At the close of yet another hearing on making restitution to her former employer, former Bergen resident Michele Ann Case made it clear how unhappy she is with HomeCare & Hospice, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman and The Batavian, accusing all of lying about her and defaming her good name.

Case called Friedman unethical. She said he had been duped by HomeCare & Hospice. Friedman, she also said, is just posturing for The Batavian, which she accused of libel.

"Then I want to go to jail and not pay any more restitution," Case told Judge Charles Zambito after Zambito warned her about her conduct. As she spoke, two deputies in the courtroom positioned themselves directly behind the chair she was sitting in.

She continued, "I don't want to see that man anymore," pointing at Friedman.

At the end of Case's rant, and before she could start again, Zambito adjourned the hearing.

Shortly after leaving the courtroom, Case emailed the following statement to The Batavian:

Please be advised that you have repeatedly printed lies about me on The Batavian and I hereby demand that you print an immediate retraction for your past 2 libelous posts. I also demand that you immediately cease & desist spreading falsehoods to the community I proudly served! Eventually, new evidence will exonerate me and implicate my former employer for falsely reporting a theft and insurance fraud and the DA will be brought up on ethics violations & prosecutor misconduct! 

Case has been in legal trouble in Genesee County since 2010 when she was accused of stealing more than $35,000 from an elderly patient. Those charges were eventually dismissed for reasons never officially disclosed by the court.

In 2011, she was accused of painting a mailbox that didn't belong to her, and later that year she was arrested and accused of bilking HomeCare & Hospice out of thousands of dollars by falsifying business records.

That case went to trial in 2012 and she was convicted by a jury but the conviction was overturned. An appeals court ruled that documents entered into evidence at trial were prejudicial and thereby denied Case her right to a fair trial.

Case was retried in 2014 and convicted again.

After the first conviction, a hearing was called to determine the amount of restitution Case owed HomeCare & Hospice and Judge Robert C. Noonan ruled that she would be required to pay $14,000.

Her attorney at the time tried to argue that restitution should be limited to the amount of money specified under the legal definition of third-degree grand larceny, which was $3,000.

Today, Case suggested that she has made restitution payments and that she owed no more than $2,500. It's not clear, but it appears Case believes The Batavian's prior reporting on the amount of restitution is libelous. Friedman said it was his impression that Case is claiming she's made sufficient payments to reduce the amount of restitution to $2,500. He said the court has been unable to confirm payments with officials in Niagara County, where Case now lives.

The issues currently in dispute about restitution, in this case, are whether Zambito has the authority to compel restitution and to set a payment schedule.

Since her second conviction, Case moved to Erie County and then Niagara County. Each time, her probation followed her into those counties. Public Defender Larry Ader, now representing Case -- though at the start of her rant in court this afternoon she told Zambito she was firing Ader -- said he believes that because Case was last on probation in Niagara County, and is no longer on probation. Ader maintains that only a Niagara County judge can issue a restitution order and that only the probation department in Niagara County can collect that restitution.

Zambito said he believes he has jurisdiction over restitution in this case and that he can order Genesee County Probation Department to collect the restitution.

Ader said it would be up to an appeals court to resolve the different views.

Prior to today, Case was supposed to supply a financial statement to help the court determine the amount of monthly payments, along with supporting documents. Friedman said the financial statement was delivered to his office late and that it only received any supporting documents 45 minutes prior to today's hearing. But with just a quick review of the documents, he said they appeared to be inadequate to support the financial statement.

According to Ader, Case hasn't been working while out on disability but should be cleared to work soon. In the meantime, her only source of income has been Social Security survivor benefits paid out on behalf of her 16-year-old child, who lives with her in Lockport. 

Friedman suggested a hearing might be needed so Case could be placed under oath to testify about her ability to make restitution payments. But after a conference with the Zambito and Ader at the bench, Zambito said he was going to order, for now, payments of $50 a month. That is the amount in the prior restitution order; they are to start at the beginning of the month.

Another hearing is scheduled 9:30 a.m., Jan. 7.

Previously:

• Bergen woman accused of stealing $35,000 from elderly woman's ...
• Police Beat: Alleged mailbox caper leads to charges in Bergen
• RN accused of creating inflated call claims to steal more than $14,000
• Grand Jury Report: Former employee accused of bilking her employer 
• Nurse convicted of falsifying pay records to steal money from her former employer
• Nurse who inflated claims to bilk employer of more than $14,000 gets four months in jail, probation
• Total amount of restitution still undecided for Bergen nurse who stole money from employer
• Amount of money nurse must repay former employer still unresolved
• Appeals court throws out conviction of woman accused of bilking employer out of $14K
• Former Bergen resident told second trial on fraud charges will be July 7
• Former nurse convicted for second time of stealing $14K from employer
• Former nurse from Bergen given probation following second conviction on grand larceny
• Restitution still pending in former nurse's seven-year-old theft case
• Restitution of $14K again delayed in case of former nurse who falsified business records

Press release:

Christmas is right around the corner and our Annual Red Kettle Campaign will be coming to an end. With only five days left of ringing our bells, we are still in need of raising $30,000.

That’s $6,000 a day we will need.

Genesee County has been very generous in the support of The Salvation Army. For those who have given through Angel Tree, Adopt a Family, and donations in our Red Kettles, we would like to express our gratitude for helping us to make Christmas brighter for those who are less fortunate here in our community.

Very soon the Christmas lights will fade, the trees will all be put away, gifts will be unwrapped and there will still be families in need. The funds we raise through our Red Kettle Campaign will carry us throughout the next year.

Families in need of food, first responders in need of meals and drinks, young people in need of a safe place to grow, and our senior lunch program in providing a hot meal every Tuesday. All of these are possible through our Red Kettle Campaign.

So in the hustle and bustle of these final days before Christmas, when you pass the Red Kettle, would you consider donating or stopping by The Salvation Army at 529 E. Main St. and dropping off your donation.

90 For 90 Challenge is still going on, we have had 14 businesses and individual donors who have graciously taken on the challenge and donated $1,000. We are still looking for 76 individuals or businesses to take on the challenge.

Police have yet to locate a person who was reportedly stabbed during an incident Monday night at 337 Ellicott St., Batavia; there has, however, been an arrest related to the case.

Rashawn L. Gosier, 40, of Shady Lane, Batavia, is charged with attempted assault, 3rd.

Chief Shawn Heubusch said Gosier is accused of attempting to assault another person at the same address during the same incident.

He said the police have only limited information on the stabbing victim, so have not been able to locate him.

Police responded to 337 Ellicott St. at 11:40 p.m. Monday to investigate a report of a fight. 

A subject, believed to be Gosier, fled the scene, where police located a stabbing victim and called for an ambulance. Officers then pursued the fleeing subject down Swan Street to the area of the railroad tracks.

While officers were busy trying to apprehend the person who fled, the stabbing victim left the scene.

Gosier, matching the description of the fleeing subject, was located a short time later in the basement of the incident location and he crawled out of a basement window (bottom photo).

He was taken into custody without further incident. After being taken to headquarters he was issued an appearance ticket on the attempted assault charge and ordered to appear in City Court at 1 p.m., Jan. 1.

If anybody has information that can assist in the investigation, they are asked to call Batavia PD at (585) 345-6350 or the confidential tip line at (585) 345-6370.

Press release:

Tammy Willis, acting state conservationist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New York State, has announced funding to help protect the Great Lakes as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).

NRCS will provide financial and technical assistance to help improve surface water quality in waters flowing into Lake Ontario.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding is provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow NRCS to target threats to the Great Lakes. In New York, the GLRI area includes portions of Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, Oswego, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Wyoming, Steuben, and Allegany Counties, which drain into Lake Ontario.

NRCS in New York receives funding to provide financial and technical assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to eligible landowners and farmers for conservation work. GLRI focuses on practices that have the highest benefit for reducing water quality degradation due to agricultural runoff, including animal waste storage facilities, residue management, no-till, and nutrient management.

Applicants applying to implement practices to address farmstead resource concerns associated with livestock operations must provide a copy of their Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan to NRCS by Jan. 18.

For fiscal year 2019, NRCS will accept applications for funding through Jan. 18. Applications accepted after Jan. 18 will be considered for funding in the next signup period. To apply for funding through the GLRI program interested farmers and landowners should contact their local USDA office by the above listed signup date.

For more information on GLRI visit this website.

If you are interested in applying for a conservation program please visit this website for information on applying.

You may apply by visiting your local NRCS field office, which can be located using this website.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New York State announces Jan. 18 as the application cutoff date for the general signup for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.

Through the EQIP program, NRCS offers financial and technical assistance to participants to implement practices which address priority resource concerns, including soil erosion, water quality and habitat degradation.

Focus areas within the EQIP program include the farmstead, soil management, habitat, forestry and grazing. Examples of practices implemented through EQIP include: strip cropping, grassed waterways, forest stand improvement and manure storage facilities. 

Applicants applying to implement practices to address farmstead resource concerns associated with livestock operations must provide a copy of their Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan to NRCS by Jan. 18. Applicants applying to implement forest management practices must provide their Forest Management Plan by Jan. 18.

NRCS will work with applicants to review potential resource concerns on the land included in the application and to develop a conservation plan to address the identified resource concerns. 

Applications accepted after Jan. 18 will be considered in the next signup. All applications are competitive and ranked based on national, state and locally identified resource priorities and the overall benefit to the environment.

If you are interested in applying for an NRCS conservation program, please visit this website for information on applying.

You may apply by visiting your local NRCS field office, which can be located using this website.

The Get Fit Challenge effort began in 2011 to motivate third-, fourth- and fifth-graders in the GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties) region to get more active.

Every year, the program illustrates how many minutes young people spend engaged in physical activity outside of school in a manner the children can see and understand. Throughout the five-week program, participating students record their active minutes on a calendar log specially designed for the "Play to Get Fit" challenge.

Walking, biking, running, skating, swimming, playing a sport, playing tag, playing on a swing set and other active, creative games are all eligible for active "credit" minutes. However, video fitness games utilizing Wii, Xbox Kinect or other similar gaming systems are not eligible.

This year, Le Roy Central School recorded an impressive 2,673 average active minutes based on the number of students enrolled in third, fourth and fifth grades. The school was awarded the 2018 winning plaque and each student received a certificate recognizing their participation and effort.

The three most active participants (based on the total number of minutes recorded) in the GLOW region this year were:

• Reagan Moroz, of Perry, with 9,400 minutes
• Benito Bautista, of Le Roy, with 8,045 minutes
• Cameron Riggi, of Le Roy, with 7,650 minutes

In addition, the program recognizes the three most active students from each participating school district:

• Le Roy -- 1st Benito Bautista; 2nd Cameron Riggi; 3rd Connor Corcimiglia
• Batavia -- 1st Cade Shamp, 2nd Aiden Kopper; 3rd Ella Shamp
• Warsaw -- 1st Parker Cartwright; 2nd Jason Holmes; 3rd Jack Fraser
• York -- 1st Connor Boyd; 2nd Bailey Orman; 3rd Ethan Berger
• Pavilion -- 1st Peyton Gay; 2nd Emily Conway; 3rd Tessa Hall
• Perry- - 1st Reagan Moroz; 2nd Tysen Deaton; 3rd Aja Harvey
• Elba -- 1st Chase Zuber; 2nd Jireth Arias Diaz; 3rd Bing Zuber
• Medina -- 1st Dylan Johnston; 2nd Sawyer Lilleby; 3rd Robert Clute

"The Play to Get Fit program encourages kids to lead an active lifestyle in a way they can measure and see," said Becky Dziekan, GCC's director of Health and Physical Education.

"Each year, the participating school districts see proof that the program works! Congratulations to LeRoy and all of the students who worked hard to be active and enjoy the program."

The Health and Physical Education program at Genesee Community College offers several areas of study. The Sports Management Studies transfer degree programs or Associate of Science (A.S.) program includes foundations in accounting, marketing, sports facility management and more.

The Fitness and Recreation Management Applied Associate of Science degree (A.A.S.) program offers a Personal Trainer concentration and the opportunity to earn the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredited credentials through the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a certified personal trainer. In addition, GCC offers an A.A.S in Physical Education Studies in which students have the opportunity to earn a coaching certificate for NYS non-Certified Physical Education Teachers.

The spring semester is a great time for individuals seeking higher education or even some training to enroll. GCC has more than 80 introductory courses available, including Beginning Personal Fitness (PED259) which teaches basic fitness training and conditioning techniques and much more.

The full spring semester course schedule is available here.

Photo, clockwise from left: Le Roy Central School Physical Education (PE) teachers Michelle Sherman and Brian Herdlein, GCC Director of Health and PE Rebecca Dziekan, and Le Roy Central School student Benito Bautista (2nd Place).

The Batavia Rotary Club carried on its annual pre-Christmas tradition Tuesday with a visit from Santa and players who will participate in the Club's annual basketball tournament at Genesee Community College after the New Year.

The tournament this year tip's off at 6 p.m., Jan. 2 with a game between Notre Dame and Wellsville followed by a 7:45 p.m. game between Batavia and Cal-Mum.

The consolation game will be Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. with the championship game at 7:45 p.m.

Attica will not participate in the tournament this year because the school's marching band is participating in a New Year's Day parade and members of the basketball team are traveling with the band and they may not back it back in time for the tournament. So Wellsville is playing this year but that team's players and coaches were unable to attend Tuesday's luncheon.

Meet the captains:

Santa's visit is filled mostly with gag gifts for Rotary members. This year he recognized three members who embodied "service above self" through their volunteer efforts.

Callie McCully, Notre Dame, Ryan Stefaniak, Batavia, and Baylee Miller, Cal-Mum.

City Church hosted its annual community Christmas party at St. Anthony's on Liberty Street, Batavia, last night, and gave away 33 bikes to children from the neighborhood.

They also handed out a ton of toys.

Numerous people donated bikes, toys, and money to the event, said Ryan Macdonald.

Photos by Mo Schoen.

Jesse F. Markowski, 23, of East Road, Batavia, is charged with driving while intoxicated -- common law, and DWI with a BAC of .08 or more. Markowski was arrested at 1:44 a.m. Dec. 8 on Lehigh Ave. in Batavia after being involved in a single-vehicle accident on Lehigh Avenue. He was processed at the jail and was due in Batavia City Court this morning, Dec. 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Justin P. Avino, 25, of Swan Street, Batavia, is charged with speeding, driving while intoxicated -- common law, and DWI with a BAC of .08 or more. Avino was arrested at 1:18 a.m. Dec. 9 on West Main Street in Batavia. He was processed at the jail and was due in Batavia City Court this morning (Dec. 19). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen, assisted by Officer Arick Perkins.

A two-vehicle collision, unknown injuries, is blocking traffic in front of Home Depot, 4181 Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

The snowy season is the perfect time to explore a museum (or two, or three). And Genesee County is the perfect place to find interesting information and interactive fun just waiting to be discovered. From surprising local history to immersive experiences to a whole gallery dedicated to the dessert that changed the world, we’ve rounded up a few great museums to set your sights on.

Get ready to warm up while you brush up on your local historical knowledge. The hardest part is deciding where to start!

Holland Land Office Museum

What better place to begin your journey than in Batavia, NY – called “the birthplace of Western New York?” Step into the Holland Land Office Museum, an 1810 stone building bursting with artifacts and information that tell the story of the area and those notable people who impacted it in a major way. See the Medal of Honor earned by Charles F. Rand, a Batavian who was to first soldier in the nation to volunteer for the Civil War. View an original gibbet used in hangings up until 1881. Combine your visit with a stop at the Batavia Peace Garden, located right next door.

In the spirit of the holidays, the museum currently has a tree wonderland exhibit where visitors can explore nearly 50 well-decorated trees, pictures and festive displays. The 2018 theme is “Favorite Holiday Movie,” so get ready for a trip down memory lane! The museum also hosts monthly trivia nights on the second Thursday of the month.

JELL-O Gallery Museum

Did you know JELL-O was invented right here in Genesee County in 1897? Follow the JELL-O brick road and see where it all began! Explore the history of “America’s Most Famous Dessert” while you enjoy old TV commercials and ads, famous JELL-O works of art, and lots of wiggly, jiggly fun facts. A stop at the museum isn’t complete until you browse the gift store and take home a souvenir in every color.

Rolling Hills Asylum

No plated glass, no guard rails, no barriers. Just pure unfiltered history at Rolling Hills Asylum. Once housing the Genesee County Poor Farm, the addition of the infirmary in 1938 sealed the fate of poor unfortunate souls who were sent there. This unusual museum provides a more hands-on experience for guests, allowing them to get up close and personal with its past. Take a history tour, a flashlight tour, join a guided ghost hunt, or spend several hours exploring during an overnight lock-in. Special events like painting parties, movie showings, and dinners are also offered year-round.

Genesee Country Village & Museum

Centuries of American history come to life (literally) in this living history complex of more than 600 acress in Wheatland (Monroe County). Sixty-eight authentic, historic buildings dot the charming Genesee Country Village, with thousands of artifacts housed throughout. Find yourself immersed in 18^th and 19^th century life, as you browse homes from early settlers in the 1800s up to affluent members of society in the 1900s. Visit with farm animals, interact with costumed interpreters, attend a special event -- and don’t forget to swing by the on-site brewery for a swig.

Harford House Barn & Livery

The Harford House Barn & Livery museum resides in the former 1880 Harford Hotels Livery Stables in Downtown Bergen. Inside the barn, guests can browse interesting, life-size tableaux depicting a blacksmith shop, a general store, school classroom and more. Presentations are also available by village Historian Raymond MacConnell for those curious to learn more.

Historic Le Roy House

More than 100 years of unique history can be found in this mansion-turned-museum! Built in 1822, the home was once owned by the Chancellor of Ingham University -- the first female university in the United States to grant a four-year degree. As you tour three floors of period-designed rooms, learn about local abolitionists, see a real open-hearth kitchen, and enjoy hands-on activities for the kids. The building itself is a sight to behold – listed on the National Register of Historical Places!

Medina Railroad Museum

The Medina Railroad Museum (in Orleans County) is the largest freight depot in the country, with the largest collection of train artifacts and memorabilia housed under one roof. Browse the exhibits before hopping on a scenic train ride or themed seasonal excursion. Throughout the year you’ll find rides that travel along the Erie Canal, zip past fall foliage, take you to the North Pole to meet Santa and his reindeer – or allow you to hop aboard an Easter Express and meet the big bunny himself.

Tonawanda Indian Reservation Historical Society

Immerse yourself in the lives of local Native Americans. The history of the Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians is celebrated throughout the hallways of the Tonawanda Indian Community House. Wander the halls as you explore large-scale photographs and illustrations that display the history and heritage of the Reservation. Learn about the tribe and the history of the Seven Nations, and don’t forget to see the chief’s headdress on the second floor.

Le Roy Barn Quilt Trail

Who says a museum has to be enclosed? Barn Quilts of Le Roy began as a bicentennial project for the town and has grown to feature more than 100 handmade quilts on display on barns throughout the area. Step-on bus tours are offered by appointment or you can hop in a car with some friends or your family and take the driving tour yourself! The quilts represent the pride of Le Roy, a town rich with heritage.

Alabama Museum

Local history can hold some surprising secrets…did you know that the town of Alabama, NY used to have three-gun manufacturers in town? The Alabama Museum resides in an old schoolhouse and features everything from a hammered dulcimer to an old doctor’s buggy. Browse the artifacts and get an understanding of a little local history, dating back to the mid-1800s. You can also grab a copy of the Alabama Cookbook for your home or as a gift. The 70-page cookbook includes cooking tips, favorite recipes from the locals, and some recipes from the 1895 Alabama Cookbook.

History buffs need not stop there! See all of the local museums within Genesee County and find more fascinating facts here.

We don't know if Sheriff William Sheron has been naughty or nice -- only Santa knows for sure -- but he sure had a lot of fun during Shop with a Cop at Walmart on Dec. 8. We previously shared a shot of Sheron standing on a shopping cart. This morning we obtained this picture of Sheron on Santa's lap in a photo taken by Trooper James O'Callahan.

Press release:

Providing students with authentic learning experiences is the goal of every career and technical education program. Students in the Conservation Program at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center got just that opportunity when they constructed a kiosk for the Town of Bergen.

Despite the rainy, cold weather and muddy grounds, the Conservation students built a kiosk that has a roof, two benches and an information board. This project can be found in the Town of Bergen’s Drew’s Nature Center, located on West Sweden Road.

Ernest Haywood is the supervisor for the Town of Bergen. He contacted Jon Sanfratello, executive principal of the Batavia Campus, which includes the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center, to inquire about the possibility of constructing the kiosk.

“I thought the opportunity to build a kiosk for the nature center would foster the students understanding and appreciation of our natural resources as well as provide students a real-life experience to build something that would benefit the community for years to come,” Haywood said.

“It is my hope that the kiosk will provide information for community members to enhance their knowledge of what the Drew's Nature Center has to offer and directions and guidance to visitors on how to independently explore, at one’s own pace, the natural wonders of the center.”

Sanfratello echoed Haywood's thoughts.

“This project gave the students the opportunity to understand the importance of time management, and customer satisfaction all while using the skills learned in the classroom and shop," Sanfratello said. "They worked under some difficult weather conditions but they got the job done."

Jacob Vandenbosch is the Conservation Program instructor.

“The Conservation students were able to learn carpentry skills by creating a location for the community to enjoy the outdoors. As an added bonus, they learned the importance of giving back to the community,” Vandenbosch said. “We will also be exploring future class projects at the nature center and working alongside the town to improve the community’s experience."

Submitted photo: The Conservation a.m. session class with their completed project. Not in order of photo. Ali Mann, Peyton Armison, Andrew Clark, Chad Green, Evan Hands, Mitchell Humel, Dominic Ianni, Kristofer Kuszlyk, Breanna Mest, Adam Offen, Noah Pangrazio, Tristan Rasmussen, Kaitlyn Shultz, Alec Slepinski, Nathan Tabor, Hunter Wade, Tyler Will.

A reader submitted this video of a car fire this morning at Main And Oak streets, Batavia, in front of Oliver's Candies.

The Batavia Town Planning Board on Tuesday night advanced a pair of projects – one industrial and the other residential – to the public hearing stage next month.

Planners lined up in favor of a 4,000-square-foot boiler room expansion at HP Hood LLC, 5140 Ag Park Drive West, an endeavor that will give the food processing facility greater capacity as business increases.

Kevin Moyer, the company’s project engineer manager, and Scott Blair, construction project manager for Design Group out of Concord, N.H., addressed the board during the site plan review.

Moyer said the addition will be adjacent to the existing boiler room with a roll-up door at the front.

Construction specifications are consistent with the rest of the building, Blair added.

 “(The project) is redundancy more than anything else,” Moyer said, noting that putting in a third boiler gives the facility a spare during times of inspection and the expansion provides room for a fourth in the future.

The request, which the board said does not pose any significant adverse environmental impact, will go to the Town Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 14 for a public hearing and back to the Town Planning Board the next night.

Planners also set a public hearing for Jan. 15 to consider a special use permit to allow Maren and Matt Holman of 45 Edgewood Drive to operate an appointment-only hair salon as a Home Occupation 1 in a Residential District.

Maren, a licensed cosmetologist for 14 years, and her husband have set up a 200-square-foot room behind the garage of their ranch home for the business.

Planners inquired about the Genesee County Planning Board’s recommendation that a turn-around on the driveway should be included to prevent customers from having to back their vehicles into the street.

Matt Holman said that is their plan but, for the time being, there is a 15-foot wide driveway of asphalt fillings that would act as a turn-around.

Now that she's reached a personal goal, senior guard Ryann Stefaniak has her sights set on leading the Batavia High Lady Devils to a legitimate run at a sectional title.

Stefaniak eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her varsity career tonight, scoring 22 points in Batavia's 67-28 win over Eastridge. The bucket that put her right at 1,000 came with 5:17 left in the second quarter -- a three-point shot from the left side that gave her 19 points at the time and pushed the Lady Devils' lead to 31-5.

It followed a trio of three-point attempts that missed the mark, and had Stefaniak wondering when it was going to happen.

"I was like c'mon," she said, "but it finally went. It was my time."

The 5-foot-9-inch sharpshooter said reaching the milestone became a goal of hers after watching a couple star teammates score over 1,000 points in their time at BHS.

"After seeing Tiara (Filbert) do it in her junior year (2015) and Maddie McCulley in her senior year (2016), I felt I could do it," she said.

Now, she said she's committed to doing all that she can to help Batavia soar to lofty heights.

"I think we have a great chance to go undefeated the rest of the season and make a long run in the sectionals," she said.

Batavia Coach Marty Hein, who presented a plaque to Stefaniak during a timeout after the defining three-point, said the achievement couldn't happen to a better person.

"Ryann has been on the varsity since eighth grade and to see her grow up to become a nice young lady and the way she has matured as a basketball player makes me very proud," Hein said. "I'm just so glad for her."

Mackenzie Reigle chipped in with 15 points for Batavia, 3-1, while Bryn Wormley and Emma Krolczyk each had eight and Meghan Houseknecht seven.

Batavia High girls basketball standout Ryann Stefaniak, receiving a plaque from Coach Marty Hein and celebrating afterward with teammates, from left, Emma Krolczyk, Mackenzie Reigle, Bryn Wormley and Jenae Colkey, scored the 1,000th point of her varsity career tonight in the Lady Devils' 67-28 victory over visiting Eastridge. In photo at top, the crowd goes wild after Stefaniak's three-point basket at the 5:17 mark of the second quarter.

Press release:

What do Gettysburg and Charles Dickens have in common? In 1868, both were "cleaning up." One from the devastation of the famous battle, while the other was raking in cash doing a tour of America in which he read and performed his famous work, "A Christmas Carol."

This Friday night, Dec. 21, the GCC History Club will call on Buffalo Meteorologist Mike Randall to summon the spirits of Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future as he performs "A Christmas Carol" in the guise of Charles Dickens.

Randall's critically acclaimed performance represents the major fundraiser of the year for the GCC History Club, which hopes to raise enough to go on its annual trip to Gettysburg, Pa.

This educational trip takes students to the famous battlefield, where they walk the field and learn the lesser-known details of the battle. In past years, students have also made day trips to places like Washington, D.C., and Monticello, Va. This year they hope to make a trip into Philadelphia.

For many students, the History Club trip is a life-changing experience. For Bobby Washington, a GCC alumnus, former president of the Club and now Social Studies Education major at the SUNY College at Brockport, the trip was a high point of his time at GCC. A native of New York City, Washington had seen little outside the city before coming to Western New York.

The Club and the trips "helped me progress as a person and armed me with new knowledge," Washington said. "You don't know what you don't know until you have an opportunity to see these important places. And one of the things the history club taught me was if opportunity knocks, let it in."

Tickets are still available for the Friday 7 p.m. performance at the Stuart Steiner Theater. To reserve or purchase tickets in advance call (585) 343-0055, ext. 6270, and ask for Marie Kochmanski or Michelle Forster at ext. 6312. Tickets are $15 each presale or $20 at the door. All tickets are general admission, so arrive early for the best seats.