batavia

Workers at Petco are busy cleaning up the store and restocking shelves -- some stock had to be replaced -- following the fire at Bed, Bath & Beyond last Monday.

One thing General Manager Carol Hershberger is eager for local residents to know is that all of the animals that were in the store are safe.

They were initially taken to the Genesee County Animal Shelter and, contrary to a prior report, never returned to the store, she said. The animals have all been relocated to other Petco stores.

There's a lot of work, but staff is working hard, she said, to get the store reopened Monday.

Meanwhile, investigators have yet to determine the case of the fire, which started in the bedding department of Bed, Bath & Beyond and caused to smoke to fill both stores (not as heavily, in Petco).

UPDATE 3:57 p.m.: Hershberger called back to say after a long way of work today, she doesn't believe the store will be ready to open Monday. She said she's hesitant to predict when the store will open. "As soon as possible," she said.

Press release:

The City Water Department will be making a water main repair in front of John Kennedy School today. This may result in a water service interruption on Vine Street (between North Street and Bank Street) and Evergreen Drive (between Vine Street and North Spruce Street). Water will not be turned off before John Kennedy School dismissal at 11:30 a.m. so school will not be affected.

UPDATE 2:38 p.m.: The main has been repaired.

The Manor House held a party yesterday celebrating all the birthdays for the year of residents who turn 90 years old or older.

Bottom photo, Angie Ilasi cuts the cake. Ilasi turns 100 this year.

(File Photo)

A Buffalo judge ruled this morning that the city must issue a rooming house permit to local rental property owner Terry Platt for a 12-room rooming house at 316 E. Main St., Batavia.

The city's planning board turned town Platt's application in May following strenuous objects from neighboring property owners and other residents, so Platt filed an Article 78 action asking the court to step in and review the case.

Judge John Curran found that Platt's plan did not violate the city's master plan, as the city maintained in its argument against granting the permit.

The city didn't contest, according to Platt's attorney Michael Perley, any other aspect of Platt's application.

Curran found, Perley said, that the city's master plan allows mixed use on East Main Street, and the rooming house fits within permitted uses.

But even if the master plan didn't allow for mixed use in that area of the city, Perley said Curran indicated he would have ruled in Platt's favor because he would have found the city's plan flawed.

"My client is pleased and I'm pleased for my client," Perley said. "We thought all along it was a proper and appropriate project. Mr. Platt has always run these dwellings in the city and he has run them well. We believe it will be an asset to the city and the city will be pleased with the rooming house and how Mr. Platt operates it."

Previously:

• Terry Platt says he's done investing in Genesee County after city denies rooming house application
• Judge will consider whether to overturn denial of permit for rooming house on East Main

Dustin Michael Locicero, 29, of Gibson Street, Bergen, is charged with seven counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd, grand larceny, 3rd, and criminal contempt, 2nd. Locicero is accused of stealing jewelry, collectable coins and personal checks from a home in South Byron and of stealing personal checks from homes in Bergen and Rochester. Locicero allegedly cashed the checks at banks in Batavia, Elba and Le Roy. The coins and jewelry were valued at $7,000 and Locicero allegedly sold these items at different unknown locations. Locicero has a pending second-degree forgery charge in the City of Batavia. In 2011, Locicero was charged with identity theft (we don't have information on the disposition of that case). Locicero was taken into custody Tuesday. He was reportedly found hiding in a mobile home in the Town of Batavia and was arrested on a City of Batavia bench warrant. Locicero was arraigned in city court and jailed without bail. The investigation was conducted by Deputy Brian Thompson, Deputy John Duyssen and Investigator Timothy Weis.

Theodore R. Johnson Jr., 46, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speed not reasonable or prudent and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Johnson's vehicle allegedly struck a building at 102 Evans St., Batavia, 4:48 p.m., Sunday. Johnson's vehicle was located stuck in a snow bank with a portion still in the roadway.

Dylan C. McKenzie, 19, of Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, failure to use headlights and operation by an unlicensed driver. McKenzie was stopped at 2:01 a.m. Wednesday on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Thad Mart.

Clenton J. Reese, 50, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd, Reese was allegedly involved in a disturbance and upon investigation was allegedly found in the presence of a protected person.

Catherine A. Lewis, 50, of Cone Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment ,2nd. Lewis is accused of pushing and threatening another person.

Robert K. Geandreau, 41, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, open container and inadequate tail lamp. Geandreau was stopped at 11:42 p.m. Friday on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Stephen Cronmiller.

City fire hosted a demonstration today at Dewitt Recreation Area of a rescue vehicle designed to handle snow, ice and open water to rescue people who might be stranded in dangerous conditions.

The vehicle is made of a snowmobile and a foam-filled platform that can keep it floating on water. Propulsion is created by the snowmobile's chain drive.

"It gives stability and a safety factor to firefighters that simply doesn't exist in any other vehicle," said Roger Bailey, CEO of WISE Technology, which is based in New Hampshire. 

This was the first demonstration of the vehicle in WNY.

The demonstration was set up by Bob Valvo of LVA Sales, a manufacturers' rep company with offices on Harverster Avenue.

The city has no immediate plans to purchase the vehicle.

Le Roy fire was also on hand for the demo.

Video by Alecia Kaus, Video News Service.

Investigators are still trying determine what caused a fire that started in the bedding department of Bed, Bath & Beyond late Monday afternoon.

The fire caused extensive damage to the fixtures and inventory in the northeast corner of the store.

Flames reached floor to ceiling.

The Sheriff's Office is in charge of the investigation.

Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said investigators have interviewed employees and customers.

Physical material in the store has also been examined for any clues as to the cause of the fire.

Previously: Firefighters battle flames and cold during fire at Bed, Bath & Beyond

Two accidents (possibly even one and the same) are reported in the area of 9600 Alexander Road. A vehicle is well off the road into a field. A gold van is parked at the side of the road to try and point responders to the damaged vehicle. Alexander fire is responding along with medics.

UPDATE 3:07 p.m.: It's on Route 98 north of Pike Road. A responder on scene says the driver is out of the vehicle and appears not to be injured. They are checking the vicinity to make sure there are no other accidents.

Alex Roberts was walking with her son Taariq, 3, this morning down Vine Street after dropping her daughter off at school.

Today is our eighth-straight day of lows in single digits, but a warming trend starts tomorrow with a predicted low of 23 degrees. Highs in the low 30s are predicted for Friday and Saturday.

There's also snow in the forecast.

A wind chill advisory remains in effect until 3 p.m.

A small fire, possibly caused by a cigarette, is reported on the porch of a residence on South Main Street.

Batavia fire is responding.

UPDATE 8:25 p.m.: The fire is out. Light smoke in the house.

A water flow alarm has sounded at Bed Bath & Beyond on Veterans Memorial Drive in the Town of Batavia. In addition, the smoke detector and "fire pump alarm" are also reported to be going off. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding. Yesterday a blaze tore through the store's bedding department.

A four-car accident is reported at Main Street and Porter Avenue. There are believed to be two minor injuries. City fire and Mercy medics are responding along with police.

UPDATE 4:59 p.m.: Damages are minor and the people involved may be sign-offs.

UPDATE 5:02 p.m.: The accident is not blocking traffic.

Free Wi-Fi and free electricity for electric cars were all but shot down Monday night during a budget work session at City Hall.

Meanwhile, Council members remain divided on whether to hire a new assistant city manager.

The argument for: There are too many tasks on City Manager Jason Molino's plate and after years of budget cuts, the rest of the city staff is overloaded as well.

The argument against: The money shouldn't be spent. If something is worth doing, current staff can handle it or it can be outsourced.

An assistant city manager would take on numerous tasks in the city, but one of the primary focuses of the job would be handling the complex array of tasks and regulations associated with lower flood insurance premiums for local residents in floodplain areas.

"If we're going to get any of these things done, we have to put forward the effort and we have to put forward the focus to get these things done," Councilman Pierluigi Cipollone said. "We can't ask the other departments to pick up the slack. We've already cut back to get out of the financial hole we were in. We cut back personnel and I think we've cut back as far as we can. We've gotten out of the financial issues we were in. Now we need to build the quality of life we all want."

Councilmembers Patti Pacino and John Canale both expressed support for the assistant city manager position.

"We really, really need this extra person," Pacino said.

Council members Rosemary Christian, Kathy Briggs and Eugene Jankowski spoke against the position.

"We can't do everything at once," Briggs said. "Prioritize and contract out the rest."

Christian said she thought Molino was budgeting too high a salary for the position.

Molino was originally hired as assistant city manager eight years ago at $59,000 a year.

"I'm opposed unless we can come up with the position for less than $60,000 a year," Christian said.

Molino said if the position had existed for all of the last eight years, the regular pay increases granted to non-union staff would have brought that salary up to $63,000, which is at the low end of the range proposed for the potential new hire. The top end is $77,000.

Jankowski said he doesn't think it was communicated clearly when the new position was first proposed exactly why a new assistant city manager is needed. The opportunity to clearly communicate the need has been lost, he said.

"There is a misunderstanding (in the community) for some reason," Jankowski said. "I've gotten numerous complaints about the proposal. Even though it may be justified, that ship has sailed. The public has made up its mind. We don't have time to correct that in a reasonable budget period this year."

While the assistant city manager position may be up in the air, there is not likely to be any extra free Wi-Fi signals floating through Batavia's ether any time soon.

And if you own an electric car, forget about stopping in Batavia for free juice.

Christian was ready to kill both proposals flat out last night and tried to drum support for a vote. Only Canale spoke in favor of the electric car charging stations and there was no support for free Wi-Fi.

"I'm in marketing," Canale said. "The attention we could get, the publicity we could get would be good for Downtown at a very minimal cost."

Briggs said taxpayers shouldn't subsidize free electricity for electric car drivers.

"The electric companies are looking to do this sort of stuff," Briggs said. "Let them do it on their own and see if they can make a dime on it. I don't think the taxpayers should pick up the tab."

Added Christian, "I think BID should handle it. I don't see why taxpayers should handle it."

The opposition to free Wi-Fi included the notion that most people who want always-on Internet have smartphones and tablets now, and that if businesses think free Wi-Fi will bring in customers, then businesses should pay for it (the city's proposal, to be clear, doesn't include putting free Wi-Fi in business locations, but in public spaces such as Jackson Square).

Pacino said, and Council President Brooks Hawley agreed, that the council shouldn't rush into any decision on either item, so council members decided to hold any vote on scrapping the proposals for another day.

In another part of the budget discussion, Christian said she would like to see at least half of any VLT money that comes in this year used to lower taxes next year.

VLT funds are sporadically distributed by the state and comes from profits generated by the video lottery machines at Batavia Downs.

Molino said that really wouldn't be a very good idea.

"I would not recommend using that money to offset your taxes, because while you may use $150,000 of it to offset your tax rate next year, what happens when you don't get that money in a future year?" Molino said. "Now you've got a $150,000 hole in your budget. So now you're increasing taxes or cutting services to make up for it.

"That is the exact reason, in a different format, why the city's financial position worsened over time. It was using things like the sale of property, assuming you were going to sell property and make $200,000 a year off of that. That's a lot of property to sell and you budgeted that year after year after year. In order to do something like that, you need to ensure you're going to have a steady stream of revenue."

A request by newly elected City Councilman Eugene Jankowski to amend council rules clarifying how and when council members can contact city staff received little support from the rest of the council Monday night.

And when City Manager Jason Molino said the current rules already allow a council member to do what Jankowski was asking, Jankowski said he was satisfied with Molino putting that on record and let the matter drop.

"I guess I'm happy with it," Jankowski said. "If the rules already say that, then I guess there was some misunderstanding because I was told that when I e-mailed department heads and requested a meeting, instead of being provided a date and a time, I was told I must go through your office."

Jankowski's position is that just because he's been elected to council, he shouldn't lose the right of any citizen of the city to go to a member of city staff, particularly department heads, and ask questions.

What Jankowski said he doesn't want to see happen is give council members the leeway to give orders to city staff or intefer with the conduct of their jobs or get involved in union issues, but he does believe council members have the right and obligation to gather information.

Molino said the rules are in place to ensure proper supervision of employees.

"There's one person responsible for their work, and that's me," Molino said. "That's what you hold me accountable to."

Jankowski is a former lieutenant in Batavia PD, served a time as interim chief and was forced to retire when Molino and Chief Shawn Heubusch decided to restructure the department last year and eliminate all lieutenant positions.

The former cop and city manager have a long history of being at odds with each other and Jankowski wasn't happy about being forced out of his job.

Jankowski received the most votes in November's council member at large election.

He said he did go through Molino to schedule a meeting with Heubusch to discuss, among other things, the proposed "neighborhood sweep" proposal. Jankowski, who initially proposed the idea, said he came away from the meeting believing it's a good idea, though perhaps inappropriately named.

"There may be complaints we should look into, maybe complaints of a sensitive nature, maybe it's a complaint about him," Jankowski said. "If we ran right to him and told him or had to go through him it might cause some sort of problems. It might not be appropriate."

Only Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian spoke up in favor of Jankowski's proposal, but she also said she's never had an issue going to any department head and asking questions. She just does it and nobody has ever told her to stop, she said.

"If you have a question you should be able to talk to any department head," Christian said. "We represent the people of Batavia. We don't represent Jason. Sorry Jason."

Molino said there's never been an issue with council members going to department heads and asking questions.

"There's nothing in the rules that prohibits you from contacting department heads and asking questions," Molino said. "When you ask questions, sure I find out about it, but I usually follow up with, 'did you get your answer, can I do anything more?' "

Christian said that's exactly what happens.

Within minutes of the fire call about a blaze in the bedding department of Bed, Bath & Beyond, in Batavia Towne Center, the store was filled with heavy black smoke that was roiling out of the front and back doors.

The visibility was low, making it difficult for the first firefighters on scene to get to the fire location.

"There was heavy smoke, but once the crew got in there they confirmed a working fire," said Town of Batavia Fire's 1st Assistant Chief Dan Coffey.

Much of the bedding department was destroyed by fire. The rest of the store's inventory and fixtures suffered heavy smoke and water damage.

The store's sprinkler system did activate, which Coffey said helped suppress the fire, but it took firefighters to actually knock down the flames. The rest of the next couple of hours on scene was spent clearing out smoke from Bed, Bath & Beyond and Petco.

"We got a quick knock down and then we were trying to clear smoke and improve the visibility of what we were doing," Coffey said.

There were employees -- Coffey didn't know how many -- who were evaluated for possible smoke inhalation.

Both stores remain closed.

"The fire investigation has already started and there's significant fire, smoke and water damage in there, so I imagine it's going to be some time (before Bed, Bath & Beyond reopens)," Coffey said.

Coffey described the bedding fire as pretty hot, with the material able to pack a heavy fire load.

"If you've been in there, you've seen, the bedding is stacked from floor to ceiling on those storage racks, so there's a tremendous amount of heat," Coffey said. "It's certainly a concern for us."

Adding to the fire-fighting difficulties was the icy weather. The air was biting and the fire hydrants frozen shut.

Three tankers from neighboring departments were requested to the scene, something that wouldn't have been necessary, Coffey said, if the hydrants hadn't frozen.

Assisting Town of Batavia at the scene were City of Batavia, Alexander, Elba, Oakfield, East Pembroke and Darien.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Investigators are conducting interviews, examining the physical evidence and it's possible store surveillance tapes may provide a clue to the cause.

"It's way to early," Coffey said soon after the smoke had cleared. "We're trying to talk to employees who were in the area at the time and try to determine the cause."

UPDATE 11:47 p.m.: Investigators have been on scene through the evening and into the night. There is no definitive cause, officials say. The Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation.

(Initial Report)

The front door soon after the fire was pronounced knocked down with the store still filled with heavy black smoke. Normally, you would be able to see into the store from this angle. Pictured, East Pemborke's Stephen Smelski.

Heavy smoke at the back of the building.

A frozen fire hydrant.

A Town of Batavia volunteer, Mike Jones, prepares Ladder 25 for extension of the platform.

Firefighter Scott Maloy shortly after exiting the building.

A firefighter tries to get one of the frozen hydrants going.

Firefighters at the back of the building.

Smoke being cleared from the storage room.

A firefighter on the roof of Bed, Bath & Beyond. Pictured, Jason Holman.

Firefighter Andrew Mullen waiting by the back door for other crew members who will head back in to make further checks on the fire scene, with most of the smoke cleared from the store.

East Pembroke's engine in front of the store as crews begin to roll up hose.

A fire is reported in the bedding department of Bed, Bath & Beyond, on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia.

It's the second call in Town of Batavia's district. Batavia and East Pembroke responding.

UPDATE 4:54 p.m.: The fire was reported out about 10 minutes ago, but there's still heavy smoke showing from the building. The fire hydrants are frozen so tankers have been requested from Batavia, Oakfield and Alexander and possibily other departments. City fire is one scene.

UPDATE 5:58 p.m.: The store has been ventilated. The town's assignment is back in service. Code enforcement is on scene.

UPDATE: 10:55 p.m.: Town of Batavia is still on scene and the fire investigation is ongoing.

A two-car minor injury accident is reported in the area of 7939 Bank Street Road, Batavia.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS responding.

A responding chief warns of icy and drifting snow conditions.

UPDATE 4:15 p.m.: Two patient sign-offs. "We have more of a traffic problem than anything else," reports a chief. One vehicle will need a tow.

UPDATE 3:31 p.m. to clarify family information.

A family of three has been displaced and is being helped by the Red Cross after a structure fire early Sunday morning heavily damaged their kitchen and another room at 33 Central Ave., Batavia.

The fire started, said City Fire Chief Jim Maxwell, after a resident left cooking oil unattended while it heated. She intended to make chicken wings.

The fire was reported at 12:42 a.m.

The biggest concern, Maxwell said, was that the resident said her daughter may have been trapped in an upstairs bedroom.

Firefighters conducted two searches of the residence and were unable to locate the 16-year-old.

It turned out she was not home and was located and found safe a short time later.

All Batavia platoons were dispatched to the fire, with a total of 20 firefighters responding. No mutual aid from neighboring departments was requested. The fire department was back in service at 3:30 a.m.

The fire did extensive damage to the kitchen and an adjoining room. The structural damage was significant enough to require a code enforcement officer to condemn the house.

The fire caused $20,000 in damage.

Brycea Bolster and her family have been relocated to a local hotel for three days.

They also had three cats and a dog. The pets are all safe.

The property owner is Deborah Ruhland.

Press release:

Anyone searching to find directions to Genesee Community College's main campus in Batavia are advised to avoid using the online Google Maps utility. Despite many attempts by the College to have Google correct the problem, Google Maps continues to direct visitors trying to reach GCC's main campus to the College's Albion Campus Center located 30 miles north of Batavia in Orleans County.

"We have contacted Google multiple times to rectify this problem and are continuously told that it takes weeks for their algorithm to correct misguided directions. In addition, Google claims its tech support cannot manually intervene to remedy the problem," said Donna Rae Sutherland, associate director of Marketing Communications.

"It's been incredibly frustrating and also rather dangerous. Buses of athletic teams, performing artists and potential students have all gone 60 miles out of their way traveling in haste back down Route 98, which is often very blustery with poor visibility during the winter months."

The problem has been an ongoing for approximately a year with short periods of time when Google Maps accurately listed the Batavia Campus, but currently the right side panel posts a map and information to the Albion Campus Center without even mentioning the main campus is in Batavia. Google's proprietary software uses unique algorithms to provide mapping information automatically. Unknowing visitors are logically following Google's posted directions without clicking through to find the right campus and its proper location.

Sutherland recommends Web searchers utilize MapQuest and the College's Maps and Directions Web page available at: http://www.genesee.edu/about/visit/maps/ This gives users door- to-door directions to any campus location and also explicit directions to the main campus in Batavia.

"Most other online utilities are able to find us perfectly, but with Google's ongoing problem we strongly advise people to steer clear of using Google Maps to find GCC."

Charles Paul Mitchell, 34, of Sanders Road, Stafford, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Mitchell is accused of causing unwanted physical contact with another person during an argument.

Maya Simone Washington, 40, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Washington is accused of shoplifting from Kmart.

Eric Swede, 25, of Perry Road, Pavilion, is charged with disorderly conduct. Swede was arrested after Batavia PD was dispatched to Sport of Kings restaurant at 3:45 a.m. Sunday for a report of an intoxicated male causing a disturbance. Swede was issued an appearance ticket.