batavia

Press release:

The City Water Department is responding to a water leak on the west side of the City Centre. Water may be turned off from the corner of Alva Place and State Street to Main and Jackson streets. This will affect businesses in the southwest area of the City Centre and the surrounding vicinity.

This could result in low water pressure conditions for some residents and businesses. Other residents in the area may experience discolored water, which should return to normal once repairs are complete. Residents should check to make sure water clarity has returned before resuming activities such as laundry, which may be impacted.

Patrick Thomas Fuhr, 61, of Union Road, Cheektowaga, is charged with: unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the third degree; reckless driving; aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree; failure to stop at a stop sign; and a red light violation. He was arrested on Feb. 4 after a police pursuit that occurred at 9:15 p.m. Jan. 29 in the City of Batavia and towns of Batavia and Pembroke. It is alleged that he fled in his vehicle from Genesee County and Livingston County deputies. Fuhr is due in City of Batavia Court on March 10 and Town of Batavia Court March 11. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor, assisted by Deputy Erik Andre.

Christopher John Raymond Diers, 38, is charged with third-degree burglary and petit larceny. He was arrested at 3:46 p.m. Jan. 5 for allegedly stealing property from Walmart then running from store security personnel when he approached the exit. He was put in Genesee County Jail until his arraignment at 6:15 p.m. in Genesee County Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Gauthier, assisted by Deputy Erik Andre.

Christopher P. Thomas, 38, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with dog running at large. He was arrested at 10:25 a.m. Jan. 29 on the Batavia Municipal Code violation for allegedly allowing his pet German shepard to run at large on a neighbor's lawn. He is due in Batavia City Court on March 30. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Connor Borchert.

Zachary John Wayne Marrow, 29, of Manhatten Avenue, Batavia, is charged with failing to appear in Batavia City Court after being given an appearance ticket. He was originally arrested at 12:30 a.m. Nov. 16 at on East Main Street and charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated. He was arrested on the city court warrant for failure to appear at 9:10 p.m. Feb. 2. Marrow is due back in court March 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Post, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Bill Campbell is the vice president for business development for Chapin International. Chapin is a privately owned, multi-location manufacturing company that started in Oakfield more than 100 years ago and remains based in Batavia.

Campbell's job gives him not only good insights into his own industry, but the economy in general. We'll talk with him about his company, the economy, the pandemic, what business can expect from the Biden Administration, at trade issues. The livestream is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

Batavia residents Mike Pullinzi and Mark Schmidt will have to figure out how to share a brand new 2021 Corvette after winning this year's Batavia Rotary Club raffle, or perhaps they will split the $40,000 cash prize. 

Pullinzi and Schmidt's winning ticket was picked randomly Saturday evening at Roman's by the Rotary Club members.  

All proceeds support Rotary’s charitable causes, which this year included $20,000 in direct COVID-19 relief, in addition to the support of a dozen or more community nonprofits who take care of so many needs right here in Genesee County.

In addition to the Corvette, the following people won $500 cash: Paul George, Howard Kerr, Meghan D'urso, Nathan VanDeeBeck, Gail Kee, Jane Ziad, Deanna Mastin, Lori Lohan, Donna Salmon and Ken Hay.

Photo: Submitted photo.  Tom Turnbull, president of Batavia Rotary, at the start of the drawing.

A Batavia native with a talent for entertaining has taken the activity to a whole new level.

Kevin Noonan is one of the founders of a novel virtual entertainment experience called Majestic Circus that provide friends, family or colleagues with some friendly and safe competition online.

He has loved to entertain since he was a teenager growing up in Batavia.

The son of retired Genesee County Judge Robert Noonan and Marcia Noonan, Kevin started entertaining at birthday parties for Chris Fix at the YMCA in Batavia and summers at Camp Hough.

He graduated from Batavia High School in 1998, and then attended the University of New Hampshire for two years.

His father encouraged him to “go for it” and join Carnival Cruise Lines, where he soon worked his way up to cruise director. At age 20, he met his wife, 18, on the ship. She was from London and a dancer on the ship. 

When Carnival undertook the largest renovation project ever on a cruise ship and created the Carnival Sunshine, Noonan was their cruise director. He cruised the Mediterranean Sea with them during 2012 and 2013.

In 2019, Noonan and his wife and son moved to Mexico for a year, where he directed entertainment for Iberostar Resorts and was responsible for 17 resorts in five countries.

When he decided to move his family back to the States last March, he wanted to come back to Batavia.

He soon realized the coronavirus pandemic was going to affect the cruise industry, so he started brainstorming on a new endeavor with other entertainers who were out of work.

The result was Majestic Circus, which Noonan founded with three of his friends. The company has since restructured, leaving Noonan and James Dunn as cofounders.

In a press release Feb. 5, Majestic Circus is described as a one-of-a-kind entertainment company, which has reimagined fun, giving players an opportunity to host a virtual game night guided by ringmasters.

Noonan said it took four months to build games and set up the company. They launched in the middle of September on Facebook.

They had recruited a total of 22 entertainers, whose combined followers on Facebook and Instagram are more than 400,000. For their launch, Noonan said they simply posted their logo with no explanation.

“People were very curious,” he said. “On the first day we launched, we had more than 100,000 hits. “We’ve had a lot of success so far.”

One corporate event had 700 people playing. Another had 2,500 playing from 38 different countries. 

The minimum to play is four. The games are extremely suited for up to 16 players at home, Noonan said. They can all be in the same room or in 16 different countries.

“Since our founding, Majestic Circus has been focused on providing players with a unique and fun entertainment experience that is unlike any other,” Noonan is quoted in the press release. “Whether your group is together or thousands of miles apart, our live experiences can be enjoyed virtually with our talented ringmasters to guide you while you play.”

Games are family-friendly and good for all ages. Players can join from anywhere across the globe via video conferencing. No two experiences are ever the same, with multiple games and categories to select from in each round. 

Their initial experience is called “Get it!” and “Know it!” They suggest players think of “Get it!” as a game of fetch, as players embark on a high-energy scavenger hunt, right in their own home or office.

“Know it!” is a knowledge-based experience where players will compete in a series of games across four rounds. As rounds change, so do the rules.”

Majestic Circus will also be introducing a new experience to the mix called “Partner Up!” so fans can engage in a new adventure. This is set to be released later this month.

Majestic Circus is also offering players a special Valentine’s Day deal with discounted booking prices, starting Feb. 12 and running through Feb. 16. More details are available at www.majesticcircus.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Top photo: Batavia native Kevin Noonan hams it up in Centennial Park, near his Batavia home. Noonan is cofounder of a unique virtual entertainment experience called Majestic Circus, which is rapidly growing in popularity across the country.

Inset photo left: A couple plays Majestic Circus online in the comfort of their home.

Submitted photos and logo image.

Area residents woke up to a blanket of fluffy snow this morning with snowfall expected to continue into the early afternoon.

Submitted photo and press release:

Recently, a deserving Oakfield, recipient experienced a life-changing event --  the presentation of a vehicle to provide them independence and the ability to work and take care of their family.

This was thanks to the Ken Barrett Collision Center and car donor GEICO, along with the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides program.

The presentation was held at Ken Barrett Collision Center in Batavia.

The deserving recipient was selected by Community Action of Orleans & Genesee County. The recipient received a 2015 Chevy Trax.

A hard-working single parent to a 7-year-old, she works 36 hours a week to support her child and herself, while receiving no government support, including child support or housing.

For the recipient, the gift of a vehicle was not an easy task. She didn’t have a driver's license and had to accomplish many tasks, including taking her five-hour course, getting in practice time with friends’ vehicles, and ultimately signing up for and passing a road test.

The recipient has goals of continuing her education and becoming a surgical technician in a hospital or surgical center.

With a vehicle, her life and the life of her son are sure to change for the better. The possibility of continuing education and getting a job outside of Oakfield is a huge step for her.

About National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides

This is a unique program in which businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation.

Since the inception of the program in 2007, members of the National Auto Body Council have donated more than 2,600 vehicles valued at more than $36 million. Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars.

We plan to speak with Rachael Tabelski, Batavia's interim city manager at 2:30 p.m.

The livestream will appear right here on The Batavian's home page. Or you can view it on YouTube at this link, where you can ask questions in the live chat and we will try to get them answered for you. Or you can go to The Batavian's page on Facebook and watch the interview there and ask questions through that chat.

Michael S. Tomaszewski, the funeral home director accused of stealing money from customers, is apparently set to accept a plea offer from the District Attorney's Office but COVID-related delays in town courts are holding up the process.

Tomaszewski made a virtual appearance in Genesee County Court yesterday.

He faces one SCI (Superior Court Information, like an indictment but without a grand jury hearing, which Tomaszewski waived) with more than 200 criminal counts and there is another SCI coming but he has not been arraigned on those counts because courts in the towns of Batavia and Oakfield have been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Judge Charles Zambito indicated that he could possibly arraign Tomaszewski on those counts under specific circumstances, but said he would need to check with the court supervisor to ensure those circumstances are met in this case. Zambito said these are uncharted waters and the rules are changing a lot. 

Tomaszewski is accused of taking money people used to prepay for funerals and, instead of depositing the money in appropriate accounts, he allegedly used the money for other purposes.

The SCI indicates the majority of customers lost from more than $2,000 up to $15,500 each.

The charges include 67 counts of third-degree grand larceny, 28 counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, four counts of falsifying business records, 93 counts of failure to deposit, seven counts of petit larceny, and counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree, and scheme to defraud.

Attorney Thomas Burns, representing Tomaszewski, said his client intends to accept the plea offer. Tomaszewski would admit to a Class D felony, a Class E felony, and a misdemeanor public health law offense. There is no cap on Tomaszewski's possible sentence but his time would run concurrently on all three counts. 

The case is adjourned until 1:30 p.m., March 8, and will resume virtually.

Alecia Kaus/Video News Service contributed to this story.

At 7:34 a.m., Town of Batavia fire was dispatched to a report of a box truck that had overturned on the Thruway in the westbound lane near mile marker 390.7.

There were no injuries nor leaking fluids.

Rescue 20, 24, and Brush 23 all responded. All crews were back in service by 8:35 a.m.

Information and photo courtesy Town of Batavia Fire Department.

Protests were held at several Walmarts around New York today, including Batavia, over concerns that Walmart has reportedly pressured GE-Savant to lower prices for lightbulbs, forcing the company to move a LED light factory from Ohio to China.

Press release:

On Saturday, Jan. 30, at Walmart stores at four locations in New York state, a coalition of labor and community groups will hold a protest as part of a national consumer awareness campaign informing the public of Walmart’s two-faced stance as a champion of “Made in America” products. 

LED light bulbs that are sold at Walmart are currently made by IUE-CWA workers at the GE-Savant Systems LLC lighting plant in Bucyrus, Ohio. GE-Savant recently announced that they intend to move the LED residential light bulb product line out of the facility to China, permanently laying off 80 workers, and putting the future of the plant in jeopardy.

The GE-Savant facility is one of the only residential lighting plants left in the USA, nearly all other residential light bulbs are now made in China.

Walmart’s website and TV ad campaign says “We are committed to American renewal. We believe we can create more American jobs by supporting more American manufacturing.” The coalition is calling on Walmart to live up to this promise. 

“This should be easy for Walmart,” said IUE-CWA International President Carl Kennebrew. “Walmart’s brand of LED Bulbs that now carry an ‘Assembled in the USA’ label are scheduled to be moved to China.

"Walmart can tell their supplier (GE-Savant) to cancel plans to ship them overseas. If Walmart is serious about supporting American manufacturing, this is how they can show it.”

“This is only the beginning,” said Ron Herrera, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. “Americans are waking up to the power of their spending dollar. When we choose to buy American, we are purchasing a product of the highest quality while investing in our communities and in our fellow Americans.

"Walmart must be part of the solution and invest more in our great nation and its people. The bulbs currently manufactured in Bucyrus, Ohio should continue to be made in Bucyrus, Ohio.”

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It has been seven years since public school students cracked open a textbook at the Robert Morris building on Union Avenue in Batavia but the Batavia City School District superintendent is thinking it's time for that to change.

Anibal Soler Jr. suggested to the Board of Trustees on Monday night, along with a facilities consultant who made a presentation during the Zoom conference meeting, that Robert Morris is being underutilized; that there are space constraints elsewhere in the district, particularly at the middle school; and without students at Robert Morris, the building is a financial drain on the district.

"We wanted to throw something out there to get your mind working," Soler told the trustees. "We know we’ll have some fiscal challenges but to maintain a building that we don’t get anything for and we have to keep finding tenants as we do at Robert Morris, I think we have to start thinking about that, especially when we know the middle school is extremely packed right now."

In 2012, city schools consolidated their five schoolhouses into four -- Jackson Elementary, John Kennedy Primary, the middle school and the high school -- with Robert Morris becoming home to a couple of school programs with space available to tenants. The building has been generating $100,000 annually in lease payments for the district. That revenue will drop to $36,000 in the coming fiscal year. One tenant currently in the building is leaving once its lease expires in June. 

Meanwhile, because there are no students in the building, the district cannot receive state aid for any maintenance or improvements needed on the structure, Soler said.

The future of Robert Morris came up during a presentation by Richard Little and Brian Cieslinski, of SEI Design Group. The architectural firm was hired by the district to fulfill a state mandate to do a facilities review every five years.

The state requires each school district to go through these periodic reviews because identification of issues at school facilities helps the state's education department budget for aid to school districts.

SEI identified more than $40 million in maintenance issues that need to be addressed within the next five years.

“This looks daunting as far as a $40 million sum," Cieslinski said. "I would tell you, statistically, (compared to) a lot of our school districts this is actually a very good list. You’re maintaining your buildings very well."

The list includes items such as:

• Jackson School
  • Improving accessibility to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Replacing rooftop heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units
  • Installing an emergency generator
• John Kennedy School
  • Improving drainage
  • Replacing broken or cracked concrete slabs
  • Accessibility
  • Moisture mitigation in the gym
  • Upgrades to the alarm and PA systems
• Middle School
  • Exterior brick restoration
  • Moisture in the gym walls
  • Accessibility
  • Fire barrier in the auditorium
  • Installing an emergency generator
• High School
  • Locker room renovations
  • A boiler upgrade
  • Moisture mitigation
  • Lighting upgrades
  • A new public address system
• Robert Morris
  • Brick repairs
  • Window replacements
  • Accessibility
  • An upgrade to the fire alarm system and PA
  • An emergency generator

SEI delivered to the school district a thick binder that listed these items and many more that were ranked from 1 to 5 by priority. It will be up to district officials to figure out how best to prioritize these items over the next five years.

Board President Alice Ann Benedict asked if the conversion of Robert Morris back into a school is something that will be part of the upcoming budget discussions. Soler said, no. The conversion and reassignment of students will be a significant planning issue. It will take a lot longer than a couple of months to pull together and it also needs to involve discussion with the board, administrators, teachers, parents, and other community members.

Little did present one suggestion under consideration: Moving two classes of students out of the middle school -- possibly to Robert Morris, and then relocating district offices to the middle school. That would free up space at the high school, possibly for expanded STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education, as well as accommodate students in the future who might do better with remote learning even in a post-COVID-19 education world.

Soler was quick to emphasize that is just one idea and that more ideas need to be explored with community input.

Press release:

Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. reports that an inmate has died after attempting suicide at the Genesee County Jail on Jan. 4.

A Genesee County Correction officer found the 28-year-old inmate hanging from a shower curtain rod at approximately 12:27 p.m., Jan. 4, while making routine rounds. The Correction officer immediately summoned assistance and began performing life-saving measures. The inmate was transported by ambulance to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo where he passed away on Thursday, Jan. 14.

The inmate is identified as Kyle Adam Scheuerlein, of Batavia, NY. He had been incarcerated on bail in the Genesee County Jail since Jan. 1, following his arrest by the City of Batavia Police Department on the charges of second-degree burglary and criminal contempt - disobeying a court order in the second degree.

An investigation into this incident is being conducted by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the NYS Commission of Corrections.

The Holland Land Office Museum will be returning to its normal operating hours beginning Tuesday, Feb. 2^nd.

The museum will again be open on Tuesdays.

The museum will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For any questions or further information please contact the museum at (585) 343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

Submitted image and press release:

Batavia High School’s graduation rate, for students who graduate within four years, increased from 85 percent in the 2011-2015 cohort to 93 percent (for June graduates) and 94 percent (for those who graduated by August of their senior year) in the 2016-2020 cohort.

The number is even higher – 97 percent for the 2016-2020 cohort -- when only those students who attend school in BHS are counted (as opposed to those who, for various reasons, had been completing their studies at alternate locations.)

In other words, 85 percent of all freshmen entering BHS in the fall of 2011 (as the Class of 2015) earned their diploma by June of 2015.

The graduation rate continued to improve over the course of the next several graduating classes, with the last group for which we have data being the Class of 2020. For that graduating class, 93 percent of all freshmen entering BHS in the fall of 2016 (as the Class of 2020) earned their diploma by June 2020 and 94 percent completed the graduation requirements by August 2020. Again, that number was higher (97 percent) for students who attend school at BHS.

Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr., in presenting the data to the Board of Education on Monday, congratulated the staff on their role in student success.

He also noted that BHS principal, Paul Kesler, and his staff will continue to work on raising the overall graduation rate and will dig deeper into the subgroups of the student population to look for patterns and to identify better ways to serve the full student population.

Press release:

The Batavia Business and Professional Women’s Club is announcing their Annual Scholarship and Community Service Awards and calling for applications.

Scholarships are open to all graduating seniors (male or female) in Genesee County high schools and the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP). The students need to have maintained an 85 percent average and must complete the application process available through the Batavia Business and Professional Women’s website or via Facebook.

Deadline: April 9.

All schools in Genesee County and GVEP have been emailed information on this program, which includes eligibility requirements, guidelines, and the scholarship application.

Parents and students are advised to seek out their school’s guidance counselor / department to receive the needed information.

The Batavia Business and Professional Women’s Club has provided scholarships since 1961. The number and dollar amount of scholarships awarded are dependent on the club’s annual fundraisers. Local community support is greatly appreciated; watch for upcoming event announcements.

The Batavia Business and Professional Women’s Club will also offer monetary awards for service groups in June 2021. Any service group in Genesee County may apply for this by sending a letter of request on your organization’s letterhead.

Deadline for both the Scholarship Applications and the Community Service Awards letters are to be postmarked by Friday, April 9.

Mail to:

Batavia Business and Professional Women's’Club

P.O. Box 1778

Batavia, NY 14021