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Roses have been placed in the doorway of Roxy's Music on West Main Street in memory of owner Rose Marie Caccamise, who passed away June 5.

There was no formal obituary released to the local media. Attempts to get more information about her death and the future of Roxy's Music Store have been unsuccessful.

She was 80 years old.

Roxy's Music was founded in Batavia in 1934 by her parents, renowned accordionist Roxy Caccamise and his wife Nellie. Rose took over the business in the 1960s, eventually moving it from 331 W. Main St., Batavia, to the Genesee Country Mall, and eventually to its present location at 228 W. Main St.

The legendary store was a magnet for area musicians -- and accordionists from around the world -- for decades. Hundreds of local musicians took lessons at Roxy's over the years.

Caccamise was also an accomplished athlete. She finished fourth in 1956 for the Melbourne Olympics in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.5. She was among the first inductees in 2002 in the Batavia High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Rose Caccamise, center, with her parents in an undated photo, Nellie Caccamise and Roxy Caccamise.

A look at Batavia restaurants who, with the arrival of Phase Three of the pandemic recovery, were able to open on Friday.

From Bill Davis, superintendent of Water and Wastewater:

The City of Batavia Water Department is planning on making repairs to a water main on East Avenue in Batavia on Monday June 15 beginning at 8 a.m.

The water may be turned off on East Avenue between Holmes Avenue and Eugene Street.

Homes in the area may find lower pressure, and discolored water. Please do not attempt to do laundry if the water is discolored.

We appreciate your understanding while this repair is being made. City crews will make every attempt to restore water as soon as possible.

Kevin J. Jackson Jr., 30, and Briana S. Green, 23, both of Batavia, were arrested June 7 after a traffic stop was conducted on Route 19 in the Town of Warsaw by Wyoming County Sheriff's deputies. Jackson is charged with: driving while ability impaired by drugs; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree -- stimulant (methamphetamine) with intent to sell, two counts; and multiple vehicle and traffic violations. Upon speaking with Jackson, the operator of the vehicle, deputies allege they observed signs of drug impairment. A roadside investigation was conducted, including field sobriety testing. A search of Jackson's vehicle allegedly found a quantity of meth, packaging material and drug paraphernalia. His passenger, Green, was charged with: criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree  -- a stimulant (meth) with intent to sell; criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; and two counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia. Jackson was arraigned in Town of Warsaw Court and released on his own recognizance. Green's disposition was not provided. Both are due in Town of Warsaw Court at a later date. The cases were handled by Wyoming County Sheriff's Deputy Bliss, assisted by Deputy Nowak.

James R. Tillery, 47, of Farwell Drive, Batavia, is charged with third-degree criminal tampering. He was arrested at 4:35 p.m. on June 4 for allegedly mowing a profane word (unspecified) into grass on city property on Farwell Drive. He was issued an appearance ticket returnable to Batavia City Court at 1 p.m. on July 21. The case was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Joshua Girvin, assisted by Officer Austin Hedges.

Luis A. Ramos-Mercado, 35, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with: first-degree criminal contempt; third-degree assault; criminal obstruction of breathing; and endangering the welfare of a child. Ramos-Mercado was arrested following a domestic incident that occurred at 4:44 a.m. on June 6 outside a residence on Ellicott Avenue. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and put in jail. No bail information provided. He is due back in city court on July 7. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jordan McGinnis, assisted by Officer Sean Wilson.

Shaleesa H. Woods, 29, of South Swan Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. Woods was arrested after an altercation that stemmed from a domestic incident on South Swan Street at 6:04 p.m. June 2. It is alleged that Woods struck a female in the back of the head. She was issued an appearance ticket to be in Batavia City Court on July 14, then released from custody. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Alec Roberts.

Jamie M. Cyr, 38, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was arrested on June 9 following the investigation of a domestic incident that occurred at 8:38 that evening at an apartment on Bank Street. Cyr is accused of stealing a person's cell phone during a domestic incident and damaging a door. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Samuel Freeman, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Erick Ruldolf Horning, 30, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. Horning was arrested after on ongoing dispute between neighbors that occurred at 6:55 p.m. on June 8 on Tracy Avenue. He was issued a computer-generated computer ticket returnable to Batavia City Court on July 14. The  case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan, assisted by Officer Adam Tucker.

Thomas J. Wolcott, 36, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt following an investigation into a domestic incident. It is alleged that Wolcott violated an order of protection at 7:09 p.m. on June 8 on Central Avenue, Batavia. Wolcott was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on July 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Samuel Freeman, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Andre Lamar Roberts, 27, of Main Street, Alexander, is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief. On June 6, Roberts was arrested at the Speedway gas station and convenience store on West Main Street in Batavia following the investigation of a domestic incident that occurred June 2 on West Main Street. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and is due back there on July 16. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Sean Wilson.

Shawna M. Purcel, 42, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with second-degree contempt. Purcel was arrested on June 4 for violating an order of protection after she was allegedly found sitting outside her ex-boyfriend's residence. She was issued an appearance ticket to be in Batavia City Court on July 16, then released from custody. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence, assisted by Officer Austin Hedges.

Low maintenance brick building, inexpensive utility bills. Furnace replaced in 2015 -- not a lot to do besides paint and update decor and open your doors to business! Check it out ASAP! Call Lynn Bezon now – 344-4663.

15 Linwood Ave., Batavia. Super solid and well cared for home in the City! Awesome location on quiet street! This home has a lot of curb appeal -- large yard, two-car detached 20x20 garage, perfect for all the "stuff." Home features large room sizes, nice woodwork, and a walk up attic that could be just about anything -- toy room, storage, etc.

New metal roof installed in 2019 and a tankless hot water heater. Great home with good bones just needs your finishing touches! Call Lynn Bezon now – 344-4663.

Submitted photo and press release:

Responding to community needs, the Batavia Rotary Club is contributing a $20,000 donation from its Foundation to assure Genesee County residents have access to food and other essential items during this time of increased needs.

"We want to make sure the families and individuals are not suffering during this time of financial uncertainty and increased health concerns," said club President Bob Knipe.

The Rotary Club tapped its endowment that was created by various fundraisers conducted throughout the years, he explained.

The contributions will be made in two waves. The first $10,000 is being donated now, primarily focused on assuring food supplies for needy families and for emotional support for senior citizens. 

"One-hundred percent of the contributions are going to provide support directly to people, not for administration," said Rotarian Ed Leising, who has served on a special COVID Relief committee for the club.

The Salvation Army in Batavia will receive $7,000 for its emergency food distribution.

The United Way of Genesee County will receive $2,400 for its backpack program that provides food to families with school-age children.

Genesee County Office for the Aging will receive $600 toward emotional support for local senior citizens who have been isolated during this period of stay-at-home social distancing.  

A second round of $10,000 funding will be released in about a month.

"At that point in time, we anticipate having more of an understanding on the economic impact of layoffs and joblessness caused by the pandemic," said Rotarian Sharon Kubiniec. 

Rotary is an international service club whose motto is "Service Above Self."  The Batavia Club has been in existence for more than 100 years and provides regular financial support to community organizations such as Crossroads House, the YWCA Domestic Violence Safe House, college scholarships to local students, youth sports and capital improvements to United Memorial Medical Center. 

"We are working to continue supporting the organizations that we have been sustaining for many years, but club members were adamant to respond during this unprecedented time of need for our neighbors," said President Knipe. 

For more information about Batavia Rotary, visit its website at www.bataviarotary.com.

Photo, from left: Rotarian Donna Saskowski, Rotarian Ed Leising, Tony Condello from the Genesee Senior Foundation, associated with the Office for the Aging, Diana Fox of the Office for the Aging, Rotary President Bob Knipe, Rotarian Sharon Kubiniec, Tammy Hathaway, executive director of the United Way of Genesee County. All the Rotarians are members of a special COVID Relief Committee.

Press release:

Jackson Primary School Parent Teacher Group is hosting a celebration parade for all Jackson families on Friday at noon.

The parade will begin at Ascension Parish / Sacred Heart parking lot, located at 19 Sumner St.

The parade will proceed up Hutchins Street to South Jackson Street and through the front bus loop at Jackson Primary (411 S. Jackson St.) where teachers will line the sidewalk. There will also be a safe walking zone that will be roped off for those who wish to walk the parade.

The parade will be lead by SRO Jason Davis from the Batavia Police Department. Jackson Primary would like to thank the Batavia Police Department, the Batavia Fire Department and the Jackson Primary Parent Teacher Group for support Jackson Primary.

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Notaro, principal of Jackson Primary at (585) 343-2480, ext. 4000.

City police are responding at the request of Sheriff's deputies who are on scene at a fight at Batavia Commons, 444 W. Main St., Batavia. It's the shopping center where Dollar Tree and Harbor Freight Tools are located.

Public Notice

Though the City of Batavia Planning and Development Committee will be holding its June meeting, as per executive orders regarding COVID-19, face-to-face public hearings are still not allowed. It meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16.

Here a PDF link of the agenda.

Any person wishing to comment on the following proposals, should submit an email to:   drandall@batavianewyork.com, or call (585) 345-6327 prior to June 16. Comments may also be placed in the drop box hanging on the wall to the right of the outside doors at City Hall.

1. DePaul Apartments -- 555 E. Main St., Paul Schreiner, PE, agent for DePaul Apartments – Special Use Permit for the construction of a 20,100-square-foot, two story, 20 dwelling-unit addition to an existing 49,786-square-foot 42 dwelling-unit “large-scale multifamily development” building.

2. Clinton Gardens Subdivision -- 387 Garden Drive Rear, Robert Pidanick, senior project manager for Nussbaumer & Clarke – Major subdivision of this property into six separate parcels.

For questions, please call the Bureau of Inspection at (585) 345-6345.

Near the end of a hot day, Cassandra Wroblewski was bored so she decided to draw flowers on the sidewalk outside her apartment on Ellicott Street in Batavia.

Wroblewski said she is a crafter and an artist who is busy every day with her creations but decided she needed to go outside to be creative for a change.

Press release:

Four Batavia Tops employees who are also high school seniors in the Class of 2020 were each awarded $1,000 scholarships by their employer:

• Mary Caprio 
• Joanne Clemm 
• Karissa Kesler 
• Samantha Lucki

Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, Northern Pennsylvania, and Vermont, have been an advocate of supporting formal education of its employees for over two decades.

Since the inception of its two scholarship programs, which are in conjunction with the UFCW, more than 22,400 scholarships have been awarded and more than $21,700,000 has been provided to Tops associates for scholarship reimbursement.

In 2020 alone the UFCW and Tops Markets will award over 200 associates a total of more than $233,000 in scholarships and Tops will award 28 students $28,000 in scholarships this year.

“At Tops, we recognize the hard work of our associates and in turn, supports our associates with scholarship opportunities,” said Denise Terrell, senior learning and development specialist for Tops.

“Supporting education is a high priority for us, not only as a means to provide career growth and opportunity within the company, but also to ensure that members of our community are given options and presented with resources to succeed. Providing scholarships to outstanding students to enable them to better their education is our way of investing in the future.”

A caller to dispatch complains that tenants in an apartment in the 100 block of Tracy Avenue in the city are smoking marijuana -- allegedly. City police are responding.

Batavia City Council President Eugene Jankowski said he plans to continue the conversation started by speakers at Sunday’s Downtown “March for Justice,” assuring people of color in the community that city leaders will be open to their concerns.

“What I can say is ‘get your council person involved; we’ll help you,’ ” Jankowski said today as he prepares comments to be shared with other council members at tonight’s Business Meeting.

Council members will gather at City Hall for the first time since early March, but the public and media will not be allowed to attend – instead having to view it via Zoom videoconferencing or Facebook Live.

Jankowski said he wasn’t aware of the hesitancy among African Americans and other minorities to contact City Council.

“There are certain members of the community that apparently didn’t feel comfortable calling us, and they didn’t know why they didn’t feel comfortable calling us,” he said. “So, they want to call us now and I say, ‘Please do.’ ”

Jankowski said organizers of the protest, which drew hundreds of residents to gather in front of the City Centre and march on Main Street, invited him to attend. He and Police Chief Shawn Heubusch stood quietly by as speakers with megaphones addressed the crowd.

What the two men heard were impassioned pleas for city officials to “hear our cries … this is my community … we are uncomfortable … Black Lives Matter.”

They also heard from speakers who said they have been harassed by police, don’t feel welcome in restaurants and other public places and are fearful for their children’s safety.

“This is very emotional. I didn’t realize some of the pain that the members of our community were feeling. It definitely sparks me to work a little harder to try to drill down and find out what we can do to make everyone who lives here feel that they’re included and welcome here,” Jankowski said when interviewed by The Batavian during the event.

Victor Thomas, the protest’s key speaker, said he believes the peaceful protest was a good beginning.

“We got our message across," Thomas said. "You can see that Batavia is standing with us today – and that’s a beautiful thing. But it doesn’t stop today. Today is just a start. We’ve got to continue the conversation." 

He issued a call to “push this agenda to prove that this is our community.”

“It’s not what they said. Not with these boards on these windows. Not this negative vibe that they were sending around town about buses coming in here. This is Batavia. This has always been Batavia,” he said. “We thank you for listening to us, but we need to see some action. We will continue to march for justice.”

Jankowski said he plans to stay in touch with organizers and bring their issues to City Council.

“My belief, from what I’ve been told by the organizers, is that they are reaching out to all members of Council to create a path of communication going forward,” said Jankowski, who apparently was the only council member to attend the protest.

Heubusch acknowledged that “this is a conversation that is long overdue for all of us, I think.”

“We’re certainly going to start that conversation,” he said, calling the protesters “a bunch of good guys here and a bunch of great women that want to do the right thing. So, we’re here to help in any way we can. We want to help keep the peace and move this community forward.”

Batavia City School District Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr., a person of color, also spoke on Sunday.

Afterward, he pointed to the “pain and hurt” across the nation.

“It’s no different here in Batavia. There’s been lack of visibility of people of color in various positions,” he said, noting that 22 percent of Batavia students are either African American or Latino. “But it is important to be unified – just to let them know we’re in this together. This we have to address, and the best way to solve this is to get engaged and get involved.”