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A dozen GC students at Buffalo State College

By Billie Owens

 Buffalo State College is pleased to recognize the following 12 students from Genesee County who have been named to the Spring 2020 dean's list.

In general, students who have completed at least 12 credit hours and who have attained a GPA of 3.5 or higher qualify for the Buffalo State dean's list. Full criteria and grade-type exceptions can be found in the undergraduate catalog.

Carli Bogue, of Elba

Neve Georgia, of Batavia

Jaclyn Guzdek, of Oakfield

Jenna Huntington, of Elba

Jordyn Johnson, of Batavia

Brendon Kendall, of South Byron

Curtis Kreutter, of East Bethany

Mckenna Moran, of Darien Center

Dylah Pantlin, of Batavia

Tess Rebmann, of Darien Center

Miranda Schiller, of Alexander

Samantha Tatarski, of Corfu

Buffalo State is a State University of New York (SUNY) college located in Buffalo. The college offers 79 undergraduate majors as well as many minors and certificate programs. Every year, thousands of students benefit from Buffalo State's community engagement, hands-on learning opportunities, and affordable SUNY tuition. Buffalo State also offers more than 60 graduate programs.

Schumer: Small business loan fixes will help Upstate businesses weather COVID-19 crisis, begin recovery

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Following his continuous calls for reforms to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced the unanimous Senate passage of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act.

This bipartisan bill makes critical changes to PPP, including expanding the loan forgiveness period from eight to 24 weeks, allowing small businesses greater flexibility in the use of funds for non-payroll expenses like rent and utilities. It also sets a new rehiring deadline -- by the end of the year -- to allow small businesses to receive full forgiveness of their loan.

Schumer explained that these reforms were absolutely necessary because the impact of the coronavirus crisis is long lasting and requires a program that recognizes the realities faced by small businesses that have a long road ahead to full recovery.

“These changes to the PPP program provide desperately needed flexibility and relief to countless small businesses in Upstate New York,” Senator Schumer said. “We worked day and night to pressure and persuade senators on the other side of the aisle to urgently get this done, and not wait to provide relief.

"This deal gives small businesses a more discretion and a realistic timeline to deploy the assistance they received to bring back employees and keep the lights on.”

The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act is especially important for New York, Schumer explained, because New York State tends to have higher rent and utility costs compared to the rest of the country.

The senator also stressed that the bill would not solve every problem in PPP and that more must be done to promote access for rural and minority-owned businesses and nonprofits struggling to get the help they need.

Legislation like the HEROES Act, Schumer said, is still urgently needed to provide additional help not only for small businesses, but also for homeowners, renter, essential workers, medical facilities, local and state governments, and more.

The bill previously passed the House of Representatives 417-1 and following Senate passage was signed by President Trump last week.

Details on some of the main reforms in the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act are provided below:

First, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act expands the loan forgiveness period from eight weeks to 24 weeks. Currently, workers may be brought back for the eight weeks, but then face a cliff after that short period and may be laid off again.

Second, the legislation removes the 25-percent restriction imposed by the Trump administration on the use of loans for fixed costs, like rent, mortgage, and utilities, and replaces it with a new 60-40 payroll to non-payroll breakdown in the use of the loan, allowing more flexibility for helping small businesses and nonprofits with all expenses to survive this crisis, which is essential to the long-term employment prospect of the workers.

Third, the proposal makes Dec. 31st the deadline to rehire workers in order to get full forgiveness on the loan, a more realistic timeline given the expected length of this public health and economic crisis.

Fourth, the proposal extends the terms of the loan from two years to at least five years for any part of the loan that is not forgiven, helping to ensure small businesses and nonprofits are not saddled with quick repayment while recovering from this crisis.

New railroad crossing safety ad campaign launches tomorrow: #StayPatientStayAlive

By Billie Owens

Submitted image and press release:

Albany – Every year more than 1,000 Americans are killed or seriously injured when they engage in unsafe behavior at railroad crossings.

New York Operation Lifesaver works to eliminate these preventable incidents and educate the public about all aspects of train safety.

On Thursday, June 11, in honor of International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD), New York Operation Lifesaver will place ads throughout New York State urging people to be patient and safe at railroad crossings.

For 12 years, ILCAD has focused attention on the preventable incidents that occur at railroad crossings throughout the world. “Operation Lifesaver Inc. the national organization which New York Operation Lifesaver is affiliated with, has celebrated ILCAD since it began in 2009.

We are proud to join the ILCAD outreach with our #StayPatientStayAlive statewide campaign,” said New York Operation Lifesaver Board President Daniel Bates.

During June 11, 2020 as part of the #StayPatientStayAlive campaign, New Yorkers will see ads like the sample below when they go online or use apps on their phones.

The campaign, called #StayPatientStayAlive, seeks to get New Yorkers to be slow down and stay safe at railroad crossings.

“Our goal with #StayPatientStayAlive, campaign is to save lives,” Bates said. “That’s the goal of Operation Lifesaver organizations throughout the U.S. and the globe.”

City & County Youth Boards recognize 20 youths and two adults for their service

By Billie Owens

From Jocelyn Sikorski, executive director, Genesee County Youth Bureau:

The City of Batavia and Genesee County Youth Boards hold a Youth Recognition Banquet annually to recognize those youth and adults who continuously go above and beyond for our community. The Youth Recognition Awards are presented to youth who are positive role models, have performed outstanding service for their community, and/or have assumed extraordinary roles within their families.

The Adult Youth Worker Award is presented to a paid professional who emulates dedication and service to youth and families above and beyond their paid position.  The Adult Volunteer Award honors an individual who is a role model for the youth of today and gives of themselves to better the life of children.  

Even though the banquet scheduled to take place this spring was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Youth Boards wanted to share and celebrate these individuals.

We would like to recognize the 20 youth and two adults who would have had a night to celebrate their contributions with their nominators, family and friends by sharing a brief bio about each of them and why they were selected by the boards to receive the awards in 2020.

They are all in receipt of their awards at this time, which include Commendations from Genesee County Legislature, City Council, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, and Senator Michael Ranzenhofer. They also received T-shirts and a certificate from the two Youth Boards.

The City and County Youth Boards congratulate all our 2020 recipients and thank you for your commitment and service to our youth and community!

This year’s recipients of the Youth Recognition Awards are: 

Amanda Bergman, 17, of Notre Dame High School has exceeded all expectations in regards to community service. She has contributed time to many organizations such as Challenger Sports, Interact Club, The Diocesan Youth Board, Stone’s Buddies and Crossroads House. During her work setting up events at her parish and working at the Crossroads House garage sale, Amanda has had many intergenerational conversations full of insight and advice. 

Justine Bloom, 17, of Byron-Bergen Central School, proactively participated in starting the Alliance for Equality Club, a club devoted to supporting the LGBTQ+ youth in her school and community. She went above and beyond with researching regulations and using proper delegation and chains of command to start the club. Justine holds many roles in Alliance for Equality, including cofounder, vice president and treasurer. Justine is also a member of GLOW OUT, an organization in Genesee County that provides education and awareness around the LGBTQ+ community. 

Shannon Breton, 16, of Alexander Central School, babysits during Parent-Teacher Association meetings and volunteers her time with the Big Buddy program, where she goes to the elementary building for 80 minutes every four days to mentor younger students. On top of her involvement in Student Council, Gay Straight Alliance and National Honor Society, she volunteers outside of school at the Salvation Army. Shannon has volunteered at steak dinners, Thanksgiving dinners and a shoe drive. 

Sydney Brown, 17, of Byron-Bergen Central School, has performed incredible community service for Genesee County by serving as a volunteer firefighter with the Elba Volunteer Fire Department, where she participated in 61 calls during 2019. She has recorded 87 state training hours as well. She is constantly seeking further training and has set a goal to become an EMT while continuing her work with the fire service. 

Emily Cerefin, 15, of Alexander Central School, has been volunteering her time to Challenger Sports since sixth grade. She helps participants play basketball, baseball and with swimming. Emily is also an integral part of the school’s SADD/Donate Life Club. She was planning Donate Life week, including a poster series and event to educate students and the community about the effects of drugs and alcohol. Emily has also started training for Purple Pony, an organization that provides individuals with special needs the opportunity to horseback ride. 

Elizabeth Clark, 15, of Batavia High School, has been volunteering four to six hours a week of her time at All Babies Cherished for approximately a year and a half. As a current 10th-grade student, she has already exceeded her graduation volunteer hours requirements. Elizabeth also volunteers for Meals on Wheels, Care-A-Van and for the Town Clerk of Ashford where she helps envelope tax slips and sorts them by numerical order. Elizabeth is a member of Z-Club at her school and has volunteered her time at the Zonta Holiday Festival and Jackson Primary Open House. 

Ally Flint, 17, of Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School, is a member of Rotary Interact and this year her group is working on a Butterfly Effect project and raising money to donate to support youth sports programs for underprivileged youth in the community. Ally regularly serves and prepares meals at her local community kitchen. She also provides company to the residents at the Le Roy Village Green where she plays card games and does puzzles with them. She is also a peer counselor to a group of seventh-grade students.

Tate Fonda, 16, of Batavia High School, has volunteered in many capacities on behalf of Zonta Club. She joined as a freshman and immediately jumped into leadership roles. The club as a whole depends on Tate as a dynamic member who helps with organization and brings new ideas to the group. In addition to Z-Club, Tate is active with many other school organizations such as Student Government, Model UN, Mock Trial and National Honor Society. 

Luke Geiger, 15, of Batavia High School, is a selfless young man who volunteers at many organizations, including the United Methodist Church, John Kennedy School and his own school. He has built horseshoe pits at his church, volunteered at multiple spaghetti dinners at John Kennedy School, and conducted a flag ceremony to helps raise funds for youth who would otherwise not be able to attend summer camp. Luke is also conducting an Eagle Scout project that consists of raising funds and supervising and participating with other scouts to build a hiking trail behind Northgate Free Methodist Church.

Sally LaDuke, 15, of Alexander Central School, has played an extraordinary role in the adjustment and transition of her younger siblings from developing countries into her family. Sally intrinsically knows and demonstrates an amazing array of nurturing techniques that help and guide her siblings. She is skillful at reading their nonverbal cues and is able to redirect, sidetrack, add humor and otherwise discretely help her siblings to regroup. 

Julie Muntz, 16, of Oakfield-Alabama Central School, is involved in the Youth Court program where she does exceptionally well in her role as defense attorney. Julie went to Albany this past February on behalf of the Youth Bureau to help advocate for funding and speak about how the Youth Bureau programs have made such a positive impact on her. At school, Julie takes on a big role in Link Crew, which is an organization that mentors freshman. Julie rearranged her academic schedule to tutor a student who was struggling academically.

Eva Rhoads, 16, homeschooled, has volunteered at Purple Pony for the last two years. Purple Pony is a program that provides individuals with disabilities the opportunity to benefit from interacting with horses. Eva began her volunteer work as a side walker, keeping the riders safe and engaged. She quickly progressed to leading horses, which involves monitoring the horse’s demeanor to ensure the horse is calm and the rider is safe. Volunteers are a vital part of the Purple Pony program, as it is 100-percent volunteer based.

Kelsey Schlagenhauf, 16, of Oakfield-Alabama Central School, has far exceeded the expectation of her Advanced Placement English project. Kelsey chose to hold a Christmas Toy Drive to allow less fortunate families from our community to “shop” free of charge. After much hard work, organization and advertising, she turned her school cafeteria into a winter wonderland with 500 new and gently used toys that helped 25 families. Kelsey warmed the hearts of many and brought Christmas to families who may not have had a Christmas without her hard work and dedication.

Donovan Sherman, 17, of Elba Central School,is an integral part of a student-led club called 2impact (To Influence My Peers as a Christian Teen). This group was required to be student led and he stepped up to the plate. Donovan led a project to reach out to a family in dire need of encouragement as that family’s father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Posters were placed around the school asking to write notes of encouragement and kindness. The notes and a gift card were placed in a box and delivered to the family by Donovan. 

Madaline Spencer, 19, of Notre Dame High School, has volunteered many hours for the past two years at Vacation Bible School. In Madaline’s first year, she was an assistant group leader where she was partially in charge of a group of students. In her second year, she was promoted to leader for the activities station where she was responsible for teaching and supervising students. Over the past five years, she has also volunteered her time at multiple churches and The Salvation Army.

Montana Weidman, 18, of Notre Dame High School volunteers because she enjoys serving her community and bringing joy to the people around her. She utilizes her talents in sports and in working with people with special needs by doing partner work with special needs athletes with Genesee ARC. Every year, Montana volunteers time to the Annual Special Olympics by directing individuals to starting lines, completing paperwork and sometimes even running races with participants. She also spends time volunteering at the St. Joseph’s Penny Carnival, Tri County Flag Football, and Challenger Basketball. 

Lily Whiting, 17, of Batavia High School, spent her summer volunteering at GO ART!’s Summer Creative Arts Camp where students explore “all things artistic.” Lily is a peer leader for Source of Strength, a school program that raises awareness of suicide and combatting negative triggers. Lily has also volunteered in the community on behalf of the club at the Veteran’s Home. Lily is involved in band, chorus, orchestra, and school musicals. 

Isabella Wilder, 17, of Byron-Bergen Central School, brought the idea of starting a Gay Straight Alliance club to her school; she is currently the President of the club, Alliance for Equality. Isabella has assisted in school wide events, such as club fair, and participated in community events that bring local schools together to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride and awareness. Isabella is also involved with GLOW OUT, a GLOW region organization that helps provide the same pride and awareness at the community level. Isabella is also involved in music, volunteering at Girls Rock! And Queer Rock! in Rochester. 

Rachael Wight, 14, of Oakfield-Alabama Central School, has been a positive member of her community for many years. Rachael has been in many leadership positions, to include Spanish Club at her school, her church’s AWANA program, and the WNY Perinatal Bereavement Network. At her church, she has helped with Communion preparation, the church nursery and in the kitchen. She has also participated in ARC dance, Girl Scouts and marching band. For the ARC Dance, she was awarded the Lakin Pearce Award for helping with dance classes. 

Maxwell Whalen, 15, of Pavilion Central School, volunteers for the youth soccer program as a referee. He goes above and beyond to help the elementary students understand his calls and learn the game. Max is also active with Future Farmers of America and volunteers many hours to promote leadership and agriculture in his community. Most recently Max traveled to Albany to meet with state senators and Assembly members to discuss the importance of agriculture education in New York. Max also volunteers his time to Genesee County Youth Court. 

Maria Casper, recipient of the 2020 Adult Youth Worker Award, has been an employee at Elba Central School for the past 18 years. Casper is one of the founders of Elba School’s Threads & More store, where students can shop for new and gently used clothing, shoes, and outerwear, personal hygiene items, and school supplies. Casper was instrumental in putting the store together, from installing shelves, painting the room, organizing supplies and letting students shop privately. Aside from the store, Casper goes above and beyond to support students so they have the opportunity to be a kid. Faculty at Elba School recently joined together to purchase tickets for a student who the school thought would enjoy seeing a musical in Buffalo. The student was thrilled to be given the opportunity; however, faculty soon learned that the student did not have transportation to the event. Casper stepped in and graciously provided transportation and lunch for the student. Casper is the type of employee who wants all children to feel loved and special and that is exactly what she does.

Michael Wilson, recipient of the 2020 Adult Volunteer Award, is employed with Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School. Aside from his employment, the volunteer work he does for the students and community of Pembroke is nothing short of a miracle. For the past nine years, Wilson has led the Shooting for a Cure event at the school. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research at Roswell Park in Buffalo. This event was started to benefit Toni Funke, the varsity basketball coach’s wife. Wilson has spent numerous hours seeking donations from local businesses and community members by writing letters and making phone calls on behalf of the event. What is truly inspiring to see is how Wilson’s students get involved in participating in the event; giving back is not only something that he teaches, but models for his students. He has also led a trip for the girls’ basketball team to deliver the check from the fundraiser directly to Roswell Park to see firsthand the impact they are making. Shooting for a Cure has raised more than $120,000 for Roswell Park, all of which is directly attributed to the efforts and selflessness of Wilson.

Fight reported at Flying J in Pembroke

By Billie Owens

A physical altercation is reported in the front parking lot of the Flying J Travel Center, 8484 Alleghany Road, Pembroke. Law enforcement is called to respond.

A clerk subsequently reported one subject, believed to be the victim, driving a Perry's Ice Cream truck, had left the front lot and was driving elsewhere on the premises.

An operator(s) of a red Volvo "Two Brothers" truck was reportedly the aggressor -- "ninja kicking" the operator of the Perry's vehicle at the time of the call.

Barn fire reported in 7100 block of West Bergen Road, Bergen

By Billie Owens
Video Sponsor
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A working barn fire is reported in Bergen at 7181 W. Bergen Road. It's gone to a second alarm. Bergen Fire Department is responding, along with mutual aid from Byron, Elba, and the Town of Batavia.

UPDATE 12:07 a.m.: The barn fire is out. The cause is under investigation.

City renews State of Emergency order for 30 days

By Billie Owens

City of Batavia State of Emergency Proclamation

A State of Emergency is hereby declared in the City of Batavia, New York for a period of time beginning at 4:30 p.m. on June 8, 2020 and continuing in effect until 4:30 p.m. on July 7, 2020.

This State of Emergency has been declared due to emergency conditions produced by: the continuing Nationally declared state of emergency, the New York State declared state of emergency, the County of Genesee declared state of emergency, and the continued presence of the arrival of COVID-19 coronavirus in the City of Batavia, New York. Such conditions threaten or imperil the public health or safety of the citizens of this municipality.

As Chief Executive of this municipality, I have exercised the authority given to me under New York State Executive Law, Article 2-B, to preserve the public safety and hereby render all required and available assistance vital to the security, well-being and health of the citizens of the City.

I hereby direct all City Departments to take those steps necessary to protect life and property, public health and infrastructure and other such emergency assistance as deemed necessary. In addition, I direct the following specific actions.

  1. All City offices are closed to the public, except the office of inspection and code enforcement was open to the public beginning May 26, 2020, in accordance with the New York Pause, Phase One Reopening; and the City Clerk’sOffice is available by appointment only as part of the New York Pause, Phase Two Reopening. The City will otherwise conduct business with the public remotely through the use of phones, computers, mail, or other means.These offices are otherwise closed to the public, unless a situation requires interaction with a member of the public as determined by the respective City Department on a case by case basis. The drop box for the payment of bills is still available at the front of City Hall.

  2. City Council meetings will be closed to the public until further notice, subject to change by emergency order. Provision will be made for the public to observe or listen to City Council meetings.

  3. If any actions outlined in this Declaration contradict any order issued by the State of New York then the State order shall control.

Martin D. Moore, Ph.D.,

Manager, City of Batavia

WNY Independent Living lauds advocacy agencies that expanded options for voters with disabilities

By Billie Owens

Press release:

As it has always supported the right of people with disabilities to be able to privately cast their votes, the Western New York Independent Living Inc. Family of Agencies (WNYIL) applauds the success of five disability rights organizations in settling a March 22, 2020 lawsuit with the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE) to ensure that people with disabilities have the right to an accessible absentee ballot.

Reached just last week, the agreement requires that eligible individuals must apply to their County Boards of Elections (BOEs) by Tuesday June 16th for a ballot to vote in the June 23rd Primary Election or a special election being held on June 23 to fill a vacancy in the 27th Congressional District (Counties: Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, Wyoming, part of Erie, Monroe, Niagara, and Ontario).

Completed ballots would have to be emailed by June 22nd or delivered to the County BOE in person by June 23rd.

Here is the process, step-by-step:

  1. A voter who is unable to mark a paper ballot because of a disability can request an accessible absentee ballot on-line by using the request form found here (PDF). You may need to download this form to your device and open in Adobe so you can complete and send by email.
  2. Again, the voter MUST email their completed request form to their county BOE on or before June 16th. Voters can sign the request form with text input or e-signature.
  3. The county BOE will email the accessible absentee ballot to the voter as soon as possible after it receives the voter’s request form. The county BOE also mails a postage-paid return envelope and oath envelope to the voter.
  4. On the electronic ballot, the voter can mark their selections on the computer and print it out at home.
  5. The voter MUST sign the oath envelope anywhere on the envelope, then put the ballot in the oath envelope. The voter must put the oath envelope in the larger envelope provided with paid postage by the county BOE. A voter must get the ballot into the mail by June 22, or hand deliver it to the county BOE by June 23.

If you have questions about New York’s new accessible absentee ballot process, contact WNYIL’s Chief Policy Officer, Todd Vaarwerk, at (716) 836-0822, ext. 101, or email him at:   tvaarwerk@wnyil.org. As he is working outside the office, please allow some time for him to respond.

Our congratulations go out to the litigants, which include WNYIL’s sister agency, the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY); Disability Rights New York (DRNY); the American Council of the Blind—New York Inc. (ACB); Disability Rights Advocates (DRA); National Federation of the Blind of New York State Inc. (NFB), and four individual citizens.

The Western New York Independent Living Inc. Family of Agencies offer an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

Early voting starts Saturday and continues for nine days; absentee ballots must be postmarked by June 23

By Billie Owens

From Genesee County Board of Elections, commissioners Richard Siebert and Lorie Longhany:

Reminders*:

  • Voters can register for the NY-27 Special Election up until Friday, June 12, at the Board of Elections office at County Building 1, 15 Main St., Batavia.
  • The last day to register in person to vote in the NY-27 Special Election is June 13 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at County Building 2, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING

Early in-person voting for the NY-27 Special Election, the Presidential Primary Election and State Primary Elections begins this Saturday, June 13 and continues for nine days. The early in-person voting location is at County Building 2, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

The schedule for early in-person voting is as follows:

June 13 --- 12 to 5 p.m.

June 14 --- 12 to 5 p.m.

June 15 --- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 16 --- 12 to 8 p.m.

June 17 --- 12 to 8 p.m.

June 18 --- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 19 --- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 20 --- 12 to 5 p.m.

June 21 --- 12 to 5 p.m.

​ABSENTEE BALLOTS

  • Written requests for absentee ballots for the NY-27 Special Election, Presidential Primary and State Primary elections must be postmarked by June 16.
  • You can also request an absentee ballot via email or phone or FAX:  election@co.genesee.ny.us / Phone (585) 815-7804 / FAX (585) 344-8562.
  • You can pick up an absentee ballot ​in person no later than June 22 by going to the Board of Elections (County Building 1, 15 Main St., Batavia).
  • ​Any absentee ballot being mailed back to the county Board of Elections must be postmarked no later than June 23.

*(From a previous reminder April 24 to voters from the Genesee County Board of Elections: You can vote absentee instead of going to the polls on June 23rd by going to our website, going to departments and elections where you can print an absentee application. Fill it out checking the box that says temporary illness in the first block of questions and in the second block of questions check Primary Election only. You can also call our office at (585) 815-7804 to request an absentee application. After filling out your absentee application you can either mail it in to the Genesee County Board of Elections, or scan and email your application back into our office for processing. Our email address is:   election@co.genesee.ny.us Visit our Facebook Page for updates at Genesee Co. NY Board of Elections.)                                                                              

Four high school seniors who work at Tops in Batavia awarded $1,000 scholarships

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Four Batavia Tops employees who are also high school seniors in the Class of 2020 were each awarded $1,000 scholarships by their employer:

  • Mary Caprio 
  • Joanne Clemm 
  • Karissa Kesler 
  • Samantha Lucki

Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, Northern Pennsylvania, and Vermont, have been an advocate of supporting formal education of its employees for over two decades.

Since the inception of its two scholarship programs, which are in conjunction with the UFCW, more than 22,400 scholarships have been awarded and more than $21,700,000 has been provided to Tops associates for scholarship reimbursement.

In 2020 alone the UFCW and Tops Markets will award over 200 associates a total of more than $233,000 in scholarships and Tops will award 28 students $28,000 in scholarships this year.

“At Tops, we recognize the hard work of our associates and in turn, supports our associates with scholarship opportunities,” said Denise Terrell, senior learning and development specialist for Tops.

“Supporting education is a high priority for us, not only as a means to provide career growth and opportunity within the company, but also to ensure that members of our community are given options and presented with resources to succeed. Providing scholarships to outstanding students to enable them to better their education is our way of investing in the future.”

City Clerk's Office now open Mondays and Thursdays by appointment only

By Billie Owens

The City of Batavia Clerk’s Office will open to customers by appointment only starting this week (June 11) on Mondays and Thursdays.

The Clerk’s office will take appointments for customers that need to physically purchase a license, certificate of other item available at the Clerk’s office. Please call the City Clerk’s office (585) 345-6305, option 5; or use option 1 to schedule your appointment in advance.

Residents that need to pay a bill should continue to use the dropbox outside of City Hall, pay through personal online banking, call with a credit card (fee applies), or mail a check.

Questions on licenses, birth/death certificates, and tax payments can be directed to the City Clerk’s office and/or online you can obtain information from the Frequently Asked Questions.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, new safety measures and guidelines will be in place at City facilities to keep City employees and residents safe.

  • All customers entering City buildings will need to wear a mask.
  • All customers will need to keep a 6-foot distance from other patrons at all times.
  • Customers will need to conduct business behind sneeze guard shields.
  • A new line system with distancing markers has been erected.
  • Customers should maintain healthy hand hygiene before entering any City building.

City of Batavia Public Reopening at a Glance -- these dates are subject to change:

Stage

Location

Date

Notes

Open Now

City Parks

Yard Waste Station

Community Garden

Open Now

Tennis courts open

Playground equipment- closed

 

Limited Access

Police Department

Fire Department

Monday May 18, 2020

Must call at exterior phone for assistance

Stage 1

Inspection Bureau

Tuesday May 26, 2020

 

Stage 2

City Clerk’s Office

Monday June 8, 2020

By appointment only on Monday and Thursdays 

Future Stages 

City Manager’s Office

Youth Bureau

Ice Rink

Dwyer Stadium

City Centre/Mall

 

 

Closed to Public

Water Treatment Plant

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Bureau of Maintenance

 

Open for staff and delivery’s only

Three Genesee County seniors who are Tops associates get congrats

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

Three Genesee County students who work as associates for Tops Friendly Markets were among 840 workers the grocery store chain honored for achieving their goal of earning a high school diploma.

They are Samantha Miller, of Pavillon High School, and twin brothers Ryan and Kyle Sage, of Oakfield-Alabama High School.

Tops decided to honor the hard work and dedication of the Class of 2020 by surprising their graduating associates with Tops gift cards and lawn signs at their homes to congratulate them on their success!

Tops, with stores in New York, Northern Pennsylvania, and Vermont, has been an advocate of supporting formal education of its employees for over two decades.

Mobile Food pantry at Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School parking lot

By Billie Owens

The Salvation Army in Partnership with Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church and Foodlink will be holding a Mobile Pantry food distribution Wednesday, July 8th, at the Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School parking lot, 6917 W. Bergen Road in Bergen.

It goes until all the food has been given out. 

This distribution will take place every other week at the school parking lot until the end of August.

Event Date and Time

Mobile Pantry food distribution set for Wednesday afternoon in parking lot of Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. HS

By Billie Owens

From Todd Rapp, operations manager, The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army in Partnership with Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church and Foodlink will be holding a Mobile Pantry food distribution at 3 p.m. tomorrow, June 10th, at the Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School parking lot, 6917 W. Bergen Road in Bergen.

It goes until all the food has been given out. Please be aware that this is a location change. We will not be at the church.

This distribution will take place every other week at the school parking lot until the end of August.

This is a drive-thru distribution. Guests will remain in their vehicle and be directed how to proceed. A valid photo ID is required for each vehicle. Each vehicle will receive three boxes weighing approximately 25 pounds each (1-dairy, 1-produce and 1-meat) these portions are designed for families of four or more.

This is food that has been redirected to food banks for those needing assistance due to COVID-19. It is not excess food.

We will only be able to provide one portion (3 boxes) per vehicle. No multiple pickups allowed.

Please have your trunk/hatch cleared out as volunteers will not be permitted to move your belongings. Back seats are highly discouraged for social distancing reasons.

If you have any questions please call The Salvation Army at (585) 343-6284. Leave a clear message and someone will call you back.

Batavia's Margaret Cecere named to dean's list at Kutztown University

By Billie Owens

More than 2,550 students have been named to the Spring 2020 dean's list at Kutztown University, including Margaret R. Cecere, of Batavia.

To be eligible for the dean's list, an undergraduate student must be registered for at least 12 credits and have a minimum grade point average of 3.60.

About Kutztown University of Pennsylvania 

Founded in 1866, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education located on 289 acres nestled in the beautiful East Penn Valley in Berks County, between Reading and Allentown, Pa. KU is just two hours from New York City; 90 minutes from Philadelphia. 

As the region's center for excellence in academics, culture and public engagement, KU's programs and reputation for quality offer students the opportunity to discover lifelong avenues of learning and discovery. KU students select from more than 100 areas of study within four colleges in a diverse liberal arts academic environment.

To complement their studies, KU's NCAA Division II athletics program with 21 varsity sports joins the more than 160 student clubs and organizations providing students with a variety of activities for learning and discovery.

Nondiscrimination Statement

Kutztown University does not discriminate in employment or educational opportunities on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status.

For more information, please visit us at wwwkutztown.edu.

Law and Order: Level 3 sexually violent offender on Oak Street accused of failure to report an email address

By Billie Owens

Alan D. Tidd Jr., 30, of Oak Street, Batavia, is a Level 3 sexually violent offender who is charged with failure to report a change in contact information within 10 days -- first offense. It is alleged that Tidd failed to disclose an email he had been using to exchange pornographic material, solicit sexual acts, and create accounts on online dating websites. He was arrested on May 19 then released with an appearance ticket for arraignment in Batavia City Court at 1 p.m. on July 14. The case was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison, assisted by Genesee County Parole.

Darrell Smith, 53, of Jerome Place, Batavia, is charged with third-degree assault. It is alleged that he struck a person and caused injury during a domestic incident at 6 p.m. on May 31 on Oak Street, Batavia. He was arrested, arraigned in Batavia City Court and then released. He is due back in city court on July 16. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Samuel Freeman, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Paul David Hussey, 64, of Hurricane Mills, Tenn., is charged with bail jumping in the second degree. Hussey failure to appear in Genesee County Court on Oct. 24 for sentencing on charges of attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree (no other details provided). He was arrested at the Port of Seattle in the State of Washington in February. After obtaining a Governor's Warrant, he was extradited back to New York State and arraigned in county court and jailed without bail. The case was handled by Batavia Police Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello.

Shawna M. Purcell, 42, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal trespass. It is alleged that at 6:27 p.m. on June 3 that Pursel entered a private residence on Eleanor Place in Batavia and refused to leave when asked to do so. She was arraigned in Batavia City Court via Skype and released on her own recognizance. She is due bak in city court on July 16. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Joshua Girvin, assisted by Officer Austin Hedges.

Rollover accident reported in Pavilion at Transit and Keller roads

By Billie Owens

A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported in Pavilion at Transit and Keller roads. A female sustained a back injury and is unable to exit the vehicle. A male complains of head pain.

Bethany Fire Department is responding along with two Mercy ambulances.

UPDATE 8:45 p.m.: Extrication equipment is requested and more manpower from Bethany.

UPDATE 8:56 p.m.: The patient with the back injury has been extricated.

Caller in Elba complains of speeding four-wheelers on Transit Road

By Billie Owens

A caller in the 6800 block of Transit Road in Elba reports to dispatchers that four-wheelers are traveling up and down the roadway at a high rate of speed and the operators are not wearing helmets. Sheriff's deputies are responding.

Fight reported on Ross Street

By Billie Owens

A physical fight among about a dozen people in the 100 to 200 block of Ross Street in the city is reported. Police are responding.

UPDATE 2:33 p.m.: Police are on scene.

UPDATE 3:02 p.m.: Police report the situation is under control.

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