Area Code: Batavia

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! ------- What happens when a 4th grader sits down with her former preschool teacher to talk about growing up in Batav...

It was only two years ago when Megan McDermott moved to Batavia. But when she saw a need, she didn't hesitate to get involved. All it took was a conversation with a fellow parent to inspire her to co-found Distraction-Free Batavia, a parent advocacy group seeking to reduce screen time in schools. Not only did McDermott and her friend and co-founder Megan Danielle's efforts succeed in creating chan...

If it seems like we're in your feed a little early, you'd be right. Starting now, Area Code: Batavia is going weekly! Every other week, in between the same one on one conversations you know and love, we're exploring what it means to belong in Batavia through the a more timely lens. Through regular segments like Neighborhood Watch, Complaint of the Week, and Good Energy, we're exploring the hot top...

Every month, Lindsey Roussel and Chris Prunckle host a pop-up art show in downtown Batavia. Initially hosted at Sidecar Supper Club and now taking place monthly at Sturdy Shelter, ArtBar Batavia has helped to redefine the feel of Batavia simply by providing a space for creativity and self-expression. In this episode of Area Code: Batavia, I spoke to the founders of ArtBar Batavia what drew them to...

Recently, Daddio's Diner announced the sad news that they will be closing for good after Wednesday, September 23rd. "With rising costs of goods and an expiring lease, we had to make the very hard decision to close our doors at the end of next month." Daddio's is a long-standing fixture in Batavia, and one of the key locations that defines Batavia and its' downtown. We'll have more to say about Dad...

This week, a live episode of Area Code: Batavia recorded on the brand new Sturdy Shelter Deck. On this episode, our cohosts Richard Clark and Alexa Swidenbank are joined by the guys who helped build the deck itself (212° Construction Group), a local plant expert (Marcus Jansen), a conservation-minded gardener(Stephanie Gilbert of Meadowcrafters), and a city-council member and VP at the Conservatio...

Mark your calendars! Area Code: Batavia - Live on the River will take place Thursday, August 27th at 7pm. We'll be podcasting live from the Sturdy Shelter deck as we talk to special guests about what the river means to Batavia, how to make the most of it, and what we need to do to keep it around. 630 Members get free entry for themselves and a guest. For all others, tickets are available for $10 a...

Ward 7 is made up of the west side of Batavia, and contains a lot of the West Side staples we often think about: Engstrom Park, the Mooseheart Corn Fields, the High School, and yes, Randall Road. And then there's the large groups of brand new homes, a bunch of houses with little history, and a downtown that is not as walkable as you might like to most. It's an area without a lot of focal points fo...

Arden Warner is an accelerator physicist and a self-described "simpleton." His uniquely straightforward way of looking at the world has made him uniquely equipped to solve some of the world's biggest problems. When Arden saw coverage of a devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico back in 2010, he had an idea: what if we could remove oil from the ocean using magnets? It turns out, not only did hi...

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,...