Boys over those trousers. I think parents were even called on occasion to bring roomier pants to school. You can imagine that they were pretty annoyed about that.
The girls wore a blouse and skirt with a vest called a bolero. They were allowed to wear sneakers, though, unlike the boys. The girls' biggest rebellion seemed to be rolling their skirt up at the waist to make it shorter. The Dean of Women, a nun apparently known as “The Barracuda,” would have them kneel down, and if their skirt didn't touch the floor, they got detention (there was a lot of kneeling in Catholic schools). I'm going to reserve comment on what girls wear to school now, but it always amazes me to see boys constantly wearing shorts, even in the winter.
Finally, you would think I remembered something important but recalled something ridiculous instead. Notre Dame has three floors. The basement has the cafeteria, locker rooms, and some classrooms. The main floor contained the offices, the chapel, the gymnasium, and classrooms. The 2nd floor was the site of the school library. There were two staircases to it, one on each end. The librarian's desk was in the middle.
As a perfect example of teenagers' convoluted thinking, my friend Ray and I decided to prank the librarian, an elderly nun. For a period of time, about once a week, always on a different day, to avoid being predictable, we would leave the cafeteria on the pretext of using the restroom. Ray would go up one stairway, and I would go up the other, so we would each be stationed at opposite doorways. We would peek in to see if the nun was seated at her desk. If she was, one of us would bounce a tennis ball in front of her to the opposite door. The other guy would catch the ball at the doorway, and we would sprint back down the stairs and hide in the men's room, doubled over with laughter.
We thought we were so clever, and we never got caught, but thinking back now, did the nun even notice the ball? Or did she even care? She might have actually gotten a chuckle out of it herself. You can see why we weren't in the honor society.
Like most of the faceless masses, I made it through high school, but knowing what I know now, I wish I had the chance to do it again at a year older and with more confidence and maturity. But, despite my struggles, I graduated from St. John Fisher I had to scramble my first couple years there also) and had a 33-year career teaching elementary school before retiring and have written 30 published stories. I wasn't a “mover and shaker,” but I did pretty well in life, nonetheless.
The William Morgan Affair: Masonic Mystery in Upstate New York, by Ann Webster Bunch, was released this month by The History Press. Dr. Bunch uses her background as a forensic anthropologist to analyze the extreme cold case of what happened to William Morgan after he was last seen in Batavia in 1826.
She takes particular care to comb over the evidence, or lack thereof, surrounding the mysterious circumstances of Morgan’s last days, and the many legends that surround what became of him. The author’s focus is to delve deeply into the scientific and investigative methods that were employed during the various investigations conducted following Morgan’s vanishing in September 1826.
The story of William Morgan is one steeped in so much speculation and hearsay that very little is known about the man himself.This has led to many theories on what happened to him, and has left many heroes and villains surrounding the ordeal.
Dr. Bunch focuses on the case as a cold case, not necessarily a murder case. This flies in the face of the inscription of the Morgan Monument located in the Historic Batavia Cemetery, put in place by the National Christian Association in 1882, which paints him as a martyr and makes it confusing as to whether he is actually buried in the plot, which he is not.
In looking at Morgan’s case from an evidential perspective, there are so many unknowns when it comes to Morgan; even the life of William Morgan is steeped in a lack of solid evidence. It is not even clear what Morgan really looks like or when he was born. The same can be said for the events surrounding his disappearance, which are only clear to his holding at Fort Niagara, and then the sure evidence dries up. Bunch also notes the political atmosphere, factors that came to surround the case, and the severe influence that played a part in it.
Dr. Bunch focused on the inconsistencies of the early 19th century when it came to evidence and investigation by taking each coroner’s inquests relating to Morgan into deep analysis.
The three inquests in question all revolved around a seminal moment in the Morgan saga, when a body washed up on the Lake Ontario shoreline in Orleans County on October 7, 1827, more than a year after Morgan’s disappearance. The first, Slater, inquest follows the standard procedures for the day but does not lead to an identity of the victim, though it being Morgan is not a consideration. The second, Brown, inquest is just the opposite, as Thurlow Weed, a newspaperman and local politician from Rochester, inserts himself to gain traction that the body is that of Morgan’s. Bunch points out that this attempt to make a “good enough Morgan” flew in the face of the evidence based on Morgan’s last known appearance on top of substantial decay. It signified how the evidence can be influenced to a great deal by outside political forces, especially when one wishes it to be the evidence they seek. The third, Hurlburt, inquest reverses the second’s findings when new evidence comes to light in the form of the family of a fisherman in lower Canada, Timothy Munro, who had gone missing in a storm.
Dr. Bunch then goes a step further in looking into the second inquest led by Weed and what factors at the time can make people look past distinct evidence to come to another conclusion. The most obvious is political pressures and orientations. Weed and his followers were against the Freemasons and were looking for anything to help put more public opinion against the Brotherhood. This went all the way to Albany, as the opponents of the Erie Canal and its supporter, Governor DeWitt Clinton, sought to work against anyone associated with the Masonic Order. This would eventually lead to the first third party in the United States, the Anti-Masonic Party. The age-old contest between the “haves” and “have-nots” also played its role.
The author then turns to other important pieces of evidence, the several confessions by individuals who claim to know the outcome of Morgan’s ordeal with the Freemasons. She focuses on seven confessions that came about from the 1830s through the 1860s. Each is analyzed in comparison to the evidence available to determine some level of validity, though many are lacking in key areas.
The confessions range from the 1830s to the 1860s, with varying degrees of involvement. In some cases, confessing to be the killer, in others to be an accomplice, and in others to be there at the time of his disappearance. In her analysis, Dr. Bunch concludes that most of the confessions lack much in corroborating evidence, with Whitney’s having the most merit but not without its questions. The point was that confessions were taken with more facts than what evidence could support them, at least for a time, and in some cases, the confessor's background or character was a severe influence.
The next chapter of the Morgan mystery is the issue of the Pembroke Skeleton found in a quarry in 1881. This discovery brought William Morgan back to the forefront of everyone’s thoughts.
This again brought up the issue of integral evidence. There were items recovered with the skeletal remains that led the discoverers to unofficially connect it to Morgan, but the remains were never compared to Morgan. This discovery very well has led to the National Christian Association taking advantage of the newfound public sentiment and building the monument to Morgan monument being built the following year.
Therefore, the question is “What became of William Morgan?”
There are 17 hypotheses that are explored and have been put forward since 1826. They are gathered from two sources, particularly from H.V. Voorhis in 1946 and Robert Morris in 1884. They range across the spectrum and place Morgan all around the world if he survived at all. They are grouped into five categories by the author: “Morgan Becomes a Hermit,” “Morgan Returns to Life at Sea,” “Morgan Reinvents Himself,” “Morgan is Murdered,” and a more specific tale, “Morgan Returns to Sea and Reinvents Himself, Dies in 1864.” The author then associates any corroborating evidence through the confessions or other information available to each hypothesis. Some even connect to modern-day descendants of Morgan. Everyone has their holes, some with more than others do.
In summation, Dr. Bunch focuses on the need to implement the scientific method even in this very old cold case, though it is always important to remember the human and those outside aspects that can influence it. She lays out five steps of an empirical-skeptical approach to any case, using Morgan as an example. In simple terms, collect background information; compile the scientific data and evidence; understand the political context and prior work; factor counter-information to the evidence; use all of the factors together to form a conclusion. Each of the chapters within the book focuses upon one or more of these steps.
The purpose is to take all of the evidence available and to expose others that have less merit. Dr. Bunch does not intend to solve the mystery, so if looking for the final answer, the reader will be disappointed in that regard. However, the strong historical and scientific research will show just how murky the whole event his, from Morgan himself to the various investigations. The work does lay out all of the possibilities with the supporting evidence or lack thereof. It is a very interesting read, especially for those who may be of a more skeptical nature and those who like the mystery-solving procedure.
Ryan Duffy is the executive director of the Holland Land Office Museum.
Batavia needed a win on Wednesday night in its final Boys Basketball game of the regular season to clinch a Monroe County Division league championship.
A loss would mean they were co-champions.
The Blue Devils improved to 14-6 with a 76-45 win over Greece Odyssey.
"It was a big game for us in that respect. We didn't want to be co-champions," said Coach Buddy Brasky. "We wanted to be sole champions. And they've been one of the hottest teams in Monroe County over the last month, and they've been playing really good basketball, scoring a lot of points. So we really emphasized in practice leading up to this game defense and toughness."
In the second half, Odyssey (11-9) didn't help their cause, committing five technical fouls.
"They lost their composer, which was just a shame because they're a good team, and it's just too bad that that happened to them," Brasky said. "I just warned our kids, don't retaliate. Don't talk back if they're talking trash to you. Let them do all of that, and we'll just keep playing basketball, and the score on the scoreboard will be your answer to them."
Brasky is feeling good about his team heading into the postseason.
"Well, it's just what we've been preaching all year," Brasky said. 'It's, we've got to become a defensive first team, and we have struggled with that at some times this year, and we've got to be a tougher team. Toughness and defense are the things that will lead us there, and we've had a good step forward in that way tonight."
Scoring for Batavia:
Carter Mullen, 20 points
Casey Mazur, 19 points
Justin Smith, 15 points
Gavin White, 12 points
Photos by Steve Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.
The Music at St. Mark's concert (at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in LeRoy) for Thursday, February 20 with The Rochester Bagpiper is cancelled due to illness. This concert will be re-scheduled later in the year.
St. Paul Lutheran Elementary School students collected food for the Batavia community on Valentine’s Day. The ‘Love Your Neighbor Food Drive’ took its theme from Mark 12:31, where Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Christian Brunelle shows a revised rendering of his site plan for Byrne Dairy Tuesday during the city's Planning & Development Committee meeting at City Hall. Photo by Joanne Beck
After a silent public hearing Tuesday evening of no one speaking for or against the proposed Byrne Dairy project at 606 E. Main St. in Batavia and slightly revised plans with additional landscaping, the city’s Planning & Development Committee approved the site plan and special use permit.
Senior Executive Vice President Christian Brunelle of Sonbyrne Sales, Inc. will have to return on Feb. 27 to the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals for approval of a variance and is looking forward to getting shovels in the ground soon after.
"So now we just have to get variances on February 27 … for the signage and the 500 feet; the gym kicks it into a public assembly, which is kind of weird, but a gym is considered a public assembly because of the amount of occupants,” Brunelle said after the meeting. “Basically, all we did was incorporate a new landscaping plan for the board members. They wanted some more shrubbery along the eastern property line to protect any sort of trash or whatnot to the neighbors to the east, the gym, basically. So I added those, added some storm water details that I had to do.”
The committee gave the project a negative environmental declaration, meaning that no harm was perceived to be caused by the construction and operation of the dairy and gas station on the city's east side.
Group members John Roach, Jim Krencik, Zeke Lynn, John Ognibene and Liz Thompson voted 5-0 for the project and then pushed it to the ZBA because the dairy would be within 500 feet of Whole Life Fitness, a gym at 624 E. Main St., and his request for more signage is more than what’s typically allowed. Genesee County’s Planning Board approved the project Feb. 13.
The site plan is for a gated store that would be moved back from houses, include additional landscaping and trees, a Dumpster enclosure, two unrestricted curb cuts, one each a canopied gas and diesel station, sidewalks leading to the store porch, three signs, including a digital reading board, and outdoor LED lights designed to minimize unwanted light pollution. There are 42 parking spaces allotted.
Serviceberry trees would fit in with low utility lines to match existing trees in the area, plus he recommended three- to four-foot trees and “nice little shrubs.”
“These were the major approvals,” Brunelle said, sharing a work outline. Break ground immediately in March, closing our property, February 27 get approval, close on our property a week later and start the demolition in mid-March. I'm probably guessing the end of July or August 1 would be a goal (for completion). We should have no problem.”
He looks forward to opening up for business, and has been pleased with city Code Enforcement Officer Doug Randall and his staff's responsiveness, Brunelle said.
“The city’s been great to work with,” he said. “Doug and those guys have been phenomenal. It’s nice to have a pro-business municipality to work with.”
Brunelle previously said that once his site plans were officially approved by both boards, he would close on the property within 30 days from owner Ken Mistler. He also said there will be 25 full-time equivalent employees at the store, with 35 to 40 combined part- and full-time people for the “several million dollar project.”
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) continued his annual Valentines for Veterans program this Valentine's Day, connecting local students with veteran residents at The New York State Veterans Home at Batavia. Hawley collected handmade valentines from students at Jackson Primary School and personally delivered them to the veterans.
"This event is a great opportunity every year to show my appreciation for our veterans and all of the sacrifices they have made to keep us free,” said Hawley. “As a veteran myself, I know the hard work and dedication these brave men and women have given over the years, and I hope events like this can serve as a way to give back.”
Hawley's day began at Jackson Primary School, where he visited Mrs. Vaccarella’s Kindergarten class, discussing veterans and the six branches of the military before thanking the students for their heartfelt cards. He then visited a joint classroom for Mrs. Wolff and Mrs. Conroy, where students also created valentines and performed a special Valentine's Day song for the veterans. Finally, Hawley delivered the valentines to the residents of the NYS Veterans Home at Batavia, personally thanking veterans for their service.
“This program connects students with our veterans, and in turn, our veterans receive messages of gratitude, such as ‘Thank you for your service,’” Hawley added. “It’s a truly rewarding experience for everyone involved.”
Gavin White going to the hoop in second half to keep batavia ahead. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Pittsford-Sutherland beat Batavia in Boys Basketball 72-66 on Monday.
The teams exchanged leads throughout the first half, with the Blue Devils up by one at the end of the second quarter, and a 10-point run in the third quarter made it 55-50. Sutherland dominated, scoring early in the fourth quarter to take a 10-point lead, which Batavia cut to five. The Blue Devils struggled in the closing minutes, letting Sutherland get away with a win.
Scoring for Batavia:
Carter Mullen, 17 points
Casey Mazur, 17 points
Gavin White, 17 points
Justin Smith, 10 points
Batavia is now 13-6 and plays their final regular season game on Wednesday against Greece Odyssey at 7:15 p.m.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) introduced the Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day Holiday Establishment Act to officially designate June 14 as a federal holiday to commemorate President Donald J. Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day.
Born on June 14, 1946, President Donald J. Trump’s birthday coincided with Flag Day, which is observed annually and recognizes the anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official US flag in 1777. This legislation would permanently codify a new federal holiday called “Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day” on June 14 to honor this historic day.
“No modern president has been more pivotal for our country than Donald J. Trump. As both our 45th and 47th President, he is the most consequential President in modern American history, leading our country at a time of great international and domestic turmoil. From brokering the historic Abraham Accords to championing the largest tax relief package in American history, his impact on the nation is undeniable. Just as George Washington’s Birthday is codified as a federal holiday, this bill will add Trump’s Birthday to this list, recognizing him as the founder of America’s Golden Age. Additionally, as our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, we should create a new federal holiday honoring the American Flag and all that it represents. By designating Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day as a federal holiday, we can ensure President Trump’s contributions to American greatness and the importance of the American Flag are forever enshrined into law,” said Congresswoman Tenney.
The Genesee Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) is thrilled to announce the opening of three new art exhibitions on Thursday, February 20. The community is warmly invited to join us at the opening reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to experience the diverse artistic expressions of Lorie Longhany and Bryan Wright and an engaging multi-artist show featuring artists of African heritage in honor of Black History Month.
Dive into the creativity of two remarkable local artists: multimedia artist Bryan Wright and painter Lorie Longhany.
Bryan Wright, drawing inspiration from his deep connection with the ocean and waters, presents another coastal-themed exhibition. His works, crafted with skills honed in graphic design and basic metal fabricating, encapsulate the mystery and intrigue of coastal elements found through his explorations.
Lorie Longhany, a self-taught artist with a versatile palette of pen, acrylic, and watercolor, showcases a collection of artworks that resonates with the themes of solitude, contentment, and nostalgia. Lori's pieces range from medium and small paintings to bookmarks, but her very small pieces are affectionately referred to as her "happy paintings."
A Showcase of African Heritage through Arts and Crafts is the third exhibition that adds a vibrant layer to the evening, with a special focus on Jamaican arts and crafts alongside select pieces from Africa. This multi-artist show not only highlights the rich cultural heritage and artistic vibrancy of African and Jamaican artists but also contributes to the celebration of Black History Month at GO ART!
This is an Invitation to Experience Artistic Diversity at GO ART! We are pleased to bring these three distinct exhibitions under one roof, offering the public an opportunity to embark on this unique artistic engagement. From the reflective and personal works of Lorie Longhany and the coastal-themed creations by Bryan Wright to the rich tapestry of African heritage presented in the multi-artist exhibition, there's an abundance of beauty and creativity to consume.
We look forward to welcoming art lovers and the community to the opening reception of these three exhibitions.
Come share an evening of art, inspiration, and cultural exploration with us at GO ART!
This event is free, but the experience will be invaluable! For more information, please contact GO ART! at 585-343-9313.
With every season that doesn't end in a championship, you can look back to missed opportunities and questionable calls. I’m confident that the Buffalo Bills are already looking past that and getting ready for more success.
That’s because in the NFL, now is the time to evaluate what the best team-building investments will be for the future.
Some of our favorite players will be leaving for other teams and new ones will come on board. Coaches and front office professionals are getting promoted, hired away by other teams, or retiring. It’s a relief we have our No. 1 asset in place - MVP Josh Allen.
The same is true in our workforce team-building activities. The future is here. It's time to move forward and find a way to win.
Parents, teachers and leaders have done an outstanding job encouraging our students to explore careers and training programs.
If you are a business, you can do the same – and directly benefit from this momentum! By building your bench, you have the talent to succeed.
In the NFL, dynasties are built after years of player development and success in the draft. The Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program (FLYAP) is that opportunity.
In January, FLYAP celebrated 40 first-round draft picks selected by local companies to complete a job shadow or a paid co-op. These students will embark on a professional career entering the ranks as a top prospect, with hands-on experience achieved before graduation!
Our businesses don’t have it as easy as teams in the NFL, where there’s only 31 other teams to compete with. You compete for talent across industries and regions.
File photo of Chris Suozzi.
Participating in youth apprenticeships and the summer pre-apprenticeship programs is a great path to stand out to students with many options available to them.
And those options are growing! Major projects under construction in Genesee County by Edwards Vacuum and Oxbo will soon be adding 350+ new jobs.
Thankfully, we continue to make investments to broaden and improve our talent base.
In partnership with local organizations, the Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation is investing in training equipment. Together, we are creating a lasting foundation that strengthens our communities and boosts the economy.
At the high school level, the GGLDC has invested in a brand-new CNC router for the Batavia Technology Department at Batavia High School.
At Genesee Valley BOCES, the GGLDC provided another piece of training equipment that will expand students’ capabilities in refrigeration technologies.
At The BEST Center at Genesee Community College, the GGLDC is supporting the installation of a CNC router for students to explore another pathway into careers.
These programs and investments will accelerate our students' journey to well-paid, rewarding careers. Our local, robust food processing, skilled trades, and manufacturing sectors can easily recruit students who are prepared from day one to diagnose and solve problems.
If you can’t wait for the next draft day to find your workforce talent, I’m here to help.
Contact me at csuozzi@gcedc.com, 585-409-1301, or linkedin.com/in/chrissuozzi.
Chris “Coach SwazZ” Suozzi is the Executive Vice President of Business & Workforce Development at the Genesee County Economic Development Center.
Despite the frigid temp and ongoing icy snow that blanketed Batavia this weekend, more than a dozen folks wanted to offer a visible signal of their outrage and sadness about the torture and murder of Sam Nordquist, a young man found dead near Canandaigua Thursday.
When the group, from GLOW OUT!, which has a biweekly meeting for older LGBTQ individuals, learned about Nordquist’s death after an apparent lengthy period of torture by five suspects arrested and charged this week, “many were very upset … and wanted to have a vigil immediately,” Executive Director Sara Vacin said.
About 15 people gathered Saturday outside of Batavia’s First Presbyterian Church in memory of this 24-year-old-year old from Minnesota.
“They didn’t mind standing in the snow, they felt like the message and our ability to do something mattered more. As a group and as individuals, we are terrified at the open transphobia we see and experience,” Vacin said. “The thought that this beautiful young man came to New York, following his heart, possibly expecting better protections and resources, and ended up being tortured is unfathomable and disgusting. This shows how truly targeted trans people are today and how people need to stand up to the normalization of hate speech, bullying, and discrimination.”
Motorists driving by beeped in positive response to the gesture, Vacin said, and the group is planning to join upcoming vigils in Rochester and Canandaigua. It doesn’t matter that none of them knew this young man, as “Sam was someone’s child and will be forever missed and remembered by many by the way he left this earth,” she said.
More than 20% of Gen Z are part of the LGBTQ population, and he could be any number of “our children,” she said.
“GLOW OUT! wanted to call attention to the situation and ask — regardless of political beliefs — for allies not to remain silent and complicit but to step up and disrupt hate speech and discrimination,” Vacin said. “So that we can be the safe New York that Sam Nordquist and all of us deserve to live in.”
For more information about GLOW OUT! services provided, visit www.glowout.org.
In a recent update by ABC News, State Police issued a joint statement that -- although this was one of the most horrific crimes ever investigated -- "At this time we have no indication that Sam's murder was a hate crime."
"To help alleviate the understandable concern his murder could be a hate crime, we are disclosing that Sam and his assailants were known to each other, identified as LGBTQ+, and at least one of the defendants lived with Sam in the time period leading up to the instant offense."
As a result of an extreme winter storm that has produced high winds, heavy snow, sub-zero wind chills and treacherous driving conditions to all of western New York, the management of Batavia Downs has canceled the live card of racing scheduled for Monday (Feb. 17) in an abundance of caution for the safety and welfare of all the participants.
Live racing will resume on Thursday (Feb. 20) at 3 p.m., which will be the second last card of the winter meet that ends on Monday, February 24.
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