A three-car accident with injuries is reported at Ellicott and Liberty streets. City fire and Mercy medics are responding.
UPDATE: Photos by Frank Capuano. No further information available at this time.
Press release:
The Alzheimer’s Association® Western New York Chapter is offering a number of free programs and supportive services across Genesee County in March.
Chapter dementia educators will present "Effective Communication Strategies" at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, at The Manor House at 427 E. Main St. in Batavia.
This program is ideal for care partners of those living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, as it offers verbal and nonverbal strategies for caregivers to more effectively understand and communicate. Dinner will also be served, so preregistration is required by calling 1.800.272.3900 or 716.626.0600.
Additionally, the Chapter trains facilitators to lead several monthly caregiver support groups across the county, which allow caregivers to connect with others facing similar challenges and hear advice for overcoming them:
Community social programs, or respites, are also available every month in Batavia and Corfu. This program provides relief to those who care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia and offers them some time to refresh and re-charge, while their loved one is engaged in social activities in a safe environment.
First Presbyterian Church of Batavia offers this free service on the fourth Monday (March 25) from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. For additional information, please call Mickey Rodak at (585) 455-5940.
Indian Falls United Methodist Church at 7908 Allegany Road offers a respite program on the third Wednesday (March 20) from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information, call Celinda McQuiston at (585) 762-9105.
To learn more about other Alzheimer’s Association programs and services, contact the WNY Chapter office at 1.800.272.3900.
You can also access dementia care programs and resources by calling the Genesee County Office for the Aging at 585.343.1611.
Students of the culinary program at Batavia CTE on Thursday presented dishes they created with the goal of cooking up something suitable for astronauts in space to a panel of judges to see if their creations might be worthy of a nationwide competition in Houston later this year.
Six students, three from Batavia and three from Mount Morris, prepared two dishes -- asparagus "fries" from Batavia and berry quinoa salad.
The dishes were scored on presentation, nutritional value and taste. The final dishes will also need to be suitable for freeze-drying to take into space.
Travis Barlow, Kevin Balkota, John Steward, Danielle Rotondo, Patrick Rae, and Darly Pochan.
Nancy Hall from NASA was also on hand to observe and advise during the competition.
There is no winner from yesterday. Both teams will have their scores presented to a panel who will select 10 teams from entries from around the nation to travel to Houston for the final competition.
Students from Batavia were Melissa Voltura, Jose Vanegas and Jason Lowe. Students from Mount Morris were Sam Meyers, Tony Uveino and Mackenzie Wheeler.
Editor's note: The 2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.
John Harrower said he recalls a story that his late father, Robert, told him about how Genesee Lumber got started way back in 1928.
“My grandfather, a pioneer in his vision and thinking, shook hands (on the deal) with the former owner of what was Franklin Street Lumber at the time, and he (the seller) said, ‘Good luck, it’s a dying business.’ ”
Today, that “dying business” is alive and well – continuing to serve Genesee County and, in recent years, Erie and Monroe counties – as both a contractor yard and retail outlet.
It’s doing so well, in fact, that it is being honored as the 2018 Business of the Year by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and will be recognized as such at the chamber’s 47th annual Awards Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. on March 2 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road in Batavia.
“We are very honored and humbled to receive this award,” Harrower said, speaking for his wife, Leslie; sons, Michael and Eric, who are both in the business, and his employees.
Genesee Lumber was nominated by Batavia John Riter, who praised the Harrowers for their “vision, willingness to bet on the community and commitment to success” as key elements in the company’s ability to expand considerably in recent years.
“Their success has contributed to the community’s success in a variety of ways, not the least of which is an expanded workforce,” Riter wrote in his nomination letter.
John and Leslie purchased the company from Robert in 1994, but John actually worked for his dad as a child before coming on full time after college in 1983. Leslie, an accomplished business person in her own right, came on board in 1987.
Robert Harrower, well-known for his efforts as a Rotarian and on several community boards, passed away last June at the age of 84.
The origins of Genesee Lumber are best captured in John’s words:
“The company was started in 1928 by my grandfather, Harold Harrower, who was a traveling salesman and a lumber dealer. He wanted to own a lumber yard one day, and he called on this place – the old Franklin Street Lumber – and ended up buying it.”
John said the business prospered through the Depression and World War II, and was supported by three big silos, which kept Harold busy during the winter months. “A big source of revenue, and the fuel supply was coal,” he noted.
In time, the coal aspect went away, the silos were removed and the business became known as Genesee Lumber Company Inc.
Robert Harrower worked beside his dad and uncle as a child. In 1963, he bought out his father (who retired) and owned the business until selling it to his son and daughter-in-law 25 years ago.
John Harrower said he sees himself as a combination of the two – a bit of a risk taker like his grandfather and a sense of conservatism, more like his father.
“Yeah, I think I have some of my grandfather in me in that we took a leap of faith about 15 years ago to venture outside of Genesee County,” John said. “We added four or five buildings, and while continuing to be very heavy in the retail business (in Genesee County) we have expanded those avenues into Monroe and, especially Erie County.”
He said the company owns a fleet of a dozen trucks and 10 forklifts, features a large showroom area to “give people a feel of what they could envision for themselves, no matter the size of the project that they have going on.”
The Andersen Windows line has been a key part of the company’s offerings for about 60 years. “They (Andersen) are, if not No. 1, No. 2,” he said.
Genesee Lumber also carries siding, metal roofing, top quality shingles, the Trex decking product, storm doors, windows and more.
“We also do a large amount of interior packages – styles, color, paint grade option or also a stain finish product,” John said, “and a wide array of exterior door options, and patio doors (with a) great selection. It’s quite an expansive line.”
John said Genesee Lumber has several skilled sales and service employees in the areas of kitchen cabinets and countertops – “not our main line, but we can do pre-built or custom cabinetry,” he said.
Much of the expansion has occurred under John and Leslie’s watch.
“We tore down an old building and a house and put up this nearly 10,000-square-foot warehouse – that mostly houses windows and doors,” he said. “We cut lumber, plywood and have a shop for custom painting.”
John said that they take on a lot of lumber by rail, with one railroad car holding more than four tractor-trailer loads.
“Rail helps reduce our costs quite a bit. It reduces the freight tremendously, which we can pass on to our contractor and customer base,” he said, adding that the majority of the lumber comes from Canada or the West Coast.
The Harrower family continues to be active in the community, as both John and Leslie have served on the Genesee Area YMCA board (Leslie is a former president) and as volunteer coaches for a variety of school and youth sports.
Per Riter’s nomination, “John and Leslie have been great ambassadors in that they are always friendly and welcoming to people who are new to the community, including Liz (his wife) and myself.”
John said he embraces what he calls “the hometown spirit.”
“Nothing comes near it,” he said. “We like to see people within the community; we’ve made a lot of friends and have had a tremendous amount of support from the community. And, for that, we’re very grateful.”
Editor's note: The 2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.
As Batavia’s oldest service club prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary, it will be honored by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce with the Special Service Recognition of the Year on Saturday.
Rotarian Christopher White stressed the importance of the Rotary Club of Batavia in the community when he nominated it for the Chamber award.
“Founded by local businessmen looking for camaraderie and an opportunity to give back to their community, the Club has made meaningful contributions, not just financial, but of their time, talent and expertise to make Batavia a better place to live,” White wrote.
Rotary’s contributions to the Batavia community include support of Batavia Concert Band, Genesee County Youth Bureau Community Garden, Genesee Cancer Assistance, Crossroads House, Genesee Symphony Orchestra, GO ART!, Fourth of July Picnic in the Park, Genesee/Orleans ARC and United Memorial Medical Center.
And they support local youth in ice hockey, minor league baseball, Boy Scouts, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), YMCA Camp Hough and the YMCA Summer Adventure Program.
The Rotary Scholarship Program provides $18,000 each year to high school students from Batavia, Notre Dame and Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.
Rotary also gives local high school students a chance to spend a year abroad, and has hosted foreign exchange students looking to experience life in the United States and Western New York. Two of these students, one from Australia and the other from Denmark, are in Batavia now and attended a recent meeting to tell of their experiences at Algonquin Provencial Park in Ontario, Canada.
Rotary has also provided youth leadership training to many local high school and college students through Rotary International. And they support the world by continuing to raise funds from club members to support Rotary International in its quest to eradicate polio from the face of the earth.
Batavia Rotary hosts the annual girls’ and boys’ high school basketball tournaments, the annual Father’s Day Fly-in Breakfast at Genesee County Airport, the annual Beerfest and raffle, and the Memorial Day Flags and Flowers Sale.
Not to be forgotten are the Rotary shows which were put on for so many years.
White noted that many of the current 75 Rotary members sit on boards of local organizations and nonprofit agencies, lending their support and knowledge to them. They can be found making an impact outside of the Club itself, he said. Members range in age from 28 to 88 and all believe in the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”
Batavia Rotary was founded in 1919 by Batavia businessman Carlton M. Sleight, who had only lived in the city little more than a decade, according to William F. Brown Jr. in his book "Service Above Self: The Story of a Rotary Club."
Sleight had attended a Rotary meeting in Elmira, while living and doing business in Canandaigua, and Brown believes that his visit may have inspired him to form a club in Batavia. On March 13, 1919, Sleight invited 25 business and professional men to meet at the Holland Club with Dr. John H. Ready from the Rochester club to learn how to form a Batavia unit.
The group was so enthused that, two months later, a dinner meeting was held at the Batavia Club to discuss the reports of committees working on bylaws and a constitution. Officers were installed May 26 at the Odd Fellows Temple (the former St. James Episcopal Church on Ellicott Street). More than 200 Rotarians attended from Rochester to Niagara Falls and enjoyed a five-course dinner served by the Eastern Star.
Batavia became Rotary International’s charter No. 491.
Batavia dentist Joseph Rowbottom is a 50-year member of Batavia Rotary, along with Dave Schwartz and Don Iwanicki.
Rowbottom first became exposed to Rotary after moving to Corfu. When he was a freshman in dental school, he had a friend whose fiancee’s mother knew a dentist in Corfu who was retiring. That turned out to be Guy Patterson and Rowbottom bought his building. (Guy Patterson's daughter was the famous swimmer Greta Paterson, who swam across Lake Erie in 1955.)
In 1966, the Vietnam War was heating up, and Rowbottom didn’t want to be drafted, so Patterson agreed to hold the building and Rowbottom enlisted. He served two years in the military and after returning home, started attending Rotary meetings with dentist Patterson.
“I’ve been coming ever since,” Rowbottom said. “I continued to block off time on my schedule from noon to 1:15 p.m. so I could attend Rotary. I’ve always had a lot of fun at Rotary. I also liked the Buffalo Club, but they were so formal.”
Rowbottom said his friends challenged him in the beginning to propose that women be allowed to join Rotary. At the time, the Batavia Jaycees were thrown out of the organization for accepting a female member. He proposed Rotary welcome in Terry Carauna, the dean of Business at Genesee Community College.
“They didn’t accept her and I almost got thrown out of Rotary,” Rowbottom said. “Today, we would be in a world of hurt without women. This club could not function as it does without women.”
One of the newer, younger members is Pam Sivret, who joined in 2017. Her sister, Teri Yasses has been a member since 1994 and Sivret has helped her with the fly-in breakfasts and Rotary shows.
When Yasses said Sivret should join, she did.
“I love the friendship and how we are all very like-minded,” Sivret said.
She was the first winner of a Rotary Youth Leadership Award to become a Rotary member. She won the award in 1990 while a student at GCC.
Lori Aratari was working for Triple AAA when she joined Rotary.
“They encouraged us to be part of our community and get involved,” Aratari said. “I explored the service clubs locally and Rotary stood out.”
She has chaired fundraisers and is in her second term on the board.
“I’ve made amazing friends through Rotary and my husband enjoys participating in Rotary events,” Aratari said.
A two-vehicle accident is reported at West Main Street Road (Route 5) and Hartshorn Road, Town of Batavia. One vehicle rolled over and there is entrapment. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding along with Mercy medics.
UPDATED 7:56 p.m.: A second Mercy rig is called to the scene.
Smoke is reportedly coming from a residence at 210 S. Main St. in the City of Batavia. The location is between Meadowcrest Drive and River Street. City fire is responding.
Michael L. Jackson, 38, no address provided, was charged at 10:45 a.m. on Dec. 3 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the second degree and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He was arrested at or near the JCPenney store in Batavia City Centre, arraigned in Batavia City Court and released on his own recognizance. He was to appear in city court at 9 a.m. on Jan. 10 to answer the charge. Then at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 18, he was arrested at the Sav-A-Lot grocery store on Ellicott Street in Batavia and charged with petit larceny. He was also to appear in city court at 9 a.m. on Jan. 10 to answer the second charge. When he failed to appear at the appointed time in city court to answer the charges, an arrest warrant(s) was issued for him. He was subsequently arrested on the warrant(s) by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office and turned over to Batavia police. After his arraignment at 4:47 p.m. on Feb. 25, he was jailed in lieu of an unspecified amount of bail and is due in city court Thursday (Feb. 28). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Felicia DeGroot.
Othello Garwo, 19, of Halford Street, Rochester, is charged with: operating a motor vehicle while registration suspended; unlawful possession of marijuana; unlicensed operator; and driver's view obstructed. At 2:26 a.m. on Feb. 26, Sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on Clinton Street Road in Stafford (Route 33) and Garwo was arrested on the charges. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Stafford Town Court on March 28. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Erik Andre, assisted by Deputy Andrew Mullen.
A robbery at the Speedway at Oak and Main in Batavia was reported at about 9:55 p.m., Tuesday.
Det. Eric Hill said Daryl Leach, 37, of State Street, Batavia, has been identified as the suspect and taken into custody.
Leach, who is currently on parole, made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The suspect was found at a location on Swamp Road and taken into custody with the assistance of NYS Parole and the Sheriff's Office.
It's believed Leach acted alone.
Nobody was hurt in the robbery.
In October 2003, Leach was sent to prison by a judge in Livingston County on a 12- to 15-year sentence on convictions for grand larceny, 4th, attempted robbery, 1st, attempted assault, 1st, and robbery, 3rd. He was released from prison in July with parole lasting into 2023. He also had an attempted robbery conviction in 1999.
Emma Krolczyk goes up for a layup.
Jenae Colkey (34) and Mackenzie Reigle attempt to stop Pal-Mac's Sophie Lyko.
Ryann Stefaniak looks to drive to the hoop.
A steal by Reigle leads to a Batavia basket.
Bryn Wormley controls the loose ball.
Part of the large contingent of Batavia fans react to the victory.
Finding themselves up by only two points with about five minutes to play, the top-seeded Batavia High Lady Blue Devils were in need of a spark, something to put some distance between them and the No. 4 Palmyra-Macedon Lady Red Raiders in their Section 5 Class B1 semifinal girls’ basketball game tonight at Caledonia-Mumford High.
Pal-Mac, a decided underdog, had jumped out to a seven-point quarter lead and hung in there through three quarters as Batavia was unable to get its offense in gear.
But just when it looked as though Pal-Mac was about to tie the game, key plays by a trio of Lady Devils in a minute’s time resulted in a 7-0 spurt and propelled Batavia to a 44-32 victory.
The win puts Coach Marty Hein’s team in the championship game at 8 p.m. Friday at Cal-Mum against Midlakes, a 58-32 winner over Greece Odyssey in the first game of the doubleheader.
On a night when top scorer Ryann Stefaniak struggled from the field (4-for-11 including 0-for-5 from three-point territory), Emma Krolczyk and Mackenzie Reigle came through with 14 and 13 points, respectively, and Jenae Colkey led a stifling defense that allowed only 15 points over the final three quarters.
Colkey, a senior guard/forward who has to play inside on defense, came up with a remarkable defensive stop when she got in position in the lane to prevent a fast-break layup that would have tied the game. The missed shot eventually made its way to Krolczyk who drove to the hoop to make it 31-27 – a four-point swing.
Krolczyk then rebounded a Pal-Mac missed and kicked the ball out to Reigle, who sank Batavia’s first three-pointer of the game to make it 34-27 at the 3:52 mark. Following a Pal-Mac timeout, Reigle stole the ball and flew in for a layup to give the Lady Devils a 36-27 edge.
Another three-pointer, this one by Bryn Wormley, and pair of baskets by Stefaniak in the closing 1:30 sealed the win.
The decisive seven-point run came just after Stefaniak had been called for her fourth foul, sending her to the bench. The fact that her teammates picked her up should give Batavia a lot of confidence heading into Friday’s match against No. 2 Midlakes, 19-3.
Hein credited the defense for saving the day while lamenting the team’s offensive execution.
“In all the interviews that I have been giving, I have said I’m not worried about the offense, but I almost shot myself in the foot (with this game),” Hein said. “We were helter-skelter and impatient and didn’t move the ball very well. Hopefully, we will put the pieces together on Friday.”
He called Reigle (she also had five steals and three rebounds) a “huge sparkplug” and praised Colkey, one of three seniors on the team, for “taking on the leadership role tonight and settling the team down.”
Colkey had three assists, six rebounds and two steals to go with her two points, while Stefaniak, who was coming off a 35-point outburst in the quarterfinals, finished with 10 points – nine less than her average -- along with four rebounds and four steals.
Overall, Batavia was 18-for-50 from the field (36 percent) and just 2-for-10 on threes.
For Pal-Mac, senior forward Gretchen Earl was the top scorer with 12 points while junior guard Katie Smith sank a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter and finished with seven points.
Photos by Steve Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.
Brian Andrew Simpson II, 38, no permanent address, is charged with: promoting prison contraband in the first degree, which is a felony; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; criminal use of drug paraphernalia in the second degree; driving while ability impaired by drugs; unlawful possession of marijuana; and a window tint violation. At 11:04 a.m. on Feb. 12, Simpson was stopped on Ellicott Street in the City of Batavia following the alleged observation of a vehicle and traffic violation. After an investigation, the defendant was allegedly found to be driving while impaired by drugs. After Simpson's arrest, he was processed at the Genesee County Jail and allegedly found to possess drug paraphernalia and a white powdery substance identified as cocaine. Simpson was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and jailed without bail. In the same incident, his passenger was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana: Walter S. Bennett, 29, no address noted, of Rochester, was issued an appearance ticket for City of Batavia Court. The case was investigated by Deputy Ryan DeLong, assisted by Deputy Lonnie Nati, and other members of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, including Corrections officers.
Paul G. Avery, 41, of Indian Falls Road, Pembroke, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; aggravated DWI wwith a BAC of .18 percent or more; throwing trash on a highway; driving left of pavement marking; and failure to keep right on a highway with four lanes or more. Avery was arrested at 9:21 p.m. Feb. 23 on West Main Street Road in Batavia following a traffic stop. Avery is due in Batavia Town Court on March 21. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor, assisted by Dpeuty Lewis Henning.
Nathan S. Bowes, of Buffalo Street Road, Alexander, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; DWI with a BAC of .08 percent or more; and moving from lane unsafely. He was arrested at 6:41 p.m. on Feb. 23 following the investigation of a motor-vehicle accident in the Town of Alexander. He was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Alexander Town Court on March 19. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor, assisted by Deputy Travis DeMuth.
Joseph Dimitri Rivera, 36, of Cole Avenue, Gates, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Rivera was arrested on the charge at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 24 on Lake Avenue in Bergen following a traffic stop. He is due in Bergen Town Court on March 13. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack.
Kelly Anne Vanbortle, 32, of Parkwood Lane, Hilton, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. It is alleged that she possessed a quantity of marijuana and a glass smoking pipe with burnt marijuana residue following a traffic stop at 5:14 p.m. Feb. 23 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen. She was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Bergen Town Court on March 13. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy McClellan.
Phillip P. Heale, 40, of Linwood Avenue, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree and inadequate or no stop lamps. Heale was arrested at 3:54 p.m. on Feb. 17 on Cedar Street in Batavia after he was allegedly observed driving a vehicle and he has a suspended driver's license. Additionally, he was ticketed regarding the stop lamps. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and is due to return there at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider.
Michael E. Weichman, 24, of Pratt Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument. Weichman was arrested at 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Tops Market in Batavia after he allegedly attempted to leave the store with a cart full of items which he did not pay for. He was also allegedly found in possession of a hypodermic instrument at the time of his arrest. He is due in Batavia City Court on Tuesday, Feb. 26. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.
Brittany L. Bolton, 18, of Cedar Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She was charged after a complaint of a larceny of a gold chain from a vehicle. The defendant turned herself in at Batavia Police Department headquarters and was processed. She was issued an appearance ticket for Batavia City Court and is due there Tuesday, Feb. 26. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Darryle Streeter.
The City of Batavia is currently seeking nominations, which are due no later than March 8, for the following 2018 Recognition Awards:
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER
An outstanding individual in the community that demonstrates excellence in volunteerism. This individual goes above and beyond normal responsibilities creating a lasting and beneficial impact.
HOMEOWNER OF THE YEAR
An engaged resident who has given extra effort to go above and beyond in maintaining their home and enhance their neighborhood.
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
A business that has demonstrated community involvement and represents entrepreneurial spirit while providing exceptional customer service, professionalism and integrity.
NOT-FOR-PROFIT/SERVICE ORGANIZATION
Providing service to the people of the City by demonstrating commitment in improving quality of life throughout the community.
***************
If you know of someone that you would like to nominate please complete the nomination form and submit to Lisa Casey by Friday, March 8.
The awards will be presented by City Council at a future City Council Meeting.
Nomination forms available by the following:
Mail nominations to: Lisa Casey, City of Batavia, One Batavia City Centre, Batavia, NY 14020.
Fax nominations to (585) 343-8182.
Taking a break from posting. Will update as warranted if something major happens. Try to stay inside and stay safe!
(The list of updates was made "unsticky" and is back in the lineup in accordance with its original time stamp of 2:30-ish this afternoon. Scroll down to find it.)
Due to dangerous winds, Chassix-Automotive LLC, located at 4320 Federal Drive in Batavia, will be closed for the third shift this evening at 10:30 p.m. (Feb. 24) and will reopen Monday for the first shift at 6:30 a.m. (Feb. 25).
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