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Bethany issues State of Emergency for water shortage

By Joanne Beck

The Town of Bethany has declared a State of Emergency for water services during a year-end meeting on Thursday due to the town’s inability to provide water services to the affected parcels of approximately 100 residences and two dairy farms in the town.

The town’s Water District 5 had previously

Santa visits Bethany Friday morning, in the form of a water donation, as officials wait for word on district funding

By Joanne Beck
Water donation in Bethany
A donation of four pallets of drinking water by Eric Santos, second from left, of Casella Waste Systems, arrives at Bethany Town Hall Friday morning for residents who have been struggling without water.
Submitted Photo

As town officials and residents work through a water shortage brought on by drought, all of them have said it has been the worst they have ever seen since living in Bethany, many of them for decades. Fill dates are being scheduled week by week from a tanker that was provided by the state Office of Emergency Management.

Santa came early again for a visit Friday morning in the form of a donation of four pallets of bottled water all ready to be distributed to residents, Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. said. Operations Manager Eric Santos of Casella Waste Systems had heard about Bethany's plight and showed up with his crew and the much-welcomed donation of water at town hall, Hyde said.

In the midst of drought, Bethany gets a splash of good news with $5M grant

By Joanne Beck
bethany water tanker nov. 2023
2023 File Photo of Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. reviewing the town's water districts, including the latest Water District 5, which will be a go, thanks to the $5 million WIIA grant awarded to the town. 
Photo by Howard Owens

Tuesday afternoon was unexpectedly busy and gleeful for Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr.

And while still being embroiled in town residents’ plight of dry wells and being in need of daily water supplies, he found something to smile about, he says.

“We’re on the list,” he said about the town’s placement on the state’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Award approvals. “My phone’s been ringing off the hook. I heard from Steve Hawley and J.W. Cook from the governor’s office. He called to say congratulations, you got your grant. I’m very happy.”

Environmental professor weighs in on Genesee County's 'most intense' drought conditions

By Joanne Beck
Stephen Shaw
Associate Professor Stephen Shaw
Photo from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry website

With so much talk about global warming and climate change, that would seem to be the likely culprit for drought so extreme it has dried up dozens of wells in pockets of Genesee County.

However, Stephen Shaw, associate professor for environmental resources engineering at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, says it might be much more random than that.

Shaw has just completed a 20-year analysis and a report about dry wells across the entire northeast. He found that a drought in 2016 was “pretty intense,” especially across Western New York and Buffalo in particular. That didn’t match what these towns — the volume of households — in Genesee County have experienced, he said.

Law and Order: Bethany man charged with DWI with BAC greater than .08

By Billie Owens

Steven Robert Tanner, 43, of Batavia Bethany Townline Road, Bethany, is charged with DWI with a BAC greater than .08, and DWI. He was arrested at 4:47 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, after an investigation into a traffic offense complaint in the Town of Stafford. He was allegedly found

Clara R. Galliford

By Howard B. Owens
galliford obit

Clara R. Galliford, 98, of East Bethany, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2023, at Crossroads House in Batavia after a brief illness. Beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, her long life was devoted to supporting her family and her community. She was blessed by 75 years of marriage and celebrated the births of 36 direct descendants, all of whom survive her.

Clara was born May 1, 1925, in East Bethany. She was a 1942 graduate of Batavia High School. From 1951, she was a member of the East Bethany Presbyterian Church, where she served as a Sunday School teacher, trustee, and church elder. From 1956 to 1992, she served as Clerk and Postmaster for the United States Postal Service in East Bethany.  

Surviving are her four children: James D. Galliford Jr. of Batavia and Linda (Gerry) Fry, Jean George and Douglas (Judy) Galliford of East Bethany; ten grandchildren: J. Daniel (Kirsten) Galliford III, Laurie Fox, Julie Fry, Melissa (Allen) Iovannisci, Sarah (Tim) Lemley, Stacey (David Macdonald) George, Michael (Kristen) George, Debbie (Frank) Drazen, Brian (Becca) Galliford and Mary (Steve) Skoczylas; 22 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Preceded in death by her husband, J. Daniel Galliford Sr.; her brothers, Howard Raymond and Albert Raymond, and sister, Edith Nichols; and her parents, Arthur and Mabel (Cone) Raymond.

Clara’s family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to Cindy Saeva at South Street Senior Care in LeRoy for the loving care she provided to Clara during her residence there.

Burial will be private with no prior calling hours. A memorial service for both Clara and her late husband Daniel will be held at a later date.

Flowers are gratefully declined. Memorials may be made to Crossroads House, P.O. Box 403, Batavia, NY 14021, www.crossroadshouse.com/donate, or to the East Bethany Rural Cemetary Association, P.O. Box 117, LeRoy, NY 14482.

Arrangements for Clara were entrusted to the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home of Batavia. Please leave a condolence, share a story, or light a candle at www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.

Byron-Bergen welcomes 15 students to National Honor Society

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Byron-Bergen chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) welcomed 15 new student members to their distinguished company on April 20.

The service included congratulations from Interim Superintendent Jon Hunter, Ph.D., along with the time-honored candle-lighting ceremony that acknowledges the high standards students in NHS must exhibit in

THOMAS S. MITCHELL, SR.

By Michael Tomaszewski

THOMAS S. MITCHELL, SR.

Age 89, of Elba, died Wednesday evening April 6, 2016 at home with his family by his side. He was born June 6, 1926 in Astoria, Queens. An only child, he was raised by his mother, the late Emma (Rhind), also preceded in death by dear cousins, Charlotte (Ray) Buckhaults. 

Mr. Mitchell served our country as a member of the U.S. Army in the 94th Infantry during World War II, and as a member of the Constabulary, which was a post-war security force in the U.S. Occupation Zone of West Germany and Austria. He had a lifelong passion for learning, and to that end he pursued numerous hobbies. In his thirties he learned to fly. He held both single engine land and glider ratings. He was a member of the Long Island Soaring Society. A lifelong member of the EAA and a founding member of Gaines Valley Aviation/Airport in Gaines, NY. In years past he spent most Sundays at the East Bethany Airport visiting and flying with other local pilots. He also played guitar and his family has fond memories of Mom serenading the family with old country standards by Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Hank Williams while Dad played guitar. A passionate Buffalo Bills fan he followed the team closely and never missed a game. His other interests included being a licensed ham radio operator, call sign K2PUL and even taking piano lessons later in life. Professionally he installed and serviced printing presses for Heidelberg Eastern, Inc. for over 40 years as a member of IAM machinists union local #434. However, most importantly, he was the beloved patriarch of his family who will be remembered as a caring and generous husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. 

Surviving is his partner in marriage for 48 years, Grace (Furman) Mitchell of Elba; his children, Anna (David Lee) Fenton of Batavia, Thomas Mitchell, MD (Cynthia Mitchell, PA) of NC and Elaine (Scott) Say of Oakfield; grandchildren, Monique, Matthew, Tayler, Madison, Lukas, Isaac, Zachary and Jacob; great-grandchildren, Aidan and Alaska-Vela; sister-in-law, Lavina (Joseph) Elek.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The family will be present on Sunday April 10, 2016 from 2-4 & 7-9pm at the Michael S. Tomaszewski Funeral & Cremation Chapel, LLC 4120 West Main Street Road Batavia, New York 14020 where Funeral Services will be held 1:00pm Monday April 11. Burial will be in Maple Lawn Cemetery with full military honors and in lieu of flowers memorials in his memory are suggested to the Elba Volunteer Fire Department. 

Please share your thoughts and memories of Tom with his family at www.tomaszewskifh.com 

THE FAMILY OF THOMAS S. MITCHELL, SR. IS BEING CARED FOR BY THE MICHAEL S. TOMASZEWSKI FUNERAL & CREMATION CHAPEL, LLC 4120 WEST MAIN STREET ROAD BATAVIA, NEW YORK 14020.

Kiwanis Criminal Justice Awards 2016

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Kiwanis Club President Jeanne Walton and Genesee County Bar Association Benjamin Bonarigo, Sr. announced the awards during an annual dinner held at Batavia Country Club on Thursday, April 28, 2016.  The speaker at the dinner was Hon. Thomas A. Belein, Chairman of the New York State Commission of

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