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Graham Corp. courting investors

By Philip Anselmo

Sean Dobbin, with Rochester's Democrat & Chronicle, spent some time out at Graham Corp. recently. He put together a fine piece on the Batavia manufacturer.

Following a recent drop in the company's stock price, Graham Corp. executives set up a guided tour of the facilities Wednesday for six potential investors.

From that article:

(Chief Executive Officer Jim) Lines told the group, which was a mix of financial advisory executives and private investors, that the company didn't adequately prepare for the economic downturn, citing improper staffing as the reason for some of Graham's struggles. But the company is in the midst of overhauling its in-house processes in hopes of emerging from the recession stronger.

Dobbin picked up on a sense of optimism among the investors.

Investors seemed impressed with Graham's presentation, which included lunch and a question-answer session with the executives. Some saw Graham's stock as a potential bargain. "It was probably too high at $54, but then it got all the way down to $6.85, and now it sounds like it's too cheap," said Gary Lindsley, a private investor from Clyde, Ohio.

The article also includes a couple of good photographs.

Book Discussion: "The Great Gatsby"

By Philip Anselmo

From the Richmond Memorial Library:

Sponsor:  Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia

Event:  Adult Book Discussion

Place:  Richmond Memorial Library

Date & Time:  Wednesday, January 14 7:45 a.m.*

Other Information:  The Adult Book Discussion Group will meet at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross Street, Batavia on Wednesday, January 14 at 7:45 a.m. to discuss THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Books are available at the front desk. Refreshments served.  For more information, call the library at 343-9550, ext. 8 or log onto www.batavialibrary.org.

*a.m. is correct—we meet early!

HS highlights for Wednesday

By Brian Hillabush

 Andrew Hoy showed the maturity that a scoring leader needs to have, and Dakota Irvin continued his hot play as the Batavia boys basketball team came back from one of the biggest deficits the team has had in years to beat host Pittsford Mendon 51-50 Wednesday night.

"This is a group that had never really been behind like that, ever," Batavia coach Buddy Brasky said. "We were down 18 points and (assistant coach) Gene Cairo said that he's been with us for five years and he can't remember a game when we were down double figures before the half. To fall behind 18 points and believe we can win; that's why we are champions. We have the heart of champions."

Mendon had actually opened up a 28-10 lead in the first half before Hoy overcame a rough first half shooting the ball and hit a 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds left in the half to get Batavia to within 15.

Batavia only scored 13 points in the first half and went just 5-of-26 from the field. The Blue Devils only hit 3-of-18 3-point attempts.

 

"We knew we had to live or die by the jump shot and we were dying by it today," Brasky said. "We had wide open shots and couldn't knock them down. Our defense kept us in the game."

Hoy hit two 3-pointers early in the third quarter and Batavia wound up cutting the deficit to two points with four minutes left.

But Mendon opened it back up to a 10-point edge seconds later.

Brasky had went away from the full court press, but went back to it, and it paid off as Batavia had three straight turnovers that led to six points.

 

Irvin scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and is a big reason why the Blue Devils won the game.

 

"He's been a pleasant surprise," Brasky said. "He had a good offseason. He was playing well in the fall, but I didn't know if he'd be a starter. He earned it in the scrimmages. For him to come up so big early in the season has been a pleasent surprise."

Batavia only trailed by two points with under a minute to go when Joe Schlossel had a huge rebound and put-back basket, giving his team a 49-48 lead. After Mendon scored, Irvin hit a pair of foul shots to give Batavia back the lead.
Robert Hoy had a steal to ice the victory.

 

Andrew Hoy finished with 11 points and Marcus Hoy had eight points, seven assists and three steals. Irvin also had six boards and three steals.
 
Batavia is 3-0 and will host Victor on Friday.
 
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Brett Sutryk hit three trifectas and scored 21 points as Bath downed visiting Le Roy 53-46 in a boys game.
Mike Humphrey scored a game-high 22 points for the Oatkan Knights.
 
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Anni Lehtola - a foreign exchange student from Finland - dropped in 20 points and had six steals to lead Alexander to a 59-40 win over Holley in a GR girls game Wednesday.
 
Anna Dominick chipped in a nice all-around game with 12 points, six assists and seven steals.
 
Holley was led by Corinne Van Scholick, who had 22 points and 20 rebounds.
The Trojans are 2-1.
 
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Elba's scoring attack was very balanced as the Lancers beat host Kendall 43-36.
McKenzie Bezon had nine points with Sarah Schwartzmeyer putting in eight and Julie Marshall adding seven.
 
Meghan Fahy scored nine points and had eight boards and Annie Lynch added 10 points for the Eagles (2-2).
 
Elba is 2-1.

Batavia wrestling aided by forfeits, then lightweights come through

By Brian Hillabush

 After Keiffer Phillips pinned Batavia's Brandon Shea in 1:11 at 152 pounds at 152 pounds, Greece Arcadia had a 24-3 lead and looked to have the Monroe County League match in hand.

But Troy Ireland turned the momentum with a decision win, then there were three forfeits, and the lightweights came through as the Blue Devils downed the visiting team 29-24 Wednesday.

Ireland's match only got three points for Batavia, but after 24-straight points for the Titans, it was three points that changed the way the Blue Devil grapplers looked at the situation.

The biggest moment of Ireland's 3-2 win came late in the second period, when he slammed opponent Alex O'Brien to the mat with some serious force. Ireland was not rewarded with any points, but that single move might have been the reason Arcadia never scored another point.

Ryan Darch, Anthony D'Aurizio and Dylan Goodsell each received a forfeit, and the score was tied at 24 when Josh Mase was ready to take on Nick Baker at 103 pounds.

Mase, who took fourth at SuperSectionals last season as a sophomore, made very quick work of Baker, pinning him in just 58 seconds.

Vin Klimjack received a forfeit at 112 and Nick Lazarony wrapped up the match with a 7-5 victory over Matt Ellis at 119 pounds, which was the final match of the night.

The Blue Devils downed Victor 35-28 in the opener and after Wednesday's home opening win over Arcadia, are 2-0 in the league and 7-0 overall.

 

Here are some more photos from the Batavia/Arcadia match.

 

 

Sorry for the delay with the video. My new laptop has imovie08 on it and I couldn't figure out how to use it. But the problems are solved and there won't be a delay like this again.

Two families escape morning fire in Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A double-occupancy residence at the corner of Elm and Fisher Park was gutted in a fire that was reported at 7:40 a.m.

Both families evacuated themselves without incident according to Batavia Fire Chief Thomas Dillon, who said the fire was a hard one to fight because of the age of the building.

No injuries, either to the families or firefighters, were reported.

We'll have a video interview with the chief posted within an hour. (as you can see, video now up) The Daily News has three photos posted, but no additional information.

UPDATE: Here's a Google Street view of the location.


View Larger Map

UPDATE II:  Photo of the aftermath:

HS highlights for Tuesday

By Brian Hillabush

Jared Quinn recorded his first career double-double to lead Alexander to a 58-49 road win over Holley in a boys basketball game Tuesday night.

Quinn had 13 points and 10 boards to lead the Trojans, who improve to 2-2.

Kyle Woodruff connected on all 11 free throw attempts and scored 15 points, with Troy Shelnut adding 11.

Guy Hills had 16 points and Brian Mitchell added 10 for the Hawks (0-3).

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 The Elba boys basketball team had a rough start to its league schedule, getting thrashed by visiting Kendall 62-36.

Colt Tooley hit five 3-pointers in scoring a game-high 21 points and Josh Laureano helped out with 16 points.

Sonny Guiliano led the Lancers (1-2) with 14 points.

Kendall is 2-1.

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Notre Dame had an impressive first showing of the season, whipping visiting Lyndonville 92-36.

Kevin Francis scored 14 of his game-high 22 points in the opening frame as the Fighting Irish jumped out to a 24-2 lead. He also had six steals in the game.

Greg Barr had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Tommy Rapone added a dozen points. Vinny Zambito pitched in 11 points.

Andrew Hydock led the Tigers with 13 points.

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Noah Seward dropped in 15 points while pulling down 12 boards as Oakfield-Alabama easily downed Byron-Bergen 65-38.

Brad Riner pitched in five points and seven dimes while both A.J. Kehlenbeck and Sam McCracken had 10 points apiece.

Tyler Sass and Trevor Laurie had 11 points each while Bryan White added 11 boards for the Bees (1-1)

O-A is 3-0.

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Joe Drummond scored 25 points and Jamell Johnson added 22 as C.G. Finney blasted host Wheatland-Chili 90-39.

Alex Stryker had 13 points and Andy Lund pitched in 12 for the Wildcats.

Finney is 6-0. 

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The Batavia hockey team evened up at 2-2 with a 5-3 win over Geneva/Waterloo.

Will Mulcahy and Erik Pokornowski had a pair of goals each for the Blue Devils, with Corey Kocent pitching in a goal with an assist.

Pat Finnell handed out three assists with Tim Finnell helping out with a pair.

Rich Paganello made 14 saves in net.

Geneva/Waterloo falls to 2-3.

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Holley got pins from Dillon Murphy (135 pounds), Quinton Murphy (125), Derek Fostano (189) and Kyle Steadman (215) in beating Kendall 42-33 in a GR wrestling match Tuesday.

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Alexander downed Barker 47-29 on the mat Tuesday.

Dylan Shea pinned Garrett Fuerch in 3:41 at 152 pounds and Dustin Say dropped  James Lapp in 3:57 at 171.

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The Notre Dame girls basketball team opened up with a 51-32 victory over host Lyndonville Tuesday.

Trisha Pike led the Fighting Irish with 15 points, five rebounds and six steals.

Jill Marshall had nine points with Nichole Hart and Liz Geandreau pitching in eight apiece.

Molly Burgess had 11 points for the Tigers (1-2).

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Despite Jenna Merica's 15 points and Allison Macomber's 11 points and nine boards, Le Roy couldn't get past Dansville, losing to the visiting squad 53-36.

Margaret Infantino had 18 points, 11 rebounds and six dimes for the Mustangs (6-1).

Le Roy falls to 0-3.

Batavia's Christmas in the City judged a success... by most accounts...

By Philip Anselmo

Festivities at this year's Christmas in the City were fervid enough to warm the people of Batavia inside and out, despite the frigid winds and snow that whipped down Main Street from time to time throughout the evening.

"It was the best one we've had so far," said Lynn Garlock, owner of Grugnale's deli and restaurant on Jackson Street. "At one point we were so busy, I thought we were going to have to start a waiting list. All the tables were filled up."

Sandwiches, subs and salads were churned out en masse. Clarinets, flutes and a capella vocals were on hand to serenade the diners. All the while, you could hear the steady clop clop as a horse and buggy trotted past the storefront, carting its mittened passengers on downtown.

Garlock was particularly taken with the talents of the Bluebells, a group of about six or seven young female vocalists from Batavia's middle and high schools. In fact, she was so fond of their singing that she has asked them back.

"We liked them so much, we're going to have them come sing during lunch," she said.

Don Burkel told us that this year was a raging success. Burkel is the director of the downtown Business Improvement District, the event's sponsor. No less than 43 vendors came out to set up a table and wares in the Batavia City Centre. Not bad, considering most years the event doesn't draw many more than 30 or so, said Burkel. Add to that all of the downtown shops who stayed put, hosted musicians and held sales.

"We had a record number of vendors," said Burkel. "It was good to see a nice turnout. ... We need to support these business people. That's the key in this economy."

Garlock's praise is typical of the business owners who participated in the event this year, whether they hosted carolers or set up in the mall. Passers-by were treated to a warm cup of chili out front of Adam Miller's Toy and Bicycle.

"We had a great night," said John Roche, the store's owner. "We had a lot of traffic, a lot of people in. And, the chili was really good."

People especially enjoyed the entertainment from the carolers and other musicians who rotated in and out of the store all evening, he said. He didn't spot a single empty seat in the horse and buggy all night.


Of course, you might not know the event was such a success—that is, if you saw the article that ran in the Daily News Saturday. Two photos ran with the article. One depicts a short stretch of Main Street out front of the mall entrance. The sidewalk is empty. The street is lined with parked cars. The caption reads: "Cold temperatures drove people off the streets during the annual Christmas in the City Friday downtown."

That can't be entirely true. A frequent contributor to The Batavian, Daniel Cherry, was not only out in the cold, but documenting the night's festivities—he posted several of his photos to the site. Cherry even snapped a few photos of the horse and buggy, which we're told ran until well after the event officially ended because so many people came out to take a ride.

As for the other photo that ran with the article, a shot inside the mall, the people in the picture are so distorted because of the poor quality of the image, that it is more likely to excite pity than joy.

One Attica resident is even quoted as saying that this Christmas in the City was "terrible." Terrible!? Despite the hundreds of people who were crowded into the mall concourse throughout the evening, she goes on to say that: "There's hardly anyone here." She also laments that there isn't enough "free" stuff.

Not everyone agreed, however. One Batavia resident judged the mall "full" of people. Another felt that "people were more excited this year."

I say we practice a little bit of that gratitude we boned up on over the Thanksgiving holiday. We may be a little too quick to stuff that altruism back down the dirty stocking of the rest of the year. Christmas in the City sure saw a lot of folks come out. There was free chili, free bread, free horse and buggy rides, free entertainment all over downtown. Santa danced around a stage in the mall with his chipper, glittered elves. So yeah, I say it was a success. How about you?

Photos taken by Brian Hillabush.

The Credit Crisis at Home (Part One): Getting an auto loan...? It depends...

By Philip Anselmo

Over the next few days, we will take a closer look at the credit market here in Genesee County. Much has been made in the mainstream national media about the "credit freeze" now faced from businesses across the board. Banks aren't lending to other banks, which, in turn, aren't lending to the clients, be they consumers or producers. Everyone, we're told, is feeling the pinch, and lending is rare, if and when it's happening at all. We hope to find out how true that is here in our own region by chatting with those in the know, the sources and go-betweens of those supposedly hard-to-get loans: the auto dealers, the bankers, real estate agents and restaurateurs.

In today's contribution, we will hear from a pair of auto dealers on the availability—and unavailability—of loans in the county...

Harry Zigrossi owns the Zigrossi auto dealership on East Main Street in Batavia. We spoke with him by phone last week.

"It was a very weak November," he said. "There has been a dramatic slowdown in the percentage of approvals... Banks are very tight. Less people are seeking out vehicles."

Zigrossi attributes the slowdown to two factors: Doubt that a consumer would even be approved for a loan, and, if they are approved, worry that the interest rate will be high, if not excessive.

Yes, there are alternatives to financing through the dealership, Zigrossi admits. There are credit unions, local banks. "We have lending institutions," he said. "There are places to apply, but the likelihood of approvals at desirable rates has diminished."

As an example of the tightening credit lines, Zigrossi cites GMAC Financial Services, the financing arm of the GMC dealers. Zigrossi deals in Pontiac, Buick and GMC autos, and acquires much of the funding for his customers through GMAC.

"Their minimum score for approval is 700," he said. "That's pretty selective in my opinion. A couple months ago, approval was based on credit worthiness. There was no set number in the past. ... GMAC's position is: 'We lost several hundred million (dollars) last year. We have very limited funds.'"

You could call it the trickle down economics of the credit crisis. GMAC has a tough time getting its loans—"their ability to borrow is limited," as Zigrossi puts it—so anyone seeking loans from GMAC will have a tough time, as well. It's simple math: you've got so many people seeking loans via so many lines of credit. If the lines of credit are diminished, as Zigrossi indicates, but the same number of people are seeking loans... there's just not enough to go around.

Ken Barrett cites such logic as a reason why some folks may not even bother applying for a loan. Barrett owns Ken Barrett Chevrolet-Cadillac on West Main Street in Batavia.

"We haven't, at this point, had much difficulty, if any, arranging financing for our customers," said Barrett by phone last week. "What I can't really qualify is if there are a cadre of customers that are self-excluding themselves. In other words, based on what they hear in the news media, they're not even going through the process. But I don't have any empirical evidence to say if that's the case. It's more of a gut feel."

In a recent article that ran in the Daily News on the possibility of an auto industry bailout, Barrett was quoted: "I don't think business conditions in Genesee County reflect what we're hearing in the national media. Of all the business people I've talked to, not one has said their business is really bad."

Barrett said that the people of Western New York are the reason business is doing well, as he sees it. We've got smart, responsible consumers.

"In Genesee County, people pay their bills," he said. "Maybe because of the way we're brought up, we dont live excessively beyond our means as other parts of the country may be experiencing. As a community, we pay our bills."

But consumers are only one half of the equation in Barret's estimate. He's also quick to talk up his business practices as one good reason why his dealership is not "having much difficulty" in the midst of this recession.

"We've never aggresively targeted sub-prime activities," said Barrett. "Some dealers really developed that business. Now they're seeing a precipitous slide in their business."

However optimistic a note Barrett might ring for the local auto dealers, the situation doesn't look so rosy elsewhere in the country. From a New York Times article, by Clifford Krauss:

In October alone, 20,000 employees of auto dealerships lost their jobs nationwide, more than half of those who were newly unemployed in the retail trade, according to the Labor Department... And now the credit market—the lifeblood of any car dealership—is frozen.

More than merely a question of credit, however, Krauss hones in on the cultural value of the "small town" dealership, and the further consequences hinted at by the loss of jobs and the tightening of credit. Barrett is right to tout best business practices as a key to remaining financially solvent. But it's not all business...

The auto dealers are not just businesses, of course. Most of them are deeply rooted in their communities, and each is a slice of Americana—their big flags flying, their radio advertisements compelling attention and their Little League sponsorships and other charity helping to improve the lives of local people.

What about you? Have you tried to purchase a car recently and been declined? Approved? Has the ostensible credit freeze iced your chances at getting a loan? How would you feel about the loss of a longtime local dealership: Just another business that couldn't make it? Or much more than that?

After all, no one ever sings: "Drove a Hyundai to the levy..."

VA names interim director

By Philip Anselmo

From the VA Western New York:

David J. West, FACHE has been named Interim Medical Center Director at VA Western New York Healthcare System effective December 7.  VA Western New York Healthcare System includes medical centers in Buffalo, Batavia and seven community based out patient clinics located in Niagara Falls, Lockport, Dunkirk, Jamestown, Lackawanna, Olean, and Warsaw.  Mr. West has been the Medical Center Director at the Bath VA Medical Center since April 29, 2007.

Prior to being appointed Director for the Bath VA, Mr. West served as Associate Director at the Washington, DC VA Medical Center, and began his career with VA in1987 at the Washington DC VA Medical Center.

At VA WNYHS, he will oversee over 1,690 employees serving over 40,000 veterans during the period until a new director is appointed.  He succeeds James P. Cody who has served as interim director since August and Michael S. Finegan who recently was promoted to network director, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  “It’s an opportunity for me to work with a dedicated staff in Western NY serving our nation’s heroes,” West said.

Mr. West served in the U.S. Army from 1973 to 1978. He holds a Master of Science degree in Health Services Administration from the College of St. Frances in Joliet, Illinois and is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Batavia Daily News for Tuesday: Deputies investigate potential contractor scam

By Philip Anselmo

Joanne Beck covered last night's meeting of the Batavia City Council in a pair of articles in today's Daily News. Both stories—a parking ban on Oak Street and a discussion on changing the city's system for payment of trash collection—were featured on WBTA this morning. The Batavian referenced both articles in our morning news roundup.


Genesee County sheriff's deputies are looking into a string of complaints about a contractor not providing services that were paid for in advance. Lakeside Home Beautification, operated by Martin A. Miller, is based in Stafford. One homeowner, Jennifer Taberski, told Scott DeSmit that she paid Miller $3,800 to fix their roof in June. Nothing has yet been done, and her money was never returned, she claims. "He basically kidnapped my money," she said. Another homeowner was recently refunded their $1,750 after Miller allegedly failed to repair a roof.

DeSmit reports:

Miller, 48, served two one-year jail terms from a criminal case in Wyoming County.

He pleaded guilty in 2002 to four counts of petit larceny for scheming people out of more than $12,000.

Sheriff's deputies are encouraging anyone with information about Miller, or anyone looking to make a complaint, to contact them at (585) 343-5000.


In other news, Virginia Kropf put together a folksy piece on five Albion families who got together Monday for a reunion of their golden retrivers, all of which—unbeknownst to the owners—came from the same Valentine's Day litter. Interesting.

We encourage you to pick up a copy of the Daily News at your local newsstand. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

Lions Club dinner gets players tournament ready

By Brian Hillabush

 

The annual Lions Club dinner for senior players and coaches that are participating in the Lions Club Basketball Tournament was Monday night.

It is always one of the my favorite nights of the year, and is in fact the ninth one I've attended. It is always fun to sit down with area players and enjoy a a nice meal and talk hoops. 

You also can't put a price on the look on the kid's faces when the Lions members sing the Lions song.

Batavia won the championship last year with a 63-34 win over Notre Dame in the finals, giving the Blue Devils four straight, and seven of the last eight championships.

Two players from the all-tournament team return to play in this year's tournament as Batavia's Andrew Hoy and Notre Dame's Kevin Francis will be leading their respective squads.

The 27th annual tournament will be held Dec. 29-30 at Genesee Community College. Batavia will play Albion on the 29th at 7 p.m. with Notre Dame and Perry playing at 8:45 p.m.

The consolation game is on the 30th at 7 p.m., followed by the championships at 8:45 p.m.

The jayvee tournament will be held at Notre Dame with Batavia and Albion playing at 1 p.m. on the 29th and Notre Dame playing Perry right after. The consolation game is on the 30th at 1 p.m. with the finals to follow at 2:45 p.m.

The Batavian will have the biggest preview in the history of the tournament the week of the games.

Here are some video highlights and interviews from Monday's dinner.

Can a revitalized Harvester Center spark a Batavia renaissance?

By Philip Anselmo

Last week, we asked readers to consider what one project Batavia should pursue if the funding were in the bag, no strings attached. Batavia's City Council President Charlie Mallow called for the resurrection of the city's old plans for reconstruction of the Masse-Harvester industrial complex downtown. We were curious to hear more of these plans, so we sought further information. Here's what we've found out so far.

Let's start with the graphic, shall we...

This swank boulevard would be the view from the ground in the midst of the "Industrial Powerhouse Square," otherwise known as the "Swan Masse Village" in Batavia's Central Corridor between Harvester and Swann streets downtown.

From the original project proposal:

Overall, the goal in this project area was to rejuvenate the Swan Masse Village, as it once was a renowned downtown industrial hub and “business incubator.” The plan introduces separate structures of mixed-use light industrial, commercial and housing with an urban appeal and vibrancy that consists of lighting, pavement enhancements, pedestrian pathways, open space and streetscape amenities. Central to the development was keeping the powerhouse intact for two important reasons: 1) to keep costs down by retaining the boiler system for the nearby structures that rely upon it, and 2) to strengthen the image as an industrial center as well as maintain the historical integrity and sense of place.

This "downtown hub" of mixed-use structures, tree-lined avenues and "streetscape amenities" would rise from the ashes—or in this case the demolished rubble—of some 40 acres of vacant land and crumbling infrastructure. It would look something like this:

We've been informed that the Genesee County Economic Development Corp. is looking into potential state grants totalling some $2.7 million that would be used for the city's Central Corridor. Other grant opportunities are being researched by the city, as well. Whether or not anything like this plan for the Swan Masse Village would be part of those plans remains to be seen.

What do you think? Would this be a wise way to remake the city's Central Corridor? Would it provide the spark to send Batavia into its renaissance? Do we need more? Less?

Click here to download the plans.

Batavia Daily News for Monday: Potential changes in store for Batavia's Oak Street

By Philip Anselmo

Last month, the state Department of Transportation came to the Batavia City Council with a proposal to transform Oak Street from four lanes to three and use the center lane for turns only, according to the Daily News. At least one Oak Street resident, Carol Grasso, plans to oppose that proposal because it would mean that vehicles would no longer be able to park on the street. (Parking is currently allowed, save between the hours of 7:00 to 9:00am and 4:00 to 6:00pm.) Grasso will voice her disapproval of the project at this evening's Council meeting.


In other news, this year's Toys for Tots campaign has kicked off for the season. Wal-Mart in Batavia will host a collection this Saturday and Sunday. Other barrels will be out for collection at the Genesee County Career Center, the Batavia City Fire Department, HSBC Bank and Hospital Heart Rehab Center. Call Ed Weiss at (585) 343-8279 if you would like to donate or to find out how your business can host a collection barrel.


Crossroads House will remain closed temporarily for construction and to allow the home to potentially locate a new full-time director and better organize its internal management. Crossroads, a "comfort home for the terminally ill," is funded almost exclusively by public donations. The group hopes to be back open soon.

We encourage you to pick up a copy of the Daily News at your local newsstand. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

No cause yet determined in last week's fire at My T Acres farm in Batavia

By Philip Anselmo

No cause has yet been determined in the fire that tore through several barns at My T Acres on Lewiston Road in Batavia last week. Tim Yaeger, Genesee County Emergency Management coordinator, told us that he was still working to determine what led to the blaze, along with members of the fire department and several provate investigators.

"We haven't yet ruled anything out," said Yaeger. "It doesn't look suspicious. It was an accidental fire. But we don't have anything yet. We continue to work at it."


The following photos were submitted by Molly Riner, a member of the family that co-owns the farm. The first shows the view inside the main barn shortly after the fire broke out. Below that is the interior of the "gym" that sustained some damage in the blaze. Lastly, we see the main barn after it had become completely engulfed.

Most viewed posts for November

By Philip Anselmo

Most viewed posts for November:

• State says: Pontillo's Pizza in Batavia owes more than $112k in back taxes, by Philip Anselmo

• Democrats take control in Albany, by Philip Anselmo

• Genesee County Sheriff to Hunters: Be wary of straying on Indian land, by Philip Anselmo

• Pontillo's brothers may head to court, by Philip Anselmo

• A sad loss for the Section 5 football family, by Brian Hillabush

• The Little Mall of Horrors, by Daniel Jones

• Something huge on Main Street, by Philip Anselmo

• Batavia Daily News for Friday: Sam Pontillo tells his side, by Brian Hillabush

• Graham Corp. stocks take a hit, by Philip Anselmo

• Still no answers from Victorian Manor..., by Philip Anselmo

If you have a "favorite" post that maybe wasn't one of our most viewed for October, please add it in the comments section. This is a great way for folks to go back and check out what they may have missed. I was particularly proud of our coverage of Election Day.

HS highlights for Saturday

By Brian Hillabush

Dylan Versage had a pair of goals, including the game winner 7 1/2 minutes into the third period for Notre Dame as the Fighting Irish beat Immaculate Heart, 3-2, in the consolation game of the Radier Classic.

Jason Harasimowicz dished out three assists and Ivan Madafferi added a goal with a helper for Notre Dame (2-1).

Thomas Dehr had 21 saves.

The other local hockey team did not come away with a victory Saturday.

The Batavia hockey team fell to 1-2 with a 3-2 loss to Hilton.

Corey Gurski scored the game-winning goal at the 9:32 mark of the third period as Hilton improves to 3-0-1. 

Dan Kellman and Andrew Harris had the assists on the winning goal, with Harris and Collin Sawdy each getting a goal.

Pat Finnell  and Josh Moir had a goal each for the Blue Devils.

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Freshman Keri Soppe dropped in 20 points with three boards to earn tournament MVP as West Irondequoit downed Pembroke 48-36 in the finals of the Alden Tournament.

The Eagles had a seven minute long, 13-point run in the third quarter to pull away as Cecilia Sigrist pitched in seven points and 10 rebounds.

Danielle Smith led the way for the Dragons (1-1) with 10 points while all-tournament team selection Nicole Sharick pitched in eight points, 14 rebounds and three steals.

Kelsey Lewis had eight points with Natasha Powell and Katie Hackett pulling down seven boards apiece.

Irondequoit is 2-0.

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The Oakfield-Alabama boys basketball team captured the Barker Tournament title with a 64-46 drubbing of the host squad.

Tournament MVP Noah Seward had 20 points and 11 rebounds with Tim Smith adding 14 points and seven boards.

Brad Riner dished out eight dimes.

Ray Paul had 15 points for the Raiders (1-1). O-A is 2-0.

Eric VanWycke's 13 points and nine boards were not enough as Lyndonville lost to Holland 81-28 in the consolation game.

The other local boys team in action was Alexander, and the Trojans improved to 1-2 with a 50-47 win over Genesee Valley.

Kyle Woodruff scored 16 points and Jared Quinn pitched in 10.

Batavia girls beat Elba in OT at tournament finals

By Brian Hillabush

 When Michelle Jordan found the ball in her hands in overtime at the Elba Tournament at Genesee Community College, instinct had to take over.

Had the junior forward thought about the importance of the shot she was about to take who knows what could have happened.

Instead, she let her natural basketball ability take over and banked it into the hoop, giving Batavia a 41-40 advantage with four seconds left to go in the extra session. The Blue Devils held on to the lead and won a fourth consecutive game, claiming the championship in front of an enthusiastic crowd at GCC.

The basket, which is captured on video below, was a once in a lifetime bounce and opportunity that Jordan capitalized on.

It was a back and forth battle through regulation that saw both teams use strong pressure defense to try and take control of the contest.

The Blue Devils had a 6-4 lead after one period of defensive play.

The Lancers got four points from Katie Newton in the second quarter and led 17-13 at the half.

The lead kept changing hands in the second half with Elba taking a two point lead on a Rachael Cook basket midway through the fourth quarter.

Batavia and Elba kept trading leads when the Lancers took a two point lead with just after a minute left on a Newton foul shot.

Brittany Mazurkiewicz tied the game at 33 with a pair of free throws with 18 seconds remaining.

Jaycee Shirk blocked a shot at the other end, Batavia turned the ball over, Elba missed a jumper and the Blue Devils missed a half court heave at the buzzer and the game went to overtime.

Cassie Engle gave the Lancers a lead with a bucket early in overtime and Shirk gave Batavia a one point lead with a basket and foul shot a little over a minute late.

Kristen Klein - who had another big game with eight points - made it a three point contest with a basket with 1:42 left in overtime.

Missy Call hit a free throw and Engle tied things up with a basket, with just under a minute left.

Mazurkiewicz hit one of two free throws before the Lancers took the lead back on a pair of Newton free throws. There was 18 seconds left in overtime at that point.

Mazurkiewicz missed a shot, that was tipped towards out of bounds on a rebound attempt by Elba's Sarah Schwartzmeyer. But Schwartzmeyer saved it before going out of bounds and tossed it back into the middle of the paint, where she hoped either Julie Marshall or Cook would grab it.

The pass went right into the hands of Jordan, just a few feet from the basket, and she put it right in to give Batavia a 41-40 lead with under five seconds left. The Lancers missed a shot at the buzzer, giving the Blue Devils their second straight tournament title early on in the season.

Chelsie Pangrazio (12 points) and Newton (8) joined Albion's Page Golden and Batavia's Shirk (9 points, 3 blocks) and Jordan (6 points) on the all-tournament team.

Mazurkiewicz scored 10 points and handed out five assists to earn her second straight tournament MVP award.

Elba is 1-1 and will host Kendall on Wednesday. Batavia is now 4-0 and will host Monroe County League powerhouse Pittsford Mendon on Tuesday.

A Total Stranger in The City

By Robin Walters

With the holiday fast approaching, I have found myself a total stranger in a new city.

I had the opportunity to attend Christmas in the City Friday night. The sidewalks were filled with shoppers, carolers and lots and lots of teens running around having a grand time. I was busy with Care-A-Van Ministries handing out delicioius brownies and hot chocolate. It was a fun filled evening.

I must say it was not easy finding the public restrooms in the mall among the crowd. Thank goodness for good ole reliable JC Penneys! I came home exhausted and chilled from standing on the streets.

This morning I got up and got ready to go to another event in the city. It was the Christmas gathering of the local  Aglow Women's chapter.

What is Aglow you ask?

What is Aglow? (taken from www.aglow.org)

• Aglow International is a transdenominational organization of Christian women that some Christian leaders call a “global movement”

• Aglow is established in 172 nations on 6 continents, all of which have indigenous women overseeing the work in their nations

• It is one of the largest international women's organizations, with over 4,600 fellowship groups in the U.S. and internationally.

• An estimated 200,000 women meet together each month through local Aglow fellowships--the heart of the organization

• More than 21,000 Aglow leaders worldwide minister in their communities

• An estimated 17 million people each year are ministered to through Aglow groups

• Aglow consists of small group studies, care (support) groups, retreats, and annual conferences

• Aglow women, through prayer and evangelism, offer practical gifts of clothing, food, housecleaning, and babysitting, as well as mentoring young women

• Aglow women impact their communities by reaching out to women in prison, in senior homes, inner city neighborhoods, and mental institutions; to single moms, working women, all beginning with the woman next door

• Aglow has experienced rapid growth in the past several years, including the nations of Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa

• In Europe, Aglow is established in every major nation (40 nations)

• An active Aglow program in Europe called “Adopt-A-Nation” gives many of the Western European nations the opportunity to “adopt” other nations for support and/or prayer
 

It was a great meeting. The local group Remix performed.

I had to leave the meeing early to go and do street ministry with Care-A-Van. As I was leaving one of the ladies that was at the meeting met me at the door. She asked me if I had a place to go for Christmas day. She had heard that I was new here and was worried I would have no place to go for Christmas. Now how sweet is that? This woman opened up her heart and home to a total stranger.

How many of us welcome total strangers into our lives? From the time we were little, our parents warned us to stay away from strangers. Yes, we must proceed with caution but we also must remember to love others and share the joy of life with them.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas day, the birth of our Lord Jesus, here in the city of Batavia may we all look to share the love with total strangers.

I am thankful for the warm welcome I am getting from folks here in the city. I am going from being a total stranger to being a member of a new family!  A big family at that, the family of the city of Batavia. Halleluiah for those who have warm hearts and open them wide!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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