batavia

Do you remember when you were a teen and you and all your friends would pile up in the car and head out for a joy ride? The Care-A-VAn bus was loaded up with gifts and volunteers for a joy ride both evenings this past week-end.

Pictured above is the congregation of Seventh Day Adventist delivering gifts to one of the families they sponsored for Christmas.

Hey that is not Santa! No, it is two of God's angels, Bridget and volunteer Tony, unloading gifts under a tree of a family that was in need this Christmas season.

After delivering gifts to several homes, the bus headed out to Walmart to bring joy to the shoppers. The volunteers enjoyed handing out candy canes and chocolates to all.

Care-A-Van will be heading out two more evenings this week  bringing God's peace and joy to others.

Merry Christmas to all!

A chimney fire has been reported at 2651 Pratt Road, Batavia.

Town of Batavia and East Pembroke fire departments have been dispatched.

UPDATE 7:12 p.m.: A thermal imaging camera has been requested.

UPDATE 7:51 p.m.: East Pembroke units returning to service.

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Last Tuesday, I spent some time with Vinny DelPlato, or Vincenzo as he prefers to be called professionally, taking some pictures and talking with him about his mural painting.

He's just finishing up a new mural inside Ken Mistler's new gym, Next Level Fitness.

Below is a video of Vinny talking about his work along with some pictures. Some of the pictures are also included after the jump.

Vincenzo DelPlato has recently been specializing in pictures of great jazz artists. His work is on display -- and for sale -- through his Web site.

There is smoke in the residence at 9203 Shepard Road  and the smoke detector has been activated.

Town of Batavia Engine 24 is being dispatched. Oakfield and East Pembroke are standing by in station.

UPDATE 1:51 p.m.: Oakfield and East Pembroke taken off the call, standing down.

UPDATE 1:54 p.m.: Engine 24 back in service.

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Three cars are involved in an accident in the area of 4940 Ellicott Street Road, Town of Batavia.

There are no injuries reported, but Mercy EMS is being dispatched as a precaution.

One car is reportedly smoking.

Town of Batavia Fire is being dispatched.

The accident is in front of the old 84 Lumber, between Cedar Street and Shepard Road.

UPDATE 1:28 p.m.: There is a DWI suspect involved in this accident. One pickup truck is being taken away on a flatbed. Another vehicle involved was an SUV hauling a trailer.  No reports of any injuries.

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Somebody is getting a lump of coal in his stocking this year. Santa is not happy.

Three candy canes have been stolen from the yard of a Monclair Avenue home in Batavia.

A police officer is on his way to take a larceny report, but we're sure Santa already knows.

A woman who allegedly crashed the U.S. border crossing from Canada, somehow managed to elude law enforcement until a Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy spotted her 2000 Hyundai westbound on Route 5 in the Town of Le Roy this morning.

When Deputy J.L. Baiocco attempted to stop the car at 7:45 a.m., the driver reportedly sped away, which began a pursuit with speeds exceeding 100 mph.

It's unknown if Baiocco was initially attempting to stop the car for an alleged traffic violation, or if the Sheriff's Office had been supplied with a description of the suspect vehicle.

When City Police learned of the pursuit, Lt. Eugene Jankowski attempted to lay a spike strip on East Main Street at Summit and Liberty, but was unable to get the device down in time. The car got to the city too quickly, Jankowski told us this morning.

"It was going so fast that it was kicking up a cloud of salt dust," Jankowski said. "There was zero visibility behind it."

In Batavia, the driver reportedly made a right turn on Route 98 and headed north. City police broke off its part of the pursuit at the city limit. State police joined the pursuit at that point and Orleans County Sheriff's deputies took lead in the pursuit when the Hyundai passed into Orleans.

According to a Genesee County Sheriff's Office release distributed this afternoon, after passing through the Village of Albion, the woman lost control of her car on westbound Route 18 and crashed, allowing Orleans law enforcement to apprehend her.

Taken into custody, and transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for minor injuries, was Crystal Pinnock, 23, of Ontario, Canada.

It's unclear how Pinnock managed to elude the Border Patrol after allegedly entering the United States.

The Sheriff's Office said charges are pending in every jurisdiction that the car reportedly passed through and the investigation is ongoing.

Santa's helpers were at the YMCA this afternoon to help Don Carroll and Santa get ready to distribute gifts tomorrow to local children.  Carroll said more than $6,000 in toys will be distributed and that he had enough candy for every child in Batavia.

A small, dark-colored car raced down Main Street at more than 100 mph this morning a little before 8, but little information is available yet about the nature of the chase.

The vehicle was being pursued by a Sheriff's deputy, but the Sheriff's Office has little information to release at this time.

Sheriff Gary Maha answered an e-mail and said, "This is a female from Canada and she may have crashed the border early this morning. Still under investigation."

Lt. Eugene Jankowski said when he heard about the pursuit -- which may have started in the Town of Le Roy, just east of Stafford, at about 7:45 a.m. --  he tried to get spikes down on East Main Street at Summit and Liberty. But the car was past his location before he could get positioned.

"I couldn't get the strip out in time," Jankowski said. "It was going so fast that it was kicking up a cloud of salt dust. There was zero visibility behind it."

The car zoomed through downtown at least 100 mph, Jankowski said and turned right onto Route 98. City police participated in the pursuit up to the city limits.

A reader wrote in this morning:

It looked like a dark Neon going from Stafford into Batavia followed by a Genesee County Sheriff's vehicle just before 8 a.m. A Sheriff's S.U.V. was parked on the side of East Main Street waiting (it turned around and gave chase). The car was traveling around 80+ mph. Several other police vehicles gave chase from the Tim Horton (restaurant) area.

Jankowski estimated that it took the car less than 15 minutes to get from Le Roy to Albion.

There is no word yet on what happened to the car and driver from that point.

Jankowski said the police are conferring with the District Attorneys office on what, if any, charges to file against the driver. One consideration, Jankwoski said, is that the driver is going to face multiple charges in other jurisdictions and what and where to charge the driver will be a matter of efficiency.

UPDATE: A reader writes;

According to my scanner, Orleans County was unable to set spikes as well. She  made it to 104 where she flipped it.  She was in custody and will be facing  numerous charges, including failure to obey traffic signals, speeding, etc.  The various departments involved were Genesee County Sheriff, Orleans County Sheriff and Albion PD.

The following is the third video in the "Countdown to Christmas" video series. The final videos will be posted on Christmas day.

What does Christmas mean to you? Tell us in the comment section below.

The Batavia Area Jaycees announced the winners of their annual Holiday Lights Contest. Above is the overall winner, 3 South Main St., Batavia.

Most traditional, 10 Highland St., Batavia

Simple & Elegant, 120 Elm St., Batavia

Most Colorful, 206 N. Spruce St., Batavia

Friends of the Lighting Company, 133 Union Ave., Batavia

Most Commercial, 3927 W. Main St. Road., Batavia

Steve Ognibene sent over a few pictures from Thursday night's Christmas dinner for the Knights of Columbus.

More pictures after the jump:

Graham Corp. announced today that it has won a $25 million contract to produce parts for a new Navy aircraft carrier, and that the engineering and manufacturing will be done in Batavia.

Graham will construct four steam surface condensers for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, which is building a second carrier in the Gerald R. Ford class.

The carrier, designated CVN 79, has not yet been named.

Revenue from the contract award will hit the Graham books in in fiscal 2012, which begins April 1, 2011, and will continue into fiscal 2014.

A driver reportedly tried making a left hand turn off Bank Street Road onto Batavia-Elba Townline Road yesterday afternoon at 2:54, leading to a head-on collision with another car.

Cited for failure to yield right-of-way was Ryan S. Worthington, 20, of 6918 Ellicott St. Road, Pavilion. Both he and his passenger, Alyssa R. Naylor, 17, were uninjured.

Suffering minor injuries were Aleander M. Dutton, 18, of 7078 Batavia-Byron Road, Byron, and Katelyn D. George, 18.

The accident was investigated by Deputy James Diehl.

A car making a left-hand turn from Route 5 into Valu Plaza allegedly caused an accident this morning that sent one person to the hospital.

Transported to UMMC was Charles Williams, 61, of 2641 Centerline Road, Varysburg. Williams reportedly suffered injuries to his arm.

A passenger in his car, Jane Williams, no age given, is listed in the Sheriff's Office report as in shock, but was not transported to a hospital.

The driver who reportedly turned into oncoming traffic is Theodore Kedzierski, 63, of 76 Maple Ave., Oakfield.

Kedzierski was driving a 2000 Ford pickup truck. Williams was driving a 2005 Chevy pickup.

Kedzierski was issued a citation for alleged improper turn.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Brian Thompson.

Initial Report from this morning.

Traffic is stopped at Downey and Galloway roads for a truck vs. car accident.

Three people are reportedly injured.

Town of Batavia Engine 24 is responding as well as Mercy EMS.

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Gerald C. Rosario, 45, of Oakfield, is charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree for allegedly stealing a credit card. Rosario was arrested by State Police on Wednesday in Albion at 11:48 a.m. He was issued an appearance ticket. No further details are available

Tiffany Joy Howard, 19, of 5049 E. Main St., rear, Batavia, is charged with harassment. Howard is accused of being verbally abusive and making physical threats to another person over a period of time.

Michael B. Marchese, 48, of Stafford, is charged with criminal contempt. Marchese was arrested by State Police in the Town of Batavia on Wednesday at 8:31 p.m. He was released on an appearance ticket. No further details available.

UPDATED: The following reports came in just after I posted the initial Police Beat.

Ronald K. Nobles, 65, of 74 Thistlewood Lane, Spencerport, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI and failure to keep right. During the investigation of another car accident at 9:25 last night on Gulf Road in the Town of Le Roy, Nobles allegedly drove his car off the right shoulder and struck a utility pole. Upon further investigation by Deputy M.R. Butler, it was determined that Nobles was allegedly driving drunk. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Steven M. Binder, 20, of 9364 Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd degree. Binder is reportedly the subject of an order of protection requiring him to stay away from GCC, where his ex-girlfriend attends classes. On Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., Binder was allegedly found on campus.

An accident on Route 5 in front of McDonald's in Batavia has just been reported.

Injuries have been reported.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS are being dispatched.

UPDATE 9:03 p.m.: Minor injuries. One car blocking.

UPDATE 9:43 p.m.: Cars have been towed. Road is back open.

This will be the 21st year that T.F. Brown's has hosted a free Christmas Day meal for the community, and owner Rick Mancuso wants to make sure residents know: everyone is invited.

Typically, about 200 people show up for the meal (and presents for the kids), according to co-owner Rick Mancuso, but all of the people involved in organizing the meal and volunteering that day would love to see 400 or or even 1,000 people show up.

"We can serve any number of people," Mancuso said. "The initial effort is already there. We don't want to see anybody be alone or anybody go without on Christmas Day. We would love to see them come and enjoy the community dinner that we put on."

The dinner has all of the traditional holiday favorites, Rick said, from Turkey and stuffing to cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and salad. And even desert.

Children under 16 will also receive a Christmas present provided by the Batavia Lions Club. Lions Club members also help serve during the meal.

There are two meal times scheduled: Noon and again at 1 p.m.

The event is organized and sponsored by Ben and Rick Mancuso, Joe Teresi of the Bank of Castile, and Chuck Brenner of the Lions Club (pictured above are Ben, Joe, Chuck and Rick).

Reservations are requested and would be very helpful, but not required (nobody will be turned away).  To make reservations call 343-2091 (ask for Joanne) by 11 a.m. on Dec. 24.

Rides are also available to anybody who needs transportation.

"It's great because you get to see the smiles on kids faces and everybody gets a really full meal on a very special day," Mancuso said. "We do get a lot of notes of thanks, and that really means a lot to everybody, but it's just a great day."