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.