Members of Adventure Crew 69, Scout Pack 69 and Boy Scout Troop 69 were on the Southside this morning collecting donations for the food pantry at St. James Episcopal Church.
Photo submitted by Jason Smith.
A few minutes ago, a law enforcement officer was asked to return to the jail to help a guy who'd locked himself out of his vehicle. The officer said brightly "Sure, I'd be glad to." It's the same person he'd just taken to jail for prints and photos, who was then subsequently released on his own recognizance.
So far, according to Mike Adams, everything about moving Kreative Design Kitchen and Bath to a new location at 5582 E. Main Road, Batavia, has been a success.
Mike and Debbie Adams founded their business in 1993. A big reason for the move was so they could enjoy the financial benefits own owning their own building. In doing so, they also expanded their showroom space by 800 square feet. The expansion has allowed them to expand their business to include more flooring and closet systems.
In the kitchen and bathroom departments they still offer Omega and Diamond cabinets.
With more than 100 people showing up for the grand opening weekend last Saturday and Sunday, Adams said he's pleased the new location is attracting some attention.
Photo, Debbie and Mike Adams, left, and designer Aubrey Kingston.
Yesterday afternoon I stopped by GCC to meet artist Dale Inglett and see the installation of his new show at the Roz Steiner Gallery. From what I could see during my short visit, the show looks like it will be visually interesting and well suited to the bright space and clean lines of the gallery.
Here's a press release from GCC about the show:
The large, clean and adaptable space of the Roz Steiner Art Gallery will host an exhibit by Alfred University Assistant Art Professor Dale Inglett, slated to open on Thursday, Nov. 15, and continuing through Jan. 3. Inglett's "Transient Beings" series includes large-scale canvasses, drawings and videos that examine both the connections and the divisions between the mind and body.
Gallery Director Shirley Tokash Verrico says the figurative images "allude to human transformation and capture a sense of transience and movement. It's an exciting opportunity to see an artist explore a unified concept through a variety of media." She notes that the artworks are an ideal fit for the new gallery which continues to draw more than 300 visitors each month.
Inglett is the recipient of a Strategic Opportunity Stipend from the New York Foundation for the Arts and has exhibited around the world, including the Neon Gallery in Brosarp, Sweden; the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, Ga.; and Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center in Buffalo. His works in painting, printmaking and video explore aspects of identity, time and existence. He received his MFA from Studio Art, Lamar Dodd School of Art in 2004 from the University of Georgia, and his BFA from Augusta State University in 1998.
Inglett's "Transient Beings" exhibit stems from an investigation "between physiology and psychology and include the viewer in an exploration of mortality. I make figurative images that allude to human transformation and non-objective images that capture a sense of transience and movement. My studio practice centers on painting and incorporates drawing, digital media, video and, at times, printmaking."
He uses the printmaking processes to create the footage for the video "Patriarch, Matriarch," yielding both prints and video in the exhibition. The content of the video work is ephemeral and fluctuating with images dissolving and continually shifting to indicate a mutable, transformable nature of identity.
The paintings, however, build on patterns and reticulations of fluidly painted surfaces. Through the pairing of individuals with fleeting qualities in the different media, Inglett alludes to human transformation, transience and passing. While informational aspects of historical photographs are diminished, relationships and family are emphasized.
For further information about this exciting artist visit his Web site: http://www.daleinglett.com/index.html
An artist reception is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. Mr. Inglett will also visit the Batavia campus and his exhibit on Tuesday, Dec. 11 as part of the special Encore Celebration. It will feature the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performance for Genesee Community College Foundation's annual student scholarship fundraising gala.
The Rozalie "Roz" Steiner Art Gallery is adjacent to Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College Batavia Campus, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020. The gallery hours are generally Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and during special events or by special appointment. Contact Shirley Verrico at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6490 or stvierrico@genesee.edu. The gallery Web site: www.genesee.edu/campuslife/arts/gallery/
For door-to-door driving directions visit: http://www.genesee.edu/about/visit/maps.cfm.
A 27-year-old Batavia man stopped for alleged traffic violations is in jail today, being held on a warrant out of Clark County, Nevada, for alleged sexual assault of a child under age 14.
Kevin Jerome Bacon II, of Bank Street, was stopped by Deputy Joseph Graff for allegedly operating a vehicle in the City of Batavia without headlights or taillights.
Subsequently, Bacon was identified as a warrant suspect.
Bacon is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bail as a suspected fugitive from justice.
A 42-year-old Manhatten Avenue resident was taken into custody today on suspicion of selling cocaine in Batavia.
Robert K. Andreassen is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd.
Andreasson is accused of selling a quantity of cocaine to an agent of the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Task force members along with Batavia PD officers arrested Andreassen at his residence.
Following arraignment in county court, Andreassen was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.
An ashcan, or ashtray-type container, is reportedly on fire at 319 W. Main St., Batavia.
The owner has pulled the container away from the building.
City fire is responding.
UPDATE 7:38 p.m.: Fire out. City fire back in service.
John Woodworth suggested last year that this year -- and he just reminded me -- readers of The Batavian who are veterans should get together on Veterans Day for lunch.
So we're going to have our lunch this year on Monday, noon, at Settler's.
If you're a reader of The Batavian, please join us for lunch. It's Dutch treat, but we would love to see you there.
Although banks, government offices and schools will be closed Monday in observance of Veterans Day, the important date for veterans is Nov. 11, and that falls on Sunday this year.
On Sunday, veterans will observe the solemn day at the following locations and times:
On Monday:
Press release:
The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) received the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) of the Year award from the Upstate chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association at the organization’s annual awards dinner on Nov. 8 at the Locust Hill Country Club in Rochester.
“For the second year in a row, NAIOP is pleased to recognize the Genesee County Economic Development Center,” said David Reddinger NAIOP president-elect and Genesee County resident. “As a Genesee County resident I can see firsthand the significant economic development that is occurring in our county and it is largely because of the efforts of the GCEDC.”
The IDA of the Year award was based on the GCEDC’s work in developing the Genesee Valley Agri Business Park in the Town of Batavia. The 2,011-acre site is home to international yogurt manufacturing companies Alpina Foods and Muller Quaker Dairy.
“This award and recognition would not be possible without the collaboration and support of our key partners, including the public sector and entities such as Buffalo Niagara Enterprise and Greater Rochester Enterprise,” said Steven Hyde, president and CEO of the GCEDC.
“I also want to recognize the leadership of the GCEDC board which had the vision to invest in this site to make it shovel-ready to bring companies like Alpina and Muller Quaker to our region.”
Last year the GGLDC was recognized by NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association Upstate New York Chapter for the development of the Dr. Bruce A. Holm Upstate MedTech Centre, located in Batavia, NY. Selected industrial, retail, and residential development projects were judged on their design, functionality, project challenges, aesthetic appeal, sustainability, and economic success.
Submitted by Bare Antoles:
The students of Notre Dame started their day on Friday by gathering to cheer on their classmates, the Girls XC Sectional Championship team -- Madison Gluck, Laurie Call, Anna Warner, Emily McCracken, Shelby McGinnis, Rosemary Flumerfeldt, Emily Sherman -- and Boys Sectional Champion Jeffrey Antolos prior to leaving for the NYSPHSAA State Championships to be held tomorrow at Elma Meadows Golf Course in Elma, NY.
A Brooklyn man is facing a rare bribery charge in Genesee County, but that's not nearly the end of his legal troubles.
He's also wanted in Poughkeepsie and Virginia.
Christian J. Nykian, 20, was in custody and identified as a man wanted on a warrant out of Henrico County, Virginia, when he allegedly told State Troopers, “Yo, I will give you all my money in my pocket to make this go away."
In his pocket, according to Investigator Andre Dunlap, was $198.28.
Troopers Jenny Bryman and Steve Brady initially made contact wth Nykian at College Village on Wednesday after responding to a trespassing complaint.
Four subjects were found in a dorm room who allegedly did not have permission to be there.
When questioned, Nykian said his given name was Christian, according to Dunlap. When a records check turned up a warrant in Virginia, he said his real name was Johnny.
The troopers took him back to the State Police Barracks on West Saile Drive and a fingerprint scan positively identified him as Christian J. Nykian, Dunlap said.
That's when Nykian allegedly offered the troopers his $198.28 to "make this go away."
Locally, Nykian is facing a Class D felony for the alleged bribery of a public official as well as false personation and obstruction of governmental administration, 2nd.
In Virginia, Nykian is wanted for felony false pretense and false utterance.
Poughkeepsie PD authorities are also seeking Nykian on charges of grand larceny, 3rd, and possession of a forged instrument, 2nd.
Dunlap said both jurisdictions have said they will seek extradition of Nykian. He will likely face the New York charges before being sent to Virginia.
Nykian is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bail.
An electrical fire is reported in a storage room in the back of the Salvation Army Thrift Store, located at 96 Jackson St. The fire is said to be inside an electrical panel box. City firefighters are on scene but report nothing showing.
UPDATE 4:15 p.m.: A fire chief says there is an odor of smoke coming from the panel box and he requests that National Grid be notified of the problem.
UPDATE 4:17 p.m.: The power company has been notified. No ETA given.
UPDATE 4:25 p.m.: National Grid says a rep will be there in about 10 minutes.
UPDATE 4:28 p.m.: An electrician will need to be called in. The circuit breakers are completely burned, according to the chief. The power is shut down.
What appears to be a road-rage incident took place in the parking lot of the Bergen Town Hall. The driver of a vehicle told another "stop speeding on my road." It seems they both pulled into the parking lot and the angry driver knocked the other person to the ground, removed a wire of some sort from the engine compartment of the person's vehicle and then sped off in an unknown direction of travel.
Sheriff's deputies are responding. The vehicle that left the scene may have been a burgundy pickup truck. The Bergen Town Hall is located at 13 S. Lake Road 10 Hunter St.
UPDATE 4:14 p.m.: The stranded motorist declined EMS care.
A 40-year-old man turned himself in to Batavia PD following a complaint that the man sexually abused a child under age 11.
John W. Eastridge, 40, of 7058 N. Pearl St., Oakfield, was charged with sexual abuse, 1st. Following arraignment he was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.
Eastridge allegedly subjected a child to sexual contact in September 2009 in Batavia.
Assisting Det. Charles Dudek on the investigation were Chris Erion and John Dehm of the Sheriff's Office.
An injury accident that is blocking traffic is reported at East Main and Liberty streets. One patient has a back injury. Mercy medics are on scene and city fire is responding.
Press release:
Batavia police are investigating a hit-and-run accident which occurred on Thursday, Oct. 25, between 2:15 p.m. and 2:20 p.m. in the rear parking lot of the YMCA at 209 E. Main St.
A white Chevrolet van, belonging to Next Generation Vending, was struck by another vehicle. The van had been parked along the sidewalk behind the building and was struck by a vehicle backing out of one of the 15-minute parking spaces.
The suspect vehicle is a newer black SUV which had a Web address written on the back hatch. The Web address was "(an unknown word) signs.com" and the driver of the suspect vehicle may have been an older male wearing a ball cap. It appears that he may not have been aware that he struck another vehicle.
Anybody with information is asked to call the Batavia PD at 345-6350.
Faith Brenda O'Berne, 44, of Mount Read Boulevard, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. O'Berne is accused of stealing a $200 TV from Kmart. During the investigation by Deputy Brian Thompson she was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine.
David R. Mark, 26, of Dansville, is charged with petit larceny. Mark is accused of shoplifting $89 in merchandise from Kmart.
Thomas Michael Rider, 55, of Lathrop Avenue, Le Roy, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Rider was stopped by Sgt. Greg Walker at 6:58 p.m., Tuesday, on Buffalo Road in Bergen after allegedly being observed driving and striking a curb in a parking lot.
Trashawn D. Bell, 17, of 46 Walnut St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Bell is accused of punching another person Nov. 2.
Taylor L. Finnin, 19, of 1 Cone St., Batavia, is charged with grand larceny, 4th, and 16 counts of possession of a forged instrument. Finnin turned himself in after learning of an arrest warrant on the listed charges. Finnin was jailed on $10,000 bail.
At a hearing giving the public a chance to weigh in on the proposed 2013 Genesee County budget, five people showed up to speak.
Three of the speakers addressed funding for Genesee County Economic Development Council, one spoke on veterans issues and the fifth told legislators they need to find a way to balance the budget without raising taxes.
Kyle Couchman and John Roach both spoke out against spending more than $200,000 to underwrite the EDC's economic development efforts.
Couchman said he liked the idea of holding the funding in reserve until GCEDC came forward during the year with specific justifications for its expenditure.
"I came here tonight because I wanted to be a voice for the community, for the people who don’t always get to the meetings but have a strong feeling on this issue," Couchman said.
Roach (top photo), who also addressed veterans issues, said there are other things some $200,000 could be spent on, from reducing the county's debt to holding it a reserve fund for a new jail.
GCEDC doesn't need the money, Roach said. The county does.
Charlie Cook, the incoming chairman of the board for GCEDC, spoke up for continued funding from the county.
Cook, who is owner and CEO of Liberty Pumps in Bergen, used his own company as an example of how GCEDC aids business growth.
He said 13 years ago, Liberty Pumps had a 33,000-square-foot building and employed 50 people. Today, after two expansion projects, Liberty Pumps employs 130 people.
"Our people pay taxes and support the local economy," Cook said. "It’s impossible to put a price tag on the impact of growing employment and the ripple effect of those incomes in the community. More employment creates other jobs, enhances the tax base, supports the residential real estate market and retail economy and provides much needed resources to local communities and schools."
The county's support of GCEDC sends an important message about the community being united behind economic growth, Cook said.
"It’s deeply disappointing and discouraging to me as a volunteer that the GCEDC -- an organization whose sole purpose is to benefit the community and its residents -- is threatened with abandonment by that community," Cook said.
More than a dozen veterans showed up to the meeting. There had been concern recently in the veterans community about the Veterans Services office being located inside the Department of Social Services.
County Manager Jay Gsell is now working on a plan to move the office, and make it its own department again, either at the Job Development office on East Main Street or the VA hospital.
Jim Neider, speaking for many of the veterans present, said either proposal helped relieve much of the concern in the veterans community.
Roach said he favored the job development location because of better parking and, he noted, the VA center serves veterans from all over the region. If they see a veterans services office there, they may not realize it's there only to serve Genesee County residents.
Former Legislator John Sackett also spoke. He knocked the legislature for blaming other agencies for mandated spending as an excuse for a tax increase when there are still cuts in the budget that can be made.
He complained that employees and elected officials are not being asked to give back some of their benefits, especially in the area of health care. He questioned any deficit spending on the county nursing home. And he said the county shouldn't be creating two new staff positions.
The meeting opened with remarks by Legislative Chair Mary Pat Hancock followed by a budget overview from Gsell.
The headline out of Gsell's talk was that the county is exploring options for selling or transferring the nursing home to another entity.
The county cannot afford, year after year, Gsell said, ongoing operating losses from the nursing home.
The nursing home will not be closed, he said. It will not be abandoned. Employees won't lose their jobs. Patients will not be put out on the street.
Gsell said state and federal mandates continue to eat up most of the revenue generated for the county from property taxes and the top nine mandates consume 78 percent of the tax levy.
Counties in 48 of the 50 states don't have these mandates, Gsell said.
"Recent comments by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and I quote, 'For many years, they (local governments), just put their hands deeper into the pockets of the taxpayers and the taxpayers have left' would give you the impression that county governments in New York State volunteered to get into the funding of benefits programs such as Medicaid, EI/pre-K services, indigent defense, Safety Net, etc. Governor -- we did not!
"The state dictated to county governments to pony up and help the state shoulder the burden," Gsell added. "Hence, the New York State imposed property tax."
The county's $145 million spending plan includes a .08 cents per thousand property tax increase, making the rate $9.97 per thousand. The rate increase is four cents below would could be raised under the property tax cap. To help balance the budget, the county will spend $2.5 million from reserves.
The budget is up nearly $4 million over last year. All of the increased spending is driving by mandates expenses, particularly in Medicaid and employee pensions.
The budget is scheduled for adoption Nov. 28.
The classical look of Canada geese descending onto their feeding ground has inspired many a wildlife artist. While this is merely the last stage of their flight, in each of the previous phases their movement is filled with purpose.
Being in close proximity to the grain fields, this autumn we've witnessed a great deal of the geese coming and going, often hearing the faint telltale call of the Canadas before we spot them. Scanning the sky we locate them, sometimes so far off in the distance where they seems to be hardly more than an obscure smudge on the sky.
Wings firmly fixed in place, the initial stage of descent begins...
What appears to be a holding pattern is a steady drop in altitude...
Things appear okay on the ground, wings cupped, a slight turn and continue descent...
By the looks of things, the coast is clear, no danger in sight.
Seconds from touchdown and a veritable feast in the cornfield.
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