There was another large crowd at Eli Fish Brewing Company today as Batavia's first brewery in decades -- named after a brewery of a prior century -- held its grand opening.
Previously: Eli Fish Brewing Company ready for grand opening tomorrow
Across the country today protests against gun violence in schools were held in cities large and small, and news reports indicate many high school students joined those protests, dubbed nationwide as "March for our Lives."
There was also a march in Batavia today, organized by local progressives, and more than 200 people turned out -- mostly adults, mostly people age 50 and older.
The idea of high school students grabbing the spotlight in the fight against gun violence began after the Parkland, Fla., shooting where 17 students died and students at that school immediately began speaking out.
On March 14, hundreds of Batavia High School students participated in a national walkout to protest gun violence at schools.
Few of those students turned out for today's event. There were perhaps five or six teenagers in today's crowd.
Batavia HS student Lauren Leone served as the event's emcee and one of the speakers was BHS student Sophia Alkhouri Stuart.
"We are calling all the adults in our country to live up to their responsibility to help protect us from gun violence," Stuart said. "Today as you march, you are marching for life. We need to be united in our commitment to life and to innocent children who are committed to learning. We need to eliminate the ability of those who seek to harm others to get ahold of a gun. This is our time and this is our chance to change the story of our schools."
The other speakers were all adults.
Pastor James Renfrew opened with a short sermon drawing on a parable from the New Testament about a farmer sowing seeds. Renfrew said there were many lessons to draw from the parable, including the importance of listening.
"Listen to our children," Renfrew said. "Listen to their worries and fears. Listen to their thoughts and dreams. In listening, we become the seeds planted in good soil, growing, and thriving and multiplying God’s hopes. As you listen to the voices of children, it becomes the amazing harvest described in the parable."
Most of the signs carried by marchers called for some degree of elimination of guns, such as banning assault rifles.
While not naming the National Rifle Association, Gary Pudup called out those organizations that oppose any and all gun control.
"There are those who will make false arguments trying to distract us from our goal, a society free of the constant fear of gun violence," Pudup said. "They will say we should simply strengthen background checks when strengthening background checks is meaningless unless the laws behind them are meaningful.
"They will tell us that teachers with guns are the cure for what ails us" -- at which point several people cried out "No." -- "They will tell us that the young man who committed the murders at Parkland was evil as if a 19-year-old was the very definition of evil. Let me give you my definition of evil. Evil is an organization that holds the values of profits higher than the value of children’s lives."
Pudup did praise a group founded in Rochester that is pursuing legislation focused on keeping guns out of the hands of potentially violent people, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. The organization is backing a bill that would create an "Emergency Restraining Protection Order," which would create a process in court to deny access to guns to anybody who is a threat to themselves or others.
Bethany resident Carol Kistner then spoke and said she had recently joined Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. She was dressed in a camouflage jacket that belongs to her husband and a camouflage shirt that belongs to her father to also represent her family's hunting interest. And the layers of clothing also represented the multilayered problem of gun violence, that the problem is complex and will defy easy solutions, such as just taking away guns.
She said Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is an organization not interested in taking away anybody's guns.
"We recognize and want to preserve this wonderful tradition that my family has enjoyed forever," Kistner said. "Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America recognizes that there is a great fear among those who enjoy sports, the sports of shooting and hunting.
"We honor those traditions but our biggest challenge is to get out the word to our rural counties just like this one that we are not against you. We are for you. No one has greater respect for guns and gun safety than hunters and sportsman."
She said it's really up to those who understand guns and gun safety to support sensible action to help reduce gun violence.
She said the legislation the group is backing in New York would provide a process to deny access to guns for people who have threatened suicide, have shown they are violent criminals, or the violently mentally ill.
"Those are three places to potentially remove guns — with due process, of course," she said.
After the speech, the group marched from Williams Park to City Hall chanting slogans such as "Enough is Enough" and carrying their signs.
Top photo: Sophia Alkhouri Stuart.
Carol Kistner
Friday night, the YMCA hosted Healthy Kids Day and Easter Egg Hunt. This year, the hunt included not only eggs hidden around the building but an Easter egg hunt in the pool. There were also raffle prizes.
Photos by Rachel Hale.
A few years ago, Brian Kemp, co-owner of T-Shirts Etc., set up a Little Free Library on Main Street near his former location then this past summer, it got vandalized. This week with the help of Espe Hernandez, Myloh, and Aslan Kemp, he fixed it back up and got it restocked with books.
He said book donations, when there isn't enough space in the Little Library, can also be brought to his shop at 37 Center St., Batavia. The current location of this Little Free Library is front of the Independent Living Center -- Genesee Region.
This morning Assemblyman Steve Hawley read from a book about farming called "Before We Eat" to preschoolers at Agri-Business Child Development Center on Brooklyn Avenue, Batavia, as part of Ag-Literacy Week.
A three-vehicle collision is reported at 5215 Clinton Street Road, Batavia. One male is requesting EMS. Town of Batavia fire and Mercy medics are responding. The location is in the area of Crystal Lane.
UPDATE 3:45 p.m.: A 30-year-old male who was not wearing a seatbelt is being transported to UMMC with neck pain. There was "window spidering" in the vehicle he was riding in as a result of the impact.
A former Pavilion resident held a press conference in Buffalo today and said that he was abused by a priest at St. Mary's in Pavilion when he was 16 years old in 1980.
Wayne Bortles said that Father Robert P. Conlin, who was appointed pastor of St. Mary's in 1977, abused him in a basement of the rectory recreation room where youth gatherings were sometimes held, according to WBEN.
"He touched me all over, and he wouldn't stop," Bortles said.
Conlin died in 1997 and is one of at least four Catholic priests with ties to Genesee County who have been accused of sexual misconduct.
This week the Diocese of Buffalo released a list of 42 priests who served in Western New York who have been accused of sexual misconduct.
Included on the list were Father Donald W. Becker, who served two terms at St. Mary's and has denied any wrongdoing, Father Fred Ingalls, who served at St. Joseph's from 1974 to 1982 and from 1990 to 1996, and Father Richard Keppeler, who was appointed to St. Brigid in Bergen in 1973, became pastor there in 1974 and served until his retirement in 2003. He died in 2011.
Ingalls admitted in Federal Court in 2004 to the acquisition of child pornography.
Conlin's name is not on the list released by the Diocese, which only includes names of those who were removed from the ministry as a result of allegations, were retired or left the ministry after being accused of sexual misconduct. It also includes the names of priests who died with two or more allegations against them.
Before today, Bortles had not made a public allegation against Conlin.
Today, Bishop Richard J. Malone issued a videotaped apology for the sexual misconduct of priests in the diocese (embedded below).
Bortles said an apology wasn't enough.
"I don't know how an apology would impact me," Bortles said. "I mean, the sentiment is nice, but there is more, obviously, that needs to be done."
Bortles said the parish social hall in Pavilion is named after Conlin and there is a large picture of him in the hall. He thinks the hall should be renamed and the picture removed.
He believes there were other victims of Conlin in Pavilion and that they should come forward.
Press release:
The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council has announced plans to reopen the former Batavia Club Bar in the historic Seymour building located at 201 E. Main St. in Downtown Batavia.
GO ART! members and special guests are invited to a private prelude opening at the newly named Tavern 2.o.1, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 6.
Guests will be treated to hors d'oeuvres from the Red Osier Landmark Restaurant. Specially priced tasting of the selection of wine, cider and beers being served at Tavern 2.o.1 will also be available.
The doors officially open to the public immediately following the private prelude -- at 7 p.m. on April 6. Guests will enjoy live entertainment, door prizes and raffles.
Tavern 2.o.1 will be serving a selection of wines, ciders and beers (many of which are locally created within the GLOW region).
Staff and Board members will be on site for the opening reception to promote and describe the delicious libations.
"Our bar has the capability to offer events that people are traveling to Rochester or Buffalo to attend," said GO ART! Board President Tammy Hathaway. "After numerous requests from groups to partner and hold festivities, we made the commitment to open the space as a tavern and to begin scheduling some fun evening experiences for the community.’’
Currently, Tavern 2.o.1 will be open for both public and private events held at GO ART!’s headquarters, the Seymour building. However, there is talk of the bar being open for regular hours in the future.
For more information on events at GO ART! visit our website at www.goart.org
There are only 150 tickets left for Mr. Batavia at Batavia High School tonight.
Tickets can be purchased at the school, located at 260 State St. in the City of Batavia.
Doors open at 6 p.m. for the annual competition of Batavia HS seniors, which helps raise money for local charities.
YMCA Summer Camp 2018 -- Registration is underway! Registration now open for YMCA Kinder Camp or traditional Day Camp. Spaces are limited and programs fill up fast. This summer’s dates are from June 25th – Aug. 24th. You can register for a week or as many as you’d like.
Our caring and nurturing staff are carefully selected based on their previous experience and schooling. This ensures that our staff is the perfect fit for making your families summer experience one you will never forget.
YMCA summer camps are certified by the New York State Health Department and we adhere to strict safety regulations. Register for one week or join us for all nine.
The YMCA offers flexible enrollment and payment plans to fit the needs of any family. The Y also provides scholarships to those who qualify which makes YMCA summer camp one of the most affordable options around.
For more information on the YMCA’s summer camp programs or to register, contact the YMCA at 585-344-1664 today.
There have been some nice surprises along the way in getting Eli Fish Brewing open over the past couple of weeks for owners Matt Gray and Jon Mager, not the least of which is the crush of people crowding into the large bar and dining area that was once the retail store space of J.J. Newberry.
There's also the quality of the staff they've been able to hire; how well the brewery is working out as a workspace for Mager; the quality of the New York brews and spirits they've been serving; and the overwhelmingly positive feedback they've been getting in person and on social media from customers throughout Western New York.
Now, it's time for the grand opening, which is Saturday and will highlight the launch of the first two new beers from Eli Fish. There will be a ribbon cutting at 2 p.m. with food samples served until midafternoon and $5 drafts all day long.
"Our nighttime crowds have been pretty surprising," Gray said. "Our Friday and Saturday nights have been very good. We’re serving a lot of guests and everybody seems to be happy with it."
For those visitors who get out and about often in the community, there has been a common observation as they wade through the large crowds on a Friday or Saturday night -- a lot of unfamiliar faces. When you are out and about often enough in a small community, you get used to seeing the same people. There's a lot of new faces showing up at Eli Fish.
Gray, who also owns Alex's Place, has noticed the same thing.
"I'm noticing two different things," Gray said. "The crowd that is here that I do know and is local I don't see at Alex's, so they're not dining at that establishment. And then there are the ones I don't know at all, and there's a lot of them."
One of the goals of the City and Batavia Development Corp. has been to encourage more restaurants and bars downtown to help capture the estimated $2 million local residents spend in Rochester and Buffalo rather than Batavia. Of course, bringing people from Rochester and Buffalo and the other surrounding counties to Batavia would be a good thing, too.
Gray said one of the things they'll do with the grand opening is hold drawings, which include a registration that captures the zip code of entrants so they can get a better feel of where their new customers are coming from.
Mager said several posts on social media have indicated people are driving from the two metro areas to Batavia to visit Eli Fish.
But a common theme in the reviews is also that once people are inside the building they don't feel like they're in Batavia. They feel like they're in Rochester or Boston or somewhere else.
"That leads me to believe that there are a lot of people from Batavia who are coming and have been looking for something different, so it’s cool," Gray said.
Getting people to come into a new restaurant is one thing. Getting them to come back, especially to fill a space as large as Eli Fish, is another thing.
The positive reviews of the booze and food so far are a good indication people will come back, and there are trends in the first two weeks of the soft open that indicate people will come back. Gray noted that a number of people have come in expecting just a brewery but during the visit also learned there are menus with hearty entrees and a fully staffed and stocked kitchen. There's already a trend, he said, of people coming back for a second visit for lunch or dinner.
To help provide reasons for people to visit Eli Fish regularly, Gray and Mager installed an indoor bocce court. They plan to sponsor bocce leagues and tournaments. They are also considering euchre and bridge tournaments, as well as other games suitable to the space.
"Jon and I, right from the get-go, have looked at Eli Fish as a community space, a place where people go to meet, whether it’s family, friends, business meetings, events, and so on," Gray said. "We're very surprised at the number of calls that we’ve gotten to book larger events, 30 to 50 people. We have a lot of those already scheduled."
Another attraction for customers, of course, will be the two food stands inside the building that will be occupied by winners of the FreshLABs restaurant startup competition. EDEN Vegan has already been selected for one of the spaces and is expected to open April 22.
Mager said he's also been pleased with the brewery they built in the basement of the century-old building.
"We did a good job making it a functional space," Mager said. "We’re not too cramped. We’re not tripping over ourselves, so brewing down there is enjoyable and so far it’s gone very, very well."
While the light has shone the first two weeks on the restaurant and bar, Saturday is Mager's big day when his first two beers from the brewery make their debut.
There will be an IPA called "First Draft" and a blonde that didn't have a name as of Thursday afternoon but will be christened by Saturday.
"Saturday is going to be a pretty fun day," Mager said.
One unique feature of the bar is that all of the beers and spirits are brewed or distilled in New York. There are no mass produced brews or liquors. Everything is handcrafted.
That means some of the labels can be pretty unfamiliar to most customers when they first come in, that puts pressure on servers to have good palates, experience and knowledge of what they're serving.
"One of biggest, pleasant surprises we had was the quality of the people that applied for our serving and bartending jobs," Gray said. "They are experienced. They know their stuff and they are open about learning new things."
New customers, new beers (20 on tap) and new spirits, and new staff have meshed nicely together so far, Mager said.
"It is a learning experience on what to recommend to somebody who comes in and says 'I like Coors light, what would you recommend?' and I think everybody’s been picking it up pretty well that, yeah, it is a craft beer, but it doesn’t mean that it’s super hoppy and super alcoholic. We have light craft beers and the few that we have that fit that bill have been the highest sellers."
Both Gray and Mager have been surprised to discover just how good New York's spirits can be, as well.
"Most people don’t think that New York is going to produce like excellent world-class gin,' Mager said. "We’ve got gins back there that I would put against Beefeater and everything else all day.
"There is a vodka out of Clarence," he added, "that me and Matt sampled together. It was fantastic. It’s not like you're making a concession. It’s not like you’re settling for something less than premium."
With Gray quickly adding, "They’re premium."
Gray likes Irish whiskey, but he enjoys all whiskey and it's been an adventure sampling what New York has to offer.
"I like trying them all," he said.
"That’s pretty much my outlook on craft beer," Mager added. "I don’t like going to a bar with a specific beer in mind. I like trying them all. Sometimes they’re not my favorite but I like the adventure of trying them all."
Eli Fish is someplace not like Batavia, is the feedback, someplace that offers a bit of an adventure, someplace to bring the community together, and it seems that so far Eli Fish is off to a good start.
But it's not complicated, said Gray, who got his start in the food business a couple of decades ago with Matty's Pizzeria. The basics remain the same.
"A lot of things have changed (since Matty's) but it's all the same thing," Gray said. "There are only two people you’re trying to make happy, and that’s your guest walking in the door and your staff.
"You want to make sure everyone working with you wants to be there and is happy to be there, and then you want to make sure they are also making sure that every guest who walks in is happy with what you’re putting out and the service you’re getting. Whether it’s a round pizza or a square plate, it’s pretty much the same thing."
Press release:
Mercy Flight has teamed up with our trauma community partners to offer Stop the Bleed training in Genesee County. Stop the Bleed is a nationwide movement started in the wake of the active shooter Sandy Hook tragedy.
Since this movement launched, Mercy Flight has jumped on board to train bystanders to be immediate responders to prevent life-threatening bleeding. Bleeding deaths can happen in just minutes, and can easily be prevented.
Coming up on Saturday, April 7th Mercy Flight is hosting a session with Genesee County Emergency Management to teach how to apply pressure, proper tourniquet use, wound packing and life-threatening bleeding prevention. It will be held at the GCEM office at 7690 State Street Road, Batava.
There are three-time options for the April 7 class: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Each class is limited to 30 participants. (The 11 a.m. time slot is nearly full already.)
The one-hour course is jam-packed with valuable information for any member of the public, including teachers, coaches, parents.
To sign up for the class, visit Mercy Flight's website here.
Robert Edwin Ratcliffe, 38, of South Main Street, Castile, is charged with burglary, 3rd, grand larceny, 4th, and criminal mischief, 3rd. Ratcliffe is accused of smashing at window of Batavia Cycle Center, 4988 E. Main Street Road, Batavia, in order to gain entry to the building and then stealing a dirt bike during the overnight hours sometime between May 23 and May 25. The case was investigated by Investigator Christopher Parker, Deputy Chad Cummings, Investigator Jame Diehl, Chief Deputy Joseph Graff and DEC Officer Richard Rauscher. Ratcliffe was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court upon his arrest and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.
Alex S. Dumbleton, 24, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. Dumbleton allegedly threatened another person at 4:44 p.m. Monday at a location on Franklin Street, Batavia.
Leon W. Johnson, 34, of South Main Street, Albion, is charged with stalking, 3rd, stalking, 4th, and endangering the welfare of a child. Johnson allegedly threatened injury to another person and caused harm to another person's mental and emotional health in an incident reported Monday. He was jailed on $5,000 bail.
Arlena G. Cox, 57, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Cox is accused of stealing $62.53 in makeup and soda from Tops Friendly Market.
Otha E. Rivers III, 37, of Lakeshore Drive, Canandaigua, was arrested on a warrant stemming from an illegal parking ticket. Rivers appeared in City Court, entered a guilty plea, and paid a fine.
Steven P. Lee, 35, of Warsaw, is charged with DWI, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, possession of a hypodermic instrument, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Lee was stopped at 7:55 p.m. Wednesday on Route 33, Stafford, by State Police.
An accident with possible injuries and airbag deployment is reported at Galloway Road and Lewiston Road, Batavia.
Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 7:50 a.m.: One of Town of Batavia's engines can go back in service. A chief says they're all set with what is on scene.
Press release:
The Genesee Community College Foundation is proud to announce its 2017 and 2018 Alumni Hall of Fame inductees. The entire community is invited to join us at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28, in the Conable Technology Building at One College Road in Batavia for the induction ceremony.
Candidates for the Alumni Hall of Fame are nominated by friends, family, colleagues or other associates.
Each of the selected honorees has made impactful contributions to their profession and has provided distinguished service to the community and/or Genesee Community College. The GCC Alumni Hall of Fame, which is located on the second floor of the Conable Technology Building, boasts honorees from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds.
Each of these outstanding GCC graduates has made a lasting impact on their communities and earned this honor. We are proud to welcome the following to the Alumni Hall of Fame:
2017 Inductees
George Walker IV, '98, SVP of Creative Development, Dynamic Attractions
James Branciforte, '80, CEO Lifetime Assistance Inc.
2018 Inductees
Georgann Carrubba, '03, President and CEO, Tencar
Scott Gardner, '98, President and CEO, Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce
The complete list of Hall of Fame members is available at www.genesee.edu/alumni/HallofFame/.
The Alumni Hall of Fame Induction is free and open to the public. GCC welcomes all Hall of fame members, GCC alumni, and of course, the friends and family of our newest inductees to attend this celebration.
Press release:
On Saturday, March 24th, the kids and families of March for Our Lives will take to the streets of Washington, D.C., to demand that their lives and safety become a priority and that we end gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today. There will also be a rally that day in Batavia, followed by a march to Batavia City Hall.
Led by student leaders, we will march in solidarity with Washington, D.C.
When: Saturday, March 24th, 12 p.m.
Where: Rally at Williams Park, 101 Pearl St., Batavia
What: Speeches by local student leaders as well as local Pastor Jim Renfrew and retired Monroe County Sheriff's Lieutenant Gary Pudup of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. A march to Batavia City Hall will follow the rally.
For more information please contact glowprogressives@gmail.com
Press release:
The Holland Land Office Museum will be hosting the 12th Annual Batavia Antique Show and Sale on Friday and Saturday, April 6th & 7th. The antique show will take place at the Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel located at 8315 Park Road, Batavia.
The show opens at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 6th and continues until 8 p.m. It reopens Saturday, April 7th at 9 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. The admission is $5 per person, which helps support the museum to continue to hosts events and programming for the community.
The Batavia Antique Show and Sale is an annual event that brings together antique dealers, collectors and vendors from across Western New York, the Southern Tier, Central New York, and even out-of-state.
It contains a wide variety of vendors displaying many different and unique items, including: jewelry, glassware, books, and much more.
Each attendee will receive with their purchase of a ticket a $5 Free Play to be used at Batavia Downs. In addition, Saturday admission is free with the proof of Friday attendance.
For more information about the 12th Annual Batavia Antique Show and Sale, please contact the Holland Land Office Museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com
Press release:
Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel announced their onsite plans for the upcoming Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 5th. Three parties will take place on site.
The first party, running from 11:30 a.m. 'til 7 p.m., will take place in the Batavia Downs Gaming Paddock Room. It is the Downs’ most well-attended party with more than 600 attendees last year.
For $15, patrons receive their choice of a variety of meals, $15 in Free Play once one point is earned on the gaming floor, a $2 wager on the Derby, and a Free Derby program. There will be a $5 Mint Juleps special which includes a commemorative Derby glass and samplings from Black Button Distilling. Attendees must be at least 18 years of age. Many big-screen televisions will show the races and there will be mutual clerks available for wagers to be placed.
The second party, which is new, will take place in the Batavia Downs Gaming Grandstands Banquet Room on the second floor. Admission to the Derby Gala at the Downs is $50 per person and proper attire is required. Patrons will receive an open bar from 4:30 to 7 p.m., grazing stations, a $10 wager on the Derby, $25 in Free Play and a Free Derby Program. Attendees must be of legal drinking age to attend. There will also be televisions and mutual clerks for patrons to place wagers. A best-dressed contest and best hat contest will take place with prizes from the Hotel at Batavia Downs. Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 21, at 10 a.m. on Bataviaconcerts.com and at the Lucky Treasures Gift Shop.
The third party, taking place inside 34 Rush, will have Buffalo radio station WGR550AM broadcasting live from 2-5 p.m. Attendees must be at least 18 years of age. There will be a $5 Mint Julep special which includes a derby commemorative glass. Cider samplings will be provided by Official Derby Sponsor; Angry Orchard Rosé. A sampling of Corona beer will also be taking place for Cinco De Mayo. Patrons may place Derby wagers using self-service terminals.
Wagering will also be available at the second floor Downs Simulcast center. Prize Drawings for Derby T-shirts and glasses will take place there.
“It’s exciting to see that interest in the Kentucky Derby is alive and well in Western New York, “ said Todd Haight, general manager of Racing at Batavia Downs Gaming. “Our Paddock Room party has grown exponentially throughout the years and we expect that trend to continue this year.
"Our marketing department has put together a tremendous offer for our new Grandstands party. It’s a great way for our loyal customers to come out and enjoy the most exciting two minutes in sports.”
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