Press release:

The Chamber’s Annual Awards Committee has announced the Annual Award Ceremony for 2017 honorees will be held on Saturday, March 3, at The Quality Inn & Suites, Park Road, Batavia (formerly The Clarion Hotel). This is the County’s premier event that honors businesses and individuals for their achievements in business, community service and volunteerism.     

Please note that a brief write-up will qualify your nominee for consideration. Nominations are now being accepted for Business of the Year, Entrepreneurial Business of the Year, Agricultural Business of the Year, Innovative Enterprise of the Year, Special Service Recognition & Geneseeans of the Year. 

Business Nominees must be a Chamber Member (If unsure of your nominee, call the Chamber to verify).   

Nomination forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 8276 Park Road, Batavia and can also be down loaded from the Chamber Website at www.geneseeny.com. 

Nominations MUST BE RECEIVED BY Dec. 29 to be eligible for consideration.

If you would like more information, feel free to call Kelly J. Bermingham, director of Member Relations & Special Events at the Chamber office, 343-7440, ext. 1026.

The larceny of a pumpkin was reported in the vicinity of East Main and Liberty streets in the City of Batavia. The complainant says there's a "known suspect" in the case and has contacted the dispatch center. A police officer will be following up on the lead.

Submitted photos and press release:

Eugene Jankowski Jr. finished First Place Senior, Overall at the 2017 Blue Ridge Mountain 3 Gun Championship, Sponsored by DoubleStar Corp, and held at RockCastle Shooting Center, Park City, Ky., Oct. 19-21. He is president of the Batavia City Council and a retired City of Batavia police lieutenant.

The Blue Ridge Mountain 3 Gun Championship is physical match designed to challenge the competitors shooting ability with handgun, rifle and shotgun while navigating man made obstacles nestled in the natural terrain of the Kentucky foothills.

More than 250 competitors from all over the United States attended this year's three-day event.

“Blue Ridge Mountain 2012 was my very first attempt in a 3 Gun match. Five years later, it’s great to come back and win a first-place trophy!” Jankowski said.

Jankowski is sponsored locally by Offhause Farms and Pheasants on The Flats shooting range in Batavia. Video of the match can be found at here.

Press release:

State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer today announced $25,000 in state funding to support domestic violence crisis and prevention services at the YWCA of Genesee County.

“Victims of domestic violence don’t have to live in fear. Support, counseling and other helpful resources are available at the YWCA of Genesee County, and I am proud to provide the financial support for these important services. Together, we are working to end domestic abuse,” Ranzenhofer said.

YWCA’s staff worked with more than 700 domestic violence victims last year and is on track to serve about the same number this year.

“These victims’ lives are often uprooted due to domestic abuse, and they need to abandon all that is familiar to them, including their home, neighborhood and job,” said Assistant Executive Director Joanne Beck.

“Thanks to this grant from Senator Ranzenhofer, we will be able to ramp up our efforts to meet and work with other service agencies to provide the most well-rounded care and minimize further trauma to these victims.”

YWCA’s Coordinated Community Response efforts include establishing strong working relationships with other providers, such as law enforcement, the court system, fire departments and urgent care, in order to respond quickly and appropriately in times of any domestic violence crisis.

Grant funds will also be used for YWCA’s Prevention Education curriculum, which is presented to every school district in Genesee County. The course focuses on healthy versus unhealthy relationships and involves the characteristics of each, related activities and an overview of the programs and services available at YWCA.

Prevention education materials are distributed to students to share YWCA’s Care+Crisis Helpline number, which can be accessed via phone and text at (585) 344-4400, Live Chat at www.ywcagenesee.org or call toll-free at (844) 345-4400.

About Domestic Violence Crisis & Prevention Services at YWCA of Genesee County YWCA of Genesee County is the sole provider of domestic violence services, including safe shelter, for victims in Genesee County. YWCA USA is the largest provider of these services across the country. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment at our main site, 301 North St., Batavia, or through a 24-hour domestic violence hotline at (585) 343-7513. Walk-ins are welcome during the above designated hours.

Services include:
• Assistance with getting orders of protection, going to court and filing custody and support petitions;
• One-on-one counseling about aspects of an unhealthy relationship and making a safety plan for leaving an unhealthy relationship;
• Information and referral for community services;
• Support and self-esteem groups; and
• Transitional support for those in need of safe housing.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider final applications for three projects at the agency’s board meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Innovation Zone board room at 99 Medtech Drive. All GCEDC Board meetings are open to the public.

The Board will consider final approval of incentives for a $450,000 capital investment by Manning Squires and Hennig in the Town of Batavia; a $4.5 million capital investment by Darien Lake Theme Park in the Town of Darien; and, a $4.3 million capital investment by O-AT-KA Milk Products in the City of Batavia.

Manning Squires and Henning is once again seeking to expand its footprint in the Town of Batavia. Earlier this year, the company invested $2.2 million for a 9,5000-square-foot expansion. The company is planning a Phase II component to expand to approximately 14,500 square feet, including a $450,000 investment for the purchase of construction related to equipment for which it is seeking approval of $36,000 is sales tax exemptions.

Darien Lake is seeking $360,000 in sales tax exemptions as part of a capital investment of $4.5 million for a new ride set to open in 2018. The tourism project will help retain 398 jobs at one of the Buffalo Niagara and Finger Lakes region’s most popular resorts.

The GCEDC board also will consider final approval of a 20,000-square-foot expansion project by O-AT-KA as part of a $4.3 million capital investment at the company’s plant on Ellicott Street. O-AT-KA is requesting approximately $370,000 for sales tax and property tax exemptions. The project, located in the City of Batavia, will help retain 308 jobs.

A teenager from Alexander is one of five national finalists in an invention contest with a top prize of $250,000.

Fourteen-year-old Andrew Young Jr. saw an announcement for the contest on TV and drew up his idea for a toaster that shoots out toast on a plate. The judges love the idea and selected it as one of the finalists. Now the people of America will be asked to vote and select their favorite invention.

The contest is sponsored by Frito-Lay.

Voting has not yet opened.

The Batavian will have a longer story about Andrew (son of County Legislator Andrew Young), his invention, and the contest later this afternoon.

A suspect in a home invasion burglary on Central Avenue who has been on the lam for a year will remain confined to jail without bail Judge Charles Zambito ruled this morning when Adante L. Davis was arraigned on felony counts of assault, 2nd, and burglary, 1st. 

Attorney Marty Anderson, appointed to represent Davis, argued that Davis, in previous criminal cases, has a record of making appearance and should, therefore, have bail set at a reasonable amount.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Zickl disagreed.

"He's been gone for a year," Zickl said. "He fled knowing he was wanted in connection with a serious home invasion burglary and is facing a Class B violent felony and his co-defendents received significant prison terms."

Zickl added that Davis three failures to appear on his record and a prior probation violation and prior parole violation.

He said he considered Davis a significant risk to flee if released.

Zambito agreed.

Three other men -- Daniel Gilbert, Marquis Saddler, and Oliver Thomas -- have all previously entered guilty pleas to charges stemming from the October 2016 incident and are currently serving state prison terms.

The next scheduled court appearance for Davis is 1:45 p.m., Dec. 21.

Statement from City Manager Jason Molino:

“The trial has been postponed today, awaiting results of the Mall Merchants vote tonight on the settlement agreement. Both parties are to report back to the court Tuesday morning with the results of the settlement vote to determine next steps with respect to the court cases.”

Adante L. Davis, 27, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with assault, 2nd, and burglary, 1st. Davis was arrested on a warrant for assault and robbery stemming from a home invasion at a location on Central Avenue on Oct. 28, 2016, in which he is a suspect. Davis was one of four suspects and has been at large since the incident. Three participants have pled guilty and been sentenced -- Daniel J. Gilbert, Marquis K. Saddler, and Oliver Thomas. Davis was ordered held without bail.

Darrell J. Holloway, 49, of Farnsworth AVenue, Oakfield, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Holloway was stopped for an alleged traffic infraction at 8:02 p.m. Thursday on Evans Street, Batavia.

Daniel Joseph Difrancesco, 36, of Edgewood Drive, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 3rd. Difrancesco was allegedly involved in a dispute at his residence. He was jailed without bail.

Alex Scott Dumbleton, 24, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with illegal disposal of items. Dumbleton allegedly threw a bag of garbage onto the property of another person without permission.

Michele L. DiFalco, 28, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. DeFalco allegedly stole property from an associate Sept. 25. He was jailed on bail.

Katty L. Jackson, 21, of Dewey Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Jackson allegedly struck another person in an incident reported at 6:29 p.m. Thursday at a location on Maple Street, Batavia.

A 17-year-old resident of Batavia is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, obstruction of governmental administration, failure to yield right of way to emergency vehicle, and no lights on a bicycle. Police attempted a traffic stop on the young bicyclist at 8:36 p.m. Thursday on Ellicott Street and the youth attempted to flee from police and led police on a chase. The youth was jailed following his arrest.

Casey Arthur Trommetter, 29, of Angling Road, Pembroke, is charged with DWI, moving from lane unsafely, and unregistered motor vehicle. Trommetter was arrested following an investigation by Deputy Ryan Young into a two-vehicle accident reported at 12:09 a.m. today on Genesee Street, Pembroke. When deputies arrived on scene they found an unoccupied vehicle in the westbound lane. Trommetter was in a second vehicle in a ditch off the side of the road. She was treated and released at the scene for minor injuries and charged with DWI. 

Michael Alan Shelter, 27, of Lewiston Road, Alabama, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Shelter was arrested following an investigation into a disturbance reported at 8:45 p.m. Friday on Lewiston Road, Alabama.

Anthony James Constable, 31, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, is charged with DWI. Constable was allegedly involved in a domestic incident at 11:08 p.m. Saturday in Elba. Following the incident, he allegedly drove to 7993 Call Parkway, Batavia, the location of Ashley Furniture, where he was located by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello and arrested for alleged DWI. Additional charges are pending.

Mark Harley Bennett, 31, of Chamberlain Street, Albion, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Bennett was arrested after deputies responded to a report at 8:57 p.m. Saturday of two men in a vehicle in a parking lot at 8363 Lewiston Road shooting up heroin. Upon investigation, Bennett was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance.

Adrienne F. Yocina, 36, of Alleghany Road, Pembroke, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Yocina was charged following a home probation check. She was allegedly in possession of high capacity ammunition magazines and a controlled substance.

Benjamin Jacob Skubis, 23, of Colby Road, Corfu, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Skubis was charged following an investigation by Deputy Mathew Clor into a motor-vehicle accident reported at 2:25 p.m. Saturday on Bloomington Road, Basom.

Nicolas James Scripp, 27, of Fullington Road, Attica, is charged with public lewdness. Scripp allegedly urinated near the entrance of a business on Park Road at 2:22 a.m. Saturday.

Pamela A. Battaglia, 59, of Limerick Road, Piffard, is charged with trespass. Battaglia is accused of refusing to leave a property on Junction Road, Pavilion, after being told to leave several times.

John Paul Henning Sr., 55, of Overlook Drive, Batavia, is charged with acting in a manner that could injure a child and assault, 3rd. Henning is accused of attempting to punish a child by striking him on the foot with a plastic object, which caused the child to bleed.

Trisha Rose Santora, 35, of Georgian Drive, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, controlled substance not in original container, aggravated unlicensed operation, license plate violation, and inadequate plate lamps. Santora was arrested on a warrant. She was jailed on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond.

Robert E. Magoffin, 45, of Darien Center, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Magoffin was arrested by State Police in connection with an alleged incident reported 5:52 p.m. Friday in Darien. No further details released.

Nichole M. Ambrosoli, 50, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Ambrosoli was stopped at 2:45 a.m. Saturday on R. Stephen Hawley Drive, Batavia, by State Police.

The lack of support groups in Genesee County for mothers, and teen mothers, inspired Maria Rowland to bring the program, YoungLives to the area. 

YoungLives is a support group for teen mothers to come together once a week. 

YoungLives is a branch of Young Life, an outreach program for high school and middle school kids, which has programs in surrounding counties.

“There is a huge gap in Genesee County for moms,” Rowland said. “This is a huge opportunity. We need it.”

The support group meets on Tuesdays from 6:30 until 8 p.m. at 350 Bank St., Batavia.

Anyone age 16 to 20 is welcome at each session, which includes dinner, activities and childcare. The program is free and with no membership required.

Each participant is set up with a mentor, that they can come together with twice a week for “club time.” Transportation can be provided if needed.

“We do a lot of contact work,” Rowland said. “[It is] a time for us to get together and build relationships with them.”

During the summer, participants can also experience a weeklong camp. Babysitting is provided, while the participants experience camp life.

“It’s just a time for these girls to get together to support them and to love them where they’re at,” Rowland said.

The program is a collaboration with Teen MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers. The first and third Tuesday of each month is for YoungLives meetings, while the second and fourth Tuesday is for Teen MOPS.

“Every Tuesday we have something set up for them,” Rowland said.  

Rowland was inspired to bring the program to Genesee County after she saw multiple friends' daughters have children as teenagers.

“They had a huge support network within their family,” Rowland said. “Yet they still felt disconnected. I thought, ‘What is it like for those teen moms that don’t have that support group? What do they do?’ ”

The support group is meant to be a place for Genesee County teen mothers to feel safe, loved and supported, Rowland said.

“Our goal in this is to love the teen moms unconditionally,” Rowland said. “That is the whole purpose of me doing this, to love these girls unconditionally as Christ loves us, and that is why I am doing this.”

A car and RTS bus collided at Route 33 and Route 19.

The bus apparently had no passengers.

The drivers of both vehicles are said to be sign-offs (no injuries).

The car is blocking traffic.

Bergen Fire and ambulance dispatched.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants on Monday, Oct. 23, from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area south of Main Street and east of Jackson Street. Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. 

These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about five minutes or until clear.

For the first time in its history, last night the Ghost Walk at the Historic Batavia Cemetery, a fundraiser for the cemetery, was sold out.

Top photo: Tim Buckman as Philemon Tracy, the only Confederate officer killed during the Civil War who was buried north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Patrick Weissend as Joseph Ellicott.

Tracy Ford as John H. Yates, poet, preacher, philanthropist, journalist.

Bonnie and Charley Boyd as Mary and Dean Richmond in the Richmond Mausoleum.

HomeCare & Hospice Foundation Inc. sponsored its first OctoberFest on Saturday night at Batavia Downs.

Bontrager Auction Center hosted its fifth old-fashioned barn dance and dinner last night with proceeds benefiting Genesee Cancer Assistance.

Top photo: Organizers Bob Stocking, Verna Oehler, Penny Arnold, Jackie Johnson and Julie Tybor.

A structure fire was reported at 8524 Peachy Road, Bergen, but a chief on scene reports the fire has been knocked down.

Overhaul and ventilation starting.

The initial fire call was for a dryer with smoke coming from it.

Bergen fire and Le Roy fire were dispatched.

Police are searching areas west and north of UMMC for a man in a hospital gown and underwear who escaped custody while at UMMC.

The man is a suspect in an assault and was taken to UMMC for a mental health evaluation.

Search areas have included the area around Dwyer Stadium and behind the high school, North Side Apartments, Walden Estates and the general area.

The suspect is a male in his 30s.

If spotted, Emergency Dispatch can be reached at (585) 343-5000.

UPDATE 10:26 a.m.: The man remains at large and is not considered armed; he's wearing a hospital gown and boxer shorts. Police plan to charge him with third-degree assault, and other charges, stemming from a domestic incident in Elba last night. A State Police helicopter will soon be deployed -- an ETA of about 20 minutes -- and a DEC canine unit is on scene. The search area is Bank Street in the city, northwest between the Thruway and the high school. The command post is by Walden Estates apartment complex, where the suspect was last seen.

UPDATE 11:17 a.m.: The suspect has been spotted on State Street Road by the Thruway. He is only wearing blue underwear, having jettisoned the hospital gown.

UPDATE 11:20 a.m.: The suspect has been taken into custody in a field north of the Thruway.

This beautiful, unique looking feline decided a couple of weeks ago to take up residence under Jim Schmitt's garden shed.

Schmitt lives in the area of Bank and Ross streets in the City of Batavia. He has two cats already and can't keep this foundling.

He writes "As you can seen he (she?) is very beautiful and most likely not just a stray. He looks to be part Siamese and has blue eyes and four white 'boots.' "

If you are the owner or know who is, please contact Jim at 343-5707.

Photo courtesy of Jim Schmitt.

On a colorful, sunny, fall day, participants from throughout the community turned out to John Kennedy School for the My School Color Run, which was an untimed run/walk over a three-mile course through the City of Batavia.

A two-car accident with minor injuries and entrapment is reported in the area of 8290 Lewiston Road, Batavia.

Batavia fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.