As of April 30, Pediatric Associates will join Oak Orchard Health (OOH) in Batavia. Drs. Muhammad S. Idrees, a Board Certified Pediatrician, and Nashiha Shahid, Board Certified in Family Medicine and Geriatrics, will be seeing patients at Oak Orchard’s location at 319 West Main Street, Batavia.

“Oak Orchard Health is pleased to have two experienced physicians join our staff in Batavia. Drs. Idrees and Shahid are both dedicated to their patients and share so many of our core values that it made it an easy decision to add them to our panel of providers,” said Karen Kinter, EO, Oak Orchard Health.

“I am incredibly enthusiastic about the opportunity to embark on this journey at Oak Orchard Health. As a pediatrician, empathy and compassion are at the core of how I interact with my young patients and their families. I strive to understand the full impact of illness on their lives, both physically and emotionally. Oak Orchard Health shares my values of patient-centeredness and helps people from all walks of life. Dr. Shahid and I are looking forward to working at Oak Orchard Health,” said Dr. Muhammad Idrees, pediatrician, Oak Orchard Health (formerly at Pediatric Associates of Batavia).

“Oak Orchard Health shares my belief to serve everyone, no matter their situation. Joining a community health center is another way for me and Dr. Idrees to continue to make a difference and contribute to the well-being of the people in this community. At Oak Orchard Health we’ll be able to give our patients access to additional services such as behavioral health, dental, and vision care. In addition, their care management team helps people overcome obstacles to accessing medical care. This is all a plus for our patients,” said Dr. Shahid, Oak Orchard Health (formerly at Pediatric Associates of Batavia).

Drs. Idrees and Shahid will be joining Oak Orchard providers Mohammadreza Azadfard, MD, Christina Sobczak, PNP, Lauren Rogers, PA, Emily Hein, PNP, and Megan Krebs, LMSW (Behavioral Health).

For more information or to make an appointment, contact Oak Orchard Health at Batavia at 585-599-6446 or visit our website at www.OakOrchardHealth.org.

This year’s Genesee Country Farmers Market will relocate to the corner of School and Jackson streets, across from O’Lacy’s Pub, management announced via social media.

This is perhaps no surprise, given the commotion of a new police facility construction in the lot at Alva Place and Bank Street, staging and redirecting staff and customers to park in other areas, including the parking lot near the JC Penney building where the market has been these past years.

Taking a positive approach, market management also said that the new site will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays beginning in May, before beginning its regular schedule in June. That schedule will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday through November.

“The market is excited about this move and we want you to be as well,” the post stated. “Please spread the positive word and stay tuned for updates.”

For updates on vendors, go HERE. 

Two undefeated Flag Football teams battled it out Wednesday evening for the top spot in Section V Girls Flag Football, and Batavia defeated Monroe by a score of 26-0 at VanDetta Stadium.

On the opening drive, Anna Varland turned a quarterback sneak into a 60-yard TD. 

With 3:07 left in the first half, Varland connected with Isabella Walsh for a touchdown.  The extra point was good and Batavia was up 14-0.

A couple of possessions later, with 23 seconds left in the half, Nicole Doeringer snags an interception and Walsh scores again for Batavia making it 20-0.

Varland scored Batavia's final TD with 13 minutes left in the game.

Stats: 

Anna Varland, 114 yards passing, two TDs,  three interceptions, 74 yards rushing, two rushing TDs 

Isabella Walsh, 4 carries, 91 Yards two TDs

Jaimin Mcdonald, 8 flag pulls

Aleeza idrees, 4 flag pulls

Kylee Brennan, 11 flag pulls

Grace Parker, 2 interceptions

Nicole Doeringer, 3 interceptions 

"Monroe is an extremely tough team, and our girls were up for the task tonight," Coach Ben Bucholtz said. "Defensively, we had Kylee Brennan and Jaimin Macdonald play really well, and then our secondary Nicole Doeringer, Grace Parker and Anna Stevens combined for six interceptions."

Batavia, at 7-0, next plays on Monday at home against Greece Olympia-Odyssey. Game time is 7 p.m.

To view or purchase photos, click  here.

Diane Cox's work in the fields of nursing and pastoral care have made her one of Rochester Business Journal’s Women of Excellence 2024 Awards honorees. All of them will be recognized during an awards dinner on May 14 at the Riverside Convention Center, 123 E. Main St., Rochester.

The Genesee County Office for the Aging invites you to an exciting Open House event on Tuesday, May 14, from 2 - 4 p.m. at 2 Bank Street, Batavia.

Come meet our dedicated staff and learn about our comprehensive programs and services, which positively impact residents of Genesee County. Engage with our team, ask questions, and explore the resources designed to enhance the quality of life for older adults, individuals living with disabilities in our community, and their caregivers.

Enjoy light refreshments and participate in fun activities with chances to win exciting prizes throughout the event!

We encourage everyone to attend and discover the valuable resources available through the Genesee County Office for the Aging. Save the date for May 14 and join us at our Open House! 

For more information, please contact Maureen Estabrooks at 585-343-1611 or Maureen.Estabrooks@co.genesee.ny.us.

The menu includes pulled pork, rolls, salt potatoes, cole slaw and dessert. Cost is $15 per meal. Takeout only!

Mark E. Woodward, CFP®, CLTC®, APMA TM, a Private Wealth Advisor with Fieldstone Private Wealth, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. in Batavia, has qualified for the company’s Circle of Success annual recognition program and will be honored for this achievement in 2024.

To earn this achievement, Woodward established himself as one of the company’s top advisors. Only a select number of high-performing advisors earn this distinction.

He has 30 years of experience with Ameriprise Financial. As a private wealth advisory practice, Fieldstone Private Wealth provides financial advice that is anchored in a solid understanding of client needs and expectations and provided in one-on-one relationships with their clients. 

For more information, please contact Mark Woodward at 585-344-1262, visit the Ameriprise office at 219 East Main Street, Batavia, or visit their website at www.fieldstoneprivatewealth.com.

Photos submitted by Jason Smith.

In the days, weeks and months after the COVID pandemic protocols settled down and kids were able to return to school after all of that isolation, an odd phenomenon occurred, and many struggled with the desire to return.

For Batavia resident and Flower City School teacher Zach Arenz, he was able to spark student interest through the magic of music.

“I just think at the core of teaching, it's so important for kids to feel connected. And in a world where I think we're increasingly disconnected from one another, it's important to grow those relationships at the school, with their teachers, and get the kids excited to be at school each day,” Arenz says. You know, we're four years post the beginning of the pandemic … but attendance is still a big issue in schools; getting kids to want to come to school is a struggle for a lot of them. And I had one kid recently tell me that the reason he came to school that day was because he had band with me. And, I mean, in the days that I feel most stressed, and I just feel like am I doing it the right way? You hear something like that and you're like, wow, the teachers make such a huge difference in our kids’ lives.”