A vigil against racism and in support of Black Lives Matter will be held at the Batavia YWCA at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15.
The event is organized by "Community Leaders of Genesee County."
Featured speakers will include: Rev. Dr. William Wilkenson and Rev. Shiela Campbell McCullough.
The YWCA is located at 301 North St. in the City of Batavia.
All are welcome.
Voluntary Water Conservation Notice from the Genesee County Health Department:
All residents served by the Genesee County countywide Public Water Supply (GCPWS) are requested by the GCPWS and the Genesee County Department of Health to conserve water.
According to the local weather forecast, Genesee County is expected to endure at least three more days of excessive heat and humidity. It is expected that very high levels of water consumption will continue throughout this period.
To avoid an emergency situation, all residents served by the GCPWS water system are asked to do their part to conserve water. Guidelines to save water include:
Avoid filling swimming pools.
Avoid watering lawns and washing cars.
Use your automatic dishwasher only for full loads.
Use your automatic washing machine only for full loads.
If you wash your dishes by hand, do not leave the water running for rinsing.
Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator to keep it cool instead of running the water.
Check faucets and pipes for leaks. Leaks waste water 24 hours a day, seven days a week and often can be repaired with an inexpensive washer.
Check your toilets for leaks. To test for leaks, add a small amount of food coloring to the toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately.
Take shorter showers. Long showers can waste five to 10 gallons every extra minute.
Install water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors. Area hardware or plumbing supply stores stock inexpensive water-saving showerheads or restrictors that are easy to install.
We need your help. If voluntary conservation measures are unsuccessful, mandatory water conservation may be enforced. Questions may be directed to the Genesee County Department of Health.
The Genesee County Department of Health can be reached at (585) 344-2580, ext. 5555 or: Health.Dept@co.genesee.ny.us
A caller to dispatch reports about 20 kids are jumping in the water and "being loud" below Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant, located at 1227 Gilmore Road, Corfu.
Press release:
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and in partnership with Willamette Partnership, today announced the release of Greener Parks for Health resources.
This suite of resources offers a variety of research-informed messages, tools and policy solutions to help park and recreation professionals communicate about, advocate for and institutionalize green infrastructure in parks to improve community well-being, especially in communities facing environmental, health, economic and social injustices.
NRPA’s Greener Parks for Health resource suite includes:
“Greener parks mitigate climate impacts using green infrastructure — elements like rain gardens, bioswales and permeable pavement — which serve as essential infrastructure critical to protecting and promoting community health, well-being and resiliency. Greener parks are also key to improving social and economic challenges in communities,” said Kellie May, NRPA’s vice president of programs and partnerships. “These resources have been developed to promote parks as optimal spaces for green infrastructure and provide park and recreation professionals a roadmap to securing necessary support and investments.”
“Getting people equitable access to nature is one of the best public health moves we can make as a society. Even if it’s just a safe space for families to picnic or buddies to play pickup basketball, the physical and mental health benefits of green space are undeniable,” says Barton Robison, Willamette Partnership’s lead partner for the Oregon Health & Outdoors Initiative.
“As we’re grappling with both a pandemic and the very real impacts of systemic racism, planners, park managers, city engineers and community activists should take a serious look at how green infrastructure and parks provide opportunities to keep people healthy while actively creating health equity across communities.”
This project is part of a larger effort to equip park and recreation professionals with the tools, knowledge and resources to advance equitable access to greener parks across the country. Incorporating green infrastructure into systemwide and individual park plans enhances the well-being of surrounding communities through increased health, environmental, social and economic benefits. These benefits are especially needed in under-resourced communities that are hit hardest and recover slowest from extreme weather events.
To find additional information about NRPA’s Greener Parks initiative, click here.
To see copies of the Greener Parks for Health Communications Toolkit, Policy Action Framework and Advocacy Toolkit, click here.
To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org.
About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.
About Willamette Partnership
Willamette Partnership is a conservation nonprofit dedicated to solving complex environmental problems in ways that work for people. The Partnership serves as a trusted broker to the collaborative process — bringing together the information, ideas, and relationships people need to solve problems well together. We envision a world in which people work together to build resilient ecosystems, healthy communities, and vibrant economies. We work throughout the Western United States with a focus on the Pacific Northwest. For more information visit, www.willamettepartnership.org.
A man is at the City of Batavia Police Department to report that items are being stolen from graves at Saint Joseph Cemetery and Mausoleum on Ellicott Street in Batavia.
Not all the votes are counted yet -- delayed by the massive number of mail-in ballots filed -- but some candidates from the June 23 election are sounding confident of the outcome.
Chris Jacobs seems to believe he's won the NY-27 while Nate McMurray seems sure he's lost and Jacqualine Berger has declared victory in the Democratic primary for the 61st State Senate District.
Richard Siebert, the Republican commissioner for the Genesee County Board of Elections, said it will be 24 to 48 hours before local unofficial results will be released.
That said, based on what he's seen so far, it looks like McMurray will have 400 more votes locally from mail-in ballots than Jacobs in the special election to fill the unexpired term of convicted criminal Chris Collins.
Siebert believes McMurray won every precinct in the City of Batavia.
Still, that won't be enough for McMurray to close the gap on in-person voting on June 23, when McMurray polled only 1,565 votes in Genesee County to 4,536 to Jacobs.
Results also aren't released yet for other counties but the campaigns typically have poll watchers in place during vote counting so they have some idea what to expect when tallies are released.
Last night, Jacobs released this statement:
"With the counting completed today and the outcome reaffirmed, I’m eager to get to work for the people of Western New York as their representative in Congress. I care deeply about this community and I will do all I can to serve it with honesty and integrity. I would also like to personally thank each Board of Election member and employee who worked tirelessly throughout this process and the entire election season. Conducting an election under these circumstances was challenging for all involved and I appreciate the sacrifices made.”
McMurray has not released a statement but he did tweet about the election outcome.
Jacobs,
— Nate McMurray for Congress 2020 (@Nate_McMurray) July 9, 2020
All that cash, all those Trump endorsements, the lies, your family’s billions...
Got you a skin of your teeth 1.9% lead in a County you were a State Senator in.
You struggle against a team of volunteers and guy from community college.
We’re coming for you.
Nov 3
In the State Senate primary, Democrat Jan Berger released this statement:
Educator Jacqualine Berger has declared victory in the Democratic Primary Election to run for the New York State Senate seat vacated by longtime Republican State Senator Michael Ranzenhofer. Berger was victorious against Kim Smith, formerly of the Monroe County Department of Public Health, and Joan Elizabeth Seamans, a small-business owner.
The race was too-close-to-call on the night of the election. After all the votes were tallied, Berger edged Smith by 141 votes. Berger received 9,246 votes (39%), while Smith earned 9,105 (38%) and Seamans received 5,475 votes (23%).
“I am honored to have won this close election against two outstanding candidates. I congratulate both of my opponents for running strong campaigns under challenging circumstances,” said State Senate candidate Jacqualine Berger. “I am looking forward to the general election campaign, where we can work together to give the district the representation it deserves.”
Erie County Democratic Committee Chairman Jeremy Zellner said, “We endorsed Jacqualine Berger because she understands the needs of the 61st State Senate district. I am proud of her victory in the Primary Election and look forward to supporting her this fall. The Democratic Party is united like never before, and ready to take on the Republican extremists.”
Jacqualine Berger is the Deputy Supervisor in the Town of Amherst and an educator at Empire State College. Berger has a master’s degree in Early Childhood and Special Education from Tulane University. She is a lifelong advocate for individuals with special needs, running a local Challenger Baseball program for children and adults with disabilities since 1991. In 2019, Empire State College awarded Berger the Altes Prize for Exemplary Community Service.
Berger will face politician Ed Rath in the election this fall.
A black dog at a residence on Prestige Crossing in Batavia has reportedly been left outside all week in the sun without shelter or food. An animal control officer is responding.
A heat advisory was posted on The Batavian Monday, warning that little children, pets, the elderly and the sick are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness. Here's the link.
The local temperature today is in the 90s and more of the same is expected tomorrow.
UPDATE 1:24 p.m.: The complaint appears to be unfounded. The officer went to the residence and could see the dog "moving around, happy and healthy" and it did have water. The officer, however, was unable to put hands on the dog and take a closer look because "the homeowner was extremely hostile." She has cleared the scene.
Whether they were spending time at their Albion home or on the job at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Albion residents Nick and Cyndi Mardino are grateful for the opportunity to share their experiences together.
The Mardinos retired at the end of May after long careers at GCASA, primarily at the Albion clinic on East Avenue but also at the Batavia campus on East Main Street.
Cyndi began employment there in 2000, the last 18 or so years as the agency’s customer service supervisor, while Nick started in 2005, first as a part-time maintenance man while he worked his full-time job as a corrections officer at Orleans Correctional Facility and then, over the past year, in a full-time role.
Driven by a mindset focused upon togetherness and teamwork, and guided by a strong faith in God, the Mardinos made a tremendous impact upon GCASA staff and clients, alike.
“Both Cyndi and Nick were excellent employees. They always went above and beyond their job duties, and they were loyal and dedicated to GCASA,” said Kathy S. Hodgins, chief clinical officer, a close friend of Cyndi.
Hodgins said Cyndi, as support staff supervisor, “treated her staff with respect and valued each one of them,” while Nick made sure “the building and grounds in Albion were always immaculate.”
Interviewed by telephone on Wednesday, the Mardinos said that working at GCASA has been “a blessing” and while they miss the work, they miss their colleagues and clients even more.
“I have enjoyed my experience with GCASA and getting to know so many people who over the years had become like family to me,” Cyndi said. “I have enjoyed working with the front staff and Beth Collee and Rachel Patten were the most amazing people to work with and they were family to me. The front office team was a joy and I was very sad to leave.”
Nick, an Air Force veteran, said his time at GCASA was “a pleasure,” and he especially enjoyed taking on all kinds of projects with coworkers Jeff Helenbrook and Ron Hall.
And they said it was extra special to be able to interact with each other at different times.
“We always worked well together, so if somebody needed something, I would say, ‘Nick, can you do this?’ Or if one of the counselors needed something done, I would ask him and he’d always take care of it.”
Cyndi said people would ask her how she could work with her husband and then go home. “I would say, ‘You know what? He’s my best friend.’ ”
Nick agreed, simply stating, “We do everything together.”
Cyndi believes that working at GCASA was meant to be.
“Kathy (Hodgins) always said 'you’re here for a reason,' ” she said. “Because I grew up in an alcoholic family and my first husband was an alcoholic, so there’s always a reason.”
The Mardinos were always quick with a smile and a word of encouragement, traits of their outgoing personalities.
“I always enjoyed talking to the patients because you wanted to have a good rapport with them. I told the staff -- my team – ‘Listen guys, they’re walking in here and a lot of times that first step is the hardest to do.’ When they walk in that door, they have to be treated as a human being,” Cyndi said. “They have problems and we can’t help them with that, but we can be that smiling face – that person who could be there if they have questions or if they just need someone to smile at them.”
The Mardinos were looking to retire a couple years down the road, but changed their plans, opting to close the full-time employment chapter of their lives at the young Social Security ages of 62 (Nick) and 63.
“God intervened and we said it was time,” Cyndi said.
They had anticipated to take a cross-country trip this summer, but that’s on hold due to the coronavirus.
Still, they said they have plenty of projects around the house, are welcoming family members (they have three grown children and six grandkids), love the time with Bella, their chocolate Labrador retriever, and soon hope to be able to visit Nick’s mother who is in a nursing home.
The Mardinos met as a result of a blind date 33 years ago and were married in 1993. Cyndi lived in California, Oklahoma, Texas and Maine before returning to her hometown of Albion to stay. Nick is a native of North Collins in Erie County.
GCASA Executive Director John Bennett tried to keep the Mardinos on a bit longer, but that wasn’t in the cards. He did, however, manage to convince them to stay on as “per diem” employees.
So, in a pinch, GCASA employees may be able to share some moments with Cyndi and Nick once again – giving the Mardinos another chance to express their well-wishes, thanks and appreciation for two decades of service.
DISCLOSURE: Story written by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.
Press release:
New Cases – As of 2 p.m.
- Genesee County received two new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 230 positive cases.
- The positive individuals reside in Batavia and Darien.
- One of the positive individuals is in their 40s and one is in their 60s.
- The positive individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
- One of the previous community positive cases has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
- Six individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
- No individuals are hospitalized.
- Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19, maintaining a total of 267 positive cases.
- Nine individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
- Seven of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or a state-regulated facility. We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.
Above, a Baby Ballet trio demonstrates a graceful arm pose.
Faced with the crushing prospect of having to cancel dance recitals showcasing students' hard work and talent, Batavia-based LAW Dance Studio enlisted plenty of parents to pull off a creative feat, despite COVID-19.
They came up with a plan for staggered recitals outdoors demonstrating newly polished dance skills.
Lisa Blaun, who owns the studio at 218 W. Main St., said when schools closed and the state went into a mandatory shelter-in-place on Saturday, March 14th, all in-studio lessons stopped.
"We were in the thick of learning recital routines and embarking on competition season," Blaun said in an email to The Batavian. "At that time, there were so many unknowns and a high level of uncertainty. As a small boutique studio and as a business owner whose livelihood this studio is, I took a week off to allow for the new reality to settle in and to take the time to weigh my options.
"I launched virtual zoom classes where I remained in the studio instructing my dancers who were logged in from their homes. In some ways, it was interesting to have this format as it allowed me to see certain technique translations more directly that may have otherwise been lost in a full classroom environment. The Zoom classes kept my dancers learning and active, and gave parents some sense of normalcy.
"The question of what to do with the recital loomed. Ironically, the theme had been set for months as "Twisted." Who would have known how true this theme would represent reality?
"These kids worked so hard. Parents invested time and money. They not only deserved to have the recital that is the payoff for their efforts, but they also needed it to feel normal under these weird circumstances.
"I met with a core group of parents that assist the studio to throw around some ideas while working within the state restrictions. I decided to extend the season by a month to allow more time for kids to learn the dances with the hope restrictions would decrease.
"In the end, I decided to host a recital outside over three days. I utilized the remnants of a chicken coop on my family's property that served as the
perfect stage. I brought my floor from the studio and made it work. We got extremely lucky with the weather. The outdoor setting and three-day timeframe allowed for smaller numbers and social distancing.
"Only core family members/siblings were invited to attend. We did not charge or sell tickets. We recorded each dance over those three days and are in the process of creating a video recital that will seem like one seamless event.
"This video will be provided to parents at no charge so they can share it widely with their community of folks that couldn't otherwise attend. We were also able to take group and individual photographs of each dancer and will provide photos to parents free of charge.
"I could not have pulled any of this off without the support of parents and the dedication of my dancers. I am so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful group of families committed to me and my studio. They hung in there with me and allowed for creativity. I was thrilled to be able to provide this recital experience. It was truly special and one I will never forget. In many ways, it brought us all closer together.
"I am looking forward to the 20-2021 dance season and a new normal, whatever that may be. My little studio proved we could be flexible and shift with the times and I am ready for anything that may come this fall. I will be hosting an open house and a dance intensive course in August if state restrictions allow, so look for more details to come."
Image and photos, courtesy of Lisa Blaun.
Below, the classic pointe.
Below, young hip-hop nation.
Below, the ballerina lift.
Below, the angst of musical theater in the Age of Coronavirus.
Bright smiles all around and great form, too.
Below, the acrobatic pyramid requires a lot of flexibility.
Below, spotlight on contemporary dance.
Press release:
Calling all eighth- to 11th-graders in Genesee County interested in Youth Court! Youth Court is a voluntary alternative for young people who face disciplinary action through school or law enforcement.
Youth who are referred admit to the charge and appear before a court of their peers. There are three youth judges who listen to both sides of the issue and determine an appropriate disposition. The goal of Youth Court is to improve youth citizenship skills and decrease problematic behavior.
Youth Court members learn about the judicial process and law enforcement, group decision making; develop their public speaking skills; participate in a great leadership opportunity; and learn and participate in all roles of the courtroom: judge, prosecution, defense, and bailiff.
Eighth- to 11th-graders who are interested can go online to access an application form on the Genesee County website.
Print the application, fill it out and:
Applications are due by July 31st.
Interviews of potential candidates will take place in August with the training to begin in October.
For more information on the Genesee County Youth Court, please contact Chelsea Elliott at the Genesee County Youth Bureau, 344-3960.
City Church hosted another in a series of food distributions at St. Anthony's today.
Ryan Macdonald said the church will announce more food distribution days soon.
The official ribbon cutting to officially open the Ellicott Trail will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, at the Walnut Street Bridge in the City of Batavia.
Parking is provided courtesy of the Arc of Genesee Orleans facility at 64 Walnut St.
The $1.7-million project created a biking and walking trail from just west of Williams Park to Seven Springs Road.
Questions may be directed to Town of Batavia Council Member Chad Zambito: czambito@townofbatavia.com
James Spiecher, of Rochester, was in Batavia today for a funeral and he and his grandson Jaxon took a short walk down East Main Street and stopped in front of a sign at Batavia First Presbyterian Church that reads "God Loves Everyone No Exceptions."
Spiecher said he spoke with Jaxon about the sign and Jaxon said, "It’s really nice. It sounds really loving."
Aubree Lacey Read turned 8 yesterday and for her birthday, she got to ride around Batavia in a horse-drawn carriage.
Photos submitted by Savannah Read.
Ellicott Place, a $2.3 million renovation of the Save-A-Lot supermarket building at 45-47 Ellicott St., has reached the local planning board phase – a juncture that sets the stage for the owner of the facility to begin construction this summer.
“Once the special use permits have been approved, which are allowable as part of the BID (Business Improvement District), the final step will be the issuance of building permits,” Victor Gautieri, president of V.J. Gautieri Constructors Inc., said today. “From there, we would be looking at a mid-August, possibly late-August start.”
The Genesee County Planning Board on Thursday night is expected to issue a recommendation on the company’s special use permit site plan and downtown design review application to create 10 apartments on the vacant, 11,600-square-foot second floor of the building.
The board has set its Zoom videoconferencing meeting for 7 o’clock.
V.J. Gautieri’s application then goes to the City Planning & Development Committee’s meeting on July 21, when it will rule on a special use permit to support a restricted residential use of the structure, which is located within the Central Commercial District.
Restricted residential uses are permitted in the C-3 district with the issuance of a special use permit.
The project is one of several in the City to be partially funded by the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The $1.15 million DRI award covers half of the total cost.
Gautieri said the plan is to construct seven one-bedroom and three two-bedroom market-rate apartments upstairs and further develop 18,000 square feet of first floor commercial/retail space.
Currently, the Save-A-Lot grocery store occupies around half of the ground floor, and future commercial/retail tenants on the first floor are anticipated.
Other improvements include a two-stop interior elevator, two stairwells, new exterior windows, doors, veneers and roof membrane.
“A separate entrance to the west of the Save-A-Lot entrance will be put in (for renters), with a corridor leading to an elevator lobby,” said Gautieri, adding that renovations will be made to the west side to make it more attractive for potential commercial enterprises such as a store or offices.
He said he is “hopeful and optimistic” that the apartments will be rented in short order after completion.
“There have been multiple studies concerning the need for downtown housing and all show that there is a definite need,” he said. “I see no issues with renting them. They will be of very nice quality with modern codes. We believe there is a good market for downtown living.”
Gautieri said that apartment dwellers would be required to obtain parking permits from the City of Batavia for the Court Street lot, something that is allowed in the C-3 district.
Gautieri said his company will be coordinating and doing much of the work, which includes exterior work initially. He noted that V.J. Gautieri will be soliciting bids in an “open and competitive” process for specific trades, including Minority and Women Owned Businesses Enterprises and veteran-owned businesses.
He expects construction to take about eight months to complete.
The building was constructed in 1968 by V.J. Gautieri as a Montgomery Ward store for developer Stanley R. Gumburg of Pittsburgh. In the 1980s, the Batavia firm purchased the building, a move that brought the Super Duper supermarket chain to the city.
It was sold to a partnership in Buffalo before Gautieri bought it again from a mortgage lender while negotiating a lease with Save-A-Lot Food Stores Ltd.
Drawing above shows the north, south, east and west elevations views as depicted by DEAN Architects of Depew.
The Batavia Town Planning Board tonight approved two special use permits – one for the building of a home on Clinton Street Road and the other for construction of a pond on Stegman Road.
Voting via Zoom videoconferencing, planners OK'd an application by Daniel Hale for a special use permit and area variances to put up an 1,840-square-foot single-family home on a vacant lot at 5210 Clinton Street Road in a Commercial District.
Previously, the area variances were approved by the Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals, and both the special use permit and variances were recommended for approval by the Genesee County Planning Board.
The variances were necessary in regard to the lot size, lot frontage and side yard setback. The proposed lot size is 14,560 square feet (minimum required: 40,000 square feet), the existing and proposed lot frontage is 60 feet (minimum required: 200 feet), and the proposed side yard setbacks are 17 and 24 feet (minimum required: 30 feet).
Town Building Inspector Dan Lang said his staff supports the project, considering the neighborhood in the area of Terry Hills Golf Course is predominantly residential, and the specific lot couldn’t accommodate anything other than a single-family house.
The board also voted in favor of a special use permit request by Joshua Bailey, of Bergen, to construct a two-acre pond on a 51-acre parcel in an Agricultural-Residential District at 3007 Stegman Road.
Previously, county planners recommended approval with modifications relating to having an archaeological survey conducted and submitted for review, and having a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan in place prior to final approval from the Town.
Town planners reported that the applicant has met the preceding requirements and, after determining the project would have no adverse environmental effects on the property, the board gave its go-ahead – with a stipulation that it receives a final engineer’s report.
From DSP Jazz Trio:
DSP Jazz Trio is returning to T.F. Brown's Restaurant on Thursday, July 16.
They will perform from 5-8 p.m. outside on the patio. No standing room. Reservations are highly recommended.
Call T.F. Brown's at (585) 343-1547.
Come as a group if possible. Ask when calling about table size.
Mask required at all times unless seated at your table.
Hope to see you there!
If all works out OK, we hope to get back on our regular third-Thursday-of-each-month schedule.
Public Notice
The Town of Batavia will be experiencing low-water pressures in the western and northwestern area of the Town.
Due to high water demands, the County is obtaining water from ECWA/MCWA Pembroke connection. This connection lowers pressures in the Town of Batavia in those areas.
This will continue until further notice. Customers can call (585) 356-4900 if you have further questions.
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