Aaron Leone, a sophomore at Le Roy High School, is now one of the top clay target shooters in the nation after finishing 73 among 1,331 competitors this weekend at the USA HS Clay Target League Championships. He shot 194 of 200. He finished sixth out of 49 competitors from New York. The competition was held in Mason, Mich.
Photos and info submitted by Tim McArdle.
A four-foot long alligator was found in a vacant building at 11 Lehigh Ave., on Monday, and picked up by Encon Officer Wilson.
The alligator was initially discovered by Batavia PD but spokesman Investigator Eric Hill said the report didn't indicate how an officer found out about the alligator.
A DEC spokeswoman said the Seneca Park Zoo agreed to house the animal temporarily until it can be relocated to a permitted facility.
The case is still under investigation and she said it's illegal in New York to possess any crocodilian family without permits.
The building's listed owner is RCT Corp. The Batavian emailed a person who might be associated with that company to see if we can get more information.
Photo by Linda Cotter.
Photo: Joe Marone, on the left, and Phil Pastore on the right. Marone and Pastore were partners in the Pok-A-Dot. Marone died in 2014. Also pictured, James Pero.
Philip Pastore Jr., who owned the Pok-A-Dot, a Batavia institution, for 65 years, passed away Tuesday at the age of 93.
Pastore was proud of his little diner that became legendary throughout the region and unique enough to be featured once on the Travel Channel.
In 2013, when celebrating the restaurant's 60th anniversary, he said, "It’s probably one of the greatest things in my life, to own something for 60 years."
Pastore died peacefully at the United Memorial Medical Center surrounded by his family.
He and Joseph “Trigger” Marone opened the Dot at the corner of Liberty and Ellicott as a hot dog stand in 1953. It quickly became a regular breakfast and lunch spot for locals and as the years went on, drew visitors from throughout the region, famous for its beef on weck.
The Gilmartin Funeral home is currently handling arrangements for the family.
Below is an article by Anne Marie Starowitz about the Pok-A-Dot that she gave The Batavian permission to publish:
Let’s Meet at the Dot: Remembering Philip Pastore
Every building has a story. The Pok-A-Dot has one that involves family, friends, bands, railroad tracks, ‘50s décor and thousands of customers. All could add a page to the story of the Dot. My page would be going to the Dot in the ‘60s with my brothers and sisters and fighting over the swivel stools at the counter. Today when my brother and sisters’ families come home, the first place they want to eat at is the Dot!
Prior to the establishment and construction of the “Pok-A-Dot” restaurant at the corner of Liberty Street and Ellicott Street in Batavia, a bandstand occupied the current parcel of land. It was used for band concerts for the neighborhood residents. With the help of Congressman Harold Ostertag, and John Gioia, owner of Gioia’s Drug, the property was leased to Philip Pastore and Joseph (Trigger) Marone. They built what has been known as the Pok-A-Dot Restaurant.
They dug the foundation for the 20- by 20-foot “box type” wooden building in April 1953. It was completed on June 6, 1953. The sides of the building housed flaps, which were pulled down at the end of the business day. They were painted black with multicolored “Pok-A-Dots.” The idea for its name originated when they saw a house painted with polka dots.
The first day the Pok-A-Dot opened, Philly and Trigger were ready with the cigar cash box, hot dogs and hamburgers for 20 cents and free ice cream. At the end of their first day, the cigar cash box was overflowing with money. The tired, excited partners were guessing how much money they made at the grand opening. They thought at least $500.00. With eagerness, they began to count all of their money and were surprised that they made only $85.00.
Added to the original menu of hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and ice cold root beer served in frosted mugs came “roast Beef on Wick” and a pepper and egg sandwich (the first in Genesee County). As the business grew, more items were added to the menu. The cooking of the famous Beef on Wick began in Leona Pastore’s kitchen, along with pasta fagioli from the very infancy of the Dot.
The railroad tracks ran right behind the new Pok a Dot building. The tracks were so close you could almost touch the train as it went by. The workers for the railroad enjoyed the Dot and would park the train down by Swan Street unhook the engine and ride it to the back of the Dot and go in for lunch.
Eventually, the building was enclosed with windows, which were removed at the beginning of the warm weather. In 1961 an enclosed dining room was added with red tables and wrought iron chairs. Added to the 1950s décor was a jukebox with the small boxes on the counter.
The Pok-A-Dot became a place for many famous celebrities to sit and unwind after their performances across the street at the well-known Roman Room Restaurant. People like Al Martino, Julius La Rosa, Tony Pastore, Dick Contino and many well- known bandleaders were among them.
When you went into the restaurant, you were not given a menu. Rather the waitress would say, “What can I get you?” All your choices were on the menu wall. If it wasn’t up there and they could make it, they would. Over the years, many young people worked at the Dot, including all of Mr. Pastore’s six children. The waitresses over the years were very loyal. The current manager Jo Anne has worked at the Dot for over 25 years. Jennifer, Nicole, Lynette, Jo Anne, and Melody make up the rest of the current working staff. You can find some of these ladies working different shifts from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday the hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m..
The Pok-A-Dot has been featured in the book Sunlight Dialogues that was written by Genesee County’s most famous author, John Gardner, who frequented the restaurant as a young man. Each year in October the Pok-A-Dot hosts an evening of readings for the John Gardner Society from the great author’s books. Author and some time reader at these gatherings, Bill Kauffman, stated, “The Pok-A-Dot is the literary capital of Culinary Batavia.” The Pok-A-Dot has also been immortalized in the painting and calendar sketches of Batavia’s well-known artist, John Hodgins. Wanda Frank, a radio personality for WBTA made a CD, Grandpa’s Home for Christmas, which mentions the Pok-A-Dot in her radio play. It seems that the Pok-A-Dot is the setting for more than just a good meal.
To this day, people who grew up in and around the area and then moved away to different parts of the country return and make a special stop to enjoy the Beef on Wick for which the Dot has been famous in the Western NY region for 56 years.
In 1999 a business called Mail Boxes Etc. used a refrigerant technology to send perishable products in the mail. One of these boxes was used when a man came in and wanted to ship overnight a hot pepper sandwich from the Pok-A-Dot as a birthday gift to his brother. The brother used to live here and loved the sandwiches. There are many creative ways to ship the Dot’s food to different places.
T-shirts have been sold with the Pok-A-Dot logo and can be found as far away as California, Florida, Colorado and many more places.
The Pok-A-Dot has been a regular stop for thousands of people who want a good cup of coffee, good food and good conversation. “Meet you at the Dot,” is a well-known expression. You will always find the regulars and then you would find people like me who just go to the Dot to have a Beef on Wick, fries with gravy and root beer in a frosted mug.
In October of 2006, Phil Pastore and Joe Marone were honored at the Paulo Busti Cultural Foundation Brunch for Italians being in business for over 50 years.
October 2014, Joseph “Trigger” Marone died. Batavia mourned his passing.
Batavia mourns again. We lost Philip Pastore on July 17, 2018. Memories are swirling around in everyone’s mind remembering him and the Pok a Dot. Our hearts go out to the Pastore family.
Article published in "Back in the Day, Snapshot of Local History, The Way I See It," by Anne Marie Starowitz.
UPDATE: The Travel Channel show that included a segment on the Pok-A-Dot ran in Britain, called "American Times." The Pok-A-Dot appears at minute 29.
When 8-year-old Gunnar came to his father and said he didn't want to play tackle football anymore, Otis Thomas listened. He also remembered a commercial for a youth flag football program sponsored by the NFL that he had seen during the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.
Thomas talked with Kevin Rogers and they agreed to apply to the NFL to set up a league in Batavia.
It was a very easy process, they said. The NFL provides a step-by-step guide and the staff is helpful and friendly, they said.
So, Batavia will have an NFL-sponsored flag football program for children ages 5 to 14 this fall; "no contact, 6 on 6."
Thomas said it's not his goal to take anything away from the Batavia Bulldawgs, the local tackle football program, but he believes there are a lot of parents in the community who want to give their children a fun activity and see them learn the sport but don't want to strap a heavy helmet on their heads.
"I don’t want to pull away from anything the Bulldawgs organization has done around Batavia," Thomas said. "I coached for two years. It was good for me. It was good for my son but it’s also good to see other opportunities for other kids that aren’t ready to play contact football."
Both Thomas and Rogers are aware, of course, about the growing concern parents have about football, concussions, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.
"I just wanted my son to play all the sports that I never had a chance to," said Rogers, who didn't come from a football family and didn't play the sport as a child. "Now, as a parent, you sort of see where my parents were coming from growing up, where it’s a little bit more violent of a sport than we’re used to, especially for young kids, ages 5 to 14. Their bodies are still developing. We wanted to start something to give the kids options who want to learn the sport."
The field dimensions are smaller, 30 yards by 70 yards, which will allow the new league to play as many as five games at one time on the varsity football field at Notre Dame High School off of Union Avenue.
The games consist of two 15-minute halves between teams of six players each. They will be played on Sunday mornings so parents can get home in time to watch the Bills. There will be one practice a week -- one hour on Wednesday nights. Each child who signs up, for $65, will get a replica NFL jersey and a pair of flags with their team's logo on it.
There are no helmets.
"I don’t really agree with putting a 5- or a six-year-old or a 7- or 8-year-old in a helmet," said Thomas, who played in Batavia Youth Football as a kid, played in high school, and played semi-pro ball.
"We teach them, 'don’t use your head' but you put that helmet on, it’s a weight. You can see it. Go to any little Pop Warner game and you see a kid running by himself for a touchdown he’s leaning to the left but his body is really wanting to go to the right."
Rogers said he and Thomas have talked to 30 or 40 parents and gotten a lot of positive feedback on the idea, so they're expecting plenty of children to sign up.
They think even though there is no contact, young players will learn key fundamentals of the game that will help them if they decide to play high school football, including the vocabulary of the game, the rules and how plays are run.
The safety aspect of flag football is why Thomas thinks the sport will catch on in the community, though he said it is an individual decision for each parent on whether to sign their kids up for contact football or flag football.
"I love the game but I love the safety and I value my kid's life a little bit more," Thomas said.
The co-ed league is open to boys and girls age 5 to 13 from throughout the area, with divisions for ages 5, 6 and 7, 8 and 9, 10 and 11, and 12 and 14.
Please contact Otis Thomas at (585) 993-0244 or Kevin Rogers at (716) 860-4551 with any questions.
(Thomas and Rogers said they are not aware of any other NFL flag football leagues in WNY. They think the next closest one is in Ohio. They hope other parents will start leagues in neighboring counties.)
There will be registration sessions at:
The Genesee County Fair for 2018 is underway and one of the big events for the first day yesterday was the fair parade.
There are events all week. Click here for a schedule.
To purchase prints click here.
Press release:
Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing millions in waste and water disposal loans and grants in the towns of Alexander, Oakfield, Canadice, and Barre.
In each of these towns, water quality testing has indicated threats to public health and a lack of safe water. The funding will go toward various solutions to alleviate these concerns and provide reliable water service to residents.
“USDA’s investment in the towns of Alexander, Oakfield, Canadice, and Barre will improve the quality of life for residents of those communities,” Collins said. “Access to clean water is essential, which is why I voted in support of the 2018 Omnibus spending bill that included these funds to our nation’s rural communities."The Trump administration has prioritized investing in rural communities to build a foundation for rural prosperity, and I am pleased that these efforts are being seen in Western New York.”
Funding awarded is listed below:
- Town of Alexander will receive a $2.7 million loan and a $2.2 million grant
- Town of Oakfield will receive a $236,000 loan and a $691,000 grant
- Town of Canadice will receive a $1 million loan and a $200,000 grant
- Town of Barre will receive a $708,000 loan and a $493,000 grant
Rural community leaders can apply for these funds electronically by using the interactive RD Apply tool. They can also apply through one of USDA Rural Development’s state or field offices.
For more information on USDA’s projects to upgrade water and wastewater systems in rural communities, click here. Municipalities seeking assistance from the USDA are encouraged to call Collins’ Lancaster District Office at 716-634-2324.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for all of Genesee County by the National Weather Service and it is in effect until 10:45 p.m.
The storm is moving east at 35 mph hour with wind gusts up to 60 mph. Damage to roofs, siding and trees possible.
The National Weather Service recommends moving to an interior room at the lowest floor of your building.
Large hail and damaging wind and continuous cloud-to-ground lightning spotted in this storm, along with torrential rainfall, and flash flooding is possible.
A car fire was reported in the Village of Alexander this evening at a residence next to the cobblestone village hall on Buffalo Avenue.
We don't have any other details on the fire at this time.
Photos submitted by Heather Jackson.
"A Knight's Journey" is a book meant to carry its readers on a trip through the history of Le Roy Oatkan Knights football but in writing it, the authors, Jim Bonacquisti and John Mangefrida, traveled their own path of discovery, going deeper and learning more about a subject they had known their whole lives.
It was meaningful to Bonacquisti to learn more about some of the great Knights' coaches of the past, such as Edward Refsteck, Ed Walsh and Jimmy Brown, but the learning more about two former Knights who gave their lives for others really touched him.
"John Aramino and Gary Scott, those two stories, I mean I knew of both of them, but when you start to do the research about what heroes they were, I really thought it was important, specifically those two, for our young, not even just football players, but our young kids of this community to know about them because it's so long ago," Bonacquisti said. "It's 50, 60 years and these were selfless acts that these two did. It's incredible. The common bond is they were both Knight football players."
Aramino was still in school when he and some friends went out to target shoot around Buttermilk Falls in May 1961. A couple of the boys were on the tracks when a train came along, surprising the boys. A younger boy tried to run from the train and Aramino jump on him, forcing him to the ground between the rails and covered him with his body. Aramino was killed instantly.
After graduating from Syracuse, Gary Scott, who was Knights' team captain in 1962 and the second graduate to win the John Aramino Award, joined the Army and volunteered for the infantry, thinking combat was the quickest route to promotion, and as an African-American he felt blacks were underrepresented in leadership roles in the military. He was killed in action in 1968, saving a fellow soldier's life when their platoon was ambushed and winning the Silver Star as a result.
For Mangefrida the discovery of Reginald D. Root and his story and accomplishments was a gem to research.
Root was a 1920 graduate of Le Roy. He won a scholarship to Yale where he excelled academically and was a standout at football and lacrosse. After graduation, he was selected by the U.S. ambassador to Mexico to travel to the University of Mexico and start an American-style football team. He coached that team for two years before returning to Yale to become the freshman football head coach. In 1933, he became varsity head coach but his 4-4 record disappointed alumni and he was replaced before the start of the 1934 season.
He stayed on at Yale for eight more years as a coach and instructor. After Yale, he became athletic director at Hillhouse High School, where mentored a young football player by the name of Levi Jackson. Jackson would become Yale's first African-American football player and eventually Ford Motor Company's first African-American executive.
"I had no idea about what an influence Reggie Root was," Mangefrida said. "Not only was he a good player here. He was an all-star student. ... He was just an outstanding individual and I never knew anything about him."
"A Knight's Journey" was inspired by a book about Cal-Mum's program but the authors wanted to go deeper, telling the stories of the young men and coaches who passed through the program, Bonacquisti.
The stories come together to weave a tale of Oatkan Knights' football from its beginning in 1897 through today.
"The other thing which was really cool was to listen to what former players had to say about their coaches," Bonacquisti said. "There are some funny stories but maybe more important is how prominent they (the coaches) were in their lives, even if it was only two years, three years, four years; what a positive effect that the coaches here had on young man's life. That's pretty cool."
To make arrangements to purchase a copy of the book, email Bonacquisti at jbona2333@yahoo.com.
Press release:
Orchard Park native Bubba Hollins was assigned to the Batavia Muckdogs on Monday, July 16th. Hollins played his high school baseball at Orchard Park.
Hollins was originally drafted out of high school by the Detroit Tigers in the 35th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He then went to St. Petersburg Community College before signing to go to St. Bonaventure University in Olean.
Hollins, a third baseman, will be entering his second stint with the Muckdogs on Monday.
Last year, Hollins hit .214 in 12 games for Batavia. He started the 2018 season with the Miami Marlins Class A-Advanced affiliate, the Jupiter Hammerheads. For the Hammerheads, Hollins hit .167 with a double and a home run in the 21 games he played in the Florida State League.
His father, Dave Hollins, was a 12-year MLB veteran who played with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Boston Red Sox, the Minnesota Twins, the Seattle Mariners, the Los Angeles Angels, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Cleveland Indians. Dave Hollins was also the hitting coach for Muckdogs’ manager Mike Jacobs in 2005 with the Binghamton Mets.
Carl Bruce James Miller, 26, of Attica Road, Darien, is charged with DWI, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, and failure to keep right. Miller was charged following an investigation by Deputy Ryan Young into a rollover accident reported at 2 a.m. Sunday on Harper Road, Darien. There were two occupants in the vehicle at the time and were transported to ECMC for evaluation of minor injuries.
A 17-year-old resident of County Line Road, Darien, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child. At 3:41 a.m. on July 7, deputies responded to County Line Road, Darien, to investigate a report of an intoxicated male trespassing on a residential property. The youth charged was later accused of hosting a party at his residence where he provided alcohol to individuals under age 21.
Nathan Adam Millar, 30, of Church Street, Alexander, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Millar allegedly struck another person during a disagreement.
Roy Watson Jr., 29, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with a criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Watson was allegedly found in possession of a small quantity of cocaine at 2:30 a.m. Sunday at a location on Main Street, Le Roy.
Michael Arthur Brade, 34, of Olyn Avenue, of Batavia, is charged with sex offender failure to report change. Brade, a Level 3 sex offender, is accused of creating a new email account and not notifying authorities within 10 days. Batavia PD opened an investigation after being alerted by a parole officer.
Matthew I. Diers, 34, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with sex offender failure to report change. Diers, a Level 2 sex offender, is accused of creating a Facebook account and email address and failing to report it to authorities within 10 days. Batavia PD was alerted to the accounts by a parole officer.
The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during the Lynyrd Skynyrd Concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Friday:
Stuart M. Thorp, 41, of Magnolia Crescent, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada, arrested for criminal trespass, 3rd, after allegedly reentering the concert venue after having been ejected and told not to return. Thorp was arraigned in Darien Court and jailed in lieu of $1,500 bail.
Andrew G. Lehmann, 30, of Prospect Street, Attica, arrested for disorderly conduct after allegedly flipping over benched outside the concert venue. Andrew was arraigned in Darien Court and released on $150 bail.
Chad R. Carrington, 25, of Marcy Place, Bronx, arrested for false personation after allegedly providing a false name to deputies.
Pasquale A. Damato, 43, of Kinsley Road, Elma, arrested for harassment, 2nd, after allegedly punching a female in the face.
Christine M. Kroger, 52, of Barks Road, Caledonia, arrested for trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.
Press release:
Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) and Congressman Raul Ruiz (CA-36) introduced legislation to ensure that emergency physicians’ due process rights are protected if they are employed by a third party contractor. More than half of all emergency physicians around the country are denied due process because standard contracts require them to waive away these rights.
“Emergency departments (ED) are at the core of our nation’s health care safety net, staffed with hardworking physicians who provide care 24 hours a day 365 days a year,” Collins said. “Many hospitals have turned to physician staffing companies to meet complex organizational challenges, although that has come at an unfair cost to ED doctors.
"These hardworking men and women, who spend a decade in school and residency training and dedicate their lives advocating on behalf of their patients, have lost their due process rights. My legislation seeks to fix that.”
“Patients come first. Quality of care and patient safety should be the first concern of any doctor, not whether they could be fired for whistle blowing or reporting dangerous conditions in the hospital,” Dr. Ruiz said. “I am proud to co-author this bill to improve patient safety and cut down on fraud in our health care system by guaranteeing all doctors due process and whistleblower protections.”
Due process, a guaranteed right under the U.S. Constitution, is the foundation of one’s employment status across many industries. Physicians receive due process rights from a number of sources including Medicare, as a condition of participation, and the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986. However, these laws only afford due process rights to physicians directly employed by the hospital.
The third-party staffing model is most common in emergency departments across the country, leaving emergency doctors without the ability to negotiate basic terms of employment. These physicians are required to waive their right to a fair hearing and appellate review by their peers on the medical staff, in the event of termination or a restriction of their practice rights.
For patients, the link between due process and quality care is clear. Physicians are unable to act as their patient’s best advocate when they fear retribution from their employers.
Among the medical community, there is concern that third party contract structures will deter future generations from pursuing a career in emergency medicine and leave our nation with a shortage of emergency room physicians. This legislation has the support of leading organizations in emergency medicine.
"In the field of emergency medicine, there is no greater policy imperative for patient safety and quality care than enacting this due process legislation," said David Farcy, president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. "The Academy is proud to stand with Representative Collins and Representative Ruiz, and we applaud them for championing this bill that serves the best interest of the patient and the taxpayer."
“On behalf of more than 38,000 emergency physicians, emergency medicine residents, and medical students, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is proud to support Congressman Collins’ and Congressman Ruiz’s legislation to ensure every emergency physician has medical staff due process rights,” said Paul Kivela, MD, MBA, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. “This is an important safeguard that will ensure all emergency physicians have access to a fair due process procedure.”
“The Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD) represents the over 240 emergency medicine residency training programs in the U.S. CORD strongly supports due process rights for emergency physicians as this is in the best interest of the public, the institutions and the safe practice of medicine," said Christopher Doty, MD, president, Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine.
"Therefore, CORD supports Representative Collins and Representative Ruiz on this important bill."
“Due process legislation will improve patient safety and support our physicians’ focus on providing patient-centered care, which is the hallmark of the osteopathic profession,” said Mark A. Baker, DO, president of the American Osteopathic Association.
“With nearly 10 percent of the nation’s 108,000 DO degreed physicians specializing in emergency medicine, the American Osteopathic Association commends Congressman Collins and Congressman Ruiz for their leadership on legislation that would ensure due process is available to physicians working in a complex practice environment.”
“On behalf of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, I am in full support of Representative Collins and Representative Ruiz in proposing this legislation," said Christine F. Giesa, DO FACOEP-D, president, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians.
"Our patients are the core of our work, and this legislation is a major step forward in ensuring their health and safety.”
“The guarantee of due process rights is one of the most critical issues facing emergency physicians and is fundamental to our ethical mandate to act in the best interests of our patients, many of whom are among the most vulnerable in society,” said Steven B. Bird, MD, president of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). “Therefore, SAEM strongly supports the passage of this legislation.”
"Entering a workforce where due process is ensured is the best possible future for residents and students in emergency medicine," said Mohammed Moiz Qureshi, president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine Resident and Student Association.
"AAEM/RSA echoes the commitment of Representative Collins and Representative Ruiz to that future and we appreciate their work on this legislation to help future generations of emergency physicians best serve their patients."
“A physician’s duty to advocate for safe and effective treatments, policies and practices is impaired by lack of due process,” said Charles McKay, MD, president of the American College of Medical Toxicology. “ACMT is proud to stand with Representative Collins and Representative Ruiz in this effort to better protect patients’ health and quality improvements within the health care system.”
For a copy of H.R. 6372, click here.
When Jay Beaumont and his partners decided to buy the Eagle Hotel in Le Roy in 2012 and open the Smokin' Eagle BBQ & Brew, Beaumont immediately noticed that the Eagle's back property line included access to the Oatka Creek.
His first thought: Paddleboats.
For the first few years of the Smokin' Eagle, Beaumont had many other restoration projects to work on in the old tavern and hotel at 9 Main St. His idea was to build a wooden dock and that, he figured, would be a lot of work.
As Bill Farmer's restoration project of the Creekside Inn at 1 Main St. progressed, Beaumont put his idea on hold.
"As Farmer started to pick up the pieces, he told me he would build us access to the creek," Beaumont said. "What he built was the Taj Mahal down there. He really advanced my idea."
With further research, Beaumont found a pre-built plastic dock that could be floated into place. That was installed this past Thursday, just in time for annual Oatka Festival and the Eagle's inaugural Paddleboat Regatta.
The regatta started with just enough hardy sailors to power five paddle boats. By the end of the first race, there were enough new entrants for a second race, and by the end of the third, enough for a fourth race. The top two teams from each race then faced off in a finals race.
"It was really exciting," Beaumont said. "It was a big hit."
Beaumont has hired some high school students to help get customers on and off the boats and a college student to manage the business.
"The kids did a great job," Beaumont said. "It's a chance for them to get experience in a small business but it's also fun. What could be a more fun job? What kid wouldn't want to do it?"
The dock also includes a kayak ramp so any kayaker on the creek can stop at the Eagle or the Creekside Inn for a drink, snacks or a meal.
Besides paddleboats, the concession rents kayaks.
Paddleboats are $20 an hour with a weight limit of 460 pounds and children must wear a life vest.
Kayaks are $10 an hour.
For kayakers who want to dock their own kayaks to visit the restaurants, there is a $10 fee, which helps cover the cost of dockside staff assisting the boaters, but the customers will receive a $5 voucher for the Smokin' Eagle.
Beaumont said the service will be open from 11 a.m. to dusk every day of the week, but those hours may be adjusted as they learn to gauge demand.
Rentals will not be available during times of heavy water flow on the creek for safety reasons.
Maddie Augello (center, above) is the 2018 Onion Queen. She was crowed yesterday by 2017 Queen Emily Reynolds. The first runner-up was Maddison Howard left), and second runner-up was Nataly Galvez.
The Elba Betterment Committee also brought back Elba's annual parade, which hasn't been run for a couple of years.
To purchase prints, click here.
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