batavia

Sometime between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m., thieves made off with this custom Suzuki motorcycle valued at $16,000 from a garage at a residence on Pratt Road.

The perpetrators forced entry and pushed the bike to the road.

Two weeks ago, the bike was listed on Buffalo Craigslist.

Anybody with information about the theft or whereabouts of the bike can call Investigator Roger Stone at the Sheriff's Office, (585) 345-3000, ext. 3570.

Hiram Kasten, who appeared in numerous television shows, such as "Seinfeld" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," during his acting career in Hollywood, throws out the first pitch prior to today's Batavia Muckdog's game, which started at 11:05 a.m. Kasten's wife, Diana, is a Batavia native and the Kastens now live in Batavia while Hiram pursues roles on Broadway.

Carlos Lopez, who caught the first pitch, and Hiram Kasten.

Sandra Lynn Cortright, 54, of Gorton Road, Basom, is charged with driving a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana. Cortright was arrested Monday following an investigation into a motor-vehicle accident at 6:34 a.m., May 13, on Gorton Road, Alabama. The accident was investigated by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Kenneth M. Gray Jr., 21, of 77 Myrtle St., Le Roy, was arrested by Batavia PD on a warrant out of City Court on an alleged harassment, 2nd, charge. He was jailed on $500 bail.

Trista Nichole Leann Winchell, 28, of Payne Avenue, North Tonawanda, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, following too closely and inadequate brakes. Winchell was allegedly driving in heavy post-concert traffic on Route 77 at 9:57 p.m., Tuesday, when her vehicle struck another car. The accident was investigated by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Matthew Ray Helf, 23, of Woodstream Drive, Grand Island, is charged with criminal tampering, 3rd ,and harassment, 2nd. Helf allegedly grabbed his girlfriend and then threw her phone some distance while in the grass parking lot at Darien Lake Theme Park during a concert. The phone could not be located after the alleged incident.

Joseph Mattew Mullholland, 26, of Lincoln Avenue, Le Roy, is charged with criminal mischief, 3rd. Mullholland allegedly punched the rear corner panel of a car while at the Stafford Carnival at 1:30 a.m., June 15.

Danielle Marie Balbick, 32, of Covington Street, Perry, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, controlled substance not in original container, criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument and unlawful possession of marijuana. Balbick was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for an alleged traffic violation at 5:11 p.m., Sunday, on Route 33, Batavia, by Deputy Kevin McCarthy. 

Jonathan Lee Olsen, 29, of Water Street, Perry, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana, criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument, aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, and obstructed view. Olsen's vehicle was stopped at 5:11 p.m., Sunday, on Route 33, Batavia, by Deputy Kevin McCarthy after dispatchers received a report of a vehicle being driven erratically.

Brandy Lynn Miller, 39, of Lewiston Road, Basom, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. Miller is accused of making harassing and threatening calls to another person.

John Chester Miller, 41, of Lewiston Road, Alabama, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. Miller allegedly sent harassing text messages to a person after being told to have no further contact with that person.

Nahum O. Marshall, 30, of Rochester, is charged with disorderly conduct (obstructing traffic). Marshall was arrested by State Police following an alleged incident at 11:30 p.m., Thursday, on Route 77 in the Town of Darien. No further details released.

Rachel P. Luker, 28, of Cement City, Mich., is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of 08 or greater. Luker was stopped at 3:20 p.m., Monday, on Ledge Road, Alabama, by State Police.

Kaileigh M. White, 21, of Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to obey traffic device. White was stopped at 12:04 a.m., Monday, on Route 77, Darien, by State Police.

The rain didn't come soon enough for Batavia pitchers Max Garner and Brian Ellington who surrendered all seven runs over four innings the Jamestown Jammers would need to secure a victory Tuesday night.

The legendary Jim Perry, 1970 Cy Young Award winner, threw out the first pitch following an autograph session with fans, but it was Jamestown's Chad Kuhl who turned in the masterful pitching performance. Kuhl went five innings and didn't give up a run and only three hits.

Yefri Perez, Justin Bohn, Avery Romero, Austin Dean and Coco Johnson each had a hit for Batavia.

Garner took the loss, giving up six hits and four runs (three earned) in two and a third innings. He walked one. Ellington lasted three and two thirds and gave up two hits and three runs, all earned. He walked two and struck out four.

Garner had been pretty dominating in four of his previous five starts. His ERA jumped by a full run, rising to 1.93. He's yet to secure a win and took the loss Tuesday night.

The game was called because of rain after seven innings, giving Jamestown a 7-0 victory.

Game time for Wednesday's game is 11 a.m. Hiram Kasten, formerly of Hollywood, with roles in hit TV shows such as "Seinfeld" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," and now of Batavia, will throw out the first pitch.

Taco.

The vision is a bike and walking path that stretches from east to west across Genesee County and the means of funding it could come from a state grant, the City Council learned Monday night.

City Manager Jason Molino told council members that the city is working with officials in the Town of Batavia and Pembroke to help clear the way for funding of the project.

“Part of our planning with the BOA (Batavia Opportunity Area Plan) was to develop more pedestrian-friendly improvements to multi-modal aspects of pedestrian and bicycle traffic," Molino said. "What we’re talking about is a recreational bicycle path that hopefully in the long run will connect the east and west sides of the county together, so you can ride or walk continuously from the Erie County line to the Livingston County line.”

The Transportation Enhancement Program or TEP is offering grants of $200,000 to $2.5 million.

The first stage would be a path starting in East Pembroke, going through the city and ending at the soon-to-be-built 76-unit housing development off Seven Springs Road.

A TEP grant, if approved, would cover 80 percent of the funding.

Molino has high hopes for its impact on downtown Batavia.

“What this does for the downtown is it creates the opportunity for more activity and traffic in our downtown which is our primary commerce area," he said. "It connects the economic centers and creates more activity for our downtown businesses and our downtown in general.”

Molino says the three municipalities are working with National Grid as well as private businesses and property owners to develop a route for the trail. More details, including how much money the program would require, will be determined in the “next several weeks.”

In 2006 the City received $500,000 of TEP funding to complete the Ellicott Streetscape Project which cost a total of $750,000.

(via The Batavian's official news partner, WBTA)

A 24-year-old Batavia resident has been arrested on suspicion of robbing the Dollar General Store on Nov. 27.

Curtis R. Bailey, of 318 Jackon St., lower, Batavia, is accused of entering the store at 412 E. Main St., Batavia, and presenting a demand note. He allegedly threatened a store employee and demanded cash.

The suspect did not display a weapon during the robbery and no weapon was recovered during the investigation.

The perpetrator got away with a small amount of cash.

Bailey is suspected of taking the money and fleeing from the store during the nighttime robbery. Batavia PD and State Police searched the area immediately after the robbery but a suspect was not located.

Bailey was taken into custody without incident following the months-long investigation by Batavia PD.

Previously:

• Dollar General store on East Main Street in Batavia just robbed
• Batavia PD seeks assistance in identifying Dollar General robbery suspect

A Warsaw man who was accused in May of slamming his son to the floor while shopping in Walmart has been arrested again, this time accused of driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Christopher Paul Cummings, 28, was stopped at 11:45 p.m., Monday, on Lewiston Road, Town of Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Corona for allegedly running a red light.

Corona arrested Cummings on a DWAI (combined influence of drugs and alcohol) charge following an interview after the traffic stop.

Cummings was also cited for failure to stop for steady red signal and driving while on a mobile phone.

In late May, Cummings was arrested after his picture was posted on The Batavian as a possible suspect in an incident at Walmart where a witness said a man slammed a boy on the floor of the store. Readers responded immediately with tips to his identity.

That case is still pending.

OPEN HOUSE FOR CNC MACHINISTS
Location: Genesee Community College, Main Campus in Batavia, NY.
Date/Time: Wednesday, July 24, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Superior Group assisting Greatbatch Medical of Clarence, NY, with their search for MULTIPLE CNC MACHINISTS for DIRECT HIRE positions. EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED. CNC Swiss Turning, vertical mill and/or two-axis turning experience & set up experience required.

Pay rage: $18-20+/HR DOE. Shift: 2nd & 3rd shifts. 

Job Location: Clarence, NY. 

**Competitive wages including a 10% shift differential for 2nd & 3rd shifts, 401K with employer match, profit sharing, up to 4 weeks PTO within the 1st year of employment and much more!**

If you cannot attend open house, please call Jamie @ 716-937-5225 or e-mail me at kempskij@superiorgroup.com!

Go Beyond. www.superiorjobs.com. EOE M/F/D/V

Press release:

The American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive at United Memorial Medical Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, July 29. The mobile unit will be in front of the hospital at 127 North St., Batavia.

There is an urgent need for blood donors to offset shortages incurred in summer months and for type O negative donors. Donations in June were down by over 50,000 nationally.

All presenting donors at the blood drive on July 29^th will receive a free gift card to Dunkin’ Donuts. Appointments may be made by calling (585) 344-4474. Walk-ins are welcome.

Generally to be eligible to donate, individuals must be 17 years of age or older, healthy and weigh at least 110 pounds. On the day of the donation, the American Red Cross recommends drinking an extra 16 ounce glass of water before and after the donation. They also suggest eating a healthy meal, avoiding high fat foods, before donating.

For the appointment (walk-ins are welcome) bring a driver’s license or two other forms of identification and a list of any current medications. After registration, presenting donors will have their blood pressure, temperature, pulse and hemoglobin measured. They will also be asked for a brief health history and asked about their travels to foreign countries.

The donation process itself usually lasts 8-10 minutes, but can be longer based on the donation. After donating, refreshments are provided. The entire process usually takes less than an hour to complete.

People can donate multiple times but must wait eight weeks/56 days between donations of whole blood.

Middle school students from throughout Genesee County are participating this week in the 4th Annual Math, Science and Technology Camp put on by the Business Education Alliance.

Today the students were at the Genesee County Airport where they learned about aviation, airplane mechanics, air traffic control, Mercy Flight and racecar driver Val Stevens brought her car out to talk to the students about the science behind race cars.

The week includes learning about robotics at Post Farms, GPS-guided farm equipment at Empire Monroe Tractor, and GPS mapping, among other technologies.

"We make it fun and hands on," said Eve Hens, program coordinator. "The kids get to touch things and do things, explore and learn about careers they might not otherwise know about."

The cost to students is only $40 for the week thanks to underwriting by sponsors Liberty Pumps, Turnbull Heating and Air, Boshart Enterprises, Time Warner Cable and Odyssey Controls.

The 67th year of racing at Batavia Downs Race Track and Casino kicked off Batavia Downs on Monday evening and in a season when some of the dominant drivers of recent years are out for one reason or another, the competition for top driver in 2013 is wide open.

Especially after an opening night that saw eight different drivers trot into the winners circle.

Track announcer Joe Zambito.

To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

Five girls from Genesee County are part of a Genesee Valley Pride basketball program that recently took third place in a national tournament held in Florida.

The team is made up of Samantha Jurek and Hunter Jurek, from Alden, Abby Kamysz, Attica, Tiara Filbert, Batavia, Rebecca Grimaudo, Churchville-Chili, Kayla Heimlich, Le Roy, Niki Templeton and Logan Fugle, both of Livonia, and Pembroke’s Rylee Mosher, Breanna Johnson and Michaela Nati.

This was the inaugural season for GV Pride, which competed in six regional tournaments before traveling to Florida. For more on the program, visit the team's Web site.

A car struck a bicyclist at West Main Street and Holland Avenue in Batavia. City police and Mercy medics are responding along with city fire.

UPDATE 5:21 p.m.: A female is being taken to UMMC with some cuts and abrasions on her feet and shins.

David Bruce Brusie, 40, of Fancher Road, Holley, is charged with assaul,t 2nd. Brusie, an inmate at the Genesee County Jail, is accused of punching another inmate and breaking his nose.

Rosemary R. Waters, 27, of 4035 W. Main Street Road, lowrr, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and trespass. Waters is accused of stealing makeup, valued at $6, from Dollar General. Waters was allegedly previously barred from the store for a prior shoplifting complaint.

Matthew W. Clark, 31, of 10 Washington Ave., Batavia, was arrested on a warrant from City Court for a traffic citation -- parking on a city street, 2 to 6 a.m.

Daniel P. Callahan, 29, of 8 Old Meadow Lane, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or higher and driving without stoplights. Callahan was stopped on Main Street at 12:01 a.m., July 9, by Officer Chad Richards.

Lizbel D. Cramer, 35, of 8 Lewis Place, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant out of City Court for traffic citations for alleged failure to obey stop sign and parking violations.

Bryon Gilbert Keller, 18, of Sumner Road, Corfu, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child. Keller is accused of allowing people under age 21 to consume alcohol while attending a party on his property.

Dariel Solivan Mendoza, 28, of Church Street, Bergen, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Mendoza allegedly pushed a person to the ground during an argument.

Lance Joseph Seppe, 27, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th, and disorderly conduct. Seppe is accused of breaking items and issuing verbal threats while at a residence in Corfu at 7:39 p.m., Tuesday.

Charlotte Conable, the wife of the late Barber Conable, passed away yesterday in Sarasota, Fla., after a long battle with cancer. She was 83.

Conable was a graduate of Lafayette High School, Cornell University and George Washington University and wrote the books "Women at Cornell: The Myth of Equal Education."

Charlotte Williams was born in Buffalo. Her honors included being named a Woman of Distinction, an honorary doctorate from Genesee Community College, and being included in Feminists Who Changed America, 1963-1975.

She was a board member of the Women’s Hall of Fame, Seneca Falls and a trustee of Cornell University.

In 1952, Charlotte married Barber Conable, who would be elected to Congress, representing Batavia and parts of WNY, in 1964. He served 10 terms, earning the reputation as the "most respected member in Congress." In 1986, Ronald Reagan appointed him president of the World Bank.

Barber Conable died in 2003.

Charlotte Conable is survived by the couple's four children, Anne, of Bennington, Jane Schmieder, of East Bethany, Emily, of White Hall, Md., and Sam, Sarasota, Fla.

Services will be held in Alexander at a time to be determined.

(Full Obituary)

Press release:

A public meeting to discuss concepts and findings of the Batavia Opportunity Area (BOA) project will be held at the Board Room at City Hall, One Batavia City Centre, at 7 p.m. Monday, July 29.

The purpose of the Batavia Opportunity Area project is to advance the redevelopment of underutilized, vacant, abandoned or contaminated commercial and industrial sites within the City.

The Batavia Opportunity Area Steering Committee focused on five strategic sites that, if redeveloped, will be catalysts for area wide redevelopment including:

• The Batavia City Centre site and adjacent Bank Street medical campus;
• The Harvester Center;
• The Della Penna site near Evans and Ellicott streets along with adjacent sites;
• Tonawanda Creekside redevelopment near downtown; and
• The Carr’s Warehouse Building (progress already under way)

In June, City Council approved the sale of the Carr’s Warehouse Building to the Batavia Development Corporation for disposal and redevelopment. Local developer Thompson Builds, Inc., is currently in the process of finalizing design and is expected to begin construction by the end of the summer, adding four new apartments to the second and third floors, and commercial/flex space to the first floor.

The steering committee has developed potential redevelopment scenarios for each of the other sites including plans and 3D visualizations that will be available at the meeting. Redevelopment scenarios proposed are based on an economic and market analysis prepared as part of the project. The committee also evaluated conditions of neighborhoods adjacent to the strategic sites.

Findings and concepts from the project will be used to facilitate future redevelopment at the sites and support requests for grants and financial assistance.

The steering committee members include: Edward Jones, City Planning Board, Jill Babinski, Genesee County Planning Dept., Lynn Freeman, Genesee County Chamber, Don Burkel, Business Improvement District, Julie Pacatte, Batavia Development Corporation and Jason Molino, City Manager.

For more information on the Batavia Opportunity Area project, visit the City’s website at www.batavianewyork.com.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Summer Recreation Program is well under way and entering the third week of the six-week program. Each year the program sponsors a Community Service Day for all of the children to volunteer and give something back to their community.

This year’s Community Service Project is scheduled for July 23 at all of the parks. There will be a community-wide can/bottle drive to raise money for youth programs at the Genesee ARC.

If you would like to contribute to this worthy cause, please feel free to deliver cans and bottles to any of the parks (Farrall, John Kennedy, Lambert, Williams, Woodward) on or before July 23 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Or you can take cans or bottles to the Batavia Youth Bureau located at 12 MacArthur Drive and program sponsors will make sure the donations are delivered to the parks.

Each park will also visit homes in their park’s neighborhoods on July 23 to solicit cans/bottles for the drive.

If you have any questions or would like to help in any way, please call the Youth Bureau at 345-6420. Thank you for your anticipated assistance and support!

Toni Funke

Program Coordinator

345-6421