Photo of Long Train Runnin courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Batavia Downs hosted the $93,000 finals of the Western New York Trackmaster Series on Monday (Feb.19) and in the featured TM79 match-up for $20,000, Long Train Runnin ran his win streak to five to claim the winner’s share of the purse.
Proven Desire (John Cummings Jr.) led the field at the quarter, but then watched as stablemate Long Train Runnin (Billy Davis Jr.) breezed by in the second turn to take control of the mile. Once on top, Long Train Runnin backed off the half to a mere :59 before stepping to three-quarters in a slick :28.1. Dogfight (Jim Morrill Jr.) tried to mount a challenge during that third panel but it failed before they hit three-quarters. As they spiralled out of the last turn and headed into the stretch, Proven Desire vacated the pocket and dug in hard, trying to catch the leader. But despite a valiant effort, he came up a neck short as Long Train Runnin finished strong to win again in a season's best tying 1:55.3.
It was the fifth win in only six starts this year for Long Train Runnin and it pushed his 2024 bankroll to $30,250 for owners Paige Usiak and William Emmons. Jim Clouser Jr. trains the winner.
There were two consolations for the TM79 class. The $10,000 leg was won by Silverhill Blaze (1:56.1, $3.90) who was driven by Jim Morrill Jr. for trainer Andy Torre who co-owns with Kristen Torre and the $9,000 leg was won by Henrico (1:56.3, $31.00) who was driven by Billy Daivs Jr. for owner/trainer Courtney Wright.
The $17,000 TM75 final was won by Stonebridge Hypnos (Jim Morrill Jr.) who held pylon position as she sparred with Major Authority (Dan Yetman) through quarters of :27.3 and :56.4 while Thatmomentinlife (Billy Davis Jr.) tracked from the pocket. As the race approached three-quarters, Major Authority faded while Stonebridge Hypnos and Thatmoentinlife pulled away from the field around the final bend. As the pair paced to the wire, Thatmomentinlife pulled and did advance on the leader, but Stonebridge Hypnos was just too good and held on to a one-half length margin of victory in 1:56.2.
It was the third win in a row and fourth of the year for Stonebridge Hypnos ($3.00) who has now earned $23,300 this year for owner Mike Torcello and trainer Sam Smith.
The consolation for the $8,500 TM75 group was won by Harry Hoo N (1:56.3, $11.60) who was driven by Billy Davis Jr. for owner Harry Wortzman. Shawn McDonough trained the winner.
Then in the $14,000 TM71 final, Missplacedrock (Kyle Swift) followed Howmacs Hank (Billy Davis Jr.) to the half in :58.2 when Artistic Spirit (Drew Monti) joined the fray. Artistic Spirit pushed Howmacs Hank to three-quarters and they paced that piece in :28.4. The top two continued to match strides around the last turn while Swift drifted three-wide with Missplacedrock and started to drive him as they headed into the lane. Missplacedrock caught the pair in mid-stretch and eventually slid by to win by one-half length in 1:57.
It was the fourth win of the year for Missplacedrock ($6.10) who increased her 2024 bank to $19,340 for owner Rose Campbell. Greg Johnson was the winning trainer.
There were also two consolations for the TM71 group.
The $7,500 split was won by Beddanburg (1:56.3, $5.40) who was driven by Drew Monti for owner/trainer Chris Petrelli and the $6,500 division was won by Bettor Country (1:58.2, $2.60) who was driven by Billy Davis Jr. for owner Ben Ortiz and trainer Shawn McDonough.
Drivers Billy Davis Jr. and Jim Morrill Jr. both had Grand Slams during the day while trainers Shawn McDonough, Chris Petrelli and Rock Vinci all had two wins apiece.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Thursday (Feb. 22) at 3 p.m. and the card will feature the $43,000 finals of the Western New York Trackmaster Series for trotters. Also, there will be a $3,267 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 13th race.
There are only two days of live racing left in the 2024 winter meet at Batavia Downs. The final day of action is Monday (Feb. 26).
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.
Photo of Missplacedrock courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Photo of Stonebridge Hypnos courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Coach Nicholas Burk said Batavia's teams continue to excel because the athletes understand what it takes to be competitive in every meet.
"The kids need to commit," Burk said. "The kids need to recognize that this is a process, and you continue to improve. It gets more and more difficult for kids with all the distractions they have in life. So, kids have to commit; they have to enjoy this feeling of wanting to win again. I don't mean to necessarily sound overconfident, but we're going to be in the midst of it. Our kids are gonna give effort, and they're gonna work their tails off, so we're in a position where we're a top two, top three team, and we're gonna get after it, and you know, we're gonna build that confidence to try to win."
Mady Smith won the 55m hurdles. Smith also took 2nd place in her 4x200m relay team. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Campbell Riley won both the 1000 and 1500m race and also with her teammates in the 4x800m relay. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Sheldon Silverling took first place in both the shot put and weight throw. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Cole Grazioplene won the 600 m race. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Ella Shamp won the Long Jump and High Jump. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Batavia Girls 4x400 Relay team took first place, left to right pictured - Karizma Wescott, Kylee Brennan, Jadyn Boyce, Ava Anderson Photo by Steve Ognibene
Ava Wierda won the girls weight throw. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Batavia Girls celebrate their teams 18th sectional indoor track title over the last 22 years. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Photo of Deputy Jail Superintendent Jeffrey J. Searls, Jail Superintendent William A. Zipfel, C.O. Ian A. Sanfratello, C.O. Aaron M. Spring, C.O. William H. Steavens, Undersheriff Bradley D. Mazur Submitted photo.
Press Release:
Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. announces the graduation of Correction Officers Ian A. Sanfratello, Aaron M. Spring, and William H. Steavens today from the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy’s 27th Basic Course for Correction Officers.
At the top of the class was C.O. Sanfratello who received the Academic Excellence and Joseph E. Steblein Memorial awards. Joseph E. Steblein was the first director of the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy. This memorial award is presented to the individual who demonstrates overall excellence in all areas of training and is selected by the instructors of the academy.
The 247-hour course included training in effective communications, essential services, use of force, NYS Penal Law, Criminal Procedure Law, Inmate Transportation, Firearms, Pepper Spray, Taser and Defensive Tactics, and other topics pertaining to corrections.
“Congratulations to all three of these Correction Officers. We look forward to your future in Corrections at the Genesee County Jail,” stated Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr.
Photo of Correction Officer Ian A. Sanfratello and his father, Sergeant Thomas A. Sanfratello Submitted photo.
The Western New York Trackmaster Series finals and consolation races for pacers will be held at Batavia Downs on Monday afternoon (Feb. 19) and $93,000 in total purses will be in play for the participating horses.
The series is broken into three groups: TM 79, TM75 and TM71 and seeding for the finals and consolations were determined by money-earnings from the four preliminary legs.
The TM79 final goes for $20,000 and two undefeated starters will be facing off.
Long Train Runnin (Billy Davis Jr.) comes in on a four race winning streak, all of which came in the TM preliminaries. Proven Desire (John Cummings Jr.) has strung three victories together in this series despite a scratch three weeks ago due to injury. Both horses are from the Jim Clouser Jr. Barn and will go as an entry.
Another high performing duo starting in the final as a Sam Smith stable entry is Dogfight (Jim Morrill Jr.) and Mcdelicacy (Kevin Cummings). Dogfight has two wins and a second in three TM starts while Mcdelicacy has finished second four consecutive times, three of which were to Long Train Runnin. This should be a very competitive event.
There are also two TM79 consolations, one for $10,500 and one for $9,500.
In the $10,500 split, Silverhill Blaze (Jim Morrill Jr.) has been chasing Long Train Runnin and Proven Desire over the last three weeks, finishing second twice and third another time. But he won’t be facing either of them on Monday and looks to make his own mark. In the $9,500 group there is a formidable stable entry of Doyoukissfirstdate (Dave McNeight III) and Star Messenger (Kevin Cummings) from Davis Russo and Marc Shuttleworth’s Clayton’s Bettor N (Jim Morrill Jr.) who put in a huge mile last week before just getting beat at the line.
The $17,000 TM75 final features two more entries.
Sam Smith is starting Authentic Hanover (Drew Monti) and Stonebridge Hypnos (Jim Morrill Jr.), who registered three wins and a second in his four series outings. Shawn McDonough will be starting Thatmomentinlife (Billy Davis Jr.) and Weekend Atnannies (Kevin Cummings), who also has three wins in four series starts while finishing third in the fourth.
The $8,500 consolation for that class features a very wide open betting race as seven of the eight starters have not won a race this year. And the only horse that has notched one victory -- which came in this series -- is Jerry Nugent Jr.’s Dry Ridge Ace (Keith Kash Jr.) who is listed at 25-1 morning line.
Lastly, the TM71 $14,000 final has another dynamic duo from the Sam Smith stable who will line up as an entry as well.
Road Map (Jim Morrill Jr.) who has won three out of four series starts while being narrowly beaten in the fourth and Howmacs Hank (Billy Davis Jr.) who comes in on a two race win streak. But there will be strong opposition from Greg Johnson’s Misplaced Rock (Kyle Swift) and Chris Petrelli’s Artistic Spirit (Drew Monti), who are both two-time winners in the series and are currently at the top of their game.
The TM71 consolations have Shawn McDonough stable entries favored in both events. In the $7,500 leg, Surfers Paradise (Jim Morrill Jr.) and Traffic Citation (Billy Davis Jr.) lead the way while Bettor Country (Billy Davis Jr.) and Sapphire Love Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) got the oddsmaker’s nod in the $6,500 split.
There are also a pair of carryovers associated with Monday’s card to make the wagering even more interesting.
The 50-cent Pick-5 that starts in race one and runs through race five has a $891 carryover while the 20-cent Jackpot Super Hi-5 in race 13 features a $2,669 carryover.
Post time for the first race on Monday is 3 p.m.
The WNY Trackmaster trotting finals will be held on Thursday (Feb. 22).
Photo of Long Train Runnin courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Photo of Proven Desire courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
An apparently damaged fire hydrant on a McKinley Avenue home forced City firefighters to take a defensive posture instead of entering a duplex at 14 McKinley Ave. on Sunday to try and knock down a fire.
The structure, though still standing, is a total loss, said Chief Josh Graham.
"It just looks like maybe either a car or maybe a snowplow might have hit the hydrant," Graham said. "It's a little loose over there. I'm not sure exactly what it is yet."
The fire, with smoke and flames already showing, was reported shortly after 2 p.m. Heavy smoke and flames coming from a first-floor window is exactly what firefighters found when they first arrived on scene, Graham said.
With the closest hydrant damaged, firefighters were forced to connect to a hydrant on East Main Street. The short delay allowed the fire to advance enough, Graham said, that firefighters were forced to make their initial attack from outside the structure.
Two families occupied the structure, including children. Graham didn't have a count of the exact number of occupants but said they were all out of the apartments by the time firefighters arrived on the scene. One person was transported to an area hospital with possible smoke inhalation and knee injuries.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Graham said he expects more information to be released on Monday.
He also said there were pets in the structure, and all of them escaped the fire.
The original house was built in 1911 and was wood framed, with what is called a balloon frame, which allows flames to easily grow up through the walls from the first floor all the way to the attic.
It is 2,024 square feet. It was last sold, according to county tax records, in 2022 for $111,500 and has a total assessed value of $81,000. The current owner, according to records, is Brandon Stevenson.
Gunner Pietrzykowski, Ethan Bradley, Nolan Radley, and Ben Stone Submitted Photo.
Submitted by Coach Matt Holman
On Tuesday, the Batavia Boys Alpine Ski team found a mixed bag of weather and conditions at Swain Resort.
The warmer temperatures over the weekend led to a sugary snow, easily pushed away by each skier leading to a hard service with large banks of soft light snow. The morning sun turned to afternoon clouds and light snow of giant picturesque snowflakes.
The boys came in sixth place out of 11 teams in the competition.
Freezing overnight conditions left the race course in great condition for the girls on Wednesday.
The soft snow from the day before was much more solid and the girl skiers did not have to worry about snow piles of any kind. The day was perfect for ski racing, with bluebird skies minimal cloud coverage, and the bright spring sun.
The girls, competing with an incomplete team, came in eighth place out of 11 teams.
Buffalo State University is pleased to recognize the following students who have been named to the Fall 2023 Dean's List.
Talidy Blijden of Batavia, is majoring in Social Studies Education (7-12)
Hunter Doran of East Bethany, is majoring in Biology
Annmarie Georgia of Batavia, is majoring in Ceramics
Morgan Harrington of Elba, is majoring in Psychology
Brianna Smith of Oakfield, is majoring in Childhood Education
Amber Snyder of Batavia, is majoring in Fashion, Textile, & Technology
In general, students who have completed at least 12 credit hours and who have attained a GPA of 3.5 or higher qualify for the Buffalo State dean's list. Full criteria and grade-type exceptions can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Dylan T. Jordan, 22, of Bliss, was arrested on a warrant on Jan. 29. The arrest stems from an incident reported on Jan. 15. Jordan is accused of engaging in a fight with police officers in the emergency room at UMMC. Jordan allegedly placed an officer in a headlock and attempted to strangle him. Jordan was charged with attempted assault 2nd, attempted strangulation 2nd, criminal obstruction of breathing, obstructing governmental administration 2nd, and harassment 2nd. Jordan was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Edmund Sobresky, 54, of North Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI/Drugs. Mathew Parker, 34, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th. Katelyn Jimenez, 30, of Eagle Street, Medina, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, and criminal impersonation. Deputies conducted a traffic stop at 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 8 at Route 33 and Route 5, Batavia. Deputies determined that Sobresky appeared to be driving while under the influence of drugs. During the traffic stop, found the occupants of the vehicle were allegedly in possession of a large quantity of narcotics, enough to lead to accusations of dealing drugs. Jimenez is also accused of providing deputies with a false name. All were held pending arraignment.
Tajhenne T. Walker, 28, of Buffalo, and Ericka K. McBride, 34, of Buffalo, are charged with grand larceny 4th, possession of burglar tools, and conspiracy 6th. Walker and McBride are accused of stealing merchandise from Ulta Beauty on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, at 7:28 p.m. on Feb. 3rd. They were released on appearance tickets.
Danny D. Williams, 35, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Williams is accused of violating an order of protection on Jan. 28. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held.
Olivia J. Patten, 26, of Oakfield, was arrested on Feb. 1 on a warrant issued by City Court. Patten was initially charged on Nov. 1 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle 3rd. She was accused of driving with a suspended license. A warrant was issued after she failed to appear in court. Patten was arraigned in City Court, where the case was settled.
Scott D. Murray, 38, is charged with criminal contempt. 2nd. Murray is accused of violating an order of protection on Jan. 31 by making contact with a protected party while at the Genesee County Courthouse. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed.
Jeanna M. Hattaway, 37, of Batavia, was arrested on Jan. 30 on a warrant issued by City Court. Hattaway was initially charged on Dec. 13 with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th in connection to an incident reported in April, 2023. A warrant was issued after Hattaway failed to appear in court. Hattaway was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Adrienne S. Bechtold, 28, of Batavia is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Bechtold was allegedly found in possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia after police responded to a report on Jan. 27 of a suspicious vehicle on East Main Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.
John A. Cabrera, Sr., 56, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Cabrera is accused of stealing merchandise from Kwik Fill on Jackson Street, Batavia, on Jan. 26. He was issued an appearance ticket.
James W. Zurek, 20, of Batavia, was arrested on Jan. 29 on two warrants. The first warrant stems from an incident in August 2022 when Zurek was charged with strangulation 2nd, assault 3rd, and petit larceny after a disturbance on Cedar Street. The second warrant charged Zurek with bail jumping 3rd. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Andrew William Taylor, 36, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Taylor is accused of stealing $39.97 worth of merchandise from Walmart at 1:07 p.m. on Feb. 2. Taylor was released on an appearance ticket.
Richard Wayne Rumble Jr., 39, of Scribner Road, Pembroke, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation 1st, unlicensed operator, and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. At 12:27 a.m. on Jan. 16, a caller reported a vehicle swerving into oncoming traffic on Route 5 in Pembroke. The caller followed the vehicle to Crosby's in East Pembroke and stayed on scene until Deputy Carlos Ortiz Speed and Deputy Ryan Mullen arrived. The deputies reportedly found a driver asleep behind the wheel of the pickup truck. Rumble was released on appearance tickets.
Philip Stewart Mayberry, 52, of South Geddes Street, Syracuse, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Mayberry was arrested following an investigation into an incident at 8250 Park Road, Batavia, at 11:47 a.m. on Jan. 22. Mayberry was released on an appearance ticket. Also charged, Shandell Marie Lissow, 35, of Allen Road, Albion.
Ashton Lea Mohney, 33, of Ross Street, Batavia, is charged with promoting dangerous contraband in prison 1st. Mohney was arrested in connection with an incident reported a 8:15 a.m. on Feb. 5. The incident was investigated by Deputy James Stack. Mohney was arraigned in City Court and ordered held. No further details were released.
Jacob William Patterson, 28, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Patterson was arrested during a check-the-welfare call at a hotel on Park Road at 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 6. He was held pending arraignment.
Jacob William Patterson, 28, of East Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with introducing prison contraband 1st. Patterson was arrested in connection with an incident at the Best Western Hotel in Batavia and transported to the Genesee County Jail. He is accused of bringing dangerous prison contraband into the jail. He was held pending arraignment.
Mary Ann Virgilio, 48, of State Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal tampering 3rd. Virgilio is accused of entering a residence on State Street Road, Batavia, at 4 p.m. on Feb. 1, and then denying the resident of the property access to the home by locking an internal screen door. Virgilio was issued an appearance ticket.
Austin Chase Durham, 28, of Dewey Avenue, Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment 2nd. Durham is accused of repeatedly sending text messages on Feb. 6 to another person with the "intent to harass, annoy, or alarm, with no legitimate communication," after being warned by a police officer to cease communication with the person. Durham was ordered held pending arraignment.
Thomas Matthew Gang, 43, of Alleghany Road, Alabama, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Gang was stopped at 5:03 p.m. on Feb. 5 on Roberts Road, Alabama by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Kristan Rae Aquino, 40, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Aquino is accused of intentionally damaging a bed inside the Genesee County Jail at 4:46 a.m. on Dec. 3. Aquino was arrested on Feb. 6 and issued an appearance ticket.
Jeanna Marie Hathaway, 37, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Hathaway was stopped at 1:20 p.m. on Feb. 9 on South Main Street, Elba, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. She was allegedly found in possession of methamphetamine. Hathaway was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.
Jeanna Marie Hathaway, 37, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Hathaway is accused of stealing merchandise from Ulta Beauty at 3 p.m. on Jan. 30. She was released on an appearance ticket.
Stephanie Marie Hockenberry, 36, of Thomas Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, driving on a suspended registration, and no motor vehicle insurance. Hockenberry was stopped at 8:07 p.m. on Feb. 9, on Route 33, Stafford, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Hockenberry was issued an appearance ticket.
Luis Alexis Harloff, 41, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and unlicensed driver. Harloff was stopped at 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 10 in the parking lot of a location on South Main Street, Elba, by Deputy Jacob Kipler.
Rob Arthur Shuttleworth, 66, of Scotland Road, Akron, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operator 2nd, driving without an interlock device, and driving left of pavement markings. Shuttleworth was stopped at 2:13 am. on Feb. 10 on North Lake Road, Pembroke, by Sgt. Mathew Clor.
Janell Marie Sauer, 48, of Summit Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Sauer was charged following a traffic stop at 2:13 a.m. on Feb. 10 on North Lake Road, Pembroke, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. Sauer was a passenger in the vehicle.
Richard James Burdick, 46, of Coward Road, Byron, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle 3rd, unlicensed operation, and failure to keep light. Burdick was stopped at 6:20 p.m. on Feb. 12 on West Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Mason Schultz. Burdick was released on an appearance ticket.
Lisa Marie Fox, 52, of Crimson Heights, Albion, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and facilitating aggravated operation 3rd. Fox was allegedly in possession of narcotics while a passenger in a vehicle stopped at 6:20 p.m. on Feb. 12. She is accused of knowing the driver was driving on a suspended license. She was released on an appearance ticket.
Amy Susan Goodenow, 43, of East Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Goodenow is accused of stealing a person's car keys and refusing to return them in an incident reported at 12:22 a.m. on Jan. 20. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Christine M. Caplis, 43, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Caplis was arrested on Feb. 13 in connection with an alleged possession of a controlled substance on April 18 during a traffic stop in Corfu. She was arrested after police investigated a disturbance on Dellinger Avenue, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Erich Douglas Hildebrant, 45, of Batavia Bethany Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Hildebrant was charged after an incident reported at 9:20 a.m. on Feb. 2. He is accused of holding a firearm in his hands while making statements and conducting himself in a manner that was detrimental to three children in his presence at the time.
Water — whether there’s too much of it through flooding out west or not enough with the drought right here in Bethany, or the materials used for it, such as the case in Newark, NJ, which spent nearly $200 million to replace residents’ lead water lines, and now has become an issue for the city of Batavia — is no doubt a force to be reckoned with sooner or later.
Newark’s officials were lauded for creating a lead line replacement program — replacing all 23,000 lines — and the Environmental Protection Agency is enforcing a Lead and Copper Rule Revision that Batavia must follow by developing a service line inventory, city management says.
Although they’re not certain about a timeline to follow, the first step is to get that inventory completed by Oct. 24, 2024, Public Works Director Brett Frank said.
“What we're basically asking the public to do is, we've got to gather a bunch of landline inventory, it's your water service inventory that we're looking to obtain. So right on the city website underneath the Public Works page, if you click that ... that'll take you to a flyer that explains what a water service line is, and what the common materials are. And we're looking to have people scan a QR code and take a picture of their water service line," Frank said. "Easiest way to tell what kind of line you have is, if it's old galvanized steel, you take a magnet, and it'll stick right to your water service line, which runs directly to your water meter. It’s typically going to be one of four materials, it's either going to be galvanized steel, copper, plastic, or in extremely rare cases, it's going to be a lead service line inside the home, which we rarely ever run into. So it's not anything for people to be alarmed about."
Earlier this week during City Council’s business meeting, Frank and City Manager Rachael Tabelski reviewed the program and plan to gather service line information from residents. This doesn’t mean that city water is unsafe; to the contrary, the city provides high-quality drinking water, Tabelski said: “We test the water several times a day,” she said.
The city has an effective corrosion control process tore cue the risk of lead leaching from lead plumbing materials, and the city routinely tests the water and results are consistently below the EPA action level for lead, according to that water pamphlet Frank mentioned.
This first step is just about getting an idea of how many property owners in the city have pipes with lead in them, either the pipe itself or having been soldered together with lead. Using a magnet will identify the pipe material, because if it sticks, the pipe is galvanized steel versus copper, plastic, or lead.
Due to this being a potential monster of a project, Frank is hoping that residents will use the city website and/or pamphlet and QR code, take and submit a photo of their water lines, and reduce that portion of work from city staff. Eventually, it may come to hiring an intern or seasonal staff to assist with gathering inventory if citizens aren’t responding to this appeal for assistance, he said.
Meanwhile, the city has applied for grant funding to do a “potholing” project to discover the existence of lead lines between the public side — the city’s responsibility — on the street over to the private side — the homeowner’s property, which runs from the curb line through the basement to the water meter.
“So if that grant comes through, that would give us enough data to where we could plug it into what's called a predictive modeling platform,” he said. “So that's the goal is to get this grant to do roughly, 1,100 to 1,200 potholes, plug that into what's called a predictive modeling platform, and then we could use that data, which is accepted to kind of map out where we believe we will find lead services. A complicated process, right?”
Right. All of this process has to happen before the city even gets to the point of discussing lead line replacement. And once that arises, the city, while nowhere near where Newark was financially, is still looking at a $30 million project cost, Tabelski and Frank said.
Lead has been a hot topic of the moment, not only with water lines, but also within the home. Genesee County Health Department has devoted funding for the dangers of exposure to lead-filled paint in older homes, as lead is a toxic material, and can cause health issues, especially in children.
Perhaps that’s why it was “one of the big items” for discussion at a recent New York Conference of Mayors that Tabelski and Frank attended. While they don’t want to sound any alarms, nobody wants to see issues from undue lead exposure down the road either.
“We're facing about $30 million of lead replacements, not only on the public side but on the homeowner side. We are meeting weekly now to try to deploy a plan because by October we need to identify as many lead or non-lead services in the city to gain a better understanding of what our replacement will actually look like. And to hone in on that $30 million cost,” Tabelski said. “There's been new rules that have come out that basically say you can't replace the city side and not replace the owner side. So legally, we need to work through some of those challenges.”
If anyone has questions or would like to schedule to have your pipe checked in your home, call 585-343-6345 or email leadservice@batavianewyork.com.
Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general for the state of New York, announces the recent promotion of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their capability for additional responsibility and leadership.
Richard Stewart from Batavia, assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 427th Brigade Support Battalion, received a promotion on Jan. 16 to the rank of chief warrant officer 4.
Army National Guard promotions are based on a Soldier's overall performance, demonstrated leadership abilities, professionalism, and future development potential.
These promotions recognize the best-qualified Soldiers for a career in the New York Army National Guard.
Photo of Imprincessgemma A courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
After a lengthy respite, winter returned to western New York as persistent snow and wind kept things challenging for the Thursday afternoon (Feb. 15) card at Batavia Downs. The program featured the three top weekly classes and two big efforts from the meet’s leading drivers.
The $14,000 Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares was up first and Imprincessgemma A (Brett Beckwith) got her first victory of the year.
Leaving from post five, Imprincessgemma A cut fractions of :28.1, :58.3 and 1:28 while Ball Diamond (Keith Kash Jr.) followed close in the pocket. Ball Diamond pulled to advance at the top of the last turn and almost drew even as they entered the stretch. But Imprincessgemma A held sway and paced away to a 1-¼ length victory under a line drive in 1:57.3.
It was the 43rd career win for Imprincessgemma A ($3.90) and it pushed the 10-year-old’s lifetime earnings to $601,489. Imprincessgemma A is owned by Elite Harness Racing and is trained by Shawn McDonough.
Imprincessgemma A was also one of four driving wins on the card for Brett Beckwith who also won with Stars And Stones (2:00.3, $6.90), Angelo J Fra (1:58.1, $9.20) and Silver Buckeye (2:02, $8.00). Beckwith currently sits second in the driver standings.
Then in the $15,000 Open I Handicap for male pacers, Umberto (Dave McNeight III) got his second win in a row on the strength of an impressive effort.
Umberto also left from mid-pack, post five, and crossed over to the lead in the first turn. After setting up shop on the point, Umberto paced unchallenged through swift quarters of :27.3, :57.2, and 1:25.1. In the last turn, McNeight laid back for the ride home and Umberto strode to the line by 2-¼ lengths and won in 1:54.
Umberto ($7.40) is owned by El Dorado Stables and is trained by Dave McNeight Jr.
Finally in the $15,000 Open I Handicap trot, E Street (Jim Morrill Jr.) drew a rare inside post and tripped-out to an upset feature win.
Big Box Hanover (Larry Stalbaum) took the lead before the quarter as E Street sat behind him in the cozy pocket. After hitting the quarter in :29, positions remained unchanged to the half and up the backstretch. It was there that Special Prosecutor (Drew Monti) made a first-over push and joined the fray at three-quarters in 1:30 flat. Big Box Hanover responded to the challenge and pulled away by a length as they hit the straight. But at the same time, E Street dipped into the passing lane and within the length of three pylons, had the lead and bolted home by a length in 1:59.3.
E Street ($16,60) is owned by Elite Harness Racing and trained by Rachelle Mungillo.
E Street capped off a driving grand slam for Morrill as well after he had already won with P C Foreign Affair (2:02, $10.40), Just A Wrangler (1:55.4, $6.50) and Mayweather Hanover (1:59.1, $5.30).
Trainers Taylor Fritz and Andy Torre both had conditioning doubles on Thursday.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Monday (Feb. 15) at 3 p.m. and the card will feature the $100,000 finals of the Western New York Trackmaster Series for pacers. Also, there will be a $2,669 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 13th race.
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.
Please be advised that Bank Street, from Main Street to Washington Avenue, will be closed until midday on Friday as the Bank Street Water project nears completion.
We apologize for any inconvenience and thank the public for its patience and cooperation as we work to improve our community.
Left to right in black t-shirts are Julia Clark, Anna Varland, Isabella Walsh, and Julia Preston were honored on senior night. Photo by Steve Ognibene
On Senior night, one win-shy of a .500 season, Batavia came out strong against Geneva and came away with a 59-19 win.
The game began with a 6-4 early in the first quarter lead for the Blue Devils but trailed at the end of the quarter 11-8.
With a strong second half, Batavia turned out the light on Geneva, going into the half with a 33-12 lead, and the game was never close again.
After a couple of consecutive seasons where wins were hard to come by, Coach John McCulley sees progress in a 10-10 season and a group of young players developing winning habits and gaining experience.
"The season started out pretty good," McCulley said. "We had a light schedule. We started out with a bunch of girls that hadn't played at the varsity level. The senior girls that I had, that's what made it so special throughout the season. The senior girls I had were a huge help for me, as far as the right attitude, and teaching the young girls the right way to handle things. And so the season went pretty well. We had our ups and downs but as far as I'm concerned, from last year to this year, leaps and bounds. We've learned a lot, everything, every game, we progressively got better."
There are nine freshmen in the program, between varsity and JV and McCulley believes they have high ceilings.
"The freshmen are going to be phenomenal for me," McCulley said. "And I got Jamie (Macdonald) coming back another year that she just took leaps and bounds towards the end of the year. I think she's going to accept this role as a leader and just be a powerhouse next year."
Please be advised that Blue Heron Construction will continue to work on interconnections for the Jackson Street Water project today, Thursday, February 15, on Jackson Street.
Loss of water should be expected in the surrounding area depending on valve closures. If discolored water occurs when water pressure is regained, please avoid doing laundry or cooking until the water runs clear.
We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank the public for their patience and cooperation as we work to improve our community.
Join us for our annual FeBREWary Beer Walk Downtown Saturday, Feb. 24 from 4 - 8 p.m. with 23 participating businesses. Registration is to be held at GO ART!
Come walk The Downtown Business Improvement District, sip some delicious craft beer, and visit local businesses. Shop our downtown as you visit with friends and family, eat some great food, and see what is new.
FeBREWary tickets are $35.00 per person, and you must be 21 or over to attend. No one under 21 will be allowed entry.
Tickets are available at Adam Miller Toys & Bicycles, Yngodess Shop, and Eventbright. For more information, visit our Facebook page or at www.bataviabid.com.
From Jan. 26 to Feb. 24 a land owner may submit a request to include entire parcels of predominantly viable agricultural land within a certified New York State Agricultural District.
NYS Agricultural and Markets Law requires that the County Legislature designate an annual thirty-day time period within which a land owner may submit a request for inclusion of property within a certified agricultural district.
This annual time occurs in Genesee County from Jan. 26 to Feb. 24 and is exclusively designed to incorporate property that is predominantly viable agricultural land – defined by Genesee County as lands that are composed of at least 51% prime farmland soils and/or are contiguous to the main farm operation.
Applications for the inclusion of land are available at the Genesee County Department of Planning in County Building No. 2 (3837 W Main Street Rd, Batavia) or can be downloaded or printed by visiting the website:
The application must be completed and signed by the landowner and returned to the Genesee County Department of Planning by 5 p.m. on Feb. 24. Due to the language of the NYS Agricultural and Markets Law, no applications can be accepted before Jan. 26.
PLEASE NOTE: Requesting enrollment of property during this thirty-day time period is not a guarantee that your property will be added to an existing Agricultural District, and it will not automatically qualify your property for a reduced agricultural property tax assessment. For information on obtaining a reduced agricultural property tax assessment, you must contact your local assessor. Please remember, that the Taxable Status Date is March 1.
GO ART! is hosting a Creative Arts Camp during February Break (Feb. 19 - 23). This camp is tailored to students in grades K-6.
Grade school students will create and maintain positive connections while enjoying hands-on exploration of various disciplines including culinary arts, visual arts, performing arts, and literary arts.
Participants will build upon problem-solving and critical thinking skills while increasing their knowledge about different mediums and forms of art in a safe, inclusive, and structured environment.
In the past, we have done visual arts projects while learning about famous artists and art movements, created puppets and put on plays, played in the musical garden, learned about different styles of dance, as well as various arts and crafts projects.
Please drop off your camper between 8:45 and 9 a.m. and pick them up between 2:45 and 3 p.m. GO ART! will provide snacks and water but don’t forget to send your camper with lunch. Registration is required to attend Creative Arts Camp and spots are limited. https://goart.org/programming/exlporeart/exlporeart-children/, call (585) 343-9313 or email Jodi at jfisher@goart.org.
