Friday News Brief

BATAVIA CITY COUNCIL REJECTS PROPOSED HR AUDIT

A proposal to conduct an outside review of Batavia’s human resources practices will not move forward following a contentious City Council discussion Monday.
Councilman-at-large Nick Lord proposed examining the city’s hiring, retention and other employment practices, saying an independent review could identify potential improvements.
Council President Eugene Jankowski opposed the idea, questioning its need and estimating an audit could cost at least 85-thousand dollars.
City Attorney George Van Nest also advised against the proposal. He said Batavia’s charter places responsibility for employment matters with the city manager’s office rather than City Council, and said outside labor counsel shared concerns about an audit.
The discussion became heated between Lord and Jankowski before council ultimately moved on without pursuing the proposal.

GCEDC REPORT HIGHLIGHTS HOUSING, JOB AND TAX BASE GROWTH

The Genesee County Economic Development Center says new housing and business development are helping expand the county’s economy and tax base.
Officials highlighted Medtech Landing across from Genesee Community College, where apartments are nearly 98-percent occupied. More than half of its residents moved to Genesee County from elsewhere, and nearly half are between 20 and 29 years old.
GCEDC says it supported 12 projects and land sales in 2025 representing more than 420-million dollars in investment and the creation or retention of more than 800 jobs.
The agency’s current PILOT portfolio includes 87 projects representing more than 2.7-billion dollars in committed investment.
Those projects generated about 3.8-million dollars in PILOT payments last year, while completed projects contributed another 3.5-million in full property taxes.
GCEDC is also working with developers and municipalities to identify additional locations for market-rate housing.

ELTON JOHN TRIBUTE COMING TO BATAVIA DOWNS TONIGHT

The music of Elton John takes over Batavia Downs tonight with “Bennie and the Rest,” featuring pianist Jason Ostrowski.
The tribute show will include favorites from Elton John’s catalog, including “Bennie and the Jets” and “Rocket Man.”
Doors open at 7 p.m. inside the Park Place Event Center, with the concert beginning at 7:30.
General admission tickets are 15 dollars, with VIP tickets available for 25 dollars.
Concertgoers will also receive 10 dollars in free casino play.

FOOD TRUCK RODEO RETURNS TO BATAVIA TODAY

The Friday Night Food Truck Rodeo returns to the Genesee County Fairgrounds in Batavia today.
Food trucks will begin serving at 4 p.m., with a variety of options available from vendors gathered at the fairgrounds on East Main Street Road.
The event also features live music and indoor dining space for visitors who want to stay and eat.
Admission and parking are both free, and organizers say the event is cash only. Pets should be left at home.

NEW DATA SHOWS WHERE MILLIONS OF BORDER MIGRANTS SETTLED

New federal data is providing a detailed look at where millions of migrants went after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Associated Press analyzed records for roughly 4.5 million people released into the United States between October 2018 and July 2025. The records include migrants who entered both legally and illegally and list their self-reported destinations.
Florida was the most common destination overall, but migrants increasingly settled in smaller communities outside traditional immigration centers.
The data also shows a major demographic shift. Nearly six out of every ten migrants released at the border were women and children.
Migrants came from more than 150 countries, with communities including Cincinnati, Salt Lake City and Philadelphia receiving significant numbers of newcomers.

MORTGAGE RATES CLIMB TO 19-MONTH HIGH

Mortgage rates are approaching seven percent again, adding more pressure to an already difficult housing market.
Freddie Mac says the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage climbed to 6.95 percent this week, up from 6.76 percent last week and 6.26 percent one year ago.
Rates have now increased for four consecutive weeks and are at their highest level since January of last year.
The increase has a significant impact on affordability. Compared with rates in February, a borrower financing a 400-thousand-dollar home would now pay roughly 255 dollars more each month.
Meanwhile, pending home sales were down nearly five percent from a year ago.

GENESEE COUNTY SOCCER ROUNDUP

In Genesee County high school boys soccer action, Le Roy/Cal-Mum came up just short against Hornell, falling 2-1.
Pittsford Sutherland defeated Batavia by a 4-1 final, while Kendall earned a shutout victory over Pembroke, 2-0.
On the girls side, Byron-Bergen turned in a big offensive performance against Pembroke, picking up a 7-1 victory.