Doug Fancher, of Basom, and his 3-year-old grandson Callum, of Batavia, play shadow baseball under the giant flag at GO ART!'s annual Picnic in the Park in Centennial Park on Saturday.
Fancher said Callum is obsessed with baseball. At the Muckdogs' game the other night, he peppered his grandpa with questions about the game. He loves the Yankees and also thinks the Pirates are pretty cool.
Here are more pictures from Saturday...
A woman and her two dogs were found dead yesterday afternoon in a car on Bloomingdale Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation.
The Sheriff's Office is investigating, but did not release information indicating any possible cause of death.
The victim is Jennifer L. Pinsof, 54, of Cheektowaga.
There's no information available on how long she might have been dead before her body was found.
The investigation is being conducted by deputies Kevin McCarthy and Chad Minuto, and Investigator Tim Weis with the asstance of Trooper James Baines and Coroner Karen Lang.
Nick Guarino won this morning's Kiwanis Club 5K with a time of 16:20. The first-place woman runner was Kimberly Mills with a time of 19:56.
A caller at the Log Cabin Restaurant requests assistance for a distressed person in the water.
A first-responder reports the person is in about a foot of water and "pretty beat up."
The county's rope rescue team is requested to the scene.
Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments dispatched along with Mercy EMS.
UPDATE 6:03 p.m.: A chief request a check on availability of Mercy Flight.
UPDATE 6:08 p.m.: Mercy Flight #9 out of Buffalo dispatched. Landing zone will be the Indian Falls church.
UPDATE 6:11 p.m.: A normal rescue on the northside won't work. The victim is on the southside and the water is moving swiftly. A rescuer has reached the victim.
UPDATE 7:16 p.m.: The patient is in stable condition and Mercy Flight was dispatched as a precautionary measure. The patient became submerged, then came up from the water, clung to a rock, then was pulled under again by the current. He re-emerged about 50 feet down stream and was able to swim to the south bank. He showed no physical signs of injury.
The effort to bring back malting to Upstate New York is a multi-year process.
Working with Cornell University, Ted and Patty Hawley, owners of New York Craft Malt on Bank Street Road, Batavia, are in their third year of running trials of malting grain in Genesee County Farm fields.
There's a plot on Hawley-owned farmland off Bank Street Road and another on Porter Farms, plus the Hawleys have some grain growing on other local farms.
The trial involves 34 varieties of barley, plus wheat and oats.
"We've got to look at all aspects of it, and it's a hard go," Hawley said. "Cornell won't really give their recommendation for four or five years."
The challenges in Western New York have to do primarily with weather -- the year-to-year variances, but more importantly the overall amount of moisture in ground and air.
Malting grains are highly susceptible to fungal diseases, so what researchers want to find are those varieties that grow well in this climate and stay health without sprouting two quickly (once the grain head sprouts, it can no longer be malted).
"Our region is very finicky," Hawley said.
The process involves two key sets of analyses.
First, researchers want to determine how well a variety grows locally, or its agronomics for a farmer. It's important to determine the quality and quantity of the protein, how it germinates and its yield (more yield, more profit per acre).
Second, the grain needs to be malted. The test isn't about taste or any subjective measurement. Researchers are looking at protein, enzymes and how well it malts.
Brewers are looking for good, locally grown grains because the farm brewery law requires locally produced, craft beers to contain a certain percentage of local agriculture product.
But Hawley said local brewers and growers are also looking to produce an interest among consumers to seek out totally local beers. They are working together on a marketing plan that would provide bars with a "Local" tap that would only be attached to kegs of locally brewed beer that uses only locally grown ingredients.
"I think once the consumer wants it, brewers are going to have to give it to them and then I think it's going to grow," Hawley said.
A two-row variety and a six-row variety.
Marie doesn't hold back when asked about biking in Batavia.
"It sucks," she said during a brief conversation outside of City Centre.
"I lived in New York City and I felt safer riding there than I do in Batavia," said Marie, who didn't want to give her full name (and Marie is her middle name), because she feared friends wouldn't like her talking poorly about their hometown.
Marie's opinion of the bikeability of Batavia is not universal, but in our conversation she struck a common theme among local bike riders we spoke to over the past few days. There's a lot of displeasure with state of things and a recognition that with a little effort, Batavia could become more bike friendly.
Tony Mancuso, perhaps Batavia's most ubiquitous bike rider when the days are warm and dry, said he certainly can't describe Batavia as a great place to tool about on two, self-powered wheels.
"I ride my bike around town constantly," Mancuso said. "The people are friendly, but Batavia is not bike friendly."
By that, Mancuso means the roadways aren't set up well for bike riders, there are no bike racks and there aren't enough bicyclists to help raise the awareness of car drivers.
"There are few places in Western New York that you would call bike friendly," Mancuso said.
It's not like Western cities such as San Diego and Denver, or even Nashville, where most streets are shared by cars and bikes with little conflict.
John Roche, owner of Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, and obviously an avid rider himself, thinks the idea of sharing the roadway with bike riders is a common complaint of bikers.
"So many people yell at bike riders to get out of the road, but that's where they're supposed to be," Roche said.
Marie said she's been hit by a car in Batavia.
Another rider who said her name is Krystal, but didn't want to give her full name, said Batavia is just all right for bike riders.
She rides to-and-from work every day, she said, up and down West Main Street.
"Drivers don't pay attention and they hit somebody and just don't care," Krystal said. "I've heard of several bike accidents."
Marie and Krystal both believe Batavia should be bike friendly because so many people locally don't ride just because it's fun or to get fit, but because it's an economic necessity. They can't afford cars, but still want to work and be able to get there quickly and safely.
But not everybody thinks Batavia is hostile to bike riders.
Kevin DeFelice, who rides professionally as a police officer and personally as an enthusiast, said he's never really encountered any problems while peddle-pushing around the city.
"I bike a lot professionally and personally and I'd say it's a bicycle-friendly city," DeFelice said.
He's including in that assessment recent efforts to provide bike helmets to local children and a clinic he will help with to teach bicycle safety to local children.
Yes, however, DeFelice, like many other riders, would like to see more dedicated bike lanes and bike racks.
It's dedicated infrastructure that separates Batavia from more bike-friendly environs, such as Denver and New York City, or even the Akron-Clarence area of Erie County.
More pavement markings signaling it's OK for bikes to be on the road would help send the right message, local bikers said. Bike racks would encourage more people to use bikes for going to and from work, shopping or out for dining. Bike trails would help riders cover greater distances safely and in comfort.
"You basically have to reward people who are making the trip on a bike instead of a car," said Felipe Oltramari, the county's planning director. "A lot of times it seems like you're not rewarding riders by not providing the proper facilities."
Yes, there's Ellicott Street, with its designated bike lanes, but not too many riders take that route. It's more common to see riders on the sidewalks, which is illegal in Batavia, than on the asphalt.
Many riders said they just don't feel safe in those bike lanes. Vehicle traffic is constant, the flow is heavy and big trucks rumbling by gives most riders a sense of insecurity.
DeFelice said he gets that, but he said he feels perfectly comfortable on Ellicott Street.
"Of course, I ride with the police department and I'm pretty visible, so I don't have a problem with it," DeFelice said.
Oltramari, who often rides from his home in the city to his office in County Building #2 on West Main Street Road, said just making the ride regularly has helped his comfort level riding alongside fast-moving, truck-intensive traffic on Route 5. He's gotten used to it and so feels safer.
With Ellicott Street, Oltramari said increased usage would improve the viability of the bike lanes, but there are other things the DOT could do to help that along.
More physical separation between bike and driving lanes would help, he said. There are small plastic markings available that could provide more of a visual separation. He said he's also seen in other communities where the bike lane is placed between parking and the sidewalk so that parked cars become a protective barrier for riders.
Julie Pacatte, economic development coordinator for the city, suggested the bike lane be painted a solid color, such as green, from beginning to end. That would provide a visual reminder to watch for bike riders and respect their space.
There's also a sense that Ellicott Street is a bike route to no where. It doesn't connect to anything -- no trails, not other paths.
"The DOT has of late jumped on the idea of complete transportation corridors," Oltramari said. "That is providing for all uses, vehicles, bikes and pedestrians, but that doesn't always address the comfort level of everybody as if they had their own space. The large number of trucks doesn't take into account the comfort level of the rider or even the walker. When we did our walking tour, the truck traffic was pretty loud and you couldn't hear the person walking next to you."
There is sometimes a misconception locally that the DOT reconfigured Ellicott Street to add the bike lanes. That is not really accurate, said Lori Maher, regional spokeswoman for the DOT. It's true only to the extent that the DOT is in fact now trying to provide for driving, biking and walking along the transportation corridors it owns, but there was a more primary goal for Ellicott Street than bikes, she said.
"We decided to go from four lanes to three, including the middle-turn lane, primarily to provide better left-turn access for the driveways along Ellicott Street," Maher said. "You're less likely to get rear-ended in a turn lane and you're less likely to hold up other traffic, and if you're turning, you can likely turn sooner because you're waiting on one lane of traffic instead of two."
The reconfiguration made room for bike lanes, given the existing width of the roadway, Maher said, so given the DOT's overall transportation goals, it made sense to add them.
"Whenever we go into a highway project, we look to see if bike and pedestrian needs are being met," Maher said.
Even with the skeptics decrying the value of the Ellicott Street bike lanes, Oltramari sees them as an overall benefit to the city and part of a long-term play to improve Batavia's bikeability.
"I think it's a good thing for the DOT to put in," Oltramari said. "You have to start somewhere. It just seems silly to have it and have it go nowhere, but as it builds from there, it will make more sense. You hear a lot of arguments that we don't need a bike lane here or we don't need a bike lane there because nobody rides bikes, but it's a chicken-and-egg thing. You can't use that argument because maybe people would ride more if there were more facilities for riders."
The proposed Ellicott Trail could transform Ellicott Street from the bike route to nowhere to one that is part of an interconnected network of bike paths.
"The Ellicott Trail could draw more retail and recreational traffic into the heart of the city," Pacatte said. "Being bike-friendly expands the quality of life opportunities in the city, it goes along with our walkability initiative, it's an alternative form of transportation to and from work, it reduces our carbon footprint, addresses our urban growth efforts and means we're not just dependent on vehicle traffic. It's part of our friendlier city initiative."
The proposed trail, which has already been approved for $1 million in federal grants, will begin at Pearl Street in Batavia and extend east to Seven Springs Road in the Town of Batavia. The trail will be between 4.3 and 4.6 miles long and 10-feet wide.
Batavia could become a very bike-friendly city, Oltramari said.
"Luckily, there are a lot of things that overlap," Oltramari said. "The city has good bones for a really good bike infrastructure. There's a grid-style layout, so you don't have a lot streets that end in cul-de-sacs, and it's fairly flat. From east to west, there are plenty of nice streets, such as Richmond and North streets, and when the Ellicott Trail gets built, there will be a nice southside east-west way to get across the city."
A lack of bike racks in the city means bikers must find whatever secure object they can to chain a bike two while parked.
West Main Street Road has broad shoulders, but no visual clues for drivers to be on the lookout for bicyclists.
In the Village of Akron, an old railroad line has been converted into a bike trail. The trail connects to trails in other communities and the Erie County network of trails is growing. It's a system Genesee County's own proposed trail system could eventually connect with.
Big plans abound here for the Fourth of July weekend.
The Muckdogs kick things off at 7 p.m. with a game against Mahoning Valley. There will be a fireworks show after the game, and with the Muckdogs on the road tomorrow, that serves as your local Independence Day weekend pyrotechnics.
On the calendar tomorrow morning is the Kiwanis 5K, with a start time of 9 a.m. at Centennial Park. There's also a chance of rain in the morning, potentially the one blemish on the weekend weather.
In the afternoon, GO ART! hosts its annual Picnic in the Park at Centennial Park.
Sunday, it's time once again to ramble on down to Jackson Square (and School Street and Center Street) for the annual Ramble Music and Arts Fest.
A car has reportedly struck a mailbox and is now in a ditch just west of 2528 Bennett Road, Darien.
Unknown injuries.
Darien fire and ambulance dispatched.
UPDATE 3:57 a.m.: Law enforcement on scene reports the driver has a possible head injury.
UPDATE 1 p.m.: William J. Bick was transported by Mercy Flight to ECMC with a head injury, according to the Sheriff's Office. Charges are pending against Bick, 26. His car struck two mailboxes. The Sheriff's Office is listing the accident as Dodgeson Road (both Dodgeson and Bennett are Highway 21).
A car has reportedly hit a tree in front of 8715 W. Bergen Road, Le Roy.
No word on injuries.
Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched.
UPDATE 12:34 a.m.: Traffic being shut down at Randall Road.
Press release from Assemblyman Steve Hawley:
“I am pleased to announce that today Gov. Cuomo signed my bill (A.4367-A) into law to legalize big game rifle hunting in Genesee County. This is a win for sportsmen who treasure hunting as a right of passage they share with their children and for the families who use hunting to help put food on the table in an effort to combat the costs of living in New York State. I want to thank my colleagues who supported this bill in the Assembly and Senate so it could make its way to the governor’s desk.”
The 90th season of the Batavia Concert Band got off to a soggy start Wednesday evening, forcing musicians and audience members to seek the warmth and comfort of the Stuart Steiner Theatre at GCC.
Here's the schedule for the remainder of the season:
All concerts are at Centennial Park, unless weather forces a relocation to GCC.
A 26-year-old Batavia resident is accused of driving drunk and speeding leading to an accident on East Saile Drive, according to State Police.
Police said Jeffrey M. Burdett also resisted arrest when troopers tried to place him in custody.
He is charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle and imprudent speed.
Burdett was reportedly driving a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu when it struck a sign while making a right turn from Route 98 onto East Saile Drive.
When troopers arrived on scene, they observed two males walking southbound on Route 98, away from a car with hazard lights on. When the troopers attempted to interview the subjects, Burdett reportedly refused to cooperate and became belligerent. The troopers observed the odor of alcohol, slurred speech and poor coordination, they said.
Mercy EMS treated Burdett and Matthew J. Burdett, 23, for minor injuries at the scene. Both men signed off on any further treatment.
While being processed at the Batavia barracks, Jeffrey Burdett allegedly registered a .21 BAC.
He was jailed on $1,000 bail.
A possible criminal case is still pending in the fatal crash in Bethany in February, according to District Attorney Lawrence Friedman.
Friedman said the Sheriff's Office is "diligent" in conducting its investigation, but there is one more aspect of the case that needs to be addressed before criminal proceedings can advance.
Once all the facts are in, Friedman said, a presentation will be made to a grand jury.
Alyson D. Krzanak, a Genesee Community College student, died in the Feb. 21 accident at the intersection of Route 20 and Molasses Hill Road, Bethany. A friend, Hannah Dibble, was the driver of a 1997 Geo with five passengers when the car crossed onto Route 20 and was struck by a tractor-trailer.
Sources have previously confirmed that the Sheriff's Office has received the results of a toxicology report on Dibble and that investigators have met with attorneys in the D.A.'s Office to discuss possible charges.
The estate of Krzanak has filed a civil suit against Dibble, Leonard L. Odums, the truck driver, Celadon Trucking Services, Celadon Group and Frank's Garage of Akron.
Driving along Bank Street Road, you might notice "Blasting Zone Ahead" signs.
Workers are removing bedrock to create a channel for the Town of Batavia's new water main being installed along Bank Street Road and Batavia Elba Townline Road.
You can find out more about the project on the Town of Batavia's Web site.
The town is installing 26 miles of water main this summer, according to Tom Lichtenthal, assistant engineer for the town.
Lichtenthal said there is bedrock along the pipeline's path that is from one foot to three or four feet below the surface. The channel for the pipe needs to be six feet deep and about three feet wide.
The blasts, Lichtenthal said, really aren't too severe. An observer wouldn't see much happening above ground and residents might feel a slight vibration.
Blasting is expected to take place along the two roadways for at least a month, perhaps longer.
Press release:
Batavia Business Improvement District (BID), sponsor of the Centennial Arts, an outdoor arts display that took place on Tuesday, June 16th announces the winner of the People’s Choice Award.
More than 20 artists set up their works of art for display and for sale in Jackson Square. Those who attended the event were able to vote for their favorite artist or display as a People’s Choice Award. The winner of Centennial Arts was Susan Hoak, of Batavia, whose up-cycled furniture was considered “unique and creative” by several customers.
The Centennial Arts event was an effort to celebrate the City’s Centennial year as well as bring about awareness of the talented artists that are within the local region. Most artists were from Genesee County and one was from Warsaw. Pictures of the event can be see on the Downtown Batavia Business Improvement District Facebook page.
“Shop Local, Shop Downtown.” Sponsored by: Batavia Business Improvement District. or more info contact the B.I.D. Office at 585-344-0900 / visit us at www.DowntownBataviaNY.com. or like us on Facebook at DowntownBataviaBusinessImprovementDistrict.
Press release:
For many families who have children diagnosed with developmental and intellectual disabilities, including autism, Project Lifesaver is viewed as exactly that – a LIFESAVER!
Genesee ARC has partnered with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department in support of their effort to bring the Project Lifesaver program to Genesee County.
The program is part of Project Lifesaver International, a nonprofit organization that bridges the technological gap for “at risk” populations and public safety agencies. It provides police, fire/rescue and other first responders with a comprehensive program including equipment and training to quickly locate and rescue individuals with cognitive disorders who are at risk due to behaviors of wandering and other safety concerns.
Project Lifesaver has more than 1,400 participating member agencies throughout 48 states in the United States, six provinces in Canada, and Australia, and has performed 3,016 searches over the last 16 years with no serious injuries or fatalities ever reported.
The Genesee County’s Sheriff’s Office has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services and the Missing and Exploited Children Clearinghouse for the implementation of the Project Lifesaver program, which provides equipment, training, certification and support to law enforcement, public safety organizations and community groups.
Children identified and their families will participate in training and receive their Project Lifesaver bracelets at the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office in July. The program is overseen by Sheriff’s deputies trained in the Project Lifesaver program.
For more information on Project Lifesaver, visit www.projectlifesaver.org.
A car has struck a house at 1993 Genesee St. (Route 33), near the intersection of Angling Road, in Corfu.
The house has been evacuated.
Unknown injuries. No word yet on the scope of the damage to the house.
Corfu fire and Mercy EMS responding.
UPDATE 7:46 a.m.: One minor injury reported.
UPDATE 7:54 a.m.: A zoning officer is in route.
I stopped in the office of Ed Arnold Scrap Processors this afternoon to drop something off and found I'd arrived just in time to see Daniel Orr, of East Pembroke, pick up his new Vizio 48-inch smart TV, which he won in a drawing held Saturday.
It was pretty easy, Orr said, "all I had to do was fill out a piece of paper."
Pictured: Brent Arnold, Ed Arnold Sr., Orr, and Ed Arnold Jr.
Nateeka M. Gibson, 26, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Gibson is accused of stealing a bottle of liquor from West Main Wine and Spirits at 4:31 p.m., May 17. Gibson was identified as the suspect after a surveillance photo appeared on The Batavian.
Wendy Sue Pritchard, 39, of MacArthur Drive, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny, 4th. Pritchard allegedly committed thefts from Walmart twice in one day, Thursday, totalling $1,343 in value. She was jailed on $1,000 bail. Also arrested and jailed on $1,000 bail on the same charge was Warren Thomas Cotton, 38, of Minneck Road, Lockport.
Heidi Lynn Harder, 40, of Montclair Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Harder allegedly stole property from Walmart with a value of $695 on Thursday.
Jocelyn T. Carson, 24, of Rodney Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with confinement of a companion animal in a vehicle during extreme temperature. Carson allegedly left a dog in a vehicle for at least an hour with no water around 6 p.m., June 20, at 9993 Alleghany Road, Darien.
Jonathan David Knauss, 21, of Depot Street, Corfu, is charged with petit larceny, operation of an unregistered motor vehicle, no front license plate, unlawful removal of registration plate and driving without insurance. Knauss allegedly stole a license plate from a vehicle and affixed it to another vehicle. He was stopped at 2:41 a.m. Sunday on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Corona.
Andrew Ziemba Perdock, 28, of Dowd Road, Fillmore, is charged with petit larceny. Perdock is accused of shoplifting from Kohl's Department Store. Also arrested was Scott Logan Marsh, 19, of Main Street, Mount Morris. Perdock was also charged with petit larceny for allegedly stealing from Dick's Sporting Goods.
A 17-year-old of Holland Avenue (name withheld by Batavia PD) was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear and to abide by a release under supervision contract. He was jailed on $5,000 bail.
Scout A. Marble, 20, of Birchwood Drive, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on an aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd chage.
Christopher G. Landry, 41, of Howell Road, Fairport, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Landry alleged violated a complete stay away order by sending text messages to the protected party.
James A. Mitchell, 37, of Center Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Mitchell is accused of stealing cash from his employer, The Little Ridge Restaurant.
Darrell Smith, 48, of La Salle Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, criminal possession of stolen property. Smith was arrested on a warrant and jailed on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond.
Nina M. Kelso, 31, of Columbia Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on a failure to care for an animal case.
Joseph Antwon Fletcher, 18, of South Main Street, Mount Morris, is charged with violation of probation. Fletcher was arrested on warrants.
Tonya L. Buzzell, 32, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass, 2nd, and disorderly conduct. Buzzell allegedly refused to leave a residence on Ellicott Street at 11:28 p.m., Friday.
Jesse A. Russell, 25, of Basom, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, operating while registration suspended, unlicensed operator, inadequate muffler and unlawful possession of marijuana. Russell was stopped by a trooper on Route 33, Batavia.
The Sheriff's Office made the following arrests during the Brad Paisley concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Sunday.
Dalton Matiasz, 19, Cambridge Road East, Crystal Beach, Ontario, Canada, is charged with false personation after allegedly providing false identification information. Dalton was arraigned in Darien Court and put jail in lieu of $250 bail.
Antho M. Ilacqua, 23, Cary Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with unlawfully dealing with a child after allegedly providing alcohol to a minor.
Matthew J. Wiza, 30, Lordan Drive, Cheektowaga, is charged with harassment, 2nd, after allegedly grabbing another person and placing them in a choke hold.
Brandon J. Kuklewicz, 21, Frederick Street, Cheektowaga, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected by Live Nation staff.
Nathan D. Addenbrooke, 21, Willow Drive, Niagara Falls, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of a quantity of marijuana.
Joseph G. Melcher, 22, Ridge Road, Ransomville, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of a quantity of marijuana.
Danielle Stolfa, 20, Lightwood Lane, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of a quantity of marijuana.
Nicholas J. Jones, 24, Hawkins Road, Selden, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of a quantity of marijuana.
Bailey A. Dawson, 18, Pennsylvania Avenue, Lockport, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of a quantity of marijuana.
Copyright © 2008-2022 The Batavian. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
