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Music, music, and more music, along with food and refreshments (some of the adult kind), are in store for those who make their way to the Village of Elba and its charming central park on Sunday.
The fun sets off at noon with Elba's own Front Porch Pickers plucking out old favorites.
Then the Simon Fletcher Trio takes the stage, starting at 1:30. Simon Fletcher is a substitute teacher at Elba Central School and the trio plays jazz and bebop.
At 3 p.m., the Old Hippies, featuring Bill and Kay McDonald, will stroll down memory lane with Vinny Pastore along with Liam and Emma Raines on guitar, violin, banjo, and vocals. There might even be a surprise artist or two joining the Old Hippies.
There will be food and drink vendors such as Lori's Delectable Edibles, Center Street Smokehouse, Los Compadres (besides tacos, margaritas!), and Pub Coffee Hub. Cirlcle B Winery and Eli Fish Brewing Company are bringing the wine and beer. For dessert: Lori's Delectable Edibles and Ice Cream and Chill.
"In all, this is going to be more music, food and fun than should be legal in NYS!!," said co-organizer Pauli Miano.
Keep in mind, the Village Park is a no-alcohol park. You can't bring in your own adult beverages but can consume what is available from licensed vendors.
These concerts are made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a re-grant program of the NYS Council on the Arts with the support of the NYS Legislature and administered by GO ART.
VIDEO: A Elba Village Park picnic earlier this summer.
Press release:
An accident occurred near the 5/8th’s pole in the last race at Batavia Downs on Sunday afternoon after pacer Red Roll (Kyle Cummings) went down and Sizzling Summer (Denny Bucceri) and Hardts Or Bettor (Justin Huckabone) ran over him as close quarters prevented them from making a diversionary move. All three drivers were thrown from the sulky and two of the loose horses continued to run.
After the race, those horses were caught and upon examination, Sizzling Summer suffered multiple lacerations and required stitches and Hardts Or Bettor appeared to be all right. Red Roll had to be euthanized.
Drivers Kyle Cummings, Denny Bucceri, and Justin Huckabone were examined on-site and suffered minor bruises and abrasions. None were transported to area hospitals.
Bryan Lewis Fitts, 32, of Chestnut Ridge, Gasport, is charged with criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. Fitts was allegedly found in possession of a sufficient amount of narcotics and controlled substances to suggest he intended to sell the illicit drugs after being ejected from the Luke Bryan concert at Darien Lake at 9:23 p.m., Saturday. Deputy Jeremy McClellan reportedly spotted baggies of drugs hanging out of his socks. He was arraigned in Town of Pembroke Court and released.
Aaron J. McFollins, 42, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd. At 1:18 a.m., June 4, McFollins is accused of throwing a chair at a woman causing an injury. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Aaron J. McFollins, 42, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th, identity left 3rd, and petit larceny. McFollins is accused of taking and using another person's credit card. McFollins was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Larry Kennedy, 43, of Eastbrooke Lane, Greece, is charged with felony DWI, unlicensed operation, driving outside restrictions, driving without an ignition interlock device, and aggravated unlicensed operation. Kennedy was arrested by Batavia PD following an investigation into a suspicious condition at an undisclosed location on Aug. 8. He was released on his own recognizance.
Matthew Oppel, 34, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, driving while using a portable electronic device, running a red light, and failure to keep right. Oppel on July 31 for an alleged incident at 7:37 p.m., March 20. Oppel was reportedly involved in a property damage accident on Main Street, Batavia. Following an investigation, Oppel was accused of driving while under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Laura R. Mroz, 32, of Chandler Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Mroz is accused of pushing another person on Aug. 7 at an undisclosed location. Morz was issued an appearance ticket.
John K. Hobbs, 33, of Clinton Street Road, Batavia, is charged with menacing 3rd. Hobbs allegedly threatened a woman and put her in fear of physical injury during an incident reported at 6 a.m., Aug. 13. Hobbs was released on his own recognizance.
William G. Horner, 70, of Batavia, is charged with assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon, and Wendy L. Henry, 36, of Batavia, is charged with assault 2nd/injuring victim 65 or older. Horner and Henry were arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 8:39 a.m., Aug. 11, in the Town of Batavia. No further information was released. Horner was ordered held in jail and Henry was released on her own recognizance.
Jessica R. Parker-Sharkey, 28, of Rochester, is charged with criminal impersonation, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, and driving with a suspended registration. Parker-Sharkey was arrested by a trooper in connection with an incident at 3:20 p.m., Aug. 12. No further information was released. She was released on an appearance ticket.
Tyler J. Gasiorek, 27, of Cheektowaga, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Gasiorek was stopped at 3:47 p.m., Saturday, in Bergen by a state trooper. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Patrick J. Reiner, 49, of Corfu, is charged with felony DWI and felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Reiner was stopped by a trooper at 12:01, Sunday, in the Town of Pembroke. He was released on an appearance ticket.
David B. Kenjockety, 44, of Lockport, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Kenjockety was stopped by a trooper at 8:50 p.m., Aug. 13, in the Town of Darien. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Deborah M. Kreienberg, 62, of Pittsford, is charged with felony DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Kreienberg was stopped by a trooper at 2:19 p.m., Aug. 13, in the Town of Bergen. She was released on an appearance ticket.
Last evening's sunset in Pembroke by Joanne Meiser.
Press release from AAA:
Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.19, with no change in the past week. One year ago, the price was $2.18. The New York State average is $3.22 – up one cent from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.25. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:
- Batavia - $3.24 (up three cents since last week)
- Buffalo - $3.15 (no change since last week)
- Ithaca - $3.19 (down one cent since last week)
- Rochester - $3.20 (no change since last week)
- Rome - $3.27 (up one cent since last week)
- Syracuse - $3.19 (no change since last week)
- Watertown - $3.22 (down one cent since last week)
Summer gasoline demand is beginning to slow down. In a recent report, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that gas demand dropped slightly, signaling that summer gas demand is likely softening as the school year starts in many parts of the country, in addition to COVID concerns. Additionally, total domestic gas stocks declined. The drop in demand has helped to minimize pump price increases. Crude prices have declined slightly due to market concerns that crude demand may not rebound this year as anticipated due to surging coronavirus infection rates across the globe. However, crude prices remain close to $70 per barrel, so AAA expects the national average to remain above $3 per gallon throughout the summer. Locally demand will likely remain high as Labor Day travel kicks in and students return to school later than in other parts of the country.
From Gas Buddy:
"As the number of Covid cases continues to surge globally, oil prices continue to be under pressure due to some countries instituting travel and movement limitations. This limits oil demand, which has led to the increase in gas prices slowing, and many states seeing slight drops compared to prices a week ago," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "In addition, the tropics are heating up, which could be a source of upward pressure on gas prices should we see a major hurricane target the Gulf Coast. However, without such a storm, gas prices may see some stability over the coming week or two, before slowly decreasing as the summer driving season wraps up."
A fully involved house fire is reported at 6718 Swamp Road, Byron.
Byron and South Byron responding.
A second alarm is called with Bergen, Elba, Oakfield, and the City's Fast Team dispatched.
UPDATE 9:37 p.m.: Per command, all tankers can go back in service.
UPDATE 10:25 p.m.: Fire is out and under control, reports command.
UPDATE 8 a.m.: Reported by Alecia Kaus: "According to Genesee County Fire investigators, one person was home at the time of the fire. They were able to get out of the house along with the family dog. One cat is still unaccounted for. One other resident who lives in the home was not home at the time. Investigators are looking at a window air conditioning unit as a possible cause of the fire. The home is a total loss. Residents will be staying with family."
Photo by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service
Press release:
Join us to help raise awareness and remember the lives that have been lost due to an overdose.
Backed by that clear but hard-hitting mission statement, members of the GOW Opioid Task Force will be coming together on Aug. 25 to host their version of the International Overdose Awareness Day observation.
The event is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. at Austin Park in Batavia.
“We’re thankful to be able to welcome everyone to join us in recognizing the significance of the opioid epidemic upon the residents of our community,” said Christen Ferraro, project coordinator for the GOW Opioid Task Force, which is funded by the Greater Rochester Health Foundation. “Those in attendance will be able to hear first-hand from those who have experienced loss due to overdoses.”
Representatives of local human services agencies will be on hand to share information, and free Narcan training and kits will be offered, Ferraro said. Free food and refreshments will be served.
Attendees also will be offered the opportunity to leave a heart on the task force’s memory board for a deceased loved one.
International Overdose Awareness Day was created in 2001 by Sally J. Finn at The Salvation Army in St. Kilda, Melbourne, Australia, and now is held on an annual basis. Locally, it took place virtually last year due to COVID-19. In 2020, there were 602 Overdose Awareness Day events held in 37 countries.
To register for this year’s event, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/overdose-awareness-day-event-tickets-165953867485.
Those interested in having a vendor table are asked to contact Ferraro at cferraro@gcasa.org.
Sue Chiddy was honored Saturday as the 2020 Friend of the Year by the Friends of the Richmond Memorial Library and Jerianne Barnes was honored for 2021 in a COVID-delayed celebration at the library.
Chiddy moved to Batavia in 1982 and learned about the Richmond Library by taking her five children there. A retired teacher, she has worked at GCC and has been involved in the planning and organizing of "The Tale of Three Counties," is on the Books Sandwiched in committee, helping bring in speakers, and she is part of the library reading group. She is also a member of the Richmond reads program. She enjoys gardening and has helped in the upkeep of the Library garden.
"I have enjoyed all of the opportunities the library has afforded us. It's been my pleasure to bring books and exciting new programs to the community of Batavia."
Barnes got her first paid library job at Prendergast Public Library in Jamestown, NY in 1956. Jerianne and her husband Larry along with their young daughter arrived in Batavia in 1968. In 1975, she received a Masters in Library Science from the University at Buffalo. She served as a school librarian and media specialist. Her volunteer work at Richmond has focused on reference, local history, and genealogy. She also delivers books for the Library Visits program.
"Working here is a labor of love," Barnes says. "This is the icing on the cake, it's sweet and I am grateful."
Photos and information by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.
Group photo: Jessica Ecock Rotundo/VP Board of Directors, Bob Conrad/Library Director, Sue Chiddy, Jerianne Barnes, and Kathy Zipkin/Pres. Friends of the Richmond Library
Genesee County ABATE members held a fundraising drive today to benefit the fallen officers memorial at the Genesee County Sheriff's Office on Park Road in Batavia.
The group's goal is to raise money for a more substantial memorial rather than the metal signs currently commemorating officers who died in the line of duty.
About fifty riders participated in the run.
Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.
Top photo: Frank Gallo VP/ABATE, Tim Johnson.Pres./ABATE, John Peck, and Sheriff William Sheron.
Anyone 60 years or older and income-eligible can receive a Famers Market coupon booklet from the Office for the Aging.
The booklets are available at 2 BAnk St., Batavia, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Income guidelines:
The Niagara County Sheriff's Office said this morning that John Kindig, 63, of Batavia, has succumbed to injuries he sustained in a single-vehicle accident at 11:47 p.m. on Chestnut Ridge Road in Lockport.
Kindig's car struck at the residence with three people inside the home. None of the residents were injured but a deputy did need to extricate one person from a bedroom.
Previously: Batavia man seriously injured in accident in Lockport
THANK YOU TO THE GENEROUS SPONSORS & VOLUNTEERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY FAIR - WITHOUT YOU NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE!
*We apologize to anyone we may have missed!
Members of the Stafford Country Club opened a 25-year-old time capsule as part of the club's year-long centennial celebration.
Water had gotten into the capsule but it was filled with memorabilia from 1996 when Tiger Woods ruled the golf world -- among the items in the box was a magazine with Woods on the cover. Other items included documents of events from 1996 and the history of the club along with a restaurant menu.
Top two photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.
Pictured above, Jim Owen, Country Club member, Mike McCarthy Pres. Stafford Country Club, Pat Garnish, Chair of Stafford Country Club Centennial Committee, Ralph Garnish, Auctioneer, Candice Bower, Centennial Committee member, Mari -Ellen Lamont, Centennial Committee member/photographer.
Photos below by Mari-Ellen Lamont
Press release:
- Grab bar and railing installation
- Minor plumbing repairs
- Window and door repairs
- Smoke & CO detector installation
- Other non-emergency home repairs
No charge for labor for residents 60+. Some material costs may apply. Donations towards labor costs are gratefully accepted and are put back into the program.
All work done with COVID-19 screening and safe work practices in place.
Call 585-815-7979 for more information
The Handyman Program is operated as a partnership between PathStone Corporation and the Genesee County Office for the Aging.
Funded by: Muriel H. Marshall Fund
Press release:
Do you know a dad that has been in a public place with their baby and is unable to find a changing table inside the men’s restroom? Changing table inequalities have been in existence for years. In 2018, they came to the forefront when a father from Florida posted a picture on social media showing that he had to squat and change his son’s diapers on his lap because there wasn’t a changing table available in the men’s restroom.
A nationwide survey found that 9 out of 10 dads have gone into a public restroom unable to find a changing table. As a result, Pampers created the “Love the Change” campaign to provide changing tables to businesses and not-for-profits across the United States to install in men’s restrooms. Pampers has already donated 3,557 changing tables, but they are pledging to donate 1,000 more by the end of 2021.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) are collaborating with Pampers to identify local businesses and not-for-profits throughout Genesee and Orleans Counties that would be interested in receiving a changing table for their men’s restroom. This is 100% free of charge and the only requirement is that businesses install their own changing table.
If you are a not-for-profit or business owner that is interested in receiving a changing table for your men’s room, please contact the Genesee County Health Department by calling 585-344-2580 ext. 5578 or emailing Kayla.Shuknecht@co.genesee.ny.us.
Press release from Assemblyman Steve Hawley:
”Impartial justice is a founding principle of our constitutional republic, and nobody should be above the law. Our public officials should be held to the highest standards possible, and by ending this impeachment investigation the speaker has denied justice to the people of this state and allowed potentially illegal acts to be swept under the rug.”
New listing: 7335 Whitney Mill Road. Here's your chance to get a sweet little ranch on a quiet country road. This home is centrally located to everything -within minutes to schools shopping and thruway! Home is located in Elba school system. There has been many upgrades to the property including a new metal in 2020, all blown in insulation 2020, hot water tank 2020 and furnace is 10 years young! Newly hooked to public water and all plumbing is brand new! Inside is neat as a pin and everything is conveniently placed-great use of space!! First floor laundry and all appliances are staying. Home is located on 1.5 acres. Newly blacktopped double wide drive leading to large 2 car attached garage for all your extras! With some work this house is a real gem! Click here for more information or call Lynn bezon at Reliant Real Estate today, call 585-344-home (4663)
Press release:
The Genesee County Health Department is aware of concerns about rodents at the Indian Falls Log Cabin restaurant located in Corfu, NY.
Public Health Sanitarians conducted an inspection this morning, August 13th, 2021, and the owner has voluntarily closed the restaurant.
The facility will remain closed until further inspections are completed.
And then there was one.
The Pembroke Town Board on Thursday night voted, 5-0, to sign an amended water supply agreement with Genesee County, leaving the Town of Darien as the lone municipality not to opt in to a contract that would set the stage for $10 million in sales tax distribution from the county to its towns and villages over the next 38 years.
“We felt that it was more important to secure sales tax funding than to hold out on the water agreement,” Pembroke Town Supervisor Thomas Schneider Jr. said. “In good faith, we believed that it was best to mend some fences with the county.”
In a previous story on The Batavian, Schneider indicated there were some hard feelings over the way water agreements were handled in the past, but the current board is willing to give county leaders the benefit of the doubt – believing that the legislature will attain its goal of equalizing the water surcharge.
Schneider also said he talked to County Manager Matt Landers about the potential of “bumping up” the guaranteed sales tax money to be shared with the municipalities in light of the Village of Corfu (at the end of July) and Town of Pembroke opting in.
PEMBROKE MAKES COUNTEROFFER
“Hopefully, we are thinking that the $7 million in sales tax distribution could go to maybe eight or eight and a half million – based on having Corfu and Pembroke on board.”
Genesee County’s offer to distribute $10 million in straight sales tax revenue is contingent upon universal buy-in from its towns and villages.
Without that universal buy-in, the proposal is to distribute $7 million in annual sales tax revenue and an additional $3 million in other revenue on a periodic basis over the next 38 years.
Municipalities not opting in would receive less in revenue distribution than expected to allow for the equalization of water surcharge revenue.
Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein was asked if lawmakers would consider Schneider’s proposal to increase the guaranteed sales tax distribution.
Choosing her words carefully, she replied, “Here’s what I’m going to say: Let us do our work.”
“We have not met and we won’t until Monday. So, there’s a process that we follow and let us do our work. But, certainly, that suggestion is taken and welcomed.”
FIXING UNBALANCED TAX RATES
Currently, the county’s revenue sharing process has created a situation, per state law, where towns with villages inside them have to keep two separate books and have two separate tax rates – an A fund for townwide sales tax that affects everyone and a B fund for sales tax that only affects the services of taxpayers outside the village.
Stein said the legislature’s focus has been “to be able to direct that revenue sharing into the B funds of those towns and villages; that is our focus for this entire process. And, if we can find a way to get there together, that’s our goal.”
She previously explained that the $10 million figure that the county is committed to putting into the sales tax agreement would fix the unbalanced A and B tax rate.
When asked if she thought the Darien Town Board would change is mind and opt in, Stein said she that if it did reconsider, it would need to be mindful that the county has a timetable to adhere to “that is significant because our calendar has already started.”
The legislature’s Ways & Means Committee is expected to address the situation at its meeting this Monday, with the full legislature scheduled to vote on a distribution amount on Aug. 25.
“Plus, the City of Batavia has to do this at their meetings in September and the (New York State) Office of Comptroller needs 60 to 90 days and we already want to be able to distribute our third quarter payments (in October) as sales tax,” Stein advised.
“Time is not our friend right now,” she said. “But for those six towns that have the B funds or that have villages in their towns, it is truly meaningful for their more rural taxpayers to rebalance that property tax imbalance that is occurring right now for them.”
PURSUING WATER RATE EQUALIZATION
Landers said he was “happy” to learn that Pembroke passed the resolution.
“I know that they will be hopeful that the county as a whole, not just Genesee County but the towns, will remember this 5-0 vote when it comes time for the equalization of the retail water rate charged by the Monroe County Water Authority,” he said.
“The county can recommend an equalized retail rate and, again, I’m certain that Pembroke is hoping for a spirit of cooperation seeing that they agreed to sign this agreement because they know it is best for the county as a whole. It is in everyone’s best interest to have an equalized rate because it allows for the free flow of water a little easier between the center and western parts of the county.”
Landers explained that the original agreements with towns and villages dating back to the early 2000s each had “little nuances in them,” with different considerations.
“When the county took over individual water systems, the county water fund would make some compensation sometimes for that,” he said. “For example, we paid off some of the debt of the Corfu water plant for that village. All of the amended water supply agreements that the county have undertaken over the last three or four years have been uniform; we wanted to make sure that they’re all the same.”
The new agreements allow for the county, with proper notification and justification, to increase the surcharge above 60 cents (per 1,000 gallons). The original agreements were frozen at 60 cents but since then, the later agreements raised it to $1.20 to pay for Phase 2 of the Countywide Water Supply Project.
CLEANING UP THE LANGUAGE
The county manager said one of the sticking points was the county removing erroneous language in the initial agreements that guaranteed supplying water to the municipalities.
“It’s erroneous in the sense that the Monroe County Water Authority, in our agreement with them, can’t guarantee us water; there are things that can happen,” he said. “It is difficult for us to guarantee something that’s not guaranteed to us.”
He said that changes had to be made “because we need water to pay for water.”
“When we go to Phase 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 (of the Countywide Water Supply Project), if there needs to be an increase (in the surcharge) to pay for the debt service, there needs to be a way to pay for it,” he said, adding that 20- to 30-year cash flow projections – including the retirement of some debt service -- indicate that the surcharge should not increase that much, if at all.
Landers said that he continues to speak to Darien Town Supervisor Steve Ferry Jr. about his board’s decision.
“If Darien passed a resolution next week and they signed the water agreement, it is possible that the amount in the resolution on the floor of the legislature on August 25th could be amended to be increased to $10 million,” he said. “I still have hope that we can find a path forward so that we can share the full $10 million in sales tax, and have everyone on the same water supply agreement.”
Asked if Ferry has sought concessions from the county, understanding that Darien has been paying more for water than other towns and villages, Landers would not go there.
“I don’t want to get into the subject of proposals back and forth,” he said. “I want all of that to be discussed between him and I, and our legislature and his board.”
Previously: Darien Town Board votes to not accept county's updated water agreement offer; Corfu signs on; Pembroke TBD.
Previously: Ways & Means passes measures rescinding revenue distribution payments, accepting HCA with Plug Power.
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