Area Code: Batavia

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 StreetA True Crime Mystery featuring the Batavia Paranormal Investigation SquadA conversation with Zach Sage, the mastermind behind the Halloween display, Midnight on Morton. Every year, Zach pairs his Halloween display with a drive for Animal House Shelter. If you pay them a visit, consider making a donation. Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

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 emotional impact she sees in her work: from parents too afraid to leave their homes to children quietly agonizing over whether their parents will be there when they get home. This is a necessary and candid conversation about humanity, dignity, and what it truly means to be a neighbor in the Fox Valley region right now. Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

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 in free! On this episode: a conversation with Ward 5 alderpersons Abby Beck and Jim Fahrenbach, the latest in our city council series, where we have joint conversations with current Batavia city council members from the same ward. We hear from Abby and Jim about what it's like serving on council, how they got into public service, and what makes Ward 5 special.Just as a note, because the previous day’s city council meeting is discussed, I wanted to flag that this conversation took place on September 3rd. The September 2nd meeting we discussed will be linked in the show notes. Here’s my conversation with Abby Beck and Jim Farenbach. You can watch the September 2nd council meeting discussed at the top of the episode here. The rest of our City Council series can be found here. Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

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 October live show, our upcoming Batavia Favs segment featuring The Popcorn Depot's Talitha Mueller, and other exclusive members-only content and opportunities. It would be easy to miss the small building nestled in the parking lot between Batavia's new community center and Fifth Third Bank if it wasn’t for the crowds of patrons lined up most nights. But this small business has amassed a substantial following of regulars who stop by weekly or more to treat themselves and their family. There’s a reason for this - It doesn’t take long for Talitha Mueller to remember who you are. The more you visit, the more you start to feel a part of things. Was this feeling just a byproduct of Talitha’s personality, or was this something more intentional? And what does running a historic establishment that has an outsized influence on your town do for your own sense of belonging?Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

Today's episode features the second conversation from our City Council series, with Jennifer Baerren and Christopher Solfa, alderpersons from Ward 1. Ward 1 is a unique blend of the old and the new. There are decades-old neighborhoods occupied by young families who just moved here. This range of residents - newcomers and established residents - young families, and settled retirees - can present some challenges. I wanted to talk to Jennifer and Christopher about the hard work of representing such a broad constituency and how they work together to honor the needs and desires of everyone, even when that might seem impossible. Subscribe to The 630 for free access to our October live show, Jennifer and Christopher's upcoming "Batavia Favs" segment, and other exclusive members-only content and opportunities. This episode of Area Code Batavia is brought to you by the Rotary Club of Batavia, a membership organization that does a range of service projects for the community. Get started making a difference in Batavia.

The closing of Berkley Finer Foods left a hole on Batavia's east side. But what seemed like a community loss quickly turned into a win with the arrival of Cinco De Mayo Market. For this episode, I spoke to Daisy Parra about her family's whirlwind transition from running a bakery to a full-scale grocery store and what it means to bring their distinctly Hispanic approach from Aurora to a town with a significantly smaller Hispanic population. Subscribe to The 630, to join an engaged community of listeners, and Daisy's "Batavia Favs" segment later this week.This episode of Area Code Batavia is brought to you by the Rotary Club of Batavia, a membership organization that does a range of service projects for the community. Get started making a difference in Batavia.Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

This episode is a conversation with Brittany Sabatino, the owner of Arlo.Hendrix. A store that carries children’s clothes, toys, and accessories, Arlo.Hendrix is located in the heart of The Mercantile.Between the candy and the candles, The Mercantile in general is an inherently bright experience, but for Brittany, brightness seems to be a primary value for her shop. There’s a distinct positivity you feel in both Brittany’s presence and in her store. But the thing is - positivity is hard to maintain over time. It’s easy to be positive all the time when things are going well. But when you’re facing supply change issues, an overloaded schedule, or a dry spell in her business, it’s harder to maintain those good vibes. Still, for Brittany, bright colors and positivity seem to be part of her identity. I wanted to talk to Brittany about how she maintains that kind of resilience, even when things get too busy, too hard, or too draining. In other words, how do you build a business on optimism and keep it from running out?If you're a member of The 630, you’ll be able to hear Brittani's "Batavia Favs" segment later this week—giving us an insider’s guide to some of her favorite places in town. If you’re not already a member, you can join The 630 for more bonus content like this by following the link in the show notes.This episode of Area Code Batavia is brought to you by the Rotary Club of Batavia, a membership organization that does a range of service projects for the community. Get started making a difference in Batavia.Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

This week, we're kicking off a brand new series that we'll be running throughout the year. Every so often I hope to share a new conversation with aldermen and alderwomen from various wards in Batavia. We'll go beyond typical policy discussions and get them talking about the human element of city governance – and how they personally interact with the challenges and opportunities that tend to come up. One other note: This week we launch The 630, an online and in-person community for supporters of Area Code: Batavia. Members receive monthly bonus content, access to an exclusive online community, free admission to monthly meet-ups, and an Area Code: Batavia sticker. Join now and you'll also receive an exclusive Area Code pin! This week, members will have access to two new bonus offerings: Behind The Mic: Why We Launched the 630Batavia Favs: Richard and Jennifer ClarkToday on the show, I talk to city council members Kevin Malone and Alice Lohman, representatives of Batavia’s Ward 3. Kevin and Alice represent a Ward with a ton of variety. On one end there’s the Holmstaad, a retirement community, and on the other there’s Emagine theater. And their constituents are made up of a diverse array of people with all kinds of feelings about Batavia and their place in it. So how does someone balance the expectations and tensions that go into running a town like Batavia? And how do their decisions and efforts affect feelings of belonging in their community? And how do they feel about all of that? Well, that’s what I wanted to know. This episode of Area Code Batavia is brought to you by the Rotary Club of Batavia, a membership organization that does a range of service projects for the community. Get started making a difference in Batavia.Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.Mentioned in this episode:Rotary Segment 1

Introducing Area Code: Batavia's new community, The 630. This isn't just about supporting a podcast; it's about becoming part of a community dedicated to fostering a deeper sense of belonging right here in Batavia. As a member of The 630, you'll not only help sustain this vital community effort, but you'll also gain:Exclusive bonus audioInfluence on future Area Code: Batavia contentAn online community that makes authentic and in-person a priorityMonthly Local and In-Person Area Code: Batavia MeetupsThe first 20 members of The 630 will receive an Area Code pin. Everyone else gets a sticker. Click here to find out more and join. You can also gift a membership to a friend or family member.P.S. True belonging should be accessible to everyone. When you gift a membership to an anonymous member of the Batavia community, you create an opportunity for belonging for someone who needs it, broaden our reach, and strengthen Batavia's inclusive spirit.When you purchase a gift subscription, you'll receive a unique redemption link. If you forward that link to richard@areacodeaudio.com, we'll ensure your generosity directly provides an accessible membership to a fellow Area Code: Batavia listener or community member, fostering a broader and more inclusive sense of belonging.

On the day this episode is released, Batavia kicks off Boo Boo Days. For me, Boo Boo Days is a new concept, a sort of quaint and slightly bizarre throwback that just started a few years ago. But the reality is, Boo Boo Days originated decades ago and played a crucial role in the origin of the Windmill Festival. But what really interests me is the whole concept of this oddly named celebration. Where did this idea come from, and why organize an entire celebration around mistakes? To explore those questions, I brought back a previous guest, Kate Garrett, director of the Batavia Depot Museum to help us understand what made the downtown we all take for granted what it is, and how grass roots campaigns like Boo Boo Days have shaped Batavia’s culture and landscape. Mentioned in this episode:Purchase tickets for Richard's Sturdy Speaker Series TalkMy previous episode with Kate GarrettBataviaHistory.orgMy conversation with Craig FoltosSubscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

Just before the pandemic, Chris Otepka helped open Riverside Pizza and Pub in his hometown of Batavia with a few of his friends. Now he's helping run it. But most of his adult life, Chris Otepka was a touring musician. On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, I speak with Chris about his long journey back home, what he learned about himself and Batavia while traveling the country, and his consistent presence in his friends' life as a "utility man".More about Otepka's band, Troubled HubbleChris's solo project, the HeligoatsSubscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

It's not easy to live in Batavia while remaining unaware of its historical roots. Around here, it's talked about a lot. But what does this history really mean for a town in the here and now? According to Depot Museum Director Kate Garrett, Batavia's appreciation for its own history provides opportunity for what she calls "pro-social behaviors." And it turns out, those kinds of behaviors ultimately add up to a better community for all. Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

From landscape to architecture, spaces matter. And for Josephine Tucci, creating spaces that inspire belonging is a lifelong pursuit that started with museums and continued into the Batavia Library. On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, a conversation with the executive director of the Batavia Public Library about the winding career path that brought her to Batavia, her love of landscapes, and integral role the library plays in Batavia. Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

Some, who make grand claims of being self-made, might see their success as being a result of their own hard work. But Scott Beltran openly acknowledges the many people who have come alongside him to help make Daddio's a reality. On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, a conversation with the owner of Daddio's Diner about those in his family and community who have helped make Daddio's the staple in Batavia it is today. This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Bulldog Plumbing. To schedule an appointment, call: 630-313-9109.Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

The stakes are high. Every year, an entirely new group of entrepreneurs set up shop on the corner of Wilson and River street, each one with their own idea of what it means to thrive in Batavia. And by the end of the season, they'll have a very real sense of just how likely their business is to succeed. On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, we talk to the 2025 slate of Batavia Boardwalk Shops about what inspired them to start their business, the roads that led them to Batavia, and why Batavia felt like the perfect place to pursue their dreams. The Boardwalk Shops featured in this episode are:A Rooted HomeAHA Kapeh Traditional BreadGiron Guatemalan Apparel and HomeJaclyn Sue BoutiqueScout and GemJodi Mac Sweets and TreatsKumba's African MarketPet WantsStitched By StephanieTabletop Game ShopIf you liked this, also check our episode with last year's slate of Boardwalk Shop owners. This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Bulldog Plumbing. To schedule an appointment, call: 630-313-9109.Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

There's no new episode in your feed today because we're working fast to turn around a special Opening Day Boardwalk Shops episode. That episode will release this Friday. Thanks! Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

Batavia Public School Superintendent Tom Kim was forced to grow up fast. But as a second generation immigrant surrounded by family, teachers, and mentors willing to help him achieve his goals, he found his place in the world. Now, he's looking to do his same for Batavia's children. On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, a conversation with Tom Kim about his early aspirations, the unique community focus of Batavia, and why he almost left education for good. This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Bulldog Plumbing. To schedule an appointment, call: 630-313-9109.Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

This episode was first published on March 8, 2024.Building on a successful candle-business, Ariane Scholl wanted to create a space that was welcoming, people-oriented, and comfortable. And with her new location, she found a place perfectly situated to accomodate anyone. On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, I talked to Ariane (who also goes by Annie) about the tensions between creating a space that feels like home and a space that challenges us to strive for something more, even in the midst of coziness.This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Bulldog Plumbing. To schedule an appointment, call: 630-313-9109.This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Zen Loft Collective, a collection of wellness spaces located in the heart of downtown Batavia. Register now to receive $20 off a class or package with the code AREACODE.Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Zen Loft Collective, a collection of wellness spaces located in the heart of downtown Batavia. Register now to receive $20 off a class or package with the code AREACODE.Kelly Vida has always dreamed of creating a supportive community space for women. When the chance to turn her aspirations into reality presented itself, she jumped at the opportunity. What she found was the vision she made a reality would help her just as much as it helped the community she sought to serve. On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, a conversation with Kelly Vida, the owner of Zen Loft Collective, about how her personal struggles in motherhood led to the birth of Zen Loft, her adaptable approach to meeting the community's needs, and the profound impact the community has had on her and others in Batavia.This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Bulldog Plumbing. To schedule an appointment, call: 630-313-9109.Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

Before Paula Mueller started Paula’s Couture Consignment, she was a stay at home mom, and a self-described 'follower'. But after a painful period in her life, she found the courage to pursue her passion for fashion and establish a business that doubles as a safe haven. On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, a conversation with the owner of Paula's Couture Consignment about how she transformed her personal challenges into a thriving business, her journey from follower to leader in her community, and her commitment to making her space a welcoming and inclusive environment.This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Bulldog Plumbing. To schedule an appointment, call: 630-313-9109.This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Zen Loft Collective, a collection of wellness spaces located in the heart of downtown Batavia. Register now to receive $20 off a class or package with the code AREACODE.Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available. Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information. Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.