Four friends who have a lot to say, and they say it through song -- sharing their stories, their ups and their downs, and their secrets -- is the motif that makes Four the Record, a cabaret show, an entertaining show at Main St. 56 Theater this weekend.

The four-person cast features four Harvie Award winners: Deacon Smith, Jocelyn Coburn (not available for photos), Sarah Hill and Sophie Houseman.

The show opens on Friday at 7:30 p.m., with performances on Saturday at 7:30 and on Sunday at 2 p.m.

To purchase tickets, click HERE.

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) has announced that the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) will receive its Economic Development Partner of the Year award at the GCEDC’s annual meeting.

“In just the last few years, Genesee County has experienced some of the largest economic development projects in our history, including over $1 billion in investment at the Science Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) by Plug Power and Edwards Vacuum as well as the recent expansion announced by HP Hood in the Genesee Agri-Business Park,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. 

“This is a long-deserved recognition and one we are proud to make because, with the collaboration and partnership of ESD, these and many other projects have brought great careers and investments to Genesee County.” 

Jeff Janiszewski, ESD Senior Vice President, Strategic Business Development/Global NY, will accept the award as well as provide the keynote address.

“Under the leadership of New York Governor Kathy Hochul and ESD President and CEO Hope Knight we are proud of our work in using our resources to bring private sector investment and jobs to the Rochester and Finger Lakes region, including Genesee County and in particular at STAMP,” said Janiszewski. 

“I look forward to speaking to the attendees at the GCEDC Annual Meeting about our strategic approach not only regarding our investment decisions in Genesee County but in counties, cities, towns, and villages across New York State.”

The annual meeting will be held on Friday, April 26 at Batavia Downs. Approximately 250 business, government, community, and economic development leaders are expected to attend. To register for the GCEDC annual meeting, visit the event’s website or contact the GCEDC at gcedc@gcedc.com.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Guest Speaker Series. On Wednesday, May 1 at 7 p.m., we welcome Buffalo author John Zach as he shares his latest book, "Built to Burn: The Cleveland Hill School Fire." Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

“Built to Burn,” tells the story of the tragic 1954 Cleveland Hill school fire in Cheektowaga, the worst school fire in New York State History. Fifteen children died, sixteen were burned, many critically. Three adults were also injured, one with life-threatening injuries. The cause of the flash fire was never officially blamed on one particular person. The book, however, suggests and tells otherwise. The narrative captures the lives of many of the survivors including one youngster who would later rub elbows with Elvis Presley, Paul Simon, and Art Garfunkel and be inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. The release of my book coincides with 70 years marking the fire, on March 31."

"This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!"

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Concert Series on Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. Bart Dentino will be playing an acoustic selection of music that will include original compositions and songs by such artists as James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, The Beatles, and others. Bart was twice selected Best Performer and Best Vocalist of the Year by Freetime Magazine. It was the first time in the magazine’s history an artist was selected in two individual categories. Admission is $5 or $4 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

"This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!"

Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, May 8 at 7 p.m. In honor of the end of World War II in Europe, our topic will be the 1940s sometimes called "The Flying Forties." Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to present the next edition of our Guest Speaker Series. On Wednesday, May 15 at 6 p.m., the museum welcomes Derrick Pratt of the Erie Canal Museum. We will be presenting "The Center of It All: Baseball on the Erie Canal."

"Discover the Erie Canal’s many connections to the earliest days of professional baseball, told through the stories of some of the game’s biggest stars and others long forgotten." Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend. 

"This project is made possible with funds from the statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!"

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of our Java with Joe E. series on Thursday, May 23 at 9 a.m. We welcome back Genesee County Historian Michael Eula as he shares snippets from his new book on the history of Genesee County "Historic Chronicles of Genesee County." Copies of the book will be available for $24.99, and Michael will be signing copies. Admission is free with coffee and pastries.

"The dramatic events of American history have left an indelible mark on the life and culture of New York's Genesee County. The Cold War threat of nuclear destruction led to local preparedness drills in the 1950s, and Genesee classrooms and homes were not spared. Social movements, the Great Depression and New Deal-era policies reshaped how residents viewed the role of government in county life. Genesee women led the charge for women's suffrage in the twentieth century and helped forge new opportunities for female roles in work and public life. Historian Michael J. Eula presents a variety of historical essays from throughout Genesee County's past and shows how the nation's story unfolded from Batavia to Bergen."

Java with Joe E. is sponsored by Pub Hub Coffee for 2024.

Speaking at the board’s meeting at the Batavia Town Hall, Will Nieles, project developer representing New Leaf Energy said the solar array will cover about 15.7 acres of a 51.3-acre field in an Agricultural-Residential zoned district.

The application has been submitted by Judy Green/Wortendyke Road Solar 1, LLC.

Now that most of the physical portion—the $70 million structure and internal components—of the new Genesee County Jail on West Main Street Road in Batavia is in place, Deputy Jail Superintendent Jeffrey Searls says the organizational part is next, and it is the most crucial part as far as the facility's safety and operation are concerned.

While growing up in Batavia, Lindsey Dailey came to learn just how important a school community could be for a child, she says.

Her mom, Debbie, had been sick and battling cancer on and off throughout her daughter’s early years, dying when Lindsey was 21. 

“So, throughout my young, adolescent years, it really was my school, and my community, that was there to support me and my family. And so growing up I always wanted to give back, that's the type of person my mom was. And what she instilled in me is giving back, just giving back. And I feel like, through my struggles growing up through having a sick mom and trying to navigate life, I really wanted to grow up and give back to the community that once served me, and I felt safe and protected by and supported by." 

The Batavia City School District is proud to announce it has been honored for the first time with the NAMM Foundation's Best Communities for Music Education designation for its outstanding commitment to music education. 

Now in its 25th year, the designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in providing music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, the Batavia City School District answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. 

Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“I am deeply honored to see BCSD’s commitment to music education recognized by the NAMM Foundation. This award is a testament to the rich, vibrant opportunities our incredibly talented and dedicated music department staff continue to provide, ensuring every BCSD student can experience the transformative power of music,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. "As a proud product of our district's music program myself, I am beyond thrilled to see BCSD receive this extraordinary recognition.”

“This prestigious award from the NAMM Foundation is a tribute to the dedication of our music department staff, our students' passion, and our families' unwavering support. Together, we have fostered a thriving music education environment that celebrates creativity and collaboration. I am immensely grateful for our community's commitment to keeping music an essential part of our education system,” said Melzie Case, BCSD Music Department Chair.

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music: After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school but also to attend college as well. 

In addition, everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. 

Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound: young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.