batavia

Homer is the moniker selected for the Batavia Muckdogs following a contest among local residents.

More than 100 names were submitted for the big lovable dog mascot of the NY-Penn League Champions.

The contest winner is Katie Houseknecht of East Bethany. She was the first person to submit an entry and the first one to suggest Homer for the mascot's name.

"The name was a no-brainer for me," Katie said in a Muckdogs' press release. "Homer is my brother Tim's nickname. And if the Muckdogs hit lots of 'Homers,' they will be NY-Penn League Champions again."

She won an electric scooter, courtesy of 7-Up, plus two tickets for Opening Day at Dwyer Stadium. The Muckdogs will play against the Auburn Doubledays in the Friday June 19 game. Fireworks will follow.

Two Rochester residents and a Batavia man are in custody after an investigation last night by Drug Enforcement Task Force members into the sale of crack cocaine in Batavia.

Arrested where Mark H. Gissendanner, 24, or Rochester, Aileen Nieves, 21, of Rochester and Shawn M.Walburn, 35, of Batavia.

Gissendanner was arrested in the parking lot of 21 Liberty Street, while Nieves and Walburn were picked up in the parking lot of Van Detta Stadium on Union Street.

All three suspects were arraigned in Batavia City Court and are being held without bail.

Gissendanner reportedly sold a quantity of crack cocaine to task force members on two occasions and then was allegedly in possession of more of the drug when he was arrested. He is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance  in the third degree.

Nieves reportedly sold crack cocaine to an undercover office while in Batavia and was allegedly in possession of more crack when she was picked up. She is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance  in the third degree.

Walburn was allegedly in possession of crack when his vehicle was stopped by task force members in Batavia. He is charged with criminal possession of a controled substance in the forth degree.

Participating in the investigation were members of the Genesee County Sheriff's Department, the Batavia Police Department and the LeRoy Police Department.

Pictured above in order are Gissendanner, Nieves and Walburn.

Officials at Batavia Downs are trying to figure out what to do after Rocky Ferrando won a 2009 Dodge Challenger over the weekend.

Great for Rocky, but the problem for the Downs is that Ferrando is a full-time OTB employee.

According to Dan Fischer at WBTA, officials are researching Batavia Down rules about employees entering and winning contests.

Listen to WBTA this morning and afternoon for more on the developing story.

UPDATE: WBTA has an audio interview up with Marketing Manager Marty Biniaz. The prize has been rewarded to Melanie Rahlston  of Mount. Morris.

More photos after the jump.

An "out of control" grass fire is being battled at 3186 Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road.

The fire covers an estimated two acres and additional crews have been request.

No report on whether any structures are threatened.

UPDATE 2:58 p.m.: I'm on scene. Fire seems pretty much under control. Manpower-only crews were called in from Stafford and Pembroke (Pembroke's brush truck was reported out of service). The fire started as a controled burn, according to homeowner Michael Cusmano. "It just took off," he said. I'll post a picture or two shortly. Also, there is another reported brush fire near Stafford (I didn't catch the exact address) and a grass fire at 10346 Hartwell Road in Pavilion.

UPDATE 3:45 p.m.: I didn't make it out to the Pavilion fire. It sounds like it's under control at this point. Some crews are returning to station.

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Pamela Schunk couldn’t have stood up faster when she started talking about learning strategies and plans for students.

She grabbed Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for teaching book. She lit up as she talked about the education consultant and talked about how powerful the book is.

“There’s no more taking a test and you’re done,” said Schunk.

Schunk is the director of learning for pre K-12 grade. She is responsible for keeping up to date on all new research and strategies. Communicating she said, is a big piece of her job. She addresses state standards and is responsible for the professional development for teachers, training and implementing quality instruction.

The district uses assessments to drive what they teach. Although the district is required to follow New York's Comphrehensive District Education Plan (CDEP), Schunk said they stive to go above and beyond.

Today teachers and administrators listen further and involve each student.

“When you do poorly on a test you are less motivated,” saying how important it is to help students do well on assessment tests.

Some assessments include a study group to involve students. This will allow the teacher to communicate to the student explaining where he or she struggled on a test and why. Then the pair will decide a learning goal, and the teacher will commit to helping the student succeed in meeting his goal.

She agreed that motivation is key.

Schunk, who has been director since July, is excited to be able to break information down for the student. She got her motivation from Rick Stiggins who founded the Assessment Training Institution.

She  said you have to try every option with every child.

“It’s motivating,” she said.

Teachers and administrators have a pretty good idea  from the time they are hired their potential salaries. Schunk broke down the APPR (Annual Professional Performance Review) and said teachers are observed at least once every three years. Non tenure is three times the first year.

“If you enjoy education there isn’t a better place to be, preparing kids for the future,” said Schunk, “It is a huge responsibility but so rewarding.” 

Roland J. Reed, 37, of Batavia, was arrested Thursday for allegedly sending written letters to a person he was ordered not to contact by the Genesee County Family Court. Reed allegedly wrote the letters while in jail on a similar charge. The order was issued in January 2008. Reed is charged with 22 counts of criminal contempt in the second degree. He is being held on $1,500 bail.

Antoinette G. Fears, 18, of Holley, and Emilea G.Waters, 20, of Albion were arrested Thursday for allegedly possessing stolen property from K-Mart, Michael's Crafts and JoAnn Fabrics. The arrests came after the items were found during an investigation of an unrelated larceny dating back to March 5. Both women were charged with three counts of criminal possession of stolen property.

Cheryl J. Weber, 54, of Bergen, has been charged with identity theft, forgery and falsifying business records, all felonies. Weber is accused of using personal information of another person to secure credit cards and store credit over a five-year period. She allegedly forged the other person's signature on credit applications. Assisting in the investigation were the Experian credit reporting fraud/theft department and the Visa/Bank of America fraud department in Arizona. Weber was arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Three students living at College Village on Batavia Stafford Townline Road in Batavia have been charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. According to a Sheriff's off ice report, deputies were at the housing complex on an unrelated matter when the investigation led to a dorm room. When security officers knocked on the door, "several subject fled the room by exiting our a rear window."  The three young men are suspected of smoking marijuana in the dorm room.  Charged where Patrick K. Wolff, 18; Anthony C. Timberlake, 20; and, Cody P. Mayer, 18.

Monday, a couple dozen downtown business people gathered at Generation Center on Center Street to discuss ways to improve the business environment downtown.

John Roche, owner of Adam Miller Toys, made an especially impassioned plea for businesses downtown to promote other businesses downtown.

He noted that often times people wind up in Batavia without knowing much about all that downtown has to offer. He talked about when he finds an unfamiliar face in his business, he is sure to tell them about other retailers or places to eat.  He said all of the businesses need to support each other this way.

He noted that a personal recommendation from one business owner about another business carries a lot of weight with customers.

Today, the Daily News, has a story about BID efforts to bring more customers downtown.

It's a fine story, but I wish I had taken notes on John's speech (I was there to be a businessman, not a reporter).  John's impromptu address was full of vigor and community spirit. John isn't mentioned in Joanne Beck's story at all.

As a complete aside, I finally made the Daily News, though quite accidentally, I'm sure and not at all noticeable to anybody but my mother, if she saw the picture, but I'm sitting in front of Don Burkel in this photo.

Wooden cargo pallets were stolen Tuesday from the rear of Country Max garden and pet supply store on Main Street in Batavia.

And it's not the first time, either. But this time the folks at Country Max say they caught the pilferers on film.

“We think we know who it is,” said the store worker. “Now we're waiting to catch them if they try it again.”

The pallets pile up as retail shipments are off loaded. They come free with the merchandise, but they're still the retailer's property and not up for grabs.

Unlike previous stockpiles, the one stolen this week was to be sold. In this economy, every little bit of legal tender helps.

Blogger Stephan Lewandowski tells of his recent visit to Elba and Batavia, with the requisite visit to the Pok-A-Dot and search for a bookstore that sells Gardner and Kauffman.

On my way north on 63 near downtown I see the Pok-A-Dot is open for lunch business. The Pok-A-Dot is a 40s lunch counter, a tent of a building erected for temporary shelter but surviving into a new century. It must be nice in the summer because you can order your food, then sit under shelter off to the side of traffic to eat it up. In the winter, it seems to be made mostly of glass, and everybody crouches over the heat sources at the stove top, grill, and deep fryer. Almost all the patrons are men, and most have their coats and hats still on. All the cooks and servers are women.

In the Pok-A-Dot, there are six or eight tables and a counter seating twelve or fifteen that bends around the grill. I sit at the counter, nearer the heat. The waitress never offers me a menu. She just comes up and says, “What will you have?”

Randall W. McKeown, 46, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt in the first degree and harassment in the second degree. McKeown allegedly sent repeated text messages to a person he was ordered by the court not to contact. He is being held without bail.

Joshua Gebhard, 21, of Churchville, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Gebhard was found to allegedly possess the marijuana after Sheriff's deputies responded to a loud noise complaint in Stafford.

Michael Smoke, 20, of Basom, is alleged to have had inappropriate contact with a 12-year-old child in Alabama. Basom is charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child under 17-years-old.

Joseph C. Hufford, 42, of Middleport, was arrested in Byron Monday for alleged DWI. Hufford was allegedly involved in a single-car accident. Upon investigation, Sheriff's deputies concluded he appeared to be operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. He was charged with DWI and driving with a BAT of .08 or more. He was released on an appearance ticket.

At last night's City Council meeting, council members debated whether to continue a $235-per-month car allowance for the city's top-three employees, WBTA reports this morning.

Councilman Bill Cox suggested that the monthly allowance be changed to a per-mile-driven reimbursement for the city manager, police chief and fire chief. WBTA posts audio of his comments.

Mary Ann Clattendburg spoke in favor of the stipend, saying that removing the allowance would amount to a cut in pay. Here's audio of her comments.

Fire units are responding to a "good size" brush fire at 8910 Lehigh Road in the Town of Batavia.

One crew on the scene has reported the fire spreading.

No further information available at this time.

UPDATE: A few minutes after this initial post, crews reported the fire was largely put out and clean up was in process.

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Four-legged critters had the Town of Batavia's public works department scurrying around Monday morning.

First there was the passel of sheep munching on trash in the front yard of a house at 2905 Galloway Road, creating a bit of a traffic hazard.

A dozen sheep and a lamb were spotted chomping garbage shortly after 10 this morning. A cow mooed encouragement from the back yard. Forty-five minutes later only crumbs remained.

A public works employee for the Town of Batavia showed up and said the foragers lived behind the two-story white house and had gotten out of the pen again. Usually the owner's home to round them up, the worker said.

The commotion caused the sheep to mosey away from the road and head toward the rear of the property.

A Sheriff's deputy arrived. They reported shortly thereafter that the wooly ones were shooed into their pen, which was then jerryrigged to stay shut. Hopefully.

Meanwhile, a skunk was lolling about in a park tennis court. On the scanner, authorities considered how best to remove it. One suggested shooting it. Another said it would be saved for lunch, prompting another to recommend roasting the skunk. None of the options were exercised.

The next critter call was about dogs in the road someplace, hampering traffic.
 

The Batavia City School district knows the importance of staying updated with technology. In November the district received the Torchlight Award from Promethean Inc, an international award-winning company which creates interactive learning technology to help teachers develop lessons that engage, educate, assess, and motivate learners.

Now the district has formed a committee to go wireless. Pamela Schunk, Director of Learning for Batavia City School District, said this will hopefully save money.

Schunk said the thing about technology is its expensive and  always changing, but the district is doing its best to meet the state’s standards.

New York State standards look at ways schools are developing their mission statements, and are constantly revising the standards.

Schunk said Batavia City School district develops their technology mission statement from the state’s standards and use it to guide everything they do.

The Technology Mission Statement
The Batavia City School District’s technology mission is to provide students with the technology, on-line resources, and bandwidth necessary to acquire the knowledge, develop the attitudes, and master the skills needed to meet the New York State Standards.

Just over a year teachers have been using a software program called Tech Paths. The program uses curriculum mapping which enables teachers to stay organized and communicate with other teachers and administrators.

All classrooms in the district have at least one computer and most have at least four student computers along with an inkjet or last printer. If the school needs new technology it is up to the teachers to apply for it.

Six technology classes are offered at Batavia High School that include, Desktop Publishing 1 and 2, Communications in the 21st Century, Media Production in the 21st Century, Fundamentals of Web Design, and Fundamentals of Java Programming.

“All students have to be engaged,” said Schunk about the goals of a learner centered classroom, “The information has to be relevant, and have meaning.” She continued saying it must be challenging, and teachers really have to know their students background ability, and interests.