More than 950 local residents received free Thanksgiving meals on Thursday, prepared and delivered by dozens of City Church volunteers working out of the kitchen at the St. Anthony's campus.
Most of the meals were delivered but tables were set for any people who wished to dine at St. Anthony's.
Photos by Howard Owens.
Mike Miller, with a time of 21:58, won the Fourth Annual Turkey Trot on Thursday at Silver Fox Fitness on Cedar Street.
Photos by Howard Owens.
When you walk near a red Salvation Army kettle outside a local store and hear the ting-a-ling of a volunteer's silver bell, Capt. Bradley Moore thinks, perhaps, the notes you hear is a reminder of hope.
Hope for the families who will be fed or clothed by your donation, hope for those who don't know where else to turn during the Christmas season, and a hope that helps you remember there are people in your community who depend on the Salvation Army and your support of its ministry.
The Salvation Army has been in Genesee County for 138 years, helping spread hope to those in need 365 days a year. The volunteer -- or seasonal worker -- ringing the bell is often most visible reminder of the Salvation Army but Army serves the community's poor and those in crisis everyday.
The Red Kettle Campaign is a big reason the Salvation Army can meet the needs of your friends, family members, and neighbors in Genesee County.
This year, the fundraising goal is a big one -- $100,000.
"We served over 11,000 people food in the last year," said Moore, who, along with his wife Rachel, manages the Salvation Army in Batavia. "So, as you hear that bell, know that it's helping all year round. It is just a reminder that the Salvation Army is a source of hope for a lot of people. As you see the shield and hear the bells, know that raising that money is essential for us to be able to continue the good work."
The services available at the Salvation Army at 529 E. Main St., Batavia, include a food pantry and clothing, as well as community meals, Friday family nights, and Sunday church services, but the staff at the Salvation Army are committed to finding assistance for anybody who comes in with an unmet need.
"If somebody comes to us with a need, we'll do whatever we can to either meet that need here or partner with somebody to help meet that need," Moore said. "Obviously, food is huge right now. Our food pantry serves roughly 35 to 45 families every day that we're open, which is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We partner a lot with neighborhood legal services if somebody's having issues with landlords. For domestic violence, we help through the YWCA. We do whatever we can for whoever walks in the door."
Moore said the Salvation Army's operations manager, Tood Rapp, is particularly adept at discovering the needs of people who drop in and assuring them the Salvation Army can, in fact, help.
"I often say, I gotta get him a mug or something that says, 'Hi, I'm Todd. How can I help?' That's what he says all the time. He is just willing to hear people's stories and figure out how we can help on an individual basis," Moore said. "There's a lot of needs."
Rapp said it's amazing to hear somebody tell their story and see them realize that there is somebody listening who cares about their needs.
"If you can actually help make a difference, that's even better," Rapp said. "People just want to be heard. They want to know that they matter. And I can't tell you how many times I sit here and I look at somebody and they say, 'Why are you doing this?' And I'm able to look them in the eye and say, 'Because you matter. You're worth it.' And, you know, there's a lot of people out there that have never been told that."
This level of caring fits with the historical mission of the Salvation Army.
In 1852, William Booth stepped away from the pulpit at a church in London. He took seriously his belief in Jesus' call to serve the poor, the oppressed, and those caught in sin and bring them the Gospel. Between 1881 and 1885, more than 250,000 were converted to followers of Christ in the British Isles.
In 1886, the Salvation Army started to form in Batavia.
Early in the Army's local history, it established a church on Jackson Street, moved to another location, and then built a citadel on Jackson Street, which fell to the wrecking ball of urban renewal, according to Ruth McEvoy's history of Batavia.
In 1967, the Army purchased its current location, the former East School, from the Batavia City School District for $15,500. Louis Viele built the new citadel at that location, and the Army sold its Jackson Street location to the city for $90,000.
The mission and ministry have never changed, and just like in the late 1960s, based on McEvoy's account, the Army in Batavia still holds regular religious services, serves as a recreation place for older citizens, has entertainment for the children of the neighborhood, and operates a food bank.
Moore said the Salvation Army is still inspired by the words of William Booth:
While women weep, as they do now, I will fight. While men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I will fight. While there is a drunkard left, where there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, where there remains one dark and without the light of God, I’ll fight. I’ll fight to the very end.
It's a call to service that Moore thinks is still relevant to today's Christians.
"Jesus calls us to love the unlovable, care for the widows and orphans, and feed those who are hungry," Moore said. "Yes, the poor will always be among us, but it doesn't give us a right to just cast them down. We're called to put others before ourselves. The Salvation Army's mission is that we're out -- to summarize -- we want to serve without discrimination and do all things. We do what we do because of our beliefs and who we are. I think that's a reminder that we need to keep our eyes outwardly focused, focus on Jesus and focus on others before we look at ourselves."
Moore was called to ministry as a youth. His parents were Salvation Army officers, and Moore was interested in becoming a youth pastor. However, while serving in that role in Canton, Ohio, he saw the need was greater than just serving the community's youth.
"I quickly realized that God put that desire in my heart to be more than that," Moore said.
He said serving the community's young people is still a passion for both him and Rachel (they have three children), but it's important to meet the needs of everybody.
Rapp started volunteering with the Salvation Army in Batavia 12 years ago. As he saw how holistic the assistance was for the community's people, he was drawn to a deeper commitment to the mission.
"When somebody comes in for food they don't just get food, but we have a conversation, and in that conversation, we find out other things, how else can we help other than just giving them a box of groceries and sending them out the door," Rapp said.
You can ring a bell outside of Tops in Le Roy or Batavia or the Walmart in Batavia, helping to collect donations. To sign up for a time slot, click here.
You can also donate. Moore notes that most of us never carry much cash these days. We don't necessarily have the spare change -- or spare folding money -- to slip into the kettle. You can be intentional, ensuring you have cash in hand when you head to Tops or Walmart, or you can donate online. If you provide a Genesee County zip code, 100 percent of your donation will go to the Salvation Army in Batavia.
You can also drop off food donations at the East Main location. The pantry always needs food, especially pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, soup, tuna, canned fruit, and canned pasta meals like Spaghetti-Os and noodles.
Several local churches collect donations for the Salvation Army.
Regardless of how you donate, all donations stay local, Moore confirmed.
"I love that we can look at our community here and say the Salvation Army is still doing those things," Moore said. "We're still helping. We're giving clothing vouchers to those who are in and out of prison. We're still helping to give food to those who are hungry. We're still helping those who are in domestic violence. We haven't changed. Our mission has remained the same."
The patrons of the Recovery Station at 5256 Clinton Street Road in Batavia have formed tight bonds as they work on sobriety together, said Melissa Vineyard, station coordinator, during a "Friendsgiving" meal on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Thanksgiving, she said, the people in recovery will be with their blood family but Friendsgiving is about sharing a meal with people who have a different, special bond with each other.
"When we come into recovery, we make a whole new family," Vineyard said. "These are the people who are in the trenches. These are the people we celebrate. We're proud. They keep going. They don't give up. These are the faces we see every day. So I wanted to have a special time with all these people. Bring them together and just say thank you, perfect."
UConnectCare operates the Recovery Station, a substance and alcohol-free environment where people in recovery can socialize and hang out.
Also on Wednesday, UConnect hosted another "Friendsgiving" event at the agency's child care center on Havester Avenue. There was music by Bart Dentino as well as kids coloring Thanksgiving placemats to take home for Thanksgiving.
The child care center provides a safe place for parents who are going through recovery to drop off their kids to be cared for while they take care of recovery obligations or just get their shopping done.
A first-floor fire was reported at 15 East Ave., Batavia, shortly before 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, with flames and smoke showing when police officers arrived on scene.
The initial call came from a passerby who reported flames showing through a first-floor window.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
A single occupant was out of the house safely when City Fire arrived on scene. There was concern about a second occupant still inside but a search by firefighters determined the house was unoccupied at that point. The first resident said he may have left before the fire.
The fire was knocked down by City Fire crews within minutes of the first city crews arriving on scene.
Heavy fire damage was visible on the first the first floor.
The property is owned by Michael and Patricia McDonald. The house was built in 1880 and is 1,474 square feet, according to property tax records. The assessed value is $99,000.
The fire went to a second alarm with Town of Batavia's FAST Team responding along with Le Roy Fire.
Photos by Howard Owens.
The cost of doing business has doubled since the pandemic, said Tim Call, former owner of Empire Tractor, while explaining why he decided to sell the company to Champlain Valley Equipment, a family-owned group of farm equipment retailers based in Vermont.
"He (Brian Carpenter, owner of Champlain) is a great businessman, a great person, and has been great to work with, so I knew that he would take care of our employees and our customers the way that I wanted them taken care of," Call said.
Call started in the industry working for his father's store in Batavia, but when International Harvester was acquired by Case, Call's father sold the business to Case, so Tim Call took a job with Monroe Tractor.
One day, he needed a new belt for his Troy-built rototiller and that required him to visit Tri-County Tractor, owned at the time by Carl Colantino.
Tim had heard the business had been sold so he asked about it and Colantino said the deal fell through.
"Why? You interested?" Colantino asked.
They talked and Call decided Colantino was asking too much for the business.
"Two weeks later, my mom passed away from cancer. That made me start thinking, what am I going to do? Am I always going to work for somebody else here?" Call said. "I got a chance to own one of the four major farm equipment dealers in United States, and a Ford New Holland dealership at the time. It took a while, but the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in 1994 we actually closed the deal."
In 2000, Tri-County merged with Finger Lakes Tractor and RMC Equipment, forming Empire Tractor.
About eight years ago, Call bought out his seven other partners, and a year later, he brought in Phil Doty as a partner.
Both Call and Doty remain with Champlain. Call is managing the Batavia store and Doty manages Watertown and Canton.
Since the pandemic, supply chain issues, new tariffs, especially steel tariffs, higher insurance costs, higher wages, and other rising costs have increased business expenses. Since no Call family member is in line to take over the business, and Call turns 65 next month, it seemed like a propitious time to sell.
"It was to the point where, if I were going to stay in business, I'd have to invest a couple million more," Call said. "Where am I going at my age, with nobody coming on? So I just felt it was best, especially when we're putting up against private equity companies like Land Pro, Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners, United Turf and Ag, and all these other people. So, it seemed like the time was right, but I could still work. I still like what I do, and I'll still be here to make sure that our employees and customers around here are taken care of."
As for market conditions, Call said, "The price of the equipment is 50 to 75% higher than it was, and the freight to get it here is twice as much. The setup to put (equipment) together is twice as much. You know, all our costs are up, like everybody else's. All the employees have to get more money. Insurance is going through the roof. It's just the investment to run the business is a lot more than what it was."
He added, "Everybody raised their prices when steel went up. Everybody raised their prices with freight when fuel prices went up. Nobody's dropped. Their prices go up. They don't come back down."
There are bright sides to the industry, though. Locally, for example, dairy farms are doing well, Call said.
"Right now everybody's saying ag is down. Farming is down," Call said. "Well, they're talking about corn and soybean, and that's mostly the midwest, and any cash grain farmers around here are down, but the dairy farmers are doing pretty well right now, so we're a little more immune to the swings up and down."
Call has known Carpenter, a second-generation owner of Champlain, since Call took over Tri-County. They were part of the same Dealer 20 group (a group of dealers from all over the U.S. and Canada who share best practices and business tips).
Except for Dixie Chopper, a more residential-oriented product, the Champlain product line is much like Empire's -- New Holland, Oxbo, Great Plains, and Woods Equipment. (A full list of lines carried by Champlain can be found by clicking here).
"We've got Kioti, and they've done a great job and got a zero-turn mower. They've got gas and diesel," Call said. "We handle the commercial zero-turn mowers. We don't handle really residential.
Call is confident customers won't notice much difference with the new owner. Most of the Empire employees remain, the equipment lines and service centers remain the same. Other than new cards and new computer systems, not much has changed, Call said.
"They're very customer-focused, like we were. They want to take care of the customers," he said.
Area law enforcement agencies rolled up to Batavia Towne Center on Saturday morning to conduct their annual drive to gather gifts for area families who make lack all the resources needed to celebrate Christmas.
The Sheriff's Office, Batavia PD, Probation, Genesee Justice, and State Police all participated in the collection of donated gifts, from warm jackets to fun toys, to assist families in need.
The gifts will be distributed by the Department of Social Services.
Photos by Howard Owens.
The Holland Land Office Museum hosted its annual Wonderland of Trees Gala on Friday evening, giving guest an opportunity to view all the trees decorated by local businesses and organizations, as well as participate in a basket raffle, and enjoy the holiday backing track provided by the DSP Jazz Trio.
Photos by Howard Owens.
High construction costs and high interest rates have temporarily shelved plans to expand the Hotel at Batavia Downs.
The Western Regional Off-Track Betting Board of Directors voted on Thursday to temporarily "pause" expansion plans on the recommendation of outgoing CEO/President Henry Wojtaszek.
Wojtaszek said the executive team sought construction estimates for the proposed expansion and the estimates -- not bids -- came in at $16 million and $16.5 million, which is about $4 million more than the original cost estimate.
"Because of the high cost of the estimate to build a hotel and the high cost of borrowing, we recommended to the board that they delay their decision and come back and review (the proposal) in six months to a year," Wojtaszek.
The Hotel at Batavia Downs is currently an 84-room luxury facility that opened in 2016. It was originally constructed and operated by ADK Hospitality, a Buffalo-based company. It costs ADK $5.4 million to build the hotel. The OTB purchased the hotel in 2021 for $8 million.
Officials were looking at an expansion that would essentially double the size of the hotel, with a new wing added to the north side of the current hotel.
Byron Brown, the new CEO and president, said pausing expansion given the current construction market makes sense.
"The construction companies that reviewed this felt that costs in the construction industry are extremely high right now and that interest rates are high right now, and we should delay seeing if construction costs come back down and if interest rates go down," Brown said. "And, you know, one example of this is if you even look at reporting on the Bills new stadium project, construction expenses have ballooned by over $560 million over original estimates."
Asked about the possibility of new import tariffs, as promised by the incoming White House administration, raising the cost of construction, thus making the project even more expensive to pursue, Brown said, "That's why we made the recommendation to delay moving forward with the hotel expansion, so that we would give the board the opportunity, with the management team to look at these things and to look at the costs, and if costs come back in line, then we would be able to move forward. And if costs don't come back in line, that would be something that the board would need to consider."
The board, Wojtaszek said, will likely look at a scaled-down expansion (fewer new rooms) at its December meeting to see if it could be financially feasible.
The board may also be asked to authorize construction BIDs to see if maybe they come in lower than the estimates, Brown said.
As he stepped into his new role as president and CEO, Bryon Brown noted that the hotel has helped contribute to revenue growth at Batavia Downs and he said he supported expansion.
"(The hotel) has led to this corporation becoming a lot more profitable," Brown told The Batavian in October. "So purchasing the hotel in the first place was a very good decision. From my perspective, just being able to evaluate this during the week that I've been here, I think expanding would be a good decision as well. But again, I don't want to try to speak for the board."
Brown said delaying expansions is a disappointment for all concerned.
"The management team and the board are all disappointed. I'm disappointed," Brown said. "You know, we did not anticipate the numbers being this high with the increase in construction costs and interest rates, but we have to make a sound business decision, and that's what we're doing by recommending that the hotel expansion be delayed at this time."
Penny Sallome has a message for Bob Darch from the Grandview Cemetery board of directors: You're appreciated.
Darch is past treasurer and the current VP, but also a tireless volunteer, Sallome said.
"He is a genuine giving guy," Sallome said. "He spends countless hours picking up garbage, fixing plants that fall over, trimming, picking up sticks -- you name it, he does it. His presence is seen almost daily by anyone who is in the cemetery."
Sallome said the board appreciates all that Darch does for the cemetery and how much he cares about the community's families who have loved ones interred there.
"He truly puts his whole heart and soul into taking care of them," Sallome said. "We could not do this without him."
Eric J. Merritt, 35, of Buffalo, is charged with felony DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation 1st, driving without an ignition interlock, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Merrit was charged following a motor vehicle accident reported on Oct. 29 on West Main Street, Batavia. He allegedly left the scene of the accident. Merritt reportedly has two prior DWI convictions in the past 10 years. He was arraigned in City Court and released.
Danny D. Williams, 36, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Williams is accused of violating an order of protection on Nov. 5 by being with the protected person. He was arraigned and jailed.
Kyle N. Kendall, 20, of Batavia, and Aiyana J. Luke, 25, of Batavia, are both charged with criminal mischief, 2nd, reckless endangerment of property, and City Code violation for unnecessary noise. Kendall and Luke are accused of causing damage to city-owned parking lot on Liberty Street on Oct. 19. They were arrested on Nov. 2 They were arraigned and released.
Alicia M. Lyons, 45, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st, menacing 2nd, nd harassment 2nd. Lyons is accused of fighting with another person on Oct. 27 in violation of an order protection. She was arraigned and released.
Alexander C. Colon-Colon, 30, of Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing. Colon-Colon is accused of fighting with another person on Oct. 31, placing his hands around that person's next, and as a result, the person was unable to breathe. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.
Jerry N. Stephens, 42, of Rochester, was arrested Oct. 30 on a warrant. He was issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket on May 13. The warrant was issued after he allegedly failed to appear in court. He was arraigned in City Court and released.
Perrion T. Swan, 34, of Rochester, was arrested on Oct. 31 on a warrant. The warrant was issued for Swan when he allegedly failed to appear in court after being issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket on Aug 20. He was arraigned and released.
Brandon M. Weig, 37, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Weig is accused of possessing crack cocaine on July 26. Weig was arrested on Nov. 5 and issued an appearance ticket.
Daquan J. Butler, 28, of Brooklyn, is charged with assault 1st, burglary 1st, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Butler is accused of illegally entering a residence on Liberty Street, Batavia, on Aug. 25, 2023, and stabbing an adult male inside the residence. A child was in the house at the time. Butler was located in New York City by U.S. Marshals and returned to Batavia. He was arranged in County Court and jailed.
Asa A. Wooton, 20, of Batavia, is charged with reckless endangerment 2nd, menacing 2nd, criminal possession of. weapon 4th, and criminal mischief 4th. Wooten is accused of threatening another person with a knife and damaging property on Oct. 28 during a fight on Mill Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Devonte T. Griner, 30, of Rochester, is charged with reckless endangerment 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, harassment 1st, and vehicle and traffic charges. Griner is accused of following another vehicle in the city of Batavia on Oct. 28 and using his vehicle to intentionally attempting to run the other vehicle off the road. Griner was located a short time later and taken into custody. He was arraigned and released.
Shquanebin Lone, 38, of Akron, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Lone is accused of unlawfully entering a dwelling on Bloomingdale Road, Basom, at 7:42 p.m. on Nov. 3. Lone allegedly committed crimes in the dwelling in the presence of a child. She was held pending arraignment.
Megan Marie Gray, 22, of Alabama, is charged with trespass. Gray was reportedly barred from Walmart and allegedly entered the store at 2:15 p.m. on Nov. 6. She was released pending arraignment.
Reinaldo Aponte, 60, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 4th, DWI, unlicensed operation, stopped on a highway, and failure to signal turn. Aponte was stopped by Deputy Jeremy McClellan at 1:59 a.m. on Nov. 3 on West Main Street Road, Batavia. Apointe was arraigned and released.
Thomas Duane Booth, 48, of Conlon Road, Le Roy, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Both allegedly violated an order of protection on Nov. 12 at a location in Le Roy. He was arraigned and was released.
Paul Donald Rich, 63, of Crane Road, Medina, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Rich was arrested by Deputy Alexander Hadsall after a vehicle was found on its side at 8:57 p.m. on Nov. 12 on Knowlesville Road, Alabama. Rich allegedly had a BAC of .17. He received treatment for possible injuries in the accident at ECMC. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
John Alano Dirosa, 44, of South Main Street, Elba, is charged with assault 3rd. Dirosa was charged following an investigation into a fight reported at 9 p.m. on Nov. 12 on Main Street in Elba.
Keith A. Lowery, 55, of Little Canda Road, Bethany, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, five or more suspensions, equipment violation, and dirty/covered plate. Lowery was stopped at 1:01 a.m. on Nov. 14 on Richmond Avenue, Batavia, by Deputy Stephen Smith. Lowery reportedly had four active warrants at the time of the stop.e was held pending arraignment.
Rhiannon Joy Graff, 44, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or higher, driving without insurance, aggravated unlicensed operation, and registration suspended. Graff was stopped at 12:54 a.m. on Nov. 15 on West Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Mason Schultz. Graff was prossed at the jail and released.
Lakara Denise Johnson, 34, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving while intoxicated with a child less than 16 in the vehicle, endangering the welfare of a child, and open container. Johnson and a male passenger were reportedly involved in a physical domestic fight in a car while driving back from Rochester at 9:52 p.m. on Nov. 10, with three children in the car. The vehicle was stopped on Seven Springs Road by Deputy Jeremy McClellan. Johnson was ticketed and released.
Michael Charles Riggi, 54, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Riggi is accused of stealing $40 cash from another person while at Walmart on 3:55 p.m. on Nov. 15. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Trevon L. Armstrong, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant on Oct. 16. Armstrong was initially arrested on a charge of criminal mischief 4th, for allegedly damaging a window on Nov. 16, 2023. The warrant was issued after he allegedly failed to reappear in court. Armstrong was arraigned in and held on bail.
Justin R. Nadrowski, 32, of Oakfield, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd. Nadrowski is accused of entering the Spirit Halloween store on Oct. 26 at 1:05 a.m. through an unlocked door. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Donald D. Ryan, 41, is charged with petit larceny. Ryan is accused of taking down payment to complete work at a residence on Clifton Avenue but never showing up start the job. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Cori L Cleland, 39, of Perry, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs. Cleland was allegedly found unresponsive in her vehicle on Oct. 21. She was issued an appearance ticket.\
Cody A. Bush, 38, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd. Bush allegedly injured another person during a fight on East Avenue on Oct. 18. He was arrested on Oct. 26 and issued an appearance ticket.
Brant G. Matthews, 30, of Le Roy, was arrested on Oct. 26 on three warrants. Matthews allegedly failed to appear in court on three separate criminal cases. He was arraigned and released.
Thomas J. Mitchell, 35, of Batavia, is charged with resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration. Mitchell is accused of running from police when they attempted to detain him on Oct. 20 in connection with a separate incident. He was issued an appearance ticket.
The two sides in Stafford v. Pontillo seem as far apart as ever after the attorney for James Pontillo, owner of the former Odd Fellows Hall at 6177 Main Road, issued a statement this week that is flatly contradicted by the attorney for the town of Stafford.
In a statement, Pontillo's attorney, Chris Hummel, said, "The town of Stafford brought a claim for 'abandonment' as well as a laundry list of claimed code violations back in May 2024. Now that the matter has been vetted and challenged by Mr. Pontillo and his legal team, the only thing that appears to be abandoned is the 'abandonment' claim itself. The town has sought to seize ownership and possibly demolish Mr. Pontillo's property for what now appears to be a few petty code violations, at worse. The property was never abandoned. It is a vacant commercial structure that is sealed and protected and often tended to. Mr. Pontillo has dutifully paid all of his real property taxes on the property."
David Roach, attorney for the town, responded, "Mr. Pontillo's press release is a hodgepodge of objectively verifiable lies and contextually misplaced statements. Anyone who can read the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and observe the condition of Mr. Pontillo's building, inside and out, will arrive at that conclusion."
Pontillo and the town have been at odds over the building, which Hummel, in his statement, acknowledges is historic, since Pontillo acquired it at auction from Terry Platt in 2010. While Pontillo has expressed big plans for the building, including opening a pizzeria, for which he's already installed ovens and other kitchen equipment, none of these plans have come to fruition.
He's never acquired a building permit, except for a new roof, to carry through renovation efforts and has been reportedly told, according to public documents acquired by The Batavian, that before he can get a building permit, he must submit stamped, engineered architectural plans. He has never submitted such plans.
Documents reveal that the town has reviewed the consequences of ownership of the building falling to the town and were advised by a former town attorney that either demolition or restoration would be exceptionally costly.
In his statement, Hummel makes other claims that Roach's statement quoted above indicates he believes are false.
Hummell states, "The town has hunted down Mr. Pontillo for eight years, and the preset situation involves perhaps a couple of broken windows, some peeling paint, and a canopy/awning repair."
On Friday, Roach told The Batavian the issues to be resolved are more serious than Hummel indicates.
"There is no resolution to this case yet," Roach said. "The Town is trying to work with Mr. Pontillo on his three-pronged proposal: (1) the building will remain vacant and unsafe for occupancy due to ongoing code violations; (2) Mr. Pontillo will replace deteriorated and thus unsafe structural members so as to reduce the risk of collapse; and (3) exterior work will be performed to protect the building from the elements and eliminate the conditions that currently render it a blight, all in accordance with sections under the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code."
The many who have served in the U.S. military throughout the nation's history were honored on Monday for Veterans Day, with multiple ceremonies being held at sites in Genesee County.
At 11 a.m., veterans gathered to honor veterans at the Soldiers, Sailors, & Marines Monument (the Upton Monument).
There were also ceremonies in Genesee County Park and Forest, the Batavia VA Medical Center, the NYS Veterans Home, and the memorial monument at Jerome Center. There was also a ceremony in Trigon Park in Le Roy.
Participating organizations were Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, and Vietnam Veterans of America.
Photos by Howard Owens.
It will take days for investigators to determine what may have started this morning's fire at a animal feed processing plant at 20 Howard St., Batavia, said City Fire Chief Josh Graham.
The call came in at 7:47 a.m. and Batavia patrol officers arrived on scene first and confirmed smoke and flames, which led to an immediate second alarm. When the first fire crew arrived he said, they realized the fire was going to require more resources so a third alarm was called.
It took hours to fight the fire, which as of 2 p.m. on Saturday, wasn't completely extinguished as firefighters worked to extinguish hot spots.
"We just started now the investigation," Graham said. "The investigators went in to look around and get an initial look at this. They're gonna work on that probably for the next four or five days to try to figure it all out. There's going to be a massive amount of information to look at."
Baskin Livestock owner Bill Baskin said he is baffled by the fire.
"This is the last place I expected something like this," Baskin said.
There have been a few fires over the years at Baskin's other facility on Creek Road, Batavia. They are generally explainable because of the large furnace used to dry food items—such as discarded baked goods—which are ground into feed for cattle.
The Howard Street facility processes dry dog food into feed for hogs and heat isn't used, Baskin said. Yesterday's work crew finished at 2 p.m. on Friday and when an employee stopped by the facility at 7 a.m. on Saturday, there was no sign of fire, Baskin said.
Baskin said the two facilities are segregated to ensure the dog food doesn't contaminate the cattle feed. Spreading mad cow disease would be damaging if that were to happen, Baskin said.
On Saturday afternoon, an excavator was brought in to move debris so firefighters could attack hot spots. Graham said piles of debris would be moved, the hotspot dealt with, and then debris moved to that spot to deal with the next hotspot until the job is complete. Even then, Graham expects calls for rekindles over the next few days.
The buildings at 20 Howard were originally constructed in 1946 and it was once a fertilizer plant. The three structures on the property were a combined 82,257 square feet.
Agencies responding to the fire: City Fire, Town of Batavia Fire, Stafford, Elba, Mercy EMS, Office of Emergency Management, Batavia PD, Salvation Army, National Grid, Sewer & Water, and National Fuel. Fill-in companies for departments that responded: Alexander, Bergen, Albion, and East Pembroke.
Photos by Howard Owens.
If you have photos or videos to submit, email howard@thebatavian.com or text 585-260-6970
UPDATE: Thank you for all the submissions. I won't be available the rest of the day to post any additional photos that come in.
Power has been cut in the immediate area of the Howard Street fire for the safety of fire personnel on scene.
National Grid reports that 516 people along the north and south sides of Ellicott Street are without power.
Sheriff Bill Sheron, who retires at the end of the year, was honored at Terry Hills on Thursday evening as a man who has not only served the residents of Genesee County for 47 years but has also been an innovator who has developed new programs to fight crime and assist and protect the young people of the community.
Sheron helped create the Local Drug Task Force in 1989. As sheriff, he created the department's School Resource Officer program, instituted the teen academy to introduce high school students to careers in law enforcement, and oversaw the construction of a new state-of-the-art jail in the town of Batavia.
Sheron started his career with the Sheriff's Office just before his 19th birthday in 1977 as a dispatcher before moving to road patrol. He transferred to deputy sheriff in the jail, then road patrol, then sergeant, then investigator, and then chief deputy of road patrol in 1993, undersheriff in 1996, and sheriff in 2017.
Legislator Shelley Stein recognized Sheron's willingness to shoulder the burden for public safety in Genesee County.
"It's our privilege to be here to celebrate the years of service Bill Sheron has carried on behalf of Genesee County," Stein said. "At first, he took up a badge, and then he took the mantle, and he has carried that for us. And it's not an easy weight."
City Council President Eugene Jankowski, a retired Batavia PD lieutenant, said he understands that burden, noting that there are nearly 60,000 residents in Genesee County.
"He's responsible for every one of those people who live there," Jankowski said. "It's a lot of work. It's a lot of worry. It's a lot of dedication, and he truly deserves his retirement, and I wish him all the best."
It was tailgate time in Park Place at Batavia Downs for Thursday Night Football, with wings and beer, along with other traditional tailgate fare.
The first-time event was a fundraiser for Home Care and Hospice.
Photos by Howard Owens.
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