batavia

The history of Sacred Heart Church began in 1904 when Reverend Peter Pitass was assigned to organize a new parish that would serve the Polish people on the south side of Batavia. 

Father Pitass bought a house on the corner of South Jackson Street. The first floor was rebuilt into a sanctuary, and the second floor was a residence for the priest. A barn was rebuilt for the school. 

The parish grew and needed a new home. 

In 1917, the Church moved to the corner of Sumner Street and Swan Street. He purchased about half an acre of land on that corner from Edward Suttell, enough for a church, a school and a social hall. 

Building materials were so expensive the parish built only the basement. That was then used as a church until a better one could be built. 

Starting in December 1928, Reverend Stanislaus Cichowski served as pastor for the next 26 years. 

During March 1942, Tonawanda Creek rose in the worst flood in Batavia's history. The Church was underwater for weeks, destroying everything except the cement foundation. Reverend Alexander Jankowski succeeded Father Cichowski in building and rebuilding the Church and school. 

In 1954, Reverend Leo Smith blessed the cornerstone of the Church, which was to be built on the foundation that had been in place since 1915. 

In 1966, the congregation burned the mortgage they had taken out to fund the Church and surrounding buildings. 

There was also a large open play area to hold Sacred Heart’s Lawn Fete in July. 

In 1974 the school closed, and the parish men built a large social hall on the north side, transforming the former school building into the Sacred Heart Community Center. 

The little Church that took many years to build is now facing the last chapter of its life as the doors will be closed permanently.  

When this happens to your church, you lose the memories of baptisms, Holy Communions, Confirmations, weddings, anniversaries, and funerals. 

One memory I will always treasure was going to Mass with my father-in-law, Henry Starowitz. I was so proud to walk down the aisle with him. By this time, he was legally blind, but somehow, he would stop at every pew and say hello to a fellow parishioner. He counted the pews. 

Sacred Heart is my church. 

My Mass was at 4 p.m., and I always sat in the pew near the Paul Starowitz stained glass window. That is where my mother-in-law and father-in-law sat. Most people had a pew they called their pew.

Sacred Heart Church was where I would sit in front of my friend, often called St. Patty. I always looked forward to seeing her at Mass. I would go to the Sacred Heart Statue and light my weekly candles with a Peca-Starowitz tag on my candle. 

This church was where our grandchildren were baptized. 

The Easter season was when, years ago, a life-sized statue of our lord was laid out on its side during the Easter Vigil. I have to admit that it was a little scary, especially for our daughters. 

We loved the Sacred Heart Lawn Fete because it was a lawn fete run by the parishioners. It featured a golumpki dinner, waffles, Polish and Italian sausage, and the best beer tent. My father-in-law was always in the garage, in charge of the money. 

Since I live on the south side, I am privy to hearing the real church bells ring five minutes before and on the hour. I tried to imagine that years ago, those bells called churchgoers to church.

I am writing to ask the parishioners to share their memories of the little church on the south side of Batavia. The one thing we all have in common is the sadness we feel. Sacred Heart Church was just remodeled; financially, it is a secure church. Today, I went by the church to take a picture of my church, and a gentleman was mowing the lawn. He looked at me and asked me to hold on; he would move so I could take a picture. 

I say this with tears in my eyes and sadness in my heart. Goodbye, Sacred Heart; our loss saddens our hearts. 

No one knows the church’s fate and the surrounding building, except we will not have our church on Sumner Street as our church.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Police Department has been made aware of social media posts circulating that are threatening violence at schools. The investigation into this matter has deemed that there is no credible threat to the Batavia City School District at this time. We are working alongside our Local, State and Federal partners to determine the origin of the posts. We have communicated with BCSD about the posts and will continue to monitor the situation. 

We ask that anyone with further information contact the Police Department's Detective Bureau at 585-345-6350. Furthermore, if you see a suspicious post, contact your local law enforcement and do not re-post, share, message or place it on any other social media site, as this can create unnecessary panic and hamper law enforcement's ability to investigate.

NOTE: We asked Chief Shawn Heubusch if the threat came from somebody local and specifically targeted Batavia. He said it's unknown who exactly made the threat. He said there is no specific information regarding Batavia.

Press Release:

IGNITE took off at the Genesee Community College (GCC) campus in Batavia! 

Mirroring the LIVES college experience program at SUNY Geneseo, IGNITE is Arc GLOW’s newest Community Prevocational program in the northern region of Arc GLOW. It’s also a great acronym, suggested to Arc GLOW by GCC, “Inspiring Growth and Nurturing Independence Through Education.” 

“It has certainly inspired me and the rest of our new IGNITE team, including IGNITE Day Habilitation Manager Emily Mault, and our two direct support staff, Dan Crofts and Kevin Fisher,” said Kelly Anstey, senior director of day and employment services. “In the last few weeks we have been researching, discussing our developing curriculum, planning activities and classes, looking for integration opportunities and finally arranging our home base on campus which is simply and affectionately dubbed ‘D360.’”

IGNITE is a two-year inclusive higher education opportunity, a true college-like experience, in exploring all of the class’ employment and other life dreams while supporting them in gaining skills in the areas of: relationship building, money management and budgeting, exploring careers, focusing on good health and wellness, and gaining an expansive community awareness. 

On opening day, August 28, the group of four students purchased various GCC items in the campus bookstore, checked out the lounge and student union areas, and trekked around the outside space on campus. Upon returning to D360, the four began to make plans for “Friday free swims” in the pool and shared their job aspirations, including: zookeeper, film maker, police officer, rock star, animatronic designer, music producer, and “work with people and be happy!”

“GCC is proud to partner with Arc GLOW on this important initiative. IGNITE students enrich our campus community, and their enthusiasm and passion are inspiring,” said GCC President, Dr. Craig Lamb. “We look forward to continued collaboration in support of students enhancing their educational and life skills here at GCC.” 

Anstey said the GCC faculty and staff have been so welcoming. “We truly feel like part of the college as we intermingle with everyone on campus,” she said. “We have frequent ‘guests’ as GCC faculty and staff pop into our room, or engage us in other arenas on campus to discuss collaborative ideas for our students. On opening day, while watching the last few weeks of focused work become a program reality, I feel like I am living my dream job.”

However, as Arc GLOW moves forward with this new initiative, it is done without Dawn Scott, the LIVES and newly assigned IGNITE coordinator who passed away this past July. 

“She was a true inspiration, and the vision she shared in the past year was beyond instrumental in shaping IGNITE,” Anstey said. “We dedicate this semester to Dawn.”

More information and a sample curriculum can be found online at ArcGLOW.org under programs and services and college experiences.

Press Release:

Manufacturing is coming back to the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, September 24. Since its inception in 2019, the program has welcomed over 5,000 students. This year’s event features over 1,000 students from 30 school districts across the GLOW region arriving at the fairgrounds for the day-long career exploration event.

Over 70 businesses will provide hands-on activities and simulations in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, skilled trades sectors as well as the various branches of the military. Students will have the opportunity to learn about career opportunities in their own backyard that offer good-paying opportunities immediately after high school graduation.

“Collaboration between educators, workforce experts, and local companies have created a workforce development blueprint that is connecting our students to in-demand careers right here in the GLOW Region,” said Karyn Winters, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair. “The thousands of students that have experienced GLOW With Your Hands leave with a profound understanding of the opportunities and pathways available to good-paying, hands-on careers.”

Platinum Sponsors LandPro Equipment, National Grid, and Rochester Davis-Fetch lead dozens of event supporters bringing hands-on experiences students look forward to participating in annually.

Among the new companies attending for the first time include Lakeland Concrete Products, a construction company based in Lima, IK Systems, a leading supplier of integrated surveillance & security systems out of Victor, and Zoldaz, a trucking contractor in Alden. 

“Various groups and organizations are working collaboratively to help alleviate workforce shortages in the GLOW region, which is a national phenomenon,” said Angela Grouse, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair. “Private sector investment by companies across the region continues to flourish resulting in a strong demand by employers to fill jobs as a result of this growth.”

For more information about GLOW With Your Hands, visit glowwithyourhands.com.

Press Release:

Dollar General is excited to announce it recently remodeled its store at 2666 Main St. in Batavia. In addition to the same categories, brands, and products customers trust Dollar General to carry,  the store now provides customers with an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.

“At Dollar General, we strive to be a positive business partner and good community neighbor in Batavia,” said Matthew Simonsen, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development. “Although we are not a grocery store, we believe the addition of produce in our Batavia store highlights our commitment to deliver a pleasant shopping experience that includes affordable prices on quality products in a convenient location.”

Photos by Jason Smith.

Eli Fish hosted its annual Octoberfest on Saturday evening in Jackson Square.

Photos by Howard Owens.

The Genesee County Republican Committee, led by Scott German, officially opened its campaign headquarters for 2024 on Saturday in the former Time Buyers dealership location across from CVS on West Main Street, Batavia.

On hand were candidates Claudia Tenney (Congress), George Borrello (State Senate), Steve Hawley (State Assembly), Joesph Graff (Sheriff) and Keven Andrews (County Treasurer).

German opened the event by thanking Time Buyers for donations of use of the building and Steve Hawley for finding the location.

"I'm very happy to have such a great building that is spacious and super location," German said.

Each candidate then made a brief statement.

"Thank you to everyone who's serving, everyone who's here, everyone who's part of this process," Tenney said. "We are only going to win if we get people to understand that their right to vote is the most profound expression of our self-governance, what our founders envisioned for us. It's the opposite of authoritarianism and communism, which, by the way, is on the ballot this year, especially on the presidential side."

Borrello, who is running unopposed, thanks Tenney and Hawley for their service, noted the difficulty of representing such a large district as the 57th

He also raised alarms about a proposition on the November ballot, the Equal Rights Amendment, which has been controversial for its language and the process used to place it on the ballot.  The amendment to the state Constitution was introduced as an attempt to secure abortion rights in the state. Republicans object that it goes too far by classifying several identity groups as new classes protected from discrimination.  In his statement, Borrello made several unsubstantiated claims about the measure's potential impact. Still, the non-partisan Albany-based think tank Empire Center faults the measure for its vagueness, sanctioning government discrimination, and potential to unleash legal chaos in the state.

Borrello's statement, with unsubstantiated claims, included: "I want to take this moment to once again reiterate the importance of voting against Prop 1. It is perhaps the most evil and damaging piece of legislation ever proposed in the state of New York, and that's saying something. If you want illegal immigrants voting in our elections, support Proposition 1. If you want parents to lose their control over their children's health decisions, vote for Proposition 1. Okay, if you want to ensure that a man can walk into a lady's locker room at will, vote for Proposition 1. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Proposition 1 needs to go down. And the scary part is right now, most uninformed New Yorkers will vote yes, so we need to spread the word. It is the single most important mission in this election."

Hawley noted that he and the other candidates represent one of the best parts of Genesee County: teamwork.

"We've got two new folks who are running for office here locally, and we're seeing a changing of the guard and new people coming in with new ideas and also concentrating on teamwork," Hawley said. "We have Joe Graff, who's been with the Genesee County Sheriff's Department for many, many years. He's stepping forward as Sheriff (Bill) Sharon retires. We have Kevin Andrews, who serves as my campaign treasurer, which he will probably have to give up because he's running to replace my friend Scott German as Genesee County Treasurer. So, working all together is what it's all about. And it's town level as well city. We need to continue to work for the things that make not only America great but part of one of the 50 states, hopefully bringing New York back to be a friendly place for businesses and neighborhoods in terms of public safety."

Graff said it was goal to keep in place the teamwork that currently exists among Genesee County's various law enforcement agencies.

"I've been with the Sheriff's office for over 20 years. There are some former Batavia City police officers in here, and I've worked with them throughout the years. And I think what we have in Genesee County is a great coalition of law enforcement that works together throughout all the agencies. I think we truly need to support the men and women who work in law enforcement so they can effectively do their jobs so we can live in the safe community that we do enjoy. As Sheriff, I look to continue the mission of the Sheriff's Office and the standard of service that has been afforded to this county by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office."

Andrews, who has worked in the county's treasurer's office for a decade, thanked German for his leadership and mentorship.

"I want to thank you for allowing me to work with you as deputy for these past almost ten years and giving me that chance to prove myself and to gain that experience I hope to carry forward," Andrews said.

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia hosted a chicken BBQ sale today in the parking lot of the Town of Batavia Fire Department on Lewiston Road. The proceeds benefit club activities. The club's primary mission is to serve and assist the community's children.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Alzheimer's Association of WNY held its annual Walk to End Alzheimer's in Batavia on Saturday morning, with the walk starting and ending in Centennial Park.

Photos by Howard Owens.

People should be excited about attending St. Paul Lutheran Church in Batavia each Sunday, says newly ordained and installed minister Thompson Marin, because they will hear the word of God without any innovations.

"We believe the Bible is the Word of God. There is no error in it. We teach people that the Bible interprets itself," Marin said to The Batavian. "Then, just to make it more exciting to people, we teach Christ crucified. We teach the Word of God. We don't add to it. We don't mix it with other teaching outside the Bible. Christ is at the center of our teaching."

Marin, his wife Erika, and their two children, Micaiah, 4, and Olivia, 1, are new to Batavia. St. Paul is Marin's first calling as a pastor. He recently completed four years of study at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind.

"I was praying for a church with a school," Marin said. "When I saw that (St. Paul) had a school, I was excited to see how God would lead me to help the school and the church."

Marin was born in Haiti and immigrated with his family to Brooklyn in 2007. He has been a Christian since childhood, growing up a Baptist. His uncle was a Lutheran pastor in Haiti. 

He graduated from Brooklyn College in 2013, moved to South Dakota for more schooling, and then returned to Haiti, where he met Erika. She was on a Lutheran mission trip. They were married in 2016. 

"I was very used to how (Lutherans) do church and what they believe, teach and confess," Marin said. "I became a Lutheran after I met my wife in 2013. I got used to going to church with her, used to the teaching in the Lutheran churches, and then I wanted to marry her, so one of the requirements was for me to become a Lutheran, and it wasn't hard for me, because I was already used to what they do and what they teach and believe."

The Lutheran Church was founded by Martin Luther (1483 to 1546) in Torgau, Germany. Luther led the Reformation, a break with Roman Catholicism, in the early 16th Century. A key point of Luther's theology was he rejected the Catholic Church's role as an intermediary between the people and God. He believed that salvation comes only through God's mercy. He rejected papal authority. He believed the Bible is the central authority for all Christian beliefs.

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod governs St. Paul. It is a conservative denomination whose core belief is that people are saved from their sins by God's grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Scripture alone. The Synod holds to the Luthern Confessions, which include the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed.

After joining the church, Marin became interested in attending seminary, not to become a pastor but to deepen his understanding of the faith. 

"The people I interacted with really encouraged me to follow this call, and that's what I did," Marin said.

As Marin completed his education, the members of St. Paul contacted church leaders and informed them there was an opening for a new pastor at St. Paul. They requested a recent seminary graduate, Marin said, and district leaders reviewed the needs of the church and the available seminary candidates and selected Marin as the best fit for St. Paul.

Besides the school, Marin said he was excited to come to Batavia because his wife likes small towns, and it's only six hours from New York City, where his parents and sister still live.

Given his wife's experience with missions, it's not surprising that Marin is eager to see St. Paul grow its efforts in international missions. St. Paul's does sponsor missionaries in Japan.  He thinks the church might be able to grow in this area.

"That was really something that I admired when I met my wife. They were helping with a school and an orphanage in Haiti, in the town where I was from,  and I want to continue that aspect of ministry, reaching out to the unchurched, helping those who cannot, who don't have access to certain things and sharing Christ's love with them."

He said it's something he intends to talk to St. Paul's leadership team about. 

I know a lot of missionaries," Marin said. "They do need help from the churches here in the States. That's something I still need to figure out and probably start on, but it is a big part of sharing God's love."

He sees St. Paul's school as a great resource for reaching the local community.

"I think St Paul plays a great role in showing God's love, especially in our school," Marin said. "The school is a really great way of reaching out to parents and parents who are not Lutherans, even just reaching out to them and teaching them how we do things and extend God's forgiveness to them. And if they want to come and check it out, they can.

He said not all children attending the school are Christians, so the school offers an opportunity to learn about God's love for them. 

"We tell them that God loves them every day. I think it's a really good thing," Marin said. "And the other thing is, their parents are invited to come to chapel on Wednesdays so they can hear us teaching them and see how we do it, and also they can hear God's message to them, too, and it's a great way of reaching out to the community."

On Sundays, visitors to the Church can expect a conservative service.

Lutheran services tend to be more liturgical than many other Protestant churches. Marin said people who come to St. Pauls can expect more traditional hymns.

"We conserve all the ways that the Church Fathers used to worship and how they did the service, with no new ideas," Marin said. The way we do things is very traditional. We do have some contemporary songs we sing here because the members are used to doing it in the past, but we're trying to move more toward a traditional way of doing things."

Marin acknowledges that these are challenging times for churches. In 2021, church membership in the U.S. fell below 50 percent for the first time. Marin doesn't believe innovations in theology are needed to bring people back to church. He believes the Word of God is sufficient.

"I think we need to stay faithful," Marin said. "We need to believe that God will send His Spirit. The Holy Spirit will work in people's hearts and change their minds, and then people will be attracted to the church. People will come to the church through the Gospel being preached, and not by changing how we teach it or how we worship, incorporating new things, new theology, and new ways of interpreting the Gospel, the Bible. I don't see it that way. I think we need to stay faithful, and I think that way, people will know the truth." 

A revised wastewater agreement between the town and city of Batavia may rectify a capacity issue between those two municipalities, however, it came too late for HP Hood’s $120 million expansion project, says Lynne Bohan, group vice president of Communications & Government Affairs for HP Hood LLC.

HP Hood altered its course after being notified that permitting was not approved for the project in the Batavia Agri-Business Park, Bohan said. The expansion was to be 32,500 square feet and was to create 48 new jobs and retain 455 full-time jobs at Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park for a projected local economic impact of $49.87 million in wages and tax revenue.

“Hood implemented a tactical pause on the expansion projects in progress. We remained in contact with local government representatives to gain an understanding of constraints to approving permits,” Bohan said to The Batavian Friday. “Discussions continued regarding project support while we worked on contingency plans. This was not an immediate decision and was just finalized recently as we reviewed our updated business strategy.”

Hood officials opted to expand the scope of “a similar expansion project already in progress at a similar Hood facility on the East Coast,” Bohan said, adding that the company will consider future projects at the Batavia site. “Yes, we have other expansion projects for our Batavia site proposed. Timing is dependent on business needs and appropriate support from the community.”

The city of Batavia temporarily halted Hood’s $120 million expansion project in the town of Batavia due to “violations of the town’s contracted wastewater capacity limit” earlier this year as both municipalities then worked to rectify the situation, City Manager Rachael Tabelski had said.

Tabelski sent the town Planning Board a letter on March 13 notifying the group that the city had not been informed in a timely manner that the town had been established as lead agency for the proposed expansion of process lines at HP Hood on Feb. 13, 2024, and the city did not receive word of that until March 4. The city objected to the town acting as the lead agency, Tabelski said.

Tabelski said during council’s Tuesday meeting that the situation had potentially been rectified with a revised wastewater agreement between the town and city of Batavia. She also said that “we will lift the SEQR challenge to the HP Hood project,” regarding a state environmental review. 

Genesee County Economic Development Center had approved sales tax exemptions estimated at $4.52 million, a property tax abatement estimated at $549,705 base on an incremental increase in assessed value, and a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $536,000, bringing the value of the proposed financial agreement to approximately $5.6 million. 

GCEDC President Mark Masse was not available for comment Friday.

It was the battle of the Blue Devils as Batavia took on Brockport late Thursday afternoon in Monroe County tennis action in Brockport. 

Batavia took all three singles matches and the first doubles contest to improve to 3-1 on the season. The deciding point came down to the third singles match as Batavia’s Eliana Cossitt won in three sets. 

After winning the first set 6-1, Cossitt lost in a second set tiebreak 4-7 to set up a thrilling third set. After falling behind 0-2 to Brockport’s Alex Salcido, Cossitt took control and gave Batavia the point they needed with a brilliant 6-3, third set victory.  

Batavia got wins from first singles player Kelsey Kirkwood 6-1, 6-3 and second singles player Ally Debo, who was equally impressive with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph. 

The first doubles tandem of Drew Stevens and Rahmeto Reinhardt remained unbeaten on the season, with a 6-3, 6-2 win. Batavia will hit the road again Friday at Penfield.

Information provided by Batavia Head Coach Jim Fazio.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Christine R. Brien, 53, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, and Johnathan B. White, 32, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, are charged with false written statement.  AT 4:11 p.m. on Aug. 23, Deputy Alexander Hadsall was dispatched to a report of a disturbance where a male had a firearm. When Hadsall arrived on scene, he was advised the male had left the scene on foot in an unknown direction. The male returned and was placed into custody. After further investigation, Hadsall determined both subjects had signed sworn statements that were not true. They were both arrested and processed at the Genesee County and released. 

Chupco Harjo, 33, Council Hosue Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with assault 2nd and criminal mischief 3rd, and Rhonda Nancy Harjo, 68,  of Council Hosue Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with assault 3rd and criminal mischief 3rd. The suspects are accused of assaulting another person at 5:50 a.m. on Aug. 22 at a location on Council House Road, causing physical injury and of damaging the victim's mobile phone. Both were jailed pending arraignment.

Willie Albert Sabb, Jr., 50, unknown address, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, false personation, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, failure to stop at stop sign, speeding. Sabb was stopped at 4:54 p.m. on Aug. 24 on South Lake Road, Le Roy, by Deputy Nicholas Jennings. Sabb was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia. He was also wanted on a Family Court warrant. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Ashley Jordan Gallagher, 35, no permanent residence, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and tampering with physical evidence. Gallagher was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine during a traffic stop at 4:54 p.m. on Aug. 24 on South Lake Road, Le Roy, by Deputy Nicholas Jennings. She also allegedly had suspected drug contraband concealed on her person. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Cain Alexander Catino, 53, of Valley View Drive, Batavia, is charged with falsifying business records 1st. Catino is accused of signing a Pawn King bill of sale stating that he was the sole owner of property that was allegedly stolen. He was held pending arraignment.

Summer Rose Prentice, 31, of Drake Street, Oakfield, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Prentice is accused of intentionally damaging the property of another person at a location on Drake Street, Oakfield, at 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 22. There is no release information available.

Jonathan Mathew Toledo, 32, of Victory Avenue, Hamburg, is charged with harassment 2nd. Toledo is accused of fighting at Darien Lake on Aug. 20 at 10:07 p.m.  He was held for arraignment.

Jorden Elizabeth Prescott, 30, of no address listed, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th and harassment 2nd. Prescott is accused of kicking and punching a victim multiple times during a fight at a location on Oak Orchard Road, Elba, at 11:48 a.m. on Aug. 24. She is also accused of breaking the victim's property. She was held pending arraignment.

Aldrin Josue Solorzano, 23, of Clifton Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Solorzano is accused of stealing merchandise from Walmart at 9:52 p.m. on Aug. 23. Solorzano was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released. Also charged was Yanela Karen Molina, 23, of Clifton Avenue, Batavia.

Jennifer Jean McCarty, 52, of Macomber Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. McCarty is accused of shoplifting at Walmart on Aug. 26 at 4:32 p.m. She was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Brett Nelson Mogoffin, 49, of River Road, Pavilion, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and criminal obstruction of breathing.  Mogoffin was arrested on Aug. 29 in connection with an incident reported at 8:18 p.m. on Aug. 22 at a location on River Road, Pavilion. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Eric Nshimirimana, 28, of Churchlea Place, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Nshimirimana was topped at 2:41 a.m. on Aug. 30 on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Kathleen Melissa Pritchard, 45, Main Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd and harassment 2nd.  Pritchard is accused of breaking a TV by knocking it off its stand and hitting a person multiple times in the face during a disturbance on Main Road, Stafford at 10:55 a.m. on Aug. 29.

Holly Lynn Fearby, 34, of Edwards Street, Batavia, is charged with welfare fraud 3rd and offering a false instrument for filing. Fearby is accused of failing to list sales income enabling her to received $3,505 in SNAP benefits. She was arrested on Sept. 2 and held pending arraignment.

Charles William Piehl, 56, no address given, Cohocton, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, driving on a suspended registration, and driving without insurance. Piehl was stopped at 3:04 a.m. on Aug. 3 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Soren Calderon.  He was allegedly found in possession of drug paraphernalia with narcotics residue. He was released. Also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance was Christina Maria Semmel, 21, no address given, Rochester.

Gustavo Segundo Diaz-Carvajal, 29, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with assault 2nd.  Diaz-Carvajal is accused of assaulting another detainee at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility at 7:35 p.m. on June 23 with the intent to cause serious physical injury. He was arrested on Sept. 4.

Louis Steven Szabo, 24, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, and Brandon Marshall Weig, 36, of Vine Street, Batavia, are charged with petit larceny and conspiracy 6th. Szabo and Weig are accused of working together to shoplift from Walmart at 5:59 p.m. on Sept. 3. They were processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

The Local Drug Task Forced announced on Tuesday the arrest of four people in connection with an investigation into the possession, transport, and sale of crack cocaine in the city of Batavia.

Taken into custody were:

Norman P. Michael, Jr., 39, of Bank Street, Batavia. He is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. Michael was arrested on Aug. 26 on a warrant stemming from a sealed indictment while in custody on unrelated matters. He is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the task force while in Batavia.

Paul "Twin" Lee, 52, of Helena Street, Rochester. He is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. He was arrested on Aug. 19 on a sealed indictment by Batavia Police NET officers. Lee is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the task force on two occasions in Batavia.

Shannon M. Armstead, 31, of North Spruce Street, Batavia. She is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. Armstead was arrested on a sealed indicment on Aug. 20 by Batavia Police NET officers.  She is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the task force on two occasions in Batavia.

Charles D. Macey, 44, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree.  Macy was arrested on a sealed indictment on Aug. 22 by Batavia Police NET Officers. Macey is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agency to the task force in Batavia.

Michael and Lee were arraigned in County Court and ordered held. Armstead was arraigned and released on her own recognizance. Macy was arraigned and released under supervision.

Press Release:

As cold and flu season coincides with children returning to school, Rochester Regional Health (RRH) is prepared to meet the rising demand for urgent care services. Healthcare providers often see an increase in ear infections, bronchitis, strep throat, colds, and the flu during this time of year. 

Additionally, sports-related injuries such as sprains, fractures, and strains tend to spike as student-athletes hit the field. RRH provides three convenient urgent care options to ensure families can get the care they need, whenever and wherever they need it.

1. In-Person Urgent Care: RRH’s in-person urgent care centers are available any day of the week to treat a wide variety of illnesses and injuries, including seasonal colds, flu, ear infections, bronchitis, and more. They are also equipped for vaccinations, X-rays, and physical exams. Patients can visit the RRH Urgent Care website to find a location close to home and check wait times at each site.
2. Virtual Urgent Care: For those who prefer not to leave home, RRH Same-Day Virtual Urgent Care has expanded its hours to provide even more flexibility. Available seven days a week, Virtual Urgent Care connects patients with expert providers through a smartphone or computer. With an average wait time of just 15 minutes, it’s a convenient option for handling cold and flu symptoms, infections, and minor injuries without ever stepping out the door.
3. Dedicated Orthopedic Urgent Care: With student-athletes returning to sports, RRH has two dedicated Orthopedic Urgent Care centers located in Victor and Henrietta. These specialized centers offer walk-in, no-appointment-needed care for orthopedic injuries like sprains, fractures, and muscle strains. Patients can access expert orthopedic care quickly and efficiently, avoiding long waits at emergency rooms.

“Rochester Regional Health offers patients easy and convenient access to care where and when they need it most. We understand that many patients prefer to avoid busy hospital emergency rooms, which can involve long wait times. That’s why we continue to expand our urgent care options to serve the community close to where they live, work, and play,” said Mary Parlet, Rochester Regional Health Chief Ambulatory and Clinical Services Officer.

RRH offers Urgent Care locations throughout the region, including Batavia, Brighton, Canton, Chili, Geneseo, Greece, Henrietta, Penfield, Potsdam, and Webster. In the City of Rochester, patients can visit our centers at St. Mary’s Campus and the Wilson Multicultural Medical Campus. For specialized orthopedic care, walk-in services are available at our dedicated Orthopedic Urgent Care locations in Henrietta and Victor.

For a complete list of locations and times you can check here: https://www.rochesterregional.org/services/urgent-care.

To learn more about when to visit an Emergency Room versus an Urgent Care, head here: https://hive.rochesterregional.org/2021/04/urgent-vs-emergent-care.

Press Release:

Batavia Downs Gaming President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek presented representatives from the Make a Difference (M.A.D) Rescue with a check for $4,200 to help support their efforts in rescuing abandoned street dogs in Puerto Rico.

Unclaimed Funds, alongside donations and the sale of bottle openers, helped raise the money.

“We are appreciative to Cindy DeCarlo and the whole team at Batavia Downs, “said Jennifer Stilwell, President of M.A.D.  “These funds are so important for us to continue our work of rescuing and rehabilitating the street dogs of Puerto Rico. With these funds, we can continue to find them their forever homes here in Western New York and Beyond.  

“There are lots of animal lovers, both here amongst our staff and our guests, “said Henry Wojtaszek, President and CEO of Batavia Downs.  “As a dog owner myself, I know the joy a dog can bring to a family.  We are happy to help Jennifer and her team in their efforts to make life better for these dogs as they find new owners.”