The County's war dead, along with local veterans who served during past conflicts and died during the past year, were honored in a ceremony today at the War Memorial at St. Jerome's, located at Bank and Washington in Batavia. For each service member who passed away in the previous year, a flag was placed at the base of the War Memorial.
Photos by Howard Owens.
Perhaps the most bizarre ending to a game in organized baseball history occurred on Saturday at Dwyer Stadium in Batavia, and the video made ESPN and has gone viral online.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Hornell was up 5-4 and with Brady Prebalick at the plate and two runners on base, Hornell gets a called third strike, but the ball is in the dirt. The catcher appears to miss the tag attempt on the hitter as he starts to run to first but thinks he got the out. The umpire signals safe. The catcher sticks the ball in his back pocket, and the Hornell team starts celebrating an apparent championship win.
The Pal-Mac runners on first and second race around the bases. The only Hornell player, at first, who realizes the game isn't over is the second baseman, who rushes toward the plate, yelling and looking for the ball.
Both runners score. Pal-Mac wins 6-5 to take the Class B1 crown.
Hornell's coach Joe Flint told the Wellsville Sun, "I blame myself a little; maybe I could have gone out and argued it was a dead ball and kept the runner on third and said, ‘Hey, it’s tied now, put the runner on third and make them beat us.’ But we can’t blame the umpires; everyone is running on the field, and I’m not sure they knew how to handle it either. I’m not sure what else happened because I haven’t watched the video. Maybe I should have called for a conference and protested. I blame myself on that piece of it, maybe I could have done a better job.”
UPDATE: H/T Steve Ognibene for finding this explainer video.
Area veterans gathered at the Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Monument, also known as the Upton Monument, in Batavia this morning for a placing of a wreath on the monument in honor of Genesee County's war dead.
It is one of several Memorial Day services today. The Batavian will have more coverage of the various parades and ceremonies.
Photos by Howard Owens
Saturday was quite the sports day for Notre Dame High School with both the baseball and softball teams winning championships.
When the teams returned to Batavia, they were met in the Eastown parking lot by Batavia PD patrols and a City Fire truck and given a championship escort through Downtown.
Photos by Howard Owens.
See also:
Tomorrow, Memorial Day, is the day our nation honors the men and women who sacrificed their lives to help secure and protect our rights to individual liberty, to hold our own beliefs and define our own lives.
Here's a reminder of ceremonies and events taking place in Genesee County for Memorial Day:
Town ceremonies and parades:
A car has struck a bridge on Vallance Road at the Thruway overpass in Le Roy.
Unknown injuries.
Le Roy Fire and Le Roy Ambulance dispatched.
UPDATE 10:51 a.m.: Minor injuries. No need for fire service. Fire department is back in service.
It was a sunny, windless morning when Jason Smith took his morning run through DeWitt Recreation Area, and he captured this photo of a glassy lake in the park.
For the first time in a decade and the second time in program history, Batavia's softball players lifted a Section V trophy over their heads after beating Waterloo for the Class B1 crown, 7-2.
Giana Mruczek tossed a complete game three-hitter, fanning seven and going 1-3 at the plate and driving in a run. She was selected as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Libby Grazioplene went 4-4. Julia Clark had two stolen bases and scored two runs.
This was the third year straight that Batavia and Waterloo have clashed in sectional finals and the first time in those three contests that Batavia came out on top.
"To beat Waterloo is a big accomplishment," said Coach James Fazio. "I had a feeling that if we made it this far, it was going to be Waterloo again. And it was, thankfully, we're able to get the job done today."
A key difference this year, Fazio said, is Batavia took an early lead.
"They're such a strong hitting team from top to bottom that no lead to safe against them," Fazio said. "For once, we were able to get the lead on them, and that's been our struggle the last couple of years -- we always play from behind. But this time, we put them on their heels, and we were just able to hold on. They're a tough team, and we were fortunate enough to beat him."
Mruczek said the win felt really special because she and her teammates have worked hard and grown close.
"I think it's very heartfelt," Mruczek said. "This team has worked so hard for these past two years, and this team (Waterloo), they've always come for us. This was the third year playing them, and I think that we really wanted it so bad. This one is just what everyone deserved. I think it's great."
Clark said there was something special about beating Waterloo, given the history between the two teams.
"This means everything," Clark said. "We've fallen so many times to this team, and we don't see him in the regular season. So it's really this game or nothing. So we always have to put our all in."
The win was also special, Clark said, because of the decade between championship trophies for the softball team.
"We haven't won it all in a very long time," Clark said. "We're always division champs and stuff like that. But to finally win a sectional title for our school means a lot."
Other performance highlights:
Next up for Batavia: The Class B consolidation game against either Wellsville or Haverling on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Honeoye Falls-Lima HS.
Photos by Howard Owens. To view more photos, click here.
To help a friend with a project, I needed to head out to Oakfield to take some landscape photos, and Friday evening seemed like perfect weather for such an excursion.
Photos by Howard Owens
To help a friend with a project, I needed to head out to Morganville in Stafford to take some landscape photos, and Friday evening seemed like perfect weather for such an excursion. I also stopped by the Stafford Country Club.
Photos by Howard Owens.
A motor vehicle accident involving a car and a motorcycle, unknown injuries, is reported in the area of 390 West Main St., Batavia.
In front of Tops.
City Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATED 6:18 p.m. by Joanne Beck: The patient is being transported by Mercy Flight, and the landing zone is being set up at the VA Hospital.
The Oakfield-Alabama Boys Tennis team was invincible until it wasn't.
The Hornets finish the season at 15-1 after droppingthe Class B3 Section V final to Cal-Mum 3-2.
Thursday's Games:
This was a great final," said Coach David Carpino. "I'm extremely proud of our team. They are a great bunch of kids, and they had a great season. I will miss them!"
Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.
Batavia, the #2 seed in the Section V Class B Girls Softball tournament, beat Midlakes on Thursday to advance to the finals, where they will face #1 seed Waterloo on Saturday.
The final score was 5-4.
Libby Grazioplene was 2-4 with three RBIs, including driving in the winning run with a two-run single.
Julia Clark was 2-3.
Lila Fortes had an RBi while going 1-4.
Giana Mruzcek tossed a complete game for the win, striking out nine.
Saturday's game is at 11 a.m. at Webster Thomas High School.
Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.
Notre Dame, the #4 seed in Class D, jumped on top-seeded Keshequa early, scoring two runs in the first and two runs in the third inning and then held on for the 7-4 victory in the Girls Softball Section V semifinals.
Keshequa threatened with three runs in the 6th inning, aided by two Irish errors, but back-to-back strong plays by shortstop Katie Landers (6-3 each time) ended the Keshequa rally.
Loretta Sorochty pitched the complete game for the Lady Irish, going seven innings, giving up six hits, four runs (1 earned) and striking out six batters. Sorochty helped her own cause with 4 fielding putouts during the game.
Keshequa pitcher Aurora Sabins pitched a complete game, 7 innings, giving up 10 hits, 7 runs (4 earned) and struck out 11 batters.
Offensively for Notre Dame, four different batter had two hits each: Sorochty, Landers, Mia Treleaven and Emma Sisson.
Sorochty helped her pitching effort with a sixth-inning solo shot over the left field fence, along with a single, two runs scored, and one RBI. Landers had a double, single, one run scored and one RBI, Treleaven had a double, single and two runs scored, while Sisson had two singles. Kaydence Stehlar had a single, one run scored, and one RBI and Sonji Warner had a double and RBI
"The ladies are really playing as a team right now, and it is great to watch," said Coath Otis Thomas. "I told them the job wasn't finished tonight, we have one more game to get. We will enjoy this tonight but be back to work tomorrow to prepare for the finals on Saturday."
The Irish will play for the Class C Section V block at Filmore High School on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Lyndonville.
Submitted info and photo.
An alleged open burn with smoke blowing into a residence is reported at 86 South Main St., Batavia.
City Fire dispatched.
Law enforcement is in route.
It's about sportsmanship. It's about understanding. It's about working together for a common goal. It's about giving opportunity to those who might not otherwise get an opportunity.
That's why Pembroke has, for the second season in a row, brought together a Unified Basketball team and held an Assembly Game at the end of the team's regular six-game schedule so the whole school can join in and cheer for fellow students who don't often get opportunities to hear the applause and pep songs rooting them on.
The Unified Basketball team is comprised of students with intellectual disabilities and students who do not have those disabilities so they can all enjoy competing together.
"I think it teaches them understanding," said Pembroke HS Principal Nathan Work, who is also one of the team's coaches. "I think it teaches them commitment. I think it teaches them to help one another."
The players on the unified team gain popularity during the season because of the recognition they get. Their baskets after games are announced over the PA system at the school. They get to wear jerseys. They know what it means to represent their classmates.
"It's palpable on campus," Work said. "You can feel it. Some of the students are mostly in self-contained classrooms, but they walk around the halls, and they're legends right there with the announcements of their scores. You see the other players in the stands today. They're cheering for kids that otherwise wouldn't have a chance to wear the Pembroke uniform or the Pembroke colors."
On Thursday, the Unified Dragons played in front of the entire school against the City Honors Centaurs from Buffalo. The game had all the hoopla of a homecoming game with the pep band, cheerleaders, and the school's mascot.
Pembroke Superintendent Matthew Calderon said the Assembly Game is an amazing event.
"It's one of those events that you root for both sides, no matter what happens," Calderon said. "You know, kids with special needs are important. We're happy that we've got some people willing to invest the time and make this happen for them."
Right now, Pembroke competes against teams from Section VI because there aren't enough schools in Section V participating in this program of the Special Olympics. He's hoping that will change. Work and the other coaches recently made a presentation about the program to Genesee Valley BOCES, and Calderon said he thinks other schools in Genesee County are considering forming united basketball teams.
"Because of Pembroke's leadership, other teams are getting interested," Calderon said. "Hopefully, if every school in Genesee County gets involved, we could be closer together and play each other and have like a Genesee Region League. I think that could happen in a couple of years."
Photos by Howard Owens.
The county's $1.8 million restoration of the brick and Medina sandstone of the Genesee Justice/former Sheriff's Office on West Main Street in Batavia has been a months-long project but appears to be nearing the end.
The contract for the work was awarded to Montante Construction last June after the County Legislature realized that delaying the restoration project had only driven up the cost.
The facade of the historic structure was crumbling, with large bits of sandstone falling away from the building.
Workers removed all the sandstone and restored the underlying masonry before putting the sandstone back in place.
Tom Rivers, editor of Orleans Hub, as part of a series on Medina sandstone structures in the region, wrote about the old Sheriff's home and headquarters in 2013.
The jail is part of the Genesee County Courthouse Historic District that was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The district represents the civic core of the city and includes buildings from the 1840s to 1920s.
The collection of historic structures includes the old county courthouse, former city hall, U.S. Post Office, The Holland Land Office Museum, a county office building and a Civil War monument. The jail is the only Medina sandstone building in the disitrict. St. Mary’s Catholic Church, which is close by, also is a striking sandstone structure.
The building was constructed in 1902-03. It was designed by Poughkeepsie architect William J. Beardsley in a Victorian Gothic style. Beardsley also was the architect for the Attica State Prison and many county courthouses.
The Legislature first discussed the need for restoration in 2016 and sought grants to help cover the anticipated $500,000 costs. Last year, Chair Shelley Stein noted, “We should be kicking ourselves for not doing it sooner, but we didn’t have the money.”
There has been a “tremendous amount of damage” that, along with inflation, tripled the initial price estimate, County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens told legislators in June 2022. "There are pieces of stone falling from the top of the porch, and many areas of it are cracked and crumbling."
Currently, the former Sheriff's Office is the office of Genesee Justice, but Genesee Justice, and the jail behind it, will relocate later this year to the new jail facility being built by County Building #2 on West Main Street Road in the Town of Batavia.
County Manager Matt Landers said Thursday evening that the county is still evaluating possible uses for the building and is going to have SMRT, the architectural firm working with the new county on the new jail, assist in that evaluation process. Landers said he has some rough ideas of what could be done with the space but isn't at liberty just yet to publicly discuss those ideas.
Photos by Howard Owens.
Jamie Lee Broadbent, 40, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th. Broadbent is accused of stealing a wallet while at Walmart at 9:02 p.m. on March 20. The wallet reportedly contained cash and multiple credit cards. Broadbent was arrested following an arrest and investigation by Erik Andre. Broadbent was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and ordered to return at a later date.
Adam Daniel Smart, 40, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with forgery 2nd, possession of a forged instrument 2nd, criminal possession of stolen property 5th and petit larceny. Smart is accused of stealing $800 in cash and a black check from a location of Fargo Road on Feb. 14. He is accused of attempting to forge and cash the check on Feb. 16 at the Bank of America in Batavia. Smart was arrested on May 13 and held pending arraignment.
Shawnna Linn Lamont, 33, of Page Road, Perry, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Lamont was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance when taken into custody on two warrants at 6 p.m. on May 23 by Deputy Trevor Sherwood. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Robert Lee Drennen, 41, of Holley Street, Sweden, is charged with harassment 2nd. Drennen is accused of striking another person in the face at the Genesee County Jail on May 16 at 2:30 p.m. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered to reappear at a later date.
Heather Nicole Holbrook, 38, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Holbrook was charged following a traffic stop by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun at 10 p.m. on Dec. 18. Following an investigation, she is accused of possessing 500mg of cocaine and Suboxone. She was arraigned and ordered to reappear.
Margaret Nicole George, 20, and Kristen Dawn George, 26, both of Council House Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, are charged with grand larceny 4th. Margaret and Kristen are accused of stealing more than $1,000 from a former employer on Bloomingdale Road on April 8.
Brittany Lynn Bolton, 23, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Bolton is accused of stealing $45.32 in merchandise from a store on Veterans Memorial Drive. The Sheriff's Office withheld the name of the store. Bolton was issued an appearance ticket.
Oakfield-Alabama beat Kendall in the Class B3 tennis semifinal on Wednesday, 4-1.
The Hornets are the #1 seed in the bracket and play Cal-Mum for the championship today at Batavia High School at 4 p.m.
Individual results:
Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.
The Fighting Irish will play for a Class C Section V championship after beating Campbell-Savonia at Dwyer Stadium on Wednesday, 6-3.
Notre Dame scored in the opening frame when Bryceton Berry singled on a 2-2 count, driving in a run.
Berry earned the win, going three 2/3 innings, surrendering only one hit, no runs and striking out nine.
Nolan Jamison took the loss for Campbell-Savona, allowing five runs on three hits and striking out two.
Jaden Sherwood was Notre Dame's starting pitcher, allowing three hits and three runs over 3 1/3, striking out nine.
Jay Antinore went 3-3.
Also, on Wednesday,
Submitted info. Photos by Pete Welker.
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