Stories from

The movie version of the Memphis Belle is based at the Warplane Museum in Geneseo but it often flies to other parts of the country for airshows, like one recently in Virginia. The airfield in Geneseo is grass, so when it returned to Western New York, it landed in Batavia because the field in Geneseo was soggy.

While it was at the Genesee County Aiport, several people asked me to go out to the airport and take pictures of it.  On Tuesday, while driving down East Saile Drive, I thought, I have a little time, I should stop.

Good timing. The pilots showed up while I was setting up my camera for video.  They were there to fly it back to Geneseo. I got a tour of the plane, an interview with Craig Wadsworth, and shots of it departing. 

Other news the past couple of days delayed my efforts to edit the video but here it is.

Mobile app users can tap here to view the video on YouTube.

Press release:

Election law changes have resulted in an earlier Primary Election date. The Primary Election will be held on June 25th. Because of these calendar changes the following deadlines for registering to vote, if eligible, are the following:

May 31, 2019, is the last day to register in person at the Genesee County Board of Elections, which is located on the third floor of County Building #1, 15 Main St., Batavia, for the June 25th Primary Election.

Mail registration forms must be postmarked by May 31, 2019, and received by the Board of Elections no later than June 5, 2019.

Applications for absentee ballots must be postmarked by June 18, 2019. June 24, 2019, is the last day to apply in person at the Board of Elections for a Primary Election ballot. June 25, 2019 (Primary Election Day) is the last day to deliver a local Primary Election ballot in person to the County Board of Elections, by close of polls (9 p.m.). The Primary election will be held from 12 to 9 p.m..

There will be a Primary Election on June 25th in the following jurisdictions;

• City of Batavia for City Court Judge on the Republican, Conservative and Independence line.
• Town of Alexander for Town Clerk on the Republican line.
• Town of Bergen for Town Clerk on the Republican line.
• Town of Bethany for Town Justice on the Republican line.
• Town of Byron for Highway Superintendent on the Conservative line (opportunity to ballot)
• Town of Pembroke Town Justice on the Republican line.

There are no other Primaries in any other jurisdictions. You must be a registered party member to be eligible to vote in any of these local primaries.

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for most of Western New York, including Genesee County, until 2 p.m.

Strong winds that could cause damage are expected with this storm.

The National Weather Service encourages people to be prepared to seek shelter if a thunderstorm approaches.

Winds of 45 mph are possible.

Today's edition of The Batavian Sessions features Delano Steele performing "By My Side."

If you're in a band and would like to be included in The Batavian Sessions, email howard@thebatavian.com.

Batavia City School District

Budget passes 378 to 172.

Two trustees elected: Peter Cecere, 452 votes; and John Marucci, 421.

Le Roy Central School District

• Prop. 1, district budget, passes 338 to 70
• Prop. 2, capital reserve fund, passes 348 to 122
• Prop. 3, transportation policy, passes 360 to 108
• Prop. 4, library budget, passes 368 to 40

Three candidates won school board seats. Denise Duthe and Peter Loftus won three-year terms with 337 and 330 votes each; Christine Dowell wins a two-year term with 295 votes. Write-in votes: Bruno DeFazio, Jeff Gephart, Walter McBurney, Stan Barringer, William S. Jaszcz, Darcy Porter and Bob Dawley.

Tracy Mortorana won a seat on the Woodward Memorial Library Board of Trustees. Stephanie Ball and John Wilson received write-in votes.

Byron-Bergen Central School District

• Prop. 1, district budget, passes 285 to 107
• Prop. 2, bus purchase, passes 293 to 90
• Prop. 4, capital reserve, passes 282 to 103
• Prop. 4, school Vehicle reserve, passes 277 to 106

Three board members elected: Kimberly Carlson, 328 votes, Yvonne Ace-Wagoner, 314, Jennifer VanValkenberg, 331.

Pavilion Central School District

District budget passes 117 votes to 20.

Two candidates elected to the school board, Kevin Stefan, 121 votes; and Becky Dziekan, 117.

Alexander Central School District

• Prop. 1, district budget, passes 136 to 46
• Prop. 2, bus purchases, passes 134 to 49
• Prop. 3, capital reserve fund, passes 128 to 55
• Prop. 4, capital reserve fund, passes 127 to 54
• Prop. 5, school bus reserve fund, passes 129 to 52

Brian Paris is reelected to the school board with 145 votes. There were eight write-in votes.

Elba Central School District 

• Prop. 1, district budget, passes 137 to 30
• Prop. 2, school bus purchase, passes 132 to 34
• Prop. 3, capital projects, passes 132 to 33

Trisha Werth and Michael Zuber were elected to the Board of Trustees. Dean Norton was elected to finish an unexpired term of a board member who resigned.

Oakfield-Alabama Central School District

District budget passes 169 to 25.

Board members elected: Matthew Lamb, with 172 votes; and Justin Staebell, 166.

UPDATED 1:53 p.m.: The results from Pembroke Central School District are listed below.

Pembroke Central School District

Pembroke CSD budget passes 378 to 107.

As darkness fell Tuesday night, members of local law enforcement and volunteer firefighters stood down from a search for Mark Dibble, a 58-year-old Indian Falls man who was last seen at 6 a.m. at his mother's house on Alleghany Road.

Dibble didn't make it into work this morning and nobody apparently had any contact with him after he was seen getting out of his truck wearing work boots and jeans (a shirt description isn't available). Chief Deputy Brian Frieday said Dibble left his wallet and mobile phone in his truck.

The family became concerned when Dibble didn't come home from work and they realized he hadn't been heard from all day.

Before the search began, family members tried locating him by checking with friends and at places he might frequent.

Volunteers from fire departments in Alabama, Indian Falls, Pembroke, East Pembroke, and Darien all responded to the scene along with personnel from the Genesee County Office of Emergency Management. Erie County provided a helicopter to assist in the search and two state troopers used a drone to supplement the aerial reconnaissance. State Police and the DEC also provided K-9s to assist in the search.

Frieday said a decision will be made in the morning about how, when, and where to continue the search in the morning.

UPDATE 8:30 a.m.: The search will resume this morning, according to Chief Deputy Brian Frieday.

Previously: Search and rescue team deployed to find missing man in Indian Falls

Photo of Mark Dibble provided to law enforcement by his family.

On Tuesday, members of Troop A, New York State Police, held their annual Memorial Day Service in remembrance of their colleagues who gave their lives in the line of duty. 

Ryan Davis, a standout with the Alexander Trojan's basketball team, signed a letter of intent yesterday to attend college and play basketball at Division III D'Youville College.

Davis will major in Business Management.

Photo: Tricia Davis, Ryan Davis, Mike Davis, and Alexander Head Coach Wayne Hanley.

Submitted photo and information.

Eli Fish Brewing Company in Downtown Batavia hosted a Farm-to-Pint "Tap Takeover" on behalf of the Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association on Sunday.

By chance and circumstance, I've been spending a lot of time at Eli Fish recently, and it was a Sunday, so I thought I'd have a little fun with the video. I shot the video entirely hand-held (no stabilizer or tripod), with a 50-year-old 50mm lens, so only manual focus, using a shotgun mic I'd never used before. It was, indeed, fun experimentation and practice. And it was a fun event.

For brewers here to check out this video, you might also like to see Episode #2 of Batavia's Best Businesses, Eli Fish Brewing.

Submitted Write-up and photos 

This past weekend hundreds of runners, with a large contingent from Genesee County, took part in the 10th annual Sehgahunda Trail Marathon at Letchworth State Park. 

The course, which is comprised of 26.3 miles, starts at the Mount Morris Dam Visitor Center, and runs along the Finger Lakes Trail, ending in Portageville. There are between 3,000 and 4,000 feet of climbing and has been described as one of the hardest trail marathons on the East Coast. The race is organized by YellowJacket Racing of Rochester. 

The wet spring made this year’s course extremely muddy and much more difficult. Three years ago, the race was extended to a two-day event, with the second day being comprised of an additional 5K, 10K, and 15K. For those who dare to attempt to complete both days and succeed, they complete a grueling 72 kilometers in two days, known as the “Sehgahunda 72."

Miranda Betances (top photo) of Batavia was the first female to cross the finish line on Saturday, completing the Trail Marathon in 4:51:19.

Chad Minuto and Stephen Konieczny, of Batavia, were two of 26 competitors who successfully finished both days of racing, becoming Sehgahunda 72ers. 

Gabriel Abdella, of Batavia, who was diagnosed with brain cancer last year, successfully completed the trail marathon on Saturday in a time of 6:48:43, and also completed the 15K (9.3 miles) on Sunday. Abdella is an Adirondack 46er, and he and his wife, Michelle, recently hiked Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. 

Full results and more information about the race can be found at yellowjacketracing.com.

This photo and one above it, Gabriel Abdella.

Stephen Koneiczny & Chad Minuto

Finishers of Sehgahunda 72    

Press release:

In a rematch of the 2018 NJCAA Men’s Lacrosse National Championship game, #3 Onondaga Community College and #1 Nassau Community College Lions needed overtime to settle the 2019 edition.

In the end, Offensive Most Valuable Player Percy Booth scored the game-winning goal with 17 seconds remaining, to give Onondaga their third-consecutive National Championship, defeating Nassau 7-6 on Sunday afternoon at Genesee Community College.

In a game that went back and forth throughout its entirety, the two teams played in a defensive match with goaltenders. Frank Delia (Onondaga CC) and both Gunnar Luckoski and Anthony Kennin (Nassau CC) played outstandingly well throughout the National Championship game.

Percy Booth from Onondaga had a hat trick on the day, including scoring the game-winner in the overtime period. Kyle Worsley scored two goals and added an assist for the Lazers. Karl Flinter also scored for Onondaga. Frank Delia made 19 saves between the pipes for Onondaga.

Liam Muldoon led the way offensively for Nassau scoring a pair of goals. Justin Roderka also scored two goals. Dan Rooney scored one goal and tallied three assists and Matt Russo also scored for the Lions.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM members include:

• Jackson Kranzy – Howard CC
• Tim Russell – Howard CC
• Jack Watsic – Howard CC
• Eli Doyle – Harford CC
• Tyler Wagoner – Harford CC
• Moriah Yousefi – Harford CC
• Liam Muldoon – Nassau CC
• John Ehlers – Nassau CC
• Justin Rodereka – Nassau CC
• Gavin Kesserling – Onondaga CC
• Phil Barilla – Onondaga CC
• Eli Dandelaught – Onondaga CC  
• Offensive Most Valuable Player – Percy Booth (Onondaga CC)
• Defensive Most Valuable Player – Frank Delia (Onondaga CC)
• National Coach of the Tournament – Eric Miccio (Onondaga CC)

Alannah Gross accepts her diploma from Donna Ferry, chair of the Board of Trustees of Genesee Community College, during GCC's 51st commencement ceremony Sunday inside the Call Arena.

Earlier, Gross sang "God Bless America" during the opening of the ceremony (photos below).

This year's keynote speaker was Lesli Myers-Small, superintendent of Brockport Central School District and author of "Life's Leadership Lessons," a Ted-X speaker, an NYS Woman of Distinction, who has gained a degree of fame for her rap videos for students in her district. 

A key theme of her commencement speech came from the musical "Hamilton" and the song "I'm am not throwing away my shot."

I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot

Myers-Small recalled the day in May 2012 when she pulled into the parking lot of Brockport Central School District for her interview for the superintendent's job. She remembered that she was trying to do something as an African-American woman that nobody in Monroe County had ever done before.

"Doubt, fear, and anxiety reverberated in mind," Myers-Small. "I thought it absolutely impossible. I will never become the chief executive officer of a public school district."

But she didn't leave. She sat in her car a moment and thought. She remembered all the people who had paved a way for her, and those who had raised her and mentored her and guided her and prepared her for this moment. 

"I heard a quiet still voice, 'girl, either go hard or go home.' "

Myers-Small told the students no matter who they are, where they come from, whatever hardships they might face, don't quit.

"When contemplating opportunities, remember that what is possible for me is possible for you. I cannot, will not, did not throw away my shot."

Lesli Myers-Small

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.85, down a penny from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.92. The New York State average is $2.96 – also down a penny from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.01. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia -- $2.84 (up 1 cent since last week)
• Buffalo -- $2.89 (up 1 cent since last week)
• Ithaca -- $2.87 (down 2 cents since last week)
• Rochester -- $2.89 (no change from last week)
• Rome -- $2.89 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Syracuse -- $2.86 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Watertown -- $2.96 (no change from last week)

The Energy Information Administration’s latest demand reading for gasoline dropped to 9.1 million b/d, a level typically seen in the fall or winter. The drop is approximately 800,000 b/d lower than the previous week and 400,000 b/d lower than this time last year. Part of the decline in demand is likely due to recent inclement weather in the Rockies and Midwest that may have kept American motorists off the roads more than usual during the spring.

However, pump prices will likely rebound as we head into the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. AAA predicts nearly 43 million Americans will be traveling for the long weekend – with the majority, 37.6 million, taking road trips. In New York State, 2.65 million people will be traveling for the holiday, an increase of 3.5 percent from 2018. A record 2.39 million will be traveling by car and nearly 183,000 by air. 73,000 will be traveling by other modes of transportation.

On Saturday, Botts-Fiorito American Legion Post #576, hosted the American Warrior Festival, organized by Dan Clor, leader of the rock band Weapon-X. The party included a cornhole tournament, open bowling, and later in the night, live rock-'n'-roll.

A Le Roy police officer has been asked to meet a caller on headquarters who said she was at the park by Le Roy High School and smelled an odor and walked over to a male in his backyard skinning a pig.

UPDATE: Le Roy PD Chief Chris Hayward said this morning that this was a man working on his doctorate. There is no violation of the law at this time.

Sen. Rob Ortt visited Reyncrest Farms in Corfu on Friday as part, he said, of regular visits to farms in Upstate New York to learn more about the potential impact of the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act.

He said he feels obligated to do it because the supporters of the bill, who have no farms or farmworkers in their districts, aren't doing it and they're not holding hearings on the bill in Western New York.

"We know that the sponsor is not visiting farms," Ortt said "She doesn't have a farm in her district. So I'm trying to fill that void to push back on some of these narratives that are being justified as to why we need to have this legislation in New York."

Ortt is the ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee. He's also a potential candidate for the Republic primary race in the 27th Congressional District.

Sen. Jessica Ramos, chair of the Senate Labor Committee, and a first-term representative from Queens, is the Senate sponsor of the bill. She did visit Genesee County a few weeks ago and met with farmers and farmworkers and tried to prevent the press from covering her visit. She heard from many farmworkers who said they didn't support the legislation because it would mean they would make less money.

The bill, as written currently, would give farmworkers the right to join labor unions, as well as mandate an eight-hour workday and 40-hour work week. Both farmers and farmworkers say it is the cap on work hours that will do the most economic damage.

Earlier this month, Ortt lead a roundtable discussion of the bill and afterward indicated a willingness to negotiate on both of those main points. Friday he said that willingness is based on the feedback he's getting from farmers who tell him, he said, that if passage of such a bill is inevitable, then can it at least be made less draconian?

So far, he said, he's seen little willingness by the sponsors to negotiate.

Reyncrest is exactly the kind of family-owned dairy farm that stands to be most severely hurt by the legislation if it passes as is, he said.

"They have three farmers, (ages) 28, 26, and 25 -- a new generation, right? The next generation of farmers here to keep this going," Ortt said. "But they need to be able to sustain each of those individuals. This farm needs to be profitable for all three of those family members and if they can't make it a go, maybe they're unable to continue on and that impacts consumers.

"That impacts folks here in New York State who want to buy their products from New York State farmers, who want to buy their products from locally grown farms, locally grown here in New York. And so every time we add onto the burden here, and especially when it's being done by people who haven't stepped foot on a farm, who don't understand the dynamics of what they're doing, now I think that should be a real cause for concern for all New Yorkers."

Sunny's in Batavia is closing its doors for the last time tonight.

Late this afternoon, Skinny Rose wasn't at the restaurant and Tiny Rose declined to comment about the closing.

A motorcyclist reportedly hit debris in the roadway on Randall Road, Stafford.

The driver is reportedly down but alert. 

Stafford Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Local officials, including Rep. Chris Collins, were on hand Friday for an open house and ribbon cutting at Batavia's newest medical clinic, Fresenius Kidney Care, on Veterans Memorial Drive, just north of Home Depot.

The new facility will be staffed by 20 healthcare professionals and able to treat 102 patients per week.

It opens tomorrow.

Director of Operations Kenneth Crine said Fresenius came to Batavia because the current dialysis clinic is typically booked to capacity.

"I felt excitement for being able to provide needed dialysis services in a community that has a need for that," Crine said. "I think Batavia has been in that situation for a little while, where the current facility is kind of full and people have been displaced because of that, and being able to provide a center where people can have access to convenient healthcare is really important to me. So, you know, I feel good about that."

Kenneth Crine and Chris Collins

National Grid was recognized Friday by the WNY Tech Academy at Byron-Bergen High School as the Business of the Year for the company's support of the program, particularly for the $25,000 National Grid had already donated to the student's greenhouse project. On Friday, executive Ken Kuwaja and Paul Gister delivered another $50,000.

The student-conceived project involves building a greenhouse and starting a business to grow greens and farm tilapia in a hydroponic environment.

Kelly Yates, pictured with Principal Thomas Schulte, was named Mentor of the Year.

Students named Professional of the Year: Samantha Lucki, Petyon Penders, and Evan Harter.