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Calling it “the most fun and entertaining series we’ve ever had,” Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. President Henry Wojtaszek (photo above) this morning unveiled a nine-week, 14-performer Rockin’ the Downs 2024 Summer Concert Series.

The Friday night series begins on June 21 with Smash Mouth, the California-based rock band that made a big splash in the 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as “Walkin' on the Sun,” “All-Star,” “Then the Morning Comes,” and a cover of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.”

It concludes on Aug. 16 with a trio of acts featuring former members of the legendary Boston (Tommy DeCarlo), Chicago (Jason Scheff) and Dennis DeYoung of Styx (August Zadra).

In between, there will be six “tribute” bands showcasing the music of Heart, The Guess Who, The Doors, Jimmy Buffett, Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty, along with April Wine, country star Clay Walker, The Bacon Brothers (featuring Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon) and 38 Special.

Batavia Downs' press release indicated that the Bacon Brothers -- Kevin and Michael, an Emmy Award-winning composer), have spent the better part of three decades creating their own mix of folk, rock, soul, and country music, a diverse sound they call "forosoco."  The Landsharks Band (tribute to Jimmy Buffett) will open the show.

“When I say the most fun and entertaining, it’s because of the ‘sing-along’ nature of the music,” Wojtaszek said following a brief press conference at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road. “The audience is going to know most of the songs and surely will have a great time.”

The concert series lineup is as follows:

-- June 21, Smash Mouth.
-- June 28, Barracuda (Heart tribute).
-- July 5, April Wine and Carl Dixon (The Guess Who tribute).
-- July 12, Clay Walker.
-- July 19, Peace Frog (The Doors tribute).
-- July 26, The Bacon Brothers, Landsharks Band (Jimmy Buffett tribute).
-- Aug. 2, Rumours (Fleetwood Mac tribute), Practically Petty (Tom Petty tribute).
-- Aug. 9, 38 Special.
-- Aug. 16, Tommy DeCarlo (music of Boston), Jason Scheff (music of Chicago), August Zadra (music of Styx).

Tickets at four price points (General Admission, VIP, Premium and Front Row) can be purchased after 10 a.m. Tuesday by going to www.bataviaconcerts.com.

Tickets are $15 for General Admission, $30 for VIP, $60 for Premium and $75 for front row seats.  All tickets can be redeemed at Player’s Club at any time in the three days following the concert for $10 Free Play.

A season pass for general admission will be $100 (a savings of $20), and season passes for VIP tickets are $200 (a savings of $40). A Premium Season Pass is $400 (a savings of $80). Season passes may only be purchased online.

Until New Year’s Day, tickets purchased online or at the Lucky Treasures Gift shop for the General Admission section will be only $10.  Concertgoers will still receive $10 in Free Play on show day with this ticket.

Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors advanced an initial resolution for Graham Corporation’s proposed new commercial production facility at the agency’s board meeting on Thursday, December 7th, 2023.

Graham Corporation is a global leader in the design and manufacture of mission critical fluid, power, heat transfer, and vacuum technologies for the defense, space, energy, and process industries. The project will add to the company’s existing location in the city of Batavia where it has been headquartered since 1942.

The $13.9 million proposed investment includes the construction of an 18,900 sq. ft. expansion intended to reduce design and manufacturing costs and improve shipping capabilities for the organization’s US defense sector. The project will create 24 new full-time equivalent (FTE) positions while retaining 340 FTEs.

Graham Corporation is seeking sales tax exemptions estimated at $206,400 and a property tax abatement estimated at $197,826 based on an incremental increase in assessed value totaling the proposed financial agreements to approximately $404,226. For every $1 of public benefit, Graham is investing $68 into the local economy resulting in a local economic impact of $19.44 million in future wages and tax revenue.

A public hearing for the proposed project agreements will be scheduled in the city of Batavia.

Press Release:

Would you love to grow nutritious, great-tasting vegetables but don’t have space for a garden? The Batavia Community Garden can help! Come join our Batavia Community Garden in 2024 and enjoy the benefits of growing and eating your own fresh produce. Bed rentals also make the perfect Christmas gift for your favorite gardener. Join a community of gardeners.

Garden plots are offered in three sizes: 4’ x 4’ ($20), 4’ x 8’ ($30), and 2’ x 10’ ($25) trough plots for gardeners with limited range of motion. All plots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Plot rentals are available to anyone living in Genesee County. Currently managed by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, the garden is located next to 12 MacArthur Drive. The garden generally opens for planting in mid-May and closes in late October.

New gardeners (with little or no gardening experience) can rent one 4’ x 4’ plot. Gardeners with gardening experience can rent up to two 4’ x 4’ plots or one 4’ x 8’ plot. Elevated trough beds (for adaptive gardening needs) are limited to one bed per gardener if available. Potential gardeners should review the Batavia Community Garden Rules and Information before applying. 

Plot fees include access to a raised bed filled with a growing soil mix, access to water source with hose, watering wand, and watering cans; use of provided hand tools; use of compost bin, and other resources at the garden.

Plot requests are filled according to the order in which applications are received. A check or money order must be included with the application. Payments of cash can be made at the CCE Genesee office during business hours at 420 E Main St, Batavia. All fees are non-refundable. 

For more information please contact Laura G. at CCE Genesee County, (585) 343-3040, ext. 101, stop by the CCE office at 420 East Main Street in Batavia or visit the website https://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/gardening/the-batavia-community-garden.

While many churches typically put on the age-old classic that relives the beginnings of Jesus as acted out by youngsters on stage this time of year, First Presbyterian’s version is offering a twist to the plot with an underscored message.

“Everyone is welcome here,” 10-year-old actor Stella Raymond said after rehearsal Sunday at the Batavia church. 

“That Starry Night” tells the story of the birth of Jesus, and features Joseph and Mary, angels and shepherds.

However, this original children’s Christmas musical — which includes eight familiar holiday carols — also has three actors who are taken out of commission due to illness. As it happens, three young visitors come along, and, though they don’t quite feel as though they might belong in this new environment, they are welcomed with open arms, and appreciated for their timing.

Much of the play is narrated, and it is also complemented by piano accompanist Thomas Little.

A handful of adults have been working with the children during rehearsals these last six weeks, and co-directors Paul Daniszewski and Rhys Tanner were both baptized at Batavia First Presbyterian and are members of the church. They also have an interest in theater and agreed to work on this play together.

Daniszewski is a first-year theater arts student at Genesee Community College. His goal is simple.

“I wanna be an actor,” he said emphatically. “I was actually approached by Pastor Roula here. And she knew that I was an avid theatrical person. And she was like, Oh, we were wondering if you could direct, and that was like, wow, this is so flattering because I've never directed before. And this is my first project really. And it's a really eye-opening experience. Really. It's very fun.

“I have learned that it is very important to talk with the kids, treat them like people, don't be, you have to do this, be like, can you please do this? Just be kind to them, and also just be nice,” he said. “It’s also very fun to watch the kids progress throughout this whole experience. And it's just … they're doing so well. I'm so proud of them. I'm very proud of all the kids and how they've performed so far.”

Daniszewski believes he will be able to use the experience on his resume, and the 18-year-old will definitely take a page or two back to school for future directing roles, he said. He learned more than just to be nice and how to talk to youth.

“Take avid notes, which is something I kind of didn't really do. So I really need to get on that, but going forward, I'm definitely gonna learn to, okay, take notes, make sure to read the script beforehand, familiarize yourself with the whole process,” he said. “And I'm gonna get into it and go on strong.”

Tanner, a Notre Dame High School junior, has been involved in theater for nearly 10 years, he said, including a few cracks at directing. The Rev. Roula Alkhouri also asked him if he’d be interested in helping out, so he jumped on board. 

Why theater?

“It's just a good way to express yourself,” he said. “And people are always nice in theater, you never have someone bringing you down.”

This play seems to offer the classic story but also with a bit of a twist.

“It’s a good way to put it, it shows that church is inclusive, but it also tells the story of Jesus to some who might to know it, like these kids. Who knows how many actually knew the full story of Jesus before they are into this,” Tanner, 16, said. 

That’s why Grace Wieczorek thinks people may want to attend the play, she said.

“So you know more about the night when Jesus was born,” the eight-year-old said, repeating a line that she has in the play. “I learned that a lot about the true meaning of Christmas didn’t start at the North Pole.”

Tanner mirrored the same sentiments as his co-director about the play and the young cast.

“It’s a great story. And the kids are having a lot of fun with it. I think you can really feel the energy that they’re putting out. They really worked really hard on this," Tanner said. "And it’s a product that they’re very proud of. And it’s just a great show altogether with a lot of laughs and good songs that people can sing along to if they want to.”

The public is welcome to attend, and it goes on at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia. 

Photos by Joanne Beck

On Saturday, the Walmart in Batavia hosted Shop with a Cop, the annual event that pairs children who may not have funds for Christmas presents, either for themselves or as gifts for others, with a local police officer.

This year, participating agencies were Batavia PD, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, and Le Roy PD.  

Photos by Howard Owens.

Genesee County residents were once again generous in their giving for the annual WBTA/Ken Barrett Chevrolet Toy Drive on Friday.  The Salvation Army will distribute the gifts to area children.

The two views of Isaac D. Abrams, 23, expressed by attorneys in Genesee County Court on Thursday, couldn't be more different.

For Assistant District Attorney Robert Zickl, Abrams is a young man given many breaks in his run of criminal activity since he was a teen who has gone from making threats to actual violence. He belongs in prison.

To Michael Dwan, a Buffalo-based attorney hired by the Abrams family, the young Tonawanda Indian Reservation resident is an entrepreneur, a leader with a promise of potential to make a positive impact on his community who has made unfortunate decisions in his desire to help the people he cares about. Another prison could destroy any hope of a productive future for Abrams.

On Thursday, Judge Thomas Williams (filling for Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini, who recused herself because of a possible conflict of interest, though that conflict was not disclosed) gave no verbal explanation for his sentence other than to say it was a "very difficult" decision. 

He sent Abrams to prison.  On a conviction, via guilty plea for burglary, he sent Abrams to prison for two years. On his robbery conviction, also via a guilty plea, he sent Abrams to prison for one to three years. The sentences are to be served concurrently.

Criminal Past
The chain of events, at least as documented in arrest reports that led to the new prison terms, began in August 2017 when Abrams threatened to shoot State troopers and county deputies on the reservation and then, the next month threatened to seriously injure or kill another person while driving a vehicle in the area of Tim Hortons in Batavia.

Abrams entered guilty pleas to making a terrorist threat and reckless endangerment in the first degree.

Judge Charles Zambito sent him to prison.

"I went through horrible experiences," Abrams told The Batavian in September 2022 about his time in prison. "I have scars on my eyebrows now that are permanent. I have stab wounds on my back and my shoulders. I went from prison to prison. It was a horrible, horrible experience."

In July 2019, Abrams was arrested again, accused of threatening a person with a baseball bat. The Batavian doesn't have a record of the disposition of that case.

In Sept. 2022, Abrams was in front of Cianfrini to be sentenced on a burglary charge. After much consideration, Cianfrini spared Abrams a prison term and gave him a chance to get help through the Mental Health Court.

That break allowed Abrams to return to his entrepreneurial dreams and his new smoke shop.

Abrams was grateful for the break.

"She honestly changed my life around," Abrams told The Batavian at the time. "I thank her for helping me. She did a lot.  Honestly, I wouldn't be here in these shoes.  I wouldn't be free today," he said. "I wouldn't be thinking clearly. I would have done none of that. I would have nothing.  I'd probably still be that broken little shit."

Second Chances, New Challenges
In that interview, Abrams talked about how there were people around him who wanted him to fail and who didn't want to see him lead a straight life.  

"This would  be the bad crowd," he said, "like the alcoholics, the drunks, the ones who like to stay out all night."

The night after the interview, two people tried to set his small shop on fire. About two weeks later, Brandi L. Reuben and Garrett S. Porter were arrested and charged with arson. Reuben's case is pending in County Court. Porter's case status is not available.

But that arson, Abrams said, was an example of a lesson learned. Rather than try to take matters into his own hands, he called the police and let them handle the investigation and eventual arrest.

According to Dwan's description of the two latest arrests, Abrams didn't call authorities. He did try to take matters into his own hands. 

Dwan describes the burglary charge as Abrams trying to protect his mother, entering the residence of her boyfriend, catching him in the act of hitting his brother, and then attacking the boyfriend. That description is very similar to the case Abrams was sentenced on by Cianfrini in 2022.

In the robbery case, Abrams was asked to go along with some friends to visit a smokeshop where a person there owed one of them some money.  Abrams said he thought he could help smooth things out by being the voice of reason.  Another, who has never been identified by police and never arrested, is the one who actually carried out all of the acts that led to robbery charges, according to Dwan.

"We're uncertain who was involved, and everyone involved is unwilling to name him," Dwan said. "My client is the only one facing any consequences over what happened in that store, and I believe he was minimally involved."

But Abrams was there as a participant, and although Abrams denies doing exactly what the arresting officer says he did, his mere participation, Dwan indicated, would lead to a jury convicting Abrams of a robbery, hence the guilty plea.

Dwan said Abrams could be a young man with a promising future. He has a stable relationship with a girlfriend, and they have a newborn child together. His mother was in court to support him. 

"There's a very good chance he's going to do very well in this world," Dwan said. "There is a good chance that by the time he's 40, we'll all look at him with respect.  If he's sent to prison, his future may be damaged in ways that will make it harder for him to succeed.  He's going to state prison as a Native American. As we all know, prison is segmented by race, and as a Native American, he will be alone.  He's a big guy, so he may be alright, but nobody will hang with him.  He was stabbed the last time he was there."

Remorse
Abrams sobbed while addressing Williams, expressing remorse for his poor decisions. 

He said it was not his intent to commit crimes.

"I tried to help people and I should really have just said, 'no," Abrams said. "I feel bad. I feel really bad about the robbery. If I could take it all back I would."

He said he would take his punishment, whatever was coming, that he should never have been at the dispensary, that he should have called the cops, and he was scared about going back to prison.

"I apologize to everyone for being here and making myself look like a fool," Abrams said. 

Zickl argued for prison because, to him, it seemed like the young man's criminal activity was escalating, and that Abrams has a history of minimizing his own culpability.  He argued that Abrams took an active role in the dispensary robbery.

"Mr. Abrams has demonstrated he neither appreciates nor can he take advantage of the positive considerations and benefits he's been given along the way," Zickl said. "His behavior becomes more aggressive and worrying and violent."

For The Batavian's previous coverage of Abrams, click here.

The folk tradition of music and art in Ireland informs the work of Batavia artist Adrian Morris, featured in the Winter Show of the Batavia Society of Artists at the Richmond Memorial Library.

The show opened Thursday and features 35 paintings by Morris, both his Irish landscapes and his portraits of musicians, writers, political figures, and commissioned work.

'I'm painting every day, painting all the time, in my spare time," Morris said. "It's just, I can't stop doing it. It's a passion that I've had from a young age."

In 2008, Morris immigrated to the Batavia area to be with a woman from the area. He is with a new lady now, but he stayed and has become embedded in the local art community.  His works are included in showings regularly with the BSA and at GO ART!

His Irish accent is unmistakable, as is his love for his homeland, but his love for America's musical traditions is also expressed through his work.  His portraits on display in the show include Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, John Lennon, Neil Young, and three of Johnny Cash.

What is the fascination with The Man in Black?

"Because I'm Irish," Morris answered. "And we're into folk music, traditional folk music, and he takes a lot of bluegrass and folk stuff into his music. I love folk music, like (Bob) Dylan and Johnny Cash and all those guys, you know. There is honesty in their songs and the stories that they tell. It's all about storytelling."

One of Morris's most stunning pieces is a portrait of James Joyce, the early 20th-century novelist known for his often inscrutable prose and stories deeply rooted in his native Dublin.

All these decades after Joyce's death, with his legacy enshrined in the scholarship of great literature, it might be hard to see Joyce as a folk figure, but that is how Morris sees him, and what draws him to Joyce.

"If you're in Dublin -- Ulysses is set in Dublin -- you can literally track every part of the book," Morris said. "You can go along the train, ride along the train along the coast, and everything he described in the book is in Dublin, and his cadence of the people (in the book), the way they talk, is purely Irish. A lot of Americans say it's very hard to read, but for me, it's just like, it's, it's my tone, the way their slang words work, you know, it's a rhythm and a regional accent to Dublin,  it's very Dublinesque, and, and so that's the beauty of his prose."

Joyce, he said, brings the complexities of life into a real world of real people just trying to get through their daily lives, like any folk artist.

"He goes through the gamut of philosophy and life and all these things, but he does it in a common man's way," Morris said. "You know what I mean? There's no airs about him."

Morris's love of Ireland and folk traditions is also expressed in a portrait that might surprise some -- Frederick Douglass.

"Frederick Douglass is a big he's a big part of Ireland," Morris said. "Anti-slavery with the whole British thing, the colonization, so he was a big part of it.  He was about the abolishment of slavery and so I really respected him even before coming here, and little did I know respecting him as a child that he was such a part of Rochester and the area. I was just like, 'Wow. So I felt like I wanted to pay tribute to him."

In Ireland, Douglass is revered for a speech he gave there.

"I don't know if it's true, but some Irish people had some part in paying for his freedom (NOTE: Irish and British residents raised the 150 pounds to purchase his freedom)," Morris said. "When he went over there, he moved the Irish people so much, that might have sown the seed for them to launch a free country because they were under the rule of the British for so long, and they wanted their freedom. So it's a political thing, but it's rooted in my culture."

The BSA Winter Show is on display through December and is open during regular library hours.

It is 2023, and I am celebrating my 73rd Christmas. 

Over the years, the memories have changed. I recall that it began at 5 Highland Park, my first home with my three brothers. The special Christmas gift I remember Santa bringing me was Wanda the Walking doll. My most treasured memory is a photograph of my mom and me near our Christmas tree. 

As the years progressed and my family grew, welcoming two little sisters, our Christmas celebration occurred on Evergreen Drive. Santa must have been very busy delivering toys to the Adam Miller Toy Store.

My favorite toys were my Tiny Tears Doll, a two-story metal doll house, and my first Barbie. Sadly, I had the bright idea of cutting off her ponytail. So many pictures centered around our aluminum Christmas tree that changed colors with the revolving light as Silent Night played. Downtown Main Street was filled with people Christmas shopping at their favorite stores. There were so many local stores to choose from. C.L. Carrs was always so festive with their decorations and Christmas music. 

There was a time when you could see a nativity scene in front of City Hall. You had to take a family drive to look at all the houses decorated for Christmas. You always had to stop at the Blind School to see the miniature Christmas village. What a shock and sadness it was returning home from college in the 70s to see the destruction of most of our Main Street. The historic buildings were gone, and only large mounds of bricks dotted Main Street. 

Christmas always meant family, but family dynamics, marriages, children, and grandchildren changed. The most challenging part was when the siblings moved away, which changed our Christmas’. 

We cherish the Kodak Super Eight movies and VHS video tapes of our daughters on Christmas morning. Another memory was the  Montgomery Wards Dept Store, waiting in a large group to hopefully purchase two Cabbage Patch Dolls. Another place we frequented was the Hiding Place in the Mall and Alberty Drug Store, looking for that rare Beanie Baby. 

We will never forget Christmas Eve when Rich assembled the Barbie Dream House. We had never seen so many pieces and decals. We just made it to bed an hour before the girls woke up on Christmas morning.

Our girls made Christmas so memorable, but then that changed. They were off to college and then married. We are now back to a very small Christmas. Many of my baby boomers have experienced the loss of parents that changed Christmas in so many ways.   It is a loss that never goes away. 

Even though our Christmas has changed over the years, our memories keep us warm, and we remember our Christmas past. 

Merry Christmas to my readers. I wish you beautiful memories to cherish today and tomorrow and remember your past Christmases in your hometown, Batavia, NY. 

Three visions of art and nature are on display in the Roz Steiner Art Gallery at Genesee Community College through the end of January, featuring WNY artists David Burke, Julie A. Lambert, and Steve Piper.

The exhibit, which is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed the day after Christmas), is called "Handicraft Habitat."

Burke, a Bergen resident, said his work for this show is a mixture of realism and abstraction, mostly in acrylic. 

"They're all inspired by nature," he said.

A father who homeschooled his children, he earned an art degree from SUNY Brockport and, in 2015, decided that art was his true passion and the vocation he wanted to pursue for the rest of his life.  He's involved in the Batavia Society of Artists and GO ART! and has won numerous awards locally for his work.

His work for the show is described as inspired not just by nature but "his connection to the life of the earth and the mystery of the world. (He) uses light, shadow, color, and composition to evoke memories and emotions."

Over the past few years, he's explored "intuitive painting," a process whereby the artist "goes with the flow," laying down lines and colors as his whim or emotions or imagination dictates.

"I've been experimenting a lot more with abstraction and intuitive painting, not knowing what I'm going to do, just starting off and painting," Burke said. "Whatever comes out of me comes out, which turns out pretty nice most of the time. I never know what's gonna happen. It's really interesting."

Burke made it into the show by applying for an exhibit several months ago.

"I just applied and then forgot about it," Burke said. "Then a few weeks ago, (the director) called me and said, 'You want to have a show?' The other two people in the show are friends of mine, which I had no idea about, so it turned out really nice. It's great because I went to school here originally back in 1975. It's kind of nice to have and show and be back at GCC."

The other artists on display are Lambert and Piper.

Lambert is a master papermaker. She has a bachelor's of fine arts from SUNY Oswego. According to the program, her work explores the natural and human-created impacts on landscape. To the surprise of the viewer, Lambert’s works are often first mistaken for paintings. As viewers are drawn in, they realize that the works of art are individual pieces of handmade paper -- dyed, textured, cut, torn, and layered by the artist to express how she sees the world. 

Piper is originally from Kansas and moved to Rochester in 1978 to pursue a photography degree at RIT. His artistic vision, according to the program, is inspired by his rural life growing up in the mid-west. Through color, texture, and composition, he is able to take a recognizable image and create something representational. 

Photos by Howard Owens.

State Police are looking for a person involved in the theft of a Brimar Dump Trailer in the Town of Pembroke earlier this week.

Trooper Brian Pritchett provided these photos, which show both the suspect and suspect vehicle, and asked anybody with information that may assist in the investigation to call State Police Batavia at 585-344-6200.  If needed, the case number is #11744594.

Pritchett said there has been a series of trailer thefts in the area recently.  This one occurred on Nov. 22 at 1:39 a.m.  

The suspect appears to be a white male wearing a white hoodie. The truck appears to be a possible older black diesel Dodge pickup with a white Blizzard Plow on the front.

"The truck is unique, and hopefully someone will recognize it," Pritchett said.

The first 15 minutes is when emergency responders have the best chance of saving lives during an active threat -- that incident where a bad actor, or multiple perpetrators, have undertaken hostile actions.

Local cops, firefighters, and medics worked together at St. Anthony's on Thursday to participate in active threat training to learn how to coordinate a quick response to neutralize a threat and perform emergency medical procedures.

"An active threat can be anything and everything from a single shooter to a complex coordinated attack on a facility or building or structure with an intended target," said Don Birou, lead instructor for the training course. "The goal here is as they have something that has occurred, they respond to it, and then they have to respond to save the lives that we put in front of them."

Birou is with the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training Academy and Counter-Terrorism, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based contractor with Homeland Security. 

This is the first time this sort of training has been conducted in Genesee County.

"We want law enforcement to come in, eliminate the threat, get the rescue task force in here and get those victims out of here to a hospital in a very short timeframe," Birou said. "It's a coordinated event among all the agencies. This is not like a single agency stuff. This is police, fire, and EMS working as one. In order to make that happen, they have to train on those aspects and try to get used to it."

Thursday's training included deputies from the Sheriff's Office, Batavia police officers, Batavia firefighters, Mercy EMS medics, and the Office of Emergency Management.  In the photos, police are in blue vests, medical and fire personnel in red, trainers in orange, and observers in green.

Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger said the impetus for the training came from school districts looking to ensure first responders were ready to deal with not only an active shooter but other kinds of immediate hostile threats. 

Law enforcement frequently trains on neutralizing threats, but such training does not typically include fire and EMS responders and coordinate with them during a critical time frame when lives can be saved but the scene is still chaotic, and officers can't be 100 percent certain a threat has been fully neutralized.

One officer participating in the training said he was grateful to go through it because he did find that when the scenario switched from putting down a shooter to dealing with victims, he became more nervous and realized he didn't have enough experience with that aspect of active threat situation.

"Law enforcement is often ahead of fire and EMS, and they're very prepared to respond to those things, but this is not a tactical SWST response," Yaeger said. "This is the patrol officers that are in the field, they have to respond immediately and take out that threat. This program helps us set the baseline to integrate fire, EMS, and dispatch so we're all on the same page, we're all talking about the same terminology and what our job duties are, how we're going to perform."

Yaeger emphasized that the first 10 or 15 minutes is the most critical period for saving the lives of victims so responders need to work quickly and with as little confusion as possible about how to communicate, what to communicate, and what role each plays to "stop the bleeding."

"It sounds simplistic, but it isn't," Yaeger said. "It's very, very complex, especially when you're dealing with law enforcement at the time when they may not know is that one shooter, multiple shooters, you know, or is that a complex coordinated attack?"

This is just the first such training but more is planned, Yaeger said, including a full-scale exercise sometime in 2024, possibly at GCC or one of the other schools in the county.

The scenarios used in the training are true-to-reality, Birou said, taken from after-incident reports of actual attacks and mass casualty events.  

"The training is best practices," Birou said. "How do we respond to these kinds of incidents, and what's the best method for accomplishing our task of saving lives?"

Photos by Howard Owens

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. He echoed what locals have described as "the most intense drought" ever seen.

 “I haven't come across anything like that before. So it's definitely … it's not abnormal during dry periods to have some dry wells. But I've never seen anything where it's this many in one place,” Shaw said during an interview with The Batavian. “But I think it's just this really unusual, spatially isolated dry period. I've never seen anything like that in terms of looking at the maps and stuff. It's super dry in that area where it's happened. So it just seems like really unusual conditions, but probably nothing bigger going on. Just kind of bad luck, roll the dice for that area."

He’s been studying water, drought and well level patterns for the last two decades and noted the unusually low levels in certain areas of the county —- being experienced especially in the town of Bethany, with other areas of Pavilion and Pembroke also being affected. 

He referred to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and one spot that pops up just south of Batavia — “not a little dot, but sort of a small mark what we call spatially isolated,” he said. 

“So most of the rest of Western New York hasn't been nearly as dry as that one location. Which, in this issue, you know, when you look at that, it's like, well, it's just, it just seems like they really just had some bad luck in a way, because climate patterns, you know, are continental or maybe regional, you know, statewide,” he said. “But this is just like these really small pockets of really dry conditions. So it's really hard to pin that on climate change at a larger scale. And for anthropogenic climate change, the projections, especially for some of the East Coast and Northeast, are generally to be wetter conditions. The climate model projections would say that it's anticipated with climate change, that most likely the Northeast will be wetter, will have more rainfall.”

“The Northeast Regional Climate Center, which is based at Cornell, have these maps of precipitation deficits in the state. So you can look at this map and see the same way the drought monitor shows like this pretty spacious, spatially isolated, little spot where it's been dry, the rainfall map shows the same thing. So this is a drought that's really caused by, instead of high temperatures and higher evaporation, it's really been caused by lack of precipitation,” he said. 

So, can you attribute the lack of precipitation and resulting drought to anything?

“Not really, because it's so spatially isolated, like if it was a bigger region or, you know, the larger northeast region, but it's really just over part of the county or the town. It's really just such a small area that's dry. It's hard to say it's larger climate patterns, it just seems like kind of bad luck in terms of where rain didn't fall,” he said.

To attribute a drought to climate change, there would have to be more of a pattern established, he said, such as this happening three times every 50 years versus once every 50 years. And a climate change factor would also cover a large area, not just 20 square miles, for example, he said. 

As for a solution, it sounds like these residents will have to just wait for Mother Nature to come through, is that right?

“It should reset, it should start to refill. Sometimes through the fall, actually, that's really the driest time of the year, like through October, because you basically … have the tree leaves still in the trees. So there's still evaporation, there's not that much rainfall often. You don't really start to get a sort of replenishment of groundwater until, say, November, something like that. So maybe it's a little delayed this year,” he said. “But now, with the leaves definitely off the trees and then you don't have much evaporation. So pretty much any precipitation that falls is going to start to go to recharge. So they should start to see recharge here in the next few weeks to two months. But it can take a while as you've depleted the water, the water has been drawn down. And it takes a while to fill that backup. But there's no reason to think that it won't start to recharge, especially as we get some winter storms and wet weather.

“The drought in 2016, it actually reversed pretty quickly. Groundwater always is a little more delayed, but you know, you just get some change in storm weather patterns, and you go from not having much rain to having quite a bit in a short period of time,” he said. “I haven't looked at the forecast over there. But it sometimes doesn't take that long in terms of just to get two weeks of pretty rainy conditions and you're catching up pretty quick.”

That would be awesome news for Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. and the dozens of town residents who have been scrambling for water due to dry wells the last few months and to others on the county’s west side, including Janet Seaver and at least 10 other households in Pembroke. All of those folks had been driving out of town to fill up containers on a regular basis so that their homes would have water for basic necessities. 

Only more recently, in the last couple of weeks, was Bethany able to better assist homeowners by filling totes from a large tanker stationed at town hall. The town caught the attention of the state Office of Emergency Management in Albany, and it sent a 6,700-gallon water tanker to the town for water fills. Once word began to spread about that option, the tanker was emptied in six hours, Hyde said. 

The town is now on its second tanker full of water, thanks to a refill from the county. Donations of bottled water from Casella Waste Systems, Tops Friendly Markets and Wegmans Food Markets have also allowed for drinking water distributions to those residents as well, he said.

“People have been coming for their rations. The hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 to 3,” he said Thursday. “The fill times are Tuesdays 5 to 7 p.m. and Thursdays 6 to 8 p.m. every week, that seems to be working for people. We still need people who need water to get on the list. Tuesday, we picked up four new people. Yesterday was the first day we had no calls.”

Town of Pembroke officials more recently began to offer filling containers with water for town residents, and the need has been there. Janet Seaver had initially counted 10 people in addition to her and her husband having dry wells, and two more wells had gone dry since then, she said.

She and her husband have been stockpiling water in barrels to “get us hopefully through February,” she said. 

“We cannot afford to drill, as we are both retired and on a fixed income,” she said. “Those that have drilled have reported paying 12 to 15 thousand. We are praying for rain and/or snow to make the wells come back, and if not, we will be living like this until public water is put through.”

A request for comment from Town Supervisor Tom Schneider about the drought and future public water possibilities was not returned Friday afternoon. 

A quick look at the extended weather forecast shows a mixed bag of rain and wet snow for at least seven more days in December in a pattern that Shaw pointed to as the beginning of winter’s recharge for dry wells. 

For more information about drought levels, go HERE

For a live water data monitor, go HERE. Shaw said that the local water table, per a well monitor just south of Batavia, has risen by two feet as of Thursday. 

Photographer Debra Reilly had her camera ready in Elba when she spotted a couple of deer.

If you are wondering what all the fuss is about with the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, the Chamber of Commerce has planned an exciting (and free) opportunity for you to learn more and get ready for the Total Solar Eclipse of April 8, chamber staff member Kelly Rapone says. 

Gene Gordon of NASA HUNCH will provide a community presentation and answer your questions during a one-hour information session that is being hosted from 5 to 6 p.m. Jan. 9 by Eli Fish Brewing Company at 109 Main St. in Batavia. 

Call Eli Fish at 585-343-0008 to reserve your seating by Jan. 4. Seating is limited with reservations in advance.

Arrive by 5 p.m., as the presentation will begin promptly at 5:15 p.m.

Plan to stick around after the presentation for dinner!  Eli Fish will be offering eclipse-themed food and drink specials, Rapone said. All ages are welcome, and Genny the eclipse mascot will also be on site for photo opportunities.

Gene Gordon taught science in the Rochester area for more than 30 years, eventually creating a NASA research class that led to his students creating projects that would fly to the International Space Station. 

Gordon has flown on board NASA’s Zero-G plane twice, and he used that experience to help others understand the world around them. He became the president of the Science Teachers Association of New York State in 2015, where he took part in the creation of the new science standards. 

This year he received the 2023 Margaret Ashida STEM Leadership Award as well as the highest honor in STANYS, by being named a STANYS Fellow.

Although he retired from teaching in 2018, he joined NASA HUNCH as the New York State mentor, and dreams of having students from all over New York State designing and building things for space, Rapone said. 

Visit GeneSEEtheEclipse.com for more information on the upcoming eclipse.

With no fanfare or formal announcements, Wings Over Batavia Air Show launched its 2024 event online at its official website recently, with another two-day Labor Day line-up.

The event, which has not appeared before the Genesee County Legislature for official approval, has been scheduled for Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, 2024.

The event is to feature modern military aircraft, warbirds and world champion aerobatic performers, plus the same high-energy night show choreography fireworks that were promised and delivered in the debut 2023 shows at Genesee County Airport.

Gates are to open at 2 p.m. each day, with flying to go from 5 to 9 p.m., organizers say. Performers are being “added regularly,” and USAF F-16 Viper is already on board.

New this year is The Bataviators Air Show Insights Club, which invites people to register by email to “be the first to know about updates for Wings Over Batavia” and get early ticket access before the general public. 

For more infomration, go to Wings Over Batavia.  

A motor vehicle accident is reported in the area of 4028 West Main Street Road, Batavia.

There was an initial report of entrapment, but a male victim is now said to be out of the vehicle, in the roadway, holding his head, moving, and breathing.

Traffic is blocked.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: A scene commander asked to check on the availability of Mercy Flight. Mercy Flight is unavailable.

UPDATE 4:46 p.m.: A second advance life support ambulance is being dispatched, emergency response, is dispatched.

UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: Town of Batavia Fire is back in service.

Press Release:

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced the launch of the Northern Border Regional Commission’s (NBRC) new J-1 Visa Waiver Program, an initiative the senator has long pushed for which can help recruit and bring more highly needed physicians to rural Upstate New York. 

Schumer said the new program will help address the healthcare provider shortage in New York and beyond by easing the visa requirements for physicians who are trained in the U.S. and agree to practice in underserved areas of the Northern Border Region. 

He said NBRC will recommend the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) waive their “two-year home-country physical presence requirement” for eligible physicians seeking to work at healthcare institutions and practices in New York and other states within the NBRC territory.

"This is just what the doctor ordered to help recruit more highly qualified physicians and a major step to helping address the national healthcare worker shortage we are seeing in rural communities across America and in Upstate NY. Rural communities from Penn Yan to Plattsburgh, know the struggles of healthcare worker shortages all too well. This long awaited initiative will help provide rural and underserved areas across Upstate New York with quality, affordable healthcare by working to address ongoing physician staffing shortages,” said Senator Schumer. 

“I am proud to have advocated for this program, and to be leading the charge to help the NBRC get the increased support it needs to continue vital programs like this. I will never stop fighting to ensure that every New York community, regardless of its size, has access to the quality medical care it needs.”

The NBRC will consider recommending a waiver on behalf of eligible J-1 physicians who will work in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs). 

Eligible physicians will work in primary or mental health care for at least three years and 40 hours per week within a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services designated HPSA or MUA of the Northern Border Region. The program is modeled, in part, after the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) successful J-1 Visa waiver program.

Schumer has a long history of championing the Northern Border Regional Commission and its positive economic impacts on the North Country and broader Upstate New York regions. Earlier this year, Schumer announced nearly $11 million in federal funding for twelve projects across the North Country and Upstate New York through the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) – the largest annual investment for Upstate NY in the program’s history. The historic increase in funding for the NBRC is a direct result of the funding Schumer was able to deliver in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law. 

In 2021, the senator secured $150 million for the NBRC in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, over triple its funding from previous years. For context on how large the historic nearly $11 million investment in Upstate NY is this year, from 2010-2022, the NBRC invested in over 60 projects totaling over $28 million in investment for Upstate New York. Last year, the NBRC awarded $5.8 million for projects in Upstate NY. 

The NBRC’s 2023 Catalyst Program is designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire partnerships that improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region. The Commission made a historic level of funding available through the program this year, with up to $45 million in grants, including up to $20 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that communities across Upstate NY were able to tap.

Press Release:

Plans are already underway for the 20th Annual Celebrate Agriculture Dinner which will take place Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 6 pm at the Alexander Fire Hall.

This annual event is a celebration of Genesee County’s #1 Industry, Agriculture! The highlight of the night is a delicious meal using locally produced foods prepared by the Culinary Arts Students from the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center. Led by Chef Alberto Santos and Denise Kaus, Culinary Arts teacher aide, this will be the third year of this perfect collaboration between the Chamber’s Agricultural Committee & Culinary Arts Program. 

The dinner is open to the public. Tickets are on sale now at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, 8276 Park Road, Batavia. Tickets are $30 each or a table of 10 can be purchased for $275. Sponsorships are also available which help support agriculture educational events in Genesee County. 

Only 400 tickets will be sold. Tickets must be purchased by February 24, 2024. For more information or to download the registration flyer visit the Chamber’s Website www.geneseeny.com.

The Celebrate Ag Dinner is coordinated by the following partners: Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District, and Genesee County Farm Bureau.

Sponsors of the 2023 celebration included: Alleghany Farm Services, Arctic Refrigeration, Baskin Livestock, Inc., Batavia Muckdogs, Carolina Eastern Crocker, CPL, Farm Credit East. ACA, Farm Family Insurance, Fieldstone Private Wealth, Freed Maxick CPA, Junction Motor Freight, L&M Specialty Fabrications, LLC, Lamb Farms, LandPro Equipment, Lawley, L-Brooke Farms, LLC, Monroe Tractor, My-T Acres, National Grid, OXBO International, Perry Veterinary Clinic, Sackett Farms, Torrey Farms, Western New York Energy, LLC, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc. William Kent, Inc. and Windy Acres Farm.

Farms and businesses that donated locally grown food for the 2023 dinner included: Dorman Farms, Farm Fresh First, Inc/Nortera Foods, Fenton’s Produce, Harrington’s Produce, SJ Starowitz Farms, Torrey Farms, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc., Kreher Family Farms, Daves Ice Cream, Doug & Peggy Torrey, Yancey’s Fancy. 

For ticket information or questions contact Kelly B. at The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, 585-343-7440 or kbermingham@geneseeny.com.

Press Release:

The Salvation Army in Batavia would like to announce that our annual toy drive will be this Friday, Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

We are once again partnering with WBTA Radio and Ken Barret Chevrolet Cadilac to collect toys for kids in need right here in Genesee County. 

We will be live on the air all day from Ken Barrett at 229 West Main Street. Bring a new unwrapped toy and stop in for a cup of coffee and a donut.