batavia

Police were in pursuit of a white Chevy Impala or similar vehicle with "SECURITY" on the side.

The car apparently pulled out of the Red Roof Inn with no lights. It fled toward BJ's Wholesale Club and around the building back on to Veterans Memorial Drive. It crashed in the area of Aspen Dental and headed back toward BJ's.

It then headed back toward the Thruway and was driving on Thruway property behind the Hershey's Ice Cream building where it stopped or became stuck.

There are at least three individuals in the vehicle.

UPDATE 2:54 a.m.: Police communication indicates the car was stolen out of Rochester. Mercy EMS responded to the scene for the evaluation of at least two individuals. Troopers at the scene were unable to speak to media and referred questions to the Public Information Officer during business hours. We were able to confirm that chase started when a trooper spotted the vehicle leaving the vicinity of Red Roof Inn without headlights and before the trooper attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle drove off the roadway on Park Road. That section of Park Road had a large amount of gravel on it and tire tracks were visible along the shoulder. Once the trooper tried to initiate a traffic stop, the driver fled. The spot where the car initially went off the road is also the same spot where the car exited Park Road in an apparent attempt to gain access to the Thruway. The sedan became stuck in a ditch next to the Thruway.

Sunnking, an electronics recycling company with an office in Brockport, will be hosting this area's first electronics recycling event since the COVID-19 shutdown on Saturday, Aug. 1.

It will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of Genesee County Department of Social Services, 5130 E. Main St., #3. Enter off Ag Park Drive West.

Sunnking is a 20-year-old company with that has been offering free electronics recycling in Western and Central New York for years.

Due to the rising costs of recycling and the coronavirus pandemic, we ask for a donation to provide this environmentally responsible service.

Sunnking has implemented new health and safety procedures for these events.

To recycle your old electronics, you must preregister, which is free. Click here to sign up.

‍Please STAY in your vehicle, DRIVE-through, and Sunnking team members will UNLOAD your items.

REMEMBER to neatly pack your recyclables in the back of your vehicle for easy unloading.

Limit of four CRT (tube) monitors or televisions per vehicle.

‍For a list of acceptable materials click here.

For more information call (585) 637-8365.

Press release:

The City Water Department is on location of a water main break in front of 108 River St. The water will be shut off on River Street from Pearl to South Main. The surrounding area may experience low pressure or rusty water, please do not attempt to do laundry at this time.

Traffic will be limited so please avoid the area if possible.

We appreciate your understanding while repairs are being made, the city will make every attempt to have water restored as soon as possible.

UPDATE 11:45 a.m.:

The water main has been repaired and the water has been restored. The water may still be discolored, please avoid doing laundry until water is clear.

It will take a little while for the crew to make the repairs to the pavement, so if traffic can avoid the area it will be appreciated.

A caller reports a white male who isn't wearing pants has been knocking on the door of an upstairs apartment on East Main Street attempting to gain entry.

The subject is now behind the residence. 

Batavia PD responding.

It is the 1950s, the first week of summer vacation and the official opening of the City Parks Program. Children would run out the door at 8:50 a.m. to be the first one waiting to meet the new or previous year’s park supervisor.

You know that a great summer is about to begin. You will spend every day at the park from 9 to noon, and from 1 to 5 p.m.

Batavia at one time was divided into parks: Pringle, Kibbe, Lincoln, Austin, Williams, Farrall, MacArthur, and later as Batavia grew and some parks closed and new ones opened, John Kennedy and Lambert Park.

Children went to your neighborhood park and were so proud to say what park you were from. Parks competed against each other in softball and volleyball games. Every Friday night the scores and contest winners would be recorded in the newspaper.

When it was your park’s week for boondoggles (inset image left), the children would have the choice of three, four or eight strands to work on.

The park supervisor sometimes ended up making them for the little ones so they could wear them around their necks as lanyards or a small bracelet.

The favorite craft was the plaster molds. I can still picture the molds being lined up in the sun and the children standing behind the one they picked to make that particular day.

There were so many choices, a favorite was the mold for "The Last Supper." That was probably the largest mold and the most difficult to make.

There was a technique to make this craft. You had to carefully mix the plaster and when it was the right consistency you poured it into the mold. As it dried in the sun, you were hoping your plaster would set. After the plaster dried you would carefully pull back the rubber mold to see if your mold took the plaster.

You couldn’t forget the little tab you put in the back to hang this very heavy item proudly created for your parent’s wall. The last step was to paint your creation. You couldn’t wait to take it home to show mom and dad.

The supervisor would keep samples of every craft because they would be judged at the end of the summer event.

Every park had been secretly working on their float that consisted of chicken wire and crepe paper flowers. Everyone had a job. Main Street would close down at the end of August and the street was transformed into a parade of children proudly walking with their float that was being pulled by a tractor.

Of course, you always thought your park deserved to be the winner.

It was now time to go back to school and the summer program was coming to an end. New friends were made, memories to last a lifetime were created. When the park kids return to Batavia as adults and drive by “their park,” those wonderful summer memories will come flooding back.

So, this is what we tell our children what it was like back in the day.

As someone who loved going to my neighborhood park as a child and growing up to be lucky enough to be a park supervisor, I commend the Batavia Parks Program for creating summer memories we will never forget.

My years as a park supervisor will always be a cherished time.

Please share your memories, I only touched a few.

Anne Marie Starowitz was a proud supervisor for Farrall Park for three years in the '70s (inset photo right).

Photos and images courtesy of Anne Marie Starowitz.

A two-vehicle accident occurred on Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia in front of the CountryMax store. No injuries reported. There was a family of three in the silver SUV in the forefront, and a family of four in the other one.

Town of Batavia Fire Department, Mercy medics and law enforcement responded.

There are 3 bedrooms, 2 beautifully redone full baths, a super bright and cheery downstairs that has a very open and spacious layout with an updated kitchen and breakfast bar. Basement is fully usable, clean and dry, with epoxy floor. A great laundry area and workout space or small rec area.

Mechanically all updated with brand new A/C unit, roof approximately 12 years old, 200 amp electrical service, and inexpensive utilities! Outside though is one that draws everyone's attention – superbly maintained, professionally landscaped yard, with an Invisible Fence for the animals and pretty brick patio area.

Detached garage -- and if you can call a driveway beautiful, than this is it -- double-wide concrete with stamped concrete pad as well -- ready to welcome you home! Click here for more information or call Lynn Bezon at 585-344-HOME (4663).

Jillian L. Hupp, 30, North Street, Le Roy, is charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing at 3 p.m. on Dec. 31. On July 9, after an investigation by the Genesee County Social Service investigator, Hupp was arrested on the charges. She was released with an appearance ticket returnable to Batavia Town Court on Aug. 6. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jenna Ferrando.

Colby Le-Andrew Ellis, 31, of Albion, is charged with second-degree burglary, petit larceny, and first-degree criminal contempt. At 3:03 a.m. on July 8 in Alexander, Ellis was arrested on the charges after allegedly violating a full stay-away order of protection issued by City of Batavia Court. He was put in jail on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond or $40,000 partially secured bond. He is due in Alexander Town Court on Aug. 18. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Austin Heberlein, assisted by Nicholas Chamoun.

Roy Alvin Watson Jr., 31, Shepard Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. Watson was arrested on July 6 on the charges. Prior to that, on June 16, he was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Orleans County. During the execution of the arrest warrant, Watson was allegedly found in possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. He is due in Batavia City Court Aug. 4. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Mullen. 

Kaleb James Bobzien, 22, of Lockport, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He allegedly made numerous phone calls to a protected party who lives on West Main Street in Batavia starting on Jan. 28. He was arrested July 6 and issued an appearance ticket to be in City of Batavia Court on July 14. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Investigator Joseph Loftus.

While doing renovation work in his home, Batavia PD Chief Shawn Heubusch found under his old flooring layers old newspapers, all from 1927. 

The headlines help tell a story of at least one case that should be of interest to a lawman: The escape, escapades, and eventual capture of Floyd Wilcox.

Wilcox, of Oakfield, escaped from Genesee County Jail, presumably to avoid a possible sentence of life in prison after his fourth felony arrest, this time for grand larceny, under the recently enacted Baumes Law.

According to the articles, Wilcox (aka Floyd Gill), and an associate convinced a farmer to give them gas with a promise to pay once they were fueled up. When the duo drove back by the farm and didn't stop to pay, the farmer pulled out his pistol and started firing at the fleeing vehicle. The farmer jumped in his own truck and gave chase. A short time later, he found the abandoned vehicle with a flat tire from a bullet and spotted the two men running over a hill.

Later, Wilcox was a suspect in a safe-crack job in Hornell and a stealing a vehicle in Rochester. He was eventually apprehended by a Batavia PD officer on a street in the city. A subhead in the Batavia Daily News reads, "Did Not Try Very Hard to Keep Out of Reach of the Authorities."

Chief Heubusch isn't the only person finding old newspapers in old homes these days. The 1942 edition of the Batavia Daily News was found by our contractor in a wall of our house, which is undergoing renovations following our fire in April.

One of the stories is about an Army officer accused of sedition for distributing "America First" literature. It turns out, the publication of this story by Associated Press was controversial because the Army released the information to a reporter on a stipulation that no newspapers in the nation run it with only a one-column headline. Many editors found this AP requirement an unethical bargain giving the government power to dictate the nature of coverage. You can read about it in this book on Google Books.

Press release:

Niagara Orleans Football Association (NOFA) has been delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic to a date to be determined.

The NOFA organization is tentatively looking to plan for our 2020 season of football and cheer to commence, if possible, in March 2021. As well, NOFA intends to commence the regularly scheduled 2021 season the last week of July 2021.

In the meantime, please watch for NOFA football and cheer activities for our football players, cheerleaders and families.

Be SAFE and WELL NOFA families!

NOFA is the governing body for football and cheerleading for the areas that include Akron, Albion, Attica, Batavia, Holley, Medina, Newfane, Oakfield-Elba, Pembroke, RoyHart, and Tri-Town school districts.

NOFA has a full-contact football program that is age based with ages ranging from 6 – 13 based on a Dec. 1 birthdate.

We have four Divisions: 6 – 7 years old are Beginners; 8 -9 years old are Minis; 10 – 11 years old are JV; and 12 – 13 years old are Varsity.

Joe Bradt
Treasurer
NOFA Youth Football
PO Box 34
Oakfield NY 14125

Press release:

Rochester Regional Health transitioned care back to Emergency Departments and Immediate Cares from evaluation tents at Unity Hospital, United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, and Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic this week.

The drive-thru evaluation tent at Wilson Immediate Care on the Rochester General campus will remain operational for employee testing and respiratory evaluations only.

The pre-operative testing done in these tents will now transition to Patient Service Centers and the Linden Oaks Surgery Center. The locations and hours of these sites are listed below.

Since the pandemic began, nearly 25,000 patients and 21,000 COVID-19 tests were performed in the tents. This is in addition to the more than 800 discharges of patients from the hospital systemwide (more than 750 in Monroe County). 

All Pre-Op Testing

Patient Service Center

Address

Hours

Batavia PSC

106 Main St., Suite 47B 

Batavia, NY  14020

Monday - Friday:  8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Saturday:  8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Clifton Hospital PSC

2 Coulter Road

Clifton Springs, NY 14432

Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Saturday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Linden Oaks PSC

10 Hagen Drive Suite 120 

Rochester NY 14625

Monday - Friday 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Saturday: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Linden Oaks ASC 
(Drive-thru in the parking lot)

10 Hagen Drive 

Rochester NY 14625

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Newark Union PSC

165 Union St.

Newark NY 14513

Monday- Saturday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Park Ridge/Unity POB PSC

1561 Long Pond Road, Suite 111 

Greece NY 14626

Monday- Friday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Saturday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Titus PSC 

485 Titus Ave.

Rochester NY 14617

Monday- Friday: 8 a.m. -- 4 p.m.

Saturday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

COVID-19 Evaluations  -- These are NOT walk-in testing sites, patients will be evaluated and tested only if they meet the criteria (we do not test everyone. The MCC state-run tent does.)  

Immediate Care

Address

Hours

Immediate Care – Chili

3170 Chili Ave. 

Suite T1A

Rochester, NY 14624

Monday -- Friday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday: 9 a.m. -  8 p.m.

Immediate Care Webster

1065 Ridge Road

Webster, NY 14580

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. -- 9 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday: 9 a.m. --  8 p.m.

Immediate Care – Penfield

2226 Penfield Road

Penfield, NY 14526

Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Immediate Care – Irondequoit

2701 Culver Road

Rochester, NY 14622

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday: 9 a.m. -  8 p.m.

Immediate Care – Wilson

1425 Portland Ave., Wilson Building 

Rochester, NY 14621

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday: 9 a.m. -  8 p.m.

Immediate Care – Greece

2745 W. Ridge Road

Rochester, NY 14626

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday: 9 a.m. -  8 p.m.

Immediate Care – Henrietta

2685 E. Henrietta Road

Henrietta, NY 14467

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday: 9 a.m. -  8 p.m.

Immediate Care – Batavia (The Jerome Center)

16 Bank St. 

Batavia, NY  14020

Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

The Batavia Business & Professional Women's Club Inc. honored seven local nonprofit organizations in Genesee County with monetary awards in recognition of their service to our community this week.

Recipients included: Genesee Cancer Assistance, Bethany Fire Department, Project Stork, Crossroads House, Alzheimer's Association, Lake Plains Community Network and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County. 

Several students also received scholarship checks, including: Wyatt Gaus and Paige Haile of Batavia High School and Madison Heaney of Leroy High School along with Sarah Adams, Lydia Geiger, Andrew Lin, Morgan Reimer of Batavia High School, Ally Flint of Leroy High School, Montana Weidman of Notre Dame High School and Evan Whitmore of Alexander High School. (Not pictured: Ally Flint, Lydia Geiger, Madison Heaney).

The funds awarded will be used to further their education in the field of their choice.

For more information about the club, visit the club's Facebook page.

Information and photos submitted by Joy Hume.

A pedestrian has reportedly been hit by a car at West Main Street and Oak Street in the City of Batavia.

The patient is said to have a head injury but is conscious and alert.

City fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 8:49 a.m.: The patient is being transported to UMMC for evaluation and has a small laceration above his eye.

Beating the heat at the Austin Park Spray Park.

A car vs. pedestrian accident with what is believed to be a minor hand injury to a young male is reported in the area of 38 Dellinger Ave. in the city. City fire and Mercy medics are responding. The location is between Washington Avenue and West Main Street. A box truck involved is reported to be in Tops Plaza on Lewiston Road and city PD is responding there.

A vigil against racism and in support of Black Lives Matter will be held at the Batavia YWCA at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15.

The event is organized by "Community Leaders of Genesee County."

Featured speakers will include: Rev. Dr. William Wilkenson and Rev. Shiela Campbell McCullough.

The YWCA is located at 301 North St. in the City of Batavia.

All are welcome.

A man is at the City of Batavia Police Department to report that items are being stolen from graves at Saint Joseph Cemetery and Mausoleum on Ellicott Street in Batavia.

A black dog at a residence on Prestige Crossing in Batavia has reportedly been left outside all week in the sun without shelter or food. An animal control officer is responding.

A heat advisory was posted on The Batavian Monday, warning that little children, pets, the elderly and the sick are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness. Here's the link.

The local temperature today is in the 90s and more of the same is expected tomorrow.

UPDATE 1:24 p.m.: The complaint appears to be unfounded. The officer went to the residence and could see the dog "moving around, happy and healthy" and it did have water. The officer, however, was unable to put hands on the dog and take a closer look because "the homeowner was extremely hostile." She has cleared the scene.

Above, a Baby Ballet trio demonstrates a graceful arm pose.

Faced with the crushing prospect of having to cancel dance recitals showcasing students' hard work and talent, Batavia-based LAW Dance Studio enlisted plenty of parents to pull off a creative feat, despite COVID-19.

They came up with a plan for staggered recitals outdoors demonstrating newly polished dance skills.

Lisa Blaun, who owns the studio at 218 W. Main St., said when schools closed and the state went into a mandatory shelter-in-place on Saturday, March 14th, all in-studio lessons stopped.

"We were in the thick of learning recital routines and embarking on competition season," Blaun said in an email to The Batavian. "At that time, there were so many unknowns and a high level of uncertainty. As a small boutique studio and as a business owner whose livelihood this studio is, I took a week off to allow for the new reality to settle in and to take the time to weigh my options.

"I launched virtual zoom classes where I remained in the studio instructing my dancers who were logged in from their homes. In some ways, it was interesting to have this format as it allowed me to see certain technique translations more directly that may have otherwise been lost in a full classroom environment. The Zoom classes kept my dancers learning and active, and gave parents some sense of normalcy.

"The question of what to do with the recital loomed. Ironically, the theme had been set for months as "Twisted." Who would have known how true this theme would represent reality?

"These kids worked so hard. Parents invested time and money. They not only deserved to have the recital that is the payoff for their efforts, but they also needed it to feel normal under these weird circumstances.

"I met with a core group of parents that assist the studio to throw around some ideas while working within the state restrictions. I decided to extend the season by a month to allow more time for kids to learn the dances with the hope restrictions would decrease.

"In the end, I decided to host a recital outside over three days. I utilized the remnants of a chicken coop on my family's property that served as the

perfect stage. I brought my floor from the studio and made it work. We got extremely lucky with the weather. The outdoor setting and three-day timeframe allowed for smaller numbers and social distancing.

"Only core family members/siblings were invited to attend. We did not charge or sell tickets. We recorded each dance over those three days and are in the process of creating a video recital that will seem like one seamless event.

"This video will be provided to parents at no charge so they can share it widely with their community of folks that couldn't otherwise attend. We were also able to take group and individual photographs of each dancer and will provide photos to parents free of charge. 

"I could not have pulled any of this off without the support of parents and the dedication of my dancers. I am so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful group of families committed to me and my studio. They hung in there with me and allowed for creativity. I was thrilled to be able to provide this recital experience. It was truly special and one I will never forget. In many ways, it brought us all closer together.

"I am looking forward to the 20-2021 dance season and a new normal, whatever that may be. My little studio proved we could be flexible and shift with the times and I am ready for anything that may come this fall. I will be hosting an open house and a dance intensive course in August if state restrictions allow, so look for more details to come."

Image and photos, courtesy of Lisa Blaun.

Below, the classic pointe.

Below, young hip-hop nation.

Below, the ballerina lift.

Below, the angst of musical theater in the Age of Coronavirus.

Bright smiles all around and great form, too.

Below, the acrobatic pyramid requires a lot of flexibility.

Below, spotlight on contemporary dance.