batavia

A caller complained to dispatch that a female was smoking a cigarette inside a black Dodge Caravan while an infant was in the vehicle. The vehicle, which is registered to an owner who lives in Clarence Center, was last seen near the Peking Buffet and left BJs Wholesale shopping plaza in an unknown direction of travel. Law enforcement is responding.

A three-vehicle accident is reported at Ellicott and Jackson, near Angotti Beverages. One driver is injured. City police and fire are on scene and Mercy medics are responding. Two flatbeds will be needed for tows.

UPDATE 12:13 p.m.: Two additional patients are reported. Mercy medics are on scene. Reports that a pedestrian was struck proved false.

UPDATE 12:39 p.m.: An 85-year-old female patient is transported to UMMC for evaluation.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported on the westbound Thruway near mile marker 389.7. One person is trapped inside. Road conditions are "possibly very icy." The location is just east of the State Street Road overpass. Town of Batavia Fire Department, Mercy medics and law enforcement are responding. 

UPDATE 6:36 a.m.: "Town command you've got lots of debris in the roadway." There are actually two vehicles off the roadway; on the east and west side of the Thruway at the State Street Road overpass. There are two patients.

UPDATE 6:42 a.m.: Alexander's ambulance is also requested to the scene.

UPDATE 6:49 a.m.: The trapped patient is extricated.

UPDATE 6:52 a.m.: A second Mercy rig is heading to the scene; Alexander is canceled.

UPDATE 7:10 a.m.: A patient is being transported to Erie County Medical Center.

UPDATE 7:14 a.m.: A second patient is being transported to ECMC.

UPDATE 7:18 a.m.: A 22-year-old male has lacerations and a 25-year-old male is complaining of lower back pain; both are being transported to UMMC. The Town of Batavia assignment is back in service.

A fryer on fire is reported inside Burger King on West Main Street in Batavia. City fire just arrived on scene.

UPDATE 5:21 a.m.: "There was never any fire...we'll be clearing the scene," says city command.

ROTARY CLUB CHAMPIONS: The Batavia High School Varsity Girls Basketball Team with Rotary Club Tournament trophy, from left, Bella Houseknecht, Kennedy Kolb, Meghan Houseknecht, Ryann Stefaniak, Emma Krolczyk, Jenae Colkey, Bryn Wormley, Mackenzie Reigle, Tess Barone and Haylee Thornley.

It was only fitting that senior Meghan Houseknecht dropped in the winning basket in Batavia High’s exciting 59-57 victory over Wellsville in tonight’s championship game of 30^th annual Rotary Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

Houseknecht was a freshman in the Lady Devils’ basketball program in January of 2016 when her father, well-known Batavia businessman Michael Houseknecht, died at the much-too-young age of 38.

With her mother, sister, grandparents, relatives and friends looking on during the closing moments of a hard-fought battle, Houseknecht, a 6-foot center, gathered in a pass from tourney MVP sophomore guard Bryn Wormley and laid the ball over the rim and through the hoop with :06 on the clock.

When teammate Kennedy Kolb broke up Wellsville’s last attempt to tie the game, Batavia had escaped with its seventh win in eight outings this season.

Batavia Coach Marty Hein relished taking the Rotary Club trophy but said he was doubly proud of the way his squad handled the adversity of losing three starters, including their top scorer, senior guard Ryann Stefaniak, who departed with her fifth foul at the 5:12 mark of the final quarter.

“Looking on the bench, we had a lead, I’m thinking we need defense,” Hein said. “ 'OK, Tess (Barone) go in'; Tess plays hardnosed defense and she did a nice job for us to finish the game. And Kennedy Kolb came through.

“I would have rather had Ryann and Kenzie (Reigle) in the game but it turned out that it was a nice win where everyone contributed down the line.”

He also spoke of the way Wormley has stepped up her game this season – “she’s blossoming and it’s fun to watch,” he said – and called Houseknecht’s late heroics “just rewards.”

“Remembering three years ago, it (her father’s passing) was heartbreaking,” he said. “Meg’s an awesome girl; I love her to death and it’s kind of fitting that she makes the shot to win the game.”

The game was close throughout as the teams were never separated by more than seven points.

Wellsville, now 7-2, was up by seven with two minutes left in the third quarter before Batavia ended the period on an 11-1 run with key hoops by Wormley, Reigle and Stefaniak.

Batavia grabbed its biggest lead, 48-43, on a basket by Wormley to open the fourth-quarter scoring, but Wellsville, which kept Batavia off balance with accurate long-distance shooting, pulled ahead 51-50 with 3:45 to play on a three-point shot by senior guard Taylor Adams.

Wellsville made it 53-50 on a pair of free throws by senior guard Jana Whitehouse, but Wormley responded with a three-pointer at the 2:55 mark to tie it at 53-53.

After a free throw by Wellsville’s freshman guard Marley Adams, Batavia scored four straight on a driving layup by sophomore guard Reigle and two foul shots by Wormley to take a 57-54 edge with 1:06 to play.

A pair of free throws by Adams on separate trips down the floor pulled Wellsville within a point and a free throw by senior guard Quincy Buckley with 15 seconds left made it 57-57.

Batavia inbounded the ball, with senior forward Jenae Colkey managing to escape pressure to get the ball to Wormley, who drove down the left side of the lane before lobbing it in to Houseknecht for the decisive bucket.

“The play was to get the ball to Bryn because she was the facilitator at the point in the game – the person who could either make the right pass or get into position to score,” Hein said.

Houseknecht said she was able to get free underneath by virtue of a screen from Kolb and was able to complete the play.

“When I cut through I saw I had a mismatch as the girl was shorter, and Bryn made a good pass to me,” she said. “I knew when I got the ball that I had to shoot it (right away), and fortunately it went in.”

Ironically, the basket was Houseknecht’s only two points of the game and touched off a wild celebration from the Batavia fans.

“All week we were super-excited to play in the tournament and then after winning on Wednesday (against Caledonia-Mumford) to play in the championship game,” Houseknecht said.

Stefaniak led the Batavia scoring with 19 points – five of them in the closing seconds of the first half to pull her team within two at 29-27 at intermission.

Wormley tallied 16 while Reigle and junior forward Emma Krolczyk, who both fouled out in the game’s closing minute, added 13 and nine points, respectively.

For Wellsville, Buckley led the way with 17 – including four three-point baskets -- and junior center Regan Marsh added 13. All told, Wellsville sank eight three-pointers.

We knew that they were an outside shooting team, we were worried more about Winehouse – and Buckley was popping them,” Hein said. “We knew what we were up against … We didn’t close out soon enough – they were popping.”

Stefaniak, Adams and Buckley made the all-tournament team along with Notre Dame’s Callie McCulley (ND defeated Cal-Mum in the consolation game) while Reigle earned the Sportsmanship Award.

 Photos by Thomas Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.

City police are called to 46 Walnut St. for the report of a female with a dog bite. The dog is secured in a residence now.

Robert W. Redinger, 29, of Dublin Road, Bergen, is charged with: DWI -- combined drugs or alcohol; unlawful fleeing a police officer in the third degree; reckless driving; failure to yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle; refusal to take a breath test; running a red light; moving from lane unsafely (four counts); speed in zone (four counts); unsafe start (two counts); failure to stop at stop sign (three counts); and unlawful possession of marijuana. Redinger was arrested at 2 a.m. on Dec. 29 on Harvester Avenue in Batavia after he allegedly refused to pull over for a traffic stop. He allegedly proceeded to lead police on a high-speed pursuit; his vehicle stopped as a result of him running out of gas. He was allegedly found to be intoxicated and then he was processed and arraigned in city court and put in jail. (Bail status is not mentioned.) The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Darryle Streeter, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Trace G. Brewer, 18, of Montclair Avenue, Batavia, is charged with third-degree burglary, petit larceny and third-degree criminal trespass. Brewer was arrested at 8 a.m. on Dec. 30 on Montclair Avenue after he allegedly entered a shed and stole property. He is due in Batavia City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider, assisted by Officer Jason Ivison.

Shah L Zajic, 42, of Batavia, was arrested in the early morning of Dec. 27 by the Le Roy Police Department and charged with: felony driving while intoxicated; felony aggravated driving while intoxicated with a BAC .18 percent or more; unlawful possession of marijuana; speed in zone; and failure to signal. At about 2:25 a.m. Dec. 27^th, an officer assigned to DWI Crackdown Patrol observed a vehicle allegedly moving at a high rate of speed on Wolcott Street in the Village of Le Roy. A lawful traffic stop was initiated after the vehicle also failed to use a signal while making a turn. The operator was identified as Zajic. After a subsequent investigation it was allegedly found that Zajic was intoxicated. Zajic was taken into custody and processed without incident; arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court put in jail with bail set at $2,500 cash or $5,000 bond. Zajic is due back in court on Jan. 22 to answer the charges.

Derrick L. Washington, 46, Roosevelt Avenue, Batavia, is charged with: DWI -- BAC of .08 percent or more; DWI -- first offense; speeding; unlicensed operator; aggravated unlicensed operation. On Dec. 31 at 11:20 p.m. on Liberty Street in Batavia, Washington was arrested on these charges following a traffic stop. After his arraignment in city court, he was jailed in lieu of $1,000 cash or bond. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Ranelle E. Reuben, 36, of Judge Road, Basom, is charged with: driving with a BAC of .08 percent or more; DWI; aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree; following too closely; and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Reuben was arrested at 5:38 p.m. on Dec. 18 on West Main Street in Batavia. The defendant allegedly left the scene of a property damage accident after striking another vehicle and the defendant was allegedly intoxicated and operating the vehicle without a driver's license. Reuben was arraigned in city court and jailed without bail. Reuben was due in city court on Dec. 19. The case was handled Batavia Police Officer Jamie Givens.

Billie L. Harper, 41, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with: criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; unlawful possession of marijuana; driving while ability impaired by drugs; having a cracked front windshield. Harper was arrested at 9:07 a.m. on Dec. 23 on State Street in Batavia after a citizen's complaint of a subject slouched over the steering wheel of a vehicle. Batavia police responded and located Harper asleep in her vehicle at the intersection of Washington Avenue and State Street. After further investigation police allegedly found Harper to be impaired. The defendant is due in city court on Jan. 15. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence, assisted by Officer Stephen Quider.

Matthew T. Ryan, 42, of Henskee Road, Alden, is charged with DWI -- common law and aggravated DWI -- with a BAC of .18 percent or more. Ryan was arrested at 6:44 p.m. on Dec. 21 on Walnut Street in Batavia following the investigation into a vehicle complaint. He was due in city court on Jan. 2. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen, assisted by Officer Chad Richards.

George Michael Hodges, 28, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with obstructing governmental administration in the second degree and harassment in the second degree. Hodges was arrested at 1:50 p.m. on Dec. 30 on Oak Street. It is alleged that he physically interfered with police while they were investigating a disturbance call on Oak Street. He was arraigned in city court and put in jail in lieu of $1,000 cash or bond. He was due in court on Dec. 31 to answer the charges. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Ernest D. Lane, 60, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief. Lane was arrested at 6:40 a.m. on Jan. 1 for allegedly intentionally breaking property that belonged to a female acquaintance. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and jailed in lieu of $2,500 cash bail. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Frank Klimjack, assisted by Officer Nicole McGinnis.

Adam James Gill, 30, of North Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested at 11 a.m. on Jan. 3 on Church Street in Elba following a visit from probation in the Town of Elba. He was arrested for allegedly being inside the residence and in the presence of a protected party. He was arraigned in Oakfield Town Court and put in jail with bail set at $500 cash or $1,000 bond. He is due in court again on Jan. 9. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Robert Henning.

Tiesha Deon Doward, 32, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Doward was arrested at 12:38 p.m. on Dec. 31 following a shoplifting complaint at Tops Friendly Market in Batavia. Doward is accused of leaving the store with $99.69 worth of merchandise without paying for it. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison, assisted by Officer Matthew Lutey.

Joshua J. Dibble, no permanent address, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dibble was arrested on Jan. 1 on an active arrest warrant out of Batavia City Court charging him with petit larceny. It is alleged that Oct. 4 on West Main Street in Batavia that Dibble took a 12-pack of beer from a store without paying for it. Following his arrest on the warrant, he was arraigned and jailed in lieu of $1,000 cash or bond. He was due in court again on Jan. 3. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards, assisted by Officer Christopher Camp.

If Sean A. Semprie Jr., had just stuck around the Genesee County Courthouse one morning back in May he wouldn't be heading to state prison today.

Judge Charles Zambito was ready to cut Semprie a deal back then that would have meant some jail time followed by five years probation on drug peddling charges. But while Zambito conferred with Semprie's attorney, the 25-year-old told a court official he had to go out to his car. He never came back.

His attorney, Public Defender Jerry Ader told Zambito it should count in Semprie's favor that he never left Genesee County, even with a warrant pending, that he knew eventually he would be caught, and that while it was a poor decision, he wanted to get a job and take care of his family, which he did, Ader said.

Assistant District Attorney Kevin Finnell said the "take care of his family" excuse rang a little hollow.

"The defendant had an opportunity here," Finnell said, adding later, "the fact that he's managed to stay away from being re-arrested is not an indication of his ability to behave lawfully. He says he had a job but there's no indication of what he's been doing (since May).

"Going back to 2008, there's been a bench warrant issued for him, he's had his probation revoked, that was in Monroe County on a burglary charge, and there was a warrant for his return here in 2017 (when Semprie was extricated from Maine on his drug dealing indictment)."

Given that history, and with a maximum available sentence, Finnell said, "He's done nothing to earn less than the maximum."

Semprie spoke politely but said he disagreed with the district attorney. He said he was sorry for the trouble he caused the court, but "everything he says about me was 10 years ago. I was a different person. Now I'm a man. I have a child. I did make poor choices. I mean, I'm sorry for what I did but I don't think I deserve five years."

Zambito said he didn't have a lot of confidence that Semprie is a man who abides by the rules.

"This is not the way to take care of your baby," Zambito said. "I guess the disturbing part is that you were here and after I tried to talk with your attorney, you left. Well, I guess that was a mistake on my part but what you did was a bigger mistake on your part."

Perhaps a three and a half year jail term followed by two years of parole will teach Semprie a lesson, Zambito said, adding, "I don't know."

Semprie still faces a bail jumping charge in Batavia City Court.

Busking in Batavia is uncommon -- in fact, I've never seen it before and a couple of longtime residents I spoke to said they've never seen street musicians in the city before, so when I spotted Anthony Coco in front of Aldi yesterday evening, I had to stop and chat with him.

He wasn't too talkative, so no interview in the video. 

He said he's been in Batavia for three months. He's from Las Vegas. He's busking -- accepting donations while playing music -- because that's his only option to feed himself. He's lost his Social Security card and birth certificate so can't get help from any social services. He's been couch surfing since moving to Batavia.

Yes, "that would be the idea" to become a professional musician he said, but right now the best he can do is busk.

Taking other people's cars and driving them drunk looks like too much of a habit for Robert C. Frank, from the view of Judge Charles Zambito, so in Genesee County Court today, Zambito decided to send Frank to prison for the first time in his life.

Frank, 39, a resident of Buffalo, has multiple felony DWI convictions, including two Class D felonies, but has received nothing more than jail time and probation on his previous convictions.

He admitted today that in June he took another person's 2008 Jeep and drove while intoxicated. 

Since he's had prior DWI convictions within the past 10 years, that made the DWI in Batavia a felony. It could have been a Class D felony but District Attorney Lawrence Friedman offered a plea agreement to a Class E felony for DWI and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

"He has two previous Class D felony DWIs," Friedman told Zambito. "He received a consideration being able to plead to a Class E but on the basis of additional charges of attempted grand larceny (in Erie County), and based on his history, he should receive no further consideration."

Friedman asked for a one and a half to four year prison term. 

While, according to Zambito, Frank thought he had permission to drive his sister's 2008 Jeep, he can't really be certain that's the case, and while he realizes that Frank has never been placed into treatment for drinking, given his history a community-based sentence (jail time plus probation, which would include treatment) didn't seem appropriate.

Zambito sent Frank to prison for one to three years.

• Jan. 10 -- Ricotta Cheese
• Feb. 14 -- (V-Day) Chocolate Truffles
• March 14 -- Irish Soda Bread
• April 11 -- Carrot Cake
• May 9 -- Handmade Fresh Pasta
• June 13 -- Summer Risotto

There will be no rematch of last year's final between Cal-Mum and Notre Dame for the Rotary Championship after both teams fell in first-round games on Wednesday at Genesee Community College.

Notre Dame fell to Wellsville in the first game and Batavia notched a convincing 55-28 win over Cal-Mum, who lost to Notre Dame last year, but won the championship in 2017.

Bryn Wormley scored 15 points and Ryann Stefaniak scored 14 to lead the Blue Devils. Kenz Reigle added 10 and Emma Krolczyk and Jenae Colkey added six each.

For Cal-Mum, Elyse Van Auken scored 12 points.

Batavia Coach Marty Hein said he's been working with his team on their defense, which needs to improve for the team to advance and will be key if the team is to win Friday against Wellsville.

"They (Wellsville) have some outside shooters," Hein said. "They have people from the outside and they can also drive and penetrate. Our defense has to be, somebody has to play shutdown on the ball and we've got to steer it one direction and the other. People have to be willing to jump off and shut down driving lanes down as well as knowing who's the shooter and get out there them to close out them."

Game time Friday is 7:30 p.m. in the Anthony Zambito Gym at GCC.

Photos by Thomas Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.

A couple of months ago a friend contacted me and asked if I would like a book from the Union School. I immediately said, “yes.” When I taught at Robert Morris School there was a painting of a very impressive red brick school called Union School. I always thought there was another school on Union Street besides Robert Morris. When I began researching schools for my book, I learned the impressive school did exist in Batavia but on Ross Street.

Here is a brief timeline of the schools in Batavia. As Western New York was settled in the 1700s, the first thing on a settler’s mind was to build a home for the family and gardens or crops to feed them, but no community was complete until a church was built and soon followed by a schoolhouse.

By 1798, there were 1,352 schools in the Holland Land Purchase (the area sold and administrated from the Holland Land Office in Batavia). Within 40 years (by 1838) that number increased almost tenfold, to 10,583. 

The first brick school was constructed in Batavia in 1811. It had the public school downstairs and a meeting place for the Masonic Lodge upstairs. In 1829, the school district was divided between west of Dingle Alley and east of Dingle Alley. That would be the intersection of East Main and Center Street.

In 1839, the districts were consolidated and Batavia’s First Free Union School District 1 was built. In 1861, District 2 was combined with District 1. As a result, overcrowding occurred and the need for a new school was inevitable. The school district purchased land on Ross Street and in 1873 the red brick high school was built. It opened in 1874.

It was demolished in 1926 and was replaced with a new high school, currently the Batavia Middle School. The book I mentioned in this article was from the first high school that had the impressive red brick façade and towers. The book is stamped Union School 1905. The title of the book is, "The History of Little Goody Two Shoes," published in 1900. The book is dedicated "To All Young Gentlemen and Ladies who are good or intend to be good."

In 1911 the district was combined with one superintendent in charge of all schools. In the City School District, there was a high school, five elementary schools, the school for the blind and one Catholic school with students to 12th grade. By 1920, 400 students attended the high school; it was overflowing.

In 1921, 30 students had to go to vacant classrooms at East school. In 1920 the high school was built. There were five elementary schools and only one had been built in the 1900s. Washington was built in 1885 and had four rooms. In 1903 H. W. Homelius built a new school that had two floors and eight classrooms. It opened in 1904. Also built at the same time was Pringle School and William Street School. Washington School was built in 1885. East School and West School were built in 1892.

 In 1925 Jackson School would be built to replace William School and Pringle School. In 1929 Brooklyn School, Robert Morris, and Jackson school opened. In 1939 Jackson School was enlarged and opened as a junior high school. By 1948 all city schools were crowded. Students were bussed to less crowded schools. Parents protested, they wanted their kids in their neighborhood schools.

Temporary schools were created at East School and Washington School. In 1950, city council offered to the City School District a site on Vine Street for a new school. Pringle school closed and was razed in 1954. Lincoln School closed in 1960. Children living south of Ellicott Street went to Jackson School, which was no longer a junior high school. A new school was to be built on Vine Street, called John Kennedy School, named after the superintendent John Kennedy who served from 1890 to 1930.

As public schools were being built, so were parochial schools. St. Joseph School opened in 1882, Sacred Heart School in 1904, St. Anthony’s School in 1930, St. Mary’s School in 1951, and Notre Dame High School opened in 1952. St. Joseph School is currently the only Catholic Elementary School in Batavia along with Notre Dame High School.

In 1961 the current Batavia High School was built on State Street. The high school on Ross Street was changed to a middle school. A new school for B.O.C.E.S. was also built on State Street and opened in 1976. In 1972 the new Genesee Community College was built.

In 2014 Robert Morris School closed. Jackson School became the district primary school and John Kennedy School became the intermediate school.

Even though the earliest history of the various schoolhouses throughout the region had similar stories with varied locations and different building designs, they all were built for the same reason -- to educate the children in what is today our city schools.

I attended East School, John Kennedy School, St. Joseph and Notre Dame High and I taught at Jackson School, Robert Morris School and John Kennedy School. I am currently on the faculty at St. Joseph School.

Adam B. Thomas, 29, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and public appearance under the influence of a narcotic drug. At 10:19 a.m. on Dec. 28, the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center received the complaint of an intoxicated male operating an electric scooter inside a department store, causing a disturbance. Sheriff's deputies arrived and initiated an investigation into the complaint. The scooter operator was identified as Thomas and he was allegedly determined to be under the influence of a narcotic drug. Following a subsequent search, it is alleged that Thomas possessed a powdered substance that tested positive for the synthetic opioid fentanyl. He was taken to jail, processed and issued appearance tickets returnable to Town of Batavia Court on Jan. 17. The investigation was conducted by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong, assisted by Deputy Richard Schildwaster.

Matthew Hawkeye Pape, 27, of Lockport Road, Oakfield, is charged with first degree criminal contempt. At 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 29 following the investigation of a domestic incident on Lockport Road, Pape was arrested on the charge. He allegedly struck another individual in the head with a door, causing physical injury, thereby violating an order of protection issued by Town of Oakfield Court. Pape was arraigned and jailed in lieu of $5,000 cash bail. He is due in Oakfield court Jan. 4. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Mullen, assisted by Sgt. Jason Saile.

Zachary Erin Brazzell, 20, of Alabama Street, Medina, is charge with: DWI -- first offense with a BAC of .08 percent or more; DWI -- first offense; no/inadequate headlamp; and unlawful possession of marijuana. Brazzell was arrested at 20 River St. in Batavia at 4:12 a.m. on Dec. 30 following a traffic stop. Brazzell was issued appearance tickets returnable to the City of Batavia Court on Feb. 6. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Mullen.

A two-car accident with possible minor injuries is blocking traffic at Woodrow Road and West Main Street in the city. City fire and Alexander ambulance are responding (no Mercy rig is currently available).