Howard Owens, left, publisher of The Batavian, presents the top prize of the local news company's eagle-drawing contest to Colton Smith on Thursday during The Eaglez concert at the Genesee County Fair in Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck
After five days of entries, narrowing down the pool to staff favorites, and a final random drawing at the Genesee County Fair, The Batavian finally had its winner for the guitar giveaway contest.
And on Thursday, the luck-winning artist, 14-year-old Colton Smith, who has been visiting Genesee County from West Virginia this week, received his prize during The Eaglez concert at the fairgrounds in Batavia. Colton had drawn one of the best eagles for the contest, and he walked away Thursday evening with a white polished Harley Benton Big Tone Trem guitar with gold-colored hardware.
Meant as a source of inspiration for young musicians and as a token of appreciation to the community for all that it has given us in terms of fantastic musical entertainment, the guitar was purchased by The Batavian's publisher, Howard Owens. His hope is that someday we will all be seeing Colton up on stage rocking out or otherwise reaping wild enjoyment out of some musical genre.
Don't forget to stop by The Batavian's booth on Friday to cast your vote for the People's Choice Award: the Top 20 staff favorite eagle drawings. The winning artist will be announced Friday evening and will receive a harmonica.
We will also be announcing the 18 and older prize of a $100 Red Osier Landmark Restaurant gift certificate on Friday, so remember to check back and see who won these great prizes!
The Batavian's publisher Howard Owens, right, joins The Eaglez tribute band on stage for a few moments Thursday to present a guitar prize to a young artist and aspiring musician during the concert at Genesee County Fair. Photo by Joanne Beck
The Eaglez Tribute Band at the Genesee County Fair on Thrusday evening. Photo by Howard Owens.Thursday
Sitting in the entertainment tent at the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Thursday evening, if you closed your eyes, you could be forgiven if you thought you really hearing Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner
The musicianship was that precise, and the harmonies that tight as a group of veteran Buffalo-area musicians, now performing at the Eaglez Tribute Band, ran through 28 hits of the Eagles over three hours of music.
The Eaglez are, in reality:
Randy Barnard, Lead Guitar/Keyboard
Dennis Makowski, Guitar/Vocals
Bob Brummitt, Bass Guitar/Vocals
John White, Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
Mike Nierenberg, Vocals/Percussion
Micky Judware / Rich Keigley, Drums
Paul Vanacore, Sax/Keyboard
Note: Sadly, and unknown at show time, Randy Meisner passed away on Thursday. An original member of the Eagles, he was 77. Glenn Frey, another founding member, passed away in 2016.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
It’s a bit ironic to know the song that saved Jelly Roll’s music career is called “Save Me.” The ballad seeped in despair is getting a second life as a featured track on Jelly Roll’s new album, “Whitsitt Chapel,” as a duet with Lainey Wilson.
“Save Me” first appeared in a stark acoustic guitar-and-vocal version on Jelly Roll’s 2020 independently released album “Self Medicated,” and the success the man born as Jason DeFord is enjoying now can be traced back to that song.
“For lack of a better word, ‘Save Me’ went viral,” Jelly Roll said in a mid-July phone interview. “It was undeniable. I had built a pretty good career. Keep in mind I had a billion views on my YouTube show. But I couldn’t get it, I was missing that one song that made people go ‘Oh, OK, this guy can do it all.’ I think ‘Save Me’ was that.”
Soon Jelly Roll was getting meetings with multiple record labels. He said the labels had plenty of ideas for his music, but it wasn’t until he met with Jon Loba, president of BMG Nashville, that he heard what he wanted to hear from a label.
“The cool thing was from go, Loba and everybody in the office sat me down and said the biggest thing we want from you is to do what you’ve been doing. It was awesome. I had complete creative control,” Jelly Roll said.
“Save Me,” however, wasn’t the song that put Jelly Roll on the radar of country and rock audiences. First came “Dead Man Walking,” a robust rocker from his first album on BMG, 2021’s “Ballads of the Broken,” which topped “Billboard” magazine’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and pointed to Jelly Roll’s potential to cross genres. Then a rootsy acoustic ballad from that album, “Son of a Sinner,” topped the magazine’s Country Airplay chart and spent a record-setting 28 weeks atop the Emerging Artist chart, which tracks the most popular developing artists across all genres.
Now “Whitsitt Chapel” is out, and he is starting a lengthy, highly anticipated tour headlining outdoor amphitheaters. Jelly Roll is doing his best to make sure his show lives up to the expectations.
“Knowing we have a chance to touch so many people, we’ve spared no expense,” he said of the show, which will feature not only new songs but selections dating back as far as to 2013. “I’m bringing tons of lights, video screens. Our goal is to kind of bring a mixture of a hip-hop show, a rock show, a country show and a little bit of a backroad tent revival.”
It’s quite a turn of fortune for someone who grew up on the streets of the working-class Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, did drugs and spent parts of his teens and 20s in jail for offenses ranging from robbery to drug dealing.
It was during one of those stints behind bars, though, that Jelly Roll, 38, was spurred to break his cycle of dead-end behavior. Informed by a guard that he had just become a father to a newborn daughter, he set his sights on making something of himself. Having begun making mix tapes in his teens, he decided that music was his ticket to a better future.
Around 2009, Jelly Roll began releasing a steady stream of indie albums, mixtapes and singles. His early music was predominantly rap and hip-hop, but as time went on, he began to broaden his sound.
“Ballads of the Broken” offered a preview of where Jelly Roll is now taking his music, as it spanned country, rock, pop and hip-hop. “Whitsitt Chapel” offers a similar cross-genre appeal as it touches on country (“Save Me,” “Nail Me,” and “Church”), muscular rock (“Halfway to Hell” and “The Lost”), hip-hop (“Unlive”) and songs that blend those styles (“Need A Favor,” which is currently a top 5 country single) with raw and emotional lyrics that continue to touch on his past struggles, but hint at the redemption he has started to attain.
It took some time and effort for Jelly Roll to find the direction of the album, as he set aside more than 70 songs after he realized only two of those songs – “Church” and “Hungover in a Church Pew” – were calling to him.
“I said, ‘Man, these two songs kept kind of putting their hands up to me, ‘Church’ and ‘Church Pew,’” he said. “Then I started thinking how God had kind of brought me to these two songs out of 70, the two I kept thinking of. And I was like, ‘That’s it. I’m going to write an album called ‘Going To Church.’”
“And my producer, Zach Crowell, sat me down and said, ‘What was the name of that church you went to?’ (I said) ‘Whitsitt Chapel,’” Jelly Roll said. “He was like, ‘You write songs that nobody else in this town could sing because they’re so personal to you.’ He said ‘Anybody in this town could have an album called ‘Going To Church.’ There’s only one person in this town who could have an album called ‘Whitsitt Chapel.’ That was the birth of the ‘Whitsitt Chapel' album. Me and Zach Crowell scratched everything but those two songs and started from there.”
Jelly Roll will be performing at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Thursday.
Two young men and a teenager from Batavia were taken into custody early Thursday morning following a report of shots fired in the area of Washington Avenue and Willow Street in the city, followed by the sound of gunshots on Dellinger Avenue.
The initial call of shots fired was received by emergency dispatchers at 11:22 p.m. on Wednesday.
Police officers responded to Washington Avenue and Willow Street and found evidence at the intersection consistent, according to Batavia PD, with a weapon being discharged.
Bryson R. Gentile
The nature of the evidence was not disclosed.
While officers were canvassing the area, multiple shots were heard coming from the area of Dellinger Avenue, and officers immediately responded.
At that location, officers again discovered evidence, police said, consistent with a weapon being discharged.
As the investigation continued, police reviewed footage from pole cameras, which helped them develop a vehicle description.
Information about the shooting and the suspect vehicle was shared with surrounding law enforcement agencies for their assistance in locating the vehicle and potential suspects.
After the scene had been secured, the City Fire responded to the Willow Street scene to provide ground ladders for officers to assist officers in their search of the scene.
At 1:11 a.m., four males were located walking in the area of Chase Park and North Spruce Streets.
The males were transported to a business parking lot on East Main Street, where a vehicle apparently matching the vehicle viewed on the surveillance video was located.
Officers at that scene located evidence consistent with a weapon or weapons being discharged, and all four males were taken into custody at that time.
After interviews, one male was released, and the other three were arrested.
Tmario H. Ayala, 20, Bryson R. Gentile, 18, and a 17-year-old male, all of Batavia, were taken into custody and charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a Class C felony, and reckless endangerment in the first degree, a Class D felony.
Police did not say whether a weapon was recovered, nor did they reveal who or what may have been targeted, or if there was a target, by the alleged shooter or shooters.
They did not say which individual, or if it's multiple individuals, may have discharged a weapon.
The investigation did conclude, police said, that a residence had been struck by gunfire on Dellinger Avenue.
No injuries were reported.
Ayala and Gentile were arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $100,000 cash bail, $200,000 bond, or $300,000 partially secured bond.
The 17-year-old male was arraigned in Youth Part Court and was held on $25,000 cash bail, $50,000 bond, or a $100,000 partially secured bond.
Batavia PD was assisted by City Fire, the Sheriff's Office, and Emergency Dispatch. Citizens also assisted by providing information that aided the investigation.
The investigation is ongoing, and Batavia PD asks that any members of the public with information that may be relevant to the incident to contact the detective bureau at 585-345-6444.
41 Kingsbury Ave., Batavia- Super solid and lovingly maintained 4 bedroom 1 1/2 bath home on one of Batavia's great neighborhood Streets! This homeowner did all the right things with maintenance such as updated roof, electrical furnace and central air and windows throughout the years- now all the next person has to do is come in and update their decor to their taste! The woodwork is all beautifully untouched, lending to a charm that you don't always get without paying a lot of money! The layout and room sizes are all very spacious and there is tons of great storage from top to bottom-not to mention a garage with side office or more storage space! So much for the asking price-come see for yourself! Delayed negotiations until Wednesday Aug 2 at 10:00 a.m.
22 Bennett Ave, Oakfield - Solid 3 bedroom 2and 1/2 bath home located on prime Village St. This yard is the fun yard! Fully enclosed and private backyard with large sunny open deck, awesome xlarge playset and plenty more yard space for entertaining and games!! Stepping inside you will be greeted by large and bright kitchen with so much space and cupboards plus an oversized pantry closet for all the supplies! There is also conveniently a large 1/2 bath and laundry room for your guests and you right as you walk in to catch all the mess! There is a great spacious layout between the formal dining room and oversized living room and front foyer and all three rooms boast hardwood floors and beautiful unpainted woodwork and even a set of beautiful wooden and glass pocket doors! Upstairs there are 3 large bedrooms -the master is roomy and bright with a sunny connected bath that everyone will want to use! There is also a large attic for all your storage needs and a full basement that once upon a time was partially finished off and could be again! There's a lot here for the next owner to enjoy so make it yours today! Delayed negotiations until Monday July 31 at 5:00.
A group of friends perform during Karaoke contest warmups on Wednesday night at the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens.
The Karaoke Contest, Genesee County Fair's version of American Idol or The Voice, held its finals of a two-night competition on Wednesday evening.
Here are the winners for 17 and under:
1st: Carly
2nd: Hannah
3rd: Jesse
And, 18 and over:
1st: Melissa
2nd: Laura
3rd: Jim
Photos by Howard Owens.
The winners. Photo by Jessica Caplick
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
The best part of teaching golf to a bunch of kids is seeing how much fun they had, said local Pro Tom Tucker.
About a dozen years ago, Tucker founded the Batavia Country Club Junior Golf Camp.
"I like seeing the kids have fun, and every once in a while, we have somebody who really has some golf DNA in them, and it's fun watching them progress as golfers," Tucker said. "And I like being with the kids. It helps keep me young."
Tucker has been a United States Golf Teachers Federation certified instructor since 2005. He's been listed as a Top 100 teaching pro by the World Golf Teaching Federation since 2010.
The annual summer camp is broken into two groups. This week the camp is filled to capacity -- 25 students -- with 7 to 10-year-olds. Next week, the 12 to 15-year-old group arrives at Batavia Country Club.
Each group gets a week of instruction, practice and competition, with a tournament on Friday.
For the younger students, the focus is more on ensuring the kids learn to enjoy the game of golf while older students are given a bit more instruction. Both groups compete in chipping, pitching, lag putting, accuracy putting, and drives. The winners of each competition receive a medal.
"We've produced a lot of good golfers," Tucker said. Some students have gone on to play for their high school teams, Tucker said.
Tucker, this year is assisted by Roxanne Noth and Dominic NiCastro.
At the conclusion of this morning’s Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board meeting that featured glowing reports – financial and otherwise -- from management, Director Vincent Horrigan of Chautauqua County commended the staff for a job well done during a tough stretch.
“With all the turbulence in Albany, the results speak for themselves,” said Horrigan, a “holdover” from the previous board that was terminated in early May through legislation approved by Gov. Kathy Hochul and leaders in the state Assembly and Senate. “I wish to congratulate the incredible team, from the lowest worker to Henry and the rest of the management team.”
Horrigan is one of 11 directors who were reappointed by their governing bodies to four-year terms as stipulated by the new guidelines.
New members of the board, all of whom were in attendance today, are Charles Zambito (Genesee County), Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney (City of Buffalo), Terrance Baxter (Cayuga County), James A. Wilmot (Monroe County) and Jennifer Hibit (Erie County).
Wilmot, the newest director, is in charge of casino development for the Wilmorite Management Group in Rochester.
Schuyler County officials have yet to announce their representative to the 17-member board.
While each municipality that benefits from WROTB proceeds (operational earnings and surcharge) has one director, the May legislation instituted a weighted voting system, eliminating the one-director, one-vote format that had been in force.
As a result, the majority of the voting power rests with Democratic Party-led counties of Erie and Monroe and the cities of Buffalo and Rochester. The remainder of the municipalities are Republican-leaning, and some of those are joining together in litigation challenging the recent changes, citing Home Rule entitlement.
Today’s meeting was the second straight conference that was informational only since four of the new directors have yet to be licensed by the New York Gaming Commission. WROTB President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek said he expects that to happen soon, likely in time for committee meetings and the full board meeting on Aug. 23-24.
Chief Financial Officer Jacquelyne Leach had the floor for most of the 90-minute session, providing monetary figures that shine a favorable light on the Batavia Downs Gaming operation.
Calling it “a very strong month,” Leach said the “net win” for June of $7.06 million is the highest ever for June – beating the corporation’s projected amount by 8 percent. Net win is what is left in the Video Lottery Terminal machines after paying out the customers.
She reported that credits played in June were $97 million – up $9.3 million from June 2022 – and attendance for the month hit the 80,000 mark – up 12,000 from June 2022.
Year-to-date earnings are at $4.6 million, she said, which represents a $1.5 million increase from the same period last year.
Earnings and surcharge (5 percent) go back to the member municipalities. Genesee County has received $106,544 in earnings and surcharge thus far in 2023, including $4,484 in the month of June.
Leach attributed food and beverage sales, special events, the Batavia Downs Concert Series and the success of the Hotel at Batavia Downs as contributing factors to the uptick in activity. She said the hotel has generated $262,000 in profit so far in 2023.
“The hotel (which was purchased by WROTB in April 2021) has proven to be such a great addition to the corporation – a tremendous benefit,” she said.
Looking ahead, Leach said that July “is shaping up to be another record month for the Batavia Downs Gaming side of the business.”
In other developments:
-- Wojtaszek said management’s plan is to reduce the number of Off-Track Betting branches from the current eight to five by 2025. He said more emphasis is being placed on EZ Bet, which are self-betting terminals in existing bars and restaurants. WROTB has 27 EZ Bet locations across Western New York.
-- Director of Live Racing Don Hoover reported that Wednesday’s opening night of harness racing generated a handle of $242,306, which puts it in the top 10 of all handles since WROTB purchased the track 20 years ago. The 53-date season concludes on Dec. 9 but Hoover is in discussions with the Western New York Harness Horsemen’s Association to schedule racing dates next January and February.
-- VP/Administration William White advised that Batavia Downs Gaming’s pay scale for security guards is lagging behind the area’s average and is looking at forging an agreement with the employee union to increase the pay as soon as possible. White said that the company is having trouble recruiting and retaining security personnel.
William Muoio, from Graham Corp., supervises Justin Deleo, a Byron-Bergen student, during the FFA/4-H welding competition at the Genesee County Fair on Wednesday.
Graham Manufacturing is currently looking for welders, and Justin Deleo might be a good candidate for one of those openings if he was just a little bit older.
The Byron-Bergen sophomore won a welding competition at the Genesee County Fair under the supervision of William Muoio from Graham.
Justin loves welding, but perhaps, unfortunately for Graham, he also loves farming.
He's thought about welding as a career, "but I really would just like to learn how to weld and then use that in running my own farm," Justin said.
He got his start welding by helping out his grandfather on his farm, Forest Lawn, at the bottom of the hill by Genesee Community College.
"I like building things," Justin said. "I have worked on my grandpa's farm, and I helped him weld hay wagons, and ever since then, I've been interested in welding."
For first prize, Justin had his choice between a set of torches and a mask or an auto shade helmet, and he picked the helmet, said Todd Hofheins, Future Farmers of America advisor.
Hofheins said the welding competition and a tractor skills competition are organized by FFA and 4-H and supported by sponsors who provided more than $3,000 in prize money and prizes.
In welding, second place went to Michael Jewart, a student at Pioneer, and third place went to Cooper Harkins, from Pavilion.
In the tractor competition for junior category:
Cooper Harkins
Evan Winspear
Justin Deleo
In the senior competition:
Carson Warner
Ian Keberle
Michael Jewart
Colton Yasses
Photos by Howard Owens
Tyler Brian backs a tractor with a wagon during the FFA/4-H tractor skills competition at the Genesee County Fair on Wednesday. Tyler said he wanted to take part in the competition because he thinks driving a tractor is fun. Photo by Howard Owens.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
There was a lot of fun and excitement on Wednesday in the Exhibit Hall at the Genesee County Fair with the annual Small Fry Tractor Pull.
Photos by Howard Owens.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law on July 26, 1990, is the single most comprehensive and far-reaching piece of legislation protecting the rights of people with disabilities from discrimination ever enacted, eclipsing the handful of laws that had existed.
Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) will be celebrating the ADA at its Annual Picnic. It will place from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26, at Kiwanis Park at 3808 West Main Street Road in Batavia. There will be free food and games including a Scavenger Hunt.
When the ADA was signed 33 years ago people envisioned curb cuts and accessible building entrances. Today, the ADA is helping people live independently, get an education, find housing, and build a career.
If you need additional information please call Catherine DeMare at 585-815-8501, extension 400, or email her at cdemare@wnyil.org.
Did you know that radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that is released in rock, soil, and water? Radon has no smell, taste, or color and kills more than 21,000 people each year. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Radon can build up to dangerous levels in your home, which can occur in new homes or older homes. “Radon can enter your home through cracks in the foundation, cracks in basement walls, holes, joints, dirt floors, sump pump holes, suspended floors, and in the well-water supply,” stated Darren Brodie, Environmental Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Any house that has contact with the ground has the potential for radon to enter the home.”
Both the EPA and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) have identified Genesee County as having a high average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter). “Testing your home for radon is the only way to know if high levels are present and corrective action is needed,” stated Brodie. When radon tests are completed, they should be performed in the lowest primary living area of the home.
GO Health encourages residents to test for radon when buying a home, doing a major renovation, every 2 years if there is a mitigation system installed or every 5 years otherwise. You can purchase a short-term radon test kit from your local hardware store or through a radon-testing laboratory.
A limited supply of Radon Test Kits are also available for Genesee County Residents at the Genesee County Fair this week from 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday. Stop by the health department booth and ask for a free kit. For more information on radon or other GO Health programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org
There are some new faces in the halls at Byron-Bergen Elementary School this summer. 20 graduate students from SUNY Geneseo are participating in the Summer Reading Clinic, part of SUNY Geneseo’s Reading and Literacy Graduate Program. The clinic pairs a graduate student, many of whom are working teachers, with a school-aged student. Together, they set literacy goals and develop strategies to achieve them.
Alexis Hamlin is a graduate student participant. She teaches 7th and 8th grade where she encounters many students who struggle with foundational literacy skills. “By the time they get to 7th and 8th grade, we don’t have time to work on basic skills,” said Hamlin “I’m in the literacy program specifically to get a better idea of how my students struggle and the basics of their skills. I want to incorporate other instruction that will target those skills and close that gap between their reading level and their grade level.”
Participant Stephanie Wall believes in the value of one-on-one literacy work to give students the tools they will need for their next grade level. She started the clinic by doing assessments, looking at students’ past work, and talking with the student. She uses those components to set goals. “I think this program is helping kids,” said Wall. “It’s one on one, me and them for an hour and a half. There are no other distractions, so I think it has been very helpful for some of the students.”
Isabelle Selvek was eager to participate in the clinic because summer is the only time she has for fieldwork. She is a full-time second-grade teacher, but her future career aspirations rely on completing her master’s degree. The clinic is one of the last requirements she must complete for her degree. “My hope is to move into a literacy teacher role in the future, but this program also allows me to move into a high school setting.”
“It really is a win/win,” said Byron-Bergen Director of Instructional Services Betsy Brown. “The clinic allows educators to complete the hours needed for their degree programs and our students have access to high- quality one-on-one literacy instruction which not only helps prevent loss of skills due to summer slip, but also gives them the tools they will need to excel in the fall.”
The Byron-Bergen students are not the only ones benefiting from the Summer Literacy Clinic, though. These teachers will take the skills developed at Byron-Bergen back to their home districts and classrooms.
“This program gives us time and opportunities to do fieldwork,” said Hamlin. “This real-world experience makes it more meaningful when we apply the skills we are learning in our own classrooms.”
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) bashed Gov. Hochul’s recent plan to provide tax-payer funded health care to sex workers across the state. This new initiative, known as the “Sex Worker Health Pilot Program,” will allow the state Department of Health to set aside approximately $1 million in public funds toward primary, behavioral, and gynecological care, as well as dental care for prostitutes. In a heavy-handed move, the governor’s office authorized this program without the approval of the Legislature. Hawley is frustrated that this administration is encouraging and promoting an industry that has done so much harm to the State of New York.
“The majority in Albany is once again pushing the boundaries of what should be normal and acceptable in our society,” said Hawley. “Prostitution in our state has increased crime and violence in our communities and decreased the quality of life for residents across Western New York. The way in which this program is being forced onto New Yorkers is nothing short of undemocratic. This new initiative by the governor is wildly irresponsible and will only encourage more prostitution within our state.”
Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that one of the famous and iconic Budweiser Clydesdales will be making an appearance at Batavia Downs on Saturday, Aug. 26 from 2 to 4 p.m.
A night of live harness racing, including the Kane Memorial will begin at 6 p.m.
Admission and Parking are free for anyone who would like to come see one of these majestic horses as it is braided, brushed, and paraded right on the track.
A queue line will be available for those wishing to get a free picture with the Clydesdale. Anyone wishing to “skip” the line may purchase a fast pass ticket for $25 which will be donated to Folds of Honor, an organization dedicated to providing life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military. Additional donations to Folds of Honor by any attendees are appreciated.
Tickets to skip the line will be available on Saturday, August 26 at the Lucky Treasures gift shop. Up to 10 people can get a picture with the Clydesdale at a time. The purchase of a skip-the-line pass will allow the purchaser to receive one $25 free play at the Player’s Club booth.
Beginning at 6 p.m., a night of New York Sire Stakes races will begin including the Kane Memorial Race, with a purse of $75,000. Free T-shirts will be given out that night. Details will be posted on Batavia Downs’ website and Facebook as the event draws closer.
“We are honored to have one of the Clydesdales on site,” said Henry Wojtaszek, President and CEO for Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel. “These horses are a sight to behold and we encourage everyone to come down to see them. We look forward to help raise money for Folds of Honor during this great event. We hope everyone stays for the Sire Stakes and Kane Memorial Races to help support live racing in the Western New York Community as well.”
A select group of six 2-year-old New York Sire Stake colts and gelding trotters were on hand at Batavia Downs on opening day Monday (July 26) in a single division vying for a $106,300 purse, and when the dust had settled, Bargain (Chapter Seven-Batoutahill) came away with the biggest check.
Titan Your Chip (Mark Macdonald) got the jump off the gate to grab the early lead. However, Bargain (James McDonald) also left and was motoring up the rim to the quarter and overtook the front just past that station. With horses in single file, Bargain trotted to the half in 1:00 when Chaplind (Trond Smedshammer) made a first-over move from third and was on the attack.
Chaplind drew close to Bargain at three-quarters and was almost even at the top of the stretch, and that’s where his bid failed. But the passing lane opened for the pocket-sitting Titan Your Chip, and he came barreling down the lane towards the leader. Titan Your Chip was gaining ground all the way to the line, but Bargain stayed in control under minimal urging and trotted to victory in 1:59.3.
It was the third win in four lifetime starts for Bargain ($2.80), owned by Christinatakter&Anderberg, Nancy Takter and Jaf Racing, Joe Sbrocco and R A W Equine. Nancy Takter trains the winner, who was bred by Steve Stewart and Michael Andrew.
There were also three $20,000 Excelsior series races on the card, and all three were won in gate-to-wire fashion.
Woweress (Crazy Wow-Chaperess) scored a 7-¾ length victory in 1:58.2 to claim his first-lifetime win for driver Frank Affrunti. Woweress ($7.20) is trained by Geroge Ducharme for owner/breeder Purple Haze Stable.
Then Tobern (Crazy Wow-Bertaux) simply jogged by an 18-length margin to match his lifetime mark in his fourth win of the year for driver/trainer/owner John Stark Jr. Tobern ($2.40), who remains unbeaten lifetime, was bred by Bernard White and Kristie Leigh Farm.
Finally, Voss Blue Chip (E L Titan-Angelita Hanover) led every step of the way en route to a three-quarter length win in 2:02, which was his initial career victory. Jim Morrill Jr. drove Voss Blue Chip ($4.60) for trainer Jared Bako, who co-owns the gelding with Lady I Racing and Blue Chip Bloodstock, who also bred the winner.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (July 29) at 6 p.m.
Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia can always be downloaded at the Downs’ website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab, and all the racing action can be viewed as it happens for free at the Batavia Downs Live Facebook page.
A rain-shorted game the Batavia Muckdogs thought they still had a chance to win cost the team possession of first place in the Western Division of the PGCBL.
The Muckdogs, at 25-25, trail the Elmira Pioneers, 26-15, by mere percentage points with three games left in the season.
Wednesday's game against Niagara Power ended in the fifth inning, with both teams expecting the game to continue at a later time but league officials ruled the game over, giving Power (21-17) a 3-2 win.
Michael Pedraza, who pitched all 4 1/3 innings of the game and gave up three runs and eight hits while striking out seven, took the loss.
Offensively for the Muckdogs:
Chad Falcon went 1-2
Levis Aguila Jr. went 1-2
Matt DeStefano went 1-2
Caleb Rodriguez went 1-2 with 1 Run
The Muckdogs, who have clinched a playoff spot, have three games left in the regular season.
All three games are against the Newark Pilots, who are 12 games out of first and 12-26 on the season. All three games will be played at Dwyer Stadium, with two today (Thursday) and one on Saturday. The first game tonight is at 5 p.m. and the second is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Batavia Housing Authority is seeking a positive, hardworking teammate to perform a variety of outdoor landscaping tasks, primarily mowing, with some trimming and cleanup work. The Groundskeeper is independently responsible for outdoor landscaping tasks on a weekly basis with some flexibility. This job may require some weekend hours when necessary. Part-time position Pay Range: $19.00/hr - $22.00/hr Anticipated start date: May 2024 Application deadline: April 29, 2024 See full job description at: https://www.co.genesee.ny.us/Groundskeeper.pdf Complete Civil Service Application at: https://cms1files.revize.com/geneseecountynew/CivilServiceApplication2022Revision-09.22.22.pdf Contact Information Nathan Varland Executive Director Batavia Housing Authority 400 East Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020 (585) 344-1888 nvarland@bataviahousing.org Location: Batavia
