It seems lots of people like to speak with no knowledge base.  Mr. Mallow seems to be the prime offender, although obviously he is not alone.

These are the facts that are not disputed:

The sign belonged to the merchants and was taken down and destroyed by the city.  The city has confirmed this in the past and we have that documentation.

The city owns the concourse. 

State laws give tenants specific rights in absence of lease documents to the contrary.

The city has never given us a lease, despite multiple requests for one.

What is in dispute is who is responsible for what.  We keep trying to negotiate these points and the city keeps stalling hoping to never resolve them.  We believe we have certain responsibilities and believe the city, as concourse owner has others.  The city may have another view, but we can't get any meaningful negotiation to even know what that is.

We have been misled and need resolution.  Mr. Mallow has poisoned any possibility of negotiation. That is why the law suit is being filed.

For those of you who rent, would you expect to make structural changes, such as a new roof?  I would guess not.  Would you have been patient enough to wait years.  I think not.  We have gone out of our way to work with the city.  Unfortunately some of the representatives of the city, especially  Mr. Mallow ,just want to stay in the papers without allowing for any resolution.

Mr. Roach also disappoints me.  I assume this relates to some political aspirations.  Prior to this year he was our advocate.  Reputation is something valuable.  One should not sell it cheaply.  Perhaps you can think this out before continuing, or at least speak with us to see both sides.

I am proud to represent Genessee County on the Women for Powers committee. Our women volunteers here in Genesee County have been meeting each Tuesday evening reaching out to other women by telephone about the issues that are important to them and their families here in Genesee County. What is clear about the conversations that we are having is the need for real change in Washington. Women here in Genesee County are concerned about gas prices, education, health care and the environment -- to name a few. A dialog like this is vital and represents a true women to women outreach about issues that matter to us most. We are then able to pass these concerns to Jon Powers and his campaign. What is unique about this is the conversation. 

          POWERS CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES WOMEN FOR POWERS COMMITTEE    WILLIAMSVILLE, NY – The Powers for Congress Campaign is pleased to announce the formation Women for Powers. As a dedicated group of volunteers, Women for Powers works tirelessly to help elect Jon by calling other women voters, knocking on doors, and introducing Jon and his campaign to their friends and neighbors. "I am supporting Jon because he knows the needs of Western New York and the changes that need to take place," said Molly Ciocca, Chairwoman of Women for Powers. "He's the one that can get us there." "I am thrilled to have the support of everyone involved in Women for Powers," said Powers. "These ladies are community leaders, professionals and tireless advocates for a safer and stronger Western New York. They have been integral to the success of our grassroots campaign. I value their friendship and support."

A local groom spent his honeymoon in jail this weekend. Forty-five-year-old Timothy T. Cole, of 16 Walnut St., Batavia, was charged with a felony count of first-degree criminal contempt Friday night following his wedding, city police said. Police responded to a report of a domestic dispute and allegedly found that Cole had married "the very same person that he was barred from going near." He was sent to Genesee County Jail without bail.

Jamie M. McGiveron, 32, of Akron, was charged with felony driving while intoxicated following a crash in the town of Pembroke Saturday afternoon, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. McGiveron allegedly drove into a home on Indian Falls Road, then into and out of a cornfield and back out onto the road. He suffered minor injuries but refused medical treatment.

McGiveron was sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $2,500 bail. He was also ticketed with failure to keep right, driving left of pavement parkings and moving from the lane unsafely.

Kelly J. Spenton, 35, of Oakfield, was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Spenton is accused of interfering with an investigation conducted by the Department of Social Services Child Protection Services during the month of July.

Tom Rivers was in Pike Saturday for the start of the Wyoming County Fair in today's Daily News. For complete fair info, including show times, schedule changes and admission prices, visit the Fair Web site.

Rivers also features an interview with state Senate hopeful Joe Mesi, who said: "Job creation and job stability are the main reasons I'm in this campaign. This is more than statistics to me. It's happening to me."

Pick up a copy of the paper to check out these and other stories. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

Get ready for some barbecue. A fundraiser in memory of David J. Pettinella Jr. (1981-2005) will be held August 30 to benefit the Batavia Senior Little League. Come by Williams Park between 11:00am to 3:00pm—or until the food is sold out—for a pulled pork barbecue dinner cooked by Frank Penna. For $9 you get a pulled pork sandwich, salt potatoes and coleslaw. Drinks will be available for purchase.

For tickets, call Kathy at (585) 409-6300, or Leanna at (585) 738-7388.

Above photo available courtesy of the Creative Commons License.

The Genesee County towns of Stafford, Bethany and Alexander will be holding municipal meetings tonight at their respective town halls. The Batavian has received the agendas for these meetings. They can be downloaded by clicking on the links below.

• Stafford Agenda
• Bethany Agenda
• Alexander Agenda

An undercover Batavia police officer posing as a 15-year-old boy has led to the arrest of 44-year-old Dalton E. Wilke, of Conesus, who has been charged with persuading or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. Wilke could face between 10 years and life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He was detained Friday.

Wilke is alleged to have engaged with the undercover officer in online chats between March and August, during which he made arrangements to meet with the 15-year-old in Batavia to engage in sexual activity. He was apprehended in Batavia while travelling to meet the individual he believed to be the 15-year-old boy.

Craig E. Pokornowski, 18, of Buffalo, was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon Friday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Deputies were told that Pokornowski was involved in a domestic incident at a home on Route 20 in the town of Darien that evening and was allegedly later discovered to be in possession of metal knuckles.

Philip S. Hall, 21, of 313 Bank St., Batavia, was charged with driving while intoxicated early Saturday morning, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Hall was stopped by deputies on Route 33 in the town of Batavia. He was also ticketed with operating with more than three passengers in the front seat.

Cory W. Swimline, 23, of Pembroke, was charged with driving while inoxicated early Saturday morning, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said.  Swimline was stopped by deputies on Route 5 in the town of Batavia. He was also ticketed with failure to keep right and possession of alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle.

All of the above arrests were reported in published releases by the departments.

Another YouTube discovery this morning -- a two-part radio interview with Bill Kauffman. The primary theme of the interview is anti-war conservativism.

The interview was broadcast on July 22, 2008 on 1250 AM WTMA talk radio in Charleston, South Carolina.

Just found on YouTube, a video of the July 31 Weiner Dog race at Batavia Downs.

The Democrat & Chronicle profiles LeRoy resident and sculptor Adriana Slutzky.

Slutzky's work has been featured in museums and galleries of the region, but it sounds like the best place to see her work is in her and her husband Jack's wooded backyard along Oatka Creek.

This Dutch-American artist had always relied on her high energy level — a necessity for anyone building large-scale sculptures that weigh several hundred pounds. In the past four years, she and Jack created a four-acre sculpture garden around their home. Open to the public, it features more than 40 of her highly accomplished pieces.

Much of that art celebrates female vitality. After her Jan. 24 stroke, Slutzky feared losing her own resilience. She's often fatigued and her blood pressure rises sharply at times.

"It's not the same for me," she says. "I understand I'm walking on the edge."

Now 65, she brings that heightened sense of urgency to her most recent garden sculpture. Full Moon will feature 28 female figures circling around a pool of blue glass.

"Maybe we'll have a ceremony when it's finished," she says. "We'll invite our friends to have a beer and howl at the moon."

The Slutzkys began the garden as an unorthodox open-air showcase for her work. Their heavily wooded property slopes from Oatka Trail to the trout-filled Oatka Creek — an arcadian setting with sculptures atop flower beds and patios.

"I try to fit in the art so it's a natural extension of the environment," says Jack, 71, a painter and writer.

A Google search turns up this photo by C.G. Hubbell of Diversity sculpture in Maplewood Park.  Rocwiki has an entry on The Seat of Forgetting and Remembering.

When we launched the Free Job postings, a couple of people suggested that we have a place for people to sell stuff.

Today, we're launching Buy, Sell, Trade -- free classified ads.  Any person registered with The Batavian can post ads for free. The ads must be posted by private individuals, not businesses, but can be for any physical goods.

So you guys that requested this -- please post some items to get the ball rolling!

UPDATE: Ooops, forgot to enable permissions for logged in users to be able to post a classified.  Done, now.  You can post by clicking here.

I don't want to get into the whole "mall" thing with public comments, but I need to say that the Batavia Mall was never a big seller here. Most were angry about the demolition of terrific historical buildings. (I remember them).  Yet the "Urban Renewal" thing took over, they took down Batavia's history, and built the most ugly structure this city has ever seen!  I used to fly kites in the parking lot in the early 1980s because it was EMPTY. 

The deal between the people in the mall and the city has never been good, just check the old archives of news. I'm only going on what I remember, my folks discussing it, and my ability to have an open space downtown (parking lot) to fly a kite, where there used to be buildings, cars and people! The so-called Mall has been a failure since day one. God Bless the folks who try (& have tried in the past) to keep it alive. It's a dead horse and has been since they built it. 

Now we're concerned about bird droppings and new signs to bring more people to visit a dead horse? It's like inviting people to a cemetary. There are many great places on Main St. & Ellicott St. for rent that would help to bring the people back, and the rent is less (Remember help from B.I.D, grants, low interst loans, etc).The few survivors of the "Genesee Country Mall" would still see their patrons if they moved to a cheaper, better place.

Maybe raze part of it, and let the kids fly kites, or better yet, let them play football.

We need government that works TOGETHER! 

Muckdog's manager Mark DeJohn gets a favorable write up from the Centre Daily Times, the newspaper that covers the State College Spikes.

What would the 2008 State College Spikes resemble if Curve Baseball LP decided to extend its Player Development Contract with the St. Louis Cardinals after 2006?

The answer to this question rests in Batavia, N.Y.

For starters, they would have the same manager. Mark DeJohn, whose fiery moments left lasting impressions in State College, manages the Cardinals’ New York-Penn League affiliate for a fourth straight year.

...

“I think it’s good to be young so you have some time to develop,” DeJohn said. “I prefer the high school guy over the college guy as long as the tools are the same. It gives us a chance to take them for four, possibly three, years that he would have been in college and kind of teach him our way of playing and how to play the game a little bit better than how they are taught in college.

“There are growing pains with it. We make mistakes like everybody else, but that’s what you are here for, to teach them and you have to learn from experience. I like the fact that they are young because then it tells me that you have a future with some of the guys.”

Speaking of player development, Philadelphia Magazine profiles Chase Utley and his wife Jen.

For Immediate Release:
Rich.Vleck@ASCSracing.com

 J.J. Mazur and Pat Powers Snag Genesee Wins Before Rain
 Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY, (August 9, 2008)- The Genesee Speedway expected rain on Saturday, justnot as early as it arrived.
A pair of showers hit the Genesee Speedway on Saturday Evening, the first set the start back twohours, the next one threw it out the rest of the night.
The completion of the Castle Powered Late Model Feature from a week earlier and the ProfessionalDriver Institute Mini Stock Features were the only events that would be completed on Totem PoleSmoke Shop and Gas Night.After the first shower hit the track just before the posted starting time, the decision was madeto run a features only format, scratching the heats for the evening.  The drivers were given anopportunity to run hot laps to help work the track in.
The first feature out was the Late Model event.  Last week, it took 30 minutes to run six laps. 

This week the final 14 circuits would take a mere five minutes.
J.J. Mazur, who took the lead just before the postponement of the feature, took off on the restartand checked out on the pack for his second win of the season.
“After that first win, we couldn’t get ourselves out of a hole,” said Mazur.  “We were in the topand the middle groove most of the race, but really you could put it anywhere.”
The Batavia youngster had was able to drive away from his buddy Ron Mogavero, who was able to cardhis best finish of the season, holding off a fast Jason Boyle for second.
Justin Chaddock was fast on the cushion but would struggle to make forward progress, as he wouldfinish in fourth.  Dave DuBois would round out the top-five to strengthen his point lead.

 The PDI Trucking School Mini Stock Feature was off to a fast start, with Mike Sweeney movingaround Pat Powers on the second lap and strengthening his advantage.  After a lap 7 caution forpoint leader Brandon Aradine though, Powers would make a pass on the restart and would lead untilthe final caution on the night, which would fall for rain.  The checkered flag would also bedisplayed at that point.
It was the first win this year for Powers, of Dale, the seventh different driver to score a victoryin the highly competitive division.
Mike Sweeney would place in second, with youngster Dylan Cecee third.  Dan Norton and SamanthaBurch would complete the top-five.As the caution and checkered fell in the mini stock feature, a massive thunderstorm would move inand cancel the remainder of the cards.  With less than half of the program completed, ticket and

pit stubs will be honored next weekend.  For more information, visit www.GeneseeSpeedway.com.

Genesee Speedway Results: 8/9/2008-
Totem Pole Smoke Shop & Gas Night
 Castle Powered Late Model Feature Completion from 8/2 (20 Laps)- JJ MAZUR, Ron Mogavero, Jason

Boyle, Tim Kaufman, Justin Chaddock, Dave DuBois, Pete Waldron, Aaron Johnson, Billy Burd, Rich

Hale, Jon Rivers, Doug Jones, Jim Johnson, Terry Pangrazio, Bob Babbitt, Jason Bridge, Brian

Farnsworth, Mike Childrose, Scooter Pangrazio.
 
Lap Leaders- Mogavero 1-5, Mazur 6-20.

 
Professional Driver Institute Mini Stock Feature (15 Laps)- PAT POWERS, Mike Sweeney, Dylan Cecee,

Dan Norton, Samantha Burch, Randy Barclay, Ed Neal, Alan Kemp, Duane Pingrey, Jason Hull, Mark

Forsha, Byron Dewitt, Brandon Aradine, Tom Amico, Rick Johnson.

 Lap Leaders- Powers 1, Sweeney 2-7, Powers 8-15.

On September 4th at 7:00 p.m., the Holland Land Office Museum is proud to host a book signing for The Bills Are Due by Attica author, Rob Thompson.

 The book is a candid look at Western New York’s favorite football team, the Buffalo Bills. The book is full of personal interviews with Bill’s greats including Jack Kemp, Billy Shaw, Fred Smerlas and Frank Reich. There are interviews with 14 ex-Bills in all.

Thompson’s interviews of the former Bills are fantastic. He gets the players to open up about topics like,  the Bills possible move to Toronto, their favorite Western New York memories and how the NFL Players Union treats its former players.

In the book, Thompson pays tribute to the generation of players who made the Bills what they are today. It is a great insiders look at the team. The chapter on Fred Smerlas made me laugh out loud. The author successfully captures the attitude and personality of the players.

Scheduled to appear with Thompson that night are former Bills, J.D. Hill and Donnie Green. The book is available right now at the Joseph Ellicott Book and Gift Shop in the Holland Land Office Museum. We will have limited copies available for sale that evening. The price of the book is $20.95 and is a must read for any sports fan. Start your Christmas shopping early, pick the book up, have the author sign it, and who knows, maybe a couple of former players!

Genesee County's Summer Youth Theater Program will present Jesus Christ, Superstar at Batavia High School August 14, 15 and 16. Tickets are available during rehearsals at Batavia High School, at Roxy’s Music Store on 228 West Main Street in Batavia or at GO ART! at 201 East Main Street, Batavia. Tickets are $10 for Adults and $8 for Students and Senior Citizens. Call (585) 343-9721 for more information.

Eric M. Doud, 33 of Stafford, was charged with second-degree criminal contempt Wednesday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Doud allegedly violated an order of protection during a domestic dispute in Batavia. He was sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $250 bail.

Joseph R. Lantz, 21, of Perry, was charged with second-degree criminal contempt Thursday, city police said. Lantz allegedly violated an order of protection by visiting a residence on Main Street in Batavia.

 With many Muckdogs being moved up to Quad Cities these last few weeks, we have a few players joining our team from Johnson City.  Here's a look at our two newest players:

• Adam Veres- Pitcher: Veres leaves Johnson City with a record of 2-2 and an ERA of 2.38.  In 22 and 1/3 innings, he has 22 hits, 13 runs (6 earned), 7 walks and 32 strikeouts.  Originally from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Veres played at St. Petersoburg JC.  In his Muckdog debut yesterday, he threw 3 innings with 4 hits and 6 strikeouts.
• Jairo Martinez- Outfield: In Johnson City, Martinez was batting .247 with 4 homeruns and 17 RBI through 30 games.  Hopefully he will be able to help out the Muckdogs by continuing his high on-base percentage of .781.  He is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2005.

Also to note, player features of pitchers Thomas Eager and George Brown and outfielder/first baseman Shane Peterson are up on the Muckdogs website, courtesy of the Redwings staff.  Be sure to check them out!