We're only in July and Batavia has already exceeded its "normal for a year" number of days of highs reaching 90 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Normal is six days of 90 degrees or higher. Batavia has reached that mark seven times so far.
Batavia could see temperatures as high as 90 degrees again on Sunday and Monday.
All signs point to a tight labor market in Genesee County with more than 1,000 known job openings and only 1,100 people considered unemployed.
While local companies struggle to find workers, Genesee County's labor force size may have shrunk.
Labor force participation has declined from May 2017 (the most recent month of data available), when it was 29,900, to 29,500 in May 2018. It was 30,400 in 2016 and 30,800 in 2015. The highest level since 1990 was 33,800 in 2009.
The decline could reflect Baby Boomers retiring, out-migration of prime-age workers, or a number of prime-age workers still sitting on the sidelines. There are not detailed enough statistics for a small county to say.
Nationally, the labor force participation rate is 62 percent, well below the pre-recession level of 66 percent. At the same time, wages have started to go up but not as fast as inflation.
Genesee County's unemployment rate -- as a measure of prime-age working people who either have a job or are looking for work -- was 3.8 percent in May, lower than a year ago, at 4.4 percent, but the same rate as May 2016.
It is the lowest unemployment rate in the GLOW region.
The lowest rate for May since 2000 was 3.5 percent in 2001 and the highest was 7.5 percent in 2012.
That reflects 1,100 people in the county who don't have adequate work but want work. The highest that number has been since 1990 was 2,700 in 1992.
The number of employed Genesee County residents in May was 28,400, down from 28,600 a year prior. It was 29,200 in May 2016 and 29,400 in May 2015. The highest its been since 1990 was 32,300 in 2006.
The Job Development Bureau has 1,036 job listings. That may not reflect all of the job openings in the county.
The sector with the highest number of listed job openings is agriculture, with 307, followed by manufacturing, 222, healthcare, 193, and retail, 65.
Every major employer in Genesee County has openings to fill, with many at hourly rates from $15 an hour to $25 an hour.
Back in 2014, when we did a story about job listings at the agency, there were only 279 listings. In April 2017, Director Scott Gage said there were 760 jobs listed.
The Job Development Bureau, 587 E. Main St., Batavia, is hosting a mini job fair from 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, July 24.
Police responded to Jefferson Avenue at about 1:15 this afternoon after a caller reported a youth had a handgun stashed in a backpack.
Officers were told the youth had "brandished" the gun in Austin Park.He was with a group of other teens and police performed a stop on the group in the parking lot behind Tim Hortons, ordering them to the ground with guns drawn until the backpack could be retrieved.
Upon investigation, it turned out the backpack contained a paintball gun.
A juvenile was taken into custody and will be turned over to a parent.
The City of Batavia will file an application with the State of New York to fund a feasibility study on the possible expansion of the Falleti Ice Arena.
The study will look at expanding the size of the building to add a second ice rink and possibly a field house suitable for indoor soccer, lacrosse, flag football and other indoor sports.
The study will look beyond just what Genesee County will support but whether an expanded facility can bring in more tournaments and attract sports tourist dollars from throughout the region, including Rochester and Buffalo, said Interim City Manager Matt Worth.
"That's probably the key as much as anything," Worth said, "to capture a tournament that would draw from both of those cities and be convenient. Absolutely that will probably be the key to it."
The impetus for the grant request came from parents involved in hockey at Falleti.
"The hockey parents there they are organized and are very interested in expanding that," Worth said. "Nowadays, virtually all these ice rinks are built with two sheets of ice. It's the most economical way to do it. Usually, for tournaments, things like that, it's ideally at least two sheets of ice."
The grant would come through the state's portion of Community Development Block Grant funding and a feasibility study would cost from $30,000 to $50,000.
The study would look at the demographics of the region, the need, the opportunity, the viability of an expanded facility and what, if any, economic impact it might have on Batavia. The study would also help determine the anticipated cost of expansion and how it might be funded.
The City Council approved an application for the grant at its meeting Monday night.
"The planning grant is to determine the feasibility of adding an additional sheet of ice to the ice rink as well as the possibility of a field house, which would be basically an indoor turfed area that would be available for indoor soccer, lacrosse, flag football, things of that nature, to see if the community in the sporting area, if there's enough interest, enough economics to support that type of investment," Worth said.
A pickup truck has reportedly hit a tree in the area of 6472 Alleghany Road, Alabama, between Casey and Lewiston Road.
Unknown injuries.
Alabama Fire, Mercy EMS, and Shelby's rescue dispatched.
UPDATE 11:24 p.m.: Minor facial injury due to airbag deployment.
Deb Meier, a retired Batavia art teacher, provided a demonstration in watercolor plein air painting for members of the Batavia Society of Artists at Kiwanis Park on Monday.
Painting en plein air, or outdoor painting, which often requires the painter to work quickly in direct response to the scene before the painter, was a technique favored by the French impressionists of the 19th century and has continued to remain popular with artists.
Jason F. Cole, 44, of Quaker Hill Road, Elba, is charged with rape (intercourse by forcible compulsion), second-degree rape, second-degree criminal sexual act, and second-degree strangulation. Cole is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse and oral intercourse with a person less than 15 years old on numerous occasions. He was jailed on $50,000 bail. The investigation was conducted by Investigator Joseph Loftus and Deputy Howard Carlson.
Joseph Michael Tornabene, 26, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd, and criminal mischief, 4th. Tornabene is accused of violation of a no-offensive conduct order of protection. He was allegedly involved in an incident where he damaged property in the presence of the protected person. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.
The arrest of White and Wozniak by Batavia PD officers Klimjack and Catherine Mucha on Friday. (Photo by Howard Owens.)
Keith R. White, 46, of Oliver Street, North Tonawanda, and Jeffery P. Wozniak, 49, of 79th Street, Niagara Falls, are charged with petit larceny, conspiracy, 6th, and criminal possession of stolen property, 5th. White and Wozniak are accused of stealing $985.27 in merchandise from Tops Friendly Market at 11:54 a.m. Friday, including steaks, lobster, shrimp, a roast, and several household items. They are also accused of stealing merchandise from Walmart in Batavia. Both suspects were issued appearance tickets. The case was investigated by Officer Catherine Mucha and Officer Frank Klimjack. White is also charged with third-degree burglary and fourth-degree grand larceny. White was arrested by Deputy Travis DeMuth in connection with the alleged Walmart theft. On that charged, he was arraigned and ordered held without bail. (see previous)
Juaquin Enriquo Davis, 23, of Milton Street, Rochester, is charged with violating an order of protection, obstruction of governmental administration, and resisting arrest. Davis was arrested following an investigation into a dispute reported at 12:25 a.m. Thursday on Thomas Avenue, Batavia, by Officer Peter Flanagan. He was jailed on $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond.
Treyvaun T. Filbert, 23, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and following too closely. Filbert was stopped at 1:05 p.m. June 29 on West Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.
Nicole L. Matia, 43, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass. Matia allegedly entered a neighbor's home and refused to leave when asked.
Bleyke Z. Culver, 21, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Culver allegedly violated a stay away order of protection during a disturbance on Maple Street at 9:34 p.m. on July 5.
Ronnie Joe Flinchum, 59, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd. Flinchum was allegedly involved in an incident at his residence on East Main Street at 3:45 a.m. on July 1. He was ordered held on $1,000 bail.
Pavel V. Yefremenko, 30, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Yefremenko allegedly damaged property belonging to a woman he knew at 7:47 a.m. on July 4.
Erica M. Raphael, 33, of Pratt Road, Batavia, is charged trespass. Raphael allegedly entered a local business on East Main Street, Batavia, after being previously banned.
Sath Paul Dhanda, 38, of Clapsaddle Road, Bethany, is charged with criminal trespass and endangering the welfare of a child. Dhanda allegedly entered the residence of a person he did not know on Swan Street at 6:08 p.m. on July 2. He was jailed on $5,000 bail. Dhanda is also charged with second-degree harassment for allegedly spitting on another person at 7:24 p.m., July 2.
Iszon C. Richardson, 18, of Lewis Place, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Richardson was arrested on a warrant by members of the Local Drug Task Force and jailed without bail.
Michael Alan Shetler, 28, of Judge Road, Oakfield, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Shetler allegedly violated a stay away order of protection at 10:41 p.m. Sunday in Oakfield. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.
Kelly Patrick DiMatteo, 34, of Byron Holley Road, Byron, is charged with felony DWI, refusal to take a breath test, failure to keep right, and moving from lane unsafely. DiMatteo was reportedly involved in a single-vehicle accident on Lyman Road, Byron, at 8:14 p.m. on July 4. He was jailed on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond. The accident was investigated by Deputy Andrew Mullen.
Ronald G. Metz, 69, of Lewis Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to signal, and failure to keep right. Metz was arrested following a complaint of an erratic driver at 4:51 p.m., June 29, by Investigator Christopher Parker.
Becky L. Frens, 56, of Batavia, is charged with torture to an animal (not feeding). Frens was arrested by State Police in relation to an incident reported at 3 p.m., Tuesday, in the Town of Batavia. Frens was issued an appearance ticket. No further details released.
Frank R. Cratsenberg, 57, of Akron, is charged with trespass and petit larceny. Cratsenberg was arrested in connection with an incident reported at 3:26 p.m., June 11, in the Town of Alabama. He was arraigned and ordered held in jail. He was arrested by State Police. No further details released.
Ryan Bartholomew, 24, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bartholomew was stopped by State Police at 10:25 p.m. Sunday by State Police at the Batavia Thruway interchange.
Always Something Farm, on Sumner Road, in Darien is one of 27 finalists in the Ignite Buffalo business funding competition.
The competition, which received 500 entries from throughout Western New York, is expected to award seven companies with $50,000 to $100,000 to help that company grow and expand, along with mentoring.
The contest is supported by Facebook, M&T Bank, Intuit, Amazon, WordPress, and WooCommerce in partnership with 43North, a startup accelerator in Buffalo.
A finalist competition is taking place tonight at Erie Community College.
We don't have any information on what Always Something Farm pitched in its application as either a product or service it sees as an opportunity to grow, but owners Michael and Stephanie Parkot posted on Facebook, "This could change the face of the western NY food scene permanently!"
A story in Buffalo Spree in June indicates the Parkots raise heritage breed Mangalitsa hogs.
There were at least four or five companies from Genesee County that entered the competition. Always Something Farm is the only one from Genesee County to make it this far. There are 24 companies from Erie County still in the competition.
A burning bush is reported at Ascension Parish on Sumner Street, Batavia.
The bush is right next to the building.
City fire responding.
UPDATE 12:15 p.m.: A first responder reports, "It looks like they got water on the fire with a garden hose."
UPDATE 12:17 p.m.: Scene commander, "Fire contained to the outside. No extension."
UPDATE: Photo submitted by Dick Long. He said the neighbor at Sumner and Swan provided the garden hose and sprayed it on the fire before City fire arrived.
Steve and Jim Goff, owner and manager, respectively, of the Stumblin' Inn in Elba since 1979, have pretty much lost everything, according to a GoFundMe page set up by Jess Goff.
The goal of the page is to raise $10,000 but the page notes that excavation of the remains of the 143-year-old building will cost as much as $25,000.
The appraised value of the property was only $67,700 and Jess Goff, on the GoFundMe page, said there was no fire insurance on the structure.
In addition to all of the personal belongings of Steve and Jim, including tools, was all the memorabilia that went with 40 years of ownership of a community landmark and a place that hosted countless local musicians for a countless number of shows.
"My dad says that these are all just things, but the saddest part of all of this is the death of so many memories for so many people," Jess Goss wrote.
Both Steven and Jim lived in the building and lost all of their personal belongings.
The Stumblin' Inn hosted many community fundraisers over the years.
There may be other fundraisers in the work but so far nothing definitive has been announced.
Fire investigators have determined the fire was accidental/non-intentional but the exact cause of the fire is unknown. Evidence indicates it started on the inside of the building and it's unknown how long it was burning before it was discovered.
Previously:
A 51-year-old Batavia resident involved in a rollover accident on R. Stephen Hawley Drive yesterday is in guarded condition at Strong Memorial Hospital this morning.
At strong "guarded" means the patient is in the intensive care unit.
The driver of the vehicle was Gerald E. Nicholson. The initial report said Nicholson was trapped under his pickup truck after it rolled over in a cornfield to the east of the roadway. A trooper at the scene said it appeared Nicholson's truck came over the hill, heading north, on Hawley Drive and failed to negotiate the curve and Nicholson may have overcorrected.
Nicholson was transported by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital.
A first responder said Nicholson was conscious and alert during extrication and sources described his injuries as apparently non-life threatening while he was at the scene.
State Police have not been forthcoming with information about the accident. We don't have the make, model or year of the pickup truck or any information on the status of the investigation.
UPDATE 1:35 p.m.: A State Police sergeant said Nicholson was driving a 2007 Ford F-150. It does appear he came over the hill, lost control and overcorrected. Citations have been issued but the sergeant didn't know the exact charges. The accident is still under investigation but DWI is not suspected.
Previously: Pickup truck driver taken by Mercy Flight to Strong after rollover accident by the college
At about 6 p.m., Deputy Travis Demuth and Sgt. Andrew Hale were dispatched to 4040 S. Main Street Road, Batavia, the Meadowbrook Golf Course, for a report of a doe stuck in a pond.
It turns out there are several ponds on the property and after checking nearly all of them, Hale was able to clarify that the caller was on the second hole when he reported the stuck doe.
A course manager located the doe and suggested it wasn't stuck but had been left at that location by the doe's mother while mother was feeding. Hale wanted to check the doe's health and started to walk into the pond when the doe bolted. The doe was clearly fine. It ran off into the woods.
The Muckdogs fell to State College on Monday night at Dwyer Stadium, 3-0.
Bryce Howe worked the first three innings and gave up only one run but took the loss.
Gunnar Schubert, out of Gonzaga University, drafted in the 28th round this year and added to the roster June 25, had two hits, raising his average to .333.
Batavia doesn't play today and travels to Connecticut for a three-game series. They're back home Saturday for a 7:05 p.m. game against Lowell.
Top photo: Michael Donadio stole second base in the fourth inning.
A strike-out, throw-out double play in the fifth inning. The Spikes' Edwin Figuera struck out swinging and Batavia's catcher Igor Baez threw out Nick Dunnwtih second baseman Luke Jarvis taking the throw on a short-hop.
Matt Brooks dives back to first safely in the fifth inning.
Spikes shortstop Delvin Perez.
During a visit to Batavia today, Rep. Chris Collins, when asked about debating his challenger for the NY-27 congressional seat called Nate McMurray a "carpetbagger."
McMurray has been using social media and press releases to dog Collins about the incumbent's refusal so far to schedule a candidates' debate.
"Desperate politicians do desperate things," Collins said. "Carpetbagger Nate McMurray, who’s never lived in the 27th Congressional District, who opened his district office in Brian Higgins' district — I’m still trying to figure out why he didn’t run a primary against Brian, since he’s never lived in this district and then had the audacity to open his campaign office not in this district. He lives and works in Higgins district. I don’t know why he’s running in the 27th."
The Batavian contacted Chris Grant, campaign manager for Collins, a couple of weeks ago and offered to host and moderate a debate but we had not received a response. Collins said he was unaware of the offer but that it's too soon to talk about debates anyway.
"That’s a decision to be made in late September into October, when we see where the campaign is, where our campaign is, where his campaign is," Collins said. "It’s certainly not a decision now for July."
In a phone interview this afternoon, McMurray called the "carpetbagger" charge by Collins "ridiculous," noting that Collins didn't live in the district when he first ran and that district lines change every 10 years.
"I'm from here," McMurray said. "I was born and raised in Western New York. He's from North Carolina. I've got a cousin who works at Moon Java. I've got family in Batavia. For him to use this name calling, it's stupid. I could call him a white collar criminal all day but then we could have a debate and have a more insightful conversation."
Collins was in town for a visit at Genesee Community College, where he met with students in the TRiO Upward Bound program, which is college-prep coursework partially funded by the federal government, and then received a tour of the campus by President Jim Sunser.
After lunch at the Pok-A-Dot and a couple of other stops, Collins dropped by Dwyer Stadium to learn from General Manager Dave Chase about the effort to keep minor league baseball alive in Batavia.
A silage fire is reported at 5020 Edgerton Road, Elba.
Elba fire along with Town of Batavia, Byron, and Bergen dispatched.
The fire is not near a residential structure.
UPDATE 5:36 p.m.: Fire units are about to clear.
The Genesee County Sheriff's Office reports that at 2:45 p.m. a black bear was spotted in the area of Putnam Road and Francis Road, Bethany.
Last week a bear was reported around the Village of Attica.
UPDATE 4:52 p.m.: Photo of the bear provided by the Sheriff's Office.
Press release:
The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider approving incentives for two projects at the agency’s July 12th board meeting. The combined projects would create 20 new jobs and approximately $7.6 million in capital investment.
The board also will consider accepting an application from Pearl Solar LLC for the construction of two 2MW community solar farms for a combined total of 4MW at 2901 Pearl Street Road.
Both projects have the same address but would have separate parcel tax map numbers. Pearl Solar LLC would make an approximate $6 million investment and is seeking approximately $288,000 in sales and property tax exemptions.
J. Rental is seeking sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions of approximately $723,000 to build a new 60,000-square-foot facility on 19.5 acres in the Apple Trees Acres business park in Bergen. The $6.3 million project would create 15 new jobs.
Lancor Development Corp. is proposing to invest $1.3 million to build a 12,000-square-foot facility in the new Le Roy Food and Technology Park. The project would create five new jobs and retain seven jobs. Lancor is seeking sales and property tax exemptions of approximately $122,000.
Copyright © 2008-2022 The Batavian. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
