batavia

At Monday's meeting, the City Council rejected on a 6-2 vote a plan to spend $35,000 to build a dumpster enclosure on School Street.

City administrators have been looking for a way to clean up the collection of dumpsters used by nearby businesses and sought approval to use VLT money (money from slot machines at the Batavia Downs Casino) for the project.

Council members said that money should be spent elsewhere or saved.

"That money should be used for other things," said Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian, "like reducing our budget or the fact that we need new sidewalks or resurfacing our city streets, just helping our taxpayers all the time instead of businesses all the time. And I have nothing against businesses, but nobody helped me pay for a dumpster."

Pier Cipollone also said taxpayers should benefit from the VLT money, not private businesses.

"The VLT money will end up in the budget," Cipollone said. "It will end up in a contingency fund that will offset sidewalk construction, infrastructure improvements which would, in the end, decrease the tax levy."

City Manager Jason Molino agreed to try and rework the enclosure to reduce its cost by $10,000 eliminating any direct contribution by either business owners or taxpayers.

The measure defeated Monday night also called for spending $30,000 to mill and resurface the parking lot around the proposed dumpster enclosure.

(Based on story by The Batavian's news partner, WBTA.)

A traffic stop initiated by members of the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force has led to the arrest of a suspected drug dealer who was allegedly found in possession of 55 individual packets of heroin.

Jarett J. Locicero, 23, of West Main Street, Batavia, was also allegedly found in possession of marijuana and $1,085 in cash.

Locicero, who was driving a 2002 Mitsubishi, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, a Class B felony, criminally using drug paraphernalia, 2nd, and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Following arraignment in City Court, Locicero was jailed without bail.

Assisting with the arrest were uniformed deputies and state troopers.

Heading home tonight, I came upon these three young ladies out on Ganson Avenue practicing their cheer routine. Tryouts for the JV cheer squad at Batavia High School are this week and they're leaving nothing to chance. Pictured are Taylor Smith, Mikey Lullo and Chloe Rapone.

A rollover accident has been reported on the Thruway in the westbound lane in the area of mile marker 389.2.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 9:57 p.m.: A passerby did stop and they're reporting minor injuries, but the motor won't shut off. The location is about a half mile west of Bank Street Road.

UPDATE 10:04 p.m.: Assignment being held to two engines on scene and Mercy EMS. There two occupants and both are out of the vehicle.

Today was the first day of official practice for Section V football teams and we stopped in for the practice sessions at Notre Dame and Batavia, both varsity and JV.

Press release:

On Tuesday, Richmond Avenue will be closed to traffic between Oak Street and Prospect Avenue beginning at 8:30 a.m. and lasting several hours for a water main repair before the paving project.

Every effort will be made to minimize the time that the road closure is in effect.

Residents in the immediate area may experience periods of interrupted water service that may cause discolored water in this vicinity, and should avoid activities such as laundry which could be affected.

Possible water interruption would include Richmond Avenue between Oak and Prospect, Oak Street from Richmond to Pickthorn Drive, and Pickthorn Drive.

Patrick D. Powell, 27, of 98 Barton St., Rochester, is charged with resisting arrest. Powell is accused of physically interfering with the arrest of Richard Johnson at 9:43 p.m., Saturday, at 45 Swan St., Batavia.

Richard E. Johnson, 53, of 159 Millbank St., Rochester, is charged with disorderly conduct. Johnson allegedly used obscene language and gestures on a crowded public street after being warned by police to cease such conduct.

Jovon C. Johnson, 24, of 960 Gleason Circle, East Rochester, is charged with resisting arrest. Johnson allegedly interfered with a police officer's attempt to arrest another person during following a reported fight involving several people on Swan Street at 9:43 p.m., Saturday.

Willie A. Toney, 26, of Finch Street, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, 2nd. Toney was stopped at 3:03 p.m., Saturday, on Route 77, Village of Corfu, by Corfu Police Officer Michael Petritz for allegedly driving 48 in a 35 mph zone. Upon further investigation, it was determined Toney's license was allegedly suspended 21 times. A search of his vehicle allegedly turned up a .38 caliber pistol and a crack pipe containing crack cocaine residue.

Jennifer L. Spraugue, 30, of Pringle Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on a falsely reporting an incident case. Spraugue is being held on an unrelated charge. She was arrested for allegedly failing to appear in Bergen Town Court on a third-degree charge of falsely reporting an incident to law enforcement. Spraugue entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to time served. She was returned to the jail on the unrelated matter.

Stoan Richard Dietzman, 18, of Dartwood Avenue, Cheektowaga, was arrested on warrants related endangering the welfare of a child and strangulation, 2nd, charges. Dietzman was a passenger in a vehicle stopped in the City of Buffalo and after a records check was arrested on the warrants. After being turned over to the Sheriff's Office, Dietzman was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Barbara Ann Kosciolek, 67, of Osterhout Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI, failure to keep right and moving form lane unsafely. Kosciolek was stopped at 11:11 p.m. Saturday on Route 5 in Stafford by Deputy Matthew Butler.

John Edward Ryman, 32, of Macedone Center Road, Palmyra, is charged with possession of untaxed cigarettes. Ryman was allegedly found in possession of 35 cartons of untaxed cigarettes during a traffic stop on Route 5 in Le Roy by Deputy Matthew Butler.

Jeanine Danielle Fuller, 26, of Holland Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Fuller is accused of shoplifting $33.78 in merchandise from Walmart.

Robert Gordan Woodhouse, 54, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with felony DWAI-Drugs and moving from lane unsafely. Woodhouse was stopped following a report at 4 p.m. Friday of a black H3 Hummer operating erratically on West Main Street Road in the Town of Batavia. The Hummer allegedly crossed the center line and nearly struck an oncoming vehicle. The Hummer was stopped by Deputy Chad Minuto and upon investigation Woodhouse was accused of driving while under the influence of drugs.

Robert Walter Plantiko, 38, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with burglary, 2nd. Plantiko allegedly entered a motel room and stole property. Plantiko was jailed on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond.

Mark Robert Willard, 39, of Tinkham Road, Darien, is accused of violating probation. Willard was arrested and held without bail.

Iesha Marie Vetter, 20, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and criminal mischief. Vetter is accused of removing products from packaging as part of an effort to steal items from Target.

Winston A. Lockhart, 18, of 3 Lewis Place, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Lockhart allegedly hit a woman at 119 State St., Batavia, during an incident reported at 3:22 p.m. Saturday.

Ashlea M. Harmon, 22, of 665 Ellicott St., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Harmon was found in possession of an allegedly stolen bicycle that she admitted to stealing.

Michael S. Lytle, 24, of 11 Wood St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and criminal mischief. Lytle was arrested following a reported domestic incident on Wood Street at 11:40 p.m. Friday. Lytle was jailed on $250 bail.

There were 57 vendors at the 10th Annual Summer in the City yesterday. Don Burkel, Business Improvement District director, said more classic cars showed up than ever before. It's impossible to count how many people were there, but it sure seemed like -- and Burkel agreed -- that more people showed up than ever before.

And it was a beautiful day.

Thanks to the City Fire Department for letting me ride up into the sky over the city in Ladder 15 to get some aerial shots.

Thanks to the dozens and dozens of people who stopped by our booth and said great things about The Batavian, especially the ones who followed up by becoming members of The Batavian Club. Your support is so greatly appreciated. Thanks to Bonnie Marrocco for helping out in our booth. 

I missed Don Carroll's 5K race, so I apologize about that.

Next to our booth, I set up a big U.S. flag that I normally use for awards dinners and took photos of several people who stopped by our booth. If I took your picture and you wish to purchase a print, follow this link.

To purchase prints, click here.

A small dog is reportedly locked inside a silver Toyota and all the windows are closed. The vehicle is near the garden entrance of Walmart.

UPDATE 2:54 p.m.: Law enforcement was unable to locate the vehicle -- "gone upon arrival."

It's the biggest day of the year for the City of Batavia with the arrival of Summer in the City.

This is the 10th year for the Downtown event, which opens at 11 a.m. and goes until 9 p.m.

There will be over 45 vendors. Food concessions will be serving: BBQ, hot dogs & hamburgers, fried dough, pizza, and ice cream and lots more delicious treats. Artists & crafts persons will have a variety of artwork, jewelry and clothing for sale.

The entertainment lineup runs throughout the afternoon and evening. Downtown will be rock’n with Terry Buchwald is on stage from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. performing as Elvis and also doing a country music show. Hit N Run takes the stage at 6 p.m. and performs until 8 p.m.

There is also a kids' zone and classic cars.

At 6:15 p.m. is the 32nd Donald R. Carroll 5K Race and Walk, starting on Bank Street.

City firefighters will be holding a free child passenger safety seat check at the Fire Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 18 Evans St.

The following street closures are in effect now through 11 p.m.:

• Bank at Alva Place

• Bank at Washington (Closes at 3 p.m. / Reopens at 
 7:30 p.m.)
    
• Main at Upton Monument
• Main at Liberty / Summit

• Jackson at Ellicott
 
• Center at School
• Court at Ellicott  / Parking Lot Entrances /Bank Drive-
Thru
• Jefferson at Intersection Tonawanda Valley &
  Wendy’s Parking Lots
• Wendy’s -- Main Street Entrance

Other events going on today: The East Pembroke Mud Races, a 5K run at Frostridge and Hogs for Paws at Stan's.

A caller to dispatch reports seeing a man driving a black sports car with the number 1 on the back of it forcibly put a female standing roadside into his car and drive off. She is wearing a pink shirt. The vehicle was last seen heading west on R. Stephen Hawley Drive toward Bank Street Road.

UPDATE 12:45 p.m.: This may be a related to an incident which occurred earlier on Norton Road. The female is also said to be Hispanic and wearing flowered pants. The vehicle may be a dark-colored Grand Am.

UPDATE 1:27 p.m.: Responders are back in service. They did not locate the vehicle.

Kyle Justin James Jackson, 21, of Slusser Road, Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment. Jackson, while incarcerated in the Genesee County Jail, allegedly threw a plastic cup containing feces at a corrections officer. Jackson remains in jail on other charges.

Sandra Rae Marceill, 66, of Sanders Road, Stafford, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving too slow/impeding traffic and moving from lane unsafely. Marceill was stopped at 11:04 p.m. Aug. 9 on Main Road, Stafford, by Deputy James Diehl.

David Michael Jackson, 36, of Lake Road, Pavilion, is charged with forcible touching, endangering the welfare of a child and sexual abuse, 3rd. Jackson is accused of touching the intimate parts of a person less than 17 years old.

April Lynn Walradt, 36, of Westcott Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and moving from lane unsafely. Walradt was allegedly the driver in a motor-vehicle accident reported at 1:18 a.m. Thursday on Westcott Road, Le Roy. The accident was investigated by Deputy Matthew Fleming.

David Alexander Bramblett, 44, of Chapin Street, Canandaigua, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle, unlicensed driver. Bramblett was stopped on Route 77 in Corfu following a report of an apparently intoxicated driver from a witness on the Thruway. Bramblett was stopped at 4:19 p.m. Tuesday by Deputy Eric Seppela.

There was a bit of history at the county's election's office this afternoon -- for the first time in Genesee County history, Libertarians turned in signatures to put their own candidates on a local election ballot.

Batavia City Council candidates Lisa Whitehead (center) and Jim Rosenbeck (right) need 191 valid signatures to get spots on the ballot.

In New York's system, the Republican and Democrat candidates get to gather signatures first. When they're done, so-called third party candidates can gather signatures. None of the third-party signatures can duplicate signatures gathered by the Republicans and Democrats.

They all, of course, must be registered voters.

The Libertarians turned in 459 total signatures, which will now be reviewed by the election commissions to see if the minimum threshold of valid signatures have been met.

With Whitehead and Rosenbeck is Phil Ricci, chairman of the Genesee County Libertarian Party.

Deputies are looking for a subject who may have stolen items from Walmart.

The subject is described as a white female with a beanie cap. She got into a yellow S-10 pickup with a sports cab and black stripes.

Batavia PD has been alerted to watch for the vehicle.

UPDATE 1:37 p.m.: The vehicle has been spotted in Oakfield.

UPDATE 1:51 p.m.: The vehicle was located on Galloway Road and stopped. The woman was no longer in the vehicle. A trooper and deputy are now at a location in the Village of Oakfield continuing the investigation.

Justin D. Cotter, 21, of 14 Lehigh Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, criminal mischief, 4th, harassment, 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Cotter was arrested following a police investigation into a domestic incident reported at 3 a.m. at a location on Liberty Street, Batavia. Cotter was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Daniel G. Cherry Sr., 51, of 4 Highland Park, lower, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct and unlawful possession of marijuana. Cherry is accused of causing a disturbance at 1:14 a.m. Sunday at Center Street Smoke House.

A three-car accident, blocking traffic, is reported at Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road and Downey Road. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy Medics are responding. One patient is complaining of leg pain.

Batavia's new frozen yogurt shop, Yo Twisters, on Jackson Street, officially opened late this afternoon, and as soon as Mercedes Rivera, left, and Tesla Phelinger heard the shop was open they headed right down.

They had sampled the frozen yogurt before and couldn't wait to try it again.

At Yo Twisters, when a customer walks in, he or she is directed to the back the store where the frozen yogurt machines are -- 15 of them. You can mix and match any flavors you like, and then top with any of a large variety of toppings.  You then pay according to the weight of your cup. 

SJS Launches Fund Raising Campaign! Also Calling for Alumni Nominations.

Batavia, NY – St. Joseph Catholic School is pleased to announce the establishment of the All Apostles’ Society, an annual giving society aimed at creating sustainability for the school. Alumni Tom and Jean Lichtenthal have agreed to act as honorary co-chairs for the campaign, which hopes to raise $50,000 by the end of the year.

With the closing of Holy Family School in Le Roy last year, the school has swelled to 300 students from 14 school districts and four different counties. While enrollment remains strong, school officials would like to guarentee the school remains viable for years to come. Principal Karen Green believes the time is right for the school to kick off this initiative.

“We have tremendous support from the church, our families and staff, and the community at large but we want to take steps now to ensure that St. Joe’s will be a vibrant part of the community for years to come,” Green said.

The campaign will be led by Development Director Chad Zambito and supported by the school’s advisory committee including Bryan Winters, a former Holy Family supporter that has made the transition to St Joe’s.

“It was difficult for us to witness the closing of Holy Family but we are very happy with St. Joe’s and want to make sure that parents in Genesee County and the region have an option to provide a Catholic education for their children,” Winters said.

The Lichtenthals both attended St. Joe’s and sent their three children to the school as well.

“St. Joe’s teaches so much more than academics, it gives these children a solid foundation of knowledge, morals and values that they can build on for the rest of their life," Tom said. “We have been involved in committees and fundraisers in the past and are looking forward to helping the school take another step toward sustainability.”

The campaign will kick off with a reception at T.F. Brown’s in Batavia on Aug. 22.

Meanwhile, officials have announced that the 54th annual Popcorn Ball will be held on Oct. 26 and will feature a “Corks and Forks” theme. Nominations are now being accepted for Outstanding Alumni awards.

For more information about the All Apostles’ Society or the Popcorn Ball, call 343-6154 or visit www.sjsbatavia.org.

City crews had Maple Street closed this morning for a water line repair.

Shante R. Williams, of 112 State St., upper, Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd, obstructing governmental administration, 2nd, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, exposure and trespass. Williams is accused of getting into an alleged altercation at 122 State St. at 1:10 a.m. When patrols arrived, Williams was allegedly wearing only a T-shirt. Williams allegedly resisted arrest.

Matthew D. Derrick, 28, of East Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, and menacing, 2nd. Derrick was arrested Friday by Le Roy PD after patrols were called to his residence on a complaint of a fight. He is accused of threatening a family member with a weapon. Derrick was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Tessecca T. Tundo, 25, of 130 W. Main Street, Room 5, Batavia, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs and unlicensed driver. Tundo was allegedly found driving while under the influence of drugs at 5:58 p.m. Friday, following an incident at 127 North St., Batavia.