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Deadline for comments about proposed remediation plan is Sept. 21

Ex-Eaton remediation site
By Joanne Beck
Ex-Eaton remediation site
The targeted site for remediation by ex-Eaton Corporation at 34-40 Clinton St., Batavia, shown in green.
Image submitted.

Public comments about a remediation project on the city’s east side will be taken up to Sept. 21, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officials say.

The project, first outlined in an April 21, 2023 article on The Batavian, is part of the Clean Water Act for Basket Place LLC, located at 34-40 Clinton St., Batavia. 

Action on the privately owned Basket Place parcel was to begin in May, to address contamination, with a site-specific health and safety plan and a Community Air Monitoring Plan to be implemented during remediation activities. 

Le Roy company's updated technology earns financial nod from National Grid

lapp_image-1.jpg
By Press Release
lapp_image-1.jpg
Submitted photo of Lapp Insulators Maintenance Planner Mike Myers, left, and Facilities Manager Ron Richards, right, show National Grid’s Jay Snyder one of the three new pumps that had been installed to improve safety and reduce energy costs.

Press Release:

Lapp Insulators Co. LLC changed a decades-old process to incorporate new technology and equipment that results in energy savings, lower operating costs, and a safer work environment. The changes also earned the Le Roy-based company $27,000 in energy efficiency incentives from National Grid.

Lapp is a leading

Products Finishing magazine names Batavia's U.S. Chrome Corp. to its 'Top Shops' list

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Chrome Corp. of New York has been named one of the best finishing shops in North America, according to an industry benchmarking survey conducted by Products Finishing magazine, a trade publication covering the industry since 1938.

The Connecticut-based company has a plant at 31 Swan St. in

Batavia school officials should find teacher for Spanish class, culture

By Staff Writer

 My, my, my!  Kate Long, a local Batavia parent (charged with harassing the Batavia Board of Education and Batavia schools superintendent with e-mails and correspondence over the lack of a satisfactory, according to her, Spanish language teacher at the Middle School), is resurrecting shades of the "N.Y. Times" newspaper, the

'Don't do that to us.' Town resident wary of odor from proposed Ag Park waste digester

By Mike Pettinella

A Town of Batavia resident and business owner reiterated his objections Tuesday night to a proposed Genesee Biogas plant earmarked for the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park but, once again, project developers attempted to alleviate his concerns over the smell of its emissions.

Speaking at the Batavia Town Planning Board meeting at the Town Hall on West Main Street Road, Eric Biscaro questioned Lauren Toretta, president of CH4 Biogas, and Sara Gilbert of Pinewood Engineering, about the extent of the odor from the facility, which is set to be constructed on Ag Park Drive, not far away from Ellicott Street Road.

“If you go by O-AT-KA (Milk Products Cooperative) on lots of given days, the odor there is enough to … it’s bad,” Biscaro said. “So, it’s seems that it would be more intense at your place if you’re going to bring it over  from O-AT-KA and (HP) Hood

Public Health Column: 'Think Health' -- This is National Public Health Week

By Billie Owens

Public health column from the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments:

The Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming County Health Departments are encouraging county residents to “Think Health.” Taking time to think about your health and taking positive health steps will lead to healthier outcomes. Learning something new every day is one way

Artist, businessman and local leader John Hodgins dies at 87

By Billie Owens

Photo of John Hodgins in February 2005 with an en plein air painting of his, courtesy of his daughter Joyce Dwyer.

Beloved local artist, Batavia businessman and former county legislator John Jay Hodgins died this morning. He was 87.

Born in Basom on Dec. 12, 1931 to Ora and Velma Hodgins

Batavia dominates first half in Flag Football for Class B sectional semifinal win

By Howard B. Owens
Batavia's Jaimin Macdonald gets another incerception, Photo Steve Ognibene
Batavia's Jaimin Macdonald catches another interception to power Batavia's strong defense

Eastridge got on the board first, but it was all Batavia after that, as the Blue Devils went on to win a smoke-delayed, and then rain-delayed, Flag Football sectional semifinal playoff game on Friday at Van Detta Stadium.

The final: 27-6. 

With Kentucky acquisition, Chapin is poised for more growth

By Press Release

Press release:

Chapin International is expanding operations to Kentucky with the purchase of the former Eagle Manufacturing facility in Mount Vernon, a municipality in Rockcastle County. The 175,000-square-foot facility in the Rockcastle Business Park will provide greatly needed production and warehouse capacity to position the company for further growth.

With

Protecting birds and bees shouldn't have to cost farmers, consumers: local farmer speaks up

Shelley Stein 2023
By Joanne Beck
seed maggot
Textbook photo of a seed corn maggot.

 

 

The Birds and Bees Protection Act is a seemingly simple enough and all-natural sounding title that most anyone would be for it, wouldn’t they?

Well, not everyone. Shelley Stein, CEO of Stein Farms in Le Roy, said she had to speak up as a farmer and "a person who understands the ramifications of policy on our farmers, and our consumers, and what this is going to mean to the economy of Genesee County."

Developer promises upscale, market-rate apartments for complex next to GCC

By Howard B. Owens
david mazur
Developer David Mazur fields questions from the Genesee County Planning Board about Countryside Apartments, the 80-unit complex he is proposing for the Medtech Park by GCC. 
Photo by Howard Owens

Developer David Mazur said he's been building apartment complexes and running the ones he builds for 18 years.  He has a formula. He knows it works. And he knows the type of tenants he expects to be attracted to his units.

With that experience, he's sure the 80-unit complex

New members of college Board of Trustees begin serving their terms

By Billie Owens

Submitted photos and press release:

The excitement and intrigue of the new 2019-2020 academic year is not only happening in classrooms, labs and studios across Genesee Community College's seven campus locations, but in the Board of Trustees Conference Room as well. The following new members of the College's Board of

GLOW Region Tech Wars to rage at GCC March 12 -- 'Lumber Labyrinth' is new this year

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

The 13th GLOW Region Tech Wars will be held Thursday, March 12, at Genesee Community College's Batavia Campus. The annual Tech Wars brings middle and high school students from all 24 of the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming (GLOW) region's school districts together in teams

Making this year 'a remarkable journey' at BHS, new principal says

BHS first day
By Joanne Beck
BHS first day
Batavia High School Principal Jennifer Wesp greets students Wednesday morning for the first day of school.
Photo by Howard Owens.

Jennifer Wesp had about a month to prepare for her first big day in welcoming students onto Batavia High School’s State Street campus Wednesday.

And prepared she was, anxiously waiting to greet them at 7:20 a.m.

“It was so exciting to see the students today. Many teachers and support staff came in early in order to spend some connection time before the first bell,” the newly hired principal said after a full day of meet-and-greets and ensuring all went well on this day of return after summer. “The air was filled with chatter and laughter. I was able to get into many classrooms throughout the day. Teachers had planned many activities that revolved around building community and getting to know each other. Overall, it was an amazing start to the year.”

Chapin Manufacturing CEO says Kentucky investment continues 'expansion of organic growth'

By Mike Pettinella

25_gallon_sprayer.png

The president and chief executive officer of Chapin International Inc. said the company is well positioned to expand its warehousing and manufacturing operations to the Kentucky city of Mount Vernon, a small municipality that is part of the Richmond-Berea micropolitan area in Rockcastle County.

“This is just a continued expansion

Batavia Republicans support five City Council ward incumbents

By Billie Owens

Press release from the City of Batavia Republican Committee:

With election season here, Batavia’s Republicans are gearing up for five City Council races this fall. Stressing their ability to work together in promoting the City’s interests while keeping local taxes in check, Batavia’s Republican City Council members are all seeking reelection.

They

Documents say Savarino defaulted on financial agreements, GCEDC and city work on 'next steps'

ellicott station savarino business closed
By Joanne Beck
ellicott station savarino business closed
File photo by Howard Owens.

The next steps are yet to be determined.

That seems to be the ongoing response from city and county officials in the aftermath of an announcement by CEO Samuel Savarino that his company will be ceasing operations and laying off its employees.

Savarino is the developer of Ellicott Station, the four-story apartment complex touted as an economic lifesaver for downtown Batavia and for working individuals and families in need of an affordable, quality and safe place to live.

That economic vision was blurred earlier this year when the online rental application indicated income requirements of very low to low ranges, seemingly squelching the notion that the units would indeed be for workforce individuals. The Batavian had reached out to Savarino requesting details about a lottery that awarded rentals to 55 tenants. He wasn’t privy to such information, he had said at the time.

The Batavian was the first and only news source to report on the apparent requirements and changes in income at Ellicott Station. You can help community-minded local reporting continue by joining Early Access Pass.

Le Roy celebrates phases and changes of the Class of 2023

By Howard B. Owens
le roy HS grad 2023
Near the start of the graduation ceremony in Le Roy, seniors delivered carnations to family members in the audience, which included the Keys family -- Terry, Jennifer, and Noah.
Photo by Howard Owens.

When the Class of 2023 began its public education journey, Taylor Swift had just released her first #1 album, "Fearless," which would go on to win a Grammy in 2010.

Principal David Russell mentioned Swift during his opening remarks, also noting that when the Class of 2023 began classes at Wolcott Street School, it was the year the Saints won the Super Bowl, Spain won the World Cup, and "Kings Speech" was named best picture.

Now Taylor Swift is as big as ever, celebrating her success on her Eras Tour, and the Class of 2023 has been through some eras, as speakers in Le Roy at the high school graduation noted on Saturday.

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