The Byron-Bergen Bees, behind a balanced attack, turned back Oakfield-Alabama, 65-48, on Wednesday night in a Genesee Region boys’ basketball contest at O-A.
Six players got into the scoring column in the opening half as the visitors jumped out to a 32-15 advantage.
In the second half, Braedyn Chambry scored 14 of his game-high 20 points to keep B-B comfortably on top.
Brandon Pimm and Colin Martin tallied 11 apiece and Brody Baubie added 10 and Craig DiQuattro six for the winners. For the Hornets, Brendan Wescott and Avery Watterson scored 17 and 13, respectively.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Member of the Ways and Means Committee, sent a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul urging her to prioritize repayment of the state’s billions of dollars in outstanding federal Unemployment Insurance (UI) loans.
The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) imposes a 6.0 percent gross federal unemployment tax rate on the first $7,000 paid annually by employers to each employee, resulting in a maximum federal tax of $420 per employee per year. Employers in certain states may credit up to 5.4 percentage points of state unemployment taxes paid against the 6.0 percent tax rate, meaning that the typical FUTA tax is $42 per worker per year.
However, employers in states whose unemployment insurance funds have outstanding federal advances for two or more consecutive years, like New York, could have their FUTA credit reduced by an additional 0.3 percent for each year the outstanding balance is not repaid in full. This means that New York small businesses, through increased employer taxes, will bear the brunt of Governor Hochul’s irresponsibility and inaction in paying back the state’s federal UI loans.
“Governor Hochul’s inaction in paying back New York’s outstanding federal UI loans in a timely manner irresponsibly places that burden on our small businesses and hardworking families,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “At a time of skyrocketing inflation due to President Biden and Governor Hochul’s far-left fiscal policies, Main Street businesses across New York are struggling and are now facing even higher taxes as a result of New York failing to repay its outstanding federal UI loans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, far-left officials in New York forced businesses to shut down, causing disastrous effects on our economy. Now, these same businesses will be forced to help repay the state’s federal UI loans despite the fact that the state had other means to repay the debt. This is reckless management from Governor Hochul and only serves to further hurt New York businesses while they’re already reeling from many other pressures. Today, I sent a letter to Governor Hochul urging New York to prioritize repayment of the outstanding federal UI loans to prevent additional harm to our small, local businesses and workers in New York.”
The Haxton Memorial Library Board of Trustees will hold their monthly Board Meeting for January 2024 on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the library. The public is invited to attend.
The Haxton Memorial Library located at 3 North Pearl Street in Oakfield provides residents with a variety of programs, events, and materials that are listed on the library’s website at www.HaxtonLibrary.org.
The Holland Land Office Museum will be closed to the public in January from Tuesday, Jan. 2 through Saturday, Jan 27. The staff and volunteers of the museum will be working on getting the museum ready for a brand-new year in 2024 full of new exhibits, displays, programs, and special events.
The museum exhibit spaces will be undergoing major facelifts for our new exhibits. The museum will be resuming its regular operating hours of Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
For further information or questions please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.
When the museum reopens in February, it will be “Reimagining History”. This project developed by Museum Curator Tyler Angora is the steppingstone into a new era for the Holland Land Office Museum. “Reimagining History” will showcase a redesign of exhibits and exhibit spaces on the bottom level of the original structure of the Holland Land Office.
Our permanent exhibit, “The Land Office,” will be presented with a new flow of story and presentation of artifacts. Also, the opening will showcase the newly revamped and enlarged exhibit, “98 Years Since the Sun Went Out.” In its new location in the old room where The Land Office” used to reside, it will triple in size and truly show what Genesee County looked like back in 1925 when the last total solar eclipse occurred over this area.
There will be more history integrated into the exhibit along with many new objects! On Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. the museum welcomes all to view the new edition of “98 Years Since the Sun Went Out” and of “The Land Office.” You won’t want to miss it!
Bethany town residents will be able to fill their water totes for the last time from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the town hall, Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. says.
“We knew it was on loan. I asked for an extension and we didn’t get it. Everybody knew this might happen. We just need to figure out the next step. I’m not done thinking outside the box,” Hyde said Thursday morning. “We’ve got a lot of bottled drinking water for residents; that’s a good thing. We will continue with the bottled water program until all 24 pallets are handed out to those whose wells have gone gone dry.”
Even with the tanker, it has been a completely flawless operation, he said, given the cold temperatures. There have been several times that the water valve has been frozen and needed to be thawed out. As winter progresses, that would have continued to be a difficulty to contend with, he said.
“The weather’s a huge factor in where we’re going and what we’re able to do. Mother Nature is just being difficult; first she put us in this drought and then she brought all this cold weather,” he said.The pump housing is aluminum. We can’t heat it up with a torch; aluminum does not like torches and heat, it could expand and crack.We’ve had to pour warm water on it to thaw it out. It’s not easy.”
He commended the town board and community members for pulling together and working out solutions so far.
“We are resilient in Bethany, and we will do what we have to, to come through this,” he said. “Everybody has done a great job to get us to this point.”
Having the 6,700 tanker from the state was a temporary fix that was appreciated, and more residents have water totes as a result of it, he said. For now, they will have to travel to Batavia, Pavilion or Stafford to meet their water supplies. He has not heard of any dry wells recharging to the point of being filled on their own, he said.
“We are talking, we are trying to figure something out,” Hyde said. “We did have the hall booked for Christmas parties and New Year’s Eve parties, and those were canceled.”
The volunteer fire company usually has several breakfast fundraisers the first part of the year, and those too have been canceled without water, he said.
“We don’t know when the water is coming back,” he said. “It really upsets the apple cart. Unfortunately, I have to be the bearer of bad news.”
Matthew and Mary Smith, left, and Jason Smith on right, visit with Hiroshige Yamabe during his eighth visit to Batavia since he was an exchange student in 1988 at Batavia High School. Photo by Joanne Beck
Of all the locales seen so far — Cooperstown and the beverage trail, Myrtle Beach, Philadelphia, Niagara Falls, the must-see for all international visitors, Amish country in Ohio, and cities from Los Angeles to Boston — Hiroshige Yamabe quickly pinpointed his favorite place in America so far.
“Batavia, of course,” he said.
Yamabe, whose American friends call Hiro, is getting to know Batavia and Western New York fairly well after his eighth visit this week. His first one was as exchange student from Tokyo, Japan when the Smith family hosted him — from parents Jim and Mary to son Jason — and they have forged a relationship that has endured more than three decades.
Yamabe is director of procurement and strategic sourcing for Jacques Marie Mage, a luxury eyeglass and sunglass company. His job often takes him to California and Connecticut, which are nice to visit, but they’re not the same, he said, as Batavia’s homey — he needed some help with the phrasing — laudable appeal.
“So I feel, like, more relaxed, and they're something I expect, the ground on the earth's crust — salt of the earth,” he said Monday during his visit to Jason Smith’s Batavia home.
Yamabe has come to regard the Smiths as true friends and a second family, he said. And Batavia as his second home. Jason Smith met him as a fellow student and musician at Batavia High School, after his original host family didn’t work out. The Smiths agreed to take the teenager in, and he lived with them for about seven months.
Since then, Jason has visited him in Japan, attended his wedding, and Yamabe in turn went to Jason’s wedding, and has made several return trips to a Smith residence — whether it be the parent’s home, Jason’s apartment and now at Jason’s own family home.
This trip was one of a culinary experience — touring many local haunts, including Eli Fish Brewing Company, Rancho Viejo, Miss Batavia Diner, Cinquino’s, Southside Deli and Avanti Pizza & Wood-Fired Kitchen, which serves up huge slices, Jason said, in Medina.
The reunited classmates also visited the late Jim Smith’s grave, as Yamabe has been kept up to date on all of the family news through the decades, and called Jason once he learned his host dad had died earlier this year.
“They made a decision that they accept me. It was my pleasure to be hosted,” Yamabe said. “So I'm very pleased with that. I always like to think of, like, the family and all the friends here … I always think that's a good experience, is the love from the family here.”
Mary Smith recalled how Yamabe’s first host family didn’t quite work out. She didn’t share the details but said that the high school principal reached out to Jason, a student at the time,to see if perhaps his family would be able to help out. They stepped up and offered to host this visitor who eventually grew so close to the family that they didn’t want to see him go back to Japan.
“We had a big party for him and there’s a lot of crying kids, it was very sad when he had to go back,” she said.
She remembered how he liked the Buffalo Bills, so they gave him a Bills jersey for Christmas — and he was “thrilled,” and how his Christmas cookies had to be bare, with no icing, since he’s not one for sweets. When it snowed, Yamabe would shovel the driveway right down to the nub of the blacktop, which seemed to impress the Smiths, she said.
“It was like losing a family member,” when he returned to his home, she said.
They have exchanged gifts over the years — Mary has a curio cabinet full of Japanese keepsakes -- and Jason’s table had some goodies from this trip — a hand-crafted knife, one of the Japanese region’s specialties, and some candies, including Kit Kats, which are pronounced kitty katto, and mean triumph, Yamabe said. They are considered a good luck item to give to people, and the tiny wrapped packages even include lines to write messages to the recipient.
Of course, of all the tangible items, there are the memories of spending time together, trying each other’s cuisine — Yamabe enjoyed his first garbage plate — and meeting up with old friends, as Yamabe has done with BHS classmates. And when Jason and Hiro get together, they talk about their jobs (Jason is superintendent of Batavia City Schools), their wives and families and life in general.
“We became good friends in high school. We're just kind of continuing naturally. And he came back and I've been there twice,” Jason said. “We just pick up where we left off.”
What's more Western New York than a garbage plate? (Other than Buffalo chicken wings, perhaps) Hiro had to check one out at Miss Batavia Diner during this trip to Batavia. Submitted Photo
Checking out the changes at Batavia High School, Hiro posed for a few photos along the way. Submitted Photo
Remembering a 'musician of note,' Hiro pauses at the musical wall of fame to see a plaque for Ken Hay, who has died since tge 52-year-old participated in the music program as a visiting student from Japan. Submitted Photo
Class of 1991 BHS grads Steve Tanner and Jason Mapes reminisce with Hiro at Eli Fish Brewing Company, which wasn't there when Hiro first came to town as an exchange student from Japan in the late 1980s. Hiro enjoyed the craft beverages, and meeting up with students he hung out with 35 years ago. Submitted Photo.
Steve Tufts, Class of BHS 1991, talks about old times with Hiro at Eli Fish in Batavia. Submitted Photo
Elba defeated host Notre Dame, 49-44, in Genesee Region girls’ basketball action Wednesday night.
Sofia Falleti recorded a double-double for the Irish, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Nina Bartz added 12 for ND.
ND Coach Vinny Falleti:
“Our team played hard tonight and made runs to come back but couldn’t put together a complete game against a physical Elba team. The game was back and forth with a lot of intensity. We will see each other again late in the season.”
Statistics from Elba have yet to be submitted.
For more high school sports competition from last night, click on the Sports tab at the top of the home page.
Facing forward in the center is Pastor Ryan Macdonald during the City Church annual toy giveaway Tuesday evening at St. Anthony's in Batavia. Submitted Photo
The City Church Activity Night Annual Toy Giveaway, a night to assist those in need during the holiday season, was a huge success on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at St. Anthony’s on Liberty Street in Batavia.
Every child received a gift or two that attended the event, organizers said. There were even 30 bicycles that were given away to children that needed or wanted a bike. Pastor Ryan Macdonald, the lead pastor of City Church, said that “there was a time when I was a child that we had nothing.; I remember those days.”
“Now that we have the means to help families, that’s what we want to do,” he said.
City Church’s volunteers all came together for a night of fun, joy and community, organizers said. Approximately 28 businesses, community members, and church members made a difference by making some sort of donation of toys and/or financial support.
“Our slogan is, ‘we do life together,’ and we certainly did not do this night alone,” Macdonald said With a stage full of toys, makeup, sports equipment, and games, children were walking away with smiles on their faces, organizers said. There were carriage rides provided by Cherry Grove: The Yohe Family Farm, and chili was given to all in attendance.
And of course, Santa and some of his elves made an appearance for visits and photo ops with the children.
Next year, City Church plans to continue this tradition of helping and blessing its community, organizers said, and they encourage you to not spend Christmas alone and welcome you to join them on Christmas Eve at 8:30 or 10 a.m. at 210 E. Main St. and/or at 6 p.m. at 114 Liberty St., Batavia.
CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH - WHAT A GREAT HOME AND EVEN BETTER PRICE THIS IS! OTHERS HAVE PAID MUCH MORE FOR MUCH LESS -DEFINITLEY COME SEE FOR YOURSELF! Solid and well maintained country ranch! Located on pretty rural road but close to everything you need-shopping, restaurants, and quick access to all major routes for quick commutes! Also located in Batavia School System and minutes from College. This 4 bedroom 2 bath brick ranch will sure to please and surprise you with its spacious layout and great homeyness! The kitchen is updated with great cupboard space, first floor laundry at your fingertips and large but cozy family room with wood burner overlooking private pretty backyard. There is also an enclosed 3 season back porch for peaceful evenings as well as sunny and welcoming front porch with trex decking to welcome your guests! There is a deep attached garage as well as 8x10 back shed for all your extra storage needs. This home is ready for immediate occupancy and is easy to slip in and see!
The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. However, amidst the festive decorations and merriment, there are poisoning potentials.
Our number one call last December and this December is for pain medicine mishaps for all ages in the 54 counties we serve. That means an unintentional overdose, taking a double dose of a medicine, or a child getting into the wrong medicine. So far this December, our poison center is seeing a high number of calls for exposure to cleaning products and children who have swallowed something they shouldn’t like a battery or toys.
“One way to safeguard against an unintentional exposure this holiday season is by storing purses and coats up high just in case loved ones bring along any medications that could harm little ones. Offer a safe place to store or a medication lock box,” says Mary Beth Dreyer, Upstate New York Poison Center Health Education Program Manager. “Remember, we are available 24/7, even during holidays, to help in times of need."
Common Poisoning Potentials
Decorative Plants: While visually appealing, certain decorative plants can be toxic if ingested. Keep these out of reach of kids and pets: mistletoe, holly berries, amaryllis, Jerusalem cherry, and yew. Remember to call for any plant ingestions to help keep yourself or a loved one safe.
Alcohol & Cannabis: Secure and keep out of reach of children during holiday parties.
Decorative Lights: Keep batteries and light bulbs away from small children, as they can be harmful if swallowed.
Medication: Keep suitcases and purses out of reach of children and pets. Designate a safe space for coats, purses, and bags.
Dinner Time: Combat food poisoning by keeping hot food hot and cold food cold. Refrigerate or freeze any perishable food within two hours.
Kids Toys: Many children’s toys contain lithium button batteries (flat, coin-like batteries). If eaten, they can get stuck in the throat or on the way to the stomach and cause a blockage or serious burns. Call our poison center or seek immediate medical attention if you think your child swallowed a button battery.
Household Chemicals: Never mix chemicals, use cleaning products in a well-ventilated area, and store them out of reach from children and pets.
Isabella Walsh goes up for two points. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Alivia Day scored 23 points, including five three-point shots, to lead host Rush-Henrietta to a 56-33 victory over Batavia in Section V varsity girls’ basketball action Tuesday night.
The senior guard tallied 15 points after intermission as R-H, now 2-2, pulled away after opening a nine-point halftime lead. Senior guard/forward Ashlyn Roberts added 13 points.
For Batavia, 4-2, Isabella Walsh scored 11 points, grabbed four rebounds, recorded three assists and came up with five steals. Violet Lopez chipped in with 11 points.
In boys’ basketball at Akron, Pembroke defeated Alden, 67-61, in the Jack & Joyce Silvernail Holiday Classic.
Tyson Totten led the way with 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Avery Ferreira added 17 points and eight rebounds, Jayden Bridge 11 points and Sean Pustulka nine points and five assists.
Empowering students, maximum potential, socially responsible citizens.
Those are some of the words “that popped out to me when I first became a principal when I started to dig into learning a little bit about Batavia,” High School Principal Jennifer Wesp said during Tuesday’s Batavia City Schools Board of Education meeting. “And then things like safe and nurturing environment, high moral character, and successfully meeting life’s challenges. So coming into this, I really was focused on how can we make sure that our culture is helping our students to rise to be the best students that they can be? And how can they take hose steps to really show the independence that they have within themselves?
“So I just wanted to say that I really grounded myself in the mission and vision as I started to think about the work that I was going to do,” she said. “So with that, as you know, our strategic plan as a district is really amazing. And this is really the roadmap that we use in the high school to plan all of the things that we’re doing, some of the policies and procedures that we’ve updated, the messaging we’re giving our students.”
Her journey, as she put it, began in the summer with a three days of four-hour meeting of the minds from across district buildings, to share concerns — “there had been some unrest at the end of the year, lots of things where people were talking about different things that were going on” —and some of the needs that staff wanted to discuss with the district at large, she said.
“And it really gave me my first taste of what is Batavia about, what are we looking at, what are we looking to build upon, what are the great things?” she said. “So this kind of helped, just being in the meeting and meeting people across the district to start to formulate some of the things and actions that we are going to take as we work on our goals together.”
Two specific areas emerged from those meetings for more exploration, she said, which was done with interviews and surveys to obtain direct feedback from the “stakeholders” involved. The two areas led to questions:
In what ways might we be able to handle and best manage student behaviors in class?
How might we help students emotionally regulate in order to avoid and manage conflicts?
Assistant Principals Omar Hussain and Jessica Korzelius took a part of the presentation and piece of the response to create three goals to help students to progress personally and academically.
The goals involve purposeful reading, a safe and orderly environment, and well managed emotions.
More specifically, the goals mandate that students will:
Learn strategies to develop/manage/execute emotional regulation levels to increase positive student behaviors in the classroom, school and community;
Engage in purposeful reading (authentic text), writing and collaborative discussion protocols for 100 minutes a day; and
Provide a school environment that is safe and orderly for all.
Just what is authentic text? The New York State Education Department defines it (and other forms of media) as being produced from authentic resources and used as "a tool to promote students’ language and culture learning."
"Through authentic resources, students see how words and structures are used in a given cultural context for real-world communicative purposes. When authentic resources are well-chosen and implemented, they can motivate and support students’ target language use and cultural understanding," the SED website states.
Hussain touched on the idea of independence in a way that he thought was “pretty sweet,” and seemingly simple. The school’s co-mayors suggested a program of allowing seniors the option to hang out for a “sunrise/sunset” privilege, captured with fun props in photos at Van Detta Stadium, and done with the assistance of a student parent group. It was an alternative senior study hall that “the underclassmen, they’ll love it too,” he said, and includes a late arrival for seniors and study halls housed in the library, aka the “Senior Lounge.”
Korzelius talked more about strategies to help students “understand themselves better,” and that use restorative practices. Such strategies can involve family members and counselors, and the work is focused on repairing the damage done to oneself and relationships with others.
“There’s the alternative to suspension room,” she said as an example of the restorative piece. “For an overall wellness experience for students.”
There’s a strong emphasis on the positive, all three said, and that includes mental health as part of a social and emotional learning component.
“It’s just really empowering our students to see the leaders in themselves … it’s celebrating students,” Korzelius said.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association Inc. (NYSPHSAA) announces its Fall 2023 Scholar-Athlete teams and number of Scholar-Athlete individuals per team. This is the 32nd year NYSPHSAA has conducted the Scholar-Athlete program, which is sponsored by Pupil Benefits Plan, Inc.
NYSPHSAA recognized 3,967 Scholar-Athlete teams this Fall. To qualify as a team, 75% of a team’s average GPA for the Fall must be equal to or greater than 90%. Additionally, 51,625 students received individual scholar-athlete recognition by earning an individual average of 90 or above for the fall season, whether their team qualified or not.
“Congratulations to all the teams and student-athletes who continue to work hard day in and day out both on the field/court and in the classroom,” said Dr. Robert Zayas, Executive Director. “NYSPHSAA is thrilled to recognize your dedication to the true meaning of interscholastic athletics.”
649 schools participated in the program, which accounts for 83.4% of the NYSPHSAA membership.
The full list of Scholar-Athlete teams for the Fall 2023 season can be found here.
The number of Scholar-Athlete individuals per team for the Fall 2023 season can be found here.
Each season, schools are responsible for submitting the Scholar-Athlete information on the NYSPHSAA website. The Winter Scholar-Athlete submission opens on Monday, January 29, with a deadline to submit by Monday, March 11, 2024.
A holiday donation from Knights of Columbus members, including Gary Doody and Craig Mollon, on left, and Dan Perl and Bernie Hoerbelt on right, helped to feed children at the Agri-Business Child Development Center in Batavia. Submitted Photo
The Knights of Columbus presented 40 hams to the Agri-Business Child Development Center, which in turn gave them to the families of the children under its care. The Knights represent nearly 50 members of the local council.
The Catholic men’s organization represents over 2,000,000 worldwide members who promote charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. The local council uses fundraisers to donate to local charities.
In a game that was closer than the final score indicated, host Batavia High fell to Vertus Charter, 59-39, in Section V boys' varsity basketball Monday night.
The Blue Devils held a 37-35 lead after three quarters, but a couple of charge/blocking foul calls that went the visitors' way set the stage for a 24-2 final period for the Warriors, now 3-2.
Talhah Ali scored seven of his game-high 20 points in the final frame, while Reggie Pough had eight of his 14 and Dah'mere Brown six of his 14 in the closing eight minutes.
For Batavia, 2-2, junior guard Carter Mullen tallied 11 points.
Part-Time Children's Library Clerk Haxton Memorial Public Library is seeking a Part-Time Children's Clerk 19 Hours a week $15.00/hr. Interested applicants please go to www.co.genesee.ny.us for an application or come to the library at 3 North Pearl Street, Oakfield. Any questions, please call at (585) 948-9900
