batavia

The public is encouraged to take part in the National Prescription Drug Drop Off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, April 28. No questions asked. All medications -- both prescription and over-the-counter -- will be accepted from residents.

In Genesee County, the drop-off sites will be as follows:

• Batavia Police Department -- 10 W. Main St. in the City of Batavia
• Le Roy Police Department -- 3 W. Main St. in the Village of Le Roy
• Pembroke Town Hall -- at the junction of routes 5 and 77 in Pembroke

According to the Center for Disease Control, prescription drug abuse is a national epidemic. In Western New York, prescription pill abuse is the No. 1 drug problem.

Law enforcement agencies, healthcare professionals and drug-abuse prevention groups want you to "Keep unneeded, unwanted medications out of your children's hands."

The Downtown Spring Carnival for 2012 has been cancelled.

Originally scheduled to be held this year in the parking lot adjacent Alva and Bank, the carnival has fallen victim to weather.

The Fun for Everyone Shows troupe has been unable to leave Florida and won't be able to make it to WNY in time for the carnival, which was set for April 25 through 30.

A 31-year-old Hutchins Place resident is accused of defrauding the Department of Social Services out of more than $17,000.

Deborah Schramm, of Batavia, is accused of submitting various forms from February 2011 through August 2011 for medical assistance and food stamps she allegedly wasn't qualified to receive.

Schramm is charged with six felonies -- grand larceny, 3rd, and five counts of offering a false instrument for filing, 1st.

Some of the current residents of downtown apartments were surprised a couple of weeks ago to get a warning about parking on city streets or parking lots overnight.

City Manager Jason Molino said the warning is part of an effort to ensure only vehicles with permits are parking overnight, and that they're parking in recommended areas.

"We initially issued warnings to remind people there is no (overnight) parking and give them a chance to get permits," Molino said. "There have been no tickets issued at this point."

If a resident wants to park a vehicle downtown overnight (from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.), he or she needs to get a permit from the city.

That permit costs $100 annually (raised recently from $50 per year).

The permit covers up to two vehicles.

When a resident receives the permit, the resident is asked to park his or her vehicles in specific areas, with other overnight parking, so that vehicles are grouped together.

Molino said this is particularly important during snow removal season.

With the city making a push for more apartments downtown, Molino was asked if there is adequate parking for more residents in the heart of the city.

There is, Molino said.

"If you don't have an overnight parking ability -- if you don't enforce it, or you don't have it -- then people can park overnight with any type of vehicle, whether it's a construction vehicle, farm equipment, those sorts of things," Molino said. "We've had requests from truckers or trucking agencies to park their big rigs overnight, which is just something we don't allow."

On the web: Batavia City Code

A proposal to merge the city and town of Batavia is moving forward and at the start of Monday's city council meeting, the Charter Task Force Committee presented its proposed city charter and timeline for public hearings and public vote.

Chairman Chad Zambito (above) made the presentation, telling council members that the committee settled on a council/manager form of government with ward representation combined with at-large council seats (much like the current City of Batavia).

There would be four wards and five at-large seats.

As initially proposed, the new city would have a tiered tax structure with the current city having a tax rate to help pay for current city services -- primarily fire and police protection -- and the current town having a separate tax structure to maintain its current level of service.

The timeline toward possible adoption:

• The town board and the city council must each pass a resolution asking Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer to introduce legislation to make consolidation possible;
• May 17, info session at the town hall;
• May 24, info session at city hall;
• May 31, public hearing;
• June 4, public hearing;
• June 11, public hearing;
• June 21, public hearing;
• In July, public input reviewed, documents edited and corrections made to proposed charter;
• August, revised charter introduced to city and town officials, city and town hold public hearings, city and town vote on charter and ballot initiative;
• September, ballot initiative must be submitted by city and town by Sept. 9;
• Nov. 6, Election Day and voters in both city and town can vote on ballot initiative.

If approved:

• Town and city boards, appointees and employees remain in place until Jan. 1, 2014;
• The task force recommends a consolidation committee be formed comprised of elected officials and residents from both the city and town;
• Election of new city council in November 2013, with at-large seats elected to four-year terms, and wards started with two-year terms (a four-year term election for wards starting in 2015).

Currently available documents related to the proposed consolidation can be found on the consultant's website.

For 30 years Randy Baker has served the people of Batavia as a police officer, K-9 officer, youth officer, detective youth officer, sergeant, and for the past four years as chief of police.

Friday, Baker will serve his last day with the Batavia PD.

With his wife present -- the first council meeting he's convinced her to attend -- Baker was honored Monday night by the Batavia City Council with a proclamation recognizing his 30 years of service.

Councilwoman Kathy Briggs presented the proclamation on behalf of the council.

City Manager Jason Molino said interviews are taking place now to hire a replacement for Baker and a new chief should be appointed within two weeks. He said the candidates come from within and without the department.

Press release:

BATAVIA, NY – Today’s game between the Empire State Yankees and Norfolk Tides has been postponed due to snow. This game will not be made up in Batavia. The Yankees and Tides will make up the game as part of a doubleheader in Norfolk later in the season. Any person with tickets to today’s game can exchange their tickets for any other Yankees game or any Muckdogs regular season game, subject to availability.

Brianna Rae Burlingame, 20, of Palmer Road, Churchville, is charged with driving under the influence of drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana. Burlingame was arrested after deputies Chad Minuto and Jason Saile responded to the parking lot of Petco at 2:14 p.m., Saturday for the report of a woman asleep behind the wheel of her vehicle while it was running. Burlingame was issued an appearance ticket.

Sean Allen Kota, 18, of Byron-Holley Road, Byron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and driver view obstructed. Kota's vehicle was stopped following complaints of the occupants throwing beer bottles out of the window of the car. His vehicle was stopped at 2:47 p.m., Thursday, on Oatka Trail in Le Roy by Deputy Matthew Butler.

Joshua Webster, 25, of York Road, Pavilion, is charged with grand larceny, 4th, and criminal possession of stolen property. Webster is accused of stealing a purse and credit cards from a location on Commerce Drive, Batavia, and of possessing stolen property from another incident at the time of his arrest on an unrelated incident. (Previously)

Gregory J. Battaglia, 30, of Pavilion Center Road, Pavilion, is charged with petit larceny. Battaglia is accused of stealing gasoline from a station in Le Roy.

A 17-year-old resident of Bacon Street, Le Roy, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. The youth is accused of failing to provide appropriate supervision to a child left in his care.

A Batavia resident suffered a minor injury in an accident Friday on Route 33 in Bergen after another car reportedly pulled in front of her car.

Hurt was Kelly J. Poole-Davis, 39, of North Lyon Street, Batavia. She was taken by ground ambulance to UMMC.

The other driver, Loretta E. Miller, 71, of Buffalo Street, Bergen, was uninjured, but was issued a traffic citation.

According to Deputy John L. Baiocco, Miller said she was exiting the Sugar Creek parking lot and never saw Poole-Davis's car. Miller was attempting to make a left-hand turn onto Route 33.

The official attendance at Dwyer Stadium on Sunday was 866, but there's little doubt that there were fewer than 200 people left by the time the Empire State Yankees secured a 6-5 victory over the Norfolk Tides.

Bitter cold -- 38 degrees at game time, plus a 10 mph wind -- seems to have kept many fans home, and drove many away even though it was a closely fought game.

Norfolk jumped to an early lead with three runs in the second inning, but the Yankees scrambled back, mounting a three-run lead in the seventh and then pushing across the winning run in the eighth.

Cold weather and the possibility of precipitation led to the cancellation of a planned second game.

If you have trouble viewing the slide show below, click here.

An altercation is reported in the city at Main and Center streets. Batavia PD is en route. Two vehicles are said to have "emptied their occupants" who then clashed. A car eastbound on Route 5 may have been involved. Cops on scene say nothing's showing.

UPDATE 4:11 p.m.: There have been several calls to dispatch about this. The cars may be on Swan Street now. One vehicle is purportedly white and the other is "dark."

UPDATE 4:17 p.m.: A witness told dispatch one of the vehicles has a partial license plate of FRA. It's a 1999 green Mercedes-Benz registered to someone in Rochester.

A vehicle is reportedly barreling down the westbound I-490 traveling in the wrong direction -- that would be eastbound. Law enforcement is trying to track down the driver.

UPDATE 2:44 p.m.: Monroe County reports the driver was last spotted near the Bergen exit.

UPDATE 2:48 p.m.: Genesee County officers traveled to the Churchville exit without spotting the vehicle and then turned around. The ball's in Monroe County's court now, so to speak.

Virginia Martinez and her four children lost nearly everything Friday in the apartment fire at 26 Maple St., Batavia.

Though fire crews were able to pull out just about all of their belongings from their first-floor apartment, clothing, household and other items were so heavily smoke and water damaged, they're not of much use.

"They need to start over," said Tammy Scheidweiler (on the outside right), so she's organized a donation collection with her husband John (left) in the parking lot of Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union this afternoon. 

Four bags of clothing have been dropped off. 

Virginia's four children are ages 7, 5, 3 and almost 2.

Tammy said she's known Virginia since she was just a baby, "and they're like family to me," explaining why she organized the donation effort.

The children also lost most of their toys.

UPDATED 12:03 p.m.

The drivers of both cars that collided head on at 6:44 a.m. on Lewiston Road, just south of Galloway Road, Batavia, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said the cars appeared to hit squarely, though the speeds of either vehicle have not yet been determined.

It's unknown what caused a northbound white sedan to cross the double-yellow line.

The sedan hit a minivan.

The sedan, a 1997 Buick, was driven by Quayeshawn D. Smith, 25, of 4590 Mill St., Medina.

The minivan, a 2002 Mazda, was driven by Rosemary Calla, 74, of 34 S. Main St., Oakfield.

Sgt. James Meier said he doesn't believe weather conditions, light wind and a light drizzle, contributed to the accident.

No other passengers were in either vehicle.

Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy EMS responded to the scene, though Mercy medics went back in service shortly after arriving at the accident.

Lewiston Road was closed in both directions between Galloway Road and Veterans Memorial Drive from shortly after 7 a.m. until 9:36 a.m.

Oakfield Fire provided traffic control at Galloway and Route 63.

The accident is being investigated by the Crash Management Team of the Sheriff's Office, which includes Sgt. Meier, Sgt. Bill Scott, Deputy Brad Mazur and Investigator William Ferrando.

A serious injury accident is reported in the area of 7936 Lewiston Road, Batavia.

Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy EMS requested to the scene.

Mercy Flight unable to fly due to weather.

Route 63 closed in both directions

UPDATE 7:40 a.m.: This is a double fatal accident.

UPDATE 9:36 a.m.: Lewiston Road is reopened. Town of Batavia is back in service.

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The Batavia High School Girls Softball Team was at Clor's Meat Market today selling chicken BBQ dinners as a fundraiser for the team.

More than 20 fencers were at Batavia High School today for a tournament sponsored by En Garde. The event was part of the USFA WNY Epee Circuit division and winners scored points toward a division championship. Fencers came from as far away as Syracuse, Binghamton, Albany, Rochester and Buffalo. Fencers ranged in age from 15 to 57.

When I was at DeWitt Park this morning I got to drive out to the far side of the park and found that Paul Osborn is getting new paths installed, new trees planted at this lookout platform installed.

Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts were in DeWitt Park today for Earth Day to do a little clean up. The girls found a whole area of old auto parts that had been dumped, no doubt, decades ago, and dutifully picked up every scrap.

Dozens of families brought their cars to the Batavia fire station today for inspections of their child safety seats or to get them properly installed.

Recently, another seven Batavia firefighters went through training in child safety seats, giving the department the capability to provide year-'round-service to local families looking to ensure the safety of their children when riding in a car.

State troopers and Sheriff's deputies assisted with the inspections today.