Notre Dame opened the 2022-23 season with a 47-28 win over Williamson at Williamson in Girls Basketball.

Avelin Tomidy scored 19 points, Amelia McCulley, 13, and Emma Sisson, 10.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

To view or purchase photos, click here. 

Kyle Porter scored 19 points for the Hornets, Brenden Wescott, 10, and Noah Currier, seven.

For the Trojans, T. Woods scored nine and D. Pohl, eight.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

It’s not unusual for a criminal defendant to believe he's innocent and can't possibly be proven guilty. And while most defense attorneys advocate aggressively on behalf of their clients, they don't always believe in their client's innocence.

Michael T. Dwan says he believed Kaleb J. Bobzien.

Bobzien, a resident of Bergen, was arrested in December and later indicted by a Genesee County Grand Jury of seven counts of rape in the third degree and criminal sexual act in the third degree.  In common parlance, he was accused of statutory rape.  At 23, he was accused of sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl. 

All of those felony charges were dropped based on arguments presented by Dwan, and on Wednesday, Bobzien entered a guilty plea to two misdemeanors – on an Alford basis, meaning he doesn’t admit to the factual assertions of the charges, just acknowledges the likelihood of conviction at trial  -- to a criminal contempt and to an obstruction breathing/blood circulation.

From the perspective of Assistant District Attorney Robert Zickl, based on an interview after Wednesday's court proceedings, he believes the girl who made the accusations, but there's a difference between believing an accusor and being able to sustain the charges in court.

If Bobzien had been convicted at trial on all of the charges in the indictment, he faced up to four years in state prison on each felony count and the prospect of being branded a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

If Bobzien obeys all of the judge's orders -- basically, stay out of trouble -- between now and Feb. 1, he won't serve more than 364 days in the Genesee County Jail.

"I think that there's a strong argument to be made at sentencing that Kaleb has already suffered enough, considering that he was already incarcerated pursuant to these charges, and he and his family have had to go through great expense to get him to this resolution," Dwan said after Bobzien's appearance in County Court on Wednesday. "I think there are arguments to be made to the judge about why she should not incarcerate him whatsoever. That being said, it is her right to incarcerate him for up to one year, so long as he abides by the conditions."

Life lessons
At the end of Wednesday's hearing, Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini wanted to make sure Bobzien understood a few things. First, his attorney worked hard and got him a very generous plea offer, so he should do everything he can between now and sentencing to preserve the sentence cap, which includes abiding by the order of protection currently in place, and understanding that when he is in her courtroom, he is to respect and obey the instructions of court personnel.

The implication was that Bobzien had failed to immediately stop using his mobile phone when instructed to do so prior to Wednesday's hearing.

During an interview with The Batavian, Bobzien said he will have no trouble following the instructions of the court.

It should be noted that Bobzien has multiple arrests going back to 2019.  The now 24-year-old young man said he was working on getting his life flying forward on a straight path when these accusations arose, but that the arrest and legal tangle have helped him grow up.

"Before all this happened, I was going to pilot school, I was training to be a pilot," Bobzien said. "I just feel like, it's not really fair that I was put in this situation. But I learned a lot from it. I learned a lot about myself. I know people are gonna judge me for this regardless, had I been guilty or not guilty, whatever it may be, I was going to be judged regardless. I'm just happy that it ended the way it did. I'm happy that everybody can move on from the situation now."

Bobzien, who was raised as the adopted son of a white couple in the Town of Bergen, said he doesn't believe this case will stand in the way of his ambition to become a pilot.

"My attorney wants me to go to law school. I want to go back to flying airplanes," Bobzien said. "I want to go back to pilot school. All I know is the future is really looking up from here for me. With how everything played out, I can do anything that I want to do. I just want to have a positive impact on the community and show my people in Batavia that just because you hit a bump in the road, it doesn't necessarily mean it's the end for you, good things can still happen."

Beating the felony charges
Dwan said his client avoided the felony charges related to the rape allegations both as a matter of law and the fact that Bobzien didn't do what he was accused of doing, that the prosecution wouldn't be able to overcome his client's alibi.

First, Dwan said he was able to show the prosecution that there were overlapping allegations that couldn't be differentiated from one another. As a matter of law, that's not permissible. 

"Prior to today, we had one count of statutory rape, and one count of criminal sex act as the highest possible charges remaining," Dwan said. "As it turned out, on the dates and times that the prosecutor believed that those acts occurred, my client was out of the country, and we were able to prove that, and so had this case gone to trial, I'm extremely confident that he would have been acquitted of all of the counts. Definitely, the serious counts, because none of them were true. ... The rest of them would have been unraveled through cross-examination."

Zickl said in deciding to reach the plea agreement Bobzien eventually accepted, he had to weigh the burden of proof he must meet to satisfy a judge and a jury.  He didn't think the evidence available to him was strong enough. 

"I don't think the girl is lying when she came forward," Zickl said. "Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that happened that we can't prove beyond a reasonable doubt." 

Even though Dwan believes the charges against his client were false allegations, Dwan said he had no argument with law enforcement nor the District Attorney's office for going forward with the case once a complaint was filed.

"It is understandable that law enforcement takes seriously accusations made by an underage woman alleging sex acts," Dwan said. "It's understandable that the District Attorney's Office takes them very seriously. However, through motion practice, and through communication with the District Attorney's Office, we were able to show the District Attorney's Office that it was not possible that Mr. Bobzien did what he was accused of doing.

"I have a ton of respect for Mr. Zickl and the District Attorney's Office because when they realized that the fact pattern that they believed in when they charged Mr. Bobzien with all these serious crimes was not true, they acted appropriately and they reduced the charges down to something that I think is reasonable in light of the facts and circumstances."

An Alford plea
Bobzien entered guilty pleas to misdemeanor counts of criminal contempt in the second degree, allegedly violating an order of protection and to obstruction of blood circulation or breathing.

Because Bobzien was entering his plea on an Alford basis, it was incumbent on Zickl to recite for the court the facts of each charge as the facts would be presented to a jury.

On the criminal contempt charge, Zickl said that after Bobzien had moved out of a shared residence with the protected party, where multiple other people shared a residence, he was told that some of his personal belongings were available for him to pick up on a porch as the house. On Oct 5, 2021, Bobzien retrieved his property, thereby being on the property where the protected party was located, was seen by the protected party, when no responsible adult had given Bobzien permission to be on the property at the time of the incident.

Dwan said he believes if the case had gone to trial, his client could have beaten that specific criminal contempt charge.  He and Zickl have different interpretations of the law on the matter.

"From the perspective of the District Attorney's Office, there was a change in circumstances allegedly that Kaleb had moved out of home, which may or may not have been true, actually. But because Kaleb allegedly moved out of the home, that negated the caveat (that allowed Bobzien to go to the home) in the order of protection.

"From my perspective, as an attorney, an order of protection can only be modified by the court that issued it. So a change in circumstances needs to be addressed in court. So I believe that that caveat would have held (allowing him to go to the house), and I don't think that Kaleb would have been convicted of violating the order of protection because I think that a jury would have said, 'No, the order says he's allowed to go there. And that's exactly what he did. And no judge ever told him to the contrary.'"

Zickl said he's comfortable with the criminal contempt allegation as charged.

"He wasn't living there anymore," Zickl said. "Looking at it through the prism of a 15-year-old girl feeling intimidated by somebody who abused her in the past, and then he shows up at her residence, and at that point in time, he didn't tell anybody he was coming out so they could have the victim out of the house, I don't have a problem with the criminal contempt charge. I don't know if he intended to mildly intimidate her, but that was the impact."

On the breathing/circulation charge, Zickl said he would have presented evidence to a jury that would have asserted that Bobzien and the alleged victim had gotten into an argument on June 24, 2021, and Bobzien had restricted the movement of her arms with his legs and put his hands around her neck and covered her face with a blanket.  Bobzien attempted, he said, to stop her breathing and blood circulation though she never lost consciousness.

Dwan said law enforcement did not have all of the facts of what really happened when they arrested Bobzien, hence the guilty plea on an Alford basis. 

"The facts, as they were alleged in the original indictment, were incorrect," Dwan said. "The incident that happened at the apartment that day was not factually reported to law enforcement. I think that Kaleb would have had a hard time if he had been forced to admit to the things that Mr. Zickl put on the record on our behalf today, so I asked the District Attorney's Office and the judge that Kaleb not be forced to say those words himself, because Kaleb is an honest guy, and he would have a hard time articulating that himself in court."

A young black man in the criminal justice system
So, if neither of these charges can be substantiated, why plead guilty?

"Because we walked into this with extraordinarily high risk," Dwan said. "Let's be real, Kaleb is a young black man who is facing sex allegations, so as an attorney, I begged Kaleb to accept the plea that was put before him, not because I don't think that we would have succeeded at trial, but because the risk of going to trial would have been extraordinary. As much as I would like to think that every jury is going to see things clearly and see things my way, I have learned the hard way that that is not always the case. And so Kaleb made a calculated decision to accept the criminal contempt and accept the obstruction of breathing charge."

Dwan said he advised Bobzien to accept a plea on an Alford basis as a matter of accepting reality in today's world.

"There's no doubt that, especially when it comes to sex crimes where the complainant is young and white and female, and the defendant is a 20-something black male, the statistics show that it's a problematic situation for that defendant," Dwan said. "Now, I have every confidence in the world that we would have been able to have a jury here in Genesee County that would have given Kaleb justice and would have seen the truth. However, as a parent, and as a friend of Kaleb and Kaleb's family -- I've known Kaleb's family for almost 10 years -- if Caleb were my son, I would have begged him to take the plea. And that's exactly what I did with Kaleb."

Staring down that reality, Bobzien said, is why he took the deal even though he doesn't believe he committed the crime.

"That was a big thing for me, and why I took the plea," he said. "I'm a young black man in this situation. I've read "To Kill a Mockingbird." I know how bad this could have ended for me, and I just took that off the table. It was a relief off my shoulders. It was a relief off my family's shoulders. And honestly, I wouldn't be here today without Mr. Dwan. I really owe it all to him."

Photo: Michael T. Dwan and Kaleb J. Bobzien outside County Court on Wednesday. Photo by Howard Owens.

Press release:

The creative juices were flowing on Thursday as a couple dozen folks, including staff members, participated in the “Ugly Sweater (or Shirt) Making & Contest” at The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road.

The Recovery Station is a social club-themed outreach of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.

Judging was conducted in six categories, including “Most Disturbing,” which was won by Tyler Budzinack (photo above).

When asked how he would describe his work, Budzinack simply replied, “Gorgeous!”

Winners in the other categories are as follows:

Ugly But Classy – Cindy M.

Most Beautifully Tacky – Jessica Budzinack and Charlene Grimm.

Made by Grandma – Vicky M.

Best Ugliest Sweater – Ashley Stelmok (photo below)

Most Original – Jolene S.

Most Festive – Kat Russell.

The Recovery Station’s holiday celebration continues with “Cookies & Crafts with Santa” from 3 to 6 p.m. Dec. 22.

Each family will receive a free printed picture with Santa and Christmas book to take home. Call 585-815-5248 to register.

The man believed to be behind the wheel of a minivan that struck a utility pole on Law Street in Batavia on Nov. 23, causing a widespread power surge on the Southside, surrendered to Batavia PD on Tuesday.

Jeremy Lyons, 38, of Mount Morris, was cited for leaving the scene of a property damage accident and aggravated unlicensed operation, said Assistant Chief Chris Camp.

There's no way of knowing at this point, Camp said, if Lyons was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Lyons was seen running from the scene of the accident, and an attempt to locate him in the area immediately after the accident, including a K-9 search, was unsuccessful.

The minivan struck a utility pole causing 287 homes in the area of Chestnut Street, South Jackson, and to both the north and south of those streets, to lose power.  The power surge caused electric meters on the outside of dozens of homes to blow out. Contractors in Batavia said they responded to several calls to repair the damage, including to furnaces and HVAC units.  National Grid replaced the electric meters on all 287 houses.

The vehicle Lyons was driving was insured, Camp said.

There is currently no estimate available on how much damage the accident caused to National Grid property and the 287 homes that lost power.

Residents with claims directly related to the power surge can file those claims with National Grid at ClaimsDept@nationalgrid.com or by calling (315) 428-6536.

Photo: File photo of Nov. 23 accident. By Howard Owens.

The CEO of the county’s Economic Development Center reviewed that financial projection as part of a Hecate Energy Cider Solar LLC project. Public hearings were recently conducted in each municipality, with a few comments and not much of an outpouring of concerns or complaints, Hyde said.

He and Marketing and Communications Director Jim Krencik presented the review during Wednesday’s Ways & Means Committee meeting. Krencik credited a successful negotiation between all entities for the project’s forward progress.

“This is going to have a major impact philosophically and visually,” he said. 

Once, or if, the measure is approved by both municipal boards and the county Legislature, the presence of a solar operation is to help fund infrastructure throughout the county via first-year payments to Elba ($989,739) and Oakfield-Alabama ($660,133) schools, the towns of Elba ($756,698) and Oakfield ($504,463), and Genesee County itself ($774,165), he said.

Thirty-year revenue predictions result with those entities each garnering $12 million to $19 million each, plus a residential utility bill credit of $2.5 million and special district taxes of nearly $5.8 million, Hyde and Krencik said. In the shorter term, each entity is predicted to receive anywhere from $504,463 to $989,739 from the deal in the first year alone.

Although the projects won’t create a lot of jobs, Hyde said, there is an impact of getting back $22 for every dollar invested, he said.

“We’ve got something here that’s pretty significant from a tax basis,” he said.

Committee legislators agreed with the plan.

“This is a transformational project for these communities,” Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said. “They need to get something back. We’re going to authorize our IDA to collect money on our behalf. If the state comes in, they’d be doing it for free.”

Admittedly, “playing tough” is not Hyde’s style, he said, but negotiations “got really tough at some points.”

The time and effort has been worth it, Hyde said.

"Accomplishing a high level of fiscal benefits from solar energy projects has been a shared goal of the GCEDC, Genesee County, and our towns and schools. We thank the towns of Elba and Oakfield for their commitment and collaboration throughout the negotiations for Hecate Energy Cider Solar LLC," he said. "They have gone above and beyond in representing their communities," Hyde said.

The Batavian has reached out to the Town of Elba for the results of this week's expected vote and will add that once a reply is received.

Top File Photo: Steve Hyde, CEO of Genesee County Economic Development Center, by Howard Owens; above, Marketing and Communications Director Jim Krencik, from GCEDC website. 

Jennifer M. "Miss B" Morton, 38, of Driving Park Avenue, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, and promoting prison contraband 1st, and Angela R. Bateman, 50, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal nuisance 1st and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. As the result of a joint investigation by Batavia PD and the Local Drug Task Force, a search warrant was executed on Dec. 5 at a residence on Hutchins Street, Batavia. Morton, currently on probation related to prior drug charges, was allegedly found in possession of 150 bags of cocaine, and during processing, allegedly entered a secured portion of the Genesee County Jail in possession of cocaine. Bateman, on parole from prior drug charges, is accused of maintaining a premises where narcotics were being sold.  Both Morton and Batement were arraigned and ordered held without bail.

Chad W. Main, 41, of Warsaw, is charged with felony driving while ability impaired by drugs, felony aggravated unlicensed operation, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, obstructing governmental administration, uninspected motor vehicle, unlicensed operator, open alcoholic container, failure to signal, and inadequate plate lamps, and James W. Sherbert, Jr., 49, of Perry, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Sgt. Mathew Clor initiated a traffic stop on Dec. 2 at 12:41 a.m. on Parmelee Road, Le Roy and upon stopping, Main allegedly fled on foot. He was apprehended a short time later by Clor and Deputy David Moore. Sherbert was allegedly found in possession of two controlled substances.  Main was arraigned and released on his own recognizance. Sherber was issued an appearance ticket.

Herbert B. Gennis, 33, of Raymond Avenue, Batavia and Jason W. Whitehead, Jr., 33, of Bank Street, Batavia, are charged with multiple crimes. It's not entirely clear from the Sheriff's Office which charges apply to which defendant. The charges are criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminally using drug paraphernalia 2nd, aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd, operating with an interlock device, and other vehicle and traffic law violations. On Dec. 1 at 7 p,m., deputies Nicholas Chamoun and Kenneth Quackenbush stopped a vehicle on Park Road reportedly driven by Whitehead. Whitehead is accused of driving on a revoked license, without an interlock device, and was in possession of a weapon and narcotics. Gennis was allegedly in possession of narcotics with intent to sell. Whitehead and Gennis were arraigned in Batavia Town Court and released on their own recognizance.

Demetrius W. Richardson, 41, no permanent address, is charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of a forged instrument 1st. Richardson was arrested on three warrants containing four charges of each of the listed charges. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held without bail.

James W. Cason, 67, of Batavia, is charged with sex abuse 3rd. Cason is accused of subjecting another person to unwanted sexual contact at a location on Bank Street on Nov. 28 at 3 p.m.  He was arraigned in City Court. An order of protection was issued. He was released on his own recognizance. 

Jeannine M. Mobley, 46, of Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Mobley is accused of stealing from a business on Jackson Street, Batavia, on Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. She was arraigned in City Court on Nov. 28 and released on her own recognizance.

Tonya M. Weber, 38, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Weber is accused of stealing from a business on East Main Street, Batavia, on Nov. 26 at 3:19 am. She was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Joshua P. Moore, 32, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and criminal obstruction of breathing. Moore was arrested following the report of a disturbance at 1:35 a.m. on Nov. 24 at a location on Chase Parkway, Batavia. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

Julie R. Richardson, 31, no permanent address, is charged with grand larceny 4th. Richardson is accused of stealing a credit card from a parked car outside a business on East Main Street in Batavia on Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Richardson was arraigned in City Court and ordered held without bail. Richardson is also charged with petit larceny. On Nov. 11 at 10:50 p.m., Richardson is accused of stealing items from vehicles at a business on East Main Street, Batavia. 

Christopher P. Robinson, 24, of Amherst, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Robinson was stopped at 2:49 p.m. on Nov. 21 at Batavia City Centre by a Batavia patrol officer. He was ordered to appear in City Court on Nov. 30.

Shyanna M. Williams, 19, of Hamburg, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and criminal contempt 1st. Williams is accused of violating a stay-away order of protection by contacting the protected party via text message multiple times over several days in November. Williams was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Colleen A. Wisniewski, 28, of Middlebury, is charged with petit larceny. Wisniewski is accused of shoplifting from a store on West Main Street at 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 26. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Charles R. Brown, 47, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Brown is accused of violating an order of protection on Nov. 14 at 5 a.m. by talking with the protected party. He was ordered to appear in City Court on Dec. 6.

Kaitlyn Nicole Brooks, 30, of Shelly Road, Livonia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed driver, and inadequate headlights. Brooks was stopped at 6:58 p.m. on Nov. 27 on Ellicott Street Road, Bethany, by Deputy Zachary Hoy. She was allegedly found in possession of Fentanyl. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Joseph P. Gerwitz, 24, of Central Avenue, Lancaster, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. At 4:55 a.m. on Dec. 3, Deputy Jacob Kipler and Deputy Alexander Hadsall were dispatched to Alleghany Road in Alabama to investigate a report of a vehicle parked roadside. When they arrived, they found a vehicle that had crashed into a road sign and the driver was unresponsive at the wheel. Gerwitz was arrested and transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing. He was released on appearance tickets.

David John Conrad, 34, of West Ivy Street, East Rochester, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Conrad is accused of violating an order of protection at 8:40 a.m. on Nov. 23 at a location on South Lake Road, Pembroke. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Michael J. Fazio, age not released, of Walworth, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 4th and petit larceny. Fazio is accused of using a stolen credit card to make purchases at the Kwik Fill in Le Roy in August. Fazio was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court on Dec. 6 and ordered held without bail. He is currently incarcerated in the Wayne County Jail on unrelated charges.

Kevin Wayne Howard, 23, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs. Howard was located during a property check at the Kwik Fill gas station in Le Roy at 2:37 a.m. on Nov. 28 and taken into custody. He was issued an appearance ticket.

James Junior Santiago, Jr., 43, of Hundremark Road, Elba, is charged with bail jumping 2nd. James is accused of failure to appear in County Court on Jan. 16 after being released from custody on felony charges. James was arraigned and ordered held.

Joseph David Krug, 28, of Somerset Lane, Victor, is charged with bail jumping 2nd. Krug is accused of failing to appear in Batavia Town Court on May 24 after being released on felony charges. He was arraigned and ordered held.

Beth Ann Jeffres, 40, no permanent address, is charged with bail jumping 1st. Jeffres is accused of failure to appear in County Court on Oct. 21 after being released on a Class B felony charge. Jeffres was arraigned in County Court and ordered held.

Carl Thomas Amesbury, 30, of School Street, Batavia, is charged with bail jumping 1st and bail jumping 3rd. Amesbury is accused of failure to appear in County Court on Sept. 29 after being released on a Class B felony charge and in Stafford Court on Oct. 13 on another charge. Amesbury was arraigned in County Court and ordered held.

Donald Brown, 48, of Loomis Street Rochester, is charged with bail jumping 2nd. Brown is accused of failure to appear in County Court on March 9 after being released on a felony charge. Brown was arraigned in County Court and ordered held.

Erik Robert Motquin, 40, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with bail 3rd. Motquin is accused of failure to appear in Batavia Town Court on Sept. 13 after being released on a criminal charge. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Shana C. Dugar, 31, of Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, is charged with bail jumping 2nd. Dugar is accused of failure to appear in Batavia Town Court on Aug. 30 after being released on a criminal charge. Dugar was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and released on her own recognizance.

Jada Imari Smith, 21, of Mourning Dove Road, Niagara Falls, is charged with criminal trespass 2nd. On Dec. 3 at 8:58 p.m., Smith was located on Genesee Community College property after previously being told she wasn't allowed on the property. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Bryan Paul Bartha, 61, of Boyce Road, Corfu, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, moving from lane unsafely, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.  Bartha is accused of driving a vehicle that struck a utility pole on Boyce Road, Pembroke, at 6:30 p.m., June 27. He was arrested following an investigation on Dec. 7 and issued an appearance ticket.

Keith P. McNaughton, 24, of West Seneca, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs. McNaughton was stopped by State Police at 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 6 and issued an appearance ticket. 

Shawnna L. Lamont, 33, of Perry, is charged with petit larceny. Lamont is accused of shoplifting $19.45 in merchandise at the Dollar General store on Big Tree Road in the Town of Pavilion at 7:50 p.m. on Dec. 3 and was arrested by State Police. She was issued an appearance ticket.

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A resolution for this measure would add a $200 payment for roundtrip costs of transporting someone who has died and a coroner has been requested. This change and additional stipend are being proposed as an amendment to a local law, County Attorney James Wujcik said.

County Manager Matt Landers elaborated on how the situation came to light.

“This is something that was brought to our attention from communications, law enforcement, public health, as a concern from the coroners underneath them, where we would have resources tied up at the scene for a while while we're waiting for transports, where dispatches would be going through a list and trying to get people to come,” Landers said during Wednesday’s Ways & Means meeting. “And so it was tying up resources. And it was especially the time when we had difficulty with our own resources as they are. We tried an interim step first, Tammi worked with public health to issue an RFP twice. Two times they issued it with hope to find a dedicated transport service vendor that would be doing this. We did not get any responses.

“So after that, the next option was, well, coroners are already there. Can we have them just do the transport,” he said.

There’s been an increased demand for this unscheduled service, he said, and “it really was becoming a challenge to acquire those services.” With an established fee, coroners will know the payment up front when a call comes in, he said.

There will be a public hearing about “providing additional duties and increasing the salary of the Genesee County coroner” next year. It will be at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 4 in the Legislative Chambers at the Old Courthouse, 7 Main St., Batavia.

This is for situations when a coroner has been called to provide the service. When asked by Legislator Marianne Clattenburg how often this has happened, Assistant County Manager Tammi Ferringer said more than a lot.

"So it's about 40 to 50 cases a year that are transported to the medical examiner,” she said.

Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein wanted to know if these bodies would be taken to the funeral home or to the medical examiner's office. Ferringer confirmed it was the latter.

“Thank you. I don’t want to be their delivery service,” Stein said.

Anyone interested in speaking during the public hearing may do so during this time.

UPFATE: The entire resolution to be voted on includes prior local laws from years 2012, 2018 and 2021. It states: A local law amending local law number one of the year 2021, as further amended by local law number five of the Year 2018 and incorporating local law number two of the year 2021 in relation to providing additional duties and increasing the salary of the Genesee County Coroner."

Assistant County Manager Tammi Ferringer further explained that, despite what the above passage states regarding salary, "The coroner’s salary will not increase.  The base salary of $2,000, with $100/case and $150/holiday case has been the method of compensation since 2018.  This local law does introduce a phone case reimbursement rate of $50/case.  By law, certain deaths do not need a coroner to physically respond.  However, the coroner may be contacted by a medical facility for consult on the case.  This new rate will allow the Coroner to be compensated for their work in these instances."

After a tour of The McCarthy (a condensed version of David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena sometimes used at the rink) Monday, and noting the newly painted fiberglass benches — in “Rampart Blue” — it was clear that a transformation has been taking place.

Led by ice arena operator/manager Matt Gray and his folks, Bob and Sharon Gray, representing Friends of the Rink, this tour showed off the hard work and diligence it takes to turn around an aging, unkempt facility.

Just ask City Council members. They raved about the differences at the rink during a recent council meeting. Bob Bialkowski noted the work and dedication of Friends of the Rink, while Paul Viele commended the condition of the smooth ice — “it’s like day and night” — and Tammy Schmidt happily reported that she attended a game, and kept warm with working heaters for a change.

Two meeting/training rooms have been carved out of the space and painted an ivory cream. Dark chocolate tiles have been installed on the ceiling, and a storage room with clean white cupboards lining one wall and a granite countertop is gradually turning into Matt’s office. A wall opposite the arena itself has also been painted, with a pale blue and Rampart blue trim — a feat performed by Sharon, she proudly said.

“That was built in 1994, but never painted. In every picture from high school, you see him playing, and here's his ugly backdrop,” she said. “So we painted, that was our first project this year. I painted it, and my grandson did the upper part.”

So far, members of the Friends group have put in 407 hours of hands-on volunteer time at the Evans Street arena. With their prompting, the city tore out a ramp with a huge pothole in it and rebuilt that section used for Zamboni storage.

Matt’s first goals were to revamp the concession area, which has been completed along with the addition of more hot food and install new brighter lighting. He is testing out three lights over the rink before proceeding with a larger purchase.

Rink management, including General Manager Kati Murray and Facilities Manager Adam Reich, is on the lookout for 12- to 16-foot conference tables for the meeting rooms, and Gray plans to have wiring installed with Cat 6 data cabling for integrated WiFi, which will allow for Zoom meetings and connect to a large television and camera — donated by Batavia Rotary — for game replays.

Carpet tiles will be added for its use as a “flex space,” he said, as Sharon added that someone recently hosted a birthday party there.

A future goal may be to serve brews at The McCarthy — sounds like a pub, doesn’t it? Other ideas include opening the rink year-round with roller hockey, and having an open public time for recreational roller skating and blading, Matt said.

When the elder Grays formed Friends of the Rink in 2020, they wanted to improve issues they had noticed over the years. A hockey player asked Bob why he was getting so involved. This is just an ice rink, the player said.

“And I said, ‘Yeah, but why can't it be the best ice rink in Western New York? Then when we get Western New York, we can have the best in the state, and keep going,” Bob said, adding that issues of unwanted running water, a filthy environment and poor communication have hurt the arena.  “I’ve been here throughout the years, and I see a big improvement.”

The Gray couple agreed that they want to see the rink bounce back, and for youth to be able to enjoy it and perhaps make good friends, just as their son and grandchildren have done.

“That's what we're looking for. We're doing it for the kids,” Bob said. “Matt was a big influence when he took over. We worked like busy beavers.”

Sharon added that she fell on the floor crying when she found out that Matt was taking on rink management. He certainly has the experience, having been a rink user for years, and the business acumen as a local entrepreneur of several successful establishments.

When asked if things have changed from years ago, Sharon had a definitive answer.

“Oh yes, 180 percent,” she said.

And sometimes what’s old is new again.

“We're old timers, you know, so this is a way we used to do it. We’d say, 'why can't we do it like that,' and it worked,” Bob said. “You know, we bring up ideas, and they say, ‘Oh, this is a good idea,’ when it was something we did years ago. We're just bringing it back.”

He’s talking as much about the social aspects of the rink and ice hockey as he is about the structural and aesthetic components. Amateur hockey membership had dropped from 425 players to 257 last year, and for reasons that include family busyness, a wide scope of recreational options — lacrosse and soccer are two popular ones — and other distractions for prospective players, all three Grays said.

This is not just a Batavia phenomenon, they said, but a national one of having multiple options of things to do. And, as Bob said, playing hockey is not just something to do, “it’s a lifestyle.”

“Either you’re in, or you’re out,” he said.

His family has been mostly in — since 1980, when Matt was a beginner on the ice. He aged out in 1996, and soon grandchildren laced up. Despite the downturn of participation in recent years, the Grays are “seeing more family involvement.”

That was one of the biggest benefits for Matt when as a kid, he played ice hockey and made friends for life. He was all in, as any avid hockey player is, Bob said. Another reason that may prevent more kids from participating nowadays is the cost. Helmets, protective gear, and sticks can quickly total $1,200 or more, he said. (See related story about equipment donations.)

Friends of the Rink hosted a Try Hockey For Free kids program this fall and will do so again in February. Members are also mulling a similar event for adults.

As for ice play, and related amenities, Matt plans to reconfigure the bathrooms and showers so that space is more equitable for female players.

“We have a checklist of things that we want to get done this year, next year, and the year after. And then there are side things where Bob, Sharon, Friends of the Rink can really help us do that, outside of what we have otherwise,” Matt said. “And staff have been fantastic with, you know, taking on new projects and doing it in between everything else they have responsibilities for, and then they fill in the gaps on different projects.”

Anyone interested in watching a game remotely may do so through LiveBarn, a subscription-based app. Although parents will typically attend in person, that will be a great tool for coaches scouting out the talent, Matt said, and Batavia United coaches John Kirkwood and Marc Staley set up the app.

For more information about the rink and hours, go to The McCarthy.  

Top Photo: Matt Gray and his folks, Bob and Sharon of Friends of the Rink, provide a tour of rink updates and discuss future plans of the Evans Street site; Bob Gray shows the newly painted benches that sit near the concession inside the arena; Matt Gray shows a painted wooden cutout of the Ramparts logo as it sits atop a handmade table in one of the multi-use meeting rooms; ice play in action on the rink.

Sharon Valyear-Gray wanted to make one thing clear: if you're in need of hockey equipment, Friends of the Rink may be able to help.

The nonprofit has six containers and then some of used goods, from skates and helmets to shoulder pads.

What she also wants to make clear -- similar to the sheen on the ice rink at David M. McCarthy ice arena -- is that these goods are available to kids in need to help them enjoy the sport. 

Friends of the Rink has brought back the used equipment and skate collection with the sole purpose to "help make the sport of hockey more accessible to local families," the group states.

After a free trial session, called Try Hockey For Free, Genesee Amateur Hockey Association introduces families to its beginner program of 15 sessions (from October to December) and again from January to March.  This program is sponsored by Batavia's Tim Horton franchise. Thanks to access to free used equipment and skates, "we can help out the families from the initial purchase of hockey equipment and skates," Valyear-Gray said.

"There is always the anxiety of spending that money and then the youngster becomes disinterested," she said. "Now, once again, we have a collection of gently used equipment and skates totally free of charge to ease that financial burden."

GAHA families have generously been donating items after their own children grow out of the items, she said, which include hockey pants, shoulder and elbow pads, gloves and skates. Supplies of helmets are limited, as they are date-coded with a five-year lifespan. Items are stored in metal bins at the end of the bleachers in the arena. 

"Families are welcome to help themselves to needed items," she said, or for assistance, call her at (585) 344-2248 or email svgray@rochester.rr.com.

To donate helmets with the code and date within five years old or less, or other clean ice hockey equipment, drop it off in a bin between the two entry doors. Donations are always welcome and needed as well, she said.

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Top Photo: Sharon Valyear-Gray of Friends of the Rink shows the shelves of ice hockey items, above, available for free at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street, Batavia. Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

Genesee County 4-H members participated in a Holiday Greens Workshop at the Cooperative Extension Office on December 1^st.  The workshop was presented by Genesee County Master Gardener Volunteers.  Youth learned about using fresh-cut evergreens to make a holiday arrangement. After the presentation, youth created their own holiday centerpiece to take home.

4-H is a nationwide youth program that connects youth age 5-18 to a variety of hands-on learning opportunities.  For more information about joining the Genesee County 4-H Program, please contact the 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040 ext. 131.  Enrollment forms are also available on our website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/4-h-youth-development/how-to-join-4-h

Press release:

National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is December 5-9, 2022.  This is an annual observance in December to remind everyone that there is still time to get vaccinated against the flu to be protected during the upcoming holidays and winter months.  “The best way to reduce your risk from seasonal flu and its potentially serious complications is by getting the flu vaccine every year,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “The vaccine lowers the chance of getting you and those around you sick with the flu. It also reduces the burden on the health care system by reducing doctor visits and hospitalizations.” 

Everyone 6 months or older should get a flu vaccine every year. It's best to get the flu vaccine early on in flu season, ideally by the end of October. You might wonder, is it too late to get vaccinated?  The simple answer is no. “Getting the vaccine later is better than not getting it at all,” said Mr. Pettit. “Once you have the flu vaccine, research shows that the vaccination reduces the risk of severe illness if you do get the flu.”

Vaccination is also important for people who live with or care for high-risk individuals to prevent spreading the flu to them. Individuals who are considered higher risk include younger children, pregnant people, people with certain chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes or lung disease, and people 65 years and older. Children younger than 6 months old are also at a higher risk of serious flu illness because they are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for or are around infants should be vaccinated to protect those that are vulnerable and cannot be vaccinated.

Below are the number of reported flu cases for Genesee and Orleans Counties since 2018, according to the New York State Department of Health. Note that there was limited flu reported in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 compared to annual averages because of the heightened focus on practicing public health precautions such as frequent hand washing, social distancing, staying home when ill, limiting social gatherings, and wearing face coverings. During that period, less germs were spread due to people staying home and limiting their contact with others outside of their households as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 NYS Department of Health Confirmed Cases of Influenza

Genesee County

Orleans County

2018-2019

581

270

2019-2020

598

266

2020-2021

7

8

2021-2022

182

100

2022-2023 (as of 11/26/22)

212

93

In addition to receiving your flu vaccine, you can take preventative actions every day to help stop the spread of germs:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• If you are sick, stay home and limit contact with others as much as possible so that you prevent the spread of infection.
  • For flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or other necessities. Please note that stay-at-home guidance is different for COVID-19.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Clean and disinfect frequently shared surfaces and objects

To find a vaccine site near you visit: https://www.vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/

For more information about Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments, visit GOHealthNY.org. You can also visit GO Health on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by searching @GoHealthNY.

Press release:

In its ongoing dedication to bettering the communities it serves, this Thanksgiving Tompkins Community Bank gifted a total of $15,000 to local nonprofits across western New York in celebration of its annual “Banksgiving” holiday donation. This year, Tompkins’ Banksgiving featured $1,000 donations to nonprofits whose focus is food insecurity and local to each of its fifteen branches across Erie, Cattaraugus, Livingston, Genesee, Wyoming, Monroe and Orleans counties. This is the third year Tompkins has supported local nonprofits through the Banksgiving program.  

“The holiday season can prove to be a difficult time of year for many folks, and even more so as we continue to encounter aftereffects of the pandemic as well as rising costs of goods,” said John McKenna, president of Tompkins’ Western New York market. “It’s our hope that these gifts will make a meaningful difference in all of these communities, because we’re a part of those communities, too.” 

The Banksgiving donations round out a year of community-focused initiatives for Tompkins. Throughout 2022, the bank has continued to offer free, virtual seminars on topics ranging from first-time homebuying to fraud protection, as a means of cultivating financial education and independence in the communities we serve.  

“Giving back and supporting the communities serve is central to our mission as a community bank,” continued McKenna. “We have the unique privilege of seeing the impact of our actions first hand, as our employees also live and work in these communities as well. Our efforts are inextricably linked to the community’s well-being, and this is what inspires us to continue evolving to meet the needs of the counties we serve.  

Submitted photo: Mickey Hyde (Tompkins in Le Roy), Judy Ridley (LeRoy Food Pantry), and Wendy Holmes (Tompkins).

Press release:

The management of Batavia Downs announced today that post time for the final card of racing for 2022 scheduled for Saturday (Dec. 17) has been changed from 6 p.m. to 3 p.m. This was done after the week 15 game between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins was flexed to 8:15 p.m. by the National Football League.

Don Hoover, General Manager of Live Racing and Race Secretary at Batavia Downs, said: “After the NFL announced that the Bills/Dolphins game had been flexed to Saturday night, it was decided to move our post time to 3 p.m. to accommodate the fans of both live harness racing and the Buffalo Bills.”

With that change in place, several other times have changed as well.

Horsemen should be advised that the track will close for training at noon on Dec. 17 to prepare it for the night’s races.

The clubhouse will open its doors at 2:30 p.m. and will offer a prime rib and shrimp buffet that will be served from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Railbar will be open from 2:30 p.m. until the end of the last race, which will be approximately 7:00 p.m. However it will not remain open for the Bills Game.

The final day of racing will also host the “Night of Distinction” year-end awards, which will be presented by the Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association and Batavia Downs to honor all the human and equine stars of the 2022 meeting. 

Press release:

The holiday season can lead to gambling problems.

The holidays can be an especially tough time for those struggling with or in recovery from a gambling problem. Stress from extended family time and pressure financially to provide gifts can be overwhelming. These stresses can lead to an individual looking for an escape, or a “quick fix” to help get the presents everyone wants for the holidays. Gambling too often becomes the “go-to” for many people when they need to get away.

The holidays are a wonderful time to give thanks and spend time with family and friends. If you have a loved one who is struggling to control a gambling problem, be kind and understanding if they seem irritable or anxious. Take time to ask your friends or loved ones if they are doing ok this holiday season. Your understanding and communication can help lead to treatment and recovery for someone who might be afraid, or simply not know how to ask.

The Western Problem Gambling Resource Center is “Here to Help.” If you need help, or you know someone who needs help because their holiday season is causing stress and anxiety because of a gambling problem, confidential help is available.

Happy Holidays!

• Confidential email: WesternPGRC@nyproblemgambling.org
• Confidential helpline: (716) 833-4274

It is always an emotional boost for me to see how much comfort our foundation has brought to people that have become newly injured with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Just imagine yourself being away on a California vacation with your wife and two children and then the most unexpected catastrophe happens as you find yourself floating facedown because you just broke your neck in the ocean. You don’t know which hospital is the best for treating a SCI so, you are at the mercy of the first responders. Just when you find yourself with nowhere to turn, you get a phone call from The Miami Project (MP) to Cure Paralysis (the #1 spinal research center in the country). The reason that the MP has called you is because one of your friends was at the BRUCE in the USA concert that was put on by our Ricky Palermo Foundation. This friend got in touch with me and I in turn got in touch with the MP, and this family was able to have a plan that has many of the answers you were hoping for. This is the second time that this situation has come up this year. Last winter, a cousin of a close friend who lives in Minnesota suffered a SCI while snowmobiling. This family called their cousin that is a big supporter of our events and he was able to contact me and then I was able to put them in touch with the MP. Then the MP guided them to the nearest SCI rehab. I wish my family had a place like the MP to call when I was first injured in 1981, but the MP did not exist until 1985.

This year our events consisted of our annual soccer clinic, which brought in about 80 kids to learn skills from BHS girls varsity soccer coach Roger Hume. In early June, we hosted our largest event yet, as we had 1400 people attend a BRUCE in the USA concert at Batavia Downs And Gaming (a tribute band to Bruce Springsteen). This concert has really helped our main goal of spreading awareness of Spinal Cord Injuries, and then in early August, we hosted our 26 the annual Ricky Palermo Spinal Injury Golf Tournament. We are proud to say that these three events helped us donate more than $84,000 to our same four beneficiaries: UMMC’s Rochester Regional Health, Strong Memorial Hospital, Batavia’s GLOW YMCA (SCI) Bike Program and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. This brings our 26 year grand total to $1.8 million donated!

It was once again a thrill for me to bring our donation to NYC for the MPs 37th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner hosted by The Buoniconti Fund. This year’s dinner was held at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Everyone in attendance (nearly 1000) was treated to a delicious dinner, a Beatles tribute band, several speeches by sports celebrities and an incredible update given by The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis’s CEO Dr. Barth Green, and leading SCI research scientist Dr. Dalton Dietrich.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTINUED TO SUPPORT ME!!

Your friend, Ricky Palermo
www.RickyPalermofoundation.org
Follow us on Facebook – the Ricky Palermo Spinal Injury Tournament And Fundraiser to Cure Paralysis.
A Healthy, Happy Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

Press release:

The Genesee County 4-H Program is now accepting registrations for its 2023 4-H Tractor Safety Program.  The program is open to youth age 14 and over and covers farm safety, tractor safety, tractor operation and other related topics. 

The National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program is a certification program that allows youth ages 14 and 15 to be certified to legally operate farm equipment for hire.  After completing the training course, youth will need to pass a written knowledge test and driving test to receive the certification.

The program is scheduled to run Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, from January through April at farm machinery dealerships throughout Genesee County.  The fee for the program is $25, and youth must also be currently enrolled 4-H members.  Registrations are due January 28, 2023.  To register for the program or receive more information, please contact the Genesee County 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040 ext. 101.  Registration forms are also available online at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/4htractorsafety

Photo: File photo from 2016 by Howard Owens

Press release:

GLOW Works Inc. is building on the momentum of its annual GLOW With Your Hands manufacturing event with an expansion to serve the healthcare sector with GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare on Friday, March 24, 2023, at Genesee Community College.

“A critical component of the success of that event is the support of sponsorships by companies across the GLOW region to bring hundreds of students to one location for an immersive career exploration experience,” said Karyn Winters, GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare Co-Chair.

“Sponsors are one of the main reasons we have seen so much success with the GLOW With Your Hands manufacturing event, and we are hopeful that healthcare entities will experience similar success by supporting this event,” said Chris Suozzi, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair.  “Similar to the manufacturing sector, there is strong demand from healthcare employers to identify the next generation of workers for great careers in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties.”

GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare will provide the healthcare sector with the opportunity to meet and recruit their future workforce. Students will have the opportunity to learn and interact with companies from various sectors of the healthcare industry, including hospitals and health systems and jobs in nursing, mental health, social services and first aid.   They will also engage with local colleges, universities, and secondary and post-secondary training programs to learn about career pathways that will provide a sound return on their investment.

“This is another incredible opportunity for students to learn about good-paying careers in the healthcare sector with companies right here in the GLOW region,” said Angela Grouse, GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare Co-Chair. “Healthcare is a dynamic field and an essential component of the regional economy as evidenced by various expansions and developments across the GLOW area, and the robust training programs for students ready to explore careers in healthcare.”

There are sponsorship opportunities for the March 24 event at the Platinum ($5,000), Gold ($2,500), Silver ($1,000) and Bronze ($500) levels.

For more information about GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare, visit www.GLOWWithYourHands.com/healthcare or contact Chris Suozzi atcsuozzi@gcedc.com.