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In Genesee County Court today, Matthew T. Zakrzewski faced the metaphorical equivalent of Door 1, Door 2, or Door 3.

Only Door 1 was already open.  It contained a maximum prison term on his arson charges of 10 years.

Behind Door 2 is the possibility of 20 years in prison, and behind Door 3 is a jury trial and a possible 40-year prison term if convicted.

Zakrzewski rejected Door 1 because he had done his own research and apparently believes he can beat the five possible felony charges pending against him.

While Zakrzewski's case has not yet been presented to a Grand Jury, he is currently charged with:

• Arson 2nd, intentional with a person present, a Class B felony, arrested on Jan. 16
• Arson 3rd, intentional damage to property, a Class C felony, arrested Jan.17
• Criminal mischief 4th, an A misdemeanor, arrested Jan. 16
• Burglary 2nd, a Class C felony, arrested Jan. 16
• Criminal mischief 3rd, a Class E felony, arrested Jan. 17
• Arson 5th, intentionally damaging property, an A misdemeanor, arrested Jan. 18
• Criminal mischief 3rd, a Class E felony, arrested Jan. 18

District Attorney Kevin Finnell communicated to Zakrzewski's attorney, Fred Rarick, a plea offer that would have Zakrzewski admit to two arson felonies in exchange for a sentence cap of 10 years in prison.

Initially, Zakrzewski accepted the plea offer but after "doing his own research," Rarick told Judge Melissa Cianfrini, Zakrzewski decided there were defenses available to him that might help him beat the charges at trial.

For example, Rarick said Zakrzewski believes he can claim he was drunk at the time of at least one of the crimes and use that as a valid defense.

Rarick said he regrets that there is no way, while Zakrzewski is in the Genesee County Jail, that the attorney could show him video the prosecution could present that purportedly shows Zakrzewski in the act of committing a crime. In his professional opinion, Rarick said, it would be hard to convince a jury, based on that evidence, that Zakrzewski was intoxicated.  He isn't stumbling around or displaying other signs of clear inebriation. 

In court on Tuesday, Finnell said that if Zakrzewski did not accept the pending plea offer by the end of the hearing, it would be withdrawn, and the cases against him would be presented to a Grand Jury. If indicted, the best plea offer Zakrzewski could hope for was a 20-year prison term.  If that was rejected, Finnell noted, and Zakrzewski was convicted at trial, he would face a maximum prison term of 40 years.

Zakrzewski told Cianfrini that he understood the offer and the consequences of rejecting it.

He also said that, based on Rarick's apparent belief that Zakrzewski would be convicted of the charges, he wanted a new attorney.

Cianfrini explained to Zakrzewski in multiple ways that the court had no authority to force the D.A. to reinstate a rejected plea offer, and that once it was withdrawn, it was entirely at the descretion of the District Attorney to decide what, if any, other plea offer might be made.

"It will be out of the court's hands," Cianfrini said. "It is on the District Attorney's authority.  The court cannot compel the District Attorney to make a plea offer."

Zakrzewski said he understood that.

She also explained that Rarick had a law degree and passed the bar.

"He has many years of criminal defense experience," Cianfrini said. "His job is to make an assessment of the case based on his training and experience and offer you advice."

"Do you have a law degree?" she asked Zakrzewski.

"No," he said.

Cianfrini told the defendant, "You don't have the background or the training and experience, but it is absolutely your decision."  She wasn't trying to influence his decision, she said, but wanted only to make it clear the limits of the court's authority and that once the decision was made, it couldn't be undone.

"His job is to look at the evidence and advise you," she said. "When he tells you things, he's not working against you. He's telling you based on his experience and training, this is what he thinks."

Rarick said that while in his professional opinion Zakrzewski should accept the plea offer, he was ready and willing to assist Zakrzewski in pursuing his right to challenge evidence, make motions, and mount a defense.

After the discussion, Zakrzewski agreed, at least for the time being, to keep Rarick as his attorney.

The 42-year-old Zakrzewski is accused of setting a chair on fire at Washington Towers in mid-January. Later in January, he was accused of starting a fire at a residence on Bank Street earlier in the month. He was later arrested in connection with a reported mid-January fire, also on Bank Street.

A Batavia man facing a manslaughter charge for allegedly letting the mother of his children die of a drug overdose entered a not-guilty plea in County Court on Monday.

Makeen Ithna-Asheri, 61, is accused of buying drugs for Anda Ithna-Asheri, 61, and then when she overdosed, he allegedly failed to provide aid.

Police were called to the Ithna-Asheri residence at Northside Meadows at 9:32 p.m., Dec. 31, to investigate a report that two adults had overdosed in the presence of their children.

When patrols arrived, Anda Ithna-Asheri was already dead.  Emergency responders administered several doses of Narcan to revive Makeen Ithna-Asheri, according to police.

The children were reported to be aged seven and 10.

Last week, Ithna-Asheri was indicated by a Genesee County Grand Jury on counts of manslaughter in the second degree, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th.

Ithna-Asheri entered a not-guilty plea to all charges.

Motions in the case are set to be argued at 1:45 p.m. Aug. 9 in Genesee County Court.

Judge Melissa Cianfrini continued Ithna-Asheri's confinement status at $50k bail, $100k bond, and $150k partially secured bond. Still in jail on the same bail.

Press Release:

Kiwanis Club of Batavia will be hosting its annual Independence Day 5K on Monday, July 4 at 9 AM at Centennial Park. The club is so excited to bring this event back in person after hosting a virtual event last year.

You can register here

Proceeds from the race will be distributed to the Autism Nature Trail at Letchworth State Park, Batavia City School Foundation for the Community Schools Program, and lastly the Kiwanis activity fund which supports community events such as our Easter Egg Hunt, Thanksgiving Morning Skate and others.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Press Release:

The Batavia Police Department is looking for help in identifying a person of interest in a larceny at Tops Supermarket which occurred on June 2 at approximately 10:05 a.m. Anyone with information on the identity of the person in the photo is asked to contact Officer Christopher Lindsay at 585-345-6350, the confidential tip line at 585-345-6370. Please do not post tips on Facebook or Twitter as the posts are not continuously monitored.

The Batavia Muckdogs (3-1) plated an eight-inning run to break a 5-5 tie with the Auburn Doubledays at Dwyer Stadium on Monday in a game that was delayed a couple of times due to rain.

In the eighth, Brian Fry doubled to open the frame, advancing later in the inning on a double steal after Daniel Burroway had reached base on an error.  Fry scored on a sacrifice fly from Alec Maag.

Fry was named player of the game after going 4-4, scoring twice and knocking in a run. The sophomore at the University of Toledo and from Medina is now hitting .533 on the season.

Tyler Cannoe had a hit and two RBIs and Burroway had two RBIs.

The winning pitcher was Trey Bacon. The Santa Fe College sophomore started in left field but took the mound in the seventh inning and gave up only one hit, striking out four, over three innings.

Joshua Milleville, from Lockport and attending Fairleigh Dickinson University, made his first start of the season. Milleville escaped a tough spot in the opening frame. He hit two hit batters, gave up a single and a sacrifice fly to score one run before he recorded his first out.  He only gave up one more run in 3 2/3 innings of work, striking out three while surrendering seven hits. Batavia's Alex Hale came on in relief and gave up four hits, two runs and walked two over 2 1/3 innings.

Eddie Rives took the loss for Auburn.

Top photo: Brian Fry with a stolen base in the first inning.

Photos by Howard Owens

Auburn shortstop Cooper Erickson scores the first run of the game in the first inning while Batavia catcher Alec Maag waves off a throw to the plate.

Third baseman Jerry Reinhart.

Fry singles in the first inning.

Starting pitcher Joshua Milleville

Second baseman Fry fielding a ground in the first.

Jerry Reinhart fouls off a pitch in the second inning.

Josh Leadem, attending the University of Rochester, grounds out to third in the second inning.

Extra hitter Liam Ward, from Albion and attending Niagara University, fouls off a pitch in the second inning.

Reinhart, Caleb Rodriguez, and Fry during the National Anthem.

Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of talks with City Manager Rachael Tabelski regarding updates on various city initiatives.

It was one thing to be working when COVID-19 hit, and one had to figure out a system for being remote at home. But for City Manager Rachael Tabelski, she was hired for the assistant manager and city manager positions during the pandemic, which meant not having all of the regular in-person meetings with key professionals. She recently attended her first NewYork Conference of Mayors meeting, live and in person.

“Overall, it was very good and very informative. It was nice to actually meet other managers around the state, and talk to them about what they have going on in their community, ” she said during an interview with The Batavian. “So it was really, really, for me, extremely helpful, because for two and a half years, I really couldn’t meet anybody out there.”

The Batavian talked with Tabelski for updates on city projects, vacancies and future insights. Her assistant manager position has been open for a few weeks now, and resumes have been coming in, she said.

“I think it's great to see so many folks interested in the position and in the job and how it's going to move forward,” she said. "And I sincerely thank The Batavian and your articles, because I think that's helpful for candidates to see the news of what's going on in the community, and thoughts and goals and vision I have for that job. So I think that's really neat. And I think the news outlets in Batavia, actually, knowingly or unknowingly, play a big role in how we can recruit for qualified candidates both at city and county levels of government.

“Because people who read the stories that you write about what is going on in the community, what positive changes we may be making, what problems and issues we're trying to tackle. They read all that before they come and apply for a very high-level job like assistant city manager,” she said. “And so credit to our residents and our news agencies for showing the best side of Batavia out there that there is a lot of progress going on. There's a lot of investment and that government teams are a place people would want to come work for, especially here in the city.”

Batavia’s driving force …
“I think it's great that there's a lot of positive momentum in our community surrounding the downtown development projects. The hospital being under Rochester Regional Health, their new buildings, their new offerings for health care here, I think, is huge,” she said. “I think the school district plays into the idea of locating somewhere as well. If you were coming from out of the region to locate here, you'd be looking at the school district, we'd be looking at the prospects for the future, or is it a growing city? Did we have good numbers on the last census track? Do we have programs aligned to keep people here and in their homes? Or to help people qualify to buy homes? Do we have a highly educated population? You know, what percentage do we have graduating high school and college? All those factors play into any job seeker when they're looking for a new opportunity.”

At first blush, it certainly seems as though the city is displaying at least some of those characteristics. Batavia City Schools placed in the top half of all districts across the country in the latest U.S. News & World Report. A local realtor is conducting a workshop next month to assist prospective homeowners with the process. Projects are in various stages of completion to provide new, affordable housing, restaurants, jobs and a second brewery.

Though there also seem to be gaps, by city and county officials’ own admission. There is no large venue to serve as event space; JC Penney’s, a dependable staple and anchor for the former mall, has left; and there are sections of black space within empty buildings where the lights have been turned out.

Housing needs -- from permanent to temporary ...

An upside is the impending Ellicott Station, with expected completion to be in the summer of 2023. Geared towards lower-income folks, the complex should serve the needs of “certain service sectors” and seniors, Tabelski said, with “really nice housing” and an opportunity for the occupants to hang onto some of what they earn or receive from Social Security.

Housing developers conducted a market housing study and identified a price point for housing in this area, she said. That doesn’t mean Batavia is sufficient without the higher, market-rate housing developments, she said.

“So I think sure, if they've proven there's a need for it, and they're going to rent those all out, then there absolutely is a need for high-quality rentals at those certain price points. I also think there's still a big need for market-rate housing. The question is, can a developer come in and get a return on their investment on a building that works for them at the market rates?” she said. “And I think someday, yes, they will be able to. In the COVID building season, it might be a little more difficult.”

As for empty buildings — the former JC Penney, for example — what would serve the city best? Tabelski referred to a report from 2010 that stated there wasn’t a market for a boutique hotel downtown, and officials have heeded that advice up to now.

“I absolutely disagree with that statement. I think with all of the investment going on with the YMCA and the different offerings, and the theater, with the hockey rink, that there is a need, and a small boutique-style hotel or micro-hotel could be very successful in our downtown,” she said. “I think it's one of the next steps in our development process. So again, the exact people that live here and they spend money in retail restaurants, then they have family come in to visit, and now there's a hotel in the downtown. And not to even forget our international students from GCC, they may have friends and family that fly in to see them. Certainly, they could stay at the other hotel offerings that are there, but this might be an opportunity to bring them more into our downtown and more into an urban atmosphere than on the outskirts.”

A wedding (or similarly large special event) party house would also be very successful, she said. Or perhaps both of those ideas.

“In our downtown, we've talked about it for a long time, it would pair nicely with a boutique hotel,” she said.

Another housing need, though, has more to do with longer-term, temporary situations. We are missing “the larger manufacturing corporations” in need of fully furnished lodgings for new employees in training, she said.

“For them to stay in, for maybe a three, four or five months period, which I consider a corporate housing-type market,” she said.  “We talked about this when I was at the IDA, and now I continue to see it happening, that they'll need to go to the outer suburbs of Buffalo and Rochester to find something fully furnished, a corporate housing-type opportunity. So I think that's another opportunity the city has, to develop a unique piece of the market and have more people staying here. And when I say the city, I do mean the private sector, not the actual city of Batavia, just to be clear, where someone could make a return on their investment and have a product out there that supports the manufacturers and their employees that come over for kind of longer-term stays. There's a lot of positive opportunities even after we get all these DRI (Downtown Revitalization Initiative) projects done, there's going to be a lot more to continue to work on.”

Last word on the vacant Penney building was that a real estate developer from California purchased the property and is shopping it around to local developers. Meanwhile, designs are being made for the new police station, to be just across the street at another Alva Place and Bank Street parking lot.

Next up: The city manager discusses the police station, ice rink, shopping experiences

Top 2022 file photo: City Manager Rachael Tabelski gives an update during a City Council meeting, and Tabelski participates in the ceremonial groundbreaking shovel toss for Ellicott Station. 

The Crossroads House Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Charlotte Crawford as their new Executive Director, effective immediately. Charlotte has been serving as the interim Executive Director following the departure of Jeff Allen.

A native of Western New York, Charlotte has worked as a nurse in many areas such as: physician’s offices, nursing homes, and hospitals. In addition to teaching Nursing Leadership at GCC, she also continues to serve as a NYS Certified Paramedic. Her last 22 years were spent at Lake Plains Community Care Network (LPCCN), a rural health network covering Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming Counties. She began her employment as the Care Management Developer, followed by Associate Director, and the last 6 years as the CEO.

Charlotte met Kathy Panepento, the founder of Crossroads House, many years ago when Crossroads House was just a dream. Little did she know that fifteen years later her father would become a resident in the home. It was then that the mission of comfort care became very near and dear to her heart; however, she did not become actively involved until 2 ½ years ago when she was invited to become a member of the Board of Directors. In March of 2022, she was asked to fill in as the Interim Executive Director, and fell in love with Crossroads House, the mission, and all the amazing nurses, aides, and volunteers. Charlotte found their passion and dedication for everything they do to be contagious. “I am extremely excited to become a part of the talented administration team as we constantly strive to move Crossroads House forward to expand our offerings and services, and grow to better serve our community.”

Press Release

City of Batavia Firefighters IAFF Local 896 is happy to announce the
return of our Fill the Boot campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

After a two-year break due to COVID we are bringing back our annual boot drive this year. On Friday, June 17, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. through 1:30 p.m. our Local 896 members will once again be out in the areas of Court Street and Main Street as well as Court Street and Ellicott Street to collect donations for the MDA.

The second part of our Fill the Boot campaign is our traveling boots. IAFF Local 896 has partnered with businesses throughout the City of Batavia to host a collection boot so that donations can be made throughout the year. Donations collected during our Fill the Boot campaign will support researching neuromuscular diseases such as ALS, muscular dystrophies, and other diseases.

Donations will also provide support for families affected by these diseases and opportunities for children affected to go to camps with other children.

Local 896 would like to thank everyone for the donations already received and for all future donations. Also a thank you to the local businesses such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Tops Friendly Markets, NAPA, Sherwin-Williams, and Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union who have already adopted a traveling boot for their location.

Press Release

So that residents of the GOW Counties (Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming) who have a disability are aware of the expanded programs and services provided by Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), we will be holding an Open House from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 9 at our main facility at 319 West Main Street in Batavia. 

Those who attend will be able to view our expanded offices – seven were added; enlarged Medical Equipment Loan Closet (we are now collecting kitchen and household goods for consumers in our homeless housing program); and new Conference Room.

Anyone may stop by during open hours for a tour.  At 12 noon we will be dedicating the Conference Room in honor of Michael Phillips, our late Chief Financial Officer, who passed away last November, after 35 years of outstanding and enthusiastic service.

As the date approaches, ILGR will share additional Open House details on the ILGR Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ILGR14020.  For questions, call (585) 815-8501, Extension 400.

ILGR offers a wide range of services to help people with disabilities remain in control of their own lives and live more independently. Among them are long-term supports and services for seniors and individuals with disabilities through NY Connects, application assistance for Medicaid, Social Security, and Department of Social Services programs, employment and housing search and assistance; an expanded loan closet with free durable medical equipment; and Taking Control, which provides consumer directed personal assistance services (Home Care Aides).

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), a member of the Western New York Independent Living, Inc. Family of Agencies, offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

Before a packed house at Dwyer Stadium, during their 2022 home opener, the Batavia Muckdogs picked up their second win in two games on Saturday, beating the Elmira Pioneers 6-4.

Chris Isaac, a right-hander from Monroe North Carolina, pitched the sixth and seventh innings, giving up three hits but no runs, to pick up the win.

The starter was Batavia's Tyler Prospero. who's attending Niagara University.  He tossed three innings, giving up two hits, no runs, and striking out three.

Batavian Jerry Reinhart, returning to third base for the Muckdogs this season, collected two hits and an RBI.

Gavin Schrader, another Batavia native, and also attending Niagara Unversity, drove in two runs while going 1-2 and collecting a walk.

Batavia's two-game win streak came to an end Sunday afternoon when the Muckdogs lost to Niagara Power 9-8.

The Muckdogs are back home tomorrow at 7 p.m. against Auburn.

Top photo: Batavia's Gavin Schraeder.

Photos by Mike Janes.

Daniel Burroway #10 first hit of the game.

Daniel Burroway collected the first hit of the game.

Alec Maag

Second baseman Brian Fry

Julian Pichardo

Batavia's Alex Hale

Shortstop Caleb Rodriguez

Press release:

The 2022 summer camp will be held at the Batavia High School Varsity softball field on July 5 through 7 from 9 a.m. to noon.

The 8th and 9th will be used as rain dates.

The camp is open to girls ages 8-17 (age 8 to upcoming seniors in HS) from any town.

The camp will feature Batavia Varsity Softball Coach Jim Fazio, Batavia Varsity Assistant Coach, and Athletes Edge Coach Brian Mruczek, Batavia Varsity Assistant Coach Mike Almekinder, Batavia JV Coach Jamie Masters, Batavia Stingers Coach Stan Kaus, and current Batavia Varsity players.

The camp will focus on the fundamentals of the game including hitting, throwing, fielding, base running, and pitching. A catcher (can be a friend, parent, etc.) must be provided for those taking part in the pitching lessons, which are from 9:15 to 10 a.m. The pitching lessons will be taught by Pembroke 2022 graduating senior Allie Schwerthoffer, a perennial Genesee Region League all-star. All players will be grouped according to age, ability, or both.

The cost of the camp is $75 and includes a camp t-shirt. Multiple kids from same the family will cost $65 per player. Make checks payable to Batavia Softball Boosters and mail to Jim Fazio, 5190 Ellicott Street Road,  Batavia, NY 14020 Contact info: 585-356-0901 jfazio@gvboces.org 

To download the sign-up form (PDF), click here.

Jack Lawrence making his First Communion today at 11:30 Mass at St Joseph’s Church.

Photos submitted by Jason Smith.

The chance to wed two great flavors was also an opportunity to bring two local companies together to develop a new product that helps both mark their business anniversaries, said Jeremy Liles, owner of Oliver's Candies in Batavia and Elba.

Hence, Oliver's Candies and Eli Fish Brewing Company have collaborated to bring Genesee County its own local version of beer brittle -- peanut brittle with a beer base instead of water to give the candy an added flavor dimension.

"I like the collaboration amongst businesses, and with this being our 90-year anniversary, I thought it was a fun project," Liles said. "I love Eili Fish and eat there often and those guys are great over there, so that's what I liked about it, just the whole collaboration idea and experimenting with something new, and introducing something new to our customers."

Master candy maker Doug Pastecki said he and Liles have been fascinated with the idea of beer brittle since reading several years ago about a collaboration in California between a candy company and Anchor Steam Brewing.  At the time, there was no local brewery, and using a mass-produced beer wasn't appealing so the idea got shelved.  As Oliver's 90th anniversary approached, Pasteck and Liles were casting about for a new product idea when the trade magazine re-ran the beer brittle story.  With Eli Fish coming up on its fourth anniversary, it seemed like a perfect time for the two companies to work together.

"We got together, we picked up the beer and we got it right in the first shot," Pastecki said.

The beer is a sweeter beer with a complex malt flavor, "Bad Bad Le Roy Brown," an Eli staple.

Malt, sugar, and peanuts go great together, Pastecki noted, and of course, peanuts are often served in bars so that aspect was also a natural fit.

That doesn't mean there wasn't some R&D involved in the process, said Adam Burnett, master brewer for Eli.

"When you just eat a lot of candies, drink a lot of beer, and figure out what goes well together, that's the fun part," Burnett.

Burnett said he was also energized by the opportunity to collaborate with a local legendary company, and from an industry he hasn't previously worked with.

"I definitely have a bit of an MO for doing collaborations by any means necessary," Burnett said. "I think it raises both brands. Every other collaboration I've done has been with breweries, which is a lot of fun for me, but this is outside my wheelhouse. I got to learn about what's going on here. Getting to learn about the history of Oliver's and getting to take part in something for a big anniversary for them is special for me. At Eli Fish, we're the new kids. It's nice to be taken into the old guard a bit."

The beer brittle is being sold at both Oliver's Locations -- Batavia and Elba -- as well as at Eli Fish.

Photos by Howard Owens.

There wasn’t just a group of some 150 people gathered outside of the city’s ice rink Friday; they were supporters, friends and family there in honor of the late David McCarthy and to take the rink to another level of existence. 

The event debuted a new sign for the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena and offered opportunity for a few words to be said in his honor.

“I just brought it to the McCarthy Foundation because it was important to me; David was important to me,” said Guy Pellegrino, who spearheaded a deal for the naming rights of the Evans Street ice arena. “I wanted to honor him, I wanted to honor my friend. What better way to do that, and look at this turnout, you can see what it means to the community.”

Pellegrino, owner of Pellegrino Auto Sales, worked with the city to buy the naming rights for $3,100 annually for 10 years. It was a “bittersweet” moment to see his vision realized, Pellegrino said.

“I would much rather have my friend here,” he said. “But, it’s an honor, quite an honor, to have his name up here. As far as I’m concerned, as long as I’m around I’m going to make sure it’s here.”

He and the late David McCarthy, who was killed at age 29 in an automobile accident in November 2006, played hockey together from 1983 to 1995, when the Batavia High Ice Devils made a run to the New York State finals. McCarthy was a talented athlete who served as team captain and was a “great, great” friend, Pellegrino has previously said.

He retired six years ago from playing hockey, and has a son who now plays at the rink, Pellegrino said. It gives him pause to see the place adorned with a special tribute.

“When I walk in, seeing the sign is pretty special,” he said. “It means something to me.”

Brian McCarthy, David’s brother and president of the Foundation, thanked the swarm of people there to celebrate a new beginning.

“From our family to some hockey families we haven’t seen since the 90s, it’s amazing, all of our supporters, friends and family, thanks for being here. How’s the sign look, pretty good, right?” Brian said to a rousing applause and cheers. “We’re here because of, basically, what hockey does for relationships. Our friend Guy Pellegrino came to us and said there’s an opportunity to name the rink, and I’d like it to be named after Dave. These guys have been teammates and buddies since they were five years old. Guy came to us and said ‘let’s make it happen.’”

The Foundation, Friends of the Rink, Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, city management and other supporters are working to do just that, he said. The overall goal is to improve youth athletics in Genesee County, he said.

“So we worked together to say let’s make this happen, just to support this place where so many of us have met and become friends and family, just to get more involved, just to show how much this building means to us,” Brian McCarthy said.

He thanked City Council and Manager Rachael Tabelski and her office staff, the organizations involved, Friends of the Rink founders Bob Gray and Sharon Valyear-Gray, the Foundation’s board of directors, GAHA, families, friends and supportive community members.

“A lot of feedback I’ve gotten is what a positive step this is for GAHA,” he said. “Let’s just embrace that for all hockey parents, building relationships like Dave and Guy had .. let’s do everything we can as parents to make this the best it possibly can be for kids.Use this as a stepping stone, make it about the kids, let’s use this as a stepping stone to take this organization and this building to the next level.”

Top photo: Community members gather outside of the officially named David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena Friday on Evans Street, Batavia. Speakers share some thoughts about the new name, the arena's namesake and how all involved will help to push momentum for improvements at the rink. Photos by Howard Owens.

June 18 may be a bit anti-climactic for Greg Ireland as his official last day before retirement.

With some reserves of vacation time, Ireland opted to work his last shift this past weekend and use his paid time off for the remaining few weeks. That didn’t make reality sting any less.

“Walking out on my last day was emotional,” he said during an interview with The Batavian. “It’s definitely been part of my lifestyle. Emotions came in waves. It was the right decision at this time, I’ll have the opportunity to be home with my family … that’s going to allow me more time with my family and my kids. That was the main driver behind it.”

After nearly 23 years as a city employee, Ireland has been a recognizable face throughout the community. He started out as an emergency medical technician when the city owned and operated its own ambulance service. He credits Sept. 4, 1999 as “the best day of my life” for a career move out of radio — and the airplanes and helicopters used for part of his traffic reporting job.

“I actually flew on an airplane for almost two years every morning. I did that for a bunch of stations up in Buffalo,” he said. “It was a great experience, but not what I wanted to do.”

So, an Alexander High School and Genesee Community College graduate, he worked in Buffalo for awhile before making the move. He began as an EMT in 1999, with a background of having volunteered for the Alexander fire department, and a year or two before that, Ireland took a first aid class. The handwriting seemed to be on the wall before a teenaged Ireland took serious note of it. He moved through the ranks from basic to intermediate EMT and then to paramedic. By 2002, he was offered a job as a firefighter, which was a major goal.

Much of it has been about community service, he said.

“I had some family members who are volunteer firefighters and I was interested in that. I actually took a first aid class and I was probably 14 or 15 years old. I join the volunteer fire department in Alexander when I was 16,” he said. “And then I got involved taking the EMT classes and always stayed involved in it, and then in 1999, the opportunity came up to do it. There's a job. Yeah. It turned into a great career.”

The Batavian asked Ireland to name a few scenarios about …
The most surprising thing about being a firefighter: “Just how much of the camaraderie there is of the folks I work with, the family atmosphere. It's unlike any other profession, any other job that I've been a part of before,” he said. “It's pretty special to be a part of the fire department; just that family atmosphere. It's odd, because, people I work with, I know their wives, their families, their kids. You know, it's a little different than a regular office job, per se.”

A scary moment on the job: “I don't want to sound corny, but there's always like, people call us on their worst day. And when other people are running away, we're running in. So it's, I guess, it's always kind of scary, but it's the training and that in the preparation we've had for that we understand what to do and how to handle it. So I never really was scared, just, I was more prepared and handled it.”

A ritual or routine at the start of every day: “When I came to work, whether it was a day shift or night shift, or certain routines we go through, especially as the captain, the shift commander, it was my responsibility to put together the log sheet for that shift: who was working and what position, and that was part of our accountability system,” he said. “So we knew who was assigned to what position and what vehicles and that's when the commander comes on shift, whether it's day or night shift, that's the first thing we do. And then, I always called it ‘walking the floor,’ where I would go out to the vehicles, I would put those assignment sheets in each vehicle and I would get my gear out, set my gear out by my riding spot at engine 11. And get it ready so I could get into it at a moment's notice to go on a call … to give me a sense of okay, if there was a certain vehicle out for service, so which vehicles were we using that day or that night. A routine just so I knew that I was prepared for myself and for my crew.”

A most rewarding time on the job: “Not one specific one, a moment that blew me away. But one of the most rewarding parts I feel that I got to do was being the fire prevention officer. And when I was able to go out into, whether it was the schools or wherever we're doing a fire prevention program, and just have that face-to-face interaction. Especially with the kids. And I hope that would be my lasting legacy that I was able to make a positive impression on the kids, and whether it's to reduce their fear of firefighters or to make them more confident if there was an emergency, so that they knew what to do,” he said. “I always thought I was lucky that I was able to be the fire prevention officer and coordinate those visits with the schools and stuff. And over the last two years, it's been difficult with COVID, yeah, but we've definitely, we got creative with it.”

Lessons you have learned: “That there's a lot of really good-hearted people here in Genesee County, and in this area is incredible. A lot of times we encountered people on their worst day. And something so bad can be going on in their life, but a lot of times people keep a positive mindset. It's incredible. Especially in this day and age, you don't see that too much right? A lot of people are like, something could be going so bad, but they'll be like, well, it could be worse, you know, they put a positive spin on it. And going to the schools, the teachers, the administrators, they're incredible. The work they do for the kids in this community is something else.”

Top two memories that will always be with you: 1. “My first call I ever took back in 1999, in my first day working, I always remember that.” 2. “The year 2009 was a tough time. (The city proposed selling off the ambulance service.) And I was intimately involved with that being the union president at the time. So yeah, it was that transition. Just the way it all transpired. I wish there was more open communication between the city and us at the time. There wasn’t, and we moved on from it.”

That’s not to say he doesn’t recall those many other firefighting situations, he said. There was a time when a woman was hanging out of a window, desperate to get out of the burning home. He could see her head out of the second story window as a ladder was going up to get her out.

“And as we're climbing the ladder, she handed a baby out the window,” he said incredulously.

Ireland also climbed the professional ladder, from firefighter to lieutenant in 2015 and captain in 2018.

“I definitely enjoyed being a firefighter … that was the ultimate goal, to get promoted to the fire department as a firefighter. And on the flip side of that, from the 13 years I was a firefighter to become lieutenant, I really enjoyed my time as a firefighter, and almost thankful for the time I got to spend being a firefighter before being promoted to an officer, if that makes sense,” he said. “Just to be a firefighter, to learn the craft, and to enjoy that part of the job before being, and I was very thankful to be, promoted, but to be a firefighter before being promoted into the management side of things.”

He saw a saying somewhere about a parent only having 18 summers to spend with their kids before they go off to college. That has motivated Ireland to dig even deeper into family life and enjoy his family, including wife Ginelle, and two daughters, Lauren, 10, and 7-year-old Morgan. There will be outdoor gatherings, swimming, fishing, exploring new parks, lots of day trips, a yearly trek to the Adirondacks and a couple times a year in Florida, he said.

“And it doesn't seem like a lot. But I I know from when I was a kid, how busy my parents were,” he said.

Now for the exciting part of his story, as Ireland more fully launches the business he purchased in January. It began around this time a year ago when he began to talk with Jim Russell, a former City Councilman who owned Southern Tier Fire Extinguisher. Russell was planning to retire, and Ireland saw another opportunity, he said.

“I purchased the company, the assets, the equipment, the inventory,” Ireland said. “I wouldn't say a name change is  out of the question in the future … obviously, Southern Tier Fire Extinguisher is because where it originated was in Wayland. So it just made sense. Obviously, he gained a lot more business in this area and kept the southern tier, and I hope to do the same.”

The business covers the service, inspection and recharging of fire extinguishers. He will also work with fire suppression systems in kitchens, restaurants and automotive fire suppression systems and service bays as well, he said.

“It's crazy, pretty much just the opportunity, that it's been a great career, and I've been so fortunate that, in 1999, like I said, it was the best day of my life to start at the fire department, and I was just lucky to be a part of that,” he said. “My hope is that I did well and it continues with the next generation. The only thing constant is change. And the people change and I'm sure they're gonna do great at it.”

Top photo: Captain Greg Ireland of the City of Batavia Fire Department at this year's Memorial Day parade; and posing with his family when he was sworn in as lieutenant of the city fire department in 2015. His daughters are "super excited" to spend more time with dad now that he has retired from the City of Batavia Fire Department, he says. Submitted photos.

A power outage that began at 6:11 am is reported on the Southside of Batavia, effecting 1,220 National Grid customers. 

the outage area is from Walnut to Lehigh Avenue, south to the city line and north along Ellicott Street with a portion going north of Main Street at Bank. 

National Grid expects to restore power by 8:30 a.m. 

Genesee Country Farmers Market got off on the right note on a sunshine-drenched day with fresh apples, wine, flowers, food trucks, and a guest appearance by Clayton Duffy of Attica playing acoustic guitar.

Duffy is one of the musicians joining the market this year, along with a harpist plucking classical tunes, a bluegrass group, and a duo playing a funk-jazz mix.

An assortment of goods -- from blankets and wine to apples and asparagus, food trucks and more can be found in the parking lot at Alva Place and Bank Street in Batavia.

Hours for the market are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Live music will be featured on periodic Fridays.

Photos by Alecia Kaus.

Officer Kevin Defelice, Sgt. Dan Coffey, and Animal Control Officer James Sheflin.

Sarah Martin is becoming a pro at talking, assembling, chopping, stirring and serving up nutritious lessons, along with a tasty edible, without missing a beat.

Martin is a SNAP-Ed nutritionist with Cornell Cooperative Extension. Her job got off to a slow start, thanks to all things COVID-19 a year ago, but then she was able to begin her monthly SNAP-Ed workshops in the fall.

“I’ll keep going as long as there’s interest,” she said during an interview Friday at her Batavia office. “The information we provide is general, healthy information. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and we use evidence-based curriculums.”

Her next workshop is set for 6 p.m. June 7 at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia.

It will focus on the My Plate concept of filling about half your plate with fruits and vegetables, about a quarter of it for protein and another quarter grains, with a small dollop of dairy. Out of everything her lessons might include, she emphasizes grains, with a goal to make at least half of your grains whole grains, she said.

"I'm going to talk about the MyPlate, so I'm going to discuss the five food groups," she said. "And just talk about kind of balancing those groups and good ways to incorporate foods from each group and why it's important to eat all five groups."

Flash Quiz: What is the best way to know that the bread you are buying is a whole-grain product?
If you think that bread labeled with the words "multi-grain," "stone-ground," "100 percent wheat," "cracked wheat," "seven-grain," or "bran" fit the bill, the buzzer just went off. These loaves of bread are usually not whole-grain products, Martin said. Look for the word "whole" in the ingredient list.

There are three parts of a grain, and eating them whole means including each component that provides fiber, iron, B vitamins and other nutrients, she said. Those foods include oats, whole wheat products and brown rice. The other types of grain foods are processed, which removes those good nutrients and fiber, such as in white breads and pastas. She has plenty of information to share just about grains alone.

“We have a whole class on it,” Martin said.

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and SNAP-Ed is a nutrition education program for those income-eligible folks that use SNAP benefits for food purchases. Grant-funded by the USDA, the program allows staff to provide nutrition education to primarily underserved communities, she said. That education might be taught at libraries, schools, clinics, and community centers while other types of work focus on policies, the environment, school wellness and fruit and vegetable "prescription" programs, she said.

“The beauty of SNAP-Ed is that with a lot of fad diets they tend to radicalize the diet,” Martin said. “What can you add to those things to really bump up the nutrition? So we're not trying to really overhaul anything, we're just trying to make sure everyone's informed, and to share discussion space on how to add nutrition to the day. For each individual group of nutrients, what are the ways you can eat those foods? So for vegetables, we go through a list of vegetables, some common foods, and list the fiber, vitamins and minerals.”

Speaking of vegetables, are beans, peas and lentils part of this food category? Actually, they can be counted in two groups: protein and vegetables, she said.

Flash Quiz: What color vegetable should you eat the most?
This is a trick question, Martin said, since varying your veggies ensures you get many different vitamins and minerals. Aim for what’s called a Rainbow Plate, she said, filled with an assortment of colors, such as carrots, broccoli and red peppers.

“A rainbow plate is full of colors, which indicate various levels of nutrients,” she said.

“Usually I'll present on a topic, but I try to make it a little more discussion. I invite everyone to chime in and ask questions. We make it a little bit of a discussion about what's your food experience? Where do you see the least foods being used or not? I try to keep it very engaging and interactive, we do sometimes bring in activities.”

Martin demonstrated how she might lead a class and walk members through a recipe. She made a chicken salad and laid out all of the ingredients, followed by chopping the celery, onion and apple. She then mixed in a mayo-Greek yogurt combination and seasonings. At the end, participants will get a sampling of the final dish. The recipe included multiple food groups, she said, of fruit, vegetables, protein, dairy, fat, and grain with an added slice of toasted whole wheat bread.

Another part of the education is to inform people about opportunities such as farmers' market programs; places where participants can use their SNAP dollars or stretch their food dollars, she said.

Melissa Kimbrell is Cooperative Extension’s regional coordinator, and she oversees grants and statistics-related details, such as the results of surveys after a workshop. She tries to gauge if people walked away with something they didn’t know when the talk began. And, perhaps most importantly, did they intend to incorporate some new food — 100 percent whole wheat, for example — or behavior to their lifestyle.

"The beautiful thing … is about working the food demonstrations into our classes,” Kimbrell said. “Our entire website focuses on recipes that have fewer ingredients, they're not cumbersome to make; they're fairly easy and straightforward. It really tries to prioritize nutrition and follow that sort of My Plate methodology that we're talking about, as far as how to approach your plate.”

She doesn’t just talk about that concept, but often follows it by visiting the website for recipes, she said.

“I use it all the time in my personal life, because it's just a one-stop-shop for easy, low-cost recipes that I know are nourishing.,” Kimbrell said.

These talks are given in areas that have people experiencing poverty, are underserved and where at least 50 percent of children qualify for the free or reduced school lunch program, she said.

“Because we believe that nutrition education and these types of services should be available to everyone regardless of socio-economic status,” she said. “So it's the way that we sort of strategically get ourselves into the community and where we hold the classes, that sort of dictates the target audience piece of it.”

That being said, no one is removed from a workshop or is required to show any type of proof as a SNAP recipient, she said.

Some popular topics have been how to understand food labels and ingredient lists better; making swaps for recipes when one doesn’t have or like one or more of the ingredients; how to add exercise to an otherwise sedentary lifestyle; and finding the hidden sugars in the myriad of foods and beverages.

“People are consuming so much sugar and calories through what they drink. And it really throws off the balance to the nutrition for their day. So we do have content where we try to really bring awareness to sugary beverages and the role they play, and also awareness to how much sugar is in these sort of casual things that we drink that we don't necessarily think have sugar in them,” Kimbrell said. “So another big goal of ours is to reduce the sugary beverage consumption and getting people to choose water, low-fat dairy, things like that, more often.”

“The feedback that we get from people is, I've had people tell me, ‘oh, you know, I switched from chocolate milk to white milk,' after we did a lesson on sugar, or I'm drinking more water now or I'm eating my veggies. That's what makes me smile,” she said.

Kimbrell admitted that she has struggled with reducing her pop consumption in trade for more water. But she has also learned ways to eliminate those 12 teaspoons of sugar per small bottle of cola, such as drinking noncaloric flavored seltzer.

These talks aren’t about hitting someone over the head with suggestions, but about providing information and facts so that people can make an informed decision, Martin said.

“We do leave that choice up to the person,” she said. “It's to help clarify, because there is a lot of information out there and misinformation. So I think it's to clarify what the science is saying about what good nutrition looks like. It's to maybe help with a healthy way of thinking about food. So, you know, food isn't just calories. Food is something that we share with our family and our friends. It's about trying to maybe make food a little more friendly.”

No registration is required for the monthly workshops, and they are free. For more information, go to:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

Top photo: Sarah Martin, a SNAP-Ed nutritionist with Cornell Cooperative Extension, gives monthly talks that include a food demonstration the first Tuesday of each month at Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia. Sarah Martin leads her way through a recipe of chicken salad, offering tips and reminders about being sanitary, using safe knife skills, being prepared and how to substitute ingredients when needed. Her next workshop, about My Plate and the five food groups, is at 6 p.m. June 7 at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia. Photos by Joanne Beck

Press release:

Friday, June 3, 2022, from 5 to 9 p.m. Open Art Night
Bring a project, start a new one, or come and hang out and learn a new art during our first Friday Open Art Session!  The bar is open and stocked with Beer, Wine, Cider, Mead and non alcoholic beverages.  Don't forget to bring a friend!

Saturday, June 4, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tie Making for Teens
For this month's teen workshop, teens will be learning how to sew a tie.  They can keep the tie for themselves or give it as a Father's day gift!  This workshop is FREE for teens ages 12-18 and lunch will be provided.  To register for this workshop please call (585) 343-9313 or online at www.goart.org/teens

Thursday, June 9, 2022, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Hooked on Yarn
Want to get hooked on yarn?  Stop in and crochet the night away.  All skill levels welcome but please bring your own supplies.

Friday, June 10, 2022, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Gallery reception
Stop in Friday, June 10 between 6 and 8:30 p.m. to view a portion of AIDS posters which were once a private collection of Dr. Edward C. Atwater but now are part of University's River Campus Libraries Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation.  These posters are on loan from the Rochester Memorial Art Gallery where over 150 posters are currently on display.  For more information on our portion of the exhibit please visit www.goart.org/current-exhibitions

Thursday, June 16, 2022, from 5 to 8 p.m. Gallery Reception
Stop in, Thursday, June 16 between 5 and 8 p.m. for a chance to meet the artists of our two most recent exhibitions.  In the Tavern 2.o.1 Gallery John Midla's "Female Inmate Portraits" is on display.  The exhibit will run from June 1 until July 30, 2022, if you can't make the reception.  In the Oliver's Gallery in the Seymour Dining Room Madeleine Rusch's "Song Lyrics " will be on display from June 15 until July 30.  

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) Board of Directors approved an agreement supporting O-AT-KA Milk Products LLC’s 3,200 sq. ft. facility expansion in the town of Batavia at its board meeting on Thursday, June 2, 2022.

O-AT-KA Milk Products proposed $3.1 million investment will house two new 18,000-gallon tanks to increase capacities of cream-based liquor beverages and future expansions. The project is proposing to create two new jobs at a leading employer in Genesee County’s food and beverage manufacturing ecosystem.

O-AT-KA Milk Products has been a part of the Genesee County community since 1959. Some of their products include dairy-based beverages, evaporated milk, butter, milk powder, and other dairy products. This investment allows O-AT-KA Milk Products, LLC to diversify its offerings of dairy-based beverages.

O-AT-KA Milk Products, LLC requested approximately $208,109 in property, sales, and mortgage tax benefits. The project is estimated to generate $3.5 million of local fiscal benefits over 10 years from project-related payroll and increased tax revenues, equal to $27 dollars in economic activity for every $1 of public investment.