A two-vehicle collision with injuries, and blocking traffic, is reported in Stafford at 9710 Transit Road.

The location is between East Bethany - Le Roy Road and Wescott Road. Stafford and Bethany fire departments are responding, along with Mercy medics and law enforcement.

UPDATE 3:06 p.m.: The roadway is completely blocked. One patient has minor injuries and needs to be evaluated by medics. One vehicle is disabled and a tow is called.

UPDATE 3:12 p.m.: Northbound traffic on Transit Road will be stopped at East Bethany - Le Roy Road. One patient refused medical aid.

UPDATE 3:16 p.m.: Dan's Towing is sending two tows to the scene.

Press release:

Batavia Ramble Music & Arts Festival, in partnership with Eli Fish Brewing Co., will be held from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 6th.

The Batavia Ramble

In short: One day, two outdoor main stages, 30+ bands, food trucks, craft vendors, artist displays and much more!

Where: This will be held on Center Street and Jackson Square in Downtown Batavia.

Important Things to Note

This event is FREE to the public thanks to the generous donations from our sponsors.

Seating is festival style and B.Y.O.C. (bring your own chair)

Attractions

Music: Two outdoor main stages with more than 30 musical acts throughout the day! With a variety of music ranging from classic and modern rock to country to blues and everything in between!

Vendors: Lots of unique craft and art vendors to peruse while enjoying the sights and sounds of the Batavia Ramble.

Food: This year we are adding FOUR amazing food trucks to the event!

• Red Osier Landmark Restaurant -- We can do anything that is on our Red Osier menu, from prime rib sandwiches or prime rib dinners to lobsters!
• Over The Border -- Fresh, quality Mexican food sure to fill your stomach! From tacos, to burritos to taco bowls and churros!
• Buckaroos -- Specializing in Poutine! From original to varieties including Philly cheese steak, pulled pork and country-fried steak! They will also have some of your standard carnival favorites including fried dough!
• Center Street Smokehouse -- Real Southern BBQ, pulled pork,Texas BBQ beef brisket, and bacon mac & cheese!

Sponsors:

Eli Fish Brewing Co.

Cedar Street Rentals

L & L Transmission

R.A. Haitz Roofing & Siding

Bourbon & Burger Co.

T-shirts ETC

Center Street Smokehouse

Glenna's CBD

For additional information: contact us at TheBataviaRamble@gmail.com or leave us a message right on our facebook page at Facebook.com/TheBataviaRamble

Kim Gibson, library manager at Haxton Memorial Library in Oakfield, shows a chain which children will receive as part of the library’s summer reading program. Children will receive a bead to put on the chain for every 20 minutes of reading they do.

OAKFIELD -- Haxton Memorial Library’s Summer Reading Program got off to a rousing start with a kickoff carnival Thursday in Triangle Park. 

Library Manager Kim Gibson said the summer reading program has been such a success, and the 125 children who attended the kickoff are a testament to that.

“With parents and friends, we had at least 250 people here,” Gibson said.  

There is no mistaking Gibson’s love of her job and her passion for promoting reading in the community. Gibson has been at the library for 18 years – eight as children’s librarian and 10 as library manager.

“This event gets the word out and tells the community what we’re all about,” Gibson said of the kickoff carnival.

Children who attended the carnival received an entry in a drawing for entrance to the New York State Fair. They also received a ticket to each of the stations set up in the park, which included cotton candy, popcorn, games and face painting.

There were also balloons and animals from the Buffalo Zoomobile.

Most importantly, the carnival gave Gibson, library staff and her volunteers the opportunity to promote the summer reading program, which is in its fourth year.

The theme this year is “A Universe of Stories” and it runs from July 1 to Aug. 9.

The program features ongoing contests and prizes, movies at 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, story time at 10:30 a.m. Mondays and a family activity every Thursday at 7 p.m.

A new feature this year which Gibson is excited about is a chain, which every child will receive. Children are encouraged to read at home and for every 20 minutes of reading documented, they receive a bead for their chain. When they reach two hours of reading, they get a “brag tag” for the chain.

“I got the idea for a couple of other libraries, where it’s been very successful,” Gibson said. “They can come in whenever we’re open and give us their times, which we will keep in a folder.”

She said children will be on their honor in recording their reading time. 

“If they want to read the same book over, that’s OK, too,” she said. 

Gibson said the summer reading program is so important because it gets children in the library, and it’s free. 

The summer reading program includes special activities for all the family, from young children to adults, such as making robots and rockets, space-themed craft nights, a Harry Potter-themed scavenger hunt and two nights of Brush Strokes read and paint. Early registration is necessary for Brush Strokes, because it fills up fast, Gibson said. The idea of Brush Strokes for children 2 to 12 is to read about something, such as a llama, and then paint it.

For the adults, there is a basket raffle. For every book they take out they receive an entry to win one of the theme baskets, put together with items donated by the community. At the end of the six weeks, the number of books taken out is tallied up and the top reader receives a gift card. 

“We are trying to encourage reading across the board – from young children to adults,” Gibson said.

Gibson said the summer reading program is accomplished with the help of wonderful volunteers and donations from many businesses in the community. She said the children’s clerk, Hayley Lown did a lot of work preparing for the program.

“This event takes a lot of planning and a lot of hard work, but in the end it’s worth it,” Gibson said. “We are very fortunate to have so many dedicated staff and volunteers. We have some regular library volunteers and others from the Oakfield Betterment Committee. We couldn’t do it without them.”

Gibson said she knows everyone is busy in the summers, and it’s wonderful to see so many children who want to read.

The summer reading program will conclude Aug. 9 with an ice cream party, thanks to a local individual who donates the ice cream.

“I love the library,” Gibson said. “It’s been a huge part of my life and it’s so exciting to see kids come in and take books out. I see so many kids who used to come in to my story hour in the children’s library, and now they are graduating.”

Gibson said there aren’t many places for kids to go in their small community, and this is the library’s way to give back to the community.

Information on the summer reading program can be found on their website at www.haxtonlibrary.org, by calling the library at 948-9900 or visiting them at 3 North Pearl St. 

Photos by Virginia Kropf.

Jill Klotzbach, whose daughter Hayley Lown is the children’s clerk at Haxton Memorial Library, carries balloons to Triangle Park for a carnival Thursday night to kick off the summer reading program.

Kim Gibson, left, library manager at Haxton Memorial Library, and Board President Ann Engel, sign in children Thursday night in Triangle Park for the kickoff carnival for the summer reading program.

Riley D’Alba gives cotton candy to Brooklyn Esten, 5, during the carnival Thursday night in Triangle Park to kick off Haxton Memorial Library’s summer reading program.

Lily Davis, 12, volunteered to pass out balloons to children who attended the carnival Thursday in Triangle Park to kick off the summer reading program.

Above, Doris Tootell, seated, and her daughter, Joan Stevens, at the YMCA Thursday morning.

Submitted photo and information from the YMCA in Batavia.

Doris Tootell is a local resident who attends the Silver Sneaker exercise class twice a week at the YMCA in Batavia.

That's been her routine for 11 years now and she has no plans to change it. Just because she turns 98 tomorrow (DOB: June 29, 1921) is certainly not reason enough.

"Doris never complains and just keeps going,” says Bonnie Versage.

As for Tootell, she credits YMCA group instructor Becky Swanson for her stick-to-itiveness and says the workouts help with her aches and pains. 

Her friends at the Y are so inspired by her liveliness and get-up-and-go spirit that they held a little celebration for her at yesterday's class.

“(She's the) most caring woman I have ever met,” said friend Nancy Speed.

You know she really cares for you when she bakes you a pie, and her gal pal Brenda Cackett says she bakes pies for all her friends."

We should all be so lucky!

A house fire is reported at 6616 Junction Road, Pavilion.

Both occupants were exiting the house

Pavilion fire, Le Roy fire, and Stafford dispatched.

UPDATE 12:44 a.m.: Fully involved structure fire with flames coming through the roof. City fire and Alexander dispatched.

UPDATE 12:50 a.m.: A chief calls for a defensive attack.

UPDATE 12:54 a.m.: National Grid called to the scene.

UPDATE 1:40 a.m.: Caledonia to proceed to the scene and Bergen to fill in at Le Roy.

UPDATE 3 a.m.: Information and photos from Alecia Kaus/Video News Service: The house is a total loss. The homeowner (listed on the county tax website as Kenneth Reamer) woke up to a fire in the house. A friend was sleeping on the couch. The owner called 9-1-1 grabbed one of his cats and ran out. The other cat was seen running out of the house. No cause of origin of the fire yet released.

Defense counsel called its first witness, Sgt. Jason Saile from the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, to testify about the motor-vehicle accident reconstruction that he conducted Aug. 11 after a hit-and-run accident in Darien that killed 18-year-old Connor Lynskey. 

Saile said his assignment was to document the evidence found at the accident scene on Sumner Road and draw conclusions about the vehicle-pedestrian collision based on his certification in accident reconstruction.

In Saile’s accident reconstruction report, he noted that the only environmental factor that may have influenced alleged drunk driver Jennifer Serrano was decreased visibility due to the darkness of the unlit road. Otherwise, Sumner Road was clear, dry and its pavement relatively even.

When defense attorney Frank LoTempio asked whether intoxication played a role in the accident, Saile responded with, “Absolutely.” The sargeant maintains that alcohol consumption around the time of the Jason Aldean concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center affected the perception of both pedestrian Lynskey and driver Serrano as they departed the performance. 

Saile also attested to the fact that the crash data reporter in Serrano’s Jeep did not detect any signs of heavy braking, swerving or a change in velocity as she traveled along Sumner Road. Her vehicle, according to Saile, never slowed down or maneuvered at any point before or during the impact with Lynskey. 

Earlier testimony from Nathan Balduf, deputy and motor-vehicle inspector with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, offered that there were no vehicle mechanical failures in relation to the accident. Saile testified that no skid marks from Serrano’s vehicle were observed on the pavement or gravel shoulder.

Lynskey’s behavior on the night of his death was brought into question before jurors. LoTempio alleged that Lynskey was in violation of NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law 1156b, which states pedestrians must walk against the direction of traffic where sidewalks are not provided. The landing spot of Lynskey’s body indicated he may have walked or jogged in the same direction as Serrano’s Jeep.

A diagram of the accident scene on Sumner Road was also produced by Saile during his investigation. Although Saile reported an 87-foot debris field along both the road and the shoulder, the sergeant said it was difficult to determine the exact location of impact due to the unknown velocities of both Lynskey and Serrano. 

Saile also testified he is uncertain of his initial finding that the collision occurred on the pavement rather than on the shoulder. This discrepancy evoked emotion in Frank LoTempio, who remarked in his opening statement that Lynskey may have been hit because he was intoxicated and tripped on the pavement in front of Serrano’s vehicle. 

Tensions peaked when District Attorney Lawrence Friedman objected to questioning about a footprint found in the gravel and the possibility of Lynskey falling. Friedman argued LoTempio did not establish evidence or expertise for Saile to testify that Lynskey tripped. 

LoTempio insisted the sergeant could speak to the evidence he used when preparing his motor-vehicle accident reconstruction. The attorneys grew so animated that Judge Charles Zambito excused the jury for a 10-minute adjournment and called a bench conference. 

Serrano is charged with vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident without reporting it, driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Jurors will attempt to reconstruct the accident scene for themselves as the trial continues at 9 a.m. tomorrow in Genesee County Court.

The executive director of GO ART! spoke plainly to Batavia Development Corporation board members this morning -- it needs funding ASAP in order to make badly needed improvements to its headquarters -- the historic Seymour Building at 201 E. Main St.

GO ARTS!'s Gregory Hallock asked board members to provide financial backing for a $50,000 loan, which would make the nonprofit eligible for funding from the NY Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Arts and Cultural Facilities Improvement Program Mid-Size Capital Project.

The NYSCA grant is available through the Empire State Development Regional Council Capital Fund (REDC) initiative. GO ART! must prove its ability to finance restoration projects in order to qualify for $150,000 in state funding. 

Hallock’s request comes after the New York Preservation League conducted an assessment of the GO ART! property and identified areas for improvement totaling $500,000. Hallock determined that at least $176,000 is required for immediate changes to the building. 

High-priority needs include the installation of both an air-conditioning unit and elevator. Hallock said he wants second-floor offices and meeting spaces to be available for rent within the next few months in order for the building to remain accessible and easy to use.

Hallock said time is of the essence. The REDC grant application is due July 27, but GO ART! will not know if it received that state funding until December. He's also waiting to hear back about grant applications to organizations in Buffalo and Rochester, but those responses will not arrive until August. 

“$500,000 is what [the improvement cost] is marked at now,” Hallock said. “They said this number is going to grow substantially. So, that’s why there is a priority on my list of things to get done to get this grant money. Also, the REDC doesn’t guarantee this money is going to be there from year to year.”

In response, Rachael Tabelski, BDC director of economic development, proposed that the BDC could back the $50,000 loan, so NYSCA could see GO ART! has access to funds for this capital project.

“We would be issuing a long-term, conditional offer to match these state funds,” Tabelski said.

Tabelski offered that BDC could set aside $50,000 of its Revolving Loan Fund for GO ART! and issue a conditional loan approval with an expiration date. Then, Hallock could return periodically with updates on the project scope and costs. 

According to this proposed plan, the board could keep extending its conditional loan approval until the grant is potentially awarded to GO ART! Hallock noted that GO ART! may never have to tap into the loan if it qualifies for the grant. 

“We get repaid with the funds down the road. One way or another, this will go through. So, this is a fairly safe loan,” said Pierluigi "Pier" Cipollone, BDC board president.

The board did not vote on the conditional loan today, but Hallock is slated to update board members on GO ART!’s progress toward grants and renovations. He will return at the board’s meeting at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 22 in Batavia City Centre.

A caller reports hearing an explosion in the area of 1600 Ham Road, Alabama.

A first responder reports smoke showing.

Alabama fire responding for an investigation.

UPDATE 6:31 p.m.: A chief reports that the resident at 1600 also heard the explosion but that it wasn't at that property.

A car-bicycle accident is reported at 56 Ellicott St., near the former Santy Tires location.

No word on injuries.

City fire and Mercy EMS responding.

In photo above, Shanda Spink, left, checks out the free information and games for her children, which were handed out by Norma Coleman, center, and Rita Smith at a community picnic sponsored by the Oakfield Community Bible Church Tuesday evening.

OAKFIELD – With a new pastor and determination to grow their congregation, the Oakfield Community Bible Church is embarking on a program of community involvement.

“Our main objective is to reach out to the community, invite them in and share with them the good news,” said the new pastor, Jack McMullen, at a church picnic Tuesday evening, to which the community was invited.

McMullen didn’t always want to be a pastor, he said. When he was 17 growing up in Gates, he had a scholarship to Colgate Rochester Divinity School, but he asked why he would want to be a pastor when they didn’t make any money.

“My father was an engineer, so I went to Rochester Institute of Technology, Monroe Community College and the University of Rochester,” McMullen said. “At the end of a 38-year career, I was project engineer for Jones Chemical. But when they moved their corporate headquarters to Sarasota, Fla., I was out of a job.”

He became very distressed, he said.

“Then one night at 3 a.m., a voice woke me and said, ‘Are you going to listen to me now,’ ” McMullen said.

He told his father-in-law, who was a pastor, and he helped McMullen get into seminary in Richmond, Va. That was 17 years ago.

He served in several assignments during those years, including 10 years as chaplain at the Thruway truck stop on Route 77.

He is still pulpit supply for the Independent Baptist Church in four Western New York counties. That means when a congregation is without its pastor for a time (vacation, illness, sabatical) or if a church doesn't have a pastor, a "free-agent" preacher is called in as needed.

As a former music minister at the Oakfield church, he knew the former pastor Ken Comer, so when Comer left, it was the perfect opportunity for McMullen to step in.

The congregation of Oakfield Community Bible Church was formed in 2010 after members of the Presbyterian Church left in protest of new beliefs supported by the Presbytery. The new congregation, under the leadership of Pastor Bill Smith, met at the Oakfield Rod and Gun Club, and then at the Oakfield Fire Hall. 

“When the Presbytery put the church up for sale, we came back and bought it,” said Rita Smith, of Darien, an elder of the current church. 

They were able to purchase the building for $50,000, plus $5,000 for all its contents.

During the period of turmoil, part of the old congregation did a lot of renovations, Smith said, adding that they are fortunate that although their congregation is small, they have a lot of “doers” and “givers.”

McMullen said they are growing, but slowly. Their goal is to increase their outreach in the community to make the church more visible. 

Tuesday’s picnic was an example of that outreach. A Vendor Blender later in summer is another, as well as a harvest dinner in the fall for anyone who wants to come. At Christmas, the church plans to fill gift bags for residents of School House Manor. 

Taking part in Tuesday’s picnic was Paul Ohlson, of Batavia, and his Care-A-Van team, who cooked hamburgers. The Care-a-Van Band played music, while Judy Piscitello sang. Church member Norma Coleman greeted families and handed out games and crafts for children to do, while their parents enjoyed fellowship.

McMullen is also part of the Care-A-Van team, he said. 

Worship at Oakfield Community Bible Church is at 10 a.m. Sundays. There is Bible study at 7 p.m. Wednesdays all year and at 10 a.m. Thursdays, except during July and August. 

The church is located at 82 North Main St.

In photo below, Care-a-Van Ministries brought their van and band to a picnic Tuesday at Oakfield Community Bible Church to welcome its new pastor Jack McMullen.

On Monday, Rep. Chris Collins gave a short floor speech in the U.S. House of Representatives recognizing and honoring David Bellavia on receiving the Medal of Honor. The Batavian asked for and received a video copy of the speech to share with our readers.

Also, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who once represented our area in Congress and knows David as a result, issued the following statement on Twitter:  p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 16.0px}

All of New York is proud of the courageous actions of WNY native Staff Sgt. David Bellavia while under fire.

 

His actions saved lives and his Medal of Honor is well deserved.

At the Pentagon yesterday, walking down the hall toward the auditorium where the ceremony was held to induct David Bellavia into the Hall of Heroes, I noticed several Civil War displays, so I immediately started looking for anything related to Gen. Emory Upton. I spotted this small placard.

As I was trying to line up a shot, a Pentagon official walked up behind me and said, "Sir, photography is not authorized in this area of the Pentagon." I said, "But this is Emery Upton -- he's from our hometown; there's a big monument to him ..." the official said, "OK, hurry up."

Batavia is now permanently represented in the Pentagon by Upton, Charles F. Rand, and David Bellavia.

Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Robert C. Henning took the stand today and recalled details about his arrest of alleged drunk driver Jennifer Serrano the night of a hit-and-run accident in Darien that killed 18-year-old Connor Lynskey of Hinckley last August. 

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman conducted a direct examination of the deputy in Genesee County Court today. Henning said that at approximately 1 a.m. on Aug. 11, he was traveling northbound on Route 77 to the county jail with an inmate who had just been arraigned in Darien Town Court.

Henning said that if Serrano's Jeep Wrangler had stayed on the shoulder of the road after she backed out of a driveway, he would have driven past her. However, the Jeep suddenly pulled onto Route 77 in front of the deputy's vehicle, which caused him to slam on his brakes to avoid a collision and swerve into the southbound lane of 77.

The deputy said he turned on his emergency lights and pulled over the Jeep moments after the near-collision. Serrano would have been charged with a minor traffic violation until Henning suspected she was impaired. Henning said he observed Serrano’s glassy eyes, slurred speech and a strong odor of alcohol on her breath.

Both Friedman and defense attorney Frank LoTempio entered Henning’s body camera footage into evidence so jurors could evaluate Henning and Serrano’s behaviors for themselves. Videos showed Serrano’s difficulty exiting her vehicle and maintaining her balance as she met Henning behind her vehicle.

Henning’s testimony revealed that Serrano’s statement to him about her whereabouts on Aug. 10 was not accurate. She said she traveled from Silver Creek, near Angola, to pick up her friend Candace Gilden from the Jason Aldean concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. In reality, Serrano drove from Derby to the Town of Darien to also attend the concert. 

Henning said he could understand almost everything he was told by Serrano during the investigation. Friedman raised the question of whether Serrano’s alleged intoxication decreased her understanding of Henning’s directions. Serrano repeatedly asked about contacting family members, going to her friend’s home, and what was going to happen to herself and her vehicle. 

The deputy consistently answered her questions with the same answers, yet Serrano continued to ask them. In the body camera footage, Serrano also appeared to struggle with the instructions and sobriety test demonstrations given to her several times by Henning.

Henning testified that Serrano failed her "horizontal gaze nystagmus test" in which he moved a writing pen in front of Serrano as she attempted to follow its tip at different angles with her eyes.

During the walk-and-turn test, Serrano started the test too soon, raised her arms for balance and needed assistance to stay upright. Serrano did not walk heel to toe in a straight line, nor did she pivot correctly while turning nor take enough steps. Serrano therefore failed the test -- both when she wore flip-flops and while walking barefoot.

Serrano also failed a test where she was asked to raise her foot off the ground for half a minute, because she swayed, raised her arms for balance, and set her foot down before reaching 30 seconds. 

Henning said that when he asked Serrano to perform the alphabet from letter E to R, she failed to follow his instructions because she recited E through S before remembering she only needed to recite through R. LoTempio argued that his client performed the test correctly regardless of the small mistake.

Serrano lastly needed to blow into an Alco-Sensor breath-alcohol tester for a duration of time in order for an accurate blood-alcohol content reading to register. Since Serrano’s first test was insufficient and she avoided several attempts to submit to the test afterward, Henning placed her under arrest. 

During testimony today, Henning said Serrano also signed three refusal warning forms at the Batavia Police Department for refusing to submit to a DataMaster alcohol detection test in Batavia. She was later taken to Darien Town Court where her driver's license was suspended and then released from custody with tickets for allegedly drinking while intoxicated.

Serrano was charged with vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident without reporting it, driving while intoxicated, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. 

Serrano never reported hitting anything during the four-and-a-half hours she was in the presence of Sheriff’s deputies, police officers and a judge. LoTempio countered that no law enforcement officials noticed her vehicle's damaged windshield and right-side rear-view exterior mirror until it was discovered on Aug. 12. 

LoTempio challenged Henning’s execution of the tests during cross examination by claiming that sobriety tests only indicate intoxication, if they are all performed correctly. Henning maintained that traffic, darkness and the slight slope of Route 77 were factors that should not have a significant impact on Serrano’s sobriety-test performance.

A pregnant pause filled the courtroom after LoTempio asked Henning a final question. If Serrano performed so poorly on tests while supposedly intoxicated with a BAC of 0.8, how could Lynskey have conducted himself normally while he was traveling on foot along Sumner Road with a 0.16 BAC at the time he was struck by Serrano’s vehicle? 

Her trial will resume at 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning at Genesee County Court.

David Bellavia, the 43-year-old Batavia resident who yesterday received the Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump in a ceremony at the White House, today was inducted to the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon.

This video is an edited version of a video of the ceremony produced by Department of Defense to provide the highlights of the induction and Bellavia's induction speech.

To view the full DoD recording of the ceremony, click here.

A possible serious injury one-car accident is reported in Pembroke at 555 Akron Road. A male in the back seat of a vehicle is inconscious. Mercy Flight in on standby. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding, along with Mercy medics.

The location is between Marble and Remsen roads.

UPDATE 6:50 p.m.: East Pembroke Fire Police are called to set up a landing zone near the crash site.

UPDATE 7:13 p.m.: One patient is being transported to ECMC by Mercy medics.

UPDATE 7:16 p.m.: A patient is being transported to a hospital by Mercy Flight. The assignment is back in service.

BERGEN -- A plexiglass window painting by artist David Burke (in photo above) was dedicated in Bergen’s Sage Pavilion last week. Titled "Technicolor Woodland Sunset," the work was completed thanks to a Ripple grant from the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.

About 25 people attended the dedication ceremony in which the artwork was unveiled. 

Those present included the mayor, village administrator Cortney Gale, town councilwoman Anne Sapienza, village trustees Bob Fedele and Vickie Almquist, Jodi Fisher from GO ART! and friends and family of Burke. Fisher is coordinator of the Decentralized Grant Program, which provided funds for the art work. 

The window is the “jewel” of the Sage Pavilion, said Bergen Mayor Anna Marie Barclay.

The Sage Pavilion was created when the village allowed the Department of Public Works to rehabilitate its old, deteriorating water pump building and turn it into an all-season pavilion, which Barclay said has become the hub of the community.

On May 5, the village was awarded the New York Conference of Mayors Local Government Achievement Award for its innovation and efficiency exhibited by the project. By that date, the Sage Pavilion had already hosted 65 events by local residents.

Photo by Virginia Kropf.