It's been a couple of weeks since I've drawn your attention to this, but The Batavian continues to publish more local news than any other source, and we more frequently beat the competition than we get beat on local stories.

By local, we mean Genesee County, which is all we cover.

We cover more events. We publish more local photos. Our calendar has more local events -- more events publicized in one place than you can even find on social media (send your calendar items to be included to news@thebatavian.com).  This week, for the first time, we published a listing of local music at local venues, which makes us the only local publication to offer such a calendar.  We publish more press releases, which also helps you stay better informed about what's going on in the local community (send press releases to news@thebatavian.com). I didn't include much sports in the list below, including the Muckdogs, because we don't have a sports staff, but we have beat the competition on sports stories, and we seem to have more coverage of the Muckdogs these days.  

All of this adds up to The Batavian being a complete and comprehensive local news outlet like none other around here.

A report by Northwestern University says that local newspapers are dying at a rate of two per week. The future of local news is digital, which is why you should support online local news.

We work hard to bring you the news, sometimes too hard (I put in more than 100 hours this past week), which is why we started Early Access Pass.  Local news isn't going to survive without reader support. It simply isn't sustainable without readers helping pay for it.

Please join Early Access Pass today.

Here's a list of stories from the past week that The Batavian beat the competition on, and often the coverage is still only available on The Batavian.

• The unremarkable but still valuable sports career of a Batavia boy (Part 2), by David Reilly
• Music and open containers go hand-in-hand at Ramble, by Joanne Beck
• Muckdogs fans show artistic flair during drawing contest Monday, by Joanne Beck
• 'Mayhem' coming to Batavia ice arena July 16, by Joanne Beck
• Dog that attacked people in South Main Street residence surrendered, euthanized, by Howard Owens
• From board member, volunteer and doula, Staebell takes on interim ED role at Crossroads, by Joanne Beck
• UPS workers in Batavia demonstrate their willingness to strike in brief picket, by Howard Owens
• Water shortage means no spray parks in 90-degree heat, Joanne Beck
• Champions crowned for 2023 season in Batavia Youth Baseball, by Howard Owens
• Local chef smokin' in Corfu with BBQ restaurant and catering service, by Jazmyne Boozer
• Photos: Spray Park open in Batavia, by Howard Owens
• Le Roy claims district Little League title, moves on to regionals, by Howard Owens
• Photos: Craig Morgan and Drake White at Batavia Downs, photos by Nick Serrata
• Photos: Jackson Square concert series opens with Skycats, by Howard Owens
• Photos: Eli Fish Carnival in Jackson Square, by Howard Owens
• First-place Muckdogs stay hot behind dominating pitching of Ryan Kinney, by Howard Owens
• Photos: Alexander Firemen's Tractor Pull, photos by Nick Serrata

Many of these stories were available only to members of Early Access Pass during the first four hours of publication. Click here to join Early Access Pass. 

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The Alexander Volunteer Fire Department hosted its annual tractor pull on Friday and Saturday.

Photos by Nick Serrata.

Muckdog's manager Joey Martinez promised at the start of the season that the 2023 edition of the hometown team would feature strong pitching.

Ryan Kinney is the latest Batavia starter to prove him right.

Kinney took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against top division rival Elmira at Dwyer Stadium on Saturday night to help the red-hot, division-leading Muckdogs notch its fourth-straight win, 4-2.

The right-hander from Winter Haven, Fla, is now 3-0 on the year with a 0.42 ERA after going 8 1/2, giving up two hits and two runs. He struck out nine Pioneers.

Rijnaldo Euson came on to get the final out for this third save.

The Muckdogs are now 19-8 after winning 10 of their past 12 games and are three games up on Elmira (15-10) in the Western Divison of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.

The win was also Batavia's 15th straight win at home.

Adam Agresti raised his season average to .409 by going 3-4 with two RBIs and two doubles.

Giuseppe Arcuri went 2-3 with a run scored. Trey Bacon was 1-3 with two RBIs.

Attendance was 1,599.

Batavia is home again on Tuesday against Geneva. Game time is 6:35 p.m.

Photos by Nick Serrata

A porch fire is reported at 7959 North Road, Le Roy.

That's between Conlon Road and Lake Street. 

Le Roy Fire, along with Bergen and City of Batavia, dispatched.

Eli Fish Brewing is hosting its second annual carnival in Jackson Square today (Saturday).

The carnival runs until 10 p.m.

Photos by Howard Owens.

The Friday evening concert series in Jackson Square, sponsored by the Business Improvement District, kicked off the 2023 season with the Skycats.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Country music recording artist Craig Morgan, with hits such as "That's What I Love About Sunday," "Almost Home," "Redneck Yacht Club," "Little Bit of Life," and "International Harvester," brought his tour into Batavia on Friday with a stop at Batavia Downs.

Opening for Morgan was Drake White as part of the summer's Rockin' the Downs concert series.

This Friday, the show will get a little more rockus with Skid Row taking the stage.

Photos by Nick Serrata.

A gas pipe is reportedly broken in the woods across the street from 2319 Richley Road in Darien.

The location is between Ridge Road and Simons Road.

Darien Fire dispatched.

Le Roy's 12-U Little League team is the district champ and next plays in the sectional championship, which will determine the teams to play in the state tournament.

On Friday, Le Roy defeated Allegany 8-0 with two pitchers combining to throw a shutout. 

Matthew McCulley went five innings striking out 12 batters, and Michael Warner came in in the 6th to shut the door and claim the title. The two pitchers gave up only three hits on the night.

 Le Roy scored three runs in the first, two in the second,  and three in the fourth, and gathered 15 hits in the game.

 Catcher Eddie Lathan threw out two Allegany baserunners on attempted steals.

 Hits were recorded by Sammy Bogue (3), Drew Beachel (3), Dalton Luke (2), Eddie Lathan (2), Carter McClurg, Ethan Rose, Matthew McCulley, Michael Warner, and Ryker Vangalio. Runs scored were Sammy Bogue (3), Drew Beachel,  Dalton Luke, Carter McClurg, Michael Warner, and Ryan Crissy.

 Team members include Sammy Bogue #24, Drew Beachel #13, Matthew McCulley #42, Michael Warner #5, Ryker Vangalio #2, Eddie Lathan #6, Blake Biracree #0, Ethan Rose #28, Dalton Luke #11, Carter McClurg #99, Ryan Crissy #8, and Carson Wetsell #23 (missing from photo)

Le Roy went 6-0 on district play, giving up only seven runs while scoring 56 runs.

Submitted photos and information. 

The temporary shutoff of water to Batavia's spray park in Austin Park Friday, with temperatures approaching 90, is over, and a steady stream of kids was hitting the park throughout Saturday morning and into the afternoon.

Mikayla Brown and James Malone went to the park on Saturday to cool off with no idea the park had just been through a temporary water shutoff.

Malone said the spray park is important on hot days.

"When it gets to be 90 degrees some days, with the humidity, yeah, yeah, it would be kind of sad (without water)," he said.

When told the water was temporarily shut off because of a water shortage, both Malone and Brown said they could understand why it would be shut off. 

Le Roy's spray park had also been turned off, and there has been no word on whether it was up and running again for the weekend.

Previously: Water shortage means no spray parks in 90-degree heat

After selling barbecue in front of his house to help locals endure the 2020 pandemic, Nick Rada decided it was time to translate his training and skills with smoked meat and open an authentic Southern BBQ restaurant in Corfu.

It's where his lifelong passion has led him.

“I’ve always had a passion for it. I always would hang out back by my grandfather’s pond. [I would] cook over live fire,” Rada said. 

After years of cooking with fire, Rada found himself in Greenville, S.C., and he said a man nicknamed “Mr. T” showed him old-school southern barbecue. It was there that Rada’s passion for barbecue was solidified. Now, after barbecuing first as a hobbyist, then for those during the pandemic, Rada has opened his own restaurant. 

The restaurant offers catering, limited dine-in services and takeout. 

Diners can enjoy Southern classics like smoked barbecue chicken, pulled pork, chopped beef and more. Rada also takes great pride in not just perfecting his main dishes but his sides as well. Macaroni and cheese, collard greens and tangy cole slaw are fan favorites. 

“It’s about as authentic and true you will get to real barbecue compared to anywhere down south. Even though I’m up in New York State, come on in, and you’ll have good barbecue. I take pride in it.” 

He makes his own sauce, mixing his own sauce that he developed with a store-bought sauce.  The baked beans and potato salad are made from scratch.

He said during the summer, most of his business is catering, and his weekends are frequently booked.

Burnin’ Barrel BBQ is located at 10 E. Main St in Corfu. Open from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays. 

Photos by Howard Owens.

The season has been played, the championships contested, and in Batavia Youth Baseball, after finals were played, two teams stand atop the rest.

In the 12U Division, The Guardians edged out the Dodgers 2-1.

In the 10U Division, The Royals Barbershop Mets defeated the Angels 10-8.

Submitted photos and information.

Le Roy Central School District families ended their week with some good news for student athletes Friday through a letter sent home by the Athletic Department, Superintendent Merritt Holly says.

The district has formed a new partnership with Genesee Valley BOCES to offer a certified strength and conditioning staff “that will be creating a strength and conditioning program for all our students in grades 7-12,” the letter from Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Mathew Davis stated.

It continued:

The program is specifically designed to build athletes into the strongest and fastest version of themselves. This targeted performance program concentrates on a scientifically specialized type of training that will increase an athlete's strength, speed, explosiveness, quickness, acceleration, and vertical jump. Training will be provided for both off-season and in-season sessions along with being implemented into sport specific practice times throughout the year.

The strength and conditioning staff will also be partnering with our long-time Certified Athletic Trainer, Amanda Sheflin. This newly established partnership will certainly bring a competitive advantage to our student athletes’ ability to gain strength, recover faster, minimize sport related injuries and improve overall health and wellness.

This summer programming will start on Monday, July 10th and run through Friday, August 25th. All training sessions will take place at the Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School fitness center. Our coaching staff encourages all Modified, JV, and Varsity athletes to take advantage of this excellent FREE opportunity to enhance their overall strength, fitness, and performance this summer!

The schedule will run from to 8 to 9 a.m. and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, with Fridays being open.

Davis was not available for further comment Friday. 

Anyone with questions may contact the Athletic Office at 585-768-8131.

Press Release:

The Holland Land Office Museum's History Heroes Summer Program is back for 2023 from Tuesday, July 25 through Saturday, July 29. The program is for children ages 7-12. 

This year's theme is "I Survived the Civil War" and features lessons about various groups and their lives during the Civil War. This includes not only soldiers but also women and children and even President Abraham Lincoln. Each day runs from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. and includes crafts, games, music, presenters, historic food, and more. 

The price is $40 per day or $30 for museum members. Please contact the museum to sign up or for more information. Registration forms and information can also be found at the museum website, www.hollandlandoffice.com.

Press Release:

On Monday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., resurfacing operations will occur on the following listed roads:

• Dorman Road – Creek Road to Alexander Townline Road
• East Road – Creek Road to Putnam Road
• Shepard Road – Putnam Road to Batavia/Bethany Townline Road
• State Street Road – City line to Saile Drive

Traffic should expect delays and short-term closures while resurfacing operations occur. All through traffic should seek alternative routes. 

Residents on the listed roads will be permitted access to their property but may experience delays. Work is weather dependent. If postponed for weather, work will resume the next work day.

If there are any questions concerning this work, please, contact The Town of Batavia Highway Department at (585) 343-1729, Extension 218. Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

Press Release:

Genesee Community College is pleased to announce The BEST Center will be offering new technical programs this fall. With the changing needs of the workforce and the increased need for individuals trained in technical skills, the BEST Center will offer a variety of programs including Introduction to Electric, Refrigeration, HVAC, Heating, Plumbing, Computer Numerical Control, and Cybersecurity courses.

Introduction to Electric will be one of the first courses to be offered. It is scheduled for Saturdays from September 16-November 18, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. "The course times and hours were selected to allow working professionals to take the class outside of their regular working hours," said Jennifer Wakefield, executive director of Workforce Development. "These new technical programs will benefit many employees and companies in the GLOW region. Reports are generated monthly demonstrating the unfilled positions in our region due to the lack of skilled employees. We hope to close this gap with these new offerings."

In addition, through the SUNY HealthCARES Grant, training for GCC Health Care Studies students and BEST Center clients will be offered in a virtual reality format. Students will be able to use ocular headsets loaded with industry-recognized curriculum to explore healthcare career options, practice techniques, learn new skills and prepare for industry-recognized certifications. In addition, students will be connected with local healthcare organizations for career pathway preparation.

New programming requires new staff to provide service to our companies and students. Kathy Wood is the Regional Coordinator for the SUNY HealthCARES Grant. A resident of Le Roy, Kathy has over 20 years of combined experience in program coordination and healthcare workforce development. Christa Palmer, also new to the team, is the Coordinator of Technical Programs for the BEST Center. Christa is a resident of Batavia and joins GCC with over 25 years of experience in education.

"Technology gives our companies important business tools, which leads to gains in productivity and profitability. These new courses for high-demand careers will provide the training needed for our companies to be successful," said Dr. Craig Lamb, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at GCC.

The BEST Center at GCC is the recognized regional leader in developing the skilled workforce that powers local economic growth. The Center serves individual employees, as well as businesses large and small, with seminars, workshops, and trainings designed to improve the performance of people and processes.

For more information contact Vice President, Development and External Affairs Justin Johnston at (585) 345-6809, or via email: jmjohnston@genesee.edu.

Press Release:

HCR Home Care has earned Home Health Heart Failure certification from the American Heart Association®, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all.

The certification provides an evidence-based framework for evaluating home health agencies against the American Heart Association’s rigorous science-based standards for heart failure patients, including program management, patient and caregiver education and support, care coordination, clinical management, and quality improvement.

“Obtaining American Heart Association certification for our heart failure program is a tremendous accomplishment,” said Adrianne Mann, RN, BSN, MSHA, chief nursing officer and administrator of HCR’s Certified Home Health Agency. “Our staff provides quality care to our patients, and it is great to be recognized for all of their hard work and dedication.”

“I am proud to be part of such an amazing interdisciplinary team of home care experts,” said Chris Chimenti, senior director of clinical innovation, HCR Home Care. “We have been working with the AHA for more than a year to achieve this valued designation. This partnership will ensure the highest standards of care are offered to our patients living with heart failure.”

“This certification affirms the lifesaving mission and goal of the American Heart Association to help every person everywhere have the opportunity for a longer, healthier life,” said Kyle G. Lavergne, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, American Heart Association volunteer and founding member of the certification standards writing committee and director of clinical programs of the LHC Group. “We’re pleased to have HCR Home Care join the national network of American Heart Association Home Health Heart Failure certified agencies.”

The certification signifies confidence that:

• An agency’s heart failure program is based on standards aligned with the American Heart Association science.
• The agency is recognized by the American Heart Association, based on professional evaluation criteria designed by heart failure and home care experts.
• Care is coordinated from pre-admission through working with the home health agency to discharge.

Raymond L. Leach, III, 22, a former Batavia football star who has been called among the greatest high school running backs in New York State history, has been charged with rape and sexual abuse.

The Sheriff's Office announced his arrest on Friday. 

Leach is charged with rape in the first degree, a Class B felony, criminal sexual act in the first degree, a Class B felony, and sexual abuse in the first degree, a Class D felony.

All charges are related to an accusation that Leach had sexual contact with a person incapable of giving consent. 

According to a Sheriff's Office investigation, Leach allegedly subjected another person to sexual contact, including sexual intercourse as well as oral or anal sexual intercourse while the person was incapable of consent due to physical helplessness.

The Sheriff's Office states that the alleged crime occurred in the Town of Batavia in August.

Leach was arrested Wednesday by Batavia PD on a sealed grand jury indictment and turned over to the Sheriff's Office, and arraigned in County Court that day.  He was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled back in court for further proceedings on July 18.

In 2018, Leach set the Section V single-season scoring record with 310 points. That was fifth all-time in the state. He set the Section V single-season rushing record at 3,012 yards, which was sixth all-time in the state. He scored 50 points against Cheektowaga on Nov. 10, 2018, a Section V record. He is first in Section V in career rushing yards at 6,203. He also leads Section V with 111 career touchdowns. 

Leach carried Batavia to a state title game in 2018, which the Blue Devils lost to Glen Falls and their star QB Joseph Girard.

Before the start of the 2018 season, Leach and former football and basketball teammate, Antwan Odom, were involved in a dispute, and Odom was accused of stabbing Leach. 

Odom was charged with assault in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.

The young basketball star was represented by flamboyant Buffalo attorney Frank Housh.

In a jury trial, Odom was found not guilty.

Earlier this year, Housh was suspended by the Bar Association for misconduct in handling the civil matters of other clients.

In May 2022, Odom was charged with an alleged burglary in Covington. His trial on that charge was stopped after Housh was suspended.

Following Housh's removal from the case, new counsel was appointed for Odom and Odom and his co-defendants entered guilty pleas. 

According to Wyoming County District Attorney Donald O'Geen, Odom entered a guilty plea to four counts of burglary in the second degree, a Class D violent felony.  He was sentenced on May 18 to five years in prison and five years on parole on each charge, with each term running concurrently. He was ordered to pay restitution of $10,411.87.

In the same case, Christopher McClinic entered guilty pleas to the four counts of burglary in the third degree. He was sentenced in accordance with his plea agreement:  one to three years in prison on each charge to run concurrently.  He was also ordered to pay the same restitution. McClinic entered his plea on July 29, 2022, and he was sentenced per the plea deal on June 15, 2023.