batavia

Eight-year-old Amelia McCulley was also a first-place winner in the City Fire Department's fire safety poster contest and this morning it was her turn to ride in Engine 11 to school.

All of her classmates at St. Joe's turned out to see her arrive at school after she was driven around the city a bit in the truck.

Chief Jim Maxwell, Colin, 9, Matthew, 3, Amelia, their mother Amanda. and firefighter Mike Dorgan.

Press release:

By making small adjustments to costume and decoration choices on Halloween, danger and risk to public safety is easily decreased.

“It is important for people to take basic precautions to make sure they have nothing other than a fun-filled Halloween,” says Greg Ireland, president of the Batavia Firefighters of IAFF Local 896.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the United States sees an overall increase in fires on Halloween caused by open flames, and the arson fire rate is 10 percent higher than on any other day with 15,500 fires and $92 million in property loss per year.

To ensure a safe and happy Halloween, the City of Batavia firefighters offer the following tips:

• Use battery-operated lights, not candles, to decorate walkways. Always keep candles, matches and lighters in a place that children cannot reach. This will make it much safer for trick-or-treaters and decrease the chance of an open flame fire.
• Keep children, costumes and decorations away from open flames and heat sources. Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable.
• Check lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. Make sure they are certified by a recognized organization like the Underwriters’ Laboratory, Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or the Underwriters’ Laboratory of Canada (ULC). Do not overload extension cords. Indoor and outdoor decorative lights can be fire hazards.
• Choose costumes that are comfortable, easy to walk in and see.
• Pick brightly colored costumes that can be clearly seen by motorists. Add reflective tape to the costume to increase visibility.
• Please call 9-1-1 for the help of your local firefighters in the case of a fire or emergency.

The City of Batavia Firefighters from IAFF Local 896 wishes you a happy and safe Halloween.

Two armed robbery suspects were captured moments ago by local law enforcement officers and taken into custody. The pair is believed to have taken part in an armed robbery in Irondequoit and were fleeing westbound on Route 490 in a 2009 red Chevy Impala.

An APB was issued alerting authorities of the suspect vehicle, and officers were at the Batavia exit in case they exited there, but the car kept going and Sheriff's deputies were posted at the Route 77 exit.

The next information over the scanner was that two people were in custody, so it's not clear at this point just where the arrests took place, although it was in Genesee County.

The vehicle is registered to an individual in Cheektowaga.

Nick Alexander Hawkins, 29, of Randall Road, Le Roy, is charged with reckless endangerment, 2nd, and criminal mischief, 4th. Hawkins is accused spraying pepper spay at the driver and front seat passenger of a vehicle while on Black Street Road, Pavilion.

Daniel J. Wolfe, 39, of 6 Wood St., upper, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wolfe is accused of stealing $152 in merchandise from Save-A-Lot. Wolfe was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Kimberli A. Knickerbocker, 47, of 218 Liberty St.,Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Knickerbocker is accused of stealing money from a wallet at Save-A-Lot.

Press release:

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month members of “Just Shake It” Zumba, with Joyce Zaremski, are sporting their pink buffs in class. Because so many of our friends and family members have been afflicted or affected by cancer the “Just Shake It” girls are showing their support by becoming Pink Zumba Warriors for the month of October.

Just Shake It Zumba is located on Apollo Drive directly behind the Batavia Daily News. Classes are held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 7 and Saturday mornings from 8:30-9:30. Come and try a class for free…you’ll be hooked! The Latin-inspired Zumba Dance is a great way to burn calories and workout to fun music while making new friends in the process. For more information call Joyce at 585-944-1111.

Press release:

Now into the third year of implementation, the City of Batavia’s Strategic Plan has been able to show the City’s accomplishments in providing residents with more efficient services at the most cost-effective means. In a 45-minute presentation, City staff highlighted several initiatives and projects the City has taken on over the past three years demonstrating improved levels of service and tax dollars saved for City residents.

Several of the highlights discussed were:

• The City’s financial recovery and improved bond rating in July 2012;
• Receiving more than $105,000 in NYS Archives grant funding since 2010, which has help digitize more than 151,000 documents making it quicker for staff to locate and copy documents;
• By partnering with the Genesee Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC), Town of Batavia and OATKA Milk Products Cooperative, Inc., the City benefited from a $4 million cost avoidance with the installation of new sewer lines and pump station under Cedar Street. The public-private partnership provided increased sewer capacity for OATKA to expand while freeing up additional sewer capacity along Ellicott Street;
• Saving approximately $328,000 by utilizing cured-in-place pipe technology, instead of conventional sewer lining replacements;
• Investing more than $1.1 million and improved more than 12 miles of roadway since 2010;
• Improving more than 13,300 linear feet of sidewalks since 2011;
• Saving more than $195,000 since 2007 with the City’s water loss program, which includes rebuilding water meters and conducting an annual leak detection survey;
• A decrease in the amount of time it has taken for properties to become compliant for exterior code violation from 10 months in 2010 to 6.4 months in 2012 as a result of the City’s Systematic Code Enforcement;
• The Fire Department has become one of the busiest child safety stations in Western New York by increasing the number of child seat inspections/installations from 22 in 2011 to 169 in 2013. Also the Fire Department on average has conducted more than 300 hours annually of fire prevention public education making contact with more than 2,000 residents. 
• The Police Department has bolstered its community policing efforts by logging more than 90 hours of community policing with both the foot patrol and bicycle patrol;
• The City Youth Bureau’s Youth Garden harvested more than 25 pounds of fresh vegetables 2013;

Lastly, the City has achieved 98-percent participation from City employees and dependents in the City’s wellness plan, contributing to healthier workforce focused on healthy living choices, prevention, and early detection and treatment. Since 2011, EBS-RMSCO, the City’s healthcare administrator, has estimated that the City, employees and dependents have avoided more than $1 million of possible healthcare claims due to early detection and treatment.

“The City has made great strides in so many areas since I began this public service eight years ago,” said Tim Buckley, City Council president. “We have had successful surpluses the past couple years and we have a strategic plan that it appears we are right on track with. I'm very proud of our staff and council on this success.”

Second Ward Councilperson Patti Pacino added, “It is rewarding that the City's Strategic Plan has already met such success in the relatively short time it has been in progress. Long hours of analyzing citizens' surveys, prioritizing what could be done feasibly and financially, and helping set in motion the actual work to accomplish those goals brought together members of our City Staff, our City Council, and most importantly, the Citizens of Batavia.”

The intent of the City’s Strategic and Business Plan is to allocate available resources to best meet the needs of our residents, while balancing the environmental factors that may affect us in the future. There are seven identified strategic priorities that include, Financial Health, Government Efficiency, Economic Development and Job Creation, Neighborhood Revitalization, Environmental Sustainability, Public Safety and Healthy and Involved Community Members. The mission of the City of Batavia is to create and sustain a vibrant, affordable, safe community where people choose to live and work and where, through a supportive environment, businesses continuously flourish.

Press release:

Batavia has one less vacant building and a new business coming soon! Local entrepreneur Tim Walton has plans to open a cold kitchen eatery and bar at 35 Jackson Street. Crazy Cal's, will add a fun atmosphere for everyone to hang out, eat or have a drink.

"We want to be able to give something that isn't really here in Batavia." Walton says. "If you're hungry, we are going have a fast service cold kitchen, which is Specialty sandwiches, soups, salads and a few other food items as well. If you're thirsty, we have a bar to get enjoy a beverage from the unique drink menu and if you just want to hang out, we will have music, TVs to watch the sports games, pool tables and other games to play as well."

Just where did the name come from? "Cal is short for California. I wanted to open a place that you would expect to see along a boardwalk at the beach. It's not beach-themed, but you go on vacation and see these fun places to hang out and have fun, and that's the atmosphere of what I wanted to bring here."

Walton is no stranger to the bar and restaurant business. The last two years he has been able to gain management experience at several bars and clubs in Buffalo including Bayou, LUX, and Privato Lounge.

"The experience allowed me to learn event management, promotions, liquor laws, staffing management and everything else that is needed to run and manage a bar," he said.

Most recently, Walton has also been able to gain restaurant and food management skills from The Lodge, a high end restaurant in Buffalo. He has also done local shows and events at City Slickers, T.F. Brown's and Center Street Smokehouse and the list of shows includes The Zac Brown Tribute Band, Buffalo Bills, MTV and more.

Crazy Cal's which is aiming to be open by the holidays, and will be open at least five days per week, has already attracted much interested from the public.

"It's getting a lot of excitement," Walton said. "I've already spoken to a few teams and church groups that are interested in doing fundraisers here once it opens, too, so it's definitely exciting. It's something that will be good for the city and can benefit everyone."

The business is expected to create a minimum of five to 10 new jobs as well.

For more information, and to track the progress of Crazy Cal's, you can follow them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/crazycals.

Andrew Beal, a student at John Kennedy, got a ride to school this morning in a City of Batavia fire truck as his prize for winning the department's recent fire safety poster contest.

Firefighter Dave Adams, Andrew's father Jerome, and Chief Jim Maxwell with Andrew.

Andrew and his father Jerome waiting for Engine 11 to arrive.

A minor-injury accident is reported at Ellicott and Jackson streets. City fire and Mercy medics are on scene.

UPDATE 6:55 p.m.: One patient was taken to UMMC.

Photos and information submitted by Chelsea Dillon.

With the permission of the Business Improvement District, Reality Check Students (a Genesee-Orleans County Youth Bureau program) decorated pumpkins to include in Halloween displays Downtown with facts about smoking. The program leads up to the 38th Annual Great American Smokeout. The smokeout is Nov. 21, when smokers are encouraged to give up cigarettes for 24 hours.

Press release:

On Saturday, Oct. 26, Batavia Police Department, Le Roy Police Department, and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office participated in the D.E.A. Sponsored, National Drug Take Back Day. In Genesee County Take Back sites were operated at the Batavia Police Department, 10 W. Main St., the LeRoy Police Department, 3 W. Main St. and the Pembroke Town Highway Barns, at routes 5 and 77.

Collected at the three sites in Genesee County was a total of 527 pounds of medications and hypodermic instruments.

The collected items have been delivered to Buffalo D. E. A. for proper disposal.

Police wish to thank the public for their enthusiastic response to this great program.  Working together we have kept these drugs from potentially being abused and from contaminating our environment.

Dear Friends; 
On May 19th, 2008 tragedy struck close to home for most of us when the Reis family lost their lives too soon. A memorial scholarship fund was set up in the family’s name for remembrance that is awarded to a graduating Byron-Bergen Student each year. Unfortunately funds have diminished and with this night we plan to contribute to the scholarship so their memory can live on and continue to impact future generations in the Byron-Bergen School District. 

Our 1st Annual Reis Memorial event will have guests enjoying each others company in remembrance and a unique and exciting casino experience. At the end of the evening each individual’s chips can be “cashed” in for tickets to our Chinese auction and a chance to win an assortment of valuable prizes. Space is limited and tickets will sell out quickly! 

You can make a difference. 
Your sponsorship of, or prize donation to this event, will help bring us one step closer to achieving our goal of ensuring that college scholarships will continue in remembrance of the Reis Family. If you would like more information about the event, please contact Brendan Lougheed, Event Coordinator at (585) 721-8955 or by e-mail at loughebf@gmail.com. 

Thank you for your support in keeping their memory alive by impacting the future Byron-Bergen scholarship recipient(s).

A pedestrian was struck by a car and is down in the roadway in front of Batavia High School, 260 State St. City fire and Mercy medics are responding and police are on scene.

UPDATE 3:10 p.m.: "We're being told now there was no vehicle involved and the child fell off a bike," says the dispatcher.

UPDATE 3:50 p.m.: The patient is being transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy medics.

Byron Hoot, a Pittsburgh-area resident, is a longtime John Gardner fan and scholar. He's a poet and author who has worked for years on a series of poems based on Gardner's novel "Grendel." For the first time last year, Hoot came to Batavia for the annual Gardner night at the Pok-A-Dot. He then came back in the summer for the Gardner symposium at Genesee Community College and returned this year for the Gardner Society's annual gathering at the Dot.  (To file under "It's a Small World," Hoot studied at a college in Ohio where his literature professor was Art Seamans. I also took literature classes with Seamans in San Diego. The two men join a group of writers annually for a workshop in the Adirondacks. I've not made that trip yet. Maybe this summer ... ). Here's an appreciation by Hoot of the annual local reading and Batavia's literary giant.

I do not know how many cities, towns, or villages across America that have a famous son or daughter of literature do what Batavia, New York does.

Once a year (and it almost feels like “Once upon a time. . ..”), a group gathers who are John Gardner fans. Fans is the wrong word. Friends, students are better words though it’s difficult to explain a relationship with someone dead who still so influences the living, a group of people from all walks of life not strictly academic. . . .

To say nothing of having John’s brother, Jim, and family members there to listen and recite John Gardner’s words which are still very much alive.

We came, the last Saturday of October because he speaks to us still. We come to the Pok-A Dot diner because that’s where he went. We read to honor someone whose writing is honest enough to have opened something in each of us that would have never been opened before.

Terry Abrams, one of the readers, called it — most recently, last Saturday -– a community.  It is. He said in a world where entertainment is everywhere this form where reading and listening and then later talking at O’Lacy’s is an anomaly. He’s right, of course. And I think of that old adage of writing – “to delight and to instruct.” We have forgotten that delight and instruction is of the soul. But not all.

And I suspect John Gardner would growl and say, “Of course! Of course! Write on! Write on!” and give a Grendel smile.

Batavia . . . well done.

Several school bus drivers have reported a dangerous condition at Hutchins and Ellicott streets, apparently due to a landscaping operation blocking, or partially blocking, the roadway thereby obstructing traffic.

Mercy medics are on scene to aid a person with an amputated finger behind the barn on the grounds of the County Highway Department. The location is off the "new road area off Cedar and Ellicott." The original location was reported to be Ag Park Drive East.

Daniel C. Dilaura, 39, of Brooklyn Avenue, Batavia, is charged with felony criminal contempt, unlawful imprisonment, 2nd, criminal mischief, 4th, felony DWI, consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle, refusal to submit to breath test, obstructing government administration, 2nd, and resisting arrest. Dilaura was reportedly in a vehicle on State Route 39 at Chapman Avenue, Town of Castile, when he was observed in an alleged domestic dispute. Dilaura allegedly held a female in his car against her will. Once Dilaura pulled the vehicle to the side of the roadway, she reportedly attempted to call for help, at which time Dilaura allegedly took her phone away. She was able to get the phone back a short time later and phone 9-1-1. The first officer on scene was Aaron Chase, Perry PD. He reported observing Dilaura exit the driver's seat of his car and begin running away on foot. Chase pursued Dilaura into a nearby field and was able to apprehend Dilaura after an alleged brief struggle. Dilaura was turned over to the Wyoming County Sheriff's Office when deputies arrived. Dilaura allegedly violated an order of protection barring offensive conduct toward the female. He was allegedly found to be driving drunk and has a prior DWI conviction from 2007. Dilaura's vehicle was towed from the scene. He was jailed without bail.

Jerald E. Bliemeister, 43, of Gibson Street, Oakfield, is charged with driving while ability impaired by alcohol and failure to keep right. Bliemeister was stopped at 3:37 a.m. Sunday on Route 354 at Schad Road, Town of Bennington, by Deputy Colin Reagan, Wyoming County Sheriff's Office, for an alleged traffic violation.

Three 17-year-old Batavia residents are charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The youths were allegedly found in possession of marijuana by Batavia PD at 2:15 a.m. Saturday on Walker Place, Batavia (behind Batavia Middle School).

Richard A. Brink, 32, of 1625 Culver Road, Rochester, is charged with disobeying mandate. Brink allegedly violated a court order by contacting a protected person.

Anthony Daniel Micucci, 19, of Bonnie Brea Drive, Darien, is charged with petit larceny. Micucci allegedly entered the vehicle of another person without permission and stole personal property. Micucci was jailed on $2,500 bail. Micucci was also charged with criminal trespass, 2nd, and possession or consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Amara Michele Dahn, 23, of Royce Road, Varysburg, is charged with petit larceny. Dahn is accused of stealing merchandise from Kmart.

Jorden Mackenzie Charcholla, 23, of Fairgrounds Road, Byron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right, speeding and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle on a public highway. Charcholla was stopped at 11:12 p.m. Friday on Townline Road, Byron, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Amy S. Hofert, 40, of 67 Mechanic St., Elba, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Hofert allegedly punched another person in the nose.

Mark Anthony Antinore, 35, of Clinton Street Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Antinore allegedly threatened another person with physical injury during an argument.

Shadow S. Jonathan, 18, of Basom, is charged with assault, 2nd, and criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Jonathan was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident Sept. 13. No further details released.

Kyle A. Arne, 19, of North Tonawanda, is charged with petit larceny. Arne is accused of stealing from a location on Veterans Memorial Drive.