batavia

The crowd at St. Joe's annual Mammoth Sale today was huge before I could there, I'm told, but even later in the afternoon, there were still a lot of great deals for shoppers.

After running teams for a couple of years in Byron-Bergen, Stan Kaus and Matt Landers got to talking last year about getting more girls involved in fastpitch softball and bringing the teams back to Batavia.

"After last year we decided there are more girls in Batavia who want to play softball, so we kind of looked at each other and said, ‘Are you sure you want to go bigger?’ and we said, ‘as long as the parents step up and help,' " Kaus said.

The response, Kaus said, "has been phenomenal."

The new Batavia Girls Fastpitch is incorporating as a nonprofit with an eight-person board. There are eight new coaches, 17 sponsors and so far 35 girls signed up.

There are two 12-and-under teams and for the first time a 10-U team. Next Tuesday, they will host a meeting to form at least one, and maybe two, 15-U teams, which will add another 12 to maybe more than 20 more girls participating.

"I think the word will get out," Kaus said. "I think a lot of girls felt their only choice for playing ball was Little League. I think if they can come out and watch softball and see fastpitch, I think it will be great."

The Stingers, as the teams are known, also have new uniforms.

"The fact that it's back and we're breathing new life into fastpitch softball is kind of exciting," Kaus said.

Emma Harris, now 6, the subject of community support, including a cheer-a-thon fundraiser in 2015, has completed 826 days of chemotherapy in her fight against leukemia and today at Roswell Cancer Institute, she got to ring the bell celebrating the completion of her treatment.

Photo (submitted photo and info): Iris Hatcher, Hassan Harris, Emma Harris, and Athena Nesbeth. 

The idea of starting a business, not working for somebody else, seemed like a good idea to Matt Cryer after he recently retired from the Army, so he and his wife Michelle talked it over and decided to work together on a new venture.

They've started Falcon Re-Furnishings, with manufacturing space in the Harvester Center.

The business is all about creating unique home decor and furnishing using salvaged items that can either be repurposed or restored. They either come up with their own ideas for their finds or they take custom orders.

"The beauty of it is we can build what you want," Michelle said. "How many times have you looked for a specific table for a specific spot in your house and it has to be this many dimensions? We needed one for in our bathroom. We only had a nine- to 12-inch space and we couldn’t find anything. Now we can do special orders for people, certain sizes or you need special colors to match your decor."

Their workspace has a few old chairs and tables that they will restore or repurpose -- Michelle is planning on recovering an old loveseat with lush, pink fur.

Matt does a work with discarded pallets, making tables, shelves, chairs and even a bar for a client.

One of the tables now is made from pallets and cast off cast iron from an old porch railing.

They're building a website, can be found on Facebook and plan to sell through Etsy.  They didn't want to open a retail store just yet, not until they understood the business better and see how it's going to grow.

Matt said with his military pension, as a fresh retiree, it seemed like the perfect time to give owning a business a try.

"If it works, it works," he said. "If it does, it doesn’t. At least I say I at least tried it."

Michelle thinks Batavia is a great market for them to try this type of business because much of what they'll make isn't available here, or there isn't much competition.

"You would have to go to Rochester or Buffalo to get a lot of this," she said. "We've got a lot of good feedback so far."

The Business Improvement District held its annual meeting and awards breakfast this morning at City Church's Generations Hall on Cedar Street, Batavia.

Above, Director Beth Kemp delivers opening remarks.

The Spirit of Downtown Award was given this year to Steve Hawley and his downtown business, The Insurance Center.  Hawley was out of town, so not available to accept the award.

Photos below: Amy Worthington, owner of Amy's Fluffy Friends, and a tireless volunteer for the BID, received one of two volunteer of the year awards. The other went to Corey Wolcott, bottom photo, manager of Angotti's Beverage, for his volunteer work on Beertavia, which is now heading into its third year as a local annual event.

Press release:

BATAVIA -- It was a photo-worthy moment to see the surprised reactions of Zonta Club members during a special announcement Wednesday during the club’s monthly meeting.

Zonta Club of Batavia-Genesee County members learned that Zonta is the recipient of this year’s Women of Distinction Peace Award.

“It’s a total shock,” Member Patti Pacino said. “We don’t ever go for awards, we give them. It’s such a lovely surprise. Working with YWCA is an incredibly wonderful meld because we can help you with things for domestic violence.”

Jeanne Walton, executive director of YWCA of Genesee County made the announcement as part of her ongoing community talks to promote the annual awards gala. Zonta was chosen for its dedication to community needs local and afar, especially in regard to saying no to domestic violence.

“Zonta Club went above and beyond to create many tote bags filled with toiletries and other items as a way to pamper and truly care for victims of abuse,” Walton said. “The club has certainly given many forms of peace to this community and is so deserving of this award.”

The gala is at 5:30 p.m. June 15 at Genesee Community College, 1 College Road. An awards ceremony will be in Stuart Steiner Theatre followed by a hearty appetizer and dessert buffet and an auction in The Forum.

The Women of Distinction Awards Gala is a way for YWCA to honor and recognize those individuals, groups and businesses that have contributed to the overall betterment of this region. Award recipients have also, through their personal and professional endeavors, strengthened YW’s vision to provide sustainable programs that foster healthy, balanced living for women and families.

Women of Distinction Committee members also chose the following recipients:

• Roula Alkhouri, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Batavia, for the Racial Justice Award. A native of Syria, Alkhouri was chosen for her efforts to support diversity and better understanding of world affairs from a local perspective and her ministry passions of spirituality, interfaith connections and social justice.
• Krysten Schmidt, of Ladies First for the Advocacy/Civic Engagement Award. Schmidt opened her Batavia business in October 2012 with a focus on providing women’s preventative health care. She was chosen for her sincere willingness to empower women and provide direct services to YWCA domestic violence clients.
• Deanne (Dee) Quinn Miller, program coordinator of the state Defender’s Association, for the Military/Veteran Award. Although Miller does not have direct experience in the military, there is no doubt that her core philosophy has been that “veterans and military families deserved the best care and resources available,” according to her nomination letter.

“It is clear that with every role, Dee’s passion and commitment to veterans grows,” the letter stated. “It is clear that each and every veteran holds a special place in her heart.”

• Western New York Tech Academy for the Economic Empowerment Award. This initiative offers local students a unique path toward educational and career success in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math by connecting them with mentors, area companies, job experience and a free two-year degree. The four-year plan prepares students for high-skill and financially stable career opportunities in a less traditional format for those students that may not have the resources and guidance necessary for the high school to college track.
• Lewis Tree Service, the second-largest provider of vegetation management in the country, for the Corporate Social Responsibility Award. Based in Rochester, this philanthropic company – led by its Giving Tree Committee -- has contributed funds, staff time and  equipment to YWCA over the last few years to help support the nonprofit’s programs and services. In 2016, Lewis Tree Service received an ETHIE Award from Rochester Area Business Ethics Foundation for doing “the right thing” through strong ethical foundations, high standards of business conduct and multifaceted connections to ethics in others’ daily lives.
• Georgann Carrubba, founder of Tencar Inc., for the Exceptional Entrepreneur Award. This new award recognizes a woman in the community who is making a difference through her business philosophies, investment practices and work ethics. A Batavia native and registered nurse, Carrubba is also an innovator. She developed an idea into a product to give comfort and security to patients with a Choice Cap ostomy prosthetic appliance, which has also meant an investment of $100,000 in this community for production.

This year’s event will include a fun basket, silent and live auction loosely titled “Eat, Drink & Be Merry” to capture the spirited theme. At least three dozen baskets will be up for bid, including a fully catered elegant dinner for eight, a lobster basket of gourmet treats, a tailgate party, a catered middle Eastern meal and, to include the animal lovers, a "Bone Appetit" package of assorted pet items.

Sponsorship opportunities are available, including a special one for each of the award categories Tickets for the Gala are $40 each or $350 for a table of 10, and may be purchased at YWCA, 301 North St., Batavia or by calling (585) 343-5808.

Julie Ann Stymus, 41, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with misapplication of property. She was arrested at 1:52 p.m. on April 19 on Veterans Memorial Drive. The defendant allegedly borrowed more than 400 DVDs which were supposed to be returned to the owner(s) but which Stymus allegedly pawned. She was released on an appearance ticket for May 15 in Town of Batavia Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Diehl.

Todd Howard Campbell, 35, of Shrubbery Lane, Rochester, is charged with DWI and refusal to take a breath test. Campbell was arrested at 9:19 p.m. on April 11 on North Lake Street in Bergen for DWI. He allegedly struck a vehicle in Monroe County, causing injury to the driver, then fled the scene. Several witnesses followed his vehicle to the Village of Bergen where he was located by members of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. He allegedly refused to take a breath test and was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court where his driver's license was immediately suspended. Campbell was jailed in lieu of $1,000 bail and issued numerous traffic tickets by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. The case was investigated by Genesee County Deputy Christopher Erion, assisted by Deputy Richard Schildwaster.

Shauna Elizabeth Driscoll, 28, of Wadsworth Avenue, Avon, is charged with: operating a motor vehicle with a BAC of .08 percent or more; DWI; harassment; driving left of pavement markings; and failure to use designated lane. Following the investigation of a traffic offense complaint on East Main Road in Le Roy at 9:58 p.m. on April 14, Driscoll was arrested and charged with the counts cited. She was released with an appearance ticket for Town of Le Roy Court on May 15. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Rachel Diehl.

On April 18, State Police Batavia Troopers arrested Alsimeon Peterson, 18, from Hampton, Ga., on a warrant that stemmed from a pursuit that took place on April 15. On April 15, troopers attempted to stop Peterson on Park Road in Batavia. Peterson allegedly refused to stop and proceeded down the New York State Thruway where he was eventually stopped in Monroe County by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and taken into custody. On April 18, Peterson was released from the Monroe County Jail and turned over to SP Batavia Troopers. Peterson was charged with two counts of reckless endangerment, 2nd, one count of fleeing a police officer, 3rd, and multiple traffic violations. He was arraigned in the Town of Batavia Court and put in Genesee County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.

On April 19, State Police Batavia Troopers arrested Daniel Difrancesco, 35, of Batavia, for felony DWI following a traffic stop on Route 5 in the Town of Batavia. Difrancesco was stopped for having a broken tail light. He subsequently allegedly failed field sobriety tests and refused to take a breath test. He was processed and arraigned at the Town of Batavia Court and released to appear on a later date.

Demolition has started on the interior of the former Newberry's building in Downtown Batavia. The project will convert the building into a brewery and an incubator for startup restaurant businesses, known as freshLAB. The second and third floors will become apartments.

The Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation Derby Day Gala is at the starting gate and preparing for this year's gala.

The event will be held on Saturday, May 6th, 2017 from 4-9 p.m. at Terry Hills Golf Course and Banquet Center, Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

Tickets are $75/per person and Win, Place, and Show Sponsorships are available.

The ticket includes entry into event, hors d'ouevres, grazing stations, beer, wine, soda, a professional photograph and a gaming ticket. Prizes will be awarded for the best Derby Hat for a woman, the best Dapper Derby Apparel Award for a man, and the Dapper Duo Derby Award for the best "Derby-dressed" couple.

This year in celebration of the foundation's 10-year anniversary, we will be having a fireworks display (weather permitting). We have a live and silent auction, basket and reverse raffles, the gold ball drop, and a new purse raffle this year, along with some MobileSchlagen. It is a great evening for a great cause.

All proceeds support the mission of the foundation: assisting families with a pediatric cancer diagnosis, supporting research, and assistance to youth activities. For a sneak peak at some of the amazing prizes or to see sponsorship opportunites, go to www.michaelshope.org. For more information on a sponsorship, a donation or getting tickets, call 585-861-0550 or 585-409-3275.

Nice solid city ranch in great condition! This well maintained 3 bedroom ranch has a nice open floor plan and has many nice features. Great hardwood floors, large living room with pretty wood burning fireplace, large room sizes, great bath with extra large jetted tub. Kitchen is newly upgraded within last 5 years and has porcelain floors, granite countertops and large center island for extra spread out room for the cooks in the family. There is an awesome three season room which overlooks fully fenced backyard and in ground pool for those great summer days! Back deck, large shed and hot tub are a few other bonuses this home has. Extra large basement with workshop if you are into that kind of thing and a great attached garage. Call Lynn Bezon today to see this listing or click here to view the full listing details.

Tori Ganino, owner of Calling All Dogs, in the Harvester Center, has been accepted for membership in the International Canine Behaviorists.

The England-based organization provides ongoing professional development for dog behaviorists and enforces a code of ethics and code of conduct and requires certification for membership.

Ganino said she believes she's the first member in the United States.

The Marshall Tucker Band

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced the lineup for this year’s Rockin’ the Downs concert series, and classic rock and country music fans will be very excited.

Kicking off the series on Sunday, June 4^th is country powerhouse Lonestar. Known for merging their country roots with strong melodies and rich vocals, Lonestar has sold over 10 million albums, and achieved 10 #1 country hits including "No News," "Come Crying to Me," and their crossover smash "Amazed," which was also #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band's awards include the 2001 CMA Vocal Group of the Year.

Next up, on Friday, June 23^rd, is Dennis DeYoung and the Music of Styx. DeYoung was the songwriter of the band Styx’s hits like "Come Sail Away," "Babe," "Mr. Roboto," "The Best of Times," " Don’t Let it End," "Show Me the Way," and "Lady."

On Friday, June 30^th, the money man, Eddie Money, will rock the house with his slew of massive hits that includes "Baby Hold On," "Two Tickets to Paradise," "Think I’m in Love," "Shakin’," "Take Me Home Tonight," and "I Wanna Go Back." Along with having sold more than 28 million records, Money’s songs have appeared in dozens of movies and television shows, and have recently been included in hit video games like Grand Theft Auto and Guitar Hero.

Founding member of Foreigner, Lou Gramm will be bringing down the house on Friday, July 7^th. A native of nearby Rochester, Gramm has brought his amazing voice to the rock scene for more than 40 years. Gramm performed vocals on such hits as "Hot Blooded," "Feels Like the First Time," "Cold as Ice," "Double Vision," "Dirty White Boy," "Head Games," and "Juke Box Hero." With Gramm at the helm, Foreigner's first eight singles cracked the Billboard Top 20, making them the first band since The Beatles to achieve this.

Southern rockers The Marshall Tucker Band bring their 40 years of hits to Batavia Downs on Friday, July 14^th. With hit singles like "Heard it in a Love Song," "Fire on the Mountain," "Can't You See," and "Take the Highway," The Marshall Tucker Band earned seven gold and three platinum albums while they were on the Capricorn Records label. During the '90s, the MTB scored four hit singles on Billboard's country chart and one on Billboard's gospel chart. Their music has also been featured on the soundtracks of movies such as "Smokey and the Bandit," "Blow," "The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper," "Shipwrecked," "Crank 2," "Don’t Mess with Zohan," "Stop Loss," "Swing Vote," "Taking Chance" and many others as well as many TV Shows.

On Friday, July 21^st, Lee Greenwood brings his chart-topping music to the Downs. His hit song, "God Bless the USA" has been voted the most recognizable patriotic song in America. Greenwood has won numerous industry awards including, Male Vocalist of the Year for the Academy of Country Music in 1983, two Male Vocalist of the Year awards from the Country Music Association, 1983 and 1984 and a Grammy for Top Male Vocal Performance in 1985 for “I.O.U.” With seven number-one songs and 25 charted singles, his hits include "It Turns Me Inside Out," "Ring on Her Finger Time on Her Hands," "She’s Lyin'," "I don’t Mind the Thorns if You’re the Rose," and "Dixie Road."

Tickets for all six concerts are available at www.BataviaConcerts.com and sales began at 10 a.m. today (April 21). Individual tickets to each concert are $10 for General Admission while VIP tickets are $25. Tickets can also be purchased in-person at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel at their “Made in America” store located in the lobby.

“We are very proud to offer our loyal patrons and the people of this region an amazing lineup of music legends that are sure to electrify Batavia Downs with their hits from today and yesterday,” said Ryan Hasenauer, director of Marketing at Batavia Downs Gaming. “The fact that we are able to keep General Admission ticket prices at just $10 ensures that local music fans aren’t priced out of seeing their favorite artists.”

Hotel room/ticket packages will be available for each concert. Each concert ticket is also redeemable once at Player’s Club in the three days following the concert for $10 Free Play to be used on one of Batavia Downs Gaming’s 800+ gaming machines. Additional information may be found at www.BataviaDownsGaming.com.

A flood warning for now through midnight has been issued for Genesee County.

There is already localized flooding reported on Rose Road, Batavia, Bloomingdale Road, Basom, Starr Road, Pavilion, and West Main in Le Roy.

As much as two inches of rain could fall on parts of Genesee County from the storm passing through the area.

There are seven power outages in the county, including a trio of outages in the city affecting about 200 National Grid customers between Bogue Avenue and Oak Street.

There are also small outages on Walnut Street and South Lyon Street and two in the Town of Alexander.

UPDATE 10:49 p.m.: Route 63 north of Transit Road and south of East Road in Bethany is being shut down due to flooding. There's also flooding reported on Route 20, but it appears to be passable so far.

UPDATE 12:02 a.m.: Route 63 is open. Bethany assignment back in service.

Press release:

Noted author Stephen Schottenfeld will present a reading on Wednesday, May 3, at 12:30 p.m. in the Roz Steiner Art Gallery at the Batavia Campus of Genesee Community College.

"Bluff City Pawn" is Schottenfeld's most recent work, published in 2014 by Bloomsbury USA. The story follows a Memphis, Tenn., pawnshop owner as he enlists his brother's help in a scheme to acquire a valuable gun collection. Through the lives of three brothers, the book explores themes of class, family, race, ownership and loyalty during tough economic times where desperation and the drive to get ahead dominate.

He also completed a story collection, "Miss Ellen Jameson Is Not Deceased," and he is currently at work on his next novel. His stories have been published in various publications, including The Gettysburg Review, Virginia Quarterly Review and New England Review.

His work has garnered a grant from the Michener/Copernicus Society of America, a Halls Fiction Fellowship from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Shane Stevens Fellowship in the Novel from the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and special mentions in both the Pushcart Prize and Best American Short Stories anthologies.

Schottenfeld holds a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University and earned an M.F.A. at the University of Iowa, where he is also a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. He currently is the James P. Wilmot assistant professor of English at the University of Rochester.

JoNelle Toriseva, Creative Writing Club co-advisor and director of English, Communications & Media Arts, invited Schottenfeld to campus to share his work and creative process with students and the local community.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Assessor has extended the timeline for those interested in an informal review process based on assessment increase notices received over the past two weeks.

Any property owner who received an assessment increase notice who does not agree with the new assessment can contact the Assessor for a review prior to Grievance Day on May 25^th.

Those scheduling a review will need to bring a completed informal review form to the appointment. Please visit the OAR’s real property data site at the link below to print out the informal review form to bring with you. A copy can be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office.

To access the form, visit http://geneseecounty.oarsystem.com/cityofbatavia/Home.aspx then click on “Residential Review Application” at the bottom left of the screen. There are two additional links above the application entitled “Valid Sales and Valid Sales with Photos,” that will assist in completing Section II of the application.

Appointments may be made to meet with the Assessor, Rhonda Saulsbury, between now and May 24^th. Please call 585-345-6301 to schedule an appointment or with any questions you may have regarding the assessment review process.

Press release:

Batavia will once again host the “Original Close-Up Magic Convention” Obie’s 4F convention. This very prestigious gathering draws close-up magicians from 21 countries all over the world. While the first event was held in 1971, Batavia has been the host location for the last 20 years.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce has been assisting conference planners with their visit and estimate that this five-day event will leave behind a $86,000 economic impact in Genesee County.

The Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia is the host location for the more than 250 people that arrive next Wednesday, April 26, and through Sunday, April 30. This “by-invitation-only” convention will also honor Rocco Silano, an American-born, award-winning magician who has appeared on many television shows.

Obie Obrien is the founder of the convention and has an impressive resume filled with not only numerous awards in magic, but two master's degrees, and also experience playing, coaching and refereeing several sports. Obrien was an official scorer at the 1980 Olympic Games.

The convention kicks off on Wednesday evening and carries through Saturday with lectures, classes, and shows. The majority of the guests are picked up by shuttles from the Buffalo and Rochester airports and brought here. Once in Batavia, they will travel on foot and by taxi to explore the area. 

On Sunday, April 30, the Magicians Alliance of Western New York (MAWNY) has a one-day convention at the Quality Inn & Suites, Batavia. This event is open to the public; magicians may register in advance for the show, and the show itself is open to everyone. Doors open at 6:10 p.m., adults are $13 and ages 12 and under are $10. The hotel is located at 8250 Park Road. More information is available at www.mawny.org

St. Joe's Mammoth Garage Sale -- billed as the largest of its kind in Western New York -- will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, April 22 at St. Joseph School. 

It is located in the City of Batavia at 2 Summit St. -- on the corner of East Main Street and Summit Street.

Tens of thousands of items will be for sale at this indoor venue, including many collectibles and even some antiques! Rain or shine!

Admission is free. Try for a chance to win a raffle basket. Baked goods will be offered for sale.

Press release:

Join the Genesee County 4-H Swine Club for their annual Pulled Pork BBQ Fundraiser on Saturday, May 13, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It will be held at the Kennedy Building at the Genesee County Fairgrounds, 5056 E. Main St. Road, Batavia. Eat in or take out.

The meal includes pulled pork, potatoes, coleslaw, baked beans and a beverage. 

Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the Genesee County 4-H Office, 420 E. Main St., Batavia.  Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Proceeds will be used to support the Genesee County 4-H Swine Club, including purchasing educational resources, awards and club supplies.

For more information about the Genesee County 4-H Program, contact the 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040, ext. 101.

A Niagara Falls man wanted in connection with a robbery Dec. 27 of the Key Bank branch in Batavia has been arrested in Assumption Parish, La.

Joel Zsebehazy, 33, was working as a handyman there, according to Houma Today, which also reported authorities in Louisiana said Zsebehazy made off with $10,275 in the robbery.

Batavia PD confirmed the arrest today and said authorities are awaiting Zsebehazy's extradition so he can be charged with the bank robbery and an alleged parole violation.

He was arrested on a federal fugitive warrant for alleged unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

He was arrested at a home near a town called Belle Rose.

Photo: File photo released by Batavia PD the day of the robbery.