batavia

Does anyone remember a pizza shop in the East Town Plaza?  Not Domino's but a real pizza shop?  Where was it located?  Where was Your Host located? 

Friday night, in the bottom of the fifth inning, Batavia Muckdogs infielder Alan Ahmady smashed a home run over The Batavian's right field promotional sign.  The opposite field shot from the right-handed slugger made the game an especially memorable one for Jacoby Miller of Albion.  Miller was the lucky fan that night to have his name drawn in The Batavian's Fifth Inning Home Run Contest.  He won $250, which he picked up at The Batavian's office this afternoon.  We also presented him with an autographed baseball from Ahmady.

Ahmady, from Fresno Calif. (my parents and a brother live just a couple of hours south in the same San Joaquin Valley in Bakersfield), is one of the Cardinals top prospects.  Maybe some day that autographed ball will be worth more than $250.

The home run was Ahmady's first as a professional player (just to be clear, the autographed ball is not the one he hit over the sign -- I don't know what happened to that ball -- hopefully it was retrieved and given to Ahmady for his own collection).

Miller's father, Kevin, said Friday night, "This is something he will never forget."  Today, Kevin Miller told me he and both his sons are huge baseball fans and they attend many Muckdogs games.

Emergency crews are being dispatched to a one-car accident on the Thruway with a reported minor injury. 

A first responder reports that the accident is in the median near Bank Street with one person complaining of chest and knee pain.

Ted Hawley, right, pays a $10 fine for not wearing the proper name badge during today's Batavia Rotary Club meeting.  Hawley started his term as president today and his badge didn't have the year of his presidency printed on it. Outgoing president Ray Chaya gave Hawley a new badge and collected the fine.

Dietrich Williams is accused of shaking the baby of a Batavia woman so violently, even hitting the infant's head against a hard service, that the baby is now in grave condition. Today Williams pleaded not guilty to charges of assault in the first degree and reckless assault of a child.

After the hearing, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said the baby is not doing well.

"There's a lot of uncertainty right now," Friedman said. "It doesn't look good."

He said doctors fear brain damage, vision damage, whether the baby will be able to feed herself and whether she will be able to breath on her own.

Williams was reportedly living with a co-worker from a nursing home in Le Roy and was charged with watching the woman's four children while she worked a double shift.

On the night of June 20 or early morning of June 21, Williams allegedly assaulted the 15-month-old child.

The child and the mother have not been identified.

Defense Attorney Jerry Ader argued for reduced bail, stating that Williams is an employed resident of Genesee County and had only one prior misdemeanor conviction -- for unauthorized use of rental car that was returned late.

Friedman asked that Williams be held without bail, because there is a warrant for his arrest in Florida (reportedly for a bounced $100 check related to the car rental), and he has changed residence and jobs a few times over the past several months.  Friedman said he didn't believe Williams had lived in Genesee County for more than 4 1/2 months.

Since Williams hasn't appeared on a charged related to $100 check, Friedman told Judge Robert Noonan that he doubted he would appear on a felony charge where he potentially faces a 25-year prison term.

Noonan kept Williams bail at $50,000.

Gene Douglas Swede, 61, of 11295 Perry Road, Pavilion, is charged with harassment. Swede is accused of jumping a fence into a neighbor's yard, yelling and cussing at the neighbor and threatening to beat up the neighbor. An order of protection was issued for Swede protecting his neighbors.

Porscha Mohogani Woods, 26, of 305 Oak St., Syracuse is charged with disorderly conduct. Woods is accused of pushing Darien Lake security guards and using vulgar language while attempting to break free of the guards following an altercation at the park on July 4 at 8:11 p.m.

A 16-year-old from Rochester was issued a ticket by Sheriff's deputies in the Town of Batavia for unlawful possession of marijuana.  The youth was walking on a road in Batavia when he was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana.

Lt. Eugene Jankowski, of the Batavia Police Department, participated in the 250th Anniversary re-enactment of the Siege of Fort Niagara and sent along these pictures. Jankowski is pictured above on the far right.

The Town of Batavia Fire Department is being dispatched to a reported fire the area of South Main Street Road and Wortendyke Road.

Dispatchers are recommending special equipment because the fire is reportedly deep in the woods in a logging area.

UPDATE:  So, I drove out to South Main Street Road and Wortendyke Road. Nothing to see here.  The fire is reportedly pretty deep in the woods. There's no command center or other fire equipment on the public road, nor is the fire visible, nor is there an odor of fire from the road. Moving on.

UPDATE 2:06 p.m.: I found the general location of the fire.  It was a long way off from Wortendyke. I spoke with two Town of Batavia firefighters. A logging skinner skidder, a piece of heavy equipment for hauling logs, caught on fire. The machine is a total loss, they said.  Crews are currently making sure the fire is out.

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BATAVIA, N.Y. -- Michael J. Wells, the third suspect in the June 18 robbery of the M&T Bank in Elba, entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment this morning.

Wells is being represented by Thomas Burns. Burns made no application for bail this morning, so Wells continues being held in Genesee County Jail without bail.

Because there was no bail hearing, none of Wells statements or his background were discussed in court.

Last week both Damone Dillon and Dennis Abrams pleaded not guilty and Judge Robert Noonan assigned each $250,000 bail and $500 bond.

UPDATE: I just spoke with Thomas Burns, who is representing Wells, and he said he is communicating with District Attorney Lawrence Friedman on the eventual disposition of the case. Burns said he agreed not to make a bail application as part of that process. "We felt compelled to honor the request as a sign of good faith in negotiations," Burns said.

Previously:

• Elba robbery defendant reportedly sterling citizen prior to alleged crime
• 'I messed up,' Elba robbery suspect texted wife while hiding from police
• Elba robbery suspects identified, arraigned and held without bail
• Alleged Elba bank robbers indicted by grand jury
• Elba robbery suspects identified, arraigned and held without bail
• Manhunt in progress near Townline and 63

One person suffered minor injuries in a two-car accident on Route 19 at East Park Street in Pavilion on Saturday when the driver of one car reportedly failed to see another car and pulled out in front of it.

David J. Reschke, 18, of 9741 Transit Road, Stafford, was driving a 1999 Chevy sedan owned by Cynthia Reschke, when he reportedly stopped at a stop sign on westbound East Park Street, and then proceeded onto Route 19.

Reschke was reportedly distracted while admiring a passing Chrysler 300.

Three witnesses reported seeing him pull out in front of the on coming car.

The other car, a 2001 Ford sedan owned by Patricia Malone of Batavia, was driven by Tyler Kilgore, 19, of 9366 Sheppard Drive, Batavia. Kilgore reportedly suffered minor injuries and as transported to UMMC.

Following the accident investigation by Deputy Mazur, Reschke was charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21.

Jazzmyne M. Heard, 21, of 965 E. Glide St., Rochester, is charged with disorderly conduct. Heard allegedly shouted obscenities while on the sidewalk on South Main St. The alleged incident occurred Thursday at 11:45 a.m.

Megan J. Dowd, 26, of 16 Church St., Le Roy, was charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly shouting obscenities in a public place. The alleged incident occurred at 337 Bank St.

James S. Gibbs, 33, of 34 Vernon Ave., Batavia is charged with criminal contempt. Gibbs allegedly made contact with a person he was ordered not to contact.

Jay R. Cummings, 23, of 10565 Harper Road, Darien, is charged with felony DWI. Cummings was stopped on West Main Street by Batavia police following a report of a road rage incident in the Town of Batavia.  Officers Coffey and Klimjack report Cummings was allegedly intoxicated. He is also charged with felony unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Cummings reportedly has a prior felony DWI conviction. He is held on $5,000 bail.

Ryan P. Sutton, 19, of 8290 Lewiston Road, Batavia, is charged with making graffiti. Batavia Police Officer Matthew Baldwin reportedly observed Sutton carving something into plastic play equipment in Pringle Park with a folding knife on Thursday night.

Stephan A. Lewis II, 29, of 541 E. Main St., is charged with petty larceny. Lewis is accused of stealing beer from Wilson Farms, 506 E. Main St.

John J. Smalley, Sr., 46, of 32 S. Main St., Oakfield, is charged with harassment. Smalley is accused of making harassing phone calls to another person. He was arrested by Batavia police officers.

Timothy Ryan McJury, 22, of 334 W. Main St., #5, is charged with petty larceny. McJury is accused of shoplifting three DVDs and a video game from Target.

Travis W. Zeidler, 29, of 502-2969 Kingsway Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, is charged with DWI and DWI with a BAC of .18 or more. Zeidler was arrested following a Sheriff's Office investigation into a reported car accident inside the parking lot of Darian Lake Theme Park. Zeidler is held on $500 bail. The incident was investigated by Deputy Jason Saile.

David J. Reschke, 18, of 9741 Transit Road, Stafford, is charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21. Reschke was reportedly found to possess alcohol following a car accident at Route 19 and Cato Street in Pavilion on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Stephanie L. Hagen, 26, of 3259 Rose Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI. Hagen was reportedly stopped for an alleged traffic violation on Erie Road in Darien on Saturday morning about 1 a.m. She reportedly had a BAC of .08 or greater.

Ronald J. Tombari III, 21, of Pavilion, is charged with felony unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Tombari allegedly struck a parked car in Le Roy and then left the scene. Le Roy Patrolman Daryl Robb made the arrest.

Care-A-Van was busy over the holiday week-end. Even with a holiday week-end among us, we keep going forth to share the good news.

We had grocery distribution Saturday at Batavia Gardens. We fed 8 families with 23 members. We returned to Park Road Senior Apartments for Street Church on Sunday. We had 11 folks attend to hear the message given by Pastor Tom Burns of the Morganville UC of Christ. We were there last Thursday for our weekly picnic and had 29 folks attend. Check out the pile of cookies given away at the Picnic in the Park! 

Last Thurdays picnic at the apartment complex

There were folks inside and out

Care-A-Van Band sings at the Picnic at Park Road Senior Apartments

Pastor Tom Burns giving the message

Inside at street church

Ok, so with all the holiday activity, I was cauught in the traffic on the 90 waiting to get home to be with Care-A-Van on Sunday afternoon. Spent the week-end with my family in Edinboro, PA. Come to find out it was the car that was on fire that was shown on another post.

Jeanne Stack submitted this photo of a car on fire on the Thruway on Sunday at about 2 p.m. Stack said the fire occurred near Pratt Road in the Town of Batavia. She said she doesn't know what happened, but that a trooper came over to her and asked if the car was hers.  We have no further information at this time.

Yesterday, I was given a chance to learn all about the latest piece of equipment acquired by the Town of Batavia's volunteer fire department:  A rescue truck that will go into service in about three weeks.

It arrived at the station on Tuesday and cost the department about $460,000.

"This is a 25-year purchase," said Dan Coffey, who with Nate Fix served on the truck purchase committee and researched the needs and specifications for a new fire truck. "A lot of thought went into this purchase. We started planning this in 2005."

The truck already has 3,000 miles on it -- the mileage from Minnesota, where it was assembled, to New York, where a contractor put on many of the finishing touches, and that was by design said Deputy Chief Paul Barrett.  All of those miles got the engine broken in and gave the seller a chance to uncover any potential problems before the department took delivery.

The video contains more information on the truck and its capabilities and purpose.

Pictured above with the new Engine 24 are four members of the department who happened to be on hand yesterday, Deputy Chief Paul Barrett, firefighter Ryan Scapano, Asst. Chief Randy McIntire and firefighter Doug Smart, Jr., who is home on leave from Iraq.

The outgoing Engine 24.

The Batavia Area Jaycees hung flags along Main Street this morning. I think it's always a great sight to drive down Main and see the flag-lined street.

Patrick Weissend is leaving his post as director of the Holland Land Office Museum to become a brank manager for the Bank of Castile in Medina. Supporters of  the museum, its staff and board members gathered at the museum last night to give Pat a festive send off and to thank him for his hard work and dedication.