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Photos by Philip Casper.

There seemed to be mixed reactions to Monday’s big event as those few minutes passed — depending on where you were — around 3:20 p.m. debuting this area’s total solar eclipse under gray cloud cover. 

Social media posts varied from exclamations of having witnessed the best thing ever and feeling awed by the eerie cloak of darkness that descended and lifted as if someone dimmed the light switch and ever so gently rolled it back up.

Still others heaved with palpable sighs of disappointment after all of these past weeks and months of education, promotion and preparation for what was to come due to those nasty clouds that arrived and settled in for a stay. 

Locals that ventured out to one of the many gathering spots in Genesee County, or others that drove in from out of state, such as John King, seemed to glean some good out of the day no matter how mired it was in foul weather.

King, all packed up with his recording equipment, came from Gettysburg, Pa. because Batavia “was the closest to me that was in the path,” he said. 

He traveled to Tennessee for the partial eclipse in 2017 and, even though he considers himself “a complete amateur,” is prepared with a mount for his telescope and cameras to track the sun, he said.

Despite the clouds, he wasn’t disappointed and, in fact, had come to expect them from experience.

“I went to the 2017 eclipse in Tennessee, and it was a perfect, beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky. And we went to the Watts Bar Nuclear Facility, which is on the Tennessee River. It released a cloud into the sky out of the smokestack that completely blocked my view, even though there was not a cloud anywhere in the sky. I did not get to see the eclipse there either,” King said. “So at least this time, when I came here, I expected that the clouds were going to be like this, and I probably wouldn't get any pictures. But this is my second one that I've brought nothing back.”

Did you think about going somewhere else when you heard what the weather would be like here? 
“I looked from Indianapolis to here, and they all said about 90 percent cloud cover,”  he said. “We’d already reserved the rooms. I said, what the heck, it's still an event, it still turns dark, you still get to see it. And it only happens, you know, every five, six years.”

He was “amazed” at how little traffic he encountered on his way here compared to Tennessee in 2017.

“Every road around there for 60 miles, every shoulder was covered with cars that had pulled over and parked, and it took me 16 hours instead of eight hours to get home because the traffic was so bad,” he said. “And we cruised up here in normal time, five hours.

“I think the weather, people just said it's just not worth it to travel that distance, and it's gonna be cloud-covered. I was committed, though, just for the heck of it. I'm coming,” he said, sharing that his wife’s daughter stayed put and had a much different view. “My wife, she FaceTimed her daughter who's in Columbia, Maryland, and they have scattered clouds, so they saw it perfectly.”

On the other hand, Tom Jones of Brigantine, New Jersey, drove quite a few hours to get here, he said. He paused when asked if it was worth it.

“Seeing nighttime in the middle of the afternoon was a freak. I’ve never seen that. That was an experience,” he said. “And I brought everything in preparation: my Corona beer, my bottle of champagne, my cereal box viewers. I even brought the little index card thing. Let down.”

He was figuring out when the next total was, as he had heard it was in Spain in a few years, though his parking lot compadres thought it was in Iceland in a different year. Here you go, Tom Jones: the next total solar eclipse is slated for Aug. 12, 2026, with a path of totality limited to Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and a small area of Portugal.

Over in the village of Elba, Clerk Jerah Augello manned a booth at Elba Central School as part of eclipse activities. She enjoyed watching the eclipse in action despite the gray matter obscuring it.

“This is amazing, even though we didn't get to see the full eclipse because of the clouds. The fact that we're on top of the football field with a big crowd of the community, and it's dark, and it really got dark very quickly,” she said. “And then, within a matter of minutes, it was bright again. And then we did get to see a sliver. It was really amazing. I really wish we could have seen the whole thing but what we did get to experience was pretty cool itself.” 

That seemed to be the consensus, including for Molly Anderson, who noted that “we’ve got people from all over the country, from Virginia and Georgia and New Jersey.”

“I think this is awesome that everybody came together up here. And, you know, we're up here on the football field and got to see the little sliver there at the end. But it's nice,” Anderson said. “It was great that the community put this together. And you know, we're all out here, and it’s something to remember forever: darkness in the middle of the afternoon.”

School, village and community members worked together to provide the day, which included musical entertainment by the Front Porch Pickers, homemade onion soup, fried dough, a lemonade stand and the Sports Boosters firing up the grill, to name a few of the offerings.

“We had a great turnout today.  I believe that this was because there was something for everyone to enjoy at our school and throughout the village. So many of the Elba community members came out, but there were many from the surrounding area, too,” School Superintendent Gretchen Rosales said.  “We even had some out-of-state guests; they had no connection to Elba but really wanted to experience the eclipse, so they picked the Elba community as their place to enjoy the moment.  

“Although we didn't get to see too much due to the cloud cover, the darkness was impressive.  The best part was being in a crowd with children and adults alike who were in awe of the experience.,” she said.  “I am thankful that our community turned out for the event and so pleased that guests decided to join us in our Elba home for this fun.  It was an honor to host everyone today for this once-in-a-lifetime event.”  

Elba Elementary School student John Anderson, 10, thought it was “cool.” 

“Just because it got so dark. All of a sudden, just in the afternoon, when it’s not nighttime,” he said. “I think it was fun. I got to play football with my friends.”

Being part of an eclipse is “just one of those moments that you’re never gonna forget,” Jessica Beck, a graduate student from Philadelphia, said. She saw the partial in 2017 after she and her family made a last-minute dash to Nashville to go see it as the clouds started coming in with the totality’s path.

“But we found a spot that was clear. You know, you can you can say what happens, like, the crickets started chirping, the birds went quiet. You saw a rainbow all around the horizon; the stars came out. But just the goosebumps, like I'm feeling right now just recounting this, I felt total goosebumps, just totally in awe of the fact that we're on this little speck of a planet and it just happened to line up right with its own moon,” she said at DeWitt Recreation Area. “And we're witnessing the heavenly bodies moving into position. It's just so cool. It's hard to put into words, but it pulls you back.

“I’m kind of banking on the fact that it's definitely going to be like sudden nightfall; we're gonna have sudden night for about three and a half minutes here in Batavia, and the wildlife, I’ve been hearing the Red-winged blackbirds chirping since we got here to the park, and they're gonna stop that,” she said. “So we are gonna hear the wildlife kind of going crazy. It is going to be total darkness. And I think it's still going to be an experience even though you're not getting the full view of the sky that you would have otherwise.”

And why did you choose Batavia? 
So Philadelphia's closest to this area in terms of where the region of totality is. I had some familiarity with the region as my mom is a U or R alum, and my sister is a U of R alum, so I spent some time in upstate New York and kind of wanted to see Niagara again,”she said. “So I knew there would be stuff to do in and around here, even if we had cloud cover on the actual day, so we've actually been here since Friday just been enjoying what the Finger Lakes region has to offer.”

Round Up of The Batavian's Eclipse Coverage:

• Visitors from out of town get ready for the total solar eclipse
• Eclipse brings out entrepreneurial spirit: solar glasses for sale
• Photos: eclipse beauty and fun in Alexander
• Photos: Food, vendors, games and fun during eclipse in Oakfield
• Photos: Eclipse Party at Batavia Downs
• Video: Eclipse Time-lapse shot from a Jackson Street rooftop
• Travelers from the East Coast hang out at Genesee County Fairgrounds to view eclipse
• Photos: A partial glimpse of the eclipse at the Richmond Memorial Library
• Golf Dedication: Using glow-in-the-dark balls during total solar eclipse at Terry Hills
• Visitors from throughout Northeast watch eclipse from animal sanctuary in Byron
• Community views of the eclipse
• Corfu eclipse events allow families to spend time together
• Photos: Elba celebrates the eclipse

During the eclipse events in Corfu, there was something sweet happening at Sweet Dream Maple Farm on Reynolds Road. Owners Al and Amy Stein had the farm open today for maple samplings, lunch, tours of the farm, and their shop was open for business.

When Al heard that the Darien Lake Hotel was going to be open for the eclipse weekend, he wanted to include their farm with all of the local happenings. 

"It's something for the visitors to do," Al said. "I opened everything as an extension of Maple Weekend." 

Nick and Tina were up here on a family trip from Danbury, Conn., with their three kids, Ben, Nicola, and Samantha. They heard of the events happening in Corfu from their Airbnb host, Amy Stein, and decided to keep their eclipse viewings local. 

Another stop was in the village of Corfu for their eclipse viewing party at Pembroke Intermediate School, which was free for all to attend. Many locals gathered for games of corn hole, miniature golf, trivia, and a cookout fundraiser for the church food pantry. 

Jim and Sara Hall of Corfu were excited to spend time with their kids today. 

"I took the day off of work," Jim Hall said. "It looks like it's going to be a dark one." 

He laughed.

"The three-day event was a great success," said Tom Sargent, the village of Corfu mayor. "It was well attended for a small community." 

He recapped that Corfu had the parade and dance on Saturday, which at one point had 45 people on the dance floor learning to square dance. The craft festival and movie night on Sunday also had great turnouts. 

"The weather definitely affected the turnout today," Sargent said. 

Even though it was a cloudy day for everyone in Genesee County, Corfu was able to catch a couple of glimpses between clouds before the total eclipse.

There was widespread agreement that it was an exciting event even though the actual total eclipse wasn't visible.

The village and school district of Elba collaborated to host an eclipse event Monday. Here are some of the visitors and participants, and activities that took place on school grounds. 

Photos submitted by Gretchen Rosales.

These photos, above of the total solar eclipse when the sun was fully shadowed by the moon and, below, after the few minutes were over and darkness evaporated into daylight again on Monday, were submitted by Red Dyson from Park Avenue in Batavia.

Other residents submitted their versions of the total solar eclipse as well.

 Animal lovers took in the eclipse Monday at Mockingbird Farm Animal Sanctuary in Byron.

Jonell and Joe Chudyk, and Jon Tedd founded the livestock rescue farm. They care for more than 40 rescue animals and birds.

The event on Monday drew visitors from New York City, New Jersey, Binghamton and Ithaca.

Ben Strothmann (aka Honey LaBronx, The Vegan Drag Queen) from Manhattan, who has performed at fundraisers for Mockingbird Farms, made the trip, saying it was "kismet" when he saw that a charity he supports was in the path of totality and was hosting a special eclipse event.

While awaiting the eclipse,  visitors could pet livestock, play lawn games, get tarot card readings, and read about eclipses.  

The event was coordinated with the Wounded Warrior Project. 

Previously: Mockingbird a sanctuary for all creatures, take a tour at festival Oct. 7

If you were in Genesee County on Monday were teed off that you didn't get to actually see the total eclipse that passed over the region, at Terry Hills, they were really teed off.

In the midst of the darkest minute, golfers hit glow-in-the-dark balls of the first tee, apparently just to say they played golf during a total eclipse of the sun.

Terry Hills Golf Course hosted an eclipse party, including a special menu with food items such as Total Eclipse Burger, Blackout Caesar Salad, and Supernova Nachoes.

Golfers also received a commemorative "I Saw the Eclipse at Terry Hills April 8th 2024" golf ball.

Danielle Rotondo said about 150 golfers hit the links on Monday, with about sixty playing during the eclipse.  The three people teeing off from the first tee during the totality were Mary Brown, Casey Brown, and Rotondo.

"It was a great day, an amazing experience playing and teeing off during totality," Rotondo said. "My aunt, Mary Brown, had the idea to use the glow golf balls, which make for an epic tee shot!  We had people come from all over New York State to experience it at our facility."

Photos and video submitted by Danielle Rotondo

The sun and moon may have hid behind clouds during the total solar eclipse that passed over Western New York -- with Batavia dead-center in the eclipse path -- on Monday afternoon, but even a glimpse of the partial eclipse from 2:41 to 2:44 p.m. thrill some visitors to the Richmond Memorial Library.

The total eclipse started at 3:19 p.m. and lasted for four minutes. It, however, was shrouded by clouds.

Even with a forecast of clouds, the dim prospects of actually seeing a fairly rare total solar eclipse were enough to draw a few visitors to Genesee County and the Genesee County Fairgrounds to see what they could see.

There were a couple of dozen groups of people at the fairgrounds on Monday to see the eclipse.

Denise Auker, of Lancaster, Pa., and her family of six picked Batavia because it seemed affordable and the five-hour drive was reasonable.

"The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce's website was very helpful and had a lot of information," Auker said. "We were at the maple farm this morning. They (the chamber) recommended that, and then they had this location on (the site). They had several locations to choose from, but we picked this one."

For Mike from Northern Virginia and his friend Aram, Genesee County seemed like it might be a place with fewer crowds, easier to get to and leave after the event.

"We also wanted to go somewhere where there were we knew there were places to see the eclipse," Mike said. "We didn't want to get stuck in the middle of a place with just roads and no cleaning, no place to park and see it. We figured this was a good place to end up."

Video by Steve Tufts

A layer of clouds between Western New York and the sun didn't dampen the party mood at Batavia Downs, which hosted an Eclipse Party on Monday afternoon featuring the band Nerds Gone Wild.

The hotel was sold out and more than 400 people attended the event, said Marketing Director Ryan Hasenauer. 

"The assembled crowd headed to the track and cheered as they watched totality approach, and then cheered once again when it became light again, Hasenauer said. "We thank everyone who came out to enjoy the festivities at Batavia Downs."

Hasenauer said the eclipse capped off a successful weekend for Batavia Downs, which also featured a well-attended Experience Psychic Fair.

Photos courtesy Batavia Downs.

Oakfield was one of several communities to host activities for families during Monday's total solar eclipse. The village had several vendor booths, children's games, a small petting zoo, food, and of course, plenty of space for viewing when the big moment arrived.

Photos submitted by Jamie Lindsley.

A Batavia couple was selling solar glasses Monday figuring, “hey, why not?” Since both of them had heard that other places had sold out. The duo had set up on Ellicott Street in Batavia. They weren't too hopeful, they said, considering there were some raindrops and continuing cloud cover to literally dampen the event a bit. But it was worth a try.

Photo by Howard Owens.

Jesse Hawley, a student from Pennsylvania studying at Alfred State College, was setting up his video equipment at DeWitt Recreation Area on Cedar Street Monday afternoon in preparation for — you guessed it — the total solar eclipse.

He chose to record the eclipse in Genesee County by tracking where the moon would be: dead center, he said.

And so I saw Rochester and Buffalo and stuff like that. And I figured that there would be high population density places. And then I found Batavia,” Hawley said to The Batavian. “I thought, I’m sure we can, you know, have a picnic and like not have to squeeze in. So I thought it'd be an ideal spot to come here. And it looked like a really nice park. So I mean, even if it's cloudy, it's nice to have a good picnic. 

“It seems like there's some young kids and another family that we're spending time with. And so I think they're having fun, you know, turning the football and playing on the playground and stuff like that. So it's working out for everyone, I think.”

Hawley used to study physics and astronomy, he said. That’s when he obtained a lot of equipment including a telescope and solar binoculars, which he kept even though he’s now into art and design.

“And a lot of my work is inspired by natural phenomenon, like plasma. I do a lot of neon work. And so biophysics, like my studies of that, continue, but now they're in my artwork, and I do a lot of sculpture and sound and video and a lot of stuff,” he said. “So, yeah, but you know, I have these tools and there's a crazy event happening and so I brought it all out and set it up and I have lots of friends who can help with the setup and yeah, so I think that'll be a lot of fun once it starts happening.”

Have you ever seen an eclipse before?

“In I think 2017 in Erie there was a partial eclipse and that's when I was studying physics. So yeah, I was yes, helping facilitate a viewing of that. But I’ve never ever seen a complete eclipse. So I hope we get some break in the clouds to really see, and hopefully see the corona of the sun. That'd be amazing,” he said.

So what are you anticipating?

“If it keeps up then clouds, and it'll just get darker than usual, which I think that'll still be like a very novel event to happen, it will become quite dark in the middle of the day,” he said.. “But it would be really nice if the clouds were not there and we really could see the outline of the sun.”

Howard Owens contributed to this article.

Press release:

“Twelve years ago today I woke up on the floor of a jail cell...with no hope or possible idea what could be! There was no possibility of this life, no love of my life, no career, no future, no family, no recovery," Leaf wrote on X. "You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending! There is Hope!” – Ryan Leaf, April 1, 2024.

In 1998, the San Diego Chargers selected Ryan Leaf, standout quarterback from Washington State University, as the No. 2 overall pick in the National Football League Draft behind Peyton Manning. A finalist for the Heisman Trophy following his junior year, the future looked bright for the Great Falls, Mont., native.

However, dreams of a storied NFL career turned into a nightmare for the strong-armed 6-foot5-inch, 235-pound signal caller as issues involving bad behavior, injuries, work ethic and focus -- beyond poor play – limited his time as a pro to four nonproductive years.

Leaf went into a downward spiral, eventually ending up in prison for burglary and drug-related offenses – a period of time he referred to in his statement above.

Although he wasn’t able to survive in the world of professional football, Leaf has turned his life around – carving out a respected space throughout the United States as a motivational speaker and ambassador for sobriety.

He said he has been in recovery from substance use disorder for the past 11 years, and has devoted his life to helping others overcome the stigma of mental health and addiction as a program ambassador for Transcend Recovery Community and CEO/President of RAM Consultant, Inc.

Leaf, 47, is coming to Batavia in May to share his experiences, both triumph and challenges, and offer invaluable lessons in resilience and the power of determination.

“Asking for help is the strongest thing you’ll ever do,” Leaf says, referring to those struggling with substance use.

Leaf also works as a college football analyst for the ESPN network.

UConnectCare (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse) invites the public to attend his presentation, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 8 at Genesee Community College, Room T102.

To reserve your seat, call 585-815-1883 or send an email to prevention@uconnectcare.org by May 1.

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Police Department is pleased to announce a new partnership with Inmar Intelligence, a private company dedicated to the safe disposal of unused or unwanted medications. 

We have installed new green bins inside the waiting area of the Police Station to accept unused or expired medications. These bins are designed to be safer for use by the public and safer for disposal by members of the police department. 

Acceptable items include:

• Unused or expired prescription medication - including controlled substances
• Unused or expired over-the-counter medication 

Not accepted items:

• Any needle, syringe, or sharp
• Illegal drugs 
• Aerosol cans or containers

The new bins will be accessible only during regular business hours of the Department (9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Monday - Thursday and 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Friday). 

If you are in need of disposing of medications outside of those times please check with your pharmacy for a location nearest you. 

All sharps (needles, syringes, etc.) shall be disposed of at an appropriate location, currently, Rochester Regional Health at United Memorial Medical Center accepts these items for disposal. If you have any questions about the new disposal bins please contact our Detective Bureau by calling 585-345-6444. 

"We want to give our residents the opportunity to safely dispose of expired and unwanted medications in the safest possible manner", stated Chief Shawn Heubusch, "This program will help make our community a safer place."

Press Release:

Have you ever wondered why someone vapes even after learning about the dangers and effects from it? 

There are hidden facts behind the range of colors and flavors associated with e-cigarettes. From addictive nicotine to harmful chemicals, the dangers of vaping are real. It is time to clear the air and learn about the risks of vaping.

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, heat a liquid to create an aerosol, or mixture of tiny particles in the air.

There are many different names for e-cigarettes, including "electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)," "tank systems," "e-cigs," "e-hookahs," "mods" "vape pens," and "vapes."

The Public Health Law's Article 13-E, sometimes referred to as the Clean Indoor Air Act, has grown in New York State to ban smoking and vaping; and prohibit the sale or distribution of nicotine vapor products with unique flavors, such as e-cigarettes. 

However, the use of e-cigarettes by teenagers is on the rise, and the sale of these devices to teenagers is illegal.

According to the 2021 CLYDE Survey administered in schools in Genesee and Orleans Counties by UConnectCare (formally GCASA), it was reported that 19.7% of 11th graders reported vaping with nicotine in the previous 30 days, and 11.1% reported vaping with marijuana during the same time period.

Vaping is dangerous and can have unknown long-term impacts: 

• Nicotine is in most e-cigarettes and is extremely addictive. Nicotine can damage adolescent brain development, which lasts into the early to mid-20s. 
• Youth who use nicotine have a higher chance of developing a substance use disorder.
• Young people might see vaping as a way to cope with stress or anxiety. Yet, an addiction to nicotine can lead to stress. 
• Long-term e-cigarette use increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by severely harming the body's blood vessel function. 
• According to the American Psychiatric Association, having symptoms of depression increases the likelihood of a teen using e-cigarettes. Using e-cigarettes is associated with worsening symptoms of depression.
• Vaping devices may contain vitamin E acetate. According to research, inhaling vitamin E acetate may cause problems for normal lung function. 

“Unlike cigarettes, vaping is often easy to hide due to its discrete nature, stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “The devices used for vaping sometimes look like USB drives or pens. E-cigarettes also do not have a lingering odor, making it easier for individuals to vape without drawing attention. This causes challenges to parents, teachers, and other authorities to detect and stop vaping.”

Signs that your child or someone you know might be vaping include: 

• Increased Thirst. Vaping is hydroscopic, which means that it dehydrates the skin of the throat and mouth. People who vape are left with a dry mouth as a result. The body naturally wants a drink to fight dehydration as a result. 
• Among teenagers, JUULs, which are slim devices that look like USB flash drives, and vape pens that mimic regular pens, are the most popular e-cigarettes. If you come across an odd-looking pen or USB drive, it could possibly be an e-cigarette.
• Mood swings. After inhaling nicotine, users may get a brief rush, but this feeling quickly wears off making their mood less consistent. 

Get Help Today

If you are interested in quitting, or someone you know needs help quitting, help is available:

Visit the New York State Smokers' Quitline for quit-smoking and quit-vaping programs, or call 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487), to apply for a free starter kit of nicotine medications and to talk to a quit coach.

Talk to your healthcare provider about medications and counseling to help you manage cravings. Most health insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover services to help you quit.

For more information about GO Health programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or contact your local health department at:

• Genesee County: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 
• Orleans County: 585-589-3278

Follow GO Health on Facebook, Instagram, and X at GOHealthNY.

The Batavian will have at least a half-dozen people engaged in covering the eclipse on Monday, mainly attending various viewing sites.

But there are dozens of viewing locations on eclipse day, and we can't make it to all of them.  We would love your help -- send us your photos.

Here's what we're looking for:

• Pictures of people viewing the eclipse
• People enjoying the social aspect of gathering for the eclipse
• Please send pictures that show people's faces, not backs
• Send full-resolution photos, not thumbnails
• Email photos to joanne@thebatavian.com
• Please be sure to include your name for photo credit, and include the location, and the names of any people in the photos if you know them.
• Feel free to send photos from the hour or so leading up to totality as you take them; we will attempt to do some real-time coverage of activities.
• Or send them later if that's more convenient.
• Photos from just within Genesee County, please.

Thank you.  We hope you have a safe and enjoyable eclipse day.

The house was a-rockin' from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday at the Willow Bend Inn as music fans welcomed spring to the sound of five area bands.

Among them, Shotgun Pauly (pictured).

The house was packed.

Also, on the bill, Bad Sign, Double Image Band, Rock Solid, and Stanton (the RnR Band).

Shotgun Pauly returns to the Willow Bend for a show on Saturday night.

The Willow Bend was celebrating 56 years as a family-run business.

Photos by Howard Owens.