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Press release:

On Sat, April 22, GO ART! announced the 2023 Statewide Community Regrant (SCR) Program Grantees at the Hoag Library in Albion.

The Statewide Community Regrant Program was developed by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) in 1977 in response to a mandate by New York’s Legislature that there be greater local involvement in funding decisions, affecting local non-profit organizations, offering artistic or cultural services and programs, and to ensure New York State’s cultural funding reached every part of the State.  The program is funded statewide, in all 62 counties, and NYSCA funds are regranted by local arts agencies through a transparent peer panel funding process.  Through the Statewide Community Regrant Program GO ART!, NYSCA and the New York State Legislature hope to extend, upgrade and increase the arts and cultural programming in Genesee and Orleans Counties. The goal is to make state arts support available to geographically, economically, and ethnically diverse segments of the state’s population. 

Through the SCR Program, GO ART! awarded a total of $210,000 in regrant funding to 50 artists and organizations for events and programming throughout Genesee and Orleans counties.

The Statewide Community Regrant Program consists of three different grants Reach, Ripple and Spark:

REACH: The GO ART! Community Arts Grants (Reach Grants) provide seed grants to individual artists, collectives and arts organizations for projects and activities that enable Genesee and Orleans County communities to experience and engage with the performing, literary, media, and visual arts. Each year the program supports arts projects, including concerts, performances, public art, exhibitions, screenings, festivals, workshops, readings, and more. 

GENESEE COUNTY REACH GRANTEES:

• Batavia Business Improvement District - Jackson Square Concert Series - $5000
• Batavia Concert Band - 2023 Batavia Concert Band Summer Concert Series - $3231
• Batavia Development Corp - Murals in the Batavia City Centre - $2800
• Batavia Players, Inc - 2023 Theater Season - $5000
• Bergen Historical Society - Holiday Mural Panels - $4286
• Bill & Kay McDonald - Homegrown Concert Series 2023 - $5000
• Brian Kemp (Batavia Business Improvement District) - TableTop ArtShow - $5000
• Byron-Bergen Public Library - Enriching lives through the Arts - $4954
• David Burke (Warrior House of WNY) - The Goose Community Center Indoor Mural - $2500
• Elba Betterment Committee - EBC Presents Art Around Town (Again) - $5000
• Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden - Artistic Interpretive Panels - $5000
• Gillam-Grant Community Center - Community Art Adventure - $4849
• Genesee Chorale, Inc - Genesee Chorale 2023 Season - $5000
• Genesee Symphony Orchestra - 2023 Concert Series - $5000
• GLOW OUT! - 2023  Pride Festival - $4500
• Haxton Memorial Library - Talented Thursdays - $5000
• Heather Davis (St. Mark's Episcopal Church) - Opera on the Oatka - $1500
• Holland Land Office Museum - Guest Speaker & Concert Series - $3500
• Hollwedel Memorial Public Library - Shake on the Lake Presents William Shakespeare - $5000
• Michelle Cryer (Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden) - Batavia Water Storage Tank Mural - $2800
• Oakfield Betterment Committee - Oakfield Labor Daze - $5000
• St. Mark's Episcopal Church - Music at St. Mark's - $2970
• Thera Sanchez (Habitat for Humanity) - Batavia's Gold Mural - $3000
• Warrior House of WNY - Learning Through Art - $5000
• William Peterson (Batavia Players) - Everyone Has a Story - $5000
• Woodward Memorial Library - Art All Year ­- $5000

ORLEANS COUNTY REACH GRANTEES:

• Albion Merchants Association - Concerts on the Canal - $5000
• Cobblestone Society & Museum - Cobblestone Museum Arts Series for 2023 - $5000
• Friends of Boxwood Cemetery - Boxwood at Night - $4160
• Hoag Library - Hoag Music Series - $5000
• Howard Barry (Community Free Library) - Myron Holley Erie Canal Mural - $5000
• Lee-Whedon Memorial Library - Finally Fridays! 2023 - $3200
• Lyndonville Lions Club - I Hear the Music - $5000
• Orleans County Historical Association – Multidisciplinary Live History Event- $5000 
• Veronica Morgan - I was a "Hoggee" on the Erie Canal - $5000
• Vette (Albion Merchant Association) - Albion Summer Concert -$4768
• Village of Albion - Bridging the Village Music Series - $5000
• Village of Holley - Concerts at the Canal - $3000
• Yates Community Library - More than Just Books - $5000

RIPPLE: The GO ART! Individual Artist Commission (Ripple Grant) supports local, artist-initiated activity, and highlights the role of artists as important members of the community. The Commission is for artistic projects with outstanding artistic merit that work within a community setting. 

GENESEE COUNTY RIPPLE GRANTEES:

• Eric Zwieg - Passenger: A Billion Little Pieces - Postmodern Reflections - $2500
• David Burke - Harvester Center Hallway Mural - $2500
• William Schutt - Connecting Hands Connecting Communities - $2500
• Joshua Lang - On Dreams - $2500

ORLEANS COUNTY RIPPLE GRANTEES:

• Eric Weatherbee - The Humble Bard Present - $2500

SPARK: The Arts Education Program (Spark Grant) supports arts education projects for youth and/or senior learners. Emphasis is placed on the depth and quality of the creative process through which participants learn about the arts. Projects must focus on the exploration of art and the artistic process.

GENESEE COUNTY SPARK GRANTEES:

• Genesee County Youth Bureau - Re:Creation (Drawings of Nature) - $3200
• Strength in Numbers Organization Inc - Strength In Numbers Organization Youth Music Program - $5000
• Linda Miranda Fix (Batavia Central School District) - #kindness,empathy&you mural - $5000
• Laura Jackett (Byron-Bergen Public Library) - Art Workshops at the Libraries - $5000

ORLEANS COUNTY SPARK GRANTEES:

• Patricia Greene (Orleans County Chamber of Commerce) - Art Experiences for Seniors - $5000
• Judd Sunshine (Lyndonville Central School District) - Erie Canal Songwriting Project - $3300

These grants are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.  

Photos by Tom Rivers/Orleans Hub.

Top photo: Gregory Hallock (right), executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council greets about 75 people during an announcement on Saturday for $210,000 in grants to local arts programs. He is joined at Hoag Library in Albion by Mary Jo Whitman (left), the education and Statewide Community Regrant Program coordinator; and Jodi Fisher (center), the GO ART! administrative assistant.

GO ART! officials on Saturday presented checks for $210,000 to about 50 different artists, community organizations and municipalities to support cultural programs in 2023. The funding was presented to about 75 people at the Hoag Library in Albion.

Sara Vacin, executive director of GLOW Out, said a grant will help fund the GLOW Pride Fest on June 9 in Batavia.

Press release:

Brighton Securities, a Batavia Financial Services firm, will hold its 12th Annual Free Shred Day on Friday, May 26, from 12 - 2 p.m.

“Our Shred Event is a service we offer our community as a great way for them to safely dispose of their bank records, credit card statements and any other sensitive documents for secure, eco-friendly destruction and disposal. We’re proud to offer this service for the 12th year and encourage our community to participate. We will have staff on hand to help our event participants decide what to dispose of and shred, what to save, and for how long certain records should be saved,” said Steve Hicks, branch manager of Brighton Securities.

A shredding truck from Shred-Text, Inc. will be standing by for contactless disposal of your old documents. We'll also have staff on hand to help you decide what to shred and what to save, as well as you will be able to monitor on-screen, your documents as they are shredded. This is a free event, and all are welcome to attend.

Photo: File photo by Howard Owens.

His first recording in 1964, in the midst of Beatlemania, was a 45 -- the A-side was a song Sturr wrote, "Hepsa Polka" -- and he's been touring and recording since, building a reputation as the King of Polka.

"I fell in love with it (Polka) at an early age," Sturr said during an interview with The Batavian. 

That won't be hard to understand once you know a bit about where he grew up.

Sturr was born in 1941 and raised in Florida, NY, and even with international success, he's never left Florida, NY.

He's perhaps as proud of his hometown as he is of Polka.

"It's funny, but Florida, New York is known as -- now don't get upset when I tell you this because I know you think your part of the state is the Onion capital of the country -- well, Florida, New York is supposedly the onion capital of the country. We grow, I guess they say, approximately 30 percent of the nation's onions."

Sturr is Irish, but Florida, NY, was 85 percent Polish when he was growing up.

"A lot of the people came over from Poland and Germany working in the black dirt, and they brought all their traditions with them, one of which was their music," Sturr said. "That's how I fell in love with the music. My high school dances all had Polka bands. The local radio station had a Polka show every day. And of course, we had those three-day Polish weddings. So you know, I just fell in love with Polka."

If you were coming of age as a musician in the 1940s and 1950s, it wasn't a bad time to fall in love with Polka.  Some of the genre's most influential musicians -- such as Frankie Yankovic, Walt Solek, Larry Chesky, and Myron Floren -- were cutting popular albums. Myron Floren became a regular on the "Lawrence Welk Show," playing a Polka segment that a young Jimmy Sturr never missed.

He quickly became a proficient musician and, by 1952, was leading his own band. In one interview, Sturr said his band was the third call band because he was so young.  If the more established bands in town were booked, Sturr got the call, which still led to plenty of performance experience and helped launch his career.

Sturr said he was also influenced by the Big Bands of the East Coast that occasionally passed through his hometown. 

"For some reason, most of the bands that came here were from New England, from Massachusetts, and some were from New Jersey and New York," Sturr said. "That's the kind of music I grew up on with bands that came from that area. I sort of molded my band in that direction. That's why we have such a big band."

And it's a good band.  There are dozens of live recordings of the Jimmy Sturr Orchestra on YouTube that demonstrate how well the band plays together, their dynamic performances, and individual musicianship.

Sturr, from early in his career, wanted to be an ambassador for Polka.

He realizes there is a bit of a stigma attached to Polka.  That it's grandma and grandpa's music, but he's seen for himself how young people can enjoy the music -- which is really party music -- as much as anybody.

"You know, once we can get them to hear the music -- just like last week in Buffalo (for a Dyngus Day celebration) -- there were a lot of people who weren't Polka fans, but they were there for the party," Sturr said. "Once they heard it, they were hooked. I had them hooked. They stayed the whole night."

Spreading the love for Polka is one reason Sturr has recorded with so many other artists who aren't usually associated with Polka, such as Arlo Guthrie, Mel Tillis, Bela Fleck, Brenda Lee, Charlie Daniels, Bobby Vinton, Porter Wagner, Ray Price, the Oak Ridge Boys, Bill Anderson, and Allison Krauss.

Willie Nelson has appeared on five Sturr LPs.

"I read a book one time on Willie Nelson, and that's how this whole thing sort of started," Sturr said. "I read that Willie Nelson started in a Polka band back in his home state of Texas. So I thought, 'Well if I ever get the opportunity to meet Willie, I'm going to ask him if he would record with me.' Well, sure enough, not long after that, I had the opportunity to perform with Willie on the same show. After the show, I snuck around and said, 'Willie, would you be interested in recording some polkas with our band?' And he said, 'I'd love to do that. And we did. That was back in around 1998."

By then, Sturr was already a big star, thanks to the Grammy Awards. 

The Recording Academy didn't get around to declaring Polka a genre worthy of its own award until 1986, when Frankie Yankovic won that first award.  The next year, Sturr won the first of his Grammys, starting a string of six consecutive Grammys for best Polka album.  He would win 12 more before the category was eliminated in 2009.  Since 2011, Polka artists have been eligible for awards in the Regional Roots Music category, but so far, no Polka act has won that award.

"If we had not won 18 Grammys, I think we would be just another, quote, polka band," Sturr said. "But the Grammys meant so much. You get to meet a lot of people, people like Willie Nelson. I mean, from that, we got to play Farm Aid. I'm sure we wouldn't be doing that If we hadn't won those Grammys."

In his effort to appeal to younger music fans, Sturr has always welcomed a variety of musicians into his band.  His current guitarist is Chris Caffery, lead guitarist for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

"That's one reason I like to tour with Chris Caffery," Sturr said, explaining his desire to reach young fans. "He comes out with the long hair, and he does rock guitar with the horns, and it sounds quite good. It's a good mix. And, of course, the young kids all of a sudden, they're right into it. And the next song I play would probably be a Polka. And those kids are still getting into it. They'll get into the polka." 

Sturr's performance at Batavia Downs on Thursday is part of WBBZ's Polka Buzz broadcast from Batavia Downs.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased on the Batavia Downs official tickets website, BataviaConcerts.com.   Tickets can also be purchased at the Lucky Treasures Gift Shop. Tickets can be redeemed for $20 in Free Play on the day of the show.

Kara Richenberg, a lifelong resident of Genesee County, is joining the staff today as a publication assistant.

Richenberg's duties will include posting press releases, managing our community calendar, and administering Deal of the Day, as well as other customer support.

"We're excited to add Kara to our team," said Publisher Howard Owens. "She has been an active part of our community throughout her life, knows the community well, and will fit well with the team we already have in place."

Already on that team are Lisa Ace, creative manager, who joined The Batavian nearly 12 years ago, and News Editor Joanne Beck, who has been in that role for about a year.

In her previous jobs, Richenberg has worked for Tops Markets, the Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union, and Toyota of Batavia.  She is a graduate of Pembroke High School and earned an associate's degree from Genesee Community College.

Mike and Kara Richenberg married in 2016 and welcomed their first child, a daughter, in 2020.  Her new job will allow her to work from home and care for her daughter.  The couple is currently working with the building trades team at BOCES to build a home for themselves in Corfu.

Both Mike and Kara are avid runners (Mike won the first six consecutive Arc Friends and Family 5Ks), and Kara is currently the coach of the modified tennis team at Pembroke HS.

The Batavian will market its 15th Anniversary on May 1 with the launch of an upgraded website as well as a new program that will enable readers to help us produce more community news.

Today was another successful Drug Take-Back Day, said Batavia PD officers this afternoon at the drop-off spot on Alva Place in Batavia.

Four boxes were filled with unwanted prescription drugs so they can be safely destroyed.  Det. Jason Ivison said Le Roy PD officers also dropped off several full boxes for disposal.

Batavia PD, the Sheriff's Office on Park Road, and the State Police on West Saile Drive, all operate drug drop-off boxes in their lobbies throughout the year.

Photo by Howard Owens. Officer Connor Borchert, Det. Jason Ivison, and Officer Peter Post.

Press release:

After an all-out push launched to save federal funding for New York Fire Departments, standing with firefighters from the Capital Region to the Southern Tier, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced the Fire Grants and Safety Act of 2023, which would save this vital lifeline has passed the Senate.

Schumer explained the main federal firefighter funding programs - the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program – which help hire new firefighters and purchase lifesaving equipment, are both at risk of being eliminated this year.

Schumer, who helped create these programs, said the new bill, which has now passed the Senate, would extend this funding through Fiscal Year (FY) 2030, preserving this critical funding that has delivered over $682 million to firefighters across the Empire State. 

“When our New York fire departments smelled smoke on how devastating these cuts would be, I traveled to every corner of the state standing with our firefighters to sound the alarm. Everyday our brave firefighter in Upstate New York risk their lives to keep their communities safe, and I promised to use all my clout as majority leader to hold feet to the fire and lead this bill to passage; And a promise made is now a promise kept,” said Senator Schumer. “Since the start of the AFG and SAFER programs, which I helped create, New York has received nearly $700 million in federal funding through these critical federal lifelines. That is money for new fire trucks, better equipment, and to hire more firefighters in the Upstate communities that need them most. I’m proud to have led the Fire Grants and Safety Act to passage in the Senate, and I will continue fighting tooth and nail to ensure that NY firefighters get the federal support they need to keep our communities safe for years to come.”

Schumer traveled across Upstate New York, from the Capital Region to the Southern Tier to the Hudson Valley, to sound the alarm on the potential elimination of this lifesaving federal funding for NY fire departments, promising he would not relent until the bill had passed the Senate. Schumer originally created the AFG Program in 2002, which later expanded to also include the SAFER and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program, and the Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) programs.

Schumer explained that these federal programs have been a lifeline for firefighters and have become essential to their continued operations. Fire departments, especially those in Upstate New York, often face budget shortfalls and extremely high costs that mean they cannot purchase the modern equipment they need to combat emergencies to keep firefighters safe. Schumer said that the AFG and SAFER grants have positively benefited fire departments in every corner of Upstate New York, and with the passage of the Fire Grants and Safety Act, NY firefighters will continue to receive the federal support they need to purchase lifesaving equipment and hire more firefighters throughout Upstate.

Specifically, the Fire Grants and Safety Act reauthorizes the U.S. Fire Administration, the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant Program through Fiscal Year (FY) 2030. The bill also extends the sunset for both SAFER and AFG from 2024 to 2032 and increases the authorization for the U.S. Fire Administration by about $20 million, while maintaining the authorized funding level for SAFER and AFG at $750 million, each.

The senator is now calling on the House of Representatives to quickly take up the legislation he led to passage in the Senate, and to get the bill to the President’s desk ASAP to be signed into law.

Schumer said, “Now the House needs to quickly take up the Fire Grants and Safety Act and pass this vital legislation so fire departments across America can continue to receive the federal support they desperately need, and I will not stop turning up the heat until this vital legislation for our firefighters becomes law.”

Since the start of these programs in 2002, the grants have delivered nearly $700 million in federal funding to NY firefighters. Schumer said that losing this funding would be felt especially hard for firefighters across Upstate New York, who have received over $78.5 million in federal funding through these programs in just the past three years.

Schumer said that if the programs were to cease that would mean lifesaving equipment and the hundreds of New York firefighters that have been hired, or recruited in the case of volunteer departments, thanks to this funding might never have happened. For example, last year, the Troy and Saratoga Springs fire departments received nearly $8 million to hire 30 new firefighters, and in 2019, the Buffalo Fire Department received nearly $10 million to hire 50 new firefighters. Over the past few years, multiple fire departments have received millions to purchase new ladder trucks, radio systems, self-contained breathing apparatus devices, cardiac monitoring devices, and other lifesaving equipment.

Press release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) voted in favor of H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023. The legislation ensures that biological females are not forced to compete against biological men in women's competitive sports funded through Title IX.

Tenney was an original cosponsor of this legislation and introduced this bill on February 1, 2023, on behalf of the bill’s original lead sponsor, Congressman Greg Steube (R-FL). This bill passed the House by a vote of 219-203.

“On National Girls and Women in Sports Day this February, I walked up the Capitol steps alongside tremendous female athletes to introduce the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Today, House Republicans kept yet another commitment to the American people by voting to pass this commonsense bill. Across the country, the Biden administration is allowing, even encouraging, biological men to participate in women’s sports. This is fundamentally unfair and diminishes equal opportunities for women in athletics, which we fought for decades to achieve. By passing this bill, we are protecting opportunities for female athletes to train, compete, and thrive.”

Click here to read the full text of the bill.

After her first trip to the hospital for a nasty bout of bronchitis, Roberta White was issued a prescription for a steroid inhaler, which was sent to CVS on West Main Street in Batavia.

That was the first week in April.

As of Friday, April 21, she’s still waiting for it. In between that time, White has made additional trips to the hospital for treatment, and, eventually, antibiotics and prednisone, the steroid she needed in the first place, she said.

When she tried to contact CVS by phone, she could not get through to the pharmacy, even when the front store staff transferred her, she said. Already diagnosed with severe asthma, she struggled to breathe and walk very far with her bronchitis at its worst, she said, and couldn’t go to the store until her symptoms got better.

“I had been working with my doctor’s office, they'd call CVS … they weren’t filling my other prescriptions either,” White said. “Yesterday, I decided to contact CVS, and the phone system was down.”

She believes that her visits were an irritation to hospital staff, as they asked why she hadn’t gone to get her prescriptions filled. She explained that she couldn’t because she was continuously told that they were “on hold.” She called CVS corporate and said that not only did the person she spoke to have no answers, but also couldn’t get through to the Batavia pharmacy by phone.

Mary Jo Ognibene is shopping around for another pharmacy that will take her insurance. She wasn’t pleased that the Main Street, Batavia CVS took five and a half hours to fill her child’s two prescriptions, and another CVS branch didn’t answer the phone, she said.

Some online reviewers — for a cumulative rating of 2.8 — were equally unhappy. Carissa Augello said she understood that “there are staffing shortages, but holy cow.”

“I can’t even get through to talk to someone, and when it says I can leave a message, I can’t because the mailbox is full,” she wrote. “I’ve been waiting four days for my child’s prescription.”

Another online reviewer complained that she has “literally been waiting 3 months for my prescription to be filled.”

“Understand there (is) a shortage, but every time more comes in (they’re) supposedly out and say first come, first served, but been waiting 3 months,” Alicia Brenkus wrote.

White added that her mother, a diabetic, has also experienced a lag in getting her prescriptions. Her mom has received a message that her medications are in, and when she goes to pick them up, she’s told they’re not ready, White said.

Full disclosure: this reporter has experienced similar issues of prescriptions not being filled on time, not being able to get through to anyone on the phone after multiple attempts, and then after going in person to pick up scripts that were supposed to be ready, was told that they were not.

To be fair, the two employees that were behind the pharmacy counter during a more recent trip frantically worked to fill orders and do what they could in the moment. One of them explained that the lack of staff has put them two weeks behind.

A couple of signs were posted at the pharmacy counter that said there are issues with volume and staffing.

Apparently, that team has been struggling to fill its roster. The Batavian contacted CVS corporate Lead Director of External Communications Amy Thibault Thursday about the issues at the Batavia store.

“We’ve experienced an unexpected staffing issue at our West Main Street pharmacy, which has led to some delays in service, in-person and over the phone,” Thibault said. “We’re working to bring in additional pharmacy team members from neighboring CVS stores to assist, and we apologize for any delays patients may experience.”

Staffing shortage or not, meds — and lack thereof — are nothing to mess around with, White said. With her severe breathing issues, many medical conditions, including bronchitis, can become a life-and-death matter. “I could die from this,” she said.

This isn’t to say that the employees working at CVS are necessarily doing anything wrong — many are hard-working people trying to serve the needs of customers in the face of apparent staffing hardships and a dysfunctional phone system. However, customers seem to be bearing the brunt of the store’s struggles, and they shouldn’t have to wait days, weeks, and months for necessary medications.

Hopefully, Thibault’s remedy to bring in additional staff from neighboring CVS stores has already begun. Another trip to the pharmacy Friday evening found the drive-thru closed due to the staffing shortage. Adding more personnel couldn’t happen soon enough.

If you’re experiencing issues at CVS, let us know at news@thebatavian.com.

Photos by Howard Owens.

A city site known for the creation of collectible woven baskets, novelties and other manufacturing purposes will soon be a scene of environmental cleanup at the edge of Batavia.

Basket Place LLC, at 22 Clinton St., is 22.9 acres and is bordered to the north by Clinton Street (Route 33), to the south by the Erie Railroad, and to the east and west by residences. Properties south of the Erie Railroad are commercial/light industrial in nature, with some residences intermixed, according to a state Department of Environmental Conservation Fact Sheet.

The site was used to manufacture agricultural and highway equipment from the mid-1920s until the early 1990s. The current owner operates a warehousing facility for baskets and novelty items. Beginning in the late 1980s and continuing into the mid-1990s, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the NYSDEC evaluated the site.

In the late 1990s, the previous site owner, O&K Orenstein & Koppel, Inc., conducted additional investigations after the site was sold to Basket Place, LLC. The on-site and off-site remedial investigations began in 2003 when CNH Industrial Baumaschinen GmbH entered into a Voluntary Cleanup Agreement (VCA). However, the Voluntary Cleanup Program was terminated by the NYSDEC in 2018.

The cleanup activities will be performed by CNH Industrial Baumaschinen GmbH with oversight provided by the state DEC, which has determined that the Remedial Action Work Plan submitted by GHD Consulting Services, Inc. on behalf of CNH, protects public health and the environment and has approved the plan.

Remedial activities are expected to begin in May 2023 and last about five months.

The goal of the cleanup action for the site is to achieve cleanup levels that protect public health and the environment. The key components of the remedy are:

• Excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated surface soil across the Site.
• Treating contaminated soil and groundwater through soil mixing with injection of In-Situ (i.e., in place) Chemical Reduction.
• Bioremediation injection into the groundwater as a barrier to treat and prevent further off-site migration of groundwater contamination.
• Collecting and analyzing post-remedial soil and groundwater samples to evaluate the effectiveness of the remedy.
• Importing or reuse of clean material that meets the established Soil Cleanup Objectives for use as a cover system.  Placement of a cover system, including a demarcation layer over areas of spot excavations to address contamination remaining above commercial use soil cleanup objectives.
• Restoring the site cover where it is compromised, or placement of a 1-foot clean soil cover.

New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) encourages the voluntary cleanup of contaminated properties known as "brownfields" so that they can be reused and redeveloped. The city of Batavia and Batavia Development Corporation have Brownfield programs for remediation and redevelopment of properties, such as the former Della Penna property on Ellicott Street, and the Creek Park property behind the ice arena.

These uses include recreation, housing, business or other purposes. A brownfield site is any real property where a contaminant is present at levels exceeding the soil cleanup objectives or other health-based or environmental standards, criteria or guidance adopted by DEC that are applicable based on the reasonably anticipated use of the property, in accordance with applicable regulations, the Fact Sheet states.

Action on the privately owned Basket Place parcel is to begin in May, and that will address contamination related to the otherwise known "Ex-Eaton Site" located at 22-40 Clinton St., Batavia. Refer to the green outline in the image above.

A site-specific health and safety plan and a Community Air Monitoring Plan will be implemented during remediation activities. These plans establish procedures to protect on-site workers and residents and include required air monitoring as well as dust and odor suppression measures.

Next Steps
After the applicant completes the cleanup activities, they will prepare a Final Engineering Report and submit it to NYSDEC. This report will describe the cleanup activities completed and certify that cleanup requirements have been achieved or will be achieved.

When state DEC is satisfied that cleanup requirements have been achieved or will be achieved for the site, it will approve the Final Engineering Report. DEC will then issue a Certificate of Completion to the applicant. The applicant would be able to redevelop the site in conjunction with receiving a Certificate of Completion. In addition, the applicant would be eligible for tax credits to offset the costs of performing cleanup activities and for the redevelopment of the site.

DEC will also issue a fact sheet that describes the content of the Final Engineering Report and identify any institutional controls (for example, environmental easements) or engineering controls (for example, a site cover) necessary at the site in relation to the issuance of the Certificate of Completion, the agency stated.

In 2019, remedial investigations continued at this site under the Brownfield Cleanup Program. Additional site details, including environmental and health assessment summaries, are available on NYSDEC's Environmental Site Remediation Database (by entering the site ID, C819022) HERE. 

Meanwhile, cleanup efforts have been scheduled to resume this spring at the defunct Batavia Iron and Metal on Bank Street. 

To learn more, go to the Brownfield Cleanup Program

Image of map from NYSDEC.

A vehicle has gone off the road and into a field in the area of 6355 Cockram Road, Byron.

Unknown injuries.

Byron and South Byron fire departments dispatched.

UPDATE 10:22 p.m.: Law enforcement on scene reports a vehicle a couple of hundred yards off the roadway in the field.

UPDATE 10:29 p.m.: Mercy Medic 2 is put back in service.

UPDATE 10:54 p.m.: Byron and South Byron assignments are back in service.

Press Release:

The Genesee Community College Foundation and Cougar Classic Scholarship Scramble Honorary Chairperson, Todd Bender '89, have announced the Annual Cougar Classic Golf Tournament is scheduled for Monday, July 17, 2023 at Stafford Country Club in Stafford.

Bender, a Batavia resident, earned an associate degree in Liberal Arts and Science from GCC in 1989, and went on to earn an associate degree in Electrical Engineering and a bachelor degree in Business Management and Decision Sciences from RIT. Bender is married to Kathy Bender and is the proud father of three children and spouse/fiance, Ryan & Courtney, Lindsey & Jason and Evan & Savannah. Todd is the co-founder of The Igniter Group, a point in time investment company that holds a number of operating companies within their portfolio. Todd is a serial entrepreneur with several successful start-up companies and acquisitions throughout his career.

A member of the Foundation Board of Directors since 2007, Bender has led the Board as President as well as served on the Housing Corporation Board of Directors and numerous committees. Todd and is wife, Kathy, also chaired Encore, the Foundation's largest annual fundraising event which benefits the GCC scholarship program.

"I am sincerely grateful to Todd for serving as chair for this year's Cougar Classic," remarked Justin Johnston, GCC Foundation Executive Director. "He has supported the Foundation and College and is a proud GCC Alum. Todd's leadership is vital to so many areas of GCC, and I look forward to working with him on this important initiative to raise scholarship funds for our GCC students."

"It is my honor to chair this year's Cougar Classic Golf Tournament", said Bender. "I have been a participant for many years now and really enjoy it. It is well run, held on a beautiful local golf course, there are a lot of community members I see every year and it is always a lot of fun! Most importantly, I am so thankful to help raise money that goes directly into the hands of the students in need at GCC. I look forward to seeing everyone on July 17th!"

The Cougar Classic Scholarship Scramble allows up to 36 foursomes for the 18-hole event at the esteemed Stafford Country Club. Registration includes 18 holes of golf, a golf cart, all beer and nonalcoholic beverages during play, lunch and dinner with a cash bar, and much more!

Most importantly, all proceeds from the Cougar Classic support GCC's student scholarship program, making higher education possible for deserving students in our communities.

Businesses and individuals looking to take advantage of this event's advertising opportunities and lock in sponsorship levels are encouraged to act early as this event sells out quickly! Event details, registration and sponsorship forms are available by contacting the Foundation office at (585) 345-6809 or via email at foundation@genesee.edu.

For more information or photographs contact Vice President, Development and External Affairs Justin Johnston, at 585-345-6809, or via email: jmjohnston@genesee.edu.

Photo submitted by GCC. 

Press Release:

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of LeRoy
Police Department will be stepping up patrols and participating in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI
program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI efforts begins Thursday and will continue through Friday. New York State Police, County Sheriffs and municipal law enforcement agencies will be out in force during this across the board effort. Incidents of drugged driving are on the rise. Even though some marijuana laws have changed. It is still illegal and unsafe to drive while impaired by marijuana and other drugs. Drugs impair your ability to drive safely and make it just as dangerous as driving drunk.

“Have a Plan” to get a safe ride because impaired driving is completely preventable – all it takes is a little
planning. Visit www.stopdwi.org for more information.

Press Release:

The City parking lot between Court Street and Jackson Street (commonly referred to as Save A Lot parking lot) will be having the surface milled and resurfaced beginning on Thursday, April 27.

The milling will begin on Thursday, April 27 and is anticipated to be completed on Friday, April 28. To begin, the west half of the parking lot will be closed to traffic on April 27 and then the east half will be closed to traffic on April 28 for milling. The parking lot will reopen for the weekend once completed.

The paving portion of the parking lot is expected to take three days to complete and is scheduled for Monday, May 1 through Wednesday, May 3. The parking lot will be split into thirds and will be affected similarly to how it will be for the milling operation, closing and resurfacing one section at a time until lot is completed.

Once the parking lot is completely resurfaced, City of Batavia staff will begin restriping parking spaces and driving lanes. Parking will be closed off in sections as crews work from east to west during the repainting process.

Vehicles that are using permitted parking are asked to temporarily use the City lot off of School St. or any other permitted parking areas in City owned lots.

Press release:

At approximately 1:07 p.m. the Genesee County 911 Dispatch Center received a report from the Veteran's Administration Hotline that a male subject had called them and stated they were going to get a weapon and "shoot up a school". This information was immediately relayed to patrols in the City and throughout the County working. An initial trace of the phone number provided showed the phone to be in the City of Batavia area. Patrols were dispatched to each school in Genesee County as a precautionary measure, and all county-wide schools were placed into lockout.

Officers and investigators from multiple law enforcement agencies followed up on leads and determined the threat to not be credible and, in fact, was false. Currently, a juvenile is being interviewed by the City of Batavia Detective Bureau regarding the matter, no further information regarding the juvenile will be released at this time. 

All schools were released from lockout at approximately 2:25 p.m.

We wish to thank the public, the school districts and the other members of law enforcement for their assistance during this investigation.

UPDATE, statement from Batavia Superintendent Jason Smith:

After the events of this afternoon, I wanted to provide additional information regarding today’s lockout.

At around 1:30 p.m., the Batavia Police Department received a tip that a threat had been made against a local school. While no specific school was directly named in the threat, all schools in Genesee County went on lockout.

The Batavia Police Department worked quickly to identify the suspect, and after an investigation, the threat was deemed not credible. The lockout was lifted at 2:30 p.m..

At this time, there is no additional threat to the Batavia City School District, so all school activities will resume as normal.

While this was a stressful situation for all involved, I want to thank the Batavia Police Department, our administrators, teachers, and staff for handling our lockout procedures quickly and efficiently. While we train for situations like these and have strict protocols, we never want to have to use them. I thank everyone for their quick actions and commitment to keeping our students safe.

Please feel free to reach out to me or your student’s building principal should you have any additional questions or concerns. Thank you again for your cooperation and support.

Previously: UPDATED: Schools throughout Genesee County on lockout

Rosemary R. Waters, 37, no permanent address, was arrested on April 7 on two warrants out of City Court. On Aug. 17, Waters was taken into custody at a hotel on Oak Street, Batavia, on an unrelated warrant and was allegedly found in possession of narcotics and a modified fully automatic 9mm pistol with a 40-round magazine.  Waters was released pending lab results.  A warrant for her arrest was issued after the investigation was complete. On July 30, Waters was reportedly the passenger in a vehicle during a traffic stop on Mix Place, Batavia.  Waters is accused of providing a false name. Narcotics and a modified short-barrel shotgun were allegedly recovered inside the vehicle. A warrant was issued for her arrest. Waters was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court and released.

Kyle J. Schroeder, 26, of Clinton Street Road, Batavia, was arrested on four bench warrants issued by City Court after his alleged failure to appear to answer to charges from four separate incidents. On April 23, 2022, Schroeder allegedly entered a residence on Liberty Street and stole a pack of cigarettes.  He was arrested on three days later and issued an appearance ticket. On April 29, Schroeder was arrested on a charge of DWI drugs and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th.  He was arraigned in City Court and released. On August 25, 2022, patrol officers were dispatched to check the welfare of an individual "tweaking out" behind a business on East Main Street. Schroeder was arrested on warrants for alleged failure to appear on prior charges and was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. He was allegedly found in possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia at the time of his arrest. He was arraigned in City Court and released. On Oct. 20, 2022, when Schroeder appeared in court on another matter, he was arrested and charged with criminal mischief. He is accused of kicking and damaging an electrical lock box on the exterior of a business on Jackson Street so he could charge his mobile phone. He was released under supervision. Schroeder was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and his release status is unknown.

Josia G. Culver, 18, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with burglary 3rd, criminal mischief 3rd, and petit larceny. Culver is accused of making a forced entry into a business in the mall, causing damage, and stealing money. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision. 

Shawnna L. Lamont, 33, of Page Road, Perry, was taken into custody on an arrest warrant. Lamont is accused of failure to appear on a prior charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th. She was initially charged Feb. 19 following a traffic stop on East Main Street, Batavia. Lamont was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear on May 10. 

Breanna E. Brummond, 32, of Limekiln Road, Lyons, was arrested on two bench warrants issued our of City Court. Brummond is accused of failure to appear on appearance tickets issued in connection with prior arrests. Brummond was arrested on Feb. 3 along with Brittany L. Hollaert, 26, of St. Paul Street, Rochester, after the two women were the subject of a pursuit in a U-Haul van following a reported larceny at a local store. The suspects entered a residence on Burke Drive and allegedly tried to steal the homeowner's car.  Brummond was held in jail pending arraignment in Centralized Arraignment Court.  Her current release status is unknown. Previously: Unexpected visit ends in manhunt, K-9, and arrest in city neighborhood 

Adam Edward Roberts, 31, of Cheektowaga, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and unsafe tires. Roberts was stopped at 4:02 a.m. on March 29 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Carolos Ortiz Speed. Roberts was issued an appearance ticket.

Christopher Scott Usselman, 31, no residence provided, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd and obstructing governmental administration 2nd.  Usselman is accused of damaging property inside the Genesee County Jail at 12:30 p.m. on April 18. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kelly Anne Rodriguez, 50, of Clinton Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Rodriguez is accused of violating an order of protection at 8:45 a.m. on April 12 at a location on Clinton Street Road, Batavia. Rodriguez was issued an appearance ticket.

All schools in Genesee County are on lockout (not lockdown), according to one district superintendent.

The Batavian has received multiple calls and messages asking for more information.

We are attempting to get more information.

Batavia Chief Shawn Heubusch said he is working on providing more information but doesn't have anything to release at the moment.

The lockout seems to have begun about 1:45 p.m., according to a source, who also said GCC is on lockout as well.

UPDATE 2:27 p.m.: Heubusch said the lockout is over.  It was determined there was no credible threat.

This week’s city school board meeting was rolling along until member Alice Benedict began to ask questions related to half a million dollars worth of late-stage, safety-related modifications to each of the district’s schools as part of the 2020 vision capital project.

After motions were on the floor, Benedict asked for details about the “window film installation/window hardening work.”

Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said that it’s “a security measure to prevent unauthorized access,” and then Superintendent Jason Smith suggested that the board go back into executive session to discuss any further details.

The group had come out of an executive session minutes prior to that for “matters relating to the medical, financial, credit or employment history or a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation.”

This second private meeting was needed to discuss “matters which will imperil the public safety if disclosed.”

Were the executive session and late-stage window modifications related to a current, past, or potential threat to the district?
“A board member asked for more detailed information on the window film project. It is not related to a current, past or potential threat, but is part of our overall safety program throughout the district. We do not discuss matters regarding safety and security projects in public sessions while the project is ongoing or has not yet started,” Smith said.  “The board was voting on a resolution to authorize the expenditure for the window film project from remaining funds from the most recent capital project. The project does include all of our buildings, and for safety reasons, I did not want to discuss the exact details of the project, including when, where and how the film will be installed, in public session. 

“Once the project is completed, we look forward to sharing more detailed information with our BCSD community and the media regarding our buildings’ safety enhancements,” he said. 

Why was this a late addition to the capital project? And why the executive session in the middle of a regular board meeting (for items that members are going to vote on)?
“This was not a late addition, as this has been discussed at our Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting. There are numerous prior steps that must be taken in order for the board to vote on this resolution,” Smith said.  “Given the safety concerns nationwide, we proceeded as expeditiously as possible to begin this important project.

“It is not unusual to have an executive session in the middle of the meeting, as we did this twice this meeting, and has been done before when needed,” he said. “A board member asked a question regarding the window film project, and for the reasons I stated above, the answers to the question did not belong in a public session, but will be discussed openly upon completion of the project.”

Smith said that the window treatments are a proactive safety measure. The Batavian wanted to make sure that the public has the most up-to-date information about the district’s safety, so the following question was asked again about threats and swatting — an action of making hoax phone calls to report serious crimes to emergency services, which results in SWAT teams responding to an address.

Has the city school district had any threats or swattings recently, or in the past year? If so, how many and when? Were any of them credible?
“We have received no credible threats, swatting or otherwise, this year. We were among several districts across the country that were part of a swatting hoax during our February recess—this was communicated to our families and with the media,” he said. “Per the Batavia Police Department, the threat was deemed not credible.”

The school board approved the resolution to spend no more than $520,000 of the remaining funds in the capital account for the window project at the district’s high and middle schools, Jackson Primary, John Kennedy Intermediate and Robert Morris. The $26.7 million 2020 capital project was voter-approved in March 2017.

File Photo of Batavia Middle School, by Howard Owens.

After a short hiatus, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library returns to the Pembroke Central School District. The Kiwanis Club of Pembroke Corfu Darien, along with The Richter Family Foundation, joined forces to reintroduce this free book program to children 5 and under.

Since the beginning of its operations in 2004, the Richter Family Foundation has focused on the needs of children and educators. Now, the foundation has added Pembroke to its long list of school districts it supports.

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library, created by the country icon herself, was founded on the desire to inspire young children to love reading. Parents who sign their children up will receive one free book a month mailed directly to their home with the child’s name on their new book.

Parents can register online or in person at the Corfu Public Library. To be eligible for this program, children must be between the ages of birth and 5 at the time of registration.

“We’re already signing up children,” Tim Richter, president of the Richter Family Foundation, said. “Anytime [parents] want to sign up, they can sign up. May books are already ordered, so if you sign up today, you would not get your first books until June.”

Motorists can expect a detour on Route 19 at the railroad crossing in Le Roy for a few days in May, a Rochester and Southern Railroad representative says.

Work is expected to begin May 11 for a “full rehab” of the railroad crossing, and that’s to last for about four to five days, the representative said to The Batavian Tuesday. Work includes tearing out the old rail ties and rebuilding with new ones, plus resurfacing a section of Route 19, he said.

“As far as the roadway, it will be a full new product,” the representative said. “This has all been approved by the state. There’s been significant state inspections at crossings all day, every day. 

"The state would only allow detours on the weekend. The brunt of the work is being done on Saturday and Sunday. It will be starting on probably midday Thursday and will go through Monday or Tuesday, weather permitting.”

Press release:

While there are plenty of acronyms in the field of substance use prevention and treatment, not many are as relevant to today’s environment than MOUD.

The Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force, in conjunction with The HEAL Initiative, is continuing its effort to inform the public of the benefits of MOUD – medication for opioid use disorder – by hosting a public forum on May 3 at the Genesee County Office for the Aging at 2 Bank St.

The “MOUD Anti-Stigma and Awareness Town Hall” will feature six speakers, including two men who are in recovery, and will be moderated by Paul Pettit, public health director for Genesee & Orleans Health Departments.

Registration is set for 5 p.m., with the session to run from 5:15 to 7 p.m. Registration is recommended but not required, and a light dinner will be served. Naloxone training will be offered following the presentation.

“The major insights that we are looking to share with the public are defining MOUD and illustrating its effectiveness in treatment,” said Christen Foley, GOW Opioid Task Force coordinator. “We hope that this town hall meeting is a step toward clearing up any misconceptions with MOUD and reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorder.”

The forum also will touch upon topics such as creating a supportive environment for those struggling with opioid use disorder and providing local treatment and recovery resources in the region.

Panelists are as follows:

-- Dr. Samantha Gray, PhD, an advanced practice clinician at Horizon Health Service’s Batavia location and an adjunct professor within the department

of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology at the University at Buffalo. She also has her own private practice.

Dr. Gray said she became invested as an advocate after her father passed away from an overdose in 2015. Her experience beyond the outpatient settings includes work with methadone programs, crisis response, homeless shelters, housing programs and community/resource coordination.

-- Reilly Climenhaga, a detox technician at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, who has recovery coach and peer advocate certifications.  He struggled with opioid use disorder for more than 20 years, and has been on and off since the age of 20. He had been taking Sublocade -- a once-a-month injection of buprenorphine.

Climenhaga said that MOUD, coupled with working a strict program of recovery, has changed his life for the better.

-- Randi Johnson, a physician assistant at GCASA for three years, working at the Albion outpatient clinic, at the detoxification facility and the methadone clinic. Previously, she worked in emergency room and urgent care settings.

Johnson said she has utilized buprenorphine micro-inductions to successfully initiate many patients on buprenorphine.

-- Scott Davis, who is in his second year as a recovery coach and certified peer advocate with the Rochester Regional Health system. In recovery for three years, he attributes his success to determination, faith, a strong support team and the application of medication for substance use disorder.

Davis works with clients through Monroe County treatment courts – providing guidance and peer support, providing transportation for same day/next day inpatient admissions, and other services, including reentry into society following incarceration.

-- Kate Gregory, a licensed master social worker who is the manager of Chemical Dependency at Rochester Regional Health and Hope Haven Inpatient unit.

A social worker since 2005, she has worked in both the mental health and chemical dependency fields in a variety of treatment settings, with direct patient care ranging from residential counseling, inpatient social work, jail counseling, community based crisis response and primary therapy.

Gregory, a RRH employee since 2018, was instrumental in overseeing the development of the system’s central access team to increase immediate access and response support across all RRH chemical dependency departments.

-- Daniel Hauck, clinical supervisor at Hope Haven Inpatient Rehabilitation, RRH Chemical Dependency unit in Batavia. He has worked in the substance use treatment field since 2005 across multiple states, having received Master Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor status, specializing in trauma-informed care, community engagement and crisis intervention.

Hauck also has worked as a treatment court liaison for the Tompkins County Drug Court.

To register for the town hall meeting, go to bit.ly/3ndGbk4.