Several articles have been written on the early public schools from this area, including those still in use today. When the very first schools were built, Catholic schools were also built alongside their churches.
Rev. Thomas Cunningham established the first Catholic school in 1873. He became the first priest to settle permanently in the village. With him came six Sisters of Mercy. The sisters lived in the Davis Building on Jackson Street that served as their convent until 1873. The sisters started a school in a barn next to the convent. Due to a fire, the sisters had to move the school to a large stone building on Jackson Street that became Marshall News Store many years later.
In 1882 St. Joseph’s Parish began to build a new school and convent on Summit and East Main Street. It was a solid unadorned building with a small turret over the front door and little towers on the front corners. It had four rooms on the first floor for the younger students and three rooms above for the older children. High school students were enrolled at the school until 1912. Music lessons were taught in small spaces in the corridors.
St. Joseph’s School served as a parochial elementary school until 1959. The building was listed as unsafe for young children, so in the fall of 1959, a new school with twelve classrooms and a cafeteria was built. The old school was razed. In 1973 office space and a new gymnasium and assembly hall were added to the eastern side of the new school.
Rev. Peter Pitass started Sacred Heart School in 1904 when he organized Sacred Heart Parish. The school’s classrooms were ready for pupils by 1918. Those classrooms served the Polish community until the flood of 1942. The school and church were located at the foot of Jackson Street. By 1954 the school was also deemed a fire hazard, and plans were drawn up for a new school and church. The new school would be located east of the church facing Sumner Street. By the end of the year, a new fireproofed school building was built for $8,000.00.
In 1904 approximately 20 students were enrolled at Sacred Heart School. By 1934 the number had increased to about 60 students, and registration remained at about that level until the ‘60s. Then, in the ‘60s, enrollment began to decrease. Finally, in 1974 enrollment was so small that Sacred Heart School merged with St. Anthony’s. Thus, after 70 years, there was no longer a school in the Sacred Heart Parish.
In 1908 Rev. Hyacinthe Ciabbatoni brought two Sisters of Mercy to Batavia to organize a school. In 1909 property was bought on Liberty Street at Central Avenue; members of the parish put together two old houses to serve as a school and a parish hall. In 1930 a new school was built by Frank Homelius, one of Batavia’s native architects. He designed a school building with two floors, a social hall, and a gymnasium behind it. It was dedicated as St. Anthony’s Community Center. It was the most prominent meeting place in the city. The school had nine classrooms on two floors along central corridors, with offices on either main entrance. The basement had a nursery room, kitchen, and lavatories. It was a T-shaped building with a gymnasium used for athletics and as a meeting hall or a dining room. This community center was used for political rallies, union meetings, Grange meetings, fundraising, and Bingo. Many a bride will remember having her wedding reception at the Community Center with dinner on one floor and dancing on another.
By 1908 there were between 200 and 250 students enrolled at St. Anthony’s School. By 1970, 7th and 8th-grade students attended St. Mary’s, where junior high classes were offered. In June 2006, St. Anthony’s School closed its doors after 95 years as an educational and social activity center on Batavia’s south side.
Rev. Edward J. Ferger established St. Mary’s Elementary School when he organized the building of a Catholic High School, Notre Dame High School, in 1951. The school opened before the buildings were complete. The first-year students met at St. Anthony’s Community Center for classes until the school was finished. In 1952 St. Mary’s school was built and faced Woodrow Road. St. Mary’s had eight classrooms and a small gym in a separate building. Sisters of the Holy Cross were the first teachers at St. Mary’s, and then the school was run by the Felician Sisters. At the end of the 2003-2004 academic year, St. Mary’s Elementary School closed its doors due to limited financial resources and fewer students.
In 1951 Notre Dame High School welcomed its first class of 58 boys and girls to temporary quarters at St. Anthony’s School. Notre Dame High School was dedicated on September 6, 1952. The school has two floors with classrooms along Union Street and a large gymnasium in the rear. A cafeteria is below the gym. A small chapel and library are on the second floor. In the early years, Notre Dame’s faculty consisted of nuns and priests. There were times when up to 500 students walked the halls between classes with one-way traffic jamming corridors. Over the years, Notre Dame’s enrollment has fluctuated, but today it remains an alternative to public school education.
All students will remember the attractive uniforms the girls had to wear. Sacred Heart had a plaid jumper, St. Anthony’s a brown uniform, St. Joseph’s a blue uniform, and St. Mary’s girls wore a blue jumper crossed in the front and the back. The actual everyday uniform at Notre Dame HS was a pleated skirt and a long-sleeved blouse buttoned to the neck, and to add to the uniform’s lovely appearance was a bolero. If you rolled over the waistband of the skirt to make it shorter, you would get detention. Besides the unattractive uniforms, some might remember the classrooms overflowing with students, singing Gregorian chant at Mass, attending a High Mass on Sunday, and no meat on Friday.
One could also not forget the Notre Dame Girls’ Basketball uniform the girls had to wear in the ‘50s and ‘60s. The uniform was a royal blue, pleated, heavy cotton jumper that had to touch your knees, a long-sleeved white blouse that had to be buttoned at the top, and bloomers. The inspiring girls’ basketball team had only two girls who could run down the court, and the rest could take three steps and pass the ball. It made for a very “fast-moving” game. The windows had to be covered when the girls were playing just in case a “boy” might try to look in the window.
Over the last century, schools were established, moved, burned down, and closed. Many of these schools closed due to low enrollment, but the memories these students hold in their hearts remain. A young girl remembers living next to old St. Joseph’s School, sneaking over to the old school, and peeking in the windows. A nun would let her come in and sit and color. Her older siblings all attended the school. In the early days at St. Joseph’s School, there was not a gymnasium. Instead, students would gather every day on the blacktop in the parking lot and jump rope or shoot baskets on the outdoor basketball court.
Grade school, high school, it didn’t matter if it was a public or private school; the memories would be the same. So many will still be in touch with that special friend they hung around with in grade school and possibly high school. Stories get better with age as they are told over and over again.
Today St. Joseph Regional School is the only Catholic elementary school left in Batavia. Yet, it offers everything the public schools provide. Notre Dame High School still proudly stands on Union Street, graduating boys and girls on the same grounds their parents and grandparents stood many years ago.
When Timothy "TJ" Woodward realized that sports cards were becoming more popular, he reached out to friend Doug Sicari, an avid collector over the years. It just so happened that Sicari was thinking of opening a shop and asked if Woodward wanted to join the venture.
“I said absolutely,” Woodward said Thursday at the newly opened Batavia Sports Cards in Batavia. “I’d say 99.9% of our cards are here.”
Remember when kids collected baseball cards, and they even got a bonus piece of bubble gum in a pack? That practice, which began in the 1930s, has grown up, to say the least. Sports cards have had their hot moments, including last year when people were stuck home due to Covid, Woodward said. That drew the off-and-on card collector back to the hobby.
“The attention it was getting; it was all over social media and all over the Internet. I think it was to a boiling point, and when COVID hit, it just erupted,” he said. “It’s a little bit different now than just a hobby.”
Sports cards were introduced in the 1860s, and they have ebbed and flowed throughout time, growing stagnant in the 1990s when originality went out the window and they were mass-produced, Sicari said. Some 20 years ago they took hold again, and the last decade has brought about creative — and increasingly valuable — cards with pieces of memorabilia, he said.
“Over the past five years they’ve gone up dramatically,” Sicari said. “To get distributors, you have to have the brick and mortar store. Location was the most important.”
Batavia Sports Cards had a quiet opening at the 220 East Main St. site in May, and the foot traffic has steadily increased since the owners said. All of the major sports, plus portions of others, are represented, including football, baseball, basketball and hockey, soccer, wrestling, and NASCAR racing. While many adults are scoping out the valuable cards, kids will find something too with Pokémon, base cards, and boxed collections that start at $20.
Sicari gave Woodward a crash course in the business, his partner said, as there’s a lot to learn. Rookie cards draw the most interest, and cards are numbered in various sequences, such as 1 to 10 versus up to 499 or 2500. Snatching up the first card in a series is a coup for a collector, and also when the number matches the player’s jersey number, such as the card numbered eight matching the jersey number of Russian ice hockey star Alexander Ovechkin. Add his autograph for another notch up the value scale.
Other details to look out for are the production dates, extras, such as the Babe Ruth card encased with a piece of his game-used bat, and a grade, performed by the biggest grading service companies PSA and Beckett. A PSA rated 10 means “the card is perfect,” Sicari said, versus a PSA 1 being poor.
Then there are Super and Ultra Rare cards depicting a cool-looking foil and holographic finish on the card name and artwork. These shinier cards are aesthetically classier looking and come with higher values.
Don’t worry if you’re not up to snuff in the sports card industry, because Woodward and Sicari want to help educate people interested in it. More seasoned collectors won’t be disappointed with the selection of “thousands and thousands” of cards, with more being added continuously, the owners said. They have enjoyed talking to customers, many of which want to “trade or sell,” Woodward said.
“You get to see a lot of neat stuff walk in,” he said. "I told Doug I'd never see a Jordan ... and we had three in here."
No, you won't find those coveted Michael Jordan cards at their shop just yet; the sellers didn't end up parting with their merchandise. The owners have already had out-of-town patrons, from Williamsport and Erie, Pennsylvania, to Chicago and Texas, find the shop online while visiting this area. Despite the enormous inventory, the owners purposely mapped out the room to be user-friendly, they said.
“We try to keep something for everybody,” Sicari said. “The idea for the shop was to keep it condensed and easy to look at everything.”
Woodward noted that this is the only sports card business in Genesee County, and the owners have no intention of going small with the operation. In fact, as they tweak the shop to expand its offerings (a website that’s in progress and more permanent hours later this month), they want to see the business boom. It has been a juggling act for Woodward, who owns and operates three funeral homes, and Sicari, who works in construction, to actually man the shop for substantial hours. They are looking to hire a full-time person, but it’s got to be “the right person,” Sicari said.
“You have to have someone who knows it like the back of your hand,” he said.
Anyone interested in applying for the position or in buying, browsing, or trading sports cards can call (585) 483-3090, check out https://www.facebook.com/bataviasportscards or visit 220 East Main St., Batavia 4-8 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays, or noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.
Top photo TJ Woodward and Doug Sicari have turned the hobby of collecting sports cards into a business at their new shop Batavia Sports Cards.
Photos by Philip Casper
The Pembroke Dragons won their homecoming game in soccer on Saturday night, 3-2 over Akron in double overtime. Jonathan Suro scored the winning goal.
Photo and info submitted by Mary Friedmann
The 2021 The Downtown Batavia Business Improving District Wine Walk was from 5pm until 8p Saturday evening. This year’s theme was Prom. The streets were filled with 600 participants visiting over 20 business that were hosing a wine tasting.
YNGODESS
Valle Jewelers
Bourbon and Burger
Eli Fish
Islands Grill
Adam Miller Toys
Adam Miller Toys
Charles Men's Shop
My Cut Barber Shop
Empire Hemp Company
Empire Hemp Company
Batavia Bootery
GO ART!
T-Shirts Etc.
Unless you are over 103 years old and remember the Spanish Flu worldwide outbreak of 1918, then the COVID virus is your first (and hopefully last) pandemic. Enduring all of the shortages, masking, social distancing, quarantining, and isolation for the past year and a half has caused me to think back to when I was a kid growing up in Batavia in the 1950s and 1960s.
What kind of health care did I receive? Who were my providers? What kind of medical problems did I experience? Did we have fears back then like there are now with COVID?
Doctor In The House
My first memory of a doctor is when I had appendicitis at age 5. We lived at 26 Thomas Avenue and our family physician , Doctor Mansueto, lived across the street at number 23. He regularly made house calls after office hours and my mother summoned him to see me.
I had a fever, was vomiting, and had severe lower right side belly pain – the class signs of an infected appendix. But when Dr. Mansueto began examining my abdomen I started giggling like he was tickling me. My mom was exasperated by my reaction until he touched the right spot and I let out a screech so loud that the customers at Olivers Candies probably heard me. It was off to St. Jerome's Hospital for me.
This was in 1952 and a year earlier a major renovation of St. Jerome's had been completed so they were all ready for me. I recall that the anesthesia that was used for my surgery was ether which causes a lot of nausea upon awakening. In between throwing up, all they would give me was ice chips to moisten my mouth. After several days' stay, I got to go home minus my appendix and plus the first of many scars.
Dr. Biagio Mansueto had gotten his degree from the University of Bologna in Italy and then served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Europe during WWII. In 1946 he began his medical practice as a family physician in Batavia with an office upstairs at 73 Main Street above what was Critic's Restaurant. He had a 35-year career and helped deliver over 2,000 babies before retiring to California in 1980. He passed away in 1995.
We had many occasions in our family to call on the services of Dr. Mansueto over the years. When I was about 7 or 8, I had a bad case of strep throat and he had me hospitalized for several days at St. Jerome's. Back then your own family doctor would visit the hospital and oversee your care. The only thing I can remember is that I was given some Hydrogen Peroxide to gargle with and for some reason the nurse left me alone to do that. I spilled it in my bed and lay uncomfortably in the wet sheets until someone discovered it.
A Bad Dime Was Had By Me
A more humorous incident that ended up at the doctor's house began in St. Mary's Church. While attending Sunday Mass my mother gave me a dime (talk about inflation) to put in the collection basket. Me being a goofy little boy, the dime ended up stuck in my nostril. After a couple of embarrassing minutes trying to extricate it (resulting in a lot of runny snot), mom dragged me (probably literally) out of there.
She got me in the car and proceeded to Mansueto's across the street from our house. Fortunately, the doctor was home and calmly removed the stuck coin with tweezers. He told my mother and me that he would be required to keep the coin as payment. This became a funny family tale in subsequent years, but I got my ears blistered (as my mom used to say) that day.
College Interruptus
Probably my last interaction with Doctor Mansueto was after my sophomore year of college in 1966. The whole school year I had been feeling off health-wise and had been losing weight. While working a summer job at Coca- Cola on East Main St. I developed a nagging cough. Eventually, the doctor suspected pneumonia and had me admitted to St. Jerome's for tests and observation.
I have 2 memories of that stay. First, one night the dinner that was served was a not very fresh plate of fruit. Nutrition-wise I guess that was okay ( if it didn't look like it had been left out for a couple of days), but not exactly what a 19-year-old would want. I think I had my mom go to Kustas Kandies on Main Street and get me a big cheeseburger.
Secondly, I know people seem older when you are that young, but there was one nurse who looked about 80. She was walking so slowly entering and leaving the room, with tongue only partially in cheek I asked the young man who was my roommate if he thought we should get out of bed and assist her.
As it turned out. I ended up at a specialist in Rochester and had to withdraw from St. John Fisher College to have surgery for a benign (thankfully ) tumor in my lung. That was definitely not a fun experience but did result in my spending an extra year getting a degree and delaying immersion into the real world of adulthood.
Take Your Best Shot
But by far the things that scared us the most were the newspaper and magazine photos of kids in “Iron Lungs”. These were the precursors to ventilators and consisted of a large metal tank which the patient was placed into with only their head sticking out. The apparatus helped you to breathe easier and helped the lungs and diaphragm to regain their strength.
Most people only needed the iron lungs for several weeks, but somehow we kids got the impression that if you got polio you'd have to spend your whole life in there.
So, needless to say, when we and our parents learned of Doctor Jonas Salk's vaccine discovery that would keep us from those horrible contraptions we counted the days until we could get our shots. Sound familiar in 2021?
It was in the spring of 1955 when the vaccinations finally came. I was in the fourth grade at St. Mary's School and it was announced that doctors would be going to the schools and be assisted by nurses in doing the inoculations. Dr. Samuel Gerace came to our school and I recall him being very friendly and soft-spoken to make the nervous kids more at ease.
I don't remember which kid it was, but one of the boys was boasting about how easy it was going to be and no one should be a “scaredy-cat”. As he waited in line for his turn, he saw the needle go into a child's arm and fainted, going down like an electric pole in a hurricane. For the rest of the year, he was the one that got needled.
Later on in the 1960s, my younger brother was protected against polio by an oral vaccine developed by Doctor Albert Sabin. Instead of a shot, the medication was placed on a sugar cube and you just had to pop it in your mouth. No more fainting.
You Know The Drill
I would be remiss if I didn't mention my experiences with dental care. Our dentist was Doctor Lawrence Mulcahy whose office was in a big white building on the northeast corner of East Main and Ross Streets. I'm sure that he was a very capable dentist, but I would have rather eaten bugs than endure a session with him. I used to stress for days before my appointment.
I don't recall Doctor Mulcahy giving an injection (what most people call Novacaine but used to be Procaine and is now Lidocaine) to numb my mouth for fillings. Rather, he administered Nitrous Oxide, also known as laughing gas.
This is a chemical that apparently people have fun with at Grateful Dead concerts, but I can assure you that I wasn't doing any laughing in the dental chair. It made me feel a little lightheaded but did practically nothing for the pain. I'm pretty sure I yelled out in agony on several occasions.
I was so traumatized by my dental visits that I did not go to the dentist for many years. Eventually, when I finally did go, I had so many cavities that I had to have them taken care of in stages. Dental care was not as bad in the 1950s as in the Old West days when the barber doubled as the dentist. But, I'm sure happy that my appointments for dental care today are painless and anxiety-free.
A lot of folks who get on board the nostalgia train seem to think that everything was better back then. Admittedly, you were more likely to have a personal relationship with your family physician, especially in a small town and particularly when they sometimes came right to your home. But, advances in scientific discoveries ( for those of us who trust them) and medical technology have enabled us to have a longer and healthier life today.
Oakfield-Alabama/Elba was dominant once again, beating Cal-Mum/Byron-Bergen 50-15.
For the Aggies, Gaige Armbrewster rushed for 144 yards on 11 carries. He scored one touchdown. Noah Currier had five carries for 67 yards and two TDs. Connor Scott rushed for 33 yards on two carries, added 67 through the air on three receptions, and scored a TD. Bodie Hyde was 505 passing for 89 yards and a TD. He also connected on a TD pass.
On defense, Hyde had eight tackles. Kaden Cusmano had 10 tackles. CJ Gottler also had 10 tackles and two sacks. Kameron Cusmano, eight tackles and two interceptions. Ethan Cramer, eight tackles, and TJ Andrews, nine tackles.
"As cliché as it is to say a big win was a total team effort, that line couldn't be more true for tonight's performance," said Head Coach Tyler Winter. "We executed at a high level and a lot of guys got to eat tonight. I'm proud of our boys. This is the type of win our group needed to continue building momentum for a big match-up next Friday."
Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.
On Homecoming night, Pembroke prevailed over Canisteo-Greenwood 30-14.
Tyson Totten rushed 23 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns. Caleb Felski, six carries, 32 yards and one rushing TD and one TD reception.
Cayden Pfalzer was 5-10 passing for 41 yards a TD.
Chase Guzdek had three catches for 80 yards and Dakota von Kramer had a six-yard TD reception.
On defense, Pfalzer, four tackles, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Guzdek, four tackles. Jacob Dulski and Alex Lamb each had an interception.
Photos by Elizabeth Gabbey.
Just Reduced: 7324 Selden Road, Le Roy. Why bother building when its already been done for you? Come see this custom built, 3 bedroom, 2 full bath home on almost 2 pretty country acre lot! Only 2 years old this home, is kept in meticulous condition-you literally can move in and do nothing! This home was well planned out when built with attention paid to all the details! Spacious, open floor plan great for entertaining but super cozy for relaxing. Kitchen was well thought out with loads of cupboards, pantry closet, beautiful quartz countertops, an oversized counter top breakfast bar - perfect for the cook who needs spread out room! Pretty living room leads to covered back porch with trex decking overlooking peaceful and private back yard-even the gutters have gutter screens! Bedrooms are all good size with extra large master bedroom and pretty bath with no step shower! First floor laundry located as you come in from a large 2 car garage (wired with 220 electric). This home was built with retirement years in mind, everything is just perfect to grow old in! Basement is high and dry and ready for the next owner to finish off – if wanted! At today's prices, why build when you can move right into this beautiful country home! Click here for more information or call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today. Call 585-344-HOME (4663).
Quarterback Ryan Whitney ran for one touchdown and passed for another Friday night to lead Geneseo/Mount Morris to a 14-6 victory over visiting Notre Dame in Section V varsity football action.
The 6-2, 190-pound junior opened the scoring with a 9-yard scamper on a first-and-goal play late in the first quarter and then found junior wide receiver Eghosa Okpefe in the end zone for the two-point conversion to make it 8-0.
The Blue Devils, 3-2, upped their lead to 14-0 with just 16 seconds remaining in the half when Whitney launched a deep pass that was on the money to Okpefe, who had raced behind the secondary and sprinted untouched into the end zone. A pass for the two-point conversion fell incomplete.
Notre Dame, 1-4, had the ball in Geneseo/Mount Morris territory throughout the opening half but three potential scoring drives were thwarted by an interception by lineman Giovanni Provo, Fighting Irish quarterback Jimmy Fanara being stopped just short of a first down at the 20-yard line and a dropped pass around the 10-yard line.
The Fighting Irish offense broke a nine-quarter scoring drought late in the third period when, on a first-and-10 play at the Geneseo/Mount Morris 46, Fanara connected with sophomore wide receiver Ryan Fitzpatrick for a touchdown.
Fitzpatrick hauled in the pass, put a fake on the defender around the 20-yard line and beat the defense to the end zone. A run for the two-point conversion was unsuccessful.
Notre Dame got the ball back right away when Jay Antinore intercepted a Whitney pass at midfield.
A 25-yard run by Evan Cummings moved the ball to the Geneseo/Mount Morris 30, but a holding penalty negated another nice gain by Cummings, and the drive stalled.
Cummings came up with interceptions on consecutive Blue Devils’ possessions to start the fourth quarter – the second one giving ND the ball at the home team’s 39.
On offense, Cummings picked up 13 yards on three runs before Geneseo/Mount Morris’ defense stiffened. Two incompletions and a short gain on fourth-and-20 turned the ball over the Blue Devils, who – with Whitney carrying the load – ran out the clock.
Whitney ran the ball 24 times for 80 yards and completed six of 19 passes for 127 yards, one TD and three interceptions. Okpefe had three receptions for 90 yards and the touchdown.
For the Irish, Cummings rushed for 56 yards on 11 carries and Fanara gained 60 yards on eight attempts, including a 40-yard scamper late in the first quarter. Fanara was 6-for-21 passing for 68 yards and a TD.
On defense, Camden King recovered a muffed punt.
The Irish will host Alexander at 1 p.m. Saturday as part of the school’s Homecoming.
Activities include a “celebration of life” in honor of the late Ricky Mancuso Jr. (Class of 2005) at noon, prayer service led by Walter Szczesny (Class of 1976), halftime ceremony renaming the football field in honor of the late coach Bill Sutherland and a reception hosted by the Sutherland family at T.F. Brown’s Restaurant following the game.
It was Homecoming in Alexander on Friday night under the lights on the gridiron and the Trojans put on quite a show for the hometown crowd, beating Clyde-Savannah 58-0.
The Trojans are now 4-1 on the season.
QB Nick Kramer was 6-7 passing for 47 yards and two TDs. Jake Laney had two catches for 25 yards. On defense, Kramer had six tackles and a sack. Benny Merrill (who also had a TD reception in the game) had four tackles, an interception, and a fumble recovery.
Photos by Phillip Casper.
Nathan Perkins, WR (11) of the Clyde-Savannah Eagles being taken down by Benny Merrill, DB (6), Ricky Townley, DB (5)
Brayden Woods, RB (2) on the run attempting to break past Christopher Reed, DE (63)
Benny Merrill, WR (6) after a reception leaving behind Nathan Perkins, DB (11)
Nick Kramer, QB (3) scrambling while searching for an open receiver
Eric Cline, K (9) sending through one of many extra points
The Sheriff's Office is looking for the public's help in identifying two people suspected of stealing more than $1,000 in Buffalo Bills merchandise from Dick's Sporting Goods in Batavia.
The theft occurred on Sept. 12.
The suspects reportedly left in a light blue Honda Odyssey with no visible license plates.
Information, including anonymous tips, can be phoned into the Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000 or by contacting Investigator Ryan DeLong at (585) 345-3000 ext. 3572
Although word of a $700,033 award from the Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant program came much later than expected, news that the funds have been released will allow Genesee County to receive reimbursement of expenses connected to a major communications tower project in the Town of Attica.
“The … award was anticipated as part of our 2021 Communications operational budget and our Molasses Hill Public Safety Communications Tower Capital Improvement Project,” said Steven Sharpe, director of Emergency Communications for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. “We received the award letter from the State of New York (on Thursday), and we plan to present a resolution to the (Genesee County) Legislature to accept the grant.”
Sharpe, responding via email from The Batavian, said the performance period of the grant began on January 1st of this year.
In March, prior to the release of the funds, he requested a reallocation of $301,833.67 in unexpended money and unanticipated revenue from the county in the form of a resolution – which eventually was passed – to advance the public safety capital project that included the building of a communications tower on Molasses Hill Road (located just over the Wyoming County line).
Sharpe said the county has “current eligible expenditures that we will seek immediate reimbursement upon approval of the grant contract with the State.”
“The expenditures included tower heating, ventilation and air conditioning repairs; microwave line dehydrator replacements; microwave power plant replacements; tower lease payments; tower utilities; public safety radio system maintenance, and costs associated with the new tower.”
The grant was authorized as part of the 2019-20 fiscal year state budget, Sharpe said, and “brings (the county) up to date on existing costs.”
He said he will work with the state to expedite funding for 2022, using the 2020-21 fiscal year SICG – Formula authorization.
The three other GLOW counties received funding from this grant as well, with Livingston getting $612,806; Orleans $526,529 and Wyoming $422,761. All told, the state released $45 million in SICG grants during this cycle.
According to a press release from the state:
This funding will enable local governments to expand their ability to communicate, exchange valuable data, and streamline information to enhance collaboration and assist first responders.
The SICG, which is administered by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, has awarded $472 million to municipalities over nine rounds since December 2011. The grant is formula based and funded by cellular surcharge revenue.
The program has allowed counties to make vital improvements in the way first responders can communicate between each other and different regions of the state using land mobile radio systems.
Submitted photos: Views of the Molasses Hill Tower.
Previously: Reallocation of funds moves Genesee's public safety communications tower project forward
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Press release:
Today, marks the announcement of Arc GLOW, a chapter of The Arc New York. Arc GLOW is the result of 18 months of strategic planning of two successful and long-standing organizations, The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming and Arc of Genesee Orleans.
As a result of this merger, our programs and services will expand to cover four counties. We are a family-founded agency serving individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their families in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties. Our four-county service area covers roughly 2,400 square miles—geographically, the largest Arc chapter in New York State and the FIRST four-county chapter.
As a unified organization, the employees of Arc GLOW will benefit from the collective knowledge and to continue to use the best practices, procedures, and policies that are focused on the people we serve and their families.
Arc GLOW is dedicated to helping people we serve to meet their full potential and find fulfillment in learning, personal relationships, employment, volunteerism, recreation, the arts, and more. We invite you to learn more about us, ask questions and visit our facilities as we put our combined 100-plus years of dedication and experience to work creating a bright and exciting future for our communities.
Press release:
After 35 years of service, Communications Coordinator Russell L. Lang is working his last shift Friday, October 1, at the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.
Russ began his career on August 9, 1986, as a Dispatcher, and on June 17, 1989, he was appointed Communications Coordinator and has held this position ever since. During his communications career, Lang earned several awards that include two Distinguished Service, three Meritorious Service for continuous excellence, and six Commendations.
“911 emergency communications and public safety systems have changed dramatically over the past 35 years. Russ has always been a very reliable, dedicated employee, always willing to learn new systems and provide the best service possible to the first responders of Genesee County. He will truly be missed, and we all wish him the very best in his retirement,” stated Sheriff Sheron.
Lang said he and his wife expect to move to Myrtle Beach, N.C., on Nov. 1. In the spring he will become the box office manager for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, a Single-A team affiliated with the Chicago Cubs.
Photos by Howard Owens
Frank Riccobono, Asst. Director of Emergency Communications, Undersheriff Bradley Mazer, Legislator Gary Maha, Russ Lang, Sherriff William Sheron, and Steven C. Sharpe
Director of Emergency Communications.
The word haven means a place of safety, a refuge.
And so it is with Batavia native Haven Armstrong. Despite his rocky childhood — dropping out of high school and a constant journey of getting into “a little bit of trouble” — Armstrong has since become a leader in the military, with his family, and for the community.
The 36-year-old Irondequoit resident has fulfilled the very reason his dad named him Haven.
“It means a safe place; he liked that word. My dad taught me how to carry yourself like a man,” Armstrong said during an interview Wednesday. “I just want to be as honest, as real, as open as I can be.”
A Rocky Beginning
It took him a while to reach this point. As a teen, Armstrong dropped out of school at 16. Admittedly, he was “running with the wrong crowd, skipping school” and believing he was a man before his time.
“Thinking I was grown up before I was grown up,” he said. “My mother didn’t let me get away with a lot. She guided me.”
His mom, Patricia Armstrong of Batavia, not only devoted her support to her eldest son and his siblings, but to Haven’s daughter. At the precarious age of 15, he became a father to Makayla. That was “a definite eye-opener,” he said and began his slow trek into adulthood. He eventually got his General Education Diploma (GED) and worked “every job” at various places, from gumball factories and roofing companies to fast-food restaurants.
He acknowledges now that he probably should have listened to his mom more than he did. When his second child, Hasan, was born in 2007, Armstrong genuinely tuned into reality, he said. At 23, he decided to enlist in the Army National Guard. He never looked back.
Falling in Line
Geographically, he said, the role of infantryman has taken him to Germany, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, and just about every state in America. Once a kid on the street looking for trouble, Armstrong, a Staff Sergeant in line for a promotion to Sergeant First Class, has established a solid career. Much of his work has been to evaluate infantry units and train them for deployment. His team trained 50,000 troops across the country, he said. While overseas he helped to shut down highways and safeguard vehicles carrying ammunition.
“We made sure it was a safe route for the ammo to travel,” he said. “We were getting proficient and becoming experts in what we did. It taught me a lot.”
Two years ago he took another opportunity with National Guard to become a recruiter. Based in Geneseo, Armstrong visits schools throughout Genesee County and a portion of Wyoming County during the school year. Summertime means seeing prospective recruits at festivals and fairs. Although he misses the hands-on duties of his infantryman status, Armstrong enjoys sharing his own story with youths who may be experiencing a similar upbringing. The Army National Guard has given him a needed outlet, he said.
“I didn’t know how to channel that energy,” he said. “That’s why I got in trouble.”
Gaining a Voice
His story’s latest chapter is to become part of the Just Kings Social Club, a 10-member organization to help raise up the community. It began with Armstrong’s brother, Brandon, and a few of his friends who organized a march last year in memory of George Floyd and to raise awareness of “why people are upset,” Haven said. Unlike many other rallies that scored big publicity for wreaking havoc on the streets, this one was meant to be peaceful and powerful, Haven said. And he got caught up in the emotion of it all. During the march, he seized the opportunity to speak his truth.
“I grabbed the bullhorn and shared my story,” he said. “We wanted it to be as non-violent as possible.”
As part African American, he has experienced and observed racial profiling — getting pulled over and searched by law enforcement more often than other ethnicities — and watching as minorities received heavier penalties than white people for similar offenses, he said. His military service has brought enlightenment that it doesn’t have to be that way, he said.
“I’ve seen the most diversity … black leadership with white subordinates and white leadership with black subordinates. We don’t see color; everybody’s green. That was the real way of doing everything. When doing a job, we were all treated the same.”
Establishing a Foothold
“To give them everything I can give them in this crazy world we live in,” he said. “I don’t hide anything from them.”
He also brings that truth to Just Kings, a group of humble beginnings purposely devoid of a leader in lieu of a board of peers. Just is for justice and Kings is a term of endearment in the black community. Juneteenth celebrations, chicken barbecues, Thanksgiving food drives, and a school backpack program have served as fundraisers and philanthropy efforts to help bring about change and let people know that someone has their back, he said.
“We’re just trying to be that extra support for the community. People felt like they’re not represented,” he said. “We felt like we needed to put our foothold down in the community.”
The group’s mission statement is “to provide a voice for the local black community. We work to educate and mentor the youth, our neighbors, and ourselves as we continue to fight to end Racism (White Supremacy).”
Haven praised the generosity of local individuals and businesses and law enforcement. Just Kings has forged relationships with Batavia City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch and others in the criminal justice system. The outreach has been “overwhelming,” he said, and these efforts have given people a voice.
“We’ve been silent for so long,” he said.
For more information about Just Kings, how you can help, and future events, check out: https://www.facebook.com/Just-Kings-101243478338314/
Photos courtesy Haven Armstrong.
Press release:
The City of Batavia Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®)—the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years—to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety.” This year’s campaign, October 3-9th, works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.
The City of Batavia Fire Department encourages all residents to embrace the 2021 Fire Prevention Week theme. “It’s important to learn the different sounds of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. When an alarm makes noise—a beeping sound or a chirping sound—you must take action!” said Dan Herberger, Fire Chief. “Make sure everyone in the home understands the sounds of the alarms and knows how to respond. To learn the sounds of your specific smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, check the manufacturer’s instructions that came in the box, or search the brand and model online.”
The City Batavia Fire Department wants to share safety tips to help you “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety”
- A continuous set of three loud beeps—beep, beep, beep—means smoke or fire. Get out, call 9-1-1, and stay out.
- A single chirp every 30 or 60 seconds means the battery is low and must be changed.
- All smoke alarms must be replaced after 10 years.
- Chirping that continues after the battery has been replaced means the alarm is at the end of its life and the unit must be replaced.
- Make sure your smoke and CO alarms meet the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
- The City of Batavia Fire Department is hosting a series of events in support of this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety”, including several presentations at area schools, residences, and the library.
Along with our public events, The City of Batavia Fire Department has a FREE smoke alarm installation program,” said Fire Chief Herberger. “If you do not have a smoke detector or if you are unsure the batteries are working properly, members of the City of Batavia Fire Department will come to your home and ensure that you have a working smoke detector, absolutely free of charge. Call (585) 345-6375 to set up an in-home appointment.”
Press release:
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is kicking off a series of visits to local small businesses to commemorate National Women's Small Business Month, starting with a visit to Gilliana's Diner in Batavia. In the weeks to come, Hawley will be visiting other women-owned small businesses in the district throughout October.
Gilliana's Diner is a business opened by local resident Jill Antinore during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hawley will be visiting the restaurant on Oct. 2 at 12:30 p.m. to honor Jill Antinore for her community-minded actions and perseverance in opening her business during a challenging period, all while looking out for her neighbors. They will also discuss her experience opening and operating her business, along with the challenges she and her staff have faced along the way.
“The dedication and generosity displayed by Jill Antinore in opening her business amid a pandemic is truly commendable, and her restaurant is the perfect place to start our celebration of National Women's Small Business Month,” said Hawley. “What she has done for the community, even while working to get her restaurant up and running, is truly astounding. I look forward to hearing from her firsthand about how she managed to do so much for so many people.”
Even as they opened their doors during tumultuous times, Jill and her husband worked through nights and early mornings to prepare meals to donate to the United Memorial Medical Center. Not stopping there, the business has continued its generous acts by donating 30 percent of all take-out dinner sales to benefit the Batavia Business & Professional Women's Club, as well as providing scholarships to local youth, and monetary awards to non-profit organizations engaged in bettering the community.
As Hawley continues with his series of visits to other businesses throughout National Women's Small Business Month, he will continue to highlight women-owned businesses that have overcome adversity, gone above and beyond to benefit their community, or have otherwise become famed fixtures within local areas. He will be announcing more of these visits to businesses in the near future.
“In a year that has been challenging for small businesses throughout the state, I am excited to use this opportunity to highlight the hard work and managerial prowess of women who own small businesses in our district,” said Hawley. “They have worked through a pandemic to continue serving their communities, all while adapting to rapidly changing laws and regulations, and that is something truly admirable.”
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