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Korean War veterans meet with cadets

By Steve Ognibene

Pictured above are Conrad Gifford, left, and Roger Hill.

Laura Platt hosted two military cadets this week, Dayeong Choi and Yeojin Jo, both of South Korea, who are traveling to New York and Utah to learn more about the Korean War and interviewing veterans who served there.

The cadets went to the VA Nursing Home in Batavia and Veterans Service Agency at the Genesee County Building #2 on West Main Street Road and listened to the vets tell their stories and teach them firsthand about the history of the conflictr and their role in it.

The two cadets could not be photographed for security purposes and are in the final year of a six-year military education; coming to the United States was part of the training.

(Photos courtesy of Steve Ognibene.)

Rolland Lee

Richard Kern

Sponsored Post: End of Summer Sale with Reliant Real Estate

By Lisa Ace


8009 Bank Street Road, Batavia: Looking for space? Then look no further, check out this solid 5 bedroom, 3 full bath home in move-in condition! 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 thruway for easy commutes to everywhere! $249,900

Call Lynn Bezon today to see this listing or click here for more information.

4060 W. Main Street Road, Batavia: Just a wonderful home -- lovingly maintained, super solid 3 bed bath & a half, all-brick home on almost 1/2 acre lot in the Town! Truly a place you will want to come home to -- bright and cheery and warm and inviting this home features gorgeous woodwork hardwood floors spacious floor plan awesome kitchen that will make you want to hang out -- it's just that homey!

Three-year tear-off roof on house and barn -- electrical and plumbing all upgraded, new Bath Fitter shower and many other updates. Home was just freshly carpeted and painted as well as exterior and barn! Two-story barn has amazing storage, but also finished rec room upper everybody will want to claim for their own private hangout! Back yard is extra deep and fully fenced for privacy and has a pool and landscaping/flowers are spectacular!

LOOK now! $134,900 -- Call Lynn Bezon today to see this listing or click here for more information.

6800 Junction Road, Pavilion: Super solid, move-in ready, raised ranch home on quiet 1/2 acre country lot! Move in and enjoy no honey do lists on this 3 bedroom, 2 full bath home.

Downstairs features large family room with gas fireplace pretty ceramic floors, brand new full bath -- perfect hang out room or an awesome large master bedroom suite! Upstairs features hardwood floors large open kitchen/dining/living space ideal for entertaining! 3 bedrooms with full closets and another brand new bath -- not a lot to do here but decorate!

Outside is nicely. landscaped and lot backs up to fields with pretty views--very easy to see! $134,900 -- Call Lynn Bezon today to see this listing or click here for more information.

City fire to begin hydrant flushing on East Main, State, and Oak streets

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants on Aug. 22nd from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the general area of East Main Street, State Street, Oak Street, Washington Avenue and Richmond Avenue. Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. These tests may result in temporary discoloration of water in that area.

As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about five minutes or until clear.

This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities class III Insurance Service Office (ISO) public protection classification and to assure that hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes. Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city’s water system, identifies weak areas in the system, removes material that settles in the hydrant, and cleans out the lines. Checking each hydrant improves crew knowledge of hydrant locations.

If you have any questions, or should at anytime notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the fire department at 585-345-6375.

Muckdogs notch 1-0 victory

By Andy Helwig

The second shutout victory of the season came for the Batavia Muckdogs on Monday night. Batavia came away winners 1-0 over West Virginia, their second win by that score this season. The previous one came just two weeks prior at Monongalia County Ballpark.

Chris Vallimont put up another strong start for Batavia. He went three innings deep, without allowing any hits or runs while walking just two batters and striking out two more. Batavia’s bullpen was just as dominant, giving up only four hits in the entire ballgame that went a total of 10 innings.    

Scoring opportunities came few and far between for either team, with just a combined two runners reaching third base through the first nine innings for each team. It was a stellar day on the mound for both squads in the game. Nicholas Economos going six shutout frames again against the Muckdogs in his second start against Batavia this season. He struck out eight batters this time around, one shy of the nine he had at Dwyer Stadium in the first game after the All-Star Break.

After going scoreless through the first nine innings, Batavia broke open the scoring in the top of the 10th inning. The first runner to start on base in extra frames was Bubba Hollins. Michael Donadio came out swinging to open the inning. His ground ball to the right side did the same job as the bunt, moving Hollins over to third base. Gunnar Schubert came to bat looking to plate the first run of the game in the 10th. His ground ball to second base pushed Hollins home in safely under the tag of Black Bear catcher Grant Koch and gave Batavia a 1-0 lead. Jameson McGrane took care of the final six outs of the ballgame for Batavia on the mound. He finished out the ninth inning just giving up a walk, and retired the Black Bears in order in the 10th to seal the win for Batavia, and the first game of the series.

The Muckdogs have now won four of their last six games, all working from lockdown starts from their pitching staff. Game two of the series in Morgantown starts on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. at Monongalia County Ballpark. Alberto Guerrero is scheduled to throw for Batavia, looking for the series win.

Jr. Blue Devils Basketball Camp was a success

By Steve Ognibene

The Batavia Jr. Blue Devil Basketball Camp was held Aug. 13th-17th at the John Kennedy Gymnasium.

Kids in grades 3-8 from various towns participated in drills, games and contests. The basic fundamentals of the game, sportsmanship, safety, and fair play were emphasized.

Batavia Business and Professional Women’s Club to hold annual Basket Raffle & Live Auction & Dinner Oct. 13

By Steve Ognibene

Press release:

The Batavia Business and Professional Women’s Club Inc. (BBPW) will hold its annual Basket Raffle & Live Auction & Dinner on Oct. 13 at the Ascension Parish Hall on Sumner Street in Batavia.

Please support the club's fundraising efforts by joining us. Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6 o'clock.

Basket drawings and live auction to follow.

Tickets are on sale now for $25 each and include appetizer, dinner, dessert and a sheet of basket raffle tickets.

Tickets are pre-sale only and must be purchased by Oct. 7th.

The theme for this informal occasion is "An Evening in the Magical Kingdom."

We encourage you to come ready for some fun and help us help our youth and service organizations in Genesee County. This is the club's biggest fundraiser of the year. This event is for both men and women. 

To purchase tickets or if you cannot attend and would like to donate a basket, gift card, monetary donation or other item(s) to the auction, please contact Michelle at 585-297-0779 or send an email to bataviabpw@gmail.com. 

All proceeds from this event will benefit the 2019 Genesee County scholarships and the service organizations awards. Help us, help them!

June 2018 Scholarship Award winners

The June 2018 Scholarship Award winners were: Ethan Hutchins (Notre Dame), Kelsey Kasmarek (Batavia), Abigail Klos (Oakfield-Alabama), Grace Krizen (Pembroke), Madison LaGrou (Oakfield-Alabama), Gordon Montgomery II (Batavia) and Erik Sharlau (Alexander), Alexis Breton (GVEP), Jessica Hicks (GVEP) and Sabrina Walton (GCC). The high school Students each received a $750 check to support their educational and career goals. The Genesee Community College (GCC) adult student received a $500 scholarship award and the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP) students each received a $250 scholarship award. 

Additionally, BBPW club members awarded four Service Awards to be distributed this year. This year, five $300 awards were given to Genesee Cancer Assistance, Crossroads House, Operation Injured Soldiers, Bethany Volunteer Fire Department, and Project Stork.

About the Batavia Business and Professional Women’s Club

It is a 501c3 organization that has been an active part of the community now for 97 years. The group works together to help improve the lives of others. Throughout the year they raise money through various activities to provide scholarships for local high school seniors, Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP) students and adult GCC students as well as provide Service Award donations to several local charitable organizations.

Mill work scheduled for Tracy Avenue tomorrow

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

On Tuesday, Aug. 21,  from 7 a.m. to 5  p.m. Tracy Avenue in the City of Batavia will be closed to all thru traffic for cold milling of pavement. The work will be done between Washington Avenue and North Street.

All motorists that regularly use this road are asked to seek alternative routes during the operation. Residents within the area of the closure should anticipate delays,, but we will do our best to accommodate getting you to and from your residence.

This work is weather dependent and subject to rescheduling if it rains.

Contact the Bureau of Maintenance and ask to speak to the Streets Supervisor or Superintendent at 345 - 6400, opt. 1, if you have any questions.

Three people arrested at Miranda Lambert concert

By Howard B. Owens

The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during the Miranda Lambert Concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Thursday:

Monica W. Granata, 54 of Old French Road, West Seneca, is charged with two counts of harassment, 2nd, after allegedly punching, kicking and biting two Live Nation security officers while being ejected from the concert.

Christine M. Klafehn, 53 of High Street, Holley, is charged with criminal trespass, 3rd, after allegedly reentering the concert venue after having been ejected and told not to return.

Lilliam L. Klafehn, 19 of High Street, Holley, is charged with criminal trespass, 3rd, after allegedly reentering the concert venue after having been ejected and told not to return.

Law and Order: Driver accused of driving drunk with two prior convictions

By Howard B. Owens

Candido Candelaria III, 26, of East State Street, Albion, is charged with: felony DWI; felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater; first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation; consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle; following too closely; driver's view obstructed; and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Candelaria was reportedly involved in an accident at 12:12 p.m., Thursday, on Clinton Street Road, Le Roy, which was investigated by Deputy Kevin Forsyth. Candelaria reportedly has two DWI convictions in the past 10 years.

Mikhail Alexander MacPherson, 35, of Gully Road, Le Roy, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th, menacing, 3rd, and unlawful imprisonment, 2nd. MacPherson allegedly prevented a victim from calling for emergency assistance or leaving a residence during a dispute reported at 12:32 a.m. Friday on Gully Road, Le Roy.

Photo: Boat accident on Route 19

By Howard B. Owens

Keith Smith shared this picture of a capsized boat on Route 19 near North Road, Bergen, from about 3 p.m. yesterday. We have no other information on the accident.

Bear sighting in Alabama

By Howard B. Owens

Reader Chris Brush says he and his family were heading to church this morning when they spotted a black bear off Judge Road, Alabama.

"We were passing by a cornfield on the north side of the road between Gorton and Maple when we saw the bear. Looked as though he was wanting to cross the road to the south side of 63. We turned around to see if he was still there, and found him about 10-15 yards from the edge of the road."

The map, he says, is of the approximate area where they saw the bear.  

A short vacation

By Howard B. Owens

Billie and I are heading out of town for four days. We celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.

We're going to take as much time off as we can, work as little as possible. There are some news stories coming in but we won't have a scanner with us.

I won't post Deal of the Day while away. I may or may not do polls. We'll see.

Monti, Perrin dominate; win five at Batavia

By Billie Owens
Sir Ziggy's Z Tam with driver Drew Monti in foreground.
 
By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
 
Driver Drew Monti and trainer JD Perrin teamed up to put on a show Staurday night (Aug.18) winning five races on the 10 race card. 
 
The two teamed up to send Cheyenne Louie (1:57, $4.70), Hands Of Frank (1:55, $25.40), Foreign Officer (1:56.1, $2.60), Sir Ziggy's Z Tam (1:53.4, $3.70) and Rock To Glory (1:55.4,$4.60) to the Purple Haze winner's circle for pictures.
 
Sir Ziggy's Z Tam was was the pick of the pack, winning the featured $10,000 Open Handicap pace.
 
Southwind Torque (John Cummings Jr.) took an immediate lead from the pylons and rebuffed a challenge from Sir Ziggy's Z Tam (Drew Monti), making him take a seat. After they hit the half in :56.4, the field was still in single file with no serious challengers in sight. 
 
The top two continued in that order until the three quarters when Monti pulled Sir Ziggy's Z Tam and drew alongside Southwind Torque. However Cummings was up for the challenge and maintained a one length lead to the head of the stretch. But "Drivin' Drew" got to work, throwing the lines at Sir Ziggy's Z Tam in the lane and he swelled up pacing by the leader in deep stretch to win by a neck in 1:53.4.
 
It was the 35th lifetime win for the classy Sir Ziggy's Z Tam ($3.70) who now has $878,791 in purses earned for his career. The 10-year-old altered son of Art Major is owned by Tessa Roland and trained by JD Perrin 
 
Kevin Cummings, who also had three wins on the card, took the $9,000 Open II with Im So Handsome who equalled his season's best effort in the process.
 
Heaven Rocks (Drew Monti) left hard for the lead before Im So Handsome (Kevin Cummings) came out and took the top position from him. After a :28.3 quarter and :57.4 half Tyler (Shawn Gray) pulled at the five-eighths, brought Barry Hanover (Shawn McDonough) with him and they motored up the outside to the three-quarters in 1:26.2. 
 
Im So Handsome and Tyler battled all the way around the last turn when Barry Hanover tipped three wide and took his best shot late. With all three across the track, Im So Handsome outlasted both challengers and hung on to win by a neck in 1:54.3. 
 
Looking good now with seven wins on the year, Im So Handsome ($4.30) has also broken the half century mark in earnings, now boasting $50,549 in loot for owner Mike Torcello and trainer Gerry Sarama.  
 
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs with a Sunday (Aug. 19) matinee that has a first race post time of 1:15 p.m. It's dollar Day Sunday with cold draft beer, soda or hot dogs served fresh trackside for only $1 each.

Shed fire reported on Perry Road, Pavilion

By Howard B. Owens

A shed fire is reported at 10035 Perry Road, Pavilion.

The shed is reportedly about 25 feet from the house. The location is just south of Junction Road.

Pavilion, Le Roy and Caledonia dispatched.

UPDATE 11:27 p.m.: Working structure fire, two structures involved, "with exposure problems."

UPDATE 11:43 p.m.: Bergen requested to stand by at the Bergen hall.

Photos: 10th Annual Firefighters Fun Day at The Ridge

By Howard B. Owens

It was Firefighters Fun Day at The Ridge in Le Roy today, with the families and volunteers from Le Roy and Caledonia participating along with other guests of Frostridge Campground in games, auctions, a concert, and a cookout.

We were there during the waterslide fun.

Male assault victim is at the Pok-A-Dot in Batavia awaiting medics

By Billie Owens

A male victim of an assault is at the Pok-A-Dot restaurant on Ellicott Street in the City of Batavia. No word on how the alleged attack occurred. City police and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 8:07 p.m.: The victim was punched once; he is being interviewed by police.

Photos: BPD officer plays Jenga with kids at Lambert Park

By Howard B. Owens

There was a community event with Mercy EMS at Lambert Park yesterday and Dayne Burroughs spotted Officer Christopher Lindsay in the midst of an intense game of Jenga with two of the children who attended and sent us these pictures.

"It's so nice to see the community and police interacting positively, with smiles and laughter," Burroughs said. "Batavia still is a 'small town' in some ways."

Top Items on Batavia's List

Town Court Clerk Below are two lists: one details the myriad responsibilities that fall within the purview of the court clerk; the other summarizes the knowledge and abilities that court clerks possess or acquire through training. These lists are provided so that a judge and municipality can intelligently discuss the benefits that a court clerk can provide. The items below can also form the basis for a list of job duties should a municipality need to fill a vacancy in a court clerk position. Primary Responsibilities A. Maintain confidentiality of records and information when required to do so B. Prepare court calendar C. Collect monies, reconcile daily receipts, deposit receipts, prepare reports for monthly disbursements, reconcile bank accounts, and prepare administrative reports D. Enter convictions on drivers' licenses and prepare conviction reports electronically transmitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles E. Enter criminal conviction on NCIC reports and electronically send same to Division of Criminal Justice Services F. Respond to inquiries-in person, by phone, by e-mail and by mail-and provide assistance to lawyers, litigants, media, and members of the public G. Prepare monthly reports that are electronically sent to the Office of the State Comptroller H. Prepare orders, summonses, warrants and other court forms i. Communicate with outside agencies in order to coordinate the Court's activities and provide services to litigants. Such agencies include: ii. Law enforcement agencies, such as local police departments, New York State Police, Sheriffs office, FBI and CIA, US Armed Forces, and the Office of the District Attorney; I. Other courts, including superior courts and other local town and village courts; and i. Miscellaneous county agencies, such as Community Service, Community Dispute Resolution Center, Pre-trial Release, Probation, Stop DWI program, Victim Impact Panel, and Youth Court. ii. State agencies that require periodic reporting, including the New York State Unified Court System, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Office of the State Comptroller, the Division of Criminal Justice Services, and the Office of Court Record Retention. J. Examine court documents to ensure their accuracy and completeness K. Receive and file summonses, traffic tickets and other documents for court proceedings i. Assist the Justice at the bench during all Court proceedings Knowledge of: 1. The functions and organization of the Unified Court System ii. Basic legal terminology, codes and abbreviations iii. Court forms, practices and procedures, including those set forth in the Uniform Justice Court Act and the Uniform Civil Rules for the Justice Courts (22 NYCRR Part 214) 2. Ability to: i. Prepare judicial orders and decisions ii. Effectively communicate information orally and in writing iii. File and retrieve materials, extract data from various sources for entry onto court form iv. Research and interpret laws outlined in court documents and litigants' motions and other papers v. Perform mathematical tasks in order to compile court activity reports, total receipts, accept payments, and verify bills vi. Refer to appropriate documents, statutes, citations or other sources in order to respond to specific questions from attorneys, litigants and members of the general public vii. Interpret policies, statutes, rules and regulations and apply them in specific contexts viii. Establish work priorities ix. Constructively manage conflict with court users Qualifications: Highschool diploma recognized by the NYS Dept of Education or appropriate equivalent. Along with 4 years of college, specialization in criminal justice, law, business administration or related field. -OR- 2 years college with specialization in Business Administration or related field. Please email your resume to abrownell@townofbatavia.com no later than 12/16/2024. Pay is based on experience.
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