batavia

An accident involving a FedEx tractor-trailer and Toyota Tundra pickup truck happened on the corner of Main and Center. The FedEx tractor-trailer was making a wide right turn and collided with the pickup turning right. There were no injuries.

"What I know so far is the semi hit the truck so were investigating," Officer Jason Davis said.

"It looked like he made a left second turn," said Azem Dobrodoli, driver of the Toyota Tundra, "I didn't notice he was turning right until the last second. I slammed on my brakes and there it was."

Dobrodoli didn't notice if the truck had a left-turn signal on.

A FedEx semi-truck vs. car accident is reported at Main and Center Streets. Unknown injuries. City fire and Mercy medics responding.

Press release:

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra is having a full-orchestra concert this Friday, June 12, 7 p.m. at Jackson Square. The GSO musicians are reaching out to our Batavia audience in hopes of having an entertaining concert for all ages. The program will be conducted and led by GSO concertmaster Gregory Docenko. Greg is a phenomenal violinist and will be playing his electric violin while conducting the orchestra through the program.

Greg has designed the program with musical arrangements that will get the audience whistling and clapping. There is a portion of the program that will feature the GSO Jazzers, and Blue Grass Fiddles. Howard Owens will be featured on his typewriter during the "Typewriter" by LeRoy Anderson. State Assemblyman Steve Hawley will read the narrative/story of "The Frog Prince" with orchestra accompaniment. "Stars and Stripes Forever" and a brass rendition of "America the Beautiful" will fill our patriotic hearts.

Though Jackson Square concerts are free, the GSO will be accepting donations to support our orchestra for the upcoming 69th season. So, bring your chairs and enjoy our very entertaining hour-long concert. The GSO is proud to continue and support our area's cultural traditions.

Photos by Howard Owens, rehearsal Monday evening in the band room at Batavia HS.

Press release:

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma) announces that Western New York native Ricky Palermo is the recipient of the New York State Senate Liberty Medal for his contributions to the treatment of spinal cord injuries. The Batavia resident has helped raise more than $1 million for research and awareness.

“Ricky is a lifelong friend and a true inspiration to all New Yorkers,” Gallivan said. “He has dedicated himself to helping others and brings hope to those impacted by spinal cord injuries. I can’t think of a more deserving recipient of the Liberty Medal.”

Palermo grew up in the Byron-Bergen Central School District where he was a star athlete, earning MVP honors in three separate sports. In 1981, he was injured in an automobile accident, which left him paralyzed from the chest down.

Over the past 18 years, Palermo’s annual golf tournament has helped raise funds for research, awareness and treatment of paralysis. He also works closely with The Miami Project in its ongoing effort to treat and ultimately cure paralysis caused by spinal cord injuries.

In 1985, Barth A. Green, M.D., and NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti helped found The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis after Nick’s son, Marc, sustained a spinal cord injury during a college football game. Today, The Miami Project is the world’s most comprehensive spinal cord injury (SCI) research center, and a designated Center of Excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

“Ricky is very deserving of this great honor,” Marc Buoniconti said. “He and the entire Palermo family have been such an integral part of The Miami Project team for so many years, and what they have done in order to advance our research is nothing short of remarkable. The contributions of Ricky and the entire Batavia community are directly changing the course of medical history, and are helping to facilitate cures for paralysis that will someday soon hopefully get me, Ricky and the millions worldwide who are living with paralysis out of their wheelchairs."

Palermo is also active with the YMCA of Genesee County.

“There is no one more deserving of the Liberty Medal than Ricky Palermo,” said Greg Watson, chief financial officer GLOW YMCA in Batavia. “Because of Ricky’s passion for helping others, he led the efforts to bring a specialized bike to the Genesee County YMCA allowing individuals with spinal injuries to exercise. It is the only bike of its kind in the area and is a blessing to the many individuals that have benefited from it. Ricky’s positive attitude is an inspiration to everyone he comes into contact with and we are honored that he is part of our YMCA family.”

“I would like to dedicate this Liberty Award to my incredibly supportive family because none of this would be possible without them,” Palermo said. “I also have a close group of friends, like Senator Gallivan, that I would refer to as family.”

The Liberty Medal is one of the highest civilian honors that a New York resident can receive and it is awarded to individuals who have merited special commendation for exceptional, heroic or humanitarian acts and achievements on behalf of their fellow New Yorkers.

Photo: Ricky Palermo with (L-R) Sam Pontillo, Jackie Janes, Jim Palermo and Senator Patrick Gallivan. 

The New p.w. minor 4-Hour-Only MEGA SALE! Saturday June 13th • 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
At our retail & outlet store located at 3 Treadeasy Ave. in Batavia. (in the Industrial Park, off Route 33)

• Shoes starting at $10
• Discounted 2nd-quality merchandise -- buy 1, get 1 half off. 
• First Time EVER -- 20% off full-priced shoes and boots
• Free hot dogs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

These prices and promotions are valid Saturday, June 13th, 2015 from 9am-1pm ONLY. All discounted 2nd-quality merchandise sold on a "as is" basis and all sales are FINAL!

Ross Chua and Chelsea Jensen rehearse Monday afternoon on the Batavia High School stage for tomorrow night's talent showcase.

The show goes on at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $3 each.

Leslie DeLooze, Community Services Librarian

Now you can carry a whole library of magazine titles in your hand, wherever you or wherever you go, for free.

In a program set up for the Richmond Memorial Library by the Nioga Library System and the digital magazine clearinghouse Zinio, your library card gives you free digital access to all 65 magazine titles in the reading room of the library.

You just don't have to go to the reading room at library to read the magazines.

You can read your favorite magazines from the collection on your desktop or through the Zinio app on your mobile device.

Zinio also offers paid subscriptions to hundreds of other titles.

To sign up, go to batavialibrary.org Click on the Zinio logo at the bottom of the page and click "create account" in the upper right and complete the registration. Then go to zinio.com and complete the registration there. After you download the app (if you haven't already), all you need to do is log in. You need your library member number at the time of registration.

Here's a list of titles available for free to library members:

100 Best Cookies
100 Decorating Ideas
30 Minute Dinners
Allrecipes
ARTNews
The Atlantic
Better Homes & Gardens
Billboard Magazine
Brides
Car & Driver
Container Gardening
Country Living
Digital Camera World
Do It Yourself
Easy Meals
Eating Light
Eating Well
ESPN
Essential Slowcooker
Everyday with Rachel Ray
Family Fun
Family Handyman
Food Network Magazine
Good Housekeeping
Handcrafted Jewelry
Health & Fitness-Tone Up in 10 Minutes
Health & Fitness Woman’s Guide to Running
HGTV
Hockey News
House Beautiful
Interweave Crochet
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance
Kitchen & Bath Scene
Knit Scene

Ladies’ Home Journal
Marie Claire
Martha Stewart Living
Men’s Health
Mother Earth News
Mother Jones
National Geographic
National Geographic Traveler
Newsweek
O: Oprah Magazine
OK Magazine
Old House Journal
Outside
Parents
PC World
Popular Photography
Popular Science
Prevention
Quilter’s Companion
Reader’s Digest
Redbook
Rolling Stone
Runner’s World
Scholastic Parent & Child
Seventeen
Slow Cooker
Taste of Home
Taste of Home Holiday
Time
US Weekly
Vanity Fair
Vegetarian Times
Weight Watchers
Woman’s Day
Wood Magazine

We’re having an Open House! Join us on June 13th from 10 a.­m - 3 p.m. for a tour of the hospital and to meet our staff. We’ll have ice cream and will feature baby farm animals. Our vendors will be in attendance with information about their products and we will be highlighting some of our new services. Take a tour of the surgery suite, watch a live ultrasound, look at some interesting X­-Rays, and much more! We invite you to spend a fun day learning more about veterinary medicine and State Street Animal Hospital. Gift bags, door prizes and more! We look forward to seeing you there!

Sunday was a day of sun and smiles for Muriel Austin and her daughters. A Habitat for Humanity home at 2 McKinley Ave., Batavia, is now their home.

After a brief welcome by Habitat CEO Jessica Maguire-Tomidy, and the gift of a mirror from Lauren Casey, president of the Habitat board, Austin played a recording of a song taken from a verse of the Quran that means "protection."

Austin has five children and four of them live with her (the oldest is an adult). They are LaMonika, Brooklyn, Antoinette and Khadija.

She thanked all the volunteers who helped her with her new home, noting how hard they worked, the expertise and skill many of them brought to the job and the support they offered throughout the process.

"I realized what Habitat is about," Austin said. "It's not about religion. It's not about color. It's not about anything like that. It's about family, community and making a difference, not only making a difference, but also getting people to push in a (better) direction."

Thursday, Batavia Kiwanis honored the top students at Notre Dame High School.

Top photo: The Top 10 -- Emily McCracken, Olivia Marchese, Janelle Fancher, Lindsey Bender, Lucas Hull, Dennis Bleier, Abigail Bleier [Valedictorian], Anna Spring, Natalie Moulton [Salutatorian], and Emily Vandenbosch.

Photos and info provided by Joseph Scanlan, Ed.D.

Theresa Kehl, ND Vocal, Instrumental and Drama Society director, with Anna Spring ’15, who earned the Instrumental Award, Lydia Moens ’15, who earned the Vocal Award, and Anna Warner ’15, who earned the Citizenship Award, and Kiwanis President Theresa Asmus.

A 17-year-old resident of Buffalo is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The youth's arrest started with a report of a jar being stolen from a residence on Allegheny Road, Village of Corfu, that is used to collect money from campfire wood sales. The jar was empty at the time the youth allegedly swiped it. The youth was seen running into a wooded area and Corfu Officer Micheal Petritz began a search of the area, with assistance from Deputy Chris Erion and K-9 "Destro" and Deputy Kevin McCarthy. State Park police also assisted. The youth was located at the entrance of Darien Lake Theme Park. The owner of the jar declined to press charges but the youth was found to allegedly possess a quantity of marijuana. (Initial Report)

A 16-year-old resident of Brighton was arrested on a warrant. The youth was spotted by Le Roy PD on Lake Street. When the youth saw that an officer spotted him, he reportedly fled on foot. He was arrested a short time later with the assistance of Deputy Chris Erion and K-9 "Destro" along with other deputies and troopers. The youth, whose name was withheld by Le Roy PD, was jailed on $2,000 bail or $4,000 bond.

Andrew Wolf, 22, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with trespass. Wolf allegedly entered an establishment in the Village of Le Roy at 2:25 a.m. Sunday, after previously being advised he was no longer welcome at the establishment.

Ryan N. Jordan, 29, of Viking Way, Brockport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Jordan was arrested following a report of an erratic driver in the Village of Le Roy at 6:30 p.m., Friday.

Marie Arcarisi, 51, of Le Manz Drive, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Arcarisi was stopped in the Village of Le Roy at 12:48 a.m., Saturday, by Le Roy PD.

Michelle A. Curtin, 23, of East Shelby Road, Medina, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Curtin was stopped at 1:32 a.m. Saturday on Route 33, Batavia, for alleged failure to dim headlights by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.

A 16-year-old resident of Casey Road, Basom, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely and failure to keep right. The youth was reportedly involved in a one-vehicle rollover accident at 6:50 a.m. Sunday on Albion Road, Oakfield. There were no injuries reported. The accident was investigated by Deputy Joseph Graff.

Kevin Matthew Mazgaj, 26, of Bedell Road, Grand Island, is charged with criminal trespass, 3rd. Mazgaj was allegedly on the grounds of Darien Lake Theme Park at 2:14 a.m. Sunday while the park was closed.

Carrie Ann Capostagno, 40, of Caswell Road, Byron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, refusal to take breath test, speeding and driving left of pavement markers. Capostagno was stopped at 3:17 a.m. Saturday on Byron Holley Road, Byron, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Hanna Jorose Beveridge, 24, of Gillett Road, Spencerport, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Beveridge was stopped at 8:20 p.m. Friday on Route 63, Oakfield, by Deputy Jason Saile. Also charged, Anthony Shane Mykins, 19, of Lyell Road, Rochester.

Jessica Mae Pfenninger, 32, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Pfenninger allegedly stole a purse and other merchandise from Walmart and then abandoned the property in a drainage ditch behind another nearby business.

Dawn M. Morford, 54, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 5th, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 5th. Morford allegedly sold zolpidem to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force. Morford was arrested on a warrant and jailed on $2,500 bail.

Jenna J. Condoluci, 24, of Groth Road, Holly, is charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument. Condoluci was allegedly found in possession of a hypodermic instrument by members of the Local Drug Task Force.

State Police in Batavia are looking to identify this man. Call State Police Batavia 344-6200 with any information.

A person walked to Batavia Police headquarters and reported that a person started a fire in a drain on Jefferson Square by the Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union. The person provided no other information. City fire is responding.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m. (By Howard): There are witnesses. One version of the story is that a 20-year-old male obtained nail polish remover, had a candle, and started a fire and dropped it down the storm drain grate. Two teenagers then tried to put the fire out with a water bottle. City fire responded. The flame was about an inch high when they arrived and it took less than 60 seconds to extinguish. An investigation is being conducted.

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The last text he sent, before hitting an Amish buggy with three children inside, was "I love you" to his wife. He's not even sure if he was looking at the road at the time of the accident. The next thing he knew, the windshield shattered and when he stopped, a person rolled off the roof of his van and onto the hood.

Debbie was struck by a teen who was texting while getting her mail from her roadside mailbox. She now has limited mobility, memory loss and other health issues. The accident left her entirely dependent on relatives. Debbie doesn't remember the accident at all. She went from being active to inactive in a just a second. 

“I made the choice that texting was more important to me than those two men were to their families,” said a young man. “That accident was preventable. I just had to put my phone away and drive.”

These stories and others were shown to Alexander and Warsaw high school students Friday during the Save a Life, Alcohol Awareness tour program at Alexander High School. The presentation, given by tour manager Clay Martin, is to put a spotlight on what drivers do in their cars -- it matters, even if there are no passengers.

“There's no message that would be worth picking up that phone,” Martin said. “Remember, many people may not get a chance to see these videos, but if you make it a point to remember, the avalanche of waiting until it's safe to write that text will propel and maybe it will start a chain of safer driving.”

The Save A Life Tour is a comprehensive high-impact, safe-driving awareness program that informs, educates and demonstrates the potentially deadly consequences resulting from poor choices and decisions made by a driver. The program specifically places emphasis on distracted and impaired driving, driver experience, improper driver behavior, and seat belt usage. The Department of Defense, as well as the Connecticut and Rhode Island departments of transportation, also use this program.

“All good driving begins with making simple habits,” Martin said. “Most people pick up their cell phone at a stop light, but most accidents occur at an intersection. You have to be prepared and pay attention. You have to be aware of not only your actions but those who are around you as well.”

Just a few seconds of distraction can take you the distance of a football field when driving at 55 mph. According to Martin, a drunk driver has driven 327 times before something happens. In 2012, a total of 3,326 people died in distracted-driving-related accidents and more than 421,000 people sustained injuries.

Alcohol has an amazing way of blurring the consequences, Martin told the teens. “Alcohol gets silly names like 'liquid courage' and 'beer muscles', but what it really does is put a barrier between you and a rational choice.

“There is a list of people in your phone that you can call for a ride,” Martin said. “I bet if you start in the As, by the time you reach the Cs you could have someone willing to pick you up on Christmas Day during a snowstorm.”

Not only did the students view a presentation, two simulators were set up for them to try to experience what it was like when the driver is distracted behind the wheel or has been drinking.

“It was hard to do,” said Alexander Middle/High School Principal Shannon Whitcomb. “It got more difficult as I kept going.”

“I think it has an impact. I don't know that we can determine how much, but you can tell by the attentiveness of our students that they were learning from the presentation and hopefully help them with choices in their future,” said Alexander School Superintendent Kathleen Maerten. “It’s providing education in a realistic manner. The experiential part is certainly important. The stories shared on the video have an impact as well. I think his point is that, even if you're not the driver and you're the passenger, you can advise the driver. The responsibility is not only in the hands of the driver it's the passengers as well.” 

Alexander High School senior Raven Quackenbush said “The scariest thing about it is something happening to my family. I’d rather it happen to me, than the ones I care about.”

“I have texted when I was driving and I swerved, but I don't do that anymore,” said Alexander senior Jessica Meyers. “I'm so aware of what I'm doing that it's not worth it. When you're driving with other people that are in your car, you're responsible for their lives. I appreciate it when parents trust me.”

Quackenbush said: “You have to ask yourself -- 'Is this more important than my life?' It's not too hard to say hey, can you check that for me. You can pull over for five seconds.” 

The Alexander Central School Parent Teacher Association sponsored the program as a way to remind students to make good decisions.

“It’s especially important because our prom is next weekend,” said Alexander Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) student President Hunter Doran. “We know that there will be those who decide to drink.”

“We just want them to be safe,” said SADD Advisor Shawnie Woeller. “You're not always going to hit them all. I've been doing this for so long that it use to bother me, but I have to take the stand that if we can affect one kid’s life, it does make a difference.”

“It resonates with me every time I watch this,” Doran said. “I don't ever want to have to deal with it, but the possibility is that I may have to. I want to educate myself as much as possible. 

I have no problem telling someone to stop. I see these people every day, I don't want them to end up in a hospital because of it (distracted/drunk driving).” 

“I want to be an example,” Woeller said. “I want to remind kids that there is a way to have fun, but you have to know when to stop."

According to Whitcomb, the kids can make the connection between the selfishness of taking their phone out to text while driving. Any way getting the word out works, different presentations affect different kids.

“I don't think we give kids enough credit,” Whitcomb said. “We just need to give them the information and trust the will make good choices.”

“Other families matter, too,” said Warsaw High School Junior Ashley Scott. “I wouldn’t get in a vehicle with anyone drinking, I would take their keys away.”

“I think it’s cool that they gave the stories and then let the kids use the simulators,” said Warsaw ELA teacher Jen Smith. “They way they set this up was perfect. Even though our prom is over with, the summer is starting and you have grad parties. It’s a good way to end the year as a reminder. 

“This should also be shown to adults. It would be a benefit. I don't think you can get enough of stuff like this,” Smith said. “I wonder if people even really think about it until it affects their community or family.”

According to SRO officer at Warsaw Central School Tim McGinnis, it’s a good barometer of what can happen if a driver decides to text or drink and drive. McGinnis agrees that it absolutely makes the kids see a reality of what can happen. While he said that it sometimes may take time for the information to really hit them and sink in, he’s hoping it is a deterrent to poor choices, which can have long-term effects on everyone.

“It helped me realize that it can impact more than just a driver,” said Warsaw junior Nate McGuire. “I felt sorry for them at first. It shows the impact of one very small moment and how it can impact the rest of their lives.”

“My favorite feedback I get is when the kids come back and tell me they had a conversation about this in another class,” Martin said. “That's what we want the kids to do, get talking about it. Those stories represent the people who are affected.”

“It’s not even tempting for me to drink if I’m going to drive,” Quackenbush said.

“I don’t care what people think if I don’t drink,” Meyers said.

Both girls said there is so much more to do with their time.

For more information about the program visit www.savealife.com