Batavia City school administrators and teachers presented art awards Friday evening to students at the Richmond Memorial Library in the district's annual art show. The student art will be on display at the library for the remainder of the month.
On Friday night at John Kennedy School Pack 6112 ran its pinewood derby on the city’s longest and fastest track. With nearly 50 feet of racetrack the Lions, Tigers, Bobcats and Wolfs ran the cars they made themselves in a night of racing.
The scouts were more than a little excited about the event. After the official round of racing, the scouts had fun races even running the cars backwards.
After looking over the final $15 million in grant-request projects Batavia will submit to the state for its Downtown Revitalization Initiative prize, Councilman Al McGinnis said he was pleased and excited about the prospect for the future of the city.
"I think we’re lucky enough to be around here in five or six years, it will be a revitalized Batavia that we won’t recognize and we will wish we had it earlier," McGinnis said. "It’s only going to impact us in a positive way. It’s just too bad it didn’t happen 20 years ago."
Looking specifically at the public market and at Batavia Players' plans for a downtown location for what is now Theater 56, McGinnis said that one project is just a single example of how all of these ideas have a chance at making downtown a better place for residents and businesses.
"This is great stuff," McGinnis said. "I mean, we don’t have the money for this. If the state can give us this money and we can do most of these things, there’s no downside to this. There is none. It’s all positive. I just wish the State could give us $5 million more."
The state's prize is to award $10 million worth of local projects. A local committee of community members made the first cut -- $15 million worth of projects -- from the batch of applicants, but the state gets the final say in whittling down the choices to $10 million in grants.
The local committee's final choices were presented to the public Thursday night during an open house at City Hall.
Interim City Manager Matt Worth said he liked what he saw.
"Some of the discussions have been about downtown being a real neighborhood and I think some of the projects lend themselves to that," Worth said. "It’s really encouraging seeing some of the momentum the City has. There’s more interest in what’s going on downtown than I’ve seen in an awfully long time, so that’s very positive."
Victor Gautieri has the dual perspective of a longtime downtown leader as president of the Business Improvement District and as an applicant for a grant for his project on Ellicott Street (the Save-A-Lot building).
He's hoping the state will prioritize projects that might not otherwise be viable without the assistance.
"There are a lot of very nice projects that are here," he said. "I think some are more appropriate than others. I am a believer that the grant money should be going to those that really need it in the private sector.
"We’re very hopeful we’re going to be able to get our grant because that is what is going to make the project," he added. "That’s the only way we will ever able to do what we want to do with that property."
Looking at the projects as a whole, Gautieri thinks we won't even recognize Batavia in a few years.
"If several of these projects get the green light and are awarded a grant, it’s going to transform downtown," Gautieri said. "It’s going to look like it never has before, especially on the Southside, the Ellicott Street side. That is where we need, I think, the most help."
Here's a summary of the projects being submitted to the State:
GO ART! hosted the opening of its annual juried art show Thursday night at Seymore Place in Batavia.
Top prize this year was awarded to Alex Sergovia for his painting (top photo) Celestial Blues. Sergovia could not be present at the opening last night.
The work displayed was selected from numerous entries by the jury, which also selected the winning entry.
Above sits Artist David Burke. His three paintings are the tree on the left, and the two paintings above him on the right.
Batavia City Schools Superintendent Chris Dailey reads to students at Jackson Primary School on Thursday night during the school's reading night, part of its annual Parents as Reading Partners Program.
This year's theme is "Wild About Reading at the Jackson Primary Zoo."
Molly Corey reading.
Linda Conway reading.
Students and parents playing Zoo Bingo.
Students from St. Joe's Elementary School joined members of Batavia Kiwanis Club yesterday to help announce this Sunday's annual Spaghetti & Meatball Dinner.
The dinner will be held at St. Joe's starting noon. Dinner will be served until 3 p.m.
Tickets are $6 per person and takeouts are available.
Proceeds benefit the charitable efforts of the Batavia Kiwanis Club.
As I walked out of Batavia City Hall tonight, the snow had just started falling.
The forecast is for periods of snow tonight and tomorrow. The total accumulation tonight is expected to be less than an inch.
Jonathan C. Hoges, 35, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd.
Hoges is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force on two occasions.
He was arrested on Jackson Street on Tuesday by members of the Task Force with assistance from Batavia PD.
Following arraignment, he was jailed without bail.
Among the 11 people arrested on drug sales charges over the past few weeks in Wyoming County were two Genesee County residents, according to arrest reports released today by the Wyoming County Drug Task Force.
Mitchell Freeman, 29, of Quinlan Road, Le Roy, was arrested Feb. 17, and charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 4th, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 5th. Freeman is accused of selling buprenorphine in the Village of Attica in the fall. He was ordered held in the Wyoming County Jail.
Lance Mercado, 27, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 4th, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 5th. Mercado is accused of selling buprenorphine on two occasions in the fall in the Village of Attica. He was arrested Feb. 1 and jailed on $25,000 bail.
Wyoming County Sheriff Gregory J. Rudolph said the task for continues to seek several other suspects on drug indictment warrants and that his office will continue to do its part to help fight the current drug epidemic.
“The Wyoming County Drug Task Force continues to diligently investigate in the enforcement piece of this drug epidemic," Rudolph said in a press release. "Enforcement will not combat addictions and intense treatment is needed to tackle that difficulty, however, we as a law enforcement community are all committed to investigating and arresting drug dealers who prey and profit from those addictions.
"It is also our hope that taking drug dealers off the street contributes to the prevention piece of this epidemic, particularly with our youth. Stemming the opioid crisis is a multi-prong approach and the Wyoming County Drug Task Force is resolved in doing our part.”
A fire at 20 Columbia Ave., Batavia, in the early morning of March 6, appears to have been caused by an electrical issue and was accidental, according to City Fire Chief Steve Napolitano.
Several animals apparently lost their lives in the fire, though no people were hurt.
The house was owner-occupied by Peter and Marilyn Demmer and five people, including a newborn infant, were home at the time of the fire, which was reported at about 4:15 a.m.
Napolitano did not have a count of how many animals lived at the residence. Firefighters located four deceased pets. One dog escaped the fire.
The structure of the house is sound, Napolitano said, but the interior was a total loss. The ground floor sustained massive damage from heat, smoke and water and the second floor had extensive smoke and heat damage. The total loss estimate is $180,000 to $200,000.
"Firefighters were able to recover some personal items of value to the family," Napolitano said.
Napolitano said the residents were offered assistance by the Salvation Army and Red Cross but he is uncertain if they accepted or made other arrangements on their own.
Press release:
YWCA of Genesee County is facing major financial challenges, including problems of cash flow. The Board of Directors, working with newly appointed Executive Director Millie Tomidy-Pepper, who began Feb. 5, has retained an independent auditor to assist in determining the extent and causes of the problems.
They are also actively pursuing financing options and revenue-generation opportunities to enable the 150-year-old organization to continue its mission of eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Details will be shared with the community as soon as they become available.
The trio performed their monthly jazz tunes last evening at a packed T.F. Brown's 214 Main St., Batavia.
They perform once a month, traditionally on Thursdays, but decided to change it up because of the NCAA basketball. Here are a couple photos.
Press release:
Why did you join Reality Check? That’s the question Reality Check coordinator Brittany Bozzer asks each student when they join the tobacco-free advocacy group and attend their first meeting.
There is simply no right or wrong answer. But it’s always inspiring to find out why our youth advocates join us and what it means to them to be a part of the group.
Here’s what Reality Check members from St. Joseph School in Batavia have to say:
Seventh-grader Maylee joined Reality Check so that she could make a difference to smokers.
“I want to learn about the dangers of tobacco and other products so that I can educate peers and those who smoke,” Maylee said.
“I am anti-smoking smoking and think it is a bad habit or addiction for people to get involved with,” said James, also a seventh-grader, on why he got involved. “I also want to help out in the community.”
Amelia joined Reality Check to gain “knowledge, power, strength and confidence.”
And Paige joined to get “a good education on tobacco use and other drugs so that I can tell people about what I learned.”
Each young student has his or her own unique reason for joining, but there is one common thread. Each one has been affected by tobacco products in some way and they are choosing to help make a difference in their community.
What is Reality Check? Reality Check is a youth-based, adult-mentored, statewide youth program operated by the New York State Department of Health in Albany as well as Roswell Park Comprehensive Center.
The goal of Reality Check is to educate teens about the manipulative marketing practices used by the tobacco industry as well as to teach them how to advocate in the community for themselves and their peers.
What do we do? Reality Check exposes the truths about tobacco marketing through point of sale and smoking in movies.
Through various activities led by youth, they are able to gather facts and statistics to show the reality that tobacco use among youth is very prevalent in their community and that it needs to be stopped. This tobacco is not exclusive to cigarette use; it also includes e-cigarettes and vaping as these also contain nicotine.
Most youth begin to get involved in Reality Check between seventh and eighth grades and continue on through high school, bringing awareness to the community and advocating for change!
Press release:
The New York State Senate’s one-house budget resolution– approved earlier today– establishes tax parity between the Batavia Downs and other gaming facilities across the state. The Senate Budget proposal increases the facility’s portion of net winnings to 42 percent.
Senator Michael Ranzenhofer has issued the following statement:
“I am pleased that the Senate Budget Resolution levels the tax playing field for Batavia Downs. Decreasing the tax rate for the oldest nighttime harness track in the nation will ensure a fairer share of revenues are returned to taxpayers through our local governments. Now, the Genesee County racino will be more competitive with other gaming facilities. I will continue working to address this issue in the final budget.”
In January, Senator Ranzenhofer introduced legislation (S7397) in the State Senate that would lower Batavia Down’s taxes paid to New York State by increasing the facility’s portion of net winnings from 35 percent to 41 percent. The Executive Budget proposes increasing net winnings to 37 percent.
Students of Batavia High School stepped outside and into the wind and the snow for 17 minutes today. They were there to express their concern for their safety and for a moment of silence for the 17 people that lost their lives in the mass shooting at Parkland HS in Florida.
The Batavia HS students all had slightly different views on how to stop mass school shootings including: gun control, more police, better mental health, less bullying, and students taking responsibility for their own safety. Certainly these feelings reflect the feelings of the rest of society.
Perhaps the wisdom of the crowd is pointing to the fact that not one single thing is responsible for these mass shootings and there are multiple causes that need to be addressed simultaneously.
Along with the varied solutions, all but one of the students interviewed felt that our political system has failed them. To address this issue there is a push for voter registration along with the protest.
Sydney Atchinson one of the students who helped with the organization of the protest said, “We are fed up with talking and politics (nothing is getting solved). Students will change politics by voicing their opinions and with votes.”
Students with pro gun signs stood in solidarity next to students with #neveragain signs. Despite not all pushing for the same solution, the students stood united to end the extreme violence in schools. This is very much a grassroots movement; there is not a leader of this walk out, just a collective understanding something needs to be done.
The student government body did not officially sanction this event but there are members who actively participated.
Not all students were involved the in walk out. Some stayed inside because they disagree with Woman’s March organization, others said they just don’t care enough. For some, it was just too cold to go outside.
A student made a point to tell me that they do understand the importance of the Second Amendment. They also do believe in the students' right to “live without fear and without being shot and massacred.” Living without fear and persecution, isn’t that one of the main reasons the Constitution was written?
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