batavia

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at 9169 Alexander Road, Batavia. There is one person complaining of dizziness. The location is near Pike Road. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding along with an ambulance from Bethany; no other ambulance service is currently available.

Law enforcement is responding to a report of teenage males skateboarding off the roof of the Northgate Free Methodist Church, located at 8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia.

The region's most dedicated basketball players are in the midst of a six-week basketball camp conducted by Batavia's Head Coach Buddy Brasky and his staff. Today, varsity level players were working at Batavia Middle School and the JV players were at Batavia High School.

There are players participating from every high school in Genesee County, as well as players from Wyoming County and Buffalo.

Press release:

Come on down to the Batavia Muckdogs game and enjoy a safe summer night with us! STOP-DWI Night at the Ballpark is happening on Friday, Aug. 4, gates opening at 6 p.m. The Batavia Muckdogs are playing the Williamsport Crosscutters. Genesee County STOP-DWI and the Genesee County Youth Bureau are hosting this family event.

The first 300 youth under the age of 16 get in free and there are Muck Bucks given to the first 200 youth to use toward items in the ballpark. There are an additional 500 giveaways and prizes for everyone. Fun and interactive education booths and displays will be on hand. Participating agencies include the Sheriff’s Office, City Police, Le Roy Police, Probation, the Genesee County Youth Bureau and Genesee County STOP-DWI.

A grand prize giveaway, a youth bike, sponsored by Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle will be on display and drawn that evening. So join us for a great night at the ballpark and the Friday night fireworks!

Sponsors that are helping make this event possible include: Genesee County Sheriff’s Department Assoc., NYS Assoc. of Chiefs of Police, UMMC, Batavia Police Benevolent Assoc., Le Roy Moose Family Center, Batavia Lions Club, Western NY Assoc. of Chiefs of Police, GCASA Prevention, Red Osier Landmark Restaurant, Polish Falcons Nest, Gerace Realty LLC and Tops Friendly Markets.

Pictured above: Matt Landers, STOP-DWI coordinator; ; John Roche, owner of Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle; and Jocelyn Sikorski, STOP-DWI Board chair, and Chelsea Green with the Genesee County Youth Bureau.

Farmers Market Coupons are still being distributed at the Genesee County Office for the Aging, 2 Bank St. in Batavia. Please have ID as proof of age must be provided; family members CANNOT pick up coupons for you.

Booklets are available to adults age 60 years and older who are income-eligible. 

Income guidelines for 2017 are: household of one $1,860 per month; household of two $2,504 per month; and, household of three $3,149 per month.

Maureen Estabrooks, Office for the Aging’s coordinator for the program, noted that, “It still remains, that anyone 60 or older in a household may receive a coupon booklet as long as they are income eligible. This means that in a qualifying household, multiple individuals may receive booklets. This program is a wonderful way to help older adults with limited income to purchase healthy fresh produce from our local farmers.”

They can be used at the Downtown Public Market in Batavia and at the Le Roy Farmers' Market.

Questions may be directed to the Genesee County Office for the Aging at 585-343-1611. 

The watered fairways provide an even test of golf for all levels of skill. You'll love the scenic panoramic views you will be afforded during your round, especially on the back nine where you can enjoy a breathtaking vista of the entire course.

For the golf tournament: this is a 4-person scramble tournament. Hole-in-One prizes on all par 3 holes. Putting contest. Mulligans (can be used anywhere EXCEPT Par 3 holes) and Skins available for purchase at event.

While foursome registrations are encouraged, individual registrations are permitted. Entry fees ($95/Golfer) includes: Greens fees, cart, lunch, dinner, prizes, and loads of fun!

For the bocce tournament: Entry fees ($50/player) includes: bocce, lunch, dinner, prizes and a ton of fun!

Sponsorship Opportunities: If you, or your business would be interested in sponsoring this event, please contact the GCA office at (585) 345-0417. For more information, visit our site

The History Heroes program at the Holland Land Office Museum held its annual penny carnival on Thursday. Children participating in the summer program were able to set up their own carnival attractions and then play the games together.

Two giant cranes lifted away the deck of the River Street Bridge tonight as part of a reconstruction project for the bridge spanning the Tonawanda Creek. 

Unfortunately, during the time the cranes were doing the work, I couldn't stop because I had else I needed to be and by the time I got back, the work was done.  If anybody took any good pictures, please send them to howard@thebatavian.com and I'll add them to this post.

At the new Dunkin' Donuts on West Main Street, Batavia, you can get a free charge, if you have an electric car, to go with your morning jolt of coffee.

This is apparently a trend for Dunkin' Donuts with a few popping up around the country.

The charging station is listed on PlugShare -- a listing that might encourage drivers of electric cars to exit the Thruway in Batavia if they're a little low on energy.

Batavia Downs opened its 71st season Wednesday night with a big crowd and record purses for drivers.

Todd Haight, director of living racing, said the Downs has been able to boost the purses because increased revenue from the gaming floor and the concert series this summer helped bring more people to Batavia Downs, and also generated revenue that could add to the purse pool.

The bigger purses mean more big name drivers. This season, Ake Svanstedt, from Sweden, and Jason Bartlett joined the field.

The track also moved up start times this season. Haight said the new start time is closer to the final race time for the thoroughbreds at other tracks, so OTB betters around the state are more likely to stick around for harness racing. That means bigger prize pools for wagers, Haight said.

This is also the first full season the Batavia Downs Hotel has been open, and on opening night for the race season, all the rooms were booked, Haight said.

He also highlighted the food service at the gaming facility and the special promotions that will be taking place throughout the year.

“We really think it’s going to be another good year,” Haight said.

Ake Svanstedt won the fourth race driving Natalie Hanover.

Biting into a fresh and juicy peach is a reminder that, regardless of gray skies and rain, summer is definitely upon us. This week there is a large selection of fruits and veggies that are just coming into season: field-grown tomatoes, sweet corn, eggplant, sweet and hot peppers, and plums. This is also prime time for pickling cucumbers.   Peaches are available, too, but freestone peaches (for canning, where the pit is easily removed) will be ready around Aug. 10th. 

We are all familiar with advertisements from stores announcing the “last chance” to buy something at a low price. My phone has been ringing with the same prerecorded call for the last three years, notifying me of my “last chance” to lower the interest rate on my credit card. I don’t believe it. But here in New York, our time to buy fresh, local food really is limited. Nature doesn’t let us grow berries in January. Now is the time to slice a red (or yellow, or purple) ripe tomato onto your salad this summer. Don’t miss the opportunity. 

Last summer, our local farmers were affected by the drought. But today it’s raining, again. At the Genesee Country Farmer’s Market, I asked Sharon from Schwab Farms in Gasport how the rain has been affecting their crops.

“We prefer it a little drier…but everything looks beautiful,” Sharon said with a smile. 

The Genesee Country Farmer’s Market is located at the corner of Bank Street and Alva Place (near JCPenney) in Downtown Batavia, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Fresh produce and baked goods are available every market day, but Friday has a larger variety of vendors and more craft and specialty items. 

Reasons to hire an attorney for a workers’ compensation claim: 

• 1. The workers’ compensation system is complex, confusing, and often difficult to navigate. 2. We will look out for your best interests, fight on your behalf against the insurance carrier to maximize your benefits, and make sure your questions are answered. 
• 3. In some cases, you may be entitled to a financial award, even if you did not miss any time from work as a result of your work-related injury. 4. The insurance carrier will have a team of attorneys working on their behalf, having an attorney fighting on your behalf helps to level the playing field. 

Please call Kristin Allen at 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs. 

It's time once again for the big annual garage sale benefiting the Crossroads House. As always, there will be a large selection of items under the tents off of School Street. The sale begins tomorrow and runs through Saturday.

Batavia High School's Tee Sean Ayala, one of the Blue Devils' stars on the court, posted some big games in the national AAU D1 championships in Florida this week.

Playing in the senior division, though he's coming into his junior year, Ayala scored in double digits in four of the six games he played in as his team, the Rap Stars, went 4-3, made the Elight Eight, and finished sixth in the tournament.

(Ayala, back row, far right, in uniform.)

Sasha, the Crossroads House dog, was test driving one of the peddle cars we will be selling at The Annual Crossroads House Garage Sale this weekend. This year features more than 6,000 square feet of covered tent and garage space loaded with merchandise.

We have furniture for every budget and taste. Housewares galore, collectibles, glassware, antiques, small appliances, brand new items and more. Items will be replenished throughout the sale so plan to come each day on School Street behind Ficarella's Pizzeria. We will have a preview day again this year on Wednesday July 26th from 9am to noon. There is a $10 admission for that day only and prices will be firm.

New this year will be expanded, later hours on Thursday and Friday where we will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday we will have special one price bag and box sales from 9 a.m. to noon.

As always, hot dogs and drinks will be available for purchase Thursday and Friday, courtesy of the First Baptist Church There are bargains and buys for everyone and 100 percent of the proceeds will help us continue to be a gift TO the community made possible BY the community. For more information on the sale, please click here to visit us online.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported at the intersection of Ellicott Street and Liberty Street, Batavia.

One person has a complaint of chest pain.

City fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Lights along Park Road: The white light in the top of the frame is in the Town of Batavia and one of the new LED lights installed by National Grid. The two yellow streetlights in the background are in the City of Batavia.

Press release:

National Grid has converted 72 streetlights to LEDs in the Town of Batavia, which should reap the rewards of long-term cost and energy savings. The streetlight changeover represents the largest such LED streetlight conversion completed by National Grid in Western New York.

The streetlights were retrofitted as part of National Grid’s Outdoor Street Lighting Conversion Program, which enables communities to switch from high-pressure sodium lights to high-efficiency LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting. The conversion was completed in May.

The Outdoor Street Lighting Conversion Program is open to all of National Grid’s Upstate New York municipal and governmental streetlighting customers with roadway style fixtures and promotes the adoption of energy-efficient LED technology through the transition of company-owned streetlights.

“We converted the streetlights for long-term cost savings for our residents, which could total around $2,000 annually,” said Town of Batavia highway superintendent Tom Lichtenthal.

“Working with National Grid, there was a little bit of a learning curve in the beginning of this process. But in the end, everything went very smoothly and the installation procedures were completed quickly.”

In the Town of Batavia, the streetlights were converted at a cost of $9 per month over a 10- year period. An incentive that the town received from New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) was built into the streetlighting program that translates to energy savings over time.

LEDs have no filament, produce less heat, and should require less maintenance over time. They require no warmup period to reach full brightness and make it easier for motorists and pedestrians to recognize objects.

“Visually, LEDs produce a distinctly whiter, brighter light compared to the yellow hue cast by traditional high-pressure sodium lights,” said National Grid regional manager Ken Kujawa.

“When working with us, municipalities often consider this difference when specifying which lights to convert, particularly in situations where LED and high-pressure sodium streetlights may be on the same street or in close proximity.”

For LED conversion, NYSERDA offers grant incentives to local governments through its Clean Energy Communities program. More information is available at www.nyserda.ny.gov.

National Grid encourages customers considering LED streetlight conversion to seek additional information from knowledgeable lighting professionals in order to make fully informed decisions.