Photo of (from left to right): Cooper Banser, Jeremiah Childs, Kahler Evans, and Greyson Fix
Press Release:
Eleven seniors from Batavia High School will compete for the title of “Mr. Batavia” at the 12th annual competition, which will be held on Friday, April 4, at 7 p.m. in the Frank E. Owen Auditorium at Batavia High School.
Each contestant represents a local organization. The 1st place winner will receive 50% of the profit from ticket sales and donations to go to their chosen organization. The 2nd and 3rd place winners each receive 25% of the profits for their chosen organizations. Mr. Batavia has raised and donated $43,052 since 2013.
The 2025 contestants are:
Cooper Banser: Crossroads House
Jeremiah Childs: The Neri Family through Reece's Rainbow
Kahler Evans: Bella's Bumbas
Greyson Fix: The Ricky Palermo Foundation
Will Fulton: Genesee Cancer Assistance
Cooper Konieczny: Volunteers for Animals
Anthony Kopper: Suicide Prevention of Genesee County
Marcus Nichols: Habitat for Humanity
Gavynn Trippany: Roswell Cancer Center
Myles Wahr: Muscular Dystrophy Association
Matt Wittmeyer: All Babies Cherished
Hostesses for the evening’s event include: Ava Anderson and Mia Pellegrino. Event choreographers and backstage managers include: Lily Emerson and Bridget Taggart.
Additional members of the Mr. Batavia Committee include: Maddy Bellamy, Allie Bisnett, Brooke Callahan, Hannah Carney, Ally Crater, Bella DeVay, Trishelle Gibson, London Graham, Faith Guiste, Isabella Hutchinson, Kassandra Kesler, Kelsey Kirkwood, Jaimin Macdonald, Kayla Richenberg, Teagyn Thomas, Payton Vickery, and Ally Wormley.
Tickets are $10 each and will be available for students to purchase during school lunches the week of March 31 and at the door for the community.
Lisa Robinson, Mr. Batavia's advisor, would like to thank the Batavia City School Foundation for its help and support in collecting and distributing funds to local organizations.
Additional thanks to: Charles Men Shop, Main St. Pizza, Zach Korzelius at Geico Insurance, LP Graphics in LeRoy, Extreme Streetwear, Beverly's Flowers and Gifts, and the students and staff at BHS. We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the organizations represented at the show and their work on behalf of our community.
You can follow along with the Mr. Batavia competition on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mr.batavia, and the hashtag #mrb25.
Photo of (from left to right): Will Fulton, Cooper Konieczny, Cooper Konieczny, and Marcus Nichols
Photo of (from left to right): Myles Wahr, Gavynn Trippany, and Matt Wittmeyer
The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors will consider an initial resolution at its March 27 meeting for Batavia Cold Storage, LLC for a 7,040 sq ft facility on three acres at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in the town of Batavia.
The $800,000 investment will create a cold storage facility to manufacture ice to be bagged and stored for distribution to local companies. The project will create two full-time equivalent positions with an estimated annual salary range between $26,000 and $52,000.
Batavia Cold Storage, LLC is requesting a sales tax exemption estimated at $28,729, a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $7,200, and a property tax abatement estimated at $65,717 based on the incremental increase in assessed value via a new traditional 10-year PILOT. The project is estimated to generate $917,882 in local fiscal impacts, including payroll and tax revenues, for an estimated $12 local benefit for every $1 of requested incentives.
If the proposed project application is advanced, a public hearing will be scheduled in the town of Batavia.
The GCEDC board of directors will also consider a supplemental initial resolution for Appletree Acres, LLC. The company is proposing to add a 20,000 square-foot expansion to an existing 50,000 square-foot warehouse in the Apple Tree Acres corporate park. A smaller version of the project was previously considered in December 2024.
The new $1.237 million investment would create four full-time equivalent positions with an estimated annual salary range between $45,000 and $65,000 plus benefits.
Appletree Acres, LLC is requesting a sales tax exemption estimated at $58,800 and a property tax abatement estimated at $213,336 based on the incremental increase in assessed value generated by the expansion. The project is estimated to generate $3.1 million in local fiscal impacts, including payroll and tax revenues, for an estimated $14 local benefit for every $1 of requested incentives.
If the revised project application is advanced, a supplemental public hearing will be scheduled in the town of Bergen.
The GCEDC board meeting will be on Thursday, March 27 at 4 p.m. at the MedTech Center’s Innovation Zone, 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia.
Meeting materials and links to a live stream/on-demand recording of the meeting is available at www.gcedc.com.
A group of friends and I share music-related messages through e-mail fairly regularly and the other day one of them shared a newspaper article that mentioned the rock band The Byrds were going to play at Batavia High School.
The undated article is clear that the concert was at Batavia High School. It may have been sponsored by Genesee County College (a group member found another article mentioning the Bob Seger System playing the series, which is what started the discussion).
An article in the Buffalo Courier-Express, from the Batavia Bureau, mentioned that while students got band members' autographs after the show, one enterprising fan grabbed one of the auditorium's plastic chairs and then had band members sign it.
Then, police spotted the youth, not named in the article, running across the parking lot with the chair. He was charged with petit larceny and released on $25 bail.
So, who was this young fan? Do you know? Was it you? We want to solve this mystery and get the rest of the story. Email me, please, at howard@thebatavian.com
Genesee Community College is pleased to host the Virtual Business Trade Fair on Thursday, April 3. The trade fair will be set up in GCC's William H. Stuart Forum at the Batavia Campus from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for everyone to come and enjoy some virtual shopping.
The Virtual Business Trade Fair, facilitated and hosted by the Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) Program, provides students enrolled in economics and entrepreneurship courses with a hands-on learning opportunity to apply the theories, practices and knowledge from their classroom learning to an almost-real innovative business venture.
The students work collaboratively to develop all the components of a successful virtual business. They begin by writing mission statements and conducting extensive research into product features and competition, and then culminate their work in building advertising pieces and their trade fair displays.
The students' trade fair goal is to sell their products or services and allow the attendees to make purchases with virtual dollars. Community members are invited to come, pick up virtual spending dollars, shop any of the companies and support our local students. Thousands of virtual dollars will be given out to attendees to "spend." At the end of the trade fair, the business or school with the most virtual dollars and virtual sales will be recognized.
As in years past, high schoolers from the GLOW Region counties will come to the forum and set up booths to "sell" their virtual products and services. This year will feature the following high schooler-created companies:
Batavia High School featuring Thrive; 5 Star VIP Apparel; Unique
Geneseo High School featuring Genny Merch; Boujee Beans
LeRoy High School featuring Snack Sphere; Gear-X; Adrenaline Apparel; Templar Fitness
Oakfield-Alabama High School featuring Marty's In and Out Cleaning
Pavilion High School featuring JumpStart; Candy Shack; Goat's All In One; Cosmic Cleats
Volunteer bankers from M&T Bank will be on-site to help the virtual businesses to track and manage their sales.
For more information about the Virtual Business Trade Fair please contact Director of ACE Programs, Ann Valento at amvalento@genesee.edu
Come to the Holland Land Office Museum between 5 and 8 p.m. for extended hours on Wednesday, April 2 for those who cannot make it during our regularly scheduled ones! You will get personal tours from staff and volunteers! We hope to see you there! Admission is the regular pricing listed on our website!
Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of our Trivia Night @ the Museum on Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. With the coming of the opening day of the baseball season, test your knowledge of the Baseball Hall of Fame and the players enshrined there. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next act of our Concert Series on Friday, April 11 at 7 p.m. Classical guitarist Tom Torrisi will be showcasing his amazing talents, performing a concert of solo guitar music dating from the 17th to the 21st century. The program will include a selection of original compositions as well as music by giants of the classical guitar.
Tom Torrisi is a guitarist and composer based in Buffalo. Tom is currently a member of the faculty at SUNY Fredonia and teaches Balinese gamelan classes with Nusantara Arts in Buffalo. Admission is $5 or $4 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its next presenter in its Guest Speaker Series on April 17 at 7 p.m. Greg Kinal will be presenting "Target Tokyo" on the Doolittle Raid that bombed Tokyo in 1942. Mr. Kinal, a former teacher at Pembroke Central Schools, will deal with General Jimmy Doolittle's raid on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Among the pilots was Edward York, a Batavia native. Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.
Join us at the Holland Land Office Museum for the next edition of the Java with Joe Series on Thursday, April 24 at 9 a.m. This month's presenter is Jo Louis Wilkes, a former nurse at the VA Medical Center in Batavia and a historian of the VA system particularly in Batavia. Admission is free with coffee and donuts provided by Tim Horton's of Batavia. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next presenter in our Guest Speaker Series on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. Ben Kemp, of U.S. Grant's Cottage Historic Site will be presenting, "A Yankee Galvanized Yankee: The Man Who Fought on Both Sides of the Civil War." He will share the incredibly unusual tale of Hugh Clemons. Learn about the circumstances that brought a man born and raised in the Southern Adirondacks of New York State into the service of the Confederate army and how he eventually ended up on the other side of the fight.
Ben Kemp has been a staff member at Grant Cottage Historic Site since 2014, has published numerous online articles, and is a contributing author to the book "Grant at 200: Reconsidering the Life and Legacy of Ulysses S. Grant." Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
Committee members and presenters prepare for the Spring 2025 series of Books Sandwiched In. Pictured from left to right are Rob Dumo, Megan Boring, Cathy Uhly, and Richard Beatty. Not pictured: Christina Mortellaro Frank, Laura Dumuhosky, and Ted Hawley. Submitted photo.
Press Release:
The Richmond Memorial Library will present the Spring 2025 series of Books Sandwiched In on Wednesdays in April! Books Sandwiched In is a book review series that is now entering its 44th year.
Since the Fall of 1981, the program has invited guest speakers to present reviews of books, generally non-fiction.
Sessions will take place on April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 at 12:10 to 1 p.m. Coffee, tea, and cookies will be served and there will be a drawing for a door prize at each session! Attendees are not required to read the books prior to the program.
The theme for Spring 2025 is Graphic Novels! What exactly is a graphic novel? A helpful definition from the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library explains that “’Graphic Novel’ is a format, not a genre. Graphic novels can be fiction, non-fiction, history, fantasy, or anything in-between.” While similar to comic books in that they tell a story through sequential art, graphic novels are generally standalone stories with more complex plots.
Wednesday, April 2: RML Librarian Laura Dumuhosky and Christina Mortellaro Frank, Director of the TRIO Adult Educational Opportunity Center at GCC, will review Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman. “A brutally moving work of art--widely hailed as the greatest graphic novel ever written--Maus recounts the chilling experiences of the author's father during the Holocaust. Maus is a haunting tale within a tale, weaving the author's account of his tortured relationship with his aging father into an astonishing retelling of one of history's most unspeakable tragedies.”
Wednesday, April 9: Megan Boring, MOMS Program Coordinator at Rochester Regional Health-UMMC, reviews Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos, a graphic novel memoir by Lucy Knisley. “This moving, hilarious, and surprisingly informative memoir not only follows motherhood but also illustrates the history and science of reproductive health from all angles, including curious facts and inspiring (and notorious) figures in medicine and midwifery.”
Wednesday, April 16: Ted Hawley, Head of Operations at New York Craft Malt, LLC reviews The Comic Book Story of Beer: The World's Favorite Beverage from 7000 BC to Today's Craft Brewing Revolution by Hennessy, Smith and McConnell. “We drink it. We love it. But how much do we really know about beer? Starting from around 7000 BC, beer has emerged as a major element driving humankind's development, a role it has continued to play through today's craft brewing explosion. Authors Jonathan Hennessey and Mike Smith team up with illustrator Aaron McConnell to present the key figures, events, and, yes, beers that shaped and frequently made history.” Ted sadly can’t bring beer samples, but he’ll bring samples of components used in brewing!
Wednesday, April 23: Richard Beatty, community advocate and volunteer, will review Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel by Richard Minnear. “For decades, readers throughout the world have enjoyed the marvelous stories and illustrations of Dr. Seuss. But few know the work Geisel did as a political cartoonist during World War II, for the New York daily newspaper PM. In these extraordinarily trenchant cartoons, Geisel presents "a provocative history of wartime politics" (Entertainment Weekly).”
Wednesday, April 30: Artist and illustrator Rob Dumo reviews Watchmen by Alan Moore. “A work of fiction, Watchmen, the groundbreaking series from award-winning author Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, presents a world where the mere presence of American superheroes changed history—the U.S. won the Vietnam War, Nixon is still president, and the Cold War is in full effect. Rob will also share his perspective as a comic book artist, award winning caricature artist and a freelance illustrator.”
Books Sandwiched In is sponsored by the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library. To learn more about library programs, visit batavialibrary.org.
After a review of Batavia City Schools’ budget Monday evening, Business Administrator Andrew Lang asked for questions, and Board President John Marucci had a big one.
“With what’s happening with the Education Department federally, how is this going to harm us in the future?” Marucci said.
That was a question Lang couldn’t answer, he said. And he’s not alone. School district and Genesee Valley School Boards Association officials have been wondering the same thing.
Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on March 20 to close the U.S. Education Department, but that has not taken hold just yet since it requires Congressional approval and there have been legal challenges to the move. Court action and political opposition have risen against the effort to dismantle the department, and key functions remain in place for now.
“I unfortunately don’t have a crystal ball, so I wouldn’t be able to speak to that,” Lang said. “What we’ve done in this budget is attempt to protect as much as possible the programming that’s vital that’s federally funded for our district, including positions that are paid through federal grant funds and other initiatives through federal grants.
“So we’ve done as much as possible to protect that in the event that any of that funding is decreased to us," he said. “We don’t really know at this point.”
Superintendent Jason Smith added that it does not seem likely that federal funding for title and special education grants will be impacted.
“Maybe they may be managed by another department, perhaps,” Smith said. “But as far as the funding that we get to fund (positions and to meet special education goals), at this point, I’m fairly confident they’re staying intact. But we want to be extra cautious.”
As for the proposed 2025-26 budget, it remains at a tax levy increase of $451,000, or 2.22%, for about 35 cents more per $1,000 assessed property value. A home assessed at $200,000 would mean a tax rate of $16.05 per $1,000 and a property tax increase of $69.80 per year, if there is no assessment change.
The $63.3 million budget is a $3 million jump from the current year and includes the replacement of retiring personnel: six teachers, a secretary and administrator.
The public budget hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 12 at the District Office of Batavia High School, 260 State St., Batavia, and the budget vote is May 20.
Kioti Tractor Coyotes won the Batavia Mens hockey League Championship, sunday morning at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Kioti Tractor Coyotes beat the Pellegrino Auto Sales Penguins 3-1, on Sunday at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena to win the Batavia Men's League Hockey Championship.
After a scoreless first period, fourteen seconds into the second period, the Coyotes scored a goal by Nick Busch with assists fom Dan Calkins and Pierce Corbelli. Thirteen seconds later, the Penguins tied it up 1-1 on an unassisted goal by Dylan Versage.
The Penguins got back-to-back penalties late in the second, and with five minutes left, Busch scored his second goal on the power play to give the Coyotes the lead going in the locker room and ice re-surface.
In the third period, Busch scores his third goal for the hat trick on passes from Joe Mahler and Dan Calkins to secure the victory and give the championship to the Coyotes, managed by Tom Martell.
Busch said he's proud of his teammate's effort in the game.
"We have a great group of guys," he said. "Everybody skated hard. Everybody played hard all year."
He called Jerod Penke, Coyotes' goalie and the game's MVP, the best player in the league.
"This is my first ever championship, and the BMHL, it's a whole lot of fun," Penke said. "This group of guys has been really fun this year, and went out and played really good all year, came in first, I think, in the regular season, came and won it all. It was great to do it with these guys."
Radio Broadcaster Steven Pies, announcing the game for 1490 WBTA, interviews Guy and joe Pellegrino from Pellegrino Auto Sales during the second intermission. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Tom Martell , team sponsor for Kioti Tractor, pictured with his sons Nick and Tim. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Independent Living of the Genesee Region is now offering Drop-In hours for young adults (ages 18 to 24) every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. No registration is needed.
If you are looking for a calm place to play a game or make some art, an Independent Living Specialist will be available and ready to assist. Independent Living of the Genesee Region is located at 319 West Main St., Batavia.
Thanks to funding from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation and in partnership with the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs program, a conference room has been converted into a living room. This comfortable space can accommodate a group so no need to call ahead, just drop by any Thursday afternoon.
The covid pandemic forced many young people to study at home and shy away from regular activities that would have provided opportunities to form friendships. The isolation is real for this age group with many struggling to find safe ways to connect and meet people.
Independent Living Centers are designed and funded to assist people with disabilities. One definition of a disability is any condition that limits life activities. Feelings of panic, anxiety and stress can contribute to mental health challenges and become a disability impacting daily living. It’s important to know you are not alone.
Our Center offers a number of services that can lead to a better quality of life. We are a safe place where you can get to know people, maybe make some friends, and learn about options for your future.
Thanks to generous support from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation, Independent Living has two full-time Youth Specialists. Contact Kahlil Simon at ksimon@wnyil.org or Emma Pratt at epratt@wnyil.org or call 585-815-8501 to learn more.
Independent Living of the Genesee Region is a member of the Western New York Independent Living, Inc. family of agencies which offers an expanding array of services to aid people with disabilities to take control of their own lives.
Photo of the winning logo design for the 2026 Tech Wars, courtesy of GCC.
Press Release:
Genesee Community College (GCC) proudly welcomed over 700 middle and high school technology students and their teachers from across the GLOW region to the 16th Annual Tech Wars. This competition provided a platform for students to showcase their skills and ingenuity through a variety of technology-based challenges.
Tech Wars is the culmination of a year's worth of preparation by students and educators, with each event carefully crafted and coordinated by the dedicated technology teachers of the GLOW region. The event receives significant support from GCC's Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) Department, GCC faculty and staff, as well as many generous local businesses that sponsor the competition and actively participate in the day's activities.
This year, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, the Tech Wars organizing committee was able to award three $300 scholarships to deserving seniors from participating GLOW region schools. Scholarship recipients demonstrated outstanding dedication to technology and plan to pursue careers, apprenticeships or post-secondary education in technology-related fields. The 2024 scholarship winners were:
Catherine Staley - Geneseo High School
Kasey Pagels - Byron Bergen High School
Laylanna Oliveria - Pioneer High School
Sponsors for 2025 Tech Wars:
Gold Sponsors: Amada Tool America, Barilla America NY, Graham Corporation, I.B.E.W. Local 86, Liberty Pumps, Northeast Industrial Tech, Power & Construction Group
Silver Sponsors: Chapin International, Maple Moon Farms, Morton Salt, RTMA/FLYAP, Six Flags Darien Lake, Takeform & Traco Manufacturing
Overall Winners:
Middle School Division:
1st Place: Batavia Middle School (28 points)
2nd Place: Warsaw Middle School (16 points)
3rd Place: York Middle School (15 points)
High School Division:
1st Place: Geneseo High School (27 points)
2nd Place: Dansville High School (24 points)
3rd Place: Batavia High School (23 points)
Additionally, the winning logo design for the 2026 Tech Wars was created by Giana Strollo from Batavia High School.
Middle School Events: Bridge, Catapult, CO2 Cars (Concept & Race), Logo Design, Lumber Labyrinth, Makers Showcase, Mystery, Paper Airplanes, Rube Goldberg, Sculpture, Skimmer Cars & Technical Drawing
High School Events: Bridge, CO2 Cars (Concept & Race), Drone Racing, Logo Design, Lumber Labyrinth, Makers Showcase, Mini Sumo Bots, Mystery, Regatta Race & Theme, Reverse Engineer CAD, Robotic Tractor Pull, Sculpture, Skimmer Cars, SUMO Bots & Trebuchet
GCC extends its gratitude to all the students, teachers, sponsors, and volunteers who made this year's Tech Wars a success. We look forward to continuing this tradition of innovation and excellence in 2026!
For more information contact Vice President Development, Admissions and External Affairs Justin M. Johnston at 585-345-6809, or via email: jmjohnston@genesee.edu
Paul Marchese’s turn to computers came about in college when a professor suggested a new degree program might be right for him.
Before he even graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in computer science and mathematics, he had started -- in 1981 -- his own business in Batavia.
"I've always had a drive to try and help people to solve a problem and make technology work for them," Marchese said.
That passion has led Marchese to participate in the publication of a couple of books. The latest was released earlier this month, and Marchese contributed one of the essays in The Cyber Playbook (published by BigRedMedia), "The major cyber dangers that could topple your business."
Drawing on his own experience, Marchese writes about how employees -- and even owners -- can be duped through social engineering (using deception to get a person to divulge information they shouldn't) and phishing (a type of social engineering) to gain access to sensitive data.
We're busy, inattentive, not aware, and with a click, poof, critical data is gone, or maybe encrypted, in what's called a ransomware attack.
Marchese discusses some of the measures businesses can take to protect themselves from these attacks.
"The biggest point that I can stress to anyone I'm talking to, is cybersecurity is not a set and forget; doesn't work," Marchese said. "The old stalwarts today, the Macafees, the Nortons, all those anti-virus programs, none of them work. It's all essentially placebo based."
Marchese promotes managed services, layers of security and an AI-driven security program called Sentinel One.
"We've been using it for almost five years," Marchese said. "The tech is continually changing, and the way hackers come in is continually changing. It's a moving target. That's why I said it's not set and forget it."
Marchese's first book was self-published and written for the non-IT person to help him or her understand the computer technology and wired world.
"I think it was chapter 10 in that book that was terminology," Marchese said. "I armed them with all the nomenclature an IT person would normally make themselves look better because they'd use these terms that nobody understands."
Marchese’s first collaborative book project came out a year ago, "From Exposed to Secure" (published by Morgan James). The book also covers a range of cybersecurity issues. Marchese's chapter is "Your Workforce Is Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risk." It provides eight best practices to reduce the risk.
Over the past 44 years, Marchese Computers, 220 Ellicott St., Batavia, has grown from one employee to 10 employees. The mission has remained the same, Marchese said.
"My goal is to remove the stress, the worry from whoever I touch, as far as a client, so they can grow their business because it's symbiotic," Marchese said. "They grow, we grow, and it has worked very well for me."
By lasting more than four decades, Marchese has had plenty of opportunity to kid his uncle, Vic Marchese, owner of Main St. Pizza Company, about his decision not to invest in Paul's company early on.
"I said, 'How'd you like to buy half of my company for $1,500, and he goes, 'I don't know; no, I don’t think so. Computers are just a fad.' Computers are just a fad. I will never let him live that down. And I keep telling him, 'Oh, just a fad, huh?'"
Dean K. Houk, 55, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and multiple traffic violations. On March 7, a police officer reportedly observed Houk drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Houk allegedly led police on a pursuit through the city until stopped at West Main Street and Oak Street. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Jamie Stephen Vosburgh, 36, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and insufficient tail lamps. Vosburgh was stopped at 10:26 p.m. on March 16 on Cole Road, Le Roy, by Deputy Zachary Hoy. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Brandon Charles Dodd, 38, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dodd is accused of shoplifting from Target on Veterans Memorial Drive, Bataiva, at 11:56 a.m. on March 6. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.
Jennifer C. Moscicki, 48, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Moscicki is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on March 11. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Mercedes Ramon-Rodriguez, 31, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. She is accused of leaving a 3-year-old at home alone. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Kelly J. Mungo, 49, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Mungo is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on March 6. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Mary A Ingles, 70, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Ingles was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on March 5 on Richmond Avenue. She was issued traffic tickets and released.
Bill A. Thomas, 65, is charged with trespass. Thomas was found inside the City Centre Mall on March 7 in violation of a previous order to keep of the premises. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Jazmyn R. Bater, 20, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Bater is accused of striking another person in the head several times on March 7 while the other person was holding a child. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Jennifer N. Wilson, 38, of Auburndale, Fla., was arrested on March 9 on a warrant. She allegedly failed to appear on charges from Feb. 26, 2024, of criminal trespass 2nd, obstructing governmental administration, and resisting arrest. She was arraigned and released.
Photo by Howard Owens/The Batavian reprinted in the report from the department's Police Memorial Ceremony.
In 2024, Batavia PD handled big crimes, petit crimes, and no crimes and participated in multiple community events, according to the department's annual report.
In all, the department made 635 arrests, which included a murder, nine robberies, 23 felony assaults, 56 thefts, four kidnappings, 66 drug possessions, 44 DWIs, and four sex offenses.
The department did not release a report in 2024, so 2023's arrest data is unavailable.
The 2025 report does provide comparison data for total calls for service. There were 22,116 calls for service last year and 21,617 in 2022. During the COVID years, calls for service dropped. There were 21,264 calls for service in 2019.
Those calls included 1,120 domestic incidents, which is a slight increase from the previous year, as well as 802 disturbance calls. The police investigated 920 larcenies, which was down from 2023 and 2022, when larceny reports peaked over 1,000. Mental health calls were down from nearly a thousand in 2023 to 715 in 2024.
The number of domestic violence victims has steadily decreased since 2020, when there were 248 victims reported. There were 146 in 2024.
Officers responded to 371 alarm calls, 410 9-1-1 hang-up calls, and 508 animal complaints and conducted 641 welfare checks.
Patrols conducted 3,207 traffic stops and wrote 1,790 citations.
There were 493 motor vehicle crashes reported.
The department was involved in multiple community events, including Batavia Community Night, Shop with a Cop, Trunk-or-Treat, and Juneteenth, as well as department members participating in charity softball and hockey games.
The most significant case of the year was the death of Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello of the Sheriff's Office. He died while trying to deal with unruly patrons at Batavia Downs. Batavia's officers and detectives handled the investigation. Michael Elmore was eventually convicted of manslaughter in the case.
"The men and women of the City of Batavia Police Department go above and beyond each and every day to ensure the safest possible neighborhoods and streets," said Chief Shawn Heubusch in his opening message. "Our civilian staff makes sure that the department operates as efficiently as possible and are to be recognized for their hard work as well. I thank all the members of the Department for their service and sacrifice as we enter into a new year."
A 33-year-old Batavia man will serve up to 20 years in federal prison on a conviction of production and possession of child pornography, a U.S district judge ruled on Thursday.
Derek Hagen admitted to the child pornography charges on Sept. 7, 2022. He was arrested in November 2021.
Hagen's most recently known employment at the Brockport Childhood Development Center as an assistant teacher in the infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms.
According to Kyle P. Rossi, assistant U.S. attorney, the evidence compiled against Hagen showed that the former teacher engaged in a pattern of sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 4 and 8. Hagen photographed and videoed himself, subjecting the victim to sexual contact. Hagen then distributed the images to other people over the internet.
Rossi also said that Hagan, while employed in Brockport, produced and possessed sexually explicit images of children entrusted to his care. The children ranged in age from six months to five years. Hagen produced these images while changing diapers and assisting children who were learning to use the bathroom. Hagen distributed the images of these children to other individuals over the internet.
Hagen also possessed approximately 50,000 images and videos of child pornography that he received from others via the internet.
The case was investigated by the State Police, Homeland Security, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Spencer Efing, Kevin Partridge, Seth Coburn, Anthony Haitz Photo by Howard Owens.
This weekend, Batavia Players presents at the Main St. 56 Theater Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale."
The production is directed by Patrick D. Burk with a script adapted by Burk and Tess Uline.
The Players promise a play of romance that is filled with surprises, modern-day twists, and glam. The play is a tale of love, jealousy, and redemption, and staged by the Players in a contemporary way, bringing characters to life for today's world.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets are $22 for adults ($24 at the door) with discounts for students and seniors. Tickets are available at bataviaplayers.org.
CM Waide Photo by Howard Owens.
Cassandra O'Connell, Celeste Vescovi (seated), Sophie Houseman Photo by Howard Owens.
Anthony Haitz and Sophie Houseman Photo by Howard Owens.
Anthony Haitz and Sophie Houseman Photo by Howard Owens.
Please be advised that the Town of Batavia Water Department will be replacing a water service line on Shepard Road, near the intersection of Ellicott Street Road, on March 18 and 19 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Traffic will be closed on Shepard Road in the area where the work is being performed. Please use an alternate route.
As always, when the water is restored, it may be discolored. Please refrain from doing any laundry until the water runs clear.
We apologize for any inconvenience, and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated.
Area technology middle and high school students and teachers, along with the GCC Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) department, and college community are working hard to prepare for the 16th GLOW Region Tech Wars!
The event will be held Wednesday, March 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Genesee Community College's Batavia Campus.
The annual Tech Wars brings middle and high school students from all 24 of the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming (GLOW) region's school districts together in teams to demonstrate their technical expertise through innovative, mind-expanding competitions.
Tech Wars 2025 brings back some favorite events for high schoolers such as the Regatta, Bridge, CO2 Cars, Logo Design, Sculpture, Skimmer Cars, Sumo Bots, Tractor Pull and Trebuchet, and Lumber Labyrinth. Tech Wars event details, rules, and competition descriptions are available at techwarsgccny.org.
Any media planning to attend, please register with GCC's Marketing Communications Office at 585-343-0055 ext. 6116, or via email at marcom@genesee.edu and please sign in at the registration desk upon arrival.
For more information contact Vice President of Development, Admissions and External Affairs Justin Johnston at 585-345-6809, or via email: jmjohnston@genesee.edu.
Vanessa's Lasting Legacy and Independent Living of the Genesee Region hosted Lucky Paws Vendor Show at Batavia's City Centre Mall on Saturday as a fundraiser.
Vanessa's Lasting Legacy provides assistance to veteran, disabled, elderly, and homeless cat and dog owners so they can keep and care for their pets.
There were 40+ baskets up for a raffle, along with more than 70 vendors.
Lisa M. Fox, 53, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Fox allegedly caused an injury during a fight with another person on Feb. 6. While being processed at the Genesee County Jail, Fox was allegedly found in possession of narcotics. She was arraigned and held at the Genesee County Jail.
Donnie Armstrong, 52, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. Armstrong was stopped on Feb. 5 on Law Street by members of the Batavia Police NET Unit. A K-9 was deployed. Narcotics were allegedly located in the vehicle. Armstrong was arraigned in City Court and held.
Charles P. Stevens, 36, of Batavia, and Eric J. Flowers, 37, of Batavia, are charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Stevens and Flowers are accused of intentionally damaging another person's vehicle on an unspecified date. They were issued appearance tickets.
Eric J. Flowers, 37, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, possession of stolen property 3rd, and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Flowers was arrested on Feb. 5 following an investigation into a stolen utility trailer. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed without bail.
Mark W. McWethy, 57, of Batavia, is charged with DWAI Drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, and aggravated unlicensed operation 1st. McWethy was charged following a welfare check on Jan. 29 at a location on Ellicott Street, Batavia. He was arraigned and jailed.
Martin J. Rodgers, 40, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Rodgers allegedly violated an order of protection on Jan. 28. He was arraigned and released.
Tammy J. Lord, 48, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 3rd and grand larceny 3rd. Lord allegedly illegally entered a business on Liberty Street on Dec. 22 and stole properly. She was arrested on Jan. 21, arraigned in City Court, and released.
Carissa J. Visalli, 35, of Batavia, was arrested on Feb. 23 on a warrant. She allegedly failed to appear in court on a traffic ticket. She was arraigned and released.
Inge A. Stack, 55, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Stack is accused of hitting another person in the face during a fight on Pringle Avenue. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Julie L. Dutton, 29, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dutton was arrested on Feb. 2, accused of stealing merchandise from Dollar General. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Brandie M. Sumeriski, 29, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Sumeriski is accused of slapping another person during an argument on Feb. 17 on State Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Jamesha N. Wilson, 30, of Rochester, was arrested on Feb. 18 on a warrant. Wilson allegedly failed to appear in court on a traffic ticket. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
Guillermo Dediego-Reyes, 55, of Batavia, was arrested on Feb. 14 as a fugitive from justice. Dediego-Reyes was wanted on warrants out of Ohio. He was arraigned and held for extradition.
Curt A. Buchinger, 32, of Batavia, is charged with theft of services. Buchinger was arrested on Feb. 15, accused of running an extension cord from another property into his home. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Colleen M. Hutchinson, 50, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of controlled substance 7th. Hutchinson was stopped on Dec. 9 by a Batavia patrol officer and allegedly found in possession of narcotics. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Alicia M. Lyons, 45, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st and menacing 3rd. Lyons is accused of violating an order of protection on Feb. 3 by physically menacing another person. She was issued an appearance ticket. She was arrested again on Feb. 7 and charged with criminal contempt 1st and harassment 2nd.
Kim M Mobley, 62, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Mobley is accused of shoplifting on Feb. 11 from Aldi. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Richard J Burdick, 46, and Charles P. Stevens, 36, (no communities provided) are charged with assault 3rd. Burdick and Stevens are accused of injuring another person during a fight on South Main Street, Batavia. They were both issued appearance tickets.
Jena A. Defazio, 27, of Batavia, was arrested on Feb. 4 on a warrant. Defazio was issued a traffic ticket on Jan. 8 and allegedly failed to appear in court. Defazio was arraigned and released.
Courtney H. Kelley, 37, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Kelley is accused of shoplifting on Feb. 2 from Aldi. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Shawn M. Twardowski, 42, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Twardowski allegedly punched another person in the head on Feb. 2 during a fight on Highland Park. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Erin M. Klein, 38, of Cheektowaga, is charged with DWI. Klein was allegedly involved in a motor vehicle accident on Jan. 31 and an undisclosed location. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Roseann Cooper, 55, of Stafford, was arrested on Jan. 31 on a warrant. Cooper allegedly failed to appear on a traffic ticket issued on Jan. 4. She was arraigned and released.
Julie A. Earle, 50, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Earle is accused of shoplifting from Tops on Jan. 29. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Takari C. Blue, 23, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Blue was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on Jan. 31 at an undisclosed location. She was issued traffic tickets and released.
Tammy J. Dean, 54, of Alexander, is charged with DWAI drugs. Dean was reportedly involved in a single-vehicle accident on Sept. 20. He was arrested on Jan. 27, arraigned in City Court, and released.
Jaequele M. Tomlin, 30, of Batavia, turned himself in on a warrant issued following an investigation into an incident on March 26. Tomlin was allegedly found in possession of cocaine. He was arraigned and released.
Douglas G. Goodwin, Jr., 33, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Goodwin is accused of violating an order of protection. He was arrested on Jan. 7, issued an appearance ticket and released.
Brittany L. Froman, 34, of Rochester, was arrested on a warrant on Jan. 23. Froman allegedly failed to appear on narcotics charge stemming from a traffic stop on June 12. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
Kimberly S. Snyder, 48, of Geneseo, was arrested on a warrant and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Snyder was allegedly found in possession of narcotics on Oct. 29. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
John W. Clack, 66, of Batavia, is charged with criminal tampering 3rd. Clack is accused of overturning another person's motorized scooter. He was arrested on Jan. 22. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Troy W. Horton, 60, of Le Roy, is charged with DWI. Horton was stopped after employees at Taco Bell called police and reported a possible intoxicated driver. Horton was issued an appearance ticket.
Catherine R. Bater, 44, of Batavia, is charged with attempted petit larceny. Bater was arrested on Jan. 25, accused of attempting to transfer money from another person's account into her Cash App. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Ronnie J. Sumeriski, 42, of Batavia, is charged with criminal tampering 3rd. Sumeriski is accused of taking the license plate off of another person's vehicle and throwing it under another car. He was also arrested on two open warrants. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
David R. Bowen, 83, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Bowen is accused of hitting another person during a fight on Mill Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Bill A. Thomas, 65, of Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd. Thomas was found inside the City Centre Mall on Feb. 27 after previously being barred from the property. He was issued an appearance ticket. He was arrested again the next day and charged with trespass after allegedly being found in the mall again.
Shannon H. Dick, 43, and John W. Biaselli, 56, both of Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Dick and Biaselli are accused of stealing merchandise from Dollar General. They were issued appearance tickets.
Kimberly S. Snyder, 48, of Warsaw, was arrested on Feb. 27 on a warrant. Snyder allegedly failed to appear on a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
Tonisia R. Longhini, 32, of Alexander, is charged with DWI. Longhini was charged following a traffic stop on Feb. 22 on Walnut Street, Batavia, by a Batavia patrol officer. She was arraigned and released.
Rebecca Lee Harrington, 31, of Sweetland Road, Stafford, is charged with falsely reporting an incident. Harrington was arrested on March 11. She was released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.
