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Once Michele Westfall-Owens was teaching yoga, she was always looking for her own perfect space to carve out a studio and set up shop. When that finally happened, an impromptu conversation helped to put the perfect name on it, she said.

“I feel like atmosphere is important,” Westfall-Owens said during an interview with The Batavian. “This opportunity happened, and I was talking to a yoga friend, and she’s a good friend and a student, and she said ‘you finally have your own space,’ and I said, yes, but it’s not my space, it’s our space. And that is how the name happened. It’s something I want to share; it’s not mine. So that was kind of a cool way to come up with the name, it just kind of happened like that.”

Our Space Yoga & Wellness is an inclusive yoga studio at 58 Main St., Le Roy, that offers a variety of weekly yoga classes for all levels and ages, from beginner to advanced. 

Westfall-Owens retired in September 2020 after 30 years in public service. She began practicing yoga and then took teacher training, which some people do to learn more about the practice. For Westfall-Owens, her passion prompted her to do more with that additional knowledge than keep it to herself.

“I actually started practicing yoga probably five years prior to taking my training. And I just fell in love with the practice. It was me; it just suited me. And the more I looked into it, the more I kind of knew that's what I wanted to do,” she said. “I wasn't sure I wanted to teach. But then the opportunities kind of came along. When I took the training, I wasn't sure if I was actually going to end up teaching or if I was just, you know, because some people take the yoga teacher training just to learn more about yoga. And then, once I completed my training and retired, I did find that I really enjoyed teaching.”

She became a working teacher and expanded her offerings to include chair yoga, vinyasa and hatha yoga, kids' yoga, and restorative yoga. 

She had her own transformational experiences with the age-old exercise (it has been traced to Northern India 5,000 years ago), having been one to sit at a desk for three decades with her job as chief clerk of Genesee County Surrogate’s Court. 

After all of that sitting, there was definite stress that radiated throughout her body with discomfort, she said. And she wasn't into the more traditional methods of exercise.

“I don’t enjoy going to a gym and working out, so I was looking for an alternative to getting my body moving in a healthy way,” she said. “We go through life and we have our aches and pains, and having a desk job for 30 years, just being in that sedentary position, sitting at a desk, I did have the aches and pains, backaches, the shoulder aches, neck pains, and all the stress. And so what one major thing that yoga did for me was I physically feel better right now, I turned 60 this year. I physically feel better now than I did in my 20s and 30s. True story, because I move and I stretch.” 

She has also noted a marked difference when there’s been a lapse in doing her yoga moves, she said: the pain and stiffness return. 

Our Space has one main room that accommodates a class of about 12 people, a meditation room and a bathroom. In addition to her, there are four other teachers: Tracy Martorana, Tammy Reding, Carin Caruso, and Ken Plossl, plus Reiki practitioners Tracy Flansburg and Danielle Maloy.

In order to be a certified yoga teacher, she had to obtain 200 hours of yoga teacher training, and is a member of Yoga Alliance, she said. 

She also offers special offerings throughout the year, and in the fall, a four-week Yoga for Back Pain series, a Herbal Tea-Blending workshop and a monthly Journaling Club will be offered. 

"Whether you enjoy a calming restorative or yin session, an invigorating vinyasa practice, or something in between, there’s a class for you,” she said. “Our Space Yoga teachers are certified and trained according to Yoga Alliance standards. Our caring teachers approach each class as an opportunity to offer an enjoyable, safe and meaningful yoga experience.”

She invites visitors to “come as you are” and remember that Our Space is your space. 

Vinyasa yoga connects breath with movement and builds heat with sun salutations, flowing sequences and balancing poses, then cools down for a final resting pose. 

Gentle Vinyasa is a slower-paced practice that she says is perfect for all levels. This class builds strength, flexibility and focus.

Slow Flow moves smoothly through transitions and keeps longer holds in postures, emphasizing awareness of body, mind and breath.

Yin yoga is a slow-paced, passive style of yoga that involves holding poses for an extended time to access deep connective tissues.

Chair yoga is a gentle practice that includes modified postures while seated or using a chair for support. It improves strength, flexibility and balance without overstressing the joints.

Kids' yoga for grades one through four includes games, stories, and activities to build confidence and strength and practice ways to feel happier and more peaceful inside.

Yoga for Beginners & Beyond moves through basic yoga postures while allowing time for demonstration, inquiry and playful practice. 

Restorative yoga uses props to fully support the body in poses for an extended time. It also includes calming meditation, soothing music, aromatherapy and gentle touch to help heal the body and mind.

What is Reiki? Introduces folks to the gentle, non-intrusive technique that uses energy to encourage healing of the body, mind and spirit. A reiki practitioner uses hand positions over the body to move and clear energy that may be “stuck” or out of balance. 

How Do I Meditate? Meditation trains your awareness to tune out the noise and allows you to tune in to your own being. A regular meditation practice lowers stress, calms anxiety and builds self-acceptance.

For more offerings and information, go HERE

People should be excited about attending St. Paul Lutheran Church in Batavia each Sunday, says newly ordained and installed minister Thompson Marin, because they will hear the word of God without any innovations.

"We believe the Bible is the Word of God. There is no error in it. We teach people that the Bible interprets itself," Marin said to The Batavian. "Then, just to make it more exciting to people, we teach Christ crucified. We teach the Word of God. We don't add to it. We don't mix it with other teaching outside the Bible. Christ is at the center of our teaching."

Marin, his wife Erika, and their two children, Micaiah, 4, and Olivia, 1, are new to Batavia. St. Paul is Marin's first calling as a pastor. He recently completed four years of study at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind.

"I was praying for a church with a school," Marin said. "When I saw that (St. Paul) had a school, I was excited to see how God would lead me to help the school and the church."

Marin was born in Haiti and immigrated with his family to Brooklyn in 2007. He has been a Christian since childhood, growing up a Baptist. His uncle was a Lutheran pastor in Haiti. 

He graduated from Brooklyn College in 2013, moved to South Dakota for more schooling, and then returned to Haiti, where he met Erika. She was on a Lutheran mission trip. They were married in 2016. 

"I was very used to how (Lutherans) do church and what they believe, teach and confess," Marin said. "I became a Lutheran after I met my wife in 2013. I got used to going to church with her, used to the teaching in the Lutheran churches, and then I wanted to marry her, so one of the requirements was for me to become a Lutheran, and it wasn't hard for me, because I was already used to what they do and what they teach and believe."

The Lutheran Church was founded by Martin Luther (1483 to 1546) in Torgau, Germany. Luther led the Reformation, a break with Roman Catholicism, in the early 16th Century. A key point of Luther's theology was he rejected the Catholic Church's role as an intermediary between the people and God. He believed that salvation comes only through God's mercy. He rejected papal authority. He believed the Bible is the central authority for all Christian beliefs.

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod governs St. Paul. It is a conservative denomination whose core belief is that people are saved from their sins by God's grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Scripture alone. The Synod holds to the Luthern Confessions, which include the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed.

After joining the church, Marin became interested in attending seminary, not to become a pastor but to deepen his understanding of the faith. 

"The people I interacted with really encouraged me to follow this call, and that's what I did," Marin said.

As Marin completed his education, the members of St. Paul contacted church leaders and informed them there was an opening for a new pastor at St. Paul. They requested a recent seminary graduate, Marin said, and district leaders reviewed the needs of the church and the available seminary candidates and selected Marin as the best fit for St. Paul.

Besides the school, Marin said he was excited to come to Batavia because his wife likes small towns, and it's only six hours from New York City, where his parents and sister still live.

Given his wife's experience with missions, it's not surprising that Marin is eager to see St. Paul grow its efforts in international missions. St. Paul's does sponsor missionaries in Japan.  He thinks the church might be able to grow in this area.

"That was really something that I admired when I met my wife. They were helping with a school and an orphanage in Haiti, in the town where I was from,  and I want to continue that aspect of ministry, reaching out to the unchurched, helping those who cannot, who don't have access to certain things and sharing Christ's love with them."

He said it's something he intends to talk to St. Paul's leadership team about. 

I know a lot of missionaries," Marin said. "They do need help from the churches here in the States. That's something I still need to figure out and probably start on, but it is a big part of sharing God's love."

He sees St. Paul's school as a great resource for reaching the local community.

"I think St Paul plays a great role in showing God's love, especially in our school," Marin said. "The school is a really great way of reaching out to parents and parents who are not Lutherans, even just reaching out to them and teaching them how we do things and extend God's forgiveness to them. And if they want to come and check it out, they can.

He said not all children attending the school are Christians, so the school offers an opportunity to learn about God's love for them. 

"We tell them that God loves them every day. I think it's a really good thing," Marin said. "And the other thing is, their parents are invited to come to chapel on Wednesdays so they can hear us teaching them and see how we do it, and also they can hear God's message to them, too, and it's a great way of reaching out to the community."

On Sundays, visitors to the Church can expect a conservative service.

Lutheran services tend to be more liturgical than many other Protestant churches. Marin said people who come to St. Pauls can expect more traditional hymns.

"We conserve all the ways that the Church Fathers used to worship and how they did the service, with no new ideas," Marin said. The way we do things is very traditional. We do have some contemporary songs we sing here because the members are used to doing it in the past, but we're trying to move more toward a traditional way of doing things."

Marin acknowledges that these are challenging times for churches. In 2021, church membership in the U.S. fell below 50 percent for the first time. Marin doesn't believe innovations in theology are needed to bring people back to church. He believes the Word of God is sufficient.

"I think we need to stay faithful," Marin said. "We need to believe that God will send His Spirit. The Holy Spirit will work in people's hearts and change their minds, and then people will be attracted to the church. People will come to the church through the Gospel being preached, and not by changing how we teach it or how we worship, incorporating new things, new theology, and new ways of interpreting the Gospel, the Bible. I don't see it that way. I think we need to stay faithful, and I think that way, people will know the truth." 

A revised wastewater agreement between the town and city of Batavia may rectify a capacity issue between those two municipalities, however, it came too late for HP Hood’s $120 million expansion project, says Lynne Bohan, group vice president of Communications & Government Affairs for HP Hood LLC.

HP Hood altered its course after being notified that permitting was not approved for the project in the Batavia Agri-Business Park, Bohan said. The expansion was to be 32,500 square feet and was to create 48 new jobs and retain 455 full-time jobs at Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park for a projected local economic impact of $49.87 million in wages and tax revenue.

“Hood implemented a tactical pause on the expansion projects in progress. We remained in contact with local government representatives to gain an understanding of constraints to approving permits,” Bohan said to The Batavian Friday. “Discussions continued regarding project support while we worked on contingency plans. This was not an immediate decision and was just finalized recently as we reviewed our updated business strategy.”

Hood officials opted to expand the scope of “a similar expansion project already in progress at a similar Hood facility on the East Coast,” Bohan said, adding that the company will consider future projects at the Batavia site. “Yes, we have other expansion projects for our Batavia site proposed. Timing is dependent on business needs and appropriate support from the community.”

The city of Batavia temporarily halted Hood’s $120 million expansion project in the town of Batavia due to “violations of the town’s contracted wastewater capacity limit” earlier this year as both municipalities then worked to rectify the situation, City Manager Rachael Tabelski had said.

Tabelski sent the town Planning Board a letter on March 13 notifying the group that the city had not been informed in a timely manner that the town had been established as lead agency for the proposed expansion of process lines at HP Hood on Feb. 13, 2024, and the city did not receive word of that until March 4. The city objected to the town acting as the lead agency, Tabelski said.

Tabelski said during council’s Tuesday meeting that the situation had potentially been rectified with a revised wastewater agreement between the town and city of Batavia. She also said that “we will lift the SEQR challenge to the HP Hood project,” regarding a state environmental review. 

Genesee County Economic Development Center had approved sales tax exemptions estimated at $4.52 million, a property tax abatement estimated at $549,705 base on an incremental increase in assessed value, and a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $536,000, bringing the value of the proposed financial agreement to approximately $5.6 million. 

GCEDC President Mark Masse was not available for comment Friday.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown can open doors, says Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. Chairman Dennis Bassett.

He can open doors in Albany. He can open doors with the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"The OTB is looking to have good, solid representation in Albany," Bassett said. "We feel that what better individual is there who could help us open doors that we haven't been able to open before than a five-term mayor with a legislative background?"

A unanimous board vote on Sept. 5 authorized Bassett to open contract negotiations to hire Brown as OTB's new CEO and president. Bassett said the negotiations are ongoing. Brown has yet to officially accept the job offer.

The 65-year-old Brown became Buffalo's mayor in 2006. He served in the state Senate from 2001 to 2005. He was a member of the Buffalo Common Council from 1996 to 2001. He has a dual bachelor of arts degree in political science and journalism from Buffalo State College.  He worked in sales for a year at Bristol-Myers before starting a legislative staff career. 

OTB reportedly advertised the job as paying between $280,000 and $320,000 annually. Henry Wojtaszek, the outgoing CEO and president, makes $264,898.

"The key thing that we have to do is get someone that can open doors that we don't have open," Bassett said. "We're running a pretty well-oiled machine now. I think that what I have stressed consistently as board chair is that we may have some government obligations, but we have run Batavia Downs as a business. Mayor Brown assured us that his business hat would be on at all times and that he would be able to focus on how we can generate more revenue for the 17 municipalities."

For several years, Erie County Democrats, such as Sen. Tim Kennedy, Sen. Sean Ryan, and Comptroller Kevin Hardwick, have attacked the OTB and its leadership, making unsubstantiated corruption claims. Kennedy successfully pushed legislation that changed the OTB board's voting composition, giving Democrats a weighted vote majority even though Democrats represent fewer jurisdictions on the board than Republicans. 

Genesee County is leading a legal challenge to the voting change.

Sen. George Borrello, who represents many of the rural counties that own a portion of the corporation, said last week that Brown's selection smelled of corrupt politics.

"The ‘culture of corruption’ is actually the way that Erie County and the City of Buffalo have rigged the Western Regional OTB board," Borrello said. 

Borrello praised Wojtaszek's work to increase revenue and profitability at Batavia Downs and expressed concern that the "winning team" was being replaced by political patronage jobs.

Throughout the search process, Bassett has vowed that politics would not play a part in selecting a new CEO. On Thursday, he told The Batavian that, indeed, politics was not a factor in the decision to hire Brown.

"The appointment was based upon a global search that narrowed down the best candidates based on the key focus areas that we were looking at -- C-suite experience -- government involvement, budget management, and public benefit corporation experience," Bassett said. "As a chairman of the search committee, politics never entered into our decision-making as we looked at the resumes and evaluated each of the resumes and the talent of the individuals. The press may have predicted who would be the next President and CEO but that did not influence our selection process."

So far, Republican members of the board -- who all supported the job offer to Brown -- have been mum about their decision.  Asked if he had any insight into why Republicans backed Brown for the job, Bassett said it was because of the recommendation of the search committee.

"The reason they supported (the committee's recommendation) is because we stressed very seriously and very strongly that we are going to continue our focus on running Western Regional OTB as a solid business and that the outside world may play the politics game, but as long as we, the board, stay steadfast on the fact that we are trying to deliver as positive a results as we can to small municipalities who depend on OTB a lot more than some of the big Rochesters and Buffalos and Erie counties and Monroe counties, that we want to continue to give them the kind of revenue they can use to fill some of the gaps that they have."

He said that only happens if the organization is run like a business.

"Once again, the press and the outside world may continue to have us fall into this political game, but those individuals in those small municipalities bought off on the idea that we're not going to succumb to that," he said.

Bassett said Wojtaszek and Brown have a good relationship and he's expecting a smooth transition.

Wojtaszek is scheduled to leave the job on Dec. 31.

Bassett isn't expecting any issues for current employees.

"I think the employee base is very comfortable with me, and they're very comfortable with how our board is being run, and I think we'll have no problems with the leadership team and the board and the employees working at Batavia Downs," he said.

Bassett stressed that there are issues that need to be addressed in Albany that haven't been addressed until now, issues that must be addressed if Batavia Downs and the OTB are going to increase revenue and profits for the municipalities. Brown can open those doors, he said.

Batavia Downs has achieved record-breaking revenue two years running and 2024 is shaping up to be another record year, Bassett noted.

"We know that we can't grow this business and be successful if we don't look at how we can go into different ventures, and we can't do the same things we've been doing tomorrow that we're doing today and be successful," Bassett said.

He initially declined to address the specific issues Brown would be asked to tackle. When asked about harness racing, which might be considered a loss-leader for the corporation, Bassett said Brown might address it; he said that is one area to look at, but so are branch operations.

"We're putting together a strategic framework that looks at how we should be running this business five years from now," Bassett said.

Besides harness racing and branch operations, there is also sports betting.

"We need to look at sports betting. Sports betting is very important moving forward. We, the small racinos and casinos such as ours, don't have it. We have to fight for that in Albany, and hopefully, Mayor Brown can help us do that."

Batavia Downs has also been locked out of table games. Bassett said he's a blackjack player himself and would like to see Batavia Downs be able to offer poker and blackjack to customers.

"We're not going to leave any stone unturned for us to grow this business and look at how we can be competitive in the future," he said.

You might call it an open house -- those timeless school events that bring parents to the school to meet their children's teachers.

But in Pavilion, folks call it the Gopher Gathering.

On Thursday, Pavilion High School held its 5th annual Gopher Gathering.

The event is a chance for the school community to come together to enjoy good food, live music, and games and also learn about academic opportunities available at the school.

Besides learning about classes they might have overlooked, it's a chance for students and parents to learn about campus activities, including clubs students might join.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

HomeCare & Hospice of Batavia received a $1,000 grant from The WalMart Pharmacy Batavia, 4133 Veterans Memorial Drive to continue helping families
maintain independence at home, with compassion.

Melissa Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of HomeCare &Hospice, stated, “It’s an incredible
honor to be chosen for a SparkGood grant. HomeCare & Hospice depends greatly on donations, grants, and fundraisers to raise awareness of our services. Being selected from among the many nonprofits in Genesee County is truly humbling.”

HomeCare & Hospice is a multi-disciplinary approach to end-of-life care.  It brings together a team of nurses, physicians, social workers, spiritual care providers, aide staff and volunteers to provide the care necessary to allow a patient to pass away, peacefully in a dignified manner in their own homes. This program provides quality pain and symptom management so that the patient's final days, weeks, months have as much quality of life as possible.

The ability to manage a patient's symptoms also reduces stress on caregivers, family, and friends.  It also
prevents unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency room visits.  Hospice makes it possible for patients to pass in their own homes.

According to the SparkGood website, the grants are awarded to a variety of organizations, such
as animal shelters, elder services, and community clean-up projects. In FY2023, their stores
and Sam’s clubs provided more than $45 million in local grants.

Somnit Wilson, Walmart Pharmacy Manager, added, “Why did I choose HCH for this grant? End-of-life care is often overlooked in many communities, yet hospice offers invaluable support to families. It provides essential care that brings comfort and healing to those navigating the end-of-life journey.”

Being an emergency medical service provider in a rural, lower-income population certainly has its challenges, says Dane Sprague, president of Le Roy Ambulance Service, Inc. Board of Directors.

A good percentage of folks using the ambulance service are on Medicaid or Medicare and/or request not to be taken to a hospital, which either cannot be billed or reimbursed.

“I find a good portion of what we do goes unreimbursed in terms of Le Roy Ambulance Service. We go out on a call, and we may provide treatment to an individual that doesn't involve transportation. And we get no reimbursement from the government programs for Medicare or Medicaid for that type of treatment. And if it's a Medicaid patient, we can't even bill them for that,” Sprague said Wednesday to The Batavian. “I haven't seen the specifics of the legislation or what type of rate structure they're proposing, but anything at this point would be beneficial because, as I said, we provide so much unreimbursed care.

“In a typical month, this past month of August, I think we had 125 calls that we went out on. Only 87 of those were actually billable,” he said. “We’re providing a lot of unreimbursed care to people. If they don’t pay us we still can’t refuse service. If somebody needs care they’re going to get care regardless of their insurance status or how much they may owe us for past visits or whatever. If they’re a Medicaid patient, there’s no provision for that.”

He is hopeful that Gov. Kathy Hochul will sign a bill endorsed by the state Association of Counties this week that would allow EMS agencies and ambulance networks to be reimbursed for treating patients at the scene of the incident and/or transporting them to non-emergency room care facilities for treatment and triage.

The legislation has been in the works, and the association adopted a resolution during its annual fall meeting this week. Here is the full resolution awating Hochul's signature. The legislation is now on Hochul’s desk for approval. It is considered critical to ensure that EMS providers, including Le Roy Ambulance Service and Mercy EMS, two providers under contract for Genesee County, are financially stable and can properly operate and serve residents of New York State.

The EMS legislation only covers Medicaid Insurance, which has not been reimbursing providers, county Manager Matt Landers said, and does not cover Medicare or private insurance. 

“I support this resolution as it compensates emergency responders for sevices provided and helps shore up the finances of our resource-strapped first responder agencies,” Landers said.  “The current model of only reimbursing for transports to a hospital ignore the many instances where a patient receives costly treatment at the scene or when the ambulance transports the patient to a more ideal location for the specific situation, such as an urgent care facility or a mental health treatment facility.”

Genesee County has seen a gradual increase in the need for Medicaid, a joint federal and state program that provides health coverage for people with limited income and resources. It has grown from 13.3% a decade ago to about 20 percent in 2022, according to datausa.

About 70 percent of  Le Roy Ambulance Service’s patients are covered by government programs such as Medicaid, Sprague said. And as a result, “we’re operating at a deficit because of poor reimbursement,” he said. 

“A good portion of what we do goes unreimbursed. If we provide treatment to an individual but provide no transportation to a hospital, we receive no reimbursement. We cannot even bill them for that,” he said. “Anything at this point would be beneficial.”

“(Insurance/Medicare) only pay because of a transport to the hospital,” he said. “Anything that will enhance our ability … would be great. Hopefully  Kathy Hochul will sign it.”

Under current law, EMS agencies are only reimbursed when transporting a patient to a hospital emergency room. This arrangement is not only financially challenging for EMS agencies, but it also contributes to patients being transported to healthcare settings when a hospital emergency room may not be the most appropriate setting to administer treatment.

Additionally, hospital emergency rooms across the state are already beyond capacity, county officials said, with extraordinary wait times for admission to a hospital bed and is often the most expensive care setting possible for the patient.

It’s not like there haven’t been exceptions in the past. During the COVID pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) allowed waivers for ambulance services to be reimbursed for treatment in place and transportation to an alternative provider, but those ended in May 2023. Data from these waivers indicates that reimbursing EMS for treatment in place and transportation to an alternate provider would save the federal government around $2 billion annually, and commensurate savings at the state level, according to a related press release.

Allowing EMS practitioners to treat patients at their homes or the scene of the incident and receive reimbursement for delivering those services enables EMS agencies to return to action immediately—rather than waiting for a hospital to admit their patient.

Another issue cited by officials is that many patients dial 9-1-1 to seek emergency medical treatment when they are experiencing a mental health crisis. Allowing EMS agencies to transport a patient immediately to a behavioral healthcare facility not only expedites the patient's mental health treatment but also relieves inpatient hospital mental health units from having to respond to every mental health incident.

Reducing those wait times is one important benefit of this legislation, said Scott Wooton, executive vice president of Mercy Flight Inc., while being able to bill for non transports would be another. 

“Transporting to alternate destinations, as opposed to a hospital, as far as how that's going to impact EMS, it's not a huge difference. I mean, the time to transport somebody to an urgent care or a doctor's office as opposed to a hospital, is roughly about the same,” he said. “Where it could really have an impact is less critical patients going to an urgent care, as opposed to a hospital, is going to help reduce wait times at  ERs. I think it's a good move in terms of utilizing the hospital and utilizing the health resources that are out there in a way that makes sense, where you're not sending patients to an ER that maybe have something that could be treated by an urgent care, because wait times in emergency rooms can be an issue.”

Providers will have to work through the logistics of finding urgent cares that will accept patients via ambulance, and that will get EMS providers back in service more quickly, he said, versus having to wait at the emergency room with a patient while he or she is getting admitted. 

The other issue has been when providers complete an on-the-spot evaluation but the patient refuses transport to a hospital. Those cases have not been billable, and although this particular legislation isn’t going to change those scenarios involving private insurance and Medicare, it would ramp up payments from the Medicaid system that has not been reimbursing for such services.

“The fact that the state is now backing that, insurance will now be compelled to cover that we want to be reimbursed, that is smart legislation,” Wooton said.

“You know, we're really not in the business of just transporting patients from one place to another; we're in the business of being ready for emergencies. So anything that we can do to shorten the amount of time that it takes for us to get somebody where they need to go and get back and get ready again for the next one is exciting,” he said. “But then, in terms of the ability to bill for a treat and release, or for a patient refusal, it depends on how that actually works out.”

Given the bill’s freshness, he wasn’t familiar with how billing will work, though he pointed to Medicare as the largest payer for most emergency medical services, he said. Medicare is for people age 65 and older. 

“I don’t know how the law will interact with this plan; it’s a little too early to tell the financial impact, but it’s a good thing for patients, and a good thing for people,” he said.

Wooton is happy about the other piece of legislation, the Direct Pay to Ambulance Service law, already passed and ready to take effect on Jan. 1, that will allow for direct payments from the insurance company to the provider rather than to the patient. When payments went to the patient, there would be a lag in the money being turned over to the EMS provider, Wooton said, and this measure will streamline that process and get payments where they belong more quickly.

“This will pay pay to the provider and bring insurance company to the table and are paying fairly and timely at a rate that allows us to be sustainable,” he said. “We need sustainable ambulance services, and the only way to do that is to make sure that they’re being reimbursed fairly.”

The Local Drug Task Forced announced on Tuesday the arrest of four people in connection with an investigation into the possession, transport, and sale of crack cocaine in the city of Batavia.

Taken into custody were:

Norman P. Michael, Jr., 39, of Bank Street, Batavia. He is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. Michael was arrested on Aug. 26 on a warrant stemming from a sealed indictment while in custody on unrelated matters. He is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the task force while in Batavia.

Paul "Twin" Lee, 52, of Helena Street, Rochester. He is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. He was arrested on Aug. 19 on a sealed indictment by Batavia Police NET officers. Lee is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the task force on two occasions in Batavia.

Shannon M. Armstead, 31, of North Spruce Street, Batavia. She is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. Armstead was arrested on a sealed indicment on Aug. 20 by Batavia Police NET officers.  She is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the task force on two occasions in Batavia.

Charles D. Macey, 44, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree.  Macy was arrested on a sealed indictment on Aug. 22 by Batavia Police NET Officers. Macey is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agency to the task force in Batavia.

Michael and Lee were arraigned in County Court and ordered held. Armstead was arraigned and released on her own recognizance. Macy was arraigned and released under supervision.

The rock band Falling in Reverse headlined a night on Tuesday, supported by Jeris Johnson, Tech N9ne, Dance Gavin Dance, and Black Veil Brides.

Photos by Philip Casper

Press Release:

As cold and flu season coincides with children returning to school, Rochester Regional Health (RRH) is prepared to meet the rising demand for urgent care services. Healthcare providers often see an increase in ear infections, bronchitis, strep throat, colds, and the flu during this time of year. 

Additionally, sports-related injuries such as sprains, fractures, and strains tend to spike as student-athletes hit the field. RRH provides three convenient urgent care options to ensure families can get the care they need, whenever and wherever they need it.

1. In-Person Urgent Care: RRH’s in-person urgent care centers are available any day of the week to treat a wide variety of illnesses and injuries, including seasonal colds, flu, ear infections, bronchitis, and more. They are also equipped for vaccinations, X-rays, and physical exams. Patients can visit the RRH Urgent Care website to find a location close to home and check wait times at each site.
2. Virtual Urgent Care: For those who prefer not to leave home, RRH Same-Day Virtual Urgent Care has expanded its hours to provide even more flexibility. Available seven days a week, Virtual Urgent Care connects patients with expert providers through a smartphone or computer. With an average wait time of just 15 minutes, it’s a convenient option for handling cold and flu symptoms, infections, and minor injuries without ever stepping out the door.
3. Dedicated Orthopedic Urgent Care: With student-athletes returning to sports, RRH has two dedicated Orthopedic Urgent Care centers located in Victor and Henrietta. These specialized centers offer walk-in, no-appointment-needed care for orthopedic injuries like sprains, fractures, and muscle strains. Patients can access expert orthopedic care quickly and efficiently, avoiding long waits at emergency rooms.

“Rochester Regional Health offers patients easy and convenient access to care where and when they need it most. We understand that many patients prefer to avoid busy hospital emergency rooms, which can involve long wait times. That’s why we continue to expand our urgent care options to serve the community close to where they live, work, and play,” said Mary Parlet, Rochester Regional Health Chief Ambulatory and Clinical Services Officer.

RRH offers Urgent Care locations throughout the region, including Batavia, Brighton, Canton, Chili, Geneseo, Greece, Henrietta, Penfield, Potsdam, and Webster. In the City of Rochester, patients can visit our centers at St. Mary’s Campus and the Wilson Multicultural Medical Campus. For specialized orthopedic care, walk-in services are available at our dedicated Orthopedic Urgent Care locations in Henrietta and Victor.

For a complete list of locations and times you can check here: https://www.rochesterregional.org/services/urgent-care.

To learn more about when to visit an Emergency Room versus an Urgent Care, head here: https://hive.rochesterregional.org/2021/04/urgent-vs-emergent-care.

Press Release:

Batavia Downs Gaming President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek presented representatives from the Make a Difference (M.A.D) Rescue with a check for $4,200 to help support their efforts in rescuing abandoned street dogs in Puerto Rico.

Unclaimed Funds, alongside donations and the sale of bottle openers, helped raise the money.

“We are appreciative to Cindy DeCarlo and the whole team at Batavia Downs, “said Jennifer Stilwell, President of M.A.D.  “These funds are so important for us to continue our work of rescuing and rehabilitating the street dogs of Puerto Rico. With these funds, we can continue to find them their forever homes here in Western New York and Beyond.  

“There are lots of animal lovers, both here amongst our staff and our guests, “said Henry Wojtaszek, President and CEO of Batavia Downs.  “As a dog owner myself, I know the joy a dog can bring to a family.  We are happy to help Jennifer and her team in their efforts to make life better for these dogs as they find new owners.”

Press Release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) alongside Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02), introduced the People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act to expand eligibility to include veterinary care expenses under tax-advantaged health care spending accounts, specifically Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) by amending Internal Revenue Code Section 213(d).

The PAW Act would allow pet owners to use their HSA or FSA accounts to pay for up to $1,000 for veterinary care or a pet health insurance plan, while permitting an unlimited amount of these funds for service animals. It aims to assist veterans with PTSD and individuals with disabilities by ensuring the IRS relies on an up-to-date Federal definition of “service animal,” which includes animals trained to assist with both physical and mental disabilities. Additionally, the bill maintains current HSA and FSA contribution limits, ensuring that there will be little to no impact on federal expenditures.

"Our pets and service animals are cherished members of our families, and it's essential that owners have the ability to pay for quality care. The PAW Act offers greater flexibility to pet owners by allowing them to use HSAs and FSAs for pet care expenses. This legislation will help veterans, and all pet owners afford veterinary care for their beloved pets and service animals," said Congresswoman Tenney.

“Pets are more than just animals – they’re beloved members of families who bring joy, comfort, and even health benefits into our lives. However, rising veterinary costs often make it challenging for families and veterans to provide care for their pets or service animals. As a dog owner, I’m proud to introduce the bipartisan PAW Act that would include veterinary care and pet insurance as eligible expenses under HSAs and FSAs to help ensure every animal lover can afford care for their pet. I’m grateful for the partnership of Congresswoman Tenney and will keep working to see this bill signed into law," said Congresswoman Ross

“MetLife strongly supports the PAW Act, which helps pet parents address unexpected veterinary expenses resulting from a pet’s illness or accident. This bill is a critical step towards promoting the health and well-being of pets by helping pet parents access the care their pets need while protecting their financial wellness. We are proud to support a bill that aligns with MetLife’s purpose of helping people care for their loved ones, both human and animal,” said Brian Jorgensen, Head of Pet Insurance, MetLife.

“The AVMA-endorsed People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act helps maintain animal and human health, promotes and emphasizes the health benefits of pet ownership, and allows more people to become pet owners,” said Dr. Sandra Faeh, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “Ensuring veterinary care and pet health insurance are eligible expenses under Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts means more affordable care for pets, greater access to care for service animals, and an enhanced ability to detect and prevent zoonotic diseases. We thank Reps. Tenney and Ross for their leadership on this issue and urge Congress to promptly pass the PAW Act," said the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

“We salute Representatives Claudia Tenney and Deborah Ross for their leadership in introducing common-sense legislation to make veterinary care more affordable for millions of pet owners. Representatives Tenney and Ross are champions of the human-animal bond, recognizing that pets and service animals positively contribute to the health and wellbeing of American families," said Steven Feldman, president of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute.

After working as a massage therapist for several years, Marjorie Fein grew bored with bones and muscles, and pondered which way she wanted to go next with her wellness learning journey.

As it happens, she took a continuing education course and absorbed the principles so deeply that she became a teacher herself.

The course she took introduced Fein to the teachings of Eden Energy Medicine founder Donna Eden. According to Eden's website, the teachings are based on a transformational healing modality that empowers the individual with tools to improve mind, body and spirit using one’s own body energies to lead a more vibrant life. 

That attracted Fein, who said she wanted to work with a broader range of people as she tried to figure out whether to study nutrition or acupunction. Then she took a course Omega Institute here in Rhinebeck.

"Literally, the only reason I took on this course is that it was the only class that gave me continuing ed credits for my license," Fein said during a phone interview from her home in Woodstock. "I had no idea who she was or what she did, and I really fell in love with it for a couple of reasons. One is that there's absolutely no dogma about it. People get into this work from being teachers, therapists, physical therapists, massage therapists, doctors, and acupuncturists, and Donna's whole thing is to take this work and make it and use it in whatever way works for you. The other thing is that we use something called kinesiology or muscle testing. 

“So, for example, if I have ten clients who all have irritable bowel syndrome, we are all completely unique people, and so there's no cookie-cutter formula. We use the muscle testing. We call it energy testing, to assess the energy systems so that each individual gets a completely individualized treatment,” she said. “So I love that because it means that anything I do, it's because your body told me it needs that, not because I had an idea that I thought was brilliant.”

Fein will be in Batavia to teach two Eden Energy classes on Sept 28 at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

“I met Donna in 2002, and I was already a massage therapist. I started blending this into my work. I've been doing this full-time as an energy healer, probably since 2003, so it's been pretty much my main modality for the last almost 22 years."

After doing bones and muscles for as long as she did, she was looking for a new approach to help people heal.

"One thing is that we really teach people self-care," Fein said. "We teach them how to do techniques on themselves so that they get the power. I mean, this is kind of my mission statement, giving people power and authority over their own life experience, physically, emotionally and spiritually."

Eden's work about energetic modalities, which is called an energy system, she said. 

"Just like we have a physical body that has, I think it's nine organ systems, a respiratory system, a cardiovascular system, a digestive system, each of those systems has a completely different form and function, and all of those have to work together to create a healthy whole,” she said. “We also have energy systems. So, for example, Chinese medicine acupuncture uses an energetic system called the meridian system, and they stick needles in points along the meridians. If you go to someone who practices Ayurveda, they work with the energy system called the chakras, and they move and work in a completely different way. 

“What I love about Donna's work is that we work with nine different systems, and we work with them simultaneously,” she said. “So that way, for one person, if you have an irritable bowel, the core issue might be in the meridian, for someone else in the chakra, or for someone else in the aura. So understanding those nine systems and having the muscle testing to let the body tell us where the core issue is, it allows us to track the human in front of us, rather than use a cookie cutter protocol for any one ailment.”

The basic premise of energetic healing, she said, is that anything that is happening physically or emotionally within someone’s body has an energetic core to it, and the body and emotions express what is happening energetically. 

“Like Einstein, we believe that energy creates matter, so we work with this creative force of the body, the energies and then the body and the emotions express differently,” she said. “So, whereas Western medicine is usually what I would call reactive medicine, you have an imbalance, there’s something wrong, and then you treat the symptom, but you’re not treating, in most cases, what actually created the problem in the first place.”

During each class, Fein will provide some education about the subject matter and then allow attendees to approach her one at a time so that she can work with them to get a sense of what’s going on with their particular energy system. 

These last several years have meant an uptick in cases of increased stress due to the pandemic, political turmoil, climate change and overall negative undercurrent, she said. And when you are under stress, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode, which is a primitive response that can then trigger physical, emotional and/or spiritual responses and symptoms, she said.

That, in turn, can lead to poor digestion and healing. While the stress can serve a purpose and is meant to be short-term, when it continues and is ongoing, “it takes a toll,” she said. 

All of your resources are going to the stress. However, if people can build up resilience, “you are reclaiming those resources,” she said.   

Fein is an advanced practitioner and a founding member of Eden’s faculty since it began in 2005. She has developed a full-time practice with Eden Energy and works with clients, teaches workshops and writes about the topic. 

There are two classes available and they are interactive with group attendees, she said. If you are someone that feels like no matter where you go you’re a target, and you experience physical or emotional symptoms; you feel bloated every time after eating or gain weight no matter how much you diet, it may very well be related to stress and your energy, which are examples of something Fein can test for, she said.

Classes are:

Class 1 - Easy Does It will deal with emotional distress, and focus on stress, anxiety and depression, which she believes Western medicine has little to offer beyond medication. Energy medicine gives the tools to build resilience to life’s stressors as well as how to calm upsets when they bubble up. 

“When we are at ease emotionally, every aspect of our lives is improved,” she said. “We heal better when we feel better.”

The workshop session will include practical skills of easy-to-apply techniques that one can use in every day situations to calm the mind and boost stress resistance; emotional relief techniques to reduce the way your distress expresses itself; self empowerment to gain tools and take control of your emotional state any time and anywhere; and help for loved ones that may be suffering.

Class 2 - Make Friends With Your Food will involve energy medicine for healthy digestion. This workshop includes practical techniques to support and strengthen the organs of the digestive system, and lifestyle guidelines that promote healthy and happy mealtimes.

Cost is $75 per class or $125 for both. Registration deadline is Sept. 26. For more information or to register, go HERE.

It's just a typical Prohibition-era night at Ruth's Speakeasy, where you can find the best moonshine and jazz singers in town before one of the patrons is murdered.

To solve this crime, the cast of Batavia Players needs your help.

"Murder at the Speakeasy" is an immersive and interactive murder mystery and scavenger hunt.

Audiences are encouraged to register in teams of up to four people each and dress in period-correct costumes.

Ruth's is a place with simple rules -- no business and no guns.  It is the haunt of gangsters, crooked cops, businessmen, and rising stars. The perfect environment for betrayal, vengeance, greed, and, ultimately, murder.

Who done it: the crooked police chief? The sultry jazz singer? A scorned woman?

You and your companions will have to figure it out.

You will be provided clue questions to ask the possible suspects and a map of all the local places the suspects hang out so you can track them down and find the clues.  

The adventure begins at check-in. Audience members will receive the secret password to gain entry to the Speakeasy.  Upon entry, they will meet the host of characters, and that's when the game begins. Sleuths must keep their eyes and ears open for any hints that might be dropped.  

The scene will unfold, the murder will happen, and then the questioning begins. Then the audience is released to follow the leads and track down the clues scattered throughout Batavia's local business community.  When the audience returns, the members will cast ballots for who they suspect is the likely killer before reentering the Speakeasy to see if they got the details right.

There are prizes supplied by local businesses.

Batavia Players encourage audience members to take pictures and post to social media but they ask, "please, however, at no time share the solution so the other groups can have the pleasure of solving the crime on their own."

The show is Saturday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Main St. 56 Theater in Downtown Batavia.

Tickets are $30 per person or $100 for a team of four people. For tickets, click here.

Photos by Howard Owens.

The city and town of Batavia have potentially come to an agreement about wastewater capacity, and HP Hood will be able to proceed with its $120 million expansion project that’s been halted since March, City Manager Rachael Tabelski says.

Hood’s project was, which involved a state environmental review, temporarily stalled when the city discovered that the town was in violation of a contracted wastewater capacity limit and had also taken on the lead agency role for the proposed expansion of process lines with no word to the city.

At that point, the city said the project cannot proceed, and it has been halted ever since. When asked about the project since then, Tabelski has said that “we are in active negotiations with the towns regarding a new purchase capacity agreement” and an agreement has now been reached.

“We will lift the SEQR challenge to the HP Hood project,” Tabelski said to The Batavian Monday evening, though the agreement still has to go through the official process of votes by the town board and City Council. 

Tabelski reviewed the new purchasing terms during Monday’s conference session. The town’s total wastewater flows average 1.4 million gallons per day at four total pump stations, which exceeds the town’s current contractual limit, Tabelski said. The current sewer capacity limit of the town is 850,000 GPD as established in the wastewater facility agreement of Feb. 23, 2015 between the city and town of Batavia.

A new agreement means the town can purchase an additional 350,000 GPD of treatment capacity for a total of 1.2 million for $1,382,500. If the town goes past the 1.2 million, a higher rate of purchase kicks in — the penalty rate — which serves as incentive for the town to remain at that 1.2 million output, Tabelski said. 

“We’re trying to incentivize them. We know they’re at 1.4, but we’re trying to get it down to 1.2,” Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said. 

Councilman Rich Richmond said that he was looking at the overage rates and believes “that’s a pretty good incentive.”

“So I want to thank you for doing this because I know, I heard how long it took, you had infinite patience, and you negotiated very well for the city,” he said. 

Jankowski asked if City Attorney George Van Nest reviewed the deal. He looked at it and worked with the city manager and assistant manager to ensure the numbers covered the city’s thresholds, he said. 

“I'm very concerned about making sure that we're within our operating limits, that we’re not pushing it too far, or as much as I love to help out, we only have so much capacity,” Jankowski said.

Jankowski preferred to move the vote to a future meeting so the council could get more public input rather than vote immediately, he said. The town of Batavia is expected to discuss the agreement at its next meeting on Sept. 18. 

At this time and until this agreement amendment is revisited, the town's total threshold will be 1,650,000 gallons per day max discharge. The city and town agree to meet every six months to review town flows to ensure that the town stays below the 1.65 GPD max discharge. If it is determined that the town has exceeded that amount, the city reserves all rights and remedies to protect the wastewater treatment facility permit. 

Does the city have enough capacity to maintain this additional amount for the town long-term? Is there a future solution?

“Town and city (of Batavia) have plans to move forward with a wastewater treatment plant growth study to support future development,” Tabelski said. “There is remaining capacity reserved for O-AT-KA, other city industries, and housing in the city of Batavia.”

Given the uncertainty regarding the wastewater treatment plant draft permit limits, the town will be solely responsible for funding an expansion study, which will be initiated as soon as practically possible. The city will act as project manager of the expansion study with a professional engineering firm of its selection and will bill the town as invoices are received.

In 1983, the city and town entered into a wastewater facility agreement that outlined the ownership and operation of the new treatment plant. In February 2015, they entered into a wastewater facility agreement and a wastewater metering agreement. The city currently owns 84.55% of the total plant capacity, and the town owns 15.45%. 

Due to ongoing development in the town, including the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park, the town’s sanitary sewer flows are exceeding the contractual limit of .85 million gallons per day (MGD) or 15.45% of the total capacity, Tableksi said. 

Each city and town resolution in May 2023 identified the parties’ mutual concerns about potential increased flow resulting from the Kings Plaza pump station project, and the average sewer flow was 1.2 MGD. In fall 2023, the town advised the city that HP Hood was expanding but that it was only the warehouse and would not create additional demand for water or sewer capacity. Hood already discharges 1.1 to 1.2 MGD. By the end of 2023, the town’s average sewer flow had increased to 1.33 MGD, Tabelski said. 

“This is well in excess of the town’s contractual limit of .85 MGD,” she said. “Consequently, the town has no capacity to allocate to expansion of HP Hood or any other facility at this time.” 

The city also cannot permit increased sewer flows from the town of Batavia until the wastewater treatment plan expansion study is complete, she said. 

“The city and town still need to enter into a proposed wastewater agreement that was circulated in January 2024. However, this agreement will still not allow for increased discharge beyond 1.2 MGD. This pending agreement will be the town’s limit for wastewater discharge.”

As for its objection to the town being lead agency for the Hood project, Tabelski said that “the town has failed to accurately and timely inform the city about the expansion of wastewater capacity demand at the Ag Park.”

“In addition, the town is in breach of the wastewater agreement with the city by discharging in excess of .85 MGD,” she said. “A lead agent under SEQR is responsible for thoroughly and accurately evaluating the potential environmental impacts prior to making a determination of significance on the action.

“The town’s excess wastewater discharge beyond contract limits threatens the city’s discharge limits and has the potential to exceed the city’s (State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit,” she said. “As a result, the city objects to the town’s lead agency designation for this action under SEQR.”

This has been a good week for Hood, which was named Dairy Plant of the Year. The Hood expansion is to be 32,500 square feet and pledges to create 48 new jobs while retaining 455 full-time equivalent jobs at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park. This project accommodates its automatic storage and retrieval system refrigerated warehouse. It will also include new batching and processing systems and other upgrades, which will allow the company to increase capacity and begin a new production line.

For prior coverage about this issue, go to wastewater.

The Genesee Chorale is opening its 2024 Fall Season and is looking for a few good singers.

The Chorale held its opening rehearsal on Monday at St. James.

For more information on joining, click here.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

Our Faith Formation programs at Ascension Roman Catholic Community and Resurrection RC Parish kicked off on Sunday, September 8 with Mass, a family lunch, meetings, and fun games!

Submitted photos.

Press Release:

The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist Mary Jo Whitman on Tuesday, September 10 at Go-Art/Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., Batavia At 7 p.m. 

Mary Jo plans to give an overview of the grant process for artists, including where to find grant opportunities, tips on writing project narratives, formulating budgets, and providing quality support materials. 

This info will be bennificial to many artist who never thought they could get grant money for projects! This event is open to non-member for a $5 fee. Light refreshments will be served. The 2.o.1. Tavern will be open for cash purchases.

Press Release:

Genesee County Republican Committee Chairman Scott D. German is happy to announce the committee will be holding its Grand Opening of the Genesee County Republican Headquarters located at 244 West Main Street in Batavia (formerly Time Buyers Auto) across from CVS at noon on Saturday, September 14.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, Senator George Borrello, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Sheriff Candidate Joe Graff and County Treasurer Candidate Kevin Andrews are all expected to be in attendance.

Anyone wishing to pick up free signs for Trump, Tenney, Borrello, Hawley, Graff or Andrews are more than welcome to stop by and pick them up on Saturday.