batavia

Press release:

Documentary filmmaker Ramona Persaud is exploring how teachers can use brain science to engage students of all ages and academic abilities in her new film “Grey Matters,” which begins production next month at Batavia High School, in Batavia, N.Y.

The film will follow three schools over the course of the 2013-2014 school year—Batavia High School, Batavia, N.Y., Roland Park Elementary in Baltimore, Md., and Westmoreland Community College in Youngwood, Pa., — as they implement the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model, developed by Mariale Hardiman, Ed.D., co-founder and director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Neuro-Education Initiative.

Hardiman’s teaching model, developed in 2003 and currently being practiced by more than 300 educators in schools around the world, promotes critical, divergent thinking that equips students with real-world knowledge and the ability to use it.

Persaud’s film will examine the question “Can neuroscience remake the teaching process, and if yes, what does that look like in practice?” The three teachers featured in Persaud’s documentary will implement Hardiman’s model, which designates six brain targets for the teaching and learning process. 

The film will follow these teachers in their mission to shift the learning process for their students, and transform school into a place where students learn to solve problems that require answers, instead of a place where students solve problems that have pre-determined answers.

Persaud was inspired to create this film after attempting to home-school her preschool daughter. Persaud discovered Hardiman’s Brain-Targeted Teaching Model and believed this model could be beneficial for not just her own daughter, but for all students.

“Like most parents, I want my kids to receive the best education possible,” Persaud says. “This teaching model really clarifies how kids process information. By following three classrooms over one school year, this film will illustrate what brain-based teaching really looks like, and how it can measurably improve academic performance.”

About Ramona Persaud:

Ramona Persaud is an independent documentary filmmaker, writer, and photographer. "Grey Matters" is her second film. Persaud’s first film, "It’s a Different World," explores the world of autism through the eyes of three autistic children. Visit www.greymattersdocumentary.com for more information.

About Mariale Hardiman:

Mariale Hardiman, Ed.D., is the assistant dean for Urban School Partnerships and Clinical Professor of Education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, and the co-founder and director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Neuro-Education Initiative. Before joining Johns Hopkins in 2006, Hardiman served in the Baltimore City Public Schools for more than 30 years. As the principal of Roland Park Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, Md., she led the school to its designation as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.  With the use of the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model that Hardiman developed, the school was recognized by the Kennedy Center as a School of Distinction for arts programming and arts integration. Visit www.braintargetedteaching.org for more information. 

Corey James Hemmer, 27, of South Main Street, Elba, is charged with resisting arrest. Hemmer allegedly resisted when a deputy attempted to place him under arrest on a bench warrant. The warrant was related to a petit larceny charge out of Lockport.

Stephen William Miles, 51, of North Street Albion, is charged with petit larceny. Miles is accused of participating with David Martin in the theft of a 46" LED television from Kmart on Sunday night. Miles was jailed on $1,000 bail.

TyAnna Desiree Green, 18, of Lewis Place, Batavia, is was arrested on bench warrants out of the Town of Batavia, for alleged failure to appear. Green was jailed on $500 bail.

Christopher J. Clark, 33, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Clark is accused of shoplifting from Walmart. Clark was arrested by State Police.

Michael T. Sawyer, 23, of Lockport, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Sawyer arrested by State Police on Skye Road, Alabama.

Thea and Bella found a puddle to play in on Morton Avenue after the big straight-down rainstorm we had this evening.

Press release:

On Monday Aug. 12, as part of the Tracy Avenue construction project, two water valves are being replaced in the water distribution system. This requires water service to be shut down in the area of Tracy Avenue, North Street between Bank and Ross streets, Summit Street north of Ellsworth Avenue, and Seneca Avenue.

It is expected that water service will be shut down at approximately 9 a.m. and will be off for approximately four hours. Every effort will be made to minimize the time that service is down. Residents in the immediate area should be aware that this may cause a period of discolored water in this vicinity, and should avoid activities such as laundry, which could be affected.

FYI: This will not affect UMMC Hospital and they are aware of this.

NOTE: This post replaces one we put up a few minutes ago that was based on an old press release inadvertently sent over the city.

Press release:

Theo was an active kindergarten student at Amherst Central School who suddenly became very sick. He had a rare autoimmune disorder that caused spontaneous bleeding. 

Theo was dying. He needed a blood transfusion, but the platelet transfusion didn’t help.  Next the doctors decided to administer an immunoglobulin transfusion, a special blood product that is made from the plasma of at least 1,000 donors.  

This helped a great deal, but Theo wasn’t completely recovered. He needed one more platelet transfusion before he completely recovered. Now he is an active 8-year-old who is looking forward to being in the third grade.

It took 1,002 donors to provide the blood components that saved Theo. Now he and his family would like to thank those donors with a campaign to replace the blood that was used for Theo – 1,002 units, plus one to “pay it forward.”

Batavia’s Mega Blood Drive today from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel sponsored by The Bank of Castile is part of the effort to help Theo’s family raise 1,003 units of blood. Theo and his mom, Gina Bellavia, visited Batavia to speak to community organizers who met at The Bank of Castile to plan for the drive.

“I couldn’t believe more than 1,000 people had donated their blood to give my son another chance at life,” said Gina. “Blood donors are super heroes to Theo and our family.”

All donors at the drive will receive a T-shirt that says they are part of Theo’s Super Hero campaign. Local businesses have joined together to encourage employees to donate. 

Walk-ins are welcome.

“We can help many people and organizations by donating money, but the need for blood is one thing that money can’t buy,” said Gregg McAllister from The Bank of Castile. “Red Cross reports indicate that there is a shortage of blood this summer, so every donation is very important.”

The Batavia Mega Blood Drive has consistently been the largest drive conducted in Genesee County each year.

“We know Genesee County residents care for their neighbors. A blood drive is a time when they literally roll up their sleeves to help others.  That’s why Genesee County is a great place to live,” McAllister concluded.

A 52-year-old Medina resident was jailed Wednesday after allegedly trying to steal a 46" RCA LED TV from Kmart.

David James Martin, of East Center Street, Medina, was arrested after dispatchers received a report at 8:45 p.m., Wednesday, of two men fleeing Kmart in a black pickup truck with an allegedly stolen TV.

The truck was stopped by Deputy Chad Minuto on Route 98 in the Village of Elba.

Martin is charged with petit larceny.

There's been no release on the possible arrest of the man who was with him.

The TV was wrapped in a security device, which Martin is also accused of stealing.

Following arraignment in Town of Batavia Court, Martin was jailed on $1,000 bail.

A person has managed to get a TV out of Kmart without paying for it, load it in a black pickup truck and then head down Park Road toward the Thruway.

Local law enforcement responding. The Thruway Authority is being notified.

There are two white males in the truck.

UPDATE 8:57 p.m.: A truck has been stopped with a 46" LED TV in the bed.

At least 12 males are congregating in the area of Tim Horton's and Wendy's on Main Street in the city and appear to be preparing for a fight, according to a caller to dispatch. Police are responding.

Animal control has been dispatched to a home on Rose Road, Batavia, for a two-foot snake spotted in the back yard.

UPDATE 10:45 a.m.: The call has been turned over to the DEC. The animal control officer is back in service.

Dave Wayne Case, 55, of Prole Road Extension, Bergen, is charged with assault, 2nd, injury to a police officer, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of marijuana. Following a traffic stop at 1:41 a.m., by Deputy Joseph Corona on West Main Street Road, Batavia, Case allegedly assaulted the deputy in an attempt to avoid arrest on a charge of unlawful possession of marijuana.

Denise Niccole Clamon, 32, of Main Street, Clarence, is charged with felony DWI, refusal to take breath test, aggravated unlicensed operation, failure to keep right, failure to use turn signal. Clamon was stopped at 1:41 a.m. on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Rosemary R. Waters, 27, of 17 Spencer Court, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Waters is accused of contacting a person she was barred from contacting by court order.

Merrick D. Hampleton, 23, of Batavia, is charged with 13 counts of petit larceny and one count of scheme to defraud. Hampleton was taken into custody by State Police at Walmart in connection with an alleged incident reported at 10:54 a.m., Monday. No further details released.

The teenage victim of Timothy Logsdon said in County Court this morning that she still has nightmares because of the 29-year-old man. She wakes up with shakes, she said. She has trouble trusting people now, she said.

She described a situation where she was emotionally confused and manipulated by Logsdon's "mind games" into dropping out of school and traveling with him to Tennessee. 

She said she didn't really accept at first that she was a victim, but in January she came to the realization that "what everybody else said was true."

"What he did to my family was destructive," she said. "He wasn't thinking of anybody but himself."

Logsdon, sentenced yesterday to four years in federal prison for transporting an individual across state lines for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual activity, was sentenced in County Court today under the terms of a prior plea deal. Logsdon received a four-year prison term to be counted concurrently with his term in federal prison.

While Logsdon has already spent 10 months in federal lock-up while his case went through the federal legal process, he won't receive any credit for time served with the state because he was technically released on his own recognizance locally.

After being sentenced by Judge Robert C. Noonan, Logsdon signed orders of protection barring him from any contact for eight years with his victim and with his wife, though Noonan did allow one last visit for his wife after court to discuss with Logsdon an issue with one of their children.

While District Attorney Lawrence Friedman asked for the maximum sentence available under terms of the plea agreement, Public Defender Gary Horton didn't really argue for a shorter sentence. He did try to explain Logsdon's actions and that his client accepts responsibility for his actions.

"He has a history of serving his country and as a result of that service suffers from PTSD and suspected traumatic brain injury," Horton said. "I know he regrets his actions. I know he has trouble coping himself, with trying to understand what happened and what he did."

Logsdon has no prior criminal history.  He will now be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

When it was his turn to speak, Logsdon said he didn't have much to add to what his attorney already said except that he apologized to his victim, to her family and to his own family.

"I don't know what else to say, I guess, except that I just hope that someday I can come back to my family, if at all possible," Logsdon said.

Timothy A. Hall, 26, of 5463 Ford Road, Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and driving with registration suspended. Hall was stopped at 2:16 a.m. Sunday on Ellicott Street, Batavia, by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Daniel F. Orlando, 31, of 555 E. Main St., #119, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Orlando was charged following a police investigation. No further details released.

Richard S. Baker, 43, of 555 E. Main St., #213, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Baker allegedly threatened another person at 10:45 a.m., Monday.

Yesterday, Buffalo Bills Head Coach Doug Marrone put his team through a long and physical practice. It was the first day of scrimmages. By the time it was over, players were tired and running late, but still, several did show up as planned to City Slickers for the taping of Sports Cube TV.

Above former #1 draft pick Marcell Dareus during his interview.

Also joining the party were Aaron Williams, Migel Bradham, Zebrie Sanders, Marcus Dowtin, Crezdon Butler, Jamie Blatnick, Kortnei Brown and Dominque Ellis.

Dareus with promoter Tim Walton.

DJ Macy Paradise

Sports Cube host Muki.

To purchase prints, click here.

It's important to fund both history and reading, members of the County Legislature were told today during a meeting of the Public Service Committee.

Representatives of local libraries as well as the Holland Land Office Museum presented annual reviews that both contained requests to keep county funding for these programs at current levels.

"County support is very important to use in order for us to provide the level of service we do to our guests and to our community," said HLOM Executive Director Jeff Donahue. "We are doing what we can (to increase revenue) though our programs such as Wonderland of Trees and the summer program, but this only brings in a small portion (of our budget)."

Laura Cerri Pastecki, from the Haxon Library in Oakfield, said libraries still play an important role in the community. Seniors on fixed incomes still depend on borrowing books and many come into learn how to use computers, and people who can't afford computers depend on the library for online research and creating resumes.

"You might think the library is a thing of the past with technology these days, but just the opposite is true," Pastecki said. "There's more information out there and more entertainment out there and people use the libraries for information and entertainment."

Debbie Rider, a trustee with the Richmond Memorial Library, said there is typically a 30- to 45-minute wait to use a computer there and that many middle school children use the library as a place to do homework after school.

"There's such a huge number of children who come from school to the library directly," Rider said. "It allows the library to reach a population it might not normally reach and a chance for the children to access resources they might not otherwise get."

Donahue gave a detailed report on HLOM actives, which includes school and group tours, visits to local schools and leading history tours in the local area.

"Our history just isn't in one building," Donahue said. "It's our entire area."

In the past year, 3,000 people have visited the muesum and more than 400 artifacts were added to the collection.

Upcoming events include the 12th Annual Wonderland of Trees, the Batavia Antique Show and Sale, a bus trip to the New York Central Terminal in Buffalo and a lecture series of women's rights in the 19th and 19th centuries.  

In December, the museum will host a traveling exhibition, "Lincoln, the Constitution and the Civil War."

No budget numbers were discussed and legislators offered no comments on what they might support, or not.

Five-year-old Gabriella has begun her budding business career, selling "lemonade" on Sumner Street, Batavia.

Well, it's not really lemonade. It's ice tea, but that's the sign her mom made for her, she explained.

After I took the picture above, she proudly showed me the money she's made today (below).