Stories from

Press release:

The City of Batavia Police Department is proud to announce, in partnership with City Church, National Night Out 2019.

The event is tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at the St. Anthony's facility at 114 Liberty St..

Liberty Street and Central Avenue in the area of St. Anthony's will be closed starting at 4 p.m.

There will be many displays by first responders, including: the Wyoming County Sheriff's Posse Mounted Patrol; City of Batavia Fire Department; the NY State Park Police, who will demo high-angle rope rescue; and the NY State Police, who will demo the Seat Belt Enforcer.

Car seat installation and safety checks will be provided by the city fire department. There will be a K-9 demonstration and much more.

There will also be face painting, balloon animals, a dunk tank and a live band.

The event is free and City Church will be cooking for those who attend.

Raffles and giveaways will take place throughout the evening.

National Night Out will also serve as a fundraiser to bring back the Police K-9 Program to the City of Batavia Police Department and any donations will go directly for that purpose.

Please come join us for a night of fun and get to know your first responders.

Thanks to the following sponsors for their generous donations to make this event happen:

• Ken Barrett Chevrolet
• Chapin International
• Batavia P.B.A.
• Graham Corp.
• Sheriff's Association
• Target
• Brian Kemp, T-Shirts Etc.
• Batavia Family Dental
• Blondie's Sip-n-Dip
• Human Energies
• CSEA
• Carquest Auto Supply
• WNY Chiefs of Police
• Hillside Children's Center
• Bill's Auto
• Batavia's Original
• Salmon Orthodontics
• City Church
• Southside Deli
• The Radley Family
• O'Lacy's Irish Pub
• The Benedict Family
• Red Osier Landmark Restaurant
• Tompkins Bank of Castile
• T.Y. Lin International
• Kiwanis Club of Batavia
• Artic Refrigeration
• Dunkin' Donuts
• GCASA
• Extended Sound, DJ & Event Rentals
• Toyota of Batavia
• Northside Deli
• Batavia Tailor & Cleaners
• Bohm-Calarco-Smith Funeral Home
• 7-11

The follow person was arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during the Breaking Benjamin concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Aug. 4. He was issued an appearance tickets to appear in Darien Town Court on Aug. 20.

Micah J. Carey, age 32, of 15^th Street, Niagara Falls, was arrested for second-degree harassment and disorderly conduct after allegedly hitting and kneeing another person, and using abusive and obscene language causing public inconvenience.

A fight in progress is reported at Dwyer Stadium. Several juveniles are involved. City police are responding.

Martin D. Moore, Ph.D., Batavia’s city manager, announces his appointment of Rachael Tabelski (inset photo, right) to the position of assistant city manager. Tabelski was selected following an extensive candidate search.

“I believe that Rachael has the unique skills and leadership qualities we need in the City of Batavia to advance our mission and strategic priorities," Moore said.

"She will be responsible for different projects and issue areas in the City including: administrative services; organizational risk management; organizational values; community and neighborhood development; public relations; information technology; and implementation of the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. She will also be assisting with the annual budgeting preparation."

The Director of Economic Development for the Batavia Development Corporation (BDC) for the past year, Rachael Tabelski has held executive government positions in Genesee County since obtaining her master’s degree in Public Administration from SUNY Brockport in 2008.

Her professional roles have included legislative assistant to Assemblyman Steve Hawley, elected councilwoman in the Town of Bergen, director of Marketing & Communications for the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC), as well as her current position with the BDC. 

“Rachael has a thorough knowledge of the principles, methods and techniques used in government, economic development, community development, planning, marketing and communications,” added Moore. “She has experience in municipal budgeting, grants, organizational culture and policy development — all of which will be extremely helpful as we work together to move Batavia forward.”

Tabelski has volunteered for multiple local community boards and various fundraisers over the years including Genesee County Cancer Assistance, Vibrant Batavia, City of Batavia Planning & Development Committee, City of Batavia Comprehensive Plan Committee, the Batavia Business Improvement Business Development Committee and Batavia Kiwanis Club. She is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Genesee. She has received numerous awards for her work at the GCEDC for her efforts in marketing and communication.  

Tabelski lives in the City of Batavia with her husband, Adam, and their two children, Adrian and Anna. When Rachael steps into the role of assistant city manager on Monday, Aug. 12, Adam will step down from his position as an at-large member of City Council.

Jason H. Freeman, 37, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact, and criminal obstruction of breathing -- application of pressure. Freeman was arrested on Hutchins Street at 9 a.m. on July 31 following a complaint that he choked, then threw a bicycle at one of his tenants. He was issued an appearance ticket for Aug. 6 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Stephen Quider.

Candice Sue Tortorice, 35, of Route 20, Darien, is charged with: aggravated driving while intoxicated -- a BAC of .18 percent or higher; DWI; reckless driving; failure to use designated lane; and driving with an obstructed view. On Aug. 3 at 4:25 p.m., following a traffic complaint on Route 20 in Pavilion, Torortice was arrested. She was issued appearance tickets and is due in Pavilion Town Court on Sept. 10. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Brabon.

Emily D. Schramm, 33, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with aggravated family offense -- more than one offense within five years (five counts). On July 17, the GC Emergency Dispatch Center received a report at 10:29 p.m. from a third party of a possible violation of an order of protection. Following an investigation, Schramm was identified and is alleged to have committed second-degree criminal contempt by knowingly violating an order of protection by accepting phone calls from a protected party. Due to her previous conviction for second-degree criminal contempt, the charge was elevated to a Class E felony. She was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Stafford Court and is due there Aug. 6. The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong, assisted by correctional officers at the GC Jail, including Senior Correctional Officer J.A. Smart.

Tonya M. Weber-Jackson, 35, of Highland Park, Batavia, is charged with second-degree obstruction of governmental administration. She was arrested at 1:54 Aug. 4 following an investigation into an unrelated matter outside a Batavia dance studio. She was issued an appearance ticket for Aug. 20 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan, assisted by Officer Stephen Quider.

Tonya M. Weber-Jackson, 35, of Highland Park, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and criminal use of drug paraphernalia in the second degree. She was arrested at 1:54 a.m. on Aug. 4 following an investigation into an unrelated matter. She was issued an appearance ticket for Aug. 20 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan, assisted by Officer Stephen Quider.

Robert Lewis Villano, 37, of Oak Street, Oakfield, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. At 9:17 a.m. on June 17, the GC Emergency Dispatch Center received a report of a suspected overose on Oak Street. Medics on scene requested law enforcement to the scene following their arrival. It is alleged that Villano endangered the welfare of a child due to narcotics in plain view, which was likely to be injurious to the mental, moral and physical welfare of a child in the residence. He was issued an appearance ticket for Oakfield Town Court and is due there Sept. 2. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong.

Kevin J. Weber, 48, of Columbia Avenue, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested at 6:48 p.m. on July 28 on Columbia Avenue after allegedly violating a stay away order of protection by contacting the protected party. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Aug. 6. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider, assisted by Officer Peter Post.

Jesse D. Bowman, 26, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal use of drug paraphernalia. Following a traffic stop on Ellicott Street at 5:05 p.m. on Aug. 3, Bowman was allegedly found to possess a crack pipe. He was issued an appearance ticket for Aug. 6 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Post, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Tony M. Peebles, 52, of Riley Street, Buffalo, is charged with driving while intoxicated -- common law, and aggravated DWI -- a BAC of .18 percent or higher. Peebles was arrested on School Street in Batavia at 12:30 a.m. on July 26. Batavia police were investigating a 9-1-1 hang-up call in the area when Peebles was located and allegedly found to be operating his vehicle while intoxicated. He was processed at the jail and is due in Batavia City Court on Aug. 7. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Cowen Mitchell.

Jonathan Patrick Little, 29, of Drake Street, Oakfield, is charged with second-degree forgery and second-degree criminal impersonation. He was arrested on Aug. 3 for allegedly impersonating another person and completing a written instrument by forging another person's name while being processed at the Genesee County Jail at 4:20 p.m. on July 10. He is due in Batavia City Court on Aug. 20. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack.

Patricia A. Herzog, 52, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She was arrested at 1 p.m. on Aug. 1 after allegedly stealing property from a grocery store in Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Aug. 6. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Press release:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $781,313 in federal funding for the Early Head Start program at Community Action of Orleans and Genesee Inc.

The federal funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will be used to support child care services for low-income families in Orleans and Genesee counties.

“Study after study shows that the better we prepare our young children, through programs like Early Head Start, the better they perform in school later in life,” Senator Schumer said.

“This federal funding for Community Action of Orleans and Genesee will bring real results to young students in the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region by providing them with the resources they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom. I am proud to support this essential funding and I will continue to fight to see that early childhood education remains a priority.”

“The Early Head Start Program gives children opportunities to reach their full potential by making high-quality early childhood education and care more accessible,” Senator Gillibrand said.

“This federal funding will support Community Action of Orleans and Genesee as it works to provide young children with the tools they need to get a strong start in life. I will continue fighting in the Senate for the resources that help prepare our children for success.”

Early Head Start provides comprehensive child development programs for low-income children from birth to age five, as well as support and services for their families. Early Head Start programs primarily serve pregnant women, infants and toddlers.

The comprehensive services these programs offer include early education, health screenings, social and emotional health, nutrition, social services, and services for children with disabilities.

Press release:

The Batavia Muckdogs lost in grand style on Sunday as the Connecticut Tigers powered by a grand slam home run by Avery Tuck powered the visitors over the Muckdogs, 9-2.

Despite the loss, the Muckdogs (29-20) still have a four game lead in the New York Penn-League Pinckney Division as second place West Virginia also lost and are tied with State College for second.

Batavia's J.D. Orr continued his impressive 2019 season with a 2-for-4 performance and a run, raising his league-leading average to .368.

Gunner Schubert was 2-for-3 and is hitting .444 since joining the team last week. Harrison Dinicola also had two hits and a RBI for Batavia while Nic Ready and Kobie Taylor had hits.

Moises Nunez also homered for the Tigers and Riley Greene, the No. 1 pick of the Tigers in the 2019 draft and No. 5 pick overall, had a RBI single and scored.

Jackson Rose fell to 5-3 with the loss for Batavia as Brock Love threw a strong two innings with one hit and two strikeouts without allowing a run and his ERA is still 0.00.

M.D. Johnson threw the ninth for Batavia and gave up a hit and no runs.

Batavia is on the road for six straight games in six days at Williamsport and State College before returning home on Sunday, Aug. 11 to play Mahoning Valley at 5:05 p.m.

Tickets are available at muckdogs.com or stop by the Dwyer Stadium Ticket office between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week. The number is 585-483-3647.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

A car vs. pole accident is reported at Clinton Street Road and Jericho Road. Lines are down in both roadways and blocking. Injuries are belived to be minor. Traffic control will be needed. Bergen fire, Mercy medics and law enforcement are responding.

"Send me a full crew out here. Pole's sheared in half." Power lines, telephone and possibly cable lines are across the roads. National Grid will be called. A flatbed tow truck will be called to remove the vehicle, which is in a wooded area 35-40 feet off the road.

UPDATE 1:57 p.m.: No ETA for National Grid. Byron Repair will have a tow there in 20 to 30 minutes.

Submitted photo and press release:

The five-game win-streak for the Batavia Muckdogs ended at the hands of the Connecticut Tigers, 5-3 on Saturday night.

The Muckdogs (29-19) have a four-game lead in the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division going into the rubber match of the series today (Aug. 4). The game is at 5:05 p.m. at Dwyer Stadium.

Batavia starter Andrew Miller had an outstanding six-inning outing, scattering give hits and not allowing a run. The lefty draft pick of the Miami Marlins in the 2018 draft did not walk a batter and struck out three, lowering his ERA to 3.57.

The Muckdogs mounted a comeback in the eighth as Gunner Schubert ripped two-RBI single to cut the Tigers lead to 4-3. But the Tigers tacked on an insurance run and held on for the win.

J.D. Orr (run), Andrew Turner and Andres Stormes had hits for Batavia.

Today, there will be autographs and photos with players for the fans before the game near the concession stands; it's MuckPups Day for kids who also get to run the bases after the game.

Tickets are available at muckdogs.com or stop by the Dwyer Stadium Ticket office between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week. The number is 585-483-3647.

Photo: Batavia's Jack Strunc got to first base to find former Creighton teammate Jake Holton holding him on. Holton and the Tigers won the second game of the series, 5-3 on Saturday. The series is tied 1-1 with the final game today at 5:05 p.m. at Dwyer.

A car has reportedly hit a tree in the area of 8780 Lover's Lane, Pembroke.

Unknown injuries. Mercy Flight on ground standby.

Pembroke fire, Indian Falls fire, and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 10:39 a.m.: The vehicle is well off the road. Mercy Flight dispatched to the scene.

UPDATE 10:46 a.m.: Mercy Medics cancel Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 11:04 a.m.: The registered owner requested a tow. Mercy Medic #1 is transporting one patient to ECMC. Pembroke is back in service.

A dog is locked in a vehicle in the Aldi parking lot on East Main Street in Batavia. It's a white car near the end of the lot, says the dispatcher. The window is down one inch. It's 77 degrees outside now. An animal control officer is responding.

UPDATE 12:14 p.m.: The vehicle has Florida license plates.

Submitted photo and press release:

The five-game win streak for the first place  Batavia Muckdogs is intact thanks to another clutch performance from Nic Ready.

Ready hit a home run to give Batavia a 3-0 lead, but with the Muckdogs tied 5-5 in the seventh, his RBI double proved to be the game-winner.

"I knew he was going to try to challenge me, he went in on me earlier and I didn't get to it," said Ready of his double. "I thought he was going to come with a fast ball, I got my foot down, I got my timing ready and I put the barrel on it."

Ready, who graduated from the Air Force, was a 23rd-round draft pick of the Miami Marlins this year. He finished the game 2-for-3 with the home run (his fifth) and double and three RBIs.

Batavia is 29-18 and up five games on West Virginia and six games on State College. Both teams chasing Batavia lost Friday night.

"It's the dog days of August, the dog are hot, let's have a strong second half," Ready said.

Troy Johnston, a 17th-round pick by the Marlins out of Gonzaga this year, had the game-winning run and went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and a RBI to up his average to .297.

Gunnar Schubert and Brayan Hernandez (two hits, run) tripled while J.D. Orr (run), Julian Infante and Dustin Skelton singled.

Evan Brabrand continued his impressive 2019 season, picking up his 10th save of the season. He threw a scoreless ninth, striking out one and lowering his ERA to 2.19.

Edison Surial (2-1) picked up the win, throwing 2.1 innings with three strikeouts and did not allow a run.

Easton Lucas had a solid start, going four innings, lowering his ERA to 2.55 by scattering three hits with no runs and a strikeout.

Batavia is home Saturday night for a 7:05 p.m. start and fireworks sponsored by O-AT-K-A after the game. Sunday is a 5:15 p.m. start with autographs and photos with players for the fans before the game near the concession stands, it's MuckPups Day for kids who also get to run the bases after the game.

Tickets are available at muckdogs.com or stop by the Dwyer Stadium Ticket office between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week. The number is 585-483-3647.

Photo: Nic Ready is doused by water from Sean Reynolds after he hit a two-run home run and then the eventual game-winning RBI double to lift the Muckdogs to a 6-5 win, their fifth straight.

Press release:

While "mindfulness" as an avenue to better health, is a concept that's been spreading, so have the misunderstandings about how you can benefit from it.

Batavia’s premier consumer-run human service and advocacy agency for people with disabilities, Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), will provide much needed perspective with a seminar that's FREE to the public, "Healing through Mindfulness: Incorporating Mindful Strategies into Practice."

With the support of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services Inc. (NYAPRS) and Recovery WOW -- a program of GCASA, the event will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13, at the ILGR office, 319 W. Main St., Batavia.

The presenter is Robert Statham, CESP, training and technical asistance facilitator for the Western & Central New York Region of NYAPRS.

While mindfulness has gained widespread attention and popularity for its extensive health benefits, there continues to be much confusion around what it really means and how to “do it!”

This workshop will address what mindfulness really is, what the current research has to say about its ability to help people recover from a diverse range of physical, emotional, and psychological challenges, and its potential for achieving overall wellness.

It's of particular interest to social workers and licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), as they can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for this training.

For more information or to register, please contact: Donna Becker at (585) 815-8501, ext. 411, or dbecker@wnyil.org

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services Inc. (NYAPRS) is a statewide coalition of people who use and/or provide recovery-oriented, community-based mental health services, dedicated to improving services and social conditions for people with psychiatric disabilities or diagnoses, and those with trauma-related conditions by promoting their recovery, rehabilitation and rights so that all people can participate freely in the opportunities of society.

Recovery WOW (WithOut Walls) is a program of GCASA that offers a variety of safe, sober opportunities and activities for individuals in recovery and their families to enjoy.

(File photo.)

Led by the Joint Veterans Council of Genesee County, local veterans will host a rededication ceremony Saturday morning marking the centennial of the city's gateway monument at the junction of routes 5 and 63 that pays tribute to the Union Army's Emory Upton, the military service of men and women of Genesee County, and its war dead.

It starts at 10:30 a.m. and everyone is welcome.

Commonly referred to as the Upton Monument, for the statue of the colonel of the Fourth Regiment of Artillery, Army Brevit Major General Upton, it is officially known as The Soldiers and Sailors Monument. The actual marker at the base of the bald-eagle-topped pillar is engraved: In Memory of The Soldiers, Sailors and Marines of Genesee County.

Doug Doktor, chairman of the Joint Veterans Council, said that James Neider, of the Glenn S. Loomis American Legion Post 332 in Batavia, will provide a brief historical overview of Upton, one of the nation's foremost military strategists of the 19th century. Then Elijah Monroe, of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln Camp 6 in Rochester, will speak on that organization's instrumental role in fundraising and getting the monument constructed.

There will also be a rifle salute.

The dedication held a hundred years ago took place on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 1919.

According to City of Batavia Historian Larry Barnes, there was a morning footrace from Le Roy to Batavia, followed by the dedication ceremony at which a relation of the Upton family, Col. Upton, served as the keynote speaker. The special occasion was capped off by a grand display of fireworks at the old Genesee County Fairgrounds, where Tops Friendly Market is now on West Main Street.

Proposals for the monument were bandied about as early as the 1870s. But getting it funded and built was not a given. Its price tag of about $15,000 was considered steep. Funds were sought from the county, the city and fundraising campaigns were launched by Batavia City School District Superintendent John Kennedy and Sarah Upton Edwards, sister of Emory Upton.

In 1907, city voters nixed spending $5,000 as their share of the monument's cost. It was not until World War I that action was taken that would finally pave the way for the planned monument to become reality.

In 1917, city fathers managed to get the city's funding share approved by a bit of political maneuvering -- slipping language for the monument expense into a sewer and water appropriations bill.

The architect chosen to design the monument was C. A. Worden, a local company responsible for many monuments at Gettysburg.

Once built, there was controversy as to whether the statue of Emory Upton was based on the actual likeness of the man himself. And the question, some local historians say, has never been wholly resolved.

To read more about Emory Upton from an 1885 biography, click here.

Also, previously: 

• New book corrects the record on Emory Upton's attitude toward the military and the republic
• History Department receives collection of Emory Upton documents
• Emory Upton: No. 5 in What Made Genesee County Famous

(Editor's Note: Publisher Howard Owens had planned to complete a video of the history of the monument in time for tomorrow's rededication. That is no longer possible, but he does hope to finish it very soon.)