Skip to main content

batavia

Man in custody after domestic incident on Washington Avenue, suspected of setting house fire

By Billie Owens

A Washington Avenue resident with a criminal history and wanted on a warrant was taken into custody this morning after police were called to a domestic incident where he allegedly threatened to shoot police and later set fire to his own apartment.

Eddie Miles eventually came down a ladder from the back of the apartment on his own, which allowed firefighters to begin attacking the fire in the second floor and attic of 207 Washington Ave., Batavia.

He was taken to the hospital for evaluation of injuries sustained in the domestic incident and the subsequent blaze.

Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence said the dispatch center received a call about a domestic incident at the upper apartment at 8:55 this morning. Two officers quickly responded and Miles allegedly smashed a window and threatened to use a firearm against them.

At that point, a perimeter was established in the neighborhood with the aid of the Sheriff's Office and State Troopers. There was a reverse 9-1-1 call placed to neighbors near the scene, telling them to lockdown, shelter in place. 

Police grabbed a ladder from neighbors at the scene, though the woman jump from the stoop roof into the arms of police officers. She was taken to the hospital for the evaluation of injuries sustained in the domestic incident, Lawrence said.

A fire, believed to have been intentionally set by Miles, broke out in the rear of the upper apartment. Miles refused to leave and kept calling 9-1-1, demanding to speak with the female, who had by then been transported to the hospital.

As smoke poured from the house, police were concerned for the safety of firefighters with a potentially armed suspect still at large. The firefighters could not approach the house. An unarmed Miles came out on the roof. Between the very cold weather and the house fire, Lawrence said the bare-footed Miles had some incentive to climb down the ladder unaided. 

He was taken into custody.

Fire scene commander Lt. Greg Ireland said it goes against a firefighter's nature to sit back and watch a house burn but until the suspect was in custody that was all city crews could do. They were initially called to the scene to assist with rescuing the woman from the house, which was not yet on fire when they were called. Once they were cleared to attack the fire, firefighters made quick work of it and contained the fire to the second floor and attack.

Lawrence said police are not certain Miles actually had a firearm; none was found.

At about 1 p.m., City Fire cleared the scene, but police and code enforcement remain on Washington Avenue and the duty sergeant has informed dispatch, this incident will tie up the officers who responded for much of the rest of the day. Additional patrols are on duty.

In addition to other arrests over the past few years, Miles was a suspect in a choking incident and the injection of a purple liquid into a dog in August.

UPDATE 7 p.m.: In response to rumors being spread on social media, we asked if the police used tear gas. Chief Shawn Heubusch said there was no tear gas used. Further, police believe evidence points to Miles starting the fire, not the police.

Photos by Howard Owens. Howard Owens contributed to the reporting of this story.

Video submitted by Jim Horncastle.

UPDATE: Photo submitted by Jim Horncastle.

Forum for artists with disabilities opens in Batavia Jan. 19

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The third ARTiculations Ability Exhibition -- a forum for artists with disabilities in Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans counties to display their work publicly -- will open at Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) in Batavia on Jan. 19.

Titled "8 X 10," it features the work of Chris Humel, who uses intensely hued acrylics, to depict postage stamps and other mail-related themes. Twenty years ago, he cofounded the still-active band BC Psychos; he will be teaching a five-week course, “Cartoons by Kids” for young people 10 to 15, at GO ART! (Genesee-Orleans Regional Art Council) in Batavia.

A product of a partnership between ILGR and the University Heights Arts Association (UHAA), the exhibit will be on display through March 29th. The opening reception, featuring Humel on his guitar, is 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan.19th at ILGR’s office, 113 Main St., Suite 5, in Batavia. 

In Humel's own words, "I am a person with disabilities. I am 55 years old. I have been battling schizophrenia and related depressing problems for most of my life. My work is about breaking out of isolation and 'going postal' in a good way, by making contact with artists, writers and through the Post Office."

Other artists with disabilities residing in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties are encouraged to submit their work to this juried competition, as there will be additional ARTiculations planned quarterly exhibits in the future.

For over a year, ILGR has been “art partnering” for people with disabilities with the UHAA, a group of artists in North Buffalo with a commitment to community that places art in businesses and nonprofits through an established ARTpartnering program.

The organizers are pleased to note that the ARTiculations Ability Exhibitions has “mapped” into UHAA’s system by placing a plaque with a Quick Response (QR) code scatter bar graph that can bring up information about it when scanned by your smartphone.

For questions on the event, please call Patricia AbdusSalaam at (585) 815-8501, ext. 400

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

Police barricade on Washington Avenue

By Howard B. Owens

A reader provided these photos of a police barricade on Washington Avenue that is apparently in progress now.

For the past 30 minutes or so there has been a lot of encrypted/scrambled communication on the scanner. 

We have no further information at this time on the incident.

UPDATE(S) (By Billie) 9:50 a.m.: There's a structure fire here. Black smoke is billowing from the attic of a house. City fire and Mercy medics are responding, The location is between Tracy Avenue and Bank Street.

UPDATE 9:56 a.m.: One person is in custody. There are no life-threatening injuries. The address is 207 Washington Ave. Elba Fire Department is called to provide city firefighters with mutual aid. Sgt. Dan Coffey said this started as a domestic incident and that the subject in custody is suspected of starting the house fire.

UPDATE 10:13 a.m.: Officer Marc Lawrence said a female was rescued from the house fire; she did not have life-threatening injuries.

Batavia PD reminds citizens not to divulge personal credentials or bank information to callers

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department has received multiple complaints of a robo-call scam from Apple saying your iCloud account has been corrupted. Apple has been contacted and confirmed they do not make robo- calls to notify customers of corrupted accounts.

The Batavia Police Department would just like to remind the citizens not to provide any personal or bank information over the phone.

If you feel you have been part of this scam or a similar scam, you are encouraged to contact the Batavia Police Department and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). www.ic3.gov

Free class on basics of memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer's disease offered Wednesday, RSVP

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. It is a progressive and fatal brain disease that is the most common form of dementia.

“The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease” is a free class presented by the Alzheimer’s Association Western New York Chapter for anyone who would like to know more about the disease and related dementias.

The program will be offered at The Manor House (427 E. Main St.) in Batavia at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Attendees will learn:  

  • Symptoms and effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia
  • How Alzheimer’s affects the brain
  • Causes and risk factors
  • How to find out if it’s Alzheimer’s disease 
  • The benefits of early detection
  • Treatment
  • Resources in your community, including the Alzheimer’s Association WNY Chapter  

There is no cost to attend this public presentation, but registration is encouraged by calling 1.800.272.3900.

Training facility in Batavia can help you stay calm and carry on when faced with a threat

By Howard B. Owens

If you found an intruder in your house, would you know what to do?

Even if you were armed, would you know what to do?

Or would you panic?

Training in advance of stressful situations is key to surviving potentially hazardous conflicts and defusing them safely for yourself, your family members and even the intruder.

M&S Tactical Solutions in Batavia has set up an Active Home Invasion System at its facility in the Harvester Center in Batavia.

It's designed to provide training for the company's primary clients, local residents who want to improve security in their home, especially if they keep a firearm.

Yesterday, Sheriff William Sheron and members of his command staff -- Greg Walker, Jerry Brewster, Bill Zipfel, and Joe Graff -- toured the new facility (along with Mercy medic Wade Schwab) and Zipfel and Graff both went through simulated home invasion scenarios to experience how the training works.

"I like it because it’s realistic," Zipfel said. "It's not like our tower. There’s actual furniture. It’s really nice."

While the AHIS is set up to train civilians, it's also used by local police officers to get extra training and practice in detecting and reacting to threats in real-life scenarios.

Participants, if armed, are armed with realistic-looking airsoft pistols and wear face masks.

When it's civilians going through, they are given a basic firearm safety course, even if previously trained, just to make sure everybody is on the same page, said M&S owner Jeff McIntire. Then they're put in a scenario to see how they handle it. McIntire and his staff monitor the home invasion scenario thorugh closed circuit video so they can review how things played out with the participants.

"We don’t give them anything at first," McIntire said. "We put them over there because we want to see what your natural reaction is. I want to see what you naturally do. Then we come back here and debrief. Now we can start actually talking about what to do."

One recent participant fired first and asked questions later. That's a measure, McIntire said, of how realistic and stressful the scenarios can be. The adrenaline pumps and your autonomic systems take over and pushes your mind into "fight or flight" mode.

Getting past those automatic responses is what training is about. Repetition helps build up a kind of muscle memory that helps you stay calm and make better decisions.

To help teach the importance of good decision making, not all of the "intruders" are hostile. They might be an Alzheimer patient who is convinced he's in his own home, or a neighbor just knocking on your door. The intruder might even be your wife home early from work. In other words, not every scenario is hostile but could end in tragedy without proper training.

And not every intruder deserves to be shot. A TV, McIntire noted, is not worth a person's life. Participants are taught to better recognize which intruders pose a real life or limb threat to themselves or a family member.

The scenario yesterday for Graff involved the chief deputy just returning home from work. There is an intruder going through his belongings in his bedroom. At some point, the intruder comes out of the room and Graff became aware he was there. In this case, Graff drew his pistol and shouted for the intruder to put his hands where he could see them and get on the ground. As the intruder went down, he was instructed to reach for his mobile phone in his pocket. Graff yelled for him to put his hands back up and the intruder fumbled with his phone and drop it. Graff did not fire.

In the other scenario, Zipfel came home, grabbed a beer and went in the bedroom to ly down. Then two intruders entered. They began searching the living room for items and Zipfel heard the noise. He crouched down, entered the room, spotted the intruder and ordered him to the ground. As he approached the intruder, the second intruder started to enter the room from the kitchen, gun pointed at Zipfel. Zipfel shot him.

In both cases, with their boss Sheriff Sheron watching, they made the right decision.

While officers who use the facility for training aren't earning any sort of certification, McIntire said he recognizes the need for officers to get numerous repetitions of potentially dangerous situations to help improve their decision making.

Whether civilian or officer, repetition and review are key training tools for improved performance.

Without training, McIntire, people often revert to what they've seen on TV or in a movie, and that's not a good place to be.

McIntire said, "We stress getting people to that point with muscle memory where they say, 'I don't have think. I just know what to do.' "

Top photo: The tour in the living room apartment. Next two photos, Graff during his scenario. Fourth photo, monitors showing Zipfel's scenario. Bottom, McIntire and Walker in the facility's firing range (where airsoft guns are used). 

Cornell extension offers free workshop for adults on healthy living and weight loss Feb. 14

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Cornell Cooperative Extension Genesee County will host a program titled “Overfed and Undernourished” at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at the Extension Center at 420 E. Main St., Batavia. This workshop for adults is free to attend, but space is limited.

The program will be presented by Ian Cramer (MS, ATC), who has been living a plant-based lifestyle for eight years and earned a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from eCornell in 2016. He is an educator, podcaster and endurance cyclist living in Rochester.

Come and discover information on weight loss, cravings, common nutrition myths, and ways to live a healthy, disease-free lifestyle. For more information about Cramer, visit https://www.plant-basedcyclist.com/

We will also discuss chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, and how they start, progress, and can be prevented or even reversed using diet and lifestyle changes.

Please register for the workshop by contacting Samantha at 585-343-3040, ext. 123.

GCC History Club announces spring lecture series lineup

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Genesee Community College History Club is excited to release its spring Historical Horizons Lecture Series lineup! The series provides the community with access to renowned authors and historians as they take a deep look at the events and movements that have shaped our nation's history.

"The spring series line up will provide very unique perspectives on bloody battles and war, the Trail of Tears, and immigration," says GCC's Associate Professor Derek Maxfield. "This series is sure to inform and even entertain."

All lectures in this series begin at 7 p.m. in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building. All lectures are free and open to the public.

Tuesday, Feb. 6  /  Medina Campus  /  Maple Ridge Road, Medina

Author Kevin R. Pawlak will discuss his book "Shepherdstown in the Civil War: One Vast Confederate Hospital." During the Civil War the small town of Shepherdstown, W.Va., was suddenly flooded with Confederate soldiers wounded in battle. Homes and churches transformed into triage centers and in all, the town, into "one vast hospital."

Wednesday, Feb. 7  /  Batavia Campus  /  Room T102

Kevin R. Pawlak will join us again to present "The Jewels of War: Robert E. Lee, George B. McClellan, and the Battle of Antietam." Pawlak is also the director of education for the Mosby Heritage Area Association in Virginia. The Battle of Antietam is America's bloodiest single day. In totality, 12 hours of fighting on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 1862 left approximately 23,000 casualties. During this lecture, Pawlak will assess the dramatic events of the battle from the unique perspective of the commanders on the field.

Wednesday, April 4  /  Batavia Campus  /  Room T102

GCC adjunct professor Danny Hamner will present "The Removal Crisis of 1832: How Nationalism, Political Ambition and the Electoral College Shaped the Trail of Tears." Often, the "Trail of Tears" is remembered as the inevitable tragedy of an indigenous people swept aside by the rising forces of modern America. While there certainly were large historical forces transforming America in the early 19th century, the removal crises of the period were ultimately shaped by the personalities, politics and needs of the movement. The mix of personal ambitions and zealous nationalism linked the destiny of the Cherokee Nation to Henry Clay's presidential aspirations with catastrophic but not inevitable results.

Wednesday, May 2  /  Batavia Campus  /  Room T102 (Rescheduled from 12/6/17)

Orleans County Historian Matthew R. Ballard, MLS will present "Fear of the Unknown: Creating the Illegal Immigrant in 19th Century America." Immigration to the United States is a relative topic in current events; however, the establishment of the "illegal immigrant" only dates back to the turn of the 20th century. In the earliest years of immigration, Europeans were accepted without restriction, but an influx of new immigrants during the latter half of the 19th century raised concerns about political impacts on American society. Uncertainty and unfounded fears created excessive restrictions focused on limiting access to specific ethnic/ racial groups, religious groups, the disabled, the infirmed and those likely to become a "public charge."

GCC to host free monthly sessions at Batavia campus to help people with their plans for college

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Adult Educational Opportunity Center (AEOC) has announced a yearlong schedule of open monthly sessions designed to get anyone started on their way to a college degree!

These sessions will be held at Genesee Community College's Batavia Campus at One College Road, Batavia.

As with all AEOC Services, these sessions are FREE and available both by appointment and walk-in! During these sessions, the AEOC's Outreach Specialists will help potential college applicants with a variety of services, including:

Financial Aid Counseling: help completing the FAFSA, understanding various financial aid options including student loans and Pell grants, retrieving transcripts, and assistance with special circumstance applications.

Enrollment Assistance: completing college applications or enrollment forms, ACT Test registration and completing Entrance Exam Prep through Accuplacer. 

Veterans Services: AEOC outreach specialists are trained to assist any veteran in navigating services available for higher education.

Appointments and walk-in sessions will be held in the Conable Technology Building at GCC's Batavia Campus. Both appointment and walk-in sessions will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on each of the following days:

Wednesday, Jan. 24, in T122

Wednesday, Feb. 21, in T121

Wednesday, March 21, in T121

Wednesday, April 25, in T122

Wednesday, May 16, in T122

Wednesday, June 27, in T122

Wednesday, July 25, in T122

Wednesday, Aug. 22, in T122

Wednesday, Sept. 26, in T122

Wednesday, Oct. 24, in T122

Wednesday, Nov. 28, in T122

Wednesday, Dec. 19, in T121

Appointments are available on additional dates by request. To schedule any appointment, please email AEOC@genesee.edu or contact Adult Education Director Kate Trombley, M.S., at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6285.

It is important to note that these College Entry Point Sessions are not limited to students attending or planning to attend GCC. Anyone interested in attending any college or in need of assistance in getting started can participate. Information regarding GCC and all other area colleges will be available at these sessions.

Three amigos at the Genesee County Animal Shelter need special forever homes

By Billie Owens

The Volunteers for Animals at the Genesee County Animal Shelter would like to find forever homes for three special felines. Here are their stories as written and provided by the volunteers.

Jake (inset photo, left) is a great cat that just needs a break. His original owner went on vacation and decided to never come back. Poor Jake -- he didn’t even know that was possible! The neighbor caring for Jake didn’t want him, and took him to be euthanized.

Luckily, fate had another plan for Jake. Eventually, Jake went into foster to see exactly what kind of kitty he was, and it turns out he’s a pretty awesome cat.

Although not his favorite activity, Jake doesn’t mind being picked up or carried around. He is OK with a nail trim, but we didn’t notice him scratching on anything at all.

Jake is a low-flying cat -- you’re not going to find him up on your worktop or table. And he just loves a good all-over brushing, especially with his zoom-groom brush. He will purr for hours while you brush him to a high-gloss finish.

Jake lives for certain kitty treats. Once you find the right one, he can be trained to come running with the crinkle of a bag. Jake is likely to hide in his new surroundings at first, but after a week or two, he will be comfortable enough to stop hiding, especially if he has a comfy cat bed to lie on instead. After several weeks in foster, Jake was seeking out people in another room for petting and brushing. If we didn’t notice him, he would meow to say “I’m ready, where’s the brush!?!” Jake even hopped up on the bed at night for a little scratch. He certainly earned his foster mom’s seal of approval.

The generous vets at State Street Animal Hospital provided Jake with the dental work he needed in order to live in comfort, so he is all set medically. Jake’s not a young cat, but he wasn’t ready to be swept under the rug yet either -- he’s got several great years left in him.

All he wants is a warm, quiet house - a place where he can relax, and just enjoy being your pet. Jake was very tolerant of all the cats in his foster home, but he will adjust much faster if he is not in a busy home with other cats, dogs, or boisterous children.

Come in and meet him. We’ve got the zoom-groom brush waiting! It’s Jake’s turn to go on vacation now, and he’s hoping to stay there forever and never come back, too!

Maddie (inset photo, left) is a spitfire. She loves to romp and play but can get a little too excited.

She has been with us a long time and really needs a home of her own.

Maddie needs a cat-savvy human that will understand her catitude!

She would do best in a home with no children or other animals.

A very nice volunteer has paid half of Maddie's adoption fee, so she is only $30.

Dusty (inset photo, right) strayed into a kind lady’s yard dragging one hind leg. She was good enough to call the shelter and bring him in. A vet check determined that his leg had been badly broken.

And though it was somewhat healed, the break was so bad that even if he’d been brought in right after it happened he’d never be able to walk on it. Amputation was the only option. He was vaccinated, treated for fleas, worms, and ear mites, given a surgery date, and kept comfortable in the infirmary at the shelter.

After his amputation and neutering, Dusty went to a foster home for some T.L.C. and recovery. He was an ideal patient! He took his pain medicine easily, without complaint. He was up and walking right away.

It took him just a few days to adjust to the new weight and balance of his body. He quickly learned to hop up on and off the furniture. Keeping his balance in the litter pan was a little bit trickier but he never missed the pan or had an accident anywhere. Combing, petting and a good diet are starting to bring his coat back to a soft lustrous tan and black tabby.

Throughout all of this Dusty has been more than a perfect gentleman. Always cheerful, he is outgoing and likes people. He approaches both men and women who come into his room. He loves to be stroked and combed, and get gentle belly rubs. He is never rough with his paws.

He loves to sit on a lap, or beside a person on a couch. His favorite game is to lay on his side and play with a toy dangled on a string. And bird watching at the window would never be turned down!

Dusty would be a perfect partner for an elderly person, or couple, who want a quiet, steady companion. Perhaps a shut-in or a person with a disability would benefit from his calm confidence and "can do" attitude. Or perhaps it will be love at first sight with someone unexpected! He is an exceptional cat!

Genesee County Animal Shelter

3841 W. Main Street Road, Batavia

Hours: Sun., Mon., Tues., Fri. 1-3 p.m.

Wednesday 1-3 and 7-9 p.m.

Closed Thursdays

Saturday 11 a.m. - 1 p.m

Convicted child molester Sean Vickers gets new 40-year prison sentence

By Howard B. Owens

It's not the 107-year sentence former County Court Judge Robert C. Noonan handed down to convicted child molester Sean Vickers, but Vickers will still serve many decades in prison. 

Earlier this year, the jury trial conviction of Vickers was overturned on appeal because the appeals court found he wasn't properly tried under the same counts in the original indictment against him. 

It looked like a new trial for Vickers, but in October, Vickers agreed to a plea agreement. While that means Vickers might avoid a similar 100-year sentence, it also means his victims won't be required to testify again.  

On that guilty plea, today Judge Charles Zambito sentenced Vickers to the agreed-upon 40-year prison term.

He was already serving a 20-year term on a similar conviction in Niagara County.

Notre Dame dominates to capture Rotary title

By Howard B. Owens

In a rematch of last year's Rotary Tournament finale, Notre Dame, this time, was the more dominant team, beating Cal-Mum, 43-35.

"We didn't really have an identity early in the season last year and it showed," said ND's head coach Tom McCulley. "They were a mature team and we weren't really there yet. This year I think we probably had the edge maturity."

The star of the game was Stevie Wilcox, who scored 17 points and seemed in command of her game from the start. She was named tournament MVP.

"We were ready to bring it and play as a team and work together because when we do, we're unstoppable," Wilcox said.

The Lady Irish are always tough on defense and McCulley said that's what he saw from his team again, especially in the first half, when Notre Dame held the Lady Raiders to six points. Guard Morgan Rhodes was a big part of that, he said.

"Morgan was steady all throughout," McCulley said. "She got some steals and helped us with ball pressure so we weren't allowing them to get comfortable in their sets, maybe not as quickly as they would like. I think most of the time, when I looked up, by the time Cal-Mum got in their sets there was 16 seconds off the close. I was shocked by that. That puts a lot of pressure on the offense to execute."

Margret Sutherland and Natale Thornton also had big games. Sutherland scored 10 points and Thornton scored nine. Both were a strong presence under the boards.

Callie McCulley added six points.

For Cal-Mum, Elyse Van Auken scored 12 points.

Besides Wilcox at MVP, the all-tournament team was Taylor Gadd, Attica, Ryann Stefaniak, Batavia, Elyse Van Auken, Cal-Mum, Margaret Sullivan, Notre Dame, and Callie McCulley, Notre Dame.

To purchase prints, click here.

Rollover accident with minor injuries reported on Thruway in Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A one-vehicle rollover accident with minor injuries is reported on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 389.3.

Town of Batavia fire with mutual aid from Le Roy fire dispatched.

UPDATE 11:37 a.m.: Chief on scene reports vehicle on its wheels in the median.

UPDATE 11:39 a.m.: Patient is walking around and no complaint of pain. Mercy EMS to continue for patient evaluation.

Accident reported at Thruway overpass on Lewiston Road

By Billie Owens

A two-car accident with possible injuries is reported at the Thruway overpass bridge on Lewiston Road; the address is 8169 Lewiston Road, Batavia. It is partially blocking the southbound lane. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 11:02 a.m.: One patient has a minor laceration. A first responder says medics can "take it easy coming in."

Dog left in car at Kmart

By Howard B. Owens

A dog has been reportedly left in the cold in a Nissan parked outside Kmart in Batavia.

The caller does not believe the car is running.

A deputy is responding.

UPDATE 9:41 a.m.: Caller reports the owner has come out, got into his vehicle and left the area. Deputy's response canceled.

Town of Batavia officials sworn in at organizational meeting Wednesday

By Howard B. Owens

Town of Batavia officials were sworn in by Town Justice Tom Williams prior to the Town's organizational meeting on Wednesday night. Pictured from left: Tom Williams, town justice; Daniel Underhill, councilperson; Greg Post, supervisor; Patti Michalak, councilperson; Thomas Lichtenthal, highway superintendent; Teressa Morasco, town clerk.  

Photo and info submitted by Chad Zambito.

Notre Dame and Cal-Mum set to play for Rotary championship tonight at GCC

By Howard B. Owens

It will be Notre Dame and Cal-Mum facing off tonight in the championship match of the Batavia Rotary Club Girls Basketball Tournament.

After Batavia delivered an uninspired performance leading to a loss to the Red Raiders 43-40, the Lady Blue Devils will face Attica in the consolation game at 6 p.m.

NOTE: the games have been moved from Friday night to tonight because of the anticipated cold snap tomorrow.

The Lady Raiders will face a motivated Lady Irish team that had two of the squad's top players both in sync Wednesday night, with Callie McCulley scoring 22 points and Margaret Sutherland scoring 16 to help lead a dominating 64-42 win over Attica. Natalie Thornton added 13 points.

Attica was led by Taylor Gadd with 13 points and Kacey Pearce with 10.

Top scorer Wednesday night was Cal-Mum's Elyse Van Auken, who scored 24 points. Makenzie Wilson scored eight points.

For Batavia, Ryann Stefaniak scored 13 points, Bryn Wormley, eight, and Kenzie Reigle, seven.

Two Batavia players missed the game due to illness.

A newcomer to watch with Batavia is 5' 11" sophomore Emma Krolczyk, who scored six points. 

To purchase prints of pictures, click here.

Police locate drug dealer who failed to show up for sentencing

By Howard B. Owens

Police located and arrested a drug dealer yesterday who was accused of failure to appear in County Court for his sentencing and of violating an order of protection while awaiting sentencing.

Officers learned that Charles "Gusto" Williams, 38, was at a residence on Ross Street based on a citizen's tip.

Batavia PD sought the public's assistance in locating Williams after he refused to turn himself in on a warrant.

He was jailed pending his arraignment today.

He was convicted of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and criminal contempt, 1st.​

Law and Order: Le Roy resident accused of burglary while violating order of protection

By Howard B. Owens

Nicholas G. Williams, 41, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd, and burglary, 2nd. Williams is accused of unlawfully entering a dwelling in Le Roy with the intent to commit a crime, thereby violating a court order to stay away from the resident. He was also charged with resisting arrest. He allegedly resisted officers when they attempted to place handcuffs on his wrists. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Christina M. Sanchez-Anderson, 29, and Kodey R. Mills, 24, both of Church Street, Le Roy, were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Sanchez-Anderson and Mills were arrested after Le Roy PD responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at 9:30 a.m., Sunday. During the investigation police allegedly observed a crack pipe in plain view in the living room. Mills was released on an appearance ticket. There was a warrant for the arrest of Sanchez-Anderson on an unrelated charge. She was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Lori A. Say, 50, of Roanoke Road, Stafford, is charged with petit larceny. Say is accused of shoplifting from a business on West Avenue in the Village of Le Roy.

James M. Tinker, 25, of Fowler Road, Linwood, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Tinker is accused of punching and breaking the window of another person in the Village of Le Roy during a dispute. Tinker was treated for cuts on his hand an issued an appearance ticket.

Chazmar T. Walters, 25, of Myrtle Street, Le Roy, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. 

Brian Gilbert Keller, 22, of Sumner Road, Darien, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, and harassment, 2nd. Keller allegedly spit in the face of another person, a violation of a refrain from offensive conduct order of protection. He was jailed on $10,000 bail, $15,000 bond.

Authentically Local