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The annual Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home Show is underway at Falleti Ice Arena.

Hours for Saturday and Sunday, respectively, are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

GO ART! hosted a grand opening party for members tonight of the wine and beer bar now open in Seymore Place, which is the former location of the old Batavia Club.

Dealing with active threats is the focus of two weeks of training hosted by Batavia PD in a vacant building at the NYS School for the Blind.

Officers from Batavia PD, the Sheriff's Office, State Police, and Probation are participating.

It's unfortunate, said Chief Shawn Heubusch, that these days, officers have to be ever ready, either on their own or as part of a team, to deal with somebody who is threatening the lives of other people.

"We learned a lot from the situation at Columbine," Heubusch said. "It used to be, surround, create a perimeter, wait for the cavalry to arrive, and then go in. That is no longer the norm. If there is an active shooter or active threat going on, you may be the first officer there, you may be the only officer there, but you’re going in and you’re going to take care of that threat to the best of your ability.

"That thinking has changed dramatically from the early or late '90s when these situations, unfortunately, became more prevalent."

The purpose of multi-agency training is to ensure all officers who respond to an active threat situation have gone through the same training because in a small county where law enforcement resources are limited, officers from agencies will be working together.

"We’re not a big huge department," Heubusch said. "We don’t have a 100 cops on the force. We don’t have 50 cops on the street at any given time. There may not be even 50 officers in the county, or less than that, at any given time, so you’re going to get what shows up."

In the training scenarios, officers from different agencies are working side by side as much as possible so they're learning the same tactics at the same pace.

"You just never know who is going to be available in a given situation and you’ve got to be familiar with tactics and on the same page," said Officer Marc Lawrence.

The training consists of classroom instruction followed by walk-throughs of techniques using simulated weapons and then "force-on-force" training, where offices are using weapons with clips filled with paintballs.

That's perhaps the most valuable training both Heubusch and Lawrence said and something officers don't get often through the normal course of training.

"When you go through the academy or you go to the range, it’s kind of a static environment," Heubusch said. "You’re shooting for the seven-yard line or the 15-yard line or something like that. This puts you in a real-life scenario situation where your energy is up, your adrenaline might be pumping a little bit. (Force-on-force) gives you more of a real-life look at things."

There's a price to pay, which keeps you on an edge, when there are real projectiles flying, Lawrence said.

"You may get shot with a simulation round," Lawrence said. "They hurt. They leave welts. And you get shot if you don’t do your job as a police officer. If you don’t clear a room properly, you may get shot."

Patrick S. Rumble, 31, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with harassmen,t 2nd, unlawful imprisonment, 2nd, and criminal mischief, 4th. Rumble allegedly pushed another person multiple times and prevented that person from leaving a residence and from contacting emergency dispatch during an incident at 4:11 p.m. Wednesday at a location on Hutchins Place, Batavia.

A 17-year-old resident of Hutchins Place is charged with trespass. The youth allegedly entered a residence on Hutchins Place at about 4 p.m. Wednesday after being told to stay away from that residence.

Arnold John Oberlander Jr., 54, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd. Oberlander was stopped at 8:29 a.m. Thursday on the I-490 in Le Roy by Deputy Matthew Bailey.

Press release:

A group of local residents who read and write poetry has come together to host a poetry reading featuring JoNelle Toriseva as well local poets who attend the reading. It will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, in the Reading Room at the Richmond Memorial Library.

The organizers are interested in meeting with other people in the community who enjoy poetry and might be interested in coming together more frequently for readings and workshops.

“We suspect there are several people locally who write poetry but don’t have an outlet to meet with other poets and that there are a number of people who simply enjoy poetry and would attend readings,” said one of the organizers, Howard Owens. “We hope this initial event will attract those people and show there is enough interest for regular gatherings.”

Toriseva will be the featured reader, but there will also be time for an open reading with each person invited to read one short poem of their own or of another author.

Other organizers include Eric Zwieg, Bill Kauffman, Bob Conrad, JoNelle Toriseva, and Lucine Kauffman.

About JoNelle Toriseva

JoNelle has won the Patricia Goedicke Prize in Poetry from Cutbank. Her work has appeared in, "The North American Review," "Salt Hill," "The Literary Review," "The Saranac Review," "The Cincinnati Review," "Descant," and "JACKET," among others, and included in Days I Moved Through Ordinary Sound from City Lights, and Best Canadian Poetry in English.

She is the director of English, Communications and Media Arts, and an Assistant Professor of English at SUNY-GCC, Toriseva has also taught for Mills College, California Poets in the Schools, San Francisco WritersCorps, and Literary Arts of Portland, Ore.

A car has reportedly hit a tree and flipped over at Ellicott Street Road and Transit Road, Bethany.

One minor injury is reported.

Bethany fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 8:26 a.m.: Icy road conditions reported.

A car has reportedly hit a pole in the area of 4196 Broadway Road, Bethany.

The call originally came in as unknown injuries. A second caller on scene reports no injuries.

Bethany fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 12:19 a.m.: The second caller is apparently the driver. He reports extremely icy conditions. Responding units are advised.

Two men who reportedly led law enforcement in Livingston County on a chase and were later spotted by a deputy in Genesee County allegedly tried to flee on foot after a one-vehicle car crash at Route 262 and Bank Street Road in Byron at 4 a.m.

Their effort led to a manhunt, joined by Deputy Chris Erion and K-9 "Destro." As a result, both men required treatment at UMMC for dog bites, according to Chief Deputy Joseph Graff.

One of the men apparently had a prior stomach injury and was reportedly throwing up blood at the scene. As of this afternoon, he was still a patient at UMMC. The other man, Michael Collier, 45, of Rochester, was arraigned this morning on charges of criminal possession of stolen property, fleeing a police officer, 3rd, reckless driving, and aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd.

Charges are pending against the man still in the hospital.

Graff said the incident started after Sheriff's dispatch was notified of a chase in Livingston County.  

A deputy spotted a vehicle matching the description of the Livingston County vehicle but did not initiate a chase. Instead, the deputy followed the vehicle.

It crashed at Bank Street Road and Route 262 in Byron and the occupants tried to flee. 

Erion and Destro were dispatched to the scene. One subject was captured quickly and the other remained on the loose for a little while. When each of the subjects was found, Destro initiated a bite and hold to help incapacitate them so they could be taken into custody.

Graff said the bite injuries were not serious.

UPDATE Friday, 10 a.m.: Additional information has been released by the Sheriff's Office. The suspects were pursued in Livingston County after a report that they were involved in a theft of merchandise from a department store in Geneseo. It was Deputy Jeremy McClellan who first observed their vehicle on Route 5 in the Town of Batavia. The suspects fled and crashed at Route 262 and Bank Street Road. State Police and Batavia PD assisted in the search of the area. Collier's passenger has been identified as Gary L. Weese, 44, of West Avenue, Medina. He is being charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the 5th degree. He remains hospitalized for health issues unrelated to the incident. Bail for Collier was set at $50,000.

(Initial Report)

Good news for parents who have depended on the YWCA for after-school child care -- the YW's program will be running as normal at all locations starting Monday.

The Children's Center at the County Courthouse will also remain open.

Earlier this week, the YW announced that because of financial difficulties, all programs and services were being terminated immediately.

Executive Director Millie Tomidy-Pepper has been working the phones to find ways to keep vital community programs going and staff from the YWCA in Niagara County rode to the rescue yesterday.

According to board members Roula Alkhouri and Patti Michalak, staff from the YW in Niagara visited 301 North St., Batavia, yesterday and provided the help needed to get the necessary vouchers filled out to keep the funds flowing from the state to pay for the daycare program.

Parents can expect that by Monday everything with YWCA-provided daycare will be back to normal.

The Batavian was speaking with Alkhouri and Michalak at the YW's office while Tomidy-Pepper was in a meeting with a staff member when a pair of parents walked in to confirm the news, which was sent out this afternoon to parents in the program in an email, that the daycare program was saved.

They said all of the current board members and Tomidy-Pepper have been working hard to save YW programs and bring the 108-year-old Genesee County chapter of the YWCA back from near extinction.

"We don't want this to go under and it's not going to go under," said Michalak, who became a board member two weeks ago.

She said Tomidy-Pepper has been putting in 12 hour days both to save programs and to save the YW.

There has been a tremendous outpouring of support from the community, they said.

The Crisis Care Hotline will also continue but outside of the YWCA. The Crisis Care Hotline call center in Niagara County started today receiving calls to the Genesee County number.

A spokesman for National Grid says there are still about 800 customers in Genesee County without power.

The areas with the most customers without power are Darien, 165, Batavia, 104, and Oakfield, 90.  

The ETA for restoration is 10 o'clock tonight for all of Genesee County.

Press release:

It’s Off to the Races as the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation, prepares for its Derby Day Gala 2018, a fundraising event held in conjunction with the running of the 144th Kentucky Derby.

The event raises monies to support the mission of the Foundation, namely to assist families struggling with the diagnosis of pediatric cancers, support research efforts in the area of childhood cancers, and provide assistance to youth activities and programs.

Win, Place and Show your support for the Foundation’s annual fundraising event to be held at Terry Hills Golf Course & Banquet Facility in Batavia from 4 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 5th.

The Foundation, a 501(C) 3, was founded by Mark Napoleone and Laurie (Pero) in 2007 after the loss of their 8-year-old son to Burkitt’s Lymphoma, an aggressive form of blood cancer.

To date, the foundation has assisted 355 families with $332,000 worth of support during their child’s illness, contributed $73,000 to support research, gave $49,000 to assist youth organizations and donated $50,000 to building the new Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester.

The evening features “Kentucky Derby” theme, food, drinks, live music, silent and live auctions, and a professional photo in your best Derby attire. There will be prizes for the best woman’s hat, Dapper Derby Award for the men, and a best dressed couple’s award. Tickets are $75/each and Win, Place and Show Sponsorships are available.

There are many ways for you to support this event -- auction donations (gift certificates, electronics, sports memorabilia, spa packages, and weekend getaways). Monetary donations are also accepted. All donations are tax deductible. Your assistance will make our Derby Day Gala 2018 a winning success.

For those who are interested in attending the gala, tickets can be purchased by contacting Ann Marie at 721-0151.

Through the generosity of individuals and businesses, and the work of our volunteers, we have been able to “Lend a Hand for Hope” to those in need for over 10 years.

For more information, gallop onto our website: www.michaelshope.org or call 861-0550.

Photos: File photos by Howard Owens.

We received a copy of this county communication about the closure, possibly temporary, of YWCA services related to mental health and domestic violence:

"In light of the current YWCA closure situation, most recent update as of 11 a.m. 4/4/18 is as follows:

The Genesee and Orleans County Mental Health (GCMH and OCMH) departments are working together to address contracted services previously provided by the Care & Crisis Helpline.

Another vendor is being secured as a temporary service for crisis patients. GCMH is working with Verizon to keep the current Care + Crisis Helpline number and have it (with minimal rings) be transferred to the temporary crisis call center. Verizon is working to have the switch-over process happen as soon as possible.

Orleans County Mental Health Dept. is taking similar steps.

Both Genesee and Orleans Mental Health departments have provided the temporary crisis call center with general county information to assist with information-only calls.

Domestic Violence services fall under the Department of Social Services. DSS is currently in the process of working out an arrangement with a local entity (likely our local Genesee Justice Program). Genesee County Mental Health will continue to take referrals from that program.

GCMH and Orleans County Mental Health departments are working to develop next steps for a long-term solution."

A tree has fallen into a house at 2392 Killian Road, East Pembroke.

There are wires involved but there is no arcing or sparking.

No injuries reported.

East Pembroke fire dispatched.

Millie Tomidy-Pepper and YWCA board members spent the day hunkered down in an office trying to figure out how to keep key programs running after yesterday's announcement that the 150-year-old community support organization is buried under a pile of debt, has no cash reserves, and can't continue to operate the multiple services it provides to the community.

The situation appears dire but Tomidy-Pepper today said she wants to emphasize this may not be the end for the YW.

"The news to bring to the community is that just because we're going through a really rough patch right now, the board hasgrown and is committed to helping us get through this," Tomidy-Pepper said.

She became executive director of the YWCA on Feb. 5, replacing Jeanne Walton, who served as director from July 2011 until Tomidy-Pepper was hired to replace her. Tomidy-Pepper said when she started there were only four board members and she made it one of her goals to increase board membership and the board's diversity of experience. There are now 11 board members, including ministers, educators, and people with business and nonprofit backgrounds.

That's the good news.

The bad news is, there is no guarantee the YW can be resuscitated.

A source tells The Batavian there have been pay periods recently when the YW couldn't make it's more than $20,000 payroll; that credit cards are maxed out at $53,000; that the YW is behind in sales tax payments for My Sister's Closet, (there are, however, no tax warrants outstanding with the state); that grant reimbursement requests are behind; and that the city was recently close to shutting off the water for the YW's building at 301 North St., Batavia.

It's through the generosity of a local, unnamed donor, that some of these issues, including payroll, have been resolved.

Thanks to this donation, Tomidy-Pepper and key staff members are still working, but reduced to 20 hours for the week and only for one more week of work.

Tomidy-Pepper said she will be putting in a lot more hours than just 20 in the coming week and beyond trying to help get things turned around for the YW and working to ensure key services, one way or another, continue.

How the YWCA sunk to this financial low is unclear.

In a statement released to local media tonight, Walton said the financial struggles of the YWCA of Genesee County started long before she became director and that under tough circumstances she did her best to hold things together.

"Managing the finances of a nonprofit is a constant challenge," Walton said. "As with most nonprofits, the YWCA has not been sitting on a large reserve of money in recent decades. Due to this, the organization has had to live 'paycheck to paycheck,' just as many households do."

Walton said she rejects the suggestion that the financial condition of the YWCA is currently any worse than what she dealt with during her entire seven years at the helm. She doesn't believe it was necessary for the YW to pull the plug on so many key services in the community.

As a nonprofit, the YW is required to file a Form 990 with the IRS each year. These public documents, available online, provide a summary of revenue and expenses. It also lists "net assets or fund balances" -- how much money the entity has in the bank.

For tax year 2001, the oldest 990 available online, says the YWCA had $462,390 in assets. There was $850,650 in revenue against $782,823 in expenses, so in the year 2000, the YW was cash flow positive by $4,929. That year, the YW did spend $61,000 of fund balance.

The next year, the YW lost $31,900 on operations and also withdrew $111,612 from reserves (CLARIFICATION: A closer reading of the Form 990, this was a loss in value of the YW's securities investment (stocks)). Some fund balance was restored the next year but over the next 15 years or so, the YW has been slowly bleeding down its fund balance with only a couple of years of small replenishment, including two years while Walton was the director.

Here's a year-by-year breakdown:

• 2001 fund balance: $462,390
• 2002: $318,878
• 2003: $365,632
• 2004: $280,724
• 2005: $237,785
• 2006: Not Available
• 2007: $210,566
• 2008: $228,934
• 2009: $124,799
• 2010: $93,109
• 2011: $122,391
• 2012: $74,300
• 2013: $77,783
• 2014: $97,601
• 2015: $70,003
• 2016: Not Available
• 2017: Would not be available yet

The tax returns show Walton earned from $48,400 to $52,400 during the years reported that she was executive director, which is comparable to executive compensation for prior directors. Barbara Hale, for example, earned $48,277 in 2008.

The picture painted by Tomidy-Pepper of the current financial condition of the YWCA is that there simply isn't enough free cash flow to operate and no available credit or line of credit to float expenses until expected revenue arrives.

Termination of YWCA services, however, leaves county officials, local school officials, parents, and others scrambling to find ways to meet community needs.

One of the biggest services provided by the YW -- 40 percent of $1.1 million in expenses according to the nonprofits 2015 tax return -- is providing daycare services for students at eight school districts in the county.

Tomidy-Pepper she said she realizes shutting down this program suddenly is a hardship on local parents, and she's received complaints about the short notice. But she said she hopes that with the announcement of the possible closure coming during spring break, parents will have a week to make other arrangements for their children if the YW can't come up with another solution.

She's hopeful the YW will find a way to fill the gap.

"We know it's a huge burden on families," she said. "We're working diligently with other service providers and hoping by Monday to have an answer. I want people to know we're not giving up. We're not throwing in the towel."

She thinks a solution has been found but can't announce it yet.

"If that happens, hopefully, that will keep our employees employed," Tomidy-Pepper said. "That would be wonderful. That would take 18 people off the unemployment line."

The county has $160,000 in contracts with the YWCA for the Care and Crisis Helpline, the Domestic Violence Safe House, and other programs. County officials were meeting today to figure out how to meet the needs of these programs without the YW but Tomidy Pepper said she and the board members are also working on these issues.

She said they expect Verizon to soon provide another number for the helpline and the board will meet with officials in Niagara County about helping with the safe house and the domestic violence program. (The County also has a domestic violence program available through Genesee Justice.)

The YWCA also staffs a daycare center for Family Court in the County Courts facility. Tomidy-Pepper said she and the board members haven't figure out yet what to do with that program.

She did say the building at 301 North will remain open. Besides My Sister's Closet, which is staffed by volunteers, there are tenants in the building.

"We're not locking the doors and shutting down completely," she said. "We want people in the building."

When she started, Tomidy-Pepper, who has nearly 20 years experience in the nonprofit sector, said she was told of the YW had an annual operations budget of $1.2 million.

She did explain that there was another recent audit but that auditor was never paid in full so the auditor wouldn't release the results. Tomidy-Pepper tried to hire a second auditor but that auditor wouldn't do the job without seeing the first auditor's findings. A community member -- the donor mentioned above -- provide funds to pay the first auditor and hire the second auditor.

It was that second auditor who said there was no realistic way to complete an audit.

One issue Tomidy-Pepper said she uncovered is that the YW needed to apply for grant reimbursements but the vouchers needed for the reimbursements were either missing or not completed.

She said with the help of former and current staff, she has been able to resolve that issue and the grant reimbursements are in the works with the state.

"We've faced many challenges and we're meeting that challenge," she said.

Tomidy-Pepper said she really wants to see the YWCA of Genesee County come back strong and she is grateful for the help she's receiving.

"The board members, the people in the community, want to help," she said. "They want to help. They want us to succeed."

We also reached out to YWCA USA to try and find out more information about whatever oversight the national organization might provide and how one of the national organization's affiliates could reach the state of near if not total financial collapse.

A spokeswoman declined an interview request and issued this statement:

Statement by Alejandra Y. Castillo, YWCA USA, CEO
YWCA USA recognizes the critical role YWCA Genesee County plays in the community and we are dedicated to providing tactical support to help them during this difficult time. Our chief concern is for the women and families who rely on YWCA services and we are collaborating with our strong network of New York YWCAs to identify alternative programs and resources to assist through this transition.

Here is the statement released by Jeanne Walton:

The financial struggles experienced by the YWCA of Genesee County predated my tenure as Executive Director and continued during the nearly seven years I served in that capacity. Managing the finances of a nonprofit is a constant challenge. As with most nonprofits, the YWCA has not been sitting on a large reserve of money in recent decades. Due to this, the organization has had to live “paycheck to paycheck”, just as many households do. Over the years, I learned to manage this so that the organization remained solvent. The YWCA USA and Board of Directors of the YWCA of Genesee County were kept apprised of the organization’s financial condition. As required by law, independent audits were conducted annually. Corresponding tax returns (990s) were filed and these records are publically available.

Five months ago I announced my decision to resign as Executive Director and offered to assist with the process of selecting and training my successor. In January 2018 my replacement was chosen, and it was agreed that during my last weeks at the YWCA I would focus on working with the new Executive Director to educate her on all of the financial and executive level challenges faced by the organization. I felt this would be a great deal to accomplish in a short period of time, and was quite surprised when I was informed that, while I would be paid for my last two weeks, it would not be necessary for me to work with the new Executive Director. Nonetheless, I recently reached out to the Board of Directors Executive Committee, the auditor, the Executive Director and the YWCA USA to offer my assistance.

Nothing about the YWCA’s financial situation changed for the worse during my years of service. The challenges currently faced by the YWCA are nothing different than what I handled along with our Finance Manager the entire time I was there. Strategizing and having a full understanding of the cash flow are imperative to the financial health of the organization. The finances of this organization are extremely complicated and it is a necessity to have an individual familiar with them involved in the audit process and the ongoing financial operations. Prior to my departure, my leadership team suggested changes to my successor and the board President that we felt were necessary for the financial health of the organization.

After my many years with the YWCA and the expansion of services provided, I am heartbroken that the decision was made to terminate the programs that are vital to this community. I cannot understand how it makes sense to end programs that are 100-percent grant funded, such as Domestic Violence Crisis and Prevention Services, Care + Crisis Helpline and the Children’s Center at the Courthouse. I am shocked by this news and know that it is an extreme decision that could have been avoided.

A marker honoring Delia Philips was dedicated in Le Roy yesterday at the Village Hall with Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul in attendance.

Philips, who was 91 years old at the time, cast the first ballot by a woman in an election in Le Roy in 1917. She was one of 58 women to vote in that election in Le Roy after the state approved the right of women to vote.

The marker was sponsored by the Le Roy Historical Society and the Village of Le Roy.

"I have traveled across the State to tell the stories of women who never gave up fighting for the right to vote, "Hochul said. “We stand on the shoulders of the brave and audacious women who went against the tides of their time and secured suffrage for women here in New York.

"Today, 100 years after 91-year-old Delia Phillips walked into Le Roy Municipal Building and became the first woman to cast a ballot there, we honor her legacy and every woman who marched, who spoke out, and made women's suffrage a reality."

Submitted photo.

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department is currently investigating the passing of counterfeit $50 bills throughout the area. It is recommended that anyone receiving a $50 bill use extra caution to check its authenticity. The counterfeit bills are very sophisticated and will pass the marker test that most businesses use.

They do have reoccurring fraudulent features that make them identifiable, such as a penciled in security strip on the reverse and a faintly penciled in face on the right side of the obverse (side of the currency note with the head of Grant). They are also missing the microprint security features due to blurring.

If anyone receives a counterfeit or suspected counterfeit bill, or has information in reference to the case please contact the Batavia Police Department at 585-345-6350, the confidential tip line at 585-345-6370.