Nine years after closing Robert Morris Elementary, city school officials are mulling the idea of resuming it as a school once again.

The idea is in tandem with recommending Request for Proposals of completely renovating the well-used Batavia Middle School. The Board of Education unanimously agreed to move forward with the school’s construction assessment and a cost estimate during Thursday’s board meeting.  

Board member John Reigle spoke on behalf of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, which has been conducting a district facilities review. 

His mission was to ask the board “to direct our contractors” to conduct a complete review of the middle school to find out how much work and money it would take to renovate and abate the site, he said, and the cost to “bring Robert Morris up to date to facilitate student use.”

Interim Superintendent Scott Bischoping added that it would be ideal to do this site study before any discussions about the next capital project take place. 

“Just to get an idea of the cost and what the community would like to do,” Bischoping said. “Eventually you’re not going to be able to put Band-Aids on that building. Many districts have totally gutted and rehabbed their buildings, but there’s a price tag to that.”

The middle school building has been around for quite a while, tucked into the residential neighborhood along Ross Street. It was initially built in 1926 to be used as a high school until Batavia High School was built in 1961 on State Street. Wear and tear and an estimated “significant amount of abatement” would be part of the renovation, which has become clear to the board, Benedict said.

“There’s a lot of dealing with abatement, and it puts a lot of expense on the project,” she said. “Probably in the future, we’re going to have to get some kids back to Robert Morris.”

Abatement, a word commonly used for cleaning up toxic materials such as asbestos, has been identified for the middle school. Bischoping said that it has been very difficult to do any work in the building without disturbing those materials. After the scope and costs have been determined for construction and abatement of the middle school, and any work necessary to get Robert Morris up to speed for full use, the Buildings and Grounds Committee will put forward a recommendation for board vote, Benedict said. 

In 2012, city school district officials closed Robert Morris Elementary in an effort to consolidate students and merge the west side school’s population into Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate. The defunct building at Richmond Avenue and Union Street then became host of a childcare facility and Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (BOCES) classes. The childcare facility has since moved out to another location and Covid ceased the other activities, Benedict said, rendering the site “an empty building.”

 

Press release from AAA: 

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.20, up two cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.18. The New York State average is $3.28 – no change from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.27. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.26 (up one cent since last week)
• Buffalo - $3.23 (no change since last week)
• Ithaca - $3.28 (up one cent since last week)
• Rochester - $3.28 (up one cent since last week)
• Rome - $3.30 (no change since last week)
• Syracuse - $3.24 (no change since last week)
• Watertown - $3.25 (no change since last week)

The national gas price average has reached $3.195 (which rounds up to $3.20) tying early August peaks and matching a 7-year-high. Much of the rise in prices is due to impacts from Hurricanes Ida and Nicholas on oil and refinery production. Reduced crude production combined with gradual refinery restarts has led to a drop in percent of crude utilization nationwide. Meanwhile, total domestic stocks are down as well. As the recovery process continues, some states have already seen prices jump by 10 cents in a week.

From Gas Buddy:

"Gas prices have been stuck in somewhat of a limbo and remain near 2021 highs long after Hurricane Ida has dissipated. The damage done to oil production has been left behind and so far has prevented prices from resuming their seasonal decline," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "Ida caused the loss of over 30 million barrels of oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, and with gasoline demand remaining relatively high for the season, oil inventories remain relatively tight, preventing any organized decline in gas prices for the time being. As a result, we may have to wait a couple more weeks until hurricane season slows for oil inventories to start to rise and gas prices to fall."

Two members of a prominent family with deep ties to Batavia – notably a pair of the stately homes that now are part of the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse campus – paid a visit last week to the community that has provided them with many fond memories.

Stephen Atwater of Walnut Creek, Calif., and his sister, Sarah Atwater Mayer, of Scarborough (Westchester County), are the grandchildren of Edward Perrin and Rowena Washburn Atwater, who purchased the historic house at 424 East Main St. in 1937. Edward P. Atwater was president of Batavia National Bank.

(Stephen and Sarah are in the photo above with John Bennett, GCASA executive director, in front of the home at 424 East Main St.)

Built in the 1830s, the Greek Revival and Italianate-style structure has for the past 23 years served as GCASA’s Atwater Community Residence, a place where up to 17 adult male and female clients can live while receiving professional services to help in their recovery.

Furthermore, Stephen and Sarah are the great-grandchildren of Judge Edward A. Washburn, who owned what is known as the Washburn house at 430 East Main St., which now is GCASA’s primary substance use disorder treatment facility.

And their mother, the late Patricia Carr Atwater, was the granddaughter of C.L Carr, who founded the Carr’s department store in downtown Batavia. It was later taken over by her father, Robert Carr, and then her brother, (the late) Steve Carr.

Stephen and Sarah’s aunt, Beth Carr, who resides in Stafford, was closely involved with managing Carr’s store with her husband, Steve, prior to its closing.

“It was known as Batavia’s Finest,” Stephen said of the store, “and it still is.”

'WE HOLD THE CITY NEAR TO OUR HEARTS'

“Moreover, we’re proud to be a part of Batavia and to have a strong attachment to the city based on our family history as it relates to the Atwater, Washburn, and Carr families,” he said. “We hold the city near and dear to our hearts.”

Stephen and his twin brother, John, and sisters, Sarah and Martha, were born at Genesee Memorial Hospital in Batavia and, although they grew up in Rochester, spent much time during their childhood years in the 1960s at their grandparents’ home at 424 East Main St.

Sarah and Stephen said they are pleased about the way GCASA has maintained the architectural heritage of all of the houses on its East Main Street campus.

“We think it’s wonderful,” Sarah said, with Stephen adding, “We’re happy to see it is being used and that they have maintained the appearance and integrity of the houses. The fact that they maintained the character of the house is priceless.”

A special feature of the interior is the Mexican mahogany paneling in the library, which was one of the last jobs completed by the Batavia Woodworking Company before it ceased operations in 1939.

Stephen said he and Sarah were in the area to take care of things at the Rochester home of their father, Julian “Joe” Washburn Atwater, who passed away on July 30 at the age of 90. They also went to Le Roy to check on the headstone of their father, who will be buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, where his brother, Edward, and his wife, Patricia Carr Atwater, are buried.

Julian Atwater received the nickname Joe while he worked at the former Massey-Ferguson plant in Batavia back in the ‘50s, Stephen recalled.

“Someone asked him what his name was and he said, ‘Just call me Joe.”

Their father, who went on to become a corporate lawyer in Rochester, had two older brothers -- the late Edward, and James, now 93. They were the sixth generation of their family to live in Western New York.

A 'GIFTED' CHILDHOOD IN BATAVIA

Sarah said the many days in Batavia with her grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins contributed to a special childhood.

“We had a very, very gifted childhood by being able to spend so much time in Batavia in the sixties,” she said, noting that the four Atwater children would take the Trailways bus from their Rochester home to Batavia to stay at their grandfather’s house.

Stephen said he remembers sliding on the bannister and playing billiards on the pool table that was “right at the bottom of the staircase.”

“And they had a cat named Walter Mitty,” he said. “One of the things we did when we got to the house would be to try to find the cat, but often times we couldn’t find him.”

He said he recalls going to the Treadway Inn with his grandmother to have roast beef au jus, dining at Mancuso’s Italian Restaurant and attending St. James Episcopal Church.

Sarah said she enjoyed the walks down Main Street and having lunch at the counter at JJ Newberry or going to see their maternal grandfather at Carr’s store.

“I love Batavia but when I come here, I try to imagine it the way it used to be,” she said. “It’s getting better, though. My brother and I went to Eli Fish and the brewery – because GCASA has one of Eli Fish’s old houses, too. We noticed the old JJ Newberry sign.

“Carr’s Department Store (being gone) makes us really sad because we loved that. I still talk to people who say their parents went there for everything. They bought their furniture there, their makeup, their jewelry, their baby clothes. We rode the elevator; I remember the gumball machine on the third floor.”

ATWATER HOUSE CALLED 'ICONIC'

Stephen, a veterinarian specializing in treating animals with cancer, and Sarah, who is retired, were joined by their brother, John, on a phone call with The Batavian. Martha passed away in 2013.

John, a chemist from Potomac, Md., called the house at 424 East Main St. “iconic.”

“It represents the wonderful times that I spent there as a kid in Batavia, which was such a fun town to be in,” he said, with Sarah adding, “A charming, small town.”

Although the long row of storefronts on the north side of Main Street gave way to Urban Renewal in the early 1970s, Sarah remarked that the city still has “a lot of potential.”

“We still love it,” she said, asking about the Greet yogurt plant (which now is HP Hood in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park), O-At-Ka Milk Products and other places of employment to attract young people to Batavia.

Ultimately, Stephen said they consider it an honor that the Atwater and Washburn family name continues to hold a special place in the community.

“I think the fact that we are able to give something back to the community that maintains the name of the Atwater family is an honor,” he said. “And to have that history entrenched in the City of Batavia as it was, obviously, is such a large part of our heritage.”

Photo: Atwater family photo from 1964 in the Atwater House living room -- sitting on floor, from left, children Connie, John, James and Stephen; seated from left, James and his wife, Joan, holding son, David; Rowena Washburn Atwater and her husband, Edward Perrin Atwater, holding grandchildren Rebecca and Sarah; young Ned, with his father, Edward C. Atwater, and his mother, Ruth Prole Atwater; standing, Patricia Carr Atwater, holding daughter Martha, and her husband, Julian Washburn Atwater. Julian and Patricia are the parents of Stephen, John, Sarah and Martha.

Photo: The Atwater grandchildren in 1964. Front from left, David, Connie, Ned; middle, Rebecca, Sarah and baby Martha; top, John, James, Stephen. Andrew, the 10th grandchild of Edward Perrin and Rowena Washburn Atwater, wasn’t born yet. Andrew passed away in 2013, three days before his cousin, Martha. Submitted photos.

Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for GCASA.

A motor vehicle accident is reported at Kelsey Road and Galloway Road in the Town of Batavia.

Unknown injuries.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS responding.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:  During the course of events yesterday we had a technical issue with the website.  This caused us to copy the original post and headline and create a new post with the same information and then delete the old post.  When we did this, all the comments disappeared with the original post.  I just wanted readers to know that no comments were deliberately removed.

A person is in custody after two shots were fired on Route 33 in the Town of Stafford, according to a report from Howard Owens, publisher of The Batavian, who is at the scene.

Owens reported at 6:12 p.m. that a silver Pontiac sedan was westbound into the City of Batavia on Route 33 and it was weaving.

Just after passing Mill Road, a Genesee County sheriff's deputy pulled the vehicle over and a black male driver got out of the car and ran across Route 33 into a corn field on the south side of the road.

About three or four minutes later, a shot was fired, Owens said, calling back to report that a second shot has been fired.

Two sheriff's deputies and a City of Batavia police officer are on the scene.

Updates:

UPDATE 11:57 p.m. (by Howard): Suspect in custody as of about 10 or 15 minutes ago.

UPDATE 9:36 p.m. (by Howard Owens):  At shortly before 6 p.m., while returning home from Rochester on Route 33, I noticed a silver Pontiac sedan weaving.  He crossed the center line and the fog line once each and then went straight for a while.  I didn't immediately call it in.  Then it weaved multiple times so at 6:04 p.m., I called dispatch completing the call as we approached Griswold Road.  A few seconds later, the car slowed to about 45 mph.  At Route 237 it slowed again.  Then about 1/4 of a mile later, it accelerated to 75 mph.  I called dispatch again.  As we approached Mill Road I spotted a deputy parked in a drive lane in a farm field on the right side of the road.  I slowed to allow him in behind the vehicle.  The vehicle pulled over as soon as the officer his emergency lights. I was not planning to stop but as soon as the Pontiac stopped, the driver bolted from the car.  He was a tall, thinnish, Black male dressed in all black. He ran in a laneway between rows of corn near where there is a corn-for-sale stand at the side of the road. The deputy pursued on foot but stopped when he got to the start of the cornfield and he drew his weapon.  I later heard him tell another officer that he had seen the man with a gun in his belt.  I walked back from the way we came (to me, it feels like north but I guess it's really east) to watch the open field on that end of the incident to see if I saw the man fleeing.  After a couple of minutes, I decided he was more likely to run toward the Thruway where there was more cover so I walked back to my car.  Just as I reached my car, I heard a gunshot.  I took cover behind my vehicle. I heard at least four more shots while in that position.  At that point, two deputies and a patrol vehicle pulled in behind my vehicle and asked me to get in the backseat of the patrol vehicle.  I did.  Then the female passenger from the sedan got in the back seat.  I asked her what was going on.  She said she didn't know and that she had just met the driver earlier today.  I was left with a Batavia police officer who was blocking traffic at Caswell and Route 33 until about 8:30 when the Sheriff's Office provided me a ride home.  The situation as far as I know remains unresolved.  I'm told not to  expect a press conference tonight.  Law enforcement is on a secure channel now so further updates are going to be difficult to obtain.

8:21 p.m. -- The New York State Thruway traffic is moving very slowly.

Photo above taken at 7:55 p.m.

7:47 p.m. -- Situation continues as Monroe County Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team arrives.

7:35 p.m. -- Latest report from Owens: Monroe County Sheriff's Office drone operator is on the scene.

7:26 p.m. -- The New York State Police helicopter has arrived on the scene (photo below).

7:17 p.m. -- Police are indicating that at least a dozen shots have been fired, all by the suspect. His location is believed to be in a wooded area behind a tree east of Mill Road near the New York State Thruway.

6:53 p.m. -- Genesee County's Emergency Response Team has been dispatched to the scene.

6:45 p.m. -- Owens reported that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officer has arrived with his K-9. He also said that a deputy reported that he saw a gun at the driver's waistline.

6:38 p.m. -- Police have ordered the scene to be evacuated, moving Owens east to Caswell Road. The driver of the car is still at large, with Owens indicating that all shots have been fired by the suspect.

6:30 p.m. -- A fourth shot has been fired. The person in custody is the female passenger in the car (photo above).

6:25 p.m. -- Multiple law enforcement vehicles are on the scene.

6:24 p.m. -- A third shot has been fired.

6:20 p.m. -- Route 33 is closed.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

Freed Maxick is proud to name Jonathan Tretter as a new Director in the Firm’s Enterprise Advisory Services Practice. Jonathan is one of five new Director promotions this year.

Jonathan is a graduate of Canisius College, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

His focus is on taxation and planning for C corporations, S corporations, Partnerships and LLCs, and high-net worth individuals. He also has extensive knowledge of federal and state tax credits and incentives, methods of accounting, UNICAP 263A, estate and business succession planning, along with tangible property and cost recovery. Additionally, Jonathan has been a leader in the Firm’s response to federal legislation surrounding the CARES Act, including the Paycheck Protection Program and the Employee Retention Credit.

“I am excited and honored to be named a Director at Freed Maxick. I am also extremely humbled to be part of a firm that recognizes the hard work and dedication displayed by their employees, and hope this highlights the opportunity available to each and every member of our Freed Maxick family,” says Jonathan.

Jonathan is also devoted to employee enrichment and is heavily involved in his community. He is currently the Treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of Batavia, a campaign cabinet member of the United Memorial Medical Center, a member of the Business & Accounting Advisory Committee at Genesee Community College, an alumnus of Leadership Genesee, and a committee member of the Batavia Development Corporation.

“I am proud to welcome this next generation of leaders to the Director group,” states Henry Koziol, CPA, Managing Director and Chairman of the Board. ”I look forward to watching Jonathan excel in this new position.”

Press  release:

Sheriffs’ Week celebrates the significant contributions made by the Office of Sheriff as an integral part of the criminal justice system in New York State and in Genesee County throughout our history.  Having been established in the State’s first constitution in 1777, and having been continued in every succeeding constitution, it is one of the original constitutional offices of Genesee County first established in 1802.

The Office of Sheriff is currently held by William A. Sheron, Jr., who has worked for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office for the past 44 years and was elected Sheriff in 2017.  Sheriff Sheron is also a member of the Executive Committee for the New York State Sheriffs’ Association.

The Office of Sheriff has evolved into a modern, professionally accredited, full-service law enforcement and public safety agency, manned by fully trained police and peace officers, as well as civilians using state-of-the-art technology and applying the latest and most advanced theories and practices in the criminal justice field.

The Office of Sheriff is unique in the community, and the duties of the Office go far beyond the traditional role of “Keeper of the Peace,” and extend into many facets of public service, including maintaining the county jail, providing security in our courts, and schools, dispatching emergency services, communication systems, animal control, community service, and victim assistance, and serving/executing civil process and victim protection orders for our courts.

As a constitutionally empowered Office directly responsible to the people, the ancient Office of Sheriff remains, even today, responsive and accountable to the public it serves.  This week, we celebrate the historical and current contributions of the Office of Sheriff and the significant role that the Sheriff’s Office plays in our modern criminal justice system.

Past and present came together Saturday night at City Church in a 15th-annual "Musical Memories" concert in support of Crossroads House in Batavia.

This year, the free concert honored COVID caregivers and honored victims and survivors.

Performers this year included: The Rochester Hitmen, The Park Avenue Brass, St. Joseph’s Batavia Brass Ensemble, The Hamburg Kingmen Drum Corps, and Mighty St. Joe’s Drum & Bugle Corps.

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.

 

 

There have been many complaints and much concern expressed about Batavia City Schools’ current busing situation, Board President Alice Benedict says. Parents have been quite vocal about the need to put three students per seat on Jackson and John Kennedy school buses, however, it has all been online.

Board meetings have been void of any such vocal discourse, she said.

“No parents have ever attended. But there have been lots of comments on social media,” Benedict said during an interview Saturday. “We’re criticized for the choices made, but nobody has taken the time to come and talk to us. Unfortunately, it’s something we don’t have any control over.”

A lack of drivers at the district’s bus operator, Student Transportation of America, has in turn meant fewer buses per run. To accommodate all of the students needing transportation, they have been assigned three per seat, she said.

“There’s not anything the school district can do about it, other than ask parents to take their kids off the bus and drive them to school themselves,” she said. “We’re still talking to the bus company … for me personally as a board member, (Business Administrator) Mr. Rozanski is doing the best he can. They just don’t have the bodies to drive.”

Batavia is far from alone in this dilemma. ABCnews.go.com states that schools across the country, from Pennsylvania and Virginia to Missouri, Ohio, and Texas, have reported similar shortages. Georgia’s Savannah-Chatham County Public School System reported a 30 percent decrease of more than 110 drivers upon the start of this school season, the website states. Covid is to blame for the lack of drivers, Paul Abbott, executive director for transportation for the district, said to ABC News, it states.

The city school district is short some four buses, which has caused delays, late arrivals and the three-per-seat set-up. STA operates more than 16,000 vehicles for over 300 school districts, according to its website, and is “committed to providing our customers with the highest level of safe and reliable transportation solutions available.” The company’s public relations department did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Students are required to wear masks on the bus, and they can take brief mask “breaks” if the weather is nice and the windows are open, Benedict said. Many of them have been told by their parents to wear the mask for the duration of the bus trip and not take them off at all, she said.

As for other virus-related measures, Covid testing equipment has been issued to the district by the Genesee County Health Department, Interim Superintendent Scott Bischoping said during the board’s Thursday meeting. Students with potential symptoms of the Covid-19 virus can be tested during the day.

The Health Department will notify school officials if anyone does test positive, and contact tracing will begin to track down who the infected person was in contact with prior to being tested, he said, “and making the determination if a quarantine is necessary.” The total quarantine would be for 10 days, minus any days already lapsed before diagnosing the Covid case, he said.

Having access to on-site testing and wearing masks are two methods to maintaining a healthy environment, he said.

“Our families want our kids in school as much as possible,” he said.

The next board meeting is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 21 in Batavia High School library, 260 State St.

A related Q&A was posted Thursday on the district’s website to clarify its protocols for Covid-19 guidelines. That is shown below:

SEP 16, 2021

Dear BCSD Parents and Guardians, 

Over the last few days, we’ve received a few questions from parents about protocols regarding our COVID-19 guidelines that we want to clarify for the larger community.

We appreciate the questions and will continue to update you as they arise.  

Q: Are there outbreaks of the virus in our buildings? 

A: While cases of the virus have been reported to us by the Genesee County Health Department, only a small number of those cases resulted from a spread within our buildings. Most reported cases are due to a spread of the virus outside of school, and families have taken the necessary steps to quarantine. While this situation could change, we will report any significant issues directly to families.

In an effort to provide transparent information on COVID-19 cases reported throughout the Batavia City School District, going forward, each Monday, we will be posting the number of positive student and staff cases reported from the previous week on our website: BataviaCSD.org.

Q: How will families be made aware of cases within the schools?

A: We are working in collaboration with the Genesee County Health Department who is providing guidance when there is a positive case in any of our district buildings. 

Once a positive case is identified, the Health Department determines who that child or staff member has been in contact with. From there, Health Department officials determine what action is warranted (i.e., testing, quarantine, etc.).

You will be contacted directly by the Health Department if your child was in contact with another person who has tested positive, and they will work with you to determine the next steps.

Q: Are there three students per seat on our buses?

A: Yes, there are three students per seat on our Jackson and John Kennedy bus runs in many cases. While we would have preferred to have enough buses to have separate bus runs for each building with fewer students on each bus, our transportation contractor has been unable to provide the necessary buses due to the nationwide bus driver shortage.

Q: What are you doing to try to get more buses?

A: We will continue to work with our busing contractor STA to find more opportunities to increase the number of buses servicing our district, including using subcontractors. But as of today, we don’t have a solution in place. 

Q: Is it true that students are allowed to take mask breaks on buses?

A: We have advised our bus drivers to allow students to take brief mask breaks – especially on hot days. These breaks are permitted (but not required) to avoid students getting overheated. Weather permitting, we are also opening our bus windows. 

As a parent, you can certainly advise your child not to remove their mask during these breaks.

As a reminder, if a student or staff member exhibits any COVID symptoms, they should not report to school that day and should contact the building nurse immediately. 

Please reach out to your child’s principal if you have any additional questions or concerns. 

Sincerely, 

Scott Bischoping

Interim Superintendent  

Undefeated Oakfield-Alabama/Elba rode a second-half ground game sparked by Gaige Armbrewster, Noah Currier and Bodie Hyde to overcome underdog Notre Dame, 34-7, Saturday afternoon in varsity football action at Elba’s field.

Armbrewster rushed for 111 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown, Hyde ran eight times for 79 yards, including a 56-yard TD scamper, and Currier carried six times for 64 yards and two scores as the Aggies overcame a 7-0 deficit to improve to 3-0.

The visiting Fighting Irish, 1-2, gave O-A/E all it could handle in the opening 24 minutes – taking the lead on a 32-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jimmy Fanara (photo at top) to wide receiver Evan Cummings and Brandon Carrick’s extra point with 41 seconds left in the first quarter.

ND had a chance to take that advantage into intermission but the Aggies stopped a third-and-one play with about a minute left, and took over at their own 44 with 52 seconds on the clock.

From there, Hyde connected with Kaden Cusmano for gains of 12 and eight yards, and then hit Currier for 36 yards to put the ball at the ND 8. Armbrewster found the end zone on the next play on a sweep to the left and Max DeMare’s kick was good, knotting it up at 7-7 with 21 seconds remaining.

The second half was all Aggies as they’re offensive line took control, powering a consistent rushing attack.

O-A/E put together an eight-play, 72-yard drive, culminating with a 13-yard TD pass from Hyde to Cusmano with 53 seconds left in the third quarter. DeMare’s kick made it 14-7.

The drive was sparked by runs of 13 and 14 yards by Armbrewster and a 15-yard run by Connor Scott that moved the ball to the ND 19. From there, a pair of short runs by Armbrewster set up the touchdown play.

An interception by Armbrewster set up the Aggies’ next drive at the ND 41. His 14-yard burst and a three-yard run by Hyde move the ball to the 24, where Currier broke through the left side of the line untouched to the end zone. DeMare came on for the PAT and O-A/E had a 21-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Cusmano recovered a fumble on ND’s first play of its next possession, and that led to a six-yard score by Currier, with lineman Brayden Smith applying a key block. A pass for the two-point conversion failed.

The Aggies forced ND to punt at took over at their own 44. Armbrewster picked up 22 yards on three runs and Scott ran for a nine-yard gain to set up Hyde, who escaped a few tackles near the line before breaking clear for the 56-yard score. DeMare’s PAT closed out the scoring.

The Irish fell just short of their second touchdown on their final drive behind fullback Vin DiRisio, who gained 54 yards, including a 44-yard burst up the middle, breaking several tackles before being upended at the O-A/E 9. He carried twice more but was stopped at the 5 when time ran out.

Fanara passed 15 times, completing seven for 107 yards, while Cummings caught four passes for 86 yards, all in the first half. On defense for ND, George Woodruff, Drew Edwards and Connor McWilliams led the way with 10 tackles each and Cummings made a one-handed interception.

For the Aggies, Scott recovered a fumble. O-A/E outgained ND, 347-193.

ND hosts Bolivar-Richburg at 7 p.m. Thursday at Van Detta Stadium, while O-A/E travels to York/Pavilion at 7 p.m. Friday.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

Connor Scott breaks free for OAE.

OAE's Gaige Armbrewster brought down by two ND defenders.

ND's Fanara puts a hit on Noah Currier.

OAE's Noah Currier.

ND's Brandon Carrick for the PAT.

Fanara lets one fly.

Armbrewster on a couple of big gains (see below).

Brandon Rebert set a new course record of 18:09 today in Elba in the annual Arc of Genesee  Orleans Friends and Family 5K.

Rebert beat his 2019 winning time -- the last time the race was won -- by nine seconds.

Kim Mills took yet another women's 5K title with a time of 21:37.

It was all Le Roy under the lights at Hartwood Park on Friday night as the Oatkan Knights ran away with a 38-0 win.

Drew Strollo ran for 100 yards and a TD on 18 carries.  Brock Flint also scored a TD on eight carries for 74 yards.

John Panepento was 6-9 passing for 70 yards and TD.

One of two receptions by Adam Riswick was the Panepento TD lob. Risewick gained 50 yards and also had five punt returns for 128 yards including a 60-yard TD.

Tony Piazza had five tacks. Ty Strollo, four, and Jack Lathan two tackles and a fumble recovery for a TD.

The Knights are now 2-1 on the season and travel to Mynderse on Friday.

Also on Friday night:Batavia beat Geneva 42-0

To view or purchase prints, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

The Alexander Trojans suffered the team's first loss of the season at the hands of Avon, 12-10.

The Trojans drop to 2-1 and Avon remains undefeated at 3-0.

Alexander scored first on a 30-yard field goal by Eric Cline to cap a seven-minute offensive drive.

Avon took the lead early in the second quarter on a one-yard TD. A failed extra-point try made the score 6-3.

Alexander's final score of the game came on a Nick Kramer one-yard TD dive followed by a Cline PAT, 10-6.

With two minutes left in the half, Avon scored again on a 23-yard pass,  setting the score at 12-10.

The Trojan's last gasp came with 30 seconds left on the clock and a 37-yard field goal attempt that drifted wide, allowing Avon to hold on  for the win.

Braden Woods carried the ball  19 times for 132 yards.  Kramer rushed for 32 yards and a TD on nine carries.  

Photos By Philip Casper. Top photo: Nick Kramer QB #3 scrambling out of the pocket

Brayden Woods RB #2

Nick Kramer QB #3 being brought down after a commanding run

Eric Cline K #9 with the field goal attempt

Benny Merrill DB #6

Trojans special teams making their way onto the field before a field goal attempt

Clayton Bezon, FB #40 powering through the Avon line

I've been driving through Stafford in the evenings a lot recently and every time I pass the barn on Griswold Road off Clinton Street Road,  I wish I had my camera with me.  Yesterday evening, I time my trip for sunset and had my camera with me.

7324 Selden Road, LeRoy. Why bother building when its already been done for you? Come see this custom built, 3 bedroom, 2 full bath home on almost a 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 large 2 car garage (wired with 220 electric). This home was built with retirement years in mind so 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 todays prices, why build when you can move right into this beautiful country home! 
60 River Street, Batavia. Here’s one to not look past! Solid 3 bedroom, 2 FULL bath home in great location. Close to all amenities and conveniently located to all major routes and minutes from thruway for quick access to Buffalo/Rochester! Everything in this homes has been modernized throughout the years with the addition of a first floor bedroom and bath with great closet space! This room has French doors leading to great large private deck! What you don’t see from the road is a super deep and awesome private back yard-it feels like your own private escape from everything! Sit on your back deck or there’s a large above ground pool where you can enjoy with no one to see! Upstairs of this home has two additional good size bedrooms and an additional full bath. This home definitely is bigger AND cozier than it appears from the road! Utilities are inexpensive and there is large basement that is great storage or perfect for the person looking for extra space for workshop! This home is perfect whether you are starting out or ending-everything is well laid out and ready for someone to move in and make it their own!
181 Vine Street, Batavia. Here’s one you shouldn’t overlook! Solid well kept and upgraded, this 2 bedroom, 2 full bath Cape is literally turn key! Home has been freshly painted and downstairs, newly carpeted. The living room is super spacious with gas fireplace and lots of natural lighting. There is first floor bedroom, bath and laundry and a kitchen that is loaded with cupboards and storage! Upstairs is like your own private suite with small sitting area large bedroom and another full bath-this home packs a lot in! When you walk outside from kitchen you will fall in love with this pretty and super private backyard! Not only is it surprisingly large there is a shed AND an awesome large outbuilding that was used as a workshop but would make an awesome man cave/she shed or super cool play house- it has electric and heat Hidden gem of a home -super affordable and turn key for you to move right in!

Call Reliant Real Estate today, call 585-344-HOME (4663).

A motorcycle accident on Walnut Street at Law Street this afternoon is under investigation by Batavia PD.

The motorcycle rider was reportedly seriously injured at about 12:22 when his bike slammed into the side of a pickup truck at the intersection.

The 30-year-old male, whose name has not yet been released was taken ECMC by Mercy Flight.

According to Sgt. Mitchell Cowen, Batavia PD, the motorcycle was traveling west on Law Street at a high rate of speed and collided with a pick-up truck that was headed north on Route 98.

The driver and sole occupant of the pick-up was not injured.

Police say the motorcycle was passing vehicles on Law Street before the collision occurred at the intersection.

Because the intersection was closed down until about 3:00 p.m., the City Schools advised families that busses were delayed in dropping off students this afternoon. According to Batavian City Schools Business Manager Scott Rozanski. students remained at school with supervision until the road was reopened.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Department accident reconstruction team is also assisting in the investigation.

City Fire and Mercy EMS also responded.

Lifelong Genesee County resident Melinda Stedman was prepared for late night feedings and diaper changes with her son JP, but not for what the 9-month-old must now endure.

“It’s something I never imagined I’d have to do,” she said Thursday while waiting for her son to wake up from his nap. “I didn’t think I’d have the strength, but you find it. It’s sad because he’s not doing the normal things and having the normal milestones. We’re celebrating the tiny things.”

JP,  short for Joseph Paul, has a rare liver disease. It was discovered through a liver biopsy in January, and has put the Stedman family on a “rollercoaster” of emotional and medical ups and downs ever since. Their ordeal began with an ultrasound in which doctors could not find the little guy’s gallbladder. That led to the diagnosis of Biliary Atresia, and the need for a life-saving liver transplant.

When JP doesn’t have cholangitis, Stedman — a stay-at-home mom with two other children — feeds him a special formula to help him gain weight, and observes his four weekly therapy sessions (two each for physical and occupational therapies). When he does have cholangitis — an inflammation of the bile duct system — he has to go into the hospital for a picc line, or long catheter inserted into a peripheral vein for longer term use. His mom has learned how, and adapted to, maintaining, flushing and administering fluids to his IV line at home.

While Stedman and her husband Paul, a New York State trooper, wait with hope for a suitable liver donor, they are also anticipating the estimated $50,000 to $80,000 needed for the transplant surgery at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and the related costs of housing accommodations for them to stay with him throughout the two to three months of post-surgery lab and clinic treatments.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help offset those expenses. The page also has a more detailed explanation of his condition and all that 9-month-old JP has gone through to date. The fundraising goal is $50,000. There are also sales of JP T-shirts and keychains (handmade by the 11-year-old daughter of a friend who likes to work with clay and created a green clay ribbon).

Ever since she learned of the Stedman’s plight, friend Joanne Smith and her husband Dan have jumped on board to help. Mrs. Smith has not only known the couple a long time, it was in her criminal justice class where they first met.

“We’re all together for two years. (After graduation) I hear from all of them about people getting married and babies being born,” Mrs. Smith said. “When I heard last January about JP … Dan and I are retired, and we said ‘what do you need?’ When he was diagnosed in January, we were hoping they could avoid a transplant. It’s just been a rollercoaster. You think you’re out of the woods and improving, and then he’s back in the hospital.”

The sad paradox about a transplant, she said, is that everyone wants JP to remain strong enough to survive the transplant, but the more critical his condition gets, the higher he climbs on the list of priorities. Some people have inquired about becoming a donor, however, the list of requirements is very demanding and the process is not an easy one, Mrs. Stedman said.

“I just met with the living donor coordinator,” she said, listing some requirements of being 18 to 55, blood type O or B, generally healthy with a BMI of 30 or less and a non-smoker. “People have to go fill out an application online.”

A donor outside of the immediate family would be ideal, Mrs. Smith said, as the parents will need the physical strength to care for JP, 3-year-old Zachary and 5-year-old Savannah.

Given his countless needle pokes and jabs and other medical tests and treatments, including an intravenous

tube, JP has been “a very happy baby,” especially when home with his siblings, his mom said. And there are those days when the frail tyke can bear weight on his legs and lift food up to his mouth, she said.

“I learned to celebrate those small victories,” she said. “My faith has gotten me through it.”

To read more about JP’s life and battle and/or to donate, go to:

http://www.gofundme.com/f/jps-liver-transplant-expenses?qid=5ec9ad887ec101894c8cfbe347057ea7    

or check out his Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/jpsfight

For anyone interested in applying to be a potential donor, go to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s site: LivingDonorReg.UPMC.com        

Photos submitted by Melinda Stedman. Top photo: Nine-month-old JP Stedman cracks a smile despite enduring medical treatments as he waits for a liver transplant donor.

Siblings Zachary and Savannah Stedman spend cherished time with younger brother JP while he's home from the hospital. 

Nine-month-old JP Stedman is shown in an all-too-familiar scenario with an IV tube at home while he battles a liver disease and waits for a donor for his liver transplant.      

A serious injury accident involving a car and a motorcycle is reported at Walnut and Law streets in the City of Batavia.

The accident occurred 40 minutes ago. 

Mercy Flight was dispatched to the scene.

Walnut is closed to thru traffic.

Press release:

Genesee County 4-H members Eva Rhoads and Alexandria Tarbell competed at the New York State 4-H Hippology and Horse Judging Contest at the Cortland Fairgrounds on September 11th.  As a team, they placed 2nd overall.  Individually in the Senior Division of the Hippology contest, Alexandria Tarbell placed 4th and Eva Rhoads placed 9th.   

The 4-H Hippology Contest is an opportunity for youth to demonstrate their knowledge of equine science.  The contest consisted of written questions, identification stations, horse judging and a team problem.  Youth qualified to participate in the event by scoring well in their 4-H regional competition. 

The Genesee County 4-H Program is a youth development program for youth ages 5-18.  New 4-H youth members, adult volunteers and clubs are always welcome.  For information about how to join the Genesee County 4-H Program, please contact the 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040 ext. 131.  Enrollment information is available on our website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/4-h-youth-development/how-to-join-4-h

 

Press release:

Noblehurst Farms recently directed a $2,500 Bayer Fund America’s Farmers Grow Communities donation to Pavilion Elementary School’s Outdoor Classroom. The elementary school will use the funds to build a bridge over one of the streams located within the classroom.

“We are grateful for organizations such as Noblehurst Farms that have shown their support for this classroom, and ultimately for our students here in Pavilion. The generosity and support in this community for our Outdoor Classroom has been outstanding, and this support continues to come in.  We’ve received different fiscal donations, as well as had volunteers come in on weekends in order to enhance this incredible learning environment for our students.” said, Jon Wilson, Elementary Principal at Pavilion.

Since 2010, America’s Farmers programs have awarded more than $59 million to nonprofits, aspiring ag students, and public schools across rural America. Farmers are leaders in their communities, which is why America’s Farmers programs rely on them to help identify the most worthy causes.

Dedicated to making a difference in rural farming communities, the Grow Communities program asks farmers across the country to participate by nominating nonprofit organizations with resources to strengthen their local communities. Last August, farmers entered for the chance to direct a $2,500 Grow Communities donation to a local eligible nonprofit of their choice. Farmers have directed donations to food banks, emergency response organizations, schools, youth agriculture programs and many others that reflect the spirit and support the vibrancy of rural America.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, including those in rural regions, and farmers play a critical role in helping communities overcome challenges, like the ones we’re currently facing,” said Al Mitchell, Bayer Fund president. “Bayer Fund is proud to work side-by-side with farmers to identify local eligible nonprofit organizations that are able to provide their residents with solutions that leave a lasting impact.”

To learn more about how America’s Farmers programs are making an impact, visit www.AmericasFarmers.com.

About Bayer Fund

Bayer Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where Bayer customers and employees live and work by providing funding for food and nutrition, education and community development projects.