batavia

St. Mary's Church, of Batavia, got a visit from the Blessed Virgin Mary Monday night. The church at 20 Ellicott St. was one of her last stops in Genesee County as she tours the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

The International Pilgrimage Statue of Our Lady of Fatima has been crisscrossing the Western Hemisphere for the past 64 years (there is another statue made for pilgrimages in the Eastern Hemisphere). It was sculpted in 1947 by Portuguese sculptor Jose Thedim, who based it on descriptions provided by one of the children who received visions of the Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal, in the summer of 1917.

According to Carl Malburg, one of the statue's custodians, the Bishop of Fatima commissioned the Pilgrimage Statue 30 years after the three children -- Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco -- received the visions.

"The idea came from the message," Malburg said. "It was meant for all the world, not just the people of Fatima."

"Fatima is not over," said Malburg's fellow custodian Patrick Sabat (pictured below), referencing Pope Benedict XVI. "There is a continued need for prayer and penance."

Addressing the people who attended Monday's service, he added: "Pope John Paul II said the message of Fatima is more urgent and more relevant now than it was in 1917."

Much of the content of the Fatima visions -- which began on May 13 and occurred on the 13th of every month until October -- deals with the harm that human sins do to the world, leading to war and destruction. The Virgin Mary reportedly told the children that if enough people carried out her instructions, there would be peace on Earth.

"Pope Benedict XV (who was Pope at the time of the Fatima visions) called Mary the Queen of Peace," Sabat said, adding that her intercession would work "when all human efforts at peace had failed."

Malburg, of Indiana, and Sabat, of the Philippines, escort the Pilgrimage Statue in its travels on behalf of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue Foundation, which is based in Munster, Ind. With permission from Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, they are making a 21-day trip through the Buffalo diocese.

Interestingly, the Buffalo diocese was the first place the statue visited in the U.S. on her very first pilgrimage in 1947. One of her stops was Our Lady of Fatima Church in Elba.

"And we thought, 'Why not bring her back?'" said Sally Ross, Ph.D, a member of St. Padre Pio Parish (which includes Our Lady of Fatima in Elba and St. Cecilia's Church in Oakfield).

Ross was the one who came up with the idea of bringing the statue back to Western New York for a pilgrimage. It all started when she, as a member of Our Lady of Fatima, did some research into how her church got its name. She learned three interesting facts about the Elba church:

1. The Pilgrimage Statue's visit in 1947.

2. It is the oldest church in the U.S. to bear that name.

3. The knoll in front of the church on which the Fatima Shrine is now located was once used by the Ku Klux Klan as a place to burn crosses.

Fact number three is especially interesting if you think about the Fatima message.

"Our Lady wants all her children to live together in peace and harmony," Malburg said. "She said that if we follow her instructions, there will be peace."

To that end, Sabat called everyone to be "Prayer Warriors."

"This is a different kind of war," he said. "It's a war of reparation for the sins of the world."

According to a pamphlet from the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue Foundation, fighting this war includes making each of one's daily sufferings a sacrifice in atonement for sin, praying the Rosary every day, and wearing the brown scapular as a sign of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Miracles and favors have been reported in areas the statue has visited over the years. One of the most famous of these miracles is the "Miracle of Tears," which refers to reports of the statue crying human tears in more than 30 instances.

While there may not have been any tears in Western New York so far, people have been affected by the statue. The pilgrimage isn't over yet, and Ross has already gotten some follow-up calls.

"I wish I could have recorded them, (as they talked about the message)," she said. "Even just the timbre of their voices...it's just incredible."

As much of an impact as the statue has had, Sabat and Malburg were both very clear that Catholics do not worship Mary or statues.

"A statue's just a piece of wood," Malburg said. "And the person it represents (Mary) is not divine. But we do talk to her and ask her to pray for us."

He also said that he sometimes meets fundamentalists who object to giving this type of honor to Mary. To this he replies, "You have a guardian angel, don't you?" His point is that Catholics talk to Mary the same way most Christians might talk to their guardian angels.

"Mary is still the greatest catechist (teacher of the faith)," Sabat said. "She's a role model for all Christians, and we continue to imitate her virtues. Our goal is to be as close to Christ as possible, and she was the closest person to Christ there ever was."

St. Joseph's Church welcomed the Pilgrimage Statue at Mass this morning. It is heading to Orleans County today, but will return for a visit to the New York State Veterans' Home on Aug. 19. All total, it will make seven more stops throughout the region before the pilgrimage concludes on Aug. 22.

For more information, go to www.pilgrimvirginstatue.com.

Supplemental Video: Malburg and Sabat on local news show in Cincinnati

An oven fire has extended into the kitchen of an apartment at 86 1/2 S. Main St. in the City of Batavia. City crews are responding.

UPDATE 3:37 p.m.: They are opening the windows and venting the place. There is a lot of smoke but no flames.

UPDATE 3:39 p.m.: The fire is out.

UPDATE: Photos submitted by Frank Capuano.

Bob Matthews, who has always hated the idea of pro baseball in Batavia (I have no idea why), has a column in the D&C today lamenting the new rankings by Street & Smith of minor league cities.

Rochester has fallen to #20.  

But also bad in Matthews' mind is that Batavia came in fairly high among 241 cities ranked.

Batavia was No. 36. I have no idea why.

The baseball Muckdogs are the only pro team, they're operated by the Red Wings and they could be on shaky ground. Batavia ranked 42nd in tenure (for how long?), 81st in attendance (no way) and 98th in economy.

The full rankings can be viewed here.

Unfortunately, Street & Smith doesn't explain its attendance ranking, but it's probably based on a percentage of the host city's population, and with less than 16,000 people in the City of Batavia, the percentage for the Muckdogs is pretty good.

There are a handful of cities ranked above Batavia with only one sports franchise.

Lance P. Johnson-Kosiorek, 18, of 335 Bank St., Batavia, is charged with menacing, 2nd. Johnson-Kosiorek allegedly displayed a knife and threatened an acquaintance during a verbal argument at 11:45 p.m., Monday.

Name Redacted Upon Request, 19, of Lindwood Drive, Brockport, was arrested on a bench warrant out of Genesee County Court. xxxx allegedly failed to comply with his release under the supervision contract with Genesee Justice.

A lawsuit filed by a group of local plumbers against the City of Batavia over an alleged lack of a qualified person in the plumbing inspector role and the make up of the plumbing board was dismissed Aug. 8 by county Judge Robert C. Noonan.

The decision was made public today.

Noonan ruled that the plaintiffs failed to present any facts that could be used at trial to support their claims and that the city had demonstrated it has made every effort to comply with New York's General City Law.

City Manager Jason Molino said the dismissal substantiates what officials have been saying all along.

"We're happy to see the court agreed that the city has made its best effort, done its due diligence, to do what's best for the taxpayers," Molino said.

The attorney for the plumbers, Brian Degnan, could not be reached for comment. We also tried contacting the plumber who has been most outspoken on the issue, Barbara Toal, and were unsuccessful.

Molino said the city's efforts to bring fairness and impartiality to the plumbing board and the exam process have been successful.

In the past year, the city has gained six new licensed plumbers, he noted.

One of the controversies that arose last year about the plumbers is that the licensing exam had some poorly constructed questions and the grading wasn't being applied fairly. Three people who had taken the test and given failing grades were re-graded by Assistant City Manager Sally Kuzon and all three passed (Correction: two of the three were passed by the plumbing board.)

As part of the lawsuit, the plumbers challenged Sally Kuzon's qualifications to grade the test and to sit on the plumbing board. In addition to being the assistant city manager, she is director of the Public Works Department.

The suit also challenged Code Enforcement Officer and Superintendent of Water/Wastewater Matt Worth's appointment under an emergency declaration as plumbing inspector to the plumbing board, and the qualifications of Bill Hays as a journeyman plumber to sit on the plumbing board.

Noonan ruled that all three people were qualified for their positions under the guidelines of state law and that the city had made every effort to find a qualified master plumber willing to give up his or her business in order to become a plumbing inspector.  

The ruling states that the plaintiffs failed to establish that the city had disregarded its statutory duties under General City Law.

The suit was brought by Mark Walton, Peter Dellapenna, Kenneth Toal, Ryan Toal, Henry H. Cook, Ryan Cook, Christopher Cook, Ronald Toal, Paul Salway, Larry Toal, Barbara Toal, Walter Szczesny and Carl McQuillen.

For previous coverage of plumbing board issues, click here.

An 82-year-old man was critically injured Friday afternoon when the three-wheel bike he was riding on Park Road was struck by a motorcycle.

According to Sgt. Kurt Schmitt, State Police, Gerald Sojda, of Park Road, Batavia, was southbound on Park when he pulled his bike into traffic and was struck by a 2009 Harley ridden by Noah Majewski, 22, of Batavia.

Sojda, who was transported to ECMC by Mercy EMS, was listed in critical condition because of his age and a significant amount of blood loss.

Schmitt said troopers spoke with Sojda's daughter today and "all signs look encouraging" for his recovery.

No citations have been issued, Schmitt said.

Christopher Michael Lambert, 31, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with burglary, 2nd. Lambert is accused of entering a residence on Log City Road, Elba, after being told to stay away. Lambert allegedly stole money and a new Garmin GPS unit. Bail was set at $25,000.

Jenea Marie Macleod, 27, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, operating an ATV on a public highway and no headlights on an ATV. Macleod was stopped at 10:08 p.m., Saturday, on Genesee Street in Pembroke by Deputy Howard Carlson.

Tracy Lynn Polak, 40, of Aldercreek South Road, North Tonawanda, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, operating with registration suspended or revoked and driver's view obstructed. Polak was stopped at 10:36 p.m., Wednesday, on Route 77, Corfu, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Jonathan David Eldred, 27, of Main Road, Akron, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument. Eldred was arrested at 10:46 p.m., Friday, at a residence on Bloomingdale Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, when he was allegedly found in possession of heroin and a needle during an investigation into an overdose.

Austin M. Heineman, 17, of Marble Road, Akron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, operating out of class and failure to keep right. Heineman was arrested following an investigation into an accident that was reported at 12:43 a.m., Saturday, on Sandhill Road, Alabama, by Deputy James Diehl. In the accident, Heineman was reportedly driving south on Sandhill Road when he lost control of the car and it overturned. His passenger, Timothy Ryan, 17, was transported to UMMC with non-life threatening injuries.

Mitchell Gregory Hoinski, 25, of Boll Street, Sloan, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hoinski was reportedly involved in a motor-vehicle accident at 11:42 p.m., Friday, in the parking lot of Darien Lake Theme Park. Hoinski reportedly attended the Rascal Flatts concert earlier in the evening. 

Driving back from Alabama on Saturday afternoon, it was one of those late summer days that reminds you we're so lucky to live in Genesee County. And if you're reading this and don't live in Genesee County, my condolences.

I put the photos I took in a slide show so you can use the button in the lower left to expand the photos to a full screen view.

There was a motorcycle rally at the Clarion Hotel on Park Road on Saturday.  From what hotel managers and restaurant owners tell me, it brought a lot of business into town.  The hotels, I'm told, where booked.

The rally was organized by David Kasinski and Sam Kasinski and they're hoping to make it an annual event.

I got backed up on things to cover on Saturday and couldn't make it to the rally, but Rick Franclemont  did and took some photos.  Besides the photos we're posting here, he has posted several on his Picasa page.

A house was struck by lightning and now there's the smell of smoke in the residence, located at 5024 Terry Hills Drive. The occupants have evacuated the premises.

Town of Batavia Fire Department is on scene and reports nothing is showing.

UPDATE 2:16 p.m.: The chief says there was definately a lightning strike and it has caused an electrical problem at the house. A thermal imaging camera is requested to check out the basement.

UPDATE 2:26 p.m.: National Grid has been notifeid with a 15 to 20 minute ETA for a rep to be on scene.

UPDATE 3:07 p.m.: Town of Batavia Fire back in service. Home owner advised by National Grid to contact an electrician.

This is video sent to us by Ken Mistler of his own motorcycle burning last night on East Main Street, Batavia.  We initially reported the fire last night.

Karen, a Kingsbury Avenue resident, reports that yesterday around 1:15 p.m. her green Quaker parrot flew the coup.

She's worried about him and hoping an area resident might spot the parrot and, if not able to capture the bird, at least help her track him down.

The parrot has a red band with initials Y?B on it, plus a serial number.

Karen can be reached at 585-356-0191 or e-mail scmho_child@hotmail.com.

Downtown Batavia can support a supermarket and a group of businessmen who have done the marketing research to prove it have entered into a lease agreement to open a Save-A-Lot in the former Latina's location on Ellicott Street.

The new store will be 18,000 square feet.

"These guys have really got their heads straight," said Vito Gautieri, the building's owner. "We were looking at another chain, but this one looked like the best deal. I think it will be really good for Downtown Batavia."

The Gautieri's own Washington Towers and Vito said the family recognized the need to bring a supermarket downtown, both for the sake of tenants at Washington Towers and also 400 Towers.

"We really need a supermarket downtown," Gautieri said.

In fact, said Gautieri, the family decided to pass on an offer from a discount retail chain that would have filled all 40,000 square feet of the building because the need seems so great to bring a supermarket to the space.

The ownership group, operating locally as Batavia Food, Inc., has three other Save-A-Lot locations. The other stores are in Wheatland, Salamanca and Bradford, Pa.

Save-a-Lots operates as a kind of co-op of locally licensed stores. The new owners of the planned Batavia store have no affiliation with the owners of the Le Roy Save-A-Lot.

Gautieri said the owners of the Le Roy store were given first crack at the Batavia location, but for some reason a deal couldn't be put together.

Now Gautieri and his son, Vic, need to work on getting a tenant for the remaining 22,000 square feet on the first floor. He said they already have a couple of solid leads on possible tenants.

Gautieri is still working on ideas about what to do with the second floor. The space is currently 15,000 square feet, but because the building was constructed to support warehouse space on the second floor, the second floor roof could be raised and the area expanded to 25,000 square feet.

If Gautieri decides to expand the second floor, the space would either become premium office space or residential apartments.

So I'm driving back from the Indian Falls incident and I'm on Route 5. As I approach Jim's Saloon -- it's about 8:15 p.m. -- I see a school bus parked out front. My first thought, "that's odd." When I get closer, I see a group of young women wearing pink sashes -- odder still.

So I whip my truck around, grab my camera, walk over and ask what's going on.

It's a bachorlette party.

It turns out, you can charter a school bus from First Student for any sort of group event.

Pictured are, more or less from the left, Samatha Lyons, Marla Mosler, Brianne Sliker, John Lawson (yes, a guy), Crista Swiatowy (the bride), Jamie Stone, Brittany Sliker, Alexandra Stimson, Kristina Rumble, Vickie Chatley and Jennifer Fisher

Swiatowy is marrying Justin Simson.

A motorcycle is reportedly on fire on Main Street near Jackson Street, downtown Batavia.

City fire is dispatched.

The fire is reportedly right in front of The Mane Attraction Salon & Spa.

UPDATE 12:24 a.m.: Fire is out.

Police have responded to a disturbance on Thorpe Street. About 20 or more people were in the street yelling at each other, swinging at each other and making threatening gestures toward each other just before four Batavia police cruisers arrived on scene.

Within seconds, the street was nearly empty.

Earlier this evening, Batavia PD responded to a disturbance on Thorpe. The supervisor assigned a patrol to stick close to the area for the evening. That officer would have gone off duty just about the time the disturbance broke out.

A  two-vehicle accident is reported in front of the muffler shop at 633 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia. One elderly person involved is disoriented. City fire and Mercy EMS responding.

Even though there are some finishing touches left yet for the new patio at South Beach, the grill is open. Chef Arvin Ortiz opened the grill today with an offering of hamburgers, hot dogs and pulled pork. Throughout the remainder of the summer, the grill will be opened for lunch and dinner this weekend and, for now, lunch during the week. At times the menu will include ribs, chicken and other grilled dishes. Menu service from the main kitchen is also available on the patio. This afternoon, starting at 4, there will be live music on the patio, and the Ghost Riders play starting at 8 p.m., Saturday.