Stories from

Ten goats died in a barn fire on Thursday night at 3602 Rose Road, Batavia.

Homeowners Shey and Gina Doane said they also had antiques stored in the barn along with some belongings of Shey's late father.

The fire was reported at 9:13 p.m.

Deputy Fire Coordinator Dan Coffey said the homeowner spotted smoke when he returned home and that the barn was fully involved a few minutes later when the first firefighters arrived on the scene.  The barn was a total loss.

Shey said he had returned from taking his son's girlfriend home when he found the fire.

The cause and origin of the fire is under investigation, Coffey said.

Town of Batavia Fire responded with mutual aid from East Pembroke and Alexander. Oakfield and Stafford provided fill-ins for the responding departments.

There may have been one minor firefighter injury, a slip-and-fall, Coffey said, but he was not treated at the scene.

Crews cleared the scene at 1 a.m.

The Doanes said the goats were rescues rejected by their mothers, so they were raised inside the barn and bottle fed. Gina said the goats were like her kids.

Photos by Kara Richenberg. Kara Richenberg contributed to the story.

A man wanted by Batavia PD on a weapons charge since September 2023 is in custody after being located by U.S. Marshals.

Batavia PD has released little information on the case. 

Royse, age and area of residence not disclosed, was wanted on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree. The release about his arrest does not state what charges he is being held on or what incident the charges stem from.

A reward of $2,500 was offered for his capture. Batavia PD does not say whether the reward will be paid, but the release thanks the community for tips and Le Roy PD for assisting in the investigation.

There is no information on where Royse was located.

At the time the search for Royse was announced, he was on parole for a conviction on burglary in the second degree and had an active parole warrant out for his arrest.

A 59-year-old landlord in Elba was admitted to County Court on Thursday to menacing a tenant at a location on Ridge Road in August. The landlord will serve a year on interim probation.

Michael Joseph Schad, of Ridge Road, Elba, entered a guilty plea to a felony count of menacing.

When he was arrested at 9:05 a.m. on Aug. 24, he was charged with five counts of menacing in the second degree as a hate crime and one count of menacing in the second degree.

District Attorney Kevin Finnell said Schad was accused of using a derogatory racial term directed at his tenant. He said Schad was intoxicated and possessed what appeared to be a weapon during the confrontation with the tenant, which Finnell described as a "tenant dispute." 

Schad has no prior criminal history, and Schad had no history of prior disputes between Schad and his tenant.

ADA Earl Voss prosecuted the case.

Schad agreed to the year of interim probation and to address his anger/substance issues.  He will be sentenced in one year and will if successful on interim probation, will be sentenced to less than 364 days in jail. If unsuccessful, he faces up to four years in prison. 

The tenant has apparently moved out of the property. 

Doc and Mary Sardou bought the Rose Garden Restaurant -- 30 years in business at the time -- in 1954, added a bowling alley three years later and renamed it Viking Valhalla in 1966.

The business is now run by Tom Sardou and his wife, Chris, and this year, Viking Valhalla celebrated its 70th anniversary as a Sardou family business, which helped the restaurant earn a spot on the New York Historic Business Preservation Registry.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley presented Tom and Chris a certificate on Wednesday commemorating the honor.

"We have a great history here of businesses that have been successful," noted Hawley at the start of his remarks, adding, "The fact that you're still here means an awful lot to folks that are here."

Village of Bergen Mayor Joseph Chimino agreed.

"Viking Valhalla is a great asset to our community," he said. "It's a fine place for dining and entertainment, and to say it's been here 70 years is incredible. On behalf of the community, we want to thank you for all your services."

The HBPR was established in 1920. The registry highlights the legacy of local businesses that have significantly impacted their communities, offering them recognition and support to continue growing and serving the public.

Tom Sardou said inclusion in the registry was a great honor. Chris added that it was an exceptional award.

"We just celebrated our 70th anniversary, and now to be inducted into the state's historic registry, it means a lot."

Turning to Tom, she added, "I think your parents are looking down and saying, 'Great.'"

Previously (from 2010): Genesee County Business of the Year: Viking Valhalla Restaurant

Before the presents were handed out to the hundreds of children inside City Church's St. Anthony's Community Center, Pastor Ryan Macdonald reminded the families gathered in the gym why there is a yearly Christmas celebration.

He shared from Matthew 1:20-24. The passage where Joseph learns that Mary will conceive a child through the Holy Spirit is a bit of stunning news that Joseph took some time to consider after an angel told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife.  Macdonald said Joseph was considering the truth.

"The truth that Jesus was coming to the earth," Macdonald said. "The truth is that Jesus is the Christ of Christmas, and he came for you and me. If you go through this season and you don't recognize what Joseph did, he recognized the truth, you'll miss the reason for the season."

Macdonald also thanked the more than a dozen sponsors who provided the funds to buy the presents for the children.

"Let me tell you something: without Jesus, this night's not possible," Macdonald said. "Without Jesus Christ, we couldn't come together like this. Without Jesus Christ, I couldn't go to people and say, 'Hey, will you help us make this night possible?'"

The stage was full of hundreds of toys.  One side of the court was lined with 30 bicycles waiting for their new owners, and after Macdonald's message and short prayer, the families lined up in front of the stage to take their turns for the children to pick out their own presents. The church compiled a list of children who were getting bikes.

The night included face painting, games, pictures with Santa, hot chili, and basketball.

Photos by Howard Owens.

The plea deal Michael Elmore made to avoid a 25-year prison term capped his sentence at 20 years, and that is precisely what County Court Judge Donald O'Geen handed down Tuesday morning.

Elmore admitted to his role in causing the death of Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello at Batavia Downs in March when he entered a guilty plea on Nov. 18 to aggravated manslaughter in the first degree.

In court, after O'Geen had heard from members of Sanfratello's family, from District Attorney Kevin Finnell, and from Elmore's own attorney, who said he believed Elmore was truly remorseful, Elmore apologized to the family for his actions.

That apology appeared not to sway O'Geen, who noted that Elmore seemingly left Batavia Downs in the early morning of March 10 to dispose of a pellet gun he was carrying and then returned swinging heavy gold necklaces heading straight toward Sanfratello and a security guard with the intent of fighting them.

Finnell said the pellet gun could have looked like a real gun if Sanfratello had seen it during a confrontation, so Elmore needed to dispose of it before starting a fight to protect himself.

The incident began in 34 Rush, a bar inside Batavia Downs, and Finnell noted that surveillance footage reveals not just the initial incident but the degree to which Sanfratello was known in the community and that he was highly regarded.  People are seen shaking his hand and patting him on his back as he escorts Elmore and Elmore's fiance, Lyndsey Wilcox, from the facility. 

Finnell argued that Elmore should receive the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison under the terms of the plea deal.

The initial incident in the bar, he said, at most would have resulted in an appearance ticket but Elmore chose to escalate the situation.

Elmore chose that route even as Sanfratello was showing great patience with Elmore and Wilcox, doing his duty as a dedicated public servant but not in an over heated way, but remaining calm and cheerful.

Sanfrantello was just doing his job, Finnell told the court.

Three of the sergeant's children addressed the court, delivering victim impact statements.

Ian Sanfrantello, a corrections officer and volunteer firefighter who was dispatched with the Town of Batavia Fire Department to Batavia Downs on March 10, so the first in his family to learn of his father's death.

He said he stood in the lobby just about 10 feet away as Mercy EMS medics worked desperately to save his life.

"I was the one who had to make the excruciating call to my sister, waking her from her peaceful sleep to tell her that our dad was gone," Ian said.

It fell on Ian to tell the rest of the Sanfratello family "the heartbreaking news."  He also comforted deputies who were visibly shaken by what had just happened.

"But the hardest thing I had to do that night was wake my grandmother and tell her that her baby boy -- her son -- had been taken from us while doing what he loved."

Ian said he's still trying to make sense of the tragedy.

"I find myself asking why anyone would do something so heartless to someone they didn't even know," Ian said. "But that's the nature of criminals, and the man responsible for this is a career criminal.

"My dad dedicated his life to making Genesee County a safer place for everyone," he added. "Because of the actions of these two individuals, the people of this county lost a true hero -- someone who loved what he did and made a difference every day. And I lost my dad."

Kyla Sanfratello said it was hard to process the news that morning that she had lost her dad, as the text messages of condolences poured in.  She thinks about all that was taken from her -- her dad someday walking her down the aisle, meeting his grandchildren for the first time some day, the kiss goodbye and the hugs. 

"Not having him text me on my birthday or see him for all the holidays has been so hard and will still be hard because the truth is, he should still be standing here today, but he's not because he was taken," Kyla said.

Alexis Sanfratello called Elmore's actions "selfish." 

"I am not sure why people think they do not have to obey the police. If you had only listened," she said, "my dad would still be here."

Elmore's sentence includes five years on probation upon his release. On his conviction for obstruction of governmental administration he received a sentence of 364 is jail, to be merged with his state prison term. He must pay mandatory fees and surcharges of $375. The judge signed multiple orders of protection for members of Sanfratello's family and witnesses to the crime.

Wilcox entered a guilty plea on Nov. 18 to assault in the second degree, a Class D violent felony. She pleaded to “causing physical injury to a police officer who was in the act of performing his official duties.” 

She is scheduled for sentencing at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.

When Brothers McClurg, a Grammy-nominated Christian Americana band with roots in Buffalo and a base in Batavia, gather around a mic, they aim to do their part to serve God.

Guitarist Jeremy Thompson looks at it like this: "I feel like it's the kid with the five loaves and the bread just walking up and saying, 'This is what I got, and I want to use it for you, Lord,' you know? (John 6:1-13) If it blesses somebody, that's great. That's just to simplify it because God can do more with our little bit. I just want to get to the end and know that I used my gift in the most fulfilling way."

Not that the talents of Thompson and brothers Anthony Hoisington and Chris Hoisington are anything less than exceptional, but they know they're called not to shine in the spotlight but to do their part to serve God.

On Thursday, they will bring their talents for uplifting music to Northgate Free Methodist Church, where Anthony is the worship leader. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but concertgoers are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items as a donation to the Salvation Army.

Brothers McClurg's journey in music and faith starts with Anthony's and Chris's grandfather, Bill McClurg, a minister and musician. He inspired more than just the name of their band.

"We lived right next door to our grandparents," Anthony recalled during a group interview with The Batavian in their Harvester Center recording studio. "We kind of shared a driveway. My grandfather and my parents traveled as a Southern Gospel group (the McClurg Family Singers) from Upstate New York, which is kind of funny, an ironic thing, and then they retired off the road when I was probably like, eight or nine.

Bill McClurg, a guitar player, continued in the ministry and discovered that, at least in the 1980s, many nursing homes didn't have pastors who would come in and host a service, especially with music. 

Young Anthony and Chris were enlisted to assist. Most of the nursing homes were in Erie County -- the family lived in Akron.

"We would sing and play with him," Anthony said. "It was rather pathetic, but it is what we did. From an early age, he modeled for us a work ethic when it comes to music, but also, sort of, you should go find your niche and your audience. His was, you know, older folks, but that really got us our start, just playing and singing behind him.  Half the time, the audience was excited that we were there and that we didn't need to be perfect." 

Youth group musicians
As young teenagers, they were involved with their church's youth group, and Thompson was involved in his. The youth pastors of the two groups were friends, so the groups would sometimes visit each other's churches, and the home church would lead the worship service, including music.

When they saw Thompson play, they were, like, "Who's that guy?" Anthony said.

"It was about how loud we could get it," Anthony said. 'And back then, it was about how much aggression we could put into music. And he was ripping up there. And I was like, 'Man, I gotta talk to that guy.' The youth group we grew up in was very music-focused. I mean, it was like a bunch of hippies."

Thompson said his youth group was into sweater vests and soccer.

Teenage musicians, of course, are going to want to explore more than just Christian music, even if that doesn't entirely meet parental approval.

"We had parents that were like, if it isn't Christian, you can't listen to it," Anthony said. "We snuck around that, but then, as we got older --I think I would give credit to our parents -- when we started playing in rock bands when we were teenagers, the three of us, we were playing in bars at 16, 17, 18, and we had parents who almost looked at it like a proselytization avenue."

Their parents didn't expect them to play just in church basements and regularly turned up at their gigs. 

After all, where would Jesus go?

"Yeah, we don't mind singing about Jesus. We certainly believe in Him, and that's a huge part of our thing. But we also wanted to be able to sing about life and about girls and whatnot, not in a way that was crass or whatever, but just honest. And we were surrounded by a culture of Christian musicians that wanted to do that," Anthony said.

Growing as songwriters
When it came time to start writing songs together, Anthony and Chris gravitated toward Christian themes. They began performing together at Christian music festivals and at churches. They started to build a base of fans.  They played at Kingdom Bound at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, which led to a Nashville-based record label, Integrity, offering them a contract. 

They then decided they needed a name better representing their musical heritage and family legacy. In homage to Pappy McClurg, they settled on Brothers McClurg.

Given their background in Southern Gospel, it might not be surprising that they drifted toward a sound based around acoustic guitars and tight harmonies. Still, with the rock and folk influences and a bit of bluegrass, they don't fit neatly into a Southern Gospel framework, though they've played those festivals.

Thompson joined the duo early on to make it a three-piece, and they traveled and recorded with a bigger backing band. As Thompson pointed out, traveling with a band is expensive, so one day, they asked him to grab an acoustic guitar and join them.

"Then you naturally land on a spot of like folk, southern grass, or whatever you want to call it, and that was just super natural to us because it wasn't like, 'Hey, let's do this because it would be cool," Thompson said. "It just happened."

Brothers McClurg recorded three albums for Integrity before being dropped by the label, though the album Join the Sound, did crack the Top 40 on the Billboard charts. They were soon signed to an independent label based in Watertown, but the band, this time, decided they wanted to produce the album themselves. 

Escaping Nashville
Anthony said they weren't always satisfied with the final product on their first albums. Their Southern Gospel-inspired sound, ironically, didn't fit with Nashville's penchant for pop song production. 

He decided to take the advance from the new label and lease space for a studio in the Harvester Center, and record the album -- which became their Christmas album, Going Back to Bethlehem -- in Batavia. They could record at their own pace. The lease was for a year.  The album was finished in six months.

Anthony's connection with Batavia began when he was still involved with his church near the University at Buffalo. A young lady from Batavia started attending UB and got involved with that church. Eventually, they married, and Anthony moved to Batavia, at first as worship director for an Assembly of God church and later at Northgate, where he's led worship for 19 years.

Once musician friends found out the studio in the Harvester Center was available for the six months on the lease, they started calling -- from California, Tennesee, and Ohio -- looking to use the studio for their projects.  The temporary studio became the permanent home base for Brothers McClurg. They launched a record label, Old Bear Records, now with 19 artists signed. 

With the studio space, Chris Hoisington emerged as a producer. And he clearly has the mind of a producer. Throughout the conversation at the studio on Friday, his comments often focused on the sound, structure and content of things.

When the topic of Old Bear artist Eric Lee Brumley comes up, he immediately explains what makes Brumley different from many Christian artists.

On Brumley's newest album, Electric Chair, the brothers share some writing credits, and Chris is the producer.

It was fun writing with Brumley, he said, because Brumley is more interested in Bible stories, even ones that do not necessarily end well, like David and Bathsheba.

"When you do Christian music, everything has to be victorious, but it's like, 'Let's talk about some of the sad stories, what you can learn from those outcomes, and how it reflects now," Chris said. 

Chris lives in the Boston Hills area, south of Buffalo, a ski area called Kissing Bridge.  He helps with worship services twice a month with the Free Methodist Church in Fredonia and every couple of months with another church in Olean. 

The music he's been listening to most recently is the music that introduces him to new sounds.

"I think influences for all us varies depending on what we're everybody's listening to," Chris said. "I've been listening to a lot of mid-Midwestern EMO lately, so bands like American Football, this band, C Clamp, just like odd music, but they're all cool guitar parts that interchange between the band members. I've been getting back into bands again because I went through a phase of not really listening to bands because nowadays, everybody's a solo artist."

He said as a producer, the most fascinating music today is perhaps soundtracks.

"They're just creating music based on a visual, so that's a way cool way to make records," Chris said. "They're making music off of whatever they want to make based on a narrative that's happening in the movie. Then, when you pull away, you've created this bizarre music."

From that, he's learned, he said, that you can think more about feel than "we need a guitar part on every song, or we need to have a drum part on every song. We can try a lot of different things." 

He's especially proud of the Christmas album. He said it's a good example of mixing different sounds, from acoustic arrangements to full band performances, including some instrumentals and a bit of narration from "Pappy" McClurg.

"For me, that's probably my favorite thing we've done," Chris said. "It's got that nostalgic thing to it." 

Chris produced or co-produced many of the tracks on Bellsburg (The Songs of Rich Mullins), a multi-artist compilation. Mullins was a Christian singer-songwriter who died in a car accident in 1997.  The album was nominated for multiple Grammy awards. 

Chris and Anthony are working on a similar multi-artist compilation, one of original material based on parables in the Bible and will include such major Christian artists as Terry Taylor, Randy Stonehill, and Phil Keaggy.

He said of a conversation with Stonehill, "I'm like, 'Dude, just write the song.' We want to help shape the production. That's what's nice about what we've always done with Old Bear. Break the rules because we don't have to adhere to anybody's idea of what (it should be). To us, it's like, let's just make Christian music, but the kind that we actually like to hear it, not because we're trying to market it to some Bible app or whatever the case may be."

They've also kicked around a tribute album to the Louvin Brothers classic, Satan Is Real.

When the subject of the Louvin Brothers comes up, both Anthony and Chris acknowledge them as an influence.  There's a general idea in music that siblings make the best harmonies, called "blood harmonies," and Brothers McClurg, including Thompson, who has been playing with Anthony and Chris since they were young teens, think they capture that sound, which was the inspiration for their two albums Around the Mic and Around the Mic Two.

Brothers McClurg are also working on their next album, which the brothers said will be a little different, which Anthony, Chris, and Jeremy are bringing in their own songs and not all of them are explicitly Christian-themed.

For Anthony, music, he said, is for him the most natural way to communicate his faith.  It's doing what he can do to spread what faith in Jesus Christ means.

"If you were to put me in front of a bunch of people, you're not sure what they believe, it is really hard for me to communicate verbally, without music, to communicate what faith looks like to me. If you just said, 'Hey, preach about it or talk, talk, take the music out of it, it would be really hard. Naturally, it's way easier to just sing about it. It's more concise, more to the point, and I think it's a better representation of how I feel. I've always looked at it like there is a purpose for me to do that, and there's no more natural way for me to say what I believe in."

Thursday's show will draw from the Brothers McClurg Christmas album, Christmas song covers, and some of their back catalog.

Old Bear artist The Local Hang-Ups, from Rochester, will play a 20-minute opening set. The duo, Katy Martin and Abbey Sitterley, is inspired by the likes of the Everly Brothers and Simon & Garfunkel.

Northgate Free Methodist Church is located at 8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Officers with Batavia PD, as well as sheriff's deputies later in the morning, participated in the 10th annual Shop with a Cop event at Walmart on Saturday. 

Shop with a Cop allows local children who are selected with the help of school resource officers and school officials from each school in Genesee County to buy Christmas presents for themselves or for friends and family members. Children are provided funds and their own personal police officer or deputy to accompany them on a Christmas shopping trip in the store.  

Walmart hosts and staffs the event.  Walmart also provides funding and goody bags for each child. 

Grant money from Walmart, donations from the City of Batavia Police Benevolent Association, City of Batavia Civil Employee’s Association (CSEA), the City’s “Jeans for Friday” program, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Employee Association and donations made in the memory of Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello makes the event possible. 

Photos by Howard Owens.

Batavia's Just King's Social Club held a toy drive and a visit with Santa in City Centre on Friday night.

WBTA, Ken Barrett Chevrolet, and the Salvation Army teamed up on Friday for their annual toy drive for the families of Genesee County.

The 17 municipalities that co-own the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. can expect a payout of $7.8 million in 2025, according to an operational for the new year approved by the board of directors on Thursday.

If the 2024 estimate of $7.4 million holds, that's a $400,000 increase, but it still falls far short of 2023's record of $10,255,058.

The plan projects a net gaming win of $90,495,000.

Of that, close to $45 million will be paid to state agencies by statute.

The total operating expenses for all operations will exceed $38.6 million. Batavia Downs will account for $33 million of these expenses. This is an increase of $1 million.

Net earnings (profits) from all operations are expected to exceed $8.8 million, with branches generating more than $500,000 in surcharge revenue, losing more than $1.5 million, leaving municipalities the anticipated $7.8 million payout.

Previously: Revenue is up at Batavia Downs but expenses, including wages and contract buyouts, cut into municipal profits

Branch operations continue to be a financial drain on the organization, with revenue steadily decreasing every year. 

The anticipated handle for branch operations is projected to be $38.8 million in 2025, down from the planned handle of $43.9 million in 2024. OTB will earn more than $8 million on commissions, with other revenues exceeding $1.8 million. Statutory payments will be more than $4.7 million. Operating expenses will grow by more than $100,000 to $5.6 million.

There are eight branches within WROTB, 28 EZ-Bets sites(including four expected to start in 2025), plus online and telephone wagering.

The plan calls for Batavia Downs to operate 939 gaming machines, with a win per terminal per day of $267.17 for a total net win of $90.5 million.

Food and beverage revenue is expected to exceed $5.6 million with operational earnings exceeding $1.1 million.

The Rockin' the Downs concert series will return in 2025 with eight concerts, including a promise of some bigger name acts. Projected revenue from all sales is expected to approach $1 million. Net earnings will be less than $100,000.  The plan does not project an increase in hotel and gaming revenue associated with the concerts.

Projected revenue for the hotel in 2025 is $2.9 million with a profit of $780,000.

At the track, between the summer-fall season and the winter season, there will be 71 racing dates. The anticipated handle is $968,200. 

Administrative costs is projected to exceed $8.2 million, an increase of $1 million. The increase is related to ongoing demand for new and upgraded computers and software, legal services, and retirement benefits (including one buyout), plus the increased cost in health insurance.

Health benefit plans will increase by 6.5%.

Peter S. Celentano, Jr., 35, of Bergen, is charged with eight counts of criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, two counts of criminal possession of a firearm, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon 4th. On Sept. 29 and 30, officers executed search warrants on the residence of Celetano in village of Bergen as part of a multi-agency investigation into the manufacture and possession of illegal firearms. Evidence was located at the residence as well as locations in Orleans County. The Sheriff's Office arrested Celetano on Dec. 4. He is accused of possessing large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, short-barreled shotguns, and 3D-printed firearm frames without serial numbers. Celentano was arraigned in Town of Bergen Court and ordered held on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond. Celentano is being held on federal charges stemming from an arrest in October. He is accused of possessing AR-style receivers qualified as machine guns. He is also facing criminal charges in Orleans County following an arrest in November by State Police.

Tyler J. Bull, 22, of Medina, faces multiple unspecified charges following an incident reported at Alexander Central School on Dec. 4. Deputies responded to a 9-1-1 call at 6:02 p.m. The call reported a male assaulting a female in the parking lot. When school officials attempted to intervene, the male pulled out what appeared to be a handgun and menaced staff. When deputies arrived on scene, the male was taken into custody without incident.  The female was known to the male. Deputies recovered a C02 air pistol. Bull was jailed pending arraignment. 

Megan June Courtney, 28, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th. Courtney is accused of withdrawing funds from another person's credit card without permission on Nov. 30 at a location on Park Road, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket. Courtney was also arrested on Dec. 1 and charged with grand larceny 4th, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and petit larceny. Courtney is accused of stealing a credit card, money, and a vehicle in connection to a dispute with another person. She was held pending arraignment.

Timothy Gage Rathke, 24, of Lakeview Park, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and drinking alcohol or using cannabis in a motor vehicle. Rathke was reportedly found by Deputy Jacob Kipler sitting in a parked car on the shoulder of Route 33 in Stafford at 12:57 a.m. on Dec. 2. Following an investigation, he was issued an appearance ticket.

Brennan Pearce Blowers, 36, of East Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to keep right. Sgt. Mathew Clor stopped Blowers at 12:44 a.m. on Dec. 2 on Genesee Street, Pembroke. Blowers was released on traffic tickets.

Zachary Ryan Eichenberger, 40, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd and inadequate plate lamp. Eichenberger was arrested on Dec. 2 on a warrant issued by the Town of Bergen Court stemming from an incident on July 20, 2021. He was held pending arraignment.

Marshawn Jamal Singletary, 42, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd.  Singletary was arrested on Nov. 29 a warrant issued by Genesee County Court. He was held pending arraignment.

Robert L. Drennen, 42, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Drennen is accused of attempting to steal a case of beer. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Veronica Garcia, 44, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC .18 or greater, circumventing an interlock device, drinking alcohol or using cannabis in a motor vehicle, moving from lane unsafely. Garcia was stopped at 12:32 a.m. on Dec. 4 on East Main Street by Deputy Jacob Kipler. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Myejay Nasir Braction, 20, of Wyoming Street, Buffalo, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Braction is accused of shattering the window of a cell door in the Genesee County Jail at 12:45 a.m. on Oct. 16. He was arrested on Dec. 4. He was arraigned on the charge in Town of Batavia Court.

James Carl Malone, 27, of Hopkins Street, Mount Morris, is charged with aggravated criminal contempt, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Malone is accused of violating an order of protection during a disturbance reported at 9:22 p.m. on Dec. 7 at a location on Ellicott Street Road, Bethany. He is accused of slapping another person three times in front of three children. He was held pending arraignment. 

Terrance Lee Falk, 26, of Rochester, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Falk is accused of intentionally damaging the window of the Genesee County Jail at 3:15 p.m. on Nov. 30. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Brandon Ryan Fogg, 38, of Lyman Road, Byron, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, menacing 1st, criminal possession of a weapon 4th, and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd. Fogg was arrested on a warrant issued in County Court stemming from an incident reported on Dec. 3 at a location on West Main Street, Batavia. Fogg was jailed and held.

Casey Thomas Vaughn, no age provided, of Prestige Xing, Batavia, is charged with aggravated criminal contempt, aggravated family offense, unlawful imprisonment 2nd, assault 3rd, and criminal contempt 2nd. At 11 p.m. on Dec. 3, deputies responded to a residence on Prestige Xing, Batavia, to check on the welfare of a female who was subject to a stay-away order of protection. Following an investigation, Vaughn was arrested and held pending arraignment.

Brandi Rose Hough, 29, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed operation, deposited refuse on highway, and uncovered cargo. Hough was arrested on a warrant issued by town of Stafford Court stemming from an incident reported at 6:03 p.m. on July 2 on Route 63, Stafford. Hough was held pending arraignment.

David Henry Kendall, 40, of Sierk Road, Attica, is charged with assault 3rd. Kendall is accused of punching the driver of a vehicle in the face at 9 p.m. on Dec. 10 at a location on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, which resulted in a motor vehicle collision. Kendall was held pending arraignment.

Matthew J. Sanchez-Sanquiche, 28, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with assault 2nd. Sanchez-Sanquiche is accused of assaulting another inmate in the Genesee County Jail at 3:16 p.m. on Nov. 30.

By several metrics, the business of Batavia Downs is growing.

Revenue is flowing in at a record pace. There are more customers, more bets placed, and more bookings at the hotel, but with added success comes added expense, which Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board remembers and executives discussed on Wednesday during the Finance Committee meeting.

Both the casino and hotel have more employees, and with three executives taking buyouts, added expenses have severely reduced the revenue that will be shared with the 17 municipalities that co-own the WROTB.

Based on profits through October, WROTB is paying out $1,677,960 less than it did through October 2023. So far this year, net earnings available for distribution are $7,107,384, compared to $8,785,334 at this time last year.

"I was asked this question by an individual, 'Well, how does that make you feel, Jackie, that the distributions are down?,'" CFO Jackie Leach said during her report to the committee. "I said, "You know, there are reasons why they are down from 2023. One, the board approved a 4.5% wage adjustment for employees.' I've always stated that we're a customer-oriented organization, and your employees are your most valuable assets; 2023 was a banner year for the corporation. So, between the wage adjustments, we do have one leg of Henry's buyout that's included in the 2024 wages, that's the cost of doing business."

In July, the board voted 14-1 to renegotiate the contracts of CEO Henry Wojtaszek, CFO Jackie Leach, and VP of Operations William White to buy out the remaining years on their terms.

Wojtaszek, who earns $299,000, will receive a full year severance. Leach, with a salary of $222,000, and White, with a salary of $160,000, each get six months severance.  By the end of the year, Leach said she and Wojtaszek will receive their full payout, so it will accrue to 2024, for a total of $521,000. White will be paid in 2025.

As for employee expenses, in addition to the 4.5% raise for casino employees, the operation added more than 20 staff positions. Hotel employees received 50-cents an hour raises and the hotel, which is run by a management organization, also added staff.

"The hotel overall has had pretty good revenue," said Paul Bartow, representing Schuyler County. "I guess what you're saying is that we could do better. We need to produce more revenue to cover some of these expenses. If, in fact, it looks like the hotel is doing well, you're like, 'Oh, great,' but it's not doing well enough given these expenses, and these expenses, in some ways, have to be moved, I guess, checked with more revenue from the hotel."

Leach said that's correct.

"When your costs go up, then you've got to make some adjustments," she said.

Ryan Hasenauer, VP of business development, said he and his staff are working on booking more mid-week events in order to increase mid-week room bookings and Leach confirmed that management is looking at increasing room rates.

Total revenue so far this year for the hotel is $2,399,000, up from $2,306,000. Payroll increased from $761,000 to $881,000. Other expenses increased from $647,000 to $682,000.

The other expense cutting into revenue distribution, Leach said, is increased legal expenses.

"Am I concerned? No. I've always said this corporation has to keep reinventing itself because of the competition," Leach said. "We work within a very saturated, saturated market in Western New York."

By the numbers, October was a good month for Batavia Downs. The net video game win was $7,641,556, up over $500,000 from the previous October. The October distribution to municipalities was up by $1,381 ($41,532 compared to $40,151). 

In October, there were 98,676,000 credits played, up from 92,088,000 in 2023. The win per terminal increased from $253.28 to $266.27.

The casino contributed $3.7 million to the state's education fund.

Attendance at the track increased from 74,000 to 76,000.

The casino also saw an increase in food and bar sales. Total sales increased from $676,636 to $774,848. Less expenses, net sales was $526,214.

OTB branches continue to struggle. In October, revenue was down $22,000, at a total handle this October of $3,366,000.  Year-to-date revenue is $36,522,000, a decrease of $5,198,000 (There was a $1.6 million drop in revenue attributed to the closure of one branch).

Total revenue for October is $74,331,000, up $2.5 million compared to 2023.  Expenses also increased from $23,507,000 to $25,429,000.  Salaries increased $985,000, which is still $210,000 less than projected in the 2024 budget.

Besides salary, there has been, so far this year, an increase in expenses of $939,000.

Revenue help should be coming in 2025, Leach said, with new video lottery terminals added to the floor of Batavia Downs, approved by the state, and the anticipated approval of new EZBet machines for bars and restaurants in the region.

"I was assured by the Gaming Commission that the four EZBets that have been in the hopper -- some for a couple of years -- that we could include them in our 2025 plan because they will be approved by year-end, so we will see what happens there."

Douglas G. Goodwin, of Basom, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd, criminal nuisance 2nd, stalking 4th, unlawful fleeing a police officer 3rd, aggravated harassment 2nd, menacing 2nd, burglary 2nd, speeding, failure to obey traffic control devices, failure to stop at a stop sign, speed not reasonable prudent, failure to signal, driving an unregistered vehicle, reckless driving, and aggravated unlicensed operation 1st. Basom was arrested by the Sheriff's Office in Corfu on Nov. 27 following an investigation by the Attica Police Department.  Attica PD reports that in the evening hours of Sept. 16, officers responded to the parking area of Sokol Drive in the village to investigate a report of a suspicious and dangerous person. State troopers and Wyoming County deputies assisted in the response. When patrols arrived, the subject of the call fled on a performance-style motorcycle at a high rate of speed. The driver reportedly failed to respond to commands from police to stop and continued in a reckless and unsafe manner, almost striking a police vehicle. After a short chase the pursuit was terminated to protect the safety of residents.  Through an investigation, Goodwin was identified as the suspect. An arrest warrant was obtained based on witness statements and a victim statement. He reportedly has 14 license suspensions. Goodwin was arraigned in Attica Village Court and ordered held on $20,000 bail, $40,000 bond, or $80,000 unsecured bond. Chief Dean Hendershot stated, "I appreciate the dedication, effort and assistance of all involved, including the Wyoming County, NY Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and the Genesee County, NY Sheriff’s Office. The residents of the Village of Attica can continue to live peacefully in a safe community they each deserve.”

Shawn P. O'Connor, 35, no residence provided, is charged with criminal mischief 2nd, unlawful fleeing 3rd, and reckless endangerment 2nd. O'Connor was arrested on Nov. 24. He allegedly fled from deputies attempting a traffic stop on Route 63 north into the village of Oakfield, where he crashed his vehicle after hitting a Sheriff's patrol vehicle in the parking lot of the Oakfield-Alabama Central School. He was taken into custody without incident. Multiple objects in the parking lot were reportedly struck by O'Connor's vehicle. He was issued 17 traffic tickets and held pending arraignment. Additional charges are pending.

Nyejay Nasir Braction, 20, of Wyoming Street, Buffalo, is charged with assault 2nd. Braction is accused of attacking a corrections officer at the Genesee County Jail at 6:50 p.m. on Oct. 15 and breaking the guard's finger. He was arrested on Nov. 15. He was arraigned and held.

Carl E. Canterbury, 54, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance 3rd and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Canterbury was arrested on Nov. 14 on a sealed indictment following an investigation by the Local Drug Task Force into the possession, transportation, and sale of crack cocaine in the city of Batavia. Canterbury is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the task force on two occasions while in the city of Batavia. He was arraigned in County Court and jailed.

Jerad Michael Stalker, 40, of Indian Falls Road, Corfu, is charged with falsifying business records 1st and criminal possession of stolen property 5th. Stalker is accused of selling stolen merchandise to Pawn King on Veterans Memorial Drive on Aug. 26 and signing a form stating he was the rightful owner. He allegedly stole the merchandise from a vehicle on West Main Street, Batavia. He was arrested Nov. 19 and processed at the Genesee County Jail.

Reanne Pauline Reed, 30, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Reed was allegedly involved in a scuffle at Batavia Downs at 9:14 p.m. on Nov. 20. Reed was taken to the Sheriff's Office and issued an appearance ticket.

Ryan Michael Bobzin, 35, of West Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation 1st, driving while impaired by drugs, and unlicensed driver. Bobzin was stopped at 4:28 p.m. on Oct. 2 on Townline Road Bergen by Deputy Zachary Hoy. He was arrested on Nov. 20. He was issued traffic tickets and released.

Ryan Philip Harrison Clarke, 35, of North Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and harassment 2nd. Clarke allegedly violated a "refrain from" order of protection by yelling in a person's face at 4:20 p.m. on Nov. 21 at a location on East Main Street, Corfu. He was held pending arraignment.

Zachary N. Knapp, 27, of East Avenue, Batavia, is charged with felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and driving a vehicle on a highway. Knapp was stopped at 2:29 p.m. on Nov. 23 of Veterans Memorial Drive in connection with an investigation into a larceny in the area by Deputy Ryan Mullen. Knapp was released on an appearance ticket.

Mossy Earl Jones, 21, of Bloomingdale Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with DWI and moving from lane unsafely. Jones was stopped at 2:04 a.m. on Nov. 23 on Bloomingdale Road, Alabama, by Deputy Nicholas Jennings. He was released on appearance tickets.

Matthew Ryan Clarke, 32, of Middleport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, dazzling headlights, speeding, and moving from lane unsafely. Clarke was stopped at 1:31 a.m. on Nov. 24 on Route 77 in Pembroke by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell. He was issued on traffic tickets.

Sarah Ann Malone, 42, of Graham Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing/blood circulation, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Malone was arrested on a warrant issued by the Town of Bethany Court on Nov. 26 and held pending arraignment.

Nichole Marie Boldt, 25, of Route 237 Byron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and inadequate lights. Boldt was stopped at 6:02 p.m. on Nov. 27 on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, by Deputy Zachary Hoy. She was issued traffic tickets and released.

Email weather-related photos to howard@thebatavian.com or text 585-260-6970

First responders have been dealing with multiple traffic mishaps this morning.

At one point this morning, tractor-trailers were blocking both directions on Route 19 at Parmalee Road in Le Roy. Law enforcement is still on scene at that location and looking to reroute traffic.

A tractor-trailer vs. car accident was reported earlier at Route 237 and Richmond Road.

A vehicle rollover accident was reported at Route 63 and Judge Road.

UPDATE 7:04 a.m.: A vehicle in the ditch on Route 238.  Also, vehicles are finding it difficult to get up hill on Richmond Road. Route 19 north is passable now but law enforcement wants to hold off opening up the road until plows hit it one more time.

UPDATE 7:08 a.m.: Law enforcement is checking on a vehicle at Colby and Sumner, Darien, with its four-ways on.

UPDATE 7:12 a.m.: As soon as there's more salt on the road, Route 19 at Parmalee can be reopened in both directions.

UPDATE 8:28 a.m.: A vehicle is off the road on Ford Road, Elba.

UPDATE 8:34 a.m.: A road patrol reports that Route 63 out of Pavilion, all traffic is stopped. Dispatch said they've received no calls on it.

UPDATE 8:34 a.m.: A road patrol requests traffic be blocked at Route 20 and Route 63, south. There are tractor-trailers blocking traffic and several of them "just parked."

UPDATE 8:52 a.m.: A patrol is in place to stop traffic southbound on Route 63. Other patrol reports that roadway is just about cleared. It might be only another five minutes.

UPDATE 8:58 a.m.: A patrol is dispatched to Route 20 and Route 98, Alexander, to direct seim-truck traffic northbound.

UPDATE 10:56 a.m.: Rollover accident reported on Route 98 at Goodman Road, Alexander. The operator reports no injuries.  A white pickup has struck a mailbox in Pavilion. DOT wants Route 20 shutdown between Route 98 and Route 238. 

UPDATE 10:57 a.m.: Tractor Trailers are backed up on Route 20.

UPDATE 11 a.m.: A travel advisory is being issued for Genesee County from Route 20 to the south.

UPDATE 11:11 a.m.: On Route 20, Alexander, there is a UPS truck on its side, a Budget truck in a ditch on the wrong side of the road, and a passenger vehicle off the road (which has its own tow on the way).

UPDATE 11:12 a.m.: In Le Roy, there are vehicles off the road on Vallance Road and on Perry Road.

UPDATE 11:42 a.m.: There may be a jack-knifed semi on Route 238, Alexander. 

UPDATE 11:46 a.m.: Route 238 is open both directions between Route 20 and the village of Attica.

UPDATE Noon: An Amazon van is struck on Stroh Road, Alexander.

Photos of Route 19 from Thursday morning via Le Roy PD:

Following an investigation into a hit-and-run accident at 5:11 p.m. on Tuesday on East Main Street near the Mobile Gas Station, police took into custody Jeffrey Plath, no age provided, of Stringham Drive.

The victim of the hit-and-run accident was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital. His name was not released. Batavia PD reports he is in satisfactory condition.

At the time of his apprehension, Plath was allegedly found with a switchblade knife, which police said he did not use or threaten to use. 

Plath is charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, unregistered motor vehicle, uninsured motor vehicle, and leaving the scene of an injury accident.

He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Police ask that anyone with information related to the case to call Det. Mathew Wojtaszczyk at 585-345-6357.

There is a lake effect snow warning in effect from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 1 p.m. on Friday.

The storm could produce accumulations of eight to 20 inches of heavy, wet snow in some areas. Wind gusts of up to 40 mph are anticipated, which will create considerable blowing and drifting snow. 

The warning is effect for Northern Erie County and Genesee County with the heaviest snow expected south of Buffalo and far southern Genesee County.

Residents are told to expect difficult travel with deep snow cover on roads and poor visibility. There will be areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Heavy snow will fall in relatively narrow bands. If traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibility.

Cancellations and closures:

• Elba Central Schools will be closed tomorrow due to the state of emergency declared by Governor Hochul and the forecasted winter storm. 
• Byron-Bergen Schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled on Thursday.
• Batavia City Schools will be closed for classes and activities on Thursday.
• BOCES is closed
• Richmond Memorial Libray is closed.
• Notre Dame is Closed.
• Pembroke Central School District is closed Thursday
• Oakfield-Alabama Central School District is closed Thursday
• Alexander Central School District is closed Thursday
• Pavilion Central School District is closed Thursday
• Le Roy Central School District is closed Thursday
• Genesee Community College is closed.
• Northgate Free Methodist Church office is closed for Thursday.
• The Batavia Society of Artists show opening at Richmond Memorial Library will be rescheduled in January.
• The Christmas Dance for Adults with Developmental Disabilities has been postponed due to the winter weather. The dance is rescheduled for Thursday, December 19^th at 6 p.m. Please pass this information on to your dancing buddies!
• Due to the County Travel Advisory, The Pembroke Town Board meeting Scheduled for tonight is being moved to Wednesday 12/18 at 6:00 PM.

Please email cancellations and closures to news@thebatavian.com.

Staying open:

• Northside Deli.

Regarding the State of Emergency, Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “As winter weather bears down on our State, I am declaring a State of Emergency so our communities have the resources they need to stay safe. We are deploying resources and working alongside our partners in government as we prepare for every possibility — I encourage all New Yorkers to stay alert, stay off the roads if possible, and keep in contact with family and friends as we move through the next 48 hours.” 

The State of Emergency is in effect for Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Franklin, Genesee, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Wyoming and contiguous counties.

The Genesee Chorale presents its annual Christmas concert at 2 p.m. on Saturday at St. James Episcopal Church, 405 E. Main St., Batavia, featuring baritone Joseph Finetti.

Finetti is featured in the performance of "Fantasia on Christmas Carols," composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The chorale will also perform "Magnificat" by Taylor Scott Davis.

Tickets are $10.