Press Release:

Please be advised that Blue Heron Construction will continue to work on interconnections for the Jackson Street Water project tomorrow, Tuesday, March 19, on Jackson Street from Ellicott to Main Street. 

Loss of water should be expected in this area and possible surrounding area depending on valve closures needed. If discolored water occurs when water pressure is regained, please avoid doing laundry or cooking until the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank the public for its patience and cooperation as we work to improve our community.

As talk of a mass exodus — the droves of youth and others fed up with rural life and lack of opportunities in this area and New York State — has supposedly been draining the local population, there’s been at least a gain of two people recently who wanted to move back in.

Oakfield native Kevin Beuler made a purposeful choice to return to Genesee County from Pennsylvania with his wife, Brooke, as others have left the area for greener pastures.

“I’ve been craving to come back. I came back because of the exodus, but just to give back to the community because of what they put their time into me, all those teachers, all the people you grow up around, they help build you up to who you become,” Beuler said during an interview with The Batavian. “Those are very crucial years for a young person, and to be able to come back to a rural place like Oakfield or Pembroke or Batavia to be able to come to a full circle to become part of the community to give back, and then totally do the same for young ones as I was blessed with an experience with, it’s like taking pride in your roots.”

A 2010 Oakfield-Alabama High School graduate, he went on to University at Buffalo for the pre-medicine track, majoring in mathematics, a favorite subject in school. 

“I really loved mathematics in high school, and still do. To be honest, it’s the emotional connection that I would have (with) my two teachers in high school; they were phenomenal. And so because of them being such great teachers I just really love and appreciate math even more,” he said. “But I love the computation. I love plugging and chugging things. I like to be able to balance out equations and it’s just fascinating. I love numbers. I'm a numbers guy.”

Those two teachers are Wendy Bergman and Barb Harkness. They made a difference in his high school years and especially in his pursuit of all things math-related, he said.

When asked how and if that fits with his current career as a physician’s assistant, he believes it’s more about solving puzzles and making the pieces, such as one’s mental condition and a lab report, “fit part of the equation.” 

“So you start putting things together, and then it balances out in the equation, then you find out what might be the diagnosis. So I guess it’s similar,” he said.

He then went on to DeSales University in Pennsylvania for his master’s in physician assistant studies, which he completed in 2018. It was there where he met his wife, Brooke, a fellow physician assistant. 

It’s that career that has landed Beuler at Oak Orchard Medical in Pembroke. He and his wife moved to Oakfield late this winter. He is passionate about football and most sports, and as a former trumpeter in the high school jazz band, he also enjoys playing and listening to music.

It was while working as a medical scribe for Dr. Kasir Khan at UBMD Internal Medicine in Buffalo in August 2016 that Beuler first realized that he was interested in treating the entire family rather than focusing on one age group.

“I helped prepare his notes, I learned all his medical decision-making and how to just be able to be more than just a doctor taking notes, just to be able to practice great quality medicine, and being able to see all the different ages, all the different crux of a person's health care where you're organizing their endocrinologist, a cardiologist, all the specialties, but the patient keeps coming back to you, I thought that was just a huge inspiration,” he said. “But then he didn't see the kids so I missed the kids. So I realized during school when I did all my rotations that I enjoyed having the pediatrics as well. So to be able to blend and have both instead of just specializing in pediatrics or specializing in adult primary care, I thought family medicine would be the most rewarding.

 “My big focus is on education. I love being able to spend time explaining things to patients,” he said. “I feel that professionals sometimes talk at the patient, and I feel it’s very important to talk very clearly. It’s important to their quality of life.”

Common issues that he has seen lately have been stress — “that’s a big one” — and the consequences of long-term smoking, not being able to strike a work-life balance, chronic use of pain medications “is a huge problem that we face,” and “the rise of diabetes and food that we’re eating,” he said.

Do people ever question your being a physician assistant versus a medical doctor?

Beuler doesn’t mind the question, he said. 

“It's definitely always out there. There will always be that bias. And there's nothing wrong with that. I will never look down upon someone who has that bias. I feel like it's almost naturally ingrained in our culture,” he said. “But I also invite the challenge; it kind of helps push me during learning to try to learn as much as I could so that if a person saw me, they wouldn't know the difference or care about the difference of the degree.”

Beuler speaks conversational Spanish in addition to English. He is accepting new patients and works under the supervision of Dr. Mary Obear. He is also interested in managing chronic conditions, diagnosing acute medical issues, women’s health, and orthopedics. 

He is passionate about creating a positive, judgment-free environment and providing high-quality care that focuses on educating and empowering all patients. 

“I think I put a lot of pride in trying to really reflect that, even though I might not be a doctor, mid-levels, like NPs and PAs, you can definitely find a provider that you can connect with that has the knowledge to be able to to help you through any kind of a medical crisis or link you to the right people to help improve your health,” he said. “And at the same time, on the other side, knowing your limitations, that's why we work alongside doctors to help ensure that we are providing evidence-based medicine, ensuring that we're doing the best for the patient, and treating the patient and not just numbers or pushing medicines. It's very important to stress that collaborating with physicians is a very important part of the job.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 585-599-6446.

Adam Philp became the second Batavian to win the prestigious – and extremely challenging – Super Bud Bowl at Lighthouse Lanes in Oswego last Sunday.

Competing in a tournament that normally attracts more than 1,100 bowlers over the course of a week (this year’s entries totaled 1,178), the 40-year-old right-hander won eight straight matches to earn the $5,500 first prize.

Seeded third in the three-bowler finals, he defeated 2020 Super Bud Bowl champion Nick Galusha of Altamont, 217-194, before knocking off No. 1 seed Joe Mazuryk of Schenectady, 219-160, for the title.

While 48 of the 96 finalists received either one- or two-round byes, depending upon their scores and placement on their respective qualifying squads during the week, Philp wasn’t as fortunate. He qualified on Tuesday night with an 811 four-game total, which guaranteed him a spot in the finals but without a bye.

That meant he needed to win eight straight matches under the single-elimination format to become the champion.

“It was surreal,” he said in a phone interview with The Batavian. “I couldn’t believe I did it – especially coming from having no byes. Some of the guys were saying that I’m only the third or fourth person that’s ever won the tournament that way.”

The tournament has produced 36 different winners in its 36 years. Philp joins the late Joe Trigilio (1999) as the only Batavia residents to win the event.

Philp averaged around 215 in his eight wins. His lowest score was 182, coming in a third-game match against Tori Burkins of Ravena, and it almost wasn’t enough.

“That was that was my closest match,” he said. “She actually could have struck on the first ball the 10th frame to beat me, but she left a weak 10-pin. I pretty much had the match in hand until I left a bomb 7-10 (split) to give her a chance."

He won that match by six pins and then went on to defeat Ray LeChase II and Andrew Kopec, both of Rochester, and Brandon Boyer of Glens Falls to reach the stepladder final round.

Mazuryk won $2,800 as the runner-up and Galusha pocketed $1,600.

The finals, which started around 4 p.m., were delayed for more than two hours by a power outage and didn’t finish until 11:15 p.m.

“It was a long day and then I had to drive to Massachusetts for work right afterwards,” said Philp, who is employed by the CSX Transportation railroad. “I didn’t get to the hotel until 5:15 in the morning. I had an adrenaline rush until about 4 o’clock and then I hit a brick wall.”

When he’s not bowling (Philp participates in the County Line Stone Trios League at Mancuso Bowling Center), he’s watching his 9-year-old son, Gavin, play hockey or his 6-year-old daughter, Naomi, dance. He and his wife, Anna, also have a daughter, Macie, who’s almost 2.

Philp is a former Genesee Region USBC Scratch Memorial champion. His previous best finish in the Super Bud Bowl was making it to the round of 12.

Three Perry bowlers cashed at the Super Bud Bowl. Chad Dunning made it to the round of 12, earning $600; Brian Weber won one match, good for $340, and Dennis Van Duser took home $170.

RICH WAGNER POSTS 300 GAME

In GRUSBC league action last week, Batavia lefty Rich Wagner added to his long list of honor scores with a 300 game in the Toyota of Batavia 4-Man League at Mancuso Bowling Center. He finished with a 684 series.

Chase Cone of Byron rolled a 753 series in the Tuesday Nite Coed League at Mancuso's, finishing with a 267 game.

At Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, Curtis Foss had games of 279, 255 and 236 for a 770 series to lead the way in the Sneezy's Monday Night League.

After trailing for most of the game, a fourth-quarter surge pushed Northville over Elba on Saturday in Troy to end the Lancers’ season in the state semifinal game.

Northville won 42-34 after scoring 17 points to just five for Elba in the fourth quarter. At the end of three quarters, Elba led 29-25.

Hailey Monroe, a leading scorer for Northville, was only 2-18  from the field for the first 28 minutes of the game. She drained her final five shots of the game to propel her team to victory.

Maddie Hall scored 10 points for Elba, Lydia Ross, nine, and Sydney Reilly, seven.

Monroe finished with 24 points.

Photos by Debra Reilly

Genesee County's agriculture community came together at the Alexander Fire Hall on Saturday for the Celebration of Ag Dinner, with more than 300 people in attendance.

This was the 20th year for the event.

The Cupicha Family Farm of Bethany was this year's Conservation Farm of the Year.

The award recognizes farms that are good stewards of the land.  

Third-generation farmer Mark Cupicha completed numerous projects to mitigate erosion and maintain the health of the soil on his 405-acre farm, which consists of steep and sloping land in the Black Creek and Little Tonawanda watersheds.

Cupicha couldn't thank Jared Elliot and the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District team enough for helping maintain the health of his land, always answering his calls, and coming out to the field.

"If you take care of the soil, the soil takes care of you," said Cupicha.

The meal, prepared by Chef Tracy Burgio and her staff, consisted of beef, chicken, corn fritters, maple-glazed carrots, and roasted potatoes, most of which were donated by local farms in attendance. 

Representative Claudia Tenney, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, and Senator George Borrello were in attendance to extend their thanks to the Cupicha family farm for being great stewards of the land.

It's been four years since the East Pembroke Fire Department came together for an awards and officer installation dinner, so there were a few awards to hand out on Saturday night.

Chief Don Newton recognized years of service and training hours for 2021, 2022, and 2023, as well as handing out, along with Tim Yaeger, the Service Awards and Firefighter of the Year for each year.

The Service Award for 2021 went to the Genesee County Health Department for support and assistance during the pandemic.

Jennifer Groff was named Firefighter of the Year for 2021.

For 2022, the Service Award went to the Genesee County Office of Emergency Management for all of its assistance around Christmas when Winter Storm Elliott hit.

Dave Martin, who couldn't attend the dinner, was named Firefighter of the Year for 2022.

Willie Welch received a special award for his 40 years of dedicated service to the fire department and the county. Paul Fenton also has 40 years of service but wasn't available on Saturday night.

The Service Award for 2023 went to Adam Pearce. 

The Firefighter of the Year for 2023 is James Gayton, who was recognized for his dedication to the department, whether it is fixing things that are broken, cleaning what needs to be cleaned, or barbecuing at fundraisers.

Newton said, "He puts his time in and gives us the best of everything he can."

The 2024 firematic officers:

• Don Newton, Jr., chief
• Charles Chatley, deputy chief
• Andrew Martin, assistant chief
• Travis Dobrowsky, EMS chief
• James Gayton, firematic captain
• Jennifer Groff, EMS captain
• Ken Marble, exterior fire captain
• Kyle Rupp, firematic lieutenant
• Stephen Smelski, EMS lieutenant
• Richard Groff, fire police captain

Administrative Officers:

• Donald Newton, Sr., president
• Ken Marble, vice president
• Julie Waldron, secretary and parade marshall
• Riley Martin, sergeant of arms
• Adam Pearce, assistant parade marshall
• Pastor Bloom, chaplin

Board of Directors: Andrew Martin, Donald Newton, Sr., Charles Chatley, Ken Marble, Stephen Smelski, Julie Waldron, Dale Lewter, Patrick Gallaway.

District Representatives:

• James Gayton, chairman
• Patrick Reeves, sergeant of arms
• Kristi Humphrey, treasurer,
• Kevin Gill, assistant chairman
• MaryAnn Chatley, secretary
• Richard Groff, commissioner

Press release:

Professional Bowlers Tour standout Sam Cooley found his way to Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia on Saturday and, unsurprisingly, placed first in the annual T.F. Brown’s Scratch Eliminator tournament.

The 32-year-old right-hander from Sydney, Australia rolled a 265 game in the four-person final round to capture the $1,500 top prize.

Dan Vick of Rochester and Adam Jozwiak of Buffalo each posted 234 to split the second ($900) and third ($700) place money while Pat Brick of Buffalo registered a 226 game to finish fourth ($500).

Cooley, a member of the MOTIV bowling pro staff and a two-time PBA Tour champion, was the No. 2 qualifier off the morning squad with 937 for four games on the challenging 40-foot oil pattern.

Jozwiak led the squad with 968 while Andy Nichols of Rochester was the high qualifier off the afternoon squad with 919, including a 290 final game.

Cooley advanced through the eliminator rounds with games of 225 and 223 before his big last game.

He said he was in Western New York this past week learning more about the fellow professional Brad Angelo’s BowlU course at Brad Angelo Lanes in Lockport and also practicing for the USBC Masters, which gets underway on March 25 at Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

Thirteen Genesee Region USBC members competed in the tournament with one, Mike Pettinella of Batavia, advancing to the eliminator rounds.

Pettinella, who was coming off a fourth-place finish at a 60-and-Over Tour event in Brockport the previous weekend, started with a 278 game en route to an 838 total on the afternoon squad. He was eliminated in the first round of the finals, earning $150.

Reaching the semifinals ($250 each) were Jon Keenan of Rochester and Dan Stafursky of Waverly.

Other tournament sponsors were Coors Light, Lambert’s Design Jewelers, Labatt Blue, Striking Effects Pro Shop, Casella and Toyota of Batavia. The tournament drew 76 entries.

In a service inside the Call Arena at Genesee Community College, Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello was remembered as a man who was committed to protecting and serving our community, a man who loved his children, and as a man who enjoyed his work and his hobbies.

"Grandma Sanfratello stopped me last night," said Pastor Ryan Macdonald of City Church, who officiated the service. "She said, 'Come here, pastor.' She called me over for a beautiful moment, and she whispered to me, she said, 'Pastor, please tell the people tomorrow how much Tom loved this community. Please tell them tomorrow that Jesus gave us time for a moment, for a season, and then Jesus came, and he walked him through those pearly gates and into heaven.' She went on to tell me, 'Tell the people today that Tom passed doing what he loved to do. No greater love than a man show than that he would lay his life down for his friends. Please tell them, pastor, that Tom loved being a servant and that Tom shared his love as long as he could.' 

"I believe with all my heart," Macdonald added, "that Sgt Sanfratello understood God's love."

Sanfratello died early Sunday morning at Batavia Downs while trying to deal with two customers who had been asked to leave 34 Rush. One of those customers is accused of violently attacking the 32-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, reportedly pulling a heavy chain from around his neck and striking Sanfrantello with it. The cause of death has not been released, but the suspect, Michael J. Elmore, 33, of Batavia, has been charged with manslaughter.

Saturday's funeral was attended by hundreds of first responders, including police officers from throughout the region and from as far away as New York City and Chicago.  There were also hundreds of members of the community at the Call Arena, including friends and family.

His sister Michelle Panasiewicz and his son Ian Sanfratello, along with Sheriff William Sheron, were the speakers.

Panasiewicz recalled growing up with her brother and watching him grow into a man who served his community and loved his family, especially his children, Ian, Kyla, and Alexis.

"Nothing made him prouder than spending time with them and watching them grow into the people that they have become," Panasiewicz said.

Growing up, as siblings do, Tom and Michelle had their differences, but as adults, she said, Tom was the strength of the family.

"When I had a question that my husband Joel couldn't answer, I'd call or text Tom," she said. "More often than not, he had the answer. We leaned on each other when we needed to, and we always knew that we were there for each other no matter what time of day or night without needing words."

She asked how she and the family would go on without Tom.

"I guess I have to learn that I have my family, my friends, my loved ones and we will continue to go on," Panasiewicz said. "This memory will live on, and all of us will continue to have a memorial of some kind. Or, like I said, his memory will never go away. He was loved by too many for his memory to ever go away."

Sheron noted that Sanfratello dedicated his entire adult life to serving people, first as an EMT who put himself through training, working in Buffalo and Rochester, as a volunteer for the Alexander Fire Department, as a dispatcher in Batavia, before joining the Sheriff's Office in 1992 as a dispatcher.

"You knew, right from the beginning, there's something special about Tommy," Sheron said. "You know, there are individuals when you hire him, you just go, 'This guy is going to go somewhere. Tommy would take on tasks in the communication room that might have been lingering for years. But Tommy's energy, he just got in there and got it done."

Sanfratello collected Hot Wheels and Legos and attended conventions all over the country for collectors.  He loved children and kept a bucket of Hot Wheels in his office to share with children who visited the office, either with department family members or when caught up in some serious situation.

It's no surprise, then, that one of Sanfratello's favorite duties was helping to organize the Christmastime Shop with a Cop at Walmart.

"He loved doing that," Sheron said. "He loved kids. He loved helping people."

Ian, now himself a corrections officer who graduated from the academy top in his class, recalled seeing his dad in action at work and said he was clearly a leader in the Sheriff's Office.

See also: At Darien Lake, 'Tommy had it under control'

"He did try to steer everybody in the right direction," Ian said. "Even if he didn't see eye-to-eye with someone, he would always have their back and trust them with his life."

He said, "Deputies would tell me how he was the glue that held the department together. They don't know what they will do without him.  One way of looking at it, as I have the past couple of days, when he passed away was he was doing what he loved. He loved working overtime."

Ian recalled how they shared love for Buffalo Sabres hockey. He said he will miss their phone calls -- win or lose, they would critique the games, either what the Sabres did right or what they need to improve. 

"It won't be the same any more ," he said, but he hopes someday he will have a son to carry on the family tradition.

Ian closed his remarks: "Godspeed GS-9."

See Also: A full showing of support for Sgt. Sanfratello

• To listen to an MP3 of the Last Call for Sgt. Sanfratello, GS-9, Click Here.
• To view more photos from the service, Click Here

Several contingencies of law enforcement and first responders represented the region Saturday during the funeral service for Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello, who died in the line of duty March 10.

Throughout the week flags have been set at half mast throughout Genesee County and in downtown Batavia, people have made memorial one-mile runs, the county court house cupola has been lit up in blue, a sheriff’s cruiser has been adorned with flowers by citizens in Sanfratello’s memory in front of the Sheriff’s Office, and countless condolences and heartfelt messages have been expressed via news articles and social media for an undeniable fallen hero.

A burial was scheduled to follow in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

These are file photos of Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello working on one of his favorite details -- law enforcement at Darien Lake concerts.

In 2012, I did a "ride along" with patrols at the concerts to get a first-hand perspective of what went into dealing with all the issues that used to arise on concert nights.

While I had run into Tom on patrol before, working with him at Darien Lake was really my first chance to get to know him a bit.  He struck me as kind, professional, caring, and dedicated.

He took the job seriously without taking himself seriously. There was a complete absence of ego in his approach to enforcing the law.

When two young people climbed up a communications tower, I remember him being simultaneously amused by the folly of it and sincerely concerned about their safety.

At Saturday's funeral service for Sgt. Sanfratello, Sheriff William Sheron spoke of "Tommy" taking charge at Darien Lake.

"As we all know, Tom was the guy out at Darien Lake," Sheron said. "He was the first one there, and he was the last one out. He oversaw that venue for years and years. And again, when Tommy was on, I didn't worry about anything. Tommy, I knew, had things under control. We were dealing with tens of thousands of people and many, many officers. Tommy had it all under control."

Unrelated from Darien Lake, we received two more tributes to Sgt. Sanfratello to share.

Eric Olson, retired from the Sheriff's Office:

I’ve known Tom for a long time.  He is a true friend and law enforcement brother.  I will miss the 4th of July gatherings and the occasional conversations here and there.

From Deborah Shea, principal financial clerk, Sheriff's Office:

As we navigate through these next few days, I’ve thought a lot about my boss, my friend, my co-worker and most of all, my annoying “big brother” this week. 

That’s what comes to my mind when I think of Sgt. Tom (Tommy) Sanfratello.  We worked 50 feet from each other for 12 years, and we argued and teased one another just like brother and sister, even crying once in a while. He was so maddening at times, but at the end of the day, we were friends, and tomorrow was another day. And when he walked out of the office last Friday and said, as always, “See you Monday, maybe,” it was not supposed to be goodbye! 

I would sing along to the radio, and he’d say, “Don’t quit your day job,” and of course I’d say, “You wish!” He’d also say, every day, 10 times a day, “Whatever, Shea!” And on occasion, in typical Tommy fashion, he’d tell you, “Sink or swim!” I never thought I’d ever miss these words!

His presence In our office was larger than any of us could have imagined until we walked back in Monday morning and the loss hit me immediately.  

He had his quirks, his funny habits and definitely a Hot Wheels and Lego fetish, but it was him and who he was.  He loved to read and joke around and make his funny comments.  He loved having his annual Easter egg hunt and fantasy football league.  He wore many hats in our office and has big shoes to fill, and it will be a hard act to follow. No matter what he did in his life and career, his biggest accomplishments are his 3 amazing kids, Ian, Kyla and Lexi. He loved them more than life itself.  He was not a fall-all-over-you or mushy kind of guy, but he honestly had a big heart and really cared for the people closest to him, especially his family, friends and our department for sure. 

Thanks for your friendship and all the laughs.

You will be, as they say, forever missed and never forgotten!

Fly high GS 9

Finally, retired Batavia PD lieutenant James Henning had this to say about Saturday's service:

What a tremendous outpouring of support shown today for the family, friends, fellow citizens and coworkers of GS-9!

The entire wake and funeral service was incredibly organized and a fitting tribute to a great man and public servant.

GCSO, BPD, LPD & NYSP did a fantastic job of working shoulder to shoulder to make this all possible, along with the numerous fire departments and EMS in Genesee County.

Also, the entire staff of GCC for hosting this memorial and area restaurants for catering the gathering at the college afterward.

The police and fire agencies present were amazing from as far away as Chicago PD and NYPD.

R.I.P.  GS-9

March is "Music in Schools Month" across the nation, and on Thursday evening, Batavia City Schools held its annual concert featuring educators and students at all levels to celebrate the month.

The concern opened with the faculty/alumni band playing Sir Duke, a Steve Wonder hit honoring Duke Ellington.

Also performing are the High School Orchestra, the Middle School Beauty Shop, High School Guitar, John Kennedy Second Graders, High School Select Choir, Middle School Band, High School Rock Band, and High School Jazz Ensemble.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Notre Dame High School opens its staging of the musical "Anastasia" tonight (Friday) at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

A second show is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday.  

Director Kate Edwards said of the show:

Anastasia the Musical is based on the animated film Anastasia, which is also based on the real-life story of the Romanov family. It takes place during the Russian Revolution when the Bolsheviks took over Russia and killed the Czar and his entire family. The rumor was always that young Anastasia, the youngest of all the children, actually lived. 

The musical is based on the animated film of the same name. The plot is that Anastasia did live, but her memory has been wiped. She now knows herself to be Anya, and she’s searching to find where she belongs. She looks for help from two Russian revolutionaries, who are also good-hearted con men. They are looking for a young girl who can pretend to be Anastasia because they want the reward money. They also need to escape Russia because the communists are taking over. 

Through a series of escapades and traveling from Russia to Paris, they discover that Anya is actually the real Anastasia. Meanwhile, the Bolsheviks are looking for Anya because if she really is alive, they want to kill her.

To see what happens next, you’ll have to come see the show!!

The cast:

• Anya/Anastasia - Maia Zerillo
• Dmitry - Rhys Tanner
• Vlad Popov - Liam Berger
• Gleb - Aiden Boehly
• Countess Lily - Mia Yonkin
• The Dowager Empress - Bri Johns
• Tsarina Alexandra - Gracie Phillips
• Tsar Nicholas II/Count Leopold - Joe Trewer
• Gorlinsky and others - Billy Zerillo
• Young Anastaia - Mia Yonkin
• Policeman - Brodie Schie
• Ensemble - Emma Elliot, Aubrey Plath, Sophia Plath, Hailee Adams, Korina Hodges, Claira Keppler

Tickets are $10 at the door.

The musical is also directed by Josh Pacino, with choreography by Jasmine Wessel and Lisa Antinore. 

NOTE: Due to photographer error, we have no photos from the rehearsal this week.  Our apologies.

The casket of Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello, who died in the line of duty on Sunday morning, was carried by Hearst on Friday morning from the Gilmartin Funeral Home to the Call Arena at GCC.

The route went down Park Road, past the Sheriff's Office, then to Route 98, to West Saile Drive, to Bank Street, to Assemblyman R. Stephen Hawley Drive.

The casket was then carried into Call Arena by a Sheriff's Office detail prior to calling hours on Friday afternoon.

Sanfratello's funeral will be held in the Call Arena at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Photos by Howard Owens.

March Madness brings out the best of college basketball players across the country. The emotions and exuberant atmosphere generated by fans and athletes are unmatched.

From a workforce development perspective, the GLOW region’s version of March Madness offers the same competitive, robust, and exhilarating atmosphere that hundreds of student-athletes will shortly embark upon.

Two themes that intertwine in the realms of workforce development and athletics are the inspirational narratives that haven’t always been given the spotlight. I’m excited that Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking performances at Iowa are getting the attention it deserves - and I’m working to ensure that the young women ready for tech careers get the same attention. 

Like Caitlin, the young leaders stepping up in workforce training and manufacturing are a small portion of the women who can play integral roles. If our region is going to successfully meet the workplace demands of existing and new and emerging companies, then there is going to be a need for a diverse workforce, particularly among women.

Future Genesee County employer and semiconductor manufacturer Edwards has recognized the importance of having a diversified workforce as the industry-leading company has set a goal for 30% of their employees to be female by 2030.

The team overseeing Edwards Genesee, and our existing base of manufacturers, is striving to these goals by promoting positive awareness through our work with schools and colleges, encouraging aspiring female engineers, technicians, managers, and apprentices.

“Our goal is to be as diverse as possible… You want to have that mix of ideas and backgrounds - that’s how you get the best results,” Jeff Mickel, Edwards’ project manager shared recently on a tour of GCC’s training facilities.

Our workforce development blueprint was designed to introduce our students to in-demand, family-sustaining careers, and we look forward to working with our employers in their efforts to recruit individuals from various backgrounds.

We have two great opportunities to do that!

The GLOW region’s March Madness kicks off with STEAM Jam and Tech Wars, where elementary, middle, and high school students showcase their technical skills at Genesee Community College.

At STEAM Jam, over 100 3rd – 5th-grade students will participate in hands-on activities and show them the opportunity to turn these skills into a potential career once they are older and ready to join the workforce.

Later in the day, the 15th annual Tech Wars will take place where GLOW region middle and high school students showcase their technical expertise through innovative technology competitions.

To further educate students in attendance, New York State’s leading mechatronics program housed at the Genesee Valley BOCES will be in attendance to inform students about the career opportunities and training available for careers that use the same skills being utilized at STEAM Jam and Tech Wars.

Stay tuned to find out what schools and individuals will end up in the winner’s circle on Thursday, March 21!

Rounding out our March Madness is the second annual GLOW With Your Hands Healthcare. This is a great program offering hands-on displays and presentations to over 600 students from 28 GLOW region schools.

While this edition of GLOW With Your Hands aims to introduce students to careers in the healthcare sector, I always advise students that these skills can take them to any career. We have one of the most prepared and educated workforces in the country and we can’t close any doors to a career change - after all, a versatile skillset is what set up Cailtin Clark’s scoring record on the court!

Whether you are a student, parent, teacher, or guidance counselor contact me at csuozzi@gcedc.com to learn more about the opportunities available.

Chris Suozzi is the Vice President of Business & Workforce Development and the Co-Founder of GLOW With Your Hands.

Press Release:

Calling all green thumbs and community builders! Emmanuel Baptist Church is seeking gardeners to plant in our community garden at 190 Oak St in Batavia.

Our garden features 20 spacious 4x3 plots which will be transformed into thriving vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens once YOU put the seeds in! Each person who signs up gets to plant and harvest from their own plot!  

Being a gardener at our community garden is more than just a chance to get your hands dirty. It's an opportunity to connect with fellow garden enthusiasts, learn new skills, and contribute to a project that benefits the entire community.

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a complete beginner, you can grow veggies or flowers and grow yourself as well!  Our team will provide all the necessary tools and seeds.

So if you're looking for a place to get your garden growing while enjoying the great outdoors, come join us at Emmanuel Baptist Church's Community Garden. Together, we can create something truly special.

The cost is $20 per plot. Call 585 343 4905 or email ebcbatavia@gmail.com to sign up.

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) recently commented on the Assembly’s One-House Budget proposal. The proposal is a ceremonial “wish list” of what Assembly Democrats want to see in the final state budget. 

While the proposal countered the governor’s initiative to cut Foundation Aid funding for schools across the state by revoking Hold Harmless, it would institute historic spending increases while raising taxes by $3.5 billion over two years. 

While the proposal restored funding for the CHIPS program and increased funding for the Pave NY program, Hawley believes this one-house budget overall will hurt Western New York residents and further the trend of outmigration.

“Never in my 18 years of public service have I seen a more bloated and reckless One-House Budget proposal,” said Hawley. “The Assembly Majority is pulling out all the stops this time around to make sure their far-left, progressive agenda is here to stay. This budget reeks of downstate special interests. More spending leads to higher taxes, which means hardworking New Yorkers will have to continue to pick up the tab for the Majority’s failed policies. The Assembly Majority expects people to pay billions of dollars more in taxes to course-correct problems they created. It should not be the job of upstate communities to bail out these liberal epicenters. It seems as if my friends across the aisle have forgotten they have an entire state to take care of, not just a city.”

Press Release:

To aid participants in better understanding eating and socializing with vision loss, Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), is holding a “Lunch in the Dark” event, with diners eating in a darkened environment. 

It will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 25 at The New York State School for the Blind Gymnasium, 2A Richmond Avenue in Batavia.  

The menu includes Chicken Parmesan, Baked Ziti, Salad, and Garlic Knots, and a 50/50 Split Drawing and a Basket Raffle are among the fun activities.

As a group, we will talk about the best practices for making events with food more accessible, as well as strategies for eating with vision loss.

This is also a fundraising event for the ongoing work of ILGR with individuals with disabilities. The ticket price is $30 per person, and pre-registration is required with Catherine DeMare at 585-815-8501, extension 400, or at cdemare@wnyil.org.

We are seeking community-minded businesses and organizations to co-sponsor the event, for which they will be recognized – when the lights are back up.