GO ART!'s annual member and staff art show opened on Thursday evening.
The show runs through Feb. 3.
Artists with work on display are:
Tanner Bernard Wiley, 35, of Bennington Hills, Conn., is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle 3rd, obstructing governmental administration. Kimberly Ann Brodsky, 32, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd. When officers attempted to stop a vehicle reportedly driven by Wiley at 1:09 a.m. on Dec. 7, Wiley allegedly fled from the traffic stop, leading to a pursuit of the vehicle from the City of Batavia into the Town of Pembroke, where Wiley allegedly attempted to flee on foot. Wiley and Brodsky were held pending arraignment.
Robert Alva Wright, 64, of Brooklyn Street, Warsaw, Rick William Reed, 42, of Maiden Lane, North Java, and Jesse James Schmidt, are each charged with assault 2nd. The three men are accused of participating in an assault at 11:11 p.m. on Sept. 8 at 2630 Attica Road, Alexander, the location of the Hillside Tavern. All three men were arraigned on Dec. 4 and released on their own recognizance. The incident was investigated by deputies Erik Andre and Kevin McCarthy.
Talia F. Joubert, 21, of Le Roy, is charged with DWAI Drugs, speeding, and two counts of harassment 2nd. Joubert was arrested on Dec. 5 in connection with a traffic stop conducted by a Batavia patrol officer on Dec. 5 at an undisclosed time and location. Joubert is accused of striking two police officers while at the police station. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Brian C. Johnson, 26, of Cheektowaga, is charged with harassment 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd. Johnson allegedly engaged in a physical altercation with staff at UMMC while being treated in ER. He allegedly tried to flee police when officers attempted to take him into custody. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Wayne D. Potter, 40, of Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment 2nd. He was arrested on Dec. 2 after an investigation by Batavia PD into an incident reported on Nov. 4 at an undisclosed time and undisclosed location where Potter allegedly fought with another person. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Cornelius Welch, 44, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Welch was allegedly found in possession of narcotics during a traffic stop by Batavia PD while Welch was riding his bicycle at an undisclosed location and at an undisclosed time. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Lisa Ann Centi, undisclosed age, undisclosed residential street, of Chili, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminal possession of a weapon 4th, false personation, insufficient signal, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Centi was arrested following a traffic stop by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell at 9:58 p.m. on Dec. 1 on Forest Edge Drive, Batavia. She was released on an appearance ticket.
Kenniva Sharee Imoni Couser, 23, of Finch Street, Rochester, and Rickia Leshay Bryant, 25, of Clifford Avenue, Rochester, are charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and Bryant is charged with petit larceny. Couser and Bryant are accused of parking in a fire lane on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, at 2:51 p.m. on Dec. 6. There were reportedly children in the vehicle when the exterior temperature was 30 degrees. The information related to the petit larceny charge was not released. Both were issued an appearance ticket. "Rickia Leshay Bryant" seems to be a name or a phrase.
Stacy Ramon Moss, 34, of Bates Road, Medina, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th, aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd, seeding, and driving without a license. Moss was charged following a traffic stop by Deputy Stephen Smith at 2:03 a.m. on Dec. 4 on Lewiston Road, Batavia. Moss was processed at the Genesee County Jail, issued tickets, and released.
Taylor Marie Goodenow, 21, of Route 5, Le Roy, is charged with burglary 2nd, menacing 3rd, and conspiracy 4th. Riley Lucas Semaj Robinson, 19, of Route 5, Le Roy, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, criminal mischief 3rd, and criminal possession of a weapon 4th. Goodenow and Robinson are accused of entering an apartment in Pavilion by force at 3:43 a.m. on Dec. 3, menacing the occupants and causing property damage.
Matthew Ryan Bankes, 36, of Mayflower Street, Rochester, is charged with DWI and speeding. Bankes was stopped at 2:52 a.m. on Dec. 10 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Ryan Mullen. Bankes was issued an appearance ticket.
Sasha O. Wilson, 37, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wilson was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 4:15 p.m. on Dec. 11 in the Town of Batavia. Wilson was issued an appearance ticket. Troopers did not release further information.
Jeanie L. Graham, 38, of Rochester, is charged with bail jumping 3rd. Graham was arrested by State Police on Dec. 11 and ordered held on cash bail. Troopers did not release further information.
In a brisk sub-30 wind, about 30 volunteers gathered in the St. Anthony’s parking lot Wednesday morning taking care of business as usual for those folks in need lined up ready and waiting along Liberty Street.
Despite the city’s request to find an alternate location for its twice-monthly food distribution, City Church instead cautiously continued on, but with more emphatic reminders for participants to be mindful of where they parked as the line slowly moved its way toward the distribution center in the parking lot. A city vehicle was spotted leaving the scene, and Pastor Ryan Macdonald confirmed that a city official had visited the lot.
“I’m just thankful that they’re allowing us to continue,” he said.
A week prior, City Manager Rachael Tabelski confirmed that the city requested that City Church find another location for its distribution due to neighborhood and school complaints about traffic issues as a result of participants that line up on the street for the distribution early in the morning.
Macdonald objected to the request for reasons including Becca Albrecht and Mattie Cooper. The women have no vehicles and have walked to get their food rations ever since the distribution began during COVID, they said. Both agreed they don’t know what they would do without the extra help.
“Me and my husband are on disability and have nine grandkids that we help out. One nine-year-old stays with me,” she said. “I get juices and vegetables. And sometimes we have cleaning products that they gave out this weekend. And it's just a big help in the community. We’re seniors, and we don't get enough for Social Security, you know. Even though we have two incomes coming in, it's so hard, because with all the medication and all, so you figure this here is a big help from the grocery store because the price of groceries is just outrageous.
“And I just love this church, the stuff they do. So I rent from the church,” she said. “So it’s really nice, it would be a blessing if they leave this here. Oh, we need it. We walk here every week.”
Albrecht’s husband works 40 hours a week, and they can still use all the help they can get, she said, to offset rising food costs for their family, which includes two little ones.
“Ryan, he’s great, he does so much for this community. And, you know, to take it away, it would be heartbreaking, because us families need it in this time, it’s everything. It definitely helps with the food costs,” she said.
She could understand that for residents on the street, there may be some issues with traffic congestion, but added another viewpoint.
“I mean, I'm sure for some people that live on Liberty, it’s a hassle. But, you know, if you think about it, we need to help one another and just be kind to each other, especially those, you know, Ryan and Pastor Marty are trying to help the community to get through to the needy families that need it,” she said.
They each had a small child’s wagon to haul the food back to their apartments, as did others who walked to the pick-up. Megan Little doesn’t have a vehicle either, and she walks everywhere, including to her job at a nearby restaurant.
“I’ve come to the food distribution twice, but I've been coming to City Church, the service at 10 o'clock down at City Church, for about a year now. And because my stepson’s grandma is big in the City Church, and works with Ryan and stuff, and I got sober last year, and so I’m just trying to do this new way of life,” she said. “This is amazing how many people they help every every week. Like hundreds, if not thousands. It means a lot because right now my husband is not with us right now. He's gonna be away for a year, and so this is gonna help me a lot, especially around the holidays, and you get all kinds of stuff. They have fresh fruit, canned stuff. It's amazing.”
Some 100 vehicles had lined up along Liberty Street by 9 a.m. Most of them appeared to be parked in between driveways as instructed. A woman who was parked toward the front of the line couldn’t understand the city’s reaction to the distribution.
“I’m really shocked that they said that,” she said, asking that her name not be used. “I go to the church. I like it here, I don’t see why they would have to move; it seems like it’s organized to me.”
A big part of the organization system can be attributed to the volunteers that show up to stack the food in a long row, bag the loose items and prepare everything so that people can simply drive up and get their allotment and go so as not to create a disruption in the flow.
Volunteer Sandy Wojtasczyk walked the line to get names and mark how many adults and children were in each.
“And reminding them not to be parked in driveways or crosswalks,” she said. “And I help to give food out.”
Some vehicles had two families, and some participants will also distribute the food to the Little Free Pantry at First Presbyterian Church and to other organizations and neighbors in need, she said.
Fellow volunteer Jennifer Reed has been helping out for about a year and a half and has been attending the church for 18 years.
“I’ve observed all types of things: I've seen people crying, I've seen people overjoyed that they're getting assistance, with help getting food. I mean, it's just been a blessing to me as well as the people that come through the line,” Reed said. “I’ve never seen an issue with traffic, I mean, I've done everything from walking the streets, taking people's names that are going through the line, just observing, that nobody has been blocking driveways or blocking streets.
“And with the rise of food costs, this has been a blessing to the community. I mean, I have friends myself that come from Le Roy, and Wyoming. I've had people come as far as Attica. So people are coming from all over the region to get help with food.”
Former City Councilwoman Rosemary Christian, who represented that neighborhood’s Ward Six, reached out to The Batavian to voice her dismay about the city’s request to move the distribution. She has suffered some health issues and could not attend a council meeting in person, but wanted to urge others to consider doing so.
“The city streets belong to everyone who pays taxes, and those people all pay taxes too. The problem is, they can’t give up two and a half hours to help give people food?” Christian said. “It’s ridiculous, and they ought to be ashamed of themselves. I hope people will be there to protest this council so people will be able to get food.”
The Batavian has contacted Tabelski for an update on the city’s request and will add that to this article once received.
The food for the distribution is funded by “the City Church family, USDA, Foodlink and other financial partners,” Macdonald said.
Photos by Howard Owens
Students at John Kennedy Intermediate School had a big holiday-themed message for first responders on Tuesday morning: Thank you.
The students expressed their appreciation for the help and support the school gets from City Fire and Batavia PD at school events, notably the JK Polar Plunge, the Thanksgiving Food Drive, the Golisano Holiday Toy Drive, Careers and Candy, Fire Safety, and the Mud Run.
Click here for 43 Prospect Avenue, Batavia.
Click here for 5444 School Road, Byron.
Local businessman Pete Zeliff confirmed Monday that although he has put his Saile Drive property up for sale, he plans to remain in the area and be involved with his Genesee County endeavors.
Zeliff’s home at 4559 W. Saile Drive in Batavia has been listed by Michelle Dills at Howard Hanna for $3.5 million. He and his wife Doreen married in July and have homes in five states between them, he said, “because we’ve got grandchildren in almost all those places.”
“We’re just going to consolidate a bit. I don’t need this great big house here, along with everything else,” he said. “So I’ve got other homes here, and I just figured if I put this one up for sale, I don’t have this big house to take care of. We can stay in another place that I have.”
They will continue to be part of the Wings Over Batavia Air Show in 2024, as Zeliff explained that much of his own personal financial investment was because “we brought that air show back here for the community.”
He also plans to remain involved in a longtime annual Western New York Aviation Adventure Camp for high school students that he developed, and will be working on new construction of apartments with partner Ken Mistler with the Carr’s Reborn project on Main Street in downtown Batavia next month, he said.
Zeilif is also chairman of the board of directors for the Genesee Economic Development Center, with a term that expires in 2028, and serves on the United Memorial Medical Center Board of Directors. He is a recipient of the 2022 Health and Humanitarian Award and has been a supporter of many community charitable organizations. He is also a former Oakfield-Alabama Central Schools board member.
The property listed for sale is just down the road from Zeliff’s airport hangar on Saile Drive and is situated on 5.8 acres of land. So far, it has reaped some chatter on social media sites, which Zeliff indicated he has seen.
By a vote of seven to one, City Council agreed to the second three-year contract for current City Manager Rachael Tabelski during Monday’s business meeting.
The contract, effective March 8, 2024, includes a starting salary of $123,290. That salary takes effect April 1. Subsequent salaries will be equivalent of the percent of nonunion pay raises in 2025 and 2026 in accordance with the city’s normal payroll practices for other non-union employees of the city of Batavia.
During the Nov. 27 City Council meeting, member Bob Bialkowski raised the issue of tying Tabelski’s salary to other nonunion employees and suggested that her salary instead be a stand-alone salary, raise and benefits. Council President Eugene Jankowski said that he agreed with the contract as is, and the remaining council members agreed with him.
The vote came before the council Monday evening, and Councilman Bob Bialkowski again voiced his objection.
“I’ll restate what I’ve stated in the past, no reflection on the city manager, whatsoever, but it should be a totally stand-alone contact, it shouldn’t be tied in with other employees,” Bialkowski said just before the vote at City Hall. (Editor's Note: this statement has been revised because it was misinterpreted in the original version.)
Members John Canale, Rich Richmond, Eugene Jankowski, Paul Viele, David Twichell, Al McGinnis and Kathy Briggs voted yes to Bialkowski’s no. Councilwoman Tammy Schmidt was absent.
Tabelski was appointed as city manager in March 2021 after working as interim manager since June 2020.
As per other non-union employees, the contract also includes retirement benefits, medical insurance from the employer that agrees to provide for health, hospitalization, surgical, vision, dental and comprehensive medical insurance for the employee, spouse and her dependent children; paid time off of five weeks equal to 25 work days, in addition to accrued sick, personal and/or bereavement time, allowances of costs associated with a “suitable automobile for the business use only of employee,” that shall include commuting to and from work and not for personal use.
The employer shall also provide the employee with a cell phone, which may be used for business and personal use, or a $100 monthly stipend, and reimbursement of any travel and business expenses incurred on behalf of the city, life insurance benefits, deferred compensation access of 4 percent of the annual salary to be contributed to the deferred compensation of employee; professional development of dues, subscriptions, travel and expenses for the manager for professional participation and travel, meetings, and occasions necessary to continue her professional development.
The position includes a background check and understanding that suspension with full pay and benefits at the discretion of City Council and termination are options under Chapter Five of the Batavia City Charter and/or if the voters of the city substantially change the form of government of the city and the manager elects to treat that amendment or change as an act terminating her employment; plus a slew of other reasons, including that the manager dies or becomes disabled; admits to, is convicted of or pleads solo contendere to any crime which is injurious to the interests, business, operations or reputation of the city or which involves moral turpitude or which involves the misuse or misappropriation of public funds, engages in illegal drug use, misconduct in connection with the performance of her duties, misrepresentation to the city, fraud, misappropriation of city assets or property, embezzlement, breach of any fiduciary duty owed to the city or any violation of any law or regulations to which the city is subject, engages in any intentional or grossly negligent act, omission or conduct that is injurious to the interests, business, operations or reputation of the city, or materially breaches this agreement.
The manager may terminate the agreement at any time and for any reason as long as she provides the city with advance, written notice of at least 60 days before the termination of the agreement, unless the parties agree in writing otherwise.
In the first year of employment, the manager shall receive a verbal informal review from the city on a quarterly basis, and in the second year receive an annual review on or about March 8. City Council is to provide Tabelski with a written statement of the findings and provide an adequate opportunity for her to discuss the evaluation with council.
Calling it “the most fun and entertaining series we’ve ever had,” Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. President Henry Wojtaszek (photo above) this morning unveiled a nine-week, 14-performer Rockin’ the Downs 2024 Summer Concert Series.
The Friday night series begins on June 21 with Smash Mouth, the California-based rock band that made a big splash in the 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as “Walkin' on the Sun,” “All-Star,” “Then the Morning Comes,” and a cover of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.”
It concludes on Aug. 16 with a trio of acts featuring former members of the legendary Boston (Tommy DeCarlo), Chicago (Jason Scheff) and Dennis DeYoung of Styx (August Zadra).
In between, there will be six “tribute” bands showcasing the music of Heart, The Guess Who, The Doors, Jimmy Buffett, Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty, along with April Wine, country star Clay Walker, The Bacon Brothers (featuring Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon) and 38 Special.
Batavia Downs' press release indicated that the Bacon Brothers -- Kevin and Michael, an Emmy Award-winning composer), have spent the better part of three decades creating their own mix of folk, rock, soul, and country music, a diverse sound they call "forosoco." The Landsharks Band (tribute to Jimmy Buffett) will open the show.
“When I say the most fun and entertaining, it’s because of the ‘sing-along’ nature of the music,” Wojtaszek said following a brief press conference at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road. “The audience is going to know most of the songs and surely will have a great time.”
The concert series lineup is as follows:
-- June 21, Smash Mouth.
-- June 28, Barracuda (Heart tribute).
-- July 5, April Wine and Carl Dixon (The Guess Who tribute).
-- July 12, Clay Walker.
-- July 19, Peace Frog (The Doors tribute).
-- July 26, The Bacon Brothers, Landsharks Band (Jimmy Buffett tribute).
-- Aug. 2, Rumours (Fleetwood Mac tribute), Practically Petty (Tom Petty tribute).
-- Aug. 9, 38 Special.
-- Aug. 16, Tommy DeCarlo (music of Boston), Jason Scheff (music of Chicago), August Zadra (music of Styx).
Tickets at four price points (General Admission, VIP, Premium and Front Row) can be purchased after 10 a.m. Tuesday by going to www.bataviaconcerts.com.
Tickets are $15 for General Admission, $30 for VIP, $60 for Premium and $75 for front row seats. All tickets can be redeemed at Player’s Club at any time in the three days following the concert for $10 Free Play.
A season pass for general admission will be $100 (a savings of $20), and season passes for VIP tickets are $200 (a savings of $40). A Premium Season Pass is $400 (a savings of $80). Season passes may only be purchased online.
Until New Year’s Day, tickets purchased online or at the Lucky Treasures Gift shop for the General Admission section will be only $10. Concertgoers will still receive $10 in Free Play on show day with this ticket.
Photo by Mike Pettinella.
Visit us online and stay up to date with specials post on our facebook page.
Press Release:
The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors advanced an initial resolution for Graham Corporation’s proposed new commercial production facility at the agency’s board meeting on Thursday, December 7th, 2023.
Graham Corporation is a global leader in the design and manufacture of mission critical fluid, power, heat transfer, and vacuum technologies for the defense, space, energy, and process industries. The project will add to the company’s existing location in the city of Batavia where it has been headquartered since 1942.
The $13.9 million proposed investment includes the construction of an 18,900 sq. ft. expansion intended to reduce design and manufacturing costs and improve shipping capabilities for the organization’s US defense sector. The project will create 24 new full-time equivalent (FTE) positions while retaining 340 FTEs.
Graham Corporation is seeking sales tax exemptions estimated at $206,400 and a property tax abatement estimated at $197,826 based on an incremental increase in assessed value totaling the proposed financial agreements to approximately $404,226. For every $1 of public benefit, Graham is investing $68 into the local economy resulting in a local economic impact of $19.44 million in future wages and tax revenue.
A public hearing for the proposed project agreements will be scheduled in the city of Batavia.
Press Release:
Would you love to grow nutritious, great-tasting vegetables but don’t have space for a garden? The Batavia Community Garden can help! Come join our Batavia Community Garden in 2024 and enjoy the benefits of growing and eating your own fresh produce. Bed rentals also make the perfect Christmas gift for your favorite gardener. Join a community of gardeners.
Garden plots are offered in three sizes: 4’ x 4’ ($20), 4’ x 8’ ($30), and 2’ x 10’ ($25) trough plots for gardeners with limited range of motion. All plots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Plot rentals are available to anyone living in Genesee County. Currently managed by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, the garden is located next to 12 MacArthur Drive. The garden generally opens for planting in mid-May and closes in late October.
New gardeners (with little or no gardening experience) can rent one 4’ x 4’ plot. Gardeners with gardening experience can rent up to two 4’ x 4’ plots or one 4’ x 8’ plot. Elevated trough beds (for adaptive gardening needs) are limited to one bed per gardener if available. Potential gardeners should review the Batavia Community Garden Rules and Information before applying.
Plot fees include access to a raised bed filled with a growing soil mix, access to water source with hose, watering wand, and watering cans; use of provided hand tools; use of compost bin, and other resources at the garden.
Plot requests are filled according to the order in which applications are received. A check or money order must be included with the application. Payments of cash can be made at the CCE Genesee office during business hours at 420 E Main St, Batavia. All fees are non-refundable.
For more information please contact Laura G. at CCE Genesee County, (585) 343-3040, ext. 101, stop by the CCE office at 420 East Main Street in Batavia or visit the website https://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/gardening/the-batavia-community-garden.
Dominance by a pair of horsemen was center stage on Saturday’s (Dec. 9) closing night card at Batavia Downs as driver Kevin Cummings and trainer Sam Smith put forth a pair of relentless efforts that yielded some very lofty numbers.
Coming into the final night of the meet, Smith was tied with fellow trainer Shawn McDonough for the dash title of the summer and fall stanza and it didn’t take long to see that Smith was ready to serve notice. Smith sent five consecutive stablemembers to the winner’s enclosure to start the night and later added one more to grab a six-pack and claim the training title and the hardware.
Smith trainees won races one through five and included Pepin Coolie (1:57.1, $8.70), Ys Lotus (1:54.1, $3.10), Poets N Pirates (1:58.3, $5.00), Just Don’t Wait (1:56.3, $13.20) and Blogmaster (1:56, $3.50). He then later won with Johnny Boy, who captured the co-featured $15,000 Open I Handicap trot to get to six.
Johnny Boy left from post five and led every step of the race. After setting fractions of :28, :58.1 and 1:27 with no one close enough to challenge him, Johnny Boy turned for home and bolted to a 2-½ length win in 1:56.
It was the 10th win of the year for Johnny Boy ($4.50) who is owned by Mike Torcello, and who also owns Smith’s other five winners.
Smith also had one second from his nine starters to post a stellar .728 UTR for his work on Saturday.
Kevin Cummings drove three of Smith’s winners but also added five others to finish the night with a total of eight wins, which is just one shy of the track record of nine set by Jim Morrill Jr. only three weeks ago.
Besides the aforementioned Pepin Coolie, Poets N Pirates and Johnny Boy, Cummings also won with Remember The Beach (1:55.4, $35.20), Special Prosecutor (1:58, $6.80), McBardle (1:55.2, $2.60), Life Master (1:55, $3.90) and Stranger Things, who won the co-featured $15,000 Open I pace on the night he was named Pacer of the Meet for the second consecutive year.
Stranger Things got away fifth as Virgil N (Drew Monti) led to the half in :56.2. As they passed that station, Alta Engine A (Jim Morrill Jr.) pulled first-over and Stranger Things followed in stride. Virgil N succumbed to the pace at three-quarters allowing Alta Engine A to take the lead heading into the last turn. Stranger Things continued to pace alongside the leader and began to accelerate when they hit the stretch. Stranger Things gained ground with every stride and passed Alta Engine N by a length at the line in 1:53.
It was the third straight win and 10th of the year for Stranger Things ($4.60) who is owned by Kathy Schoeffel, Virginia Schoeffel, and James Reuther and trained by Angelo Nappo.
Cummings also had two seconds among his 15 starts to realize a stout .622 UDR for the night.
The management and staff of Batavia Downs would like to wish all their patrons a very happy holiday season and look forward to welcoming everybody back on Thursday (Jan. 4) when the 2024 winter meet kicks off its 16-date run through Monday (Feb. 26) pending New York State Gaming Commission date approval. Post time for every race day will be 3 p.m.
The Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association and Batavia Downs have announced the top driver, trainers, and horses from the summer and fall live racing meet who will be honored for their efforts during the Night of Distinction awards presentation that will be held on closing night at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Dec. 9). Post time for the first race is 6 p.m.
Jim Morrill Jr. will receive the Driver of the Year Award after he notched his fifth driving title at Batavia Downs. This meet, Morrill had 429 starts with 138 wins, 81 seconds, and 58 thirds that produced earnings of $1,217,071 and a UDR. of .472. Those earnings set a new all-time track record for purses collected in a single meet at Batavia, breaking the mark he set just last year ($1,115,951). Morrill is also only one of two drivers (Kevin Cummings) to ever earn in excess of $1 million at Batavia Downs in a single meet and now both have done it in consecutive years.
Overall in 2023, Morrill has started 1,020 times with 295 wins, 184 seconds and 148 thirds with $2,567,305 in earnings and a UDR of .438. That UDR rating has him sitting in first place among all drivers in North America for percentage performance.
The Trainer of the Year has yet to be decided as Sam Smith and Shawn McDonough are currently tied after Wednesday’s card with Smith showing 43 wins and McDonough posting 43 wins as well.
To this point in the meet, Smith has 242 starts with 43 wins, 42 seconds, and 35 thirds with earnings of $401,222 and a UTR of .322. For the year he has 648 starts with 109 wins, 94 seconds, and 91 thirds with earnings of $988,750 and a UTR of .296. All these numbers are career highs for Smith.
McDonough’s Batavia meet tally shows 276 starts with 43 wins, 42
seconds and 29-thirds that banked $346,692 and provided him a UTR of .275. His totals for all of 2023 showed 598 starts with 96 wins, 83 seconds and 76 thirds, earnings of $764,240 and a UTR of .280.
The top trainer will be named Saturday night as Smith will start 10 horses and McDonough will start eight and it could come down to the 15th race on the card before it’s decided.
Driver Kyle Swift, who was named the track's Rising Star for 2023 earlier this week, will also be presented his award on Saturday.
The top equine athletes will also be lauded and here is the list of award recipients for this meet.
Pacer of the Meet - Stranger Things (Western Terror-Southwind Prairie)
Kathy Schoeffel, Virginia Schoeffel and James Ruether, owners - Angelo Nappo, trainer.
Stranger Things had 17 starts with 6 wins, 1 second and 3 thirds that earned him $52,000 in purses, which was the most won by any pacer competing at the Downs this meet. Stranger Things competed against some of the best pacers on the grounds all season and could be counted on to show up week in and week out. For the entire year, Stranger Things won nine races and $71,590 in purses. Stranger Things will be on hand to close out his meet on Saturday night in the featured 9th race.
Trotter of the Meet - Lougazi (Lou’s Legacy-Winning Blade)
Mary Warriner, owner - Ryan Swift, trainer.
Lougazi is a multiple winner of this award and rightfully so, as this 9-year-old war horse has been battling the best at Batavia for six years. In 2023, Lougazi had 16 starts that yielded him four wins, four seconds and four thirds with $54,600 in purses that made him not only the richest trotter of the meet, but the richest horse of either gait overall as of this writing. Overall in 2023 Lougazi had eight wins and $91,295 in earnings.
Mare of the Meet - Louie The Lilac (Sweet Lou-Pineapple Hanover)
Michael L. Torcello, owner - Sam Smith, trainer.
Louie The Lilac started the meet in the non-winners classes and worked her way up to the Open I where she found success twice. She has faced some very tough competition from top flight ship-in mares in her 16 starts this year, yet came out on top seven times during the meet while earning $49,105 in purses. For the entire year, Louie The Lilac has won a total of nine races while putting $69,968 in the bank.
Claimer of the Meet - A Black Diamond (Betterthancheddar-Tricky)
LAV Racing Stable, owner - Russell Bratt, trainer.
Although winning her first race at Batavia in a conditioned event, A Black Diamond made her living in the claiming ranks all year after that and totaled eight wins for the meet, making her the winningest horse of either gait or gender at Batavia Downs this year. And she ended the year stronger than ever, winning five out of her last six starts including four straight in that stretch, earning $48,620 this meet. For all of 2023 A Black Diamond won 13 races and $82,852 in purses.
These awards will be presented trackside in the winner's circle between the races throughout the night.
On Saturday, the Walmart in Batavia hosted Shop with a Cop, the annual event that pairs children who may not have funds for Christmas presents, either for themselves or as gifts for others, with a local police officer.
This year, participating agencies were Batavia PD, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, and Le Roy PD.
Photos by Howard Owens.
Genesee County residents were once again generous in their giving for the annual WBTA/Ken Barrett Chevrolet Toy Drive on Friday. The Salvation Army will distribute the gifts to area children.
The folk tradition of music and art in Ireland informs the work of Batavia artist Adrian Morris, featured in the Winter Show of the Batavia Society of Artists at the Richmond Memorial Library.
The show opened Thursday and features 35 paintings by Morris, both his Irish landscapes and his portraits of musicians, writers, political figures, and commissioned work.
'I'm painting every day, painting all the time, in my spare time," Morris said. "It's just, I can't stop doing it. It's a passion that I've had from a young age."
In 2008, Morris immigrated to the Batavia area to be with a woman from the area. He is with a new lady now, but he stayed and has become embedded in the local art community. His works are included in showings regularly with the BSA and at GO ART!
His Irish accent is unmistakable, as is his love for his homeland, but his love for America's musical traditions is also expressed through his work. His portraits on display in the show include Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, John Lennon, Neil Young, and three of Johnny Cash.
What is the fascination with The Man in Black?
"Because I'm Irish," Morris answered. "And we're into folk music, traditional folk music, and he takes a lot of bluegrass and folk stuff into his music. I love folk music, like (Bob) Dylan and Johnny Cash and all those guys, you know. There is honesty in their songs and the stories that they tell. It's all about storytelling."
One of Morris's most stunning pieces is a portrait of James Joyce, the early 20th-century novelist known for his often inscrutable prose and stories deeply rooted in his native Dublin.
All these decades after Joyce's death, with his legacy enshrined in the scholarship of great literature, it might be hard to see Joyce as a folk figure, but that is how Morris sees him, and what draws him to Joyce.
"If you're in Dublin -- Ulysses is set in Dublin -- you can literally track every part of the book," Morris said. "You can go along the train, ride along the train along the coast, and everything he described in the book is in Dublin, and his cadence of the people (in the book), the way they talk, is purely Irish. A lot of Americans say it's very hard to read, but for me, it's just like, it's, it's my tone, the way their slang words work, you know, it's a rhythm and a regional accent to Dublin, it's very Dublinesque, and, and so that's the beauty of his prose."
Joyce, he said, brings the complexities of life into a real world of real people just trying to get through their daily lives, like any folk artist.
"He goes through the gamut of philosophy and life and all these things, but he does it in a common man's way," Morris said. "You know what I mean? There's no airs about him."
Morris's love of Ireland and folk traditions is also expressed in a portrait that might surprise some -- Frederick Douglass.
"Frederick Douglass is a big he's a big part of Ireland," Morris said. "Anti-slavery with the whole British thing, the colonization, so he was a big part of it. He was about the abolishment of slavery and so I really respected him even before coming here, and little did I know respecting him as a child that he was such a part of Rochester and the area. I was just like, 'Wow. So I felt like I wanted to pay tribute to him."
In Ireland, Douglass is revered for a speech he gave there.
"I don't know if it's true, but some Irish people had some part in paying for his freedom (NOTE: Irish and British residents raised the 150 pounds to purchase his freedom)," Morris said. "When he went over there, he moved the Irish people so much, that might have sown the seed for them to launch a free country because they were under the rule of the British for so long, and they wanted their freedom. So it's a political thing, but it's rooted in my culture."
The BSA Winter Show is on display through December and is open during regular library hours.
It is 2023, and I am celebrating my 73rd Christmas.
Over the years, the memories have changed. I recall that it began at 5 Highland Park, my first home with my three brothers. The special Christmas gift I remember Santa bringing me was Wanda the Walking doll. My most treasured memory is a photograph of my mom and me near our Christmas tree.
As the years progressed and my family grew, welcoming two little sisters, our Christmas celebration occurred on Evergreen Drive. Santa must have been very busy delivering toys to the Adam Miller Toy Store.
My favorite toys were my Tiny Tears Doll, a two-story metal doll house, and my first Barbie. Sadly, I had the bright idea of cutting off her ponytail. So many pictures centered around our aluminum Christmas tree that changed colors with the revolving light as Silent Night played. Downtown Main Street was filled with people Christmas shopping at their favorite stores. There were so many local stores to choose from. C.L. Carrs was always so festive with their decorations and Christmas music.
There was a time when you could see a nativity scene in front of City Hall. You had to take a family drive to look at all the houses decorated for Christmas. You always had to stop at the Blind School to see the miniature Christmas village. What a shock and sadness it was returning home from college in the 70s to see the destruction of most of our Main Street. The historic buildings were gone, and only large mounds of bricks dotted Main Street.
Christmas always meant family, but family dynamics, marriages, children, and grandchildren changed. The most challenging part was when the siblings moved away, which changed our Christmas’.
We cherish the Kodak Super Eight movies and VHS video tapes of our daughters on Christmas morning. Another memory was the Montgomery Wards Dept Store, waiting in a large group to hopefully purchase two Cabbage Patch Dolls. Another place we frequented was the Hiding Place in the Mall and Alberty Drug Store, looking for that rare Beanie Baby.
We will never forget Christmas Eve when Rich assembled the Barbie Dream House. We had never seen so many pieces and decals. We just made it to bed an hour before the girls woke up on Christmas morning.
Our girls made Christmas so memorable, but then that changed. They were off to college and then married. We are now back to a very small Christmas. Many of my baby boomers have experienced the loss of parents that changed Christmas in so many ways. It is a loss that never goes away.
Even though our Christmas has changed over the years, our memories keep us warm, and we remember our Christmas past.
Merry Christmas to my readers. I wish you beautiful memories to cherish today and tomorrow and remember your past Christmases in your hometown, Batavia, NY.
After a couple of seasons where the Batavia Blue Devils have struggled for wins in Girls Basketball, the team is off to a 3-0 start in 2023-24.
And the games haven't even been close.
The Class A Blue Devils have beat Class A Geneva 42-16, Class A Young Women, 64-25, and on Friday night, Class AA Wilson/Early College 58-21.
On Friday, Jaimin Macdonald scored 21 points, Karizma Wescott scored 11, and Julia Preston scored 10 points.
The next home game for Batavia is Monday at 7 p.m. against Le Roy.
To view or purchase photos, click here.
Photos by Steve Ognibene
The first 15 minutes is when emergency responders have the best chance of saving lives during an active threat -- that incident where a bad actor, or multiple perpetrators, have undertaken hostile actions.
Local cops, firefighters, and medics worked together at St. Anthony's on Thursday to participate in active threat training to learn how to coordinate a quick response to neutralize a threat and perform emergency medical procedures.
"An active threat can be anything and everything from a single shooter to a complex coordinated attack on a facility or building or structure with an intended target," said Don Birou, lead instructor for the training course. "The goal here is as they have something that has occurred, they respond to it, and then they have to respond to save the lives that we put in front of them."
Birou is with the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training Academy and Counter-Terrorism, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based contractor with Homeland Security.
This is the first time this sort of training has been conducted in Genesee County.
"We want law enforcement to come in, eliminate the threat, get the rescue task force in here and get those victims out of here to a hospital in a very short timeframe," Birou said. "It's a coordinated event among all the agencies. This is not like a single agency stuff. This is police, fire, and EMS working as one. In order to make that happen, they have to train on those aspects and try to get used to it."
Thursday's training included deputies from the Sheriff's Office, Batavia police officers, Batavia firefighters, Mercy EMS medics, and the Office of Emergency Management. In the photos, police are in blue vests, medical and fire personnel in red, trainers in orange, and observers in green.
Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger said the impetus for the training came from school districts looking to ensure first responders were ready to deal with not only an active shooter but other kinds of immediate hostile threats.
Law enforcement frequently trains on neutralizing threats, but such training does not typically include fire and EMS responders and coordinate with them during a critical time frame when lives can be saved but the scene is still chaotic, and officers can't be 100 percent certain a threat has been fully neutralized.
One officer participating in the training said he was grateful to go through it because he did find that when the scenario switched from putting down a shooter to dealing with victims, he became more nervous and realized he didn't have enough experience with that aspect of active threat situation.
"Law enforcement is often ahead of fire and EMS, and they're very prepared to respond to those things, but this is not a tactical SWST response," Yaeger said. "This is the patrol officers that are in the field, they have to respond immediately and take out that threat. This program helps us set the baseline to integrate fire, EMS, and dispatch so we're all on the same page, we're all talking about the same terminology and what our job duties are, how we're going to perform."
Yaeger emphasized that the first 10 or 15 minutes is the most critical period for saving the lives of victims so responders need to work quickly and with as little confusion as possible about how to communicate, what to communicate, and what role each plays to "stop the bleeding."
"It sounds simplistic, but it isn't," Yaeger said. "It's very, very complex, especially when you're dealing with law enforcement at the time when they may not know is that one shooter, multiple shooters, you know, or is that a complex coordinated attack?"
This is just the first such training but more is planned, Yaeger said, including a full-scale exercise sometime in 2024, possibly at GCC or one of the other schools in the county.
The scenarios used in the training are true-to-reality, Birou said, taken from after-incident reports of actual attacks and mass casualty events.
"The training is best practices," Birou said. "How do we respond to these kinds of incidents, and what's the best method for accomplishing our task of saving lives?"
Photos by Howard Owens
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