Matthew R. Taylor, 41, of Batavia, is charged with assault 1st, robbery 1st, and menacing 3rd. Taylor is accused of engaging in violence with another person on East Main Street on Sept. 22. He is accused of demanding money and causing serious injury to the other person. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed.
Jeffrey A. Tyler, no age provided, of Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, criminal possession of stolen property, and multiple traffic offenses. Tyler was stopped at 12:17 p.m. on Sept. 6 by Officer T.J. Mummery of Le Roy PD. During an investigation, Mummery determined Tyler was a convicted felon and was allegedly in possession of an unregistered handgun, which was also loaded. Tyler was reportedly towing a trailer that contained a stolen ATV. Tyler was held pending arraignment.
Sugeiry Vazquez, 35, of Otis Street, Rochester, is charged with unlawful fleeing from a police officer in a motor vehicle 3rd, reckless endangerment 1st, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed drive, and speeding. Deputy Alexander Hadsall initiated a pursuit of a vehicle on Route 20 in Darien at 10:40 a.m. on Sept. 24 after learning that a vehicle had fled a T.J. Maxx in Erie County after the theft of clothing items. Hadsall attempted to stop the vehicle but the vehicle did not yield to emergency lights. The pursuit continued into the town of Byron, where it crashed into the front lawn of a residence. The occupants fled on foot and were later located in a cornfield by the Sheriff's Office K-9. The driver of the vehicle was arrested. Vazquez was arraigned and released under supervision.
Christina L. Riley, 36, of Batavia, is charged with attempted robbery 3rd, grand larceny 4th, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Riley is accused of fighting with another person on Sept. 21 at an unreleased location and of attempting to steal that person's child while several children were present. Raily was arraigned and released.
Jennifer A. Schellerer, 38, of Batavia, and Dennis J. Williamson, 42, of Rome, are charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Schellerer and Williamson were arrested on Sept. 20 after police received a report of two people passed out in a car at the Mobile gas station on East Main Street, Batavia. They were allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine. Williamson was also charged with criminal possession of stolen property 5th for allegedly possessing a stolen license plate. They were issued appearance tickets.
Michael J. Holler, 38, of Rochester, was arrested on a warrant on Sept. 22. Holler was initially arrested on a charge of petit larceny on Sept. 18. He allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. He was arraigned and released.
Gracien R. Ibambasi, 30, of Batavia, is charged with menacing 3rd and endangering the welfare of a child. Ibambasi is accused of threatening another person in the presence of two children. He was arrested on Sept. 22, arraigned in City Court and released.
Phillip P. Heale, 41, of Batavia, and Jessica D. Delcour, 41, of Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Heale and Delcour are accused of shoplifting at Aldi in Batavia on Sept. 14. Based on an investigation, they were charged with a second count of petit larceny. They are accused of shoplifting on Aug. 8 at the same store. They were issued an appearance ticket.
Patrick O. Spikes, 43, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Spikes is accused of hitting another person during an argument on Central Avenue on Sept. 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Jennifer L. Stack, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. She was arrested on an arrest warrant on Sept. 13. She was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine during a traffic stop on Jan. 18. She was arraigned and released.
Cylie Rose Gebo, 27, of Macedon Center Road, Palmyra, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Gebo was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine and a pipe by Deputy Robert Henning at 8:25 a.m. on Sept. 26 on West Bergen Road, Bergen. She was issued an appearance ticket.
David Allen Leach, 30, of Main Road, Pembroke, is charged with assault 3rd. Leach is accused of attacking two people during an argument at 10:19 p.m. on Sept. 25, at a location on Main Road, Pembroke. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and held pending arraignment.
Joseph Allen Hogan, 56, of Prairie Trail, West Henrietta, is charged with petit larceny. Hogan was arrested on Sept. 25, accused of stealing $494 from another person at Batavia Downs at 1:04 a.m. on Sept. 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Zachary James Pernick, 26, of Paradise Lane, Tonawanda, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Pernick is accused of damaging a wall inside Batavia Downs at 2:31 a.m. on Sept. 28. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Shaunda Lee Hill, 35, of South Street Road, Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Hill is accused of shoplifting at Walmart at 4:41 on Sept. 27. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Devin Ralph Zortman, 25, of Highland Avenue, McKees Rocks, Pa., is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or more, failure to signal, and drinking alcohol or consuming cannabis in a motor vehicle. Zortman was stopped at 12:29 on Sept. 29 on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, by Deputy Mason Schultz. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Christopher James Johnston, 48, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. The details of the alleged incident where not released other than it was reported 12:54 p.m. on Oct. 1. Johnston was held pending arraignment.
In a press conference in Buffalo at 5 p.m., Mayor Byron Brown confirmed that he is stepping down as mayor in order to become the president and CEO of Western Regional Off-Track Betting.
The announcement comes less than a week after the OTB board unanimously approved a contract offer for Brown that will pay him an annual salary of $295,000.
Brown will replace Henry Wojtaszek, who has overseen record revenue growth and profits for the 17 municipalities that own the OTB in recent years. His final day with the OTB is Dec. 31.
Brown said he will retire in the coming weeks without a specific date. His start date at Batavia Downs has not been announced. Board President Dennis Bassett said on Thursday that he expects Brown to start before the end of the year so he can learn about his new role from Wojtaszek.
Bassett praised Brown as the most qualified candidate from a pool of applicants from throughout the United States and from overseas.
"We think that we have done a thorough job to get where we are today," Bassett said on Thursday. "The success we had and what we need for tomorrow to continue our success. And I cannot say it enough that we are extremely fortunate to get an individual like Mayor Byron Brown to lead this organization after the job Henry Wojtaszek has done. I think we've just been extremely fortunate. And we look to continue to grow. We look to continue to venture into things that we have not ventured into before."
The 65-year-old Brown became Buffalo's mayor in 2006. He served in the state Senate from 2001 to 2005. He was a member of the Buffalo Common Council from 1996 to 2001. He has a dual bachelor of arts degree in political science and journalism from Buffalo State College. He worked in sales for a year at Bristol-Myers before starting a legislative staff career.
Wojtaszek's most recent annual salary is $299,000.
One of the primary expectations for Brown as he steps into the new leadership role is to open doors in Albany so that Batavia Downs can grow its business. Bassett has expressed interest in sports betting, online betting, and table games, all potential revenue sources that the state has denied Batavia Downs so far.
"Brown expressed to us that he's taken over a position now that he's managing a corporate entity, and he's looking to make sure that we run this organization in a corporate way and not in a political way," Bassett said.
At Monday's press conference, Brown did not discuss any aspects of his new job or what he hopes to accomplish. He expressed his pride in Buffalo, the job that leadership has done together, especially during recent tough events, and expressed optimism about the city's future.
"After last Friday's game, the message to our team this week has been about getting back to basics and re-setting our program standard," Coach Tyler Winters said. "We felt the boys had a phenomenal week of practice answering that challenge, so it was nice to see them come out tonight and finish a week of execution like we know they are capable of. We will enjoy the win and look to grow from it as we prepare for the next challenge that our Class D schedule presents us with."
Also on Friday:
Batavia beat Arcadia 34-0. Bronx Bucholz was 11-14 passing for 159 yards and one TD. He rushed for 119 yards on 14 attempts and scored twice on the ground. Zailen Griffen gained 88 yards rushing on 10 carries. He scored two TDs. Nolan Ball scored at TD, gaining 20 yards on three attempts. Lakoda Mruczek had five tackles and two interceptions. Brock Bigsby had 7.5 tackles.
Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry beat Le Roy/Cal-Mum 25-21. Jack Egeling gained 65 yards on 14 carries and had a kickoff return of 80 yards for a TD. Brady McClurg was 5-11 passing for 56 yards. Xavier Bown had seven tackles and an interception.
The Alexander Trojans faced a team that has proven a juggernaut so far in 2024 and Friday night's game at GCC proved to be another large-margin win for the Avon Braves.
The Braves beat the Trojans 41-14.
Alexander scored in the second quarter when Brody Hackman carried the ball in from one yard out. The PAT kick was blocked.
In the fourth quarter, Kingston Woods scored on a 14-yard run. The Trojans converted on a two-point run.
Ryder Reichert carried the ball 10 times for 82 yards. Woods finished with 54 yards rushing.
On defense, Dylan Pohl led the Trojans with 2.5 QB sacks, two tackles for loss and three tackles overall. ree Safety Duke Snyder had eight tackles for the Trojans.
The Trojans fall to 3-1, and Avon moves to 4-0 on the season
Parris and Holly, a Batavia-based folk/pop duo, headlined the second of a four-night residency at GO ART! on Thursday, with featured artist Alex Feig opening.
The residency continues on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. with Billy Lambert as the featured guest artist and on Oct. 24 with Chris Humel.
Legislator John Deleo, Diana Fox (current director), Ruth Spink (former director), Jill Yasses, and Legislator Gregg Torrey. Photo by Howard Owens.
Dining and dancing highlighted Thursday evening's celebration of the Genesee County Office for the Aging at Batavia Downs.
The agency was celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Founded on June 1, 1974, the agency's mission is to promote the independence of seniors and improve their quality of life by offering services and providing information, support, and advocacy for those 60 and older.
Currently, the office employs 33 people and receives support from numerous volunteers.
The primary funding for the agency is a federal program authorized by the Older Americans Act.
The Western Regional OTB Board of Directors on Thursday morning, by unanimous vote, approved a contract offer to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown to become the next CEO and president of the OTB.
Brown will receive a salary of $295,000 in the first year, with the possibility of incentive bonuses. The contract will have an annual renewal clause, said Board President Dennis Bassett.
Bassett declined to release copies of the 18-page contract to the press until Brown signs it.
Brown is expected to announce his future plans next week, a spokesman for the mayor's office said.
"We have a unique situation here at Batavia Downs where we have harness racings, we have a casino, we have gaming, we have a number of different avenues in which we endeavor to make sure that we do well," Bassett said when asked to defend the size of the salary. "I'm not so sure that other areas that are in this business have as diverse and as complex an operation as we do here in Batavia Downs, so we think that for what we are asking our new president and CEO to do, that he is being paid comparable."
Henry Wojtaszek, the outgoing CEO and president, makes $264,898.
The 65-year-old Brown became Buffalo's mayor in 2006. He served in the state Senate from 2001 to 2005. He was a member of the Buffalo Common Council from 1996 to 2001. He has a dual bachelor of arts degree in political science and journalism from Buffalo State College. He worked in sales for a year at Bristol-Myers before starting a legislative staff career.
After Thursday's meeting, Bassett reiterated previous statements that Brown was hired primarily because of his extensive legislative background and productive relationship with key powerbrokers in Albany.
"We hope that Mayor Brown's influence and his knowledge of the individuals who work in that environment will help us open doors that we haven't been able to open before," Bassett said.
The OTB is interested into expanding operations into other ventures, such as sports betting and online betting. Bassett has expressed concern that Wojtaszek, a Republican disliked, it seems, by at least some key Democrats, wouldn't be effective in lobbying on behalf of the OTB on those issues.
"The thing that is important for all thriving institutions is change," Bassett said. "Change is good, and change is inevitable, and the most important thing around change is how you manage to change, how you deal with the change. We think that we have done a thorough job to get where we are today, the success we had and what we need for tomorrow to continue our success. And I cannot say it enough that we are extremely fortunate to get an individual like Mayor Byron Brown to lead this organization after the job Henry Wojtaszek has done. I think we've just been extremely fortunate. And we look to continue to grow. We look to continue to venture into things that we have not ventured into before."
Batavia Downs is on pace for its third consecutive year of record revenue and record payouts to the 17 municipalities that are OTB's owners.
As for potential bonuses for Brown, Bassett indicated that the pending contract does not include specific language. The board will develop incentive criteria and the nature of the incentives.
Before Brown can sign the contract, the state's gaming commission must issue him a license to run a gaming operation. Wojtaszek's last day with the organization will be Dec. 31. Bassett said he expects Brown to be able to start his new job before then and enter into a period of training by Wojtaszek.
When the board agreed over the summer to buy out Wojtaszek's contract, they also voted to buy out the contracts of CFO Jackie Leach and VP of Operations William White.
Bassett said Brown, who has spent nearly all of his professional career as a public servant, is ready to step in and run Batavia Downs like a business. To that end, he expects whoever Brown hires to fill those vacancies to be based on business qualifications and not political affiliation.
"Brown expressed to us that he's taken over a position now that he's managing a corporate entity, and he's looking to make sure that we run this organization in a corporate way and not in a political way," Bassett said. "And that's a big 'a-ha,' because I've been on this board 14 years, and I can honestly say, as much as you (the press) may not believe me, the decisions that we've made in this room have never been political," Bassett said.
Bassett noted that for the majority of his tenure on the board, he's been a member of the minority party and only after voting rules were changed did he join the majority (weighted vote based on population). Bassett is a Democrat. Until the change in weighted voting, the large majority of the board were the Republican-run municipalities.
"I have never felt slighted. I have never felt disadvantaged. You know why? Because on this board, we make business decisions," Bassett said. "We make business decisions for 17 municipalities because they're interested in whether we are going to write them checks at the end of each month, and we continue to write them record-breaking checks each and every month, and that's what I'm most proud of."
If you love Broadway, Batavia Players has just the show for you this weekend.
"Just One More Time & Something New" is a celebration of 100 years of the best musicals to grace the stages of 42nd Street in the heart of Manhattan, better known as Broadway.
The choral review covers the music of Tin Pan Alley to state-of-the-art contemporary Broadway.
You will certainly hear some familiar classics as well as a few tunes that might surprise you.
There are shows at Main Street 56 Theater on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $24 at the door or $22 for seniors and students. There is a discount to buy in advance online.
Michael J. Stack, 47, of Batavia, is charged with attempted robbery 3rd, attempted criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, 2nd, menacing, 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Stack is accused of striking another person and threatening that person with a box cutter. When police attempted to arrest him on Sept. 3, Stack allegedly fought with officers and attempted to take an officer's gun from the officer's holster. Stack was arraigned in City Court and held without bail.
Anthony Earl Parks, 19, of West 150th Street, New York City, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 3rd and criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds. Parks, a Genesee Community College student, is accused of possessing an unregistered loaded pistol with a high-capacity magazine while at College Village at 11:50 p.m. on Sept. 22. Campus security was made aware that Parks may possess a weapon through a social media post. There is no information uncovered by investigators alleging any threats by Parks related to the handgun. Parks was arraigned and jailed on $25,000 bail or $5,000 bond. The incident was investigated by Deputy Rachael Diehl and Investigator Erik Andre. They were assisted by campus security.
Patrick O. Spikes, 43, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession fo a weapon 3rd and menacing 2nd. Spikes is accused of threatening another person with a knife during a fight on Sept. 17 at an undisclosed location. Spikes was arraigned in City Court and held without bail.
Nicholas Kingdollar
Nicholas C. Kingdollar, 28, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal contempt 2nd, and aggravated family offense. Kingdollar was allegedly found on Sept. 6 inside a residence at an undisclosed location in violation of a stay-away order of protection. He was arraigned in City Court and was ordered held on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.
Penny S. Hofert, 58, of Batavia, is charged with criminal of a controlled substance 3rdf and criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Hofert was arrested on Aug. 22 following an investigation into an alleged drug sale on Aug. 5. Batavia PD reports that members of the Neighborhood Enforcement Team witnessed a suspect conduct a drug sale on Bank Street. Hofert was arraigned and released.
Adam J. Arsenault, 38 of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 4th. Arsenault is accused of possessing a muzzleloader. He was arrested on Aug. 27. Police state that Arsenault is a convicted felon and is not permitted to possess any guns. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Kyle J. Leenhouts, 36, of Rochester, is charged with DWI. On Aug. 24, Batavia patrol officers were dispatched to McDonald's on East Main Street where a person was reportedly causing a disturbance in the drive-thru. Leenhouts was arrested following an investigation. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Keith M. Lewandowski, 33, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. He was arrested on Aug. 26 on a warrant based on an incident on Dec. 3. Officers stopped Lewandowski on his bicycle for an alleged traffic violation. He was allegedly found in possession of narcotics. He was arraigned and released.
Mason D. Dumbleton, 33, of Alexander, is charged with DWI. Dumbleton was stopped on Aug. 23 on Ellicott Street, Batavia, by a Batavia patrol officer. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Lindsay Q. Brooks, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Brooks is accused of damaging the door of a residence on Ellicott Place, Batavia, during a fight. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Trevor N. Christman, 34, of Batavia, is charged with exposure of a person. Christman is accused of exposing himself and uritnating on a building on Ellicott Street, Batavia, on Aug. 15. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Dominic D. Czerniak, 25, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Czerniak was arrested on Aug. 12. He allegedly kicked another person in a fight on West Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Suzanne C. Stein, 62, of Byron, was arrested on Aug. 24 on a warrant. Stein was initially issued a traffic ticket for a misdemeanor traffic violation. The warrant was issued after she allegedly failed to appear in court. Stein was arraigned and released.
Michael C. Smith, 32, of Batavia, was arrested on four warrants on Aug. 19. The warrants are related to several different incidents where Smith was charged with petit larceny and trespass. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail.
Alicia M. Lyons, 44, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Lyons is accused of striking another person during a fight on Mill Street, Batavia, on Sept. 2. She was arrested again on Sept. 4 and charged with two counts of harassment 2nd. She is accused of striking another person at two separate times. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
Joseph M. Call, 24, of Batavia, turned himself in on a warrant on Aug. 28. Call was issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket, on June 10. A warrant was issued, after he allegedly failed to appear in court. Call was arraigned and released.
Brandon A. Honore, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on Aug. 29 on a warrant. Honore allegedly failed to appear in court on a misdemeanor traffic ticket. He was arraigned in City Court and released.
Bill A. Thomas, 64, of Batavia, is charged with open alcohol container in public. Thomas was allegedly found in possession on Aug. 31 of an open container of alcohol in Austin Park. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Jeremy C. Goodell, 50, of Batavia, is charged with open alcohol container in public. Goodall is accused of possessing an open container in Austin Park on Aug. 31. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Jamie A. Dutton, 32, of Batavia, was arrested on Aug. 30 on a warrant and other charges. The warrant charges Dutton with petit larceny. He is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on June 20. He was additionally charged with criminal impersonation 2nd, for allegedly lying about his name in order to avoid arrest, as well as resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental Administration 2nd, for allegedly running from police who were attempting to arrest him. He was arraigned in City Court and turned over to the Genesee County Jail, on a Parole warrant.
Francis A. Coombs, 57, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Coombs is accused of kicking a hole in a wall at a residence on State Street on Aug. 25. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Deandre C. Lee, 30, of Rochester, and Myrin D. Lumpkin, 46, of Batavia, are both charged with disorderly conduct. Lee and Lumpkin are accused of fighting with each other on Aug. 25 in the street at the intersection of Main Street and Jefferson Avenue. Lee was also charged with criminal contempt 2nd. He is accused of violating an order of protection in relation to an occupant of a vehicle Lee and Lumpkin had been in. Lee was arraigned in City Court. Lumpkin was issued an appearance ticket.
Lyndsay T. Young, 41, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Young is accused of living in the woods of private property on South Jackson Street, Batavia. She was arrested on Aug. 26. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Jennifer N. Wilson, 37, of Olean, was arrested on a warrant on Aug. 27. Wilson was initially arrested on Feb 26 on charges of criminal trespass 2nd, obstructing governmental administration 2nd and resisting arrest. Wilson allegedly failed to appear in court on the charges. Wilson was arraigned in City Court and released.
Lamar I. Randall, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on Aug. 8 on a warrant. Randall allegedly failed to appear on a traffic ticket. He was arraigned and released.
Thomas J. Preedom, 36, of Clarence, is charged with failure to register. Preedom is reportedly a registered sex offender and allegedly failed to report a change of address within 10 days. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Raymond L. Keffer, Jr., 47, of Brockport, is charged with failure to register. Keffer is reportedly a registered sex offender and allegedly failed to report a change of address within 10 days. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.
Mark W. McWethy, 56, of Batavia, was arrested on Sept. 11 on a warrant. McWethy was initially charged on Aug. 6 with criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. He allegedly failed to appear in court to answer to the charges. He was arraigned and released.
Anthony R. Dunmore, 44, of Rochester, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing. Dunmore is accused of placing his hands around another person's neck during a fight on State Street on Sept. 7., 2023. The suspect fled the scene. Dunmore was arrested on a warrant on Sept. 6. He was arraigned and released.
Michael A. Sweet, 38, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Sweet is accused of grabbing another person and dragging that person during a fight on Raymond Avenue on Sept. 16. He was also arrested on a warrant charging harassment 2nd in connection with an incident involving the same victim. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held in the Genesee County Jail.
Jerry Smith, Jr., 49, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Smith is accused of shoving another person during a dispute on South Swan Street. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Kristen L. Kocent, 36, of Batavia, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs. Kocent was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on Oct. 13. She was arrested on Sept. 16, accused of driving while under the influence of narcotics. She was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.
Rachel A. Baer, 37, of Le Roy, was arrested on Sept. 17 on a warrant. Baer was initially arrested in May on a charge of petit larceny. She allegedly failed to appear in court. She was arraigned and released.
Timothy J. Niccloy, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on Sept. 15 on a warrant. Niccloy was issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket on June 4. He allegedly failed to appear in court. Niccloy was arraigned and released.
Daniel P. Frey, 42, of Batavia, is charged with theft of service. Fey is accused of not paying for his meal at Tully's. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Joseph Anthony Saccomanno, 67, Highland Drive, Williamsville, is charged with harassment 2nd. Saccomanno is accused of hitting another person inside of the concert venue at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center at 8:11 p.m. on Sept. 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Tiaan Geldenhuys, 26, of Watson Road, Elba, is charged with assault 3rd. Geldenhuys is accused of attacking a co-worker at a location on Transit Road in Byron at 2:45 p.m. on Sept. 17, causing physical injury.
Casey Thomas Vaughn, 35, of Prestige Xing, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Vaughn is accused of violating an order of protection at 10:09 p.m. on Sept. 19. He was held pending arraignment.
Nathaniel Austin Moultrup, 24, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving left of pavement, moving from lane unsafely, drinking alcohol or using cannabis in a motor vehicle. Moultrup was stopped at 1:55 a.m. on Sept. 21 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler.
Maura Carina Diaz-Garcia, 41, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, is charged with assault 2nd. Diaz-Garcia is accused of hitting another person multiple times and hit the person in the head with a coat hangar. The victim sustained multiple physical injuries, including bruising along the the left side of his or her body and a cut on the forehead. Diaz-Garcia was held pending arraignment.
Dean Michael Boldt, 57, of Wende Road. Alden, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 of alcohol and motor vehicle lights not meeting standards. Boldt was stopped at 1:28 a.m. on Sept. 22 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler.
Through all the strife and turmoil of his life, Joseph (Genesis, chapters 37-50) didn't lose faith.
He was hated by his brothers, sold into bondage in Egypt by his brothers, and wrongly imprisoned.
His faithfulness and ultimate role in saving countless lives, including those of his entire family and their descendants, which would have included Jesus Christ, is one of the themes of a conference on Oct. 12 at EverPresent Church in Batavia called "Armor Up, Hold the Line."
The speakers are Pastor Matt Sassano of Fresh Start Church in Hornell and Phil Cappuccio, a former pastor and now an itinerate Christian teacher.
Pastor Jason Norton, EverPresent, said the conference is about Christians standing their ground and holding the line in difficult times.
"We want to encourage people to stay strong," Norton said. "There's just a lot of craziness going on in the world, and sometimes, in times like these, people with faith and conviction just need to show forth their faith by holding true to it rather than faltering and being weary or discouraged or fearful."
Pastor Matt Sassano
Sassano is taking his theme from the story of Joseph.
Joseph was hated by his brothers first because he was favored by his father, but he also had a dream of his own future greatness, which he immodestly told his brothers, and his brothers hated him even more.
After his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, Joseph went through many trials, but his ability to interpret dreams eventually impressed the pharaoh. Because he correctly predicted a seven-year famine and provided the strategy for Egypt to survive it, the pharaoh gave Joseph a high office in charge of famine relief.
The long famine engulfed the entire Middle East. Without Joseph and his plan, much of the area's population would have been wiped out.
In his lofty and powerful role, Joseph eventually saved his entire family, including the brothers who had betrayed him.
The story of Joseph illustrates, Sassano told The Batavian, that God always has a plan. It may not be apparent to you at the time. It may take years before the plan is revealed -- if it ever is -- but God is always in control. There are no coincidences.
"No matter how difficult things get, particularly as Christians -- this is how I operate, and in the realm I'm in -- no matter how difficult or bleak things look, there's always hope, there's always a future. There's always something that God has in store."
It's easy to get discouraged, Sassano suggested, because what God does, he doesn't necessarily do in our timeframe.
"God doesn't see time like we do. We live by it, and he doesn't live in it, Sassano said. "There's a Bible verse that says 1,000 years is like a day, and a day is like 1,000 years to God (2 Peter 3:8). We understand it to mean God doesn't live in time. You're waiting five years or something, and it's a blip on the screen, you know? So, (my talk is) about not giving up on your dreams because Joseph did not give up; he eventually saw his dreams come to pass."
Phil Cappuccio
The theme of Cappuccio's talk is putting on the armor of Christ to deal with spiritual conflict. He's calling his talk, "Welcome to the War."
The first key passage of scripture, he said, is 2 Timothy 2:3-4: "Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs but rather tries to please his commanding officer."
"I'm going to identify the reality of the Christian life in the New Testament, just identifying how there is a war," Cappuccio said. "I'm going to deal with three aspects of conflict. I will deal with the spiritual war, and that's identified in Ephesians 6:10-13. I'm going to identify personal war that we can face as believers. 1 Peter 2:11 talks about the fleshy lusts that war against the soul. And I'm going to address the cultural war we presently find ourselves, which I call it, the war against truth. Just to give a scriptural reference, Isaiah 59:14-16. It talks about judgment or judication being turned away, backward, meaning that it's reversed. Justice is far off because truth is falling in the street, and as a result, equity cannot enter in when there's not an absolute truth, the truth that God has set for all humanity."
Cappuccio said he wants those who attend the conference to better identify the times we're living in and to recognize that conflict is a normal part of Christian life.
"I want them to be equipped," Cappuccio said, "to be equipped personally against spiritual warfare and to be victorious in the time we're living in."
Everpresent Church is located at 4 Batavia City Centre, Batavia. The Conference is on Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pastor Jason Norton said the event is designed to feed adults. The cost is $21.50 or two people can attend together for $33.
The most famous, perhaps, is Mozart’s, which was left unfinished (though finished by other composers) at the time of his own death.
Typically, composers write eight or nine movements corresponding to the Catholic Mass for the Dead. A vocalist or chorus sings the mass in Latin.
Typically.
Thirty-five years ago, Laurence Tallman, a Genesee County resident, had a different idea. He became intrigued with the idea of composing a requiem that was purely orchestral—no singing, just the music, with the lyrics implied by the melody.
On September 28, Tallman's “Unsung Requiem” will have its world premiere at Genesee Community College, where the Genesee Symphony Orchestra will perform it.
"The piece was inspired by an experiencing Maurice Durufle’s Requiem with the Crane Chorus and Orchestra in Potsdam way back in 1989," Tallman said to The Batavian. "Even then, as a composition student, I thought it would be amazing to write a requiem using the form that would be just instruments. It's been mulling around in my head forever. Then, 200-some compositions later, and finally, the time and the inspiration were there, and so I constructed this piece, so based on an actual Requiem form, the nine movements that are typical in it, but there's no singing."
This isn't the first time GSO has performed a piece by Tallman, but this is a piece that Musical Director Shade Zajac encouraged Tallman to complete so the orchestra could perform it.
"The things he's done of mine have been very playful, very funny," Tallman said. "I get hired a lot for humor pieces and pieces that have a lot of moving parts to it. I told him about this, and I said, 'This has always been on the back burner, and I've got bits and pieces of it done.' I started showing him some sketches, and he's like, 'I love this. I love this idea. I think you should invest in this, and we'll get the group to do it.'"
Tallman, who lives in Byron with his husband, is a retired music teacher. He taught at Byron-Bergen Central Schools. He is the music director for the First Presbyterian Church of Byron and plays contrabassoon and piano in the GSO. He received his B.M. and M.M. in Music Education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. He also has a certificate of compositional study from the Birmingham Conservatory of Music in Birmingham, England.
He said his requiem reflects the text and moods of the Mass for the Dead.
"Some of them are very somber and pensive. Some of them are playful and joyful," Tallman said. "The lux aeterna is like the light that you know we're searching for. And then the in paradisum ends with this lovely kind of ascension into the Netherworld."
He said the last movement is composed through the lens of his own passing and he had some fun with it.
"(It is) what would it be like if I was in that state of transition and then, ideally, the ascension," Tallman said. "So that piece has a lot of musical allusions to some of my favorite works of music, and it just becomes this collage of sound. The agnus dei has this little repeated pattern that is a variation of a pop tune that is very obscure, and everything builds around that pattern. It's dedicated to a pop star I loved in the 1980s (Alison Moyet), who got me through a lot."
The concert is at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Stuart Steiner Theater at GCC. Tickets are $17 for adults, seniors $12, and students (with ID) may attend for free.
Additional works on the program:
Canzona per Sonare No. 2, Gabrieli
Crisantemi for String Orchestra, Puccini
Ritual Music, David Skidmore
A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Britten (which Tallman will narrate).
With record-holder Mike Richenberg on his trail, Oakfield's Brandon Rebert became the second man in the history of Arc of Genesee Orleans Friends and Family 5K in Elba to win six consecutive races.
He tied the record set by Richenberg in 2014.
Rebert posted a time of 19:19. Richenberg, of Corfu, came in second with a time of 19:42.
Neither man has won as many races as Oakfield's Kimberly Mills, who at 20:34, picked up at least her eighth title on Saturday in the Arc 5K, with her first coming in 2009. The online and The Batavian's records are incomplete, so we don't know if she might have more than eight wins. We can't account for two years of races. She said she doesn't keep count.
Rebert started his record-tying streak in 2018. There was no race in 2020 because of the pandemic.
In 2021, he recorded the race's fast time at 18:09.
For The Batavian's prior coverage of the annual race, click here.
New York's rules on discovery, or evidence that must be shared with opposing attorneys in criminal cases, are still a work in progress, County Court Judge Donald O'Geen suggested on Friday during hearings in the cases of Michael J. Elmore and Lyndsey J. Wilcox.
Both are charged with felonies related to an incident at Batavia Downs on March 9 and March 10 that led to the death of Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello, a 32-year veteran of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.
Friday's hearing is a standard procedural opportunity to assure the attorneys -- particularly the District Attorney's Office to the defense -- that all documents and other evidence has been disclosed.
It turns out that the Genesee County Jail and the Sheriff's Office did not share some documents, and DA Kevin Finnell was required to file a "supplemental certificate of compliance."
Finnell told O'Geen that his office performed its due diligence in educating local law enforcement on discovery rules, requested all documents from the agencies involved in the case, and a paralegal review of the documents provided did not suggest any missing documents.
Once his office realized some documents had been omitted, he conferred with the Sheriff's Office and Batavia PD and emphasized that "all documents mean all documents."
What was left out were, he said, documents that the jail considered purely administrative and reports from the Sheriff's Office that he said were redundant of documents already disclosed.
Wilcox's attorney, Daniel Dubois, disagreed with that characterization. He said four of the five PDFs he received contained factual information directly relevant to the charges.
"If there was some sort of miscommunication or lack of communication between the District Attorney's Office and the Sheriff's on documents, that isn't our concern," Dubois said.
O'Geen agreed that the situation was disturbing, but he blamed the new law for most of the confusion. There are unresolved issues about what must be disclosed. He said it did seem like the DA's office did its due diligence.
"It is disturbing if local law enforcement can't figure out that 'everything means everything,'" O'Geen said.
In the following hearing, Elmore's attorney shared the same concerns about the document disclosure. He acknowledged that the rules are so new that no upper court rulings have yet defined what exactly constitutes compliance.
O'Geen said both attorneys are welcome to file motions challenging the discovery and gave them until Oct. 1 to file motion papers. He gave Finnell until Oct. 8 to file any answer. If a hearing is necessary, it will be on Oct. 16, the plea cutoff date.
Elmore is charged with multiple criminal counts for his alleged attack on Sanfratello, including aggravated manslaughter in the first degree, and Wilcox also faces several charges, including burglary and assault.
On March 9, both were asked to leave Batavia Downs and while being escorted out, according to reports, a struggle ensured, which escalated to the point where Elmore allegedly left the building and then came back in with heavy chains -- jewelry -- in his hands. He is accused of fighting with Sanfratello, striking him with the chains. It appears that Sanfratello had a medical issue and died on the scene on March 10.
Amanda T. Sterzick, 52, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 2nd, a Class A-II felony, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, conspiracy 2nd, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th, two counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia 2nd; Michael C. Mirabal, 51, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 2nd, a Class A-II felony, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, conspiracy 2nd, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th, two count of criminally using drug paraphernalia 2nd;
Michael Mirabal
Paul Crawford
Paul Crawford, 55, of Batavia is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 2nd, a Class A-II felony, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, and conspiracy 2nd. On Aug. 30, the Local Drug Task Force and Batavia PD executed two search warrants on residences on Central Avenue and East Main Street, Batavia. The warrants were the result of a "lengthy narcotics investigation" that was assisted by the United States Postal Service Investigation Service into the trafficking and distribution of methamphetamine, prescription drugs, drug paraphernalia, and U.S. currency. The suspects were charged on Sept. 11. By statute, based on the A-II felony charges, the defendants were ordered held at arraignment in the Genesee County Jail pending further court appearances. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges are pending.
Charles Philips Stevens, 36, and Shelby Lynn Fryer, 29, both of 11 South Main Street, Batavia, are charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. Carl E. Canterbury, 54, and Christine M. Caplis, 44, both 61 South Main Street, Batavia, and Crystal A. Dale, 48, of Linwood Avenue, Albion, are charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. The arrests resulted from a narcotics investigation by the Local Drug Task Force that resulted in the Batavia Emergency Response Team executing search warrants at 11 South Main St. and 61 South Main St. in Batavia on Sept. 9. All suspects were issued appearance tickets.
Kahlan Irene VanSchaffel, 22, of undisclosed street, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. VanSchaffel was allegedly found in possession of cocaine in a quantity sufficient to constitute possession with intent to sell at 6:28 on Sept. 15, on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, by Deputy Soren Calderon. VanSchaffel was held pending arraignment.
Jakob John Howland, 22, of Stroh Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Howland was allegedly involved in a motor vehicle accident on Aug. 18 at 11:18 on Stroh Road, Alexander, that was investigated by Deputy Matthew Wesolowski. Howland was released on an appearance ticket.
Susan Marie Lynch, 69, of North Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny. Lynch is accused of shoplifting at Walmart at 4:49 p.m. on Sept. 9. Lynch was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Jacob Duane Pieri, 18, East Pleasant Avenue, Eden, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Pieri was stopped at 11:21 on Sept. 7 on Alleghany Road, Darien, by Deputy Soren Calderon. Pieri was issued an appearance ticket.
Brendan Michael Bruce, 26, of Pamela Drive, Depew, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding, and driving a vehicle without an inspection certificate. Bruce was stopped at 12:24 a.m. on Sept. 8 on Broadway Road, Darien, by Deputy Stephen Smith. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Ashton Lee Mohney, 34, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Mohney is accused of shoplifting at Walmart at 10:19 a.m. on Sept. 6. Mohney was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Molly Elizabeth Hebdon, 35, of unreleased street, Bethany, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Hebdon is accused of leaving her 11-year-old daughter alone at a residence on Putnam Road, Bethany, at 10:33 p.m. on Sept. 8. Hebdon was issued an appearance ticket.
Wayne Daniel Potter, 41, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with failing to register a change of address within 10 days as a sex offender. Potter was arrested at the Genesee County Jail on Sept. 9. He was held pending arraignment.
Clarence Arthur Johnson, II, of Griswold Road, Bergen, is charged with failure to appear and be photographed by law enforcement as a sex offender. Johnson was arrested on Sept 8. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Mario Richard Handley, 19, of Jackson Avenue, North Tonawanda, is charged with disorderly conduct. Handley is accused of harassing patrons at a location on Alleghany Road at 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 7. He was allegedly engaging in fighting stances and striking passing vehicles. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Jose Ranulfo Yamba-Paucar, 30, of Hinkleyville Road, Spencerport, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Yamba-Paucar was stopped at 6:19 p.m. on Sept. 14 on Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, following traffic complaints. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Terry Michael Roth, 49, of Horseshoe Lake Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Roth was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance during a probation home search of his residence. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Jared Ryan Burns, 38, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Burns is accused of intentionally damaging the screen door of a residence on West Main Street Road, Batavia, at 9:43 p.m. on Sept. 12. He was held for arraignment.
Samantha Grace Reed, of Central Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Reed is accused of shoplifting at Walmart at 6:47 on Sept. 13. She was released on an appearance ticket.
The following arrests were made at the Pitbull concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Sept 6:
Gena Everet, 18, of Java, is charged with criminal trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after previously being ejected.
Michael Pellegrino-Whittmeyer, 21, of Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after previously being ejected.
Erin Coffey, 20, of Rochester, is charged with criminal trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after previously being ejected.
John Karcz, Jr., 51, of North Tonawanda, is charged with harassment 2nd after allegedly striking another person while inside the concert venue.
The City of Batavia Police Department has been made aware of social media posts circulating that are threatening violence at schools. The investigation into this matter has deemed that there is no credible threat to the Batavia City School District at this time. We are working alongside our Local, State and Federal partners to determine the origin of the posts. We have communicated with BCSD about the posts and will continue to monitor the situation.
We ask that anyone with further information contact the Police Department's Detective Bureau at 585-345-6350. Furthermore, if you see a suspicious post, contact your local law enforcement and do not re-post, share, message or place it on any other social media site, as this can create unnecessary panic and hamper law enforcement's ability to investigate.
NOTE: We asked Chief Shawn Heubusch if the threat came from somebody local and specifically targeted Batavia. He said it's unknown who exactly made the threat. He said there is no specific information regarding Batavia.
At Batavia Elba Townline Road and Bank Street Road, there is a nice stand of daisies along the roadside.
UPDATE: Lori Forsyth points out that these flowers are properly called Jerusalem artichokes. They are perennial. She says she grows them at the other end of Townline Road. She says they are edible, "although I've never eaten one ha ha."
A barn fire is reported at 4961 Bridge Road, Elba.
The barn is full of hay straw. It is fully engulfed.
Elba Fire along with Byron, South Byron, Barre fire departments, along the City's FAST Team and Mercy EMS are dispatched.
UPDATE 1:40 p.m. by Joanne Beck: The town of Elba is replacing Bridge Road. The town supervisor was driving by and spotted the fire and called the Elba fire chief.
Fire companies from Elba, city of Batavia, town of Batavia, Bergen, Byron, South Byron, and Barre, with Oakfield and Stafford as backup fill-in companies, and Genesee County Emergency Management Services and Mercy EMS are at the scene.
One firefighter is being transported to United Memorial Medical Center for evaluation.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. There is no electricity to the building.
Fire at an Elba barn on Bridge Road submitted from a reader.
