batavia

Press release:

The Batavia City School District is pleased to offer the free Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Program for students and will continue to operate the program in the 2015-2016 school year, pending New York State funding. UPK provides an opportunity for 4-year-old children, at no cost to their families, to be involved in developmentally appropriate educational classes that, following the regular school calendar, meet Monday through Friday during the school year.

Since its implementation, the District has provided a half-day program, with a choice of either morning or afternoon sessions. If new State regulations are passed and the District receives funding, a full-day UPK option also will be offered in the 2015-2016 school year.

(Note that if the YMCA is selected once again to be the community-based organization to provide UPK in 2015-2016, they offer additional “wrap around” programs consisting of Child Watch in the morning followed by UPK in the afternoon from12:30-3:00 p.m., then School Aged Child Care afterward. While there is no charge for UPK, there is a charge for the morning Child Watch and afternoon Child Care programs.)

Children who are residents of the District, are 4 years of age on or before Dec. 1, 2015, and who are not enrolled in a special education program with the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, are eligible to apply.

Letters/applications have been mailed to all known eligible families, but also are available at the District Business Office in the administrative wing of Batavia High School (260 State St.), or by calling 343-2480, ext. 1002. They can also be downloaded from the District’s Web site (www.bataviacsd.org) by using the pull-down menu at the top of the page labeled “District,” then clicking on the link for Student Registration.

Applications should be returned as soon as possible. If there are more applicants than openings, a lottery system will be used to place as many children as possible, with the rest being placed on a waiting list.

Press release:

St. Joseph Catholic School's sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders participated in our annual Spelling Bee; below are those who placed in the top seven:

7th place: David Doan, of Batavia
6th place: Faith Falkowski, of Batavia
5th place: Rachel Nickerson, of Elba
4th Place: Spencer Misiti, of Batavia
3rd Place: Isabelle Cooper, of Pavillon
2nd Place: Bella March, of Batavia
1st Place: Adryona Miller, of Albion

The winning word was, "spaghetti."

The Batavia City Church will host guest speaker Erin Kelly, oldest daughter of Buffalo Bill's former quarterback Jim and his wife, Jill, as part of their Life Night Service.

The service will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 4. The church's band will start the service and then Erin will share thoughts and personal experiences from her latest book "Kelly Tough." A question and answer session will follow.

The book is a story of love between a father and his daughter. In her book, she emphasizes how her faith in God and ability to find strength in weakness helped her to withstand the challenges of her father's and brother's illnesses. 

Marty Macdonald, senior pastor at The City Church, talked with Jill Kelly's brother, Jack Wagner, to set up having Kelly speak at The City Church. According to Macdonald, the church loves what the Kelly family stands for and everyone is looking forward to hearing her story of family love and the greater love of the heavenly Father.

"I hope it will really bring people home," Macdonald said. "There are so many people in our society that are facing challenges whether it's cancer or broken homes or loss of employment, so many things that bring pain and hurt to people. Our hope is that as Erin is sharing her story it will bring great encouragement and hope to let them know that, hey, you can make it. You can go on another day and you don't have to give up."

The City Church regularly invites guest speakers to share their stories at their weekly Life Night Service. The church will welcome their next guest, Pastor Tommy Reid, for their Sunday morning service at 8:30 a.m. on June 7.

Photo from The City Church's Facebook page.

Lower oil prices could hurt Batavia-based Graham Corp. in the coming fiscal year, company officials say, so they're looking to trim the company workforce by 10 percent through a retirement incentive program.

The workforce reduction announcement was coupled with news that the publicly traded company posted $4.2 million in profits, up 80 percent from a year ago.

For the fiscal year, company revenue was up 45 percent to $14.7 million.

For more on this story, visit the Buffalo News.

The Zonta Club of Batavia is making birthing kits to send to Third World countries in an effort to reduce the risk of infection in pregnant women and their babies. 

On Saturday, 20 Zonta Club members and Batavia High School Z Club members spent four hours putting together 1,085 birthing kits. The kits are composed of a square meter of plastic sheet, two umbilical cord clamps, five pieces of gauze, a pair of vinyl gloves, a small bar of soap and a razor blade. All of the contents are packed into a quart-size sandwich bag and sent to a holding facility in Pittsburgh.

(Photo of Lee Cummings)

"We were talking and, here, everyone wants to get the birthing suite at the hospital and that's our biggest concern," said Lee Cummings, chairperson of the Birthing Kit Committee and Zonta Board member. "There, women literally get a plastic bag with six items in it to give birth and reduce the rate of infection in these countries."

The kits are shipped to clinics in impoverished countries to help women who don't have access to medical facilities. The kits have been sent to rural areas in Kenya, South America and there are now recent requests from Nepal. Women walk for miles to reach clinics where the kits are given out. Due to limited resources, hospitals and clinics have also started to use the kits in their facilities.

Zonta is an international organization for the advancement and empowerment of women. The Birthing Kit Project was developed by Zonta's international governor six years ago.

The Batavia club started the district project five years ago. Over the years, the local club has assembled and sent three large shipments totaling 3,700 birthing kits. Every spring, the club collects items for the kits and assembles them. They also make a smaller amount of kits every autumn as well.

"Our goal started out years ago as 500 kits, and then it was 750, and now it's 1,000," Cummings said. "We try to do a 1,000 a year."

The project is a community-wide effort. The club gets most of the supplies for the kit from United Memorial Medical Center. The hospital donated umbilical cord clamps, gauze, vinyl gloves and razor blades. Local hotels also donated bars of soap. In past years, local doctor offices have sent checks to help with the cost of shipping.

Shipping costs to send the kits to those who need them most is a significant expense for the club, approximately $400 to $500, according to Cummings. The club is also pays for the plastic sheeting, which costs hundreds of dollars as well.

By 2016, the group plans to make 1,000 more kits to fulfill their two-year goal of 2,000 kits. The club is in the process of planning a date to use the rest of the supplies they have collected and make more kits. They plan to put together another 400 kits for Fall 2016.

Kelsey Anne Sanders, 28, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, was arrested May 30 for allegedly allowing her dog to habitually run at large in the neighborhood. She was issued an electronically generated appearance ticket and released from custody. She is to appear in City Court on June 9. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence.

Amanda M. Rumble, 27, of State Street, Batavia, was arrested May 27 after her dog was allegedly observed by law enforcement to be running at large on State Street. There have been previous complaints filed with regard to Rumble's dog running at large throughout the neighborhood, according to Officer Kevin DeFelice's police report. She was issued an appearance ticket and is to appear in City Court on June 9.

Tyrone L. Richardson, 39, of McKinley Ave., Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, fourth-degree criminal mischief for allegedly disabling equipment to prevent an emergency call, and criminal obstruction of breathing / blood circulation. Richardson was arrested May 29 following an investigation into a domestic incident on Evans Street in the City of Batavia. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Eric Foels, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Sean Douglas Lacy, 28, of West Bergen Road, Bergen, was arrested May 29 and charged with driving with a BAC above. .08, driving while intoxicated, and speeding (66 mph in a 55-mph zone). He was charged with DWI after being stopped for allegedly speeding in the Town of Stafford. He is scheduled to appear in Stafford Town Court on June 25. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Erion, assisted by Deputy Gregory Walker.

Jayson W. Dersham, 32, of Wortendyke Road, Batavia, is charged with second-degree burglary. He was arrested May 29 for the crime which he allegedly committed on Feb. 22 on Maple Street in the City of Batavia. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer James DeFreze, assisted by Officer Matthew Lutey.

Glenn H. Quintern, 56, of Central Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. He was arrested May 30 as the result of an incident on Central Avenue wherein he allegedly violated an order of protection. He was put in Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Chad Richards.

Tyler Austin Stoddard, 20, of Meiser Road, Pembroke, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested May 9 follwoing an incident wherein he allegedly contacted a person via phone, in violation of an order of protection issued by Genesee County Family Court. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Hale.

Benjamin D. Seekins, 26, of Woodrow Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon. He was arrested May 28 after he was allegedly found to be in possession of metal knuckles while officers were investigating a suspicious condition. He is scheduled to appear in Batavia Town Court on June 18. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Erion, assisted by Deputy Chad Minuto.

Celestino Barrera-Antunez, 34, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. An arrest warrant was executed and Barrera-Antunez was arrested May 30 after he allegedly failed to appear in court May 22 on a traffic ticket. He posted $210 bail and is to appear in City Court on June 9. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Chad Richards.

John M. Morton, 36, of North Canal Road, Lockport, is charged with failure to obey a stop / park sign. He had an active arrest warrant out of the City of Batavia for not answering a parking ticket. He turned himself in at Batavia Police Headquarters on May 31 and posted $25 bail. He is to appear in City Court on June 2. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer James DeFreze.

Jason E. Waddington, 38, of Mount Read Boulevard, Greece, is charged with improper parking between 2 and 6 a.m. Waddington had an active arrest warrant out of the City of Batavia for allegedly failing to answer a parking ticket dated April 11, 2011. He was located by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and turned over to Batavia Police Officer James DeFreze. He posted $100 bail, was issued a computer-generated appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court on June 9.

The ignition of the fuel on a diesel engine creates a low, aggressive grumble, booming bass and grungy chugging. Who would have thought that the same sounds could be heard in songs written in the Marine barracks in Iraq?

Dan Clor, 39, who grew up in Le Roy, wrote the songs in 2006. After his tour, he brought them to Los Angeles, where he lives now, and started recording them in 2007. From there, Weapon-X was born.

The name comes from a Marvel comic. It was recommended to Clor by a Marine friend. The band started playing live shows and people took to the name. Clor asked Marvel and they let him use it.  

As a Marine, Clor is moved by his time in the military. The band plays shows for veterans and receives a lot of support from them.

“I feel like three out of four veterans hear our music and latch onto it pretty well. Marines and vets are usually in your corner as long as you don’t screw up,” he said.

Although their songs have a lot of military and underdog overtones, Weapon-X doesn’t want to be put into a corner. They’re inspired by a lot of heavy and forceful music.

“It all started with Pantera, Metallica and (Black) Sabbath. I like everything from Johnny Cash to early '90s rap stuff,” Clor said. “Metallica is the band that made me go to House of Guitars and buy my first guitar. I didn’t know what to do with it.”

Not only did he learn how to play guitar, but at 18, Clor was teaching music lessons at Roxy’s when it was in the Batavia Shopping Center. He’s grateful for the time he spent in Genesee County.

“I thought it was cool to be raised in the small-town atmosphere,” he said. “Everyone is real close to each other. I did like just kind of having that closeness, but I felt a little stifled. I knew I wanted to move somewhere bigger. I needed more activity, more opportunity.”

Clor moved to L.A. in 2003. He went to the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. After running low on money, he decided he had to get right to work in the industry. Now, in addition to being the front man of Weapon-X, Clor owns Victory Music Academy in L.A. There, he helps build and develop young bands. He aims to be a mentor for people who like to play edgier and darker music.

For now, Clor is back in town. He and Weapon-X are preparing for the Beast Coast Tour. This tour marks the first time the boys are playing the East Coast since the band's inception.

“We decided to come back here because we were getting a lot of response from people back home,” he said. “We put feelers out there and the response was really good.”

The tour kicks off at Montage Music Hall in Rochester on Friday for $15. They will play a second show at the same location on Saturday. Both shows are being sponsored by Center Street Smoke House. The tour will also see stops in Syracuse, Cambridge, Mass., Philadelphia, New York and Washington, D.C.

The band consists of Clor on lead vocals and guitar, Bill Scott on guitar, Ryan Whyman playing the keyboard, Jesus Rauda on bass, and David Thueson on drums. Unfortunately, the usual bass player and drummer could not make it. The Beast Coast Tour will see Jared Swaney on bass and James D. Jackson on drums.

Greg Rada sent in these photos. He said this stopped train had Upton Road and Wilkinson Road in Town of Batavia blocked for several hours this evening.

A car has crashed into the house at 9346 Creek Road. Unknown injuries. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. The location is between East Road and Old Creek Road, Batavia.

UPDATE 4:28 p.m.: One minor leg injury is reported.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: Howard at the scene says a car was stopped in the driveway and the driver's foot slipped off the brake, causing the vehicle to move and hit the nearby enclosed porched. A woman was sitting inside the porch and some debris fell on her leg, causing a minor wound. Medics treated her at the scene. A code enforcement officer is heading there to assess any structural damage to the porch.

UPDATE 5:13 p.m.: The code enforcement officer is on scene. The Town of Batavia Fire Department is back in service.

A dog is locked inside a vehicle outside the Taco Bell restaurant at 413 W. Main St., Batavia, according to a caller to dispatch. City police are responding. It's 83 degrees outside, according to National Weather Service. Dispatch says its 75.

Tonight was the Festival of Hope at Batavia Downs. Among the events, a 5K run and walk.

Country singer Ricky Lee performed at the Batavia VA Hospital this afternoon. His set list included patriotic songs, songs honoring veterans and even some George "The 'Possum" Jones.

Each veteran in attendance was given a copy of his latest CD for free.

Press release from the City of Batavia Police Department:

Each year there are thousands of children that sustain head injury from falls while riding a bicycle. New York State law says that any child under the age of 14 that rides a bicycle, must be wearing a protective helmet. There are many children that still do not have a helmet in Batavia or have their bikes licensed.

The Batavia Lions Club, in cooperation with the Batavia Police Department, are planning to give away free helmets. With the generous but limited resources donated by the Batavia Lions Club, and the Batavia Police Benevolent Association, there is a limited number of helmets available, so it will be done on a first-come first-serve basis. The event will be Saturday June 6^th from 9 a.m. till noon at Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, located at 8 Center Street, Downtown. To receive a helmet the child must be under 14 years of age and be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Also to receive a helmet the recipient must have proof of a licensed bicycle or bring a bike to be licensed at the event. The Batavia Police Department will be present at the event to issue bicycle licenses free of charge. The serial number of the bike along with the details of the bike will be needed to license it.

There will be at least two more meetings of the PoliceFacility Task Force before a decision is made, but after a tour of the three contending sites for a new Batavia PD HQ, there seemed to be a consensus forming around the Swan Street location.

At Alva and Bank, committee members expressed concern about vehicle and pedestrian traffic and the impact on surrounding businesses, as well as the security of the facility. At Jackson Street, the current Salvation Army location, the floodplain issue looms large. On Swan Street, there was none of that negative chatter while committee members walked the expansive open lot where the Wiard Plow factory once stood.

Chief Shawn Heubusch likes the location.

"I think it's an optimal location," Heubusch said. "It gives us the security we would need. It gives us the ability to get to places we need to get to in a timely fashion. You're not fighting with the traffic you're fighting with on the main thoroughfares at those other locations and you can't beat the lot size here."

The committee will meet next week to hear from Assistant City Manager Gretchen Difante and Code Enforcement Officer Ron Panek about the floodplain issues at the Salvation Army location and then the committee would like to hold a public meeting a couple of weeks later so that local residents can learn a bit of what the committee learned about all the locations considered and be given a chance to weigh in and perhaps raise issues not yet discussed by the committee.

One of Difante's current duties is developing a program that will lower the cost of flood insurance in the city. One part of that process is improving the city's score in a flood-readiness rating system. Building a critical facility in a floodplain would lower the city's score. How much and what the impact on residents flood-insurance policies would be is something the committee will learn about its next meeting.

But even with community rating aside, City Manager Jason Molino conceded during a discussion at the Salvation Army site, building a police headquarters in a floodplain is not optimal as a practical matter. 

In a major flood, about 40 percent of the workforce won't be available, Molino said, because people will be dealing with their own family issues, and a police HQ would become difficult to access, compounding the problem.

"The last major flood was in 1942, so you could say we're due for another 100-year flood in the next 30 years," Molino said. "It's likely to happen within our lifetimes, within the next half century."

Marc Staley, chairman of the task force, said he's pretty much taken Jackson Street off his list, is leaning toward Swan Street. But he looks on the Alva and Bank location more favorably after walking the lot and hearing what others have to say about the location. It would help improve density Downtown and could spur more economic activity in the city's primary commercial district.

"I think space-wise, this (Swan Street) is fantastic," Staley said. "It's out of the floodplain, cost-wise, it's within our reach, and it could spur economic development in the area. It's a part of the city that has had very little investment over the past 40 or 50 years. The fact that it's so close to Ellicott and so close to Main means it's really in the heart of the city. People don't think of this as the heart of the city, but we're so close to everything right here."

The committee and members of the local media were shuttled to the three locations in the police department's ERT van.

Zachary J. Ayres, 21, of Bankside Drive, Hamlin, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 4th, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 5th. Ayres was arrested on a warrant for allegedly selling suboxone to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Shaun Claude Connors, 36, of Bissell Avenue, Depew, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Connors was arrested after being found sleeping in an unsecured, parked car on South Lake Road, Pembroke, at 8:21 a.m., May 20. 

Kimberly L. Winn, 61, of Church Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, inadequate exhaust and unlawful possession of marijuana. Winn was stopped at 9:09 p.m. Thursday in the Village of Le Roy.

Mark D. Nash, 56, of Curtis Street, Rochester, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to pay fine. Nash has a conviction for issuing a bad check. He was arrested at the Monroe County Jail and jailed in Genesee County on $105 bail.

Rae Charlene Cook, 26, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass and resisting arrest. Cook is accused of entering a residence without being invited nor having the owner's permission to enter. Cook reportedly left the residence before officers arrived, but allegedly returned later and was located on the front porch of the residence and taken into custody after a struggle.

Mark Jackett, 45, and Courtney Hewitt, 33, of Irving Parkway, Oakfield, are charged with eight counts of offering a false instrument for filing, 1st, and one count each of third-degree grand larceny. Jacket and Hewitt were arrested following an investigation by the Department of Social Services. Jackett and Hewitt are accused of submitting an application, recertification and wage verification forms that failed to report Jackett's correct income. As a result, Jackett and Hewitt allegedly received $9,747.09 in Medicaid benefits they were not entitled to between Dec. 1, 2010 and March 31, 2013. Jackett and Hewitt turned themselves into the Sheriff's Office, were arraigned and released.

Eric K. Ricks, 36, of Ellicott Street Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, unlawful possession of marijuana and criminal obstruction of breathing. Ricks was allegedly involved in a domestic incident on State Street. He's accused of strangling and punching another person. He was also allegedly found in possession of marijuana. He was jailed on $2,000 bail or $4,000 bond. Ricks was also arrested by the Sheriff's Office on a charge of disobeying a court mandate for allegedly violating an order of protection.

Charles I. Farraro, 27, of Barron Road, Mount Morris, is charged with DWI, refusal to take breath test, moving from lane unsafely and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Farraro was stopped at 11:56 p.m. Tuesday on Walnut Street, Batavia, by Officer Darryle Streeter.

Samantha Lynn Gibbs, 27, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with unauthorized use of a computer. Gibbs is accused of gaining access to a computer network of another person and posting items on that network.

Jason Scott Stanley, 22, of Judge Road, Alabama, is charged with trespass. Stanley was arrested following an investigation into an ATV accident at 10:14 p.m. Monday at 7394 Hutton Road, Oakfield. Stanley was allegedly on private property without permission when she was involved in an ATV accident. Also charged, Amber Lynn Sharick, 22, of Lewiston Road, Batavia.

Stacey Lynn Santillo, 39, of Montclair Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Santillo is accused of shoplifting from Kohl's.

Dr. Russell Marchese Jr. -- 585-343-2711. Like us on Facebook for more information.

A one-car rollover accident is reported on the westbound Thruway at mile marker 385.5. The driver hit a guard rail, is out of the vehicle, and experiencing trouble breathing. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

City police are responding to the parking lot across from Bourbon & Burger Co. in Downtown Batavia, where a dog is said to be locked inside a dark green truck. It's 83 degrees outside this evening.