A new arrangement this year between the Village of Le Roy and the Le Roy Central School District will ensure both Wolcott Street School and Le Roy MS/HS will have a nearly constant law enforcement presence.

The arrangement is possible with the retirement of Officer Eric Miller, who was the School Resource Officer at the high school, splitting some time with Wolcott, since 2003, and a change in state law that allows Miller to now become an employee of the district to perform the same duties, and the willingness of the Village to continue to partially fund an SRO position.

The state has created a classification of school employees known as "special patrol officers." These are former law enforcement officers who remain qualified to perform the duties of an officer.

In Miller's case, not only is he still qualified, he has returned to Le Roy PD as a part-time officer, which will help him maintain his qualifications.

While Miller is at the high school, Le Roy PD has assigned two part-time officers to rotate coverage, one week on, one week off, at the elementary school.

"I think when we looked at what the county proposed, though we were interested in that idea, we felt that getting coverage in both buildings was non-negotiable," said Superintendent Merritt Holly. "I think the setup that we have here provides us with the opportunity to have an armed police officer in this building and a special patrol officer in the other building, so it gives us now the coverage that we're looking for."

His SRO position was created in 2003 shortly after Columbine (the April 1999 high school massacre in Jefferson County, Colo.) and he served both campuses.

His job, both as an SRO and as it's defined now, isn't just to provide security for the school. It's a job that involves getting to know students, assist them where he can, and providing information about school and personal safety.

Chief Chris Hayward said the new state law helps make the situation more flexible.

"I'm not a one of those who believes that in order to keep our kids safe there have to be uniformed police officers," Hayward said. "Do I believe that it should be someone like Eric who has that experience and has that training? Absolutely. But I don't think that it has to be an active police officer because there are requirements of Eric. Even if he hadn't been hired back by us, there are still those requirements where he has to go to the annual training with firearms, use of deadly physical force etc., so there still those safeguards, for want of a better term, in place to make sure that they're maintaining that level of training to respond in an appropriate manner."

Photo: Eric Miller, Tim McArdle, middle school and high school principal, Carol Messura, Wolcott principal, and Officer Heath Mattingly, one of two part-time officers assigned to Wolcott.

Todd A. Gailie Jr., 27, of Myrtle Street, Le Roy was arrested on Sept. 7th by the Le Roy Police Department for petit larceny and obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, Class A misdemeanors. Le Roy Police Department responded to a business on Lake Street in the Village after receiving a complaint of a male allegedly leaving a restaurant without paying for food and drinks that he consumed. Upon arrival, the patrols located Gailie on the railroad tracks in the area and when the patrol confronted Gailie, he allegedly ran from officers. After a brief foot chase Gailie was taken into custody. Gailie was arraigned and put in Genesee County Jail in lieu of $1,500 cash or $3,000 bond. Gailie is to return to Le Roy Town Court on Sept. 20th.

Roy A. Watson Jr., 29, of Porter Avenue, Batavia, is charged with having two unlicensed dogs. He was arrested at 9:35 a.m. on Sept. 4 at 24 Porter Ave. following an investigation into a complaint that his dogs were unlicensed. He was issued an appearance ticket for City Court and is due there Sept. 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer James Sheflin.

Marissa Eve Michaels-Connors, 26, of LaSalle Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with: first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle; DWI, first; operating a vehicle while using a cell phone; refusal to take breath test; and moving from lane unsafely. She was arrested at 5:09 p.m. on Sept. 9 on Vallance Road in Le Roy after a one-vehicle accident in which her vehicle struck a guard rail. It is alleged that she was driving while intoxicated and that she drove while her license was suspended for alcohol-related circumstances. She was jailed in lieu of $1,500 cash or $3,000 bond. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Howard Wilson.

Matthew Vincent Pragel, 23, of Forest Hill Drive, Williamsville, is charged with: operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs; driving while ability impaired -- combined influence of drugs; unlawful possession of marijuana; and moving from lane unsafely. At 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 4 on Bloomingdale Road in the Tonawanda Indian Reservation, Pragel was arrested after an investigation of a single-vehicle accident. He is to appear in Alabama Town Court at a later date. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Travis DeMuth.

Adam Robyn Chaddock, 31, of Virginia Manor Road, Rochester, is charged with: DWI; DWI with a BAC of .08 percent or higher; failure to keep right. Chaddock was arrested at 10:46 p.m. on Sept. 9 on Clinton Street Road in Stafford following a traffic stop. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Stafford Town Court on Oct. 19. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor, assisted by Deputy Andrew Mullen.

Giancarlo A. Miranda, 20, of West Saile Drive, Batavia, is charged with possession of a dangerous weapon on county property. At 2:32 p.m. on Sept. 4, Miranda was arrested for allegedly possessing a knife while entering the Genesee County Probation Building. He was issued an appearance ticket for City Court and is due there Sept. 11. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Catherine Mucha, assisted by Officer Chad Richards.

Ian Kyle Leblanc Chatt, 33, of Hart Street, Batavia, is charged with: petit larceny; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument; criminal use of drug paraphernalia; and sixth-degree conspiracy. Le Blanc Chatt was arrested at 1:59 p.m. on Sept. 7 following a larceny complaint at Walmart in Batavia. It is alleged that he walked past the point of sale with an 18-ounce can of Rain X. He was arrested and released with an appearance ticket for Town of Batavia Court on Sept. 20. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Hale, assisted by Deputy Lonnie Nati.

Brandon James March, 33, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with: criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; possession of a hypodermic instrument; criminal use of drug paraphernalia; and sixth-degree conspiracy. March was arrested at 1:59 p.m. on Sept. 7 following a larceny complaint at Walmart in Batavia. March allegedly conspired with another person to steal property and was found in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and released with an appearance ticket for Town of Batavia Court on Sept. 20. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Travis DeMuth, assisted by Deputy Andrew Hale.

Press release:

New York State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has secured $72,000 in state funding for public libraries throughout Genesee County.

“Our local libraries enrich our communities with invaluable services, and this critical funding will assist libraries across Genesee County with providing more programming to their patrons,” Ranzenhofer said. "As your State Senator, I am proud to be a strong supporter of Genesee County’s libraries."

The total funding will be distributed among Genesee County’s six public libraries:

• Byron-Bergen Library, $12,000;

• Corfu Free Library, $12,000;

• Haxton Memorial Library; $12,000;

• Hollwedel Memorial Library, $12,000;

• Richmond Memorial Library, $12,000; and

• Woodward Memorial Library, $12,000.

The funding can be used for a variety of purposes, including capital improvements, new books, learning materials, software, programming and computers. The funding is part of the 2018-19 State Budget. The funding is administered by the New York State Education Department.

The Genesee County 4-H Fur and Feather Club is hosting a youth poultry show on Saturday, Sept. 22. at the Merton Building on the Genesee County Fairgrounds, located at 5056 E. Main Street Road, Batavia.

The show is open to all local youth ages 19 and younger, youth don’t need to be a 4-H member to participate. Entries must be postmarked by Sept. 17; no day-of-show entries will be accepted.

Showroom opens at 7:30 a.m., birds must be cooped by 9 a.m. For complete show rules and entry form please visit: http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/events or contact the Genesee County 4-H Office at 343-3040, ext. 101.

Press release:

Uber today announced that Batavia native Rebecca Messina will join the company’s executive leadership team as global Chief Marketing Officer.

As Uber’s first-ever CMO, Messina will bring together Uber’s marketing teams around the world, building a global marketing organization that can support the company’s growth going forward.

“Rebecca brings deep experience in building global brands, and she’ll be a terrific leader for Uber’s marketing teams around the world,” said Barney Harford, Uber’s Chief Operating Officer. “We’re excited to learn from her as we work to make Uber one of the world’s most valuable brands, supported by cutting-edge marketing systems.”

“Joining Uber is a once in a lifetime opportunity and a true privilege. My focus has always been on three things: people, growth and brands,” Messina said. “Uber checks all three boxes: a rapidly growing global business, with the opportunity to build an iconic brand alongside a team that’s committed to transforming the future of mobility. I couldn’t be more excited about what lies ahead.”

“I’m thrilled to welcome Rebecca to Uber. She’s exactly the right leader to build our marketing efforts globally and to showcase the ways Uber is igniting opportunities for our customers around the world,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s CEO. “Very few brands become verbs; for Uber to have achieved this shows how we’ve captured imaginations and become an important part of our customers’ lives. I’m excited to bring on Rebecca as a steward for our brand moving forward.”

Messina joins Uber from Beam Suntory, the world's third largest premium spirits company, where she has served as global Chief Marketing Officer since 2016. Prior to Beam Suntory, she spent 22 years at The Coca-Cola Company, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President, Marketing & Innovation for Ventures & Emerging Brands. Previously she served in a number of different marketing leadership roles across the company, both in the United States and internationally.

Messina currently serves on the boards of the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) and the Ad Council, and has also served on the National Board of Directors of the American Marketing Association (AMA), the Georgia State Marketing Roundtable and the Atlanta Executive Board of the AMA.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). The Batavia High School alumna speaks English, Spanish, Italian and French. She is married, with two children, and currently lives in Chicago.

The police surveillance video of Central Avenue, Batavia, the night of May 17, when Nathaniel D. Wilson Jr., murdered Terry J. Toote with a knife, shows that Wilson was a threat to harm other people in the area, according to an attorney for Jennifer K. Urvizu-Hanlon.

Urvizu-Hanlon, former owner of La Mexicana store on East Main Street, is charged with criminal liability for conduct of another/criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd. She is accused of giving a handgun, which she was permitted to carry, to Samuel R. Blackshear, a 17-year-old who is accused of shooting Wilson.

"This individual was trying to keep the other individual from stabbing other people, which I believe is legally justifiable," said attorney Christian Kennedy.

Today's County Court appearance for Urvizu-Hanlon was a hearing related to motions filed by both the defense and the prosecution with arguments for further hearings in the case.

Kennedy revealed his theory of the case while arguing that the prosecution needs to turn over to him a list of witnesses along with any statements they made to police and reports generated from witness statements.

Under the rules of evidence, the defense isn't automatically entitled to this material. There are rules regarding "discovery," or evidence the people must turn over, and then what is known as "Brady material" (the name comes from a precedent-setting case dealing with evidence). Brady materials are statements and reports that the defense believes may contain information that would support a defendant's claim of innocence. 

Kennedy argued that given the number of witnesses, the statements he believes the police collected (there's no information available to indicate such statements were obtained) would almost certainly contain contradictory views of events, which then would almost certainly be Brady material. And if all the statements agree, he said, that might indicate the police relied on a single witness statement, which under the circumstances, could be used by the defense to demonstrate a problem with the investigation.

Either way, Kennedy argued, it's Brady material.

Judge Charles Zambito pressed him for more definitive information that would indicate Kennedy knew there was information in the material favorable to his client, and Kennedy said he couldn't know that without seeing the material but that in Monroe County the material is always provided to the defense for the reasons he outlined.

Zambito said he would review the material to determine if it contains information favorable to the defense and turn it over if necessary.

During the discussion in court today, it was suggested that Urvizu-Hanlon had said to Kennedy that she gave the gun to Blackshear to protect others. Kennedy corrected the statement, saying that he hadn't indicated one way or the other what his client may have said to him. He was stating, he said, that the video itself indicated Wilson was threatening others at the scene.

He said while the video clearly shows events on Central Avenue that night, it is too grainy to help the defense identify witnesses.

Blackshear is charged with: attempted murder, 2nd; attempted assault, 1st; assault, 2nd; and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd.

Urvizu-Hanlon, 48, apparently made statements to police after being read her Miranda warnings. A hearing on whether the proper procedures were followed by police will be held at 3 p.m., Oct. 19.

He's also seeking a probable cause hearing, arguing his client was arrested May 18 without a warrant, so he wants to probe whether police had at that point probable cause to take her into custody. Zambito is reviewing that request.

The 31-year-old Wilson entered a guilty plea to murder in the second degree Aug 20. 

At his plea hearing, District Attorney Lawerence Friedman cited witness statements indicating Wilson approached the scene making statements that indicated he intended to "kill everybody." He then attacked Toote.

Several people then jumped on Wilson and Wilson continued to fight with them.

Wilson entered his guilty plea on an Alford basis, which means he didn't admit to facts of the case, only that he would likely be found guilty if the case went to trial, so he was, therefore, accepting a plea deal more favorable than what he might receive if found guilty by a jury.

He faces a possible prison term of 20 years to life.

A car has reportedly struck a utility pole at 19 Walnut St., Batavia.

Injuries are reported. Two patients, one with a head and arm injury and the other possible minor injuries.

City fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

The YNGodess Shop in Batavia today hosted a fundraiser to benefit the family of Michael A. Tenebruso, who succumbed to cancer Aug. 31.

The fundraiser included a chicken BBQ sale and a basket raffle.

Above, Amy Kelsey and Chris Crocker, owner of YNGodess, prepare a pair of chicken dinners.

Flamenco guitarist Dan King provided entertainment. King was born and raised in Batavia and currently lives in Rochester. He just released his first album, available on Spotify and Apple Music.

Press release:

Join us for some spooky fun on Saturday, Oct. 20th, when the Batavia Cemetery Association will host a candlelight guided ghost walk through the Historic Batavia Cemetery on Harvester Avenue in Batavia.

The tours will feature the famous and infamous movers and shakers who shaped and influenced the City of Batavia.

The guided tour will bring guests to meet men and women of Batavia, who, for various reasons, held great power and exerted great influence in their day, were victims of tragic events, or both: Philemon Tracy, one of the few Confederate officers buried in the North; Ruth the unknown victim of a horrendous murder; Joseph Ellicott, a man of great power and great flaws; and William Morgan, the man who disappeared and was allegedly murdered before he could reveal the secrets of the Masons. These are some of the ghosts who will tell their stories on the tour.

Also visiting will be: Rev. John H. Yates, poet, preacher, philanthropist, journalist and author of nationally known hymns; Civil War veteran General John H. Martindale, who was Military Governor of the District of Columbia in 1865; and Dean and Mary Richmond, who greatly influenced civic life in Batavia in the 1800s, will meet with guests in their mausoleum on the last stop of the tour.

Dean Richmond made a great fortune in Great Lakes shipping and was the second president of the New York Central Railroad. Mary Richmond vastly expanded her husband’s fortune after his death and sat on the boards of many businesses and civic organizations. 

Tours begin at 7 p.m. and run every 15 minutes until 8:30 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes refreshments. Reservations are required.

Proceeds benefit the upkeep and restoration of the cemetery. For more information, or to make reservations, contact 343-3220.

The Genesee Rugby Club opened its home schedule Saturday with a match against the Binghampton Barbarians at the Batavia Sports Park.

The local club won 17-5.

Their next home game is at 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Batavia Sports Park.

Press release:

The Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund on Friday announced Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel as the host of the 2019 New York Sire Stakes Finals, also known as the “Night of Champions.” The Fund’s Board of Trustees selected Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel at a scheduled board meeting Sept. 7, following a proposal submission process. The date for the 2019 Finals has yet to be set.

The Fund invited race tracks from across New York State which host New York Sire Stakes events to submit proposals. Tracks were considered on various criteria including the offering of a 24-hour detention barn, ability to promote the event and offer an exciting fan experience. Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel was chosen based on the merits of an impressive proposal, and its capacity to host the championship finals for the top state-bred 2- and 3-year-old Standardbred horses.

"Batavia Downs Gaming is extremely proud and excited to have been selected to host the 2019 New York Sire Stakes Finals,” said Todd Haight, director/GM of live racing at Batavia Downs Racetrack. “This series has annually been a centerpiece of our live racing presentation since its inception in 1965, as our track has been so committed to the development of New York-bred horses going back to the 1950s when we facilitated our own colt and filly stakes.

"We look forward to welcoming all the owners, horse people and horses that make the New York Sire Stakes the premier program of its kind, to Batavia Downs to enjoy our new paddock, new hotel and excellent clubhouse facilities."

“The Sire Stakes Night of Champions shines a spotlight on the excellence of our equine industry, which supports the agricultural economy across the State,” said M. Kelly Young, executive director, Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. “Having hosted significant New York Sire Stakes events in the past, Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel will provide an excellent showcase for the 2019 'Night of Champions,' our premier event of the season. Batavia Downs offers a fantastic clubhouse and fan experience that will only complement an outstanding racing program.”

The 2018 “Night of Champions” is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22, hosted by Yonkers Raceway. The eight-race event will hand out $1.8 million in purse money.

The New York Sire Stakes program promotes the breeding, buying, and racing of Standardbred horses in New York State, and is administered by the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. It was the first program of is kind, featuring 2- and 3-year old colts and fillies, and has become the model for state-bred racing programs in North America.

About the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund:

The Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund is a public benefit corporation established in 1965 by the Laverne Law (Laws of New York, Chapter 567 of the Laws of 1965). The mission of the fund is to promote agriculture through the breeding of Standardbred horses and the conduct of equine research within the state. To carry out its legislative mission, the Fund administers the New York Sire Stakes races, Excelsior/State Fair Series races, and County Fair Races. Additionally, the Fund provides assistance to county agriculture societies and contributes to the statewide 4-H program and to the Harry M. Zweig Fund for Equine Research.

Pawtucket, R.I., doesn't look like a good bet for a future home of the Batavia Muckdogs franchise according to a report in the Providence Journal.

A PawSox spokesperson said Thursday the organization has no current plans to acquire any other baseball franchises and move them to the city as a sort of parting gift. Franchise Chairman Larry Lucchino and President Charles Steinberg are focused on building a 10,000-seat stadium in Worcester’s Canal District and redeveloping the surrounding area. 

The Pawtucket mayor's office also told the Journal that no ownership group has contacted the city about using McCoy Stadium once it's vacant in 2021.

And if another owner wanted to bring a team into McCoy, they would face substantial renovation costs for the aging complex.

The cracking concrete and widespread leaking ceilings and floors are among the issues faced by any tenants, as the stadium wrapped up its 77th season of baseball earlier this week. Renovation costs would run into the millions of dollars, and the day-to-day costs of maintaining the playing surface and surrounding grounds run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As previously reported by The Batavian, there would also be territorial agreements to overcome in Pawtucket, which is Red Sox territory. The Red Sox currently have an affiliate to Lowell and if the Muckdogs moved to Pawtucket, Lowell would have to move, putting the New York-Penn League in the same bind it has with Batavia -- where to locate the team that doesn't run afoul of territory restrictions and has a baseball-ready facility.

The Oatkan Knights had a chance to win their home opener against the Wellsville Lions at Hartwood Park on Friday night but didn't make the plays they needed to make.

That will be an area of focus in the coming week of practice, said Head Coach Brian Herdlein after the game.

"The biggest thing is they came out and they (Wellsville) wanted to play tonight," Herdlein said. "I thought that we came out a little bit slow. You know they stayed in the game which gave them a lot of confidence. We had some opportunities to make plays that we didn't make...."

The final score was 12-7.

For Le Roy, Kyle LaCarte carried the ball 18 times for 85 yards. At QB, Jake Hill was 10-22 for 139 yards and TD. He was picked off twice. Cody Lytle lead the receivers with six receptions for 67 yards and a TD.

The Knights are a young team and Wellsville seemed to have the size advantage but Herdlein didn't think that made a big difference in the game. Technique and execution can overcome size.

"I do think up front that they beat us up a little bit today and again we'll look at the film and we'll see what we have to do to make adjustments," Herdlein said.

Le Roy is now 1-1 on the season. After two weeks of ball, Herdlein sees room for improvement.

"We have we have some young guys hopefully they learn from this," Herdlein said. "I don't think that we had the best week of practice and I told the guys that. Hopefully, we can come back and have a better practice.

The team is going to work on being more focused and disciplined, Herdlein said.

"Like I said, there were definitely opportunities where we had a chance to make plays," Herdlein said. "It was maybe little alignment issues that we weren't doing right or some plays that we weren't running correctly and we just need to tighten those things up."

In other Friday night action:

• Batavia beat Livonia 26-14. Alex Rood carried the ball 22 times for 121 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 11 tackles. Ethan Biscaro was 11-14 passing for 194 yards and a TD. Taiyo Iburi‐Bethel had five receptions for 87 yards and Andrew Frances had three receptions for 65 yards and a TD.
• Alexander crushed Canisteo-Greenwood 28-0. Chris McClinic carried the ball 15 times for 147 yards and three TDs. Dylan Busch tossed a TD pass to Takari Lang-Smith. The defense held Canisteo to 50 yards rushing. Jake Jasen and Hayden Walton each had six tackles.
• York/Pavilion beat Bolivar-Richburg 32-0.
• Pembroke fell to Cuba-Rushford 26-14.
• Cal-Mum/Byron-Bergen fell to Letchworth/Warsaw 14-0.

There are no local football games today. Notre Dame has no game this week because Oakfield-Alabama/Elba switched to eight-man football.

This well laid out spacious home has something for everybody: a newly redone and pretty kitchen with granite countertops; large dining area for friends & family; 5 good sized bedrooms well spaced out to give everyone privacy; and 3 FULL baths -- you can never have enough seats!

When you walk in you are welcomed into awesome foyer/sitting room with beautiful wet bar and fireplace with vaulted ceiling, and leading to 2 loft style bedrooms -- perfect for guests or his and her offices!

All mechanical updates are in good working order and all appliances included! Last but definitely not least LOCATION -- located in the town with 1.5 acres and minutes from the Thruway for easy commutes to everywhere!

Call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today or click here for more information on this listing.

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s tourism program has partnered with Channel 13-WHAM to create a featured promotion that will air on FOX, The CW, and ABC.

The 30-minute show, called "It's Closer than You Think," is a sampling of what’s new in Genesee County, along with some of the county’s best outdoor recreational opportunities. It debuts tomorrow morning at 7.

“The promotion is designed to raise awareness to Rochester area residents that Genesee County is just a short drive that offers great 'close to home' recreation, dining and shopping options,” said Kelly Rapone, Tourism Marketing director for the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce. “We’d like to do another future episode that highlights even more of the county’s treasures."

Be sure to tune in to see special interviews with some of our local tourism businesses in Le Roy and Batavia, as well as outdoor recreation hot spots across the county.

The broadcast schedule is as follows:

• 7 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, on 13-WHAM
• 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9, on The CW
• 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, on FOX
• In addition it will also air:
  • 2 a.m. Sept., 12, 13 and 19 on 13-WHAM
  • 6 a.m. Sept. 10, 11 and 13 on FOX

If you happen to miss the airing or don’t have access to broadcast channels, you can see the full episode at:  YouTube.com/GeneseeCountyNY

Over the spring and summer, we also included commercials under this theme that highlighted concerts, Batavia Muckdogs home games, golf packages, racing at Genesee Speedway, the Oatka Festival, as well as The Ramble Music & Arts Festival.

For more information on all of our local offerings, check out www.VisitGeneseeNY.com

During his eight-year journalism career, Jim Krencik covered economic development in Orleans County and Genesee County, and has often happens with a lot of reporters, he took a keen interest in the topic he was covering.

A week ago, he left his job at the Batavia Daily News and went to work for the Genesee County Economic Development Center as the new director of marketing and communications. He replaces Rachael Tabelski, who is now director of the Batavia Development Corp.

"I started to cover the GCEDC and explaining the big projects and how deals come together, what's happening in our community, that was just really spurred an interest," Krencik said. "I've always been impressed by the work they do here. I think their vision is outstanding and I want to help that mission however I can in this role."

Krenick left the Daily News after five and a half years as a hard-working reporter covering local government, mostly, in Genesee County for a job that will pay him $47,000 a year, which is substantially more than a typical reporter makes at a small-circulation paper.

"It was just very interesting looking at the variety of sites that we have here in Genesee County," Krenick said. "It's interesting looking at the number of businesses that are coming in and thinking if I could do something to help, that's beneficial to the whole community. It is wonderful to not only to share that with the public, but to help the team make that happen; that is very attractive."