Announcements

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, I, C – Batavia) today announced that he is hosting a local food drive throughout the 139th Assembly District in order to help those hit hardest in these tough economic times.

“The generosity and kindness of Western New York residents never ceases to amaze me and while many of our friends and neighbors are struggling right now, there are many of us that know how fortunate we are and grateful that we can help those less fortunate. I am sure that the residents of the 139th Assembly District will show their generous spirit yet again with this food drive that will be benefiting our local food pantries in order to help families, seniors and individuals in need,” said Hawley.

The Assemblyman has posted drop boxes in a variety of locations throughout Genesee, Monroe, Niagara and Orleans counties within the 139th Assembly District where residents can leave non-perishable food donations. The donations will be given to local charities, shelters, and food pantries, including the Salvation Army, Life Solutions, Hilton Food Shelf, Brockport Food Shelf, and Orleans Community Action, among others.

To find out more information or to find the donation drop-off location closest to you, please call Assemblyman Hawley’s office at (585) 589-5780.

We've received draft minutes from the County Legislature and the Ways and Means Committee.  Below are links to PDFs of these documents.

• County Legislature, April 22
• Ways and Means, April 15

Many earned recognition in Genesee County on April 28 for supporting anti-tobacco efforts. They are credited with helping reduce smoking and were honored by Smoke Free NOW, Reality Check, the School Policy Program and the Cessation Centers.

The following were recognized for having a written policy requiring that their apartments be smoke free:

• Charlotte Crawford, Batavia
• John and Gina Pestillo, Batavia
• Mark and Tammy Schmidt, Batavia
• Pete andSue Sherman, Pavilion
• Worth Harder, Batavia

The following were recognized for passing resolutions encouraging tobacco-ad-free magazines and smoke-free movies:

• Alexander PTA
• Batavia Student Improvement Team
• Batavia District Wide PTA
• Elba BEST (Building Elba School Together)
• Liberty Partnership LIFE (Liberty Increase Future Experiences) Program
• Pavilion PTO

The following were recognized for having a policy to not accept tobacco company advertising, sponsorship, promotion or funding:

• Batavia ATOP (All Types of People Living Chemically Free)
• Batavia Catholic Youth Organization
• Batavia High School Ice Devils
• Bohm-Calarco-Smith Funeral Home
• Byron Bergen SADD
• Christmas in the City
• Drug Free Marshals of WNY
• Everyday Heroes of Genesee County
• GCASA Awards Dinner
• Genesee Co. Nursing Home Child Care Center
• Genesee Countywide SADD
• HE Turner & Co. Funeral Home
• LeRoy Physical Therapy
• LeRoy Village Fitness
• Liberty Partnerships LIFE
• National Night Out of Batavia
• Pavilion SADD
• St. Joseph's Penny Carnival
• SUPA (Students United for Positive Action)
• Terry Hills Golf Course & Country Club

The following were recognized for passing a resolution encouraging tobacco retailers to reduce, rearrange, or eliminate tobacco advertising-organizations:

• Batavia ATOP
• Byron-Bergen SADD
• Drug Free Marshals of WNY
• Genesee County Youth Bureau
• Genesee Co. Interagency Council
• Genesee Countywide SADD
• Lake Plains Community Care Network
• Liberty Partnerships LIFE
• Pavilion SADD

The following municipalities were recognized for passing a resolution encouraging tobacco retailers to reduce, rearrange or eliminate tobacco advertising:

• Town of Bethany
• Town of LeRoy
• Village of Alexander

These school districts were recognized for having a memorandum of understanding to work toward best practices in regard to tobacco policies:

• Batavia City Schools
• Pavilion Central School

The following were recognized for being 100% smoke free:

• United Memorial Medical Center

Each year in New York State, about 25,500 people die from smoking-related illnesses.  And for every eight smokers who die, they take a nonsmoker with them from exposure to
second-hand smoke. In addition, taxpayers in New York spend $5.4 billion on
Medicaid just for smokers¹ smoking-related illness.

Nationwide, 1,200 people die from smoking every day and 53,000 dying every year from
second-hand smoke.

Those wishing information about how to quit smoking may contact the New York
State Smokers' Quitline at 1-866- NY QUITS (1-866-697-8487) or at
www.nysmokefree.com

Most New York smokers are eligible to have four weeks' of nicotine
replacement therapy (patch, gum, or lozenge) mailed directly to their homes
at no cost.

The Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia has been awarded a "We the People Bookshelf
Collection" from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the
American Library Association. The 22 books in the collection span grades K-12 and include three Spanish translations.

The award is part of the NEH's initiative supporting projects that strengthen the teaching, study and understanding of American history and culture. Four thousand libraries nationwide received this grant of classic books with the theme "Picturing America." As a participant, Richmond staff will present book discussions, speakers and activities focused on this theme.

Programs will be free and open to the public. Check the library website www.batavialibrary.org <http://www.batavialibrary.org/> for more information as these programs are developed.

Darien Lake Theme Park Resort opens for the season Saturday, May 9. Guests this weekend pay $14.99 for both days with a Welcome Back coupon. The coupons are available at the main gate and at various businesses.

Raven-Symone will perform Saturday, which will be the first of three family friendly midway concerts in May. Varsity FanClub will perform May 16 with a special appearance by Jordan Pruitt. Mitchel Musso of Hannah Montana will close out this Season Pass Bash on May 30.

Park hours are 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on opening weekend. The park is located on Route 77, six miles south of I-90 exit 48A.

Press release:

Genesee County Chamber of commerce announces China trip

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a nine-day tour of China in November. Cost is $1,899 per person and includes airfare (from JFK), bus to/from JFK, hotel stays, three meals a day, bus tours (with guides), admission to tourist spots, and airport taxes throughout the trip.

This trip will present opportunities to learn about how the Chinese business system operates. The tour will also include many memorable sites, both ancient and modern, and the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou. In addition, there is the option to visit Xian (Terra Cotta Warriors) or to Guilin (Elephant Trunk Hill) for an additional fee.

For more details call the Chamber at (585) 343-7440, ext. 27 and sign up to attend an informational meeting on May 7.

Press release:

The Dwyer Stadium Box Office opens at 9 o'clock Saturday, May 9 for the 2009 season. Tickets for Opening Day and all regular season games will be on sale. The box office closes at 2 p.m..

Regular box-office hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

The Muckdogs will also host their summer Job Fair on May 9. It will be held at the stadium from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Positions available include concessions-stand supervisor, picnic supervisor, cashiers, cooks, bartenders and college internships. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age.

Also on May 9, the Muckdogs will conduct the 2nd annual National Anthem contest. This event will begin promptly at noon. Auditions will take place at home plate. The winner will sing the National Anthem and God Bless America at the July 4th game between the Muckdogs and Auburn Doubledays. Runners up will be eligible to sing at remaining home games during the 2009 season.

The Muckdogs Booster Club will be hosting their annual yard sale during the festivities at Dwyer. Various items will be for sale, as well as a limited amount of ballpark food and fan merchandise.

The Batavia Muckdogs are the short-season, Class A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals and are the last remaining founding member of the New York-Penn League, dating back to 1939. The Batavia Muckdogs are operated by the neighboring Rochester Red Wings and were last season's NY-Penn League Champions.

Dwyer Stadium is located at 299 Bank St. in Batavia , NY 14020. Phone is 585-343-5454; Fax: 585-343-5620; Website: www.muckdogs.com.

What a great start to the racing season at Genesse Valley Kart Club! 
 

     April 26 was Race 1, complete with spectators in the stands. The Animal Stock Red & Gold plate classes were large and fun to watch. There was some close racing in both of those classes and it will definitely be exciting as the points add up this season.
      We had a short a burst of rain that once gone, had Mom’s and Dad’s driving around the track in trucks and SUV’s to dry it off. The sun came out and we were all racing again within 30 - 45 minutes.
      Classes are still organizing with the promise of new members in the WKA Animal Black plate as well as the Yamaha classes. Some excitement has been growing about the interest in the Yamaha Masters Class. We expect this group to start growing once the junior classes are underway.

  Local area racer Christian Peck competeing in his jr. animal red plate class pulled out a 4th place finish for the day !!  This is a very competetive class of 8 - 11 yr olds.  Some first time drivers others are seasoned veterans

Press Release:

Genesee students recognized for outstanding achievement

Three GCC students won prestigious honors.

Jennifer Bryant of Batavia was named a Gold Scholar on the 2009 Coca-Cola All-State Academic Team and given a $1,500 scholarship. She was one of 50 Gold Scholars selected nationwide and she was featured in the April 6 edition of USA Today.

And Jennifer, South Alabama native Kathryn Scarborough and Pavilion High School graduate Danielle Collins were recognized by the New York State chapter of Phi Theta Kappa honor society. They also recently received a SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence.

The three scholars were honored at the 15th annual Phi Theta Kappa All-New York Academic Awards luncheon on April 7. Awardees were recognized for scholarly achievement and outstanding community service in community, technical and junior colleges. Each received a certificate and medal, which is traditionally worn at commencement.

Press Release:

GCC's Arcade Campus Center hosts sculpture art show

A student art show featuring the works of the 3D design class will be displayed Friday May 1 at the Arcade Campus of Genesee Community College. In addition, there will be a live molten metal pour.

Throughout the semester, students have been working with the molding process, creating 3D work in plaster and wax from molds they have designed using various techniques.

The student art show begins at 6 p.m. and the metal pour will begin at about 7:30 p.m.

The metal pour will be conducted after sunset and is open to the public. With the pour being at night, spectators will be able to see the sparks, watch the molds go from glowing red to cooling, and share the anticipation of the artists as they see their hard work and the extended creative process come to life in a metal sculpture.

This event is free and open to the public. For further information, please contact David Sink, Arcade Campus Center associate at 585-492-5265.

Press release:

Shine your glass slippers, dust off your tiara and find your best
princess gown. YOU are invited to a Princess Party!

Girls of all ages are welcome at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 9 in the Children¹s Room at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St. in Batavia. We¹ll enjoy a story, crafts, games, dancing and treats. Parents ­ don¹t forget the camera!

Register early and register online www.batavialibrary.org
<http://www.batavialibrary.org/> 585-343-9550 x4.

Press release:

Senator Ranzenhofer launches petition to retore STAR Rebate checks
 
Senator Michael Ranzenhofer and members of the Senate Republican Conference launched a statewide, grass-roots petition drive to restore the STAR property tax relief rebate checks.

         
The multifaceted petition drive will use email and social networking sites such as Facebook, along with creation of a new online petition to pressure Democrats to restore the rebate  eliminated from the state budget.
 
“Western New Yorkers already pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation," said the senator. "State leaders must reinstate the STAR Rebate checks to provide much needed property tax relief for homeowners. Senior citizens and families often use the rebate checks not just to defray skyrocketing property taxes, but to off-set energy costs, college tuition, and other household expenses.  Reinstating the STAR rebate checks is a start to providing real property tax relief for homeowners."

The 2009-10 State budget cut STAR rebate checks for 82,767 seniors and homeowners in the community. Restoring the rebate would provide $141.56 million in tax relief for homeowners in Western New York.

Genesee County Chamber of Commerce invites travelers on trip to Tuscany

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Collette Vacations and First Choice Travel will be hosting a 10-day tour of Tuscany in Italy in November. The chamber is offering the trip for price of $2,999 per person. Price includes air fare, hotel stays, a total of 13 meals, bus tours (with guides), admission to tourist spots and airport taxes.
 
There will be an information session at 5:30 on Thursday, May 21 at First Choice Travel, located at 3080 W. Main Street Road in Batavia. To attend this meeting, please call Melissa at the Genesee County Chamber at (585) 343-7440, ext. 27.

Annual Cool Kids ECO-Fest at GCC, plus E-Scrap drive

Genesee Community College's Earth Club, Student Activities Office and College Village join Cool Kids once again to produce a fun-filled, educational event aimed at increasing environmental awareness. All portions of the event are free and open to the public. It will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 30 at Genesee's Batavia Campus with most events occurring in the college's central Forum or Clocktower Plaza.

New to this year are live llamas with the Critter Ranch, an exhibit from the Tift Nature Preserve in Buffalo, a hike through Genesee's Nature Trail, the Recycle-A-Shoe sneaker recycling drive and an inflatable Planetarium.

Back by popular demand is the E-Scrap Drive, where computers, monitors, mobile phones, printers, scanners, game consoles, and other electronics, as well as non-alkaline batteries that operate these devices can be brought to the college to be recycled. Community members are welcomed to drop off their old, unwanted E-Scrap free of charge. However, this year there is a $5 charge for any television set dropped off.

The E-Scrap Drive is for households, not businesses. People can park in the loop and hand-carry items to the Forum until 1 p.m. Curbside drop-off service begins at 5 p.m. and runs until 8 p.m..

Press release

New intercollegiate sports slated for Genesee Community College

The Genesee Community College Association is planning to launch new intercollegiate sports programs at the college over the next three years, according to Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services Virginia M. Taylor.

New sports at Genesee include cheerleading, golf, women's lacrosse, tennis and cross country.

For the 2009-2010 academic year, Taylor said she expects a team of 20 students will be ready to begin a men's and women's varsity/club cheer team this Fall. During the spring 2010 semester, 20 students will become members of a newly formed Division III men's and women's golf team. Also in the Spring 2010 semester, a 20-member women's lacrosse club team will be formed.

In Spring 2011, the college should have approval to upgrade the women's lacrosse club team to a NJCAA Division III women's lacrosse team. Also during the spring of 2011, the college anticipates forming a Division III men's and women's tennis team.

During the fall of 2011, the college anticipates forming a Division III men's and women's cross country team.

The college is upgrading athletic fields this year and installing a new soccer/lacrosse turf field.

Press Release

Recent GCC Board of Trustees meeting highlights

• Trustees congratulated members of the men's and women's swimming teams who competed in the national NJCAA championship at Erie Community College. Trustees also congratulated coach Scott Hunsinger on his 10 years of service as swim coach.
• Approved granting 585 degrees and certificates next month, subject to students' satisfactorily completing their academic requirements. Nine students will receive the Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree; 269 students will receive the Associate in Science (A.S.) degree; 267 students will receive the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree; and 40 students will receive certificates.
• Virginia Taylor, PhD, vice president for student and enrollment services, reported that 1,730 individuals applied for admission to GCC this spring. A nearly 13-percent increase over spring 2008. Of the 1,730 applicants, 1,005 applied for admission as full-time students and 486 of these applicants (48.4%) actually enrolled. Of the 725 people who applied for admission as part-time students, 465 actually enrolled. 
• Overall spring enrollment of 5,716 was 7.8% higher than last year's spring enrollment of 5,304, President Stuart Steiner said.
• Steiner said Joan E. Zummo, associate professor of biology, will retire at the end of the current academic year. She has been a faculty member since 1988.
• Vice President for Finance and Operations Kevin Hamilton reported that the site survey work for this summer's athletic fields upgrade project has been completed.  In addition,  plans for the new lighted soccer/lacrosse field, to be located west of the Batavia Campus parking lot, are complete. Other summer projects include: replacement of the current bleachers in the Zambito Gymnasium to meet code requirements; installation of energy-efficient lighting in the gym and dehumidification technology in the pool area; and repairs and upgrades to the locker rooms. 
• Hamilton said he anticipates that space will be available for the college's nursing program in the new Med Tech Park on Hawley Drive in October, and that plans for the new Lima Campus Center are progressing well.
• Student Trustee Steven Schutt reported that "Books for Troops," an initiative of College Village resident Thomas Maniace, has stockpiled almost 4,000 paperback books for shipment to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Because the books are being given to U.S. troops, students were able to obtain a discount shipping rate, according to Schutt.
• Director of Institutional Research Carol Marriott reporedt that 2,219 students have transferred into Genesee Community College from other colleges and universities since the 2003-2004 academic year, or an average of 370 students a year. Fifty-one percent of those students transferred from a baccalaureate college. This means that about 3% of Genesee's enrollment in a typical fall semester is made up of students who previously attended a four-year college.  This "reverse transfer" trend is a growing phenomenon in community colleges, Ms. Marriott told trustees.  Many students transfer to community colleges because of academic difficulty or poor "fit" at a four-year baccalaureate college, she said. Others transfer because tuition is lower and/or they want to acquire job and career skills quickly.

Press Release:

Genesee Community College 2009 Commencement Speaker Announced

Genesee Community College Professor Ruth E. Andes will serve as 2009 commencement speaker. Commencement is scheduled for 1 p.m. May 17 in the Batavia Campus Gymnasium.

Andes, PhD, professor of sociology and a member of Genesee's faculty since 1970, retires in June. She is the most-honored SUNY award recipient at Genesee Community College. She is also believed to have received more SUNY-wide academic honors than any faculty member in the entire 64-college State University of New York.

She was the first-ever recipient of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching at Genesee (1973) and the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service (2004). In 2006, the State University of New York conferred the rare title of "Distinguished Professor" on Dr. Andes.  At that time, she was one of only three community college professors in the SUNY system to have received that honor.

This will be the first time in the College's history that a member of the faculty has addressed graduates during the commencement ceremony.

Andes has taught a variety of sociology and human services courses at Genesee for almost 40 years.  She lives in Elba.