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No Thanksgiving at community center, but water on the way, Bethany supervisor says

By Joanne Beck
Tanker at Bethany
A tanker filled with 6,700 gallons of water arrives early Wednesday morning in Bethany. 
Photo submitted by Carl Hyde

All things considered, Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde was in fairly good spirits Tuesday evening after making phone calls to Bethany residents for three hours to, as he put it, serve as an early Grinch and rob them of their holiday. 

Those people had been planning on celebrating Thanksgiving at the town’s Community Center because they didn’t have water in their own homes. On Tuesday morning, the Community Center went dry as well. 

Bethany residents will have opportunity to fill water totes Saturday

By Joanne Beck

Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. would like all town of Bethany residents to know that there will be a first come-first served opportunity for them to fill up their 250 and 500-gallon totes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

You are asked to only use the Bethany Center

LEGAL NOTICE: Town of Bethany Public Hearing Water District No. 5 project

By Legal Notices

LEGAL NOTICE: 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TOWN OF BETHANY: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing pursuant to Town Law § 193 will be held by the Town Board of the Town of Bethany at the Town Hall located at 10510 Bethany Center Road, East Bethany, New York on

Bethany drought creates support for Water District 5, dairy farm closure, future uncertainty

By Joanne Beck
bethany water district 5 meeting

All but a few of about 200 residents were on board with creating Water District #5 in the Town of Bethany, and after the Town Board approved a resolution for a revised water district Wednesday evening, those property owners have 30 days to challenge the move or let it ride into the next phase of development, Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. says.

Bethany town residents with dry wells asked to contact town hall

By Press Release

Press Release:

Today we received a tanker of water from the NY State Office of Emergency Management to temporarily provide water to our residents experiencing dry wells.

For those residents affected, please call 585-343-1399, Ext. 202, and leave your full name, address and phone number. You will then be contacted

Getting their fill: Few residents show to first-time call to fill water totes, more dates set

By Joanne Beck
bethany water tanker nov. 2023
Bethany Town Board member Timothy Embt helps out at the water tanker on Saturday at the town hall parking lot.
Photo by Howard Owens

Jerry Kujawski had no trouble with Saturday’s rule of first-come, first-served to fill up his 300-gallon water tote. In fact, he made a return trip to fill it up a second time to help out a neighbor, and he was only the third or fourth person who had been at Bethany Town Hall to do so for the two-hour fill-up period.

When it seemed as though there would have been dozens of people clamoring for a go at the pump connected to a tanker of water to shore up their dried-up wells, the parking lot was empty most of the time. 

Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. had put out the notice that anyone with no water could get their totes filled between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday at the town hall, and he and members of the Bethany town board and fire department stood at the tanker ready and waiting.

Paper plates and plasticware: modern day life without running water

By Joanne Beck

One’s lifestyle most definitely changes without running water, he said. You microwave your meals, eat on paper plates and use plastic cutlery. Showers are taken at obliging family members’ homes, and dirty clothes are taken care of at a laundromat.

There’s no turning on the tap, hopping in the shower or taking anything for granted when it comes to a steady stream of that liquid gold labeled H2O.

More than 300 people celebrate Genesee County agriculture at annual dinner in Alexander

By Staff Writer
genesee county ag dinner
The Cupicha family, Cupicha Family Farm, Soil and Water's Conservation Farm of the Year.
Photo by Philip Casper.

Genesee County's agriculture community came together at the Alexander Fire Hall on Saturday for the Celebration of Ag Dinner, with more than 300 people in attendance.

This was the 20th year for the event.

The Cupicha Family Farm of Bethany was this year's Conservation Farm of the Year.

The

Preparing for eclipse visitors with ramped up staffing, new parking fee at county park

By Joanne Beck
Paul Osborn and Laura Wadhams
Genesee County Deputy Highway Superintendent Paul Osborn and Assistant Engineer Laura Wadhams discuss plans to deal with an expected surge in traffic and visitors for the April 8 eclipse. 
Photo by Joanne Beck

If you’re planning to visit Genesee County Park  to see the total solar eclipse on April 8, you might want to take some refreshments, a blanket, and for certain — Alexander Hamilton.

County Highway officials have suggested charging $10 per vehicle for parking that day due to the expected surge in visitors and the need for additional staffing, overtime, traffic control, and related additional expenses. 

Presentation offers lessons, urges residents to test homes for radon

By Joanne Beck
Sherri Bensley and Allysa Pascoe
Sherri Bensley, left, and Allysa Pascoe, of Genesee and Orleans Health Department, give a presentation about radon during this week's City Council meeting at City Hall. Free test kits are available at the health department to find out your home's level for this odorless, tasteless radioactive gas.
Photo by Howard Owens.

If you were asked to name the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, it may surprise you that the answer is not second hand smoke, often portrayed as perhaps the most dangerous substance to lungs for those exposed to the fumes of others.

2023: Another busy year in local news

By Howard B. Owens
year in 2023
Following a police pursuit from Byron into Batavia on July 31, a subject barricaded himself in an unoccupied -- though rented -- apartment in a complex on Bank Street. The police presence drew a lot of community attention.
Photo By Howard Owens. (Photo a National Press Photographers Association regional award winner).

It was another busy news year in Genesee County, with lots of big stories, such as the ongoing saga of Ellicott Station, which even cast a shadow over a planned development for Pembroke.

That wasn't the only sign of economic growth in Pembroke, which is the site

Bethany Volunteer Fire Department holds 2024 Installation of Officers Banquet

By Steve Ognibene
Members of Bethany Fire Department were installed for the 2024 year.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Members of Bethany Fire Department were installed for the 2024 year.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene

This past Saturday evening, Fire Chief Jeff Fluker of Bethany Fire Department led as the master of ceremonies at Bethany’s annual awards and installation of officer’s banquet. 

More than 80 people attended including VIP guests from other area fire departments, including Alexander, Attica, Elba, Pavilion, Stafford, and Wyoming.

Mrs. Marguerite James Breckenridge

By Joshua Smith
Breckenridge

Marguerite James Breckenridge, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend and neighbor passed from this life on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at the age of 97.

She was born on December 7, 1925 to the late Thomas S. James and Lucille James of Batavia.

Marguerite was married to Robert J. Breckenridge of Bethany, NY, where they had a dairy farm. After retirement, the couple moved to Sarasota, FL and raised beef cattle. Later they located to Wylie, TX and then Keller, TX, then finally relocated back to Bethany.

She is predeceased by her husband, Robert J, Breckenridge, sons, Thomas R. Breckenridge and Robert W. Breckenridge and a granddaughter, Heather D. Smith.

As always, Marguerite was a loving companion and devoted wife through their marriage of 63 years. She was a caring, guiding and adoring mother to Lynda (Mauro) Gaetano of Austin, TX and Stephen (Joanne) Breckenridge of Bethany. She leaves four granddaughters, Jennifer (Shawn) Covert of LeRoy,NY, Bernadette (Larry) DeLaGarza of Austin, TX, Kristen (Joseph) Magyar of Newburgh,NY, Kimberly (Timothy) D'Amico of Batavia, NY, and a step-grandson, David (Katrinia) Gaetano of Atlanta, GA. She is survived by nine great grandchildren, Michael and Matthew Covert, Santiago and Gabriella DeLaGarza, Isabella, Lukas and Vivian Magyar, Macey D'Amico and Adriana Gaetano, who all made her proud.

In her younger years, she was employed by the First National Bank in Batavia, CL Carr's, Chapin Manufacturing and a Nurse's Aide at St. Jerome's Hospital following World War II as a Gray Lady, which was an extension of the American Red Cross. She was active in the Batavia Business & Professional Women's Club, and an active member for many years in the Cerebral Palsy of NYS organization as well as Home Bureau. She also was a member of the First Baptist Church of Batavia.

Marguerite was a strong, resilient and thoughtful person who was a talented homemaker, cook and baker. As the wife of a farmer, she would attend cattle auctions and purchase cows for the dairy herd, help with milking or delivering calves later in the day. During the Blizzard of '77 she opened her home providing meals and lodging to stranded motorists on Route 20.

Marguerite leaves a great void in the hearts of those close to her. She will be dearly missed though memories and the love she shared will live on among family, friends and those whose life she touched. Her family would like to extend a sincere thank you to her nurse, Patti Cunningham, and health care aides, Shirley Farley, Mary Merle, and Linda Jackett, as well as friends, Diane Hall, Darleen Peters, Linda Sanders, Kris Kujawski, and Sunshine.

At Marguerite's request, there will be no calling hours. Private services will be held at the convenience of the family. She will be laid to rest in West Bethany Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials in her name to West Bethany Baptist Church, 10333 West Bethany Road, East Bethany, New York 14054 or Bethany Volunteer Fire Department, 5253 Old Telephone Road, East Bethany, New York 14054. To leave a condolence, share a story or light a candle in her memory, please visit www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, 403 East Main Street, Batavia.

Mrs. Marguerie James Breckenridge

By Joshua Smith
Breckenridge

Marguerite James Breckenridge, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend and neighbor passed from this life on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at the age of 97.

She was born on December 7, 1925 to the late Thomas S. James and Lucille James of Batavia.

Marguerite was married to Robert J. Breckenridge

SUNY GCC announces fall 2023 dean's list

By Press Release

Press Release:

230 students from Genesee Community College named to Dean's List. Students honored on the Dean's List have maintained full or part-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.50 to 3.74.

  • Paige Sikorski of Alexander
  • Myah Fisher of Basom
  • Arabella Rogers of Batavia
  • Makayla Andolora of Batavia

Scanner monitoring Saturday, Jan. 13

By Howard B. Owens

6:41 p.m.: A deputy looking for a vehicle off the road at 33 and Angling couldn't locate it, reporting whiteout conditions. The Corfu fire chief was also in the area and a short time later, he located the vehicle off the road. He reports no injuries.  Another deputy on another

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