The targeted site for remediation by ex-Eaton Corporation at 34-40 Clinton St., Batavia, shown in green. Image submitted.
Public comments about a remediation project on the city’s east side will be taken up to Sept. 21, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officials say.
The project, first outlined in an April 21, 2023 article on The Batavian, is part of the Clean Water Act for Basket Place LLC, located at 34-40 Clinton St., Batavia.
Action on the privately owned Basket Place parcel was to begin in May to address contamination, with a site-specific health and safety plan and a Community Air Monitoring Plan to be implemented during remediation activities.
These plans were to establish procedures to protect on-site workers and residents and include required air monitoring as well as dust and odor suppression measures.
The applicant’s project description is "to remediate the soil and groundwater at the Ex-Eaton Site located in Batavia, NY. The remediation will be done by soil mixing using a zero-valent iron-based reducing agent to clean up current volatile organic compounds. Soil mixing will be done using large-diameter mixing augers and a small backhoe. No excavation is proposed. The project will impact 0.099 acres of Federal Wetlands which will be restored after remediation and proper erosion control measures will be implemented."
According to the state DEC, the State Environmental Quality Review determination found that the project is an "Unlisted Action and will not have a significant impact on the environment. A Negative Declaration is on file. A coordinated review was performed."
The state Historic Preservation Act (SHPA) Determination was that:
"A cultural resources survey has been completed and cultural resources were identified. Based on information provided in the survey report, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) has determined that the proposed activity will have no adverse impact on registered or eligible archaeological sites or historic structures. No further review in accordance with SHPA is required."
From Coastal Management:
"This project is not located in a Coastal Management area and is not subject to the Waterfront Revitalization and Coastal Resources Act."
Opportunity for Public Comment:
Comments on this project must be submitted in writing to the Contact Person no later than Sept. 21, 2023.
Contact: Courtney M Scoles, NYSDEC Region 8 Headquarters, 6274 E Avon-Lima Rd, Avon, NY, 14414, or call (585) 226-2466 or email DEP.R8@dec.ny.gov
2021 File Photo of the ribbon-cutting for City View Residences at 45 Ellicott St., Batavia. Photo by Mike Pettinella
City and Town of Batavia officials and the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) announced the creation of the Batavia Home Fund (BHF), an incentive-styled program designed to improve and grow the area’s housing stock on Friday.
The fund was created to address shared housing goals and establish methods to fund beneficial activities to enhance the area’s housing stock, including investments to rehabilitate vacant and blighted buildings as well as the conversion of rental properties into single-family homes.
Seed funding for the fund has been provided through a grant of $100,000 that was recently approved by the Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation, a GCEDC affiliate.
“Maintaining a vibrant, strong residential housing stock within the City helps to eliminate blight and encourage smart, sustainable growth,” Batavia City Council President Eugene (Geno) Jankowski Jr. said. “The creation of such a fund furthers the City's strategic goal of enhancing our housing stock, as we have recently experienced through investments to create residential units at City View Residences and Liberty Square.
“The Batavia Home Fund compliments the Town's focus on agricultural, commercial, and industrial growth,” said Town of Batavia Supervisor Greg Post. “It’s important that as we continue to generate investment from these sectors with our economic development and public sector partners, we will have quality housing stock for the people who are pursuing these careers.”
The Batavia Home Fund will be supported by host benefit agreements with developers and homebuilders for future multi-family housing projects in the City and Town. Projects will be considered by a committee of City, Town and GCEDC officials to determine how funds raised will be utilized.
The new program mimics the successful Batavia Pathway to Prosperity (B2P) program, which enables brownfield remediation projects with funding from projects with a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement (PILOTs) in the City of Batavia.
It was also this program philosophy that fueled the creation of the Ellicott Station development, a four-story apartment complex at 50 Ellicott St. in downtown Batavia. The project has since been stalled after the announcement that Savarino Companies closed down operations, and the construction trailer was recently spotted being removed from the premises.
The Batavian reached out to City Manager Rachael Tabelski late Friday for an update on any progress with Ellicott Station and will provide that when a response is received. The latest update was that company CEO Sam Savarino had not communicated with city officials, and they had planned to meet with the state Office of Homes and Community Renewal this month about the situation.
As for this latest initiative, Tabelski said that “with the successful remediation of brownfield sites in the City, we believe the next step in Batavia’s growth is to provide a more robust offering of housing options.”
“The intent of the Batavia Home Fund is to encourage and incent developers and homebuilders to view Batavia as a market opportunity and, in turn, work with community stakeholders to identify areas where housing options can be developed.”
GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde said the City and Town-led effort supports public demand for housing investments and the capacity for a growing manufacturing workforce to contribute to the economy and community. GCEDC had fully supported the Ellicott Station project as a workforce housing complex, which ended up landing as a very low to low-income complex once ready for tenant applications.
From 2015-2020, Genesee County’s private sector employment increased 4.4 percent, along with Batavia’s food and beverage sector growing to almost 1,000 employees, the press release stated. These statistics and data support the county’s need for approximately 4,800 units over the next 20 years, as determined in a housing study conducted by Labella Associates in 2018.
“Improving Batavia and Genesee County’s housing stock will only enhance manufacturing growth opportunities,” Hyde said in the release. “With our food and beverage cluster nearing 1,000 workers at the Agri-Business Park and Plug Power and Edwards Vacuum set to hire hundreds of engineers, technicians, and operators at STAMP, this fund is ideally suited to attract and retain talented professionals so they can live in close proximity to their places of employment and contribute meaningfully to our community.”
Fall is in the air, with the return of school, football games, and security guards at VanDetta Stadium.
The city school district issued a reminder letter this week about proper protocols during games at the sports venue, including extra security, wanding for “unauthorized” items, and monitoring parking.
The district’s Board of Education has hired the firm Armor Security for the past two years to provide on-site security and wanding checks at the entrance, and Batavia City Police officers also provide coverage during games.
“Security at large gatherings has become more of a focus for police departments and school districts across the country as well as ours. We have increased security efforts or police presence at nearly all our special events and details, including BCSD’s home football games and other BCSD events that are projected to draw larger attendance,” Chief Shawn Heubusch said. “The ability to respond quickly and to effectively address any matter that may present itself at large gatherings is key to keeping the event safe and orderly. We take the safety and security of these events very seriously and enjoy a great working relationship with the District to make them as safe as possible.”
The district’s school resource officers also provide “enhanced security” in and around Van Detta and at other large events, he said. Their salaries and overtime costs are paid through the district as part of an agreement with the city of Batavia, he said.
Superintendent Jason Smith said that this year’s letter is a reminder of similar policies as last year, with the addition of also sending a copy to each school that Batavia will be hosting this year. The Blue Devils will be hosting Wayne Central at 7 p.m. on Friday.
“We continue to draw a large crowd at each home game, and the District is being both proactive again and reminding our supportive community members of our procedures that we successfully implemented last year. We also want our fans to park courteously to our neighbors, and I know our neighbors appreciate these efforts,” Smith said. “Safety continues to be a major district priority, and with our home games drawing such large crowds, it only makes sense that we continue to implement these proactive measures.”
The district began to charge a $2 fee for games last year, which is used to cover costs associated with hosting home football games, Smith said.
All of these security efforts have a price tag — a fee of $29 an hour per Armor Security guard at about five hours each per game, plus the time/overtime of city police officers and SROs. Those numbers were not available by the time of publication.
The district letter is below:
Dear BCSD Families,
With the 2023-24 school year in full swing, we are excited to announce that our state-of-the-art facility at VanDetta Stadium will once again be hosting athletic events.
We continue to make safety our number one priority for students, staff, and community members attending events at VanDetta Stadium. We’re anticipating large crowds throughout the season, and we want to make you aware of the enhanced safety protocols, guidelines, and expectations when attending our Varsity Football games:
All attendees will be wand-checked by our security team to ensure no prohibited items are brought into the facility.
VanDetta Stadium is located in a neighborhood, so please be courteous and do not block driveways, throw trash on the ground, or use foul language. Please be a good neighbor. Parking regulations will be strictly enforced by the Batavia Police Department.
All students ages 12 and under should be accompanied by an adult.
We will be charging adults a $2 admission fee for all Varsity Football games. Students and seniors ages 62 and over will have free admission.
We suggest you arrive early to avoid security delays upon entry.
We’ll also continue to have a security presence around the stadium during events. We’re once again collaborating with Armor Security this year to help support our administrators, athletic event workers, and the Batavia Police Department to make sure safety remains a priority at our events.
We cannot wait to welcome you back to VanDetta Stadium for another exciting season of Blue Devil events and cheer on our wonderful student-athletes. Let’s all do our part to keep our school grounds, students, faculty, staff, and community safe.
Thank you,
Jason Smith, Superintendent Timm Slade, Acting Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics
Western Region Off-Track Betting (WROTB) and Batavia Downs President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek were joined by staff from Make-A-Wish Western New York as Batavia Downs Presented them with a check for $10,379. These proceeds were from this past summer’s Chair Rentals, Glow in the Dark Jewelry and Can Coolers sales at Batavia’s Rockin’ the Downs Summer Concert Series.
“We were so pleased to continue our partnership with Make-A-Wish Western New York this past summer,” Wojtaszek said. “The volunteers who were onsite to help raise awareness and these much-needed funds were wonderful ambassadors of Make-A-Wish. All of us here at Batavia Downs are proud that we could help them in their efforts to grant wishes for so many young Western New Yorkers.”
Throughout the 8 concerts of Batavia Downs’ Rockin’ The Downs Summer Concert Series, volunteers at the Make-A-Wish chair-rental booth rented out chairs and sold glow jewelry and Make-A-Wish branded can coolers. The chairs were adorned with the Make-A-Wish logo and the message: The person sitting in this chair is helping to transform lives.
“Make-A-Wish is incredibly appreciative of our ongoing partnership with Batavia Downs for the “Rockin’ the Downs” Summer Concert Series, “ said Ben Marchione, Regional Director, Make-A-Wish® Western New York. “It provides us with an amazing opportunity to raise both crucial awareness and funds to help support children and families fighting critical illnesses not only in the Batavia community but throughout the 17-county region. Our volunteers love being a part of it, and a highlight of every season is meeting the many families touched by the organization and the incredibly generous concertgoers who support our involvement and mission wholeheartedly. Thank you to Batavia Downs for making it possible. It is only through vitally important partnerships such as this that we are able to continue to serve our essential mission, and we are thankful.”
The 2024 Concert Series lineup is expected to be announced before the year’s end.
The following arrests were announced by the Sheriff's Office on Wednesday in connection with the Odesza Concert on Sept. 1 at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.
Kaylee N. Laird, 24, of Chapel Street, Canandaigua, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd after allegedly reentering the venue area after being told she could not enter.
Peter M. J. Karrkos, 24, of Seneca Drive, Canandaigua, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd after allegedly reentering the venue area after being told he could not enter.
Nicholas T. Ortiz, 18, of Hamlin Parma Townline Road, Hilton, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd and disorderly conduct after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return and then knocking over a section of fencing while leaving.
Anthony Lawrence Corsaro, 33, of Park Hill Drive, Dansville, is charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration 2nd, driving while impaired by drugs, following too close, and moving from lane unsafely. Corsaro was arrested by Deputy Zachary Hoy on Aug. 30 in connection with a traffic complaint reported at 6:50 p.m. on June 29 on Route 63 in Pavilion. Corsaro was issued traffic tickets and released.
Danny D. Williams, Sr., 34, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Williams was arrested on Aug. 24 after an investigation into a disturbance on Harvester Avenue on Aug. 21, where he allegedly violated an order of protection. Williams was arraigned in City Court and held without bail.
Bradley R. Jordan, 30, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant issued by City Court. Jordan was initially arrested on Jan. 20 after a disturbance. He was charged with aggravated family offense, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal mischief 4th. A warrant was issued on Feb. 4 after he allegedly failed to appear in court. He was arrested on Aug. 28. He was additionally charged with bail jumping 2nd. Jordan was arraigned and remanded to the Genesee County Jail.
Bleyke Z. Culver, 27, of Batavia, is charged with aggravated family offense and criminal contempt 2nd. The arrest on Aug. 25 is the result of an investigation into an incident where Culver was found inside a residence on Walnut Street in violation of an order of protection. Culver was arraigned and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on $200 cash bail, $1,500 bond, or $1,500 partially secured bond.
Victoria L. Jacques, 53, of Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment 2nd. Jacques was arrested on Aug. 27 following an investigation into a disturbance where Jacques allegedly struck another person and grabbed the person by the neck. She was arraigned and released under the supervision of Genesee Justice.
Justin M. Witherspoon, 37, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. It’s alleged that Witherspoon damaged property on Aug. 27 during a dispute with a neighbor. Witherspoon was issued an appearance ticket.
Hailee N. Callicutt, 22, of Albion, was arrested on Aug. 29 on a warrant. Callicutt was initially arrested on Jan. 1, 2022, on charges of obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, as well as numerous traffic violations. The warrant was issued on Sept. 20 after Callicutt allegedly failed to appear in court. She was arraigned and released.
Patrick Dale Blackwell, 68, of Rochester, is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, and dazzling headlights. Blackwell was stopped at 12:02 a.m. on Aug. 31, on Park Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell.
Cynthia Marie Gosler, 38, of Wakefield Avenue, Buffalo, and Rashawn Lamont Gosier, 44, of Holland Avenue, Batavia, are charged with petit larceny and conspiracy 6th. Gosler and Gosier are accused of stealing merchandise from Target in Batavia on Aug. 25 at 11:06 a.m. Gosler was held pending arraignment. Gosier was held pending arraignment on an NYS Parole warrant.
Nicholas Joseph Breau, 31, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Breau allegedly through an item at another person during a disturbance reported at 12:20 p.m. on Aug. 31 at a location on Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Batavia.
Amy Meredith Gambino, 32, of French Road, Cheektowaga, is charged with criminal contempt 1st, criminal contempt 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Gambino is accused of striking two children under the age of 17 and an adult, causing that person alarm during a disturbance in the Town of Darien at 3 p.m. on Aug. 28.
Alana M. Diefendorf, 26, of Bergen, is charged with obstruction of governmental administration 2nd and endangering the welfare of a child. Diefendorf was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported in the Town of Bergen at 8:49 p.m. on Sept. 5. The State Police did not release a summary of what led to the charges. Diefendorf was issued an appearance ticket.
As announced by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, HP Hood plans to invest $120 million to expand its footprint at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in the town of Batavia. The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) Board of Directors will consider an initial resolution for the proposal expansion at its meeting on Thursday, September 7th.
The $120 million project includes the construction of a 32,500 sq ft expansion to accommodate its automatic storage and retrieval system (ASRS) refrigerated warehouse. The project will also include new batching and processing systems and other upgrades which will allow the company to increase capacity and begin a new production line.
The expansion would create 48 new jobs while retaining 455 FTEs, more than doubling the company’s initial employment commitments in 2017. HP Hood’s project is the fifth $100+ million project in Genesee County in the past three years, including Plug Power’s expansion and Edwards Vacuum announcements at STAMP and Horizon Acres Associates in Pembroke in 2023, and Plug Power’s initial project at STAMP in 2021.
“Since 2011, the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park food and beverage industry has attracted over $600 million of private sector investment supporting over 1,000 jobs,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steven Hyde. “This investment and jobs has generated significant benefits for our community as Genesee County and Batavia are truly the leading dairy-processing hub of the Northeast.”
The GCEDC will consider sales tax exemptions estimated at $4.52 million, a property tax abatement estimated at $549,705 based on an incremental increase in assessed value, and a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $536,000 bringing the value of the proposed financial agreements to approximately $5.6 million. For every $1 of public benefit, HP Hood is investing $16 into the local economy resulting in a local economic impact of $49.87 million in wages and tax revenue.
The GCEDC board will also consider a final resolution from Oak Orchard Solar 3 LLC for a 5 MW community solar farm in the town of Batavia. The $9 million project is projected to generate $4,000/megawatts (AC) annually + a 2% annual escalator of revenues to Genesee County and the Elba Central School District, along with a host agreement with the Town of Batavia.
File photo, Fall Master Gardner Gala in 2016. Photo by Howard Owens
Press Release:
Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Genesee will hold an Open House on September 21. Stop by the association at 420 East Main St., Batavia, anytime between 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. and check out our programs and meet the faces behind them! We'd love to meet you and show you what we do!
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia), along with his Assembly Republican colleagues, is calling on Gov. Hochul to convene an extraordinary legislative session to address the migrant crisis across the state. Over 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York and communities and localities are struggling to keep up with this recent influx. Hawley believes a special session would help to implement much-needed reforms such as instituting background checks for incoming immigrants and giving municipalities the ability to choose whether they want to take in migrants.
“Right now, our state is experiencing one of the largest migrant crises in the country, with little support from the federal government,” said Hawley. “Migrants are being shipped upstate from the city and our communities are helpless to do anything. A special session is needed to provide relief for our state and hold our leaders accountable.”
Batavia High School Principal Jennifer Wesp greets students during the first day of school Wednesday. Photo by Howard Owens.
Jennifer Wesp had about a month to prepare for her first big day in welcoming students onto Batavia High School’s State Street campus Wednesday.
And prepared she was, anxiously waiting to greet them at 7:20 a.m.
“It was so exciting to see the students today. Manyteachers and support staff came in early in order to spend some connection time before the first bell. We even had a table set up by GSA where students and staff could choose to wear a name tag that states their preferred pronouns,” the newly hired principal said after a full day of meet-and-greets and ensuring all went well on this day of return after summer. “The air was filled with chatter and laughter. I was able to get into many classrooms throughout the day. Teachers had planned many activities that revolved around building community and getting to know each other. Overall, it was an amazing start to the year.”
While her predecessor, Paul Kesler, was over at John Kennedy Intermediate resuming his former role as principal, Wesp was doing what she enjoys after capping off August: celebrating the beginning of the new year and fresh starts, she said.
“As an administrator, you are always thinking about how you can create an environment that is welcoming and affirming for all. I think we are always thinking about short-term goals vs. long-term goals. They are both critically important for student success. This year, we have a theme with students: ‘Promoting the Independence Within,’” she said. “We will be digging into this at grade-level meetings and throughout the school year. We want to empower students to take ownership of their abilities and choices, and we understand that high school spans a large development range. It is our job to help students to become adults who are prepared for the 21st-Century world.”
Wesp was hired in July, and began August 1. She admits that it’s hard to talk about what she sees as the biggest change to the school’s environment: Paul Kesler’s absence. He is a beloved administrator who “ran an excellent program for many years at BHS,” she said, however, with his switch back to John Kennedy, “I feel that I have inherited a thriving building.”
“I would say the biggest change for BHS is the change in leadership and the need for staff and students to adapt,” she said. “I will say, though, even though it was only one day, they all really were welcoming and affirming to me. I would say we are off to a great start.”
Wesp has brought a fat portfolio of experience with her, having served as assistant principal at both Spencerport High School and Greece Odyssey Academy; and as a special education teacher in the Churchville-Chili and Greece Central School Districts.
She received both a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with a Concentration in Elementary and Special Education and a Master of Science Degree in Inclusive Education from Nazareth College, and has a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Administration from the State University of New York College at Brockport.
Wesp also serves as an adjunct professor at Roberts Wesleyan College in the Pathways to Teaching Program, and, something Kesler can certainly appreciate, her father attended John Kennedy as a young boy.
Her future includes some settling in and learning more about “this fantastic community,” which of course should put some Blue Devils’ games on her fall calendar.
“In my short time, I have been extremely impressed with the dedication that the community has to its school and kids. There are so many incredible programs, partnerships, and opportunities for young people. One key goal is to build on our fertile foundation and get more students into the community through those opportunities. It sounds like we continue to build these opportunities, and I want to make sure that we keep a focus in this area to take full advantage,” she said. “Another area of focus is continuing to build upon our high-quality instructional practices in order to provide equal access to all of our learners. We know that social-emotional learning and culturally responsive teaching are paramount to students being able to access academic goals. Batavia High is an incredible school with a strong foundation, so we will just continue to build on that so we stay relevant and on the cutting edge of meeting students' needs.
As we look ahead to the new school year, I am eagerly anticipating working with our exceptional students, dedicated staff, and inspiring teachers. Together, we will make this year a remarkable journey of learning, growth, and success for all.”
Omar Hussain and Jessica Korzelius will return as assistant principals for the 2023-24 school year.
Annual departmental reviews can sometimes be rather mundane, as they list various numbers, staffing activities and government programs.
However, trends also emerge from the statistics, such as a “very significant increase in homelessness” since the COVID-era eviction moratorium ended in 2022, Social Services Commissioner Carla Mindler says.
Mindler reviewed the reasons for Genesee County’s apparent rise in people losing their rentals or otherwise not having housing during this week’s Human Services meeting.
Landlords who could not evict their tenants during the pandemic because they accepted Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds have this year been able to evict them and are “actively doing so,” she said.
“We have had a huge increase in homelessness. The eviction moratorium ended in 2022. But not all of the landlords could immediately evict because if they took advantage of ERAP, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, they had to sign something saying I will not evict this individual for 12 months due to nonpayment of rent. So now, some of those cases that sat for a while, the landlords are now taking them in and evicting them,” she said. “So we're having homeless individuals, and because of that, there is a shortage of the very low-income housing, and those are the individuals that were getting in. Some people are fleeing the other counties, you know, (due to) the crime rates in Rochester, sometimes in Buffalo, they're coming here and saying we just want to start new.”
New York State ERAP applications stopped being accepted after Jan. 20, 2023, at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Individuals will not be able to submit applications or complete applications that have been started but not submitted after this time.
According to an article by the Associated Press in June 2023, “Upstate New York evictions are rising after a moratorium lifted last year.”
“Forty of the state's 62 counties had higher eviction filings in 2022 than before the pandemic,” the article states, “including two where eviction filings more than doubled compared to 2019.”
So Genesee County isn’t alone, and officials are doing what they can, Mindler said.
“We, of course, encourage people to move here. However, as you know, homeless are where they’re found, so if they truly do not have a home to go back to in those counties, then they become ours. And people are also coming here sometimes for a temporary purpose and end up staying,” she said. “So if they are open in another county, they have to keep them open for a couple of months, but then they do want to stay here.”
There is an active bill in the state Senate called the "winter moratorium on evictions act of 2023,” which states that evictions are linked to all-cause mortality and lead to an array of negative mental and physical health outcomes, including higher rates of emergency room utilization, mental health hospitalizations, suicide, children's hospitalization, and depression and directly result in job loss and disruption to a child's education.
Evictions are a significant cause of homelessness, both directly and indirectly, it states, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development identified at least 91,271 homeless individuals throughout New York State as of January 2020, including 77,943 individuals in New York City and 13,328 individuals throughout the rest of the State.
The bill is in committee at this point and yet to be passed onto the Senate floor in an effort to pass a moratorium on evictions during winter months.
Anne Marie Starowitz standing with her ballroom dance teacher, Miss Joy, at the old YWCA in her dyed Communion Dress Submitted by Anne Marie Starowitz
It was 1959, and our mom just dropped my brothers and me off at the YWCA to take our weekly Friday night ballroom dance lesson. The YWCA at the time was a beautiful older home on the corner of Main Street and Summit Street. We would meet in the back in a big room.
Learning to do the jitterbug, cha cha, hully-gully, and probably a waltz was a wonderful memory.
Whenever I hear the song by Elvis Presley, "Return to Sender," I think of that class and learning the double time, break away for the steps to the jitterbug. It was a great time, and my best friend and other students from our school were in the class.
Thank goodness for my classmates; I would have died if I had to dance with one of my brothers.
I also remember you dressed up for your dance class. In my day, if you had made your First Communion and did not have anyone to hand down your dress to, your mom would dye your dress either pink or blue. My dress was blue. That dress would be seen in many photos at family gatherings.
In 1903, a group of women headed by Miss Francis G. Fisher met to organize a local Young Women's Christian Association branch. This was the birth of our YWCA. In 1903, physical welfare was of first importance to the YWCA members, particularly for the younger girls. The second purpose of the YWCA was to provide safe housing for young girls at the YWCA. YWCA on East Main Street was attractive and comfortable, but by 1960, the house on East Main Street needed repairs. In 1968, the new YW was opened on North St.
I also have wonderful memories of the YMCA.
Today, I am 73 years old and in an exercise class called Silver and Fit at the YMCA. I love vintage music, and it is a time I can use those dance skills I learned when I took those ballroom dance classes at the YWCA. As I lifted my three-pound weights and stretched with my resistance band, I remembered learning to swim in the old YMCA swimming pool. I remember a pool in the basement and a room with a window where you could watch the children swim.
During a swim lesson, the teacher encouraged me to jump off the board and promised he would have the hook to help me when I came up from the water. He didn't help me, but I did swim to the side. That was the day I passed my beginner test. The YMCA swimming program had names of various fish as we progressed on the levels.
So here I am in 2023 at the YMCA, using the dance steps I learned at the YWCA in the 60s. I can hear the construction of the new YMCA as I did the Cha Cha to the music of the 60s.
The YMCA was founded in 1889 in the Village of Batavia.
It began on 7 Jackson St., and over the years, it changed many locations. The first one I remember was built in 1913, where the current YMCA is on Main Street. The building today was built in 1975.
As I participate in the Silver and Fit Class, I hear the pounding of our newest YMCA being constructed—an excellent addition to our community for all ages. The YMCA and the YWCA will continue offering programs for all ages, focusing on their particular mission. YMCA of Genesee County is a leading non-profit committed to strengthening the community by empowering young people, improving the health and well-being of people of all ages, and inspiring action in and across communities.
YWCA of Genesee County is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. I could never list all the programs both Y's offer. I am so glad I have participated in many of the programs over the years, along with my children.
Postcards are courtesy of the Holland Land Office Museum. The black-white photo is Anne Marie Starowitz standing with her ballroom dance teacher, Miss Joy, at the old YWCA in her dyed Communion Dress.
It's that time of year once again when students return to school, shown here on Wednesday at Robert Morris School in Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
Wednesday brought with it the time-honored tradition of kids boarding yellow school buses, parents transitioning the household routine from summer to fall and school administrators readying their sites for some serious learning time.
This school year will see 152 more students for a total of 2,276 compared to last year’s 2,124, Superintendent Jason Smith said. That’s 456 kids at Robert Morris and Jackson, 501 at John Kennedy, 631 at BMS and 688 at the high school.
The district’s Board of Education had mulled the possibility of adding three more school buses to the budget and ended up including them for this year’s transportation schedule. This will “reduce the amount of travel time for students on buses and also provides separation for our middle and high school students, which will be helpful to our overall school operations,” Smith said.
After 29 professional “first days of school,” he never tires of the routine.
“I am always optimistic and excited about the opportunities a new school year brings for our families, students, and staff,” Smith said. “This never gets old for me, and there is always a buzz of excitement."
Batavia Middle School staff welcomed a new round of students and got busy incorporating all grades into the flow, Principal Nathan Korzelius said.
“We are very excited to have our students return and the opportunity to welcome our new fifth-grade students. This year, we worked with our (social and emotional learning) team to create an opening day schedule that allowed the students to get to know their teachers, schedules, and provide time to do some team building/getting-to-know-you activities,” he said. “Students will participate in a circle-up activity that will allow students to get to know each other and allow them to see the process of academic circles. Each grade level will have a team meeting with the administration to talk about goals for the year.”
Goals for students and staff this year will be academic and social-emotional growth, he said. Social and emotional learning, or SEL, has become a main focus for this and other school districts after being identified for post-COVID educational needs.
“We are working hard on developing our professional learning communities to analyze student performance and growth so that we can provide them with the best support and interventions, as well as improve instruction,” Korzelius said. “We have worked on the fifth-grade schedule to ease the transition to a new building. We have also provided more opportunities for students to access academic interventions within their school day.”
Over at John Kennedy Intermediate School, Paul Kesler returned to his former role as principal and said it was “so exciting to see all of our students again” at the Vine Street school.
“We had excellent first-day attendance, and students transitioned into the building quickly. We had a whole group assembly to welcome students, go over expectations, and a short contest where students could show off their dance moves,” Kesler said. “We want students to feel welcomed to the school. We want parents to feel confident that they have left their children in good hands. Our main goal for the opening days is for the teachers to form positive relationships with their students. We know that students will thrive when they have a trusting relationship with our wonderful staff.”
As for key goals moving into this 2023-24 school year, the John Kennedy community is embracing the theme “Challenge Accepted,” Kesler said, to show students that not only are challenges to be expected in life, but that “we can meet challenges, and that challenge that we take on and work through help us grow.”
Another area of focus for the school is “to continue our excellent student growth in their reading and math progress,” he said.
“We are looking to enhance our work by focusing on staff Professional Learning Communities to provide staff with the best processes to help our students succeed,” he said.
At the youngest levels, Principal Maureen Notaro watched the contagious smiles of students entering Robert Morris and Jackson Primary schools, wanting all students to feel “accepted and comfortable as they begin their journey to a new school or start school for the first time,” she said.
“My goal for staff is to have them make students feel welcome and go over routines and procedures. In the first few days, teachers have goals to get to know their students and focus on social-emotional learning to ensure students feel connected to school right away. My staff does a fantastic job with this at Robert Morris and Jackson Primary,” Notaro said. “The key academic goals are for students to learn their letters and sounds and blend their sounds to learn to recognize words, read, and understand what they are learning. We want them to recognize numbers and be able to count. By the time students leave 1st grade, we want them to be able to become independent readers and improve their phonemic awareness and comprehension.”
Other goals focus on social and personal growth, she said, such as learning to make friends and playing nicely with one another, using self-control with one’s emotions, and in universal pre-kindergarten through first grade — which are “exciting times for students” — they learn how to have conversations and develop the capacity to form close relationships with friends and teachers, she said.
"Students show so much growth and really learn how to manage emotions and explore a new environment. They engage in cooperative play and start to develop positive self-esteem by coming to school and being in a social setting with peers,” she said. “I get most excited about the curiosity each student has and enjoy watching my teachers ignite the desire to learn in the littlest learners.”
Notaro is also looking forward to a new reading program, Wit and Wisdom, which explores literacy and is aligned with field trips to help students “bring the program to life and make meaningful connections” to the lessons.
This year's overall concentration will be on "high-quality instruction," Smith said, and with a renewed and additional focus on meeting those SEL needs.
“Our leadership team spent considerable time this summer focusing on the social and emotional learning (SEL) of our students, and we are going to continue to embrace and celebrate our diversity that makes Batavia so special,” he said.
It’s hard enough battling mental health issues and opioid addiction, let alone trying to do so without a solid and safe place to live or a way to get around for wellness appointments and necessary travel, Lynda Battaglia says.
The Genesee County Mental Health director talked about those obstacles as she made some related requests for funding to the county’s Human Services Committee Tuesday.
The number of deaths from opioid overdoses has risen from 15.6 per 100,000 in 2021 to 27.8 per 100,000 in Genesee County, she said.
“We’re just seeing this increased pattern,” she said during Tuesday’s committee meeting. “And they’re highly addictive. You have the pharmaceutical ones that are prescribed and approved by the FDA, like oxycontin, and then you have the ones that are created on the streets and are illegal, and the overdose rate is just increasing across the state. Housing is one of those areas that if you can have stable housing, that is a social determinant of health.
“So when you think about ‘what do I need in order to just have a healthy life,’ housing is a top priority because when you can establish some housing, other things start to fall in place. When you don’t have housing, then you are in dire straits; you’re roaming the streets, you’re couch-surfing, you are going from friend to friend, if you have friends, or you’re going to areas or environments that have high usage. And the temptation is always there.”
And if you’re also trying to recover, that’s a setup to fail, she said. Genesee Orleans Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse has requested $100,000 for housing to help people with that needed step, plus funding for harm reduction, prevention services and public awareness.
“I do believe it is extremely needed for Genesee County,” Battaglia said.
The Mental Health Department brought a request to the county committee members with allocated state Office of Addiction Services and Supports grant funding available. Human Services approved the request of $130,000 and will pass that on to the Ways and Means Committee before it goes for a final vote by the county Legislature.
There will be no budget impact for the county because the state OASAS funding will cover the amount.
Battaglia also requested $95,907 on behalf of Horizon Health Services for treatment ($75,000), public awareness ($6,332), and transportation ($2,500) costs to assist Genesee County residents with their mental health needs.
“This is specific for Genesee County as well, for the residents of Genesee County at their satellite office, located just outside of town here. This was reviewed by the community services board. They are a duly licensed clinic,” she said. “So they provide mental health services and support services. So they don't typically receive state aid through my office. But this was a good opportunity for them to just get above and beyond what they need in order to provide services to the community.”
She was asked if the requested funding for transportation was enough to meet program users’ needs.
“It's hard to say. Transportation is just another barrier, I think, for individuals to access services across the board. It's not just support. And it's not just mental health, it's medical care as well. So is $2,500 enough? Probably not. But we'll see what happens with the 2,500 when we look at next year's funding because this is going to be the same process from year to year. Everybody's going to have to resubmit,” Battaglia said. “And if the need for transportation increases, then the funding could increase as well. I guess we'll just have to see. I also didn't want to allocate too much to it.”
The committee also approved this request and passed it on to Ways & Means and the county Legislature for a final vote.
Crime Stoppers WNY is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of Nathan L. Royse.
Mr. Royse is currently on parole for a conviction of burglary in the second degree.
He has an active parole warrant for absconding as well as an active warrant issued by the Batavia Police Department for criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree.
He should be considered armed and dangerous.
If you have information, please contact: Crime Stoppers WNY. Call: 716-867-6161 or submit an anonymous tip online.
Submitted photo of Richmond Memorial Library Director Beth Paine (left) and Board of Trustees President Jessica Ecock Rotondo (right), they will face off against each other in a Battle of the Library Celebrity Bartenders fundraiser at GO-Art! on Friday, September 8.
Press Release:
The 2023 Richmond Reads program will be in full swing in September, with events and programs to celebrate the 2023 selection, Hang The Moon by Jeannette Walls. Richmond Reads is a community one-book program designed for the Richmond Memorial Library’s community of readers.
Jeannette Walls will visit Richmond Memorial Library on Tuesday, October 10 at 7 p.m. for a talk and book signing. Published in March of 2023, Hang the Moon was an instant New York Times Bestseller. The book centers around Sallie Kincaid, a young woman who inherits a bootlegging empire in prohibition-era Virginia. Registration is full for the event, but those interested may be added to the waitlist and may opt to view a live stream of the event from another space in the library. For more information on this Speaker please visit www.simonspeakers.com.
The Richmond Reads committee has planned a full slate of events! This year’s program also features a partnership with Batavia High School and Genesee Community College for events geared toward their students.
Richmond Reads Schedule of Events:
Friday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.: Battle of the Library Celebrity Bartenders at Go-Art! Library Director Beth Paine will face off against Board of Trustees President Jessica Ecock Rotondo to see who can earn the most tips! The event will include snacks, a cash bar, a basket raffle, and 50/50. All proceeds will go to The Friends of Richmond Memorial Library in support of Richmond Reads. Basket tickets are also available to purchase at the library until 5 p.m. on September 8.
Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.: Rolling Out the Barrels- A Look at Prohibition Historian Lynne Belluscio will present about the local history of prohibition. This event will take place in the Reading Room at Richmond Memorial Library. No registration is required.
Thursday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m.: Richmond Reads Reel Discussions Join us as we screen the 2017 film The Glass Castle, based on the memoir of the same name by Jeannette Walls with a discussion to follow. This event will take place at Richmond Memorial Library in the Gallery Room. No registration is required.
Thursday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m.: Music of Appalachia with Haley Moore at GCC Fiddler Haley Moore of the Eastman Community Music School will lecture and perform music from the time of Hang the Moon. Sponsored by GCC’s Inclusive Excellence Committee and the GCC Library. Free to attend and all are welcome. This event will take place in the Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee Community College.
Monday, Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 9:30 a.m.: Community Book Discussions The only requirement to attend is to read Hang the Moon. These discussions will take place in the Reading Room at Richmond Memorial Library. Book Review Contest- Opens Friday, September 1. Write a review of Hang the Moon for a chance to win a dinner with the author on October 10! All rules and information available beginning September 1. The contest closes on Saturday, September 30 at 5 p.m. Visit the library or batavialibrary.org for all information and link to the review form.
For all information about the book, author, and events, please visit the library or batavialibrary.org/richmond-reads. Richmond Reads is made possible by the generosity of The Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.
