batavia

Voters will be asked tomorrow whether they support the 2017-18 Batavia City Schools budget, with a spending plan of $49,870,585.

That's an increase of 12.41 percent over last year, due entirely, school officials say, to a change to record debt service expenditures in the general fund as recommended by the comptroller's office.

Even so, local property owners will not be hit with an increase in school-related property taxes. The property tax levy isn't being increased at all.

This is the fourth straight year the district's tax levy is below the state's increase cap, so homeowners will be eligible for a state property tax rebate, sent directly to homeowners in the fall of 2017.

The budget represents a $10,859 per student in general education, $28,502 per Special Education student, or $19,241 per student on average. All three figures are below state averages, which are $11,949 and $30,667 and $22,536, respectively.

Of the district's total revenue, more than 52 percent comes from state and federal aid. The tax levy is 37.1 percent of total revenue. This budget calls for use of $2.7 million of fund balance (reserves).

Polls are open Tuesday, May 16, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Robert Morris (residents north of Route 5) and Batavia High School (residents south of Route 5).

Two 16-year-olds, one a resident of Jerico Road, Bergen, and the other a resident of Shady Lane, Batavia, are charged with criminal mischief, 3rd. The youths are accused of using a sledgehammer to damage a concrete picnic table and bench seats in Hickory Park, Bergen, causing more than $250 damage.

Brian Wayne Giambrone, 27, of Byron Holly Road, Byron, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Giambrone was stopped at 11:42 p.m., Friday, on Route 237, Stafford, by Deputy Howard Wilson.

Ahmed Dhalfallah Alshami, 37, of Ludington Street, Buffalo, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd. Alshami was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on his case in Pembroke Town Court. He was jailed on $3,000 bail or $5,000 bond.

Tony Gene Marsh, 47, East Boston Road, Mamaroneck, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Deputy Jeremy McClellan was dispatched Lewiston Road, Alabama, to check on a report of a suspicious vehicle in the lane way of a farm field. Marsh was allegedly found in possession of marijuana and smoking paraphernalia.

Stephanie Ann Bonin, 22, of Denio Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Bonin was arrested on a warrant for alleged violation of probation and jailed on $5,000 bail.

A caller has a pig cornered at 3600 Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road.

A deputy who has responded is going to check with neighbors to see who might have lost a pig.

UPDATE 9 p.m.: It sounds like the pig's owner has been located.

The 4H Swine Club held its annual pulled pork lunch sale at the Genesee County Fairgrounds today.

Whiskey 7, the World War II-era plane based in Livingston County, was practicing touch-and-gos at the Genesee County Airport this afternoon.

Previously: Photos: D-Day plane stops for fuel at Genesee County Airport

Thousands of people -- high school soccer players, coaches, officials, and parents -- are in Batavia this weekend for the Empire Cup, a soccer showcase that gives high school players from throughout the Northeast a chance to play against other top players and display their skills for college recruiters.  

In the parking lot were license plates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ontario, Canada, and, of course, New York.

Players were at both the Batavia Sports Park on State Street Road and at Genesee Community College.

The event brings an estimated $500,000 into the local economy. The Empire Cup is supposed to go for two weeks, but the boys' event was rained out last weekend.

Area volunteer firefighters and staff from Emergency Services were at Kiwanis Park in Batavia this morning to learn about setting up a system of booms over water that would be deployed in the case of an oil spill.

The idea is, say, a tanker overturns and accidentally dumps its cargo and it flows into the Tonawanda Creek, which could cause significant environmental damage, including damage to farm fields.

The booms would float on the top of the water and divert the water into an outlet where it could be collected for proper disposal.

The boom system is deployed with a rope gun and consists of booms that are each 50-feet long and can be locked together.

The instructor was David Sweeny, of Gallagher Marine.

Daniel Lee Green, 47, of Randall Road, Le Roy, is charged with second-degree unlawful surveillance, a felony. He is accused of installing "an imaging device in a location where there was a resonable expectation of privacy." The incident time and date was 4 p.m. on April 25 in the Town of Le Roy. No other details were provided in the report. The investigating officer was Genesee County Sheriff's Youth Officer John Dehm. Green was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court.

Darrell D. Smith, 50, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with: first-degree coercion; first-degree unlawful imprisonment; second-degree menacing; fourth-degree criminal mischief; criminal obstruction of breathing; fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon; and criminal tampering. Smith was arrested at 3:43 a.m. on May 6 following a disturbance at 7 Hutchins St., upper. Smith was jailed without bail and was due to reappear in City Court later on May 6. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan, assisted by Officer Felicia DeGroot.

Joseph Bailey James, 36, of Highland Park, Batavia, is charged with: second-degree assault; third-degree criminal mischief; fourth-degree criminal mischief; resisting arrest; and second-degree harassment. James was arrested at 2:55 a.m. on May 7 at 34 Columbia Ave., Batavia. He was jailed without bail and was due in City Court May 8. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Eric Bolles, assisted by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Matthew Robert Reiner, 29, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with: aggravated DWI -- a BAC of .18 percent or more; DWI, first offense; unreasonable speed through a yield sign; failure to yield right of way at a yield sign; and moving from lane unsafely. Reiner was arrested at 12:37 a.m. on May 12 on Route 98 in Elba after a one-car accident. He was issued appearance tickets for Town of Elba Court on June 14 and released after processing. The case was handled by Genesee County Deputy Howard Wilson, assisted by Deputy Howard Carlson.

Mary K. Shaffer, 38, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. She was arrested at 7:09 p.m. on May 5 at 107 State St. after a domestic incident wherein Shaffer is accused of hitting another person in the face. She is due in City Court May 16. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Matthew H. DeLosh, 26, of South Swan Street, Batavia, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operator -- under the influence of alcohol; DWI -- first offense; and DWI -- with a BAC greater than .08 percent. DeLosh was arrested at 10:54 a.m. on May 8 on Ellicott Street following a traffic stop. Upon further investigation, it was learned that his driving privilege was previously suspended for a prior alcohol-related offense. He was released under supervision of Genesee Justice and is due in City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence, assisted by Office Jamie Givens.

Deborah S. Rodriguez, 49, of Farnsworth Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with criminally using drug paraphernalia, 2nd, a Class A misdemeanor, and aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, a misdemeanor. The defendant was arrested May 11 by the county Local Drug Enforcement Task Force in the afternoon following a traffic stop on Holland Avenue in the City of Batavia. She was alllegedly found in possession of drug paraphernalia and to be operating a motor vehicle with a suspended driver's license. She was issued appearance tickets returnable to City Court on May 23.

Thomas A. Gilliatt, 51, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, a Class A misdemeanor. The defendant was arrested May 10 by the county Local Drug Enforcement Task Force, which was conducting a surveillance in the School Street municipal parking lot in Downtown Batavia when members allegedly witnessed what appeared to be a drug transaction. The task force conducted an investigation and allegedly found Gilliat in possession of a quantity of hydrocodone pills. He was arrested and issued an appearance ticket for City Court May 16.

James R. Smahol, 31, of Coronado Drive, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and possession of a hypodermic needle. He was stopped at 7:05 p.m. on May 11 on Genesee Street in Pembroke following a traffic complaint. Smahol was allegedly found in possession of three packages of Suboxin without a prescription, plus several baggies of suspected heroin, and three hypodermic needles. He was released on an appearance ticket for Town of Pembroke Court on June 20. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy McClellan, assisted by Deputy Lonnie Nati.

Danielle M. Rozell, 35, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of DWI. She was arrested at 2:05 a.m. on May 7 following a report of a possibly intoxicated female operating a vehicle at a gas station. She was issued appearance tickets and is due in City Court on May 24. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Felicia GeGroot, assisted by Officer Eric Bolles.

Corey Green, 22, of Smith Street, Warwick, R.I., and three others whose ages and residences were not provided -- Sean A. Goncalves, Bala G. Belmiro and Fernando Campos Roldan -- are all charged with soliciting without a permit. On May 5 at about 10:30 a.m., Batavia Police officers Frank Klimjack and Kevin DeFelice responded to the area of 400 E. Main St. for the report of subjects soliciting for cellular service, according to the police report. During the investigation, it was discovered that the employees did not have permits issued by the City of Batavia Clerk's Office. They were arraigned in City Court where they each pled guilty and were fined $150. They were released after paying their fines. 

Mathew John Heimbrecht, 28, of Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with resisting arrest, trespass, and unlawful possession of marijuana. He was arrested  May 9 on a bench warrant for charges issued on April 6 on Park Road in Batavia. He was arraigned in Town of Darien Court and put in Genesee County Jail in lieu of $750 cash or $1,500 bond. He is due in court May 23. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy McClellan, assisted by a sargeant.

Jared D. Elliott, 19, of Keeney Road, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. He was stopped at 12:32 a.m. on East Main Street in Batavia and allegedly found to possess marijuana. He was issued an appearance ticket for May 23 in City Court, then released. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer James Ivison.

Justin W. Bird, 28, of Ross Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bird was arrested on West Main Street in Batavia at 7:05 p.m. on May 7 following an investigation into a complaint and he was allegedly found to possess marijuana. He was issued an appearance ticket for City Court on May 16, then released. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Nicole McGinnis.

Amar S.M. Zainelabdin, 29, no permanent address, is charged with failure to appear on an appearance ticket. Zainelabdin was located by the Erie County Sheriff's Office and turned over to BPD on a City Court arrest warrant. The defendant is scheduled to appear in City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence.

Press release:

Students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grade at St. Joseph School had the opportunity to participate in their annual spelling bee this past week. Twenty five brave students gathered on the stage for a spelling competition that lasted 35 rounds.

In the end, three eightth-graders took the top three places winning cash prizes:

• First Place -- Rachel Nickerson
• Second Place -- Katelyn Zehler
• Third Place -- Anne Marie Kochmanski

The other top spellers are: James Weicher II, Gabriel Weicher, Andrew Ricupito, Lucia Sprague, Madalyn Bochicchio, Sarah McGinnis and Isabelle Cooper.

Congratulations to this year’s top 10 spellers!

A former UMMC employee who was stealing medical equipment and selling it on eBay entered a guilty plea in Genesee County Court to grand theft, 3rd, a step down from the original charge of second-degree grand theft, and agreed to pay $30,000 in restititution.

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said she already paid back $10,000 and will make payments of $344 per month for five years in order to pay off the balance. 

The plea deal could still lead to a prison term for 48-year-old Kim Diamond, of Livingston County, of two-and-one-third to seven years, or she could get probation when she's sentenced on Aug. 14.

David Burke is the winner of the 2017 Spring Art Show hosted by the Batavia Society of Artists at the Richmond Memorial Library. Burke received his award at the show's opening last night.

Richard Ellingham received second place and Kevin Feary received third place.

Rachel Beck, a Genesee Community College student and resident of Attica, received the Carr-Mumford scholarship.

Four area high school students were honored by the Arc of Genesee Orleans on Thursday night at the agency's annual meeting with scholarships from the Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is awarded to students interested in working with people with disabilities.

The scholarships were awarded to Natalie Bigelow, Batavia HS, who plans to attend Daemen College and study Physical Therapy; Alyssa Weaver, Pembroke HS, who plans to enter a Physician's Assistant Program; Hannah Bowen, Notre Dame HS, who plans to attend Clarkson University, and she will pursue a career in Psychology; Marlaina Fee, Byron-Bergen HS, who plans to study Elementary Education at Geneva College, with a focus on Special Ed and Sign Language.

Representing the schoalrship fund was Molly George.

Pictured are: Campbell Anderson, Margaret Cecere, Madison Grover, Celia Flynn, Elizabeth Piedmont, Zachary O'Brien (back), Chyenne Ernst, Madison Moore, Serena Strollo-DiCenso, Abigail Stendts, Cassidy Miller, McKenna Dziemian, and Quenten Branciforte.

Amy Martin and Joe Kusmierczak star in the Batavia Player's production of "The Last Five Years," a musical written and composed by Jason Robert Brown and produced and directed by Kathy White, with performances this weekend at the Harvester 56 Theater.

Show times are 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m., Sunday.