batavia

Press Release:

The Batavia Muckdogs are excited to announce the signing of 10 players to the 2024 roster this summer. 

Diego Alvarado (INF, Hendrix College, Jr.), Justin Austin (INF/OF, Cerro Coso Community College, So.), 2023 Returner - Trey Bacon (RHP/UTIL, University of Auburn-Montgomery, Sr.), 2023 Returner - Garrett Beaver (RHP, Salisbury University, So.), Bryceton Berry (RHP/OF, Flagler College, Fr.), 2023 Returner - Tucker Beving (RHP, University of Wisconsin-Stout, So.), James Bolton (Catcher, SUNY-Courtland, So.), Devin Brooks (RHP, Alabama State University, So.), Garrett Brunstetter (LHP, University of Missouri-St. Louis, So.), Jake Butler (INF, George Mason University, Fr.). 

The Muckdogs will also take part in several events this season including walking in the Memorial Day Parade, Eli Fish Season Ticket Holder Party, The Tiney Piney Meet & Greet, and Bowling with the Muckdogs at Mancuso Lanes.

Diego Alvarado is a 6’ utility player from Hendrix College. A native of Visalia, California, Alvarado is starting his first season with the Muckdogs. Alvarado played at Gateway Community College where he played in 38 games, hitting for a .279 average, and having 14 runs batted in. In his first season at Hendrix, Alvarado started 12 games for the Warriors while posting a .211 batting average, while driving in 8 runs, on 8 hits.

Justin Austin is a 5’7” infielder from Cerro Coso Community College. A native of Winter Park, Florida, Austin is starting his first season with the Muckdogs. In 27 games played for the Coyotes, Austin had a .318 batting average, with 27 hits, 28 runs batted in, and 1 home run.

Trey Bacon is a 5’11” right-handed pitcher from the University of Auburn at Montgomery. A native of Tampa, Florida, Bacon is a familiar face amongst Muckdogs fans as he is returning for his 4 th season. Bacon in 13.2 innings had 13 strikeouts for the Warhawks, and hitters having a .209 batting average against him. Coach Bush at Auburn-Montgomery had high praise for the senior pitcher.

Garrett Beaver is a 6’1 right-handed pitcher from Salisbury University. A native of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, Beaver is returning for another season in Batavia. Beaver, last season at Salisbury, pitched 36.1 innings, with a 3-2 record and 3 saves, struck out 34 batters with a 2.94 earned run average. His career numbers with the Seagulls are 47 innings pitched, with a 3-2 overall record, 3 saves, 46 strikeouts, and a 2.87 earned run average, with hitters having a .190 batting average against him.

Bryceton Berry is a 6’1 right-handed pitcher and outfielder from Flagler College. A native of Batavia, Berry is starting his first season with his hometown team. Berry’s first season at Flagler had him make appearances in the outfield and on the mound for the Saints. On the mound, Berry pitched 13.1 innings, while striking out 11, posting a 4.73 earned run average, and hitters had a .239 batting average against him. At the plate, Berry had 1 hit in 3 at bats, giving him a .333 batting average. Berry was also the MVP of the Batavia Rotary Club Tournament this summer at Dwyer.

Tucker Beving is a 6’ right-handed pitcher from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. A native of Norwalk, Iowa, Beving is entering his second season with the Muckdogs. Beving had 39.2 innings pitched, with 35 strikeouts for the Blue Devils. In his career, he has 82.1 innings pitched, with 73 strikeouts, tallying a 7.43 earned run average. Hitters have a .309 batting average against him. This season, Beving’s goal this season is to drop his ERA and opposing batting average to lead the pitching staff.

James Bolton is a 6’2” catcher from SUNY-Courtland. A native of nearby Webster, New York, Bolton is entering his first season with the Muckdogs. Bolton is looking to bring leadership and playoff experience to Batavia following his college season where SUNY-Courtland made a deep playoff run. 

Devin Brooks is a 6’3” right-handed pitcher from Alabama State University. A native of Alabaster, Alabama, Brooks is starting his first season with the Muckdogs. In his most recent season at Alabama State, Brooks pitched 27.2 innings while striking out 22 batters, giving him a 1-2 record. In his career with the Hornets, Brooks has 31.1 innings, with 24 strikeouts, and a 1-2 record, with opposing hitters having a .239 batting average against him.

Garrett Brunstetter is a 6’2” left-handed pitcher from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Brunstetter is starting his first season with the Muckdogs. In 52 innings pitched for the Tritons, Brunstetter struck out 65 batters, posting a 5.71 earned run average, and hitters had a .254 batting average against him.

Jake Butler is a 5’11” infielder from George Mason University. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Butler is starting his first season with the Muckdogs. In 23 starts for George Mason University, Butler has a .256 batting average with 21 hits, in 82 at bats, 9 runs batted in, and 2 home runs. Butler is looking to make an impact for Batavia in his first season.

Fans can see the Muckdogs before the action starts on Monday, May 27 in the annual Memorial Day Parade. 

On Tuesday, May 28 the Muckdogs will host their annual Season Ticket Holder Eat & Meet at Eli Fish Brewing at 6 p.m. 

Then on Wednesday, May 29 join the Muckdogs at The Tiney Piney (5609 Main St. Batavia). 

Fans can bowl with the Muckdogs on Tuesday, June 4 at Mansuco Bowling Center/T.F. Brown’s at 6 p.m. as well. They can contact Manscuso Bowling Center directly at 585-343-1319 to reserve their spot to Bowl with players. 

Opening Day is Saturday, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. vs the Elmira Pioneers with Post Game Fireworks presented by Graham Corporation & Batavia Downs. Call 585-524-2260 for single-game tickets & season ticket plans start at just $99.

Press Release:

Arc GLOW purchased a total of 19 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in Genesee and Wyoming counties due to generosity by two different organizations.

Fifteen AEDs in Genesee County were purchased with assistance from the Genesee County New York State Opioid Settlement Fund. 

Of these 15 AEDs, four are at Arc GLOW’s public facing offices — the Genesee Administration Building, Business Services and Transportation building, Community Center in Batavia and Elba Day Habilitation. 

These AEDs are in a cabinet at a set location, and have been added to the Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program — if someone calls 911 in need of an AED, an operator will be able to direct them to one of those four buildings for assistance. The case will make a sound when it is opened, and there will be a child/pediatric cartridge at each location and an additional adult cartridge.

The four AEDs in Wyoming County were purchased due to grant funds from the William F. Thiel Trust at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. These four plus the 11 from Genesee County went to Arc GLOW’s 11 individualized residential alternatives (IRAs) where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) live.

“Everyone wants to go about their day thinking what they’re doing is making some kind of difference. Not every project has the luxury of visual evidence like this one did,” said Jeff Kantrowski, quality assurance coordinator at Arc GLOW. “At one point there was a literal wall of life-saving AEDs sitting behind me. It’s awesome to be able to have a hand in putting those units into the world all over Genesee and Wyoming counties; especially knowing that several of the units could have an impact in the community beyond Arc GLOW.” 

According to the American Red Cross, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is among the leading causes of death in the United States. In fact, more than 350,000 people will suffer a SCA this year. 

Currently, the only way to restore a regular heart rhythm during a SCA is to use an AED. Without immediate cardiac medical intervention, the person will die of cardiac death within minutes.

When SCA occurs, rapid treatment with an AED can be lifesaving. But defibrillation is time sensitive. The probability of survival decreases by 7 percent to 10 percent for every minute that a victim doesn't receive treatment.

Individuals with IDD are a vulnerable population that is susceptible to having medical emergencies. For more than a century, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has enhanced and encouraged long-term philanthropy in the Western New York community. 

A 501 (c)(3) organization, the Community Foundation’s mission is connection people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York. Established in 1919, the Community Foundation has made the most of the generosity of individuals, families, foundations and organizations who entrust charitable assets to the Community Foundation’s care. Learn more at cfgb.org.

Arc GLOW is a private, non-profit organization founded by parents and friends of people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. 

It is dedicated to helping people with IDD meet their full potential and find fulfillment in learning, personal relationships, employment, volunteerism, recreation, the arts, and more. Arc GLOW serves up to 2,000 individuals with IDD of all ages throughout the GLOW counties. For more information, visit ArcGLOW.org.

Mavrik Hall, a senior at Notre Dame High School, broke a school record in shot put at the Batavia Track & Field Invitational on Saturday that has stood for 48 years.

Hall threw 51 feet, one inch, breaking Mike Cordes's 1976 record of 50 feet, eight inches.

According to Mike Rapone, Notre Dame's principal and athletic director, Hall is a five-sport athlete who excels in football, basketball, indoor track, golf and outdoor track. 

He is the defending Section V B5 champion in both the shot put and the discus. 

Loni Hall, Mavrik's proud mother, said her son hasn't had a shot put coach at Notre Dame and that he is self-coached.

She said Mavrik intends to attend Columbia College in South Carolina for business, where he will also throw shot put.

Submitted photos.

Batavia PD has a timely reminder for city residents: Never approach a bear.

The warning comes after a Ring camera on a residence on Vine Street recorded a bear walking through backyard.

Other safety tips:

• Secure food, garbage and recycling;
• Do not leave pet food outside;
• Remove bird feeders if you spot bears in your yard;

More tips regarding being bear-wise can be found on the DEC website.

Batavia, like many other communities, has lost many buildings that were a reminder of the city's development. The possibly most glaring example is the Richmond Mansion, likely the most magnificent home built in Batavia. 

It was best known as the home of Dean and Mary Richmond, who became one of the wealthiest families in the area. Their stunning home reflected their wealth and influence and was an artifact of their importance long after they were gone.

The central part of the stately house located on East Main Street in Batavia was built in 1838, not by the Richmond Family, but by Colonel William Davis. 

Davis was a dry goods merchant who served the community in many capacities until his death in 1842. Davis was a member of the committee charged with investigating the disappearance of William Morgan, who was famous for revealing the secrets of the Masonic Order. Davis was also a member of the board of the first local banking institution and assisted in defending the Holland Land Office from near attack in 1836 during the “Land Office War.”

Judge Edgar Dibble purchased the home from Davis’ widow in 1846. Dibble was a leader of the Genesee County Agricultural Society and was the first Democrat elected to a county office since the Morgan affair in 1826. Dibble made extensive modifications to the house before it was sold to Dean and his wife, Mary Richmond, in 1854.

Dean Richmond was a railroad magnate, first for the Utica & Buffalo Railroad and then the New York Central. From 1864 to 1866, he was its president. Under the ownership of Dean and Mary, the home was continually renovated and enlarged. These modifications made the Greek revival style house to be the preeminent of the area. 

The portico and columns, which became synonymous with the structure, were added by the Richmond, along with a building-wide balcony. Mary also created a series of beautiful gardens around the home with rare and imported plants and flowers. They were complete with a large greenhouse. A wrought iron fence, which still stands, and sunken Italian gardens fronted the structure.

The interior matched the exterior in terms of its lavishness. The rooms were decorated with rosewood and mahogany, as well as plastered moldings and ceiling medallions. This included the dining room, which was famous for its yellow-damsked wall and yellow velvet carpets. The master bathroom had solid silver fittings with Tiffany marks. The home was so large that entire horse-drawn carriages laden with supplies would be driven right into the basement. This access was also used to deliver the enormous amount of coal needed to fuel the three furnaces. 

After Dean’s death in 1866, Mary continued to live in the home until her death in 1895. It then passed to their daughter, Adelaide, who left it to her niece, Adelaide, and finally to her brother Watts, who eventually sold the mansion.

In 1928, the building was sold to the Children’s Home Association and operated as the county Children’s Home until 1967, providing a home atmosphere for countless local children. 

The Batavia City School District then purchased it for $75,000. The Richmond Mansion was demolished by the school district’s Board of Education after three years of disputes with the local Landmark Society over what should be done with the building. The plot where the mansion once stood is now a parking lot located between the Richmond Memorial Library, also built by Mary Richmond and St. Joseph’s Church.

Some pieces of furniture and other fixtures have survived and are a part of the Holland Land Office Museum’s collection, including an ornate gold hallway mirror, rosewood carved bookcases, and marble fireplace mantle. Besides these pieces, the only remnant left is the stretch of the original rod iron fence that remains in front of the mansion’s original location.

Jeffrey Searls has amassed a career so wide and varied that perhaps even he has underestimated just how much, such as when his wife Kristie asked him how many challenge coins he had collected.

A former deputy field office director for the U.S. Immigration Department who has also been part of a security detail for a former president and is now deputy superintendent of Genesee County Jail, Searls modestly told her about 15 or 20. Challenge coins are traded with others in the field and often in the military, similar to business cards, only more aesthetically pleasing and collector-worthy.

She took hold of the collection of colorful coins — more like dozens plural  — and lined them up in rows on a wooden flag that decorates his office at the new Genesee County Jail. A minor detail to some, though they speak to the nearly two dozen years of work both out in the criminal justice field and in administration. 

“And so she bought me that, and I had more coins. So then I had to get another one. Then, over time, they filled up; it was one of those things I just kind of threw them in there and didn't pay attention,” Searls said during an interview at his office in the new jail. “And then she's like, you know, they’re kind of nice, you should display them. I’m like, yeah, you're right. I really had no idea how many I had then because I've just thrown them in that basket over the years. And I'm like, wow, I’d say quite a few. So it's kind of a neat little collection.”

Admittedly, Searls is not akin to clutter, so all the shiny newness aside, his office will likely remain as orderly as it was on this day, with few but meaningful pieces of decor on the walls and bookshelves, including the coins flags, a wooden flag-themed Special Response Team plaque, two buffalo — the animal, not city —  items and a group police photo. 

He has worked at other jobs prior to immigration, he said, including a stint at CY Farms “way back when,” and as a probation officer in 1997, but since 2000, his criminal justice/law enforcement career has taken off.

“I was eligible to retire and was looking for other after-retirement jobs, so this situation kind of fell in my lap, really. I had experience running the Detention Center for Immigration on Federal Drive, and it was just the right timing. So I applied, interviewed, and got selected,” he said.

At first blush, he said he enjoyed being an officer where the bulk of the action outweighed the administration side of things; however, after more contemplation, he revised that response.

“I did like being an officer, but I also enjoy being an administrator as well. I like being able to lead others and providing the tools they need to help them succeed in reaching their goals,” Searls said. “I also enjoy helping to take a vision and turning it into reality. Similar to the new jail project that started out as a conversation, to plans on paper, to construction, then ultimately it will be a fully operational facility.”

Ever since he took a criminal justice course in BOCES, Searls, who grew up in Elba, “really liked it,” he said and leaned toward becoming a cop or a fireman to help his community. 

“I always wanted to make a difference,” he said. 

A resident of Batavia for the last 18 years, he began as a detention enforcement officer—similar to a corrections officer, he said—and then moved up the supervisory ranks. In 2017, he became the facility director until 2022, when he was promoted to deputy field office director.

“I was in charge of the upper 47 counties of New York State for federal immigration. So from all the way from Erie, Pennsylvania border all the way up to Champlain and down to just north of Hudson County, Dutchess County, so the Albany area,” he said. “I was deputy field office director, so I was second in charge of the state for the agency. But in that role I'm detailed quite often. So I was detailed to Washington, D.C. and played different roles there. So I was in charge of fugitive operations, which is like going out and finding people like what the marshals would do, looking for immigration fugitives. 

“I was in charge. I was overseas,  I oversaw it nationally for a six months detail. And then also, I did another headquarters detail where I worked at the Southwest border Coordination Center. That was in conjunction with Customs and Border Protection, border patrol, and with the influx of migrants, in the last few years, worked together with a multi agency task force to try to address that,” he said. “So as the deputy national incident commander, working federally, I had to go all over the place, realistically. I did multiple stints on the southern border, mostly in Texas and Louisiana as well. Short-term details from 30 to 60 days, but I also was acting facility or acting field office director for Philadelphia for four months. So I was in charge of Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia.”

His boss was ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C., and the job meant being team leader with a SWAT team, emergency response for hurricanes in New Orleans in 2008, part of a large-scale security team for President-elect Barack Obama during his transition in Chicago, and even having to remove high-risk individuals from the United States. One thing he hasn’t done when it comes to immigration is work directly along the southern border, namely Mexico.

Since 2017, he has predominantly been in administration, running the Buffalo immigration office.

“I loved the field action, but I like teaching the younger guys. When you work the field, it’s very early morning and very late nights,” he said. “Being an administrator, some of the enjoyable aspects of it were completing projects. And similar to the new jail here, being able to get it off the ground. Most of those projects that we did were smaller in scale, but to start from scratch and get them running was very exciting, too; not along the lines of criminal justice work, but I did enjoy that, having seen the fruits of your labor.”

As deputy jail superintendent since December 2023, Searls knows all about seeing projects come to fruition. The $70 million facility is set to open for an invitation-only mingle and dedication on Friday after a year of groundbreaking, construction, change orders, infrastructure, training, and finishing touches at the Route 5 site. 

Searls is deputy to Jail Superintendent Bill Zipfel. 

“My duties since I started have been to do everything to transition for us to move from the old jail to the new jail so he's able to focus on the day-to-day operations of the current jail. And to try to open a new place is a lot for one person to be in charge of, so the sheriff and the superintendent have wanted me to coordinate things here, so I've been a go-between with contractors, other vendors that are putting our security systems in and keys and doors and every little thing that goes along with construction, and also working with the commissioner of corrections of a transition team that we work with, which is four correction officers that work for us, that we have pulled from the schedule and they work here daily,” he said. “And they have worked directly with the commissioner of corrections on new policies and procedures, mainly due to the physical plan of the facility. 

"A lot of our procedures are going to be completely different here. We've been working with them developing the new policies and procedures and putting together a training program for our officers because we're going to have to know how to handle the different scenarios," he said. "Many of our officers are very experienced; however, they just have a new place and a different way of going about things. We're going to have to work through it, just how it's going to look here.” 

An example of such policies is the inmate grievance process. Searls said inmates receive a tablet that they can use for music, TV and a phone. They can also list their grievances on the tablet as an electronic log. 

“And so they've reviewed that and tried to tweak it to make it better now with technology. We have tablets here; we have different technological tools. But ultimately, if you know an inmate has a grievance, they can always say it in person, put it right down on a piece of paper, or do it through the tablet. So helping us just make sure all of our policies are in line to meet the standards that are in place,” he said. “Many, many standards have had to adjust because of technology, the changes in it. A lot of old procedures that were listed on paper had to be now with the technological age. 

"If you can use a tablet, and email, is it necessary to print all that paper out? So adjusting policies like that, there are ways or other things that always in the past had to be on paper, paper logs, now we can go with more electronic logs," he said. "So that’s been very helpful. And, obviously, in the long run, a cost savings to the county.”

The new jail provides opportunities for more outdoor recreation and larger day rooms to relax and watch TV, he said. There are some work positions in the kitchen and laundry areas, and he would like to see more work programs be developed in the future. 

Genesee County Animal Shelter is adjacent to the jail, and there are potential opportunities for inmates to help out by walking dogs or other duties, he said, but that type of program has yet to be established. 

There will be one head cook that’s a county employee and two part-time cook jobs will go to inmates that don’t have a lot of violence in their records, he said. 

Other staff includes four part-time nurses who cover shifts seven days a week and a physician who comes in two days a week. About 46 corrections officers have been hired, with four more needed to make it the 50 full-time required, plus six full-time senior corrections officers.

Friday's private dedication and tour is something to look forward to for all involved, he said.

“This is a big deal and something people should be proud of,” he said. “We’re excited to get in here, and I’m very proud to be part of it.”

The jail’s capacity is 184 inmates—148 men and 36 women—and they are expected to be housed in June. Once the males are situated in the current jail, the females will be brought in from outlying facilities in Orleans, Wyoming and Monroe counties, he said.

Once the new jail is established and flowing, Searls will focus on assisting Zipfel with daily tasks, including performance evaluations and policy reviews.

“We may have to change a few things and continue the process with that day to day,” he said. “Initially, just getting used to the space and the distance to travel from if there is an incident, that emergency incident that we need to respond to right away, there's a greater distance to travel to, but overall greater distance to travel to, by the COs to get to. So if there was a fight or medical emergency or something they had to respond to, there's a little bit greater distance. For the most part, it's just one floor, except in the housing unit, there are two floors, but it is very easy to maneuver through the facility. But it's just a greater distance.

“Overall safety concerns, the design of the facility keeps you safe. It is different than our current jail in the way it's set up there, in small, very small groups, small areas, you will have the potential for 40 people together in an open area. So there's the potential that you have one CO working with those 40 guys, you're outnumbered,”  he said. “However, generally in my past, I have not had issues with that. It's just all about communication, effective communication just between the COs, jail management, and the inmates, and effective communication usually handles any disturbance.”

There won’t be any changes to officers being armed and the use of force policies, he said, and having one officer dealing with larger groups of people is actually “a very effective and economical way of handling the inmate population.”

“Ultimately, the big key is effective communication, just being able to talk to people and respectfully, that's the main thing," he said. "But overall, the bigger the facility the potential of larger numbers. Obviously, we'll bring in the females, so that's gonna bump up our numbers on average, lately, 15 to 20 at the most, right there. We've been housing females out forever to other county jails, and as other local jails may be going through the same process, they may ask for the same type of favor."

"So I'm sure in the future, we may be housing other counties’ inmates maybe short term if they have a building project. And then there's the possibility of potentially housing federal inmates if the need arises, whether it's U.S. Marshal inmates or immigration inmates, that's open for discussion. There's a lot of moving parts with those as far as establishing a memorandum of understanding and a contract. And they have a different auditing process and things like that. So that's open for discussion down the road," he said. "Ultimately, we initially want to get open, take care of ourselves, make sure we're good to go and then see about eventually being able to utilize the full facility."

Searls and wife Kristie, a teacher at Jackson Primary School, have a son Shawn, who’s in his junior year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and two golden retrievers, Bentley and Dunkin. 

Press Release:

Congratulations to our Resurrection Parish First Reconciliation students on receiving the sacrament of reconciliation for the first time on May 4.

Notre Dame beat Oakfield-Alabama and Batavia on Saturday at Dwyer to win the Rotary Tournament Title.

In the first round, the Irish beat the Hornets 5-1.

Also, in the first round, Batavia beat Le Roy 5-2.

In the nightcap for the championship, Notre Dame beat the Blue Devils 3-2.

No stats were provided for the games.

Photos by Pete Welker.

Press Release:

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has collected critical funds in the community since 1954 – one dollar at a time – as part of the Fill the Boot program for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). 

The Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 896 will be continuing this long-standing tradition as its members kick off the annual program raising funds to support MDA’s vision to accelerate research, advance care, and advocate for the support of MDA families.

Dedicated fire fighters from Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 896 will hit the streets with boots in hand asking pedestrians, motorists, customers, and other passersby to donate to the MDA on May 31 from 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., at Main and Court Street, and Ellicott and Court Street in the City of Batavia.

The partnership between MDA and IAFF began in 1954 when the IAFF signed a proclamation designating MDA its charity of choice and vowing to continue raising awareness and funds until cures are found. To date, the nearly seven-decade partnership has raised more than $679 million with involvement from over 300,000 fire fighters nationwide. 

These funds have led in part to over a dozen FDA-approved drugs in as many years for those with neuromuscular disease. Those treatments were created from MDA’s vision to open a new field of medicine and push the boundaries of the medical frontier we call genetic medicine.

“What the IAFF has done for MDA over the past 68 years is unprecedented,” said Donald S. Wood, Ph.D., President and CEO of MDA. “With the support from our partners at the IAFF, MDA is doing the impossible in accelerating research, advancing care, and advocating for people living with neuromuscular disease. We have a mission to empower the people we serve to life longer, more independent lives and we will fulfill this mission together, with the IAFF.”

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing and testing fire hydrants on Tuesday, May 7 through Thursday May 9 from approximately 9 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. in the general area of North of Main Street and West of Bank Street. 

Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored.

If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about 5 minutes or until clear. This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities class III Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification, and to assure that fire hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes.

Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city's water system, identifies weak areas in the system, and removes material that settle in the water lines. Checking each hydrant improves fire department personnel knowledge of the hydrant locations.

If you have any questions, or should notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the fire department at 585-345-6375.

Press Release:

Northgate is excited to announce that we will be hosting our annual Rummage Sale on Friday, May 10 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Saturday, May 11 from 8 a.m. - noon at Northgate South Campus located at 350 Bank Street, Batavia. 

The proceeds from this event will go to fund the development of a Women’s Farm Project in Gahanda, Rwanda, which will teach sustenance farming to the women within the community, as well as Northgate's Costa Rica Missions Trip high schoolers within the congregation will be taking in July 2024. 

Drop off times for donations will be Monday-Wednesday, May 6-8, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 5:30- 7:30 p.m.

All acceptable items should be clean and in good condition. Items not accepted are as follows: mugs, VHS tapes, TVs that are not flatscreen, adult clothes/shoes, car seats, cribs, flammable or hazardous materials, and firearms. Electronics that are in working order will be accepted. 

Please consider joining Northgate for this sale and contributing to the important work that these charities do. For more information, call the Northgate office at (585)343-4011. 

Press Release:

Please be advised that Bank Street from Alva Place to Washington Avenue will be closed on Monday, May 6 from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

We recommend selecting an alternate route to minimize traffic congestion.

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank the public for their patience and cooperation as we work to improve our community.

Volunteers from Habitat for Humanity loaned their construction expertise to the Batavia Girls Fast Pitch Softball League on Saturday at Lions Park on Edwards Street to build a new equipment shed for the Stingers.

The league supplied the building material and the Batavia Business and Professional Women's Club provided lunch for the volunteers.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

Officials at Batavia Downs today announced that in preparation for the Kentucky Derby running this weekend, they will be extra staffing at all OTB Branches to help with those looking to place wagers.

Free Derby Programs will be available at Batavia Downs, All OTB Branches and all EZ Bet locations.

OTB Branches will open at 10 a.m. as Churchill Downs’ first race of the day will be at 10:30 a.m. The Kentucky Derby is at 6:57 p.m. and will be televised on NBC and Peacock. 

At Batavia Downs, guests may place wagers upstairs at the onsite ITW and inside the Park Place Room. They will be hosting a $30 lunch special which includes a $25 Free Play, $5 Wager on the Derby, Derby Program and a 1/2 Chicken BBQ Lunch from Center Street Smokehouse. Attendees can pay at the door.

The Derby Gala inside the historic Batavia Downs Clubhouse is sold out.

OTB Branches, EZ Bets, and the Batavia Downs ITW will be doing drawings for Derby Glasses and Star Wars Themed Derby shirts as the 2024 Derby falls on Star Wars Day.

Wagers can also be placed on BataviaBets.com from a phone, tablet or computer. People can also wager via the Dial-A-Bet service at 1-800-724-4000.

“This is an exciting year for us,” said Henry Wojtaszek, President and CEO of Batavia Downs. “Not only is it the 150th Kentucky Derby, but it’s also Western OTB’s 50th anniversary. Our entire team has been working tirelessly to make sure our gaming facility and branches are ready to welcome guests this Saturday. We wish everyone good luck on their bets and may the horse be with you.”

Find the OTB or EZ Bet near you by visiting https://www.westernotb.com/locations/. 

Wearing pink uniform T-shirts, the Batavia Blue Devils "Struck Out" on Friday to raise $1,900 for Genesee Cancer Assistance.

The softball team also beat Greece 8-2.

Giana Mruczek had Greece's hitters striking out plenty of times, recording nine whiffs and giving up only four hits.

Offensively:

• Hannah Carney, 2-3, 2 RBIs
• Sophia Minuto, 1-2, 2 RBIs
• Libby Grazioplene, doubled
• Drew Stevens, 1-2 
• Kyleigh Kabel had a 2 RBI double 

Submitted photos.

John Roach’s question of what to do with newly found free time was answered Thursday after he was one of two candidates voted in for Richmond Memorial Library’s Board of Trustees.

Up to this year, Roach has been “very busy” the last 29 years helping out with the Boy Scouts, he said.

“It was every Wednesday helping out with a Boy Scout troop and one weekend every month, and then two weeks every summer. But we don’t have a charter any more, we don’t have enough boys to keep the troop going. So as of January I’ve had a lot of free time, and somebody saw that there was going to be two openings and mentioned this to me, and I said you know, I’ve got the time, why not?” he said to The Batavian Thursday. “I’ve always been a library supporter. Even in the age of computers, I still go to the library. I use the reading material, we’ve used the rooms for helping boys from the other troops with merit badges.

“I’ve gone head to head with the Libertarians, who believe that there should be no public libraries, they should be eliminated,” he said. “I’m a big supporter of the library.”

District residents gave candidate Felipe Oltramari top billing with 270 votes, followed by Roach with 159 and Christina Mortellaro 123.

They also approved the proposed 2024-25 budget of $1,696,912, an increase of $13,814 with a property tax levy of $1,395,283, with a vote of 225 yes to 69 no.

It’s the first time in quite awhile there has been a contested race for the library board, Roach said, which didn’t deter him from running. A native of Kenmore, he moved to Batavia in 1974 and has been active in local groups and committees, including having served on the city’s Charter Commission twice and the Mall Operating Committee for one term, and has been an outspoken city resident at City Council meetings. 

Roach is a Vietnam War veteran and is retired from the state Department of Corrections as a senior counselor. 

He said he believes the library “seems to be doing well,” with a 2024-25 budget increase of 1% and an expense line mostly attributed to medical and building contents insurance costs, he said. 

In comparing the duties of a library board member to government entities, he sees his new responsibility slightly different. 

“As far as the trustee job, basically you just oversee what's been going on; if the director thinks that there's a capital improvement or something that needs to be done, she comes and the trustees look at it and if that's a worthy project and they look and see if they have the money to do it. That's basically an oversight, a lot less than say, like City Council or the county Legislature where they're setting policies and everything,” he said. “They don't really seem to set as much policy as oversee the policies that are already there. I'll get to know a whole lot more once I start attending the meetings more regularly.”

The only downside so far is the date of when he will be sworn in for office. That is to happen in July.

“It’s on my wife’s birthday,” he said. 

Oltramari said that he was very thankful and honored for the support of the people who came out to vote. 

“My family and I have been regular patrons of the library, especially when my girls were little. My wife, Laurie, worked there in the past and so we know and care for many of the people who work there and who serve on the board of trustees,” he said. “I was recruited to run for the board because I had mentioned in the past that it would be an interesting position. We love libraries and I don’t have a particular agenda. I just hope to help the great people who work there serve the community and be a good steward of this wonderful community asset and the taxpayers’ dollars.”

Oltramari has been a resident of the city of Batavia for the past 17 years. Along with his wife, they have raised two daughters in Batavia. He has been the director of Planning for Genesee County for more than 20 years. 

Press Release:

Rain or shine, the Genesee County Master Gardeners will be hosting their annual Spring Garden Gala on Saturday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, 420 East Main Street in Batavia.

This annual plant sale features a variety of perennials, many of which are from the gardens of Master Gardeners.  There will also be a selection of houseplants. The plant sale starts promptly at 10 a.m. No early birds, please.

Visit the Basket Auction for garden art, gift certificates, and a variety of themed baskets. Basket Auction drawing starts at 12:30 p.m. Gently used garden books will also be for sale.

Our garden shed sale was so popular last year, that we’re doing it again!  We’ll have an assortment of gently used or maybe never used, gardening items such as containers, tools, signs, and garden decor. This will be set up in the parking lot area near the garden shed.

Bring in a soil sample from your garden or lawn for a free pH test. A half-cup sample of your garden soil in a clean container is needed for the test. 

Master Gardeners will also be available to answer your gardening questions.

Don’t miss your chance to pick up some great plants at great prices, plus garden art and other interesting items.  Arrive at 10 a.m. for the best plant selection. Proceeds from the sale benefit the educational outreach of the Genesee County Master Gardener Program.

For more information contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, at 585-343-3040, ext. 101, or stop by the Extension office at 420 East Main Street in Batavia.

Visit our website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/events for more information. Like us on our Facebook page for Gala and Master Gardener program updates https://www.facebook.com/CCEofGenesee.

Press Release:

The Batavia Society of Artists is having its Spring Member's Art Exhibit for the month of May at the Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia. 

Free opening reception in the Gallery Room on Tuesday, May 7 from 6:30 - 8 p.m. 

The Judge is Jill Pettigrew and the winners will be announced at 7 p.m. The Virginia Carr-Mumford Scholarship will be awarded then to GCC student Kathryn Blankenship. 

Light refreshments will be served. Please come and enjoy this Free Art Show, all are welcome!