batavia

There was a big turn out today in Batavia for the WNY Round-Up Rally.

The owner of a building on Lehigh Avenue discovered this morning that overnight about 20 windows on the south side of the structure were broken out.

Police are investigating, but suspect some kids in the neighborhood.

More than 100 former St. Jerome's Hospital employees got together Friday night at T.F. Brown's for old times' sake.

Betty Lupino said that for years she would run into former employees who would say, "we should get together, we should get together." But nobody was doing it, she said, "so I took the bull by the horns and called a few people."

"We're just people who worked together and we got along well and we wanted to renew old acquaintances," she said.

Pictured, from left, Maudie Kahn, Lupino, Gloria Grohs, Mike Rimmer and Don Lewis.

Eric Dibble enjoyed teaching science to high school students, but he was still drawn to a career in law enforcement even after getting his master's degree and earning multiple teaching credentials.

His attraction to law enforcement is not surprising. He comes from a law enforcement family -- his father is Gordon Dibble, the chief deputy in charge of road patrol for Genesee County.

When the younger Dibble took a job three years ago with the Batavia Police Department. It was the right decision for him at the time, he said, and he's glad he did it. 

Since then, though, he's become the father of two children and what was acceptable before he had a family is less so now.

As a young cop on the force, he's still working a lot of nights. The hours can be unpredictable. Then there is what Dibble describes as "the heaviness" of not knowing what comes next.

"It's a different world for me now than when I got hired," Dibble said.

He also still had those degrees and credentials to fall back on.

Those factors, more than anything else, led him to reconsider his career choice.

Friday was Dibble's last evening shift in Batavia blue. At the end of the night, he turned in his badge and put away his service pistol for the last time.

This fall, Officer Dibble becomes Mr. Dibble again. He will be teaching science at a school in Monroe County.

"I realized I just can't keep doing this forever," Dibble said. "It's a great job, but it wears kind of heavy on my mind. There's some stress factors that are unique to the job and the career. I personally am looking to ease my mind of those kind of things and get back to a normal lifestyle."

Chief Shawn Heubusch said Dibble will be missed.

"He's a fine young officer," Heubusch said. "It has been a pleasure to know Eric over the time I've been here. I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors."

If you've never met Eric Dibble, he's an instantly likable man with an obviously warm spirit and kind heart. He's also got enough backbone to be firm when he needs to be.

In other words, he's what any professional police department should want in a young officer.

And being a police officer, Dibble said, is a great career. He just decided it would be better for him and his family if earned his living in a classroom rather than on city streets.

"There was no traumatizing or sobering moment (that changed his mind)," Dibble said. "It was just a gradual, growing general heaviness, if I can explain it that way, of being in uniform, of being on call, of not knowing what the next thing is going to be. Is it going to be nothing? Is it going to be something? Is it going to be the biggest thing that ever happened in Batavia? The biggest thing that ever happened in New York State? I guess it's just one of those things where it's the not knowing that for me was heavy.

"Everybody's different," he added. "Some people thrive off that, some people don't think about it, but for me is was quite a thing, I guess."

The fact that Dibble decided to go back to teaching doesn't mean other young people shouldn't consider a career in law enforcement he said. If it's something you think you can be passionate about, he said, you should do it, but do it while you're young. His advice, get your career established before you have a family.

"This is the type of career that is a calling almost, where if you have the desire to do it, you probably should," Dibble said. "You probably should because a lot of people do and they love it and they stay with it and it's a great career.

If you're going to become a police officer, he said, you should be attracted to the career for the right reasons.

"You've got to be somebody with a good set of morals," Dibble said. "You've got to be principled and really believe in the package of a good police officer and a good police department, which should always be helping the community.

"You're a role model," he added. "You've got to care about society and want to try and make it better. You can't just do it for the action or what you see on TV, because a lot of what police do is hugely distorted on television. Those are the wrong reasons."

Perhaps not surprisingly, those are the same qualities Dibble thinks make for a good teacher.

"I've always felt strongly about the positive influence a teacher can have on a student," Dibble said. "I think I appreciate more what bad pathways people can take from school moving forward. I feel more how impressionable kids are at that age. It makes me feel that the responsibility is even greater for people who work with kids at that age."

Even in just three years, Dibble has seen a lot of changes in the police department. The most positive change he's seen, he said, is the increased emphasis on community policing.

The concept of community policing has been around for several decades. The philosophy puts an emphasis on interaction between cops on the beat and the people of the community. The idea is to get officers from out behind the wheel of their cars and only responding to calls, to walking patrols, talking to people and developing relationships.

Dibble said community policing not only gives citizens a greater sense of security, but it helps the officer, too.

"If you just handle calls and you come back to the station, it's kind of us and the world outside who call on us for help," Dibble said. "Then it's always kind of depressing, or always an issue, but if you get out in the community it does a lot of good for officers. They get a chance to mix and have these positive interactions, which offsets any negative interactions you might have."

As Dibble returns to teaching, he goes back to the classroom with a whole new set of experiences. Not too many teachers have been in the homes of arguing parents and teens, or seen firsthand the direct result of young lives that have gone off track. What Dibble has seen while on patrol in Batavia will certainly carry over into his interactions with students, he said.

"It's going to make me think about the whole package when I have my student in front of me," Dibble said. "What's going on at home, in his personal life and how is that affecting what I'm seeing in the classroom? It definitely gives me an understanding of the big picture and how it affects what a student is going through in school."

An RV is reportedly on fire in the area of mile marker 387 in the westbound lanes of the Thruway.

Town of Batavia fire dispatched.

The operator of the RV called in the fire and said they are towing a vehicle and there are five dogs inside the RV.

UPDATE 9:10 p.m.: A trooper on scene reports all dogs are out safely. The RV is not engulfed. Only wires are burning.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants on Monday Aug. 12, from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area south of East Main Street and east of Jackson Street.

Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about 5 minutes or until clear.

Timothy A. Vail Jr., the 15-year-old reported missing by his mother earlier this week, has been located and is safe.

Inductees for the 12th Annual Batavia High School Athletic Hall of Fame have been announced.

This years inductees are: Wayne Fuller, Todd Cayea, John Bernard, Brett Wormley, James Bernard, Michael Rogers, Lance Cayea and Julie Redband Varland.

The hall of fame dinner is Sept. 21, with social hour at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 each.

Tickets are available at the Athletic Directors office located at Batavia High School. For more information please call (585) 343-2480, ext. 2003.

The event is sponsored by the Batavia Coaches Association.

Press release:

Documentary filmmaker Ramona Persaud is exploring how teachers can use brain science to engage students of all ages and academic abilities in her new film “Grey Matters,” which begins production next month at Batavia High School, in Batavia, N.Y.

The film will follow three schools over the course of the 2013-2014 school year—Batavia High School, Batavia, N.Y., Roland Park Elementary in Baltimore, Md., and Westmoreland Community College in Youngwood, Pa., — as they implement the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model, developed by Mariale Hardiman, Ed.D., co-founder and director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Neuro-Education Initiative.

Hardiman’s teaching model, developed in 2003 and currently being practiced by more than 300 educators in schools around the world, promotes critical, divergent thinking that equips students with real-world knowledge and the ability to use it.

Persaud’s film will examine the question “Can neuroscience remake the teaching process, and if yes, what does that look like in practice?” The three teachers featured in Persaud’s documentary will implement Hardiman’s model, which designates six brain targets for the teaching and learning process. 

The film will follow these teachers in their mission to shift the learning process for their students, and transform school into a place where students learn to solve problems that require answers, instead of a place where students solve problems that have pre-determined answers.

Persaud was inspired to create this film after attempting to home-school her preschool daughter. Persaud discovered Hardiman’s Brain-Targeted Teaching Model and believed this model could be beneficial for not just her own daughter, but for all students.

“Like most parents, I want my kids to receive the best education possible,” Persaud says. “This teaching model really clarifies how kids process information. By following three classrooms over one school year, this film will illustrate what brain-based teaching really looks like, and how it can measurably improve academic performance.”

About Ramona Persaud:

Ramona Persaud is an independent documentary filmmaker, writer, and photographer. "Grey Matters" is her second film. Persaud’s first film, "It’s a Different World," explores the world of autism through the eyes of three autistic children. Visit www.greymattersdocumentary.com for more information.

About Mariale Hardiman:

Mariale Hardiman, Ed.D., is the assistant dean for Urban School Partnerships and Clinical Professor of Education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, and the co-founder and director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Neuro-Education Initiative. Before joining Johns Hopkins in 2006, Hardiman served in the Baltimore City Public Schools for more than 30 years. As the principal of Roland Park Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, Md., she led the school to its designation as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.  With the use of the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model that Hardiman developed, the school was recognized by the Kennedy Center as a School of Distinction for arts programming and arts integration. Visit www.braintargetedteaching.org for more information. 

Corey James Hemmer, 27, of South Main Street, Elba, is charged with resisting arrest. Hemmer allegedly resisted when a deputy attempted to place him under arrest on a bench warrant. The warrant was related to a petit larceny charge out of Lockport.

Stephen William Miles, 51, of North Street Albion, is charged with petit larceny. Miles is accused of participating with David Martin in the theft of a 46" LED television from Kmart on Sunday night. Miles was jailed on $1,000 bail.

TyAnna Desiree Green, 18, of Lewis Place, Batavia, is was arrested on bench warrants out of the Town of Batavia, for alleged failure to appear. Green was jailed on $500 bail.

Christopher J. Clark, 33, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Clark is accused of shoplifting from Walmart. Clark was arrested by State Police.

Michael T. Sawyer, 23, of Lockport, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Sawyer arrested by State Police on Skye Road, Alabama.

Thea and Bella found a puddle to play in on Morton Avenue after the big straight-down rainstorm we had this evening.

Press release:

On Monday Aug. 12, as part of the Tracy Avenue construction project, two water valves are being replaced in the water distribution system. This requires water service to be shut down in the area of Tracy Avenue, North Street between Bank and Ross streets, Summit Street north of Ellsworth Avenue, and Seneca Avenue.

It is expected that water service will be shut down at approximately 9 a.m. and will be off for approximately four hours. Every effort will be made to minimize the time that service is down. Residents in the immediate area should be aware that this may cause a period of discolored water in this vicinity, and should avoid activities such as laundry, which could be affected.

FYI: This will not affect UMMC Hospital and they are aware of this.

NOTE: This post replaces one we put up a few minutes ago that was based on an old press release inadvertently sent over the city.

Press release:

Theo was an active kindergarten student at Amherst Central School who suddenly became very sick. He had a rare autoimmune disorder that caused spontaneous bleeding. 

Theo was dying. He needed a blood transfusion, but the platelet transfusion didn’t help.  Next the doctors decided to administer an immunoglobulin transfusion, a special blood product that is made from the plasma of at least 1,000 donors.  

This helped a great deal, but Theo wasn’t completely recovered. He needed one more platelet transfusion before he completely recovered. Now he is an active 8-year-old who is looking forward to being in the third grade.

It took 1,002 donors to provide the blood components that saved Theo. Now he and his family would like to thank those donors with a campaign to replace the blood that was used for Theo – 1,002 units, plus one to “pay it forward.”

Batavia’s Mega Blood Drive today from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel sponsored by The Bank of Castile is part of the effort to help Theo’s family raise 1,003 units of blood. Theo and his mom, Gina Bellavia, visited Batavia to speak to community organizers who met at The Bank of Castile to plan for the drive.

“I couldn’t believe more than 1,000 people had donated their blood to give my son another chance at life,” said Gina. “Blood donors are super heroes to Theo and our family.”

All donors at the drive will receive a T-shirt that says they are part of Theo’s Super Hero campaign. Local businesses have joined together to encourage employees to donate. 

Walk-ins are welcome.

“We can help many people and organizations by donating money, but the need for blood is one thing that money can’t buy,” said Gregg McAllister from The Bank of Castile. “Red Cross reports indicate that there is a shortage of blood this summer, so every donation is very important.”

The Batavia Mega Blood Drive has consistently been the largest drive conducted in Genesee County each year.

“We know Genesee County residents care for their neighbors. A blood drive is a time when they literally roll up their sleeves to help others.  That’s why Genesee County is a great place to live,” McAllister concluded.

A 52-year-old Medina resident was jailed Wednesday after allegedly trying to steal a 46" RCA LED TV from Kmart.

David James Martin, of East Center Street, Medina, was arrested after dispatchers received a report at 8:45 p.m., Wednesday, of two men fleeing Kmart in a black pickup truck with an allegedly stolen TV.

The truck was stopped by Deputy Chad Minuto on Route 98 in the Village of Elba.

Martin is charged with petit larceny.

There's been no release on the possible arrest of the man who was with him.

The TV was wrapped in a security device, which Martin is also accused of stealing.

Following arraignment in Town of Batavia Court, Martin was jailed on $1,000 bail.

A person has managed to get a TV out of Kmart without paying for it, load it in a black pickup truck and then head down Park Road toward the Thruway.

Local law enforcement responding. The Thruway Authority is being notified.

There are two white males in the truck.

UPDATE 8:57 p.m.: A truck has been stopped with a 46" LED TV in the bed.

At least 12 males are congregating in the area of Tim Horton's and Wendy's on Main Street in the city and appear to be preparing for a fight, according to a caller to dispatch. Police are responding.

Animal control has been dispatched to a home on Rose Road, Batavia, for a two-foot snake spotted in the back yard.

UPDATE 10:45 a.m.: The call has been turned over to the DEC. The animal control officer is back in service.