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Tonawanda Creek Watershed Committee Celebrates Anniversary

By Elizabeth Bentley-Huber

Tonawanda Creek Watershed Committee Celebrates Anniversary

It’s the committee’s Third Year Anniversary! Join us at our next meeting of the Tonawanda Creek Watershed Committee scheduled for Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at the new U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Building, 1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY 14013. Phone (585) 948-5445 (All meetings are open to the public and you are welcomed to attend.)

Guest Speakers:

- Fran Wagner, President of the Scajaquada Creek Canoe Club will discuss the clubs dedication to improving the environmental health of Scajaquada Creek. The 30 to 40 member club are involved in conducting stream cleanup’s, water quality and wildlife monitoring, and creating access for canoes and kayaks, as well as paddling together on the waterways of Western New York. Several members just participated in the Adirondack Classic, a three-day canoe race.

- Sheila Hess, CEO of Conservation Connects and Executive Director of New York Green will discuss the importance and benefits of partnerships in watershed planning and natural resource conservation. Sheila will review techniques for building relationships and creating synergy with traditional and nontraditional conservation partners.

Great strides have been made in forming a multi-county alliance devoted to the Tonawanda Creek Watershed, which lies within parts of Wyoming, Genesee, Erie and Niagara Counties. On December 2, 2009 a meeting was held at the Corfu Community Center to discuss the feasibility of forming a multi-county Tonawanda Creek Watershed group. This initial meeting was well attended, including officials and interested citizens from: Genesee County: Soil & Water Conservation District, Planning Dept., Health Dept. and Legislature; Towns of Pembroke, Alexander, Bethany and Darien; Tonawanda Band of Seneca’s. Wyoming County: Soil and Water Conservation District, Planning & Development Dept., Emergency Management Dept., Towns of Sheldon and Bennington. Erie County: Soil and Water Conservation District, NRCS, Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper, Water Quality Committee, Dept. of Public Works, Environmental Planning/Storm water Coalition, UB Law Environmental Attorney, Towns of Clarence and Amherst. Niagara County: Town of Royalton. Regional: NYS Soil & Water Conservation Committee, Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, Lake Ontario Coastal Initiative, and US EPA Region 2.

“A lot of work is already going on separately. We need to connect and make a coordinated effort,” said Mark Gaston, District Manager of Erie County SWCD.

A large list of concerns and goals for the watershed were expressed, including water quality, erosion and sedimentation control, stream bank stabilization, flood control, habitat protection and recreational use.

By nearly unanimous consensus, it was decided to proceed with formation of a Tonawanda Creek Watershed Committee. “We must identify stakeholders and make sure they are involved. Communication is vital,” said Paul Fuhrmann of the Erie County Water Quality Committee, adding “The database of knowledge of this diverse group is invaluable”.

If you are unable to attend but are interested in joining this effort or have any questions, please send email to Tonawandacreek@yahoo.com or contact Elizabeth Bentley-Huber at Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District at 585-343-2362 or at Elizabeth.Bentley-Huber@ny.nacdnet.net. View our website at http://tonawandacreek.shutterfly.com

Event Date and Time
2012-12-19T18:00:00 - 2012-12-19T20:00:00

HOLM hosts book signing for local authors - just in time for Christmas

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Holland Land Office Museum Gift Shop presents a local author book signing just in time for Christmas from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 22. HOLM is located at 131 W. Main St. Batavia.

The following authors will be present to sell and sign their

Proposed technology park gets final STAMP of approval from Town of Alabama

By Howard B. Owens

Five years of planning, public meetings, studies, environmental reviews and dozens of written reports came down to one vote Monday night in the Town of Alabama, and by unanimous decision, the town's planning board said yes to a proposed industrial technology park.

The 5-0 vote to change the zoning for

Catherine "Kay" Hull

By Joshua Smith

Batavia - Mrs. Catherine "Kay" Hull, 89, of Batavia, died Thursday, (July 8, 2010)at the Eastside Nursing Home, in Warsaw. 

Mrs. Hull was born November 16, 1920 in Wethersfield, N.Y., a daughter of the late Ernest V. and Helen (Hackett) Squire.

She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Resurrection Parish - St. Joseph's Church and its Sodality and also worked at the former E.N. Rowell Box Factory in Batavia. Mrs. Hull enjoyed knitting, crocheting and spending time with her grandchildren.

Survivors include a daughter, Linda (Lynn) Tedford of Attica; three grandchildren, Robert (Stephanie) Tedford of East Bethany, William Tedford of Batavia and Katherine Tedford of Attica; two brothers, Vincent (Irma) Squire of Batavia and Lt. Colonel William (Mitzi) Squire, Retired of Fayetteville, N.C.; two sisters, Norrine Keem of Cowlesville and Florence DiMatteo of Oakfield; two sisters-in-law, Theresa Squires of Warsaw and Doris (Alan) Hansen of Stafford; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

She is the wife of the late Elmer Hull and sister of the late Edwin Squires.

Calling hours are Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Bohm-Calarco-Smith Funeral Home, 308 East Main Street, Batavia. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at Resurrection Parish - St. Joseph's Church, 303 East Main Street, Batavia. Burial will be in Grandview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Attica Fire Department, 11 Water Street, Attica, New York 14011 or Grandview Cemetery, P.O. Box 581, Batavia, New York 14021.Condolences may be made at www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.

 

Unsolved, Part 2: Separate drowning cases continue to bedevil investigator

By Howard B. Owens

Annie Lee and Eddie Freson probably never met. One lived in Batavia, the other in Brockport. One died in 1997, the other in 2000.

But when media coverage turns to unsolved deaths in Genesee County, Lee and Freson are inseparably linked.

Both deaths are officially listed as accidental drownings, but

Veronica Kornowski Wojtas

By Ronald Konieczny

Veronica (nee, Marciniak) Kornowski Wojtas, formerly of Batavia, died Wednesday (July 21, 2010)  in Covington, LA.  She was born in Buffalo on June 20, 1912 a daughter of the late Francis and Mary Anna Majerowicz Marciniak.

She is the wife of the late Walter Kornowski and is survived by their children: Walter Kownowski Jr. (Nilly Levine) of Bethany, WV, Gail Kornowski (Ron) Case) of Covington, LA and Claudia Kornowski (William) Bearman of Eden Praire, MN.

She was also married to the late Wlater Wojtas who is survived by Dolores Wojtas (Al) Parkhurst of Batavia.   Nine grandchildren:  Lincoln (Heather Barranger) Case, Tyler (Joanna Brandt) Case, Adam Case, Nicole Bearman Parks, Jennifer Bearman Heiken, Bob (Wilamina) Parkhursst, Cheryl Parkhurst (Charles) Andre, Debra Kornowski (late Michael) Giblin and Dorine Kornowski (Peter) Laack.  Ten great grandchildren: Maggy, Lilly, Helen and Julia Case, Chuck, Christina and Matthew Andre, Skylar Giblin and Aidyn Laack. 

While living in Batavia, Veronica was an active member of Sacred Heart Church, the Altar and Rosary Society,  Polish Falconettes and the Polish National Alliance.  I

Visitation will be Thursday(July 29th) at Ascension Parish (Sacred Heart) from 9-10am where a Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10am.  Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in the form of Mass Offerings or to a charity of the donors preference.

Expressions of condolence may be made at: www.mcandrewfuneralhomes.net or www.ejfieldingfh.com

Arrangements were entrusted to the J. Leonard McAndrew Funeral Home, 2 Bogue Ave., Batavia.  Ronald P. Konieczny, director & veteran

A walk through the Genesee County Park

By JIM NIGRO

Being it was the second week of December and no snow on the ground, I suggested to Claudia we should load up the dogs and head to the county park. And because we had Tate and Ernie along, we decided to stay off the side trails and stick to the

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