batavia

There were rainbows along with a pretty nice sunset in Genesee County for photographers to enjoy on Monday.

The most anticipated division of New York Sire Stake horses will be at Batavia Downs on Tuesday (August 8). That’s when the 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings will assemble for one, $119,800 dash that headlines a 14-race card beginning at 6 p.m. 

The track handicapper has given the nod to Metal Man as the early choice, a horse that has shown some great speed this year, but also inconsistency. 

Metal Man (Huntsville-Apple Delight) was unraced at two, but started his 3-year-old season a winner in an overnight at the Meadowlands in 1:52.3. In his next start he broke and then was subsequently scratched in back-to-back races. He qualified back after five weeks off and then won back to back overnight races at Yonkers, one in 1:52.4 over the hilltop half mile. Since that time he has made consecutive breaks again and was forced to qualify on July 12. He just won his last outing in another overnight at Yonkers in 1:53.2, but he has yet to win a NYSS event. 

Jim Morrill Jr. will be up behind Metal Man for the first time for trainer Travis Alexander and has drawn post five. 

It’s A Me Mario (American Ideal-Nf Salsa) is one of only two horses in this race that has won a NYSS event this year and has already faced the best 3-year-olds in the country. After starting the year with four straight wins at Yonkers, It’s A Me Mario won his first NYSS event at Vernon in a lifetime best 1:49.4 effort to run his streak to five. He then headed to the Grand Circuit and had some bad draw and racing luck. In the Messenger at Yonkers he drew post seven and was 11-¼ lengths off the leader at the quarter before taking air for almost the rest of the mile. Then in the Meadowlands Pace elimination, he drew post seven again but was able to finish a very impressive third, timed in 1:48.3. Then in that final, It’s A Me Mario drew post eight, was tenth at the half and chased an impossible :52.2 back half and :25.4 last quarter set by Confederate. His next outing was a NYSS race at Monticello where he drew post seven and was interfered with before the quarter, but still was able to grab a check. 

He still drew post six in here, but It’s A Me Mario looks for some better racing luck this week for driver Lauren Tritton who will steer for trainer Shane Tritton.  

The other NYSS winner from this year is Duval Street (Huntsville-Native Bride) who got that 1:52.4 tally at Saratoga on June 24, but that wasn’t his best outing of the season. Duval Street has a pair of 1:50.2 victories; one at the Meadows in a 7-½ length romp and one at Mohegan Sun Pocono. He finished third in his last two starts, which were both NYSS events, behind Thunder Hunter Joe and Storm The Court, neither of which are entered here this week. His versatility allows him to either leave or race from behind, giving him a big advantage if the inside speed develops early. 

Regular driver Jason Bartlett is back behind Duval Street for trainer Ed Hart and they will start from post three. 

There are also three $20,000 NYSS Excelsior divisions on the program and those splits will be contested in races six, seven, and eight. The NYSS main event is carded as race 10. 

Free full past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia can always be downloaded at the Downs’ website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab and all the racing action can be viewed as it happens for free at the Batavia Downs Live Facebook page.

Press Release:

The Fargo Road Bridge Replacement Project is set to commence on August 14, bringing essential improvements to the bridge located over Black Creek near Route 63 and Little Canada Extension.

The current 11-foot-wide jack arch bridge will be replaced with a modern 28-foot precast concrete arch bridge to meet hydraulic capacity requirements. This upgrade is crucial for maintaining smooth truck routes, as Fargo Road serves as a superload route within the County.

The project is locally funded, with Ravi Engineering in Rochester leading as the Engineer and LC Whitford as the Contractor. Construction is planned to continue diligently until the end of November.

Fargo Road will be closed during the construction period for the safety of motorists and construction workers. However, a well-marked detour will be in place to guide motorists and trucks efficiently.

Seven-on-seven flag football returns to Batavia on Aug. 27 for a cash-prize tournament for teams of seven to 13 players.

The tournament is being organized by Ray Williams, Thomas Ognibene, and Noah Talone.

Team sign-ups are being accepted up until the week of the tournament, and the cost is $650 per team.

The total cash prize for the winning team will be announced once organizers know how many teams are participating.  In the past, the first-place prize has been $2,500.

Participants receive a team shirt.

For more information, call Ray at 585-356-5956, Thomas at 585-297-9409, or Noah at 585-813-8733.

The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist Karen Crittenden at 7 p.m. this Tuesday at GO ART!/Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., Batavia. 

Karen will be doing a hands-On Gelli Plates and Alcohol Inks demonstration.  All materials will be provided at no cost.  Refreshments are provided.  Non-members are welcome for a $5 fee.  The 2.o.1. Tavern will be open for cash purchases. 

Please join us for a fun and interesting evening of making art!  Any questions, please call Teresa Tamfer at 585-506-2465.

Press Release:

Notre Dame High School is proud to announce its 2023 Sports Hall of Fame Class. The Induction program will be held on Saturday, November 18 on the Notre Dame campus.

The program will begin with a social hour and dinner with the Induction recognition portion to follow.

Inductees to be honored on November 18, 2023 are:

• Jimmy Fanara '67 Coach & Contributor
• John Borrelli '86 Athlete
• Jeff “Bingo” Messina '87 Athlete
• Margaret Dwyer Niedzwiecki '88 Athlete
• Carolyn Dwyer Babcock '91 Athlete
• Maura Flynn Sprague '00 Athlete
• 1999 NYSPHSAA NYS and NYS Federation Girls Basketball State Championship Team

Ticket information for the November 18th Induction Program will be announced shortly.

Press Release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) are offering free drive-thru rabies vaccination clinic in August.

The Genesee County Rabies Vaccination Clinic will be held on August 10 from 4-6:30 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 East Main Street, Batavia)

Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats, and ferrets. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit 4 pets per car maximum.

“Rabies continues to be a public health issue in Genesee and Orleans Counties,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for GO Health. “We urge pet owners to take this opportunity to ensure their pets are protected against rabies.”

For more information on GO Health’s programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org. You can also contact the Genesee County health department at 585-344-2580 x5555 or Health@co.genesee.ny.us.

New Listing - 3473 W. Main St. Road, Batavia (Town). Great opportunity and great home for the person who is looking for move-in ready home – whether starting out or downsizing! This solid three bedroom home is located in the Town of Batavia, and the Pembroke School System, and minutes from all the shopping and restaurants! This home has a great remodeled large kitchen with huge center island for the cook or just to gather around! Tons of cupboards and a large pantry closet. There is also pretty tongue and groove full dining room with slider door to awesome yard! Large living room, first floor bedroom, first floor laundry, and first floor bath and attached powder room!! Two bedrooms are located on second floor. 200 Amp electrical system, central air, public water & sewer are a definite bonus and besides awesome location! This home sits on pretty and deep lot with detached garag, a large Amish built barn that has heat, electric with loft area and is perfect for the hobbyist or great place to just hang out!! Priced affordably and ready to go! Easy to see immediately. Call Reliant Real Estate now, call 585-344-4663.

When the runners take the line today for the 10th GLOW Corporate Cup at Centennial Park Thursday evening, at least a dozen of the participants will share the rare distinction of being the only ones to take to the track every year of the event.

That will make them part of a fundraiser that will surpass this year's $200,000 in cumulative donations to the GLOW YMCA since 2014.

Close to 800 runners and walkers are expected to complete the 5K track, said race organizer Steve Tufts.

Tufts has organized the race since the first year, because Merrill Lynch office partner John Riter approached him about organizing a corporate challenge style 5K more than a decade ago.  Riter came to Tufts because Tufts had experience laying out courses and ensuring they obtain 5K certification.

"The thing that makes the GLOW Cup unique is we entertain people," Tufts said. "We bring live music. This year it's Groove, a local band, and it's always a local band, and most of the teams bring their own food, have it catered, or cook right on site. It's like a corporate picnic built right into Centennial Park."

A twist this year to the race is the "couples challenge," or as it's known at the Corporate Cup, the "CUPles Challenge." The three married couples with the lowest cumulative times will win prizes, with a random drawing prize that all couples, regardless of time, are eligible to win.

Tufts said some smaller companies now use the Corporate Cup as their company's annual picnic, saving the expense of doing a separate event. One local company used to set up their own horseshoe pits each year.

"It's different things to different people," Tufts told The Batavian last week while visiting the Media Center at the Genesee County Fair. "But I think the thing that makes it successful is it's the GLOW region, and people do enjoy a night where they're not heading all the way over to the Rochester or Buffalo areas. This is in our back yard. From a runner's perspective, people do like the course because it's super fast. It is accurate. It's a certified course, which means it's an accurate distance, but it's not eligible for World Records, I'm sorry to say, because it's got a little bit too much down elevation for the distance. That is because we start out by the Blind School, and it goes down the hill down to Northside Deli and then turns left, and then it's pretty flat after that. So, just a little bit too much down for USA Track and Field Conference."

The certification expires in 2024, so Tufts plans to alter the course to start closer to State Street and end the race further up Ellicott Avenue, which should solve the elevation problem, just in case anybody wants to try and set a world record for his or age bracket.

Merrill Lynch chose the GLOW YMCA because the Y, like the Batavia Merrill Lynch office, serves the entire GLOW region.

The bonus is, the Y comes with a built-in set of volunteers.

"Right now, I'd say I wouldn't want it any other way," Tufts said. "I'm not sure how long I would get 70 people out on my course keeping people safe (without the Y). So it's been a great partnership."

Corporate sponsors help cover event expenses, which ensures all of the $25 entry fees go to the Y, Tufts said. Because of corporate sponsors, the organizers have been able to maintain the $25 entry fee, so it remains affordable for small businesses and individuals.

In the first year of the race, Tufts said they were expecting about 350 participants. They had more than 400.  It went up every year until more than 800 in 2019, the last race before the pandemic. There was no race in 2020, and in 2021 numbers were down.  In 2021, there were more than 700 again, but Tufts doesn't expect to exceed 800 this year because race participation across the nation, he said, is down since the pandemic.

The event has drawn a lot of sponsor support this year, and with anticipated participation from runners and walkers, Tufts expects to raise more than $25,000 for the Y this year, stopping the 2019 record of $23,005.

Last year was the second-best year at $22,963.

Going into this year, the cumulative total was nearly $180,000 raised.

The race starts at 6 p.m. today (Thursday).

In 2019, The Msgr. Kirby Knights of Columbus Council 325 graciously offered to start a yearly scholarship fund to celebrate and recognize some of St. Joseph Regional School's students.  The recipients are nominated by the school staff and the awards are presented at the End of the Year Awards Ceremony.  Two students are chosen in grades K-6 and are nominated using the following criteria:

The Knights of Columbus have supported Notre Dame High School and her wonderful students for over 30 years.  Most recently their contributions have helped with building improvements, classroom and technology upgrades, beautification of our campus, and most importantly, tuition support scholarships.

The scholarships provided by the Knights support our mission that the incredibly unique and wonderful Notre Dame experience should be available to all families throughout the region regardless of their financial position.  These scholarships have helped over 100 students graduate from Notre Dame that otherwise would not have been able to attend.  The results of this investment in Notre Dame students can be seen daily here on campus with the many happy faces currently attending, as well as out in the community where Knights-funded Notre Dame graduates are making a positive daily impact throughout the Genesee Region.

At Notre Dame High School we take great pride in being the #1 Ranked High School in the entire GLOW Region, and we have equal pride in our longstanding relationship with the Knights of Columbus.

Information above by Karen Green, principal of St. Joseph School, and Business Administrator Thomas Rapone of Notre Dame High School.

Press Release:

On Thursday, Aug. 3, Fairmont Avenue, Hart Street, and Norris Avenue (between State Street and Bank Street) in the City of Batavia will be getting paved. This project is expected to be between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Residents and businesses are asked not to park on the street during this time. This is weather-dependent work and will be scheduled for the next business day if necessary.

Contact the Bureau of Maintenance and ask to speak to the Streets Supervisor or the Superintendent at 585-345-6400 opt. 1 if you have any questions. Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors will consider an initial resolution for Oak Orchard Solar 3 LLC’s community solar farm project in the town of Batavia. The $9 million investment would include the installation of ground-mounted solar panels in order to generate up to 5 megawatts of power.

Under the proposed project agreement, Oak Orchard Solar 3 LLC’s project would generate $4,000/megawatts (AC) + a 2% annual escalator of revenues with Genesee County and Elba Central School District. Including a host agreement with the Town of Batavia, this project is estimated to generate a $319,088 increase in property-tax type revenues to host municipalities.

Since 2019, the GCEDC has reviewed over $1 billion of solar energy projects. These projects have proposed 860 megawatts of renewable energy and property tax-type revenues of $127.4 million to municipalities.

If Oak Orchard Solar 3 LLC’s project application is accepted, a public hearing will be scheduled on the proposed project agreement in the town of Batavia.

The August 3, GCEDC board meeting will be held at 3 p.m. at the MedTech Center’s Innovation Zone, 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia. Meeting materials and links to a live stream/on-demand recording of the meeting is available at www.gcedc.com.

On a search for a fun fundraising activity that might draw in members of the community who don't typically support the arts, GO ART! Executive Directory Gregory Hallock hit upon a fanciful idea -- a dodgeball tournament.

After looking around a bit, Hallock realized there doesn't seem to be any other dodgeball tournaments in the area, so the idea also had the advantage of being unique.

So, GO ART! is hosting its inaugural dodgeball tournament on Saturday, Aug. 12 at the David M. McCarthy Ice Arena at 5 p.m.

Teams of six to eight people cost $200, which includes a beverage. There will be prizes for best team uniforms and best team name.

For those who are of an artistic bent -- and Hallock stresses, this is not required -- there will be a rap battle/poetry slam.

That helps keep the arts connected to the event, he said.

The event is sponsored by the David M. McCarthy Ice Arena and Eli Fish Brewing Co.

You can sign up your team online by clicking here.

"When we thought of the idea, it also immediately made us think of the dodgeball movie, and we realized that was all about being funny and having fun, so this is about being funny and having fun. It's the comedy side of arts," Hallock said.

Batavia's Fire headquarters has a new apron, or driveway, as part of a construction project at the facility.

Previously, Chief Joshua Graham told The Batavian: "The construction that took place back then was not designed for the weight of today’s fire apparatus. Due to that fact, the concrete is cracking up and falling apart," he said to The Batavian Thursday. "The apron itself consists of tearing the only concrete out and pouring new slabs. We then have to wait until it has hardened enough to support the weight of our trucks."