The Barber Conable Post Office Building in Batavia is 100 years old.

Construction of the post office began in 1916 with a $57,993 bid awarded to contractor George F. Rossell, of Rochester, according to the City of Batavia History book by Ruth M. McEvoy.

Because of World War I, Rossell had a hard time completing the project as he was beset by higher costs and construction supervisors who kept going off to war. He gave up in October 1917, voiding the contract.

Progress continued slowly under the supervision of E.D. Gray and it was finally ready for postal employees to relocate from a rented building on Jackson Street to their new headquarters.

The post office was built based on plans by John Taylor Knox, the former architect of the U.S. Treasury. He designed dozens of federal buildings during his career, including the post office in Buffalo and Niagara Falls. 

The cornerstone was laid in 1916 and bears the name of William G. McAdoo, who was Secretary of the Treasury, as "supervising architect."

A few post offices in other communities share common designs with our post office, including Live Oak, Fla., Fulton, Mo., and Menomonie, Wis.

The name of the post office was changed in 2004 by an act of Congress to the Barber Conable Post Office Building. Conable is a former congressman who represented our area and later became president of the World Bank.

Ironically, perhaps, according to McEvoy's book, the Batavia Daily News reported in 1970 that the area's congressman -- who would have been Conable at the time -- had promised the community a new post office building. "In 1990," McEvoy notes, "that promise had not been fulfilled."

When the post office first opened, it had a front porch area. It was enclosed in 1961.

The postmaster in 1919 was John F. Ryan. According to McEvoy, Ryan and his brother William opened a light shop at 79 Main St., Batavia, in 1898. In 1910, they installed an electrical device that opened and closed their shop windows automatically.

His daughter was Dr. Edith F. Ryan. She intended to open a practice in Philadelphia but war disrupted her plans. She opened an office on Jackson Street and was then appointed as a medical examiner for the school district. That helped her practice grow. She retired in 1957.

Batavia's first postmaster was James Brisbane, who handled postal duties through his general store. He eventually became a wealthy man and the current police headquarters is the former Brisbane mansion. His son Albert was a social reformer and his grandson was the famous journalist of the early 20th century, Arthur Brisbane, who is buried in the Historic Batavia Cemetery. Arthur was also Nellie Bly's editor. The Brisbane Family Papers (1819-1965) are in the Special Collections Research Center at Syracuse University.

The second postmaster was Ebenezer Cary followed by Trumbull Cary. The Cary Mansion, long destroyed, is commemorated by a historic marker on East Main Street.

In 1829, Simeon Cummings became postmaster. He also owned a harness shop in Batavia.

The next postmaster was William Seaver wrote what is perhaps the first history of Batavia in 1849. Another William Seaver, perhaps his son or possibly grandson, or maybe not related at all, took two pictures of Downtown Batavia that The Batavian previously published.

Following Seaver the postmaster was Levant B. Coates, who appears to have owned a drug store that was destroyed in a fire in 1833. 

Then came Frederick Follett, publisher of a local newspaper, Spirit of the Times, and the author of a book on the history of the press in Western New York.

The first woman postmaster was Elizabeth R. Erbland, who served from 1994 to 1998, followed by Catherine M. Maniace.

Today (top photo), current and former local postal employees gathered on the front steps of the building for a photo.

Do you know what else is 100 years old? The Upton Monument (watch the video).

John M. McGowan, Ph.D., of Batavia,  took leadership of Genesee Community College's BEST (Business and Employee Skills Training) Center effective Sept. 1.

This is an important transition time as the former director retired and the Center completed a critical analysis of its functionality, allowing McGowan to take the reins with some strategic new direction.

"Having been part of GCC for nearly 15 years and specifically, the last five as part of The BEST Center team, I am excited about the results of our FAR (Functional Area Review) assessment," said the new director of The BEST Center.

"In my new role, I will be able to implement changes to make program registration easier, allocate resources for new program development and so much more."

McGowan intends to use his creative staff to identify continuous improvement opportunities and pull together new and exciting training topics which are the lifeblood of community and workforce development.

The BEST Center offers hundreds of training courses throughout the year to individuals looking to enter a new field. For example, it offers the Dental Assisting Program, which prepares students for entry-level administrative jobs and serves as the ideal launching point into a Dental Hygienist program. You can advance a career through a number of Career Enrichment courses, or even take a class for leisure -- like any of the Drone courses.

In addition, The BEST Center provides Custom Workforce Solutions to support any business or organization looking to bolster employee and organizational performance and improve the bottom line. Businesses can contact the BEST Center for training needs assessments and consultations, work with skilled and experienced trainers to develop customized training plans and even count on the Center's equipped locations and laptops to deliver online and on-site custom training. 

McGowan earned his Doctor of Psychology with specialization in Sport and Performance Psychology from University of the Rockies in Denver in 2018. He earned a Master of Science in Education and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the SUNY College at Brockport in 2003 and 1994 respectively. He has an Associate Degree in Business Administration from GCC (1986). He is also a 2017 graduate of Leadership Genesee.

McGowan is a lifelong resident of Batavia and has four children (John Jr., Joseph, Michael and Jennifer) and seven grandchildren.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department along with other local agencies, will be offering free car seat inspections and education to parents and caregivers on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Fire Headquarters (18 Evans St.).

This event is part of National Car Seat Check Saturday, and will include instruction on how to choose the right car seats for children, with an emphasis on how to install them correctly.

Many parents and care givers assume they know how to choose and use the correct restraint for their child, but sadly these restraints are frequently used incorrectly. In fact, car crashes are a leading killer of children, and the latest research from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that nearly two out of three car seats are misused or installed improperly.

Beginning Nov. 1, all children age 2 and under will have to be secured in a rear-facing car seat per New York State Law.

It is recommended keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, up to the top height or weight allowed by their particular seats. It’s the best way to keep them safe.

Once a child outgrows the rear-facing seat, he or she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.

After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat, a child should ride in a booster seat until tall enough to fit in a seat belt properly.

The safest place for a child under the age of 13 is in the back seat.

National Seat Check Saturday is part of Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 15- 21). The week is dedicated to teaching caregivers and parents about the importance of correctly choosing, installing, and using car seats, booster seats, and seat belts.

Parents and caregivers will also be reminded of the importance of registering car seats with manufacturers so they can be notified in the event of a recall.

For further information please call the City of Batavia Fire Department at 585-345-6375.

A resident at 511 Ellicott St., Batavia, was seriously hurt in a 1:57 a.m. fire, according to City Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano.

The woman was rescued from a second-floor bedroom by firefighters shortly after the alarm came into City Station.

It took city crews about three minutes to arrive on scene, Napolitano said.

The victim was transported to UMMC by Mercy EMS and then transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital. Napolitano said he believed her to be in critical condition with lung damage.

Her name has not yet been released.

The fire may have started in the kitchen area, cause unknown at this time, but the fire is still under investigation, the chief said.

When the first crew arrived, heavy smoke and flames were showing from a first-floor window on the east side of the structure. Firefighters made an aggressive initial attack, he said, while other firefighters used a ladder to reach a second-floor window to rescue the woman who was trapped upstairs.

Five adults and one child lived in the two apartments, according to the chief, and the four other adults and the child escaped the fire unharmed.

All have been provided shelter by the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross will provide further assistance.

One apartment unit is still habitable, the chief said, but all utilities were cut off during the fire and have not yet been restored.

The fire quickly went to a second alarm and additional city crews responded. Alexander Fire's Fast Team also responded along with a heavy rescue truck from Le Roy Fire Department to assist with refilling air bottles. Town of Batavia fire filled in at the city fire station to cover city calls during the incident.

Batavia PD and Batavia DPW also assisted at the scene.

Photos by Frank Capuano.

Rachael Anderson shared this picture from this evening of sunset in Alabama.

During Saturday's Night of Champions at Batavia Downs, Western OTB President/CEO Henry Wojtaszek talked about the speed humps installed the day before on Park Road outside of the casino.

The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during the Rascal Flatts Concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Friday.

Jason E. Cook, 39 of Ritt Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with obstructing governmental administration, 2nd, harassment, 2nd, and disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting with Live Nation security while being ejected from the concert and refusing to be taken into custody. 

Patricia Cook, 46, of Ritt Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting with Live Nation security guards.

Joseph D. Gerace, 31, of Beatrice Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting with Live Nation security guards.

Matilda M. Martin, 44, of 15th Street, Buffalo, is charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting with Live Nation security.

The Local Drug Task Force has nabbed two suspected drug dealers they believe were operating in the Batavia area, one selling Adderall and suboxone and the other dealing in cocaine.

Chad S. Bzduch, 33, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with: criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd; criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd; criminal sale of a controlled substance, 5th; criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th; and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th.

Bzduch was arrested on a warrant after being spotted walking on Bank Street on Thursday by Batavia PD. He is accused of selling Adderall and suboxone to an agent of the task force on two occasions. He was allegedly found in possession of fentanyl at the time of his arrest. He was arraigned in Genesee County Court and released on his own recognizance.

Sergio I. Santana, 38, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd.

Santana was picked up on Ellicott Street on Thursday by Batavia PD. Santana is accused of selling cocaine to an agent of the task force on two occasions. He was arraigned in Genesee County Court and released on his own recognizance.

With nearly 500 local organizations in Chamber membership, we consider this the “who’s who in business” in Genesee County. Descriptions and contact information for small businesses, large corporations, nonprofits, municipalities and schools, all operating in Genesee County, all in one convenient publication!

Stop by The Chamber today to get your copy: Our office is located at 8276 Park Road, Batavia.

We are also pleased to announce the launch of our new Online Business Directory on www.geneseeny.com. With links to member websites, social media pages, emails, and phone numbers: the online directory is the perfect place to interact and learn more about local organizations right here in Genesee County!

Some member listings even have video and pictures to accompany their contact info, Check it out on website here.

The Genesee County Chamber is a not-for-profit organization that consists of nearly 500 local businesses and organizations. Whether you operate a small operation or a large corporation, a membership with the Genesee County Chamber is the perfect way to improve your visibility and make your business more engaged within Genesee County!

If you are interested in scheduling a tour to find out more information, please contact Steven Falitico at 585-343-7440 or by email at sfalitico@geneseeny.com

More membership information can also be found on our website under “Membership.”

Press release:

The Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame committee has selected the Class of 2019 honorees.

The 2019 Hall of Fame inductees will be introduced at halftime of the Batavia vs. Bishop Kearney homecoming football game on Friday, Oct. 4^th. Game time is 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Oct. 5^th, we will be hosting the Hall of Fame Dinner at Batavia Downs Banquet Facility. A social hour will begin at 5 p.m. with dinner served at 6 o'clock and the ceremony immediately following dinner.

The Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame 2019 Inductees:

• Elizabeth Varland, Class of 2002, Soccer, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field
• Ryan Gugel, Class of 2005, Football, Wrestling, Ice Hockey, Baseball
• Stephanie Conway, Class of 2003, Cross-country, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field
• Amanda Page, Class of 2006, Soccer, Basketball, Softball
• Sumiyya Hunter Roff, Class of 2004, Cross-country, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field
• Jennifer Gurrant, Class of 2005, Gymnastics, Cheerleading, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field
• Phillip Santiago, Class of 2003, Basketball

The cost of the Hall of Fame tickets is $35; tickets must be purchased by Friday, Sept. 27^th. 

To attend, purchase your Hall of Fame tickets in the Athletic Office at Batavia High School, locate at 260 State Street, or send a check there payable to: The Batavia Coaches Association.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact my office, (585) 343-2480, ext. 2003.

The Batavia Middle School Kindness Project is an effort by fifth- through eighth-graders at the school, led by teacher Sarah Gahagan, to spread a bit of warmth and joy.

The students look for opportunities to be kind to each other. 

Friday, Gahagan's class sent letters to a fifth-grader in Tennesee who is battling leukemia. The letter-writing effort followed a schoolwide "circle up" meeting on the theme of perseverance.

Gahagan said students discussed different levels of problems we have in our lives and successful coping strategies.

This year's Genesee County participants are:

1. David Burke art (David Burke, Ell Bee Arts (Lyndsay Baker), Miranda Fix (Linda Fix), at GO ART’s Tavern 2.o.1, 201 E. Main St., Batavia;
2. Ivy Lane/The Potter’s Nest (Jean Grinnell) – 3384 Broadway Road, Alexander;
3. Art a la Carte (Kimberly Argenta) – 39 Jackson St., Batavia;
4. Shelley Acquard Moore art (Shelley Acquard) – 9510 Alleghany Road, Corfu;
5. the ART of Mandy (Mandy Humphrey), 20 Main St., Le Roy;
6. Julie Lambert Coleman – 44 Summit St., Le Roy;
7. Eric Wulfgang – 23 Lincoln Ave., Le Roy;
8. Bethany Arts and Antiques (Terry Weber) – 5769 Ellicott Street Road, East Bethany.

For more information, contact GO ART! at 343-9313, or email Executive Director Gregory Hallock at: ghallock@goart.org

Taylor S. Wyder, 25, of Alleghany Road, Alabama, is charged with unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Following the investigation into a complaint of an adult serving alcohol to a minor at 1 a.m. on Sept. 16 on Alleghnay Road in Alabama, Wyder was arrested, then released on his own recognizance. An order of protection was issued against Wyder favor of the victim. Wyder is due in Alabama Town Court on Oct. 3. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Forsyth.

Colby L. Ellis, 30, of West Academy Street, Albion, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. Ellis was arrested at 4:35 p.m. on Sept. 13 on Apollo Drive in Batavia. He allegedly violated a stay-away order of protection during a traffic stop in the parking lot. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court at held on unspecified bail. He was due in Batavia City Court this afternoon (Sept. 16). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Schnell Alexandria Ogletree, 30, of Eagle Lane, Canillus, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree; driving while ability impaired by drugs; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree; speeding; and unlawful possession of marijuana in the second degree. At 9:14 a.m. on Sept. 14 on Clinton Street Road in Stafford following the alleged observation of a vehicle and traffic observation. She was subsequently arrested on the charges. She was taken to Genesee County Jail and evaluated by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Richard Schildwaster, a certified drug recognition expert. She was issued appearance tickets and is due in Stafford Town Court on Oct. 1. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Brock Cummins, assisted by Deputy Ryan DeLong, and also aided by Deputy Ryan DeLong and Deputy Chris Erion.

Jesse James Smoody, 43, of 8th Court, Westfield, Wis., is charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated -- with a BAC of .18 percent or more, and DWI. At 1:13 a.m. on Sept. 15, Smoody was arrested on Byron Holley Road in Byron following the welfare check on a male who had fallen off his morocycle in the parking lot of a convenience store. He was arrested and released on appearance tickets for Oct. 21 in Byron Town Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy David Moore.

Matthew C. Olcott, 40, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of drugs and criminal use of drug paraphernalia in the second degree. Olcott was arrested at 1:16 p.m. on Sept. 12 on Osterhout Avenue in Batavia after a search allegedly led to the discovery of narcotics paraphernalia. Olcott was taken to Batavia Police Department and processed, then released on an appearance ticket for Sept. 17 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Miah Stevens, assisted by Officer Adam Tucker. 

Somewhere in the city, Batavia police are responding to a complainant who called emergency dispatch after a having a verbal dispute with a neighbor about "children playing in the front yard."

Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, Northern Pennsylvania, and Vermont, is proud to announce its registration for the 2019 Clean Up the World (CUTW) program.

Established in 1993, CUTW is one of the largest community-based environmental programs in the world, uniting community groups, schools, businesses, and local governments to carry out activities that address local environmental issues. The organization inspired billions of people across all continents to tread lightly, clean up, and conserve the planet in addition to combating waste and plastic pollution.

In order to fulfill its commitment to the program Tops is hosting a Clean Up the World Weekend, Sept. 20-22, at all 159 of its stores across three states, including its two stores in Genesee County -- Batavia and Le Roy.

Over the course of the three days, 10,000 reusable bags made of 10-percent recyclable materials will randomly be given away, encouraging shoppers to use recycled bags over plastic. This is especially pertinent in New York State where a plastic bag ban is currently in legislation and set to go into effect in March.

Additionally shoppers will learn more about specific earth friendly brands available at Tops including Full Circle, Mrs. Meyers, Method, Seventh Generation and more as they make their own personal choices to make a difference in their own carbon footprint.

Lastly, Tops associates will be participating in environmental clean ups across the communities in which it serves. From river and beach clean ups to beautifying trails and parks, Tops is encouraging its associates to make a difference.

“At Tops Friendly Markets, social responsibility and sustainability have always been at the core of our mission, upholding standards that ensure we reduce environmental waste and energy consumption while providing our customers with sustainably sourced, high-quality products,” said Kathy Sautter, public and media relations manager for Tops Friendly Markets.

“We continue to make great strides in reducing our environmental impact in every facet of our business. For example we are able to reduce the amount of inedible food going back into landfills by recycling over 346 tons of inedible food and over 156 tons of unusable organic products this year alone.”

Across the chain, Tops raises its efficiencies in other ways as well by implementing energy efficient lighting which drastically reduces energy consumption throughout their stores properties. The chain began upgrading interior lighting to LED lights/fixtures thru a program with Lime Energy Services in several of its stores as well as its corporate offices and mailroom. In 2019 these retro-fittings now save over 1,909,725 kWh annually.

As Tops launched into a year of remodels in 2019 LED lighting continues to be used to ensure additional savings. LED lighting was also used in fuel canopies in 2019 helping to save over 181,000 kWh annually in exterior lighting as well.

Tops also took a look at how it could reduce the amount of refrigerant containing ozone depleting gases and retrofitted multiple systems companywide resulting in 20,000 pounds less for an overall 10-percent reduction. Overall the company was able to reduce its leak rates on these harmful refrigerants by 20 percent keeping 5,600 pounds out of the atmosphere.

Tops is also on track to exceed last year’s totals when it comes to recycling. So far this year alone the company has recycled more than 9,500 tons of cardboard and over 395 tons of plastic bags and film.

Photos and information from the VA Western New York Healthcare System:

The Batavia VA Medical Center hosted a "Cruising for Veterans" car show and healthcare enrollment event on Saturday (Sept. 14).

About 25 cars were displayed. Veterans from the three Community Living Centers on the campus were taken down from their lodge residences to view the cars.

Below, the 1963 silver Corvette is a rare car. Only about 6,000 of this type were made.  

DARIEN CENTER – Six Flags Darien Lake, the Thrill Capital of New York State, is taking no prisoners as it prepares for one of the biggest Halloween events in the nation. Fright Fest is so scary it is definitely NOT recommended for children 13 and under after 6 p.m.

Fright Fest 2019 begins Friday, Sept. 27 and ends Oct. 27 and it promises more bone-chilling terror than ever before featuring an all-new maze, Corridors of Chaos. Enter a post-apocalyptic future where society has crumbled and there are no rules as killers and creeps lurk around every corner.

All four fog-filled mazes transform park walkways into endless, winding miles of sinister sights and eerie sounds. Scarier-than-life theming and innovative special effects combine to create movie-like haunted attractions brimming with the stuff of nightmares.

In addition, last year's viral sensation, the 30-Hour Coffin Challenge, is back for a second year with more gruesome challenges and more prize money on the line. Registration for the challenge begins today (Sept. 16) and closes Thursday, Sept. 26. To find out more and register, click here.

Six brave souls will try to last 30 hours in death-defying coffins while participating in frightful challenges and being visited by ghouls and monsters.

This year's challenge will be held Friday October 11 at 6 a.m. to Saturday October 12 at 12 p.m.

Those chosen for this peculiar and claustrophobic challenge will: try to dwell in one of six, deluxe, 2’ x 7’ "slightly used" (?) coffins; "enjoy" three meals; be grateful to get 10-minute phone and bathroom break every three hours; be subjected to random visits by our Fright Fest Freaks; and have a Six Flags representative present at all times.

Oh and by the way, coffin dwellers must also participate in timed challenges including, but not limited to, eating creepy foods, haunted-attraction scavenger hunts, and lying in a bed of live, wriggling worms.

“There is no better or scarier place to celebrate Halloween than Six Flags Darien Lake," said Park President Chris Thorpe proudly. "When Fright Fest begins we trade guests’ screams of delight for shrieks of terror." 

“Our gang of ghastly ghouls will be prowling the midways looking for prey and our fright-filled mazes and scare zones are creepier and freakier than ever.”

For Thrills by Day, families can enjoy a trick-or-treat trail and other kid-friendly activities.

But once the sun goes down, it’s Chills by Night as all hell breaks loose -- and there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide -- as guests experience the fiendish terror of:

• Blood-thirsty zombies roaming around every corner;
• Four haunted mazes (including the brand-new Corridors of Chaos);
• Free scare zones;
• Halloween-themed food and beverages;
• “Monstertainment” including the Laser Spooktacular and;
• Thrilling rides and attractions like the all-new Six Flags SkyScreamer.

Admission tickets are available for as low as $39.99 visit the park’s website for more information.

Park hours during Fright Fest are:

Saturday, Sept. 21 --- 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 22 --- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 27 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 28 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 29 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 4 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 5 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 6 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 11 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 12 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 13 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 14 --- 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 18 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 19 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 20 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 26 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 27 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

BERGEN – The playground in Bergen’s Hickory Park has been really popular for decades, so when it became apparent the repairs needed would be incredibly costly, the Village Board and Mayor started looking for other solutions.

“We have replaced plastic parts in the past due to wear and tear and, unfortunately, vandalism, but replacement parts are becoming extremely expensive,” Mayor Anna Marie Barclay said. “In researching replacement costs for the playground, I found that, even with grant money, the cost would be between $30,000 and $40,000.”

Working with the DPW’s Zack Kuter, Barclay said they surveyed the playground for options. The structure was sturdy, so they decided to repaint it, rubber coat the walkways and use climbing ropes in place of damaged plastic tubes.

“Our staff will do the rubber coating, and the climbing ropes have been ordered,” Barclay said. “I asked members of the park committee to join me in painting the playground to further cut costs.”

On Sept. 14, Todd Cargill, Lynn Wilkins, Trustee Vickie Almquist and the mayor, all members of the Park Committee, painted from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with just time out for lunch.

“The playground is now a beautiful bright red,” Barclay said.

(Reader submitted photos.)