A dog is barking inside a van in the Tops market that has its windows up, according to a caller to dispatch. The vehicle is said to be closer to Main Street in the parking lot.
An animal control officer is responding. It's 90 degrees in Batavia.
UPDATE 1:25 p.m.: "I checked that white van; there's no dog in the vehicle," says the responding officer before clearing the scene.
From Dave Olsen, chairman of the Genesee County Libertarian Party:
The 2018 GCLP convention will be Monday June 4, at 6:30 p.m.; we will meet in the side room at T.F. Brown’s Restaurant, 214 Main St.
There are a couple things of note for you to think about between now and then.
We will be electing a new Chairperson for sure. I shall be resigning as soon as the next chair is elected.
From Dave Olsen, chairman of the Genesee County Libertarian Party:
The 2018 GCLP convention will be Monday June 4, at 6:30 p.m.; we will meet in the side room at T.F. Brown’s Restaurant, 214 Main St.
There are a couple things of note for you to think about between now and then.
We will be electing a new Chairperson for sure. I shall be resigning as soon as the next chair is elected.
We will be electing or re-electing the Vice-Chair. The Secretary position is also up for election. Jim Rosenbeck has served in that capacity in addition to his duties as Vice-Chair of the LPNY for three years. He has now been elected as the LPNY Chair and would rather someone else take over the duties of Secretary. That is understandable as state chair is a time-consuming post. Many thanks to Jim for all his hard work and dedication to the GCLP and all the great things to come.
Please consider if you would be willing to serve the GCLP as Chair, Vice Chair or Secretary. In my five years with this party, the board has always worked together as a team and I expect that would continue. You will have lots of help. Please let me know if you are interested, so I can nominate you.
LPNY chairman Jim Rosenbeck has asked that each county chapter designate a county coordinator for petitioning efforts which will begin on July 10 for statewide offices. Fifteen thousand signatures are the minimum required to get our Governor candidate on the ballot. We usually like to see at least 50-percent more to reduce the chance of a challenge knocking us off the ballot.
Mark Glogowski, the local NY Assembly candidate, will need a minimum of 3,000 signatures; he wants to double that. The more petition signatures gotten by volunteers reduces the amount of paid petitioners the LPNY will need to hire. Finances are slim and every opportunity for savings is important.
This also gives us all an opportunity to continue the outreach the GCLP has designated as our primary mission; you get to talk to registered voters about Larry Sharpe and Mark Glogowski along with the other statewide candidates and spread the message of liberty!
Serving as the GCLP coordinator will not be overly time consuming. You will be the liaison to volunteers who may need guidance or tips on how to petition. We will provide the resources you need. The petitioners will submit their completed petitions to you for a quality review and then you would mail them to our master petitioning operation in Albany. Petitions will be electronically distributed by the LPNY communications division. If this interests you, please let me know.
Our convention speakers will be: Andrew Hollister, Libertarian for New York Lt. Governor, Mark Glogowski, Libertarian for NY Assembly, and James Rosenbeck, Libertarian Party of New York Chairman.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone again on Monday! Bring a friend, tell others.
A Monroe County musician who used to live in Stafford was sentenced to five years probation this afternoon, less time already served on interim probation, for his role in a Le Roy grand theft case.
Jonathan E. Seiger, about 56, was indicted in February of 2017 on 18 counts -- 17 Class E felonies and one Class A misdemeanor -- for unlawfully possessing and using a female friend's bank debit card. The charges also included criminal possession of stolen property and conspiracy.
His former roommate, Scott H. Spencer, was a co-defendant in the case. Between Aug. 5 and 15, 2016, the duo used the debit card at an ATM machine, along with the friend's PIN identification, to withdraw $1,660.
Seiger, who is speech and/or hearing impaired and requires a sign language interpreter, appeared in Genesee County Court with his attorney, Clark Zimmermann. He said his client's half of the restitution has been paid.
A May 16 report from the Probation Department and one from Unity Mental Health were filed, finding Seiger to be largely compliant with the terms of his interim probation. The felonies were reduced to misdemeanors.
But there was a violation of interim probation -- failure to appear in court as ordered -- prompting today's court appearance.
"I think there are some incorrect statements (in the report) by the Probation Department," Zimmermann said. "The Probation Department doesn't recommend giving probation a chance. Mr. Seiger has done what he was required to do."
Judge Charles Zambito set probation to expire on Aug. 29, 2022 and ordered an order of protection for the victim until May 29, 2026.
Spencer, who is also now living in Monroe County and on probation in the case, is responsible for $830 for his half of the restitution, but it has yet to be paid. However, a payment schedule has been set up.
Assistant District Attorney Kevin Finnell asked the court to make Seiger obligated for the balance due if anything should happen to Seiger's partner in crime and he becomes unable to pay it.
The clerk of the court spoke up and said the actual amount due the victim totals $1,743 -- not counting the check that a friend of Seiger's sent to the D.A. Office for Seiger's portion.
"She will be made whole," Zimmermann assured the court.
Zambito agreed to put in his ruling that Seiger is obligated to any restitution money due if Spencer defaults -- or dies. He also agreed to transfer the case to Monroe County Probation Department; ordered that a DNA sample be submitted to the state database; and called for a search of Seiger's property or person at anytime by Probation authorities, as requested by the people.
Zimmermann objected to the search clause, saying his client is not a drug offender, nor does he need treatment.
"It is overly intrusive," Zimmermann complained.
There was a brief conference at the bench at that point.
When the proceedings resumed, Finnell said he takes issue with a waiver of the search order; it is not related to any treatment concerns for the defendant.
"When he was taken into custody for failure to appear, in January, inappropriate material was found on his cell phone -- it was believed to be child porn," Finnell said. "(After investigation) none was found, but the browsing history showed a search for child porn. So the search conditions are warranted."
Zimmermann was silent.
The judge said he received concerns from Probation about their ability to properly supervise Seiger, and he said he also has concerns about that. He then specified that Seiger be ready at any time to have his person, residence or anything under his control subjected to a search by the Probation Department.
He will have to abide by a curfew.
The judge declined to require Seiger to inform an employer of his criminal history.
He will have to provide authorities with his employment and education records, and will have to submit to therapy should that be recommended. Seiger cannot possess firearms. He has to have a substance abuse evaluation and a mental health evaluation done within the next four weeks.
Seiger -- who is stoutish, about 5' 6" with dark curly hair -- wore a dark suit and white shirt to court. He will not be required, as was requested, to write a letter of apology to the victim.
The probationer can have no contact with former roommate Spencer, unless he clears it with the Probation Department first. Spencer sometimes books and manages music gigs, so he can't avoid him entirely and still make a living, his attorney explained.
Because he still has a matter pending in Genesee County Court -- "a penal law 130" unspecified sex offense case -- Seiger will be allowed to travel to and from the courthouse.
He has 30 days to appeal the judge's ruling.
"Good luck, Mr. Seiger," Zambito said.
Deemed a two-time felony offender for upcoming sentencing purposes, he was in Genesee County Court because today was the cut-off date for a plea deal offered by the District Attorney's Office.
After a brief recess to discuss matters with his attorney, public defender Jamie Welch, Hoges agreed to serve a determinant sentence of four years in state prison, with two years of post-release supervision.
The Jackson Street resident was arrested on Aug. 11 last summer and charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd. The native of Buffalo, who has a GED, was accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force on two occasions. Following arraignment, he was jailed without bail and remains in custody.
He was previously convicted of attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree in Genesee County Court on Feb.19, 2015.
Judge Charles Zambito ordered a pre-sentencing investigation report to be completed and sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m. June 29.
Hoges must abide by the terms of the plea agreement or face the possibility that the judge could impose the maximum sentence -- a 12-year determinant sentence with three years of post-release supervision.
Asked if he had any difficulty understanding the proceedings and terms, the portly Hoges told the judge "No, I know exactly what's going on."
Restitution of $100 must be paid, too, and he waived his right to appeal.
People are "swinging shovels at each other" -- fighting at a mobile home park in Le Roy. Law enforcement is responding.
We don't have the exact location of the mobile home park. It's in the 8700 block of Lake Street Road.
A free Financial Education seminar will be held at Le Roy High School in the library at 6 p.m. on Thurday, June 14.
It is located at 9300 South Street Road, Le Roy.
Instructor Diana Wagner will present simple financial concepts to help individuals and families: control and eliminate debt; save for retirement; and properly protect income.
The focus is on having a solid foundation for a good financial future and helping young people start out on the right foot making sound choices and forming beneficial habits.
Please register to participate by calling 768-8131.
A motor-vehicle accident, with one person said to be unconscious, is reported in Elba at Route 98 and Lockport Road. Elba Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.
Press release:
On Monday, June 4th, from 4 to 6 p.m., the Batavia Muckdogs will be hosting a job fair at Dwyer Stadium.
Those who are looking to work in concessions, maintenance/janitors, grounds crew, box office/ticket takers, press box, promotions, in-game entertainment, the mascot, or bat boys for the duration of the 2018 season can arrive at the visitor’s clubhouse at 4 p.m. for check-in.
Attendees are encouraged to dress business casual. The Muckdogs look to fill the positions right away, with the necessary training beginning the weekend of June 15th.
About the Muckdogs
Recognized as the birthplace of the New York-Penn League and one of its founding franchises, 2018 marks the 79th season of professional baseball in Batavia. Operated by Batavia Muckdogs Inc., the Muckdogs are the Class A Short Season Affiliate of the Miami Marlins and the only professional sports franchise in Genesee County.
CORFU — Viola J. Reak, 85, of Corfu, passed away Wednesday (May 23, 2018) at the Le Roy Village Green Nursing Home.
She was born August 27, 1932 in East Pembroke, a daughter of the late Melvin and Myra York Snell.
Viola (Mom) will be remembered as an amazing and caring woman who touched so many lives. Someone said anyone who was lucky enough to spend time with her is a better person for it. Viola was always Mom to many of us. When you needed a friend she was always there. She enjoyed going to the casino and when she could she went on cruises.
She is survived by her children, Dawn (Kent) Silvernail, of Corfu; Brian (Anita) Reak, of Milton VT; Dale (Mary) Reak, of Eagan MN; 15 grandchildren; 11 great-grand children, her sister-in-law, Lucy Snell, and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Marvin C. Reak, and all her brothers and sister.
Family and friends may call on Tuesday, May 29, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the C. B. Beach & Son Mortuary Inc., 4 E. Main St., Corfu NY. Her funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at C. B. Beach & Son Mortuary with interment to follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Corfu.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 1000 Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101.
City fire and Mercy medics are called to 324 W. Main St. in Downtown Batavia for a subject with a laceration. Police are on scene.
Press release:
“This Monday is dedicated to the countless men and women who have given their lives to protect our freedom and way of life," said Assemblyman Steve Hawley in a special Memorial Day message today. "The American dream is uniquely cherished and we owe our gratitude to the veterans who courageously defended it throughout our nation’s history.
“As a veteran, son of a World War Two veteran and member of the Assembly’s Veterans Affairs Committee for many years, our servicemen and servicewomen have always held a special place in my heart and are an inspiration for me to keep fighting in Albany.
“As you are enjoying this special day with family and friends, I ask that you take a moment to reflect on those who have given their lives so future generations can live free and thank a veteran in your life for their service. Lastly, always remember to be safe and responsible when driving but, most importantly, have a happy Memorial Day!”
Gail Stevens, a past member of the Batavia City School District Board of Education, has been selected to speak at SUNY Empire State College’s commencement event at Rochester.
It will take place at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 31, at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, 123 E. Main St..
Stevens was a longtime resident of Batavia, now residing in North Port, Fla.
She worked in the Batavia County Sheriff’s Office and then for Troop A of the New York State Police as a clerk for more than 20 years. Stevens remarried in 1998 and, in 2013, returned to Florida to work for Paychex Inc., her current employer.
She is an alumna of Genesee Community College, Class of 1980. The single mother of Michelle and Eric began work on her bachelor’s degree in 1991.
Twenty-seven years later, she has completed her Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Economics, with a 3.80 GPA, and graduates this spring.
As she studied long and hard to complete her degree, Stevens met significant challenges, including the death of both parents, divorce, a career change, a move from Florida to New York, then back to Florida, and a son who became addicted to heroin, and who now has recovered.
Her volunteer leadership experience in Genesee County includes serving as:
In Florida, she volunteers at San Pedro Catholic Church as an usher, serves on the City of North Port Parks and Recreation Committee and is helping to launch a Celebrate Recovery Group at the New Hope Community Church of North Port, as she continues her career at Paychex.
There will be a car wash at the Tractor Supply Co. store in Batavia from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 26, to raise money for the Genesee County 4-H Sheep Club.
It is located at 4974 E. Main Street Road.
All proceeds will go toward fair awards/trophies and barn improvements at the GC Fairgrounds.
Cost is $5 per vehicle.
The club will also be selling hotdogs, chips, soda and water at the fundraiser.
There will be a car wash at the Tractor Supply Co. store from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 26, to raise money for the Genesee County 4-H Sheep Club.
It is located at 4974 E. Main Street Road, Batavia.
All proceeds will go toward fair awards/trophies and barn improvements at the GC Fairgrounds.
Cost is $5 per vehicle.
The club will also be selling hotdogs, chips, soda and water at the fundraiser.
Press release:
When the Legislature returns from Memorial Day break, Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) will be garnering support and fighting for new legislation he is optimistic will move forward before the Legislature adjourns for summer break beginning in late June.
Hawley has amended legislation to further expand rights for charitable gaming organizations such as churches, fire departments and not-for-profits to build on the successes of the Charitable Gaming Act that became law last year.
Hawley’s bill would allow raffle tickets sold on the Internet to be purchased by any resident regardless of their location. Current law only allows for raffle sales in the county by which the charitable organization is operating or any contiguous county.
“This is about continuing to modernize our antiquated charitable gaming laws and allowing the wonderful organizations that conduct these raffles to sell tickets all over the state,” Hawley said.
“There are tens of thousands of churches, fire departments, nonprofits, Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs across New York that are struggling to still provide great community resources while dealing with these outdated regulations.”
On the heels of Barbara Underwood’s appointment to fill the last several months of Eric Schneiderman’s term as New York attorney general, Hawley is making a renewed push for legislation that would return power to the voters in the case New York’s comptroller or attorney general resigns or passes away.
Currently, the Legislature has the power to hand-pick candidates to fill these vacancies no matter how long of a term is left to serve, while Hawley’s bill would require a statewide election.
“We have seen far too many statewide elected officials leave office in disgrace, and setting aside the need for more honest government officials, the citizens of this state should always have the supreme right to elect who they wish, not the Legislature,” Hawley said.
“This legislation is about protecting our democratic process and sanctity of elections, and I am hopeful it will gain much support after recent events.”
Following the string of deadly school shootings in recent months, Hawley has introduced new legislation that would allow school districts to employ retired police officers as school safety officers and continue to receive their retirement benefits.
In March, Hawley sent a public letter to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie requesting $50,000 for each school across the state to hire resource officers.
“This is about priorities, and I cannot think of a priority more preeminent than the safety and security of our students,” Hawley said.
“My bill includes $50,000 in state funding per school to offset the cost of hiring security officers and an increase of the cap for retired police officers who are receiving a pension in order for them to earn between $30,000 and $50,000 per year.”
Photo of the 2018 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence winners, from left: Raymond A. Boucher, Raymond Strzelecki, Tara E. Conrad; Joseph L. Ziolkowski, Candice S. Vacin, David W. Johson, Carol E. Geiselmann, and Timothy P. Tomczak. Missing from the photo is Amy Masters.
Submitted photo and press release:
A new formal ceremony -- "SUNY GCC Employees Serving Beyond Expectations"
As Genesee Community College prepared for its 50th Commencement on May 20, a new ceremony was introduced reinforcing the spirit of achievement, hard work and dedication. Instead of GCC graduates walking across the platform stage, College officials recognized members of faculty and staff.
"The new SUNY GCC Employees Serving Beyond Expectations was a formal ceremony, yet a fun and festive way to recognize the quality of service and the hard work of our GCC family," GCC's President James M. Sunser, Ed.D., said.
"It is a new tradition that combines several different award programs, and gives us all a chance to celebrate our hard work and also decompress at the end of the academic year."
The new event collectively recognized:
Longevity Service Awards recognizing 38 employees who reached milestone years between 10 to 30 years of service, collectively serving 630 years!
SUNY Chancellor's Awards for Excellence
The new Cougar Awards honorees were awarded as a surprise to the honorees in the following categories: Rookie of the Year; Teamwork Award; Spirit and Community Award; Innovation Award; Cougar Salute; Inclusive Excellence Award, and President's Award.
A special congratulations was also given to nine employees who have or will soon be retiring from GCC.
At this special ceremony, in front of the GCC community, Sunser and GCC's Board of Trustees Chair Laura Bohm awarded nine prestigious 2018 State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor's Awards for Excellence.
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 and Director of Social Sciences, Timothy P. Tomczak.
Tomczak joined the faculty at GCC as an Instructor of Psychology in the fall semester of 1987. In that capacity his teaching load consisted primarily of courses in General, Abnormal, and Social Psychology. He expanded the range of his teaching subjects at the College to include Introduction to Logic and Child and Adolescent Development as well as Beginning Karate.
He has been a pioneer of the College's distance learning movement, first teaching "telecourses" and moving on to teaching online sections of psychology. Tomczak was also one of the first full-time faculty members to teach in GCC's ACE program at the program's inception.
In 1994, Tomczak received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Tomczak was promoted to associate professor commencing with the fall 1996 semester, and to the rank of Professor effective fall 2007, the year that he received the Chancellor's Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities. Tomczak holds a B.A. in Psychology from Mercyhurst College and a M.A. in General Experimental Psychology from the State University of New York, College of Geneseo.
Recognizing consistently superior professional achievement, the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service was awarded to assistant registrar, Tara E. Conrad. Conrad came to GCC in 2007 as the records information specialist. She joined the highly productive Records Office which provided a great base of functional user knowledge of Ellucian Banner and that has been a central building block of her career.
Conrad has been a leader in developing technological solutions to complicated processes, creating time and cost efficiencies that support the mission of the college. She is recognized for her work both within the SUNY system and in other organizations and has been sought after to help in system-wide ways. Conrad's enthusiasm and flare for technology and her desire to work with software applications prevailed as her career unfolded at Genesee. She has lead several software implementation and has become an effective and essential functional resource for the college.
Conrad earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Merrimack College and a M.S. in Education from the State University of New York, College at Brockport. In addition, Conrad has received a one-year full-time appointment as a SUNY Provost Fellow, the first-ever at GCC. The focus of this fellowship is to perform research and develop recommendation for the implementation of Enrollment and Completion Infrastructure that would support SUNY's student access, completion and success initiatives with a particular focus on Re-enroll to Complete.
Technical specialist/ financial aid retention, Amy A. Masters, was also awarded the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service. Masters first joined the joined the College staff in the Business Office in 2008 and transferred to her current position in Financial Aid in 2012.
As she did in the Business Office, she has made significant contributions to the operations and procedures of the Financial Aid Office, particularly in the areas of scholarship awards and tracking and streamlining office processes and forms. She was instrumental in making the scholarship application process a smoother one for students, both for institutional scholarships and emergency scholarships for students in need.
Masters has a B.S in Psychology from Elmira College and she continued her education since she has been at Genesee, receiving her M.S. in Management from Keuka College.
President Sunser and Bohm awarded Assistant Professor of Photography and Art Joseph L. Ziolkowski the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Service for his consistently outstanding scholarly and creative productivity, conducted in addition to teaching.
Ziolkowski has been a member of GCC's Fine Arts faculty since August of 2012. Upon arriving, he immersed himself completely in the GCC classroom the college community, and in continuing his own professional development. Ziolkowski provides "applied learning" opportunities for his students by frequently organizing field trips to exhibits and museums to expose them to all types of art.
He uses technology and other teaching modalities to engage the students and encourage them in their own creative development. He has a passion for creating and sharing it with the world around him that benefits his students and the internal and external college community.
Ziolkowski received a B.A in Photography from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, a M.F.A. in Photography from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an M.S.Ed. in Art Education from Nazareth College of Rochester.
The fifth award at the ceremony, 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 received by Associate Professor of Psychology, Candice S. Vacin. Vacin has been teaching psychology for over sixteen years and joined the GCC faculty in 2007.
She is committed to providing a learning environment for her students that helps them to be successful in her class and beyond, and she creates an environment that encourages each student to express their individuality in a safe and respectful way. She brings much energy to the classroom in her teaching, and she not only makes herself available to students via office hours, but she also meets with each student individually at various points in the semester to provide feedback on their progress and assist them as she can.
She uses a great deal of creativity in presenting the subject matter, and does so in a way that students can relate it to "real life." Vacin holds an A.A. in Liberal Arts from Niagara County Community College, a B.A. in Psychology from the State University of New York at Geneseo and a M.A. in Psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Also receiving the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching was David W. Johnson, instructor of Biology at GCC. Johnson joined the GCC faculty in 2014.
He is a strong advocate of the natural science program, bringing tremendous passion and enthusiasm for science, the teaching of science, and he values the role community colleges play in today's educational arena. The enjoyment that students get from his classes is evident by their enthusiasm in and out of class. He can often be found in the lab working with students and perfecting labs the students will be doing.
Johnson has spent a great deal of time reworking the General Biology sequence and bringing it into the new century with a modern focus. He belongs to several professional organizations in his field and has made several presentations both on campus and off.
Johnson received a B.S in Biochemistry from the State University of New York at Oswego and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Rochester.
Similarly, 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 was adjunct instructors Carol E. Geiselmann and Raymond A. Boucher.
Geiselmann has been a member of the Genesee adjunct faculty since 2011 teaching several English courses. For 10 years prior to that, Geiselmann was an instructor in the College's Accelerated College Enrollment program. She provides her students with clear syllabi so they understand their responsibilities for the course.
She willingly comes to campus on her days off or stays after class to meet with students and she continually provides feedback and encouragement. Geiselmann is an instructor who meticulously and tenaciously provides students with a solid foundation for life success, and an opportunity for each to develop their own style and voice, simultaneously instilling confidence as students learn and develop writing skills.
Geiselmann earned an A.A. in Arts from SUNY's Orange County Community College, a B.A. in Education/English from the State University of New York at Geneseo and a M.S. in Education/English from Elmira College.
Boucher joined the adjunct faculty at Genesee in 2003 and has taught a variety of course in Theatre, English and Speech. A 2014 winner of the NISOD Award for Teaching Excellence, Boucher is a master teacher.
While he sets high expectations for his students, he is cognizant of the differences of learning styles and he varies his teaching methods to help students be as successful. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom that students find intriguing, and a disciplined yet fun energy that keeps control of the classroom and invites students to explore. Boucher takes his teaching responsibilities very seriously and is a role model for faculty.
Boucher holds a B.S in Theatre Arts and in Literature from the State University of New York at Brockport, post-graduate classes in English Education from Buffalo State College, and a M.A. in Literature from the State University of New York at Cortland.
The final SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence was presented to Raymond J. Strzelecki, Building Maintenance supervisor, 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.
Strzelecki started his career at GCC as building maintenance mechanic in 1991 and went to building maintenance supervisor in 2002 and has been an outstanding employee ever since. He is a team player and demonstrates excellence by continuously going above and beyond in the scope of his job description.
He provides exemplary customer service to the entire College community and is highly respected by his colleagues. This recognition formally thanks Strzelecki for being a role model to everyone on campus.
For the newly established "Cougar Awards," nominations for each of these categories were collected throughout the last semester, and the selected honorees were a tightly keep secret until the moment the awards were announced catching all recipients as a complete surprise.
Recognizing Cougar Accomplishments
In the Cougar Awards segment, Director of Buildings and Grounds Levi T. Olsen was recognized as the Rookie of the Year for his outstanding accomplishments in his first six months on the job.
Fittingly, the entire Buildings and Grounds team, 37 members in all, were called to the stage next to receive the Teamwork Award. The field house audience came to their feet showing appreciation and gratitude for the tireless work of this group especially in light of the two new buildings that were brought online in the past year.
For her exemplary school spirit, secretary in the Financial Aid Office Rebecca S. Patterson received the Spirit and Community Award. Next, ACE Program specialist Karlyn M. Finucane was awarded the Innovation Award for the inception and implementation of the STEM Program that provides young students who are gifted in the math and sciences with the opportunity to pursue college credits while in middle and high school.
The Cougar Salute, which was presented to GCC's Dean for Distributed Learning and Learning Technologies Craig R. Lamb for consistently demonstrating the College's core values.
For embracing the diversity, equity and inclusiveness of the campus community, Director of Student Activities Clifford M. Scutella was awarded the Inclusive Excellence Award. The final Cougar Award, the President's Award, went to Director of Athletics Kristen E. Schuth for her distinguished efforts and services in support of the College's mission and strategic priorities.
Milestones of Service
Genesee Community College also used the "Serving Beyond Expectations" Ceremony to recognize employees' attainment of milestone service through the Longevity Awards.
Faculty and Staff: Quality & Compassion
Lastly, but no less important, the "Serving Beyond Expectations" Ceremony took a moment to share and admire the numerous accomplishments and contributions made by GCC's faculty and staff throughout the past academic year.
The number and breadth of these achievements exemplify the quality and compassion that seems near endemic across all departments and divisions at GCC.
From professional presentations to serving as a panelist, board member, keynote speaker, juror, volunteer, evaluator, singer, exhibitor and even earning a certified drone piloting license, 44 members of GCC's staff illustrated their dedication and top-notch professionalism, as well as their passion, patriotism and the idea of making the GLOW community a better place to live and work and flourish.
Press release from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce:
Ignite Buffalo is providing local small businesses a new opportunity for growth through a grant program that will award up to $100,000 to Western New York businesses.
Ignite Buffalo is a business grant and mentorship program that promotes sustainable growth, job creation, and ongoing education to local small business owners. Ignite Buffalo is presented by 43 North in partnership with national and local partners including Facebook, M&T Bank, Quickbooks, AWS, WordPress.com and Woo Commerce.
Finalists selected will be in the running to receive one of 27 grants awarded ranging from $25,000-$100,000 and free access to a curated mentorship program. Within this program, business owners will gain access to industry experts offering ongoing educational programming, access to resources and curated workshops.
All applicants need to do is tell their business story. Applications can be made online at www.ignitebuffalo.org and must be submitted by June 13 at noon EDT.
The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and 43 North will be hosting an informational meeting regarding the Ignite Buffalo grants on Thursday, May 31, from 4-6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at the Batavia City Centre, 105 Main St., Batavia. Food and refreshments will be served.
The meeting is free and open to the public. You can register for the meeting on the Chamber’s website at www.geneseeny.com.
Above, a photo from the RSVP Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon May 8 at the GC Office for the Aging; volunteers received certificates and longevity pins.
Submitted photos and press release:
RSVP Volunteer Placement Program of Genesee County announced the results of this year’s Tax Assistance Program. A total of 21 RSVP volunteers prepared nearly 1,200 federal and state tax returns, bringing back to the community over $1 million in refunds.
The volunteers served 3,750 hours through RSVP in collaboration with AARP and the IRS, who provide training, materials and equipment.
Each year, 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.
A recipient commented, “I am very satisfied with the service. I don’t know what I would do without it! The volunteers were very thorough, professional and friendly…THANK YOU!”
The RSVP Volunteer Placement Program helps individuals 55+ find meaningful volunteer opportunities with 25 different agencies in Genesee County.
If assisting with tax preparation sounds interesting to you, please call Courtney Iburi, RSVP coordinator, at 343-1611 to learn more about how you could help those in need next tax season.
In photo below, Vern Rupert, longtime RSVP Volunteer and AARP Tax-Aide Foundation coordinator, reads a thank you card from a grateful program participant.
A three-vehicle accident is reported in the area of 22 W. Main St. in the city. It is blocking traffic and injuries are believed to be minor. City fire and Mercy medics are responding.
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