Skip to main content

Le Roy district announces merger of legendary football program with former rival, Cal-Mum

By Howard B. Owens
leroy calmum merger 2012 file photo
File photo from 2012

The rivalry was once among the most legendary in Section V - Caledonia-Mumford vs. the Oatkan Knights of Le Roy.

The rivalry waned when leagues were realigned a few years ago, and starting next season, the once fierce fighters on the field will be brothers on the gridiron. 

Both school districts have approved, pending Section V approval, a merger of the two football programs.  The merger will affect all levels of football in both communities.

The Knights are coming off a 2023 campaign in which the team won its record-setting 16th Section V title.

The Le Roy Central School District said in a statement on Tuesday evening:

Please know that this decision was made with the best interests of our students and our school district in mind and keeps the mission of our shared services committee central to our decision-making. The decision to merge football teams with the Caledonia-Mumford CSD reflects the collaborative spirit and commitment to providing exceptional opportunities for our student-athletes.

The statement acknowledged the rich football history in both communities and said the merger would strengthen football opportunities for all age groups and help both districts sustain 11 main football programs.

The district said there would be future announcements about the plan to carry out the merger, practice and game schedules and locations, and a selection of a head coach and additional coaching staff.

"The team name, mascot, and colors will also be determined by student-athletes in partnership with our athletic directors and coaching staff at a later date," the statement read. 

It concluded, "We are excited about this merger and the future of the Caledonia-Mumford and Le Roy football program."

Over the past few seasons, Cal-Mum has been merged with Byron-Bergen for football and cheerleading.  On Tuesday evening, Athletic Director Rich Hannan and Superintendent Pat McGee issued the following statement.

We are writing to update everyone on a developing situation with our football and fall cheer program here at Byron-Bergen. Last week we were made aware that Cal-Mum is exploring a new partnership for their football and fall cheer squad that does not include Byron-Bergen. While we did not initiate this change, we are already actively exploring possibilities for our student-athletes to continue competing in their chosen fall sports.

High wind watch issued for Wednesday

By Staff Writer

A high wind watch starts on Wednesday at 11 a.m., carrying a significant threat to safety and property, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters expect winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

High winds are expected through Wednesday night.

Possible difficulties include toppled trees, downed power lines, scattered power outages, and travel could be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.

BND wins first Section V title as a unified program 3-2 in overtime

By Steve Ognibene
BND United first ever Section V, Class B championship after three years as a unified program.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
BND United's first-ever Section V, Class B championship after three years as a unified program.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene

Batavia Notre Dame, a merged hockey team in its third year as a united unit, won its first Section V Class B championship Monday in dramatic fashion -- pulling out an overtime victory.

United struck first in the first period. 

Brennen Pedersen came off the bench to keep the puck from crossing the blue line for offsides, taking a pass from Jameson Motyka and opening up the scoring for United 1-0 with seven minutes left in the opening period.

Nine minutes into the second period, Ivan Milovidov scored unassisted, which gave United a 2-0 lead.  

Webster Thomas cut the lead by one goal, scoring with four minutes left in the period to make it 2-1.

In the third period, after two penalty kills, United maintained the lead with under four minutes left. Webster Thomas scored again to tie the game 2-2 and send it into overtime.

In overtime, each squad had opportunities until Joe DiRisio scored the game-winner on a rebound to give BND the Class B title.  

BND United had 34 shots on goal.  Rhys Tanner made 32 saves for United.

Section V awards were given to Joe DiRisio, named MVP, and Ivan Milovidov, player of the game.

United moves on to the Regional round versus Kenmore East at Noon on Saturday at RIT.

Coach Marc Staley said he told his team going into overtime to take a couple of deep breaths and go out and do what they've done all year, to trust the process.

"This game could have gone either way," Staley said. "I mean, their goalie made some great saves. Our goalie made some great saves. We ended up getting a loose puck in front of the net, and we banged it home. That's how it goes."

He added, "You know, you get a little luck when you need it.  We got a little luck when we needed it."

DiRisio, who scored the winning goal, credited the win to the close bond between team members.

"We just stayed together, really, DiRisio said. "We're brothers. We're family. We love each other. And we knew we had to stay level for it. I feel like being level mentally is 80 percent of the game. It's just it's huge."

The win, making history for the program, was a magical moment, he said.

"Obviously, it's history. It's kind of a numbing feeling because you're just so excited; at least, I am. It's just, it's incredible. It really is."

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Joe DiRisio taking a shot on net.  DiRisio scored the game winning goal in overtime.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Joe DiRisio taking a shot on net.  DiRisio scored the game winning goal in overtime.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Ivan Milovidov escaping a forecheck going toward the goalkeeper.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Ivan Milovidov escapes a forecheck going toward the goalkeeper.  Milovidov scored the second goal for BND.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
#18 Brennan Pedersen gave BND the lead on a shot from the blue line.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Brennen Pedersen gave BND the lead on a shot from the blue line. 
 Photo by Steve Ognibene
Orion Lama setting up a pass to teammate Brady Johnson.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Orion Lama setting up a pass to teammate Brady Johnson.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Sam Pies entering the zone setting up a play.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Sam Pies entering the zone setting up a play.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
United's bench celebration after winning the game in overtime.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
United's bench celebration after winning the game in overtime.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Players from BND United raising the Class B Section V trophy.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Players from BND United raising the Class B Section V trophy.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene

Opining at council conference session about budget, water, medians

By Joanne Beck
Stafford resident Frank Loncz, who owns rental properties in the city of Batavia, decided to share some thoughts and ask questions during Monday's City Council conference session at City Hall.  Photo by Joanne Beck
Stafford resident Frank Loncz, who owns rental properties in the city of Batavia, decided to share some thoughts and ask questions during Monday's City Council conference session at City Hall. 
Photo by Joanne Beck

Whether they were about dirty roadway medians, lackadaisical city management, confusing water bills, misspoken words from a colleague, ongoing pokes to council members gone quiet, or in defense of a perceived job well done, comments were plenty and varied Monday evening at City Hall.

Sammy DiSalvo picked up the gauntlet on behalf of a group of citizens that gathered two weeks ago to discuss a mix of concerns, from ugly city entrances and Batavia’s bedroom community persona to a lack of better-paying jobs, less empathy for the taxpayer and a potential plan to tap nonprofits to pay a fee for city services.

Frank Loncz, one of four speakers during Monday evening’s conference session, didn’t speak for long, but that wasn’t the point. “If you don’t show up to say something, then don’t complain about it,” he later said.

Although he’s not a city resident, he does own rental properties and wanted to know how the water system works when both the water and sewer operate from one meter but are separated on his bill. 

“And for the one rental that I’m working at, I get a quarterly bill for $36.37, and I’m not using any water at all,” he said, pointing to the proposed 2-cent tax rate increase. “It’s like, okay, if nobody's here to speak, it’s very easy to get, you know, two cents. Okay, what happens the next time? It's like, we went through that, we didn't have any complaints, not a lot of people were really interested, let's make it a nickel, or, you know, that's something we could go back to all the time. It's like, if people don't come out and speak about it, nothing changes. Everybody’s just fat, dumb and happy.”

DiSalvo questioned Batavia’s direction, especially given that he couldn’t find an updated strategic or comprehensive plan on the city’s website, he said. The latest version was from 2017, except for a 2023-24 pdf.

“Whatever direction y’all want is not recently updated for us to read. It’s not transparent. Cities like Oswego laid out solid plans, such as a city map with each of the coming years highlighted in a different color, and then Oswego color-coded which street projects were in the pipeline for the next five years, available on their website,” he said.  “This is full transparency. North Tonawanda supported their farmer’s market so intensely that it was voted one of the best in the nation. It feels like much of our current strategic plan is loose with timeframes and wishes. Commitment is difficult in case you miss deadlines, I understand, but that doesn’t mean it should be avoided.”

He made some suggestions, including a citizen survey and watchdog group that would monitor council to ensure there is sufficient communication and transparency between the city leaders and residents. He said that he hopes council members hear his words and consider taking action to alleviate the mistrust that exists amongst constituents.

“Whether you think anything I have said is true or false, the fact is people are perceiving things this way and are unhappy with how some things are. The sign of a good leader is not to defend but to say, ‘I hear people's perceptions of what is happening. I hear the complaints over what we are or are not doing. I hear that people are upset with X or Y. I see that people don’t trust us for right or wrong reasons. We need to change things we do and do better so these complaints and perceptions don’t exist, and so we better fulfill our role,’” he said. “That is what I hope council walks away from this meeting with.”

City resident John Roach has continuously poked the bear in terms of seeking clear-cut answers from council members Bob Bialkowski and Tammy Schmidt, both of whom previously said they wouldn’t vote for any tax rate increase. He has asked before and again on Monday for what exactly they would cut to keep the tax rate flat. Neither council member responded.

Bialkowski did speak up just as the group was going to begin the budget public hearing, as he wanted to clarify that, as a member of the Audit Advisory Committee, he didn’t review and approve of the 2024 budget. In fact, that committee only reviewed the 2022-23 budget, Bialkowski said.

Councilman-at-Large Rich Richmond had said during the last council meeting that Bialkowski was good with everything in the budget per those Audit Advisory meetings.

“This has nothing to do with that. We were in total compliance, and we met all the goals. We were continuing to contribute to the reserves, the auditors gave a very high grading, and it had nothing to do (with the upcoming budget),” Bialkowski said. “We discussed the upcoming budget in budget workshops.” 

eugene jankowski
Council President Eugene Jankowski.
Photo by Joanne Beck.

"Just as a rule, I don't know how other council members feel. But if I could have a zero budget or a zero tax rate, we would. But we look at our core services, and we look at the expenses to maintain those services. Then, we come up with a tax levy based on our other incomes, our other grants, and our other sources of revenue. And we do the best we can,” Jankowski said. “There's been some years where, for example, when the nursing home became on the tax rolls, we lowered taxes that year because that made a big difference in our tax levy. So we tried to keep it as low as possible based on the need. 

“So it's not just two cents. Last year, it was zero. And the year before that, I believe it was zero. And now we can't maintain that with all the increases; we just can't maintain it. So we have to do something,” he said. “And I'm not for laying off any police or firemen or public works people at this point. We're at bare bones as it is. So this is where I stand.”

No one spoke during the budget hearing itself. Council is expected to vote on the $37 million budget during its business meeting on March 11. The budget includes a proposed 2-cent per 1,000 assessed property value increase or $2 a year for a home assessed at $100,000. There is also a proposed 19 cents per 1,000 gallons of water increase and an $8 water meter increase.

Chamber Awards: Director and staff have brought history to life at HLOM

By Joanne Beck
hlom chamber award
Holland Land Office Museum Executive Director Ryan Duffy, left, and Curator Tyler Angora. 
Photo by Howard Owens

NOTE: This week, The Batavian is highlighting the annual Chamber of Commerce Award winners with a story daily through Friday. The awards dinner is Saturday evening at Batavia Downs.

Perhaps an 11-year-old Ryan Duffy could have predicted that he’d be championing the preservation of valuable artifacts and would be involved somehow in the back stories of how historical exhibits and programs came to be presented to the public. 

“I always leaned toward that, and then we went to Gettysburg that cemented it. I saw the park rangers giving tours. The seed was there that made it a reality; it wasn’t just about learning the facts; it was something you could actually do. I’ve been directing myself toward that from then on,” Duffy said. 

Chosen in 2017 as executive director of Holland Land Office Museum, Duffy has now been named on behalf of the museum for the Chamber of Commerce Special Recognition of the Year Award. He shared the credit with Curator Tyler Angora, who has zealously bitten off the entire museum collection to sort through and organize for a multitude of exhibits now and into the future.

Duffy’s folks are well aware of his own enthusiasm for the job, and they have visited the site at 131 West Main St., Batavia “many times,” he said. They are the ones that got the ball rolling by taking him on that family trip to Pennsylvania to the famous Gettysburg National Battlefield and National Military Park, with a museum and visitor center, Civil War artifacts and a memorial to mark the site of Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 address. 

It was only 21 years later when the Holland Office Museum was established; it celebrates a 130-year birthday this year. Back when Duffy was hired, the museum had come to a standstill, which meant handing him the keys to drive it wherever he could imagine.

“It was kind of a blank slate. We were starting from scratch, putting new energy and new programs into it,” he said. “It was waiting for a new perspective. One of the first things I tried differently was a regular guest speaker series and trivia nights. It took a little time to build an audience up.”

Other programs were Java Joe, concerts, Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, and taking the show on the road, so to speak, as Duffy and some board members have visited groups upon request to share what’s happening at the museum and talk about local history. 

Did everything take off immediately? It did take a while to “get our name out there,” he said, and build up a customer base. But then that base began to spread out to Rochester, Buffalo, and even farther out to Syracuse. 

“It was about growing that. People have responded … our audience more than doubled, our overall visitor ship attendance and programming,” he said. “We added about 100 members as well. All of that has kept progressing in the right direction.”

An award nomination stated that the museum’s importance goes well beyond being “just a museum,” and in recent years, it has grown into a full-fledged community center, given all of the activities taking place there. 

“This year, Director Ryan Duffy and Curator Tyler Angora have been busy updating the exhibits to breathe even more life into the displays inside the museum. Tyler has brought his youthful energy to bring to life the lives of our predecessors, particularly in the ways they dressed,” volunteer Richard Beatty said, adding that Duffy has extended the museum’s reach by writing columns, producing videos and going into the community with his and volunteers’ presentations.

Duffy did also attempt to reel the antique show back into the fold, holding it at Batavia Downs, however, that darned COVID struck again, ruining yet another event, and “it fizzled out.” Duffy picked his battles and let that one go. “A lot is trial and error,” he said.

Meanwhile, though, he said he feels that the reputation of the museum “has come a long way” as an asset to the community since he took the lead. 

“And how people perceive us. Many more people notice us and take notice of us,” he said. “As a director, I’ve taken ownership … I’ve been the frontman; it’s my responsibility to make that happen. I’m very proud to make that happen and where we’re going to go. I’m hoping to continue a lot of progress of … the collection area, grow our outreach and membership. And grow into a wider area and become more of an attraction. Our base is here in Genesee County, but the Holland Land Purchase is all of Western New York.”

That means he’s eyeing from Rochester to Buffalo and down to the southern tier. 

“We're definitely seeing an uptick from people coming from areas outside Genesee County, and just our engagement, even if they're not visitors, but looking for research or wanting us to come and talk to them,” Duffy said. “And we get those kinds of calls from as far away as Syracuse, so we are getting our name out there. And that's what we want: the more people who know about us, the more people that will make the trip.”

Angora is planning to complete his master’s degree in history at Brockport State College in spring 2025, and has been full steam ahead since taking on the role of curator in 2023. The museum’s collection hadn’t been a priority up to that point, he said, so he “really took the reins” by organizing the upstairs area and unearthing buried treasures that had been there all along.

“There’s a clothing collection, Emory Upton items that were donated by his nieces, it keeps growing every day. We added 1,000 objects,” he said. “For the eclipse exhibit, 98 Years Since the Sun Went Out, people are seeing new parts they’ve never seen before.”

A grant has made it possible to digitize the entire 20,000-piece collection so that anyone will be able to view it online. That’s exciting, Angora said, because “it will allow accessibility” to any person with an interest or a research project to go to the museum’s website and view those artifacts for the first time. That should be a reality by the end of summer.

Also, later this year, Angora is hoping to do his long-awaited tours of the entire collection upstairs — a “behind the scenes” sort of take — that he’s been grooming ever since he began.

“It’s been exciting. It's been challenging. It's been everything encompassed in one kind of jar,” Angora said. “But overall, it's been an amazing experience to work with a collection that has so much history and a city and a county that has so much history tied to it that a lot of people don't know about. So being a part of getting people to know that history has been something quite fantastic.”

The work will never end, he said, but that’s a good thing. There are programs to come for the next several months.

Along with those coming months is an eventual expansion of the building on the west end toward the parking lot. A museum study made several suggestions to improve and preserve the old site, one being to add some much-needed space for a gift shop and to extend an exhibit room, Duffy said. 

In a nutshell, it’s about “looking good and being sound,” he said.

“Our expansion is looking at accessibility, breathing room, able to show off what we’ve got here for a better visitor experience,” Duffy said. “The county is dedicating funds to deal with the building, and we’re excited and very appreciative of that.

“Well, we're very honored to be recognized by the chamber. It is always a good feeling when people take notice of what you're doing. And especially see it as a positive aspect in the community. We always felt like we were a hidden gem, and it's nice to know that we're not quite as hidden anymore. And that the community appreciates what we do, because it's our first goal is to tell the history of our community,” Duffy said. “Tyler's got a long list planned out for the next few years too, I think, that will be very exciting for everyone. We're growing our partnerships and, with that, trying to create new programming or expand the programming that we currently have. 

“And just to be more exciting,” he said. “We’re really working towards making this place, creating a more vibrant atmosphere, a more welcoming atmosphere, that people will want to be here and be a part of what we're doing because we feel that we're on the way to some really big and important things.”

The 52nd annual Genesee County Chamber Awards ceremony will be at 5 p.m. March 2 at Batavia Downs Gaming, 8315 Park Road, Batavia.

Photos by Howard Owens

hlom chamber award
hlom chamber award
hlom chamber award
hlom chamber award
hlom chamber award
hlom chamber award
hlom chamber award
hlom chamber award

Duffy to be appointed as city historian for important Batavia role

By Joanne Beck
Ryan Duffy

You could say that 2024 is looking like a banner year for Ryan Duffy so far, first being in line for a Chamber of Commerce Special Recognition of the Year Award on behalf of Holland Land Office Museum, and now being asked to fill an important role for Batavia.

City Council gave its unofficial blessings to appoint Duffy as city historian during Monday’s conference session at City Hall after City Manager Rachael Tabelski introduced the idea.

“I’m excited to present the appointment of Ryan Duffy to the historian’s position. He has been the executive director of the Holland Land Office since May 2017. His position actually brought him to Batavia. Since then, he's been an integral part of history in Batavia and in Genesee County to the residents, and thousands of visitors who visit,” Tabelski said. “At the Holland Land Office Museum, he's completed many different research projects related to our local history. He's published articles, one of which was on the Richmond Mansion, published in Western New York Heritage magazine. And I think he'll make a wonderful city historian for us.”

The part-time position is for a four-year term that runs to 2027. Duffy will be responsible for compiling information and data, maintenance of records concerning the history of the city. He will assemble historical data of significance to the city of Batavia by consulting various sources; conduct research into genealogy, maintain family files; organize and evaluate research data as to its authenticity and significance; maintain in narrative form, with photographs, when available, a chronological record to the locality’s past and current history; handle correspondence and request for information concerning the city’s history. 

He may also act as advisor or consultant on research studies relating to the city.

What does it take to be a city historian? Good knowledge of practices and techniques used in historical research activities, good knowledge of sources of historical information and data; good knowledge of and interest in local history; ability to keep historical records and to prepare historical reports; ability to write in a clear, descriptive and interesting manner; ability to establish and maintain favorable contacts with individuals and groups; initiative and resourcefulness, all according to the city’s job description.

Duffy will fill the vacancy left by former historian Larry Barnes. He will be paid a yearly stipend of $5,000.

New executive director at Crossroads House

By Joanne Beck
tracy ford crossroads
Tracy Ford

Crossroads House has hired a new executive director after the gap was temporarily filled by interim director Tom Staebell in July 2023. 

The nonprofit's leaders happily announced the news Monday that they have found Tracy Ford, who "stood out from a pool of excellent candidates."

"We are pleased to announce that after a very intentional and thorough search, aided by a selection committee consisting of several community leaders and one of our very own volunteers, we have hired a new Executive Director to lead Crossroads House as we head into our second quarter century providing premier comfort care to our residents," nonprofit leaders said. 

Ford is to take the helm on March 4, but not before she gets her feet wet with an introduction at 9 a.m. Tuesday on WBTA. 

Photos: A sunny FeBREWary evening in Downtown Batavia

By Howard B. Owens
batavia febrewary 2024

Several Downtown businesses were packed on Saturday evening with a parade of beer tasters who signed up for the Business Improvement District's annual FeBREWary events.

Photos by Howard Owens.

batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024

Tenney announces submissions being accepted for 2024 Congressional Art Competition, due April 19

By Press Release

Press Release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today announced that her office is accepting submissions for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition from high school students in New York's 24th District.  

Since 1982, high school students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories have been invited by members of the U.S. House of Representatives to participate in this esteemed nationwide art competition. Over the years, this competition has provided a platform for over 10,000 works of art to be exhibited and celebrated.

The contest winner will have their artwork displayed in the prestigious halls of the United States Capitol for an entire year. Additionally, they will be given the exciting opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., to witness their masterpiece showcased at the Capitol. Southwest Airlines is donating two round-trip tickets for the winner and a guest to attend this year’s celebration on June 27.

All submissions must be delivered to one of Tenney’s district offices by the close of business on Friday, April 19. Additional information about the competition, including guidelines and student release forms required to participate, can be found here or by calling Tenney’s District office at (716) 514-5130.

Sponsored Post: Journalism students: Work for The Batavian this summer

By Sponsored Post
NYPA

Journalism students: Work for The Batavian this summer, helping us gather and report local news.  This is a hands-on opportunity to gain bylines and real-world journalism experience at one of the nation's most respected digital news publications.  To apply, send a cover letter and resume to joanne@thebatavian.com.  Please be sure to include information on relevant training and experience.

Cline's 300, Fluker's 290 lead bowling 'hit parade'

By Mike Pettinella

Brian Cline continued his torrid bowling season last week by firing a 300 game and 770 series in the Mancuso Real Estate Doubles League at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia.

The 45-year-old left-hander from Middleport spun games of 278, 192 and 300, raising his average to 239.

In December, he posted a perfect game in an 857 series in the Monday night league.

In other action around the Genesee Region USBC:

-- Tom Fluker of Batavia kept the hot hand in the StrikeForce Tuesday Doubles League at StrikeForce Lanes in Oakfield, starting with a 290 game on the way to a 751 series.

-- William Wood of Rochester started with a 276 game in a 765 series in the Thursday Owls League at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen. His other games were 231 and 258.

-- Dean Cadieux Jr. of Oakfield led the way in the Sunday Rolloffs League at Medina Lanes with a 267 game and 774 series.

-- In the Wednesday Community League at Medina Lanes, Juliana Allis of Medina registered 267--701.

For a list of high scores for the week, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of the home page.

LEROYANS WIN NO-TAP DOUBLES

Le Roy residents Rob Panepento and Rick Howe teamed for a 1,649 series, with handicap, to capture the Genesee Region USBC No-Tap Doubles Tournament title last weekend at Legion Lanes in Le Roy.

The winners split $480 for their efforts.

For more information about the tournament and other GRUSBC news, go to www.bowlgr.com.

KING & QUEEN SET FOR SATURDAY

The annual King & Queen Mixed Doubles Handicap Tournament is scheduled for this Saturday, with squads at noon and 2 p.m., at Mancuso Bowling Center.

First place is guaranteed at $500. Entry fee is $50 per team. To enter, call 716-474-7960 or 585-343-1319.

LoVeSeXy pays tribute to the music and artistry of Prince on March 9 at Batavia Downs

By Howard B. Owens
Remote video URL
lovesexy prince tribute
Giovanni Morant, lead singer of LoVeSeXy, a Tribute to Prince. Submitted photo.

Prince is a rare form of rock star, according to Chris Botelho, drummer and leader of the LoVeSeXy, which plays at Batavia Downs on March 9.

He was admired by peers and fans alike in his lifetime, and his legend has only grown since his untimely death at 57 in 2016.

LoVeSexy was formed in 2008 as a Tribute to Prince, who is ranked #27 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest Artists of All-Time, and Botelho has seen firsthand how Prince continues to attract new fans and old fans who hunger to hear his music performed live.

"He's pretty much a real rock star when there's not a lot of those types of people around any more," Botelho said. "He was someone who was real special, like just the type of person who would walk in the room and everyone would just stop and be quiet and kind of like be like, 'Can I talk and I say hello.’ Like they would be that afraid to even speak. You don't get that from other people, even other stars. And that was with everyone, not just regular people but movie stars and top musicians."

There are several quality Prince tribute acts, Botelho noted, a level of reference that is seemingly missing from the legacy of other dead megastars of the era, such as David Bowie and Michael Jackson.

"Michael Jackson, I would think, would have big tributes, and there are some tribute shows, but there's really not as much talk about him as much as you would think. It's weird. But Prince, if you go online and search 'Prince,' there are fan sites, Facebook pages, and media coverage like this. There are so many fans all over the world, so many people still, every day, posting and talking and sharing his music. It's kind of amazing."

Prince was born Prince Rogers Nelson, the son of a father who was a jazz pianist and composer and a mother who was a jazz singer. He grew up in Minneapolis, Minn., and never did forsake his hometown, maintaining Minneapolis as his base and where he recorded most of his music until he died of an accidental fentanyl overdose.  

Signed by Warner Brothers when he was only 19, Prince released 40 studio albums during his life -- playing all of the instruments on some -- covering a range of musical genres, from funk, R&B, new wave, soul, jazz, blues, and hip hop. He sold more than 100 million records. His biggest hit singles included “When Doves Cry,” “Let's Go Crazy,” “Purple Rain,” “Raspberry Beret,” “Little Red Corvette,” and “Kiss,” among his 19 Top 10 hits.

For a time, Prince was known by a symbol, or The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, or just The Artist (because of a contract dispute with Warner Brothers), and it is said that he has enough unreleased material in his vault that his estate could continue releasing new albums of new material for the next 100 years.

That means there's a lot of material for a Prince tribute act to pick from, and for the 90-minute set at Batavia Downs, LoVeSeXy will concentrate on the hits, but if needed, LoVeSeXy can dig deep into the Prince catalog -- deep enough to cover two 90-minutes sets if needed, Botelho said.

"We've played shows that are, you know, entirely Purple Rain (the album) or 1999, but there's so much more to him in just that era that we feel like people already know what is there, so we like pushing out other stuff to them that maybe they've never heard before," Botelho said. "It's kind of bring the music of Prince for Prince. It's one little thing to kind of keep his memory and music alive."

And the music is the thing to LoVeSeXy, Botelho said. There are a lot of Prince tributes that concentrate on the showmanship and the craft of creating a Prince concert. For LoVeSexy, the goal is to bring the music alive. The entire six-piece band is comprised of top-tier musicians, Botelho said, and they all get their moment in the spotlight.

"It's a team sort of situation," Botelho said. "It's not about just the lead singer and a bunch of players behind. It's like the six of us together, creating and making the sound of the band. We have four lead singers in the band, so the vocals are extremely strong."

It's not that showmanship isn't there -- the primary lead singer does look like Prince, after all -- but Botelho said the band really wants to put on a show that lives up to Prince's musical legacy (if you haven't seen it, check Prince's lead guitar on this performance of While My Guitar Gently Weeps (at about 3:30 into the song.)

"His live shows, I think, was a big part of why a lot of people really feel that he was above the rest as far as a performer," Bothelo said.

The LoVeSeXy lineup is:

  • Giovanni Morant, Lead Vocals, Guitar, Keys & Trumpet
  • Anthony C. Grant, Sax, Keyboards, Flute, Vocals & Percussion
  • Jodee Frawlee,  Lead Guitar & Vocals
  • Brian Eggleston, Keyboards & Vocals
  • Jeffrey Gilman, Bass & Vocals
  • Chris Botelho, Drums & Samples

It's amazing, Botelho said, to see how much love the world had for Prince when he died and how that love and appreciation has just continued to grow.

"It is a testament to how strong it was around the world when he passed," Botelho said. "All the celebrations, the purple lights that were put on all the buildings around the world. It was kind of unbelievable, really, after all these years since 2016 that now the audiences are getting bigger and bigger for all of the Prince tributes."

LoVeSeXy performs at Batavia Downs on March 9. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.  Showtime is 7:30 p.m.  For more information and tickets, click here.

Chamber Awards: Genesee County Chamber honors Offhaus Farms for its commitment to excellence, community ties

By Mike Pettinella
offhaus farms chamber awards
Travis Offhaus and Levi Offhaus.
Photo by Howard Owens.

NOTE: This week, The Batavian is highlighting the annual Chamber of Commerce Award winners with a story each day through Friday. The awards dinner is Saturday evening at Batavia Downs.

Carrying on and expanding the farm operation started by their grandfather a half-century ago, Travis and Levi Offhaus are proud of the team they have put together at Offhaus Farms, Inc., 7892 Oak Orchard Rd., in the Town of Batavia.

“It has been a team effort, not just the owners or managers,” said Levi, during a sit-down interview with The Batavian in light of the 2,000-acre dairy/crop farm being selected as Agricultural Business of the Year by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce. “It’s an honor (to get this award). We all try to do our best day in and day out in every aspect.”

Offhaus Farms will be honored on March 2 at the chamber’s 52nd Annual Awards Ceremony at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road.

Other honorees are Alabama Hotel, LLC, Business of the Year: Volunteers for Animals, Special Anniversary Recognition of the Year; Holland Land Office Museum, Special Recognition of the Year; and Michelle Gillard, Geneseean of the Year.

Brothers Travis and Levi, along with their uncle, Scott, are partners in the business, which currently milks 1,400 cows per day – producing 110,000 pounds of milk each day – and farms 1,200 acres of corn and about 800 acres of hay.

The operation has come a long way since its beginning in the early 1970s by their grandpa, the late Gordon Offhaus, who was respected for his contributions to various causes throughout Genesee County. Gordon passed away in June 2022 at the age of 86.

“My grandpa was my hero from as long as I can remember,” said Travis, 34. “I was always trying to be like him. Later on, I realized the way he treated people. He gave everybody the time of day.”

Graduates of Royalton-Hartland Central School, Travis and Levi joined the family business in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

“Growing up in farming, I always enjoyed the ag business,” said Levi, 30, noting that Offhaus Farms has 25 full-time and five part-time employees in areas such as calf feeding, milking, herdsmen, nighttime managers and field crew.

Office Manager Annie Selapack is in her 20th year with the company.

While maintaining a large farm means “wearing many hats,” Travis primarily is in charge of overseeing the dairy portion, Levi coordinates the crop growing and harvesting and their sister, Liz, manages the calves and the milk culturing lab.

Travis said that the farm is affiliated with the Dairy Farmers of America and ships its milk to HP Hood and to a plant in Pennsylvania.

Nominated by Chamber’s Ag Committee
The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s Agricultural Committee, in nominating Offhaus Farms, recounted the farm’s history and credited its current success to the “dedicated people who come to work every day on the farm.”

“Throughout the years, Offhaus Farms has also developed strong relationships in the community and with area businesses that have been invaluable to the sustainability of the operation.”

It all started back in 1959 when Gordon Offhaus took out a loan for $1,800 and bought 18 cows, and rented a farm on West Blood Road in Erie County. By 1972, he had grown the farm to 45 cows, but he was still in the rented facility.

With a desire for a place of his own, Gordon and his brother, Bruce, started a joint venture and a new location. They found a good farm on Route 98 in Batavia and decided to buy it. Bruce and Gordon entered into a partnership with Ken Hall, whose father was the previous owner of the farm.

Together, Bruce and Gordon milked about 120 cows at the new locations. Things stayed that way until 1980, when Bruce decided to strike out on his own. This opened the door for Gordon’s youngest son, Scott, to join the farm in 1984. Working together, they increased the herd size to 800 cows by 1994.

In 2000, Gordon and Scott bought out Ken Hall’s estate, taking ownership on their own.

As indicated previously, Travis, Levi and Liz joined the operation and continue to chart its course today, along with their uncle, Scott.

Photos by Howard Owens.

offhaus farms chamber awards
offhaus farms chamber awards
offhaus farms chamber awards
offhaus farms chamber awards

Police vs. Fire hockey game raises $2,660 for McCarthy Foundation

By Staff Writer
batavia police vs. fire hockey

In a charity hockey game on Sunday at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, Batavia PD beat the City Fire Department pretty handily, 11-3, but more importantly, 598 people attended, and the event raised $2,660 for the David M. McCarthy Memorial Foundation.

Photos by Philip Casper.

batavia police vs. fire hockey
batavia police vs. fire hockey
batavia police vs. fire hockey
batavia police vs. fire hockey
batavia police vs. fire hockey
batavia police vs. fire hockey
batavia police vs. fire hockey

Dozens of kids participate in Try Hockey for Free on Saturday at The McCarthy

By Press Release
try hockey for free batavia 2024

Press release:

The Genesee Amateur Hockey Association hosted 37 registered youngsters as well as five “walk-ins” at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street on Saturday for a Try Hockey For Free Event as part of “USA Hockey  Week  Across  America,” which was celebrated at 285  ice areas across the entire United States.   

Starting at 10:40 a.m. and going until noon, local youth, ages 4 to 9, were welcomed at the rink to experience getting on the ice, learning how to “skate”, getting up after falling, basic skills with a hockey stick and shooting punks into a hockey net (all by being guided by the head coach and on-ice helpers).  This year, the youngsters had the experience of shooting on actual goalies. 

“We welcomed families to McCarthy Ice Rink from Batavia, Buffalo, Byron, Corfu, LeRoy, Nunda, East Bethany, Alexander, Byron, Brockport, Albion, Wyoming, Rochester, and Elba to try our great sport of ice hockey,” said Sharon Gray, coordinator of the “Try Hockey for Free” event. “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces and for the youngsters the on-ice experience.”

The head coaches for today’s event were Tim Sprague and Dan Calkins – both with more than 30 years plus starting out as GAHA players, high school players and GAHA coaches over the years.  Most of the on-ice helpers were from this year’s Batavia-Notre Dame United high school team along with their coaches – Marc Staley and John Kirkwood.  

The youngsters were excited to be coached, aided and skating with these local athletes. Also on the ice were coaches and players from the GAHA organization.  The beginning of the event featured the playing of the National Anthem, and the little people stood so proudly alongside the BND players!

The event is hosted by Try Hockey for Free Coordinators, Sharon and Bob Gray,  and the GAHA Beginner Player Coordinator,  Marcia Barnes, on behalf of the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, which provided the ice, and the McCarthy rink staff, Katie Murray (general manager), Matt Gray (rink operating manager), and their staff.  

It is the team’s goal to provide the hockey experience to area youngsters free of charge and encourage them in  October to become a player in the GAHA Beginner Program, which starts the first week of October.  The Beginner Program consists of two sessions (October to December and January to March) with a total of 15 on-ice hours per session.

The skates used by the youngsters were provided “free of charge” by the McCarthy Rink  Management Group.

USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge.  Pure Hockey (sponsor of USA Hockey) provided free USA Try Hockey jerseys to each child.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:  THE NEXT THFF EVENT WILL BE THE FIRST SATURDAY OF NOVEMBER 2024!!!

Photos by Howard Owens.

try hockey for free batavia 2024
try hockey for free batavia 2024
try hockey for free batavia 2024
try hockey for free batavia 2024
try hockey for free batavia 2024
try hockey for free batavia 2024
try hockey for free batavia 2024

Casper Stewart becomes Batavia's first state champion in wrestling

By Staff Writer
casper stewart wresting

Casper Stewart did something on Saturday that nobody else in Batavia High School history has ever done before -- win a state championship.

He was crowned the Division II 145-pound champ after beating Kieran Cullen (Greenville, Section II) 4-2 in the finals.

His path to victory included a preliminary win over Turner Sochia (Gouverneur, Section X), a quarterfinals win over Colton Havens (Canisteo-Greenwood, Section V), and a semifinal win over Riley Monica (South Jefferson, Section III).

He finishes the season with a 52-3 record and a career record of 279-20. He was a six-time state qualifier, finishing third in 2020, 4th in 2022, and third in 2023.

His 279 wins is fourth all-time in career wins in New York State, and his 202 career pins rank him first all-time in the state and #4 nationally.

He is committed to wresting at Army West Point, a Division I program.

Submitted photos.

casper stewart wresting
casper stewart wresting
casper stewart wresting
casper stewart wresting

Byron-Bergen gets big quarterfinal win in Class C2

By Howard B. Owens
byron bergen basketball

The Byron-Bergen Bees advanced on Saturday in the Section V Class C2 tournament with a 69-37 quarterfinal win over Eugenio Maria de Houstos.

Braedyn Chambry scored 26 points for the Bees. Brendan Pimm scored 15, and Brody Baubie and Colin Martin scored nine each.

Byron-Bergen is the #1 seed in Class C2 and will face the #4 seed, York, on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Cal-Mum.

Also in Boys Basketball:

  • Also in Class C2, Alexander beat Cuba-Rushford 71-44.  Alexander is the #2 seed, led by first-year coach Jalen Smith. Alexander plays a semifinal game against Bolivar-Richburg at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Letchworth.
  • In Class C1, Pembroke beat Warsaw 69-52. Tyson Totten scored 40 points and had 10 rebounds. Pembroke Plays East Rochester in the semifinal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Pittsford Sutherland.
  • In Class C3, Notre Dame beat C.G. Finney 87-73. Notre Dame's semifinal is against Filmore at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Letchworth.
  • In Class D, Elba beat Jasper-Troupsburg 53-44.  Elba plays Andover-Whitesville on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Wayland-Cohocton.
  • In Class B2, Le Roy beat Attica, 64-49. Merritt Holly, 26 points and 17 rebounds, Matthew Hockey, 18 points, and Jake Higgins, 11 points. Le Roy, at #5, plays #1 seed Avon at 6 p.m. on Monday at Haverling.

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro.

byron bergen basketball
byron bergen basketball
byron bergen basketball
byron bergen basketball

Top Items on Batavia's List

Tourism Marketing Assistant Position The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, serving as the official tourism promotion agency for Genesee County, NY is seeking an experienced marketing professional to assist in the overall Chamber tourism and marketing initiatives for Genesee County. https://visitgeneseeny.com/about/join-our-team
Tags: Jobs offered
Town of Batavia Court Department is seeking a part time as needed Court Officer. Court Officers are responsible for maintaining order in the court room and court facility during proceedings. Please send resume to Town of Batavia, Attention Hiedi Librock, 3833 West Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020. Complete job description is available on the Town web site or at the Town Hall Application deadline is April 15, 2024.
Tags: Jobs offered

Authentically Local