Press release:

Batavia’s premier consumer-run human service and advocacy agency for people with disabilities, Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) will hold an ADA Picnic to celebrate the 28^th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Open to the general public, and offering FREE food, fun, and games, the event will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, at Kiwanis Park, 3808 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

Contributing to the fun will be the University Heights Art Association (UHAA), which regularly partners with ILGR on the ARTiculations Ability Exhibition in the Independent Living reception area. Artists with disabilities are given the opportunity to display and sell their artwork at the Center. UHAA will bring projects and materials that will enable picnickers to creatively celebrate the birthday of the ADA.

To ensure that we have enough food and materials for the fun, if you plan to attend, please R.S.V.P. to Donna Becker at (585) 815-8501, ext. 411.

At the time the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed in 1990, a patchwork of laws existed to protect the civil rights of citizens with disabilities only in certain situations, such as access to airports, fairness in housing, and non-discrimination by federally funded institutions.

The ADA broadly bars disability-based discrimination in employment, telecommunications, by state and local governments, in places of public accommodation such as stores, restaurants, banks, theaters, hotels, and stadia, among other protections.

This has made it the single most important body of law for a particular population, the disability community, since the protections for racial and ethnic minorities and women of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which inspired some of the ADA’s provisions.

We look forward to having you celebrate with us, but please remember to R.S.V.P.!

Press release:

New York gubernatorial candidate Larry Sharpe (L), will meet with citizens of Batavia to share a Sunday afternoon of music and fun on July 22.

Joining Larry will be Lieutenant Governor Candidate Andrew Hollister and Mark Glogowski, who is running for the 139^th District NY Assembly seat. Music will be provided by the Old Hippies.

The event, hosted by the Genesee County Libertarian Party will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at T. F. Brown's (214 E. Main St., Batavia). Tickets are $20 and include a buffet lunch to be served at 2 o'clock.

Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Sharpe campaign. Music will begin at 1 p.m. and continue until 2:30, at which point the candidates will make their remarks and answer questions. 

The event will also include a basket raffle and silent auction for the benefit of the Genesee County Libertarian Party. Results will be announced at 3:50 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online here: 

For more information regarding this event or to purchase tickets directly, please contact Deborah Kerr-Rosenbeck as 585-356-1712.

Larry Sharpe (L) is a Bronx native, a Marine Corps veteran, an entrepreneur, and a management consultant with 15 years of experience mentoring international executives, entrepreneurs and sales people.

He is also a teacher, previously serving as a guest instructor for business management and leadership at institutions such as Yale University, Columbia University, Baruch College and John Jay College.

He is running for Governor of New York in order to make education more effective through innovation, reform the criminal justice system to focus on rehabilitation, and build an economy that works for all of New York State.

To schedule Larry for an interview, contact Lauren McKinnon at (347) 916-7732, or lauren.mckinnon@larrysharpe.com.

For more information about Larry Sharpe’s plan for New York, visit http://www.larrysharpe.com/.

Press release:

Girl Scouts of Western New York will recognize eight honorees at the 2018 Women of Distinction Dinner & Awards Ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 5:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Buffalo.

The public is invited to attend this top women’s event of the year. (To purchase tickets, click here.)

The 2018 Women of Distinction are:

• Lindsay Cray: Co-Founder & Executive Director, Earthworks, Inc. (Monroe County)
• Roseanne Frandina: President of Frandina Engineering and Land Surveying (Erie County)
• Althea E. Luehrsen: CEO, Leadership Buffalo, Inc. (Erie County)
• PattiAnn Pacino: Batavia City Council Member, Second Ward (Genesee County)
• Venus Quates: Founder and CEO, launchTECH (Erie County)
• Dr. Dilara Samadi: OB/GYN, Buffalo Medical Group (Erie County)
• Honorable Joanne Winslow: Associate Justice of the New York State Supreme Court (Monroe County)
• Betsy Wright: President, UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital (Chautauqua County)

The honorees were nominated by members of the community because of their demonstrated leadership in their careers and in their communities through public service. These women are considered role models for all girls, and in accepting this award, they commit to mentoring the young women involved with the Women of Distinction event.

This program is part of the nationwide Girl Scouts of the USA program and is designed to recognize the achievements of women, provide mentoring opportunities for older Girl Scouts and fund local Girl Scout educational opportunities and programs for girls 5 to 17 years of age.

“Our outstanding 2018 Women of Distinction honorees have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and are both personally and professionally committed to making our world a better place,” said Judith A. Cranston, CEO of Girl Scouts of Western New York. Each of the 2018 honorees exemplify what it means to be aG.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ and are an inspiration to the next generation of female leaders.”

This event is open to the community. Tickets and sponsorship information can be found at gswny.org. Proceeds from this event benefit programming for girls throughout Western New York.

About Girl Scouts of Western New York

Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) serves nearly 15,000 girls and 7,000 adult volunteers across the GSWNY jurisdiction, including Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties. The council’s administrative service centers are located in Batavia, Buffalo, Jamestown, Lockport, Niagara Falls and Rochester.

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, girls discover their personal best and prepare for a positive future, connect with others in an increasingly diverse world and take action to solve problems and improve their communities.

A Le Roy native will be attending his 65th class reunion today and debuting his newest book at the O-at-ka Festival.

Bill Brown worked on a secret project, now declassified, for a nuclear-powered bomber which could fly continuously for 30 days. His book, “The Atom Plane and the Young Lieutenant” is a true story of Huron’s United States Air Force military service at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.

Brown was privileged to play an engineering role in the testing of critical components of the General Electric X-211 nuclear turbojet.

Very little is known today about the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion project, which spanned 10 years and the expenditure of $1 billion, Brown said. This was a highly advanced technology program conducted during the 1950s Cold War to provide a continuous 30-day flying bomber ready to respond to any attack on the United States, he said.

Although the nuclear-powered bomber never became an operational weapon system, the technology advancement was a major contribution to the nation’s military and civilian air and space programs, Brown added.

The author complements the story with several interesting experiences at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, including aircraft and security incidents, along with a flying saucer investigation.

“These were indeed adventurous years exploring the challenge of the unknown,” Brown said.

Brown will donate proceeds from his book sales at the O-at-ka Fest to the Le Roy Historical Society. The book will be for sale in the Le Roy Historical Society’s booth and at Amazon.com.

Police responded to Jefferson Avenue at about 1:15 this afternoon after a caller reported a youth had a handgun stashed in a backpack.

 Officers were told the youth had "brandished" the gun in Austin Park.He was with a group of other teens and police performed a stop on the group in the parking lot behind Tim Hortons, ordering them to the ground with guns drawn until the backpack could be retrieved.

Upon investigation, it turned out the backpack contained a paintball gun.

A juvenile was taken into custody and will be turned over to a parent.

The City of Batavia will file an application with the State of New York to fund a feasibility study on the possible expansion of the Falleti Ice Arena. 

The study will look at expanding the size of the building to add a second ice rink and possibly a field house suitable for indoor soccer, lacrosse, flag football and other indoor sports.

The study will look beyond just what Genesee County will support but whether an expanded facility can bring in more tournaments and attract sports tourist dollars from throughout the region, including Rochester and Buffalo, said Interim City Manager Matt Worth.

"That's probably the key as much as anything," Worth said, "to capture a tournament that would draw from both of those cities and be convenient. Absolutely that will probably be the key to it."

The impetus for the grant request came from parents involved in hockey at Falleti.

"The hockey parents there they are organized and are very interested in expanding that," Worth said. "Nowadays, virtually all these ice rinks are built with two sheets of ice. It's the most economical way to do it. Usually, for tournaments, things like that, it's ideally at least two sheets of ice."

The grant would come through the state's portion of Community Development Block Grant funding and a feasibility study would cost from $30,000 to $50,000.

The study would look at the demographics of the region, the need, the opportunity, the viability of an expanded facility and what, if any, economic impact it might have on Batavia. The study would also help determine the anticipated cost of expansion and how it might be funded.

The City Council approved an application for the grant at its meeting Monday night.

"The planning grant is to determine the feasibility of adding an additional sheet of ice to the ice rink as well as the possibility of a field house, which would be basically an indoor turfed area that would be available for indoor soccer, lacrosse, flag football, things of that nature, to see if the community in the sporting area, if there's enough interest, enough economics to support that type of investment," Worth said.

Batavia’s bats were kept to season-low numbers on Wednesday night. It was evident from early in the ballgame that hits would be few and far between for the Muckdogs. Chance Kirby was making his New York-Penn League debut with the Connecticut Tigers. Kirby, a strikeout artist in high school and in the GCL, had a career day for the Detroit affiliate.

Through the first five innings of the game, Kirby struck out a total of 12 batters. Only three outs were recorded by something other than a strikeout. He was nearly unhittable. Batavia was able to sneak one hit in, a Luke Jarvis single to center field in the third inning. Kirby struck out the side in the fourth and fifth to make for his highest streak of six Ks in a row. The 12 strikeouts that he recorded are the most that any opposing pitcher has recorded in a start this season against the Muckdogs.

The Tigers opened up the scoring in the second inning with a solo shot from Nick Ames that cleared the deep right field wall. Humberto Mejia worked himself into a bases-loaded jam after that but was able to escape it to keep the deficit to just one.

The third inning would yield more runs for the Tigers. After Mejia retired the first two batters of the frame, Ames ripped a two-out double for his second extra-base hit of the game. Then a walk to Eric De La Rosa set up Darwin Alvarado for a two-run double to make the score 3-0 after three. From then on, the Muckdogs’ bullpen would only give up one more hit in the game.

The offense, however, did not get their start until the seventh once Kirby had left the game. The Muckdogs only got one runner to first base (the Jarvis single). Michael Donadio started things off in the seventh for Batavia with a leadoff walk. After two quick outs, JD Osborne came back to the dish for his first game since June 28^th. He smacked an RBI double over the right-fielder’s head to put the Muckdogs on the board, and help Batavia avoid a second straight shutout. After that spot in the game though, the ‘dogs only pushed one more runner on base thanks to a walk. The Muckdogs set a season low for hits in the game with just three.

The second game of the series takes place on Thursday, a 7:05 p.m. first pitch from Dodd Stadium. Chris Vallimont, the Marlins’ fifth-round pick is expected to make his second career start for the Muckdogs.

A pickup truck has reportedly hit a tree in the area of 6472 Alleghany Road, Alabama, between Casey and Lewiston Road.

Unknown injuries.

Alabama Fire, Mercy EMS, and Shelby's rescue dispatched.

UPDATE 11:24 p.m.: Minor facial injury due to airbag deployment.

There was no sign of snow, but that didn’t stop The Salvation Army from celebrating “Christmas in July” during its senior luncheon on Tuesday.

The Salvation Army has been putting on the luncheon weekly for at least 20 years, said Captain Rachel Moore, who leads the Army with her husband, Lt. Brad Moore.

Shirley Cassatt, of Batavia, has been coming to The Salvation Army luncheons for 15 years.

“This is also my church,” she said.

Tuesday’s lunch was extra special because of the Christmas theme, which was organized by Sharon Breton.

The Salvation Army used the theme as a way to encourage donations to their food pantry. Every senior who brought in a nonperishable food item received a ticket for a drawing for dozens of Christmas decorations.

Cassatt was thrilled when her ticket was pulled and she chose an animated Santa, which she said her grandchild would love.

The Women’s Auxiliary, whose members cook the meals each week, kept with the theme by serving Christmas dinner of baked chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, carrots, and assorted pies and cakes.

Mary Shaughnessy got into the act by knitting red, silver and green Christmas bells for each guest.

As guests waited to be served, Captain Moore played Christmas songs, urging seniors to listen carefully, because they would need to know the titles for a game later on. The game entailed identifying the songs from cartoon drawings. The winning tables got to choose prizes from the table of Christmas items.

This is the first time The Salvation Army has celebrated Christmas in July, but there was no doubt from the smiles on seniors’ faces, they really are like kids at Christmas.

Top photo: Shirley Winter, left, seated with her daughter Diane, shows the wreath she won at the senior lunch Tuesday at The Salvation Army.

Shirley Cassatt, right, holds an animated Santa she won during The Salvation Army’s “Christmas in July” luncheon Tuesday. Looking on at left is Mary Olix.

Captain Rachel Moore, seated at keyboard, plays Christmas songs before the senior lunch Tuesday at The Salvation Army in Batavia. The theme for the lunch was “Christmas in July.” Photos by Virginia Kropf.

Deb Meier, a retired Batavia art teacher, provided a demonstration in watercolor plein air painting for members of the Batavia Society of Artists at Kiwanis Park on Monday.

Painting en plein air, or outdoor painting, which often requires the painter to work quickly in direct response to the scene before the painter, was a technique favored by the French impressionists of the 19th century and has continued to remain popular with artists.

Jason F. Cole, 44, of Quaker Hill Road, Elba, is charged with rape (intercourse by forcible compulsion), second-degree rape, second-degree criminal sexual act, and second-degree strangulation. Cole is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse and oral intercourse with a person less than 15 years old on numerous occasions. He was jailed on $50,000 bail. The investigation was conducted by Investigator Joseph Loftus and Deputy Howard Carlson.

Joseph Michael Tornabene, 26, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd, and criminal mischief, 4th. Tornabene is accused of violation of a no-offensive conduct order of protection. He was allegedly involved in an incident where he damaged property in the presence of the protected person. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

The arrest of White and Wozniak by Batavia PD officers Klimjack and Catherine Mucha on Friday. (Photo by Howard Owens.)

Keith R. White, 46, of Oliver Street, North Tonawanda, and Jeffery P. Wozniak, 49, of 79th Street, Niagara Falls, are charged with petit larceny, conspiracy, 6th, and criminal possession of stolen property, 5th. White and Wozniak are accused of stealing $985.27 in merchandise from Tops Friendly Market at 11:54 a.m. Friday, including steaks, lobster, shrimp, a roast, and several household items. They are also accused of stealing merchandise from Walmart in Batavia. Both suspects were issued appearance tickets. The case was investigated by Officer Catherine Mucha and Officer Frank Klimjack. White is also charged with third-degree burglary and fourth-degree grand larceny. White was arrested by Deputy Travis DeMuth in connection with the alleged Walmart theft. On that charged, he was arraigned and ordered held without bail. (see previous)

Juaquin Enriquo Davis, 23, of Milton Street, Rochester, is charged with violating an order of protection, obstruction of governmental administration, and resisting arrest. Davis was arrested following an investigation into a dispute reported at 12:25 a.m. Thursday on Thomas Avenue, Batavia, by Officer Peter Flanagan. He was jailed on $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond.

Treyvaun T. Filbert, 23, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and following too closely. Filbert was stopped at 1:05 p.m. June 29 on West Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Nicole L. Matia, 43, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass. Matia allegedly entered a neighbor's home and refused to leave when asked.

Bleyke Z. Culver, 21, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Culver allegedly violated a stay away order of protection during a disturbance on Maple Street at 9:34 p.m. on July 5.

Ronnie Joe Flinchum, 59, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd. Flinchum was allegedly involved in an incident at his residence on East Main Street at 3:45 a.m. on July 1. He was ordered held on $1,000 bail.

Pavel V. Yefremenko, 30, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Yefremenko allegedly damaged property belonging to a woman he knew at 7:47 a.m. on July 4.

Erica M. Raphael, 33, of Pratt Road, Batavia, is charged trespass. Raphael allegedly entered a local business on East Main Street, Batavia, after being previously banned.

Sath Paul Dhanda, 38, of Clapsaddle Road, Bethany, is charged with criminal trespass and endangering the welfare of a child. Dhanda allegedly entered the residence of a person he did not know on Swan Street at 6:08 p.m. on July 2. He was jailed on $5,000 bail. Dhanda is also charged with second-degree harassment for allegedly spitting on another person at 7:24 p.m., July 2.

Iszon C. Richardson, 18, of Lewis Place, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Richardson was arrested on a warrant by members of the Local Drug Task Force and jailed without bail. 

Michael Alan Shetler, 28, of Judge Road, Oakfield, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Shetler allegedly violated a stay away order of protection at 10:41 p.m. Sunday in Oakfield. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Kelly Patrick DiMatteo, 34, of Byron Holley Road, Byron, is charged with felony DWI, refusal to take a breath test, failure to keep right, and moving from lane unsafely. DiMatteo was reportedly involved in a single-vehicle accident on Lyman Road, Byron, at 8:14 p.m. on July 4. He was jailed on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond. The accident was investigated by Deputy Andrew Mullen.

Ronald G. Metz, 69, of Lewis Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to signal, and failure to keep right. Metz was arrested following a complaint of an erratic driver at 4:51 p.m., June 29, by Investigator Christopher Parker.

Becky L. Frens, 56, of Batavia, is charged with torture to an animal (not feeding). Frens was arrested by State Police in relation to an incident reported at 3 p.m., Tuesday, in the Town of Batavia. Frens was issued an appearance ticket. No further details released.

Frank R. Cratsenberg, 57, of Akron, is charged with trespass and petit larceny. Cratsenberg was arrested in connection with an incident reported at 3:26 p.m., June 11, in the Town of Alabama. He was arraigned and ordered held in jail. He was arrested by State Police. No further details released.

Ryan Bartholomew, 24, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bartholomew was stopped by State Police at 10:25 p.m. Sunday by State Police at the Batavia Thruway interchange.

Always Something Farm, on Sumner Road, in Darien is one of 27 finalists in the Ignite Buffalo business funding competition.

The competition, which received 500 entries from throughout Western New York, is expected to award seven companies with $50,000 to $100,000 to help that company grow and expand, along with mentoring.

The contest is supported by Facebook, M&T Bank, Intuit, Amazon, WordPress, and WooCommerce in partnership with 43North, a startup accelerator in Buffalo.

A finalist competition is taking place tonight at Erie Community College.

We don't have any information on what Always Something Farm pitched in its application as either a product or service it sees as an opportunity to grow, but owners Michael and Stephanie Parkot posted on Facebook, "This could change the face of the western NY food scene permanently!"

A story in Buffalo Spree in June indicates the Parkots raise heritage breed Mangalitsa hogs.

There were at least four or five companies from Genesee County that entered the competition. Always Something Farm is the only one from Genesee County to make it this far. There are 24 companies from Erie County still in the competition.

Steve Hyde, CEO of the GCEDC and co-chair of the DRI Local Planning Committee, Rachel Tabelski, new director of the Batavia Development Corp., Pat Burk, director of Batavia Players, Beth Kemp, director of the Business Improvement District, and Matt Worth, interim city manager.

Statement from Rachel Tabelski:

“Batavia is thrilled to see the announcement of the DRI projects today, and we want to thank Governor Cuomo and his administration for their support. The DRI funding will continue to transform Downtown Batavia into a vibrant center of business, dinning, shopping and entertainment.  The three guiding principals of the DRI included healthy living, arts and entertainment, and prosperity for all which will be achieved through these projects. The Batavia Development Corporation is ready to assist, not just the projects that were funded, but to work with the projects that were not selected to help them move forward,” said Rachael Tabelski, director of Economic Development for the Batavia Development Corporation.

UPDATE, statement by Assemblyman Steve Hawley: 

“I am overjoyed with the City of Batavia receiving this $10 million grant from the Downtown Revitalization Initiative award. These investments in Downtown Batavia will help create new development, turn public space into valuable community uses, and improve delivery of local healthcare. It will go an immensely long way to revitalize Batavia’s business district, increase downtown housing and retain and attract jobs, and employers locally,” said Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia).

Press release the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced eight transformational projects for Batavia as part of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award.

The strategic investments in downtown Batavia will help to drive new, mixed-use development, improve access to local healthcare, and transform public space for community use. The investments are part of the Governor's ongoing efforts to revitalize the upstate economy and create more opportunities for the Finger Lakes.

"Through smart investments and sustainable development, we are transforming Batavia's downtown and generating prosperity throughout Western New York," Governor Cuomo said. "These projects will help to not only preserve Batavia's rich history and character, but they will enhance the city as a destination and act as an engine for future growth for the entire region."

Batavia was named a DRI Round 2 winner in October. The downtown area is a mixed-use, affordable neighborhood with access to jobs, anchor businesses, and city and county services. The area has an excellent foundation upon which to continue its revitalization, including amenities such as recreational sites, healthcare facilities, food markets, a library, and various retail and restaurant venues in a walkable environment.

The eight specific projects to be funded through the DRI include:

1) Create a Thriving Residential and Commercial Hub on the site of the former Della Penna property by constructing a new mixed-use development on the vacant and abandoned industrial brownfield. The new Ellicott Station will contain mixed-income residential units, four commercial spaces, and a brewery/restaurant and will leverage more than $20 million dollars in grants and private investment, become a thriving residential/commercial anchor for downtown Batavia. ($425,000)

2) Rehabilitate the Former Genesee Bank and the Carr's Department Store Buildings for Mixed-Used Redevelopment. The first floor of the buildings, which have been vacant for more than five years, will be renovated for commercial uses, including a new cidery/café and retail and office incubator space. New mixed-income upper-floor residential units on the upper floors will provide additional housing options for downtown residents. ($1,000,000)

3) Establish Ellicott Place as New Mixed-Use Gateway to Downtown by renovating a large, underused building at a prominent location on Ellicott Street to include three first-floor commercial spaces, first-floor covered parking, and 10 upper-floor residential units. A new elevator and facade upgrades will improve access and instill community pride in a previously chronically vacant space. The redevelopment of this 48,121-square-foot building will complement the nearby Ellicott Station project and establish a new gateway to the downtown. ($1,150,000)

4) Develop an Intergenerational Healthy Living Campus in the Heart of Downtown, including a new home for the Genesee Area YMCA. The centrally located facility will include a 55,000- to 60,000-square-foot building and parking for 300 cars. Together with a complementary medical building planned for the site of the former YMCA building, the project is expected to generate 3,000 visits downtown daily. ($4,075,000)

5) Establish a New Regional Performing Arts Center at Batavia City Centre by renovating the façade and interior of the city-owned building. The new visually prominent and centrally located downtown theater will feature space for offices, concessions, retail, and a dance academy, and will augment nightlife and weekend activity. ($700,000)

6) Support Downtown Building Improvements by creating a Building Improvement Fund that will provide grants to assist downtown property owners to undertake both interior and exterior renovations. Building improvements will enhance the aesthetics and livability of the downtown core and provide opportunities for new entrepreneurs to establish their businesses. ($600,000)

7) Transform City Centre into an Indoor Market and Performance Space by upgrading the concourse and entrances to accommodate an indoor marketplace with micro-retail kiosks and public performance space to hold community events. Improvements will include flooring, lighting, entrance structures, wall color, and roof upgrades. ($1,000,000)

8) Enhance Jackson Square, a public gathering space bordered by historic buildings in the heart of downtown, with decorative pavement upgrades, a multi-level deck/stage, seating, lighting, decorative signage, a networking nook, and landscaping. The upgraded public plaza will become a lively hub and common space for community interaction, and provide connections to multiple businesses through its unique alleyway node configuration. ($750,000)

"Growing the downtown core of the City of Batavia is an important part of our Finger Lakes Forward initiative," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "Batavia is at the heart of a growing and diverse regional economy in Upstate New York.

"From the arts, to agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and entrepreneurial startup companies, great things are happening in Batavia and across the region. The Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects announced today will foster more growth throughout Batavia's central business district, creating jobs and transforming this historic part of Genesee County."

New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, "The City of Batavia will see great benefit from these investments, and we are excited to see these plans come to fruition. Governor Cuomo's Downtown Revitalization Initiative is an effective way to bring transformative growth to communities across the state while bringing out our collective competitive spirit."

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, "Projects in Batavia supported through the DRI will help create an inviting, engaging downtown that will encourage investments and growth in new businesses, and quality of life improvements for its residents and visitors."

NYS Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, "Through Governor Cuomo's Downtown Revitalization Initiative, these community-led, targeted investments will combine with HCR's $379 million investment in the Finger Lakes over the last seven years that has created affordable housing for about 12,200 residents to help ensure that as Batavia's economy grows, all New Yorkers have the opportunity to take part. In New York State, we are lucky to have a Governor who understands how to build inclusive, long-term economic success."

Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer said, "This first part of $10 million in state investment will help revitalize our local neighborhoods and move our Upstate economy forward. Each one of these eight transformational projects will take downtown Batavia to the next level."

Eugene Jankowski Jr., Batavia City Council president, said, "Today's announcement of Governor Cuomo's Downtown Revitalization Initiative is exciting news for the City of Batavia and our downtown district. We are thrilled for the projects that were chosen and the City will be ready to assist them move forward. We are also dedicated to work with all the project owners that applied to the DRI, but did not receive funding to help them succeed in their plans here in Batavia. In all, the DRI investment could yield over $40 million in private investment directly into the downtown core of our city and that will bring prosperity to all."

Intermim Batavia City Manager Matthew Worth said, "The City of Batavia is very excited by the DRI announcement and for this investment into its downtown. These projects will be an infusion of activity into Batavia's downtown that will give momentum for additional projects to move forward. The City is prepared to partner with the Batavia Development Corporation and the Genesee County Economic Development Corporation to assist any and all proposed projects. The City is grateful to the Governor's office to have been included in the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Congratulations to the award recipients!"

Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center and Batavia DRI Local Planning Committee co-chair, said, "Through a collaborative process, we have identified various private and public projects that have been vetted publicly. We are confident these projects will further our mission of growing our economy and revitalizing our urban core as peacemaking and downtown redevelopment is such a critical piece of today's live, work and play models required by our multi-generational community.

"These projects will be a catalyst for future private sector investments as we continue our collaborative efforts to redevelop the city of Batavia. Thank you to Governor Cuomo for his vision to invest in placemaking and downtown revitalization across New York and for his confidence in Batavia and Genesee County's enabling its continued growth and redevelopment."

Finger Lakes Forward

Under the Finger Lakes Forward initiative, the State is investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture and food production, and advanced manufacturing. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Rochester, Batavia and Canandaigua as a destination to grow and invest in.

Now, the region is accelerating Finger Lakes Forward with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State's $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion -- and the region's plan, as submitted, projects up to 8,200 new jobs. More information is available here.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Summer Recreation Program (Parks Program) has begun and a flurry of activity can be seen at any of the five parks included in the city’s Parks Program.

Each year, along with all of the other programs and activities, the program sponsors a Community Service Day for all of the children to volunteer and give something back to their community. This year’s Community Service Project is scheduled for July 17th with all of the parks participating.

There will be a community-wide can/bottle drive to raise money for the “Get Fit Program,” which is a fitness and nutrition program for families in Genesee County, sponsored by the Healthy Children and Families Coalition.

We live in a very supportive and generous area -- Batavia and Genesee County is a “Community of Good Neighbors,” so if anyone would like to contribute to this worthy cause, please feel free to deliver your cans or bottles to any of the parks (Farrall, John Kennedy, Lambert, Williams, Lions) on or before July 17 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, or at the Batavia Youth Bureau, located at 12 MacArthur Drive.

Program sponsors will make sure the donations are delivered to the parks. The kids and the rec leaders from each park will visit homes in their park’s neighborhoods on July 13 and 16 to deliver fliers door to door asking for donations, which are planned to be picked up on July 17.

If you will not be home but would like to donate, you can leave bags of cans/bottles on your porch to be picked up on July 17.

If you have any questions or would like to help in any way, please call the Youth Bureau at 345-6420. Thank you for your anticipated assistance and support!

A garage fire is reported next to 29 Bacon St. in Le Roy. The location is between Pleasant and Mill streets. Le Roy Fire Department is responding with mutual aid from Bergen.

UPDATE 2:34 p.m.: Stafford, Pavilion and city fire are called to this working structure fire. Town of Batavia fire is asked to fill in at Le Roy's Hall.

UPDATE 2:40 p.m.: The city's second platoon is called to its headquarters to fill in.

UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: An official at the scene says the fire started after a resident used a butane torch to kill weeds. It's out now.

The East Shelby Community Bible Church began as prayer meetings held by Erik Olsen in his Oakfield home. When his home outgrew the weekly meetings, Olsen and his followers began looking for a bigger place to meet.

In 1989, the group purchased the former East Shelby Methodist Church on East Shelby Road, which had been abandoned for 30 years. After months of renovation, they opened the doors on Palm Sunday 1990 as the East Shelby Community Bible Church.

Olsen’s congregation has grown and grown to standing room only, even with an addition put on in 2009. His followers come from all over Genesee, Orleans and surrounding counties.

The church has become famous for the miniature 1800s village they constructed across the road from the church, named West Jackson Corners (the name of East Shelby in the 1800s).

Every third weekend in July, they put on an Old Tyme Day, scheduled this year on Sunday.

All visitors are welcome to bring the entire family for an afternoon of old-fashioned fun, beginning with the 10 a.m. church service.

The village has a grange where youth perform old-fashioned dances; members portray characters from the area’s past, such as Charles Silvernail, of Basom, who masquerades as the mayor; and there are conversations with historical characters, such as Ben Franklin, Martha Washington, Betsy Ross, and John and Abigail Adams.

Lorna Klotzbach, of Batavia, can often be found giving wagon rides with her horses to the historic East Shelby Cemetery.

For only a penny, visitors can sample classic dishes cooked over an open fire or breads baked in a beehive oven, a tradition brought from Olsen’s native land. There are homemade pies and hot dogs, hand-spun ice cream and popcorn.

Activities include kids’ games, wool spinning, candle making, basket weaving, old-fashioned photos and weaving on an old-time loom.

Other features of the village are a working blacksmith shop; the woodworker’s shop named for Israel Sanborn, who built the church, complete with turning lathe; a mill with waterwheel fed by a sluiceway; a barn with animals; a sewing shop; and a penny candy store.

Festivities will end with a concert at 4 p.m. in the church, performed by members of the church choir. The church is located at 5278 E. Shelby Road, barely a mile north of the Genesee County line.

Top photo: Charles Silvernail of Basom is the “mayor” of West Jackson Corners, the miniature 1800s village built by East Shelby Community Bible Church. The church started as a Bible study in the home of Erik Olsen, of Oakfield, and now draws worshipers from all across Genesee and Orleans counties, as well as the entire area. On Sunday, the annual Old Tyme Day will take visitors back into the past with old-fashioned fun, worship service, musical entertainment, heritage activities and food.

Above, Erik Olsen, of Oakfield, left, and his son, Levi, are Vikings in this photo taken at last year’s Old Tyme Day at West Jackson Corners, the 1800s village built by the East Shelby Community Bible Church, which Erik founded on East Shelby Road. Photos by Virginia Kropf.