Announcements

From a press release from the New York Sea Grant:

On Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., collection sites across the United States will accept unused, expired and unwanted pharmaceuticals from individuals. Three sites are in Genesee County:

• Batavia Police Department, parking lot, 10 W. Main St., City of Batavia
• Sheriff's deputies will staff collection at Pembroke Town Highway Barns, routes 5 & 77, East Pembroke
• Le Roy Police at Village Hall, 3 W. Main St., Village of Le Roy (near routes 5 & 19)

The "Keep Unwanted Medications and Chemicals Out of the Great Lakes" guide written by New York Sea Grant Coastal Education Specialist Helen Domske tells why people should find a site nearby to return the unwanted drugs.

Researchers are increasingly documenting the impact of the bioactive chemical substances found in pharmaceuticals and personal care products on the aquatic environment. Based on what that research has shown, we do not want people flushing unwanted and unused medicines down the drain or toilet, Domske said.

The guide by Domske includes tips on how citizens can help reduce the impact of such substances as antibiotics, antidepressants, contraceptives, hormones, and vitamins on the Great Lakes resource that provides drinking water to 42 million people in the United States and Canada, and serves as habitat for a host of aquatic life.

A two-year research project funded by New York Sea Grant is underway to examine the effectiveness of advanced water treatment options, environmental levels, and the potential effects of pharmaceuticals in New York waters. That project will conclude in 2018.

For updates on New York Sea Grant activities, visit www.nyseagrant.org

MORE INFO:
New York Sea Grant is a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, and one of 33 university-based programs under the National Sea Grant College Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Through a statewide network of integrated services, New York Sea Grant has been promoting coastal vitality, environmental sustainability, and citizen awareness of Great Lakes and marine resources since 1971.

According to an investigation in 2008 by the Associated Press, pharmaceuticals can be found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans. The study also indicated that antibiotics, mood stabilizers, and sex hormones are among the drugs found in the drinking water supplies of at least 24 major metropolitan areas in the United States/

“Drugs and other synthetic chemicals are increasingly found in surface and groundwater sources, and can contaminate drinking water supplies and disrupt natural ecosystem processes," says New York Sea Grant Coastal Education Specialist Helen Domske.

Another environmental threat to the Great Lakes is very, very small. Tiny plastic beads used in hundreds of toiletries like facial scrubs and toothpastes are slipping through water treatment plants and turning up by the tens of millions in the Great Lakes. More on these "microplastics" here.

Press release:

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee in Batavia is now accepting new and gently used winter coats, hats, mittens, scarves and boots in all sizes.

These will be given to adults and children in need during this cold season. Toddler and children's sizes are especially needed.

Please only items that are clean, without holes or broken zippers.

Please drop off donations Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, 5073 Clinton Street Road.

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and has served low-income and disadvantaged families for more than 50 years. Community Action programs are designed to empower as well as provide opportunity to those who are not yet self-sufficient.

Please call 585-343-7798 for more information.

Press release:

There will be a FREE “Meet the Candidates” Day in Genesee County to enable Western New Yorkers with disabilities -- or anyone from the community -- to hear and discuss issues with some on the ballot in the November General Election.

WNY Independent Living Inc. will host those running for certain county, city and town offices. Whatever your political views, this is your year to get involved!

The Genesee County event will take place on Tues. Oct. 24^th, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), 113 Main St., Suite 5, near Center Street.

Invitees include candidates for Genesee County District Attorney and Legislature, Batavia City Common Council (At-Large), and various other County and Town positions.

For those who wish to be familiar with the “hot” disability issues, sheets of suggested questions will be provided, but participants are encouraged to ask about public concerns that are close to them.  The location is fully disability accessible.

WNYIL Advocacy and Public Policy Director Todd Vaarwerk notes that those who achieve local positions now may be the State and National leaders of tomorrow. Get additional information at (716) 836-0822, ext. 101.

WNY Independent Living Inc. is Western New York's largest cross-disability, consumer-directed, non-residential organization for persons with disabilities. At WNYIL, individuals of all ages and all types of disabilities learn to exercise their freedom of choice to take control of their own lives in order to live more productively in, and contribute to, the community.

Information provided by Grandma's Luv'n Care:

There will be an Open House from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2, at Grandma's Luv'n Care Childcare and Development Center in Batavia.

The nonprofit facility is located at 5079 Clinton Street Road.

You are invited to attend and learn more about the childcare center, meet the teachers, staff and take a tour.

Infants age 6 weeks and children up to school age are now being enrolled.

Grandma's Luv'n Care is fully licensed and staffed by caregivers trained in first aid/CPR and MAT (Medication Administration Training).

The center offers quality full-time and part-time care, as well as an after-school program.

It has seven rooms to accommodate the needs of children, including age-appropriate curriculum, activities and learning through play.

There's a staffed kitchen to provide breakfast, lunch and snacks.

The building is equipped with secuity cameras and key fob entrances.

Normal hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information, call 815-4308.

The free instructional Batavia Blue Devil Boys Basketball Saturday Program for students in grades one through six will be held weekly at John Kennedy Elementary School Gymnasium from Nov. 4 through Dec. 9.

The program is open to boys who attend Batavia City Schools only. Participants are to enter and exit the gym by the rear of the school, which is located at 166 Vine St. in the City of Batavia.

Times are as follows:

GRADES 3-4:  9 -- 10:30 a.m.

GRADES 5-6:  10:30 a.m. -- noon

GRADES 1-2:  Noon to 1 p.m.

Although the cost of the Saturday program is free, there is a fee for those playing in the league that begins in January and runs through early March. This is a travel-friendly league, which competes against other towns including Attica, Alexander, Oakfield, Byron Bergen, Pembroke, Elba, and St. Joe's.

Practices will begin after Winter Recess and be held once or twice per week in the evening at various schools in Batavia. There will be an 8-10 game schedule and played on the weekends. Schedules will come out around the holidays.

The program will feature Coach Jim Fazio -- Batavia Jr. Blue Devil youth director, youth coaches, and current Blue Devil players. It will focus on the offensive and defensive fundamentals of the game including shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding and ball handling, etc. There will be contests with full court and half-court games.

Contact Youth Director Jim Fazio 585-356-0901 with questions or concerns.    jfazio@gvboces.org

To get an application, email Fazio at his email address above.

Batavia City Schools are not responsible for injury that may happen during the program.

GO ART! invites you to chalk the "Walk of Hope" on Saturday, Oct. 14 along the sidewalk at the Liberty Square Plaza.

For a $20 donation you can secure your spot along the sidewalk near Ficarella's Pizzeria's parking lot.

Artists can arrive at 7:30 a.m. and judging will happen at 2:30 p.m. You must bring your own chalk art supplies.

This is part of the (hurricane) "Harvey Festival," which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prizes -- sponsored by Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, Pollyanna & Dot/The Hidden Door, Charles Men's Shop, Batavia Bootery, Main St. Pizza Company and The YNGodess Shop -- will be awarded for the best design in the following age groups:

• 10 and below
• 11 to 14
• 15 to 17
• 18 and up

All proceeds of the event will go toward aid for the victims of the summer's devastating hurricanes.

For more information, contact Jodi Fisher at   jfisher@goart.org or phone 343-9313.

Press release:

The Batavia Ramparts Peewee III Hockey Team and Frank Lord -- psychic, clairvoyant, medium and spiritual advisor -- are teaming up for a two-night fund-raiser event.

• 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 16^th at the Polish Falcons in Batavia (123 S. Swan St.)
• 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 19^th at the American Legion in Le Roy (21 Lake St.)

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance or at the door on the night of the events.

This is a Group Psychic Reading. If you've been to one of these events before, you know how amazing the connections can be. If you've never been, don't be afraid to check it out. Help support a local hockey team! 

Frank Lord is New York State’s youngest and most accurate registered psychic, clairvoyant, medium and spiritual advisor who grew up in Batavia. His spiritual guidance emphasizes mainly on what the past, present, and future hold for the individual who seeks the answers they need. Frank also works in an array of the metaphysical realm, specializing in areas such as astrology, dream interpretation, and spiritual investigation.

He has worked professionally since the age of 12. Frank has read more than 9,500 individuals and continues to read on a daily basis. Frank has worked in areas such as New York City, Buffalo, Rochester and New Jersey.

Featured on the Sci-Fi Channel at age 18, Frank has worked with such individuals such as Raymond Buckland, former Genesee County Historian Sue Conklin, The Boo Brothers, and The Ghost Hunters. He enjoys all areas of work in the aspect of spiritualism and ensures guidance that will help with an individual's situation at hand.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at Millennium Computers, 156 Washington Ave., Batavia; or contact Michelle Johnson at 409-9299; Alicia Cook at 815-3478; or Holly by email at   hollyesch@yahoo.com; or from any Peewee III Hockey parent.

Information provided by Batavia City School District:

Residents of the Batavia City School District are invited to become Budget Ambassadors and make recommendations regarding the school budget.

The district and its administration and the Board of Education welcome your assistance during the 2018-19 budget process.

No experience is necessary. Ambassadors will be expected to attend three sessions, all from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in District Administration Conference Room #49 (located at 260 State St. in the City of Batavia).

The session dates are:

• Monday, Jan. 29
• Monday, Feb. 5
• Monday, Feb. 12

If interested, please notify the district in writing via postal mail or email by Thursday, Jan. 4.

Mail letter of interest to:

Christopher J. Dailey

Superintendent

260 State St.

Batavia, NY 14020

OR 

Email:   CJDailey@bataviacsd.org

For questions or additional information, please contact the District Office at 343-2480, ext. 1000, or email Superintendent Dailey at the email address above.

A symposium on agritourism will be held at Genesee Community College on Thursday, Oct. 26.

It will take place inside Stuart Steiner Theatre and is free and open to all. It is hosted by GCC's Tourism & Hospitality Management Program.

Meet the entrepreneurial agritourism leaders in Genesee County. There will be vendor booths and samples.

Here's the day's schedule:

• 11 a.m. to noon -- Student Session with Sophie Winter, Ph.D.
• 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. -- Keynote Speaker: Sophie Winter, Ph.D.
• 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. -- Panel Discussion and Question-and-Answer Session
• 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. -- Meet, Greet & Eat Reception

The college is located at One College Road in the Town of Batavia.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Amy Slusser, professor, Tourism & Hospitality Management, at 343-0055, ext. 6332, or email   alslusser@genesee.edu

The symposium is sponsored in part by Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement.

Press release:

New York Sea Grant, the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center, and the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council will offer a new hands-on resiliency building training at the daylong Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council Regional Local Government Workshop on Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Nov. 17, in Batavia.

Preregistration is requested by Nov. 7. It will be held at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road in Batavia.

Attendees will participate in interactive scenario-building and decision-making exercises and develop response strategies to better prepare for impacts on natural and built environments during extreme weather events and other community challenges.

Small group discussions will include how a community can save money on flood insurance, information about the New York State Risk Assessment Tool, and details on the Flood Smart Community and Climate Smart Community programs.

The resiliency training sessions will include representatives from the National Weather Service, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of State, and the Town of Greece.

"We are pleased to partner with New York Sea Grant, the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center, and all the resiliency track presenters to help regional communities reduce areas of vulnerability and better prepare to preempt or manage future extreme events," said David S. Zorn, executive director of the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council.

The resiliency track is one of three distinct tracks offered at this semi-annual Regional Local Government Workshop cosponsored by the nine counties of the Genesee-Finger Lakes region.

For registration details, questions and more information, contact David S. Zorn, 585-454-0190, ext. 14, dave.zorn@gflrpc.org, or visit http://www.gflrpc.org/fallworkshop.html.

New York Sea Grant is a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, and one of 33 university-based programs under the National Sea Grant College Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

For updates on New York Sea Grant Great Lakes and marine district activities, visit www.nyseagrant.org. For more information on the NYSG Great Lakes Coastal Community Development Program, see www.nyseagrant.org/ccd.

Press release:

Anthony (Tony) Peca Jr. was born and raised in Batavia with five brothers and sisters. He is descended from Italian heritage on both sides of his family.

His mother’s family came from Rome and his father’s from Chieti. He attended Notre Dame High School, graduating in 1970. He was proud to be an All-Catholic wrestler, Class President, and Student Council President.

He has been happily married to Gerrie (Sandlin) Peca for the past 44 years and has three children Theresa (Peca) Pellegrino, Kelly Peca and Anthony Peca lll, along with seven, soon to be eight grandchildren.

Following college he worked with his father and brother at Batavia Turf Farms Inc. Since 2000 he has been Sales and Operations Manager at Reisdorf Oil and Propane.

He is a proud Italian-American.

The dinner is Oct. 11 at Terry Hills. Tickets are available at Ben's Appliance, V.J. Gautieri Construction or any board member.

The Batavia Photography Club is inviting you to its Photo Walk on Saturday, Oct. 7, which is free. It starts in Batavia at GO ART! at Seymour Place (201 E. Main St.) downtown. Time is 10 a.m. to noon. The length of this walk is about 2.5 miles.

Participants are going to have photo opportunities of all kinds -- nature, urban and industrial. 

This is part of Worldwide Photo Walk Day, now a 10-year tradition. The first photo walks were in London, New York, Miami and Sydney. Now the walk has grown to over a thousand cities, including Batavia.

Many local photographers know Batavia has a very wide variety of architecture and locations to use as backdrops or be the feature of a photograph.

Downtown's GO ART! building is a historical structure now filled with art exhibits. As the walk begins, photographers will go past some old impressive structures to the Harvester Center. The Harvester Center was a million-square-foot factory for tractor manufacturer Massey Ferguson at the turn of the 20th century. Part of the facility is still in use and part is in a bit of decay.

Then the walk proceeds to DeWitt Recreation Area for wildlife and landscape photos of this area and pond. A different route will be taken back through the historic Batavia Cemetery. Created in 1823, and on the National Register of Historic Places, it is the final resting place of some of the city founders, Civil War veterans, a general and the only Confederate officer buried north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

The group will walk back to GO ART! and those who are interested can meet for lunch afterward around the corner at O’Lacy’s Irish Pub on School Street.

Please register online at http://worldwidephotowalk.com/walk/photowalk-batavia/

The Annual Turkey Dinner at Byron Presbyterian Church will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15.

It is located at 6293 Main St. in Byron.

Food is served family style. Take-outs available.

Handicap accessible.

Cost is $10 for adults; $5 for children; kids 5 and under eat free.

Also, crafts and cookbooks will be for sale.

From the National Weather Service in Buffalo:

The National Weather Service office in Buffalo is looking for a volunteer weather observer, to take over the observing station in or within about four miles of Pavilion.

This observing station would be a part of the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Network or Coop Network. The Coop Network comprises nearly 10,000 volunteer weather observers nationwide who report high/low temperatures, rainfall, snowfall and snow depth to the National Weather Service on a daily basis. The data from Coop Observers helps scientists to define the long-term climate of the United States.

Observers would take daily measurements of a 24-hour high/low temperatures, precipitation, snowfall and snow depth, each morning around 7 a.m. These measurements would be relayed daily to the National Weather Service, either via the Internet or a toll-free phone number. These weather observations will be archived and use by future climate and research studies.

The Observer will be provided with an electronic thermometer, a rain gauge and a snow measuring stick.

These observations will assist the National Weather Service in its forecast and warning efforts, is vital to climatologists who are defining the climate of the United States and will help to predict drought conditions, agricultural planning and assessment, and more.

If you are interested in helping us out, or have any questions about the duties of a Coop Observer, please contact us at the address below, or you may call us at 716-565-0204, or send an email to Dan.Kelly@noaa.gov.

National Weather Service

Buffalo Office
587 Aero Drive
Cheektowaga, NY 14225