Announcements

Nick Burk and Chris Weicher (right) of Batavia High School bask in the light of their glory -- actually, their bald heads just amplify the sunlight to a ridiculous degree -- as they stand on the school's roof to raise money for the United Way. They spent hours on the rooftop on Friday.

Last week was the second week of Change for Change, the Genesee County high schools' fundraising project for the United Way.

Nancy Harding of the Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union reported a tally of $1,327.92 for Batavia High and a tally of $148.45 for Oakfield. No activity from the other schools has been reported.

Stay posted for another update in the next week.

Genesee County Chamber of Commerce renewed its partnership with the Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) last month and is looking for businesses in the area who need help!

If your small business is faced with a technical challenge, SATOP wants to help. It can provide up to 40 hours of FREE technical assistance for qualified requests, using the vast engineering expertise of NASA and participating Alliance Partners. SATOP is designed to speed the transfer of U.S. Space Program knowledge and technology to the private sector, to provide economic benefits to the community, and to raise public awareness of the Space Program.

Areas of expertise of SATOP include, but are not limited to: mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, materials, structural, facilities, chemical, electrical, electronics, and environmental engineering.

If you're unsure about being able to use this FREE program, visit:<http://www.geneseeny.com/template3>.

You will be able to read all about Orcon Industries, a local success story on how SATOP was able to help them, along with other stories throughout the nation in which SATOP has been helpful. You will also find more than 20 frequently asked questions. If you still have questions or want more information, contact Melissa or Lynn at 343-7440.

Genesee Community College will hold a Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 13 in the William Stuart Forum. More than 35 companies are expected to participate.

Genesee's Career and Transfer Center continues to solicit businesses from all types of industries to join the popular, three-hour event that introduces potential new employees to employers, and also provides businesses an opportunity to present their trade and services to the local community.

Any company interested in attending the Job Fair should call 345-6888 to register immediately.  The following employers are scheduled to attend:

Byrncliff Resort & Conference Center; New York State Police; Army and Army Reserve; Camp Wyomoco; Pier 45 at the Port U.S. Marine Corps; Combined Insurance; Pioneer Credit Recovery, Inc.; Navy; Darien Lake; Professional Driver Institute; WCJW; Department of Homeland Security – ICE – DRO; Rochester AmeriCorps; Western New York D.D.S.O.; ESL Federal Credit Union; Rochester City Police Department; Five Star Bank; Rochester Psychiatric Center; Genesee Area Family YMCA (Camp Hough); Rochester Riverside Convention Center; Genesee County AmeriCorps; Social Security Administration; Genesee County Career Center; Stepping Stones Learning Center;  
Genesee County Sheriff's Department; SUNY Brockport; Army ROTC, Genesee Region Independent Living Center, Inc.; TAP Personnel Heritage Centers; The Bank of Castile; Hyatt Regency Rochester; U.S. Department of Agriculture – NRCS; New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets; and the Air Force.  

"We expect the job fair this spring to be very successful," John McGowan, Career Center coordinator said. "There are a lot of students and local community members that are looking for jobs. Whether it's from layoffs or more simply, people need a change of employment, we are providing an excellent opportunity for job seekers to meet with potential employers."

The college is also hosting the annual spring 4-Year College Transfer Fair, which will allow students interested in transferring to a baccalaureate college to explore options to further their education, on 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 31 in the Forum at the Batavia Campus.

In addition to these events, Genesee Community College's Career and Transfer Center sponsors several preparatory job search workshops, such as Resume & Cover Letter Writing and Credential File & Interviewing Skills. The workshops are FREE and open to the public.

A complete list of upcoming workshop dates and times can be found at www.genesee.edu/ctc <http://at www.genesee.edu/ctc>. To attend the workshops students and community members MUST register in advance by calling the Student Activities Office at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6261.

 

RSVP (Volunteer Placement Program) of Genesee County has been named the 2010 Richmond Library Friend of the Year.

The program will be honored at a public reception held in the Gallery Room of the Richmond Library on Friday, April 16. The reception will begin at 3:30 p.m., with the award presentation at 4.

The annual award, which is sponsored by the Friends of the Richmond Memorial
Library, recognizes an individual or group whose interest and support of the library has been exceptional. Consideration is given to people who generously give of their time and talent to help with library-sponsored programs, or who have worked toward promoting the mission of the library within the community.

Friends' President Dianne Boeheim said:

“The Board of Directors of the Friends of the Library recognizes that the work done by volunteers is invaluable to an organization and, according to library staff, RSVP volunteers are among the best and most reliable. 

"The director of the program, Dorian Ely, has excelled at finding the right people for the
different jobs. RSVP volunteers work with the library’s Interloan Department, finding requested materials for Richmond Library patrons as well as for the NIOGA system.

"They sign in students after school, helping ensure the safety of those students; and they are working as shelvers, assisting with the return of borrowed materials to the shelves in a timely and accurate fashion.”

Friends of the Richmond Memorial Library is a non-profit organization that assists the library with programs, public relations and fund-raising through its monthly book sales and membership drive. Information about membership in the organization may be obtained by calling the library at 343-9550 or by visiting the library’s Web site,  <www.batavialibrary.org>.

Family Primetime Story Hour is for all ages and is held from 6:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday at the Richmond Memorial Library.

This event includes stories, music and finger plays. Children are welcome to wear pajamas if they wish.

Please contact the library at 343-9550 for further details.

St. James Episcopal Church has a fish fry are every Friday during Lent. The cost is $7.50 for dinner and $2.50 for a la carte dessert. All proceeds benefit the Restoration Fund of St. James Church.

Take-outs will be available starting at 4:30 p.m., and the dining room will be open for a sit-down dinner at 5.

Free delivery for the elderly and shut-ins of Batavia is available.

The remaining fish fry dates are March 19, March 26 and April 2.

Please contact St. James Church at 343-6802 for more information.

The New York State Maple Producers Association invites Genesee County residents to "Maple Weekend."

Genesee maple producers will show people the many methods used to make maple syrup, and anyone who attends will get to taste the product for themselves!

The locations for this event are:

Indian Acres Maple Farm, 2005 Broadway Rd., Darien

Randall's Maple Products, 10307 Smithley Rd., Alexander

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 20-21 and again on March 27-28.

Contact Indian Acres Maple Farm at 547-3557, or Randall's Maple Products at 547-3596 or 734-1057, for more information.

For more details on Maple Weekend, visit www.mapleweekend.com.

Downtown Batavia Public Market Committee is in the process of organizing its fourth season at its Ellicott (Route 63) and Center streets location.

The market will open on Thursday, June 17 and run through October, every Thursday, with newly extended hours from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm. There will be a number of new growers and crafts people to add to the variety of items that shoppers need and want.

The market will be offering: baked goods, fresh corn, tomatoes, berries, peaches, cheese, honey, maple syrup, New York wines, cut flowers and handmade crafts. Shop and have lunch -- hot dogs, hamburgers and pizza will be served. There will be new activities such as nutrition programs and more.



“Support the downtown that supports your community." Sponsored by: Batavia Business Improvement District Public Market Committee. Interested vendors may contact the B.I.D. office at 585-344-0900 or visit our website at  HYPERLINK <http://www.downtownbataviany.com" www.downtownbataviany.com>

Middle and high school students will have a chance to take what they learn in the technology classroom and compete in the third annual Tech Wars competition Thursday at Genesee Community College.

Registration for the College Tech Prep event begins at 9 a.m. and the competition starts at 9:30 a.m. From catapults to robots, manual drafting to Web page design, the imagination and creativity of some of the brightest students in the GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming Counties) region will be showcased during this day-long event.

There will be multiple project-based events of skill, chance and ability. Students will compete in bridge building, drafting, sumo robots, T-shirt design, carbon dioxide dragster racing, among other events. The highlight of this year's event will once again be the Robotic Tractor Pull. Two new events are Sculpture and Rube Goldberg Machines.

"Interest in this competition continues to grow each year," said Debbie Dunlevy, the college's Tech Prep Program director and coordinator co-chair of the Tech Wars competition. "It's not only a lot of fun, but it gets young people exploring the wide array of careers in technology.

"Sometimes what they learn and share on the floor of GCC is transferred to a conversation at home, and that can translate into thinking about careers, education and employment down the road."

The Tech Wars competition was inspired from a similar competition currently held through Niagara County Community College. That event is now in its 13th year and attracts as many as 600 students from Western New York to compete.

"The ultimate goal of the Tech Wars is to encourage these kids to think beyond the classroom, engage their creativity, strengthen their team-building and problem-solving skills and embrace technology as a fun and rewarding way to make a living," Dunlevy said. "It may seem like a tall order, but it happens each year at the Tech Wars. We love hosting this fun yet educational event."

College Tech Prep helps students explore various career options and make a smooth transition from high school to college and ultimately to professional careers. The Tech Wars is among several dynamic programs giving students the opportunity to work in hands-on learning encounters, often within business settings and with various professionals.

College Tech Prep offers several distinctive career academies to high school students including: Heath, Legal, Information Technology, and the new Theatre Arts Academy offered in tandem by Genesee Community College theater classes and instructors Maryanne Arena and Ed Hallborg. In addition, there is also a Virtual Enterprise Business program available to high school students.

For more information, please contact Dunlevy, College Tech Prep Program director at Genesee Community College, at 585-343-0055 x6316 or dkdunlevy@genesee.edu <http://dkdunlevy@genesee.edu.>. More information can also be found at the Tech Wars website, http://www.techwars.org. <http://www.techwars.org>

Grace Woodworth, who served as Town Historian of Stafford for 17 years, will be honored by the Stafford Historical Society at its monthly membership meeting on Thursday, March 25.

It begins at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall on Rte. 237 in Stafford.

A DVD will be shown of an interview with her in which she recalls memories of growing up on a farm in Morganville. The public in invited to attend.

For questions, contact Phyllis Darling at 343-1928 or e-mail to: <electra@2ki.net>.

The Genesee County Clerk’s office will hold our “National Passport Day” from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, March 26 at 15 Main Street, County Building #1.

As with “National Passport Day in the USA 2010” on March 27, it's a reminder to residents that traveling to Canada now requires either a passport card, passport book or enhanced license if the traveler is over 19 years old.

The day allows us to extend an invitation to residents to come in and apply for your passport at the clerk's office before the proposed increase in fees takes affect.

You will need to bring your certified birth certificate or other citizenship documentation and your driver's license or other acceptable form of identity. Passport photographs are available in the local office. If you are applying for anyone under the age of 16, both parents and the child need to be present.

If you have any questions, please call the clerk's office for clarification at 585-344-2550, ext. 2316. The friendly staff is there to assist in the process, and cookies and punch will be available for your enjoyment on that day. So if you are thinking about getting your passport, this would be an excellent time before the proposed fee increase takes effect!

A new days dawns as three off-track-betting regions today unveiled a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) designed to reinvigorate the New York’s struggling racing industry.

As part of the JVA, the presidents of Capital OTB, Suffolk OTB and Western OTB said that they will engage in cooperative ventures that increase efficiencies, boosting the revenue that the participating OTBs send to their sponsoring counties.

Here's news from Genesee Community College about its board of trustees meeting earlier this week.

Genesee Community College has been awarded a $457,661 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for replacement of campus lighting with new energy-efficient devices.

Through the grant, the college will replace incandescent and fluorescent lighting fixtures and ballasts with more efficient fluorescent lighting and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs over the next year. LED bulbs are highly energy-efficient and last longer than traditional bulbs, according to Kevin P. Hamilton, vice president for finance and operations.

"These changes create greater light output per unit of electrical power used," Hamilton said. "And will result in savings of at least $48,000 annually at Genesee.

NYSERDA is a state agency created to fund research and infrastructure initiatives that result in greater efficiency throughout the state, and ultimately a reduction in reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA grants are highly competitive. The grant proposal was coordinated by longtime Buildings and Grounds Director Timothy M. Landers.

"This is a grant we have never had before," President Stuart Steiner told trustees. "It is very significant."

Hamilton told trustees that the college will continue to seek "green" grants.

"Our hope is that we will receive additional funds to be able to complete other projects such as boiler replacements, upgrades to the energy management system and motor replacements," Hamilton said. "We continue to study the feasibility of solar and wind power."

In other business, the board of trustees:

• Approved a $16,863 athletic facilities upgrade change order for the purchase and installation of new lockers in the men's locker room.
• Heard Board Chair Laurie J. Miller appoint a three-member board subcommittee to review proposed fees for the college's Batavia Campus athletic fields. Named to the ad-hoc committee were Maureen T. Marshall, Chair; Kenneth A. Dodd, and Laura J. Bohm.
• Heard Vice President for Finance and Operations Kevin P. Hamilton report that drywall is being installed in the portion of the new Genesee County Economic Development Center's Med Tech Park designated for the College's nursing program. Staff should be able to move in by July 1. Hamilton also said that only "punch list" items need to be completed on the turf field project. These include landscaping and bleacher work. He also shared preliminary architectural sketches of the planned Art Gallery. Architects recommend a limestone exterior, to match the nearby Batavia Campus entranceways.
• Heard Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services Virginia M. Taylor report that 1,308 individuals applied for admission as full-time students for the Spring 2010 semester, up 32% from the 990 individuals who had applied a year earlier.
• Heard Taylor report that the college is receiving applications from area high school students for Summer 2010 Genesee Promise Plus scholarships. Under this program, seniors enrolled in area high schools receive a scholarship for one or two summer courses at Genesee. Last year, the Promise Plus program had 351 registrations, up 14% from the 217 registrations received in summer 2008, the program's first year.
• Heard Genesee student Lori Mould describe "Bridge Winter Camp," an event that brought 200 SUNY faculty, staff and students to The People's Republic of China over the winter break. The Chinese government invited SUNY to send a delegation as a follow-up to SUNY's gesture a year earlier to bring 150 Chinese students from earthquake-ravaged Sichuan Province. Eight Chinese students completed a year of study at Genesee during the 2008-2009 academic year. Mould shared photographs of Beijing, Olympic Village, Chinese art and architecture, the Panda Research Center, and the Great Wall of China. She was able to meet one of the former Genesee students during the trip. Mould called the visit to China a "life-changing experience." Mould also serves as Genesee Community College student trustee.
• Heard Genesee student Colleen McKay describe her business experience in her native Canada, and how she came to select Genesee as her college choice. McKay, whose family lives in Woodstock, Ontario, started a farm market business with her brothers and sisters as a youngster. The business operates about six months a year, selling produce and baked goods. Called – "Your Farm Market" – it has grown over the years and now earns more than $400,000 annually in gross revenue. McKay, 20, and a longtime softball pitcher, met Genesee Assistant Softball Coach Pat Clark, who was visiting Woodstock and talking to prospective students. "I spent about five minutes with him, and he taught me six new pitches in that short period of time. I was so amazed by him, and after he left, I looked up Genesee Community College on the web. I knew I wanted to come here and play softball." McKay is pursuing a degree in Entrepreneurship and holds a 4.0, or straight A, average. She calls Genesee an "amazingly friendly place.

The New York State Sheriffs’ Association Institute will begin its annual Honorary Membership drive in Genesee County within the next 10 days, according to Sheriff Gary T. Maha.

The institute was established in 1979 and is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization, and contributions to it are tax deductible.

While the Sheriff’s Office is a unit of county government, many of the concerns of Sheriffs' and other law enforcement agencies are best addressed on a statewide level. The Sheriffs’ Institute provides centralized training programs and services for all Sheriffs’ Offices, where those programs and services would be unavailable or impractical on a single county basis.

The flagship program of the Sheriffs’ Institute is the Sheriffs’ Summer Camp for "economically challenged" children. The Sheriffs’ camp, in its 34th year of operation, is located on Keuka Lake and approximately 800 children statewide attend, including about 20-25 disadvantaged children from Genesee County.

The Sheriffs’ Institute pays the entire cost of the camp stay and transportation. Most children attending wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity for vacation travel or a summer camp experience.

The Sheriffs’ Summer Camp program combines summer recreation with activities designed to teach an understanding of, and respect for, our laws and the men and women who enforce them. The strong camper-to-counselor ratio allows for individual attention with an emphasis on the development of self-esteem.

“In these difficult economic times, we can not forget our youth who will not have the opportunity for a summer camp experience or a summer vacation,” Maha said. “By becoming an honorary member you are supporting the Sheriffs’ Summer Camp for economically disadvantaged children.”

In addition, the Sheriffs’ Institute operates a scholarship program that provides one scholarship to each of New York State’s Community College’s Criminal Justice Programs. This program is designed to help attract the best and the brightest to the criminal justice vocation.

Financial support for many of the Sheriffs’ Institute programs comes from Honorary Membership dues. Invitations for Honorary Membership are extended on a non-partisan basis, and the invitees are selected at random. Any persons interested in supporting the efforts of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association Institute by becoming an Honorary Member should contact the Sheriff, if they do not receive an invitation in the mail, or visit our web site at: HYPERLINK "http://www.sheriffsinstitute.org"www.sheriffsinstitute.org to download an application.

All donations made to the New York State Sheriffs’ Association Institute are tax deductible. In addition, Sheriffs’ Institute is registered with the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau.

Here's a reminder about open burning regulations from Tim Yaeger, coordinator of Genesee County Emergency Services.

Last year, on Oct. 14, new rules took effect in New York regarding open burning. All open burning is prohibited with several exceptions including the following:

• Campfires less than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in length, width or diameter are allowed.
• Small cooking fires are allowed.
• Fires cannot be left unattended and must be fully extinguished.
• Only charcoal or clean, dry, untreated or unpainted wood can be burned.
• Ceremonial or celebratory bonfires are allowed.
• In towns with a total population less than 20,000, you may burn tree limbs with attached leaves. The limbs must be less than 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet in length (also referred to as brush). However, this is not allowed from March 16 through May 14 due to the increased risk of wildfires.
• Open burning of residential wastes in any city or village, or in any town with a population of 20,000 or more has been prohibited since 1972.

Burning trash <http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/32065.html> is now prohibited statewide in all cases. Our existing incinerator rule already prohibits burning household trash in wood stoves, fireplaces, and outdoor wood boilers. DEC recommends that you recycle <http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/43706.html> all appropriate materials (such as newspaper, paper, glass and plastic) and compost <http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8799.html> your organic kitchen and garden waste.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/regs/4261.html

Below are some commmonly asked questions and their answers.

Can prescribed burns be performed?

Yes. Prescribed burns, the burning of forest land to achieve a vegetative or wildlife management goal, can be performed but only in accordance with DEC regulations. Check with your regional DEC office.  (For Genesee County:  Contact Region 8 DEC - 585-226-2466).Yes, with some restrictions on the use of acquired structures and in accordance with guidance from NYS Dept. of State's Office of Fire Prevention and Control. The Fire Services Bureau may be reached at 518-474-6746.

Are individual open fires to control plant and animal disease outbreaks allowed?

Yes, as approved case-by-case by DEC, upon the request by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets.

Can I dispose of a flag or religious item in an open fire?

Yes, in a small-sized fire if it is not otherwise prohibited by law or regulation.

Can a town prohibit open burning that the state allows?

Yes, towns, villages, cities and counties can pass ordinances that are stricter than, and not inconsistent with, the open fires regulations. You should check with local authorities to find out if local law requires a permit or prohibits open fires.

Can explosives, or other dangerous contraband, be burned?

Yes, on an emergency basis by police or other public safety organizations only.

Can brush piles be burned at transfer sites?

No, the practice of burning large piles of brush collected from local residents at town or county transfer sites is prohibited. The individual landowners in small towns may burn their brush on site as stated above. Downed limbs and branches generated at a transfer site are also allowed to be burned on site with the same restrictions.

Where should I call to report an illegal open fire?

To report environmental law violations call 1-800-TIPP DEC (1-800-847-7332).

The department has received many questions regarding DEC's implementation of  HYPERLINK "http://www.dec.ny.gov/regs/2492.html" Part 215, regarding open fires. This document is intended to inform the general public about open fire regulation in New York and assist the regulated community in understanding the requirements of  HYPERLINK "http://www.dec.ny.gov/regs/2492.html" Part 215.