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Protecting birds and bees shouldn't have to cost farmers, consumers: local farmer speaks up

By Joanne Beck
seed maggot
Textbook photo of a seed corn maggot.

 

 

The Birds and Bees Protection Act is a seemingly simple enough and all-natural sounding title that most anyone would be for it, wouldn’t they?

Well, not everyone. Shelley Stein, CEO of Stein Farms in Le Roy, said she had to speak up as a farmer and "a person who understands the ramifications of policy on our farmers, and our consumers, and what this is going to mean to the economy of Genesee County."

Documents say Savarino defaulted on financial agreements, GCEDC and city work on 'next steps'

By Joanne Beck
ellicott station savarino business closed
File photo by Howard Owens.

The next steps are yet to be determined.

That seems to be the ongoing response from city and county officials in the aftermath of an announcement by CEO Samuel Savarino that his company will be ceasing operations and laying off its employees.

Savarino is the developer of Ellicott Station, the four-story apartment complex touted as an economic lifesaver for downtown Batavia and for working individuals and families in need of an affordable, quality and safe place to live.

That economic vision was blurred earlier this year when the online rental application indicated income requirements of very low to low ranges, seemingly squelching the notion that the units would indeed be for workforce individuals. The Batavian had reached out to Savarino requesting details about a lottery that awarded rentals to 55 tenants. He wasn’t privy to such information, he had said at the time.

The Batavian was the first and only news source to report on the apparent requirements and changes in income at Ellicott Station. You can help community-minded local reporting continue by joining Early Access Pass.

WNY Cannabis Growers Showcase coming to Batavia

By Press Release

Press Release:

Greenside Cannabis, in partnership with Dank, Buffalo’s first
licensed adult-use dispensary, and Empire Hemp Co., is thrilled to announce the WNY Cannabis Growers Showcase. 

This unique event will be hosted at Empire Hemp Co.'s retail CBD store, 204 E. Main St., in Batavia, NY, beginning on August 29

Six rural counties join litigation aimed at overturning changes to WROTB governance

By Mike Pettinella

Lawmakers in six of the 15 counties that benefit from revenues generated by Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. have passed resolutions to participate in a pending lawsuit to overturn changes to the structure and voting format of the public benefit company’s board of directors.

Legislative bodies in Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming, Livingston and Seneca counties have joined Genesee County in an effort to nullify bills passed by New York State

Shadow of Ellicott Station throws shade on apartment plan for Pembroke, developer promises no low-income housing

By Howard B. Owens
metzger pembroke apartments
Engineer Michael Metzger points out some of the changes to a proposed apartment complex on Route 77 in the Town of Pembroke during Wednesday's Town Planning Board meeting.
Photo by Howard Owens.

Based on feedback from the community, the engineer and property owner planning an apartment complex at 8900 Alleghany Road, Pembroke, have scaled back the project, the Pembroke Planning Board learned on Wednesday night before voting 6-1 to let the development move forward.

A month ago, when the plan was last publicly discussed, developer Michael Schmidt and engineer Michael Metzger were planning six buildings in the complex and a total of 144 apartments with 326 parking spaces.

The new site plan calls for four buildings -- plus garages -- with 96 apartments and 168 parking spaces.

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