Tuesday News Brief

Wood Family Farm Named Genesee County Conservation Farm of the Year

A farm operated by Robert and Michelle Wood of Batavia has been named the 2025 Conservation Farm of the Year by the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The Woods run a 415-acre operation in the Black Creek Watershed that began as a dairy farm in 1978. Today the farm raises calves while producing forage and grain crops.
Officials say the farm has demonstrated decades of commitment to conservation. Practices include planting cover crops, managing barnyard runoff, treating silage leachate and fencing livestock away from a nearby stream to protect water quality.
The award was presented Saturday during the Celebration Agriculture Dinner at the Alexander Fire Department Recreation Hall.
During the event, George Borrello and Steve Hawley congratulated the Woods and presented proclamations recognizing their stewardship and contributions to agriculture in Genesee County.

Pembroke’s Shay Named GR League Coach of the Year

Matt Shay of Pembroke Central School has been named Genesee Region League Boys Basketball Coach of the Year to headline the 2025–26 GR All-Star selections.
Player of the Year honors went to Kingston Woods of Alexander. The senior guard averaged 20 points per game this season and surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his career.
Other all-stars include Blake Kines of Attica and Cody Carlson of Byron-Bergen .
Three players from Elba were selected — Ryan Marsceill, Nick Scott and Brady Werth.
Notre Dame High School also placed three players on the team: TJ Cephus, Chase Antinore and Matthew McCulley.
Rounding out the selections are Mason Watterson of Oakfield-Alabama and Nolan Peterson and Owen Shultz of Pembroke.

Mezcal Boom Brings Economic Gains, Environmental Concerns

In southern Oaxaca, the traditional craft of making Mezcal has grown into a booming global industry — but researchers say the rapid expansion is putting pressure on local ecosystems.
Production in Mexico has jumped from about one million liters in 2010 to more than 11 million liters in 2024, according to COMERCAM. About 75 percent of exports are sent to the United States.
A recent study from the Technological University of the Central Valley of Oaxaca found nearly 87,000 acres of forest have been lost in key mezcal-producing regions over the past three decades as agave plantations expand.
Researchers say the shift toward large-scale monoculture farming is contributing to soil erosion, reduced carbon capture and increased water demand.
Despite the concerns, many families still rely on mezcal production for their livelihoods, highlighting the ongoing challenge of balancing economic opportunity with environmental protection.

Falleti Named GR Player of the Year; Schlagenhauf Coach of the Year

Jeff Schlagenhauf of Oakfield-Alabama has been named Genesee Region League Girls Basketball Coach of the Year.
Player of the Year honors went to Sofia Falleti of Notre Dame High School. The junior forward averaged just over 20 points and nine rebounds per game this season and surpassed 1,000 career points.
Other selections include Paige Morton of Alexander and Riley Shallenberger of Byron-Bergen.
Elba had three players honored — Brooklyn Jachimowicz, Lydia Ross and Brea Smith.
Joining Falleti from Notre Dame is freshman guard Shirley Thompson.
Pembroke also placed two players on the all-star list — Jayden Hootman and Peyton Liss — while Oakfield-Alabama selections include Alexa Clark, Allison Harkness, Hadley Hicks and Allie Williams.

Island-Wide Blackout Hits Cuba Amid Deepening Energy Crisis

Cuban officials say a nationwide blackout has left much of the island without electricity as the country’s energy crisis worsens.
The country’s Ministry of Energy and Mines reported a “complete disconnection” of the national electrical grid Monday, affecting the island’s roughly 11 million residents.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel says Cuba has not received major oil shipments in more than three months, forcing the country to rely on limited solar, natural gas and aging thermoelectric plants. The shortage has even forced hospitals to postpone tens of thousands of surgeries.
Officials blame the worsening situation in part on U.S. pressure that disrupted key oil shipments from Venezuela. Cuba produces some of its own fuel, but not enough to keep its aging power grid running reliably.
The government says it is investigating the outage while also holding talks with the United States as it looks for ways to ease the country’s deepening energy crisis

Tractor-Trailer Rollover Reported on Thruway in Pembroke

A tractor-trailer rollover was reported around 1 a.m. Tuesday on the New York State Thruway in Pembroke.
Emergency crews were called to milepost 401.9 westbound, where the driver reported no injuries. Pembroke Fire Department and Mercy Medic 2 responded to the scene.
Officials say the truck was hauling approximately 90,000 pounds of fruit.
Additional incidents were also reported nearby, including another tractor-trailer off the road around milepost 398 and a separate vehicle off the roadway near milepost 401 westbound.