batavia

Johnny Burton Koonce, Jr., 32, of Conlon Road, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful imprisonment 1st and harassment 2nd. Koonce is accused of refusing to let a person out of a moving vehicle and of shoving the person's head into the door of the vehicle during an incident reported at 11:23 p.m. on June 11 on Route 20 in Pavilion. Koonce was held pending arraignment.

Justin T. Calmes, 45, of Watson Street, Batavia, is charged with open burning.  Calmes is accused of violating the Batavia Municipal Code on May 26 by conducting an open burn at a residence on Watson Street. Calmes, according to police, had been previously advised of city code regarding open burns. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Ricky L. Miller, 41, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and harassment. Miller was charged after allegedly stealing $400 from Tops Market on West Main Street on May 24. He allegedly shoved the store manager when confronted in an attempt to flee.  Miller was issued an appearance ticket.

Brinson M. Blocker, 29, of Barry Street, Brockport, is charged with DWI and running a red light. Blocker was stopped at 2:29 a.m. on May 21 at an undisclosed location in the City of Batavia. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court.  His release status is unknown.

Charles B. Lee, 47, of West Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs. Lee was stopped by Officer Kegvin Defelice on Sept 29 at an undisclosed location in the city of Batavia. He was arrested on May 26 following the completion of bloodwork in a crime lab.  He was issued traffic tickets and ordered to return to City Court on a later date.

Nathan W. Campbell, 42, no permanent address, is charged with trespass. Campbell is accused of returning to a business on East Main Street on May 31 a few hours after being banned from the location for reportedly causing a disturbance. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Matthew J. Wenzel, 36, of State Street,  Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wenzel is accused of stealing medication from a family member. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Josia G.J. Culver, 18, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with attempted burglary 3rd and criminal mischief 3rd.  Culver is accused of attempting to break into a business in City Centre on May 15.  It was Culver's third arrest in May for allegedly attempting to break into the same business. Following the arrest, he was ordered held in the Genesee County Jail.

Adam B. Thomas, 34, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Thomas is accused of damaging family property at his residence on May 28. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court. His release status is unknown.

Richard A. Demmer, Jr., 30, no known address, is charged with attempted robbery 3rd. Demmer is accused of attempting to rob the 7-Eleven on May 29. He was released on his own recognizance. 

Jaqulyn A. Dueppengiesser, 39, of Page Road, Perry, was arrested on two warrants for failing to appear. Dueppengiesser was reportedly located in a dumpster on May 25 by Officer Felicia Martinez after receiving a call of a suspicious condition at a local business. The first warrant stems from a criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th charge, a Class D felony, arrest on April 11. On that arrest, Dueppengiesser was arraigned in City Court and released under the supervision of Genesee Justice pending her next appearance.  The second warrant stems from a petit larceny arrest on May 9. She was issued an appearance ticket.  She is accused of failure to appear for both arrests. Dueppengiesser was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.  

Adam J. Montes, 39, no known address, was arrested on a bench warrant for failing to appear. Montes was taken into custody on May 31 by Officer Felicia Martinez. He was previously arrested on charges of grand larceny of a vehicle and conspiracy 5th. He was arrested on a failure to appear warrant on April 6 and released. He was arraigned in City Court on the May 31 arrest and ordered held without bail.

Rosemary R. Waters, 37, of East Main Street, Batavia, was arrested on two City Court bench warrants for failure to appear. Officer Josh Girvin arrested Waters on May 17. The first warrant stems from an incident on Aug. 17, 2021, where Waters was arrested on an unrelated warrant and allegedly found in possession of narcotics, a modified fully automatic 9mm pistol and a 40-round magazine. Waters was arrested prior to the completion of lab work, and subsequently, an arrest warrant was issued. She was arrested on that warrant on April 7. The second warrant stems from an incident reported on July 30. Waters was reportedly the passenger in a vehicle during a traffic stop on Mix Place in Batavia. Waters allegedly provided a false name and was released. Narcotics and a modified short-barrel shotgun were later located in the vehicle. An arrest warrant was issued.

Oraid W. Edwards, 39, of West Avenue, Rochester, was arrested on a warrant for failing to appear. Edwards was taken into custody on May 19 by Officer Kevin Defelice. Edwards was arrested on June 19 after allegedly being found sleeping on the couch of a residence where he was unknown. Edwards reportedly left prior to patrols arriving on scene. He was arrested on a trespassing charge on June 23 and issued an appearance ticket. A warrant was issued on Aug. 23. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

Stephen D. Freeman, 52, of Mcmahon Road, Hinsdale, was arrested on an arrest warrant for petit larceny. Freeman was located by Troopers in Cattaraugus County and turned over to Batavia PD on May 28. Freeman is accused of stealing from an employer in City Centre on or around Sept. 19. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Adam D. Altobelli, 42, of Mount Hope Boulevard, Rochester, was arrested on a bench warrant for failing to appear. Officer Richard Messmer arrested Altobelli on May 24. The warrant stems from an incident reported on East Main Street, Batavia, on Feb. 22, 2020. He was accused of stealing items and possessing a controlled substance. He was issued an appearance ticket. After allegedly failing to appear, he was arrested on a warrant on Dec. 4, 2020, and arraigned in City Court. He was released under supervision. He allegedly failed to appear for his next court appearance and was arrested on a warrant on May 6, 2021.  He was again arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on Aug. 30, 2021. On this arrested, he was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court. His release status is unknown.

Carlos E. Flores, of Dewey Avenue, Greece, was arrested on a bench warrant.  Officer Kevin DeFelice arrested Flores on May 25. The warrant stemmed from an incident on Aug. 11, 2019, at a location on Bank Street. Flores was accused of threatening another person. He was arrested on a harassment 2nd charge and issued an appearance ticket. He was arraigned in City Court on the latest arrest and released after entering a guilty plea.

Gregory Alan Palone, 60, of Tennesee, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and insufficient tail lamp. Palone was stopped at 1:27 a.m. on June 4 on Lewiston Road by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell. He was released on traffic tickets.

Kenneth Dwright Robinson, Jr., 49, of Seven Springs Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Robinson was stopped at 1:59 p.m. on June 4 by Deputy Jacob Kipler and allegedly found in possession of a glassine bag containing crack cocaine during a vehicle inventory. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.

Emily Nichols, 33, of Batavia, is charged with welfare fraud 3rd. Nichols was arrested following an investigation by the Department of Social Services. She is accused of failing to report the wages of her husband and receiving $7,885 in SNAP benefits for which she was not entitled. She was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and released on her own recognizance.

David Alan Leach, 29, of Morganville Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Leach is accused of possessing cocaine during a traffic stop by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun at 8:40 p.m. on Oct. 25.  Leach was arrested on June 11 and issued an appearance ticket.

Pastor Jason Norton and his wife Michelle became upset this past Friday afternoon when a rather loud and proud message for PRIDE week was displayed in the city parking lot in front of their church in downtown Batavia.

He and Michelle said that they are not a gay-affirming church, just as much as they wouldn’t have wanted a beer tent out front.

Not only did they not like the venue — a staging area for the annual LBGTQ parade and festival — to imply what type of church they were, but the event apparently blocked other needs for repairs and entry into the public lot, which conveyed a lack of communication they would have appreciated.

Once the pastor of EverPresent Church in City Centre voiced his intent to take the matter to City Hall, he faced backlash from a segment of the community, he said. He posted that since events, such as Drag Queen Story Hour, are happening at the public library, then he has decided to do likewise with his church message: For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

“My point is this, that on social media today, I don't need this. Because I said that we were coming here, we've already been barraged with the titles of bigotry and hatred, and homophobia, the list goes on and on. And on. I just wanted to go on the record tonight to let people know that not only are we a people-affirming church who loves all people, we love God and His stance first,” he said. "We are actually moving forward now, with having some dinners and some open discussions and some forums, that we can all meet in a peaceable manner to talk and discuss these things and why we believe this.”

His online post had reaped well over 100 comments, mostly debates between opposing LBGTQ beliefs. There was a similar ongoing debate recently on a series of photos posted by The Batavian from that PRIDE event.

Michelle Norton expanded on her complaint to add that further communication about the event and location of the staging area — with opportunity to negotiate — would have been ideal so that the church entrance at Batavia City Centre wouldn’t have been blocked.

Jason Norton focused on the principle of his ire, and gave as examples himself, as a  former drug addict who was invited in and accepted by a church that allowed “us to come in and experience God in a way that proved his love, and proved there was a God,” he said. He also spoke of his own daughter and how she struggled with bisexuality. He did not shame her but prayed for her and taught her about God and Jesus, he said.

"But we did not compromise on God's Word. We did not water it down to try to change God's word to fit into her choices to make her feel more accepted or approved as a lifestyle choice that she had made. Why did we do that? Because God is sovereign. And his viewpoints and his stance on certain things are steadfast and immovable. And I do not have the authority or the power to change or excuse me to change God's position on what is right and what is wrong,” he said. “Three years ago, our daughter came to the understanding that her lifestyle doesn't fit in contrast to God, and ... she asked God to help her to heal her. She experienced Jesus, not religion. Two and a half years ago, Tasha died suddenly. And I don't know how I would have lived with myself if I had buckled and twisted the truth of God and changed the scriptures to accommodate the struggle that she was going through and showing her a falsehood.”

City Council listened to the couple until their time limit was up and offered no comments about the subject matter. Councilman Bob Bialkowski asked about the way events work in city parking lots. City Manager Rachael Tabelski said that the backdrop of the stage was at the facade of the church building, but it is in a public lot.

“So when we do event applications, we can take into consideration placement of things and try to help those who would like to do events in our city parking lot to maybe have better flow,” she said. 

There is a report of wires arcing and sparking in a tree in the area of 8319 Bank Street Road, Batavia.

There is a report of power being out in the area.

Town of Batavia Fire dispatched.

UPDATE 7:34 p.m.: National Grid is reporting 2,471 customers without power in an area that stretches from East Main Street and Clinton Street in the City of Batavia up to Starowitz Road near Edgerton Road in Byron. A crew has been assigned.  No ETA yet on power restoration.

UPDATE 7:54 p.m.: Town of Batavia assignment back in service.  National Grid's repair ETA is 9:30 p.m.

UPDATE 9:18 p.m.: The power outage area has been greatly reduced, down to 241 customers, with power restoration still expected by 9:30 p.m.

If you’re breathing a little easier with the downgraded air quality levels of late, Derek Mallia, assistant professor of atmospheric science at the University of Utah, has projections that may give pause for celebration.

Although the worst may be over, as far as high levels of the particulate matter 2.5 are concerned, this region is not out of the woods just yet. So to speak.

“It could be a very intermittent, kind of smoky summer for areas in New York,” Mallia said during a phone interview Friday from Utah with The Batavian.

In addition to his professional interests in fire and the correlation between land and atmospheric impacts, Mallia is from the Schenectady area with family still there, so he has preserved a keen interest in how Canadian wildfires are affecting this region.

The smoky skies are the result of easterly winds — “any wind out of the west will probably give you some smoke through summer … that could be through July or August,” he said  — versus when southerly winds blow, the temperatures will be hotter but with less smoke in the air, he said. 

Wildfires in Alberta — which have really just begun to flare up, are not going to be as diluted as in past years, he said. This is earlier for Canada’s wildfires, which, combined with the wind flow, is why they are more noticeable and causing more air quality issues.

"The good news is that the winds will be more out of the West in the coming week or so. And so that's a good thing in that you won't be getting the smoke as much from Northern Quebec, but the wildfires in Alberta and British Columbia, so that's gonna be like Western Canada. Those fires, which kind of died down because they had a lot of rain a couple of weeks ago, that kind of slowed down those fires, but things are getting dragged in there. And so those fires are really starting to really start pumping, really starting to grow. So they're producing a lot more smoke than they were like a week ago,” he said. “And so long story short, what I would say is because there's so many areas in Canada that are burning, it could be a very intermittent, kind of smoky summer for areas in New York. Because there's so much fire activity in Canada right now, anyone that's out of the west or the Northwest, or what our north will probably give you some smoke. So that's my longer-term kind of projection of what summer could look like in upstate New York right now.”

Before proceeding, The Batavian asked Mallia to clarify something for all of those naysayers that have posted comments online that this is just a “Canadian campfire” or no different than the good ol’ days when smoking was allowed in bars. Are they right?

As far as the pollutants, there isn’t much difference between a wildfire and a campfire, he said. They both put out similar particulates into the air. However, there is one major disparity.

“If you really think about it deeply, it’s the same kind of smoke, right? And it's certainly not any different. The difference, though, is, if you're sitting by a campfire, you're probably sitting next to it for what, maybe an hour at most. And you may or may not be in the smoke, and you move yourself out of the smoke. So that's number one,” he said. “Number two, a lot of people are doing their jobs outside, and they're actually moving around in the smoke. When you're at a campfire, you're probably not exercising a ton, so you're not inhaling as deeply. So that's the other thing. I mean, if you're not sick, and you’re in campfire smoke for long enough, though, you would probably start developing asthma and stuff. But I mean, if we're sitting in a campfire smoke for, you know, hours upon hours, yeah, you're gonna feel your lungs, you're gonna start feeling tired. And I think a lot of people don't realize that probably because they're having fun and enjoying the campfire. But they're not thinking about, well, maybe I'm sitting in smoke for a long period of time, like my lungs will actually start hurting, but they're not thinking about that because they're having a good time.”

So take that wildfire smoke — that smoke plume over a good chunk of the Northeast — and you can't really get away from it, he said, other than to go into your house.

“But a lot of people don't have good filtration systems; a lot of that smoke actually gets into their homes, especially in the Northeast, where a lot of those homes are older,” he said.

That's a difference where it may behoove people to take some precautions when the air quality gets to a level of concern. Yes, N95 masks can help filter out that small particulate matter, and air conditioning and air purifiers with air filters can also help to clean out the air in one’s home, he said. 

Although an article in The NY Times had also suggested using fans to circulate the indoor air, he didn’t agree with that remedy, since it just “spreads the same air around.” You may also want to change air filters more regularly, he said.

Cautioning that he isn’t a medical doctor and therefore wasn’t dispensing actual medical-related advice, Mallia was certain that on that Wednesday a week ago when this region suffered from air quality readings of more than 150, which  hit the warning level, “no one should have been outside.”

People that are generally in good condition and not suffering from cardiovascular or respiratory conditions should be fine with short-term exposure to wildfire air exposure. That naturally led The Batavian to ask, with climate change and wildfires not likely to go away and quite possibly increase, what about long-term exposure?

Mallia is hoping to answer that in the near future. He and fellow researchers in Utah are investigating whether wildfires in the future will impact the air quality in the Northeast United States.  They have applied to NASA for grant funding to study this very issue.

“That's actually a great science question, we have something that we're trying to actually look at right now. Over the past 20 to 25 years, air quality has actually gotten better across the eastern U.S. during the summertime. And it's gotten worse in the Western U.S. The driver behind that has been more wildfires across the West. But we're starting to look at this now in that okay, well, fires continue to get worse. Will that trend of air quality getting better across the eastern U.S. continue? And we're hypothesizing that no, due to climate change, with bigger fires, that areas across the East we might see more exposure to wildfire smoke, the fires are getting bigger, they're emitting more smoke, they're also doing something, what we refer to as pyro cumulus nimbus class.

"So if a fire gets hot enough, or burns enough nap or smoke matter, it can actually create thunderstorms over the fire. And so why this is relevant is that this can actually help inject the smoke further up into the atmosphere. And if it gets injected further up in the atmosphere, it increases the likelihood that smoke gets injected into the jet stream. And that will increase the geographical coverage of the smoke and, therefore, a big fire that's burning," he said. "And let's say California, or the state of Washington, that increases the likelihood that that smoke might make it all the way to somewhere like, let's say, upstate New York, for example. And so, we do believe that it is possible that the Eastern U.S. could see worse air quality during the summertime due to wildfires. So that is definitely a scientific question that I'm interested in answering.”

When growing up in New York, he had the “weather bug,” he said, with a dream to become a  meteorologist, and when pursuing his bachelor’s in atmospheric sciences at the University of Albany, he was studying snowstorms, since wildfires were not “a big thing” at the time. He went on to obtain his Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah in 2018.

“But then I ended up getting an opportunity to do my Ph.D. out west, and it wasn't wildfire smoke, which is a direction that I'd never really kind of foresaw that I would do. And back in 2010, wildfire smoke was, you know, it was a thing, but it wasn't that big of a thing. And it's kind of blown up into this really massive thing that people are really interested in,” he said.  “This is something I’m really passionate about. Personally, I’ve always been fascinated by meteorology, wildfires and air quality. And so I’m just trying to improve the way that we kind of forecast these things, and projecting these impacts has been kind of a personal interest. It just happens to also be my job.”

Press Release:

Genesee Community College is pleased to announce that Heather Jones, professor of Fine Arts has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Mexico for the 2023-2024 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

While collaborating with Professor Jose Luis Gonzalez-Cabrero and the Industrial Design Department at the University of San Luis Potosi, Professor Jones will be implementing an international cultural color study project with students from both Mexico and New York, which will culminate with a student art exhibit titled "Color Connection." She will be teaching a series of seminars on color theory in Mexico that will be available online for her students taking classes at GCC. Students in Mexico and GCC will photograph one color in their daily lives and facilitate conversation online by sharing these images on the dedicated Color Connection social media pages. The project aims to take a deeper look at the expressive meaning of color in design, utilize the subject of color as a social bridge to break down cultural stigmas and reinforce empathy and respect for cultural diversity. Photographs will be juried by the students, and 100+ photographs will be exhibited simultaneously at UASLP and in GCC's Roz Steiner Gallery in March 2024. The exhibit will then be available to travel to other SUNY campus galleries.

Jones is among over 800 U.S. citizens who will teach or conduct research abroad for the 2023-2024 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad.

As Fulbright Scholar alumni, their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of esteemed scholars, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Notable Fulbright alumni include 62 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, 78 MacArthur Fellows and 41 who have served as a head of state or government. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries - chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential - with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to challenges facing our communities and our world.

"Congratulations to Professor Heather Jones on receiving the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award. Her innovative project, 'Color Connection,' will foster cultural understanding and empathy through the expressive power of color. We are proud to have such accomplished faculty members like Professor Jones who exemplify the spirit of international collaboration and contribute to finding solutions for our global challenges," said Dr. Craig Lamb, provost/vice president for Academic Affairs at Genesee Community College.

More than 800 U.S. scholars - faculty members, artists and professionals from all backgrounds - teach or conduct research overseas through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program annually. In addition, over 2,000 U.S. students, artists, and early career professionals from all backgrounds in more than 100 different fields of study receive Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards annually to study, teach English, and conduct research overseas.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program. In the United States, the Institute of International Education supports the implementation of the Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships.

UPDATE; The missing teen has been located and is safe.  

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department is seeking public assistance in locating a 16-year-old girl. 

(name redacted) was last seen on June 8 at approximately 7:30 a.m. in Batavia. 

She was last seen wearing a black Nike Hoodie, a red hoodie, and black sweatpants. 

xxxx is about 5'05" and 115 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. 

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Batavia Police Department at 585-345-6350 or the NYS Missing Persons Clearinghouse at 1-800-346-3543.

Press Release:

Northampton Driving Society’s 37th annual carriage driving competition returns to Silver Shoe Farm in Batavia on Sunday, June 25. This promises to be a special occasion with Kacy Tipton-Fashik, the general manager of The Grand Oaks equine resort in Weirsdale, Florida, judging the event. David Remley, whose late parents founded the internationally-known Walnut Hill Driving Competition, will be the ringmaster.

Morning classes will feature horses, ponies, very small equines, and multiples of the same in the ring for working and reinsmanship classes. These are judged on “turn out” – the pleasing appearance and appropriateness of horse, harness, vehicle, and attire – the horse’s obedience and way of going and the driver’s (the “whip”) reinsmanship skills. Afternoon classes will entail driving an obstacle course of cones and scoring for speed and agility.

Mr. Remley will commence the show with a coach horn demonstration at 9 a.m. Food and shopping opportunities will be provided by Burning Barrel BBQ, Buttercrumbs Bakery, The Brick House Boutique, Rusty Bitz, Green Compass CBD, and Creative Upcycling. Leonard Oakes Estate Vineyard will be hosting a wine tasting between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Silver Shoe Farm is a lovely facility at 3336 Pratt Road in Batavia, operated by the well-known Cable family of blacksmiths and Nicole Cable, herself a carriage show competitor, judge, and trainer.

Free admission! Bring your lawn chairs. Fancy hats will be admired but not required!

Photo submitted by Audrey Cooper

A piece of furniture, apparently from a discarded cigarette, caught on fire while sitting on a porch at 416 Ellicott Ave., Batavia, at about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

City Fire responded and quickly extinguished the fire.

The initial call was for a porch fire.

Photos by Frank Capuano.

Bill and Kay McDonald have spent their living the dream, playing and singing for smiling, clapping, foot tapping, and sometimes dancing audiences.

They decided a few months ago they wanted to give young, aspiring performers a chance to relish the same experience they've enjoyed all these years -- getting on stage with a good sound system in front of an audience looking to be entertained.

The McDonalds are producing concerts on June 23 and June 30 that will feature young performers. Both shows start at 6 p.m. in Jackson Square.

"We're really concentrating on the youth this time," Bill McDonald said. "We've got eight, nine, 10-year-olds that we've wrangled in -- guitar players, a bagpipe player, and accordionist.  We've got a couple of more seasoned veterans like Deanna Spiotta and Don Thomas and Steve Kruppner."

The young artists include William Franz (bagpipes), Leah Ford (guitar), Nolen Wright (guitar), Spencer Moscicki (guitar on June 23), and Quinn Karcher (accordion on June 30).

Also on the bill, the Ghost Riders and the Old Hippies.

The name of the show is, naturally, "Homegrown."  The event is paid for through a $5,000 grant from the state that was administered by GO ART!

The young performers were found by talking with teachers and friends, but even with the dates set, there might be more room on the bill for other aspiring performers.

"We could probably squeeze room for more," Bill said. "If we had a few more, we could. Every time you do that, it limits somebody else's time. But that's okay. We think the more, the better. Everybody's gonna play. If we (the Old Hippies) only get a couple of songs than so be it."

Bill McDonald can be reached at 585-250-2269 or billmcdonald50@gmail.com  

The performances will be live-streamed at https://www.facebook.com/bill.mcdonald.188 and https://www.youtube.com/@oldhippies933.

More than a year ago, Gina Schelemanow went through a bit of a rough patch and decide to take a more positive turn with life.

 Schelemanow started creating art with linoleum cut prints.

"t was just kind of nice, like a nice release for me," the budding artist said. "A lot of them are like animals or books or just things that I enjoy in life that make me happy."

This month, Schelemanow's show at the West Main location of Independent Living of the Genesee Region put Schelemanow's work on display, and the show had its official opening on Thursday.

The Bergen resident was a housing coordinator for ILGR and is now doing a similar job for Project Blue in Buffalo.

At Byron-Bergen High School, Schelemanow wasn't particularly into art.

"I did like art classes in school for school, but nothing like extra," Schelemanow said. "I wasn't in any of the fancy art classes or anything."

There's nothing dark in Schelemanow's work, and the artist said that's by design.

"It's just as kind of like a creative outlet," Schelemanow said. "I never thought that you have to be good at doing art to do it. It was never something that I thought I was good at or thought I was creative. And when I started doing it, I really was able to come up with a lot of different things. So it was nice to go through the process of it."

The show runs through August.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Batavia Downs hosted its annual Batavia Bourbon and Whiskey Fest on Saturday in Park Place Event Center, which included multiple vendors and distilleries.

Attendees were able to sample a variety of bourbons and whiskeys. The event coincided with the running of the 2023 Belmont Stakes.

Photos by Nick Serrata.

Press Release:

Join the Genesee County Parks along with the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club and try out fishing at DeWitt Recreation Area on Saturday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.! 

No fishing license is required. This is part of the NYSDEC’s Free Fishing Weekend, perfect for beginners! 

The program meets at Pavilion 2. Friendly guides will be on hand to assist you. Fishing gear and bait are provided or bring your own.

Hot dogs, chips, and water are for sale. All proceeds benefit the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club. Kids up to age 16 can join the fun and get the chance to win a prize for catching the biggest fish, sponsored by the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club! One lucky derby fisher will also win the door prize! 

This program is FREE!! Call 585-344-1122 to register, or walk-ins are also welcome.

Call 585-344-1122 to register. For more information, visit our website at http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/parks/, or contact Shannon Lyaski at Shannon.Lyaski@co.genesee.ny.us or 585-344-1122.

Press release: 

The City of Batavia Fire Department reminds residents to use caution when using and storing lithium-ion batteries. There was a recent fire in the City caused by lithium-ion batteries in an electric bike. 

These fires burn hot and fast while simultaneously releasing large amounts of toxic smoke and can quickly spread throughout a structure as well as nearby structures. There were 200 fires in 2022 in New York City alone were caused by batteries from e-bicycles, electric scooters, and similar devices.

As the devices that use lithium-ion batteries grow in popularity, so do the chances of similar incidents happening in the City of Batavia. When these batteries start on fire, they can be difficult to extinguish. When they burn, they burn extremely hot and fast. These fires ignite nearby combustibles much quicker than a standard fire. 

It is vitally important that consumers use, store, and charge them according to the manufacturer's guidelines. It’s also a great idea to remain close by while these batteries are charging and unplug them when they are full.

To help prevent a lithium-ion battery fire, please follow these safety tips:

• Be sure you have working smoke alarms installed on every floor of your residence.
• Use only the original equipment manufacturer's batteries and charging cords.
• Refrain from using aftermarket batteries and chargers. While they may be cheaper to purchase, these batteries are more likely to pose a burn, fire, or explosion hazard.
• Store any scooters, e-bikes, etc., outdoors if at all possible. If you have to store them inside, keep them away from doors, windows, stairways, and egress paths.
• Do NOT use extension cords or power strips to charge the batteries.
• Place the batteries on a hard flat surface, do not charge on a pillow, couch, or bed.
• Charge only one battery at a time, and do not allow it to remain plugged in once it’s full.
• If you notice any changes in the batteries, such as damage, odor, change in color, increase in heat, change in shape, leaking, smoking, or failing to keep a charge, stop using it immediately.
• Keep an ABC class fire extinguisher or a dry-chemical extinguisher on hand.
• Do not throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash. These batteries should be recycled and you can find a location at the following link https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/

If you have any questions, please contact the City Fire Department at 585-345-6375.

Press Release:

On Tuesday, June 13, and Tuesday, July 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Guy Sceusa from the NYS Department of Veterans Services will be at the Genesee Country Farmer's Market. Veterans will fill out a self-attestation verifying he or she is a veteran. Guy will be issuing checks to the Veterans. The market will be open that day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at Bank Street and Alva Place. 

 Press Release:

Steve Hawley released a statement regarding the final days of the NYS Assembly session. 

“The New York State Assembly finished their session for the year without meaningfully addressing the problems millions across this state are trying to deal with. The Majority ignored the affordability crisis plaguing our state, they ignored the public safety concerns our citizens have raised, and they failed to counteract the immigration crisis spurred by New York City legislators. Instead of focusing on any of these issues, the Majority prioritized removing checks and balances and giving criminals more leeway after they leave prison. It was a wasteful use of the Assembly’s time and energy.”

Batavia lost its bid on Saturday to become the first Flag Football champions in Section V history at Monroe Community College with a 20-0 loss to Canisteo-Greenwood.

Batavia entered the game undefeated at 8-0 and as the #1 seed.  Canisteo was 7-1 at the start of the game.

It would be tempting to blame the loss on turnover -- there were a couple but were mostly inconsequential -- and penalties -- there were a few.

But more, Canisteo-Greenwood outplayed the Blue Devils.

After stopping Batavia on its first possession, Canisteo scored on its first drive. And on its second.

Batavia advanced the ball to the opposing goal line at least three times, but Canisteo-Greenwood keep the Blue Devils out of the end zone each time. 

There are no stats available for the game.

Photos by Howard Owens.  For more photos and to purchase prints, click here.

The Batavia Muckdogs are back at Dwyer Stadium tonight (Saturday) after beating Geneva on their turf on Friday, 10-6.

Player stats:

• Julian Pichardo got the win after going six innings with no walks and 10 Strikeouts.
• Trey Bacon collected his five career save and a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings of work.
• Anthony Calabro went 2-4 with two runs, a double, an RBI, and a stolen base.
• Henry Daniels went 2-4 with two runs, and a double.
• Giuseppe Arcuri went 2-4 with two RBIs.
• Brice Mortillaro went 1-2 with two Runs, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base.

Game time is 6:35 p.m.

Press Release:

On Friday at approximately 4:01 p.m., the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting possible shots fired in the area of 25 Vine St., Batavia. Upon arrival, officers learned that an individual had possibly fired a weapon in the direction of a residence at that location following an earlier altercation between a group of individuals.

There were no reported injuries and it was determined that the act was targeted. Detectives from the City of Batavia Police Department's Detective Bureau were called in to investigate, and developed potential suspects early on in the investigation. 

After collecting evidence, witness accounts and video footage the detectives were able to narrow their focus to one individual who fired a single shot towards the rear area of the residence at 25 Vine St. following a verbal altercation at the residence. The altercation stemmed from an earlier altercation not at that location.

The suspect was taken into custody at a residence in Le Roy with the assistance of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police and Village of LeRoy Police Department. 

Luke A. Rose (age 19) of Batavia was charged with one count of Reckless Endangerment in the 1st degree and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd degree. He was arraigned in Central Arraignment Part (CAP) Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on $20,000 cash bail/ $40,000 bond/ $60,000 partially secured bond and ordered to reappear on June 20, 2023 at 1 p.m. in City Court.

The Department wishes to acknowledge and thank the Genesee County Sheriff's Office Emergency Dispatch Center, Genesee County Sheriff's Deputies, New York State Police Troopers and Village of Le Roy Police Officers, along with citizens that assisted, in investigating and apprehending this individual.

Previously: Police investigating report of possible gunfire on Vine Street in Batavia