Press release from Jane Corwin's campaign:

WILLIAMSVILLE -- Jane Corwin, sucessful businesswoman and the unanimously endorsed Republican, Conservative, and Independence Party nominee for New York's 26th Congressional District, was unanimously endorsed this evening by TEA New York, the leading Western New York Tea Party organization.

"I appreciate the support of TEA New York and all Western New Yorkers who are committed to cutting spending and changing the way Washington does business," Corwin said. "For too long, Washington politicians have failed to take the lead on cutting spending and reforming our tax system, and individuals such as the members of TEA New York have led while career politicians continue to follow. If honored to be Western New York’s next representative in Washington, I will fight to cut spending and reduce taxes so we can strengthen our economy and create jobs in both the short- and long-term.”

Corwin received the unanimous endorsement after attending a TEA New York candidate forum this evening.

"Tonight, TEA New York sent a strong message by unanimously endorsing Jane Corwin for the 26th Congressional District," stated Rus Thompson of TEA New York. "Her message of reducing spending, creating jobs and (reining) in runaway government programs is exactly what our country needs. We look forward to electing her as our voice in Washington."

City fire is being dispatched to Vine and North streets for a minor-injury accident.

Dispatch describes it as "very minor injuries," but there are fluids leaking and police on scene requested the fire department.

Mercy EMS responding non-emergency.

Press release from Jane Corwin's campaign:

WILLIAMSVILLE – Jane Corwin, successful businesswoman and the unanimously endorsed Republican, Conservative, and Independence Party candidate for New York’s 26th Congressional District, today called on Members of Congress to forego receiving their paychecks if they fail to avert a government shutdown.

If Congress and President Obama do not reach an agreement on how to fund the government by midnight on Friday, essential federal services will be halted. While the House has now passed two funding bills to keep the government operational and protect essential services, the Senate and the White House have both failed to act on this issue.

“The failure of Washington politicians to do their job and pass a budget that supports our military and protects our seniors represents exactly what’s wrong with Washington,” Corwin said. “The numbers are complex but the facts are simple – last year House Democrats did not even produce a budget and now as a result of Senate Democrats’ failure to act, we are on the brink of a government shutdown.”

Corwin added that Members of Congress have a responsibility to their constituents to make the difficult decisions that come with their position, and used the current situation to highlight why Washington needs to take more cues from the private sector.

“In the private sector, we face challenging situations every day. The difference is, we solve those challenges by making tough decisions, which the politicians in Washington can't seem to do or don’t want to do. And in the private sector, if you don’t get the job done, you don't get paid,” Corwin added. “If our military families will not receive their benefits during a government shutdown, then Members of Congress who have failed to act should not receive theirs.”

New York's regulatory environment is a big problem GCEDC's CEO Steve Hyde told legislator's during a meeting in the Old Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon.

A "making it up on the fly" attitude among mid-level bureaucrats helps to chase business away from the state and makes it harder for Genesee Economic Development to operate, Hyde said.

His examples: A Department of Labor opinion saying GCEDC should have paid prevailing wage in the construction of the MedTech facility; the Authorities Budget Office compensation report; and new difficulty in getting a rail line built into the Agri-Business park.

"It’s funny when you're trying to do progressive business development, how bureaucrats who really don't understand business development will make up new regulations on the fly," said Hyde during a meeting of the Ways and Means Committee.

Hyde also provided financial data on GCEDC's performance, noting that the county's $250,000 (approximate) annual investment in GCEDC has been leveraged into: $18.7 million in capital investment by area businesses; 116 PILOT projects that currently generate $2.2 million in new tax revenue -- and will eventually generate $4 million for local governments; and an increase of $2.2 million in sales tax revenue.

According to Hyde, for every $1 invested by Genesee County in 2010 in GCEDC, $16.54 in tax payments are returned to the various taxing jurisdictions in the county.

Much of this information will be presented at a public information meeting April 11, but so far, only 11 people have signed up to attend.

As for the regulatory climate, Hyde started off talking about the Department of Labor opinion and the conclusion of its attorney that the Genesee Gateway Local Development Corp. should have paid prevailing wage on construction the MedTech facility.

"We had an attorney from the Department of Labor unilaterally write a decision against our nonprofit LDL because the LDL has some sort of association with the (Industrial Development Agency)," Hyde said. "I don't know how one attorney in a single regulatory agency can issue an opinion that pierces the veil of state and federal law on nonprofits."

He called the idea of labeling a nonprofit corporation a public entity a "travesty" and "disrespectful of nonprofit laws in this country."

"If we fail on this one, it will be a very expensive issue not just for us, but could effect the college and the county directly," Hyde said.

On the Authorities Budget Office report, Hyde called the agency a young regulatory body that engages primarily in writing new rules for IDAs to follow -- regulations that haven't been enacted by elected officials.

"They come up with interpretations that are far reaching beyond any legislation," Hyde said. 

On the Agri-Business Park, Hyde said that no major food processor will want to move into the park without it being connected to rail lines. The GCEDC has received a grant to build a rail line, but one "mid-level" bureaucrat in the Department of Transportation office in Rochester is holding up the funding.

"He's got us jammed up right now," Hyde said. "Now I'm going to have to work the chain, go to Hawley or Ranzenhofer. I told him, 'It's not your job to make regulations on the fly.'"

Besides the difficulty the GCEDC is facing with its own regulators, Hyde said the Department of Environmental Conservation is making it harder for businesses to build and expand in New York. As an example, Hyde said the DEC is expanding its "short form" environmental impact application from one page to four.

"One of the questions is about 'environmental justice,'" Hyde said. "How do you like that term, 'environmental justice'? It's just absurd."

Senior VP of Operations Mark Masse said the regulatory environment is one of the reasons an agency like GCEDC is needed, to help level the playing field with other states.

"We think it's bad living in NewYork, but there are people outside of New York who think we're closed for business because of these issues," Masse said. 

But there may be help on the way. Hyde, and Legislator Hollis Upson, reiterated that that the Cuomo administration seems to be taking concerns about over-regulation seriously.

Members of the GCEDC recently met with Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, Hyde said, and Duffy was quite concerned about what he heard and promised specifically to look into the Department of Labor and ABO issues. 

"Duffy really did seem interested in trying to knock down some of this bureaucracy," Hyde said.

UPDATE 6:30 p.m.

An alert neighbor and a quick response from the South Byron Fire Department helped prevent a house fire early Sunday morning from becoming an inferno.

The fire was reported by a neighbor at 3:34 a.m., according to the Sheriff's Office, at the Samuel Ferrara residence, 6307 E. Main St. Road, South Byron.

The caller reported seeing smoke and flames from under the eave of the porch.

"Fast action by neighbors, the homeowner and a quick response by the South Byron Fire Department are credited with limiting the damage to the porch only," said Chief Deputy Gordon Dibble.

The Byron Fire Department also responded.

Chief James McKenzie both departments turned out in force for the early morning alarm.

"I was impressed with the turnout we had," McKenzie said. 

McKenzie said a good portion of the fire was knocked down by the resident and a neighbor by the time the first truck rolled up.

The neighbor had fire extinguishers and the resident had a garden hose.

Because there was extension into the walls, firefighters had to open a couple of walls to get to the fire and ensure it was out.

There were no injuries reported.

The cause was apparently a discarded cigarette.  The fire caused an estimate $30,000 to $40,000 damage.

South Byron and Byron firefighters cleared the scene at 7:03 a.m.

Press release from the Jack Davis campaign:

Washington politicians are bickering like children. It’s another example of how both parties have failed us. They are doing nothing to put Americans back to work, which is essential to balancing the budget and securing Social Security for seniors. 

Right now, about 56% of Americans over the age of 16 are gainfully employed. If that percentage rises to 64%, then the budget deficit disappears entirely. If the Washington politicians took the budget deficit seriously, they’d be focusing on increasing the number of jobs for Americans instead of shipping our jobs overseas.

Both parties continue to push trade deals like NAFTA that have destroyed our economy and our childrens’ future. Both parties continue to spend valuable tax dollars around the globe instead of putting Americans first.

We need to bring our troops home from places like Germany and Italy that have not seen hostilities in more than a half a century. We need to end our endless wars in the Middle East. We need to stop giving money to every country on Earth. We need to create American jobs and put tariffs on China’s unfair imports.

The money saved from doing these things would solve the problems that Washington politicians use to threaten a shut down.

We need people in Congress who will stand up to the special interests that control both parties, and who will fight for what’s right for America.

Although the 2010 Business of the Year has all seasons "covered," owner Ronald Weiler says that the spring and summertime are certainly the most hectic.

“It’s very intense,” he admitted, and after a moment, chuckled at the accidental pun.

As it happens, Weiler spends most of the warmer months quite literally in tents.

Sterling Tents & Awnings, Inc., was chosen by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce to receive the award on April 9.

“It feels really great,” Weiler said. “It’s quite an honor for just a small business with all the big businesses around. You would never think it would happen for a small operation like ours so it really feels great.”

Weiler recalls a day that changed his life forever -- a Monday night in early August of 1958 -- the day he met his wife, Sandra Sterling. They were just teenagers at the time.

“After we started going together, I started helping out with the business,” Weiler said, smiling as he stood in his office at 150 Pearl St.

“And here we are now.”

Sandra’s grandfather founded Sterling Tents & Awnings in 1911, making this year a century of coverings, tents and custom-made protection from the elements.

“We sort of help people to enjoy the outdoors,” Weiler said. “We all live in Western New York.”

Weiler pointed out the benefits that a small operation like his can provide to a customer.

“What really sets us apart is that we’re not a big box store,” he said. “We can handle individual needs, wants and desires and match them up to the application, pocketbook and the date it has to happen.”

Weiler also said that he and his employees take special pride in the customer service that Sterling Tents & Awnings is able to provide.

“Our doors are always open and you can always get a live person on the phone – we don’t have a recording or a lot of prompts. It’s an easy access type personnel that just drives to satisfy.

Sterling Tents & Awnings may be a family name, but Weiler likes for his customers to identify the business and service with a “sterling” reputation as well.

“Whether it’s protecting your party or wedding under your patio or just protecting an investment (boats, motorcycles, etc.), we’d like to see you have fun outdoors. That’s our goal.”

Top photo, from left: Kelsey Ferguson, Russell Irwin, Sandy Wilson, Ron Weiler.

This Thursday, the London smash hit "Blood Brothers" will make its local debut at Genesee Community College. 

The show, written by Willy Russell, is based on the 1844 novella "The Corsican Brothers." It has won multiple awards, including the 1983 Olivier Award for Best New Musical and a Tony nomination.

The current West End revival is one of the longest-running productions in history due to its nearly 20-plus year run. But despite its immense popularity across the pond, the musical is rarely heard of, much less performed, in America. 

Director Maryanne Arena says its obscurity is one of the reasons she chose "Blood Brothers." 

"I like doing shows that not everyone does," she said.

The story centers around two twins who are tragically separated at birth, grow up in radically different environments, and become best friends, all the while unaware of their biological connection.

It is a musical, with songs that Arena describes as "a cross between '70s pop and Broadway tunes." Much of the score is accentuated with dancing by Tara Pocock and Leland Fuller.

The director chose the show for both personal and professional reasons.

"The show has always been very close to me because I'm adopted, and it's partially about adoption. I think the topic of nature versus nurture is very interesting: are the genes our parents gave us ones we can't get away from, or is it a matter of our environment and how we're raised? And also, I always pick a show where the kids learn new things. In this case, it was the dialect."

Said dialect is a British accent -- but not the traditional posh one that first comes to mind when thinking of the English. The actors had to learn to talk with a "Northern British" accent, which Arena describes as having stronger Irish and Scottish undertones.

Cal Young, the first-year theater major portraying the twin Mickey, says that prior to the auditions he hadn't ever heard of "Blood Brothers."

"At first I was a little skeptical," he says. "But after a while I began to really relate to the characters emotionally."

Mickey's other half, Edward, is played by Anthony Shoap. Like his fictional twin, he is also a first-year theater major, and also wasn't familiar with the show before this production.

"At first I didn't really like it," he admits. "But I've come to like it a lot more in these past few weeks now that I'm starting to understand all the underlying subtext better."

The story is partially told by a narrator, who is alternately played by Alex Grayson and Patrick Dodge. The role of Mrs. Johnstone, the real biological mother of the twins, is also double-cast with Kiley Conklin and Emily Jones.

"I really couldn't make up my mind," Arena explains of her decision to double-cast the roles. "They all auditioned equally well."

All four of the actors agree that sharing a role improves their performance. 

"It lightens the load," Grayson explains. "It's nice having someone else there to check your performance and help you out."

Although they may be playing the same parts, each of the double-cast actors has created a slightly different character. 

"It's hard to justify the narrator," Dodge says. "He isn't exactly a person. He's sort of a devil-type character. It's interesting to see how Alex interprets the character -- he's not as evil and devilish."

Jones agrees that although being double-cast is "definitely a challenge," it's "something to learn from. We do things differently and have different takes on the show."

For the performances, when they are not playing their main parts, the other narrator and the other Mrs. Johnstone are in the background chorus. 

"Going back and forth gives you so much energy," Conklin says. "When I'm in the chorus playing a little kid, I get so much energy, and that gives more energy to my performance when I'm playing Mrs. Johnstone."

Ian Gayford is the musical director and Patti Simmons is the choreographer.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. April 7-9 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and there is a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 10. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, students, and GCC faculty/staff, and $3 for GCC students with a valid ID. There is a $2 discount for GCC alums with Alum ID.

Tickets can be reserved in advance or puchased at the door. For more information or to make reservations, contact the GCC Box Office by e-mail (BOXOFFICE@genesee.edu) or telephone (345-6814). The box office is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and also one hour prior to a performance.

In the past, when the Jane Corwin campaign released a new commercial, they put out a press release. This new attack ad just appeared.

Ian Murphy, on the other hand, hasn't put out any press releases that I'm aware of, but he does have three videos posted on his Murphy for Congress YouTube page.

They are embedded below.  

James Kenneth Goodenow, 40, of South Academy Street, Wyoming, is charged with petit larceny. Goodenow is accused of shoplifting from a store on Lewiston Road, Batavia. He was jailed on $500 bail.

Brian Thomas Kerwin, 23, of Country Lane, Geneseo, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Kerwin was charged following a traffic stop at 6:09 p.m. Wednesday on Route 19, Le Roy, by Deputy Joseph Graff.

Nicholas Shawn Andrews, 32, South Lake Road, Pavilion, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Andrews was was charged following a traffic stop at 6:09 p.m. Wednesday on Route 19, Le Roy, by Deputy Joseph Graff.

Lucas Daniel Allen, 20, of Horsehoe Lake Road, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Allen was charged following a traffic stop at 10:07 p.m. March 30 on Caswell Road, Byron, by Deputy Joseph Graff.

Mitchell Andrew Cummings, 19, of Byron Road, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Cummings was charged following a traffic stop at 10:07 p.m. March 30 on Caswell Road, Byron, by Deputy Joseph Graff.

Carrie Ann Rucinski, 25, of West Avenue, Medina, is charged with petit larceny. Rucinski is accused of shoplifting six items from Kmart on Tuesday.

Residents who live around Clinton Street Road will have another opportunity to make their case for or against the proposed Gardner Estates housing development that could end up in their neighborhood.

Odds are, residents will continue to oppose the project that they say could drastically alter the character of their community.

Refer to previous story here.

Another public hearing will be held at the next Town of Batavia Planning Board meeting on April 19 after the town board voted unanimously to reopen the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) for the project on Wednesday evening.

Members of both boards feel that two issues deserve further study -- the debate between a cul de sac or a new roadway and the possibility that the project could end up using public funds for low-income housing.

"We as a board feel that there will be adverse environmental impacts," Town Supervisor Greg Post said, agreeing with a previous decision from the planning board.

This is the third in our series of stories about the 2010 Chamber of Commerce award winners. The awards will be presented at a dinner Saturday at the Clarion Hotel.

Like many small businesses, Triple P Farms in Oakfield started with a budding business owner seeing a need and believing he could start small and grow his enterprise.

Daniel "Pudgie" Riner, 52, was raised on a farm in Byron. After his father sold the family farm to the My T Acres, Riner spent 11 years working for the Call family.

He was pretty confident he could grow things. He had just never tried growing anything in a greenhouse before.

Shortly after marrying Patti Call more than 22 years ago, he opened Triple P Farms with a single 2,000-square-foot greenhouse.

Riner was encouraged by his brother and Craig Yunker of CY Farms to start with tomato seedlings.

"They were not happy with quality of transplants that they were buying out of the south and I thought I could grow something better," Riner recalled. "They gave me an opportunity to try and that’s what started the greenhouse business."

Today, Triple P Farms is comprised of more than two acres of greenhouses and he's adding on another 25,000 square feet. Triple P annually produces more than 12 million onion and cabbage plants for local farmers.

It's that kind of growth and contribution to the local agriculture community that led the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce to select Triple P Farms as 2010 Agriculture Business of the Year.

It's an award, Riner said, he finds humbling.

He credits his employees, his customers, his vendors and other members of the agriculture community, even his bank, for making the award possible.

"I always say, one of my biggest assets is the people around me who help make it work. I have the right team around me."

After more than 22 years in business, Riner said what gives him the biggest satisfaction are his employees. He keeps five full-time employees year around and employees 15 to 20 more people during the summer months.

"It feels pretty good that you’re doing something to help people survive."

He said people like his office manager, Debbie Lynch, who has been with Triple P almost from the beginning, and his retail store manager, Scott Fisher, are the ones who really get the work done.

"I don’t know how we could do it without the key people around that make it work."

In the summer, much of Triple P's staffing increase comes from Riner hiring young people.

Riner -- whose friends started calling him "Pudgie" when he was a teen and the nickname stuck -- said he likes new hires to be juniors in high school. It's hard, physical labor, but he enjoys working with youngsters, even mentoring them right through college.

"I always tell them, If you work for me you'll figure out why you don’t want to do this for the rest of your life. Go to college and get a brain."

About 11 years ago, Riner bought a retail nursery on West Main Street in the Town of Batavia from the Riegel family.  

He renamed it Pudgie's Lawn and Garden Center.

“They (the Riegel family) had a wonderful reputation and I’d like to think that we have continued that wonderful reputation of high quality plants that are locally grown. The lawn and garden store we call Pudgie's has been good to us and we try to add more and more to it every year. We have a very good customer base there."

All of the "bedding" plants sold at Pudgie's are grown at Triple P, giving gardeners a chance to buy locally grown plants from local plant experts (most of Pudgie's employees are master gardeners).

This year, Riner lost his pea-picking business as the frozen food industry has consolidated around just two harvesting companies (Riner said he's proud that his business was one of the final four out of a few dozen once upon a time), but he's already taking Triple P in a new, promising direction.

This winter, he and a partner, A.J. Wormuth, started growing cucumbers in the Triple P greenhouses to sell through area retail stores under the Fresh Harvest Farms brand.

The new line is off to a promising start and the time is right, Riner said, to expand into other winter-grown vegetables because of the strong consumer interest in locally grown produce.

"There’s a big push industry for local. The challenge is getting into the big box stores like Tops or Wegmans or Save-A-Lot, but with the impact of people pushing local, the door has opened a little more than in the past."

Riner and Patti have three children. One attends RIT, another is working on becoming a teacher and their oldest daughter lives and works in the Washington, D.C., area.

He said he and Patti keep most of their community involvement pretty low-key. They're active in Northgate Church and do what they can individually to help families and young people.

Patti supports the Cancer Society. She's twice survived cancer.

As he mentions her cancer battles, Pudgie chokes up.

“It still bugs me," he said, as his eyes moistened and his voice cracked. "You can tell. You can tell.”

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis) has proposed what he claims is a bold plan to reduce government spending by $4 trillion over 10 years.

The plan would:

• Repeal health care reform
• Turn Medicare over to private insurances and provide vouchers for recipients
• Turn Medicaid into a block-grant funded program with state's picking up any unfunded expenses
• Lower the highest individual and corporate tax rates from 35 to 25 percent
• Lift drilling moratoriums on and off shore
• Cap government spending at 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product
• It also makes claims for job creation, claims to spur growth and higher wages, bans earmarks and cuts corporate welfare.

Since this is a plan that the next representative from the NY-26 could be asked to vote on, we asked each candidate to respond to Ryan's budget proposal.

Jane Corwin:

Our country is facing a historical challenge – we can either keep pursuing a path of runaway spending, and job-killing debt, or we can choose to get serious about reducing spending, cutting taxes and creating sustainable long-term economic growth for our children and grandchildren. The plan unveiled today recognizes this reality. I look forward to studying the proposals and working to change the direction of our country.

Kathy Hochul:

It’s time to get our fiscal house in order and start working toward reducing our national debt. There is no question that we need to make substantial cuts to our budget, but decimating Medicare cannot be the solution. Once elected, I look forward to working with all members of Congress to cut wasteful spending, while still keeping the promises made to our seniors and ensuring the survival of job re-training programs, so that our businesses can innovate, create jobs, and compete in the global market.

Ian Murphy:

Ryan's budget proposal represents the height of Republican dishonesty. It's a reverse-Robin Hood, where they rob from the poor and give to the rich. You can't reduce the deficit by lowering taxes on corporations and the super-rich, and cutting social spending. Anyone who suggests such an obvious lie should be laughed off the political stage. It's just one more example of our elected officials representing wealth, not people. 

As for Jack Davis, his communications director Curtis Ellis wrote, "This is a large and complex proposal. As an engineer, Jack wants to give it the attention it requires and deserves. He's looking closely at it and we'll get back to you." That was yesterday afternoon and we've not yet received a response from Davis.

For further reading:

• Paul Ryan in WSJ: The GOP Path to Prosperity
• WaPo Fact-Checker: Ryan Budget Plan 'Relies on Dubious Assertions, Questionable Assumptions and Fishy Figures
• Paul Ryan's Budget Plan: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

When James Sunser, Ed.D, starts his new job in August it will be with a sense of purpose and a lifetime of experience in community college.

Sunser replaces Stuart Steiner, Ed.D, as president of Genesee Community College in August.

Sunser told WBTA's Geoff Redick that his passion for education was instilled in him by his parents.

"Our parents ingrained in us from an early age that getting an education is really a big part of the American dream," Sunser said. "I was a first-generation college student. My sisters and I were the first generation in our family to go."

Sunser says that experience alone was enough to push him to work in education for the rest of his life, and see other people live that dream.

"It's very natural for me to be in (education)," he says.

Steiner is retiring after 36 years of leading GCC, taking it from what he's said was sometimes referred to as a "high school with ashtrays" to one of the most prestigious community colleges in New York, if not the nation.

"GCC really has an outstanding reputation in all the SUNY system -- and nationally, too," says Sunser. "Dr. Stuart Steiner, the board of trustees, the whole faculty and staff and administrative team...they're really among the best that I've ever had the chance to come across."

Sunser also praised Steiner

"He is absolutely an icon in SUNY," Sunser said. "What he's done has been fantastic."

The newly selected president has spent the past 23 years at Onondaga Community College, ascending to the position of Vice President for Continued & Extended Learning in 2004.

During that time, he oversaw the the construction of the Whitney Applied Technology Center, the addition of residence halls for 600 students, the creation of a Center for Workforce Development, and the development of new degree programs in Nuclear Technology, Sustainability, and Overhead Lineman Studies.

For the full interview, click here.

In 1983, a Henrietta resident bought a small beverage company in Batavia with a vision for building a chain of stores that would offer customers a wide selection of handcrafted and imported beers.

Batavia Beverage Corporation became Angotti Beverage Corporation and Tony Angotti was on a path toward what is now three stores in the Rochester region, including the widely known Beers of the World in Henrietta.

That success has landed Angotti the prestigious honor of Small Business Person of the Year for the area's 14-county Small Business Administration district.

The Democrat & Chronicle published a story about Angotti today.

"I've always been a nut for imported beers and something different," he said Tuesday. "I always dreamed of something different, something that was not available in upstate New York. So I started bringing in beers, sometimes obscure beers, that nobody knew anything about and some are very well-known brands today."

...

"The population today is not like it was years ago when our fathers and grandfathers used to go a bar and say 'give me a beer' and didn't even know what they were getting," Angotti said. "To them a beer was a beer. But today we have a very sophisticated drinking population that is looking for something unique, something different."

The Town of Batavia Planning Board decided Tuesday that a proposed Holiday Inn Express would not have a negative impact on the environment if it were to be built next to the Hampton Inn on Federal Drive.

"What we did tonight was to say the project will not effect the community environmentally," board Chair Kathleen Jasinski said. "At our next meeting on April 19 we will review the site plan and see if they get ... permission to build the project."

Board members completed the mandatory State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) document with project architect Mark Tiedemann, of MWT Architecture, present to answer questions.

The SEQR document asks yes or no questions about whether the proposed project would negatively impact certain aspects of the environment such as bodies of water, endangered or protected species, etc. In this case, most answers were easily answered "no," according to Tiedemann.

One question was "Will the proposed action result in a physical change to the project site?"

Board Member Don Partridge suggested the answer be no and looked to the others for objections. When none were made, Partridge began to move on to the next question but was interrupted by attorney Thomas J. Warth, of Hiscock & Barclay, out of Rochester. Warth represents other local hotel owners who strongly oppose another hotel in what they claim is an already saturated market.

"It has a much larger footprint," Warth called out.

Board Chair Kathy Jasinski responded by saying that Warth's issue will be addressed when the board reviews the site plan later this month.

"This evening is on the SEQR and how it will react to the land and right now having a hotel where there has been a building already won't affect the land," Jasinski said.

When asked about the impact traffic, Tiedeman said developer Michael Patel had SRF Associates complete a traffic study. It concluded that a small to moderate impact on traffic could be expected, but mitigated by putting in a left-hand turn lane for Route 98.

The SEQR question regarding traffic impact was ultimately answered yes.

Another SEQR question was "Is there likely to be public controversy related to the potential adverse environmental impacts?"

Board members agreed that there most certainly would be public controversy because many community members have already voiced their opposition to the project as a whole. Hotel owners are concerned about the economic impact another hotel would have on their businesses.

Tiedemann politely argued, "Competition technically can't be a controversy related to any environmental impact. Environmental impact would be water, sewer, gas, traffic, any one of those."

Jasinski replied "Our board usually takes a stand on the side of our community and there will be a public controversy over this. I don't think we can ignore that fact."

Partridge documented on the SEQR that, "...the major controversy has been competition-oriented and is noted."

He added that personally, he didn't think it was a project-altering issue.

Jasinski concluded that every "yes" answer to an impact on the environment at the project site could be mitigated. She asked that the developer get in contact with the Department of Transportation about a possible turning lane on Route 98.

The motion was made by Partridge, and seconded by Board Memeber Paul McCullough, that a negative declaration is appropriate for this project. The board agreed unanimously.

This is the second in our series on the 2010 Chamber of Commerce award winners. The awards will be presented at a dinner at the Clarion Hotel on Saturday.

The inaugural Genesee County Lifetime Achievement Award of the local chamber of commerce will be presented Saturday to retiring college President Stuart Steiner, Ed.D. The accolade will be a singular coda for an exceptional career.

By all accounts, it is altogether fitting that this renowned educator, who leaves his post at Genesee Community College on Aug. 31, should get this unique honor.

During his 44 years at the GCC, 36 as president, he has worked relentlessly to make what used to be known as "junior college" more attainable, affordable and respectable. Nationally recognized for his solid and indefatigable leadership in education, he has brought GCC to new heights in every respect, according to community leaders.

In his comfortable office at the Batavia campus, the Maryland native talked about how pleased he is to be honored by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce at its 39th Annual Awards Ceremony.

His eyes seem to "smile" when he talks and he smiles a lot, too. His voice is soft and low and he's easy to chat with, a guy students can talk to, even play Ping-Pong with, seriously.

He motioned toward the MedTech building across the street, the new athletic fields, and indicated that most of what he set out to do has been accomplished.

So after two consecutive academic years of record enrollments and sound financials, with new labor contracts in place, and good relations with staff, faculty and the Genesee County Legislature -- he's taking his late wife Rosalie's advice.

"(Roz) said 'I know you love the job. You get up and you still go to work at 6:30, quarter to 7, in the morning. ... But when you decide that maybe it's time to retire, pick a time when everything's going right, when you're at the top of your game."

Steiner looks back and takes a lot of pride in what's taken place.

"It's enjoyable to see people who the college made a difference in their lives and the lives of their families," Steiner said. "It's not a theoretical difference. That's just a delightful thing."

Time was when going to that hilltop "high school with an ashtray" meant slouching toward a place of second-rate learning, where you went when you couldn't get into a "real" college. 

But over the years that perception waned because it could be proven that the quality of instruction and the transferability of credits earned would make it possible for more students to attend say, the University of Buffalo or even Cornell, as juniors. From a practical standpoint, for parents, that meant that a four-year university that was out of reach financially, could become at least a feasible option.

The degree earned comes from the graduating college. It doesn't say, the "first two years at a community college," Steiner said.

Add to that the surge in working adults, so-called "nontraditional students," needing job-specific instruction, and more people wanting certificate courses, and junior colleges grew up to become community colleges.

Steiner saw the changes and helped encourage the trends. Today, GCC typically has students from more than 20 different nations and more than 40 counties statewide.

The success story that is GCC would not be possible, Steiner repeatedly notes, without being able to delegate to quality staff members and instructors.

"You have to have a great support team and staff," Steiner said. "You can't run it and have a good college if you don't have other people who are good at their jobs."

There's high praise from Steiner about the college's foundation board and the board of trustees. Over the years, the men and women involved have helped steer the course, raise the money, get the buildings built and more. Ditto the county legislators.

(He happens to be the second-longest-serving community college president in the nation. Here's true kismet -- In the early years, he accepted a job at a community college in Maryland and there was another person hired there, same day, same hour, same type of job -- a director -- who is now the president of Westchester Community College. And that man is the longest-serving community college president in the nation.)

A lot of fancy degrees are on Steiner's office wall, including a doctorate in education and also in law, master's degrees and an AA degree from Baltimore Junior College (as it was called then). So he, too, started at a community college.

But of all his awards, honors and degrees, his crowning moment comes April 15 when the Rosalie "Roz" Steiner Art Gallery opens at the campus. She herself was a highly regarded artist.

"The decency that the board recognized that I couldn't do all that I was able to do if she wasn't doing a lot of the support work. She worked with the board, she hosted things. She did things in the community.

"That's the highlight -- to have the kids there and let them see their mom recognized for the work she did, not because she was my wife. I think that's important."