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Law and Order: Batavia man who allegedly stole hard lemonade, returned to store, got arrested

By Billie Owens

Robert S. Sojda, 52, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. At 10:52 p.m. on Oct. 25 Batavia Police responded to the Speedway convenience store at 204 W. Main St. for the report of a larceny. While police were on scene, Sojda returned to the store and he was taken into custody. He allegedly stole a Mike's Harder Lemonade by placing the can inside his sweatshirt prior to leaving the Speedway. He was issued an appearance ticket for Nov. 1 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Erick Perkins.

Dakota O. Irvin, 25, of Ross Street, Batavia, turned himself into Batavia Police headquarters Oct. 24 on a bench warrant after he failed to appear in City Court for a traffic ticket issued Oct. 19 for third-degree aggravated unlicensed operator. He was jailed on $500 bail and was due in City Court this afternoon. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins.

Garrett J. Ditzel, 22, no permanent address, of Batavia, is charged with failing to appear after an appearance ticket was served. Ditzel had an active arrest warrant out of City of Batavia for failing to answer an appearance ticker for a petit larceny charge. He allegedly stole two jackets from JCPenney and he was arrested Oct. 6. Ditzel is currently incarcerated in Genesee County Jail and was due in court Oct. 25. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Nicole Salamone, assisted by Officer James DeFreze.

City Police Department offers safe trick-or-treating tips

By Billie Owens

Press release from City of Batavia Police Department:

SUBJECT: Halloween Trick or Treating

DATE / TIME OF OCCURENCE: Monday, Oct. 31 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

If you plan on going door to door make sure you are properly supervised by a parent or responsible adult.

Do not go to homes where the porch lights are off

Use a flashlight to let drivers see you, and see where you are going.

To avoid tripping or injury don't wear costumes that are loose fitting and too long.

Don't wear masks that obscure your vision, make up is a good alternative to masks.

Wear reflective, bright colors to be seen by drivers after dark.

Walk on the sidewalks, or as near to the curb as possible if there are no sidewalks.

Observe safety rules when crossing or walking on the streets, and stay clear of traffic.

Parents should inspect any treats before you eat them!

The Batavia Police HIGHLY RECOMMEND as an alternative to going door to door, attend one of the Halloween events sponsored by local businesses.

Choose costumes that are marked flame retardant.

Make props such as magic wands and swords out of cardboard, rather than metal or wood.

Give and accept wrapped or packaged candy only.

Go out in daylight and carry a flashlight in case of delay.

Have children stay within their neighborhood; only visit homes you know.

All “Trick or Treating” shall be completed by 9 p.m.

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hawley continues to oppose pay raises for lawmakers

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) said he opposes pay raises for lawmakers, as the core function of the Legislature is helping New Yorkers improve their quality of life through a responsible budget and effective legislation, not making more money. 

Hawley also believes a more efficient legislative schedule, for example starting session at 9 a.m. and working until 5 p.m., three days per week instead of 59 days spread over six months, would enable the people’s work to be wrapped up by the end of March. 

“We need to return to what our Founding Fathers envisioned when our country was conceived, citizen representatives whose motivation for taking office was to serve their neighbors,” said Hawley. “We don’t need more money; we need an emphasis on stewardship, governance and efficiency. I am honored to serve the residents of the 139th district and all New Yorkers; I do not support a legislative pay raise at the expense of those I represent.”

Hawley also said he does not believe the Commission on Legislative, Judicial & Executive Compensation should be making a lawfully-binding pay raise recommendation to the Legislature. That decision, he said, should be up to those elected by the public.

“An embarrassing number of legislators have been found to be abusing the public trust. Until there are rock-solid reforms in place to ensure an end to corruption, bribery, fraud and pay-to-play politics, we should not even entertain the thought of a raise,” said Hawley.

Hawley believes that people should run in order to advocate for their neighbors and not because they are seeking a lucrative occupation. In order to recruit citizens who are in it for the right reasons and deter future corruption, he has fought for legislation that would do away with pensions for statewide elected officials convicted of a felony (A377). Hawley pledged to continue fighting for ethics reform during the upcoming session.

Congressman Collins endorsed by the Federation of Republican Women in NY’s 27th Congressional District

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today announced the endorsement of the Federation of Republican Women represented in New York’s 27th Congressional District. New York’s 27th Congressional District includes 105 towns spread across Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, Ontario and Monroe counties.

“I am proud to be a strong advocate for women throughout Western New York and the country," Collins said. "The Federation of Republican Women is a model organization working to ensure our conservative principles are represented in government. I am honored to have their support and will continue to fight for the best interest of all women."

The NY-27 Chapters of the Federation of Republican Women lauded Congressman Collins for his continued support of legislation that upholds Conservative values and his strong advocacy on the issues impacting women throughout the country.

“Western New York needs dedicated leaders who work to make our community a better place to live, work and raise a family,” said Kim Bowers, president of the Erie County Federation of Republican Women and Director of the 8th Judicial District.

“The five counties that represent a large portion of the 8th judicial district (Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Genesee and Orleans counties) are proud to endorse Congressman Collins who is committed to putting forth smart policies that continue to help Western New York grow and prosper for years to come.”

"We need strong leaders that are willing to take a stand on issues that impact the Upstate New York region," said Trisha Turner, president of the Ontario County Women's Republican Club and Ontario County Chairwoman.  “Congressman Collins is a tremendous advocate for the Finger Lakes region, and represents our values well in Washington."

The National Federation of Republican Women works to empower women of all backgrounds in the political process and seeks to promote the principles, objectives, and policies of the Republican Party. Since 1983, the National Federation of Republican Women has been one of the largest grassroots political organizations in the country.

In Congress, Congressman Collins has voted in support of a number of legislative items impacting women throughout the United States, including:

Voted to Support S.47, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in the 113th Congress (Signed into law on March 7, 2013)

Reauthorizes federal funds to be used in the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women.

- Cosponsored and voted to support H.R. 2722, the Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act (Signed into law on April 29, 2016)

Directs the Department of the Treasury to mint special breast cancer coins, with proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

- Voted to support H.R. 5578, the Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act of 2016 (Signed into law on October 7, 2016).

Ensures sexual assault and rape victims have the following rights: (1) to have their rape kits and other evidence preserved for the length of the statute of limitations of the crime, (2) the right to request the rape kit be kept on file for a longer period of time, and (3) the right to be notified of any and all test results that may come from a rape kit.

- Cosponsor of H.R. 1197, the Accelerating the End of Breast Cancer Act of 2015

Directs the President to establish a commission to accelerate the end of breast cancer. This legislation would allow for the following: (1) the ability to identify opportunities and ideas within both the public and private sector that are key components in achieving the end of breast cancer, (2) recommends projects to leverage these opportunities, and (3) ensures that the federal governments’ various activities are coordinated and non-duplicative.

Both the Congressman and members of his staff have worked closely with patient-advocates from the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester to ensure this legislation is given the attention it deserves.

- Cosponsor of H.R. 2540, the Breast Cancer Education Act of 2015

Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to provide for both the planning and implementation of an education campaign to inform breast cancer patients anticipating surgery about the availability and coverage of breast reconstruction, prostheses, and other available options. This legislation primarily focuses on informing patients who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups of the resources listed above.

- Cosponsor of H.R. 3339, the Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings Act

Preserves Medicare coverage for mammography screening for women over the age of 40.

(In 2009, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force had changed its recommendation that women between the ages of 40-49 years old should not receive an annual mammogram.

- Cosponsor of H.R. 1340, the International Violence Against Women Act of 2015

Directs the Secretary of State to establish an Office of Global Women’s Issues to fight gender-based violence throughout the world.

- Voted to fund $1.1Billion to combat the Zika virus

Allocated priority funding for mothers due to the potential microcephaly risk.

- Requested that the Appropriations Committee requests funding for Breast and Ovarian Cancer research through the Department of Defense.

- Supported the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s application to receive grant funding that would fund programs to encourage access to prenatal care for low-income families.

Congressman Collins was elected in 2012 and reelected in 2014 to represent the 27th District of New York.

Tops will offer 11-percent discount to military personnel, vets and their immediate families on Veterans Day, Nov. 11

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, northern Pennsylvania, western Vermont, and north central Massachusetts announced today that the company will offer military personnel and their immediate families an 11-percent discount off of their grocery bill this Veterans Day.

On Friday, Nov. 11, Tops Markets will honor an 11-percent discount off of a total order to all veterans and immediate family members in the same household, who shop at any Tops location.  Customers should present proof of service that they, or an immediate family member are a U.S. Veteran, active duty, reserve or retired military personnel to automatically receive an 11-percent discount off of their total purchase that day.

In Genesee County, there are two Tops locations: 390 W. Main St. in Batavia and 128 W. Main St., Le Roy.

“The respect and gratitude we have for the people who serve and have served in the military is immeasurable, and for that we are forever grateful,” said Frank Curci, Tops chairman and chief executive officer. “We wanted to support local military personnel by giving back to our associates and customers who have courageously defended our country and made many sacrifices through their military service.”

Tops is a longtime supporter of military associates and customers. The company’s actions include support of the American Veterans Tribute Traveling Wall, Honor Flight Missions, sending care packages for troops serving domestically and overseas, VA hospital visits, and participation in veteran job fairs, parades and expos.

Sponsored Post: Open House this Sunday from 12 to 2 p.m.

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County's sale of Nursing Home on track to close by the end of the year

By Howard B. Owens

As County Manager Jay Gsell and the Legislature work on finalizing the 2017 budget, it's been a bit of a nail-biter for county officials wondering if they would be able to close on the sale of the Nursing Home before Dec. 31.

Without the close, the county would need to include nearly $16 million in expenses and offsetting revenue in the budget.

Back in May, the NYS Health Department approved the certificate of need ("CoN" -- a kind of license) 160-bed care facility, but officials had gotten no word on the other CoN for the 80-bed adult home.

All along, Gsell felt the sale would be finalized before the end of the year, but without final approval, there was no way to count on it.

Yesterday, an executive with the prospective Nursing Home buyer, Premier Health LLC, got a phone call from a state official saying the certificate of need was approved and an official letter should be dropped in the mail today.

"At least now we have a very good sense that this is actually going to happen in the calendar year 2016," Gsell said.

Once the letter is in hand, both sides can start working on the details of closing the sale, including transferring employees and contractors, completing paperwork, and finalizing how to handle accounts receivable, among other details.

That will be a three- or four-week process, Gsell said.

The county will get about $15 million for the nursing home, but after expenses, only about 25 percent of those proceeds will be available for either the general fund or the capital fund.

Gsell was able to share the good news with legislators yesterday during a budget work session.

There were no decisions that came out of yesterday's budget discussion. The legislators have a 292-page, $141 million budget to pore through as they grapple with their options for the tax rate, deficit spending or any big spending cuts that they might make.

Gsell's budget is balanced, but it requires pulling $1 million from reserve funds and reallocating sales tax revenue from future road and bridge repairs to the 2017 general fund.

A $15 million increase in assessed value, of which about $7 million is taxable, for properties in the county, makes the break-even tax rate for the 2016 vs. 2017 tax levy at $9.66 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

Gsell's budget proposal increases the tax levy by $645,000, the maximum increase under the state's tax cap law.

That would set the 2017 property tax rate from the county at $9.76 per thousand of assessed value, or 10 cents lower than 2016.

The Legislature will consider whether to pass a resolution authorizing them to override the tax cap limit to raise taxes. Because of timing and budget deadline issues, the resolution will need to be passed before they even get to the point of deciding what the tax rate should be.

It's a policy decision for the legislature whether to accept Gsell's budget as proposed, raise taxes to reduce deficit spending, or make significant cuts in non-mandated services, such as parks and law enforcement.

WROTB making an effort to connect with its employees

By Mike Pettinella

Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. officers and directors agreed today that a focus on "employee appreciation" is key to moving the organization in the right direction.

Several directors commented on a "Meet & Greet" session that took place on Wednesday afternoon with rank-and-file workers at Batavia Downs Gaming, applauding management with their efforts to reach out to its employees.

"We got a chance to meet the employees, and we want them to know that we're trying to do the best job possible for the corporation," said Board Chairman Richard Bianchi (Monroe County).

WROTB President Henry F. Wojtaszek said the get-together, along with a new employees' Anniversary Rewards Program, are ways for management "to let employees know that we appreciate their hard work."

The "Meet & Greet" session was "all positive," according to Jim Starkweather, an eight-year employee in the skilled maintenance department.

"I guess it's the new regime -- Henry, Scott Kiedrowski and Mike Nolan -- trying to reach out," Starkweather said afterward in the Paddock Room that has been set up for a Pink Hatters cancer awareness fundraising event this afternoon. "I thought it was all positive and good; promoting a family atmosphere."

Starkweather said he hopes more of these type of communication sessions are scheduled in the future.

The Anniversary Rewards Program, coordinated by Sean Schiano, director of Branch Operations, and Ryan Hasenauer, director of Marketing, offers merchandise, clothing, gift cards, concert tickets and sporting events tickets to employees based on their length of service -- one year, five years, 10 years, 25 years, 30 years and 35 years,

"We're trying to improve morale, and feel that this is a good program with something nice for everybody," Schiano said.

In other developments:

-- Wojtaszek said an accord between WROTB and the Western New York Harness Horsemen's Association will result in the opening of a new six-race paddock prior to the 2018 racing season. The new paddock became necessary when Batavia Downs tore down part of the old paddock to make room for the new hotel.

"We agreed to pick up the cost for some of the things they had (normally) paid for, to hold a holiday party for them and to add a couple of nights of racing," said Wojtaszek, noting that the current season has been extended for at least another week, until Dec. 17 or beyond. 

He said construction on the new paddock will begin after the first of the year.

CLICK HERE for an announcement from the WNYHHA website.

-- The president also gave an update on the Downs' expansion plans, a nearly $4 million Capital Award venture that will add another room on the east side of the Paddock Room for horse bettors, a new banquet room next to Fortune's Restaurant, and enhancements to the 34 Rush club, facility entrance and parking lot. He said he expects approval from the New York State Gaming Commission sometime next month.

-- Directors voted to authorize management to look into the possibility of downsizing the number of OTB branches from the current 24, a move that directors Elliott Winter (Niagara County) and Richard Haberer (Cattaraugus County) voted against.

"There's been a lot of negative discussion about the state of horse racing, but I believe that we need to do what we can to keep it going," Winter said.

-- Comptroller Jacquelyne Leach reported third-quarter earnings of $282,000 and September surcharge distributions of $108,000. Leach said the numbers were down compared to the same time last year because that's when the sale of property to developers of the Hotel at Batavia Downs went through, but otherwise "they were right on target."

-- Bianchi reported that Fred Hamilton, director of food services, submitted his resignation, effective Dec. 31. Hamilton said he is retiring after 11 years to spend more time with his wife and grandchildren.

-- Announced that the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new hotel is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. next Wednesday (Nov. 2). State and local dignitaries are expected to attend the invitation-only event.

Two-car accident with injuries, blocking, is reported at Oak and Richmond in the city

By Billie Owens

A two-vehicle accident, possibly a head-on collision, is reported at Richmond Avenue and Oak Street. Injuries are reported and it is blocking traffic. City police, Mercy medics and firefighters are on scene.

UPDATE 11:26 a.m.: Richmond Avenue is shut down "up to North Lyon Street from Oak Street."

UPDATE 11:35 a.m.: This was a T-bone accident. One driver is not injured; the other complained of head and neck pain and was transported to the hospital for evaluation.

UPDATE 11:40 a.m.: Two flatbed tow trucks are called to the scene.

UPDATE 11:49 a.m.: The road is reopened.

Sexual predator arrested for alleged sexual contact with a child

By Howard B. Owens

mugmholmes2016.jpg

A convicted sexual predator has been arrested and accused of sexual contact with a child.

Marlek E. Holmes, 42, of Batavia, is being held without bail after being arraigned in County Court on an 11-count grand jury indictment.

The assaults allegedly occurred in the City of Batavia and Village of Le Roy from 2010 to 2015.

He is charged with two counts of predatory sexual assault, two counts of predatory sexual assault against a child, two counts of incest in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, rape in the third degree, criminal sexual abuse in the third degree and two counts of incest in the third degree.

Holmes has previously been arrested locally on charges of failure to register a change of address as a Level 3 sexual offender and of sending indecent texts to a child.

Smell of electrical smoke detected inside Dollar General on East Main Street, Batavia

By Billie Owens

The smell of something electrical burning greeted an employee upon opening the Dollar General Store on East Main Street in Batavia a few minutes ago. The worker called dispatch and city firefighters just arrived and are investigating.

UPDATE 8:54 a.m.: Command reports no sign of smoke or fire; investigation is continuing.

Caution advised, possible slick roads and sidewalks this morning

By Howard B. Owens

Watch for slick roads and sidewalks early this morning because of a bit of snow that may fall over the area, according to the National Weather Service.

The surfaces of bridges and overpasses are more likely to acquire temperatures closer to freezing, so are more likely to be slick.

The snow will change to sleet and then rain over the course of the morning.

Mother of twins killed in fire distraught with first phone call she answered

By Howard B. Owens

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Heather Ace was hanging out at a friend's house drinking Four Loko* the night of May 20 when her mother tried to call her and tell her that her house on Bank Street Road was on fire, according to a statement Ace gave to investigators.

When Ace didn't answer the phone, her mother sent her a text message, according to a statement by Tracy Ace, that read, "Answer your f---ing phone."

Heather answered on the next ring.

According to Heather's friend, Ashki Zajaczkowski, Heather dropped the phone and started screaming.

Zajaczkowski drove Heather to 8157 State Street Road, Batavia, where she lived with her three boys, including two fraternal twins, Micah and Michael Gard, and before Zajaczkowski would even stop the car, Heather was running from the car hysterically. 

The evening wasn't supposed to go as it did, according to the statements. Heather Ace was planning to go to the movies with Zajaczkowski and other friends, but as afternoon turned to evening, nobody really felt like heading out of town.

Ace put her two children to bed sometime between 8 and 8:30 p.m. and then headed over to a friend's house. She smoked some weed and then went to the Speedway and bought a can of Four Loko and some water before heading over to Zajaczkowski's house.

The two boys were locked in their room, with a lock on the kitchen side of the door put in place after the boys wandered out of the house over to the neighboring house, the residence of their grandparents.

When firefighters arrived that night, they also found the door leading into the apartment kitchen locked. Heather Ace said in her statement, she didn't know how the door became locked. She said she didn't lock it before leaving the house. Tracy Ace said it wasn't Heather's practice to lock the door because her husband needed access to the basement, where he stored his tools.

The cause of the fire has never been determined.

Micah and Michael died in the fire and Heather Ace has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

She appeared in Town of Batavia Court yesterday and entered a not guilty plea.

She is represented by public defender Jerry Ader, who said yesterday he had not yet had a chance to discuss the case with his client.

Photo: Previously unpublished, officers dealing with distraught people at the scene of the fire.

*Four Loko is a flavored, malted alcoholic beverage.

Woman with record locally accused of stealing dog and selling it in Ontario County

By Howard B. Owens

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A woman who has previously run afoul of the law in Genesee County has new legal troubles in Ontario County after allegedly selling a rescue animal from the kennel where she started working six weeks ago to a Canandaigua woman.

Cassandra Blake was jailed today on $250 bail or $500 bond for her alleged role in taking a labradoodle from the kennel where she worked, posting an ad for it on Craigslist under the alias Amy Fairview and then selling the dog, which was actually a family pet belonging to somebody else.

Sources told our news partner 13WHAM that Blake has been known to sell pets on Craigslist recently.

In 2014, Blake was indicted in Genesee County on a grand larceny charge. Blake was accused of stealing 245 lottery tickets with a face value of $1,028, along with payouts from those tickets and other cash, from the Yellow Goose store in Pavilion.

That charge led to Blake being placed on probation, and that probation was later transferred to Monroe County.

GC Office for the Aging partners with Rochester Gay Alliance for 'Traveling LGBTQ Potluck & Program' Nov. 12

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Genesee County Office for the Aging is proud to partner with the Rochester Gay Alliance SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) program to bring an event to our County!

The Traveling LGBTQ Potluck & Program will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, located at 6188 Main Road in Stafford.

Meet! Greet! Eat!

All are welcome. Meet news friends.

Featured program is "Gay Pioneers."

Bring a dish to pass.

Also, Rochester Gay Alliance SAGE is looking to connect with LGBTQ veterans and people who served in the military regardless of discharge status.

Learn more about what SAGE Vets & ROC Vets can do for you!

Contact: Kimberly.Perl@co.genesee.ny.us

City announces four newly minted licensed plumbers

By Billie Owens

Press release from the city Department of Public Works:

The City of Batavia is pleased to announce that Ryan Toal, Anthony Cellino, Robert Marvin and Erich Postler have passed the necessary exam and successfully met the requirements to become licensed plumbers in the City of Batavia.

GCC seeks Hall of Fame nominees, welcomes suggestions for honoring outstanding alumni

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Over the past 10 years, nearly 35 outstanding graduates of Genesee Community College have been inducted into GCC's Alumni Hall of Fame. The College Foundation knows there are many more outstanding graduates who've made a lasting impact on their communities and invites nominations for the 2017 Alumni Hall of Fame. Submissions are due by Dec. 31.

Candidates nominated for the Alumni Hall of Fame should be individuals who've contributed significantly to their profession and have provided distinguished service to the community and/or service to Genesee Community College. Nominees must have completed their GCC degree at least ten years prior to nomination. Past inductees have represented a wide variety of career fields, from law enforcement to economic development.

Nominations may be submitted by the nominee or by friends, family, work associates or other colleagues who are familiar with the nominee. Nomination forms can be downloaded from GCC's alumni website www.genesee.edu/alumni/HallofFame/ and emailed or sent to the College's Alumni office.

A selection committee will choose honorees. New inductees will be honored at a reception in March 2017, and their photo and a short biography will be featured on a plaque displayed in the Alumni Hall of Fame, located on the second floor of the Conable Technology Building. 

"I am just beginning to appreciate the many amazing accomplishments of GCC alumni both within our local community and beyond," said Jennifer Zambito, the new assistant director of GCC's Alumni Affairs Office. "I am excited to meet, greet and promote so many kind and generous members of the GCC Cougar family.

For the full list of previously inducted Alumni Hall of Fame members please visit http://www.genesee.edu/offices/alumni/hall-of-fame/

For more information, contact Jennifer Zambito, assistant director of GCC's Alumni Affairs at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6265 or jmzambito@genesee.edu.

Genesee County to participate in statewide STOP-DWI Halloween crackdown Oct. 28-31

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee County STOP-DWI Coordinator Matt Landers announced today that the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Batavia Police Department will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.

Halloween is meant to be scary, but not when it comes to driving. When it comes to drunk driving Halloween can turn the roads into a horror fest. While we spend time trick-or-treating and hosting parties with our loved ones, law enforcement officers across New York State will take to the roads in an effort to stop impaired driving, prevent injuries and save lives. The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on Oct. 28th and will end on Oct. 31st. New York State Police, County Sheriff and municipal law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force.

Research shows that high-visibility enforcement can reduce drunk driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. Sobriety checkpoints play a key part in raising awareness about the problem.

“Fall can be a tricky time of year to drive: driving in the rain at night, slippery leaves on the road surface, and lighting conditions, in general, all add to the challenges of fall driving,” said Genesee County Undersheriff William Sheron. “Halloween parties, football games and other social gatherings can include the consumption of alcoholic beverages. "We will have extra patrols out during the Halloween season. Plan ahead. If you’re going to drink, make sure you have a safe ride home.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Halloween is a particularly deadly night due to drunk drivers. In 2015, over half (52 percent) of all highway fatalities across the nation on Halloween night (6 p.m. Oct. 31 to 5:59 a.m. Nov. 1) involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a BAC of .08 or higher.

The STOP-DWI Halloween Weekend Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association with additional funding from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and implemented by the STOP-DWI Foundation. Throughout the remainder of the year the Statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign will also target Thanksgiving and the national Holiday Season in December.

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the numbers of alcohol and drug related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving. Have a safe and happy Halloween Weekend!

Top Items on Batavia's List

Tourism Marketing Assistant Position The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, serving as the official tourism promotion agency for Genesee County, NY is seeking an experienced marketing professional to assist in the overall Chamber tourism and marketing initiatives for Genesee County. https://visitgeneseeny.com/about/join-our-team
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Town of Batavia Court Department is seeking a part time as needed Court Officer. Court Officers are responsible for maintaining order in the court room and court facility during proceedings. Please send resume to Town of Batavia, Attention Hiedi Librock, 3833 West Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020. Complete job description is available on the Town web site or at the Town Hall Application deadline is April 15, 2024.
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