batavia

It's supposed to be spring, right? Well, it snowed today and it should be in the low 20s overnight.

That might seem unseasonably cold, but according to the Farmer's Almanac, the average last day of frost in Batavia -- with a 50 percent probability -- is May 4.

Plan your spring planting accordingly.

Above, snow dusting cars at Falleti Motors.

A woman with a snow-speckled blue umbrella on East Main Street.

The Tonawanda Creek along West Main Street.

An accident involving a truck and another vehicle is reported in front of the Community Action Center, 5073 Clinton Street Road. The driver of the truck is pregnant and law enforcement on scene has requested a medic to evaluate her. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding and Mercy medics are on scene.

UPDATE 10:51 a.m.: The town assignment went back in service about five minutes ago.

Skyler Hampton works intently on his animated character "The Boxer" during an animation workshop this morning at GO ART!

Youngsters 9 to 12 years old are being shown the foundations of animation by Dave Puls, creative director for Animatus Studios in Rochester over the course of a three-day workshop.

Dave Puls.

Cole Ashley and Skyler Hampton.

The Boxer.

Lily Whiting at work on her project.

Melissa R. Piazza, 25, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass, harassment, 2nd, and criminal mischief, 4th. Piazza allegedly told another woman that she was going to kill her, broke a screen window and was trespassing on residential property. The alleged incident was reported at 7:47 a.m. Sunday. Piazza was jailed on $1,000 bail.

A 17-year-old resident of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI driving while under the influence of alcohol, driving with no headlights and failure to keep right. The teen was stopped at 10:20 p.m. Saturday on West Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Matthew Lutey.

Jeremy A. Preston, 23, of Prospect Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Preston was stopped at 10:35 a.m. Thursday on Prospect Avenue by Officer Devon Pahuta.

Michael L. Williams, 34, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Williams allegedly slapped a child during a domestic incident. He also allegedly grabbed and punched a woman while a child was watching. Williams was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Bobby L. Mobley Sr., 55, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, refusal to take breath test and driving with inadequate stop lamps. Mobley was stopped at 11:37 p.m. Saturday on Central Avenue, Batavia, by Officer Jason Ivison.

Krisopher A. Anderson, 22, of North Lyon Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Anderson was charged following a call for an alleged domestic incident at 2:40 a.m., Saturday.

Sara T. Cupler, 21, of Church Street, Alabama, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Cupler was arrested by Officer Devon Pahuta following a call to assist another agency at a residence on West Main Street, Batavia.

Bernard Lee Evans, 43, of Cato Street, Pavilion, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, and aggravated harassment, 2nd. Evans was arrested while incarcerated at the Genesee County Jail on new charges stemming from an alleged incident on March 26 on Starr Road, Pavilion. No further details released.

Christopher Edmond Nanni, 18, of Fox Road, Oakfield, is charged with unlawful possession marijuana and speeding. Nanni was stopped on Drake Street Road, Oakfield, at 12:07 a.m. Sunday, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Michael A. Michalow, 56, of Baitz Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with felony DWI, felony aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, driving without an ignitiation interlock, consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle, no stopping/standing on public highway, refusal to take breath test and unlicensed operation. Deputy James Diehl was dispatched at 9:11 p.m. April 4 to a report of a disabled vehicle blocking the roadway on Ledge Road, Alabama. Following an investigation, Michalow was arrested and jailed on $15,000 bail.

Megan Theresa Gill, 20, of Church Street, Le Roy, is  charged with harassment, 2nd. Gill allegedly grabbed a victim's arms and held them behind his back during a fight, which was reported at 3:32 p.m. April 5 at a location on Perry Road, Pavilion.

Gregory A. Dejesus, 23, of Perry Road, Pavilion, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Dejesus is accused of striking a victim in her the face with a closed fist during an argument, which was reported at 3:32 p.m. April 5 at a location on Perry Road, Pavilion.

Aaron M. Hatt, 18, of Alexander, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and harassment, 2nd. Hatt was arrested by State Police following a report of an alleged incident at 11:03 a.m. Friday in the Town of Pembroke. No further details released.

A caller to dispatch complains of loud music and profanity coming from a place in the first block of Harvester Avenue in the city. Batavia police are responding.

A man who reportedly threw a ham at another customer inside of Sav-A-Lot is on the lam on Ellicott Street, according to dispatchers.

Police are responding after a manager complained that the man on the lam threw a ham at another customer.

The victim of the ham-throwing incident is in the parking lot.

Law enforcment is on scene at Radio Shack on Veterans Memorial Drive investigating a theft of items from the store.

The suspect is described as a light-skinned black male wearing "sparkly jeans." He's also missing a front tooth, is skinny and was wearing a baseball cap.

It's unknown if he fled on foot or got into a vehicle.

There's been a rash recently, according to Batavia PD, of counterfeit $20 bills being passed at local businesses.

The counterfeits are being discovered at banks after local businesses make their deposits.

Officer Eric Hill said it should be pretty easy to spot the fakes. They are photocopies of actual $20s. Hills recommends businesses use a counterfeit pen on all $20s coming into their shops.

"They will not pass the pen test," Hill said.

Here's more information on how to spot fake currency.

Batavia PD is looking to talk with anybody who might have information about the bills.

BPD can be reached through dispatch at (585) 345-6350 or leave a message on the confidential tip line at (585) 345-6370.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported on the eastbound Thruway at mile marker 387.6. Town of Batavia fire is responding along with two Mercy ambulances. A crew from Oakfield is requested to fill in at Town of Batavia's fire hall.

UPDATE 3:09 p.m.: A Mercy Flight helicopter is called and will land on a field at Genesee Community College adjacent to the Thruway.

UPDATE 3:15 p.m.: Mercy Flight has a five-minute ETA.

UPDATE 3:32 p.m.: Mercy Flight is transporting a patient to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE: Photo submitted by a reader.

A tractor-trailer rollover accident is reported on the eastbound Thruway at mile marker 386. No injuries, but fuel is leaking. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 3:16 p.m.: The Department of Environmental Conservation is contacted as required because of the fuel spill. Wind is reported as 7 mph from the southeast.

UPDATE: Photo submitted by a reader.

A caller to dispatch reports that two black males about 17 or 18 years old are creating problems on Pearl Street in the city. The caller said that they broke a window at a residence, kicked in someone's back door and are entering the house. In addition, they were said to be causing a ruckus and disturbing neighbors in the area. City police are responding. A red Dodge Intrepid may be involved.

A caller to dispatch reports that a father was yelling at his young child at Williams Park, then left without the child. Batavia Police are responding.

Spencer Hubbard, 2014 Mr. Batavia, presented a $2,200 check today to Jess Tomidy, CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Genesee County. The Mr. Batavia competition at Batavia High School raises money for the winner's charity of choice. After winning the competition last month, Hubbard said he picked Habitat because, "I feel like it's a basic need, that people need homes. A lot of people are homeless who don't deserve to be. They really need that help."

Police were dispatched to a parking lot after receiving a complaint that a white male, shirtless, with tattoos and on a skateboard was spitting on parked vehicles. He is now said to be skating down East Main Street.

A caller to dispatch reports a little girl about about 4 is wandering up and down Thomas Avenue in hot pink PJs and appears to be unsupervised. Police are responding.

UPDATE 1:36 p.m.: Issue resolved.

Federal agents, including ATF agents, showed up at a residence on Jackson Street, Batavia, this morning to execute a search warrant.

An agent said the residence, 152 Jackson St., is the home of James D. Holstein, who is under federal indictment and out on bail. He's accused of violating the terms of his release, leading to the search this morning.

The indictment, according to the agent, is related to an arrest by State Police reported by The Batavian in 2010. We've requested a copy of the indictment from the office of William Hochul, U.S. Attorney for WNY.

UPDATE: Holstein is facing a three-count federal indictment issued by a federal grand jury Oct. 3, 2013. The counts are aiding and abetting wire fraud, money laundering and making a false statement. 

It's alleged that between Jan. 2006 and Jan. 2012, Holstein would agree to purchase items from online sellers and then issue the sellers counterfeit checks for amounts greater than the purchase price. Holstein allegedly asked the sellers to wire back the balance of the overpayment. After wiring the money order, the sellers would learn the deposited check was counterfeit and the amount of the check would be charged against their bank account.

Holstein then allegedly kept a portion of the overage for himself and wired the balance to unknown persons throughout the world by way of Western Union and MoneyGram.

Once Holstein was informed by Western Union in January 2009 that he was engaged in fraudulent activity, and then advised again by local law enforcement in April and June 2010, Holstein allegedly continued to wire money to people in Ghana, Nigeria and Great Britain.

For those transactions, Holstein allegedly used the name of his son.

The indictment lists three domestic victims: J.S., a resident of Golden, Colo., $2,910; V.K., a resident of Greenwood, S.C., $2,370; and, A.H., a resident of Elkhart Lake, Wis., $1,500.

The indictment lists nearly 60 transactions in amounts ranging from $40 to $300 to people in Ghana, Nigeria and Great Britain.

Holstein is accused of using these transactions for the purpose of money laundering.

He is also accused of making a false statement to a federal agent. He allegedly told the agent in 2010 that he had stopped wiring money to a woman in Lagos Island, Nigeria, when in fact he continued to wire money to her.

Medina, Notre Dame and Batavia softball teams played a scrimmage today at John Kennedy School. It's the first scrimmage of the year. Batavia HS student Zachary Lee submitted these photos.

Press release:

Five Genesee Community College students will be heading to Albany on April 25 to represent the Finger Lakes Region in the Social Entrepreneurship / Nonprofit category for the fifth annual New York Business Plan Competition. They will be joined by the "Imajine Soap" team of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in this category. The competition invites students from colleges around the state to submit innovative ideas designed to address a currently unmet need in one of six categories. The GCC team's "Batavia Loop Trail and Bordering Business Development" will be competing for more than $500,000 in cash and in-kind prizes.

The SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), University at Albany's School of Business, and Syracuse University will host the competition, which has become the premier collegiate contest, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship throughout New York's colleges and universities.

The GCC students, who are members of the CEO and Earth Clubs on campus, envision developing an 11-mile loop trail that skirts around the edge of the City and Town of Batavia connecting a wide array of businesses and regional resources -- from ice cream shops and restaurants to Batavia's treasure trove of city and county parks. The Batavia Loop Trail (BLT) would also maximize the idyllic views of Tonawanda Creek and provide safer walking and bicycling pathways to GCC and College Village.

Their business plan was first vetted against 67 other two-page business proposals submitted into the Finger Lakes Region of the statewide competition. Wednesday night, students presented the plan to judges at the University of Rochester, where it was greeted with great enthusiasm. Should they succeed in the next round of the competition the winnings will secure seed money to help fund a feasibility study -- the first major step in their "transformative idea."

In their presentation, the students pointed out that bicycling is a growing tourist attraction and with the NYS Thruway cutting across Batavia's northern border, a huge market awaits city and county planners. BLT would also link into the new Ellicott Trail, which was recently awarded $1.5 million through NYSDOT Transportation Enhancement Fund. In addition, they have researched state and federal funding resources and the concept potentially meets many of the criteria listed for support from the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), Consolidated Funding Application (CFA), NYSERDA's Cleaner Greener Communities, and Transportation Alternatives Program.

Lastly, and most importantly to the students – the long-term vision poses excellent hands-on learning opportunities not only for GCC students but for the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP/BOCES). In the near future, students hope to present a plan to GCC's Board of Trustees sharing their idea of creating a small campus Recreational Rental Center giving both students and the general public the opportunity to rent bicycles for the trail and potentially tennis rackets or soccer equipment. This new micro business gives GCC students enrolled in Travel & Tourism, Business Administration, Accounting, Sport Management, Web Design, Digital Arts and Physical Education excellent co-op, internship and work study opportunities. Equally dynamic is providing GVEP/BOCES students enrolled in Conservation, Welding and Automotive Technology programs the chance to help develop and maintain the trail.

The students' BLT plan extends out 11 years, but it is broken down into multiple phases with the most realistic, easily implemented segments of the trail opening in 2018.

"They are calling it Vision 2025 and although they realize they will be long graduated during the later phases and challenges of the project, they believe that making Batavia a bicycle-friendly community is an excellent opportunity for everyone," said Donna Rae Sutherland, GCC's staff advisor for the project. "They not only hope to pass the torch of the plan along to their peers – they also hope they will be able to use the trail with their future children a decade or two from now."

The BLT team presenters include Tara Beckens, of Clifton Springs, Danielle Cannella, Richard DelPlato, and Maryssa Peirick, all from Batavia, and Adrienne Payne, of Byron.

They will be joined by several other colleges and universities in representing the Finger Lakes Region against winners from each of the nine other New York Regional Economic Development Council zones which include: Capital Region, Central New York, North Country, Mohawk Valley, Western New York, Southern Tier, Mid-Hudson, New York City and Long Island.

These are the latest indictments issued by the Genesee County Grand Jury.

Steven D. Crandall is accused of burglary in the third degree, a Class D felony. It is alleged that on Oct. 2 he knowingly entered or remained unlawfully in a barn in the Town of Pavilion with the intent of committing a crime. In count two, he is accused of third-degree grand larceny, also a Class D felony, for allegedly stealing property there with a value in excess of $3,000. The stolen items included electronic and hydraulic motors, lathes, an International front-loader frame, a commercial mixer and other items having a value of about $12,930. In count three, he is accused of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, a Class E felony. He allegedly knew he had stolen property with the intent of benefitting himself or another person other than the owner and that the property's value exceeded $1,000.

Lawerence (sic) R. Laude is accused of driving while ability impaired by drugs, a Class E felony. On Nov. 7, he operated a 1997 Chevrolet on West Main Street Road in the Town of Batavia while he was allegedly impaired by drugs. Also, a special information indictment was issued because he was convicted of the same crime as now alleged within the past 10 years. That stemmed from an incident on March 10, 2009 in the Town of Pembroke.

Press release:

Just as the National MS Society invests $29 million in new research to support an expected 83 MS research projects to stop multiple sclerosis, local MS researchers will be updating the community on “MS Research: The Progress, The Promise,” at the Clarion Hotel in Batavia tonight (Thursday, April 10). The free event is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public and hosted by the National MS Society Upstate New York Chapter. The Clarion is located at 8250 Park Road.

Researcher Fraser Sim, Ph.D, assistant professor at the University at Buffalo, will be presenting. Dr. Sim specializes in neurodegenerative disorders. He was recently awarded a three year, $554,973 grant from The National MS Society to study myelin-forming cells. Dr. Sim and his fellow University of Buffalo researchers are investigating the ability of an FDA-approved drug to improve myelin synthesis and repair in mice.

Also presenting is Brandon Yehl, Pa., who has lived half of his life with MS. He graduated from the RIT physician’s assistant program in 2006. For four years he worked in a neuro-ophthalmology clinic playing a role in the care of more than 750 patients with MS. He now works in a private neurology clinic.

The National MS Society has already invested more than $50 million in 2014 to support 380 new and ongoing studies around the world. The 83 new projects are part of a comprehensive research strategy aimed at stopping MS, restoring function that has been lost, and ending the disease forever  ̶  for every single person with MS.

Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. The rate of diagnosis in Upstate New York is about double the national average. MS affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide and more than 12,800 people in the 50-county region served by the Upstate New York Chapter. For more information, visit <http://www.MSupstateny.org>

“MS research is a priority, and we strive to pursue all promising research paths and collaborate worldwide to drive progress toward a cure,” says Stephanie Kunes-Mincer, president and CEO of the National MS Society Upstate New York Chapter. “The Society has fueled many advances in understanding and managing MS, and we will keep moving forward until we can say goodbye to MS forever."