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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.

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.

DENNIS J. WITTMAN

By Michael Tomaszewski

DENNIS J. WITTMAN ~ Age 77, of Batavia, passed peacefully at Charlotte House in N. Java, NY. He was born to the late Jerome and Evelyn (Hamilton) Wittman on June 2, 1943 in Buffalo, NY, he was also preceded in death by a brother, Allan Wittman and sisters-in-law, Jeanette Bangs and Dolores Clark.

Dennis was a graduate of Cleveland Hill High School, his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Wadham’s Hall Seminary, Ogdensburg, NY and earned his master’s degree from the University of Rochester.

He was employed for 36 years with Genesee County as a Probation Officer and in 1980 was asked by the late Sheriff, W. Douglas Call to head up a new program, Alternatives to Incarceration, which was a first in the United States with law enforcement and third such program in the United States. He began the first rural and fourth in New York State Child Advocacy Center and Multi-Disciplinary Teams serving Genesee County, as well as neighboring counties. He started the Driving While Intoxicated Conditional Discharge Program, Justice for Women Program and Team, the Western New York State Victims Coalition, he was President of the New York State Crime Victims Board Advisory Council and, Vice President of the New York State Association for Alternative Sentencing. Former Governor George Pataki appointed Dennis to the Western New York Citizens Review Panel (abused children), First Victim/Offender Reconciliation Program in New York State dealing specifically with serious/violent cases, National Institution of Corrections consultants, Office of Victims of Crime consultants, Chairman of Criminal Justice Advisory Council. Dennis represented the United States in a Bi-Lateral Summit in Japan, addressed the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada, addressed the Canadian Parliament on Restorative Justice and traveled to forty states and the Canadian Provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and British Columbia.

Dennis recently served on the Diocese of Buffalo Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Policy Task Force. He was an Adjunct Professor at Roberts Wesleyan College and served as Town Supervisor for the Town of Bethany from 1978 to 1990. He was a faithful member of Ascension Parish in Batavia where he served as Vice President and President of the Holy Name Society, President of the Parish Council and Usher under the former Sacred Heart Parish.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Carol (Chmielowiec) Wittman of Batavia whom he married in 1971; loving daughters, Holly (Michael) Stoddard of Honeoye and Jennifer of San Antonio, TX; faithful Husky companion, Kodah; sister, Kathie (Paul) Beaulieu of Cheektowaga, NY and brother, Philip (Nancy) Wittman of Akron, NY; brother-in-law, Dr. A Steven Bangs of Long Island; sister in law, Marsha Deman of Defiance, Ohio along with many cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great niece and nephew.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Epidemic a Mass of Christian Burial will be announced later. Memorials in his memory may be made to Charlotte House, P.O. Box 123, 4316 Route 98, North Java, NY 14113: Ascension Parish, 17 Sumner Street, Batavia, NY 14020, or MUSH Rescue Inc, 12820 Wyngate Trail, Alpharetta, GA 30005.

Thank you to our Wednesday morning library friend, Roger Richardson. Tuesday lunch time prayer group: Marg Miller, Leta Sackett, Pastor Ken Cromer and Elder Ron. Emilie, Board of Directors, the many volunteers, weekly communion from Holy Family Polish National Church and the community at Charlotte House for the excellent care provided, to the many doctors at University of Rochester Medical Center and Rochester Regional that provided such excellent care, for their prayers and visits Rev. Father David Glassmire, Deacon Mark Kehl, Rev. Father Matthew Kawiak, Deacon Corey Foegen and especially Sue Hatrick for giving a part of herself to Dennis.

The family kindly asks people consider signing to be an organ donor. Two special people gave Dennis thirteen extra years with his family.

Please share your words of comfort with the Wittman family at www.tomaszewskifh.com

THE FAMILY OF DENNIS J. WITTMAN IS BEING CARED FOR BY THE MICHAEL S. TOMASZEWSKI FUNERAL & CREMATION CHAPEL, LLC 4120 WEST MAIN STREET ROAD BATAVIA, NEW YORK 14020 – (585)343-7500

 

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