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Resurfacing project to cause delays on Bank, Ross, Chandler

By Press Release

Press Release


All motorists please be aware that Bank Street, Chandler Avenue and Ross Street will experience traffic delays on Tuesday, August 30th and Wednesday, August 31stfrom 7AM to 3PM for a resurfacing operation. 

While work is being performed in this area, local traffic will be permitted to and from their residence/property but should plan accordingly for delays.

All residents/businesses within the work area are asked not to park on the roadway during the operation.

This is weather dependent work; if work is postponed it shall progress the next workday.

Please contact the Bureau of Maintenance at 585-345-6400 Option 1 if there are any questions.

Just Kings gives back to community with free backpacks and school supplies for local students

By Howard B. Owens

Members of the Just Kings Social Club gave back to their community on Saturday, handing out dozens of school backpacks, and other school supplies along with free hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken at Austin Park.

There were also free haircuts from the Royals Barbershop for kids getting ready to go back to school.

Just Kings member Victor Thomas explained that the leadership of Just Kings are men who grew up in Batavia and have been part of the community their whole lives, so one of the organization's goals is to give back to their community. 

Just Kings grew out of the March for Justice in Batavia in June 2020.

The people showing up for the supplies and food made up a diverse cross-section of Batavia's community, and Thomas said he and the rest of Just Kings like to see that.

"That was a visual of what Batavia represented and what we represent," Thomas said. "That day, at that march, we saw 400-plus people and only a handful of us. We're just all mixed in with each other, you know? So we're a product of our environment. Yes, we are here for the black community and the black community knows that. We stand up for them whenever we can. We speak out against anything that's happened against our people. But as far as the community goes, this is what our community looks like. So we have to embrace what our community looks like. So I'm glad that they're embracing us and coming back and making this crowd look so diverse today."

Whoever said art can't be funny? Comedy debuts at GO Art!

By Joanne Beck

Drawing from both sides of Genesee County, GO Art! host/comedian Chris Hasenauer of Rochester, center, relaxes before Friday's show with fellow comedians Sarah Benderson, left, of Rochester, Ryan Garcia of Rochester, and, far right, Alex Brady of Buffalo. Hasenauer would like to offer more comedy nights through winter, he said, at the East Main Street site. 

GO Art! Executive Director Gregory Hallock said that the facility creates, sponsors and presents all forms of art, "including, but not limited to, fine, performing, literary, culinary, design, tech, horticultural, folk and media." Now Comedy Nights are a new venture for the downtown Batavia nonprofit.

"When they happen, they are on Friday nights." he said.

Ryan Garcia of Rochester talks about his children, first dates, work situations, personal hygiene, homophobia and being Dominican during Friday's Comedy Night at GO Art! in Batavia. It is an adult show with some expletives. 

Sharing laughts before their performances, Sarah Benderson, Ryan Garcia, Chris Hasenauer and Alex Brady get to know each other through a comedian's perspective.

Chris Hasenauer played dual roles of host and comedian during Friday's Comedy Night at GO Art!

Rochester comedian Sarah Benderson, in a voice resembling a female cartoon character, picks out a couple for her questions about dating.

Photos by Joanne Beck.

 

 

From England to Batavia, late music director brought standards and passion for music

By Joanne Beck

The way Jim Owen tells the story, his father Frank had very high standards when it came to music, and not every Owen in the family made the cut.

“My sister Kathy was a very good singer, and my brother Robert was a very good singer, and then there’s Jim,” the honorary Mayor of Redfield Parkway said, adding that his father wasn’t mean about it. “He was very encouraging of me, he knew I liked sports … cross-country, basketball, and golf.”

Jim just saw a dream come true with the dedication of his father’s name for Batavia High School’s auditorium. Frank E. Owen was a very well-educated man, and one that would be “humbled but very appreciative” of the acknowledgment of how much he contributed to the music program, Jim said.

After a 37-year career as music director at BHS, the elder Owen joined the Board of Education, eventually earning the rank of president. Those “very high standards” came into play when Jim shared his intent to apply for a teaching job at the city school district.

“He said ‘no way.’ He was very ethical and didn’t think I should work in the district,” Jim said.

So Jim worked as a teacher in Sacketts Harbor, and later at Hamburg Central School, where he enjoyed his work and coaching cross-country for 35 years. He retired from Hamburg Central in 2003 and then -- finally -- obtained a job as a substitute teacher at his original choice of Batavia City Schools. 

Frank's legacy
Frank founded a school band in 1930 and raised money to buy new uniforms and instruments. He later founded the community orchestra in 1947 and was inducted into the Music of Note Hall of Fame. He would also “go the extra mile to get students into college,” Jim said, “by using his great influence.”

It would seem as though Jim was destined to be a smart, teacher-type, given his father’s background and his mom, Natalie Walker Owen, who spoke Latin, French and Spanish, and was on the library board. Jim has been involved in education for 55 years and counting, he said, and has shown that same appreciation for his students and colleagues as his dad did.

He chuckled a bit remembering that his sister Kathy (who died in 2019) was fooling around in class one day, and dad kicked her out. Those standards again came into play, and “he didn’t have favorites.”

“In that sense, he wanted you to be focused. He was selective and wanted good quality,” Jim said. “One of his great contributions was, he was very, very proud of his choristers. They were singing on WBTA and on Jay Gordon Bridge armed force broadcast. Some former students in Korea could listen to it.”

As much as Frank has been discussed in preparation for and during the dedication event, there are tidbits that haven’t been listed. He was a violinist, raised in England, and would help kids of all nationalities, Jim said. He was very good in spelling and articulation and even helped local announcer Chuck Platt practice before going on air at WBTA.

“Dad would teach him how to articulate for broadcasts,” Jim said.

Frank worked in Williamsport, Penn. before applying for a job in Batavia. The rest, as it’s been said, is history in that he reformed the music department. He always preferred to use his middle initial in his name (E is for Earl, by the way), even though he sometimes was called Frankie by mistake.

Current high school band Director and Music Department Chairwoman Jane Haggett has heard all about the senior Owen from Jim, who has done a lot of substitute teaching in the district. Naming the auditorium after Frank means something important for the district as a whole, she said.

“I think it just really reinforces Batavia's desire to have a strong music education for their students. I also think that it's in relationship to drama, and our musical productions, that it all correlates to each other,” she said. “We wouldn’t have a musical production club and produce our musicals without our choral program and our instrumental program and so forth. It just wouldn't happen. Or not as well, I should say. But I have to say that it gives the music students a voice.”

Haggett knows what it’s like to have music in your soul; she knew at an early age what her career was going to be, she said.

“I started playing piano at age five, and flute when I was in fifth grade, and by the time I was in sixth grade, I knew what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to go into music. I knew I wanted to teach. I didn't know what level or for high school teacher or elementary, or just a private lesson student, but I know I wanted to do something in music,” she said. “I felt like I was successful. And it made me happy. So that's why I pursued it.”

Likewise, as a young violinist, Frank Owen seemed to know his direction in life. While at the city school district, he taught the likes of City Councilwoman Patti Pacino and state Assemblyman Steve Hawley. Jim credits Pacino for putting much time and effort into the dedication, inviting fellow alums and pulling together notes about the late music director. Learning music from Frank E. Owen wasn’t just ordinary education, Pacino said, “it was magical.”

Jim’s parents “all of the fine qualities that Batavia citizens represent,” and Frank especially added drive, enthusiasm and talent to music education, Jim said. His dad even recruited a special guest to visit the district: John Philip Sousa.

Sousa, a patriotic composer who died in 1932, served as the 17th director of The President's Own band from 1880 to 1892. The most famous director of the band, he wrote the national march "The Stars and Stripes Forever" and the official march of the Marine Corps, "Semper Fidelis." Jim has an autobiography written by Sousa, “Marching Along,” with Sousa’s signature, made out to Frank E. Owen in 1929.

Not too shabby Frank E. Owen.

See related story of dedication HERE.

Many heartfelt tributes during dedication of Frank E. Owen Auditorium

By Joanne Beck

About 100 people gathered Thursday evening to honor the late Frank E. Owen by naming Batavia High School’s entertainment venue after him.

The Frank E. Owen  Auditorium has a nice ring to it, his son Jim said via a pre-recorded video during the live-streamed event. Jim has been battling cancer and his medical professionals wouldn’t let him leave his treatment facility. Nevertheless, he spoke proudly of his father and suggested that the honor is about more than Frank E. Owen.

“This is to honor my father, but it’s more important to honor all the teachers and students — past, present, and future — the music department, and all those who use the auditorium,” he said. “It’s to honor the school system. He was very proud of his teachers and his students.”

A cat photobombed his talk, which brought some humor to a moment charged with emotion. Jim calmly continued talking as he acknowledged the cat’s presence with a few rubs on the head, which is an example of his kind-hearted dedication to whatever is before him. Other speakers pointed to how much they could know of Frank by watching his legendary qualities unfold within Jim.

“Jim carries on his father’s legacy by influencing the students,” High School Principal Paul Kesler said.

Frank’s former students, Patti Pacino and Liz Johnson Conway, both 1965 grads, shared how their music teacher was disciplined, down to earth and fair. He expected nothing less than a commitment from everyone.

Music has been a strong piece of Pacino’s life, thanks in large part to the lessons instilled by Frank Owen.

“He presumed we were as dedicated as he was,” she said, listing his many requirements. There was no sheet music on stage, as everyone was to memorize their songs, and no jingling of bracelets on stage, or even the chance fainting spell without consideration not to disrupt the performance, she said.

“Why would high school students put with such rules?” she said. “Because it was magical.”

Students loved music, loved to sing, and learned about teamwork along the way, she said. They all worked toward the common goal of producing lovely choral music. On one of his very first days at the city school district, Frank invited everyone to sing, and they “sang like they never sang before,” Pacino said, reading a report from 1927.

If Mary Poppins had a brother, it would be Frank E. Owen, she said.

Conway only studied with Frank for two years, but in those two short years, “I learned to like and admire” this man of music, she said. He demanded excellence with “pitch, diction and musicality,” she said.

His conducting was classy and subtle, with no large flashy moves, she said, and his secret weapon reining kids in was “the look.”

“Danny VanDetta had the paddle, and Frank Owen had the look,” she said. “Communicating through lyrics and connected to sound, he strengthened the music in this area.”

Superintendent Jason Smith, an avid musician himself, shared some of Frank Owen’s history:

He established the music department at BCSD in 1927 and created the first band and BHS Choristers, a well-known vocal group that reaped many accolades and awards, taped recordings and broadcasts during Owen’s 37-year career at Batavia. He then went on to serve on the Batavia Board of Education, including as president and was actively involved in community music.

“When the Board was considering naming the auditorium in Mr. Owen’s honor, I received numerous emails advocating for this to occur,” Smith said, reading some of those messages. A few snippets are below:

As a graduate of BHS and a member of the Choristers all my years at the High School, I can tell you that he not only instilled a love of music but a sense of service to community.

Mr. Owen was a humble master of music, respected and praised. My brothers and I were in choristers and band. My oldest brother became a music teacher with Mr. Owen’s urging, along with many other graduates.

Some of our fondest memories are the annual live Christmas (morning) broadcasts of the Chorus from the former Elks building on Ellicott Street, and the copies of that program on vinyl - blue records! - that each of us could purchase.  Both Jim and I have included a link to one of those albums on our Class websites.

I can't think of a more fitting honor than naming the Auditorium after Mr. Owen - a 'home' to so many of us during our years at Batavia High School and recognition of the impact he had on so many lives.

Smith also read a tribute recited to Frank upon his retirement in 1964.

“Mr. Owen’s flair as an educator has to be classed in the greater range. Music to him is not merely an abstract subject. It is something that is a very real part of life with ramifications in history, culture and the development of civilization,” Smith said. “Those who had the advantage of his teaching and leadership gained not only exceptional appreciation and understanding of music but also of the wider spectrum.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Assemblyman Steve Hawley sent representatives to present proclamations for the occasion, and City Council President Eugene Jankowski gave one from the city with the wish that the community will find the auditorium space to be a place where folks can relax and be inspired.

The evening also included a ribbon-cutting, a vocal concert of pieces chosen by current Music Director Jane Haggett, including "Adeste Fidelis," meaning come, faithful ones, and a patriotic song since Frank always typically included one for concerts, she said. He loved "America," she said, "so we're going be doing that."

 A reception cake was bedecked with the theme of the night, and memorabilia was on display for guests to see.

Top photo: Abigail Hoerbelt, who comes from a musical family, cuts the ribbon during a dedication of the Frank E. Owen Auditorium Thursday evening at Batavia High School. Music Director Jane Haggett, City Council President Eugene Jankowski, alumni and board member Liz Johnson Conway, Jenn Lendvay and Patti Pacino flank her on the left as Chamber of Commerce Interim President Tom Turnbull, Board President John Marucci, Superintendent Jason Smith and Principal Paul Kesler stand on the right. Photo by Joanne Beck.

Photo of reception cake by Joanne Beck, and memorabilia and speakers by Howard Owens.

Photo: Batavia Downs signs

By Howard B. Owens

The signs in today's early evening at Batavia Downs.

Photo by Howard Owens.

Developing relationships, in and outside of the House

By Joanne Beck

Editor's Note: This is the second of a series about new staff at Crossroads House, which is to celebrate 25 years of existence in January.

She was a friendly face in the main office at Washington Towers for 15 years, and although she enjoyed it, there came a time of burnout, Vicki Johnson says.

She left in May 2021 and eventually decided that “it was just time for me to make a change.”

Johnson began her new role as director of development at Crossroads House on Aug. 1.

“I  like working with the elderly. And it's where I just really saw how fragile life is,” she said during an interview at the House on Liberty Street, Batavia. “It can be kind of, you know, you can get a little burnout with dealing with the elderly and disabled. And so this came up and I just knew it was time. Caregiving and Crossroads have always just been something that I feel — like my husband says -- destined to do.”

Johnson provided care for her grandmother Lucy, who was nearly 104 when she died, and for her mom Betty, and now for Aunt Dorothy, who is in a nursing home.

“I think I've always been of that caregiving nature. And just having been with people at end of life. And again, just seeing how fragile life is, you know, in my position at Washington Towers. Unfortunately, over the years, there were numerous people that we did welfare checks on and came upon them that they had passed. We were the first ones that tended to see their decline, whether they were getting dementia or just failing in health, and it's there where I kind of saw the negative part of the family relationships, and how they treat the elderly … it kind of just had me gravitate toward caregiving.”

It was while at Notre Dame High School for about three years that Johnson learned more about development initiatives and fundraising, she said. That shored up her experience for this new role of overseeing fundraising events, donor relationships, endowments and the like, plus probably getting involved with grant writing along with Executive Director Charlotte Crawford, Johnson said.

“Obviously, we need funds, because we're funded totally by the wonderful community that we live in. So I'm looking for new fundraising ideas, trying to get to the younger group, the younger people, with some fundraisers that might appeal to them,” she said. “And when we have the famous garage sale that they do, they have their basket raffles, their fall and spring basket raffles. We're lucky recipients of some outside (sponsored) golf outings that we just supply some help, maybe some baskets, but then we get some of the proceeds. So that's a great thing for us.”

Part of her job will entail raising awareness in order to increase donations for the nonprofit comfort care home. It exists primarily on the generosity of others, so it’s crucial to operations for Johnson to do her job successfully. She plans to get “our image out there” and provide more updates via the website and social media, she said.

After all, the House will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in January, and there are many people — staff, volunteers, families, board members, donors — that will want to recognize the work that’s been done and the missions accomplished.

Johnson wanted to fully envelop those missions, so she took the new orientation training, which consisted of instruction and shadowing volunteers. She wants to also become a volunteer and complete the end-of-life doula course so that she can be a companion for people when they are approaching the end in their own lives.

She doesn’t fear death, and is, in fact, comfortable with the concept.

“So it's just someone that accompanies you through your journey. It’s a time really to celebrate life, to look for reconciliation and forgiveness,” she said. “It’s incredible to hear the stories of people.”

Photo: Vicki Johnson at Crossroads House in Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck.

Two new art shows opening at GO Art!

By Press Release

Press release:

GO ART!, on 201 E. Main St. Batavia, is soon to host two new art exhibitions. In the ground floor's Tompkins Bank of Castile Main Gallery, witness Rebecca Graham's “Traditional Mixed Media in a Digital World,” a series of subject-driven works that evoke warm nostalgia for analog experience. This show will run from Sept. 7 through Oct. 29, with a reception from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept 17.

The second floor's Rotary Room gallery will feature works of various media by the GLOW Creatives, a group of artists that are collaborating (with each other, with GO ART!, and two other area arts councils) on a two-year grant-funded series of art projects intended to engage four rural Western NY counties. Sculpture by Susan Ferrari Rowley, photography by Keith Walters, painting by Dan Butler, and digital artwork by GO ART! marketing coordinator Austin Retzlaff will be featured. To learn more about the collaboration, please visit goart.org/glowcreatives. With an opening reception on September 15th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., the show runs from Sept. 7 to Oct. 29.

Please visit https://www.goart.org/upcoming-exhibitions for more information on these and other anticipated gallery exhibitions at GO ART!

Law and Order: Corfu man accused of shoplifting at Walmart

By Howard B. Owens

Eric P. Doleman, 52 of Corfu, is charged with petit larceny. Doleman is accused of stealing merchandise from Walmart valued at $128.04 on Aug. 23.  He was arrested by State Police and released on an appearance ticket.

Donald Cooper, 39, of East Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Cooper was arrested by Le Roy PD in relation to an incident reported at 1:31 p.m. on Aug. 22 at a location on East Main Street Road, Le Roy.  The details of the incident were not released. He was ordered to appear in Town of Le Roy Court on a later date.

Jeffery Guy Ellinwood, of Genesee Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Ellinwood allegedly violated an order of protection at 4:30 p.m., Aug. 19.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

 

Pre-apprenticeship 'boot camp' gives some muscle to job advancement

By Joanne Beck

Boot camp every weekday for the last six weeks has been worth it, Greg Burgess says.

Only, instead of a typical camp filled with burpees and jumping jacks, this one focused on future careers in food, beverage and advanced manufacturing and service technician sectors.

“I thought it was really good, I came for electrical,” he said Thursday morning after receiving his completion certificate at the BOCES campus in Batavia. “We learned to read prints and schematics — understanding schematics. It was really helpful, and good troubleshooting. I think that was the best part.”

Perhaps the next best part was that it didn’t cost Burgess a penny. This was a Genesee Valley pre-apprenticeship program that was designed to assist companies with recruitment and training. His employer, Georgia Pacific, sent Burgess to obtain additional skills that he will need for a job as a technician with his company’s maintenance department.

The 29-year-old is moving up the ladder, having been promoted once already. He is a testimony that high school drop-outs — he left Alexander High in 2011 — can go on to become successful in a field.

Advertisements for the program are one thing, Director of Workforce Development Richard Turner said, but “it's another thing when you've got proof positive that this education works, and that you got a start from here.”

“So you're our advertisement, here's the referral for what we're trying to get to get people. And the more and more we do this, more and more people are going to have confidence in us,” he said.

Burgess was one of seven graduates of the program. There were eight guys in the beginning, however, one had some personal issues and left the program, but with a job at Darien Lake, said longtime BOCES teacher Rich Monroe. He emphasized the large pool of jobs available for anyone with some trade skills.

“There's a vast amount of opportunity in advanced manufacturing and food processing, especially in Genesee County. We've got just a cornucopia of different opportunities here, and that's where this all kind of started with economic development, not having enough qualified people to do technical jobs,” he said. “So we started with this two years ago. And last year was our first attempt at doing what will be called boot camp. And it's really to try to address either incumbent workers that are trying to move a step up within the company, maybe they’re maintenance personnel, maybe they’re a production person, and they get the go-ahead from their boss to say, you know, we’d like to have you try this because we see something in you.”

The other situation is when students are recently graduated from school, or maybe they attempted college, and it really wasn't their thing, he said. This was a no-cost opportunity for them to explore something at no risk.

“All they had to do was show up for 96 hours, seven to 11 every day. And the other important thing is that we were there, and each one of them is partnered with a company. So it really is that academic experience, along with hands-on experience. Is this something you think you want to do? We're giving them every opportunity to explore it.”

The program trains students in a wide variety of mechatronic simulation settings to prepare them for in-demand careers throughout the region. Along with the in-class instruction, the students also received paid, on-the-job training and an opportunity for full-time employment with local employers.

The training was provided at no cost to the students and companies due to grants secured by Genesee Community College, Genesee Economic Development Council, and the Workforce Development Institute. Participating employers for the 2022 program include Arctic Refrigeration, Bonduelle, Darien Lake, Georgia Pacific, O-AT-KA Milk Products, Tambe Electric, and Upstate Niagara Cooperative.

The Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program is primarily funded through the SUNY Reimagine Workforce Preparation Training Program and is supported by the Genesee Valley BOCES, Rochester Technology Manufacturers Association, Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program, GCC, Genesee County Economic Development Center, GLOW Workforce Development Board and Workforce Development Institute.

“Thanks to partnerships between our workforce training providers and employers, opportunities like the Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program are creating a fast and successful path for more and more of our talented young people to join rewarding, growing careers in mechatronics,” added GCEDC Vice President of Business and Workforce Development, Chris Suozzi.

Top photo: Erik Kesler, Joseph DePalma, Zaric Boyce, Joseph Abrams, Brayden Hickey and Greg Burgess; (Back Row) Rich Turner, Jay Lazarony (GLOW Works), Tish Williams (GCC), Bob Coyne (RTMA), Rich Monroe (Genesee Valley BOCES) and Chris Suozzi (GCEDC). Photo above: Graduate Brayden Hickey receives his diploma from Rich Turner as Bob Coyne waits in line to offer congratulations Thursday at Genesee Valley BOCES. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Pedestrian reportedly hit by car on West Main at Union, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A car has reportedly struck a pedestrian on West Main Street, Batavia, at Union Street.

No word on injuries.

City Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 12:05 p.m.: There has been no additional information transmitted for an update.

New Crossroads House executive director feels at 'home'

By Joanne Beck

It’s a familiar-sounding story for most executive directors of Crossroads House: though the job is primarily administrative, it’s the care, compassion and the easy-going homey environment that lures one in to embrace the mission and the home.

Charlotte Crawford is no different in that respect; she wanted to be involved with caregiving ever since she was a child, she says. Her path to the nonprofit strays a bit, however, because she didn’t purposely pursue a permanent position. Quite the opposite, in fact, as she admits she was ready to “retire, retire,” with no inkling to look back.

“My husband laughed at me and he said, ‘You're never going to retire.’  And he's probably right. Because as long as I can find something I'm passionate about, I'm going to keep doing it. And this place, I'm exceedingly passionate about,” Crawford said during an interview at the house on Liberty Street, Batavia. “My father passed away here 11 years ago. And the care that he received from the people that were here was bar none. I'd worked in a hospital and I didn't see care like that. And the vast majority of the people here have no real medical training. These are people that have a desire and a true passion to help other people. They just want to give.”

A registered nurse since 1979, Crawford has worked in many different scenarios, from nursing in a hospital and home care to working in doctors’ offices and providing long-term services. Through it all, she experienced something completely different than at Crossroads House, she said. It wasn’t until she saw how death could be done — with peace, dignity and lessened fear while doing, eating and being what one wants — that she wanted in.

Crawford was a board member for two and a half years before accepting the interim executive director role in March 2021.  Here’s the “funny” thing, she said: “My intent was only to be interim until they hired somebody else.”

“And then I got in here, and I loved the place to begin with,” the Darien resident said. “When I got in here, and actually got to work with the amazing volunteers, and the other people in this house, I was just blown away at the care and compassion. And I had to become part of it.”

She was hired as the permanent director on June 15. As with many others who have dedicated their hearts to the place, Crawford has a personal and professional background there. Her father was not at the House for long — just four days — and yet during that time, Crawford had the opportunity to be something unique to her ill father after tending to his medical needs at home for so long

They watched old videos, and made dad his favorite chocolate pudding, and eggs just the way he liked them. There was relief, and even some fun, she said.

“The experience was amazing,” she said. “I went from being a caregiver to being a daughter. It was like a weight had been lifted. It was very peaceful here.”

She has quickly gone from a near-future retiree to an executive director with a mission or two. A big goal is to further educate people about the uncomfortable topic of death and to raise awareness of what Crossroads is all about.

So what’s a key element of dying that people should know?


“Everybody dies,” she said. “The hard part is not knowing what you don’t know, understanding that not eating is the dying process, for a family to know what they’re experiencing is normal. And it’s hard.”

And her other mission? To remain as executive director for as long as she can. She’s committed to the long haul, she said.

“I love the fact that I can come down here and talk to them, making sure they get what they need, making them feel like it’s their home too,” she said. “My goal has always been to help people, and my niche is medical. Everyone gets to be like family; I love that. This is home.”

Crawford credits founder Kathy Panepento for establishing in 1998 what surely will be her biggest legacy: an end-of-life comfort care home with the mission “to help you live your best life until your last breath.”

The biggest challenge so far, Crawford said, has been retaining a large core of volunteers for the round-the-clock resident care, plus helping with fundraising, housekeeping, property maintenance, office work, and gardening duties.

Other new staff includes Director of Development Vicki Johnson and Volunteer Coordinator Ashley Manuel. They will also be profiled in this series.

Top photo: Charlotte Crawford in one of her favorite places at Crossroads House -- a resident's room. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Photo: Owner of Dan's Tire remembered during calling hours Wednesday afternoon

By Howard B. Owens

While calling hours proceeded inside the Gilmartin Funeral Home Wednesday for Dan DiLaura, tow trucks from Dan's Tire and Auto Service were parked on West Main Street in honor of the long-time local businessman.

DiLaura passed away Sunday at age 68.

A 1971 graduate of Batavia High School, DiLaura opened his first auto shop at 23 on West Main Street, Batavia. Over the years, his business ventures grew until he built Dan's Tire in Batavia City Centre.

For his full obituary, click here.

Photo: Work continues on Ellicott Station

By Howard B. Owens

Workers were still framing atop the third floor of the Ellicott Station apartment complex in Batavia early this evening.

The apartments are part of a $22.5 million project that includes a brewery/restaurant and office suites.

The four-story apartment building will contain 55 units, including 52 with balconies, and nine units meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. There will be 37 garage parking spaces and 44 surface parking spaces, a laundry room, an elevator, a community room, bicycle storage, and an enclosed ADA playground.

The developer is Savarino Companies, a firm in Buffalo that specializes in rehabilitating brownfield properties and old industrial buildings. 

The apartments are expected to house workforce residents with $30,000 to $40,000 in annual earnings.

For previous coverage of Ellicott Station, click here.

Muralist Vinny DelPlato dies at age 65

By Howard B. Owens

Vincent “Vincenzo” "Vinny" DelPlato, 65, whose art has enlivened much of Batavia for decades, including Jackson Square, has passed away.

He died Aug. 22 due to complications of diabetes, according to an obituary published today.

While the Jackson Square murals may be his best known, he painted murals on other Batavia buildings -- some of which have been covered in recent years -- as well as a giant mural in Oakfield depicting the village's history.

The obit:

Vin was a talented artist. He saw the beauty in God’s creation. With his paints and brushes, he tried to capture that beauty on canvas, whether it was a portrait of someone’s loved one, a family pet, or the ever-changing scenes of nature. He created true works of art to be admired for years to come.

In 2009, he painted a mural inside what was becoming Next Level Fitness at Main and Jackson streets, inspired by a famous photograph (photographer unknown) of men eating lunch on a beam on the 69th floor of the RCA Building under construction in Manhattan in 1932 (see video below).

File photos by Howard Owens.

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Books Sandwiched In: Fall series begins Sept. 7 at Richmond Memorial Library

By Press Release

Press release:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See some 'little rascals' at BID's Family Movie Night

By Joanne Beck

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

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

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

Column: A Southsider for Life

By Anne Marie Starowitz

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

City progressing summer sidewalk projects

By Howard B. Owens

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cleanup to continue at former metals recycling company

By Joanne Beck

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To read the full Fact Sheet, go HERE

For prior coverage, go HERE

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

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