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Press release:

The benefits of Yoga include increased flexibility, improved muscle strength and tone, cardio and circulatory health as well as improved energy and vitality.

Now some of these benefits can be experienced by taking the new Family Yoga class at the Corfu Free Library. The class takes place the first Monday of every month at 10:30 a.m. that is led by Josselyn Borowiec, an instructor at Maya Yoga in Batavia.

“We are lucky to have Josselyn here at the library, to lead us through these gentle Yoga practices”, says Diana Reding, Library director. “She has studied Yoga and has worked with children for several years, so we are excited to begin this new program.”

“There is no cost for the class and the types of activities are gentle and can accommodate just about anyone. Materials are provided and the only requirement is to wear comfortable clothes that allow for free movement,” adds Reding.

“We first offered a gentle Yoga class at our Pre-school Story Hour. People enjoyed it so much that we thought we would make it a regular program,” says Borowiec. “I am thrilled that there is such an interest in Yoga. We also have a number of books that provide more information about Yoga’s benefits that are available for patrons to check out. We also have Yoga books appropriate for our youngest yogini readers."

Information about the Family Yoga Class as well as the other programs and services available at the library are posted on the library’s website at www.CorfuFreeLibrary.com.

Residents with questions can also contact the library by phone at 585-599-3321.

Submitted photo: Holding award plaques are honorees Shelley Stein, left, and Jodi Chamberlain. (Names were not provided for the other individuals.)

Press release:

Two awards were presented to Genesee Co. Soil & Water Conservation District personnel last month at the NYS Conservation District Employees’ Association Inc. and NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee’s 2017 Water Quality Symposium in Syracuse.

Congratulations to Genesee Co. SWCD Director and Chairperson Shelley Stein on receiving the District Director Award.

This fitting honor was bestowed upon Stein as she exemplifies the drive and determination all Districts should seek to head their organizations. Her knowledge of agriculture, passion for Genesee County, and commitment to conservation make her a commendable board member. Outside of the District board meetings Director Stein always has her Soil & Water hat on. She represents the District on the Genesee County Ag and Farmland Protection Board, and the Ag and Farmland Protection Steering Committee.

She also routinely attends CDEA and NYACD functions as well as Division meetings and Regional Managers’ meetings. When a topic arises where Soil & Water can help, she is sure to refer the District, whether it’s at the Genesee County Legislature, in her town of LeRoy, or in a discussion with a neighbor. As the Chairman of the Board she has worked hard to ensure that Genesee Co. SWCD is well perceived by the taxpayers, especially farm owners.

Congratulations also to District Clerk and Treasurer Jodi Chamberlain. Jodi was awarded the Division 1 Merit Award for her continuous hard work and dedication to the District.

In a beautiful presentation, the MC gave the crowd an overview of the many wonderful contributions Chamberlain has made to assist in achieving the mission of conserving natural resources. Jodi is a breath of fresh air and we are proud to say that she is extremely deserving of this honor. She goes above and beyond to assist county residents, staff and partners. Everyone in attendance enjoyed the evening as Jodi was acknowledged by her peers as “one of the best!”

Both women attribute the success of Genesee County Soil & Water to the stellar work ethic and terrific team effort demonstrated by all the staff.

Submitted photo: Batavia CTE Center FFA members, from left: Alex Morales (Batavia), Rebecca Meyers (Batavia), MacKenzie Fox (Byron-Bergen), Melissa Keller (Pembroke), Tracy Rudgers (Attica), Stella Glosser (Warsaw), Cherie Glosser (Warsaw), Rebecca Semmel (Warsaw), Elizabeth Jurs (Elba), Allison Pajda (Attica), Rachel Smith (Churchville-Chili), and Tyler Curbelo (Batavia).

Press release:

Two Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center students will be representing the Western Region at the New York State FFA Convention in Leadership Development Events on May 11-13 at the State University of New York at Morrisville.

While competing at the FFA sub-states competition on March 18 at Pioneer High School, Allison Pajda, an Attica High School junior in the Animal Science program, placed first in the People in Agriculture Leadership Development Competition, and Melissa Keller, a Pembroke High School senior in the Agri-Business Academy, placed second in the Employment Interview Skills competition.

In the Employment Interview Skills competition, students had to complete a phone interview, an in-person interview with three evaluators, and write a follow up letter. In addition, students’ resumes, cover letters, and applications were also evaluated. The judges’ scores in all of the above areas were averaged to determine the overall placing. For the People in Agriculture competition, Allison had to research and present on five different careers in agriculture and choose one career to write an essay about. Allison interviewed a local livestock producer and wrote her essay on his career.

New York State has three different sub-state regions and the top two students in each region move on to compete at the State Convention for the Leadership Development Competitions. Prior to the sub-states competition, 12 Batavia CTE Center students competed at the district competition, which was held at Springville High School on Feb. 28. Those 12 students scored high enough to advance to the sub-states competition.

The Batavia CTE Center FFA program focuses on premier leadership, personal growth and career success. The advisors are Holly Partridge, Animal Science instructor, and Kerri Richardson, Agri-Business Academy instructor.

Sub-states Competition Results:
Employment Interview Skills -- Melissa Keller (Pembroke), second
People in Agriculture -- Allison Pajda (Attica), first
People in Agriculture -- Tyler Curbelo (Batavia), third
Parliamentary Procedure Team -- third

District Competition Results:

Prepared Public Speaking -- Melissa Keller (Pembroke), first
Prepared Public Speaking -- Rebecca Meyers (Batavia), sixth
Extemporaneous Public Speaking -- Tracy Rudgers (Attica), fifth
Extemporaneous Public Speaking -- Cherie Glosser (Warsaw), ninth
FFA Creed -- Liz Jurs (Elba), third
FFA Creed -- Alex Morales (Batavia), fourth
Employment Interview -- Tracy Rudgers (Attica), second
Employment Interview -- Melissa Keller (Pembroke), third
Employment Interview -- Stella Glosser (Warsaw), fifth

People in Agriculture -- Allison Pajda (Attica), first
People in Agriculture -- Tyler Curbelo (Batavia), second
Agricultural Issues – MacKenzie Fox (Byron-Bergen), Rachel Smith (Churchville-Chili, and Rebecca Myers (Batavia), second
Parliamentary Procedure -- Rebecca Semmel (Warsaw), Melissa Keller (Pembroke), Tracy Rudgers (Attica), Cherie Glosser (Warsaw), Elizabeth Jurs (Elba), and Stella Glosser (Warsaw), second

About the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center

The Batavia Career and Technical Education Centeris a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services providing shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York.

Glenn H. Quintern is indicted for the crime of second-degree burglary, a Class C violent felony. It is alleged that on Nov. 5 Quintern knowingly entered or remained unlawfully within a dwelling on Central Avenue in the City of Batavia with the intent to commit a crime.

The Genesee County Women's Republican Club will hold its annual Spring Breakfast beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, at the Dibble Family Center.

Cost is $20 per member, or $25 for nonmembers. If you like, you can sign up to become a member at the breakfast.

RSVP and payment must be received by May 8. Contact Michele Smith at msmith1548@frontier.net or mail to her at 20 Canterbury Lane, Bergen NY 14416.

The Dibble Family Center is located at 4110 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

The full breakfast will include eggs, fresh fruit, Danish, muffins, bacon, potatoes, and a carving station.

Genesee County 4-H Fur and Feather Club along with Wyoming County 4-H Rabbit Ears Club are hosting a double rabbit and cavy youth show on Saturday, April 29, at the Genesee County Fairgrounds, 5056 E. Main Street Road, Batavia.

The show is open to all local youth ages 19 and younger (you do not need to be a 4-H member). Showroom opens at 8 a.m., health checked by 9 a.m., judging promptly begins at 10 a.m.

Entry fee is $4 day of show. Participants may enter in both shows.

For complete show rules and entry forms please visit:http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/events or contact the Genesee County 4-H Office at 585-343-3040, ext. 101

GO ART! will present a collection of photographs depicting the lives and sacrifices of Latino workers in this country along the U.S.-Mexican border and the families they left behind in Mexico in a special exhibit next month.

"DREAM of America: Separation & Sacrifice in the Lives of North Country Latino Immigrants" is the title of the collection by Lisa Catalfamo-Flores.

The opening reception is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 16, at GO ART!, located at 201 E. Main St. in Downtown Batavia.

The exhibit will be subsequently available for viewing during these gallery hours:

Tuesday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., 6 – 8 p.m.
Saturday: 10  – 11 a.m.

Contact:
Gregory Hallock, assistant director
(585) 343-9313
ghallock@goart.org

Most of this information is from Katherine Bunting-Howarth, New York Sea Grant associate director, Cornell University, the rest is from GLOW Solid Waste:

Twice a year New York residents can take their unused pharmaceuticals back to collection sites statewide --  "no questions asked." It's part of the National Presecription Drug Take Back Day. The first such event for 2017 is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, April 29.

In Genesee County, the drop-off sites set up outside (for drive-by drop-offs) for this occasion are at:

• the Batavia Police Department parking lot, 10 W. Main St. in the City of Batavia;
• the Pembroke Town Highway barns at the junction of routes 5 and 77, East Pembroke, the drop-off site will be manned by the Sheriff's Office
• Le Roy PD

In addition, drop boxes are located at the NY State Police -- Batavia Barracks, 4525 W. Saile Drive, Batavia; the GC Sheriff's Office at 165 Park Road, Batavia; and the Village of Le Roy Police Department, 3 W. Main St. (The Le Roy location also accepts sharps, according to GLOW Region Solid Waste.)

Why people should properly dispose of unwanted medications -- both presription and over-the-counter -- is highlighted in the "Undo the Environmental Chemical Brew: Keep Unwanted Medications and Chemicals Out of the Great Lakes" guide developed by New York Sea Grant.

The guide is posted online at www.nyseagrant.org/unwantedmeds.

The guide written by New York Sea Grant Coastal Education Specialist Helen Domske, associate director of the Great Lakes Program at the University of Buffalo, Buffalo, includes tips on how citizens can keep unwanted pharmaceuticals and personal care products, also called PPCPs, out of local waters and out of the Great Lakes system.

"Taking unused prescription drugs to collection sites helps reduce the impact of unwanted substances on the water resource that provides drinking water to 42 million people in the United States and Canada and aquatic habitat for a host of fishes and other wildlife," Domske said.

The Undo the Chemical Brew guide lists 17 different types of PPCPs, including antibiotics, hormones, contraceptives, antidepressants, cosmetics, and vitamins, that are finding their way into the Great Lakes, the source of drinking water for 42 million people in the United States and Canada.

Research by New York Sea Grant and other science organizations has tracked the feminization of fish populations downstream from wastewater treatment plants to estrogen and its components found in prescription drugs.

"Researchers are increasingly documenting the impact of bioactive chemical substances in PPCPs throughout the aquatic food web on fishes, frogs, mussels and other freshwater organisms. We do not want people flushing unwanted and unused medicines down the toilet or drain," Domske said.

A New York Sea Grant-funded, two-year research project that began in February 2016 is examining the effectiveness of advanced water treatment options, environmental levels and potential effects of pharmaceuticals in New York waters.

The biannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Days are an initiative of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in cooperation with law enforcement agencies nationwide. Authorized collection sites are posted on the website at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/. 

New York Sea Grant, a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, is one of 33 university-based programs under the National Sea Grant Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. New York Sea Grant has Great Lakes offices in Buffalo, Newark and Oswego.

Press release:

Calling all eighth-11^th graders in Genesee County and any other individuals interested in Youth Court! On May 2, Genesee County Youth Court will be celebrating Law Day from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Old Court House (7 Main St., Batavia) to show the community how our court operates.

Applications and brochures will be available along with program staff to answer questions for anyone who is interested in joining.

Youth Court is a voluntary alternative for young people who face disciplinary action through school or law enforcement. Youth who are referred admit to the charge and appear before a court of their peers. There are three youth judges who listen to both sides of the issue and determine an appropriate disposition.  The goal of youth court is to improve youth citizenship skills and decrease problematic behavior. 

Youth Court members learn about the judicial process and law enforcement, group decision making and develop their public speaking skills, participate in a great leadership opportunity, and learn and participate in all roles of the courtroom: judge, prosecution, defense, and bailiff. 

Eighth-11^th graders who are interested can attend Law Day on May 2 or go online to download an application from the Genesee County website www.co.genesee.ny.us , where you will find a link on the Youth Bureau page. Applications are due by July 28. Interviews of potential candidates will take place in August with the training to begin in October. 

For more information on the Genesee County Youth Court, please contact Chelsea Elliott at the Genesee County Youth Bureau, 344-3960.

A motorcyclist crashed at 7099 East Bethany - Le Roy Road. He went off the road near the curve and is alert, on the ground. Le Roy medics are on scene. Le Roy Fire Department is responding. The location is south of Munson Street. 

Press release:

Genesee Community College's 36th Annual Fashion Show scheduled for Saturday, April 29, which means more than 250 designers, seamstresses, coordinators, models, hospitality, security and refreshment experts, MCs, photographers, videographers and product merchants are all working in high gear.

This year's show entitled, "Elysium," is derived from Greek mythology and describes "an often imaginary place or state of utter perfection and happiness" sometimes referred to as paradise or a land where all beauty lies.

Students are now putting the finishing touches on their interpretations of "Elysium," introducing different Greek gods and goddesses into the design concepts making up 14 separate, fast-moving scenes. Each scene has its own coordinator(s), models, music, merchants and of course, a fashion feast of color, fabric, style, accessories, movement, motion and sensation.

The following highlights the scenes with each coordinator and supportive merchant in the upcoming Fashion Show:

TERPISCHORE - Goddess of Dance and Chorus

Scene Coordinator: Kayla Suchanick (Fredonia)

HADES & PERSEPHONE - God of the Underworld & Goddess of Spring/Underworld

Scene Coordinator: Jenna Curcio (Rochester)

Stores/Designers: Windsor, Autumn Fox Creations, My Witchery, Loy Gross, Vivo Masks, Party City (Greece)

TITANS - Second Generation of Divine Beings

Scene Coordinators: Dominique Hughes (Medina) & Bailey Johnson (Hamlin)

Stores/Designers: Kohl's (Batavia), Taylor Wilson

CHLORIS - Goddess of Flowers

Scene Coordinators & Designers: Naoko Hayashi (Ishikawa, Japan) & Momoka Fukatsu (Shizuoka, Japan)

EURYBIA - Goddess of the Sea

Scene Coordinator & Designer: Nadine Jeffery (Batavia)

ZEUS - King of the Gods

Scene Coordinators & Designers: Anthony Walker (Liberia) & Luke Kondrat (Exeter, NH)

HEMERA & NYX - Goddess of Day & Goddess of Night

Scene Coordinator & Designer: Jesse Foster (Oakfield)

ODYSSEUS - Greek Mythological Hero

Scene Coordinator: Mariah Paddock (Clyde)

Stores: Gitman Bros.

MAAT - Goddess of Truth, Balance & Order

Scene Coordinator & Designer: Alicia Acker (Rochester)

FATES/MOIRAI - Deities of Fate

Scene Coordinators & Designers: Min Muchler (Dansville) & Seonggyung Choe (Busan, South Korea)

NEMESIS - Goddess of Revenge

Scene Coordinators: Lyesha Lantz (Rochester, NY) & Daisha Spence (Raleigh, NC)

Designer: Lyesha Lantz

APOLLO - God of Music

Scene Coordinator & Designer: Masato Tsunekawa (Tokyo, Japan)

GAIA - Goddess of the Earth

Scene Coordinators: Ciera Schwartz (Akron) & Mary Nolan (East Aurora)

Store: Francesca's Collections (Greece)

APHRODITE - Goddess of Love

Scene Coordinator: Kourtney Shearer (Mayville)

Stores/Designers: M.A. Carr Bridal, Dalia's Bridal, Jill Monroe, Megan Hollister, Charles Men's Shop

"Elysium" gives students the opportunity to not only express their creativity and originality, but to tell a story. By tying together elements from Greek mythology and drawing inspiration from the lives and personalities of Greek gods and goddesses, GCC students intend to show how today's fashion is much more than just a materialistic concept. The show will illustrate how GCC fashion students appreciate both art and history, and how aspects from different cultures are presented universally in the fashion world today.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of GCC's annual Fashion Show, the event features two complete shows scheduled on April 29 at 3 and 7 p.m. in the William W. Stuart Forum of GCC's Batavia Campus. Tickets for the show are available for $5 in advance or $7 at the door and can be purchased by calling 585-345-6830. Advance tickets are strongly recommended.

The Genesee County Business Education Alliance will host its annual Spring Breakfast on Friday, May 19, at 7:30 a.m. at Terry Hills Banquet.

This year’s breakfast will include a number of presentations and awards.

“We will be highlighting job shadows and WNY Tech Academy and discussing how business and school collaboration has impacted our students and programs. We will pay special tribute to former BEA board member Allan Davis, who passed away in December, and his many years of service in the community,” said Karyn Winters, Genesee County BEA director. “Davis was a longtime BEA supporter and retired employee of Liberty Pumps.”

For more information or to register, contact Winters, at kwinters@geneseeny.com or 585-343-7440.

This event is open to the public, however, registration is required by May 5. The cost for the breakfast is $20 per person. Terry Hills Banquet Facility is located at 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

The Genesee County Business Education Alliance is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services providing shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, and Steuben counties.

From Andy Merkel, president, Oakfield-Alabama Little League:

This Saturday, April 29, will be Opening Day for the Oakfield-Alabama Little League.

There will be a short parade beginning at 9 a.m. at the Oakfield Fire Department, walking on Albert Street to the town park and ball fields on Drake Street.

Participants who'd like to be in the parade are asked to assemble at the fire hall at 8:30 a.m.

Opening day ceremonies immediately follow the parade. At that time, teams, coaches and the Board of Directors will be announced.

This year, a special moment of silence will be held in honor of Coach Dan Gilbert, who recently passed away, and who was instrumental in the OACS baseball program as well as Little League. Also, a bench will be dedicated to a young player who passed away suddenly earlier this year.

Games will kick off at 10 a.m.

www.oakfieldalabamalittleleague.com