Following a police pursuit from Byron into Batavia on July 31, a subject barricaded himself in an unoccupied -- though rented -- apartment in a complex on Bank Street. The police presence drew a lot of community attention. Photo By Howard Owens. (Photo a National Press Photographers Association regional award winner).
In 2023, the environment didn't always play nice with Genesee County. In June, wildfires in Canada raised concerns locally over air quality, and Bethany, along with Pavilion and Pembroke, have been suffering through water shortages.
Counties throughout upstate New York hit the panic button in the spring when rumors circulated that New York City was planning to bus asylum seekers and other immigrants to rural parts of another state, causing Genesee County to join in declaring a state of emergency and banning local facilities from housing migrants.
In sports, both Notre Dame (baseball) and Byron-Bergen (Boys Soccer) made runs at state championships. Pembroke won its second consecutive state championship in 8-Man Football.
Readers visited the site 1.4 million times in 2023 and viewed 9.2 million pages.
The big stories aren't always the most read stories. Here are the 15 most viewed stories according to stats for The Batavian in 2023.
Many of our stories were reported first on The Batavian, and we broke some important stories, most notably the travails of Ellicott Station. If you value great local reporting, you can help ensure it continues. Join Early Access Pass today. As a member of Early Access Pass, not only are you supporting your local community by supporting local news coverage, you are getting early exclusive access to our most important stories. You also get early access to Deal of the Day. Currently, you get a four-hour advance (look for this window of time to increase in 2024) on important stories and Deal of the Day.
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On Memorial Day, Genesee County's veterans and community members honored the men and women from the military who sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom in the United States. By Howard Owens
The Batavia Muckdogs continued to grow in popularity in 2023 under the ownership of Robbie and Nellie Nichols. Photo by Howard Owens
Jimmy Sturr, the reigning king of polka, played Batavia Downs in April. Photo by Howard Owens.
A mail carrier was hailed as a hero after she successfully fended off a dog, Steve, who was attacking a home health care worker at a residence on South Main Street, Batavia, in June. Photo by Howard Owens (Photo won a regional award from the National Press Photographers Association)
Bethany's old Town Hall, too expensive to rehabilitate into a usable structure, was demolished in August. Photo by Howard Owens.
Oakfield hosted a box car derby during Labor Day weekend, the first time the event was included in the annual Labor Daze Music and Food Festival. Photo by Howard Owens.
