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Law and Order: Convicted child sex predator accused of possessing control substance in jail

By Howard B. Owens

Melvin Andre Huntley, 41, of Wilkenson Road, Batavia, is charged with promoting prison contraband 1st, promoting prison contraband 2nd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Huntley was accused of possessing and bringing a controlled substance into the Genesee County Jail at 7:35 p.m. Nov. 16. He was arraigned in City Court and released back into the custody of the jail. Previously: Child sex predator convicted by jury, faces possible life in prison

Brett M. Holt, 32, of West Center Street, Medina, and Kelly M. Holt, 46, of West Center Street, Medina, are each charged with petit larceny. On Dec. 12 at 5:20 p.m., dispatchers received a report of a theft in progress at Sally Beauty Supply on Veterans Memorial Drive. Patrols eventually located two individuals matching the description of the suspects inside of Kohl's Department Store. The suspects were returned to Sally's, where a witness identified them as the individuals suspected of stealing $400 in products. Both suspects were processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on appearance tickets.

Dustin Travis Forkell, 31, of Hulberton Road, Holley, is charged with falsifying business records, 1st, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, and criminal impersonation 2nd. Forkell is accused of possessing narcotics while being arrested on separate offenses in the City of Batavia on Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m. He is accused of attempting to conceal his true identity while being processed at the Genesee County Jail. Forkell was released on an appearance ticket.

Alyssa Michele Harnish, 34, of Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Harnish was arrested on Dec. 14 as the result of an incident reported on Nov. 16 at 9 p.m. at a location on West Main Street Road, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Stephanie Lynn Salcido, 33, of Ellicott Street Road, Batavia, is charged with felony DWI, moving from lane unsafely, uninspected motor vehicle, unregistered motor vehicle, and aggravated unlicensed operation. Salcido was stopped on Dec. 15 at 2:38 a.m. on Lake Street Road, Le Roy, by Sgt. Matthew Clor. She is also accused of driving without a required interlock device. Salcido was issued an appearance ticket.

Kevin Quinn Widzinski, 29, of Hubbard Drive, Chili, is charged with DWI, moving from lane unsafely, and speed not reasonable and prudent. Widzinski was arrested by Deputy Zachary Hoy following the report of a motor vehicle accident on Dec. 15 at 7:24 p.m. on Warsaw Road in Le Roy. Widzinski was released on an appearance ticket.

Micahel Gilbert Hoskins, 50, of Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving an uninspected vehicle, and driving with an open alcohol container. Hoskins was stopped on Dec. 4 at 12:10 a.m. on Seven Springs Road, Stafford, by Deputy Ryan Mullen. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Tatiana Makarevic, 55, of Maple Road, Alabama, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Makarevic was stopped on Dec. 15 at 8:48 p.m. on Alleghany Road, Pembroke, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Makarevic was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.     

Karrie Ann Morrow, 40, of Alexander Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Morrow on Dec. 14 in connection with a theft reported at 2 a.m., Oct. 11 on Genesee Street, Pembroke. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Arthur James Brown, 48, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with sex offender failure to register a change of address. Brown is to report a change of address within the required 10 days for a registered sex offender. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held without bail.

Bryan D. McEwan, 36, of Darien, is charged with criminal mischief 4th and endangering the welfare of a child. McEwan was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 10:10 p.m. on Dec. 18 at a location in Darien. McEwan was released to a third party. No further information released.

Aging in place is not impossible, but answers should be in place as well

By Joanne Beck

You’re getting older, feeling those achy joints a bit more, cursing the stairs each time you need to use them, and wishing that perhaps you had better equipped the house to accommodate the future you.    

An unlikely scenario, you say? Not for countless senior citizens locally and across New York State, according to Rebecca Preve, executive director of the Association on Aging in New York.

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“We all know that New York State is fourth in the nation in the over-60 population. In addition, census data indicate that the fastest-growing segment of the population is individuals over the age of 80. We know that the state's overall population is predicted to grow by 1.3 percent through 2040. But the 80-plus population will see growth of 42 percent,” Preve said during a Dec. 12 Senate hearing on aging-related needs. “Additionally, 70 percent of the older population will need some form of home care during their lifetime … The master plan on aging has instituted a division within the Department of Health for aging and long-term care. We are all enthusiastic about the opportunity to ensure we are looking at aging as a lifelong process, not just starting at the age of 60.”

Genesee County Office For the Aging Director Diana Fox and staff are working toward that end. The county Legislature just approved Fox’s request this past week to renew two grants with Caring Environments J&H, Inc. to assist older folks wanting to remain at home. The grant money helps seniors with expenses related to stair and vertical lifts, wheelchairs and bathroom modifications, such as revamping a bathtub into a shower. In fact, the last grant assisted six people this past year with that type of bathroom modification, she said.

A current contract with Caring Environments will extend the company's services as an installer at a cost of $140 per hour through March 11, 2024.

Your 'Future Self'
With the convergence of the largest age group to hit retirement age by 2030, issues of aging are right around the corner. And it’s about more than merely where to live, Fox said.

“It’s never too late to have those conversations, but what do you want it to look like as you age? To be able to think about where are you currently living? Where are you now to meet the needs of your future self?” she said. “How big are your doorways and hallways, can you get in and out? What is the lighting like, how do you get around, what will you need to get around? Talk to family members. Are there things you can plan for ahead of time?”

Other potential issues are maintaining the home and yard — will you need a landscaping service or at least someone to mow the lawn? Is your place too big; perhaps you need to downsize, she said. Are you near cultural, social and recreational sites to interact with the community? And last, but most importantly — are you taking care of yourself by making doctor visits, being socially connected, keeping active, eating well, and retaining healthy physical and mental well-being?

“We have staff available to have those conversations,” Fox said. “You want to have those conversations and be thinking about those things, ideally, before you hit a crisis.”

One such crisis could be the realization that those stairs are more a hindrance than a help. The grant money can go toward the related costs of a stair lift, or for a wheelchair, ramp, and bathroom modifications to, for example, install a shower when a bathtub is too difficult to use.

The Costs of Aging
The state’s masterplan needs to address the impacts of prevention, education, and accessibility,” Preve said.

“It also needs to ensure that all state government organizations are not working within silos to ensure we're an age-friendly state. As you are aware there's a rapidly growing aging population and, in conjunction with a significant rise in inflation, impacted older residents and increased demand for aging services by over 70 percent,” Preve said. “We continue to see significant waiting lists. For services, we're dealing with huge increases in the cost of raw materials, significant workforce shortages and increased customers.”

Those issues are also prevalent here, Fox said, with the home healthcare workforce being heavily dependent on a soft skill: they typically love what they do. Otherwise, the job usually requires anything from shopping and food prep to hands-on skills of dressing, toileting, eating, and such tasks to take care of one’s personal needs; strength to assist someone out of a chair or bed and when in the shower or bathroom; certification; and an acceptance of low pay in this field.

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“I think you have to have a passion for the people,” Fox said. “I think our society doesn’t really value this; it is hard work you’re doing.”

And the Office For the Aging — which uses three different agencies for home health aides — can attest to the ongoing shortage of help, she said. Either there aren’t enough workers to begin with, or they are shuffled to fill in for another staffer who is sick or takes days off. Complaints about being unable to find someone has become constant murmurs in the community.

“They have trouble with being able to fulfill the requests. I hear that people are looking for someone,” she said. “Part of it is the pay; it has been historically low, and it has been something that there has been a lot of advocacy on to increase.

“We might authorize someone to have a personal aide come in for six hours a week. We might authorize it, but then there’s not someone to provide the care; they say all of their staff is full.”

Aging in Place
That’s why the “unmet needs” grants are so crucial, she said.

Genesee County is ripe with older, two-story homes that wreak havoc with inflamed knees and stability concerns. So the question is how are people going to live out those much-touted golden years? Can you renovate the home to accommodate physical needs, search for a one-story home or apartment, be able to hire a home health care aide, or purchase some equipment to make for easier access, such as stair lifts and wheelchairs?

“It really makes a difference for people to be able to stay in their homes,” she said. “To serve this aging population in order to serve the needs of people; it’s much cheaper to keep people in their homes. I feel like it’s something we in our country don’t particularly value.”

Preve also emphasized that point. Society looks at prevention measures within alcohol and substance abuse, but not so much when it comes to one’s long-term future and services such as Medicaid.

“We don't talk enough about preventing having people spend down to Medicaid or institutional care, and that's really what we want the master plan to focus on. Aging is a lifelong process. How can we make sure that we're targeting people in their 30s with high blood pressure because we know that that's going to impact Alzheimer's disease when they're in their later years?” Preve said. “So it really needs to be a cohesive thought process to ensure that we allow individuals to age in place and that we keep them off Medicaid because we know Medicaid is not sustainable at the current level.”

Mastering the Aging Process
To assist with aging in place, the OFA’s services include retirement planning seminars, tax help, and a Handyman Program, plus an Aging Mastery program twice a year — with the next one scheduled for February.

This program focuses on how to plan for getting older and living comfortably in one’s post-retirement years, Fox said.

“We spend a lot of time in our older years,” she said.

To learn more, sign up for the OFA’s newsletter by going HERE or calling 585-343-1611.

Top Photo of Rebecca (Becky) Preve, executive director of the Association on Aging in New York, from an online post; and File Photo of Diana Fox, director of Genesee County Office for the Aging, during a county meeting, by Joanne Beck.

Families, community treated to holiday cheer this weekend in Batavia

By Joanne Beck

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Despite some typical wintry weather Saturday, participants, including Patricia Hurd, above, bedecked their vehicles and took a drive through Batavia in memory of Bob Zeagler, who was the epitome of holiday spirit with his highly decorated vehicles and even himself.

After the small car parade, many families gathered inside of Batavia's First Presbyterian Church to enjoy some refreshments, a visit with Santa Claus and a special treat of a toy.

Founded by Jenn Noon and Cortney Dawson, the event organizers thanked the community, which included the church, organizations, emergency responders, Boy Scouts and various donors, including The Little Free Pantry and several local businesses, for making the event possible.

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Top Photo by Howard Owens. Above from the Little Free Pantry's online post about the event.

Photos: Arc GLOW's annual Chili and Chowder Fest

By Howard B. Owens

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There was more than Arc's famous chili and chowder being served up Saturday and Sunday at Arc GLOW's Woodrow Road campus. There was also grilled cheese.

And baked treats.

And basket raffles.

The event is one of Arc's more significant fundraisers in Genesee County.

Photos by Howard Owens

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Coach who rebuilt winning tradition for Batavia football steps down after 11 seasons

By Howard B. Owens

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Six sectional titles and two state semifinals isn't a bad legacy for most coaches who have been leading varsity football squads for a lot longer than Brennan Briggs coached in Batavia.

Briggs accomplished that feat -- along with a career record of 88-25 -- over 11 seasons. 

In reality, Briggs won six sectional titles over nine seasons because the football program he inherited in 2012 was in shambles.  After years of posting losing records, the Blue Devils needed a coach who could restore player development, discipline, vision, and a relentless drive to win.  It took a couple of seasons for Briggs to fully instill a new system and new attitude in Batavia.  Once he did, the Blue Devils were consistently formidable opponents year after year, game after game.

In 2014, the Blue Devils won the school's first football sectional title since 1991.

"As a fellow BHS grad like Brennan, I know the pride that existed in Blue Devil football when I was a BHS student, and over his successful coaching tenure, Brennan re-instilled that great pride and tradition for all of us Batavians," Superintendent Jason Smith said.

But the effort it takes to consistently win in varsity-level football takes its toll. The coaching doesn't just happen between the lines on Friday nights or during afternoon workouts. There are scouting trips, hours of film review, team meetings, meetings with coaches, meetings with players and parents, and nights just thinking about the next game. Planning and preparation are hard work.  And it is year-round work.

"Brennan is the kind of coach who would never be out-coached," Athletic Director Mike Bromley said. "But that kind of work wears you down."

That's why Briggs is stepping down as head coach of the Batavia football team, and it's what Briggs said in his resignation letter:

It has been an unbelievable journey, but It's time for me to focus on the things I lost sight of over the years, and that's being a good husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend. I've been caught up in the ‘process’ for so long, and it is affecting the people who I love the most. In this position, if you’re doing it right, the hours are endless, late nights are a regular, and stress is the norm. Everyone talks about balance. Balance has never been a strength of mine. I’m all in or I’m out. Balance is great, but when you want to be on top, there’s no such thing as balance, and that’s part of why I need to step down. My family needs me to be all in with them, for the long haul. Unfortunately, with my family health history, I believe if I continue down this path, I won’t be around for the ones who need me the most when they need me the most.

It's that all-in character about Briggs that both Smith and Bromley mentioned in discussing the coach's decision to step away from football.

"I have known Brennan and his family over the course of my life through a family friendship, and actually taught Brennan swimming in the Red Cross backyard swimming program in the 80s and early 90s," Smith said. "He is a class act all around -- a humble and confident leader, and I congratulate him personally and professionally on his success.  His wife Justine and children are certainly more than deserving of having their husband and father around more in their lives, and I wish them great happiness."

Bromley said he and Briggs have been discussing the coach's eventual resignation for a couple of years and what a hard decision it was to make, but, in the end, Briggs put his health and his family first.

"He is doing the right thing," Bromley said.

Briggs -- who had himself been a football and hockey star for Batavia --  joined Batavia's football program right out of college, first as a modified coach, then he spent two seasons as JV coach (going undefeated his second year).  He will continue on as a hockey coach, Bromley said. He also remains in his teaching position at Batavia Middle School.

Briggs will continue to have a positive impact on academics and athletics in the Batavia City School District, Bromley said.

"Anything Brennan wants to do, he’s going to be successful at because of his high energy, his work ethic, his character, and people feed off of those things," Bromley said.

Because Briggs built such a robust program, Bromley isn't worried about maintaining the high standards Briggs set.  All of the coaches at all levels of the program are invested in the system and understand it, so whoever steps into the head coach role next, while he might have his own ideas to impart, will find the scaffolding already in place that can build championship teams, he said.

In the near term, the JV team has had three consecutive undefeated seasons, and the modified team lost only one game this past season.

"Brennan has put a program in place that can be sustainable," Bromley said.

Van Detta has been regularly filled to capacity on Friday nights for the past couple of seasons. Bromley doesn't expect that community spirit to fade now that Batavia has a winning program in place.

Bromley hopes to have the new coach hired by the end of January.

Smith said Briggs represented Batavia well as head football coach, and he and the Board of Education are grateful for the positive impact he had on the community as head football coach.

"His program, coaching staff, and student-athletes under his leadership took great pride in representing all of us at BCSD," Smith said. "All the wins and titles weren't too bad either!  On and off the field, Brennan demonstrated commitment, a second-to-none work ethic, and a passion for all that is Batavia."

Photo: Previously unpublished file photo of Brennan Briggs during football practice in 2013. Photo by Howard Owens.

Batavia beats Eastridge in OT, 52-49

By Howard B. Owens

Six makes in six tries from the free-throw line by Cam McClinic in overtime, along with two field goals by Aiden Bellavia, helped lift the Blue Devils over Eastridge on Friday to give Batavia its second win of the season in Boys Basketball.

In all, McClinic was 12-12 on free throws in the game.  He scored 16 points.

Bellavia scored 11, and Ja'Vin McFollins scored 10. He hit two three-point goals and Sawyer Siverling also hit a pair.

Batavia won 52-49.

Cordell Young scored 33 points for Eastridge.

Raw, personal and poetic: GO ART! staffers put themselves into exhibits

By Joanne Beck

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Gregory Hallock hid his personal life for “a very long time,” before realizing that he needed to be a better role model for his children.

The GO ART! executive director and father of two stepped out from the shadows to display that it’s ok to be who you are.

“Coming out was hard for me. I prayed to God every day to make me not gay,” Hallock said of his life up to his mid-20s. “My then-husband and I decided that we have to be proud of who we are. And we want our children to be proud of who they are.”

That love and respect he has for himself, his family and his children — Augustus, 7, and 10-year-old Cattaleya — has been folded into a 15-piece exhibit of various artworks that tell “My Journey” at the Genesee Orleans Regional Arts Council, 201 East Main St., Batavia.

It was a colleague, Mary Jo Whitman, working as art coordinator for Genesee Community College, who prompted Hallock to submit his first piece in 2016.

“I was doing a piece for a charity auction. And I was selling that piece. And they were auctioning it off, and I bought it back because it didn’t go for what I thought it was worth. And Mary Jo … they were doing an alumni show, and she asked me to apply for the show. So I applied, thinking that I would be putting in that one piece. Only six artists got selected. And she's like, 'you got selected, now I need the rest of your collection,'” he said. “So I added to the collection, and I decided the initial piece was about love. I had taken two chairs that were exactly the same, I cut out half of the seats on both of them … and I combined them to make a bench. For us, we were two separate people that weren't allowed to be together because of being homosexual. And then we were allowed. So that was our love coming together. So from there, I decided to create a collection based on my journey through life.”

Now 42, Hallock has embraced his persona, which has been steeped in the performing arts, having gone to school for theater, acting and dancing. He was not one to give up easily, and in fact, is “very competitive,” even to the point of making sure to win every coloring contest as a kid.

"My first piece, “(I’m) Coming Out” is a collection of stories from all different people about moments in their life, that, upon looking back on, they realized they were literally 'born this way,'" he said. "I have attached them to a closet door in representation of my childhood and the moment I came out at age 24."  

His pieces use materials, such as the wooden chairs, that have been created from two separate pieces to meld into one unified bench. Even his children’s school work has been incorporated into his imagination through decoupage. The collection has been a gradual accumulation of work, much of which was found when a staffer was cleaning out his office. Much of the pieces are from objects found — literally in the street, he said — and fashioned into something meaningful, often weaving family into them.

“I love the arts, fine art is something I have not pursued, he said. “I did that collection to make people smile. In general, it just makes me smile. This is my now. There’s a meaning behind every piece. For photographs, I would make my whole family do a photo shoot with costumes.”

During his first adoption process, it went much quicker than expected, and before he knew it, Hallock and his former husband welcomed Augustus as part of the family. Then Jezebel the dog, a wheaten terrier, got pregnant and had seven puppies. His life had become wrapped up in pregnancies, and he loved every moment of it, he said.

Hallock then had the privilege of cutting Cattaleya’s umbilical cord during his second adoption, and it further strengthened his fatherhood — and personhood — experience, he said.

“And then came the biggest day of our lives: “Our Little Princess” (also one of his pieces) was born.  I remember swearing that I would never buy Disney clothes or in general be that Disney person,” he says in the exhibit statement. “Well, I failed. I am 100 percent that Disney person, but when you have a daughter how can you avoid it (excuse, lol).”

Fast forward six years, and his “now” has changed, he said, to having a 10-year-old daughter, seven-year-old son who was adopted at age four, plus five chickens, two dogs, two gerbils, one cat, one hedgehog, and one fish. He is "flying high" despite having encountered some bumps along the way.

"I have been working my dream job for nearly seven years, I have gone through a bout of cancer, a separation bought a house and am living life to its fullest," he said.

He credits his family for supporting everything in and about his life -- including dressing up in costumes for photos --- and his mom's handiwork of crocheted ornaments and stockings is included in the exhibit as well.

He has a tattoo that simply states where he’s at these days: “love for all, hate for none.”

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Mary Jo Whitman always had an interest in art, she said, and pursued that by obtaining an associates, bachelor and master degree in fine and studio arts, sculpture, and finally, critical museum studies. Her goal was to become a professor, which she accomplished as an adjunct at GCC.

Whitman also wanted to get involved in an art gallery or museum, she said, and was art coordinator at GCC. She is currently at GO ART! as an educational statewide community regrant program director. Long titles aside, Whitman’s craft is short on boring — bringing multiple facets of images together as a completed visual.

“I’m very interested in human behavior and how we come to identify ourselves. So I believe that our identities are socially and culturally constructed. Meaning that every single aspect of your personality, your beliefs, everything that makes you a person has been influenced by someone or something else that you've come in contact with through your life,” Whitman said. “And taking that on the next level, as adults to really be successful in life, you really have to be able to assimilate to whatever situation you're presented with. I really got into what is the psychological impact … who are you at the very root of it.”

Although she answered that for herself through these pieces — there’s an image of Whitman in every photo — she’s reluctant to share that with the world. Considered “very personal,” she wants instead for viewers to interpret for themselves what each piece means, and how they feel when they see it.

Her 18 pieces, “Deconstructed and Raw,” include sculptures and digital photos culled over the last decade, with the last two years being devoted more to the digital realm.

“I’ve always had an interest in art, pretty much my entire life. I went to school for art. And I've always, within doing my art, I'm always experimenting with different mediums, trying different things. I decided, after taking some courses in digital art, I really enjoyed being able to manipulate images in Photoshop,” Whitman said. “I like the kind of freedom it gave you. Because you can't really make mistakes. You know, when you're doing a painting or something, if you make a mistake, it's hard to kind of rectify it where and when you're working in a digital capacity, it's easy; I could just undo whatever I just did.

“I dissect myself into different identities, and break them down,” she said of her “The Disillusioned” piece. “Once the work is shown publicly, it’s the audience’s responsibility to interpret.”

Whitman was doing her grad school research, being drawn heavily into the idea of identity construction, she said.

“And so, in looking at this, I really got interested in what is the psychological impact of knowing that your identity is constructed: who would you be if you had not been influenced by this specific thing, or that specific thing?” she said.

Backdrops are taken from obscure places, such as her gutted basement with pieces of dropped ceiling torn down. That construction material is shot in wide angle with other images positioned on top and merged.

"And when it was on the floor, I was just kind of, you know, enamored with this, these materials, it was all broken up and dusty. So I started taking photographs, I took these very low wide angle photos of it. And usually, when I'm doing one of these digital images, that's my first thing I go to, as I find the central background image of it, and it's usually something wide angle, you know, from an unusual perspective, so that was kind of fitting into it," she said. "And, you know, it was kind of telling through some things that I had going on, ... and I scanned in these incomplete drawings and manipulated them so tha they're overlaid of this image, and then there' an image of me ... And then just kind of put this like introspective silhouette kind of image of myself, it's like sitting amongst this rubble."

Whitman plans to have other exhibits in the next year, she said, depicting “that mode of anxiety of who am I right now? I enjoy the human behavior.”

"I attribute much of the success in my life to my ability to assume whatever identity is necessary to function within any social situation with which I am presented. My appearance, my clothing, my mannerisms, my vocabulary, and even the tone of my voice differ from situation to situation. I am the crazy hippie, dancing barefoot at a festival as my flowing skirt chases me. I am the curator, entertaining pretentious conversation in stilettos," Whitman said. "I am the smart-ass bartender, donning pigtails and a bowtie with a mischievous grin. I am the country girl in mud-covered, ripped-up jeans, destroying targets with a shotgun and riding four-wheelers. I am an artist, conceptualizing all my observations in an array of mediums, often in wax and plaster-covered clothing. I am a sister. I am a daughter. I am an aunt. I am a mom. The sheer size of my closet can attest to how many different people I can be and who I may need to be at any given moment.

"So, who am I beneath the fractured and fluid identity which has been constructed in accordance with societal expectations? The truth is, I am all of these identities… and none of them at the same time," she said in her artist statement.

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How does Program Coordinator Jodi Fisher feel about her first exhibit, “Pictures and Prose?”

“It’s nerve-wracking,” she said.

Her 22 photographs of mostly color scenes focus on the outdoors, nature, and, really, “anything that’s interesting or out of the ordinary,” she said.

One muse she’s drawn to is the sky — she loves”I love taking pictures of the clouds and the infinite blues” — and gaze into Centennial Park.

“I’ve always been into art, and have never been able to draw,” she said. “I’ve always been into poems and poetry — m mom used to read poems to me every night.”

Now that she’s discovered a special lens for the iPhone — noted for capturing “amazing” photos by users these days — Fisher plans to home in on the fine details of close-ups, called “extreme detail photography.”

“I just see something beautiful,” she said. “I don’t necessarily see it as art, it speaks to me in some way or another. It sometimes tells a story about something, like an abandoned building.”

Her poem “Autumn” aptly describes a photo of those leafy trees:

Autumn

The sun peaking through 

The leftover autumn leaves

Casting shadows on the ground

Blue skies above the canopy

The sweet fragrance wafting up

From the forest floor

The sharp crunch with each step

As you trek across the uneven soil

You are transported back

To a time before the lands were spoiled

Before the trees were stripped 

And if only for a moment you are one with everything around you

You are Autumn

 

She began writing poetry, and “wanted to incorporate that with photos,” she said. “Poems and songs have always intrigued me. Those were my nighttime stories.”

The exhibits of Whitman and Fisher will be through Feb. 18.

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Photos of GO ART! staff artists Gregory Hallock, top, Mary Jo Whitman and Jodi Fisher are featured in an exhibit at the facility at 201 East Main St., Batavia; various works on display; and Angie Dickson, above, who contributed some artwork to the exhibit. Photos by Howard Owens.

Sponsored post: New listing from Reliant Real Estate; 5399 Horseshoe Lake Road, Batavia

By Lisa Ace


Just listed - 5399 Horseshoe Lake Road, Batavia. This solid and lovingly maintained ranch home checks all the boxes! This home's hillside location has scenic views from all windows! Set back from the road you can look out front across the road to see Horseshoe Lake and out the back to a gorgeous wooded backdrop-best of all worlds! The home features 3 large bedrooms -master bedroom with full bath-as well as a second full bath and roomy guest bedrooms. Large living room and unique split kitchen/dining room or cozy secondary family gathering spot with wood stove - looking out sliding glass door to back yard! Truly the gathering spot of this home, it makes you want to stay and watch the seasons change! There is large pantry style closet for all your kitchen supplies as well as a great utility/laundry room for all the other necessities! This home also has direct access to covered carport for easy in and out for unloading the cars! Also there is enclosed front entryway, extra large foyer, and an extra wide hallway. This home packs a lot in! This owner did all the right things through out the years maintenance wise, all that is needed is for the next person to make it their own! Delayed negotiations till Monday Dec 19th at 12:00. Call Lynn Bezon at Relaint Real Estate today - call 585-344-HOME (4663).

JOANN Fabrics closing its Batavia store

By Howard B. Owens

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The national chain JOANN Fabrics and Crafts is closing its Batavia store next month, according to a company representative.

It's part of a strategic move, said Shauntina Lilly, JOANN Manager of Public Relations.

"In alignment with standard brick and mortar business processes, JOANN closes stores occasionally while simultaneously investing in, and opening brand new stores to best meet the needs of our customers," she said.

The store is located in Valu Plaza, which lost its anchor tenant, Valu Home Store, in a similar cost-cutting move earlier this year.

The final day of business for JOANN is scheduled Jan. 15.

Photos by Howard Owens.

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St. Paul Lutheran School hosting Christmas show tonight

By Howard B. Owens

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St. Paul Lutheran School on Washington Avenue in Batavia will be hostsing a Christmas show at 6:30 p.m. Friday titled "Christmas Hang-Ups," and featuring the school's students.

 The program is directed by Jennifer Dunn, and lead roles will be played by the 5th and 6th-grade class, with other classes, Pre-K through 4th-grade, playing supporting roles.

Following the program, there will be a bake sale put on by FOLKS (Friends of Lutheran Kids) full of homemade donations to support the school.

Submitted information and photos.

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Photos: Christmas concert at City Church

By Howard B. Owens

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City Church hosted its annual Christmas Concert on Thursday night, featuring Carlton Wilcox, Rufus McGee Jr., and Pastor Trellis Pore.

Singer Kimera Lattimore, originally scheduled for the bill, was unable to perform due to illness.

Top photo: Carlton Wilcox. Photos by Howard Owens.

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Patti and Marty Macdonald, who are about to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

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Rufus McGee Jr.

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Ace on the river ends World Poker Champion run for Batavia native

By Howard B. Owens

Ron "Tigar" Penepent has been to Las Vegas a few times. But on this trip, he had the time of his life even if he didn't win a portion of the more than $15 million pot up for grabs in the 2022 World Poker Tour World Championship.

The Batavia native won his $10,400 buy-in to the tournament and was hoping to make a deep run, but on the third day of play, he got beat by an ace on the river.  Worse, he was the one holding a pair of aces.

"This has been an unbelievable experience," Penepent said. "It was a bucket list item of mine to play in a big-stakes tournament."

A love of poker runs in the Penepent family.  His father used to host regular games after hours at Ron's Shell at Main and Oak in Batavia.

"It was my father, my uncles, a bunch of good friends," Penepent said.

Penepent joined the World Poker Tour site 20 years ago, and he told his father that he would play in a big tournament one day.

Unfortunately, the elder Penepent passed away a couple of years ago so he didn't get to see "Tigar" (his nickname since he was a child) sit down at a WPT hold-em table.

About a dozen family members did travel to Vegas to support Penepent during the tournament.  They've all been having a good time, he said, and now he's out of the tournament, he and his wife Patty are going to have some fun, too.

They think they will go to the shop where the TV series "Counting Cars" is filmed, as well as the bar, Vamp'd, owned by the show's star, as well as the Pawn Stars pawn shop.

As for that final hand, Penepent, who now lives just outside of Chattanooga, Tenn., isn't calling it a bad beat or even a misplayed hand.

He was on the button (the last position to bet on hand) with blinds of $1,500/$3,000.  His stack was $175,000 to $200,000, about midsize at his table.  To his left is an aggressive player who is by far the chip leader at Penepent's table.  

When the bet gets to him, and there's been no raises, Penepent looks down at pocket aces and decides to double the blind, making the bet $6,000.  

The chip leader calls and a guy on Penepent's right calls.

The flop comes jack, 10, seven.  

Player to the right checks, hero checks, chip leader bets $12,000.  

The guy on the right calls. The hero goes all-in.

Chip leader calls.  The guy on the right calls.

Cards up.  Chip leader hit two pair, jack and 10s.  The guy on the right has an open-ended straight draw with a suited king and a queen (meaning either an ace or a nine gives him a straight).

If a jack or a 10 comes on the turn, or the river, the chip leader has a full house.  The only card that can help the straight draw in an ace.

The turn is a deuce.  Our hero's outs are now one of the three remaining deuces or one of the three remaining sevens. Otherwise, he loses and is out of the tournament.

Mr. straight draw spikes the ace on the river and rakes in a pot of some $500,000 to $600,000, and our hero is headed to the Strip to join the Vegas fun with his family.

"I played the hand the only way I could have played it," Penepent said. "If I go all in from the start, the chip leader is going to call."

He also figures he would have gotten a call from both players if he hadn't check-raised and just gone all-in when it was his turn to bet after the flop.

"I decided to slow play the aces from the start, and I still think that was the best play," Penepent said.

(The risk of playing pocket aces too aggressively is marginal hands fold, and you miss the opportunity to maximize the value of a strong starting hand. In this case, the marginal hands called -- which is what you want -- but those players were lucky enough to improve their hands with the community cards.)

Penepent does expect to be on TV when the championship is aired in five or six months.  He said he was interviewed.

He had a chance to meet one of the show's stars, Vince Van Patten. 

"I talked with Vince Van Patten (about the hand), and he said if he were sitting in the same seat playing the same hand, he would have played it the same way, except maybe he would have made it $9,000 (before the flop)."

Even with the fairly early tournament bust, Penepent said he wants another crack at it. He plans to play in the same satellite tournament that won him this year's seat again next year.

"I really enjoyed the experience," Penepent said. "I don't know if I'm going to get to enjoy it again, but I'm going to try."

Elmore misses another court appearance while Oddey remains at shelter

By Howard B. Owens
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Cassandra Elmore

The Batavia woman whose dog reportedly ingested narcotics, leading to her arrest and to the dog being confined to the Genesee County Animal Shelter, once again failed to appear in Batavia City Court as directed.

A motion hearing was scheduled for Thursday afternoon and Cassandra Elmore didn't make it.

Elmore's attorney, Jamie B. Welch, assistant public defender, told Judge Thomas Burns that he hasn't heard from nor been able to contact his client for weeks and did not know why she wasn't in court for the hearing.

Burns issued a warrant for her arrest but stayed it for 48 hours, giving Welch a little more time to try and track her down.

Elmore hasn't consistently missed her court appearances, but she did skip an appearance in September and was subsequently arrested.

The 30-year-old Elmore has promised that once the case is cleared, we will get "the real case."

Welch was prepared to file motions on her behalf on Thursday but told Burns he would rather hold those motions until Elmore can be present in court. Burns said he also thought that is the best way to proceed.

Elmore was first arrested in July after she had taken her French Bulldog, Oddey, to veterinarians for emergency treatment. In each case, the veterinarians determined Oddey had overdosed on narcotics. Twice the veterinarians said they suspected Oddey had ingested cocaine.  On one occasion, Elmore reportedly said Oddey had found white powder on the kitchen floor of her residence, then on River Street.

Since that arrest, Elmore has also been charged with criminal possession of a weapon, obstruction of governmental administration, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. 

Two members of Volunteers for Animals waited for nearly two hours Thursday to see if Elmore appeared.  After court, they said Oddey is doing well at the shelter.  Oddey, however, can't find a new forever home so long as Elmore retains ownership of the dog.

At her last court appearance, on Oct. 20, Elmore said she was willing to negotiate Oddey's future.  The volunteers said there have been negotiations but no resolution was reached.

Previously:

Sponsored Post: Just Listed; 14 Morton Avenue, Batavia

By Lisa Ace


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Concert at City Church tonight a celebration of Christmas and community

By Howard B. Owens

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The set list for tonight's (Dec. 15) Christmas Concert at City Church promises to be as diverse as it is joyful, with more than just gospel and hymns but also hip-hop, R&B, and smooth jazz celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Ryan Macdonald also promises concertgoers will enjoy engaging and energetic performers and great musicians.

"We've done (the Christmas Concert) every year now, with the exception of COVID, for about five years," Macdonald said. "It's really been a wonderful night of really coming together and celebrating."

The artists, Macdonald said, are also personal friends.

"They are not just great artists but great people," Macdonald said.

Carlton Wilcox, Rufus McGee Jr, and Trellis Pore have all performed at previous Christmas concerts.  This is the Batavia debut for Kimera Lattimore (top photo).

Macdonald said he's tried to get her on the bill for years, but there was always a scheduling conflict.  He said he met her in Buffalo years ago, where she is the music director and worship leader of Renovation Church.  She is a national recording artist, singer, songwriter, musician, poet, rapper, vocal teacher, theologian and Elder of the gospel."

"She is really a great spirit, a great believer," Macdonald said. "She believes people matter. She believes humanity matters."

Her bio states that she believes, "We were all created, by the creator, to create."

The concert, Macdonald said, is intended to uplift the whole community, and all are invited.

"Our goal the whole Christmas season is the celebration of the birth of Christ, but beyond that, we're celebrating each other," Macdonald said. "The term that has really stuck with me is that we're not independent; we're interdependent. We need each other.  We don't only need each other as believers, but we need the whole community." 

The concert begins at 7 p.m. at City Church, 210 East Main St., Batavia. The concert is also live-streamed.

Submitted photos.

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Submitted information:

Pastor Trellis Pore, multi-instrumentalist and Vocalist. A Western NY native. He started singing and playing instruments at the age of 5 with his family gospel group, The Cooper family Gospel singers. Singing traditional quartet Gospel music. Also was apart of the band Perifial Vision,  and The Glorious Sons of Rochester.  Currently, he leads The Trellis Cooper Band. Singing gospel music with a twist. Trellis has his own Signature series guitar with the company Mucho Guitars of Rockwall, Texas. Trellis is currently the Pastor of Shiloh Church Albion. 

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Submitted information:

Rufus McGee Jr., son of Bishop & Lady Rufus and Linda McGee is Rochester’s best-kept secret, however, now the secret is out! His parents began molding him at age 2 years old to become a musician. Although he began as the church drummer at 6 years old, at 11, he progressed to becoming one of the most extraordinary organists/keyboardists that anyone has ever heard.

His ability is God-given, but can also be attributed to years of absorbing gospel music passed down through the classic COGIC style of music, and the music of the church that he attended growing up in his hometown, Rochester, New York. His drive and confidence developed from the challenge to rise above mediocrity. 

He is an exemplary musician, producer and the founder of RMJ Productions. He enjoys listening to George Duke, Chick Corea, Kevin Bond, Jason White, Mike Bereal and Eddie Brown. 

He has recorded with: Aaron Lindsey, Kathy Bowman, Ricky Dillard, Jason Wright, Serena Young, Shirley Murdock, Eddie Balltrip, Danell Daymon and Royalty, Malcolm Williams, Amar’rae Hill True Foundation and Jerome Francis and Divine Nature.

Rufus gives every ounce of his being to excelling and finishing well! Rufus has a great passion and love for gospel music and enjoys devoting his life to giving God his all. His greatest inspiration is God. He often says, “Without God, I would be nothing.”

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Submitted information:

Carlton Wilcox has been creating a standard of excellence in music that embodies, style, quality, and substance. This singer, songwriter, and accomplished bassist has been entertaining Western NY for over two decades. Resounding melodies accompanied by rich voice make this crooner one of our area’s sought talents. With gospel, smooth jazz and R&B roots, Carlton wants to spread the message of hope through music. Carlton Wilcox is also a Monroe County Deputy Sheriff, event promoter and music instructor for the City of Rochester’s ROC Music Program. Carlton Wilcox wants to make a difference in the world, one day at a time, by giving back the love and support that he has been given.

United bounces back from two goal deficit to win 6-3 over Greece Storm

By Steve Ognibene

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Story based on submission by BND  

BND started slow, but gained stream as the game went on exploding for six goals in 30 minutes to completely erase a 2–0 deficit after the first period.

"This was the first time all season we were trailing at the end of the first period, and we were down by two," said Head Coach Marc Staley. "But the kids did a really nice job gathering themselves and starting fresh in the second period.”

United scored four goals in the first eight minutes of the second period to go from down by two, two up by two.

“Executing on the power play like we did there in a second period gave us a huge boost," Staley said. "We are going to be a difficult team to beat if teams are going to take penalties against us.”

The Storm were called for three penalties in the early portion of the 2nd period, and BND capitalized on all three.  

Senior Cooper Hamilton scored on the power play only 29 seconds into the period, followed by another power-play goal from sophomore Brady Johnson.  A mere five minutes later, Junior forward Joe DiRisio buried a rebound and made it three power-play goals on three chances.

“Specialty teams are huge in hockey nowadays," Staley said. "We converted three of our four chances on the power play, and we killed off all five of the penalties called against us. I thought the kids did a great job executing in the big moments.”

Junior goaltender Frankie Falleti made 21 stops on 24 shots against. Also scoring for BND was sophomore Ivan Milovidov, sophomore Jameson Motyka, and sophomore Brady Carney, who registered his first ever Varsity goal. 

Senior, Ronin Hofmaster linished with three assists on the evening.

Junior, Defensman, O’Rian Lama chipped in two assists as well.

United out shot the Storm during the game 37 to 25.

“Greece has an excellent program and they are a huge school district," Staley said.  "All four of their high schools combine to create one varsity team. I’m really proud of our kids for going into their home barn and coming away with a victory. This is the bounce back we needed after the loss to McQuaid, and hopefully this gives us some nice momentum heading into “The McCarthy” this weekend”

BND United will be hosting the annual David McCarthy Christmas Tournament on Friday and Saturday.  Iroquois/Alden (4-1) will face off against Niagara/Wheatfield (5-0) at 6 p.m. on Friday evening. Following this game BND (4-1) will take on WFL Geneva (0-3) at 8 p.m.  The consolation game will take place at noon on Saturday, with the championship game scheduled to face off at 3 p.m.

United won the Tournament last year fending off a tough Webster Schroeder squad 5-4.  

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

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Harvester Center businessman 'pleased' with informative response from police chief, more discussion to follow

By Joanne Beck

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Even though all of business owner Rob Credi’s scrutinies have not been quelled, he feels that portions of city management have given him what he wanted: informative communication.

After sending emails to city leaders and talking publicly at this week’s City Council meeting, Credi has gotten answers and a prospective meeting to further discuss his issues.

He has served as a representative of his Pub Coffee Hub and for other entrepreneurs in Harvester Center, which houses 75 businesses.

During Monday’s council meeting, Credi wanted to express his frustration and know why “no parking” signs were re-installed on the east side of Harvester Avenue, where he operates his coffee shop.

City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch informed Credi Wednesday that the signs “were never intended to be removed” permanently, Credi said. They were taken down temporarily as part of the Harvester road construction project and were to be returned upon completion of work.

Credi said he wasn’t surprised that it took quite awhile to return the signs, or that there was “no communication with us whatsoever.” He was, however, disappointed to find out, after believing that his street was going to reap some extra parking spots for customers, that it was just a matter of delayed action to re-install the "no parking" signs.

He also learned that similar signs on the west side of Harvester do not fall within City Code and cannot, therefore, be enforced by city police. To clarify, approving the City Code falls within the authority of City Council and not the police department.

“(Heubusch) has no explanation as to when or how they got there,” Credi said. “We are working to schedule a meeting for mid-January to look into the best way to address parking on both sides.”

Credi said he is “very pleased with the communication” from the police chief. He has, though, tallied another tick mark in “the disappointment column from the construction debacle,” he said.

For prior coverage, go to: 

Harvester Avenue businessman presses city for answers

Harvester Avenue road construction a slow-moving hindrance

File Photo of Rob Credi when he opened Pub Coffee Hub in July 2020 at Harvester Center, Batavia, by Howard Owens.

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