Howard Owens's blog

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At one meeting about the future of the Wiss Hotel building, Trustee Jim Bonacquisti said he looked forward to driving south on Route 19 and seeing the Presbyterian Church without the Wiss blocking the view.

After the building was done, Mayor Greg Rogers said, "The other day I had the opportunity after the building was somewhat down to come up Lake Street. My personal opinion is nothing looks more inviting and I'll say more New England than to see a wooden white church with a steeple and and open porch as you drive into a community. It's pretty striking. It really kinds of shows you the place where we all live."

This is a picture taken this morning of the church from behind where the Wiss once stood.

Syracuse.com: Gov. Cuomo uses Spider-Man filming to brag about made in NY movies, TV shows

While out and about late this afternoon, early evening, working on a future story, I took a few pictures.

Above, Oatka Creek, Village of Le Roy.

State Street, Batavia, near the Thruway overpass.

Watson Road, Elba.

Two Batavia-area athletes competing for Fredonia State made strong showings this past week at the SUNYAC Outdoor Track & Field championship meet at SUNY Cortland.

Eric Williams won the 110-meter high hurdle title and Max Radley finished second in the men's hammer throw.

Williams, a freshman, won with a time of 14.70 seconds.

Radley's best toss measured 52.34 meters. Radley is a senior.

Fredonia is a Division III NCAA school.

A fourth suspect has been rounded up in the joint-agency investigation into thefts in the Le Roy area of high voltage wire from industrial facilities.

Dustin G. Nicometo, 25, of Bernville, Pa., has been charged with burglary, 3rd, and grand larceny, 2nd.

Nicometo is the brother of Michael A. Nicometo 28, 45 North St., Le Roy.

The older brother was arrested in March. Later, two alleged accomplices were also taken into custody: Jonathan D. Smeak, 22, of State Street Road, Batavia, and Joseph Paul Pratt, 18, of Church Street, Le Roy.

Police allege that Dustin was living with Michael at the time of the thefts and participated in the crimes.

Le Roy PD arrested Dustin in Bernville and returned him to Le Roy for arraignment. Correction: Dustin was arrested locally.

The found men are accused of being part of a ring that stole high voltage wire and copper wire from a warehouse on Lake Street in the Village, from Dolomite's Gulf Road facility and from other locations in the town and Village of Le Roy.

Dustin is accused of participating in the thefts between Nov. 30 and Jan. 2.

According to Le Roy PD, no further arrests are expected in the case.

Bail for Dustin was set at $15,000 cash or $30,000 bond.

Oak Orchard Road, north of Lanckton Corners (the intersection with North Byron Road), Elba, will be closed for a bridge replacement.

Work begins in the morning.

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A reader told us how this pile of trash wound up in Dewitt Recreation Area. He and his wife went to the park Saturday evening and police were talking to two gentleman by a truck near the playground. After talking with police, the men went to a party in the Pavilion. As the party broke up, one man with the group gathered all the garbage, walked over to the woods and dropped what you see above. So here's a request of whomever dumped this: Go clean it up. Don't litter our parks.

Trustee Denis Rohan and Mayor Scott Schuler removed the gateway signs for the Village of Elba this afternoon so they can be given a fresh coat of paint and spruced up a bit.

The big question is what to do with the "Pop.: Just Right" on the sign. Rohen and Schuller said the village might add a motto to the bottom sign. The concern is that "Pop.: Just Right" sends the wrong message, a message that indicates new residents aren't welcome. Rohan said it's important to communicate that everybody is welcome in Elba.

Elba Central School teachers Jeremy Rath and Tammy Plucknette were recognized today in a faculty meeting in the school's cafeteria for their recent accomplishments.

Rath (right in the top photo) has been named an Outstanding Music Teacher by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

Plucknette (second photo) was selected from among 3,000 applicants to be among 200 teachers on the Learnzillion Dream Team.

Learnzillion is developing curricula and material to help teachers implement common core lesson plans as part of new federal guidelines.

She just returned from a four-day trip to San Francisco to learn how to make videos for Learnzillion's Web site.

Rath was selected from among music teachers in nine Western New York counties and will be honored at RPO's concern May 9.

"This means great things for Elba," said Stephanie Rudman (with Rath, top photo), who helped organize the recognition reception. "We're a little school in Genesee County and we have two awesome teachers. It's a small reflection of all the teachers we have in Elba. It's a great school."

Below, Principal Chris Salinas presents the teachers with certificates of appreciation.

An anti-religious vandal damaged three church buildings in Batavia overnight.

The person used black spray paint to scrawl "Religion is a mind virus." 

At Grace Baptist Church, 238 Vine St., the tag "NOZ" was added.

Also struck were the Assembly of God at 24 N. Spruce St. and City Church downtown on East Main Street.

The perpetrator, if ever caught, is facing possible prosecution for a hate crime under New York law, said Officer Jamie Givens, who is handling the investigation.

She said the other charges include graffiti and criminal mischief.

At City Church the phrase was sprayed on glass and was easily washed away by church staff.  At Grace Baptist the vandal damaged painted brick, and at Assembly of God, wood, which will be more costly and difficult to repair.

In all three locations, Givens said, the vandal used black spray paint and the handwriting matches in all three cases.

Nobody has reported seeing anything suspicious around the churches last night and there are no suspects or suspect descriptions available.

There were no cameras in the area that could be used to help identify the suspect.

There are no other reports so far of other churches being hit.

Givens said there's no apparent "rhyme or reason" as to why these three churches were targeted.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation can contact Batavia PD at (585) 345-6350.

The Batavian: Dailey says proposed school budget is as lean as it can be

Dispatchers have received a report of an ultra-light airplane going down in the area of 8956 Putnam Road, Batavia.

There's been only one call and the caller isn't sure where it went down.

Bethany fire is dispatched.

UPDATE 7:42 p.m.: The caller was about to call back when law enforcement arrived on scene. Since the initial call, the ultra-light has pass over head again. "He must be practicing stall techniques because the engine cut off and cut back on," the deputy said. Bethany fire is back in service.

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A "bonfire-like" fire is reported near the railroad tracks off Lehigh Avenue, Batavia.

It is growing in size.

City fire responding.

UPDATE 7:39 p.m.: Property owners are "cleaning up a hedgerow" according to a fire captain. 

UPDATE 7:44 p.m.: Fire extinguished. City fire back in service.

Oakfield-Alabama's Salina Stymus connects for a home run during a tournament game in Nunda.

The Hornets advanced to the championship game, but dropped the match 7-0 to Keshequa.

Information and photos submited by Ron Welker.

A brush fire is reported in the area of 10650 Transit Road, Bethany.

Bethany fire responding.

UPDATE 1:02 p.m.: It's a rough road in and the chief wants the truck driver to use caution to avoid damaging the truck. "The fire is pretty much contained," the chief says.

UPDATE 1:08 p.m.: A tanker from Pavilion requested to stage at the road in case needed.

UPDATE 2:01 p.m.: The fire was put out about 20-30 minutes ago and all units are back in service.

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It was a long day of baseball at Dwyer Stadium Saturday as offense dominated in all four games leading up to a 19-1 tournament championship win for the Batavia Blue Devils over the pitch-weary Oakfield-Alabama Hornets.

This was the 15th year for tournament, sponsored by the Batavia Rotary Club.

To reach the finals, Batavia beat Attica 8-6 and O-A beat Notre Dame 10-9, erasing a 7-0 deficit for the comeback victory.

In the consolation game, Attica downed the Irish 14-10 in a game punctuated by numerous complaints about the ball-strike calling of the home plate umpire.

Zach Hale was named tournament MVP after fanning 15 in the nightcap.

And nightcap it was. The game was scheduled to start at 7 p.m., but with the high-scoring games prior to the championship game, the Blue Devils and Hornets didn't take the field until 8:15 p.m.

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

Town of Batavia Fire took delivery Thursday of a new ladder truck.

The 100-foot platform ladder has been designated Ladder 25 and should go into service this week, replacing the old Ladder 25, which will be sold.

The new truck was built by Spartan ERV out of South Dakota.

The truck committee members were: Chief Paul Barrett, First Assistant Chief Nate Fix, Second Assistant Chief Bob Hunt, Deputy Chief Dan Coffey, Captain Bob Tripp, Lt. Jason Holman and firefighters Scott Malay, Joe Aveno, Chris Long, Ryan Palmer and John Fitzsimonds.

The total cost of the truck was $915,000.