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VA invites community to "Salute Veterans"

By Philip Anselmo

From the VA Medical Center:

VA Western New York Healthcare System invites the public to participate in open-house activities Feb. 8-14 during the National Salute to Veterans.

"The National Salute to Veterans gives everyone a chance to let those who have given so much to our nation know that they are not forgotten," said David J. West  Interim Medical Center Director "We've invited local celebrities, elected officials, school children and other groups to visit during the week.  We want people of all ages to bring Valentine’s Day cheer to our patients.”  West said he hopes visitors will also learn more about the important roles volunteers play at the medical center throughout the year and perhaps pursue volunteer opportunities.  "Over 600 volunteers are an important part of our health care team in Buffalo and Batavia, and the National Salute program is a great way for people to learn more about helping the Veterans we serve," West said.  “Visitors are often surprised at how varied our volunteer opportunities are.”  Citizens, young and old, are once again sending Valentine’s Day cards and letters to VA medical centers simply addressed “Dear Veteran.” West said they are being distributed to patients throughout the medical center.

VA Western New York Healthcare System’s National Salute Week schedule includes an open house Friday, February 13 at 1:00 p.m. in Freedom Hall, room 301. Additional activities are included below.

Individuals or groups wishing to participate in the medical center program should call the Voluntary Service office, in Buffalo at 716-862-8671 and in Batavia at 585-297-1196.

Please click here to download the complete schedule of events.

Richmond Memorial: Mystery Lovers' Mondays

By Philip Anselmo

From Richmond Memorial Library:

Mystery Lovers’ Mondays, a book discussion group for adults, will meet on Monday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m. at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia.  The book to be discussed is SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD by P.L. Gaus, which is also the selected title for “A Tale for Three Counties” 2009.  Copies of the book may be borrowed at the front desk.   For more information, call the library at 343-9550, ext. 8 or log onto www.batavialibrary.org.

Musician Otis Taylor to Bring Blues and Banjos to Genesee

By Philip Anselmo

From Genesee Community College:

Arguably the most relevant blues artist of our time (Guitar Player magazine), Otis Taylor brings his unique instrumentation and sound to Genesee Community College on Saturday, February 7 at 8:00 PM in the Stuart Steiner Theatre at the Batavia campus. Now promoting his latest album, Recapturing the Banjo, this critically-acclaimed singer and songwriter captivates audiences with his original music and poignant storytelling.

Taylor was born in Chicago in 1948 to a family that embraced music and was surrounded by jazz performers and musicians. After the death of his uncle, his family moved to Denver where he was allowed to let his love of blues and folk music blossom. Taylor learned to play guitar and harmonica, and by his mid-teens was performing in his first band. He went on to perform in London, but soon returned to the United States in the late 1960's to work on many musical projects with various blues artists. In 1977, Taylor decided to take a break from the music business and went on to be a successful antiques dealer, as well as coaching an amateur bicycling team.

After much persuasion from his fellow musicians, Taylor returned to music in 1995. He released his first album two years later, titled Blue Eyed Monster, which the blues world embraced and admired. Now promoting his eighth album, Recapturing the Banjo, he is part-musician and part-storyteller taking his audiences on an emotional journey of truth and relevance in history. His original lyrics and haunting voice weave a story of pain, joy and the human condition.

"Bringing Otis Taylor to Genesee Center for the Arts continues the College's long-standing tradition of hosting some of the world's best blues artists," Frank Mayo, professor of speech and theatre arts said. "Genesee's Stuart Steiner Theatre is a perfect venue for this kind of performance offering exceptional acoustics, as well as an intimate setting. Western New York is in for a real treat."

Besides being an award winning singer and songwriter, Otis Taylor finds time to give back to the communities that support music in children and young adults. Taylor, along with his wife Carol, have taken on a Blues in the School program called "Writing the Blues." The program consists of visits to schools and universities around the country to advise, enlighten, motivate and educate about the blues. Taylor now resides in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two daughters. For further information on Otis Taylor or press photographs, visit www.otistaylor.com.

One performance is scheduled for Saturday, February 7, 2009 at 8:00 PM in the Stuart Steiner Theatre at the Batavia campus. General admission ticket prices are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for students, senior citizens and Genesee faculty/students. Members of the Western New York Blues Society will receive a $2.00 discount by showing their current membership card.

For ticket information or reservations, contact the Genesee Center for the Arts Box Office at (585) 343-0055 x6814, or by email at boxoffice@genesee.edu. The Genesee Center for the Arts Box Office accepts cash and checks only; credit cards are not accepted. For door-to-door directions, sent via email, visit www.genesee.edu.

New hope for live music in Batavia

By Philip Anselmo

Hot Shots Coffee on Harvester Avenue has some great news for live music fans in Genesee County. From the release:

There is new hope for entertainment in Batavia. Other than at bars, there are not many concerts to speak of in our small city. Especially in the winter. On Saturday,January 24th, 6:30pm HOT SHOTS COFFEE at 56 Harvester ave. will be host to an alcohol free concert open to all ages. The Headlining band responsible for setting up the show, is Batavia's own RADIO RELAPSE, a modern rock coverband made up of the cream of Batavia's young talent. By young I mean mid 20's. There will also be an opening act t.b.a. RADIO RELAPSE is in support of seeing the local music scene flourish.  Entertainment is the spice of any city.

Video: Cooking with the Dairy Princess

By Philip Anselmo

I'm very pleased to announce the premier episode in our new video series: Cooking with the Dairy Princess, with Byron's own Anika Zuber. Each month Anika will prepare us a seasonal dairy delight, starting with a strawberry sorbet smoothie for August. Please enjoy, and check back this time next month for episode two.

Summer in the City

By Philip Anselmo

We're less than an hour shy of the start of Batavia's biggest downtown festival of the year: Summer in the City. Vendors take up their posts at 5:00pm tonight along Center, School and Jackson streets—all of which are closed off between Ellicott and Main streets.I just took a stroll down Center Street and spotted some barbecue smoke, popcorn kettles and the sugary promise of a fried dough stand.

Tonight's music selection features the Genesee Valley Band form 5:30 to 7:00pm, followed by Kindred from 7:30 to 9:00pm. Both shows will be on the main stage in Jackson Square.

The festivities continue tomorrow with more music, more vendors, plus crafts and the Rotary KidZone. Saturday's fun starts at 3:00 and runs to 9:00pm. Ghost Riders kick things off from 3:00 to 4:30, followed by Westside Blues from 5:00 to 6:30 and Popshow from 7:00 to 9:00.

Court Street will also be host to a car show tomorrow: Classic Cars & Cycles at 2:00pm, followed by the Super Cruise from 3:00 to 9:00pm that could feature several hundred vintage vehicles. Kids will have plenty to do, as well, from bicycle decoration to tennis lessons and sand art to carnival games.

Check out the Web site for the Batavia Business Improvement District for a full schedule of events. Or just head downtown anytime this weekend. It shouldn't disappoint.

Ice Cream and Hymns

By Philip Anselmo

Emmanuel Baptist Church will host an outdoor concert with vocalist and evangelist George Miller on August 24 at 4:00pm under the church pavilion at 190 Oak St. The concert will be followed by an ice cream social, so "bring a friend and a lawn chair for this old-fashioned hymnfest."

McMahon Irish Dancers win big — again!

By Philip Anselmo

Congratulations are in order — again — for everybody's favorite Irish dancers: the young ladies and gentlemen of the McMahon School of Irish Dance.

On July 12, dancers from the McMahon School of Irish Dance competed at this year’s Rochester Feis (pronounced fesh), along with 1200 others from schools in the United States and Canada.  Long hours of practice paid off for the McMahon dancers, who brought home 60 medals, including 17 first place awards.

Binghamton will host the Southern Tier Feis in a couple weeks on August 16. In the meantime, The Batavian hopes to get over to the McMahon dance studio here in Batavia to capture some of the action on video, so be sure to check back with us for that.

Visit the McMahon School's Web site for more information about enrolling in classes or learning more about the art and sport of Irish dance.

Harley Davidson Drawing to benefit fire department Saturday

By Philip Anselmo

Batavia's town fire crew is raffling off one mean, chrome chopper this Saturday, and tickets were only $20 a pop — they sold out this morning! For a couple of sawbucks some lucky duck will take home a 105th Anniversary Limited Edition Harley Davidson Fatboy — and for those who know, that's one sweet bike.

All proceeds from the ticket sales will benefit the town of Batavia Fire Department. This is their 9th annual Harley Davidson drawing, and the event Saturday marks their only fundraiser for the year.

But wait, that's not all!

The raffle is really only the icing on the cake for an event that kicks off at 7:00pm under the tent at the town fire department's Rec Hall at 8380 Lewiston Road (across from K-Mart and just down the road from Batavia Downs). They'll also be serving up hotdogs, burgers and grilled sausage (for a few bucks). Beer and pop will also be available, plus a 50/50 raffle, plus pull-tabs, plus... music: 7th Heaven will take the stage around 8:00pm and rock out the evening.

Admission to the event is free. You don't need to buy a raffle ticket to attend. But anyone under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Entertainment at the Fair: Friday and Saturday

By Philip Anselmo

Here's a schedule of events for tonight at the Genesee County Fair:

Friday:

  • Chainsaw artist Rick Pratt shows off his skills at 5:00, 6:30, 8:00 and 9:30pm.
  • The MacMahon School of Irish Dance takes the stage from 5:30 to 7:30pm.
  • Country music fans can delight to the tunes of Prairie Reign from 8:00 to 11:00pm.
  • Motorcycle races will dominate the Grandstand starting at 7:00pm.
  • Middle-Eastern dancers Gems of the Nile groove from 7:30 to 8:00pm.
  • Don't forget the fireworks!

Visit the Fair's Web site for a full schedule of weekend events and other information.

Today at the Fair: Cars, hogs, kids and a parade

By Philip Anselmo

Visit the Genesee County Fair Web site for a full list of all entertainment for the week, plus info about the Fair Queen Pageant, tonight's Parade and other special events.

Today's highlights include:

  • A children's storyteller at the Gazebo at 2:00pm.
  • A children's artist from 4:00 to 9:00pm in the Entertainment tent.
  • The Eagle Garden-Tractor Pull in the Grandstand at 6:00pm.
  • Singer Michael Jones will perform from 7:30 to 10:00pm in the Entertainment tent.

Jason McElwain will be the Grand Marshall for the Fair Parade this evening at 6:30pm, followed by an autograph signing with Jason in the Entertainment Tent from 7:30 to 8:00pm.

If you've got a video camera and fancy yourself a cinéaste, The Batavian would be glad to take any footage you've got of the parade or any other fair festivities and put up highlight reels on our site. Send Philip an e-mail at philip (at) thebatavian (dot) com or give him a call at (585) 802-3032, if you're interested.

Comedian takes stage at GCC Thursday

By Philip Anselmo

Comedian Bill Dawes will take the stage at Genesee Community College Thursday night following an afternoon workshop at the college. From the press release:

The Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College will conclude its 16th successful season with an afternoon workshop and “one-night only” event featuring actor and comic Bill Dawes, with special guest Kyle Fincham. On May 15, Dawes will be holding an afternoon workshop (times to be announced) with college students at Genesee, collaborating on the art of stand-up comedy and offering a question-and-answer period. Following the workshop, the Genesee Center for the Arts and Genesee’s Fine Arts Committee will be presenting Spring Offensive with Bill Dawes! featuring Bill Dawes and special guest Kyle Fincham in an uncensored night of cutting-edge comedy. Spring Offensive with Bill Dawes! premieres Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 8:00PM at the Stuart Steiner Theatre.

Dawes began his professional acting career in the Broadway production of “Sex and Longing,” opposite Sigourney Weaver. His other credits include the stage productions of “Gross Indecency: The Trials of Oscar Wilde” and “My First Time,” as well as the independent films “Born Loser,” “Evenhand” and “The Science of Love.” On the small screen, Dawes has enjoyed success in guest roles and as recurring characters on a variety of shows, including “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Oz”, “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.”

General Admission ticket prices are $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for college students, senior citizens and GCC faculty/staff. This performance is attended for mature audiences only. For more ticket information and reservations, contact the Genesee Center for the Arts Box Office at (585) 345-6814. The Genesee Center for the Arts Box Office accepts cash and checks only, credit cards are not accepted.

From the Notebook

By Philip Anselmo

Can't seem to dredge up anything of great import in the way of news this afternoon. Whenever that happens, I head out into the community, into the shops on Main Street and elsewhere, into the parks...

Batavia police tell me they don't have anything to report — I've called them twice today so far. We should probably consider that good news. Strange though, since a city councilman told me that the city was already 300 calls above where they were this time last year.

Still not much luck connecting with the busy city manager. I did get a couple City Council members on the phone today, but didn't make it much further than that. I'll be meeting with Sam Barone next week. Looking forward to it. Sam mentions fishing, bowling and reading under special interests on the city's Web site. I'm a fan of all three myself, though I'm only good at the last one.

Also, I found this fine shot of the bend in the Tonawanda River in my camera. Have those bulbs popped yet?

Then I met with Hal Kreter over at the county's Veterans Service Agency. He's a great guy — a longtime U.S. Marine himself — who works for an organization that fills the gap between the American veteran and the no doubt intimidating bureaucracy of the federal government.

That's about all for now. But here's a note before I go: The Batavian's MySpace is humming along. We've picked up 30 friends so far — honestly, I don't know if that's very many, but I'm excited about it. For those of you interested in that, please stop by and check it out. We'd be happy to be your friend. For those who aren't interested or just don't know much about the site, it's a social networking hub where anyone can register and create a personal profile for themselves, meet other folks, keep up remotely with friends. Music is big on MySpace, so we're hoping to link up with a few bands, maybe even put together a music video from time to time to bring back here to our site. Look for that in the future.

An evening with the Batavia Players

By Philip Anselmo

Last night, I was fortunate enough to be invited behind the scenes for the Batavia Players' dress rehearsal of Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, which premieres tonight (see showtime info below).

As the cast members flitted this way and that, in and out of their dressing rooms, up and off the stage, I had just enough time to sit with Patrick Burk, the show's director, and a couple members of the cast. We chatted right up on the set — which Patrick later informed me is made up of no less than 400 props donated by several of the players themselves.

Who: The Batavia Players: Valeria Antonetty, Shawnie Euren, Lynda Hodgins, Rachel Oshlag, Nikole Marone, Peggy Marone, Joan Meyer, Patti Michalak and Jake Bortle. Patrick Burk directs.

What: Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean by Ed Graczyk.

Where: Stuart Steiner Theater, Genesee Community College, Batavia.

When: May 8, 9 and 10 at 7:30pm.

Tickets: Available at Roxy's Music Store, 228 W. Main St., and Go Art!, 201 E. Main St. $10 for adults, $8 for senior.

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