batavia

A new, spacious headquarters for Mercy Flight/Mercy EMS will serve as a much-needed home away from home once the ribbon is cut on the new facility off Route 98 in Batavia on May 21.

"I’m looking forward to the crews being able to move into a home," said Bill Schutt, business development manager for Mercy EMS. "That was the whole gist of this thing --  give them a home while they were at work.

"They spend a lot of time here. They spend a lot of shifts here. They spend a lot of time together, probably more so than families. Holiday time when we’re home enjoying our family, they're here still working."

The 12,000-square-foot facility has bays for ambulances in half the space and the other half contains offices, storage, showers, a workout area, a day room, a quiet room, a kitchen suitable for crews to enjoy meals with their families, and a large conference room.

"The space is large enough to house the ambulances, keep them out of the weather and to provide everything the crews need throughout their 12- or 24-hour shifts," said Scott Wooton, VP of finance for Mercy Flight. "If they’re here for a 24-hour shift, they need to be able to prepare food. They need to be able to wash their uniform if they come back from a call where their uniform is soiled.

"They need to be able to rest. They need to be able to sit down and chart stuff. This has been a need right from the start. It’s only that it’s taken nine years for us to put all the pieces together and make it happen."

The $2.5 million facility was largely financed through assistance from M&T Bank and the Genesee County Economic Development Center, which was able to provide tax-exempt financing.

That assistance was critical to making the new building possible, Wooton said.

"We certainly don’t have that much cash on hand so we couldn’t do it without the financing and being able to do it in a tax-exempt way keeps that interest rate more manageable for us and spread it out in a way that the monthly payments are more manageable," Wooton said.

David Ciurzynski, business development manager with Manning Squires Hennig, said one of the key features of the new building is its energy efficiency. The large garage doors that are all glass will allow a lot of natural light into the ambulance bays and all lighting throughout the building is LED. The energy efficiency will help Mercy EMS reduce its operating costs.

The pre-engineered building also helped reduce costs and accelerate construction time.

"We were able to keep the construction period tight so they can get in and get it in use as quickly as possible," Ciurzynski said. A pre-engineered building allows you a lot of flexibility on time because components come quickly but it also gives you a very handsome building they can use for years to come and it’s exapandable."

A former resident of Maple Street has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for shooting a person in the area of Thorpe and Maple streets in the city in September.

Tyshawn K. King, 25, who was apprehended shortly after the shooting, was originally charged with attempted murder. He entered a guilty plea to criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, on Feb. 27.

He was sentenced in Genesee County Court by Judge Charles Zambito.

Police responded to Thorpe and Maple on Sep. 20 after receiving a report of a fight in progress. While in route, there was a report of a gunshot.

Upon arrival, they located a victim with gunshot wounds to his hand and abdomen.

An accident is reported at Bank and Main streets, Batavia.

No injuries reported. Traffic is blocked.

City fire and Mercy EMS on scene.

UPDATE 10:40 a.m.: City Fire back in service.

Press release:

New York gubernatorial candidate Larry Sharpe (L), will meet with citizens of Batavia on Monday, May 7, to share concerns and discuss solutions to New York-specific business challenges including regulations, taxes, and the overall business climate.

“We need to unleash the individual New Yorker, who loves their state and wants to bring value to their community,” said Sharpe, a former business owner and leadership management consultant. “We must stop limiting them and start encouraging them to be innovators in their communities. I’m excited to hear what they have to say.”

The event will be hosted at T. F. Brown's (214 E. Main St., Batavia) from 8-10 a.m. Breakfast will be provided for residents and business owners who attend. A brief press conference will be held immediately following the event.

Larry Sharpe (L) is a Bronx native, a Marine Corps veteran, an entrepreneur, and a management consultant with 15 years of experience mentoring international executives, entrepreneurs & sales people.

He is also a teacher, previously serving as a guest instructor for business management and leadership at institutions such as Yale University, Columbia University, Baruch College and John Jay College.

He is now running for governor of New York in order to make education more effective through innovation, reform the criminal justice system to focus on rehabilitation, and build an economy that works for all of New York State.

For more information about Larry Sharpe’s plan for New York, visit http://www.larrysharpe.com/.

For more information regarding this event, please contact Deborah Kerr-Rosenbeck as 585-356-1712.

A serious injury accident -- a head-on collision -- is reported at Route 98 and West Saile Drive. Town of Batavia Fire Department, Mercy medics and law enforcement are responding. A first responder reports one lane of traffic is blocked.

UPDATE 8:58 a.m.: There is no entrapment. Mercy Flight was called but is cancelled.

UPDATE 9:12 a.m.: Both drivers are out of their vehicles and are being treated by medics. They were alert when medics arrived. Northbound Route 98 is closed at West Saile Drive.

UPDATE 9:32 a.m.: Both drivers are being transported to Strong Memorial Hospital; they have non-life-threatening injuries. Both are female. One is 36 and lives in Kent; the other is 53 from Elba. One was northbound on Route 98; the other was southbound and attempted to turn left onto West Saile Drive at the time of the collision. No determination has yet been made as to who was at fault. The accident is being investigated.

The Batavian celebrated 10 years of delivering news and support to local businesses at Eli Fish Brewing Company in Batavia yesterday.

Sharon White, above, representing Assemblyman Steve Hawley, delivered an Assembly Citation recognizing The Batavian for 10 years of service to the community. 

Michael Kracker, representing Rep. Chis Collins, delivered a copy of Congressional Record for May 1 commemorating The Batavian's 10 years in business and recognizing the efforts of Publisher Howard Owens and Editor Billie Owens for their commitment in preserving the First Amendment.

Jay Grasso, representing State Senator Michael Ranzenhofer, delivered a Legislative Resolution, which was read into the State Senate record yesterday, marking The Batavian's 10th anniversary.

A letter from Sen. Charles E. Schumer congratulating the publisher and editor of The Batavian on the 10th anniversary of their local news business was also received before the event.

It reads, in part: "I applaud you both for the leap of faith you took back in 2009 when you moved to Batavia and garnered the support of local businesses in order to keep this news outlet alive. Thanks to your efforts, The Batavian remains a go-to source for local news and is supported by more than 150 local businesses."

Tom Turnbull, president of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, and publisher of the Batavia Daily News when The Batavian first started, served as emcee Tuesday afternoon. He noted how there was an intense rivalry between himself and Howard Owens in the beginning, but now they often work together as friends with the shared mission of promoting local business in Genesee County.

Also in attendance, Dan and Debbie Fischer, owners of WBTA radio. WBTA is an official news partner with The Batavian and has been a partner and friend to The Batavian from the beginning.

Howard Owens spoke briefly and recognized the contributions of several people, including the Fischers and Turnbull, who have helped him and his wife over these past 10 years, including staff member Lisa Ace, who has been with the company for almost seven years and is critical to helping The Batavian serve local businesses.

The Batavian officially launched May 1, 2008, without an office in Batavia. The site was then owned by GateHouse Media. The editor was Philip Anselmo* and he camped out at Main Street Coffee every workday covering local news from his unofficial office. The location of Main Street Coffee is now Eli Fish Brewing Company.

On March 1, 2009, Howard and Billie became owners of The Batavian, sold their house in Pittsford and moved to a duplex on Maple Street in June of that year.

At the time, there were only about a half dozen online-only news sites in the nation. Today, there are more than 200 and The Batavian is among the most successful of the online-only ventures.

The Batavian and Howard Owens have received awards from the New York Press Association, the Inland Press Association, and the National Press Photographers Association. This news site also received the 2009 Innovative Enterprise of the Year Award from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, and the 2013 Spirit of Downtown award from the Downtown Batavia Business Improvement District.

(*Former Batavian Editor Phillip Anselmo, always an excellent writer and top-notch journalist, went on to earn a master's degree in Comparative Literature at UC Irvine; he is now a Critical Theory graduate student in UC Irvine's School of Humanities. The Rochester native teaches a class in Comparative Literature at the Irvine, Calif., campus.)

Top photo by Jim Burns. Bottom two photos by Steve Ognibene.

Tom Turnbull with Howard Owens

Billie Owens, Bill Kauffman, Howard Owens

GO ART! is seeking artists, crafters and vendors to participate in the 40th annual Picnic in the Park on Wednesday, July 4, at Centennial Park in the City of Batavia. Nonprofit organizations are welcome, too.

The event will start at 11 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Setup begins at 8 a.m. and must be completed by 10 a.m.

Vendors are encouraged to sell artworks and handcrafted items.

"Buy and sell" iteme should be limited. GO ART! retains the right to refuse applications as they deem necessary. Approval will be given via email or phone.

Entries received after June 30 will not be accepted.

For arts and crafts vendors, there is a non-refundable entry fee per space of $50 for nonmembers and $40 for members if paid by June 1. After June 1, the fees are $20 more -- $70 and $60, respectively.

There is no fee for nonprofit organizations. Solicitations are not permitted in the park, but may be conducted at the nonprofit's display.

Vendors provide their own equipment including tables, chairs, signs, canopies, etc. No electricity is available. Spaces are 10' by 10' and marked, but not assigned -- first come, first served. Each vendor is responsible for collecting/reporting all applicable state and local sales tax (Genesee County sales tax is 8 percent).

To get additional details and applications to print out and mail in, click here. There is a link for arts and crafts vendors, and another one for nonprofit organizations.

For more information, please visit www.goart.org, call 585-343-9313 or email info@goart.org

A tractor-trailer rollover accident is reported at Batavia-Elba Town Line Road, west of Route 98. One person is injured. Town is Batavia Fire Department is responding along with Mercy medics. Mercy Flight is on ground standby.

UPDATE 2:48 p.m.: The driver was transported via ground ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation. The roadway remains closed until a State Police truck enforcement unit can respond and inspect the truck. Then a heavy wrecker tow will be called in to haul the tractor-trailer away. No other vehicles were involved. The cause of the accident is under investigation; it is not yet known to what extent speed or wind played a factor, if at all. The trailer was hauling 8,000 pounds of O-AT-KA dairy-processing byproduct. The organic substance spilled. It was bound for farms to be used as feed and/or in fertilizer.

Press release:

Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has recognized Cornell Cooperative Extension Executive Director Beverly L. Mancuso, as a Woman of Distinction at the 21st annual ceremony, for her outstanding contributions in enriching the quality of life for the community and beyond.

“Beverly has been widely recognized as an effective leader and a connector for community-based organizations to other partners and volunteers. This is a well-deserved honor to recognize Beverly’s efforts in our community, as well as her positive impact in the lives of so many residents. I wish her all the best in retirement,” Ranzenhofer said.

Mancuso has served at the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Genesee County for 16 years, 13 years as executive director. She is responsible for the overall leadership of the organization, including programming for Leadership Genesee, 4-H Youth Development, Master Gardener Program and Agriculture. 

Mancuso started her career working in finance and physician practice management at two hospitals, then furthered her education at the Rochester Institute of Technology. For five years, Mancuso worked to enhance the experience of patients at the Genesee County Health Department.

Mancuso is expected to retire from the Cornell Cooperative Extension in June.

“I am honored to be recognized by Senator Ranzenhofer. I learned the importance of listening at an early age, and this skill has helped me during my career in both the public and not-for-profit sectors,” Mancuso said. “I am looking forward to the next great adventure.” 

Mancuso was a member of the inaugural class of Leadership Genesee in 2001, and she was recognized as an Outstanding Alumna years later.

She is currently a proud member of the Muriel H. Marshall Fund Planning Team. Mancuso has been actively involved in the community for years, including Kiwanis, Boy Scouts, Genesee Country Village, Parish Councils, and Office for the Aging Advisory Committee.

For Monday night training, Le Roy fire was joined by City fire for water flow training at the Dolomite Products quarry off Gulf Road in Le Roy. The crews worked on drafting, pump and ladder operations.

Chief Tim Hogle said, "Thanks to Dolomite Products Le Roy for letting us use their property. Good job to everyone involved."

Submitted photo.

After working for the then-fledgling Genesee Community College District for more than 46 years, Maxine Koberg (nee Palmer) retired in 2016, leaving campus as an employee for the last time on Jan. 29th two years ago.

On Sunday, April 29th, the 72-year-old Batavia native and longtime Elba resident died at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

In an article written about her in The Batavian upon her retirement, she said she worked steadily after graduating from high school, later passing a Civil Service exam then landing a clerk's job at the GCC. She planned from the get-go to stick with it; she said felt competant in her duties and liked her work.

By all accounts, Koberg was a true team player and got along well her coworkers.

The kind of dedication she embodied certainly seems increasingly hard to come by; long-term "institutional knowledge" spanning decades in any field, more rare.

For her full obituary, click here.

For the article about her retirement published Jan. 30, 2016, click here.

The Genesee County Women's Republican Club will host the 2018 Spring Breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 19, at Ascension Parish Hall in Batavia.

Enjoy a full breakfast buffet catered by the Dibble Family Center.

Cost is $20 per member and $25 per nonmember; you can sign up for membership at the event.

The parish hall is located at 15 Sumner St.

This year's "Caring for America Charity" is the Alzheimer's Association.

For more information, contact Melissa M. Haacke at 314-4501.

RSVP by May 7 to:

Michele Smith

20 Canterbury Lane

Bergen NY 14416

or via email at:

Msmith1548@frontiernet.net

Lynn M. Homer, 45, of Platten Road, Lyndonville, is charged with; aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd; criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th; driver's vision obstructed; and obstructed plate. Homer was stopped at 3:22 p.m. April 13 on West Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Christopher Lindsay. She was jailed on $1,000 bail or $2,000 bond.

Travis Lilbern Robert Bartz, 22, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bartz was allegedly found in possession of marijuana during an investigation into a complaint on Trumbull Parkway at 11:03 p.m. April 22 by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Jacob A. Kasmarek, 19, of Fargo Road, Stafford, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and speeding. Kasmarek was stopped at 9:15 p.m. April 23 on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Samuel McDonald III, 54, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. McDonald is accused of stealing two cans of beer from Tops at 6:39 p.m. Wednesday.

Matthew Frank Carney, 25, of Dodgeson Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Carney was stopped at 12:55 a.m. Friday on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Arick Perkins.

Jesse James Sasiadek, 24, of Cayuga Creek Road, Cheektowaga, is charged with: DWI; driving with a BAC of .08 or greater; driving while impaired by drugs; driving while ability impaired by drugs and alcohol combined; and unlawful possession of marijuana. Sasiadek was stopped at 4:26 p.m. Sunday on Route 19, Bergen, by Deputy Erik Andre.

Jay Kenneth Feitshans Jr., 23, of Alleghany Road, Darien, is charged with petit larceny. Feistshans is accused of stealing property and selling it at a local business.

Stefanie S. Kitanik, 33, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, refusal to take breath test, uninspected motor vehicle, and no plate lamps. Kitanik was stopped at 2:09 a.m. Saturday on Maple Avenue, Oakfield, by Deputy James Stack.

David Wayne King Jr., 36, of Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. King is accused of falling asleep due to a prescribed medication and as a result, his 2-year-old son left his residence and was alone for a period of time.

Nelson E. Figueroa, 29, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Figueroa was stopped at 10:40 p.m. Saturday on Route 33, Stafford, by State Police.

Icha R. Koirala, 28, a resident of the State of New York (exact town not provided), is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Koirala was stopped at 9:18 p.m. Friday on Route 33 in Bergen by State Police.

Laura D. Vazquez Coronado, 38, of Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to stay in lane. Coronado was stopped at 4:39 p.m. Thursday on North Byron Road, Elba, by State Police.

Jodi Fisher was the greeter Saturday night at Seymore Place for GO ART!'s first "Swing Fling."

The evening's entertainment included an old-fashioned radio show and The Genesee Jazz Collective with vocalist Wendy Williams (also pictured below, Dan Klinzar on trumpet.)

Jim Burns brought his 1950s era Graflex Speed Graphic camera (the standard professional/press camera for decades, and still in use in the 1970s, after being introduced in 1912). Partygoers could purchase black and white portraits of themselves during the event.

Lindsey Zanghi, 12, from Pembroke, had a lot of fun Saturday at the Town of Batavia Fire Department's Open House. So did Brooke Nichols, 12, of Oakfield, below, who got to honk the emergency horn on one of the fire trucks.

More than 40 volunteers from the area's Presbyterian churches came together yesterday for "Mission Day." Starting out at the First Presbyterian of Batavia, they fanned out to the Crossroads House, the Child Advocacy Center, and the YWCA. Volunteers came from the Presbyterian churches in Byron, Corfu, Le Roy, Attica, Bergen, Batavia, and East Bethany.

Photos submitted by Rev. Roula Alkhouri.

Deputy Ryan Young drops off boxes of drugs disposed of at the Sheriff's Office over the past year at Batavia PD for delivery to the DEA for destruction.

Det. Rich Schauf, pictured below, said that the amount of unused prescriptions being dropped off Saturday was on pace with previous years, even though there are now permanent drop-off boxes at Le Roy PD, the State Police barracks on West Saile Drive, and the Sheriff's Office on Park Road.