batavia

Last week, The Batavian published photos of the new traffic signals at Oak Orchard Road and Federal Drive and noted that the new street signs read "Federal Rd."

We asked a Department of Transportation official about the discrepancy and this morning received this statement:

“A contractor installed an incorrect sign on Federal Drive. The sign will be replaced and the new traffic signal will be activated into its 3-color operation later this week, weather permitting.”

We sent a follow-up question about the cost of replacing the signs and have not received a response.

Press Release:

The HEALing Genesee Work Group, City Church, and the City of Batavia Police Department are joining forces to offer the public an opportunity to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired medications.

The St. Anthony’s campus of City Church on Liberty Street will be the site of a Drug Take Back Day from 9 a.m. to noon on Aug. 26. The event is part of a continuing effort by HEALing Genesee, a component of the GOW Opioid Task Force, to help end overdoses in the community.

“Drug Take Back Days have proven to be effective in reducing the prevalence of opioid overdoses, and we’re thankful for the Batavia police department and the staff at City Church for making the August 26 session happen,” said Sherri Bensley, program manager for the HEALing Communities Study.

Bensley said a table will be set up at the site to collect prescription medications. As required by New York State, law enforcement personnel will be on-site to assist in the collection process.

Workgroup representatives also will be on hand to provide Naloxone training and share other resources with residents. Free snacks will be provided.

For more information about HEALing Genesee, contact Sherri Bensley at sherri.bensley@co.genesee.ny.us.

There are 2,133 National Grid customers without power in an area that stretches from the northeast quadrant of the City of Batavia to the Town of Le Roy on the east, and from north of Clinton Street Road in Bryon to Route 63 in East Bethany.

The power outage was reported at 6:23 and is expected to be resolved by 8:30 p.m.

UPDATE 7:18 p.m.: National Grid is on scene on Clinton STree Road but has not yet located the source of the outage.

As construction of the Healthy Living campus in downtown Batavia continues to take hold right under the noses of city-dwellers, another Rochester Regional Health project is about to set sail with an opening celebration just over the city’s north border on Route 98.

The $44.5 million, three-floor Batavia Medical Campus has been in progress for the last two years, and officials are preparing for a ribbon-cutting next Friday, United Memorial Medical Center President Dan Ireland says.

“Its intended purpose is to create greater access to health care for people around Genesee County, including Batavia, but then Genesee County and the surrounding area. The idea being is we're going to consolidate a number of services into that building. So it's almost one-stop shopping for patients, they can go there and they can get multiple appointments done, potentially at the same time,” Ireland said Friday afternoon at his North Street office. “And have ease of access to all the services that we're moving into the building, meaning that we're already offering them in the area, all are being moved there because they're reaching their capacity limits where they are and they needed more space to grow and offer more availability to patients.

“It's bringing new access to healthcare, it's bringing growth potential for the future. And, again, we chose the location because it really creates the most convenient access for folks,” he said. “We've worked closely with our (Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority) bus service for people who live in the city, they can use their on demand service and have the bus bring them out. We're not necessarily putting a bus stop in out there right now because to do that RG RTA has to do a lot of assessment, but they they've made it clear they're willing to offer services to people who call and request transportation to that campus.”

A merging of services
Coming from the hospital grounds, Batavia City Centre and the Jerome Center will be Batavia internal medicine, Batavia Pediatrics, Sans Constellation Heart Institute, the pain center and neurology, Genesee Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, general, vascular and a bariatric surgery practices, and lab, X-ray, ultrasound and MRI services.

Once services of X-ray,  lab, ultrasound, mammogram and dexascan are moved out of the Jerome Center, what will fill that empty space?

“I already have our teams looking at that,” Ireland said. “What does our community need? That’s a great space. Is it chemical dependency? Behavioral health? We will be talking to GCASA and to (Mental Health Director) Lynda Battaglia.”

While many of those service providers were filling to occupancy with no room left to expand, moving them out will afford more room for other physicians and practices looking to rent space, Ireland said.

“We have a number of services that need space, and we have private physicians in need of space looking to rent,” he said. “We’re in health discussions with them.”

Urgent care, which was closed some time ago, will be moved back into the Jerome Center, and other areas have reached their life limit, such as 207 Summit St., which will be knocked down to create more parking space as part of the new configurations, he said. 

An important term in construction these days, apparently, is “shell space,” carving out empty cavities for future use. There will be some shell space as part of the medical campus for a Phase II down the road, as “we know the needs of the community keep evolving,” Ireland said.

Architects were thinking some time ago at the UMMC campus and built in some of that “shell space” on the second floor over radiology. That’s “on our radar for the next big project,” Ireland said, for a new intensive care unit to shore up the current one that’s circa 1954. 

“We’re navigating the fundraising,” he said, for a cost of somewhere in the ballpark of $12.5 million.

There’s no definite timeline for that project at this time.

Covering the details at Batavia Medical Campus
There is covered parking under the Batavia Medical Campus building for patients to alleviate a need to walk across windy parking lots, he said. All providers are to make the transition at the same time by the end of August, and patients are to be notified of the change in location when making appointments, he said. 

Touted as a “destination campus,” the 112,000-square-foot site will be home to experts in more than 20 specialty areas in a state-of-the-art multi-provider medical complex at 8193 Oak Orchard Road.

Specialties include: cardiac, endocrinology, gastroenterology, general surgery,  imaging, infusion, laboratory, neurology, orthopedics, podiatry, otolaryngology, pain management, pediatric, primary and urgent care, vascular surgery and women’s health specialty services.

And on the other end of town, there’s still a lot of construction going on at Healthy Living, with an estimated 40 percent completion at this point, Ireland said. 

Although not done, it has caused a stir among some people who have come back to visit and noted the new development and flurry of contractor activity. 

“That's the exciting part about it. I mean, I think we knew, once we determined what the design was gonna be, it was going to be transformational on Main Street. And I think when we're all said and done, and the new building’s up, and the old YMCA is down, I think it's just going to be a beautiful part of the Main Street streetscape,” he said. “And the goal is just to be inviting people to come in. I mean, the beauty of the partnership with the YMCA is we can bring health and wellness right together and bring doctors to work in closely with people who are going to the Y for their physical fitness or wellness activity, and folks at the Y can easily get to access to our preventative care work.”

So who will be moving into the new digs?
This project has been ongoing this past year, including the razing of the old Healthy Living headquarters in Cary Hall and erecting concrete walls and foundational structures for what will eventually house services from 164 Washington Ave., including breast cancer and colon screenings, diabetic educators, smoking cessation classes, and Baby Cafe, plus Batavia Primary Care from the Jerome Center and a big meeting room to provide education classes for employees, a computer training lab, and a multi-purpose room for a teaching kitchen.

“So we can offer bigger classes and better access to people for learning and growth, and on the Y side, the state-of-the-art pool and gymnasium and workout equipment. Really, it's going to be an exciting place to go. And as I said, very inviting, it's designed to draw people to come in, you know, use the multi-purpose room, use the services at that location, gather there,” he said. “And the outside landscape that we're putting in will be inviting to do outside programs.

“So, like you said, we started with a beautiful day like today and want to be out, I mean, you could have meetings like this right out on the terrace that's going to be built there, or if you want to do exercise or yoga or things like that, I mean we're envisioning those things happening during the nice sunny days,” he said. “But then when it's cold and damp, we'll be able to come inside and be warm inside with the bright colors and the, really, I think, the inviting atmosphere.”

So while spectators are seeing scaffolding and rubble, wondering just why it’s taking so long to reach the endpoint, what’s been happening at this new facility spot?

All of the plumbing is being dug, the decks are being poured, as the goal is to get it enclosed before winter, he said. 

The pool is slated to be dug out for installation soon, with a completion date still set for mid to late summer 2024. 

“The whole intent of the project is to build the new (YMCA) before closing this one,” he said. “We want to keep it open for as long as possible without disruption.”

Foundations and footers have been poured, and steel girders put in along with block walls, he said. But there are also open spaces, and that’s intentional. 

“What I think what's really cool about that location is, there's a lot of space that still looks like what's supposed to go there because it's wide open. But a lot of that's glass, and that's what's going to be nice because it's going to create a nice footprint, they'll be glass and panels that'll be going out there,” he said. “Our biggest thing we didn't want to do is turn it into just a brick structure that was just, you know, brick, we wanted to make it more of a feeling.” 

That layout is every bit symbolic of the way in which this project began — it originated from a feeling communicated by the city, school district, county, Youth Bureau, hospital and YMCA leaders.

The numbers spoke loud and clear that this was no small or easy task: $10.5 million from UMMC, which received a $7.5 million state transformation grant, used $1 million from capital reserves and raised another $2 million from donations, and about $22 million from YMCA, a substantial amount to come from an ongoing fundraising campaign.

“I think when we started, people weren't sure it was going to be possible. And it was, and is, and so it just goes to show the testament of our community. I mean, Batavia and Genesee County, we want to have good services here, we want to have places for people to go that are safe and welcoming and whatnot. And I think when you introduce something and bring the community in like we did … it wasn't like one person saying, I want to build a Y or one person saying I want to build this campus, or I want to build a hospital building or whatever … everybody was talking together, saying what can we do and what would be the most impactful? And that's the genesis of what is now being built,” he said. “So it's truly a community building that came from the needs of all parts of the community coming together. So that's what makes it very special for me. Because when it's said and done next year, I mean, we're going to open the doors for a lot of people to get access to stuff that they may not have experienced previously.”

Photos by Howard Owens.

A larger-than-typical crowd jammed into Jackson Square on Friday night to catch Fleetwood Mac tribute band Songbirds perform the legendary band's best-known songs.

The five-piece band formed in 2020 comprises musicians from Genesee County and the immediate area and has been growing in popularity throughout Western New York.

Band members are:

• Dave Cocuzzi - Drums 
• Jeffrey Fischer - Bass/Keys/Vocals
• Christian Hehr - Guitar/Vocals
• Maryssa Peirick - Keys/Vocals 
• Julia Riley - Vocals/Aux Percussion/Ukulele 

Previously: It's more than just ‘Rumours’ that Songbirds pay tribute to Fleetwood Mac

New traffic signals have been installed at the intersection of Oak Orchard Road (Route 98) and Federal Drive in Batavia.

The installation comes in conjunction with the construction of a new Rochester Regional Health facility at that location.

The NYS Department of Transportation initially announced that the yellow flashing light for northbound and southbound traffic would switch to a three-color light at the beginning of August, but as of yesterday, it remains yellow flashing.

NOTE: In the press release from the DOT, the DOT refers to the street as "Federal Drive." All maps and addresses for properties on that street are "Federal Drive."  As the photo shows above, the signs read "Federal Rd."  We've asked the DOT to clarify.

Photos by Howard Owens.

A motor vehicle accident with injuries is reported at Richmond Avenue and North Lyon Street in the City of Batavia.

City Fire and Mercy EMS responding.

First-time business owner Ember Arend enjoyed the prospects of running a fish ’n chip shop in Batavia, she said, thought there were plenty of lessons to learn before finding success.

First, she would have to price her meals something more reasonable to turn a profit.

“I had my fish listed for $1 or $2 and had to put it up to $13 to make some money,” the 10-year-old said at John Kennedy Intermediate School. “And an employee wanted to sell burgers, and I said no, I’m lowering your payment because you said we’re selling burgers.”

Perhaps that’s why the soon-to-be fifth-grader said that the nature class was her favorite: she only dealt with toads. 

Ember is one of 45 children who participated in Batavia City School District’s inaugural 21st Century innovation camp this summer that ran along with summer school.

Meant to be a “nurturing, fun environment,” the five-day per week program offered three different courses: nature and exploration, building and engineering, and music and drama. 

The 21st Century program is grant-based and offered through the state Education Department by application.

“We applied because we wanted to have more opportunities for kids outside of the school day,” said Dr. Molly Corey, executive director of curriculum and instruction. "And it was nice the 21st Century allowed us to expand summer programming to include additional things, fun things, for kids to do in a structured environment after the extended day programming.”

Rather than a set content that is done during the school year, this is considered to be more of an “enrichment program,” teacher Alyssa Elliott said. 

“So within those three areas, the teachers have been setting up fun, different prompts. Today in the building room, they were creating a Ferris wheel and cars, and in the nature room, they were creating bug hotels with natural materials. And in the music and drama room today, they were creating board games,” Elliott said. “So they set up those prompts and see what the students do with it and ask them questions to get them to explore their interests even further. Or there's a student that is really interested in building, and they're in there, and they come up with another idea that teachers just run with it and help them explore their curiosities and what they're interested in and try to connect it back to the academic content as much as possible, but it's more of like an open-ended exploration.”

There’s an extended day-school violence grant that “allows us to do after-school activities for at-risk students, Corey said, and the 21st Century program is open to all students. 

“So we really wanted to expand based on interest,” she said. “After this summer, we’ll open it, technically it could be for K through 12. But we just did it this year, we started small with one site. But our intent is to expand it in all schools for after school in the fall and next summer.”

The grant program is for five years, and according to the state Education Department’s website, the grant is for $228,393.

Considering it’s summertime and most of the kids have been making it to school every day, that might say something about the program’s success so far. 

Augustus Rojo-Hallock has been having so much fun, he was going to be sad when it ends on Friday, he said. 

“I’ll wait to next year for summer school to come back again,” the eight-year-old said while showing his partially crafted Ferris wheel.  “This can spin by itself.”

While it may sound merely like fun and games, there’s more to the projects, Elliott said. 

“They had to be able to look at the pictures of the directions and read the words and problem solve. If something wasn't working, we had to figure out what they did incorrectly and how they can improve and personally persevere through solving it because it was really tricky,” she said. “And then with the bug hotels is the same kind of problem-solving skills, trying to design something and seeing what works and what doesn't. And then the board games, they were doing a lot of writing and thinking ahead …”

Augustus named building and engineering as his favorite space because “it does a lot of fun things,” including the Lego boat, magnet and milk carton car that he got to make by himself. 

Logan Oxencis and Lavanya Main explained how they created a board game, they titled “The Game That Never Ends (until after 20 rounds),” complete with handmade dice and board pieces. 

Logan, going into fourth grade, made a diamond card, helicopter, motorcycle, and Superman, using bright colors for each. 

“This is a little challenging,” he said. “I decided to put in some color and make it not dull. And the dice is colorful, so it’s not boring.”

They also drafted rules, which began with no cheating. That seemed to be a common starting point, as nine-year-old Mira Ferrando’s Candy Planet game also began with “Don’t Cheat!” And ended with “Don’t Quit and Have Fun.”

Did they ever hit a point where they weren’t sure what to do?

“Some parts I didn’t know what to do,” eight-year-old Lavanya said. “I just figured out what to do, I figured it out in my mind.”

Over at nature and exploration, Lucas Norman had “the most fun,” he said, building a bug hotel out of outdoor debris and household goods — leaves, moss, toilet paper rolls, part of a plastic pop bottle and a shoe box, to name a few items.

And, of course, there was one other important reason.

“Because we got to explore outside, and we got to see a toad,” he said.

The 21st Century camp ran for five weeks as one of several district extended-year programs, including acceleration camps, SOAR, math and literacy camps, and My Brother’s Keeper. 

After COVID’s social distancing separated kids from the school environment, teachers and their classmates for so long, many educators had noticed setbacks in student learning. The Batavian asked how these students are doing now.

“I think one of the biggest things from COVID was the social-emotional piece. And I think that's one thing that the summer programs really helped with, just interacting with other kids and doing group work, and even just coming in school and having those conversations with teachers,” Elliott said. “And so I think that's a really important piece that the summer programs helped to address and something that I saw kids struggle a little bit with after being gone for so long. And I also see some improvement in mathematics if I know that they were at summer school.”

Jeremiah L. Hayes, 29, of Le Roy, is charged with obstructing governmental administration 2nd and speeding. Hayes was stopped by Batavia PD on July 26 on West Main Street, Batavia. During the traffic stop, he allegedly refused to identify himself or provide police with a driver's license. He allegedly refused to exit his vehicle. He was removed from his vehicle by patrol officers. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Francisco Antonio Quiones, 32, of Buffalo, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th. He was allegedly found in possession of cocaine at 12:21 p.m. on Aug. 7 following a complaint at Darien Lake Theme Park. He was held for arraignment.

Bleyke Z. Culver, 27, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for burglary 2nd and two counts of criminal contempt 2nd. Culver is accused of violating an order of protection on June 23.  He allegedly entered the residence of the protected party. An arrest warrant was issued on July 7. On July 24, Culver was located by Batavia PD in Austin Park. He allegedly attempted to flee but was taken into custody a short distance away. Culver was allegedly with the protected party in violation of the order protection. Culver was arraigned and remanded to the Genesee County Jail.

Zakara R. Jackson, 19, of Batavia, was arrested on two arrest warrants issued by City Court. The first warrant charges Jackson with bail jumping 2nd. It’s alleged that Jackson had been previously charged with a separate count of bail jumping 2nd. She was arraigned and released but failed to appear back in court. The second warrant charges her with bail jumping 3rd, in relation to a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. She was arraigned on that charge and released, but failed to appear back in court. Jackson was arraigned on the warrants and released under the supervision of Genesee Justice. 

Robert D. Griffin, 45, of Batavia, is charged with felony DWI, open container in a vehicle, and criminal mischief 4th. Griffin was arrested by Batavia PD following a report of a disturbance on Summit Street at Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia on July 19. An investigation indicated he drove while intoxicated. While being processed at police headquarters, Griffin allegedly damaged a wall. He was arraigned and jailed.

Heather N. Holbrook, 38, of Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant issued by City Court. Holbrook was initially arrested on May 17 on charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd with Intent to sell, a Class B felony, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, a Class C felony). She was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance. Holbrook allegedly failed to appear at her next court date, and a warrant was issued on July 10. On July 18, Holbrook was located and arrested on the warrant. She was arraigned and released. 

Kimberly L. Bue, 34, of Batavia, is charged with bail jumping 3rd.  Bue was previously arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Bue was arraigned and released. She allegedly failed to appear at a scheduled court appearance. On July 20, she was arrested at the Genesee County Jail, where she was incarcerated on an unrelated matter. 

Zachary J. Sauberan, 28, of Lakewood, was arrested on a warrant issued by City Court. Sauberan was previously arrested on Jan. 14 and charged with harassment 2nd. He was issued an appearance ticket and released. He allegedly failed to appear in court, and a warrant was issued on April 5. On July 19, Sauberan was arrested. He was arraigned in City Court, where the case was resolved.

Sheri A. Jansen, 45, of Corfu, is charged with DWI. Jansen's vehicle was located and stopped after police received a complaint of an erratic driver on Clinton Street on July 22. She was issued traffic tickets and released.

Andrew D. Beedham, 37, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. He was arrested following a report of a disturbance on July 23 at an undisclosed location in the City of Batavia. He allegedly violated an order of protection. He was arraigned and released.

Michelle L. Preston, 57, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Preston is accused of using another person's debit card without permission to make several online purchases. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Tyler J. Mills, 23, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Mills is accused of shoving another person and throwing an item at her during a disturbance on Washington Avenue, Batavia, on July 22. He was arraigned and released.

Frank H. Williams III, 40, of Batavia, has a warrant issued in Pennsylvania related to a drug possession charge. He was located on July 20 by Batavia PD during a traffic stop on Main Street in Batavia. He was arraigned as a fugitive from justice and ordered held pending extradition.

Niyoki T. Simmons, 51, of Rochester, is charged with aggravated DWI. Shortly before 7:30 p.m. on July 17, Batavia PD was dispatched to a report of a disturbance on Park Road in a parking lot. Simmons was allegedly found operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Shannon M. Armstead, 30, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Armstead was arrested after an investigation into a disturbance on July 18 where she allegedly damaged numerous items inside a residence in an undisclosed part of Batavia. Armstead was arraigned and released on her own recognizance.

Christine M. Caplis, 43, of Elba, is charged with petit larceny. Caplis is accused of stealing another person's mobile phone on July 21. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Andrew J. Draper, 44, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant issued by City Court.  Draper was initially arrested on Aug. 24, 2022, on a charge of criminal contempt 1st, after allegedly violating an order of protection. He was issued an appearance ticket, but failed to appear in court. The warrant was issued on Sept 22, 2022. On July 29, Draper was located and arrested. He was arraigned in City Court. His release status is unknown.

George J. Budzinack, 43, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 5th. On June 17, Budzinack was allegedly found in possession of a stolen mobile phone. He was arrested on Aug. 3 following an investigation. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kayla M. Geissler, 31, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She is accused of stealing merchandise from Tops in Batavia on Aug. 1. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Weldon J. Ervin, 31, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd. On Aug. 1, Batavia PD responded to Richmond Avenue and North Lyon Street in Batavia to investigate a report of a suspicious vehicle. During the investigation, Ervin was identified as the front-seat passenger, and officers found that there was an order of protection in place in respect to the driver of the vehicle. When police attempted to arrest Ervin, he reportedly fled on foot. He was taken into custody a short time later at a residence on Oak Street. He was arraigned and jailed on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.

Matthew P. Parker, 33, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Parker is accused of shoplifting from Tops in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Amber L. Turner, 30, and Angela M. Samson, 42, both of Batavia, are both charged with making graffiti. Turner and Samson are accused of spray painting a sidewalk on South Main Street, Batavia. They were issued appearance tickets.

Jason T. Knickerbocker, 32, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant issued by City Court. Knickerbocker was initially arrested on April 23, 2022, after an investigation into an incident on Feb. 7, 2022, where he was allegedly found to be operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs. A warrant was issued on April 12 after Knickerbocker allegedly failed to appear for a court appearance. He was arrested on July 29. He was arraigned and ordered to reappear in court at a later date.

Savannah T. Parsons, 19, of Groveland, was arrested on a warrant issued by City Court. Parsons was initially charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle 2nd, along with several other traffic offenses, following a traffic stop at Center Street and Main Street on March 4. The warrant was issued after Parsons allegedly failed to appear in court. She was arraigned in City Court. A plea agreement was reached, and Parsons was released.

Jarrod A. Grimmelt, 27, of Attica, was arrested on a warrant issued by City Court. Grimmelt was initially charged on July 26 and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle 3rd following a traffic stop on Law Street, Batavia. The warrant was issued after Grimmelt allegedly failed to appear in court. He was arraigned in City Court, fined and released.

Bonjier M. Albaram, 27, of Rochester, is arrested on a warrant issued by City Court. Albaram was initially charged on Feb. 18 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle 3rd and speeding following a traffic stop on Ellicott Street. The warrant was issued after Albaram allegedly failed to appear in court. He was arrested on July 24 and arraigned in City Court, where he was fined and released.

Crystal A. Mounts, 46, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant issued by City Court. Mounts was initially arrested in April of 2022. She was accused of stealing a package off a porch on Ross Street. She allegedly failed to appear in court, and a warrant was issued on Sept 29. Mounts was arraigned and ordered to return to court at a later date.

Shawn Michael Blanc, 29, of Warsaw, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and parked on a highway. Blanc was stopped by Deputy Austin Herberlein on Colby Road on Aug. 2 at 12:03 a.m. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Karli P. Teitsch, 31, of Cedarvale Road, Syracuse, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, circumventing an interlock device, and unlicensed operation. Teitsch was stopped at 12:50 a.m. on July 18 on Route 77 in Darien by Deputy Jeremy McClellan. Teitsch was released on an appearance ticket.

Thomas Michael Tacito, 63, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with arson 5th. Tacito is accused of starting a fire at 1:02 p.m. on July 28 that burned items owned by the Relax Inn at 8212 Park Road, Batavia. He was arraigned and ordered held. 

Duane E. Andrews, 47, of Niagara Falls, is charged with criminal contempt 1st and aggravated family offense. Andrews allegedly struck another person violating an order of protection at 10:47 p.m. on Aug. 1 at a location on Park Road, Batavia. He was arraigned and ordered to reappear at a later date.

Marcus Christopher Taylor, 33, of Viking Way, Brockport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Taylor was stopped at 2:05 a.m. on Aug. 3 on Route 33 in the Town of Stafford by Deputy Ryan Mullen.

Katherine Frances Donohue, 29, of Mercer Avenue, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving left of pavement markings, moving lane unsafely, and following too close. Donohue was stopped at 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 4 on Genesee Street in Pembroke by Jacob Kipler. She was released on appearance tickets.

Brandon Michael Poth, 29, of Regal Street, Depew, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Poth was stopped by Sgt. Mathew Clor at 11:32 p.m. on Aug. 4 outside the Darien Lake Amphitheater following a citizen complaint. Poth was released on appearance tickets.

Christopher James Parker, 34, of Batavia Elba Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment 2nd. Parker is accused of shoving a woman in front of their children during a disturbance reported at 11:50 a.m. on Aug. 8 at a location on Batavia Elba Townline Road. He was held pending arraignment.

Adam C. Gilley, 32, of West Seneca, is charged with driving with a BAC of .08 or higher. Gilley was stopped by State Police at 10:35 a.m. on Aug. 3 in the Town of Darien. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Cast members and leaders of Batavia Players' Summer Youth Theater want you to grab a seat for their production of “Cry Baby, The Musical,” this weekend, and the only question is: just where will that seat be?

Director Patrick Burk has been teasing the community’s curiosity with the debut of this show, via the sign outside of City Centre and an online post about the long-awaited opening of the new Main St. 56 Theater. 

"We have done a great job, thanks to our community, raising needed funds for seating so that we could open the theater for our summer program.  We still have a lot of work to do to complete the overall project.  We are at approximately $41,000 of our $265,000 goal," Burk said Wednesday. "It is our hope that the community will continually support this fundraising effort so that we can complete the project by the New Year."

Even by Burk’s own recounting of the process, it’s been a long, arduous journey of paperwork, grant applications, construction details, COVID delays, increased labor and raw material costs, and, most importantly — fundraising, fundraising, fundraising. 

"Much of the funds we raised paid for rent, interest, insurance and utilities while the project was on hold during Covid.  Now, we have to raise all that funding again to finish the project. We have had a huge outpouring of donated materials and sweat equity from a number of individuals and local companies. More is needed," he said. "It is our hope that the community will look at this beautiful facility and donate to make it happen."

In May, Burk was at best hopeful for a September splash of the new downtown theater at Batavia City Centre. Batavia Players ramped up a “Be My Guest” campaign seeking donations of any amount to help pay for theater amenities, such as that seat you’re going to hunker down in to watch this musical billed as a rebellious teen comedy based on the 1990 film “Cry-Baby.”

"We are very excited to be opening this weekend with the cult classic 'Cry Baby' and present to the community this highly entertaining and fantastic production," Burk said.  "Our cast is amazing."

Based in 1954, when everyone likes Ike, nobody likes communism, and Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker is the coolest boy in Baltimore, this show features a bad boy with a good cause: truth, justice and the pursuit of rock and roll. 

Wade and the square rich girl, Allison, are star-crossed lovers at the center of this world, with plenty of detractors and distractions to get in the way for a fun plot. Or, as the show’s website states: It's Romeo and Juliet meets High School Hellcats.

“Filled with unforgettable songs and a truly unique and fresh story, Cry-Baby is a perfect choice for any theatre looking to add a-rockin' good time to their season,” the site states. “Cry-Baby, Allison and Baltimore's energetic juvenile delinquents will dance their way right into your audience's heart!”

Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday at 56 Main St., Batavia. 

Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for students and seniors. Go HERE to purchase. 

Why would a few friends in and around their 20s with roots in and around Batavia come together to play the music of Fleetwood Mac, a band whose biggest-selling album, “Rumours,” came out when their parents were barely out of their teens themselves?

It's timeless music, they say. It's authentic. It's fun and challenging to play. And everybody knows and loves the songs, even their coworkers and friends.

The Songbirds is comprised of

• Dave Cocuzzi - Drums 
• Jeffrey Fischer - Bass/Keys/Vocals
• Christian Hehr - Guitar/Vocals
• Maryssa Peirick - Keys/Vocals 
• Julia Riley - Vocals/Aux Percussion/Ukulele 

The one person who connected all musicians together was Jeffrey Fischer, who met Peirick (the Christine McVie of the band) during high school in a summer musical theater camp and met Riley (Stevie Nicks) at an all-state chorus event while in high school, and Fischer played in various bands with Cocuzzi and Hehr.

All along, they all had a common love for Fleetwood Mac, but things didn't get rolling until Hehr posted on Facebook that he dreamed of playing in a Lindsay Buckingham/Fleetwood Mac tribute band.

Hehr, Fischer, and Cocuzzi joked around about it.  The talk got serious when they learned Peirick and Riley were moving back to the Batavia area.

"I kind of got roped into this," Peirick said. "Batavia is home to me, and I moved back in 2020 and reconnected with Jeff. At the same time, Julia moved back from Portland, Oregon. They sort of pitched the idea to me. Jeff and Dave were like, 'Hey, do you want to be in a Fleetwood Mac tribute band? I said, 'I'll try anything once, right?' I've loved Fleetwood Mac for a long time, but I didn't think it would take off like this. I'm very glad that it did, but I definitely kind of got pressured into it, if you will."

The band played its first gig in Attica in December 2021. They're now playing six to eight gigs a month. A lot of them are private parties, which Riley said also gives the band a chance to stretch out and explore other bands from the same period, such as the Eagles.

"The parties are fun for us because we get to expand beyond Fleetwood and into other high-energy rock. We're Mac-heads through and through, but with the talent and interests across our group, it's always fun to explore other styles," Riley said.

On Friday, they will play what is arguably their biggest gig in Batavia yet -- a concert in Jackson Square.  It's not their local debut -- they played a block party on South Swan last summer -- but Jackson Square shows always draw a lot of local music fans.

Buckingham to Nicks and McVey
Hehr doesn't shy away from being called a Fleetwood Mac nerd.  He's the guy who tracks down every possible live recording, watches all of the documentaries, and reads the books and articles. He's just the guy a tribute band needs to bring some historical context to the act and also the musical knowledge to help the band get inside the heads of the artists they're emulating.

"I like studying the parts and finding the patterns in the songwriting -- so, like how Stevie writes versus how Lindsay writes, and identifying those elements in it," Hehr said. "So when we bring it into practice, if we're having trouble figuring out a certain part, I can contribute and say, 'well, knowing Stevie, her chord progressions are very simple and very back and forth, so chances are, it's this chord.'"

Hehr's love of Fleetwood Mac started with guitar. He started playing when he was 13, but it wasn't long before he abandoned picks. He preferred early on playing with his fingers, and this led to an appreciation of fingerstyle guitar, an area where Lindsey Buckingham is a master.

"I just had an affinity for Fleetwood Mac through Lindsey Buckingham's playing," Hehr said. "There was one song I always vowed to myself that if I could ever play it, I would consider that I've made it as a guitar player, and that was 'Never Going Back Again.'"

"He uses Travis picking often," Hehr explained. "'Never Going Back Again' is a good example of him using compound rhythms. He's playing quarter notes with his thumb, but he's doing triplets with his other fingers at the same time, and somehow it works out. It's just incredible.

"When I was finally able to play that song, I was like, I felt so good about myself. I felt very accomplished because that song is very intense and very complicated. I loved the challenge of it, and it was gratifying to finally get it."

Early Mac
While most of the band gravitates to the era of Fleetwood Mac that featured Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks, Jeffrey Fischer is more of a Peter Green-era Mac fan.

Peter Green was the original lead guitarist and a bit of a mythical figure among guitar aficionados because he accomplished so much in such a few years before apparently losing his mind to LSD.

"Peter Green, in my opinion, was the most progressive, in the weirdest experimental way, pushing the boundaries of what blues is, and it's just great to listen to. It's more psychedelic. It's breaking all the rules in the best ways," Fischer said.

And because the Songbirds are a group of top-notch musicians, they love including some of those early Mac tunes in their sets.

"It's really an opportunity for myself and the other instrumentalists to jam out and show off our chops," Fischer said.

But what he appreciates most about being in a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, he said, are the close harmonies.  Since he's the bass player, the John McVie of the band, and McVie isn't known for overly complicated bass parts, it gives Fischer a chance to sit back, in a manner of speaking, and enjoy the vocals.

"I've always wanted to be in a band that was able to sing very tight together," Fischer said. "I would say my chorus teacher in high school really instilled this love of harmony in me. The Beach Boys, Doobie Brothers, the Eagles, all of these bands that are able to sing so close, even the Beatles, he instilled in me how beautiful harmonies can be. And not only just in terms of music but in terms of like a life philosophy, how it is just great to harmonize with one another."

The Songbirds have been a chance for Peirick to get back to musical performance, something she studied for two years at SUNY Fredonia but took a break from for a few years to take on a nursing career.

"It definitely scratched that itch for me," Peirick said. "When they asked me to come back to do this, it had been approximately eight years since I'd touched a piano. And I guess they weren't lying when they said it's like riding a bike."

The live music experience
While some tribute bands put their own touches on classic songs, and others try to precisely reproduce what audiences are used to hearing from studio recordings, the Songbirds have studied Fleetwood Mac's live recordings and try to bring that energy and vitality to their performances.

"There are a lot of tribute bands that recreate the studio tracks," Hehr said. "That alone is super duper challenging. You're compensating for layers and layers of tracks (recorded in the studio). I think one of the areas we excel in is being able to listen to Fleetwood Mac and ask, 'How did they do it live? How would they have done it back in 1976? And what parts were they prioritizing?' And then that clues us into what they were thinking about -- what was the most important part of that song for them to do? Why is Lindsey not playing this part? Why is Stevie not singing this part? So, in that way, we are trying to recreate that live Fleetwood Mac feel."

Fischer likes trying to recreate the Fleetwood Mac experience as a live band because that is what it was like going to see the band in concert back in the 1970s. That discovery of something new is why people paid for a ticket in the first place.

"It carries on that torch," Fischer said. "It carries on that tradition, that live music is something you can't experience anywhere else. Every live show is different, and you're getting something unique at each show."

Peirick said the Songbirds, with their play-it-live ethos, bring something new to the tribute band concept.

And she isn't surprised to see people across generations going for it.

We all know the songs
Everybody, she said, loves the music.

"It was just the golden era of California music," Peirick said. "(Rumours) was the perfect summer album that people can just pick up at any point and say, 'Wow, this is really catchy and really good.' I think that it stood the test of time because of that. I think that a lot of people, regardless of age, find it really agreeable."

She recalled talking to a trainee at work recently. She mentioned she played in a Fleetwood Mac tribute band. 

"Fleetwood Mac? Who's that," the trainee asked.

So she played her three songs -- "Go Your Own Way," "Dreams," and "Everywhere." 

"And she said, 'Oh, these are all Fleetwood Mac. I definitely know Fleetwood Mac.' So I think that's part of the appeal, too, right? It's the music that we all know, that we're all familiar with. But we (the Songbirds) sort of bring new energy to it because we're doing the live versions of the way they perform the songs instead of the studio versions. So it's a fresh twist on an old favorite."

Fischer is pleased to see things working out so well for a young band that started out with a half-joke of "Let's start a Fleetwood Mac tribute band."

"We're receiving a lot more attention than I ever thought we would," Fischer said. "We're playing venues that bands who have been together for years and years have not had the opportunity to play. We're just really excited to see where it takes us."

Songbirds play this Friday, Aug. 11, in Jackson Square from 7 to 9 p.m. and from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 3 at Triangle Park in Oakfield. Admission is free.

Sometimes you might wonder if all the grunt work of digging, planting, watering and weeding is worth it for some seasonal vegetables. 

Well folks at Emmanuel Baptist Church know the answer at their community garden. It’s a resounding yes.

“We have zucchini coming up, and also tomatoes, peppers, radishes, herbs, beans, and much more!,” Rev. Tom Tharp said Tuesday, sending photos as proof of the bounty. “The planters are full and flourishing!”

The property in back of the Oak Street church had a much different, albeit promising, look, with rows of empty wooden boxes awaiting their soil and seedlings at the end of May.

Tharp was busily mixing coconut chips and water with soil to deposit into the boxes for what he was hoping would be a rich harvest just a few months later. 

The church membership initially built a community garden to help feed homeless people that were being housed in nearby hotels, before those places were shut down. 

But then, as Tharp explained in May, “we still thought that there was a need, that the community is nearby the neighborhood, especially down Gateway, Noonan, Oak Street, that people might want to partake of growing their own food, and we might meet some of the additional costs that are coming up, over and over, at the grocery stores.”

A grant and donations of goods and volunteer time made it possible to purchase or otherwise have 20 garden plots, soil for planting, a 1,000-gallon water tank, donated by Norton Dairy, assorted vegetable seeds, and tools for people to use. 

Tharp then put the word out that plots were available for purchase to those that weren’t able to fill a garden plot themselves. Anyone, even with the slightest bit of green thumb, was invited to participate. 

And now they’re reaping the fruits — or veggies — of their labor. 

A reader submitted this photo and video of a large load leaving the Graham Corp. facility in Batavia today and heading down Clinton Street.

The Batavian attempted today to get more information about the shipment from a contact at Graham but did not get a response.

Press Release:

Join Batavian Tony Johnson on Saturday, August 12 at 10 a.m. in the Reading Room at Richmond Memorial Library for a book talk and signing. 

Tony will discuss his epic fantasy series, "The Story of Evil." The event will include a talk, Q&A, and book signing. There will be book giveaways, cookies made by Simply Scrumptious, customized bookmarks, and more!

Books in the series include "Heroes of the Siege," "Escape from Celestial," "Three Visions," "The Cursed King," and "Battle for the Kingdom." Tony published the first volume in the series in 2013.

Copies of the book will be available to purchase and will also be available to check out from Richmond Memorial Library.

Tony Johnson is the author of "The Story of Evil," a five-part epic fantasy saga. Tony is an avid reader who enjoys fantasy, classics, and Christian literature. He is a fan of movies, video games, and football, and loves being a husband and father. 

This event is free to attend and all are welcome. 

Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St., Batavia. For more information about the library, visit batavialibrary.org.