Friday News Brief

Leadership Genesee to Honor Outstanding Community Leaders

Leadership Genesee will celebrate two major honorees at its 2025 graduation ceremony on December 4th at Terry Hills.
Mickey Hyde, a member of the LG Class of 2006, has been named this year’s Outstanding Alumnus Award recipient. Hyde has remained one of the program’s strongest ambassadors, serving on the Steering and Funding Committees, supporting fundraisers, and staying active in alumni sessions. In Le Roy, he’s known for decades of volunteer work in schools, youth sports, and community programs, including Kinderfarmin’ Day and Junior Achievement. Hyde is also a longtime member of the Rochester Press-Radio Club and a former professional baseball player in the Phillies organization.
Leadership Genesee will also present its Barry Miller Lifetime Achievement Award to former Genesee County Manager Jay Gsell. Nominator Tim Hens says Gsell’s decades of service — from Rotary and United Way to Meals on Wheels, GLOW With Your Hands, and United Memorial Medical Center — have made a lasting impact across the region. Gsell also played a key role in creating Leadership Genesee nearly 25 years ago, helping launch a program that has now graduated more than 650 local leaders.
Both awards honor individuals whose commitment continues to strengthen Genesee County.

Batavia High School Ski Team Seeking New Members

The Batavia High School Ski Team is gearing up for a new season and is actively recruiting students in grades 7 through 12. No experience is required — the program welcomes beginners and offers structured training, race opportunities, and a supportive team environment.
The team also received a scholarship from the Dave McCarthy Memorial Foundation to help offset participation costs, making skiing more accessible for students of all backgrounds.
Anyone interested in joining can contact head coach Matt Holman for more information.

Local Standouts Compete in Eddie Meath Senior All-Star Game

Several local seniors represented the GLOW region in Monday’s Eddie Meath Senior All-Star Game in Rochester.
Le Roy/Cal-Mum was well-represented with Cam Riggi, Dillon Alcott, Connor Elmore, and Joey Reschke. Notre Dame/Byron-Bergen saw Roy Ricks and Liam Boyle selected, and Batavia was represented by Maggio Buchholz and Karvel Martino. York/Pavilion also contributed standouts Kasey Coffey and Liam Campbell.
The West team fell to the East, 41–6, with game proceeds supporting Golisano Children’s Hospital.

OFA Thanksgiving Dinners Offer Community for Older Adults

For many older adults who live alone, Thanksgiving can be a difficult holiday. To help, the Genesee County Office for the Aging hosted two community Thanksgiving dinners for residents 60 and over — one on November 20th, and the second held yesterday, funded by the OFA Senior Foundation.
Director Jessica Riley says staff and their children volunteered to serve, with meals prepared partly in-house and partly by local catering. The tradition began last year after several staff members experienced loss and wanted to create a welcoming place for seniors who might otherwise spend the holiday alone.
Volunteers like Sandy Ribbeck helped prepare the November 20th meal, saying she enjoys talking with attendees and hearing their stories. The OFA typically serves between 50 and 85 people, and no one is ever turned away.
For many, the OFA dinners provide not just a hot meal, but a sense of connection heading into the holiday.

Nerds Gone Wild Rocks Batavia Downs Tonight

Batavia Downs is hosting its annual ’80s Thanksgiving Bash tonight with Western New York’s premier party band, Nerds Gone Wild. The show takes place inside the Park Place Event Center, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and music starting at 8.
The event is standing room only and admission is free, making it a popular post-holiday stop for families and friends. Nerds Gone Wild will perform classic ’80s hits, New Wave favorites, and high-energy retro covers.
For more information, visit BataviaDownsGaming.com.

Hello In There Dominates Feature at Batavia Downs

At Batavia Downs Wednesday night, Hello In There delivered a blowout victory in the $10,000 filly and mares A–AA pacing feature. Driven by Joe Chindano Jr., she followed live cover early before surging past the field and pulling away to win by more than 10 lengths in 1:55.3. It’s her sixth win of the season for Galliers Racing and trainer Ron Beback Jr.
Chindano wasn’t done—he posted a grand slam, scoring four wins on the card.
Batavia Downs also announced a $1,127 Pick-5 carryover into Saturday, with the pool guaranteed at $5,000 through the USTA Strategic Wagering program.