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Press Release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) voted in favor of H.R. 5110, Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, which authorizes the use of federal elementary and secondary education funds to purchase and use weapons for purposes of training students in archery, hunting, or other shooting sports.

This bill, which Tenney cosponsored, passed the House by a vote of 424-1.

Currently, the Biden Administration is intentionally misconstruing Congressional intent to advance its radical anti-Scond Amendment agenda. 

The Administration is warping the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” to prohibit funds authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act from being used to fund hunting, archery, and shooting sports programs in schools. 

This bill specifies that this prohibition shall not apply to training students in archery, hunting, or other shooting sports.

“President Biden and Governor Hochul continue to undermine our constitutional right to bear arms, but this time, they are coming after our efforts to teach students how to safely handle firearms,” said Congresswoman Tenney. 

“By defunding hunting, archery, and shooting sports programs, the Left is preventing young Americans from exercising their Second Amendment right and learning important life skills. I voted in favor of the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act to defend our constitutional rights and support outdoor recreational programs!”

A longtime director of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. this morning threw his unwavering support behind President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek, stating that the public benefit company has “weathered the storm” to produce record results over the past two years.

“We’re excited about how Henry has kept his eye on the ball,” said Dennis Bassett, the City of Rochester representative since 2009 (photo at right), following the monthly board meeting at WROTB’s Park Place headquarters. “He's been a good leader for Batavia Downs. He's garnered the support of the board, and I think we should continue that support moving forward.”

When asked to comment about the legal turmoil that has surrounded WROTB in recent years – pending lawsuits, a critical report from the New York State Comptroller’s Office and a state-mandated reorganization of the board of directors, Bassett said he sees it more as “opportunities” for the corporation.

“Well, I wouldn’t call it turmoil as much as I would call it opportunities for the board,” he responded. “We went through some times where we were questioned about a number of things, and we feel the board has weathered that storm -- we've weathered the storm.

“We have made sure that we made good business decisions with the hotel. We didn't have concerts three or four years ago. We didn't open up the facility to corporate meetings. Now we have close to 100 corporate meetings now. Five years ago, we probably had five or six corporate meetings.”

Bassett said expanding the facility’s use has been the result of “good board input, its business experience and … the help of leadership to make this place a destination.”

He declined to comment on any pending litigation, which includes a whistleblower lawsuit by former Chief Operating Officer Michael Nolan against WROTB, former Board Chair Richard Bianchi and Wojtaszek.

“That is something that I would like to stay away from. I really don't want to comment on those things,” he said.

Bassett defended the previous board’s decision to extend three-year contracts to senior management – an action that took place in May, just prior to state legislation that disbanded that board and put new voting parameters in place (giving more weight to Democrat Party-controlled municipalities, including Rochester).

“I think our decision to do that was very important because it gives us a little stability with our leadership here at Batavia Downs,” he said. “We don’t want good, talented people to be looking elsewhere. So, the contracts showed that with any change in the board and any changes moving forward, we have a solid group of people who can manage the business. And they've been managing it successfully for the last few years. And this year -- and last year – we’ve seen record results.”

VP/Operations Sean Schiano reported at the meeting that the net win for August of $7.1 million puts that month in the top five all-time and that September's net win is expected to surpass the $7 million mark. Net win is the amount money left in the Video Lottery Terminal after paying out customers.

Directors present at today’s meeting were unable to conduct any official business (such as passing any resolutions) because of the lack of a quorum. With directors from Erie County and the City of Buffalo (Jennifer Hibit and Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney, respectively) absent, only 68 percent of the board in terms of voting power was in attendance, Wojtaszek said.

Erie and Monroe, plus Buffalo and Rochester, account for 62 of the 100 votes in the weighted format. Genesee County, the host municipality, has two votes. A group of rural counties is mounting a legal challenge to the state's decision to eliminate the previous board, citing "Home Rule" legislation that has been in place for quite some time.

Wojtaszek said that he expects all of the directors to receive licenses from the State Gaming Commission by the October meeting.

Previously: 

• Photo and video: Large load leaves Graham plant in Batavia, heads down Clinton Street
• Graham, the little manufacturing gem in Batavia making big equipment for a global market

Mr. Simpson’s in the building.

If you don’t know what that means, you’re one of the many students, staff and faculty at the school districts that don’t use such lingo as a secret indicator of a particular message to be broadcast when necessary over the public address system.

Just imagine what it would be like as a visiting student or substitute teacher on a day when this cryptic notification is aired, and all of the other school members respond in a knowing awareness. What if this message held special significance in relation to a school threat or community emergency? On the other hand, there are two very common terms used by most every school that have caused much confusion as well: lock out and lock down.

Now that a Standard Response Protocol has been implemented this summer, the language and related directives during school incidents will be the same for each of the city school district schools, St. Paul Lutheran, St. Joseph’s, Notre Dame High School and the state School for the Blind, and for Batavia Police Detective Eric Hill, it's about time.

“They've had the lockdown procedure in place and lockout procedure in place for a very, very long time. It's just now we're calling the lockout secure, so there's not that confusion any more. I'm really trying to push the education portion of it. Because a lot of times, you know, because of the very similar wording between lockout and lockdown, the general public would get confused as well. So we'd call for a lockout. And people would be like, 'Oh, my gosh, my kid was in lockdown.' They weren't, but it was just that the language is so close to one another that you don't understand what the difference is between them,” Hill said. “So we're trying to get that information out to the general public, and schools have actually had Parent Night and stuff like that, where they've been pushing out this wording and what it actually means. So when a parent hears 'Oh, you know, my school or my kid was in a Secure,' they understand that there wasn't any threat to the child at all … so we're hoping that that'll alleviate some of the anxiety that comes along with this kind of stuff.”

There have been some districts that used phrases such as Mr. Simpson is in the building to indicate a certain message to the student body, and a more universal language would help to clarify those messages as well, he said.

As for the wording, the new language to be used in this protocol will be:

Hold — is followed by “in your room or area,” and is the protocol used when hallways need to kept clear of occupants.

Secure —  is followed by “get inside. Lock outside doors,” and is the protocol used to safeguard people within the building.

Lockdown — is followed by “locks, lights, out of sight,” and is used to secure individual rooms and keep occupants quiet and in place

Evacuate  — may be followed by a location, and is used to move people from one location to a different location in or out of the building.

Shelter — is to include the hazard causing the incident and safety strategy for the group and for self protection.

These words will be announced by public address system when necessary, although Hill would like to eventually move to having the software available for use on cell phones, laptops, computers and Smart Boards. That will take future grants or other types of funding, he said. 

An example of a Hold would be if a student is sick and other students need to be kept away and out of the hall, a Hold may be called out over the PA, he said. 

A secure might be if there’s a threat outside of the building — there was a recent real example when police had a car chase, and the driver bailed from his vehicle and police officers chased him on foot. Previously that would have been a lock out, but now is a secure, meaning keep everyone inside and safe, and go about your business with the doors locked to prevent anyone from getting inside.

A lockdown is when the threat is inside the school and students and staff need to keep themselves safe inside, perhaps locked inside a classroom. 

Evacuate is to move out of the building, and shelter is to find a safe place to be in a time of crisis, perhaps a blizzard or other natural disaster.

An initiative that began from tragedy — a school shooting that took the life of Emily Keyes — the I Love U Guys Foundation was founded by her parents, Ellen and John-Michael, in 2006 to “restore and protect the joy of youth through educational programs and positive actions in collaboration with families, schools, communities, organization, and government entities.” 

The couple drafted these directives as ways to provide more uniform responses for kids to follow when incidents occur in schools, up to the point when the incident ends, Hill said. So if it’s a threat inside of school, no one would leave a locked classroom until an authorized person with a key unlocks that door. Because “no one, under any circumstances should open that door for anybody,” Hill said.

“Because, you know, we'll be opening that door. But we specifically set it up that way. The SRP is they've literally thought of everything at the I Love U Guys Foundation. They've put a lot of time, a lot of effort into this,” he said. “And we've actually had several trainings with them over the summer, and with school staff, both private and public school staff, to really understand their SRP and where it would be beneficial to everybody in our community, law enforcement, staff, students in the public, just to get everybody on the same page. So we're all talking the same language.”

The program’s name stems from when Emily was held hostage during her school’s shooting, and she texted that message to each of her parents. One goal is to get schools across the country to sign up and train using this standardized response protocol. Hill wants to ensure that the city’s program is up and running strong before then moving onto spreading it throughout Genesee County.

“Once we kind of get that in place, then we do want to hopefully grow the school safety team by pulling the Sheriff's department in with us. And then rolling it out county wide,” he said. “So that way, all the schools in Genesee County are using the exact same language, they're using the exact same protocols. And we all know what each other is doing. But we just haven't gotten to that step yet. So we're working towards that.”

Crisis response training for each of the schools began in August and will continue throughout the year. This protocol is not to be a replacement for any school safety plan, but an enhancement for critical incidents, officials said. 

Clear communication is critical in a crisis situation, City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith said, and the “standardization of these terms will provide clear direction to our students, staff, families, and community in case of emergency.”

“Thank you to our partners at the Batavia Police Department for leading this effort and for their consistent prioritization of school and community safety,” Smith said. “I’m thrilled to see Batavia’s educational community come together to implement these essential protocols.”

Part of the program includes posters that can be downloaded and printed out for schools to place on walls for free use in times of crisis — especially when someone forgets what a directive means or the steps involved, Hill said. 

There are also other posters that may be placed in windows to alert visitors that “School is Secured” with monitored entry, or “Drill in Progress” with no one in or out, or other such messages, and trainings offered through the program’s website.

 For more about the program, go to I Love U Guys.

A North Carolina man suspected of extremist ties and caught in Genesee County in March 2022 with an illegal firearm and subsequently charged by federal law enforcement was sentenced on Wednesday to time served.

Michael Alan Jones, who reportedly had ties to white supremacist groups, served 10 months in federal custody after his arrest in by deputies Kenneth Quackenbush and Nicholas Chamoun, who relentlessly questioned Jones and a companion during a traffic stop on School Road in Le Roy after a vehicle driven by Jones tried to make apparent evasive moves.

It turned out Jones did not have the proper license plate on the vehicle he was driving, giving the officers the authority to impound the car and inventory its contents. While compiling the inventory, they discovered an illegal AR-15.

The video of his arrest, above, is edited from body-worn camera footage obtained by The Batavian in February through a Freedom of Information Law request filed with the Sheriff's Office.

Once the FBI learned of the arrest of Jones, an agent with the Joint Terrorism Task Force responded to the Sheriff's Office on Park Road and questioned him.

The FBI took over the case and filed federal charges against Jones because he was a convicted felon -- in North Carolina -- who crossed state lines in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Jones admitted to the Federal charges in December and was eventually released under supervision, returning to his parents' home in North Carolina, pending sentencing. He was apparently released, in part, because of a serious medical condition involving his leg.

In a letter to Judge David G. Larimer, Jones said the release probably enabled him to receive the care he needed to keep his leg.

A probation officer also noted for the court record that Jones was in full compliance with the terms of his release.

In his letter, Jones admitted he had made mistakes.

"I would like to apologize for my actions that have led me to your courtroom," Jones wrote to the judge. "I have had time to reflect on what circumstances led me there and what thought processes led me to believe I was doing the right thing, and I can see now that I was simply wrong. There is no justifying it. We have laws in place for the betterment of society, and it is not up to me or anyone on my level to try and decide which ones are to be followed or not. I regret the steps I took that led to us being in my position today, but I can honestly tell you that I have learned from my mistakes, and I have no desire or intention of ever putting myself in a situation to end up in any situation like this again."

UPDATE 5:30 p.m. Since publication of this story, The Batavian has obtained a copy sentencing memo presented to the court by Federal Public Defender Steven Slawinski in support of a time-served sentence for his client. In it, Slawinski states that Jones, who had a leg injury prior to his arrest, was in danger of losing his leg and was barely able to walk because of inadequate medical care while in the custody of the Monroe County Jail. The wound had become infected, and Jones had been denied antibiotics in jail. Slawinski asked the court to consider the possibility of Jones again not receiving adequate health care if he were incarcerated again. 

Slawinski also confirms that Jones was a former member of Proud Boys, which Jones joined when he was a teenager.  Over time, his views changed, and Jones became a paid FBI informant. Jones infiltrated the Charlotte chapter of Proud Boys and provided the FBI with "valuable information" about the organization.  He writes, "Jones has since matured and no longer harbors these views. In fact, renouncing these views was a prerequisite for his parents allowing him to come back to their home after he was released from jail."

Slawinski said Jones is considering becoming a trucker or going back to college to earn a degree in agriculture.

Previously:

• Law and Order: North Carolina man accused of possessing illegal weapon
• Feds take over case involving North Carolina man found in Le Roy with AR-15
• N.C. man with apparent extremist ties admits to federal crime in relation to arrest in Le Roy
• Deputies' doggedness leads to illegal firearm arrest, interest of terrorism task force

Federal officials confirmed with The Batavian on Wednesday afternoon that an arrest warrant and search warrant were executed by agents of the FBI at 3604 South Pearl Street Road, Batavia, earlier in the day.

Jeannie McBride, public affairs officer for the FBI, referred The Batavian to the U.S. Attorney's Office for details on the arrest.

A spokeswoman confirmed a subject did appear in U.S. District Court on Wednesday afternoon and is scheduled to appear again at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. She said details of the case could be obtained through PACER, the website where federal court documents are made available to the public.

As of Wednesday night, no documents had yet been released related to the case.

McBride said the investigation is "ongoing."

County records indicate the registered property owner is Barsuk Buffalo Properties LLC. The LLC was registered with the Secretary of State in 2018 with a postal box address in Batavia.

Imagine that you return from work to find that a couple of people have parked their cars in your driveway. You don’t know them, and you cannot fathom why they’d just  decide to leave their two-ton possessions on your property for a few to several hours. 

Now move this scenario onto the property at the former Kmart parking lot at Lewiston and Park roads in Batavia. Benderson Development Corporation owns the space, and rented it out to Batavia Downs for its summer concerts from June through August, reverting it back to a no-parking zone once the season was over.

Signs have been posted and chain barriers have been put up, to no avail. People have persistently ignored the signs and even boldly moved the chains to park in the lot anyway, Steve Grice says.

Yes, people have been blatantly parking in someone’s private driveway. It happens at other locations as well, he said, but it's usually one or two vehicles versus several that end up at the Kmart lot.

If you think that Benderson is being unreasonable about its policy, there’s valid reason for it, Grice said. Last winter a motorist parked in the lot and allegedly tried to file a damaged vehicle claim. All bets were off — and a stricter no parking policy was attempted through signs with warnings that unauthorized vehicles would be towed away by Dan’s Tire & Auto.

That’s how Grice, the towing operations manager, got involved. It came to a head this Monday, when a dozen vehicles were illegally parked in the lot, and the development company could either have those motorists charged with trespassing or towed away, Grice said. "Twelve cars got towed," he said.

He has been getting complaints from people and wants everyone to know that “we’re just doing our job.”

“We want the public to know that we didn’t make the call,” Grice said Wednesday. “The property owner contacted us to do our job. As of today, we have not had any vehicles left beyond 24 hours.”

The fee for ignoring those posted signs is $233 for the first 24 hours, and $50 a day after that. Grice finds it hard to believe that “people are being disrespectful” of the policy just to walk across the road to Batavia Downs, especially when that facility offers free valet service.

Benderson Development did not return a call for comment.

Photos by Howard Owens

Being issued a “clean bill of health” hardly makes for an eye-catching headline when it comes to a city audit. However, city leaders are eager to take some of that good news and reinvest it. 

After presenting the city’s 2022-23 audit Monday evening, Erica Handley, Director at Drescher & Malecki, concluded that city assets and revenues exceeded liabilities by $17, 410,127, with more than $41 million of net investment in capital assets, $13.7 million of restricted funds for specific purposes and another $16.6 million for unrestricted, or unspecified spending funds.

“So at the end of 2023, the general fund total fund balance reached $11.7 million. Again, that increase is about $2.3 million from the prior year,” Handley said during council’s conference session at City Hall. “Overall observations, we do plan to move forward issuing an unmodified opinion, that clean opinion, you did not give any reportable findings, no material weaknesses, no significant deficiencies. Considering that compliance audit we did this year, a whole bunch of more testing, no compliance findings. So nothing to report there.”

This year’s general audit also included a compliance audit triggered by the city’s spending of more than $750,000 of federal funds, she said. 

“We act as an agent of the federal government and test those federal funds for certain compliance requirements,” Handley said. “So the program that we tested was the highway planning program. And we perform a series of tests as dictated to us by the federal government to ensure that those federal expenditures are allowable, that they are in a timely fashion, and the reporting is done correctly. 

“We had no issues with that testing that we did this year,” she said. “But that just is something that is new this year as compared to last year.”

After socking away more than $3.8 million into the city’s unassigned fund balance — a move based on the recommended policy to increase last year’s amount by $768,000 — City Manager Rachael Tabelski has recommended using remaining reserve funds of $2.1 million for future expenses of several city departments.

“The city ended the fiscal year 2022-23 in a good position to move on assignments on balance to reserve accounts for future one-time purchases. I have discussed the following proposals with the audit committee who concur that we have the ability to reserve $2.1 million in funding and still maintain a 20 percent unassigned fund balance, which was approximately $3.8 million,” she said. “While we do have, and you all know, a plethora of competing interests across the city, from parks, trees, recreational facilities, vehicles, etc. I've reviewed the capital and asset plans for each department and the requests that we have received from council and citizens, and recommend the following funding reserve accounts.”

Police Department Reserve: Put $100,000  to replace patrol and detective vehicles on a yearly basis based on a fleet replacement schedule. By allocating this money to the reserve, the city will be able to continue to purchase vehicles and keep up with the rotation, she said, with the oldest patrol car now being 2017 and the oldest detective car a 2009.

City Council committed $120,000 of video lottery terminal funds for two new vehicles in August 2023 for the Neighborhood Enforcement Team.

For the Fire Department Reserve, put $300,000 to make debt payments toward a newly purchased $800,000 pump engine, which was  paid for with a $100,000 USDA grant, and a loan for $665,000, plus $37,000 in reserve funds. 

Council also approved $80,000 of reserve funds to purchase a one-ton pickup chassis or replace a 2012 vehicle for medical and other responses, with an estimated balance of $680,420. 

The reserve money can be used to purchase the pumper, make debt payments or for other needs, including additional police and fire radios at a cost of $375,000, and review the longevity of the ladder truck. 

Put $400,000 into DPW for the equipment reserve plan, which has allowed the city to replace more than 22 pieces of public work equipment valued at $3.6 million and growing to date.

The ice rink would get $150,000 to go toward the purchase of an ice chiller, which has been in need of replacement for the last two years. The city spent ore than $90,000 in refrigerant and other maintenance costs in 2021 and 2022. The price tag for a new chiller is $2.5 million.

Facilities Reserves would get $400,000 as part of the city’s Strategic Plan for the Bureau of Maintenance, fire station and City Centre roof, some having been completed, and other work in progress. This money would also fatten the reserve balance for the future police station, which is to cost an estimated $15.5 million. 

Future sidewalks that are part of the city’s Complete Street Program would get $300,000 to allow for another 5,000 linear feet of sidewalk and handicap-accessible ramps.

Compensated absences are slated for $100,000 to deal with three pending retirements and one-time payouts and $100,000 for retirement reserves for these future expenses.

The city’s municipal parking lots would get $250,000 to address improvements of worn surfaces, including the Alva Place lot that will be paved when the new police facility is constructed, and BOM parking lot will be addressed. 

Over the past decade, the city has “diligently built reserve funds to complete projects and control general fund spending,” Tabelski said in a memo to council. The reserves are built to fund capital projects, purchase trucks, vehicles, infrastructure and facility improvements and cover overages in health and workers’ compensation costs. 

“Building the reserve fund now is extremely important as the city prepares to bond for a new police facility,” she said. 

As with any major construction project, there were a few delays for the Batavia Medical Campus on the north side of the Thruway entrance; however, a preview glimpse of the campus Wednesday showed off the multi-floor, 95,000 square-foot facility with ample windows and natural light that’s now ready to serve, officials say.

Dr. Shan Dhanda is among the first occupants to move in, offering family medicine services. 

“We’ll be moving in as of Monday. We’re very excited about that. It’s a combination practice of Batavia Internal Medicine as well as the old Oakfield Family Medicine, which Dr. Barcomb owns. We’re very excited to move in here and get going,”  Dhanda said during a media tour of the spit-polished site at 8103 Oak Orchard Road, Batavia. “What's fantastic about the facility is that for patients, it's a nice resource where they'll be able to get multiple aspects of their medical care underneath one roof. So a patient can come in here and at the same location, they can have their primary care provider, they can have their cardiologist, they can have their orthopedic specialist. They can also bring their kids in here for the pediatric department. In addition, they can get their lab work done here, as well as their imaging. So it's a very nice resource for the community.”

Come Monday, the Rochester Regional Health facility, easily visible from Route 98, is open for business, with more than a dozen specialty offerings, including cardiology, neuroscience, otolaryngology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, primary, urgent and pediatric care, and vascular surgery, a patient draw laboratory and imaging center.

There will be some shifting of offices and services from other areas within the city that are closing to move over to this new location and make room for new purposes, including imaging, the laboratory, orthopedics, pediatric and cardiology care.

Daniel Ireland, president and chief operating officer of the Fingerlakes Rural Hospital for RRH, said that the facility is designed and created to be an access point for a variety of different services related to health care — offering “everything from primary care and pediatrics through specialty care such as orthopedics, general surgery, vascular surgery, plastics and bariatric surgery.”

“We're also going to offer a comprehensive cardiology office and clinic here and neurology services inclusive of pain management and pain management therapies. Additionally, the site will be the home of a new urgent care that will have replaced the urgent care from the Jerome Center, as well as lab and radiology services, including ultrasound DEXA, scanning mammography and Gen X-ray services here in the building,” Ireland said. “We are bringing a lot of services from disparate locations to one. It brings all those services under one roof. So from a patient experience standpoint, they are coming to one destination in order to get the care that they need. But even further, it allows us to expand the amount of services provided in many of the locations today. We've reached the limit of those buildings to be able to offer additional services and bring in more physicians.

“And so this building has allowed us to add, for instance, in cardiology, we've been able to add two additional cardiologists to the program and be able to rotate through specialty cardiologists into the community here,” he said. “So it not only expands, in relocates services under one roof, it allows us to grow and offer more services to the community, and hopefully improving access for those around us.”

The new building has an updated blueprint and technology, versus the more antiquated locales, the former St. Jerome’s Hospital of decades ago, for example, he said. 

“They're not efficiently designed for today's style of medical practice. You'll note when you walk through some of the facilities here we have what we call an on-stage off-stage area where patients will enter one door to the exam room, and the clinical team will be behind another door to be able to come in. And that allows for highly efficient care and keeps care moving through the process,” he said. “Those existing facilities don't have the geographic footprint to be able to do that. Additionally, we have a number of buildings, especially around our main campus, that have reached, really, the end of life. And they’re going to cost significant investment to upgrade without a lot of ability to expand. So we'll be able to take some buildings down on the main campus and improve parking around the hospital, which is a win-win, as we're able to grow services in the community but also make access to the main hospital just as convenient.”

Ireland is aware of the fears expressed by some people that this new place is out of bounds for someone with no dependable means of transportation and too far for one to walk. The new location is a strategic position for patients from both inside Genesee County and also from Orleans and Wyoming counties that seek care from RRH specialists, he said.

“I think patients are going to find that to be convenient. I know initially, the fear is that it is traveling right outside the city. But we are very, very close to the city line. We have coordinated with the regional transportation services, and they are able to offer patients transportation out here on demand. So patients who don't have the ability to drive will still be able to get to this campus very easily and conveniently,” he said. “And for those that are driving, it is really right over the Thruway bridge. So I think the little bit of drive out to the facility will be offset by the convenience they're going to get by the amount of services they're able to access in one stop, and hopefully make life for their health care much easier.”

What’s more, those who do drive can park in the garage underneath the building during winter to avoid a blustery walk to their vehicle to and from the appointment. That accommodation, plus easy access to offices and natural light, was incorporated from staff and patient surveys during the planning phase of the project. 

Rural health care is in crisis right now, he said. In a post-COVID era,  hospitals and health systems are downsizing, and some of the first places where that seems to be happening is in rural communities, he said. That’s why the completion of the medical campus — its survival through the pandemic — is so “critically important,” Ireland said.

"But what it does is it makes an investment in our rural communities and helps continue to grow access to health care, instead of shrink it in the transformation of healthcare that we are going to see going forward, that will be critically important to be able to bring care to where people are, instead of trying to ask people to drive to distant locations for care. Every time we add a layer of driving to care, we add a barrier for a lot of our patients, we want to break down those barriers, and that is part of where healthcare is going," he said. "Part of this building will also serve in some capacities to be able to link up with other specialties. So it becomes a destination point for people to get multiple types of care, even through one office in the building. So it is part of what the transformation of healthcare is leading to. And part of how Rochester Regional Health is really looking to solve the crisis in health care today."

For more information, go to Batavia Medical Campus.

Press release:

Last night, the Orleans County Legislature voted unanimously for a resolution to preserve the Oak Orchard River and local tributaries in Orleans County.  The Legislature continues to push back against Genesee County’s Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park’s (STAMP) plan to discharge to six million gallons of wastewater a day from STAMP into Oak Orchard River by way of the Town of Shelby.  

“Tonight’s resolution and the lawsuit we filed last week to prevent this wastewater discharge are not actions we take lightly, as we have a long record of partnering with our friends in Genesee County,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.  “But partnerships are built upon being able to have conversations on difficult topics like wastewater and then cooperating on a solution that works for everyone.   

“Yet, throughout this process, Genesee County and their economic development agency have not engaged with Orleans County leadership, developed a plan in the backroom to dump wastewater in Orleans County without our input and then, when questioned, just decided to attempt to steamroll us, rather than work together.  I cannot express enough the level of disappointment we feel in their actions.”  

Johnson said the resolution clearly states the concerns Orleans County has regarding the wastewater discharge, including impacts on tourism, sport fishing, flooding, property damage, declining real estate values and more.  Johnson believes there are other avenues Genesee should be exploring for managing wastewater.  

“I have said all along and want to repeat it again, that our legislators are in support of STAMP and the economic development projects that will lead to investment and jobs for our entire region,” said Johnson.  “But that economic growth cannot come at the expense of Orleans County’s natural resources.   

Johnson also acknowledged the efforts of New York State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, who represents both counties in the State Legislature and has been attempting to mediate a solution.  

“We appreciate that Assemblyman Hawley is taking an active role in bringing all parties together,” said Johnson.  “We must work together on an alternative.” 

A car has reportedly hit a pole in front of the Batavia Police Department at 10 West Main St., Batavia.

Unknown injuries.

City Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched

The U.S. Court of Appeals, Second District, on Monday, overturned a statute of limitations ruling by a lower court and reinstated a lawsuit brought by Michael Nolan, a former Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. chief operating officer, against the public benefit company, its former board chair and its current president.

A panel of three judges ruled that Nolan, a longtime WROTB employee until his dismissal in December 2020, filed his Notice of Claim complaint in August 2021, which was within the three-year time period as permitted by law.

The appellate court found that Judge William M. Skretny of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York applied the wrong amount of time – a year and 90 days – for Nolan to file.

Yesterday’s action returns the case back to Skretny to consider the other claims made by Nolan, who contends that he was retaliated against by the corporation, former Board Chairman Richard Bianchi and current President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek for sharing information with federal and state authorities as part of an inquiry into practices such as health insurance plans for board members, use of sports tickets and luxury boxes, and awarding of contracts.

An attorney for WROTB today said that he expected Skretny’s decision to be overturned, calling the appellate court’s judgment “just a very technical issue.”

“We had sought to dismiss the complaint on multiple grounds applying to all the claims, but Judge Skretny just focused on one claim in his order. So, his decision in the issue on the appeal was, like, very, very narrow,” said Aaron Saykin of Hodgson Russ LLP of Buffalo. “What happens now is that it’s been remanded back to Judge Skretny to consider, potentially, all of those other grounds that we moved on.”

Saykin said his firm “moved to dismiss every claim, and we had multiple grounds to do it.”

As reported on The Batavian in August 2021, Nolan’s lawsuit calls for $14.5 million in compensatory damages plus Nolan’s reinstatement to his former COO position, reinstatement of full fringe benefits and seniority rights, damages sustained due to the violation including, without limitation, the compensation for lost wages, benefits and other remuneration, and payment of all reasonable costs, disbursements, and attorney's fees.

Steven M. Cohen of Tiveron Law LLC, also of Buffalo, contacted today, said the case “immediately” reverts to Skretny’s courtroom and that “we will see justice done.”

“As the decision indicates, WROTB’s defense acknowledged at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals that they knew the basis for their motion to dismiss was meritless and they were expecting Judge Skretny to be reversed,” Cohen said. “Since they are funded with taxpayer’s money, WROTB has resources to do things like this and wear Michael Nolan down. But we are not going away. We will see justice done.  Henry’s political influence has found a limit. “

Cohen added that Gov. Hochul’s decision to dismiss the entire board of directors (in May) “for ethical violations, speaks volumes.”

Saykin said the statute of limitations issue was a Federal (constitutional) claim, while the other claims are State issues that can be heard in State court.

Going forward, he said his firm has asked the court to submit some supplemental briefings on the other issues.

“The court will decide whether to do that and what the timeline will be,” he said. “But we feel very good about all the other arguments that we've made that are yet to be considered.”

Previously: Lawsuit seeks $14.5 million for former WROTB officer

Previously: WROTB fires chief operating officer who files Notice of Claim seeking $5 million in damages

Press Release:

The Genesee County Office for the Aging is thrilled to announce a unique event that combines a crucial public hearing with an informative life-saving program titled "You are the Help Until Help Arrives." This dual-purpose event will occur at our office at 2 Bank Street, Batavia, on Wednesday, October 4 starting at 2 p.m.

Public Hearing: Shaping the Future of Aging Services
The Public Hearing, which precedes the life-saving program, is a vital opportunity for the community to influence the future of aging services in Genesee County. Your input is needed as we prepare our next four-year plan for submission to the New York State Office for the Aging. The Genesee County OFA wants to understand what matters most to you regarding our services and what the community needs to support aging residents effectively.

Life-Saving Program: "You are the Help Until Help Arrives"
Following the Public Hearing, we invite all attendees to participate in the "You are the Help Until Help Arrives" program. Emergencies can happen quickly, and in such situations, immediate actions can make all the difference. In collaboration with Genesee Emergency Management and the Genesee and Orleans Health Departments, this program aims to equip the community with the knowledge and skills needed to save lives during critical moments.

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, October 4

Time: 2 p.m.

Location: Genesee County Office for the Aging, 2 Bank Street, Batavia

Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 343-1611. Walk-ins are also welcome for both the Public Hearing and the program.

Press Release:

Lead is a metal that is toxic to our bodies. Young children under 6 years old are most at risk for lead poisoning because their bodies are rapidly developing. A child with lead poisoning can experience learning difficulties, lower IQ, difficulty paying attention, organ damage, and anemia. At very high levels, lead poisoning can be fatal.

“Lead poisoning is preventable,” stated Gabrielle Lanich, Lead Program Coordinator of Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “It is important to stop children from coming in contact with lead hazards before poisoning occurs.” 

The Genesee County Health Department has expanded its Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Grant, funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to include Livingston and Wyoming Counties. The grant now includes Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties.

The Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (HUD) Grant addresses lead-based paint hazards, as well as certain health concerns, in homes and apartments in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming (GLOW) Counties. In order to be eligible for these funds, homeowners and property owners must meet all of the following requirements:

• Tenants or homeowners who are income eligible (limited funds for vacant units, call for more information)
• The building was built prior to 1978 
• At least one child under the age of 6 living in the home or visiting 8 or more hours a week, or a pregnant female
• Lead-based paint hazards in the home
• Current on tax and mortgage payments
• Other requirements are determined on a case-by-case basis

Rental property owners are also required to match 10% of the total project costs. For example, a rental property owner would be required to pay $2,000 for a $20,000 project.

Rental properties must have 4 units or less. All recipients are required to maintain ownership of the residence for 5 years after the project is completed. Applications can be obtained by contacting our lead program staff or found on the GO Health website. 

Possible contracted work may include:

• Painting
• Window replacement
• Entry door replacement
• Porch repair or replacement
• Bare soil treatment/landscaping
• Other general repairs

All work is completed by pre-approved local contractors trained and EPA-certified in lead-safe work practices. If you would like to be added to our list of contractors, please contact the Genesee County Health Department.

Our GLOW Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) team collaborates with HUD to offer education on preventing lead poisoning and how to renovate safely. If you have any lead-related questions, contact the GLOW CLPPP team. 

For more information, help determining eligibility, or to be added to our list of contractors, contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 or Health.GOlead@co.genesee.ny.us. You can also visit GOHealthNY.org for an application.

Press Release:

A four-hour Rescue Tech Basic – Refresher course was conducted for emergency response personnel at the Genesee County Fire Training Center in Batavia on September 18. Ten students participated in this course which reviewed rescue operations initially presented in the Rescue Tech Basic course. The class on September 18 focused on new equipment technology, low-angle rigging, and knot tying. 

The following response personnel successfully completed the course:

PEMBROKE

• James E. Garrett
• David A. Linneborn
• Joseph E. Miano
• James A. Reinhardt
• Kevin C. Ross
• Jamie D. Waff
• Norman H. Waff
• Ashley L. Warren

CLARENCE

• Ronald D. Tyx, Jr.

FORT DRUM

• Shane D. Savage

Joining the fire/EMS service not only provides you the opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to your community but allows you to develop (free) professional skills, and form lifelong friendship and positive relationships. Visit your local fire department to find out more about volunteer opportunities in your community.

Press release:

GLOW With Your Hands: Manufacturing hosted its largest turnout of students and vendors for the annual career exploration event. Over 1,100 students from 30 school districts across the GLOW region arrived at the Genesee County Fairgrounds to attend the day-long, hands-on program, including over 65 organizations from the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, and skilled trades sectors. 

GLOW With Your Hands introduces students from school districts in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties to employers across the region who are ready to engage with the new generation of talented workers and leaders.

For Jack Frazier from Warsaw High School, these introductions included welding, electric linework, and operating a crane. 

“It is really cool that all of these businesses come out and interact with us for the whole day. We get to see equipment that is used day-to-day, I learned about so many careers and skills that I was not aware of before today,” Jack added. 

Exhibitors from advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, skilled trades, and education/training sectors attended the event to showcase accurate representations of their day-to-day duties performed within their specific industry and company. The event welcomes students preparing to enter the workforce after this school year and those who will be considering career paths in high school over the next five years. 

“As a result of the hard work and planning of local workforce advocates, event exhibitors and volunteers, and our sponsoring partners, students across the region are learning more about the good-paying and debt-free careers available to them immediately upon graduating from high school,” said GLOW With Your Hands Co-Founders Chris Suozzi and Jay Lazarony. “This gives them the awareness of what skills are needed and the ability they have to succeed across many industries.”

Led by Platinum Sponsors LandPro Equipment and National Grid, many businesses have participated in every GLOW With Your Hands since 2019, including manufacturers like Advanced Rubber Products and Liberty Pumps, food producers like Barilla and O-AT-KA Milk Products, construction businesses like LG Evans and Genesee Construction, and skilled trades organizations like Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 3 and North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.

Plastic card manufacturer Bristol ID Technologies of Lima attended the event for the first time. Their exhibit created personalized ID cards for participants throughout the day-long event while educating them on processes and opportunities available at their Livingston County location. 

“It’s incumbent that businesses go out and share what they need and what they can offer to the next generation of their workforce,” said Edward Schroeder, Bristol ID Technologies Operations Director. “GLOW With Your Hands allows us to demonstrate to students what a career at our company looks and feels like. It’s a great way to introduce our company to potential workers.”

After launching in 2019 with 800 students, GLOW With Your Hands has grown into the premier workforce development program in the region. Including GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare, a hands-on medical careers program held annually in March, more than 1,600 students participated in the 2022-23 school year.

“Our annually increasing participation at GLOW With Your Hands is a credit to the full engagement of our schools and the students excited to gain a hands-on view of career opportunities that they may have never contemplated,” said GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair Angela Grouse. “Many of these careers can be successfully launched with our region’s robust training programs and deliver family-sustaining wages and benefits along with rewarding lifestyles.”

For Haley from Pavilion High School, GLOW With Your Hands was an opportunity to embrace hands-on careers available in the community. 

“It is awesome to step out of our comfort zones, experience new careers, and embrace active, hands-on skills that are used outside of a desk job. It is a great way to discover jobs that are offered here in our community,” added Haley. 

For more information about GLOW With Your Hands and careers in the GLOW Region, please visit www.glowwithyourhands.com. 

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

The Le Roy Central School District is considering a $12.5 million capital improvement project that would provide upgrades to buildings and facilities in the school district and not result in additional taxes levied on properties in the district.

The superintendent shared details of the plan with district parents in a letter last week, and the Board of Education will hear details of the plan at tonight's (Tuesday) meeting at the Jr./Sr. High School.

The board will be asked to vote on the package at its October meeting.

At the Wolcott Street School, 

• Rooftop replacement on the Lapp Building, which houses the cafeteria kindergarten, nursing office and main elementary school office.
• Window replacements
• New generator and enclosure
• Roof ladder access to the small gym
• Ductwork

Total: $5,147,930

At the Jr./Sr. High School, Hartwood Park, and transportation building:

• New soccer stadium field lights
• Multipurpose turf field at soccer field
• Two 250-seat bleachers at the soccer field
• New press box at soccer field
• Bus garage access drive
• Conduit for future EV chargers

Total: $7,368,943

The new multipurpose field is possible as a project covered by state aid because of the structure of state rules regarding the timing and scope of the work for a multipurpose field. This "reopened the door" for the district to consider a new multipurpose field, Holly said in his letter to parents. 

"The multipurpose field would be used for physical education classes, sports practices (fall and spring), soccer games, and youth sports," Holly said. "Outdoor fall sports in Section V, specifically soccer and football, end with their sectional semifinals and finals playing on multipurpose turf fields. This would also be the case for regionals and states. Our district families have expressed a need to bring this proposition back to the voters."

There would be no change to the grass football field at Hartwood Park, Holly said. Modified, JV, and varsity football teams would continue to play games on the grass field unless it was deemed unplayable.  The multipurpose field would be equipped with goalposts and lined for both soccer and football.

The entire project would be eligible for 91.1 percent in state aid with the balance paid for by the district's capital reserve fund, which would mean there would be no need to raise taxes specifically to pay for the project, Holly said.

If the board approves the plan at its October meeting, the community would be asked to vote on the proposal in December -- time and date to be determined. Voters must approve expenditures from the capital reserve fund.

Holly said the work is required because every five years, public school districts are required to pay for a complete a Building Conditions Survey, conducted by a certified architect. The report determines what work must be done on school buildings.

The Board of Education meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Jr./Sr. High School.

These past two years may have seemed like a honeymoon phase for Batavia Muckdogs owner Robbie Nichols and the City of Batavia, but he and his CAN-USA Sports team are ready to take it to the next level, he says.

“You know, we've had great success here in Batavia with the Muckdogs and all the different things that take place at the Dwyer Stadium. And we're willing to make a long commitment to the city. And I think the city's willing to make a long commitment to us,” Nichols said after getting the City Council’s nod of approval for a lease renewal Monday evening. “It's been a great marriage. And we've really enjoyed working with the city. And I think they enjoy working with us. So we're ready to make a long-term commitment.”

Nichols, aka CAN-USA Sports, took over the lease for Dwyer Stadium in January 2021 and operated for three seasons as part of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. 

Due to the success at the stadium — which features local favorite Batavia Muckdogs, live concerts, a dance team, high school baseball, festivals, and kid-friendly events, including the upcoming blow-out for Halloween, a trick-or-treat night — city leaders offered a longer contract this time around.

Beginning in April, there will be a rent payment of $7,500, which will increase to $10,000 in 2025. Then in 2026, the rent is to increase to $11,500, along with a capital payment of $5,000. Rent and a capital payment will gradually increase from there for a total rent of $17,758 and a capital payment of $9,900 on April 1, 2040.

Capital payments will be placed in a reserve fund for use on facility improvements, per agreement between the landlord and tenant for projects of more than $25,000. 

Part of the lease includes targeted capital improvement program projects, including painting and installing new flooring in the home and visiting team locker rooms; replacing home and visiting team locker room signage; installing new and upgrading sound equipment; repairing and or replacing outfield fencing; redesigning Dwyer Stadium landscaping and repairing or replacing home and visiting team bullpen areas.

City Manager Rachael Tabelski recommended that the council move a resolution forward for a vote to approve the updated lease agreement. Nichols has pledged “to make aesthetic improvements at the stadium and to pay rent in each of those years as listed in the contract and capital fees,” she said. The extension is in three terms of five years each.+

“I just want to say thank you for all you've done out there. I mean, I see signs all over the place, fireworks, Fourth of July, you're really doing a great job,” Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said. “Thank you very much. Are we in consensus?”

Council members gave an unofficial thumbs up, with the official vote to come during the next business meeting on Oct. 10. 

Nichols, his wife Nellie, and General Manager Marc Witt patiently sat through the entire meeting to get that good news since the agenda item was near the end. As per their usual, the Nichols and Witt were dressed in red and white Muckdogs gear, representing the team they have fully come to embrace as part of the Batavia community.

There have been many different events at the stadium, from various types of musical groups and entertainers to the latest annual Halloween fest, which last year drew a line of ghosts and goblins that wrapped around the corner. The Batavian had heard that the stadium might host a future Italian festival and asked Robbie if there was any truth to that.

“There's a rumor going around that we're looking at that. So we're always looking. We've always said it's the city's building, you know, the citizen’s building. Whatever we can do there that attracts more people, we’d love to do,” he said. “We definitely want more events and different events, and we're open to a lot of different things. We've already had a lot of different things there. The Halloween event has had huge success, and so whatever we can think of, we'll try it.”

With several of his uniformed colleagues seated nearby, Batavia Police Detective Thaddeus “Thad” Mart was honored for his 17 years as a police officer, sergeant and lastly as a detective with the city department during the City Council’s conference session Monday evening.

Council President Eugene Jankowski read a proclamation listing the retiring Mart’s experience, which included serving as an operations specialist E-5 in the U.S. Navy and a border patrol agent at the U.S.-Mexican border.

He then began his local career in Batavia in August 2006 as a Batavia Police officer, distinguishing himself as a field training officer, general topics instructor, serving as a department liaison to the Veterans Treatment Court and as a crisis negotiator, the proclamation states. 

He was promoted to sergeant before becoming a detective in 2013, during which time he assisted in many high-profile investigations and became certified as a polygraph examiner. Mart has been part of investigations with everything from bank robbery and stabbings to burglaries, sex abuse by a teacher and murder.

Mart has been recognized for his “outstanding police work by multiple agencies citing his professionalism, attention to detail and steadfast approach,” Jankowski said, reading from the proclamation.

“He served his country, his community and the department with honor and dedication, and his approach to investigations was methodical and unrelenting. He demonstrated professionalism and courage, and he has been an outstanding trainer to many officers,” Jankowski said. “He has never sought out the spotlight but has worked tirelessly to keep the community safe by thoroughly investigating every crime and call for service he was assigned.”

So it was in a “true spirit of appreciation for 17 years of dedicated service” to the city,  that City Council drafted and presented the proclamation, Jankowski said, as a way to sincerely thank Mart for his unwavering service to the community and to wish him well in retirement. 

In turn, Mart was “proud and thankful” for having had the career and honor to serve the people of Batavia, he said, and the opportunity to “work with all these officers over the years.”

While the Batavia Silver Stars square dancing club existed for a number of years with no issues, COVID-19 restrictions put a halt to that, and the club's activities in 2020. During the long hiatus, the club's caller passed away, and members also lost the space where they held their lessons.

Not only did it take them “months and months” to find a location to hold classes, but they also had to find a new caller, member Lucy Pietrzykowski says. Yet she and fellow Silver Star dancers Joyce and Mike McNutt were determined to put the club back together and onto the dance floor.

“Traditional square dancing or eastern square dancing is what most of us learned in elementary school,” Pietrzykowski said. “What we do here is modern or western square dancing. It’s smoother, everything is choreographed nicely, but it takes a little while to learn the calls.”

While learning the calls may take a little time, Pietrzykowski said the dancing is fun and “fits everything” — the mental, physical, and emotional needs of a dancer. 

Space opened up at the Veterans (VA) Medical Center, and the trio applied for use of the hall. They were mere steps away from reviving the Silver Stars.

To garner a caller, they then approached Gary Bubel, pronounced “Boo Bull,” who accepted.

“People could never pronounce my name, so a guy in one of my clubs, he was an artist, he made this big picture of Casper going ‘boo’ and the bull going ‘bull’.

“It’s part of my logo,” he said, pointing to his shirt, which is sporting Casper (the friendly ghost) riding a bull. “It was drawn up for me sometime in the early 70s when I used to travel around.”

With the venue and caller secured, the Batavia Silver Stars hosted their first get-together this month at the VA, 222 Richmond Ave., Building 4.

A little history
Square dancing originated around the 18th century and was popular at the court of Louis XV, according to Britannica.com. Europeans then brought the popular dance to America, where it was a staple in American life up to the late 1800s. By the early 1900s, square dancing began to fade from everyday life. It wasn’t until after World War II that the American folk dance saw a revival. 

Dr. Lloyd (Pappy) Shaw (1890-1958), an educator for 35 years at Cheyenne Mountain School, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is credited with bringing about the broad revival of square dancing in America. During his tenure at the school - 1916-1951 - he was instrumental in bringing new school activities for the students. 

According to the Lloyd Shaw Foundation, the Cheyenne Mountain Dancers toured the United States from 1939 to 1951. Interest in the old dances ran high when onlookers saw Shaw's high-school exhibition team’s enthusiastic performances. Soon after, educators and recreation leaders from around the country took a series of summer classes taught by Shaw. Subsequently, square dancing was integrated in physical education classes in American schools.

Back at the Silver Bells
“Square dancing saved my father’s best friend,” dancer Grace Peck said. “He had a heart attack, and they said the only reason why he didn’t drop dead is because of all the exercise he got from square dancing.”

Peck has been dancing on and off since she was around 12 years old. Her parents got her and her siblings into a kids club where they were dancing. She says square dancing encourages camaraderie, “friendships are built.” Getting out and getting exercise is also a benefit, she says.

Inspired by her parents, Pietrzykowski says square dancing “came along at the right time.” After living in Rochester for a number of years, she made the decision to move back to Batavia.

“I needed to redo my life,” she said. “A lot has changed since I’ve been gone.”

As she settled in, she wanted to meet new people, and she found that square dancing with the club was a good way to reacquaint herself with her hometown. She has since been square dancing for about 13 years.

An intricate part of square dancing is the caller. Dancer Joyce Jewett says in the Western style, you learn the basic calls and move up from there to more advanced calling.

The purpose of the caller is to teach the dancer the calls. Practice calls come first. This is where dancers learn the steps of a particular call. Afterward, the singing calls are where it’s all put together, says Bubel.

Bubel has been calling for more than 50 years. He got involved in the art after his in-laws said to him and his wife, “We’re going dancing.”

“At first, I was like, ‘I don't know about that one,’” he said. “But I liked it right after the first time I went, and I’ve been calling ever since.”

During the late 60s and early 70s, dancers would tape the classes, he said. Afterward, they’d gather at his home to learn the taped lessons. Because he was the one who was usually telling everyone what they were doing and explaining the calls, his sister-in-law told him he should be a caller.

While there are calling schools, Bubel learned to call by reading books on the subject.

“You have to flow and move them around the floor and get them back home to their partner,” he said. “I create what choreography I want them to do, then I call it, and then resolve it, and get them back home.

“When I started calling, I had a teenage group; four seventh-grade boys and four eighth-grade girls that wanted to learn how to dance,” he said. “We started in Caledonia, and that group then brought in four more squares the next year and by the time I was done there, I had about eight or nine squares with them.”

“Squares” are created by the placement of the dancers. Each square consists of four pairs, which create the sides of their square. In modern Western square dancing, everybody works all the time, he says. Conversely, traditional square dancing is where the number one couple would lead out to number two and so on. 

Square dancing took off in 1972, but by 1976-77 it was losing its flavor with young people. Like all dances for young people, he said, it comes in as a rage, then plummets.

“We would love for the younger generation to get back involved in square dancing,” Pietrzykowski said. “At one point, there were teen clubs in the area.”

No matter one's age, the group encourages anyone to come in. If one doesn’t have a partner? No problem, nobody sits out, she said.

The basic calls are similar to what one may have learned in elementary school, circle left, circle right, do-si-do, those are the real basic calls, she says. While there may be around 60 calls, tonight, dancers will learn six to eight of them. 

“I’ve read studies that say when people learn new dances, they are keeping their brain active by learning new things,” Jewett said. “They are also less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease because dancing is not just physical. It’s mental as well. When you dance, you exercise your brain.”

Rhonda Huppe and a friend often go to bingo together. One evening, she says her friend mentions that she square dances and has been for 35 years.

“I was like, ‘I want to try it!’,” she said. “And here I am, for the past six years.”

Jan and Dave Bencic started square dancing sometime in the 90s. Although they danced when they were first married, they didn’t get back into it until their children were teenagers in high school. Outside of raising their children, Jan volunteered with her church and other organizations and Dave’s projects kept him busy around the home. 

“We weren’t doing anything together,” Jan said. “So we got back into square dancing.

“We’ve met friends here that we now play cards with every weekend.”

Batavia Silver Stars is one of 12 clubs that operate under the Rochester Federation of Square Dancing.

The Silver Stars has classes on Mondays from 7-8:30 p.m. to learn the basics and from 8:30-9 p.m. for club-level dance.

Their focus is on teaching, Pietrzykowski said. In each class, there is generally an experienced dancer in each square. The “angels,” as the more advanced dancers are called, help the novice dancers learn the movements.

The first lesson is free for new dancers.

For more information about the club, visit the Batavia Silver Stars Facebook page.

Photos by Julia Ferrini.