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The culvert that collapsed Saturday under a Byron resident and his two children while out on a bike ride was scheduled to be replaced this summer, said County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens.

"I don't think any of us realized how bad it was in terms of being rotted out," Hens said. "We did a visual inspection, but I wasn't going to crawl into a two-foot pipe, but you can never tell without getting in there. The middle was in a lot worse shape than we thought."

Byron-Batavia Road between Griswold Road and Walkers Corners Road will be closed for two weeks while the culvert is replaced.

The cost of the replacement is approximately $50,000.

"Mother nature and time beat us to the punch," Hens said.

The husband of Korinne Haymon, who contacted The Batavian about the incident, said her husband and their two children were on a Saturday afternoon bike ride when the culvert gave out from under them. 

Mr. Haymon was pulling a bike carrier with their 4-year-old and 7-year-old riding along when he decided to stop out of curiosity and look at a small hole by the side of the road. It was about the size of a groundhog hole.

As soon as he put his foot down, the ground gave way.

The 7-year-old was able to jump over the hole "like Superman," Korinne said.

As soon as he realized the 4-year-old had fallen to the bottom of the hole, Mr. Haymon jumped to the bottom and he was able to lift the child over his head and push him out of the hole. He yelled for the child to move away from the hole. Then he pulled the bike and carrier the rest of the way into the hold and use it like a ladder to climb out.

"He said every time he grabbed earth, it was just crumbling," Korinne said. "They were hysterical, like screaming."

Outside of some cuts and scrapes, nobody was injured.

"He was petrified," Korinne said. "He said he just keeps playing it over in his head but I told him to just focus on everybody is all right."

The children are doing fine, Korinne said.

"They just laugh about how my oldest Supermanned over the hole," she said.

Hens said in his 16 years this is only the second culvert to collapse. The other one was in Darien in 1998 or 1999 and rain helped wash out a sinkhole.

"Most of the time we're ahead of the game in identifying (culverts for replacement)," Hens said. "We wait for a dry time to check on them. It's unusual for them to collapse like that and just from a visual inspection point of view, we have ones that are way worse. It's an odd combination of weather, timing, cold weather -- all of that plays into it."

County parks workers were at Dewitt Recreation Area this morning getting the lake ready for another spring, summer and fall of fishing and recreating. The lake was stocked with 500 2-year-old brown trout and the piers were put into place. Parks Director Paul Osborn said he was surprised to find the water temperature this morning is 54 degrees. Normally it's in the 30s on stocking day. The lake had a thick and long-lasting ice cover this year. The water level is also higher than it's been in recent years.

Scott and 6-year-old Trenton Shuler.

Michael Atkinson, in the red, and Marcus Palvino.

UPDATE: Photo of the stocking operation from this morning provided by Paul Osborn.

A two-car accident with believed to be minor injuries is reported at the intersection of Bank Street and Washington Avenue. City fire, Mercy medics and law enforcement are on scene.

UPDATE 11:25 a.m.: Mercy just arrived at UMMC with a patient complaining of pain between the hip and knee.

Contractors have begun road reconstruction work on the south end of Cedar Street, Batavia.

Brandon Michael Woodham, 22, of Wheeler Road, Medina, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawful dealing with fireworks. Woodham was stopped at 5:27 p.m. Friday on Veterans Memorial Drive by Deputy Joseph Loftus and found to allegedly possess fireworks and marijuana.

Scott M. Walton, 57, of Spencerport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to dim lights. Walton was stopped at an unspecified time and unspecified location by a Le Roy PD officer.

Jamie L. Rennicks, 30, of Pembroke, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Rennicks was stopped at 2:10 a.m. Saturday on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by a State trooper.

Pat and John Brumsted, of East Road, near Creek Road and Putnam Road, Batavia, are missing their beagle, DYNO. The pooch has been missing since 10 a.m. yesterday. DYNO is 7 and tan and white and very friendly. Their phone numbers are: (585) 343-6173 or (585) 813-3595.

Via WBTA:

A one-car rollover with injuries is reported on School Street in Downtown Batavia. City fire and Mercy medics are on scene. The car is on its roof but the victims are extricated.

UPDATE (by Howard): It appears a blue sedan was westbound on School Street from Swan Street when it struck a parked SUV. The passenger-side front tire struck the rear tire on the driver's side of the SUV. The SUV was pushed forward about five feet and its rear wheel assembly was broken. The fender was scraped but not dented. The frame of the sedan was broken. The owner of the SUV said he just recently got the vehicle. It still had a temporary registration in the window, he pointed out. He hasn't even made a payment on it yet, he said. He was at a friend's house for Easter Dinner. Police conducted a field sobriety test on the driver of the sedan. He was taken into custody pending further investigation. 

UPDATE 10:30 a.m., Monday (by Howard): The driver was released after further investigation found neither drugs nor alcohol were a factor in the accident.

Press release:

The Batavia Business Improvement District will hold its annual meeting and awards luncheon from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 25 (registration at 11:45 a.m.) at the City Church Generation Center, 15 Center St. in Downtown Batavia.

The agenda will include a review of the B.I.D.’s accomplishments and the announcement of the newly elected members to the Board of Directors.

The “Downtown Spirit” Business Awards are presented to: Greg Gluck, Alberty Drug Co. and Christine Crocker, The YNGodess Shop.

The “Downtown Spirit” Volunteer Awards presented to: Dan Fischer (WBTA Radio) who served as a board member and chairperson for Summer In The City, Beth Kemp (T-Shirts Etc.) for serving on the BID Promotion / Wine Walk committees and Steve Coraci (community volunteer) for serving on the Downtown Public, Summer In The City and Wine Walk committees.

Guest Speaker: Mark Masse, vice-president Genesee Economic Development Center. His topic: “When The STAMP Project Comes, Will Downtown Be Ready?”

All B.I.D. members and area businesses are invited. A special buffet will be served from Sweet Ecstasy Bakery & Bistro.

Price is $20 per person. RSVP and payment by Tuesday, April 22. Reservations contact BID - Don Burkel or Laurie Oltramari, at 585-344-0900 or e-mail at dburkel@downtownbataviany.com

City police are responding to the parking lot of UMMC where there's a complaint about a fight.

Tonight, Yume Asian Bistro, on Veterans Memorial Drive, celebrated the opening of its bar with music played (as a DJ) and performed (vocals and guitar) by Brent Persia. The owners say if music on Friday and Saturday nights after the dinner hour goes over well, they will continue to offer it.

Previously: Pair of young chefs see opportunity in Batavia for Asian cuisine, especially sushi

A dumpster fire was reported outside of Clor's Meat Market on West Main Street at the corner of Lewiston Road. A responder says there is no exposure to the building and the dumpster was smoldering, but no flames were showing. Town of Batavia Fire Department responded and the fire is knocked down.

The Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt this morning at Centennial Park might be called an Easter Egg Scramble. It starts at 9 a.m. and pretty much all of the plastic eggs containing either candy or prize numbers are off the ground by 9:01.

To purchase prints, click here.

Have you seen "Max"? He was last seen in Batavia on Friday, April 11. But not hide nor hair since.

His elderly owners live on Chandler Avenue, right across from the United Memorial Medical Center.

Max is a friendly little charmer who sports a red harness and is microchipped. He's a pekingese/poodle mix -- a "peekapoo." He's about 15-20 inches long and 15-20 pounds. If you know of his whereabouts, please contact Jen at 585-813-7108.

Local artist Jolene Beckkman is closing her current exhibit, “Within the Wallpaper,” at The Gallery at Blue Pearl Yoga with a reception on Thursday, April 24 from 6 - 8 p.m. About a dozen pieces depict the struggle between what we expose and what we choose to keep hidden.

Born in Batavia but moved to Colorado before settling in Albion, Beckman attended local schools. She graduated from The College at Brockport with a degree in Fine Arts and gained an MFA from the University at Buffalo. She currently lives in Batavia with her husband and children.

Beckman has shown her extensive body of work locally in Batavia, Rochester, Buffalo, Canandaigua, Brockport, Binghamton, and Lockport as well as nationally in galleries in Chicago, Seattle, and New York City. With her current exhibit, Beckman says, she is, “questioning what it means to put a body on display, and what it means to be looked at — from the perspective of both the viewer and the viewed.”

Each complete painting is partially covered in wallpaper -- some of it purposely ripped -- “to convey the idea that sometimes what is concealed is often just as important as what is revealed.”

Much of Beckman’s work is steeped in realism and indeed, she draws inspiration from the detailed realism of the Old Masters. She also cites German Expressionist Kathe Kollwitz -- who produced a series of works reflecting her concern with war, poverty, and the lives of ordinary women in the 1920s -- as inspiring for their eloquent yet searing account of the human condition. 

“Her facial expressions are beautifully rendered,” Beckman says. “My own interpretation of such stark emotion is to paint my figures as if they are walking out of the painting and into a dream.”

Within the Wallpaper is on display until Thursday, April 24. The closing reception is scheduled from 6 - 8 p.m.; it is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For additional information contact Blue Pearl Yoga at 585.230.5430 or the artist at jolene.beckman@gmail.com.

After winning the first two games of the season, the Batavia baseball squad was handed its first loss of the season in an emphatic fashion, losing to Honeoye Falls-Lima 15-2 on Thursday afternoon.

Twenty-four hours later, the Blue Devils got back on track, beating up on Akron, 15-8.

“I thought it was a good comeback win for us,” said Batavia Head Coach Rick Saunders. “We got lit up pretty good yesterday by a good HF-L team. Today we came out and jumped out on top and got those three runs in the first.”

Batavia opened up the game with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning on a bases-clearing hit by Zeke Lynn.

The Tigers would battle back, loading the bases with one out in the second inning.

Akron would score on a fielder’s choice by D.J. Carlson, then on a passed ball, and they then tied it up on a RBI single by Zach Pfentner.

Quinten Weis would settle down after that, pitching two more scoreless innings and allowing just one more hit before Greg Mruczek relieved him.

“He was a little wild to start the game,” Saunders said of Weis. “I thought he settled down the rest of the game and he threw well that last two innings he was in the game.”

The Blue Devils regained the lead in the third after Nick Bauer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Steve Borowczyk appeared to get himself out of the jam, ending the inning with the bases loaded and just one run allowed, but it was not to be.

Batavia exploded for four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend the lead to 8-3.

Luke McComb was walked with the bases loaded, followed by an RBI single from Rich Francis before Bauer drove in two runs with a double to right field.

Akron appeared to make a bit of a comeback in the top of the fifth, getting two runs off of Mruczek (helped by a few defensive miscues), but he settled down to strike out the side in the sixth.

“I thought he threw the ball real well,” Saunders said of Mruczek. “I think our defense let him down a little bit. That happens, these are high school kids. If we played tight defense like we did in the first three games, we probably only would have let up a few runs.”

The Blue Devils' batters went to work in the bottom of the frame to put the game out of reach as they sent seven runners across home plate, including a two-run single from senior reserve Pat Wrobel.

The Tigers got three runs in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to get close.

“The biggest difference between yesterday and today was that we hit better,” Saunders said. “We got the bases-clearing hit by Lynn and that was clutch for us today.”

Lynn finished the game 2-for-5 with four RBIs, while Bauer went 1-for-4 with four RBIs. As a team, Batavia combined for 14 hits on the game.

Weis picked up the win for the Devils, allowing three runs on three hits in four innings pitched.

Borowczyk took the loss for Akron, allowing eight runs in six innings pitched.

Batavia improves to 3-1 on the season, and next travel to Aquinas on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

John Laverne Robinson, 51, of North Lake Road, Bergen, is charged with menacing, 2nd. Robinson is accused of pointing a shotgun at another person while the person was looking through Robinson's window.

Aaron M. Hatt, 22, of Alexander, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Troopers responded to a complaint of a domestic dispute in the Town of Pembroke. In route, troopers came upon a young man walking down the center of Gabby Road. He reportedly said he had just argued with a female at the address of the initial complaint. Hatt was taken back to the house and upon investigation, troopers learned Hatt had allegedly been involved with a physical confrontation with the victim. He allegedly possessed marijuana at the time of his arrest.

Connor W. Kelly, 19, of Rushville, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. A trooper stopped Kelly's vehicle on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, for allegedly lacking its plate lamp. the trooper noted evidence of alleged recent marijuana use.

Bernard Lee Evans, 43, of Cato Street, Pavilion, was arrested on bench warrants for alleged criminal contempt, 1st, and harassment, 2nd. Evans was held without bail.

Kelly Marie Faro, 37, of Church Road, of Hamlin, was arrested as a fugitive from justice. Faro was arrested on an unrelated matter by Deputy John Baiocco. During his investigation, he discovered an active warrant out of Cuyahoga County for alleged drug possession. Faro is being held without bail pending extradition.

A group of fifth- and sixth-grade girls are about to embark on a new adventure -- playing in a basketball tournament in another state for the first time.

The Thunder are a new girls basketball team aimed at giving the young players off-season experience and practice.

Coach Otis Thomas said the girls are really dedicated to the sport.

"We look pretty good," he said. "They work hard. Very enthusiastic. Great bunch of girls. Very disciplined. Just to have them in the gym now when it's softball season and baseball season shows how dedicated they are."

The nucleus of the Thunder is the Batavia Middle School team.

They will play in the King James Shooting Stars Classic (sponsored by Lebron James) in Ohio next week.

Pictured, from left, first row: Nya Thomas, Morgan Rohdes, Mckenzie Riegle, Brynn Wormley, Emily Janes, Kennedy Kolb, Destiny Griffin. Not pictured are Mia Rhinehart, Bella Phillips, Hailey Thornley, Nashiya Rhimm.

The team's sponsors are Big Pauly's Pizza and NYSCOPBA.

Batavia has a new barber. Terry Smith has opened his own shop, Fresh Cutz, on the second floor at 218 W. Main St., above House of Kolor Tattoo and Piercing. Smith graduated from barber school in October and was eager to open his own shop. He said he saw a need for another barber shop in the city.  "Whoever needs a haircut, I'll cut it," he said. Getting a haircut yesterday was Kwame Richardson.