Wednesday News Brief
Written by Pete Zehler on July 2, 2025
Fatal Accident at Batavia Karting Track
A tragic accident at a Batavia racetrack has claimed the life of a longtime go-kart racer.
66-year-old Daniel Trendell of Fergus, Ontario, was killed Saturday while competing in a vintage karting event at Kelly’s Motorsports Park. Witnesses say Trendell lost control after a straightaway and crashed through a fence. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Trendell had raced at the Batavia track since the 1960s. His friend and fellow racer Colm O’Higgins called him a cornerstone of the tight-knit vintage karting community.
The cause of death remains unclear, but no one else was hurt.
Track co-owner Bob Reis said the course, recently refurbished after a decade of abandonment, includes a challenging curve where the crash occurred.
Eastern Vintage Karting called Trendell’s death “devastating,” remembering him for his passion and spirit.
Trendell leaves behind a wife and two children.
Game Night
Tonight in Batavia: Head to GO ART! for Game and Chess Club Night from 6 to 9 p.m. at 201 East Main Street.
It’s a great way to spend your evening—challenge a friend to chess, dive into a new board game, or bring your own to share. With card games, classics, and plenty of laughs, there’s something for everyone.
Free Bus Rides to the Rez
A new free express bus service is coming to Batavia next week. RTS Genesee announced it will begin operating weekly Monday trips to The Rez on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation starting July 7.
The service, developed in partnership with The Rez and subsidized by them, departs from Batavia City Centre at 10:33 a.m., arriving at The Rez by 11. Riders will have 30 minutes onsite before returning to Batavia by 11:57.
RTS CEO Miguel Velázquez says the partnership expands access to key retail destinations while supporting public transit growth.
Customers can pre-order items by calling The Rez at 716-542-2887. For route info, visit myRTS.com or call RTS Genesee at 585-343-3079.
Residents Protest Use of Controversial Drilling Method at STAMP Site
Local residents and the Tonawanda Seneca Nation are raising alarm over plans by the Genesee County Economic Development Center to use horizontal directional drilling—again—on the STAMP industrial site in Alabama, New York.
The controversial method caused multiple spills into protected wetlands in 2023, and now GCEDC wants to use it to install part of a wastewater pipeline that would carry at least 20,000 gallons of raw sewage from STAMP to the Village of Oakfield.
Opponents say the pipeline could contaminate well water and Nation waterways, threaten public health, and violate wetlands protections. The drilling would pass under streams that feed into the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and over a former gypsum mine—using soils the USDA deems “poorly drained.”
Despite lacking final permits and signed agreements, GCEDC plans to start construction without adequate soils testing.
With only one tenant currently building at STAMP, critics say the $410 million taxpayer-backed project is failing to deliver on its industrial promises.
Senior Farmers Market Coupons Delayed
The Genesee County Office for the Aging says Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program coupons have been delayed and won’t arrive in time for this week’s scheduled distributions.
Events on July 1, July 5, and July 8 have been canceled. Seniors in housing complexes will receive updates through their building administrators.
Each eligible senior receives $25 in coupons for fresh produce.
For updates, call 585-343-1611 or visit geneseeny.gov/ofa.
Road Closure in Darien
The Genesee County Public Works Department has announced that Colby Road in the Town of Darien will close starting Monday, July 14, for a major culvert replacement over Crooked Creek.
Crews will remove the existing structure and install a new precast concrete box culvert with concrete wingwalls to improve drainage and road stability.
A detour will be in place, directing traffic along Route 20, Route 77, and Sumner Road.
The affected section of Colby Road will be closed to all through traffic through October.
Drivers are urged to plan ahead, and the DPW thanks the public for their patience during this critical infrastructure upgrade.
National Grid Supports Batavia Projects
Two major Batavia projects are getting a boost from National Grid.
Graham Corporation received a $500,000 grant to support a $17 million expansion at its Florence Avenue headquarters—an effort expected to retain over 360 jobs and create 24 new ones.
Meanwhile, Carr’s Reborn LLC is transforming the long-vacant C.L. Carr’s building on Main Street into mixed-use space, with help from a $100,000 Main Street Revitalization grant.
Both projects aim to revitalize Batavia’s economy and downtown core.
