Western Region Off-Track Betting (WROTB) and Batavia Downs President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek were joined by staff from Make-A-Wish Western New York as Batavia Downs Presented them with a check for $10,379. These proceeds were from this past summer’s Chair Rentals, Glow in the Dark Jewelry and Can Coolers sales at Batavia’s Rockin’ the Downs Summer Concert Series.
“We were so pleased to continue our partnership with Make-A-Wish Western New York this past summer,” Wojtaszek said. “The volunteers who were onsite to help raise awareness and these much-needed funds were wonderful ambassadors of Make-A-Wish. All of us here at Batavia Downs are proud that we could help them in their efforts to grant wishes for so many young Western New Yorkers.”
Throughout the 8 concerts of Batavia Downs’ Rockin’ The Downs Summer Concert Series, volunteers at the Make-A-Wish chair-rental booth rented out chairs and sold glow jewelry and Make-A-Wish branded can coolers. The chairs were adorned with the Make-A-Wish logo and the message: The person sitting in this chair is helping to transform lives.
“Make-A-Wish is incredibly appreciative of our ongoing partnership with Batavia Downs for the “Rockin’ the Downs” Summer Concert Series, “ said Ben Marchione, Regional Director, Make-A-Wish® Western New York. “It provides us with an amazing opportunity to raise both crucial awareness and funds to help support children and families fighting critical illnesses not only in the Batavia community but throughout the 17-county region. Our volunteers love being a part of it, and a highlight of every season is meeting the many families touched by the organization and the incredibly generous concertgoers who support our involvement and mission wholeheartedly. Thank you to Batavia Downs for making it possible. It is only through vitally important partnerships such as this that we are able to continue to serve our essential mission, and we are thankful.”
The 2024 Concert Series lineup is expected to be announced before the year’s end.
The following arrests were announced by the Sheriff's Office on Wednesday in connection with the Odesza Concert on Sept. 1 at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.
Kaylee N. Laird, 24, of Chapel Street, Canandaigua, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd after allegedly reentering the venue area after being told she could not enter.
Peter M. J. Karrkos, 24, of Seneca Drive, Canandaigua, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd after allegedly reentering the venue area after being told he could not enter.
Nicholas T. Ortiz, 18, of Hamlin Parma Townline Road, Hilton, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd and disorderly conduct after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return and then knocking over a section of fencing while leaving.
Anthony Lawrence Corsaro, 33, of Park Hill Drive, Dansville, is charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration 2nd, driving while impaired by drugs, following too close, and moving from lane unsafely. Corsaro was arrested by Deputy Zachary Hoy on Aug. 30 in connection with a traffic complaint reported at 6:50 p.m. on June 29 on Route 63 in Pavilion. Corsaro was issued traffic tickets and released.
Danny D. Williams, Sr., 34, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Williams was arrested on Aug. 24 after an investigation into a disturbance on Harvester Avenue on Aug. 21, where he allegedly violated an order of protection. Williams was arraigned in City Court and held without bail.
Bradley R. Jordan, 30, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant issued by City Court. Jordan was initially arrested on Jan. 20 after a disturbance. He was charged with aggravated family offense, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal mischief 4th. A warrant was issued on Feb. 4 after he allegedly failed to appear in court. He was arrested on Aug. 28. He was additionally charged with bail jumping 2nd. Jordan was arraigned and remanded to the Genesee County Jail.
Bleyke Z. Culver, 27, of Batavia, is charged with aggravated family offense and criminal contempt 2nd. The arrest on Aug. 25 is the result of an investigation into an incident where Culver was found inside a residence on Walnut Street in violation of an order of protection. Culver was arraigned and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on $200 cash bail, $1,500 bond, or $1,500 partially secured bond.
Victoria L. Jacques, 53, of Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment 2nd. Jacques was arrested on Aug. 27 following an investigation into a disturbance where Jacques allegedly struck another person and grabbed the person by the neck. She was arraigned and released under the supervision of Genesee Justice.
Justin M. Witherspoon, 37, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. It’s alleged that Witherspoon damaged property on Aug. 27 during a dispute with a neighbor. Witherspoon was issued an appearance ticket.
Hailee N. Callicutt, 22, of Albion, was arrested on Aug. 29 on a warrant. Callicutt was initially arrested on Jan. 1, 2022, on charges of obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, as well as numerous traffic violations. The warrant was issued on Sept. 20 after Callicutt allegedly failed to appear in court. She was arraigned and released.
Patrick Dale Blackwell, 68, of Rochester, is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, and dazzling headlights. Blackwell was stopped at 12:02 a.m. on Aug. 31, on Park Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell.
Cynthia Marie Gosler, 38, of Wakefield Avenue, Buffalo, and Rashawn Lamont Gosier, 44, of Holland Avenue, Batavia, are charged with petit larceny and conspiracy 6th. Gosler and Gosier are accused of stealing merchandise from Target in Batavia on Aug. 25 at 11:06 a.m. Gosler was held pending arraignment. Gosier was held pending arraignment on an NYS Parole warrant.
Nicholas Joseph Breau, 31, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Breau allegedly through an item at another person during a disturbance reported at 12:20 p.m. on Aug. 31 at a location on Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Batavia.
Amy Meredith Gambino, 32, of French Road, Cheektowaga, is charged with criminal contempt 1st, criminal contempt 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Gambino is accused of striking two children under the age of 17 and an adult, causing that person alarm during a disturbance in the Town of Darien at 3 p.m. on Aug. 28.
Alana M. Diefendorf, 26, of Bergen, is charged with obstruction of governmental administration 2nd and endangering the welfare of a child. Diefendorf was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported in the Town of Bergen at 8:49 p.m. on Sept. 5. The State Police did not release a summary of what led to the charges. Diefendorf was issued an appearance ticket.
11 Linwood Ave., Batavia. OPEN HOUSE Sat. Sept.9th from 1pm - 3pm. This cherished home has been lovingly owned for 65 years and offers timeless appeal. Recent upgrades include fresh paint, updated flooring, updated electrical outlets, and updated windows enhancing its classic charm. With 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths, it's the perfect cozy haven. The main floor's inviting living spaces are bathed in natural light. A partially finished basement adds valuable space, perfect for various needs. Adjacent to the garage, a 3-season room provides extra versatility for relaxation or gatherings. Step outside to discover a deep, private backyard, a hidden oasis for gardening, play, or quiet moments. Additional features include a 1.5 garage. This ranch home, steeped in history and upgraded for modern living, invites you to continue its legacy. Don't miss this one! Offers are due on Tuesday, September 12th at 3pm.
A semi-truck loaded with 20,000 pounds of potash flipped on its side, spilling its contents, at the Four Corners (Main Road and Route 237) in Stafford shortly before 1:50 p.m. on Tuesday.
First Assistant Chief Mark Dougherty said it appeared the truck took the turn at the intersection a little too fast.
Employees with Carolina Eastern responded to the scene to help with the clean-up effort.
Dougherty said it was important to get the spill cleaned up quickly, before it started to rain, so the fertilizer wouldn't flow into nearby Black Creek.
Officers with the Department of Environmental Conservation were responding to the scene to advise on the clean-up effort.
There was a minor spill of diesel fuel and hydraulics that was easily contained, Dougherty said.
As announced by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, HP Hood plans to invest $120 million to expand its footprint at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in the town of Batavia. The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) Board of Directors will consider an initial resolution for the proposal expansion at its meeting on Thursday, September 7th.
The $120 million project includes the construction of a 32,500 sq ft expansion to accommodate its automatic storage and retrieval system (ASRS) refrigerated warehouse. The project will also include new batching and processing systems and other upgrades which will allow the company to increase capacity and begin a new production line.
The expansion would create 48 new jobs while retaining 455 FTEs, more than doubling the company’s initial employment commitments in 2017. HP Hood’s project is the fifth $100+ million project in Genesee County in the past three years, including Plug Power’s expansion and Edwards Vacuum announcements at STAMP and Horizon Acres Associates in Pembroke in 2023, and Plug Power’s initial project at STAMP in 2021.
“Since 2011, the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park food and beverage industry has attracted over $600 million of private sector investment supporting over 1,000 jobs,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steven Hyde. “This investment and jobs has generated significant benefits for our community as Genesee County and Batavia are truly the leading dairy-processing hub of the Northeast.”
The GCEDC will consider sales tax exemptions estimated at $4.52 million, a property tax abatement estimated at $549,705 based on an incremental increase in assessed value, and a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $536,000 bringing the value of the proposed financial agreements to approximately $5.6 million. For every $1 of public benefit, HP Hood is investing $16 into the local economy resulting in a local economic impact of $49.87 million in wages and tax revenue.
The GCEDC board will also consider a final resolution from Oak Orchard Solar 3 LLC for a 5 MW community solar farm in the town of Batavia. The $9 million project is projected to generate $4,000/megawatts (AC) annually + a 2% annual escalator of revenues to Genesee County and the Elba Central School District, along with a host agreement with the Town of Batavia.
File photo, Fall Master Gardner Gala in 2016. Photo by Howard Owens
Press Release:
Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Genesee will hold an Open House on September 21. Stop by the association at 420 East Main St., Batavia, anytime between 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. and check out our programs and meet the faces behind them! We'd love to meet you and show you what we do!
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia), along with his Assembly Republican colleagues, is calling on Gov. Hochul to convene an extraordinary legislative session to address the migrant crisis across the state. Over 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York and communities and localities are struggling to keep up with this recent influx. Hawley believes a special session would help to implement much-needed reforms such as instituting background checks for incoming immigrants and giving municipalities the ability to choose whether they want to take in migrants.
“Right now, our state is experiencing one of the largest migrant crises in the country, with little support from the federal government,” said Hawley. “Migrants are being shipped upstate from the city and our communities are helpless to do anything. A special session is needed to provide relief for our state and hold our leaders accountable.”
Batavia High School Principal Jennifer Wesp greets students during the first day of school Wednesday. Photo by Howard Owens.
Jennifer Wesp had about a month to prepare for her first big day in welcoming students onto Batavia High School’s State Street campus Wednesday.
And prepared she was, anxiously waiting to greet them at 7:20 a.m.
“It was so exciting to see the students today. Manyteachers and support staff came in early in order to spend some connection time before the first bell. We even had a table set up by GSA where students and staff could choose to wear a name tag that states their preferred pronouns,” the newly hired principal said after a full day of meet-and-greets and ensuring all went well on this day of return after summer. “The air was filled with chatter and laughter. I was able to get into many classrooms throughout the day. Teachers had planned many activities that revolved around building community and getting to know each other. Overall, it was an amazing start to the year.”
While her predecessor, Paul Kesler, was over at John Kennedy Intermediate resuming his former role as principal, Wesp was doing what she enjoys after capping off August: celebrating the beginning of the new year and fresh starts, she said.
“As an administrator, you are always thinking about how you can create an environment that is welcoming and affirming for all. I think we are always thinking about short-term goals vs. long-term goals. They are both critically important for student success. This year, we have a theme with students: ‘Promoting the Independence Within,’” she said. “We will be digging into this at grade-level meetings and throughout the school year. We want to empower students to take ownership of their abilities and choices, and we understand that high school spans a large development range. It is our job to help students to become adults who are prepared for the 21st-Century world.”
Wesp was hired in July, and began August 1. She admits that it’s hard to talk about what she sees as the biggest change to the school’s environment: Paul Kesler’s absence. He is a beloved administrator who “ran an excellent program for many years at BHS,” she said, however, with his switch back to John Kennedy, “I feel that I have inherited a thriving building.”
“I would say the biggest change for BHS is the change in leadership and the need for staff and students to adapt,” she said. “I will say, though, even though it was only one day, they all really were welcoming and affirming to me. I would say we are off to a great start.”
Wesp has brought a fat portfolio of experience with her, having served as assistant principal at both Spencerport High School and Greece Odyssey Academy; and as a special education teacher in the Churchville-Chili and Greece Central School Districts.
She received both a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with a Concentration in Elementary and Special Education and a Master of Science Degree in Inclusive Education from Nazareth College, and has a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Administration from the State University of New York College at Brockport.
Wesp also serves as an adjunct professor at Roberts Wesleyan College in the Pathways to Teaching Program, and, something Kesler can certainly appreciate, her father attended John Kennedy as a young boy.
Her future includes some settling in and learning more about “this fantastic community,” which of course should put some Blue Devils’ games on her fall calendar.
“In my short time, I have been extremely impressed with the dedication that the community has to its school and kids. There are so many incredible programs, partnerships, and opportunities for young people. One key goal is to build on our fertile foundation and get more students into the community through those opportunities. It sounds like we continue to build these opportunities, and I want to make sure that we keep a focus in this area to take full advantage,” she said. “Another area of focus is continuing to build upon our high-quality instructional practices in order to provide equal access to all of our learners. We know that social-emotional learning and culturally responsive teaching are paramount to students being able to access academic goals. Batavia High is an incredible school with a strong foundation, so we will just continue to build on that so we stay relevant and on the cutting edge of meeting students' needs.
As we look ahead to the new school year, I am eagerly anticipating working with our exceptional students, dedicated staff, and inspiring teachers. Together, we will make this year a remarkable journey of learning, growth, and success for all.”
Omar Hussain and Jessica Korzelius will return as assistant principals for the 2023-24 school year.
Annual departmental reviews can sometimes be rather mundane, as they list various numbers, staffing activities and government programs.
However, trends also emerge from the statistics, such as a “very significant increase in homelessness” since the COVID-era eviction moratorium ended in 2022, Social Services Commissioner Carla Mindler says.
Mindler reviewed the reasons for Genesee County’s apparent rise in people losing their rentals or otherwise not having housing during this week’s Human Services meeting.
Landlords who could not evict their tenants during the pandemic because they accepted Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds have this year been able to evict them and are “actively doing so,” she said.
“We have had a huge increase in homelessness. The eviction moratorium ended in 2022. But not all of the landlords could immediately evict because if they took advantage of ERAP, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, they had to sign something saying I will not evict this individual for 12 months due to nonpayment of rent. So now, some of those cases that sat for a while, the landlords are now taking them in and evicting them,” she said. “So we're having homeless individuals, and because of that, there is a shortage of the very low-income housing, and those are the individuals that were getting in. Some people are fleeing the other counties, you know, (due to) the crime rates in Rochester, sometimes in Buffalo, they're coming here and saying we just want to start new.”
New York State ERAP applications stopped being accepted after Jan. 20, 2023, at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Individuals will not be able to submit applications or complete applications that have been started but not submitted after this time.
According to an article by the Associated Press in June 2023, “Upstate New York evictions are rising after a moratorium lifted last year.”
“Forty of the state's 62 counties had higher eviction filings in 2022 than before the pandemic,” the article states, “including two where eviction filings more than doubled compared to 2019.”
So Genesee County isn’t alone, and officials are doing what they can, Mindler said.
“We, of course, encourage people to move here. However, as you know, homeless are where they’re found, so if they truly do not have a home to go back to in those counties, then they become ours. And people are also coming here sometimes for a temporary purpose and end up staying,” she said. “So if they are open in another county, they have to keep them open for a couple of months, but then they do want to stay here.”
There is an active bill in the state Senate called the "winter moratorium on evictions act of 2023,” which states that evictions are linked to all-cause mortality and lead to an array of negative mental and physical health outcomes, including higher rates of emergency room utilization, mental health hospitalizations, suicide, children's hospitalization, and depression and directly result in job loss and disruption to a child's education.
Evictions are a significant cause of homelessness, both directly and indirectly, it states, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development identified at least 91,271 homeless individuals throughout New York State as of January 2020, including 77,943 individuals in New York City and 13,328 individuals throughout the rest of the State.
The bill is in committee at this point and yet to be passed onto the Senate floor in an effort to pass a moratorium on evictions during winter months.
Anne Marie Starowitz standing with her ballroom dance teacher, Miss Joy, at the old YWCA in her dyed Communion Dress Submitted by Anne Marie Starowitz
It was 1959, and our mom just dropped my brothers and me off at the YWCA to take our weekly Friday night ballroom dance lesson. The YWCA at the time was a beautiful older home on the corner of Main Street and Summit Street. We would meet in the back in a big room.
Learning to do the jitterbug, cha cha, hully-gully, and probably a waltz was a wonderful memory.
Whenever I hear the song by Elvis Presley, "Return to Sender," I think of that class and learning the double time, break away for the steps to the jitterbug. It was a great time, and my best friend and other students from our school were in the class.
Thank goodness for my classmates; I would have died if I had to dance with one of my brothers.
I also remember you dressed up for your dance class. In my day, if you had made your First Communion and did not have anyone to hand down your dress to, your mom would dye your dress either pink or blue. My dress was blue. That dress would be seen in many photos at family gatherings.
In 1903, a group of women headed by Miss Francis G. Fisher met to organize a local Young Women's Christian Association branch. This was the birth of our YWCA. In 1903, physical welfare was of first importance to the YWCA members, particularly for the younger girls. The second purpose of the YWCA was to provide safe housing for young girls at the YWCA. YWCA on East Main Street was attractive and comfortable, but by 1960, the house on East Main Street needed repairs. In 1968, the new YW was opened on North St.
I also have wonderful memories of the YMCA.
Today, I am 73 years old and in an exercise class called Silver and Fit at the YMCA. I love vintage music, and it is a time I can use those dance skills I learned when I took those ballroom dance classes at the YWCA. As I lifted my three-pound weights and stretched with my resistance band, I remembered learning to swim in the old YMCA swimming pool. I remember a pool in the basement and a room with a window where you could watch the children swim.
During a swim lesson, the teacher encouraged me to jump off the board and promised he would have the hook to help me when I came up from the water. He didn't help me, but I did swim to the side. That was the day I passed my beginner test. The YMCA swimming program had names of various fish as we progressed on the levels.
So here I am in 2023 at the YMCA, using the dance steps I learned at the YWCA in the 60s. I can hear the construction of the new YMCA as I did the Cha Cha to the music of the 60s.
The YMCA was founded in 1889 in the Village of Batavia.
It began on 7 Jackson St., and over the years, it changed many locations. The first one I remember was built in 1913, where the current YMCA is on Main Street. The building today was built in 1975.
As I participate in the Silver and Fit Class, I hear the pounding of our newest YMCA being constructed—an excellent addition to our community for all ages. The YMCA and the YWCA will continue offering programs for all ages, focusing on their particular mission. YMCA of Genesee County is a leading non-profit committed to strengthening the community by empowering young people, improving the health and well-being of people of all ages, and inspiring action in and across communities.
YWCA of Genesee County is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. I could never list all the programs both Y's offer. I am so glad I have participated in many of the programs over the years, along with my children.
Postcards are courtesy of the Holland Land Office Museum. The black-white photo is Anne Marie Starowitz standing with her ballroom dance teacher, Miss Joy, at the old YWCA in her dyed Communion Dress.
It's that time of year once again when students return to school, shown here on Wednesday at Robert Morris School in Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
Wednesday brought with it the time-honored tradition of kids boarding yellow school buses, parents transitioning the household routine from summer to fall and school administrators readying their sites for some serious learning time.
This school year will see 152 more students for a total of 2,276 compared to last year’s 2,124, Superintendent Jason Smith said. That’s 456 kids at Robert Morris and Jackson, 501 at John Kennedy, 631 at BMS and 688 at the high school.
The district’s Board of Education had mulled the possibility of adding three more school buses to the budget and ended up including them for this year’s transportation schedule. This will “reduce the amount of travel time for students on buses and also provides separation for our middle and high school students, which will be helpful to our overall school operations,” Smith said.
After 29 professional “first days of school,” he never tires of the routine.
“I am always optimistic and excited about the opportunities a new school year brings for our families, students, and staff,” Smith said. “This never gets old for me, and there is always a buzz of excitement."
Batavia Middle School staff welcomed a new round of students and got busy incorporating all grades into the flow, Principal Nathan Korzelius said.
“We are very excited to have our students return and the opportunity to welcome our new fifth-grade students. This year, we worked with our (social and emotional learning) team to create an opening day schedule that allowed the students to get to know their teachers, schedules, and provide time to do some team building/getting-to-know-you activities,” he said. “Students will participate in a circle-up activity that will allow students to get to know each other and allow them to see the process of academic circles. Each grade level will have a team meeting with the administration to talk about goals for the year.”
Goals for students and staff this year will be academic and social-emotional growth, he said. Social and emotional learning, or SEL, has become a main focus for this and other school districts after being identified for post-COVID educational needs.
“We are working hard on developing our professional learning communities to analyze student performance and growth so that we can provide them with the best support and interventions, as well as improve instruction,” Korzelius said. “We have worked on the fifth-grade schedule to ease the transition to a new building. We have also provided more opportunities for students to access academic interventions within their school day.”
Over at John Kennedy Intermediate School, Paul Kesler returned to his former role as principal and said it was “so exciting to see all of our students again” at the Vine Street school.
“We had excellent first-day attendance, and students transitioned into the building quickly. We had a whole group assembly to welcome students, go over expectations, and a short contest where students could show off their dance moves,” Kesler said. “We want students to feel welcomed to the school. We want parents to feel confident that they have left their children in good hands. Our main goal for the opening days is for the teachers to form positive relationships with their students. We know that students will thrive when they have a trusting relationship with our wonderful staff.”
As for key goals moving into this 2023-24 school year, the John Kennedy community is embracing the theme “Challenge Accepted,” Kesler said, to show students that not only are challenges to be expected in life, but that “we can meet challenges, and that challenge that we take on and work through help us grow.”
Another area of focus for the school is “to continue our excellent student growth in their reading and math progress,” he said.
“We are looking to enhance our work by focusing on staff Professional Learning Communities to provide staff with the best processes to help our students succeed,” he said.
At the youngest levels, Principal Maureen Notaro watched the contagious smiles of students entering Robert Morris and Jackson Primary schools, wanting all students to feel “accepted and comfortable as they begin their journey to a new school or start school for the first time,” she said.
“My goal for staff is to have them make students feel welcome and go over routines and procedures. In the first few days, teachers have goals to get to know their students and focus on social-emotional learning to ensure students feel connected to school right away. My staff does a fantastic job with this at Robert Morris and Jackson Primary,” Notaro said. “The key academic goals are for students to learn their letters and sounds and blend their sounds to learn to recognize words, read, and understand what they are learning. We want them to recognize numbers and be able to count. By the time students leave 1st grade, we want them to be able to become independent readers and improve their phonemic awareness and comprehension.”
Other goals focus on social and personal growth, she said, such as learning to make friends and playing nicely with one another, using self-control with one’s emotions, and in universal pre-kindergarten through first grade — which are “exciting times for students” — they learn how to have conversations and develop the capacity to form close relationships with friends and teachers, she said.
"Students show so much growth and really learn how to manage emotions and explore a new environment. They engage in cooperative play and start to develop positive self-esteem by coming to school and being in a social setting with peers,” she said. “I get most excited about the curiosity each student has and enjoy watching my teachers ignite the desire to learn in the littlest learners.”
Notaro is also looking forward to a new reading program, Wit and Wisdom, which explores literacy and is aligned with field trips to help students “bring the program to life and make meaningful connections” to the lessons.
This year's overall concentration will be on "high-quality instruction," Smith said, and with a renewed and additional focus on meeting those SEL needs.
“Our leadership team spent considerable time this summer focusing on the social and emotional learning (SEL) of our students, and we are going to continue to embrace and celebrate our diversity that makes Batavia so special,” he said.
The newly installed Brunswick Sync scoring system features large color upper monitors and big screen TVs across Mancuso Bowling Center's 24 lanes. Photos by Mike Pettinella.
Mancuso Bowling Center has elevated its game with the installation of the Brunswick Sync scoring and management system.
Tuesday Night Coed bowlers were the first league bowlers to experience the state-of-the-art platform last night – a system that features 50-inch, full color upper monitors and interactive, touchscreen lower monitors along with six 55-inch color televisions strategically placed across the 24 lanes.
Two more big screen TVs have been placed behind the service bar and the customer service desk.
“It’s nicely lit and easy to read,” said Rebecca Bates, a league bowler for the past three years. “So, we’ll see if it keeps score good.”
General Manager Mike Sputore reported no scoring problems on opening night of what is an eight-month fall-winter league season.
“Sync is Brunswick’s latest model of automatic scoring, and it controls food and beverage (point of sale ordering) as well as far as restaurant capabilities,” Sputore said. “And there are a bunch of different (bowling) games – not just standard bowling.”
Sputore said the lower monitors are “very user friendly” and the upper monitors are loaded with numerous colorful and high-tech graphics. Casual bowlers can even upload their photo onto the upper monitor when playing a specialty game known as Angry Birds.
Other games (some are 10 frames and some are five frames) include Creature Feature, EZ Bowl, HORSE, Ka Pow!, My Shot, Pin Pals, PinPix, Rival Rumble and 3-6-9 Free Strike.
“It has so many different features, including the Open Lane app, where bowlers’ scores can be downloaded and then sent to their email,” Sputore noted.
The scoring upgrade replaces the Brunswick Frameworx system that had been in place for the past 25 years or so.
“(Proprietor) Rick (Mancuso) did a good job of research and getting the right stuff that works – and it looks beautiful,” Sputore said. “It’s quite a substantial investment.”
Sputore said that Sync interfaces with league secretarial software and handles a multitude of back office tasks.
The Sync system also reads the down-lane speed of the bowling ball and posts that number on the upper monitor after the bowler’s delivery.
“Yeah, it does the ball detect; average first ball speed,” he said. “It’s very convenient for league and tournament bowlers. Now, if you make a bad shot and you see that you threw it three miles an hour slower than your last one, that’s probably the reason.”
Tuesday Night Coed League kicks off the fall-winter season.
Mancuso Bowling Center Manager Mike Sputore enters the name for Adam Flint, who was substituting in the Tuesday Night Coed League.
Open bowling takes on a new look with the graphics from the Angry Birds specialty game.
The Batavia Housing Authority is seeking a positive, hardworking teammate to perform a variety of outdoor landscaping tasks, primarily mowing, with some trimming and cleanup work. The Groundskeeper is independently responsible for outdoor landscaping tasks on a weekly basis with some flexibility. This job may require some weekend hours when necessary. Part-time position Pay Range: $19.00/hr - $22.00/hr Anticipated start date: May 2024 Application deadline: April 29, 2024 See full job description at: https://www.co.genesee.ny.us/Groundskeeper.pdf Complete Civil Service Application at: https://cms1files.revize.com/geneseecountynew/CivilServiceApplication2022Revision-09.22.22.pdf Contact Information Nathan Varland Executive Director Batavia Housing Authority 400 East Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020 (585) 344-1888 nvarland@bataviahousing.org Location: Batavia
