batavia

A man accused of taking part in a November stabbing in an apartment at Woodstock Gardens almost blew his plea deal in Genesee County Court on Monday.

Timothy Andrews, 22, became confused when Judge Robert C. Noonan asked him if he thought the evidence against him would likely lead to a conviction at trial.

"I don't know how to answer that ... um, no," Andrews said.

He needed to assure Noonan that he felt he would be convicted under terms of his plea, known as an "Alford" plea.

The legal term refers to a situation where a defendant doesn't admit actually committing the crime, but enters a guilty plea in order to receive a negotiated sentence, fearing if found guilty at trial, he would receive a longer sentence.

Andrews has maintained he is innocent throughout his legal proceedings.

Andrews corrected his answer in court and is now facing from two to seven years in prison. His sentencing is set for March 15.

(Via WBTA)

A woman's nationwide effort to steal people's identities and then their money came to an end in Batavia after she was caught trying to withdraw $3,000 from the local Bank of America branch.

In Genesee County Court on Monday, Cassandra Montrevel, 25, of Sacramento, Calif., told Judge Robert C. Noonan that she entered the local branch March 18 and used another person's identity to withdraw funds from her account.

Montrevel was later caught and admitted to police that she had used the same scheme at Bank of America branches across the United States.

The California woman has already entered a guilty plea in federal court to the crime in other states. 

Montrevel faces a possible New York prison sentence of four years and another five years in federal custody.

(Via WBTA)

Batavia police are responding to Jackson Street where a person is waiting who claims to have been stabbed at about 9 a.m. at the skate park behind the Falleti Ice Arena on Evans Street.

Mercy EMS is responding, too.

UPDATE 10:45 a.m.: The alleged victim had only three small marks on his back and was not cut, according to police. "We don't know what it was, but it definately wasn't a knife," said Officer Eric Hill. The alleged victim reportedly told a friend of a friend that he was stabbed and that is the person who called emergency dispatch. Police searched the area behind the ice arena (that's Officer Dan Coffey in the picture above) but found no corroborating evidence.

Andrea Licata, 29, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and conspiracy, 6th. Licata was allegedly observed with Kelly Marie Howell, 26, of Jackson Street, Batavia, who was allegedly stealing merchandise at Walmart with Licata's knowledge and agreement. Howell was allegedly hiding stolen merchandise in her infant's stroller. Howell was also charged with petit larceny, conspiracy, 6th, and endangering the welfare of a child.

A 16-year-old resident of State Street is charged with petit larceny. The suspect is accused of stealing a stereo cable from Walmart.

Randy J. Heslor, 18, of 2398 Pratt Road, Corfu, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Heslor allegedly visited a residence in the city where a woman lives that Heslor is barred from contacting by order of the Batavia City Court.

Craig Daniel Martin, 27, of Morton Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, unlawful possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance not in its original container, aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, and unlicensed operation. Martin was stopped on Jackson Street, Batavia, at 1:09 a.m. Saturday by Deputy Patrick Reeves for alleged traffic violations. Martin was allegedly found in possession of two types of controlled substances and a quantity of marijuana concealed in his vehicle.

Brittany Megan Hart, 24, of Warsaw Road, Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument. Hart was charged following a traffic stop for alleged violations at 11 p.m. Sunday on Jackson Street, Batavia, by Deputy Brad Mazur.

Daniel John Hickey, 33, of Sherwood Drive, Brockport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Hickey was stopped at 1:22 a.m., Saturday on Route 262 in Elba by Deputy James Diehl.

Nicholas Keith Thorne, 23, of Osborne Road, Mt. Sterling, is charged with criminal mischief, 2nd. Thorne allegedly smashed a glass door and window at the Econo Lodge on Route 77, Corfu. Thorne was jailed on an unspecified amount of bail.

Dennis P. Schroeder, 54, of Cotton Hill Road, Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and inadequate exhaust. Schroeder was stopped at 7:40 p.m. Dec. 15 on Tinkhem Road, Darien, by Deputy Jason Saile.

Nicholas M. Worrells, 24, of 10253 Roosevelt Highway, Lyndonville, is charged with criminal contempt. Worrells was allegedly found hiding under the rear deck of a residence on East Main Street, Le Roy, after police responded to a report of a disturbance. Worrells was allegedly with a person at the residence in violation of a complete stay-away order. Worrells was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Dayton G. Schultz, 52, Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of. 08 or greater and driving left of pavement markings. Schultz was stopped at 10:35 p.m. Friday on Route 262, Elba, by Sgt. Greg Walker.

Eric Matthew Kingsley, 24, of Perry Road, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and illegal parking on a highway. Kingsley was arrested by Deputy Jason Saile following a report of a vehicle fire at 4:48 a.m., Saturday, on Ellicott Street Road, Bethany.

Jeremy John Haynes, 35, of Church Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and speeding. Haynes was stopped at 11:27 p.m. Friday on East Main Street, Le Roy, by Deputy Eric Seppala.

Brent Michael Semmier, 36, of Cypress Street, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI, speeding (90 in 55 mph zone), alcohol consumption in a motor vehicle and improper right turn. Semmier was stopped at 4:29 p.m. Sunday on Route 19, Le Roy, by Deputy Brad Mazur.

Press release:

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has named local attorney Benjamin J. Bonarigo Sr. as a member of the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees. He will serve a seven-year term.

Bonarigo holds an associate degree from GCC and is a member of the college's Class of 1979. Earlier this year, he was inducted into the college's Alumni Hall of Fame in recognition of his professional accomplishments and service to the community.

He is also a cum laude graduate of the University at Buffalo (1979), and holds the Juris Doctorate degree (1982) from the University at Buffalo. He lives in Batavia.

Since 1983, he has practiced law in the community as a self-employed general practice attorney. He has also served as City of Batavia Law Department director (2002-2008); Oakfield Village attorney (2001-2010); and Oakfield Central School District attorney (2002-2009).

Bonarigo has a long history of public service. He is currently a member of the Appellate Division, 4th Department Grievance Committee; Secretary of the Genesee County Bar Association; and member of the boards of Batavia Youth Football and Literacy Genesee/Orleans.

He is a former member of the Notre Dame High School Board of Trustees and Notre Dame High School Foundation Board of Directors. He is also an active member of numerous community organizations.

The 10 members of the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees are volunteers. Five members are appointed by the Genesee County Legislature; four by the governor; and one, a student trustee, selected by the student body.

Press release:

The Batavia Area Jaycees were out driving around on December 18th looking at all the homes that had decorated for the holiday season. We didn’t get a chance to see every house, but what we did see made judging tough!

There are a lot of beautiful homes decorated throughout the community. These awards are meant to be given out as a friendly community project. If you have any questions about the contest, please leave the Jaycees a message at 343-5775.

Homes were judged on five different categories and the winners are:

• Most Traditional – 107 Grandview Terrace
• Simple & Elegant – 323 State Street
• Most Colorful – 237 Vine Street
• Most Commercial – 206 North Spruce Street
• Overall – 37 Union Street

The judging committee also had a few Honorable Mentions to give away:

Outside the City Limits:

• 8485 Stringham Drive & 3927 West Main Street
• 28 Roosevelt Avenue & 16 Vine Street

Some roads we thought did a great job: Redfield Parkway, Union Street, Elm Street, Stringham Drive & Violet Lane.

A homeowner on Stringham Drive has created a light show at his house.

Here's the Christmas light photos I was able to shoot this evening.

I've not been down, necessarily, every street in Batavia, but over the past week I've been through every neighborhood. Time permitting, next week I'll try to get out to some of the villages.

Above, North Avenue.

Victorian Drive

North Spruce Street

Naramore Drive

Belvedere Drive

Garden Drive

Garden Drive

Fordham Drive

Grandview Terrace

Stringham Drive

In an era when it seems just about everything is going digital, Jennifer McAuley has taken her business in the opposite direction.

The former Buffalo resident -- she and her family moved to Corfu in August -- has made her living for years selling secondhand items on Ebay.

But as of Friday, McAuley's Bargain Bin is now a "brick and mortar" business. McAuley opened up shop in the Mortellaro building on Jackson Street.

“My Ebay fees were way over what I could pay for a store," McAuley said. "And with a store, I can actually  interact with customers and not worry about postage and ‘hey the post office broke it,’ or whatever.”

When McAuley held a garage sale in Corfu over the summer, the sale went so well, she started to think she needed to open a shop in Genesee County.

"With the economy and everything else going on, this is the best business to open up here,"  McAuley said.

McAuley gets most of her merchandise from storage unit auctions, store return merchandise and overstocks.

She prides herself on keeping prices low, "just like a garage sale."

"A little kid came in yesterday and he told my daugher he only had 50 cents," McAuley said. "I had a pair of Jordon sneakers for 50 cents. He said, ‘I need to get these so I have a new pair of sneakers just like my brother.’ He paid for them with his own money and he was so happy with them. It was absolutely unbelievable. To give somebody a good item at a discounted price is amazing.”

Santa was at Grace Baptist Church on Saturday afternoon for Don Carroll's Toys for Kids event. About 20 families attended, with the boys and girls getting pizza and cupcakes and then being entertained while their parents loaded their cars with the toys and gifts provided by the charity.

Bottom photo, Don Carroll, shaking hands with Santa, with the rest of the organizing committee, Beth Kemp, left, Brian Kemp and Jeff Bartz.

By 4 p.m., Friday, there was a three-hour wait for tattoos and piercings at High Voltage on Main Street, Batavia.

People were lining up for $25 tattoos and $15 piercings with all of the proceeds going to Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.

Owner Mark Fanara posted on Facebook this morning that the event raised more than $2,000 and the crowd didn't clear out until 11 p.m.

Tattoos and piercings were provided by Fanara, Kevin Lockwood, below, and Lisa Vokes.

Cassandra Pierce was among the dozens and dozens of people who showed up at The Laughing Buddha on Friday for half-price tattoos with the donation of a new toy for a family in need.

Owner Jason Lang said toys and gifts were provided to four families, including the Culver family, which recently lost its home in a fire.

In the early evening, Santa showed up at the shop and Lang said people were lining up outside the door waiting to make a donation, get a tattoo, see Santa or just be a part of the event.

Among the donors of food and gift cards were Alex's Place, Center Street Smoke House, Bourbon & Burger and Applebee's.

Pictured with Pierce is tattoo artist Martin Slaymaker.

An East Pembroke resident is charged with criminal trespass in Monroe County after allegedly entering a home in the Town of Sweden without permission.

WHEC reports that Mark Humel, 20, entered the home on West Avenue at 2 a.m., Friday, and made sufficient noise to wake the homeowner. The homeowner told deputies that he found Humel, appearing to be intoxicated, standing in his living room, not wearing shoes, asking for "Dave."

Humel reportedly became belligerent and ran off when police were called.

The suspect was located later leaving a wooded area near the home.

Batavia, which has seen very little snowfall so far this winter, got a light dusting Saturday morning.

The forecast calls for a 30-percent chance of snow from 5 to 7 p.m. and the 10-day forecast predicts a couple more days of light snow in the next week and a chance of rain and snow on Dec. 25.

Careful driving this morning: Untreated roads are slick.

Above, St. Mary's. Below, Austin Park.

A homeless man who was given permission to sleep on the back porch of a residence on State Street has been arrested and charged with arson in the fourth degree after a fire he started caused some damage to the house.

The fire was reported shortly after 8:30 p.m. Thursday and quickly extinguished by city firefighters, causing minimal damage to the porch and siding of the house at 107 State St., Batavia.

Reginald J. Hawker, 57, of no permanent address, was arrested Friday afternoon following an investigation by Det. Patrick Corona.

He was jailed without bail.

Hawker is accused of intentionally setting the fire. Corona said it's believed that Hawker started the fire on the porch in an attempt to cook and to have heat and light.

Previously: Fire at home on State Street possibly set by homeless person trying to keep warm

For the 23rd year, all are welcome at T.F. Brown's on Christmas Day for a free holiday dinner, and for the children, Christmas gifts.

Seating times at T.F. Brown's this year will be at noon and 1 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Maud at 343-2091.

T.F. Brown's is not officially open on Christmas and there will be no bar service that day.

The traditional Christmas Day fare will include turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, salad and dessert.

Photo: Ben Mancuso, Rick Mancuso, Joe Teresi, John Murray, president of the Batavia Lions Club, and Chuck Brenner, also of the Lions Club.

For the fourth year, Gilmartin Funeral Home has put on display a memorial Christmas tree in remembrance of people who have passed during the year. The tree features a bow and tag for each person remembered and the family is sent a tree ornament with the name of their loved one on it.

"It's a tough time of year because it brings up a lot of memories," T.J. Woodward said. "We hope this eases those memories and brings happier thoughts. It's nice for a family that somebody remembers. It helps with the healing process."

The tree is on display in Gilmartin's newly remodeled entry way.

This sign appeared in a shop window on Ellicott Street in the last day or so.  Nobody was around this morning, so no word on when the new deli might open.

It will be Ellicott Street's third deli. This summer, Molasses Hill moved from Alexander to a location near Harvester Ave., and, of course, on the corner of Liberty and Ellicott is Southside Deli. That location has been a deli or meat market for more than 100 years.

There's been a bit of a boomlet on Ellicott this past year, with four, now five, new shops opening for business.