batavia

Press Release:

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County Board of Directors meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on September 24.

Weather permitting, the meeting will be held at the Batavia Community Garden, 12 MacArthur Dr., Batavia, and open to the public.

For more information, please contact Yvonne Peck at ydp3@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040 x123.

Press Release:

The Batavia City School District (BCSD) is proud to announce that our state-of-the-art facility at VanDetta Stadium will once again be hosting athletic events during the 2024-25 school year.

We continue to make safety our number one priority for students, staff, and community members attending events at VanDetta Stadium. We’re anticipating large crowds throughout the season, and we want to make you aware of the enhanced safety protocols, guidelines, and expectations when attending our Varsity Football games:

• All attendees will be wand-checked by our security team to ensure no prohibited items are brought into the facility.
• VanDetta Stadium is located in a neighborhood, so please be courteous and do not block driveways, throw trash on the ground, or use foul language. Please be a good neighbor. Parking regulations will be strictly enforced by the Batavia Police Department.
• All students ages 12 and under should be accompanied by an adult.
• We will charge adults a $2 admission fee for all Varsity Football games. Students and seniors aged 62 and over will have free admission.
• We suggest you arrive early to avoid security delays upon entry.

We’ll also continue to have a security presence around the stadium during events. We’re once again collaborating with Armor Security this year to help support our administrators, athletic event workers, and the Batavia Police Department to make sure safety remains a priority at our events. We’ll also have additional security in our parking lots.

We cannot wait to welcome you back to VanDetta Stadium for another exciting season of Blue Devil events and cheer on our wonderful student-athletes. Let’s all do our part to keep our school grounds, students, faculty, staff, and community safe. 

A school bus on Bank Street near North in Batavia is stopped after smoke was spotted coming from the tail pipe. 

A police officer responded and confirmed the smoke.  City Fire requested to the scene to investigate further. 

All students and the driver are off the bus and on the sidewalk 

Press Release:

Every year, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) partners with local communities to hold Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs this year from September 15 - 21. The annual safety week ends with National Seat Check Saturday, a day for parents and caregivers to receive free instruction on how to correctly install and use the right car seats for their children. 

The City of Batavia Fire Department announced today that certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be offering free car seat safety checks on Saturday, September 21 beginning at 10 a.m. at City of Batavia Headquarters. Technicians will check car seats, let caregivers know if their children are in the right seats for their ages and sizes, and show them how to install the right seats correctly.

Unfortunately, many parents are overconfident about their car seats. They think they’re protecting their kids, but almost half of car seats are either the wrong seat for the child’s age and size, or the seats are installed incorrectly. That puts children at risk. According to NHTSA, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children. 

Every day in 2022, an average of three children 14 and younger were killed in crashes, and another 429 were injured. We know parents love their kids, so they’ll do everything in their power to protect them. An easy way to do that is to double-check their car seats — it’s worth making sure.

According to NHTSA, more than a third (39%) of children 14 and younger who died in crashes in 2022 in cars, pickups, vans, and SUVs were unbuckled. 

The safety agency wants caregivers to know that it’s never safe to ride unbuckled in a passenger vehicle — no matter how short the trip or how big the vehicle. More than half (52%) of the child passengers 14 and younger killed in pickup trucks in 2022 were unrestrained — more than any other vehicle category. Bigger vehicles don’t protect child passengers, but car seats, booster seats, and seat belts do.

When it comes to child passengers, there is a right seat for every age and developmental stage — from infants to teens. Whether it’s a rear-facing car seat, a forward-facing car seat installed with a tether, a booster seat, or a seat belt, a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician can put parents’ minds at ease by discussing correct car seat selection and showing them how to correctly install that seat in their vehicle. 

Children should stay in each seat and position until they outgrow those limits, and it’s important for all children under 13 to ride in the back seat.

If Saturday’s times don’t work for your schedule, but you’d still like to have your car seats checked, contact the City of Batavia Fire Department at 585-345-6375 to schedule an appointment.

NHTSA.gov also has free resources available to caregivers. Learn about the different car seat types, read NHTSA’s research-based recommendations, and find and compare car seats.

It’s also important for caregivers to register their car seats with the manufacturer so they can be notified in the event of a recall. Download NHTSA’s SaferCar app, which allows users to save their vehicle, car seat, and tire info in a virtual garage. If any of the saved equipment is included in a safety recall, the app will send a notification.

For more information on child car seat safety, as well as how to find other car seat check events, go to
www.nhtsa.gov/therightseat.

Or Contact Car Seat Program Coordinator Lt. Bob Tedford at 585-345-6375.

The history of Sacred Heart Church began in 1904 when Reverend Peter Pitass was assigned to organize a new parish that would serve the Polish people on the south side of Batavia. 

Father Pitass bought a house on the corner of South Jackson Street. The first floor was rebuilt into a sanctuary, and the second floor was a residence for the priest. A barn was rebuilt for the school. 

The parish grew and needed a new home. 

In 1917, the Church moved to the corner of Sumner Street and Swan Street. He purchased about half an acre of land on that corner from Edward Suttell, enough for a church, a school and a social hall. 

Building materials were so expensive the parish built only the basement. That was then used as a church until a better one could be built. 

Starting in December 1928, Reverend Stanislaus Cichowski served as pastor for the next 26 years. 

During March 1942, Tonawanda Creek rose in the worst flood in Batavia's history. The Church was underwater for weeks, destroying everything except the cement foundation. Reverend Alexander Jankowski succeeded Father Cichowski in building and rebuilding the Church and school. 

In 1954, Reverend Leo Smith blessed the cornerstone of the Church, which was to be built on the foundation that had been in place since 1915. 

In 1966, the congregation burned the mortgage they had taken out to fund the Church and surrounding buildings. 

There was also a large open play area to hold Sacred Heart’s Lawn Fete in July. 

In 1974 the school closed, and the parish men built a large social hall on the north side, transforming the former school building into the Sacred Heart Community Center. 

The little Church that took many years to build is now facing the last chapter of its life as the doors will be closed permanently.  

When this happens to your church, you lose the memories of baptisms, Holy Communions, Confirmations, weddings, anniversaries, and funerals. 

One memory I will always treasure was going to Mass with my father-in-law, Henry Starowitz. I was so proud to walk down the aisle with him. By this time, he was legally blind, but somehow, he would stop at every pew and say hello to a fellow parishioner. He counted the pews. 

Sacred Heart is my church. 

My Mass was at 4 p.m., and I always sat in the pew near the Paul Starowitz stained glass window. That is where my mother-in-law and father-in-law sat. Most people had a pew they called their pew.

Sacred Heart Church was where I would sit in front of my friend, often called St. Patty. I always looked forward to seeing her at Mass. I would go to the Sacred Heart Statue and light my weekly candles with a Peca-Starowitz tag on my candle. 

This church was where our grandchildren were baptized. 

The Easter season was when, years ago, a life-sized statue of our lord was laid out on its side during the Easter Vigil. I have to admit that it was a little scary, especially for our daughters. 

We loved the Sacred Heart Lawn Fete because it was a lawn fete run by the parishioners. It featured a golumpki dinner, waffles, Polish and Italian sausage, and the best beer tent. My father-in-law was always in the garage, in charge of the money. 

Since I live on the south side, I am privy to hearing the real church bells ring five minutes before and on the hour. I tried to imagine that years ago, those bells called churchgoers to church.

I am writing to ask the parishioners to share their memories of the little church on the south side of Batavia. The one thing we all have in common is the sadness we feel. Sacred Heart Church was just remodeled; financially, it is a secure church. Today, I went by the church to take a picture of my church, and a gentleman was mowing the lawn. He looked at me and asked me to hold on; he would move so I could take a picture. 

I say this with tears in my eyes and sadness in my heart. Goodbye, Sacred Heart; our loss saddens our hearts. 

No one knows the church’s fate and the surrounding building, except we will not have our church on Sumner Street as our church.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Police Department has been made aware of social media posts circulating that are threatening violence at schools. The investigation into this matter has deemed that there is no credible threat to the Batavia City School District at this time. We are working alongside our Local, State and Federal partners to determine the origin of the posts. We have communicated with BCSD about the posts and will continue to monitor the situation. 

We ask that anyone with further information contact the Police Department's Detective Bureau at 585-345-6350. Furthermore, if you see a suspicious post, contact your local law enforcement and do not re-post, share, message or place it on any other social media site, as this can create unnecessary panic and hamper law enforcement's ability to investigate.

NOTE: We asked Chief Shawn Heubusch if the threat came from somebody local and specifically targeted Batavia. He said it's unknown who exactly made the threat. He said there is no specific information regarding Batavia.

Press Release:

IGNITE took off at the Genesee Community College (GCC) campus in Batavia! 

Mirroring the LIVES college experience program at SUNY Geneseo, IGNITE is Arc GLOW’s newest Community Prevocational program in the northern region of Arc GLOW. It’s also a great acronym, suggested to Arc GLOW by GCC, “Inspiring Growth and Nurturing Independence Through Education.” 

“It has certainly inspired me and the rest of our new IGNITE team, including IGNITE Day Habilitation Manager Emily Mault, and our two direct support staff, Dan Crofts and Kevin Fisher,” said Kelly Anstey, senior director of day and employment services. “In the last few weeks we have been researching, discussing our developing curriculum, planning activities and classes, looking for integration opportunities and finally arranging our home base on campus which is simply and affectionately dubbed ‘D360.’”

IGNITE is a two-year inclusive higher education opportunity, a true college-like experience, in exploring all of the class’ employment and other life dreams while supporting them in gaining skills in the areas of: relationship building, money management and budgeting, exploring careers, focusing on good health and wellness, and gaining an expansive community awareness. 

On opening day, August 28, the group of four students purchased various GCC items in the campus bookstore, checked out the lounge and student union areas, and trekked around the outside space on campus. Upon returning to D360, the four began to make plans for “Friday free swims” in the pool and shared their job aspirations, including: zookeeper, film maker, police officer, rock star, animatronic designer, music producer, and “work with people and be happy!”

“GCC is proud to partner with Arc GLOW on this important initiative. IGNITE students enrich our campus community, and their enthusiasm and passion are inspiring,” said GCC President, Dr. Craig Lamb. “We look forward to continued collaboration in support of students enhancing their educational and life skills here at GCC.” 

Anstey said the GCC faculty and staff have been so welcoming. “We truly feel like part of the college as we intermingle with everyone on campus,” she said. “We have frequent ‘guests’ as GCC faculty and staff pop into our room, or engage us in other arenas on campus to discuss collaborative ideas for our students. On opening day, while watching the last few weeks of focused work become a program reality, I feel like I am living my dream job.”

However, as Arc GLOW moves forward with this new initiative, it is done without Dawn Scott, the LIVES and newly assigned IGNITE coordinator who passed away this past July. 

“She was a true inspiration, and the vision she shared in the past year was beyond instrumental in shaping IGNITE,” Anstey said. “We dedicate this semester to Dawn.”

More information and a sample curriculum can be found online at ArcGLOW.org under programs and services and college experiences.

Press Release:

Manufacturing is coming back to the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, September 24. Since its inception in 2019, the program has welcomed over 5,000 students. This year’s event features over 1,000 students from 30 school districts across the GLOW region arriving at the fairgrounds for the day-long career exploration event.

Over 70 businesses will provide hands-on activities and simulations in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, skilled trades sectors as well as the various branches of the military. Students will have the opportunity to learn about career opportunities in their own backyard that offer good-paying opportunities immediately after high school graduation.

“Collaboration between educators, workforce experts, and local companies have created a workforce development blueprint that is connecting our students to in-demand careers right here in the GLOW Region,” said Karyn Winters, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair. “The thousands of students that have experienced GLOW With Your Hands leave with a profound understanding of the opportunities and pathways available to good-paying, hands-on careers.”

Platinum Sponsors LandPro Equipment, National Grid, and Rochester Davis-Fetch lead dozens of event supporters bringing hands-on experiences students look forward to participating in annually.

Among the new companies attending for the first time include Lakeland Concrete Products, a construction company based in Lima, IK Systems, a leading supplier of integrated surveillance & security systems out of Victor, and Zoldaz, a trucking contractor in Alden. 

“Various groups and organizations are working collaboratively to help alleviate workforce shortages in the GLOW region, which is a national phenomenon,” said Angela Grouse, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair. “Private sector investment by companies across the region continues to flourish resulting in a strong demand by employers to fill jobs as a result of this growth.”

For more information about GLOW With Your Hands, visit glowwithyourhands.com.

Press Release:

Dollar General is excited to announce it recently remodeled its store at 2666 Main St. in Batavia. In addition to the same categories, brands, and products customers trust Dollar General to carry,  the store now provides customers with an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.

“At Dollar General, we strive to be a positive business partner and good community neighbor in Batavia,” said Matthew Simonsen, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development. “Although we are not a grocery store, we believe the addition of produce in our Batavia store highlights our commitment to deliver a pleasant shopping experience that includes affordable prices on quality products in a convenient location.”

Photos by Jason Smith.

Eli Fish hosted its annual Octoberfest on Saturday evening in Jackson Square.

Photos by Howard Owens.

The Genesee County Republican Committee, led by Scott German, officially opened its campaign headquarters for 2024 on Saturday in the former Time Buyers dealership location across from CVS on West Main Street, Batavia.

On hand were candidates Claudia Tenney (Congress), George Borrello (State Senate), Steve Hawley (State Assembly), Joesph Graff (Sheriff) and Keven Andrews (County Treasurer).

German opened the event by thanking Time Buyers for donations of use of the building and Steve Hawley for finding the location.

"I'm very happy to have such a great building that is spacious and super location," German said.

Each candidate then made a brief statement.

"Thank you to everyone who's serving, everyone who's here, everyone who's part of this process," Tenney said. "We are only going to win if we get people to understand that their right to vote is the most profound expression of our self-governance, what our founders envisioned for us. It's the opposite of authoritarianism and communism, which, by the way, is on the ballot this year, especially on the presidential side."

Borrello, who is running unopposed, thanks Tenney and Hawley for their service, noted the difficulty of representing such a large district as the 57th

He also raised alarms about a proposition on the November ballot, the Equal Rights Amendment, which has been controversial for its language and the process used to place it on the ballot.  The amendment to the state Constitution was introduced as an attempt to secure abortion rights in the state. Republicans object that it goes too far by classifying several identity groups as new classes protected from discrimination.  In his statement, Borrello made several unsubstantiated claims about the measure's potential impact. Still, the non-partisan Albany-based think tank Empire Center faults the measure for its vagueness, sanctioning government discrimination, and potential to unleash legal chaos in the state.

Borrello's statement, with unsubstantiated claims, included: "I want to take this moment to once again reiterate the importance of voting against Prop 1. It is perhaps the most evil and damaging piece of legislation ever proposed in the state of New York, and that's saying something. If you want illegal immigrants voting in our elections, support Proposition 1. If you want parents to lose their control over their children's health decisions, vote for Proposition 1. Okay, if you want to ensure that a man can walk into a lady's locker room at will, vote for Proposition 1. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Proposition 1 needs to go down. And the scary part is right now, most uninformed New Yorkers will vote yes, so we need to spread the word. It is the single most important mission in this election."

Hawley noted that he and the other candidates represent one of the best parts of Genesee County: teamwork.

"We've got two new folks who are running for office here locally, and we're seeing a changing of the guard and new people coming in with new ideas and also concentrating on teamwork," Hawley said. "We have Joe Graff, who's been with the Genesee County Sheriff's Department for many, many years. He's stepping forward as Sheriff (Bill) Sharon retires. We have Kevin Andrews, who serves as my campaign treasurer, which he will probably have to give up because he's running to replace my friend Scott German as Genesee County Treasurer. So, working all together is what it's all about. And it's town level as well city. We need to continue to work for the things that make not only America great but part of one of the 50 states, hopefully bringing New York back to be a friendly place for businesses and neighborhoods in terms of public safety."

Graff said it was goal to keep in place the teamwork that currently exists among Genesee County's various law enforcement agencies.

"I've been with the Sheriff's office for over 20 years. There are some former Batavia City police officers in here, and I've worked with them throughout the years. And I think what we have in Genesee County is a great coalition of law enforcement that works together throughout all the agencies. I think we truly need to support the men and women who work in law enforcement so they can effectively do their jobs so we can live in the safe community that we do enjoy. As Sheriff, I look to continue the mission of the Sheriff's Office and the standard of service that has been afforded to this county by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office."

Andrews, who has worked in the county's treasurer's office for a decade, thanked German for his leadership and mentorship.

"I want to thank you for allowing me to work with you as deputy for these past almost ten years and giving me that chance to prove myself and to gain that experience I hope to carry forward," Andrews said.

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia hosted a chicken BBQ sale today in the parking lot of the Town of Batavia Fire Department on Lewiston Road. The proceeds benefit club activities. The club's primary mission is to serve and assist the community's children.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Alzheimer's Association of WNY held its annual Walk to End Alzheimer's in Batavia on Saturday morning, with the walk starting and ending in Centennial Park.

Photos by Howard Owens.

People should be excited about attending St. Paul Lutheran Church in Batavia each Sunday, says newly ordained and installed minister Thompson Marin, because they will hear the word of God without any innovations.

"We believe the Bible is the Word of God. There is no error in it. We teach people that the Bible interprets itself," Marin said to The Batavian. "Then, just to make it more exciting to people, we teach Christ crucified. We teach the Word of God. We don't add to it. We don't mix it with other teaching outside the Bible. Christ is at the center of our teaching."

Marin, his wife Erika, and their two children, Micaiah, 4, and Olivia, 1, are new to Batavia. St. Paul is Marin's first calling as a pastor. He recently completed four years of study at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind.

"I was praying for a church with a school," Marin said. "When I saw that (St. Paul) had a school, I was excited to see how God would lead me to help the school and the church."

Marin was born in Haiti and immigrated with his family to Brooklyn in 2007. He has been a Christian since childhood, growing up a Baptist. His uncle was a Lutheran pastor in Haiti. 

He graduated from Brooklyn College in 2013, moved to South Dakota for more schooling, and then returned to Haiti, where he met Erika. She was on a Lutheran mission trip. They were married in 2016. 

"I was very used to how (Lutherans) do church and what they believe, teach and confess," Marin said. "I became a Lutheran after I met my wife in 2013. I got used to going to church with her, used to the teaching in the Lutheran churches, and then I wanted to marry her, so one of the requirements was for me to become a Lutheran, and it wasn't hard for me, because I was already used to what they do and what they teach and believe."

The Lutheran Church was founded by Martin Luther (1483 to 1546) in Torgau, Germany. Luther led the Reformation, a break with Roman Catholicism, in the early 16th Century. A key point of Luther's theology was he rejected the Catholic Church's role as an intermediary between the people and God. He believed that salvation comes only through God's mercy. He rejected papal authority. He believed the Bible is the central authority for all Christian beliefs.

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod governs St. Paul. It is a conservative denomination whose core belief is that people are saved from their sins by God's grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Scripture alone. The Synod holds to the Luthern Confessions, which include the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed.

After joining the church, Marin became interested in attending seminary, not to become a pastor but to deepen his understanding of the faith. 

"The people I interacted with really encouraged me to follow this call, and that's what I did," Marin said.

As Marin completed his education, the members of St. Paul contacted church leaders and informed them there was an opening for a new pastor at St. Paul. They requested a recent seminary graduate, Marin said, and district leaders reviewed the needs of the church and the available seminary candidates and selected Marin as the best fit for St. Paul.

Besides the school, Marin said he was excited to come to Batavia because his wife likes small towns, and it's only six hours from New York City, where his parents and sister still live.

Given his wife's experience with missions, it's not surprising that Marin is eager to see St. Paul grow its efforts in international missions. St. Paul's does sponsor missionaries in Japan.  He thinks the church might be able to grow in this area.

"That was really something that I admired when I met my wife. They were helping with a school and an orphanage in Haiti, in the town where I was from,  and I want to continue that aspect of ministry, reaching out to the unchurched, helping those who cannot, who don't have access to certain things and sharing Christ's love with them."

He said it's something he intends to talk to St. Paul's leadership team about. 

I know a lot of missionaries," Marin said. "They do need help from the churches here in the States. That's something I still need to figure out and probably start on, but it is a big part of sharing God's love."

He sees St. Paul's school as a great resource for reaching the local community.

"I think St Paul plays a great role in showing God's love, especially in our school," Marin said. "The school is a really great way of reaching out to parents and parents who are not Lutherans, even just reaching out to them and teaching them how we do things and extend God's forgiveness to them. And if they want to come and check it out, they can.

He said not all children attending the school are Christians, so the school offers an opportunity to learn about God's love for them. 

"We tell them that God loves them every day. I think it's a really good thing," Marin said. "And the other thing is, their parents are invited to come to chapel on Wednesdays so they can hear us teaching them and see how we do it, and also they can hear God's message to them, too, and it's a great way of reaching out to the community."

On Sundays, visitors to the Church can expect a conservative service.

Lutheran services tend to be more liturgical than many other Protestant churches. Marin said people who come to St. Pauls can expect more traditional hymns.

"We conserve all the ways that the Church Fathers used to worship and how they did the service, with no new ideas," Marin said. The way we do things is very traditional. We do have some contemporary songs we sing here because the members are used to doing it in the past, but we're trying to move more toward a traditional way of doing things."

Marin acknowledges that these are challenging times for churches. In 2021, church membership in the U.S. fell below 50 percent for the first time. Marin doesn't believe innovations in theology are needed to bring people back to church. He believes the Word of God is sufficient.

"I think we need to stay faithful," Marin said. "We need to believe that God will send His Spirit. The Holy Spirit will work in people's hearts and change their minds, and then people will be attracted to the church. People will come to the church through the Gospel being preached, and not by changing how we teach it or how we worship, incorporating new things, new theology, and new ways of interpreting the Gospel, the Bible. I don't see it that way. I think we need to stay faithful, and I think that way, people will know the truth." 

A revised wastewater agreement between the town and city of Batavia may rectify a capacity issue between those two municipalities, however, it came too late for HP Hood’s $120 million expansion project, says Lynne Bohan, group vice president of Communications & Government Affairs for HP Hood LLC.

HP Hood altered its course after being notified that permitting was not approved for the project in the Batavia Agri-Business Park, Bohan said. The expansion was to be 32,500 square feet and was to create 48 new jobs and retain 455 full-time jobs at Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park for a projected local economic impact of $49.87 million in wages and tax revenue.

“Hood implemented a tactical pause on the expansion projects in progress. We remained in contact with local government representatives to gain an understanding of constraints to approving permits,” Bohan said to The Batavian Friday. “Discussions continued regarding project support while we worked on contingency plans. This was not an immediate decision and was just finalized recently as we reviewed our updated business strategy.”

Hood officials opted to expand the scope of “a similar expansion project already in progress at a similar Hood facility on the East Coast,” Bohan said, adding that the company will consider future projects at the Batavia site. “Yes, we have other expansion projects for our Batavia site proposed. Timing is dependent on business needs and appropriate support from the community.”

The city of Batavia temporarily halted Hood’s $120 million expansion project in the town of Batavia due to “violations of the town’s contracted wastewater capacity limit” earlier this year as both municipalities then worked to rectify the situation, City Manager Rachael Tabelski had said.

Tabelski sent the town Planning Board a letter on March 13 notifying the group that the city had not been informed in a timely manner that the town had been established as lead agency for the proposed expansion of process lines at HP Hood on Feb. 13, 2024, and the city did not receive word of that until March 4. The city objected to the town acting as the lead agency, Tabelski said.

Tabelski said during council’s Tuesday meeting that the situation had potentially been rectified with a revised wastewater agreement between the town and city of Batavia. She also said that “we will lift the SEQR challenge to the HP Hood project,” regarding a state environmental review. 

Genesee County Economic Development Center had approved sales tax exemptions estimated at $4.52 million, a property tax abatement estimated at $549,705 base on an incremental increase in assessed value, and a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $536,000, bringing the value of the proposed financial agreement to approximately $5.6 million. 

GCEDC President Mark Masse was not available for comment Friday.