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The Western Regional OTB Board of Directors on Thursday morning, by unanimous vote, approved a contract offer to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown to become the next CEO and president of the OTB.

Brown will receive a salary of $295,000 in the first year, with the possibility of incentive bonuses. The contract will have an annual renewal clause, said Board President Dennis Bassett.

Bassett declined to release copies of the 18-page contract to the press until Brown signs it.

Brown is expected to announce his future plans next week, a spokesman for the mayor's office said.

"We have a unique situation here at Batavia Downs where we have harness racings, we have a casino, we have gaming, we have a number of different avenues in which we endeavor to make sure that we do well," Bassett said when asked to defend the size of the salary. "I'm not so sure that other areas that are in this business have as diverse and as complex an operation as we do here in Batavia Downs, so we think that for what we are asking our new president and CEO to do, that he is being paid comparable."

Henry Wojtaszek, the outgoing CEO and president, makes $264,898.

The 65-year-old Brown became Buffalo's mayor in 2006. He served in the state Senate from 2001 to 2005. He was a member of the Buffalo Common Council from 1996 to 2001. He has a dual bachelor of arts degree in political science and journalism from Buffalo State College.  He worked in sales for a year at Bristol-Myers before starting a legislative staff career. 

After Thursday's meeting, Bassett reiterated previous statements that Brown was hired primarily because of his extensive legislative background and productive relationship with key powerbrokers in Albany.

"We hope that Mayor Brown's influence and his knowledge of the individuals who work in that environment will help us open doors that we haven't been able to open before," Bassett said.

The OTB is interested into expanding operations into other ventures, such as sports betting and online betting.  Bassett has expressed concern that Wojtaszek, a Republican disliked, it seems, by at least some key Democrats, wouldn't be effective in lobbying on behalf of the OTB on those issues.

"The thing that is important for all thriving institutions is change," Bassett said. "Change is good, and change is inevitable, and the most important thing around change is how you manage to change, how you deal with the change. We think that we have done a thorough job to get where we are today, the success we had and what we need for tomorrow to continue our success. And I cannot say it enough that we are extremely fortunate to get an individual like Mayor Byron Brown to lead this organization after the job Henry Wojtaszek has done. I think we've just been extremely fortunate. And we look to continue to grow. We look to continue to venture into things that we have not ventured into before."

Batavia Downs is on pace for its third consecutive year of record revenue and record payouts to the 17 municipalities that are OTB's owners.

As for potential bonuses for Brown, Bassett indicated that the pending contract does not include specific language. The board will develop incentive criteria and the nature of the incentives.

Before Brown can sign the contract, the state's gaming commission must issue him a license to run a gaming operation. Wojtaszek's last day with the organization will be Dec. 31.  Bassett said he expects Brown to be able to start his new job before then and enter into a period of training by Wojtaszek.

When the board agreed over the summer to buy out Wojtaszek's contract, they also voted to buy out the contracts of CFO Jackie Leach and VP of Operations William White.

Bassett said Brown, who has spent nearly all of his professional career as a public servant, is ready to step in and run Batavia Downs like a business.  To that end, he expects whoever Brown hires to fill those vacancies to be based on business qualifications and not political affiliation.

"Brown expressed to us that he's taken over a position now that he's managing a corporate entity, and he's looking to make sure that we run this organization in a corporate way and not in a political way," Bassett said. "And that's a big 'a-ha,' because I've been on this board 14 years, and I can honestly say, as much as you (the press) may not believe me, the decisions that we've made in this room have never been political," Bassett said.

Bassett noted that for the majority of his tenure on the board, he's been a member of the minority party and only after voting rules were changed did he join the majority (weighted vote based on population). Bassett is a Democrat. Until the change in weighted voting, the large majority of the board were the Republican-run municipalities.

"I have never felt slighted. I have never felt disadvantaged. You know why? Because on this board, we make business decisions," Bassett said. "We make business decisions for 17 municipalities because they're interested in whether we are going to write them checks at the end of each month, and we continue to write them record-breaking checks each and every month, and that's what I'm most proud of."

Press Release:

Arc GLOW will be holding its second Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet on October 9 at 5:30 p.m. at Batavia Downs. Rebecca Leclair, the President of Rebecca Leclair Communications, LLC and former anchor and reporter from WHEC-TV (Channel 10), will be the emcee.

Individuals will also be providing entertainment. For a month, Arc GLOW nominated staff, individuals and community members for a variety of different awards.

The award winners are the following:

Self-Advocate of the Year

To honor a person served by Arc GLOW who has grown and is meeting their personal outcomes. They also have positively influenced the lives of others.

Nathan Johnidas, Albion

Supported Employment Person of the Year

To honor a person supported by Arc GLOW who has demonstrated a strong work ethic, dedication to their job, ability to learn new community employment skills and maintain successful employment.

Elizabeth Padilla, Walnut Street, Batavia 

Pre-Vocational Person of the Year

To honor a person supported by Arc GLOW with a dedication to learning about the world of work including new job skills, striving to complete quality work and showing attention to the task of learning.

Tammy Reimels, Hilltop

Residential Person of the Year

To honor a person supported by Arc GLOW who resides in residential services, grew in their independence and learned life skills.

Monica Mineo, Garfield IRA in Batavia

Day Habilitation Person of the Year

To honor a person supported by Arc GLOW who participates in day habilitation activities, strives to learn, and demonstrates effort and commitment to be included in their own communities.

James Gibbs, WOW Day Hab in Batavia

Community Services and Self Direction Person of the Year

To honor a person served by Arc GLOW who shows outstanding participation and contribution to their community. Shows the initiative in trying new activities and gain leadership potential through community involvement.

Brittany Murphy, Genesee County

KidStart Employee of the Year

To honor an employee who demonstrates exceptional support to children and families, and is committed to assist in all areas of their growth and education.

Maggie Putman

Direct Support Professional Person of the Year (DSP)

To honor a DSP who provides a variety of activities to adults with developmental disabilities within a home setting, day programs or recreational activities in the community. Provides excellence in support in living skills, personalized goals, arts and crafts, sensory activities, and facilitates our individuals to take their active role in the community.

Heather Taft, residential manager at Avon IRA in Avon

Employee of the Year

To recognize an employee of Arc GLOW who is committed to the mission and vision. They demonstrate the values of diversity, respect, integrity, visionary, equality, empowerment and excellence.

Heidi Wyant, transportation manager

Friend of the Year

Community friend and supporter of Arc GLOW’s mission and vision.

Hoffman Hanafin & Associates, LLC

Business Partner of the Year

A partner who supports our mission and vision through excellent customer service or providing work opportunities for employment.

Aunt Cookies in Geneseo

Volunteers of the Year

To honor a person who is committed to Arc GLOW, volunteering their time by serving the local community and supporting the Arc GLOWs mission and vision.

Kevin and Dawn Fisher

Reservations are open until Sept. 30. at ArcGLOW.org/event/awards-banquet-and-annual-meeting. For any questions, contact Tracey Jones at (585) 343-1123 ext. 1735 or TJones@ArcGLOW.org.

Kerry Dudek and Kim Folger are animal lovers no doubt, and advocates especially for pitbulls and Rottweilers, both which can experience breed bias and the serious health issue of cancer.

They founded Vanessa & Lola’s Legacy, Inc. more than a year ago in an effort to help out with financial support for the owners of those breeds when fighting cancer, in addition to collecting food for people with disabilities at the Independent Living of the Genesee Region in Batavia.

“People don’t really have the money, so our goal was to help people with pitbulls or Rottweilers help with their vet bills. And then I started volunteering at Independent Living, and a lot of Vanessa's supporters were homeless from Batavia, and they would actually come out to the rallies with their pitbulls, so I kind of wanted to honor her and them at the same time,” Dudek said. “So now we donate cat food and dog food to the homeless that Indedependent Living put up in their houses or apartments. We have about 13 animals through them.

“I’m a mental health therapist. So to me, it really helps people's mental health, especially when they're homeless, to keep their pets with them. A lot of people are having to give up their animals,” she said. “I have a pitbull now that has three legs. She goes to work with me, and they just love her. She’s a pet therapy dog.”

Vanessa was a pitbull in Ogden that had an encounter with a woman on the street, and Vanessa was accused of allegedly biting her, Dudek said. It spread across social media and turned into a huge battle to keep Vanessa alive. Justice for Vanessa has many followers, Dudek said.

Although Vanessa survived that scuffle, she ended up getting lymphoma and died three years ago, after very costly medical treatments and a tracheotomy, Dudek said. Vanessa garnered many supporters and drew much attention in the process, she said. 

Dudek works with people with disabilities and has experienced how much animals can minister to one’s emotional needs. Vanessa also served in that capacity to her own son, the Oakfield resident said. 

Lola was Folger’s Rottweiler who lost her battle to osteosarcoma two years ago. The emotional stress, coupled with the financial challenges, were enough to fuel their motivation to file for a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit to help others going through similar circumstances.

Support comes through online and in-person fundraising, including an event happening this weekend. There will be a basket raffle of nine themed baskets with Buffalo Bills, pet and other items (see some of the items below) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Tractor Supply Co., 4974 East Main St., Batavia. 

There will be a tent in the parking lot throughout the day, and a pizza basket that includes a Ficarella’s gift certificate and another one with a Monroe Muffler oil change certificate, plus other baskets with football-related items, she said.

One basket is dedicated to China, a pitbull with lymphoma, and includes tailgating stuff of Buffalo Bills themed items, such as wine, wine glasses and a football. There will also be harnesses and dog clothes for sale. Proceeds will go to offset vet bills for those with pitbulls and Rottweilers fighting cancer.

For more information, to help out with dog and/or cat food for ILGR clients, or to donate, go HERE.

Show tunes and more show tunes.

If you love Broadway, Batavia Players has just the show for you this weekend.

"Just One More Time & Something New" is a celebration of 100 years of the best musicals to grace the stages of 42nd Street in the heart of Manhattan, better known as Broadway.

The choral review covers the music of Tin Pan Alley to state-of-the-art contemporary Broadway.

You will certainly hear some familiar classics as well as a few tunes that might surprise you.

There are shows at Main Street 56 Theater on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m.  Tickets are $24 at the door or $22 for seniors and students.  There is a discount to buy in advance online. 

Photos by Howard Owens.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game
In several of my previous stories, I have indicated that I was an enthusiastic sports fan (especially of Notre Dame University football), even as a little kid. I'm not sure why that was because it didn't really come from my parents, and I was the oldest of three brothers.

My dad was a Notre Dame fan, but other than that, for some odd reason, he chose teams more to dislike than to root for. Also, strangely, he saved his ire for the teams closest to Batavia. He detested the New York Yankees and despised the Cleveland Browns of the NFL. When games would come on ( in black and white, of course), he would quickly identify the underdog, and if they were losing, he'd claim they were being cheated, or the contest was “fixed.” It was almost impossible to watch a game with him.

Apparently, my mom was a big baseball fan of the Batavia Clippers when she was young and single in the 1930s and 40s. My Uncle Bob, now 94, remembers her going to the games even out of town in Wellsville and Olean when they were in the “PONY” ( Pennsylvania, Ontario, New York) League. Back then, the team was community-owned, and I still have a stock certificate that my mother purchased for the team. But after she married and when I was a kid, I don't remember her caring much about sports. Maybe my dad's attitude had something to do with that.

Besides Notre Dame in college football, my favorite team was the Cleveland Browns in pro football first. In baseball, it was the Brooklyn Dodgers, but when the team moved to Los Angeles after the 1956 season, I switched to the Milwaukee Braves until they moved to Atlanta. I haven't had a favorite baseball team since then. 

I have also previously mentioned that I have an extensive collection of Milwaukee Braves memorabilia from 1957, when they beat my friend Charlie's favorite team, the Yankees, for The World Series.

Pro Football In The 1950s and '60s
In the 1950s, there were no Buffalo Bills nearby to root for. They didn't become a team until 1960 and didn't join the NFL until 1970, the same year the Buffalo Sabres joined the National Hockey League. There were only eight teams in the NFL in the 50s (now there are 32), and most Batavians are rooted for the Browns or the New York Giants. Those teams were most likely to be televised locally, too, on Sunday, which is the day all games were played. Friday was for high schools, and Saturday was for college.

My team was the Browns with quarterback Otto Graham, speedy pass catcher Dante “Sticky Fingers“ Lavelli and combination offensive lineman and kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza. (they seemed to have cooler nicknames then, too – there was a defensive back on the Detroit Lions named Dick “Night Train” Lane). Then, into the 60s, while the Bills were still in the old American Football League, the Browns had Hall of Fame running backs Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly. The Browns won NFL championships in 1950, 1954, 1955 and 1964. I had all the football cards of the Browns back then, but like my baseball cards, they are long gone, unfortunately.

I never got to go to any Browns games. People didn't travel to games as much back then, and as I said, my dad disliked them. But in the 1950s, I got to a Notre Dame game and went to Cleveland's Municipal Stadium, where the Browns played, but to see baseball games.

Cheer, Cheer For Old Notre Dame
In November 1957, my parents drove to a Notre Dame University football game with my younger brother Dan and me (my mom was pregnant with brother Jim Jr.) in South Bend, Indiana. This probably didn't mean much to Dan, who was 7, but it meant the world to me. I had been a devoted Notre Dame football fan since I was 7 or 8 years old. I kept a scrapbook of stories about their games and followed some of their stars like Johnny Lujack, Ralph Guglielmi, and Paul Hornung. The very Saturday before, Notre Dame had pulled off a huge upset, ending the Oklahoma Sooners' 47-game winning streak, which still is the record today, by beating them 7-0. I was ten and watched every second of that game on our black-and-white TV.

My first memory from the trip was getting caught in a whiteout blizzard, probably somewhere near Dunkirk, as that is the time of year when lake-effect snow comes in off Lake Erie. We made it through okay, but it must have been a “white knuckler” for my dad at the wheel.

On the Friday night before the game we went to the pre-game pep rally which I recall was in a big field house. The place was packed with students and fans and the band, coaches, and players whipped everyone into a frenzy with the memories of the previous week's gigantic win over Oklahoma. It was deafeningly loud to say the least. My years were ringing the rest of the night.

The game was against Iowa, and I don't remember much about it except that Notre Dame lost, so I was pretty down afterward. My biggest recollection from the game was when a Notre Dame running back was hit so hard by an Iowa defensive player that you could hear the “crack” of helmets and pads up in the stands. I think the ND player had to be helped off the field.

I do remember that Notre Dame had a beautiful campus and that we saw the famous “Golden Dome.” However, the iconic mural on the Hesburgh Library with Christ's arms raised, commonly known as “Touchdown Jesus,” was not completed until 1964. Oddly, I have continued to be a Notre Dame football fan all these years, but I have never been back to another game.

At the Old Ball Game
The next summer, in 1958, my dad and his friend and customer Leo Reinhart, who owned a grocery in Pavilion, took Dan, me, and Leo's son to Cleveland to see a couple of major league baseball games. This time, mom had to stay home with a newborn, as brother Jim had been born that April.

I have good memories of the games, a bad one of the hotel, and a funny one of an event on the trip home.

My first recollection of going to the game is the same one I have seen other people comment on. It was in the now-demolished Municipal Stadium, but when we walked through the portal to where our seats were, I was stopped in my tracks by the vista of the big, beautifully manicured green field in front of me. My mouth probably literally dropped open. I had never seen anything like it. Also, as I previously mentioned, it was the home field of the football Browns in the fall.

The games were between the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) and the Chicago White Sox. I was not a fan of either team ( again, my team was the Milwaukee Braves, who had won the World Series the previous year, but that was too far to drive), but there were some great players on the field. The White Sox had the Hall of Fame double-play combination of Nellie Fox at second base and Luis Aparicio at shortstop. Cleveland had slugger Rocky Colavito in the outfield, a young Roger Maris before he got traded to the New York Yankees and broke Babe Ruth's home run record in 1961, and another Hall of Famer from Cuba, Minnie Minoso, who had played for the White Sox the year before. I don't remember who won the games, but I do recollect that Minnie hit a home run and I was very excited by my first big league baseball experience.

I suppose the hotel we stayed at in downtown Cleveland was okay, but we had no prior warning that crews were going to be working all night sand-blasting the edifice of a building across the street. Needless to say, sleeping (when you added in my dad's snoring) was hard to come by.

On our way home at night, we stopped at a gas station to refuel and use the restroom. As we got back in the car to leave, we noticed Dan (about age 8 ) was missing. My dad went looking and found Dan, a notorious sleepwalker, urinating on the rear wall of the station. In his sleep, he thought he was in the restroom. Everyone had a good laugh about that, except Dan, when he woke up and we told him.

Since I became an adult, I have been to many Bills games (especially in the 1990s and early 2000s) and a number of Sabres contests. I have also attended baseball games in major league stadiums in Chicago (both Cubs and White Sox), Baltimore, Montreal, and New York (Yankees). I also became a fan of the Syracuse Orange college basketball team and have attended some of their games in their Dome.

But my childhood memories of going to my first “big time” games in South Bend and Cleveland will always stay with me.

Press Release:

Tailgating, in the context of sporting events, is defined as fans gathering in the stadium parking lot to build excitement for their team's home game. From the backs of their cars and trucks, football fans enjoy food, drinks, and games for hours. It's a tradition unique to American culture and offers a fun, lively experience.

HomeCare & Hospice (HCH) of Batavia is introducing a new event to their Fall lineup – Tailgate Thursday to be held Thursday, November 7 at Batavia Downs beginning at 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. 

This tailgate event is where you will eat, drink, and play games – basically a tailgate before the football game that night (exchange out the Raven’s M&T Bank Stadium for the Park Place Event Center at Batavia Downs)!

HCH operates with offices in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Genesee, and Wyoming Counties. 

"Our staff was tasked with organizing a 'fun' and 'fund' raising event in our northern service area. This time of year, everyone in Western New York is a Bills fan, and we all love chicken wings. What better combination than football, wings, and fun?" stated Melissa Sullivan, HCH Chief Executive Officer.

Tickets are $35 which includes your tailgate pass, wings, additional tailgate foods, and entry into fun and games. The food staff at the Batavia Downs will be (tentatively) serving up wings in these flavors: mild, medium, BBQ, garlic parm, honey garlic, spicy BBQ, Old bay, Original Buffalo, Teriyaki, and lemon pepper. Of course, there will be celery, carrots and bleu cheese – but the menu also includes Buffalo’s Finest Station of house-made potato chips, pizza logs, mini beef on weck, and pretzel bites. Attendees will have 10 wing tix which they can sample/taste from the variety of wings that will be on hand.

“Support from the corporate and business sector plays a vital role in the success of our event. Their involvement helps raise awareness, attract attendees, and spread the message about our cause to a wider audience. With their support, we can reach more people, enhance community engagement, and increase the impact of our fundraising efforts,” added Ms. Sullivan.

The event needs additional local businesses and organizations to become a 12th man sponsor or a blitz backer to put on this FANtastic event. 12th Man OPTION: This option ($250) includes your company logo/name on our poster, social media posts indicating your participation, event signage, and two tickets to the event (value $80). BLITZ Backer OPTION: This option ($500) includes your company name mentioned in radio ads, company logo/name on poster, social media posts, event signage, and four event tickets (value $160).

The complete roster of events is not firmed up yet, but hoping to add music, trivia contests, football toss games, (pre-recorded) football games streamed on tvs, and pre-game of the Bengals – Ravens game.

Tickets will go on sale September 27 online at homecare-hospice.org/events/, at the HomeCare & Hospice office, 29 Liberty St., Suite 6, Batavia or by emailing snegron@homecare-hospice.org. For more information, please call 716-372-2106.

The Byron-Bergen/Elba Bees notched a 1-0 overtime win on Tuesday over the Addison Knights.

At 1:30 in the sudden death OT, Colin Rae knocked in the golden goal from about 30 yards out.

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro

Press Release:

All motorists please be aware the following streets (listed in the following predicted order) will experience traffic delays on Friday, September 27 between the hours of 6 a.m. – 4 p.m. for resurfacing operations:

Kibbe Avenue
Oakland Avenue
Jackson Avenue
Evans Street

While work is being performed in these areas, local traffic will be permitted to and from their residence/property but should plan accordingly for delays.

All residents/businesses within the work area are asked not to park on the roadway during the operation. All motorists that regularly use these streets are asked to seek alternate routes while the delays are in place.

This work is weather dependent and will continue on the next business day if necessary.

Contact the Bureau of Maintenance at 585-345-6400 opt. 1 if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your cooperation.

Students from school districts in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties engage with employers throughout the event, exploring careers that could unveil new opportunities they may not have previously considered.

Over 70 businesses provided hands-on activities and simulations in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, skilled trades sectors as well as the various branches of the military. Students learned about career opportunities in their own backyard that offer good-paying opportunities immediately after high school graduation, as well as accelerated training programs available in the region.

 “We have seen GLOW With Your Hands participants grow into successful professionals, and businesses that participate in our manufacturing and healthcare event grow their next generation. Having over 1,000 students and a record number of employers at our event reaffirms that there is a significant need for these connections and a significant benefit created at our events,” added GLOW With Your Hands, Co-Chair Karyn Winters.

Led by Platinum Sponsors LandPro Equipment, National Grid, and newcomer Davis-Fetch, many businesses have participated in every GLOW With Your Hands since 2019, including representatives of the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food and beverage manufacturing, and construction trades.

Davis-Fetch specializes in commercial building construction services focusing on building interior spaces, walls, ceilings, and acoustical wall panels. This is the company’s inaugural GLOW With Your Hands event featuring a hands-on demonstration of installing drywall screws and using a drywall zip tool around electrical boxes. Davis-Fetch used this as an opportunity to engage with the next generation of workforce candidates in the GLOW region.

“Rather than setting up a booth and speaking with students, we were able to interact with the next generation of workforce candidates with a hands-on approach that was educational and informative of our work, " said Davis-Fetch President Frank Kittlinger. “After witnessing the engagement of over a thousand students today, we look forward to being a part of GLOW With Your Hands annually.”

After launching in 2019 with 800 students, GLOW With Your Hands has grown into the premier workforce development program in the region. Including GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare, a hands-on medical careers program held annually in March, more than 5,000 students have participated in GLOW With Your Hands events since 2019.

“Our goal is to provide local youth with family-sustaining career opportunities that lead to fulfilling lifestyles and positively impact local communities,” said GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair Angela Grouse. “By getting hands-on and informational experiences, our students are taking the first step toward that goal.”

 Albion High School Senior Joseph Schoberlein said he was not aware of many of the careers present at GLOW With Your Hands before today and came away with an understanding of what opportunities are available to him after graduation this upcoming spring.

 “There are a number of jobs you learn about at GLOW With Your Hands that you do not experience in a traditional classroom setting, a lot of these careers do not require a college degree. I can enter the workforce immediately out of high school with a good-paying job without taking the college route,” stated Schoberlien.

Press Release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) issued the following statement in response to the Hochul Administration’s failure to address her inquiries by the September 18 deadline regarding the Department of Justice's recent indictment of Linda Sun, a high-ranking official in the Hochul administration, for allegedly acting as an agent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

“Governor Hochul's failure to respond promptly sends a dangerous message not only to the CCP but to all foreign adversaries seeking to infiltrate our government. Clearly, Governor Hochul does not take this issue seriously and is content with CCP infiltration of her administration. We must hold Governor Hochul accountable and ensure any other CCP operatives within this administration are exposed and removed. In addition, Hochul must recognize the serious consequences this has had on the state's relationship with Taiwan and our economy. Her administration must immediately address these concerns and initiate a bipartisan investigation to ensure no compromised CCP agents remain employed by New York State," said Congresswoman Tenney.

View the letter Tenney sent to Governor Hochul on September 5 here.

Press Release:

The Genesee Amateur Hockey Association is offering a Beginner Ice Hockey Learn to Play Program at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, located on Evans Street next to the Batavia Fire Department in Batavia. This program is open to boys and girls ages 4 and up, and no prior skating experience is needed.

Session I lasts for 15 weeks and costs $125, while Session II is also 15 weeks and costs $75. The program starts on October 5.

A Beginner Orientation will take place on Wednesday, October 2, at 6 p.m. at the rink, and everyone is invited to attend. For additional information, including the schedule and registration instructions, please contact Marcia Barnes at 585-409-1383 or via email at Barnes.marcia21@gmail.com.

For more details, visit www.BataviaRamparts.com. Don’t go through life without goals—play hockey! GO RAMPARTS!

Press Release:

Genesee Community College (GCC) is proud to welcome eight new full-time faculty members for the 2024-2025 academic year. These distinguished educators bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion to our campus, enhancing our commitment to academic excellence and student success.

Ariane Bianchi, Instructor of Nursing

Ariane comes from Golisano Children's Hospital Pediatric Cardiac Care Center and has been a pediatric clinical instructor for GCC. Ariane earned her associate degree in Nursing from GCC and her bachelor's degree in Nursing from the University of Rochester. She intends to pursue her master's in nursing education in the coming year.

Jillian Eberlin, Instructor of Mathematics

Jillian was a Mathematics teacher at OneSchool Global North America, Rochester Campus, and has taught several semesters as a math adjunct instructor at Bryant & Stratton College. Jillian earned her bachelor's degree in Mathematics and master's degree in Mathematics from SUNY Brockport.

Kathryn Edwards, Nursing Clinical Coordinator

Kathryn was a pediatric nurse practitioner at Stony Brook Pediatrics and prior to that worked at Golisano Children's Hospital. She obtained her bachelor's degree in Nursing from the University of Buffalo and her master's degree from the University of Rochester. Kathryn most recently completed her post-master's dual certification in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at St. John Fisher University.

Metin Eroglu, Instructor of Mathematics

Metin has been in higher education since 2008 as a student, full-time instructor, and tutor most recently working for SUNY Buffalo and Wyzant. Metin earned his bachelor's degree in Mathematics from The University of Texas and his master's degree in Statistics from Michigan State University.

Katie Jennings, Instructor of Nursing

Katie was a Clinical Resource Nurse at Rochester Regional Health in Batavia and has been a Clinical Nursing Instructor for GCC. Katie earned her associate degree in Nursing from GCC, her bachelor's degree in Nursing from SUNY Brockport and is pursuing her master's degree in Nursing at Western Governor's University.

Krysia Mager, Instructor of Business

Krysia worked as an adjunct at GCC and is coming from Tompkins Community Bank in Batavia where she was the Assistant Vice President of Creative Content. Krysia earned her associate degree in Communication from GCC, her bachelor's degree in Journalism Communication from SUNY Brockport and her master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Marist College.

Dr. Timothy McCorry, Assistant Professor of Social Sciences/Coordinator of Special Programs

Timothy has 25 years of experience teaching various courses in sociology, psychology, and criminal justice at the University at Buffalo, Buffalo State University, and Medaille University. This past spring, he began to adjunct at GCC. He earned his associate degree from Nassau Community College, his bachelor's and master's degrees from St. John's University and his Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo.

Dr. Scott Wilson, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Technology

Scott was an Associate Emergency Veterinarian/Urgent Care Veterinarian at the Greater Buffalo Veterinary Emergency Clinic. He received both his associate and bachelor's degrees in Veterinary Technology from Medaille College and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine.

"As we welcome these talented educators to Genesee Community College, we look forward to the fresh perspectives and innovative teaching methods they will bring to our classrooms. Their arrival marks an exciting chapter in our ongoing mission to deliver high-quality education and support the success of our students," said Genesee Community College President, Dr. Craig Lamb.

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

Press Release:

The Batavia Society of Artists (BSA) will host artist Shauna Blake for a hands-on silk painting demonstration on Tuesday, October 8, from 7 - 9 p.m. at GO ART!. Blake will explain her creative process and provide attendees with the chance to try silk painting themselves.

In addition, BSA member Adrian Morris will hold a solo art show at the Richmond Memorial Library, with an opening reception on Thursday, September 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. His exhibition will be available for viewing during regular library hours through the end of October.

Shauna Blake, Artist Bio

Shauna Blake started painting in her early teens and has devoted her entire working life to her artwork. She has a love for nature and the outdoors and uses the inspiration and energy it provides to create her art. 

She paints in a wide variety of mediums including, silk painting, watercolors, acrylics and pastels. 

In 1994 she graduated from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a major in Graphic Design and Illustration. She worked in the Graphic Design field for 7 years before joining her husband, Brendan in his glass art business in 2001. Here she expanded her art by studying and creating lampwork glass beads.

Then in 2009 she discovered silk painting. She found that painting on silk was the perfect fit for her creative and expressive artistic style. She sold her hand painted silk scarves, silk ribbons and art prints worldwide until earlier this year. 

In 2022 she started her next business Nail Fox where she designs and sells 100% Nail Polish Wraps.

Shauna currently sells her nail polish wrap designs worldwide on her website. www.Nail-Fox.com

Shauna will demonstrate her unique silk painting techniques. This a hands on demo, where everybody will have a chance to try out this exciting medium. Supplies will be provided.

Submitted photos.

Money was committed, a state Department of Transportation grant obtained, TY Lynn International was hired, and a Walkability Study literally laid the groundwork and surveyed pedestrians last fall to find out how people felt about landscaping, bump-outs and painted pavement along Bank Street from Main Street to Washington Avenue.

A tentative plan was unveiled Monday to complete the city’s mission to slow down traffic in that area of downtown Batavia. Much of the plan unfolds as painted pavement for bike lanes, decorative crosswalks, bump-outs, benches, and tree and perennial landscaping.

“So project objectives, basically, the ultimate goal is to provide a safe and comfortable, pedestrian- and bike-friendly community along Bank Street, from Main Street to Washington,” TY Lin Project Manager Nate Buczek said during the presentation at City Hall. “It does include a little bit of Alva Place, not a lot due to the funds of the project, but it does include at least the intersection a little bit to the west.”

The project's objectives are to provide traffic calming with streetscape enhancements, curb bump-outs and ramps, new decorative crosswalks with flashing crossing signs, improved street accessibility, dedicated bike lanes and complement the new police and YMCA facilities in progress on the east and west sides of the Bank.

A focus is to improve the pedestrian experience via more seating and planters as part of the infrastructure, he said. Perhaps some Honey locust, serviceberry, black-eyed Susans and Salvia Blue Hill.

At issue is that Bank Street is too wide, and “the wider the lane width, the faster they want to go,” Buczek said. 

How to improve it? Dedicated five-foot-wide bike lanes that may be painted green, moving landscaping out toward the street as bump-outs, moving the senior center crosswalk north a bit and make it stand out with lights and fluorescent signage and adding a second crosswalk near Alva Place near the new police station. 

There would also be a bus lane in front of the senior center to accommodate a bus that regularly drops off and picks up seniors for outings, he said.

A member of the audience who drives the bus was concerned with the available space for a bus with bump-outs, an adjacent bike lane, and especially during winter when snowplows have to get around. 

One answer was that there shouldn’t be as much congestion since children will be dropped off in the parking lot off the street toward the back of the new YMCA entrance. But that concern should be checked out, and the recommended plan should be verified before moving forward, City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said. 

“There’s a lot of pavement in the roadway, a lot of pavement and more concrete within the sidewalks. So we’re looking to break that up, add some green space, similar to Main Street,” Buczek said. 

Jankowski asked if the design team had considered actually doing what was done on Main Street and adding a median down Bank Street instead of bump-outs on the side. Buczek wasn’t certain why it wasn’t proposed, but thought it had to do with cost. He was asked to keep the design within an $800,000 budget, he said. 

“It’s going to be much safer for pedestrians,” Buczek said. “The bump-outs are going to provide, basically, or close off or make the driver sense that they need to slow down to become aware of the area. And then we’re going to have pedestrian LED signs at both crosswalks,” he said. “Basically, you’ll walk up, push the clocks in and we’re going to look at automobile versions or sensor versions when there’s someone waiting to cross. We also are going to relocate the access driveway into the city parking lot west side of Bank Street as part of the project.” 

City Manager Rachael Tabelski has said the city committed more than $1 million to help reduce the street’s girth and slow down the hustle of motorists, with $944,943 coming from the state TAP grant. The streetscape project is targeted for a fall 2025 completion.

There are still some questions and concerns to address, however, it seemed as though GO Art! Executive Director Gregory Hallock summed up the general consensus of the project.

"I think all of this is going to make people slow down," he said.  

In fall 2023, members of a county health committee had set up displays of potential future curbing, lights and artistic license to demonstrate ways to help slow down traffic and make crosswalks a more viable way to cross over from the east and west sides of Bank Street at three points between Main Street and Washington Avenue. 

Ninety-four people gave positive feedback during the nearly four hours the Genesee Orleans Health Department staff surveyed walkers.

There’s an expected surge in traffic on Bank Street with the impending new police facility right on Bank and Alva in the next year, and the Healthy Living campus on the opposite side behind where the current YMCA is now, to be completed by the end of 2024. City officials have an infrastructure project planned to coincide with the developments, at which time there would also be upgrades to the streetscape layout. 

City officials will consider a tax exemption for seniors over the age of 65, similar to what Genesee County passed in late February.

The county’s exemption of Section 467 of the Real Property Tax Law grants a reduction in the amount of taxes paid by senior citizens based on a sliding scale of income amounts from less than $23,800 for a 50% exemption up to $32,200 for 5%.

Deputy County Treasurer Kevin Andrews proposed the move earlier this year for the county and also emailed the city about this municipality considering doing a similar exemption, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said this week. 

“And it's something. If you'd like, we can have staff look into it and get back to you with a recommendation at a future meeting,” she said during Monday’s City Council meeting. “We do know that it would affect the taxable status of properties to the tune of about $2.6 million, but as a whole, in terms of how much our entire assessment value is, this is a very, very small percentage. So, like I said, we can come back to this if you'd like us to email the information so you can take a look at it and get a little better analysis of what that would look like if we were to implement it.”

City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said that “it's definitely worth looking into” the exemption as an option for seniors to save some money.

“Anything we can do to help people keep their homes and sustain their homes,” he said. “If they’re qualified for the exemption, then they definitely should be getting it.” 

When the county approved the measure that took effect on March 1, The Batavian asked Andrews for a tangible example of how much savings that could mean for an eligible senior. At the maximum end of the scale, if the income qualifies and they were to receive 50 percent exemption on their taxes with a home assessed at $100,000, that would equal roughly a $400 savings for county tax purposes, he said. County taxes for 2024 are $5.80 per $1,000 assessed value versus city at $8.96 per $1,000.

The full table for the county is below to show how the sliding scale works:

• Less than $23,800 - 50%
• Equal or more than $23,800 but less than $24,800 - 45%
• $24,800 but less than $25,800 - 40%
• $25,800 but less than $26,800 - 35%
• $26,800 but less than $27,700 - 30%
• $27,700 but less than $28,600 - 25%
• $28,600 but less than $29,500 - 20%
• $29,500 but less than $30,400 - 15%
• $30,400 but less than $31,300 - 10%
• $31,300 but less than $32,200 - 5%

Michael J. Stack, 47, of Batavia, is charged with attempted robbery 3rd, attempted criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, 2nd, menacing, 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Stack is accused of striking another person and threatening that person with a box cutter. When police attempted to arrest him on Sept. 3, Stack allegedly fought with officers and attempted to take an officer's gun from the officer's holster. Stack was arraigned in City Court and held without bail.

Anthony Earl Parks, 19, of West 150th Street, New York City, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 3rd and criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds. Parks, a Genesee Community College student, is accused of possessing an unregistered loaded pistol with a high-capacity magazine while at College Village at 11:50 p.m. on Sept. 22.  Campus security was made aware that Parks may possess a weapon through a social media post.  There is no information uncovered by investigators alleging any threats by Parks related to the handgun. Parks was arraigned and jailed on $25,000 bail or $5,000 bond. The incident was investigated by Deputy Rachael Diehl and Investigator Erik Andre. They were assisted by campus security.

Patrick O. Spikes, 43, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession fo a weapon 3rd and menacing 2nd. Spikes is accused of threatening another person with a knife during a fight on Sept. 17 at an undisclosed location. Spikes was arraigned in City Court and held without bail.

Nicholas C. Kingdollar, 28, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal contempt 2nd, and aggravated family offense. Kingdollar was allegedly found on Sept. 6 inside a residence at an undisclosed location in violation of a stay-away order of protection. He was arraigned in City Court and was ordered held on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.

Penny S. Hofert, 58, of Batavia, is charged with criminal of a controlled substance 3rdf and criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Hofert was arrested on Aug. 22 following an investigation into an alleged drug sale on Aug. 5. Batavia PD reports that members of the Neighborhood Enforcement Team witnessed a suspect conduct a drug sale on Bank Street. Hofert was arraigned and released.

Adam J. Arsenault, 38 of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 4th. Arsenault is accused of possessing a muzzleloader. He was arrested on Aug. 27. Police state that Arsenault is a convicted felon and is not permitted to possess any guns. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kyle J. Leenhouts, 36, of Rochester, is charged with DWI. On Aug. 24, Batavia patrol officers were dispatched to McDonald's on East Main Street where a person was reportedly causing a disturbance in the drive-thru. Leenhouts was arrested following an investigation. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Keith M. Lewandowski, 33, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. He was arrested on Aug. 26 on a warrant based on an incident on Dec. 3. Officers stopped Lewandowski on his bicycle for an alleged traffic violation. He was allegedly found in possession of narcotics. He was arraigned and released.

Mason D. Dumbleton, 33, of Alexander, is charged with DWI. Dumbleton was stopped on Aug. 23 on Ellicott Street, Batavia, by a Batavia patrol officer. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Lindsay Q. Brooks, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Brooks is accused of damaging the door of a residence on Ellicott Place, Batavia, during a fight. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Trevor N. Christman, 34, of Batavia, is charged with exposure of a person. Christman is accused of exposing himself and uritnating on a building on Ellicott Street, Batavia, on Aug. 15. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Dominic D. Czerniak, 25, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Czerniak was arrested on Aug. 12. He allegedly kicked another person in a fight on West Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Suzanne C. Stein, 62, of Byron, was arrested on Aug. 24 on a warrant. Stein was initially issued a traffic ticket for a misdemeanor traffic violation. The warrant was issued after she allegedly failed to appear in court. Stein was arraigned and released.

Michael C. Smith, 32, of Batavia, was arrested on four warrants on Aug. 19. The warrants are related to several different incidents where Smith was charged with petit larceny and trespass. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail. 

Alicia M. Lyons, 44, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Lyons is accused of striking another person during a fight on Mill Street, Batavia, on Sept. 2. She was arrested again on Sept. 4 and charged with two counts of harassment 2nd. She is accused of striking another person at two separate times. She was arraigned in City Court and released.

Joseph M. Call, 24, of Batavia, turned himself in on a warrant on Aug. 28. Call was issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket, on June 10. A warrant was issued, after he allegedly failed to appear in court. Call was arraigned and released.

Brandon A. Honore, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on Aug. 29 on a warrant. Honore allegedly failed to appear in court on a misdemeanor traffic ticket. He was arraigned in City Court and released. 

Bill A. Thomas, 64, of Batavia, is charged with open alcohol container in public. Thomas was allegedly found in possession on Aug. 31 of an open container of alcohol in Austin Park. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jeremy C. Goodell, 50, of Batavia, is charged with open alcohol container in public. Goodall is accused of possessing an open container in Austin Park on Aug. 31. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jamie A. Dutton, 32, of Batavia, was arrested on Aug. 30 on a warrant and other charges. The warrant charges Dutton with petit larceny. He is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on June 20. He was additionally charged with criminal impersonation 2nd, for allegedly lying about his name in order to avoid arrest, as well as resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental Administration 2nd, for allegedly running from police who were attempting to arrest him. He was arraigned in  City Court and turned over to the Genesee County Jail, on a Parole warrant.

Francis A. Coombs, 57, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Coombs is accused of kicking a hole in a wall at a residence on State Street on Aug. 25. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Deandre C. Lee, 30, of Rochester, and Myrin D. Lumpkin, 46, of Batavia, are both charged with disorderly conduct. Lee and Lumpkin are accused of fighting with each other on Aug. 25 in the street at the intersection of Main Street and Jefferson Avenue. Lee was also charged with criminal contempt 2nd. He is accused of violating an order of protection in relation to an occupant of a vehicle Lee and Lumpkin had been in. Lee was arraigned in City Court. Lumpkin was issued an appearance ticket.

Lyndsay T. Young, 41, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Young is accused of living in the woods of private property on South Jackson Street, Batavia. She was arrested on Aug. 26. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Jennifer N. Wilson, 37, of Olean, was arrested on a warrant on Aug. 27. Wilson was initially arrested on Feb 26 on charges of criminal trespass 2nd, obstructing governmental administration 2nd and resisting arrest. Wilson allegedly failed to appear in court on the charges. Wilson was arraigned in City Court and released. 

Lamar I. Randall, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on Aug. 8 on a warrant. Randall allegedly failed to appear on a traffic ticket. He was arraigned and released.

Thomas J. Preedom, 36, of Clarence, is charged with failure to register. Preedom is reportedly a registered sex offender and allegedly failed to report a change of address within 10 days. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Raymond L. Keffer, Jr., 47, of Brockport, is charged with failure to register. Keffer is reportedly a registered sex offender and allegedly failed to report a change of address within 10 days. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Mark W. McWethy, 56, of Batavia, was arrested on Sept. 11 on a warrant. McWethy was initially charged on Aug. 6 with criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. He allegedly failed to appear in court to answer to the charges. He was arraigned and released.

Anthony R. Dunmore, 44, of Rochester, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing. Dunmore is accused of placing his hands around another person's neck during a fight on State Street on Sept. 7., 2023. The suspect fled the scene. Dunmore was arrested on a warrant on Sept. 6. He was arraigned and released.

Michael A. Sweet, 38, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Sweet is accused of grabbing another person and dragging that person during a fight on Raymond Avenue on Sept. 16. He was also arrested on a warrant charging harassment 2nd in connection with an incident involving the same victim. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held in the Genesee County Jail.

Jerry Smith, Jr., 49, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Smith is accused of shoving another person during a dispute on South Swan Street. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kristen L. Kocent, 36, of Batavia, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs. Kocent was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on Oct. 13. She was arrested on Sept. 16, accused of driving while under the influence of narcotics. She was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.

Rachel A. Baer, 37, of Le Roy, was arrested on Sept. 17 on a warrant. Baer was initially arrested in May on a charge of petit larceny. She allegedly failed to appear in court. She was arraigned and released. 

Timothy J. Niccloy, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on Sept. 15 on a warrant. Niccloy was issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket on June 4. He allegedly failed to appear in court. Niccloy was arraigned and released.

Daniel P. Frey, 42, of Batavia, is charged with theft of service. Fey is accused of not paying for his meal at Tully's. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Joseph Anthony Saccomanno, 67, Highland Drive, Williamsville, is charged with harassment 2nd. Saccomanno is accused of hitting another person inside of the concert venue at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center at 8:11 p.m. on Sept. 17. He was issued an appearance ticket. 

Tiaan Geldenhuys, 26, of Watson Road, Elba, is charged with assault 3rd. Geldenhuys is accused of attacking a co-worker at a location on Transit Road in Byron at 2:45 p.m. on Sept. 17, causing physical injury. 

Casey Thomas Vaughn, 35, of Prestige Xing, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Vaughn is accused of violating an order of protection at 10:09 p.m. on Sept. 19. He was held pending arraignment.

Nathaniel Austin Moultrup, 24, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving left of pavement, moving from lane unsafely, drinking alcohol or using cannabis in a motor vehicle. Moultrup was stopped at 1:55 a.m. on Sept. 21 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler.

Maura Carina Diaz-Garcia, 41, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, is charged with assault 2nd. Diaz-Garcia is accused of hitting another person multiple times and hit the person in the head with a coat hangar. The victim sustained multiple physical injuries, including bruising along the the left side of his or her body and a cut on the forehead. Diaz-Garcia was held pending arraignment.

Dean Michael Boldt, 57, of Wende Road. Alden, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 of alcohol and motor vehicle lights not meeting standards. Boldt was stopped at 1:28 a.m. on Sept. 22 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler.

Press Release:

The Sands-Constellation Heart Institute (SCHI) Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support team at Rochester Regional Health (RRH) has been recognized as the 2024 Outstanding Heart Failure Care Team by the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA). The Rochester team is traveling to the annual HFSA Scientific Meeting in Atlanta to receive the award.

“For years, patients with serious heart conditions, including heart failure, often had to travel outside the region to find specialized care. This award affirms what we’ve always known: world-class cardiac care is available right here at Rochester Regional Health,” said Dr. G. Randall Green, MD, JD, MBA and Executive Medical Director of SCHI. “This national recognition underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional, life-saving care to the patients and communities we serve every day.”

The Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support Team is made up of physicians, Advanced Practice Practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, social workers and support team members, who treat thousands of patients a year. Patients travel to Rochester if necessary to receive the latest and most advanced treatments or even take part in groundbreaking clinical trials. They can then continue their treatment plans and receive services close to home in one of our many community-based SCHI provider offices. The team integrates modern technologies such as remote monitoring and teleconferencing to look for symptoms and stay connected.

“Our team and our patients have become family, and we live our purpose of uplifting humanity through care for our community by providing nationally-recognized cardiac care in a geographically isolated and underserved region of New York State,” said Dr. Scott Feitell, MD, Heart Failure Expert with the Sands-Constellation Heart Institute. “Whether we are conducting a clinical trial to examine the effectiveness of new, cutting-edge treatment options or developing treatment plans for those suffering from heart failure, my team and the professionals at the Sands-Constellation Heart Institute are here for our patients.”

To learn more about the RRH Sands-Constellation Heart Institute Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support team, heart disease, diagnostic and monitoring technology and heart failure treatments that include lifestyle and medical management support visit rochesterregional.org.