Press release:

The 2022 Fall series of Books Sandwiched In will take place on Wednesdays in September at Richmond Memorial Library. Join guest speakers for reviews of best-selling non-fiction books from 12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m. Coffee, tea and refreshments will be served at each session and participants do not need to read the book in order to attend! This program is built around the lunch hour, so attendees are also invited to bring their lunch. There will be a door prize at each session.

Wednesday, September 7 at 12:10 p.m. – Richmond Memorial Library Teen Librarian Felicia Cecere will review Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner.

Currently in week 56 on the New York Times bestseller list, Japanese Breakfast indie pop star Zauner “presents a full-length account of her viral New Yorker essay to share poignant reflections on her experiences of growing up Korean-American, becoming a professional musician and caring for her terminally ill mother.” (from NoveList summary)

Wednesday, September 14 at 12:10 p.m. - Retired professor and community volunteer Barb Shine will review The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine by Janice P. Nimura.

“Elizabeth Blackwell believed from an early age that she was destined for a mission beyond the scope of ‘ordinary’ womanhood. Though the world at first recoiled at the notion of a woman studying medicine, her intelligence and intensity ultimately won her the acceptance of the male medical establishment. In 1849, she became the first woman in America to receive an M.D. She was soon joined in her iconic achievement by her younger sister, Emily, who was actually the more brilliant physician.” (from publisher summary)

Wednesday, September 21 at 12:10 p.m. - Office for the Aging Director Diana Fox will review The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson.
 Bryson “turns his attention inwards to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories, The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological make up.” (from publisher summary)

Wednesday, September 28 at 12:10 p.m. - Jason Smith, Superintendent of Batavia City Schools, will review His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope by Jon Meacham.

“John Lewis, who at age twenty-five marched in Selma, Alabama, and was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, was a visionary and a man of faith. Drawing on decades of wide-ranging interviews with Lewis, Jon Meacham writes of how this great-grandson of a slave and son of an Alabama tenant farmer was inspired by the Bible and his teachers in nonviolence, Reverend James Lawson and Martin Luther King, Jr., to put his life on the line in the service of what Abraham Lincoln called ‘the better angels of our nature.’ Integral to Lewis's commitment to bettering the nation was his faith in humanity and in God - and an unshakable belief in the power of hope.” (from NoveList summary)

Books Sandwiched In is free to attend and all are welcome, no registration is required. Sessions will be recorded and available to view on the library’s YouTube page at youtube.com/richmondmemlibrary. Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross Street in the City of Batavia. Books Sandwiched In is sponsored by The Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.

Press release:

Corn silage harvest is approaching. The way corn silage is harvested and stored is a single event that affects your operation for the entire next year. Are you prepared to set your operation up for success? Plan to attend one of the following free on-farm Corn Silage Pre-Harvest workshops to hear the latest research-backed strategies you can implement on your dairy this corn silage season. No registration is necessary.

Speakers and topics include:

• Joe Lawrence Dairy Forage Systems Specialist; PRO-DAIRY: Success of harvesting quality forage out of the field; best practices for monitoring corn dry down and kernel processing.
• Kirsten Workman Nutrient Management and Environmental Sustainability Specialist; PRO-DAIRY: Why collect field (or more precisely) yield data?
• Manuel P. Marcaida III Crop and Soil Data Specialist; Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP); How to collect accurate yield data?
• Jodi Letham Field Crops, Forages, Nutrient Management and Soils Specialist; NWNY CCE Team: What can we do with accurate yield data? 

Friday, Aug. 26, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Noblehurst Farms, 2795 Stewart Road (CR-58), Linwood

Friday, Aug 26, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Lamb Farms, 6880 Albion Road, Oakfield

Press release:

Capture a summer day with a visit to the butterfly meadow and a journey into the world of Monarch Butterflies with the Watching Monarchs program at the Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 1 to 3 p.m. 

See how butterflies are tagged and released as part of a nationwide Monarch Butterfly conservation project.

This program is recommended for ages 4 and up. Kids explore the meadow with nets and bug catchers!

The cost is $5 per person or $10 per family. Pre-registration is required; call 585-344-1122 to reserve your spot.

Press release:

GLOW With Your Hands is partnering with AQS Redemption Inc. to collect bottles and cans to help fund career exploration programs. The returns will go into a workforce development fund at GLOW Works, Inc. and be available for use toward future workforce programming in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

“GLOW Works, Inc. was created to help fund programs for workforce training and development for the future workforce in the GLOW region, including the annual GLOW With Your Hands event (to be held next on September 27^th at the Genesee County Fairgrounds),” said Jay Lazarony, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair. “On behalf of the GLOW With Your Hands committee, we appreciate AQS Redemption Inc. for its participation and support of this initiative and encourage the community to consider supporting this effort to benefit our youth.”

AQS Redemption Inc., is a NYS Bottle and Can Redemption Company that will be coordinating the collections. Residents can schedule complimentary pick-ups or drop off their redeemable bottles and cans at the company’s location at 1 North Main Street in Elba, NY.  Businesses can also host a bottle and can drive at their workplace.  Residents and businesses can call at 585-250-0870 or email aqsredemption@gmail.com to find out more information.

“This is all about investing and participating in the success of our area youth and their future career aspirations,” said Quinn Schrader, CEO, AQS Redemption Inc.  “It’s a great way for our company to support the future workforce needs of businesses across our region.”

To kickoff Cans for Careers, a special donation station will be setup at the Batavia Downtown Business Improvement District's First Annual Box Car Derby on August 27^th starting at 9:30 AM. Local youth ages 7-13 years old built their own box cars and will race them down Ellicott Avenue.

“What better way to kick off this program than at the first annual box car derby where area youth will display their ingenuity and skills in designing and racing their own custom-made box cars,” said Chris Suozzi, GLOW With Your Hands co-chair.  “That’s what GLOW With Your Hands is all about and more importantly matching the skills of our youth with the needs of companies and businesses looking for the next generation of their workforce.”

For more information on how to be a part of Cans for Careers, please visit glowwithyourhands.com/cans-for-careers.

Rep. Claudia Tenney won the Republican Primary Election on Tuesday for the newly formed NY-24 Congressional District with 17,470 votes, or 53.9 of the total ballots cast.

Mario Fratto came in second with 13,0258 votes or 40.2 percent.

George Phillips, who was on the ballot but didn't campaign, received 1,939 votes, or 6 percent.

In Genesee County, Tenney received 1,162 votes, Fratto, 1,054, and Phillips, 107.  There were five write-in votes.

Tenney currently represents the 22nd Congressional District in Central New York.

Democrat Steven Holden and Tenney will face each other in the Nov. 8 general election for the NY-24.

Everyone is invited to a Family Movie Night in the Square tonight at 7 p.m., Shannon Maute says.

Maute, executive director of Batavia's Business Improvement District, encourages families to bring their lawn chairs, blankets, pillows, or "whatever makes you comfy," as you watch "The Little Rascals" at Jackson Square in downtown Batavia. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

There will be free popcorn, and the movie is in line with the BID's Boxcar Derby event happening at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Ellicott Avenue.

It was July 1976; we had just purchased our first home for $26,000 in the southside of Batavia. I knew this home because my grandfather built the house in 1924.  

It has been our home for over 45 years. Over the years, I have heard comments about living on the South Side, the other side of the tracks. I was always confused by certain statements. Many friends lived on Pringle Ave, Jackson, Cherry, and Wood Street. We all went to high school together; why the stigma? When I was little, I remember visiting my grandparents, and the kitchen was always full of relatives eating. I recently found a picture of my father and grandparents sitting under a grapevine trellis, eating and drinking wine. My brothers and I were in the picture. I could almost feel the love and warmth coming from that black-and-white photo. My family lived on the South Side when I was born in Highland Park, and eventually, my family moved. When I married my husband in 1974, I was exposed to wonderful Polish customs. Our daughters were lucky to be Polish, Italian-American Southsiders. They were fortunate to have their grandparents live down the street next to Jackson School.

When our daughters walked home from Jackson School, neighbors would watch them like little protectors, waving and smiling as they walked by. Where else could you live that you could walk down the street and buy furniture at Max Pies or Wortzman's? A TV repair shop was across the street when we first moved in. Every corner had a mom-and-pop store, but I loved the most about living on the south side: walking to Saint Anthony's Church and smelling the aroma of frying garlic, peppers, and onions. You could imagine them being added to homegrown tomatoes and simmering for hours on the stove for Sunday's sauce.

I was introduced to Polish food upon my marriage. Today golumpki is one of my favorite meals, along with the Polish custom of breaking the Christmas wafer Oplatki before dinner.

Every neighborhood took such pride in its park. It didn't matter how small or if it had a wading pool; your park was the best. I was a supervisor for three years at Farrall Park. I loved meeting all the children, even if many were teenagers.  Trying to spell all those Polish and Italian names for the newspaper for the winners of the sandbox contest was very challenging.

It was true that the people did not lock their doors, and there was always enough food for an uninvited guest for dinner.

My husband remembers getting large pieces of cardboard from Max Pies and sliding down the South Jackson Street overpass hill.

A favorite memory of mine was when the St. Nicholas Club members would celebrate the feast la Festa di Santa Nicholas di Bari. I remember hearing the band and gathering our daughters on the porch to wave to the men carrying the statue of Santa Nicholas di Bari. I was curious about this celebration's history, and this is what I learned from John Marchese. The St. Nicholas Club existed at St Anthony's church for years. The society was responsible for carrying on the traditions associated with la Festa di Santa Nicholas di Bari. It would start Saturday night when the members would carry the statue from the church down Liberty Street to Cherry and back to the church. People would follow the statue along with the band. Sunday would be the distribution of the bread around the southside.

We had great restaurants and stores on the southside. For example, Angie's Restaurant, Penthouse, Pok-A-Dot, Gino's Pizza, Surprise Store, Enterprise, Louie's Bar, A to Z garage (Mogavero's Automotive), Gioia's Drug Store, Star Market, Polish Falcons, and St. Nick's Club, to name only a few. All of these establishments were located on the South Side.

After Mass, we would all go to Riccobono's Deli (Southside Deli) to buy a wedge of Romano cheese to grate for Sunday sauce. I also remember a fun store called Joe Rose Toys and Tricks. In addition, we had a plumbing store, hardware, GLF, Agway, and Firehouse 2. So many physical things have changed on the south side, thanks to Urban Renewal, but as the saying goes, some things stay the same, like the Pok-a-Dot, Max Pies, Wortzman's, and the memorable Kelly's Holland Inn. I hope these gems will not disappear from the south side landscape. I can still smell garlic and onions cooking, walking down the street, and having a neighbor wave and ask if I need a ride to church that is now and always will be Sacred Heart Church. I can still lean over our fence and talk to my neighbor.  I am proud to live on the south side and to be a Southsider for life.

Sidewalk and street replacement work on Columbia Avenue is near completion with Seneca Avenue (bottom photo) not far behind.

Five streets in Batavia were scheduled this summer for a  “Complete Streets” approach to upgrading both the roadway in the walkway.

Other streets part of the project this summer are Miller Avenue, Chase Park, and Fisher Park.  The  $320,000 cost is funded by the state's Consolidated Highway Improvement Program.

This year the scope of work includes the replacement of approximately 6,400 linear feet of sidewalks and handicap-accessible ramps on portions of Chase Park, Fisher Park, and Seneca, Miller, and Columbia avenues.

“Whenever we are able to repave or resurface a roadway, we also look at the sidewalks to make sure they are now ADA compliant. They have appropriate widths for wheelchairs and passing lanes,” Tabelski said during the May meeting.

Previously: City sidewalks, outdated lights in line for gradual replacement

Press Release

With the start of a new school year right around the corner, Catholic Charities is hosting a Socks and Undergarment Drive to benefit school age kids and teenagers in grades Pre-K through 12th in need throughout Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. 

Donations of new, unopened packages of socks and underwear are being accepted now through Sept. 11 in Genesee County at: Ascension Church, 19 Summer St., Batavia; Immaculate Conception (Mary Immaculate), 5865 Ellicott Street Rd., East Bethany; Maurice’s, 8351 Lewiston Rd., Batavia; Old Navy, 4222 Veterans Memorial Dr., Batavia; and Resurrection Church, 303 E. Main St., Batavia.

“With many families throughout our community struggling to make ends meet, we know that back to school time can be a burden,” said Kelly Grimaldi, Tri-County district director, Catholic Charities. “While some may think of new pencils and notebooks, items such as socks and underwear are also needed, especially for younger children who are still growing. If you can, please consider donating to our Socks and Undergarment Drive to help our youngest neighbors in need.” 

After the drive concludes, the donated items will be distributed as needed to community members through Catholic Charities’ offices, including by referral from our collaborating partners and churches.  

Catholic Charities programs and services available in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties include basic needs and emergency financial assistance, Our Kids Parent Education and Awareness program for divorced/separating parents, In-School Social Work, the court-ordered Domestic Violence Program for Men, and Home Visitation Program/Friendly Phones.  

Collections are also being taken in Orleans County at Holy Family Parish, 106 S. Main St., Albion; and in Wyoming County at Community Bank, 2490 N. Main St., Warsaw; the Perry Market Place, 121 N. Center St., Perry; St. Michael Church, 171 N. Main St., Warsaw; St. Joseph (St. Isidore), 8 Park St., Perry; St. Isadore Parish, 39 Church St., Silver Springs; and St. Mary (Mary Immaculate), 11095 St. Marys St., Pavilion.  

All colors and sizes from children to adult are needed.  

PUBLIC NOTICE:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that I, as Supervisor, do hereby call a Special Meeting of the Town Board to be held on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at the Byron Town Hall, 7028 Rte. 237, Byron, New York.  The purpose of the Special Town Board meeting will be to consider calling a Public Hearing regarding the proposed WIIA sewer project and the issuance of $9.8 million in Serial Bonds.   The Public Hearing Scheduled for Wednesday, August 31, 2022, has been cancelled.

Peter Yasses
Supervisor

Publisher's Note: Legal Notices/Public Notices are published by The Batavian for free as a public service pending revision of state law that will allow digital news publications to publish legal notices that meet the legal requirements of such notices. Clerks: Email your notices to news@thebatavian.com.

Press release:

Babies up to 2 years of age are invited to a morning of rhymes, singing songs and stories! While this describes a perfect morning for any tot, to make it even more fun, Baby Storytime ends with playtime!

The Haxton Library’s talented Mrs. J. is hosting a special Baby Storytime on Saturday, August 27 from 10 am to 11 am at the Goose, 33 South Main Street in Oakfield. While the program is designed for babies ages birth to 2 years, older siblings are also invited to attend. Beginning September 10, Mrs. J., the Children’s Library Clerk, will hold Baby Storytime at the library itself from 10 am to 11 am.

In addition to Baby Storytime, the Haxton Memorial Library also has a fun-filled Preschool Storytime on Mondays from 10:30 am to 11:30 am that begins September 12. Preschoolers enjoy activities, crafts, songs, and stories in the Children’s Department at the library.

“Our Storytimes are great favorites with our very young children because they are educational and Mrs. J. knows how to keep the kids engaged,” says Kim Gibson, Director at the Haxton Library. “We love to have the kids come and discover the fabulous collection of children’s books that we offer at the Haxton.”

For more information about Baby Storytime, Preschool Storytime, or any of the programs at the Haxton Memorial Library, please call 585-948-9900.

The Haxton Memorial Library located at 3 North Pearl Street in Oakfield provides residents a variety of programs, events and materials that are listed on the library’s website at www.HaxtonLibrary.org.

Press release:

As students across the region prepare to return to school in September, parents are encouraged to make sure their children’s immunizations are up to date. In New York state, several immunizations are required within 14 days of the first day of school or child care.

For school attendance, child care and pre-K, students need:

• Diphtheria and Tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine and Pertussis vaccine (DTaP or Tdap)
• Hepatitis B vaccine
• Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine
• Polio vaccine
• Chickenpox vaccine

Additional vaccines are required for middle school and high school students:

• Tdap vaccine for grades 6-12
• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) for grades 7-12 (students in grade 12 need an additional booster dose of MenACWY on or after their 16th birthday)

Public health officials also urge parents to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19, as the vaccines are the best protection against severe illness or hospitalization from the disease. Children from six months to young adults up to age 18 are now eligible to receive the shots. Talk to your pediatrician if you have questions about the COVID vaccine or kids’ booster doses, or visit www.getyouranswers.org.

Dr. Linda Clark, chief medical officer at Common Ground Health, said, “Going back to school is an exciting time for many students. To make sure they can return to the classroom, parents need to ensure that their children’s immunizations are current. If not, they should schedule appointments with their physician as soon as possible. If they aren’t sure, they should check with their pediatrician or primary care doctor.”

Children attending daycare and pre-K through 12th grade in New York state must receive all required doses of vaccines on the recommended schedule in order to attend or remain in school. Parents need to show proof of their child's up-to-date vaccinations or provide a valid medical exemption from vaccination.

There were 30,500 Genesee County residents reported in the labor force for July, according to state data released today, up from 29,400 a year ago and down by 100 from June.

July marks the third straight month that Genesee County's labor force -- the number of people either working or seeking work -- has topped 30,000. The labor force was typically over 30,000 in the several months before the pandemic struck.

The unemployment rate for July is pegged at 3 percent, lower than a year ago when it was 4.3 percent. The rate in June was 2.8 percent.

In both July and June, 900 people were listed as unemployed, according to the Labor Department data. In July 2021, there were 1,300 people unemployed.

The state's unemployment rate was 4.8 percent for July compared to 7.1 percent a year ago.

After nearly 50 years operating as a metal recycling business, and then sitting defunct for another dozen or so years next to Dwyer Stadium, Batavia Iron and Metal has been on a slow track for cleanup, and the next phase to get it back on the tax rolls has begun, said Jeff Wernick of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

DEC put out a call for bids to conduct remediation of approximately 50,000 tons of PCB-impacted soil for off-site disposal, backfill and restoration, Wernick said in response to The Batavian’s inquiries.

“DEC received four viable bids,” Wernick said. "The bids are associated with the remediation efforts under the State Superfund program. Work is being performed under a self-implementation agreement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency. DEC’s role for future use is limited to the completion of the cleanup activities and the release of the remediated site for residential or commercial use in accordance with local zoning ordinances.”

The winning bid award is expected in the fall, with work to start in the spring of 2023, he said. The scope of work is estimated to cost $15 million to $20 million. Remedial activities include the removal of PCB-contaminated soil, temporary water treatment, backfill, and restoration, including the transport and disposal of non-hazardous and hazardous soils. 

The site at 301 Bank St., Batavia, earned special attention from the Department of Environmental Conservation more than a dozen years after it went defunct and was abandoned. Cleanups had been initiated for neighboring properties and the business site from 2013 to 2018.

A DEC fact sheet from 2018 states that, based on the April 2013 Record of Decision, the cleanup included removal of contaminated soil and debris and from on-site and parcels located near the former facility. The Site operated as a metal recycling facility from 1951 to 1999.

Wernick said that another fact sheet with additional details will be issued prior to the start of this next construction and remediation work.

Batavia Iron and Metal aftermath
Batavia Iron and Metal also purchased and handled electrical transformers on the property. Two furnaces operated at the facility from the early 1970s until 1994 for the purpose of reclaiming wire and smelting white metals. Prior to the use of the furnaces, the facility utilized open burning in dumpsters in the yard to remove insulation from the wiring.

DEC is designing and implementing this cleanup to remove the contaminants that have migrated from the site onto City property, the Fact Sheet states. As part of the remedy, installation of sub-slab depressurization systems at three residences near the site was completed in 2013. In addition, a cleanup involving soil removal at three residences was completed in 2014.

Further work included soil removal and restoration activities along the rear property boundary of 299 Bank Street and 301 Bank Street. The goal of the cleanup effort was “to ensure the effective removal and proper disposal of contaminated soil and to restore the property with clean soil.” At least one neighbor — who lives next door to the defunct business — had complained about potential health issues from toxins leaching into his water system, and how his trees would not grow in the contaminated soil.

Work done in 2017 was performed by Nature’s Way Environmental of Alden, with oversight and inspection provided by DEC. Soil identified for remediation was to be excavated and disposed of off-site. All areas that were disturbed during the removal were also to be restored, and the same for any City of Batavia-owned roads, utilities, or other infrastructure impacted by the cleanup activities.

DEC and the New York State Department of Health approved a Community Air Monitoring Plan that required continuous air monitoring during all excavation and backfilling activities to ensure no additional contamination was released to the environment or adjacent properties during the cleanup.

The project is being funded and conducted pursuant to terms of the State Superfund program, intended for “Brownfield” areas that are contaminated with toxic waste and in need of remediation for safe future use.

To read the full Fact Sheet, go HERE

For prior coverage, go HERE

File photo of Batavia Iron and Metal Co. on Bank Street, Batavia.

It rained for much of the day yesterday, but a rainbow arched over Batavia in the early evening.

And on Jackson Street, top photo by Patricia Morgan, a double rainbow.

By Stacey Foose

By Jason Smith.

Press release:

Behind St. James Episcopal Church there is a small shop that offers so much for very little. The shop opened in 2000 and was started by Jenett Dadlani. Twenty-two years later it is still going strong because of some dedicated volunteers.

The shop is open on Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and is divided into 4 rooms. The main room has housewares, home goods, furniture, clothing, jewelry and sports accessories. There is a room dedicated to everything Christmas, a room for books, and a room that will outfit all your needs for babies and children.

The shop accepts donations, however, not electronics (TVs, computers, printers, etc.). Profits are used for many of St. James Church’s missions that provide help for the needy; including the “Blessings Box” located in front of the church on Main Street.

There will be some special sales in September. On Thursday, September 1st all items in the Christmas room are half price, then on Thursday, September 15th everything in the shop will be half price. There is something for everyone and it is well worth a look!

St. James is located at 405 East Main St., Batavia.

Submitted photos

Press Release

Batavia, NY – Now is a great time to become a volunteer or start a 4-H Club with the Genesee County 4-H Program. 4-H is a youth development program for youth ages 5-18. Volunteers are essential to our program and allow you to share your hobbies with interested youth. 

Projects can be as varied as sewing, arts and crafts, cooking, animal science and more.  4-H volunteer opportunities range from coordinating monthly club meetings to leading a one-time craft project. Whatever you have to offer, 4-H has a place for you!

The new 4-H year begins October 1. New youth members and adult volunteers are always welcome to join. For more information on how to join or start a 4-H club, please contact the 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040 ext. 131.

Enrollment forms are also available on our website 

Welcome to 4421 N. Bennett Heights! This 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom ranch style home has undergone some stunning modernization! Come see for yourself the gorgeous, brand new marble backsplash and quartz countertops in the kitchen and both bathrooms, the new floors in the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedroom, as well as the updated light fixtures throughout the house. Spend quality time with your loved ones around the cozy fireplace, the three-season room with beautiful vaulted ceiling, or enjoy some sunshine on the brand new Trex deck, which also has a new vinyl railing. This home includes a brand new hot water tank, and stainless-steel stove/range, as well as a newer washer, dryer, and dishwasher. Delayed negotiations till 8/24 @ 3pm. Call Sunny today 585-813-2445!

Press release:

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), a national organization that advocates for the needs of small and independently-owned businesses, has announced that Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, C, I-Batavia) has received their perfect rating of 100%. This perfect pro-business rating reflects Assemblyman Hawley’s unwavering support of small business owners, both through his advocacy efforts and his legislative voting history.

“As a small business owner myself, I can tell you that especially in New York state, building and sustaining a successful business can be as difficult as it is rewarding,” said Hawley. “We are incredibly fortunate to have organizations such as the NFIB to stand up for and support our small business owners, so I am honored to have earned their perfect rating.”