Photo taken about five minutes ago by Howard Owens.
In photo from left, Diesel Mechanics students Michael Pfenninger, Holden Brinkman, Scott Thurley, Johnny Murray, and Jake Long with Diesel Mechanics instructor Walter Holmes and fire truck owner Kevin Sikorski.
Submitted photo and press release:
What weighs 15,000 pounds, is 32 feet long, bright red and 25 years old? The 1993 Spartan pumper fire truck that was recently overhauled by students in the Diesel Mechanics Program at the Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center.
The Diesel Mechanics Program at the Batavia CTE Center began in September. This fire truck's engine was completely overhauled for the first project completed by the students and instructor in the new program.
Kevin Sikorski owns the fire truck, which he purchased from the Sheldon Fire Department more than two years ago. Sikorski lives in Alexander and considers himself a collector.
“I’m not a firefighter but I like fire trucks," Sikorski said. "Some people buy classic cars, I buy fire trucks. This is my hobby. But this is the only firetruck that I own for now."
He contacted Walter Holmes, the instructor of the Diesel Mechanics Program, when he learned that the program would be starting this school year.
“The engine needed a total overhaul and I thought this would be a great project for the students," Sikorski said. "It’s a win-win, I get the truck repaired and the students learn lessons."
The truck needed extensive engine repair that included routine and preventive maintenance. But despite this long list of much-needed work, Holmes and his students were not intimidated.
“This was a three-month project,” Holmes said. “We adjusted the air brakes, and lights, changed the oil, engine fluids, and air hoses, all the filters and adjusted the valves.
"The students rebuilt the carburetor, replaced the battery terminals, checked the suspension and drive train. We made sure the truck was ready for a New York State inspection. I could go on and on; the list is very long that describes this work.”
(Diesel engines do not have carburetors, but fire trucks have a gas generator, which does have a carburetor, on top of the tanker unit, Holmes explained. The truck uses the generator to power up the floodlights and other accessories for the truck.)
Michael Pfenninger, a junior from Pembroke Central Schools, is a student in the Diesel Mechanics Program and he worked on the fire truck.
“My Dad and I work on a farm and we service the trucks and farm equipment," Michael said. "This program is a great help to me because I’m learning things that I can use in my work.
"I really like coming to school here. This truck project really helped me to understand diesel engines, I worked on adjusting the engine valves and also worked on the air brakes.”
Holmes noted how a project like this provides real-world experience for students.
“In class, I taught the theory of how a diesel engine works and why and how all the parts work together," Holmes said. "In the shop, we put that theory to work. But the main thing that I teach my students is the importance of good customer relations.
"If a customer is happy with your work and how they were treated, then they will come back to you. Being honest and reliable is just as important as the work.”
The Diesel Mechanics Program is offered at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center. For more information about this or any other career and technical education program, please call (585) 344-7711 or visit the website at gvboces.org.
About CTE
The Batavia Career and Technical Education Center is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and serves 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and parts of Steuben counties in New York State.
Gerard J. Buckenmeyer, 89, of Alexander, was lain to rest today at St. Vincent’s Cemetery, Attica, escorted by members of the Alexander Volunteer Fire Department, which he served for much of his life.
Buckenmeyer, a lifelong Alexander resident, was a past president of the Alexander Volunteer Fire Department, Western New York Fire Association, and the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, more commonly known as FASNY.
He was past president and longtime member of Alexander Central School Board of Education. He was a postal carrier and a member of the Rural Letter Carrier Association.
For his full obituary, click here.
Photos submitted by Barbara Eddy.
Batavia ran away with its opening round game against Roy-Hart in the larger schools bracket of the Lions Club Tournament at Genesee Community College on Thursday night, winning 73-27.
Mason McFollins, recently returned to the lineup, scored 15 points. Tyivon Ayala scored 13 points, all in the fourth quarter, and Caeden White, also recently cleared to play, scored 12 points. Camden White scored eight.
The Batavia Blue Devils tip off against the Attica Blue Devils in the larger school bracket at 8:30 tonight.
Photos by Steve Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.
Oakfield-Alabama came back from a nearly game-long deficit late in the fourth quarter to tie its opening round game against Notre Dame in the Lions Tournament smaller schools bracket to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.
The Hornets went on to win in overtime, 73-68.
Joey Burdick scored 21 points for OA, with Travis Wiedrich scoring 17, Aiden Johnston, 16, and Ty Kornow, 15.
For Notre Dame, Gabe McDonald had a double-double with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Spencer Misiti scored 12 points and Keith Szczepanski scored nine points.
In the smaller school bracket championship tonight at 7 p.m., the Hornets will play Elba.
Photos by Steve Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.
Submitted photo and press release:
The Genesee Regional Advisory Council (GRAC) for people with disabilities at the Independent Living of Genesee Region Center with assistance from the NY School for the Blind have brailled the Original Red Osier Landmark Restaurant menu.
The Red Osier, located in the Town of Stafford, has made a significant commitment to being an accessible restaurant to all members of the community regardless of abilities.
Pictured from left: Executive Chef William Burch, Chef Mike Mattern, David Dodge from the Independent Living of Genesee Region Center and The Original Red Osier Landmark Restaurant Owner Steve Foster.
At the half, it looked like anybody's game but over the final two quarters, Elba took over in its Lions Club Tournament opening-round game against Mount Morris in the smaller schools bracket.
The Lancers topped Mount Morris 63-53.
Colton Dillon scored 25 points and Jon Boyce added 20 for Elba.
For Mount Morris, Dylan Cicero and Collin Young scored 15 points each.
Elba will face Oakfield-Alabama in tonight's smaller school bracket championship at 7 o'clock.
To purchase prints, click here.
"This is one for the books," a dispatcher told an officer before sending him to Target for a complaint about "an individual consuming beer while driving around in a motorized shopping cart in the store."
Press release:
On Monday, Dec. 24, at approximately 11 p.m. a pedestrian was bitten by a free-roaming dog in the City of Batavia.
The incident occurred along the west sidewalk of Summit Street that is located between Washington Avenue and East Main Street.
The dog is described as possibly being an American Pit Bull Terrier or a breed resembling that, or a mix that has short black fur. The dog is of a medium build and is about knee high in height.
The dog approached from an unknown direction and after the bite occurred it ran off in an unknown direction.
“The purpose in locating the owner of the dog is to make sure the dog is up-to-date on its anti-rabies vaccine,” said Sarah Balduf, Environmental Health director of Genesee and Orleans counties. “If the owner cannot be located, the individual will have to go through unnecessary treatment.”
Anyone with information on the dog and/or dog owner is asked to contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580, ext. 5555.
Le Roy kept things close against Attica in the first round of the larger school bracket of the Lions Club Tournament at Genesee Community College on Thursday but fell short, taking a 50-45 loss.
The Knights' Reece Tresco led all scorers with 15 points while Attica's Dawson Nelson scored 14 points. Tresco had seven rebounds and Nelson had nine.
For Le Roy, Ethan Smith scored 12 points and for Attica, Frankie Bisceglie, Devon Henderson, and Ayden Goll had eight each and Tyler Meyer scored seven points.
It will be Blue Devils vs. Blue Devils as Attica and Batavia battle it out for the larger school bracket championship at 8:30 tonight at the GCC Anthony Zambito Gym.
The Lions Club is offering several souvenirs for fans and players at the game for the first time. Below, LeeAnn Mullen and Hal Mitchell share what is being offered at the concession stand.
To purchase prints, click here.
Clutch long-range shooting by guards Ryann Stefaniak and Bryn Wormley and an inspired effort on both ends of the floor by forward Emma Krolczyk sparked the Batavia High Lady Devils to a 60-58 victory over visiting Honeoye Falls-Lima tonight in Monroe County Division 4 girls basketball action.
Batavia held a 23-9 led midway through the second quarter and looked like it might run away from the Cougars, now 3-6 overall. But HF-L, taking advantage of three fouls on Stefaniak and forward Jenae Colkey, finished the half on a 15-4 run to close within four.
HF-L's freshman center Teagan Kamm found the range from inside in the third quarter, scoring 12 of her game-high 25 points to offset eight points by Stefaniak, who sank a pair of three-point field goals.
Another three-pointer by Stefaniak gave Batavia a 44-41 lead early in the fourth quarter, and the Lady Devils stayed in front although HF-L closed within 53-52 with 2:30 to play.
At that point, Wormley drained a three-pointer and, following another basket by Kamm, Krolczyk hit a side jumper at the 1:02 mark to give the Lady Devils a 58-54 edge. Brown responded with another layup to make it 58-56 and, after a BHS miss, HF-L had a chance to tie it.
Krolczyk rebounded an errant shot, however, to give the ball back to Batavia and then Wormley sank a pair of free throws with 8 seconds left to make it 60-56. Brown’s layup at the buzzer closed the scoring.
Stefaniak, who played the entire fourth quarter with four fouls, led Batavia with 21 points – 16 in the second half -- while Wormley tallied seven of her 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Krolczyk scored 14 points and was active on the defensive and offensive boards, getting second-chance opportunities.
Senior forward Kara Oatman had 12 points and sophomore guard Hannah Selke eight for HF-L.
Both teams struggled at the foul line, with Batavia going 5-for-15 and HF-L making eight of 21.
Batavia’s next game is Jan. 2 against Caledonia-Mumford in the Rotary Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.
Genesee County's unemployment rate was a point and a half lower in November than it was in the previous November, dropping from 5 percent to 3.5 percent.
The state's online records for monthly unemployment rates only goes back to 1990 and in that span, the November rate has never been lower, though it was 3.8 percent in 2000.
The state reports that 29,000 people in Genesee County have jobs, compared to 27,000 a year ago. There are 30,000 people in the local labor force.
The state's unemployment rate is 3.5 percent and was 4.4 percent a year ago. The GLOW region's rate is 3.4 percent, down from 5.2 percent a year ago.
For November, 22,300 non-farm jobs are reported based in Genesee County, compared to 22,200 a year ago. Total private sector jobs has grown from 16,400 to 16,600.
So it's no surprise that Leach has been named Football Player of the Year for All-Greater Rochester by the Democrat & Chronicle.
Brennan Briggs, who coached his fourth team in the past five years to a Section V championship. This season was the first time a Briggs-coached team reached the state championship game.
Also making first team: Joshua Barber and Ethan Biscaro. Taiyo Iburi-Bethel was named to the second team. Alex Rood, Joe Martinucci and Andrew Francis all received honorable mention.
Chris McClinic, Alexander, also made second team. Honorable mentions went to Terrez Smith, Ty Woods, Dylan Busch, Jake Jasen, Ethan Heineman and Hayden Walton.
Honorable mention for Notre Dame: Gabe MacDonald, Keith Szczepanski, Mason Randall, Tim Klotzbach, Tyler Totten.
Honorable mention for Pembroke: Theodore Pintabona, Colby Cerasani, Trent Smith, Trevor Vaughn.
Honorable mention in eight-man football for Oakfield-Alabama/Elba: Colton Dillon, Gage Dieterle, Ty Mott, Kyle Magliocco, Peyton Yasses, Seth Sepalla.
First team in other fall sports:
From the Genesee and Orleans health departments:
With the year closing out, both the Genesee County and Orleans County health departments would like to wish you and yours a healthy and Happy New Year!
The collaboration between the two counties has provided several opportunities to meet our joint mission to work collaboratively ensuring conditions that promote optimal health for individuals and the communities we serve.
In 2018, we have had a successful joint Point of Distribution (POD) exercise to test our Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program. Staff have had the opportunity to work across the county borders to assist in department functions during times of limited staff.
We have added the Weights & Measures program in both counties to provide a consumer connection with vendors of food, fuel and other providers to test and verify the accuracy of weighing and measuring devices.
Our children’s programs work diligently to provide education, case management, support and referrals to help the children of our counties succeed and enjoy a good quality of life.
The Community Health Services of both departments work hard to limit the spread of communicable diseases by providing immunizations, lead poisoning prevention direction, as well as provide guidance for pregnant moms and families with new babies.
The nursing staff has provided migrant health outreach to assist the farm workers in both counties along with investigating disease / foodborne illness outbreaks.
The Environmental Team provides quality inspections to assure we are safe from foodborne illness, have working septic systems, and help keep our pets safe from rabies.
The Public Health Education Team has welcomed Marlowe Thompson to work in both counties assisting with the upcoming Community Health Assessment (CHA), Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), and the Public Health Accreditation Board process. The team along with one of our nurses is able to provide Narcan training to local businesses and organizations to help battle the opioid crisis.
Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Workshops will be starting up in early 2019 in both counties in partnership with our hospitals. Our support team is always working to make sure the department is run within budget, keep our forms straight and provide guidance with insurance reimbursement.
In 2019, we are looking to shift from organizational thinking to community-focused thinking by taking the role of Community Chief Health Strategists. Our departments have always worked collaboratively with other agencies within our borders and are looking to focus community resources on improving specific health outcomes as we develop our tri-county CHA/CHIP and in partnership with the local hospital systems, Community Services Plan.
We will be looking to community members to assist in this process by participating in community conversations and taking a community health assessment survey.
Both departments look forward to having a joint website where you can access forms and information from both county health departments. We continue to provide timely posts on our GO Health NY Facebook and Twitter pages along with increasing interviews on our GO Health NY YouTube site.
“It is our pleasure to serve the residents and visitors of Genesee and Orleans counties,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health director of Genesee and Orleans county health departments. “On behalf of the staff in both counties thank you for the opportunity to serve you and we look forward to a great 2019!”
A 22-year-old Batavia man who was the subject of a manhunt at the end of November after he allegedly drove off with a teenage Bergen girl in a blue SUV, which prompted an Amber Alert, is back in Genesee County and may face federal charges.
Sheriff William Sheron said today that because Jose Guillermo Torres-Acevedo is suspected of taking the girl across state lines, the Sheriff's Office is working with the FBI to determine if Torres-Acevedo should be charged by federal authorities.
Locally, he's been charged with grand larceny, 3rd, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle for allegedly stealing the Dodge Journey he is accused of using to transport the girl from her Bergen home.
He is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bail.
In November, Torres-Acevedo was arrested following an investigation by State Police and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. A judge issued a complete stay away order requiring Torres Acevedo to have no contact with the girl.
The morning of Nov. 29, Torres-Acevedo allegedly drove to the girl's home and picked her up. The Sheriff's Office was soon notified that the girl was missing and an Amber Alert was issued that afternoon.
The girl, authorities said, went with Torres-Acevedo willingly.
The girl and Torres-Acevedo were reportedly located that night at a Walmart in Mansfield, Pa., when authorities were able to ping the girl's mobile phone.
Torres-Acevedo was taken into custody and the girl was returned to her family in Bergen. Torres-Acevedo waived extradition and a deputy picked him up in Pennsylvania on Friday.
The suspect is scheduled to appear in Bergen Town Court next month to face charges stemming from his initial arrest by State Police.
Daniel E. King, 42, of Pembroke, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested at 5:08 p.m. on Dec. 24 by troopers out of SP Batavia. Troopers were dispatched to Ye Olde Willow Bend Inn in the Town of Batavia for a larceny complaint. Upon arrival, the complainant advised troopers on scene that a green pickup truck pulled up next to the restaurant and tavern, then the front passenger exited the pickup and allegedly proceeded to steal a sign to the business. The registration and suspect description were provided to troopers and the information quickly led to the arrest of King. He was given an appearance ticket returnable to Batavia Town Court in January.
Emily D. Smith, 33, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Smith was arrested at 10 a.m. on Nov. 22 on Liberty Street on the charges and was issued an appearance ticket for Jan. 8 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.
Zachary Vernon Donald Seeley, 22, of Central Avenue, Batavia, and Krista Swan, no age or address provided, are both charged with petit larceny. They were arrested at 8:56 p.m. on Dec. 18 on West Main Street in Batavia after Tops Friendly Market reported a larceny in progress to Batavia Police Department. Police responded and located the suspects, who matched descriptions provided by Tops employees. Numerous items totaling $306.81 in value were recovered. The defendants were released on appearance tickets and are due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 8. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot, assisted by Officer Jamie Givens.
Iszon C. Richardson, 18, of Lewis Place, Batavia, is charged with trespass. He was arrested on Dec. 21 after he allegedly entered and remained on the property of another person on Jackson Street in the City of Batavia without permission at 9:20 p.m. Dec. 20. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 8. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay.
Kiha S. McNear, 21, no permanent address, Batavia, is charged with: second-degree criminal contempt -- disobeying a mandate (arrest warrant); harassment in the second degree -- physical contact resulting in arrest warrant; and execution of a bench warrant. McNear was arrested on Dec. 19. All three charges stem from separate cases, all with warrants. The defendant was issued three appearance tickets and then released. McNear is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 8. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis, assisted by Officer Eric Bolles.
Patrick M. Viscuso, 54, Evans Street, is charged with second-degree harassment and unlawful possession of marijuana. He was arrested at 4:33 p.m. Dec. 18 on Evans Street in Batavia following an incident wherein it's alleged that Viscuso struck another subject on the side of the face during an argument. Viscuso was allegedly also found to possess a small amount of marijuana at the time of his arrest. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 8. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards, assisted by Officer Jamie Givens.
Guillermo Jose Torres-Acevedo, 22, of Collegeview Drive, Batavia, is charged with third-degree grand larceny and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was arrested on a warrant Dec. 21 following an investigation into an incident that occurred Nov. 29 at about 7 a.m. in the Town of Batavia. Torres-Acevedo allegedly stole a motor vehicle from a residence. He was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and jailed without bail.
Triton Adam Drock, 24, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree and failure to use headlights while operating windshield wipers. He was arrested on an outstanding Batavia City Court warrant issued for failure to appear on charges made Nov. 18. He was arraigned on Dec. 20 and is due in city court Jan. 17. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kevin DeFelice.
For the third straight year some members of the Batavia's Original staff, led by manager Tom Scott, and with the help of Bailee Welker, delivered pizzas on Christmas Day to those emergency responders who worked on the holiday, helping to keep the community safe while the rest of us enjoy the day with our families.
"We’ve been doing this because we felt it was the least we could do for the people serving and working throughout our community while not being able to spend their holidays at home with family," Scott said.
Photos by Marc Tillery.
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