batavia

The way Jeremy Logan sees it, Batavia needs a music store. 

A community this size needs a place not just to buy instruments but all of the accessories musicians sometimes need on short notice, from strings and reeds to picks and drumsticks.

Logan worked for 13 years at Roxy's Music Store, and after Rose Caccamise died and the store closed, he knew there was a void to fill.  He worked from home repairing guitars for former Roxy's customers and continued taking guitar lessons from Paul Runfola at St. Anthony's.

Going to a lesson one day, he drove by a recently vacated storefront next to Southside Deli on Ellicott Street and thought it might be a good location to start a music store.  A few days later, there was a for-rent sign in the window.

He spoke to Runfola about it, and they decided to form a partnership and open a store.

In less than two weeks, Logan's Music has already started generating buzz among local musicians, and a lot of players are stopping by to say hello and check out the store. He's even made a few sales.

Currently, the store is stocked with second-hand guitars, from a gold-top Gibson Les Paul to custom Telecasters, along with lower-end models, as well as a few guitars Logan built or customized himself.

Logan, born in Batavia and raised on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation, fell in love with guitar at an early age. As he grew older, he wanted to find a way to make a living in the music business.

"I've loved guitar since I was kid, you know, but I wasn't good enough of a player to go further," Logan said. "I could play in local bands, but I wanted something consistent."

In 2000, he enrolled in the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in Phoenix and, after his studies, moved to Eugene, Oregon and worked for a company making graphite guitar necks.  

Then he returned home and eventually took a job at Guitar Center in Buffalo, first in sales and then as a luthier when the company decided to open a repair shop.

One day he happened to Roxy's and met Rose.

"I was just talking with her and told her what I did and everything, and she said, 'Come over here,' and we sat down in the corner we talked for about a good hour about what I was doing. The next day, she gave me a call and offered me a job.

Logan liked holding down a job closer to town, and he gained a reputation among local guitarists as an expert luthier.  

He became a luthier because he loved tinkering with guitars but also because he wanted to build custom guitars himself.

"I've always wanted to make my own kind of crazy designs," Logan said.

There's also satisfaction, he said, in bringing a broken guitar back to life, whether that is for a customer who drops by with a damaged instrument or if he finds a crippled axe at a flea market or garage sale, giving him an opportunity to turn it into something that brings joy to a customer.

"I like fixing guitars, taking a perfect junk guitar and making it playable and getting it to somebody who can use it," Logan said. "That's always really cool.  I like the look on someone's face when they get a guitar. It's always the same feeling. I like just bringing a guitar back to life and getting it out to people to where they're it's to be played and not just sitting in a pile of junk."

The selection of second-hand guitars in the shop offers shoppers a wide variety of choices.  He has buyers who go out and find them, and now that he has a storefront, customers will bring in guitars to sell.  That makes the selection always eclectic and always changing, making the store a bit of a paradise for local guitar players who haven't had a place in Batavia to browse a variety of guitars for a couple of years.

He's still building his stock but has no plans in his current small space to stock many other instruments.  He does intend to carry supplies to support all kinds and levels of musicians in the community and is open to suggestions. 

"I had a music teacher from John Kennedy come in, and he was talking to me and asked me if I was going to carry certain stuff, and I said I don't really know what to carry for schools, so he sat down, and he gave me a whole list of what he needed," Logan said. "He said he would send over a teacher from Batavia High School, too.  That was cool because everybody has been ready to give me advice and what is needed for the community. That is what I've wanted. It's going to be hard to take the place of Roxy's, but there was nothing here for the community, so it's cool (to get advice)."

Logan's Music is at 302 Ellicott St., Batavia. The store is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The phone number is 585-201-7133.

Sam Savarino cited a loss of more than $3.3 million that stemmed from a construction job at SUNY Alfred State College as reason for closing his Savarino Companies, and therefore leaving Batavia's Ellicott Station apartment complex in the lurch this week. 

Savarino sent The Batavian a four-page outline detailing what had transpired during that job, and we wanted to publish that explanation, albeit lengthy over the course of three years, here.

It began with DASNY
Savarino had a contract with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, known as DASNY, to perform the construction of a student housing project at Alfred. The project was called MacKenzie Hall Phase III renovation and associated asbestos abatement. It was broken down into three phases, and phase 3A was to be done before 3B and 3C were to begin, Savarino said, though there was some overlap between all three phases.

The pandemic plays a role
Soon after Savarino began the work in March 2020, it was suspended by DASNY due to COVID-19 and state executive orders. Savarino reserved its rights based on the project shutdown, and DASNY eventually determined that the work would resume on May 18, 2020, and the schedule would be reset. Phase 3A was then to be completed by July 23, 2021.

Phases 3B and 3C were to begin on May 17, 2021, and Savarino objected to the schedule that was being imposed and reserved all of its rights, he said. He moved toward completion of Phase 3A and also began certain work on the other two phases.

Alfred's change of plans
On April 30, 2021, more than two and a half months prior to the required substantial completion of Phase 3A work, DASNY informed Savarino that Phase 3B and 3C were being put on pause, Savarino said. Alfred College had determined that it needed to continue the use of dormitory rooms that would have been renovated as part of Phase 3B and 3C. No other reason was given at that time, Savarino said.

For a variety of reasons, including COVID-19, supply chain issues, shortage of labor issues, owner delay issues (e.g., late change order work and failure to require design professionals to timely respond to Savarino requests for information and assistance) and other issues that were not attributable to Savarino, the Phase 3A work was not substantially completed by DASNY’s imposed date of July 23, 2021, Savarino said. 

He was issued a temporary approval of occupancy by DASNY on or about Nov. 3, 2021, with respect to Phase 3A. Completion of “punch-list” items was still remaining.

Terminating services
Notwithstanding its approval of occupancy, DASNY provided notice to Savarino on Nov. 4, 2021, that it intended to terminate Savarino with respect to the Phase 3A work and the remainder of the project, being the Phase 3B and 3C work that DASNY had paused back on April 30, 2021. 

Savarino contested its termination in writing on Nov. 16, 2021, as well as during a conference call that was afforded to Savarino on that day, he said. By letter dated Nov. 19, 2021, DASNY terminated Savarino, purportedly for cause. Savarino has objected to its termination and has claimed that DASNY has breached the contract. Savarino has reserved all rights.

Good faith punch list
Notwithstanding the Nov. 19, 2021 termination, Savarino and its subcontractors continued to perform in good faith the “punch-list” items on the Project until DASNY terminated Savarino’s right to do that on or about Dec. 7, 2021. This punch-list work could have been completed within a short period of time, But DASNY required that it have in place a take-over agreement with Savarino’s surety, Endurance Assurance Corp., before any work could continue. This would prove to delay completion of the work, he said.

On DASNY’s demand, Endurance agreed to complete the work on the Project. Endurance requested that the surety be permitted to hire Savarino as its contractor to complete the work. This was a permitted alternative under the performance bond, but that alternative required the owner’s consent. DASNY flatly refused, Savarino said.

Completion/Takeover Agreement
Eventually, Endurance and DASNY entered into a Completion/Takeover Agreement that was executed on April 5, 2022. This allowed the completion of the Phase 3A “punch-list” work and set new dates for completion of the Phase 3B and 3C work. The surety hired Loewke–Brill Consulting Group as its representative and replacement contractor, all at great cost to Savarino, he said. 

While the agreement provided Savarino with the ability to assist Loewke–Brill, he was essentially barred from the site. Savarino assisted in scheduling, continuing subcontracts with subcontractors, payment applications and other matters to progress the work. DASNY’s own actions delayed the completion of the Project, he said. 

The “pause” on the Phase 3B and 3C work on April 30, 2021, for the convenience of Alfred State College, cannot be attributable to Savarino, he said, and its refusal to allow work on the Project to proceed until the Completion/Takeover Agreement was signed on April 5, 2022, further delayed the Project.

Building his case
Savarino denies that it was appropriate for DASNY to terminate his work on the Project. Savarino said he believes that the termination resulted from deteriorating relationship between Alfred State College and DASNY and DASNY’s attempt to “save face” by blaming Savarino for delays in the completion of the Project. 

Savarino further believes, according to his email, that, in any event, other causes contributed to the delay in completion of the Project. Savarino has engaged an expert to study the delays that he incurred that were outside of his control, and preliminary indications from that expert indicate that an extension of time in favor of Savarino for the Phase 3A work beyond DASNY’s imposed date of July 23, 2021, would be appropriate.

Moreover, the contract with DASNY provides for liquidated damages for a delay in project completion. If these are appropriate in amount and not unenforceable as a penalty, that would provide DASNY its remedy for delay in completion. 

Savarino believes that, in any event, Alfred State College was not materially impacted by the delay in completion of Phase 3A. The students that would have occupied Phase 3A were housed in other facilities on campus, he said.

Filing his lawsuit
On Nov. 15, 2022, Savarino filed a lawsuit against DASNY in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, with the venue in the County of Albany, to seek an adjudication of the respective claims of the parties. That lawsuit is now in the discovery stage.

It should be noted, he said, that Phase 3B of the Project achieved a temporary approval for occupancy as of Aug. 11, 2023, and is now being occupied. It is anticipated that Phase 3C will be completed by the anticipated date of Nov. 24, 2023, as set forth in the Completion/Takeover Agreement with Endurance.

Savarino claims that it has been severely impacted by DASNY’s actions on this Project. Savarino will be seeking damages from DASNY in the currently pending action, he said.

Savarino included an attachment that tallied estimated damages of $3,310,282.82 based on the increased costs and legal fees that Savarino incurred that were caused by DASNY’s actions.

Press Release:

Batavia and the Genesee County Airport welcome back the Wings Over Batavia Air Show September 2-3, marking a renewal of an event that last took place in 1998. The show will feature a mix of military and civilian aircraft including the U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II, the F-22 Raptor, and P-51 demonstration teams as well as world-class aerobatic performers Michael Goulian, Rob Holland, Matt Younkin, and more.

“This is a family-friendly event with aircraft performances that will delight the crowd,” said Air Show Director Dennis Dunbar. “And once the sun sets, the show will continue with a one-of-a-kind pyrotechnic musical featuring aircraft flying through explosions that are choreographed to music. It will be unlike anything
you’ve ever seen.”

Air show gates open on Saturday and Sunday (of Labor Day weekend) at 2 p.m. Flying begins at 5 p.m. and continues through twilight hours. The show ends at 9 p.m. with choreographed fireworks and aerobatic aircraft performances.

The air show lineup will be one of the largest of any air show in 2023 across North America. The lineup will include: 

• U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II Demo Team
• U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor
• U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight
• P-51 Mustang Demo Team “Mad Max” & “Little Witch”
• Nathan Hammond
• Matt Younkin – Beech 18
• Michael Goulian
• Ken Rieder
• Rob Holland
• Bill Stein
• Kevin Coleman
• Jim Peitz
• Lee Lauderback – P-51 Mustang “Crazy Horse”
• Choreographed Pyromusical Fireworks Show
• Luke Aikins – Red Bull Airforce
• Airythmia

The air show also presents a volunteer opportunity for civic groups, schools, sports teams, and more to raise funds for their organization. Volunteers have a backstage pass to the sights and sounds of the air show and will receive a volunteer t-shirt and food and water during their volunteer shift. Simply visit the Wings Over Batavia website www.WingsOverBatavia.com and click on the ‘Volunteer’ button to sign up.

Press Release:

Greenside Cannabis, in partnership with Dank, Buffalo’s first
licensed adult-use dispensary, and Empire Hemp Co., is thrilled to announce the WNY Cannabis Growers Showcase. 

This unique event will be hosted at Empire Hemp Co.'s retail CBD store, 204 E. Main St., in Batavia, NY, beginning on August 29, 2023, and continuing weekly from Tuesday to Saturday, 1 to 7 p.m., until December 30, 2023.

The WNY Cannabis Growers Showcase is designed as a pop-up adult-use dispensary where local OCM (Office of Cannabis Management) licensed cultivators can directly sell their high-quality cannabis products to consumers. This showcase aims to highlight the best of Western New York’s burgeoning cannabis industry, offering a curated selection of products, including flower, edibles, and vape products.

Participating Cultivators and Processors: Currently, the showcase features an impressive lineup of local cultivators, including Greenside Cannabis, Tarot Tokes, Flwr City, and House of Sacci. Additionally, Empire Hemp Co. will be
offering a selection of gummies and vape carts that will be available for purchase at the event.

A Community-Centric Approach: “This showcase is more than just a place to buy cannabis—it’s a celebration of the incredible talent and innovation that exists within the Western New York cannabis community,” said Alexis Heim, CEO of Greenside Cannabis. “We are proud to partner with Dank and Empire Hemp Co. to create a space where local growers can connect directly with consumers, educate the public, and elevate the entire industry in our region.”

"We're thrilled to host the WNY Cannabis Growers Showcase," says Chris VanDusen, CEO of Empire Hemp Co. "It's not just about showcasing the best cannabis products in the region, but also about building a community, supporting local businesses, and celebrating the rich tapestry of cannabis culture in Western New York."

Event Details:

● Dates: August 29 - December 30, 2023
● Days: Every Tuesday to Saturday
● Time: 1-7 pm
● Location: Empire Hemp Co. Retail CBD Store, 204 E. Main      St., Batavia, NY

This event is for adults 21 and over. Please consume responsibly.

The next steps are yet to be determined.

That seems to be the ongoing response from city and county officials in the aftermath of an announcement by CEO Samuel Savarino that his company will be ceasing operations and laying off its employees.

Savarino is the developer of Ellicott Station, the four-story apartment complex touted as an economic lifesaver for downtown Batavia and for working individuals and families in need of an affordable, quality and safe place to live.

That economic vision was blurred earlier this year when the online rental application indicated income requirements of very low to low ranges, seemingly squelching the notion that the units would indeed be for workforce individuals. The Batavian had reached out to Savarino requesting details about a lottery that awarded rentals to 55 tenants. He wasn’t privy to such information, he had said at the time.

Apparently, the Genesee County Economic Development Center had more luck. The agency had, according to its June 29 meeting minutes, “requested “blind” demographic information to ascertain 1) where the lottery winners are from and 2) what percentage of the lottery winners are gainfully employed.

“Despite numerous efforts, there has only been partial information received back from the developer.  On July 13th, a demand letter was issued to provide the information requested to assess if the project meets the requirements of Workforce Housing,” the minutes state.

Savarino finally responded on July 31. After careful analysis, GCEDC determined that the developer remained “in default for performance reasons.”

“There is an insufficient number of lottery winners that meet the GCEDC definition of workforce housing, which is aligned with the industry definition as well,” the minutes state.

When reached for comment about the company closure Wednesday, Steve Hyde, CEO of the agency, said that “next steps are yet to be determined.

“To clarify, the majority of the GCEDC financial agreements for the project are termed over 30 years that start following the completion of the project. These are structured as performance-based. Additionally, the project was notified in July that it is in default of its GCEDC financial agreements and is currently in a cure period to meet the goals of a workforce housing project,” he said. “In light of the news yesterday, the project being in default to our financial agreements enables the GCEDC to have a greater role in ensuring a positive solution as we work with all parties involved. We continue to work with the City of Batavia towards this goal."

Savarino issued an emailed statement Tuesday, and added that there would be no further comment at this time. The Batavian reached out to one confirmed future tenant of Ellicott Station, who did talk to a Savarino employee. Carla Laird was featured in The Batavian after the lottery happened this past spring, and her excitement hasn’t diminished about moving into Ellicott Station, though she is concerned.

Laird was told to continue planning for her new apartment, with a move-in sometime between December and February. The Batavian emailed Rachel Good of Savarino Companies to confirm this and has not received a response.

On Tuesday, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said that the city had not been contacted by Savarino Companies before the announcement and is, therefore, "reviewing and evaluating all information as it comes forward."

"Over the past month, the City has worked with the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) to demand Savarino Companies provide workforce housing at Ellicott Station as promised in their applications to the State and City.  The City will be meeting with regional and state partners to seek assistance to move the Ellicott Station Project forward," Tabelski said Tuesday. "As more details become available, we will update the community.”

Back in February, city and county officials responded to the news that Ellicott Station was not going to be as workforce-friendly in diverging ways. City Council sent a letter to the state Home and Community Renewal agency seeking assistance to ensure that income levels could be increased to offer a better mix of rental opportunities.

Hyde focused on the longstanding and dilapidated defunct buildings at 30-50 Ellicott St., and how Ellicott Station was designed initially “and continues to contribute to helping achieve the goals of the Batavia Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI),” he had said in February.

He pulled an excerpt from the DRI application for the Build Ellicott Station Project:

“The DRI program will be a comprehensive approach to boost Batavia’s economy by transforming the downtown into a vibrant neighborhood where the next generation will want to live, work and raise a family.  A key component of the DRI program is to advance strategic private and public investments that will provide catalytic impacts to facilitate downtown revitalization.”

“I believe the Ellicott Station Project, in its current form, continues on this path by making public/private investments, revitalizing a blighted parcel which is helping to transform our downtown into a vibrant neighborhood that offers opportunities for our young adults in the community to live, work, play and raise a family in a significantly upgraded area of downtown Batavia,” Hyde said. 

Savarino had said he wasn’t sure why city officials were upset, as income qualifications hadn’t changed according to his understanding. 

He said that those numbers were fixed in 2019 per 50 to 60 percent of the area median income at the time. The project will have to be up and operating before it can be adjusted, he had said at the time, but that is a possibility. 

“So if wages have gone up in that time, then the income restrictions will go up, and if they’re going down, the income restrictions will go down,” he said.

Previously:

• Apartment application reveals for first time, Section 8 vouchers accepted at Ellicott Station
• City leaders surprised by Ellicott Station's income levels, ask developer to raise them
• Ellicott Station developer, GCEDC excited about project for tenants to 'live, work and play'
• Ellicott Station is going up, city leaders ask for income levels to do likewise
• Lottery drawing selects 55 tenants for Ellicott Station, Savarino says
• One woman's dream comes true as first one chosen for Ellicott Station
• Savarino Companies going out of business, leave Ellicott Station up in the air

Click here to view 9137 South Lake Road, Corfu.
Click here to view 41 Kingsbury Ave., Batavia.

Tuesday's turnout for Community Night Out at City Church's St. Anthony's may have been the biggest since the church first hosted the event in 2019, according to Pastor Ryan Macdonald.

"(We're) very blessed," Macdonald said. "Packed out event. I don't think we've ever seen this many people out at his event before. I'm thankful to have all these agencies here so the community understands what is available."

Community Night Out, formerly National Night Out, was an event Batavia put on at various locations in the city every year, but it seems to have a long-term home at St. Anthony's, and a partner in City Church, that has helped it grow.

Macdonald said he's thankful for all the sponsors who support the event and the event's charity this year, Batavia PD's K-9 program.

The event is an important community outreach program for Batavia PD, said Det. Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

"The purpose of our event is to bring the community out, as you can see, to build positive relationships with the community in a relaxed setting where we're not at a 911 call or an emergency call, a stress-free environment to just build relationships within the community," Wojtaszczyk.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

A house fire is reported at 18 Colorado Ave., Batavia 

City Fire dispatched. Second alarm for Alexander, Town of Batavia, Elba, City home monitors.

UPDATE 2:54 a.m.: The fire seems to have been knocked down.

UPDATE 4:32 a.m.: Firefighters do not believe the house was occupied. There is as of yet no information available on cause or origin.  City Fire initially received a call for the smell of smoke in the area of East Main Street and Masse Place. A firefighter said it smelled like a house was burning somewhere.  Then a call reported a structure fire at 18 Colorado Avenue. The house was fully involved when City Fire arrived on scene.

UPDATE: Press release:

On Wednesday, August 23, 2023, the City of Batavia Fire Department responded to a report of smoke in the area of Masse Place and East Main in the City.  As crews were searching for the source, City of Batavia Police discovered a residential structure on fire at 18 Colorado Avenue. Initial fire units arrived to find fire showing from the front of a two story, single family home.  Fire crews entered the home to perform searches for any occupants and extinguish the fire. Searches for occupants were negative. The fire caused significant damage to the majority of the structure, the remaining portions suffered smoke and water damage. No one was home at the time of the fire. One cat perished in the blaze.  

No injuries were reported. 

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by City of Batavia Fire Department.   

The City of Batavia Fire Department was assisted by the City of Batavia Police, Codes Department, and Water Department as well as the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center, the Town of Batavia Fire Department, the Elba Fire Department, and Oakfield Fire Department. 

Photos by Howard Owens

As Ellicott Station, the four-story apartment complex in Batavia’s downtown Southside, remains unfinished and behind schedule of what was previously announced for a summer opening, Samuel Savarino of Savarino Companies confirmed Tuesday that the 23-year-old company “will be winding down and ceasing operations,” according to The Buffalo News. 

Savarino said that the company would be laying off 30 employees after being unable to overcome significant financial losses following its dismissal from a state-funded SUNY construction project, the article states.

The Batavian called City Manager Rachael Tabelski and Samuel Savarino for comment and received an emailed response from Savarino confirming that the company will be "winding down and ceasing operations," however, it offered a thin promise for Ellicott Station's future completion.

UPDATED 4:12 p.m.: "The primary factors governing the firm’s decision are ongoing and increasing costs related to a project the company’s surety was forced to complete at Alfred State College, a recent termination of work and the company’s inability to obtain surety bonding or acceptance of alternative performance guarantees for $110 million of 2023 work which the company would otherwise have had underway at this time. Without that work, it would not be possible for the company to operate profitably," the email stated. "Savarino Properties, LLC, which is an independent company and provides property management services throughout Western New York, will not be impacted.

"Savarino Companies, LLC is actively working to achieve the best outcomes for its employees, clients and vendors. The firm is working with its clients, and in some cases, its surety to complete work on active projects and, where needed, is making arrangements with replacement contractors for upcoming work the company was slated to perform," the company stated. "The status of several initiatives and development projects that Savarino Companies was affiliated with has yet to be determined."

City Manager Rachael Tabelski said that the city had not been contacted by Savarino Companies before the announcement and is, therefore "reviewing and evaluating all information as it comes forward."

"Over the past month, the City has worked with the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) to demand Savarino Companies provide workforce housing at Ellicott Station as promised in their applications to the State and City.  The City will be meeting with regional and state partners to seek assistance to move the Ellicott Station Project forward," Tabelski said Tuesday. "As more details become available, we will update the community.”

Savarino also emailed reports of the many charitable organizations that the company has supported over the years of its existence.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Joel D. Prouty, 37, of Batavia, is charged with strangulation 2nd and assault 3rd. It’s alleged that Prouty struck the victim in the face and strangled her during a disturbance on an undisclosed date at an undisclosed location in the City of Batavia. When Police arrived on scene, Prouty allegedly jumped out of a second-story window and fled on foot. Officers were unable to locate Prouty that day. On Aug. 4, patrols were called back to the same address for another disturbance between Prouty and the same victim. When officers attempted to take him into custody, Prouty reportedly fought with them. He was additionally charged with resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration 2nd. He was arraigned in City Court and held without bail.

Owen Charles Scouten, 22, of Batavia (no street address disclosed), is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speed not reasonable and prudent, moving from lane unsafely, and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Scouten was reportedly involved in an accident at 1:16 a.m. on Aug. 20, on Lewiston Road, Batavia. Two people were injured in the accident and required transport to a hospital for treatment. Following an investigation, Scouten was arrested by Deputy Carlos Ortiz Speed.  Additional charges are pending. Scouten was released on an appearance ticket.

Owen Charles Scouten, 22, of Church Street, Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding and moving from lane unsafely. Scouten was stopped at 7:38 p.m. on Aug. 14 on Route 20 in Alexander by Deputy Alexander Hadsall. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Richard A Demmer, 30, of Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant issued by City Court. Demmer was initially arrested on May 29, after he allegedly attempted to rob the 7-Eleven, on East Main Street A warrant was issued on July 12 after Demmer allegedly failed to appear for a court appearance. He was arrested on that warrant on July 13. Another warrant was issued on July 27 after he again allegedly failed to appear in court. Demmer was located by Batavia Police on Aug. 3 and arrested. He was arraigned in City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on $10,000 cash bail, $20,000 bond, or $40,000 partially secured bond.

Crystal A. Mounts, 46, of Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant issued by City Court. Mounts was initially arrested on April 9, 2022 after allegedly stealing property from a local church. A warrant was issued on April 29, 2022 after she allegedly failed to appear in court. She was arrested on that warrant on May 14, 2022. Another warrant was issued on Sept. 19 after she again failed to appear in court. She was arrested on that warrant on July 29. She was arraigned and released.

Lance D. Beals, 53, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th and criminal tampering 3rd. Beals was arrested after an investigation into an incident on East Main Street where he allegedly damaged to an apartment building. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kavyia A. Spencer, 24, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Spencer was arrested after an investigation into an employee theft from Kwik Fill on Jackson Street, Batavia. It’s alleged that she stole merchandise from the store on two separate occasions. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Patricia M. Anderson, 38, of Batavia, was arrested on on Aug. 9 on an arrest warrant issued by City Court. Anderson was initially arrested on April 9 after allegedly stealing merchandise from 7-Eleven on East Main Street in Batavia. A warrant was issued after Anderson allegedly failed to appear in court. Anderson was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance. 

Edmund J. Sobresky, 54, of Batavia, is charged with DWAI Drugs. Sobresky’s arrest is the result of a traffic stop on April 11.  He was charged on Aug. 8 following an investigation. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Patricia A. McCarthy, 29, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and public lewdness. McCarthy was arrested after patrols responded to Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, on Aug. 6 for a report of two people fighting. It’s alleged that McCarthy engaged in a fight with another person. During the fight, McCarthy became disrobed. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Jason Howard Heerdt, 27, of Hilltop Drive Elma, Ryan Thomas Budziszewski, 32, of Northseine Drive, Cheektowaga, and Carlie Marie Budziszewski, 25, of Northseine Drive, Cheektowaga, are charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Heerdt is accused of taking a golf cart at Darien Lake Theme Park without permission on Aug. 6 at 9:25 p.m.. They were issued appearance tickets.

Joseph David Johnson, 53, of State Street, Mumford, is charged with robbery 3rd and harassment 2nd. Johnson is accused of using force to steal property from an elderly victim while inside Batavia Downs Casino at 1:26 on Aug. 10. He was held pending arraignment.

Christopher James Parker, 34, of Batavia Elba Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Parker is accused of violating an order of protection at 10:37 a.m. on Aug. 11. He was held pending arraignment.

Steven Albert Barraco, 53, of Edgewood Drive, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Barraco is accused of shoving another person by the throat during an altercation on Aug. 10 at 5:31 p.m. at a location on Edgewood Drive. He was held pending arraignment.

Brian Michael Tracy, 35, of Horseshoe Lake Road, Stafford, is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, criminal contempt 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, and harassment 2nd.  Tracy is accused of getting out of a car and striking another person in front of two children on Aug. 11 at 4:10 p.m. at a location on Horseshoe Lake Road. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and held pending arraignment. 

Jason Michael Babbitt, 49, of Perry Road, Pavilion, is charged with 46 counts of aggravated harassment 2nd. Babbitt is accused of calling the Emergency Dispatch Center 46 times, including calls after he was instructed to stop.  According to the Sheriff's Office, his calls were not placed to request the services of police, fire, or EMS.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jose Efrain Velz-Torres, 42, of Sobieski Street, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, speeding, aggravated unlicensed operation, operating a vehicle with improper plates, and driving without insurance. Velz-Torres was stopped at 1:19 a.m. on Aug. 14 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Ryan Mullen. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Mark Louis Frongetta, 53, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct. At 6:14 p.m. on Aug. 14, Deputies responded to the Best Western Inn Suites on Park Road after receiving a report of a disturbance. Frongetta is accused of standing in the lobby yelling obscenities and of throwing the hotel's phone. Frongetta was held pending arraignment.

Dennis Edward Biggins, 48, of Franklin Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and driving too slow (impeding traffic). Biggins was stopped at 4:15 p.m. on Aug. 14 on Route 237 in Stafford by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Lorriance Marie Nelson, 61, of Hillcrest Street, Newfane, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, speed not reasonable and prudent, and moving from lane unsafely. Nelson was reportedly involved in an accident at 12:51 a.m. on May 25 on Ellicott Street. She was arrested on Aug. 18 following an investigation by Deputy Mason Schultz.  She was issued an appearance ticket.

Joseph Albert Boisclair, 58, of Knowlesville Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, speeding, driving left of pavement markings, and failure to keep right. Boisclair was stopped at 1:35 a.m. on Aug. 19 on Lewiston Road, Batavia by Sgt. Mathew Clor. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Angel Eliseo Colon, 41, of Grant Street, North Tonawanda, is charged with harassment 2nd. Colon is accused of spitting on another person while at the Genesee County Jail at 7:02 p.m. on Aug. 16. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Akeem Rashaad Gibson, 33, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with reckless endangerment and unlawful fleeing a police officer 3rd. Gibson is accused of fleeing from a deputy in the Town of Byron at 3:31 p.m. on July 30. He was arrested on the charge on Aug. 15. He was held pending arraignment. 

Joseph Jerome Kostanciak, 33, of Genesee Street, Pembroke, and Shannon Leah Smith, 46, of Genesee Street, Pembroke, are charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Kostanciak and Smith are accused of possession of drug paraphernalia at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 18 at a location on Genesee Street, Pembroke, including an uncapped needle that was accessible to children who are under the age of 17.  Both were held pending arraignment.

John Joseph Wojtkowiak, 56, of Attica Road, Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and drinking in a motor vehicle. Wojtkowiak was reportedly involved in an accident at 6:44 a.m. on Aug. 1 at the Totempole Gas and Smoke Shop on Ledge Road, Basom. He was arrested following an investigation by Deputy Kevin McCarthy. He was released on an appearance ticket.

There were some sharp elbows involved, says Bill McDonald, and Bill Pitcher's brother didn't expect the partnership to last when the two "Wild Bills" of the local music scene came together in Batavia 30 years ago to form the band that became the Ghost Riders.

But the partnership has thrived, producing some great music and some great memories for all involved as the Ghost Riders prepare for their 30th Anniversary celebration show at Batavia County Club at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 27.

By the time 1993 rolled around, both McDonald and Pitcher were veterans of the local music scene, with McDonald even venturing well beyond Genesee County's borders to pursue a musical career.

When he returned home, it was with the intent to take care of his family in their new home in Darien.  Then a friend suggested he needed to start a country band.

He found a guitarist, and they started inviting in established musicians they knew who would fit into the hardcore country style they were after.

After a few rehearsals, they lined up a first gig and then the bass player had to hightail it to Florida because of some legal issues to resolve there, and then the lead guitarist quit to join an established gigging band in Buffalo.

At the same time, Pitcher's band Bullseye was running its course. The pedal steel player decided it was time to retire, and another member moved to Buffalo and another to Florida.

"So my band was dissolving right at the time that Bill needed a bass player and guitar player, so we kind of morphed into a good group of guys," Pitcher said. "We had all the elements we liked."

But still, no name for the band and gigs already lined up, including gigs originally booked for Bullseye.

Also, part of that original lineup was Jimmy Duval on pedal steel (Duval has played with McDonald for 40 years),  Larry Merritt, and Jimmy Symonds.

The first gig was a long-gone tavern, Confetti's, located on property now occupied by City Centre.

"We played on a Saturday night, and it went over great," McDonald said.

"We’re hardcore country, country with a twang, with steel guitar and lead guitar, and we sang harmonies," Pitcher said.

McDonald said they drew on influences such as Merle Haggard.

"We wanted to keep real country alive," he said.

It was a few gigs into the band's career before they came up with a name.

One evening, the band was booked at the South Byron Fire Hall, and they decided to hold a band name contest. They invited fans to write new suggested names on a card. Then the band reviewed about 20 submissions and narrowed down the field to three "we could live with," McDonald said.

They read the names off to the crowd, and Ghost Riders, taken from the name of a song they played, and suggested by Fred Ferrell, was the overwhelming favorite.

"It may not be the most unique name, but it stuck," McDonald said.

In those early months, the Ghost Riders were a cover band even though McDonald was an established songwriter.  The original songs would come later.

"It just was so hard to put all that together in a short period of time," McDonald said. "Everybody knew all the other songs (the covers), so it just made it easier.  We learned (the originals) as we went into the studio to record an album. Then we practiced all of the original songs that we had. That's when we did our rehearsing, right in the studio. Yeah, that was pretty cool."

The Ghost Riders, in their career, have released five studio albums.  None, of course, were big sellers, but they kept the fans happy, and there were always plenty of fans.

Pitcher remembers that on the first CD, the band included Ghost Riders in the Sky.  They had to pay royalties -- eight cents for each CD sold.  He ended up sending a check for about $3 to the publishing company in New York.

The band has also released another four live CDs, mostly compiled by Pitcher.  There is a collection of songs recorded over a three-year period at the Stafford Carnival.  There is another set recorded at a venue in Buffalo through the sound system onto a cassette that Pitcher said has just amazing fidelity considering the available technology. 

Rarely, over the past 30 years, has the band traveled much beyond Western New York, but there have been gigs in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

"We never got a national booking agency involved with the band," McDonald said. "We had some chances to do it, but we booked our own stuff. We were getting up there. As I said, I was 30 when we started the band. He was 40. So we weren't a couple of youngsters."

McDonald had had his time on the road.  As the frontman of Slim Chicken and the Midnight Pickers, McDonald toured throughout New York before moving the band to Texas (with a year at the end in California).

He even had his shot at a major record deal. One snowy winter night, his band was booked into the Cafe Espresso in Woodstock.  That was a place favored by Bob Dylan and The Band at one time.  The place was dead because of the winter storm. There was one customer, a man sitting by himself shuffling papers and just not leaving.

"I kept saying to the guys, why won't they close the place up and let's get the hell out of here?" McDonald said. "The owner said. 'We've still got a customer.'  And he sat there all night. At the end of the night, after we played our last song, he came up to me and he told me, 'What are you guys doing tomorrow morning? Busy? I ask him who he is, and he says, 'I'm Harley Lewis. I'm from RCA Records in New York City."

He was an A&R man, and he wanted Slim Chicken and the Midnight Pickers in the studio in NYC the next morning to cut a three-song demo.

The band was in the studio and cut the demo, but the deal didn't come through.

McDonald said RCA decided to sign Pure Prairie League instead. 

McDonald started his musical journey in Batavia with some friends and the band T&T and the Explosions, followed by Lookout Bridge and then Beethoven's Dream Group.

Pitcher’s musical journey began when he was five years old.  His dad was a guitar and harmonica player who attached his harmonica to his guitar, not on a rack around his neck like Bob Dylan would popularize. As Pitcher and his brother, known locally as Uncle Rog, were growing up, their dad mostly played house parties, maybe six or 10 couples at the parties, maybe two or three times a week.  He was a school teacher who drove truck in the summer.

When the Pitcher boys -- from Pavilion -- got older and had a band of their own, Dad would sometimes sit in.

"He never took a nickel for playing ever because he loved to play."

Then they formed a family band, Family Plus One. That band included another Pavilion boy, Charlie Hettrick, and Pitcher's mom, who bought her own Git Fiddle, which was a wire connected to a stick and a bell on top. She would hit the floor on the downbeat and pluck the string. Uncle Rog played drums. 

By then, Pitcher was playing a little melody on guitar, which would give his dad a break on harmonica. 

Most of the time, they played in Fulton County, where both of Pitcher's parents had extended family.

They would go into a bar and ask the bartender if they could play a bit.

"We had a good time in the bar," Pitcher said. "You know, in a half hour, 45 minutes, people would gravitate in. Somebody would make a couple of calls or something, and we would end up playing for two or three hours."

Before Bullseye, Pitcher was the leader of The American Countree Four.  He was known as Wild Bill.

And McDonald, in Slim Chicken, was Wild Bill.

For years, fans would get them confused, both McDonald and Pitcher said.

"People would start talking to me, and I would figure it out -- 'oh, they mean a gig that Bill played,'  and I'd tell him, and then he'd go, Yeah, somebody talked to me at a wedding reception, he thought that he was me," Pitcher said.

That's one reason Pitcher's brother didn't think these two guys used to leading their own bands would be able to put away the sharp elbows long enough to make music.

The first compromise was Pitcher, a few months older than McDonald, became "Mild Bill" while McDonald remained "Wild Bill."

Over 30 years, the Ghost Riders have played a lot of gigs.  Most of them paid.  There was a time when a good local gigging band could make a living in the warmer months playing lawn fetes and carnivals and picnics and parties. Every community had at least one annual event back then that needed live music.

Now it's much harder to find enough gigs, McDonald said.  The band has also started other projects.  McDonald and his wife Kay (who is also now a member of the Ghost Riders), for example, also tour as The Old Hippies. Pitcher has a few side projects, including a bluegrass musicians collective in Pavilion. Still, the Ghost Riders have some of the same gigs they play every year and have for 20 years.

One thing they've always done is play for free in support of good causes. 

"We did a lot of civic stuff," McDonald said. "We thought when we started, we wanted to do what we could for the community for no money. You know, just do whatever we could do."

All along, the Ghost Riders have been all about the love of the music, both musicians said.  That's the real secret to keeping the band going for 30 years.

"We just, we'd enjoy it," McDonald said. "We love playing music. And this is what gave us the opportunity."

Pitcher added, "My answer to why we're playing is because that's what we do. We love it. It's part of us. It comes from the heart."

All photos courtesy of the Ghost Riders.

The Ghost Riders Play at Batavia Country Club on Aug. 27 from 3 to 6 p.m. The current Ghost Rider members are: Gene "Sandy" Watson, Bill McDonald, Kay McDonald, Bill PItcher, and Nino Speranza.

If you were tooling around Batavia late Saturday and noticed a lot of classic cars passing through town, they were apparently here for a classic car rally in the parking lot of Tompkins Bank of Castile on East Main Street.

Photos by Nick Serrata.

With an opening date of Aug. 26 drawing closer, Rochester Regional Health celebrated the completion of its new medical campus in Batavia on Friday with a brief ceremony that included a ribbon cutting and a first look inside the building for a few dignitaries.

Many of the medical offices and services offered by United Memorial Medical Center and RRH at St. Jerome's and other medical buildings are moving into the new medical campus, making it more of a one-stop shop for area residents receiving out-patient medical care.

RRH invested nearly $45 million in the 95,000-square-foot facility.

Hospital officials describe the facility as "centrally located right off the Thruway, in a convenient place both for local residents and those coming from around the region."

There will be more than a dozen specialty services all under one roof, including primary care, pediatrics, orthopedics, otolaryngology, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, neurosciences and Sands-Constellation Heart Institute cardiologists.   

Lab services will also be offered at the campus.

The campus will also offer urgent care seven days a week.

Previously: RRH's 'one-stop' medical campus ready to open

Press Release:

The Wings Over Batavia Air Show is coming to town on September 2 and 3 and bringing national acts and world champion aerobatic performers in a spectacular night-time show featuring a high energy-choreographed fireworks & flight display. It will be a show not to miss.

If your organization, group, or team is looking for a great fundraising opportunity, then this is it. The Wings Over Batavia Air Show is looking for groups to work the food courts and raise funds through revenue sharing. If you are interested in learning more, request information here - https://forms.gle/TRhMYknQuuY5NuEi6.

The Air Show is also looking for groups to work in the parking lots, and these groups will also be eligible to raise funds through revenue sharing. Sign up for parking online at https://wingsoverbatavia.com/volunteer/. If you would like to see more about the airshow, check out their website at https://wingsoverbatavia.com/ or like them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Wingsoverbatavia. 

Press Release:

Western Region Off-Track Betting (WROTB) and Batavia Downs President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek was joined by staff from Mothers of Veteran Suicide as they were presented with a check for $3,330. These proceeds were from the “Sock Hop” event that took place at Batavia Downs on August 7.

“We know how important the work that Mothers of Veteran Suicide does in the Veterans community,” Wojtaszek said. “They have had their RV at our concert series and have traveled around the country raising awareness.  We are honored to have helped host this event to raise much-needed funds for their mission.”

“We are so grateful to the staff from Batavia Downs, “said Michele Ladd, President/CEO of Mothers of Veteran Suicide. “With their promotion and assistance, we were able to put on an event that attracted more people than we thought we would have.

Over 150 people attended the Monday afternoon Sock Hop which included Music by Ruby Shooz, an appearance from Batavia Downs Ambassador and NFL Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas, and several raffles which raised an additional $1,994 in funds.

Plans are already underway to schedule next year’s event.

After reporting on the demolition underway at 229 Ellicott Street, the former Louie's Barber Shop, in Batavia, The Batavian sought more information about the history of the right of way, the Department of Transportation's agreement with the shop's last owner, and the DOT's plans for the parcel.

We received the following statement:

“The New York State Department of Transportation is demolishing a vacant structure located within our State Route 63 right-of-way in the City of  Batavia that had previously housed Louie’s Barber Shop. The decision to demolish the structure — which has been located in our right-of-way since the 1970s — was made after the building’s previous operator communicated his plans to retire and terminate his occupancy. NYSDOT had no further use for the structure and will pave the property at a later date. NYSDOT’s agreement with the nearby Pok-A-Dot restaurant remains unchanged.”

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

The Chamber’s Annual Awards Committee has announced the “2023” Annual Award Ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Batavia Downs Gaming, Park Road, Batavia. This is the County’s premier event that honors businesses and individuals for their achievements in business, community service, and volunteerism.

Please note that a brief write-up will qualify your nominee for consideration. Nominations are now being accepted for Business of the Year, Entrepreneurial Business of the Year, Agricultural Business of the Year, Innovative Enterprise of the Year, Special Service Recognition & Geneseeans of the Year. Business Nominees must be a Chamber Member (If unsure of your nominee, call the Chamber to verify).

Nomination forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 8276 Park Road, Batavia, and can also be downloaded from the Chamber Website at www.geneseeny.com. Nominations MUST BE RECEIVED BY December 29, to be eligible for consideration.

If you would like more information, feel free to call or email Kelly J. Bermingham, Director of Member Relations & Special Events at the Chamber office, 343-7440, ext. 1026, kbermingham@geneseeny.com.