Press release:

The Batavia City School District Foundation Inc. is reminding the local community about their Engraved Brick Campaign at VanDetta Stadium at Woodward Field. Orders need to be received by Saturday, Sept. 1 in order to be installed this Fall. All others will be installed the following years.

The bricks will be located in front of the weight room and will be a “River Red” color. Each brick is $100 (including engraving). All engravings will be approved by the BCSD Foundation Inc.

Each brick will be 7¾ x 4 x 1¾ inch and on each brick there will be a maximum of 14 characters per line with a maximum of three lines. A character is any letter, space or punctuation mark.

Order forms are available on the BCSD Foundation Inc. website here or at the Batavia City School District’s Instructional Services’ office at 260 State St., Batavia.  

If you have any questions, please contact the BCSD Foundation Inc. at foundation@ bataviacsd.org or Julia Rogers at 343-2480, ext. 1010.

Submitted photo and press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) toured several farms in Genesee, Orleans and Monroe counties yesterday, speaking with farm owners and employees on their concerns and trepidations with the recently passed the Farm Labor Bill.

Hawley is the former owner and operator of his family’s farm in Batavia, a longtime member of the Assembly Agriculture Committee and past President of the Genesee County Farm Bureau.

“I want to thank all the farm owners and their families for having me on a tour of their facilities,” Hawley said.

“I understand how detrimental these new labor regulations can be to our agriculture sector and I will be pushing very hard to have a seat at the table for the Commissioner of Agriculture and Farm Bureau members on the new wage board.”

  “As a former farm operator, it was great to meet so many dedicated families that are driving New York’s agricultural sector here in Western New York,” Hawley said.

“A consistent theme at all of the farms we visited was the new labor regulations pushed by Downstate politicians and their detrimental effect on family farms throughout the state. Many owners are concerned about labor shortage during an already short growing season and the possibility of migrant workers leaving to earn more money in other states.”

Photo: Assemblyman Hawley on his first stop of the farm tour at CY Farms in Elba, a second- and third-generation family farm where sod, spinach, corn and onions are grown.

City firefighters are on Summit Street investigating a controlled burn in the vicinity after a caller to dispatch reported smoke in the area.

UPDATE 4:26 p.m.: The blaze was actually a small campfire behind property in the 100-200 block of Bank Street. It has been extinguished.

Above, Marine veteran and former Batavia resident Jim Heatherman. Photo courtesy of Jim Heatherman.

Editor's Note: Eighteen days apart in 1968 two 1964 Notre Dame High School graduates were killed in Vietnam. Today, on the 51st anniversary of one of their deaths, their classmate and fellow Vietnam vet Jim Heatherman remembers them and wishes he got to know them better.

Story by Jim Heatherman.

It has been 50 years since I was a Marine lieutenant in Vietnam. It doesn’t seem like it but it’s true. Longer still since I graduated from Notre Dame High School in Batavia. I think of those days often. Notre Dame was a fine school but certainly not heaven on Earth.

My friends and I were by no means angels when we went to school there. I remember helping to make hydrogen sulphide in the chemistry lab, which permeated the entire school with the smell of rotten eggs and nearly caused an evacuation.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a proud graduate of Notre Dame in 1964, a college graduate later, and a Marine Vietnam combat veteran later still.

Many of my family grew up, lived, and died in Batavia. My brother, Pat, and I regularly visit their gravesites although I now live in Tulsa, Okla. My friend, Dave Reilly, has written wonder articles for The Batavian reminiscing those youthful days in Batavia.

Incidentally, we older people think in our minds and hearts that we are still young people living back in the 1960s. We try to ignore the pains in our knees...and, well, everywhere else, too.

I don’t think we spent much time thinking of the world situation including Vietnam when we were in high school. We were accepting our role as average teenagers thinking mostly of driving, girls, and sports. Since most of the girls didn’t particularly care for us we were able to focus mostly on the other two things.

Of course there were other guys in our class who were better looking, smarter, and all around cooler than we were and they got the girls. I wonder whatever happened to them. And then we had other classmates who were not members of our group and we didn’t think much about knowing them at all.

Another was Thomas Welker (inset photo, below right), who with others was bussed into Notre Dame daily from a farm community.

Like Dan, Tom was an outsider to our group and we hardly got to know him. Unfortunately that did not change through four years of high school. I’d like to think that we are now wiser than we were then. That is our blessing but it is also our curse.

Well I graduated from Notre Dame, went on to college and joined a Naval ROTC unit. When I graduated from college I was happily commissioned a Marine 2nd Lieutenant. I come from a Marine Corps family so that result was expected and inevitable.

After additional training at Quantico, Va., I got orders to WESTPAC Ground Forces. That meant Vietnam, of course. I was fortunate to survive my combat tour in Vietnam as an infantry platoon commander and battalion staff officer.

I spent several more years in the Marine Corps and then returned to civilian life. I got married and had five children. They all went to Catholic school, too, and are all college graduates.

The four boys are Marine combat veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan, later became federal agents, and one is now a United States Attorney.

My daughter is a wonderful teacher in a Catholic school in Tulsa. I go there and mostly talk about Revolutionary and Civil War battles, although the kids want to talk about Vietnam, too. I have 15 grandchildren. I go to many, many sports events. I think often how blessed I am to have that family.

Then I think of Dan and Tom -- the guys that we never really got to know in high school. When most of us were happily running off to college in 1964 they were both preparing to join the Navy.

Dan became a member of a Naval Construction Force battalion -- the Seabees -- and was eventually sent to Vietnam. People in those positions rarely die in combat but Dan was killed.

He is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in Batavia, only 50 yards from my grandparents. I want to visit there often and leave a memento.

Tom received medical training in the Navy and became a Corpsman. Eventually he was sent to Vietnam and, of course, assigned to a Marine infantry unit.

As a Marine myself, I can tell you that no one is more revered by the Marines they serve than the Navy Corpsmen. They are always known as “Doc.” Tom was killed on a patrol with the Marines he served. He is buried in Attica.

I read in an article that his mother never really recovered from the loss of her son. I’m sure she is not alone.

Looking back now, I think of two things. As a very fortunate head of a family of 27 people today, I think of the void and unfulfilled promise that was cut down for Tom and Dan and so many others in Vietnam. The wives, children, and grandchildren that never were. Also, as a wiser and a bit more humble person now, I think that just being the goofy teenagers we were in those days should not have been an excuse for not knowing and appreciating our Notre Dame classmates, Tom and Dan, more.

Yet I’m sure we are not alone either. Wouldn’t it be nice after all these years to have a do-over?

Inset photos courtesy of Dave Reilly.

• The Bergen Historical Society will meet beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5th, in the Library Meeting Room. The public is invited to hear a presentation by Gina Schelemanow on the history of the Cook family of Byron and Clarendon. Refreshments will be served following the program. 
• Maker Space Saturday is 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 7th. Come and try an experiment! No registration needed.
• Monthly Book Discussion Group meets at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12th. This month's book is "The Little Paris Bookshop." Come and enjoy the fun.
• Toddler/Preschool Storytime will run Fridays starting at 10:30 a.m. beginning Sept 13th. Join Miss Bailey for stories, a craft and a treat! For ages 2-5, but younger children are welcome with a parent/guardian. Registration appreciated.

Top photo: Genesee Dairy Challenge Team – Genesee County 4-H Dairy Challenge Contest participants, from left: Bing Zuber, Wyatt Uberty, Chase Zuber, Otto Uberty, Renee Uberty.

Submitted photos and press release:

SYRACUSE -- Members of the Genesee County 4-H Dairy Club took their skills to the New York State Fair in Syracuse earlier this week.

4-H Dairy Challenge and Dairy Judging Contests were held to test the youth’s knowledge on judging skills, animal nutrition, agronomy, feed identification, farm safety, and business management.

Below are results from the contests that included more than 150 participants.

New York State Fair 4-H Dairy Challenge Contest:

Genesee Novice Team – Second-place Team. Team members were: Otto Uberty, Wyatt Uberty, Bing Zuber and Chase Zuber.

Individual Results – Bing Zuber -- third High Novice Individual; Renee Uberty -- 19^th Junior Individual.

New York State Fair 4-H Dairy Judging Contest:

Genesee Novice Team A – Fourth Place. Team members and individual rankings were: Chloe Lamb -- 14^th, Bing Zuber -- 16^th, and Chase Zuber -- 18^th.

Genesee Novice Team B – Third Place. Team members and individual rankings were: Evan Winspear -- third, Wyatt Uberty -- 17^th, Otto Uberty -- 20^th.

Genesee Junior Team – Fourth Place. Team members and individual rankings were: Maggie Winspear -- fifth, Jillian Brewer -- eighth, and Renee Uberty -- 36^th.

Genesee Senior Team – 13^th-place. Team members and individual rankings were: Carolyn Sybertz -- 23^rd and Amelia Brewer -- 29^th.

Congratulations to all of the 4-H’ers competing at the New York State Fair this week!  For more information on the Genesee County 4-H Program, please contact the 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040, ext. 131.

Bottom photo: Genesee County 4-H Dairy Judging Contest participants, from left, back row: Amelia Brewer, Carolyn Sybertz, Jillian Brewer, Renee Uberty, Maggie Winspear. From left, front row: Wyatt Uberty, Evan Winspear, Chloe Lamb, Bing Zuber, Otto Uberty, and Chase Zuber.

Story by Mary Margaret Ripley:

Le Roy – Alex Wood is the proud new owner of Le Roy Little Ones, a gently used children’s clothing store on Mill Street in Le Roy. 

Wood, a native of Pavilion, opened her storefront on Oatka Festival weekend July 13 and has seen steady business since.

What prompted her to want to open her own retail store was the constant outgrowing of clothes her young son went through and the expense and travel it took to buy new and used clothing in the city.

“I don’t know how people can afford brand-new clothing for their kids, especially when they outgrow them so fast,” Wood said.

After the bank she worked at in Elba closed, and after discussing it with her boyfriend, Wood started looking for locations that would suit her plan for a retail store.

Enlisting a local real estate agent, Wood found the perfect location at 3 1/2 Mill St. (across from the side of the Post Office) and the owner of the building, Bill Kettle, was thrilled by his new tenant's plans.

“I think it’s a great idea that helps a lot of families not only in Le Roy but all the surrounding communities!” Kettle said. “Given how quickly our kids grow and the cost of new clothing, a store like Le Roy Little Ones keeps kids in the right size clothes while making it very affordable at the same time.”

Most of the clothing and footwear in the shop costs $5 or less. Sizes are infant premie to kids' large. While not a consignment shop, Wood does take clothes and shoes in excellent condition for store credit.

All major credit cards accepted.

Hours of operation for Le Roy Little Ones are: Wednesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Phone is 297-8058.

Photo by Mary Margaret Ripley.

The 11th annual Musical Memories concert to benefit Crossroads House will be held at City Church on Saturday, Sept. 21.

The church is located at 210 E. Main St. in Downtown Batavia.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 6:30.

Cost is $5 for general seating and $10 for reserved seating.

There will be a "Mega Raffle" on site.

Performances by:

• Parkside Avenue Brass
• The Hit Men
• St. Joe's of Batavia Brass Ensemble
• Hamburg Kingsmen Drum & Bugle Corps
• Silver Leafs (from Canada!)
• Mighty St. Joe's Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps

Advance tickets are available at Crossroads House, Roxy's Music Store, Valle Jewelers, and The Prospector in Attica.

All proceeds benefit Crossroads House, a comfort care home for the dying in Batavia.

Press release:

Now is a great time to start a 4-H Club in the Genesee County 4-H Program. The new 4-H Club Year begins Oct. 1 and runs through Sept. 30, 2020.

The 4-H Program teaches youth life skills through hands on activities in a variety of project areas. Youth ages 5 to 18 years are always welcome to join.  Adult volunteers and new 4-H Clubs are always welcome as well. 

Starting a 4-H Club is fun and easy. You can start a 4-H Club in five easy steps!

How to Start a 4-H Club in 5 Easy Steps:

1.  Complete the New 4-H Volunteer Enrollment Form.

2.  Attend an orientation meeting with 4-H Staff.

3.  Enroll 5 youth in your club (age 5 – 18).

4.  Have members choose a club name.

5.  Plan monthly club meetings and projects with parents and youth.

For more information on starting a 4-H Club or joining the 4-H Program, please contact the 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040, ext. 131.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The “Dog Days of Summer” at Batavia Downs doesn’t only refer to the weather. It also means it's time for the annual Genesee Feeds Wiener Dog races.

This popular event is happening once again on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 25) with post time for the first Dachshund Dash scheduled for approximately 4:30 p.m. after the completion of the live harness racing card.

There will be 10 heats contested with each heat winner scoring a $25 Free Play voucher to Batavia Downs Gaming. The heat winners will then return for a championship race where the winning owner will receive $100 in free play, second place finisher $75 in Free Play and third place $50 in Free Play. The owners of the top three finishers will also get two complementary buffets in the Batavia Downs clubhouse.

All entrants will receive doggy bags for their athletes from the official sponsor of the Wiener Dog races, Genesee Feeds of Batavia.

The doggy dashes draw one of the biggest crowds of the season to Batavia Downs and is the main event of “Family Fun Day” at the races.

"Family Fun Day is one of my favorite live racing days of the meet,” said Director/General Manager of Live Racing, Todd Haight. “The kids always have a great time.

"You can bring the whole family out because there is something for everyone and you can eat, drink and enjoy everything going on the entire afternoon and it costs next to nothing.”

Treat the kids to a fun, affordable day out with $1 Sahlen's hot dogs and soda. Then enjoy free pony rides from 2 to 4 p.m. provided courtesy of Castilone Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep of Batavia.

There will also be special guest appearances by Pringles The Clown, Mr. Scribbles, Jason the Juggler, Johnathan the Magician and other fun activities like face painting and sand art for kids of all ages. And everything is presented in a clean, safe environment where kids can just enjoy themselves.

Admission and parking are free and live harness racing action begins at 1:15 p.m.

For more information including news, promotions, race replays and the upcoming live racing schedule including the New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions go to www.bataviadownsgaming.com/live-racing.

Photos courtesy of Paul White.

Submitted photos and press release:

For the better part of eight innings Thursday night, the Batavia Muckdogs were in danger dropping out of first place.

Enter the power of Nic Ready and Sean Reynolds.

After a Troy Johnston's RBI single gave Batavia a 5-4 lead, Ready blasted a two-run double followed by a 418-foot home run by Reynolds to center field.

Batavia (36-29) scored seven runs and went on to win, 9-5.

West Virginia fell to Auburn, 5-2 to drop to 34-29, one game behind Batavia. State College (Pa.) is 33-32 and three back.

Batavia and State College play again tonight at 7:05.

The Muckdogs trailed, 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Ready crushed his eighth home run of the season to left field. The ball left the yard in such a hurry the left fielder never moved.

Ready finished with four RBIs, and he returned from the New York-Penn League All-Star Game with six other teammates before the game.

"We are used to it, we like to think jet-lag is not a thing. We show up and play the game," Ready said. "We got some good rest, got some fluids in us, hydrated and go get them tonight.

"We knew we were in the lineup, we were at the all-star game for a reason so we might as well show it at our home field," Ready added.

Down 4-2 in the eighth, Ready, a 2019 Miami Marlins draft pick out of the Air Force, said the attitude was to win.

"We have a saying, 'Dogs, Never Die,' we are always in a fight, especially on our home turf, anything can happen," Ready said. "A team could take the lead, we put up seven runs late and come up to win it. We love playing at home, a lot of fans came out and we appreciate it."

The Muckdogs then played some outstanding defense as State College was threatening in the top of the sixth. Moises Castillo singled and Batavia center-fielder Milton Smith fired the ball to Muckdogs first baseman Sean Reynolds who alertly went to second base to nab Castillo. Second baseman Andrew Turner tagged him out then fired to Nic Ready at third base to get David Vinsky who originally was trying to score.

On the mound for Batavia, Jackson Rose started and struck out one in 4.1 innings, then Joniker Villalobos struck out two in one inning. Jeremy Galindez tossed 2.1 innings of one-run ball with two strikeouts. With runners on and State College leading 4-2, Edison Suriel came on and got a strikeout to end the seventh.

Suriel stayed in for the win, improving to 3-2 and he went 1.1 innings striking out three.

Tonight, the first 1,000 fans will receive a free 2019 team photo. There were 1,166 fans at the game Thursday at Dwyer Stadium.

It is also Crafty Hour sponsored by Eli Fish Brewing Co. for the first hour as all drafts are $3.

The Genesee County Economic Development Center is the game sponsor.

Saturday night there will be fireworks.

Upcoming schedule: Tonight home 7:05, and Saturday home 7:05 p.m. against State College. Sunday 5:05 p.m. against Williamsport. Monday, home at 7:05 p.m. against Williamsport; and Tuesday's game is at 11:05 a.m.

Tickets are available at muckdogs.com or stop by the Dwyer Stadium Ticket office between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week. The number is 585-483-3647.

Top photo: Sean Reynolds after a two-run home run in the eighth inning for Batavia.

Bottom photo: Gunner Pollman, Batavia's catcher, singles against State College (Pa.).

The general manager at Dwyer Stadium has contacted the Genesee County Dispatch Center to report a drone flying over the field; the operator is unknown.

"They are unable to continue with their normal operations," a dispatcher says.

City police are responding.

It's Thirsty Thursday and the Muckdogs were set to play the Spikes at 7:05 tonight.

This is a senior cat on the lam from her newly adoptive home on East Main Street in Batavia.

The new owners adopted her about a week ago, and she managed to slip out the front door Wednesday morning and has not returned.

They were trying to teach her her new given name -- "Terrapin" -- which may have confused her since she's not a turtle. But the moniker was intended to be a nod to her unique mottled coloring, you know, tortoiseshellish (gray and brown). She may not answer to it yet, though.

She has yellow eyes and a little notch in her left ear.

Her adoptive papa confirmed that she played it real nonchalant, seemingly unfazed by her new digs, and looking for all the world as if she were bored and ready for a long nap in the sun -- the kind real tortoises especially love.

But it is more likely, say cat people, that the 10-year-old was scheming and biding her time for the first opportunity to beat it to nowheresville PDQ.

If you see Miss Speedy Boots, AKA "Terrapin," please call Gregory Lebens-Higgins, who's new in town, at (585) 690-2044 or email him at:   glebens@gmail.com

UPDATE 11:07 a.m. Friday, Aug. 23: The cat named after a turtle returned home late last night, her owner says. She was lured back, perhaps, by their cleverness of leaving food out on the porch for her. All is well. 

A one-vehicle rollover accident with injuries occurred at 403.6 on the westbound Thruway. Pembroke Fire Department is on scene, along with mutual aid from Indian Falls. NYS Police and Mercy medics are also on scene. 

East Pembroke was deployed at the Thruway entrance on standby but command put them back in service along with Mercy Flight, which was also on standby.

Extrication will be handled by Pembroke. Dickinson's en route for the tow.

No word on the injuries.

UPDATE 6:33 p.m.: This Thruway assignment is back in service.

The Department of Environmental Conservation called the Genesee County Dispatch Center to report the possibility of tires being burned on Railroad Avenue in Alexander. A first responder checked it out and found the location to be 3543 Railroad Ave.

Alexander Fire Department was called to respond, but the first responder on scene says he spoke to the homeowner who said he would put the fire out.

"He's just got a small fire burning here and he's going to put it out now," the first responder says.

No police response warranted, but DEC will follow up for a report tomorrow.

UPDATE 4:53 p.m.: Fire is out. Assignment is back in service.

Jason H. Freeman, 37, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with third-degree criminal mischief. He was arrested at 2:53 a.m. on Aug. 14 after he allegedly punctured two tires on a motor vehicle parked on Osterhout Avenue in Batavia; the damage totals more than $250. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and jailed in lieu of $2,500 cash or bond. He is due was return to city court on today (Aug. 22). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Davis, assisted by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Jacqueline Colleen Shepherd, 50, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief in the fourth degree. She was arrested for allegedly damaging property belonging to another person during an argument at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 12 on North Spruce Street in Batavia. She was due in Batavia City Court Aug. 20. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Post, assisted by Officer Felicia DeGroot.

Alexander E. Dills, 28, of Batavia, is charged with: criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree -- a loaded firearm; criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree -- prior conviction for a serious offense; criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree -- shotgun/serious offense; two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; and criminally possessing a hypodermic instrument. Dills and a Middlebury resident were arrested at 8:55 p.m. on Aug. 15 after Wyoming County Sheriff's deputies executed a search warrant at a residence on Vernal Road in the Town of Middlebury. Dills was arraigned in Town of Middlebury Court and put in Wyoming County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash or $5,000 bond. The case was handled by Wyoming County Sheriff's Sgt. Reagan.

Jarrod Keith Fotiathis, 24, Lexington Avenue, Rochester, is charged with: driving while intoxicated -- first offense; improper right turn; moving from lane unsafely; no headlamps; unlicensed driver. At 5:21 a.m. on Aug. 17 on Hall Street in Batavia, Fotiathis was stopped by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins for multiple infractions while driving a 2015 black Mazda. He was arrested and released. He is due in Batavia City Court on Aug. 28. Perkins was assisted by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Andrew Adeb Said, 50, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with promoting prison contraband in the first degree. On Aug. 21, Said was arrested and charged with this crime after allegedly illegally possessing a razor blade while confined to a correctional facility on Aug. 14. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court. No return court date provided. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Mullen.

Jason R. Skivington, 35, of Buffalo Street, Bergen, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; moving from lane unsafely; and failure to stop at a stop sign. Skivington was arrested at 3:07 a.m. Aug. 18 on Byron Holley Road in Byron after a one-vehicle accident. He was released on appearance tickets and is due in Town of Byron Court on Aug. 20. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jordan Stack, assisted by Deputy James Stack.

Michael Alan Tisdale, 30, of Rebaud Avenue, Silver Springs, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and a vehicle registration plate violation. At 12:21 p.m. on Aug. 20, Tisdale was stopped on Route 98 in the Town of Batavia following the observation of a vehicle and traffic violation. A roadside search of the vehicle was conducted and a small quantity of a prescription medication -- a controlled substance -- was allegedly found. He was issued an appearance ticket returnable to Town of Batavia Court on Sept. 10. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong, assisted by Sgt. Michael Lute.

Austin Daniel Nowakowski, 19, of Broadway Road, Darien, is charged with trespass. He was arrested at 7:14 p.m. on Aug. 21 on Bonnie Brae Drive in Darien after allegedly entering and remaining unlawfully on private property while operating an off-road motorbike. He was released on an appearance ticket. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jared Swimline, assisted by Deputy Travis DeMuth.

Dakota M. Smith-Neal, 27, of Central Avenue, Batavia, is charged with obstruction of governmental administration in the second degree and fourth-degree criminal mischief. The defendant was arrested on Aug. 19 following an investigation into a complaint about a disorderly male in the street -- on Central Avenue in Batavia -- at 11:09 p.m. on Aug. 18. He is due in Batavia City Court on Sept. 5. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Zhamiere J. Greene, 18, of Atkison Street, Rochester, is charged with second-degree harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. Greene was arrested after a physical altercation on Maple Street in the City of Batavia at 8 p.m. on Aug. 13. The defendant is accused of striking numerous people under age 17. He was arrested, arraigned in Batavia City Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice. He is due in city court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot, assisted by Officer Peter Post.

Justin T. Gladney, 30, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. He was arrested on Aug. 12 following an incident at 4:28 p.m. on North Spruce Street. He was issued an appearance ticket for Aug. 13 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Post, assisted by Officer Felicia DeGroot.

Fawn LM Kaczmarek, 31, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She was after a quantity of cash and presecription medications were stolen from a residence on Ellicott Street in Batavia at 2:20 a.m. on Aug. 16. She was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Aug. 27. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissigner, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Fawn LM Kaczmarek, 31, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She was arrested at 10:28 a.m. on Aug. 19 for allegedly stealing three cans of Red Bull energy drink from the Dollar General store on East Main Street in Batavia. She is due in Batavia City Court on Aug. 27. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissigner, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Tammy Marie Caldwell, 49, of Holland Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. It is alleged that on Aug. 15 at 9:42 a.m. that Caldwell stole property from a business on West Main Street in Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket for Aug. 27 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jordan McGinnis, assisted by Officer Peter Post.

Frank Lynn Morrison, 38, of South Creek Road, Palmyra, is charged with failure to appear. He was arrested on Aug. 16 on a warrant out of Batavia City Court for failing to appear in court on June 4. He was held at jail then arraigned in Batavia City Court on a charge of falsely reporting an incident in the third degree at 11:37 a.m. on April 15. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan.

Laura A. Redenbach, 35, of Sheridan Drive, Clarence, is charged with failure to appear on Feb. 28 in Batavia City Court. She was located by NYS Police in Clarence and arrested on a Batavia City Court bench warrant. She was arraigned in city court and jailed on $500 cash or bond. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Felicia GeGroot.

Krystal Lee Frye, 29, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, was arrested at 9:05 p.m. on Aug. 19 on a bench warrant. Frye was released on an appearance ticket and was due in Batavia City Court on Aug. 20. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Post.

Genesee County Sheriff's deputies are called to the area of 5944 Main Road in Stafford for a report of a toddler riding a scooter near the roadway.

Press release:

The Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force invites the public to attend its Overdose Awareness Day activities from 4 to 7:30 p.m. next Wednesday (Aug. 28) at Austin Park on Jefferson Avenue in Batavia.

The event – “A Time to Remember, A Time to Act” – will feature keynote speakers Robert Kent, chief counsel for the state Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services, and Lori Drescher and Keith Greer, partners in the Rochester-based Recovery Coach University.

“Overdose Awareness Day is a time where we can come together to raise awareness, gather information and support families and loved ones as they struggle with substance use disorders and also to celebrate those in recovery,” said Sue Gagne, recovery center coordinator for Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.

Food vendors will be on hand, and the event also will include a kids’ zone, live music and free Narcan training.

For more information, go to www.gowopioidtaskforce.org.

The event is supported by a grant from Greater Rochester Health Foundation.

Press release:

Save the date! Saturday, Sept. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Genesee County Master Gardeners will be hosting their annual Fall Garden Gala at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, 420 E. Main St. in Batavia.

This plant sale features hardy perennials, most grown by Master Gardeners. Plant sale starts promptly at 10 a.m. No early birds please.

Fall is a good time to plant many perennials as there is still time for them to grow a strong root system before winter. Locally grown mums will also be for sale as well as a selection of house plants.

At 11 a.m. check out the demonstration on how to make a macramé plant hanger!

Don’t forget to stop inside for the Chance Basket Auction. You never know what treasures may appear, including unique garden art. The Chance Basket Auction drawing will begin at 12:30 pm.

The Master Gardener Helpline will also be open to answer your gardening questions. Not sure what your garden pH is? Bring in a soil sample for FREE soil pH testing.

Learn how to artfully arrange fresh flowers (from the garden) as talented Master Gardeners create arrangements and bouquets right before your eyes! These beautiful flower arrangements will be available for sale.

Don’t miss your chance to pick up some great plants and treasures for your garden!

For more information contact Jan Beglinger at CCE of Genesee County, (585) 343-3040, ext. 132, or stop by the CCE office at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia. You can also visit our CCE website here.