The Alexander Fire Department is hosting their annual Valentine’s Steak Dinner & Dance on Saturday, Feb. 15^th, at their Recreation Hall at 10708 Alexander Road, Alexander. 

There will be an open bar from 6:30 to 9 p.m. with dinner at 7 o'clock.

Music by a favorite local band Red Creek!  

Tickets are $25 per person or $45 per couple.

Tickets are limited and must be reserved by calling Heidi at 585-813-6598.

A vehicle has reportedly slid off the roadway on the Thruway in the westbound lane near mile marker 383.7.

A passerby reports it appeared the driver hit his head.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched.

UPDATE 1:42 p.m.: A second vehicle is off the roadway and into the trees, in the eastbound lane of the Thruway near mile marker 375. Le Roy fire along with Bergen, Le Roy ambulance, and Mercy EMS dispatched.

In Thursday's Scholastic Bowl matches, Batavia and Attica picked up victories.

Batavia scored 230, while Oakfield-Alabama scored 120 and Elba 50.

In the second match, Attica beat Notre Dame 330 to 220.

The Alexander Fire Department will be hosting monthly All You Can Eat Firemen’s Breakfasts on four upcoming Sundays at their Recreation Hall, 10708 Alexander Road, Alexander.

Time is from 8 a.m. to noon on these dates: Jan. 26, Feb. 23, March 29, and April 26.  

Buffet-style breakfast will include: pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, biscuits with gravy, fruit, real maple syrup, coffee, tea, juice and milk.

Adults $11; children 5-12 years $6; under 5 free.  

Fun for the kids will include an indoor bounce house with themed activities: January “Hawaiian”; February “Mardi Gras”; March “Breakfast with Bunny”; and April “Carnival."

Bring your family and enjoy a relaxing Sunday breakfast!

Submitted photo and information from Genesee Valley Educational Partnership:

Decision Day was held Friday at the Western New York Tech Academy. It is similar to a college signing day.

A total of 10 WNY Tech Academy students were honored for officially declaring the pathways they will pursue as they complete their free applied associate degrees through Genesee Community College.

The students could choose to study Accounting, Food Processing Technology, or Supply Chain Management.

Staff, administrators, business partners and parents attended Decision Day.

The high school juniors who participated are named below, along with their high school and declared paths of study. They are in the top photo.

• Brett Bogardus, of Perry -- Accounting
• Dante Brent, of Attica -- Accounting
• Cameron Durfee, of Attica -- Supply Chain Management
• Nathan Geise, of Warsaw -- Accounting
• Holly Grisewood, of Perry -- Accounting
• Devon Heick, of Byron-Bergen -- Food Processing Technology
• Trevor Pahl, of Pavilion -- Food Processing Technology
• Veronica Shepherd, of Le Roy -- Accounting
• Carl Stachura, Batavia -- Accounting

(Everett Claud, of Perry, is not pictured. He will study Supply Chain Management.)

In addition, the Tech Academy also recognized 12 seniors in Friday's program:

• Collin Aquina, of Oakfield-Alabama -- Supply Chain Management);
• Gabriel Bucknam, of Perry -- Food Processing Technology;
• Stephanie Dibble, of Batavia -- Supply Chain Management;
• Zachary Evert, of Attica -- Supply Chain Management;
• Abigail Hackett, of Pavilion -- Supply Chain Management);
• Evan Harter, of Byron-Bergen -- Accounting;
• Peyton Heesch, of Caledonia-Mumford -- Supply Chain Management;
• Dylan Kipfer, of Attica -- Supply Chain Management;
• Cole Lowery, of Pavilion -- Food Processing Technology;
• Peyton Penders, of Pavilion -- Food Processing Technology;
• Alexis Jade Reed, of Batavia -- Food Processing Technology;
• Jace Hilton Vilinsky, of Avon -- Supply Chain Management.

For more information about the WNY Tech Academy visit wnytechacademy.org

About Western New York Tech Academy

It is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York State.

In a home game, Le Roy lost to LCAA D1 rival Livonia 50-44.

Cody Lytle scored 14 points. Andrew Loftus, 12, and Ethan Beswick, nine.

The Knights are now 6-6 on the season.

Also in boys basketball:

• Oakfield beat Wheatland-Chile 69-51
• Batavia lost to Eastridge 66-60
• Elba beat Alexander, 82-66

In girls basketball:

• Batavia beat Sutherland 59-57
• Livonia beat Le Roy 71-41

Photos by Tim McArdle.

Le Roy HS senior Taylor Hutton won the Medical Illustration Award (2D) at the opening reception Friday night at RIT Bevier Gallery for the RIT Art Design Start Here 2020 exhibit. The exhibit runs until Feb. 1.

Photo and info submitted by Tim McArdle.

At the Harvester Center in Batavia yesterday, Ed Rath, a 12-year member of the Erie County Legislature, announced his candidacy for the 61st State Senate, running for the seat that Michael Ranzenhofer will vacate at the end of the year.

Rath attacked the one-party rule of Albany that he said has led to sky-high deficit spending, the passage of one-sided legislation such as the Green Light Law, the farm labor bill, and bail reform.

He said he will work to repeal bail reform and ensure the concerns of upstate residents are presented in Albany.

Rath is attempting to follow the political path of his mother, Mary Lou Rath, who was also once a member of the Erie County Legislature before being elected to the 61st State Senate in 1993, holding the office until her retirement in 2008.

Yesterday, after the press conference, Ed Rath complimented The Batavian on the quality of the questions we asked as did a member of his campaign staff.  We hear that often from elected officials.  We work hard to bring you the most informed political coverage in the county but to keep doing that, we need your support.  Please become a patron today. Please click the supporter button below and subscribe or contribute.

Press release:

“The constituents of NY-27 deserve better, and today provides us the opportunity to close this disappointing chapter and start fresh," said NY-27 candidate Rob Ortt. "This district deserves a faithful and hardworking conservative representing them in Congress, putting the needs of Western New York and America first. I believe I am the candidate best qualified to do so and it is my sincere hope that I’m afforded the opportunity to once again serve my country.”

Last night, the Lady Dragons and the Pembroke community raised $32,468.20 for research at Roswell Cancer Institute. The total the community has raised now exceeds $152,000.

In the basketball game, Pembroke beat Oakfield-Alabama 50-47 to move to 11-1 on the season.

Press release:

Nate McMurray, Democrat running to fill the vacancy left by Chris Collins in NY-27, has issued the following statement on Collins’ sentencing for insider trading related crimes earlier today.

“Years of lies by Collins and those who justified his crimes end like this. Tears. An empty seat. It’s a sad moment. No sentence can heal the damage caused. The sting will linger.

Remember this. Who brought us here? So when we look back, we will see how far we’ve come. I'm heading to my son's basketball game, watching a movie with my family, going to sleep, and waking up tomorrow to continue the fight to restore integrity to NY-27 and Washington.”

Click here for 0 Byron Road, Stafford. 
Click here for 0 Mcnamar Road, Barre.
Click here for 0 Prole Road Extention, Stafford.
Click here for 0 Edgerton Road, Elba.

For Rep. Chris Collins sobbed in court, the Washington Post reports, while his attorneys argued for leniency, before a Federal judge sentenced Collins to 26 months in prison for engaging in insider trading and lying to the FBI.

“I have no excuse," Collins said sobbing. "I tarnished my reputation."

The prosecution sought a sentence of 46 to 57 months in a Federal penitentiary.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Nicholas argued that Collins deserved prison time because he organized the conspiracy among his family members to help them avoid losing money on the stock, lied to federal agents about it and then announced he would seek re-election to his seat. His attorneys pointed to Collins’ record of public service and said the crime was an isolated decision made in the heat of the moment.

The Post reports: “I cannot face my constituents. What I have done has marked me for life," Collins said.

The NY-27 has been without representation in Washington since Collins resigned in September, after winning re-election while proclaiming his innocence and vowing to "clear my name."

There will likely be a special election to fill the seat April 29, a little more than two months before the scheduled 2020 primary for the office.

A statement issued today from Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

“While serial felons run free endangering society under new bail laws, statewide infrastructure continues to crumble and we face one of the largest budget deficits in recent memory, Gov. Cuomo thinks it’s the right time to spend unknown amounts of taxpayer money on a trip to Puerto Rico. 

“It has become abundantly clear that the governor cares more about raising his political profile than addressing the serious issues facing New York. Feel good photo ops and trade missions are not always the mark of good leadership but rather it’s having the courage to work through issues and implement real solutions for constituents. 

“Emerging trends under one party rule show our state is growing in the wrong direction. Our debt and deficit are high, Medicaid and welfare spending continues to balloon, population continues to decrease and taxes continue to suppress and stifle two crucial groups needed to grow an economy – homeowners and small businesses. 

“We can’t deny that out of control Medicaid spending is the root cause of our state deficit. We already spend more than Florida and Texas combined with half the population and the continued expansion is clearly unsustainable. Rest assured, I will be making my voice heard loud and clear throughout this year’s budget process to see that New York’s fiscal ship is set on the right path.”

Thursday evening was Senior Night for Le Roy's wrestlers. Unfortunately, it wasn't a night for the Knights, who lost to Batavia/Attica 63-20.

Seniors honored where: Rich Carpino, Phil Hahn, Paul Harmer and Andrew Englerth

Photos and info submitted by Tim McArdle.

Suicide and how to prevent it will be the topic of discussion at 9 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 21) when WBTA radio’s “Main & Center” talk show welcomes James Thorman, of Byron, as its guest.

Thorman has been working tirelessly over the past several months to gain support from community leaders and the public in general as he attempts to form a coalition dedicated to mental health well-being for young people and veterans at risk.

Recently, he has connected with Bereaved Parents of the USA, a nonprofit group that offers support and encouragement to fellow bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents after the death of a loved one.

Thorman’s life has been exponentially affected by suicide as two of his daughters took their lives about nine years ago.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2017 suicide was the 10th leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 47,000 people, and was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34.

Also in that year, there were more than twice as many suicides (47,173) in the United States as there were homicides (19,510).

WBTA radio is at 1490 on the AM dial, at 100.1 on FM, or can be streamed over the internet at www.wbtai.com.

A man came into the Genesee County Animal Shelter this morning, according to a reader. He had an accident on the Thruway last night (Jan. 16) and his dog ran off.

The man is heartbroken and has been looking all day for little black and white "Chapo."

The dog ran off near mile marker 392 of the Thruway, between the Kelsey Road and Lewiston Road overpass in the Town of Batavia.

Chapo, which is Spanish for "Shorty," is wearing a black collar with no tags on it.

If you have information about Chapo, please contact the animal shelter at (585) 343-6410, or email Volunteers For Animals at info@vol4animals.org

"Get Shorty!"

Press release:

Six Flags Darien Lake, the “Thrill Capital of New York State,” today announced that Jeff Ellis & Associates Inc. – International Aquatics Safety and Risk Management Consultants, has awarded the Platinum International Aquatics Safety Award to the park.

This annual award is given to facilities that consistently exceed industry standards in risk management and epitomize aquatic safety excellence.

“This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our waterpark staff to deliver a fun and safe experience for guests,” said Park President Chris Thorpe. “We are thrilled to receive this kind of recognition and look forward to welcoming our guests for the 2020 season at the best waterpark in Western New York.”

“It is apparent that the entire staff embodies the idea of setting the standard in aquatic safety,” said Jeff Ellis & Associates Vice President Richard A. Carroll. “Swimmers and guests who frequent this waterpark are afforded the highest degree of protection currently available for the aquatic industry.”

E&A’s International Aquatic Safety Awards are based on the results of multiple random unannounced aquatic facility operational safety audits conducted throughout the year. These audits include undercover surveillance of on-duty lifeguards, emergency simulations and facility evaluations.

Only the top 14 percent of E&A’s worldwide clients receive a Platinum International Aquatic Safety Award each year.

Six Flags Darien Lake 2020 Memberships and Season Passes are now available. Members can enjoy priority park entry, preferred parking and tremendous discounts of up to 50 percent on nearly all food and merchandise purchases all season long.

Gold Plus, Platinum, Diamond and Diamond Elite levels are available featuring all the perks of a Season Pass plus other benefits including admission to all Six Flags branded theme and waterparks, skip the line passes, unlimited soft drinks and much more!

For more information, visit the Membership Sales Center or go online to sixflags.com/darienlake and sign up.

About Six Flags Darien Lake

Six Flags Darien Lake’s wide variety of entertainment and top-notch thrill rides has made it the Coaster Capital of New York since 1964. Located 45 minutes from Niagara Falls between Buffalo and Rochester, today the park boasts more than 50 rides, including seven world-class roller coasters, dozens of family rides, the region’s largest water park and a 20,000-seat amphitheater operated by Live Nation.

The park opens for the 2020 season May 8 and welcomes overnight guests in a wide range of accommodations—from a full-service hotel and modern cabins to rental RVs, and RV and tent campsites.

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional theme park company with $1.5 billion in revenue and 26 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. For 59 years, Six Flags has entertained millions of families with world-class coasters, themed rides, thrilling water parks and unique attractions. For more information, visit www.sixflags.com.

From Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer:

As your State Senator, I value your concerns and opinions. Many new issues are being discussed and there is sure to be extensive debate throughout the 2020 session.

From a $6.1 billion deficit to criminal justice reforms and vaccination requirements, your opinions on issues facing New York State are very important to me. That is why I have launched a 2020 Legislative Questionnaire.

It is only 14 questions and takes just a couple of minutes to complete. Click here to complete the questionnaire.

I will be listening to residents– all across the 61st Senate District– as this year’s legislative session progresses. 

Thank you in advance for taking the time to participate. I look forward to hearing your feedback.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance to you or your family.

Press release:

Over the course of the next six weeks, Tops Friendly Markets welcomes the community to try a variety of Tops Full Circle products during its weekend sampling events. Try something new, and share something good with your family today!  

Tops Friendly Markets is pleased to be able to offer its customers a wide assortment of healthy options integrated into every aisle. We believe that organic and best-of-nature products are an important part of a healthy and well-rounded lifestyle. With Tops own Full Circle brand, you can love what’s in it for you!

We bring you food that tastes good and home care items that are eco-friendly and work well. Full Circle products deliver our brand promise in every department with 300+ sku’s across grocery, dairy, frozen and home care, this brand offers shoppers USDA certified organic, non-GMO, gluten free, and hormone/antibiotic free products every day at an affordable price.

Additionally Tops offers more than 3,800 certified organic products that are, integrated with conventional products and merchandised in stores by meal category, which makes it easier to shop and plan.

The weekend sampling events will take place every Saturday and Sunday beginning tomorrow, Jan. 18, at selected located and ending on Sunday, Feb. 23.

In Genesee County, only the Batavia Tops will conduct samplings. It is located at 390 W. Main St.