batavia

A Batavia resident accused of menacing a police officer with a knife nearly a year ago has until Tuesday to decide if he will withdraw his guilty plea on a weapons charge and take his case to trial.

Bill A. Thomas, 57, first entered a guilty plea to criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, on July 21. When he was supposed to be sentenced in November, he tried to withdraw his guilty plea and asked for a new attorney.

While Thomas wasn't allowed then to change his plea, he was given time to find a new attorney.

Today, with Michael Mohun, normally the judge in Wyoming County, presiding in County Court for this case and one other, the case took another twist.

After hearing Officer Peter Flanigan read a victim's statement, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman argue for a harsh sentence and Jamie Welch, representing Thomas, advocate for a probationary sentence, Mohun summoned both attorneys to the bench.

There was a short conversation, then Mohun said he and the attorneys would meet in chambers to discuss a procedural issue.

Nearly two hours later, the attorneys, judge, defendant and his family members were all back in court after several private discussions involving all parties.

Mohun announced that when Thomas entered his guilty plea there was a procedural error related to what he admitted to and what was stated in the SCI (Special Court Information, a document used in lieu of a Grand Jury indictment). The procedural error could potentially invalidate the guilty plea, and that is why Thomas now has a chance to reconsider his plea.

Since Welch is new to the case, joining only after Thomas entered his guilty plea in July, Welch said he hasn't reviewed all of the evidence. Also, Thomas would like more time to think through his decision and confer with his family.

In his statement, Flanigan recalled a potentially catastrophic confrontation at 4 a.m., March 16, when he entered the Thomas home on State Street. He said Thomas moved aggressively toward him with a knife, and after Thomas failed to obey his verbal commands to drop the knife, Flanigan said he realized he would have to shoot Thomas to protect himself. As he reached for his pistol, the brother of Thomas entered the hallway in an attempt to leave the house, and he came between Flanigan and Thomas. Flanigan said he no longer had a clear shot at Thomas and the situation defused at that point.

The confrontation -- in which Flanigan said he both knew he might have to kill Thomas and that his own life was in danger, causing thoughts of his family and coworkers to flash through his mind -- left him shaken and he described having times of trouble sleeping and displaying other symptoms of stress, he said. 

Friedman spoke next and said that Thomas was prepared to go to trial until Interim Judge Micheal Pietruszka proposed a plea settlement, which both sides then accepted. Friedman said Thomas was a lucky man -- lucky to be alive, lucky that he wasn't charged with a more serious crime, lucky to get the plea offer he did and given his good fortune, but the serious nature of the crime, he should be given no leniency in sentencing.

Welch noted that his client never had a prior violent felony charge and it had been nearly two decades since his last criminal conviction, a misdemeanor, and it's been since 1996 that he was convicted of a felony, a DWI. Therefore, he said, he deserved a probationary sentence with credit for time served (he's been in jail for 11 months).  

While Flanigan noted that Thomas hasn't admitted to threatening the officer, Welch said when a blood sample was taken from Thomas at 8 a.m., four hours after the alleged confrontation, Thomas had a BAC of .22 and has said he doesn't remember much about that morning and doesn't believe he would have threatened a police officer with a knife.

The defense attorney also noted that even though police had control of the crime scene from the time they arrived until the investigation was completed, there was never a knife found on Thomas or at the scene.

Davon Shaquille St. John, 18, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with assault, 2nd. St. John is accused of assaulting somebody while confined at the Genesee County Jail at 8:49 p.m., Monday. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Wayne L. Pierce, 75, of Alexander, is charged with forcible touching. Pierce is accused of inappropriately grabbing a female employee at the Ben Go's gas station in Attica.

Bishop Williams, 23, of Genesee Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 4th, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 4th. Williams is accused of selling Suboxone in May while in the Village of Wyoming. He was arrested by Wyoming County Drug Task Force following an investigation. He was jailed on $15,000 bail.

Odanis Betances, 21, of Morris Avenue, Bronx, is charged with petit larceny. Betances is accused of stealing $125.99 in merchandise from Kmart.

Brian James Lipinski, 33, of Richley Road, Darien, is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument. Lipinski allegedly used a counterfeit bill to pay for food delivered to his residence.

Jarvis Davon Seymore, 33, of Michigan Street, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, unlicensed driving, aggravated unlicensed driving, and speeding. Seymore was stopped at 1:51 p.m., Monday, on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, by Deputy Chad Cummings.

A property-damage accident is reported in the area of 5768 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

A caller reports smelling smoke coming from one of the vehicles.

No injuries are reported.

Town of Batavia fire dispatched.

UPDATE Noon: Mercy EMS requested non-emergency.

Members of the Batavia Rotary Club were introduced to a new fundraising concept at their lunch meeting today that as far as anybody knows hasn't been tried in Genesee County before.

It's called a meat raffle and Andrea Aldinger, pictured, has participated in such raffles in Wyoming County.

She demonstrated the raffle for members today because the club will be hosting one April 7 at the Sacred Heart Social Center.

How a meat raffle works is, people pay to attend, in this case $5, and then they can buy raffle tickets for each item as it becomes available. For example, the person running the raffle holds up five pounds of bacon and says the bacon will go to the next auction winners.  Participants then have five minutes to buy raffle tickets, each numbered from 1-7, for $1 each. Then the person spins the raffle wheel and each person with the winning number (yes, there can be more than one winner) wins five pounds of bacon.  

There will be 20 such raffles, including not just bacon, but steaks, chickens, turkey, roasts and ribs.

Aldinger said participants need to bring a cooler to hold their meat, because they will win meat.

She also recommended making it a social event, getting a table of 10 as a group and bringing your own snacks and food dishes to eat during the three-hour raffle. The club will provide two kegs of beer, free until it runs out, and sodas will be free. There will also be a hosted bar, hosted by the church.

Raffle tickets will only be sold at the event, but there are separate prizes, including a wheelbarrow of booze and a freezer filled with meat, that people enter to win. See a local Rotarian for tickets.

Press release:

Batavia High School Student Government in conjunction with Batavia Police Department raised $800 Monday night. The money will be used to give back to a BHS student or students in the form of a scholarship at awards night in the spring awarded to seniors looking into law enforcement or criminal justice.

This is the second year of the event and coincides with the high school "Snowcoming" week where BHS celebrates winter and winter athletes. The senior Class of 2017 beat out staff members and the Police Department team and will be awarded the trophy during the winter pep assembly later this week. 

Top photo: Submitted photo; photos below, by Howard Owens.

Press release:

Batavia City School District Board of Education Awards on Feb. 7

Two Board members – Karen Tomidy and Leslie Johnson – each received a Certificate of Completion for finishing a NYS-mandated training for Board of Education members.

Batavia Middle School student Garrett Schmidt was presented with an Outstanding Student Award by Board of Education President Patrick Burk at the February Board meeting. He was nominated by BMS Principal Ashley Grillo, who wrote, “Garrett Schmidt is a stellar student who has transitioned into sixth-grade seamlessly. Even with increased expectations and responsibilities, Garrett is going above and beyond on a daily basis. Not only is Garrett kind and helpful to ALL students, he is meticulous in his work and his effort exceeds expectations. He is a quiet leader, which spurred his nomination to a leadership conference this summer. Garrett will attend the Ambassador Leadership Summit with students from 140 different countries that will enhance and refine his strong leadership potential. He is a student you trust. He works in the Counseling Center during his Home Base time and was even chosen to help a student travel to and from classes due to a broken wrist.”

Batavia Middle School staff members Karen O’Donnell, Laura Kaczmarek, Karen Cima, Jessica Korzelius and Frank Ferri were presented with Outstanding Employee Awards by Board of Education President Patrick Burk at the February Board meeting. They were nominated by BMS Principal Ashley Grillo, who wrote, “These Batavia Middle School teachers are being recognized for their help in organizing the fifth-grade Staycation Field Trip. Mrs. Korzelius, Mr. Ferri, and Mrs. O'Donnell approached the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership about having them come to BMS with devices and other technological resources acquired through the GAMETech Grant. These devices included LittleBits, Cubelets, Lego WeDo Robotics, Lego StoryStarters, and Lego EV3 Mindstorms Robotics Kits. Once the Staycation was approved, Mrs. Cima and Mrs. Kaczmarek organized the Staycation and had the students rotate through various stations throughout the school day. Stations were setup for programming and others were set up for building. The technological modules are hands-on activities that fit into instructional learning standards and learning targets. All the students were engaged in problem solving and creativity at each station. The Staycation took two months to plan, as it was extremely involved. Congratulations to these teachers for thinking outside the box and coming up with an excellent idea for our BMS Students.”

Jackson Primary School teacher Kelly Radley was presented with an Outstanding Employee Award by Board of Education President Patrick Burk at the February Board meeting. She was nominated by Jackson Principal Diane Bonarigo, who wrote, “Ms. Radley serves as a Teacher on Special Assignment for Jackson Primary School and is the District’s Mentor/Mentee Coordinator. She is a highly respected teacher leader and serves the school in many different ways. Ms. Radley can always be seen at evening and Saturday events at Jackson Primary and consistently goes above and beyond to serve the needs of our students, staff and parents, and does this with great enthusiasm. Thank you, Ms. Radley, for making a significant contribution to our school community.”

Press release:

The Genesee County & City of Batavia Youth boards are looking for nominations for their annual Youth Recognition Banquet. Nominations are due by Wednesday, Feb. 15.

There are three awards presented at the Youth Recognition Banquet:

·      Youth Recognition Award — This award recognizes young people who have performed exceptional service to the community and/or have assumed extraordinary roles in their families. Typically, the best candidates for this award are high school students, but we also know there are 12-, 13-, 14-year-olds who exemplify distinctive qualities of service.  Several youth will be recognized; however the Youth Boards reserve the right to limit the number of recipients.

·      Adult Volunteer — This award recognizes an adult who provides service as a volunteer to youth in Genesee County.

·      Adult Youth Worker — This award recognizes a youth service professional whose work surpasses normal expectations.

Recipients will be honored at the Youth Recognition Banquet on March 30.

For more information or to receive nomination forms, please call the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 344-3960 or youthbureau@co.genesee.ny.us. The forms are also on the Youth Bureau page of the Genesee County website, www.co.genesee.ny.us.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Police Department has received multiple complaints where small denomination counterfeit bills have been passed at local businesses. The Batavia Police Department is reminding everyone to check their money carefully. If you feel that you may be victim to receiving counterfeit bills, please report it to the Police Department.

A few simple items to check for on U.S. Currency that are hard to recreate on counterfeit bills:

• Color-shifting ink -- the bill denomination on the bottom right-hand corner has color-shifting ink;
• Raised printing -- to detect raised printing, take your fingernail and run it carefully down the collar/jacket. You should feel some vibration on your nail from the ridges.
• Blurry borders/printing/text -- significantly blurry borders, printing, or text, it is an automatic red flag.
• Red & Blue threads -- If you take a close look at an authentic bill, you will see that there are small red and blue threads woven in and out within the fabric of the bill.
• Watermark -- In many of the new bills, the watermark is actually a replica of the face on the bill.

Gari Lyn Fields, 33, of Lehigh Street, Rochester, is charged with failure to dim headlights and aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd. Fields was stopped at 2:21 a.m., Feb. 8, by Deputy Jeremy McClellan on Morganville Road, Stafford, and arrested on a warrant out of Town of Stafford Court from Sept. 4, 2007. Fields was held on $250 bail or $2,500 bond.

Eileen L. Biaselli, 58, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant from 2005. The warrant was discovered by Batavia PD officers during an investigation of an unrelated domestic dispute. Biaselli was jailed without bail.

Taylor Maya Miley, 20, of Heidt Avenue, Middletown, is charged with harassment. Miley allegedly threatened another person at Genesee Community College at 2:30 p.m., Feb. 8. 

Chevon Mae Duryea, 25, of Watercure Road, Nunda, is charged with petit larceny and possession of a hypodermic instrument. Duryea is accused of shoplifting from Kohl's Department Store. During the investigation he was allegedly found in possession of a needle. Also arrested and charged with petit larceny was Carl Abraham Goossens, 32, of Coverdale Road, Leicester.

Christine Ann Gelardo, 64, of Fargo Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and possession of a controlled substance not in original container. Gelardo was arrested following the completion of an investigation stemming from an incident reported Sept. 27 on Fargo Road in Stafford. Also arrested and charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument was Daniel Leonard Pelton, 59, of Fargo Road, Stafford.

Katrina L. Drake, 26, of Locust Street, Lockport, is charged with disorderly conduct and aggravated unlicensed operation. Drake was arrested by Officer Peter Flanagan following a complaint of a fight in the roadway at 1:07 a.m. Sunday on Summit Street, Batavia.

Robert S. Sodja, 52, of Lake Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant out of City Court and jailed on $1,000 bail.

Jessie J. Sayyeau, 23, of Iroquois Street, Rochester, was arrested on a warrant out of City Court for alleged failure to appear and jailed on $1,000 bail.

Joseph M. Marsceill Jr., 31, of Pringle Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant by Batavia PD after being located by probation officers in a home of one of their probationers. He was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

A three-car accident with air-bag deployment and possible injuries is reported in front of Batavia Downs on Park Road. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 11:29 p.m.: No injuries. A car was stopped in front of the Downs' entrance to unload passengers and another vehicle rear-ended it, then another vehicle rear-ended the second vehicle -- a chain reaction.

Ryan Duffy decided in high school that he wanted to work in a history museum.

Now, he's running one.

Duffy is the new director of the Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia and yesterday the museum held a reception to welcome him to his new job.

He started Jan. 17 and said he's already fascinated by what he's finding in the museum.

"I go upstairs every day to work on some things and I find something new that I find I’m amazed that it’s here, that you would expect to be some place much bigger than here," he said.

One reason Duffy is going through the collection is he's trying to plan future exhibits, which he said may focus on local history, or he may explore cooperative efforts with other museums for exhibits with ties to Genesee County, but not specifically Genesee County. He's currently working on a possible World War I exhibit and he's found some items he was surprised might be part of the local collection, such as a war department document. He said he's also impressed with the range of military uniforms the museum owns, representing all branches of service spanning the history of the country.

To help get more people to visit the museum, he's exploring the idea of trivia nights and more family-oriented events.

Duffy, originally from Eden, received his BA in history from St. Bonaventure University. He received a master's dpegree in history from Bowling Green University and a Master's Certificate in Museum Studies from SUNY Buffalo State College.

"I’ve become more and more interested in local history as I’ve gone along, so I thought, ‘I’m still in Western New York -- it’s still my history in that regard,’ " Duffy said, explaining why he applied for the job when he heard HLOM was looking for a new director. "I still feel a connection to it and I get to do what I actually want to do.”

Research released last year concluded that firefighters suffer incidents of cancer at a higher rate than the general population and Congressman Chris Collins thinks more data needs to be gathered to help researchers figure out why.

Collins is sponsoring legislation that will task the Department of Health and Human Services with creating a nationwide database to track and retain information on the emergency responses of firefighters, both career and volunteer. 

"I like to call this good common-sense legislation," Collins said during an announcement event at the Town of Batavia Fire Hall on Lewiston Road. "We know Congress is very divided these days, but this is a piece of legislation that will be bipartisan. There is no difficulty whatsoever in getting both Republicans and Democrats to step forward something that is very commonsense and very low cost."

The legislation is backed by firefighter groups both in New York and across the nation. It is in response to a CDC report (pdf) based on a study of 30,000 career firefighters in three large metro departments who served from 1950 to 2010 as well as data from 18,000 current firefighters. The six-year study found a greater number of cancer diagnoses and more cancer-related deaths among the cohort. These were mostly digestive, oral, respiratory, and urinary cancers. Firefighters may also be exposed more frequently to asbestos, increasing the rate of malignant mesothelioma.

Firefighters tend to respond to many instances where not only asbestos might be present, but a whole range of hazardous materials.

Dan Coffey, Town of Batavia's fire chief, said helping HHS gather the data may not be much of a burden on volunteer chiefs. Currently, every firefighter who responds on every call is logged and if there is suspected exposure to something hazardous, that is also logged and kept on file forever. If there are additional data points HHS requires, that may mean a little more work, but he said he would just have to wait and see about any additional burden, if any. 

He thinks the effort is worth it, he said. 

"It is very important and something that hits near and dear to us," Coffey said. "There has been a lot of discussion about higher cancer rates in this profession and certainly that would lead to a little more comfort knowing why we have higher rates and hopefully that leads to better equipment and protection and reduces the rate among firefighters."

Having a hard working, experienced legal team fighting for your best interest is not just a privilege of the rich and powerful. Dolce Panepinto, P.C., is proud to level the playing field for working families. Our team of experienced, approachable attorneys includes laborers, an ironworker, labor organizers, and civil rights advocates. We are a full service personal injury firm created by, and for, workers. In addition to personal injury, our firm focuses on workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, and all injury-related matters.

Attorney Kristin Allen has put together responses to some of the most commonly asked workers’ compensation questions. For more info, or if you have been injured or would like to file a workers’ compensation claim, please contact Kristin today at 585-815-9003 for a free case evaluation. 

1. How do I know if I have a workers’ compensation claim?
If you have been hurt at work, are in pain because of a repetitive motion you must perform as part of your job, or are sick due to something you were exposed to at work, then you most likely have a workers’ compensation claim. Contact our office for a free case evaluation as soon as possible as there are time limits you must adhere to in order to file a claim.

2. How long do I have to file a workers’ compensation claim?
You are required to report your injury to your employer within 30 days. There is also a two-year time limit to file a claim with the Workers’ Compensation Board. Failure to adhere to these time limits can result in a denial of your claim.

3. How much does a workers’ compensation attorney cost?
Workers’ compensation fees are generated on a contingent basis. This means that we only receive payment if we generate money in connection with your workers’ compensation claim, and what we take is a small percentage that is paid directly to us out of any amount awarded to you. You will never pay us anything out-of-pocket. More information on contingent fees can be found here (LINK: http://www.dolcepanepinto.com/2013/07/contingent-fee-agreements- explained/). Additionally, our attorneys can explain our attorney fees in greater detail.

4. Do I really need to look for work while I am receiving workers' compensation benefits? Even if I have a permanent disability and I have been approved for SSD?
Any time a claimant has a partial disability, whether they are temporarily or permanently partially disabled, a claimant must look for work within their restrictions in order to keep receiving lost wage benefits. This is true, even if you are actively receiving Social Security disability benefits. If you are out of work and receiving partial disability lost wage benefits, then it is your obligation to attempt to get a job. If you find a job but make less money than before you were injured, you may be entitled to reduced earnings. This means there are times that you can return to the workforce and still receive workers' compensation lost wage benefits.

There are several employment resources that may help you with your job search or retraining. They include: ACCES-VR, Genesee County Job Development Bureau, or any One-Stop Career Center, etc. There are also many online websites that aid in local job searching.

5. Am I able to receive an award for pain and suffering as part of my workers' compensation claim?
No, there is no award for pain and suffering when you file a workers' compensation claim. The workers’ compensation system is in place to compensate workers for lost wages and medical treatment only.

6. Is a workers’ compensation claim my only option if I am hurt at work?
In New York State, you cannot sue your employer but in some circumstances, a personal injury lawsuit can be filed in addition to a workers’ compensation claim. This includes, but is not limited to, injuries sustained in a work-related motor-vehicle accident, constructions injuries, or injuries sustained at a location not owned by your employer. Our team of attorneys at Dolce Panepinto will assess your claim to ensure that every legal avenue available to you is pursued.

7. I have a job that involves repetitive work and now I have pain in my hands and shoulders, is this covered by workers' compensation since I did not actually have an injury on any particular date?
Yes, depending on what your job entails, a worker can develop an injury over time due to repetitive work. This is considered an "occupational disease" and a claim for medical treatment and lost wages can be filed. This should be filed with the Workers' Compensation Board within two years of when you knew or should have known it was work-related.

8. I work in a very noisy environment and I am noticing that I have hearing loss from it. Can I file a claim for loss of hearing? When do I file it?
Yes, this is called "occupational hearing loss." You have two years and 90 days from when you stop working in the noisy environment to file a claim for hearing loss. The test for loss of hearing must be done at least 90 days after removal from the noisy workplace.

If you or a member of your family has been injured, please contact us today at 585-815-9003.

The 21st annual bowling tournament known as the Betty Ellison Memorial "Strike Out" for Crossroads House will take place next weekend -- Friday, Saturday and Sunday Feb. 17-19 -- at Mancuso Bowling Center, located at 214 Main St. in the City of Batavia.

This year it is dedicated in memory of Joe Gerace, longtime Crossroads House supporter and champion in community service and volunteerism.

Each five-person team fee is a total of $100 ($20 per person).

Lane times are: Friday at 6 p.m.; Saturday at 3 and 6 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Secure registration and payment can be made at the Crossroads House website: www.crossroadshouse.com (choose the Events tab).

Registration forms are also available at MBC or at Crossroads House, 11 Liberty St., Batavia.

For additional information, call Cindy at 993-0584 or Tara at 409-0136.

This weekend and next, Batavia Players, now in its 85th season, is presenting "The Magic Kingdom On Broadway VIII." The musical review features performances from a variety of Disney productions, including "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah," "A Spoonful of Sugar," "A Whole New World," "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," songs from "Frozen," and songs from "High School Musical," plus several other numbers. 

The cast includes 37 local dancers and singers from age 8 to 40. The show consists of five segments with a 15-minute intermission and a total run time of an hour and 45 minutes. The show is appropriate for theatergoers of all ages.

There is a performance at 56 Harvester today at 7:30 p.m. and tomorrow at 2 p.m. Next weekend there are performances on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for students and seniors. 

A car fire is reported in the Court Street Plaza parking lot behind the M&T Bank in Batavia.

City fire is responding.

UPDATE: Photo via City of Batavia Firefighters -- IAFF Local 896. Firefighters reported a quick knock down. No injuries. This was also the first fire for two new members of the department, Sean Huggins and David Pollock.

What more do you need? This home covers it all for those that are just starting out or thinking about downsizing! Cute and spacious, it has a first floor bath and laundry and nice area for entertaining downstairs and the privacy of the bedrooms up! A lot has been done to this home and you can easily move in and get your bearings before you have to do anything! Think ahead to SPRING and look forward to working outside in your cute yard that is actually a double lot in the City.

There is a lot to consider here for the money...easy to see anytime, definitely one to check out and think about! Click here to view the complete listing for 9 Colorado Ave. in Batavia. Call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today at 585-344-4663!

Two solar farm projects in the Town of Batavia were recommended for approval by the Genesee County Planning Board on Thursday night.

One project is at 3833 W. Main Street Road. It is an 11.6-acre project on a 83.5-acre parcel.  

The other is at 8169 Bank Street Road, Batavia. It is 11 acres on 93.3 acres.

Both projects are being developed by Forefront Power, formerly SunEdison, with Forefront agreeing to leases of 25 years with the property owners.

The projects are expected to produce enough electricity each to power the equivalent of 300 residential homes.

Timothy P. Ahrens, in charge of project development for Forefront, said the projects will help create additional renewable energy sources for the region.

The projects will be eligible for state and federal incentives to help offset the costs.

Planning Board members asked questions about what happens to the farm if it's ever decommissioned and Ahrens said part of the agreement with the landowners is to remove all of the infrastructure and return the land to its prior use.

Both lots are less-than-prime farmland.

Pending final approval by the Town of Batavia, Ahrens said Forefront hopes to begin construction by the fall.

Thomas L. Gibson, 29, of Watson Street, Batavia, has been arrested on suspicion of drug dealing and jailed on $20,000 bail or $40,000 bond.

Gibson was arrested on a warrant. The arrest stemmed from an investigation by the Local Drug Task Force into the alleged sales of crack cocaine in the City of Batavia.

He is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and two counts criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd.

Literacy Genesee-Orleans held a ribbon cutting and grand opening yesterday at their new location at 27 City Centre.

Director Bob Curtis said the agency had been at a location on North Street, but they wanted to find a space that was more centrally located. The new location is larger and $200 a month cheaper.

"Not only did we save money, but we also enlarged our facility from one large classroom to two classrooms plus office space and in a location that is more convenient for everybody," Curtis said.

Clients of the center range in age from 18 to 74. While there are some volunteers, many on the teaching staff are older adults, 55 and over, who receive a wage paid for through a federally funded program.

The center offers help in reading, math, and computers as well as classes and tutors for people learning English as a second language.

Photo: Tom Turnbull, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Jim Owen, Sandra Gillard, Bob Curtis, Jay Grasso and Ben Bonigrigo. Photo by Kelly Bermingham.