An SUV and semi-truck have reportedly collided in the area of 254 Broadway Road, Darien.

The location is between Countyline Road and Harlow Road.

Possible serious injury with entrapment.

Mercy Flight is on ground standby. 

Darien Fire, mutual aid from Corfu, and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 3:03 p.m.: When a first responder arrived on scene shortly after the accident was reported, the semi was off the road and the roadway was not blocked. The driver of the SUV was out of the vehicle and walking. The driver of the tractor-trailer was conscious and alert but trapped because the cab was up against a tree.  Alden was requested to respond to assist with extrication but then the scene commander said the driver could be extricated with just a ladder. Alden's ambulance requested to the scene. Mercy Flight not required.  The SUV driver is likely a signoff. The right saddle tank on the truck was ruptured, about 75 gallons. DEC arrived on scene at 3:19 p.m.

“Parent and Family Resources in Our Communities” is the topic of the next quarterly meeting of the GOW Opioid Task Force.

“Local professionals will be joining us to discuss this important topic,” said Christen Foley, coordinator of the group that includes members from Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

The hourlong meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. on July 21 at The Recovery Station, 5256 Clinton St., Rd., Batavia. Foley said that this will be the first exclusively in-person meeting since January 2020.

Speakers include:

• Jessica Budzinack, case manager at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, specializing in services for pregnant and post-partum women, and for those who have had children born with exposure to substances;

• Dawn Stone, peer specialist with Spectrum Health & Human Services, who provides mentoring services to individuals and families in recovery;

• Angela Angora, director of Reintegration Services at Caz Recovery.

All will be presenting on their roles and their experience working with families, women and children, and will outline all of the services they provide,” Foley said.

A free Narcan training session will take place at 11 a.m. at The Recovery Station. All participants will receive a Narcan kit.

The link to register for the meeting and/or the training is as follows:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/july-2022-quarterly-meeting-tickets-361006509187

A proposal to build a 650-foot turbine off Dry Bridge Road in Alexander is just dust in the wind after Alexander's Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously to deny Borrego Energy the necessary variances to construct such a massive structure.

The primary variance was to allow the turbine to stand taller than the 500-foot limit for windmills in the town.  The ZBA also turned down variance requests for changes to property setback requirements.

At the ZBA meeting in June, Borrego representative David Strong said the height of the wind turbine was driven primarily by changes in technology and the standards of the industry. It's just no longer possible to build 500-foot tall -- the standard when the Town approved its zoning code -- windmills.

Given that limitation, it's unlikely Borrego will pursue a smaller windmill on the property but, Strong said his company hasn't made any decisions about its options.

"We won't make any decisions at this point," Strong said. "I'm certainly disappointed that the benefits to the town and to the landowner and to the community with 10 percent (reduced cost for electricity) at least won't be realized."

The proposed 4.5-megawatt windmill would have been the only wind turbine on the 147-acre parcel as part of a community-based renewable energy project.

The 650-foot tall turbine is the only real option, Strong had told the ZBA during its meeting in June and, he reiterated that point on Tuesday evening after the project was rejected by the ZBA.

"What was clearly presented to the zoning board were reasons why you can't get turbines that are shorter than 500 feet today, commercially available in the market," Strong said. "That's the challenge today for a viable community wind project that really does give benefits to the local residents. Pilot agreements, host community grants -- these projects can only work with wind turbines around the size that we presented to the board."

William R. Humphrey, 38, of Le Roy, and Maxwell J. Reigelsperger, 20, of Atlanta, NY, are charged with criminal mischief 2nd, grand larceny 4th, and conspiracy 5th. Humphrey and Reigelsperger are accused of removing a catalytic converter from a vehicle without the owner's permission. They were arraigned in Pavilion Town Court and released on their own recognizance.  Deputy Nicholas Chamoun and Investigator Kevin Forsyth investigated the incident.

Aaron J. Gaylord, 44, of Hart Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Gaylord is accused of switching price tag stickers from C-clamps to two sets of Husky tools and then using self-checkout to scan the items with the incorrect bar codes before leaving the store. Gaylord was arrested by Deputy Blankenbert, processed at the Genesee County Jail, and released on an appearance ticket.

John Mark Stevens, 61, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with disorderly conduct.  Stevens is accused of creating a hazard or offensive condition at 10:58 p.m., July 8, at a location on Lake Street, Le Roy. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Mathew W. Ianiro, 27, of Elm Street, Le Roy, is charged with harassment 2nd and criminal mischief. Ianiro was arrested in connection with an incident reported at 4 p.m., July 8. on Elm Street, Le Roy. Ianiro was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and an order of protection was issued.

Jessy Lynn Miller, 35, of Church Street, Le Roy, is charged with menacing 3rd and harassment 2nd.  Miller was arrested in connection with an incident reported at 10 p.m., July 11, at a location Mill Street, Le Roy. Miller was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and an order of protection was issued.

• That more than two-thirds of students in Genesee and Orleans counties in grades 7, 9 and 11 who reported drinking alcoholic beverages said they got it at home – some with their parents’ permission and others without their parents’ knowledge of the behavior?

• That slightly less than 20 percent of 11^th graders in the two counties reported past 30-day use of an electronic cigarette or vape pen with nicotine?

• That less than 40 percent of students perceive there is harm caused by marijuana use, which represents a significant decrease over previous years?

Those are just three of the critical data points derived from the Community-Level Youth Development Evaluation survey administered to students in grades 7, 9 and 11 in 2021. The survey was commissioned by Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and facilitated with the assistance of Catalyst Insight of Depew.

The survey, known as CLYDE, is modeled after the former Communities That Care Youth Survey, a nationally validated study developed at the University of Washington to assess youth attitudes, behaviors and community risk and protective factors. It also incorporates elements from the Prevention Needs Assessment Survey by Bach Harrison.

GCASA has been surveying youth at the Genesee and Orleans schools it has had relationships with for several years. The latest survey resulted in 2,234 valid responses from pupils in the three grade levels.

“It was determined to survey these particular grades, especially 11^th graders – understanding that they would be seniors the following year and that strategies could be applied to prevention efforts targeting those students, if needed,” said Shannon Ford, director of Prevention at GCASA.

GAUGING PUPILS' USAGE, PERCEPTIONS

The survey’s questions are formulated in a way to procure accurate information regarding students’ usage of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and their perception when it comes to parental attitudes and the degree of harm caused by these substances.

Core measures include past 30-day use, perception of harm of substance use, perception of parental disapproval of substance use and perception of peer disapproval of substance use.

Risk factors explored -- related to an increased likelihood of substance use problems for youth -- included favorable laws and norms, perceived availability of drugs, family conflict, commitment to school and peers’ attitudes and use of alcohol, cigarettes and/or drugs.

Protective factors, or areas where youth can be shielded from substance use, include opportunities for social involvement, family attachment and belief in laws and norms.

“In general, students believe that their parents are opposed to ATOD (alcohol, tobacco and other drug) use, but it is concerning that 69 percent of those who reported they drink – about 23 percent of those surveyed – say they obtained the alcohol at home, both with and without parental permission,” Ford said.

Sheila Harding, GCASA’s assistant director of Prevention, said the agency continues to emphasize the dangers involved with students’ drinking at home or at their friends’ homes.

“Too many parents are not understanding the risks involved in allowing underage drinking in their homes,” she said. “There are liability issues, potential injury or even death and criminal implications. The responsible answer is to not allow this activity.”

VAPING: AN INCREASING CONCERN

Vaping is an increasing concern, Ford said, adding that “an alarming number” of 7^th-graders – 3 percent -- have indicated they are vaping with nicotine.

As noted above, 19.7 percent of 11^th graders in the two counties reported vaping with nicotine in the past 30 days while another 11.1 percent reported vaping with marijuana over the same time period.

“Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances around and now we’re seeing vaping with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the crystalline compound that is the main active ingredient of cannabis),” Harding said. “These vape pens are being marketed to our youth and we’re seeing harmful effects on the adolescent brain which isn’t fully developed.”

The survey revealed that marijuana use by 11^th-graders was at 14.4 percent – which is down by about 50 percent from the survey of three years ago. Interestingly, the students’ perception of harm is at 38.7 percent, which also is less than previous years.

“This perception data is likely due to cannabis legalization and the use of medical marijuana,” Ford said. “But just because it is legal for adults, it doesn’t remove the risk to students. It’s still illegal for those under 21.”

LEGALIZING POT CHANGES VIEWS

 On a national level, rapid decreases in marijuana risk perceptions by adolescents have not translated to a dramatic drop in usage, however.

“Prevention leaders may need to consider different strategies as well as targeting cannabis use risk perceptions,” Ford offered. “As more states legalize recreational marijuana use, further monitoring of predicted use trends are essential.”

Ford pointed out that although much of the national focus is on the opioid epidemic, GCASA and other agencies haven’t pulled back their prevention strategies when it comes to alcohol, tobacco and marijuana.

“We’ve been able to secure grants for compliance checks of retail establishments in both counties – something that we haven’t done in awhile but will be getting back to,” she said. “In the past, we have found that bars, restaurants and convenience stores are doing a good job of not selling to those under the legal drinking age.”

Other key findings from the 2021 CLYDE survey are as follows:

• Past 30-day alcohol use in grade 11 fell to 19.6 percent – down from 46 percent in grade 11 in Orleans in 2019 and from 33 percent in grade 10 and 50 percent in Genesee in 2018.

• Around 90 percent of 11^th-graders indicate parental disapproval of alcohol and cigarettes but that drops to 78 percent when it comes to marijuana.

• Concerning peer disapproval, overall the percentages range from 78 to 88 regarding alcohol, tobacco and prescription drug use, but it falls to 74 percent concerning marijuana.

When looking at risk factors, 60 percent of students surveyed indicated a low commitment to school was the leading risk factor, followed by 45 percent that reported parental attitudes favorable to substance use and conflicts in the family unit.

ADDRESSING PROTECTIVE FACTORS

On the protective side, 71.6 percent responded that social skills were important, followed by 65 percent who indicated the importance of extracurricular activities in school and 60 percent who indicated the availability of community service programs.

“Social skills are enhanced by evidence-based programs in schools offered by GCASA and by the individual schools, while prosocial involvement is enhanced by community service hours and volunteering,” Ford said.

Prevention initiatives – by agencies such as GCASA and through school-based programming – have led to a significant decrease in binge drinking (five or more alcoholic drinks in a row over the past two weeks), she added.

“Overall, just 5 percent reported binge drinking in the past 30 days. That means that 95 percent of students are not doing this,” she said. “We’d like to believe that our prevention efforts are taking hold.”

Another area of concern is the mental and emotional health of students, especially coming out of two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The survey indicated that 33.4 percent of students reported that sometimes life is not worth it, 44 percent said I am no good and that 40 percent were depressed – and it was consistent across the three grade levels,” Ford said. “Without question, COVID has had an effect on students, but more resources need to be devoted to addressing this issue.”

For more information about the CLYDE survey or GCASA’s Prevention efforts, contact Harding at sharding@gcasa.org.

Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for GCASA.

Press release:

Councilmember at Large Bob Bialkowski, who serves as an Aircraft Commander in the USCG Auxiliary, completed an extensive course on aviation survival.

This two-day course was conducted at the FAA’s Mike Mulroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on June 27 and 28.

CG Auxiliary pilots from the United States convened on Sunday, June 26 in preparation for the course which began the next morning.

The course was an intense two days and covered many aspects of emergency egress from aircraft and survival.

• The topics covered and practiced included:
• Flight Physiology, Spatial Disorientation, and Flight Simulator.
• Emergency egress which was taught in a smoke-filled airliner fuselage
• Water survival skills (significant time in pool) including emergency raft, rescue hoist, survival and emergency equipment training.
• Cold room, Cold weather survival skills.
• High altitude chamber with reduced oxygen levels to teach the debilitating effects of hypoxia which leads to unconsciousness.

Many classroom hours were spent with FAA instructors teaching the above subjects.

All the attendees successfully completed the training and returned home on Tuesday evening.

Last year, Thomas Rhett threw a bit of a stylistic curveball to fans with his album “Country Again: Side A,” which moved away from the pop elements and modern production that had been a big part of recent albums like “Center Point Road” (2019) and “Life Changes” (2017), and featured a more organic, more country and more relaxed sound.

But when Rhett tested songs from the album during an early 2021 run of shows at the famous club Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, he felt the songs didn’t translate to the live stage the way he hoped.

This triggered a reaction as rejiggered his live show and as he and his songwriting collaborators got together to write during the 2021 tour, Rhett found he was in a different headspace than when he made “Country Again: Side A” during the pandemic.

“I think we just wanted to go in there with joy,” he said. “I wanted the recording process this time to not be so weighty and heavy and just have a blast doing it.”

Rhett headlines at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Friday.

The album that emerged, the recently released “Where We Started,” retains a few songs in the “Country Again: Side A” vein, but also should appeal to fans who like the poppier side of Rhett’s music.

“I kind of wanted to give the people who fell in love with ‘Life Changes’ and ‘Center Point Road’ a few songs that kind of reminded them of that,” Rhett said. “But I also wanted to give a lot of songs to people who really loved ‘Country Again Side A.’ There’s a little bit deeper of a piece of that on this record. I feel like as a whole, it’s one of the most well-rounded albums that we’ve gotten to make.”

A willingness to test musical boundaries without losing the country thread or accessibility of his music has made Rhett one of country’s top stars and most consistent hitmakers over the past decade, with six albums that have produced 19 No. 1 singles.

“This is for sure the longest show we’ve ever played,” Rhett said. “I think we have a 25-, 26-song set list this year, which I’m really excited about. There’s going to be something for everybody.” 

Photo by John Shearer.

John Marucci has a message for his district citizens.

He is an open book, he says. And the newly elected Batavia City Schools board president intends to lead the board with a commitment to “honesty and transparency.” That means don’t be afraid to contact him when necessary.

“Please reach out to me should you have any questions or concerns. I’m here to assist the members of the district in any way I can,” he said to The Batavian. “I’ve lived in Batavia for eight years and absolutely love this community. I look forward to serving you in this new capacity.”

What do you see as priorities for the board president?
My priorities as BCSD Board of Education president include ensuring that Superintendent (Jason) Smith and our school administration have everything they need to successfully execute the programs and initiatives outlined in our recently passed budget,” Marucci said. “I’m proud to work alongside my fellow BOE members, who are very committed to supporting the BCSD and doing what's best for our students, staff and community.”

Marucci was recently sworn into his new role, which officially began July 1. Each board term runs through June 30 of the following year. This is Marucci’s second three-year term, and it expires in 2025. He will be coming in as the board leader with prior experience as the vice president for a year. As 2022 progresses onward toward 2023, he looks forward to working through the budget process and planning for the future, he said.

He’s also excited to be able “to work in a closer capacity with Superintendent Smith,” he said, adding that he thinks Smith was a “fantastic hire” who is going to do great things for the city school district.

“I think he's done a phenomenal job during his first few months with us and I can't wait to see what he does in the future,” Marucci said.

What goals would you like to set for the board and its role with the district for this next year?
“The BCSD BOE actually sets our goals collectively each fall,” he said. “We have an upcoming retreat planned where we'll all come together a

nd collaborate on what we hope to prioritize for the upcoming school year.”

Marucci has been a resident of Batavia since July of 2014. Three of his children are Batavia High School graduates and a son is in the Class of 2025 at the school. Marucci has served on the Batavia Bulldawgs Board and as a coach for seven years. He is a recipient of the Jim Ellegate Memorial Award by The Niagara / Orleans Football Association for “The Love  of the Game and More Importantly The Love of Children." He previously served as the head coach for the BCSD Modified Wrestling Team and also assisted in coaching Batavia Little Devils Youth Wrestling Club. 

Giving credit where it's due
Aside from his own personal and professional goals, Marucci wants to thank former board President Alice Ann Benedict for her leadership during the last two years. Being a veteran board member who also served on the board for several years before this stint, Benedict provided an education for other members, he said.

“She is a seasoned member of the Board of Education, and I certainly learned a lot about being president by sitting beside her. I was always impressed with how she ran meetings, how professional she was, and (how) she presented herself and the district,” he said. “I’m extremely happy that she has another year with us on her current term, where she'll continue to be able to contribute her knowledge and passion for education and the district.” 

Benedict’s term is up on June 30, 2023. Member John Reigle, whose term is up in 2024, was voted in as vice president during the group’s recent reorganizational meeting. 

Reigle was appointed to the board in August 2020 to fill a vacancy.  He and his wife, Ashlee, have three children – one who graduated in 2020, another who attends BHS, and one who attends John Kennedy Intermediate.

A lifelong Batavia resident, he earned a football scholarship to South Dakota Tech upon his graduation from BHS, and he played there for three years, studying business before returning home. He is currently the manager of Timebuyer Auto Sales and has remained active in youth sports as a founding member and commissioner of the Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football and Cheer program. 

Reigle believes that, with his relationships with the district families, teachers, and faculty members, that "I will contribute towards the continued success of our district both academically as well as with our extracurricular activities such as athletics, arts, and music," he said. 

It’s a topic that has come up before: maintain a residency requirement or not for a new hire?

City Council has discussed the topic over the years — usually when a qualified candidate has everything city officials are looking for, except for living in Batavia. The City Code has required that the city manager and assistant manager, plus other department head positions, maintain their residence in the city.

Former City Manager Jason Molino raised the issue when seeking an assistant manager and police and fire chief. He pointed to the fact that sometimes qualified candidates walk through the door but don’t meet that one requirement. It becomes a question of filling the vacancy with someone perceived as the right candidate or with someone less qualified but who lives in the city.

It really didn’t make for much discussion; most everyone was fully on board with the idea. There isn’t a danger of setting a precedent, Council President Eugene Jankowski said, because a former council agreed how to handle the situation.

“Several years ago, when Jason Molino was still here, he talked about the difficulty of finding talented people to work here because of the residency requirements. So at the time, the discussion was, let's take it on a case by case basis, where certain lines will not be crossed,” Jankowski said to The Batavian after Monday’s meeting. “Like, as far as city manager, that person will have to live in the city.”

At other times, though, there are “certain circumstances that are beyond people's control,” and when they are good and talented people, council will try to make an exception if that's appropriate, he said.

“In this particular case tonight, that was one of those cases. We have a talented individual, very actively involved in our community, from the community, and he just happens to live a few miles outside the city,” Jankowski said. “I mean, he's definitely one of the residents, just visually not in the city. But he spends a lot of time here. So taking all that into consideration. from my perspective, I thought it was a wise move, to keep that talent here and bring it out into the city. And maybe hopefully, over time, when his kids get through school, he'll want to live in the city, he'll move back.”

“Personally, I like to see anybody getting a paycheck from the city living in the city,” he said.

Tabelski explained that it was only after an extensive search that she made an offer to Fix, who is the current president of Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

She understands that the residency requirement is in the city Charter, but on the other hand, “we have a really qualified person who really wants to come in and do the job,” she said.

“And I recruited him after showing him my neighborhood revitalization thoughts. And that's what piqued his interest, because I had recruited Eric the first time around for assistant city manager, and he declined me graciously, but we've kept a relationship ever since. And then this time around, we had a lot more conversations and I recruited him again. And the sticking point was that his family is established in Le Roy, and the residency requirement goes with the position,” she said. So I think, not speaking for council, but I do think they felt comfortable after understanding that this is, you know, Eric said, ‘it's just where I lay my head. I'm in the city of Batavia every single day. And my parents are here. My family is here, other siblings are here.’”

“Not that he wasn't doing that with the chamber, but he doesn't want to see the city's neighborhoods get in any more way or shape of decline,” she said. “So I'm excited, absolutely excited to work with him. He is a very thoughtful leader and he catches on to things very quickly, and I think he'll hit the ground running.”

If, at some, point Fix was to become the city manager, that waiver would not automatically go with him, she and Jankowski said. The manager position’s residency requirement to live in the city of Batavia will remain, they said.

“So this way, it gives us some control. When we're able to keep it as if it was a blanket no residency requirement, I think it would be more difficult to get somebody maybe to live here in the beginning of their career,” Jankowski said. “This way it gives them something to draw them in. And most of the ones that have moved here, there's been no complaints.”

Fix was hired at a salary of about $103,000.

File photos: Erik Fix, City Councilman Bob Bialkowski, and City Manager Rachael Tabelski. 

More than 50 groups, from high school marching bands and this year’s Little League champs to Shriners in their tiny cars, the Hitmen Brass Band, American Legion colorguard and floats each from three different alumni classes, the 2022 Oatka Festival will remind spectators what they’ve missed during the pandemic.

After two long years of social distancing, this year’s festival promises folks two full days of parade entertainment, assorted yummy food tents, a fishing and a duck derby, the reunion gathering of Class of 1965, ’67’ and ’77, a music tent, children’s activities, a car show, photo contest, and craft and food vendors.

The fun kicks off Friday evening with a dance for LeRoy students that runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for grades one to six and 8 to 10 p.m. for grades seven to 12. The festival runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on the banks of Oatka Creek and in Trigon Park.

“It’s Le Roy’s little state fair, just a little community get-together," said Scott Ripley, chairman of the parade committee.

It’s an understatement to say planning such an event takes time.

“I start calling people for the parade in January; you've got to book them early," Ripley said. "The parade is awesome, I love the parade. It lasts for a good hour.” 

His first year helping out was in 2012, and he recalled how he and his wife Mary Margaret handed out coupons for a free cookie from her prior bakery shop. They handed out 500 of them, he said. The parade typically draws much more than that, as people line both sides of Main Street.

Ripley has also served as parade announcer and has become well-versed in most aspects of the event, from the “fire department’s potatoes” to a surprise at this year’s duck derby.

He was happy to book a return visit from Downbeat Percussion, which was last there about six years ago. The group’s first performance was in 2013, and it has expanded throughout New York State, including for the Buffalo Bills, and in Canada for parades. Downbeat’s website states the group “will energize your parade with our world-class performers and entertainers.”

“So that's gonna be exciting to see the original percussions of the Buffalo Bills,” Ripley said.

The parade is to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, and anyone that walks in unregistered — but is ready to go — will still be accepted, he said.

Other groups include the Mighty St. Joe’s Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, a crowd favorite, and The Hitmen Brass Band, a fun and talented group of musicians, who dress the part in colorful pin-stripe zoot suits. Formerly from Attica, they were founded in 2002 by World Drum Corps and Buglers Hall of Fame Member David Martin. 

Ripley just registered two more groups this week, including Limerock Speedway and an auto-detailing company. A first-time float from Le Roy’s Historical Society will pay homage to Ingham University, which once graced the banks of the Oatka in Le Roy, New York and was the first women's college in New York State and the first chartered women's university in the United States.

Back to those potatoes, which the fire department buys whole, slices, and fries into a golden crispy french fry. There’s also Le Roy Rotary’s hotdogs, plus pizza, pulled pork, chicken barbecue and beef on weck.

Kids will have plenty to do, Ripley said, with a mini petting zoo, a child-friendly mechanical bull, a rock wall, Mr. Scribbles, a boot camp challenge and a two-lane balloon slide.

Is your child photogenic and like Jell-O? Snap a picture and enter it for the Toddler’s First Picture Eating Jell-O contest. There will be a public vote of the entries during the festival, and the winner receives a basket full of Jell-O products. Entries must be submitted by Thursday.

Vendors will be selling their wares of glass fixtures, T-shirts, rugs, Farmers Market produce, baby booties, washcloths, meat and more. There will also be a K-9 demonstration, a used book sale and music by various artists, including a Fleetwood Mac tribute band. A 50/50 raffle promises one winner $500 on Saturday and another winner of half the grand total pot on Sunday. Both drawings are set for 5 p.m. each day. That grand bounty is at least $1,000 “for sure,” Ripley said.

For more information about the festival schedule or related events, go to oatkafestival.org.

2018 File photos of Le Roy's Oatka Festival. Photos by Howard Owens.

Here are two videos from 2019, when Le Roy was able to last host the Oatka Festival.

A tractor in the sun on Rose Road, Batavia, with storm clouds approaching.

Submitted by Cara Winkstern.

Press release:

Effectively immediately, we are closing York Road, between Perry Street and South Street for a culvert replacement.  It will not be open for local traffic or emergency vehicles.

UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: York Road has reopened.

A farm truck has reportedly pulled down electrical wires in the area of 7850 Tesnow Road, Alabama.

A fire has started in an adjoining field.

The driver is trapped in the truck.

Alabama Fire dispatched along with mutual aid from Pembroke and Indian Falls.

Fire police requested to close traffic at Wright Road and Akron Road.

UPDATE 12:32 p.m.: National Grid arrived on scene about 15 minutes ago.

UPDATE 2:58 p.m.: According to a fire chief, there were no injuries to the driver and no damage to the truck or trailer. 

Muckdogs looked to even up the last series against the Niagara Power last evening at Dwyer and did so in big fashion scoring runs in five of nine innings. 

Niagara jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an RBI by Coleman.  Batavia tied the game 1-1 with a Corso walk RBI.  After another walk RBI and throw off base Muckdogs take a 3-1 lead after one.

Kenny Dodson stole home in the second inning and Gavin Schrader brought home Josh Leadem, Muckdogs lead 5-2 after four.

Josh Leadem, co-player of the game tonight, going 3 for 3, 2 RBI’s, two runs, 2 second base hits, smacked a triple to right that brings home two more Muckdogs to increase the lead by five, 7-2 in the bottom of the fifth.

Caleb Rodriguez and Levis Aguila combine to make it 9-2 in the sixth, before Bryan Fry smashed a big triple making it 10-2. Then Tyler Cannoe brings Fry home making it 11-2 after six innings of play and eventually the final score.

Starting pitcher Joshua Milleville (pictured in second photo) was outstanding behind the plate.  Pitched seven innings allowing 2 runs with 8 K’s and is 3-0 with the win and co-player of tonight’s game.

Batavia has outscored their opponent the last two home games 23-5 and improves their overall record to 18-10, Niagara drops to 10-20.

Next game is tonight home at Dwyer Stadium, versus the Jamestown Tarpskunks with a 7pm start.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Matt Gray and his folks, Bob Gray and Sharon Valyear-Gray, sat in the audience during City Council’s conference meeting Monday evening. Matt was waiting to hear what came soon in the business meeting that followed: a unanimous 9-0 vote to approve his pitch as Batavia Sports Facility Management to fully embrace operations at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena.

"I'm very proud of him," Valyear-Gray said.

City officials’ reactions ranged from happiness to nostalgia.

“This is fantastic,” councilman Paul Viele said. “It’s good to see local people interested in the ice rink.”

Councilman Bob Bialkowski and President Eugene Jankoski were excited about the prospects of having a local Batavian on board.

“It’s great, just great to see community involvement,” Bialkowski said.

The contract is with Matt as owner of Batavia Sports Facility. It’s a five-year contract, with up to three five-year renewals. Matt, who has partnerships with Eli Fish Brewery and Matty’s Pizza, has an eye toward the snack bar with thoughts that perhaps some of that familiar food and drink would be served there.

"We do plan, in the very near future, some upgrades to the existing snack shop. We do have a five-year plan with quite a bit of capital improvements to it … so we do hope that we can extend the snack bar into more of a sit-down area inside the rink,” he said.

Since he was in kindergarten, Matt played ice hockey at the Evans Street arena, all through high school and even when he attended college locally, he said. So it’s fair to say that he’s been actively involved with the ice rink and Ramparts hockey team for more than a decade.

“But even more than that, I’ve been active for the last five years or so with development of that area,” he said during a quick interview with The Batavian after the meeting. “So not only am I interested in doing the necessary improvements to the rink  - it is aging, it’s over 40 years old — but it also could be an economic catalyst for the entire downtown area. My goal was to see it used to its fullest, not only for more of the residents of the city and town of Batavia but also drawing more people in from (outside of the local area).”

Matt’s proposal is “super exciting,” City Manager Rachael Tabelski said to The Batavian after the meeting. She was a teen in the early 90s and remembers Batavia as “really a fun place to come to.” The city had amenities such as an arcade of games, a swimming and wading pool and a fairly active ice rink.

“I think we’re bringing the 80s and 90s back,” she said.

Matt clarified that he doesn’t have an official partnership with Robbie Nichols, owner of Batavia Muckdogs and CAN-USA Sports and operator of Dwyer Stadium. But because of Nichols’ extensive background in the business of sports, he and Matt have been discussing various ideas for the rink.

“He did reach out to me with his expertise and his experience in order to be part of this, both for marketing and someone I can go to for just knowledge on risk management,” Matt said.

Activities planned for the rink include special events, dog shows, rollerskating, youth and adult floor/roller hockey, gym classes, home shows, indoor basketball and soccer, gun shows, all in addition to open skates and ice hockey leagues.

Batavia Sports Facility is taking over for former operations company Firland Management, which did not renew a contract in July.

Previously: From beer and pizza to ice, Batavia entrepreneur proposes his next venture

Photo: Batavia entrepreneur Matt Gray walks out of a City Council meeting Monday evening with the approval from all nine council members for his proposal to operate and manage the ice rink as Batavia Sports Facility Management.

Following years of jokingly being addressed as a key dignitary for the Redfield Parkway neighborhood, Jim Owen finally got his wish.

The native Batavian, former teacher, coach, active citizen and well-known figure around town was dubbed the title Mayor of Redfield during City Council’s meeting Monday.

After reading some of Owen’s history, Council President Eugene Jankowski presented the 1961 Batavia High School grad with a proclamation to recognize his “many years of dedicated service within the city and the Redfield neighborhood.”

“The City Council of the city of Batavia hereby extends this proclamation to Jim Owen for his devotion, dedication and service to the city of Batavia and names him the Mayor of Redfield Parkway,” Jankowski said.

If you don’t know Owen, an affable guy with a sense of humor, a coach’s perseverance and a teacher’s knowledge of Batavia’s history, then you must not have attended a ribbon-cutting, school event, business opening or a myriad of other activities that Owen has made certain to attend.

Long regarded for his involvement on his two lane street wedged between the veteran’s hospital and West Main Street, Owen probably could have run for Mr. Batavia. He’s the friendly face and sociable personality at, well, most everything.

Unofficially, Owen has been called mayor by many who know him, and he has gladly accepted the title.

James (Jim) Owen grew up with his family on Redfield Parkway and made the seasonally decorated street part of his life for nearly 80 years. It's lined with Christmas trees in winter, jack-o-lanterns in the fall and baskets of flowers in spring and summer. He’s the son of Frank E. Owen (whose name now graces Batavia High School’s auditorium), and Natalie Walker Owen. Jim lived on the parkway with his siblings, Kathy and Robert.

After graduating high school, Owen attended Morrisville Institue of Technology, followed by Rochester Institute of Technology. He was first hired as teacher in Sacketts Harbor and later at Hamburg Central School, where he enjoyed his work and coaching cross-country for 35 years.

He retired from Hamburg Central in 2003. Owen then returned to his beloved 2 Refield Parkwy home, obtained a job as a substitute teacher at Batavia City Schools and assisted with “all things Redfield.” Those who do know Jim Owen call him mayor for his exhaustive participation in his neighborhood and informal role as ambassador in the community, his proclamation states.

In December 2021 GO ART! dedicated its library to the Owen family, which includes his father Frank, a music teacher who developed much of the music program at the city schools. A man of humility, Jim Owen has been first to point the attention elsewhere, primarily to his late sister Kathy for all of the work that she did in their neighborhood and beyond, and to his family.

After offering his “warm thanks” to council for the honor, he reminded the audience — which included a group of his Redfield neighbors — that “you are not only honoring me, you are also honoring Kathy Owen, the queen of Redfield Parkway, and the Owen family.”

He took a trip down memory lane while providing a little history lesson about his neighborhood. The corner lot, number 2, was previously owned before being sold to his parents “by a very prominent lady at that time,” he said. That was none other than Edna Gruber Reeves, a well-known “professional madam.”

His dad, Frank, made sure to handle the closing of the property sale at an attorney’s office, as he thought it was much more proper than to be seen walking out of Edna’s place.

After everyone had a giggle, Owen thanked neighbors Mike Riggi, Michael Dibacco and Linda Conroy for coining the term “Mayor of Redfield Parkway” for Owen, and the many others who kept that moniker alive all this time.

“Now it is official,” he said. “Thanks to the City Council and all the people that made this day special.”

Top photo: Batavia resident Jim Owen, aka "the Mayor of Redfield Parkway," shows the proclamation given to him during City Council's meeting Monday at City Hall. Above, City Council President Eugene Jankowski reads the proclamation to make Owen's title official. Photos by Joanne Beck.