Alex Canty, who excelled in baseball at Batavia High School, through his senior season in 2016, announced on Twitter yesterday that he has committed to Southeast Missouri State.
That gives the infielder a shot at playing Division I baseball.
Canty played his 2017 season at Monroe Community College, where he hit .357, with eight home runs, 53 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and 18 walks. His on-base percentage was .418.
There is a report of smoke in the "switch gear room" at Genesee Community College.
The building is being evacuated.
Town of Batavia fire responding.
UPDATE 10:32 a.m.: No fire, small amount of smoke in the building. Engine 24 can continue response non-emergency.
Some businesses fail and some thrive, and if New York is going to grow economically, it needs to take the risk that not every business that receives state aid will live up to expectations.
That was the theme of comments by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Howard Zemsky, president and CEO of Empire State Development, today in Batavia.
Muller Quaker Dairy didn't work out after being promised millions of dollars in state aid (most of which the project never received), but Cuomo and Zemsky are confident HP Hood is a good company for the state to assist as Hood prepares to expand the 363,000-square-foot facility in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.
"If you want to be in the economic development business, you have to get accustomed to the adjustments," Cuomo said. "You know, only 50 percent of the businesses that start exist after five years. Fifty percent. By the time you get to the 10-year mark, only one-third are still in business. That's the nature of business.
"In the state of New York, we're doing economic development," he added. "We're creating hundreds of businesses, creating thousands of businesses. Well, then, you have to be prepared to have that number of defaults because that is the way the world works. The trick is to keep the fundamentals sound. Keep taxes low. Stay pro-business."
Both Cuomo and Zemsky said they believe Hood will succeed in Batavia.
"Think about the spectrum of industries out there," Zemsky said. "On the one hand, you've got relatively low-risk industries -- I would consider fluid milk to be a pretty stable. We're not figuring out if consumers like milk or not. You're not breaking new ground and producing milk.
"So milk is a pretty low-risk investment in the whole spectrum of things. On the other side, you've got chip fabs or really next-generation industries. We do take some calculated risk, but I'd say this is very low on the scale of calculating risk."
HP Hood is a 170-year-old company based in Lynnfield, Mass., with four other locations in New York. The company is licensed to produce, or has produced, brand-name dairy and non-dairy products throughout the United States.
Hood’s portfolio includes its own brand, Crowley Foods, Simply Smart Milk, Heluva Good!, Lactaid, Baileys Coffee Creamers, Hershey's Milk and Milkshakes, and Blue Diamond Almond Breeze.
The former Muller Dairy plant is the largest dairy processing plant -- even before Hood adds 100,000 square feet of the refrigerated warehouse -- in the United States and in the middle of Upstate dairy country. It cost PepsiCo and Theo Muller Group $206 million to construct. Pepsi took a $60 million write-off when the plant closed. It's unknown how much money Muller lost on the venture.
Muller Quaker was attempting to enter an already crowded and competitive Greek yogurt market with a product that tried to position itself as Greek yogurt but really wasn't.
Dairy Farmers of America purchased the plant shortly after it closed in December 2015 for $60 million. News broke in June (as first reported by The Batavian) that HP Hood was acquiring the plant from DFA and last week, Hood closed the deal for $54 million.
To assist Hood with its $200 million investment in the plant, Empire State Development will provide up to $5 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits. As with Muller Quaker, these tax incentives are withheld until employment targets are met.
There is also a $2 million capital grant from the Upstate Revitalization Initiative.
The Genesee County Economic Development Center is also amending the current PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes), which will provide Hood with more than $7 million in tax abatements over 10 years.
In return, Hood is planning upgrades and equipment purchases and labor costs for reconstruction of more than $150 million. Construction will create more than 500 jobs. There will be another 230 to 250 permanent jobs at the plant.
The support the state is providing HP Hood has an immediate payoff, regardless of what comes down the road, Zemsky said. He called the support a "no brainer."
"This is huge for the dairy farmers," Zemsky said. "It's huge for the whole footprint of the dairy industry. The returns are immediate. Fifty-four million to buy the plant, about $150 million to repurpose it. Two hundred and fifty jobs. That's more than was here at the peak when it was Muller."
During his public remarks, Cuomo said he's trying to reverse 40 years of Albany's neglect of Upstate's business needs, that includes commiting more than $25 million to the Finger Lakes Region for economic development. He said that's more than any governor in history.
"You keep raising taxes, you make it difficult for businesses to be here," Cuomo said. "I'll tell you what's going to happen at one point -- they're going to leave. And they did. We had what I call a 'hangover New York arrogance.' Well, wait, the businesses will stay here. Where else are they gonna go?
"There are actually other places they can go. You look at a map you will see around the State of New York other shapes squares and triangles. Those are called other states. If you force people, they will leave New York and we have essentially forced people (to leave). It's been a tough business, high-tax environment, high-regulation environment.
He expanded on that theme with the press after his speech.
"We have businesses in New York who just get calls at their desk from other states -- come to my state and you won't have to pay any taxes and we'll send the plane and we'll bring you and your wife for the weekend," Cuomo said.
"It is amazing, the competition. So if you said, 'Well, I'm not going to try to do economic development,' you would just be sitting there as a target for every other state.
"One by one they would pick off your companies, and in a relatively short period of time, you'd be sitting there alone -- losing jobs, losing people, which is what happened to Upstate New York."
Representing Hood at the event was Vice President Jeffrey Kaneb. He is the son of John Kaneb, who first tripled revenue for Gulf Oil to $4.6 billion before selling it in 2005. The Kaneb family acquired Hood in 1995, growing annual revenue from $600 million to more than $2.3 billion.
"We're very excited to have this opportunity to grow our business here," Kaneb said. "We are very very grateful for the support that we've gotten from the governor's office, from his staff, from the county, from the entire community, in getting us to this point. We look forward to becoming a supportive member of this community, a good neighbor, and an employer of choice here in Batavia."
Hood is hiring. People interested in a job should call (1-800) 428-6329.
As for STAMP (Science, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park), the super site in Alabama intended to attract high-tech manufacturers, Zemsky said he thinks it's inevitable that big businesses start to move into that park, because of the location and its access to hydropower and fresh water.
However, Zemsky sounded a cautious tone about whether 1366 Technologies, the solar wafer startup from Massachusetts, that was the first announced tenant for the park, ever breaks ground.
"I have met with them," Zemsky said. "I haven't talked to them in a while and I think, again, these businesses are competitive. They have to raise capital. I think they have some more capital to raise, so whether or not it happens depends, but it's not going to be all state-financed."
One of the holdups may be the change in presidential administration, from one that supported renewable energy to one that may be more skeptical about the need to support wind and solar. While 1366 has raised substantial private equity, receiving backing from the Department of Energy seems to be a key component of its financial package. The company was previously promised a $150 million loan guarantee from the DOE.
"I think, like anything, the changing of the landscape politically through regulations of the federal government, the vagaries of the financing market, the price of alternative energies -- these are all factors that make being in business really difficult," Zemsky said.
Hood VP Jeffrey Kaneb.
An 11-year-old boy was reportedly dragged down the street by his dog on Bank Street, between Fairmont Avenue and North Street, Batavia, and now has cuts and abrasions.
City fire and Mercy EMS responding.
Batavia's assistant city manager is leaving the area to take a job as city manager in a city of 21,000 people in Alabama at an annual salary of $136,000.
That's more than a $50,000 boost in pay for Gretchen DiFante, who is originally from the State of Alabama.
DiFinate became Batavia's assistant city manager in 2014 and is credited with, among other things, putting together a program to help reduce the cost of flood insurance for local property owners who need it.
She is scheduled to start her new job Aug. 21 in Pelham, Ala., according to the Shelby County Reporter.
The newspaper reported that DiFante was selected over two other finalists candidates who already live and work in the area.
Council President Rick Hayes said DiFante stood out to him as being an excellent communicator and a detailed person who likes to dig in and find the best solution. He said she also brings extensive strategic planning experience, which will be a major asset for the city.
“She has a significant amount of corporate consulting and government experience, which is rare to find,” Hayes said.
From talking to her, Hayes said he could tell that she is a dynamic person who would bring passion to the job.
DiFante holds a bachelor's degree in Communications from Auburn University and a master's degree in Management from Keuka College.
Batavia City Manager Jason Molino said the city will seek to fill the assistant manager position with DiFante's departure. He also issued this statement:
Gretchen has been an outstanding contributor to the community and has set a high standard of leadership in the organization.
Aside from leading the City’s Department of Administrative Services, Gretchen has been responsible for: developing the City’s Strategic Plan that has been recognized as a best practice by the International City/County Management Association; leading the City’s efforts to instill a culture of safety, contributing to a reduction of over $200,000 in workers' compensation premiums; and spearheading the City’s Community Rating Service (CRS) team that reduced flood premiums by 15 percent for property owners in the floodplain, earning the City one of the best CRS ratings in the State.
Most of all, Gretchen and her family have been committed members to the community for over 20 years. She and her family will be greatly missed and we wish them the best on their new endeavors in Alabama.
A new project with the hope of brightening people’s days will start at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, where Kim Argenta will host and teach a class to paint rocks, and place them all throughout Batavia.
Argenta, owner of Art Ah La Carte in Batavia, got the idea from her friend, Kelly Carlie, who runs a similar project in Le Roy, called “Le Roy Rocks.” She saw the post on Facebook and thought it was really cool. This is part of the nationwide project, “The Kindness Rocks Project.”
“I want to place them randomly throughout Batavia hoping that other communities will jump on board,” Argenta said.
Participants pay $5 to cover the paint and supplies, and bring a rock. Right now, there are three sessions, on July 13, July 27 and Aug. 17, from 6:30 until 7:30 p.m. The sessions are held at Art Ah La Carte in Batavia at 39 Jackson St.
The $5 cost does not even cover all of the supplies, Argenta said. Each set of oil-based markers cost around $65 and she purchases paints, brushes, primer and sealer as well.
“This is nonprofit,” Argenta said. “I am making nothing from this. I just want to spread art and happiness.”
For those interested, they can call Argenta at Art Ah La Carte at 245-1655.
Argenta is proud of the fact that she is self-taught. She learned everything from teaching herself and doing. She started Art Ah La Carte in October almost nine years ago, when she wanted to offer Batavia something different.
“I wanted kids that weren’t into sports to have another option,” Argenta said. “I truly believe the arts are important for academics and the well-rounded individual.”
Press release:
UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute Batavia has added RapidArc technology to its linear accelerator, the machine that delivers beams of high-energy radiation to treat a variety of cancers.
With RapidArc, the radiation beam is shaped and reshaped to tumor’s contours as the treatment is delivered in a seamless 360-degree rotation of the machine. It allows the radiation to be delivered in small, multiple doses with increased precision.
For patients, this means that each treatment will take less time, alleviating the need to hold still for long periods, and the additional precision protects healthy tissue, leading to fewer side effects. This technology can be used for many types of cancer.
“RapidArc is a system that allows this dose to be delivered over a smooth rotation of the machine rather than what we call stop-and-shoot radiation treatment,” says Kevin Mudd, M.D., radiation oncologist at Wilmot Cancer Institute Batavia.
Typically, radiation treatments would require several movements of the treatment gantry, stopping each time to target the next portion of the tumor, which could take 10 minutes or more, Mudd says. RapidArc requires only one or two non-stop rotations of the machine to deliver the same treatment in less time — as little as two to four minutes.
That time difference can be very important for patients, who must lie completely still during treatment.
“Prostate cancer patients, for example, must receive their radiation treatments with a full bladder, and cutting their treatment time in half makes the experience much more comfortable,” says Megan Menzie, RTT, lead radiation therapist.
During its nonstop rotation, RapidArc automatically shapes the radiation beam to fit the contours of the tumor, keeping it tightly focused and protecting nearby healthy tissue. This precision is especially important for patients with head and neck cancers, for example, whose salivary glands, taste buds and spinal cord need to be protected.
“This is the only RapidArc between Buffalo and Rochester, and we’re pretty excited to have it here in Batavia,” Mudd says.
Press release and submitted photo:
ALBANY, NY -- The New York State School Facilities Association announced that Allison Della Penna, a junior at Utica College, is a recipient of the Fred Hack Memorial Scholarship.
Della Penna, a graduate of Batavia High School, is studying Child Psychology. She is a member of the Division 3 NCAA Women's Volleyball Team; acts as a resident assistant; and is an honors program member, scholar athlete and recipient of the College's President's Award. She has been on the dean's list four times.
Allison is the daughter of Matthew and Ellen Della Penna, of Batavia. Her father is director of safety, security and operations for the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.
The Fred Hack Memorial Scholarships were established in the mid-1990s in honor of the association's first executive director. six scholarships are awarded each year to children of NYSSFA active and affiliate members who are enrolled, or planning to enroll, in a full-time program of study at an accredited post-secondary school.
The New York State School Facilities Association is a professional organization of more than 600 school facilities directors, facilities managers, head custodians, health and safety coodinators, and other key school facilities personnel. It's headquartered in Albany.
A two-car accident is reported at Richmond Avenue and State Street. Police are on scene and Mercy medics are called for patient evaluation. City fire is also responding.
UPDATE 1:38 p.m.: City Engine 11 returning to service.
Announcement:
From Governor Andrew M. Cuomo:
Fellow New Yorker,
New York is one of the largest dairy producers in the country, being home to nearly 5,000 dairy farms and more than 600,000 dairy cows.
And the majority of the farms in the state are family-run operations -- that's why it's crucial the state invest in hard working New York families and ensure they have the support they need to succeed.
Tomorrow, I am announcing the details of a new partnership that will create hundreds of new jobs at an idle dairy facility in New York.
Join me tomorrow, July 11th at 12:30 p.m. as I unveil the details of this new investment.
WHAT: Announcing new investment in New York dairy industry
WHEN: Tuesday, July 11th at 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park
5140 Ag Park Drive, Batavia 14020Thank you for your support, ever upward.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Dana Ryan, 39, of Galloway Road, Alabama, is charged with two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny. An investigation by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office was initiated after two complaints reported to the Sheriff's Office, one in the Town of Pembroke, the other in the Town of Batavia. The complaints concerned payments which were allegedly made to Ryan by two different customers pursuant to construction contracts for work agreed upon but not completed. It is alleged that the payments to Ryan for home-improvement contracts were not allocated into a proper account and that these funds were used by the defendant for purposes other than the agreed upon work. The time frame of the allegations in the complaints, according to the Sheriff's Office news release, is February 2016 through May (2017). Ryan is due in Town of Pembroke Court on July 11 and in Town of Batavia Court on July 13. The case was investigated by Sheriff's Office Investigator J.M. Graff, assisted by Deputy K.M. McCarthy.
Danny D. Williams Sr., 28, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, second-degree menacing, and endangering the welfare of a child -- a child less than 17 years old. The charges stem from an incident which occurred at 8:01 p.m. on June 9 on Central Avenue, Batavia. It is alleged that Williams pulled a knife on an individual during an altercation and that there was a child in close proximity at the time. He was jailed in lieu of $15,000 cash bail or $30,000 bond and was due in Batavia City Court on July 7. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.
Dustin L. Landin, 38, of Sierk Road, Attica, is charged with grand larceny -- value greater than $1,000. Landin was arrested for allegedly stealing money/property from a local business at 8:20 p.m. on June 28 on East Main Street in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket for Batavia City Court on July 11. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk, assisted by officer Stephen Cronmiller.
Christopher Harris Pompa, 45, of Byron Road, Byron, is charged with DWI, refusal to take breath test, and speeding. At 6:16 p.m. on July 8 on South Lake Road in Bergen, the defendant was stopped in the Village of Bergen following the observation of an alleged traffic violation. The defendant was arraigned on the charges and then released on his own recognizance. He is due in Bergen Town Court on July 19. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong.
Joseph K. Schlossel, 58, of Linwood Avenue, Batavia, is charged with: moving from lane unsafely; backing unsafely; drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle; and DWI -- first offense. The charges stem from a one-car accident that occurred at 11:45 a.m. on March 11 on Clifton Avenue in Batavia. He was issued tickets and released and is due in City Court July 12. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer James DeFreze, assisted by Officer Nicole McGinnis.
Salvatore M. Schwable, 19, no permanent address, is charged with failure to appear. He was arrested on a bench warrant out of City Court for failure to appear for a scheduled court appearance and jailed on July 6 in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or bond. He was due back in court on July 7. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards.
Salvatore M. Schwable, 19, no permanent address, is charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and two counts of petit larceny. The charges stem from an incident at McDonald's on East Main Street in Batavia at 6:33 p.m. on May 12. It is alleged that Schwable took property from three different individuals without their permission. The defendant was jailed without bail and was due back in court on July 7. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards.
Felicia Dianne Swartenberg, 20, of Willowbrook Road, Brockport, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and speeding. At 9:51 p.m. July 8, the defendant was stopped on Waterman Road in the Town of Stafford for an alleged vehicle and traffic violation. The defendant allegedly possessed a quantity of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Swartzenberg is due in Stafford Town Court on Aug. 1 to answer the charge. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong.
Lindsay Rae Crist, 20, of Redman Road, Brockport, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. At 9:51 p.m. July 8, the defendant was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped on Waterman Road in the Town of Stafford for an alleged vehicle and traffic violation. The defendant allegedly possessed a quantity of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Crist is due in Stafford Town Court on Aug. 1 to answer the charge. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong.
Press release:
Noonan Drive will be closed on Thursday, July 13, between the hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for cold milling operations.
While work is being performed in this area, the roadway will be closed to all through traffic. Local traffic will be permitted to and from their residence/property but should plan accordingly for delays.
All residents/businesses within the work area are asked not to park on the roadway during cold milling operations.
This is weather-dependent work. If work is postponed, it will progress next on the work day. Please, plan accordingly and contact the Bureau of Maintenance with any questions. Thank you for your cooperation in advance.
Chris Bauer, a member of the Explorer troop sponsored by Batavia PD, got to play the bad guy during a demonstration of police dog work at Batavia High School on Sunday evening.
Deputy Chris Erion and K-9 "Destro" showed the Explorers how a police dog takes down a criminal suspect, hunts for drugs, seeks out a human hiding from police, and can find fresh human scent.
In each scenario, Erion had a different pattern of commands and motions, and a different toy for Destro's reward, so Destro would know which task he was supposed to perform in which circumstance. Destro is motivated to get that toy, his favorite being an old piece of fire hose he gets after finding drugs.
Erion spoke with the students about the value of dogs in police work, which not only makes it easier to find drugs, evidence, and people, K-9s have a great calming effect in disturbances involving combative suspects.
Destro searching for drugs. He's close. The sample of meth was in the mate to this Nike sneaker.
Destro with his fire hose toy.
Erion with the tennis ball used when he wants Destro to search for fresh human scent. This search might be used to find an item a criminal suspect might have left behind while fleeing from a scene. We saw Destro display this skill in January 2014 when he found a note dropped by a robbery suspect near the crime scene.
Destro alerting on a wallet that had been dropped in the grass by one of the Explorers.
The Sheriff's Office dedicated two new signs in the garden outside the department's Park Road office this afternoon to the memory of William H. Johnson, who died in 1895, and Raymond F. Thompson, who died in 2002.
Pictured above, Deputy Brian Thompson on the left, with Undersheriff Greg Walker, and on the right, other members of the Thompson family with Sheriff William Sheron.
Brian Thompson is Raymond's brother. Raymond served eight years in the USAF in Security Police, then returned home, working in a couple of different manufacturing jobs before joining the Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer. He died on duty a few years later of a heart attack at the age of 37.
The dedication service comes on the third anniversary of the death of Deputy Frank Bordonaro, who is also honored with a sign in his memory in the garden.
The ceremony was followed by lunch for all in attendance, with hot dogs, hamburgers and sausage grilled by, from left, Undersheriff Greg Walker, Chief Deputy Jerry Brewster, and Sheriff Bill Sheron.
Saturday morning, Siobhan Larkin (left) and Jennifer Petry (right) celebrated their grand opening of a holistic home goods store, Hearth & Soul, located at 214 Ellicott St. in Batavia.
Hearth & Soul offers handmade Bohemian décor, holistic accessories, jewelry, organic skin care, clothing and more.
Petry said the building recently got a new coat of paint, just in time for the grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Visitors enjoyed wine tastings, courtesy of Christine Crocker, owner of The Yngodess Shop on Main Street, music from local artist Justin Reynolds, and light hors d’oeuvres.
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