Skip to main content

batavia

City Fire asked to investigate smoking transformer

By Howard B. Owens

City Fire is being dispatched to Washington Avenue in the area of Summit Street, where a transformer reportedly sparked and is now smoking.

UPDATE 9:50 a.m.: No fire, but there is a problem with a wire. National Grid requested to the scene.

Newest city firefighter happy to find a job in his hometown

By Howard B. Owens

A few years as a Town of Batavia volunteer firefighter convinced Notre Dame graduate Mark Sacheli that he wanted to land a full-time job in the fire services.

This month, after 11 weeks of training at the New York State Fire Academy, things turned out for Sacheli better than he'd hoped -- now not only is he a career firefighter, he's serving in Batavia.

"I feel extremely fortunate to get a job doing what I love in my hometown," Sacheli said.

The 27-year-old bachelor was attending SUNY Brockport working toward a degree in physical education when his father suggested he would serve himself well by getting some EMT training and joining a volunteer department.

"After a few years I decided I didn't want to be a phys ed teacher," Sacheli said. "This is what I wanted to do. This is a career."

He said firefighting is an exciting job.

"Everything meshes well to make it a well-rounded job," Sacheli said. "Every day is different."

When he's not in uniform, Sacheli said he enjoys staying active. He described himself as an avid sports enthusiast who plays golf, softball, basketball and skies.

That fits in well with finding a job at home, where all of his friends live. He wanted to stay close to friends and family.

"The community is full of good people," Sacheli said.

Police Beat: A pair of harassment charges

By Howard B. Owens

Justin E. Cratsley, 22, of 8348 Lewiston Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Cratsley is accused of pushing a woman during an argument at 5:35 p.m., Oct. 7.

Kenneth M. Burns, 53, of Bergen, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Burns was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident that was reported at 8:45 p.m., Monday. No further details were released.

Mother accused of delivering drugs to son in Genesee County Jail

By Howard B. Owens

A Batavia mother is in jail tonight accused of delivering drugs to her son, who was being held in the Genesee County Jail.

Kathleen Catino, 59, of Seven Springs Road, allegedly handed her son some oxycodone during a jail visit.

Cain Catino, 39, also of Seven Springs Road, is being held on a robbery charge. He is accused of entering the Oakfield Pharmacy on Sept. 20 and demanding hydrocodone.

The mother is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, promoting prison contraband, 2nd, and possession of a controlled substance by ultimate user's original container.

Son is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and promoting prison contraband.

Jail officers reportedly witnessed the transaction in the visitation area and immediately seized the alleged contraband.

Kathleen Catino was jailed without bail.

Fire reported at Topline Shirt Co., Batavia

By Billie Owens

A fire with flames showing is reported at 214 East Main St. in the City of Batavia. It's at the rear of Topline Shirt Co. and an owner reports it's an oven fire. City fire and Mercy EMS are on site.

UPDATE (6:40 p.m.): City fire command reports fire is out.

Truck shears off utility pole on South Main Street Road

By Howard B. Owens

A tractor-trailer has reportedly snagged a power line or otherwise hit a utility pole causing it to shear off in the area of 4050 South Main Road, Batavia.

The wires are still up and the pole remains upright.

Town of Batavia Fire is responding. National Grid has been notified.

UPDATE 5:56 p.m.: The scene was cleared some time ago. As for the picture above, it's a bit hard to see, but in the center foreground is a bit of a wire sticking up. It's attached to the base of the utility pole, barely visible. The rest of the utility pole is clear to the left of the picture. It's a very old, very short utility pole. The driver, making his first delivery to Batavia, thought he was on West Main Street Road, not South Main Road. He was making a turn into what he thought was a local business to deliver a supply of camper shells. There's a barn on the property. The cable and phone wires were lower than he thought. No citations were issued.


View Larger Map

Dynamic speaker tells local business owners how to stand out in the market place

By Howard B. Owens

Rick Segel , an author and nationally recognized expert on small-business marketing gave a dynamic presentation to about 50 small-business owners or their representatives today. Comedy is part of Segel's pitch and he generated quite a few laughs during the first session. The program went from 9 a.m. 1 p.m. and was sponsored by the Business Improvement District and the Chamber of Commerce.

Man who tried to outrun police until he ran out of gas given prison term

By Howard B. Owens

A Batavia man who tried to outrun law enforcement from Avon to Le Roy will serve one- to three-years in state prison, Judge Robert C. Noonan ruled this morning.

Randy S. Rumble, 27, of State Street, entered a guilty plea at the end of August to felony DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation. On Aug. 1, Rumble led cops from Avon and deputies from Genesee County on a high-speed chase until he ran out of gas and was taken into custody by a Le Roy police officer.

Defense attorney William Tedford described Rumble as the nicest client he has represented.

He's a nice guy who makes poor decisions when he drinks," Tedford said.

"I have no reason to think you’re not a nice guy, but as people in court have heard me say 100 times, if you get killed by a drunk driver it doesn’t matter if it's Mother Teresa or Charles Manson at the wheel," Noonan said.

"You're lucky you're not standing here responsible for the deaths of other people or buried in the ground yourself. This conduct is way beyond anything that’s acceptable in this society."

Assistant District Attorney Melissa Cianfrini argued for a stiff prison sentence.

"It was a dangerous situation," Cianfrini said. "He only stopped when he ran out of gas. He didn't stop voluntarily. He then ran into a hedgerow, further hampering law enforcement."

As for a statement to Noonan, Rumble apologized.

I respect whatever sentence you give me," Rumble said, then hung his head. "And that’s it."

Rumble will also be required to pay a $2,000 fine and have an interlock-ignition device on whatever vehicles he has access to upon his release from prison.

Previously: Batavia man allegedly tried to outrun law enforcement, until he ran out of gas

Car and bicyclist collide on East Main, Batavia

By Billie Owens

A car into bicycle accident is reported on East Main Street and Trumbull Parkway. A woman is lying on the ground, conscious. City fire, police and Mercy EMS are responding.

UPDATE (11:34 a.m.): The patient refused medical treatment. The driver of the car was not injured. Authorities are clearing, or have cleared the scene, and are filing a report.

Police Beat: Woman accused of trying to hide stolen merchandise under child

By Howard B. Owens

Gena Lorane Ellis, 24, of West Ridge Road, Brockport, is charged with petit larceny. Ellis is accused of stealing $124.13 worth of merchandise from Target by hiding the items under her child in her shopping cart.

Amanda Darlene Clemons, 26, of Ridge Road, Holley, is charged with petit larceny. Clemons is accused of trying to steal $211.86 worth of clothing, boots and other merchandise from Target by hiding the items under a blanket in her shopping cart.

David M. Saylor, 26, of 9431 Summit St. Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to keep right, no seat belt and unsafe tires. Saylor was allegedly involved in an accident on North Street. He is accused of striking a parked car at 12:26 a.m. and causing significant damage to both vehicles.

TopLine Shirt Co. offers free breast cancer shirts to customer in effort to raise awareness

By Scott Grefrath

Timothy Walton has been known for putting his products to good use. This month, Walton, who is the owner of TopLine Shirt Company, has put together a "double your order" promotion to help raise breast cancer awareness. "It's for a great cause so we are happy to do this." Walton said.

Every customer that places an order of any size gets a free breast cancer shirt with every shirt ordered. "If you order one custom shirt, you get one free breast cancer shirt" says Walton. "If you order 100 shirts you will get 100 free shirts".

The shirts have a breast cancer pink design that features the words "hope, love, cure" and a paint brush styled pink ribbon.

The promotion will be valid for anyone that orders a quanitity of 1-100 shirts next week, October 18- October 22.

Walton is no stranger to donating shirts to raise awareness for a good cause. His most recent large contribution occured for Independence Day when he donated 300 shirts to Hometown Hugs that provides them to soldiers in Afghanistan.

 

Batavia man arrested as part of Orleans County marijuana distribution investigation

By Howard B. Owens

A drug investigation that began five months ago in Orleans County led to a search of three Genesee County dwellings Tuesday and the arrest of a Batavia man.

Taken into custody was Edgar Perez, 25, of 110 Jackson St., upper. Perez was arraigned in the Town of Barre Court and jailed in Orleans County on $100,000 bail.

In all, four search warrants were executed by law enforcement Tuesday, including one on a car stopped in Barre where investigators reportedly uncovered eight pounds of marijuana.

Perez was reportedly driving the car.

Search warrants were also executed at 110 Jackson St., Batavia and 32 and 33 Sunset Parkway, Oakfield.

Additional suspects from Genesee County are still being sought according to Orleans County investigator Joe Sacco.

Sacco said Tuesday's arrest and searches were unrelated to another recent drug investigation in Orleans County that grabbed regional media attention.

In the raids, investigators reportedly seized some quantity of marijuana, scales, packaging material and other drug paraphenalia at each search location.

Assisting Orleans County's Major Felony Crime Task Force was the Genesee County Local Drug Task Force and the City of Batavia's Emergency Response Team.

For the record, while we expected to receive a copy of a press release from Orleans County on this matter, we have not. This report combines our interview with Joe Sacco this afternoon and the press release published on WIVB's web site (click through for a picture, apparently, of the marijuana seized).

Cause of Monday's fire still undetermined

By Howard B. Owens

Investigators have yet to determine what sparked a fire that destroyed a rooming house Monday at 433 E. Main St., Batavia.

With no cause uncovered at this point, it's hard to say when investigators will be able to determine how the fire started, according to Lt. Jay Steinbrenner of the Batavia Fire Department.

The investigation remains ongoing.

There's no further information available on the investigation at this time.

14th Annual Batavia Reads John Gardner

By Howard B. Owens

Members of the John Gardner Society and other fans of the late author who was born and raised in Batavia and often made Batavia the subject of his literary work will gather at the Pok-A-Dot, Liberty and Ellicott streets, Batavia. Admission is free. All are welcome.  For more information or to be added to the reading list, call Bill at (585) 757-2455.

Event Date and Time
-

Photo: Make a Difference Day

By Howard B. Owens

It's "Make a Difference Day," and as part of the effort, four Batavia High School students were in downtown this morning picking up trash on the sidewalks and flower beds. Above, Donald Fagan, a senior at BHS, patrols for litter in a flower bed on East Main Street.

Drug Task Force raids, searches apartment on Jackson Street

By Howard B. Owens

The Local Drug Enforcement Task Force raided the upper apartment at 110 Jackson St., Batavia, at around 6:15 p.m.

All we know at this point is that the raid was not the only one conducted in Genesee County today.

Investigators were still on scene about two hours later conducting a search of the apartment.

Above, Lt. Chris Bourke of the Orleans County Sheriff's Office and his K-9 "Cliff."

Four cars in accident at Daws Corners

By Billie Owens

A four-vehicle accident, with one of them possibly on fire, is reported on Batavia-Elba Townline Road at the intersection of Route 98 (Daws Corners).

Two people are reportedly injured, one of them a woman who is seven-months pregnant.

Elba fire is responding along with Mercy EMS.

The accident is blocking the roadway.

UPDATE (5:30 p.m.): Two women with minor injuries were taken to UMMC, including the pregnant female.

CLARIFICATION (6:10 p.m.): From reader Shannon Laurer: "Actually they took the pregnant female and two males to the hospital! She was a passenger in one vehicle, her mother the driver accompanied her and each of the two males was a driver in the other vehicles involved, the third male driver involved did not need medical assistance."

Thanks, Shannon. Most helpful!

Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union invites everyone to 'Pay It Forward'

By Daniel Crofts

How would you like to get free money just for entering a contest for more free money?

That's exactly the invitation the Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union, at 10 Jefferson Ave. in Batavia, is inviting you to do from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15.

Here's the deal: Each participant is to go to the bank during the specified hours on Friday to get the word out about a charity or worthy cause that is important to him/her. All participants will win $10 just for doing that.

Bank staff members will videotape all contest entries, and judges will pick the 10 best videos and post them online. After that, the public will decide on the winner.

The winner will be awarded $1,000 to be spent on the charity or cause of his/her choice.

Members and non-members of the TVFCU are invited to take part in the contest. For more information, please contact the bank at 343-5627.

Covington man faces new charge for allegedly impersonating federal agent

By Howard B. Owens

A 41-year-old Covington man already facing charges out of the Town of Batavia for allegedly trying to pass himself off as a federal law enforcement agent was arrested by Le Roy Police on Monday on a similar charge.

Nikko C. Gambino, of Morrow Road, Convington, was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and jailed on $750 on a charge of criminal impersonation, 2nd.

Gambino is accused of entering a Le Roy business some time in September allegedly dressed as a federal agent and directing an employee of that business to make a phone call under his pretend authority.

Three weeks ago, Gambino was arrested by the Sheriff's Office for allegedly attempting the same ruse in Walmart. A search of his residence reportedly found articles of clothing with law enforcement markings and a metal badge.

Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said it isn't really clear why Gambino has allegedly attempted to enter retail outlets and pass himself off as a federal agent.

"He's refusing to talk, but we we think it is some sort of diversion," Brewster said. "He wants to draw attention to himself while his accomplice attempts to steal something. We haven't been able to confirm that with surveillance tapes and nothing has been reported stolen. At this point, it's just a guess."

On the arrest out of the Town of Batavia, Gambino was charged with two counts of criminal impersonation, 2nd, and one count of falsely reporting an incident.

He was initially jailed on $5,000 bail.

Police Beat: Alleged attempt to heist of 50-inch plasma TV foiled

By Howard B. Owens

Brett Myers Blair, 26, of South Lyon Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass and petit larceny. Blair is accused of attemping to steal a 50" plasma television from Kmart. Blair was allegedly observed by Kmart personnel wandering around the back stock room of the store without authorization. (Initial Report)

Matthew S. Flannery, 20, of Lymn Road, Byron, is charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident. James C. Wilcox, 41, of South Lake Street, Bergen, is charged with obstructing governmental administration, 2nd. Flannery and Wilcox were arrested following an investigation into a property damage accident at 6:04 p.m., Sept. 25 in the area of 10 Munger St., Bergen. Wilcox is accused of interfering with Bergen Fire Department personnel prior to the arrival of law enforcement and helping Flannery allegedly flee the scene of the accident. Flannery's 2005 Saturn reportedly struck a utility pole. (Initial Report)

Barry Lamont Posey, 18, of Holland Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny.  Posey is accused of removing items from packaging and hiding the items on his body with the intent of leaving Target without paying for the merchandise.

Gordy Abiola Akinpeia, 18, of Lincoln Avenue, Brooklyn, is charged with petit larceny. Akinpeia is accused of stealing merchandise from Target.

Cassandra Kay Dembik, 18, of Pratt Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Dembik is accused of getting into a fight with another person at 3221 Pratt Road, Batavia, at 6:15 p.m., Monday.

Douglas D. Sprague, 19, of Bergen, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Sprague was arrested at 11:57 p.m., Sunday, by State Police in Bergen Park. The State Police blotter item lists the type of weapon only as "gun." No further details were released.

Authentically Local