Pavilion

Press Release:

The American Legion Auxiliary Unit #576 of Le Roy has selected a candidate and three alternates for this year's Empire Girls State the week of June 30 at SUNY Brockport. Grace Slocum has been selected to attend as a candidate. 

As part of the premier ALA program, citizens of the New York Girls State will study local, county, and state government processes during this five-day nonpartisan political learning experience. Grace is a high school junior and honor student from Pavilion Central School District. She is a participant in several clubs and organizations, earning third place in the Literature category at the 2024 Interscholastic Competition in English (ICE). Grace is also a two-season scholar athlete and remains in high academic standing. In addition to Girls’ State, Grace will be attending the Pavilion Close-Up trip to Washington, D.C. in March 2024.

Aubrey Puccio, alternate, is a junior at LeRoy Jr/Sr High school. She is involved in almost all music programs at the school including the musical, chorus and Knights and Gals.

Tristan Harding, alternate, is a junior at Pavilion. She is influenced greatly by her family and has been part of Scouts BSA for years, with the goal of becoming an Eagle scout some day. She also participated in the National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) this past summer. Outside of Scouting, she spends her time participating in Volleyball and Figure Skating, Performance Guild, SADD, Page Turners, Ski Club, and Trap Club, where she had the opportunity to compete at the State level.

Sammy Privatera, alternate, is a junior at Le Roy. She comes from a family that has been very active in this program. Her brother went to Boys State in 2016 and her sister to Girls State in 2021. Sammy loves all things having to do with music and has participated in Band, Chorus, Jazz Band, Knights n’ Gals, Marching Band, Musical, and other activities. Along with that she is a highly active member of the National Honor Society and loves making a positive impact on her community.

ALA Girls State attendees, known as “citizens,” receive special instruction in parliamentary procedure and organize themselves into two mock political parties. The young women then campaign, hold rallies, debate, and vote to elect city, county, and state officials. Once elected to office, delegates are sworn in and perform their prescribed duties. Attendees not elected to office are given appointments and visit
the offices of those elected to share their viewpoints as citizens.

Every spring, approximately 25,000 young women across the country are selected to attend ALA Girls State programs in their respective states. Two outstanding citizens from each of the 50 ALA Girls State programs are then chosen to represent their state as “senators” at ALA Girls Nation held in Washington, D.C. in July.

Since it was a small turnout in the Pavilion High School Auditorium on Thursday evening, Don Shomette, a school safety consultant, decided to have a conversation instead of his planned presentation.

He took questions and offered answers.

Those answers included three rules for staying safe if you find yourself in public during a safety crisis, such as an active shooter: act fast, get space and separation, and survive.

"Run, Hide, and fight -- I like it because nobody created it," Shomette said. "It wasn't as if someone sat down and said, 'You know what I'm going to do? I'm gonna go ahead and create a strategy that people can use to make themselves safer. That's not what they did. What happened was we watched a million people react to violence, and we said, 'Oh, everybody does one of three things. They run, hide or fight, or they do a combination of it. What I love about it is all of us will naturally do it."

Shomette is a former Marine, combat veteran, and former school resource officer with more than 30 years of security experience.  He has consulted with police departments, municipalities, and school districts nationally.  He provided the district with a vulnerability assessment based on personal visits inventorying all aspects of the campuses, as well as staff development training and Thursday's community meeting.

The low turnout for his talk on Thursday -- less than a dozen people -- was actually a good sign, Shomette said.  It is a sign there isn't a lot of anxiety about potential violence within the district and that there hasn't been a tragic or troublesome event in the area recently.

Advice for responding to violent acts
As for his advice, if you're in the proximity of violence, acting quickly can help save your life, and the thing you are most likely to think about first is getting away from the violence, Shomette said.

"If you're in a room and you hear what sounds like fireworks or firecrackers, chances are it means that the violence is far away from you, or it's not extremely close to you," Shomette said. "In that case, I would run to the door, close the door, lock the door and get out of the way. I'd stay in the room. Chances are, that might be the best thing to do. Okay, why stay in the room? If you can close and lock a classroom door, you have about a 99 percent chance that no threat will enter the classroom. That is, statistically speaking, what school attackers do is they tend not to destroy doors; they try the handle, and then they move on. So if you're in a classroom and you hear what sounds like firecrackers, my advice to you is if you can get to the door and close and lock it, stay there."

That's creating space - you're putting a physical object between you and the attacker.

If you're in the hallway, he said, you need to create distance. That means running.

"I will say that the vast majority of people who go outside tend to survive," Shomette said.

He cautioned, though, that you want to be sure you're running away from the violence and not toward it. 

Prioritizing survival is fighting, Shomette said. You're fighting to survive.

"You have to adopt the mindset right now that you're going to do anything you had to do to survive," he said.

He told the story of two people at a mass shooting who crawled into a hole in the wall that officials couldn't believe one person could fit in, let alone two.

When it comes to fighting back, that is a matter of assessing your situation and understanding what you've trained or practiced to do.  Some people are better equipped based on size alone or the equipment they care to provide physical resistance to an attacker.  He drew attention to, for example, School Resource Officer Trevor Sherwood, who was in attendance and is a large man, a trained peace officer who, if on campus, is probably properly equipped to fight back.

"Typically, we think of fighting as going physical," Shomette said. "If you can go physical, go physical. Trevor, stand up. I want you to look at Trevor. Trevor should go physical, don't you agree? Thanks, Trevor. I mean, I would bring Trevor with me and put him in a glass cage and just break it and say, Trevor, take care of it. If I told Trevor not to fight or as a last resort fight, it would be crazy because Trevor is trained; it's his natural, probably, proclivity. It's what he's going to be leaning towards."

But not everybody is well suited to taking on an attacker. Most people aren't, in fact. That's where space and distance comes into play, which Shomette said is also fighting because it's about surviving.

"The deal is 99 percent of people do not first think of physically fighting," Shomette said. "They tend to be 1 percent of people who physically fight. So don't be discouraged by this. Everybody fights in a crisis. If you run, you're fighting. If you hide, you're fighting. If you survive, you're fighting.”

Protecting yourself
Since students can't carry pepper spray, one young woman asked about carrying hair spray as a defensive weapon. 

That's fine if you're practiced in how you would deploy so that you're ready to react in a tense, life-threatening situation, Shomette said, but space and distance may still be your better option if it is an option.

"I would not, however, bank on the idea that I'm going to do something brand new that I've never done before," Shomette said.

When Shomette was a young police officer, he was provided with pepper spray and not a lot of training or practice time on using it.  He was pretty horrible with it as a defensive tool at first, he admitted.  One time he accidentally sprayed his partner in the face with it.

"That was the worst feeling in the world, seeing that red go on his face," Shomette said. "I felt very comfortable using it."

He eventually became proficient, but it took time.

He recalled a mass shooting in a bar, where dozens of adult customers were standing around with beer bottles in their hands.

"How many grown-ups threw a bottle at the attacker? None of them," Shomette said. "None of them, and you would think that they would do it. But the deal is when a crisis happens -- here's this part that it's hard to describe, and it's kind of painful to say, but during an extremely violent act, it is unlike anything you've ever experienced. You can you can feel it. You'll feel the vibrations. You can feel things hitting you. You smell things. In extreme violence, you can smell things that you never thought about. 

"I look at photos of some things that have happened that I've been involved in, and I still remember what that smelled like. I remembered the smell that was there in extreme violence. I don't know if it's from the room or from the weapons being discharged, but I can remember tasting metal. I look at some photos, and I taste metal. I guess my point is that stay away from extreme violence and get away from it. It is shocking. It is incredibly unnerving. You tend to fall back on the things that you feel most comfortable doing."

Mental health
Shomette started his discussion by sharing his views on the primary cause of mass violence -- mental illness, and the fact that mental health is what society needs to address and what parents need to see as a primary need of their own children.

"There are lots of people who believe what's happening is because of lots of reasons," Shomette said. "I won't go into all the reasons, but they are heavy, big-time debates.  ... This is me. My thoughts. The number one problem, or the number one driver for me, about why we have school attacks is because of mental health, hands down. Why do I say this? I just don't say it because I believe it. I study school attackers. I put on classes for police officers that are five days in a row, eight hours a day. All we do is talk about school attackers, who they are, and what they do. 

"I'm not trying to be insensitive, but after every school attack, the newspaper could read, 'We have learned nothing new.' We've learned nothing new for the last 10 years. We have known everything about school attackers, there is nothing new. Every time, it's shocking, but there's nothing new. The mental health aspect is, without a doubt  -- I think every school attacker suffers from mental health illness because they've had a break with reality and they believe it's okay to take a life. Would you agree that that's totally unhealthy? So I think by the act itself, whether they were diagnosed mentally ill or not, it doesn't matter, in the act of murdering an innocent person, you have proven that you are mentally ill."

Parents, he said, watch your kids and make sure they overcome the barriers they encounter in life and enjoy life.

"Are you ready? I have eight kids," Shomette said. "I am super vigilant, hyper-vigilant. I look at all my kids, and I think about these things on a very personal level. If you live life well, I think you tend not to choose violence. I worry that people who don't live life well long enough, they go down. We make the mistake of just going out there and saying they're mentally ill, but they're really not mentally ill. 

“They say that whatever you practice, you become good at whatever it is you practice,” he said. “So, if you have kids, my advice is to do everything you can to help them live well. If kids can live well, I think we'll get rid of most of our issues and problems."

Press Release:

The Pavilion Alumni Hall of Fame Committee urges community input and support to nominate outstanding PCS graduates who have achieved distinction in their lives and chosen field after high school through significant contributions to their career, community or through personal achievements. 

Inductees for the Annual Hall of Fame Assembly are selected by the PCS Alumni Hall of Fame Selection Committee, a voluntary group comprised of PCS alumni, current and retired faculty members, community residents, and district administrators. Since launching in 2014, the PCS Hall of Fame has honored over two dozen exemplary alumni who inspire current and future Pavilion students to strive for excellence. 

“The Hall of Fame Assembly is a chance for all of our students to see the many possibilities of life after PCS,” says Pavilion Superintendent Mary Kate Hoffman. “What I love about the ceremony is that our students see alumni from all walks of life. They hear stories of people who have made great achievements in life and who have made important contributions to their community. But they are not hearing just from alumni who excelled in academics while in school. Many of our speakers have shared that they maybe didn’t have the best grades…but they still went on to great things.”

“Being inducted into the PCS Hall of Fame was a tremendous honor for me,” says Ken Weaver, Deputy Director with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and PCS Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Honoree, “What made the induction especially meaningful was the opportunity to connect with young people and discuss their goals and aspirations. One of the highlights of the experience was hearing a student express appreciation for my speech. Knowing that my words resonated with someone and might have inspired them is a heartwarming reminder of the impact shared experiences and wisdom can have on the next generation.”

Several laureates like Diane Davis Torcello, President of the WNY Tompkins Community Bank, have continued their support of the PCS Alumni Hall of Fame by joining the Selection Committee and recognizing more impactful graduates.
“I joined the Hall of Fame Committee because I believe in the mission of what the group is trying to achieve. Honoring leaders from all different professions and backgrounds is important to deliver the message to the current students of PCS – they can accomplish anything if they work hard,” says Torcello, “attending a small school is not a disadvantage – rather an advantage.” 

Nominations are currently being accepted and can be found on the PCS Hall of Fame website (www.PCSHallofFame.com) and printed applications are available at the following Pavilion businesses and organizations: Kemp-Rudgers Service Station, the Pavilion Public Library, The Lost Sock, Jazzy Creations, Blessings Café, Dorothy B. Bunce Elementary School, and Pavilion Junior/Senior High School main office. 

All nominations must be submitted by March 8 and the PCS Alumni Hall of Fame Assembly will be held on May 31, 2024, at the Pavilion Junior/Senior High School Auditorium.

Brandon J. March, 39, of Batavia, is charged with strangulation 2nd, assault 3rd, and menacing 3rd. March was arrested on Dec. 28 following an investigation into an incident on South Lyon Street. March is accused of kicking a person while threatening to kill that person. March was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Donald G. Vanelli, 60, of Oakfield, is charged with burglary 3rd, criminal mischief 4th, conspiracy 5th, and petit larceny. Vanelli was arrested on Jan. 4 on a warrant stemming from an investigation into a break-in at a business on Mill Street. At least two suspects stole property from the business, according to police. Vanelli was arraigned and released under supervision.

Tanisha N. Gibson, 38, of Batavia, is charged with assault 2nd, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Gibson was arrested on Jan. 8 following an investigation into an incident on Dec. 2 on Bank Street. Gibson is accused of spraying pepper spray in the face of another person. Gibson was arraigned and released.

Johnathan M. Falk, 25, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and conspiracy 6th. Falk is accused of cooperating with another person to steal property on Jan. 5 from 7-Eleven on East Main Street. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Samuel J. Hernandez, 21, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Hernandez is accused of shoplifting from West Main Wine and Spirits on Jan. 5. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jaliyla S. Shelton, 18, of Rochester, is charged with two counts of grand larceny 4th. She is accused of stealing two cars in Batavia. She was arrested on Nov. 2 and issued an appearance ticket.  She is accused of failure to appear on those charges and was arrested on a warrant on Jan. 10. She was arraigned and released.

Crystal L. Dacey, 29, of Attica, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and petit larceny. Dacey is accused of stealing property and prescription pills from another person on Jan. 10. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Timothy D. Cobb, 19, of Buffalo, is charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer 3rd. Cobb is accused of fleeing from a police officer following an incident at Speedway at Oak and Main on Jan. 3. The pursuit was terminated, but Cobb was apprehended a short time later. He was issued an appearance ticket and multiple traffic tickets.

James R. Briggs, 48, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Briggs is accused of stealing merchandise from Family Dollar on East Main Street on Jan. 4. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Joshua W. Bombard, 18, of Pavilion, is charged with assault 3rd and criminal mischief 4th. Bombard was arrested after police officers responded to a report of a fight at a location on Ellicott Street on Dec. 27. Bombard is accused of injuring another person and damaging that person's property. He was arraigned and released.

Jennifer M. Beswick, 41, of Batavia, is charged with DWAI/Drugs and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Beswick was arrested on Dec. 27 by Batavia PD following an investigation into a traffic accident that occurred on July 29. Beswick was issued an appearance ticket.

Jason C. Mann, 47, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Mann is accused of damaging another person's property during a fight in the parking lot at 587 East Main St., Batavia, on Dec. 24. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Martin J. Rodgers, 39, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Rogers is accused of damaging a window at a residence on Oak Street on Dec. 19 during an argument. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Naquan J. Shepherd, 24, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Shepherd allegedly hit another person during an argument on Hutchins Street, Batavia, on Dec. 20. Shepherd was issued an appearance ticket.

Ronald J. Murray, 29, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant on Dec. 26. The warrant stems from an incident on Aug. 11. Murray is accused of possessing narcotics. He was arraigned and released. 

Henry C. Roberts, 19, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Roberts is accused of shoplifting from Tops on Dec. 29. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Levy Spikes, Jr., 50, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Spikes was charged following a traffic stop by a Batavia PD patrol on Dec. 24 on Lewiston Road. He was issued traffic tickets.

Malik Isiah Ayala, 32, no permanent address, is charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Ayala is accused of stealing a pair of Nike sneakers from Dick's Sporting Goods at 4:22 p.m. Jan. 13. When taken into custody, he was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Mark E. Green, 42, of Hermitage Road, Warsaw, is charged with harassment 2nd. Green is accused of hitting another person at a residence on Briarwood Terrace, Batavia, at 5:50 p.m. on Jan. 14. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Scott David Murray, 38, no residence provided, is charged with assault 3rd and criminal obstruction of breathing.  Murray was arrested on Jan. 2 in connection with an incident reported on Dec. 30 at a location in Darien. Murray is accused of striking another person in the face multiple times and applying pressure to the neck of that person multiple times.  He was held for arraignment.

Joseph M. Andrews, 47, of East Crestwood Court, Lockport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, open container, and speed not reasonable and prudent. Andrews is accused of driving off the roadway at 9:03 p.m. on Jan. 13 on Lewiston Road, Oakfield, while intoxicated. The incident was investigated by deputies Mason Schultz and Zachary Hoy.

Maxim James Reynolds, no age provided, of Lakes Road, Hamlin, is charged with DWI and false personation. Reynolds was stopped at 2:33 p.m. on Jan. 14 on Reed Road, Bergen, by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. He was issued an appearance ticket.

A man has reportedly exited a GMC SUV at Ellicott Street Road and Telephone Road, Pavilion, and is being chased by a female.

The male is described as mid-30s, white, blond, wearing a snowmobile coat and orange shirt.

Law enforcement is dispatched.

Pavilion Central School District is in the early phase of planning its next significant building and renovation project.

It's seeking bids from architectural/engineering firms to help it map out updates and upgrades at its two main school buildings, D.B. Bunce Elementary School and Pavilion Junior-Senior High School, which totals 275,800 square feet of education space.

The estimated budget for the project is between $20 million and $24 million.

The project is expected to include at least:

• Replacement of boiler plants in both buildings;
• Renovation of media centers in both buildings;
• Expansion and renovation of one wing of the junior-senior high;
• An upgrade to the fire alarm and security system at the junior-senior high;
• An upgrade to theatrical lighting, sound, and projection in the auditorium; and,
• The replacement of playgrounds.

The selected firm will perform design and construction-related services, including architectural, and engineering for all elements of construction.

The district expects to hire the firm with the winning bid in January with board review and voter approval requested in the fall.  Planning documents will begin the regulatory planning process in the summer of 2025. If all that goes as planned, construction will begin in the summer of 2025, with completion in the winter of 2026.

Bids are due by 3 p.m. on Jan. 10.

The Request for Proposal, which is a document for companies being asked to bid on a project, does not contain financial data beyond the broad cost estimate. The financial plan for paying for the project will be developed by district staff and approved by the board before a public vote on the proposal. Typically, these projects are paid for primarily through state aid.

To read the complete RFP, click here.

Tanner Bernard Wiley, 35, of Bennington Hills, Conn., is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle 3rd, obstructing governmental administration. Kimberly Ann Brodsky, 32, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd. When officers attempted to stop a vehicle reportedly driven by Wiley at 1:09 a.m. on Dec. 7, Wiley allegedly fled from the traffic stop, leading to a pursuit of the vehicle from the City of Batavia into the Town of Pembroke, where Wiley allegedly attempted to flee on foot. Wiley and Brodsky were held pending arraignment.

Robert Alva Wright, 64, of Brooklyn Street, Warsaw, Rick William Reed, 42, of Maiden Lane, North Java, and Jesse James Schmidt, are each charged with assault 2nd. The three men are accused of participating in an assault at 11:11 p.m. on Sept. 8 at 2630 Attica Road, Alexander, the location of the Hillside Tavern.  All three men were arraigned on Dec. 4 and released on their own recognizance. The incident was investigated by deputies Erik Andre and Kevin McCarthy.

Talia F. Joubert, 21, of Le Roy, is charged with DWAI Drugs, speeding, and two counts of harassment 2nd.  Joubert was arrested on Dec. 5 in connection with a traffic stop conducted by a Batavia patrol officer on Dec. 5 at an undisclosed time and location. Joubert is accused of striking two police officers while at the police station. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Brian C. Johnson, 26, of Cheektowaga, is charged with harassment 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd. Johnson allegedly engaged in a physical altercation with staff at UMMC while being treated in ER. He allegedly tried to flee police when officers attempted to take him into custody. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Wayne D. Potter, 40, of Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment 2nd. He was arrested on Dec. 2 after an investigation by Batavia PD into an incident reported on Nov. 4 at an undisclosed time and undisclosed location where Potter allegedly fought with another person. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Cornelius Welch, 44, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Welch was allegedly found in possession of narcotics during a traffic stop by Batavia PD while Welch was riding his bicycle at an undisclosed location and at an undisclosed time. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Lisa Ann Centi, undisclosed age, undisclosed residential street, of Chili, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminal possession of a weapon 4th, false personation, insufficient signal, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd.  Centi was arrested following a traffic stop by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell at 9:58 p.m. on Dec. 1 on Forest Edge Drive, Batavia. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Kenniva Sharee Imoni Couser, 23, of Finch Street, Rochester, and Rickia Leshay Bryant, 25, of Clifford Avenue, Rochester, are charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and Bryant is charged with petit larceny. Couser and Bryant are accused of parking in a fire lane on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, at 2:51 p.m. on Dec. 6. There were reportedly children in the vehicle when the exterior temperature was 30 degrees.  The information related to the petit larceny charge was not released. Both were issued an appearance ticket. "Rickia Leshay Bryant" seems to be a name or a phrase.

Stacy Ramon Moss, 34, of Bates Road, Medina, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th, aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd, seeding, and driving without a license. Moss was charged following a traffic stop by Deputy Stephen Smith at 2:03 a.m. on Dec. 4 on Lewiston Road, Batavia. Moss was processed at the Genesee County Jail, issued tickets, and released.

Taylor Marie Goodenow, 21, of Route 5, Le Roy, is charged with burglary 2nd, menacing 3rd, and conspiracy 4th. Riley Lucas Semaj Robinson, 19, of Route 5, Le Roy, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, criminal mischief 3rd, and criminal possession of a weapon 4th. Goodenow and Robinson are accused of entering an apartment in Pavilion by force at 3:43 a.m. on Dec. 3, menacing the occupants and causing property damage.

Matthew Ryan Bankes, 36, of Mayflower Street, Rochester, is charged with DWI and speeding. Bankes was stopped at 2:52 a.m. on Dec. 10 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Ryan Mullen.  Bankes was issued an appearance ticket.

Sasha O. Wilson, 37, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wilson was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 4:15 p.m. on Dec. 11 in the Town of Batavia. Wilson was issued an appearance ticket. Troopers did not release further information.

Jeanie L. Graham, 38, of Rochester, is charged with bail jumping 3rd. Graham was arrested by State Police on Dec. 11 and ordered held on cash bail. Troopers did not release further information.

Pavilion dropped the afternoon consolation game in the 31st Annual Warsaw Kiwanis Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, losing to Warsaw, 82-54.

Case Cummins scored 19 points for the Golden Gophers. Landan Stoddard scored 10 points.

Photos by  Jennifer DiQuattro.

Byron-Bergen beat Pavilion 63-47 in the 31st Annual Warsaw Kiwanis Tip-Off Tournament on Friday night.

For the Bees, Brody Baubie scored 19 points and had 12 rebounds.  Colin Martin, 12 points and five steals. Bradyn Chambry scored nine points and snagged nine rebounds.

The Golden Gophers will play Warsaw in the consolation game today (Saturday) at 5:30 p.m.  Byron-Bergen will face off against Fillmore in the finals at 7 p.m. at Warsaw High School.

The Town of Pavilion will hold its annual Christmas in the Park on Saturday.

Each year, residents decorate trees placed in the park in remembrance of loved ones.

Children can visit with Santa at 3 p.m. There will be caroling at 4 p.m. followed by the tree lighting.\

Photos by Frank Capuano.

Pavilion Fire and mutual aid companies are on scene of a barn fire close to a residence reported on Old State Road at Moag Road.

The call came in just before 8 p.m.

The first responder on scene reported a fully involved working barn fire.

The Pavilion chief requested a second alarm. Dispatched: Batavia's FAST team, Bethany, Stafford, Le Roy, with mutual aid was requested from Livingston County and Wyoming County.

Press Release:

Perry Road, an essential roadway in Genesee County, is undergoing major improvements as part of a broader infrastructure enhancement initiative. Over the next few weeks, some road closures will occur as the project kicks off.

The project's main focus is replacing outdated cross culverts. These new smooth-bore plastic pipes are designed to handle more water and have a longer lifespan than the old corrugated steel pipes. 

Currently, work is happening near BW's Restaurant in Pavilion, where three culverts are being replaced. The project will then move north to a location approximately half a mile south of Route 20, between Rodgers Road and Route 20. Additional phases will address two pipes about a quarter-mile north of Route 20 and the central area of a new campground being developed on Perry Road. 

Please drive with caution as asphalt binder patches have been applied to pavement cuts. While not perfect, they will be in place through the winter. "ROUGH ROAD" signs are posted to alert drivers. 

The project is divided into several phases: 

1. Cross Culvert Replacement: Ongoing work to upgrade failing culverts. 
2. Ditch Maintenance: Scheduled for this fall or the upcoming spring, involving opening and cleaning ditches on the roadsides.
3. Road Widening: In spring 2024, the road will undergo milling and filling to widen the shoulders. 
4. Final Road Topping: Late summer/fall 2024 will see the road topped Hot Mix Asphalt. 

The goal of this project is to transform Perry Road into a fully rebuilt road, improving its functionality and durability. 

For more information, please contact Tim Hens at 585-344-8508.

Devon C. Shine, 19, of Batavia, is charged with gang assault 2nd. Shine is accused of taking part with two other people in assaulting another person on May 30 at an undisclosed time and undisclosed location and causing serious injury. He was arrested on Sept. 27 and arraigned in City Court. He was released under supervision.

Alan G. Jones, 40, of Rochester, is charged with grand larceny 4th. Jones is accused of stealing more than $1,000 in merchandise from Harbor Freight in Batavia on Oct. 6. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Chad S. Williams, 52, of Rochester, is charged with. criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th, and tampering with evidence. Williams was arrested on Oct. 2 on the drug charges stemming from his arrest on Nov. 29 on unrelated charges when he was allegedly found in possession of narcotics. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held without bail.

Nekia D. Newton, 47, and Charnee A. Harris, 32, both of Rochester, are charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Newton and Harris were arrested by a Batavia patrol officer on Sept. 27 following a traffic stop where they were allegedly found in possession of narcotics. They were arraigned in City Court. Newton was held without bail and Harris was released on her own recognizance. 

Michelle L. Darch, 37, of Batavia, is charged with falsely reporting an incident and tampering with physical evidence. Darch is accused of falsely reporting that she was involved in a hit-and-run accident on Sept. 24 and of allegedly staging evidence at the scene. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Robert Z. Johnson, 23, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd. Johnson allegedly injured another person during a disturbance on East Main Street, Batavia. He was arrested Sept .29 and issued an appearance ticket.

Peter L. Jackson, 57, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Jackson is accused of shoving and kicking another person at an undisclosed time and location. He was arrested on Oct. 11. He was arraigned in City Court and released.

Tammy M. Caldwell, 53, of Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant on Oct. 3. Caldwell was initially arrested on Aug. 9, 2019, and charged with petit larceny for an alleged retail theft. A warrant was issued on Jan. 27, 2020, after she allegedly failed to appear in court. Caldwell was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.

Aaron R. Hatfield, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant issued by City Court. Hatfield was initially charged on Aug. 14, with petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th after an investigation into a larceny from Tops. He was issued an appearance ticket but allegedly failed to appear in court. Hatfield was arraigned on the warrant and released on his own recognizance.

George J. Budzinack, 43, of Batavia, was arrested on Oct. 8 on a bench warrant issued by City Court. Budzinack was initially arrested on Aug. 3 and charged with criminal possession of stolen property 5th. He was issued an appearance ticket but allegedly failed to appear in court. He was arraigned and released.

George J. Budzinack, 43, of Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant on Oct. 8 issued by City Court. Budzinack was initially arrested on Aug. 8 and charged with criminal possession of stolen property 5th. He was issued an appearance ticket but allegedly failed to appear in court. He was arraigned and released. Budzinack is also charged with petit larceny. He is accused of stealing a bicycle on Sept. 27 from a porch on East Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket. Budzinack was also charged with petit larceny. He is accused of stealing shoes from Shoe Dept on Veterans Memorial Drive at 3:15 p.m. on Oct. 6. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Tatyanna M. White, 20, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. White is accused of violating an order of protection on Oct. 5. White was issued an appearance ticket.

Nathaniel A. Moultrup, 23, of Attica, is charged with DWI. Moultrup was arrested following a traffic stop on South Main Street on Sept. 23, where he was allegedly found to be operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He was issued traffic tickets and released.

Supreme N. Ervin, 24, of Batavia is charged with riding a bicycle on a sidewalk. Ervin was charged in connection with a motor vehicle accident on Sept 21 at an undisclosed location in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Teri K. Easton, 61, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Easton is accused of shoplifting on Sept. 28 at Rite Aid on East Main Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Benjamin D. Seekins, 34, of Batavia, is charged with theft of services. Seekins is accused of leaving T.F. Brown's on Sept. 28 without paying his bill. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Chanatell Delacruz, 34, of Geneseo, is charged with DWI. Delacruz was stopped on Sept. 23 by a Batavia patrol officer at an undisclosed time, at an undisclosed location. She was arraigned and released.

Ronald W Lewis, 35, of Spencerport, was arrested on Sept. 23 on an arrest warrant issued by City Court. Lewis was initially arrested on July 7 and charged with petit larceny after allegedly stealing merchandise from Tim Hortons. He was issued an appearance ticket. The warrant was issued after Lewis allegedly failed to appear in court. After his arrest, he was arraigned and released. Lewis is also charged with the trespass. On Sept. 24, Lewis allegedly refused to leave UMMC. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Isaiah L Poole, 23, of Rochester, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and unlawful publication of intimate images. Poole allegedly violated an order of protection and posted an intimate image of another person on social media. Poole was arraigned in City Court and jailed.

Joseph C Barone, 43, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, speeding, and failure ot keep right. Barone was stopped on Main Street, Batavia, on Sept. 11, at an undisclosed time, by a Batavia patrol officer. He was issued traffic tickets and released.

Andre L. Bryan, 44, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Bryan is accused of refusing to leave a residence on Elm Street after being told numerous times to leave by the resident. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Ashton L. Mohney, 33, no permanent address, is charged with burglary 1st, assault 2nd, and criminal contempt 2nd. Mohney is accused of violating an order of protection on Sept. 18 by entering a residence on Ross Street and injuring another person with a knife. He was arraigned and jailed on  $2,500 bail, $5,000 bond, or $25,000 partially secured bond. 

William B Coley, 53, of Albion, is charged with petit larceny. Coley is accused of shoplifting from the 7-Eleven on East Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Tony Robert Graber, 44, of East Avenue, Marilla, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal contempt 1st, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Graber is accused of entering a residence in the Town of Batavia at 9 pm. on Sept. 20 in violation of an order of protection and of possessing fentanyl at the time was his arrest. Graber was arraigned and ordered held without bail.

James Darrell Hooten, 35, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and grand larceny 4th. Hooten is accused of using the debit card of another person without permission on Sept. 3 at  1:44 p.m. He was arrested on Oct. 13. At arraignment, an order of protection was issued.

Terry Duanne Wilcoxen, 43, of Sandpit Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Wilcoxen was arrested by Deputy Zachary Hoy following a motor vehicle accident reported at 4:59 p.m. on Oct. 12 on Sandpit Road, Alexander. Wilcoxen was issued appearance tickets.

Michael Irving White, 19, of Day Street, Albion, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd and criminal trespass 2nd.  White is accused of entering a residence on Oct. 9 at 6:11 a.m. on Freeman Road, Byron, without permission and causing more than $250 in damage. He was arraigned. His release status is unknown.

Jessie B. Joy, 27, of Telephone Road, Pavilion, is charged with DWI and failure to yield the right of way on a left-hand turn. Joy was arrested by Deputy Ryan Mullen following a motor vehicle accident reported a 1 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the intersection of Route 20 and Route 63, Pavlion.  He was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital following the accident, where he was issued an appearance ticket.

Debra Stanley, 59, of Lakeview Park, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Stanley is accused of shoplifting from Ulta Beauty on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, at 4:06 p.m., Oct. 18. At the time of her arrest she was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance. She was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Elwin Eugene Drew, 40, of Shanks Road, Alabama. Drew is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Drew was stopped at 2:13 p.m. on Oct. 15 on Sliker Road, Pembroke, by Deputy Zachary Hoy. He was issued traffic ticket and released.

A semi-truck vs. pickup truck accident was reported at Route 20 and Route 63 in Pavilion at about 11:30 a.m.

We have no information on injuries.

A diesel fuel spill was reported.

The intersection was closed during clean-up.

Photo submitted by Brian Paris.

Caroline R. Salemi, 87, of Ellicott Avenue, and Timothy A. Burch, 61, of Ellicott Avenue, are charged with unlawful eviction and petit larceny. Salemi and Burch are accused of removing a tenant's property from an apartment and moving in another tenant without properly evicting the tenant. They also allegedly disposed of some of the tenant's property. 

Warren Thomas Cotton, 46, no permanent address, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Cotton was allegedly found in possession of methamphetamine after deputies and troopers located a disabled vehicle on Route 33 in Stafford at 10:31 on Sept. 24. Cotton was a passenger in the vehicle and was allegedly found to have a warrant for his arrest. He was held in the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment.

Marcelis Arroyo, no age or residence provided, and Eliezer Morales, no age or residence provided, are both charged with petit larceny. Arroyo and Morales are accused of stealing something at Darien Lake Theme Park on Sept. 23.  Both were issued appearance tickets.

Tony Robert Graber, 44, of East Avenue, Marilla, is charged with burglary 2nd and criminal contempt 1st. Graber is accused of violating a stay-away order of protection at 1:45 p.m. on Sept. 6. He was ordered held without bail.

Joel D. Prouty, 37, of Thomas Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Prouty is accused of contacting a person in violation of a stay-away order of protection via phone calls while in the Genesee County Jail. Prouty was arraigned in City Court and returned to the jail.

Gregory Gatson, Jr., 33, of Magee Avenue, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding.  Gatson was stopped at 12:55 a.m. on Sept. 30 on Route 33 in Stafford by Deputy Ryan Mullen. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Johnny Burton Koonce, 33, of Conlon Road, Le Roy, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Koonce is accused of violating a stay-away order of protection at 2:38 a.m. on Oct. 3 at a location on Conlon Road, Le Roy. He was helped pending arraignment.

Joseph Frank Kosnik, 54, of Maple Road, Corfu, is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle 3rd. Kosnik is accused of operating a truck without the owner's permission at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 on Treadeasy Drive in Batavia. He was ordered to appear in court at a later date.

Jason M. Knobloch, 53, of Pembroke, is charged with DWI/alcohol or drugs. Knobloch was stopped by State Police in the Town of Pembroke at 11:14 p.m. on Oct. 3. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Ronald T. Bliss, 45, of Cheektowaga, is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Bliss was arrested in connection with an incident reported at 10:51 p.m. on Oct. 2 in the Town of Pavilion. he was issued an appearance ticket. The State Police withheld further information about the case.

York/Pavilion beat Notre Dame 25-18 in a Thursday Night football game.

For Notre Dame, Jay Antinore was 7-13 passing for 112 yards and TD  with one interception. He also ran for 70 yards on 17 carries and scored a touchdown on the ground.

Ryan Fitzpatrick had five receptions for 96 yards and a TD.

For York/Pavilion, Parker Bonefede was 13-20 passing for 189 yards and two touchdowns. He ran seven times for 21 yards and two TDs.

Tyler Brady and Jacob Pangrazio each had a TD reception.

Photos by Pete Welker

As she was approaching high school graduation, Reagan Heubusch wanted to at least supplement her part-time job with something else to make a little more money, and a family friend suggested that she try a pet-sitting service.

Almost immediately, her own social media, plus word-of-mouth, earned her three or four clients, and the business grew to the point where the 18-year-old dropped the other job altogether.

“It started out as a very small idea, and my initial goal was for it to keep me afloat while I found another job,” she said during an interview with The Batavian. “What actually ended up happening was it replaced a job entirely for me; I was able to do it full time, not just not on the side. I offer four services currently, but am hoping to be able to expand in the future as I take some courses to help educate me more.”

It was her boyfriend’s step-mother who can claim credit for the idea, and her own mother, Danielle, who gave the push to “go for it” in pursuing her own business, Reagan said. She’s always had a love for dogs, having grown up with four up to now, so the idea especially appealed to her.

Still in its early stage, the owner and namesake of the Reagan Elizabeth Pet Sitting Services is in progress with obtaining her LLC, and she offers dog walking and drop-in visits of 30 to 60 minutes to provide some companionship, exercise, a feeding, or outdoor break; and then more extensive day and night stays at the client’s home.

A 2023 graduate of Pavilion Junior Senior High School, Reagan has also taken some online courses to learn more about handling dogs, grooming and trimming their nails, she said, with plans to take more in-depth lessons, such as certified dog CPR, certified grooming and administering medical injections. 

She already has experience with giving oral treatments, has booked repeat clients for all of her services, and gained some experience working at Rover.com, she said.

Reagan has a repeat overnight client booked for a 12-night package in November, and that includes caring for the dog and watering the client’s plants. She will do other tasks around the house as needed, she said. 

While most of her clients so far have known her, why might strangers trust her services? 

“I got booked with a complete stranger, and I think what sold them was that I was newer, my prices were affordable, and I had personal experience with dogs,” she said. “And when I met them, they felt safe that I was going to be in their home and with their pets, and nothing was going to go wrong. So it's just making yourself seem credible.”

There is always a pre-meeting for everyone to get a sense if the arrangement will work out — both with Reagan and the dog — and to ensure “it’s a good fit,” she said. She wants to make sure that she’s comfortable with the pooch and that there’s no apparent aggression there.

That meeting is a great time for both sides to size each other up, she said

“I think dogs are a really good judge of character. I think it’s up to them to trust you, I don’t think you can make a dog trust you,” she said. “I’ve always loved dogs, and I’ve always loved caring for them. It’s nice having an animal that loves you unconditionally and that you can unconditionally love back. 

“I’m very good with animals. So far, there hasn't been a single dog I've turned away. I've worked with a Chihuahua, a pit bull, and even a few Great Pyrenees,” she said. “I love all dogs and would only turn one away if I felt as though I could not handle it or it showed signs of being overly aggressive. Thankfully, though, I have not had that issue yet.” 

She has learned to begin with affordable pricing, establish herself and then go from there with her fees. She charges per service and serves Genesee and Wyoming counties. 

Future goals are to provide a doggy day care or boarding service, plus offer nail trimmings, baths and other potential services as she becomes more established, she said. At that point, Reagan hopes to also employ others to help with the business.

For more information or to contact Reagan, email reaganelizabethht@gmail.com or go to her business site.

All schools hold open houses. In Pavilion, the high school hosts the Gopher Gathering, a chance for the school community to come together to enjoy good food, live music, and games, and also learn about academic opportunities available at the school.

Along with a food truck rodeo, there is face painting, a petting zoo, and a dunk tank.

"It's a community thing where people can meet and greet teachers," Principal Charles Martelle said Thursday at the school grounds.

Besides learning about classes they might have overlooked, it's a chance for students and parents to learn about campus activities, including clubs students might join.

"Mostly, it's about coming out and meeting teachers, meeting people at the school, and getting a feel for the place, and having a good time," Martelle said. "Then, if they can learn something about the courses, about the clubs, and some different opportunities, then that's kind of the bonus."

Photos by Howard Owens.