Announcements

Genesee Community College's Board of Trustees on Monday evening approved a new Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree program in Polysomnographic Technology -- the evaluation and diagnosis of more than 100 sleep disorders.

The degree is the first of its kind in any college or university in New York State.

With the Board's approval, the program will now be submitted to the State University of New York for approval, and later, to the New York State Education Department. The college expects the program to begin this fall and anticipates 35 students to be enrolled, according to Eunice Bellinger, Ph.D, executive vice president for Academic Affairs.

Full-time students can complete the intensive 66-credit program in four semesters. Graduates will be eligible to sit for the national Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) examination. New York State is expected to soon require licensing of polysomnographic technologists, and Genesee graduates will be eligible for licensure.

Polysomnographic technology is one of the fastest growing fields in medicine. Its technicians work closely with physicians to diagnose sleep-related problems and provide support services to patients. They usually work in "sleep laboratories," where patients with sleep problems spend one or more nights under intensive clinical observation. Technologists monitor patients' breathing, blood oxygen levels, brain waves, eye movements, muscle tone and other clinical variables. They use a variety of highly specialized clinical equipment, such as electroencephalograph, electrooculograph, electromyograph and electrocardiograph machines to assist in diagnosis. Technologists also counsel patients in the use of respiratory and sleep devices that aid in sleep hygiene.

Courses include Anatomy and Physiology, Physiology of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Study Instrumentation, Sleep Disorders, Environmental Chemistry, General Psychology, as well as four courses in Polysomnography and general education courses. The academic program also includes two clinical practice courses giving students the opportunity practice their skills in a sleep lab.

Sleep disorders are getting increased attention throughout the medical community. Bellinger told trustees that "sleep disorders are often associated with other medical conditions, such as obesity. Medical technology has given us a variety of ways to assess and diagnose neurological, cardiac and muscular problems during sleep and, ultimately, help patients lead healthier lives. We are looking forward to adding this Polysomnographic Technology program to our academic offerings, and making valuable new contributions to the health of people in our local communities."

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, I, C - Batavia) has been named to the New York
Farm Bureau's 2009 "Circle of Friends" for the fourth consecutive year.

This award is given to distinguish an individual lawmaker's support of the state's agriculture and Farm Bureau initiatives, as exemplified in the lawmakers' voting record on issues of importance to New York agriculture and other legislative actions, including sponsorship of legislation.

Hawley, who was one of 84 legislators named to the circle for 2009, said: "This honor is very gratifying for me as a former hog and crop farmer who served as the former Genesee County Farm Bureau president, continual Farm Bureau member, and former Farm Bureau host of the radio program 'Tri-County Commentary' on WBTA.

"As a legislator, I have worked very hard to promote and protect the farms and agri-businesses throughout our state, but most especially those in Western New York which are so important to our economy and quality of life."

According to New York Farm Bureau President Dean Norton, in the 2009 legislative session Hawley was one of the most vocal legislators who opposed the Farm Labor Bill, which many dubbed the "Farm Death Bill." Hawley also was active in the fight for farmers by holding a rally to raise awareness for the plight of dairy farmers, testifying at a United States Senate hearing on the subject and calling on the Governor to appropriate some of the remaining federal stimulus dollars toward the cause.

The Assemblyman, who is also a member of the Assembly Agriculture Committee,
said at the time, "Here, in Western New York, agriculture is the backbone of our economy and I firmly believe that our rural economy deserves the same support given to failed Wall Street companies, like AIG."

Do these gray days leave you craving a little color? Well chase away the winter doldrums this Friday at The Artisan Center!

Kim Argenta, owner of Art Ah La Carte is offering an acrylic painting class at 6:30 p.m. at the site of the newly established Artisan Center at 56 Harvester Avenue in Batavia. The four-week workshop is $12 per class and can accommodate both beginners as well as more advanced painters.

Kim says, “I spend time with everyone so I can work at their level.” Art Ah La Carte is located on the first floor, street-side level next to Hot Shots Café & Bistro. Cost of the workshop includes supplies.

Other classes offered this month at Art Ah La Carte include:

ALTERED TINS - A FUN WAY TO RECYCLE OLD TIN BOXES INTO KEEPSAKES FOR YOUR SMALL TREASURES: Tuesday, January12TH and 19TH @ 6:30 PM TO 7:30 PM/ 2 week class; cost is $20. (Suitable for teens and adults)

ACRYLIC PAINTING- Beginners or more experienced invited to attend. Cost is $12 per class. Fridays, starting January 15th running 4weeks @ 6:30pm class runs 1hour.

WATERCOLOR- Wednesday, January 13th & January 27th @ 6:30 pm-8pm. Cost is $10. For beginners or more advanced.

PRIVATE PARTIES: Private parties for adults and children. Also badge earning for 4H and Scouts. Or plan a girl’s night out at your place or mine!

Reservations are required; for additional information, including details about hosting special events or birthday parties, contact Kim Argenta at 585.245.1655 or visit artalc.vpweb.com

For more information about The Artisan Center, contact Patricia Hawley at phawley@mancusogroup.com or by calling 585.343.3329

 The Genesee Community College Foundation is seeking nominations for its Alumni Hall of Fame, which recognizes those alumni who have achieved outstanding success and made a lasting impact on the community.

The foundation will induct its fourth group of honorees in a ceremony on March 24 at the Batavia campus.

"We have some outstanding alumni in our communities," said Jackie Christenson, Genesee's alumni coordinator. "This is our opportunity to recognize them and honor them for their service, dedication and success. They serve as great examples to our current students and we hope that they inspire students to be successful and serve their communities as they go out into the world."

The criteria for nominating an individual to the College Alumni Hall of Fame are based on the individual's contributions to his or her profession, distinguished service to the community and/or service to Genesee Community College.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from Genesee Community College's alumni website: (www.genesee.edu/alumni/HallofFame/  <http://www.genesee.edu/alumni/HallofFame/ > ) and emailed or sent to the Genesee Community College Alumni Office.

Nominations may be submitted by the nominee or by friends, family, work associates or other colleagues who are familiar with the nominee. All nominations received by Feb.1 will be considered by the Selection Committee.

New inductees will be honored at a reception and their photo and a short biography will be featured on a plaque displayed in the Alumni Hall of Fame, located on the second floor of the Conable Technology Building.

Genesee Community College's Alumni Hall of Fame inductees currently include:

Ann M. Bell, '88, retired executive director of the Genesee Region Independent Living Center; Joseph H. Bell, '79, vice president of Global Process and Product Integrity at Moog, Inc., and managing director for Moog operations in Bangalore, India; Monica H. Dawson, '72, co-owner and secretary/treasurer of Shepard, Maxwell and Hale Insurance Agency; Wanda Frank, '97, WBTA 1490 Radio Host; Steven G. Hyde, '82, president and CEO of Genesee County Economic Development Center; Gary T. Maha, '76, Sheriff of Genesee County; Jerry Reinhart, '71, founder of Access Rentals and president of Reinhart Enterprises, Inc.; Ellen Ryan,'76, early supporter of Genesee Community College and active community member; Paula Savage, '76, director of tourism for the Greater Rochester Visitors Association; George Schaefer, '76, clerk of the Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office in Norfolk, Virginia; Paula Schaefer, 79, Virginia House of Delegates 87th District – Norfolk; Lori Stupp, '89, regional director of United Way and a member of the AAA Speakers Bureau; and Peggy Weissend, '99, registered Community Health nurse with the Genesee County Health Department.

Meet Anne Lithiluxa, your local reporter for the television station  YNN ( Your News Now) of Rochester.

Anne is the new local reporter for YNN. Anne is seen above interviewing Paul and Bridget Ohlson, Founders of Care-A-Van Ministries after the morning out in the cold. Anne heard about Care-A-Van Ministries and came out this morning to do a live special on the great things that  Care-A-Van, the Lord and the folks here in Batavia are doing.  She traveled along with the bus over to Central Avenue where 30 famlies received groceries.

Anne's special story on Care-A-Van will be shown live on YNN News this evening, Saturday, January 9th. Time Warner Cable Subcribers can view the story on YNN. The stations will vary depending on your geographical area.  My understanding is that the story will be shown for 24 hours on YNN.

Please give Anne a warm hearty welcome to the city.

A special thanks to  Anne  and YNN for coming out this morning and showing how the people in Batavia go forth to make a difference to help others in need.

The 24 Hour Hotline for YNN is 1-888-278-9889

The Genesee County Health Department is offering free H1N1 flu clinics for the public at its offices in County Building II, located at 3837 W. Main St., Batavia. These are walk-in clinics; no appointment is necessary.

The next clinic is from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 8. The others are noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13 and Thursday, Jan. 21.

With the recent snowfall throughout Western New York, the 2010 snowmobile season is off to a great start. This is a popular recreation throughout Western New York and law enforcement agencies want snowmobile operators to have a fun and safe season.

The New York State Park Police and State Police are working with the local Sheriff’s Offices, Forest Rangers, Department of Environmental Conservation and snowmobile clubs to promote safe driving on the trails throughout Western New York. 

During the 2008-2009 snowmobile season, there were more than 21,000 registered snowmobiles in the Western New York area. There were also a total of 55 snowmobile accidents in WNY, 47 resulted in injuries and three were fatal. According to the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation, there were 323 snowmobile accidents statewide, unsafe speed was the primary cause of 86 percent of the accidents and alcohol was identified as a factor in half of last year’s fatal accidents.

Today, New York State Park Police Major David Page made this announcement:

“The State Park Police and the State Office of Parks are committed to actions that result in a safe and enjoyable snowmobiling experience for snowmobilers, the landowners who host the snowmobile-trail system and motorists who encounter snowmobiles at road crossings and trailheads. Through enforcement actions, education and coordinated planning with other law enforcement agencies and the snowmobile community, we will make every effort to help keep snowmobiling a safe recreational activity. We will continue to prioritize the enforcement of snowmobile speed limits, and operating-while-intoxicated laws, both of which continue to be the primary factors in fatal snowmobile accidents.

"Through a joint effort, law enforcement agencies and snowmobile clubs, hope to provide safe and enjoyable trails for snowmobile enthusiasts. This will be done through education, such as safety courses and reaching out to the community and strict enforcement. Snowmobilers will see law enforcement officers on the trails, providing assistance and enforcing laws. New York State Police Major Christopher L. Cummings, Troop “A” Commander stated, 'Law enforcement agencies throughout Western New York will be committed to ensuring the safety of snowmobilers utilizing the trails this season.  We will be coordinated and unified in our enforcement actions to identify persons who choose to operate a snowmobile in violation of the law.'”

The law enforcement agencies throughout Western New York would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable snowmobile season and also caution snowmobilers to obey the laws for everyone’s safety.

SNOWMOBILE SAFETY TIPS

•    Do not operate a snowmobile under the influence of alcohol or drugs
•    Follow speed limit signs, the mandatory speed limit is 55 mph unless posted otherwise
•    Always wear a helmet and appropriate clothing
•    Snowmobiles must be properly registered and insured
•    Advise family or friends where you will be sledding and when you plan on returning
•    Have a survival pack or emergency supplies on hand
•    Consider taking a snowmobile safety course
•    Check the weather conditions

United Memorial Medical Center held a Code Amber drill on Dec. 29 at the main hospital facility on North Street in Batavia. The mock scenario involved a 10-year-old child who walked away from her patient room under the premise that she did not want to have surgery.

Kaylee MacIntyre, a fifth grader at Alexander Central School and her mother, Stacy Wirth, volunteered to portray the missing child and worried mother. The drill was not announced to the hospital staff prior to the actual event. The child’s absence was noticed immediately and in order to test the hospital’s emergency protocols, the drill was allowed to proceed.

United Memorial frequently holds drills to test its emergency preparedness and assess the readiness of staff if a real incident occured. This event was held in collaboration with the City of Batavia Police Department, which responded to the call and assessed the efforts of the facility in carrying out lockdown and search efforts. Video monitoring of public-access areas was beneficial in tracking the path of departure used by the child and the response of staff in search efforts. The drill also allowed the hospital to test its radio operations.

UMMC apologizes for any inconvenience the drill process may have caused visitors, and hopes they understand the importance of practicing and drilling for possible emergency situations. The safety of patients, staff and visitors is a priority for the organization. Additional drills are held throughout the year pertaining to fire, evacuation, contamination, and multiple casualties.

United Memorial Medical Center has promoted Daniel P. Ireland from vice president of clinical support services to the position of vice president of operations.
 
Ireland has had a long and varied career at United Memorial. He began in 1990 as an orderly/medic and progressed to floor nurse on a medical/surgical unit. He worked as the emergency department nurse manager at the time of the Amtrak train disaster in 1994. In 1998, he was IT clinical analyst, an administrative analyst in 2001 and director of quality management in December 2004. He assumed the administrative duties of ancillary departments and Hope Haven and was promoted to vice president of clinical support services in 2005.
 
Ireland has oversight of many of UMMC’s capital improvement projects including the Jerome Center diagnostic and housing renovations, the surgical expansion project, and the physical therapy relocation project at Genesee Community College. He also serves as the administrator of all emergency preparedness activities at UMMC and as a liaison to the Genesee County Health Department.
 
While employed full time at United Memorial, Ireland completed his Associate's Degree in Nursing from Genesee Community College in 1992, his BSN from SUNY Brockport in 1994, and received an MBA from RIT in 1997. He is a member of the Leadership Genesee class of 2006 and a recipient of Business First of Buffalo's first 40 Under 40 Award in 2007. He's a lifelong resident of Genesee County and lives in Byron with his wife, Amy, and their three children.

Genesee Community College will host a Bio-Tech Science Fair from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday in the Forum at the Batavia Campus.

The Science Fair will involve four schools from throughout the GLOW region, including 225 elementary and 85 high school students.

The third- and fourth-graders will collectively come from Robert Morris Elementary (Batavia), Medina, Perry and York schools.

The participating teens will be from Batavia High School. They will mentor and lead the elementary students through a series of lab experiments and hands-on science activities that will expose them to interesting, challenging and current science topics with an emphasis on biotechnology.

The student teachers will have the opportunity to explore the area of teaching sciences and the rapidly growing field of biotechnology. They will also be encouraged to explore the many opportunities available to them in the world of science as well teaching and education, including the Biotechnology, AS degree offered at Genesee Community College.

All participants will have the opportunity to learn how to use scientific equipment, new technologies and computer software.

"I hope that the Bio-tech Science Fair exposes both our high school students and our elementary students to the exciting world of biotechnology," said Deborah Dunlevy, College Tech Prep coordinator at Genesee. "There is a great need for talented professionals in math, science, and technology. This is a unique opportunity for the students to become familiar with a cutting edge and exciting career field."

The fair is funded in part by the College's Tech Prep program and the President's Innovation Award grant.

For further information please contact Dunlevy, at 343-0055 x 6316 or dkdunlevy@genesee.edu . <http://dkdunlevy@genesee.edu .>

Syntec Optics has unveiled a new clean room at its Pavilion location. The company, located at 7100 Junction Road, is the largest independent manufacturer of custom polymer optics in North America.

The A-Class 10,000 sq. foot clean room at this facility will be used for assembly and testing of precision polymer and glass optical systems that are highly sensitive to particles in the environment.

“Not only will the new clean room allow us to continue to deliver exceptional quality on current projects, we now have the capabilities to take on new projects that require the purest of production and testing processes," said Lori Steffenilla, VP of manufacturing operations. 

"This is especially key for us as we continue to grow in the medical, biometrics and defense industries where precision, superior function and reliability are critical.”

The in-house clean room is the latest in a long line of advancements and creates new opportunities for Syntec to expand its customer base. It strengthens the firm’s ability to provide a complete range of contract-manufacturing services including design, molding, diamond turning, assembly, metrology and supply-chain management.

“We are always looking for ways to improve and enhance both our processes and capabilities which allow us to continue to deliver the excellence that our customers have always expected from Syntec and more," said Rick Arndt, vice president and general manager.

"The addition of clean-room capabilities is another step in the process of continuous improvement."

Syntec Optics has been widely recognized as the industry leader in the polymer optics field. Syntec was the recipient of the prestigious 2008 North American Polymer Optics Growth Excellence of the Year Award.

Attention outdoor sportsmen and hunters, there's going to be a Legislative Awareness Rally in Albany Jan. 12. Bus transportation has been arranged by SCOPE Genesee County chapter and the Shooter's Committee on Political Education of New York.

Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb invites those concerned about the right to keep and bear firearms, hunting and shooting sports in New York to attend this statewide effort. The bus is limited to 56 travelers, so car pooling to the rally is encouraged.

The keynote speaker at the rally will be Wayne Lapierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association.

The bus ride costs $25. Sign up at either of the departure locations, Batavia Marine in Batavia, or Sheard's Antiques and Guns in Bergen.

The bus departs from Batavia Marine, 411 W. Main St., at 4:10 a.m. and from Sheard's in Bergen, 7451 S. Lake Road -- Route 19, at 4:50 a.m.

Once at the state capitol, participants will gather in the Lobby Well of the Legislative Office Building at 9 a.m.

Departure back to Genesee County is at 1:30 p.m.

More than 300 area residents attended Encore 2009, Genesee Community College Foundation's annual holiday fundraising event. The Dec. 9 gala continued the tradition of a fun and festive evening with new and old friends coming together in the spirit of raising funds for the college's numerous scholarship programs.

This event was the first time the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) had played at Genesee since the opening of the Stuart Steiner Theatre in 1992.

Batavia residents Todd and Kathy Bender, who attended with their children, chaired Encore 2009, and were assisted by a committee of more than 20 community members. The new elements the Benders and the entire committee brought to Encore were very successful, especially the BPO.

The orchestra was a big hit with all attendees. During the performance, conductor Paul Ferington announced that the BPO was up for its third Grammy nomination. Also, a guest-conductorship was awarded to Mary Alice Yaiko, who conducted a memorable rendition of the holiday tune 'Sleigh Ride.'

The evening began with a private, prelude reception with Ferington. Guests enjoyed gourmet food, featuring all new selections, in the William W. Stuart Forum, then they proceeded to the Stuart Steiner Theatre for the holiday pops concert. Afterward, they enjoyed delectable desserts in the College's Forum.

Contributions totaled more than $55,000 and are still coming in, said foundation Executive Director Richard Ensman. "We deeply appreciate the generous support of our Student Scholarship program. Encore is truly an investment in the future leaders of our communities."

The foundation also thanked Five Star Bank, the lead corporate benefactor, for its continued support of Encore.

The Genesee Community College Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to providing volunteer and philanthropic support to Genesee Community College. Formed in 1986, it has been instrumental in providing more than 3,000 scholarships over the last decade, assisting in the funding of the Conable Technology Building and the Humphrey Student Union and the expansion of College Village, Genesee's student residence.