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Community Easter Dinner A Huge Success

By Robin Walters

Sunday afternoon 103 people including volunteers gathered together in the fellowship hall of the Assembly of God church for Care-A-Van Ministries annual Easter Dinner.

A delicous sit down dinner was served to all. Care-A-Van would like to thank everyone for their continued support of the ministry. A special thanks to all the volunteers who gave of their time to be a blessing to others.

Be sure to watch for the big red bus and rescue van this spring and summer. There are alot of exciting events planned including our weekly cookouts which will start soon.

All the children got to pick out their favorite stuffed animal to go home with.

Decisions, decisions on which dessert to have!

Possible structure fire reported on West Main Street Road, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A possible structure fire at 3611 W. Main Street Road has been reported.

The caller reports seeing a red glow from the roof of a barn.

East Pembroke Fire and Town of Batavia Fire have been dispatched.

UPDATE 10:29 a.m.: Batavia Engine 24 canceled. Ladder 25 called to the scene. Asst. chief says it does't appear to be a structure fire, but wants the ladder truck there to investigate.

UPDATE: Apparently, some moulding or caulking had become worn and a light was shining through, causing an ember-like glow. No heat. No fire. A reader submitted the photo above.


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Police Beat: Reported erratic driver allegedly high on drugs

By Howard B. Owens

Jeff Allen Good, 34, of 3700 W. Main St., Room 1, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, possession of a hypodermic instrument, driving while impaired by drugs and driving left of pavement markings. The Sheriff's Office responded to a report of an erratic driver at 5:58 p.m., Sunday, who was forcing other cars off the roadway. The vehicle was located at 3700 W. Main St., and Good was identified as the alleged erratic driver. He was arrested by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Jarred Ray Lewis, 21, of 50 Bloomingdale Road, Akron, is charged unlawful possession of marijuana. Lewis was stopped at 4:24 a.m., Sunday, for a vehicle check at Main and Oak streets in the city. He was ticketed by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Michael Joseph Elmore, 19, of 814 Sumner Road, Darien, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and possession of a controlled substance not in its original container. Elmore was arrested following a traffic stop 6:49 p.m., Saturday, on Route 33, Pembroke, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Mark Christopher Kahabka, 18, of 3991 Pratt Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Kahabka allegedly hosted an under-age drinking party Saturday night.

Nicole Marie Clark, 32, of 72 Blue Ridge Road, Penfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, and failure to keep right. Clark was stopped by Deputy Eric Seppala at 1:20 a.m., Friday following a report of an erratic driver on Route 33, Town of Batavia.

Daniel Wayne King, 42, of 3481 Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Following a traffic stop by Deputy Patrick Reeves at 2:35 a.m., Saturday, on Veterans Memorial Drive, King was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine.

Nicole A. Wilson, 33, of 126 E. State St., Albion, DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and aggravated unlicensed operation. Wilson was stopped on Route 19 in Le Roy at 12:45 a.m., Friday, by Deputy Chad Minuto.

Brett F. Dieter, 31, of Alabama, is charged with menacing, 3rd, stemming for an alleged domestic dispute that was reported to State Police at 1:06 a.m., Friday. Dieter was arrested at 8:29 p.m. No further details available.

Michael J. Nugent, 21, of Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal use of drug paraphernalia (scales) and unlawful possession of marijuana. Nugent was arrested in the Town of Batavia by State Police at 3:25 p.m., Friday. No further details available.

Dewey E. Towner, 43, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and a motorcycle helmet violation. Towner was stopped by State Police on Oak Street, Batavia, at 8:25 p.m., Friday.

Accidents from the State Police blotter:

11:44 a.m., April 3, Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, two vehicles; Driver 1: Norman G. Walsh, 79, Batavia; Driver 2: Tamera E. Carney, 55, of Warsaw. No injuries reported.

7:35 p.m., April 3, Lewiston Road, Batavia, one vehicle; Driver 1: Sherrill T. Langdon, 80. No injuries reported.

5:01 p.m., April 2, Gilmore Road, Pembroke, property damage accident (parked car); Driver 1: Kristin M. Pequeen. No injuries reported.

6:49 p.m., April 2, South Lake Road, Village of Bergen, two vehicles; Driver 1: Robert L. Reynolds, 23, of Bergen; Driver 2: Desarea M. Sherlock, 18, of Brockport. No injuries reported.

Teenage driver accused of leading deputies on late-night chase

By Howard B. Owens

A teenage driver allegedly led law enforcement  on a four-mile chase early Sunday morning that started on Wortendyke Road in Batavia and ended in Alexander when the youth reportedly pulled over.

Charged with a long list of offenses was Chester Elmer Chase, 16, of 3189 Broadway Road, Alexander.

The initial pursuit started on Wortendyke when Deputy Patrick Reeves reported seeing a vehicle driven by Chase commit alleged traffic violations at about 2:38 a.m. Chase reportedly failed to stop at that time.

At one point during the pursuit, Chase allegedly turned off his headlights. Chase was also reportedly clocked at 102 mph at one point.

Chase reportedly did not pull over until he reached the intersection of Pike and Halstead roads, Alexander.

No injuries were reported a result of the pursuit.

The youth was charged with unlawfully fleeing a police officer, 3rd, unlawful possession of marijuana, failure to stop at a stop sign, operation without lights (two counts, Town of Batavia and Town of Alexander), speeding (80 in a 55 mph), driving left of pavement markings, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, failure to keep right, and speeding (102 in a 55 mph).

Appearance tickets were issued to Chase for town courts in both Alexander and Batavia.

Teen sought by local law enforcement caught in Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

Two months of running has come to an end for Christopher A. Laird.

The 17-year-old was found in Le Roy last night after police received a tip that he was at a Lake Street residence.

Laird has been sought on a warrant for alleged burglary, 2nd.

Sgt. Michael Hare and Officer Robert Tygart made the arrest at 10:50 p.m.

Following his arrest, Laird was transferred to the custody of the Sheriff's Office.

On Friday, Laird was the subject of a manhunt in the City of Batavia after he was reportedly spotted on State Street. Officers for Batavia and the Sheriff's Office were called in, as well as a State Police helicopter, but Laird managed to elude the dragnet.

The Batavian first reported Laird's status as a fugitive on Feb. 2.

Two men accused of beating up friend on Friday morning

By Howard B. Owens

A pair of Batavia men are in jail, held on $10,000 bail each, charged with burglary and assault for allegedly refusing to leave an apartment and beating up the occupant.

The two men were apparently friends with the victim.

The alleged incident happened yesterday at 4:47 a.m. The apartment is located on East Avenue.

Taken into custody were Daniel J. Gilbert, 18, of 10 Tracy Ave., and Dustin N. Garrett, 20, of 24 Tracy Ave..

Arresting officers were Frank Klimjack and Daniel Coffey.

Bicyclist struck by car on Ellicott Street Road, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A bicyclist has been struck by a car at Ellicott Street Road and Swan Street.

The victim is still down and reportedly bleeding from his head.

Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS have been dispatched.

UPDATE: Patient transported by ground ambulance to UMMC. Fire and police clear scene.

Richmond Library honors RSVP at 'Friend of the Year Reception'

By Daniel Crofts

The Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., invites people to a reception on Friday, April 16 honoring RSVP (Retired Seniors Volunteer Placement) of Genesee County.

The reception starts at 3:30 p.m. and will be held in the library's Gallery Room. The presentation of the award will be at 4 p.m.

Please contact the library at 343-9550 with any questions.

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'Fancy Nancy Tea Party' for kids and parents at Richmond Library

By Daniel Crofts

The Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., will hold a tea party for preschoolers and their parents at 11 a.m. Friday, April 16.

The tea party is being held in celebration of National Library Week and will include crafts, refreshments and gift bags. Parents and kids should put on their fanciest clothes for the occasion.

Registration is required and can be done at any time. Please contact the library at 343-9550, ext. 4, for more information.

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Author Joan Murray will do a poetry reading at Genesee Community College

By Daniel Crofts

Joan Murray -- author, poet, editor and playwright -- will do a dramatic poetry reading at GCC's Batavia Campus from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 22.

The reading will take place in the Stuart Steiner Theater, followed by a book-signing. Copies of Murray's work will be available for purchase. 

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'EcoFest' at Genesee Community College

By Daniel Crofts

Genesee Community College invites people to celebrate Earth Day at EcoFest, which is free and open to the public.

This event will be held at the Batavia campus on 1 College Road, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, april 17. Features will include stage shows, a live wildlife show, street cleanup, a book drive, an electronics recycling drive and an "old sneakers" drive.

Please contact Donna Rae Sutherland at 343-0055, ext. 6616, for more information.

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Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

By Tiffany Barber

A few weeks ago my I had the pleasure of having dinner at Delavan's. I had heard good things about the restaurant but had never been so we decided to check it out. First off don't let the location stop you from going. True it isn't the best place for a restaurant; parking isn't optimal but trust me it will be worth it.

The first thing I noticed was the inviting atmosphere. The building Delavan's is in was once a home - and it still feels that way. Great local artwork is displayed that makes you want to get up and look around. The lighting is soft and even the music was great, a nice variety of acoustic versions of popular songs from years past and even today. The tables were covered with red checked tablecloths, perfect for an Italian place.

The menu although small did have a nice selection. I chose the eggplant parmesan while my dining partner selected the seafood fra diavlo. Our dinners were accompanied by a choice of soup or salad and excellent Italian bread which was served warm (a requirement for me to believe a restaurant knows what they are doing). My only complaint was that my eggplant could have used a touch more seasoning. The fra diavlo was fantastic, the seafood was fresh the sauce having just the right amount of kick. Another pleasant surprise was the wine selection - quite good for a small local restaurant. Unfortunately we were too full from dinner to enjoy any dessert so I'll have to judge that the next time we go.

Richmond Library holds 'American Girl' program on Saturdays this month

By Daniel Crofts

Girls age 7 and up get a chance to celebrate being a girl with crafts, outdoor activities and other projects at the Richmond Library.

The library's "American Girl" program, based on the popular children's book series, will be held from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on April 10, 17 and 24.

Here are the names of the sessions:

4/10 - "Meet Julie"

4/17 - "Meet Lanie"

4/24 - "American Girls & their pets"

Please contact the library at 343-9550, ext. 4 for more information.

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Richmond Library holds 'American Girl' on Saturdays this month

By Daniel Crofts

Girls age 7 and up get a chance to celebrate being a girl with crafts, outdoor activities and other projects at the Richmond Library.

The library's "American Girl" program, based on the popular children's book series, will be held from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on April 10, 17 and 24.

Here are the names of the sessions:

4/10 - "Meet Julie"

4/17 - "Meet Lanie"

4/24 - "American Girls & their pets"

Please contact the library at 343-9550, ext. 4 for more information.

Batavians out enjoying the summer-like Sun in April

By Howard B. Owens

Kristen Anderson catches a Frisbee tossed by her friend Steve Martino (below) while they were out enjoying the sun at Centennial Park this afternoon with their friends Lauren Rohan and Katie Porter (not pictured) and dogs Tucker and Milo.

Above, Ian Fuchs, 7, helps with the family car wash on State Street.

An unidentified bicyclist tooling down Washington Avenue.

Police Beat: Alleged DWI arrest follows after cop observes suspect in store

By Howard B. Owens

John P. Vanderzell, 62, of 9732 Summit Street Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI and aggravated DWI (driving with a BAC of .08 or greater). Vanderzell was reportedly observed at a store in Le Roy by Sgt. Michael J. Hare in an intoxicated condition. Sgt. Hare then reportedly observed Vanderzell get into his car and drive away. Sgt. Hare stopped Vanderzell and arrested him for alleged DWI.

Kyle B. Bacon, 19, of 679 E. Main St., Apt. 4C and Ryan T. Nugent, 19, same address, are charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21. Batavia Police were dispatched to 679 E. Main St., Apt. 4C to check a report of underage drinking. Upon arriving, police allegedly found Bacon and Nugent in possession of alcohol.

Robert L. Drozdowski, 28, of 15 Washington St., Castile, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Drozdowski was reportedly issued a stay away order out of City Court, which he allegedly violated by contacting the subject person by leaving voicemails on the person's mobile phone.

Accidents reported on the State Police blotter:

2:04 p.m., March 31, Boyce Road, Pembroke, one vehicle; Driver 1: Daniel M. Johnston, 58, of Corfu. No injuries reported.

Wide loads snarl traffic in Downtown Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

Seven or eight trucks carrying wide loads, along with multiple escort vehicles, passed through Batavia on Main Street this morning.

At about 11:30, traffic was tied up between Ellicott and Oak streets, as at least four police cars were used to block traffic, allowing the convoy to pass safely along the route.

The trucks appeared to be hauling windmill parts.

Police Beat: Man accused of breaking up items in mother's home

By Howard B. Owens

Sath Paul Dhanda, 29, of 5458 Clapsaddle Road, Bethany, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Dhanda was arrested at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, after his mother phoned in a complaint about him allegedly breaking items in her home. Dhanda was allegedly drunk. He reportedly threw a sewing machine and knocked over two television sets. He was jailed on $5,000 bail. This is the fourth time Dhanda has been arrested since October.

Farah St. Cloud, 18, of 1196 Lake Ave., #2, Rochester, is charged with disorderly conduct. St. Cloud is accused of engaging in violent and threatening behavior by attempting to fight with other residents at College Village. During the 3 a.m. incident, St. Cloud reportedly had to be held back by roommates and College Village staff.

Joshua Cordero McIver, 22, of 130 3rd Ave., Apt. 18H, Brooklyn, is charged with criminal trespass, 3rd. McIver was reportedly at College Village after being banned from the property.

Ricky A. Marsceill, 45, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and aggravated unlicensed operation. Marsceill was stopped by State Police at 11:10 p.m., Tuesday, on Route 33 in Stafford.

Justin M. Quaintance, 18, of Bergen, is charged with grand larceny, 3rd. Quaintance was arrested Tuesday by State Police on charges that stem from a Sept. 26 incident. No further details were released.

Tanya M. Tomlin, 41, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and criminal impersonation, 2nd. Tomlin is accused of shoplifting from Kmart at 12:55 p.m., Tuesday. She was arrested by State Police.

Jeffery D. Appleberry, 33, of Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Appleberry was stopped by State Police on the Thruway in Stafford at 10:30 p.m., Monday.

AmeriCorps hosts 'DeWitt Park Wildlife Planting Project' in Batavia

By Daniel Crofts

Genesee County AmeriCorps will host a planting project at Batavia's DeWitt Recreation Area, 119 Cedar St., on April 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Around 50 volunteers are needed.

The goal of this project is to remove invasive plant species from the park and to raise plants designed to reduce soil erosion, provide the wildlife with food and shelter, and give visitors something more aesthetically pleasing to look at.

Supplies and water will be available, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own water as well.

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UMMC marks construction milestone with ceremony

By Howard B. Owens

To commemorate the last steel beam being put in place on UMMC's $19.5 million expansion, the hospital held a "topping off" ceremony this afternoon.

A worker placed a flag -- for national pride -- and an evergreen tree -- for growth -- atop the beam.

The beam was painted white and signed by employees, administrators and board members.

When completed, the expansion will add 44,000 square feet to the front of the hospital on the North Street side. Construction is expected to be completed in December.

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