Acknowledging that there are obstacles to overcome before a shared jail with Orleans County is a reality, Genesee County Manager Matt Landers today said the firm hired to design a proposed 184-bed facility is being called upon to update its study.

“Even though the study we had done that was the basis for the design work on the jail is only about three-, three-and-a-half years old, a lot has happened in those three-, three-and-a-half years,” Landers said during the Genesee County Legislature’s Public Service Committee meeting at the Old County Courthouse. “So, we are having SMRT (the architectural firm) update the study.”

Not much has been said about the jail in recent months as the county – as well as the entire nation – has been dealing with COVID-19 and budgetary concerns stemming from the pandemic.

In June, Landers reported that the county closed on the land acquisition – a parcel just east of County Building 2 on West Main Street Road – and the schematic designs of the jail were complete.

The county has contracted with SMRT and Pike Company Inc., the construction manager, for about $2.3 million and $1 million, respectively.

Landers said discussions with Orleans County officials have resumed, and they are encouraged by wording in the New York State budget “that seems to make it easier for counties to share a jail.”

“NYSAC (New York State Association of Counties) has indicated that when they advocated for this budget, they were actually looking at us, specifically, as a possibility (for a shared jail),” he said. “We’re hoping that the governor’s office will be able to assist us with additional funding.”

Originally, the plan was to build the jail in the fall of 2019 – 184 beds with a maximum population of 144. Landers said he’s not so sure that 184 is the right number now.

“Because of the bail reform, and the reformed bail reform, and current environment, we want to have an updated number,” he said. “When people were asking me, ‘Matt, why are we looking at a jail at 184 beds?’ I want to say that we had a study done by people who do this for a living.”

He said an update of the study will “kill two birds with one stone” as it will determine the jail bed needs for both Genesee and Orleans counties, and he doesn’t anticipate a lot of extra work to update the report.

“It’s something that we really should do anyway for our own bed needs. We, at the same time, are monitoring the state budget … and working with Orleans County and looking at the vast number of hurdles that are still out there,” he said.

Landers said if all goes well, a groundbreaking could come in the spring of 2022, but “it will take further discussion with the legislature, building consensus on the size and scope (of the project).”

This evening's sunset from Kelsey Road, Batavia.

Photo by Cory Coles.

Press release:

Call for Nominations      

The Genesee County & City of Batavia Youth Boards are looking for nominations for their annual Youth Recognition Celebration.

There are three awards presented at the Youth Recognition Celebration:

• Youth Recognition Award — This award recognizes young people who have performed exceptional service to the community and/or have assumed extraordinary roles in their families. Typically, the best candidates for this award are high school students, but we also know there are 12-, 13-, 14-year-olds who exemplify distinctive qualities of service. Several youth will be recognized; however the Youth Boards reserve the right to limit the number of recipients.
• Adult Volunteer — This award recognizes an adult who provides service as a volunteer to youth in Genesee County.
• Adult Youth Worker — This award recognizes a youth service professional whose work surpasses normal expectations.

Nominations are due by Friday, March 5.

For more information or to receive nomination forms, please call the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 344-3960 or email: youthbureau@co.genesee.ny.us. The forms are also on the Youth Bureau page of the Genesee County website.

From the city Department of Public Works:

The offices of the Department of Public Works Administration and the Bureau of Inspection will be closed on Monday, Feb. 22, for mandatory training.

The offices will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

Anyone needing to do business with either office please plan accordingly.

From Rochester Regional Health:

As cases of COVID-19 are trending downward in our community, Rochester Regional Health is welcoming visitors back to our hospitals seven days a week.

It is because our community and teams continue to follow safety guidelines that we’ve seen a decrease in infections. Please continue to wear your mask, practice hand hygiene and stay socially distanced wherever possible.

It’s also important to get vaccinated when a vaccine is available to you, although current supplies are limited.

Here’s information on how we’re scheduling vaccination appointments for eligible patients, including those with chronic conditions. We also recommend checking the Finger Lakes Vaccination Hub to confirm your eligibility and view vaccination appointments throughout our region.

Looking for COVID-19 testing? Wait times at our Immediate Care locations are now updated live online.

A police officer is responding to 100-200 block of Hutchins Street in the city for a complaint of a dog left outside for most of the day without food or shelter. It's 18 degrees outside and there has been light snow flurries off and on during the day.

UPDATE 5:09 p.m.: The officer located the canine and calls for an animal control officer to be dispatched to the scene. 

Data Update – 

• Genesee County received 39 new positive cases of COVID-19 since Friday afternoon through the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend.
  • The new positive cases reside in the:
    • West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke)
    • Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) 
    • East Region (Bergen, Byron, Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.  
• Forty-seven of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.  
• Fourteen of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• One of the new positive individuals is a resident of the Premier Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation.

Orleans County received 15 new positive cases of COVID-19 since Friday afternoon through the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend.

• The positive cases reside in the:
  • West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby)
  • Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre)
  • East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s.
• Forty-one of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Two of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• One of the new positive individuals is a resident of the Villages of Orleans Health & Rehab.

James Tillery is proud to know Mr. Wirt Fuller. Fuller is a veteran, and to Tillery, "a hero and an honest man."

The 73-year-old Fuller is also the guy who plows all of his neighbor's drives on Farwell Drive and some on Elm Avenue, too, Tillery said.

Tillary moved to Farwell Drive in 2016 and Fuller has been plowing the drives on Farwell every winter since at least then.

"He does it and puts pride into doing it and never asks for anything in return," Tillery said. "The best neighbor! It can be a total of zero visibility and he still braves the elements to make sure we are all clear of heavy snow and ice.

"Mr. Fuller has gone up and beyond just being a neighbor," Tillery added. "He is considered a personal friend to all of us in the Farwell neighborhood."

Photo submitted by James Tillery.

Interview with Shawn Heubusch, chief of police, Batavia.

A possible structure fire, with heavy smoke, is reported at Hickory Lodge, College Village, 8170 Batavia Stafford Townline Road.

Town of Batavia fire is dispatched.

UPDATE 2:53 p.m.: The apartment requires ventilation.

Three-year-old Matthew helps his father, Tom Cunningham, shovel snow on Kibbe Avenue.

Kathy Ferrara clears the sidewalk outside her business on East Main, Batavia's Original Pizzeria.

Dave Graney shoveling snow on Ellicott Avenue.

Elmwood Cemetery

Kibbe Park

Ellicott Street at Liberty Street

East Main Street

Snowman on Ganson Avenue

Traffic control is needed at Ag Park Drive West and Ellicott Street Road, Batavia, because a tractor-trailer "is tipping over." Law enforcement is responding.

Press release:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an extension of eviction and foreclosure moratoriums on USDA Single Family Housing Direct and Guaranteed loans through June 30. The actions announced today (Feb. 16) will bring relief to residents in rural America who have housing loans through USDA.

“USDA recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an almost unprecedented housing affordability crisis in the United States," said USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson. "That’s why USDA is taking this important action today to extend relief to the hundreds-of-thousands of individuals and families holding USDA Single Family Housing loans.

"While today’s actions are an important step for them, we need to do more. The Biden Administration is working closely with Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan to take more robust and aggressive actions to bring additional relief to American families and individuals impacted by the pandemic.”

A recent Census Bureau survey showed that 8.2 million homeowners are currently behind on mortgage payments, and of that 8.2 million, 3 million homeowners behind on payments were Black or Hispanic.

This effort underscores a commitment by USDA to bring relief and assistance to farmers, families and communities across the country who are in financial distress due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In January, USDA took action to bring relief to more than 12,000 distressed borrowers of USDA farm loans by temporarily suspending past-due debt collections, foreclosures, non-judicial foreclosures, debt offsets or wage garnishments, and more. Learn more at the following link: USDA Temporarily Suspends Debt Collections, Foreclosures and Other Activities on Farm Loans for Several Thousand Distressed Borrowers Due to Coronavirus.

Visit www.rd.usda.gov/coronavirus for additional information on USDA’s Rural Development COVID-19 relief efforts, application deadline extensions and more. USDA Rural Development will keep our customers, partners and stakeholders continuously updated as additional actions are taken to bring relief and development to rural America.

Homeowners and renters can also visit www.consumerfinance.gov/housing for up-to-date information on their relief options, protections, and key deadlines from USDA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Medal of Honor recipient David G. Bellavia is being honored by the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley in Kansas as part of the Big Red One Year of Honor Opening Day events.

The event includes a street dedication in the name of Bellavia, with a street on the base becoming Bellavia Way. Three other streets will be renamed in honor of three other Medal of Honor winners this year.

Throughout the year, the 1st Infantry Division will celebrate the Big Red One Year of Honor, a yearlong tribute to the 37 Big Red One soldiers who have been awarded the nation’s highest honor.

Bellavia served in 3rd Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

After failing to find the range in a loss to Notre Dame on Saturday, senior guard Bryn Wormley hit her first three three-point shots tonight and went on to score a game-high 29 points to spark the Batavia High Lady Devils to a 69-34 victory over host Greece Odyssey in Monroe County League girls' basketball action.

It was the first win in four outings for Batavia, which raced to 13-point first-quarter lead and never looked back against Odyssey, 0-2.

Wormley's sharpshooting in the game's first five minutes propelled Batavia to an 11-2 advantage. She then converted a pass from senior guard Mackenzie Reigle to make it 13-2. A basket by Tess Barone, a steal and layup by Reigle, and a 15-footer from the side by Haylee Thornley made it 19-6 after one period.

Batavia blew the game wide open in the second quarter, outscoring the home team 19-2 behind Wormley's 11 points -- all on two-point baskets and foul shots.

Odyssey rallied in the third quarter, outscoring Batavia 19-9 to cut the deficit to 47-27, before the Lady Devils put up a 22-point fourth quarter to win going away.

Reigle filled the stat sheet -- recording a triple-double with 14 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds -- and came up with seven steals, while Barone tallied nine points, and Thornley added eight points. Batavia made nine of its 14 free throw attempts.

For Odyssey, three players -- Sienna Tyo, Janayla Hunter and Asia Philip -- each scored nine points.

Batavia's next game is Wednesday at Greece Olympia.

Alicia M. Lyons, 41, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with: petit larceny; menacing a police officer; and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Lyons was arrested on Feb. 5 following an investigation of a larceny that occurred at 5:37 p.m. that day at the Kwik Fill on Jackson Street in the city. When confronted by law enforcement, Lyons allegedly brandished a knife toward a police officer. She was arrainged in city court and was due there on Feb. 10. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer John Gombos, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Lucas H. Benjamin, 69, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with forcible touching. He was arrested at about 2:20 p.m. on Jan. 28 after allegedly inappropriately touching an employee at a business on Bank Street in the city. He was issued an appearance ticket to be in Batavia City Court on March 9. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Miah Stevens.

Jason L. Jones, 49, of 76 Road, Brooktondale, is charged with: trespass; first-degree reckless endangerment; second-degree assault; and operating a vehicle with suspended registration. On Feb. 8, Jones was located on Jefferson Avenue in the City of Batavia and taken into custody without incident on an arrest warrant out of city colurt. The warrant stems from an incident on Dewey Avenue in Batavia that occurred at 5:25 a.m. Dec. 16. It is alleged that Jones struck a female with his vehicle during a domestic incident, causing injury to the victim. Jones was arraigned and put in jail on $2,000 cash bail or $4,000 bond or $8,000 partially secured bond. Jones is due in city court March 11. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot.

Alexander L. Baldwin, 32, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with third-degree grand larceny. He was arrested Feb. 8 after a fraud complaint on North Street in the city alleging that he was paid money for a construction job he never began. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court, released under supervision of Genesee Justice and is due back in court April 15. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Sean Wilson, assisted by Officer John Gombos.

James Erick James, 41, of West Creek Drive, Webster, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree harassment. He was arrested Feb. 12 on a warrant out of Town of Bergen Court and transported to Genesee County Court for virtual arraignment. His case stems from an incident (unspecified) that occurred at 4:43 p.m. on Dec. 14 on Route 33 in Bergen. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Chad Cummings.

Daniel Myles Macleod, 33, of East Main Street, Corfu, is charged with: aggravated driving while intoxicated; aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree; driving while intoxicated -- with a previous offense; circumventing a required ignition interlock device; refusal to take a breath test; speed not reasonable and prudent; and operating an unregistered motorcycle. Macleod was arrested Feb. 13 at 4:22 p.m. after an investigation of a  motor-vehicle accident that occurred at 5:45 p.m. Nov. 27 on Alleghany Road in Darien. Macleod was issued traffic tickets and is due in Town of Darien Court on April 6. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jonathan Dimmig, assisted by Deputy Kyle Krzemien.

Patrick Thomas Fuhr, 61, of Union Street, Cheektowaga, is charged with: reckless driving; obstructing governmental administration in the second degree; failure to signal, operating an unregistered motor vehicle on a public highway; and aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree. At 4 p.m. on Jan. 29, Genesee County Sheriff's deputies attempted to contact Fuhr on Buffalo Road in Bergen, and he allegedly tried to flee the scene once they made contact. He is due in Bergen Town Court on March 3. The case was handled by Deputy Ryan Young.

Brandon C. Smart, 43, of Highland Park, Batavia, is charged with: harassment in the second degree; criminal trespass in the second degree; and criminal mischief in the fourth degree. Smart was arrested after a domestic incident on Liberty Street that occurred at 11:15 a.m. on Feb. 8. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice. He is due in city court on March 25. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Adam Tucker, assisted by Officer Connor Borchert.

Shaun Marquise Dukes, 39, of Elba Street, Rochester, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operator of a motor vehicle in the first degree; unregistered motor vehicle; and uninspected motor vehicle. On Feb. 12 Dukes was arrested at 8:43 a.m. on Route 33 in Stafford after a traffic stop. It is alleged that Dukes was operating a motor vehicle and had a revoked non-driver indentification card with 27 suspensions/revocations. Dukes was released with appearance tickets and is due in Stafford Town Court on March 16. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Travis DeMuth.

Randy L. Ridd, 63, of Williams Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested after an investigation of an incident that occurred at a business on East Main Street in Batavia at 11:28 a.m. on Feb. 7. It is alleged Ridd took laundry detergent pods from a store without paying for them. He was issued an appearance ticket to be in Batavia City Court on April 27. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Connor Borchert, assisted by Officer Joshua Girvin.

Alicia M. Lyons, 41, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She was arrested after an investigation of a larceny that occurred at 3:11 p.m. on Jan. 29 at the Kwik Fill on Jackson Street in the city. She was released with an appearance ticket to be in city court April 13. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer John Gombos, assisted by Officer Peter Post.

Cameron Jacob Sokolowski, 28, of River Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested Feb. 5 after a shoplifting complaint at a store on Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia at 10:58 a.m. It is alleged he stole items from the store. He was taken to jail then released on an appearance ticket to be in Batavia Town Court on March 11. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, assisted by Deputy Mathew Clor.

Batavian Jason Quilliam, who has rolled 300 games in league play on consecutive Mondays this month, placed second in the Super Bowl Singles Handicap Tournament at Mancuso Bowling Center.

Quilliam averaged 244 for his first six tournament games before slipping to a 179 game against Buffalo resident Andy Kaczorowski in the title match.

Kaczorowski fired a 270 game (255 scratch) against Quilliam to capture the $400 first prize.

He came in with a 200 average, receiving 15 pins, while Quilliam, who won $300, entered with a 215 average.

Handicap was based on 100 percent of the difference in the bowler’s average and 215. Bowlers with averages of 215 and higher received no handicap.

 “I was gassed once we got to the finals, lost focus and had my worst game of the tournament,” said Quilliam, whose perfect games came in the Mancuso Real Estate Doubles League on Feb. 1 and Feb. 8.

Kaczorowski advanced to the title match with a 219-185 win over high qualifier Rich Wagner of Batavia (of 899 series fame), while Quilliam advanced by defeating Marty Lindner of Scottsville, 222-182.

Wagner and Lindner won $150 apiece.

Quarterfinal results had Kaczorowski beating Heather Roy of Rochester, 261-184; Quilliam topping Tom Baker of Pavilion, 259-178; Linder ousting Brady Weber of Perry, 198-192, and Wagner stopping Geoff Harloff of Batavia, 268-226.

Roy, Baker, Weber and Harloff won $100 each.

Wagner led the four-game qualifying round with a 989 score, while Quilliam was next with 984. Harloff secured the eighth and final spot with 928.

The tournament drew 42 entries.

From left, Jason Quilliam, Tournament Director Mark Brown, Andy Kaczorowski​. Submitted photo.

Public Notice

Due to the winter storm predicted for the GLOW region, Genesee County is announcing the cancellation of COVID-19 testing on Tuesday, Feb. 16^th.

From the National Weather Service office in Buffalo:

A Winter Storm Warning with heavy snow  -- 7 to 14 inches -- takes effect this evening at 7 o'clock for Genesee County and the City of Batavia, in fact for all of Western and Central New York.

It will be in place until 1 p.m. tomorrow.

Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Areas of blowing snow along the south shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The hazardous conditions will impact the Tuesday morning commute.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS -- Widespread accumulating snow will create dangerous travel conditions.