batavia

This morning contractors working on the former Lowe's location, getting the remaining space ready for new retail stores, apparently forgot to turn the water off to the sprinkler system before deciding to disconnect a pipe. The pipe needed to be relocated to make room for a new entrance to the new store. Workers undid two bolts and whoosh! An explosion of water. Perhaps as much as 1,000 gallons spilled out before the water was shut off. The break caused the water flow alarm to go off resulting in a response from the Town of Batavia Fire Department. Volunteer firefighters grabbed squeegees and brooms and helped clear the water out from inside the building.

Press release:

Genesee County STOP-DWI Program announced today that Genesee County police agencies will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on March 15th and will end on March 18th. St. Patrick’s Day week is historically a deadly period for impaired driving. This year St. Patrick’s Day is on a Monday and that will extend the weekend until Tuesday for many people. The New York State Police, County Sheriff and municipal law enforcement agencies will collaborate across the state and will be out in force in this coordinated effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths during this period.

Batavia City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch stated, “The City of Batavia Police Department encourages everyone celebrating to do so safely and have a designated driver. Do not get behind the wheel of a vehicle if you have been drinking. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend.”

Genesee County Undersheriff William Sheron stated, “St. Patrick's Day is well known as of day of celebration. Please celebrate responsibly. Avoid tragedy; Don't plan on the luck of the Irish, arrange for a designated driver.

The St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association. The Statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign also targets Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day Weekend, Halloween and the national Holiday Season in December.

Genesee County STOP-DWI Coordinator Matt Landers stated, "Enforcement efforts like these have contributed to the steady decline in DWI accidents since the program was established. Families in Genesee County are safer while traveling the roads with a program like STOP-DWI funding extra patrols by our fine law enforcement professionals."

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the numbers of alcohol- and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.

Batavia City Schools are among five finalists in the state for a $10,000 prize from the NYS Lottery. The contest is built around the idea of students saying thank you for the support of the lottery. Choirs produced a video for the song "Thank you for being a friend." The prize money would go to the school district's music program.

To vote, click here (you'll be asked to log into your Facebook account).

Smoke and flames are reportedly coming from the basement of a house at 229 S. Swan St. The residents have been advised to evacuate. City firefighters are responding.

UPDATE 5:13 a.m.: City fire on scene with nothing showing.

UPDATE 5:28 a.m.: A code enforcement officer is called in.

UPDATE 5:30 a.m.: Code enforcement ETA is 20 minutes.

"A house fire," with the caller reporting it as a microwave problem, is at 9 Lincoln Ave., near Thomas Avenue. The occupants are out. Ladder 15 and Engine 11 are on scene.

UPDATE 8:17 p.m.: "The fire is out on the stove, checking for extensions."

UPDATE 8:20 p.m.: No extensions. Now ventilating.

UPDATE 8:58 p.m.: City assignment back in service. 

A stove fire is reported in the kitchen at 97 River St. City fire is responding. The location is between Birchwood Drive and Pearl Street.

UPDATE 7:53 p.m.: Engine 11 is on scene. Dispatch says the caller is now reporting "that she got the fire out."

UPDATE 7:56 p.m.: They are ventilating the structure.

UPDATE 8:08 p.m.: The assignment is back in service.

A few of these signs popped up along downtown streets today. A couple of the business owners who found them in front of their store fronts this morning didn't know who put them out.

They hare the handiwork of Brian Kemp, of T-Shirts Etc.

Kemp took on the project himself -- not through the BID or Vibrant Batavia -- because he thinks local business owners should be encouraged to keep the sidewalks in front of their establishments. The ones who do so should be rewarded.

"They don't realize you've got to be able to see the cement," Kemp said.

He only made a few signs, so he'll rotate them around tomorrow, making sure businesses that haven't received the recognition yet, but deserve it, will.

Bottom photo submitted by Jessica Budzinack. She wrote, "My husband Christopher Budzinack works at The City Church. He was so happy his hard work was recognized during this rough winter.

A city worker clears away snow from the corner of Ellicott and Court.

The front of the former NY State Armory on Bank State Street.

The snow might stick around for awhile. The five-day forecast has a lot of cold in it.

Batavia officially became a city on January 1, 1915, after having been an incorporated village since 1823. The transition involved a progression through several steps during 1914. During 2014, I will be acknowledging each of these events 100 years after their occurrence.

Earlier this week, I reported on a hearing that took place in Albany where competing charter proposals were presented before a joint committee of Senators and Assemblymen. One proposal, offered by a Charter Revision Commission appointed several years earlier by village leaders, was notable in that it proposed a city in which the government would consist of a city manager and five nonpartisan councilmen elected at large. The other proposal, offered by the existing Board of Aldermen who currently governed the village, proposed a city in which the government would consist of a mayor and six councilmen, all with political affiliations. The relative merits of these competing proposals can be judged by what occurred 100 years ago this week.

Under the Village of Batavia charter that existed in 1914, village elections took place in March rather than in the fall as they do now. Going into the election 100 years ago, Republicans were in control of village affairs. However, after the election, a Democrat was the new mayor and the majority of the aldermen were also Democrats. Following the election, a headline in The Daily News read, “Democrats will sweep the deck: Little prospect of Republicans being left in Village positions.”

This was not a surprise to anyone. It was the tradition of patronage politics in Batavia and elsewhere. Because there were political parties involved in our community’s government, whenever the political majority changed, people like the village clerk, treasurer, police justice, village engineer, and even the fire chief traditionally lost their jobs because they belonged to the “wrong” party. The Charter Revision Commission sought to end this practice by establishing a nonpartisan city government.

In two weeks, I’ll let you know how the State Senate and Assembly responded to the competing proposals for Batavia’s future, one continuing the practice of partisan political affiliations and the other designed to establish a city government free of party politics.

Douglas James Hanley, 23, of Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to stop at stop sign and aggravated unlicensed operation. Hanley, while driving a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, was reportedly involved in a motor-vehicle accident at 10:59 p.m. Feb. 1 on Prole Road, Stafford. Hanley's vehicle reportedly hit a tree. Hanley was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released. The accident was investigated by Deputy Frank Bordonaro.

Adam Matthew Shultz, 31, of Fargo Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Shultz was stopped at 3:01 a.m. Tuesday on Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Matthew Lutey.

Bonnie S. Oleandi, 44, of Montclair Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant. The reason for the warrant was not released. Oleandi was jailed on $100,000 bail.

A 17-year-old from Batavia was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. The youth was allegedly found with a controlled substance for which he didn't have a prescription following an investigation by school personnel at Batavia High School.

Charles P. Mitchell, 34, of Sanders Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal contempt. Mitchell allegedly violated an order of protection by sending text messages to the protected person.

Main and Center was pretty eerie at 6:10 p.m. today with very little traffic passing through and no cars parked along the curbs.

The amount of snowfall has slowed, but the weather service is cautioning travelers about blowing and drifting snow and icy conditions on roadways.

The travel advisory for Genesee County remains in effect.

Snow-covered vines on the southside of the Center Street Smokehouse building.

On South Lyon, Ann and Bob Chilano shovel their drive.

City plow trucks on West Main Street.

John Chilano blowing his drive on Redfield Parkway. Yes, John and Bob are brothers. Proof that we live in a small city, getting pictures of Bob and John minutes apart is completely a coincidence and in no way planned.

Batavia Downs in the snow.

Main Street after dark.

A view down Ellicott from Court.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported at 7797 Lewiston Road. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. The location is between Galloway Road and Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road.

UPDATE 1:09 p.m.: A person is trapped inside the vehicle.

UPDATE 1:11 p.m.: Oakfield Fire Police are requested to shut down southbound traffic on Route 63 at Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road.

UPDATE 1:14 p.m.: A medic asks about the availability of Mercy Flight. It is not available due to weather conditions.

UPDATE 1:25 p.m.: The patient has been extricated.

UPDATE 1:42 p.m.: Two cars traveling on Lewiston both lost control of their vehicles and one of the vehicles T-boned the other. No word yet on injuries. State Troopers are also on scene. The roads conditions there are said to be rapidly deteriorating, with visibility down to a half mile or less, drifting and blowing snow, and intermittant sheets of ice on the roadway.

UPDATE 2 p.m.: The road is reopened and the Town of Batavia assignment is back in service.

Here's four photos of what things looked like in Batavia around 9 a.m. Looking at the weather radar map, it looks like the worst of the storm won't hit us until 1:30 p.m. Currently, there is no travel advisory from the Sheriff's Office, but Chief Gordon Dibble said one may come later today. County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens has recommended residents stay home today.

If you have weather photos to share today, e-mail them to howard@thebatavian.com. In focus, properly exposed, no camera shake, please.

City plow and salt truck on Porter Avenue.

Centennial Park

On East Main Street

Phillip Daniel Burrs, 32, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Burrs is accused of stealing a can of beer from the Hess Express at Main and Oak streets, Batavia. Burrs was arraigned in City Court and jailed on $500 bail. (Burrs was charged with DWI following an alleged bank robbery by a passenger in his vehicle in Batavia on Jan. 18.)

Philip J. Grazioplene, 44, of South Lyon Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or higher and passing a red light. Grazioplene was stopped at 3:07 a.m., on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Darenisha M. Thomas, 18, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct and harassment, 2nd. Thomas is accused of attacking a fellow student at Batavia High School.

For the second year in a row, students at Batavia High School are putting on a Mr. Batavia contest aimed at building relationships between the high school and the community, particularly local nonprofits.

There are 10 contestants this year representing 10 different charities. Money raised will go to the winner's charity.

"We weren't sure how it was going to go last year and we raised $1,700, so we're hoping to exceed that this year," said Lisa Robinson, one of the faculty advisers for student government.

Along with the 10 boys competing, 15 girls are putting together the show (not everybody participating was available for a picture late this afternoon).

The contestants begin the show with a group dance, followed by a lip-sync contest, a talent contest, a swimsuit portion and then the boys come out in tuxedos donated by Charle's Mens Shop for a question-and-answer period.

Nine of the 10 charities have committed to having displays set up in the cafeteria for the evening.

The show starts at 7 p.m., Friday, March 21. Tickets are $7, $5 for students.

Click the graphic or click here to enter. Must complete registration form to be eligible for prize.

The chance for city firefighters to train and practice in an actual structure in the city is invaluable to the department, Chief Jim Maxwell said today while discussing an opportunity to use to houses on West Main Street this week.

Since the houses are slated for demolition, firefighters can cut, chop and smoke up the place ("cold smoke," as it's called, since it's not heat generated).

"From the new firefighter to the 20-year veteran, it's very valuable," Maxwell said. "It's a controlled situation, but they get to go in and practice what they would do in a normal fire."

The houses are being provided to the department for training by the owners of Castilone Chrysler, Steve Castilone and Greg Strauss, and are located at 310 and 312 W. Main St., Batavia.

Castilone and Strauss are expanding their dealership (rather than move it out of the city) and they acquired the neighboring properties for that purpose.

Maxwell said having structures in the city for training really cuts down on overtime. Rather than requiring firefighters to come in during typical off-duty hours and train at the Fire Training Center on Bank Street Road, on-duty firefighters can train in the city so they're still available for calls as needed.

"We're able to get all of the platoons through without getting into an overtime situation, so it's very valuable to use," Maxwell said.

Training includes ventilation (cutting holes in the roofs), search and rescue (artificial smoke is generated). There will be more training over the next few days, weather permitting, and it will be squeezed in with hazmat training taking place this week at the fire station.

There won't, however, be any live fire training at the two houses, Maxwell said. It's just too risky to do in the city.

Photos submitted by Frank Capuano