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Submitted photo and press release:

SENECE FALLS -- Apache hideaway. Hippodrome. Death drag. Shoulder stand. Back bend. These are some of the daring moves that visitors to the 2019 Empire Farm Days will see demonstrated by 14-year-old, award-winning trick rider Courtney Jean Schum.

The teenager, who lives in Alexander, is known as “Courtney Jean, the Trick Riding Machine” (in photo above) and she will make her first visit to the agricultural and rural living event at Rodman Lott and Son Farms in Seneca Falls on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

Her shows will be at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Runnings Round-Up live horse demonstration ring.

Courtney Jean has thrilled crowds at the International Plowing Match and Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and at rodeos in Canada and New York State. Courtney Jean won an Ontario RAM Rodeo Tour Finals Champion Buckle in 2017.

Next January, she will compete in the trick riding competition at the International Professional Rodeo Association Finals in Oklahoma.

Courtney Jean, who is also an accomplished barrel racer, is part of Tanglefoote Stables LLC, operated by her mother Sue Dominesey-Schum at Alexander and in Sheldon.

The Runnings Round-Up live horse demonstrations at Empire Farm Days feature a different presenter each day. (Emma and Jack Minteer and their wild-to-mild American Mustangs will be the featured presenters on Tuesday, Aug. 6. On Thursday, Aug. 8, meet volunteers and equines with Begin Again Horse Rescue (based in Lima)).

Cassidy Jane Hackett, 21, of Holland Avenue, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree attempted grand larceny. It is alleged that at 1:23 p.m. on May 9 that Hackett attempted to withdraw $1,500 from a person's bank account. She was arraigned, released on an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia Town Court on June 24. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Travis DeMuth.

Jessica Nicole Weiss, 28, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and endangering the welfare of a child. Weiss was arrested after allegedly stealing merchandise from Walmart at 2:29 p.m. on June 10 while her 8-month-old son and 3-year-old daughter were with her. She was issued an appearance ticket for June 27 in Batavia Town Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor.

Submitted photos and press release:

The Genesee County Office of Emergency Management Services is pleased to announce the appointment of Gary Patnode (inset photo, left) as Training Technician for Genesee County effective July 8, filling the position vacated by James Bouton after seven years of service.

Patnode brings with him more 20 years of experiences as a volunteer firefighter with the Town of Alabama, including 10 years as Alabama fire chief.

Additionally, he serves as a New York State fire instructor, a Certified New York State fire investigator and EMT-basic.

He is HazMat Team leader for the Genesee County Emergency Support Unit (ESU) and the deputy fire coordinator of the West Battalion (GM4) assisting Alabama, Corfu, Darien, East Pembroke, and Pembroke fire departments.

The Office of Emergency Management Services is also pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Coffey (inset photo, right) as the deputy fire coordinator for the Center Battalion (GM3) as this position was also left open upon Bouton’s departure after almost 15 years as serving the Center Battalion.

Coffey brings 18 years of fire service experience to the position. He is currently serving as the fire chief of the Town of Batavia Fire Department, a New York State fire instructor and a member of the Genesee County Emergency Support Unit (ESU) as well as a member of the Genesee County Fire Investigation Team.

He is also a career sergeant for the City of Batavia Police Department.

As deputy fire coordinator of the Center Battalion, Coffey will provide assistant to Alexander, City and Town of Batavia, Bethany, Elba and Oakfield fire departments.

The county Office of Emergency Management Services looks forward to the knowledge, experience and positive impact these two men will bring to their respective positions.

On behalf of the fire and EMS service of Genesee County, we extend our appreciation to Jim Bouton for his years of service and dedication to the citizens of the county, and our best wishes to him in his future endeavors.

Press release:

Representatives from Batavia Downs and Ground Force Fights today announced they will be holding a spot in Saturday’s MMA card at Batavia Downs for the Canadian pop star and American movie star to settle their differences in the cage.

On June 9^th, Justin Bieber Tweeted; “I wanna challenge Tom Cruise to fight in the octagon. Tom if you dont take this fight you're scared and you will never live it down. Who is willing to put on the fight?”

Richard Mitchell, owner of Ground Force Fights, responds by saying: “We would welcome both Justin and Tom to compete at Throwdown at the Downs 2.0. Fights begin at 6 p.m. and we’d be happy to fit them onto the card whenever it’s convenient for them, given their busy schedules.”

It is unknown at this time why the 25-year-old Bieber decided to challenge the 56-year-old Cruise to the bout.

“Mr. Bieber hails from London, Ontario, while Mr. Cruise was born in Syracuse, New York,” said Ryan Hasenauer, director of Marketing for Batavia Downs. “Batavia is a perfect place for them to meet in the middle to settle whatever this beef is about.

"Batavia has an airport where both celebrities and any entourages can fly in. If they call ahead we can even send our Batavia Downs Shuttle Bus to pick them up.”

Regardless of whether Bieber and Cruise make an appearance, tickets are on sale now for Throwdown at the Downs 2.0 atbataviaconcerts.com.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.; event starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $35 for General Admission and $55 for VIP seats closer to the cage.

Lawn chairs (which are normally permitted for other Batavia Downs events) are NOT permitted for this event. There will be limited chairs and bleacher seating available.

Each concert ticket is also redeemable once at Player’s Club in the three days following the event for $15 Free Play to be used on one of Batavia Downs Gaming’s 800+ gaming machines.

About Batavia Downs/WROTB

Owned and operated by 15 Western New York counties and the cities of Rochester and Buffalo, Western Region Off-Track Betting Corporation is a public benefit corporation with headquarters in Batavia. WROTB owns and operates 17 branches, as well as Batavia Downs Gaming, a standard bred racetrack and gaming facility.

Since its inception, Western Region OTB has generated more than $215 million in operating and surcharge revenues to the taxpayers of those participating municipalities.

About Ground Force Fights

Ground Force Fights is an amateur mixed martial arts organization based in Western New York. We aim to give the public some of the most exciting talent and amateur mixed martial arts shows. They strive to be the best for not only fighters, but fans as well.

Above, photo from May 27 game.

Submitted photos and press release:

The Batavia boys 13U baseball travel team has competed in weekly baseball tournaments in Rochester. The last two weeks they won both tournaments, on May 27 and on June 10, winning four games to reach the winner's circle.

The travel team is called Athletes Edge and they have two age groups: 10-year-olds and 13-year-olds.

Below, photo from June 10 game.

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Proceeds from an upcoming Rummage Sale will be donated to Northgate’s "Connected Community" School in Gahanda, Rwanda, Africa, shown above, as well as Batavia's All Babies Cherished.

Submitted photos and press release:

A few months ago, the pastors at Northgate Free Methodist Church gave a series of messages based on a book by Rick Warren titled, “40 Days of Community.”

The book outlines five purposes for people to fulfill in community with other people -- people within your church family, small groups and in the world around you.

Warren calls the readers to "reach out" and "serve together." So, in response to that call, some of the people who attend Northgate felt led to organize and facilitate a Rummage Sale that will be hosted at Northgate’s South Campus, located at 350 Bank St., Batavia.

Donations will be collected, sorted, and priced accordingly, all by a volunteer group out of Northgate.

The sale will take place Friday, June 21st from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday, June 22nd from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. There will be refreshments available at the sale.

ALL proceeds from this Rummage Sale will be donated to Northgate’s "Connected Community" School in Gahanda, Rwanda, Africa, a school which aids 1,200 children within the area, as well as the Batavia-based charity All Babies Cherished.

Please consider joining Northgate for this sale and contributing to the important work that these charities do.

For further information, please visit northgatefmc.com, contact the Northgate office at (585) 343-4011 or email office@northgatefmc.com.

Below: Smiling faces of children at Northgate’s "Connected Community" School in Gahanda, Rwanda, Africa.

Submitted video clip and press release:

Batavia City Council President, retired Batavia Police Lieutenant, and competitive shooter Eugene Jankowski Jr. recently announced his strong endorsement of Durin Rogers for Batavia City Court judge.

In an endorsement video filmed at a local shooting range that was released Monday, Jankowski said, “I’m a retired police officer as well as a sponsored competitive shooter. Public safety as well as the U.S. Constitution are very important to me.

"I’ve known Judge Durin Rogers for many years and he’s always been very thorough and very judicious when it comes to the rule of law. I fully endorse him for City of Batavia Court Judge.”

Jankowski has been a lifelong local public servant, retiring as a lieutenant from the Batavia City Police Department after 34 years of service to the community. Jankowski continues his dedication to Batavia currently serving as the City Council president.

Rogers, who currently serves as part-time Batavia City Court judge, has already earned the endorsements of: the current and former County Social Services commissioners; the current and former County Sheriff; the current program coordinator and former director of Genesee Justice; the City of Batavia Republican Committee; the Genesee County Conservative Committee; and many other citizens and businesses.  

John J. Saddler, 31, no address provided, is charged with disorderly conduct with obscene sexual language and gestures. It is alleged that at 10:51 a.m. on June 7 on Jerome Place in Batavia that Saddler was observed outside screaming sexual obscenities and making sexual gestures toward the public. He was arrested and released on an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on June 11. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison, assisted by Peter Post. While officers were attempting to speak with Saddler about the disturbance he allegedly caused moments earlier, he became belligerent and allegedly said he was going to shoot Batavia city police officers. He was then charged with second-degree harassment and is also due to answer that charge on June 11 in city court. Batavia Police Officer Peter Post handled the incident, assisted by Officer Miah Stevens.

Sean M. Madigan, 33, of Collegeview Drive, Batavia, is charged with forcible touching and unlawfully dealing with a child. Madigan was arrested after an investigation of an incident which occurred at a restaurant in the Home Valu Plaza on West Main Street Road in Batavia at 6 p.m. on Dec. 27. It is alleged that while he was working at the restaurant, he subjected an employee to unwanted physical contact and provided alcohol to subjects under age 21. After his arraignment in Batavia City Court, he was issued an appearance ticket and is due back in court on June 18. The case was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Kevin DeFelice.

Carlton L. Beardsley, 24, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, and Brittany M. Smith, no age or address provided, are charged with obstruction of governmental administration. It is alleged that at 4:08 p.m. on June 3 on West Main Street in Batavia, that they fought with police while police were investigating a reported assault that had occurred on West Main Street. They are due in Batavia City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Shaneeka R. Wroten, 26, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wroten was arrested on East Main Street in Batavia at 6:53 p.m. on June 6 after allegedly proceeding beyond the point of sale at a local store without paying for merchandise. She was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on June 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider.

Jessica M. Pfenninger, 36, is charged with petit larceny. She was arrested at 12:41 p.m. on June 6 after police investigated a shoplifting complaint at Dollar General on East Main Street in Batavia. Pfenninger was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on June 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Post.

Crystal M. Bouter, 30, of Church Street, Medina, is charged with failure to appear in court on April 3. She was arrested on a warrant and issued an appearance ticket for June 11 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Submitted photo and press release:

RSVP Volunteer Placement Program of Genesee County announced today that 17 RSVP volunteers prepared more than 1,200 federal and state tax returns, bringing back to the community over $1 million in income tax refunds.

The volunteers served 3,500 hours through RSVP in collaboration with AARP and the IRS, who provide training, materials, equipment and technical support for the Tax Assistance Program.

The program is open to all individuals in need of basic tax preparation and is designed to assist low to moderate income households. There is no charge for the service, but donations are accepted.  

For many people, the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program provides peace of mind along with their filings. Recipients comment on the professionalism, kindness and accuracy with which their returns are processed.

The RSVP Volunteer Placement Program helps individuals 55+ find meaningful volunteer opportunities with 25 different agencies in Genesee County.  If the tax program sounds interesting to you, please call Courtney Iburi, RSVP coordinator, at (585) 343-1611 to learn how you can help those in need next tax season.

Training is provided and opportunities to serve are flexible.

Congratulations to the dedicated volunteers, who made such a difference for so many people!

Press release:

The Genesee County Youth Bureau is seeking applicants for the Genesee Youth Lead Program. Applicants should be a Genesee County high school student entering their freshman through senior year.

The eight-month program is focused on developing leadership skills within an individual through each specific session and through hands on experience. Each session will have a different focus on our community and leadership.

For complete information about the program, click here.

The program will cost $75 for each student. If there is an economic hardship please contact the Genesee County Youth Bureau. 

The Youth Lead Program will take place at GVEP BOCES beginning Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will be held once a month on the second Wednesdays of each month.

The program dates are: Oct. 9, Nov. 13, Dec. 11, Jan. 8, Feb. 12, March 11, April 8, and May 13.

Youth that complete the program are encouraged to use the skills and information gained through their experience to support the communities in which they live.

The selection process will be done through an application and interview process by the staff. The class size is limited.

 Applications for the program can be found here.

 Please contact the Genesee County Youth Bureau with questions at (585) 344-3960 or at youthbureau@co.genesee.ny.us.

GCC's 2019 SUNY Chancellor's Award winners -- Front row, from left: Derek Maxfield, Kristen Mruk, John Molyneaux, Maureen Goodsell. Back row, from left: JoNelle Toriseva, Lori Kubik, Kathleen Kimber.

Submitted photo and press release:

As Genesee Community College celebrated an all-encompassing and momentous commencement weekend for its students last month, the College administration, staff and faculty took a few hours to acknowledge and celebrate each other's accomplishments and dedication that go "beyond expectations."

"In the spirit of commencement & the hard work of our students, GCC recognizes the dedication of our faculty and staff who go beyond expectations in helping our students succeed," said GCC President James Sunser. "And so, for a few hours, we close non-essential offices and celebrate our successes as a team."

Perhaps the most prestigious honors recognized at this ceremony were the 2019 State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor's Awards for Excellence bestowed upon seven of GCC's finest.

• Receiving the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service, which recognizes consistently superior service contributions of teaching faculty over multiple years, was Professor of Spanish, Kathleen A. Kimber. Kimber became a member of GCC's faculty in 1997 and immediately got directly involved with the campus and community. Regularly using her Spanish fluency, Kimber goes above and beyond her duties as a professor to assist in translations, donating countless hours over the years. On multiple occasions, she has served as a medical translator in Honduras -- an experience Kimber shares in the classroom providing real-life learning opportunities to her students. Kimber has chaired and co-chaired many initiatives on campus, collaborated and contributed to grant writing opportunities and campus governance topics, student and faculty mentoring relationships, consistently and clearly demonstrating her commitment to service. Kimber was also the recipient of a SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities in 2011 and for Excellence in Teaching in 2004. Kimber earned her Graduate Certificate in Educational Technology Integration from Pennsylvania State University Online, her M.A. from Indiana University, and her B.A. in Spanish from SUNY Potsdam. Kimber resides in Naples.
• Recognizing consistently superior professional achievement, the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service was awarded to Student Activities Specialist, Kristen E. Mruk. Mruk, of Lancaster, joined the GCC professional services team in 2013 and since then has completely transformed GCC's Leadership Certificate Program into an online program making it more accessible and relevant to today's students. Additionally, Mruk revised the Student Orientation process to improve new student experiences, and has supported students transition to college through supplemental online programs and working closely with GCC's six campus centers. All of these efforts and Mruk's countless hours analyzing data, collaborating with colleagues and implementing new tools have allowed her to execute ideas to improve student participation and satisfaction. She is also actively involved with the Association of College Unions International (ACUI), the College Student Personnel Association of New York State (CSPA-NYS) currently serving as its President Elect, and has been serving as a volunteer with SABAH (Spirited Athletes Bold at Heart) in Buffalo for 20 years. Mruk earned her M.S. in College Student Personnel Administration from Canisius College and her B.A. in Communication from SUNY Buffalo.
• For Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, Director of Humanities JoNelle R. Toriseva received a SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence. Toriseva's passion for scholarship and creativity have been evident through all she has accomplished since joining GCC in 2011. The highlight of Toriseva's career so far was her work in spearheading the development of GCC's Scholarship Symposium. Now an annual signature event for the College, it not only presents the accomplishments of our students and employees by demonstrating and celebrating their creative achievements, but it supports and encourages a culture of research, academic excellence, and innovation as well. Toriseva has presented at various national, state, and local conferences and published award-winning writing. She brings to the classroom a lifetime of interesting accomplishments and experiences and continues to research and develop collaborative efforts within the college and local community to enhance scholarship and creativity opportunities for all. Toriseva received her M.F.A. in English, Creative Writing from Mills College, her M.A. in English and her B.S. in Spanish Education from Bemidji State University, and her B.A. in Spanish & Speech Communication from Concordia College. Toriseva resides in Rochester.
• Receiving the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, which recognizes consistently superior teaching at the graduate, undergraduate, or professional level of the highest quality was Associate Professor of History Derek D. Maxfield. Since his hire in 2009, Maxfield has been actively involved in GCC's campus community and dedicated to providing students with an exceptional learning experience. Described by many as a gifted storyteller, Maxfield has a way of reaching students in the classroom that is memorable. He incorporates applied learning, which gets his students beyond the classroom and experiencing the preservation of history on the ground, has created unique and engaging assignments, created new courses, and coordinates the GCC History Club's Historical Horizons Lecture Series. Maxfield's first book, "Hellmira: The Union's Most Infamous POW Camp of the Civil War" is being published this fall. Maxfield holds an M.A. in History from Villanova University and a B.A. in History from SUNY Cortland. He currently resides in Churchville.
• The SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching recognizes consistently superior teaching at the graduate, undergraduate or professional level of the highest quality. Receiving this award were adjunct instructors Lori E. Kubik and John R. Molyneux.

Kubik, who lives in Attica, has been a member of GCC's adjunct faculty since 2012 teaching several Grammar and English courses. In addition, she has been teaching in GCC's Advanced Learning Program since its inception in 2015. Kubik creates and uses various educational techniques to ensure she reaches all students' learning styles. Kubik is not only known for her unique ways to engage students, but also for her dedication to go above and beyond her duties as an adjunct teacher. Her breadth of knowledge, commitment to intellectual rigor dazzles students and faculty alike. It is very evident by all she does that she is truly invested in our college, community, and most importantly, our students. Kubik earned her M.S. and B.A. in Secondary English Education from the State University College at Buffalo.

Molyneux has been a member of GCC's adjunct faculty since 2002 and has taught a variety of courses in English, Literature and Speech. He is a veteran teacher with almost 50 years of teaching experience and is well known for his ability to connect with students. Molyneux is creative, innovative and passionate about educating. His dedication and motivation is an inspiration for all who cross his path. Molyneux is an exceptional instructor who is dedicated to bringing literacy instruction from the library to the classroom and beyond. As a result, his class offerings are in high demand. Molyneux holds a B.A. in English from St. Francis University. He currently resides in Henrietta.

• The final SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence was presented to Maureen P. Goodsell, Admissions Data Entry Operator for Excellence in Classified Service. This award is a system-level award established to give recognition for superior performance and extraordinary achievement by employees in the Classified Service. These awards demonstrate SUNY's commitment to individuals who provide superior service to its students and the community at large. Maureen came to GCC in 1999 and has been dedicated to mastering her role and has accomplished a great deal of work beyond the outline of her position description. Goodsell is a wealth of knowledge, a valuable resource for students and staff, and possess extraordinary customer service skills. She is a creative thinker, always flexible with the ever-changing times, and enthusiastic about all she does. Goodsell continually strives to fulfill and exceed all the expectations of her position in an effort to better herself and GCC. She is a role model when it comes to work ethic and a great leader. Goodsell earned her A.A.S in Business Administration from Genesee Community College. She currently resides in Batavia.

The entire employee celebration also included longevity service awards for employees having served GCC for up to 30 years as well as the College's own unique award category, the Cougar Awards, for which recipients are nominated by fellow employees.

"This was our second annual celebration and I'm already hearing reports of some of the amazing work we will be celebrating next year!" President Sunser said, "There is a lot to celebrate here at GCC."