batavia

A native of Rochester who has lived “everywhere” before settling down in Batavia eight years ago, Eric Zwieg could easily be described as a journeying artist.

Zwieg, who has more recently racked up academic degrees with no stopping in sight, spent his childhood in his grandmother’s cultural Chautauqua Institute surroundings, where he saw great jazz legends, later pursuing music performance in college before quitting after a year to indulge in the real thing — hitting the road for the next several years, forming his own bands, writing songs, recording albums, and scoring acting gigs for Indie movies. 

“I really wasn’t getting out of it what I wanted. My mother had been an opera singer in college, so she really wanted me to get the schooling, but it wasn’t meant for me. I’d rather hang in the bars,” Zwieg said during an interview with The Batavian. “I worked really hard. I was very industrious,” he said, adding the piece that most aspiring artists can relate to. “I was a personal trainer, did restaurant jobs, gallery jobs, I used to light shows for galleries, anything to make a buck here and there. And it all added up to put food on the table and pay rent.”

He dabbled in writing by drafting his own audition scripts for the theater “to help me stand out a little bit, you know, instead of the same old, same old stuff they hear.” 

“So I was always trying to be creative in that respect. That got me the Indie film parts," he said. "They didn’t pay anything, but you’re working, and you’re doing what you really want to do.”

Since all of that, for the last seven years, he’s been in school full-time, earning a bachelor’s degree in writing in 2016 and his master’s in writing four years later. And “that’s where my writing really started to take on some importance in my life,” he said.

He then obtained his master’s in fine arts at Goddard College this July, which is when he completed the thesis he is using as the basis for his staged reading of “Passenger: A Billion Little Pieces.” It debuts at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at GO Art!’s main gallery, 201 East Main St., Batavia.  

“It’s a fully hybrid memoir, which is important that people understand that, and it’s based on postmodern writing disciplines and elements, and postmodern literature, having started after World War II … I’m using all the literary elements, I really wanted to pull a card trick off here, not only on my mentors but on the readers,” he said. “I really want to fill it chock full of all this stuff that, it’s aesthetically beautiful to read, but they don’t know what’s going on. And so it kind of takes one to know one. So there’s so much hidden, but it’s stylistically very academic.”

This presentation was made possible with Zwieg’s fifth Ripple grant award through GO Art!

“Passenger: A Billion Little Pieces—postmodern reflections in an attempt at several literary sensibilities, attitudes, and genre” is a hybrid of prose, poetry (Haiku, prosaic, anaphoric, repetition, lyric, narrative), definitions, quotes, lists, font variations, cut-and-paste, liberal punctuation, foreign language, dramatic and film dialogue insertions, homage, pastiche, text colorization, watermarks, absurdum, images, page breaks, use of whitespace, academic annotations, object blocks, postmodern concepts (metafiction, unreliable narration, intertextuality, anti-authorism, rejection-embracement of high and low culturalism, nonlinear storyline), embedded dramaturgical direction, irony, metaphor, existential thought, epistemology, naïve realism, philosophical skepticism, parody-satire, unrealistic narratives, paradox, sarcasm, humor, multiple POVs, dreams within dreams, stories within stories, nonuse of page numbers, contractions, quotation marks, and a bit of memoir, be it faux, pragmatic or idealistic.

Those are a lot of varying elements. Given the academic basis of the reading, and you say so much is hidden, will the audience get it? 
Maybe not. They might not fully understand the big picture, he said, but will get the vignettes. 

“They’ll get the chapters, and they’ll see this guy Henry Grace’s character,” Zwieg said. “He’s an everyman. He’s kind of an island.”

As Zwieg described Grace, and his own existence over the last number of years, one might wonder if there’s also some autobiography in here as well. There is some loneliness. 

Passenger is a professional reading with paid performers featuring Richard Ferris, Stephen VanValkenburg and Zwieg. While there are no costumes or sets, and perhaps because of that, it’s the words — their nuance, their lilt, their palpable meaning, their pronunciation and embrace as delivered by the performers — that make this show, Zwieg said.  

He pays homage to his favorite authors, Kurt Vonnegut, David Foster Wallace, and poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who founded City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco. 

“I love these writers so much, you’re paying homage to them,” he said. I’m not trying to compare myself to them. I have my own twist on it too.”

Vonnegut is an American writer well known for his “Slaughterhouse-Five,” which Zwieg specifically referenced, and Foster Wallace is a postmodern novelist. His other muse, if it can be called that, was rock band Television’s album “Marquee Moon,” of which he painstakingly rifled through all eight tracks to pull references, quotes and footnotes that have significance for him. 

“There's a section when Henry falls in love with music as a teenager, right? And he goes to see that live band for the first time. So that's where this concept comes from Television. Unless you're a real music nerd, not a lot of people know about it. But this was at CBGBs in the mid-70s, which blew up with Blondie, The Ramones, Talking Heads, Television, on and on and on. It was just, that was the passion of music,” he said. “And so that's the connection to music for me. So the eight chapters, you know, See No Evil, Marquee Moon, whatever on down, are the track listings on that album. And there are quotes. There are footnotes throughout … there are seven or eight pages of footnotes that relate back to the photos, quotations, movie quotes, movie dialogue, all that stuff. 

"So I give credit to all those people. But there are a number of quotes from the lead singer and main songwriter on Television, who actually passed away just this year, Tom Verlaine. And so that's that energy I was trying to, you know, that element really means a lot to me.”

While working on each chapter, he would key in on one song and listen to it, he said, some 20 times in a four-hour period, to “define and pick a line out here that I can include in my prose texts somehow to make it that more of a convoluted postmodern type of experience.”

So there’s a lot going on, he said. An easy understatement. However, that’s the beauty of art and poetry and words, as Passenger’s own script states:  

You. You are. You are you. You have been.

You are. You will be forever. Breathe deeply. Listen. Allow life to be. Simple as a moment.

Fulfilling. The end is what you make it. Who are you? but existence without answers surrounded by suffering. 

Reaching for clarity in all things. Survival dependent upon the balance of randomness, choice, and the process of process. 

Journeys yet unfulfilled.

There will be a second show at 2 p.m. Nov. 11 at Pub Coffee Hub, 56 Harvester Ave., Batavia. There is no admission fee, and it is suggested for mature audiences only of age 17 and older. 

Press Release:

On Friday, Nov. 17, the Genesee County STOP-DWI Advisory Board will sponsor their 7th annual STOP-DWI Awards Luncheon at Terry Hills Restaurant & Banquet Facility. Nine young people from districts in the county will be honored for their commitment to the community for entering the STOP-DWI Poster Contest. 

There are 1st -3rd place winners in each category, 6th - 8th grade hand drawn, 6th - 8th grade Computer Generated Art and 9th -12th grade Computer Generated Art. There is also a Grand Prize Winner.

Additionally, the luncheon will recognize three Top Cop Awards. The following young people will be recognized for their STOP-DWI poster submissions:

6th - 8th grade winners: Alyssa Bailey, Jameson Hargrave, Deborah Heineman, Taylor Louis and Peyton Gay. 

9th - 12th grade winners: Taelynn Bragg, Savannah Meyer and Aiden Vallett. 

The Grand Prize Winner whose artwork will appear on a billboard in Genesee County in November and December is Marley Santos, a 10th grader from Batavia High School.

Batavia Police Officer Joseph Weglarski, Genesee County Sheriff Deputy Zachary Hoy and Village of LeRoy Police Department Officer Jordan Wolcott are receiving the Top Cop Award for going above and beyond with DWI arrests during a twelve month time period. They are also being honored for their dedication to keeping our community safe.

Registration will begin at 11:30 a.m. The program and luncheon will begin at 12 p.m. Seating is limited. If you are interested in attending the luncheon, contact Theresa Osborn at the Genesee County Youth Bureau at (585) 344-3960 no later than Nov. 9.

A 60-year-old Batavia man was struck and killed by a vehicle while he was attempting to cross the road on foot in the area of 4077 West Main Street Road, Batavia, at 6:55 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The victim has been identified as Robert M. Schryver.

The location is roughly between Delre's Greenhouse and the former Dibble Family Center, west of Colonial Boulevard. 

According to the initial investigation, a 27-year-old Akron woman, Brittany Hill, was driving a 2020 Gray Volkswagon SUV westbound when Schryver reportedly crossed the road ahead of her vehicle.

Schryver sustained serious injuries and was transported to UMMC, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The accident investigation is continuing by the Crash Management Team and deputies.  Town of Batavia Fire, Batavia PD, State Police, and Mercy EMS assisted at the scene.

A pair of teenagers from Rochester are accused of stealing two unlocked vehicles that were left running in the driveways of Batavia homes this morning.

The first theft was reported on Lacrosse Avenue in Batavia. It was later located on Cherry Avenue, where another vehicle that had been left unlocked and running was stolen.

A short time after the theft was reported, a Le Roy patrol officer spotted the vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. 

The driver fled, leading to a chase into Monroe County.  The Monroe County Sheriff's Office assisted with the pursuit once it was in the department's jurisdiction.

The chase ended in North Chili, where one occupant was taken into custody without incident.  

A second occupant fled on foot but was taken into custody a short time later.

A 17-year-old male and an 18-year-old female, whose names are not being released by Batavia PD, were charged with two counts each of grand larceny 4th.  They are also facing charges and traffic violations in Le Roy.

The pair was issued appearance tickets and released to their guardians in accordance with state law.

Batavia PD said in a statement that it wishes to thank the Village of LeRoy Police Department, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center and Monroe County Sheriff's Office for their assistance. 

"We further would like to remind residents to secure their vehicles and not leave them running while unattended," the department said in a statement.

Andrea Clattenburg, whose legal career has taken her from a prosecutor's position in the County Attorney's Office to a defense attorney position in the Public Defender's Office, is now a part-time City Court judge.

Clattenburg took the oath of office Wednesday in Batavia City Court in a courtroom packed with family, friends, fellow attorneys, elected officials, and assorted dignitaries.

City Council appointed Clattenburg to the position in August following the resignation of Thomas Burns.  City Court judges, state-mandated positions, are elected to six-year terms. Clattenburg will be on an election ballot in November 2026, prior to the expiration of the term Burns vacated. That term expires on Dec. 31, 2026.

Full-time City Court Judge Durin Rogers administered the oath.

"City courts were once described to me as the emergency room or the emergency department," Rogers said. "Many times you don't know what you're gonna have. In City Court, you'd have a traditional vehicle and traffic matter. And for all my former colleagues and for the attorneys, and obviously the judges, you know, that you could have a very serious criminal matter brought into court during vehicle and traffic or during housing, and you have to be able to switch hats. And so you need a keen sense of triage. You need a keen sense of knowledge. And, most importantly, I think judicial temperament, and I'm very excited that we have somebody of Judge Clattenburg's caliber to join us on this team."

Clattenburg thanked her colleagues and family for their support over the years, particularly her father James Clattenburg and her husband Michael Szymczak.

"I grew up in Batavia," Clattenburg said. "I've lived here my entire life. I've worked in Genesee County, in Batavia, my entire life, and I am so thrilled to be able to serve the city of Batavia in this capacity."

During introductions by Rogers, the two newest members of the court staff were also introduced.  Kelly Randle is the new chief clerk and Amy VanSplunder is the new deputy clerk.

The trick-or-treaters were out all over Genesee County.  We stopped at the haunted house on Bank Street, Lincoln Avenue, Ellicott Avenue, and Redfield Parkway in the City.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Isabella Walsh: Section V Class A Player of the Year
Isabella Walsh, #11 on the Batavia Blue Devils Girls Soccer team, loves playing defense. She always has.

"I've played defense since I was little," Walsh said. "I like the one-on-one battles and making big saves. I enjoy it."

She's also the team's primary direct-kick specialist (taking kicks following a penalty from outside the penalty box).

These two contributions to Batavia's 14-win season are a big part of why she was named Section V Class A Player of the Year for Girls Soccer.

"I'm really honored to be singled out for this award," Walsh said. "There are so many great players on my team and the teams we compete against. To be a defensive player and to win this type of award is really a great recognition, but this is truly a team award because it's my teammates around me every day in practice and games that make me better and make me want to play harder for them and our team's success."

Batavia's head coach, Roger Hume, said Walsh, now a senior, is a four-year starter at center back, and he doesn't believe she's missed a start in her career.

"She's like the center of our entire defense at this point," Hume said. "She is gonna be a big loss for us."

On the field, Walsh directs the defense when the opposing team has a direct kick or corner kick, and that had a lot to do with Batavia's success in 2023.

"We were at the lowest goal-against total we've had in the last 15 years that I've been here," Hume said. "We had 12 goals against."

Roger Hume: Section V Class A Girls Soccer Coach of the Year
Fifteen years ago, Roger Hume took over a soccer team that needed new direction.  That first year as coach was rough -- no league wins and only a 4-12-1 record on the year.  The team scored only 12 goals and gave up 50.

In 2023, he coached the team to a 14-2-1 record, with a team that gave up only 12 goals and scored 73 (The team's previous record for fewest goals against was 17 in 2020 (when the team scored only 15 goals, and the highest goal total was 45 in 2022).

After such a successful season, Hume has been named the Section V Class A Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.

The award isn't just a credit to him, Hume said. It's the entire group of people involved in Batavia Girls Soccer.

"Well, for me, I think it's a combination of all the parents and players that have put the time in, and all of the volunteer coaches and assistant coaches I've had through the years," Hume said. "There's a multitude of parents that had their daughters come up through who helped me from modified all the way up to Varsity. It kind of justifies that we did all that hard work, you know, and it took a while. I mean, 15 years before we had the team -- this has been one of the best teams that we've had, you know, record-wise and group-wise and just the way they are a team together."

Hume now has 111 career wins as a varsity coach.

His soccer career started with his oldest daughter getting involved with soccer when she was four. She's now 32. He became a coach in Batavia Youth Soccer, became a board member, and after a few years, then Athletic Director Mike Bromley asked him if he would coach girls modified soccer for Batavia.  After a few years, he moved up to junior varsity and then, 15 years ago, varsity. 

The team's biggest improvements have come since the opening of the new Van Detta Stadium with the artificial turf on Woodward Field.

Playing on grass meant playing a slower game, but it also meant, despite all the hard work of the grounds crew, playing on a field that could be a bit uneven.

"When it gets into October, it's tough because it's raining out all the time or it's snowing out all the time," Hume said. "Being able to get on the turf as much as possible has helped to speed up our game a lot. We've really been able to ratchet up."

The proof is the past three years of play against a top Class A team, Pal-Mac.  Two years ago, Batavia lost 6-1.  Last year, 4-0.  This year, in the Class A semifinal, 2-0.  That's a measure of progress, even if the Blue Devils haven't yet cleared the hump of beating Pal-Mac.

And the progress doesn't seem to have peaked, Hume indicated.

"We have a great JV group that came up, and I had girls that were freshmen and sophomores that could have been on varsity and would have been on varsity previous years, like five, six years ago, but we didn't have the room for them," Hume said.  "They would be playing and I don't want them to sit on the bench if there's no value to it at that point."

Hume acknowledged that as much as it might recognize the success of the program in 2023, it also recognizes the progress of the program.

"I think it is a recognition of what we can do and that we are competitive," Hume said. "We can compete now several teams in our group. Aquinas is in our group, and Pal-Mac is our Class A. Like I said, we did Class A for nine years, and we won four games all the time, or five games all the time, so, you know, I think we're proving we can compete."

Students at Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate schools went for a trick-or-treat in costume on Tuesday morning, getting treats from police officers, firefighters, bus drivers, and city public works personnel.

The kids at Robert Morris visited a petting zoo, picked out a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch, and enjoyed a snack of doughnut holes and apple cider.

Photos by Howard Owens.

It’s not too late to register for a free kids’ hockey trial program this weekend, organizers say.

The Try Hockey For Free program, sponsored by Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, is for boys and girls aged four to nine, and runs from 10:40 a.m. to noon Saturday at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street, Batavia.

Organizers encourage participants to bring equipment if you have it. If you don’t have any equipment, do bring loose-fitting sweat or snow pants, a pair of hockey, mittens or winter gloves, a helmet (hockey or bike) and a smile.

Rental skates will be provided for free, courtesy of the ice arena. Hockey sticks will be given out for use, and must be returned upon the end of the session. A USA hockey jersey will be given to each participant.

The on-ice experience will include plenty of coaches on hand to give your child a great youth hockey experience, organizers say. “They will get an opportunity to learn the basic skills of youth hockey,” organizer Bob Gray said.

Registration is now open. Go to: tryhockeyforfree.com (zip code 14020).

For more information, contact svgray@rochester.rr.com

The indoor winter soccer program started on Monday at the YMCA in Batavia, coached by Batavia girls Varsity coach Roger Hume.

He calls the program "club soccer."

It is open to soccer players from third grade through 12th, and it's never too late for a parent to get a child started in the program.  Hume said as long as a class has room, the class is open at any time of the winter, November through March, and there is an open registration time again in January.

JV and Varsity players practice and train on Mondays, junior high on Wednesdays, and elementary school kids on Thursdays.  On Saturdays, all grade levels participate at different times of the day.

Since many of the JV and Varsity players often play other winter sports, the Monday classes tend to thin out once those seasons start, Hume said.

The session starts with some warm-ups followed by skill work, ball handling.

"We want to do a lot of group stuff, too," Hume said. "Then they'll do some scrimmaging at the end. We try to work on teamwork, try to work on passing, receiving. Indoors is good for more skill work and then some passing, the physicality of the game. But you know, you can't mimic what you're doing outside. I mean, I wish we had turf. Yeah, I always say I wish we had turf, but we don't have turf. So we take advantage of what we have."

In February and March, club players typically participate in tournaments. Batavia, Attica, Keshequa, and Byron-Bergen are among the locations of indoor tournaments.

Photos by Howard Owens

Recently, there have been complaints on social media about residential street lights being out.  This morning, The Batavian came across a National Grid crew replacing a light at Maple Street and Ganson Avenue in the City of Batavia.

A crew member said they are replacing all burned-out lights in the city in time for trick-or-treat.  At least all they know about -- in this case, today, that's 11. 

They only know about a light that needs replacing, he said, if a resident calls in a burned-out light. There are no crews driving around at night looking for burned-out lights, and there is no computer system to inform National Grid of burned-out lights. 

He said last week, he was working on a reported 32 lights out in the city. At one stop, a resident asked him if he was going to replace the light "around the corner."  He told the resident it wasn't on the list.  "Did you call it in?"  The resident thought National Grid should already know about it.  Again, National Grid only knows if a resident calls it in.  

The number to call is the company number on your National Grid bill.  

He also said he recently replaced a light on Jackson Street that he knew he had replaced a couple of weeks before.  They found a BB-shot hole in the light. 

National Grid is responsible for any street lights on a utility pole.  If it's not on a utility pole, and it's within the City of Batavia, it is probably the responsibility of the city.

For Batavia native and longtime Elba resident Sal Oddo, his induction into the Rochester Softball Association Hall of Fame extends far beyond an individual award.

“First off, you don’t think you’re ever going to make it with so many good ballplayers out there. But now that I have been honored, if I could split my plaque a couple hundred different ways – with all the players I played with and those I played against – I would do it because they’re all hall of famers to me,” said Oddo, during an interview with The Batavian on Monday afternoon.

Oddo, in his 58^th year of slow-pitch softball (he started as a teenager on Kibbe Park and Woodward Field diamonds in the city), was enshrined into the RSA Hall of Fame as a Senior Manager on Friday night at a ceremony at the Italian American Community Center in Rochester.

Thirteen of his family members and friends were on hand to witness the induction, including his wife, Debbie; children, Tara and Jonathan, and their spouses, Adam Higgins and Ivy Durr Oddo; parents, Joe and Fran; sister and brother-in-law, Marianne and Rich Anderson, and cousin, Dan DiMartino.

His other son, Jason, lives in Virginia Beach with his wife, Bobbi, and was unable to attend. Sal and Debbie have nine grandkids – three from each of their children.

Oddo made his mark as an elite pitcher while playing primarily in Batavia and Oakfield, leading teams to numerous league and tournament titles, while garnering most valuable player trophies along the way.

In 2003, he set his sights on the senior softball circuit in Rochester – looking to see how he stacked up against some of the elite players in the Lilac City area.

“I started with the John Warren Foundation team and really wanted to be on a travel team,” he said. “At the time, there was no room, so I was put on a B (level) team in the Rochester Senior Softball Traveling League. We went undefeated and I won the MVP of the league. That was a pretty big highlight for me. And after that, I started pitching a lot for the John Warren Foundation top team.”

Oddo, who said he has pitched several one-hitters (not an easy feat in slow-pitch softball), led his Warren Foundation squad to the International Senior Softball Association World Championship in 2005 in Manassas, Va., and three years later, went unbeaten as a pitcher as the team captured the World Championships in Las Vegas.

In 2015, Oddo was player-manager on the RocCity 55 team that won the Tournament of Champions in Winter Haven, Fla., and in 2017, he managed the Building Innovation Group club to national and TOC crowns.

All told, between 2014-2017, Oddo’s teams won six national titles along with the two Senior Softball USA Tournament of Champion national championships in Winter Haven.

He said he considers it a privilege to compete with the “younger seniors.”

“Even as I got older, I always played in the 50 or 55 age division leagues,” said Oddo, noting that Rochester is a hotbed of softball activity for players right into their 70’s and 80’s. “When I think of all the players I’ve seen across the nation, I consider Rochester softball by far the strongest group because we have so many outstanding players and teams.”

Oddo said he is “blessed” to have been able to play so long – overcoming serious illness in 2002 and a back injury in 2014 – and to be able to travel throughout the U.S. to compete in tournaments.

“When I was younger, I didn’t have a chance to travel because I was the main provider for the family,” he said, mentioning a 45-year career with the U.S. Postal Service (these days, you can find him at the Stafford Post Office) and 15 years as a paddock judge at Batavia Downs. “When I lost my racetrack job, I said I wanted to see if I could play with the big boys and, it has turned out very well.”

He said he gives thanks to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the support of his wife and family for all that he’s accomplished in softball.

“I’ve played in so many places and I’ve made so many friends, and they’re like family,” he said. “I’ve been blessed for some reason where my teams have won a lot. Even as a manager, it seemed that I had a knack to pick the right guys – not always the best players but the players who best fit the team and were nice people. Strong individuals that could play softball.”

Oddo continues to shine on the local scene, as well, pitching and coaching a new generation of softball players to titles this past season in the Batavia-Oakfield summer league and the Cobbs Hill (Rochester) A Division fall league.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Annual will be hosting its Annual Membership Meeting on Nov. 16 at Terry Hills Golf Course & Banquet Facility, 5122 Clinton Street, Batavia. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., Buffet Lunch begins promptly at Noon and costs $25 per person.

The Agenda for the Meeting will be a review of 2023, a look ahead into 2024 & Election of 2024 Chamber Board Members. To register directly online visit the Chamber’s Website www.geneseeny.com or call Kelly B. at 585-343-7440, ext. 1026. The deadline for registration is Nov. 10.

Press Release:

The highly anticipated Employment Fair for People with Disabilities will take place from 1 - 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at the Genesee County Office For The Aging, 2 Bank Street in Batavia.  

The event presents an opportunity for job seekers to connect with leading companies, organizations, and not-for-profits to explore a wide range of career options. Don’t miss out on this fantastic chance to kick-start your professional journey!  

Take the first steps towards a fulfilling career!  It's best if you prepare your resume ahead of time, dress professionally, and bring your true self to impress potential employers.

This event is proudly supported by members of the Genesee Region Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities including the Genesee County Office for The Aging, Ace Employment, Genesee County Career Center, Genesee County Mental Health, and Independent Living of the Genesee Region.

Inclusivity and accessibility are our top priorities. Coverage for childcare costs and transportation may be available. We are here to assist with any accommodations you may need.

Please Pre-Register with Ashley Dunham from Independent Living of the Genesee Region in advance at 585-815-8501, ext. 414 or adunham@wnyil.org. 

Schedule:

• 1 - 2:15 p.m. - Learning Time: Instructions in civil service testing, practice interviews, job searching, and instruction in reasonable accommodations.
• 2:15 - 2:30 p.m. - Break Time
• 2:30 - 4 p.m. - Meet the Employers: This is your opportunity to meet with employers who are hiring!

There’s an awful lot of new happening at the Holland Land Office Museum, a site meant to capture moments of historical weightiness.

A full-time curator; exhibits about the last complete solar eclipse in Genesee County, a vintage wedding dress collection and the 100-year anniversary of Batavia Concert Band; a monthly walk-up tour of the West Main Street site’s second-floor collections; a revised membership; and planning for a three-phase capital project are just some of the new items glossing up the old status quo, Museum Director Ryan Duffy says.

He brought new hire Tyler Angora to Monday’s Human Services meeting to introduce him as part of the novel happenings at Holland Land Office.

“Some time ago, there was a curator position. But that was before the museum. That was a completely different museum basically at that time, but Tyler is the first in a very long time … because we really wanted to take advantage of our wonderful collection. And we needed somebody with expertise in that particular field and who had some creative ideas in order to bring it out to the public,” Duffy said. “More so than anything I could do or volunteers, so we felt it was a major need. And it's already paid off dividends in terms of bringing our nearly 20,000-piece collection more to light.”

Angora, who lives in Brockport, is pursuing his master’s in history at Brockport State College. He began his role as curator in June, though he wears many hats, he said, as curator, collections manager, tour giver, and for jobs that entail “a bunch of different things.” 

“But I'm solely in charge of the collection, I manage it, I take care of it, I present it to the public, I have to interpret it in a way for everyone to see it and enjoy it as much as we do. Since I've been there in June, I've really taken hold of that collections management. I have reorganized and redesigned the collection storage upstairs with Ryan to make it more accessible, to not only us to display but also accessible to the public,” Angora said. “That coincides with doing grander exhibits, like next year, we're reimagining the entire original structure of the building to really display the land office artifacts that we hold in our museum, but also the artifacts for our temporary exhibits like ’98 Years Since the Sun Went Out,’ which is the eclipse exhibit. So it'll be really exciting to break down pieces that haven't been on display for decades.

“I really focused on the fashion collection that we hold at the museum, which has been kept upstairs in a room by itself for a very long time. So we're really excited to start bringing that down and showing that off to the public because it's a really fantastic collection that spans over 300 years of clothing and physical history,” he said. “That is amazing. And we're hoping to do kind of behind-the-scenes stories next year to bring people upstairs into the collection. So it's been a big part of trying to make it accessible to the public. Because that's our goal.”

Going upstairs, that’s interesting. When will that begin?
“So next year, about February is when the public will finally officially be able to go up into the collection on special tours with Ryan and I. On the first Friday of every month, they'll get a special tour upstairs and a special presentation from one of us,” Angora said. “And it's going to be really exciting to finally show off pieces that probably won't ever really be on display due to their fragility or their important significance to us. So that would be fun to show off to the public, especially next year when we reopen the museum in February and kind of redesign a lot of the spaces.”

What’s behind your passion in pursuing a master’s in history?
He began at Brockport College as a business major in 2020 and didn’t really know what he wanted to do. He then met some key people in the History Department who got him involved with the Morgan House — “which I consider my home; it’s a museum that really holds a good place in my heart,” he said.

“And that's where it started, my love for museums, preservation objects, artifacts, all of that. And it transcended into me pursuing this kind of career path in museums. And I continued that into the GCM at the Genesee Country Village Museum with Brandon Brooks, the curator, where I worked with him with the Susan Green costume collection and really helped do stuff there. And I really got involved with preservation doing my own research,” Angora said. “So having this job and having Ryan as a co-worker is a lot of fun because he lets me just do whatever I want and kind of helps assist the collection in surviving for another over 100 years. So it'll be a lot of fun.”

Some recent history
More than 5,000 people visited the museum since July 2022, and 65 percent of them were from outside of Genesee County. Visitors have come from more than 30 states and several foreign countries, including Canada, Indonesia, China and the Netherlands, Duffy said in his annual report to the county.

The museum hosted its 21st annual Wonderland of Trees in 2022 and 400 visitors during the season, plus a Genesee Symphony Orchestra opening night concert and three more for 50-plus attendees. The site served to educate and entertain with a guest speaker series on topics that varied from The Life of Joseph Ellicott and The Prison Guard’s Daughter to WNY in the Gilded Age to How Buffalo Got Its Name.

Volunteers, docents and interns completed more than 1,700 hours of community service, with a steadfast core of 25 volunteers. 

The Museum’s board signed a lease with Genesee County to show occupancy and allow the pursuit of further grants. Duffy and Angora have each been writing grants, Duffy said.

“And between Tyler and I we can also apply for more grants on our own, as we each got two since this year, as well as the support from our grant writer Sara Pasti, who is looking at larger grants for the capital project,” he said. “And we're looking at smaller program and collections-based grants. But those, we can get a couple of those every year. They add up and allow us to do greater things.”

A first-phase capital project has begun with the development of plans for a new proposed West Wing addition adjacent to the parking lot. Included with that was the creation of fundraising and grant opportunities — to be written by Duffy, Angora and a county-hired grant writer —  to assist in covering the large cost. That is to be a three- to five-year project, Duffy said. 

The county had contracted with grant writer Sara Pasti to gain access to grants relating to the capital project of the West Wing entrance, as well as for other improvements to the museum outside the capabilities of museum staff. 

Legislative Chair Shelley Stein asked Duffy if the “grant-writing support provided by the county” has been used to write the intended grant yet, and “we’re working on several grants, actually, towards this,” he said. 

Overall, what can the public look forward to in the coming months?
This go-round of a speaker series is to feature Civil War Letters of Rollin Truesdell, Grant’s Last Battle and Journeys to Authors’ Graves in Upstate New York, to name a few, plus history trivia and a membership that isn’t reliant on calendar year renewal. And that’s not even reviewing the collections, which Duffy and Angora are confident the public will enjoy.

“It won’t be the same old way, and it won’t be the same old museum. So if you haven’t been there in some time, you won’t recognize the place,” Duffy said.

“Even in the four months I've been there, it’s changed drastically,” Angora agreed. “We've redesigned exhibits that have been up for several years. Redone, permanent exhibits. We've added new items for the public to see. So just expect more indoor exhibits, new programs and more fundraising. We're really going to be everywhere next year, so we will be kind of a force to be reckoned with.”

Press Release:

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., the Anna Ingalsbe Lovell NSDAR chapter and the Holland Land Office Museum (HLOM) are collaborating on a special event to honor our Genesee County veterans and Vietnam War-era veterans.

All veterans plus 1 guest will have their entrance fees waived and will receive a small goodie bag; Vietnam War-era veterans, who have not yet been acknowledged by the Vietnam 50 Commemorative Committee, will also receive the DAR Certificate and an eagle pin.

Any military personnel, with an honorable discharge, who served during the Vietnam War era is eligible for the Award Certificate and eagle pin. Please pre-register your name and service for your Certificate. If you are unable to attend, please let us know by November 30 so we can arrange another time & date. Robin Laney Ettinger, a member of the NSDAR chapter, has created a limited-time email address for inquires – r.j.laney1@gmail.com.

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department is proud to announce the winners of our 10th Annual Fire Prevention Coloring Contest. With over 400 entries from Batavia Schools, this contest was very difficult to judge.

Congratulations to the following winners:

Grade K-1

First Place - Thomas VanRemmen -Jackson Primary, Mrs. Restivo Kindergarten

Second Place - Everleigh D.- St. Josephs, Mrs. Case, Kindergarten

Third Place - Bryson Lee -Jackson Primary, Mrs. Reeves- 1st grade

Grades 2-3

First Place - De’Aungelo Rolle- John Kennedy, Mrs. Antinore 3rd Grade

Second Place - Josephina Varland- St. Paul Lutheran- Ms. Austin 3rd Grade

Third Place - Claire Lutey- St. Josephs School- 2nd Grade

Grades 4-5

First Place - Caleb Janis- St Paul Lutheran School- Mrs. Dunn 5th Grade

Second Place - Raven Casey Batavia Middle School St. Mrs. Falleti, 5th Grade 

Third Place - Lyla McClellan- St. Paul Lutheran School, Mrs. Dunn, 5th Grade

An awards luncheon will be held Saturday, Oct. 28 from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the City of Batavia Fire Station located at 18 Evans St. for all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. The 1st place winner of each group will receive a ride to school on a City of Batavia Fire Engine. Congratulations to all the winners.

Press Release:

GO ART!’s Preschool Music and Movement class is back and open for registration. The cost for the four-week session is $40 (Non- Members) or $36 (Members). For more information and to register go to goart.org/programming/exlporeart/exlporeart-children/.

Do-Re-Mi will focus on seasonal song, play, motor and locomotor movement, instrumental exploration, vocal and rhythmic call and response, listening activities, storytime, and fun for children ages 2 through 5, alongside their parent or favorite person! 

The curriculum is designed to engage young learners through play and exploration while providing a safe and nurturing space for them to discover and grow important skills, such as language, cognition, and physical development, as well as support and encourage social and emotional learning. We are so excited to provide this opportunity and instill a love of music and the arts in our youngest community members!

In this session, we will have two different classes. One class will meet Monday evenings (November 6, 13, 20, 27) at GO ART! in Batavia from 6 - 6:45 p.m. and the other will meet Tuesday evenings (November 7, 14, 21, and 28) at the Hoag Library in Albion from 6 - 6:45 p.m. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.

Press Release:

The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Genesee and Leadership Genesee (LG) offices will close for the day at 12 p.m. on Nov. 9. The offices will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 13.