Since 2018 I have been writing nostalgic stories for The Batavian about growing up in Batavia, New York, in the 1950s and 1960s. In some of those stories, I made mention of some of the businesses that were located in what we always called “Downtown.” 

Due to “urban renewal” in the 1970s, most of these establishments and their buildings no longer exist. 

Recently a reprint in The Batavian of the last chapter of Anne Marie Starowitz's book “Back In the Day” made mention of a lot of these places, and it got me thinking about my experiences in some of them. As a young boy and a teen, I had no reason to go into a hat shop, a paint store or a furrier. But I certainly patronized the two movie theaters that we had. As a teenager, I did a lot of hanging out at Kustas Kandies and, to a lesser extent, Critic's Restaurant, and I got a lot of my clothes at McAlpine-Barton Clothiers (the owners were next-door neighbors of my grandparents on North Lyon Street).

Time-Honored Theaters
Our two movie theaters were The Dipson Batavia on the northwest side of Main Street between the Post Office and State Street and The Mancuso Theater on the southeast side of Main between Center and Liberty Streets. I would say that despite the two theaters being in competition, both were well attended, depending on what movies were being shown. Prices were certainly reasonable with a lot of movies (we called it “going to the show”) being $1 and even less for kids.

It's odd how memory works, but I really can't recall exact details about either theater. Mancuso's seemed to be a little fancier and, later on in the 70s split into twin theaters so they could show two movies instead of one. 

My younger brother (by 11 years) Jim's first job was as an usher at Mancuso's and he certainly has some stories to tell. I do remember a young usher at Dipson's named Lester who took his job very seriously. Unfortunately, we kids weren't very nice to him and often gave him a hard time.

I know that I must have seen the big blockbusters of that time like “Ben Hur” and “The Longest Day,” but I cannot remember specifics (of course, I have watched them on TV since), like who I was with or what theater I saw them at. I do recall that most movies, especially the kid ones were preceded by cartoons. I assume we got popcorn, but I think oftentimes we brought our own candy in our pockets. We'd stop at Corrigan's or some other mom-and-pop grocery first and stock up. 

I don't remember if we bought drinks, but I'm sure they didn't cost $5 or $6 like they do now. 

My brother still works in the theater business and he will certify that way more money is made on concessions than tickets. I don't know if that was the case 50 or 60 years ago, but we didn't contribute much to the concession intake at all.

I'm pretty sure that it was not the norm for 10-year-olds to go to the movies alone, but I distinctly recall being dropped off at Mancuso's in 1957 for a movie called “Heaven Knows Mr. Allison.” War movies were my favorites then (I never did serve in the military, though) and that's probably what attracted me to it. It starred Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr as a “salty” Marine and a nun who were randomly stranded on a Pacific island during World War II. When the Japanese came and set up an outpost, the two of them had to hide out in a cave. Mr. Allison, as the Sister called him, fell in love with the nun, but of course, she told him that her life was committed to God and a relationship with the Marine could never be. Corporal Allison eventually disabled some Japanese artillery to enable an American landing on the island, and the two were rescued and went their separate ways. Deborah Kerr was nominated for an Oscar for her performance. 

Why do I so vividly recall going to this movie and not other bigger, splashier ones? That's the conundrum of memory, I guess.

One thing for sure about going to the movies back then was that if you really wanted to watch the movie, you should not sit toward the rear, Those rows were populated by teenagers who were there only to take advantage of the warm, dry theater to “make out” or “neck” (those are some funny descriptive terms aren't they? ). I was certainly no ladies' man, but I can remember coming out of some movies and having no idea what film I had even attended. I specifically recall one time when I told my parents I was at a friend's house when I was at Mancuso's with a girl instead. When I didn't come home on time, my mom called the friend's mom, and of course, I was in trouble for lying. It was surely embarrassing (and still is if I think about it) to try to explain to my mom why my lips were swollen. 

Teenagers.

Both theaters were occasionally used for music, but Batavia was certainly no usual stop on entertainers' tour agendas. Much to my delight, though, in June 1964 just before I graduated from Notre Dame, Mancuso's hosted a pretty big-time show -- my first rock and roll concert. 

Like most teens at that time, I was all in on the “British Invasion.” The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five, Gerry and The Pacemakers (did Gerry have a heart condition? ) and more were all over Top 40 radio. WKBW from Buffalo was the local station of choice with DJs Joey Reynolds, Tommy Shannon, and Danny Neaverth. So when I heard that The Searchers, with their big hits “Needles and Pins and “Love Potion Number #9,” were going to headline a show in our little town, I was ecstatic.

It was almost 60 years ago, so I don't remember too many details of the show. Danny Nevearth was the emcee. There were five bands on the bill and two shows at 6:30 and 9:15 ( I don't recall which one I went to) so the opening acts must have only been able to play a few songs. I can't recall anything about the first two acts: Ronnie Cochran and Ronnie Dio and the Prophets. Ronnie Dio was 21 at the time of the Mancuso show and grew up in Cortland. He later went on to be the lead singer of Black Sabbath, taking Ozzie Osborn's place. Many consider him to be the best “Heavy Metal” singer of all time.

The third band was The Dovells, a dance band from Philadelphia. Their lead singer was Len Barry who went on to later have a big hit with”1-2-3”. They performed their choreographed song “Bristol Stomp,” and another dance tune called “Do The Continental,” which many years later showed up in the John Waters movie “Hairspray." They were followed by Dick and Dee Dee, whose popular hit was “Mountain High”. The only thing I recall about them was that I was shocked to find out that Dick was the one with the high falsetto voice and Dee Dee sang the lower range.

The Searchers did not disappoint, playing their two hits I mentioned earlier along with a set of other tunes that were hard to hear over the screaming teenage Batavia girls. My first big rock and roll show started me on the road to many, many more as I went on to college and through life. Going to see live music is still my favorite thing to do. 

Thanks Mancuso's.

Teen Hangouts
A big venue in the lives of most teens in the '50s and '60s was the local “soda shoppe.” For my friends and me (and many others of our age) it was Kustas Kandies on the north side of Main Street. Mrs. Kustas, who held down the counter and table area, was well-liked by all the kids and hired a number of them to work there, too, including a couple of my classmates, Mike Palloni and Madonna Mooney. She was pretty tolerant of teens hanging out there as long as you bought something and didn't get too rowdy. Most of my meager funds were spent on Cherry Cokes and French Fries, but if I happened to have a little extra cash, Kustas had delicious cheeseburgers in the style of McDonald's Big Mac or Carroll's Club burger. Like many restaurants of the time, there was a jukebox at every table, and we fed them coins to play all our favorite tunes. I'd bet The Rolling Stones' “Satisfaction” was #1 in the rotation. Hey, hey, hey, that's what I say.

Across Main Street and slightly to the west was Critics, formerly The Sugar Bowl. Critics was more of a pre- or post-date restaurant, though. Mr. Critic (real name Ernest Criticos who, after urban renewal, relocated his restaurant to Greece Town Mall outside Rochester) did not brook any nonsense from teens. He wanted to appeal to a more adult crowd, and if teens hung around longer than 30 or 40 minutes, especially without buying a meal, out you went. It was just a little fancier than Kustas, though, so if you wanted to impress a girl before or after a date ( a movie, let's say), you would take her there. It wasn't a soda shop, but into the 60s, another date spot was Your Host Restaurant in the East End Plaza, but not downtown. You probably needed a car to get your girl to Your Host.

Classy Clothiers
It's hard to believe, but in a small city of about 18,000 people, there were three men's clothing stores (not counting JCPenney) in downtown Batavia. There was Beardsley's, Charles Men's Shop, and McAlpine Barton's. 

I really don't recall ever buying anything at Beardsley's, and I have no idea why not. I'm pretty sure that when I was a student at St. Mary's Elementary School from first to eighth grade, we bought our school uniforms from Charles Men's Shop. For the boys, they consisted of light blue shirts, dark blue pants, and a dark blue clip-on bow tie. Probably Charles had a deal with the school. 

My mom would buy two pairs of pants for the year, and they would take a beating, so multiple sewing repairs were required. I wouldn't even want to guess how many bow ties I probably lost in 8 years. At Notre Dame High, those of us who earned them got our letter sweaters at Charles, too, again probably a deal between the school and the store. Other than those things, I don't recall frequenting that haberdashery very often.

When my grandparents, Anna and Henry (Henrik) Newhouse, moved to Batavia from Brooklyn (after emigrating from Denmark) in the 1920s, they bought a house at 25 North Lyon Street. There they raised my mother and three other children. Grampa was a tool and die maker at Doehler-Jarvis, which is why they moved here. My two uncles, Walter and Robert (who is the last family member of his generation at age 93) followed their dad's career path and became tool and die makers also. Their neighbors at 23 North Lyon were the Bartons of McAlpine – Barton Clothing store. It was originally McAlpine-Brumsted, but the Bartons bought out Brumsted and the business carried on. So, the reason why we patronized that store is because the Bartons were neighbors and friends of my mother's family.

The store was located on the south side of Main Street on the corner of Center Street (ironically, Charles Men's Shop, McAlpine's competitor for many years, is still in business and now occupies that building). LaRay Barton and his son Charlie ran the business, and LaRay's wife Eva took care of the office. My mom, Anna Newhouse Reilly, worked in the office for a number of years, too before going on to become the office manager for William Dipson of the aforementioned Dipson Theaters. Another long-time salesperson that I recall was Fred Darch.

McAlpine-Barton's had two floors for clothes shopping, the main floor and the basement. The offices were on the second floor. The main floor had two parts: the main room, which was for suits, sport coats, and slacks, as they referred to dress pants. Then there was a side room for what they called “leisure wear”. This would be sweaters, dressier polo shirts, and so on. The basement, where I got most of my clothes, was more for teenage or younger people's clothes like t-shirts and jeans, which they called “dungarees”. It wasn't like most of the places you go to get clothes now, though, where you pretty much wait on yourself unless you ask for help. There was always a salesman with you and assisting you.

I do have fond memories of McAlpine–Barton's, mostly because all the salesmen were friendly and willing to help you find what you were looking for and ensure a good fit. (note: I honestly do not recall any female salespeople at Barton's. It was probably a combination of it being a men's store and the chauvinism of that era. Also, later on, the family opened The Pendleton Store for women's clothes, managed by Charlie, and they had all female salespeople). Of course, my brothers and I got extra good treatment at McAlpine-Barton since LaRay and Charlie knew our family.

I moved to the Rochester area after graduating from St. John Fisher College there in 1969, so I wasn't living in Batavia for the Urban Renewal, which took place in the 1970s resulting in the demolishing of most of the downtown buildings. Dipson Theater, Kustas Kandies and Critics are long gone. Mancuso Theater still stands but is now a church. Finally, as I mentioned previously, the building that housed McAlpine-Barton is now home to the still-in-business Charles Men's Shop.

From following a couple of Facebook pages devoted to remembering the Batavia of old I realize that there are a substantial number of people who lived through the tearing down of a majority of downtown buildings who are still grieving and angry about it. Their feelings are that Batavia as they knew it was ruined forever. Nonetheless, even though the population of the seat of Genesee County has declined by about 5,000 since the '50s and '60s, it is still a city, and a number of its citizens are still trying to make it a viable and valued place to live.

For those of us who grew up in Batavia, New York, back then and are still living, we have our photographs, paintings and especially our memories that can remind us of the way things used to be.

Dipson Theater Painting by Pat Burr.
All other images courtesy of Genesee County History Department.

State Sen. George Borrello and Assemblyman Steve Hawley, both small business owners themselves, demonstrated their support for locally-owned businesses in Batavia on Saturday -- part of the national campaign, Shop Small Saturday -- by stopping at a half-dozen local businesses.

“Independently owned businesses make our downtowns more vibrant, spur additional growth, employ our neighbors and contribute to our tax base,” Borrello said to The Batavian. “In addition, every dollar spent at a small business has a greater multiplier effect. Many local shops rely on local suppliers and services and also contribute to local charities and community organizations."

Their stops included Oliver's Candies, YNGodess Shop, Charles Men's Shop, Batavia Bootery, Valle Jewelers, and Adam Miller Toys and Bicycles.

Borrello's wife, Kelly, accompanied the two legislative representatives on their rounds.

Previously: After the feast, get ready to 'shop small' and support Small Business Saturday

Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Spiderman stopped in at Foxprowl Collectables on Ellicott Street in Batavia as part of "Shop Small Saturday," a day to support locally-owned businesses.

Submitted photos.

In the eight-man state football championship on Saturday, the Pembroke Dragons jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead and didn't look back on its way to its 13th win of the season by a score of 36-0 to capture the title.

It's the second consecutive state title for Pembroke in eight-man football.  It's the first time a Pembroke football team finished the season with a perfect 13-0 record.

The Dragons once again topped the half-century mark in total yardage with Tyson Totton gaining 401 himself on the ground and scoring five touchdowns. He finishes the year with more than 4,000 yards and 70 TDs.

Fullback Caleb Felski had 102 yards rushing as well as converting on three two-point conversions. 

Defensively the Dragons were led by Felski with 16 tackles and an interception, while Totten, Sean Pustulka, Jayden Mast, Jayden Bridge, Octavius Martin, Hayden Williams, and Vijay Dhanda all had five or more tackles.  Jayden Bridge also added a sack and a blocked punt.

Submitted info and photos.

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If the raucous audience reaction at Labor Daze at the end of this summer is any indication, the kids, the parents, and even the grandparents are going to go wild for Nerds Gone Wild on Saturday at Batavia Downs.

The Nerds struck cover-band-formula gold a decade ago with a theme that falls somewhere in between the traditional bar band and the now trendy tribute band.  Call it a "concept band," though Nerds Gone Wild founder and CEO Eddy Tabone still likes "tribute band."

"I don't disagree with that (the term concept band)," Tabone said. "You're right. The reason we're an 80s tribute band is that right now tributes are so hot. I want to make sure that we don't get lost when people are searching for us, I don't want them looking for, they may be looking for an 80s tribute, so I want to make sure that word is included, so when they Google it, we show up."

Nerds Gone Wild's concept is to make the 1980s fun again -- with over-the-top-colorful costumes that play off the cartoon stereotype of nerds (think Steve Urkel, Sheldon Cooper, or to go right to a rock-and-roll source from the 1980s, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick) and the high-energy and stagecraft of the post-New Wave era.

"Basically, it is just like a buffet, a buffet of all the 80s stuff,” said Tabone. "We have a little bit of New Wave. Top 40. We do a hair band set. We do a ladies of the 80s block. We do a dance medley."

Audience participation is a big part of the concept.  At some point in the show, kids are invited onto the stage to dance with the band.  When the Nerds play the Rick Springfield hit, "Jesse's Girl," there is usually a young woman from the audience on stage, and the lyrics of the chorus are changed to that lady's name.

Band members never stay stationary for very long -- dancing, jumping, skipping across the stage, and interacting with audience members. 

"We just try to capture, you know, like superheroes, the superhero look with a professionally done gimmick, and then, contagious fun," Tabone said. "We're playing the music to create that vibe that was in the 80s."

The concept of Nerds Gone Wild started floating around the brain of Tabone years ago, at least the idea of doing a 1980s tribute band.

"I've always been a 1980s guy," said Tabone.

For 35 years, he's led a cover band called Route 66 (that band still gigs), and then about a decade ago, a WNY band that played mostly 1980s hits called it quits.

"I heard they were breaking up, and I said to my wife. 'What a shame," said Tabone, who is retired from the beer industry and has started his own talent agency (he's looking to connect with musicians in Genesee County). "I said, 'I gotta put this 80s project together.'"

Then he took a trip to California.

"My sister-in-law turned me onto a band in Southern California, and they dress like nerds, and I said, There it is," Tabone said. "I came back to Buffalo and started asking people, and they go, 'You're crazy.' 'It's never gonna work.' It all came together, and we debuted with a lineup and had our first show in August of 2013."

Yes, the Nerds did celebrate its 10th anniversary this year, and it's progressed from a band "that's never going to work," that intended to only play a show or so a month, to a band that plays up to 95 shows a year and has been selected three times by readers of the Buffalo News as "The Best Live Band in Western New York."

With that kind of success, a band can host its own Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Norweigan line, as they will do for the fifth time this March.

After a break for the pandemic, Tabone said, "We're back on the seas again where we do this Cruise with Nerds Gone Wild, where people from Buffalo or Rochester or wherever get to come on a cruise with us. We have a special dinner with them. We take some photos. We do a private performance for them on the ship. And then, on the last day at sea, we do a show for the cruise line."

The band's current lineup is Tabone, aka "Eugene" (his Nerd name) on drums and vocals, John "Gilbert" Gibbon, on bass, guitar, and vocals, Ed "Milton Wild" Wyner, lead vocals and guitar, Brian "Irwin" Beaudry, keyboards, keytar, vocals, and Eric "Barney" Rovner, lead guitar and vocals.

To find out more about the band and the cruise, visit nerdsgonewild.com.

The show at Batavia Downs in the Park Place Events Center is open to all ages -- kids will go wild for the engaging and interactive entertainment, but it really is an all-ages show, so kids should bring their parents and grandparents, who will be equally entertained.  Doors open at 7 p.m. The Nerds take the stage at 8 p.m.  And the best part, admission is FREE.

"After a long, long Friday and Saturday of shopping, you want to take a break and come down and close your eyes and relive the great music of the 80s," Tabone said.

Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. would like all town of Bethany residents to know that there will be a first come-first served opportunity for them to fill up their 250 and 500-gallon totes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

You are asked to only use the Bethany Center Road driveway of the Town Hall to line up. Volunteers will have more information about future fill dates and times, Hyde said.

The town received a temporary reprieve from its drought situation when a 6,700 tanker was sent from the New York State Office of Emergency Management early Wednesday morning to help out the dozens of residents whose wells have gone dry and are without water at their homes. 

Hyde said the plan is to fill totes with the water provided and then get the tanker refilled by Genesee County throughout the next 30 days, the time the town has been promised use of the tanker.

Although it was a question as to who would be paying for the water, The Batavian reached out to County Manager Matt Landers, and he said it would cost "only $20" per tanker, so that wasn't likely going to be an issue, no matter which municipality ends up paying for it. Genesee County will take care of the labor to transport the tanker to get refilled and back to Bethany, Landers said Thursday.

Hyde said he believes this is a "temporary bright spot."

"The drought could last until spring," he said Friday.

When faced with the decision whether to sleep in on the Thanksgiving holiday or get up early and spend some time at the McCarthy ice arena Thursday morning, Patrick Suozzi didn’t have to think twice, he says.

The Batavia High School senior threw on some warm clothes and headed to the Evans Street rink, along with several high school students, for a first-time gathering of the Batavia Key Club.

“It’s awesome,” the 17-year-old said. “It’s a good way to give back to the community and help the kids. I’ve been helping kids color and will help them skate.”

A yearly tradition since 2007, Batavia’s Kiwanis Club has hosted a Community Skate at the ice rink every Thanksgiving. It draws many kids and families to kick off the day with some skating, mingling and hot cocoa, with this year being no exception, said Pete Guppenberger, one of the longtime Kiwanis hosts of the event. 

Suozzi knows Guppenberger, he said and has become more familiar with the club and how it does activities in the community. That has made him want to become more involved, especially now that teacher Allison Chua has taken on the role of adviser for the Key Club.

“The reason I started it was because, years ago, we had talked about it, and we were gonna have a Kiwanis Key Club, and then it kind of fizzled out. And I do a whole bunch of other things for the school, and I do the newsletter … and I'm the freshman class adviser, and I'm involved in a bunch of other activities and clubs, but Mr. Smith, when he joined the Kiwanis Club, came to ask me about running a Key Club, and I thought, yeah, I think we need that at the school because in this time of COVID, and all these things that had happened, I think we all realized how important it was to help in the community and help each other,” Chua said. “And this club is all about reaching out to the community and helping, so I'm all about that.”

Key Club International is the high school branch of the Kiwanis International family, classified as a Service Leadership Program and, more specifically, as a Kiwanis Youth Program. Many Key Clubs are sponsored by a local Kiwanis club. Chua will help to organize the students, and then they will lead their own school club, which is to provide opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership, according to Kiwanis Key Club International.

There were 67 students that showed up to the initial meeting at BHS — Chua jokes that they were drawn to the pizza being served — and that has settled down to about 45 that will remain in the club. 

On Thursday, 17 students came to the ice rink for this first service-based activity. Students sat and colored pictures with kids near the concession stand while others helped anyone who needed assistance with skating around the rink.

Drew Stevens has grown up in a “hockey family,” she said, and likes to skate. The 10th-grader came with a few of her friends.

“It’s a good way to be helpful with kids and families while doing something I like to do,” she said.

Lila Callan, a junior, agreed.

“It’s a good way to get involved with the community, and on Thanksgiving,” she said.

A third friend also thought that it was “a good way to get volunteer hours,” while doing things such as arts and crafts, she said.

There will be plenty of opportunities for them to rack up hours while getting out into Batavia, Chua said, since local nonprofits have expressed a need for more volunteers and the ideas keep building — doing garden work, cleaning cars of snow in winter, shoveling, to name a few. 

They want to help in the community. And they're glad that there's something they can do. And, of course, it does help them because service organizations are always good for the building of their resume, and for being part of a community of helpers and learning, and I think colleges are looking for that now,” she said. “They're looking more for a well-rounded student. It's not just about how high your grades are. It's more about who you are as a person, what you do for people, and how you work collaboratively with others. And I'd be glad to give recommendations to these kids that are working hard, and that'll be a pleasure for me to be part of that.”

Father Ivan Trujillo, who served for 36 years as a priest in Batavia, passed away Friday morning at his home in Alexander.

Trujillo retired from the priesthood this year and performed his last service at Resurrection Parish in June.

Father Ivan arrived in Batavia in 1986 at St. Mary's and became parish priest when St. Mary's and St. Joe's merged in 2008.

Over his nearly four decades of service to the community, Father Ivan has led a migrant ministry, and a prison ministry and served at the VA Hospital.

Trujillo was ordained in Jamestown in 1990 and became an assistant at St. Mary's in 1986. 

As a young man in Bolivia, Trujillo was inspired both to the ministry and to serve the poor. While studying philosophy in school, he was mentored by the rector, who was a Jesuit with a passion for caring for poor people.  That example led Trujillo into the ministry, the priest told The Batavian in 2013.

As a result, a good deal of Father Ivan's work in Western New York was with the poor and less fortunate. He worked with the poor and sick in his own parish, ministered to inmates at Attica and Wyoming correctional facilities, and worked with migrant workers in Genesee, Orleans and Niagara counties.

Rev. Trujillo will lie in state on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. at Resurrection Parish/St. Mary's Church, 18 Ellicott Street in Batavia, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. Most Rev. Michael William Fisher, Bishop of Buffalo, will be the Principal Celebrant. The interment will be private in Grandview Cemetery in Batavia.

Arrangements are being handled by H.E. Turner. A full obituary will be posted on The Batavian's Obituary page later.

SHOP SMALL - SHOP LOCAL - Adam Miller Toys and Bicycles. Valle Jewelers. Charles Men's Shop.

Calling it a “failure of the governor’s office and her team,” State Sen. George Borrello (photo at right) voiced his frustration earlier this week with New York’s inability to forge a new gaming agreement with the Seneca Nation of Indians.

The contract, officially known as the Seneca Nation Compact, expires on Dec. 9 -- just 15 days away.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Seneca Nation leadership thought they had a preliminary deal five months ago, but that was quashed by state lawmakers when it was learned – after the fact -- that the new compact terms included placement of a Seneca Nation-operated casino in Rochester.

Since then, there hasn’t been any news about the status of a new contract, and Borrello, along with other local politicians, isn’t happy about it.

“I've heard that they're trying to sign some kind of an extension,” he said by telephone on Monday. “But really, this is a failure of the governor's office and her team to not negotiate in a timely manner.

“There have been just many broken promises, agreements in principle where the governor backed out. It's just that the governor's team has not been negotiating in good faith. And we've been trying to bring light to the fact that they need to come to the table in good faith.”

Borrello said that once the deadline passes (barring an extension), Seneca Nation has no obligation to pay out any funds to the state because the contract will have expired.

“It really behooves the governor to fix it immediately,” he added.

Borrello, noting that the original compact was signed in 2002, said New York State “changed the rules of the game and pulled the rug out from underneath the Seneca Nation when they created three state-run casinos.”

“And you have sports gaming now, which wasn’t in place then,” he said. “New York State has saturated the market, and that has had a negative impact on revenue. So, I don’t think the previous contract is fair in light of the new situation.”

Per the original compact, the Seneca Nation pays 25 percent of its revenues on slot machines and other games to the state in exchange for the right to offer gaming west of Route 14.

The Seneca Nation currently owns and operates three casinos: the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel on the Niagara Falls Territory in Niagara Falls, New York; the Seneca Allegany Casino in Salamanca on the Allegany Territory; and the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in downtown Buffalo on the Buffalo Creek Territory.

Borrello represents the nation’s interests in Allegany and Cattaraugus territories.

According to a published report in The Buffalo News, the Senecas had agreed to pay 19.5 percent of revenue on slot machines to the state, but only if a Rochester casino was included. Now, they are seeking a lower rate.

A call to Rickey Armstrong, Seneca Nations president, was not returned.

Henry Wojtaszek, president and chief executive officer of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp., which is based at Batavia Downs Gaming, said he agreed with Borrello that the market is oversaturated and is supporting the Fair Compact for All coalition that is representing gaming, organized labor, and community interests across the Finger Lakes and Western New York regions.

Members of the coalition, which includes Batavia Downs Gaming, del Lago Resort & Casino, Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack and Hamburg Gaming, said their goal is to ensure a transparent and equitable process as New York negotiates a new gaming compact with the Seneca Nation.

“We’ve combined to at least get the message out that we think a further gaming facility in the Rochester/Monroe County area would be oversaturating the market,” Wojtaszek said. “This would not be a good thing for the employees, it wouldn’t be a good thing for the communities and it wouldn’t be a good thing for the municipalities that receive funds (from earnings at Batavia Downs and elsewhere). It’s oversaturated even according to the state’s own studies that they’ve commissioned.”

Borrello said that even if an agreement is reached prior to Dec. 9, there are several hurdles to cross before ratification.

“Whatever agreement is reached, it has to be approved by the New York State Legislature,” he explained. “And it has to be approved by a vote of the people of the Seneca Nation, and it has to be approved by the Federal Department of Interior.”

Press Release:

Byron-Bergen Central School District proudly announces that on Friday, Nov. 3, senior Mackenzie Hagen signed a letter of intent to attend Roberts Wesleyan University as a member of their women’s soccer team. At Roberts Wesleyan, she plans to enter the Pre-Veterinary Medicine program, majoring in Biology. 

Her commitment to Roberts Wesleyan was witnessed by her parents, her sister Crystal, and Byron-Bergen Varsity Girls Soccer Coach Wayne Hill. 

“Mackenzie is ready for the next level of soccer competition,” said Byron-Bergen Athletic Director Rich Hannan. “Her outstanding work ethic and speed make her an incredible athlete, but she is also a gifted leader on and off the field. I wish her the very best at Roberts Wesleyan.” 

Hagen is a 6-year Varsity Soccer player and a member of three consecutive Section V championship teams. She participates in Varsity Track and Field where she is a member of the record-holding 800m Sprint Medley Relay team. She is also a Scholar Athlete and Genesee Region All-Star. In addition to sports, Hagen is a member of the National Honor Society. She would like to thank her parents, sister, and coaches.

Press Release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) are alerting residents that cases of respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, are rising throughout Genesee and Orleans Counties. GO Health has also seen an increase in the presence of RSV in wastewater throughout both counties.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that can be mild for most people, but can be very harmful and serious for very young children, older adults, people with medical conditions, those born premature, or with underlying lung conditions.

Symptoms of RSV include fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing, and runny nose. These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once. In young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties.

Severe illness can result in bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and pneumonia, an infection of the lungs. Hospitalization due to RSV is needed when a person is experiencing difficulty breathing or is dehydrated.

A vaccine is available to prevent and protect against RSV for adults aged 60 and older, infants and young children, as well as pregnant people to protect their unborn child. If you are interested in the vaccine, you are encouraged to talk with your healthcare provider and for the best protection, you should get the vaccine as soon as possible.

To protect against all respiratory viruses including RSV, COVID-19, and the flu, practice the following precautions:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing/sneezing. This may prevent those around you from getting sick. Use your elbow or shoulder to limit the spray when coughing/sneezing.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. It is especially important to wash your hands after you have coughed or sneezed into your hands or blown your nose. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Frequently disinfect shared items, like doorknobs, handrails, phones, pens, remotes, etc. 

Practice these other health habits for general health:

• Clean and disinfect touched surfaces at home, work, and school.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Engage in 30 minutes of physical activity 3-4 days a week.
• Manage your stress. Read a book, chat with a friend, take a walk, etc.
• Drink plenty of non-alcoholic beverages.
• Eat nutritious foods.

For more information about RSV, visit the New York State Department website. For the Genesee and Orleans Counties Wastewater Dashboard that tracks RSV, COVID-19, and flu in local sewer sheds, visit the GO Health Wastewater Dashboard.

For more information on GO Health programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call your respective health department at:

• Genesee County: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 
• Orleans County: 585-589-3278

Follow GO Health on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at GOHealthNY.

The Caryville Inn in Oakfield sponsored its annual Turkey Trot on Thursday morning.

It was a new, and for the first-time certified, course for this year's event.

It’s that time of year when most everyone knows the drill by now: it’s feast day on Thanksgiving, followed by Black Friday deals online and at bigger box and department stores, and then there’s the day that not only supports your local community but allows for shoppers to get that personalized touch from smaller, quality businesses.

Yes, Small Business Saturday is right around the corner, and it’s such a great time of year, that Valle’s Jewelers devotes an entire week to it, Carrie Lawrence says.

“We always celebrate Small Business Saturday one week prior by doing eight giveaways and several in-store special sales,” the shop’s co-owner said. “It’s our favorite week of the year to thank our customers for shopping with us all year long.”

Lawrence said that you don't want to miss the eight giveaways this year, as “we do have some really fantastic giveaways.”

“You can just come on in, and each lady gets a ticket, and they can enter in to win all the fabulous giveaways,” she said, adding that shopping local is also important to her as a consumer. “My brother and I, and all of our staff, feel that it's incredibly important to give back to the community that has given so much to us by shopping at all of the local stores. And we kind of feed off of each other at this exciting time before the December rush by sending our customers to the other local establishments as well.”

The opportunity for giveaways will be going on through Saturday, with hours of 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 21 Jackson St., Batavia. 

A walk through the alley between Jackson and Center streets would get you to Adam Miller Toys & Bicycles at 8 Center St., which is loaded with kids’ toys, games, bikes, and accessories. One thing’s for sure, store owner John Roche said, “Small Business Saturday is for us, and not Black Friday.”

“That's totally changed to something different,” he said. “So Small Business Saturday, obviously, is for small business and is very important. It kicks off the holiday season for us.”

The store will begin its expanded holiday hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offer some special promotions, he said, including a buy two, get one free for the large jigsaw puzzles and buy one, get half off plastic model kits.

There will also be a holiday gift basket that shoppers can enter to win. Everyone will get one entry form, and then the more you purchase, the more entries you will receive. The shop also has a holiday gift certificate every year that’s priced as the year. So this year, you can purchase a $30 gift certificate for $20.23. 

Just down the street on the corner is Charles Men’s Shop at 200 E. Main St. A longtime familiar face and part owner, Don Brown, is a proponent not only of customers frequenting the men’s shop but of the bigger picture as to how keeping it local works. When you spend your money in your own community, it tends to remain right here and get reinvested, boosting the local workforce, the businesses that those people support, and the overall local economy. 

“Small Business Saturday aims to create awareness about the impact shoppers have when they buy from locally owned stores and companies year-round,” Brown said. “At least two-thirds of every dollar spent at small businesses stays within the local area, creating returns for the entire community. We encourage people to make a big impact by shopping small on Small Business Saturday.”

Brown is also an owner of Batavia Bootery at 210 E. Main St., which sells an assortment of men’s and women’s boots, slippers, shoes, sandals and other footwear accessories. The men’s shop and bootery will be selling a $100 gift certificate for $20 off as a special this weekend. 

Brown wants customers to know that Charles Men’s Shop has a tailor shop on the premises, free gift wrapping and free parking behind the store. That’s another perk of shopping in a smaller downtown such as Batavia — free parking lots, no paid garages, and accessible spots close to shops. 

He understands that people may go online to shop for certain goods such as supplements or batteries, but when it comes to specialty items, that’s where the small, customized business shines, Brown said. He is also a big believer in shopping local himself.

“I am a big fan of shopping local, and creating relationships,” he said.

Charles Men’s Shop will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and The Bootery from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Senator George Borrello will be doing his part in forging those relationships with business owners and constituents on what has become a yearly trek in Downtown Batavia followed by a trip to Wyoming County for some small business shopping. 

Borrello plans to hit up six shops in the city, browsing everything from handmade chocolates and fine jewelry to men’s clothing, comfy footwear and children’s games. Businesses are the “heart and soul of our communities,” he said, which is why he advocates for them in Albany and is a staunch supporter of them locally as much as possible.

“Independently owned businesses make our downtowns more vibrant, spur additional growth, employ our neighbors and contribute to our tax base,” Borrello said to The Batavian. “In addition, every dollar spent at a small business has a greater multiplier effect. Many local shops rely on local suppliers and services and also contribute to local charities and community organizations."

When it comes time to buy gifts for family and friends, he and his wife always shop at small businesses, he said. After all, it takes one to know — and appreciate — one.

“We are small business owners ourselves, and we want to support other entrepreneurs,” Borrello said. “But we also ‘shop small’ because that is where we are most likely to find truly unique, high-quality items that will be enjoyed long after the holidays. Big Box stores typically don’t have those one-of-a-kind gifts."

And should you feel like a bite once out and about,  there are several individually owned restaurants to choose from in Genesee County, including Eli Fish Brewing Co., 109 Main St., and T.F. Brown’s, 214 E. Main St., Batavia. 

Hoops runs in the McCulley Family DNA, and that trait was fully on display on Tuesday in Rochester when cousins Callie and Amelia took the court against each other for the first time in their respective college careers.

Callie is in her final year, as a fifth-year senior and the University of Rochester. Amelia is just starting at William and Smith College.  Both young women helped their respective Notre Dame squads win Section V titles and both scored more than 1,000 points in their high school basketball careers.

Callie graduated in 2019 and Amelia last year.

U of R got the win on Tuesday, 83-72. Calle scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Amelia scored five points and had three rebounds.

Photos by Pete Welker.

Good music was part of the Thanksgiving celebration at Ri-Dans in Batavia on Wednesday night with the Rusty Fisher Band and the Growlers Blues Band both taking the stage.

Photos by Howard Owens.