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After 30 years of service to the City of Batavia and its residents, Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian retired Monday with a reception in her honor before the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. 

At the start of the meeting, she was presented with proclamations recognizing her service.

Photos and captions by Mike Pettinella.

Council members Kathleen Briggs and Eugene Jankowski Jr. present a proclamation to Christian, signifying her as an "advocate who had the best interests of the City of Batavia at heart."

Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein is joined by legislators Marianne Clattenburg, John Deleo and Gary Maha as the county honored Rose Mary Christian for her dedicated service. Those in attendance, including two of Christian's daughters and a grandson, chuckled on a few occasions when Stein referred to her as Mary Rose while reading the proclamation. Rose Mary is seated at left with her daughter, Raelene, and Ron Gibble.

Assemblyman Steven Hawley, before reading a proclamation that highlighted Christian's "faithful, conscientious and valuable service to the City of Batavia," compared Christian to former legislator Florence Gioia as someone "who believes in folks" and wanted to do all she could to help her neighbors.

Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia: 20th Annual Wonderland of Trees Gala

Fran and Bobbi Norton celebrated the grand opening of their craft business on their property on Gilhooly Road in Alexander on Wednesday.  

The couple started in the woodworking business many years ago building various wood products and then added Amish-made goods to their inventory.  They've sold their goods at the former Norton Enterprise showroom in Batavia as well at events in the area such as the WNY Steam Show, AppleUmpkin, and Attica Furniture Days.  After Bobbi's retirement from Batavia City Schools, they decided to open a retail store attached to their workshop behind their house at 4309 Gilhooly Road, Alexander.

Rockin' The Downs: Pink Floyd tribute band The Machine plays "Welcome to the Machine"  at Batavia Downs

Local author Bill Kauffman spoke at the Holland Land Office Muesum last night about the life and accomplishments of Barber Conable, the former congressman who served his hometown Batavia and surrounding areas in Congress for 20 years.

One congressional historian said Conable was as highly and widely respected as any member of Congress in the last half of the 20th Century.

Kauffman, who was good friends with Conable, said Conable was "the greatest political figure our region has ever produced."

This month University Press of Kansas released The Congressional Journal of Barber B. Conable, Jr. 1968-1984 and Kauffman is the editor of the book.  

"To me he was kind of what James Madison and those guys had imagined what a congressman might be like and obviously, precious few have ever lived up to that kind of standard," Kauffman said.

Alianna Baris, a 2021 graduate of Le Roy High School, is the 2021 Genesee County Fair Queen.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day at the fair. Here's the schedule:

7 AM—4-H Livestock may arrive (Beef steers, dairy steers, sheep, goats, hogs)

10 AM – Exhibition Halls & Buildings Open

NOON—4-H Market Auction Final Weigh In (steers, lambs, goats, hogs)

1 PM—4-H Livestock Skill-a-thon (Main Show Ring)

4 PM— 4-H Market Auction Goat Show (Main Show Ring)

6 PM—4-H Livestock Judging Contest

10 PM – Exhibit Halls & Buildings Close

Alianna Baris and 2019 Fair Queen Taylor Schofield.

Jasmine Turner, who won Dutchess.

Gabriella Zocco, who won Princess.

Zoe Castro.

Alivia Kennedy, Little Miss winner.

Brook Pagels, winner Miss contest.

The OHMS Band at the Genesee County Fair playing "Nobody to Run With," originally by the Allman Brothers Band.

Press release:

Batavia Downs welcomed a large crowd of live fans back to the track on Wednesday (July 21) as they opened their 2021 live racing season and the New York Sire Stakes were in town to put on the show.

Thirteen 2-year-old filly trotters went postward in two divisions for a total of $101,700 in purses and the two best of this group remained perfect lifetime. 

In the first $51,300 seven-horse division, the undefeated Bomb Hugger (Chapter Seven-Stylemaker) ran her streak to three consecutive wins after tripping-out the entire mile. 

Iluvmymiumiu’s (Andrew McCarthy) took control off the pylons while Bomb Hugger (Anthony Macdonald) left from mid-pack and tucked second at the pegs. After cutting fractions of :28.4, :59 and 1:28.3, Pioneer AS (Jim Morrill Jr.) made her way to second on the outside and then drew even with the leader.

However, coming off the last turn Pioneer AS broke, giving Bomb Hugger a clear lane to the outside. Macdonald pulled the filly and she responded willingly. Bomb Hugger trotted quickly by Iluvmymiumiu’s and drew clear by 1-½ lengths at the line in 1:58.2. 

Bomb Hugger ($5.40) is now two-for-two in NYSS action. The filly is owned by Thestable Bomb Hugger Group and is trained by Ryan Swift. 

A group of six lined up for $50,400 in the second round and Gertrude (Devious Man-Ophelia) became the second filly of the night to remain unbeaten.

Following the pattern of the first division, the rail sitter Seven On The Rocks (John Stark Jr.) left hard while the heavily favored Gertrude (Andy Miller) darted from post five and dropped in the garden spot. While the race proceeded in single file fashion through somewhat pedestrian quarters of :30.2, 1:01.1 and 1:31.1, Seven On The Rocks looked strong heading into the last turn.

But Gertrude had other ideas when Miller tipped her off the pylons. Gertrude got almost even with Seven On The Rocks at the top of the stretch but couldn’t quite get by the stubborn leader. The two battled heartily to the beam where Gertrude finally got a slight advantage and won by a ¼ length in 1:59.3, with a swift :28.2 final panel. 

Now two-for-two lifetime, Gertrude ($3.10) is owned by the Andy Miller Stable and is trained by Julie Miller.

It was Miller Time at Batavia Downs on Wednesday as Andy Miller led all drivers with three wins on the card while wife Julie Miller led all trainers by sending two from her stable to the Purple Haze Winner’s Circle.

There were also three $15,000 Excel A divisions also contested and they were won by Adjure Hanover (Chapter Seven-Anonyme Hanover 1:59.4, $2.70), New Year’s Eve (Credit Winner-Sweetest Zete 2:03.2, $10.60) and Soundsofsilence AS (Conway Hall-Shutupandholdon AS 2:00.3, $16.20).

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (July 24) with post time at 6 p.m. Free full card past performance forms can be downloaded for all live race dates at bataviadownsgaming.com or on the Batavia Downs Facebook page.

COVID-19 Update for Genesee County with Public Health Director Paul Pettit.

We will be discussing:

• The current numbers and trends for local infections;
• The delta variant;
• Prospects for a return of mask requirements and other restrictions to slow the spread;
• The local status of vaccinations;
• The Surgeon General's statement on vaccine misinformation.

On Thursday, the Genesee County Ag Society and Empire Tractor hosted an open house to introduce the community to the planned Agri-Culture Center on East Main Street Road, Batavia.

It's the former location -- many years ago -- of CountryMax and next to the Genesee County Fairgrounds.

Tim Call, president of Empire Tractor, said the center is a longtime dream of his father, Robert Call, who will be contributing museum-piece farm equipment and a collection of farm-related toys for the museum portion of the center.

But the center will be more than just a museum. It will also provide educational space for students of agriculture as well as conference space.

An alarm that sounds like an old rotary dial telephone was sounding off this afternoon from the back of the former Kmart building on Lewiston Road, Town of Batavia. 

A dispatcher said people have been calling about it for days.

The registered owner of the property is 570 DAB 30 LLC. The LLC is registered at the same address as Benderson Development, which is also the leasing agent for the property.

570 DAB acquired the property in March 2020 from the Williamington Trust Company for $1,757,000. The assessed value of the property $2,260,000.

Kmart pulled out of Batavia and left behind the vacant hulk of a building in 2018.

We're attempting to get information from Benderson about the unending alarm.

Representatives of the City of Batavia Police Department, Genesee County Health Department, Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and Greater Rochester Health Foundation and the home office of the nationwide Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative offered their congratulations and support to the City of Batavia Fire Department on becoming the first fire agency in New York State to participate in the program.

Allie Hunter, executive director of PAARI, was the keynote speaker, traveling from her Boston area office to the Batavia FD headquarters to address about 45 people in attendance at the kickoff event (which was planned for last spring but canceled due to COVID-19).

Other speakers were Batavia PD Assistant Chief Chris Camp, Public Health Director Paul Pettit, GCASA Executive Director John Bennett, GCASA Peer Recovery Coach Melissa Vinyard and GRHF Senior Program Officer Monica Brown.

Vinyard gave a moving testimony of her road back from addiction to become someone who now supports others seeking help.

Greg Ireland, Batavia FD captain, provided the welcome while Christen Ferraro, coordinator of the GOW Opioid Task Force, a driver of the program, delivered closing remarks.

Known locally as Public Safety Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative, due to the fire department’s involvement, the program provides support and resources to help law enforcement agencies nationwide create non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery.

The video created by Howard Owens, publisher of The Batavian, captures the full scope of PAARI – its origins, mission, outreach and impact it has had upon the lives of those struggling with substance use disorders and in need of recovery.

Ten fire companies, including Town of Batavia and City of Batavia, were called out to Summit Lubricants, 4080 Pearl Street Road, Batavia, for a fire of unknown original late Friday afternoon. It was difficult to suppress because of the industrial setting.

The shovels went into the ground at Oakfield-Alabama as soon as the summer break started on a $15.3 million capital improvement project at both the high school/middle school and the elementary school and yesterday Superintendent John Fisgus and a group of contractors gave members of the school board a tour of the work followed by an official groundbreaking ceremony.

The project includes reconstruction of the entry, parking lot, passenger pick-up, and bus lanes at the elementary school. The elementary school is also getting a remodeled cafeteria and kitchen, new main office, nurse's suite, and main entrance. There will also be a new teachers' lounge, remodeled gym with new bleachers.

The schools are also getting new, brightly colored -- blue and gold -- tennis courts.

The HS/MS is getting a remodeled auditorium.

In the fall of 2022, all of the windows of the HS/MS will be replaced and the school will get a new entrance, new atrium, and new main office.

Interview with Dr. Ahmet Guler at the ribbon cutting last week for his new cardiology and wellness center at 34 Swan St., Suite 3, Batavia.

Press release:

United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) has been gifted the largest donation in its history of more than 100 years. Marian Ransom, who lived in LeRoy, left her entire estate of more than $1.2 million to the hospital upon passing away last year. In honor of Marian Ransom and her generous contribution, the second-floor medical wing at UMMC has been renamed the “Marian Ransom Medical Unit.”

“Its contributions like Marian’s that make such a profound impact on the community,” said Dan Ireland, president of United Memorial Medical Center. “We are beyond grateful for Marian’s contributions and what it will mean for the hospital, our patients, and the community. With the support of her donation, we’ll be renovating the intensive care unit (ICU), which will also have a significant impact on the newly named Marian Ransom Medical Unit.”

The ICU project is still in the early stages of development, but when complete will improve patient, visitor access, and flow to both the ICU and the Marian Ransom Medical Unit. The ICU will get a new waiting area and greeting area and also, clinical support spaces for both units. 

“Marian desired to make a difference at the end of her life and so bequeathed her entire estate of more than $1.2 million to United Memorial Medical Center," said Michael T. Welsh, Marian’s attorney. “This humble and philosophical woman has left a legacy which will benefit so many of our citizens for years to come.”

Two months ago Batavia's Jack Houseknecht was involved in a horrific accident in the Town of Middlebury that left him hospitalized and in a coma. Yesterday, he came home, led to his house by a parade of family, friends, supporters, and escorted by City fire and Batavia PD.