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Halloween candlelight ghost walk October 21

By Press Release
ghost-walk.jpeg-edit.jpeg
File Photo by Howard Owens

Press Release:

The Batavia Cemetery Association is excited to announce that the annual Halloween Candlelight Ghost Walk will be held on Saturday, October 21. Join us for some spooky fun on a ghost walk through the Historic Batavia Cemetery on Harvester Avenue to meet the famous and infamous movers and shakers who not only shaped and influenced the City of Batavia, but the United States and the world.

The guided tour on candlelit paths will bring guests to hear men and women, who, for various reasons, held great power and exerted great influence in their day, were victims of tragic events, or both. Confederate Major Philemon Tracy, one of the few Confederate officers buried in the north; surveyor and land developer of western New York Joseph Ellicott, a man of great power and great flaws; and William Morgan, who disappeared and was allegedly murdered before he could reveal the secrets of the Masons, will tell their stories.

Listen to Utopian socialist Albert Brisbane; Mary Elizabeth Wood, the first librarian at the Richmond Memorial Library and founder of the first library school in China; and Dr. Martha Morgan, a compassionate doctor who spent most of her professional life working at the State Lunatic Hospital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  

Meet Civil War General John H. Martindale, and maltster and brewer Eli Fish. Shipping and railroad magnate Dean Richmond and his wife Mary will greet guests in their beautiful mausoleum on the last stop of the tour.

Tours begin at 7 p.m. and run every fifteen minutes until 8:45 p.m. Admission is $15. Reservations are required. Proceeds benefit the upkeep and restoration of the cemetery. For more information, or to make reservations, go to bataviacemetery.org.

HLOM's murder mystery dinner is back, October 14

By Press Release

Press Release:

On Saturday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Batavia Country Club, the Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the return of the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater with WNY Improv. This time they will be putting on "A Murderous Affair: The Truish Murder Mystery of Johnston L. Lynch".

Once a sanctuary of opulence and decorum, the Batavia Country Club becomes the eerie backdrop to the murder of Johnston L. Lynch, a lawyer whose gruesome end shattered the peace of this tight-knit community. 

"A Murderous Affair" isn't just another murder mystery—it's an immersive experience, an investigation into the shadows of Batavia's history, and a labyrinth of mysteries waiting to be solved. Put on your detective hat and be a part of this unforgettable event at the Batavia Country Club. Discover what truly happened in the enigmatic world of Johnston L. Lynch and make your own conclusion in this enthralling real-life whodunit.

Tickets are $75 per person. Museum members receive early sign-up. Choose from 4 different entrée options- Prime Rib, Chicken French, Crab Stuffed Fish, Pasta Primavera. Meal includes salad, roll, potato, vegetable, and beverage. A cash bar will be available.

Seats are limited. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com to reserve a spot. Please have your food preference ready with the reservation.

GCC students design spiritualism exhibit at the Morgan-Manning House

By Press Release
foxsisters.jpg
Photo of the Fox Sisters courtesy of Genesee Community College.

Press Release:

Genesee Community College students guided by Derek Maxfield, Associate Professor of History at GCC, will design a series of stations that guests are invited to tour during the exhibit from 6 - 8 p.m. each evening. To cap off the event, Maxfield will deliver a lecture on Victorians and Spiritualism on Wednesday, October 25 at 7 p.m. 

The exhibit and lecture are FREE and open to the public - though donations to the Morgan-Manning House are encouraged.

The Spiritualism movement in America began a decade before the American Civil War and seemed to seize the imagination of many into the twentieth century. The basic premise that it was possible for the living to communicate with the dead was popularized by two sisters from Hydesville, New York - the Fox Sisters. 

Spiritualism has a deep and complex origin story that reaches back to the 18th century with the work of Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish scientist-theologian. Once begun, the Spiritualism movement manifested itself in many forms - including seances, spirit writing, Mesmerism, and spirit camps. 

The diverse elements will be explored in a special exhibit at the Morgan-Manning House in Brockport October 23-25.

Tenney calls to consider an impeach inquiry into energy secretary Jennifer Granholm

By Press Release

Press Release:

File photo of 
Claudia Tenney

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) questioned whether an impeachment inquiry should be considered to examine the unethical behavior of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm at a full Science, Space and Technology Committee Hearing.

Tenney’s query for an impeachment inquiry follows the Department of Energy’s Inspector General, sounding the alarm that one-third of DOE senior officials own stocks relating to their work. During the hearing, Tenney highlighted multiple situations where Secretary Granholm violated the law, had conflicts of interest, and lied to Congress under oath. 

This includes President Biden and Vice President Harris, who have repeatedly touted the company Proterra while Secretary Granholm owned stock in this company. On a separate occasion, it was reported that Secretary Granholm's husband owned Ford stock while the Secretary was serving and made tweets promoting Ford. Additionally, Secretary Granholm testified under oath that she did not own any individual stocks and only later admitted that she lied.

“Secretary Granholm has admitted to lying to Congress under oath and committing perjury,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Perjury grants Congress clear grounds for impeachment. This is yet another example of the colossal ego and arrogance of the Biden Administration that Americans despise most. It is far past time that Secretary Granholm is held accountable for these clear crimes and conflicts of interest. Secretary Granholm has made our lives unaffordable and pushed a radical green energy agenda all while lining her own pockets on the backs of the American people. Enough is enough.” 

Watch Tenney’s full remarks here

Friends rally, set up fundraiser for Scottish teammate after accident

By Joanne Beck
Ethan Walker soccer
Ethan Walker of Aberdeen, Scotland, a student athlete at Genesee Community College, was in an automobile accident on Sept. 12 and is at Erie County Medical Center while his teammates rally for his recovery and help to raise funds to offset his medical expenses. 
Submitted photo

Ethan Walker, 17, was hardly a shrinking violet on or off the soccer field, standing six-foot-one, playing center back, and demonstrating talent and grit that made him a top recruit and fast friend from Scotland, Ben Bacon says.

“He was an absolute monster on the field. He was built like a rhino,” Bacon said to The Batavian of his teammate and fellow freshman at Genesee Community College. “His determination on the field was just outstanding. He’s just a beast. He’s one of those people who you will never ever, ever see him in a bad mood, and he’ll always have a smile on his face.”

It is perhaps Ethan who needs — and is getting — smiles, kind words and both moral and financial support in his great time of need after a major accident on Sept. 12. 

He was walking back to his dorm from an off-campus residence that night and was hit by a Toyota RAV4. Two of his teammates called for police and medical assistance, and he was transported by ambulance and then flown by Mercy EMS to Erie Community Medical Center and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, “where they fought to keep him alive,” Bacon said in an online post. 

“The medical staff said he was suffering from a shattered right scapula, dislocated right knee, tearing of all the ligaments in his right knee, multiple fractures in the right side of his face, skull fractures, as well as swelling and bleeding in the brain,” his post states. “Ethan’s mother was notified, and she was able to book a flight and get here from Scotland only a day later. You can only imagine what she was going through as her son was fighting for his life, and she was across the world from him.”

Bacon created that post as part of a GoFundMe fundraiser to assist his friend’s family with the medical expenses to come from Ethan’s care and treatment. Since he was here as an international student, he did what most students do and chose the cheapest insurance plan because no one expects something like this to happen, Bacon said. 

When the accident first occurred in the wee hours of the morning, only a small portion of students knew about it, and then as more people learned about it, they went from being shocked and distraught to “everyone wanted to help,” he said. “It brought the entire school community together.”

“It felt like one big family,” he said, that included students, staff, administrators, and family members. That big lug “built like a tree trunk” who would lift everyone up and “always bring the positivity” level up anywhere he went has now been getting it twofold from friends and strangers alike.

The fundraiser has gotten donations from 820 folks so far, many of whom are including prayers, thoughts and well wishes for a speedy recovery and to stay strong. A goal of $50,000 has been more than half met so far, with a total of $27,342, and Bacon wants to see it keep rising to alleviate at least one worry for the Walker family. 

Ethan’s girlfriend and dad also flew here shortly after the accident and have been staying nearby as he gradually begins to heal enough to return back home to Aberdeen, Scotland. 

International students are commonplace to the GCC soccer program, Bacon said, which has been very successful — it’s #2 in the nation as a D-3 sport — and has more frequently been recruiting overseas for players. There are only four American students out of a roster of 28 players, he said. The soccer coach is from Ireland, and the team captain is from Scotland. 

Ethan lived one floor above Bacon, and they’d meet in Bacon’s room, which was in the middle for everybody as a common room to hang out. “So he's in our room quite frequently, and he's one of the ones that I grew closer with,” Bacon said. 

What’s not to like? Ethan was a super hard worker and “a pretty standout guy,” he said. He traveled alone from his homeland to pursue his dreams of obtaining a good education while playing professional soccer, or “futbol,” as he’d say.

“He was constantly in the gym and doing everything he could to improve and be better,” Bacon said. “He’s a very intimidating person, but one of the happiest and nicest, friendliest people I've ever met, one of those kids that kind of just lifts everyone up and, like, makes the total aura and vibe around him kind of happier and better to be in. 

“He really just is always bringing positivity wherever he is, whether it's in the classroom, on the field, and just a conversation that he's having with a couple of the guys, wherever it is, it’s always boosting and making it a more respectable and positive environment,” he said.

He and his teammates have been visiting the patient as often as possible, and he was recently moved out of the ICU, a good sign of Ethan-like progress.

“He keeps improving every day,” Bacon said. “Everything seems positive.” 

While there have, of course, been negatives given such a tragic accident, Bacon has also gleaned the positives from so many people rallying together to support their fellow student and his family, he said. 

“We’re more than thankful and extraordinarily grateful for the school and community,” he said. “That would be lovely to reach (the goal), and we will keep raising it as much as we can. Once the donations are done, all will be transferred into his accounts to pay the bills.

“This tragedy was extremely unexpected, and on behalf of me and my family and Ethan’s close friends, teammates, coaches, and administrators, we wanted to set up this GoFundMe to help and assist Ethan and his family through this long, difficult, and painful process of recovery and healing, and getting Ethan back out on the pitch as soon as possible,” his online post states. “Ethan’s family and our college have been involved with me starting this fundraiser on his behalf from the beginning. Ethan is my friend and teammate here at Genesee Community College, and Ethan’s parents are here with us in the USA now while Ethan is in the ICU. Ethan will be the direct beneficiary of 100 percent of these funds, and his parents will personally ensure these funds will be deposited into Ethan’s account. We post this to remain in compliance with GoFundMe and to ensure there is trust between us and those of you who have been so generous!”

Go HERE for more information or to donate.

Submitted photos.

Ethan Walker in dress
Ethan Walker with players
Ethan Walker smiling at home
Ethan Walker #29

Growing Up At Godfrey's Pond in the 1950s and 60s, Part II

By David Reilly
godfreys pond aeral

Author's note: I am aware that there was discrimination against people of Italian and Polish descent (and possibly others ) in the 1950s and '60s that prevented them from enjoying what I did. I apologize ( I found out about it in high school) and understand if there is leftover bitterness. It seems that things have changed for the better today, and there are no longer any restrictions.

When I was a kid in the 1950s and 60s, I was fortunate to be in a family who had a membership at Godfrey's Pond ( See Part 1 History The Batavian Aug. 9, 2023) operated by the Genesee County Fish and Game Protective Association in Stafford. We enjoyed swimming, picnicking, fishing and boating. My mom's family, the Newhouses, who lived on North Lyon Street, were members (my Uncle Bob Newhouse, age 93, is a lifetime one), so when my parents got married, apparently, my dad got a Reilly membership for us. Being only a short driveable distance away, we spent a lot of time there in the summer months. Others in the Genesee County area have summer memories of Nu-Lake, Silver Lake in Wyoming County, Horseshoe Lake (which was mostly private), Boulder Park at Indian Falls or other places. I did visit a couple of those places, but my remembrances are primarily of Godfrey's Pond.

reilly godfrey's pond

Peck At The Pond, Rap On The Rump
My first memory of the Pond comes only from photos. There I am on the shore in a playpen, maybe about age 3, so it would be circa 1950. The little girl caged in there with me was the daughter of some family friends. Now, I have written many times about how shy I was as a child and teenager. Well, apparently, on this day, I somehow got my nerve up and there for all to see was my first kiss. The look on the girl's face tells the whole story in one word -- “Whoa!”

reilly kiss godfrey pond

I don't remember the kiss, but I do recall the swat on my behind. When I was probably seven or eight, my mom got out the photo and was teasing me a little with it. I got embarrassed, grabbed the photo, and tore it in half. Mom was not happy. I still have the torn and taped-together picture somewhere, but luckily an unripped version survived. Recently, I saw that the “ little girl's” mom passed away at the age of 99. I was able to contact her, and after expressing my condolences, I sent her the photo. I hope she was amused.

Swimming Stories
When I was small, we spent a lot of time playing on the beach at the “shallow end,” as everyone called it. As a fair-skin freckled redhead, this has probably come back to haunt me in my later years with frequent trips to the dermatologist. I'm pretty sure that there were no SPF sunblock lotions available back then, so I have become very familiar with liquid nitrogen treatments even though I avoided the sun like the plague as an adult.

I learned to swim at Godfrey's Pond (I remember as a real little kid being at the YMCA and going in the pool naked with a bunch of other little boys- what was that all about?) but like almost everything I did back then it was a battle for my mother. The day lessons were supposed to begin, I chickened out and hid in a closet outside the door of our upstairs apartment on Ellicott Avenue. She eventually found me, and after a lot of screaming and pulling, Mom finally got me out of there by threatening to call the priest from St. Mary's to come over. Of course, once I got there and got to know the other kids and the teacher, I was fine and really enjoyed it. Except for diving underwater – I had and still have bad sinuses.

I think the teacher's name was Mrs. Williams, and there were several steps to pass -- beginner, intermediate, and advanced. In order to pass the lessons ( I think it took me 2 years), you had to swim out to the overhead “wire” (I think an electrical line stretched across a section of the pond) and back with Mrs. Williams rowing beside you in a boat. It was maybe 100 yards. If you made it (I did), you received your swimmer's badge. Some really good swimmers got to apply for their lifesaving badge. You had to be able to surface dive down to save someone, and I couldn't do it. Blasted sinuses again.

One funny story I recall about swimming at Godfrey's: we took a friend one time, and we were going to swim out to the floating raft that was positioned probably 25 yards away. He swam halfway out, exclaimed, “ I can't make it!” and swam back. I'll let you do the math, but he got teased for a while about that one.

There were three diving boards at the deep end - low, medium and high. I was okay with the low and the medium, but I always had to hold my nose or wear nose clips because when my face hit the water, it felt like someone shoved a knife up my sinuses. The high board was a different story, though. Heights are not my favorite, and there was no way I was diving face-first from up there anyway. I don't think I ever dove head-first off the high board, but I would jump off occasionally just to prove that I wasn't a total chicken.

Godfreys pond

Fishing Forays
Just behind the “deep end ” swimming area was a line of trees, and then the terrain descended into an area we called “The Hollow.” At the back of the hollow flowed Bigelow Creek after the Pond water flowed over the dam. When I was 8, 9, 10 years old, I used to prowl along the edge of that small stream, fascinated by the fish I could see in there. I didn't have a fishing pole, but I got some fishing line and tied a hook on the end (probably not an improved clinch knot) and added a little sinker. I would spend hours, it seemed, tossing that line in the creek, trying to get something to bite. Mostly the fish were just Suckers, but one day I finally managed to get a little Perch to bite. I was so proud that I ran with it all the way to wherever my mom was to show off my probably six-inch fish. It wasn't much to brag about, but it was my first catch.

At some point, probably about age 10, I got a fishing pole and reel of my own. Nothing fancy, of course, just a little push-button spin-cast reel. I must have taught myself to cast because, without a doubt, my dad was the worst fisherman I ever saw. There is a famous legend about the “Gordian Knot,” which was supposedly tied by Gordius, the King of Phrygia, which was only able to be untied by the future ruler of Asia. Well, my dad came up with snarls in his line that would put old Gordius to shame. These occurrences resulted in an outpouring of “Judas Priests!” (my dad's faux cussing ) and “This goldarned stupid reel” that would send us kids scurrying for the hills.

Later in life, I had a small fishing boat and got up the nerve to take my elderly dad fishing in Lake Ontario one time. I was in the front of the boat, and the “Judas Priests” began in the back. I went to help, and somehow he had cast his line backward behind him. As I took the pole and reel to assist him I realized there was a fish on the line that had bitten on his worm. I handed him the pole, and he reeled in a decent smallmouth bass that he had caught completely by accident. Better to be lucky than good sometimes, I guess.

Once I got my own pole and reel, I graduated from the hand line in the creek to fishing in the actual pond. My go-to spot to try was on the bridge where the dam was, and I would cast my worm into the hole on the side where the water had carved out a deep pool before going over the falls. Since I was only 10 or 11 years old, I didn't have a lot of patience, so after the sunfish stole all my worms or I actually hooked a couple, I'd give up and go swimming or something instead.

Godfreys pond

But, one day, I could see a decent-sized largemouth cruising around in my favorite fishin' hole. I REALLY wanted to catch that bass. I might have cast 20 times, and it just wasn't interested, and I was getting frustrated. I almost wanted to say, "Judas Priest bass!” But I tried one last cast and could actually see the worm drifting right in front of the bass's mouth. “C'mon, bite,” I thought and BOOM! It did. I set the hook, and hand trembling, I reeled the bass up out of the water and swung it onto the bridge. As you can see from the photo, it really wasn't that big, but of course, I was thrilled and put it on a stringer to show my parents. Once I was older, I almost always practiced catch and release (I do not care for the taste of fish, and it's better to let them live and grow), but there was no way I wasn't gonna show that one off. I must have gone swimming afterward, though -- notice the nose clips around my neck.

I never really caught a big fish in Godfrey's Pond, but they're in there. Once in the fall, when the water got cold, we watched a guy fight a huge Northern Pike right in the usual summer swimming area. It put up a long fight, and when he finally got it in, it was definitely 3 to 4 feet long.

Godfreys pond

My last memory of fishing in The Pond was soon after I was married in 1972. My wife and I took my younger brother Jim in one of the rowboats across the pond to the south side where the railroad is. A bunch of trees on the embankment provided shade, and it must have been spawning time because we caught so many Sunfish and Bluegills that our arms got tired. This time we let them all go, though.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Godfrey's had a bunch of small rowboats which you could rent for a nominal fee. That's how I learned to row, and we used to cruise around the pond just getting exercise and horsing around. Sometimes fishing too. Eventually, we discovered that in the southwest corner of the pond, there was a cement culvert that went under the railroad tracks. It was put in to allow Bigelow Creek to flow through from the swampy wetlands between Horseshoe Lake and Godfrey's.

Godfreys pond

The Pond rowboats would fit through the passage, but you had to get down really low and fight your way through the spider webs. There might have been a bat or two in there as well. I guess all that made it more exciting. A couple of times, when we got to the other side, we told ourselves that we were going to row all the way to Horseshoe Lake, but the murky water between the reeds and cattails got shallow, and we never made it very far. I'm not even sure it's possible in a boat.

My younger (by 11 years) brother Jim tells a story that when he was a teenager, he took our Uncle George the plumber, not exactly the outdoor type, out in a boat and through that underpass and surprisingly, he really enjoyed it. When you think about it, I imagine a plumber would be used to dark watery places with spiders.

Picnics and “The Stand”
The Pond had plenty of fireplaces, picnic tables, and even a couple of covered shelters for larger family gatherings. My Gramma Newhouse and my mom, Anna Newhouse Reilly, were both good cooks, so we had plenty of picnics on nice summer days. Weekdays were the best because it could get really crowded on weekends. My dad was a notorious mosquito hater, and they loved the taste of him for some reason, so if it was a little damp and not windy, he'd be swatting like a madman. We still tell stories of how at home, if he heard one buzzing near his ear in the night, he'd keep us all up whacking the walls with a rolled-up newspaper until he got the offending bloodsucker.

After swimming (back then, everyone believed that if you ate before swimming, you'd get murderous cramps and drown), we'd always ask Mom for some change and go to the little refreshment store where the changing lockers were (I don't think I ever changed in there once -- we'd just wear our bathing suit under our clothes). We always just called it “The Stand”. We'd get a popsicle (grape was my fave), creamsicle, fudgsicle, candy or a little bag of chips. I think most things only cost a nickel or dime back then. “Ah, the good old days,” as everyone from back then says now.

Godfreys pond

The Worst Thirst
My mom was pretty strict and wouldn't let me get a two-wheeled bicycle until I turned 10 years old, which I did in January 1957. So sometime that spring ( we were living on Ellicott Avenue just before we moved to North Spruce Street), we went to J. Frank Dicks Bike Shop on the corner of Thomas Avenue by Corrigan's mom-and-pop store, and I got a bike. It was a three-speed, and it was referred to as an “English “ bike.

Once I learned to ride, I became obsessed with riding to Godfrey's Pond. I nagged Mom for a long time, and finally, she gave in – with one provision: She would not allow me to ride on Clinton Street Road (Route 33), which was the way we took in the car because of the busy traffic, especially big trucks. So we had to devise an alternate route.

After taking a test ride in the car, it was determined that I would pedal out the Bank Street Road, turn right onto Batavia Stafford Townline Road (no, I didn't remember most of this 66 years later, I had to look it up on my iPhone GPS), then left onto Fotch Road, left to Batavia Byron Road ( a lot of this route is going back south making it longer but safer in Mom's eyes, small country roads with little traffic), and finally onto Griswold Road which takes you to Godfrey's Pond Road.

I started out in the morning, and as I recall, the ride there wasn't actually too bad for a 10-year-old. It was about 8 miles, so I got a good workout for a kid. I felt pretty good about myself, too -- look what I did all by myself. Once there, I really don't remember what I did. It was a weekday, so I don't think any lifeguards were on duty in the morning, and I know I didn't bring a fishing pole on my bike. I guess I just hung out for a while before I started back.

I do remember one thing, though, and it was prophetic of my return trip. Somewhere by the dam and “The Hollow” was a natural spring pipe that people used to drink from. I thought, “I'll get a cool drink before I leave.” Why didn't I bring a canteen with water that I could have filled? This became a very important mistake on my trip home.

It was getting into the afternoon as I left, the sky was clear, and the sun was beating down. I think it turned out to be a pretty hot day. As I retraced my route, it was also more uphill --  a harder ride than the way there earlier. By the time I got to Bank Street Road, I was VERY thirsty. That's when the “Why didn't I bring a canteen ?” thought hit my brain.

You've all seen the movies and the cartoons where the parched travelers are dying of thirst, and the heat waves look like an oasis of water to them as they crawl through the desert sand dunes. Well, I wasn't in the desert or crawling (and definitely not dying), but that's how I felt. And then I made a second crucial mistake. Instead of turning onto Bank Street, somehow, I thought going straight on the Batavia-Elba Townline Road and then taking State Street home would be faster and easier. Wrong.

As I rode along, my lips felt like sandpaper. I had no saliva to swallow, and I was running out of energy. At one point, I peddled, very slowly at that point, past a herd of cows, and there was a tiny little stream of water there. I honestly considered stopping and at least rinsing my mouth. Thankfully I did not make that mistake. Can you imagine how sick I could have gotten from that?

Stock photo for illustration purposes -- not the actual machine that saved Dave's life.
Stock photo for illustration purposes -- not the actual machine that saved Dave's life.

Finally, I made it to State Street ( I must have forgotten to bring my cell phone to call home for Mom to come pick me up, too), and local residents know that is where the Batavia Airport is located. Somehow through sheer willpower (and walking my bike up hills), I made it there, and I was thinking, “They have got to have a pop (that's what we called soda) machine. Please!” And they did.

In my pocket, I had 2 dimes. The machine said 10 cents per bottle .” Yes! I'm saved, I'm not going to die of thirst”. I put in the first dime and pulled on the bottle. And – it wouldn't release. “No! This can't be happening!” One more chance. I put in the second dime, tugged on a bottle in a different row and out it came. I don't even remember the flavor or brand, but I downed that probably 8-ounce bottle like it was the last liquid on earth. Man, that tasted good! And cold.

So I was temporarily saved. But I still had a couple miles to go to Ellicott Avenue, and now I had a raging stomach ache from drinking the pop too fast. But off I went. As I got across the Thruway bridge and closer to the residential area, I came to the Little League Stadium on the corner of Bank and State Streets. I thought, “They have restrooms there! Please let them be unlocked.” And finally, I caught a break -- they were open. I went in and, using my hands as a cup, I drank from the sink faucet (I know-gross) until I thought I would burst. Again-dumb move as I barely made it home without vomiting.

When I got home, I put my bike in the garage and practically crawled up the stairs to our second-floor apartment. Mom was anxiously awaiting me and said, “Oh, I'm so glad you're home safe, Dave. How was your ride?” I was in no mood to tell the whole story right then, so I said, “It was fine. I'll tell you about it later. I'm a little tired right now.” I went right to my bed, and I think I was asleep in about 30 seconds. I don't know if I ever told her the whole story, but I do know that was the thirstiest I have ever been in my life before or since.

Return Visit
I did not go to Godfrey's Pond for many years. In 2016 I reunited with Jim Heatherman, an old elementary, high school, and college friend in Batavia, for lunch. I hadn't seen him in almost 50 years. Over lunch at T. F. Brown's (formerly Mancuso's Restaurant), we got to talking about The Pond. When he left, I drove there just for nostalgia's sake. I didn't stay long. I walked down by the swimming area (now closed due to pollution, a pool has replaced it), saw the old “Stand” and walked the short distance to the dam. I swear everything looked exactly the same. Even the old beat-up rowboats at the docks by the swimming area. The only new thing I noticed was there were two young girl lifeguards on duty, and they were wearing bikinis. That most definitely wasn't the case when I was a kid.

Godfrey's Pond certainly holds a lot of good memories for me and many others. I just wish all could have enjoyed it.

Sponsored Post: McCabe Enterprises Electrical Contractor is hiring

By Lisa Ace
McCabe

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Judge issues preliminary injunction, halting STAMP sewer line in Orleans County

By Tom Rivers
sewer pipeline stamp
Traffic was limited to one-way on Route 63 on Aug. 30 while contractors installed a new sewer pipe in the Town of Alabama.
Photo by Tom Rivers.

A State Supreme Court has issued a preliminary injunction and temporarily won’t be allowing a sewer line to be constructed in Orleans County, running from the STAMP manufacturing site about 10 miles north to Oak Orchard Creek.

Contractors started installing the 20-inch sewer main last month and are headed north along 63. They haven’t reached Orleans County yet.

Judge Sanford Church on Monday issued the preliminary injunction and set a court date for Oct. 23 at the County Courthouse in Albion.

Orleans County has filed a lawsuit against Genesee County Industrial Development Agency of Batavia, Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation of Batavia, Stamp Sewer Works, Inc. of Batavia, G. Devincentis & Son Construction Co., Inc. of Binghamton, Clark Patterson Lee of Rochester, and Highlander Construction of Memphis, NY.

Orleans contends the GCEDC didn’t properly form STAMP Sewer Works for the project and doesn’t have a right to seek construction easements in Orleans, which is outside Genesee County. Genesee never asked for Orleans permission to undertake the project, Orleans says in the suit.

Orleans economic development officials are also concerned the discharge of treated water from STAMP, at up to 6 million gallons a day at full capacity, could limit economic development efforts in Medina by overtaxing the creek.

GCEDC notes engineering reports say there would be another 10 million gallons of daily capacity for the creek from the Medina sewer plant if STAMP were at full capacity. The first two tenants at STAMP, Plug Power and Edwards Vacuum, would have a daily discharge of 50,000 gallons of treated wastewater GCEDC said.

GCEDC says it secured all required permits and approvals for construction and use of the force main for the sewer, including a right-of-way permit from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to cross the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and a discharge permit from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge has temporarily paused drilling as part of the construction after sinkholes were observed in the right of way of the refuge.

There also are fluids associated with subsurface drilling that appeared on the refuge surface outside the perimeter of the right of way, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a statement on Tuesday.

Craig Leslie, GCEDC attorney, said in a Sept. 11 court filing, asked the judge not to approve a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order.

“Orleans County’s allegations are wholly inconsistent with the facts and the law and smack of a frivolous and politicized attack on the STAMP project,” wrote Leslie, an attorney with Phillips Lytle LLP.

Orleans County, represented by attorney Jennifer Persico of Lippes Mathias LLP, contends the Genesee agencies and others named and in the lawsuit “have been engaged in a conspiracy not only to violate General Municipal and Transportation Corporations Law but also to defraud the residents of Orleans County and citizens of New York State in general by misusing millions of taxpayer dollars to fund an unauthorized project all while acting outside of their respective authority,” according to the Orleans court filing on Sept. 11, seeking the preliminary injunction.

Photo and story courtesy OrleansHub. Tom Rivers is editor of OrleansHub.

O-A board hears presentation on $23 million capital improvement project

By Howard B. Owens
Richard Little SEI oakfield-alabama presentation
Richard Little, business development with SEI Design, during a presentation Tuesday to the Board of Education for the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District on a capital improvement project proposal.
Photo by Howard Owens.

The Oakfield-Alabama Central School District is considering a new $23 million capital improvement project that would modernize and reconfigure classrooms, replace outdated heating and air units, upgrade locker rooms, replace and upgrade athletic fields, and add new parking.

The district would need to issue $20 million in bonds to finance the project at a cost of $7.2 million in interest.

If approved, the district would use $3 million from the capital reserve fund as a "down payment" on the expenditure.

State aid would cover 93.4 percent of the $20 million, which would be reimbursed to the district over the life of the 15-year bond.  If the project is approved by the board, voters in the district will get a chance to vote yes or no in December.

Consultants from SEI Design Group, who have been working with the district's facilities committee, presented an outline of the proposal plan to the Board of Education on Tuesday.

A big reason the district can cover the local share of the school building project without a tax increase is that when the district bonded (borrowed money), the annual payment on principal was $350,000 less than budgeted, said Christine Griffin, district business manager.

That $350,000 in the 2023-24 budget was used to finance a playground.  Going forward, it could help offset the cost of the new capital improvement project, negating the need for a higher tax rate to cover the local share of the project.

Existing capital reserve funds would also help cover the local share costs.

Board members wanted to know what portion of the project is critical, that it must be completed soon, and the answer is pretty much all of the school building work.

The critical portions of the project include replacing the high school and middle school HVAC rooftop units, which are 30 to 40 years old.

"The biggest thing is going to be mechanical, electrical plumbing impacts," said Richard Little, business development with SEI. "These were items that were identified during the (committee). The HVAC rooftop units are either being worked on excessively or reached the end of their usefulness. We can't get parts, so we need to replace them. Those were flagged not only by the engineers but also by (the committee)."

Then in the science classroom, the concrete slabs have settled in areas creating uneven floors.

"We're going to have to tear the rooms out just to fix the slab settlement issue," Little said.

There is also work that needs to be done on the pool and on an auditorium wall, Little said.  There is also carpet that is worn out and needs to be replaced with new flooring (it won't be carpet, Little said).

"Once you go into a room and start working on it, once you've touched it, you are not going to be able to go back to that room for 15 years without being penalized or questioned," Little said, addressing state aid rules about school renovation projects. "So once we're in there, we're taking advantage of it and renovating more spaces. You can vary that if you want to. You can make different types of modifications, but it's just a good opportunity to get that funding from the state."

The school building proposal, if broken out into a separate ballot initiative, would cost $15.6 million.  The athletic field portion would be $7.3 million.  It would include a new oval track, new shotput and jump pits, as well as new softball and baseball fields.

The board will decide at its October meeting whether to ask the voters to approve the two aspects of the project separately or together.  

Trustee Matt Lamb expressed concern that there are people in the community who are hearing rumors that the district is considering a new football stadium, which isn't the case.

"I got a phone call from somebody who wasn't able to attend the meeting tonight and described the project as the football stadium project, so we just need to be careful that this isn't seen as the football stadium capital project," Lamb said.

Trustee Jeff Hyde noted that since Batavia High built a new stadium, Van Detta is in steady use for various events, not just school events. And though this isn't a stadium project, he said he thinks an upgrade to the track and ball fields help bring more visitors into Oakfield.

"I mean, if I'm a business owner, if I'm smart, if I'm somebody who wants more people in this town, this is something that may give it to us," Hyde said.

For a PDF of the SEI presentation, click here.

Batavia/ND United gets go-ahead for yearly trip, to play Queensbury

By Joanne Beck
Feb. 17, 2023 Batavia United
2023 File Photo of a Batavia/ND United Hockey game at the David McCarthy Ice Arena in Batavia, by Steve Ognibene

It’s a rite of fall, when the pitch goes in for the boys Batavia/ND United Hockey team trip for an away game, and coaches Marc Staley and John Kirkwood made their presentation to the city school board this week.

The team saw a lot of action during the course of a season, Staley said, hosting Pittsford, Victor, Williamsville East, Grand Island and others at the David McCarthy Ice Arena in Batavia. This past year they were invited to Glens Falls Civic Center to play in January against Queensbury. 

“This is a no-joke trip,” Staley said. “This will really test our kids.”

The trip would include a two-game weekend on January 5 and 6, and would require an early dismissal on that Friday for a 5 p.m. start time for the first game. 

Considered to be traveling in “true hockey fashion,” the players would stay with their parents in a hotel per the usual arrangement, in a no-frills excursion to play hockey and return home on Saturday, he said.

The accompanying materials for the trip state that participation in these two games “will provide an opportunity from Batavia, Notre Dame, Oakfield-Alabama and Elba Central school athletes to compete against solid competition.” 

“Being an independent Class B team playing out of Section V, we do not have a league per se to play in,”  the coaches state in the document. “This has forced us to go out and generate our own 20-game schedule. The coaches agree wholeheartedly that the freedom and luxury of scheduling games outside of our section gives our student-athletes and our United program greater exposure to high school hockey across the state. Aside from the excellent competition, it’s also a lot of fun for the kids and families and helps build a unique culture.”

Only one board member had a question, and that was, what if a parent cannot make the trip — what happens to that student? When that has happened in the past, another family usually lets the student stay with them, Staley said. 

“We went to Albany last year. We typically like to travel once a year,” he said. “We had 11 home games and nine away games.”

Part of no-frills means that the parents provide the transportation and the lodging and meals during the trip, so there is no cost attached. The school board unanimously approved the trip. 

In a related vote, the board also approved a license agreement with Batavia Sports Facility Management for use of the David McCarthy Ice Arena, with rental fees of $225 per hour for weekday afternoons after 3 p.m. and for all weekend practice times and $150 an hour weekdays between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. The district/licensee will also pay $265 per hour for all game times. 

Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary to host fall festival October 7

By Press Release

Press Release:

Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary is pleased to announce the 2nd annual Fall at the Farm Festival on Saturday, October 7 from 1 - 6 p.m. The sanctuary grounds are located at 5978 Upper Holley Rd, Byron. The suggested donation for admission is $10/person to help us reach our goal of raising $15,000 to stock our winter hay supply.

The festival will bring together local vendors featuring everything from artwork to a plant truck. Farm Fest attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase and taste a wide variety of local vegan food from vendors including Grass Fed Rochester, New Ethic Pizzeria & Cafe, Isotope Ice Cream and Desserts, and more.

Visitors will enjoy complimentary family-friendly activities like face painting, crafts and games, live music, and more. In addition to a donation-based pumpkin patch, there will be giveaways and a raffle. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet some of the 52 animals by taking a self-guided walking tour of the farm. Last year’s festival drew hundreds of attendees.

For more information about attending as a member of the media, please send an email to Mockingbirdfarmny@gmail.com. We hope to see you at the festival!

NYC has change of heart, drops lawsuit against Genesee County

By Joanne Beck

They huffed and they puffed, but eventually, New York City opted to blow Batavia off of its list of defendants to sue for banning undocumented immigrants from seeking shelter in Genesee County.

County Manager Matt Landers had first issued a State of Emergency in May after receiving word that busloads of immigrants were potentially being sent to upstate New York, including Genesee County. Landers followed the move made by Orleans County, and, in dominoes fashion, counties began to react to their neighbors and filed one by one so as not to be the only county left with no protection if and when those immigrants arrived.

County Attorney Jim Wujcik informed legislators Wednesday that the plaintiffs had a change of heart.

“New York City filed for a discontinuance; they’re no longer suing Genesee County,” he said.

The official letter from Assistant Corporation Counsel Doris Bernhardt provided no explanation other than the plaintiff was discontinuing its lawsuit against the county and Landers “without prejudice and without costs to any party.”

Landers filed three executive orders, as he continued to extend the initial one two more times. New York City filed its lawsuit in June against 30 municipalities and was seeking to invalidate those executive orders, claiming that they were unconstitutional and impeded the rights of people who are legally within the borders of the United States as asylum seekers to travel and use public accommodations.

Genesee County strikes deal with two ambulance providers to cover all bases

By Joanne Beck
mercy ems ambulance 2015
File photo of a then-new Mercy EMS ambulance in 2015. Parent company Mercy Flight will be contracting with Genesee County in a county effort to provide more "accountable" ambulance services moving forward. 
Photo by Howard Owens.

After taking several months to evaluate Genesee County’s issues and needs in regard to ambulance services for residents, county Manager Matt Landers delivered a solution this week that he believes will do the job.

Landers worked with Emergency Management Services Coordinator Tim Yaeger and county Attorney James Wujcik to establish a formal contract with Le Roy Ambulance Services and Mercy Flight, Landers told legislators during the Ways and Means meeting Wednesday.

“We’ve spent about a year reviewing this issue of shoring up and strengthening our local ambulance providers between Mercy Flight and Le Roy Ambulance. We think we have all the bases covered. And this allows us to provide additional funding to those two professional ambulance providers, paid professional ambulance providers  … The one here with Le Roy takes effect Oct. 1. The one for Mercy Flight that we're negotiating with would take effect Jan. 1,” Landers said after the meeting. 

“So it provides additional funds to stabilize, it holds them, it makes them more accountable. They have to meet minimum standards for response times, or they have to meet minimum standards for number of ambulances to keep on staff. So there's minimum requirements that they must comply with in order to keep the funding throughout the county.”

Back in February, Landers confirmed that he and others had been asked by legislators to work on this issue and also clarified that, contrary to popular belief, the county did not have any formal contract for ambulance services. 

The issue of ambulance services and response times had come up during budget talks by City Council members, and The Batavian asked Landers for his input at the time. His concern was primarily on response times in the rural areas of the county, which provides “a minimum contract of $12,500 on an annual basis to go towards their Mercy Flight air,” and nothing official or directly for ambulance service.

The county Legislature is set to give the final vote next week on the resolution to pay Le Roy Ambulance Service $77,220 for ambulance and emergency advanced life support/paramedic service needs, $5,000 for related financial documents, and $187,705 for equipment and related maintenance for a three-year term beginning Oct. 1. 

The contract stipulates that Le Roy will provide pre-hospital emergency medical services within its Certificate of Need operating authority or when mutual aid has been requested by a municipality located within the county.

The total cost of $212,005 is to be offset by county sales tax proceeds.

“So Le Roy would be within the boundaries of Le Roy, and Mercy Flight will be throughout the whole county,” Landers said. “And that one we’re still finalizing, but they should come before this Legislature in October. 

“So I have many counterparts in the state that have actually had to invest in buying ambulances and having a county-run ambulance system with county EMTs,” he said. “We already have paid professional providers in our community that are doing an excellent job. This ensures their longer-term viability, their longer-term success and ensures the county doesn't have to enter into the business itself.”

Batavia Downs publicist elected to Harness Racing Hall of Fame

By Press Release

Press Release:

tim bojarski
Submitted photo of
Tim Bojarski.

Tim Bojarski, longtime writer, columnist, and racing publicist for Batavia Downs racetrack, has been elected to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame as a Communicator by the members of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA).

Bojarski began his contact with harness racing communications in 1986 at Batavia Downs by writing horsemen profiles and authoring a tip sheet. Since then the Akron, resident has written feature articles for renowned racing magazines Horseman And Fair World, Trot Magazine, and most notably Hoof Beats Magazine, where he is in his 23rd year of feature writing for the award-winning magazine of the United States Trotting Association.

Besides his current position with Batavia Downs, the busy Bojarski is also employed as a publicist by Plainridge Park near Boston, Massachusetts, the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Sire Stakes, the New York Sire Stakes, and the Goshen Standardbred Sales. 

Bojarski served two years as the National President of USHWA (2016 to 2017) and has been the president of the Upstate New York Chapter of USHWA since 2008. He was named USHWAN of the Year in 2007 and received the 2017 Clyde Hirt Memorial Media Award for excellence in harness racing reporting from Harness Horsemen International.

Also being inducted as a Communicator is the late Dave Brower, who worked for many years at the Meadowlands Racetrack and covered every major race in the sport, trainer Jim Campbell, owner/breeder David McDuffee, and driver Ed Lohmeyer (in the Veteran category) who will all be entering the Hall for their racing achievements.

Bojarski will be honored in two upcoming ceremonies. He will receive his first formal recognition at the Dan Patch Awards Banquet, presented by Caesars Entertainment, on Feb. 25, 2024, at the Rosen Centre Resort in Orlando, Fla. The second event will be the formal induction to the Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York on July 7, 2024. 

Boxcar derbies match speed of workforce development, coach says

By Press Release
oakfield-box-car-derby-2023-5.jpg
Photo from 2023 Inaugural Oakfield Labor Daze Box Car Derby by Howard Owens.

By Chris Suozzi

Accelerating as they hit the final stretch to cross the finish line, pairs of boxcar derby racers dipped their heads. It was one of many lessons I was pleased to share with youth aged 7 -13 gained through a Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation-sponsored program.

70 racers and their families took up the challenge of building, designing, and perfecting their cars for a pair of fast-paced events – the August 26 BID Boxcar Derby in Batavia and the September 2 Labor Daze Boxcar Derby in Oakfield.

These events, and partners like the Batavia Business Improvement District and Oakfield Betterment Committee, create lifelong memories and demonstrate that through innovative workforce development programs, youth in Genesee County and surrounding communities develop through skill-building activities, career engagement, and training.

From Boxcar to Bootcamp

The pace of a boxcar derby matches the speed of our workforce development. We offer diverse tracks for our students, advancing them from pee-wee to pro levels, just like team sports. See below how our racers can progress with programs reaching every age and multiple ability levels.

  • Ages 7 to 13 – Boxcar Derby
  • Ages 8 to 11 – STEAM Jam, a GCC Tech Wars program for 3 rd to 5 th grade students
  • Ages 12 to 15 – Camp Hard Hat, a weeklong building construction trades program.
  • Ages 13 to 18 – GLOW With Your Hands: Manufacturing and GLOW With Your Hands : Healthcare, mass career exploration festivals with hands-on demonstrations; GCC Tech Wars, an extended STEM challenge program
  • Ages 17 to 18 – Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeships, employer-matched job shadowing and co-ops; GV BOCES training in mechatronics, welding, precision machining, and building trades; Cornell in High School food processing training program, a three-day accelerated food & beverage training program
  • Ages 18 to 24 – Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program, a six-week accelerated mechatronics training program

Committed to Workforce Solutions

As I recently told the Buffalo News, my sense of urgency is like no other. That’s why we’ve been in overdrive to solve the workforce demands of the future ahead of time.

The GCEDC works with our training providers, school engagement organizations, and educators to expand the capacity of training programs. We’ve seen real results – there’s been a 30% increase in BOCES training participation since 2019, events and programs in our community had over 3,000 participants last year, and we're on pace to welcome 1,000 students to GLOW With Your Hands: Manufacturing later this month. 

We need to continue to overcome national challenges that start at home and school. It is crucial to empower parents, older siblings, friends and teachers to encourage pathways with no college debt. The outcomes for our recent pre-apprenticeship graduates, with immediate careers paying over $27/hour highlight the importance of these opportunities.

It’s a challenge that renews every school year. With over 700 high-quality careers coming with Plug Power and Edwards semiconductor at STAMP, and over 1,000 more at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park, the capacity for great local jobs is being met. 

These are careers within reach.

Let’s all think and act like our boxcar racers. 

We just have to stretch, to pull together, and I know we’ll win.

Coach Swazz

Hawley responds to ammunition background check mandate

By Press Release

Press Release:

File photo of 
Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) recently bashed New York state’s new ammunition background check mandate. Beginning September 13, a background check is required prior to the purchase of firearm, rifle, or shotgun ammunition and the responsibility for initiating NICS background checks for firearm, rifle, or shotgun purchases has shifted to the State Police. 

Gun dealers and licensed ammunition sellers must now contact the State Police online to process these background checks, which include an additional fee. An automated phone system is expected to be active sometime next month. Hawley is disappointed that the Supreme Court did not recognize the state’s overreach on our Second Amendment rights and is committed to reversing this mandate in the State Assembly.

For any questions or concerns about this new background check provision, please contact the New York State Police directly either by phone, 1-877-NYS-NICS, or email, nysnics@troopers.ny.gov.

“This new mandate from the state government is yet another attempt to infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens of New York,” said Hawley. “Policies like this are pushing New Yorkers out of our state and putting our small businesses in a difficult situation. Already we are seeing business owners reporting hours-long wait times for background check approvals. Businesses would never do things this way on their own and the state is now forcing them to operate in this new inefficient and confusing system,” continued Hawley.

“While this mandate is currently in effect, I will not stand for our rights being chipped away at piece by piece. I would encourage anyone who has questions to go through the proper avenues and contact the state police so that they can properly navigate this new regulation. As your assemblyman, I will continue to fight for your rights and reverse disastrous policies like this.”

Top Items on Batavia's List

Tourism Marketing Assistant Position The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, serving as the official tourism promotion agency for Genesee County, NY is seeking an experienced marketing professional to assist in the overall Chamber tourism and marketing initiatives for Genesee County. https://visitgeneseeny.com/about/join-our-team
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Town of Batavia Court Department is seeking a part time as needed Court Officer. Court Officers are responsible for maintaining order in the court room and court facility during proceedings. Please send resume to Town of Batavia, Attention Hiedi Librock, 3833 West Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020. Complete job description is available on the Town web site or at the Town Hall Application deadline is April 15, 2024.
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