From the Daily News (Friday):
- State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker is urging the governor to declare about 20 state counties as disaster sites following the hail storms that pounded the area on Monday. Hooker came through Genesee County yesterday, stopping by ravaged cabbage and onion fields in Elba. If his request goes through, those and many other farms will be eligible for federal disaster aid. While the crops were not destroyed on most farms, they did take a beating, and many farmers are worried that the market simply won't accept the un-perfect produce. New York Apple Association Director Jim Allen said: "You can't tolerate defects in fresh fruit. There's no doubt we took a serious hit." Farmers will know more about how much they can recover in the coming weeks.
- A computer screen-reading program is helping students at the state School for the Blind. Reporter Kristen Kotz writes about the program, called JAWS: "It allows them to navigate the entire computer system and receive verbal feedback."
- A dozen folks turned out for the first session of the Military Pride Network, a new "networking and support group for families of individuals who are on active duty in the military," writes reporter Paul Mrozek. The group will meet again July 17 at 5:15pm at the Genesee County Career Center in Eastown Plaza in Batavia. Call (585) 344-0842 for more information.
- Batavia's Rotary, Rods and Rock & Roll fundraiser is all set for June 28 at Batavia Downs. The event kicks off at 3:00pm with a car show, an auction and a pizza tasting. A beer festival will follow at 6:00pm — Batavia's first ever, according to Joanne Beck. Her article is pretty comprehensive — including a list of all the bands slated to perform — so for those looking for more information, check it out. Admission will be $2 for the Rotary event and $15 for the beer festival.
- Batavia Downs will host a horse show this weekend. The show will start at 7:30am and run to 5:00pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.
- Looks like the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is pretty geeked up about the Rural Tourism Conference that they'll be hosting next year. They've already put out the announcement. Congrats to them.
- A pair of articles inside the A Section of today's paper were featured on The Batavian in earlier posts: Batavia's BID puts up hanging flower baskets and truckers converge on Albany.
- Great photo spread at the back of the paper today!
- The Muckdogs went down hard, 7-0, against the Auburn Doubledays last night to start the season 0-3. They'll be playing at Frontier Field in Rochester tonight.
For the complete stories, the Daily News is available on local newsstands, or you can subscribe on BataviaNews.com.
