Emmanuel Baptist Church’s Community Garden is looking for green thumbs to come and grow! We have 20 raised 3x4 garden plots, along with water, tools, seeds, and fertilizer to help you get started.
We need gardeners!
Do you want to provide fresh veggies or flowers from the garden for your family? Come grow with us!
This year, we will be completely refilling our plots and working to keep the climbing bindweed out. We could really use some help with this project, which will begin as soon as it’s warm enough.
The cost is $15 per plot. For more information or to sign up, call 585-343-4905 or email ebcbatavia@gmail.com.
The Law Street Yard Waste Station will open for the season on Monday, April 14, for City Residents.
The station will be open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, until Daylight Savings Time in November when operating time will change to 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The station will be closed on the following dates:
May 26 (Memorial Day)
July 4 (Independence Day)
September 1 (Labor Day)
November 27th (Thanksgiving)
The Yard Waste Station will close for the season in early December.
City residents may bring yard waste material (grass, leaves and limbs) to the Law Street Yard Waste Station as there is no spring curb side pickup of these materials.
The following items cannot be accepted at the station:
Tree stumps, building materials, rock, fill (soil and stone) other debris. Yard waste shall be free of trash (paper, plastic, bottles, cans...etc.), as this material cannot be processed.
Use Law Street entrance to enter and exit the City Yard Waste Station only.
To bring awareness to sex and labor trafficking, Genesee County Safe Harbour will host a “Sunrise Breakfast” on Wednesday, May 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Main Street 56 Theatre (City Centre, 56 Main St, Batavia).
This free event is open to the public and aims to enhance awareness and contribute to the prevention of sex and labor trafficking in our county.
Event Highlights:
Free breakfast catered by Alabama Hotel
Keynote Speakers: Kait Gannon- Survivor, Advocate, Podcaster, Medical Social Worker & Mother accompanied with Laurie Krull- LCSW-R Clinical Social Worker, Podcaster, & Healer.
Kait & Laurie will discuss, “The Ugly Truth About the Girl Next Door”.
Opening & Closing Remarks- Presented by the Genesee County Youth Bureau and the Genesee County Safe Harbour.
Registration:
This event is free to attend, and breakfast will be provided at no cost. Registration is required to attend as seating is limited. All RSVPs are due to the Genesee County Youth Bureau by Friday, April 25. To register, please contact Genesee County Youth Bureau at Genesee.Youthbureau@dfa.state.ny.us or 585-344-3960.
For additional information, contact Genesee County Youth Bureau at Genesee.Youthbureau@dfa.state.ny.us or (585)344-3960.
Trisha Reynolds of Justice for Children Advocacy Center, left, facilitates a panel of Genesee County agency representatives as they talk about what services they can provide for victims of crime during a Criminal Justice Day program Monday at Grace Baptist Church in Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens
Although there are multiple agencies ready to help victims of crime in Genesee County, sometimes all it takes is that one person with a particular forte, Jess Marciano says.
“Having a Swiss Army knife is not always the most effective tool,” Marciano said during a Criminal Justice Day panel Monday at Grace Baptist Church in Batavia. “It might be better having somebody who is specialized … to have diversified experts. Knowing who to tap, that’s what makes this so incredibly helpful.”
Marciano represented GLOW OUT!, and was with five others — Batavia Police Youth Detective Eric Hill, Grace Baptist Church Associate Pastor Zack Dawson, Restore Sexual Assault Services Training Coordinator Bobbie Steinhauer, and Jacquelyn Wheeler and Samantha Rychlicki of YWCA, all who spoke about their local resources within the county that offered those specialized services to victims.
They were given a scenario of a mother and father that didn’t get along, and had a transgender child who was struggling with the turmoil and dad’s addiction and abusive behavior toward the mom.
How would each agency respond?
The police department would refer the family, dad in particular, to the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI), Hill said, plus the fire department and Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.
“You can come to us with those drug addiction problems, and we won’t arrest you,” he said. “That would be a case where we would not arrest you, but we would actually get you in touch with ConnectCare services and counseling services without any questions asked. So if we were called to the scene, or if this family came to our police department with these issues, that would be a potential avenue for them to go down.”
There’s a countywide Single Point of Access group (SPOA) for pulling multiple agencies together to discuss issues and needs; the Mental Health Department for counseling; YWCA’s domestic violence services and a safe house for mom and the child if needed; Family Court and orders of protection; Grace Baptist certified counselors; and the police department’s jurisdiction of making an arrest and getting an arraignment for the husband’s abusive actions to prevent further harm while the case goes to court.
Restore would probably focus first on mom and make sure that she had supports for the sexual assault history, and is connected with a counselor, Steinhauer said.
“Because, again, her services are all free, trying to get whatever support she needs. And because we've got counselors that serve Batavia, that would be one piece of the puzzle, and then to try to figure out what else is needed,” she said. “We have some resources for the queer community, for the parents and for the kids that just say, here's some books, here's some resources, so that you know that you're welcome here and might be supportive to what means this family have. And then always, always the hotline. Any time, any reason you wake up at 3 a.m. and because, for reasons that trauma likes to hit at 3 a.m. we have a full volunteer (schedule). These people learn to be volunteers. They work hard, and they show up at 3 a.m. for those calls, and that's why they're there.”
As for Dawson, he’d want people to show up at the church.
“I’d want them to find that church community, and life is better connected. We’re not meant to live life in isolation, and it sounds like that family is isolated,” he said. “They need relationship and they need to find safe people. One of the things that I'd encourage you to do is I know that there's safe people in the school, and teachers love the students that they have, and the way that I've tried to work is just to be a person that is known as a safe person.”
He likened a person to a four-legged chair, with each leg an extension of that being: the spiritual aspect, social aspect, emotional aspect and the physical. So if someone has suffered physical and/or sexual abuse, there’s damage that “as a church we would want to get that person out of that situation,” he said.
“We would work with dad’s addiction … it’s not just the flip of a switch. We need to walk alongside that man and help him navigate, what are the triggers for that? How can we walk alongside with you and have accountability to where we can help you be successful to conquer that?” he said. “And for the child, man, they’ve faced a lot of stuff. Some of it has been … because the parents are trying to figure out how to handle that. And so that child needs to know that they’re loved, that they’re cared for, and that blame that they might feel, that shame that they might feel, we need to help them navigate that. I want to help them see their identity isn’t just in sexuality or a gender, their identity is beyond that.”
“You’ve gotta walk with people, life is hard,” he said. “And so, you want to keep going with them for the long haul … as well as walking through what the Bible says.”
YW staff would consider it a domestic violence situation, Rychlicki said, and ask the mother to fill out an intake form, meet with a case manager and staff could serve as advocates during her time in court, offer food from the nonprofit’s pantry and help manage a safety plan.
“We’re going to meet them where they are,” Wheeler said, explaining that they wouldn’t dispense advice such as get a divorce. “We are there as a support. We’re not necessarily dictating or putting conditions on how they have to act in order to receive our services or engage with us.”
While it’s true that each agency has its own level of expertise, they do often collaborate on a case, which Hill often initiates as part of his job as coordinator, he said. A case may go before SPOA, and then to GLOW OUT! For one portion and to Restore for another need. He gave an example of when there’s an attempted suicide.
“There’s agencies that are automatically activated when certain things happen,” he said.
Trisha Reynolds, program coordinator of Justice for Children Advocacy Center, facilitated the panel and said it was a big help for all the key players to get to know one another to “make sure we’re coordinating services.” After all, the theme of the day for the more than 100 people in attendance was about healing the community through awareness.
“So that people in the community know what's out there for them. Everybody knows that there's mental health. Everybody knows about substance abuse treatment, UConnect. But then there's some other resources that we felt like maybe people wouldn't be so aware of … especially like youth detective. I mean, people hear police, they think they're just out to arrest, but they can offer so many other services and support groups and all kinds of things,” Reynolds said. “So I think we just wanted people in the community to be aware that if you find yourself as victim of a crime, there are a multitude of community agencies out there to help you.”
Joseph Robinson of the District Attorney’s Office had the job of summarizing all of the day’s presenters. Now in his sixth year with the office, he has handled domestic violence cases — “cases with people who are in the most vulnerable position in their life” — he said.
He wasn’t going to do that alone, and relied “heavily” on county agencies like those that were just up on stage, he said.
“Back then, I didn’t even know about all the other agencies involved with this, and they really helped me be able to connect with the victims, make sure the victims were heard, and that what the victims were looking for was something we took into consideration during these cases,” Robinson said. “Like the sheriff said earlier, a lot of the criminal justice system is focused on holding the offender accountable. But that’s not the only thing we do. We listen to the victims, and we make sure they’re heard in the courtroom, whether it be in the plea we offer or giving them the chance to speak at sentencing, so that they know their voice is heard, not just to us but to the courts.
“And when it comes to holding that person accountable. My job, without having the victim feel safe, feel like they can talk to us, we have no case,” he said. “These victims aren’t on their own. They don’t need to handle this on their own, there are numerous agencies out here to help them, the community is here to help them, and it really does take a village for these people to get thought he situation, to feel safe again.”
Photos by Howard Owens
Samantha Rychlicki of YWCA, right, answers a question during the panel Monday Photo by Howard Owens
Trisha Reynolds of Justice for Children Advocacy Center Photo by Howard Owens
Zack Dawson of Grace Baptist Church.
Bobbie Steinhauer of Restore Sexual Assault Services.
Batavia Police Youth Detective Eric Hill.
Jacquelyn Wheeler and Samantha Rychlicki of YWCA.
Joseph Robinson of the county District Attorney's Office gives closing remarks for Criminal Justice Day on Monday.
Hoping you can help spread the word for the annual Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt (see attached flyer) coming up on Saturday, April 19, at 9 a.m. SHARP at Centennial Park.
There will be over 5,000 eggs hidden in the park, spread out over three age groups, (0-3), (4-7), and (8-10). There will be 3 Golden Prize Eggs in every age group, where the lucky boy or girl who finds a Golden Egg will receive a large Oliver’s Chocolate Easter Bunny. The Easter Bunny will be making an appearance and available for photos.
In addition, an event that started a few years ago and continues to be a favorite with families is the daily hidden Golden Easter Egg at Centennial Park, starting this Friday, April 11, and running for 7 days until April 17.
Inside the Golden Egg are instructions on how to take the Golden Egg to the big Easter Egg Hunt on April 19 to claim a large Oliver’s Chocolate Easter Bunny. The Golden Egg will be hidden at different times each day over the course of the seven days to try and accommodate varying schedules for different families.
We ask that families that find the daily Golden Egg please message the Batavia Kiwanis Club on Facebook with a picture of their kid(s) that found the Golden Egg so we can post on our Facebook page and alert others that the Golden Egg has been found that day.
This is a fun, free, family event that gets everyone outside to enjoy the park and spend time together. There may be other Easter Egg Hunts in the area, but there aren’t any other daily Golden Easter Egg Hunts! Come on out and continue a tradition or make a new one!
A 45-year-old Le Roy resident has been charged in a 2023 burglary of Crocker's Ace Hardward.
Officer Matthew Nielson worked the cold case and identified the suspect, who allegedly stole thousands of dollars in merchandise in the overnight heist.
Nielson had few leads to work with, according to Chief Greg Kellogg.
"Through persistent follow-up, detailed investigative work, and strong attention to detail, he successfully identified the suspect and personally made the arrest," Kellogg said. "This arrest is the result of Nielson’s dedication and resolve, demonstrating the commitment of the LeRoy Police Department to holding offenders accountable — no matter how much time has passed. His work on this case reflects the professionalism and determination that the department strives to deliver every day."
Andrew J. Paladino was taken into custody. He is charged with burglary. No other charges were listed in the release. His release status is unknown
Marian Velma Dworzack toasts to her century of life with family, including daughter Sheila Craver, left, and son Steve Dworzack, second to her right, Saturday at Miss Batavia Diner. Her younger siblings are seated to her left, brother Richard Cramer and Shirley Kriger. Photo by Joanne Beck
Marian Dworzack -- who credits her longevity to always carrying a song in her heart -- celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday during a party hosted by her children, Sheila Craver and Steven Dworzack, at Miss Batavia Diner.
The family enjoyed a toast with champagne, birthday cupcakes, and plenty of smiles.
Marian was born in 1925 on her grandfather’s farm in Basom, the eldest daughter of Chauncey and Eleanor Cramer. She attended Oakfield School and graduated from Corfu High School in 1943, where she was a ping-pong champion and star of the school musical.
She worked at the Brown Knitting Company in Warsaw until she married Chester Dworzack in 1946. They operated a small dairy farm in Varysburg until 1962. Avid ballroom and square dancers, they belonged to the Batavia Twirlers and WyCo Promenaders. Marian also sang with the Sweet Adelines. She was an active member of St. Vincent Church in Attica, where she belonged to the Catholic Daughters and the Altar & Rosary Society. After Chet’s retirement in 1980, they moved to the city of Batavia, where she now resides.
Marian is a 45-year breast cancer survivor. In addition to her two children, she has seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Spanning the generations are daughter Sheila Craver, left, 100-year-old mom Marian Velma Dworzack, and great-granddaughter Kayla Stone. Photo by Joanne Beck
Downtown Batavia didn't lack enthusiasm from at least 300 people carrying signs and chanting during a national Hands Off! protest Saturday. The event was one of hundreds across the country to oppose the actions of Donald Trump and Elon Trump. Photo by Howard Owens
Although there were signs admonishing Donald Trump and Elon Musk, Corfu resident Matt Steinberg didn't see it as being political and instead focused on what he believed was the bigger picture in downtown Batavia this weekend.
Steinberg chose to speak up for libraries, which he displayed on his sign while standing along Main Street.
“Well, because there's no reason to cut these. I mean, education is how we sort of advance as a country. People need to have an education and know what has happened in history, good and bad. And you learn that partially at libraries. And fascists, that's how they start. They try to have an uneducated citizenry, and that's got to be the reason that libraries are a target,” he said, as one of at least 300 people in the Hands Off! protest Saturday outside of City Hall. “I do feel that our local libraries will be affected. The small libraries depend more heavily on government support, even the big ones, like in Buffalo, Erie County, that also depends heavily on government support, because it essentially is a free function. And there are certain things in the world that should exist that don't need to generate a profit, and libraries are one of them.”
He said it was well worth his time to attend the event and protest for two hours alongside hundreds of others with various other causes. For the most part, the event was a peaceful demonstration of free speech in action, including a few motorists who apparently opposed the action by displaying Trump flags and expelling diesel exhaust close to protesters.
“It’s easier to give a finger or accelerate your truck than to engage. We’re trying to reverse what’s happening,” Steinberg said. “I’m here because I don't like the direction that the current administration is piloting the country, and I don't feel like I don't want to just take it lying down. ”
Individuals, couples, friends, and whole families came out to participate. Jen Reardon of Batavia gathered with seven relatives — including some first-time protesters that drove from Hamburg and Alden, and their grandmother — all wearing neon-colored matching “Resist” T-shirts.
This event wasn’t about getting together for a one-time cause but about concerns and conversations they’ve been having daily, Reardon said.
“We’re worried about our country absolutely crumbling and falling apart. And anything that we can do -- we need to resist and fight it,” she said. “And try to keep things funded that are important to people, and social security, Medicaid, Medicare. How are people going to live without that and all of the other things they talk about, SNAP benefits being cut, museums and libraries being cut? Head Start being cut. They’re programs that help a lot o families all over the country, and with the money gone, what is going to happen to people?”
There seems to be a fair amount of people online saying that this isn’t necessary and asking why people are protesting. How do you respond to that? “I’d say stop watching Fox News and start to watch almost any other place you an get news from; not Newsmax and not Fox News, and learn the real story of what is happening, because those media outlets are are friendly to Trump are not telling the Americans the truth of what’s happening,” she said.
Are you doing any other events like this? “Well, we found out that there’s something going on on April 15 at the town hall (at Arc Community Center), so we plan to attend that as well. And then as things come up, this was kind of our first jump into it,” she said. “But we’re really to do what we need to do to keep the lifestyle that we love here, and the freedoms that we have here that other people across the world do not have.”
The family members each carried a sign with a different cause — the forests, LGTBQ rights, recovery funds, social security, the library and art.
Taylor Peck of Batavia works in the substance addiction field and is concerned about funding for rehab and recovery and issues more personal to her. Participating in this protest “definitely” accomplished something, Peck said.
“So we're getting our voices heard, our message across. It's a scary time to be a gay woman in America. And I mean, I just want to take a stand. I work for UConnectCare here in Batavia, and I care a lot about the clients that I work with who are in recovery. So that's why my sign says recovery funds.”
Admitting that her group was “fired up,” Reardon jumped back in to add that she's concerned about cuts to education, libraries, and museums. It is “trying to make us dumb,” she said.
“Things where you can go and learn about history, and women’s rights and gay rights and the veterans,” she said. “It’s a whole lot of things that mean a lot to all kinds of people.”
Both sides of Main Street were lined with people and chants of “hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” as motorists drove by honking their horns. There was a bright green umbrella with the word Truth written across the top and messages for “Congress, get DOGE” and “Congress, put your hands back on the wheel.”
A protester wearing the classic “Hand Maid’s Tale” garb of a floor-length ruby red dress and symbolic oppressive white head piece, known as wings, walked up and down the sidewalk with a megaphone, leading a chant of “this is what democracy looks like.”
Holding a sign with democracy written on it, Amy Fagan is “displeased with the Trump administration,” she said, and appreciated the fact that “a red county” would have people stand up against him in protest.
“Because there’s so many things that I think are being attacked that I figured democracy covers a lot of it, and then the social security in particular, people like me have paid into it our entire lives. And what’s going to happen if it goes away?” the Batavia resident said. “It’s not fair, it’s not right. It’s dangerous for the older people to not have that income coming in, because we’re not millionaires and billionaires.”
And what do you say to those people who think this is premature and this is worry for nothing? “If you wait for too long, then it’s going to be too late, and if it’s too late, there’s nothing that you’re going to be able to do about it,” she said. “People need to see that there are those of us who disagree and that maybe they don’t want to come out because they’re afraid of what their family might think. Or, just know that there’s a group of us out here that support you.”
Organizer Sarah Wolcott was happy with the turnout and that the protest had minimal negative occurrences.
“I am overwhelmed, but in the best possible way. I always prepared for some pushback. There has been very, very minimal, at best, if even any. There has been some. I'm not gonna say there hasn't been, but mostly it's all been positive and supportive and peaceful, which was the ultimate goal of today,” Wolcott said. “The whole point of choosing Hands Off, specifically, was that it's not just one cause, it's not just one thing being affected, it’s so many things. And I just gave people a place to come together, is really all I did. The rest kind of happened on its own. I think there will definitely be more.”
Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens.
"I feel like if I don't come to protests, if I don't make my voice heard, then I am complicit in the destruction of democracy," said Matt Steinberg of Corfu. Photo by Joanne Beck
"If we just sit back and do nothing, we're gonna just see this country crumble right before our eyes," said Patricia Harrington of Batavia, fourth from left and one of the eight family members to attend Saturday's Hands Off! protest in Batavia. "It's time to get out there and take action, and even if it's just a peaceful protest, that's still doing something more than sitting there and doing nothing." Photo by Joanne Beck
“Because there’s so many things that I think are being attacked that I figured democracy covers a lot of it," Amy Fagan of Batavia said Saturday. Photo by Joanne Beck
Trippany won the annual Batavia High School event on Friday night in front of a capacity crowd in the auditorium.
The event raised in the neighborhood of $5,400 (the final total hasn't been calculated yet). Half of the funds will go to Trippany's chosen charity, Rosewell Cancer Institute.
Will Fulton, representing Genesee Cancer Assistance, came in second, and Kahler Evans, representing Bella's Bumbas, came in third. Their charities will each receive 25% of the proceeds.
Since the first year of the competition in 2013, Mr. Batavia has raised $43,052 for charity.
The event is supported by the Batavia City School Foundation along with local businesses Charles Men Shop, Main St. Pizza, Zach Korzelius at Geico Insurance, LP Graphics in LeRoy, Extreme Streetwear, Beverly's Flowers and Gifts, along with the students and staff at BHS.
This year's contestants where:
The 2025 contestants are:
Cooper Banser: Crossroads House
Jeremiah Childs: The Neri Family through Reece's Rainbow
Kahler Evans: Bella's Bumbas
Greyson Fix: The Ricky Palermo Foundation
Will Fulton: Genesee Cancer Assistance
Cooper Konieczny: Volunteers for Animals
Anthony Kopper: Suicide Prevention of Genesee County
The Goose in Oakfield, 33 South Main St., is Genesee County's new live music venue, thanks to Oakfield resident Thom Jennings and a grant administered by GO ART!
Jennings, a musician himself, got the idea during his wife's surprise birthday party at the Goose last July. Bruce Wojick, a member of the Strictly Hip, played a couple of songs.
"I got to thinking, man, this would just be a really good space for an artist-centric music event," Jennings said. "Because one of the things that's always driven me crazy when I played a happy hour acoustic event, or even as I go to more shows now, the artist isn't necessarily the focus.
It's hard, he said, for a good singer-songwriter to find a place where the audience is there to hear the music more than they are to chat with their friends.
The other inspiration for the idea came from his son Trevor, a drummer in multiple bands. He mentioned playing a gig where audience members could bring their own beer or wine.
So, during the last round of grant applications for state grants for community art projects through GO ART!, Jennings pitched the idea and approved the grant.
Evan Anstey and James Robert Kibby played the inaugural show on Friday evening.
There are shows on May 2 (Steve Novak) and June 6 (Tyler Bagwell), and there is a Christmas concert planned for December.
The Goose is a community center in Oakfield run by Susan Zeliff, Jennings' niece.
The first “We’ve Only Just Begun” Sr. Luncheon of the 2025 season will be Tuesday, April 15 at the South Alabama Firehall located at 2230 Judge Road, Oakfield. Lunch will be promptly served at 11:45 am.
Both guest speakers at the meeting will be from the Genesee County Economic Development Center. Chris Suozzi, Executive Vice President of Business & Workforce Development, and Mark Masse, President and CEO. They will be discussing what their organization does in the County; STAMP project in Alabama, Youth programs, etc.
Come and bring your favorite dish-to-pass OR make a donation at the door! Enjoy lunch and an afternoon with old and new friends. All seniors in surrounding areas are welcome. Contact LaNora Thompson at 630-888-8966 for more information.
There were at least 300 people at the Hands Off! protest Saturday in downtown Batavia -- one of hundreds scheduled across the country -- displaying signs with a variety of causes and concerns, from democracy, social security, education, forests and Medicaid to libraries, LGTBQ, veterans and women's rights, and expressing dissatisfaction with Donald Trump and Elon Musk. There will be more coverage of the protest this weekend in The Batavian. Photo by Howard Owens
Protesters lined both sides of Main Street Batavia for two hours early Saturday afternoon, as several passing motorists honked horns while participants periodically chanted "hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go." Photo by Howard Owens.
Jamie Clark, assistant principal and athletic director at Le Roy Jr/Sr High School, has been named the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) Region 12 Secondary School Assistant Principal of the Year.
"What a great honor for all the work that Jamie does for our students each and every day," said Superintendent Merritt Holly. "Mr. Clark is student-centered and always prioritizes the success and well-being of every learner."
"Mr. Clark continually demonstrates a positive attitude and team-oriented approach, and his ability to connect with stakeholders and willingness to approach any challenging situation have helped contribute to the success of the Le Roy Central School District," said Dr. David Russell, principal at the high school.
Each year, SAANYS honors exceptional New York State administrators with a state awards program in their honor. This program was established to recognize educators who demonstrate outstanding leadership skills and have contributed exceptionally to the educational process.
Clark will be honored on Monday, May 5 at a SAANYS event in Cheektowaga.
Submitted photo of retiring Iroquois Refuge Manager Tom Roster, far right, during a retirement party with colleagues and friends.
Article by Patti Singer
High on Tom Roster’s to-do list when he arrived at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in November 2004 was getting Swallow Hollow Trail in shape and repairing the handicap-accessible boardwalk.
“That was a very big and impressive project that had a lot of hands in it,” Roster remembered. “And then we had a big celebration at the end. No sooner were we done with the celebration and cleaning up, and there was a wheelchair going down the boardwalk. That was kind of neat to see that.”
That initial project laid the groundwork for Roster’s tenure. His formal title is complex manager, but he’s known as the refuge manager. He worked with volunteers and the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge on maintaining the 10,000-plus acres for wildlife conservation and human enjoyment and education.
Now, after more than 20 years at Iroquois NWR and more than 37 years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Roster is retiring in April 2025 to find new adventures with his wife and family.
“I’ll be 59,” said Roster, who had planned this day since last fall. “I still have my health and can do a lot of other things. We can travel and do a lot of stuff before anything sets in. We’re still young.”
“Tom Roster has been a steady hand at the helm of the Iroquois refuge for several decades,” said Richard Moss, president of Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, a nonprofit that supports the refuge. “His tenure spanned at least half a dozen Friends presidents, and he will be sorely missed.”
Many of those former Friends presidents, his colleagues and family threw Roster a retirement party on March 28 at the refuge to thank him for his service.
Roster grew up in northern Minnesota in an outdoors family. His older brother worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “He was doing all sorts of neat things and I thought that’s a great thing to do and get paid for.”
Roster has spent more than half his life with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
His first post was in 1986 as a summer volunteer at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Lima, Montana. He worked as a student trainee at refuges in Wisconsin and Minnesota before earning his bachelor of science degree from the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, in 1990. His first job out of college was as a manager trainee in Sumner, Mo. He moved to Oak Harbor, Ohio, San Diego, Calif., and Chincoteague, Va., before coming to Genesee County.
In those days, moving around was expected. “Get to know a lot of different things before you settle down to your own place,” Roster said. “So that’s what I did.”
Now Genesee County is home, even after his children have graduated from high school.
“The last graduation was 2019, and then we just decided to stick on here. There’s so much going on, a lot of fun and a lot great staff doing a lot of neat work, Friends and volunteers doing a tremendous amount of work and helping us out. The years flew by, and it’s been great.”
Roster said the volunteers help Iroquois NWR fulfill its mission of wildlife first as it has drawn about 100,000 visitors a year post-pandemic.
“There’s a lot of things that we do for the American people, whether it’s hunting, fishing, education programs, and that’s where folks like Friends and volunteers really help us out.”
Volunteers put in between 6,000 and 8,000 hours a year – about 200 40-hour work weeks. Roster said one volunteer has clocked 43,000 hours, and another had donated 28,000 hours. Their work includes mowing, trail work, education and fundraising.
“That is unbelievable that you’re working with people that have the compassion and the passion to do all of that work knowing they don’t get paid for it,” Roster said. “What they get out of it is self-satisfaction and the enjoyment that other people are getting something out of it. The people that have that selflessness and just being able to provide for other people and for the resources has been tremendous. … That deserves a big thank you for everything they’ve done over those years because that makes my life and my job a lot easier.”
Much of Roster’s 20 years at Iroquois NWR were spent at his desk, doing the paperwork and making the phone calls that ensured the refuge was at its best for waterfowl and human visitors.
He said he’ll miss coming to work on crisp fall mornings, and in spring being greeted by squawking geese, ducks and sandhill cranes.
He’ll also miss his staff and the Friends and volunteers — “all the things they do and all the camaraderie. We got projects done and provided for the visitors and resources. The biggest part will be missing those folks.”
It's not too late to register for an informative session about becoming a school board member, says Patrick Burk, executive director of the Genesee Valley School Boards Association.
This is for anyone with interest about serving on your local Board of Education. Local experts will answer questions as well as provide insight into what it is like to be on a board, and prepare you for what to expect when you are elected.
The session is at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Genesee Valley BOCES Center, 80 Munson St., Le Roy.
Mandatory Trainings will be covered and expected duties and responsibilities will be discussed. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers.
"Join us for this informational session," Burk says.
Acclaimed journalist and podcaster Thom Jennings announces the release of Missing Man – The Vince Welnick Story, a six-part podcast series exploring the life and career of keyboardist Vince Welnick, best known for his work with The Tubes, Todd Rundgren, The Grateful Dead, and his own band, Missing Man Formation. The series, produced with support from Go Art! in Genesee County, features exclusive interviews with Laurie Welnick (Vince's widow), Fee Waybill and Prairie Prince of The Tubes, Todd and Michele Rundgren, Mike Duffy, Bobby Strickland, David Gans, Dennis McNally, and Scott Guberman.
The journey begins in May 1985, when Jennings—then a young music enthusiast—encounters Welnick at The Treadway Inn in Batavia after a Tubes concert at Darien Lake. That fateful meeting sets the narrative foundation for a deep dive into Welnick's rise in the music industry, his creative genius, and his personal and professional challenges.
A Career Spanning Decades, Told by Those Who Knew Him Best Each episode of Missing Man sheds light on a different phase of Welnick's career, intertwined with commentary and personal reflections about the four times Thom and Vince met.
Thom released the first episode on February 21, Vince's birthday. Three episodes are available, with three more slated for release over the next six weeks.
While Missing Man celebrates Vince Welnick's music, it is also a deeply personal exploration of his struggles, including mental health challenges, industry pressures, and the isolation that often accompanies fame. Through candid interviews and archival material, Jennings crafts a compelling and humanizing portrait of a musician whose contributions remain underrated yet unforgettable.
How to Listen
Missing Man—The Vince Welnick Story will be available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, YouTube, and Amazon Music. Listeners can follow the podcast on Spreaker for episode updates and additional content.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) reintroduced legislation aimed at addressing reductions in Medicare Advantage (MA) access and benefits. The bill addresses reimbursement shortfalls to local MA plans from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Specifically, the bill allows CMS to adjust benchmark amounts based on local wage indices that have increased by 20 percent or more to ensure enrollees continue to receive comprehensive benefits and quality care.
Rep Tenney was joined in introducing this legislation by Representatives Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Nick Langworthy (NY-23), and Mike Lawler (NY-17).
In 2023, CMS made a needed adjustment to the wage index for Upstate New York hospitals, treating geographically rural and rural reclassified hospitals equally. This change led to wage index increases of 20-40% across Upstate New York. While this provided significant relief for hospitals that had been severely underpaid by the fee-for-service program, it inadvertently placed substantial financial pressure on regional MA plans, which are predominantly non-profit organizations.
Because CMS did not account for these new costs in their benchmark rates for 2024, MA plans have experienced significant financial challenges that jeopardize plans’ ability to provide affordable, quality coverage to their beneficiaries. Without relief, health plans will be forced to cut benefits and increase premiums for seniors who can least afford it.
Last week, Rep. Tenney sent a letter to CMS urging the agency to reassess the ongoing misalignment between hospital wage index increases and MA benchmark adjustments in Upstate New York.
“Our community's seniors deserve continued access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Unfortunately, the payment disparity has already affected local plans’ offerings and limited seniors’ coverage choices. By adjusting the benchmark rates to reflect the increased costs faced by our regional plans, we can restore MA options for our seniors and protect them from higher premiums in the future. This bill will ensure that Medicare Advantage plans continue to provide the robust benefits that so many members of our community rely on,” said Congresswoman Tenney.
The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist Pat Tribastone on Tuesday, April 8 at Go-Art/Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., Batavia, starting at 7 p.m.
She will be demonstrating Pastel Techniques. New members are always welcome, any media or any skill level. Membership for 2025 is $30 for a Single, $50 for a Couple, and $10 for a Student or Veteran. Non-members are welcome for a $5 fee. Light refreshments will be served. Tavern 2.o.1. is open for cash purchases.
If you have any questions please call Teresa Tamfer at 585-506-2465.
The Holland Land Office Museum (HLOM) is proud to announce the opening of three new exhibits in the month of April.
“Embossers and Painters: The Mason Family” is now on display through the end of the year. It features paintings from the members of the Mason Family, (Frank, Nina, Roy and Max), along with items from the F.E. Mason Embossing Factory. The Mason family created nationally known and recognized art, but also a business that allowed growing artists in Genesee County to express themselves with their creativity and their skills. The F.E. Mason Embossing Factory gave way to numerous locally famous artists. Charter members of the Batavia Society of Artists, art in Genesee County would not be the same without the Masons!
“Ingham University” is a new mini-exhibit featuring artifacts from the women’s university that spent much of its 65 year history in Le Roy, 1837-1892. It grew over time, graduated hundreds of students. It was the first women’s college New York State, and the first chartered women’s university in the United States. Though designated as a women’s university, men were also enrolled it its highly regarded Fine Arts program. Many of its alumni went on to teach at institutions like Wellesley and Vassar College. The exhibit features catalogs and bound histories from the 1880s.
“World War II on the Home Front: Propaganda and Rationing” will be opening mid-April and running through December. The Home Front was just as vital to the Allied powers victory in World War II. Poster campaigns and rationing in the United States, instilled by the government, were two of the biggest reasons as to why the Home Front was just as determined and motivated to win the war as the men fighting across the ocean! The exhibit features a wide array of propaganda posters as well as rationing items, along with other aspects of the Homefront.
