Local law enforcement officers were the first on scene on Monday afternoon for a house fire at 24 Lincoln Ave., Le Roy, and jumped into action with three fire extinguishers and a garden hose to help keep the fire under control until Le Roy Fire arrived on scene.

The responding officers were Officer Terrez Smith, Detective James Prusak, and Deputy Jenna Fernando.

The fire was reported at about 1:40 p.m. with smoke and flames showing. 

Bergen Fire, Pavilion Fire, and Stafford Fire also responded.

It took about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire.

Photos via Le Roy Police Department.

Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to bid in a public internet auction for a beautiful 4-bedroom, 2-story home, showcasing exquisite Victorian-era rooms and a breathtaking staircase. Nestled in the charming Town of Alabama, NY, this property exudes historical elegance. Updates will be needed to restore the home to its original splendor, but it holds tremendous potential. 

Enhancing its appeal, the estate includes a delightful carriage house and an intriguing "ice house," all set on a generous lot of nearly one acre. This is more than just a home; it's a chance to own a piece of history.

Two branches of Erie County-based OLV Human Services have chosen to widen their scope and settle into Genesee County under one roof to offer counseling, evaluation and treatment for children and adults.

One is the OLV Outpatient Counseling Clinic with each a part-time and a full-time clinical therapist and a psychiatric nurse practitioner, Chief Program Officer Sheila Hunt said.

“We wanted to expand into five different counties; we’re already in Erie and Niagara County. Genesee just made the most sense. So when we saw that this facility was for rent, we came out and took a look at it, and it just made the most sense for us to start here first, because it was perfect. It had this perfect setup for our operation clinic, and then it had the perfect setup for our evaluation and treatment clinic,” she said of the site at 5762 Route 5 in Stafford. “This is the first time we ventured out to a county outside of Erie County. So this is the first one, but we're not stopping here. Once we get this up and running, our strategic plan is to be known as a behavioral health provider, so we're going to keep forging ahead. There's a need, and we just want to help be a resource.”

Therapists will provide services for individuals and families for a variety of issues, including addiction, ADHD, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, domestic violence, grief, and psychosis, and are open to group sessions if there are appropriate numbers of individuals to form a group, Hunt said.

The nurse practitioner is licensed to do medication management, and most insurances are accepted, she said. All it takes is for the person, or a parent or teacher for a child, to refer for services, Hunt said. If someone doesn’t have transportation, OLV has a contract with a social care network and may be able to arrange for an Uber, she said.

“We support, prepare and empower the individuals that we work with,” she said. “We're not trying to come and take over, we just want to be an added resource to the providers that are currently out here.”

OLV has four brick-and-mortar offices and six satellite locations in Buffalo public schools, with plans to expand — possibly into Wyoming County next — as part of its strategic plan, she said.

Counseling services will begin on April 15. Hours for appointments will be 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays, with 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays up for consideration if there’s a need for a weekend day. Eventually, the site will have Open Access, which will be available for walk-in appointments.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 716-828-7456 or go to Outpatient Counseling Clinic.

A second practice is the Evaluation and Treatment Center for kids aged 2 to 21 with any type of intellectual, developmental or learning disability. A staff of eight includes a medical director/pediatrician, psychologist, nurse practitioner, licensed behavioral analyst, behavioral technician, and occupational and speech therapists, Clinical Services Supervisor Chris Nalbach said.

“This is our first site branch. We just opened in Lackawanna in April 2024, so we’re already looking to kind of expand since then. We got a great opportunity to utilize this space in a different region that we haven’t been able to reach before,” Nalbach said. “We talked to some people at University of Rochester and (other practices), that stated that services were needed in this area as well.”

Hospitals and medical facilities across Western New York can have waiting lists up to two years long, he said, which is time that a child could be receiving treatment. Anyone suspecting his/her child of having any type of learning/developmental disability can fill out the center’s intake form and have the child evaluated and/or tested, he said.

“We look for autism, ADHD, or other types of disorders that we can evaluate and treat, and once we have a good diagnosis completed, we can move on to the therapy from there and whatever it takes to get the kids the services they need to provide it, and if not, we can refer to other places that would be able to.”

They will recommend a course for treatment, including an intense Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. There seems to be more autism, but it’s not so much that there are more cases of autism, he said, as there are more diagnoses of it — and more quickly and correctly than in the past.

There used to be about one in 150 diagnosed 20 years ago, he said, and now it’s one out of 36, according to ETC’s website. Staff is committed to “providing another option for families to help reduce these wait times and allow children to get the help they need as soon as possible.”

When working with children, no one is usually looking for those huge leaps and bounds, he said, but instead for incremental steps.

“There’s no cure for autism; it’s an improvement in functioning, things of that nature,” he said. “We’re really not looking at the massive success rate. We’re looking at the tiny little successes. If you look at the parents, when they look at their child and see that their child can talk back and say ‘Hi mom,’ that’s a huge success.”

The Stafford location will be opening later this summer on Mondays, and possibly also on the first and third Saturdays. For more information, call 716-828-7586 or go to Evaluation and Treatment Center.

Press Release:

Did you know that the only way to know if a child has been poisoned is to get them tested? There are often no clear signs or symptoms of lead poisoning. This is why testing children for lead is so important. Lead is a metal that is harmful to our bodies and can cause serious health issues. 

“Children under 6 are most at risk for lead poisoning because their bodies are rapidly developing,” stated Gabrielle Lanich, Lead Program Coordinator of Genesee and Orleans County. “The health effects of lead poisoning are permanent and can affect a child into adulthood.” Childhood lead poisoning can harm the brain and nervous system leading to learning difficulties, lower IQ, organ damage, and at very high levels can be fatal.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) will be offering free fingerprick lead testing at the following immunization clinics this year. 

Genesee County Health Department, 3837 West Main Street Road, Batavia

• Wednesday, June 11
• Wednesday, July 9

Orleans County, 14016 Route 31 West, Suite 101, Albion

• Tuesday, April 15
• Tuesday, June 17

All clinics are between the hours of 1 to 3:30 p.m. Testing is available for children ages 1-6. Children must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian. Please make an appointment by calling your local health department:

• Genesee County: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555
• Orleans County: 585-589-3278

For more information about GO Health Programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or contact your local health department. Follow GO Health on Facebook, Instagram and X at GOHealthNY.

Press Release:

Independent Living of the Genesee Region is now offering Drop-In hours for young adults (ages 18 to 24) every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. No registration is needed.

If you are looking for a calm place to play a game or make some art, an Independent Living Specialist will be available and ready to assist. Independent Living of the Genesee Region is located at 319 West Main St., Batavia. 

Thanks to funding from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation and in partnership with the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs program, a conference room has been converted into a living room. This comfortable space can accommodate a group so no need to call ahead, just drop by any Thursday afternoon. 

The covid pandemic forced many young people to study at home and shy away from regular activities that would have provided opportunities to form friendships. The isolation is real for this age group with many struggling to find safe ways to connect and meet people.

Independent Living Centers are designed and funded to assist people with disabilities. One definition of a disability is any condition that limits life activities. Feelings of panic, anxiety and stress can contribute to mental health challenges and become a disability impacting daily living. It’s important to know you are not alone. 

Our Center offers a number of services that can lead to a better quality of life. We are a safe place where you can get to know people, maybe make some friends, and learn about options for your future. 

Thanks to generous support from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation, Independent Living has two full-time Youth Specialists. Contact Kahlil Simon at ksimon@wnyil.org or Emma Pratt at epratt@wnyil.org or call 585-815-8501 to learn more.

Independent Living of the Genesee Region is a member of the Western New York Independent Living, Inc. family of agencies which offers an expanding array of services to aid people with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

Press Release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) reintroduced the People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code Section 213(d) to include veterinary care expenses under tax-advantaged health care spending accounts, specifically Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).

The PAW Act would allow pet owners to use their HSA or FSA accounts to pay for up to $1,000 for veterinary care or a pet health insurance plan while enabling an unlimited amount of these funds for service animals. In addition, this legislation will support individuals, including veterans, with disabilities by ensuring the IRS relies on an up-to-date definition of “service animal,” which includes animals trained to assist with both physical and mental disabilities. This bill maintains current HSA and FSA contribution limits, ensuring that there will be little to no impact on federal expenditures.

“Pets and service animals are valued members of our families and lives, with many benefits, including increasing our lifespan, reducing stress, and promoting physical activity. It is important we ensure pet owners can afford quality care. The PAWS Act allows pet owners to use HSAs and FSAs for veterinary care, ensuring all pet owners can keep their beloved pets and service animals healthy,” said Congresswoman Tenney.

“Pets are more than just animals – in many households, they’re family members,” said Congresswoman Ross. “While household costs continue to rise, paying for pet insurance can become a financial burden that people can’t afford. As a dog owner, I’m proud to introduce our bipartisan PAW Act, which will ensure animal lovers can afford care for their pets by including veterinary care and pet insurance as eligible expenses under HSAs and FSAs. I’m grateful for Congresswoman Tenney’s continued partnership to make sure all families can afford insurance for their furry friends.”

“The AVMA-endorsed People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act supports both animal and human health by highlighting the benefits of pet ownership and expanding access to pet care,” said Dr. Sandra Faeh, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “By making veterinary care and pet health insurance eligible expenses under Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, this legislation helps make pet care more affordable, improves access for service animals, and strengthens efforts to detect and prevent zoonotic diseases. We appreciate the leadership of Reps. Tenney and Ross on this important issue and urge Congress to pass the PAW Act without delay.”

Press Release:

Genesee Community College (GCC) proudly welcomed over 700 middle and high school technology students and their teachers from across the GLOW region to the 16th Annual Tech Wars. This competition provided a platform for students to showcase their skills and ingenuity through a variety of technology-based challenges.

Tech Wars is the culmination of a year's worth of preparation by students and educators, with each event carefully crafted and coordinated by the dedicated technology teachers of the GLOW region. The event receives significant support from GCC's Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) Department, GCC faculty and staff, as well as many generous local businesses that sponsor the competition and actively participate in the day's activities.

This year, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, the Tech Wars organizing committee was able to award three $300 scholarships to deserving seniors from participating GLOW region schools. Scholarship recipients demonstrated outstanding dedication to technology and plan to pursue careers, apprenticeships or post-secondary education in technology-related fields. The 2024 scholarship winners were:

• Catherine Staley - Geneseo High School
• Kasey Pagels - Byron Bergen High School
• Laylanna Oliveria - Pioneer High School

Sponsors for 2025 Tech Wars:

Gold Sponsors: Amada Tool America, Barilla America NY, Graham Corporation, I.B.E.W. Local 86, Liberty Pumps, Northeast Industrial Tech, Power & Construction Group

Silver Sponsors: Chapin International, Maple Moon Farms, Morton Salt, RTMA/FLYAP, Six Flags Darien Lake, Takeform & Traco Manufacturing

Overall Winners:

Middle School Division:

1st Place: Batavia Middle School (28 points)

2nd Place: Warsaw Middle School (16 points)

3rd Place: York Middle School (15 points)

High School Division:

1st Place: Geneseo High School (27 points)

2nd Place: Dansville High School (24 points)

3rd Place: Batavia High School (23 points)

Additionally, the winning logo design for the 2026 Tech Wars was created by Giana Strollo from Batavia High School.

Participating Schools: Albion, Alexander, Attica, Batavia, Byron-Bergen, Dansville, Elba, Geneseo, Holley, Kendall, Letchworth, Medina, Mt. Morris, Oakfield-Alabama, Pavilion, Pembroke, Perry, Pioneer, St. Joe's, Warsaw, Wayland-Cohocton & York

Competitions:

Middle School Events: Bridge, Catapult, CO2 Cars (Concept & Race), Logo Design, Lumber Labyrinth, Makers Showcase, Mystery, Paper Airplanes, Rube Goldberg, Sculpture, Skimmer Cars & Technical Drawing

High School Events: Bridge, CO2 Cars (Concept & Race), Drone Racing, Logo Design, Lumber Labyrinth, Makers Showcase, Mini Sumo Bots, Mystery, Regatta Race & Theme, Reverse Engineer CAD, Robotic Tractor Pull, Sculpture, Skimmer Cars, SUMO Bots & Trebuchet

GCC extends its gratitude to all the students, teachers, sponsors, and volunteers who made this year's Tech Wars a success. We look forward to continuing this tradition of innovation and excellence in 2026!

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

Byron-Bergen Sports Boosters hosted a basketball contest between deputies in the Sheriff's Office and Byron-Bergen faculty and staff as a fundraiser for the Justice For Children GLOW foundation in the high school gymnasium on Thursday night.

Byron-Bergen won 45-38.

The event raised $1,529 from ticket sales, 50/50 and basket raffles. The Erion family won the 50/50 and donated the proceeds back to the booster club.

The Rose Garden and Greg’ry’s Bakery made donations in support of the event.

During the breaks between quarters and at half-time, Gillam-Grant boys and girls youth basketball teams played a game.

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro.

Paul Marchese’s turn to computers came about in college when a professor suggested a new degree program might be right for him.

Before he even graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in computer science and mathematics, he had started -- in 1981 -- his own business in Batavia.

"I've always had a drive to try and help people to solve a problem and make technology work for them," Marchese said.

That passion has led Marchese to participate in the publication of a couple of books. The latest was released earlier this month, and Marchese contributed one of the essays in The Cyber Playbook (published by BigRedMedia), "The major cyber dangers that could topple your business."

Drawing on his own experience, Marchese writes about how employees -- and even owners -- can be duped through social engineering (using deception to get a person to divulge information they shouldn't) and phishing (a type of social engineering) to gain access to sensitive data.

We're busy, inattentive, not aware, and with a click, poof, critical data is gone, or maybe encrypted, in what's called a ransomware attack.  

Marchese discusses some of the measures businesses can take to protect themselves from these attacks. 

"The biggest point that I can stress to anyone I'm talking to, is cybersecurity is not a set and forget; doesn't work," Marchese said. "The old stalwarts today, the Macafees, the Nortons, all those anti-virus programs, none of them work. It's all essentially placebo based."

Marchese promotes managed services, layers of security and an AI-driven security program called Sentinel One.

"We've been using it for almost five years," Marchese said. "The tech is continually changing, and the way hackers come in is continually changing. It's a moving target. That's why I said it's not set and forget it."

Marchese's first book was self-published and written for the non-IT person to help him or her understand the computer technology and wired world.

"I think it was chapter 10 in that book that was terminology," Marchese said. "I armed them with all the nomenclature an IT person would normally make themselves look better because they'd use these terms that nobody understands."

Marchese’s first collaborative book project came out a year ago, "From Exposed to Secure" (published by Morgan James). The book also covers a range of cybersecurity issues. Marchese's chapter is "Your Workforce Is Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risk."  It provides eight best practices to reduce the risk.

Over the past 44 years, Marchese Computers, 220 Ellicott St., Batavia, has grown from one employee to 10 employees. The mission has remained the same, Marchese said.

"My goal is to remove the stress, the worry from whoever I touch, as far as a client, so they can grow their business because it's symbiotic," Marchese said. "They grow, we grow, and it has worked very well for me."

By lasting more than four decades, Marchese has had plenty of opportunity to kid his uncle, Vic Marchese, owner of Main St. Pizza Company, about his decision not to invest in Paul's company early on.

"I said, 'How'd you like to buy half of my company for $1,500, and he goes, 'I don't know; no, I don’t think so. Computers are just a fad.' Computers are just a fad. I will never let him live that down. And I keep telling him, 'Oh, just a fad, huh?'"

It was no wonder why Tricia Davis had some tears while talking about her Twilight Meadows restaurant — a hotdog stand-turned-diner operated as a family business for the last 36 years in Alexander.

First owned and operated by her mom, Brenda Jarvis, in August 1988, Davis worked there from the beginning and took it over seven years ago. She is now, sadly and excitedly, handing over the keys to new owners at the end of March.

“When my mom took over, this was a hotdog stand. So this place has been here since the 50s. My grandmother went to Alexander school. My mother did. I did, and all my kids did. So I have a lot of deep connections around here,” she said during an interview at the Route 98 site. “So my mom was only 36 when she took over here. And I was 17, so it's been a great place, but the people before us, this was called the hotdog stand, but it was always Twilight Meadows. It's got a lot of neat little history. And people always come back here when they come into town or from the cemetery, you know, people go to the cemetery plots, and they always seem to come here to have their lunch or whatever it might be.”

While packing up to prepare for the new owners, she was reviewing some photos of her teenage self and thought, “No wonder the counter was full of guys,” she said with a smile. She said that her mother was “a pretty good-looking chick,” which didn’t hurt to attract male customers.

The restaurant was an idea of her grandfather, Harold Walton, a milk trucker who happened upon the nicknamed hotdog stand and thought it might be a viable pursuit for his daughter Brenda. Art and Elaine Kendall owned it from 1955 to 1988, served drinks in frozen cold root beer mugs and gave pretzel sticks to kids. 

Grandpa Walton put a down payment on the place, buying it for $115, and his daughter paid it off. She poured her hard-earned experience of having waitressed throughout the area, often in Batavia's The Hideaway, into successful entrepreneurship. Davis soaked up mom's early career as a young girl who worked on a coloring book at a table until mom's shift was over.

When Davis took over, the interior had been converted to enlarge the kitchen and dining space, and the menu gradually expanded to include more entrees — homemade soups, meatloaf, spaghetti, salads, home fries — and breakfast favorites, with omelets being the most popular, she said. Her daughter Sarah, 19, works there part-time and said she spends a good six hours a week peeling and cutting up potatoes for the home fries that customers seem to love.

There was a lot of crying at the start while trying to figure it all out, said Davis, a 1989 Alexander High School grad. She remembered her wise grandpa’s advice to “plan on doing it yourself,” which she has taken to heart — throughout the pandemic and while learning how to be a boss and an employee.

“Since Covid, that’s how I do it. I do all the shopping … I run the restaurant like it’s the 50s, I am not computer literate,” she said. “When my mom left I had to learn how to do everything; the stress of it all, I had to learn sales tax — you’ve got to save for sales tax. I just learned it and was careful. I just figured it out. I’m proud of that.”

She also learned not to order too much inventory ahead of time and not to schedule more staff than she could keep busy. Davis established a routine for where to shop and for what to save the most money and get the right food deliveries. She mowed the lawn. Tended to an outdoor garden. Cooked and washed dishes. Waitressed and did bookkeeping. Cleaned and supervised employees.

During the pandemic shutdown, she had days when orders soared upwards of more than 100.

“It was hellish,” she admitted. “I had 120 take-outs at any given time on any given Friday. I was overwhelmed. People just came; they wanted to be out.”

People were also gracious with their tips and generosity, she said. During any downtime, she kept busy painting the walls and ceiling. There were no lazy Covid days, she said.

“I worked hard. Every day, I had a task,” she said. “I got this place right cleaned up. My son would deliver food. I survived it, and I’m exceptionally proud of it.”

In addition to food, she has also served up plenty of smiles and conversation. Davis described herself as “goofy and an entertainer.” She is someone who loves people and good customer service and has observed that most people like a side of chit-chat with their burgers. The walls are decorated with large framed collages of photos she has taken of customers over the years — many of whom have passed away from a client base of the 20s through 40s, and others that she knows will miss her just as much as she will miss them.

Something must have worked through her intentions to provide a homey atmosphere. A gentleman said to her one day that if she ever wanted to sell, he was interested. They eventually had a more serious talk and struck a deal. At 53, Davis believes it’s time for her to take a break from the constant busyness of business.

Part of the deal with the new owners includes Sarah's current restaurant staff, Davis’s sister Michelle, and three others. Davis agreed to work for the first two days as Twilight Meadows changed hands.

She gave credit to her husband Mike for supporting her all these years, to Aunt Clara for helping out her mom as a cook and waitress the first 20 years, and for “being part of the reason it succeeded,” and to Dawn Meyers, a “very good cook” who worked full- and part-time throughout the years and has always been around to help out.

You might not want to ask Tricia what she will do next. She may not know or want to do anything in particular. For any of the good, there have also been exhaustion and sacrifice, she said.

For now, “I just want to be,” she said.

Dean K. Houk, 55, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and multiple traffic violations. On March 7, a police officer reportedly observed Houk drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Houk allegedly led police on a pursuit through the city until stopped at West Main Street and Oak Street. He was issued traffic tickets and released.

Jamie Stephen Vosburgh, 36, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and insufficient tail lamps. Vosburgh was stopped at 10:26 p.m. on March 16 on Cole Road, Le Roy, by Deputy Zachary Hoy. He was issued traffic tickets and released.

Brandon Charles Dodd, 38, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dodd is accused of shoplifting from Target on Veterans Memorial Drive, Bataiva, at 11:56 a.m. on March 6. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Jennifer C. Moscicki, 48, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Moscicki is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on March 11. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Mercedes Ramon-Rodriguez, 31, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. She is accused of leaving a 3-year-old at home alone. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Kelly J. Mungo, 49, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Mungo is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on March 6. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Mary A Ingles, 70, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Ingles was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on March 5 on Richmond Avenue. She was issued traffic tickets and released.

Bill A. Thomas, 65, is charged with trespass. Thomas was found inside the City Centre Mall on March 7 in violation of a previous order to keep of the premises. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jazmyn R. Bater, 20, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Bater is accused of striking another person in the head several times on March 7 while the other person was holding a child. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Jennifer N. Wilson, 38, of Auburndale, Fla., was arrested on March 9 on a warrant. She allegedly failed to appear on charges from Feb. 26, 2024, of criminal trespass 2nd, obstructing governmental administration, and resisting arrest. She was arraigned and released.

In 2024, Batavia PD handled big crimes, petit crimes, and no crimes and participated in multiple community events, according to the department's annual report.

In all, the department made 635 arrests, which included a murder, nine robberies, 23 felony assaults, 56 thefts, four kidnappings, 66 drug possessions, 44 DWIs, and four sex offenses.

The department did not release a report in 2024, so 2023's arrest data is unavailable.

The 2025 report does provide comparison data for total calls for service. There were 22,116 calls for service last year and 21,617 in 2022.  During the COVID years, calls for service dropped. There were 21,264 calls for service in 2019.

Those calls included 1,120 domestic incidents, which is a slight increase from the previous year, as well as 802 disturbance calls. The police investigated 920 larcenies, which was down from 2023 and 2022, when larceny reports peaked over 1,000. Mental health calls were down from nearly a thousand in 2023 to 715 in 2024.

The number of domestic violence victims has steadily decreased since 2020, when there were 248 victims reported. There were 146 in 2024.

Officers responded to 371 alarm calls, 410 9-1-1 hang-up calls, and 508 animal complaints and conducted 641 welfare checks.

Patrols conducted 3,207 traffic stops and wrote 1,790 citations. 

There were 493 motor vehicle crashes reported.

The department was involved in multiple community events, including Batavia Community Night, Shop with a Cop, Trunk-or-Treat, and Juneteenth, as well as department members participating in charity softball and hockey games.

The most significant case of the year was the death of Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello of the Sheriff's Office. He died while trying to deal with unruly patrons at Batavia Downs. Batavia's officers and detectives handled the investigation.  Michael Elmore was eventually convicted of manslaughter in the case.

"The men and women of the City of Batavia Police Department go above and beyond each and every day to ensure the safest possible neighborhoods and streets," said Chief Shawn Heubusch in his opening message. "Our civilian staff makes sure that the department operates as efficiently as possible and are to be recognized for their hard work as well. I thank all the members of the Department for their service and sacrifice as we enter into a new year."

Two consecutive trips to the Final Four. Two consecutive games against the same opponent. 

The same disappointing results for the Elba Lancers.

The Lancers lost to Northville again, this time 54-46.

It was the first loss of the season for Elba, which ends with a 23-1 record.

Scoring for Elba:

• Sydney Reilly, 15 points
• Brea Smith, 10 points
• Mariah Ognibene, 6 points

Photos by Debra Reilly

A 33-year-old Batavia man will serve up to 20 years in federal prison on a conviction of production and possession of child pornography, a U.S district judge ruled on Thursday.

Derek Hagen admitted to the child pornography charges on Sept. 7, 2022. He was arrested in November 2021.

Hagen's most recently known employment at the Brockport Childhood Development Center as an assistant teacher in the infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms.

According to Kyle P. Rossi, assistant U.S. attorney, the evidence compiled against Hagen showed that the former teacher engaged in a pattern of sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 4 and 8. Hagen photographed and videoed himself, subjecting the victim to sexual contact. Hagen then distributed the images to other people over the internet.

Rossi also said that Hagan, while employed in Brockport, produced and possessed sexually explicit images of children entrusted to his care. The children ranged in age from six months to five years. Hagen produced these images while changing diapers and assisting children who were learning to use the bathroom. Hagen distributed the images of these children to other individuals over the internet. 

Hagen also possessed approximately 50,000 images and videos of child pornography that he received from others via the internet.

The case was investigated by the State Police, Homeland Security, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.     

Press Release:

The Genesee County Interagency Council is pleased to announce that we will be offering a $1000 scholarship for the fall 2025 semester. Those eligible will be students living in Genesee County and attending Genesee Community College; in good academic standing, and majoring in Human Services, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Studies or Psychology OR High School Seniors living in and attending high school in Genesee County; in good academic standing, and majoring in Human Services, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Studies, Social Work, Sociology or Psychology ONLY.

Because the goal of this scholarship is to support those students who have a strong drive to contribute to the field of Human Services, special consideration will be given to those students who have already demonstrated a commitment to the field through their employment, volunteer, academic, and/or extracurricular pursuits.

Completed applications must be received by Friday, May 9. The awardee will be notified by phone by June 6. The award will be presented at our June 18 picnic meeting at Dewitt Recreation Area (detailed information will be provided during phone notification).

We look forward to having the opportunity to support a Genesee Community College student in their pursuit of a degree in the field of Human Services. Please feel free to contact Kari Heidemann, Scholarship Committee member, at 716-550-0934 should you have any questions. 

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Observant visitors of DeWitt Recreation Area and the adjacent pond have noticed an unusually large number of fish this year; however, instead of swimming around, they were dead.

One person, who labeled herself “a concerned citizen,” said that while walking around the trail, “I saw a massive amount of dead fish, more than I have ever seen in the spring (well over 60),” she said. “And the DEC was there testing. I am worried something is wrong with the water. I know it’s a run-off for quite a bit, and people eat the fish.”

Another reader of The Batavian submitted photos of the finned creatures that were spotted floating on top of the edge of DeWitt Pond on Cedar Street in Batavia.

The Batavian reached out to Department of Public Works Commissioner Tim Hens for answers as to why fish are dying and the possible connection to the water quality and the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s recent visit.

“Genesee County Parks Staff is aware of the dead fish at DeWitt Pond. Most appear to be carp. This appears to be a normal winter die-off. The low lake levels and extreme ice thickness likely contributed to the higher seasonal die-off from low oxygen levels in the water,” Hens said. “The DEC is currently getting ready to stock the pond with Brown Trout on April 1. In an abundance of caution, we have reached out to them regarding the fish die-off. We have not heard back from them yet.”

An article on "Winterkill in Ponds" at Penn State University's Extension website, explains it this way:

Winterkill refers to the loss of fish in winter because oxygen is lacking in the pond. Submerged vegetation and algae create oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. During the winter, oxygen production is often reduced because ice and snow on the lake limit sunlight reaching vegetation. In small, shallow lakes, the available oxygen can quickly be used up by live plants and fish that consume oxygen in the evening, and by bacteria that feed on dead and decaying vegetation. When the oxygen level declines, less tolerant fish species (such as carp) and fish in poor condition overall can begin to suffocate.

Oxygen enters ponds by moving from the air into the water aided by the wind, or from photosynthesis by the plants in the pond. Ice cover blocks oxygen movement from the air into the water, and oxygen produced by algae and plants become the only source. Thin, clear ice allows oxygen production by plants and algae since enough sunlight can filter through the ice to allow photosynthesis. If the ice remains into mid-winter or thickens slightly, oxygen levels will begin to decrease because each day, pond plants and animals use oxygen, even in winter, as the animals breathe and dead plant material decays.

Conversely, the more water volume there is in a pond, the less likely the pond will experience winterkill.

Updates from the DEC will be reported by The Batavian about any water or other issues related to the dying fish other than what Hens suspects is the reason.

As they begin their first new year working together as election commissioners, the duo of Scott German and Lorie Longhany had some crucial business to take care of right off the bat during Wednesday’s Ways & Means meeting.

They recently discovered a pricey need for the Board of Elections and recommended the purchase of 24 new Dominion voting machines for $254,700 plus $11,040 annual maintenance after year five to replace 28 scanners no longer supported by outdated equipment. German was hired for the Republican commissioner position to fill a vacancy left by Dick Siebert when he retired in December.

“I did not know this was coming when I first got there, and I'm not sure Lori was aware of that either, simply because my predecessor basically took care of the equipment that we had out there, and just something that really should have happened a few years ago,” German said. “We are currently leasing 29 machines, and that goes until 2030. So, at that point, we will probably be coming back and asking to either lease more or buy more.”

Longhany, the Democrat commissioner, added that the board was gifted two machines from Orleans County that went to another vendor, which brings the total up to 55.

“And that's really what we need. We need two scanners for each poll site, and we have 48. We have 24 poll sites that leaves us with two to three machines for early voting, and then we have eight scanners in reserve that we could bring out in case we have any malfunctions,” she said. “They're just scanners. They are not ICE machines.”

ICE is ImageCast Evolution, a hybrid voting device that combines optical scanning, ballot printing and vote-casting functions in one integrated machine.

Legislator Marianne Clattenburg asked if there are any grants available for this equipment. One would think that voting is such an important cause these days that there might be financial help, she said.

No, German said. But there is a silver lining, sort of.

“We will be coming to you in hopefully a few weeks to buy new iPads, the poll pads,” he said. “We do have grant funds for those, yes, but not for this.”

There doesn’t seem to be much of a choice because when the machines are no longer compatible, “then we get into trouble with the technologies,” Longhany said. German said that two of them went down last November on Election Day. Clattenburg then asked if that would require additional training.

“No, because we currently are releasing the exact machines that we'll be buying; it's actually going to be easier because now they only need to train the inspectors and coordinators on one machine instead of two,” he said.

All of the machines will be accessible to everyone, and technicians have said they’re easier to operate and to get into for maintenance, Longhany said.

The purchase was less expensive than to lease the new machines — $417,024. The cost will be paid for using 1% of county sales tax.

German and Longhany also reviewed IRS regulations requiring the Board of Elections to classify Election Day workers as county employees. To comply with this, the commissioners asked to add 100 coordinator and 200 election inspector positions to include alternates and amend the 2025 management salary schedule.

"This is something that should have been done, I'm guessing seven years ago, but my predecessor wouldn't let it happen. So it was manually taken care of in the treasurer's office," German said. "But now that I'm there, we need to be IRS compliant. We have sent letters out to all of our inspectors and coordinators so they understand that they'll be employees."

Coordinators will be at a rate of $360 for a 16-hour shift on Election Day and $171 for an Early Voting Day schedule, and election inspectors will have a rate of $320 for a 16-hour Election Day shift and $152 for Early Voting Day, with a rate of $60 for training.

Since funds were budgeted for 152 positions, there may need to be a budget amendment to cover training beyond the 152 positions.

A final recommendation was to create two senior clerks/machine technicians to provide proper supervision to other clerks/machine technicians. These two positions will be for 22 hours per week at $23 an hour, and two clerk/machine technician positions are to be deleted.

Committee members agreed to these measures, and a vote will go before the full Legislature on March 26.

The annual Tech Wars competition for high school students in STEM programs was held on Wednesday at Genesee Community College.

The winning middle schools:

• 1st Batavia Middle School with 28 points
• 2nd Warsaw Middle School with 16 points
• 3rd York Middle School with 15 points

The winning high schools:

• 1st Geneseo High School with 27 points
• 2nd Dansville High School with 24 points
• 3rd Batavia High School with 23 points

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