The Batavia Muckdogs picked up their 16th win of the 2023 season on Tuesday in an Independence Day match-up in Niagara against the Power.
Tyrone Woods went 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win in the Muckdogs' 3-2 victory. He struck out four. The Alexander resident and GCC student is 2-1 on the season with a 2.91 ERA.
Rijnaldo Euson, who also has two wins on the season, picked up the save, his second.
The Muckdogs' offense:
Lucas Lopez went 2-4.
Adam Agresti went 2-3 with a double, a walk, a run, and a stolen base
Giuseppe Arcuri went 2-4 with two RBIs, a run scored, and a double.
With the win, the Muckdogs put another game between them and third-place Niagara (11-8) and remain a game ahead of second-place Jamestown (13-7), which is tonight's (Wednesday) opponent at Dwyer Stadium. Game time is 6:35 p.m.
The Muckdogs are 8-1 over their last nine official league games and 10-1 overall during that span.
There was some 'Mayhem' Saturday during a Batavia Muckdogs game at Dwyer Stadium, with a visit from “Invincible” Vince Valor, left, “Buck Wild” Thomas Kennedy, Zachary Arquette and John “Koslov” Avery on hand to stir up excitement for the upcoming Mayhem at the McCarthy wrestling event on July 16. Photo by Steve Ognibene.
As operators of the David M. McCarthy ice arena continue to stretch the limits and imagination of what the arena can offer to the community, the latest will be a wrestling event on July 16 at 22 Evans St., Batavia.
Mayhem at the McCarthy will feature autographs and a meet and greet with "Jake the Snake" Roberts, "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, and "Buff the Stuff" Bagwell, for what is certain to be an unusual form of entertainment for the arena and this area.
"We just thought this is something that hasn't been around here in awhile, and they have a big following at Riverworks in Buffalo, so we thought we'd give them a try," ice rink manager Kati Murray said.
Wrestling adds to the list of roller skating, ice motorcycle racing and a youth game night at the rink.
Doors open at 4 p.m. and the event is to begin at 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 for second and third rows, $20 fourth and fifth rows, and $15 general admission.
With flags flying and fans anticipating a post-game fireworks show, the Batavia Muckdogs took to the field Monday night for a non-league game against Erie-Buffalo and won 8-7.
Giuseppe Archuri was named Player of the Game, going 3-3 and scoring two runs.
No box score is available for the game.
Arcuri, from Allentown, N.J., has become one of the team's most productive hitters, with 21 hits, an Avg. of .309, and 13 RBI.
Adam Agresti leads the team with an average of .375. He also has 21 hits to go along with 11 RBIs. He's eighth in the league in average.
Matt DeStefano, of Westbury, is hitting .333 (12 hits) with seven walks.
James Aselta is hitting .365 but doesn't have enough at-bats (22) to qualify among league leaders. Anthony Calabro has drawn 14 walks to go along with 11 RBIs with an average of .238. Infielder Lucas Lopez is hitting .300.
The next home game is Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. against the Jamestown Tarp Skunks.
Muckdogs player scoring a much needed run. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Muckdogs players pose in dugout. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Katie Muntz was nominated teacher of the game. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Some members of the Brantford bobcats 15U softball team was in the states for a tournament in Genesee County this weekend. They were also celebrating Canada day. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Muckdogs pitcher throwing another strike. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Muckdogs catcher making the out at home plate and turning to first base for a double play. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Turning two with a double play at first base. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Kids running the bases. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Extra hat for dad by his son during the game. Photo by Steve Ognibene
KMS Diamond Dance Team and Johnny Dog entertaining the crowd between innings. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Members of High Pines continue on the Center Street stage. Photo Steve Ognibene
Bass guitar and kick drums replaced the thud of thunder the rest of the day on Saturday, allowing the rock to keep on rolling the rest of the day and into the evening for the 2023 Ramble Music and Arts Fest.
Paul Draper, with his band Shotgun Pauly, gets the Ramble going again after a rain delay on Saturday. Photo by Howard Owens.
An unexpected thunderstorm at about 1 p.m. on Saturday couldn't keep the Batavia Ramble and Arts Fest from rolling on, though it did put the music on pause for about an hour.
Paul Draper, one of the festival's organizers, said the music will continue throughout the day, pausing only for more thunder if it comes back.
Bands will continue to take the stage as scheduled, Draper said, just before his band, Shotgun Pauly, started its 2:20 p.m. scheduled set about 10 minutes late, giving him and his guys only 10 minutes to perform.
"We just keep an eye on it," Draper said. "We'll pause and pick up as the weather dictates. We can only plan so much, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to the weather."
He said plenty of people were sticking around, and the sun had come back out, so, he said, "I still think it's going to be a good day."
City and county officials, along with contractors, cut the ribbon on the new South Lyon Street Bridge in Batavia, in the same location as a ribbon-cutting in 1957 (photo below). Photo by Howard Owens.
The new bridge over Tonawanda Creek on South Lyon Street in Batavia looks beautiful, and it feels sturdy, but the thing motorists will like the most, perhaps, is that it accommodates two-way traffic.
"I want to remind people that it is, in fact, two lanes," said County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens. "You don't have to wait for a left turn left at the bridge. You don't have to wait for an oncoming car, nose and nose like used to happen on the old bridge. It's two lanes. It's just normal. Just go normal."
The new $2.9 million bridge, 95 percent funded by state and federal aid, replaces a bridge that had gotten so old it was no longer serviceable. That bridge was dedicated in 1957. There were substantial repairs in 1971, a deck replacement in 1980, a superstructure/truss replacement in 1986, and a decision to seek a replacement in 2007.
Now, in 2023, that old bridge is gone and completely replaced by a bridge that, as Hens noted, maintains the historical character of bridges that have been at the same location going back to 1910.
"I think the cool thing about this bridge is that we kind of recreated what was here with the truss," Hens said. "There was always a truss bridge here. I think everyone's pretty familiar with, obviously, making it two lanes is cool, but having the same character with the same-looking bridges, I also think is kind of neat."
The South Lyon Street Bridge opened this morning following a ribbon-cutting attended by both county and city officials.
The only real challenge in bridge construction, Hens said, was concern that crews might find historical artifacts, either Native American or related to the War of 1812.
"When Buffalo was burned to the ground by the British, a lot of the refugees and people that got displaced by (the fires) came to Batavia," Hens said. "There was like, I think, a typhoid outbreak, and they buried people in the creek bank, which is kind of an odd place to bury people. You're gonna contaminate the water, but that was years ago, and maybe they didn't know any better, but (the burial site is) somewhere here in the area of this bridge. We didn't find anything, so must not be that close."
Such a discovery could have greatly slowed the construction process.
This project was originally submitted for federal aid in 2007. The project was removed from the funding list in 2011, put back on in 2014 and delayed due to lack of funding until 2020.
The county awarded a contract for design during COVID and then had struggles with utility relocations, property acquisitions, DEC easements along the creek bank and other minor hurdles, according to a fact sheet released by the county.
The old bridge closed in 2021 after a DOT inspection. Construction started last fall and went through the winter, with the truss being set in late February.
Union Concrete out of West Seneca was the contractor, and Fisher Associates out of Rochester provided engineering and construction inspection.
A ribbon-cutting at the South Lyon Street Bridge in Batavia in 1957. Photo courtesy of the Genesee County History Department.
The Batavia Police Department is seeking public assistance in locating a runaway 16-year-old boy.
Jesus Reyes was last seen on June 28 at approximately 3:00 a.m. in Batavia. He was last wearing a white Batavia Track t-shirt and matching shorts.
Jesus is about 5'4" and 175 lbs with black hair and black eyes.
It's possible that he is in the Miami, Fla. area.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Batavia Police Department at 585-345-6350 or the NYS Missing Persons Clearinghouse at 1-800-346-3543.
New WBTA station owner Jim Ernst celebrates signing the official paperwork Friday after talks began a year ago between him and former station owner Dan Fischer. Photo by Howard Owens.
For a 1986 Batavia High School grad who has lived in Batavia all of his life, it seemed only natural that Jim Ernst would celebrate his ownership of the city’s staple radio station Friday with a visit to a downtown bartender challenge and then to a concert at Batavia Downs.
After all, that was a large part of why the 54-year-old Batavia native and versed salesman wanted to take on WBTA’s airwaves: to serve and support the community at large.
“I love the community of Batavia, and I see this as an opportunity to make a difference and give back,” he said late Friday afternoon after signing official paperwork to transfer ownership of WBTA from Dan and Debbie Fischer to Ernst. “I grew up listening to WBTA, of course. And when I was a kid, I didn't like it much. But I used to listen to school closings, and I got hooked on it. The first time, in the old days when school would be canceled, the first place that would have it would be the radio. And then, as you get older, you start caring about the community and then listening. And by the time I was in my 30s, I started listening to it a lot.”
After high school graduation, Ernst went to Genesee Community College for business administration. He always had that dream of running his own business, he said, the first vision is a sports park with batting cages and such.
While those thoughts percolated, he began to work on a Schwann truck selling food products and doing well, moving up to manager in Syracuse. That position was cut in 2009, and he returned to Batavia, where he was working in sales and met General Sales Manager Lorne Way. They struck up a conversation, and while Way was complaining about the lack of sales at the station, Ernst suggested that “you should just hire me.”
And that’s exactly what the manager did. Ernst joined WBTA in 2014 and never left.
“We’ve been ripping it up in sales,” he said. “Dan, Debbie, Lorne and me were the core. Around a year ago, Dan hinted around that he wanted someone from the station to buy it.”
While it may have seemed a more obvious fit for Way, who had 30 years with the company, he had plans to retire, so Ernst picked up that ball and made a pitch.
“I approached Dan a year ago now. Today was the signing. It went from a dream to reality; it almost seemed like, is it ever going to happen?” he said. “It was a euphoric moment.”
He’s been gradually preparing for this, taking business classes throughout the years and learning the ropes “as I go.” A big plus will be having Dan Fischer as an ongoing consultant.
Most of the programs will remain in place for now, with one major and significant exception, he said. Station staff member Nicole Johnson has been hired for the morning show, making her the first female to obtain that coveted role.
A trusted member of the WBTA team, Johnson has produced, worked the 10 to 2 shift, done live remotes at Batavia Downs and “always been there for things we need,” Ernst said. She will replace former morning announcer Chris Kalen, who has taken a promotion with SiriusXM.
The Fischers filed for the sale in February, and it became public on Feb. 21 when then-advertising executive Jim Ernst, aka Majic Tones LLC, purchased the station, officially titled HPL Communications, for $425,000.
Dan Fischer had said the couple was happy that the station was remaining in local hands and that Ernst was a familiar face around town and someone with no intentions to radically alter what listeners have grown accustomed to after so many years.
As for the music, “we might spice it up a bit,” Ernst said, but nothing major.
“We don’t want to lose the faith of the listeners we do have. We will enhance our sports coverage … for football, hockey, baseball, with a WBTA game of the week every week,” he said. “I’m learning as I go. I’ll use the next six months to learn and grow in the position.”
Ernst has a fiancee, Rachel, three children, five grandchildren and one Great Pyrenees who even got involved at the station during a naming contest. The winning name was slightly tweaked for Konzie.
Pictured: From left to right, outgoing president John McGowan, incoming president Susie Ott, perfect attendance awardee Ed Leising, Paul Harris Fellows Jane Scott, Todd Jantzi, Dan Fischer, Donna Saskowski, Paul Saskowski, Jerry Reinhart, and Dave Metzler. Absent from photo – Paul Haris Fellow Marlin Salmon. Photo submitted by Tom Turnbull
Press Release:
The Batavia Rotary Club awarded eight Paul Harris Fellows during its annual awards night at Terry Hills Restaurant. Community supporters Todd Jantzi and Jerry Reinhart received the award along with current Rotarians Dave Metzler, Dan Fischer, Marlin Salmon, Donna and Paul Saskowski, and Jane Scott.
Paul Harris Fellows, named after the founder of Rotary, is given to a Rotarian or a member of the community that has made an outstanding contribution to the community and is the highest award given in Rotary.
Sixteen Rotarians were also recognized for perfect attendance of one year or more, led by Ed Leising with 38 years of perfect attendance.
Outgoing president John McGowan handed over the gavel to incoming president Susie Ott, who takes over on July 1 for the 2023-24 year.
Pictured: (left to right) Captain Rachel Moore, Michael Morasco, Kathryn Moore, and Captain Bradley Moore Photo submitted by Todd Rapp.
Press Release:
Michael Morasco was presented with a plaque honoring him for 13 years of service to The Salvation Army in Batavia as a Social Services Caseworker. Mike came to The Salvation Army after retiring from a career at DSS. “Mike was a valuable asset and will be missed” stated Operations Manager Todd Rapp.
Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, July 13, at 7 p.m. This month's topic is the Battle of Gettysburg, as it is the 160th anniversary of the battle this year. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 if you would like to attend.
The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Guest Speaker Series on Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. Local reenactors Ed Brodbeck and David Kreutz will be portraying General Ulysses S. Grant and President Abraham Lincoln, in a dramatic retelling of the relationship the two leaders had during the Civil War. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. If you would like to attend, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com. “This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!
Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Java with Joe E. morning presentation series on Thursday, July 27 at 9 a.m. The museum welcomes Genesee County Historian, Michael Eula, as he shares his new book "The National is Local: Genesee County, NY, 1802-Present" on the history of our county and the connection to national events. Admission is free with coffee and donuts. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
Steve Hawley stands alongside local veterans at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. Submitted photo.
Press Release:
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is announcing this year’s Patriot Trip to Washington, D.C., which will take place from September 21 to 24. During this time, veterans and their families will get a tour of the nation’s capital and its numerous monuments and landmarks that honor those who served. This year’s trip will feature stops at several notable locations in the D.C. area, including the WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War memorials and Arlington National Cemetery.
“This trip is an excellent opportunity to honor not only our local veterans but also those who served before them,” said Hawley. “I am incredibly excited to host this event for another year. We owe our veterans a deep level of gratitude for all they have sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy in this country, so being able to take them to our nation’s capital to see these historic landmarks is truly an honor.”
This trip is open to all military veterans and their families. The cost will be between $450-$500 per person and includes travel, accommodations, admissions, meals, and even some souvenirs. Those who are interested in participating in this event should contact Hawley’s office at 585-589-5780 or email carneyj@nyassembly.gov for more details.
The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the winner of the Inaugural Garth Swanson Memorial Scholarship.
Dawson Young of Batavia has been selected as the recipient of our $500 scholarship in memory of Garth Swanson, a former board member of the museum and beloved professor at Genesee Community College.
Dawson Young is a 2023 graduate of Batavia High School. Dawson was a member of the Link Crew, Model UN Club, National Art Honor Society, and CloseUp while in High School. He also has volunteered with Care-A-Van Ministries and City Church. Dawson also worked through the Summer Youth Employment Program at Genesee Regional Arts Council (GoART!) and at the museum.
Dawson will be attending GCC in the Fall to study History Education. There will be a recognition ceremony on Wednesday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m.
A fall photo of the Historic Batavia Cemetery from November 2011. Photo by Howard Owens.
Press Release:
The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the opening of its next exhibit, “Memento Mori: The Historic Batavia Cemetery, 200 Years, 1823-2023”. The exhibit will be on display from Wednesday, July 5 through Saturday, November 4.
The exhibit details the 200-year history of the cemetery, the lives of some of the famous Batavians who are buried there, cemetery artifacts, as well as examples of how people have mourned the loss of their love through the past 200 years. The exhibit is done in collaboration with the Historic Batavia Cemetery Association.
There will be an opening night event for the exhibit on Wednesday, July 12 from 7 - 9 p.m. All are welcome to come and see this interesting exhibit on loss and commemoration in our community. Visitors can also see the rest of the museum after going through the new exhibit. Donations will be accepted by both organizations.
The Batavia Muckdogs ran their win streak to seven games on Thursday in an unusual fashion: A walk-off interference call.
With the score tied 3-3 in the 10th inning against Niagara Power, an umpire ruled Power's third baseman Andrew Fairbrother interfered with the Muckdog's runner, Anthony Calabro, while Calabro was advancing to third on a wild pitch. Calabro was awarded home plate and the winning run.
Garrett Beaver, who pitched the final two frames and didn't give up a hit or a run while striking out two, got the win. Starter Julian Pichardo went six innings, giving up four hits, two runs (one earned) and striking out six.
Earlier in the evening, the Muckdogs picked up a win against Niagara by completing a game the two teams started on Tuesday, which was suspended in the bottom of the ninth.
At the time of the suspension, the Muckdogs trailed 5-4 with one out and Caleb Rodriguez at the plate on a 3-2 count. Matt DeStefano was on third base.
When the game resumed, Rodriquez singled, driving in DeStefano.
Rashad Robinson then reached on an error, putting runners at first and second. Rodriguez then scored the winning run on a single by Lucas Lopez.
Garrett Beaver got the win in relief. Adam Agresti went 3-3.
The Muckdogs are now 15-7 on the season and a game ahead of Jamestown (12-6) in the Western Division and two games ahead of Elmira (11-7).
Tonight (Friday), the Muckdogs are on the road for a game against Niagara Power. They return to Dwyer on Saturday to start a three-game homestand. First up, Queen City at 6:35 p.m. On Sunday, the game time is 4:05 p.m. against Elimra, and on Monday, with a 4th of July Fireworks celebration to follow, the Muckdogs play Erie Buffalo at 6:35 p.m.
At the game on Monday, be sure to visit The Batavian's booth.
Batavia Concert Band opens its 99th season Wednesday in Centennial Park. The free seven-week series is at 7 p.m. Wednesdays through the summer. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Centennial Park came alive again Wednesday with the sounds of Batavia Concert Band's music in its 99th season, and the evening included a recognition of GO ART!'s support, and a tribute to former music teachers Neil and Nancy Hartwick, who left indelible notes on the hearts of many former music students from the city school district.
Batavia Concert Band presented GO ART! with the Friend of the Band Award for giving a grant of $5,000 that will be used for equipment, licensing music, chairs, sound, and percussion instruments, band leader Jason Smith said.
Neil Hartwick was a prominent presence at the Batavia City School District, and Nancy taught mostly at Attica and at times in Batavia, while both were adored and respected for their talent roles as musical leaders in the community, band member and tuba player Peter Mark said.
“They were both wonderful people. She was a flutist, and Neil was clarinet and saxophone. Back in high school, I had him during my years in 1970 and ’71. I was out by then, but he had an excellent jazz band and he and the Sertoma Club, along about the early 70s, somewhere in there, were the ones that formed the Batavia Pageant of Bands.
"So if you're familiar with that era, you may remember the Memorial Day weekend with all of these bands from all over the area coming down and marching through the streets and having a great time,” Mark said. “Neil and Nancy were both really close to their students. And most of us that came through a program with Neil or Nancy just remember they were wonderful friends. They were more than just teachers, more than just the average teacher. They were friends with all of their students. We had a great time with them.”
When Neil died in 2017, Nancy asked that a Memorial Fund be established to benefit Batavia Concert Band, and memorials have gone to the fund ever since. Earlier this year, Nancy died in January, and the fund was renamed the Neil and Nancy Hartwick Memorial Fund, and their wish was to support the concert band via memorial contributions, Mark said.
“We've named the fund the Neil and Nancy Hartwick fund in honor of both of them," Mark said. "And former students contribute to that fund that we pay, we have other people as well, of course, and to keeping their legacy going.”
The concert band will play a seven-week free series at Centennial Park at 7 p.m. every Wednesday through the summer.
To donate, please make your check payable to: The Batavia Concert Band, and Mail to: Batavia Concert Band, PO Box 1705, Batavia, NY, 14021-1705. On the bottom of your check, please indicate the name Nancy Hartwick. Or those with a Venmo account, send to @bataviaconcertband.
