batavia

A minor injury accident is reported at Oak Street and Park Road, Batavia.

City Fire and Mercy EMS responding.

Photo: Hannah Pierson (right), Culinary Arts student from Le Roy CS, accepts the Rochester American Culinary Federation Scholarship and Chef Russell Bugbee Memorial Award from Chef Tracy Burgio, Culinary Arts instructor at the Batavia CTE Center. 

Submitted photo and press release:

Batavia, New York, June 25 – The Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center recently celebrated the achievements of 309 seniors at an awards program earlier this month at Le Roy High School. During this ceremony, 25 scholarship awards were presented.

The scholarship winners, their programs and home schools are noted below.

Student of the Year (a.m.): Casey Shaw, Pembroke CSD, Health Dimensions

Student of the Year (p.m.): Zachary Boneberg, Le Roy CSD, Criminal Justice

Blakeslee Award: Christian Bradt, Oakfield-Alabama CSD, Building Trades

Donald Abramo Jr. Memorial Award: Vanessa Horseman, Batavia CSD, Metal Trades; Garrett Sando, Byron-Bergen CSD, Metal Trades

Gene Haas Foundation Scholarship: Matthew Kurowski, Attica CSD, Metal Trades

Master Manufacturing Scholarship: Matthew Kurowski, Attica CSD, Metal Trades

James P. Donnelly Memorial Award: Bradly Arnold, Oakfield-Alabama CSD, Building Trades; Cameron Brumsted, Byron-Bergen CSD, Building Trades

Paul Levin’s Memorial Award: Ethan Conrad, Notre Dame -- Batavia, Building Trades

Batavia Rod & Gun Club Memorial Scholarship: Brandon Lewis, Byron-Bergen CSD, Building Trades

Roy H. Turnbull Memorial Scholarship Award: Kyler Chambry, Byron-Bergen CSD, Building Trades

Ignatius J. Radesi Memorial Award: Benjamin Lathan, Byron-Bergen CSD, Building Trades

Pullinzi Family Scholarship: Christopher Decker, Attica CSD, Building Trades

Building Trades Alumni Award: Joseph Aguglia, Attica CSD, Building Trades

Homeowner Award: Chandler Bow, Byron-Bergen CSD, Building Trades

Jason H. Rowcliffe Memorial Scholarship: Timothy Herter, Attica CSD, Culinary Arts

Chef Russell Bugbee Memorial Award: Hannah Pierson, Le Roy CSD, Culinary Arts

Rochester American Culinary Federation Scholarship: Hannah Pierson, Le Roy CSD, Culinary Arts

Josh Mouery Memorial Award: Danny Pernesky, Le Roy CSD, Culinary Arts

B.J. Mancuso Memorial Award: Taylor Almeter, Attica CSD, Cosmetology

Batavia Rotary Club Memorial Fund Scholarship: Rachel Tebor, Pembroke CSD, Cosmetology

Dr. Charles Holowach Memorial Scholarship: Kim Davis, Pavilion CSD, Health Careers Academy; Paige Perry, Attica CSD, Health Careers Academy; Ethan Hutchins, Notre Dame Batavia, Health Careers Academy.

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The Batavia Career and Technical Education Center is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York State. 

Press release:

Individuals with disabilities in Genesee County who seek to hone their job-hunting skills are invited to attend the free series of CAREERS training classes, sponsored by Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR).

CAREERS stands for “Committed, Ambitious Reliable, Educated, Enthusiastic, Responsible, Successful.”

This series of classes teaches the necessary skills for securing employment. Location is 113 Main St. (at Center Street), Suite 5, in Batavia. They will be held on six Tuesday mornings, starting July 17^th.

Classes begin PROMPTLY at 10 a.m. and end at 11:30. The Agency stresses that attendance at all the workshops is vital to your success in the program.

Topics to be covered in the classes include résumé preparation; communication skills; online applications; interviewing; networking and more.  Participants will receive materials and skills to increase their chance of gaining employment.

Participants MUST pre-register to attend; to RSVP or get more information, please call Dominique Johnson at 815-8501, ext. 405, email him at djohnson@wnyil.org, or call Rae Frank, at ext. 406.

ILGR is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

(Submitted photo.)

Carmelina Pellegrino, an 8-year-old who lives in Batavia, has dedicated her time this summer making colorful rubber band bracelets to sell at Picnic at the Park this year, with all the proceeds being donated to Alzheimer’s Research.

A booth will be set up outside of their house at 150 State St., across from Centennial Park during Picnic at the Park on July 4th, with purple balloons and tablecloths, which is the color of Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness.

“Hopefully she can get some donations,” Angelina said.

Carmelina is going into fourth grade at John Kennedy Intermediate School in Batavia. Her older sister, Mikalina, 13, started making the bracelets a few years ago for the annual walk to end Alzheimer’s, sold the bracelets to family members, and the proceeds were donated to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Angelina said the family participates in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s every year in memory of family members who passed away from the disease.

“Mikalina got busy with school and Carmelina started making the bracelets not too long ago,” Angelina said.

Carmelina said she likes making the bracelets and it’s a nice idea for a good cause.

“She suggested that the day of Picnic in the Park, to set up a booth and sell the bracelets,” Angelina said.

As of Tuesday, Carmelina has made 108 bracelets, and hopes to make even more by next Wednesday.

“She is still going,” Angelina said.

Carmelina has made many types of bracelets, including bangle bracelets, and threaded bracelets with charms.

Angelina has been helping Carmelina with the bracelets.

“It’s something fun we can do together,” Angelina said. “We pop on some music or put on the TV and listen as were making them.”

Angelina is hoping people will learn about the bracelets and donate to the cause.

“It’s just an awful disease and we’re hoping one day that there will be a cure,” Angelina said. “That’s why we try to raise awareness. When you talk about cancer and heart disease, Alzheimer’s gets put on the back burner.”

The Batavia Concert Band will perform indoors this evening, show time, 7 p.m., due to rain, at Genesee Community College. The performance will be in the Stuart Steiner Theater.

By consensus, the Batavia City Council decided Monday to take up the issue of restoration of the stone pillars on the south end of Redfield Parkway, the intersection with Main Street, during the 2019 budget process.

The idea of moving forward sooner using leftover funds from Vibrant Batavia and an assessment on Redfield Parkway residents found no apparent council member support.

If the $60,000 project is part of the 2019 budget, it would likely be a capital expenditure. 

"It makes the most sense to me, putting it before the normal budget process," said Councilman Adam Tabelski.

Councilman John Canale said he can't believe how much time the City Council is spending on the issue.

"It’s a housekeeping issue," Canale said.

He said the pillars are city owned and the city should take care of them, just like the city takes care of Lambert Park in his neighborhood. He called the idea of assessing Redfield Parkway residents "absolutely ridiculous."

"I and all my neighbors enjoy that park a lot more than any other resident in the City of Batavia," Canale said. "If something is done at Lambert Park, you certainly wouldn’t get a dollar out of me in an assessment to do something at Lambert Park.

Councilman Bob Bialkowski warned against dragging the issue on any longer, saying it tears at the fabric of the community. He compared it to the comparisons between the Northside and the Southside when he was growing up, when it seemed like the Northside had all the paved streets, curbs and sidewalks.

"We are a single community and I think we have to move forward with this as a community," Bialkowski said. "We take care of each other. I would like to see some sort of commitment that moves us forward so we don’t have the same discussion six months down the road."

Council President Eugene Jankowski instructed Interim City Manager Matt Worth to make sure it's a priority item to discuss for the 2019 budget.

The police department's pitch for a military-surplus armored personnel carrier got a favorable hearing from the Batavia City Council on Monday evening during a conference meeting.

The council will be asked to approve an application from the city for such a vehicle, an MRAP (Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected), through the military's program for releasing decommissioned equipment to civilian law enforcement.

Chief Police Shawn Heubusch opened the meeting by providing background on the Emergency Response Team and explaining how such a vehicle might be used in the county.

The ERT was formed as a city-only unit in 1997. County deputies joined the unit in 2007.

The purpose of the ERT is to respond to situations that are beyond the capability of routine patrols, such as high-risk warrants and arrests, barricaded subjects and hostage situations.

Currently, the transport vehicle for ERT is a 2010 Ford Cube Fan. It is not four-wheel drive, is not a rescue vehicle, and offers no ballistic protection.

On Dec. 1, 2016 when Kyle Johnson killed a neighbor on Selden Road, set his own house on fire, and then fired on responding emergency personnel, one factor in bringing the situation to a peaceful conclusion was a Monore County officer happened to hear the police traffic on his emergency radio that morning and took matters into his own hands to muster his county's SWAT team and their two armored vehicles to assist.

It was one of those vehicles that were able to get close enough to Johnson, as he paced near his smoldering home with a long rifle in his hands, Heubusch said, that enabled the negotiations that led to his eventual surrender.

Sgt. Chris Camp is the current ERT commander, responsible for all of the administration and training of the unit, and he researched the options for an armored vehicle.

He spec'd out a Lenco Bearcat, which is a purpose-made armored rescue vehicle for law enforcement. The base price for a new one is $195,000. Camp added in options he thought were needed for our climate and terrain and that brought the price up to $255,000.

He then researched the option of the city acquiring a surplus MRAP. The military gives away these $650,000 vehicles to law enforcement agencies once they've been decommissioned. Livingstone, Saratoga and Warren counties in New York have all received one.

Most likely, a decommissioned vehicle will come available in California, which was the case for Livingston and Saratoga, making the transportation cost about $7,000 (Warran was lucky and retrieved its vehicle from Ft. Drum).

Outfitting the vehicle for law enforcement would cost from $7,000 to $12,000.

There may also be repairs necessary -- some of these vehicles have been sitting for awhile and need new batteries and tires. Livingston had to replace the fuel system on its MRAP.

Fortunately, the chassis and engines are International, just like the city's current dump trucks, so local vehicle maintenance can handle them, but there's also a former military MRAP mechanic working for Livingston County.

The vehicle would need to be stored, by government regulation, in a secure location. That would mean it couldn't be parked behind the police station, as the current transportation van is, so it would be stored at the city's vehicle maintence yard or at the Sheriff's Office, at least until, and if, Batavia PD gets a new headquarters.

County legislators Gary Maha and Marianne Clattenburg, along with Sheriff Bill Sheron, where in the audience for the presentation.

Heubusch indicated he expects the County to split the costs of the MRAP but the Legislature would need to approve the expense.

The city has in its asset forfeiture fund a little more than $10,000. That money can only be used for law enforcement purposes and Heubusch said he would anticipate using that money for the MRAP if one were awarded to the city.

Above photo: Derby winners Chloe Lutrell, age 8, who caught a 13” bass, and Jose Vanegas, age 16, who caught a 9 1⁄4” sunfish.

Submitted photos and press release:

Free Fishing Day and the Kendra Haacke Memorial Fishing Derby took place at DeWitt Recreation Area on Saturday, June 23rd.

A total of 44 kids ages 16 and under participated in the fishing derby, catching a variety of panfish and bass.

Prizes were awarded for the largest fish caught each by a boy and a girl.

This was the fifth annual Kendra Haacke Memorial Fishing Derby held at DeWitt Recreation Area. Each year the derby is sponsored by the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club.

Friendly fishing guides were on hand to assist newbies with baiting a hook and learning how to fish. This event was the result of collaboration between Genesee County Parks, Recreation & Forestry, the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club, and ACORNS.

Fishing tackle and bait were provided by a generous donation from Smith’s Great Outdoors, formerly Hunters Landing. Fishing poles were provided through a grant awarded by Cabela’s of Cheektowaga.

As part of the NYSDEC’s Free Fishing Weekend, no fishing license was required to participate.

Families from 10 local cities and towns including Rochester and Lancaster, joined in the free outdoor fun.

All participants received fishing tackle prizes, while each derby winner took home a new rod and reel and tackle box.

Derby winners: Chloe Lutrell, age 8, who caught a 13” bass; and Jose Vanegas, age 16, who caught a 9 1⁄4” sunfish.

Special thanks to the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club, ACORNS, Cabela’s, and Smith’s Great Outdoors for making this event possible!

Press releases:C

Genesee County Fair Seeks Exhibitors

2018 marks the 179^th anniversary of the Genesee County Fair – one of New York’s longest consecutively running county fairs. It will run from July 16-21.

We are a short drive from both Rochester and Buffalo. The Genesee County Fair is seeking exhibitors for our home (domestics) department.

Items that can be entered, include Flowers, Needlework, Arts & Crafts, Culinary (Jams, Jellies etc…), Vegetables and Antiques. There is also a junior department to get the youth involved! The Home Department is open to people of all ages and abilities!

You do not have to be a pro to enter an exhibit! If you think that you would be interested in submitting exhibits for the week of Fair, please visit gcfair.com and download the 2018 Fair Premium Book and fill out the Home Department Entry Form.

Be sure to mail your entry form with payment by July 11^th to:  26 Spencer Court, Batavia, NY 14020.

Volunteers and Sponsors Wanted

With your help, we hope to make 2018 a memorable year for the fair by adding more new and exciting events. We would like to extend a personal invitation to become a volunteer and or a sponsor of the fair.

Volunteers are needed not only during fair week, but also the week before and the week after the fair. Many hands make light work!

Becoming a sponsor of the fair is a great way to promote your business to thousands of fairgoers who live and work in Genesee County and visit the fair every year.

If you are interested in volunteering or becoming a sponsor of the fair, go to our Fair’s website gcfair.com to download all of the forms and to obtain contact info.

New This Year: Hay/Straw Bale Decorating Contest

For this year’s Fair, we would like to include a Hay/Straw Bale Decorating Contest.

The contest will be open to individuals, as well as businesses and community organizations. Each hay/straw bale must be provided by the contestant.

Any size bale may be used – large or small you can decorate it all!  Entries will be judged by fairgoers throughout the week of fair, July 16-21.

They will be encouraged to judge on eye appeal, construction and creativity!

Hay/Straw bales must be delivered to the Exhibition Building at the Fair between 1 and 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 15^th.

Decorations must be of good clean wholesome fun, no vulgar or suggestive decorations will be allowed.

Hay/Straw bales must be removed from the Fair by 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 22^nd.

Participate in the Genesee County Fair’s Hay/Straw Bale Decorating Contest to show your stuff!

Visit gcfair.com.

Mobile Container Gardens are Wanted for Display Contest

It’s time to get creative! The Container Garden Contest means it's time to get out, be more active, and use your green thumb to win bragging rights!

This contest is open to all residents, businesses and organizations of Genesee County.

This year's Container Garden Contest theme is "Everything But the Kitchen Sink." You can grow herbs, vegetables, flowers, and indigenous plants in your container. You can show off your creativity at its finest!

Put your dazzling decor items on display, including sculptures, fountains, and repurposed works of art! Let imagination, creativity, and ingenuity triumph over size! Even with limited space, the possibilities are endless with containers.

This contest is for both new and experienced gardeners. There's even a category for kids! Containers can be anything imaginable, as long as they are mobile such as, buckets, wheelbarrows, funky pots & upcycled/recycled items.

So if you're ready to bring fresh, new life and beauty to your Genesee County Fair, then we say ... Grow For It! Entries must be received at the Fair by 4 p.m. on July 15^th and picked up by 4 p.m. on July 22^nd.

Entries will be on display in the Exhibition Building during the week of Fair. Winners will be selected by members of the CCE Master Gardeners and Fairgoers votes.

For more information and entry form please visit www.GCFAIR.com

A woman asked to talk with police because a neighbor won't give her back her kittens.

She claims she went on a three-day vacation and a neighbor agreed to watch her kittens while she was gone for free.

Now, she says, the neighbor won't give the kittens back without payment.

Angela L. Flowers, 47, of Watson Street, Batavia, is charged with attempted assault, 3rd, and riot, 2nd. Flowers was allegedly involved in a fight with multiple individuals on Watson Street at 8:07 p.m. June 12. Also charged with riot, 2nd, is Patricia A. Gibson, 28, of East Main Street, Batavia. Katrina L. Drake, 28, of Wood Street, Batavia, and Lakeisha A. Gibson, 31, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, and Tanisha N. Gibson, 33, of Wood Street, Batavia, were also charged with riot, 2nd, and attempted assault, 3rd.

Nikkia M. Smith-Neal, 32, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Smith-Neal is accused of shoplifting from Tops Friendly Market at 11:08 a.m. Friday.

Robert C. Frank, 39, of Kensington Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with DWI and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Frank is accused of trying to steal a vehicle at 9:08 p.m. Sunday.

Alexis R. Chavez, 19, of Transit Road, Elba, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Chavez was charged following a traffic stopped by Officer Christopher Lindsay on Law Street, Batavia, at 9:42 p.m. Wednesday. Also charged, Noah J. Freeman, 20, of Lewiston Road, Basom. Freeman was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, a headlight violation, and uninspected motor vehicle.

Brooks Logan Brumber, 18, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Brumber is accused of violating a stay away order of protection.

Batavia won their first back-to-back games of the season in a pitcher’s duel at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, and they did not see any runs cross the plate until the eighth inning.

Logan Boyd had a masterful start in his five innings pitched but did not get a decision in the outing. He only gave up a total of two hits, which did not yield runs, nor did he issue any walks. He struck out four batters to keep State College scoreless through five.

Humberto Mejia came out of the bullpen in Monday’s game after Boyd. Mejia was scheduled to start but worked from the bullpen to put the pitching rotation back on track after Saturday’s game was rained out. Mejia’s outing went three innings and kept the Batavia lead in tact in the eighth by only giving in two runs over the three innings he pitched. He did pick up the win to move to 1-1 on the season. 

The Muckdogs’ offense came to life in the top of the eighth after Harrison White worked a two-out walk. Demetrius Sims smoked a ball to third base that got past the third basemen Edwin Figuera and put runners on the corners with one out. Sims broke early for second and had an easy stolen base.

Two runners were in scoring position for Michael Donadio, who slipped a ball past the Spikes’ infield; while they were playing in, Donadio picked up his second hit of his 2-4 day. That brought two runs around to score for the first of the game in the top of the eighth. Donadio tried to advance on the relay, but was thrown out at second base.

After a JD Osborne walk, Reynolds crushed a ball to the right-center gap that brought another run to the plate to make it 3-0. Immediately following that, Albert Guaimaro singled into center field to bring Reynolds in to finish the hit party in the eighth.

Two runs would cross for the Spikes in the bottom of the frame. One run would come to score on a Justin Toerner triple, and that would cut the Batavia lead in half.

In the ninth, the Muckdogs get one hit, but could not produce any runs from it. The bottom end of the frame would see one more run cross the plate. Jameson McGrane came on to pick up his first save of the season. However, it would take three walks and one run to get the job done.

Batavia looks to get their first sweep of the season with their final matchup of the series against State College. First pitch from Happy Valley is at 7:05 p.m., Batavia returns home to an off day on Wednesday before a home-and-home with Auburn this coming weekend.

From the city's Bureau of Maintenance:

On Thursday, June 28th, Trumbull Parkway (between East Main Street and East Avenue) in the City of Batavia will be closed to all through traffic. This closure is expected to be between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. in order to perform cold milling of the roadway surface.

All motorists who regularly use Trumbull Parkway are asked to seek alternative routes while the closures are in place. Businesses and Residents within the area of the closure should anticipate delays, but we will do our best to accommodate getting you to and from you residence or place of business.

This work is weather dependent and subject to rescheduling if it rains.

Contact the Bureau of Maintenance and ask to speak to the Streets Supervisor or Superintendent at 345-6400, opt. 1, if you have any questions.

Press release:

The 15U Girls Fastpitch Softball season gets underway on Tuesday, June 26, with a matchup at Lions Park between Batavia Stingers Black and Lyndonville at 6:30 p.m.

Lions Park is located at 11 Wallace St. in Batavia.

The Batavia Stingers Yellow team starts their season with a game at Le Roy at 6:15 p.m. on Friday, June 29^th. Yellow’s home opener is scheduled for Thursday, July 5^th, at 6 p.m. at Lions Park against Lyndonville.

The Stingers 15U Black team will be coached by Stan Kaus, Matt Landers and Chuck Richmond, while the 15U Stingers Yellow team will be coached by Jim Fazio, Jamie Masters and Brian Mruczek.

The T.F. Brown's and Viele Construction Dodgers beat the Graham Manufacturing Pirates for the Batavia Little League championship Friday in extra innings, 10-8.

Cole Grazioplene hit a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to win the game for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers are coached by Samuel Antinore and Jeffrey Grazioplene

The players: Jaden Firmstone, Cole Grazioplene, Dane Dombrowski, Jay Antinore, Bronx Buchholz, Benny Pontillo, Maggio Buchholz, Chase Antinore, Owen Helpin, Alex Merica and Darius Wahl. 

Adam Michael Brennan Sabadasz, 33, of an undisclosed street, Buffalo, is charged with criminal mischief. Sabadasz allegedly damaged property at Darien Lake Theme Park at 11:20 p.m. Sunday.

Stanley D. Wilson, 58, of Lockport, is charged with DWI and crossing hazard road markings. Wilson was arrested by State Police after his vehicle was found crashed in a ditch on Lewiston Road, Alabama, at 4:41 a.m. Sunday. Wilson reportedly failed a field sobriety test.

Samantha J. Wade, 19, address not disclosed, is charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident, unsafe tire, and unsafe lane change. Other charges are pending. Wade was reportedly involved in a property damage accident on Route 20, Alexander, where two street signs and a utility pole were struck by a four-door sedan Sunday.

Richard Dean Mckague, 28, of Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, aggravated family offense, attempted assault, 2nd, and acting in a manner injurious to a child. At 3:19 p.m., Saturday, Mckague allegedly violated an order of protection. He allegedly threw a beer bottle causing physical injury to a victim. He was jailed on $25,000 bail.