batavia

A three-car accident, blocking traffic, is reported at Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road and Downey Road. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy Medics are responding. One patient is complaining of leg pain.

Batavia's new frozen yogurt shop, Yo Twisters, on Jackson Street, officially opened late this afternoon, and as soon as Mercedes Rivera, left, and Tesla Phelinger heard the shop was open they headed right down.

They had sampled the frozen yogurt before and couldn't wait to try it again.

At Yo Twisters, when a customer walks in, he or she is directed to the back the store where the frozen yogurt machines are -- 15 of them. You can mix and match any flavors you like, and then top with any of a large variety of toppings.  You then pay according to the weight of your cup. 

SJS Launches Fund Raising Campaign! Also Calling for Alumni Nominations.

Batavia, NY – St. Joseph Catholic School is pleased to announce the establishment of the All Apostles’ Society, an annual giving society aimed at creating sustainability for the school. Alumni Tom and Jean Lichtenthal have agreed to act as honorary co-chairs for the campaign, which hopes to raise $50,000 by the end of the year.

With the closing of Holy Family School in Le Roy last year, the school has swelled to 300 students from 14 school districts and four different counties. While enrollment remains strong, school officials would like to guarentee the school remains viable for years to come. Principal Karen Green believes the time is right for the school to kick off this initiative.

“We have tremendous support from the church, our families and staff, and the community at large but we want to take steps now to ensure that St. Joe’s will be a vibrant part of the community for years to come,” Green said.

The campaign will be led by Development Director Chad Zambito and supported by the school’s advisory committee including Bryan Winters, a former Holy Family supporter that has made the transition to St Joe’s.

“It was difficult for us to witness the closing of Holy Family but we are very happy with St. Joe’s and want to make sure that parents in Genesee County and the region have an option to provide a Catholic education for their children,” Winters said.

The Lichtenthals both attended St. Joe’s and sent their three children to the school as well.

“St. Joe’s teaches so much more than academics, it gives these children a solid foundation of knowledge, morals and values that they can build on for the rest of their life," Tom said. “We have been involved in committees and fundraisers in the past and are looking forward to helping the school take another step toward sustainability.”

The campaign will kick off with a reception at T.F. Brown’s in Batavia on Aug. 22.

Meanwhile, officials have announced that the 54th annual Popcorn Ball will be held on Oct. 26 and will feature a “Corks and Forks” theme. Nominations are now being accepted for Outstanding Alumni awards.

For more information about the All Apostles’ Society or the Popcorn Ball, call 343-6154 or visit www.sjsbatavia.org.

City crews had Maple Street closed this morning for a water line repair.

Shante R. Williams, of 112 State St., upper, Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd, obstructing governmental administration, 2nd, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, exposure and trespass. Williams is accused of getting into an alleged altercation at 122 State St. at 1:10 a.m. When patrols arrived, Williams was allegedly wearing only a T-shirt. Williams allegedly resisted arrest.

Matthew D. Derrick, 28, of East Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, and menacing, 2nd. Derrick was arrested Friday by Le Roy PD after patrols were called to his residence on a complaint of a fight. He is accused of threatening a family member with a weapon. Derrick was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Tessecca T. Tundo, 25, of 130 W. Main Street, Room 5, Batavia, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs and unlicensed driver. Tundo was allegedly found driving while under the influence of drugs at 5:58 p.m. Friday, following an incident at 127 North St., Batavia.

Richmond Avenue, between Oak Street and State Street, will be milled Thursday and Friday between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Expect traffic delays while the work is taking place.

The following intersections will be subject to temporary closure during the work: Prospect Avenue, Ellicott Avenue, New York Place, Buxton Avenue and Verona Avenue.

Drivers are asked to not to park on the roadway during milling operations.

Residents and businesses will have access to their properties during milling work, but delays are possible when the work is being done in front of their properties.

All other traffic is asked to avoid the area.

The roadway is being prepared for repaving, which should take place in a couple of weeks.

You've heard of ice cream trucks coming down your street, but what if that ice cream truck could also bring you Big Pauly's pizza, or a hot dog, or chips and a soda?

That's kind of the thought Victor Thomas had when he decided to start his new business, the Quick Fix Snack Shack.

It's a snack shop on wheels.

Just like an ice cream truck, Thomas rolls down residential streets playing ice cream truck music (and some modern songs sampled to sound like ice cream truck music) in the hopes you'll want a snack.

Thomas started his new business two weeks ago and has taken it through Batavia, Le Roy and Elba. When we ran into each other today, he was headed to the yogurt plants to see how he might do with the lunch crowd for the first time.

He hopes to add other food items as the business grows, including this winter, soups, hot cocoa and coffee.

Major Michael J. Cerretto has been appointed commander of Troop A, NY State Police.

Here is a brief overveiw of his career with the State Police:

Major Michael J. Cerretto, 48, is a Navy veteran with more than 26 years of service with the New York State Police. He started his State Police career in 1987, serving as a uniform trooper in Troop E, Monroe County.

Cerretto was promoted to sergeant in 1991 and was assigned to Troop K, Westchester County. In 1992, Cerretto was transferred to Troop A where he was promoted to the position of Sergeant/Station Commander serving in Wellsville and Batavia.

In 1994, he was assigned as an Investigator with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) to work in the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force. He received his promotion to Lieutenant in 1996 working as both Uniform and BCI Lieutenant in Troops A and E. He is a graduate of 190th session of the FBI National Academy, in Quantico, Va.

In March 2003, Cerretto was promoted to Captain, accepting an assignment to the Internal Affairs Bureau in Syracuse. He returned to the uniform division in 2005, taking command of the Rochester area in Troop E.

In June 2013, Cerretto returned to Troop A, as the acting Troop Commander, receiving his promotion to Major in July. He is the 22nd Troop Commander in the 96 year history of Troop A.

As Troop A Commander, Cerretto oversees the State Police patrol and investigative operations in the eight (8) counties of Western New York. Under his command will be more than 453 civilian and sworn personnel.

Photo by Howard Owens.

Joseph Andrew Hernick, 64, of Seven Springs Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Hernick is accused of being verbally abusive and attempting to be physically intimidating toward a neighbor.

James A. Hancock, 44, of 318 E. Main St., Apt. 6, Batavia, is charged with aggravated criminal contempt. Hancock allegedly violated an order of protection while having a prior criminal contempt conviction within five years.

Patrick O. Spikes, 32, of 16 Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 3rd. Spikes is accused of damaging property of another person valued at more than $250 during an alleged incident on Holland Avenue at 2:30 a.m., Saturday.

Keluan B. Williams, 24, of 109 Summit St., Apt. 2, Batavia, is charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17 years old. The alleged incident was reported at 3:30 p.m., Saturday. No further details released.

Danny D. Williams, 24, of 18 East Ave., upper, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle on a public highway. Williams was allegedly found driving at 6:54 p.m. Saturday on Hutchins Place by Officer Chad Richards. At the time of the traffic stop, Williams allegedly had an open can of Natural Light beer in the driver's side cup holder.

Brandi A. Watts, 32, of Indian Falls Road, Corfu, is was arrested on a warrant yesterday following a court appearance on an unrelated matter. Watts is accused of failure to pay a fine on an overnight parking ticket in the City of Batavia.

Eric Alexander Ion, 40, of Brant Road, Brant, was arrested on bench warrants related to charges of criminal contempt, 1st, and assault, 3rd. Ion is accused of failing to appear on these charges. Ion is currently being held on bail in the Genesee County Jail on matters in Family Court.

Faith Brenda Obeirne, 45, of Mt. Read Boulevard, Rochester, was arrested on warrants for alleged petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Obeirne was arrested by Rochester PD and turned over to the Sheriff's Office. Obeirne was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Conor Patrick Wilkes, 25, of Lewiston Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Wilkes was stopped at 1:31 a.m. Saturday on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Justin Joseph Caryl, 26, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Caryl is accused of stealing $25.94 in merchandise from Walmart.

Jake Philip Myers, 23, of Maple Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08, failure to keep right and no or inadequate headlights. Myers was stopped at 1:48 a.m. Saturday on Edgerton Road, Elba, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Evelio Rodriguez-Santiago, 46, of Bergen, is charged with petit larceny. Rodriguez-Santiago is accused of stealing an item of value at a location on Church Street, Bergen, at 6:15 p.m., Saturday. Rodriguez-Santiago was arrested by State Police. No further details released.

Timothy J. Poblocki, 24, of East Bethany, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Poblocki was stopped at 1:45 p.m. Sunday on Route 20, Alexander, by State Police.

Jennifer N. Bujnowski, 39, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Bujnowski is accused of shoplifting at Walmart.

A Batavia man is facing 8 to 16 years in prison after guilty pleas this morning in Genesee County Court to two counts of burglary, 3rd, and one count of attempted burglary, 3rd.

Samuel G. Malone, 27, who lived on Walnut Street, but said in court this morning that he's now living at a rehab facility, was originally indicted on the attempted burglary charge as a "John Doe," because all investigators had was DNA evidence.

After Malone was convicted on a felony in another county, police were able to match his DNA to blood found on a broken window at 112 Ellicott St., Batavia, which was then the Ponderosa Steakhouse.

There was no apparent entry at the Ponderosa location and nothing was reported stolen.

But there were other burglaries in 2008, such as Clor's Meat Market, then on Pearl Street in the city, that investigators were able to link to Malone.

Malone will be sentenced Nov. 7.

There was a big turn out today in Batavia for the WNY Round-Up Rally.

The owner of a building on Lehigh Avenue discovered this morning that overnight about 20 windows on the south side of the structure were broken out.

Police are investigating, but suspect some kids in the neighborhood.

More than 100 former St. Jerome's Hospital employees got together Friday night at T.F. Brown's for old times' sake.

Betty Lupino said that for years she would run into former employees who would say, "we should get together, we should get together." But nobody was doing it, she said, "so I took the bull by the horns and called a few people."

"We're just people who worked together and we got along well and we wanted to renew old acquaintances," she said.

Pictured, from left, Maudie Kahn, Lupino, Gloria Grohs, Mike Rimmer and Don Lewis.

Eric Dibble enjoyed teaching science to high school students, but he was still drawn to a career in law enforcement even after getting his master's degree and earning multiple teaching credentials.

His attraction to law enforcement is not surprising. He comes from a law enforcement family -- his father is Gordon Dibble, the chief deputy in charge of road patrol for Genesee County.

When the younger Dibble took a job three years ago with the Batavia Police Department. It was the right decision for him at the time, he said, and he's glad he did it. 

Since then, though, he's become the father of two children and what was acceptable before he had a family is less so now.

As a young cop on the force, he's still working a lot of nights. The hours can be unpredictable. Then there is what Dibble describes as "the heaviness" of not knowing what comes next.

"It's a different world for me now than when I got hired," Dibble said.

He also still had those degrees and credentials to fall back on.

Those factors, more than anything else, led him to reconsider his career choice.

Friday was Dibble's last evening shift in Batavia blue. At the end of the night, he turned in his badge and put away his service pistol for the last time.

This fall, Officer Dibble becomes Mr. Dibble again. He will be teaching science at a school in Monroe County.

"I realized I just can't keep doing this forever," Dibble said. "It's a great job, but it wears kind of heavy on my mind. There's some stress factors that are unique to the job and the career. I personally am looking to ease my mind of those kind of things and get back to a normal lifestyle."

Chief Shawn Heubusch said Dibble will be missed.

"He's a fine young officer," Heubusch said. "It has been a pleasure to know Eric over the time I've been here. I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors."

If you've never met Eric Dibble, he's an instantly likable man with an obviously warm spirit and kind heart. He's also got enough backbone to be firm when he needs to be.

In other words, he's what any professional police department should want in a young officer.

And being a police officer, Dibble said, is a great career. He just decided it would be better for him and his family if earned his living in a classroom rather than on city streets.

"There was no traumatizing or sobering moment (that changed his mind)," Dibble said. "It was just a gradual, growing general heaviness, if I can explain it that way, of being in uniform, of being on call, of not knowing what the next thing is going to be. Is it going to be nothing? Is it going to be something? Is it going to be the biggest thing that ever happened in Batavia? The biggest thing that ever happened in New York State? I guess it's just one of those things where it's the not knowing that for me was heavy.

"Everybody's different," he added. "Some people thrive off that, some people don't think about it, but for me is was quite a thing, I guess."

The fact that Dibble decided to go back to teaching doesn't mean other young people shouldn't consider a career in law enforcement he said. If it's something you think you can be passionate about, he said, you should do it, but do it while you're young. His advice, get your career established before you have a family.

"This is the type of career that is a calling almost, where if you have the desire to do it, you probably should," Dibble said. "You probably should because a lot of people do and they love it and they stay with it and it's a great career.

If you're going to become a police officer, he said, you should be attracted to the career for the right reasons.

"You've got to be somebody with a good set of morals," Dibble said. "You've got to be principled and really believe in the package of a good police officer and a good police department, which should always be helping the community.

"You're a role model," he added. "You've got to care about society and want to try and make it better. You can't just do it for the action or what you see on TV, because a lot of what police do is hugely distorted on television. Those are the wrong reasons."

Perhaps not surprisingly, those are the same qualities Dibble thinks make for a good teacher.

"I've always felt strongly about the positive influence a teacher can have on a student," Dibble said. "I think I appreciate more what bad pathways people can take from school moving forward. I feel more how impressionable kids are at that age. It makes me feel that the responsibility is even greater for people who work with kids at that age."

Even in just three years, Dibble has seen a lot of changes in the police department. The most positive change he's seen, he said, is the increased emphasis on community policing.

The concept of community policing has been around for several decades. The philosophy puts an emphasis on interaction between cops on the beat and the people of the community. The idea is to get officers from out behind the wheel of their cars and only responding to calls, to walking patrols, talking to people and developing relationships.

Dibble said community policing not only gives citizens a greater sense of security, but it helps the officer, too.

"If you just handle calls and you come back to the station, it's kind of us and the world outside who call on us for help," Dibble said. "Then it's always kind of depressing, or always an issue, but if you get out in the community it does a lot of good for officers. They get a chance to mix and have these positive interactions, which offsets any negative interactions you might have."

As Dibble returns to teaching, he goes back to the classroom with a whole new set of experiences. Not too many teachers have been in the homes of arguing parents and teens, or seen firsthand the direct result of young lives that have gone off track. What Dibble has seen while on patrol in Batavia will certainly carry over into his interactions with students, he said.

"It's going to make me think about the whole package when I have my student in front of me," Dibble said. "What's going on at home, in his personal life and how is that affecting what I'm seeing in the classroom? It definitely gives me an understanding of the big picture and how it affects what a student is going through in school."

An RV is reportedly on fire in the area of mile marker 387 in the westbound lanes of the Thruway.

Town of Batavia fire dispatched.

The operator of the RV called in the fire and said they are towing a vehicle and there are five dogs inside the RV.

UPDATE 9:10 p.m.: A trooper on scene reports all dogs are out safely. The RV is not engulfed. Only wires are burning.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants on Monday Aug. 12, from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area south of East Main Street and east of Jackson Street.

Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about 5 minutes or until clear.

Timothy A. Vail Jr., the 15-year-old reported missing by his mother earlier this week, has been located and is safe.

Inductees for the 12th Annual Batavia High School Athletic Hall of Fame have been announced.

This years inductees are: Wayne Fuller, Todd Cayea, John Bernard, Brett Wormley, James Bernard, Michael Rogers, Lance Cayea and Julie Redband Varland.

The hall of fame dinner is Sept. 21, with social hour at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 each.

Tickets are available at the Athletic Directors office located at Batavia High School. For more information please call (585) 343-2480, ext. 2003.

The event is sponsored by the Batavia Coaches Association.

Press release:

Documentary filmmaker Ramona Persaud is exploring how teachers can use brain science to engage students of all ages and academic abilities in her new film “Grey Matters,” which begins production next month at Batavia High School, in Batavia, N.Y.

The film will follow three schools over the course of the 2013-2014 school year—Batavia High School, Batavia, N.Y., Roland Park Elementary in Baltimore, Md., and Westmoreland Community College in Youngwood, Pa., — as they implement the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model, developed by Mariale Hardiman, Ed.D., co-founder and director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Neuro-Education Initiative.

Hardiman’s teaching model, developed in 2003 and currently being practiced by more than 300 educators in schools around the world, promotes critical, divergent thinking that equips students with real-world knowledge and the ability to use it.

Persaud’s film will examine the question “Can neuroscience remake the teaching process, and if yes, what does that look like in practice?” The three teachers featured in Persaud’s documentary will implement Hardiman’s model, which designates six brain targets for the teaching and learning process. 

The film will follow these teachers in their mission to shift the learning process for their students, and transform school into a place where students learn to solve problems that require answers, instead of a place where students solve problems that have pre-determined answers.

Persaud was inspired to create this film after attempting to home-school her preschool daughter. Persaud discovered Hardiman’s Brain-Targeted Teaching Model and believed this model could be beneficial for not just her own daughter, but for all students.

“Like most parents, I want my kids to receive the best education possible,” Persaud says. “This teaching model really clarifies how kids process information. By following three classrooms over one school year, this film will illustrate what brain-based teaching really looks like, and how it can measurably improve academic performance.”

About Ramona Persaud:

Ramona Persaud is an independent documentary filmmaker, writer, and photographer. "Grey Matters" is her second film. Persaud’s first film, "It’s a Different World," explores the world of autism through the eyes of three autistic children. Visit www.greymattersdocumentary.com for more information.

About Mariale Hardiman:

Mariale Hardiman, Ed.D., is the assistant dean for Urban School Partnerships and Clinical Professor of Education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, and the co-founder and director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Neuro-Education Initiative. Before joining Johns Hopkins in 2006, Hardiman served in the Baltimore City Public Schools for more than 30 years. As the principal of Roland Park Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, Md., she led the school to its designation as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.  With the use of the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model that Hardiman developed, the school was recognized by the Kennedy Center as a School of Distinction for arts programming and arts integration. Visit www.braintargetedteaching.org for more information. 

Corey James Hemmer, 27, of South Main Street, Elba, is charged with resisting arrest. Hemmer allegedly resisted when a deputy attempted to place him under arrest on a bench warrant. The warrant was related to a petit larceny charge out of Lockport.

Stephen William Miles, 51, of North Street Albion, is charged with petit larceny. Miles is accused of participating with David Martin in the theft of a 46" LED television from Kmart on Sunday night. Miles was jailed on $1,000 bail.

TyAnna Desiree Green, 18, of Lewis Place, Batavia, is was arrested on bench warrants out of the Town of Batavia, for alleged failure to appear. Green was jailed on $500 bail.

Christopher J. Clark, 33, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Clark is accused of shoplifting from Walmart. Clark was arrested by State Police.

Michael T. Sawyer, 23, of Lockport, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Sawyer arrested by State Police on Skye Road, Alabama.