Byron-Bergen Sports Boosters hosted a basketball contest between deputies in the Sheriff's Office and Byron-Bergen faculty and staff as a fundraiser for the Justice For Children GLOW foundation in the high school gymnasium on Thursday night.

Byron-Bergen won 45-38.

The event raised $1,529 from ticket sales, 50/50 and basket raffles. The Erion family won the 50/50 and donated the proceeds back to the booster club.

The Rose Garden and Greg’ry’s Bakery made donations in support of the event.

During the breaks between quarters and at half-time, Gillam-Grant boys and girls youth basketball teams played a game.

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro.

Paul Marchese’s turn to computers came about in college when a professor suggested a new degree program might be right for him.

Before he even graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in computer science and mathematics, he had started -- in 1981 -- his own business in Batavia.

"I've always had a drive to try and help people to solve a problem and make technology work for them," Marchese said.

That passion has led Marchese to participate in the publication of a couple of books. The latest was released earlier this month, and Marchese contributed one of the essays in The Cyber Playbook (published by BigRedMedia), "The major cyber dangers that could topple your business."

Drawing on his own experience, Marchese writes about how employees -- and even owners -- can be duped through social engineering (using deception to get a person to divulge information they shouldn't) and phishing (a type of social engineering) to gain access to sensitive data.

We're busy, inattentive, not aware, and with a click, poof, critical data is gone, or maybe encrypted, in what's called a ransomware attack.  

Marchese discusses some of the measures businesses can take to protect themselves from these attacks. 

"The biggest point that I can stress to anyone I'm talking to, is cybersecurity is not a set and forget; doesn't work," Marchese said. "The old stalwarts today, the Macafees, the Nortons, all those anti-virus programs, none of them work. It's all essentially placebo based."

Marchese promotes managed services, layers of security and an AI-driven security program called Sentinel One.

"We've been using it for almost five years," Marchese said. "The tech is continually changing, and the way hackers come in is continually changing. It's a moving target. That's why I said it's not set and forget it."

Marchese's first book was self-published and written for the non-IT person to help him or her understand the computer technology and wired world.

"I think it was chapter 10 in that book that was terminology," Marchese said. "I armed them with all the nomenclature an IT person would normally make themselves look better because they'd use these terms that nobody understands."

Marchese’s first collaborative book project came out a year ago, "From Exposed to Secure" (published by Morgan James). The book also covers a range of cybersecurity issues. Marchese's chapter is "Your Workforce Is Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risk."  It provides eight best practices to reduce the risk.

Over the past 44 years, Marchese Computers, 220 Ellicott St., Batavia, has grown from one employee to 10 employees. The mission has remained the same, Marchese said.

"My goal is to remove the stress, the worry from whoever I touch, as far as a client, so they can grow their business because it's symbiotic," Marchese said. "They grow, we grow, and it has worked very well for me."

By lasting more than four decades, Marchese has had plenty of opportunity to kid his uncle, Vic Marchese, owner of Main St. Pizza Company, about his decision not to invest in Paul's company early on.

"I said, 'How'd you like to buy half of my company for $1,500, and he goes, 'I don't know; no, I don’t think so. Computers are just a fad.' Computers are just a fad. I will never let him live that down. And I keep telling him, 'Oh, just a fad, huh?'"

It was no wonder why Tricia Davis had some tears while talking about her Twilight Meadows restaurant — a hotdog stand-turned-diner operated as a family business for the last 36 years in Alexander.

First owned and operated by her mom, Brenda Jarvis, in August 1988, Davis worked there from the beginning and took it over seven years ago. She is now, sadly and excitedly, handing over the keys to new owners at the end of March.

“When my mom took over, this was a hotdog stand. So this place has been here since the 50s. My grandmother went to Alexander school. My mother did. I did, and all my kids did. So I have a lot of deep connections around here,” she said during an interview at the Route 98 site. “So my mom was only 36 when she took over here. And I was 17, so it's been a great place, but the people before us, this was called the hotdog stand, but it was always Twilight Meadows. It's got a lot of neat little history. And people always come back here when they come into town or from the cemetery, you know, people go to the cemetery plots, and they always seem to come here to have their lunch or whatever it might be.”

While packing up to prepare for the new owners, she was reviewing some photos of her teenage self and thought, “No wonder the counter was full of guys,” she said with a smile. She said that her mother was “a pretty good-looking chick,” which didn’t hurt to attract male customers.

The restaurant was an idea of her grandfather, Harold Walton, a milk trucker who happened upon the nicknamed hotdog stand and thought it might be a viable pursuit for his daughter Brenda. Art and Elaine Kendall owned it from 1955 to 1988, served drinks in frozen cold root beer mugs and gave pretzel sticks to kids. 

Grandpa Walton put a down payment on the place, buying it for $115, and his daughter paid it off. She poured her hard-earned experience of having waitressed throughout the area, often in Batavia's The Hideaway, into successful entrepreneurship. Davis soaked up mom's early career as a young girl who worked on a coloring book at a table until mom's shift was over.

When Davis took over, the interior had been converted to enlarge the kitchen and dining space, and the menu gradually expanded to include more entrees — homemade soups, meatloaf, spaghetti, salads, home fries — and breakfast favorites, with omelets being the most popular, she said. Her daughter Sarah, 19, works there part-time and said she spends a good six hours a week peeling and cutting up potatoes for the home fries that customers seem to love.

There was a lot of crying at the start while trying to figure it all out, said Davis, a 1989 Alexander High School grad. She remembered her wise grandpa’s advice to “plan on doing it yourself,” which she has taken to heart — throughout the pandemic and while learning how to be a boss and an employee.

“Since Covid, that’s how I do it. I do all the shopping … I run the restaurant like it’s the 50s, I am not computer literate,” she said. “When my mom left I had to learn how to do everything; the stress of it all, I had to learn sales tax — you’ve got to save for sales tax. I just learned it and was careful. I just figured it out. I’m proud of that.”

She also learned not to order too much inventory ahead of time and not to schedule more staff than she could keep busy. Davis established a routine for where to shop and for what to save the most money and get the right food deliveries. She mowed the lawn. Tended to an outdoor garden. Cooked and washed dishes. Waitressed and did bookkeeping. Cleaned and supervised employees.

During the pandemic shutdown, she had days when orders soared upwards of more than 100.

“It was hellish,” she admitted. “I had 120 take-outs at any given time on any given Friday. I was overwhelmed. People just came; they wanted to be out.”

People were also gracious with their tips and generosity, she said. During any downtime, she kept busy painting the walls and ceiling. There were no lazy Covid days, she said.

“I worked hard. Every day, I had a task,” she said. “I got this place right cleaned up. My son would deliver food. I survived it, and I’m exceptionally proud of it.”

In addition to food, she has also served up plenty of smiles and conversation. Davis described herself as “goofy and an entertainer.” She is someone who loves people and good customer service and has observed that most people like a side of chit-chat with their burgers. The walls are decorated with large framed collages of photos she has taken of customers over the years — many of whom have passed away from a client base of the 20s through 40s, and others that she knows will miss her just as much as she will miss them.

Something must have worked through her intentions to provide a homey atmosphere. A gentleman said to her one day that if she ever wanted to sell, he was interested. They eventually had a more serious talk and struck a deal. At 53, Davis believes it’s time for her to take a break from the constant busyness of business.

Part of the deal with the new owners includes Sarah's current restaurant staff, Davis’s sister Michelle, and three others. Davis agreed to work for the first two days as Twilight Meadows changed hands.

She gave credit to her husband Mike for supporting her all these years, to Aunt Clara for helping out her mom as a cook and waitress the first 20 years, and for “being part of the reason it succeeded,” and to Dawn Meyers, a “very good cook” who worked full- and part-time throughout the years and has always been around to help out.

You might not want to ask Tricia what she will do next. She may not know or want to do anything in particular. For any of the good, there have also been exhaustion and sacrifice, she said.

For now, “I just want to be,” she said.

Dean K. Houk, 55, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and multiple traffic violations. On March 7, a police officer reportedly observed Houk drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Houk allegedly led police on a pursuit through the city until stopped at West Main Street and Oak Street. He was issued traffic tickets and released.

Jamie Stephen Vosburgh, 36, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and insufficient tail lamps. Vosburgh was stopped at 10:26 p.m. on March 16 on Cole Road, Le Roy, by Deputy Zachary Hoy. He was issued traffic tickets and released.

Brandon Charles Dodd, 38, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dodd is accused of shoplifting from Target on Veterans Memorial Drive, Bataiva, at 11:56 a.m. on March 6. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Jennifer C. Moscicki, 48, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Moscicki is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on March 11. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Mercedes Ramon-Rodriguez, 31, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. She is accused of leaving a 3-year-old at home alone. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Kelly J. Mungo, 49, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Mungo is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on March 6. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Mary A Ingles, 70, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Ingles was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on March 5 on Richmond Avenue. She was issued traffic tickets and released.

Bill A. Thomas, 65, is charged with trespass. Thomas was found inside the City Centre Mall on March 7 in violation of a previous order to keep of the premises. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jazmyn R. Bater, 20, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Bater is accused of striking another person in the head several times on March 7 while the other person was holding a child. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Jennifer N. Wilson, 38, of Auburndale, Fla., was arrested on March 9 on a warrant. She allegedly failed to appear on charges from Feb. 26, 2024, of criminal trespass 2nd, obstructing governmental administration, and resisting arrest. She was arraigned and released.

In 2024, Batavia PD handled big crimes, petit crimes, and no crimes and participated in multiple community events, according to the department's annual report.

In all, the department made 635 arrests, which included a murder, nine robberies, 23 felony assaults, 56 thefts, four kidnappings, 66 drug possessions, 44 DWIs, and four sex offenses.

The department did not release a report in 2024, so 2023's arrest data is unavailable.

The 2025 report does provide comparison data for total calls for service. There were 22,116 calls for service last year and 21,617 in 2022.  During the COVID years, calls for service dropped. There were 21,264 calls for service in 2019.

Those calls included 1,120 domestic incidents, which is a slight increase from the previous year, as well as 802 disturbance calls. The police investigated 920 larcenies, which was down from 2023 and 2022, when larceny reports peaked over 1,000. Mental health calls were down from nearly a thousand in 2023 to 715 in 2024.

The number of domestic violence victims has steadily decreased since 2020, when there were 248 victims reported. There were 146 in 2024.

Officers responded to 371 alarm calls, 410 9-1-1 hang-up calls, and 508 animal complaints and conducted 641 welfare checks.

Patrols conducted 3,207 traffic stops and wrote 1,790 citations. 

There were 493 motor vehicle crashes reported.

The department was involved in multiple community events, including Batavia Community Night, Shop with a Cop, Trunk-or-Treat, and Juneteenth, as well as department members participating in charity softball and hockey games.

The most significant case of the year was the death of Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello of the Sheriff's Office. He died while trying to deal with unruly patrons at Batavia Downs. Batavia's officers and detectives handled the investigation.  Michael Elmore was eventually convicted of manslaughter in the case.

"The men and women of the City of Batavia Police Department go above and beyond each and every day to ensure the safest possible neighborhoods and streets," said Chief Shawn Heubusch in his opening message. "Our civilian staff makes sure that the department operates as efficiently as possible and are to be recognized for their hard work as well. I thank all the members of the Department for their service and sacrifice as we enter into a new year."

Two consecutive trips to the Final Four. Two consecutive games against the same opponent. 

The same disappointing results for the Elba Lancers.

The Lancers lost to Northville again, this time 54-46.

It was the first loss of the season for Elba, which ends with a 23-1 record.

Scoring for Elba:

• Sydney Reilly, 15 points
• Brea Smith, 10 points
• Mariah Ognibene, 6 points

Photos by Debra Reilly

A 33-year-old Batavia man will serve up to 20 years in federal prison on a conviction of production and possession of child pornography, a U.S district judge ruled on Thursday.

Derek Hagen admitted to the child pornography charges on Sept. 7, 2022. He was arrested in November 2021.

Hagen's most recently known employment at the Brockport Childhood Development Center as an assistant teacher in the infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms.

According to Kyle P. Rossi, assistant U.S. attorney, the evidence compiled against Hagen showed that the former teacher engaged in a pattern of sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 4 and 8. Hagen photographed and videoed himself, subjecting the victim to sexual contact. Hagen then distributed the images to other people over the internet.

Rossi also said that Hagan, while employed in Brockport, produced and possessed sexually explicit images of children entrusted to his care. The children ranged in age from six months to five years. Hagen produced these images while changing diapers and assisting children who were learning to use the bathroom. Hagen distributed the images of these children to other individuals over the internet. 

Hagen also possessed approximately 50,000 images and videos of child pornography that he received from others via the internet.

The case was investigated by the State Police, Homeland Security, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.     

Press Release:

The Genesee County Interagency Council is pleased to announce that we will be offering a $1000 scholarship for the fall 2025 semester. Those eligible will be students living in Genesee County and attending Genesee Community College; in good academic standing, and majoring in Human Services, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Studies or Psychology OR High School Seniors living in and attending high school in Genesee County; in good academic standing, and majoring in Human Services, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Studies, Social Work, Sociology or Psychology ONLY.

Because the goal of this scholarship is to support those students who have a strong drive to contribute to the field of Human Services, special consideration will be given to those students who have already demonstrated a commitment to the field through their employment, volunteer, academic, and/or extracurricular pursuits.

Completed applications must be received by Friday, May 9. The awardee will be notified by phone by June 6. The award will be presented at our June 18 picnic meeting at Dewitt Recreation Area (detailed information will be provided during phone notification).

We look forward to having the opportunity to support a Genesee Community College student in their pursuit of a degree in the field of Human Services. Please feel free to contact Kari Heidemann, Scholarship Committee member, at 716-550-0934 should you have any questions. 

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Observant visitors of DeWitt Recreation Area and the adjacent pond have noticed an unusually large number of fish this year; however, instead of swimming around, they were dead.

One person, who labeled herself “a concerned citizen,” said that while walking around the trail, “I saw a massive amount of dead fish, more than I have ever seen in the spring (well over 60),” she said. “And the DEC was there testing. I am worried something is wrong with the water. I know it’s a run-off for quite a bit, and people eat the fish.”

Another reader of The Batavian submitted photos of the finned creatures that were spotted floating on top of the edge of DeWitt Pond on Cedar Street in Batavia.

The Batavian reached out to Department of Public Works Commissioner Tim Hens for answers as to why fish are dying and the possible connection to the water quality and the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s recent visit.

“Genesee County Parks Staff is aware of the dead fish at DeWitt Pond. Most appear to be carp. This appears to be a normal winter die-off. The low lake levels and extreme ice thickness likely contributed to the higher seasonal die-off from low oxygen levels in the water,” Hens said. “The DEC is currently getting ready to stock the pond with Brown Trout on April 1. In an abundance of caution, we have reached out to them regarding the fish die-off. We have not heard back from them yet.”

An article on "Winterkill in Ponds" at Penn State University's Extension website, explains it this way:

Winterkill refers to the loss of fish in winter because oxygen is lacking in the pond. Submerged vegetation and algae create oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. During the winter, oxygen production is often reduced because ice and snow on the lake limit sunlight reaching vegetation. In small, shallow lakes, the available oxygen can quickly be used up by live plants and fish that consume oxygen in the evening, and by bacteria that feed on dead and decaying vegetation. When the oxygen level declines, less tolerant fish species (such as carp) and fish in poor condition overall can begin to suffocate.

Oxygen enters ponds by moving from the air into the water aided by the wind, or from photosynthesis by the plants in the pond. Ice cover blocks oxygen movement from the air into the water, and oxygen produced by algae and plants become the only source. Thin, clear ice allows oxygen production by plants and algae since enough sunlight can filter through the ice to allow photosynthesis. If the ice remains into mid-winter or thickens slightly, oxygen levels will begin to decrease because each day, pond plants and animals use oxygen, even in winter, as the animals breathe and dead plant material decays.

Conversely, the more water volume there is in a pond, the less likely the pond will experience winterkill.

Updates from the DEC will be reported by The Batavian about any water or other issues related to the dying fish other than what Hens suspects is the reason.

As they begin their first new year working together as election commissioners, the duo of Scott German and Lorie Longhany had some crucial business to take care of right off the bat during Wednesday’s Ways & Means meeting.

They recently discovered a pricey need for the Board of Elections and recommended the purchase of 24 new Dominion voting machines for $254,700 plus $11,040 annual maintenance after year five to replace 28 scanners no longer supported by outdated equipment. German was hired for the Republican commissioner position to fill a vacancy left by Dick Siebert when he retired in December.

“I did not know this was coming when I first got there, and I'm not sure Lori was aware of that either, simply because my predecessor basically took care of the equipment that we had out there, and just something that really should have happened a few years ago,” German said. “We are currently leasing 29 machines, and that goes until 2030. So, at that point, we will probably be coming back and asking to either lease more or buy more.”

Longhany, the Democrat commissioner, added that the board was gifted two machines from Orleans County that went to another vendor, which brings the total up to 55.

“And that's really what we need. We need two scanners for each poll site, and we have 48. We have 24 poll sites that leaves us with two to three machines for early voting, and then we have eight scanners in reserve that we could bring out in case we have any malfunctions,” she said. “They're just scanners. They are not ICE machines.”

ICE is ImageCast Evolution, a hybrid voting device that combines optical scanning, ballot printing and vote-casting functions in one integrated machine.

Legislator Marianne Clattenburg asked if there are any grants available for this equipment. One would think that voting is such an important cause these days that there might be financial help, she said.

No, German said. But there is a silver lining, sort of.

“We will be coming to you in hopefully a few weeks to buy new iPads, the poll pads,” he said. “We do have grant funds for those, yes, but not for this.”

There doesn’t seem to be much of a choice because when the machines are no longer compatible, “then we get into trouble with the technologies,” Longhany said. German said that two of them went down last November on Election Day. Clattenburg then asked if that would require additional training.

“No, because we currently are releasing the exact machines that we'll be buying; it's actually going to be easier because now they only need to train the inspectors and coordinators on one machine instead of two,” he said.

All of the machines will be accessible to everyone, and technicians have said they’re easier to operate and to get into for maintenance, Longhany said.

The purchase was less expensive than to lease the new machines — $417,024. The cost will be paid for using 1% of county sales tax.

German and Longhany also reviewed IRS regulations requiring the Board of Elections to classify Election Day workers as county employees. To comply with this, the commissioners asked to add 100 coordinator and 200 election inspector positions to include alternates and amend the 2025 management salary schedule.

"This is something that should have been done, I'm guessing seven years ago, but my predecessor wouldn't let it happen. So it was manually taken care of in the treasurer's office," German said. "But now that I'm there, we need to be IRS compliant. We have sent letters out to all of our inspectors and coordinators so they understand that they'll be employees."

Coordinators will be at a rate of $360 for a 16-hour shift on Election Day and $171 for an Early Voting Day schedule, and election inspectors will have a rate of $320 for a 16-hour Election Day shift and $152 for Early Voting Day, with a rate of $60 for training.

Since funds were budgeted for 152 positions, there may need to be a budget amendment to cover training beyond the 152 positions.

A final recommendation was to create two senior clerks/machine technicians to provide proper supervision to other clerks/machine technicians. These two positions will be for 22 hours per week at $23 an hour, and two clerk/machine technician positions are to be deleted.

Committee members agreed to these measures, and a vote will go before the full Legislature on March 26.

The annual Tech Wars competition for high school students in STEM programs was held on Wednesday at Genesee Community College.

The winning middle schools:

• 1st Batavia Middle School with 28 points
• 2nd Warsaw Middle School with 16 points
• 3rd York Middle School with 15 points

The winning high schools:

• 1st Geneseo High School with 27 points
• 2nd Dansville High School with 24 points
• 3rd Batavia High School with 23 points

To view or purchase photos, click here.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce has launched a Strategic Place Branding Initiative to elevate our county’s identity, fuel economic growth, and enhance tourism! Help shape the future of Genesee County! Take our Resident or Visitor survey.

Learn more at BrandGenesee.com

After Donald Trump made diversity, equity and inclusion dirty words via an executive order as far as business and government are concerned, Victoria’s Secret, Pepsi, Goldman Sachs, Paramount, Bank of America, Citigroup, Disney, Chipotle, Google, and many other companies and organizations have pared down or changed their language to correspond to the new directive.

Add Genesee County to the list. The federal administration cast a very wide net, apparently, in a search for those words, County Manager Matt Landers says.

"We had one program in particular at Office for the Aging that there was a request for us to change the wording on the program description narrative," Landers said to The Batavian Monday. "This is a program that was already near the end of its three-year cycle of funding, and we were requested to change the wording, and we made the change in the wording because we did not want to lose the funding.

"It didn't change, in our opinion, the content of the program whatsoever. But there was a request made to change the narrative, and it was basically -- we had the option of giving the money back or changing the narrative -- so we changed the narrative," he said. "The program, I believe, was an annual allocation of about $50,000."

The program was in the final year of a three-year agreement, ending March 31. County officials didn’t consider it “a big deal” since the funding had already been received; however, it was a renewable RSVP AmeriCorps senior program on a three-year grant cycle, and they intended to request a renewal, he said.

“We do have upwards of $6 or $7 million, I believe, in federal funding. So that is the only instance that we've been made aware of where they dove deep enough to try to see where there was anything that was DEI-related,” he said. “So I'm glad that's all that they've found — the federal government — but it definitely is eye-opening, and that's something that we'll keep an eye on going forward, and there is real proof, a real example, that they are looking at wording.”

Again, he wanted to emphasize that the wording changes “in no way changed how we run the RSVP program.”

Pamela LaGrou, the county’s compliance officer, provided some of the language that was changed, as per below:

Specific and targeted language pertaining to diversity, equity and inclusion was changed to broader descriptive phrases or simply removed, she said.

For example, “…we recruit members with a wide range of skills and experiences including geography (urban/rural), economic (upper/lower income) and work experience (factory worker/teacher, secretary),” rather than  “…we recruit members to ensure diversity of geography (urban/rural), economic (upper/lower income) and work experience (factory worker/teacher), secretary, etc. while also seeking to represent diversity in race, ethnicity, sex and veteran status."

Reference to specific groups was removed: “RSVP has connected with the Pride Center of Buffalo, an LGTBQ advocacy center.” Also, the following was removed “Genesee RSVP in inclusive of older adults, or all races, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, political and religious affiliations and we ensure the same of our stations via conversations at the time the MOU is signed.”

All language changes were made to ensure compliance with the President’s Executive Order, LaGrou said.

Although the air outside may be getting gradually warmer, a plan to provide that warmth all year long is still in the works, and musician Bart Dentino has been lined up to get toes tapping for the first Warming Center Benefit Concert this week.

So everybody Come Together, Let It Be and Help while enjoying a set of songs from the Beatles,  James Taylor, Garth Brooks, Gordon Lightfoot, and some of Dentino’s original pieces.

“It’s a very important cause that can slip a person’s mind on those frigid nights when you’re sitting comfortably in a warm home with dinner and snacks available to you.  As you well know, that’s not the case for everyone," Dentino said. "Pastor Roula Alkhouri has a very tender heart coupled with a drive to get important things done.  She brought the need for a warming center to my attention.  I offered my musical services in hopes that we could raise awareness and funds to help create that warming center, which would offer services to those people and families in need at those critical times."  

The concert is set for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia. This event is free and open to the public as an evening of music and of coming together to raise awareness and funds for a Genesee County Warming Center during the cold winter nights, organizers say. Donations will be welcomed.

Through the work that he’s done over the years, Dentino has come to realize that the homeless population of individuals and families with children right here in Genesee County “is much greater than one might think,” he said.

“Families that live in a motel room with children going to school each morning hungry, suffering from poor sleep habits, and having an uphill fight to function in the school and classroom,” he said. “Anything that can be done to help them not only survive their situation but thrive in their ability to overcome it is worth doing.”

This initiative began by members of Oak Orchard Health and Batavia First Presbyterian Church in November 2024 with a meeting to gauge the interest and hear ideas and issues about a potential need for this center. 

There was a “heartening display of community spirit” at that time, said Alkhouri, one of the organizers, and concerned citizens and stakeholders gathered together out of concern for those in need and to participate in a solution.

A dedicated steering committee was formed to focus on five key areas, including funding, finding suitable space, staffing, community resources, and marketing. 

“We are excited to begin this effort with the invaluable experience and planning resources of Oak Orchard Health,” Alkhouri had said. “However, we are still looking for more community partners to join this initiative." 

If you are interested in joining any of these teams, please call the church office at 585-343-0505.

“Together, we can make a significant impact and provide a warm, safe space for those in need during the cold months,” she said. “Your support and involvement are crucial to the success of this project.”

About 50 people from several organizations and nonprofits attended, including Community Action of Orleans Genesee, Genesee County Mental Health, Department of Social Services and Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police, Genesee ACE, St. James Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Community Services Board, and Crossroads House.

What is a warming center?
This center is to be set up as an evening and overnight safe space for people in need of shelter from the cold on days when the temperature falls below 32-degrees. Organizers also want to provide an opportunity for this space to be a place of connection with helpful resources.

If you have not heard of Henry Grace, that's OK; until a year ago, neither had Eric Zwieg.

Henry Grace, he said, is "a reinvention of yourself, right?"

So who is Henry Grace?

"He's someone who hasn't played music in like, almost 25 years, you know, on a regular basis, someone who hasn't written songs or played with other people (in a long time)."

That sounds a lot like Zwieg.

"The last time I legitimately played music was in Atlanta, with a couple of bands down there.
 Zwieg said. "We put records out. We played the scenes that were happening, played a lot of bars, did some great opening act type stuff."

Then Zwieg, originally from Jamestown, came back to Western New York. That was in 2003.

"Since then, I haven't done anything," Zwieg said. "I hardly picked up a guitar. In fact, I basically gave away all my gear over the years."

A little over a year ago, he showed up at the first Iburi Photography open mic and read from his thesis, and then he formed the musical duo Paris and Holly with Emily Crawford. They performed together at Iburi and GO Art! together for about six months. 

During that time, Henry Grace started to emerge. Now, Grace is ready to release his first full-length album, "The Complete Disaster," at a release party at 8 p.m. on Saturday at GO Art!, 201 E. Main St., Batavia.

Music has been part of Zwieg since childhood.

"I was always around music when I was a kid," Zwieg said. "I was fortunate enough to grow up on the grounds of Chautauqua Institute. When I was a kid, in my early adolescence and teen years, I saw amazing artists there, including the symphony and ballet companies and opera, a lot of the big touring acts of the late 60s and 70s. It was a big influence on me and kind of just hurtled me into music."

He started out on trumpet, joined choir and before graduating from high school, he was involved in musical theater.

At 16, he became a drummer (self-taught) in a band. They played Southern Rock in the bards of Jamestown.

"That was a lot of fun," Zwieg said. "It taught me how to deal with bar owners and drunks and everything that goes along with what used to be the only place you could play."

He paused his pursuit of music when he became "domesticated."  He became a father when he was 21 and went back to community college and majored in musical theater. During that time, he put his own band together for the first time, Common Man.

"I was writing songs right from the start, playing guitar and singing, and we had a great four-piece band," Zwieg said. "We stuck around for about five, six years, did some recordings, did a lot of regional touring, opening up for some smaller acts. It's a really small scene in Jamestown, but kind of the epicenter because of the fact that the 10,000 Maniacs had made it 10 years before, and so there were a lot of musicians around who were trying to put bands together."

His next band was called The Schmells but the gigs weren't happening, so he started doing solo acoustic work in college bars and coffee houses in Buffalo, Erie, Fredonia, Geneseo, and other college towns.

"It was a funky scene, and it was always better in the small college markets," he said.

In 2016, he came to Batavia and started formal writing programs, earning a bachelor's degree as well as an MFA.

He wrote fiction, plays, and poems and put together theatrical productions, poetry readings, and lectures.

Then the siren song of the musical muse started calling again.

"Music has definitely taken the upper hand because I find it easier to just play by myself and go out into a gig or set things up with other people, rather than putting together a full cast, Zwieg said. 

When you put a production together, it is, well, a production. You need rehearsal space and a place to perform as well as the casting and directing."

"It's incredibly time-consuming and I don't want to be a producer," Zwieg said.

He said he would rather be an artist, and music was always central to his life.

All the formal education sparked an interest at working at the craft of songwriting.

"I just didn't have any purpose, really, and I wasn't connecting with people," Zwieg said. "And it's an easy way to connect with people, and even if you're just playing open mics and things like that there becomes a community. And I was trying to create a community at the same time. So yeah, I was definitely trying to motivate myself. Once you put things out in front of you that you know you want to accomplish, or things that you're expected to do ... you become committed to it."

He hosted a series of Henry Grace and Company coffee-house-like shows at GO Art! over the past several months, featuring not just Grace, but also other solo acoustic performers.

"The overall purpose is just to get singer-songwriters to come out of the closet," Zwieg said. 

"We've created a bit of an audience there, and that's really the major thing I'd like to parlay that into -- I was hoping for a grant this year, but it didn't come through -- working towards the first Batavia Folk Festival to include all the local folks and local teachers."

So what does Henry Grace write and sing about?

The self, Zwieg said. Not necessarily the personal self but songs that are personal and about selves.

"There's a lot of storytelling in there," Zwieg said. "I like to tell stories. I have been fortunate enough to travel around the country and in Europe and really meet a lot of people. I love to sit and talk and bullshit. Once in a while, you extract something good."

Those conversations made it into journals, and those journals led to a stream-of-consciousness approach to songwriting, he said. 

"I would most compare it to somebody like REM, who was a big influence on me when I first started writing songs. A lot of their music is a stream of consciousness, or it's just it's poetic. Things in Michael Stipe just strung together, and that's always stuck with me."

So, in Henry Grace, Zwieg has rediscovered his roots.

"Music has always been my go-to thing," Zwieg said. "I've played it throughout my life and a lot of different kinds of different approaches, but I'm back to the singer-songwriter type of thing now and just really simplifying it."

Press Release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), alongside Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-9) and Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), reintroduced legislation to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to remove private or commercial golf courses and country clubs from section 144(c)(6)(B) of the U.S. tax code.

This legislation allows golf courses to take advantage of various forms of disaster relief and community development programs available to other businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, and other leisure activities.

The golf industry comprises over 15,000 small businesses, 80% of which provide public recreational experiences for nearly 30 million Americans every year. It also supports 2 million jobs, and $4 billion is raised for charity each year through America’s golf courses.

"Golf courses create jobs, promote economic development, and provide a fun and healthy activity for friends and families across New York’s 24th Congressional District to enjoy. This legislation would allow golf courses, which provide a family-friendly activity, to use tax-exempt private activity bonds to help recover from natural disasters. This legislation will significantly benefit our community’s golf courses and work to continue to promote economic growth and prosperity throughout our region," said Congresswoman Tenney.

“America’s golf courses contribute significantly to our local economies through jobs, tourism, and community development in places like my home county. Unfortunately, the outdated tax code has unfairly penalized these businesses for too long, making it harder for them to grow or recover after a disaster. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Golf Caucus, I’m proud to champion this legislation to support our golf industry,” said Congressman Hudson.

"For decades, golf courses have been excluded from disaster relief and economic stimulus programs under the tax code. Our bipartisan legislation would rectify this by removing the restrictions that prevent golf facilities from accessing the same support available to similar entities. By passing this legislation, we can ensure that golf courses are treated under the same standards as other businesses, helping them contribute to the recovery and growth of our local economies," said Congressman Panetta.

The chaos and beauty of March Madness is back again. We’re about to see who will become our next champs, the best team, and the future legends.

My favorite part about March Madness is the Cinderella story. Every time these teams make their way through the tournament, there’s a common theme. They are in unison in every aspect of the game. Every player, whether you are the star or the sixth man, knows their role and plays together as one unit.

This is how to succeed on the court and off it. Working together and doing your job is how companies, communities and our military fulfill their missions. I’m pleased to see it happening right here in Genesee County. And I’m excited to share how our students are already part of these missions.

In partnership with the United States Navy Maritime Industrial Base, the www.buildsubmarines.com effort aims to train the next generation of individuals who will be responsible for the transformation of a nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

It is estimated that the Navy will require the addition of 200,000 skilled workers ranging from fields in welding, CNC technicians, and manufacturing. These are the job skills that our students have been getting first-hand experience in from local career pathway opportunities. 

To complement the Build Submarines initiative at the local level, our workforce and manufacturing partners are implementing programs that are supporting the future careers that will solidify the United States Navy’s position as the protector of our seas.

It’s a mission that starts in Genesee County. 

One of our county’s largest employers, Graham Manufacturing, is a global leader in the design and manufacture of mission critical fluid, power, heat transfer and vacuum technologies for the defense shipbuilding industry. Graham Manufacturing continues to increase their commitment to US Navy shipbuilding in order to meet the demanding cadence of our nation’s submarine construction requirements, resulting in increased local employment opportunities. 

Genesee Valley BOCES offers instruction in CNC technician skillsets that transfer to careers in manufacturing, defense, and high-tech sectors. Genesee Community College and Genesee Valley BOCES are also partnering to provide a CNC FANUC industry-recognized credential for their graduating seniors this spring. This partnership would not be possible without funding from The Heckscher Foundation For Children and SUNY Pre-Apprenticeship grant funding.

Students also utilize state-of-the-art equipment provided by funding from the GCEDC in local apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship pathways that have connected students to in-demand careers at local companies, including Graham Manufacturing, Oxbo, Nortera, and others. 

One of Genesee Community College’s newest programs starting in fall 2025 is offering an
accelerated certification course as a welding technician. The certification is recognized by the American Welding Society and National Workforce Career Association as essential to entry-level employment in this field. Students who complete this program have the option of participating in an internship with a local company.

With these programs and opportunities, the pathway for each of our children to go from a student to a critical part of our country’s defense is here. And unlike March Madness, this pathway to success doesn’t require a buzzer beater, a bad call, or any upsets. Just the willingness for all of us to work together.

We will continue to keep our students on the path and connect them to the careers that support our local economy, including through the Build Submarines program.

Visit www.gcedc.com/workforceprograms to access our free career checklist, featuring eight
essential steps to jumpstart your professional journey.

If you are a student, parent, teacher, or guidance counselor, contact me at csuozzi@gcedc.com to learn how to get involved today!

Go Bills!

Chris “Coach SwazZ” Suozzi is the Executive Vice President of Business & Workforce Development at the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

Press Release:

It was Confirmation Retreat Sunday for our Resurrection Parish and Ascension Parish Confirmation candidates; Coats of arms, corporal works of mercy, Saint interviews, and church imagery were among the retreat events.

Submitted photos.