A vigil against racism and in support of Black Lives Matter will be held at the Batavia YWCA at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15.
The event is organized by "Community Leaders of Genesee County."
Featured speakers will include: Rev. Dr. William Wilkenson and Rev. Shiela Campbell McCullough.
The YWCA is located at 301 North St. in the City of Batavia.
All are welcome.
A man is at the City of Batavia Police Department to report that items are being stolen from graves at Saint Joseph Cemetery and Mausoleum on Ellicott Street in Batavia.
A black dog at a residence on Prestige Crossing in Batavia has reportedly been left outside all week in the sun without shelter or food. An animal control officer is responding.
A heat advisory was posted on The Batavian Monday, warning that little children, pets, the elderly and the sick are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness. Here's the link.
The local temperature today is in the 90s and more of the same is expected tomorrow.
UPDATE 1:24 p.m.: The complaint appears to be unfounded. The officer went to the residence and could see the dog "moving around, happy and healthy" and it did have water. The officer, however, was unable to put hands on the dog and take a closer look because "the homeowner was extremely hostile." She has cleared the scene.
Above, a Baby Ballet trio demonstrates a graceful arm pose.
Faced with the crushing prospect of having to cancel dance recitals showcasing students' hard work and talent, Batavia-based LAW Dance Studio enlisted plenty of parents to pull off a creative feat, despite COVID-19.
They came up with a plan for staggered recitals outdoors demonstrating newly polished dance skills.
Lisa Blaun, who owns the studio at 218 W. Main St., said when schools closed and the state went into a mandatory shelter-in-place on Saturday, March 14th, all in-studio lessons stopped.
"We were in the thick of learning recital routines and embarking on competition season," Blaun said in an email to The Batavian. "At that time, there were so many unknowns and a high level of uncertainty. As a small boutique studio and as a business owner whose livelihood this studio is, I took a week off to allow for the new reality to settle in and to take the time to weigh my options.
"I launched virtual zoom classes where I remained in the studio instructing my dancers who were logged in from their homes. In some ways, it was interesting to have this format as it allowed me to see certain technique translations more directly that may have otherwise been lost in a full classroom environment. The Zoom classes kept my dancers learning and active, and gave parents some sense of normalcy.
"The question of what to do with the recital loomed. Ironically, the theme had been set for months as "Twisted." Who would have known how true this theme would represent reality?
"These kids worked so hard. Parents invested time and money. They not only deserved to have the recital that is the payoff for their efforts, but they also needed it to feel normal under these weird circumstances.
"I met with a core group of parents that assist the studio to throw around some ideas while working within the state restrictions. I decided to extend the season by a month to allow more time for kids to learn the dances with the hope restrictions would decrease.
"In the end, I decided to host a recital outside over three days. I utilized the remnants of a chicken coop on my family's property that served as the
perfect stage. I brought my floor from the studio and made it work. We got extremely lucky with the weather. The outdoor setting and three-day timeframe allowed for smaller numbers and social distancing.
"Only core family members/siblings were invited to attend. We did not charge or sell tickets. We recorded each dance over those three days and are in the process of creating a video recital that will seem like one seamless event.
"This video will be provided to parents at no charge so they can share it widely with their community of folks that couldn't otherwise attend. We were also able to take group and individual photographs of each dancer and will provide photos to parents free of charge.
"I could not have pulled any of this off without the support of parents and the dedication of my dancers. I am so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful group of families committed to me and my studio. They hung in there with me and allowed for creativity. I was thrilled to be able to provide this recital experience. It was truly special and one I will never forget. In many ways, it brought us all closer together.
"I am looking forward to the 20-2021 dance season and a new normal, whatever that may be. My little studio proved we could be flexible and shift with the times and I am ready for anything that may come this fall. I will be hosting an open house and a dance intensive course in August if state restrictions allow, so look for more details to come."
Image and photos, courtesy of Lisa Blaun.
Below, the classic pointe.
Below, young hip-hop nation.
Below, the ballerina lift.
Below, the angst of musical theater in the Age of Coronavirus.
Bright smiles all around and great form, too.
Below, the acrobatic pyramid requires a lot of flexibility.
Below, spotlight on contemporary dance.
City Church hosted another in a series of food distributions at St. Anthony's today.
Ryan Macdonald said the church will announce more food distribution days soon.
The official ribbon cutting to officially open the Ellicott Trail will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, at the Walnut Street Bridge in the City of Batavia.
Parking is provided courtesy of the Arc of Genesee Orleans facility at 64 Walnut St.
The $1.7-million project created a biking and walking trail from just west of Williams Park to Seven Springs Road.
Questions may be directed to Town of Batavia Council Member Chad Zambito: czambito@townofbatavia.com
James Spiecher, of Rochester, was in Batavia today for a funeral and he and his grandson Jaxon took a short walk down East Main Street and stopped in front of a sign at Batavia First Presbyterian Church that reads "God Loves Everyone No Exceptions."
Spiecher said he spoke with Jaxon about the sign and Jaxon said, "It’s really nice. It sounds really loving."
Aubree Lacey Read turned 8 yesterday and for her birthday, she got to ride around Batavia in a horse-drawn carriage.
Photos submitted by Savannah Read.
From DSP Jazz Trio:
DSP Jazz Trio is returning to T.F. Brown's Restaurant on Thursday, July 16.
They will perform from 5-8 p.m. outside on the patio. No standing room. Reservations are highly recommended.
Call T.F. Brown's at (585) 343-1547.
Come as a group if possible. Ask when calling about table size.
Mask required at all times unless seated at your table.
Hope to see you there!
If all works out OK, we hope to get back on our regular third-Thursday-of-each-month schedule.
A 10-year-old girl who lives on Manhattan Avenue in the City of Batavia is sad because someone stole her new bicycle (pictured above) from her yard last weekend.
It was a gift from her grandparents, who generously bought the family four new bikes to ride this summer -- one for each child -- three girls and a boy.
A family member named Ariel is reaching out to readers of The Batavian for help in finding the bicycle. It was reported as stolen to the City of Batavia Police Department, too.
She says the bike belongs to the oldest granddaughter of her Aunt Lisa.
If you know anything about the bike's whereabouts, please call or text Lisa at (585) 356-6074.
Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding to Batavia Mobile Home Park for the report of a pile of construction debris that has been smoldering for four days and has caught on fire. The location is 3322 W. Main Street Road, Lot #54.
From left: Mary Ann Pettibon, CEO Oak Orchard Health; Dr. Mary Obear of Pembroke Family Medicine; and Oak Orchard Board Chair Gary Skoog.
Submitted photo and press release:
On July 1 it became official, Pembroke Family Medicine joined Oak Orchard Health.
In addition, Oak Orchard wanted to recognize Dr. Mary Obear’s commitment to the community by dedicating the Corfu location to her. Oak Orchard Board Chair, Gary Skoog, presented a plaque and made the dedication.
Moving forward, this location will be known as The Dr. Mary E. Obear Center.
It was a happy day with many in the community coming to the event (masks on!) to celebrate this occasion.
Both Mary Ann Pettibon, CEO Oak Orchard Health, and Dr. Obear said a few words.
“I’m really moved by this occasion, said Dr. Obear, of Pembroke Family Medicine. "We’re so pleased to have found a partner in Oak Orchard Health. They align perfectly with our current model of practicing high-quality, patient centered care. It has always been about our patients."
“Dr. Obear is the reason we’re here," said CEO Pettibon. "She started this practice many years ago, it was her dream to bring primary care to this community and it grew to two more locations. We’re excited to welcome Pembroke Family Medicine patients and providers into our organization."
Both organizations were recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as Patient Centered Medical Homes, which focuses on improvements in quality of the patient experience, growing staff satisfaction, and reducing health care costs.
Oak Orchard Health
Originally founded in 1966, Oak Orchard has grown from a migrant health project into an integrated health center with multiple locations providing health care services for everyone located in the communities we serve.
Currently serving more than 22,000 patients at six locations, Oak Orchard Health is a recognized patient-centered medical home and 501(c) nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located in the towns of Alexander, Batavia, Corfu, Brockport, Albion, Lyndonville, Hornell and Warsaw.
In Genesee County, Oak Orchard now has three locations:
Phone is (585) 599-6446.
Photo taken today at GCC Batavia by Howard Owens.
Press release:
Genesee Community College unveiled a series of plans for the Fall 2020 semester to bring students back to campus in a limited capacity, while operating numerous courses through remote delivery.
The Fall 2020 plans include a blend of learning modalities featuring a robust number of online, hybrid and HyFlex classes, and all in-person instruction will follow the College's COVID-19 safety measures such as:
"We will remain vigilant throughout the duration of this pandemic, continuously monitoring health conditions and working to mitigate the spread of the virus," James M. Sunser, Ed.D., president of GCC said. "The hard work and cooperation of everyone today helps ensure we remain healthy and safe tomorrow and can have a successful academic year."
Some Employees Return to Batavia Campus this Week
College officials are currently gearing up to welcome back staff and faculty on a reduced capacity as well, beginning today (July 6).
"The past four months have been an extraordinarily challenging time. There are so many moving parts in a college campus that I must commend our campus community who have teamed up to maintain as many critical services as possible, allowing us to be prepared for this fall," Sunser said. "This included modifying workflows, teaching and working remotely, learning and introducing new technologies, and sometimes discovering new efficiencies or new opportunities, such as our Virtual Commencement Ceremony. It is no accident that GCC continues to have no documented positive cases of COVID-19, a true testament to our collective commitment to strategically tackle this crisis."
Employees received a five-page "Welcome Back" guideline outlining all the new facets of working on campus that includes social distancing, mask wearing and multiple steps to reduce the density of the campus population. The most salient features of the Reopening Plan include but are not limited to:
GCC posts the latest updates and information on the College's COVID-19 webpage that is available from the College's homepage on its main website, www.genesee.edu.
Jeremy M. Fairbanks, 42, of Main Street, Batavia, is 306 (three hundred and six) counts of second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested July 2 after a complaint of violations of a City of Batavia Court order, beginning at 4:31 p.m. on March 17. Fairbanks was issued appearance tickets and is due in Batavia City Court at 1 p.m. on Aug. 25. The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Officer Jonathan Dimmig.
Leah Rose Helen Kelly, 35, of Harvester Avenue, Batavia, is charged with 306 (three hundred and six) counts of second-degree criminal contempt. She was arrested July 5 after a complaint of violations of a Village of Bergen Court order, beginning at 4:31 p.m. on March 17. Kelly was scheduled for arraignment in Genesee County Court this morning (July 6). The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Officer Jonathan Dimmig.
Richard J. Wendt, 59, of Batavia (no address provided), is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and second-degree harassment. He was arrested June 26 after Wyoming County Sheriff's Deputy Austin Harding and Sgt. Aaron Chase responded to a domestic incident reported at the Yogi Bear Campground on Youngers Road in the Town of Java. Wendt was transported to Wyoming County Sheriff's Office for processing, then released with tickets to appear in Town of Java Court at a later date.
David James Loiacono, 40, of Buffalo Street, Bergen, was arrested following a domestic incident at 1:02 p.m. on July 5 on Buffalo Street in Bergen. He is charged with obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, and unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the third degree. Loiacono was issued appearance tickets for Aug. 19 in Bergen Town Court then released to a third party. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Officer Jonathan Dimmig, assisted by Deputy James Stack.
Elis Salkic, 22, of Adele Drive, Greece, is charged with: unlawful possession of marijuana; aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree; operating a motor vehicle while using an electronic device; unlicensed operation of a vehicle; and failure to stop at a stop sign. Salkic was arrested at 5:44 p.m. on June 29 after Genesee County Sheriff's deputies stopped his vehicle on Richmond Avenue in the City of Batavia. Salkic was issued an appearance ticket for Aug. 18 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Deputy Jacob Gauthier, assisted by Deputy Erik Andre.
Gavin J. Yauchzee, 28, of Le Roy (no address provided), is charged with petit larceny. Wyoming County Sheriff's Deputy Adam Hope responded on June 29 to a report of a larceny at the Walmart in the Town of Warsaw. It is alleged that Walmart's Asset Protection assistant observed him concealing items in his pockets, then exiting the store without paying for them. He was arrested and released with an appearance ticket for Warsaw Town Court, where he is due at a later date.
Part one, which focused on her upbringing, education and influences, was published on Sunday.
---------------
An avid sports fan, Rachael Tabelski undoubtedly was disappointed over the cancellation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate basketball tournaments this year.
She missed out on rooting for her favorite teams – the North Carolina Tar Heels and Syracuse Orange.
Unfortunately, a different and deadly kind of “March Madness” was unleased upon the world in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic and Tabelski, as Batavia’s assistant city manager, was charged with helping to navigate the community through a substantial downtown in the economy.
Almost four months into this health crisis, Tabelski finds herself as the Acting City Manager following the departure of Martin Moore on June 20. And, using sports as a unifying theme, she’s confident that Batavia and all of Genesee County will get through it and come out even stronger.
“I think sports is a great equalizer – it teaches kids and adults about teamwork, how to operate together to find a common goal and work towards it,” said Tabelski, who revealed that her other favorite teams are the Bills, Sabres and Yankees, and favorite player was NBA great Charles Barkley. “A lot of members of our community are involved in sports … and they know about moving in the same direction. We want more economic activity, we want more residents – more quality residents – and we want our neighborhoods back.”
Tabelski knows a thing or two about trying to attract business to Western New York. She spent eight years at director of marketing & communications at the Genesee County Economic Development Center and a year as director of economic development at the Batavia Development Corporation.
“I got to know the City very well during my days with GCEDC – almost as a liaison to the City, working with Steve Hyde on different Brownfield projects,” she said, adding that she loved her time with the BDC. “It was most difficult to decide whether I wanted to apply for the assistant city manager position because I do enjoy the economic development and the Brownfield development so much.”
She says patience is a virtue when it comes to Brownfield development.
“A lesson I learned from way back at the EDC is when you find a developer for a site, until their capital is ready, they’re not going to move,” she said.
A prime example of that is Ellicott Station (former Soccio & Della Penna property on Ellicott Street), a mixed-use project that has seen little visual change in the four years since it was announced that Savarino Companies of Buffalo had signed on as the developer.
PATHWAY TO PROSPERITY IS KEY
Tabelski said City Council’s decision to join forces with the GCEDC, BDC, Genesee County and the Batavia City School District to form the Batavia Pathway to Prosperity puts the City in an enviable position to develop sites that were once considered to have no future.
The Batavia Pathway to Prosperity ("BP2") partnership is supported by the redirection of 50 percent of new project payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to go toward investment in distressed areas of the City.
“When (former City Manager) Jason (Molino) and the Council decided that they were going to get in the game to do planning on City sites, that changed the ability of the economic development center, in my opinion, to engage with the City on specific target areas,” she said. “Now, you can start building stories around planning and trying to redevelop, whatever that may mean. Grant funding, developers, land acquisition – anything of that nature that you could put around something to redevelop it.”
With the door open for the GCEDC to engage with the City, Tabelski said that a couple independent studies served as a road map for government leaders.
She pointed to two key studies: the czb (an urban planning and community development firm) report in 2010 that revealed attitudes and downtown and neighborhood needs and how to acquire those needs; and the Brownfield Opportunity Area study in 2014 that identified large strategic sites such as the City Centre campus, Ellicott Station, Harvester, Healthy Living campus and Creek Park (on Evans Street).
“All of these are underutilized areas in the city, some of which are contaminated -- which brings extra tax credits -- and this is where you need to focus,” she said.
DRI PROJECTS IN VARIOUS STAGES
Tabelski then proceeded to give brief progress report on projects being funded from the $10 million New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative that was awarded to the City in the fall of 2017.
-- City Centre ($1 million) – She said a feasibility study paid for by Empire State Development and National Grid with a buy-in from the GCEDC and City of Batavia on the match will be completed in four to six weeks and, after that, a construction plan will be proposed and shared with the public.
“We really need to study structural and utility pieces of the mall because we can draw whatever we want as an architect on a piece of paper, but what can the mall actually do or become?” she said. “Can it add a second floor? Can we open up parts of the roof at some point? We’re not going to spend the construction money on the mall until we have a path forward.”
She also said work on the mall roof is about 80 percent complete and will be finished this summer.
-- Jackson Square ($750,000) – Tabelski said the City’s contract with the Department of State has been approved by City Council and is in the design/engineering stage. A work group of business owners in that vicinity has been formed and will be issuing a request for proposal in the near future.
-- Main Street Theater 56 ($700,000) – Another New York Department of State contract, the City’s role is to lease space at the City Centre to the Batavia Players theatrical troupe, which is making monthly payments and is close to finalizing design and preparing for construction, she said.
-- Building Improvement Fund ($600,000) – Tabelski said that these funds go to the BDC, which acts as a conduit to supply the money for private building owners to rehabilitate their structures. She said she expects the Bank Insurance Fund (BIF) and NY Main Street grants to create 10 to 12 new first-floor residential units as well.
-- Ellicott Place (Save-A-Lot) ($1.15 million) – “This will be one of the shining star projects that we have in this DRI,” she said. “It will be an amazing project that will bring more residential downtown and more commercial space availability. That and the theater will hit construction first, in my opinion.”
She also mentioned the Healthy Living (YMCA) campus, a project that received $4.2 million is DRI funds, and the former C.L. Carr building, a $1 million DRI.
Regarding Ellicott Station ($425,000 DRI), Tabelski said she believes residents’ spirits will be lifted as remedial cleanup continues and construction starts – and when Ellicott Trail in that area can be used.
“Each facelift that we do on the exterior of a building or each site that gets cleaned up or each building that is rehabbed or something new is built, it just gives a better sense to our community,” she reasoned. “Even walking from the Southside by Savarino’s project now, it’s not pleasant. But when that changes, maybe your attitude changes.”
CITY IN MIDST OF SOFTWARE UPGRADE
When hired as assistant city manager last August, Tabelski said she went from an “external-facing role” (in the public eye) to an “internal-facing role” – and that the transition has been fairly smooth.
As the assistant, she took on -- and continues to play a large role in -- a massive software upgrade called Tyler New World ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), a government-specific solution to help create greater efficiencies for local government.
“We were on a quasi-DOS*-based system that (former Assistant City Manager) Gretchen (DiFante) would have talked about years ago,” she said. “That opportunity was appealing and also to try to move the City’s technology in terms of PC (personal computer) usage, and everything that goes along with it.”
Tabelski she felt a sense of satisfaction in being able “to alleviate some pressures on the project management side.”
“To me, it was very rewarding to do that and also to be here to sit through all the budget meetings last year, and understand where the revenue sources are and where are biggest expenses are,” she said. “We have to protect our community with police and fire and those aren’t revenue-generating services. Where we have a water fund and a sewer fund, they can generate fees for the services you get … the commodity and the utility.”
Revenue for the 2020-21 fiscal year is projected to decrease by 15 to 20 percent, Tabelski said, assuming a 30-percent reduction in sales tax. As a result, the management team instituted an austerity plan – cutting expenses, deferring projects and travel, and implementing a hiring freeze.
‘CUSTOMERS ARE OUR RESIDENTS’
Tabelski compared managing a city to running a business.
“Our customers are our residents … our board of directors is the Council,” she said. “They tell us how they want things, what products we’re going to provide for our residents and what our residents are asking for, and we tell them financially if we can do it or how to get there.”
Sometimes, a way to “get there” is to raise property taxes, which is what City Council approved for 2020-21 (a 7.5-percent increase).
As far as 2021-22 is concerned, Tabelski said, “I can’t even go there yet. We’ll start plugging in budget numbers in late October.”
The first two weeks of Tabelski’s new job have been filled with meetings – with department heads (police, fire and public works), staff and stakeholders.
She says the City is moving forward and she attributes that, in part, to her preparation and attention to detail.
“I pride myself in being very prepared and creating an agenda in advance. I don’t want meetings to last longer than they have to. I don’t want to waste anyone’s time,” she said.
Tabelski also works with City Council President Eugene Jankowski to set the governing body’s meeting agendas.
Jankowski concurred that Tabelski is “very well prepared and researched before we get into a topic.”
A POSITIVE TRACK RECORD
“I’ve dealt with Rachael for several years now through her other roles in community – and I found her to be very in tune to what’s going on,” he said. “She makes good suggestions and ideas, and is not afraid to make a decision and move forward with it or make adjustments, if necessary.”
He said that Council has not finalized the process for finding a permanent manager yet. When asked about additional pay for Tabelski’s additional duties, he said the subject “hasn’t come up yet.”
Tabelski said she understands the future is in Council’s hands, but made it clear that she does want to continue to serve the residents of Batavia.
“It (Moore’s leaving) happened very suddenly, so I am sure they will get back to that and we’ll have some conversations about that,” she said.
“I feel confident that myself and the department heads are moving projects and priorities and things along, especially during COVID-19 where the rules are changing on a daily basis. Trying to effectively communicate to the public, to the Council and to the employees (in the midst of the pandemic) has been a massive undertaking.”
*(DOS: Disk Operating System)
Photo courtesy of reader Barbara Penrod, who wrote us yesterday saying: "My daughter took this picture of my grandson who is very proud of his country and he's only 2 years old. He lives in Batavia with his mom and dad and little brother. Thought it may make someone smile."
A caller reports a dog is locked inside a black GMC pickup truck at Dave's Ice Cream on West Main Street Road, Batavia. An officer is responding.
It is about 82 degrees outside.
Weather Outlook (By Billie) 1:29 p.m.:
According to the National Weather Service in Buffalo, starting tomorrow through Friday there is a Hazardous Weather Outlook in place due to an expected prolonged period of heat and humidity that will build across portions of Western New York. It is expected to get between 95 and 100 degrees during those afternoons.
The temperature inside a vehicle can soar quickly on a hot day. For example, if it's 95 degrees outside, say this coming Wednesday, the air termperature inside a vehicle can reach 114 degrees Fahrenheit in 10 minutes flat; if it's 100 degrees outside, the inside temp goes up to 119.
Press release:
On July 4th, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., GO ART! will be holding their 42nd annual Picnic in the Park, virtually, via YouTube Live.
During this event, they will have bands, dance performances, culinary demonstrations, cow plop bingo, muralists in action, and Explore ART! lessons.
Please subscribe to their YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/GOARTgeneseeorleansart.
Music performances on July 4th will be given by the Batavia Concert Band, No Blarney, Strummerz, Kelly’s Old Timers, Cannon Steel Band, The Old Hippies and Frank Reino (accordion).
Culinary Demonstrations will be performed by Chef Tracy of the Genesee Valley Education Program and Leonel Rosario of Mariachi De Oro. A menu and supply list are on their website at www.goart.org/picnic-in-the-park-july-4.
David Burke will be painting a new mural on one of GO ART!’s interior walls.
Troupe Nisaa Bellydance, The Rosario Family and Shanda Spink will be gracing us with their choreography.
GO ART! staff will be giving art lessons and Uncle Sam will be leading a cow around 500 squares for GO ART!’s first Cow Plop Bingo! More information on the Cow Plop Bingo and a schedule of the days events can be found on GO ART!'s website at www.goart.org/picnic-in-the-park-july-4
GO ART!’s 42nd Annual Picnic in the Park is brought to you by The Batavian, Lamb Farms, City of Batavia, Tompkins Bank of Castile, Friends of Stephen M. Hawley, Stephen M. Hawley & Assoc. LLC -- a division of Great Lakes Insurance Services Group LLC, New York State Council on the Arts, United Way of Genesee County, United Way of Orleans County, Orleans County Youth Bureau, Rotary Club of Batavia, Turnbull Heating & Air Conditioning, Freed Maxick, CY Farms, Batavia Turf, Lori Goergen, Bob & Linda Knipe, Arc of Genesee Orleans, Paul Figlow, Carrotman Productions, and Albion NY ROCKS.
Photos: American flag that is traditionally hung in Centennial Park for Picnic in the park, which was hung in the park and lit yesterday by Gregory Hallock, executive director of GO ART!
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