Stories from

Batavia PD is seeking the public's assistance in identifying a person of interest in relation to a theft investigation.

The police did not release details on the alleged crime -- its location or what may have been stolen. The police did not say whether the photo above directly corresponds to the incident under investigation.

Anybody with information that could help police identify the person in the photo are asked to contact Sgt. Christopher Lindsey at 585-345-6365.

The police department also accepts tips through an online form.

Music has been a big part of Melzie Case's life since she was four years old when she first started piano lessons at Roxy's Music Store.

Along the way, she's had teachers and mentors to guide her, and one of the most important was Roxie Choate, the former president of the Genesee Symphony Orchestra, herself a retired teacher, who died in October.

Case, who first served on the GSO board as a high school student, has stepped in to lead the GSO.

"Roxie was a passionate and unabashedly determined leader," Case said. "Under her guidance, I learned how to positively steer the GSO Board and how to be a leader in music ministry. We connected and bonded over music, from appreciating classical music to playing piano and organ duets together, and forged a seemingly unlikely friendship through our love for music in the community. Her influence continues to serve me well on a daily basis."

In addition to working together on the GSO board for a number of years, Choate and Case became well acquainted with one another musically at the Batavia First Presbyterian Church, where Coate was an organist, and Case played piano.

Coate had been a music teacher in Oakfield-Alabama. After graduating from Batavia High School, she earned a degree in music education from Buffalo State University.  The 30-year-old Case is now a music teacher at Batavia Middle School.

Her musical journey has prepared her well for both roles.  Starting with those piano lessons at Roxy's Music, she participated in musical theater as a child, was a member of the chorus in middle school and high school, and along the way, she became a percussionist to go along with singing, playing the piano, and organ. She first joined the GSO as a percussionist while still a teen, and then Choate asked her to be a student rep on the GSO board.  Following a break for college, Case rejoined the orchestra and the board as she wrapped up her education in 2016.

"I like GSO because you meet so many people in the community, people from all ages and backgrounds. That is what really drew me in," Case said. 

The orchestra, she said, is comprised of “local folks, people from surrounding counties, music teachers and people with jobs outside of music.  It’s such a wonderful group of people. We have a wonderful time rehearsing together and putting on concerts together.”

Obviously, Case is passionate about music.  She thinks music helps bring people together.

"Music has a unique way of connecting people like nothing else. Music is healing, exciting, joyful, engaging," Case said. "I see every day the impact that music has on people of all ages and how it is a creative outlet in so many ways. Music is a part of nearly every moment of my day, whether I’m singing, playing, teaching, or listening."

One reason GSO has thrived in recent years is the leadership of music director and conductor S. Shade Zajac, Case said.

“I enjoy working with Shade," Case said. "The whole board does. We appreciate that he comes to board meetings when he can or gets on a call with us and that he brainstorms with us about concerts. We really have a great time working with him. He has a great vision when it comes time to select repertoire. The music he picks pushes us all as musicians, and we feel grateful to have him at the helm.”

As president of the board, Case, of course, has a role in ensuring the GSO continues to build on its success, and she that can happen through collaboration with other arts groups in the community and making connections with young people who are interested in music.

Entertaining programs, such as the one Zajac has programmed for Saturday at GCC, will also help garner growing support for the orchestra.

"The program is a blend of emotions," Case said. "There are some familiar pieces and some new ones that people will enjoy."

One of the new pieces is a composition by Paul McCartney.  Yes, the former Beatle writes more than pop songs.  He has composed a number of classical pieces, including Spiral, which the GSO will perform at the concert.

"I'm a huge Beatles fan, so I'm excited to play one of Paul McCartney's lesser-known works," Case said.

The rest of the program is comprised of pieces by other English composers, as Vaughn-Williams and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

The anchor piece of the program is Elgar's “Enigma Variations.” 

"It's one of my favorite pieces in the entire literature," Zajac told The Batavian at the start of the season. "It's a very special piece. I've conducted only one movement from it (previously). It's a remarkable piece of music. Every note and every bar sounds like English music, which is incredible because you can trace every note to some other composer. You can hear the influences of Beethoven and Bach and Wagner. But somehow, he makes it all sound like English music."

Choate is, as they say in show business, a tough act to follow, Case acknowledged.  She led the board. She often handled concert publicity. She was also the personnel manager.

"Roxie did so much.  We find things all the time we didn’t even know about," Case said. "As a board, we say all the time, 'Oh, Roxie did that, and she did this, and she did that.' She was a huge advocate for GSO and for music education.”

The GSO, with what it has achieved and how it can yet grow, will carry on because of a lot of people over the past eight decades, but Choate certainly contributed to GSO's success.

"I have so much pride in GSO," Case said. "We have a professional orchestra right here in Batavia. We can offer to our community that experience. You can go to Buffalo and Rochester and hear those orchestras, or you can stay right here in Batavia and hear a professional orchestra."

The GSO concert on Saturday at GCC begins at 7 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors, and students with an ID can get in for free.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Take any object -- a house, office building, highway, bridge, car -- all will eventually fall apart if not properly maintained. 

The same is true of war memorials, the monuments communities erect to honor their war dead and help tell the history of their hometowns.

Rep. Claudia Tenney has co-authored a bill she hopes will help communities preserve those sacred monuments so the legacies they are meant to honor live on well after we're all gone.

The Remembering Our Local Heroes Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Chris Pappas from New Hampshire, allocates $2 million a year over five years that will act as matching funds for community groups to mount efforts to preserve war memorials as well as monuments honoring those who served in law enforcement and fire services. 

If a community group, such as a veterans group or a Boy Scout troop, can raise $10,000, for example, the group can apply for a grant of up to $20,000, which would result in a total of $30,000 for the project. If $150,000 is needed for the project, the group would need to raise $50,000.  The maximum federal grant under the bill, which is still pending in committee, would be $100,000 per project.

"We really would love to be able to do this," Tenney said. "There are so many areas where you go to, especially throughout my district, where you see these beautiful old monuments, including your Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Monument that you have here, the Upton Monument, that could definitely be upgraded and cleaned and maintained. A lot of these monuments really aren't being maintained, especially the monument for our heroes."

Tenney stopped in Batavia on Saturday to visit the Upton Monument and discuss her bill with The Batavian.

"This (bill) would allow the federal government to participate in helping maintain veterans memorials and remembering local heroes," Tenney said.

In order to unlock access to the federal grant, all of the money to preserve a monument would need to come from private donations. Local governments could not help fund the project.

The bill combines twin interests and passions for Tenney, recognizing the sacrifices of those who have served their nation and their communities, and history. During the interview, she talked a good deal about Upstate New York's rich history and its contributions to creating the nation during the Revolution, the abolitionists of New York who helped free the slaves, most notably with the Underground Railroad, but also leading figures Frederick Douglas and Harriet Tubman, and New York's efforts to preserve the union during the Civil War and its role in the War of 1812.

"I brought Burgess Owens (to New York), who is a Republican, former football player, a Black Republican, whose hero is Harriet Tubman, his whole life, and he never knew that Harriet Tubman had a house in Auburn," Tenney said. "So I brought him in, and we went everywhere. He was amazed. We did the full tour. We went to all the different sites. And he was like, 'Wow, I can't believe this.' You know, we have such a rich history."

The germ of the bill began when Tenney served in the New York State Legislature, and she learned that Vietnam Veterans often have a hard time unlocking support that's available to other veterans groups because of the lingering controversies of that war.  During that time, she visited a group that wished to build a Vietnam memorial, but they couldn't access federal funds.  When she was first elected to Congress, she introduced the first version of this bill designed to allow any community group that takes on the task of ensuring local heroes are appropriately honored to tap into a small pot of federal funds to assist the effort.

"We (New York) were critically important in all the wars, whether it's the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the War of 1812," Tenney said. "I think it's important that we know our history."

The Upton Monument was dedicated in August 1919 (see the 100th-anniversary documentary produced by The Batavian embedded below), with construction funded by donations and contributions from the city of Batavia and Genesee County.  It was constructed by Wardon Monuments, a company that built monuments throughout the northeast, including Gettysburg, and had its headquarters on Evans Street in Batavia.  Officially, it is the Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Monument, but it carries a bronze statue of Civil War hero Gen. Emory Upton, who was from Batavia.

At 105 years old, it shows some age -- discolored bronze and cracks in the stone, including a large chunk of granite missing from the base.  There has been no known effort over the past several years -- and The Batavian has made inquiries -- among either private groups or the county government to take steps to ensure it is maintained and preserved.

That isn't unusual in her NY-24 district, Tenney indicated, because local governments are so cash-strapped these days.

On Memorial Day and Veterans Day, Tenney said she often goes for a ride on her motorcycle through the district and will stop at various memorials along her route.

"I'll drive around to the monuments and just kind of place a little flag or just kind of see what condition they're in," Tenney said.  "I did that a couple of years ago, I didn't last year, but I did that, and it was just really interesting to see how many people actually do care about what's in their community. But there's no money, and all these local governments are strapped with unfunded mandates from the state and all these other issues, so we have this as something that is supplemental."

When we remember our history, Tenney noted, it binds us to our community and it teaches our children the value of their community.

"If you don't remember the people who really founded your community, the principles that it was founded upon and that people actually served, died, sacrificed, lost life and limb, I think that really sends a message," Tenney said. "We want to send a message to our young people that their community is worth something and that they should be proud of their community, of the people that founded it."

Photos by Howard Owens.

The Furniture Man's official bobblehead has been a hit, helping Max Pies Furniture raise $2,500 so far for Crossroads House.

Phil Pies, whose head bounces on the bobblehead, presented a check on Monday to Tom Finn, the Crossroads House board of directors president, and Debbie Paine, house manager.

There are still bobbleheads available at Max Pies, which is located at 400 South Jackson St., Batavia.

The bobblehead is a project of Max Pies Office Manager Peggy Cancelmi, who worked with Tom Brown at AdStuff to come up with the fundraising idea.

Previously: Baseball stars and famous furniture men, all eventually get their own bobblehead

Press release:

Chief Deputy – Criminal Investigation Division Joseph M. Graff will seek the Republican Party endorsement for the 2024 election for Genesee County Sheriff. 

Chief Deputy Graff, 50, has nearly 25 years of experience in local law enforcement in Genesee County.  He began his law enforcement career in March 1999 as a Probation Officer with the Genesee County Probation Department, and in February 2004, was appointed Deputy Sheriff with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.  In 2015, he was promoted to the position of Investigator, and in 2017, he was promoted to the position of Chief Deputy – Road Patrol.  Chief Deputy Graff then accepted the position of Chief Deputy – Criminal Investigation Division in 2019, a position he currently holds.  The two Chief Deputy Positions he has held are the highest-ranking administrative positions within the Sheriff’s Office Police Bureau, directly under the Sheriff and Undersheriff.   

Chief Deputy Graff is a graduate of the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy, where he attended the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services - Basic Course for Police, receiving his certification as a police officer.  He received the Academic Achievement Award and was also honored with the Joseph E. Steblein Award, which is given to the top overall graduate in the academy class.  Over the course of his career, Chief Deputy Graff has attended trainings that include Interviewing and Interrogation, Criminal Investigations, Use of Force, New York Law Enforcement and the Law - Updates Practices and Procedures, Patrol Interdiction, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement, Child Forensic Interviewing, Advanced Homicide – Violent Crime, National Incident Management, and Police Supervision.

Chief Deputy Graff holds credentials as a New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services Instructor and has served the Sheriff’s Office as an instructor of Aerosol Subject Restraint, ASP/Baton, General Topics, Electronic Control Devices, and Firearms.  He is a member of the Genesee County Threat Assessment Committee and has been a Field Training Officer as well as a former member of the Emergency Response Team. 

Over his career, Chief Deputy Graff has received departmental recognition awards including Officer of the Year in 2007, two Commendations, two Meritorious Service awards, and has also been the recipient of the Kiwanis Club of Batavia Criminal Justice Award.  He is experienced in overseeing the Road Patrol Bureau, as well as criminal investigation operations of the Sheriff’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office budget, equipment purchasing, administration of grants, coordinating departmental training, internal investigations, and selection of new hire personnel. 

Chief Deputy Graff is a lifelong resident of Genesee County.  He graduated from Notre Dame High School and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from St. John Fisher University.  He and his wife, Erin, are proud parents to three daughters, Gabrielle, Gianna and Lila. 

“If endorsed and elected Sheriff, I will continue my commitment to provide a safe, stable, and secure community for the residents of Genesee County.  I look to advance the Sheriff’s Office in step with the future of public safety and maintain the tradition of service from the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office,” Joseph Graff, Chief Deputy.

Batavia High School hosted a winterguard competition, as it does annually, on Saturday.

Winterguard is the indoor version of color guard, and the teams are judged on the effectiveness of their program, including colors and props selected for the performance, on dance technique, equipment used, and the speed and efficiency of setting up for their performance and removing their set after the performance.

Photos are of Batavia's cadet team. The varsity squad performed later in the evening.

Photos by Howard Owens.

JT Turnbull, a lifelong Batavia resident, was seriously injured in a skiing accident on Jan. 27, and his friends have stepped forward to help raise money to assist him once he's released from the hospital.

Turnbull, who sustained a broken back in the accident, may never walk again.  He is likely paralyzed from his waist down.

He is expected to be at Erie County Medical Center for four to six weeks, undergoing treatment and physical therapy.

Once released, his home will require modifications to make it more accessible. 

Friends have established a fundraising effort on GoFundMe, and according to the page, Turnbull lost his skis and hit a pole, slamming into it backward at 40 mph.  He had disks in his back shattered, a broken foot, and a dislocated shoulder.

Since the accident, he has undergone multiple surgeries.

Turnbull graduated from Batavia High School in 2018, where he played hockey, anchoring the team as the goalie. He attended Siena College for two years, where he also played hockey, before transferring to the University at Buffalo, where he earned a degree in history.

After college, he went to work for the Tompkins Insurance Agency, where he has remained employed.

His parents are Tom and Michelle Turnbull.

Tom was a long-time publisher of the Batavia Daily News before becoming president of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce. He retired from that job a couple of years ago.  Michelle is a retired physical education teacher who continues to sub for BOCES.  Both have been active volunteers in the community, with Tom serving in the Batavia Rotary Club, including running the annual baseball tournament, and Michelle being involved in parent volunteer groups and sports boosters.

The GoFundMe page set a goal of raising $50,000 to assist JT.  Over the course of the first day, it's already raised nearly $30,000 from 231 donors.  For more information, click here.

A raid on a residence at 36 Dellinger Ave., Batavia, on Friday morning led to the arrest of three people on drug-related charges, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The raid was the result of a warrant issued following an investigation by the Local Drug Task Force.

The Emergency Response Team assisted in the apprehension of the suspects, leading to Dellinger being closed to civilian access for about 45 minutes on Friday.

Taken into custody were Pierre Mahon "GameChanger" Humphrey, 33, of Trentall Street, Rochester, Malinda June Falk, 42, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, and Matthew J. Reed, 39, of Ellicott Street, Batavia.

All three are charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree (with intent to sell), a Class B felony, Criminal Possession of a controlled substance in the third degree (in excess of one-half ounce), a Class B felony, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor.

The three suspects were arraigned in City Court. Humphrey was ordered held without bail. Falk and Reed were released under supervision.

Assisting in the investigation and arrest were the Sheriff's Office, Batavia PD, City Fire, and the District Attorney's Office.

A 40-year-old Rochester resident is accused of committing a late-morning burglary at a residence in the Town of Elba on July 7.

Omar Cabrera is charged with burglary in the second degree, a Class C felony, three counts of burglary in the third degree, a Class D felony, criminal mischief in the third degree, a Class E felony, and petit larceny, a Class A misdemeanor.

At 11:47 a.m. on July 7, the Sheriff's Office received a report of a burglary at a residence and a detached building on the property. Deputy Jermey McClellan responded and conducted the initial investigation.  Investigators Ryan DeLong and Howard Carlson then responded, collecting photographs and physical evidence. 

Cabrera was identified as the suspect during the course of the investigation. 

He is accused of entering the residence unlawfully and in the process, causing property damage in excess of $250 in value.  He is accused of stealing copper fittings. He is accused of entering the detached building with the intent of committing a crime once inside.

On Jan. 31, Cabrera was located in Rochester with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal's Task Force, and transported to Genesee County and held pending arraignment.  Once arraigned, he was ordered held on $10,000 cash bail, $20,000 bond, or $40,000 partially secured bond.

Kaila S. Smith, 27, of Batavia, is charged with filing a false written statement and falsely reporting an incident. Smith is accused of falsely reporting a sexual assault on Jan. 5. She was arrested on Jan. 13 and issued an appearance ticket.

Michael A. Sweet, 37, of Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th. Sweet is accused of taking payment to complete renovations on a residence in Batavia and then never completing the work. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Maverick X. Cook, 18, and Patrick J. Peters, 18, both of Batavia, are charged with open burning. Cook and Peters are accused of starting several fires on sidewalks and parking lots in the area of Ellicott Street and Liberty Street, Batavia, in December. Both were issued appearance tickets.

Darrell Laverne McFadden, 53, of Clinton Street Road, Batavia, is charged with assault 2nd. McFadden is accused of causing serious physical injury during a fight at 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 19, at a location on Clinton Street Road. He was jailed pending arraignment.

Jessica B. Eschenlauer, 34, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal contempt 2nd, and aggravated family offense. Eschenlauer is accused of being inside a residence in violation of an order of protection. She was arraigned and released.

Roger M. Hofmeier, 22, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 3rd. In July 2022, Hofmeir was allegedly found in illegal possession of a firearm. He was arrested on Jan. 11, arraigned in City Court, and released under supervision.

Nikkia M. Blackshear, 26, of Batavia, is charged with trespassing. Blackshear is accused of refusing to leave 7-Eleven on Jan. 20. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Adrienne S. Bechtold, 28, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Bechtold was charged following a traffic stop on Jan. 18 on Ross Street, Batavia. She was allegedly found in possession of narcotics and a scale. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Vincent J. Disalvo, 48, of Webster, is charged with harassment 2nd and trespassing. Disalvo is accused of kicking another person during a fight in the 7-Eleven Parking lot. He then allegedly entered the store after being told he wasn't allowed in the store. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Anthony A. Bomasuto, 29, of Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing. Bomasuto is accused of being involved in an incident on Jan. 15 on Ellicott Street, Batavia. He was arraigned and released.

Trace G. Brewer, 23, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant. Brewer was wanted on charges of petit larceny and conspiracy 6h.  She was allegedly involved in a theft with another person of merchandise from 7-Eleven. She was arraigned and released.

Lorrie Beth Fischer, 45, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with misapplication of property. Fischer is accused of possessing another person's property on Dec. 29 and, rather than returning it, selling it. She was arrested by Deputy Mason Schultz on Jan. 22. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Nicole K. Dell, 38, of Silver Springs, was arrested on a warrant on Jan. 25. Dell was initially arrested on May 23, 2022, and charged with DWI. The warrant was issued after she allegedly failed to appear in court. Dell was arraigned and released. 

Jacob J. Frayne, 26, of Darien, is charged with aggravated DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation. Frayne was charged following a traffic stop on Jan. 26 on Pearl Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Takari G. Lang-Smith, 22, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Lang-Smith was stopped on Jan. 28 at an undisclosed location by Batavia PD. He was issued tickets and released.

Richard M. Fuhry, 42, of Brockport, is charged with DWI. On Jan. 20, Batavia patrol offices were dispatched to North Park and Ross Street for a report of a fight in the street. Fuhry was accused of being involved in the fight and then located driving on Seneca Avenue. He was issued several tickets.

Brian J. Hawkins, 44, of Olean, was arrested on Jan. 22 on two warrants issued by City Court. The first was a bench warrant related to an incident in 2019 where he allegedly provided alcohol to a person under the age of 21. The second warrant was an arrest warrant for Bail Jumping 3rd. Hawkins was arraigned and released.

Tanika N. Avant, 22, of Batavia, was arrested on Jan. 22 on a warrant issued by City Court. The warrant stemmed from an incident in April of 2023 where she was charged with two counts of harassment 2nd and one count of endangering the welfare of a child after a disturbance call on Bank Street. Avant was arraigned in City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail. 

Johnny Burton Koonce, Jr., 33, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, and failure to stop at a stop sign.  Koonce was stopped at 1:53 a.m. Jan. 20 by Sgt. Mathew Clor.  The passenger in the vehicle was somebody Koonce was allegedly supposed to not contact by court order. He was held pending arraignment.

Shanaya Nichole Brooks, 22, of Route 438, Gowanda, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Brooks is accused of striking the side of a house on Jan. 19 on East Road, Batavia, causing damage. She is also accused of trying to force her way into the house, causing damage. She was held pending arraignment.

Samantha Rae Balduf, 31, of Grant Street, Depew, is charged with petit larceny.  Balduf is accused of switching the price tag on a piece of merchandise at a retail store on Veterans Memorial Drive (the name and location of the store was withheld by the Sheriff's Office) at 1:03 p.m. on Jan. 19. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Isaac Floyd, Jr., 59, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and illegal signal. Floyd was stopped at 12:07 a.m. on Jan. 24 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Floyd was released on tickets.

Joel David Proudy, 37, of Rochester Street, Bergen, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Proudy is accused of violating a full stay-away order of protection at 10:50 a.m. on Jan. 17 at a location on West Main Street, Batavia. He also had multiple outstanding warrants. He was held pending arraignment.

Joseph Peter Mancuso, 35, of Deerfield Drive, North Tonawanda, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Mancuso is charged with violating a stay-away order of protection at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 at a location on Roberts Road, Alabama. He was arraigned and released under supervision.

Steven James Dunham, 35, of Main Street, Corfu, is charged with failure to verify address within 90 days as a Level 3 sex offender. Dunham was arrested in January and held for arraignment.

Steven Kenneth Maskell, 31, of North Byron Road, Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and driving while using a portable electronic device. Maskell was stopped at 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 21 on Lockport Road, Oakfield, by Deputy Morgan Ewert. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Robert Paul Gerspach, 67, no specified address, Buffalo, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation, driver's view obstructed, failure to keep right, and moving from lane unsafely.  Gerspach was observed by an off-duty deputy driving in an alleged unsafe manner at 11:22 a.m. on Jan. 24.  He was stopped and arrested by Deputy Austin Heberlein. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Guillermo Guadalupe-Vasques, 44, of Crimson Drive, Canandaigua, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, and moving from lane unsafely. Guadalupe-Vasques was stopped at 8:44 p.m. on Jan. 24 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Stephen Smith. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Mckenzie Leigh Stogsdill, 32, of East Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, no headlights, and no tail lamps. Stogsdill was stopped at 1:44 a.m. on Jan. 27 on Park Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. Stogsdill was released on appearance tickets.

Jessica R. Parker-Sharkey, 30, of South Butler Road, Savanah, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 4th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Parker-Sharkey was arrested in Virginia Beach, Va., and extricated back to Genesee County. She was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released. The charges stem from allegations in April 2023 that she was in possession of a stolen car and a controlled substance. Following her release, she was turned over to Rochester PD on warrants.

Michael Curtis Smith Jr., 31, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Smith is accused of stealing an electric scooter from Walmart at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 24. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.

Joseph Michael Petix, 66, of Shorecliff Drive, Rochester, is charged with DWI, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, stop sign violation, breath test refusal, and consumption of alcohol while driving. Petix was stopped at 9:53 p.m. on Jan. 28 on Clinton Street, Batavia, by Deputy Travis DeMuth.  He was allegedly found in possession of cocaine. His release status was not reported.

Batavia's Goodwill store at 4152 West Main St. celebrated its expansion Friday morning with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

The expansion doubled the thrift store's retail space and added a covered drive-up donation center.

Goodwill has operated at its current location since May 2013 and has been expanded from 9,285 to 21,506 square feet and now has 18 full- and part-time employees.

Goodwill officials say the location is now one of the agency's largest in Western New York.  It features an open layout allowing it to expand space for donated men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing. The store also features a broad array of previously owned housewares, decorative items, small appliances, electronics, and furniture.  

“With individuals and families looking for ways to cut their clothing and household budgets, we are proud to be able to expand our offerings in Batavia,” said Thomas Ulbrich, Goodwill of Western New York president and CEO, in a statement. “We serve a very wide range of customers from all across Genesee County, and we are proud to be a resource for families in such a great community.”

The drive-up donation center is on the side of the building facing Main Street and offers donors a quick and convenient -- and covered -- way to donate gently used, unwanted items to the store to support workforce development programs across the region.

The story is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

As far as Brandon Armstrong knows, his is the only black-owned barbershop, in Genesee County.

In honor of Black History Month, Armstrong held an open house on Thursday morning, with coffee and donuts, to both celebrate the month and to officially unveil his new logo and new business model for Royals Barber Shop at 317 Ellicott St., Batavia.

When Armstrong opened his first barbershop at Ellicott and Liberty (now Eden Cafe) in 2011, it was likely the first new barbershop in Batavia in a number of years, after a long period in which stylists were in vogue and barbers were passé. In the years since, four or five new barbershops have opened locally, though a couple didn't last long.

More than a dozen years since that first venture, Armstrong is still in the barbering business, and he says he's stuck with it both because it's a lucrative business and because he enjoys it.

"I feel like it's one where you can be yourself a little bit more," Armstrong said. "It's nothing too uptight, but it's still super professional. You can still be yourself. A lot of it's not really too hard of work, I feel like, but it still can be hard work. It's an equal balance of everything."

The new logo comes with a change in the business that he hopes will serve the business better, his customers better, and his employees better.  Unlike most salons and barbershops, his barbers are members of the staff, earning an hourly rate plus commissions.  It's no longer like they own their own businesses, with all the consequences and responsibilities that go with being self-employed, but they're getting a regular paycheck.

"Now they're bankable barbers -- that's my thing, being bankable barbers," Armstrong said. "Being bankable barbers means they will be able to bring their pay stubs to the bank and get a house or get a loan for a car."

Armstrong said with employees instead of contractors, he will be able to better maintain regular hours, which will benefit customers.  Also, with booth rental, there is also a cap on how much money can flow into the business.

"From what I'm learning is that you can't really scale the business, if you aren't being able to profit the right amount and put it back into your business," Armstrong said. "This way, we're able to get some money flowing through the business and be able to get loans for the business. It means being able to scale the business."

Now that he's a proven entrepreneur with a track record of success, what advice does he have for young people in the community, particularly people of color, in light of Black History Month, who are drawn toward going into business for themselves?

"Be the best that you can be," Armstrong said. "Work the hardest. You can outwork your competition. Whatever you're involved with, you have to practice at it, and you have to become the best at what you do. Try to be the best at what you do. Practice makes perfect. Whatever it is that you're involved in, make sure you're practicing and working hard, and it'll pay off."

The Emergency Response Team was deployed on Dellinger Avenue early this morning to assist Batavia PD with the execution of a warrant, Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said.

The police department announced at 7:15 that Dellinger was closed to public access.  The street was reopened at about 7:50 a.m.

Heubusch said there were no difficulties during the operation, and there were no injuries.  He said more information will be released later today.

Music teacher Dan Grillo thinks maybe, as much as it pains him to say it, rock 'n' roll music is a dying art form.

That isn't apparent from the way students at Batavia High School have embraced his elective class, Rock Band.

In the nine years since he started the program, the course has grown from one class with a handful of boys who typically didn't own their own instruments to two packed classes with many students bringing in their guitars. 

"(That first year) we had three of the same exact guitars, three of the exact same basses, and we actually started with an electric drum set," Grillo said. "Now, as you know, we have our own nice acoustic drum set."

The program has encouraged many kids to get their own guitars, Grillo said, "which is really good."  Another sign of growth -- he doesn't have to sing all the songs any more.

"We started on one song and just kind of worked that song for a while, but none of the boys wanted to sing," Grillo said. "I had to sing it. I had to sing pretty much everything that year."

There are 25 members in three bands.

Rock band class in high school music departments is still kind of a rare thing in the area, Grillo said, so he isn't sure the program will ever grow to the point where -- like for other music genres at the high school level -- there are competitions and festivals.

"It's still kind of a niche thing," he said.

The most telling way things have changed is the engagement of the students.

"As I mentioned in our concert tonight, a lot of the students are suggesting and writing up songs for us," Grillo said. "This is not all just my contributions in terms of -- I thought of a good song, I thought it would be good for the kids, and I gave it to them. A lot of these were songs that the students championed. And that means a lot that they're that invested that they want a say in the music that we're playing and performing."

The students pitching their own favorite songs evolved out of, well, students pitching their own favorite songs and Grillo deciding to students owning their ideas.

"I would have students come to me every day, and they're like, 'You know what song we should do? You know what song we should do? You know what song we should do?' And I got sick of hearing it," Grillo said. "I finally said, 'Look, if you want to do a song, you write it up. I'm not going to write it up. I don't have that kind of time.' Okay, it takes a good half hour to write these songs up (as guitar tablature) because you got to make sure the lyrics and the chords and all that stuff is right, that they're in the right place, that they work. So it does take some work to write up those songs. So the fact that the students are doing some homework is also pretty telling."

The program is popular all over campus, Grillo said. The rock bands occasionally play lunchtime concerts in the auditorium and they're well attended.

"Everybody likes it," Grillo said. "It's not just students that come in. It's faculty and support staff. It's pretty popular with everybody in the building. So we get a lot of support. We're always being asked to do different gigs. We've been asked to perform at open houses; we've been asked to perform like we did the wrestling match this year and last year, we did a wrestling match. ... So it's very popular even though, like I said, rock is kind of a dying style. I used to do barber shop and that's even more so a dying style."

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Steve Ognibene conducted the interview for this story.

A larceny was reported at Ulta Beauty with three subjects running from the store on foot toward the ESL Credit Union, where they apparently got into a silver SUV and fled the scene.

The stores are in Batavia Towne Center on Veterans Memorial Drive.

Law enforcement units are converging on the area.

Responding units have gone to secure communications, so there aren't likely to be further updates on the search or pursuit.

A deputy who has distinguished himself through hard work, dedication, and a positive, professional attitude was named Tuesday Officer of the Year for the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

Chad P. Cummings joined the force nine years ago and has consistently demonstrated a willingness to take on additional duties as he's moved through various positions in the department, said Sheriff William Sheron. 

Jason R. Queal, a corrections officer for 11 years, received the Distinguished Service Award for his work and dedication. 

Other notable awards were given to three deputies who assisted a mother in dire circumstances and six corrections officers who helped save an inmate from an attempted suicide. 

Cummings, Sgt. Jason E. Saile and Deputy Jenna M. Ferrando commendationsfor assisting a destitute mother who was the subject of a trespass complaint at a local hotel because she was unable to pay her bill on Oct. 2. After the deputies were unable to secure assistance for her with any area agency, the officers pooled their own personal funds and rented her a room at another hotel, provided the family food, and made six trips to move the family and their belongings to their new room.

Also receiving commendations were Senior Correction Officer James M. Smart and Correction Officers Dennis J. Bartholomew, Laurie J. Schwab, Tyler M. Tambe, Chester L. Sherman, & Katherine M. Stearns.

The corrections officers worked together on Dec. 20 to reinstate an inmate who had attempted to hang himself and obtained emergency medical treatment for the inmate, saving his life.

Press release:

Officer of the Year Award
Deputy Sheriff Chad Cummings has distinguished himself in the performance of service to the citizens of Genesee County during 2023. 

Deputy Sheriff Chad P. Cummings is a nine-year member of the Sheriff’s Office, with the last three of those years assigned to the Civil Office.  Deputy Cummings consistently displays a professional, positive attitude and unwavering work ethic.  Deputy Cummings has been a leader in civil enforcement (one of the most dangerous duties a Deputy performs).  He always accepts special assignments and has taken on additional duties, such as completing the Seal Orders in the Records Division, assisting Road Patrol with inmate transports, and handling multiple traffic complaints. 

Deputy Sheriff Chad P. Cummings has reflected great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, and most deserve to be named Officer of the Year.

Distinguished Service Award – 
Senior Correction Officer Jason R. Queal has distinguished himself as a Genesee County Sheriff’s Office member for 11 years. 

Senior Correction Officer Jason R. Queal began his career on January 19, 2013.  During his career, he was the recipient of a Meritorious Service award for his consistent dedication in the performance of his duties.  Senior C.O. Queal is the Grievance Coordinator; he thoroughly investigates and resolves each inmate’s complaint effectively and professionally. Additionally, he is the liaison with the Commission of Corrections, assisting with the jail’s cycle reviews, and he is a firearms and defensive tactics instructor.  Senior C.O. Queal frequently assists administration with tasks that go well beyond his listed duties to ensure smooth operations and is always willing to take on additional responsibilities without hesitation.

Senior Correction Officer Jason R. Queal has reflected great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

LONGEVITY AWARDS:

• Senior Correction Officer Jason R. Queal, 10 years
• Sergeant Andrew B. Hale, 10 years
• Case Manager Nicole M. Easton, 10 years
• Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher Michael T. Sheflin, 15 years
• Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher Jason W. Holman, 15 years
• Sergeant James M. Diehl, 15 years
• Deputy Sheriff Kevin R. McCarthy, 15 years
• Principal Financial Clerk Deborah A. Shea, 15 years
• Director of Emergency Communications Francis A. Riccobono, 15 years
• Jail Cook William S. Cultrara, 15 years
• Correction Officer Daniel J. Renz, 20 years
• Senior Correction Officer Caleb C. Chaya, 20 years
• Correction Officer Brian M. Manley, 25 years
• Senior Correction Officer Peter M. Hoy, 25 years

MERITORIOUS AWARDS: 

Correction Officer Jason Buck
Correction Officer Jason M. Buck has distinguished himself by Meritorious Service as a member of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. 

Correction Officer Buck has been instrumental in utilizing his communication skills to de-escalate multiple situations with hostile inmates to resolve incidents calmly and without force.  He voluntarily accepts additional responsibilities such as assisting the grievance coordinator, training new officers, and accepting overtime shifts when needed.  Correction Officer Jason M. Buck is a true asset to the department; his professionalism, dedication, and work ethic are an example for others.

Correction Officer Jason M. Buck has brought great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

COMMENDATIONS:

Sergeant Jason E. Saile, Deputy Jenna M. Ferrando, & Deputy Chad P. Cummings
These officers are being recognized for their actions while on duty on October 2, 2023.  A call was received for a trespass complaint at a local hotel.   It was determined that a guest had no way to pay for her room and was asked to leave.  The guest was with two children and stated they would be homeless if they left the hotel.  Attempts to secure assistance were unsuccessful because there was none available.  These officers paid out of their own pockets for a room for the night at a nearby hotel and for food to feed the family.  Additionally, they made six trips to move the family’s belongings from one hotel to the other.  These officers are to be commended for their actions which have brought great credit upon themselves and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputy Jeremiah W. Gechell
Deputy Sheriff Jeremiah W. Gechell is being recognized for a Commendation Award for his actions while off duty August 10, 2023.   Deputy Gechell came upon a two-car motor vehicle accident that had just occurred on Main Road in the Town of Pembroke.  Without hesitation, Deputy Gechell stopped to assist at the scene and immediately contacted the Genesee County Emergency Services Dispatch Center with important information that a typical citizen may not know to relay.  Deputy Gechell was able to apply his own tourniquet to one of the patients who had suffered a severe leg injury and was bleeding profusely.  Applying the tourniquet stopped major blood loss until additional assistance arrived and, undoubtedly, contributed to saving the patient’s life.   Deputy Sheriff Jeremiah W. Gechell is to be commended for his actions which have brought great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Sergeant Mathew J. Clor
Sergeant Mathew J. Clor is being recognized with a Commendation Award for his actions while on duty.

December 27, 2023.  A 9-1-1 EMS call was received for a resident with an arm laceration.  Sergeant Clor was nearby and responded to the call.  Upon arrival, Sergeant Clor found a male bleeding heavily from his arm as a result of an accident with a storm door.  Without hesitation, Sergeant Clor applied his own tourniquet to the patient and in doing so was able to stop the excessive bleeding until medical assistance arrived.  Sergeant Clor’s quick actions and instincts prevented more serious injury to the patient.   Sergeant Mathew J. Clor is to be commended for his actions which have brought great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. 

Deputy James D. Stack
Deputy Sheriff James D. Stack is being recognized for a Commendation Award for his instrumental coordination and implementation of the Sheriff’s Office handgun replacement project.  Deputy Stack proposed a transition and replacement of the Sheriff's Office duty handguns by supplying rationale citing the benefit and need for an updated firearm platform and estimated costs for the project.  Deputy Stack assisted with the logistics of acquiring the needed equipment and was integral in the planning for the implementation of a training program.  The effort put forth by Deputy Stack on this project resulted in a state-of-the-art, updated firearm platform for the Sheriff's Office duty handguns.  Deputy Sheriff James D. Stack is to be commended for his actions which have brought great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigator Ryan M. DeLong
Investigator Ryan M. DeLong is being recognized for a Commendation Award for his instrumental

contribution in acquiring a Mobile Response Unit for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.  Investigator DeLong proposed that the Sheriff's Office had a need for a vehicle which could be primarily used as a mobile operations center.  In addition to his primary investigative responsibilities, Investigator DeLong researched solutions and was able to identify and acquire, with minimal expense, a vehicle which could suit the needs of the Office.  Investigator DeLong followed through with outfitting the vehicle with necessary equipment and has been instrumental in the Sheriff’s Office being able to put a Mobile Response Unit into service to better serve the community.  Further, Investigator DeLong continues to be proactive with combating organized retail crime efforts.  Investigator Ryan M. DeLong is to be commended for his actions which have brought great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigator Erik B. Andre
Investigator Erik B. Andre is being recognized with a Commendation Award for his continuous work creating proactive investigations.   Throughout 2023, Investigator Andre has maintained a substantial caseload of active investigations as well as aggressively combatting retail theft crime.  Investigator Andre has worked to develop cases that may not have otherwise been pursued as they were not initially reported by the stores themselves.  By pursuing these cases, Investigator Andre not only holds the perpetrators accountable, but he has also developed information that has been valuable in other investigations.

Investigator Erik B. Andre is to be commended for his actions which have brought great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Senior Correction Officer James M. Smart and Correction Officers Dennis J. Bartholomew, Laurie J. Schwab, Tyler M. Tambe, Chester L. Sherman, & Katherine M. Stearns
These officers are being recognized for their actions while on duty on December 20, 2023.  At approximately 5:29 pm, there was an incident of an inmate attempted suicide.  Officers remained calm, secured the scene, responded quickly, and worked together to resuscitate the inmate.  These officers are to be commended for their courage and quick actions, which have brought great credit upon themselves and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Lead Family Advocate Jacqueline M. O’Brien & Family Advocate Lydia J. Schauf
These advocates are being recognized for being instrumental in providing the Child Safety Matters child abuse prevention curriculum to over 3,000 children in the Batavia and Byron-Bergen school districts in grades kindergarten through eighth.  This prevention education curriculum has been shown to empower children with information to enhance their ability to reduce the risk of neglect, cyber crimes, bullying, physical abuse, and sexual abuse.  O’Brien went above and beyond her typical workload with many sessions provided when the CAC was short-staffed.  These advocates are to be commended for their actions which have brought great credit upon herself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION:

JFCAC Program Coordinator Theresa Roth for her eight years of service.  She has served the citizens of Genesee County with professionalism, dedication, and enthusiasm and has been a source of pride for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.   

Gary Patnode for his assistance in improving training space for department firearms.  When the training staff inquired about improving a room to clean and maintain department firearms, Gary used personal time and his own supplies to build countertops to enhance the room’s space and capability.  His efforts have resulted in an improved and dedicated space to maintain equipment to the necessary standards needed for everyday duty use for the Sheriff’s Office.

Alex Moskal. Loss Prevention Supervisor and Organized Retail Crime Captain for Kohl’s Department Store, for his assistance throughout 2023 fighting organized retail crime at the Towne Center shopping plaza.  Due to Alex’s vast knowledge, experience, and countless interactions in the field, he has been able to identify countless misdemeanor and felony crime suspects via surveillance video.  He has also assisted our Office in identifying suspects involved in other retail store thefts in Genesee County, including a high-dollar theft from a local beauty supply store.  Alex provides well-written depositions, supplies complete surveillance video footage and makes himself accessible to law enforcement during off hours.

In the early morning on Friday, a caller, using security cameras, observed individuals in hoodies in a gun shop on Lockport Road, Oakfield and called law enforcement while continuing to monitor their activities.

Chief Deputy Joseph Graff confirmed that emergency dispatchers received a call at 5:17 a.m.

The caller observed the suspects leave before deputies arrived on scene.  

The perpetrators are still at large.

It's unclear if they stole any items from the shop.

Graff said, "It's very early in the investigation. We don't have anything further to share at this point."

Calling for an end to U.S. funding what they term "genocide" in Gaza, members of the Genesee County Democratic Socialists of America conducted a protest Saturday outside of  Batavia City Hall.

"A lot of people died, a lot of people are displaced," said Logan Cole, secretary for the group. "It's not only that, but they can't come back, they have nowhere to go. The rates of death, especially the death of children, rival that of historical incidences of genocide, including the Armenian Genocide and even some of the concentration camps back during the Holocaust."

Asked for his views on Hamas, Cole said, "Their tactics are not ones I support, but it is very difficult whenever you are held in an area, in an open-air prison, and I think historically, violence has become something that is sort of inevitable when you're putting so much pressure on a particular population."

Asked if Israel shouldn't defend itself against terrorists, Cole said, "I disagree with the characterization of terrorists. I don't think the word terrorists has a place in the discourse. I don't think it's appropriate. It's like, you know, the difference between Hamas, which has killed thousands of people, and the IDF (Israel Defense Force), which I also don't consider terrorists, which has killed tens of thousands of people, where their violence is sanctioned by the state. To me, that's a minor point. I think that I hope for a ceasefire. I hope to end funding the atrocities being committed against Palestinians and, eventually, a free Palestine that is pluralistic and democratic."

After the protest, Cole emailed The Batavian the text of a statement he made later in the day during the protest.  Here is the full statement:

So much of the discussion surrounding the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza is designed to derail conversation about atrocities being committed against Palestinians or prevent one from being sympathetic to those in Gaza. One of the rhetorical devices that has been frequently employed in the propaganda and conversation surrounding Palestine is the thought-terminating cliché. A thought-terminating cliché is an overused piece of language that is intended to stop an argument or conversation, rather than give it the attention it deserves.

For example, the word “terrorist” and the concept of terrorism are often used to try to halt discussion of Palestinian losses so people do not become sympathetic to them. At times, the Israeli media would take the figures of Palestinian casualties provided by the Gaza Health Ministry and say that all of them were terrorists — for example, Israeli news sources would say instead of 9,000 Palestinians killed (many of which were literally children), “9,000 terrorists eliminated.” As far as I’m concerned, the word “terrorist” has no place in the discourse about Palestine.

Sometimes, an important problem is marginalized because it is cynically deployed as a thought-terminating cliché. Bigotry against Jewish people has been a huge problem, as we recently saw at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville and the synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh and Jersey City. Lately, speaking out against the atrocities committed against Palestinians and the Zionist (right-wing, nationalist) ideas that underpin them by groups like Jewish Voice for Peace and initiatives like BDS, has been deemed by some, including the Anti-Defamation League (the ADL), as “antisemitic.” Zionism is not Judaism — indeed there are more Zionist Christians in the United States than there are Jewish people in the world. Declaring an anti-Zionist statement is antisemitic solely on that basis is itself a form of anti-Jewish bigotry because it associates the entirety of Jewish people with the modern form of Zionism, which takes much of its inspiration from atrocious ideologies like Manifest Destiny and eugenics, which themselves were used to justify other genocides. Conflating anti-Zionism and anti-Jewish bigotry through the use of the term “antisemitism” takes attention from the real acts of hate and violence being committed against Jewish people every day. The use of antisemitism as a thought-terminating cliché hurts both Jewish and Palestinian people.

Ironically, perhaps the most commonly used thought-terminating cliché is the idea that the subject is complicated, complex, or that it requires nuance. Nothing ends a conversation or stops someone from asking questions faster than saying a situation is complicated.

The fact that there is a genocide in Gaza is not complicated:

• More than 25,000 dead (more than 10,000 of them children)
• More than 60,000 wounded
• More than 7,000 trapped under rubble
• More than 100 times as many children die everyday in Gaza than in the Ukrainian conflict zone
• More than 1.9 million people have been displaced in Gaza — that’s more than 85% of the population
• Only 5 doctors remain in Gaza
• 83 out of ~1,000 journalists in Gaza have been killed (more than 8%)
• More than 7,000 Palestinian political prisoners detained
• More than 70% of homes have been destroyed in Gaza
• 95% of those facing starvation in the world are in Gaza right now

It’s not complicated. We can’t stop thinking about Gaza. There needs to be a ceasefire, a halt to all US support for the military exploits against Palestine, no further Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, and a free Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.