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Press release:

Darien Lake announced exciting plans for the 2013 season including a major upgrade to the popular Laser Blast show and a new tower thrill ride.

Leading off the improvements is an extensive upgrade to the popular nightly Laser Blast show, adding cutting-edge water technology, pyrotechnics, and high-value production that will transform the classic laser show into a new summer spectacular, “Ignite the Night.”

The show will feature a 60-foot water screen as the backdrop to an action-packed show that chronicles events from the 1950s to today, including a tribute to Canada and our country’s heroes.

“We are really pleased to be able to bring this show to Darien Lake,” said Darien Lake General Manager Bob Montgomery. “Guests who enjoyed our Laser Blast show will be amazed at the new lifelike video projected onto the huge, 60-foot water screen. The special effects are incredible. Think Laser Blast on steroids!”

The other major improvement is called “Blast Off" -- a 185-foot thrill ride that will accelerate thrill-seekers to the top of a tower in a way that simulates an actual NASA launch.

“Guests will experience the feeling of 4G, equivalent to what the astronauts in the Space Shuttle experience. It is a real thrill,” Montgomery said.

Blast Off will be located in the “Waterfront Boardwalk” area, which will undergo significant renovations in the off-season. The Waterfront Boardwalk will celebrate the nostalgia of New York’s popular lakeside resorts and communities of the 1950s and will include classic rides like the Grand Carousel and The Big Wheel, along with new dining options and a “jumping water” attraction where kids of all ages will enjoy splashing and chasing dancing water streams.

“This new area will be all about Buffalo and Western New York’s wonderful lakes. It will be bustling with activity and provide a great opportunity for family fun,” Montgomery said.

Both new attractions will be ready for opening day 2013, which is set for Saturday, May 11.

Season Passes for the 2013 season are available for purchase online at www.DarienLake.com or at Darien Lake during operating hours for only $64.99 plus tax each. Guests can purchase season passes now and get free admission to Fright Fest plus receive the best price and benefit package of the season including free parking with every pass, free tickets for friends and more! 

2013 Season Pass purchasers also will be invited to a special “Sneak Peak” on Friday, May 10. Full information on the Darien Lake season pass program can be found online at www.DarienLake.com/plan-a-visit/season-pass.

Submitted by Pax Christi Genesee County

Roula Alkhouri, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Batavia, will be the featured speaker at the Pasta for Peace free spaghetti dinner, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11, at First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St. in Batavia.

The program is sponsored by Pax Christi Genesee County. Her subject will be “Syria Today."

Pastor Alkhouri says, though her family in Syria is not targeted, “The danger comes from the surrounding violence. There are bombs, bullets, and shrapnel that might hit them randomly. They have also struggled because of the economy. Work for many people is irregular and often disrupted.

"The price of basic commodities has risen dramatically. My father has been actively helping in some peacemaking efforts in his own town. He is working with the leaders of his community to insure that Muslims and Christians work together and not hate each other."

She says, “It would be in the interest of the U.S. to help with a peace process. The problem is that we are not seen as fair arbitrators. First, we have a strong prejudice against Islam. In a way, Islam has replaced the Soviet Union as our enemy. Secondly, we are seen in the Middle East as siding with the corrupt leaders who oppress the people. We and the rest of the Western countries have supported dictatorships in the Middle East and exploited those connections to our benefit, for example our relationship with former Egyptian leader Housni Mubarak.

"Thirdly, our unquestioned support of Israel at the expense of justice for the Palestinians makes people in the Middle East suspect of our commitment to a just peace in the Middle East. Fourth, our military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan is seen by the majority of Middle Easterners as an unjust manipulation and use of force to protect our interests in Middle Eastern oil.”

According to Pastor Alkhouri, “The roots of this civil war right now go back to the colonial divisions of the turn of the 20th Century, and the French and British of the region to guarantee their access to oil. This goes back to the Sykes-Picot agreement between (mainly) the French and the British around the time of World War I where after the fall of the Ottoman Empire the French and the British took over the divided regions and worked with the local groups with a policy of divide and rule.

These divisions were not based on cultural connections and traditions but on colonial interests, namely oil. For example, in Syria the French empowered the Alawites against other groups. That is why today the violent conflict that is taking place in Syria is difficult to solve because people have harbored ill feelings against each other for decades and there is a strong sense of lack of trust.

She states further, “Another important factor in the 'Arab Spring' is the rise in food prices.” She quotes the Economist, “the Middle East and North Africa depend more on imported food than anywhere else. Most Arab countries buy half of what they eat from abroad; and between 2007 and 2010, cereal imports to the region rose 13 percent, to 66m tonnes.

"Because they import so much, Arab countries suck in food inflation when world prices rise. In 2007-08, they spiked, with some staple crops doubling in price. In Egypt local food prices rose 37 percent in 2008-10.”

She adds, “Unsurprisingly, the spike triggered a wave of bread riots. Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco saw demonstrations about food in 2008. They all suffered political uprisings three years later. The Arab Spring was obviously about much more than food. But it played a role."

"The food-price spike was the final nail in the coffin for regimes that were failing to deliver on their side of the social contract,” according to Jane Harrigan of London's School of Oriental and African Studies.

Pax Christi Genesee County is a chapter of the national Catholic Peace Movement, Pax Christi USA. Pax Christi operates on an interfaith basis locally. The group hopes that its Pasta for Peace series will help promote better understanding of important topics, regionally and beyond.

More information is available at <http://PaxChristiWNY.weebly.com>. Questions may be referred to Pax Christi moderator William Privett, wprivett.paxchristi@gmail.com.

Pre-registration calls to either: Joyce 757-2218, or Trudy: 599-3302.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will hold its annual meeting at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 15. The event will be held at City Slickers Bar & Grill (in the lower level lounge).

City Slickers is located at 59 Main St. in Batavia. Light refreshments will be served.

The business portion of the meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m .with election of officers, constitution amendments and recognition of staff and volunteers. The meeting is open to the public.

For more information, to view the proposed constitution changes, or to RSVP contact Brandie at 343-3040, ext.101, or stop by the extension office at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia.

From American Association of Retired Persons, NY:

Please join AARP New York for Dinner and a Debate in Batavia!

AARP has been taking the debate about the future of Medicare and Social Security out from behind closed doors in Washington so you can have a voice. On Oct. 3, join us in Batavia to continue our national conversation while watching President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney debate important federal issues such as Social Security, Medicare and Financial Security.

Come enjoy a pre-debate dinner, pick up Presidential and Congressional voters’ guides, and feel free to stay with us to watch the debate on the big screen! Come make your voice heard!

What: Presidential Debate Watch Party

When: Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m.  /  Dinner 7:30 p.m.

Voters’ Guide Presentation & Discussion -- 9 – 10:30 p.m. – Presidential Debate

Where: Go Art! Seymour Place 201 E. Main St.

This event is free and open to the public, but we appreciate your RSVP in advance. RSVP by calling toll-free: 1-877-926-8300 or register online: http://aarp.cvent.com/DebateWatchBatavia

Press release:

Genesee Community College continues to demonstrate a commitment to student success and community connections on Thursday, Oct. 25 when more than 20 of the area's top healthcare employers and four-year universities will attend the fifth annual Fall Nursing Job Fair to explore educational and career opportunities.

The event is open to the public, and will be held at the Batavia Campus of Genesee Community College in the Forum from 12 – 2 p.m.

It is designed to introduce potential new employees and/or transferring students to four-year nursing colleges or a future employer, and also provides healthcare businesses an opportunity to present their trade and services to the local community.

Employers and universities represented include:

Catholic Health System
Daemen College – Dept of Nursing
Erie County Medical Center
D'Youville College – School of Nursing
HCR Home Care
Grand Canyon University – Nursing Program
Jewish Home of Rochester
Keuka College – Accelerated Studies for Adults Program
Kaleida Health
Roberts Wesleyan College – School of Nursing
Lifetime Care
The College at Brockport – Army ROTC program
Monroe Community Hospital
Trocaire College
New York Army National Guard
University of Rochester School of Nursing
Rochester General Health System
United Memorial Medical Center
WNY DDSO

For a full list of attendees, please visit www.genesee.edu/career/events.

Participants are encouraged to dress prepared for an interview and to bring their resume. Students will have the opportunity to access real jobs, promote themselves and get their "foot in the door" at several local health centered organizations.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2010, the median annual wage of registered nurses was $64,690. As a result of technology advances and an increased emphasis on preventative care, employment of registered nurses is expected to grow 26 percent between now and 2020.

Parking and attendance are free. For directions and additional details, please contact the Career Services office at 345-6888.

Press release:

In recognition of his long service and deep commitment to Genesee Community College, Board of Trustees Chairman Charles R. Ruffino received the Marvin A. Rapp Award for Distinguished Service on Sept. 22, at the annual conference of the New York Community College Trustees Association.

The award was established by the New York State Community College Trustees Association in 1986 to acknowledge longstanding and exemplary trustee service. Mr. Ruffino's affiliation with GCC dates back to 2002, when he was appointed by the governor as a GCC trustee.

During his tenure, Mr. Ruffino served as a board liaison to the College Foundation Board of Trustees and served on numerous committees that address student housing, the foundation's risk-management program, and new academic program development. He also participated in numerous presentations delivered at national conferences.

As chairman of the board for the past three years, Mr. Ruffino stayed abreast of the key financial issues that impact higher education to ensure the college meets its goals without compromising the quality of its programs and services.

He has been instrumental in nurturing key relationships with the college's sponsor, the Genesee County Legislature, and with various community partnerships, including the Genesee County Economic Development Center and local school districts.

He spearheaded the construction of the Roz Steiner Art Gallery at the Batavia Campus Center and the successful lease of the former Dansville Middle School for the recent relocation of the Dansville Campus Center. Mr. Ruffino also guided the board and the institution through the successful search for a new college president.

"Most times, trustees serve for two years, but Mr. Ruffino was elected to a third year term as chairman because of the high regard and respect the other trustees have for him and his leadership," GCC President James Sunser said in nominating Mr. Ruffino for the Rapp Award and highlighting his service to the college.

Mr. Ruffino is a retired administrator for the NYS School for the Blind and current member of the school's Board of Visitors. He actively served the community as a member of the Batavia School District Board of Education, as a city councilman, and as a Genesee County legislator. He and his his wife, Janet, reside in Batavia, where they enjoy spending time with their son, two daughters and four grandchildren.

Upon completion of his term on the board at the end of June of this year, the Genesee Board of Trustees unanimously named Mr. Ruffino a Trustee Emeritus in honor of his outstanding service and commitment to the college and students.