batavia

Press release:

Due to logistical issues in moving this concert to the Genesee County Fairgrounds, this event has been rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11th, 2014. If you already have tickets, they are still valid.  

If you have already purchased camping, please come camp with us this weekend for FREE and come back during the weekend of Oct. 11th, 2014 to get the full Jam At The Ridge Experience. More details about the activities for this weekend will be posted on our Web site TheRidgeNY.com as well as our Facebook page.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us keep the music alive at The Ridge NY.

Kaitlyn Mackenzie Hayes, 20, of Lake Street, Perry, is charged with criminal impersonation, 2nd, and trespass. Hayes allegedly impersonated her sister to reenter Darian Lake Performing Arts Center during the Dave Matthews concert Wednesday. It was later found that she allegedly used a false identification, her sister, at the time of her arrest.

Justin M. Wotherspoon, 27, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Wotherspoon allegedly had physical contact with a person in violation of a court order. Wotherspoon was jailed without bail.

Danielle Marie Stevens, 37, of Ford Road, Elba, is charged with grand larceny, 4th. Stevens is accused of stealing the wallet of a WIC employee who was assisting her. Stevens was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Christopher Free Bragg, 28, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with petit larceny. Bragg is accused of shoplifting from Walmart. 

Richard Michael Wroblewski, 61, of Williamstowne, Cheektowaga, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding (70 in a 55 mph zone). Wroblewski was stopped at 8:10 p.m. Friday on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, by Sgt. Greg Walker.

Cody James Hinchey, 27, of Reed Road, Churchville, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Hinchey was stopped at 1:19 a.m. Saturday on Byron Holley Road by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Richard Henry Forman, 64, of Ellinwood Road, Corfu, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Forman was reportedly involved in a motor-vehicle accident at 3:01 a.m. Friday on Genesee Street, Pembroke. The accident was investigated by Deputy Joseph Corona.

The Batavia Lions Club hosted its annual Bike Tour in Batavia Saturday. 

Photos submitted by John Murray.

Executives at P.W. Minor, a locally founded, 147-year-old business, reportedly told employees today that the firm is closing July 31 and the workers will be out of their jobs.

Employees posted about the announcement on Facebook and The Batavian contacted two employees directly. One wouldn't comment, the other confirmed the announcement.

The shoe-manufacturing company was founded in 1867 by two Civil War veterans who originally called their company Minor Brothers Boots and Shoes.

The Batavian e-mailed P.W. Minor's CEO Wally Hinchey at about 6 p.m. seeking comment and has not received a response.

A two-car personal injury accident is reported at West Main and River streets in the city. Police, fire and Mercy medics are on scene.

UPDATE 6:38 p.m.: City fire is back in headquarters.

John A. Snook, 26, of Central Avenue, Batavia, was arrested June 10 and charged with criminal obstruction of breathing/blood circulation, second-degree harassment, and unlawful imprisonment. The arrest was made following his release from Orleans County Jail on a separate charge. The new charges stem from a domestic incident in the City of Batavia. Orleans County Sheriff's Department transported Snook to the Genesee County line and he was taken to Batavia City Court and arraigned in front of Judge Balbick. He was then put in county jail and bail was set at $2,500. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police officer Jamie Givens.

Nathen Edward Donald Brege, 22, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. On June 11 he was arrested for allegedly violating an order of protection issued by the Town of Oakfield Court by allegedly threatening the protected individual in an incident on May 31 on South Pearl Street in Oakfield. He was issued an appearance ticket. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's deputy Joseph Loftus.

Sean Robert Doran, 24, of Harper Street, Rochester, is charged with DWI, aggrevated DWI, and speeding over 55 mph on June 11 on Route 20 in the Town of Alexander. He is scheduled to be arraigned on July 1 in Alexander Town Court. The incident was investigated by Sheriff's deputy Kevin McCarthy.

Thomas Edward Bobeck, 44, of Parwood Drive, Cheektowaga, is charged with operation of a motor vehicle with a BAC of .08 or more as a first offense, and DWI, first offense. He was arrested on said charges after being observed allegedly driving in an unsafe manner while on Alleghany Road in Darien on June 12. He is to be arraigned on July 8 in Darien Town Court. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's deputy Joseph Corona, assisted by deputy Brian Thompson.

Ivan Jerrod Walton, 21, of Yates Avenue, Sauk Village, Ill., is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd, stemming from an incident on March 25 at the Sears Hometown Store on Lewiston Road, Batavia. The subject was being held in the Livingston County Jail on an unrelated matter. He was arrested on June 9 and arraigned in front of Justice Williams from Batavia Town Court on said charge and returned to Livingston County Jail. Bail was set at $2,500. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's deputy Christopher Parker, assisted by deputy John Baiocco.

Eugene Jankowski, former lieutenant with Batavia PD and current City Council member, recently took home four awards from the 2014 NY State IDPA International Defensive Pistol Championships at Pine City Sportsman's Club near Elmira.

Jankowski finished:

• 1st Place Law Enforcement
• 1st Place Senior
• 2nd Place Stock Service Pistol Master class
• 2nd Place Overall

Press release:

City Manager Jason Molino today announced his appointment of Gretchen DiFante as assistant city manager for the City of Batavia. DiFante was selected following a national search that resulted in 60 applicants.

As a 16-year resident of the City of Batavia, DiFante has held senior executive roles in Western New York businesses including: director of Efficient Customer Support for Rich Products Corp., in Buffalo; executive vice president at P.W. Minor, in Batavia; and as executive director of Agape Counseling Associates, in Rochester. She also maintains a consulting business, StandOUT Results, in which she has worked with chief executive level clients to facilitate the development of data-based strategic plans and design and provide leadership training for senior and mid-level managers and supervisors in approximately 23 different industries.

DiFante has served in several local leadership positions and is a current member of the Board of Education for the Batavia City School District. She is also a veteran with the Air Force Reserves, graduate of the inaugural class of Leadership Genesee, past board member of the Genesee YMCA, Rochester Area Triathletes, and currently serves as an advisory board member to the Citizens Against Teen Suicide (CATS) group in Rochester.  

Pier Cipollone, 4th Ward council member who participated in the interview process, said, “I believe Gretchen has the management and leadership qualities that will allow her to assimilate into her new role easily. She has a familiarity with city staff and along with her abilities as a skilled facilitator should enable her to become productive almost immediately. I believe she will be a great asset to the City.”

City Manager Jason Molino added, “Gretchen has unique leadership skills that enable her to easily gain trust at every level within an organization while also being able to quickly understand and strategically assess the operations in multiple industries.”

She has provided periodic consulting to the City of Batavia over the past four years and was instrumental in helping to develop, expand and evaluate the City’s strategic plan that was recently awarded the Strategic leadership & Governance Program Excellence Award from the International City/County Management Association.

“As a resident and business owner, Gretchen has built very successful relationships with many businesses and organizations not only in Batavia and Genesee County, but throughout Western and Upstate New York,” Molino said. “When Gretchen’s leadership skills and experience were combined with her great sense of passion and enthusiasm to serve this community, she quickly became the obvious choice to join our management team. I am looking forward to working with her in achieving the City’s vision.”

Gretchen lives with her husband, David, a sargeant in the Rochester Police Department, and they have five children: Lauren (21), stationed with the Air Force at Nellis AFB in Nevada; John (20), a student at Genesee Community College; Nina (17), a graduating senior at Batavia High School; Elena (13) and Ava (9) who are in seventh and third grade at Batavia Middle School and John Kennedy, respectively.

They are members of Northgate Free Methodist Church in Batavia where Gretchen periodically volunteers time to conduct job search and interviewing workshops for newly graduated college students and adults seeking employment.

DiFante holds a BA in Communications from Auburn University and a MS in Management from Keuka College.

She will begin transitioning to the position in early July and will be full time by the first week of September at an annual salary of $75,950.

City Manager Jason Molino encourages all Batavia residents to celebrate this appointment and welcome DiFante to her new position.

New Muckdogs -- and some returning -- have been arriving in Batavia this week and starting workouts with their new teammates.

The first home game of the season is at 7 p.m., Saturday, at Dwyer.

Manager Angel Espada, in his second season in Batavia, said the staff will have some good young arms and pitching should be a team strength during the 2014 campaign.

"At this level the most important thing is you help them develop," Espada said. "Pitching and defense (are) going to dictate, at any level, but especially at this level.

"I think our pitching should be solid," he added.

Leading the staff, at least out of the gate, will be Gabriel Castellanos, Jorgan Cavanerio, Jose Adames.

Position players to watch include Aaron Blanton, Kevin Grove and Ryan Aper.

The Muckdogs are an affiliate of the Miami Marlins.

Yesterday's workout was cut short by a cloudburst.

For the full season schedule, click here.

A motorcade of several motorcycle organizations, as well as, state, county and local police, firefighters and first responders, escorted the Vietnam Moving Wall from Batavia to Pembroke Wednesday morning.

The 17-mile trek was spotted with patriots waving flags and holding signs.

Upon reaching the town park in Pembroke, veterans and supporters who participated in the escort held a brief, solemn ceremony to commerate the wall's arrival.

The effort to bring the moving wall back to Genesee County for another visit was spearheaded by members of the Oakfield-Alabama American Legion Post 626, with support of area community members.

A dedication ceremony at the park begins today at 11 a.m. For more information, click here.

A car vs. pole accident in reported in the area of 230 W. Main St., Batavia.

That's in the area of the Burger King.

A person reports a possible neck injury.

There are also fluid leaks.

Batavia PD is on scene.

Batavia fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 9:48 a.m.: A second ambulance is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 10:20 a.m.: Engine 11 is back in service.

The driver of a tractor-trailer carrying steel beams said he was eastbound on West Main when he noticed the driver of the sedan pulling out of the Burger King parking lot. He said he could see the driver looking right, but he never looked left. The truck driver saw that the car driver was going to pull out into traffic without stopping. The truck driver was able to pull over into the inside lane. Even with the evasive maneuver, the car still caught the rear tire of the truck, spinning it into the utility pole. The truck driver thinks the accident would have been much worse if he hadn't moved over.

Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden dedicated a new bench -- a bench with the wings of a butterfly -- Wednesday afternoon.

The steel was laser cut by Oxbo International, of Byron, and the welding was completed by Barone's Welding, of Batavia. Paint was supplied by Mosman's and the Melody Barbeau Family, of Florida. The painting was completed by Old World Collision.

Pictured above, front row, Carol Grasso, Bernada Scoins, Barb Toal, Rob Barone and Steve Merritt (Oxbo).

Barb Toal making a dedication speech.

The bench from behind.

Carol Grasso's new puppy liked the bench.

Sgt. Shaina Schmigel was remembered Wednesday with tears and tenderness and lauded for her honor, duty and service to her country.

Hundreds of people in Genesee County turned out to pay tribute to the 21-year-old Army paratrooper who died while serving her country.

Schmigel was from Batavia and attended high school in Medina and her life and news of her death touched people from throughout Western New York.

Her funeral was at Michael S. Tomaszewski Funeral & Cremation Chapel on West Main Street Road. Following the service, her flag-draped casket was loaded into a hearse by a military honor guard. The hearse was escorted to the cemetery in Corfu by the Patriot Guard Riders and Hogs for Heroes Foundation.

Along the route, residents, construction workers, firefighters and schoolchildren lined the roadway, waving flags, carrying signs and snapping salutes as a show of respect to Schmigel and her service to the nation.

A friend said family members were touched by the tribute.

Schmigel died on May 30 in a nighttime training accident at Fort Bragg, N.C.

“You are so brave, so courageous,” her brother Matthew Scroger, of Lackawanna, wrote in a letter read by Navy Chaplain Rev. David Glassmire during the service at Tomaszewski's. “Your beautiful spirit, love and energy will forever take care of us.”

“For some people it’s just a paycheck, but it was never a paycheck just to her,” said Staff Sgt. Scott Kuznia who worked in the same unit with Schmigel for two and a half years. Kuznia added, “She was outstanding. She loved being a paratrooper and a soldier.”

Schmigel loved NASCAR and country music. As part of the service, two country songs were played, Toby Keith's “American Soldier” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”

“Thank you for being so brave and serving our country,” her 16-year-old sister Sheniqua Samol, of Medina, shared in a letter read by the chaplain. “What will I do without you? I will survive, but I will never be the same.”

Portions of this story provided courtesy Tom Rivers, OrleansHub.

Top Photo, Shaina's mother, Karie Schmigel, with the flag that draped her daughter's coffin, following the service in Corfu.

A pickup truck and car crashed in the parking lot of Save-A-Lot, 45 Ellicott St. City of Batavia fire and Mercy medics are responding. Injuries are reported.

Eric Marc Chiddy, 36, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd, criminal obstruction of breathing, unlawful possession of marijuana and obstructing governmental administration, 2nd. Chiddy was arrested following an investigation into an alleged domestic incident on Maple Street. He was jailed on $2,500.

Travis C. Bauer, 25, of Water Street, Oakfield, is charged with DWI and unlawful possession of marijuana. Batavia PD responded to a complaint at 11:43 p.m. Friday of a sick or intoxicated driver on West Main Street. After an investigation by officers Peter Flanagan and Chad Richards, Bauer was charged.

Timothy Blase Antinora, 23, of Swamp Road, Brockport, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Antinora was stopped for alleged traffic violations at 4:09 p.m. Monday on North Lake Road, Bergen, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

The annual "Fill the Boot" campaign comes to Batavia again Friday, June 20.

Off-duty City firefighters, members of IAFF Local 896, will position themselves on Ellicott, Court and Main and collect spare changes and donations from passing drivers.

This years cochairs for the event are Jeff Stevens, left, and Greg Ireland.

City firefighters have been participating in the fundraising event for MDA for 20 years.

Last year, they helped raised $8,500, which was a new record in donations locally.

Money collected benefits the children who are diagnosed with any of the more than 40 neuromuscular diseases that fall under the MDA umbrella, including ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Donations cover everything from wheelchairs to braces, physical therapy sessions to summer camps for those afflicted.

A two-car accident is reported at Oak Street and Park Road, Batavia.

An officer on scene reports only a minor leg injury.

City fire and Mercy EMS responding.