Area Code: Batavia

This episode, we abandon our assumptions about how great Batavia is and give ourselves over to objectivity. Ward 4 Alderman Dustin Pieper is back to run through 10 questions that help determine whether a town is truly a strong town. Dustin runs the Strong Towns Batavia Local Conversation and has become well-versed in what makes a thriving, resilient town. Will Batavia pass the test? You'll have to...

Here is the latest episode of Kids These Days , a podcast made in collaboration with Batavia Public Schools that I think listeners to this podcast will love. New episodes will release every month on this feed, but to get them the day they drop, subscribe to the podcast here . Enjoy! ------- On this episode of Kids These Days, Liz Mcalpin is reunited with her former fifth-grade student, Kim Nolasco...

John Dryden has been many things. He's been a historian, a high school teacher, a hot dog vendor, a bartender, an actor, a comedy sketch writer, he ran a community garden, and yes, he's also been a bit of a rabble rouser. These days, you might recognize him as the person who has led the campaign to "liberate North Batavia," or the founder of the Batavia Lyceum Association, which meets monthly at S...

Today on the show, a conversation with the aldermen of Batavia's Ward 4, Tony Malay and Dustin Pieper. Batavia is a place of belonging and acceptance. But this kind of culture doesn't come by accident. A town's culture is shaped by structures and systems. The culture we enjoy in Batavia is a direct result of the more formal acts of local government, staff, and public servants. In this episode, I s...

Today on the show, a conversation with the founder of the notorious local Facebook Group, Things to Complain About In Batavia , Joe Runde. My whole life, I've struggled with positivity. This was especially true about my relationship with Batavia. As great as Batavia is, I fundamentally believe that there are dark realities lurking underneath the surface of every community. That's why I jumped at t...

For this episode, I was given the opportunity to talk to each of the boardwalk shop owners in their own habitat about who they are, what motivates them, and what they hope to accomplish. At a time when people are doing all of their shopping on Amazon without coming in contact with a person, when people are sending emails and creating "art" using AI, when people are treating people as props, inconv...

Next episode will be our third annual boardwalk shop episode, a conversation with every owner of each Batavia Boardwalk Shop. In the lead up to that episode, I'm talking to the people responsible for making it all happen, Beth and Kristen from Batavia MainStreet. Not only does Main Street organize and prep the boardwalk shop owners. They help evaluate and curate the shops themselves. That evaluati...

On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, I'm talking to Bonnie Baumgartner and Jessica Jecmen from Water Street Studios , Batavia's community art center. Batavia has a reputation as being the "artsy" sibling of Geneva and St. Charles, a direct result of people taking active interest in giving artistic work and artistic communities a home. The reality is, without Water Street Studios, and the people...

I'm excited to share with you the first episode of Kids These Days , a podcast we've been working on with Batavia Public Schools that listeners to this podcast will love. New episodes will release every month on this feed, but to get them the day they drop, subscribe to the podcast here . Enjoy! ------ In our premiere episode of Kids These Days , BPS 101 Superintendent Tom Kim brings together two...

Hey neighbor! As we prepare to launch a new podcast from Batavia Public Schools, Kids These Days, we're revisiting one of my favorite episodes: a conversation with Superintendent (and Kids These Days host) Tom Kim. Subscribe to Kids These Days here . Batavia Public School Superintendent Tom Kim was forced to grow up fast. But as a second generation immigrant surrounded by family, teachers, and men...

Hi friends, Richard here! I can't wait to show you something I've been working on with Batavia Public Schools that I really think listeners to this podcast will love: The new podcast, Kids These Days brings together long-time Batavia residents and current students for real, unscripted conversations. Hosted by Superintendent Tom Kim and produced in partnership with Area Code: Batavia , the show aim...

On this episode, I'm talking to Patti Lackman and Tammy Caltagirone, Co-Presidents of the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County . I'll be honest. I'm feeling antsy. I'm seeing what's happening nationally, in the chicagoland area, and online, and I've started to get a bit worried about the general state of democracy, and how that might be impacting our local community. That's why I wanted t...

On this episode, a live episode from Sturdy Shelter's Cozy-Fest featuring former writer, poet, and former Hearth & Hammer owner, Annie Scholl , and co-owners of Bocaditos , Juliana Cancelo and Silvia Sanchez. In the first part, I talked to Annie about what it's like to cultivate a cozy aesthetic after the closing of Hearth & Hammer, and what she's been up to afterward. Then, I spoke to Jul...

Today on the show, I’m at the Valley Shelter Workshop—or VSW —talking to their Executive Director, Hugo Saltijeral. The reality is, for the employees Hugo works with at VSW, many of whom are adults with cognitive disabilities, work is less of a burden and more of a gift. For them, work isn't just a means to an end. It's belonging. Hugo's the type of person that sees open doors everywhere, and seem...

What makes Batavia "Batavia"? We often talk about our town’s identity as if it’s a permanent fixture—a "vibe" we inherited. But a closer look at our history reveals that our reputation for being on the "right side of history" wasn't an accident or a guarantee. It was a series of individual and cultural habits. In this episode, I sit down with Kate Garrett , Director of the Batavia Depot Museum , t...

It's not easy to make a difference. So often our attempts to make the world a better place are pushing against strong headwinds - there are cultural forces in the world and in our nation that simply make any attempt at good deeds seem fruitless. And that can lead to discouragement, or burnout, or worse - cynicism that anything can be done at all. Today on the podcast, I spoke to Kathy Evangelista,...

Welcome to 2026! It's been an eventful year in Batavia. There was a mayoral race, local business transitions, shocking revelations, and some controversial moves in city government. We set aside some time to take a look back and talk through the biggest Batavia stories of the year and how these events have impacted our community. This episode: Sam Kraft, the man behind Tri-Cities Central , returns...

For this episode of Area Code: Batavia, former guests share their "George Baileys", people who have made a huge impact on them and their community just by existing. On this episode we hear from the following people in this order: Batavia Bulldogs Football Team Head Coach, Dennis Piron Becoming Neighbors host, Claudia Kabanyana Beardsgaard's Natalie and Tyler Anderson Bulldog Plumbing and Start Som...

Take our listener survey to help shape the future of Area Code: Batavia . (and earn a chance to win $25 in Chamber Bucks!) Is Batavia actually special, or is that just something we tell ourselves? In this episode, I speak to Eileen Passero, Executive Director of the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry, to explore how their work relates to Batavia's character and aspirations for itself. We discuss why t...

Take our listener survey to help shape the future of Area Code: Batavia . (and earn a chance to win $25 in Chamber Bucks!) A few weeks ago, Paula Mueller, the owner of Paula’s Couture Consignment dropped a bombshell - she would be giving up ownership of Paula’s. But this announcement came with another announcement: Paula’s now has a new owner, long-time Paula’s employee, and entrepreneur herself,...

Take our listener survey to help shape the future of Area Code: Batavia . (and earn a chance to win $25 in Chamber Bucks!) This week, we're dropping a bonus episode to hold you over until our next main installment! We're sharing two segments from our exclusive bonus content series, Batavia Favs . This series is an ongoing feature for members of our official membership community, The 630 , where gu...

Just in time for Bat Fest, it's the live recording of our Spooky Season Celebration hosted at Sturdy Shelter. This episode features: A conversation about Bat Fest with Kristen Desler and Beth Walker from Main Street A True Crime Mystery featuring the Batavia Paranormal Investigation Squad A conversation with Zach Sage, the mastermind behind the Halloween display, Midnight on Morton. Every year, Za...

Jennifer Orta is on the front lines of a crisis of belonging. As the only Spanish speaking licensed mental health provider at Suicide Prevention Services of America, located here in Batavia, she's talking every day to people who are impacted directly by the dramatic increase of ICE activity in the Fox Valley. On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, Jennifer, a psychotherapist, describes the hidden...

Don't forget! Our 2nd ever live episode, a Batavia Spooky Season Celebration, is happening October 9th, 7pm at Sturdy Shelter. We'll be featuring conversations with the people behind Batfest, the guy responsible for Midnight on Morton, and a special visit from the Batavia Paranormal Investigation Squad. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here , but members of our membership program, The 630 get...

Heads Up! Our 2nd ever live episode, a Batavia Spooky Season Celebration, is happening October 9th, 7pm at Sturdy Shelter. We'll be featuring conversations with the people behind Batfest, the guy responsible for Midnight on Morton, and a special visit from the Batavia Paranormal Investigation Squad. Tickets are $10, but members of The 630 get in free! Subscribe to The 630 for free access to our Oc...