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In her basketball career at Notre Dame High School, Christina Volpe was a prolific scorer and a leader who helped her team to a state championship, but it was more than just her athletic success that left a lasting impact on the school, said Athletic Director Mike Rapone during a ceremony Friday to retire her number.

"She always had a quick smile, was always kind and found a great pleasure in helping others," Rapone said. "As special a basketball player as Christy was, she may have been a more special person. She will always be remembered fondly here at Notre Dame."

Volpe died of an apparent heart attack at age 34 in her home in South Carolina in October.

During her playing career at Notre Dame, Volpe scored 2,392 points, grabbed 1,365 rebounds and amassed an 83-consecutive game streak of double-doubles.  She was named to the Section V Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. With Volpe on the court, Notre Dame won three consecutive Class DD Section V championships, and in 1999, the team won both the state championship and the federation championship and Volpe was named MVP of both tournaments.

Bill Wade, who coached Volpe's team, said the Notre Dame team is the only girls basketball team in Section V history to win a federation championship.

Rapone said Volpe inaugurated a tradition of excellence in girls basketball at Notre Dame that continues to this day. She inspired the next generation of girls to take up the game and play hard and work hard, leading to a second state championship under Head Coach Dave Pero in 2013.

"Along with the talent, she had an amazing work ethic," Rapone said. "She had a burning desire to realize her potential. As talented as she was, she constantly worked to get better. She spent countless hours in the Notre Dame and St. Joe's gyms fine-tuning her game."

Volpe taught her teammates that hard work wasn't just something you brought to the game, you brought it to the gym for every practice, Wade said. She came early, stayed late and made every drill count.

"That's how she became our leader," Wade said. "She led our team to greatness."

Through her example, she not only made her team better, she made her teammates better, both in the game of basketball and in life.

"You compete to beat your own numbers," Wade said. "That's what made us better and that's what made us cherish Christina Volpe. She taught her teammates so much and made her teammates lives better. She made her coach and her coaches better because of the person she was. Christina Volpe is not just a legendary player, she was a treasure because she made all of our lives richer."

Bill Wade.

Joining Rapone and Wade next to the lectern were members of Volpe's family and her former Notre Dame teammates.

Prior to Notre Dame's game with Elba, the players wore T-shirts with Volpe's number and name.

This tribute to Volpe will be hung in the entry hall of Notre Dame.

Volpe's jersey will hang, framed, next to the scoreboard the rest of this season and next season.

The employees at Castilone Chrysler Dodge and Jeep took in these two handsome canines they found wandering and lost near the dealership.

"They are both very nice and want to go home," Sara Stockwell said.

She's hoping the owner will claim the dogs by 5:30 p.m.

UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: The owner has picked up the dogs.

Anytime we cover an entertainment event at Batavia High School, we wind up with a picture of Ross Chua performing. He's very talented and very motivated. This is a photo from a talent show in June.

Besides being a performer, Chua is also a songwriter and composer. On Monday, the Genesee Symphony Orchestra played one of his compositions so it could be recorded to include with his college auditions and interviews.

This may be the first time the GSO performed a composition by a local high school student.

Here's the video:

YMCA Waives half its joining fee to jump start your January! Are you ready to shed those extra holiday pounds? Looking for a fresh start in 2016? Has cabin fever already started setting in? Join the Y during our membership campaign and save! Between 1/11/16 and 1/31/16 we will waive HALF the joining fee on any membership category. Up to $37.50 in savings!

YMCA Membership entitles you and your loved ones the chance to become part of an organization that believes in and promotes active and healthy lifestyles, progressive skill development, fair play, family, and character development. The YMCA is not just another gym. When you join the Y, you join a family and what’s more you join a place where people are looking for changes to their overall health. The Genesee County YMCA offers a wide array of programs and services to meet the interests and needs of the entire family from memberships for youth, college students, families and seniors. From swimming lessons and sports, to childcare and summer camping, there is truly something for everyone at the Genesee County YMCA. 

If you feel like you cannot afford a YMCA membership, it is the policy of the YMCA that no one is turned away due to an inability to pay. Financial assistance for membership and programs is available through the annual Strong Communities Campaign. The application process is easy and confidential. Please call or visit our member service desk to obtain an application. For more information on membership or programs offered at the Genesee County YMCA, please call (585)344­-1664 or log on to our Web site at www.glowymca.org. 

A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported on Batavia Elba Townline Road.

The driver is reportedly conscious and alert and standing up inside the vehicle.

The roadway is blocked

Town of Batavia fire dispatched.

Press release:

A traditional Italian feast catered by Bing's Restaurant, of Amherst, will be available for a St. Joseph Table event at Ascension Parish beginning at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 13.

Proceeds will aid ministry and outreach to area veterans, elderly and youth in the City of Batavia.

Space is limited to 250!

Cost is $25 per person if you buy tickets in advance at the Parish Office. Cash or check only. Make checks payable to Ascension Parish. If you pre-pay and buy online, there is a $1.75 service fee added to the price, so those tickets are $26.75 apiece. To buy tickets online, go to: https://ascensionrcc.weshareonline.org

There will be no sales the day of the event or at the door. 

The seven-course meal will be served family style in the parish's Slomba Hall, located at 17 Sumner St. in the City of Batavia.

The menu includes: antipasto, artichokes, frittata, lentil soup, caesar salad, lemon sorbet, pasta con sardi, pasta & peas, baked fish, greens, bread & butter, coffee/tea and homemade Italian desserts. Cash Bar and wine available for your table.

Music and entertainment by Steve Balestreri.

Theme baskets and 50/50 split will be offered for your enjoyment, too.

The driver of a Nissan Rogue who was involved in an accident shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday at Oak Street and Park Road in Batavia has been cited for failure to yield the right of way on a left turn.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Department issued a press release stating that Marilea Greean, 39, was issued a traffic ticket following an investigation of the accident and she is to appear in City Court at 9 a.m. on Feb. 10.

Greean was southbound on State Route 98 (Oak Street) when she attempted to turn eastbound onto the Thruway as Kathy Birge, 69, was headed northbound the same road in a Chevrolet Cruze. The vehicles collided head on in the middle of the intersection and Greean's Rogue overturned.

Greean was extricated by city firefighters and taked by ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Birge was transported to UMMC for evaluation.

The case was investigated by Batavia PoliceOfficer James DeFreze, assisted by Officer Daniel Coffey.

Officials celebrated the opening of the new cancer treatment center at UMMC on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The $6.5 million center will provide local cancer patients with state-of-the-art treatment.

Dan Ireland, president of UMMC, thanked the dozens of people involved in making the new treatment center a reality. He recalled the most recent UMMC Foundation Auction, where organizers held a special event with the hope of raising $2,000 to help pay for chemo treatment chairs. Donors that night contributed $26,000, covering the cost of 11 treatment stations.

"For the community, by the community," Ireland said. "That demonstrated in just a small portion what our community can do together to make sure their local neighbors have the access to the services they need."

Dawn Lipson, of the Lipson Institute, and with her husband, namesake of the Lipson Cancer Center, said the institute aims to raise hopes and dreams in the fight against cancer.

 "We all hope for a better tomorrow," she said. "We dream about a brighter future. The biggest weapon we have in the fight against cancer is the indomitable spirit. The fact that you all came together, we all part of this big family, and you made this happen, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Eric Bieber, president and CEO of the Rochester Regional Health System, came with a gift, the Bell of Hope.

"This is for patients completing treatment," Bieber said. "They ring the bell as they complete treatment. It's a right of passage for their resiliency in their cancer fight, recognizing that making it through weeks of treatment is an achievement. It's our hope that as patients here it, they garner hope and encouragement and they look forward to the day they can ring it."

It was a transfer of a license from another hospital in the Rochester Regional system that enabled UMMC to acquire and install a linear accelerator for radiation treatment at the center.

Suggested Reading: "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer," by Siddhartha Mukherjee.

Kelly M. Howell, 30, of Otis Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 5th, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 5th. Howell allegedly sold a quantity of Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, which is used to treat ADHD and binge-eating disorder) to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force while in the City of Batavia. Howell turned herself in to task force officers Tuesday. She was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Lena M. Evans, 28, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of controlled substance, 7th, and one count of criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument. Evans was located Monday on Jackson Street, Batavia, by officers of the Task Force, and allegedly found in possession of alprazolam, burprenorphine HCL pills and hypodermic needles. Evans was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Both Julie Pacatte, economic development director the Batavia Development Corp., and City Manager Jason Molino see a very bright horizon for the City of Batavia when they look five years down the road.

A lot of groundwork has been laid over the past couple of years to help transform Batavia's economy and make it a place where both Baby Boomers and Millennials will want to live, work and play.

"Five years from now we'll see a dramatic difference in the city of Batavia," Pacatte said. "I think we will be a community of choice for the Millennial Generation. We are a more diverse community. There will be confidence in investing in the city whether in your home, your own home improvements, or if it's investing in a property Downtown to attract business. I think there will be a dramatic transformation of the landscape."

The optimistic tone was struck during BDC's annual meeting, which was held in council members in City Hall.

And optimism is one of the key drivers of change and growth, Pacatte said during her presentation.

Molino shares the vision.

In fact, he predicts by the Summer of 2017, Downtown Batavia's skyline will be peppered with construction cranes.

"I think we're at the beginning of a renaissance for Batavia," Molino said. "I say that with one caveat, and that is we need to continue with the forward effort we've put forward in the past few years."

That includes improvements to infrastructure, such as sewers and sidewalks, reworking the zoning code through the general plan update process, supporting the BDC and focusing on brownfield redevelopment.

The city and BDC are feeling pretty good this week about a big step forward on one of its biggest projects, transforming the Santy Tire and Dellapenna properties from blighted eyesores into commercial redevelopment.

The BDC is taking over ownership of the property, a first step toward selling the parcels to private developers.

Pacatte said we should expect an announcement on what's coming within the next 30 to 60 days.

Molino is also proud of the City's Pathway to Prosperity Plan, the first of the kind in the state, uniting the city, the county, the school district, the BDC and GCEDC in an arrangement to use funds generated by PILOT payments to help offset the cost of brownfield redevelopment.

The city has designated 366 acres in the primary corridor as the Batavia Opportunity Area (or Brownfield Opportunity Area), with the ability to offer special incentives to developers willing to turn blighted properties into economically viable properties.

The BDC is the lead agency in that effort.

Besides the tone of optimism during Wednesday's meeting, the overriding theme was, ready or not, the Millennials are taking over.  

In the United States, there are now more Millennials than Baby Boomers and by 2020, Millennials will make up nearly half of the nation's workforce.

And it turns out, Millennials and Baby Boomers aren't all that far apart in their wants and aspirations, putting Batavia in a prime position to serve both.

Both cohorts want livable communities, ones that are affordable, accessible and walkable. While boomers are downsizing, Millennials are conscious of their impact on the planet; boomers seek affordable services, Millennials watch their spending because of college debt loads; Boomers have accumulated the wealth to enjoy community living, Millennials are urban-minded.

Some 64 percent of Millennials want to start their own businesses, Boomers have the experience to be mentors and the means to be buyers and investors.  Boomers are team players, Millennials are collaborative. 

Both are interested in building communities that are engaging and filled with entertainment opportunities. They are interested in communities that offer a sense of place.

Pacatte ended her presentation with three questions for audience members to ponder:

• Are we investing in place?
• Do you see value in building a community?
• How optimistic are you?

The Warming Center is open tonight, and will be open tomorrow night, from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. for women and children in need of shelter at the United Methodist Church, Lewiston Road, Batavia.

For assistance, call (585) 993-6371.

There will be pickups at both McDonald's locations in Batavia.

Light meals will be served.

Christina M. Colantonio, the 28-year-old Liberty Street resident whose baby was found dead in her apartment and was initially charged with murder in the second degree, won't be prosecuted, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman announced.

A second autopsy has concluded the baby was most likely stillborn and was not deliberately killed by Colantino.

UPDATE: Here's the press release from Friedman's Office.

On August 29, 2015 Christina Colantonio was arrested on a charge of Murder in the second degree. The decision to file that charge at that time was based on a number of factors, including the following:

1.       Discovery of the remains of what could be a dead newborn baby in a cooler in the bathroom closet of the Defendant’s residence.

2.       Multiple statements made by the defendant which were inconsistent with each other.

3.       Statements made by the defendant which were inconsistent with physical evidence at the scene.

4.       The fact that no one else was present at the time of the defendant’s delivery of the baby and the events that occurred immediately thereafter.

5.       The fact that the defendant did not seek medical assistance for the baby.

6.       The Medical Examiner reported that a wad of paper was recovered from the baby’s oral cavity.

7.       The Medical Examiner advised us that they could not think of any natural or accidental reason that the paper would be placed in the mouth.

8.       Witness reports that raised serious concerns regarding prior acts of the Defendant.

9.       Concrete steps taken by the Defendant that led to the conclusion that she was preparing to flee the jurisdiction, as follows:

a.       Immediately after her initial interview by the police, and reportedly without ever having previously done so, the Defendant failed to show up for work without calling in.

b.      It was reported that the Defendant did not go home that night.

c.       The next day, it was discovered that the Defendant had given her car away to a friend who claimed to not know the Defendant’s whereabouts.

d.      Initial attempts to locate the Defendant were unsuccessful.

After it was determined that the Medical Examiner could not determine whether or not a live birth had occurred and, if it had been a live birth, they could not determine a cause of death, consultation was obtained from a pathologist who practices and is board-certified in pediatric, perinatal and forensic pathology. The pathologist, who reviewed some autopsy photos, a preliminary copy of the autopsy report, and some microscopic slides provided by the Medical Examiner’s Office, concluded that the baby was most likely stillborn, and that the baby most likely had a congenital malformation or deformation involving the midface. The pathologist, however, was not provided with sufficient information with which to determine the significance of what was recovered from the baby’s mouth.

Therefore, based on the information available to us at this time, it has been determined that a homicide prosecution is not appropriate.  Pursuant to our request, the murder charge has been dismissed by the Batavia City Court.

We expect that there may be an interest in obtaining more details regarding some of the facts listed above. However, in limiting our disclosures to what is listed above, we are balancing the public’s desire to receive information regarding this case with the legitimate privacy rights of an individual who is not going to be prosecuted. Therefore, (there) will be no further comments regarding this matter and no additional information will be released by this Office.

WBTA's local legendary and longtime on-air personality Wanda Frank passed away this morning at the Genesee County Nursing Home.

Although a native of Lockport, Wanda will always be linked to Batavia. She spent the most of her 89 years in Batavia, 23 of them on WBTA as hostess of “Frankly Speaking.”

Wanda served as executive director of the Genesee Arts Council for 10 years. For most of her life, she was involved in local theater as an actress and director, many years associated with Batavia Players.

Wanda left the air four years ago when her health began to fail. But well into her 80s she was interviewing community leaders, fellow actors, and promoting the arts.

Wanda had a quick wit and rarely shied away from speaking her mind.

In 1977, at the age of 51, she earned an associates degree from Genesee Community College, an accomplishment for which she was rightly proud.

She would later be named a Distinguished Alumna of GCC.

“Wanda was a colleague, a friend, and a character, who loved a good laugh. We'll miss her," said WBTA President Dan Fischer.

Arrangements for Wanda Frank will be announced later by the H. E. Turner and Company Funeral Home.

Police are responding to 10 Seneca Ave. after a caller reported two dogs outside attacking another dog.

Philip R. Ayala is indicted for the crime of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a Class B felony. It is alleged that on July 9 in the City of Batavia that Ayala knowingly and unlawfully possessed a narcotic drug -- cocaine -- with intent to sell it. In count two, the defendant is accused of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, a Class C felony, for allegedly knowingly and unlawfully possessing one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances containing a narcotic drug and these preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances are of an aggregate weight of one-eighth ounce or more.

Robert B. Hansen III is indicted for the crime of third-degree grand larceny, a Class D felony. It is alleged that between Feb. 15, 2013, and June 16, 2014, in the Town of Darien Hansen stole property with a value exceeding $3,000. He is accused of stealing $38,353.56 in U.S. currency. In count two, he is accused of committing the crime of second-degree forgery, also a Class D felony, on Feb. 6, 2014, in the City of Batavia, with the intent to defraud, deceive or injure another, by falsely making, completing or altering a written instrument which was to become public record or legally authorized.

Justin G. Parsons is indicted for the crime of driving while intoxicated, as a Class D felony. It is alleged that on Nov. 19 in the Town of Alexander that Parsons drove a 2011 Chevrolet pickup on Route 20 and/or Brookville Road while in an intoxicated condition. In count two, the defendant is accused of the crime of aggravated driving while intoxicated per se, as a Class E felony, for allegedly having a BAC of .18 or more at the time.

Jose Sanabria-Lozada is indicted for the crime of driving while intoxicated, as a Class E felony. It is alleged that on Oct. 2 in the Village of Le Roy that Sanabria-Lozada drove a 2000 Ford pickup truck while in an intoxicated condition. In count two, the defendant is accused of driving while intoxicated, per se, as a Class E felony, for allegedly having a BAC of .08 at the time.

Coffee Culture at Court and Ellicott streets in the City of Batavia has closed.

Workers are removing the signs at this moment.

We have a call into corporate headquarters to see if we can get more information.

A person allegedly poured gasoline on a vehicle at 22 Brooklyn Ave. and allegedly caused other damage has a gun. City police are responding and Mercy medics are told to stage in the area.

UPDATE 10:29 a.m.: "Right now we're in the real early stages of investigating a call that came in (about) 10 o'clock this morning that someone poured gasoline on a vehicle and had a gun. We came down here and set up a perimeter," said Det. Richard Schauf. "No one we've talked to has seen a gun. ... We immediately called the school and told them not to let anyone leave. We cleared the house and separated the parties involved. We had the fire department and medics on standby." A K-9 officer happened to be in the area at the time of the call and responded, although he was not specifically requested. Schauf said there was evidence that gasoline was poured on a vehicle and the fire department cleaned it up. The detective said a total of four people are being interviewed about this incident. No one was injured. No one is currently under arrest, although he didn't rule out the possibility of someone being charged. He said they cleared the house and went in thinking there might be weapons; there were none. Dogs inside were contained by a resident. As to the purported gun, it seems to be a case of someone heard someone say someone had a gun but nothing more than that. The motivation for pouring gas on the vehicle has not yet been determined.

UPDATE 1:48 p.m.: City police just issued a press release about this morning's incident at 22 Brooklyn Ave. Two people have been charged in the case. Thomas A. Culver, 37, who lives at that address, is charged with two counts of second-degree menacing, and one count of second-degree reckless endangerment. Raquel D. Duval, 27, no address provided, of Rochester, is charged with one count of second-degree criminal trespass. The details: "The police dispatch was notified via 9-1-1 by a female occupant of 22 Brooklyn Ave. that there was a female at the residence who did not belong there and was refusing to leave. The female refusing to leave was later learned to be Raquel Duval. Information continued to be received as police were being dispatched that Thomas Culver, a resident of 22 Brooklyn Ave., was pouring gasoline on what was later learned to be Duval’s vehicle, which was parked in the road in front of the house. Reports were that Culver was threatening to light the car on fire. As Police units arrived more information was relayed from police dispatch that Culver may be in possession of a gun. The Batavia Police with the assistance of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and NYS Troopers coordinated a perimeter around 22 Brooklyn Ave.. The Business Agri Child Development Center located near the scene was placed into a lock down condition. City of Batavia Fire Dept. and Mercy Medics were placed on standby and staged in the area. Police contact was made with an occupant of 22 Brooklyn who followed police directions to have persons in the house leave one at a time and be secured to determine the facts of the incident. The house was then checked for any unknown persons or weapons. As a result of the investigation it was determined that, Duval and Culver had an outstanding financial situation which Duval was attempting to resolve when Culver did display what appeared to be a handgun, which later turned out to be a BB gun that replicated an actual gun, he then proceeded to pour what appeared to be a flammable liquid on her car and threatened to burn her and the car when she would not leave the house."