A raid at 126 State St., Batavia, has led to the arrest of three people on drug-related charges, with one of the suspects accused of dealing narcotics.

Kenneth J. Campbell, 34, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd.

Also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th are Joanna F. Larnder, 29, of Summit Street, Batavia, and Andre W. Taylor, 35, of Main Street, Albion.

Campbell was arraigned in City Court and ordered held without bail. Larnder and Taylor were released on appearance tickets.

The raid on Nov. 22 by the Emergency Response Team was in response to a warrant obtained by the Local Drug Task Force following an investigation into the sale of narcotics in Batavia.

Assisting were Batavia PD, the Sheriff's Office, City Fire, Mercy EMS, and the District Attorney's Office.

Jamie S. Schlonski, 50, of Old Meadow Lane, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th, criminal possession of stolen property 4th, and three counts of falsifying business records 1st. Schlonski is accused of stealing more than $1,000 in merchandise from Dick's Sporting Goods and pawning it at Pawn Kings, which required completing paperwork for the transaction. Schlonski was issued an appearance ticket. 

Lisa Marlene Durham, no age provided, no residence provided, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Durham was allegedly found in possession of fentanyl at 12:27 a.m. on June 9 at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. She was arrested on Nov. 20 and issued an appearance ticket.

Kervin John Jonathan, 28, of Council House Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Jonathan is accused of violating an order of protection by being at the home of a protected party at 2:14 p.m. Nov. 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Andrew J. Duckworth, 43, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance (degree not listed in press release) and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Duckworth was arrested at 10:22 p.m. Nov. 9, by Deputy Mason Schultz at a location on Liberty Street, Batavia.  Details of the arrest were not released. he was released on an appearance ticket.

Robert P. Grimm, Jr., 56, of Batavia, is charged with aggravated DWI and other vehicle and traffic infractions. Grimm was stopped on Nov. 24 in the Town of Batavia by State Police. He allegedly failed a field sobriety test and State Police report his BAC was .18. He was issued an appearance ticket.

 Michelle S. Froebel, 44, of Alexander, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Froebel was arrested by State Police following a traffic stop by Warsaw Police on Genesee Street in the Village of Warsaw. She was allegedly found in possession of cocaine. She was processed at SP Warsaw and released on an appearance ticket.

Press release:

Batavians care about each other and make sure that their neighbors are safe and healthy.  This winter season, there are many people in the Batavia area that are especially vulnerable to hunger and so people are coming together to tackle the issue of food insecurity. 

Three different outreach ministries are within walking distance of each other on East Main Street in Batavia. 

Lydia's Kitchen, located in the First Baptist Church, 300 East Main St., serves home-cooked meals to anyone who stops in for a place to warm up and eat a hot, balanced lunch. Lydia and Pastor Timothy Young of  Living Waters Apostolic Ministries are the hosts and chefs of this wonderful soup kitchen.  They serve five days a week, from 10:00-12:00

The Little Food Pantry is newly located at the First Presbyterian Church. There is a refrigerator outside of the church on the Liberty Street Side of 304 East Main St. that has fresh produce, homemade dishes, canned goods and frozen foods. Anyone who is hungry or trying to make ends meet can take what they need. 

The third food ministry is A Blessing Box, located in front of St. James Episcopal Church, 405 East Main St.. This box supplies people with single-serve items and easy-to-eat food, that requires very little or no prep.

To help keep these three important services available to our neighbors, there is going to be a big food drive on Sunday, Dec. 4, from noon to 3 p.m.

Volunteers from St. Mary's and St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Churches, The First Baptist Church, The First Presbyterian Church, St. James and St. Paul's Episcopal Churches will be collecting the donations at two sites.  The main drop-off is in the Resurrection Parish parking lot, 300 East Main St., Batavia.  The second is at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Main Street in Stafford in their parish hall.  Both drop-off sites will accept all types of fresh and packaged food from noon to 3 p.m.

We know that this generous city of neighbors will make this drive a success.

The Pembroke Dragons beat Groton on Friday afternoon 38-18 at Union Ellicott HS near Binghamton to become the 2022 state champions in eight-man football.

Behind the blocking of JJ Gabbey, Octavius Martin, Jayden Mast, Madden Perry, Ben Steinberg, Chase Guzdek and Caleb Felski, Tyson Totten rushed 29 times for 276 yards and three touchdowns.

Cayden Pfazler added a rushing TD as well and a 24-yard pass to Chase Guzdek for another score.

Octavius Martin had 8 tackles, Caleb Felski had 10, Jeremy Gabbey Jr. had 12, and Chase Guzdek led the way with 14.

Coach Brandon Ricci said, "The team would like to thank Superintendent Matthew Calderon, the Board of Education, district administration, the Pembroke Teachers Federation, who led fundraising efforts, the local fire and police who provided home escorts and, of course, the fans and families who showed unconditional support all season. The Dragons are honored to represent Section V as the number one eight-man Team in New York State!"

Submitted photos.

Press release:

The Genesee Society of Model Engineers will host the club's 20th Annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the club's facilities located at 50 Main Street (Rte. 63), Oakfield, N.Y. 14125 (above the M&T Bank). The "FREE" event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stairway access only.

The club's facilities feature operating layouts in O Gauge (Lionel), HO & N. Club members will be available to answer your model railroading questions. A great family-oriented event filled with photo-ops and fun for kids of all ages.

"The Christmas holidays seem to bring back those childhood memories of a model train and miniature village around the Christmas tree," says club President Mike Bakos. "Our members are busy keeping the tradition of trains and the holidays alive. We invite you to visit and enjoy one of Genesee County's best-kept secrets."

This year's Open House will be one of the many events featured as part of Oakfield’s Christmas in the Village celebration. The Open House is just one of many activities that will be taking place in Oakfield throughout the day.

The Genesee Society of Model Engineers is located at 50 Main Street (Rte. 63), Oakfield, N.Y. (above the M&T Bank) and is open Tuesdays from 7 until 9 p.m. Business meetings are held the last Tuesday of each month. Visit www.gsme.org. Like us on Facebook. 

Photo: File photo by Howard Owens

Press release:

H.E. Turner & Co., Bohm-Calarco-Smith, and Burdett & Sanford Funeral Homes proudly present their 26th Annual Service of Prayer & Remembrance at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec 7, at the First Presbyterian Church of Batavia, 300 East Main St. in Batavia.

For those who wish to participate from home, we will live stream the service as well.

“We hear from families how the service helps them through their grief, especially during this time of year," said Joshua Smith, of H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home. "For some of these families, it will be their first year participating in the service, which means it is their first Christmas without their loved one, and for others, they come back year after year.” 

A candle in memory of your loved one will be lit prior to the start of the service and remain that way throughout.

As always, one candle will be provided per deceased loved one and will be given to participants at the service. If you choose not to attend but would still like a candle to participate from home, please call our office to arrange a pick-up.

Call (585) 344-4295 to reserve your candle by Friday, December 2. There is no cost for a candle and all who experienced the pain of loss are welcome to participate regardless of who took care of your loved one and arranged their funeral service.

The ecumenical service will combine music, prayer, scripture reading, reading of the names of loved ones, the tolling of the bell in remembrance, and a message of hope by Reverend Dr. Roula Alkhouri.

To register the name or names for your candle, please call H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home at (585) 344-4295 or register online by visiting www.bataviafuneralhomes.com by Dec. 2.

Photo: File photo by Howard Owens

A Great Dane enjoyed the sunshine through a sunroof Saturday while stopping at Main and Jefferson in Batavia.

Photo submitted by Lynn Bezon.

Press Release

GO ART! invites the community to support Tom Turnbull and Howard Owens as they battle it out for Ultimate Celebrity Bartender at the GLOWville Afterparty, following Christmas in the City. They will be testing their skills behind the bar at GO ART!’s Tavern 2.o.1, located at 201 East Main Street, Batavia, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec 3rd.  The event is open to the public for anyone 21 and older. 

Turnbull, graduate of the Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Journalism, started out at the Batavia Newspapers Corporation in 1975.  He spent nights writing about high school sports and worked in advertising during the day, eventually working his way up to Publisher.  Turnbull says that he “looks forward to getting together with Howard" and is hoping they both can raise money for GO ART!

Owens, current Publisher/Executive Editor of the Batavian, started his career in 1986.  He has worked with various publications, holding positions of Daily Newspaper Reporter and Editor, Director of New Media, and Director of Digital Publishing.  “Tom’s become a good friend,” Owens says, “but it will be fun to renew our old rivalry for a good cause.  It should be fun for everybody.”

The contenders have plenty of experience in journalism, but how will they fare behind a bar?  Serving a selection of locally made or sourced beer, wines, meads, and ciders, the pair will be in competition to earn the most tips, bragging rights and title of Ultimate Celebrity Bartender. All proceeds go to support GO ART!’s many public programs.

For more info visit goart.org or contact info@goart.org

Submitted Photo of Tom Turnbull, left, and Howard Owens rehearsing a pour.

The driver behind the wheel of a minivan that struck a utility pole Wednesday afternoon on Law Street, causing a significant power surge in the area, has not been located yet.

Sgt. Mitch Cowen said Thursday morning that police are pretty confident they know who the driver was, that he's not from the area and that the vehicle was not stolen.

Cowen said police are looking for him in order to question him about the accident.

Witnesses saw the man running from the accident and provided a description to police.  A K-9 was deployed shortly after the accident in an attempt to find his trail, but that effort failed to find the driver.

At least 287 homes in the area of Chestnut Street, South Jackson, and to both the north and south of those streets, lost power.  The power surge caused electric meters on the outside of dozens of homes to blow out, with some of those houses displaying visible black char marks around the meters. 

National Grid crews worked through Thanksgiving morning restoring power.  The pole and main power line to the area were in working order by 10 or 11 p.m. on Wednesday night after crews worked to restore power to each house one at a time.  The meters on all 287 homes were replaced.  For residents who were not home last night, crews returned Thursday morning to locate them and complete the work (power at the breaker box needed to be turned off before the meter was replaced).

"When high voltage lines are negatively impacted, as they were last night, it can create an unsafe condition for residences," said David Bertola, a spokesman for National Grid. "The pulling, checking and replacing of electric meters is a standard safety procedure that our crews perform under circumstances such as these."

A worker last night recommended residents check all surge protectors. He said residents would know right away if the surge protector was blown.  If they were off before power was restored, when turned back on, if blown, they will spark and smoke. If already plugged in, they may no longer work.  Some may work but should have a light to indicate they no longer provide surge protection.

Each surge protector is rated differently. Some surge protectors can handle larger bursts of energy but can never exceed their rated capacity, and the capacity is cumulative. As HowToGeek.com notes, if a surge protector is rated for 1,000 joules of energy and it gets one joule at a time over a period of time, it will need to be replaced after 1,000 incidents.  If a highly rated surge protector takes a major power surge, it may still function but it may also be near the end of its life span.

Replacing all surge protectors after a major power event is often recommended by experts.

The Batavian spoke to an electrician today who recommended checking all appliances.  Anything receiving an active electrical current at the time of Wednesday's surge could be toast, or close to it.

At least one resident in the area is without heat after the power surge damaged the circuitry of the forced air heater.

A National Grid crew member advised residents who suffered an economic loss as a result of the power surge to file a claim with National Grid.

Bertola said customers with claims can email National Grid at ClaimsDept@nationalgrid.com or by calling (315) 428-6536.

A law enforcement source said that typically, National Grid attempts to recover damages from the driver's insurance company -- and it appears this driver was insured -- when an accident damages a utility pole.

The damages, in this case, could include the pole and all of the subsequent residential repair work and any damages sustained by residents.

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia today hosted its annual Thanksgiving Day Free Skate at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia. 

Photos by Philip Casper.

Byron and South Byron are on scene of a house fire at 6451 Cockram Road, Byron.

The fire was at the back of the residence and reported knocked down at this time.

The call began with a report of heavy smoke in the basement.

Bergen Fire on standby in its hall.

UPDATE 8:53 a.m.: The fire is out. National Grid requested the scene. A code enforcement officer requested to the scene. The house may be uninhabitable.

An accident that occurred around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday involved one vehicle that hit and wrapped around a utility pole on Law Street, betwen Chestnut and Walnut streets in Batavia.

Before emergency responders arrived on scene, the driver fled the scene. Someone provided a description of the driver to law enforcement, and a K9 search has proceeded on Ganson Avenue heading east.

There are reports of power being out at the courthouse and in the Jackson Street area. Firefighters have been told that numerous electric meters blew out on Jackson Street.

UPDATE 4:30 p.m. (by Howard Owens): National Grid reports 287 customers without power in the Chestnut and Jackson Streat area.  Power crews are on scene and beginning work.  National Grid estimates restoring power by 5:30 p.m.

UPDATE 6 p.m.: National Grid now estimates power restored at 11:30 p.m

Photos by Howard Owens.

Genesee County's unemployment rate hit what could be an all-time low in October at 2.1 percent.

Available records go back to 1990, and the 2.1 rate is the lowest of any month since 1990.

The Department of Labor reports 600 people in Genesee County are part of the labor force but without jobs.  The total labor force is 29,800 people in the county. That's up from 29,200 in October 2021, though in September, Genesee County's labor force was 30,300, when there were 800 people looking for work, and the unemployment rate was 2.5 percent.

New York's unemployment rate is 3.6 percent, down from 5.3 percent a year ago. The nation's rate is 3.4 percent, down from 4.3 percent a year ago.

The Buffalo area rate is 2.7 percent, and the greater Rochester area is 2.5 percent.