A 33-year-old Batavia man will serve up to 20 years in federal prison on a conviction of production and possession of child pornography, a U.S district judge ruled on Thursday.
Derek Hagen admitted to the child pornography charges on Sept. 7, 2022. He was arrested in November 2021.
Hagen's most recently known employment at the Brockport Childhood Development Center as an assistant teacher in the infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms.
According to Kyle P. Rossi, assistant U.S. attorney, the evidence compiled against Hagen showed that the former teacher engaged in a pattern of sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 4 and 8. Hagen photographed and videoed himself, subjecting the victim to sexual contact. Hagen then distributed the images to other people over the internet.
Rossi also said that Hagan, while employed in Brockport, produced and possessed sexually explicit images of children entrusted to his care. The children ranged in age from six months to five years. Hagen produced these images while changing diapers and assisting children who were learning to use the bathroom. Hagen distributed the images of these children to other individuals over the internet.
Hagen also possessed approximately 50,000 images and videos of child pornography that he received from others via the internet.
The case was investigated by the State Police, Homeland Security, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The Genesee County Interagency Council is pleased to announce that we will be offering a $1000 scholarship for the fall 2025 semester. Those eligible will be students living in Genesee County and attending Genesee Community College; in good academic standing, and majoring in Human Services, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Studies or Psychology OR High School Seniors living in and attending high school in Genesee County; in good academic standing, and majoring in Human Services, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Studies, Social Work, Sociology or Psychology ONLY.
Because the goal of this scholarship is to support those students who have a strong drive to contribute to the field of Human Services, special consideration will be given to those students who have already demonstrated a commitment to the field through their employment, volunteer, academic, and/or extracurricular pursuits.
Completed applications must be received by Friday, May 9. The awardee will be notified by phone by June 6. The award will be presented at our June 18 picnic meeting at Dewitt Recreation Area (detailed information will be provided during phone notification).
We look forward to having the opportunity to support a Genesee Community College student in their pursuit of a degree in the field of Human Services. Please feel free to contact Kari Heidemann, Scholarship Committee member, at 716-550-0934 should you have any questions.
Dead fish at DeWitt Pond in Batavia. Photo submitted by Jennifer Marie Reed
Observant visitors of DeWitt Recreation Area and the adjacent pond have noticed an unusually large number of fish this year; however, instead of swimming around, they were dead.
One person, who labeled herself “a concerned citizen,” said that while walking around the trail, “I saw a massive amount of dead fish, more than I have ever seen in the spring (well over 60),” she said. “And the DEC was there testing. I am worried something is wrong with the water. I know it’s a run-off for quite a bit, and people eat the fish.”
Another reader of The Batavian submitted photos of the finned creatures that were spotted floating on top of the edge of DeWitt Pond on Cedar Street in Batavia.
The Batavian reached out to Department of Public Works Commissioner Tim Hens for answers as to why fish are dying and the possible connection to the water quality and the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s recent visit.
“Genesee County Parks Staff is aware of the dead fish at DeWitt Pond. Most appear to be carp. This appears to be a normal winter die-off. The low lake levels and extreme ice thickness likely contributed to the higher seasonal die-off from low oxygen levels in the water,” Hens said. “The DEC is currently getting ready to stock the pond with Brown Trout on April 1. In an abundance of caution, we have reached out to them regarding the fish die-off. We have not heard back from them yet.”
An article on "Winterkill in Ponds" at Penn State University's Extension website, explains it this way:
Winterkill refers to the loss of fish in winter because oxygen is lacking in the pond. Submerged vegetation and algae create oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. During the winter, oxygen production is often reduced because ice and snow on the lake limit sunlight reaching vegetation. In small, shallow lakes, the available oxygen can quickly be used up by live plants and fish that consume oxygen in the evening, and by bacteria that feed on dead and decaying vegetation. When the oxygen level declines, less tolerant fish species (such as carp) and fish in poor condition overall can begin to suffocate.
Oxygen enters ponds by moving from the air into the water aided by the wind, or from photosynthesis by the plants in the pond. Ice cover blocks oxygen movement from the air into the water, and oxygen produced by algae and plants become the only source. Thin, clear ice allows oxygen production by plants and algae since enough sunlight can filter through the ice to allow photosynthesis. If the ice remains into mid-winter or thickens slightly, oxygen levels will begin to decrease because each day, pond plants and animals use oxygen, even in winter, as the animals breathe and dead plant material decays.
Conversely, the more water volume there is in a pond, the less likely the pond will experience winterkill.
Updates from the DEC will be reported by The Batavian about any water or other issues related to the dying fish other than what Hens suspects is the reason.
Obsolete voting machines with outdated technology is likely to cost Genesee County about $255,000 for new ones. File Photo by Howard Owens
As they begin their first new year working together as election commissioners, the duo of Scott German and Lorie Longhany had some crucial business to take care of right off the bat during Wednesday’s Ways & Means meeting.
They recently discovered a pricey need for the Board of Elections and recommended the purchase of 24 new Dominion voting machines for $254,700 plus $11,040 annual maintenance after year five to replace 28 scanners no longer supported by outdated equipment. German was hired for the Republican commissioner position to fill a vacancy left by Dick Siebert when he retired in December.
Scott German
“I did not know this was coming when I first got there, and I'm not sure Lori was aware of that either, simply because my predecessor basically took care of the equipment that we had out there, and just something that really should have happened a few years ago,” German said. “We are currently leasing 29 machines, and that goes until 2030. So, at that point, we will probably be coming back and asking to either lease more or buy more.”
Longhany, the Democrat commissioner, added that the board was gifted two machines from Orleans County that went to another vendor, which brings the total up to 55.
Lorie Longhany
“And that's really what we need. We need two scanners for each poll site, and we have 48. We have 24 poll sites that leaves us with two to three machines for early voting, and then we have eight scanners in reserve that we could bring out in case we have any malfunctions,” she said. “They're just scanners. They are not ICE machines.”
ICE is ImageCast Evolution, a hybrid voting device that combines optical scanning, ballot printing and vote-casting functions in one integrated machine.
Legislator Marianne Clattenburg asked if there are any grants available for this equipment. One would think that voting is such an important cause these days that there might be financial help, she said.
No, German said. But there is a silver lining, sort of.
“We will be coming to you in hopefully a few weeks to buy new iPads, the poll pads,” he said. “We do have grant funds for those, yes, but not for this.”
There doesn’t seem to be much of a choice because when the machines are no longer compatible, “then we get into trouble with the technologies,” Longhany said. German said that two of them went down last November on Election Day. Clattenburg then asked if that would require additional training.
“No, because we currently are releasing the exact machines that we'll be buying; it's actually going to be easier because now they only need to train the inspectors and coordinators on one machine instead of two,” he said.
All of the machines will be accessible to everyone, and technicians have said they’re easier to operate and to get into for maintenance, Longhany said.
The purchase was less expensive than to lease the new machines — $417,024. The cost will be paid for using 1% of county sales tax.
German and Longhany also reviewed IRS regulations requiring the Board of Elections to classify Election Day workers as county employees. To comply with this, the commissioners asked to add 100 coordinator and 200 election inspector positions to include alternates and amend the 2025 management salary schedule.
"This is something that should have been done, I'm guessing seven years ago, but my predecessor wouldn't let it happen. So it was manually taken care of in the treasurer's office," German said. "But now that I'm there, we need to be IRS compliant. We have sent letters out to all of our inspectors and coordinators so they understand that they'll be employees."
Coordinators will be at a rate of $360 for a 16-hour shift on Election Day and $171 for an Early Voting Day schedule, and election inspectors will have a rate of $320 for a 16-hour Election Day shift and $152 for Early Voting Day, with a rate of $60 for training.
Since funds were budgeted for 152 positions, there may need to be a budget amendment to cover training beyond the 152 positions.
A final recommendation was to create two senior clerks/machine technicians to provide proper supervision to other clerks/machine technicians. These two positions will be for 22 hours per week at $23 an hour, and two clerk/machine technician positions are to be deleted.
Committee members agreed to these measures, and a vote will go before the full Legislature on March 26.
The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce has launched a Strategic Place Branding Initiative to elevate our county’s identity, fuel economic growth, and enhance tourism! Help shape the future of Genesee County! Take our Resident or Visitor survey.
After Donald Trump made diversity, equity and inclusion dirty words via an executive order as far as business and government are concerned, Victoria’s Secret, Pepsi, Goldman Sachs, Paramount, Bank of America, Citigroup, Disney, Chipotle, Google, and many other companies and organizations have pared down or changed their language to correspond to the new directive.
Add Genesee County to the list. The federal administration cast a very wide net, apparently, in a search for those words, County Manager Matt Landers says.
"We had one program in particular at Office for the Aging that there was a request for us to change the wording on the program description narrative," Landers said to The Batavian Monday. "This is a program that was already near the end of its three-year cycle of funding, and we were requested to change the wording, and we made the change in the wording because we did not want to lose the funding.
"It didn't change, in our opinion, the content of the program whatsoever. But there was a request made to change the narrative, and it was basically -- we had the option of giving the money back or changing the narrative -- so we changed the narrative," he said. "The program, I believe, was an annual allocation of about $50,000."
The program was in the final year of a three-year agreement, ending March 31. County officials didn’t consider it “a big deal” since the funding had already been received; however, it was a renewable RSVP AmeriCorps senior program on a three-year grant cycle, and they intended to request a renewal, he said.
“We do have upwards of $6 or $7 million, I believe, in federal funding. So that is the only instance that we've been made aware of where they dove deep enough to try to see where there was anything that was DEI-related,” he said. “So I'm glad that's all that they've found — the federal government — but it definitely is eye-opening, and that's something that we'll keep an eye on going forward, and there is real proof, a real example, that they are looking at wording.”
Again, he wanted to emphasize that the wording changes “in no way changed how we run the RSVP program.”
Pamela LaGrou, the county’s compliance officer, provided some of the language that was changed, as per below:
Specific and targeted language pertaining to diversity, equity and inclusion was changed to broader descriptive phrases or simply removed, she said.
For example, “…we recruit members with a wide range of skills and experiences including geography (urban/rural), economic (upper/lower income) and work experience (factory worker/teacher, secretary),” rather than “…we recruit members to ensure diversity of geography (urban/rural), economic (upper/lower income) and work experience (factory worker/teacher), secretary, etc. while also seeking to represent diversity in race, ethnicity, sex and veteran status."
Reference to specific groups was removed: “RSVP has connected with the Pride Center of Buffalo, an LGTBQ advocacy center.” Also, the following was removed “Genesee RSVP in inclusive of older adults, or all races, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, political and religious affiliations and we ensure the same of our stations via conversations at the time the MOU is signed.”
All language changes were made to ensure compliance with the President’s Executive Order, LaGrou said.
Although the air outside may be getting gradually warmer, a plan to provide that warmth all year long is still in the works, and musician Bart Dentino has been lined up to get toes tapping for the first Warming Center Benefit Concert this week.
So everybody Come Together, Let It Be and Help while enjoying a set of songs from the Beatles, James Taylor, Garth Brooks, Gordon Lightfoot, and some of Dentino’s original pieces.
“It’s a very important cause that can slip a person’s mind on those frigid nights when you’re sitting comfortably in a warm home with dinner and snacks available to you. As you well know, that’s not the case for everyone," Dentino said. "Pastor Roula Alkhouri has a very tender heart coupled with a drive to get important things done. She brought the need for a warming center to my attention. I offered my musical services in hopes that we could raise awareness and funds to help create that warming center, which would offer services to those people and families in need at those critical times."
The concert is set for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia. This event is free and open to the public as an evening of music and of coming together to raise awareness and funds for a Genesee County Warming Center during the cold winter nights, organizers say. Donations will be welcomed.
Through the work that he’s done over the years, Dentino has come to realize that the homeless population of individuals and families with children right here in Genesee County “is much greater than one might think,” he said.
“Families that live in a motel room with children going to school each morning hungry, suffering from poor sleep habits, and having an uphill fight to function in the school and classroom,” he said. “Anything that can be done to help them not only survive their situation but thrive in their ability to overcome it is worth doing.”
This initiative began by members of Oak Orchard Health and Batavia First Presbyterian Church in November 2024 with a meeting to gauge the interest and hear ideas and issues about a potential need for this center.
There was a “heartening display of community spirit” at that time, said Alkhouri, one of the organizers, and concerned citizens and stakeholders gathered together out of concern for those in need and to participate in a solution.
A dedicated steering committee was formed to focus on five key areas, including funding, finding suitable space, staffing, community resources, and marketing.
“We are excited to begin this effort with the invaluable experience and planning resources of Oak Orchard Health,” Alkhouri had said. “However, we are still looking for more community partners to join this initiative."
If you are interested in joining any of these teams, please call the church office at 585-343-0505.
“Together, we can make a significant impact and provide a warm, safe space for those in need during the cold months,” she said. “Your support and involvement are crucial to the success of this project.”
About 50 people from several organizations and nonprofits attended, including Community Action of Orleans Genesee, Genesee County Mental Health, Department of Social Services and Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police, Genesee ACE, St. James Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Community Services Board, and Crossroads House.
What is a warming center? This center is to be set up as an evening and overnight safe space for people in need of shelter from the cold on days when the temperature falls below 32-degrees. Organizers also want to provide an opportunity for this space to be a place of connection with helpful resources.
If you have not heard of Henry Grace, that's OK; until a year ago, neither had Eric Zwieg.
Henry Grace, he said, is "a reinvention of yourself, right?"
So who is Henry Grace?
"He's someone who hasn't played music in like, almost 25 years, you know, on a regular basis, someone who hasn't written songs or played with other people (in a long time)."
That sounds a lot like Zwieg.
"The last time I legitimately played music was in Atlanta, with a couple of bands down there. Zwieg said. "We put records out. We played the scenes that were happening, played a lot of bars, did some great opening act type stuff."
Then Zwieg, originally from Jamestown, came back to Western New York. That was in 2003.
"Since then, I haven't done anything," Zwieg said. "I hardly picked up a guitar. In fact, I basically gave away all my gear over the years."
A little over a year ago, he showed up at the first Iburi Photography open mic and read from his thesis, and then he formed the musical duo Paris and Holly with Emily Crawford. They performed together at Iburi and GO Art! together for about six months.
During that time, Henry Grace started to emerge. Now, Grace is ready to release his first full-length album, "The Complete Disaster," at a release party at 8 p.m. on Saturday at GO Art!, 201 E. Main St., Batavia.
Music has been part of Zwieg since childhood.
"I was always around music when I was a kid," Zwieg said. "I was fortunate enough to grow up on the grounds of Chautauqua Institute. When I was a kid, in my early adolescence and teen years, I saw amazing artists there, including the symphony and ballet companies and opera, a lot of the big touring acts of the late 60s and 70s. It was a big influence on me and kind of just hurtled me into music."
He started out on trumpet, joined choir and before graduating from high school, he was involved in musical theater.
At 16, he became a drummer (self-taught) in a band. They played Southern Rock in the bards of Jamestown.
"That was a lot of fun," Zwieg said. "It taught me how to deal with bar owners and drunks and everything that goes along with what used to be the only place you could play."
He paused his pursuit of music when he became "domesticated." He became a father when he was 21 and went back to community college and majored in musical theater. During that time, he put his own band together for the first time, Common Man.
"I was writing songs right from the start, playing guitar and singing, and we had a great four-piece band," Zwieg said. "We stuck around for about five, six years, did some recordings, did a lot of regional touring, opening up for some smaller acts. It's a really small scene in Jamestown, but kind of the epicenter because of the fact that the 10,000 Maniacs had made it 10 years before, and so there were a lot of musicians around who were trying to put bands together."
His next band was called The Schmells but the gigs weren't happening, so he started doing solo acoustic work in college bars and coffee houses in Buffalo, Erie, Fredonia, Geneseo, and other college towns.
"It was a funky scene, and it was always better in the small college markets," he said.
In 2016, he came to Batavia and started formal writing programs, earning a bachelor's degree as well as an MFA.
He wrote fiction, plays, and poems and put together theatrical productions, poetry readings, and lectures.
Then the siren song of the musical muse started calling again.
"Music has definitely taken the upper hand because I find it easier to just play by myself and go out into a gig or set things up with other people, rather than putting together a full cast, Zwieg said.
When you put a production together, it is, well, a production. You need rehearsal space and a place to perform as well as the casting and directing."
"It's incredibly time-consuming and I don't want to be a producer," Zwieg said.
He said he would rather be an artist, and music was always central to his life.
All the formal education sparked an interest at working at the craft of songwriting.
"I just didn't have any purpose, really, and I wasn't connecting with people," Zwieg said. "And it's an easy way to connect with people, and even if you're just playing open mics and things like that there becomes a community. And I was trying to create a community at the same time. So yeah, I was definitely trying to motivate myself. Once you put things out in front of you that you know you want to accomplish, or things that you're expected to do ... you become committed to it."
He hosted a series of Henry Grace and Company coffee-house-like shows at GO Art! over the past several months, featuring not just Grace, but also other solo acoustic performers.
"The overall purpose is just to get singer-songwriters to come out of the closet," Zwieg said.
"We've created a bit of an audience there, and that's really the major thing I'd like to parlay that into -- I was hoping for a grant this year, but it didn't come through -- working towards the first Batavia Folk Festival to include all the local folks and local teachers."
So what does Henry Grace write and sing about?
The self, Zwieg said. Not necessarily the personal self but songs that are personal and about selves.
"There's a lot of storytelling in there," Zwieg said. "I like to tell stories. I have been fortunate enough to travel around the country and in Europe and really meet a lot of people. I love to sit and talk and bullshit. Once in a while, you extract something good."
Those conversations made it into journals, and those journals led to a stream-of-consciousness approach to songwriting, he said.
"I would most compare it to somebody like REM, who was a big influence on me when I first started writing songs. A lot of their music is a stream of consciousness, or it's just it's poetic. Things in Michael Stipe just strung together, and that's always stuck with me."
So, in Henry Grace, Zwieg has rediscovered his roots.
"Music has always been my go-to thing," Zwieg said. "I've played it throughout my life and a lot of different kinds of different approaches, but I'm back to the singer-songwriter type of thing now and just really simplifying it."
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), alongside Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-9) and Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), reintroduced legislation to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to remove private or commercial golf courses and country clubs from section 144(c)(6)(B) of the U.S. tax code.
This legislation allows golf courses to take advantage of various forms of disaster relief and community development programs available to other businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, and other leisure activities.
The golf industry comprises over 15,000 small businesses, 80% of which provide public recreational experiences for nearly 30 million Americans every year. It also supports 2 million jobs, and $4 billion is raised for charity each year through America’s golf courses.
"Golf courses create jobs, promote economic development, and provide a fun and healthy activity for friends and families across New York’s 24th Congressional District to enjoy. This legislation would allow golf courses, which provide a family-friendly activity, to use tax-exempt private activity bonds to help recover from natural disasters. This legislation will significantly benefit our community’s golf courses and work to continue to promote economic growth and prosperity throughout our region," said Congresswoman Tenney.
“America’s golf courses contribute significantly to our local economies through jobs, tourism, and community development in places like my home county. Unfortunately, the outdated tax code has unfairly penalized these businesses for too long, making it harder for them to grow or recover after a disaster. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Golf Caucus, I’m proud to champion this legislation to support our golf industry,” said Congressman Hudson.
"For decades, golf courses have been excluded from disaster relief and economic stimulus programs under the tax code. Our bipartisan legislation would rectify this by removing the restrictions that prevent golf facilities from accessing the same support available to similar entities. By passing this legislation, we can ensure that golf courses are treated under the same standards as other businesses, helping them contribute to the recovery and growth of our local economies," said Congressman Panetta.
The chaos and beauty of March Madness is back again. We’re about to see who will become our next champs, the best team, and the future legends.
My favorite part about March Madness is the Cinderella story. Every time these teams make their way through the tournament, there’s a common theme. They are in unison in every aspect of the game. Every player, whether you are the star or the sixth man, knows their role and plays together as one unit.
This is how to succeed on the court and off it. Working together and doing your job is how companies, communities and our military fulfill their missions. I’m pleased to see it happening right here in Genesee County. And I’m excited to share how our students are already part of these missions.
In partnership with the United States Navy Maritime Industrial Base, the www.buildsubmarines.com effort aims to train the next generation of individuals who will be responsible for the transformation of a nuclear-powered submarine fleet.
It is estimated that the Navy will require the addition of 200,000 skilled workers ranging from fields in welding, CNC technicians, and manufacturing. These are the job skills that our students have been getting first-hand experience in from local career pathway opportunities.
To complement the Build Submarines initiative at the local level, our workforce and manufacturing partners are implementing programs that are supporting the future careers that will solidify the United States Navy’s position as the protector of our seas.
It’s a mission that starts in Genesee County.
One of our county’s largest employers, Graham Manufacturing, is a global leader in the design and manufacture of mission critical fluid, power, heat transfer and vacuum technologies for the defense shipbuilding industry. Graham Manufacturing continues to increase their commitment to US Navy shipbuilding in order to meet the demanding cadence of our nation’s submarine construction requirements, resulting in increased local employment opportunities.
Genesee Valley BOCES offers instruction in CNC technician skillsets that transfer to careers in manufacturing, defense, and high-tech sectors. Genesee Community College and Genesee Valley BOCES are also partnering to provide a CNC FANUC industry-recognized credential for their graduating seniors this spring. This partnership would not be possible without funding from The Heckscher Foundation For Children and SUNY Pre-Apprenticeship grant funding.
File photo of Chris Suozzi.
Students also utilize state-of-the-art equipment provided by funding from the GCEDC in local apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship pathways that have connected students to in-demand careers at local companies, including Graham Manufacturing, Oxbo, Nortera, and others.
One of Genesee Community College’s newest programs starting in fall 2025 is offering an accelerated certification course as a welding technician. The certification is recognized by the American Welding Society and National Workforce Career Association as essential to entry-level employment in this field. Students who complete this program have the option of participating in an internship with a local company.
With these programs and opportunities, the pathway for each of our children to go from a student to a critical part of our country’s defense is here. And unlike March Madness, this pathway to success doesn’t require a buzzer beater, a bad call, or any upsets. Just the willingness for all of us to work together.
We will continue to keep our students on the path and connect them to the careers that support our local economy, including through the Build Submarines program.
Visit www.gcedc.com/workforceprograms to access our free career checklist, featuring eight essential steps to jumpstart your professional journey.
If you are a student, parent, teacher, or guidance counselor, contact me at csuozzi@gcedc.com to learn how to get involved today!
Go Bills!
Chris “Coach SwazZ” Suozzi is the Executive Vice President of Business & Workforce Development at the Genesee County Economic Development Center.
It was Confirmation Retreat Sunday for our Resurrection Parish and Ascension Parish Confirmation candidates; Coats of arms, corporal works of mercy, Saint interviews, and church imagery were among the retreat events.
Byron-Bergen Championship Math League team. Coach DiLaura is top right. Submitted photo.
Press Release:
The Byron-Bergen Math League team claimed victory in the 2025 Genesee County Math League on February 13, securing their first-place finish out of eight schools after an intense series of four competitions. This victory marks their fifth first-place finish in the past six years, solidifying the team's position as a powerhouse in the region’s academic competitions.
The Math League, held across four separate competitions, allows each participating school to send nine students to answer 15 individual math questions, followed by a ten-question team round. At the conclusion of each event, teams earn points based on the total number of correct answers, with the overall champion being determined after the final competition.
Byron-Bergen’s team had a strong performance with several students standing out individually. Jackson Lundfelt finished first place overall out of all competitors and Emalyn Canfield secured the top spot for all 10th-grade participants.
Three other Byron-Bergen students earned spots to represent the District at the Monroe County All-Star Math Competition by finishing in the top 10 across all eight schools. Peyton Goodenbery, Gavin Kinkelaar, and Connor Moran will join Canfield and Lundfelt on March 20 at Nazareth University.
When asked about the team’s success, Byron-Bergen Sr. High School Math Teacher and Math League Coach Jon DiLaura attributed the victory to the tireless work and dedication of his students, noting that their countless hours of practice were crucial to their triumph.
"The success of this team is a testament to the hard work and dedication of each member, as well as the unwavering support from our math teachers at every grade level—from elementary to high school," DiLaura said.
DiLaura also expressed his gratitude for the backing of the administration, with special thanks to Kathleen Merritt, a 25-year veteran of high school mathematics instruction, and Rebecca Logan, who coaches the Junior High Math League team in preparation for the high school competitions.
At the final Math League event, Specialist of Enrichment Services at Genesee Valley BOCES Mary Harvey, was also recognized for her instrumental role in organizing competitive math events and ensuring students from across the region have the opportunity to showcase their skills and passion for mathematics.
With their success, Byron-Bergen’s Math League team continues to set a high standard for academic excellence in Genesee County. As the team prepares for the Monroe County All-Star Math Competition at the end of March, the community looks forward to seeing even more remarkable achievements from these talented students.
Spencer Efing, Kevin Partridge, Seth Coburn, Anthony Haitz Photo by Howard Owens.
This weekend, Batavia Players presents at the Main St. 56 Theater Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale."
The production is directed by Patrick D. Burk with a script adapted by Burk and Tess Uline.
The Players promise a play of romance that is filled with surprises, modern-day twists, and glam. The play is a tale of love, jealousy, and redemption, and staged by the Players in a contemporary way, bringing characters to life for today's world.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets are $22 for adults ($24 at the door) with discounts for students and seniors. Tickets are available at bataviaplayers.org.
CM Waide Photo by Howard Owens.
Cassandra O'Connell, Celeste Vescovi (seated), Sophie Houseman Photo by Howard Owens.
Anthony Haitz and Sophie Houseman Photo by Howard Owens.
Anthony Haitz and Sophie Houseman Photo by Howard Owens.
2024 File Photo during a tour of the new Genesee County Jail. County legislators are appealing to Gov. Kathy Hochul to drop her executive order prohibiting the hiring of state corrections officers involved in the recent prison strike. Photo by Howard Owens
An executive order drafted by Gov. Kathy Hochul banning the hiring of Department of Corrections employees, in tandem with the difficulties Genesee County has already experienced in filling corrections officer vacancies for the new, larger county jail, has made the going anything but smooth, Legislator Gary Maha says.
“This executive order that she issued back on March 10 certainly creates a bump in the road, so to speak,” Maha said during Monday’s Public Service meeting. “The executive order does, right now, expire April 9, but she could extend that. I think she can make that permanent, too, if she desires … so I think we should go ahead and establish this resolution. There are a number of counties jumping on board with this issue and expressing concern with the governor as to the executive order.
What we feel is it’s a violation of our home rule telling us what we can do, what we can’t do, and in addition to that, it creates issues with us hiring county CO’s when we need them.”
Hochul’s order was in response to the recent three-week, unsanctioned strike by New York State corrections officers to protest conditions they claimed were harmful to their safety. The state fired some 2,000 of the officers, and the governor issued an order blocking them from obtaining jobs at other state agencies.
During Monday’s meeting, Maha — who drafted a resolution with Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein — introduced the statement for consideration and vote by the full Legislature at its next meeting on March 26. Stein said that, in talking to state Assemblyman Steve Hawley, he suggested that a speedier measure would be to also send a similarly worded letter now and follow up with the official resolution next week.
Public Service Committee members agreed. The resolution states that Hochul’s order “suspends various laws, preventing local authorities from hiring or promoting correctional officers involved in the strike, despite local discretion in such matters” and has raised concerns about state overreach, undermining local control.
There has been “significant opposition from local officials, including members of the Genesee County Legislature, who believe it unfairly penalizes officers and their families without proper consideration of individual cases,” the resolution states.
The goal is to urge Hochul to “reconsider the impact of this order on local control and fairness in employment decisions.”
“I think it’s well done, and her overreaching power is terrible,” Legislator John Deleo said. “And to your point, there’s a lot of good people there, and they’re already well-trained; they know how to deescalate problems, and I think we could use these people, and to handcuff us so that we can’t, it’s just appalling.”
Legislator Christian Yunker agreed, emphasizing that “this is absolutely an overreach.”
“It's vindictive. We have a lot of residents here in this county, there are corrections officers that are state corrections officers that are hurting, and it's twofold for us, because we're also trying to hire corrections officers,” Yunker said. “So we absolutely need to support this opposition. Thank you for the work.”
Chad Klotzbach added that they, as legislators, are “supposed to keep the heat on” to let Hochul know what their position is and not let up.
Hochul needs to know “we don’t appreciate this type of interference,” Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said.
After the meeting, Maha said the resolution was reviewed and approved by County Attorney Mark Boylan. While it’s speculated to be potentially unlawful, county officials certainly believe it’s “an overreach on her part,” Maha said.
“She has no authority to supersede home rule. We don't know what's going to happen on April 9, but several counties are threatening a lawsuit because they feel it's illegal … if we get to that point, and hopefully, maybe it'll be a class action suit if all counties will get involved with it,” he said. “We don't know yet. It's just in the infancy stages, but right now, we want to start with a letter and a resolution of objecting to her executive order, that part of it dealing with, you know, preventing counties and hiring these fired COs.”
He spoke with the jail superintendent, who said that a couple of state COs had applied for jobs, but Maha isn’t sure what happened with them. The need is there — with at least 10 additional positions added with the new jail opening in late 2024 and a continuous “fluid” status of vacancies, County Manager Matt Landers said.
“I feel like they’re interviewing every day over there for positions now, between the road patrol and the COs, and then there’s usually always an opening over in the dispatch center as well. It fluctuates daily,” Landers said. “Corrections officer is a high-stress job, plus when we’re in the midst of, we had 10 new positions that were created in the 2025 budget, you throw that on top of it, it’s definitely a lot of interviewing going on right now.”
Please be advised that the Town of Batavia Water Department will be replacing a water service line on Shepard Road, near the intersection of Ellicott Street Road, on March 18 and 19 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Traffic will be closed on Shepard Road in the area where the work is being performed. Please use an alternate route.
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.
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