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Photos: New terminal at county airport

By Howard B. Owens

The County Legislature's Public Service Committee held its monthly meeting at the new terminal at the County Airport. Before the meeting, County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens gave attendees a tour of the facility.

We'll have coverage of the meeting later today.

Mercy Flight to land by Valle Drive

By Billie Owens

Mercy Flight will be landing at Meadowbrook Golf Course, behind an address on Valle Drive, just outside the city limit, to answer a medical call. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding to establish a landing zone and Mercy medics will be assisting the patient. The ETA for Mercy Flight #9 is about 10 5 minutes.

UPDATE 9:07 a.m.: The landing zone is established. It's south of South Main Street and "wide open except a few trees to the west. A rise in the ground is marked by a cone on its side." "We have a visual," the helicopter pilot replies.

UPDATE 9:11 a.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 9:25 a.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne.

Photos: Belly dancers at mental health and wellness event in Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

The Mental Health Association hosted a mental health and wellness fair at Blue Pearl Yoga in the former Masonic Temple on East Main Street, Batavia, today. Besides a seminar on bellying dancing, the event included a drumming circle, yoga, Reiki share, paper flower making, adult coloring and essential oils.

Photo: Event at Ferrellgas

By Howard B. Owens

Ferrellgas hosted a $5 fill up today along with a chance auction on several items, including a BBQ grill, with proceeds benefiting the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation.

Photos: Spring Gala for Master Gardeners

By Howard B. Owens

Jane Grehlinger gives a talk on container gardening this afternoon at Cornell Cooperative Extension during the Genesee County Master Gardeners' Spring Gala.

The event included a plant sale and chance auction.

Highland Park and Wood Street in the city to close Tuesday and Wednesday for repairs

By Billie Owens

Press release:

There will be road closure on Highland Park and Wood Street between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 17th and 18th, for cold milling operations.

Residents and businesses are not to park on the roadway during cold milling operations.

Residents and businesses of these streets will have limited access to their properties and should expect delays when milling operations are ongoing. If work is postponed by weather work will be rescheduled for the next calendar day.

Washington Avenue sewer project begins Monday in the city

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Preparations for the Washington Avenue Sewer Project are under way and the work will start Monday, May 16th.

It is expected that Washington Avenue will be limited to "local traffic only" in the specific section between Bank Street and Summit Street. During this time, thru traffic will not be allowed, only access for residents/deliveries/emergency services.

It is expected that sidewalks will always be open and passable, but caution should be observed as it is a construction zone.

City of Batavia Community Garden to hold Open House June 4

By Billie Owens

Press release:

An open house is being held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 4th, to showcase the City of Batavia Community Garden.

Make your way to 12 MacArther Drive, just behind the Youth Center and see how the old wading pool has been transformed. The garden is a collaborative effort between Leadership Genesee's Class of 2011, the City Youth Bureau and Cooperative Extension's Master Gardeners.

It is a perfect option if you lack space, or just want a plot ready for planting that comes with expert support. There are plenty of beds still available at $15 for a 4 by 4 or $25 for a 4 by 8 foot plot for the 2016 growing season.

Join us on June 4 or contact the Youth Bureau at 345-6420 for more information, or visit our Facebook page for more information.

Batavia PD seeks public's help in identifying suspected attackers near old Jackson Street Bridge

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department is investigating an assault that occurred near the railroad tracks at the old Jackson Street Bridge at 9:04 p.m. on Thursday, May 12.

The victim was attacked by multiple individuals who may have been known to the victim. The victim was treated and released from UMMC. Above are photos of persons of interest.

Anyone with information pertinent to the investigation can contact Det. Mart at (585) 345-6372. There will be no further detail released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.

Law and Order: Big brawl on Liberty Street in the city results in four arrests

By Billie Owens

Chevaughn D. Hanson, 22, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with obstruction of governmental administration. Hanson was arrested at 7:30 p.m. on May 8 following a large altercation on Liberty Street in the city wherein Hanson allegedly pushed a Batavia Police officer, who was attempting to separate those involved. Hanson was issued an appearance ticket for City Court for May 27. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Sarah L. Marcello, 24, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct. She was arrested after city police responded to Liberty Street at 7:30 p.m. on May 8 for a report of several people fighting in the street. She was issued an appearance ticket for May 17 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Arick Perkins.

Corina M. Gallo, 25, of Edward Street, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct. She was arrested at 7:30 p.m. on May 8 after she allegedly was involved in a physical altercation in a public area. She was issued an appearance ticket for City Court for May 17. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Arick Perkins.

Jessica L. Shannon, 19, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment. She was arrested at 7:30 p.m. on May 8 following an altercation of Liberty Street in the city. She allegedly had unwanted physical contact with another female. She was issued an appearance ticket for City Court for May 17. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Paul M. Wieclaw ll, 27, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree assault -- recklessly causing physical injury. He was arrested at 4 a.m. on May 8 following an incident wherein he allegedly pulled a female to the ground by her hair, which resulted in a laceration to her left ring finger. He was jailed on $1,000 bail and was to appear in City Court on May 9. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Stephen Cronmiller.  Also, it was determined on May 8 that Wieclaw had an arrest warrant out of City Court from January 2013 for a parking ticket for parking on a city street between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m. when it is unlawful to do so. That case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer James DeFreze.

Anthony Sanders, 34, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree strangulation, endangering the welfare of a child, and obstruction of government administration, 2nd. He was arrested at 6:30 p.m. on May 7 on charges stemming from an incident at 3 a.m. on May 3 wherein he allegedly strangled a female on South Main Street. He was jailed and due back in City Court May 9. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Julie L. Dutton, 21, of Central Avenue, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree grand larceny. The charge stems from an incident at 8:57 p.m. on April 21 wherein it is alleged that Dutton took about $2,700 in cash from another person on Washington Avenue without having the right to do so. She was to be in City Court on May 10 to answer the charge. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Kyle Robert Ratulowski, 20, of Route 5, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arraigned in City Court on May 11 on a petit larceny charge for allegedly stealing property at 1:30 a.m. on April 13 from a vehicle while it was parked on Veterans Administration property. He was returned to jail, where he is incarcerated on a variety of other theft charges. He is to answer this charge in Genesee County Court on May 24. The investigation was conducted by Sheriff's deputies Ryan Young and Andrew Hale and Investigator Bradley Mazur. The Genesee County Sheriff's Office was assisted by Batavia Police Officer Jason Davis.

Donovan A. Forbes, 26, of Maple Street, Rochester, is charged with operating without lights, first-degree aggravated unlicensed operator, and unlicensed operator. He was arrested at 2:28 a.m. on May 8 on Harvester Avenue in the City of Batavia. During a traffic stop for operating a vehicle without headlights, it was found that Forbes was allegedly driving on a suspended, non-driver ID, with 20 suspensions on 10 dates. He was jailed without bail and ordered to return to City Counrt on May 9. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards, assisted by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Michael J. Witkowski, 29, of Cherry Street, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was arrested May 10 after allegedly punching a car window at 10 p.m. on April 30 on Cherry Street, causing it to shatter. He was issued an appearance ticket for City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Andrew A. Crimes, 44, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with first-degree criminal contempt, with a prior conviction for criminal contempt. Crime was arrested at 6:19 a.m. on May 10 for an unspecified incident which occurred at 10:09 p.m. on May 9 on Bank Street. He was jailed without bail and was due in City Court later in the day on May 10 to answer the charge. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk, assisted by Officer Eric Foels.

Rajea S. Thomas, of Concord Street, Rochester, is charged with speeding and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation. Thomas was arrested following a traffic stop at 5:59 p.m. on May 8 on East Main Street in Batavia. Thomas was allegedly speeding and found to be driving on a suspended NYS driver's license. Thomas was to appear in City Court on May 9. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Edvin M. Hernandez, 40, of Reprise Terrace, Rockville, Md., is charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operator. He was arrested following a traffic stop at 9:01 p.m. on May 7 on East Main Street, Batavia. At that time, he was allegedly driving with suspended NYS driving privileges. He was released from custody after posting bail and to to be in City Court on May 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Steven J. Snyder, 26, of Northview Park, Attica, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and inadequate/defective headlamp. Synder was arrested at 8:49 p.m. on May 6 on South Swan Street in the City of Batavia following a traffic stop after it was observed that the passenger side headlamp was not working. Subsequently, it is alleged that Snyder was found to be in possession of marijuana. He was issued at appearance ticket for May 17 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards, assisted by Officer Jamie Givens.

Patrick M. Viscuso, 52, of Vernon Avenue, Batavia, is charged with two counts of uninspected motor vehicle, and illegal parking. He turned himself in on May 9. He had three active warrants for his arrest, all from parking infractions. He was released from custody after paying his fines, which dated from September 2004, October 2004 and February 2005, respectively. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer James DeFreze, assisted by Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Nicholas D. Martino, 35, of Main Street, Alexander, was arrested at 9:57 a.m. on May 6 on a bench warrant out of City Court following his failure to appear on a traffic summons issued in November 2014 on West Main Street, Batavia. He was to appear in City Court May 9.  The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Jordan M. Love, 25, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. Love was arrested on a City Court warrant after failing to answer a traffic summons for allegedly operating a vehicle with a suspended registration on March 18. Love was released after posting bail and is to be in City Court on May 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Sponsored Post: TVFCU Jr. Banking Scholarship 5K & 10K is June 11th, register today!

By Lisa Ace

Are you a runner? Walker? Competitor? Community volunteer? Join us for the Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union inaugural 5k/10k on Saturday, June 11th, 2016 to benefit high school seniors in Genesee County. TVFCU will be awarding scholarships to seniors in our Jr. Banking Program to help them further their secondary education. Are you in? Want to join the fun?
Sign up to run, walk, or volunteer at our website: www.tvfcubatavia.com click on the 5k/10k logo on the left hand side and then follow the instructions on the landing page to register to participate. Race fee is $25 from now until May 25th and a race t shirt is guaranteed. After May 25th, race fee is $30. See you at the race!

Fighting the dragon: Overcoming opioid addiction in Genesee County

By Traci Turner

(Two doses of Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdose, with a nosepiece applicator are kept in every road bag at the Batavia Police Department.)

Jenna Brown was an honor student and captain of the cheerleading squad at Elba High School. Like any typical teenage girl, Brown wanted to fit in so she drank and experimented with drugs to get her peers to like her. She found partying to be empowering and never thought addiction would happen to her. Although she had a lot of friends, she felt alone.

In 2012, she graduated from high school and went off to Alfred State College to get an associate degree in Nursing. Everything seemed to be fine until she went through a bad breakup during her first year. She was shattered inside and didn’t know how to cope.

Brown’s mom, Kathy Miller, noticed some changes in her daughter’s behavior but just thought she was trying to find her way.

“She would call at all different times, sometimes crying, sometimes homesick, sometimes sounding lost and sometimes happy,” Miller said. “That first semester was chaotic.”

In an attempt to make new friends, Brown started partying again and met a guy. After hanging out with him several times and watching him make frequent trips to the bathroom, she discovered he was using heroin. By then her drinking was out of control and she was curious about using. The guy helped her inject her first hit of heroin.

“I loved it and hated it at the same time,” Brown said. “I hated it for the way it physically made me feel but mentally it was the solution for me. It helped take away the loneliness. When I did heroin, I didn’t care about being alone.”

Heroin use has more than doubled among young adults ages 18 to 25 in the past decade according to the Centers for Disease Control. The 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health stated 2.4 million people abused or were dependent on opioids including heroin and prescription painkillers. Opiates are drugs derived from the opium poppy. Opioids are synthetic or semi-synthetic drugs that are manufactured to work in a similar way to opiates. The term opioid is used to describe the entire class of opiates including natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic.

Over the last few years, Genesee County has seen the opioid epidemic on the rise. Genesee Orleans County on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse has about 100 patients on Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction. Approximately one-third of individuals in Genesee County Drug Treatment Court are opiate dependent.

(Nicole Desmond, drug court treatment coordinator, Judge Robert Balbick and Jeffrey Smith, project director for the 8thJudicial District.)

“We have been doing treatment court for 15 years,” said Judge Robert Balbick, who runs Genesee County Drug Treatment Court. “Opiate addiction has changed the way we look at treatment because we’re dealing with a deadly situation.”

Due to the high risk of overdose, quick access to treatment is crucial. Throughout the program, Nicole Desmond, drug court treatment coordinator, strictly monitors participants’ progress by getting weekly updates from them and issuing random drug testing. The program lasts an average of 18 months. If participants relapse, the team takes immediate measures to get them into inpatient treatment to prevent overdose.

In 2015, 15 deaths were caused by drug-induced overdoses in the county according to the Genesee County Health Department. Prescription opiates were used in combination with other prescription drugs and/or illicit drugs that contributed to at least six deaths. An illicit opiate was used in combination with prescription drugs that contributed to at least two additional deaths.

“Heroin is increasing steadily to the point where now we are dealing with overdoses,” said Det. Sgt. Todd Crossett at the Batavia Police Department. “It’s all over and it’s become a lot more dangerous than cocaine was because it’s being laced with synthetic fentanyl which you don’t know what you’re having until you inject it and it’s too late.”

Drug dealers cut the heroin with fentanyl, the strongest opioid used for medical purposes, to increase the potency. This deadly trend has led to a recent surge of overdose deaths. Batavia police officers carry Narcan, a drug used to reverse opioid overdose, in their cars. When they respond to a potential overdose call, the needle is often times nearby in the presence of fentanyl.

“If they have gotten fentanyl in the drug the needle may still be in them because fentanyl is so fast acting they might not have been able to put the stuff away,” Crossett said.

(Todd Crossett of the Batavia Police Department with the supplies bag that every road officer carries in their car.)

Andrew London, a 24-year-old recovering alcoholic and opioid addict, recently lost a close friend to a heroin overdose. She passed away a month before he could give her a tree of life necklace he bought her for Christmas.

“As soon as you see someone close to you use and die, it hits you,” London said. “It was one of the saddest things I have ever experienced.”

London has been convicted of two DWIs and has been receiving treatment on and off for alcohol addiction since he was 18 years old. He became addicted to opioids after being prescribed hydrocodone for back pain in August 2011. As a result, he started misusing the painkiller and violated his probation.

“Drugs don’t discriminate,” London said. “Overdoses can happen to anyone.”

In particular, however, women, the privately insured and people with higher incomes are those with the highest increase in heroin use according to the CDC.

“This is truly a white middle-class problem,” said John Bennett, executive director at GCASA. “We are not talking about street junkies anymore. Many addicts function like normal people.”

For a while, Brown, the 21-year-old recovering heroin addict, was able to maintain her addiction and continued getting good grades. She was playing two different people and no one had any idea that she was a heroin addict. However, on the inside she hated herself.

"Advances in Psychiatric Treatment," a medical journal, report 48 percent of opioid users have experienced depression at some point in their lives.

“One of the biggest things with addiction that people don’t understand is that 99 percent of the people that walk through our doors are in some kind of emotional or physical pain,” said Shannon Murphy, director of treatment at GCASA. “To ask them to stop taking it, is like having a raw open nerve.”

Brown’s next high was always in the back of her mind. Her addiction spun out of control after she graduated college in December 2014. She moved back home in Elba and her parents found out she was using. She overdosed several times. Her mom took her to Erie County Medical Center but the doctors sent her back home because she wasn’t using enough bags in a day for inpatient treatment. She attempted to stop using on her own but the withdrawal symptoms were too severe.

“She would try to go through withdrawal but it was awful for her and for me,” Miller said. “She was so thin, so frail and so sickly. Her beautiful blue eyes sunken in and gone, replaced by lifeless empty sockets. She had such pale, bluish-gray skin.”

Brown was ashamed for putting her parents and siblings through everything. However, she was afraid to get sober because she never thought she would feel good.

“People always tried to scare me into getting sober,” Brown said. “I wasn’t afraid to die. I was afraid of suffering. It got to a point where I either continued to kill myself or get help.”

She was tired of feeling sick and determined to try for something better. She started going to outpatient treatment at GCASA and was put on a waiting list for detox treatment at the Horizon Village Terrace House in Buffalo.

“I woke up at three in the afternoon and I was going to get high at four when my mom told me there was a bed available,” Brown said. “It was heaven to my ears but nails on a chalkboard. There is something taunting about knowing you could get high in an hour or be saved in an hour.”

In October, she completed the detox and started a 28-day inpatient rehab program at the Terrace House. During inpatient, she started taking Vivitrol, an injectable medication to prevent relapse for opioid dependence after detox.

Vivitrol is a trade name for naltrexone, one of the medications approved by the Federal Drug Administration to treat opioid addiction. The medication attaches to opioid receptors in the brain and blocks pleasurable feelings associated with opioids and reduces cravings. The blocking effect decreases over time so addicts must receive the shot each month by a healthcare professional. While receiving the medication, the addicted individuals cannot be using opioids or severe sickness and death may occur.

A more common medication is buprenorphine, an opioid partial agonist. The medication can produce opioid effects but the effects are less than a full opioid agonist such as heroin. Buprenorphine binds to opioid receptors in the brain and blocks the effects of other opioids that may be present in the bloodstream. Low doses allow addicts to stop misusing opioids without having withdrawal symptoms. If dosing is not heavily monitored, it can be easily abused.

Suboxone is one of the prescription formulas with buprenorphine and naloxone, medication used in Narcan. The daily medication is a digestible film that is dissolved under the tongue.

“We have patients who have been on it for years that say they don’t expect to ever get off this,” said Cheryle McCann, RN at GCASA. “As long as they have a prescriber who can take over for us, we don’t have a problem with that. It’s like someone who is on blood pressure medicine.”

However, finding a doctor who is willing to take a patient with a history of opioid dependence is difficult. There are currently three prescribers in the county.

“The biggest problem I see in our county right now is there are not many doctors in our community that will prescribe buprenorphine,” McCann said. “The DEA regulate buprenorphine more stringently than they regulate the prescribing of opioids. An opioid can be prescribed by a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant and dentist. But buprenorphine can only be prescribed by a physician.”

According to Bennett, about 35 percent of their patients struggle with Suboxone so they offer Vivitrol as another option. In the future, he would like to get the treatment facility licensed to be a methadone clinic.

“Medicated assisted treatments are misunderstood by communities,” Bennett said. “Law enforcement and judges don’t always believe patients are clean while on the treatments. We need to look at opiate patients like heart or diabetic patients and support their treatment. Patients with addiction have better compliance with medication than patients with other diseases.”

(Cheryle McCann and John Bennett of GCASA sit on the bench where patients receive their monthly Vivitrol shots.)

In addition to the medicated assisted treatment, countless meetings, counseling, advice from other recovering addicts and faith in God taught Brown how to live day to day and helped her set a good foundation.

“At the end of the day I’m still a recovering addict and one drug away from being high,” Brown said. “Any day clean is a miracle.”

Once Brown completed the 28-day rehab program, she went to Horizon Village, a long-term residential rehab center, for three months. From there she moved into Casa De Vita, a halfway house, and made friends who she could call on all hours of the day and night. This was the first time she realized her friends genuinely cared about her wellbeing. Her mom also started attending Nar-Anon, a support group for families struggling with addiction in Batavia, to learn how she could support her daughter’s recovery.

Miller and Donna Rose, a mother whose son is addicted to heroin, will be hosting a heroin town hall meeting for parents of addicts at 6:30 p.m. May 17 at  Genesee Community College. The meeting will focus on treatment costs and denial of insurance for recovering addicts.

“I learned nothing I do will cure her disease but I can choose for myself to stay healthy, supportive and loving,” Miller said. “Everyday I’m thankful that Jenna is alive and I try to learn something that will prevent someone else from using. We need more heroin awareness. People need to start understanding the disease instead of judging it.”

Support from family and friends has also been important for London’s recovery.

After completing a 28-day inpatient treatment program at Hope Haven and several months at Atwater, GCASA’s halfway house, London has been clean for seven months. He currently goes to meetings at Horizon Health Services once a week. His pregnant wife and circle of friends he met while in recovery have been significant motivators for him to not relapse.

“I want to be there for my daughter and not have to see her on a visiting floor in jail,” London said. “I don’t want her to see me under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

​(Andrew London, a recovering alcoholic and opioid addict, has been clean for seven months.)

Brown is looking to the future, too. She recently moved in with her sponsor and is applying for full-time jobs – and looking for an apartment.

“I’m able to look people in the eyes today and be at peace with things that happened in my life,” Brown said. “The greatest thing today is I don’t want to get high and that gives me a feeling of gratitude because I thought that was how to make friends. Now I can love myself and take my flaws as they come.”

Law and Order: Man who lives on Wolcott Street, Le Roy, arrested again on domestic violence charge

By Billie Owens
       Darik Orbaker

Darik R. Orbaker, 23, of 71 Wolcott St., Le Roy, (pictured right) was arrested April 20 by the Le Roy Police Department and charged with one count of aggravated family offense, a Class E felony, based on a domestic complaint. It is alleged that during the domestic disturbance, Orbaker damaged property and obstructed the breathing or blood circulation of a family member and has been previously convicted of one or more “specified offenses” against this or other family members within the previous five years. Orbaker was arraigned in the Town of Le Roy Court and put in Genesee County Jail in lieu of bail. 

Trevor S. Rarick, 21, was arrested on May 8 by Troopers and charged with: unlawful possession of marijuana; driving while intoxicated; refusal of breath screening test; failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer; and failure to stop at a stop sign. Rarick failed to stop at a stop sign in front of the Trooper at the intersection of Clinton Street and Clinton Park in the City of Batavia. He was stopped on Wade Street and Troopers immediately detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage. Rarick consented to the field sobriety tests, which he subsequently failed. He refused to consent to a breath sample. A scale covered with marijuana residue, a smoking pipe with marijuana residue and approximately seven grams of marihuana were allegedly located inside his vehicle. Rarick was transported to SP Batavia barracks for processing and was arraigned in the Town of Batavia Court and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in the City of Batavia Court at a later date.

Meghan L. Daniels, 28, of York, was arrested by Troopers on May 11 and charged with shoplifting and unlawful possession of marijuana. Daniels allegedly took a candy bar worth $1.45, passing all points of sale and attempted to exit the Walmart Store. Troopers detected the odor of marijuana emanating from Daniels. A baggie containing approximately 10 grams of marijuana and a marijhuana grinder containing marijuana residue was allegedly located. Daniels was transported to SP Batavia barracks for processing. She was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Batavia Court on May 19.

Jenna A. Kavanagh, 23, of Rochester, was arrested by Troopers on May 8 and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Troopers detected a strong smell of marijuana emitting from the vehicle when Kavanagh was stopped for speeding on State Route 262. More than three grams of marijuana in multiple plastic vials was allegedly found inside a glass container. Kavanagh was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Byron Court on May 16 and a uniform traffic ticket was issued for speeding.

Josiah D. Kirby, 22, of Kenmore, was arrested by Corfu Village Police Officer Michael Petritz for unlawful possession of marijuana after a traffic stop for speeding on Route 77. Officer Petritz detected a strong odor of burnt marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Kirby was allegedly found to be in possession of four marijuana cigarettes and a blue glass smoking pipe containing marijuana residue. Kirby was issued tickets and an appearance ticket returnable to the Village of Corfu on June 6.

Julio A. Bautista, 20, was arrested by Troopers on May 11 for trespass after he was warned on two separate occasions not to return to College Village by Security. Bautista was located in the parking lot of the property and was placed under arrest. He is scheduled to appear in the Town of Batavia Court on May 23.

Former Batavia resident of 23 years to have solo exhibit at Geisel Gallery in Rochester in June

By Billie Owens
Submitted photo of artist and former Batavia resident Jim Thomas and his work titled "Fractured Pathways Unitarian Gardens #7."
 
Artist Jim Thomas, who lived in Batavia for 23 years until moving away in 2007, will have a solo art exhibit at the Geisel Gallery in Rochester, June 1-30.
 
An opening reception with the artist will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 9, in Legacy Tower in the Gallery's second-floor rotunda. Geisel Gallery is located at One Bausch + Lomb Place in the City of Rochester.
 
The exhibit can be viewed during the gallery's regular hours, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Closed Sundays.
Jim Thomas's work titled "Hammonassett Study #3"

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