batavia

Press release:

The Point Breeze Yacht Club held its Annual Member’s Meeting and Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 15, in the Clubhouse at Godfrey’s Pond.

The following slate of officers was elected: Commodore Bob Bialkowski, Vice Commodore Bob Turk, Rear Commodore Emrys March, Port Captain William Elliott, Secretary Marietta Schuth, and Treasurer Madeline Bialkowski. Vice Commodore Erik Roth was thanked for all his service and dedication to the club.

Members enjoyed a nice fall day at Godfrey’s with a great dinner catered by D & R Depot from Le Roy.

The Point Breeze Yacht Club is based at the Orleans County Marine Park which is located on the Oak Orchard River at Point Breeze.

Interested individuals may obtain information at the Club Website.

 http://www.pbycny.com

Submitted photo.  Vice Commodore Erik Roth and Commodore Bob Bialkowski.

A Batavia man who already admitted to a drug-dealing-related charge wants the chance to withdraw his plea so he can perhaps bargain for a prison sentence that includes a gun possession arrest on Sept. 30.

Tarrence Yuron Williams, 22, asked for a new attorney in County Court today saying he was dissatisfied with the representation provided by Public Defender Jerry Ader.

Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini granted Williams' request to change attorneys even though District Attorney Kevin Finnell said he saw no grounds for letting Williams withdraw his prior guilty plea, which occurred before the second alleged gun possession charge following a "shots fired" incident on Ellicott Street in Batavia.

Williams was arrested in December and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal obstruction of breathing and blood circulation, and menacing 3rd.  

He later entered a guilty plea to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd.

A drug possession charge in the third degree means authorities believe you possessed enough narcotics to sell, not just what you need for your own consumption.  It doesn't mean the defendant was caught in the act of selling drugs.

Then on Sept. 30, while Williams was awaiting sentencing on the drug charge -- that was supposed to be today -- police responded to Ellicott Street in Batavia for a report of shots fired and a man running from the area.

Sgt. Dan Coffey spotted a man on the Ellicott Trail between Jackson and Evans streets, and the man ran so Coffey chased him.  The man was later tackled in a grassy area next to Court Street, and later a weapon was recovered under bushes near M&T Bank.

Williams was charged with criminal possession of a weapon 2nd, a Class C felony, and criminal possession of a weapon 4th, a Class A misdemeanor, and jailed on $50,000 bail.  He remains in custody.

He asked to be released under supervision so perhaps he could find his own attorney, mentioning Thomas Burns as his preference. He wanted to know if there was a way to have Burns assigned to him through the assigned council program.

Cianfrini said the assigned attorney program will assign the next attorney in line and available, not necessarily the attorney of his choosing.

She said he could get friends or family to contact a retained attorney if he didn't want an assigned attorney.  

He would have to pay for a retained attorney.

Press Release

The City of Batavia Water Department along with Zoladz Construction will be replacing a broken water valve on Harvester Avenue and fire hydrant on the corner of Harvester Ave and Ellicott Street today, October 18, 2022.  The water will be shut off on Harvester Ave from Colorado Avenue to Ellicott Street, all of Colorado Avenue, all of Williams Street and on Ellicott Street from Ellicott Place to Clifton Avenue.

The length of time the water will be off is unknown.

As always, when the water is restored it may be discolored.  Please refrain from doing any laundry until the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated.

Although contractors for the new Genesee County Jail have been abiding by OSHA requirements, the construction site had an incident with one worker this past month, Carl York says.

York presented a monthly update Monday to the county’s Public Services Committee. From the large — utility infrastructure and the building’s footprint — to more minute details of cell accessories, they were being completed one by one, he said. And occasionally, accidents happen.

“A contractor twisted his arm while drilling,” said York, senior project manager for The Pike Company. “There was no doctor visit, no lost time. So we’re just treating it as a first-aid case.”

Many items on the construction to-do list have been completed by 98 percent, but some supply chain issues will cause a delay of the precast (a premade concrete form of a structural element for the building) from December of this year to January 2023, he said.

A visit to a neighboring jail facility seemed to be a validation that many aspects of Genesee County’s new jail are on track with what has worked in Greene County, he said.

“It was very informative. We learned a lot of stuff. We talked to the maintenance people about things they like and didn’t like. “But (the county’s architect) had already put most of the lessons learned into your design that the transition team had met with previously,” he said. “So it was, for us, the learning was all very positive.”

Aside from losing seven days to rain, the project is still on course for completion in spring 2024. Masonry work has been started, with about 5 percent completed, he said, and will continue until a steel shipment arrives for another phase of construction.

He showed some areas that were near completion, including a cell mock-up that his team inspected.

“There were very, very minor quality control issues,” he said. “The biggest issues we saw were some of the sharp points that were still left on some of the stainless steel, which is the sink and toilet. And then they also found the mirrors and the grab bars,” he said. “So we were pretty thorough, running our fingers over everything just to make sure there’s not a sharp point."

He had a feeling that further inspections will cause those items with sharp points to be removed and fixed. He marveled at how smooth and shiny a steel mirror was — the reflection was like a regular mirror, he said. There was other good news as well, he said.

“We did hit one of the milestones, which is getting all of the foundations complete for the Admin Building and for the pods. So that's 100 percent complete and finished … three days ahead of schedule, so that was good,” he said.

Construction began in May next door to County Building #2 on Route 5 in the town of Batavia. The 184-bed facility has a total contractor cost of $57,272,800. A target completion date has been set for March 2024.

Go HERE for prior coverage. 

Carl York, senior project manager for The Pike Company, shows photos during the county's Public Services Committee meeting Monday at the Old Courthouse in Batavia. Photos by Joanne Beck. Editor's note: The Batavian has requested the report with photos.

Press Release

The City of Batavia Public Works Department is looking for vendors to participate in the upcoming Mall Market.  The Mall Market's mission is to assist in the revitalization of the Batavia City Centre Mall.  On the following Saturdays, the Mall Market will be open from 8-11:30am: October 29th, November 12th, November 19th, November 26th, December 10th, and December 17th.

The cost of a 10 x 10 space is $40 per day, $100 for three days, and $125 for six days. Showcase your products or services just in time for the holidays!

Anyone interested in endorsing their business or promoting their products is encouraged to apply at https://bit.ly/BataviaMallMarket. 

Joseph Applebaum was surprised when a survey he and fellow filmmaker Stu Maddux put out to 3,000 friends and acquaintances came back with an unexpected winning topic.

While they thought that it would be something about transgender or LGBT issues, the most popular concern for folks was something much more universal.

“By two to one, it came back to social isolation and loneliness. So once we got over our shock, we thought, okay, we better look into this, because we don't know anything about it,” Applebaum said by phone during an interview from San Francisco. “And we started doing serious research, as we do. And we realized what an important subject this is, and how it literally can affect anybody. It is not an easy group that’s affected that you're trying to bring attention to, this is something that, you know, everybody on this planet, whether they want to admit it or not, does feel periods of loneliness and being isolated. So we pursued it.”

And, as it happened, he and his work and life partner discovered that they, too, had become isolated at their home-base office. While the film is not about Applebaum, it seems to serve as a testimony that the topic can be insidious enough to hide from the very people investigating it for a documentary.

“And of course in pursuing it, we realized very quickly that we were lonely and isolated,” he said.

He and Maddux produced the film “All the Lonely People,” which will be presented at 3 p.m. on Nov. 2 at Genesee County Office for the Aging, 2 Bank St., Batavia. Space is limited. Call (585) 343-1611 to reserve your seat.

The film falls right in line with the types of projects Applebaum and Maddux produce, dealing with genuine topics of social, personal, and lifestyle significance. Yet all the while, the couple fell into what they later learned was a familiar trap: moving to an area where they didn’t know anyone, focusing on work, staying at the home base with little personal interactions with the outside world, and eschewing groups for a diligent career mentality. That left them together — but alone.

Being married or in a relationship with someone doesn’t exclude loneliness and isolation, Applebaum said. People need additional support besides that one person in their lives, he said.

Through his research and connection with Age UK, a charity agency founded in the United Kingdom to help older people make the most of their later lives (The UK is a place far more advanced with a focus on this topic, he said), Applebaum found resources and seven suitable candidates to interview and trail for updates and progress on their loneliness journeys.

Although COVID really set everyone back in terms of social distancing, Applebaum was ahead of the times by initiating this film in 2018. By 2020, when the pandemic shut most operations down, his team had completed 90 percent of the film content. They then had to assess whether to just finish it or continue on. He knew it wouldn’t be the film that it could be just yet, so interviews were conducted on Zoom.

While it seemed a bit impersonal, talking via electronic devices was exactly what COVID had created, so it also seemed very real, he said.

“We liked the disconnectivity of Zoom,” he said.

They packaged tiny cameras and microphones and sent them to subjects to set up themselves. The film crew also directed the subjects over Zoom so they knew how to capture their interviews and comments. Subjects were all over the world, from Tokyo and Alaska to Australia and the UK, where 40 percent of the film was made.

“They’re way ahead of the curve in recognizing the seriousness of loneliness. They really are at the forefront of the subject,” he said. “Here, everything is so political.”

So how does loneliness affect people? Certainly, depression was a big one, and at least one subject admitted to drinking a lot of alcohol to cope. Others felt trapped by financial constraints, he said, and not being able to go anywhere due to having no money for gas. To sum it up, “it was a lot of different things,” he said.

Applebaum is a California native who is producer and CEO of The Clowder Group. He and Maddux left mainstream television and Hollywood “in the dust” years ago in search of “the next film” that actually meant something to them.

“We’re blessed with a lot of people who use our films,” he said, listing government, educational and health agencies as examples. He and Maddux have embarked on a New York statewide “community impact campaign” regarding their film, and it is being shown at several locations, including in Batavia.

Subjects for the film participated in candid interviews, in which they revealed their situations and — as time elapsed — how they attempted to get themselves out of the isolation holes they were in. Related materials have tips for ways to combat an isolated life, and Applebaum and Maddux used some of them — joining groups, getting out of the house more often — to a successful outcome.

The response to the film has been “phenomenal” so far, Applebaum said, and it’s only just the beginning of the release.

“And as you know, we're doing this big tour of New York State, which is fantastic. We have other opportunities to do similar tours in other states,” he said. “We've shown the film to a joint session of Congress. We have the possibility of showing it to European Parliament, and we're just getting started.”

OFA’s Director Diana Fox said that the state’s Office For the Aging provided her agency the opportunity to be part of the film tour, which has been set for next month.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer the viewing here in Batavia and have the filmmakers available as part of our panel discussion following the film, which will be streamed to Monroe County. Our county is not unique with having our citizens experience isolation and loneliness that, in part, due to the pandemic became even more apparent,” Fox said. “We heard frequently from people in our community just how isolated and alone they felt.  Our OFA worked very hard to provide connection during this time of crisis and is continuing to work hard to help create connection for people.”

The OFA works primarily with  people 60 and older, and their caregivers, she said; however, “loneliness and isolation do not solely impact this group.”

“This is an issue that impacts many people throughout their lifespan and can have a negative effect on the health and well-being of all of us,” she said. “We thought that it would be a wonderful opportunity to bring people in our community, of all ages, together to have an event that can spark ways to overcome loneliness and isolation and help create connection.”

The presentation will include interviews with Julianne Holt-Lunstad, professor of psychology and neuroscience; Dr. Carla Perissinotto, geriatrician, social isolation and loneliness researcher; Michelle Lim, scientific chair; and Janet Morrison, co-founder for the Campaign to End Loneliness. A project that was built on hope, it "shares the latest research and interventions for individuals and communities and leaves audiences feeling empowered and reconnected," the filmmakers said.

Speaking on behalf of himself and Maddux, Applebaum shared what they hope to impart with this project.

“We want people to recognize that this is an issue, a growing epidemic that can affect anybody at any time in their lives. And it is not weakness to admit that you get lonely. It just isn't, you know, it's very hard sometimes for people, especially men we have found, to admit that they're lonely because they view it as a sign of weakness,” he said. “But those that do, and can realize that they're not alone, and this is a normal thing, are the ones that can then easily find solutions and pull themselves out of it. So that's what we hope, that people will see it. It's not this big, scary thing. It happens to everybody. And there are things you can do to get out of it.”

Some of the “Loneliness Life Hacks” suggested include: 

• Maintaining a positive outlook 
• Reaching out to others early when feeling lonely
• Acceptance of one's life circumstances or situation
• Telling others you are feeling lonely today
• Motivating yourself to move - change settings that keep you isolated
• Caring for an animal
• Stepping outside your comfort zone - trying something new
• Expressing gratitude 

For more, visit the Lonely People website.

Top two photos of Joseph Applebaum and Stu Maddux, respectively; film subjects Tony Westbrook, Ari Rossen, and Carol Hill. Photos courtesy of The Clowder Group. 

Press release:

The City of Batavia Water Department along with Zoladz Construction will be replacing a broken water valve on Harvester Ave and fire hydrant on the corner of Harvester Ave and Ellicott Street.  The water will be shut down on Harvester Ave from Colorado Ave to Ellicott Street, all of Colorado Ave, and on Ellicott Street from Ellicott Place to Clifton Ave.

The length of time the water will be off is unknown.

As always, when the water is restored, it may be discolored.  Please refrain from doing any laundry until the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated.

Eli Fish Brewing Company hosted a "wet hop" festival on a slightly-chilled Fall day on Saturday in Jackson Square, and more than 200 beer aficionados from all over the region turned out for the event.

"The weather is kind of cooperating and not cooperating but it's a good turnout," said Eli Fish co-owner Jon Mager.

About a half-dozen other breweries participated in the event as well.

Wet hops are freshly picked hops that typically spoil quickly after harvest so they need to be added to a brew the same day as harvesting, and wet-hop beers have a short shelf life before the wet hop flavor fades.

"Today is a celebration of wet hop beers, which means we're using fresh hops," Mager said. "We only get to do it for a very short period every year so we like to celebrate them while they're here."

It's a special flavor for beer lovers, Mager said. 

"You just get a fresher taste," Mager said. "You get a more, you know, some people will say grassy or vegetal taste, but it's such a specific type that we tend to enjoy it."

Photos by Howard Owens.

In a field of only 26 runners, a couple from Union City, Penn., won their respective races in Saturday's "Run Until Their Voices are Heard 5K" sponsored by YWCA of Genesee County. The event was part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and was in honor of victims and survivors of domestic violence.

The race started and finished on North Street in front of the agency's building. 

Peter Boyd, 48, won the men's race with a time of 16:47 and Jeanette Boyd, 46, won the women's race with a time of 22:18.

Photos by Howard Owens

Given the origins of scarecrows — a human-like figure stuffed with straw and placed in a field to discourage foraging birds — it seems only fitting that they would be popping up throughout Genesee County.

The makeshift crop guards have been used worldwide by farmers, and their very existence represents agriculture’s ingenuity to survive. As time has gone by, scarecrows have become much more commonplace off the field as well — used as wall, door, window, front yard and standalone seasonal decor.

A recent visit to Cambria, Calif. was a reminder that these creations have definitely ventured off the farm and into the land of one's imagination.

A walk down the main street in Cambria, within California’s stunning Central Coast, held delightful surprises with an ongoing scarecrow contest. Displays were done as individual scarecrows, and group scarecrows, dancing, talking and walking scarecrows, celebrity scarecrows, young and old scarecrows, even a horse scarecrow and bicycling animal scarecrows.

They were along the main drag, but also off the beaten path down side streets, around a quaint town museum, and at businesses and oceanside homes. Each one had a small attachment with a QR code for voting purposes.

Think that scarecrows don’t add much to commerce? Tourists were overheard saying that they had intentionally driven to Cambria to see the displays. First the viewing, then lunch, perhaps? Or shopping the clothing and trinket stores. For certain, scarecrows and related decor add to commerce. They were cute, scary, funny, interactive, and most of all — easy entertainment for those wanting to go out for a stroll.

Many of these events seem to be tied to Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a holiday that began in Mexico and is now celebrated throughout the globe with colorful skulls, skeletons and the like.

Despite its foreboding title, Day of the Dead is actually a celebration of life and of death — honoring those who have died. The event traditionally has a festival atmosphere, conducted between Nov. 1 and 2, and represents a dedication to the memories of loved ones with offerings, family gatherings, and visits to their graves. (GO Art! is hosting a Day of the Dead event on Oct. 22.)

Back to the scarecrows, they were certainly noteworthy, and photo-worthy in California. And so are the local ones in downtown Batavia. From cows and witches to chefs and artists, these scarecrows were made by individuals, businesses, civic groups, and Robert Morris, Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate schools. 

Batavia’s downtown area, represented as the Business Improvement District, has built a fine foundation for its scarecrow contest. There are 34 entries, and each one is on a pole of some type mostly on Main Street and a few side streets. Votes are being accepted online through Oct. 30.

While individual contests are great to have within each community, how awesome might it be to create a Genesee County scarecrow display? What better way to honor and recognize the efforts and struggles of this county’s farmers to keep the foragers at bay? (In this context, foragers may also include bad weather, early frost, and questionable farm labor decisions.)

Perhaps each community would be responsible for its own contest, but it could be promoted as a countywide effort. Imagine the buzz. This would also, of course, afford local artists several opportunities to lend a hand with the display set-ups.

This is nothing against the events of BID and Oakfield (Halloween decorating contest) — those are fun, festive happenings that absolutely add color, fun and intrigue to their areas. But sometimes, perhaps, we can also think more globally, and in this instance join forces and become a regional display of an agricultural symbol.

To vote for the downtown scarecrows, go to BID's Facebook page, Executive Director Shannon Maute said. 

Top Four Photos of a few of Cambria, California's Scarecrow Contest entries; and partaking in the display fun. Photos by Joanne Beck, last one by Howard Owens. Remaining photos of entries for the downtown Batavia Scarecrow Contest. Photos by Howard Owens.

After a 35-20 win on the road against Honeoye Falls-Lima on Friday night, the Batavia Blue Devils, at 7-0, are a lock on first place in the Class B division of Section V football for 2022.

Late in the first quarter, HFL pulled within a touchdown of Batavia but the Blue Devils tacked on one last score at the close of the game on a 43-yard pass from Ja'vin McFollins to Cole Grazioplene.

The scoring started with McFollins dashing into the end zone on a 3-yard run. Batavia scored again on a McFollins pass of 64 yards to Vincent Arroyo, and then Aiden Anderson scored on a 2-yard run late in the second quarter for 21 unanswered posts at the half for the Blue Devils.

HFL scored twice in the third quarter, then Batavia increased its lead on a short run by Aiden Anderson.

McFollins was 6-8 passing or 95 yards and two TDs. Anderson rushed for 124 yards and two TDs on 29 carries. Grazioplene caught three passes, including the TD, for 61 yards.

Avion Bethel had seven tackles to lead the Batavia defense.

HFL is now 5-2 on the season.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Top photo by Joanne Meiser. Photos below by Jason Smith.

Photo by Chris Crocker.

When Alondra Longoria moved from Texas to Elba with her parents and two brothers, she was a shy, quiet 19-year-old who spoke no English.

That was about three years ago. And oh, how things have changed for the soft-spoken young lady. She took English as a Second Language classes, graduated with a general education diploma, and is pursuing her citizenship and, most importantly, a future.

“It feels good. You have to have goals to keep going and know what you are going to do with your life,” the now 23-year-old said during an interview at the CORE Learning Center in Batavia. “We have to keep going, and no matter what happens, you have to keep going and complete your goals to be a better person, to learn and keep going with life.”

Nobody said it was easy. The former Alondra was an uncertain teenager who first moved to Texas with her farm-working mom and dad four years ago. They emigrated from Mexico mostly for financial reasons, she said, to earn more money and improve their lives. She left behind family members -- grandmas -- friends, and the only culture she had known.

And Alondra has encountered racism by being told to "go back to your own country."

"We are good people that work every day, and sometimes we work to get this country better too," she said. "Those things can hurt; they're not a good thing to say."

The family obtained green cards, and eventually opted to move across the country to Elba, a community rich in farming opportunities. Alondra’s aunt already lived there, so they had a connection to working the cash crop fields. Her parents get up each weekday to work in the fields from 7 a.m. to 7 or 8 p.m. five days a week, and a shorter time span on Saturday. Sundays are reserved for cherished family time.

Alondra worked at the Agri-Business daycare in Batavia until she learned about The CORE Learning Center. It offers adult basic education, high school diploma preparation, ESL, college prep and various other certification classes. A spacious classroom was waiting for Alondra at 1 Mill St., and she said she enjoyed working with the staff and students she encountered.

Adult Educator Amy Andrews clearly remembers those first days of seeing Alondra.

“At first we couldn’t get her to talk,” Andrews said with a suggestive laugh. “Now, we can’t get her to stop.”

Her student agreed, adding that “it’s a good thing.”

At first, her life in Genesee County was filled with the inability to read, write or speak any English. She communicated through her one older brother, Alejandro. But as time went by, those English lessons — filled with confusing and contradictory rules — began to make sense, Alondra said.

Although she had graduated from high school in Mexico, that isn't valid in New York State. So she studied for, and passed, a state general education test. She graduated with a diploma in December 2021.

She gave a stern glance to Andrews during the interview, indicating that some lessons were to be kept secret. They both laughed and shared anyway.

“Now that she talks more, she likes to argue with me,” Andrews said.

They encountered words that just didn’t translate from English to Spanish very well, she explained. So when discussing the word “toes,” Alondra argued that they are “foot fingers” according to her native language translation.

Adapting to America was a practical thing to do, Alondra said. “When you don’t have nobody that speaks Spanish, you have to learn it (English),” she said. “I was nervous and it was scary. I grew up speaking Spanish. I have to learn another language and communicate with people who speak with a different language.”

She was in an intimate setting of three classmates, two who spoke Spanish and one Thai-speaking person. They were provided with workbooks, in-person lessons, and a program they could study at home on a computer. Alondra, in turn, brought in homemade cakes to share with the class and staff. One of those yummy creations was a rosca de reyes, a ringed cake with a baby figurine baked into the batter, topped with fruit in the colors of the Mexican flag. Whoever gets the piece of cake with the baby inside has to make tamales for everyone. But Alondra didn't enforce that part of the tradition, she said.

Adding to her accomplishments of a diploma and ability to understand English, Alondra was awarded Student of the Year by the New York Association for Continuing and Community Education, a statewide agency that provides information and support for professionals serving the needs of lifelong learners.

Alondra is one of three recipients from this CORE branch, which covers Allegany, Genesee, Orleans, Livingston, Cattaraugus and Wyoming counties. There will be a presentation at a banquet on Oct. 25 in Albany. Yes, that means putting her new skills to work with an acceptance speech.

As one of the motivational phrases on the wall says, “you got this.” And she does.

“It means a lot to me that people have recognized some of the struggles I have overcome,” she says in her speech. “Four years ago I left my country, and with it, family and friends, behind. I had to start over in a new country without knowing the language. I moved to Texas, and then came to New York, and it was the best decision that I made.”

She found “very good teachers” at Literacy West, a subdivision within CORE Learning Center, and they helped her to complete many goals, including improving her speech and writing. That all led her to one end result, and a new beginning.

“I’m looking forward to learning sign language and starting a career in cosmetology,” she said.

She and fellow award recipients Jerry Finch from the Olean site and Jessie McCray from Warsaw will be accompanied by Literacy West NY staff to receive their awards and take a tour of the capital.

“These students have all experienced adversity and hardships that lead them to our program, and have persevered to reach their educational and occupational goals,” Executive Community Relations Coordinator Adrianna Seewaldt said. “We are proud of their accomplishments and truly believe that they will continue to achieve their future goals.”

For more information, go to CORE2learn.org.

Top Photo: Alondra Longoria, originally from Tamaulipas, Mexico, has become comfortable at the CORE Learning Center in Batavia after taking ESL lessons and graduating with her high school equivalency diploma; Alondra and Adult Educator Amy Andrews chat in the classroom at 1 Mill St., Batavia; Amy Andrews displays one of the lesson boards to incorporate English words into students' vocabulary. Photos by Joanne Beck. Submitted photo of Alondra with her diploma.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the related Run Until Their Voices are Heard 5K begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at YWCA, 301 North St., Batavia.

Registration is at 8:30 a.m., and the event will take place rain or shine. Fee is $35.

Register at YWCA tomorrow or online

Rolling into autumn has meant more than the debut of colorfully decorated trees; it has also signaled the finale to several city street projects.

Public Works Superintendent Brett Frank reviewed the list of work at or near completion during this week’s City Council meeting.

As you may have noticed, Bank Street, Chandler Avenue, Ross Street and Richmond Avenue are looking pretty smooth these days with resurfacing done at those sites; and sidewalks have been — or will be by next week — installed along Seneca and Columbia avenues and Fisher and Chase parks, Frank said.

Richmond is still getting some finishing touches with new sidewalks and Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated ramps at each intersection, he said.

Councilman Bob Bialkowski asked why the pile of concrete and road debris was still in the middle of the parking area in front of the state School for the Blind. That material will be removed and the area cleaned up, Frank said, however, the city will not be repaving it.

The state Department of Public Transportation is responsible for any paving, as it is state property, Frank said.

On the city’s east side, Harvester Avenue is coming along, but there is still rehabilitation work to do before final paving is completed, he said.

“So it's a work in progress on Harvester. There's just a lot of moving pieces to that. And once you've milled down eight inches, you find a lot of areas that really need to be addressed,” he said. “Within the next week or so we'll probably start paving driveway approaches to make everything easier for people getting in and out of their driveways. We're hoping end of next week to get a (base) coat which is truly powerful to get some sort of base pavement on that surface, which will cut down on a lot of the dust and debris and all that.”

Some work has to be done with the installation of drainage structures “before we can pave anything,” he said.

The contractor has a Dec. 14 deadline for full completion, he said.

Existing sidewalks are remaining in front of Harvester Center “as much as possible,” City Manager Rachael Tabelski said.

Earlier this summer, a few business owners voiced complaints about the seemingly slow progress being made in front of their sites at Harvester Center. Harvester had been dug up, pot-holed, bumpy and anything but customer-friendly, they said. Rob Credi, owner of The Pub Coffee Hub, estimated a revenue loss of 75 percent since the inception of the road work. 

He had reached out to city management, Frank, and council members multiple times, Credi said, however, he more recently "kinda gave up on trying to get any kind of improvements to the temporary conditions."

"The road quality is still a disgrace," he said on Friday to The Batavian.

Although Frank said this week that he received two compliments from people associated with Harvester Avenue, Credi was obviously not one of them. 

A parking lot across from his shop had been inaccessible due to a trench carved out directly in front of it. That issue has been resolved and customers once again gained access to it, Credi said. But that's when customers could even drive down the street, he said. 

"We've had a couple incredibly bad days where they've more or less had trucks completely blocking the roadway for periods of time," he said. "Just total disregard."

Top Photo: A pile of road debris remains in the parking area in front of the state School for the Blind on Richmond Avenue, but will be removed and cleaned up eventually, city officials say; road construction on Harvester Avenue is also gradually moving toward completion for a December deadline. Meanwhile, businesses are open at Harvester Center. Photos by Howard Owens. Above, one of the days when the road was blocked by construction vehicles and hampered business access. Photo by Rob Credi.

Press release:

Shawn Elkins of Batavia has claimed his $1,000 A Week for Life top prize from the Lottery’s Win $1,000 A Week For Life scratch-off game.

Elkins elected to receive his prize as an annuity. He received his first payment of $33,852 after required withholdings and will continue to receive payments annually, for life.

The winning ticket was purchased at Western OTB/Batavia Downs Gaming located at 8315 Park Rd. in Batavia.

As of this writing, six top prizes remained on this printing of the Win $1,000 A Week for Life ticket (#1453). Players may check the status of any New York Lottery scratch-off by downloading the Game Report at nylottery.ny.gov.

New York scratch-off games generated $4,517,682,111 in total sales during fiscal year 2021-2022. School districts in Genesee County received $13,246,544 in Lottery Aid to Education funds during the same period.

Photo by Howard Owens