William R. Joyce, Director, Genesee County Veterans Service Agency, Byron Brown, President/CEO, Batavia Downs Gaming/ WROTBC, Ryan Hasenauer, Vice President of Business Development, Batavia Downs Gaming/ WROTBC Submitted photo.
Press release:
Byron Brown, President and CEO of Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel, presented complimentary tickets to William Joyce, Director of the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency. Included were tickets for each of Batavia’s Rockin’ the Downs Summer Concerts.
“This marks the 7th year in a row that Batavia Downs has supported our local Veterans with free tickets to our summer concert series, “said Brown. “We are proud to continue this tradition of giving back to local vets who have served our country.”
Tickets for the concert series can be purchased at BataviaConcerts.com. Performances include:
Friday, June 20 – Queensrÿche
Friday, June 27 – The Allman Betts Band
Friday, July 11 – Almost Queen (Tribute to Queen)
Friday, July 18 – The Machine (Tribute to Pink Floyd)
Friday, July 25 – Little River Band w/Ambrosia
Friday, August 1 – Lou Gramm
Friday, August 8 – The Commodores
Friday, August 15 – Kansas
Over the last seven years, Batavia Downs has proudly donated over 10,000 tickets to Local Veterans.
Henry Banks, 55, of Batavia, has been charged with criminally negligent homicide and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child in the death of 10-year-old Javarius Williams in a fire at 3 Vine St., Batavia, on Feb. 6.
Banks was arraigned in County Court on a sealed grand jury indictment. Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini ordered Banks held in the Genesee County Jail pending further court proceedings.
On the night of Feb. 6, City Fire responded to 3 Vine after a neighbor spotted a fire in the upstairs apartment. The neighbor said he attempted to gain entry to the apartment to help the three children inside escape but was unable to get past the locked door.
All three children were rescued, but Javarius succumbed to the injuries he sustained.
The children, ages 4, 10, and 12, had apparently been left alone in the middle of the night.
According to Chief Shawn Heubusch, Banks is the biological father of the 12-year-old and was legal guardian of the other two children, including Javarius.
He is accused of leaving the children unsupervised for an extended period of time.
The fire started in a child's bedroom. City Fire has yet to determine a cause, Heubusch said.
All three were transported to area hospitals after being rescued by the Police and Fire Departments.
The fire was investigated by Batavia PD along with partner agencies.
The cause and origin of the fire have not been released.
2024 File Photo of Sen. George Borrello at a Le Roy town hall. Photo by Howard Owens
Senator George Borrello has sent out postcards inviting folks to join him for a town hall meeting later this month to hear about the latest updates on state and local issues.
The session has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on April 23 at 10569 Alleghany Road, Darien Center.
Borrello represents the 57th Senate District, which includes Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee and Wyoming counties as well as the western half of Allegany County.
Everyone in the community is welcome to this event. This will also be a time for attendees to share their questions and comments on the material stated.
To contact the senator, email borrello@nysenate.gov or go to borrello.nysenate.gov. His Batavia office hours are noon to 4 p.m. or by appointment at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 420 E. Main St., Batavia, or call 585-507-8139.
Jonathan Haidt, author of "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness," a New York Times best-seller to be used for discussion at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia. Photo from jonathanhaidt.com.
Have you ever caught yourself as an older adult regaling youngsters with stories of when you were a kid, and how you would spend hours outside playing, finding your own entertainment, and maybe even getting into mischief a time or two?
That’s not so likely with kids nowadays, Roula Alkhouri says, and hasn’t been for quite some time since smartphones came on the scene. These high-tech devices, while useful and convenient, introduced another level of safety that years of research later has proven otherwise, Alkhouri said, citing Jonathan Haidt’s book “The Anxious Generation.”
“I have a daughter who's 25, and she grew up around that time when the smartphones were coming in, and I was like, I wish I had known all of this. Of course, we didn't when they first came out, all the over-parenting, like, 'Oh, you can't go anywhere,' because the fear of strangers and all of that. Comparing it with my growing up years, and how we went out and ventured out and did things, and nobody was checking up on us every second,” she said to The Batavian. “So between those two factors, and I heard about the book, I was like, wow, this is pretty good. I was talking to a friend who works with youth as well. She lives in Ohio. She's a youth pastor, and she was telling me, oh, you know, all these young people, they really struggle, and she said ‘you may want to read this book,’ so I got the book, read it, and started getting into all the research.”
That led Alkhouri, a parent and pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Batavia, to check in with parents at her church to see if there was interest in having a more structured conversation about this topic, and it was a resounding yes.
The church is hosting a workshop this weekend for parents, grandparents, and other concerned adults about the negative impacts of social media and overprotective parenting on the mental and social health of children. This is based on Jonathan Haidt's New York Times best-selling book “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.”
It’s set for 2 p.m. Sunday at the church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.
A phenomenon called protective parenting grew heavy in the 1990s, when everything had to be monitored by parents, until the dawning of smart phones, and then those parents said “have at it,” Alkhouri said.
“We didn’t police that as we would have policed the content of, say, a gathering for kids. The kids are isolated, in terms of, they don’t really do as much play, unless it’s supervised with adults all the time, and then the social media and the phones, they had access to the Internet all the time, where before 2010, they had to be sitting at a desk,” she said. “There was something where you could have had some control over it, like a TV, but not all the time, but this is with them all the time. A couple of factors came together between that fear of the parents and saying, ‘Oh, it’s safe. They’re sitting at home, and they can be on their phone.’ Well, very, very misleading. We don’t know what content they’re getting exposed to.”
She’s not just talking about the potentially bad content out there but also everyday posts that can prompt kids to compare themselves to popular influencers, producing self-esteem and confidence issues, she said. All of this can lead to — and has, in alarming numbers, according to Haidt, a social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Business — anxiety, depression, self-harm, substance abuse, and suicide.
While many school district officials have discussed the possibility of restricting or banning the use of cell phones in the classroom and debating the positives and negatives for doing so, Zach Rausch has culled the statistics and effects of long-term use for adolescents to teens, cited in Haidt’s book.
For example, of rates per 100,000 in the United States, emergency department visits for self-harm in girls ages 10 to 14 in the United States shot up from just over 100 in 2000 to 634 in 2021; visits for boys remained fairly stable, with a slight uptick to 134. The stats for boys changed dramatically for suicides, going from eight per 100,000 for ages 15 to 19 in 1970 to 18 in 2020 and falling to some 14.83 in 2021, with girls remaining under five those entire 50 years.
This weekend’s discussion will include the book's central arguments, exploring:
The Four Foundational Harms: Haidt's framework outlining the key contributors to the current mental health crisis among young people.
The Great Rewiring: The profound impact of smartphones and social media on childhood development.
The Decline of Play-Based Childhood: The shift from free, unstructured play and its consequences.
The Overprotection of Children: The impact of excessive parental caution and the resulting lack of resilience.
Potential Solutions and Pathways Forward: Strategies for parents, educators, and society to address these challenges.
“We rewired childhood and created an epidemic of mental illness,” Haidt says. “After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures.”
Haidt said that he wrote the book because he believes the challenges confronting children and families “are solvable.”
“However, addressing these challenges requires understanding the traps we have fallen into, so we can see the escape routes,” he said. “The main escape routes are four new norms: delay smart phones until high school, delay social media until 16, phone-free schools, and more independence and play in the real world. The solutions are simple, but the work is hard. It’ll be easier if we act together.”
Organizers want this discussion to foster a thoughtful and open exchange of ideas, allowing participants, regardless if they have read the book or not, “to share personal experiences and observations and consider practical steps for creating healthier environments for young people.”
For more information, call 585-343-0505 or go HERE.
Imani I. Hurd, 23, of Buffalo, is charged with attempted grand larceny 3rd and possession of a forged instrument 2nd. Hurd is accused of attempting to cash a forged check at the M&T Bank branch in Batavia. She was arraigned and released.
Dominic O Mogavero, 20, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, conspiracy 4th, and criminal facilitation 4th. Mogavero is accused of being an accessory to a burglary on Hutchins Street on Jan. 12. He was arrested on March 24. He was arraigned and released.
Leroy Thornton, III, 34, of Batavia, is charged with sex offender failure to report change of address. Thornton, a Level 3 sex offender, was arrested March 27. He allegedly failed to report a change of address within the required 10 days. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Dominic Mogavero
Jonathan C. Perrine, 42, of Batavia, was arrested on March 22 on a warrant charging him with criminal mischief 3rd. He is accused of damaging windows on a vehicle on March 28. He was arraigned and released.
Katelyn L. Walsh, 30, of Batavia, is charged with felony DWI. Walsh was arrested on March 22 following a traffic stop by a Batavia patrol officer on Chase Park. Walsh was issued traffic tickets and released.
Rhiannon J. Graff, 44, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and petit larceny. Graff was accused of drinking and driving on March 21 after police responded to a suspicious vehicle on East Main Street. Graff is also accused of shoplifting at Quicklee's On Oak Street on March 18. She was issued appearance tickets.
Hillary D. Russell, 32, of Batavia, was charged with petit larceny. Russell is accused of stealing merchandise from Dollar General on March 19. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Brandon C. Dodd, 38, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dodd is accused of stealing merchandise from Family Dollar on March 18. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Christine J. Saab, 20, of Batavia, was arrested on March 10 on a warrant. She was initially arrested and charged with harassment 2nd, following a fight at the Mobil gas station on East Main Street. She allegedly failed to appear in court on the charge as ordered. Saab was arraigned in City Court and released.
Michael J. Hilton, 34, of Le Roy, was arrested on March 22 on a warrant charging him with petit larceny. Hilton is accused of stealing merchandise from 7-Eleven on Feb. 26. He was arraigned and released.
The M & M concerts, a local tradition, began in 2009 and continued annually until 2019 when they were paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After a five-year hiatus, the concert series is set to return, bringing excitement to the community once again. This area has a rich history tied to the famous Drum & Bugle Corps, Mighty St. Joseph’s of Batavia, which dominated the state VFW scene and maintained a top 10 national ranking for many years.
This year's concert will feature a lineup of talented musicians from across the country. Performers will be traveling from Syracuse, Erie, Pa., Canada, Buffalo, Rochester, and Tennessee. Many of these musicians have previously played for national contenders and champions, and they are eager to return to the stage after the disruptions caused by Covid. This concert holds special significance, marking a return to a cherished tradition.
The concert will also support Crossroads House, a cause that holds deep meaning for the community. This event is a revival of the annual Musical Memories Concerts, which were known for generating extraordinary excitement in the past. Organizers are hopeful that this year’s concert will rekindle that same level of enthusiasm.
The event is scheduled for April 5 at Batavia Middle School, located at 96 Ross Street in Batavia. Doors will open at 5:15 p.m., with the show starting at 6 p.m. This year’s lineup is one of the best yet, featuring the All in Brass Band from Rochester, the Rochester Hit Men, Michael Noce performing Sinatra, the St. Joseph’s Brass Ensemble, the Hamburg Kingsmen Drum & Bugle Corps, musicians from BCSD, the St. Joseph’s Drum & Bugle Corps from Le Roy, and special guests “Brig Juice” from Syracuse.
For more information, contact Frank at 585-409-4364 or Crossroads House at 585-343-3892. Tickets are available for purchase at Valle Jewelers, Millennium Computers, and Crossroads House.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) attended a press conference today to call out Gov. Hochul’s administration for its decision to allow for the early release of certain inmates due to the staffing shortage caused by the governor’s decision to fire thousands of correctional officers for raising concerns about their working conditions.
The State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) Commissioner Daniel Martuscello announced yesterday that inmates may be eligible for release if they are within 110 days of an approved release date and have an approved residence to live in. Hawley sees this as a slap in the face to the law enforcement community and a serious public safety concern.
“Gov. Hochul’s public safety strategy is beginning to sound like a late April Fools’ joke,” said Hawley. “Not only has she fired thousands of correctional officers across the state, but now she’s letting prisoners out of jail early to try to fix the problem she created. This administration has created a system of anarchy in our state prisons. This is unacceptable, and I will do everything within my power to ensure this policy is reversed and law and order is restored in our state.”
Six Flags Darien Lake, the Coaster Capital of New York, will host a job fair on Saturday, April 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Darien Lake Hotel (9993 Alleghany Rd, Darien Center) where you can apply, interview, and be hired all in the same day.
From rides and food service to security and accommodations, there’s a role for everyone! Applicants must bring two forms of ID, will meet with our team leadership, and could potentially walk out with their summer employment plans in place.
To learn more about the open positions, please visit the Six Flags Darien Lake jobs page. These positions include:
Food & Beverage Associates
Ride Operators
Lifeguards
Sales Associates for Merchandise
Park Services Attendants
Hotel and Campground Associates
And more!
Hourly pay starts at $15.50 for those who are 16 years of age or older based on experience, prior service, and position. Darien Lake offers competitive wages and amazing perks for its associates, including discounts on park food and merchandise, reward and recognition programs, exclusive park events for associates, ride nights, a cafeteria with discount meals, and free admission to any Six Flags park.
“Seasonal associates are the lifeblood of our business and play an instrumental role in consistently delivering amazing experiences to our park guests,” said Christopher Thorpe, park president. “We offer competitive wages and unbeatable perks. We look forward to welcoming new associates for what I’m sure will be a FUN and exciting 2025 season!”
A group of folks, led by Diana Kastenbaum and Millie Tomidy-Pepper, have gotten together to begin doing something instead of just fretting and wondering individually about the actions being taken by the White House administration and how those things might affect citizens.
They formed Concerned Citizens of NY-24, and town halls have broken out already in various parts of the state, including Canandaigua and Geneva. One has been scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. on April 15 at the Arc GLOW Community Center, 38 Woodrow Road, Batavia.
“The one we did in Geneva was on healthcare and Medicaid … there was a panel of four, and we thought maybe we would have 10 people," Kastenbaum said to The Batavian. "Over 400 showed up in Geneva, at the opera house. We call ourselves Concerned Citizens of NY-24 just because we don’t want it to be partisan. We really want to bring in everybody because it’s going to affect everybody.”
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney has been invited to discuss recent federal actions and policies with a panel of community members in various fields of social security, Medicare, healthcare, Medicaid, agriculture, small business, veterans, and education.
Kastenbaum, of Batavia, is no stranger to politics and civic engagement, having run against former Congressman Chris Collins and for a seat on City Council in the past. This event is not meant to have a Democrat or Republican slant, however, as she and her co-organizer encourage people of any affiliation to attend, ask questions, and hopefully leave with more information than they had at the beginning.
“We really just want some answers,” she said. “And the reason I got involved in it is because people kept saying 'well, we should have a town hall,’ and I said I wanted to work on a town hall, so then people started to reach out and said, ‘well, what are you doing on it?’ So I just sort of took the lead.”
This is a public forum, so come and engage in the discussion, she said. Sample questions include:
How will our K-12 public schools, BOCES and local colleges be affected if the Department of Education is eliminated?
What will happen to our local hospitals and counties if Medicaid is cut?
What will happen to your social security and Medicare if the makeshift department of government efficiency (DOGE) privatizes it?
Topics are anything that the federal administration has been doing that has or might affect citizens, including ongoing deportations, tariffs (re-enacted internationally on Wednesday), the stagnant or rising cost of goods, thousands of federal employee layoffs, agency reductions or closures, and freedom of speech issues.
“We’re encouraging people to come and ask questions and share their stories,” Kastenbaum said.
The community center has an occupancy limit, so attendees are also urged to get there before the event begins.
Organizers had not yet heard back from Tenney but “would love to have her attend,” Kastenbaum said.
Tenney’s office did not return The Batavian’s request for comment about the event as of Wednesday night.
2024 File Photo of the Hemp Lodge at Batavia City Centre in downtown Batavia, which will now host a site for the Little Free Pantry. Photo by Howard Owens
Press Release:
The Hemp Lodge is proud to announce a new partnership with the Little Free Pantry, bringing a community mini-fridge to our location at 10 City Centre. This initiative expands access to fresh, nutritious food for those in need, reinforcing our commitment to supporting the health and wellness of our community.
Through this collaboration, the Little Free Pantry will provide a selection of food at The Hemp Lodge, including fresh sandwiches, fruit, locally grown organic produce, and shelf-stable goods. In addition, we will offer hot coffee and tea to anyone who stops by.
At The Hemp Lodge, we believe in uplifting our community by supporting initiatives that promote well-being,” said Dalton Lamay, co-owner of The Hemp Lodge. “By providing an additional location for the Little Free Pantry, we are ensuring that more people have access to nutritious food when they need it.”
Community members in need are welcome to visit The Hemp Lodge Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to access the mini-fridge and pantry items.
Little Free Pantry items at The Hemp Lodge in Batavia City Centre. Submitted Photo
Pavilion High School hosted the Save A Life Tour on Wednesday, which provided 9th through 12th grade students with information on DWI and then provided them with hands-on simulations of what is like to drive while impaired or distracted.
There is a virtual reality driving simulator that imitates drunken driving by using a built-in delay on the steering and braking. Another requires you to drive while holding a mobile device that sends you a text message every 12 seconds that you must respond to.
Batavia PD provided its pedal cars that students could navigate through traffic cones while wearing vision-impairing goggles.
The tour was funded through a grant secured by the school's Health and Physical Education Department.
As part of our ongoing effort to promote road safety and responsible transportation, the Batavia Police Department would like to remind the public about the laws and guidelines governing the use of electric scooters (e-scooters) and bicycles with electric assist (e-bikes) in New York State.
Electric scooters and e-bikes are permitted on certain streets and highways, but it's essential to understand the rules and regulations to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all road users.
What are Electric Scooters and E-Bikes?
An electric scooter is a device with handlebars, a floorboard or seat, and an electric motor that can be powered by the motor and/or human power. Electric scooters have a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour on a paved level surface when powered solely by the electric motor. Note that it is illegal to operate an electric scooter in excess of 15 miles per hour.
A bicycle with an electric assist is a type of bicycle with an electric motor and operable pedals. There are three classes of e-bikes, each with specific characteristics and speed limits.
Where Can You Operate Electric Scooters and E-Bikes?
You can operate electric scooters and e-bikes on highways with a posted speed limit of 30 MPH or less. Additionally, municipalities can further regulate the time, place, and manner of operation of these devices. However, you cannot operate these devices on a sidewalk except as authorized by local law or ordinance.
Remember to always follow the rules of the road, wear appropriate safety gear, and be mindful of other road users to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
If you have any questions or concerns about operating electric scooters or e-bikes in New York State, please contact your local authorities or visit the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles website for more information.
Use hand signals to indicate your intentions to turn or change lanes.
Avoid riding at excessive speeds, especially in heavy traffic or pedestrian areas.
NY State Laws:
E-bikes are considered bicycles and are subject to the same laws and regulations as traditional bicycles.
Riders must be at least 16 years old to operate an e-bike.
E-bikes are not permitted on sidewalks, except in designated bike lanes.
Riders must yield to pedestrians and other vehicles when necessary.
E-bikes are subject to the same traffic laws as motor vehicles, including obeying speed limits and traffic signals.
By following these simple safety tips and adhering to NY State laws, we can ensure a safe and enjoyable e-biking experience for everyone. Remember, safety is a shared responsibility, and we count on your cooperation to make our roads and bike paths safe for all users.
If you have any questions or concerns about e-bike safety or NY State laws, please don't hesitate to reach out to the Batavia Police Department. Let's ride safely and responsibly!
The City of Batavia is interested in applying for the Municipal Parks and Recreation (MPR) Grant Program, through the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.
The MPR Grant will assist communities build new municipal parks in the state while also working to improve the natural, ecological, cultural, and recreational aspects of existing parks in municipal ownership.
Selection criteria for this grant encourage the participation of parks that show community need through the Disadvantaged Community (DAC) category. In the City of Batavia, this impacts the 5th and 6th wards and Williams Park in particular.
In order to achieve construction plans and a grant application that is fully representative of the community’s need, the city is encouraging residents to complete the Batavia Park Improvement Survey. This highlights the overall community use of park resources, desired improvements, and other possible resources that could be built on municipal land with Williams Park as a specific focal point.
A link to the city’s survey can be found here, all feedback is greatly appreciated.
“Community parks are a key facet of developing a community that people will want to work, live and play in. The City continues to work on enhancing our municipal parks and this grant will allow us to make needed upgrades at Williams Park. This grant coupled with our proposed Universal Playground at Austin Park will be a great step towards improving our park system. We appreciate the feedback from community members and hope you take the time to participate in the survey.” Said Erik Fix, Assistant City Manager.
The New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA) hosted its 21st annual ProStart Invitational at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park on March 7-8. This prestigious event provides students the opportunity to showcase the skills they've honed throughout their training and compete for a spot at the National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore.
The NYSRA ProStart Invitational is composed of three distinct competitions – team management, team culinary, and individual burger battle. Each event showcases the most important skills needed on both sides of the restaurant and food service industry.
The first-place winners for team culinary are students from Orleans Career & Technical Education Center in Medina, New York and students from Southwest Tech in Bennington, Vermont. The first-place winners for team management and hospitality are students from Rockland BOCES in West Nyack, New York and students from Southwest Tech in Bennington, Vermont. These four winning teams now have the chance to represent New York State and Vermont at the National ProStart Invitational, taking place May 2-4 in Baltimore, Maryland.
ProStart is a two-year, industry-backed culinary arts and restaurant management program for high school students. ProStart students learn how to be an industry professional through hands-on work under the direction of a mentor. Students also learn the importance of arriving on time prepared for work, teamwork, and accountability.
“We are incredibly proud of the achievements of our ProStart students this year. This event is something we look forward to hosting annually, giving students the opportunity to showcase the skills they've developed throughout the year, while having fun in some friendly competition. ProStart is a remarkable program that equips students with valuable industry skills, providing them with hands-on learning experiences. These students are the future of the restaurant industry. Congratulations to all of this year’s participants, and we wish you the best of luck for the rest of the school year,” said Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association.
“I appreciate how much real-world experience ProStart incorporates in the curriculum, and I know first-hand how important that is for the future of the hospitality industry. One of my favorite ways to engage the students is our food truck challenge. Every group gets to create a restaurant concept, create a menu and cost out that menu. By doing this project we cover many important topics in the ProStart curriculum. I am very grateful for the opportunity to teach ProStart. Like I said, being a student of ProStart I know the value in it. It’s really lifelong learning,” said Amanda Repko, CIA Grad, former ProStart Student, current ProStart educator and coach to multiple NY Invitational teams.
See below for the full list of competitors and winners:
New York:
Culinary winners
1st Place: Orleans Career & Technical Education Center (Medina, NY)
2nd Place: Questar III Donald R. Kline Technical School TEAM 2 (Hudson NY)
3rd Place: Genesee Valley BOCES (Batavia NY)
Management winners
1st Place: Rockland BOCES (West Nyack)
2nd Place: Questar III Donald R. Kline Technical School (Hudson NY)
Vermont:
Culinary winners
1st Place Culinary: Southwest Tech (Bennington, VT)
2nd Place C: River Bend Career & Technical Education Center TEAM 2 (Bradford, VT)
3rd Place C: River Bend Career & Technical Education Center TEAM 1 (Bradford, VT)
Management winners
1st Place: Southwest Tech (Bennington, VT)
2nd Place: River Bend Career & Technical Education Center (Bradford, VT)
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Each day, the Justice for Children Advocacy Center welcomes children and families who have endured the trauma of sexual and/or physical abuse, providing them with critical services and working to minimize the hurt for each child and family. However, we cannot do this work alone and look to you to help us spread awareness to encourage prevention.
The pinwheel is a national symbol of a happy and carefree childhood. They are whimsical and fun just like a childhood should be! The Justice for Children Advocacy Center is planting a pinwheel garden on behalf of all the children and families in our community! These pinwheels are a visual reminder of the number of children and families we have served at our center in the past year.
This community event is a great way to recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month and remind everyone that we all can help make great childhoods happen.
You can get involved during Child Abuse Prevention Month and learn about the ways the Justice for Children Advocacy Center is helping families and children in our community through prevention education and free services that help children heal and thrive. Contact us to learn how you can get involved--plant your own pinwheel garden, attend other Advocacy Center events/activities, and wear blue to show your support on April 9.
The Justice for Children Advocacy Center continues to be dedicated to ending child abuse through prevention, intervention, and education. The center offers a safe environment and a child-friendly process for abused children and their families, supported by a committed multidisciplinary team specializing in the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse victims.
For more information, contact Trisha Reynolds at the Justice for Children Advocacy Center at 585-344-8576 or “like” us on Facebook.
Genesee Community College is honored to announce that Kate Welshofer, an award-winning writer, speaker, content creator, and owner of Welshofer Creative LLC, will deliver the keynote address at GCC's 57th Commencement Ceremony. The event will take place on Saturday, May 17, at 1 p.m. at the Richard C. Call Arena on GCC's Batavia Campus.
Welshofer, a former television news anchor, reporter and producer, made the bold decision in December 2023 to leave her 27-year career in broadcast journalism to pursue a more fulfilling and creative path. Today, she works as a communications strategist with The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, while continuing to inspire audiences through her writing, storytelling, and artistic endeavors.
A Western New York native, Welshofer writes a weekly column for The Perry Herald in Perry, and contributes a monthly column to the online edition of Buffalo Spree magazine. Her work, including audio recordings of her columns, is also featured on the online writers' platform Substack.
In 2023, Welshofer launched the Secret Monster Project, a daily creative practice and Instagram account featuring lovable, hand-drawn doodles that grew into a full-fledged brand. The project has expanded to include merchandise, art installations, and most recently, her debut book, You Monster! (That's a Compliment), released in December 2024. With humor at the heart of her storytelling, Welshofer is passionate about using creativity to encourage, inspire and heal. She is currently working on her next book.
"We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Welshofer as this year's commencement speaker," said Dr. Craig Lamb, president of Genesee Community College. "Her journey is a testament to the power of embracing change, following one's passion, and using creativity as a force for connection and growth. We are excited for our graduates to hear her inspiring message as they embark on their own paths."
For more information, contact Vice President of Development, Admissions and External Affairs, Justin Johnston, at (585) 345-6809 or via email at jmjohnston@genesee.edu.
2024 File Photo of the Easter Egg Hunt at First Presbyterian Church in Batavia. Face painting is to return again this year, along with games, treats, lots of eggs for the hunt, refreshments, the Easter bunny, and music from Bart Dentino. Photo by Howard Owens
A fun spring event that began during the pandemic has been going strong every year since, and organizers invite children of all ages and their families to this year’s Easter Egg Hunt once again.
Free and open to all, it is set for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.
“We are joining with St. James Episcopal to put this together. This event started during COVID for us in an effort to help children get out in the community and experience something joyful,” the Rev. Roula Alkhouri said. “Now it has become a way to help the families in our community to experience a fun event around a special holiday for us. We invite children to bring their baskets to celebrate the joy of Easter with a noncompetitive egg hunt for children of all ages.”
There is to be:
A bountiful Easter egg hunt with a prize for each child of a goodie bag filled with candy and other treats, plus
Some time to spend with the Easter bunny and have a photo taken;
Fun games and activities for the family, such as face painting and coloring eggs;
Delicious refreshments and treats; and
Live entertainment by musician Bart Dentino
For more information, call 585-343-0505 or email fpcbatavia@fpcbatavia.org.
Loren Penman of Batavia, a co-founder of the Autism Nature Trail, with Temple Grandin, a professor at Colorado State University who gave recommendations for the trail, seeing it for the first time recently at Letchworth State Park. Submitted Photo
Loren Penman says she’s had a full-time, unpaid job for the last 10 years, yet it has no doubt been worth every minute of labor.
A catalyst for the Autism Nature Trail (lovingly referred to as ANT) at Letchworth State Park and Genesee Commission representative on the New York State Council of Parks, Penman of Batavia was one of the first organizers who reached out in 2014 to Dr. Temple Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University, and world-renowned autism advocate.
The trail has not ever been part of the state budget, which created a hurdle from the start.
“She said you have to raise the money yourself,” Penman said. “We had to raise $2 million in cash first. We’ve raised $4 million to date.”
The money has come from individual donations and small grants from companies, she said. Penman is proud that ANT has not taken “a penny” from taxpayers or any government entity, she said.
After a series of phone calls, emails, planning, designing, fundraising (lots of fundraising), building, staffing, and endowing over the next seven years, the ANT became a reality, and Grandin, who couldn’t make the ribbon cutting during the pandemic, promised that she’d visit in 2025. A few days ago, she kept her promise. The professor visited Letchworth and gave a talk at SUNY Geneseo.
Penman, a retired long-time administrator and teacher at Batavia City Schools, credits Grandin’s role for the success of the trail. Many school groups have visited since it opened in October 2021, she said.
It was during Penman’s stint as middle school principal that she could especially appreciate the layer of difficulty that an autism spectrum disorder would have added to middle school angst.
“Middle school is a horrible time for kids. Imagine having autism on top of that,” she said.
That was something that registered with her in the 1990s, she said, so when an opportunity arose to bring a sense of peace to folks, she and the late Susan Herrnstein of Silver Lake pursued it with gusto.
They described to Grandin the idyllic setting of Letchworth — the flowing water of Genesee River, an abundance of pine forests — and how the majestic scene of Mother Nature amplified calming effects for many visitors, especially for those with autism.
Grandin carved out parameters for what the trail should be or have:
A site deep in nature, away from a city.
Designed with a pre-walk station to orient visitors and ease them into the forest.
A loop so that the end is visible from the beginning.
Something to let visitors know they are always on the trail.
Inclusive of challenges to those new to the forest but with choices to opt out.
Built with safe places for recovery in the case of meltdowns.
Equipped with staff with autism expertise and a passion for nature.
Objects for gentle movement.
Collections of items from nature to touch, handle, inspect, and/or smell.
Access to a guidebook with photos.
In response, organizers followed her recommendations, including to resist funding offers to build a trail in Rochester, opting to remain with Letchworth park; created 38 trail markers and a consistent stone use trail surface; developed Alone Zones at key places along the trail; partnered with Camp Puzzle Peace for its nature-loving staff and experience with autism.
There are also cuddle cocoons, wooden gliders, a sensory station with moss, bark, pine cones, nuts, grasses, animal bones, rocks and feathers; ANT-specific guides to facilitate body movement and communication skills; and a video drone tour of the trail on ANT’s website.
Grandin is more than an expert on the spectrum, as she deals with it personally in her everyday life. An esteemed educator, advisor to the animal science industry, and author of several books, she serves as “an inspiration for parents wondering ‘what’s going to happen to my kid?’” Penman said.
Temple Grandin, visiting with Loren Penman and Gail Serventi, aka the "ANT aunts," talk about the Autism Nature Trail during a recent get-together. Submitted Photo
Amidst the anti-consumer, pro-big bank effort to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed and exposed the FINAL leg of Congressional Republicans’ quiet plan to raise Americans’ bank fees, that will drive up unwanted fees for millions of Upstate New Yorkers. Schumer explained that Congressional Republicans will try to seal the deal to protect financial special interests with a vote on Tuesday when the House will vote to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) overdraft fee rule that caps most big bank overdraft fees at just $5.
“Republicans’ quiet plan to side with big banks against the little guy and working families could mean a waterfall of fees for Upstate New Yorkers already struggling to make ends meet,” said Senator Schumer. “Working families have been ripped off by abusive bank fees and practices in the past, and the CFPB’s rule is about protecting hard-working families, not charging them more. So I urge my GOP colleagues to reverse course here and reject overturning this overdraft rule to put money back in people’s pockets and out of the hands of big predatory banks. If the Republicans let this one fee fly, a waterfall of fees will follow, and it is New Yorkers that will feel the brunt.”
Schumer railed against this effort because it could hurt middle-class New Yorkers the hardest, given the number of consumer bank accounts in New York, which is higher than the national average. The rule would save upwards of $5 billion in excessive overdraft fees that millions of households pay. Overturning the rule, as proposed by the Republicans, would cost households an average of at least $225 each year, but MUCH more in New York, Schumer emphasized. Schumer said that some banks take billions of dollars a year from families and seniors that can least afford it. He said the banks don’t need to charge fees like this and that this effort to let fees run wild will open the door to even more excessive bank fees across Upstate New York.
Schumer announced his opposition and is sounding the alarm on the clandestine pro-big bank GOP plan. Schumer said that the CFPB’s overdraft fee rule is designed to protect regular people from being ripped off by predatory bank fees. He urged the House Republicans to reject overturning the CFPB’s overdraft rule and to protect hard-working families instead of taking their hard-earned money to benefit big banks quietly and behind their backs.
Last month, House Financial Service Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AR) and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) rule capping overdraft fees, and the Senate GOP green-lit it last week.
The rule caps most bank overdraft fees at just $5, down from the typical $35 charge per transaction, according to National Consumer Law Center (NCLC). With these fees, banks take billions of dollars a year from families that can least afford it, and the Republican chairmen are moving to give big banks this ability, Schumer explained. Banks, which are already profitable, don’t need to charge these fees and some banks, including Capitol One and Citibank, have completely eliminated overdraft fees and they continue to cover overdrafts. However, other banks take about $1 billion a year in overdraft and nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees, and Wells Fargo is one of the biggest offenders.
The CFPB’s overdraft fee rule stops predatory practices that allow the biggest banks to earn billions in profits from the most vulnerable families and seniors. The rule doesn’t stop big banks from covering overdrafts—it caps fees for “overdraft coverage” at $5 or the bank’s costs. Banks can still offer overdraft lines of credit without any price cap, though they are required to provide the same annual percentage rate (APR) pricing disclosure that credit cards provide and to give people adequate time to repay, NCLC explained.
Schumer explained how the rule helps everyone—especially New York families as New York is more ‘banked’ compared to other states. Schumer explained that by lowering most big bank overdraft fees from $35 to $5, consumers save $5 billion per year, reducing manipulative practices, and increasing transparency and fair competition, according to economists.
“Now that the word is out on Tuesday’s vote, you’ll see the banks, lobbyists, and the people that want to protect the banks’ ability to charge excessive fees start to scramble, and devise a plan to defend it. But it’s indefensible. Who is for excessive bank fees?” Schumer said. “Show me a politician that wants to run an ad on increasing all your bank fees. I am blowing the lid on this disastrous plan and so what happens next? Watch them try to run away from this issue, while siding with big banks over working families and the middle class.”
Schumer warned that other fee increases and gaps in consumer protection could soon follow with:
ATM fees
Minimum balance fees for checking and savings accounts
Outlandish cashier’s check fees
Notary fees
Account “inactivity” fees
The removal of $8 cap on credit card late fees
No more Fair Credit Reporting (excluding medical bills from consumers credit score)
Selling consumer data without consent
No regulator for consumers to report predatory products
The New York Federal Reserve Bank's Credit Insecurity Index may shed light on the number of people with access to mainstream financial services, such as a bank account, who will possibly be exposed to higher fees if Congressional Republicans wipe away this protection. An Upstate New York county-by-county breakdown of percentage of New Yorkers with credit and Credit Insecurity Index Scores for 2023 can be found below:
Organizer Sarah Wolcott of Batavia gets ready for the Hands Off protest from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at City Hall in downtown Batavia. Submitted Photo
Sarah Wolcott doesn’t describe herself as a political activist, but she was willing to jump into her first protest with both feet — as participant and organizer.
The Batavia resident said she has watched society erode the last several years and decided to jump in with some civic-minded adhesive.
“I’m definitely brand new to this whole thing. I think my interest in current events kind of fueled this particular event, but I’ve kind of had my mind and my interests kind of leaning more towards being involved more in my community, and trying not to be silently complicit any more,” Wolcott said Monday to The Batavian. “I have a little group of local people in the GLOW region that have kind of started to get together, and just listening to them talk, and just other neighbors and family, people like that. I just felt like I want to do something, and I happened to stumble across this hands off movement, and it sounded exactly what we’re kind of looking for, as far as trying to get involved in something that kind of touches on, it’s Hands Off insert whatever cause you support kind of deal.”
The Hands Off! protest will be from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday outside of City Hall at 102 Main St., Batavia. This is one of hundreds of similarly themed protests across the country this weekend, from California and Texas to Colorado and Mississippi to Florida and Pennsylvania, and up and down the East Coast.
Wolcott invites all to attend for whatever cause you support that the government has its hands on. “You feel they shouldn’t,” she said.
There is a clear focus on President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who “think this country belongs to them,” according to the material.
“They're taking everything they can get their hands on—our health care, our data, our jobs, our services—and daring the world to stop them. This is a crisis, and the time to act is now,” it states. “This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.”
Batavia’s event is to be a peaceful one of people carrying signs and walking in front of City Hall, Wolcott said. Suggested signs begin with Hands Off and finish with a cause important to you. For example, Wolcott’s statements may include Hands Off reproductive rights or Hands Off free speech.
“We want the current administration and local government to know we want hands off our government and that they work for us, so we want them to know that we’re listening that we’re paying attention,” she said. “It’s a peaceful protest. We want people to come and bring their signs and be a visual presence on sidewalks.”
She has noted a gradual emotional build-up since the first Trump administration in 2017 and “how much more the country is getting divided, and how worse it seems to be getting.”
“As the days go on, that Trump’s really not, in my opinion, helping that situation,” she said. “And so I was just trying to find a place where we all have some common ground and maybe start bringing people together and work for change, versus us trying to be working against each other.”
As the political climate has heated up, there haven’t been many local outlets for this type of expression, and Wolcott has received feedback that people have wanted it, she said.
“Just in the past couple of weeks since organizing this event, I have heard from a tremendous amount of people in just my local community how grateful they are that I’m organizing this,” she said. “Because they’re scared and they’re frustrated, they’re worried. Maybe people, especially in my community, the GLOW community, don’t feel so alone, and maybe it can be the spark that starts more things happening, even if it’s just locally.”
A core principle behind all Hands Off! events is a commitment to nonviolent action. All participants are expected to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with their values.
For her first event, Wolcott is proud to have garnered more than 130 registrations as of Monday afternoon, and is looking forward to a successful gathering. Participants are encouraged to register ahead of time, but are welcome to attend if they haven’t.
