batavia

The 2012-13 season was a banner campaign for the Lady Devils. They won the school's first league title in girls basketball and made it to sectional finals for the first time.

But there's also some unfinished business from that championship run, according to first-year Head Coach Marty Hein.

The loss to Waterloo was ugly.

"The girls poured their hearts out in the semifinals two days before," said Hein, who was assistant coach to Bill Wade last year. "They just didn't have it in their eye that night and they know that. The girls know we didn't give 100-percent effort against Waterloo that night and that's the lesson that I hoped they learned -- give 100-percent effort all the time."

With Batavia HS moving to Class A1 and Waterloo staying in Class B, there's no hope for a rematch.

"I'm hoping to line up a scrimmage with Waterloo," Hein said. "I'd like to play Waterloo again because I don't like the taste in my mouth of how we lost in the finals."

Hein thinks with the players returning, the core of that league-leading team will be back on the court this season and they should be able to hold their own at least through the Monroe County schedule and into A2 sectionals.

The attitude is there, he said.

"They've come back with that buring desire to want to focus a little more, work a little bit harder and get back to that same spot and hopefully a little bit better," Hein said.

Senior Liz Myers and sophomores Tiara Filbert and Madison McCulley are third-year varsity players and anchor the starting line-up. Sophomore Sam Cecere, at 5' 9" tall, has made great progress playing post, Hein said.

Hein is going to be looking for a stronger defense from the girls this year.

"I want a lot more communication out of our defense this year," Hein said. "We're turning the pressure up a little bit on defense. Even if we stumble a little on offense, if we can hold our opponents to a lower number then we should still come out victorious in the end."

There will be a few changes in the team from the Wade era, but Hein has a lot of admiration for the local coaching legend.

"When the job came open (four years ago), I applied," Hein said. "Bromley (BHS athletic director) gave me a few clues about who else applied for it, and I told Mike at that point to take my name out of the hat. It was a good learning experience to be sitting behind Bill for the four years. I learned a lot."

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

Workers are expected to complete the installation today of a solar panel array atop the westside roof of Stan's Harley Davidson on West Saile Drive.

The total cost of the project, which covers more than 10,000 square feet of roof, is $574,000 with the cost partially financed by state and federal tax credits.

The panels will product enough electricity to run all of Stan's operations. The power generated from the panels is first shipped to National Grid. NG then sells the power back to Stan's at a reduced rate.

That should mean about a 50-percent cost savings each month for the Harley dealership.

"We won't know, probably, until the first of the year and it's up and going what it's actually doing," said owner Darryl Horzempa.

Horzempa decided to pursue the project after attending a Solarize Genesee County workshop in January hosted by the Genesee County Economic Development Center (though GCEDC was not involved in the project otherwise).

"I'm interested in recycling and things like that, so it was a natural thing to me to help take care of the environment," Horzempa said.

Rochester-based Arista Power won the contract for the solar panel installation.

Thank you from Baskin Livestock

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the efforts of our employees, friends and neighbors during and after the fire at our animal feed mill on the night of November 7th, 2013. Although the final fire inspector determination has not been 100% established, they feel that a compactor motor inside a steel compactor box under the metal cyclone was the source of the fire. It appears that the fire started inside the compactor and could not be observed until it was well established and moved up into the cyclone. 

Many thanks for all the food, drinks, help and well wishes from friends, including St. Joseph’s School (Karen Green, Principal), Bob Evans Restaurants, Attica Package Company, the Sojda’s, Mary and Scott Case, Sandy Marky and Harry Flatt, Hans and Leslie Kunze, Howard Owens, Jason Saile, Danielle Bell and Jeff Lang, Dan Kelley and crew, Jeff Kingdom and crew, Nancy Gilmartin at Coastal Staffing, Laurie Mastin and all Bill’s friends at BMHL. And our thanks to the brave men and women who volunteer at all the responding fire companies including: Genesee County/ Alexander, Bethany, Pavilion, LeRoy, Stafford, Byron, Bergen, East Pembroke, Elba, South Byron, Oakfield, Darien, the Town of Batavia and the City of Batavia, Wyoming County/Wyoming, Warsaw, Attica, Varysburg, Bennington, Sheldon, Cowlesville, Gainesville, Perry, Perry Center York, Wyoming Correctons and Livingston County/Caledonia, Cuylersvelle and Mt. Morris. 

Thanks also to the fire companies who were called to stand by and fill in for areas which had sent their people and equipment to fight the fire at the farm. If we have missed anyone, please know that we and our employees are extremely thankful.

Baskin Livestock
9778 Creek Road | 
Batavia NY 14020 | (585) 344-4452

Local law enforcement is asking for the public's assistance in identifying the person or persons responsible for a string of armed robberies over the past five days.

The description of the suspect in all three robberies varies only slightly in each case. He is a white male, either 5'2" to 5'6" or 5'7" and is either of slight build or weighs 200 pounds. The robber has worn a bandana in all three robberies.

In two robberies, the suspect displayed a handgun. In the third, a shotgun. In all three, the employees behind the counter were threatened.

The first was Thursday morning at the Best Western, the second Friday morning at the 7-Eleven in Oakfield, and the third, Sunday morning at the Days Inn in Batavia.

Batavia PD and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office are cooperating in the investigation.

Chief Shawn Heubusch stressed that members of the public should not try to take matters into their own hands, but either call 9-1-1 or (585) 343-5000.

For the second time in five years, a homeless man who travels between Syracuse and Ohio has been arrested in Genesee County and accused of stealing money from local churches.

Stephen W. Quigley, 59, is charged with petit larceny.

Det. Pat Corona said Quigley admitted to the thefts.

Batavia PD opened an investigation into money missing from local church collection receptacles in January 2012. 

Investigators had a description of a person using a device to remove cash from the receptacles, with the department receiving multiple reports of similar circumstances during the intervening months.

This morning, a witness to a prior alleged left spotted Quigley in Batavia.

Police located Quigley and questioned him. He allegedly admitted to larcenies from local churches on multiple occasions.

Le Roy PD arrested Quigley in June 2009 and accused him of stealing money from the candle prayer offerings of a church in Le Roy.

Quigley was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Patrick Raymond Krieger, 23, of Exchange Street, Akron, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal contempt, 1st, menacing, 2nd. Krieger was arrested in the Town of Amherst after a brief foot pursuit by State Police, the Cheektowaga PD, Amherst PD and the Erie County Sheriff's Office. Krieger was turned over to the Genesee County Sheriff's Offices on charges stemming from an alleged incident reported in the Village of Corfu at 7:10 a.m., Friday. He was jailed on $30,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.

Shannon L. Smith, 37, of 2 Goad Park, upper, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Smith was arrested following an investigation into a disturbance at 96 River St., Batavia.

Philip E. Wolfe, 58, of Alabama, is charged with petit larceny. Wolfe was arrested by State Police. No further details released.

Daniel T. Henning, 33, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Henning was arrested by State Police. No further details released.

A two-car accident with minor injuries is reported at 2950 Galloway Road, Batavia.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 10:29 a.m.: The assignment can be held to Engine 24, non-emergency. The patient is complaining of arm and back pain.

UPDATE 10:53 a.m.: The patient is a 35-year-old male who is being taken to UMMC with complaints of lower back and right hand pain.

View Larger Map

Law local enforcement is currently searching the city for a person who robbed the Days Inn this morning.

No further details available at this time.

UPDATE 4:30 a.m.: A white male entered the Days Inn on Noonan Drive at 2:40 a.m. and pointed a shotgun at the clerk.

He got away with an undisclosed amount of cash, including a coin tray filled with coins.

The suspect left in a small sedan and headed east on Noonan into the residential neighborhood adjacent Noonan Drive.

Batavia PD and Sheriff's patrols began a search of the area as soon as the robbery was reported but have so far been unable to locate the vehicle.

The suspect is described as 5'7" and about 200 pounds, wearing a dark blue hoodie and wearing a bandana over his face.

The similarities between this robbery and two others in recent days at the Best Western in Batavia and the 7-Eleven in Oakfield are enough to suspect there is a single suspect in all three cases, said Sgt. Todd Crossett, Batavia PD.

The suspect in the previous two robberies was described as 5'2" to 5'7" and "small in stature," however given the times, the bandana and the fact guns were used in all three robberies (a handgun in the first two) suggest a possible link.

"He fits a simliar description, so the five-sevenish, I guess it really depends on the person looking at him and when you have a shotgun in your face things aren't as clear, but he is described as similar as the other ones," Crossett said.

Crossett said it's hard to say whether the suspect is a local person, but it's likely.

"It's been all in the last week, so if it wasn't somebody from the area, I don't think they would keep coming back," Crossett said. "That would probably be a good assumption."

Nobody was hurt in this morning's robbery.

People with information that could assist in the investigation can call Batavia PD at (585) 345-6035.

"If anyone has information, any friends, relatives acting suspiciously, or if you know of anything, please contact the Batavia Police Department or the Genesee County Sheriff's," Crossett said.

It's starting to look a bit like Christmas downtown as businesses begin installing their holiday window displays. The Business Improvement District sponsors an annual window display contest.

Yesterday and today, Brandi Bruggman has been painting a "White Christmas" mural at Steve Hawley's insurance office.

City police are responding to a residence on Hutchins Place after a caller reported to dispatch that a female allegedly picked a dog up by its collar and that prior to that a male allegedly "punched the dog."

Don Burkel and David Gann were among the revelers having a jolly time at the Holland Land Office Museum tonight for the annual Wonderland of Trees gala.

The fundraiser is an early chance for people in the community to see all of the trees decorated by local businesses and community groups.

Four-year-old Robert Worthington of Batavia was fascinated by the toy trains running around a stand of trees.

Elizabeth Carlson, 8.

Burkel purchasing 50-50 tickets from Amy Swanson.

Don Read

Sam and Anne Barone

Muller Quaker Dairy and the local Edward Jones office came together Thursday to drop off seven baskets of canned and boxed food donated to the Salvation Army's annual holiday food drive. Pictured are Michael Marsh, with Edward Jones, and Julie Flynn, from Muller Quaker.

Information and photo submitted by Robin Ettinger.

A car accident with minor injuries is reported at Liberty Street just north of Ellicott Street. City police and fire are responding, along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 5:31 p.m.: There were four vehicles involved, but a truck with dents on the right side and possibly the rear, left the scene and police are trying to locate it. The truck is described as a black Chevy, with an extended cab, possibly a 1500 made in 1995.

Ray Ciancaglini had the heart of a champion.

At age 16 in 1969, he thought nobody could beat him. He would eventually become, he was sure, the middleweight champion of the world.

He was an honor student. A supurb athlete. A good, kind friend. He was ready to take on the world.

Boxers are supposed to be tough. The old men in the sport told him getting hit in the head was just part of the game. Ignore the headaches, they told him.

"Son, you have to deal with these headaches," one trainer told him. "You have everything it takes to get to the next level of the game. You have to be able to dish it out and take it. If not, then this game isn't for you."

Back in the day, trainers, athletes and even some medical professionals had a poor understanding of concussions. The wisdom of the day was that you weren't really injured, you really didn't suffer a concussion, unless you were knocked out.

Today, we know better.

Concussions have become a hot topic in the sports world at all levels. Earlier in the Fall, PBS's "League of Denial" shined a light on the NFL's apparent disregard for decades of mounting evidence that concussions needed to be taken more seriously.

New research shows high school athletes in all sports -- even cheerleading -- are at some risk of suffering a concussion during competition (fewer concussions are reported in practices). The high risk sports are football, lacrosse and girls soccer.

As Ciancaglini, a member of the Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame, spoke to an auditorium of student athletes and parents at Batavia High School on Thursday night, he said he didn't want to scare anybody, nor did he want to discourage any teen from playing any sport, but he does want to drive home the message: take concussions seriously.

He didn't, he said, and he paid the price.

"Never take for granted the privilege of playing a sport you love," Ciancaglini said. "Make wise decisions. This will be necessary for you to realize your full potential.

"If I had it all to do over again, would still pursue a boxing career?" Ciancaglini added. "Absolutely. I would still compete with the same tenacity and dedication it takes to be a champion. The only thing I would do differently is get immediate medical attention for the injuries my body was telling me I suffered."

Ciancaglini called concussions the invisible injury. There's no cut, no bump, no swelling that shows a trainer, a coach, a fellow player that you've been injured.

But any concussion can have far more devastating consequences. Concussions can lead to permanent brain injury, lifelong physical ailments and even death.

For Ciancaglini, the life-changing event was a bout in Buffalo in 1969. He took a right hook to the back of his head that wrung his bell.

"I didn't go down, but I was dazed," Ciancaglini said. "My vision was blurred. My hearing was impaired. The crowd noise alternated from muffled to loud. I had never experienced this feeling before. I fought through it and won a unanimous decision."

The next day, Ciancaglini had a headache and felt fatigued. He chalked it up to a tough bout.

"I passed it off as being physically run down," Ciancaglini said.

He had a big bout scheduled for the next week in Syracuse. There was no way he was going to miss it. He went right back to training.

The headaches and fatigue persisted, but he ignored the symptoms.

"I should have gotten medical attention, but I just didn't think it was that serious," Ciancaglini said. "Little did I know this was the beginning of my troubles."

Ciancaglini tried to continue his boxing career, even though he didn't feel as sharp as he once did. To compensate for his sense of sluggishness, he boxed less and brawled more. And he kept winning.

As he spoke to coaches and trainers about his falling grades, missed classes, his increased irritability, his peristent headaches, they told him to tough it out.

He was even honored for toughing it out, receiving the Golden Gloves Heart Award.

"My life was falling apart and I thought the symptoms were temporary and would go away," Ciancaglini said. "I thought I could work through it and didn't want to miss my next opportunity. I didn't want to lose my ranking. I thought boxing was my whole life. This is how I was lulled into making some bad decisions."

Finally, he decided to take a break from boxing, but after months away from the sport, he still felt in a constant fog. The headaches wouldn't go away. 

He got a job at Kodak and when his hands started to tremble or he became forgetful, his workers tried to cover for him, even as he spilled chemicals.

Finally, his deteriorating condition was too much of a safety hazard so Kodak sent him to Strong Memorial Hospital for an evaluational.

The diagnosis: permanent brain damage caused by untreated concussions.

Today, Ciancaglini is 62 years old. There hasn't been a day in his life since he was 16 that he hasn't suffered from headaches.

The headaches started with that first concussion in Buffalo, and because he didn't realize he had suffered a concussion, he ignored the symptoms.

His hands shake constantly and he suffers from mild dementia.

All a result of those untreated and ignored concussions.

"I threw away a whole career for the sake of not missing one fight," Ciancaglini said. "What a foolish mistake. I challenged a concussion and I got beat."

The message Ciancaglini wants to sink in with young athletes: If you have the slightest doubt something is wrong, check it out. The game you sit out today could be the career you save tomorrow.

That's why Ciancaglini will show up at just about any high school in the Northeast and speak to students about his experience with concussions, and he does it for free.

For more about Ciancaglini, visit his Web site, "The Second Impact."

The most dangerous concussion, Ciancaglini said, is the mild one. It's the easist to ignore. It's the one peers will tell you to ignore, but if not treated it makes the second concussion much more serious. Any athlete who suffers a concussion should sit it out until all symptoms have disappeared. For a list of symptoms, click here.

Derek G. Thomas, 37, of 110 Bank St., #B, Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd. Thomas is accused of attempting to assault another person with intention to cause physical injury during an alleged disturbance outside 45 Ellicott St., Batavia, at 7:07 p.m. on Nov. 17. Also arrested and charged with assault, 3rd, was Marquele L. Tomlin, 22, of 130 E. Delavan Ave., Buffalo. Thomas and Tomlin are accused of assaulting a person while the victim was leaving Save-A-Lot.

Lasania S. Hyatt, 19, of 81 Ludlow St., basement, Yonkers, was arrested on a bench warrant. Hyatt is suspected of possession of alcohol under age 21 at 2 a.m., Sept. 27 on Trumbull Parkway, Batavia. Hyatt was located at Genesee Community College and arrested by Batavia PD. Also arrested on a warrant related to underage drinking was Shanique Y. Headley, 18, of 8170 Batavia-Stafford Townline Road, Batavia.

Jerry T. Saddler Jr., 37, of 112 State St., Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd. Saddler was arrested in connection with an alleged incident at 9:30 p.m., Nov. 12, at State and Hutchins. He was jailed on $2,500 bail. No further details were released.

Joseph M. Blatchley, 35, of 3233 Pratt Road, Batavia, is accused of failure to appear on a charge of illegal dumping. Blatchley turned himself in. The alleged illegal dumping reportedly occurred at 8:30 a.m., Oct. 7, at a dumpster at 679 E. Main St., Batavia.

Kaitlyn A. Showler, 20, of 101 Summit St., Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant. Showler was jailed on $5,000 bail. No further details released.

Sabrina C. Harris, 43, of 142 Charles St., Wayland, is charged with petit larceny and conspiracy, 6th. Harris is accused of assisting another person in a larceny at Olympia Sports at 2:42 p.m., Nov. 1. Harris turned herself in to BPD.

Mallory R. Pfaff, 25, of 4271 Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with petit larceny and conspiracy, 4th. Mallory was allegedly involved in shoplifting at Tops at 11:35 a.m., Oct. 25. Also arrested was William C. Schlenker, 25, of 4271 Broadway, Alexander, and charged with petit larceny and conspiracy, 6th.

Anthony D. Alexander Sr., 39, 3687, W. Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and harassment, 2nd. Alexander was arrested on a warrant related to an alleged incident at 2:14 p.m., Sept. 10, at 430 Ellicott St., Batavia. Alexander was held on $1,000 bail.

Benjamin L. Brade, 31, of 3337 Stroh Road, Attica, is charged with disobeying a court mandate. Brade is accused of violation an order of protection.

Drew Daniel Linderman, 25,of Hermitage Road, Gainsville, is charged with petit larceny. Linderman is accused of shoplifting from Walmart.

Jason Eric Nelson, 31, of Rhode Island Avenue, Niagara, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Nelson was allegedly found in possession of marijuana while on Roberts Road, Alabama.

Jennifer L. Stack, 27, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Stack is accused of stealing $310.92 in merchandise from Rite Aid on West Main Street Road, Batavia.

Christi A. Davis, 39, of Geneseo, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Davis was arrested by State Police in connection with an alleged incident reported in the Town of Bergen at 2:33 p.m., Monday. No further details released.

Antonio A. Ayala, 19, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a narcotic drug with the intention to sell, in adequate muffler and back passenger age 4-6 restraint violation. Ayala was arrested by State Police in the Town of Bergen at 5:20 p.m., Tuesday. No further details released.

The past couple of years, on my eastbound trips down Route 5 in the Town of Batavia, heading toward Wortendyke Road, I've been watching this barn slowly slipping away. This morning, the barn is leaning further to the north and closer to the ground than I've seen before.

Investigators believe the same person, white male small in stature, is responsible of a pair of early morning armed robberies over the past two days.

Yesterday at 3:05 a.m., the Best Western on Park Road, Batavia, was robbed and then a person fitting a similar description robbed 7-Eleven in Oakfield at 2:09 a.m.

In the Batavia robbery, a Sheriff's sergeant was on scene in seconds and a K-9 was deployed. The suspect was tracked into Batavia but lost.

In Oakfield, the first deputy was on scene within three minutes, according to Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster. The suspect was seen running down Coe Avenue but was not located.

The suspect is described as being 5'2" to 5'6" and a small build.

In both cases the suspect displayed a handgun.

For the Best Western robbery, the suspect wore a black jacket and bandana. In Oakfield, he was dressed a brown hooded sweatshirt or jacket, bandanna and baseball cap.

Anyone with information that might assist in the investigation can contact the Sheriff's Office at (585) 345-5000.

A larceny is reported at 16 Liberty St. and city police are responding. A favorite winter decoration, Frosty the Snowman, was allegedly stolen from the front lawn.

If you happen to spot a bit of facial hair on Batavia police officers this month, it's not a new grooming trend inspired by the beards of the Boston Red Sox.

Members of the department are growing mustaches this month because November is Men's Health Awareness Month.

Each officer who is participating made a minimum $20 donation to the cause and had to be clean shaven on Nov. 1. The donations will be sent to Genesee Cancer Assistance at the end of the month.

The officers are encouraging area residents to make a similar donation to GCA this month.

Pictured are Jason Iverson, Chris Camp, Frank Klimjack, Kevin DeFelice, John Kirbis, Chad Richards, Jim DeFreze, Eric Hill, Dan Coffey and Pat Corona.

Responding to tragedy involving widespread disaster and death is something Randy McIntire has done on several occasions and last week he attended training with other veteran emergency responders in Albany.

He is a funeral director at H.E. Turner and former chief of the Town of Batavia Volunteer Fire Department who brought a lot of experience to share with peers taking part in the "Mass Fatality Incident Response Course" presented by the NYS Office of Emergency Management.

As a member of the New York State Funeral Directors Association's Family Assistance Commission (FAC), a nonprofit, volunteer group of licensed funeral directors, he attended the Albany workshop.

"The whole premise is to train for the dignified return of victims to their families, and to learn how different agencies work together to accomplish that goal," McIntire said.

FAC members are prepared to assist local governments in the event of a disaster occurring within their borders and they work in tandem with others tasked with the recovery, handling, identification, and return of remains following a mass fatality incident.

His extensive background in emergency training began in the mid-1970s. And he was at the scene of Egypt Air flight 990 in 1999, the World Trade Center bombing, Hurricane Katrina (made worse by Hurricane Rita), and the crash of Continental Airlines' flight 3407.

Whether the catastrophe is a plane crash or a hurricane, the process varies little. FAC members help recover the dead, protect their dignity, take them to a morgue, where a coroner conducts scientific tests for identification, and through that process the victims are returned to their families.

A myriad of skills must be employed quickly, smoothly and under intense stress -- interviewing survivors/next-of-kin, processing paperwork to assist in identifying and facilitating the release of remains to the next-of-kin or other representatives, and more -- all vital services during a time of extreme confusion and grief.

The training is not new -- McIntire took the course in 1997 -- but he says over the years the state had pretty much done away with it and is now rekindling its efforts.

"It was unique training (last Thursday and Friday) because a high number of participants were mass fatality responders," McIntire said.

Their broad experience added some boots-on-the-ground pragmatism that was useful, especially for other responders, each with different responsibilities.

“Trainings such as this allow us to ... properly care for the dead as well as the living,” said Douglas R. Brueggemann, FAC committee chair.