batavia

Press Release:

As the weather warms up, the Batavia Police Department wants to remind residents to take extra precautions to protect their vehicles and valuables from larceny. With the increase in outdoor activities, it's essential to remain vigilant and take steps to prevent theft from vehicles. 

Simple Safety Suggestions: 

• Lock it up! Always lock your vehicle doors, even when parked in your driveway or in a secured garage.
• Keep valuables out of sight. Don't leave purses, laptops, phones, or other valuable items in plain sight. Take them with you or store them in a secure location.
• Park in well-lit areas. Avoid parking in dark or isolated spots, especially at night.
• Don't leave keys in the vehicle. Keep your keys with you or in a safe place, away from prying eyes.
• Be mindful of your surroundings. If you notice any suspicious activity, report it to the authorities immediately. 

By following these simple tips, you can significantly reduce the risk of larceny from your vehicle. Remember, it's always better to be proactive and take preventative measures to protect your belongings. 

If you have any information about larceny from vehicles or have been a victim of this crime, please contact the Batavia Police Department at 585-345-6350 or by submitting a tip at bataviapolice.org. Together, we can work towards a safer community.

Remember: A safe community is a responsible community.

Press Release:

The Genesee Valley BOCES (GV BOCES) Early College High School celebrated a milestone event this spring with the induction of its very first group of students into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS).

This inaugural group of 10th and 11th grade students represents the best of Career and Technical Education (CTE) - demonstrating excellence in academics, leadership, service, and dedication to their future careers.

NTHS is the honor society for CTE students nationwide, recognizing those who go above and beyond in their studies and skill development. Established in 1984, NTHS has recognized over 1.2 million students across the country for their commitment to their career pathways.

The induction ceremony, organized by Early College High School Principal Catherine Bennett and Counselor Karson Richenberg, included a candle-lighting tradition. Seven candles were lit to represent the core attributes of NTHS membership: Skill, Honesty, Service, Responsibility, Scholarship, Citizenship, and Leadership.

This ceremony marked the official start of the GV BOCES Early College High School NTHS Chapter, honoring students from a variety of CTE programs who have shown outstanding effort and growth.

Inducted Students:

10th Grade:

• Kinsley B. (Warsaw Central School District) - Studying biology with plans to work in healthcare. Kinsley participates in volleyball, track and field, and drama club, and enjoys Disney and musical theater.
• Ashton C. (Oakfield-Alabama Central School District) - Studying law. Participates in cross country, swimming, track, and drama.
• Keaton C. (Batavia City Schools) - Studying Computer Aided Design (CAD) and plays lacrosse as a defenseman.
• Sophia D. (Byron-Bergen Central School District) - Enjoys reading, writing, and playing volleyball.
• Audrey D. (Byron-Bergen Central School District) - Studying business with plans to pursue a career in agriculture. Plays volleyball and basketball and shows cows in competitions.
• Delilah H. (Warsaw Central School District) - Studying substance abuse counseling and prevention. Active in cheerleading, softball, and band.
• Emma M. (Batavia City Schools) - Passionate about livestock, art, and biology. Participates in FFA and 4-H and plans to become an equine veterinarian.
• Kristina M. (Batavia City Schools) - Enjoys music, learning, and caring for her cats.
• Gianna T. (Batavia City Schools) - Loves to play golf, enjoys adventures, and likes trying new things.
• Gabrielle G. (Avon Central School District) - Aspires to major in nursing. She plays lacrosse and participates in Bible study.

11th Grade:

• Brody M. (Warsaw Central School District) - Studying entrepreneurship and plays soccer year-round.
• Paige O. (Byron-Bergen Central School District) - Studying hospitality and tourism with plans to become a corporate event planner. Active in FFA and works at Red Osier to gain business experience.

These students were recognized not only for their academic success, but also for their leadership potential, dedication to their chosen career fields, and their involvement in extracurricular and community activities.

GV BOCES is proud to celebrate these students as role models in their programs and looks forward to seeing the impact they will make in their future careers.

Submitted photos.

Stafford resident Beth Carr appreciated skimming the faces and hearing from fellow attendees at a town hall Tuesday evening, she said, though she wasn't so certain about organizer Diana Kastenbaum's remarks that people still have free speech.

As an example, the White House administration and President Donald Trump have restricted certain rights by not allowing the Associated Press into portions of White House press meetings and onto Air Force One, she said, and “they can only come on if they agree with him.”

“I don't know if everybody here is obsessed with the news as much as I am, but we also have lost Voice of America. I was married to a veteran; I lived overseas. I listened when I lived overseas to Voice of America. It was unbiased reporting and essential in this world, across barriers and across lines on maps so that people could listen to news that maybe did not have free speech. And so I am afraid that free speech is eroding and is a threat," Carr said during the Concerned Citizens NY-24 Town Hall. "Which leads me to Dr. Glover, because in light of this erosion of free speech, isn't that what's happening on university campuses? Students getting up and protesting are being threatened for their exercise of free speech, and I'd like you to address that and the impact of this on campuses like Columbia and Harvard."

Carr directed her question to Michael Glover, a retired longtime educator and administrator perhaps best known here as the district superintendent of Genesee Valley BOCES for 10 years.

"What you hit upon is that we've moved from a question of free speech to the Thought Police. So just tonight, before coming over here, I saw where the president had threatened Harvard with the removal of its nonprofit status because they did not bend the knee, at least thus far, to the demands of the administration to drop their DEI programs and to monitor student speech," Glover said. "So you know, universities have always been bastions of free speech. 

"They need to remain so. But I'm even concerned about my colleagues who are superintendents of schools in your local school districts," he said. "They are being targeted in a highly politicized environment. It's a very tough time in education. But I think to your point, it's more important than ever to speak up and to not give in to this kind of authoritarian threat."

Glover was a panel member for the town hall, which drew about 280 people from various counties within the NY-24 district. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz also attended the event and was singled out by Carr and others as the only elected official there. Congresswoman Claudia Tenney was invited but did not attend. Her cardboard cutout, used for other no-show events, was placed at the end of the panel row.

Issues ranged from cutting the federal Education Department, reducing Medicaid and Medicare, and the deportation of migrant farm workers and other immigrants to cuts in aid to food banks, healthcare, and how to best respond to and support what matters to folks.

Maria Bucci of Canandaigua County wanted to know, “What can we as citizens do to support farmers and build a strong workforce?”

Chris Noble, a seventh-generation farmer from Noblehurst Farms in Pavilion, said immigration is not a local or state issue but is in federal hands.

“The only way I think we can really impact the discussion is through our representatives, and so reaching out to representatives through email, phone calls, mass letters, whatever you can do to express your opinion on the matter is the most direct way,” Noble said. “Other than that, it's really trying to build a coalition that can help really affect the conversation. Us here in Western New York, we have a lot of diversity of farms, dairy, fruits, wine, processing vegetables. We relied upon foreign born workers for many years.”

Rev. James Renfrew of Clarendon painted the picture of local deportations happening and said, “I don’t know how agriculture will really continue in these areas.” Kastenbaum added that “we had heard that when ICE was coming in, the local sheriffs would have to comply with ICE directives. Are you concerned, if somebody came on your property, what would you do?”

Noble has not thought about such a “doomsday scenario,” he said.

“The number one thing, as the law states today, is that ICE, which is Integrations and Customs Enforcement, cannot enter private property by the warrants. So warrant means there's some activity or something that's gone on in the past or currently on your property that they are there to address, and beyond that, they cannot enter your property,” he said. “So I guess you can feel safe in the fact that there's that protection of the law that we can then rest upon, so we can affect our own property, of course, but beyond that, it depends on the federal authorities. So in terms of the impacts, it would be devastating, I would say, especially for the skilled nature of the labor. But I guess I don't know what that could look like.”

Jim Neider, a Vietnam-era veteran and 30-plus-year retired educator, said the same chainsaw that’s been used in other departments has also been let loose on Veterans Affairs, with “a little over 17% of the workforce” cut. The first cuts were to the veteran's suicide hotline, he said to a gasping audience.

“How does anybody in their right mind think that’s ok?” he said, prompting an enthusiastic round of applause.

Panel member Abe Zino said that the VA is lobbying for things to protect veterans, such as medication.

“I don't know if anybody realizes it. When you go to the VA home here in Batavia, the VA doesn't pay for your medication anymore. So now we’ve got to struggle to get the veterans the meds that they need. So we're trying to pass federal legislation to take care of those little things,” he said. “And we're also trying to help veterans who are in nursing homes that rely on Medicaid and Medicare because when you go in a nursing home, the fees could be anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000, and if you need specialized care, that's even more expensive. So just some things to think about.”

Dr. Laurel Dallmeyer, a panelist representing healthcare, didn’t mince words about how she felt about the direction of her field lately. She has seen patients stockpile meds in case of coverage reductions or bans, fear, and concerns by segments of the population and has even signed up to help out Strong’s trans care in the face of DEI targeting.

“This is one of the times when I say cruelty is the point,” she said in response to a speaker wanting to know what to do if her meds are taken away or not covered because of White House changes. “As a physician, I had to, like representative Tenney, swear an oath. And my oath was not to the Constitution, but it was to serve my patients and protect them. As many of you probably know, the Hippocratic Oath starts with first do no harm. And I would just like to point out that these cuts that are being proposed, and indeed some have been enacted into law already are going to do nothing but harm people of this district and this country, and that's why I've come out of the exam room to help fight for my patients and the people that I believe are being harmed in this district."

She later said that she "was horrified" when there wasn’t more of an outcry against Robert F. Kennedy Jr. being named as Health and Human Services secretary. 

A number of people had concerns about what would happen to their local schools if and when the U.S. Education Department is eliminated. What does that actually mean? As programs are reduced at the federal or state levels, localities are left to fill those gaps, Glover said.

More than a dozen years ago he was speaking similar words, reminding the public of financial shortfalls that would affect rural — “low wealth” — districts the most. Free and reduced lunches, extracurriculars, programs for special needs students are just some of the potential items up for cuts. Revenue was not keeping up with increased costs, he said then, and is still repeating the same warning, though with perhaps more of a federal accent.

“Public schools should provide an equal opportunity for success,” he said. “The local schools will have to tighten up and do more with less. As time goes on, they will have to do less with less, and children will suffer.”

He emphasized that there’s a crisis in education because there’s not enough educators to do the jobs needed, teacher education programs are shrinking and an increasing demand is being met with a lower supply.

“And at the cabinet level, there will no longer be a voice in the cabinet,” he said.

Joy Hammond of Bergen asked about food banks and pantries and how FDA cuts will affect those programs. Poloncarz said a $3.5 million cut, effective in May, will especially impact fresh foods from farmers for Meals on Wheels programs—something that Noble himself is worried about for his grandmother.

Since food pantries don’t deal so much with these types of fresh foods, they may not be quite as affected, Poloncarz said. But if your local food bank has lost funding and these direct resources, obviously it’s going to matter.

“A decision in Washington is affecting the local community,” he said. “You don’t want anyone going to bed hungry in your community.”

Chris Bennem and his wife came from South Bristol to attend their second town hall, the first being in Geneva. It was worth the trip, he said.

"I thought it was really important for us to hear from, if not public officials that are elected, then public citizens who want to represent those of us who are residents of this area to talk and have an open discourse on the issues that affect all of us based on recent legislation that's been proposed and what DoGE has been doing," he said. "I did attend one in Geneva by a similar group that was wholly focused on healthcare, and that was really helpful. But I wanted to hear more. There are so many things being affected. This has been really effective and eye-opening. Certainly, the statements on education and free speech absolutely hit home for me. 

"One topic that didn't come up, I thought about getting in line, but it was a little late, is the issue of book banning that's happening throughout the country, and the fact that things are being removed from federal libraries, whether they're military libraries and other libraries," he said. "So I am a big free speech person. I was in publishing for years, so this is not a good development in our country."

Timothy L. Corcoran, 61, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and operating an uninspected motor vehicle; Adrienne S. Bechtold, 29, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal possession of stolen property 5th; and, Nicholas E. Patterson, 31, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. On April 13 at 9:03 p.m., deputies stopped a vehicle in Le Roy on the suspicion of traffic violations. A quantity of cocaine was allegedly located in the vehicle.  The three suspects were processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Steven Phillip Nasewtewa, 37, of Skye Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with reckless endangerment 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful imprisonment 2nd, and harassment 2nd.  At noon on April 7, deputies responded to a report of a fight on Bloomingdale Road on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. Nasewtewa is accused of hitting another person in the face and dragging the person for a short distance when the person tried to exit a vehicle. There were allegedly children present during the incident. He was arraigned and released.

Cameron Jacob Sokowlski, 32, of Harshorn Road, Batavia, is charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer, aggravated unlicensed operation, reckless driving, driving without an ignition interlock, and disobeying traffic control devices.  Sokowlski is accused of failing to stop for a traffic stop and attempting to flee on the Thruway at 4:26 p.m. on April 11 on Route 77 in Pembroke. He was issued traffic tickets and released.

Jessica Leigh Culver, 35, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Culver is accused of shoplifting from Walmart at 6:21 p.m. on April 4. She was transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing and released.

David W. Fruster, 62, of Portland Avenue, Rochester, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd, aggravated unlicensed operation, unlicensed operation, and speeding. Fruster was stopped at 6:14 p.m. on April 7 on Clinton Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Ayrton Blankenberg. There was allegedly a court order in place prohibiting contact with the passenger in his vehicle. He was arraigned and released.

Russell Carl Dibble, 38, of Gabbey Road, Corfu, is charged with driving while impaired/alcohol. Dibble was stopped at 4:22 p.m. on April 4 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Alexander Hadsall. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Mary T. Strusz, 59, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal trespass 2nd. At 3:22 p.m. on April 14, deputies responded to a 9-1-1 hang-up call at a location on Main Road, Stafford. After an investigation, Strusz was accused of entering a residence in an apartment complex without permission. Strusz was arraigned and released.

As a Batavia native, David Snyder  — no doubt along with many other locals — has memories of going to Sunny’s restaurant at the then-Genesee Country Mall downtown.

“I spent a lot of time there as a kid; my parents took us there,” Snyder told The Batavian Monday afternoon.

He has been spending time there once again — only this time around as a new owner of the property with plans to bring another version of Sunny’s back to the city. A longtime icon of downtown Batavia’s dining scene, the restaurant and lounge closed its doors on May 19, 2019.

“This is all pretty new; it’s only been a couple, three weeks, I think, since we’ve owned it, finally,” Snyder said, confirming that he purchased the site from former owner Pete Zeliff after a lengthy pursuit. “We’re working on the menu … we want to bring some different dishes into the community that other restaurants locally do not offer. Obviously, you're going to see some things on the menu, some Italian dishes you know, like the parms and stuff like that. Obviously, steaks. We want to push that pretty hard.”

A 2000 Batavia High School grad and busy remodeling contractor, he has been cleaning up and renovating the property, he said, while a liquor license has been submitted to the New York State Liquor Authority. City Council was notified of that during a conference meeting Monday evening, and there were no issues on the city’s side.

He understands that, as with all applicants, it may be quite a wait to hear back from the liquor authority about his license, he said, and is “hoping” to tentatively open in July or August at Batavia City Centre. It’s to be known simply as Sunny’s (no "restaurant" or "lounge" after it), and likely with a six-day schedule, he said.

Press Release:

Little Free Pantry Batavia is proud to announce the grand opening of its third location, expanding access to food and essentials for even more residents of the community. The new pantry will be located inside the vestibule of the Genesee County Career Center and officially opened to the public April 10.

The pantry will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., aligning with the Career Center’s hours. This location will feature both a full-size refrigerator for fresh food items and shelving for shelf-stable goods, helping meet a wide range of dietary and household needs.

Little Free Pantry Batavia extends heartfelt thanks to the staff and leadership at the Genesee County Career Center for their generous partnership. This location is a perfect fit, as the Career Center already serves individuals and families seeking support.

This new site joins two other Little Free Pantry locations in Batavia:

• 28 Seneca Avenue – Open 24/7, this pantry offers shelf-stable food and essentials.
• 10 City Centre, inside The Hemp Lodge – Open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., this location includes a mini-fridge and shelf space.
• NEW: Genesee County Career Center – Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring a full-size fridge and expanded shelving.

All locations operate on a no-questions-asked basis and are stocked with shelf-stable food, fresh produce, and culturally and medically appropriate options such as vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free items. 

Submitted photos.

Chuck Flynn is poised and ready to ask visitors a question throughout this weekend.

What do you think your home is worth? Take a guess. What do you think?

“So when they give me their guess, let’s say they guess $220,000, and I type in their address and we get an immediate estimate for what it might be, and we find out how close they are, up or down or not. And then everybody who guesses, they get entered into a drawing for an awesome gift certificate at Max Pies Furniture in Batavia,” said Flynn, a licensed associate broker at Howard Hanna Real Estate Services.

He is representing one of 65 vendors at Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s 10th annual Home Show. It began Friday evening and continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at McCarthy Ice Arena, 22 Evans St., Batavia.

Now, if you’re thinking that Flynn’s game is easy because most folks ought to know their property’s assessment, he has found that many homes are actually worth more than they think. One visitor was surprised to learn that his Southside home’s value ranged some $10,000 more than his overpriced guess.

Besides a source of entertainment, does having a booth at the home show serve a business purpose? Absolutely, Flynn said.

“I definitely have connected with new relationships and reconnected with old ones,” he said. “And we get business from it every year. It’s fantastic.”

It’s a seller's market, he said, because there are more buyers out there than there are properties, “so for every 10 buyers, there’s one seller.”

“So just by the metrics, we’re just getting more buyers. And part of that’s driven by demographics, generational, the millennials are the biggest generation, right? There’s more millennials and baby boomers, so baby boomers aren’t the biggest generation anymore,” he said. “As the newer generation is coming up, there’s just os many more buyers, and they’re entering their prime home buying years, which is a little later in life for those generations than it was for my generation or the baby boomers.”

On the opposite side of the arena was Ron Weiler, owner of Sterling Tents. He’s been part of the home show since the Jaycees operated it at Batavia Downs years ago, he said. His wife’s grandfather, Roie Sterling, founded the company in 1911 on Main Street in Batavia, and it has remained here, except for a location change to Pearl Street.

He enjoys the annual event for the exposure it brings to his company and what it can provide for people, Weiler said.

“You meet the people, bring awareness to them, so that they know that there’s options for like, they put up a beautiful deck and it's too hot, they can't use it. So then we can use covers for that. And what we are is, life's a series of events. There are the poor ones, but there are good ones, like a graduation or wedding. So with our tents and our equipment, we make it so great that when you have a bad day, you can think about the good time you had,” he said. “So we have protection, and it’s festive. You think of tents, you have festivities, and it's social interaction, and that's what we need. We need social interaction and to have fun; life should be fun.”

Are you actually conducting business when you’re here?

“We make contacts, and then you go back and forth. It's always rewarding, you know, and we've always gotten a lot of work from it,” he said. “But it’s not like next week or anything; it’s simmering, and they return. My office manager, Sandy, she’s the one that handles all of that. I’m on the jobs mostly.”

There are other vendors that participate for reasons other than to gain an immediate or impending sale, Adam Clark said, with the clever draw of his 3-year-old golden retriever Dazey nearby.

“Just being part of the community, seeing all the familiar faces, whether it’s the other vendors, your existing customers, or new customers. It’s just nice to get out and be in the public,” said Clark, co-owner of Cedar Street Sales and Rentals. “We might gain a few sales from it, but it’s more of just a PR kind of thing, getting out in the public.

Friday evenings have typically been fairly slow; however, there was a steady flow of visitors carrying the home show bag to store goodies from each vendor.  There are pens, chip clips, magnets, wrapped candies, rulers, bumper stickers, keychains, radon kits, and mini fishing, golf, and pick-a-duck games for entertainment and with chances to win prizes.

Vendors cover a wide range of areas, from driveway sealing, municipal services, and plumbing to realtors, community theater, health and wellness, financial advising, local media, household and garage needs, heating and cooling, and equipment repair.

While many vendors are from Genesee County, some travel from other areas, including Neil Delves, owner of Never Wet Basement Waterproofing. This is his fourth or fifth year at this show, he said.

“It just generates new appointments for us because I'm in the basement waterproofing business, and therefore, we do not really get any repeat business. Once we fix someone's house, we don't have to go back and see them ever again. So it is a one-time fix, done right and permanently,” he said. “Always looking for new customers. So we come here every year, as I do all the other local home shows. This is one of my favorite home shows because it's not very big, but people know what they want here, and they come up to me and say, ‘Okay, I need you to come out and look at my house.’ And the leads we get are very fruitful.”

Perhaps that’s why a third of these booths are new vendors this year, which has provided a good variety, Chamber President Brian Cousins said.

“A lot of Chamber members as well, which is great for the chamber membership. It's great to support the members as a chamber organization, to highlight all the businesses that we have for our community," Cousins said. "We get a lot of people that over the course of time … they've had a lot of home projects or home things that they've needed to do and wanted to do, but either didn't have the wherewithal or thought that they were going to do it themselves, and then come now and they find a vendor to be able to really help them. 

“The other thing that happens throughout these shows too is a lot of the vendors do vendor-to-vendor, business-to-business deals as well, so they can find out how to support each other," he said. "Some of them have like industries, and some of them have a little bit of a different of a context, or a complimentary business to be able to help each other grow and to work. I was just talking with a couple people on the other side over here that were doing just that, so it was kind of nice to see.”

While you're at the home show, please remember to stop by The Batavian's booth to say hi and enter to win two VIP tickets to the Wings Over Batavia Air Show. 

Batavia resident Chris Humel completed teaching a six-week course on cartooning at the Senior Center on Bank Street on Thursday.

The students were instructed on drawing and telling stories through cartoon panels or hitting the punch line in a single panel.

"We go through corny jokes and illustrate them," Humel said. "I encourage them to think of funny stories in their everyday life, or, you know, everybody's got those stories in their life, in their family, where just something hilarious happens. So I try to get them to think about those stories and then look for things that make them smile throughout the week."

The class was funded through a $5,000 state grant administered through GO ART!

Humel is a musician, singer-songwriter, and visual artist who got started in cartooning in the 1990s while living in New Hampshire. He said a friend of his would send him illustrated letters that made him laugh, so he wrote back with "a little bit of artistic skill, not a lot really" with his own funny drawings. They combined on a small cartoon book that Humel put in a spinner rack at Ava Art Gallery in New Hampshire and that led to a chance to teach cartooning to a class of middle school students.  Humel said he's taught cartooning several times over the years since.

"I like teaching. It's empowering for me to share my knowledge and skills, and I think (the students) benefit by just having fun," he said.

WBTA, Batavia's hometown radio station, was honored on Thursday by the Business Improvement District as the BID's Business of the Year.

BID Director Shannon Maute praised station owner Jim Ernst for the innovations he's initiated that have helped keep Batavia residents engaged. 

"They have really gone a long way with changing how things are done at this radio station," Maute said.

Ernst gave credit to his staff.

"I didn't do anything special except put a really great team together," Ernst said. He singled out staff member Marc Tillery as "the one who did all the work," especially with his efforts to get the station involved in the Box Car Derby, the Wine Walk, and the FeBREWary.

"I wouldn't have had this opportunity without Jim Ernst," Tillery said. "He's the one who brought me in nearly two years ago and I appreciate every chance he's given me."

Tillery was also recognized with the first-ever Supporter of the Year Award.

"Things have changed this year," Maute said before introducing Tillery. "New people are helping out and getting involved. And this person, I don't know if I could do as much as I have been doing without him. He's a huge supporter. He is always there to help. He helps promote. He comes up with all these new ideas."

Kelsey Dilcher, marketing and community coordinator at Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union, was named Volunteer of the Year. 

“Kelsey is always the first to help with anything that the BID needs," Maute said. "You always see her with a smile on her face. So, I just want to say thank you for everything that you do. I greatly appreciate you. You are down for everything and so I want to present you with this amazing award."

The BID's annual meeting was held at Center Street Smokehouse.

Press Release:

For the second year in a row, Nahiely Dones, a senior in the Health Dimensions program at the Batavia CTE Center, earned first place in the Personal Care event at the Spring Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Leadership Conference. Her back-to-back victories are a testament to her skill, determination, and drive to succeed in the healthcare field.

“I was literally shaking when they were announcing the winners,” Nahiely said. “When they finally called my name for first place, I was just so happy and excited.”

Nahiely first competed in the event as a junior and won first place, giving her the confidence to return this year and aim even higher. She chose to participate again not just to defend her title, but also to prepare for her upcoming Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam.

“I knew the competition would help me get more comfortable with the CNA test,” she said. “The skills are really similar, and being around judges and people makes me nervous. I thought it would be good exposure so I could feel more prepared and confident.”

During the competition, Nahiely was assigned to perform the skill of making an unoccupied bed—but with an unexpected twist. The bed was king-sized, which added an extra challenge she hadn’t trained for. Still, she handled it with professionalism and poise.

“I wasn’t used to that size bed,” she said. “But we practiced so much in class. We went over the skills again and again—repeating them, reviewing them, and making sure we really understood every step. Since I competed last year, I had a strong base to build on.”

Her teacher was thrilled with the results. “I was so glad that Nahiely’s hard work had paid off. She’s done well because she’s put in the time and consistently pushes herself to improve.”

Throughout the year, Nahiely demonstrated incredible growth—not just in technical skills, but in personal confidence. She said overcoming anxiety and learning to handle high-pressure situations independently were some of the biggest challenges she faced.

“I used to hate speaking in front of people or being in crowded spaces,” she said. “And during the competition, I had to go in completely on my own. Just me and the judge—no one else. That was a big step for me.”

Nahiely credited her teachers for supporting her along the way. “They’ve been amazing,” she said. “I couldn’t have done this without them.”

Her teacher echoed that sentiment, noting Nahiely’s compassion, empathy, and determination as key strengths. “Nahiely is a very special person,” she said. “She’s demonstrated love and care for everyone around her. Despite facing significant personal challenges, she’s remained positive and proven that she’s capable of achieving anything she sets her mind to.”

Nahiely plans to take her CNA exam in May and is already exploring job opportunities in healthcare for the summer. Looking ahead, she hopes to become a nurse and specialize in trauma care.

Participating in HOSA helped shape her goals and boost her confidence. “Before HOSA, I didn’t think I could do a lot of things,” she said. “But now I know nothing is impossible. No matter how hard it is, you just have to keep going and never give up.”

Amy Smith was as sad as anybody about the Mogadore Hillton closing with her mother's retirement.

The bar and restaurant had been part of her life for 45 years. So, after much discussion with her husband, David Scroger, she decided to take the business over herself, with Scroger's help.

"It's just been a very family-oriented community, and in December, my mom decided to retire, and the community was very depressed because people come in as customers, then become friends, and then they really become family. So I could not close the doors on everyone," Smith said.

Smith and Scoger opened the doors under their ownership for the first time on Wednesday. With the restaurant closed, the couple worked a few months to renovate the kitchen and bar. 

The Mog Bar & Grill, as its now called, has a long history. The building is 168 years old. It was originally a hotel for farmers who brought their grain to the mill on the other side of North Pembroke Road.

Smith's grandfather, Albert Smith, bought the building in 1971 and opened a bar. His daughter, Amy's mother, Linda Smith (Albert's daughter-in-law), took it over 10 years later and five years later added the restaurant. 

"I did grow up in this business," Amy said. "My mother moved all three of her kids into the attached apartment. So I've grown up with this for about 45 years now. I've been helping my mom as a waitress and bartender for the past 20 years."

Amy teaches English as a new language in Le Roy, and Scroger is a car hauler. They're both keeping their full-time jobs. Linda is working four days a week and Amy's niece, Hannah, is helping out on the day shift.

"We had to hire outside the family for the first time ever," Smith said. "We have a new cook."

The menu classic country road bar fare -- soups and salads, pizza, wings and things, hamburgers, and on Friday, haddock and shrimp are on the menu.

What will you find when you visit The Mog? Amy says, "When you come, everyone is just so friendly. It's very country, very cozy. We have really good bar food. On Fridays, we have fish fries, and my mother makes a homemade special every Friday. So it's about friendship and community and bringing everyone together."

That's what The Mog means to her, Amy said. Family."

"The Mog means just family to me, honestly, because growing up here and all these people have seen me grow up since I was five years old. So I mean, they're kind of like my extended family. So yeah, The Mog honestly means family and friendship to me. I'm just excited to welcome back familiar faces and a lot of new faces who have come in today."

The Mog's grand opening is April 19.

The Mog Bar and Grill is at 8100 North Pembroke Road, Batavia. The phone number is 585-762-9917. Its hours are Wednesday from noon to 9 p.m., Thursday from 1 to 8 p.m., Friday from noon to 9 p.m., and Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m.; it is closed on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Friends of Ascension are celebrating a win, albeit it’s uncertain for how long, with the Dicastry's decision to accept a second appeal from Ascension Parish to halt its closure in Batavia.

Longtime parish member Bill Brach dropped that second appeal to the Buffalo Diocese in the mail in mid-December. That action was another step in a relentless process of collecting petitions, sending out updates, encouraging participation, and ongoing financial support as a display that the Sacred Heart Church community wasn’t going away without a fight.

Member Nancy Brach had said at the time that it was one thing for a parish to lose its home based on legitimate underutilization, poor physical condition, and lack of financial viability; however, none of that was the case for Ascension.

“But to close healthy churches that are needed, cared for, and loved in their communities is another story,” she said in December. “It is clear that individual parishes are being closed due to the transgressions of the Diocese.”

Those transgressions were from sex abuse lawsuits filed against the Diocese and costly settlements resulting in church closures and merging assets to pay off the plaintiffs instead of the defendants paying directly, according to prior news articles.

Attorney Ilan Schard said, “If the diocese is going to survive as an entity, other parishes, even those without claims directly against them, can contribute to help fund a settlement. It’s been done in every other settlement across the country,” according to the Buffalo News.

Brach disagreed.

“While this may be legally correct, it is ethically wrong to punish people for the sins of others,” she said. 

The parish was one of more than 10 “from all corners of our diocese” that received letters from the Nuncio in Washington notifying them that their appeals had been acknowledged and accepted for further review, the nonprofit group Save Our Buffalo Churches said.

“In addition, the letters mentioned that the decrees issued were suspended pending the review in Rome.  Of note, the letters all mentioned that the Dicastry would be corresponding with Bishop Fisher on the matter,” the nonprofit said in an email to The Batavian.  “Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik is the prefect.   Most of the letters were written on 3/25, the feast of the Annunciation, when we celebrate the incarnation of our Lord Jesus in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, nine months before Christmas. 

Also, our faith community is eager to learn about the status of the bankruptcy as well as the class action lawsuit. Since no settlement nor closure for either has been formally announced, we do not understand why the diocese is informing various parish and church offices to expect ‘bills’ for their share of the settlement,” it stated. “In the 2020 document issued by Bishop Scharfenberger entitled ReOrganizing for the Future Together, page 9 states: ‘The Diocese cannot use parish assets or property to settle claims.’ The document is linked from our webpage.”

Nonprofit members continue “to pray for abuse victims,” it states, as each parish community in the diocese continues to operate “as is,” celebrating Easter and other holy traditions and services, it stated.

“We continue to pray for the bishop, priests of our diocese as well as the faithful Catholics in our diocese as we complete the holy season of Lent,” it stated. “God bless you all.”

It's time for "Lights, Camera, Action" at Main St. 56 Theater in Batavia.

The Batavia Players are presenting a show tunes showcase, a cabaret, this weekend.

Show times are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets are $22 online and $24 at the door. Students and seniors pay $20/$22.

For more information or tickets, click here.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

Emmanuel Baptist Church’s Community Garden is looking for green thumbs to come and grow! We have 20 raised 3x4 garden plots, along with water, tools, seeds, and fertilizer to help you get started.

We need gardeners!

Do you want to provide fresh veggies or flowers from the garden for your family? Come grow with us!

This year, we will be completely refilling our plots and working to keep the climbing bindweed out. We could really use some help with this project, which will begin as soon as it’s warm enough.

The cost is $15 per plot. For more information or to sign up, call 585-343-4905 or email ebcbatavia@gmail.com.

Submitted photos.

Press Release:

To bring awareness to sex and labor trafficking, Genesee County Safe Harbour will host a “Sunrise Breakfast” on Wednesday, May 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Main Street 56 Theatre (City Centre, 56 Main St, Batavia). 

This free event is open to the public and aims to enhance awareness and contribute to the prevention of sex and labor trafficking in our county. 

Event Highlights:

• Free breakfast catered by Alabama Hotel
• Keynote Speakers: Kait Gannon- Survivor, Advocate, Podcaster, Medical Social Worker & Mother accompanied with Laurie Krull- LCSW-R Clinical Social Worker, Podcaster, & Healer.
• Kait & Laurie will discuss, “The Ugly Truth About the Girl Next Door”.
• Opening & Closing Remarks- Presented by the Genesee County Youth Bureau and the Genesee County Safe Harbour.

Registration: 

This event is free to attend, and breakfast will be provided at no cost. Registration is required to attend as seating is limited. All RSVPs are due to the Genesee County Youth Bureau by Friday, April 25. To register, please contact Genesee County Youth Bureau at Genesee.Youthbureau@dfa.state.ny.us or 585-344-3960.

For additional information, contact Genesee County Youth Bureau at Genesee.Youthbureau@dfa.state.ny.us or (585)344-3960.

Batavia defeated Brockport in Flag Football on Monday night, 52-12.

Quarterback Jaimin Macdonald was 14-24 passing for 81 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Macdonald added four carries for 33 yards and a rushing TD.  

Nicole Doeringer scored three total touchdowns, two through the air and one on the ground.  Kylee Brennan scored two touchdowns, one running and one receiving.  Kaylynn Peyman added a 45-yard rushing touchdown.

Defensively, Nicole Doeringer led the Lady Devils with seven flag pulls, five for loss.  Haiden Brooks recorded four flag pulls.  Alyssa Turner returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown.  Kylee Brennan and Kaylynn Peyman also grabbed interceptions.

The Lady Devils improve to 1-2 and travel to Greece Olympia/Odyssey on Thursday.