A Data Center in the Midst of Alabama’s Cornfields? “Gift” or Trojan Horse?

The greatest bone of contention about mega industries like data centers on the STAMP site was, and remains, the call for a new Environmental Impact Statement or EIS - a document required by federal law that outlines the potential environmental impacts of a proposed project. The only one issued was back in 2012 before STAMP had even broken ground at the site. Since 2021, when more specifics about the types of mega-industrial developments STAMP was considering for the site became known, the Chief of the Tonawanda Seneca and concerned citizen groups have repeatedly called for a new EIS and SEQR - a law requiring state and local agencies to consider environmental impacts when making discretionary decisions. They argue that, as the agency involved in a project’s development and in line to profit from it, it is a potential conflict of interest for GCEDC to have oversight of the environmental stipulations informing the EIS and the SEQR. GCEDC  stands to gain tens of millions of dollars in fees from the data company they choose.  

Not Just Any Old Data Center. By any contemporary standard, an updated EIS would seem to be a reasonable request. Data centers, in particular, have changed a lot since 2012. Massive data centers needed for AI applications are currently being built at sites around the world. As noted in recent Wall Street Journal, New York Times, MIT articles data centers consume the most energy of all high tech industries, needing tons of electricity and water to cool stacks upon stacks of on-site computers. Approval of proposals like Project Double Reed by the GCEDC would give the go ahead for a mega center that fuels high end AI computing chips by drawing 250-350 MW of power. Supported by New York State taxpayer dollars to the astounding tune of over 472 million dollars in subsidies, this boils downs to a subsidy of 3.9 million for each of the 122 jobs that Double Reed promises to bring.  As a point of comparison, according to GCEDC’s website, their support of light manufacturing at AppleTree Acres near the rural hamlet of Bergen will generate 60 new full time  jobs with a salary range of $45 to 65,000 annually plus benefits. GCEDC’s report states this was launched with only 42 million in taxpayer dollars, about 1/ 10th  of what is at stake with Double Reed at STAMP. a center that is laden with pertinent ethical questions regarding its potential effect on the neighboring Tonawanda Seneca Nation, the Wildlife Refuge and Oak Orchard Watershed.

Whom would the servers serve? In a paper that uncovers “how utilities are forcing ratepayers to fund discounted rates for data centers,” Ari Peskoe, Director of Harvard University’s Electricity Law Projects observes that “Artificial intelligence is one technology driving the number and size of data centers which don’t need subsidized energy rates if they are already receiving other incentives from a state to locate. We’re all paying for the energy costs of the world’s wealthiest corporations.” In effect, a mega data center at the STAMP site would require enough energy to power a city of 50,000 people in the Alabama cornfields. Placed next to the Wildlife Refuge and Tonawanda Seneca Nation, a massive data center of this type would forever alter the character of the region and bring a host of potential consequences. 

What the Trojan Horse could bring: The public might well consider what happens if the computers in a data center overheat, which they are known to do. They can cause a huge fire and explosion. Local EMS services and the Alabama fire station would be hard pressed to deal with an emergency of this magnitude. What happens if the new substation with electrical power that a data center would use to cool their super fast and hot computer systems went down during an extreme weather event? For their part, a data center would stand to lose millions of dollars every hour, so they have generators on site along with 20 to 30 thousand gallons of diesel fuel. There are 40 known cancer-causing organic substances, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and 1, 3-butadiene released in the burning of diesel fuel, which is classified as "carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which links its emissions to lung cancer and bladder cancer. OSHA warns that workers exposed to diesel exhaust face the potential risk of health effects ranging from irritation of the eyes and nose, headaches and nausea, to respiratory disease and lung cancer. Based on warnings about health effects attached to the release of diesel fuel in the air, what the purported “gift” of a mega- industrial Trojan Horse of a data center could release on wildlife as well as humans would be equally toxic.

Due Deliberation? Fast Tracking the Vote on the Double Reed: Notwithstanding these weighty public concerns and their implications, on Feb 28, less than a month after the Feb 3 hearing, GCEDC posted a 116  page “Staff Report’ on their website addressing some of the objections raised at the public hearing of Feb 3 that generated a large  such an outcry of public concern. Dismissing Tonawanda Seneca Chief Roger Hill and the public’s call for a new EIS and SEQR, in an interview with Mark Masse published on March 3 in the Batavian Masse tentatively stated he “felt” and/or “anticipated”  Project Double Reed Data Center would meet the environmental thresholds of the 2012 EIS. “So the facility that they're going to be building (in STAMP) is going to be brand new. It'll have all of the lessons learned from previous projects […} So we anticipate it to fit within the parameters of what was analyzed for the EIS, and we would anticipate them to propose and follow through on any potential mitigation that we would suggest for noise or that the town board planning board may suggest for noise.”  However, what is not clear who the ultimate user of a data center would be, as Double Reed would build the facility and lease the server capacity to one or more technology companies.

Within a matters of days - between the time GCEDC’s “staff report” came out on Feb 28 and the Executive Meeting of GCEDC held on March 5 (when it was recommended that their staff bring the vote on the Double Reed Project to the GCEDC Board at a meeting the following day on March 6) - a flurry of 210 comments were sent to GCEDC board members. Among the comments was a letter from the lawyer for the TSN protesting the fast tracking of the vote on approval of Double Reed and stating that the Tonawanda Seneca Nation needed more than a couple days before it could meet with Masse or GCEDC to discuss Double Reed, especially  since the actual tenant for the site was still unknown. 

On March 6 GCEDC committee members met to vote on the proposal to move forward with Double Reed at the STAMP site. Leaving work early once again, over a dozen, Genesee, Orleans, Niagara and Monroe County  residents went to great lengths to attend the meeting. Complying, once again, to the rules of order that no one but committee members could speak, concerned citizens stood silently against the back wall  by the table where five board members cast their vote on behalf of welcoming Double Reed, a project that would affect generations of Tonawanda Seneca and other human and environmental communities in the region. The protesters held placards that expressed both their objections to the data center as well as the way the vote was fast tracked without respecting to the requests of Tonawanda Seneca Nation. Shortly after the meeting was convened, a frustrated mother wheeling a baby carriage with a young child called out members of the board for the potential harm to the region and future generations. 

Learning from Past Mistakes Infamously known for years as “the Silo”  the Batavia Mall on Main Street stands as a testament to what many generations of local people have agreed was an unfortunate, short-sided decision made in the 1970s to capitalize on  urban renewal funds. A city block featuring century-old downtown buildings, historic structures and heritage architecture on Batavia’s Main Street was demolished to make way for the Genesee Country Mall and City Centre. The character of the city was irrevocably altered and the mall has been bleeding taxpayer and tenants’ money ever since. Documenting the consequences of this decision, in 1991 Bill Kauffman, the popular author of “Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette” wrote: "The city fathers rushed headlong into urban renewal, whereby the federal government paid Batavia to knock down its past {…]all of it Batavia tore out - literally - its five-block heart and filled the cavity with a ghastly mall, a dull gray sprawling oasis in a desert of parking spaces. The mall was a colossal failure, but it succeeded in destroying the last vestiges of our home-run economy.”

The Iroquois Wildlife Refuge and the ancestral lands of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation make this region unique. There is still time to RETHINK STAMP and ask whether a Mega Industrial project like a Data Center at STAMP is a “gift” to our region or a dull gray sprawling Trojan Horse misallocating millions of taxpayer dollars and releasing a swarm of lawsuits, ethical, social, health and environmental problems.

Christine F. Zinni, PhD

Cultural Historian

https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/genesee-wyoming/that-land-is-all-we-have-left-outrage-over-impacts-of-proposed-data-center-in-genesee-county 

https://eelp.law.harvard.edu/extracting-profits-from-the-public-how-utility-ratepayers-are-paying-for-big-techs-power/

https://floodlightnews.org/power-for-data-centers-could-come-at-staggering-cost-to-consumers/?utm_source=substack&utm 

https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-staggering-ecological-impacts-of-computation-and-the-clo 

https://www.thebatavian.com/howard-owens/qa-gcedc-ceo-discusses-environmental-issues-raised-at-data-centers-public-hearing

https://www.thebatavian.com/press-release/apple-tree-acres-in-bergen-proposes-over-a-43-million-project/639652

https://www.thebatavian.com/anne-marie-starowitz/urban-renewal-changed-the-character-of-batavia/596244 

New York State is sticking with a plan to require school districts to begin the conversation to electric buses in 2035.

Starting that year, school districts will be prohibited from purchasing gas or diesel buses.

Le Roy Central School District is working to delay buying its first electric bus as long as possible.

"Most communities are not in this category of wanting EV buses, and I think we're in that boat," Superintendent Merritt Holly said. "With our plan, we're trying to set ourselves up so that we don't have any pressure until prices come down and infrastructure is in place. We're buying ourselves time with our fleet that we have right now so that we're not forced into buying something until we're ready to do it."

District voters recently approved a plan, on a vote of 61-7,  to purchase more buses at a cost not to exceed $700,000, with $200,000 from the 2019 capital reserve fund.

The district will purchase:

• Two 65-passenger diesel buses
• Two 35-passenger gas minibuses, one with a wheelchair lift
• Two passenger hybrid vans (one will be used for taking students to events outside the district, and the other will be a utility van on campus)

Currently, electric school buses cost from $400,000 to $500,000 each.

Holly said the mandates are beyond the district's control.

"What we can control is waiting around with our fleet to make sure that when the time comes, when the infrastructure is there, and when costs are coming down -- because right now, these are not popular decisions inside many communities. It's not inside of Le Roy."

A streetscape plan for Bank Street in downtown Batavia is gradually coming to fruition, albeit with fewer carbs than what was originally on the menu, City Manager Rachael Tabelski says.

The “traffic calming and streetscape enhancements” that have been studied, surveyed, and even laid out visually for folks to check out more than a year ago along the section of Bank Street between Main Street and Alva Place have gone out for bid, with the lowest coming in at just over $1.1 million, Tabelski said during this week’s City Council meeting.

“Because of the cost measures, it’s very pared back. There will be curbing; I call it a road diet. There will be turning lanes as well,” Tabelski said. “As many of you are aware, the city was awarded a TAP grant to make improvements along Bank Street from Washington to Main. After public input, design and engineering, the project has been bid, the bidder was Keeler Construction. The TAP grant will pay $945,000 roughly, and the city can use CHIPs money for the remainder of the project for $548,000.

“The split is about $371,000 of engineering, $1.12 million of construction. This is a bit higher than we anticipated when we got the estimates for the project three and a half years ago. So we will be using more CHIPs funding than we originally anticipated,” she said. “We really don't want to delay this project in any way because with the police station finishing up, the YMCA finished, we want to get in there and do that sidewalk streetscape project to kind of finish that block. So we are recommending to move this forward.”

Keeler Construction Company of Albion's bid was $1,121,391.

Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. asked about the original plans that included a crosswalk “in a weird location” that would have required pedestrians to cross twice to get across the street.

“So I’m just curious how they solved it?” he said.

“So we did a lot of deep dives into mid-block crossing. And if you think about any around the city, it's really the only place that has a crosswalk mid-block. This actually can be more dangerous to pedestrians and drivers because when you're on Jackson Street and I park my car and I'm going to go over to Bourbon and Burger, I wait and watch so it's clear and I cross to the store I'm going to,” Tabelski said. “So there was a lot of back and forth between public safety mid-block crossings and a crosswalk. So we will retain one crosswalk, and we will also, like I said, through the curb cut shrink the size of the street so cars will naturally have to go slower, and it will feel safer to make that mid-block crossing at any of the points across that street itself.”

The enhancements will include bump outs, curb extensions, bike lanes, re-striped lanes and on-street parking, new ADA-compliant sidewalks, and decorative crosswalks, according to a memo to council from Public Works Director Tom Phelps.

The bid is to go for a council vote during a future business meeting.

After years of trying to work with and around the city of Batavia’s residency requirements, City Council is considering a change beyond granting waivers as it has done for many past employees.

Assistant City Manager Erik Fix proposed revising the code for most departments during council’s conference meeting Monday evening.

“We formed a small committee of department heads, and we went back and forth many, many times. We spoke to multiple staff people in regards to this, and really, at the end of the day, it comes down to two simple things,” Fix said. “Number one, as the local law reads, the residency requirement requires you to reside in an adjacent town to the county of Genesee. So if your town touches Genesee, you can live there. The proposal changes that we're looking to make it any adjacent county. So there's seven adjacent counties to Genesee County, and it would allow us to recruit out of any of those counties, to bring folks here, hopefully at some point here, and do all that great stuff, but at least help fill out our own police force, DPW and other places.”

The second “change” is not actually a change at all, he said, after a review by the fire department Chief Josh Graham and his captains. They determined that recalling firefighters from outside the county for emergencies and after hours would be “extremely difficult,” so that department’s requirement will remain to be for any town within Genesee County, Fix said.

The positions of city manager and city clerk will continue to require city of Batavia residency, he said. The proposal is to go to the next business meeting for council to set a public hearing before an official vote on the revised code. The public hearing will be at 7 p.m. April 28 at City Hall.

City resident and regular meeting attendee John Roach said a few preemptive words during the public comments portion of Monday’s meeting. He encouraged council members to vote for the change of residency requirement.

“It’s obvious that the city has a problem attracting real, good candidates. They’re out there, but they don’t want to move,” Roach said. “I think the idea of changing it for everybody … it’s a great idea to expand the area. Times have changed.”

Section 22 of the city code for residency requirements would be revised for Local Law Number 3 of the year 2019 to include any “county” adjacent to the city of Batavia for every city department except fire, city manager and city clerk.

Increased costs, even with a dip in enrollment, is driving a $986,846 budget increase in the Le Roy Central School District, Superintendent Merritt Holly told the Board of Education at Tuesday's regular meeting.

"You get the rising cost of doing business and what I would call employee costs, (such as) health insurance," Holly said. "Just inflationary costs, again, of doing business, our buildings and the repairs. People sometimes forget that Woodwood Memorial Library is our responsibility and there's no aid back to that, and that falls on our budget to make that happen."

Business Administrator Brian Foeller said there will be six staff retirements and only two positions will be replaced.

Foeller also mentioned other cost pressures, including employment contract obligations, increased enrollment at BOCES and the P-Tech Academy, and repairs needed at the junior/senior high school parking lot.

The district plans to purchase choral risers, wrestling mats, musical instruments, and utility vehicles in 2025/26.

The total proposed spending plan is $32,055,588.  The levy is expected to increase 1.7%, which is below the tax cap limit. The district won't calculate the new tax rate for property owners until assessments are settled in August.

The board will vote on the budget at its April meeting, with a public vote in early May.

After the meeting, Holly spoke with The Batavian about national and state issues that may or may not affect the school district.

A looming issue is the possible closure of the Department of Education. On March 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order eliminating the department, but even Republican members of Congress reminded him that Congressional approval is needed to eliminate the department, a point Trump has conceded. 

Holly said the biggest issue the district might face is the potential loss of Title 1 funds. The executive order carved out Title 1 as a program to continue, but perhaps run by another agency. Title 1 assists schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families.

The funds can account for 10 to 15 percent of district spending each year, Holly said.  That could mean a $3.5 to $5 million in lost revenue for the district if Title 1 is eliminated.

In the near term, Holly isn't worried about closing the DOE. So long as the Title 1 funds remain in place, the federal department has little to do with local schools.

"Yeah, I think the impact could be more down the road," Holly said. I think some of the movement by the Trump Administration, and what they're doing is, at face value, trying to look at costs, just like everybody else is trying to do to be efficient. I think the part that's most concerning for schools is, will those federal dollars come back to our schools, and to our states, then back to our schools. And I think that with that being said, that's the part of it that's the unpredictable nature of where we don't know where that's going to end."

Even though Congressional approval is uncertain, and there are lawsuits pending that attempt to block the executive order, and Trump has said Title 1 should continue, Holly thinks the district should ponder a future without the department and the funds.

"What will that impact mean if the federal dollars are not coming our way?" Holly said. "What's that going to mean for states? What are they going to do, and then what are we going do at the local level? So, I think we can start to gear up for some of those conversations."

Other than funding, most of the operations of the DOE -- collecting data on schools and education research, recommending education reforms, enforcing enforcing civil rights laws, and administering Pell Grants -- have little to no impact on local schools.

Some of the arguments about whether to keep the DOE is a two-sided coin.  Elimination, theoretically, helps return control of schools to the state and local districts. On the other side, the DOE doesn't interfere with local schools.

"I think, listen, I want -- this is my opinion --I want to have local control," Holly said. "I think that's what originally started -- our Board of Education, our community. I want local control as much as possible on that always; it is hard because at the same time, we're asking for federal dollars back but again, the impact should be local, local decision-making is where I believe education should start and end."

Which brings up a natural question: how about state control of local school districts?

"I think the unfunded mandates place huge burdens on districts that they don't think about that sometimes," Holly said.

An example, he said, is the electric bus mandate. 

"I still don't think it has been well thought out, though the other side would disagree," Holly said. 

Another mandate Gov. Kathy Hochul is pushing is for a ban of mobile devices by students during school hours. Holly said that is another issue that should remain up to the local school districts.

"That shouldn't be handled at the state level," Holly said. "It should be handled at the local level where we know what is best for students."

At the end of the interview, Holly provided The Batavian with a list of 152 state and federal unfunded mandates.  

These include:

• Charter school payments from district aid
• Claims auditor
• School district property tax report cards
• Segregation of duties (increased staffing)
• Five-year capital facilities plan
• Building condition survey every five years
• Environmentally sensitive products ("green cleaning")
• Academic intervention services
• Coaching certification
• Statewide data collection
• Duel enrollment for non-public students
• Curriculum requirements include Conservation Day and programs for the Irish Potato Famine, Humane Treatment of Animals, Patriotism and Citizenship, and Care for the Flag.
• Seat time requirements
• Staffing ratios and class sizes
• Costs for students attending state schools for the blind and deaf
• Children of Vietnam Vets must file a form
• Nonpublic school healthcare services
• Nonpublic school software loan
• Nonpublic school textbook loan
• Nonpublic school transportation

A group of friends and I share music-related messages through e-mail fairly regularly and the other day one of them shared a newspaper article that mentioned the rock band The Byrds were going to play at Batavia High School.

The undated article is clear that the concert was at Batavia High School.  It may have been sponsored by Genesee County College (a group member found another article mentioning the Bob Seger System playing the series, which is what started the discussion). 

A site called concertswiki suggests the show was on April 26, 1970.

An article in the Buffalo Courier-Express, from the Batavia Bureau, mentioned that while students got band members' autographs after the show, one enterprising fan grabbed one of the auditorium's plastic chairs and then had band members sign it. 

Then, police spotted the youth, not named in the article, running across the parking lot with the chair.  He was charged with petit larceny and released on $25 bail.

So, who was this young fan? Do you know? Was it you? We want to solve this mystery and get the rest of the story. Email me, please, at howard@thebatavian.com

Former Oakfield-Alabama hoops standout Kelsey Schlagenhauf, in her third year at Hilbert College, has been named to the 2024-25 Academic All-District Basketball Team by College Sports Communicators. 

According to a social media post by Hilbert, "Schlagenhauf has excelled in the classroom during her short three-year career at Hilbert College. The 5-10 forward from Oakfield-Alabama High School accelerated her academic career. She will graduate this May with a criminal justice degree but will return to campus to finish her Criminal Justice 4+1 degree while concluding her athletic career on the hardwood next year. Through her five semesters at Hilbert, she currently carries a 3.96 cumulative grade point average."

Press Release:

Genesee Community College is pleased to host the Virtual Business Trade Fair on Thursday, April 3. The trade fair will be set up in GCC's William H. Stuart Forum at the Batavia Campus from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for everyone to come and enjoy some virtual shopping.

The Virtual Business Trade Fair, facilitated and hosted by the Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) Program, provides students enrolled in economics and entrepreneurship courses with a hands-on learning opportunity to apply the theories, practices and knowledge from their classroom learning to an almost-real innovative business venture. 

The students work collaboratively to develop all the components of a successful virtual business. They begin by writing mission statements and conducting extensive research into product features and competition, and then culminate their work in building advertising pieces and their trade fair displays.

The students' trade fair goal is to sell their products or services and allow the attendees to make purchases with virtual dollars. Community members are invited to come, pick up virtual spending dollars, shop any of the companies and support our local students. Thousands of virtual dollars will be given out to attendees to "spend." At the end of the trade fair, the business or school with the most virtual dollars and virtual sales will be recognized.

As in years past, high schoolers from the GLOW Region counties will come to the forum and set up booths to "sell" their virtual products and services. This year will feature the following high schooler-created companies:

• Batavia High School featuring Thrive; 5 Star VIP Apparel; Unique
• Geneseo High School featuring Genny Merch; Boujee Beans
• LeRoy High School featuring Snack Sphere; Gear-X; Adrenaline Apparel; Templar Fitness
• Oakfield-Alabama High School featuring Marty's In and Out Cleaning
• Pavilion High School featuring JumpStart; Candy Shack; Goat's All In One; Cosmic Cleats

Volunteer bankers from M&T Bank will be on-site to help the virtual businesses to track and manage their sales. 

For more information about the Virtual Business Trade Fair please contact Director of ACE Programs, Ann Valento at amvalento@genesee.edu

Press Release:

Come to the Holland Land Office Museum between 5 and 8 p.m. for extended hours on Wednesday, April 2 for those who cannot make it during our regularly scheduled ones! You will get personal tours from staff and volunteers! We hope to see you there! Admission is the regular pricing listed on our website! 

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. With the coming of the opening day of the baseball season, test your knowledge of the Baseball Hall of Fame and the players enshrined there. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next act of our Concert Series on Friday, April 11 at 7 p.m. Classical guitarist Tom Torrisi will be showcasing his amazing talents, performing a concert of solo guitar music dating from the 17th to the 21st century. The program will include a selection of original compositions as well as music by giants of the classical guitar.

Tom Torrisi is a guitarist and composer based in Buffalo. Tom is currently a member of the faculty at SUNY Fredonia and teaches Balinese gamelan classes with Nusantara Arts in Buffalo. Admission is $5 or $4 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend. 

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its next presenter in its Guest Speaker Series on April 17 at 7 p.m. Greg Kinal will be presenting "Target Tokyo" on the Doolittle Raid that bombed Tokyo in 1942. Mr. Kinal, a former teacher at Pembroke Central Schools, will deal with General Jimmy Doolittle's raid on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Among the pilots was Edward York, a Batavia native. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of the Java with Joe Series on Thursday, April 24 at 9 a.m. This month's presenter is Jo Louis Wilkes, a former nurse at the VA Medical Center in Batavia and a historian of the VA system particularly in Batavia. Admission is free with coffee and donuts provided by Tim Horton's of Batavia. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend. 

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next presenter in our Guest Speaker Series on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. Ben Kemp, of U.S. Grant's Cottage Historic Site will be presenting, "A Yankee Galvanized Yankee: The Man Who Fought on Both Sides of the Civil War." He will share the incredibly unusual tale of Hugh Clemons. Learn about the circumstances that brought a man born and raised in the Southern Adirondacks of New York State into the service of the Confederate army and how he eventually ended up on the other side of the fight. 

Ben Kemp has been a staff member at Grant Cottage Historic Site since 2014, has published numerous online articles, and is a contributing author to the book "Grant at 200: Reconsidering the Life and Legacy of Ulysses S. Grant." Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Press Release:

The Richmond Memorial Library will present the Spring 2025 series of Books Sandwiched In on Wednesdays in April! Books Sandwiched In is a book review series that is now entering its 44th year.

Since the Fall of 1981, the program has invited guest speakers to present reviews of books, generally non-fiction.

Sessions will take place on April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 at 12:10 to 1 p.m. Coffee, tea, and cookies will be served and there will be a drawing for a door prize at each session! Attendees are not required to read the books prior to the program.

The theme for Spring 2025 is Graphic Novels! What exactly is a graphic novel? A helpful definition from the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library explains that “’Graphic Novel’ is a format, not a genre. Graphic novels can be fiction, non-fiction, history, fantasy, or anything in-between.” While similar to comic books in that they tell a story through sequential art, graphic novels are generally standalone stories with more complex plots.

Wednesday, April 2: RML Librarian Laura Dumuhosky and Christina Mortellaro Frank, Director of the TRIO Adult Educational Opportunity Center at GCC, will review Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman. “A brutally moving work of art--widely hailed as the greatest graphic novel ever written--Maus recounts the chilling experiences of the author's father during the Holocaust. Maus is a haunting tale within a tale, weaving the author's account of his tortured relationship with his aging father into an astonishing retelling of one of history's most unspeakable tragedies.”

Wednesday, April 9: Megan Boring, MOMS Program Coordinator at Rochester Regional Health-UMMC, reviews Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos, a graphic novel memoir by Lucy Knisley. “This moving, hilarious, and surprisingly informative memoir not only follows motherhood but also illustrates the history and science of reproductive health from all angles, including curious facts and inspiring (and notorious) figures in medicine and midwifery.”

Wednesday, April 16: Ted Hawley, Head of Operations at New York Craft Malt, LLC reviews The Comic Book Story of Beer: The World's Favorite Beverage from 7000 BC to Today's Craft Brewing Revolution by Hennessy, Smith and McConnell. “We drink it. We love it. But how much do we really know about beer? Starting from around 7000 BC, beer has emerged as a major element driving humankind's development, a role it has continued to play through today's craft brewing explosion. Authors Jonathan Hennessey and Mike Smith team up with illustrator Aaron McConnell to present the key figures, events, and, yes, beers that shaped and frequently made history.” Ted sadly can’t bring beer samples, but he’ll bring samples of components used in brewing!

Wednesday, April 23: Richard Beatty, community advocate and volunteer, will review Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel by Richard Minnear. “For decades, readers throughout the world have enjoyed the marvelous stories and illustrations of Dr. Seuss. But few know the work Geisel did as a political cartoonist during World War II, for the New York daily newspaper PM. In these extraordinarily trenchant cartoons, Geisel presents "a provocative history of wartime politics" (Entertainment Weekly).”

Wednesday, April 30: Artist and illustrator Rob Dumo reviews Watchmen by Alan Moore. “A work of fiction, Watchmen, the groundbreaking series from award-winning author Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, presents a world where the mere presence of American superheroes changed history—the U.S. won the Vietnam War, Nixon is still president, and the Cold War is in full effect. Rob will also share his perspective as a comic book artist, award winning caricature artist and a freelance illustrator.”

Books Sandwiched In is sponsored by the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library. To learn more about library programs, visit batavialibrary.org. 

Press Release:

GO Health is pleased to announce that it has been awarded national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Established in 2007, PHAB is the nonprofit organization that administers the national accreditation program, which aims to advance and transform public health practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure, and innovation.

“We are honored to receive recognition from PHAB for achieving national standards that enhance effectiveness and promote continuous improvement,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for GO Health. “This accreditation is our commitment to residents, partners, stakeholders, the legislature, and Board of Health that we will uphold the highest standards of services to keep our community safe and healthy.”

PHAB accreditation is awarded to health departments that meet or exceed a comprehensive set of quality standards and measures. This achievement signifies that GO Health operates with efficiency, accountability, and a dedication to continuous improvement.

"Earning accreditation is a testament to the dedication and hard work of GO Health in delivering robust high-quality public health services,” said Rochelle Stein, Chairman of the Genesee County Legislature. “This achievement reflects a strong commitment to the well-being of our residents. On behalf of the Genesee County Legislature, I am proud to recognize the team’s dedication and well-earned honor. I commend their steadfast commitment to the health and well-being of our community.”

"GO Health is so integral to our community, providing vast services that our residents depend on, from early intervention to lead poisoning, to rabies clinics, and much, much more," said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature. "Their accreditation again shows the high quality of their work and is a great example of how intermunicipal cooperation between Orleans and Genesee counties created a first-class public health operation to meet the public's needs.” 

Accreditation is a mark of distinction that strengthens public health departments, enhances performance, and builds trust with the communities they serve. As accredited health departments, GO Health will continue to prioritize evidence-based practices, innovative solutions, and strong partnerships to ensure a healthier future for the residents of Genesee and Orleans Counties.

“The resilient GO Health staff, partners, and Board of Health played a vital role in making this a reality,” said Paul Grout, President of the Board of Health. “I want to especially thank Kristine Voos and Carie Doty, for taking on a leadership role in this process. Additionally, I extend my gratitude to Paul Pettit, the Accreditation Team and the entire staff for their hard work and dedication.”

For more information about GO Health programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org.

Click here for more information on Easter Bunny Day! Or check us out online & grab your Easter treats & chocolates today!

After a review of Batavia City Schools’ budget Monday evening, Business Administrator Andrew Lang asked for questions, and Board President John Marucci had a big one.

“With what’s happening with the Education Department federally, how is this going to harm us in the future?” Marucci said.

That was a question Lang couldn’t answer, he said. And he’s not alone. School district and Genesee Valley School Boards Association officials have been wondering the same thing.

Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on March 20 to close the U.S. Education Department, but that has not taken hold just yet since it requires Congressional approval and there have been legal challenges to the move. Court action and political opposition have risen against the effort to dismantle the department, and key functions remain in place for now.

“I unfortunately don’t have a crystal ball, so I wouldn’t be able to speak to that,” Lang said. “What we’ve done in this budget is attempt to protect as much as possible the programming that’s vital that’s federally funded for our district, including positions that are paid through federal grant funds and other initiatives through federal grants.

“So we’ve done as much as possible to protect that in the event that any of that funding is decreased to us," he said. “We don’t really know at this point.”

Superintendent Jason Smith added that it does not seem likely that federal funding for title and special education grants will be impacted.

“Maybe they may be managed by another department, perhaps,” Smith said. “But as far as the funding that we get to fund (positions and to meet special education goals), at this point, I’m fairly confident they’re staying intact. But we want to be extra cautious.”

As for the proposed 2025-26 budget, it remains at a tax levy increase of $451,000, or 2.22%, for about 35 cents more per $1,000 assessed property value. A home assessed at $200,000 would mean a tax rate of $16.05 per $1,000 and a property tax increase of $69.80 per year, if there is no assessment change.

The $63.3 million budget is a $3 million jump from the current year and includes the replacement of retiring personnel: six teachers, a secretary and administrator.

The public budget hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 12 at the District Office of Batavia High School, 260 State St., Batavia, and the budget vote is May 20.

For the previous budget story, go HERE.

Pavilion Fire responded to a two car motor vehicle accident at 4:28 p.m. on Monday at Perry Road and Route 20.

Le Roy Fire assisted at the scene along with Mercy EMS.

Both drivers were injured and treated by Mercy EMS.

Photos via Pavilion Fire.

Kioti Tractor Coyotes beat the Pellegrino Auto Sales Penguins 3-1, on Sunday at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena to win the Batavia Men's League Hockey Championship.

After a scoreless first period, fourteen seconds into the second period, the Coyotes scored a goal by Nick Busch with assists fom Dan Calkins and Pierce Corbelli.  Thirteen seconds later, the Penguins tied it up 1-1 on an unassisted goal by Dylan Versage.

The Penguins got back-to-back penalties late in the second, and with five minutes left, Busch scored his second goal on the power play to give the Coyotes the lead going in the locker room and ice re-surface.

In the third period, Busch scores his third goal for the hat trick on passes from Joe Mahler and Dan Calkins to secure the victory and give the championship to the Coyotes, managed by Tom Martell.

Busch said he's proud of his teammate's effort in the game.

"We have a great group of guys," he said. "Everybody skated hard. Everybody played hard all year."

He called Jerod Penke, Coyotes' goalie and the game's MVP, the best player in the league.

"This is my first ever championship, and the BMHL, it's a whole lot of fun," Penke said. "This group of guys has been really fun this year, and went out and played really good all year, came in first, I think, in the regular season, came and won it all. It was great to do it with these guys."

To view or purchase photos, click here.

After two years at First Presbyterian Church in Batavia, the Little Free Pantry is on the move, with fingers crossed that volunteers have found a new location for their full-sized refrigerator and a shelf-stable pantry will be opening downtown this week, Jenn Noon says.

Due to circumstances beyond their control, the pantry will likely close by Wednesday, she said.

“Over the years, we’ve had to relocate several times for situations that we’re out of our control, like Birchwood Village, they went to a new property owner, and situations like this. But thanks to the support from our community, these challenges and things overall turn into just small hurdles, and our overall story,” Noon said during an interview with The Batavian. “I do have exciting news: we have an appointment on Monday to go and visit a potential new location for the fridge, so we’re hoping that that’ll be a good fit, and we’ll have an update on that next week.”

As for a second site for nonperishable goods, tea and coffee, she is working with a business owner at Batavia City Centre and “they’re totally on board” with allowing a portion of the store's front entrance to be used for the pantry, Noon said. She didn’t want to disclose the name until details have been finalized but believes it’s a great fit for that location where people congregate while waiting for a bus or getting dropped off.

“So we’re hoping to get that set up this week as well, and be able to share that soon too,” she said.

The pantry at First Presbyterian Church, on the corner of East Main and Liberty streets, has been outside. There have been some issues with people not being courteous when taking items from the site, Noon said.

“So, unfortunately, we do face challenges, things like unkind visitors that make a mess out front. It's something that little free pantries all across the U.S., unfortunately, experience issues with. We've had an issue, for example, of kids opening a bag of black beans and tossing them at their friend, because we do operate on such a low barrier method. Unfortunately, there are folks that might be in a crisis situation, or, like I said, kids and things like that. So unfortunately, there’s challenges, but we're always working on addressing those challenges and addressing the needs of the community,” she said. “Basically, the model that us and all the other little free pantries and community fridges, one of the big things that they try to reduce is what they call policing of the pantries. And it just basically means that, again, trying to reduce those barriers, a lot of folks are, there's some shame in reaching out for help. Or, you know, we have a lot of kids that stop by after school and things like that.

“We do monitor at certain points, like when we have our popups, or we do our routine down there several times a day cleaning up,” she said. “Some locations we've been able to install a camera, so we're able to monitor things a little bit more easily, remotely. That really just depends on the host of that specific location and working together with them on what works best for that spot.”

Noon and the Rev. Roula Alkhouri of First Presbyterian each said they plan to continue a partnership to work on future projects.

“We are very supportive of their efforts and mission. Their mission aligns with our commitment to serve and love our neighbors. In the last month, we have helped them purchase a new refrigerator for storing extra produce. We will continue to support them and provide hands-on assistance going forward in any way that we can, including their popup and annual events,” Alkhouri said.  “While they will be missed at our church location, our care and love will continue for their work of providing food for those who need it. We believe that God works in mysterious ways, and that even in times of transition, new opportunities for service and partnership will emerge. 

“We will continue to seek ways to support the Little Free Pantry and other initiatives that address food insecurity in our community,” she said. “We extend our deepest gratitude to the dedicated volunteers and supporters of the Little Free Pantry.  May God bless them as they embark on this new chapter.”

The two organizations will be working together on initiatives including a maternal health and wellness effort, and “big, huge events around Christmas,” Noon said.

“It’s just the outdoor pantry wasn’t the best model for that location,” she said. “Every spot’s not a good match. We still have our location at 28 Seneca. It is open 24/7, it was our old farm stand location that we had up just during the summer. But last year at Thanksgiving we actually found a really nice structure that we were able to put up there and get that up and going.”

There are bakery items, shelf-stable goods, bicycle helmets, and warm clothing, and in the summertime, there will be produced from Ryan’s Rose Organic Farm, which has generously partnered with the pantry since the first year it opened, Noon said. The farm owner, Tom Ryan, is helping out with the pantry’s maternal health and wellness program — “he jumped right on board and is totally willing to support us, so we’re really grateful for him.”

Noon is also assisting some folks in Erie and Orleans counties wanting to open some little pantries there, she said. She has four core volunteers and partners of grocery stores, bakeries and restaurants for food donations. Some 90% of the food received would have been thrown out, she said.

“So that’s a big part of our mission, is trying to reduce food waste,” she said. “There’s a lot of perfectly good food that completely would get discarded. Otherwise, we do try to source that and bring it back to our community.”

Anyone interested in volunteering may go HERE and join the volunteer page to learn of ways to help. If you have a potential host site for a pantry, send a message through the website. 

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Press Release:

In an exploration of unconventional creativity, Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (Go Art!) is thrilled to announce the second annual call for submissions for the upcoming exhibition titled “This Art is Garbage.” This unique showcase is dedicated to reimagining the role of garbage and waste, offering artists an unparalleled platform to transform discarded items into captivating works of art. 

Artists of all skill levels—from high school students to emerging artists and seasoned professionals take this opportunity to redirect the fate of what would normally be forsaken to landfills into inspiring and thought-provoking pieces.

The submission window for the exhibition will be open from April 9 to April 12, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The artist reception will take place on April 17, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Guidelines for Submissions:

1. Integration of Garbage: Submitted works must feature garbage either as a material component of the artwork or as its subject. We welcome innovations in texture and pattern creation using waste or thoughtfully engaging with garbage as a motif. (e.g. creative photography of discarded objects)
2. Restrictions: “Upcycled” items, such as painted furniture, are not accepted.
3. Size Limitation: Artworks must not exceed dimensions of 24 x 30 inches and should be wired and prepared for hanging. Works not ready for display will regretfully be declined.
4. Submission: Each artist is permitted to submit up to two pieces for consideration. There is no entry fee.
5. Entry registration: For more information and to submit your work, please visit https://forms.gle/QSzPYNLg2xe3h2fC6.

Let us come together to redefine the narrative around garbage and celebrate the transformative power of art. Join us in this inspiring journey of reclamation and artistic innovation. Submit your work today and be a part of a movement that finds beauty in the disposed, making the invisible, unmissable.

For More Information contact Jackie Swaby, 585-343-9313.

Press Release:

Since its founding in 1966, Genesee Community College has improved the lives of residents in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming (GLOW) counties. Beyond the wide variety of educational services and community resources provided, Genesee has become one of the most significant economic engines in the region.

Genesee Community College is proud to announce the results of a recent study by Lightcast, a global leader in labor market analytics. The study highlights its significant contributions to the local economy and the return on investment for public funders, taxpayers and community affiliates. The analysis, based on fiscal year 2022-23 data, underscores GCC's pivotal role in driving economic growth and fostering social benefits within the GLOW Service Area.

"GCC's mission extends beyond education; we are an economic and social driver for our community," said Dr. Craig Lamb, President of Genesee Community College. "This analysis confirms the profound and lasting benefits GCC delivers to our students, taxpayers and the GLOW region."

Economic Impact Highlights:

• $86.4 Million Added to the Local Economy: This represents 0.9% of the region's total gross regional product, supporting 1,163 jobs.
• For Taxpayers: For every $1.00 spent in public funds, our community gains $7.70 in added income and social savings.
• Student Spending Impact: Relocated and retained students added $2 million in income to the GLOW service area economy.
• Alumni Impact: The net impact of GCC alumni currently employed in the regional workforce amounted to $57.5 million in added income.
• Operations Spending Impact: GCC employed 412 faculty and staff, with a $24.7 million payroll largely spent locally. Additionally, GCC added $14.4 million in operational expenses.
• Construction Spending Impact: GCC's capital projects generated $855,000 in additional regional income.

For more information, contact Vice President, Development, Admissions and External Affairs Justin Johnston at 585-345-6809, or via email: jmjohnston@genesee.edu.