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With a bit of luck or an answered prayer, there could be an announcement about a new tenant at STAMP in Alabama within the next 30 days, said Steve Hyde, CEO of GCEDC, in an exclusive interview with The Batavian on Monday.

"You know what, we're praying hard that the next one connects, and we've had some real big strides of late, so I'm hoping there'll be something to talk about inside of 30 days," Hyde said.

The suggestion that a deal with some sort of hi-tech firm to build a plant at the WNY Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park came at the end of an interview where Hyde discussed the interest the park is drawing from semi-conductor companies, the supply chain for those companies, and renewable energy companies.

"Things are moving, the site's market-relevant now," Hyde said. "We're seeing a lot of interest."

The biggest game changer for marketing STAMP, Hyde said, is the CHIPS and Science Act.

The legislation, authored by Sen. Charles Schumer, is intended to increase the production of semiconductors -- computer chips -- in the United States and reduce the reliance in the U.S. on Chinese semiconductors.  It's seen by supporters as a national security issue.

The act provides $52 billion in manufacturing grants and establishes a 25 percent investment tax credit for increasing semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. 

"It is critical, in my view, having lived in this industry for a decade or more, that we really need to do all we can to bring it back," Hyde said. "I applaud Sen. Schumer and a lot of our leaders. That was a bipartisan effort around CHIPS to really make this happen and now we're seeing deals from it."

One of the biggest deals so far, announced last month, is the decision by Micron Technologies to invest $100 billion to build a new plant on 1,300 acres near Syracuse. 

Far from losing out on that deal, the staff at GCEDC has been busy negotiating with a bevy of companies -- as many as 20 -- about space availability at Genesee County's own 1,200-acre advanced technology campus.  Hyde said there are at least five companies, and perhaps seven, that have at least a 70 percent chance of signing a deal for a facility at STAMP.

"There's a real active sales funnel at STAMP, actually," Hyde said. "It's deeper and wider than I've seen, ever."

Combined, the companies kicking tires represent $40 billion in investments and about 20,000 jobs.

Of course, they won't all fit on the campus, and depending on who eventually signs, we could see anywhere from three to six companies with facilities in the park.

The competitive landscape has shifted since STAMP was first conceived, Hyde said.  He's no longer expecting one major semiconductor company to come in and swoop up all that remains of the STAMP campus.  The project was conceived during a time when semiconductor companies only wanted to locate two or three fabrication operations in a single location, preferring to spread out manufacturing nationally, if not globally.

But as China has grown more competitive, and with the incentives of the CHIPS Act, the major firms are looking for locations that can support six to eight fabrication plants, Hyde said.  STAMP isn't designed to provide the infrastructure necessary to support that size of an operation.

He congratulated the leaders in Onondaga County for being able to put together a plan that will meet Micron's needs.

Ultimately, Micron's presence in Central New York will benefit Genesee County, he said.  It helps create a corridor of semiconductor companies and supply chain companies from Fishkill to Columbus, Ohio, including projects in Utica and Albany, with STAMP just off the I-90 that helps tie it all together.

"Honestly, a lot of these supply chain and semiconductor players like to be nearby for transportation logistics, but they don't necessarily want to be right in the back yard of another firm because of workforce (availability)."

A smaller semiconductor manufacturer might take an interest in STAMP, but Hyde suggested it's more likely that supply chain companies will move in the firms that supply semiconductor manufacturers with their tools and technological support.

"It could become a hub for semiconductor players that maybe don't take the whole campus, but fit in nicely, and it almost becomes like a hub for the semiconductor industry," Hyde said. "We've got some real interest in that, in that space right now." 

There remains high interest among green energy companies because of the renewable power source available at STAMP (Niagara Falls). It helps that Plug Power is already building what will be the nation's largest green hydrogen plant, Hyde said.

There's also a developer from Indiana who is interested in acquiring the southern portion of the STAMP site, and that developer would do some advance builds in order to attract prospective clients.

"They've got a marquee list of vendors," Hyde said.

Hyde is never one to give too much away about the deals the team at GCEDC is working on, but he didn't hide his optimism that good things are coming soon for STAMP.

"It's pretty cool that a dozen years ago, when we really kind of defined the hope and strategy and vision for the site, that those sectors that were the focus then are the hot ones now, with federal incentives really helping drive that interest level like never before," Hyde said.

Photo: File photo of Steve Hyde from 2015 by Howard Owens.

Shawn Wisniewski

Shawn R. Wisniewski, 33, no permanent address, is charged with grand larceny 3rd, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and burglary 3rd. At 7:29 a.m. on Oct. 25, police received a report of a suspicious person in a parking lot on Bank Street. A male was reportedly trying to get into vehicles. A short time later, police received a report of a vehicle being stolen from the parking lot. A vehicle matching the description of the stolen vehicle was spotted traveling westbound on West Main Street in the area of Denny's. The vehicle failed to stop for patrols. After the pursuit was terminated, the vehicle was located in East Pembroke along with a suspect, who was identified as Wisniewski. Through an investigation, officers came to believe that Wisniewski also broke into an office on Washington Avenue prior to the stolen vehicle report. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $25,000 bail, $50,000 bond, or $100,000 partially secured bond.

Ronnie Kevin Johnson, 52, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with rape 1st (forcible compulsion), unlawful imprisonment 2nd, menacing 2nd, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th.  Johnson was arrested by the Sheriff's Office on an arrest warrant on Oct. 27. He was charged following an investigation by Deputy Zach Hoy, Deputy Ayrton Blankenberg, Investigator Chad Minuto, and Investigator Ryan Delong. The Sheriff's Office release states the date and time of the alleged incident is 6:28 p.m. Oct. 27 and the location as Park Road.  Johnson was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and ordered held without bail.

John Sumlin III, 43, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Sumlin is accused of striking a woman in the neck during an argument at 1:46 a.m. Oct. 23, at a location on West Main Street, Batavia. Sumlin was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. 

John Sumlin III, 43, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with burglary 1st, criminal contempt 1st, criminal mischief 1st, assault 3rd, and menacing 2nd.  Sumlin is accused of unlawfully entering a residence on West Main Street at 5:36 a.m. on Oct. 23. While in the residence, he allegedly held a knife to the neck of a woman and threatened to kill her and her children. He then allegedly broke the television.  He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and ordered held without bail.

Linda L. Betties, 59, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Betties is accused of trespassing on property at 10:25 a.m. on Oct. 24 that she had been barred from on Cherry Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Brian M. Raphael, 34, of Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. Raphael was arrested on two warrants for alleged failure to appear on an appearance ticket. Raphael was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $25,000 partially secured bond.

James A. Colantonio, 53, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Colantonio was arrested following an argument with a co-worker reported at 2 p.m. on Oct. 23 at a location on West Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kyle J. Schroeder, 25, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Schroeder is accused of damaging property at a business on Jackson Street, Batavia, at 12:20 a.m. on Oct. 1. Schroeder was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Isaiah L. Poole, 22, of Albion, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Poole was arrested on a warrant, arraigned and ordered held on bail.

Johnnie M. Waston, 39, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Waston is accused of damaging the property of another person on North Spruce Street at 8:13 a.m. on July 21. He was arraigned in City Court on Oct. 21 and ordered to reappear on Nov. 10.  Waston was also arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on a prior charge.

Joseph T. Martino, 30, no permanent address, is charged with burglary 3rd and grand larceny 4th.  Martino is accused of entering a business with the intent of committing a crime on East Main Street at 6:58 a.m. on Oct. 9 and then stealing merchandise worth more than $1,000.  Martino was arraigned in City Court and jailed on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.

Lance Marquette Mercado, Sr., 32, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment 2nd. Mercardo is accused of repeatedly calling another person, threatening physical harm, and causing the victim to fear for his or her safety. The incident was reported at 5:38 p.m. on Oct. 29. Mercado was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and ordered to return at a later date. Mercado is also charged with criminal possession of a weapon.  Mercardo was arrested by Deputy Zachary Hoy following a report on Oct. 29 at 6:44 p.m. at a location on Dodgeson Road, Alexander. Mercado was located at another location, roadside, on Dodgeson Road and interviewed. He was allegedly found in possession of knife knuckles. 

Rebecca Lee Gugel, 38, of Route 5, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass 2nd. Gugel is accused of knowingly entering a residence with no right to do so on East Bethany Le Roy Road, Bethany, on Oct. 22 at 11:25 a.m.  She was issued an appearance ticket.

Nickolas Adam Figlow, 20, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th and harassment 2nd. Figlow is accused of damaging a victim's vehicle and of following the victim to Walmart on Oct. 27 at 10:30 p.m.  Figlow was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and ordered to return on Nov. 15.

James M. Dimatteo, 42, of Barre, is charged with DWI. Dimatteo was stopped at 9:58 a.m. on Oct. 28 by State Police in the Town of Elba. Dimatteo was released to a third party. 

 

A new $70 million county jail-in-progress has certainly added to Genesee County’s list of expenses for 2023 and beyond, however, there are other reasons for a proposed 2 percent tax levy increase, County Manager Matt Landers says.

An “all funds” budget of $162,567,180 is an increase of nearly $3.6 million from the current budget, with an operating budget of $124,247,459 — at a hike of $4.88 million more than the current 2022 budget, Landers said.

New jail debt service — a nearly $4 million yearly tab for the next 30 years — includes the construction, labor and materials of the new facility on Route 5 in the Town of Batavia, and eight new hires needed at the future site.

The Batavian asked Landers about prior statements made by county management about how the new jail would not impact taxpayers.
The proposed 2 percent tax levy increase includes other rising costs, Landers said.

“The debt service for the new jail was not expected to cause an increase in county property taxes, which it isn’t,” he said. “The percent levy increase in the budget is due to a number of factors, including NYS retirement cost increases, wage increases, inflationary increases on a variety of commodities utilized by the County Highway Department and some operational increases at the jail due to hiring new positions.”

Those positions include six correctional officers and a new deputy jail superintendent, two new positions at the Sheriff’s Office aimed at “improvements in public safety,” and a new public health education coordinator position (funded with increased state funding).

What is your calculation for those new positions for the jail, including salary and benefits?
Landers provided numbers for the 2023 budget year, which totals $286,047. However, that covers three correction officers effective July 1, and the other three officers and a deputy jail superintendent to begin on Oct. 1, which means salary and benefits for three to six months of 2023.

A public hearing has been set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the legislative chambers at the Old Courthouse between Main and Ellicott streets, Batavia. Typical of such hearings, this will include a presentation of the budget, Landers said, “but we will welcome feedback from the public.”

“Feedback provided by the public will absolutely be taken into consideration before the Legislature adopts the final budget later this month,” he said.

A tax levy increase of 2 percent and the assessment increases for most properties will mean a decrease in the actual property tax — from $9.18 to $8.44 per $1,000 assessed value. If your property has increased, that may not translate to an overall property tax decrease. For example, a $100,000 home at $9.18 = $918, whereas a home now assessed at $120,000 at $8.44 = $1,012.80.

The county was not directly responsible for raised assessments, as each municipality conducted its own assessment process, and Landers points to the fact that county taxes will go down. But it’s worth noting the increased assessments for many folks, and how that will affect your future county tax bill.

The Batavian asked if this is likely the trend moving forward — increased tax levies to pay off the long-term debt for the jail. While he can’t say for sure about future budgets, Landers is aware of the county’s ties to “a lot of state mandates of which we have little control.”

“And when there are changes made by the state, we must react accordingly,” he said.  “The 2021 budget kept the levy flat and the 2022 budget is increasing the levy 2 percent. The County faces inflationary cost pressures like every other organization, and when inflation is running above 8 percent, it is a challenge to keep our expenses flat.

“The County hopes to generate revenue starting in the 2024 budget from boarding in inmates, which will help offset operational costs at the County Jail.”

During a recent county Legislature meeting, supervisors from Pembroke and Bergen appealed to legislators that their municipalities could use more revenue — something they felt has decreased due to a 40-year sales tax-sharing agreement between the county and city.

Why should they accept the fact that they are seeing less revenue now as the county receives more? Genesee County is sharing $10 million with towns and villages every year for the remaining term of that agreement, Landers said.

“The County has a number of countywide challenges that will need this increase as we move forward on developing solutions,” he said. “In addition to funding a $70 million dollar jail, the county is working towards a countywide broadband solution to ensure every home is connected; the county is working towards Phase 3 of the countywide water system, which carries a $150 million price tag; and we are actively working to help implement some of the solutions identified in the (Municipal Resources Inc.) study.

“With that said, the county absolutely hears the voices of our town and village leaders, and I am hopeful that we can find creative ways to have meaningful positive impacts on their municipal budgets.”

A positive step, he said, was being able to eliminate election chargebacks and reduce workers comp costs by 60 percent in the 2023 budget.

Other budget challenges include increases of more than $700,000 for state retirement costs; state mandates to fund Medicaid, Probation, the new jail, the Public Defender’s Office, assigned counsel, Social Services programs, Mental Health, Early Intervention and preschool services, he said.

With everything proposed, is it all in dire need? Is there anything the county can delay for now?
Landers emphasized that “we DO NOT incur an expense before we need to.”

In fact, county infrastructure has been neglected over the years, he said, and “we have deferred maintenance to the point we end up paying more in the long run.”

“The perfect example is the front of the old Sheriff Administration building.  We had an estimate to repair the front of the building, where large stones were literally falling off the façade, five years ago for approximately $500,000,” Landers said. “We deferred this maintenance and are now making these needed repairs for over $1 million.” 

This 2023 budget includes an ongoing commitment for increased funding by $1 million for roads and bridges, Landers said in his budget message. Deferred maintenance of these structures has gotten to a critical point, “and the cracks are showing,” evident by recent bridge closures, he said.

The proposed budget includes $2 million of unappropriated — not designated — fund balance, and in addition to the new jail, an ongoing water project is clearly on the county’s priority list.

“The county is embarking on two of the largest capital infrastructure projects in its history,” he said of the $70 million jail and $150 million water system project. “These two projects are going to weigh heavily on decisions made by the Manager’s Office and County Legislature for the foreseeable future, and is evident in the 2023 recommended county budget.”

After Wednesday’s hearing, the budget will go to the Legislature for consideration and eventual vote this month. Landers is pleased that the financial plan is under the allowable tax cap, he is also aware of its ramifications.

“I am not blind to the significant impact the proposed tax levy has on the citizens and businesses of Genesee County,” he said. “My time as county manager has only just begun, and I pledge to work with local governments, community not-for-profits, the business county and local citizens on ways to spend these precious resources as efficiently as possible.”

Click to read the entire Budget Message

Costumed ghouls, princesses, and superheroes took to the streets by 5 p.m. Monday, after several others enjoyed a work day of costumed fun.

Some places reserved their festivities for the actual holiday — versus many that happened during the weekend — including a trunk or treat at Grace Baptist Church on Vine Street, and a Fall Festival party at City Church’s St. Anthony’s site on Liberty Street.

Of course, dozens of homes also opened their doors to giggling trick-or-treaters that seemed to be out in fewer numbers this year. Some households reported handing out less candy -- up to 50 percent less --  and online posters echoed the sentiment of disappointment that so few kids visited them. And that meant, for better or worse, more leftover Twizzlers, Snickers, fruit chews and the like.

Perhaps all of those other events -- haunted houses, trunk or treats, hay rides, carnivals -- on Friday, Saturday and Sunday -- tuckered everyone out. 

Genesee County and City of Batavia staff members felt the fun spirit during the day, dressing up in assorted themes of Old MacDonald had a Farm and 101 Dalmatians, plus a nun, skeleton, hotdog, and even a ladybug graced Ctiy Hall. 

Referee Tammi Ferringer (aka assistant county manager) called the shots in the absence of County Manager Matt Landers, who no doubt was sprucing up the decor at his house during the Human Services meeting.

Top photo of trick-or-treaters on Ellicott Avenue in Bataiva, by Howard Owens.

Photos from Genesee County and City of Batavia online sites. Photo of Tammi Ferringer, above, by Joanne Beck.

There was a cute petting zoo at one house on Allanview in Batavia Monday evening.

However, the creatures looked like they hadn’t eaten in a while — they were nothing but bones.

The display was part of a Landers’ family Halloween extravaganza. From the front archway, towering villain, graveyard, and seasonal blazing orange and purple hues, the county manager’s home screamed all hallow’s eve.

“We’ve been doing it for years, my daughter’s 16 now, and we probably started it 10 years ago when she was six,” Landers said as darkness fell Monday. “I was actually thinking of scaling back, and the kids said no, dad, you’ve gotta do it.”

Placing blame on the kids aside, Landers admitted that he’s “a Halloween nut too.” 

“I love all the scary movies, I love the genre in general, I’ve got to admit,” he said.

Although he didn't don a monster mask to coordinate with the outside setup, he and wife Melissa took a peaceful dive back to the Summer of Love with tye-dye, headbands and free-flowing hair for both.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Harry Rascoe (seated), director of The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road, welcomes a variety of characters during this afternoon's Trunk or Treat event. Six vehicles -- trunks decorated with Halloween themes -- were stationed around the parking lot and each offered treats for children of all ages.

"Pirate" Jess Budzinack, right, provides treats for 3 1/2-year-old Nevaeh, and Ariel Goldstein.

Jessica Powers and her children, Aleah and Cierra Greig, embrace the holiday spirit. The Recovery Station is a program of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. Photos by Mike Pettinella.

Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for GCASA.

Crosby's convenience stores have apparently become the target of burglars after closing hours recently.

The most recent burglary was at 12:05 a.m. on Saturday at the Crosby's on Clinton Street Road, Batavia. The store closed at 10 p.m. on Friday night.

A source said it doesn't appear that anything of value was taken, but the burglars did make a mess of the store.

The State Police are investigating the Batavia burglary, said Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Joseph Graff.

He confirmed there was also a burglary at the Crosby's in Elba on Oct. 23, which is under investigation by the Sheriff's Office, and in Albion on Oct. 22.

"Preliminary indications all look to be similar MOs," Graff said. 

As Alina Kovalenko and her daughter Vlada settled onto a comfy-looking couch bathed in soft blush lighting from a nearby lamp, it was hard to imagine the terror and destruction that surrounded them not long ago.

Alina had been teaching English at a university, and her teenage daughter was finishing high school with a goal to study languages — English, French and Dutch — in college. Their lives were flowing along as Russia placed troops in Belarus, and by February, fighting began in eastern Ukraine.

Amidst the shock of Russia’s infiltration and gradual obliteration within sections of Ukraine territory, Alina still didn’t quite believe that it would reach her beloved hometown of Kharkiv. It was her 17-year-old daughter who kept up-to-date with friends and began to give mom nudges that they should move.

After weeks of disbelief that military maneuvers and bombings were heading their way, the pair eventually — and reluctantly —  left their homeland in search of peaceful existence. They went to Poland but realized that, since Poland had assisted Ukraine, it was not a safe country either.

Meanwhile, Art and Carla Wahls were sitting in their Batavia home’s living room in April watching television.

“We saw things on TV about the war. And then one night there was a piece on that President Biden was saying that he was going to allow at least 100,000 Ukrainians come to the United States through the United for Ukraine program,” Carla said during an interview with The Batavian. “So we're watching that, and Art turned to me, and he said, ‘we need to do something. We need to help.’ And we started the search process to find the perfect family.”

Alina’s disbelief was further validated by her parents, who felt that it was going to be ok for them to stay, even though her brother encouraged Alina to keep her car full of “petrol” and have a backpack filled with necessities at the ready. The sounds of bombs grew ever closer, and Ukraine residents’ lives changed into that of a fugitive — sleeping in their clothes, having the backpack nearby, and ready to run at a moment’s notice.

Of course, unlike a criminal fugitive, Alina, Vlada and their family and friends had done nothing wrong. Vlada kept asking her mom if they could move far from the violence, and there came a point when the worried mom conceded.

They had a curfew not to be outside from 4 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day, and shopping lines were very long due to the short amounts of time they had to get somewhere and back before 4. Roads were dangerous, with officials checking for valid passports and Russian soldiers shelling the town.

“It was first a shock to see shelled cars in Kharkiv,” Alina said. “It was surrounded by Russians. I didn’t want to believe it would be as bad as it was.”

They moved to Poland, but Russian troops were getting ever closer to the country, so — with Vlada’s prompting — Alina decided it was time to seek safety farther away.

“Children shouldn’t see this all. Vlada was afraid all the time,” Alina said. “I told her ‘if you wish, you can try.’”

So Vlada researched online, and Carla was also doing her research, and they eventually got connected through Icanhelp.com. After registering, the Wahls received “a plethora of people looking for help,” Carla said, but many of them had the money and means to move. They were just looking for a United States citizen to host them. So she sifted through applicants as Vlada looked at profiles, and they eventually met via Zoom.

“So we were afraid that if the worst comes to the western part of Ukraine, they could easily (cross the border) and come to Poland. My brother, he’s a military soldier, they're in Kharkiv and our family friend, Stas, he's also there and he protects all this, but I also didn't believe that there are some people who can give you housing, who can give you financial support and mental support and any kind of support,” Alina said. “After the first (Zoom) video, I say no. It’s a huge responsibility that people have to take.”

But as they talked, some patterns arose. Alina is close in age to the Wahls' daughter Andrea. Arthur was Alina’s brother’s name and that of Carla’s husband. Both Art Wahl and Alina’s dad were mechanics.  These little details slowly forged a trust between them that this relationship was meant to be.

The women’s English was fairly good, and Carla has been giving them further help. Vlada is studying at the university online — beginning at 1 a.m. to coordinate with Ukraine time — and taking dance, playing acoustic guitar and writing songs about the war.

“You can’t understand what she’s saying, but you understand the feeling,” Carla said.

Vlada displayed an obvious spark of enthusiasm for acting, singing, playing piano and guitar and dancing.

“My soul is music,” she said, sharing one possible goal. “Maybe working in the theater.”

It has taken a while for them to get used to noises — such as a loud thunderstorm — and realize they are no longer in danger.

“For us, it’s important to be in a safe place and not have to run away from bombing,” Alina said. “Each of us had a life that we could control. We had a job, money, a home. Vlada was going to have her first concert, but war (stopped that from happening). We planned to buy a dress for her prom … I said ‘tomorrow we will go,’ and we never did.”

Memories of their journey are still vivid, as the women spoke of sleeping in shifts with family members and being cognizant of where they would go if they had to move quickly. Basements were considered safety zones.

As Alina grappled with explaining the terror they felt -- with crumbled buildings, fires, death -- she credited her daughter for doing much of the legwork for their final escape to a U.S. family.

“She was searching for them. She was texting everybody. So she did all the job. And then she just said, ‘Mom, I found the family. We need to make a chat. Okay, okay, I'm ready. Let's chat,” Alina said. “So in Poland, we leave like with people who also gave us housing, food and that's all, and I understood that I just couldn't go anywhere because we couldn't even buy tickets. So that's why we decided to go farther because we were afraid to be in the same situation like we were in Kharkiv.”

Since being in Batavia for nearly two months, they are experiencing a better life, a safer existence. There have been walks through a park, a trip to Niagara Falls, afternoon tea (from Carla’s English heritage),   discovering buttery Eggo waffles with syrup “a dream come true,” Vlada said with a grin — and the recognition of Ukraine flags hanging at random homes and office buildings.

“It’s so nice when in a different country and to see the Ukraine flag; it’s in our DNA,” Alina said, explaining the Coat of Arms blouses that she and Vlada quickly changed into for a photo. “This became our national protest. We are Ukraine, we belong to Ukraine. Everybody wears it to show that Kharkiv is Ukraine.”

When Art first suggested that they help a Ukraine family, his reason was simple, he said.

“They’re people like us,” he said. “What if that happened in the U.S.?”

They have each discovered how true that is — despite different cultural backgrounds, Alina and Vlada have been embraced by their hosts and become part of the Wahls brood.

“They’re already in our hearts. Our children (Andrea and Jamie) love you, and our grandchildren love you,” Carla said. “You’re family.”

If anyone is interested in serving as a host family and would like some guidance, email Carla.

Top photo of Alina and her daughter Vlada Kovalenko, who came from Kharkiv, Ukraine to stay with host family Art and Carla Wahls of Batavia, having afternoon tea with Carla and posing in front of the Wahls' U.S. and Ukraine flag, and relaxing in their living room together, above. Photos by Joanne Beck. Photos of the destruction in Ukraine and of Alina's brother, Arthur, and good friend Stas, submitted by Alina Kovalenko.

Cody Harloff was caught clowning around Friday evening at Harvester Center.

Of course, the stark white face with black-rimmed eyes and deep red lips didn’t seem quite so jovial as you might expect from a clown, but that’s because Harloff was part of the haunted house on the first floor of 56 Harvester Ave., Batavia.

“I’m gonna give them the thrill and, kind of keep pushing and make them shake a little bit. It's been a mix of reactions. Some people have no reaction. Some people are screaming and running. We've had a bunch of people run through faster than they should be, going through. But it's been quite fun,” he said. “I feel like there's not enough organizations like this in Batavia that do stuff like this. So I think it's just good for them to come and get out. Whether it's, you know, the thrill of Halloween or just spending some quality time and having fun.”

Walk right up, and wait for the heavy metal door to open. An escort will wave you in by rapping his heavy wooden dowel on the door. Once inside, the door slams shut. It’s a first-time haunted house at Harvester Center sponsored by the Just Kings Social Club. It runs through this weekend.

Not to give anything away, but a group of girls just ahead screamed their heads off, albeit, not literally. With each flinch and movement of the key house inhabitants, the girls let out a whelp and scream until finally out the other end with some fluttered breathing. The Batavian asked Chloe Cullington, 13, what got to her during the walking tour of gravestones, creepy residents, corpses, and a very loud noise reminiscent of a massacre-esque movie.

“The clowns, they were the worst,” Chloe said while trying to catch her breath. “And the chain saw.”

Her friend Meki’ayla Vazquez, 15, agreed that the clowns were pretty scary, especially in the hazy darkness filled with fog. “I couldn’t see anything.”

They were in a group of about a half dozen girls, and each one let out a scream during various points throughout the haunted house.

The evening offered up a trunk or treat and hay rides earlier on the street, followed by the Halloween feature inside. Kristyn Thomas greeted visitors as they lined up, estimating toward the end that at least 100 people — youngsters, teens, and adults — came through.

“It’s been steady, with no break. It’s kind of cool because you have people who never had the opportunity to go to a haunted house, other than in Buffalo or Rochester,” she said. “It’s kind of exciting.”

She’s the wife of Victor Thomas, one of the chief organizers with Just Kings Social Club, a civic group that aims to give voice to the black community and raise money to then spread some kindness and cheer amongst local children. The Kings’ initiatives have included backpacks for school and, for this fundraiser, buying Christmas gifts again this season for kids.

“We’re hoping to raise a bunch more money so we can help a bunch more families. We just wanted to find a way that we could do something that we can raise money to really help out on Christmas,” Thomas said. “Hopefully we can, on top of doing what we usually do, by getting toys and donated items and giving that back to the community. Hopefully this year, we'll be able to start a little earlier and have kids actually write to us, and maybe we can grant that one wish. So like, say, if a kid had a specific wish, and he wanted an Xbox, well, this is gonna give us enough money that we can actually grant a wish instead of just donated gifts.”

More details will be publicized, probably after Thanksgiving, he said. Just Kings has a membership of 10 people, all of who work to raise money through activities including barbecues, and now the haunted house. A first-year event, Thomas believes it may be a yearly happening. For the moment, though, he was focused on this weekend.

“Tomorrow is going to be even bigger. There will be live music and different events, the scavenger hunt, so hopefully, it just gets bigger and bigger,” he said. “We really don't have a goal … just to help more kids than we had last year."

The nonprofit assisted nearly two dozen kids and 12 families last Christmas, he said.

He and three fellow members, Ray Williams, Terry Smith and Greg Munroe, worked every night after work to build the haunted house atmosphere. Harvester Center Manager Jared Clark offered the use of the Center, which has a perfect landscape for such a creation — a cemetery across the street and a cavernous building that certainly could stoke one’s imagination.

“Me and a couple of the other guys have been here every day, busting our butts to get this done. So I know our wives and our girlfriends are happy that this is the final weekend because they'll see a little more of us around the house. The way it's going now, it can definitely generate money for our Christmas drive. So if we can get this to go annually, that'd be awesome,” Thomas said. And bring something back to Batavia for Halloween, because there's really nothing other than trick-or-treating, so it’s a different idea.”

The guys had some fun developing ideas for the house, with a barbershop — just where is he going to use that razor? — and a creepy doll room, to name just two. Local companies stepped up to sponsor, including My Cut Barbershop, WNY Concrete Corporation, and Keith Roth Allstate Insurance.

Rob Credi, owner of Pub Coffee Hub, extended his shop’s hours to correlate with the haunted house, reaping him at least another 15 or more customers for the evening. He will be selling Thriller Pizza on Saturday as part of the spookfest.

Saturday’s line-up happens from 5 to 8 p.m., with hay rides for $2, and a scavenger hunt; and the haunted house goes from 7 to 11 p.m. Festivities on Sunday include a House of Bounce activity, hay rides and penny carnival from noon to 5 p.m., and the haunted house from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission for the haunted house is $12 a person.

“So we're just trying to continue something to give these little kids something to do on a Friday, Saturday night that they usually don't get to do,” Thomas said. “We just had a seven-year-old coming through here and he wasn't scared of anything. So if your parents are watching, if you're watching scary movies at home with your parents, and you're watching them with your little ones or whatever, and they're not scared, bring them on down. It's a good time.”

Top Photo: Haunted house occupants are waiting for your visit this weekend at Harvester Center, 56 Harvester Ave., Batavia; a group of visitors catch their breath after walking through the spooky exhibit; other creatures look forward to entertaining people on Saturday and Sunday. Photos by Howard Owens.

Halloween is quickly approaching, then it’s Thanksgiving, and before you know it, the annual Christmas in the City takes hold the first weekend in December.

As members of Batavia Business Improvement District and Batavia Players — led by Co-Chairpersons Pat Burk and Shannon Maute — strive to get things in place for the event, there are plenty of opportunities for others to participate, they say.

Christmas in the City
The main event runs from 1 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 3 Downtown, with a visit from Santa Claus from 1 to 5 p.m. inside the mall and a finale parade at 6 p.m. throughout downtown. Local groups, businesses, emergency services departments, kids, adults, and most anything in between are welcome to join the fun.

Maute has put out the call for not only organizations but also for departments with fire trucks, to sign up.

“You can walk, ride or enter a float,” a BID flyer states.

Mall events will run from 1 to 5 p.m. and include Santa’s Village, pictures with Santa, hot cocoa and cookies, crafts, cookie decorating, a kids’ zone, Santa’s workshop, shopping specials, Dickens Carolers, Scrooge, adult tastings and more, organizers said.

Our Hometown Christmas
Even earlier that day will be a craft and vendor fair that begins at 10 a.m. and runs to 8 p.m., Burk said.

“We already have 22 tables,” he said. “And there will be entertainment; our dance academy is performing, the small brass group from BHS signed up, and there’s Santa’s Village. We’re trying to get people in what used to be the mall, and our Christmas show will be happening Dec. 1, 2, 3 and 4.”

Burk, long-time executive director of Batavia Players, is learning how to juggle theater responsibilities with Board of Elections tasks and being president of the Genesee Valley School Boards Association, he said.

The theater in Batavia City Centre has been one of many projects delayed by the pandemic’s onslaught of labor, supply chain and social distancing issues.

With fingers crossed, Burk is hoping for a completed theater to open in May or June of 2023. There are grants involved, and though the Players are a pre-qualified status through Grants Gateway, there is more footwork to be done, and it is all falling at the same time as taxes being due Nov. 15, he said.

Despite the “bad timing,” he and group staff and members look forward to that day when a performance happens in the fully renovated theater.

“We had some pretty hefty demolition left to do with plumbing, electrical, all those old air conditioning units that were there for the X-ray machines and stuff. Yeah, huge. They're all gone. I mean, we're moving daily. And we're working hard,” he said. “So I don't know what time we're going to be completed. And a lot of it's depending on availability of our stuff, and when we get our reimbursements from the state.”

Grant funding is crucial, due to how — sounds like a broken record by now, he said — COVID affected pricing for everything.

“Our supplies went up by over $260,000. We’re in for $1.2 million already and have raised money. And all that money doesn't mean anything, because we have to come up with more money for it, just to complete everything," he said. "On top of that, we really want to do a good job of accessibility and maximizing use and having good lights and sound and all that other stuff. And all that stuff went up in money … it all went through the ceiling."

They should get word on the grant application in March or April next year, he said, and he has learned how meticulous all of that paperwork needs to be, especially given at least three grant-related changes taking place this year. If one number is off, it gets sent back, and then they wait another month or more for approval of a resubmission of the corrected material.

“You have to have people look over this stuff, over and over and over,” he said.

A Christmas Carole
Nonetheless, the show, as they say, must go on, and the Players will be presenting the seasonal Dickens’ favorite “A Christmas Carole” the weekend of Christmas in the City.  It is set for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1, 2, 3 and 2 p.m. Dec. 4 at Main St. 56 Theater in Batavia City Centre. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 students and seniors, and available at showtix4u.com.

The Players will also be sponsoring Our Hometown Christmas all day on Dec. 3 with an array of gift options at craft and vendor tables. There is still space available, and any interested crafts dealers, food trucks, vendors or antique dealers may want to grab a table NOW. 

Santa’s Village will be part of a festive display, and local schools are to be participating, Burk said. There are so many activities jam-packed into the schedule, that Burk would like to see a future two-day event, he said.

The Hometown event is a fundraiser for the Players, and will provide entertainment and fun for visitors, he said.

“We’re trying to keep the theater going with no theater and with no money,” Burk said. “We are literally scraping together money to pay to keep the lights on.”

Wreath Contest
The BID is also hosting its annual Wreath Contest for downtown Batavia “as a creative way to add some holiday spirit to downtown.” The contest is open to any business, group, organization, or family. For $20, each participant is provided with a 16-inch plain wreath to decorate. Participants may pick up their wreaths on Nov. 19 and have a week to decorate before dropping them back off to the BID for committee volunteers to place throughout downtown, Maute said in a recent press release.

Voting for the most creative will take place from Dec. 3 through 24. The first-place winner is to receive a $100 cash prize, second place $75 and third place $50.

To participate in the wreath contest or parade, contact Maute 

File photos of Christmas in the City 2021 by Howard Owens

Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. management and union employees at the public benefit company’s branch locations have agreed to a pay contract that will give the workers at 3.5 percent raise for 2022.

The agreement was announced this morning at the WROTB board of directors meeting at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road.

WROTB President/CEO Henry Wojtaszek said it is a three-year pact extending through 2023. The supervisory and non-supervisory branch employees will get the 3.5 percent retroactively back to the first of the year.

The percentage for 2023 has yet to be determined, he said, but noted that the union employees will receive the same pay increase that the rest of the corporation’s employees receive.

“It has been a few years since they've been negotiating and this contract will take them to the end of next year -- to the end of 2023,” he said. “We're very happy and excited to have it completed. And we look forward to a great working relationship.”

Wojtaszek said changes in the contract focus on some work rules related to branch operations and the amount of employee contribution to the health insurance premium.

Each side has “ironed out some of the contribution limits for health insurance,” he said, adding that the union agreed to paying 5 percent of the cost for health insurance.

WROTB officials have been looking at the health insurance issue in recent months, stemming from a report from the New York State Comptroller’s Office and questions from Western New York lawmakers about the “gold plated” coverage given to the board members.

Wojtaszek said there is a good chance the 5 percent contribution will be put in place for all of the company’s employees.

“We certainly intend to suggest that and make that as a recommendation,” he said. “It’s a reasonable amount to have. Again, I think the best part about it is that we were looking to have everybody in the company (including directors) contribute for their health care.”

He credited VP/Administration William White, Payroll Supervisor Danielle Fleming and consultant Carl Monti for their work in reaching the agreement, which will affect about 60 supervisory and non-supervisory employees.

WROTB has pared its branch operations significantly in recent years. Currently, there are nine “brick and mortar” locations, plus Dial-A-Bet and Intertrack Wagering at Batavia Downs.

The Batavian has reached out to Antonella Rotilio, labor relations representative for the Long Island-based United Public Service Employees Union, for comment.

In other developments:

• Wojtaszek mentioned “the great curb appeal for the public” when asked to comment about the completion of the Park Road Reconstruction Project.

“It’s beautiful … It's showing now in our ability to have catering events and other trade shows,” he offered. “The people that are coming in to look at the place are really impressed with the way it looks as you approach the building now.”

He said enhancements paid for by WROTB, such as lighting and trees, have been installed.

“The trees have to grow in and then the grass has to grow a little better, but everything's been seeded and everything has been planted. The light fixtures – the street lights – (are in) and we will add some flags and other measures that will make the approach look even better,” he said. “We will be starting out with American flags for Veterans Day.”

• Batavia Downs Gaming staff will be renovating three bathrooms and installing new carpet tile on the second floor – work necessitated by extensive flooding when a pipe burst in mid-September.

The board approved a contract with Tarkett USA, Inc., for carpet and tile in the amount of #28,857.40, to be installed in the administrative, information technology and finance departments, and an expenditure of up to $130,000 to rebuild the bathrooms to current standards.

• Chief Financial Officer Jacquelyne Leach reported third-quarter earnings of $2,230,525, which will be distributed to member municipalities. Genesee County is set to receive $47,228 of that money, plus another $1,040 in September 2022 surcharge.

The corporation’s total handle for last month was $4.6 million, down about 10 percent from September 2021, while the video gaming “net win” was $6.4 million, up by about 2 percent from the same period last year. All told, operational earnings for September rose by 66 percent to $693,628.

Medicare Advantage, Drug plan Part D, Drug plan Part D + Medigap policy, only the Medigap policy.

Confused by the options for Medicare during this open enrollment period? It runs through Dec. 7, and there is help for the thousands of people in Genesee County eligible to sign up, Genesee County Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein says.

Given the volume of people who may be wanting to sit down to review plans and ask questions, two staff members in the Office For the Aging cannot handle them all. Not to worry, Stein says, vendor fairs are coming to the rescue.

“There are 10,000 eligible Medicare residents in Genesee County, who all have the opportunity to enroll or re-enroll, or find a new provider for that Medicare supplement,” Stein said Wednesday. “(OFA staff) have collectively arranged for vendor fairs, and for different parts of our county. And the vendors are there, the supplemental insurance providers are there, and they have time to talk to our residents.”

She encouraged her fellow legislators to direct those with questions, comments or complaints about their Medicare coverage to attend a vendor fair.

“Each and every person in our community, those 10,000 that are eligible, they're important. And it is important that they get the right supplemental insurance to meet their own individual needs,” she said. “So, again, this is the most important time of the year for that fragile population that we have. Please encourage them to attend one of these fairs.”

There are three fairs coming up, and all of them go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are scheduled for:

• Nov. 2 at Town of Bethany Hall, 10510 Bethany Center Road, East Bethany
• Nov. 15 at Darien Center Fire Hall, 10537 Alleghany Road, Darien Center
• Nov. 29 at First United Methodist Church, 8221 Lewiston Road, Batavia

Attendees should bring their Medicare card, and a list of each their prescriptions and doctors.

Representatives from local Medicare Advantage Plans will be present to assist you in understanding changes for 2023, and to help sign you up for a different plan or company if that’s what you choose to do.

Medicare specialists from the Office For the Aging will be on hand to answer any questions and to give unbiased information.

A representative from EPIC, the state Prescription Assistance Program, will be available on Nov. 29 at the Batavia location.

For anyone with disabilities or language interpretation needs, requests for reasonable accommodations should be made at least five days before your visit to a vendor.

For more information, call 585-343-1611.

File Photo of Shelley Stein by Joanne Beck.

Ernie Haywards’s words were humble and to the point Wednesday in regard to his town’s need for additional revenue.

With a depleting fund balance and shrinking sales tax, Hayward turned to the people he believed were responsible for some help.

“I am  here tonight on behalf of the Genese County taxpayers who live in the town of Bergen to plead with the Legislature to consider additional aid to the town of Bergen,” the Bergen supervisor said during the county meeting in legislature chambers. “The loss of sales tax/voluntary contributions from the county has meant a cut in revenue of $211,147 per year since 2018.”

Given his total budget of $2.3 million, a loss of that amount year after year “is having a major impact,” Hayward said.

He highlighted the reduced and capped level of sales tax going back to the town, which, with a modest inflation rate of 3 percent, means the town “will have exhausted the fund balance,” he said, plus raise taxes from $2.35 per $1,000 assessed value to more than $10 per thousand.

“The Genesee County taxpayers who live in Bergen are suffering from the economy and have just been hit with an assessment increase,” he said. “We have cut services to try and balance the budget, we have closed our transfer station and cut funding to the library, to name a few items. There is nothing left to cut, and at this rate, we might have to consider workforce reductions, which would mean a suspension of provision of snowplowing for the county.”

He referred to Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein, and how she “often speaks of the strong partnership between the county and their local town and village partners.” However, a partnership implies a give and take and sharing of good and bad, he said.

The municipalities shared in the financial pain of a new county jail by accepting a significant reduction in sales tax so that the county could build a reserve for jail expenses.

They also agreed with the county’s adoption of water contracts, and believed it when Stein “made a promise to keep county funding to municipalities at 2018 levels, he said. Yet, since 2020, municipalities have received “roughly $3 million less,” than was promised, he said.

“Now I am asking the county to be a partner and demonstrate concern for the Genesee County taxpayers in Bergen and share in the good times by increasing funding,” he said.

County Manager Matt Landers had recently announced that the county budget would include a 2 percent tax levy increase that, due to increased property assessments would mean a slightly lower tax rate. Fellow Town Supervisor Thomas Schneider Jr. said that the county gets to be the hero with its proposed budget, while his town of Pembroke and the others struggle with decreased revenues.

“The sales tax agreement is really taking a bite out of all the budgets,” Schneider said.

His predecessor dealt with the water contracts, which meant Schneider “ate a pretty good crap sandwich” from that deal. He surmised that it may be too late for serious discussions at this point in time, but asked for the county to consider a future review of the water and sales tax agreements.

Stein thanked both of them for their input, and said “we hear you.”

After the meeting, she said that yes, it was too late in the season to do anything about the county’s budget now. Stein also said that each county municipality had ample opportunity to share concerns, including during the monthly Genesee Association of Municipalities meetings.

"We have liaisons that attend the Association of Municipalities meetings every month that they are called in, and our county manager Matt is there almost every single meeting, and that is a committee that is on that agenda. And there is always the opportunity for conversation at that point in that forum," Stein said. "Before the sales tax agreement was put into place, I hosted a meeting here a while ago, as they both noted, it was in July when we talked about the necessity ... to change the sales tax sharing agreement, because of the unknown cost of the jail.

"And as I said to the supervisors at that time, it will be at some point in the future when we can share more, but now is not the time. (Collecting water funds to improve the distribution system) helps every single person in our community, even people like me, who don't have water, who don't have access to public water yet, but that change out of that distribution system becomes our first paramount project and obligation to the county's taxpayers. We are doing the business of the county, and we absolutely respect the fact that the supervisors are doing hard work, and they're being responsible to their taxpayers as well."

Landers expects to release his budget message on Thursday. The proposed 2023 budget is $162,567,180, and the tax rate is to decrease by 75-cents due to higher property assessments. The Batavian will have a more detailed budget article in the near future.

Top photo: Bergen Town Supervisor Ernie Hayward speaks to Genesee County legislators during their meeting Wednesday at the Old Courthouse, and Pembroke Town Supervisor Thomas Schneider Jr. also shares his concerns regarding decreased sales tax revenues. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Isaiah Lorenzo Poole, 22, of South Clinton Street, Albion, is charged with 16 counts of possession of a forged instrument and criminal contempt 2nd. Poole allegedly possessed 16 counterfeit $100 bills at 4:45 p.m., Oct. 23, at the Crosby's in Elba. He also is accused of violating an order of protection. 

Breanna Michelle Cragg, 29, of Richmond Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Cragg was charged following a roadside check at 1:19 a.m., Oct. 23, on Route 33, Stafford, by Sgt. Mathew Clor and Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Johnnie M. Waston, 39, of Dodge Street, Rochester, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment 2nd. Waston is accused of being involved in a disturbance reported at 7:04 a.m., Oct. 21, at a residence on Shady Lane, Batavia. He was arraigned in Town of Stafford Court and released.

Kevin P. Kage, 35, of West Avenue, Medina, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance 5th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th. Kage is accused of selling methamphetamine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force in Batavia on two separate occasions. He was arrested on a warrant stemming from a sealed indictment and jailed pending arraignment in County Court. He was arraigned on Oct. 20 and released.

Connie Rae Todd, 51, of Slayton Sett Road, Gasport, is charged with DWI and speeding. Todd was stopped at 1:12 a.m., Oct. 26, on Lewiston Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Margareta Tamasi, 75, of Le Roy, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child/alcohol. Tamasi was arrested by State Police on Oct.  24 in the Town of Batavia in relation to an incident reported at 7:04 p.m. on Oct. 21 in Le Roy. She was released on an appearance ticket. No further information released.

This month may be October, but there are many people looking forward to OctoFUR this weekend.

It’s a Volunteers For Animals fundraiser (ahem, Furaiser), complete with oodles of baskets with a wide variety of items just waiting to be won. This event is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Pudgie’s Lawn and Garden, 3646 West Main St., Batavia.

Volunteer Shelley Falitico is part of the event committee, which also includes Angie Knisley, Marcy Colantonio and Becca Walters, who have been “committed, dedicated volunteers for several years,” she says.

Falitico has been impressed with all that the nonprofit does to help animals at Genesee County Animal Shelter, from providing much-needed medical care, vaccinations, fostering, walking, assisting with adoptions, to, of course, showering them with lots of TLC. All or at least some of these services have eased the temporary transition to shelter life for dogs, cats, and even a bird, Falitico said.

“I am a new volunteer and I have met so many long-time, dedicated volunteers since my introduction to the Volunteers for Animals mission,” she said. “They hold a couple of fundraisers each year.”

This event promises to be a good one, and includes an “extra special raffle” this year featuring a grand prize of two Buffalo Bills game tickets. The game pits local favorite Buffalo Bills against the New York Jets on Dec. 11. Get ready to watch from Section 118, Row 6 if you’re the lucky winner. Tickets are $10 each.

There’s free entry and several baskets in the “giant” basket raffle event, and all proceeds support animal care. Winners need not be present to win. Pudgie’s is also offering 10 percent off all pet-safe plants.

For those wanting to help out with the cause another way, donations of new items or themed baskets may be dropped off at the shelter during regular hours: 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, and 1 to 3 p.m. Friday at 3841 West Main Street Road, Batavia.

JJ, top, and Digger are just two of the shelter residents waiting to go to a loving forever home. Photos courtesy of VFA's website.

Former Batavians John and Joelle Lyman had just gotten settled into their new life at Fort Myers, Fla. by renovating portions of their home, making a sizable investment, and preparing to enjoy some sun, beach and relaxation.

After years of uprooting their lifestyles by downsizing and traveling to spend quality time with family, the Lymans had finally landed. Or so they thought. Toward the end of September, Hurricane Ian, with torrential winds and muddy waters, crashed into their serene world.

“We said, ‘OK, adventure time is over,’ it’s time to settle down,” John said during an interview from his current home in Naples, Fla. “We've been here for seven years, and we weathered Irma. And, you know, Irma gave us a false sense of security on the storm this time. I have been through a tremendous number of hurricanes … with this one, the warnings that came in came in fast. With Irma, it was really slow-moving. We had a lot of time to prepare and figure things out.

"Ian brought the fury," he said. "It looked like someone filled (the house) with water, shook it with all of the furniture, and left it as it laid,” he said.

Hurricane Ian was a large and destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane, cited as being the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since 1935. Ian caused widespread damage across western Cuba and the southeast United States, especially the states of Florida and South Carolina.

As a paramedic and responder to several smaller hurricanes over the years, John thought he had seen it all — and was fairly certain that he and his wife could ride out this September storm as well. As fate would have it — or luck or whatever you would call it — their son Philip planned to visit Florida for vacation, and attend a concert while he was there. When the worst of the storm hit, the Lyman family was at that concert in Orlando.

“So we stayed in Disney. Amazingly, we were able to find a hotel, everything really was kind of closed down. And we did get hit there with like category one-ish. We were on the 12th floor and it was still pretty scary as category one. All the while, you know you're thinking what's going on with the house,” Joelle said about their home nearby Sanibel Beach. “You know what's going on with the area because we're so close to the beach, and you know the storm is 400 miles across.”

After learning of the deadly touchdown by Ian, the Lymans weren’t able to contact any neighbors because “everybody left,” John said. Ian moved automobiles, boats, trailers and dumpsters, and knocked down trees, wires, buildings, homes, the Sanibel bridge, and power. Nearly 150 deaths, including 136 people in Florida, and an estimated $50 billion of damage and loss was left in Ian’s wake. Fort Myers and Naples have reportedly been the most hardest hit, and millions lost power.

When the Lymans returned, John’s first thought was that their home wasn’t that bad. From the outside, despite some missing windows, and the wreckage and debris all around them, their place looked fairly intact, he said. First, they had to drive through a lot of water just to get to their place, and it looked like “an absolute war zone,” John and Joelle said, each filling in details for one another. In addition to power outages, the sewer system broke as well.

“So on top of the surge, there's sewer water in our house. Everything was just absolutely ruined, windows blown out we had gotten on Monday, the Monday before the storm we just had the guy who sided our house a week and a half prior finish up by hanging the shutters. We just redid all the floors, furniture, a new wall, windows, doors. And the frightening thing is our insurance covers hurricanes, but a hurricane in their eyes doesn't include storm surge. And we got hit with between seven and nine feet of water in our house,” John said, as Joelle added “So our plumbing, our electrical system, all of our storage, all of my kids, you know, stuff when they were kids, is all gone. It's just devastating.”

The fridge was full of that dirty water, and furniture, appliances, clothing and other household items had been ruined by flood waters. But there were more emotional items, in particular, that got to Joelle.

“I can get another copy of a birth certificate, but there were baby books (in a storage container), and it was filled with water,” she said.

Recounting the danger of even fully inspecting their home, the Lymans said there could be unwelcomed visitors, such as alligators and water moccasins, and certainly, developing mold as the days go by. They aren’t allowed to begin any recovery and restoration until their insurance company and FEMA evaluate it and determine if, and how much, the Lymans will receive in compensation.

They’ve had to fill out paperwork, applications, and more paperwork, all in an effort to try and recoup some of their loss. But, in the face of seeing others living in tents, they feel grateful. A childhood friend of John’s has loaned them a fifth-wheel trailer in Naples until they can move on with their lives.

“There are so many people that don’t have that, there’s no lodging,” Joelle said. “I know that God’s got us. It’s like going through these phases of grief … like when I went to church yesterday, and the pastor told everyone because we're all in the same boat, he said, ‘It's okay to feel this way. It's okay to feel tired. It's okay to feel uncertain, but just know that God's got you.’ And we've known that all along. It's just, it was almost like he gave us permission to feel our feels.”

They have both managed to continue working — Joelle once worked in education at Genesee Valley BOCES and John had worked for Mercy EMS — and her current employer in Florida has set up a fundraiser for the couple to help offset some of the inescapable costs they will have. When they left for the concert in Orlando, Joelle had only brought a pair of flip-flops and some shorts and shirts. Their remaining world possessions stayed behind in their home, she said.

The couple isn’t certain just yet what they’re going to do. With the hope of getting some insurance and/or FEMA money, the Lymans haven’t made any solid plans. Their highest hope is to not have to use the Go Fund Me donations, and instead, they will pay it forward to someone else in need, they said. But right now, it’s hard to say what they’ll have and what they may need in the future.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to afford where we were,” Joelle said. “We don’t know what we’re going to do … You don’t feel rested. Your mind is always going.”

For more information about the fundraiser, go to John and Joelle Lyman. 

Photos submitted by the Lymans of their home and surrounding neighborhood. The car was parallel to the house before getting pushed up onto the lawn, and boats were carried by the storm surge from other parts of the city.

An ice rink reserve fund will likely be tapped in the near future due to leaks from the ice chiller.

Water and wastewater Superintendent Michael Ficarella discussed the matter with City Council during its meeting Monday evening.

“We recently had to add emergency refrigerant,” he said to members at City Hall. “The refrigerant creates your ice. In order to get it and keep it up (to operating standards), we needed to add 360 pounds of refrigerant.”

The cost for that emergency measure was $21,950, he said in a memo to City Manager Rachael Tabelski. She suggested holding spending of $170,000 for revamped locker rooms in lieu of rectifying the faulty ice rink chiller.

“We continue to discover issues with the chiller,” Ficarella said.

If there’s no ice, renovated locker rooms wouldn’t be necessary, so the chiller should come first, he said.

Ficarella added that it’s not a matter of asking “can we use it?

“We absolutely need it,” he said.

Improved communication between the city and new management, which includes Carrier Commercial Services, has meant an increased amount of issues brought to light, he said. For example, a compressor replacement installed some time ago hadn't even been turned on and therefore hadn't been working.

"So when Michael and (Public Works Superintendent Brett Frank) talk about the increased communication and relationship between ourselves and Carrier, who we have a contract with, and the rink, we're going to keep running into these things," Tabelski said. "Because we're going to continue to find places that might not have been maintained to the level that they need it to be for operations to continue."

Frank estimated the unit was several decades old — considered to be original equipment with the arena’s construction in the 1970s.

Council member Tammy Schmidt said there was a time when locals weren’t very happy with the condition of the arena, and that is changing with new management led by businessman Matt Gray for the newly dubbed David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street. Her grandson plays hockey there, and "it's not a rink we could have been proud of a couple of years back," she said.

“I know the locker rooms are absolutely in need of repair. They're super bad," Schmidt said. "And I hope we're not just going to spend all the (funding on) refrigerant and not do those locker rooms at all, because we want to be proud of that, right?"

Ficarella asked that the emergency refrigerant cost be taken out of the ice rink reserve, which currently has a balance of $357,000.

The matter, and a related vote, was moved to a future business meeting.

File photo of the McCarthy ice arena in Batavia.

Playing host to more than 50,000 people at ball games, plus youth, high school and college baseball games, dance clinics, concerts, a fundraising awareness walk, challenger sports activities, and an epic Halloween trick-or-treat event gave Batavia Muckdogs owner Robbie Nichols plenty to brag about Monday.

But then he saved the best for last, he said. Nichols and General Manager Marc Witt announced that a World Championship ice racing event was just confirmed for early next spring. But no ice skates are involved.

“We're working with the arena with Matty Gray. And I think that he's done a great job from what we've seen. We've been over there a bunch of times, working with him, trying to bring more business and people to the arena,” Nichols said. “And we were gonna announce today that on Friday, March 31, is going to be something Batavia has never seen before. We are bringing the World Championship XIIR, which is Extreme International Ice racing. So we're bringing motorcycles on ice, these motorcyclists go 60 miles per hour, and they'll be in the arena. And they go all around the country to big arenas, and we're gonna bring it here to Batavia on March 31.”

What did it take to get this world event here? As Witt sort of shook his head at the thought, Nichols said it wasn't easy.

“It takes a lot. They're coming from all across the world. So Scotland, England … some of these racers, their Speedway bikes, they go zero to 60 miles per hour with no breaks. They have studded tires. So there'll be Speedway bikes," Nichols said. "There'll be a quad-riding class. So there are people around here that race on ice. They’ll be invited to come out and race too we'll have a go-kart series. So it's going to be really neat.”

There will be more public announcements about the event and “very limited” tickets, he said. There are an estimated 450 to 500 people that can fit into the arena, he said, and he fully expects the venue to be “packed and sold out.” Tickets are likely to go on sale just before Christmas, he said.

Being classified as a world championship, this event next year means more than just a unique happening for Batavia. It also signals a potential uptick for the city’s economy due to people traveling from all points of the globe and staying and eating locally.

Speaking of numbers, Dwyer Stadium hosted 50,000 people for Muckdogs games this season, which made for a total of 84,000 visitors to the Bank Street park. There were more than 40 high school games, challenger division baseball, 30 youth baseball games, a showdown game between the city police and fire departments, an Alzheimer’s walk kick-off, use of the field in September and October by Geneseo State College, and the Zac Brown and Margaritaville concerts.

Costumed visitors swelled from last year’s 500 trick-or-treaters and 2,000 families to this past Saturday’s 2,100 trick-or-treaters and 5,000 families for the annual spooky fun festivities with vendors and free candy.

“It was a zoo,” Witt said.

Staffers had to go out and buy more candy — some $500 more — to feed the masses that formed a line all the way down Denio Street and wrapping its way along State Street toward Batavia High School.

The Dwyer to-do list includes additional netting to ensure that spectators aren’t hit by foul balls and a party deck, and several items have already been completed, such as painting locker rooms, power washing, adding a new bullpen to the vision team area, new cooking appliances, the addition of 30 tables and 100 chairs in the main office, and even the finer details of updating toilet paper rolls and paper holders in the men’s and women’s restrooms.

With a track record of hosting 120 events this season, averaging 20 events per month from April to October, including 22 picnics, Dwyer Stadium “has something going on,” Nichols said. He and the staff have set a goal to have something going on every single day, he said.

Events weren’t just about drawing crowds to the stadium, but also about team participation in parades and Nichols’ favorite event, Challenger Division Baseball. Staff and team players work alongside people with various disabilities to enjoy a real game as participants.

“This is our favorite event. We take a day out when we play with the challenger divisions, we have a real game,” he said. “They're the stars of the show.”

Season ticket holders have risen from 100 to more than 500 since taking over operations as owner in 2021, he said. Nichols, who is also the owner of CAN-USA Sports since 2012, is well prepared for next season with the Muckdogs, having 30 players in place already for a championship next season, he said.

He is looking to extend his lease with the city, after two years down and three to go. He and Witt thanked council members and management for “trusting CAN-USA Sports.”

Councilman Bob Bialkowski encouraged them to “keep up the good work” while member John Canale suggested that the enterprise "is your baby.”

“You’ve created that; we’re very grateful for what you’ve done,” Canale said.

A modest Nichols said it wasn’t about him and Witt.

“It’s the community that makes it possible, “ he said.

Top Photo: Batavia Muckdogs General Manager Marc Witt, left, and owner Robbie Nichols present a recap of this year at Dwyer Stadium in Batavia (by Joanne Beck); photos of the Halloween trick-or-treat event this past Saturday, including Robbie and wife Nellie, above. Photos by Howard Owens.

Assistant City Manager Erik Fix has proposed a new form of communication for his colleagues.

While they weren’t using anything like rotary phones, Fix said the current phone system is “antiquated” and in need of a boost. Also, the current phone system is no longer being provided by CISCO Systems, he said.

He had met with a committee comprised of the city manager’s confidential secretary, Angela Dickson, Police Chief Shawn Heubusch, Manager Rachael Tabelski and KI Consulting and Bolder IT Strategies to ferret out the best options for a new phone system.

Four vendors submitted applications, and the committee scored each one according to weighted cost, functionality, and usability, plus five other criteria, he said.

“In the end, all members agreed that Ring Central, Inc. scored the best out of the four proposals,” Fix said during City Council's Monday meeting.

The cloud-based phone system would cost $22,920 per year for five years, or 60 months, according to the contract. That includes the phones, training and installation, he said.

One of the committee’s tasks involved talking to Steuben County’s IT staff regarding that county’s usage of Ring Central. There were also conversations with the city’s own IT staff to ensure that staff members could assist with Ring Central’s installation if necessary.

All that is to say that Fix recommended that council go with this new company, which is based in California. A vote will be on council’s future business meeting, and, if approved, the new phone system would mean a budget amendment of $22,920 of contingency funds, to take effect Nov. 8.

Another spending vote to be on the next business agenda is the purchase of a new Pitney Bowes folding machine, used for automatic folding of letters, bills and other written materials being sent out from the city.

A current Pitney Bowes folding machine that was purchased in 2000 is no longer in working order, Deputy Finance Director Lisa Neary said. She recommended a machine that is a step down from a top model, but can do the required work at a savings, Neary said.  The top model was priced at $10,435.80, whereas the next one down is $6,841.58.

Fire investigators believe, preliminarily, that a malfunction in a furnace at 8920 Batavia Stafford Townline Road is the source of a fire that destroyed the home this morning.

The structure was fully involved before firefighters were dispatched shortly before 8:40 a.m.

"(The furnace is) propane-powered and forced hot air," said Tim Yaeger, Genesee County Emergency Management Coordinator. "(The homeowner) had left to go and give assignments to her crews for the business that they run here. When they came back, she said she smelled something funny, something hot, and one of her employees saw smoke exiting from the garage. They entered the garage, opened the door into the house and there was heavy black smoke in the house itself. So right now we're leaning towards, based on an investigation, preliminarily, we're looking at the furnace that may have had a malfunction."

Nobody was injured as a result of the fire and an employee reportedly rescued two dogs from inside the house.

The initial dispatch for the fire reported that two people had entered the house and may be trapped but when a Stafford assistant chief was first on scene, he informed dispatchers that both people were out of the house and that it was believed nobody was in the house at that point.

Town of Batavia Chief Chris Strathearn said the heavy, tall column of black smoke from the fire was visible well before he arrived on scene. He called for a second alarm.

Companies dispatched included Town of Batavia, City Fire, Stafford, Le Roy, and Alexander's FAST Team. Mercy EMS, Sheriff's Office, and State Police assisted at the scene.

The ranch-style home was built in 2016 and is owned by William and Stacy Corcoran. The 2,387-square-foot house sits on a 3.7-acre parcel. The Corcorans also own other adjoining farm property. 

Photos by Howard Owens. For more photos, click here.