Holiday Parties

One of the best things about the holidays is spending time with family. 
My cousin, Annie, hosts a party every year.  It is a mini family reunion where cousins, who rarely get a chance to see each other throughout the year, gather to remember the times when we were not as far flung.
No doubt most of you remember a time when families all lived within blocks of each other.  You would see each other at school, church, or in each other's back yards.  Our mobile society has changed all that.
We had a large family.  Annie is more my comtemporary than she is my aunt, yet she and my aunt are first cousins.  The number of first cousins from that family is sadly dwindling.  That generation were the first born Americans in our Sicilian family.  They were the keepers of the torch that kept alive the traditions our grandparents and our great grandparents brought to this country. 
Today the second and even the third generation are now grandparents.  So we will gather, the first, second, third and fourth generation Americans and celebrate the holiday and remember those who have gone before us. 
So, today, we'll feast on the comfort foods we all remembered as kids.  We'll be awed by the desserts. 
We'll take note on how the kids have grown.  We'll raise a glass to celebrate the births of the new twigs on the tree, including baby Levi born on Friday. 
Hoping you have a wonderful Sunday.  I'll try to post pictures later today.

20 days til' Christmas

Chris Charvella on Genesee Justice

Genesee Justice Matters
I was deeply affected this morning when a woman I've never met came to see me at work. She wanted to talk about Genesee Justice, why it's so important and what we can do to convince our legislature that they are being wholly obtuse.



The problem is that my hands are currently tied when it comes to these matters for reasons that most of you who read this blog know, but that I am unable to discuss publicly.



I have ideas though and even though I have been barred from taking meaningful action, you have not.



Certain members of the legislature are lying about the small volume of constituent calls they've received about Genesee Justice. Don't let them do it anymore. Make a call and tell them to do the right thing, then have your brother/sister/spouse/mom/dad/friend do the same.



Show up to the budget meeting next Monday where they'll be discussing this. They may not allow public comment, but it's an open meeting and just being there with a scowl on your face can make a difference...trust me.



If the legislature accepts Ed Minardo's offer to give up his own job to save the program (which, by the way, makes him a better man than most) I want you to do something that maybe you've never done. I want you to write two checks and I promise I'll be doing the same. The first one should be made out to the foundation he'll be starting to keep Genesee Justice afloat and doing the good work they're known for. The second should be made out to him personally because when a man sacrifices his livelihood for our benefit, we owe him our support. The size of the checks don't matter, the principle you uphold by writing them does.



Everything we do, every day, has an effect on the world around us. The actions we take and the ones we choose not to impact even our small sphere of influence in large ways. If the people we have entrusted with the power to govern, the power to create and destroy, only choose destruction, apathy and decay by attrition then it is our responsibility to set the better example.





Members of the Genesee County Legislature:



Raymond F. Cianfrini

District No. 1

Towns of Alabama and Oakfield

79 N. Main, Oakfield, New York 14125

Office Phone: (585) 948-5201 - Home Phone: (585) 948-5347



Robert J. Bausch

District No. 2

Towns of Elba, Byron and Bergen

PO Box 81 Bergen, New York 14416

Phone (585) 494-2114



Annie M. Lawrence

District No. 3

Towns of Pembroke and Darien

2495 Brown Road, Corfu, New York 14036

Phone (585) 762-8506



Mary Pat Hancock, Chair

District No. 4

Towns of Batavia and Stafford

8234 Lewiston Road, Batavia, New York 14020

Phone: (585) 343-1011



Jerome J. Grasso

District No. 5

Town of LeRoy

8706 Haven Lane, LeRoy, New York 14482

Phone: (585) 768-8007



Esther Leadley

District No. 6

Towns of Alexander, Bethany and Pavilion

11047 River Road, Pavilion, New York 14525

Phone: (585) 584-3548



Robert J. Radley

District No. 7 Wards 1 & 6

City of Batavia

23 Allanview Batavia, NY

Phone: (585) 343-4509



Hollis D. Upson, Vice Chair

District No. 8 Wards 2 & 3

City of Batavia

69 Ellicott Avenue, Batavia, New York 14020

Phone: (585) 344-1014 (H) (585) 343-6211 (W)



Edward DeJaneiro, Jr. 2nd Vice Chair

District No. 9, Wards 4 & 5

City of Batavia

104 River Street, Batavia, New York 14020

Phone: (585) 343-9240

Senior Citizens Enjoy Late Night Games

Before you get the wrong impression this doesn't mean that the senior citizens are running to and from apartments during the late night hours. 
Nor does it mean that they congregate every time an ambulance pulls up to the door in order to speculate who is in crisis.
The senior citizens, in our complex, are enjoying wii bowling and wii golf.
Bowling starts about 9pm every night.  They play for a few hours then switch to golf.  The diehards will play until the wee hours of the morning.
It is an amazing thing.  We have people who rarely came out of their apartments and now they are playing during these late night forays.
It is low impact exercise.  It keeps the mind sharp.  It is just plain fun.
So much fun that the residents' council is looking into a second system and a second tv so that more people can play at one time.  


Lu showing off her 300 game.



We have over 60 people who play the wii games.  Several have become masters in both bowling an golf.

Have you finished your shopping?
21 more shopping days til' Christmas.



Would You Give Up Your Job For a Program You Believed In?

Genesee Justice is an internationally acclaimed program started in Genesee Co. NY in the late 70s.


This year our county legislator asked our county manager to pare the budget to the bone in order to avoid raising county taxes.  The county manager's budget included the dissolution of Genesee Justice.  He would take portions of the program and give it to law enforcement and some to the DA's office. 

When this became public, those most involved in this program,  from judges, to police, to the DA's, and lawers, came together as one to protest.  They told the county legislators that this program saves our county millions of dollars a year.  It is funded, in part, by grants.  It is also saving the county from having to either expand the existing jail or, worst case, build a new one.

The director of Genesee Justice offered to resign his position (and the money from his salary and benefits) and to cut the hours of the staff  to save the program.

One legislator scoffed at the idea.  He twisted this offer as an indication that the position of director wasn't essential.  The president of the legislator commented that she respected the people who came forward and that they were probably right, but she was right in wanted to keep the tax base as is for the constituents.  Another legislator suggested that the county consider raising taxes by $1 a thousand in the hopes of saving Genesee Justice.  Obviously, this suggestion was not what his colleagues wanted to entertain.

Please look at what Genesee Justice does for our county.  If you live in Genesee County please call your legislator and ask that the decision be reconsidered. 

My friend, Chris Charvella, writes on his blog that this isn't a matter of the county spending money, but a matter of tossing out a program that SAVES money.  Does that make sense?

If you don't live in Genesee County please support our efforts to save Genesee Justice by leaving a comment in this blog.

Read more about Genesee Justice at:
http://charvella.blogspot.com/
http://thebatavian.com/blogs/howard-owens/genesee-justice-story/22423
http://thebatavian.com/blogs/howard-owens/proposal-being-floated-consolidate-genesee-justice-county-probation/21811
http://thebatavian.com/blogs/howard-owens/legal-community-makes-unified-pitch-budget-hearing-save-genesee-justice/22280
http://thebatavian.com/blogs/howard-owens/legislature-meets-conference-wednesday-finalize-budget-plan/22561
http://thebatavian.com/blogs/howard-owens/genesee-justice-staff-offers-take-pay-cut-advisory-council-narrows-cost-savings-c
http://thebatavian.com/blogs/howard-owens/genesee-justice-gets-five-day-reprieve/22604
http://thebatavian.com/blogs/howard-owens/genesee-justice-numbers/22455

The Storm Continues

A quick post this morning.  The National Weather Service has extended the winter storm warning until 11pm tonight.  However, I did hear on one of the tv stations that it may be extended until sometime tomorrow.
So, where will I be today.  Errands have to be done regardless of the weather.  I'll be doing some shopping for the store.  Shop and Stock gave me a long list.  It should take a good share of the morning.
Part of the list was easy.  The cheese order is done by email.  Did that last night.
I'm always amazed at how much pop we go through.  I have to pick up 16 cases of assorted flavors.
By the middle of next week, we'll do it again.
More later.  Please be careful on our snowy roads.

23 Shopping Days til' Christmas



Snow Pictures



We are still in the grips of this Dec. 1 storm. Two very good photographers gave me permission to post their photos. They did a far better job than I ever could

Wales, NY by Wales Dem (yep, that is what she goes by)



Wales, NY

Batavia was covered in a blanket of snow, too.
 

Tiffany Barber was surprised that the storm hit so early.

Tiffany Barber (Batavia) took this just a few minutes ago.

Thank you both for sharing your photos.  They are amazing.

Just to put things into perspective, my son J.D., in Anchorage shared this visual today.

Okay, so we looked at the cold.  Here is one to warm you up from my son, Eric, in Florida. Note the absence of snow.  No snow, but certainly festive.





If anyone has pictures they would like to share, just let me know.

Also, if you have any storm stories, please post them in the comment section.

Still 24 Shopping Days til' Christmas :)




Who Is Looking at this Blog?

An interesting observation, at least for me, is who has looked at this site.  So far I had visitors from the U.S. and Canada - which is no surprise.  Then one from South Africa, which I assume is my friend, Paul.
The surprising one is Denmark!  I only know of one person who knows of me in Denmark.
Well, thank you for visiting.  I hope you found it interesting and that you will come back often to see what is going on in my small space in Genesee Co..

Still 24 Days to Christmas
Sit back and enjoy a latte with slimming graham crackers.