St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Le Roy held an open house today.
Photographers were invited to take pictures for a photo contest being sponsored by the church in anticipation of its 200th anniversary as a congregation in 2017.
The church building itself was constructed in 1869.
At last week's Shop with a Cop event at Walmart, two local families who were invited were unable to participate. Today, deputies from the Sheriff's Office went to Walmart to shop with those families and then help them wrap Christmas presents after the shopping was done.
Above, Deputy Patrick Reeves.
Deputy Cassidy Longhani, one of the newest members of the department.
Above, Deputy James Diehl.
UPDATE: Store manager Diane Waters shared this end-of-the-shopping-day photo,
The New York State Ballet performs "The Nutcracker" in the auditorium of Batavia High School today and tomorrow at 2 p.m.
The online ticket site says ticket sales have ended for today's performance, but I'm not sure if there will be tickets at the door.
There are definitely tickets available for tomorrow's performance.
The company was rehearsing when I went to the school last night for Batavia's basketball game.
Antwan Odom had 17 points and TeeSean Ayala scored 13, including three three-pointers, to help the Batavia Blue Devils beat Honeoye Falls-Lima 55- 39 in Batavia's home opener.
Batavia is now 2-1 on the season.
Mason McFollins added eight points.
A car hit a semi-truck in the area of 554 Ellicott St., Batavia, and the saddle tank is now leaking fuel.
City fire dispatched.
Mercy EMS sent as a precaution.
Deputy Patrick Reeves, in his 20th year with the Sheriff's Office, was named for the second time in his career "Officer of the Year" today at the department's annual awards luncheon.
Here's the statement from the Sheriff's Office in support of his award:
Deputy Patrick J. Reeves has distinguished himself as a dedicated officer whose work over this past year has been exceptional. He has assumed the responsibility for service of virtually all civil processes while managing to actively work traffic enforcement, issuing a significant number of traffic summonses and initiating several felony arrests. He is an active Drug Recognition Expert and a Firearms Instructor who, this year, was instrumental in initiating and coordinating the upgrade to our patrol rifles. He is never too busy to help out or fill in wherever needed and to mentor our many younger deputies. He routinely donates his own time for the good of this Office. As he approaches his 20th year as a Deputy Sheriff, he shows no sign of slowing down.
Deputy Patrick J. Reeves has brought great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office and most deserves to be named Officer of the Year.
This year marks the final year that Sheriff Gary Maha will present the Officer of the Year award, but it was also a day in which he was honored. He received the Distinguished Service Award:
Sheriff Gary T. Maha has distinguished himself as a member of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. Forty-nine years ago, Sheriff Maha was hired as a Deputy Sheriff and has worked his way up through the ranks to Investigator, Senior Investigator, Chief Deputy and has been the Sheriff of Genesee County for over 29 years. He has served on numerous councils, committees, and associations at the county, state and national level. Sheriff Maha has dedicated his career to the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the residents of Genesee County. As recognition of his contribution to public safety, he was awarded the Sheriff Grover Cleveland Award by the New York State Sheriffs’ Association in 2016; only the fifth Sheriff in New York to earn this award.
Sheriff Gary T. Maha’s service over four decades reflects great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.
Other awards:
Longevity awards:
Certificates of Appreciation:
Commendations:
Meritorious Service:
A three-car accident is reported at Route 98 and Prospect Road, Attica.
Unknown injuries.
Alexander fire and ambulance and Attica fire responding. Bennington fire is on standby for its ambulance.
UPDATE 5:41 p.m.: Traffic is being blocked at Route 98 and Buffalo Road. No extrication will be required.
Emmaline Long didn't grow up on a farm, but she grew up loving everything about farming. She always wanted to work in agriculture and after graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Agricultural Sciences, Long landed what she describes as her dream job, crop production manager for CY Farms in Elba.
The 2008 graduate of Byron-Bergen High School has a passion for farming that goes beyond just her job. She is chair of the New York 4-H Foundation, co-chair of the Genesee County Young Farmers and Ranchers and serves on the precision agriculture advisory committee at Genesee Community College.
All this passion, all this dedication to farming is why she received the Excellence of Agriculture Award from the New York Farm Bureau at its statewide convention last week.
The award is given annually to a person between the ages of 18-36 who derives most of his or her income from agriculture but doesn't own a farm.
She describes the award as humbling.
"Because I’m passionate about a lot of things, it’s nice to be recognized for the things I have been doing, and that putting myself out there and being a leader doesn’t go unnoticed," Long said.
Although Long didn't grow up on a farm, farming was always part of her life. Her dad had owned a dairy farm before she was born and she and her parents always worked their garden and her dad would ride her around in his lap on their tractor. In high school, she started raising a rare, heritage breed of sheep, Lincoln longwools. She was a member of 4-H and competed annually at the Genesee County Fair.
"(Agriculture) is in my blood," she said. "I've always loved it. It's always been something I've been interested in."
She still has her flock and hopes someday she can make enough from selling wool to pay for her hobby.
Her job at CY Farms, which she started two and a half years ago, affords her the opportunity to be involved in a wide variety of ag-related jobs, from managing and planning what crops get planted where, and managing the nutrients they will need, to handling disease and pest control in an environmentally friendly way, plus handling all the ag precision data. She also puts out the farm's newsletter.
“I found it difficult to find one aspect of the industry I liked more than the others," she said. "I like forage crops and I like vegetable crops and I like grain crops and I couldn’t decide what I wanted to focus on, so I was specifically looking for a farm to work on that I could get involved in all the different aspects of the industry."
She's currently working on her master's thesis for a degree in Animal Science.
When she first graduated, she kind of thought her career path might have her working on a farm for a couple of years and them moving to a job with another, bigger agriculture company, but she's found she loves being involved in the local ag community, where everybody knows everybody and supports everybody, and she loves working at CY Farms, so it's now hard to imagine moving on.
"I love the operation and the opportunity they've been able to give me, so it’s hard to look forward because I’m content to work where I am now,"
Next month, Long will find out if her experience and passion for agriculture helps her win the same title at the national level of the Farm Bureau. She will be among 40 candidates for the award when the national organization holds its convention in Phoenix.
Previously: CY Farms grew from the good land
A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported at Crosby Road and Lewiston Road, Alabama.
Unknown injuries.
Alabama fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
A portion of River Street is going to be closed for a couple of days starting Tuesday so contractors can make a new sewer connection for the new Dunkin' Donuts being built on West Main Street.
The project's engineer, Kip Finley, said, "we need to catch a couple of warm days. The forecast for the middle of next week is for highs in the middle to upper 30s.
Work should start the Tuesday morning and proceed through Thursday and could continue into Thursday afternoon depending on weather.
The street and Five Star Bank driveway will reopen for traffic before Friday, Finley said.
A traffic detour will be posted on West Main Street, South Main Street, and Route 98. Access to Five Star Bank and the immediate residents will be provided from the Tonawanda Creek bridge.
Emergency Services have been notified and will adjust travel routes as needed.
Photo: provided by Kip Finley.
Google Earth has introduced a new feature -- a time-lapse of satellite pictures that give you a view of how an area has changed from 1984 to present. We zoomed in on Batavia and captured this video of our area.
The most noticeable changes are the addition of the water treatment facility, the rise and expansion of the area around Veterans Memorial Drive, and the Genesee Agri-Business Park.
It's one of Genesee County's best annual traditions -- the T.F. Brown's/Lions Club annual Christmas Day Community Dinner, free and open to all members of the community who want to enjoy a full-course holiday dinner and a visit from Santa.
This year, to help bring in more gifts for the children, T.F. Brown's hosted a happy hour last night, encouraging community members to show up with gifts. The DSP Jazz Trio provided entertainment.
For Christmas Day, there are two seatings Christmas Day, at noon and at 1 p.m.
Children will be able to visit with Santa and receive a present.
For reservations, call Barb at (585) 345-1000. Barb will need to know how many people are attending and if children are attending, their names and ages.
A registered sex offender who failed to report a change of address has been sentenced in County Court to six months in jail and five years probation.
Triton Drock, 22, of Buell Street, who had previous entered a guilty plea to the charge, made a tearful statement in court saying he was a changed person.
Public Defender Jerry Ader said Drock had no prior felony conviction and had not been in any other trouble prior to the failure to register charge.
Drock asked for a probationary sentence so he could have a chance to prove he has changed to his family, himself and the court.
After pronouncing sentence, Interim County Court Judge Michael Pietruszka, told Drock that he was barred from adult bookstores and must stay away from school grounds by 1,000 feet and he is not to own or look at pornography. He must also submit to random lie-detector tests.
Via our news partner, WBTA.
A 51-year-old Churchville man who is a former Batavia Middle School teacher will serve 60 days in jail and three years probation for coercing one of his male students into sending him explicit pictures of himself between 2011 and 2014.
Anthony Antinore was sentenced in City Court yesterday following a plea deal in September that set up the terms of his sentence.
Antinore will be required to register as a sex offender and surrender his teaching license without an opportunity to reapply.
He was originally arrested on a charge of disseminating indecent material to a minor, a Class E felony.
He pled guilty to the lesser offense of attempted dissemination.
Via our news partner, WBTA.
District Attorney Lawrence Friedman officially announced two personnel changes in his office that will take effect Jan. 1.
William G. Zickl has tendered his resignation to take a position as court attorney in the Genesee County Court under Charles Zambito, the new judge. Zickl has been an assistant district attorney for 29 years.
Shirley A. Gorman will join Friedman's staff as an ADA. Gorman has more than 30 years experience in criminal law.
Press release:
Officials from Western Region Off-Track Betting Corporation (WROTB) have announced that the organization will hold its annual Turkey Drive to benefit local families on Thursday, Dec. 22nd. The drive will take place in the Batavia Downs parking lot, located at 8315 Park Road in Batavia, from noon to 3 p.m.
“Batavia Downs is thrilled to lend a helping hand during a holiday time that is filled with need from the hungry in our community,” said Henry F. Wojtaszek, president and CEO of WROTB. “The Batavia Downs Turkey Drive is our way of showing our appreciation for what we have by giving back to others.”
While donations of any size turkey are welcome, those who donate a turkey of 10 pounds or heavier will receive a $20 gift certificate to Batavia Downs’ restaurants and a Batavia Downs Made in America T-shirt.
Turkeys collected will be distributed to families in need in Genesee County and surrounding areas.
“Everyone should have the chance to gather around a warm meal for the holidays,” Wojtaszek said. “As part of this community, we have a responsibility to help those in need. We’re proud to be able to bring this food drive to the community and help those who are less fortunate.”
Press release:
The Byron-Bergen Central School District community has been doing an amazing job of providing assistance to our families during the holidays for years. The B-B community members, administrators, faculty, staff and students donated toys and games, clothing items, rolls of wrapping paper, boxes for wrapping gifts, and more than 1,000 non-perishable food items.
In addition to the items above, close to $3,500 was donated by the community, administrators, faculty, and staff so we could purchase gifts for families in need from our school district. Other area businesses helped out by “adopting” families/individuals to get gifts for.
All the food items will be picked up by the local Hesperus Lodge No. 837 Free & Accepted Masons for sorting and packing into close to 100 food baskets for local families (as they have done for many, many years), with several community, Board of Education, and school district employees pitching in to help. Sponsors of this holiday good will were organized by Hesperus Lodge No. 837 Free & Accepted Masons and coordinated by Dick Sands; and include the faculty, staff, and students of Byron-Bergen CSD; the Byron-Bergen community members, and area businesses.
Food baskets and gifts will be delivered on Saturday, Dec. 17, by the Masons and school volunteers. All involved truly believe in the magic of the holiday season!
Along the way to settling on a 2017 county budget, the process wasn't without a bit of acrimony, but looking forward to future budgets, there may only be more pain ahead.
The County Legislature passed its budget last night, 7-2. It raises county property taxes to $10.07 per thousand of assessed value, creating a property tax levy of $28,699,115. The increase required the Legislature to vote to override the state's 2-percent cap on an increase of the levy.
Legislative Chairman Ray Cianfrini said he thought his colleagues could have done better and voted against the budget, which takes effect Jan. 1.
"The county manager presented us with a proposed budget that used reserves to decrease the tax rate and keep us under the tax cap," Cianfrini said. "Now, we are rejecting it for a budget with an increase in the tax rate and that goes over the cap. I think we could have done better."
John Deleo also voted no. (Corrected)
The budget County Manager Jay Gsell presented in October took $1 million from the reserve fund and redirected $1 million in anticipated sales tax revenue that would typically go into the long-term capital project fund and cut the tax rate to $9.79.
A report earlier from County Treasurer Scott German stated that if the county continued on the same path it had for the past eight years, of spending about $2 million in reserve funds per year, the county would be broke within five years.
That particularly concerned legislators Andrew Young and Bob Bausch and they initially pushed for a budget that took nothing from reserve funds. The problem they ran into: the Legislature couldn't find $2 million in spending to cut without cutting essential services, such as law enforcement; and they were no more happy with the idea of a tax rate approaching $10.50.
The compromise a draw on reserves of only $500,000, but that lowered the rate to only $10.25, so the legislators met again to try and find more spending cuts. They invited in Undersheriff William Sheron (the next sheriff), Public Defender Jerry Ader and District Attorney Lawrence Friedman to discuss cuts.
Out of that, the Sheriff's Office still gets its two new corrections officers, which will help save the overtime costs associated with deputies transporting female prisoners between courts and jail facilities in other counties, and Ader keeps his caseworker, which helps ensure criminal defendants meet their obligations, but Friedman won't get to promote ADA Melissa Cianfrini to his first assistant.
He's been without a first assistant for six years and the discussion over the promotion became contentious, with both Ray Cianfrini, Melissa's father-in-law, and Friedman suggesting that the reason some on the legislature didn't want to give her a raise is because she's a woman.
That suggestion didn't go over well with members of the Legislature, particularly Bausch, who pointed out he has three daughters, including one who is an attorney.
Future budget years don't promise to get any easier for a county that has already been through years and years of spending cuts, eliminating more than 100 jobs, keeping management pay about 95 percent of market value, delaying maintenance on infrastructure, reducing spending on support agencies, selling the nursing home and holding off on building a new jail.
All this in an environment where the state continues to mandate increases in spending -- this year, for example, forcing the county to increase the salary of the district attorney -- and a new White House administration that promises to eliminate the Affordable Health Care Act.
That, Gsell said, "will render asunder state and county budgets."
The AHC required the county to take on more Medicaid expenses, mainly by ensuring more people who are qualified for Medicaid are receiving Medicaid. The number of people locally who are enrolled in Medicaid has gone from 8,800 to 12,200.
The county's share of the expense is now $178,000 per week.
That expense won't be reduced if the AHC is repealed because the people currently receiving Medicaid will still be eligible for Medicaid, but the federal government's share of the expense, which flows through the state to the county, will be reduced.
That's a mandated expense the county can't legally avoid.
And the increase in enrollment is not without its benefits, Gsell said. It helps control expenses because people are in managed plans and are not relying on emergency rooms for their medical care.
And the fight continues with the state over other mandated costs. The state recently increased the standards for indigent legal defense and with the changes, there was supposed to be relief from the $1.2 million in county expense, but the bill that would make that change has lingered on the governor's desk.
That will be a topic of discussion next week, Gsell said, when representatives from all 52 counties in the state meet for their annual convention.
Meanwhile, work has already begun on the request of legislators to come up with a five-year plan for the county. There is a template recommended by the Comptroller's Office and the county's auditors for five-year planning, Gsell said, and staff has already started working through it.
That plan will set priorities, provide a framework and anticipate contingencies that may help with future budget discussions.
Also, last night, Cianfrini announced that discussions have begun at the most preliminary stages with Orleans County about building a regional jail.
It was supposed to be a just a little Christmas decoration contest with the loser buying the winner pizza, but both the order processing department and the technical customer service department at Liberty Pumps in Bergen have gone full Clark Griswold this year.
"I'm sure the money spent individually by these Liberty members is way more than free pizza," said Laurie Pfaff, who sent in the pictures.
If you have a weather photo you want to share with the community, email it to howard@thebatavian.com.
The first two are from Brandi Kaplun.
From Michael Dirham at Z&M Ag & Turf in Oakfield.
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