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Rollover accident involving an ambulance reported on Route 98

By Howard B. Owens
ambulance-accident-elba

An accident involving an ambulance with a patient aboard has been reported at Route 98 and Batavia Elba Townline Road, Elba.

The ambulance is reportedly the vehicle that rolled over.

Elba Fire, Town of Batavia Fire, and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 3:08 p.m. by Joanne Beck: Mercy Flight is being dispatched and a landing zone is being set up.

UPDATE: Preliminary information available at the scene: The ambulance was northbound, and the sedan was eastbound.  No information yet on how the collision occurred. There were two people in the sedan (it had Canadian plates). One was transported to Strong by Mercy Flight. One was transported by ground ambulance. The driver and medic in the ambulance were treated at the scene (at the time, possible transport for one of them was pending).  The patient in the ambulance may not have sustained injuries and be transported by another ambulance to the patient's original destination.

Photos by Howard Owens

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GCEDC board to consider $3.8M Le Roy project Thursday

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors will consider an initial resolution for a project by 9 Lent Avenue, LLC in the village of Le Roy.

The estimated $3.8 million project would renovate an existing 32,500 square-foot structure at 9 Lent Avenue and create 4 new jobs.

9 Lent Avenue, LLC has requested assistance valued at $267,725 in property tax abatements and $77,600 in sales tax exemptions, with the project estimated to generate $3,382,738 in fiscal returns based on new employment and new municipal revenue.

The GCEDC Board also will consider final resolutions for two community solar farm projects in the town of Le Roy.

FFP NY Le Roy Project1, LLC and FFP NY Le Roy Project2, LLC represent a total $20 million investment and will generate up to 7 megawatts of power through the installation of ground-mounted solar panels.

The GCEDC board meeting will be Thursday, September 5 at 4 p.m. at the MedTech Center’s Innovation Zone, 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia.

Meeting materials and links to a live stream/on-demand recording of the meeting is available at www.gcedc.com.

The Recovery Station schedules grand opening for Sept. 20; will stream NFL games on Sundays

By Press Release
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Luke Granger and Melissa Vinyard welcome the public to an open house at The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road, Batavia, from 5-9 p.m. Sept. 20.

Press Release:

“Come and celebrate the grand opening of The Recovery Station. Be among the first to experience our new kitchen and discover your favorite spot in town.”

With that clear invitation, Luke Granger, director of Recovery Services at UConnectCare (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse), is welcoming everyone to check out the agency’s drug- and alcohol-free social gathering place at 5256 Clinton St. Rd., Batavia.

The grand opening is scheduled from 5 - 9 p.m. on Sept. 20 and will feature two bands – Groove and Black Cherry Voodoo – along with free food and refreshments. Reservations are requested by calling 585-815-5248 but not required.

Granger said The Recovery Station has come a long way since UConnectCare purchased the former Bohn’s Restaurant and opened it up to people in recovery in the spring of 2020.

“When the program was launched it was exactly when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, so we’ve never experienced any kind of grand opening,” he said. “And when I came on board, we were on a shoestring budget and did the best we could with what we had to work with.”

Since then, Granger said the agency has received grants and money from the opioid settlement “that has allowed us to do a number of different things, including renovating the kitchen and making some other capital purchases.”

He said he and his staff are pleased to be able to offer a variety of activities and to provide light food and refreshments to those who utilize the completely remodeled facility.

“This grand opening is about opening our arms to the community and allowing them to come in and join us – not only supporting recovery but celebrating those people in recovery,” he said.

Melissa Vinyard, coordinator of The Recovery Station, echoed Granger’s comments while adding that she realizes that people in recovery have a hard time locating social environments that don’t include alcohol.

“As a person in recovery, I think one of the greatest barriers for people in recovery are finding places to go to learn how to have fun again, without the drinking and without the drugs,” she said. “At The Recovery Station, they can find that outlet and take part in all that we have to offer – making new friends, playing pool, watching TV or using our fitness equipment.”

Vinyard also mentioned that The Recovery Station has purchased the NFL’s YouTube Sunday package and will be streaming games on the several big screen televisions that have been purchased recently.

“We’re going to be open on Sundays, starting with the first Buffalo Bills game on Sept. 8, and every Sunday to the Super Bowl,” she said. “We’re going to serve some refreshments and pizza and pop and other snacks and just have a good time rooting for the Bills and your favorite team.”

Submitted photos.

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Luke Granger stands in the renovated commercial kitchen at The Recovery Station, a program of UConnectCare, on Clinton Street Road, Batavia.
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Outside view of The Recovery Station, formerly Bohn’s Restaurant.

GO Art! residency artists Parris and Holly set to host four local artists and perform Sept. 19 & 26, Oct. 17 & 24

By Press Release
Parris and Holly
Photo by Iburi Photography.

Press Release:

Folk-pop duo Parris and Holly is thrilled to announce a four-night residency at Go Art!, located at 201 East Main Street in Batavia. The duo will host four Thursday night performances, starting on September 19 and continuing on September 26, October 17, and October 24. The performances will be free to the public.

Each evening will kick off with an hour-long set by a local artist from 7 - 8 p.m., followed by Parris and Holly from 8 - 9 p.m.

Featured Opening Acts: 

September 19: Howard B. Owens, publisher of The Batavian LLC

September 26: Alex Feig, area musician, songwriter, and former WBTA news producer

October 17: Billy Lambert, Le Roy resident and singer-songwriter, known for his work in the bands Woody Dodge, Lambertbilly, and the acoustic duo Damn the Flood

October 24: Chris Humel, artist and frontman of the punk band Cowboy Vampires 

Join us for these special evenings of music and community. No tickets are required, and all ages are welcome.

Holland Land Office Museum celebrates the US Constitution for monthly trivia night

By Press Release

Press Release:

Holland Land Office Museum (HLOM), in honor of Constitution Week (September 17 to 23), has scheduled the museum’s monthly trivia game topic on the U.S. Constitution.  

The HLOM, with support from the Anna Ingalsbe Lovell Chapter NSDAR, is providing the 1st and 2nd place prizes. The chapter has again contributed information for the Robert Morris display which documents Genesee County's connection to the nation’s founding.

Constitution week began in 1956 at the request of the NSDAR to Congress and was enacted by President Eisenhower. September 17 is always the opening day of Constitution week’s celebrations.

For more information on joining the NSDAR or Constitution Week please go to www.dar.org.

Trivia is set for September 12 at 7 p.m., light refreshments will be served. There is a $5 admission fee that covers the Trivia game.

Annual BID scarecrow contest is coming up and open to any business or group

By Press Release
2022 File Photo of a downtown scarecrow on Main Street in Batavia.
Photo by Howard Owens

Press Release:

The Batavia Business Improvement District is hosting its annual Scarecrow Contest for downtown Batavia as a creative way to add some more fall flavor to downtown decorating. 

The BID invites any business, group or organization to enter the contest. For $20, each business will be provided basic supplies of straw, a post and zip ties, along with their pole assignment. 

Each business can get creative in creating their scarecrow. All voting for favorite scarecrow ends Sunday, October 27. Winners will be announced on Halloween!

Supply pick up will be in Jackson Square on Tuesday, September 17 through Thursday, September 19 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise arranged.

Payment is due before or upon pick up. All
Scarecrows need to be up no later than October 4, and must be taken down by November 2.

The winner will receive a cash prize!

For more information on BID and Downtown events, please email
director@downtownbataviany.com, visit our Facebook Page or our Website at bataviabid.com.

Sponsored Post: Just listed by Reliant; 7487 Fisher Road, Oakfield

By Sponsored Post
Reliant Real Estate

7487 Fisher Road Oakfield, NY 14125. Country hidden gem! One owner custom built home that was lovingly up-kept throughout the years and it shows! This ranch home has so much possibility for the new owners but can be immediately moved into as it is immaculate and freshly painted thruout and the hardwood floors shine! From walking into large breezeway entrance with parquet floors to the bright and homey large kitchen with plenty of cupboards and counter space you will be impressed with all the room thru out! The bedrooms are large with hardwood floors and closets and the oversized livingroom will make you just want to stay and relax! There are beautiful windows with gorgeous views and very pretty glass French doors to add to the charm. Downstairs adds an **ADDITIONAL almost 600 sq ft!** Clean and brite with cozy gas fireplace and walk out entrance to amazing back yard that boasts an **extra tax ID included with sale that adds an additional 7.4 acres and TWO barns!!**Taxes and assessment reflect both parcels Additionally there is central vac a tear off roof(2014) and charming Eternal Gas lite outside!! Come take a walk and enjoy all of this and more!! Delayed negotiations until Sunday 9/8 at 5:00 Call Reliant Real Estate today, call 585-344-HOME (4663).

Automated greenhouse produces sweet crop, chosen as Top 20 for Grow-NY contest

By Joanne Beck
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A harvesting robot in an automated greenhouse for strawberries.
Submitted Photo

Tucked into rural Genesee County is a little-known greenhouse filled with automated technology. It’s overseeing a sweet crop of strawberries that just might turn agriculture on its head.

At least that’s what founder and CEO Gilwoo Lee is banking on with Zordi, her autonomous greenhouses with robots and artificial intelligence (AI) designed to make delicious, high-quality produce available anywhere in the world. Her company has two locations: the most recently acquired farm in southern New Jersey and, through the connection of co-founder and head grower Casey Call, a greenhouse in Oakfield. 

Zordi has made the top 20 list for the annual Grow-NY, a business competition focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage, and agriculture innovation cluster in upstate New York. Winning companies will be required to make a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region, which includes 22 counties located in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier regions.

Lee isn’t quite certain what the pitch will be to snag the winning spot in the contest, but she knows her end goal.

Gilwoo Lee
Gilwoo Lee

“So basically what we need to prove out, is the largest market in the U.S. gonna love us?” she said. A native of South Korea, Lee has a unique vantage point of that area’s use of controlled environments.

 "I applied to Carnegie University's Robotics Institute. That's like the number one when it comes to robots. So I started studying there, and then, long story short, I graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a Ph.D in AI and robotics. I really wanted to take that to where it felt personally, very meaningful and passionate about climate change sustainability and where there's labor shortage, and that led me to control the environment in agriculture like greenhouses and indoor farming in general,” she said. “One thing just historically is interesting about Korea, and that's kind of why I was a little bit more familiar, is that they do a lot of greenhouses, mainly because they get a lot more scarcity, like land, and not all the weather is as great as California. So I was just studying that and started my company.”

An AI roboticist and product of MIT, University of Washington and Carnegie Mellon University, Lee wants to build robotic greenhouses anywhere, and perhaps even more importantly, “deliver the best food.”

Before she could proceed, though, she needed to get the best farmer/grower for her initiative. After securing a venture capital company, she was able to meet with some 30 different head growers across the country.

She ended up meeting this one guy “doing a lot of greenhouses and vertical farm, indoor farm stuff. Turns out I really, really liked what the person that stood out the most, like way above everybody else in terms of the mission and expertise and knowledge, was working at a company called Plenty, which is in the Bay Area. It is the largest vertical farm, completely indoors, without sunlight,” Lee said. “And he was in charge of the production, and he was ready to basically, and it's super expensive, by the way, to do those things, so he was a little bit really looking for a more affordable, effective solution. And so I asked him to join the company ... So he was my first employee/co-founder.”

His name is Casey Call, son of Peter, president of My-T Acres in Batavia. Lee learned that Casey is a sixth-generation farmer, and she was drawn to Western New York. The co-founders ended up leasing a greenhouse that Pudgie Riner was retiring with Triple P Farms, she said. 

"We were building a new greenhouse as a complete startup; it takes a lot of expertise, and we're like, how do we get this right? You don't have that much time. You kind of have time and money to kind of balance out, and Pudgie at Triple P was really kind to offer a greenhouse that was ready to retire. So we took that, and we are leasing it," she said. "We completely retrofitted it, put a lot of infrastructure to make it essentially, you can flip the season inside of the greenhouse. So that's how we started growing these very new, exciting varieties of strawberries that are really sweet varieties. 

"And we've been very small, and that's why I've been very stealth, not necessarily stealth, it was just a really small growing them, running a robot," she said. "And as a startup, you do actually have to kind of prove it and put your best effort in one location.” 

The crop has been small in volume and Zordi has sold to two stores in Manhattan, and is selling to a Wegmans in New York City, in addition to using family members as guinea pigs to taste test the sweet product, so no one locally will have seen it or been able to purchase these berries yet, she said. 

Bottom line: venture capital investors are looking to confirm that Lee and Call know what they are are doing and can do it well before moving on to the next stage. 

So what’s the next stage?

“We opened a second farm in South New Jersey as part of that kind of one step ahead for kind of proving our points," Lee said. "So we are running both of the farms. Both of them are still pretty tiny; we’re not actually scaling. It’s more like we’re proving these out across these two locations.”

The Oakfield greenhouse opened in September 2022, and Southern New Jersey a year later. They employ up to four full-time people and have three different types of robots on site: scout, which involves the robots moving throughout the greenhouse and capturing all of the growing data; harvest, to collect the plants; and spray the plants. The first two were built in-house, said Lee, an engineer who really likes robots, abstract things, math and computer science and loves it “when I can bring things to real life.”

She foresees using robotics in the greenhouse for other healthy fresh produce, such as cucumbers and tomatoes. As for the Grow-NY contest,  “we’re still trying to hash out the best project, but this particular site and what we’re bringing in is certainly very innovative and futuristic,” she said. 

“We have our own proprietary robots and AI kind of fully managing the greenhouses. We certainly have a lot of experts kind of coming in and really contributing. But really the ultimate goal is, can we make this farming easy enough for young growers to run these farms or young operators to run these farms and have really high yield and quality, that is what we’re tracking,” she said. “We do have, for example, monitoring robots that are running around the farm, literally capturing every single plant, every single day, and then the AI that’s making decisions, harvesting robots that are helping out all the harvesting labor, spraying robots.

"So a lot of these are automation to help the farms scale up. Those are the key things that we’re putting together and pushing demonstrating that it results in a much better quality product, enabling the better quality products to be delivered at a very affordable price," she said. "That, I think, is the ultimate goal of our business, and we’re starting that out. We have been proving that out in Western New York.”

Casey Call, who obtained his master’s in business administration from Boston University, was an agronomist for more than 15,000 acres at Grimmway, the largest carrot grower in the world, and head grower for Plenty, a leading vertical indoor farming system, floats between the two Zordi greenhouse sites in New York and New Jersey to manage them. 

A total of 312 startups applied from 50 countries, including Canada, the UK, and Italy for the Grow-NY competition. Domestic teams also showed strong interest, with 26 states represented in the applicant pool, including 89 entries from New York. Forty-four percent of applicants included a female founder, and 60 percent included a founder from a culturally diverse group.

A panel of 30 judges, reflecting a depth and breadth of regional economic development expertise, knowledge of the region’s agriculture and food production communities, and entrepreneurial experience, reviewed all the applications to determine the top 20 finalists that will pitch their business plans at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit in Ithaca in November. 

Grow-NY will award seven winners a total of $3 million in prize money. This includes a $1 million top prize, two $500,000 awards, and four $250,000 prizes.

Just two years ago, a local company, Craft Cannery of Bergen, won a $500,000 award for Paul Guglielmo's pitch. A tip for future applicant Lee, perhaps: he opted to play the soundtrack from the Broadway musical "Hamilton" to pump him up, and it really energized him, he said. 

“From farming to food production, New York is an innovative, world-class leader in agriculture. Year after year, the Grow-NY competition is instrumental to bringing new, high-growth businesses in the industry focused on critical areas to our state,” State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said. “This event has once again brought to light just how critical agriculture is to our communities and to our economy, and I congratulate these finalists on their innovation that will help bolster our food systems, feed our communities, and move our state forward.”

The last several months and leading right up to the final pitch have included mentorship opportunities, introductions to the region’s leaders and resources to connect applicants with potential partnerships and other strategic opportunities; site visits, business tours, industrial and economic development agency introductions, and pitch training.

The accelerator culminates with a live pitch at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit, scheduled for November 6 and 7 in Ithaca at the brand-new Downtown Ithaca Conference Center. 

The Summit will be held in two formats simultaneously, in-person and virtually, with finalists pitching their business ideas live in front of an audience and answering questions from a judging panel. The event also includes a food and agriculture symposium, ecosystem expo, and student pitches. The 2024 Grow-NY winners will be revealed in a live awards presentation at the conclusion of the Summit. 

Harvesting robots at Zordi in Oakfield
Scouting robots at Zordi

Law and Order: North Tonawanda resident accused of menacing a police officer in Bergen

By Howard B. Owens

James Christopher Francis, 45, of Falconer Street, North Tonawanda, is charged with menacing a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, menacing 1st, and criminal mischief.  At 2:32 a.m. on Aug. 12, deputies responded to Buffalo Street, Bergen, for a report of a man threatening people with a knife. Deputies were able to disarm the suspect and take him into custody. James was held pending arraignment.

Matthew Aaron Howe, 34, of Country Route 64, Hornell, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and inadequate plate lamps. Jpw was stp[[ed at 10:57 p.m. on Aug. 1 on Broadway Road, Bethany, by Deputy Zachary Hoy. Howe was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Tahja Denise Allen, 22, of Schreck Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater.  At about 12:45 a.m. on Aug. 7, the Sheriff's Office received a report of a vehicle on a ditch at the Darien Lake campground. Deputy Zachary Hoy was dispatched to investigate. Allen was identified as the driver. Allen was issued an appearance ticket.

James Edward Brown, 43, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with sex offender failure to provide a photograph.  Brown is accused of failing to provide his photograph to the NYS Sex Offender Registry while being classified as a Level 2 Sex Offender. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Brandon Roddy Brade, no age provided, no residence provided, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd.  Brade is accused of violating an order of protection at 12:19 a.m. on Aug. 8 at a location on Phelps Road, Pembroke. He was held pending arraignment.

Tonya Roselynn Hadsell, 31, Clair Carrier Road, Friendship, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. At 3:46 p.m. on Aug. 8, Deputy Leah Bezon and Deputy Zachary Hoy were dispatched at the Dollar General on Route 63 in Pavilion to investigate a possible intoxicated driver.  As a result of an investigation, Hadsell was allegedly found in possession of Fentanyl. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Cheryl Ann Maines, 55, of Chadlee Drive, Brockport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, improper left turn, and unsafe turn. Maines was stopped at 12:40 a.m. on Aug. 10 on Park Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Kipler was issued an appearance ticket.

Malik Isiah Ayala, 32, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Malik is accused of stealing merchandise from Walmart at 4:10 p.m. on Aug. 13. He was arraigned and released.

Brandi Nichole Arbia, 39, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th and offering a false instrument for filing 1st. Arbia is accused of stealing $2,372 in SNAP benefits. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Noah Stuart Smith, 19, of Chipman Place, North Tonawanda, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Smith is accused of intentionally damaging a mobile phone while at the Chris Stapleton Concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center at 10:45 on July 12. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Ahmire Dionzlyer Morgan, 19, of Delsan Court, Buffalo, and Raequan Ariz Reed, Sr., 28, of Delsan Court, Buffalo, are charged with grand larceny 4th. Morgan and Reed are accused of stealing merchandise from a retail store on Veterans Memorial Drive. The Sheriff's Office did not release the name of the store.

Chad J. Evans, 34, of Weever Street, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and three counts of aggravated unlicensed operation. Evans was stopped at 2:05 a.m. on Aug. 17 on East Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Evans was held pending arraignment.

Joseph Michael Flanagan, 39, of Lawrence Road, Hilton, is charged with DWI, failing to yield the right of way on a left turn, and failing to yield the right of way when entering a roadway. Flanagan was stopped at 2:22 a.m. on Aug. 17 on Park Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clo. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Brandon Michael Crawford, 22, no address listed, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Crawford was stopped at 1:41 a.m. on Aug. 10 on Route 5, Batavia, by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

GLOW with your hands is seeking 15 more volunteers for 6th annual event

By Press Release

Press Release:

GLOW With Your Hands organizers are seeking 15 additional volunteers to support the coordination of 1,000 students from across the GLOW region for the 6th annual career exploration event being held on Tuesday, September 24 at the Genesee County Fairgrounds in Batavia.

“The success of GLOW With Your Hands is made possible through the generosity of volunteers in a variety of event-day roles, including tour guides for individual schools, and support at the entrance at the fairgrounds, parking and lunch areas,” said GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair Karyn Winters said. “We are fortunate to have so many volunteers already registered but we need more to cover all our bases.”

The annual GLOW With Your Hands event provides students with hands-on career exploration in high-growth and high-demand careers. Activities such as welding, bricklaying and heavy equipment operation, and interactions with employers provide students with the insight to explore career opportunities with companies across the region.

“We’re tremendously excited to once again welcome so many companies and students to GLOW With Your Hands. The commitment and dedication of so many volunteers is what makes this amazing event possible,” said Angela Grouse, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair.

Registration for volunteers is available by emailing Karyn Winters at kwinters@geneseeny.com or filling out the volunteer form at www.glowwithyourhands.com/manufacturingvolunteers.

Photos: Songbirds close out Labor Daze Music & Food Festival

By Howard B. Owens
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In two years, the Songbirds, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, has gone from playing for a couple of dozen people at a block party in Batavia to headlining at some of Western New York's top music venues.

On Monday, they closed out, as headliners, the Oakfield Labor Daze Music & Food Festival, drawing, likely, in the area of hundreds of fans for a three-hour set of all the best of Fleetwood Mac along with some deep tracks.

Previously: It's more than just ‘Rumours’ that Songbirds pay tribute to Fleetwood Mac

Photos by Howard Owens.

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Another sign of the band's growing popularity -- fans lining up for merchandise during the break.
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Photos: Labor Daze's Labor Day entertainment opened with Elvis and Salvatore

By Howard B. Owens
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After the parade, on a beautiful blue-sky Labor Day, the third and final day of the music portion of the Oakfield Labor Daze Music & Food Festival opened with power trio Salvatore, an Albion-based band, followed by Elvis impersonator Terry Buchwald. 

Photos by Howard Owens.

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Oakfield Historical Society dedicates bench honoring Vietnam Veterans on Labor Day

By Howard B. Owens
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More than 50 years after the war ended, Vietnam War veterans in Oakfield, at long last, have an appropriate memorial in Triangle Park.

A new granite bench in the park was dedicated on Monday during the final day of the Oakfield Labor Daze Music and Food Festival.

About 18 months ago, an Oakfield resident, George Norway, sat in Triangle Park in his electric wheelchair with a sign on the back.

It read, "Shame on Oakfield."

When people inquired, he disclosed he was upset with the fact that in the park there were memorials to veterans of the world wars and Korea but nothing honoring the sacrifices of Vietnam War veterans.

Norway was not himself a veteran but he had seen friends and family go off to war and was not happy that they were forgotten.

Jill Klotzback, Robyn Gage and Laurie Nanni, along with members of the Oakfield Historical Society, got together and began to plan an appropriate memorial.

After the company they were working with to create the memorial more than doubled the price of the monument, Justin Calarco Smith of H.E. Turner spoke with the company's distributor and he was able to get the bench for less than the original quote.

Before the bench was unveiled, Assemblyman Steve Hawley spoke about how Vietnam veterans were forgotten, ignored, even shunned after the war.  He recalled that for the first five years of his annual trip to Washington D.C., the Patriot Trip, there were never Vietnam War veterans who took the trip.  Over the past few years, their numbers have been increasing. When the tour stops at the Vietnam War Memorial, Hawley speaks with those veterans and thanks them for their service and apologizes on behalf of the nation for how they were treated upon their return. "Thank you for your service and welcome home," he says.

The brother and sister-in-law of George Norway then placed a bouquet of roses on the bench to dedicate it.

Photo by Howard Owens

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Hawley calls for delay to advanced clean truck regulation enforcement

By Press Release

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) drafted a letter to Gov. Hochul yesterday requesting that the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) regulation delay its enforcement start date from January 1, 2025.

Following conversations with constituents and local business owners who rely on trucks for their operations, Hawley has learned that the implementation of the program – which resulted from an effort to curb excess emissions from shipping trucks – is already producing problems businesses are struggling to accommodate in this short timeframe. Hawley is asking for the delay until the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority conducts and concludes the highway and depot charging needs evaluation.

“The New York State Automobile Dealers Association (NYSADA) and the Trucking Association of New York (TANY) have already expressed concerns with the regulation’s implementation next year, and their claims need to be heeded” Hawley said.

“As a government we need to start listening to all stakeholders who will be affected by decisions New York State makes.  In this case, it would appear that truck dealers and trucking businesses have never been consulted. Unfortunately, this happens over and over again with the State of New York” Hawley said.

Previously:

Top Items on Batavia's List

Town Court Clerk Below are two lists: one details the myriad responsibilities that fall within the purview of the court clerk; the other summarizes the knowledge and abilities that court clerks possess or acquire through training. These lists are provided so that a judge and municipality can intelligently discuss the benefits that a court clerk can provide. The items below can also form the basis for a list of job duties should a municipality need to fill a vacancy in a court clerk position. Primary Responsibilities A. Maintain confidentiality of records and information when required to do so B. Prepare court calendar C. Collect monies, reconcile daily receipts, deposit receipts, prepare reports for monthly disbursements, reconcile bank accounts, and prepare administrative reports D. Enter convictions on drivers' licenses and prepare conviction reports electronically transmitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles E. Enter criminal conviction on NCIC reports and electronically send same to Division of Criminal Justice Services F. Respond to inquiries-in person, by phone, by e-mail and by mail-and provide assistance to lawyers, litigants, media, and members of the public G. Prepare monthly reports that are electronically sent to the Office of the State Comptroller H. Prepare orders, summonses, warrants and other court forms i. Communicate with outside agencies in order to coordinate the Court's activities and provide services to litigants. Such agencies include: ii. Law enforcement agencies, such as local police departments, New York State Police, Sheriffs office, FBI and CIA, US Armed Forces, and the Office of the District Attorney; I. Other courts, including superior courts and other local town and village courts; and i. Miscellaneous county agencies, such as Community Service, Community Dispute Resolution Center, Pre-trial Release, Probation, Stop DWI program, Victim Impact Panel, and Youth Court. ii. State agencies that require periodic reporting, including the New York State Unified Court System, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Office of the State Comptroller, the Division of Criminal Justice Services, and the Office of Court Record Retention. J. Examine court documents to ensure their accuracy and completeness K. Receive and file summonses, traffic tickets and other documents for court proceedings i. Assist the Justice at the bench during all Court proceedings Knowledge of: 1. The functions and organization of the Unified Court System ii. Basic legal terminology, codes and abbreviations iii. Court forms, practices and procedures, including those set forth in the Uniform Justice Court Act and the Uniform Civil Rules for the Justice Courts (22 NYCRR Part 214) 2. Ability to: i. Prepare judicial orders and decisions ii. Effectively communicate information orally and in writing iii. File and retrieve materials, extract data from various sources for entry onto court form iv. Research and interpret laws outlined in court documents and litigants' motions and other papers v. Perform mathematical tasks in order to compile court activity reports, total receipts, accept payments, and verify bills vi. Refer to appropriate documents, statutes, citations or other sources in order to respond to specific questions from attorneys, litigants and members of the general public vii. Interpret policies, statutes, rules and regulations and apply them in specific contexts viii. Establish work priorities ix. Constructively manage conflict with court users Qualifications: Highschool diploma recognized by the NYS Dept of Education or appropriate equivalent. Along with 4 years of college, specialization in criminal justice, law, business administration or related field. -OR- 2 years college with specialization in Business Administration or related field. Please email your resume to abrownell@townofbatavia.com no later than 12/16/2024. Pay is based on experience.
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