Skip to main content

batavia

City council presents annual community awards

By Howard B. Owens

The Batavia City Council presented its annual community awards at the start of its Monday night meeting.

Above, Toni Funke, accompanied by her husband, accepts the City Employee of the Year award. Funke, who works for the Youth Bureau, has been employed by the city since 1987.

David and Rachel Fasano were named Homeowners of the Year. The Otis Street residents were honored for the upkeep of their residence showing "exceptional pride of ownership."

Gail Steven was named Community Volunteer of the Year. She was nominated because of her involvement with the Batavia City School Board, 12 years on the Youth Board and she's a current member of the Consolidation Charter Task Force.

Target was named the Business of the Year.

Car egged on Allen Street, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A car was reportedly egged within the past hour to 90 minutes on Allen Street, Batavia.

City PD responding to take a criminal mischief complaint.

UPDATE: City PD received a report earlier on Jackson Street of a similar incident.

UPDATE: A reader on Cherry Street also reports having his car egged, but he didn't call police.


View Larger Map

Police warn of 'You won the lottery' scam

By Howard B. Owens

Press release from the Batavia PD:

The Batavia Police Department is investigating an incident of attempted fraud. A Tracy Avenue resident has reported being contacted by telephone by a male subject who identified himself as a lottery official. The local resident was informed that he or she had won a lottery and needed to forward an amount of cash in order to collect the winnings.

The male caller provided some legitimate lottery information, however, identified himself by different names during separate conversations.

The resident did not forward cash as requested and has been advised to cease any contact with the suspect.

Residents need to be on guard for this and similar incidents of fraud that are continuing and ongoing.

Vehicle strikes bicyclist downtown

By Billie Owens

A vehicle has struck a bicyclist at the intersection of Main and Jackson streets in Downtown Batavia. Mercy EMS is called to respond in non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 2:47 p.m.: The bicyclist is able to walk. Fire department response is cancelled, although they had arrived on scene.

UPDATE 2:58 p.m.: Mercy medics are back in service. Patient refused treatment.

Police Beat: DWI suspect charged under 'Leandra's Law'

By Howard B. Owens

Linda Jean Desnatis, 42, Main Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of DWI with a child passenger under age 16, DWI, driving with a BAC of .10 or greater and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Following a complaint of a possible drunken driver, Desnatis's car was stopped at 7:45 p.m., Saturday, on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Graff.

Francis T. Lacko, 29, of Johnstown, Pa., is accused of being a fugitive from justice. Lacko was arrested in Le Roy on Friday. Lacko was stopped in the Village of Le Roy after police received reports of a suspicious person going door-to-door selling magazines without a permit. Upon investigation, police found outstanding warrants for Lacko from three different states, including Pennsylvania. Among the charges faced by Lacko is fraud. Lacko was jailed without bail.

Paul Konieczny, 47, of 144 Harvester Ave., Batavia, is charged with DWI and three counts of failure to keep right. Konieczny was involved in a motor-vehicle accident at 9:20 p.m., Friday. He is accused of striking a street sign and two parked cars. The vehicles reportedly sustained significant damage. Konieczny reportedly suffered cuts on his face and was transported to UMMC by Mercy EMS.

Thomas Tyrone Gantt, 54, of Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester, was arrested at 8:04 p.m., Friday, on Clinton Street Road, Batavia, on a bench warrant out of Town of Gates Court. Gantt is accused of petit larceny.

Kerry Michael Simpson, 49, of Getman Road, Alden, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving left of pavement markings in a no-passing zone and speeding. Simpson was stopped at 1:33 a.m., Saturday, on Erie Street, Darien, by Deputy Jason Saile.

Thomas Z. Wilson, 19, Michael A. Albini, 19, and Patrick W. Moran, 18, all of 113 S. Swan St., Batavia, are all charged with criminal nuisance and unlawful possession of alcohol under age 21. Wilson, Albini and Moran were arrested after allegedly hosting an underage drinking party at 12:22 a.m., Saturday.

Edward M. Davis Jr., 46, of 23 Oak St., lower, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass. Davis is accused of remaining unlawfully in the apartment of a female acquaintance.

Latoya D. Jackson, 25, of 112 State St., lower, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Jackson is accused of shoplifting $12.50 in merchandise from the Dollar Store on East Main Street.

A 17-year-old resident of State Street is charged with disorderly conduct. The youth is accused of shouting obscenities while attending a football game at Vendetta Stadium at 9:45 p.m., Friday.

City Church service filled with images of 9/11, message of hope from Pastor Macdonald

By Howard B. Owens

In a service that recalled in detail the tragedy, fears and horror of Sept. 11, 2001, Pastor Marty Macdonald's Sunday morning message was really about hope.

"We have the power to hope," he said, "in something greater than ourselves."

Sept. 11, Macdonald said, wasn't something that God "allowed" to happen, nor was it, as some have said, God's revenge on a nation gone astray.

"God didn't have anything to do with it," Macdonald said. "It was the work of the enemy."

The Sunday service at City Church opened with the usual praise worship, but then shifted gears to vignettes related to 9/11 -- first, community residents recalling what that day was like, then a scene of a daughter at breakfast with her mother, unable to comprehend why 9/11 is important, so her mother opens her computer to show her newsreels from that tragic day.

On the projection screens, scenes of 9/11 played out as they did in 2001, followed by the Oval Office speech from President George W. Bush.

After the videotapes from Sept. 11, 2001, three church members portrayed different people effected by 9/11: the daughter who lost her father; the firefighter who contracted cancer from working in the rubble of the Twin Towers; and the wife of Todd Beamer, the passenger on Flight 93 who famously uttered "Let's Roll" before passengers attempted to retake the hijacked airplane.

Macdonald said that at a time when people are losing confidence in our government, it's important to remember where to place our hope.

"When you place your confidence in human beings, you will always be disappointed," Macdonald said. "But when you place your hope in a living God, you will never be disappointed."

Pastor Werk: All of our lives changed by events of 9/11

By Howard B. Owens

Our world changed on Sept. 11, 2001, said Pastor Allen Werk. Things that we disagreed about on Monday, seemed unimportant on Tuesday. Things that annoyed us one day could be seen as a sign of God's grace the next day. As a nation, we came to see how important God is to our lives.

"We saw what life really meant and how fragile life could be," Werk said.

Werk delivered his sermon as part of a special 9/11 service at St. Paul Lutheran Church, which mixed patriot songs and prayer and a chance to honor first responders and military veterans (top picture).

"What we witnessed on that day of terror on our shores, when we saw people dying right in front of us, we recognized that we needed somebody who was bigger than us, more powerful than even the most powerful nation on Earth, who was on our side," Werk said.

Photos: Volunteer firefighters participate in community event for 9/11

By Howard B. Owens

Volunteers from at least four fire companies -- I saw Le Roy, Batavia, Stafford and South Byron while I was there -- were on hand Sunday at The Home Depot to raise a flag in honor of the 9/11 victims and give community members a chance to meet with local volunteers and learn about fire safety. Children could tour the firetrucks and receive hats and coloring books.

Photos: Batavia on Sept. 11

By Howard B. Owens

Batavia residents found a number of ways to remember Sept. 11 on Sunday.

Above, Ken Mistler hung his giant U.S. flag from the former Carr's building.

Frank Bellucci set up this display outside his Ellicott Street home. The centerpiece, a model of the Twin Towers, was built a few yeas ago for a competition by his son, Frankie, now 13.

Somebody set up these signs on West Main Street near Oak Street.

Still to come from Sunday, coverage of 9/11 services at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and City Church.

2011 Batavia Downs Casino's Italian-American of the Year

By Rick Franclemont

During Friday night's annual Italian Heritage night at Batavia Downs Casino, Joseph Teresi, Jr. was named the "Italian-American of the Year"

The Award was presented by Mr. Joseph Gerace after the 7th race.

More pictures of the award presentation and of the race night can be found here

Photo: The ice cream man rolls through Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

Tyrone Gantt, of Rochester, came out to Batavia today to visit his granddaughters and thought he would bring his ice cream truck along.

He said he's never brought the truck with him before, but people kept telling him there was no ice cream truck in Batavia and it might be an opportunity for him.

After the response he received today he said, "I should come out here more often."

When he stopped on Maple Street around 6 p.m., people -- adults and children -- came running (some, really running) from all directions.

His granddaughters are Sharmaine Powell (pictured in the truck), Jykiya Powell and LaQueasha Taylor.

Photo: The Laughing Buddha opens on Ellicott Street, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

The mini-boomlet of new businesses opening on Ellicott Street, Batavia, continues with The Laughing Buddha at 440 Ellicott St.

The Laughing Buddha offers tattoos, piercing and a gift shop.

Pictured are tattoo artists Eric "Crazy Goose" Weis, left, and James "Jimi" Soccio, along with Ashley Keene, who handles the front counter, owner Jay Lang (who also owns Batavia Cab Co.), and Eric Betz, piercer and store manager (Betz is formerly of Time Bomb Tattoo).

Photo: Flags on Main Street left up for week to honor victims of 9/11 attacks

By Howard B. Owens

You may have noticed, the flags along Main Street have been up all week. The flags are owned and displayed by the Batavia Area Jaycees.

This year, the Jaycees decided to leave the flags up from Labor Day through Patriot's Day in honor of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"We are proud to help lead our community in remembering this historic event," said Amy Robinson, the group's 2011 president.

Police Beat: Couple seen walking together in Stafford, allegedly violating protection orders

By Howard B. Owens

Eric Michael Duda, 49, of Main Road, Stafford, and Summer Ogden, 35, of State Street, Batavia, are both charged with criminal contempt. Duda and Odgen were seen walking together on Main Road, Stafford, at 4:15 p.m., Wednesday. There are court orders in place barring Duda and Odgen from being in contact with each other.

Dennis Kaijage Stambuli, 19, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass and unlawful possession of marijuana. Stambuli was allegedly found on College Village property after being banned.

Scott E. Hodgins, 47, of 9394 Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with felony DWI, passing a stop sign, speed in zone and obstructing governmental administration, 2nd. Hodgins was stopped at 8:40 p.m., Thursday, on Blakely Place, by Officers Jerry Casper and Chris Camp. Hodgins was allegedly observed speeding on South Jackson Street. Hodgins allegedly tried to flee on foot following the traffic stop and was located after an extensive search of the area. New York State Police assisted in the search. Additional charges may be pending. Hodgins was jailed without bail.

Community urged not to forget 9/11

By Howard B. Owens

Ken Adams had a job in Brooklyn in 2001 and on Sept. 11, with his wife home sick, it was his turn to pick up their daughter from school. 

He was late getting there, one of the last parents to arrive, and he remembers walking into the class and there was only his daughter and a little girl standing next to the teacher.

"I looked at her and she looked at me and we had the same thought at the same time," Adams recalled. "There will be some children whose parents won't be picking them up today."

Adams, the commissioner of Empire State Development, was in Batavia today for the Sept. 11 memorial ceremony, representing Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

During a brief speech, Adams described what it was like in New York City on 9/11 -- from walking his daughter home on a bright, clear blue-sky day, but with the acrid smell of the fallen twin towers in the air, to the office paper ashes falling in their small Brooklyn back yard.

"I remember getting home, looking at my little girl and thinking, 'No one knows how to tell a 6-year-old girl about evil," Adams said.

The ceremony included remarks by Council President Marianne Clattenburg, Legislator Ed DeJaneiro, State Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer and Sheriff Gary Maha.

On 9/11, Maha, along Deputy Ron Meides and another member of the department traveled to NYC to help with the relief efforts.

Maha described helping with relief efforts and visiting ground zero and seeing the devastation of the terrorist attacks.

"It's heartwarming to see everybody here today paying respect to those who lost their lives on Sept. 11," Maha said.

Adams said it's important that the country, and New York, not forget what happened on 9/11, and that we teach our children about the "brutal facts" of that day.

Remembering, he said, will provide lessons and teach us about unity.

"We are bound together in our grief over the tragedy of Sept. 11," Adams said. "We are bound by our resolve never to let Sept. 11 fade from our memories."

UPDATE: Video from WBTA.

Vendors sought for booths at St. Paul's Oktoberfest

By Billie Owens

St. Paul Lutheran Church & School in Batavia is hosting Oktoberfest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. It will take place on the back lawn area of the church at 31 Washington Ave.

St. Paul invites all crafters, local businesses, and organizations to host a booth. If you would like a booth, contact St. Paul at 585-343-0488. Booths are $30 each.

Oktoberfest admission is free!

Participants can welcome fall in the German tradition with German food, an authentic 25-piece German band, kids' activities, crafters, a Chinese auction, and more. This is a family friendly event for all ages!

There's a big opportunity for a new barbershop in Batavia, says young entrepreneur

By Howard B. Owens

There's no record to confirm, but it's probably been decades since a new barbershop opened in Batavia.

Sure, there have been plenty of hair salons that have opened, but a barbershop, it's almost as if they went out of style with, well, styling.

According to Brandon Armstrong, barbershops remain popular in bigger cities and he decided to bring some of the same flair of the modern barbershop to Batavia.

The Batavia resident has opened City Styles at the corner of Ellicott and Liberty streets (before any of us were born, the location of a corner grocery drug store called Gioia's, but more recently, the location of Mother's Chicken & Fish).

"In the bigger cities, there's a bigger barbershop culture," said the 22-year-old Armstrong. "The barbershop is a big part of their daily life."

Besides haircuts, Armstrong also offers hot towel shaves.

There are only three barbershop schools in New York and one of them, Sheer Eagle, is in Rochester, which is where Armstrong studied. He also worked as a barber at Le Roy Manor.

"There's a big demand here for a barbershop that serves a younger crowd," Armstrong said, explaining why he opened a barbershop. "I've always wanted to be my own boss. I used to work for my cousin Brian Kemp at T-Shirts Etc. and I saw that I would like working for myself."

While Armstrong believes his shop will be the only one in town with an expertise in African-American hairstyles, he isn't putting up a barber pole out just to serve one segment of Batavia's population.

"I can cut anybody's hair," Armstrong said. "I'm well-rounded and have lots of experience with all styles."

Pictured with Armstrong is Eric Smith, Armstrong's first paying customer after Armstrong opened Wednesday afternoon.

Authentically Local