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Mystery Lovers' Mondays

By Billie Owens

At 7 p.m. Monday, April 27 there will be a book discussion group for adults who enjoy reading mysteries.

The book DEJA DEAD by Kathy Reichs will be the topic of this Mystery Lovers' Monday. Copies of the book can be borrowed at the front desk.

For more information, call Richmond Memorial Library at 343-9550, ext. 8 or log onto www.batavialibrary.org. The library is located at 19 Ross St. in Batavia.

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Books Sandwiched In

By Billie Owens

This Wednesday's “Books Sandwiched In” topic (May 20) is forgotten bestsellers from the 1980s.

Frances McNulty and Leslie DeLooze will review Helen Hooven Santmyers' "...and Ladies of the Club" and James Herriot's "The Lord God Made Them All."

The free program is held from 12:10 to 1 p.m. in the Gallery Room of Richmond Memorial Library, located at 19 Ross St., in Batavia.

Friends of the Library are the sponsors and will supply coffee, tea and cookies. Bring your own lunch. All are welcome

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Books Sandwiched In

By Billie Owens

This Wednesday's "Books Sandwiched In" topic will be forgotten bestsellers from the 1950s.

Reviews will be presented by Sue Briggs and Sandra Gillard, who will talk about Daphne Du Maurier’s “My Cousin Rachel” and Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s “Gift from the Sea.” 

All are welcome. It's free. Bring lunch. Coffee, tea and cookies are provided by the hosts, Friends of the Library.

It's from 12:10 to 1 p.m. April 29 in the Gallery Room at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., in Batavia.

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Books Sandwiched In

By Billie Owens

The May 27 "Books Sandwiched In" topic will be forgotten bestsellers from the 1990s.

Reviews will be given by Mary Pat Hancock and Diana Wyrwa who'll talk about J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and Thomas J. Stanley's "The Millionaire Next Door."

The free program is held in the Gallery Room at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St. in Batavia. Time is 12:10 to 1 p.m. Bring a lunch. Coffee, tea and cookies are provided.

All welcome.  For more information, call the library at (585) 343-9550, ext. 8 or log on to www.batavialibrary.org.
 

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Comedian performs using sign language

By Billie Owens

Keith Wann is a comedian who uses sign language to convey his experiences as a hearing person growing up with deaf parents.  As a Child of Deaf Adults, or CODA, Keith's childhood included many moments where the hearing and deaf worlds collided, providing a rich inspiration for his comedy.

Keith will be returning to perform at Genesee Community College at 8 p.m. on Friday May 1 at the Forum on the Batavia campus. He will bring along the American Sign Language (ASL) Comedy Tour.

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Darien Lake's Spring Spin

By Billie Owens

Darien Lake’s Spring Spin “One Good Turn to Benefit Another” 
is set for May 29-31.

Charities from across Western New York have signed on to participate in Darien Lake’s first ever Spring Spin fundraising event.


 More than 100 organizations have begun selling tickets for $19.99, a discount of $16 off the regular admission price of $35.99. Each participating charity will receive $5 from each ticket sold. The top three sellers will also receive cash prizes as an added donation.

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Books Sandwiched In

By Billie Owens

The topic of the May 13 "Books Sandwiched In" presentation will be 1970s forgotten bestsellers.

Reviews will be given by Betsy Dexheimer and Richard Beatty who will discuss Graham Green's "The Honorary Consul" and Charles A. Reich's "The Greening of America."

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Oakfield woman injured by horse kick

By Billie Owens

Barb Falker of the Lazy Redneck Ranch in Oakfield suffered a fractured vertabrae to her spine when she was kicked by her own horse Thursday night.

She was flown by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester were she remains in stable condition. She is expected to be released Saturday.

Her daughter Nina Regan said the incident happened when Barb's niece's horse, Chief, got out of his inclosure. Barb rounded up the horse and put it in her pasture with her horse, Sheba.

When Barb went to retrieve Chief at about 7:30 p.m., Sheba tried to kick Chief. The commotion resulted in the lead getting twisted around Barb and she got a couple of hard kicks from Sheba.

"It was kind of a weird accident," Regan said.

Her family called Oakfield Fire/EMS who had to cut the lead of Barb before she could be taken for medical treatment.

"She was awake and talking when I saw her in the hospital," Regan said. "The doctor said she's going to be fine but she'll be pretty bruised up."

Previously: Out on Lazy Redneck Ranch.

Attica prison cats in peril

By Billie Owens

Milk and cats go together like dogs and bones. So it's no surprise that prison dairy farms, such as the one at Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica, is a magnet for felines.

But Governor Paterson's cost-cutting decision to eliminate farm operations at correctional facilities has put prisoners' "pets" in peril.

A tipster at Attica let the cat out of the bag, so to speak. He said inmates were told to quit feeding the cats, some of which are "orphans" from Genesee County.

But starvation and neglect tactics would be unlawful, a misdemeanor for "failure to provide sustenance" under Agriculture and Markets regulations.

The correctional authorities claimed no knowlege of the situation when Sue Davila inquired about it last week. She's a state licensed animal cruelty investigator with the Wyoming County SPCA.

Up to 100 cats are believed to be living at the facility, which Davila got permission to visit last week. She and SPCA board member Janice Stenman, aided by guards and inmates managed to round up 14 cats and kittens. Live traps were put out Monday to catch more.

The animals confiscated Friday were tested for disease and given immunizations. They were treated as needed for fleas, worms, ear mites and given antiobiotics. One very pregnant female had a gaping abcess on her neck. One had a respiratory infection, one was brain damaged and a male was neutured and declawed.

"Part of the problem is local -- people show up at night and dump their cats at the prison," Stenman said. "It's not entirely the prison's fault that (the cats) are there."

The problem is not new.

Stenman said a guard told her that four years ago an order was given to get rid of the cats. They were corraled into a shed and a truck driver backed up to the shed and gassed the cats with exhaust fumes. They were purportedly then dumped into a mass grave and their killer got a bounty of $8 per cat. No one wants to talk about it publicly, Stenman said, because they fear reprisals.

The dairy farm cats are indoors only -- use to being fed and thus unsuited to suddenly fending for themselves. Perhaps some may become adoptable once they are quarantined and evaluated.

Speaking of which, the folks at the donation-dependant SBCA are feeling kind of desparate.

"This situation has put horrible pressure on us," Stenman said, adding that money for food and medication plus a barn to use as a temporary quarantine site are the most immediate needs.

Wyoming County SPCA is a no-kill facility which can accommodate 200 cats, not 300. It also accepts animals from facilities in several other counties.

Lollipop Farm in Monroe County is also a no-kill facility that works with SPCAs and volunteers to care for homeless pets.

In Genesee County, the government animal shelter in Batavia can handle caging for 25 to 35 cats at a time, but by law only those from Genesee County residents.

Local animal control officer Aggie Jaroszewski said 578 cats were adopted or found foster homes through the Genesee shelter last year.

Those were the lucky ones. Many cats are euthanized. If feral populations in particular are allowed to grow unfettered, the incidence of sickness and disease increases. Last year, a cat tested positive for rabies in the Village of Leroy, Jaroszewski said.

Feral or nearly feral cat populations are not uncommon in mobile home parks and apartments, places where property owners often ban pets, Jaroszewski said.

Lunchtime book discussion

By Billie Owens

This week's “Books Sandwiched In” will focus on a couple of forgotten bestsellers from the 1960s. Mary Ellen Casey and William Hayes will review John LeCarre's "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" and "Profiles in Courage" by John F. Kennedy.

The free program is from 12:10 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 in the Gallery Room of Richmond Memorial Library. It's located at 19 Ross St. in Batavia.

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Book discussion group for early birds

By Billie Owens

The Adult Book Discussion Group will meet at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday May 13 at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St. in Batavia.

The discussion will be about "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," written by Mary Ann Shaffer. The books are available at the front desk. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call the library at 343-9550 ext. 8 or log onto www.batavialibrary.org.

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Books Sandwiched In

By Billie Owens

An ongoing series called "Books Sandwiched In" will be held from 12:10 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 in the Gallery Room at Richmond Memorial Library.

The theme is "forgotten bestsellers through the decades." This week's focus will be the 1940s with reviews by John Holder and Mike Carragher. They will talk about Irwin Shaw's "Young Lions" and William L. White's "They Were Expendable," respectively.

The series is sponsored by Friends of the Library. It's free. Bring lunch if you like. Coffee, tea and cookies will be provided.

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Small business showcase

By Billie Owens

Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual Small Business Week Showcase from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 24.

It will feature a variety of merchants and various food vendors at Batavia City Centre, formerly the Genesee Country Mall.

The showcase coincides with the Jackson Square Inside concert at the mall, featuring the OHMS Band.

For information about exhibiting at the small business showcase, call Kelly Bermingham at 585-343-7440 ex. 26.

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Jackson Square Inside Concert

By Billie Owens

The second “Jackson Square Inside” Concert will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 24 at Batavia City Centre (formerly the Genesee Country Mall).

It features the OHMS Band. The concert is sponsored by the Batavia Business Improvement District to bring people downtown and get everyone ready for the June concert series “Outside.” 


The April concert is in conjunction the Genesee County Chamber’s Annual Small Business Week Showcase which features a variety of merchants and various food vendors.  The showcase runs from 5 to 8 pm.

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College student art show

By Billie Owens

An Albion Campus Student Art Show will take place from April 30 through May 14.

A reception for the artists is scheduled from 5 to 6 p.m. April 30.

The show features the work of students currently enrolled in Painting 1 & 2 and Intro to Visual Art classes. It will feature a variety of mixed media.

The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. For further information, please contact Allen Kidder, associate dean of the Albion Campus Center at 585-343-0055 x6548 or at arkidder@genesee.edu.

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New watercolors by local artist Arthur Barnes to be shown

By Billie Owens

"Nocturnal Landscapes" by local artist Arthur Barnes opens May 26 at Albion Campus Center.

This Genesee Community College exhibit features new watercolors by the artist, with a reception planned for him from 5 to 6 p.m. June 4.

The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. For further information, please contact Allen Kidder, associate dean of the Albion Campus Center at 585-343-0055 x6548 or at arkidder@genesee.edu.

 

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Artist Karen Todd exhibits paintings at Albion Campus Center

By Billie Owens

Original paintings by Karen Todd will be displayed April 9-29 at Genesee Community College's Albion Campus Center.

An artist's reception is planned from 5 to 6 p.m. April 9.

Titled "Acrylic Perspectives in Color," the works will include landscapes, portraits and abstracts.

Todd is an adjunct art faculty member who teaches Drawing 1 & 2, Painting 1 & 2, Introduction to Visual Art, and 2-Dimensional Design.

Also, beginning April 30 an Albion Campus Student Art Show will take place through May 14, with a reception from 5 to 6 p.m. on April 30.

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YMCA Healthy Kids Day

By Billie Owens

The Genesee Area Family YMCA is hosting its annual Healthy Kids Day Event
from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 18. It's free and gives families a chance to visit the YMCA and see all it has to offer children and adults. There will be a Bounce House and you can climb our rock wall, swim, prepare healthy snacks, play games and experience virtual fitness games.

The YMCA is located at 209 E. Main St. in Batavia. Phone is 344-1664.
 

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American Sign Language class offered

By Billie Owens

Starting April 13 classes in Level 1 American Sign Language will be offered by the Genesee Region Independent Living Center.

Cost for the 10-week course is $25 per person and includes two textbooks. Classes will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the center's conference room.

Genesee Region Independent Living Center, Inc. is located at 612 Swan St. in Batavia. To register call (585) 343-4524 ext. 18.


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