Bergen Business and Civic Association handed a check for $2,000 to some of the Hickory Park Project committee members Photos submitted by Nicky Russell
Press Release:
On June 26, the Bergen Business and Civic Association handed a check for $2,000 to some of the Hickory Park Project committee members. These funds will go towards the purchase of trees for a tree-lined track that will grace the park this fall. The funds were donated thanks to money raised at the Bergen Park Festival that took place on June 10. The Hickory Park committee is thankful to have this beautiful gem in Bergen, and is thrilled to see it receive the upgrades it deserves!
Pictured: From left to right, outgoing president John McGowan, incoming president Susie Ott, perfect attendance awardee Ed Leising, Paul Harris Fellows Jane Scott, Todd Jantzi, Dan Fischer, Donna Saskowski, Paul Saskowski, Jerry Reinhart, and Dave Metzler. Absent from photo – Paul Haris Fellow Marlin Salmon. Photo submitted by Tom Turnbull
Press Release:
The Batavia Rotary Club awarded eight Paul Harris Fellows during its annual awards night at Terry Hills Restaurant. Community supporters Todd Jantzi and Jerry Reinhart received the award along with current Rotarians Dave Metzler, Dan Fischer, Marlin Salmon, Donna and Paul Saskowski, and Jane Scott.
Paul Harris Fellows, named after the founder of Rotary, is given to a Rotarian or a member of the community that has made an outstanding contribution to the community and is the highest award given in Rotary.
Sixteen Rotarians were also recognized for perfect attendance of one year or more, led by Ed Leising with 38 years of perfect attendance.
Outgoing president John McGowan handed over the gavel to incoming president Susie Ott, who takes over on July 1 for the 2023-24 year.
Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, July 13, at 7 p.m. This month's topic is the Battle of Gettysburg, as it is the 160th anniversary of the battle this year. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 if you would like to attend.
The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Guest Speaker Series on Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. Local reenactors Ed Brodbeck and David Kreutz will be portraying General Ulysses S. Grant and President Abraham Lincoln, in a dramatic retelling of the relationship the two leaders had during the Civil War. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. If you would like to attend, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com. “This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!
Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Java with Joe E. morning presentation series on Thursday, July 27 at 9 a.m. The museum welcomes Genesee County Historian, Michael Eula, as he shares his new book "The National is Local: Genesee County, NY, 1802-Present" on the history of our county and the connection to national events. Admission is free with coffee and donuts. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
Steve Hawley stands alongside local veterans at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. Submitted photo.
Press Release:
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is announcing this year’s Patriot Trip to Washington, D.C., which will take place from September 21 to 24. During this time, veterans and their families will get a tour of the nation’s capital and its numerous monuments and landmarks that honor those who served. This year’s trip will feature stops at several notable locations in the D.C. area, including the WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War memorials and Arlington National Cemetery.
“This trip is an excellent opportunity to honor not only our local veterans but also those who served before them,” said Hawley. “I am incredibly excited to host this event for another year. We owe our veterans a deep level of gratitude for all they have sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy in this country, so being able to take them to our nation’s capital to see these historic landmarks is truly an honor.”
This trip is open to all military veterans and their families. The cost will be between $450-$500 per person and includes travel, accommodations, admissions, meals, and even some souvenirs. Those who are interested in participating in this event should contact Hawley’s office at 585-589-5780 or email carneyj@nyassembly.gov for more details.
A fall photo of the Historic Batavia Cemetery from November 2011. Photo by Howard Owens.
Press Release:
The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the opening of its next exhibit, “Memento Mori: The Historic Batavia Cemetery, 200 Years, 1823-2023”. The exhibit will be on display from Wednesday, July 5 through Saturday, November 4.
The exhibit details the 200-year history of the cemetery, the lives of some of the famous Batavians who are buried there, cemetery artifacts, as well as examples of how people have mourned the loss of their love through the past 200 years. The exhibit is done in collaboration with the Historic Batavia Cemetery Association.
There will be an opening night event for the exhibit on Wednesday, July 12 from 7 - 9 p.m. All are welcome to come and see this interesting exhibit on loss and commemoration in our community. Visitors can also see the rest of the museum after going through the new exhibit. Donations will be accepted by both organizations.
The Historic Batavia Cemetery Association will be hosting a series of three Victorian Teas throughout the summer at the Holland Land Office Museum. The teas will feature conversations with performers depicting famous residents of the cemetery.
They will be taking place on Sundays at 2 p.m.; July 23, Aug. 20, and Sept. 17.
July 23 will feature Joseph Ellicott, Rachel Ellicott Evans and William Morgan. August 20 will feature Dean & Mary Richmond and Eli Fish. September 17 will feature Albert Brisbane, General John Martindale, and Reverend John Yates.
Savory bites and sweet treats will be served during chats with famous figures of local history. Tickets are $25 or $20 for HLOM members, and can be purchased by calling the Holland Land Office Museum at 585-343-4727. Tickets are limited. The event is a fundraiser for the Historic Batavia Cemetery.
The Genesee County Highway Department is gearing up for an extensive culvert replacement project on South Street in the Village of Le Roy. This is a 100 percent state-funded project, and work will begin next week, necessitating the temporary closure of the road from July 5 until September 1.
Detours will be clearly marked to ensure traffic flow and use NYS Route 5, Asbury Road, and Harris Road. Please plan travel routes accordingly.
The initial focus will be relocating the water main to allow for a seamless replacement of the culvert. Simultaneously, the contracted team, comprised of engineering firm Lu Engineers and contractor L.C. Whitford, will start construction on the west side of the culvert. Their first task will involve building a temporary walkway to ensure continued access to the trail leading to Hartwood Park.
After several weeks of preparation, precast pieces can be delivered to the site. One of the key highlights of this project is the implementation of a state-of-the-art precast concrete box culvert. This modern solution promises enhanced durability and longevity, ensuring the safety and convenience of the community for years to come.
Genesee County law enforcement agencies, including the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of Le Roy Police Department, will be participating in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.
The statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign will start Saturday, July 1, continuing thru Wednesday, July 5. The Fourth of July is a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends, but all too often, festivities turn tragic.
The fact is this iconic American holiday is also one of the deadliest holidays of the year due to impaired-driving crashes. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaigns aim to further reduce the incidence of impaired driving. Impaired driving is completely preventable – all it takes is a little planning.
Apparent smoke from the wildfires in Canada created a haze over the Tonawanda Creek on Friday morning. Photo by Howard Owens.
So this is what life has come to for much of upstate New York: checking the air quality reports every couple of days and having a good scientific expert on speed dial.
At least that’s how it is for The Batavian, with air levels reaching up past 150 for Western New York the last few days, signaling a red zone of “unhealthy.”
While it is tempting to set aside these readings and the scale of pretty colors, from green (good) up to a deep burgundy (hazardous), don’t do it, says Derek Mallia, assistant professor of atmospheric science at the University of Utah.
“Like the last event, the smoke event we are seeing is pretty significant, so it totally matters,” he said in response to The Batavian’s questions Thursday. “The best thing to do here is to limit outdoor exposure, especially if you are part of a sensitive group. If that is not possible, then wearing an N95 mask is your next best bet. Like the last event, it looks like fires from Canada are contributing to the really bad air quality you are observing. These fires are burning fast, and there is a lot of fire activity across most portions of Canada right now. Unfortunately, your winds are more out of the north as of late, which is bringing smoke from fires to the north, down across New York.”
It's really tough to forecast out beyond this week, he said, since the smoke forecast models only go out for two days.
“My guess is you could see intermittent smoke in the area over the next week or two since I do see days beyond June where there are northerly winds that can transport smoke southward from Canada to upstate New York,” he said.
As for what to do until those fires die down, experts advise you to keep an eye on the forecasts for yourself, be aware of when those numbers of fine particles rise above 100 into the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, consider wearing a mask outdoors, and use air conditioning indoors as measures against any potential cumulative physical harm from the air pollutants.
To check the air quality, go to the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Air Quality Index site.
Ileana Draper and Mayor Tom Sargent with one of the new Village of Corfu entryway signs that she and her classmates at Pembroke High School created for the village. Photo by Howard Owens.
The welcome mat, in the form of entry signs into the village, will be a little brighter in Corfu beginning this summer.
After 15 years, the entry signs along the main thoroughfares into Corfu have become a bit faded, so the village board invited art students at Pembroke High School to design and paint new signs.
They wanted color, flowers, especially tulips, and a welcoming message.
That's what they got, and students involved in the project said they got to work on an exciting, meaningful project.
"It was a cool experience because we could kind of shape how things in our community look," said Kayla Reynolds, who just finished her senior year and is heading off in the fall to Roberts Wesleyan. "It was a fun project. We could be creative and try to represent our town in the best way possible."
Junior Sophie Crandall is thinking about making a career in art so the project was especially fascinating to her, she said.
"I just think it was really interesting getting to do such a big project with very little restriction," she said. "We kind of got to do whatever we wanted with those designs."
Fifteen years ago, a group of Pembroke students designed the outgoing signs, and when the village's maintenance supervisor Norm Waff noticed the signs were showing their age, he approached the village board about designing and painting a new set of signs.
Waff said he thinks the students are really talented and did a wonderful job.
"I think that it really gives the students an opportunity to get involved in activities of the village around Pembroke," Waff said.
Deputy Mayor Michael Doktor said the students were given only a little direction -- incorporate village history, which means flowers.
"Other than that, it was just really leaving it up to the kids' imagination and their creativity," Doktor said.
About tulips: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there were five greenhouses in Corfu. The florists mainly grew tulips and the tiny village was one of the largest exporters of tulips in the nation. Changing tastes and the Great Depression led to the eventual demise of the tulip, but a couple of the greenhouses survived until just the past decade or so (both were heavily damaged by the 2009 tornado that blew through town) by growing mums.
Mayor Tom Sargent said the project both helps beautify the community as well as builds community spirit.
"This is something that keeps the kids involved in our community," Sargent said. "It's a way for them to give back. Now every time that they come into the village, even 10 years from now, the signs will still be here. They can say, 'I did that sign.'"
The fact that the students knew everybody entering the village over the next 10 or 15 years would see the signs really motivated them to do their best work, Reynolds said.
"We really wanted it to be the best quality possible because people are gonna see it for -- we don't really know how many years -- and everyone that drives into Corfu is going to see these signs. We wanted them to be as finished and as professional looking as possible."
Kayla Reynolds with the sign she was most involved with creating. Photo by Howard Owens.
Sophie Crandall with the sign she was most involved with creating. Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens
Jonah Martin and Lily Martin with Mayor Tom Sargent.
Batavia Concert Band opens its 99th season Wednesday in Centennial Park. The free seven-week series is at 7 p.m. Wednesdays through the summer. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Centennial Park came alive again Wednesday with the sounds of Batavia Concert Band's music in its 99th season, and the evening included a recognition of GO ART!'s support, and a tribute to former music teachers Neil and Nancy Hartwick, who left indelible notes on the hearts of many former music students from the city school district.
Batavia Concert Band presented GO ART! with the Friend of the Band Award for giving a grant of $5,000 that will be used for equipment, licensing music, chairs, sound, and percussion instruments, band leader Jason Smith said.
Neil Hartwick was a prominent presence at the Batavia City School District, and Nancy taught mostly at Attica and at times in Batavia, while both were adored and respected for their talent roles as musical leaders in the community, band member and tuba player Peter Mark said.
“They were both wonderful people. She was a flutist, and Neil was clarinet and saxophone. Back in high school, I had him during my years in 1970 and ’71. I was out by then, but he had an excellent jazz band and he and the Sertoma Club, along about the early 70s, somewhere in there, were the ones that formed the Batavia Pageant of Bands.
"So if you're familiar with that era, you may remember the Memorial Day weekend with all of these bands from all over the area coming down and marching through the streets and having a great time,” Mark said. “Neil and Nancy were both really close to their students. And most of us that came through a program with Neil or Nancy just remember they were wonderful friends. They were more than just teachers, more than just the average teacher. They were friends with all of their students. We had a great time with them.”
When Neil died in 2017, Nancy asked that a Memorial Fund be established to benefit Batavia Concert Band, and memorials have gone to the fund ever since. Earlier this year, Nancy died in January, and the fund was renamed the Neil and Nancy Hartwick Memorial Fund, and their wish was to support the concert band via memorial contributions, Mark said.
“We've named the fund the Neil and Nancy Hartwick fund in honor of both of them," Mark said. "And former students contribute to that fund that we pay, we have other people as well, of course, and to keeping their legacy going.”
The concert band will play a seven-week free series at Centennial Park at 7 p.m. every Wednesday through the summer.
To donate, please make your check payable to: The Batavia Concert Band, and Mail to: Batavia Concert Band, PO Box 1705, Batavia, NY, 14021-1705. On the bottom of your check, please indicate the name Nancy Hartwick. Or those with a Venmo account, send to @bataviaconcertband.
It was another grey, smoky day in Genesee County on Thursday, including along Route 20 in Bethany, as weather patterns again pushed smoke from wildfires in Canada into New York.
An air quality advisory is in place and is expected to remain in effect until midnight on Friday.
The projected air quality index could reach 151 for fine particulates.
The National Weather Service states, "The higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern. When pollution levels are elevated, the New York State Department of Health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease."
Photo by Alison Lang, on Goodman Road, Alexander, who noticed the juxtaposition of dense smoke hanging over Genesee County from Canadian wildfires and beef cattle in a field.
One of the oldest wood structures in Batavia, built in 1809, stands at 4 Mix Place, and owner Ed Smart wants to restore the residence to its "glory" and operate his architectural firm out of it as well. Photo by Howard Owens.
When Ed Smart initially saw his prospective new abode at 4 Mix Place, there was an obvious misgiving about the place.
“The first time I walked through it, it was raining inside the building,” he said during an interview with The Batavian Wednesday. “We appreciate beautiful buildings, so I'd love to see this thing restored to its glory and then some. It's just a beautiful piece of property. And, you know, over the time that I have owned it, I've invested in it, even without being able to use it, until I know I can use it for the use I want.”
And what he wants, which he has officially requested as smartDESIGN Architecture with a letter to the city, is to move his architectural company into the premises that are zoned residential 1A and obtain a zoning code update to amend that to residential 3 to allow for professional offices in that section of the city.
Smart is requesting to amend a section in the zoning code to read “offices for attorneys, physicians, dentists, another similar professional, not exceeding four offices in a single structure.” The current code does not include “and other similar professionals” in that section.
City Manager Rachael Tabelski recommended to City Council this week that if the group opted to grant the request, it may also want to consider including 1 Mix, a single-family residence, and 3 Mix, a two-building, eight-unit apartment building, to bring them into the R-3 district for zoning compliance.
Smart wants to bring his staff of about 11 people plus himself — give or take, depending on business needs at any given moment — and set up shop at the Mix Place site.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Formerly a residence with ample grounds and gardens, trees and smaller buildings, the site was built in 1809 by Ebenezer Mix, and has been a single-family residence and fixture for decades, until the last several years, when left unoccupied it has been vandalized, heavily damaged, and then discovered by Smart. It failed to sell at an auction before he made an offer and purchased it about two years ago, he said.
“I fixed quite a few things that needed attention. There were thieves and vandals that got in there and stole the copper, and they left a big hole in the roof where they ripped the vent stack out of the roof water had just been dumped in there, and it completely destroyed two rooms, and it partially destroyed a couple of others.
"So I fixed the roof, it was all hot water heat before, which of course, was covered, so I got some heat in there and then also ran dehumidifiers around the clock for months, actually. So then dried it out. And so it's been warm and dry,” he said. “And, then also, we've done some maintenance around the property. So, again, just trying to be a good neighbor, before we can get in there, we took out a whole lot of dead trees, where limbs were falling and things like that, but maintaining the attractive trees that are in there, with no intention of clear-cutting like that it’s too beautiful of a yard. We recently put a roof on the shed … and are working on a roof now for the little gazebo in the back, which is a beautiful little building, so I keep trying to keep things neat over there.”
He sent out a letter to the surrounding neighborhoods earlier this month to introduce himself and his intentions and to invite residents the opportunity to call or email him with questions, comments and concerns. To date, he has only heard positive feedback, he said.
SmartDESIGN does not get a lot of in-person visitors, he said, and oftentimes staff is off-site to tend to customer needs, so he does not expect there to be an issue with traffic. One employee works in Arizona, two others in Central New York that commute one day per week, and remote work is encouraged, he said. The company has been located on Harvester Avenue in Batavia for 19 years.
His firm “delivers architectural and design services throughout the United States,” he said in his application. “On an average day, there will be five to seven people in the office. With a full office, parking for 10 vehicles would be necessary and can be accommodated at the property.
His intent is to maintain the historic character of the building, he said, including “all roofs, windows, doors, siding and shutters” that will be repaired, and “the entire building will be painted with a “historically-appropriate color palette.”
Despite that first glimpse of a raining interior, why here? “So when I made the decision that I was going to start looking, (4 Mix Place) popped up on our radar, and we went and took a look … nobody else really had the will to take this project on. There's certainly people that have the finances, but those people didn't have the will. So this is something where I really, really liked this building, I really liked that spot in the city. I think our use is a good fit for the community, and I think we can bring that building back to its past glory,” Smart said. “I would like to have a community opening next year to celebrate our 20th anniversary. We would love to celebrate it in that building.
“One of the things I’d like to emphasize is that anything that we do in that space isn’t anything that couldn’t be undone in the future. This house has been there for 200 years, and it’s going to have a life after me, but it will be my final home and will be here for the life of my business.”
Smart encourages neighborhood residents to contact him with comments at (585) 345-4067, Ext. 112 or by email at esmart@smartdesignarchitecture.com.
City Council is expected to vote on his request, which may include being forwarded to the city’s Planning & Development Committee, during its next meeting on July 10.
Hollwedel Memorial Library is hosting a professional summer reading magic show, open to the community, on Monday, July 10 at 6 p.m., at the Hollwedel Memorial Library, located at 5 Woodrow Drive, Pavilion.
The show, titled “Yes I Can” is being used as part of the library’s efforts to encourage children to read more during the summer. Admission is free, seating availability permitting.
The magic show, presented by professional magician Cris Johnson, will feature music, age-appropriate humor, fun magic, audience participation, and more. The show is intended for children ages 4-12 and any fun-loving adults.
“This particular magic show is something different – it was designed to promote our summer reading program theme of "All Together Now’,” Library Director Josselyn Borowiec explains. “Cris Johnson comes dressed in a fun costume, and the show will feature magic themed around different aspects of togetherness, a strong pro-reading, a fun FREE magic trick for every child who attends, an amazing effect where several kids help with a magic jigsaw puzzle, and more!”
Why did magician Cris Johnson go to the trouble of creating an entire show around the 2023 Summer Reading Program theme? “I’ve been creating and presenting themed shows to libraries and schools across North America for nearly 20 years and it’s a passion of mine,” Cris explains. “With budget cuts increasing all the time, we as a community really need to support our local libraries, encourage children to read more, watch less TV, and protect our children’s future.”
Pictured: Lilly Liles (left) and Tammy Wells (right)
Press Release:
When Tammy Wells, Vice President of Byron Ladies Auxiliary heard about a local girl needing some help, she shared Lilly Liles’ story at the May meeting. It was decided at that meeting that Lilly and her family would be the recipient of the Memorial Day’s 50/50 drawing. In addition, a jar was also set out to collect any additional donations to Lilly and her family that day.
Lilly Liles, is the daughter of Nicole Kulzer and Bradley Liles. Lilly has been slowly losing her hearing since she was a young girl. Lilly, age 21, now has profound hearing loss bilaterally (both ears). With such severe hearing loss, Lilly is not able to hear a phone ring, someone calling her name, or a smoke alarm.
Her parents needed to find a way to keep her safe, especially when she is alone. Luckily the family learned of an organization that provides service dogs to folks like their daughter, Canine Companions.
Lilly and her family received a lengthy application with many questions that serve to see how and if a service dog and Lilly will be a good fit. The family completed the required documentation and on March 30 Lilly was accepted into their program.
With the initial first steps completed Lilly and her family learned that for Lilly to receive a service dog, she must travel with her family to Orlando, FL, and remain there for two weeks of intense team training.
Once there she will train with multiple hearing dogs. At training, Lilly will learn the skills to handle and control her service dog, correct his/her behavior, and how to provide quality care to her dog.
Although Lilly will not have to pay for her dog, she and her family will be responsible for covering the cost of transportation to and from Orlando, food for the 2-week period, and field trip costs. Fortunately, the organization has complimentary housing for the family.
When Lilly finally receives her service dog she and her family will also have many new expenses such as food, vet care, recertifications, inspections, and follow-up visits with Canine Companions. However, Lilly’s service dog will be able to assist her not only at home but also at school and work and she can finally be safe being alone, which will give her much more independence.
The New York State Department of Health recommends that with the reduced air quality, everyone should limit his or her outdoor activities to reduce exposure. Masks will be available to the public at the following locations in Genesee and Orleans Counties during normal business hours while supplies last.
Genesee County- Business Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Emergency Management Office, 7690 State Street Road, Batavia
County Building 2, 3837 West Main Street Road, Batavia
Old Courthouse, 7 Main Street, Batavia
Office for the Aging, 2 Bank Street, Batavia
Orleans County- Business Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Orleans County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 West, Albion
The New York State Department of Health provides the following tips to stay safe:
Limit time outdoors
Keep windows and doors closed
Avoid strenuous activities outdoors, especially for those with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory health issues
Avoid prolonged exposure outdoors, especially for those with health vulnerabilities, such as cardiovascular disease or lung disease, and those who are pregnant
For those that must be outside for a prolonged period of time, wear a tight fitting mask
Exposure to reduced air quality can pose negative health risks, including:
Irritation to eyes, nose, or throat
Coughing
Sneezing
Runny nose
Shortness of breath
Individuals with symptoms or related health concerns should contact their healthcare provider.
