Women in recovery who are seeking reunification with their children can be encouraged by the networking that exists among provider agencies in Western New York.

That was the message conveyed Thursday at the quarterly meeting of the GOW Opioid Task Force at The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road in the Town of Batavia.

About 35 people attended the meeting – titled “Parent and Family Resources in Our Communities" -- which was the first in-person gathering for the three-county group since January 2020.

Professionals representing Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Erie and Niagara counties spoke about the services offered by their agencies.

“A lot of women who find out that they're pregnant while in medically assisted treatment or in active use are afraid to ask for help because of the stigma that surrounds them,” said Jessica Budzinack, case manager at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. “So, we decided to develop a plan that has case management, parent/family support, childcare supports and other services to provide a continuum of care for these people.”

Budzinack specializes in services for pregnant and post-partum women, and for those who have had children born with exposure to substances.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

She said that GCASA has connected with Dr. Davina Moss-King of Positive Direction & Associates in Buffalo, who works with patients and babies suffering from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital.

“We have seen that she (Dr. King) was making a difference in Erie County, and we wanted to know what we can do to meet the need in our rural counties,” Budzinack said. “She has trained our team and we implement the positive direction model here at GCASA.”

The positive direction model focuses on accountability and education – giving women the tools to be successful in their recovery and, ultimately, as parents.

Budzinack said she has worked with dozens of women, including many that have an active Child Protective Services case.

“If someone has an open CPS case while pregnant and it is still active when she gives birth, that child also becomes part of that investigation,” she said. “This is to protect the child from the possibility of ‘derivative neglect’ or abuse. The Office of Children and Family Services has a form that I complete with the participants that outlines a plan of safe care – showing all of the programs and services being offered to the parents.”

She said GCASA has provided such services to nine women over the past 10 months, with only one infant having to stay past the five days that New York State requires for observation. None of those babies had to go to the NICU.

“So, we believe we are making a difference by implementing this model here at GCASA,” she added. “A lot of women – and men – are learning how to be a parent all over again, with some having young children who also have experienced the life of addiction and now are recovering themselves.”

CHILDCARE SERVICES AVAILABLE

GCASA offers family relationship peer coaches who provide support in various areas (such as transportation and assistance with the legal system and Department of Social Services) and teach ways for parents and children to communicate with each other, she said.

Additionally, Budzinack mentioned GCASA’s childcare center in Batavia, which operates Monday through Friday, and allows parents to drop off their young children – 8 weeks to 12 years old – up to three hours per day.

“The children are trained in cognitive play – which means that they learn while they play,” she said. “It’s not just a drop-off site where people sit there and stare at the kids until they're ready to get picked up. They actually have a lot of fun.”

The childcare program also offers special activities, such as trips to the zoo or family game nights, through The Recovery Station.

“We all work closely together; we all talk to each other all the time. And we all just look at each individual and see what their needs are, and talk with each other to see how they can be met,” she advised. “It’s all about rebuilding relationships and becoming effective parents while sober.”

Dawn Stone of Spectrum Health & Human Services, a peer specialist providing mentoring services to those in recovery in Wyoming County, said she works across systems to identify effective treatment plans for mothers, fathers and children.

“We work with Hillside Children’s Center, which deals with families with developmental issues, and we also have what’s called Lighthouse Station, where pregnant moms who don’t have a place to stay – and would otherwise be in jail – can deliver their babies in a non-jail setting,” she said. “We also work with other counties to learn about their programs and refer families to when they come to us.”

THRIVING NETWORK IN BUFFALO AREA

One of those agencies is Buffalo-based Caz Recovery, which was represented at the meeting by Angela Angora, director of Reintegration Services, and Morgan King, program manager at Madonna House, a 17-bed rehabilitation facility for women and women with children in Lockport.

Angora, a Genesee County resident, shared that her mother became addicted to crack cocaine in the early 1990s, a time when there weren’t many treatment and recovery programs.

She said things have changed dramatically over the years, noting that Caz Recovery offers Casa Di Vita, a 19-bed reintegration program for women in Buffalo and Somerset House, a 17-bed reintegration program in Appleton.

“We do accept women that are pregnant, however, they would have to come back with the baby here,” she said. “With this program, the women have more autonomy, they're able to go out into the community and they have community time for visits with their family.”

At each location, Caz Recovery staff provide specialized services to help women get their lives back in order and reach the point of reuniting with their children and learning parenting skills, she said.

“After individuals complete our rehabilitation program, our community residences – congregate settings – focus on volunteering, job placement and outpatient counseling, and they receive their services off site,” Angora added. “This is where you will see a greater focus on that family involvement.”

Caz Recovery also offers supportive living, with 40 beds in Erie County and 14 beds in Niagara County, serving women and men with children, as well as a housing program for families ready for that important step, she said.

BIG PLANS FOR ORLEANS COUNTY

Shannon Ford, GCASA’s director of Communications & Development, shared that the local agency will be opening a women’s residence in Orleans County next year.

“We’re hoping to have a lot of those same kind of services available for women in our rural communities,” she said. “Currently, we work with Spectrum to help those in Wyoming County coming into our residential programs, but we have not been able to offer anything specifically for women and children to this kind of level.

“So, we’re extremely excited to model our programs after that. And I'm very grateful that GCASA has been able to make referrals over many years to Madonna House.”

For more about programs for women and children in this area, contact Budzinack at 585-813-8583 or at jbudzinack@gcasa.org.

Photo: Speakers at the recent meeting of the GOW Opioid Task Force are, from left, Christen Foley, task force coordinator; Dawn Stone of Spectrum Health & Human Services, Jessica Budzinack of GCASA, and Morgan King and Angela Angora of Caz Recovery.

Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for GCASA.

The longtime Darien judge is also comfortable driving a commercial truck, teaching across the country, embracing the role of grandpa, serving on a variety of boards, charming honey bees, and mowing the enormous greens at Terry Hills.

Though he has already retired, his friends and colleagues want to wish him well with a retirement party next month.

He shared a piece of advice he received that seems to have worked well in his many endeavors.

“I had a fire chief one time, he told me when you're looking at that burning building, and you’ve got to figure out what kind of help you need as far as mutual aid, he always used to say, turn your back when you make the decision. Don't ever make the decision when you're looking at the fire,” Graber said during an interview with The Batavian. “I never forget that because, you know, it's just one of those things where it gives you a chance to take a breath and, you don't make that snap decision. So more than once during something, I just had to make sure that I did that.”

A Critical Move to Small and Rural 
A native of Lancaster, Graber moved to Darien in 1970. He remembers watching the nearby missile sites and hearing hydraulics lifting missiles into an upright position. He was interested in the fire department and joined Darien Fire Company at 16, moving swiftly to assistant fire chief by the time he was 21. His mom moved him and five siblings to Darien after a divorce, shifting his school experience from being in a class of 365 kids to less than a quarter of that.

“For me, this town was something special, because I really question you know, when I lived in Lancaster, whether I would even make it through high school. When I came out here I went to a school that had 74 in our class, so it was really a big difference,” he said. “Folks took me under their wing, got me involved in the fire company. I did well with that.”

At the still-tender age of 24, he became a town justice when another justice also ran for town board, and that was a conflict of interest to hold both roles. So the other justice went on the board, Graber was asked to run for justice, and he jumped in with both feet, campaigned hard and won the justice seat by 150 votes. That job and the fire company position gave him valuable experience beyond his actual duties, he said.

“My heart is for this community; it gave me opportunities I don’t think I ever would’ve had,” he said. “People were good to me, they taught me things. I learned to be an early riser … how to just work hard.”

Training, and Adjustment
Hands-on training was a main factor in learning the ropes, he said, and there were yearly mandatory training courses to keep up-to-date on legal matters. Darien was more of a sleepy little town before Darien became a Six Flags theme park. The community really began to change then, he said.

“When the park exploded, I handled everything,” he said. “There were plenty of jury trials.”

He stepped back in time to when Pantera, a famous rock band led by Phil Anselmo, had a court case that stemmed from performing at the amphitheater. Every time there was a court hearing, “every kid in the world knew who he was, and they were looking through the windows,” he said. Anselmo came up from New Orleans and fully participated in the case, Graber said. Apparently, a guard had gotten hit by a microphone during a show.

How to prevail amidst the commotion of celebrity? As with any other case, “make sure you stay up on your education,” Graber said.

“Stop and look it up, review procedure,” he said. “As time went on, it changed. I just had an active interest in what we were doing. I just had a job you have to work at.”

Of all of the legal training he had taken, it was Leadership Genesee that possibly taught him the most. He never saw himself as a teacher, and the leadership class — he’s a 2005 graduate — brought out some hidden talents that had been under wraps, he said.

“It helped me to dig in there more to teach,” he said. “It was such a life-changer; it pulled out things I never thought I had in me.”

A year later he was nominated for Outstanding Alumnus, sort of “fell into being a commercial truck driver,” and become a truck terminal manager in 2008. That hands-on work certainly equipped him to teach about commercial truck driving law, ensuring that convictions were being properly recorded.

That all culminated in teaching for National Judicial College, which took Graber to 15 states. As time went on, he said that it became apparent that the Court Clerks Association could also benefit from his lessons. As a member of the state Magistrate’s Association since 2003, Graber was appointed as vice president, president and director during his four-plus decades with the group.

“We did a lot of legislative work for the benefit of our courts,” he said. For 11 years, he had an issue in particular — focusing on underage drinking — that was never successful in a legal sense.

“All we wanted to do was to get those involved to take alcohol awareness classes,” he said. “I learned a lot with that; we wanted to be more restorative than punitive.”

One year there were 800 people cited for underage drinking, he said. Restorative justice, through Genesee Justice, and Drug Court evolved out of those efforts. Those underage kids weren’t put in jail, but had to pay a $50 fine and take the class, he said. Most of the time, “their parents would make sure it got done,” he said.

In his 42-year career, Graber never lost an appeal, and his decisions were always upheld. That is something he is proud of, he said. His constant objectives were to be open-minded, remain current on the law and keep up with related education, especially regarding commercial truck licenses and accidents.

A Busy Retirement
“I’m proud to serve my community. And I’m going to do that as an ambassador of the University of Nebraska. I just enjoy it, to go out and talk to these judges and clerks, I just absolutely love it,” he said. “This is all about reducing crashes and saving lives. Last year crashes were up by 13 percent. It gives us a chance to look at things a little differently. We want the public’s trust and confidence.”

"Education, education, education" is the most important thing to keep in mind, he said. Don’t try to take shortcuts.

“We’re the folks that people see more than anyone else; they’re going to remember that,” he said of town justices. “Just handle each case individually. Look at each defendant and decide their case individually, and not to be appealed in criminal cases.”

Graber, who has a partner, Kathy, lives on seven acres of property that blooms “lots of sunflowers,” zinnias and the like — anything that might keep his honey bees and butterflies happy. He has two sons, Matthew, a retired sergeant of the U.S. Army, and Jason, a battalion fire chief. There’s likely to be travel in the future, to visit Graber’s two grandchildren in Tennessee.

His hobby of mowing at Terry Hills golf course puts that early riser in him to good use: from 3 to 7 a.m. three days a week, and periodically with a couple of baby foxes keeping him company; a new role as a board member of GCASA, plus remaining on the County Parks Advisory and Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union boards ought to occupy some of his remaining free time.

He doesn’t consider any of it work: it’s just “giving back.” Graber’s philosophy, as an elected official, has been to remember “who we’re doing these jobs for.” “We’re public servants,” he said.

He enjoys his community and has appreciated working in Genesee County with “a good group of criminal justice agencies like Genesee Justice,” he said.

“Because of the options, maybe someone could take a plea when otherwise they would have gone to court. I was just happy to be in this county,” he said. “Tomorrow, I’m going fishing for the first time since I was a kid.”

File photos of Gary Graber in his Darien Town Justice role being sworn in with the state Magistrates Association and laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

Snippets from Gary Graber's Bio ...
Justice Gary Graber has served as the town justice for the Town of Darien, New York, since January 1980. He is a past member of the Town and Village Court Education Curriculum Committee and has taught criminal and administrative courses for the New York State Judicial Institute and the New York State Office of Court Administration.

Justice Graber continues to be very active in the development and training of topics relating to commercial driver’s licenses and commercial motor vehicles, including the development of sentencing charts that assist the New York courts in properly disposing of cases that involve commercial motor vehicles equipment violations. As an alumnus and faculty member of the National Judicial College since 2008, he continually instructs judicial personnel both in their home states and virtually on all matters related to the commercial driver’s license.

He is an honorary member of the New York State Magistrates Court Clerks Association. He has received many awards, including the Leadership Award from the Genesee County Magistrates, the 2005 Magistrate of the Year Award, the 2006 Criminal Justice Award from Genesee County Alcohol and Substance Abuse, the 2006 Leadership Genesee Outstanding Alumnus Award, and the 2013 Kevin E. Quinlan Award for Excellence in Traffic Safety.

Color Run, RC Racing, Pig Races and much more highlight Monday at Genesee County Fair.

The parade is featured this evening for events, starting at 6:30 pm. 

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Daily at the Fair:

• Air Sculpture (Balloon Display and Demonstrations) (All Day, Every Day)
• Pig Racing – Show Schedule (SAT: 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, SUN: 3pm, 7pm, MON: 3pm, 7pm, TUES: 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, WED: 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, THURS: 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, FRI: 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, SAT: 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm)
• Niagara Down Under (All Day, Every Day)
• Pony Rides (All Day, Every Day)
• Chain Saw Carver (All Day, Every Day)
• Fame Racing Schedule – Saturday: 2,4,6 Sunday: 2,6 Monday: 2,6 Tuesday: 3,5,7 Wednesday: 1,3,5,7 Thursday: 3,5,7 Friday: 1,3,5,7 Saturday: 1,3,5
• Johnny Muttville Comix Schedule – Saturday: 1, 3:30, 5:30, Sunday: 1, 4, 5:30, Monday: 1:30, 4, 5, Tuesday: 2, 4:30, 6:30.

Tuesday, July 26th– CELEBRATE 4H DAY/Chapin Manufacturing Day

• 8:30 AM—4H Market Goat Show (Main Show Ring)
• 10 AM—4_H Market Hog Show (Main Show Ring)
• 10 AM – Exhibition Halls & Buildings Open
• 4 PM—4_H Market Steer Show (Main Show Ring)
• 4 PM—10 PM—MIDWAY OPEN
• 6 PM – Parade Line Up  (Racing Pit Area)
• 6:30 PM – Genesee County Fair Parade —Around Fairgrounds
• 7 PM—Karaoke (Entertainment Tent)
• 10 PM – Exhibit Halls & Buildings Close

​Events & times on the schedule and this website are subject to change. Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with changes.

Storm clouds over Pembroke about an hour before sunset.

Photo by Patricia Morgan.

Joanne Meiser took this sunset picture from Indian Falls Cemetery looking across to the WNY National Cemetery.

Photos by Kristin Smith.  For more, click here.

With construction season in full swing, progress on the Ellicott Station development is more visible.

Crews have begun framing apartments in the four-story complex that is part of the $25 million project. 

Besides the apartments, other buildings on the property -- a combination of the former Della Penna building and the Santy Tire location -- will include office space and a restaurant/brewery.

The four-story apartment building will contain 55 units, including 52 with balconies, and nine units meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. There will be 37 garage parking spaces and 44 surface parking spaces, a laundry room, an elevator, a community room, bicycle storage, and an enclosed ADA playground.

The developer is Savarino Companies, a firm in Buffalo that specializes in rehabilitating brownfield properties and old industrial buildings. 

The apartments are expected to house workforce residents with $30,000 to $40,000 in annual earnings.

Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Water Department will be shutting down water service today in the area of Richmond
Avenue and Prospect Avenue for emergency water main repairs..

The length of time the water will be off is unknown.

As always, when the water is restored it may be discolored. Please refrain from doing any laundry until
the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated.

One person was killed and another seriously injured when a motorcycle struck a deer at 8:16 p.m. Sunday on Cockram Road, Byron.

Daylin Fagundo-Rodriguez, 28, of Byron, was pronounced dead at the scene, and Leland L. Fuller IV, 30, of Byron, was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

According to State Police, Fuller was driving a 1998 Harley Davidson eastbound on Cockram Road, with Fagundo-Rodriguez as a passenger, when a deer entered the roadway and was struck by the motorcycle. 

Both occupants were ejected.

The deer was also killed by the collision.

The New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating, and this is an ongoing investigation.

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.

Press release from the Automobile Association of America:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $4.36, down 17 cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $3.16. The New York State average is $4.58, down 12 cents since last Monday. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.19. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $4.52 (down 10 cents from last week)
• Buffalo - $4.58 (down 11 cents from last week)
• Elmira - $4.60 (down 11 cents from last week)
• Ithaca - $4.71 (down 9 cents from last week)
• Rochester - $4.68 (down 10 cents from last week)
• Rome - $4.76 (down 7 cents from last week)
• Syracuse - $4.65 (down 8 cents from last week)
• Watertown - $4.75 (down 9 cents from last week)

According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand increased last week but was lower than this time last year and was more in line with the demand seen in mid-July 2020, when COVID-19 regulations curbed demand. Additionally, total domestic gasoline socks increased, signaling that low demand led to growth in inventory last week. If demand remains low as stocks increase, alongside a continuing reduction in crude oil prices, drivers will likely see pump prices continue to decline.

From Gas Buddy:

“Gas prices continue falling coast to coast, with the national average last week declining for the sixth straight week, or 40 days in a row. The national average is now down an astounding 70 cents in that timeframe," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "I have no reason yet to expect the decline won't reach seven straight weeks, as gas stations still have plenty of room to decline as oil prices remain under $100 per barrel. However, should the tropics become more active, the decline could eventually reverse. In addition, this week we'll see GDP data for the second quarter, and if it's better than expected, we may see oil rally, slowing the descent. For now, nine states are seeing average prices under $4 per gallon, a number that will rise this week, with over 40,000 stations under that level, keeping $266 million per day in motorists’ wallets versus mid-June."

A talent show at Genesee County Fair seemed like good entertainment for Webster resident Paul Wallach and his date, Jackie.

It was their third time together, as they sat watching various age groups of children to adults take to the stage for some instrumental, dance, comedy and aerial acts.

Wallach didn’t need to see any more after the aerial act, performed by 13-year-old Corinne Rhoads of Le Roy on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s the best act of the day,” he said, after quietly yet audibly judging each performer. “Hard to top that.”

Corinne began with ballet and tap classes around 5, she said, followed by freestyling and hip-hop, finally onto aerial arts — her rest stop for now. She enjoys the movement and believes it’s good exercise.

“It’s something people don’t typically see; I get to teach people new things,” she said just after her performance. “My mom’s a massage therapist and she knows about muscles. She’s told me everything I need to do.”

Her time to shine wasn’t actually on the stage, but on a large hoop suspended in the air by a metal support structure alongside of it. She moved within the circular showpiece, doing a combination of ballet and gymnastics moves. She has won this talent show once before with aerial arts. It’s something the teen wants to continue, she said.

“I would like to pursue a circus camp that goes around the world,” she said.

During her performance, Wallach gave high marks for her flow of movements. He also critiqued one young pianist who jumped off the bench once the song was finished — “She should have held that note” — and complimented another one who held that last note and sat still for a moment before getting up to leave.

The Webster couple wasn’t the only one to travel for the talent show, some fair treats, animal shows, rides and exhibits. Lisa Oberer of Oakfield was with her daughter and granddaughter Natalie, 3, from North Chili, and a mom and son duo in the talent show drove an hour from Buffalo.

Natalie seemed to be enjoying the show — especially the music — as she smiled and clapped to the beat. Valeria Owens had been looking forward to the competition, which featured her son Avantae playing “Cuckoo” as a solo on piano, and later “Lightly Row” as a duet with his mom.

Avantae, 9, has been taking lessons from “Miss Laura” Kauppi of Corfu, the main organizer of the talent show. After performing in some of his teacher’s recitals and scoring a "perfect" during a graded event, mom was encouraged to enter him in the fair show.

“She’s been an amazing teacher for him,” Valeria said. Avantae added that he practices “probably almost every day.”

The show went well, and they walked away with prizes (more on that in a minute), but mom was looking forward to other entertainment as well.

“I want to get on some rides, I want food, I’m a thousand percent excited,” she said with a big smile while pointing east of the yellow-and-white big tent. “I want to get on that Ferris wheel, and the upside-down ride.

“I wanted to support Miss Laura,” she said. “We’ve never been to Genesee County Fair, I’m so excited.”

Fair Committee co-organizer Norm Pimm didn’t have exact numbers just yet but reported good news as of Sunday evening.

“Saturday was our best opening day in years,” he said. “Sunday was very strong as well.”

The fair continues every day through Saturday. Here's the schedule 

And the winners were …

Tiny Tot (6 and under): 

1st Place was a tie for

• Maisie Kho - piano
• Azalea Sieczkarski - piano

Mini (7-12):

3rd Place was a tie for

• Hiba Waqas - piano
• Kataleaya Slaughter - piano

2nd Place was also a tie for

• Avantae Owens - piano 
• Kataleaya Slaughter and Azalea Sieczkarski - dance 

1st Place

• Chelsie Kho- piano

Maxi category

3rd Place was a tie for

• Haris Waqas -piano
• Shane Coast- piano

2nd Place

• Corinne Rhoads - aerial arts

1st Place

• Gabriella Zocco - dance

Adult category

1st Place

• C.M. Waide - comedy 

2nd Place

• Valeria and Avantae Owens - piano duet

Top photo: Comedian C.M. Waide of Batavia delivers some laughs during the talent show  Saturday at Genesee County Fair. Le Roy teen Corinne Rhoads performs aerial arts; Valeria and Avantae Owens of Buffalo perform a duet; Natalie Oberer of North Chili claps to the music with Lisa Oberer of Oakfield; other participants in the show, with piano teacher and event organizer Laura Kauppi behind in black. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Daily at the Fair:

• Air Sculpture (Balloon Display and Demonstrations) (All Day, Every Day)
• Pig Racing – Show Schedule (SAT: 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, SUN: 3pm, 7pm, MON: 3pm, 7pm, TUES: 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, WED: 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, THURS: 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, FRI: 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, SAT: 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm)
• Niagara Down Under (All Day, Every Day)
• Pony Rides (All Day, Every Day)
• Chain Saw Carver (All Day, Every Day)
• Fame Racing Schedule – Saturday: 2,4,6 Sunday: 2,6 Monday: 2,6 Tuesday: 3,5,7 Wednesday: 1,3,5,7 Thursday: 3,5,7 Friday: 1,3,5,7 Saturday: 1,3,5
• Johnny Muttville Comix Schedule – Saturday: 1, 3:30, 5:30, Sunday: 1, 4, 5:30, Monday: 1:30, 4, 5, Tuesday: 2, 4:30, 6:30.

Monday, July 25th – VETERAN’S DAY AT THE FAIR

• 10 AM – Exhibition Halls & Buildings Open
• 2 PM—Color War (Lawn North of Fair Restrooms) Sponsored by LuGia’s on Wheels
• 3 PM—4-H FCS Club Activity (Kennedy Building)
• 4 PM—10 PM—MIDWAY OPEN
• 4 PM— 4-H Market Lamb Show (Main Show Ring)
• 6 PM—4-H Goat Agility (Main Show Ring)
• 7 PM—Karaoke (Entertainment Tent)
• 10 PM – Exhibit Halls & Buildings Close

Events & times on the schedule and this website are subject to change. Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with changes.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

Photos by Philip Casper

A group of protesters displaying signs lined both sides of the road in front of Cornerstone Church Sunday morning on Bank Street Road.

The protesters expressed their distaste for a group of people that are scheduled to speak at the location next month. The ReAwaken America Tour was recently cancelled in Rochester due to pressure on the venue operator from musical acts that canceled their appearances and pressure from the public. For prior coverage, go here for protest and here for the tour.

The tour has since relocated to Batavia at Cornerstone Church in the Town of Batavia. Many Christian leaders issued a message that they were against the event due to the controversial content talked about during the event. That reportedly has included unproven conspiracy theories and racist themes.

Jim Burns, organizer of the Batavia protest, said the protest group was created with the help of local pastors in the GLOW region, and they are hoping to reach members of the Cornerstone Church as they arrive for their Sunday morning sermon at 10 a.m.

"This group was put together and spearheaded by them," Burns said. "They were very upset and moved emotionally. Some were brought to tears saying they could not believe a church was hosting (the ReAwaken tour) to come in and talk like they are going to talk."

Burns says he wanted to be involved and organize the protest because of the division he is seeing along with the devaluation of human life.

"It's unbelievable to me, the people that are coming to this church in a couple weeks are sowing division. We need to stop this as a country," he said. "The Democratic party does it, the Republican party does it. It's time for it to stop, and as American citizens, we need to stop it. This is all about division and the hatred that comes with it. We are all Americans and shouldn't be enemies to ourselves."

Burns said he has no political or religious affiliations. He believes people have the right to assemble.

"Most people here are not going to like my view with that. We have the right to be here and the church has the right to host them, we all have the right to be heard, and that's the way America should work; it's not one side or the other saying the other side can't do that," he said. "I am out here protesting the people who are coming and their beliefs, absolutely one hundred percent. I am absolutely a nobody. I am just a citizen. Everybody here has their own personal reasons to be here, some are affiliated with other groups. They are here because of the racism; they are here because they think Batavia is a better town and shouldn't be hosting this."

Many protesters had their own reasons to show up to the Sunday protest.

"We've been here holding our signs spreading a message of love and tolerance. It's very encouraging because there are a lot of people in Batavia who don't stand for these terrible fascist, racist ideas, it's really good to see," said protester Logan Cole.

The protest started about 9:30 a.m. on Sunday as members of the Cornerstone Church were arriving for a 10 a.m. sermon. The church had security on hand and did have to intervene after a woman from the Cornerstone property crossed the road and attempted to pull a sign down from another woman’s face and take her photo. A member of the church with a radio responded across the street and collected the woman, telling her to not engage with protesters. She was escorted back onto the church property, which was roped off with yellow tape. The protest ended at about 10:15 a.m.

Top photo: Protesters displaying messages to members of Cornerstone Church as they arrived for service Sunday morning. A short time later a church member tried to pull down one woman's sign and take her photo (on the left). Otherwise, it was a fairly uneventful, peaceful protest for about 45 minutes at the Bank Street Road, Batavia church. Church security escorted the member back to the church as protesters continued on with their mission. Photos by Alecia Kaus.

There was one part about an upcoming boxcar race that especially appealed to Mason Dominiak, he said.

The 13-year-old likes speed.

“I like racing,” he said Saturday at Jackson Square in Batavia. “The adrenaline of going fast, I like going really fast.”

He and Adrian Tabelski were watching Adrian’s dad work to gradually put together a boxcar for them. The boys are participants of a first-ever Batavia Business Improvement District Boxcar Derby. Handmade creations will take off down the Ellicott Avenue hill at 9:30 a.m. sharp on Aug. 27.

Saturday was “Build Day,” and about 10 kids and their parents picked up their car kits and took them home to work on while the remaining 20 stopped by throughout the day to put their cars together with hands-on support from many BID committee members and community volunteers.

In between sounds of construction equipment, Adrian, 10, said that his participation was sort of a surprise.

“My mom signed me up,” he said.

Adrian in turn invited Mason to come along. They are sharing the initial duties of assembling and decorating a car, and both agreed that Adrian would be taking the wheel on race day. He has never been in a boxcar, but has “learned a lot about construction” during the day, he said.

Mason didn’t think he’d know as much as he did. Then again, he has worked on vehicles — four-wheeling is his favorite ride — and once had to take an entire engine out for a piston issue, he said. He will be there on race day to root on his friend. They began to brainstorm their car's exterior: how about black and gold with flames for a design, they agreed.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Mason said.

Committee member Lydia Schauf had telltale signs of sawdust on her black outfit. Using a saw, perhaps? No, drilling into wood.

“So we found out that they're doing the boxcar thing, and they were doing a build day. So we all came out and said that we’ll volunteer and help cut out templates, like my dad said, and just help build wherever we can with these kids,” she said. “It was fun to get out and try my hand at it.”

Lydia gave her dad, Rich Schauf, a nudge to join her in the effort. She also brought friend Marianne Pautler with her.

When asked if there had been any mishaps yet, Pautler smiled and nodded yes.

“I might have added a couple extra pieces here and there,” she said. “Those two extra pieces slid in. But hopefully it's been rectified. We went back through and pulled them out,” she said. “So yeah, just putting the kits together so that they're ready for the people to pick up or build here.”

Looking like he was ready to hunker down for some work, Rich Schauf, wearing a thick gray headband, happily obliged his daughter’s request, he said. He saw lots of enthusiasm during his time there.

“I thought it was a very worthwhile project,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of kids. And it's been really great to see these young kids and their excitement. I don't know if memory is still serving people about it, or if this will be new to people, but it's pretty exciting. And if you remember back in the day, it was quite good.”

There were stations with various tools and materials set up for the project, and several committee members and volunteers on hand to help. Participants each received a car kit, and BID merchants have been supportive of the idea, Executive Director Shannon Maute said. The race will be double elimination, which means several — about 50 — races on event day.

She and the others encourage spectators to join the fun and root for the kids. There will be tents set up and pizza and beverages for sale afterward as a “picnic in the park” BID style at Centennial Park, she said.

“We would like to make this a really large event. I mean, how fun cheering on these kids going down the hill, because what a feeling of a park filled with people cheering you on when you're going down this ramp,” she said. “I have challenged every child that I've come in contact with, because I built a car and I have challenged them to race me, so it's gonna be fun.”

She joked that she threw the gauntlet down to committee member Chris Suozzi, but believes that “he’s afraid to race me.”

The actual race is not in the downtown business district, she said, but merchants were OK with that. Ellicott Avenue has not only a nice hill that’s in the city but also was used years ago for similar races, she said.

“We had talked at length if anyone minded us doing (this) actually outside of the downtown area, but everyone was all for it because it's really more about the kids and not the district,” she said.

Other members Saturday included Jim Krencik, Lauren Becht, Gail Tenney, John Roche, and volunteers Don Cunningham, Jay Steinbrenner, Ron Galdun, Derek Ells, and TJ Henderson. Genesee Lumber cut and delivered the wood needed for the car kits.

The adults have taken care of all of the “logistics,” Krencik said, so that “the kids can focus on the hands-on skills that they’re learning by building the boxcars.”

“And then having a lot of fun racing them,” he said. “Our goal really was, for Build Day, to see the kids, their smiles as they’re walking away with these projects that they’re gonna dive into. And it’s going to be several hours of memories that I think are gonna really inspire them as they go through middle school, high school and, for my hat with GCEDC, to integrate into careers.”

As for the fun of it, someone suggested to him to think of the Little Rascals movie, in which the impish kids race boxcars. That sealed it for Krencik, he said, and that movie has fueled his zeal for the grand finale next month.

“It's really gonna be fun on August 27, to see these kids take off … it’s right at the corner of Centennial Park. But I liked that the race kind of goes towards the heart of the BID,” he said. “Because I think that's the energy that's right there. And it's getting more memories for those kids coming downtown like they are today.”

Parents, committee members, volunteers, and kids got together to build some boxcars Saturday at Jackson Square. Photos by Jim Krencik.

Daily at the Fair:

• Air Sculpture (Balloon Display and Demonstrations) (All Day, Every Day)
• Pig Racing – Show Schedule (SAT: 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, SUN: 3pm, 7pm, MON: 3pm, 7pm, TUES: 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, WED: 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, THURS: 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, FRI: 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, SAT: 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm)
• Niagara Down Under (All Day, Every Day)
• Pony Rides (All Day, Every Day)
• Chain Saw Carver (All Day, Every Day)
• Fame Racing Schedule – Saturday: 2,4,6 Sunday: 2,6 Monday: 2,6 Tuesday: 3,5,7 Wednesday: 1,3,5,7 Thursday: 3,5,7 Friday: 1,3,5,7 Saturday: 1,3,5
• Johnny Muttville Comix Schedule – Saturday: 1, 3:30, 5:30, Sunday: 1, 4, 5:30, Monday: 1:30, 4, 5, Tuesday: 2, 4:30, 6:30.

Sunday, July 24th – SENIOR CITIZEN DAY

• 9 AM—Open Class Poultry Show—(Merton Building)
• 10 AM—Open Class Rabbit Show—(Merton Building)
• 10 AM—WNY Garden Pullers Tractor Pulls (Grandstands)
• 10 AM – 4-H Beef Show (Main Show Ring)
• 10 AM – Exhibition Halls & Buildings Open
•  NOON – Open Class Beef Show (Main Show Ring)
• 1 PM—10 PM—MIDWAY OPEN
• 1 PM—Fair Queen Pageant (Entertainment Tent)
• 4 PM—The Big Pig Shindig Swine Show (Main Show Ring)
• 4 PM—7 PM—Monica Hall—Band (Entertainment Tent)
• 7 to 10 PM—Wail-ON Tribute to Waylon Jennings – (Entertainment Tent)
• 10 PM – Exhibit Halls & Buildings Close

Events & times on the schedule and this website are subject to change. Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with changes.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office Teen Academy Class of 2022 graduated 14 members on Friday afternoon at the Conable Technology Building at Genesee Community College in Batavia. 

Filling in for Sheriff William Sheron who is under the weather,  Chief Deputy Brian Frieday started the ceremony with a moment of silence for a 29-year veteran of the Rochester Police Department, Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz, who was ambushed by gunfire overnight in the City of Rochester and lost his life in the line of duty.

"This serves as a reminder that, unfortunately, there is danger in police work; not trying to push you away, that is the reality of the job," Frieday told the graduates.

After a pause in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the Teen Academy was moved to GCC and is now being run by Academy Director Deputy Richard Schildwaster. Deputy Matthew Butler started the program as the School Resource Officer at Byron-Bergen High School in 2018, and in 2019 Butler retired.

"Many people and organizations make this work, it's not put together in a week or even a month, this has been worked on for several months," Schildwaster said.

Frieday thanked GCC Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Karen Wicka for helping coordinate and provide the facilities, along with Genesee County Stop DWI for the funding and the county Legislature for supporting the Academy.

Frieday told students he was very thankful they chose to get involved in the criminal justice system.

"Without you guys we wouldn't have this program. You volunteer your time, take time out of your summer. It's nice and sunny out there, who wants to be running in 90-degree heat," he said. "You put forth the time and hard work and you came together as a team. Thank you for participating, it's what makes this a sucess."

Top photo: Celebrating their status as Teen Academy graduates are, from left to right front row: Quinn Woeller, Wendy Lagunas Perez, Kaylee Tundo, Mary Engelhardt, Lea Donofrio, Michael Ehrmentraut, Hannah Spencer and Grace Slocum, and left to right back row: Lukas Volkmar, Christopher Zastrocky, Ian Kepple, Halie Deville, Joey Schnitzer and Michael Covert. Genesee County Legislators Rochelle Stein and Gary Maha, also former county Sheriff, in the front row during a portion of the Teen Academy Friday, and a group of students listen during a related class at GCC. Photos by Alecia Kaus.