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Photos: Memorial Day in Batavia 2021

By Howard B. Owens

Here are photos from the Memorial Day Ceremonies at the Veterans Hospital, the NYS Vets Home, the Upton Monument, and the War Memorial at Jerome Center.

A white and gray kitten named 'Scarlett' is a runaway from Monclair Ave

By Billie Owens

This is Scarlett, a nearly 6-month-old cat who lives on Monclair Avenue in the city. She has never been outside, until now of course, and her household is up in arms over her sudden disappearance.

Naturally, you are expected to keep your eyes peeled and find this feline, who by the way, was named after the fictional heroine Scarlett O'Hara and not Hollywood's Scarlett Johansson.

"She almost looks Chinese, but she's not," says her mom, Tracey Cook. (Did she mean Siamese?)

She suspects Scarlett may have darted out last night around midnight when her son, who lives happily in the basement, left to walk his girlfriend home from work.

This morning at 8 o'clock, the neighbor lady in the adjoining duplex reported seeing a slim snip of a white and gray cat on her back porch but had no idea it was Cook's cat -- since it had never been outside, until it got outside, you know.

The neighbor heretofore was only aware of Scarlett's big brother, who is neutered and goes in and out as he sees fit.

"I would've scooped her up," lamented the neighbor about the lost opportunity.

The neighbor said Scarlett was laying on the back porch. We say she was languidly lounging, oblivious, in a sunny spot before dashing off someplace in search of naughty fun.

"I'm afraid she'll get hit by a car ... we live close to Main Street," Cook wrote in her email, which also noted the prospect that someone might try to steal the kitten!

"She’s an emotional support animal and is in process of being registered as same," according to Cook.

Where's that emotional support when you need it most?

Scarlett's family and friends have scoured the neighborhood, peered up trees, beat the bushes and even went over to -- "Holland Ave," a known "hot cat spot," Cook says, to see if she wound up there.

Meanwhile, there are three "cat ladies" (they know who they are) who have been informed of this breach of security -- unauthorized access to the outside world --and they are quite skilled in cat-luring techniques.

Hopefully, it's just a matter of time. And it is ticking. Scarlett is due at the vet's in a couple days to be spayed.

An unspecified reward is being offered. 

​If you see Scarlett, call or text Tracey Cook at (585) 356-6082, or email:   brewertracey@aol.com

Photos courtesy of Tracey Cook.

Memorial Day parades and ceremonies in Genesee County

By Howard B. Owens

Councilman Bob Bialkowski shared this Memorial Day photo of the front of his house. Bialkowski has organized today's Memorial Day Parade in Batavia, which starts in Eastown Plaza at 9:45 a.m.

Other events in the county today: 

  • Alexander: Ceremony in the Alexander Village Cemetery at 11 a.m.
  • Bergen: Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. in Hickory Park.
  • Byron: Ceremony in the Byron Cemetery at 11 a.m.
  • Corfu: Parade at noon from the Corfu Fire Hall to the Intermediate School. Ceremony to follow.
  • Elba: Ceremony at Maple Lawn Cemetery at 10 a.m.  
  • Le Roy: Parade at 10:30 a.m. starting at the American Legion Hall and ending at Trigon Park with a ceremony to follow.
  • Memorial services at the VA Center at 8:30 a.m., the NYS Vets Home at 8:45 a.m., Harvester Avenue at 9:30 a.m., Upton Monument at 10 a.m., the War Memorial at Jerome Center at 10:30  a.m., Glenn S. Loomis Grave, Elmwood Cemetery, 11:30 a.m., Hanson Brothers Grave, Grandview, at noon.

Birdhouses reportedly stolen on Vallance Road

By Howard B. Owens

A caller reports that somebody stole four birdhouses from her residence on Vallance Road in Le Roy.

Her husband is following the suspect vehicle, perhaps a red pickup truck.

Law enforcement is responding.

UPDATE 6:28 p.m.: The suspect vehicle was last seen on North Road, apparently heading into Monroe County.  Monroe County deputies being alerted and the husband is returning home.

UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: A person in the vehicle threw the birdhouses into the roadway.

Photos: Yesterday's sunset

By Howard B. Owens

Bryan Bartholomew submitted this photo of sunset over Lehigh Avenue, Batavia.

JoAnne Meiser submitted this photo of sunset in Indian Falls.

Dog locked inside red Ford Escape in Batavia Downs' parking lot

By Billie Owens

A dog is reportedly locked inside a red Ford Escape in a handicapped parking space across from Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel on Park Road. An animal control officer is responding.

UPDATE 1:35 p.m.: The officer is in the parking lot with the vehicle; she's waiting for a security guard from the Downs and has called for a zone car -- patrol car -- to the scene.

UPDATE 2:23 p.m.: Didn't hear an update other than the officer is clearing the scene at the Downs and heading to a dog-bite call received earlier today.

State government specialist: Marijuana growing could join solar arrays as an option for 'distressed farmers'

By Mike Pettinella

Calling it the “ultimate hot button issue of the year,” a representative of the New York State Department of State said the legalization of the sale and growing of cannabis could have a profound impact upon farming communities such as those in Genesee County.

Paula Gilbert (photo at right), local government specialist with the Division of Local Government Services in Albany, advised that the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on March 31 paves the way to an estimated $1 billion industry with expected annual revenue of $350 million and the creation of between 30,000 and 60,000 jobs.

Gilbert imparted her knowledge of the new law earlier this month during a Hot Button Land Uses training webinar for municipal planning department personnel.

She said the economic benefit of cannabis production and sale is “really significant especially in some places in Upstate New York where we have distressed farmers that are really struggling today.”

“It’s not just selling these (products) in your community but there’s also going to be the whole pipeline of production and labeling and creating packaging,” she offered. “So, there’s a lot of opportunity for a lot of communities to get into the door.”

Farm owners in Genesee and other rural counties are leasing land to solar companies, reaping the rewards from lucrative contracts in that industry, and Gilbert is of the opinion that they will do the same for the growing of marijuana plants.

The legislation permits adult use of cannabis for those 21 years of age and up – people who may possess, display, purchase, obtain or transport up to 3 ounces of flower or 24 grams of concentrated cannabis.

It also expands New York’s existing medical marijuana program and immediately allows eligible users to smoke cannabis in public wherever tobacco is allowed.

Gilbert said that consumption is not allowed in schools, federal lands, workplaces or in vehicles as the federal government still has jurisdiction in those places.

She explained that there are two types of retail sites:

  • Retail dispensaries, which could be storefronts to buy products for home consumption and adult use consumption sites, such as those in Massachusetts, California and Colorado;
  • Lounge-like locations for purchase and use on-site.

Cannabis home delivery is planned for the future, she said, resulting in Door-Dash-type services.

Gilbert said the state is establishing the Office of Cannabis Management & Marijuana Control Board, which will have an executive director and will be housed inside the New York State Liquor Authority.

The office will implement regulations for production, licensing, retail, packaging, labeling and use, with the first sales not expected until 2022 or early 2023.

Following are other aspects of the law shared during the webinar:

FOCUS ON DIVERSITY

Gilbert said the state is focusing on diversity – a 50-percent goal for minority or women-owned enterprises, distressed farms, disabled veterans – and small-scale production.

She said the strategy is different from other states in that New York is hoping to prevent large corporations and industries from controlling the market.

A person or company is prohibited from owning a growing facility and a dispensary, except for micro-enterprises, she said. A micro-enterprise can be defined as someone who owns all methods of production and only sells what is grown on-site.

In the future, home growing for adults will be limited to three mature and three immature plants, with a maximum of 12 plants per household.

SALES AND EXCISE TAXES

Gilbert said that sales tax on cannabis will be 13 percent, with 9 percent going to the state, 3 percent to the host municipality and 1 percent to the county.

Additionally, a THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) excise tax will be imposed.

“The heavier the product, the more tax there is to it,” she said, outlining taxes of a half-cent per milligram of flower, eight-tenths of a cents per milligram of concentrated cannabis and 3 cents per milligram of edible cannabis or “higher-powered” products.

“Hopefully some of those tax dollars will go to help people who become addicted – that is also part of it,” she added. A portion of the state’s share of revenues will be used for addiction treatment options.

LOCAL REGULATION

Municipalities have until Dec. 31 to opt out of any dispensary or on-site consumption site within their jurisdiction.

“However,” Gilbert said, “if you do opt out of this, it is something that can be challenged by a permissive referendum by the voters. If you’re a little nervous about this and you’re not sure if you want this in your community, you have to think about what you’re going to do.”

She said that because the regulations have yet to be finalized, she advises community leaders to take a wait-and-see approach.

“Once we get an idea from the Office of Cannabis Management & Marijuana Control Board, a lot of the questions will start to answer themselves,” she said.

If a community decides to opt out, it would lose the opportunity for the tax revenue. It would, however, have a chance to opt back in should legislative or public sentiment change.

In any event, municipalities cannot opt out of growing, testing or packaging facilities, and may not prohibit personal cannabis use in homes, she said.

CRIMINAL RECORD EXPUNGING

Gilbert said the law also calls for expunging previous convictions related to cannabis, which is now considered legal, and said the state will take the prerogative in clearing the records of previous offenders to a point.

Not everyone is going to have their record expunged as the conviction reversal is based on the level that cannabis is allowed today, she said.

If the conviction involved a quantity greater than what is allowed under the new law, that criminal record would not be expunged.

“For the kid in high school caught with a small amount – it could undo that,” she said.

ADDITIONAL TOPICS

  • Individual cannabis growers will be allowed to grow plants outside, but most will be done in greenhouses since “they’re finicky plants anyway,” she said.

Growing for personal use will not happen until 18 months after the first retail store makes a sale.

  • Establishments that serve alcohol likely won’t be licensed to sell cannabis.

“They’re still trying to figure out how to tell if people are under the influence (of marijuana),” she said.

  • Chances are that medical cannabis dispensaries will be converted into retail sites.

“Yes, we’ve seen that in Massachusetts as well,” she said. “Because there is a pretty large medical cannabis industry in New York, it’s likely certain products (will be sold) for medical users and others for personal use.”

For more information, go to www.cannabis.ny.gov.

Grass fire reported near roadway on Clinton Street Road, Stafford

By Howard B. Owens

A "large" grass fire is reported in the area of Clinton Street Road and Horseshoe Lake Road, Stafford, near the roadway.

Stafford fire is responding.

UPDATE 11:15 a.m.: The fire is an attended controlled burn. Stafford is standing down.

Law and Order: Church Street Alabama man accused of bail jumping in drug paraphernalia case

By Billie Owens

Marc C.J. Cook Sr., 30, of Church Street, Alabama, is charged with third-degree bail jumping, a Class A misdemeanor. Cook was arrested on May 27. In 2019 Cook was arrested for criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree. At that time, he was instructed to appear in Batavia City Court Sept. 15, 2020. Not only did he not appear in court on that date, he did not voluntarily turn himself in within 30 days of the required court appearance, according to the report from the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. Cook was arraigned virtually in city court and put in jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 bond. He is due back in city court on June 15. Members of the GC Drug Enforcement Task Force made the arrest with assistance from Sheriff's deputies. The GC DA's office also assisted in the case.

Brandon D. Forsyth, 29, of Corfu, was arrested at 8:01 p.m. May 21 by Troopers out of SP Warsaw and charged with driving while intoxicated and failure to stop at stop sign. Troopers arrested Forsyth after a motor-vehicle accident involving a ATV on Schoellkopf Road in the Town of Bennington. Forsyth was issued traffic tickets returnable to Town of Bennington Court in June.

Darrin Mitchell Brown, 31, of West State Street, Albion, is charged with: driving while ability impaired by drugs; driving while intoxicated -- first offense; and failure to signal within 100 feet. On May 25 at about 2:45 a.m. on Clinton Street in Batavia, Brown was arrested following a traffic stop. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and issued appearance tickets to be in Batavia City Court on June 6. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Nicholas Chamoun, assisted by Deputy Mathew Clor.

Callers complain about little beggars in Bergen

By Billie Owens

Two callers to dispatch report a pair of unsupervised little girls, about age 5, going door to door in Bergen asking people for money. One call was for Clinton Street and the other for Rochester Street.

Sheriff's deputies are responding.

UPDATE 2:43 p.m.: A sheriff's deputy asks where the girls were last seen and is told southbound in the first block on Clinton Street. He says he's delayed by a train momentarily.

UPDATE 3:12 p.m.: The deputy reports "checking the entirety of the village" and not finding the girls. He is going to speak with one of the callers who requested an interview.

UPDATE 6:41 p.m.: A reader shared the following:

The two little girls rang my doorbell after two o'clock. The older girl, about 7 years old, had a white, plastic grocery bag stretched out (trick or treat style), "Will you give us some money; we're homeless?" she asked. I looked her and her companion (she was about 5) over: they were in hoodie pajamas, barefoot. Both had brown hair and brown eyes. "You're barefoot. Aren't you cold?" I asked. "No, I'm okay," she replied. So I gave her some one-dollar bills I had handy and watched to see where they went. I called 911 and looked out my windows to see if there was an adult around or a car waiting on them. Neither was in sight. Last I saw them they were on my next-door neighbor's porch ringing his doorbell.

And:

Well, here's an update. The girls with their Mom just came to my door to apologize and return the money I gave them. "We're sorry. We were trying to help our Mom. We're not homeless." I replied, "It's always good to help your Mom, and it's always good to be honest." Mom waved at me, and they left. I guess that's a happy ending. I'll never know what "helping our Mom" meant. You can use the information however you choose. I'm glad that two little girls aren't wandering around without shoes or soliciting money.

Elba earns first place in their NYS High School Clay Target League conference for Spring Season

By Press Release

From Glen Adams, head coach LeRoy Jr/Sr High Trap Shoot Team:

These are the season results for area high school trap team youth shooting at area clubs for their Spring Season.

New York State High School Clay Target League -- Spring 2021 Season 

1A-Conference 4

  • 1st Place -- Elba Jr/Sr High School: Award 1st Place -- Season Average male: Chase Luttrell 23.5
  • 4th Place -- Warsaw High School

1A-Conference 6

  • 2nd Place -- Albion High School
  • 8th Place -- Perry High School

1A-Conference 7

  • 7th Place -- Pavilion Central School

1A-Conference 8

  • 2nd Place -- Holly High School: Award 3rd Place -- Season Average male: Noah St John 22.8 / Award 1st Place -- Season Average female: Sara Kingdollar 20.4
  • 5th Place -- Alexander Central High School: Award 3rd Place -- Season Average female: Kayla Felder 17

1A-Conference 10

  • 2nd Place -- Byron-Bergen High School: Award 2nd Place -- Season Average male: Nick Baubie 23.5
  • 8th Place -- Kendall Jr/Sr High School

1A-Conference 11

  • 4th Place -- Attica Senior High School
  • 5th Place -- Caledonia Mumford High School

1A-Conference 12

  • 2nd Place -- LeRoy Jr/Sr High School, Award 1st Place -- Season Average male: Aaron Leone 23 / Award 2nd Place -- Season Average female: Mckenna Coniber 20.6

Reminder: GLOW Women Rise holds virtual Empowerment Forum June 5, presents GRIT awards

By Press Release

Press release:

GLOW Women Rise will honor this year's GRIT Award winners at the second annual Empowerment Forum, which will be held virtually on June 5th.

The GRIT Award is given to women in our community who exhibit tenacity, fearlessness, and spirit in advocating for an underrepresented group in the GLOW region.

This free forum (donations gratefully accepted) encourages the growth and networking of women across the region and it's open to anyone interested in empowering women. Mothers please invite your daughters (adolescents and older).

The focus will be on the International Women’s Day theme -- #ChooseToChallenge.

Discussions and workshops were selected to motivate participants to challenge themselves and each other in the areas of discrimination, personal finance, body positivity, and community. 

The Empowerment Forum will also honor women that our community lost over the past year. People are encouraged to participate in this tribute by submitting a memorial here.

The event's keynote speaker will be author and an award-winning lecturer Tamara L. McMillan, Ph.D.c, CPSC. A Buffalo native, McMillan is also the founder of McMillan Empowerment Enterprises (MEE).

As an agent of change, MEE has shaped the lives of countless girls and women around the world by providing tools of transformation while passionately empowering them to reconnect to their own life’s purpose in order to embrace and narrate their own stories.

GLOW Women Rise is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organization (registered 501c3), that works to connect women and resources throughout the region while providing support and advocacy.

Spots still open for hands-on Environmental Science Camp at GC Park & Forest

By Press Release

Press release:

Spots are still open for Environmental Science Camp at the Genesee County Park & Forest! This hands-on outdoor camp is for students entering seventh – 10th grades.

Maximum 15 campers, registration deadline to register is Monday, June 28th.

Camp meets Monday through Friday, July 12th – 16th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Interpretive Nature Center at the Genesee County Park & Forest.

This weeklong adventure includes wildlife surveys, stream studies, tree identification and more taught by professionals in different fields of Environmental Science.

Learn from Q&A with forest rangers, enjoy outdoor recreation and more!

Cost is $95/camper for the entire week. All materials and a camp T-shirt are provided. Transportation provided from Batavia High School to and from camp each day.

All COVID-19 and social distancing protocols will be followed according to state and county health department recommendations.

To register, download the registration form from our website here.

Return completed forms with payment to:

Main Office -- Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center

153 Cedar St.

Batavia, NY 14020

For more information visit our website, or contact Shannon Lyaski at Shannon.Lyaski@co.genesee.ny.us or (585) 344-1122.

Caller says pitbull mix tried to hitch a ride in Stafford

By Billie Owens

A caller to dispatch reports that a black and white pitbull mix tried to get into their vehicle when it stopped at a stop sign in Stafford. The dog was laying in a driveway in the area of Sweetland and Transit roads without shelter or food when the vehicle made the stop.

An officer is responding to check on the animal.

UPDATE 1:20 p.m.: An officer is out with the canine in the 6300 block of Sweetland Road.

UPDATE 1:26 p.m.: The animal control officer says the dog has shelter and a water dish. "Unable to make contact with anyone" at the residence. She's en route back to the shelter.

Landers outlines four areas to use ARPA funds, says plan to spend $11.1 million is on the drawing board

By Mike Pettinella

More than $11 million from the American Rescue Plan Act has Genesee County’s name on it, but it’s too early to speculate exactly how that money will be used, County Manager Matt Landers reported to legislators earlier this week.

Landers, in outlining the four areas on which the money can be spent, said he emphasized to county lawmakers that the current federal guidelines have been released on an interim basis and the final rule is not expected until mid-July.

“Between not having the final rule yet, plus the fact that the feds are doing this in a two-traunch allocation of the money, no official roadmap of how were going to spend the $11,125,969 has been drawn up,” Landers said.

“They’re doing this specifically because they don’t want you to spend all of the money now. They want you to evaluate how the pandemic is progressing and to be able to adjust later on with the funding they give you.”

Payments, in equal installments, to municipalities will be made sometime this year and again 12 months later.

According to a directive from the federal government, eligible uses are as follows:

  • To respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality.

Landers said his office is calculating what won’t be covered by the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act (of 2020) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with outstanding expenses to be covered with ARPA funds.

“We’re still investigating what we can and can't do here regarding tourism,” he said. “I am checking to see if this is the way we can assist the Chamber of Commerce for a rebranding effort, along with assistance to some of our local businesses most impacted by the pandemic and to assist our tourism sector.”

  • To respond to workers performing essential work during COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers.
  • For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year prior to the emergency.

Landers reported that the county treasurer’s office has calculated the amount of lost revenue by Genesee County, using the prescribed three formulas.

“The most beneficial calculation of lost revenue is approximately $6 million,” he said. “There are strings attached to this money, but early thoughts on how to utilize this portion is on the construction of the Genesee County Jail.”

He also said he is talking to department heads about possible investments and for cybersecurity upgrades proposed by the Information Technology department.

  • To make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.                                                                                                    

Landers said it there could be around $5 million available for allocating to broadband and water infrastructure needs.

“Limitations on upload/download speed may impact the effectiveness of the broadband allocation,” he advised.

The county manager said he will be meeting with other county administrators on June 4 in Madison County and with New York State Association of County leaders “to put our heads together to see what works.”

“The interim final guidance provides us with a lot of information, but also a lot of questions,” he said. “It is too early to provide a complete list of recommendations, but it is safe to say we will be able to allocate all of the $11 million and will allocate it in the most impactful and transparent way.”

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