batavia

Press Release

The Genesee County Health Department is seeking information about the location of a dog and its owner(s)following a dog bite incident on Tuesday, August 2, at 9:00a.m. The incident occurred on Jerome Place near East Main Street in the city of Batavia. 

The dog approached a person on Jerome Place and bit the individuals arm. After the incident, the dog ran across Main Street in the westerly direction and was almost struck by a car. 

The dog was described as a solid, dark gray dog with a bright blue collar. The dog resembled a pit bull or bulldog. 

It is important to locate the dog to determine whether or not it is current on its rabies shot. If the health status is not identified, post-exposure rabies shots will be offered to the victim.    

If you have information about the location of the dogs and its owner(s), please contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555.

Editor's note: This is a continuation of a series about what's happening in the city of Batavia

A recent photo published with a mall-related story caught the attention of a couple of merchants.

It prominently featured a decorated bucket on the floor, and was a file photo from some time ago. Business owners Bob Chiarmonte, the unofficial president of the Mall Merchants Association, and Craig Jackson, co-owner of Batavia Stagecoach Florist, wanted to set the record straight that improvements are being made to Batavia City Centre.

“I think the city has put a lot of money into downtown revitalization, and the mall is right in the center of it. So to ignore it doesn't make sense to me, because it's right in the center of downtown. So I think they're making the right decision to try and improve the building,“ said Chiarmonte, who owns Classic Optical. “Personally, what I'd like to see is, there are properties that the city owns, and I'd like to see them sell the properties and get taxpayers and businesses back in here. The city owns a bunch of these properties that are vacant, and they're not doing anything.”

Several former businesses ended up in foreclosure and the sites ended up in the possession of the city. According to online assessment data, those sites include parcels 2, 11, formerly Valle’s, 17-20, formerly Gentleman Jim’s, Palace of Sweets and The Hiding Place, and 35 and 39, formerly Advanced Imaging. Other vacant spots, not owned by the city according to assessment data, are the former Sunny's restaurant, Escapeology, Miracle Ear, and JC Penney. (The Batavian reached out to city officials for comments late Wednesday afternoon, and will publish an update later this week.)

Aside from those empty parcels, Chiarmonte and Jackson were pleased with the new roof that’s been installed throughout the concourse area. The place no longer leaks, they agreed, and there hasn’t been a bucket to be seen in months. The city has expressed interest in renting out that space for events, and that’s something that both business owners would like to see.

They credited building maintenance manager Tom Phelps for doing “an excellent” job with making sure the concourse is clean, repaired as necessary, shoveled outside and seasonally decorated. Phelps even brought in some decorations for the place to be extra festive. This will be his fourth year putting up a Christmas tree, he said.

Phelps and two other city employees work in the Centre as part of a legal settlement between the merchants and municipality. That has been a plus, Jackson and Chiarmonte said, and Phelps is currently in the process of removing all of those ceiling tiles for a different look.

Current concourse ceiling

Concourse ceiling with tiles beginning to be removed

Chiarmonte believes there may be another option for mall management in the future.

“I think the city might be interested in getting one entity to come in and take over the facility. And I can't blame them for that, because I know that the city doesn't want to own them all. We've talked about it. And, personally, I think it would be an easier sell if the spaces were full. I don’t think they’re marketing it at all.”

There didn’t appear to be any type of visual signage promoting those properties for sale. Each one sat there empty and quiet, with windows either boarded or papered, or otherwise obviously unoccupied. Jackson remembers when they had the draw of those stores, including J.C. Penney, with its name still on the wall over the interior doors.

Despite the lack of regular traffic, both businesses had customers in the hour or so The Batavian was there in the afternoon. And both said they have been doing well and would not have made a different choice if they could go back in time. Chiarmonte, and Jackson and his partner, Loretta DelPriore, own their properties outright, which means no rent to worry about. They each took advantage of what they felt were good deals — and cheaper than other space downtown or elsewhere in Batavia, they said.

COVID’s arrival hurt businesses in general, and mall merchants were no exception. Chiarmonte saw decreased business, and said there wasn’t a compromise to offer, as his optical shop is a hands-on enterprise. Jackson said revenues remained strong for his combination florist-tuxedo-collectibles shop. When COVID hit, the partners depended on delivery service and wire and online ordering through their website.

He also referred to another bonus, a craft fair hosted by a local nonprofit in the concourse. With some 90 vendors,  the place was busy and a lot of people milled about, stopping into the shop, Jackson said.

“This place is available for events, and you don’t have water dripping on you,” Jackson said. “I think they should push kiosks, they used to have those, and people could try it out and work toward renting (a property).”

They’re both for anything that can draw people to City Centre, including special events on the concourse, the Healthy Living project that’s now underway for a 2023 completion, more merchants and, ideally for Chiarmonte, another department store to replace Penney’s.

The Association has dwindled to about two or three active members, including Chiarmonte and Jackson’s business partner Loretta DelPriore.

“We keep a handle on things,” Chiarmonte said. “I’ve been here 38 years, and I’ve had success. I think any business, any business that comes into the facility is going to help … and is going to create traffic. So the more foot traffic, there is more business. It just kind of goes to (common sense). I think (Penney’s) was a huge help for me because of the location, and I guess COVID put the nail in their coffin, unfortunately. That was a good store.”

The new owner, a developer in California, has a Rochester realtor who in the past has said he was working to show and sell the property. Potential concepts have included an event center and boutique-style hotel. Chiarmonte is on board with a mixed-use place, as long as those parcels are filled, he said.

He and Jackson agree with the city’s plan to pursue new designs for the four entryways to the Centre. That plan is in the design phase, city officials said. Other work is to include painting the floor and walls, and the tiles  — initially to be cleaned up and improved — are being taken down to expose the natural underpinnings of steel and wires. Some downtown apartments have been constructed in a similar industrial style.

Jackson wants the floor to be addressed soon, as he thinks the mismatched tile colors don’t do anything positive for the concourse appearance.

“To kind of bring this back to life,” he said. “This is a lot of open property right in the center of town.”

It may seem daunting to not only buy property there but also tack on property taxes and business improvement district and mall user fees to the total. However, they both said it was still less expensive than other city property.

“I don't know about rent, but I would guess that rent is reasonable because the cost of property is pretty reasonable, so if somebody's looking to start a business or open a business, this would be great, because you're in the middle of downtown and it's an expensive place to attain property,” Chiarmonte said.

To those people that have spouted off about tearing down the mall, it’s just not that easy, he said. He said the city would have to buy out each individual property owner and pay fair market value.

And to those that say the mall is dead?

“I wouldn’t say it’s dead,” Chiarmonte said. “But I would say it’s sleeping.”

For prior coverage about City Centre’s ongoing transition, see article "Moving forward?" and "Making the best ..."

Top photo: Craig Jackson, co-owner of Batavia Stagecoach Florist at 26 Batavia City Centre; the mall concourse ceiling, both currently and as it begins to shed its tiles; Bob Chiarmonte of Classic Optical at 44 Batavia City Centre, and a section of concourse. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Ronald M. Washburn, 62, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with sexual abuse 1st/child less than 11 years old. Washburn is accused of touching a child's sexual or intimate parts to gratify his sexual desire. According to police, Washburn was the child's babysitter at the time of the incident, which was reported on April 17, 2018. Washburn was a registered Level 1 sex offender, according to police, at the time of the alleged offense but his registration has since expired.  The investigation has been ongoing since 2018 by Det. Thad Mart, Child Protective Services, and Justice for Children. Washburn was jailed on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.

Kevin Weber and Christine Wyder, no ages nor residences provided by police, are charged with public lewdness. Weber and Wyder are accused of engaging in sexual intercourse in the front yard of a residence on Walnut Street at 6:39 p.m. July 23. Both were issued appearance tickets.

Linda L. Snyder, 39, of Batavia, abandonment of an animal and torturing or injuring an animal. Snyder is accused of striking a dog with a broom multiple times and leaving the animal outside at 3:30 a.m. March 11, at a residence on Highland Park.  Snyder was issued an appearance ticket.

John J. Saddler, 34, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny, criminal contempt 1st, burglary 2nd, identity theft 3rd, and grand larceny 4th. Saddler is accused of stealing property from a residence on State Street at 2:33 p.m. July 10, and in the process violating an order of protection.  He was arraigned in City Court and jailed without bail.

Taiya J. Rolle, 18, of Batavia, is charged with attempted assault 2nd, reckless endangerment 2nd, and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident. Rolle was charged following an incident reported on Liberty Street, Batavia at noon July 4.  He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

Adriana M. Ayala, 18 of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd and criminal mischief. Ayala is accused of hitting another person in the face during a fight at a gas station on East Main Street at 8:58 p.m. on July 22. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Jacob J. Camerera, 31, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 4th, unlawful possession of personal ID 3rd, and petit larceny. Camerera is accused of stealing and attempting to use another person's credit cards on June 4. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Ashley I. Hightower, 29, of Batavia is charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer in motor vehicle 3rd, failure to stop at a stop sign, illegal signal/less than 100 feet, speeding, and failure to obey traffic control device. Hightower is accused of multiple traffic infractions and when police attempted a traffic stop at 9:20 a.m. July 16, Hightower allegedly accelerated and refused to pull over.  She is accused of fleeing from police from West Main Street, Batavia, to East Main Street, Batavia, before pulling over at Eastown Plaza. She was taken into custody and issued multiple traffic tickets and an appearance.

Brandon C. Dodd, 35, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, DWAI/drugs and insufficient tail lamps. Dodd was stopped at 10:41 p.m. April 26, by a Batavia patrol officer on East Main Street, Batavia. Dodd was arrested on July 14 and issued an appearance ticket.

Nathan W. Campbell, 41 of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Campbell is accused of stealing beer from a business on Jackson Street at 4:17 p.m. July 24. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Megan A. Gregg, 28, of Batavia, is accused of failure to appear on an appearance ticket issued at 4:27 p.m., May 13 on Ellsworth Avenue. Gregg was arrested on a warrant. Gregg is accused of leaving drugs and paraphernalia in an area accessible to young children.  She was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Christian P. Pierre-Louis, 24, of Batavia, is charged with dog running at large. A dog reportedly owned by Pierre-Louis went onto another person's property and became aggressive with another dog.  Pierre-Louis was issued an appearance ticket.

Sidney C. Underhill, 72, of Elba, is charged with two counts of criminal contempt 2nd, stalking 3rd, and trespassing. Underhill is accused of violating a stay-away protection order at 9 p.m., July 17, at a location on Vernon Avenue, Batavia, and on June 25 at 11:30 a.m., and of being on a property on Vernon Avenue without permission on Aug. 6 at 11 p.m. Underhill was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.

Mattew R. Taylor, 39, of Batavia, is charged with trespass.  Taylor is accused of being on a business party on East Main Street, Batavia, he was told not to enter at 8:50 p.m. July 24.  Taylor was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $100 bail.

Mattew R. Taylor, 39, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 3rd and petit larceny. Taylor allegedly stole merchandise from a gas station on East Main Street at 2:01 p.m. July 23, and had been previously barred from the property. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Mattew R. Taylor, 39, of Batavia, is charged with trespass.  At 2:20 p.m. July 23, Taylor was allegedly found on a property on East Main Street he was not allowed to enter. He was arraigned and released.

Mattew R. Taylor, 39, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. At 6:02 p.m. July 16, Taylor was allegedly found on a property on East Main Street he was not allowed to enter. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Alicia M. Lyons, 42, of Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. Lyons is accused of failing to appear in City Court on a trespassing charge.  She was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear at 1:30 p.m. July 28.

Alicia M. Lyons, 42, of Batavia, is charged with trespass.  Lyons is accused of trespassing at a business on Jackson Street at 11:55 a.m. July 24. She was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear at 1:30 p.m. July 28.

Alicia M. Lyons, 42, of Batavia, is charged with two counts of trespassing. Lyons is accused of trespassing at 3:45 p.m. July 15, at a convenience store on Jackson Street, where she bought a pack of black and mild cigars and left.  She is accused of trespassing at a business at 6:38 p.m. July 18 and from being previously barred from shopping at that establishment.  She was issued appearance tickets.

Michael R. Ostrander, 57, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Ostrander is accused of violating an order of protection at 1:40 p.m. July 25 by making a phone call to the protected person. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Christine M. Page, 32, of East Rochester, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Page was reportedly babysitting a child less than 17 years old at 2:20 p.m. July 20 at a location on Bank Street, when the child consumed a candy bar containing THC causing an adverse reaction.  Page was issued an appearance ticket.

Jacqueline R. Garrett, 43, of Albion is accused of inhalation of toxic vapors or fumes. Garrett is accused of being under the influence of toxic vapors she inhaled during an incident reported at 5:38 p.m. July 21.  She is also accused of failure to appear in City Court for an incident in 2020.  She was arraigned in City Court and released.

Jason E. Carpenter, 43, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Carpenter is accused of threatening another person at a location on West Main Street, Batavia at 7:57 p.m. July 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Tracy M. Fickes, 41, of Batavia. is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving without an interlock device, and improper left turn. Fickes was charged following a motor vehicle accident at 12:28 a.m. July 10 on Clinton Street.  The vehicle struck a utility pole. Fickes was issued traffic tickets.

Latoya D. Jackson, 36, of Batavia, is charged with trespassing. On July 8, Jackson was advised by the management of a property on East Main Street to leave the location, which she did "reluctantly," police said. According to police, she returned a short time later and was arrested.  She was issued an appearance ticket.

George J. Budzinack, Jr., 42, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Budzinack is accused of throwing a punch through a door and hitting a female victim in the face at 2:26 a.m. July 11 at a residence on Walnut Street, Batavia. Budzinack was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Roger M. Hofmeier, 21, of Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment. Hofmeier is accused of having a disagreement with another person at 5:46 p.m. July 5 at a location on Ellicott Street, Batavia.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Daniel H. Mooney, 35, of Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd.  Mooney is accused of entering a property on Cone Street at 4:19 p.m. July 19 without permission and remaining unlawfully. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Paul Duke Ehrmentraut, 53, of East Bethany Le Roy Road, Pavilion, is charged with grand larceny 3rd and offering a false instrument for filing. Ehrmentraut was arrested by Investigator Chad Cummings based on an investigation by Genesee County Social Services Investigator Robert Riggi. Ehrmentraut is accused of failing to report an adult offspring residing at his residence who was earning wages, which resulted in $7,290 in SNAP benefits Ehrmentraut was not qualified to receive.  He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Katlyn Ann Cook, 27, of Williams Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 3rd.  Cook was arrested based on an investigation by Genesee County Social Services Investigator Robert Riggi. She is accused of failing to report income, which resulted in her receiving $6,427 in SNAP benefits she was not qualified to receive. She was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on her own recognizance.

Shannon Lisa Lopez, 45, of Columbia Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Lopez is accused of failing to pay for merchandise from Walmart. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Dustin Allan Loveland, 35, of April Way, Geneseo, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. He is accused of violating an order of protection at 7:30 p.m. July 29, by failing to stay away from the place of employment of the protected party. Loveland was arraigned in Town of Darien Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Latoya Y. Stanley, 34, of Independence Street, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 4th, aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd, obstructed view, and using cannabis in a vehicle on a public highway.  Stanley was stopped by Deputy Nicholas Charmon at 5 p.m. July 30 on Clinton Street Road, Batavia. Stanley was allegedly found in possession of metal knuckles. Stanley was released on an appearance ticket.

(name redacted upon request), 39, of East State Street, Albion, is charged with DWI, failure to stop at red light, driving left of pavement markings, open alcohol container, and aggravated unlicensed operation 1st. xxxx was stopped at 3:58 a.m. July 31 on Route 237 in Stafford by Sgt. Mathew Clor.  She was issued traffic tickets.

Anthony S. Bosse, 30, of Indian Falls Road, Corfu, is charged with DWI and following too closely. Bosse was stopped at 9:15 p.m. July 27 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Kyle Tower. Bosse was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on appearance tickets.

Sonya Marie Charache, 41, of Basom, is charged with petit larceny. Charache allegedly skipped-scanned multiple items at Walmart valued at $34.08. Charache was processed at the Genesee County Jail by Deputy Carlos Ortiz Speed and released.

Beth E. Jerome, 41, of Albion, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Jerome was stopped by State Police at 2:26 a.m. July 30 in the Town of Elba. She was released on an appearance ticket.  No further details released. 

Batavia Muckdogs started out Wednesday with great home vibes and three runs on two doubles in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead.

Mohawks scored a homerun in the fourth inning to bring Batavia’s lead to two.

Bottom of the fifth, a costly error for the Mohawks allowed Tyler Cannoe to reach first, and Kyle Corso to come home. That brought made it 5-1 for the Dogs.

Fleming scored his second homerun of the playoffs and brought in Alex Torres, and a lead for the Dogs 7-1 in the sixth inning.

An RBI double for Levis Aguila scored for Daniel Burroway, putting Muckdogs in the eighth. With no change in the ninth, Batavia won 8-1 to force a game three of the PGCBL championship round, which was to begin at 8 p.m.

Winning pitcher Julian Pichardo pitched six innings and allowed only one run.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

If Healthy Living officials were happy about a groundbreaking ceremony, imagine how they feel to finally see Phase I of the project begin.

Take a walk just east of the YMCA building, and you will see the tear-down of Cary Hall, which once housed Healthy Living programs. Rochester Regional Health and GLOW YMCA officials have worked for years on a plan for the new facility, and look forward to the ensuing progress.

“We've got the demo of Cary Hall coming down now. And it’s moving along nicely, and we expect that to last probably another week, week and a half, till we get everything down,” United Memorial Medical Center CEO Dan Ireland said Tuesday. “And then the next phase will be — that's really the enabling phase — getting that done, and getting the parking lot graded out, and then starting to really get to work on the foundations for the new building.”

Last month, Ireland, GLOW YMCA CEO Rob Walker, and about 100 others gathered at 213 East Main St., Batavia, at the site of a future 78,000-square-foot facility. Defined as an integrated medical and wellness facility, it's to include state-of-the-art exercise equipment, a new pool, indoor track, teaching kitchen, a children’s adventure room play area, plus 22 exam rooms and two medical procedure rooms for primary care, telemedicine appointments, behavioral health and crisis intervention support, cancer prevention, chronic illness, and community education services. The site will serve as a one-stop-shop for many health concerns and fitness goals, and there will also be a drop-in childcare center.

Despite supply chain issues for other projects — roofing material, steel and concrete — this project is on track for a scheduled late 2023 completion date, Ireland said. Knowing how construction projects can go at times, he said the timetable could change at some point, but materials have been available so far.

“This is different than all of the other construction projects I’ve been involved in; it’s a funny mix of, you just don’t know what’s going to get delayed,” he said.

That second phase -- building the infrastructure for the new site -- will likely begin in September, Ireland said.

“Right now, we're just waiting on some paperwork. With that next phase, you'll start seeing foundations getting framed out,” he said. “So the demo contractors are on there now, and the contractor that's going to actually do the construction will transition onto the site. We're still looking at late 2023 completion at this stage of the game. And again, I always use caution on all my projects these days … not everything's been ordered yet. So, obviously, just getting started on the build phase, we will have to be working on that, firming up that timeline, and making sure we don't have any delays with supplies or other parts. I guess roofing material is one of the big things that all my projects are looking at challenges.”

Ireland is also overseeing construction for the Batavia medical campus on Route 98. Sessler Environmental Services of Rochester, the contractor for Ellicott Station, is doing the demo work, and RP Oak Hill Building Company will be doing the construction for the Healthy Living campus. The project has taken nearly seven years of hurdles to get to this point.

“I know Rob (Walker) and I are thrilled about this. And, in fact, I was off-site yesterday, and he sends me a picture of the demo getting underway. He's like, ‘it's finally here.’ So that's kind of where we're at,” Ireland said. “We tried to minimize any impact of traffic on the lot. Thankfully, most of that area's not highly traveled, and we'll be able to not impact people too much, as far as in and out of that campus, and then inside of the lot.”

Top and remaining photos show the beginning phase of demolition for Cary Hall, which formerly housed Healthy Living. Photos by Howard Owens.

And so it begins to get ugly.

A peaceful debate between Paul Doyle, senior pastor of Cornerstone Church, and a group of local Christian leaders has now brought others -- defenders of the ReAwaken America tour --  into the mix with threats and nastiness. One of those Christian leaders had served as spokesperson, but she wants it known that there are several others of the same mindset: they don’t want the ReAwaken America Tour here in Batavia. Or anywhere, for that matter, and especially not in this community.

The group has rallied others together for two protests so far; one outside of Cornerstone on Bank Street Road, and the second one in front of City Hall. People have carried signs and been relatively quiet during these events. The Rev. Roula Alkhouri has spoken on behalf of others but would like their involvement also recognized. The group signed and delivered a letter to Doyle after a meeting this past weekend. It states the leaders’ viewpoint about the tour, its implications, the reasons for concern, and messages that have reportedly been given at other tour events.

Concerns of the group about the tour, according to the letter, include:

1. Inciting Violence and Hatred: The speakers for this event mix militant language with religious imagery while speaking of life-and-death stakes, building an implicit permission structure for audience members to commit political violence in the name of God.

Although few speakers have exposed themselves to prosecution by explicitly calling for violence - strategically leaving themselves room for plausible deniability - they allow their audience to connect the dots by downplaying past political violence committed in God's name, demonizing their political opponents as "Team Satan," and urging supporters to win the battle for God against their fellow Americans.

“Batavia is a small, peaceful community, and it is our moral responsibility to protect it from any potential for violence,” it states.

2. Dividing Americans: The false claims of the speakers of this tour about the 2020 election, the stated vision for only one religion in our nation of religious freedom, the demonization of political opponents, and the continued attacks on our democracy are all attempts to divide Americans, pitting us against us each other.

This kind of division and hate hurts communities and makes us vulnerable to more violence. We do not have to share political views to reject the hateful rhetoric and divisive language of this event and its speakers. As Jesus says, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. Luke 17:11b.”

3. Distorting Christianity with Nationalism: We are so concerned that the name of Jesus is used by this tour's speakers to advance an exclusivist vision of our country as a "Christian nation," even to the point of one prominent speaker urging pastors to preach the Constitution more than we do the Bible. Seeking political power and domination of others is the opposite of what Jesus taught us about loving our neighbors. Christianity is a global religion, and America is a place that cherishes religious freedom for all people.

“We are patriots who love our country, yet we cannot let patriotism become a false idol,” the group states. “We have an American identity and a Christian identity, but they are separate.”

“We prayerfully urge you to cancel hosting this tour to protect our town from having to deal with division, hate, and violence in the name of Christ,” the group states. “Please let us know by Tuesday, August 2 what your intentions are about this event. We are holding you in our prayers as you discern.”

Meanwhile, Alkhouri (pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Batavia) said she has received some “threatening and hateful” phone calls and notes. One such threat was to expose her name nationally.

“These are Christians who are saying that they want to have my name out there in the community and around the country so that I am exposed to lawsuits and to other pressures,” she said. Yet she is not a single defender of this stance, but one of several people. Alkhouri doesn't believe that anyone should be the subject of deragatory comments.

"I think when people try to attack others in the name of defending justice, we all lose," she said. "No one wins when we degrade each other and become fearful or hateful of each other." 

The list of names on the letter includes:

• Ruth E. Andes, Racial Justice Working Group, Genesee Valley Presbytery, and Byron Presbyterian Church
• Rev. Joy Bergfalk
• Rev. David R. Glassmire (Roman Catholic, Pastor Ascension Parish -Batavia)
• Rev. Bob Kaiser (Presbyterian - Rochester)
• Deacon Diana Leiker (Episcopalian - Akron)
• Rev. Dr. Shiela McCullough (Chaplain - Batavia)
• Rev. James Morasco (American Baptist and United Church of Christ – Batavia)
• Rev. Laurel Nelson (Presbyterian - Dansville)
• Rev. Elaine Paige (Chaplain - Batavia)
• Rev. Jimmy Reader
• Rev. Chava Redonnet (Chaplain - Rochester)
• Rev. James Renfrew (Retired minister)
• Pastor Mark Ross (Presbyterian - Batavia)
• Pastor Brad Smith and the Attica First Presbyterian Church
• Rev. Michael Stuart (Presbyterian - Batavia)
• Jim Tappon (Elder - Irondequoit Presbyterian Church)
• Lucia VerTseeg (Presbyterian - Rochester)
• Rev. Evan Wildhack (Presbyterian - Corfu)

“We are fully behind this event and resolved on our stance to host the ReAwaken America Tour.  We see this as a Christian-based assembly addressing the many issues that face American people — offering a biblical perspective,” he said. “We feel compelled to host this event because of the many highly respected Christian speakers that are scheduled over this two-day event.”

As a Batavia native, Batavia High School and Genesee Community College graduate, and former GCC Foundation and Batavia Rotary Club member, he emphasized that “the protesters do not love Batavia more than I do.”

He and church leaders are taking “every precaution” within their power to ensure a safe and secure event, he said, within the immediate proximity of Cornerstone property. There has been another side to the protests, he said.

“Although there have been voices of opposition, the support for the event has been pouring into our church, not only locally, but nationally as well,” he said. “In addition, we have received calls from several local clergy that support us.”

Doyle said there have been talks with local police, including the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, and Cornerstone plans to fully cooperate with law enforcement’s instructions.  He said those local law officials have been connected with top security officials representing the event organizers.

“I feel the event has been over-dramatized. Speakers and attendees are law-abiding and patriotic citizens of the USA,” he said. “Although many issues are occurring in our country that is hotly debated, I have found no reasonable rationale for cancelling this peaceful assembly of Americans exercising their First Amendment (right) of freedom of speech.”

Groups of protesters, including the list above, are trying to plan prayer vigils and at least one more public event in opposition to the tour before it happens on August 12 and 13. Although some have disputed that this is not a political event, many speakers have claimed that Donald Trump won the election and disparage President Joseph Biden and others in the current White House administration. Other speakers discourage COVID vaccines and masks based on unverifiable evidence. To view tour speakers, go here.

Read the full letter here.

Top photo: Cornerstone Church with new fencing around its property in preparation for the tour. File photo of a protest last month in front of City Hall, above, in Batavia. Photos by Howard Owens.

PRESS RELEASE

The GOW Opioid Task Force will be conducting the annual Overdose Awareness Day from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 24 at Austin Park in Batavia.

Task Force Coordinator Christen Foley said the event – started internationally in 2001 – is designed to help raise awareness of the opioid epidemic and remember the lives that have been lost due to an overdose.

“We will hear from speakers who have been affected by substance use and present information from local agencies,” Foley said. “Additionally, there will be live music, family activities, face painting and free Narcan training.”

Attendees also will be offered the opportunity to leave a note on the task force’s memory board for a deceased loved one.

Those interested in having a table at the event or to register for the Narcan training are asked to contact Foley at cferraro@gcasa.org.

There was only one thing to say about the fantastic weather, record numbers, dependable help and community support at this year’s Genesee County Fair, volunteer Norm Pimm says.

“It’s pretty wild,” he said to The Batavian Monday afternoon. “When last year just blew away our numbers that we hadn’t done before — for the last 13 years we had double-digit growth — we figured that no way we were going to top that. After the first Saturday and Sunday, we were already ahead of the pace.”

The fair has risen from attendance of 13,000 a dozen years ago to this year’s intake of 75,000. That’s a 15 percent increase from 2021, which was touted as a record-breaking year for the Agricultural Society’s yearly event.

Pimm believes that, at least in part, people were really anxious to get out and do something after the pandemic lockdown. Plus, the event itself has added new attractions, a midway vendor, more 4-H participants and farm animals, and the volunteer group has invested money into water, electrical and other amenities to continuously improve the grounds, he said. Its reputation has spread beyond Genesee into neighboring counties, often due to word-of-mouth praise, he said.

“I truly believe we’ve had a great county fair; it’s sort of in the back yard of Western New York,” he said. “People say ‘this is the fair I grew up on.’”

There was an impressive 1,100 animals at the fair, albeit in shifts, since they all couldn’t fit into the barns all at once, he said. The meat auction drew 60 new bidders from last year, which raised more than $320,000, and “smashed” the current total. Most of the proceeds went to each youth participant, with a “very small” percentage to help cover Cornell Cooperative Extension’s costs, he said.

“This is huge for the kids, because many of them use the money to purchase their following year’s project,” he said.

About 150 Genesee County 4-H youths participated, with 88 in the auction, and another 100 from throughout New York State in the open livestock shows, he said. Come September, 20 of those youths will go on to participate in events at the State Fair in Syracuse.

Arcade resident Thomas Keele’s steer brought in a whopping $32,000, thanks to a community that agreed to jack up the bids to help his family out after his father was tragically killed in an automobile accident. Pimm knew the boy’s father, and also knew that people had loosely set a goal to raise $10,000 before the bids just kept going and going, he said.

“People just stood up for him,” Pimm said.

In addition to the animals, there was also a baked goods auction that helped the grand total, he said.

No slacker at the grandstand, the demolition derby seated 2,500 people, and opened up the infield to accommodate the overflow.

“So that we didn’t have to turn away people,” he said. “They were excited to see it.”

He credited Bruce Scofield of Stafford for overseeing the derby and securing a 25 percent increase in attendance from last year. Even the amount of cars broke a record, with 60 entered for the smash ‘em up event.

There were problems, Pimm said, such as running out of food at least three or four times at the Chuckwagon, and other vendors reporting that they sold out of products a few times as well. That was “a great problem to have,” he said.

A mini car race was supported by area businesses that sponsored each car, which helped to cover costs and made it free for kids to do. Pig races, a dog comedy act, “fantastic” bands and Hammerl Amusements were all new or fairly new additions that kept bringing the crowds in, he said.

As for the work involved, Pimm laughed as he shared his daughter’s reaction while riding in her dad’s car with him. He kept making calls regarding next year’s fair festivities.

“She said, ‘it never stops, does it?” Pimm said. “For us to continue to grow, we have to add new stuff, and we’re tweaking some things. If it wasn’t for the businesses … and the volunteers, there’s no way we could do this.”

Top photo by Kristin Smith

Photo by Kristin Smith

Photo by Kristin Smith

Photo by Kristin Smith

Photo by Kristin Smith

Photo by Debra Reilly

Photo by Debra Reilly

Photo by Laura Luft

Batavia Muckdogs faced the Utica Blue Sox for the PGCBL West Division Championship Game on a beautiful Monday evening at Dwyer Stadium.

Both teams started off strong through the first opening innings.

Kyle Corso hit an RBI triple to bring in Josh Leadem, putting the Muckdogs on the scoreboard first, 1-0 in the bottom of the 3rd.

In the next inning, two men reach and Mitch Fleming hits a three-run homer deep over the leftfield wall, Dogs are up 4-0.

In the sixth, Levis Aguila smacks an RBI single and the Muckdogs now lead the Blue Sox 5-0. 

Moments later at home plate on an odd play Caleb Rodriguez is walked, which brings home Abner Benitez.

From there, the Muckdogs held Utica in check to secure a 6-0 victory.

Jackson Murphy gets the co-player of the game with seven shutout innings and seven Ks.  Mitch Fleming was 1 for 4 with one run, and three RBIs.

The Muckdogs advance to the championship round where they will play Game 1, of a three-game series, away today against the Amsterdam Mohawks at 6:45 p.m.

Game 2 will be home at Dwyer Stadium on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. If necessary, Game 3 will start at 7:30 p.m.

 Tickets for Wednesday’s Championship game series go on sale at 9 a.m. today.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Anna Fenton, a City of Batavia resident, took these photos of a winged creature in her garden and muses, "Moth or butterfly? Pretty either way."

For 12 years, Anne Marie Starowitiz has brought history alive for area children as coordinator for the History Heroes program at the Holland Land Office Museum.

Saturday, with the end of this summer session, was her last day in the role.

Starowitz said even though she's stepping away from the program, "I'm sure it will continue."

This summer the children learned all about living in the 50s.  

On Saturday, they delivered a program for their parents. They shared important historical dates and ended the program by singing a song from the 50s.  

During the week they created a lemonade stand and made more than $160 for the Genesee County Animal Shelter.  

Starowitz thanked Tompkins Financial, Adam Miller, WBTA, Photos by Sue Meier, Ficarella’s, T-Shirts Etc, and The Batavian for support of the program. 

Submitted photos. 

As an international student from Tanzania, Africa, attending Genesee Community College, I remember vividly how Cliff Scutella, the Director of Student Activities, constantly integrated international and domestic student populations to enhance mutual understanding and awareness.

Cliff’s office was in the Student Union. It was where people from different walks of life amalgamated so seamlessly because that was the environment that Cliff envisioned and created. He was naturally an affable person and as such, he taught us that nothing was impossible when we unified. It was the essence of the Student Union. Cliff was the epitome of hard work and fun! One day he was dressed in his professional attire and on another, he was wearing a tiara. Cliff often said he never worked a day in his life because being the student activities director allowed him to be a kid still and have fun coupled with his strong leadership capabilities. 

Cliff’s leadership skills were contagious as made evident by Lorraine Briggs, “Cliff Scutella was the man who inspired generations of college students. During my time at GCC, Cliff was the head of Student Activities. Before I joined the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and Student Government, I knew Cliff as the funny guy who dressed up for events and loved his hot dogs. He was a family man, too. He was open-minded and welcoming. Most appropriately, he was a simple man that loved his students. After several years of working side by side with Cliff, many trips to APCA, and lots of hours dedicated to event plans I interviewed for a position within the Student Activities Office. For another five years, I got to know Cliff even more. He inspired me to take on leadership roles and to JUST GO FOR IT. He taught me so much in the 10 years I was on the GCC grounds. I will always be grateful to have had the honor to work with Cliff. The world is a more inspiring place because of him.”

Cliff never spoke to anyone in a demeaning manner. He offered infinite kindness and was always positive with a “you can do it” attitude. His altruistic character and selflessness confirmed that it was all about the students and he immensely cared for them. It’s a sentiment that Molly Cole, Class of 2010, can relate to very well. “When I first met Cliff, I was a new student at GCC. His energy and joy reminded me of my dad, and he made me feel right at home. His joy was contagious! Cliff always went above and beyond for all his students, and I’ll never forget what he did for me. While I was a student at GCC, I suddenly lost a family member. I was devastated and lost. I could hardly function because I was heartbroken. Cliff saw that and made an extended effort to be there with me as I grieved. He checked in with me every day for almost two months. He even enlisted the whole office to support me during that time. That was the man he was. He was mine and so many others ‘Campus Dad’. My life has been forever changed by him. His life will be celebrated, and he will be truly missed.”

Cliff openly exhibited to all students how much we meant to him and encouraged us to take chances - that to make a mistake was not the end of the world, and he gave us confidence that we were valued as human beings. I graduated from GCC in May 2011, and I never saw Cliff again but never forgot him. I learned Cliff retired from GCC in the summer of 2019 and prematurely went to see his creator on Sunday, July 17, 2022. I hope that everyone, when such people cross their paths, never takes people like Cliff for granted. we certainly never did, and never will.

Press release:

The organizers of the GLOW Corporate Cup are happy to announce that over 750 participants have registered for this year’s event. The 5K run/walk will start on Thursday, Aug 4 at 6 p.m.

Due to construction on Richmond Avenue, this year the 5K run will start on Park Avenue at the bottom of Centennial Park near State Street. The course will go down State Street, turn left onto Washington Avenue, right on Vine Street, right on East Avenue, left on Ross Street, right on Washington Avenue, and finish on Ellicott Avenue.

Motorists and residents should know that Park Avenue will close traffic between Lincoln Avenue and State Street from 4:30 to 6:15 pm. Automobiles are encouraged to be parked in driveways along the entire course so that runners and walkers can pass unobstructed. 

With more than 20 fast food-type offerings in Batavia alone, Marc and Lauren Cordes wanted to shake things up with something radically different.

The East Bethany couple, joined by children Holden, 9, Haylee, 12, and 14-year-old Hayven, friends, family and eager customers, cut the official ribbon on Monday for that something different: Batavia Total Nutrition.

“People just fall in love with the taste once they try it,” Lauren said at the site in Valu Plaza. “We’ll have specialty menus and shakes of the month. Come in and give it a try first before you judge.”

The business makes and sells an assortment of beverages, from energy drinks to protein-packed shakes. Lauren said these are delicious, unlike some nutritional shakes, which have helped her on her weight loss journey. She and Marc had been thinking about opening a business, and after they both sampled the products, they agreed to open Batavia Total Nutrition, she said.

“We realized that Batavia actually has nothing, nutrition-wise, to offer, so we decided to bring this out here. And it tastes good, looks good and offers excellent nutrition. I lost weight and maintain my weight just doing the product myself.”

About a year ago she got involved in doing healthy protein shakes as meal replacements and energy bombs. She and her husband decided to bring the Herbalife products to the City of Batavia.

“There’s nothing like it here; we decided this might be a good business venture to bring to the area,” Marc said. “I know people are looking to eat more nutritious nowadays, and I thought this might be one avenue we thought we could bring to the community.”

The menu lists assorted energy bombs, meal replacement shakes, and protein snacks, and Lauren said there will be waffle Wednesdays and fitness classes at some point. Those classes will lead participants through cardio drumming, something that no one offers here, Lauren said.  As its name implies, participants drum on an inflatable ball and use their entire bodies to make it a cardio exercise, she said.

Energy Bombs come in a variety of combinations, such as the Batavia Rush, with “a whole lotta lemon” and blue raspberry; or flavors of orange, pineapple, strawberry and blue razz of a Tiki Refresher. These drinks boast zero to low sugar content with some caffeine for that extra boost. The protein shakes sound quite similar to an ice cream shop’s varieties, with caramel macchiato, cookie dough extreme, cheesecake batter, fruity pebbles, and banana split, to name a few. Stevia is used to help keep the calories and sugar content low.

The menu states that plant-based shakes are under 300 calories and provide up to 55 grams of protein, 18 grams of carbs, five grams of fat, and nine to 15 grams of sugar, plus 21 vitamins and minerals.

“Just because it says nutritious, that doesn’t mean it tastes bad,” Marc said.

Brandon Britton of Clarence was providing some hands-on support by making shakes and talking up the business. He and his family lived in a small Ohio town with three of these shops, and his family opted to move north and open more of them in Erie and Niagara counties. He met the Cordes when they went to Buffalo to try out the products.

“We’re supporting the community, and giving them healthier lifestyles,” he said. “We hope to make a positive difference wherever we go.”

After a bleak couple of years with business shutdowns, what does a business opening mean for Genesee County?

“I think it's a good sign,” Chamber of Commerce Interim President Tom Turnbull said. “It's a different type of niche business. I think because it is healthy eating. And I got a chance to sample a couple of the drinks here today, and they're really good.”

The Chamber’s Visitors Center sees its share of folks that stop by looking for places to eat, he said, and if they are seeking a healthy option, “this is one of the places we can send them to.”

“There's a couple of other places in town also we would recommend, but it's nice to have this,” he said. “I think it's a high-traffic area. I think they should do well here, they seem to have a good business plan.”

Hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at 4152 West Main Street Road, Batavia. Click here for more information and the menu. You can text your order to (585) 432-5545.

Top photo: Marc and Lauren Cordes, with their children and other family and friends, celebrate the grand opening of Batavia Total Nutrition Monday at Valu Plaza, 4152 West Main Street Road, Batavia. Lauren serves a fudge brownie protein shake, and customers place their orders at the counter. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Press release:

Writer and diversity trainer Nanette D. Massey of Buffalo believes we are well beyond holding hands when it comes to talking about race. Massey will present her take on the ideas in Robin DiAngelo’s New York Times Number One Best-Selling Book “White Fragility, Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism”. Attendees will have the chance to examine race from an unfiltered, real-world experience rather than theory. With frankness and practicality, Massey’s goal is to leave audiences with self-clarity, and the ability to participate in conversations about race with genuine confidence, humor, and humility. Preparation by reading the book before the session is expected.

This is an opportunity for Employers to fulfill cultural diversity training requirements.

Registration is $10 and it includes a copy of the book. You can register two ways. One option is to send a check to the YWCA of Genesee County, 301 North Street, Batavia, NY 14020. Please include your name, street address, city, state, zip code, phone number, and email. It is preferable that you register online using the Eventbrite link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/385666417637. Once registered, attendees can pick up their copy of the book at the YWCA at 301 North St, Batavia; Independent Living of the Genesee Region at 319 West Main St., Batavia; or GLOW Women Rise at 201 East Main St. Limited seating may be available on the day of the event.

A former participant stated: “I’ve attended several of Nanette’s Zoom sessions through Eventbrite.  The sessions take the book ‘White Fragility’ to another level.  Nanette creates a safe space for honest dialogue.  I’ve laughed and cried and everything in between.  Nanette gives so much of herself, and I’ve learned and grown through her generosity.  I am incredibly grateful and can’t recommend her sessions enough!”

One can read more about Nanette D. Massey at her website, nanettedmassey.com.

Nolan Sparks put in 6 1/3 strong innings in the Muckdog's first-round playoff game against Elmira on Sunday, and the offense brought the lumber, leading to a 12-3 victory for the hometown team.

Sparks (top and second photos), a U of R junior, K'd six, surrendered only one earned run and only four hits to pick up his sixth win of 2022 and lower his ERA to 0.38.

Daniel Burroway and Alex Torres each had two RBIs.

The Muckdogs entered post-season play atop the Western Division over Utica by 3.5 games with a 30-15 record.

Manager Joey Martinez attributes the team's success both to player recruitment and the maturity of his players.

"They are a bunch of professionals," Martinez said. "Though they are not professionals yet, I think these guys are. They go about their business every day. They don't get too high, don't get too low. They are very steady-eddy. That's the way we've been playing all year. They have been pretty much very consistent. That's how these guys are, they're super consistent in everything they do -- their work ethic, the way they approach the game."

And they all get along.

"They're a tighter team than last year. These guys really love each other. Every time you have a culture like that, it breeds success."

The Muckdogs play for the Western Division championship against Utica at Dwyer tonight at 7 p.m. 

Photos by Howard Owens To view more photos or purchase prints, click here.

Manager Joey Martinez.

About 30 people turned out Saturday afternoon at Batavia City Hall for a short protest against the ReAwaken America Tour coming to Batavia on Aug. 12 and 13.

Cornerstone Church, on Bank Street Road, will host the event.

Rev. Roula Alkhouri of First Presbyterian Church of Batavia, told the assembled group she objected to the event coming to Batavia because it mispresents the community, which she described as peaceful and neighborly, and misrepresents Christianity, replacing the gospel of love with a message of hate and violence.

"We're not accusing anybody of being hateful," Alkhouri said. "We’re just listening to their words. Listening to how they're speaking, how they’re expressing themselves."

She quoted one of the scheduled speakers, Scott Mckay, who reportedly told an interviewer: 

"This is war. It’s gonna get bloody, and I’m going to get ugly too; no less ugly than any 1776 preacher that dropped his Bible on the lectern, grabbed his muzzleloader or musket, and went out and put balls and bullets inside people and watched blood flow on a battlefield. That’s what they had to do. That’s the name of Christ ... 

"Any of the minions, including the doctors and nurses who were part of it—knowingly or unknowingly, that’s not for me to sort out—but they need to know what is coming next."

Alkhouri added, "this is not American. They do not stand for Christianity, but they are using the guise of religion, which really hurts us, people of faith who believe that faith is about expanding our horizons to love, and they’re using it to become more exclusive, using it to divide Americans."

Previously:

• Cornerstone to host Reawaken America Tour next month
• ReAwaken America? Not here, say local Christian leaders planning protest
• Protest at Cornerstone delivers peaceful appeal to love not hate
• Genesee County officials weigh in about ReAwaken tour: traffic biggest concern

Listen To The Music (What the people need is a way to make them smile ... The Doobie Brothers)

Throughout my life music has been both a source of joy and a cause for regret. On thr positive side, I listen to or watch music every single day. It is one of the things I absolutely have to have in my life and I find it hard to imagine being without it. Going to see and hear live music is something I do all of the time, and I really missed it through the two years of the pandemic.

However, I constantly regret not ever learning to play an instrument and reading music. Like a lot of other things I didn’t do in my life, it was a result of shyness and insecurity mixed in with the lack of available resources. In elementary school (St. Mary’s) and high school (Notre Dame) we had no instrumental music instruction at all.

My brother Dan was a member of St. Joseph’s Drum Corps, and I was too shy to join. As an example of my reticence, when I was 9 or 10 my mother signed me up for swimming lessons at Godfrey’s Pond. When the time came to go, I hid in the closet, and she had to threaten to call the priest to get me out of there. Of course, once she got me there, I was fine and loved swimming.

When I think about being a little kid, I really don’t recall much about music then. I was more interested in sports: I can remember a football game I watched on TV in 1954 when I was 7. My parents, like everyone from the World War II era, loved Big Band music, so I probably heard some of that on the radio. My Aunts Kate and Peg wouldn’t miss “The Lawrence Welk Show” every Saturday night, but a kid wouldn’t admit to their friends that they watched that. Every weekday morning my mom had on the “Clint Buehlman Show” (“yours truly Buehly”) on WBEN Buffalo while we ate breakfast and got ready for school. But he was an avowed rock and roll hater and wouldn’t play any of that “noise.”

Vinyl Countdown

Eventually, I did start listening to some of the DJs, and I distinctly remember the first two records I ever bought. The first was “Singing The Blues” by Guy Mitchell in 1956, and then “Come Go With Me” by the Dell Vikings in 1957. I think they might have been 78 RPM records, but I’m not positive. The former was kind of country-ish and the latter was “Doo-Wop,” so I think my mom didn’t complain too much when I played them on our very basic record player.

A Christmas present which really made a big impression in my music life was a little red transistor radio with an earphone I got when I was 12 or 13. Up until then I had to share the family radio with my parents. The transistor meant I could listen to whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. And I could plug the earphone in and only I could hear what was being played.

At that time in the early '60s, WKBW 1520 on the AM dial from Buffalo was getting a reputation as a powerhouse of rock and roll broadcasting. DJs Tommy Shannon, Joey Reynolds, and Danny Neaverth were all “spinning the hits” for a wide audience, which definitely included me.

Tommy Shannon was one of the early cool DJ's who drove a Corvette and reputedly dated Ann Margaret. He wrote his own theme song which I'd bet many people could still sing today: “Top tunes ... news and weather. So glad we could ... get together. On the ... Tom Shannon show.” The group Rockin' Rebels did an instrumental version that became a top 10 hit in 1961.

Joey Reynolds (real name Joey Pinto), in between playing songs, was an early predecessor to “shock jocks” like Howard Stern. He would break records he didn't like, argue with callers, and just generally adopted an over-the-top persona. When he eventually got fired, he nailed his shoes to the station manager's door with a note that said, “Fill these!”

Danny Neaverth was a home town Buffalo boy who was on WKBW for 25 years. He made appearances at local schools including one time at a Notre Dame dance that I attended. At one point he asked for a volunteer to come up on stage, and I was too shy, but my “friends “ volunteered me by carrying me to the stage and dumping me up there. I don't recall what I had to do, but I'm sure my blushing face was as scarlet as a fire truck. Neaverth was also the public address announcer for the Buffalo Bills football and Braves basketball teams.

Regardless of their radio personalities, it was mostly these three DJ's who introduced me to Dion and The Belmonts, the Shirelles, the Beach Boys, and eventually to the English explosion of the Beatles, Dave Clark 5 and the Rolling Stones.

(L to R) Joey Reynolds, Tommy Shannon, and Danny Neaverth of WKBW 1520

Television Tunes

As far as seeing bands, the best place to do that was on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on TV. Of course, there was the infamous Elvis Presley swivel-hipped debut in 1956. Buddy Holly, The Four Seasons, and The Beach Boys all had appearances leading up to the debut of the Beatles in February 1964. I had just turned 17 and was in my senior year at Notre Dame, and I was watching with millions of others. My biggest memory of the show was an audience of screaming teenage girls who seemed to be having, in the words of “The Count Five” song a couple years later, “a psychotic reaction.” (As a side note, that crowd craziness was what caused the Beatles to give up playing live.)

There was also “American Bandstand” with Dick Clark. I think more girls watched that for the dancing. Plus, the songs were lip synced, not live. A funny part to me was when they'd choose a boy and a girl from the audience to rate a record. Practically every time one would say, “Dick, I'll give it a 10 because it's got a good beat to dance to.”

Then, in college years, there were two shows called “Shindig” and “Hullabaloo.” They had on all the famous bands (plus go-go dancers). Back then in college, no one had a TV in their dorm room; there was one in the lounge, but hardly anyone ever watched it except for when those shows came on. Then the room was packed.

Going Live

As far as actually seeing live music in person, we were pretty much limited to local teenage bands like Batavia High's Cryin' Strings in the basement of St. Mary's Church, or at school dances, due to not being old enough to drive. I have a friend I met in college who went to Toronto in 1964 and 1965 when she was in high school to see the Beatles, but that was way out of my league. She probably still suffers vocal chord problems from it.

In June 1964, though, a rock and roll show actually came to Batavia at the Mancuso Theater, and I wasn't going to miss that. I don't remember who I went with, but I'm hoping it was a girl. I did have a sort of girlfriend my senior year, but since I didn't have a driver's license or a car, I was lucky she tolerated me.

The headliners were The Searchers from England. Part of the “British Invasion,” they had a couple of hits with “Needles and Pins” and “Love Potion #9.” I remember thinking at the time, “Wow. A real English band in Batavia.” In doing some research for this story I heard from a woman (a young teenage girl then, of course) who said that she and some of her friends talked their way onto the tour bus and she kissed the drummer. There's a memory to last a lifetime! I bet she wishes “selfies” was a thing then.

Other bands on the bill were Ronnie Dio and The Prophets. I don't remember them, but years later he became the guitarist for Black Sabbath, The Dovells (a choreographed dancing boy band who had a hit with “Bristol Stomp”), and Dick and Dee Dee who sang “River Deep, Mountain High.” I was surprised to find out Dick had the high falsetto voice. There were two shows and five bands, so some of the groups must have done only two or three songs. It was emceed by Danny Neaverth, who seemed to be everywhere back then. I wouldn't put it anywhere in the top shows I've seen, but it's memorable for being the first.

The event that really turned things around for my music experience was going to college. In September 1964, I was off to St. John Fisher College (now University) in Rochester. Between the guys in the dorm and the girls at Nazareth just down the road, I became exposed to a lot of different tastes and genres. Eventually, between the two schools and being in Rochester, I got to see a lot of bands and groups. Nazareth had an especially nice theater which hosted some great shows.

When I came back home for the summer, Batavia really didn't have any national touring band venues, but about 15 miles north on Route 98 in Albion there was the Oak Orchard Lanes. For most of the week it was a bowling alley, and on weekends they covered the lanes with plywood and set up a stage and sound system. I didn't have a car yet, so I had to ride with friends who drove way too fast. Closing my eyes and gritting my teeth all the way there and back, I always thought it was worth it to see good bands.

Some of the groups I remember seeing there were The Association (“Cherish” and “Windy”), Shadows Of The Knight (“Gloria”), Los Bravos (“Black Is Black”) and the Swinging Medallions (there's a '60s name for you) which had a hit with “Double Shot Of My Baby's Love.”

There was a band from Toronto called The Mandala and dressed in gangster-styled suits and used strobe lights which I had never seen before. They had a minor U.S. hit with “ Love–itis.” All in all, no really long-lasting famous bands, but it was something to do and some pretty decent music. When I was researching this part of my story, a lady named Gail who used to frequent “The Lanes” back then had been there recently and took some photos that she shared.

Photo courtesy of Gail Williams

Burn Baby Burn

Another summer college destination was The Inferno, a big venue in Williamsville east of Buffalo. The main draw for going there was the weekly appearance of Wilmer Alexander and the Dukes. Wilmer was a black R&B singer from Geneva, fronting an all-white band. Immensely popular in the Western NY area, The Dukes drew sellout audiences wherever they played, with their signature crowd pleaser being a cover of The Four Tops’ “Reach Out.”

I also recall seeing Junior Walker and the All Stars there doing “Shotgun” and “Road Runner.” The night I saw the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, I was standing in the back watching an opening act, and glanced to my side and Butterfield was standing next to me in all of his black-leather-jacketed glory. What did I say to him? Well, it was me, so I just stood there pretending I didn't see him until he walked away. Again, an iPhone 13 would have come in handy.

Ironically, I was kind of a soul music/R&B fan at that point in the summer of 1967, and it was at that venue where soul was king that I had an experience that changed my whole musical taste. In addition to the main room at the Inferno, there was a another glass-enclosed smaller room which featured a second act. One night I didn't care for who was playing in the big room and decided to check out a band called Salvation Navy. I don't know who they were or where they were from, but the music they were playing blew me away.

That May the Beatles had released “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.” I was somewhat of a Beatles fan (who wasn't?), but hadn't seriously listened to that album yet. Well, the Salvation Navy, whoever they were, played that album note for note and chord for chord, and I don't see how the Beatles could have played it live any better themselves. I was entranced, and from then on my head went in a whole different direction in my musical taste.

Unfortunately in September 1968, The Inferno lived up to its name and burned to the ground, ending its several year reign as a go-to music venue.

A local Batavia spot I should mention — although most went there for the girls and drinking rather than the music — was Columbo's Clinton Lounge on Clinton Street Road. It was definitely misnamed, because you wouldn't go there to actually “lounge” or even drink out of a glass. But on Saturday nights, they regularly had a band from Rochester called King Arthur And The Knights. My clearest memory of them is the cover they did of The Four Seasons' “Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You,” which was great for some serious slow dancing with a certain girl.

In my final couple of years of college, and with getting a car, I really began to see a lot of big time bands, both in Rochester and elsewhere. After graduation I kept up my love of going to live music all through the '70s until the '80s when I had children. There were few shows in the next 20 years, but most of my time was taken up with child- centered activities, particularly softball.

When the kids got old enough to “fly from the nest,” and especially when I retired from a 33-year teaching career, I resumed going to concerts in earnest. I certainly don't pay $3-$5 for a ticket any more, like in the old days, but it's worth it to me to be entertained. It's also different than attending sporting events, because you don't leave sad if your team loses.

In recent years I have also become a poster and ticket collector of concerts that I have attended, and my apartment looks like a mini rock and roll hall of fame. It's fun to look back all those years ago and remember how my love of music started and developed, and grew into something that gives me so much happiness today.

I just keep asking myself one question though: why couldn't my mother have broken out the priest threat to get me to take music lessons instead of swimming?