Oakfield-Alabama beat Lyondonville in girls basketball on Saturday, 68-34.

Scoring for O-A:

• Makena Reding, 12 points,  five assists, three steals
• Kelsey Schlagenhauf, 11 points, 11 rebounds, nine steals   
• Caitlin Ryan, 11 points 11 rebounds,  five steals, three blocks
• Alea Groff, 11 points, six rebounds
• Brooke Reding, 10 points
• Emma Wray,  six points

Also in girls basketball on Saturday, Alexander beat Wheatland 68-12

In boys basketball, Byron-Bergen lost to Wheatland-Chili, 61-52

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

About two dozen people donned skimpy swimsuits and rode snowmobiles before a crowd of onlookers on a sunny but frigid Saturday in Oakfield for the 8th Annual Bikini Rally sponsored by the Genesee Sno Packers.

The event raised $19,205 for the Pink Fund, a breast cancer financial assistance program.

About 450 people attended, according to Jane Chaddock, one of the event organizers.

Photos by Kristin Smith.  For more, click here.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Water Department will be repairing a water main break on Oak Street, in the southbound lane in the area of Noonan Drive on Monday, February 7, 2022.  There is the potential that the water may need to be shut off on Oak Street, from Union Street heading north to the City line.  In addition, the water shut-off would also impact all of Noonan Drive.

The length of time the water will be off is unknown.

Traffic will also be impacted in the area of Oak Street and Noonan Drive in the form of lane closures or lane shifts while the repairs are being made.

As always, when the water is restored it may be discolored.  Please refrain from doing any laundry until the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated.

Press release:

A graduation ceremony was held on Feb 4 at the NYS Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls to recognize officers from across New York State who completed the intense two-week training school to become certified D.A.R.E. instructors. 

Officer Miah Stevens, the Department's officer assigned to the Batavia City School District as a School Resource Officer, completed the training and was recognized for her hard work and dedication to the D.A.R.E. program.

Officer Stevens is now certified to teach the D.A.R.E. curriculum to grades K-12. 

D.A.R.E. is more than just a "drug-resistance" curriculum. The D.A.R.E. Mission and Vision statements embody what the revamped program consists of; The D.A.R.E. Mission “Teaching students good decision-making skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives.”

The D.A.R.E. Vision, “A world in which students everywhere are empowered to respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance use, and other dangerous behaviors.”

"We look forward to partnering with the Batavia city school district to deliver this important curriculum to students in the district and continue to build relationships throughout the community." stated chief Shawn Heubusch. "Congratulations to officer stevens on completing such an important and intense training curriculum."

Oakfield-Alabama beat Alexander in girls basketball on Thursday night, 55-49.

For the Hornets:

• Caitlin Ryan   13 points., 8 rebounds
• Brooke Reding    13 points., 7 assists, 3 steals
• Makena Reding   10 points., 2 steals
• Kelsey  Schlagenhauf   9 points., 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists

For the Trojans:

• Riley Powell  14 points.
• Natalie Whitmore  13 points.
• Melanie Pohl  10 points.
• Emma Kramer 10 points

"This was an incredibly well played high school game, said O-A head coach Jeff Schlagenhauf. "Both teams played at a very high level. This was a great win for our kids. Marcia's teams are  extremely well coached and they play hard from start to finish. I think the largest lead tonight was 6 points."

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

Press release:

Brooke Tubbins, 41 of Batavia, pled guilty to one count of petit larceny in Batavia Town Court on February 1, 2022.  Sentencing has been adjourned to a later date.

Tubbins was originally charged with 3rd-degree grand larceny and 3 counts of filing a false instrument after failing to report income on two separate applications for SNAP benefits after an investigation by Genesee County Department of Social Services Investigator Robert Riggi.  Tubbins received $6215 in SNAP benefits she was not entitled to.

Full restitution has been made to the Genesee County Department of Social Services and Tubbins will be disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for one year.

Anyone wishing to report suspected cases of welfare fraud in Genesee County can contact the Genesee County Department of Social Services Fraud Unit at (585) 344-2580, ext. 6417 or 6541.

Christine Loranty shared these photos of cardinals and a blue jay in her backyard yesterday in Alexander.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) has written a letter to Gov. Hochul at the behest of school districts within the 139th Assembly District requesting that she put forward guidance to school districts that would provide a “path to normalcy” by ending all state-mandated COVID-19 mitigation measures and returning control of such policies to local school districts. 

In recent weeks, school district superintendents throughout the state have called for the creation of such a plan, following an over 90% decrease in new COVID-19 cases statewide since infections peaked on Jan. 7.

“If we’re looking at the data to guide our decisions as policymakers, it’s become clear the time has come to restore authority to local school districts to make the best decisions possible for students in their communities,” said Hawley. “I’ve always been guided by the belief that local decision-makers know how to best serve the interests of their neighbors. Throughout the pandemic our rural school districts have managed to implement creative and effective solutions to comply with mandates, as difficult as that’s been with how many students lack reliable broadband access. 

“If their rightful authority to design and enforce policies of this nature is returned to them, I’m certain the measures they choose to implement will be ones that both enhance the learning experience for students and protect their health, without disrupting their education.”

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement after voting against the partisan, costly, and unserious America COMPETES Act that fails to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable.

“China presents one of the greatest national security threats our nation faces today and for the foreseeable future – that is why I proudly cosponsored the China Task Force Act that combined bipartisan policies into a comprehensive package to address the CCP’s malign activities and bolster our nation’s competitiveness. I also have been a strong supporter of the CHIPS Act, which supports the domestic manufacturing of semiconductors. Sadly, instead of addressing these issues head-on, the America COMPETES Act is riddled with unserious partisan policies that would funnel billions of American taxpayer dollars to China and climate change initiatives with zero accountability. If Democrats were serious about addressing the very real threat China poses, they would’ve kept on the bipartisan track of negotiating serious legislation, not a package that wastes more taxpayer money on unrelated partisan priorities the same week as the national debt hit a record $30,000,000,000,000.”

Press release:

Artists of all kinds are invited to submit work to GO ART! for our 5th Annual Art of the Rural Juried Show. GO ART! is so excited to have the opportunity to open our Bank of Castile Main, Oliver’s, and Batavia Club galleries to a variety of artists for this show. 

Gallery Coordinator Mary Jo Whitman said  “We are thrilled to be able to bring back the “Art of the Rural” Juried Exhibit this year.  We have always had such a great turnout and community response to this annual exhibit.  It is a fabulous opportunity for artists of every level to showcase their talents while exploring the theme ‘rural’.”

Entries of any media, no larger than 36”x48” will be accepted from February 23rd through March 4th at 201 E Main St in Batavia (Seymour Place) durning gallery hours. All works must be original and created by the submitting artist. No previous submissions are permitted.  Entries must be accompanied by an entry form as well as an entry fee of $30 that will cover the submission of 5 pieces for Members and 3 for Non Members, additional submissions will cost $5 each. Entry forms can be found at goart.org/upcoming-exhibitions. Absolutely no entries will be accepted after March 4th. A jury of selection will review all entries and will choose artwork to be displayed in the exhibit. Notification, by email, of the jury’s decisions will be made by March 12, 2022. 

Accepted art will then be displayed in our The Art of the Rural Exhibit that will run from March 16th through April 30th, with an Opening Reception to be held on March 22nd from 6-9pm. All are invited to this free reception! Tavern 2.o.1 will be open and on reception night cash prizes will be announced and awarded. 

A four-vehicle accident, believed to be with minor injuries, is reported in the area of 9441 Alexander Road, Alexander.

Alexander Fire and ambulance, along with Mercy EMS responding.

City Fire is responding to 541 East Main St., Batavia, where there is an alarm of fire along with a report of smoke coming from an apartment.

A first responder reports nothing showing. The apartment complex is being evacuated.

UPDATE 4:29 a.m.: Smoke is due to somebody cooking. No fire.

A house fire is reported at 31 Walnut Street, Batavia.

Dispatchers report multiple calls.

UPDATE 3:22 a.m.: City  Fire on scene reporting light smoke out of second-story window.  A patrol officer first on scene reported the fire may have originated in a downstairs kitchen and extended upstates.

UPDATE 3:23 a.m.: All platoons recalled to headquarters.

UPDATE 3:48 a.m.: All occupants were out of the two residences safely.  The fire is out and firefighters are conducting overhaul and checking for extensions.

UPDATE Friday morning:

Press release:

On Friday, February 4, 2022, at 3:16 a.m., the City of Batavia Fire Department responded to a reported house fire at 31 Walnut St. in the City of Batavia.  Initial fire units arrived to find smoke emanating from a two-and-a-half-story, two-family home.  Fire crews entered the home to find a fire in the kitchen that was quickly extinguished.  Three occupants were home at the time of the fire and escaped unharmed prior to the fire department's arrival.  Residents are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.    

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental by City of Batavia Fire Department fire investigators.   

The City of Batavia Fire Department was assisted by the City of Batavia Police and Water Departments, Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center, the American Red Cross, National Grid and National Fuel.

These closings and cancellations have been announced for Friday, Feb 4, 2022:

• Batavia City Schools
• Elba Central Schools
• Byron-Bergen Central Schools
• BOCES Batavia Campus
• Oakfield Central Schools
• John Kennedy Intermediate School's Polar Plunge has been rescheduled to Feb. 11 at 3:30 p.m.
• GCC's Batavia campus is closed.
• Richmond Memorial Library is closed.
• The Byron-Bergen Public Library is closed.

Send closings and cancellations to news@thebatavian.com.

Press release:

Today Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) introduced the Kids in Classes Act, which redirects Title I education money to students in the event a school shuts down in-person education. The bill is a companion to Senate legislation introduced by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Richard Burr (R-NC). The legislation led by Jacobs in the House has 12 original cosponsors.

“For two years we have seen the damaging impacts of remote learning on our students. When schools are shut down, our children’s education suffers – this is unacceptable,” Jacobs said. “I am proud to join my Senate colleagues in introducing this critical piece of legislation that will ensure students are given consistent and uninterrupted access to in-person learning and quality education. Additionally, this legislation promotes school choice and access to the best educational outlets and services for low-income kids.”

“School closures have failed America’s children, particularly students in marginalized communities whose families are living paycheck-to-paycheck,” Senator Scott said. “As districts continue to bow to the demands of labor unions, we must ensure our nation’s children are protected from further learning loss and isolation. Enabling all kids to achieve the American Dream starts with giving all kids the education they deserve—no matter their zip code.”

“When teachers' unions have more say in a child’s education than that child’s own parent, we have a problem,” Dr. Cassidy said. “The science is clear, kids need to be in the classroom. Our bill empowers parents to choose what is best for their child’s education.”

“Students are more successful when they are in the classroom, parents know that and data proves it,” Senator Burr said. “This legislation will help keep children in the classroom by giving families the option to continue using Title I funds at a different, in-person school should their child’s current public school close because of COVID-19. I’m proud to work with Senators Scott and Cassidy on this important legislation to help families avoid the devastating impacts of unnecessary school closures.”

The Kids in Classes Act will allow for Title I funding to follow children if their schools close due to COVID-19 or a strike. These funds could be used for a range of educational support services in the wake of schools not upholding commitments to in-person learning, including curriculum and curricular materials, instruction materials, tutoring/educational classes outside of the home, private school tuition, and educational therapies for students with disabilities.
 

Press release from State Sen. Ed Rath:

As the Congressional, Senate, and Assembly map lines come into focus, one thing is clear: the will of the people was ignored. In 2014, the voters of New York resoundingly supported a constitutional amendment creating an Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC). This amendment made it crystal clear that New Yorkers wanted legislative lines drawn in a fair, non-partisan fashion. 

This past November, the voters spoke again – furthering their support of an independent process for redistricting. Twice in 7 years. 

Both of these referenda were completely ignored, sidestepped and bypassed by Democrats in the Legislature. 

Now, we are seeing the results: communities that have been bound together for years have been separated with little public notice and no public input on these maps.  Make no mistake, this is the least transparent redistricting the state has ever seen.  Plain and simple, too many communities in Western New York and the state are losing a voice. And in return for what? New York City is gaining two new Senate districts to further its partisan agenda.  It's proposals like this, which we are seeing from this majority, that is the reason why people across our state do not trust our government.  

This is not good government, nor the intention of the IRC. It’s more hyper-partisan politics, as usual, out of Albany.  

There has not been one public hearing on these maps nor any public input.  This is unacceptable.  

Press release:

Sunday, February 6th, 2022 the Botts-Fiorito Post #576, American Legion will host the 78th Annual Commemoration Ceremony to be conducted with a brief program at Trigon Park, in Le Roy at 1 p.m.

Four Chaplains Day is celebrated every year in recognition of four military chaplains who acted in the spirit of heroic sacrifice and humanitarianism onboard a sinking ship.

Due to COVID considerations, this years program will consist of an outside remembrance program and placement of the wreath at the Monument of the “Four Chaplains” in Trigon Park

At 1 p.m., the opening ceremony begins

• Placement of “Colors”
• Brief history of the event
• Ceremonial remembrance
• Closing and retrieval of the “Colors”

All are welcome to a Reception and refreshments immediately following the ceremony at the Botts-Fiorito Post #576, 53 West Main St., Le Roy.

"Sometimes Memories Sneak out of my Eyes and Roll Down my Cheeks." -- Author Unknown

I can remember every inch of her small home on 25 South Street. I loved watching Lawrence Welk with her on Saturday nights. Her house always smelled like something homemade, especially her bread. Every Sunday, she would bring a dessert to our house. She shared her baking and cooking with her pastor and her mailman as she would leave her side door open so the mailman could take his weekly loaf of bread.

Her Catholic religion was a significant part of her life. She had a weekly ritual of going to St. Francis Cemetery to water the family flowers. I remember saying to her that I didn't know we had so many relatives, and she said they are not all relatives, just people who need us to water their lonely plants. Then, I remember her taking me to the Shrine of the Martyrs in Auriesville, NY, with the Rosary Altar Society members. She was president for 37 years. I swear that the bus ride was nine hours long.    I was always so proud of her for helping the sodality women up the steps of the bus and leading them to their seats. Then I realized she was their age.   

That ride from Batavia to Leroy always seemed so long because we had that ritual of saying the rosary. We always had to go to church early to get that good seat in the first pew. One Sunday, I didn't put my nickel in the collection basket at church and lied about it. When I got back to her house, I asked if I could walk to the corner store because I had found a nickel. That was the day I literally learned that lying doesn't pay.

In 1972,  I got my first teaching job in Leroy, NY. Taking my third-grade class to her house was such a great memory, remembering her smiling at my students and giving them one of her favorite molasses cookies.

She had an old 1962 Chevy that we all seemed to have owned one time or another. After we were married in 1974, we ended up with 62. The one thing you would never do is take down all of the statues that lined the dashboard. It was like a traveling altar. So one day, we were driving home from Batavia, and my husband said, you better turn all those statues to face the road because we have no brakes. We somehow made it to our apartment on Lake Street, and we believe Grandma and all her saints got us home safely.

My mind seems to be fixated on memories the older I get, and lately, I have been just thinking about my Grandma and how much I loved her and respected her.   I continue to miss her every day; my mother always told me I reminded her of her mother. She's the one that taught me how to cook, bake, pray, and crochet. That's probably true because today I have my list of people I pray for; I go to church early to get that good seat, crochet, and am told I make pretty good spaghetti sauce.   My grandmother died in 1983, our hearts were broken, but today my heart is filled with memories of her and all she taught me.

At her funeral at St. Joseph's Church in Le Roy, Father Zupa said when you pray, you now have another saint in heaven to pray to, Jennie Bellow. It is funny how memories take you back to an exact time, and you feel them drip down your cheek. Our memories are unique because they belong to us. To all the grandmothers young, old, and have passed, thank you, you are treasured. 

Rosie, this is dedicated to you. We shared the same Grandma and her love.

Porfirio Gabriel has worked for Torrey Farms in Elba for 13 years and helps the Torreys recruit workers from Mexico, specifically Comachuen, to obtain H2A temporary visas and work planting onions and harvesting squash, cabbage, and beans each year.

These workers, Gabriel told NPR for a recent story about money sent from workers back to Mexico to help support local economies, have helped Comachuen families receive as much as $5 million over three years, by far the town's largest source of income.

These funds sent to Mexico, called remittances, may have exceeded $50 billion for the first time last year, according to the story.

Travis Torrey sent the link to the NPR story to The Batavian noting that as regulators try to limit the number of hours farmer workers can labor each week they're really hurting the people they say they're trying to help.

"I think you can see that coming to WNY to work is their version of the ‘American dream,’" Torrey said. "Everyone that has come here has bettered themselves and families.  The inhumanity is denying them the opportunity.

"Without the farmworkers, there would be no farms," he added. "The same can be said if there are no farms there are no farmworkers."

A week ago, the state's Farm Labor Board, on a 2-1 vote, recommended the overtime threshold for farmworkers be lowered from 60 hours a week to 40 hours a week.

Both farmer-owners and farmworkers have repeatedly spoken out against the rule change over the past few years saying that workers will seek jobs in states that don't restrict potential earnings.

Torrey notes the rule change will hurt workers like Gabriel when they get their hours cut.

From the NPR story:

Gabriel is resigned to working in the United States as long as he can. He sends home about $7,500 each year from what he earns working the fields. That money is largely used to fund his children's education, paying private college fees so his eldest son can be a registered nurse.

His hope is that his children will get university degrees and not have to emigrate. "I am paying for their studies, so that they don't have to do what we had to do," Gabriel says.