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GO ART! brings Barber of Seville to Batavia

By Joanne Beck

As many forms of entertainment as there have been in this area — dramas, comedies, musicals, black box theater, high school, community and college productions, dance recitals, jazz, concert and jazz band, orchestra and vocal performances — there’s one that has yet to make it to the stage.

There hasn’t been an opera. And GO ART! Executive Director Gregory Hallock, in collaboration with Genesee Community College and Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel, in collaboration with the Oliver G. & Sarah Sloan Bauman Fund for the Arts, has worked to make it happen at the end of this month.

$45M Batavia capital project includes repairs, turf fields, a move back for fifth grade

By Joanne Beck
Jason Smith
Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith

A proposed $45 million city school district capital project would make way for the fifth grade to move back to John Kennedy, for student-athletes to run bases on a synthetic field at the high school and for buildings to be upgraded and equipped with emergency blue light phones, Superintendent Jason Smith says.

The project is not about expansion, rather, it’s about ensuring that the facilities are maintained or improved for all five district buildings plus Richmond Memorial Library, Smith said Monday afternoon before reviewing the plan during the board of education’s meeting.

Tops celebrates Earth Day with ecologically friendly efforts

By Press Release

Press Release:

As we edge closer to celebrating another Earth Day here at Tops we are excited to announce the advances we continue to make not only in our day to day efforts to adopt practices that help protect our environment, but also efforts that will make a lifelong impact

Tompkins Financial Corporation reports first quarter financial results

By Press Release

Press Release:

Tompkins Financial Corporation ("Tompkins" or the "Company") reported diluted earnings per share of $1.18 for the first quarter of 2024, up 12.4% compared to the immediate prior quarter, and down 12.6% from diluted earnings per share of $1.35 reported in the first quarter of 2023.

Net income for

Take advantage of local services, screenings to prevent breast cancer

By Joanne Beck
Marianne Clattenburg and Shelley Stein
Genesee County Legislator Marianne Clattenburg, left, presents a proclamation to fellow Legislator, and Legislative Chair Shelley Stein, who accepted on behalf of cancer survivors in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month during October. 
Photo by Steven Falitico

Of all the events and groundbreakings and celebrations that Genesee County Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein has attended to represent the county, there has been one event that has been a sober reminder of just how precious life really is.

That was when she received a proclamation recently for Breast

Downtown business owners lose patience and patients, hoping solutions are soon

By Joanne Beck
handicap sidewalk at Canzoneri
A portion of this handicap sidewalk with railing at Dr. Joseph Canzoneri's office is to be removed as part of the new city police station construction, staff says, prompting the doctor to seek out a new temporary space for the next two years.
Photo by Joanne Beck 

John and Debbie Konieczny have been frequent fliers in the downtown medical community, getting their dental, podiatry and chiropractic needs met there for the last 20 years. 

With physical challenges — he has ulcers on the bottom of his 68-year-old feet, and she has had two knee replacements, and both use canes to walk — they are now biding their time that adjacent handicap parking will be restored next to their doctors’ offices.

After the feast, get ready to 'shop small' and support Small Business Saturday

By Joanne Beck
Valle Jewlers on Jackson Street, Batavia.
Valle Jewelers on Jackson Street, Batavia.
Photo by Howard Owens 

It’s that time of year when most everyone knows the drill by now: it’s feast day on Thanksgiving, followed by Black Friday deals online and at bigger box and department stores, and then there’s the day that not only supports your local community but allows for shoppers to get

Tenney backs bill to keep transgender athletes out of female sports

By Press Release

Press release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today, on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, introduced The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act alongside Congressman Greg Stuebe (R-Fl.). Additional original cosponsors of this legislation include Representatives Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Troy Balderson (R-Ohio), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Jerry Carl (R-Ala.)

Shadow of Ellicott Station throws shade on apartment plan for Pembroke, developer promises no low-income housing

By Howard B. Owens
metzger pembroke apartments
Engineer Michael Metzger points out some of the changes to a proposed apartment complex on Route 77 in the Town of Pembroke during Wednesday's Town Planning Board meeting.
Photo by Howard Owens.

Based on feedback from the community, the engineer and property owner planning an apartment complex at 8900 Alleghany Road, Pembroke, have scaled back the project, the Pembroke Planning Board learned on Wednesday night before voting 6-1 to let the development move forward.

A month ago, when the plan was last publicly discussed, developer Michael Schmidt and engineer Michael Metzger were planning six buildings in the complex and a total of 144 apartments with 326 parking spaces.

The new site plan calls for four buildings -- plus garages -- with 96 apartments and 168 parking spaces.

Letter to the Editor: No changes to Regents

By Staff Writer

Letter to the Editor from Donald Weyer:

I achieved a "Regents diploma" in the mid-1960s upon graduating high school (additionally, I won/was awarded a Regents college scholarship at the same time, and later, in the early 1970s, a Regents war-service scholarship, so I'm not exactly a neutral observer). The "Regents,"

Bergen cannery is growing, sells locally and looking to hire

By Joanne Beck

paulygtops2023-2.jpg

There are two things that Gino DeMino knows about tomato sauce: taste and price.

When locally produced Guglielmo’s sauce came onto Batavia Tops shelves, DeMino, the store manager, knew another good one had arrived.

“I’ve had it, it’s fantastic. It has great flavor, and it’s not watered down. It has

Byron-Bergen overcomes quick strike by Gananda to get 4-1 win in semifinal

By Howard B. Owens
Byron Bergen vs Gananda Girls Soccer 2023
Byron-Bergen's MacKenzie Hagen on the attack during the second half of Byron-Bergen sectional semi-final against Gananda at Pittsford-Sutherland.
Photo by Howard Owens.

Gananda didn't score a goal until the second minute of Tuesday's Section V Class C2 semifinal in Girls Soccer at Pittsford-Sutherland, which sort of felt like an accomplishment to Byron-Bergen Head Coach Wayne Hill.

"Last year, we played them (in postseason) and they scored in the first 10 seconds,"

GO ART! awards state grants to multiple artists and community organizations

By Press Release

042323_gogregory.jpg

Press release:

On Sat, April 22, GO ART! announced the 2023 Statewide Community Regrant (SCR) Program Grantees at the Hoag Library in Albion.

The Statewide Community Regrant Program was developed by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) in 1977 in response to a mandate by New York’s

WROTB board awards bonuses to senior management in light of last year's record earnings

By Mike Pettinella

While acknowledging the difference between private enterprises and not-for-profit businesses, the chairman of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board of directors on Thursday defended the awarding of $30,000 in bonuses to the public benefit company’s senior management team.

At its January meeting, the board unanimously (by a 13-0 vote) passed a resolution to

Developer says 80-unit complex across from GCC to be market-rate apartments

By Howard B. Owens
david mazur medtech landing gcedc
Developer David Mazur presents plans for MedTech Landing, an 80-unit apartment complex, to the GCEDC board of directors on Thursday.
Photo by Howard Owens.

Grand Island-based developer David Mazur isn't just 100 percent sure his proposed 80-unit apartment complex across the street from Genesee Community College will consist only of market-rate apartments. He's "1,000 percent" sure.

Law and Order: Rochester man accused of fleeing police while in possession of large quantity of narcotics

By Howard B. Owens
chad burgess
Chad Burgess

Chad W. Burgess, 37, of St. Paul Street, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 2nd, two counts of criminal possession of a narcotic with intent to sell, three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, tampering with physical evidence, criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd, and unlawful fleeing a police officer. Burgess is accused of fleeing a traffic stop at 1:51 a.m. on Feb. 25 on Lewiston Road, Batavia. Both deputies and troopers pursued him before being captured on Park Road, Batavia. He was allegedly found in possession of a large quantity of narcotics. Burgess was held pending arraignment. The investigation was led by Deputy Ryan Mullen, assisted by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell.

'Historic Chronicles' debuts Monday, author talk and book-signing April 27

By Joanne Beck
michael eula 2023
Michael Eula, 2023 file photo.
Photo by Howard Owens.

After talking to The Batavian in November 2023 about the premise and subject matter of his latest book, “Historic Chronicles of Genesee County,” county Historian Michael Eula will finally get to celebrate the official release on Monday.

The book is a twofer of sorts: it’s a local collection of essays on how American history affected Genesee County, and, per the stamp on the book’s jacket cover, it’s Made in the USA. Throw in assassinations, immigration, presidential politics and suffragists, and you’ve got a plethora of hot subjects as future reading material.

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