2016 File Photo of former County Judge Charles Zambito when he was sworn into office at the Old County Courthouse in Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
Genesee County Legislature approved the appointment of Charles Zambito as Board of Director for Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation Wednesday to fill the vacancy left by Richard Siebert, whose last day was May 2 of this year.
Siebert’s time on the board was a seamless 28-plus year that began on Oct. 3, 1994. Background of his leaving, along with the expected approval of Zambito, was reported first on The Batavian May 22.
The Genesee County Republican Committee recommended Zambito for consideration to fill the vacancy and serve his initial four-year term.
The Legislature agreed, and appointed the former county judge, of 50 South Main St., Elba, to serve his initial four-year term effective May 24, 2023, through May 23, 2027. He will serve on the Board of Directors of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation representing the County of Genesee and provided further "that this action shall expire and be deemed repealed four years after such effective date," according to the resolution.
After the county Legislature meeting, the group went into executive session with Zambito and the county attorney for reasons of “pending litigation,” County Manager Matt Landers said. He referred further questions to county Attorney James Wujcik.
Four seniors in each of the GLOW counties have been awarded the 2023 Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarship administered by Arc GLOW.
The $1,000 scholarship award winners - Saniiya Santiago, Nicole Cartwright, Ava Quincey, and Morgan Brace - were chosen out of 18 candidates, and are planning to pursue careers related to healthcare or working with people with disabilities.
Saniiya Santiago, a senior at Batavia High School, is planning on going to SUNY Genesee Community College (GCC) this fall, and then Roberts Wesleyan University to continue her education in social work. Santiago wants to become a social worker to help kids who have disabilities, or who are struggling in school or in their home life. She said she wants kids to feel comfortable talking to her about anything, or if they just need somewhere they feel welcome in a peaceful, calm environment.
As a junior, Santiago mentored kids at Batavia Middle School, and this year is taking a college course called “Intro to Education.” This class teaches how to work with students who have disabilities.
“I am a teacher’s aide at the GLOW YMCA working for the Before and After School Enrichment (BASE) program,” Santiago said. During this program, she has gained experience working with children with disabilities, solidifying her career choice. She also participated in a Day of Caring at the New York State School for the Blind in Batavia. Santiago said it was amazing watching the kids communicate with Braille and use their senses to get around the school.
Nicole Cartwright, a senior at Keshequa Central School District, is planning on going to SUNY Cortland to major in childhood education and minor in special education. Growing up, Cartwright always knew she wanted to work with children. She enjoyed helping her younger sister and younger cousins learn in creative ways.
As she grew, Cartwright started working at Swain Ski Resort as a ski instructor. It was here she learned how much she loved working with children with developmental disabilities. "One of the first ski lessons I gave was to a young girl who was hearing impaired. The lesson was successful, and it made me so happy to see the excitement on her face as she succeeded in each step with learning how to ski,” Cartwright said. “I had multiple students that season with special needs, and it made me realize what a positive impact patience, kindness and being a positive role model can have.”
She is also a member of the Keshequa National Honor Society. As a member, she has participated in many community service activities, one of which being a clean-up day at Camp Stella Maris. While a student at Keshequa, Cartwright said certain subjects haven’t always been easy for her. However, between perseverance, hard work and help from her teachers, she became a top scholar in her graduating class. Cartwright wants to be the type of teacher she’s had the pleasure of having, always being there for students and encouraging them to never give up.
Ava Quincey, a senior at Holley Jr./Sr. High School, is going to SUNY Geneseo for the childhood with special education program. She became inspired to become a special education teacher last winter when helping elementary schoolers make gingerbread houses to bring home to their families for Christmas through the Rotary/Interact Club.
“I was assigned to a special education classroom. I was able to sit down with students and assist them with hands-on instruction, verbal reassurance and kindness,” she said. “In return, I received grateful smiles and giggles from the students. Volunteering to help children with special needs was one of the most rewarding feelings in the world.”
Quincey keeps busy in and outside of school as she plays in band and volleyball. She performed in her school musical and partakes in Lisa’s Dance Boutique. Quincey is the Interact Club vice president, National Honor Society secretary, Student Council vice president, and senior class treasurer.
Morgan Brace, a senior at Letchworth Central School, will be going to Houghton University to study inclusive childhood education and sports recreation and wellness. Brace plays volleyball, basketball and softball. She is the president of Student Council and participates in the Leadership in Action class, National Honor Society, Big Buddy and Spectrum.
Brace can also be found in the community volunteering at concession stands, craft shows, and creating backpacks for children in need. She also organized a dozen projects which benefit her school and community through Leadership in Action.
“Most recently, I put together a charity basketball game at Letchworth Central School that raised $4,000 for the Autism Nature Trail,” Brace said. “I absolutely love working with children who have special needs. I feel that it is important to work with these students, especially to make sure they receive the education they deserve.”
Now in its 18th year, the Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarship is given out to area high school students planning to attend college to pursue a degree in human services, special education or a field related to helping people with developmental disabilities.
It is in honor of Mary Anne Graney, a special education teacher who died in 2004. The scholarship is funded by the Friends & Family 5K, scheduled this year for Sept. 16 in Elba. In all, 59 scholarships - including this year - have been awarded since 2006 to local high school students.
Even Vetter, Caden Montesano and Keaton Griffiths, whose stop-motion video, “The Booner’s Solve,” won first place in the video grades four through six category in the 2023 Digies, pose for a photo with classroom teacher Ian Smith and Art Teacher Nicole Rowley from Avon Central at the Digies awards ceremony at Genesee Community College in May. Submitted Photo.
Press Release:
The Digies, a yearly conference and festival organized by the School Library Service, which is part of Genesee Valley BOCES, aims to enhance the connection between digital media across various educational levels, from Pre-K-12 schools to higher education and professional institutions. The Digies showcases the talent and potential of students through an annual festival, attracting entries from the region.
Congratulations to these creative students!
Student Name(s)/Project Title/School District
Audio - PreK-3
1st - Ares Kohlerman/The Pika Podcast/Geneseo CSD
Audio - 7-9
1st - Megan Kinney, Tori Halpin/Concerned about Political Polarization?/Avon CSD
2nd Aydan VanDekken, Elisha Swift, Panagiotis Kolokouris, Nick Fries, Ryan Diddio/US Citizenship: Rights and Responsibilities Podcast/Avon CSD
Audio - 10-12
1st - Gadge Savastano/Feilde/Mount Morris CSD
2nd - Matthew Domzalski/Island Breeze/Orchard Park CSD
3rd - Earl Kipler III/Evolution/Orchard Park CSD
Interactive PreK - 3
1st - Jace Jordan, Scott Solis Berger/Dogman the Video Game/Letchworth CSD
Melissa Saunders, Le Roy's school lunch manager, making a presentation to the Board of Education on Tuesday evening. Photo by Howard Owens.
Variety, choice, quality ovens, a modern menu system, and health options are helping the Le Roy Central School District deliver nutritious and popular breakfasts and lunches to students, Melissa Saunders told the Board of Education at its regular meeting on Tuesday night.
Saunders is the district's school lunch manager.
During her presentation, she ticked off a number of accomplishments for the cafeteria staff during the current academic school year.
Among the accomplishments was a switch in online menu distribution from PDFs to a database-driven menu platform called Nutrislice.
"This has made my job a lot easier," Saunders said. "It's given me a lot more flexibility with the menu. It allows me to make real-time changes to the menu that everyone can see instantly."
The system allows her to store all the different food items that can go into making up a school day's breakfast and lunch menus as well as add products. When compiling a menu, she can include nutritional information along with allergens.
"It's a really big project, adding all that information for every single product," Saunders said. "I mean, just tracking down nutrient analysis for some of these products is this challenging, but it's something we've been working on. It's something that we will continue to work on through the summer."
A board member asked if she makes a menu change is a notification sent to parents. She said there is no automatic notification, but if it's a significant change, she does send out a notification.
A new purchase this year is combi-ovens.
"They can add a precise amount of steam or a precise amount of browning to any food product," Saunders said. "My cooks love them. It has the capability of cooking with steam or cooking with heat, or cooking with a combination of steam and heat to get a precise moisture and browning on food products."
The ovens the district purchased, she said, were manufactured in Germany and are the #1 combi-ovens on the market.
Saunders has also been trying to serve students more fresh fruit, a program partially funded by the federal government.
"We've been really scaling back on the amount of canned fruit we use," Saunders said. "It still has a place within the menu. There's still some products that the kids really like, and we will continue to use, so it's not that I'm not going to use it or the goal is to never use it but to really ensure that the majority of what they're getting is fresh. The reason for that is that during the canning process, food loses its nutrients. We've been using for fresh fruit this year -- we've used strawberries, we've used cantaloupe, leeks, honeydew, melon, watermelon, kiwi, clementines, blueberries, pears, oranges, apples, bananas. We've been trying to give them a really good variety."
Saunders is also working on scaling back the number of food items that include whey protein as filler.
"It's in a huge amount of products to use across the board," Saunders said. "Personally, from my interest in nutrition, I feel like it would be an improvement to our program to use less of (whey protein filler). Again, just like with the canned products, we won't necessarily be able to completely get rid of it, but can use some cleaner products without whey protein fillers."
She said she is now buying products like chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, and popcorn chicken, that doesn't use whey protein fillers. She's also found a nearby New York company that makes meatballs without whey protein filler. They're also allergen-free meatballs.
"That's a focus for next year," She said. "We were awarded some money from a local food and school cooperative grant that's going to allow us to purchase some more New York foods. I can put it towards things like the meatballs."
For breakfast, the staff had been serving prepackaged meals, but during the recent National Breakfast Week, the staff went in a different direction.
"It didn't allow for a lot of choice," Saunder said. "So during National School Breakfast Week, we discontinued using those, and they now have a variety of different cereals, cereal bars, and little snack options that they can create their own breakfast bag."
The number of meals the district served increased when meals were free during the pandemic, Saunders noted, but the district is still serving more meals than it did before the pandemic.
Districtwide participation in breakfast is up 45 percent over the 2018/19 school year, and participation is up seven percent for lunch.
The variety of choices for students, which always includes warm foods and things like yogurt and fresh fruit, is helping to drive meal participation, she said.
In April, The Batavian reported about issues the district was facing with unpaid meal bills for some families. Superintendent Merritt Holly told the school board that staff was trying to work with families to handle the topic in a sensitive manner. The district at the time was owed $2,751.58 for meals that had not been paid for at the time they were served (the district has a policy of providing a meal to every student who wants one, requiring students who don't have any money with them to pay for it).
The Batavian's story promoted two people to come forward and offer to make donations toward paying the unpaid bills. This evening after the school board's regular meeting, Holly said the district has yet to work out how best to accept those donations, and he isn't sure how much those people are planning to donate. He doesn't know, he said, if the donations will cover all of the unpaid bills, which have likely gone up in the past month, he said.
2022 File photo of a block party on Swan Street in Batavia, By Howard Owens.
When you hear the term block party, what comes to mind?
For City Councilman-at-large Bob Bialkowski, he thinks of idyllic picnics on Kingsbury Avenue for a barbecue, children's games and everyone going home by sundown, whereas Jerry Smith Jr. envisions food and craft vendors, a heavy musical lineup, T-shirts to commemorate the event and fun that goes well into the evening.
While block parties can stray in structure and size, they typically have one thing in common: they are meant to bring folks together to get to know one another and — ideally — strengthen the neighborhood.
While Smith believed that happened for his southside block party last year, others in his neighborhood had different feelings, as expressed to various council members. Before the summer party season begins this year, members of council wanted to revisit a few elements of that party that seemingly went off the rails, Bialkowski said.
“The whole thing was a disaster last year,” the councilman-at-large said, adding that nearby residents complained about various issues. “People sat on (one resident’s) front porch and on her lawn furniture, and wouldn’t move. She was afraid to tell him to get off her driveway, and she couldn’t leave. And other people had the same problem. The neighborhood hadn’t been notified about the block party, people couldn’t get into their driveways.”
Bialkowski asked to put the issue on Monday’s conference agenda for the group to discuss. There were other complaints, apparently, about loud and late-night music, street access being blocked off by barricades, a barbecue and smoker grill blowing volumes of smoke into adjacent homes and concerns that streets were full of vendors with little room for emergency vehicles to access if necessary.
Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said he doesn’t think anyone purposely did anything wrong; it’s just a matter of following through on some ground rules. Yes, sometimes a neighborhood party may inconvenience folks a bit, but it shouldn't prevent them from getting into or out of their own homes or otherwise enjoying their environments, he said.
“It's not a problem. I mean, as long as they follow the rules, there's no problem,” Jankowski said. “No one called the police, no one called the authorities, no one knew who was running the party, the people that complained really weren't sure what was going on. So they didn't know who to contact. So later on, they contacted council members and said that they were upset because the block party had caused them some inconvenience. Some of those inconveniences were being unable to get in their driveway, strangers walking on their front lawn and such. And they didn't know what was going on. And they were concerned.”
Jerry Smith Photo by Howard Owens
Smith told The Batavian that he was unaware of any complaints, as none had been addressed to him directly. He had not attended the council meeting when his application was reviewed last year either. He is planning to have another block party this year, and he said that he will notify the street of the event.
He was bothered that there might be something else going on related to the complaints, primarily that he and many party attendees are black.
Jankowski said that their racial makeup has no effect on him, and he lives on the southside and has no issues with anyone. He then took pause to reflect on that issue for a minute.
“Let's just talk about the elephant in the room here. It's not uncommon that any time somebody has an issue, it's a race-related issue, right? Everybody's got this on their mind. And they're in, so everybody's trying to say, Well, it's because we've had a block party and because we're black. Yeah. Nice try, but no, it’s because people couldn't get to their driveways,” Jankowski said. “And, you know, I live on this side of town. And it's a diverse side of town. Italian, Polish, black, Hispanic, everybody's fine. I don't see any problem. It's a peaceful place to live, it’s the best-kept secret of Batavia.
“So, you know, like I said, some disconnect took place within the parameters and, and if everything is done safely and through the health department, if you're going to be charging people for food … parties sometimes, it causes inconveniences, but maybe we should put a mechanism for someone to be aware of one of those, if you're gonna have a block party, you need to make sure everybody in the neighborhood knows what's going on,” he said. “And that they can get in and out of their driveway at all times. And that emergency traffic can go through at all times, you’re not blocking it off.”
City Manager Rachael Tabelski summarized the main points to be highlighted to applicants:
Local traffic must be able to get through, you certainly can't block the driveway.
You can't block emergency access.
You're not to go on other's property who don't offer it as part of the celebration, things of that nature.
You have to make outreach to the neighbors, whether it's knocking on doors, flyers -- something personal -- so that everyone understands what is going on and how it will affect their neighborhood.
“The last question I had was a topic that came up, do you have to be a neighborhood resident to throw the party? Council member Richmond brought it up, I just want clarity on how the rest of the council feels,” Tabelski said, getting her answer. “Okay, so in this case … the majority of times when these parties are thrown, it is a resident of that neighborhood who tries to open their yard or their home in the street.”
After council’s discussion on Monday, they agreed that city staff would be more communicative with applicants so that both sides would be better informed about events. Bialkowski was satisfied with the end result, he said.
“What I had hoped to accomplish, I think, is accomplished. The staff’s going to review these things from here on in. Police should need to send somebody down when they have one to make sure everything's copacetic,” Bialkowski said.
He also had a suggestion for Smith, who is planning to submit an event application for an ambitious-sounding block party this year: maybe he’d want to consider having it at a park instead.
We are pleased with the reception Early Access Pass has received from regular readers of The Batavian. New people sign up for the service every day. We asked a group of these new members to provide a few words about why they support The Batavian. Here is what they have to say.
To sign up for Early Access Pass and support local news gathering, click here.
The Batavian has been my go-to source for local news. I can find up-to-the-minute news and find it quite helpful. Even my out-of-state children use it to keep up with what is going on. This is a great spot for what's happening around town.
-- Jeanne Penepent
Our local community matters. While people get excited about national news stories, the truth is we have very little impact on the national stage. What’s more valuable is to know what’s happening here in Genesee County, where we have a real impact, but the first step is staying informed. That’s why I’m proud to support the exceptional reporting of The Batavian with a yearly Early Access subscription. -- Sarah Kohl
I have always loved reading The Batavian and appreciate that the site is timely and keeps us up-to-date, particularly during the blizzard this past December. The photography is exceptional, and I especially love seeing school and arts events showcased. Upon returning home from my colleague’s retirement concert Tuesday night, I was excited to see a photo and story already posted! I am enjoying my Early Access Pass to local news and events. -- Melzie Case
For years, I have read the Batavian every morning. It has allowed me to keep up with local events and happenings. The new charge is minimal for unbiased reporting, which is difficult to find in this day of polarization. Thank you, Howard, for all you do and best wishes for continued success. -- Lorri Goergen
We especially loved the handwritten card and note we received from Kay Lennon:
Dear Howard & Team: Thank you for The Batavian "tote." It is "super!" I will be waiting to see who is the first person to ask, "Where did you get The Batavian Tote!" You can be sure I will smile.
To get your free reusable tote from The Batavian and join your friends and neighbors who are signing up daily to support The Batavian, click here.
Troop A of the New York State Police honored those troopers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty in a ceremony at the Batavia Barracks on Tuesday.
Third graders at St. Paul Lutheran School with baskets that will be part of a fundraiser, which includes a basket raffle, at the school on June 3. Photo by Howard Owens
St. Paul Lutheran School is holding its annual fundraiser auction at the school on Washington Avenue on June 3.
The school has been hosting the event since 1999, and it benefit's the school's Tuition Assistance Program.
"We don't want to turn away any families away due to a financial issue," said Principal Susan Wakefield. "Many of our school families have made use of this program over the years."
There will be a live auction, basket raffle and snack shop. Donations have come in from local businesses, school families, church members, and St. Paul alum.
Motorists heading east on Route 5 into the Village of Le Roy are now greeted by a large flag on a large pole on the property of a business there. Photo by Howard Owens.
Alex Dunn, left, is joined friends Steve Stephany and Jason Daline for a relaxing time in fine weather outside his apartment on Main Street in the Village of Le Roy on Tuesday evening. Photo by Howard Owens.by
Three of the Soapbox Derby organizers -- Jim Krencik, Shannon Maute, and Chris Suozzi -- with examples of the new soapbox cars that racers will put together and decorate for the 2023 race.
The Soapbox Derby, sponsored by the Business Improvement District, returns for 2023 with sleeker, larger, faster car kits, organizers announced today.
The race will be at the same locations as last year -- Ellicott Street at Richmond, next to Centennial Park in Batavia -- on August 26.
Last year -- the first time a Soapbox Derby was held in Batavia in decades -- races were beset by wheels falling off and other mechanical issues.
In an effort to solve the wheel problem, organizers sought alternatives and met Mark Scuderi, president of the Greater Rochester Soap Box Derby. Scuderi has a warehouse of soapbox cars that are of the style and engineering of cars used throughout the state.
The cars are valued at $1,000 each but the BID will lease them for $100 each and they will arrive unassembled so children competitors and their families can still engage in putting the cars together.
"We did not want the cookie-cutter car that everyone just jumps in and races because this isn't about a race," said Shannon Maute, director of the BID. "It's not just about a race. It's about teaching skills. It's about bringing out the creative side and letting them have fun with their friends and their family. The kids can still be creative and still use tools and learn how to do brakes and tires and use power tools. Mark came up with a great solution. He gave us the shell of the car, so the kids will be able to decorate it however they want."
Unlike last year, there will be limits on how much customization competitors can do on the cars because the shells can't be modified.
But out of the gate -- the new electronic starting gate -- competitors will get faster cars, with brakes, and the track will go past Park Avenue with hay bales on Ellicott Avenue set up at Washington Avenue.
Chris Suozzi, VP of business development for GCEDC, said the derby will still meet the workforce development goals of exposing children to the challenge of building something. The racers get to use power tools, some for the first time, and make sure all of the pieces are installed properly.
The size of the field doubles this year, to 48 racers, with two age groups in competition -- 7 to 10 and 11 to 13.
There are two opportunities to register. The first on Friday, June 2, during the Genesee County Youth Bureau Family Game Night at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, from 5 to 7 p.m. The second registration opportunity is the next day from 10 a.m. to noon at Adam Miller Toys and Bicycles.
There is a $20 registration fee and sponsors are covering the lease cost of the cars. Sponsors include Alex's Place as lead sponsor, along with Graham Manufacturing, Western New York Concrete, and Sheet Metal Workers Local 46, along with any other sponsors that sign on to support the event.
"The BID Box Car Derby is one of my favorite events because it's for the kids," Maute said. "Seeing the smiles on their faces as they race down the street reminds me of the happiest moments of my childhood. It’s something that all of our business owners have, a memory that inspired them. So many people came out to join us last year and already want to help out this year. I think this is what we’re creating with this event, a community."
Also serving on the organizing committee are Lauren Becht, Lydia Schauf, Marian Pautler, Matt Gray, Jim Krencik, Gail Tenney, Sara Tenney, Jay Gsell, and John Roche.
The Pembroke Teachers’ Federation hosted their inaugural Sprinkles Night at Sprinkles Creamery in Corfu.
Teachers worked behind the counter, with some help from the wonderful employees of Sprinkles, to serve delicious frozen treats! Sprinkles generously donated a portion of the night’s proceeds and tips to the PTF Scholarship Fund, which benefits graduating seniors at Pembroke Junior/Senior High School.
“It was an awesome night. Students, families, and community members came out for this wonderful event. The Pembroke community, time and time again supports our students and teachers” PTF president Arron K. Brown. The PTF can’t wait until next year’s event!
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) announced the fifth installment of her monthly webinar series, which is focused on highlighting services and resources at the federal level available to constituents.
The next webinar will focus on the federal grant process, providing individuals and organizations with an overview of how to search for and apply for federal grant opportunities. The webinar is open to all constituents.
Those interested in attending this webinar should RSVP by emailing NY24.RSVP@mail.house.gov. Participants who register in advance will receive a link to the Zoom meeting on the morning of the event.
This webinar is being hosted as part of Tenney’s monthly webinar series, in which the Congresswoman connects residents of New York’s 24th Congressional District to resources and support at the federal level. This is the fifth webinar Tenney’s office has hosted this year. Recordings of past webinars can be found on Tenney’s website here.
Western New York National Cemetery (WNYNC) 1254 Indian Falls Road, Corfu. Hosted by Western New York National Cemetery Memorial Council, Inc. Ceremony begins at 2 p.m. at the Main Flag Ceremonial site.
Monday, May 29
All ceremonies will include full military honors: Wreath Laying, Rifle Salute & Taps.
Batavia ceremonies:
7 a.m. – Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Genesee County Park, sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 193.
8 a.m. – Williams Park (Batavia) W.W.I Memorial. This memorial honors the 35 Batavians who gave their lives in WORLD WAR I.
8:30 a.m. - Batavia VAMC, at the main flagpole, sponsored by the VAMC.
8:45 a.m. (approx.) - NYS Veterans Home, at the main flagpole, sponsored by the NYS Veterans Home.
9:30 a.m. – Veterans Plot on Harvester Avenue. This memorial honors all war dead of all wars in Elmwood and St. Joseph’s Cemeteries.
10 a.m. - Upton Monument. This monument honors the dead of the Civil War, and all wars since.
10:30 a.m. – UMMC Jerome Center. This is the site of the Genesee County War Memorial, honoring all war dead from Genesee County.
The names of county veterans who have died since the previous Memorial Day will be read and a flag placed to honor each of them in front of the memorial.
Memorial services will be carried out by Veness-Strollo Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1602, Glenn S. Loomis American Legion Post #332, and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #193.
Town ceremonies:
ALEXANDER: Ceremony to take place at the Alexander Village Cemetery (a.k.a. Railroad Avenue Cemetery) at 11 a.m.
BATAVIA:Parade starting at 9:45 a.m. beginning at the East Town Plaza traveling west along Main Street and ending at Alva Place.
BERGEN: Ceremony to take place at Hickory Park at 9:30 a.m.
BYRON: Ceremony to take place at Byron Cemetery at 11 a.m.
CORFU:Parade at 12 p.m. from Corfu Fire Hall on Route 33 to the Intermediate School on Route 77. Ceremony immediately following the parade.
ELBA: Ceremony at Maple Lawn Cemetery at 10 a.m.
LEROY:Parade at 10:30 a.m. from the American Legion to Trigon Park with a ceremony at Trigon Park at 11 a.m. immediately following the parade.
Could there be open alcoholic beverage containers allowed in Jackson Square's future? BID has requested approval from City Council to drop the open container ban in the downtown Square during the summer. File photo from 2011 by Howard Owens
We’re here to promote business, not to destroy it.
Those words, spoken by City Councilman Al McGinnis Monday evening, seemed to capture council’s sentiments to move forward on allowing open containers for alcoholic beverages in Jackson Square, throughout various downtown streets during a special event in July and with a limit of two beverages on a specially built group pedal vehicle.
The agreement didn’t exactly come without a lot of discussion, questions and clarifications about each element of the open container requests before them.
Batavia’s Business Improvement District, aka BID, requested that open containers be allowed in Jackson Square during the summertime when the space is ripe with concerts and spectators are usually relegated to sitting inside or on the upper deck of nearby restaurants.
City law hasn’t allowed music revelers to sip a craft beer or gin and tonic while relaxing in their lounge chairs outside — a point that may change when council gathers again on June 12 to discuss the issue with a detailed resolution in hand to potentially vote on afterward.
Entrepreneur Matt Gray spoke as a business partner of Eli Fish Brewing Company, which backs up to the Square and is in progress with building a patio. He listed reasons why council would want to give a yes for open containers, including number one, the state liquor authority will only permit a business four events for open containers, and after Eli’s carnival, Octoberfest, BID’s Italian Fest, and the Ramble, “we’re out of licenses for that space,” Gray said.
There’s potential for grassroots development within that area, he said, that could mean other types of businesses, such as a cider distillery or similar, to bring more people downtown.
“If you bring the people downtown, and that is our goal, more development happens on its own. So it's great that we're doing this work to Jackson Square, but I really think that having an open container will kind of push us to the next stage as far as getting more traffic to the downtown area,” Gray said.
While some council members agreed with Gray and supported his stance, they shared the possible pitfalls as well.
“My concern is, people using it as a public space, bringing their own alcohol, they get out of the eye of the public, and hang out in there, when there isn't a function going on at the restaurants that connect to it. So I'm in favor of it. But I would like to see possibly signage warning people if they leave that area that they're going to be in violation,” Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said. “And obviously, if no one is responsible for it, but yet they use it, who's going to be cleaning it up? I mean, I'm sure it's inevitable. There'll be bottles or glasses or plastic cups being thrown around in there. I know a lot of businesses clean up around their own business anyway. It's fine.
“But you know, hopefully, they would keep it clean on their own and notify if somebody was just in there, having a private party without any authorization and using the space for a hangout and drinking location. But that's not what you're talking about here. You're talking about promoting business, promoting activity in there and maybe even freedom to go from one establishment to another,” he said. “That's all great. I love all that. But my prior life has taught me that not everyone obeys the unwritten rules, so to speak.”
He suggested that some type of guidelines might be warranted to ensure that everyone follows the rules.
“To make sure that it stays clean, doesn't turn into a hangout, and that people know, if they're walking out with a beverage and they walk out to Jackson Street, they know when they walk through the alley that they're leaving the space, and then they probably should either dispose of their beverage or finish it up,” he said.
The BID also requested that the city drop its open container law per Batavia Municipal Code during the Italian Festival on July 29, so that people can enjoy libations on downtown streets during the event from 1 to 9 p.m. This approval would require council to grant special permission to allow open containers on designated city streets and sidewalks during this event.
The third request is from Kuyler Preston of his newly formed company Batavia Pedal Party LLC. Using a specially crafted pedal and motorized open-air vehicle, a driver takes groups on a two-hour tour of the city for a fun, enjoyable ride, Preston said.
While everything about his business is licensed and insured, he is seeking approval from council to allow each passenger to bring two cans of alcoholic beverages on the ride.
The difference between this type of group trip and that of a limo is that the pedal party vehicle is not enclosed, and the alcoholic drinks are visible to other people not in the vehicle, city attorney George Van Nest said. So Preston needs approval from the city to allow for the open containers on the bike, Van Nest said.
Jankowski said that some further research and discussion with police may be needed before making final decisions on some of these requests.
“I think we're gonna have to do some research like other places have done and talk to our police and DPW and see how they feel about it. But definitely, I like the idea of that square becoming a more multi-use space, or the businesses that they use it there for any private gathering or whatever,” he said. “But as long as it's approved, instead of just, we're starting to get calls because people realize it gets off to a place that you can use it at four in the morning and drink alcohol. And that's not really what it was intended to be for.”
Council is expected to discuss them further during a special conference session on June 12, to be followed by a business meeting for related votes.
Since we launched Early Access Pass, a lot of people have asked questions. Some people have made statements worth addressing. And some people have expressed misperceptions about the program. This FAQ is intended to address those issues.
What is Early Access Pass? Early Access Pass is an innovative program asking readers to help provide financial support for the gathering and reporting of local news. Rather than wall off everything, The Batavian publishes select stories that are initially available only to those who have joined Early Access Pass. For the first four hours after a story is published, only readers who have joined Early Access Pass will have access to those select stories.Readers who join Early Access will get instant access to originally reported, bylined stories by The Batavian. Those who don’t join will need to wait four hours after publication to read those stories.
What do I get if I sign up for Early Access Pass? You get instant access to all of the original, by-lined reporting of The Batavian while everybody waits to join will wait to get all of the news. And, currently, we’ll send you a free reusable tote bag.
What do I get if I DON'T sign up for Early Access Pass? You can still read all of the press releases we post as soon as they're published. Scanner reports will not require a pass. Community events we cover as primarily photo coverage will most likely not require a pass. There will be the other certain news items -- ones that didn't require a lot of reporting time -- that will not require a pass. And, of course, every story that did require a pass will no longer require a pass four hours after publication. In other words, you still get everything we publish for free, though on a few items, you will need to wait to access it.
I think news should be free! Actually, news still is free on The Batavian.We’re offering you a choice: Join Early Access and get instant access or wait to join and then wait to read important news about the community for free later.All stories are still free to read, but some will require an Early Access Pass to read immediately.
Why are you asking me to pay you to read the news? As stated above, we're not asking you to pay for news. We’re offering you a choice -- pay for instant access or wait and read it for free later. That said, gathering and reporting news is time-consuming, and time equals money, which means hiring reporters, which is expensive.For most of the first 15 years of The Batavian, Howard Owens gathered and wrote nearly all the news on the site.That required him to work 10, 12, 14, 16 hours a day.Often, he still works those long hours.It’s taken a toll on his health and given him very little free time.He can no longer keep working at that pace.The Batavian is asking readers to support The Batavian so its news staff can be expanded.
Isn’t this just a cash grab, pure greed? As stated above, the founder and owner of The Batavian has been working 10 to 16 hours a day for most of the past 15 years.He can’t continue at that pace.This isn’t about generating more profit. It’s about asking the readers for help so The Batavian can hire more staff writers.
Why should I pay The Batavian when I get my news elsewhere for free? You can’t get most of what The Batavian reports elsewhere.There are only two news organizations covering Genesee County that do any sort of in-depth reporting, and both now ask for readers to financially support their news-gathering efforts.And that other publication doesn’t report nearly as much news about Genesee County as The Batavian. Also, The Batavian frequently reports news stories long before that other publication gets to them, if they ever do.And of those two news organizations, The Batavian charges less on either a monthly basis or an annual basis.
Can’t I just get all my news off of social media? In brief: no, you can’t. Social media is a poor substitute for an actual news-gathering operation.The way the algorithms work, you can’t trust that everything that might be important to you will come to your attention or in a timely manner. And how do you know what you’re reading on social media is accurate?Who is the person providing you the information? What is the person’s agenda?A lot of local governments now post information about what they’re doing on social media, but who is asking questions about the accuracy and context of that information?What social media company is sending reporters to small town meetings to find out what’s really going on, to ask questions, to make public document requests, to hold appointed and elected officials accountable? These are the functions of journalists, and journalists, like any other worker, need to be paid to do their jobs. Twice in the past month (as of May 2023), reporters for The Batavian have reminded elected officials that they were about to enter secret meetings that violated the state's open meetings law. In both cases, the elected officials agreed to hold their discussion in open session. It takes engaged, knowledgeable, professional reporters to hold public officials accountable.
Why is local news so important that I should pay to support it? Without local reporters, there is nobody to hold local government officials accountable, to ensure they’re serving the public interest.In communities without much, if any, local news, small-town governments have been shown to slip into incompetence, if not outright corruption. And it’s not that local government officials are bad people. It’s just without a watchdog, it’s easy for anybody to fall into bad habits.Further, local news reporters do more than hold officials accountable. They also report on the accomplishments of our children. They spread the news about the good deeds of charities and civic organizations. And by spreading all of the information about a community, they help bind a community together, which is essential to a community’s health and financial well-being.
I’m not convinced. I still don’t think I should pay for local news. Well, like we said, you don’t have to.You can wait the four hours to read a story that might interest you.That said, if readers won’t support local news, someday there will be no local news. Howard Owens, the owner of The Batavian, is going to retire or die someday.As things stand, it’s doubtful The Batavian could continue under a new owner.It would just shut down.And the other big news operation in town relies heavily on its print subscribers to stay in business. All across the country, the declining value of print subscribers can be found in obituary columns.The death of print news in small towns is inevitable.So, if readers won’t support digital news, someday there will be no local news.
How do I join if I don’t want to use a credit card? You can send a check for $80 to:
Paul Kesler during an interview with The Batavian in March. Photo by Howard Owens.
When Paul Kesler was about to embark on another level of his career at Batavia City Schools five years ago, he was filled with mixed emotions about leaving the staff he had come to regard as family at John Kennedy Intermediate School.
“My whole experience in 13 years in Batavia has been here. That's going to be the struggle, saying goodbye,” he had said when preparing to leave for a role as principal of the high school in October 2017.
During Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, the group approved Kesler’s latest appointment, which may mean more of those emotional goodbye moments. But this time he’ll be returning to familiar faces as principal of John Kennedy once again.
“Thank you so much to the board. I've been an administrator in Batavia since 2005. And one of the really exciting pieces about being a high school principal is some of your children that I had in elementary school, and to hand them their diploma. And so, I've just been extremely grateful to have such a long career here in Batavia and to continue that at John Kennedy,” Kesler said. “But it's also at the same time bittersweet just because of, I just saw the positive things that we've been able to do together with the high school students.
"And so I just wanted to say thank you, and I really appreciate your ongoing support.”
Earlier this month Superintendent Jason Smith had recommended John Kennedy Principal Brian Sutton for the position of Director of Educational Technology, effective July 1. Smith then recommended Kesler for that soon-to-be vacant role, with qualifications as “an exceptional leader” in the district for the last 18 years.
“Paul started his career at John Kennedy, and I was thrilled when he approached me about returning,” Smith said. “Paul’s steadfast commitment to BCSD and the Batavia community is admirable, and I look forward to his return to JK and thank him for his memorable and impactful five years leading BHS.”
With the departure of Kesler as Principal of BHS, Smith and the BCSD leadership team will immediately begin the search process to name a replacement.
GCC's President Jim Sunser entering Saturday's 2023 Commencement Ceremony in the Call Arena. Photo by Howard Owens.
This weekend’s Class of 2023 graduates were reminded by Genesee Community College’s president just how crucial their mission is from here on forward, and that one’s pursuit of learning doesn’t stop with that diploma in hand.
“We are counting on you to live a life that’s full of promise and potential, not just for yourself, but to make the world a better place,” Dr. James Sunser, GCC president, said during his closing remarks. “You know, we live in a world that is constantly changing, and one that requires us to continually evolve, develop new skills, and stay current in order to be the successful members of society that we all aspire to be.
“At Genesee Community College, we like to say once a Genesean or a cougar, always a Genesean and a cougar. It's in the spirit and recognizing the value and importance of lifelong learning that I share with you a new and, frankly, unprecedented benefit that you are receiving as a GCC grad," he said. "As a member of the Class of 2023, you are now eligible to take future courses at SUNY GCC, free of charge for the rest of your life.”
This Class of 2023 will be the inaugural group of learners for when this new program was announced. They will be able to return time and time again to refresh, recharge, update and expand their minds with other GCC graduates by attending those free classes.
Genesee for Life was launched as “an innovative program allowing all GCC graduates to return to take credit-bearing courses tuition-free, for life,” program material states. Returning students will have the opportunity to prepare for new careers, transfer education opportunities, or to gain new skills for personal pursuits.
“We call this unique part of the program Genessee for Life, and it's our way of supporting you, not just now but throughout your life's journey. It's our way of saying that we do believe in the importance and value of lifelong learning,” Sunser said. “And we're committed to making that a reality for you as a part of our GCC family of graduates, and as members of the Genesee Community College’s Class of 2023, our 55th commencement class.
“I thank you for all that you're doing. I thank you for joining us today, and I wish you all good things,” he said.
The Carr's building in Downtown Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
This last week of May was capped off with bountiful news for property owner Ken Mistler and downtown Batavia as a whole with the announcement that the Carr’s Reborn project on Main Street was granted $1.85 million in Downtown Revitalization funding.
While recently discussing Mistler’s other major renovation in progress at the former Showtime movie theater in City Centre, The Batavian asked him about the Carr’s project, which has been on hold for several months.
He said that would move forward as soon as he gets word about funding.
Mistler was unavailable for further comments Monday afternoon.
Carr’s Reborn has involved several key players in the community, including a committee of folks serving on the Downtown Revitalization Initiative effort, city and county leaders, engineers, the property owner, residents and business owners, all of whom have been anxiously awaiting to see development in the former Carr’s department store for at least the last five years.
Consultant David Ciurzynski previously described the site’s future: renovating the upper two floors for apartments, installing arched windows in the front overlooking Main Street, preparing the lower levels for commercial space by removing asbestos and making them more enticing for prospective businesses to invest in the site.
Ciurzynski also included a vision for the project, aptly titled Carr's Reborn.
The project received approval from both the Downtown Revitalization Initiative Committee and City Council in September 2022. No one had spoken during a related public hearing about council's application to pursue a $2 million grant.
Cities with a population of less than 40,000 can apply for up to $2 million, and it is available for projects to “demolish/deconstruct and/or rehabilitate/reconstruct vacant, abandoned, surplus and/or condemned residential, commercial and/or mixed-use buildings.”
With no opposition to the move, City Council voted to submit an application for the sixth round of the Restore NY Communities Initiative Municipal Grant Program.
The former Carr’s site is expected to accommodate several upper-floor apartments and business/office use on the ground floor.
The project would take $1.85 million in Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant funding and $4 million from property owner Ken Mistler. Possible uses for the main floor have not been determined, and it’s about “what does downtown Batavia need?” Ciurzynski had said during the committee’s Sept. 13 meeting.
Committee members who approved the project and pursued the DRI grant included City Council President Eugene Jankowski, Steve Hyde, Dr. James Sunser, Craig Yunker, Tammy Hathaway, Erik Fix, Tom Turnbull, Susie Ott, Paul Battaglia, Marty Macdonald and Nathan Varland.
On Monday, state Gov. Kathy Hochul announced more than $112.9 million has been awarded to 70 projects through the Restore New York Communities Initiative. Restore New York supports municipal revitalization efforts across the state, helping to remove blight, reinvigorate downtowns and generate economic opportunity in communities statewide, according to a press release issued from the governor’s office.
The program, administered by Empire State Development, is designed to help local governments revitalize their communities and encourage commercial investment, improve the local housing stock, put properties back on the tax rolls and increase the local tax base, the release states.
"These Restore New York grants will help to reimagine downtowns across our state and transform vacant, blighted and underutilized buildings into vibrant community anchors," Hochul said in the release. "Thanks to a more than $146 million state investment, we are breathing new life into communities from Hudson to North Hempstead, jumpstarting new economic activity and helping ensure that New York State continues to be a place where people come to live, work and raise their families."
Carr's Reborn was the only project in Genesee County to receive funding from this round.
