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The success of individuals and organizations working to prevent drug and alcohol use in the teen and young adult population hinges upon having access to science-based statistics that reveal current trends. All too often, however, misinformation and misconceptions cloud the landscape and hamper attempts to achieve effective change.

In an effort to give community coalitions the best chance to reach their goals of reducing drug, alcohol and tobacco use among middle school, high school and college students, the NYS Office of Addiction Supports and Services have placed six “prevention resource centers” around the state.

One of those centers is the Western New York Prevention Resource Center and its office is located at the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse’s main campus at 430 E. Main St. in Batavia.

The WNY PRC, under the direction of Sharon Koenig since 2013, assists community coalitions in the eight counties of Western New York (Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Niagara and Erie), providing technical trainings and workshops, pertinent literature and the expertise of a Community Development Specialist.

Her staff includes Dawn Sagerman, senior community development specialist, and Sharon O’Neil, community development specialist assistant.

“We work with stakeholders in the development of new coalitions and support established community coalitions, with a focus on the Strategic Prevention Framework – a public health, outcome-based prevention approach,” Koenig said. “The SPF is a five-step, dynamic, data-driven approach that helps coalitions move toward the goal of reducing substance abuse, risky behaviors and consequences in their communities.”

Seven Points to Success

Koenig outlined the SPF’s seven areas that are fundamental to setting a coalition’s strategy:

• Assessment: Collection of data to decide on the most pressing issue that can be successfully addressed with available resources, with three key components – identifying and understanding the population’s needs, determining necessary resources and assessing whether the community is ready to tackle the issue.
• Capacity: Building the coalition (people, available finances, organizational chart) to carry out the plan to reduce substance use, including training and technical assistance provided by the PRC.
• Planning: Developing a strategy (logic model) aimed at meeting community needs and creating community-level change.
• Implementation: Putting the plan, strategies, programs, policies and practices into action.
• Evaluation: Efforts are evaluated in terms of process, impact and outcome, with the results used to make ongoing adjustments and improvements.

The SPF has a pair of key concepts at its center and both must be incorporated into every step:

1. Cultural Competence: Behaviors, attitudes and policies that enable coalitions to make a difference in culturally diverse environments;
2. Coalition Sustainability: The capacity to keep the coalition going long enough to achieve its long-term goals.

Fueled By Scientific Data

Koenig said that while prevention providers (such as GCASA) primarily focus on change at the individual level, the WNYPRC in conjunction with community coalitions concentrates on environmental or broad-based strategies that can impact a large number of people.

“The PRC strives for policy change and reduction in the percentages of those using drugs, alcohol and tobacco based on scientific data,” she said. “Without the data, it’s just another person’s opinion.”

Another part of the PRC’s mission – one that is in the forefront of late – is managing and dispelling those opinions and misperceptions that can trigger strategies that fail to hit their intended targets.

Earlier this month, the WNYPRC sponsored a full-day training in Hamburg that centered upon using a social norms approach to successfully reducing youth risk behaviors.

About 50 people representing community coalitions, substance abuse prevention agencies, law enforcement, schools and the National Guard (a partner with the PRCs around the state) attended the presentation by H. Wesley Perkins, Ph.D., professor of Sociology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva.

Perkins is a leader in the “social norms approach” field, having conducted surveys of tens of thousands of college, high school and middle school students over the past two decades to evaluate how perceptions of drug and alcohol use compare to the reality of the same.

“Students misperceive their peers pretty badly,” said Perkins, backing up his claim with survey data that shows that students perceive that their peers are engaging in risky behavior much more than what the actual numbers show.

Not Everyone is Doing It

The numbers from a 1996 study of 5,000 students at a New York college show that the perception was that 89 percent of students drank alcohol twice a month and that 25 percent drank daily. The actual numbers revealed that 60 percent drank alcohol twice a month and that only 5 percent drank daily.

Similar outcomes were obtained when it came to marijuana use, hallucinogens and cocaine, said Perkins, who went on to provide several more examples of surveys that produced the same degree of misperception.

“The same phenomena occur time and time again,” he said. “For example, a survey showed that 25 to 30 percent engage in bullying. The perception is that it is 70 percent or more.”

Perkins said that a “naïve” response to the data would be that the problem isn’t that significant, but that misses the point. Rather, the best response, he said, is to devise strategies, such as traditional and social media campaigns, that reflect the reality of the situation.

“The causes of these misperceptions are psychological … we’re more accurate about our own situation than others’; social psychological … much of our conversation is focused on the extreme; and cultural … as entertainment, advertising, news and health advocacy media focus on the bad behavior of a small percentage,” he said.

Truth or Consequences

Perkins said the consequences of these misperceptions include a “reign of error” that controls our behavior, use and abuse increases if young people think it is expected of them, those in opposition to risky behavior are discourage from speaking out and intervention by others declines.

“The carriers of misperception contribute to the problem,” he said. “It is contagious.”

The most effective social norms model leads to a healthy dose of reality, Perkins said, and it incorporates identifying the actual vs. the misperceived, intervention, less exaggerated misperceptions and a focus on the “healthy majority.”

“Print media campaigns need to accentuate the actual norms – most aren’t engaging in the risky behavior – and then there needs to be peer education program and workshops for the targeted risk groups,” he said. “Beyond that, new student orientation presentations, counseling interventions, curriculum infusion and electronic multimedia are effective.”

Perkins and his colleagues have put his theory to the test, with encouraging positive results, he said.

In the first 18 months of one campaign, advancing positive messages such as “70 percent of us (students) don’t drink,” Perkins said surveys showed that: frequent heavy drinking dropped by 21 percent; property damage decreased by 36 percent; those missing class went down by 31 percent; unprotected sex decreased by 40 percent; and inefficient work fell by 25 percent.

Applying This to WNY

The professor said that these social norm techniques can be applied at various levels of education and to groups outside of the school settings, explaining that subsequent campaigns and surveys showed similar outcomes at several colleges and “across varied demographic profiles.”

“Social norms are most effective when there are clear, positive norm messages, credible data, the absence of competing scare messages, a high dosage of message, multiple strategies and a broad student population,” Perkins said.

Koenig said this is important to the mission of the WNYPRC, which can use the information from Perkins’ presentation to help move the needle in areas of concern for local coalitions.

“The fact that Dr. Perkins stressed getting good data, specific to the intended target audience, meshes well with the objectives of the PRC,” she said. “Obtaining a representative sample size and conducting surveys on a regular basis, and specifying frequency of use, quantity consumed, the context of consumption, the negative consequences and the protective behaviors are factors that we can address.”

To learn more about social norms, go to alcoholeducationproject.org or youthhealthsafety.org.

More information about the WNY PRC can be obtained here, or by sending an email to Koenig at skoenig@gcasa.org.

Photo at top: WNY Prevention Resource Center staff, from left, Sharon O'Neil, Sharon Koenig and Dawn Sagerman, with Prof. H. Wesley Perkins.

Disclosure: Story written by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

Cynthia M. Mack, 52, of South Swan Street, Batavia, is charged with first-degree criminal contempt and third-degree assault. Mack was arrested at about 8 p.m. on Nov. 15 after an incident at a residence on South Swan Street. She allegedly punched a person in the face, causing a laceration. Mack has an order of protection against her. She was arraigned in Batavia City Court and jailed without bail. She was due to return to court on Nov. 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jordan McGinnis, assisted by Officer Wesley Rissinger.

Christina Elaine Taylor, 38, of South Academy Street, Medina, is charged with driving while intoxicated and speeding -- exceeding 55 mph. She was arrested at 12:50 a.m. on Nov. 21 on Alleghany Road in Alabama following a traffic stop. Taylor was issued appearance tickets and is due in Alabama Town Court on Dec. 18. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jordan Alejandro, assisted by Deputy Austin Heberlein.

From the New York Farm Bureau:

The 2019 Market Basket Survey reveals a 15-percent price decrease for the classic Thanksgiving Day dinner compared to the price of last year's meal.

The average total price this year, which includes a 16-pound turkey, is $48.73. This is down over last year’s survey of $57.57, much of that attributed to a reduction in retail turkey prices.    

Turkey prices are about $1.27 per pound in New York State, down about 31 percent on average in this informal survey compared to 2018. Prices found by volunteer shoppers ranged from $.37/lb. to $2.49/lb. This price is comparable to the national average of $1.30 per pound.

As we move closer to Thanksgiving, turkey prices may continue to drop in the stores, reflecting sales in the final days before the holiday.

The New York numbers did show modest price increase in several categories including for a gallon of whole milk, Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Mix, and for many of the vegetables on the list.

This year’s survey also includes comparable numbers for an expanded menu that includes a four-pound ham, five-pound bag of russet potatoes and a package of frozen green beans. New York Farm Bureau included those in the survey for the first-time last year, reflecting more diversity in traditional Thanksgiving meals. When those prices are included, the total meal price jumps to $62.26.

The survey reveals that the classic meal remains affordable with a price point of under five dollars per person for a 10-person meal.

The affordability demonstrates that although farmers and ranchers are dealing with a variety of issues, consumers still benefit from lower retail prices, in part because the actual cost of the food – the portion paid to farmers – is only 8 cents of each dollar consumers spend on food at the store.

“It is good news for consumers that this year’s dinner is more affordable than last Thanksgiving," said Phyllis Couture, Chair of New York Farm Bureau’s Promotion and Education Committee. "Farmers have faced a difficult year with low commodity prices, weather challenges and trade disruptions, but because of their tenacity and hard work, Americans can still enjoy a nutritious dinner on their tables.

"This season, we should all give thanks to the farm families and their employees in New York who make it possible to feed ourselves.”

This survey is one of the responsibilities of the NYFB State Promotion and Education Committee, which also participates in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Quarterly Market Basket Survey.

AFBF’s 34th annual informal national price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average national cost of this year’s feast is $48.91, slightly more than New York's number. The national price for the expanded menu is $62.32.

More information on the national survey can be found at www.fb.org.

New York Farm Bureau’s volunteer shoppers sampled prices at 31 different supermarkets throughout the state trying to get the best prices available, but they did not use promotional coupons or special deals such as “buy one-get one free.”

The shopping list includes 15 common Thanksgiving food items ranging from turkey and rolls to stuffing and celery to pumpkin pie mix, enough to feed 10 people around the dinner table. An average for miscellaneous ingredients, like flour and butter, is also included.

The 2019 Thanksgiving survey displayed considerable price variation across the state as well as within the regions surveyed. No area had the highest or lowest in every category.

The best advice for shoppers is to compare prices to save money. The numbers in the chart below reflect the overall average of the volunteer shoppers, and this is not meant to be a true scientific survey, but rather a snapshot of what shoppers may find leading up to the holiday.

(New York Farm Bureau does not make any statistical claims about the survey data, but it is a useful gauge of price trends across New York and the country for shoppers who look to compare prices.)

Press release:

The Batavia City School District Board of Education and administration invite District residents to serve as a budget ambassador to assist with the 2020-2021 budget process.

Residents of the District are invited to become budget ambassadors and make recommendations regarding the School District budget.

No experience is necessary, but ambassadors will be expected to attend three Monday evening sessions on Feb. 24, March 2, and March 9, with an alternate/snow date of March 16. All sessions are from 6:30-9 p.m. in the District Administration Conference Room #49.

If interested in serving, please notify the District in writing by Friday, Jan. 24. The letter of interest should be mailed to: Scott Bischoping, Interim Superintendent of Schools, 260 State St., Batavia, NY 14020, or emailed to SABischoping@bataviacsd.org. 

For questions or additional information, please contact the Superintendent’s Office at 343-2480, ext. 1000, or e-mail Bischoping at SABischoping@bataviacsd.org.

Batavia City Council President Eugene Jankowski has reached out to David Zanghi and his sister and advocate, Mary Ellen Wilber, in an attempt to get them in touch with emergency relief agencies after Zanghi’s life was disrupted earlier in the week.

Jankowski said today that he has met with Zanghi and talked on the phone to Wilber, and pledged the City’s support in finding the assistance Zanghi needs as a result of the 20-hour standoff at his Liberty Street residence on Monday and Tuesday.

“I’ve spoken to the City (management) and to Mr. Zanghi and they definitely want to put him in touch with agencies that can provide assistance,” Jankowski said. “It’s the same as with a major fire … we need to provide that connection.”

On Thursday, Zanghi informed The Batavian that his downstairs apartment at 209 Liberty St. and his personal belongings were extensively damaged from tear gas canisters fired by police. Subsequently, he has been displaced from his apartment and currently is staying with a relative.

A dialysis patient, Zanghi also said his medications were compromised during the ordeal, which saw Daniel Wolfe hold police at bay throughout the night as he barricaded himself inside his upstairs apartment with a pellet (BB) gun and a sword.

The situation ended around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday when Wolfe surrendered to City Police.

Jankowski noted that Zanghi is “obviously in poor health and needs some help.”

“Let’s help him get the help he needs and help Mary Ellen navigate the system,” he said. “She is coming into town this weekend and we’ve set up an appointment for her to meet with the City Manager (Martin Moore) and Assistant City Manager (Rachael Tabelski)."

Jankowski said that Wilber was “very receptive” to his call.

“She is a longtime civil servant and is acquainted with the system,” he said. “We will give her all the help we can as we would do anybody else in this situation.”

The council president said that agencies such as Genesee Justice, Veterans Services and Social Services are out there to assist victims of incidents such as this, and noted that law enforcement could provide the names of other organizations that could help out.

He also said that City Police did provide Zanghi with some phone numbers of agencies that could provide assistance, but said communication broke down after that.

“It was confusing to us since he never contacted us directly,” he said. “We were taken back a bit by the published report (in The Batavian).

Earlier today, Council Member Rose Mary Christian, who represents the Sixth Ward (which includes Liberty Street), weighed in on the matter – saying that she sympathized with Zanghi’s plight while also opining that contemporary society has made it difficult for the police.

“It’s very unfortunate what happened to him – he is a good person for that area -- but it could happen to anybody,” she said. “Any place, any time. That’s why it’s extremely important to have renter’s insurance.”

Christian went on to say that today’s “politically correct” climate has tied law enforcement’s hands.

“Our society has done this. In years past, maybe even 10 years ago, if there was a problem like that, (police) would knock down that door, grab him and have him arrested,” she said. “Today, the liberals would just question what happened here and (say), ‘Oh, the poor guy.’ ”

“That’s nonsense. The legal system doesn’t have a shot in hell.”

As far as 45-year-old Wolfe is concerned, he currently is in Genesee County Jail without bail, facing five charges, including three felonies. His case has been adjourned until Dec. 12.

From the Genesee County Health Department:

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month! Did you know that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General’s office, radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. Fortunately, radon induced lung cancer can be prevented.

Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when elements (uranium, thorium, or radium) break down in rocks, soil and groundwater.

People can be exposed to high levels of radon from breathing in the toxic gas when it seeps into homes and buildings through cracks or gaps in the foundation.

“When you breathe in radon, radioactive particles from radon gas can get trapped in your lungs” said Sarah Balduf, Environmental Health director of Genesee and Orleans counties. “Over time, these radioactive particles increase the risk of lung cancer. It may take years before health problems appear.”

People who smoke and are exposed to radon are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer. The only way to know if your house has high levels of radon is to test for it.

The EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon in homes that have a radon level at or above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). In Genesee County, the average indoor radon level is 5.74 pCi/L compared to the State average of 4.42 pCi/L2.

Below is a graph of the towns in Genesee County and their average indoor radon screening level. These screening levels reflect tests that were administered in the basement.

Any radon exposure has some risk of causing lung cancer. If your home has a radon level at or above 4 pCi/L, a certified radon mitigator can install a radon reduction system that will ventilate the radon out of the air within your home. The lower the radon levels are in your home, the lower your family’s risk of lung cancer.

About the Genesee County Health Department Radon Program

The program has a limited supply of free short-term radon test kits available to Genesee County residents. These kits are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. The program also offers educational materials and in-services programs on the danger of radon and mitigation options for new or existing homes -- all available at no charge.

Test kits are available to order through the NYSDOH website for $11 here.

Health Signs of Exposure

If you think you might have been exposed to high levels of radon over long periods of time, talk with your doctor about whether you should get regular health checkups and tests to look for possible signs of lung cancer.

Be aware of possible symptoms of lung cancer, such as shortness of breath, a new or worsening cough, pain or tightness in the chest, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing, and tell your doctor if you start to have any of these symptoms.

For more information about the Radon Program in Genesee County, please call the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580, ext. 5555, or click here.

Above, Chef Tracy Burgio, instructor of the Culinary Arts program at the Batavia CTE Center, helps student Jaheim Merritt (Batavia HS) with his meatloaf gravy.

Submitted photos and information from the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership​.

As Chef Tracy Burgio and her Culinary Arts students at the Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center prepared to take over the building’s cafeteria yesterday, they had a worthy goal in mind. 

“We want to prove that you can make healthy food from scratch,” Chef Burgio said. 

Culinary Arts students normally cook lunch for faculty and staff members on Thursdays. But for yesterday's "takeover," students attending daytime classes at the center were also queued up.

“The kids have such an interest in having good cafeteria food, this project really drives home that message," the chef said.

Buffalo chicken meatloaf, mashed potatoes, grilled zucchini, apple crisp, and biscuits were prepared for them using USDA recipes.

Burgio said she has been interested in taking over the cafeteria for several years, and plans similar events on Jan. 29 and March 11.

She would like to make the partnership between her students and cafeteria staff a normal part of the Culinary Arts curriculum and would also like to incorporate locally grown produce into recipes. 

Jaheim Merritt, a Culinary Arts student and junior from Batavia High School, stood at a stove making gravy for the meatloaf.

“I think making lunch for everyone is a big responsibility, but I think it’s a good idea,” Jaheim said. “A lot of kids complain about our lunches, so we can help make a change.”

Burgio wants to show kids that healthy food can still taste good.

As students went through the lunch line, they learned nutritional facts about each food. For example, zucchini and carrots are high in vitamins A and C, and the Buffalo chicken meatloaf was high in protein and low in fat.

Culinary Arts students and Byron-Bergen High School juniors Isaiah Merrell and Austin Evert were student-leaders during the cafeteria takeover.

“I’m hoping that making lunch from scratch will help inspire the kids in the Academy,” Isaiah said.

Added Austin, “With our lunches, we don’t normally know the nutritional facts. Now we are giving them knowledge and good food.”

Below: Chef Tracy Burgio spoons out gravy during the lunch takeover. 

Leadership Genesee will present awards honoring the 29 members of the Class of 2019 along with the 2019 Outstanding Alumnus Award at the annual Graduation Celebration on Dec. 5^th at Terry Hills

Eric Wies, a graduate of the Class of 2006, has been named the Leadership Genesee Alumnus of the Year. The award is presented annually to an alumnus who works to fulfill the program’s mission displaying exceptional achievements and contributions to the community and Leadership Genesee.

Wies is the immediate past chair of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and the current president of the Bergen Fire Department.

“My primary volunteer effort is tied to helping people in times of emergency," Wies said. "I joined the Bergen Fire Department in 1992, where I have served as lieutenant, captain, assistant chief, and deputy chief. In 2015, I decided to focus my efforts on a business role with the Fire Department and was elected president, a role I continue today. While I have debated about scaling back my efforts so that I could focus on my career and other potential volunteer efforts, I have come to realize that I will always be a volunteer fireman.” 

As a member of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Wies found his involvement to be very rewarding. The Chamber plays an important role in business and tourism throughout Genesee County and he is happy to be part of their community presence.

“Eric has been an active participant in Leadership Genesee since he graduated in 2006 because he feels that Leadership Genesee has given so much to him that he wanted to give back to the program," said Leadership Genesee Director Peggy Marone. "He served on the LG Steering Committee from 2009 to 2014 and was chair of the Recruiting Committee for five years.

"He obtained sponsorships for our bowling and golf tournaments ensuring his team was ‘dressed’ for the event. Eric’s support and involvement in Leadership Genesee’s curriculum has helped the program grow and become a shining example of servant leadership.”  

Wies said he feels that LG he has been a primary building block in his growth professionally and personally. His philosophy is there should always be time to participate in a program that helps you grow, introduces you to other leaders in the County, and gives you a sense of satisfaction in belonging to a group of people that consider themselves servant leaders.

“An employer that does not support your efforts to better yourself, does not truly understand that the time and money for the program will also result in a better person and employee," Wies said. "I grew up in Bergen, New York and thought I knew everything about the County but, boy, was I wrong.

"The program opened my eyes to agribusiness, gave me a better understanding of the health care issues in the County, and the challenges that local government must face every day."

When asked about previous awards and achievements, Wies said, “For me, the most important awards don’t come with a plaque or trophy, but they do come with a sense of accomplishment or being part of something bigger than you are.

"Helping a friend when his business burned down, helping a single mom at Christmas with presents for her kids, saving a young lady from her burning car, hearing my daughter tell me she loves me, and being part of a group of individuals that make up a team that puts community first.”  

Marone said “This is exactly why Eric is an outstanding selection for this year’s Alumnus Award.”

“He is a true leader," said his nominator Michele Smith, LG Class of 2016 and Bergen Town Clerk. "I witnessed his cool and calm demeanor with the passing of Barry Miller LG ’08 in 2015. Eric was the president of the Bergen Fire Department, I observed several incidences that I don’t know how Eric made it through. I know inside he was a wreck, but as a leader for everyone else who was hurting, he was unwavering.”  

Wies is a principal for Clark Patterson Lee, a multidiscipline architecture, engineering and planning firm. He lives in Bergen with his wife, Carrie, daughter, Hannah, and dog, Casper.

Although he hopes to retire one day, he and his family enjoy getting away for a cruise and more recently trips to remote locations in Vermont to fish and have high stakes games of family Monopoly. Wies is an avid golfer and enjoys spending weekends working on their house.   

The Outstanding Alumnus Award is sponsored by Skip Helfrich of Human Energies.

Leadership Genesee is a program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County. For more information about Leadership Genesee, please visit  their website.

Students at Notre Dame High School will perform "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" in the auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, and at 12:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23.

Tickets available at the door for $8 each.

The high school is located at 73 Union St. in the City of Batavia.

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" is a 1967 musical comedy based on the characters of the beloved comic strip "Peanuts" by Charles M. Schulz.

Joseph Condoluci is Notre Dame's Instrumental / Vocal Music teacher.

Here's the Notre Dame cast list:

• Charlie Brown -- Owen Mileham
• Snoopy -- Grace Mileham
• Lucy -- Judah MacDonald
• Linus -- Amanda Bergman
• Schroeder -- Nathaneal Brew
• Sally -- Lily Gaylord
• Ensemble -- Justice Yorkowsk, Marylin Kruppa, Amanda Doan

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

St. James Episcopal Church announces its Pie Sale/Basket Raffle will be held this Saturday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the church, 405 E. Main St., Batavia.

Admission is free.

Known for the wonderful desserts served at Lenten Fish Fries, the bakers of the parish have been busy in the church kitchen making apple and pumpkin pies for next week's Thanksgiving holiday.

There are still pies available, so stop in and buy a 9” homemade pie for $9 before they are gone. Hot soups (eat-in or take-out) will also be available for sale.

Raffles include a 50/50 and more than 60 gift baskets/items, including luggage, a garden wagon, a bench, lottery tree, a “green salad,” handpainted child chair, Oliver’s Candies, Christmas wrappings, and lots more! What a fun way to do some of your holiday shopping!

Tickets will be on sale throughout the event and you need not be present to win.

Dorian Ely, one of the organizers, said, “We hope the community will support this beautiful historic church by stopping by on Saturday, purchasing some raffle tickets, a pie, and maybe even grabbing a cup of hot soup to speed them on their way during this busy holiday season.”

A longtime Batavia resident is calling upon the City of Batavia to take responsibility for “destroying my home and hindering me mentally and physically” in the aftermath of Monday’s 20-hour standoff at his Liberty Street residence.

“I am a victim of this,” said David Zanghi, 66, who lives in the downstairs apartment at 209 Liberty St. “The only ones who caused damage to my house were the police. They were very non-caring.”

Zanghi was forced to evacuate his downstairs apartment when City Police responded to a domestic disturbance call around 1:18 p.m. Monday.

According to dispatch reports, the caller said an intoxicated male hit a female and was in possession of a sword.

When police arrived, they saw that the male, later identified as Daniel Wolfe, 45, had barricaded himself inside his apartment upstairs and began shooting at officers with a pellet (BB) rifle.

The standoff continued until around 9:30 in the morning on Tuesday, finally coming to an end when Wolfe exited the residence and surrendered to City Police Det. Sgt. Kevin Czora.

During the standoff, City Police were assisted by several other agencies, including the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Orleans County SWAT; State Police troopers; negotiators; drone unit; K-9 unit; and SORT teams; the NYS DEC K-9 Unit; Monroe County Crisis Negotiating Team; Genesee County Emergency Management; Genesee County Dispatch Center; City Fire Department; and Mercy EMS.

Wolfe sustained self-inflicted injuries and was transported for treatment to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. Currently, he is in Genesee County Jail.

While the suspect faces multiple charges, Zanghi, who is on dialysis waiting a kidney transplant and suffers from emotional and physical ailments, now is staying with a relative in the City due to the damage done to his residence.

“They destroyed my house … busted all the windows, my clothes are shot because of the tear gas. I may be able to get the couch fixed. It’s ridiculous what they did to me,” he said.

Zanghi reported that his landlord, Duane Preston, has promised him another apartment in mid-December.

“Duane has been good to me,” he said. “He even gave me my rent check back for the month.”

Zanghi also said that he is upset that no one from the City has contacted him about the possibility of receiving some victim assistance support, and plans to confront City Council and management at the next City Council meeting on Monday (Nov. 25).

City officials, however, did respond to a request from The Batavian for a comment in light of Zanghi’s grievances.

“While the City sympathizes with Mr. Zanghi as an innocent bystander to the events that unfolded Tuesday, November 18th, there is no specific assistance that the City can offer,” Assistant City Manager Rachael J. Tabelski said.

“In any type of emergency response situation there will be unintended consequences, however the city is not liable for the damage. There are many organizations and individuals that volunteer to help residents in need, and I am hopeful Mr. Zanghi will find relief through these individuals and organizations.”

Zanghi said that his sister, Mary Ellen Wilber, who splits her time between New Jersey and Batavia, will represent him at the meeting.

Contacted by phone this afternoon, Wilber said she is “disgusted” over the City’s lack of action despite being contacted numerous times about Wolfe’s violent behavior.

“I will be there to advocate for my brother, who has called police at least seven times over the past year, year and a half, about this guy,” she said. “He’s an alcoholic who has harmed the woman (girlfriend). All those times David called and it’s all for naught.”

Wilber said law enforcement’s actions have “traumatized” her brother, who is on a fixed income and under the care of the VA Medical Center. 

“He had to go to the hospital to get his medicine because all of his pills, along with his clothes and bedding, were contaminated.

“They shot tear gas canisters into David’s downstairs apartment, knowing the guy was upstairs,” she said. “They destroyed his apartment.”

Wilber said she also questions the way the situation was handled and the cost to the City.

“I was told that the police said they were using this as a tactical exercise,” she said. “It should have never gone on this long. They could have used a Taser instead of attacking him with a dog. The cost to the City is going to be very high. They could have done things in a much better way.”

Photos by Howard Owens.

David Zanghi points to a window broken by police actions.

David Zanghi said a CS gas canister apparently exploded in his bedroom. He's pointing to all the medicine on his dresser that the VA had to replace for him. He said he has expensive suits, including a $1,500 tux, that now reek of tear gas and he's not sure they can be properly cleaned.

An elderly man, with a walker, apparently slipped and fell while trying to cross Main Street by the Old Courthouse and Tim Hortons in Batavia at about 3:20 p.m.

Mercy EMS, city fire, and Batavia PD responded and westbound traffic was tied up for about 20 minutes.

The man was not hit by a car but an officer said he was bleeding from his head. He was transported to UMMC for treatment and evaluation.

The County's STOP-DWI program today honored the law enforcement officers with the most DWI arrests for the 12 months between June 2018 and July 2019 and the two officers who were the top cops last year were honored again this year.

Officer Mitchell Cowen, Batavia PD, is pictured above on left with Assistant Police Chief Todd Crossett.

Deputy Mathew Clor, center, is pictured with Chief Deputy (Road Patrol) Brian Frieday, left, and Undersheriff Brad Mazur.

The challenge coin each officer receives.

Poster contest winners: Jackson Lundfelt, Ciara Trigilio, Jade Wolff, Grace Shepard, Brooke Jarkiewicz, Zoey Shepard. Shannon Campbell. Oscar Staba, and Taylor Hutton.

Batavia High School's Production Club this weekend presents "Shrek: The Musical."

Tickets are $10 at the door and $8 for students and seniors. They're available in advance for $9 through showtix4u.com.

Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

The 2020 Presidential Election is already being covered on every radio station, every social media outlet and soon it will take over local television as well. This is predicted to be one of the most contentious and tumultuous elections in recent history.

Campaign commercials, debates, stump speeches, candidates' history, statistics, surveys and predictions will bombard every media outlet in the months to come.

To make sense of it all, Genesee Community College has opened registration for a very special course that is available only during Presidential Election years.

The quadrennial course (i.e., only offered every four years) American Presidency (POS210) is taught by Derek Maxfield, GCC's associate professor of History.

Maxfield has a long and nearly intimate history with past presidents, both through his lengthy teaching tenure, but also through his historical presentation of Ulysses S. Grant, the famous Civil War General and our 18th U.S. president.

The American Presidency covers the historical foundations, theoretical aspects and powers of the presidency. In addition, the learning outcomes of POS210 include:

• How media and popular culture have influenced the presidency over time;
• Various models of presidential power and the major issues scholars are investigating;
• How different presidents have interpreted and exercised political power;
• The constitutional relationship between the executive and other branches of the government.

Anyone can enroll in this course with no pre-requisites are required. It does not have to be taken as part of a degree program and is an excellent elective for any degree. If seats are available, the course can be audited for free by seniors over the age of 60.

The onsite course begins on Tuesday, Jan. 14, and will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. 'til 12:20 p.m. at GCC's Batavia Campus.

Anyone interested in this course who is not a current GCC student, is encouraged to contact the College's Admissions team at (585) 345-6800, or via email at admissions@genesee.edu, or apply online at https://www.genesee.edu/courses/nonmatriculated/ to get started.

Daniel Wolfe, the man accused of hitting his girlfriend before barricading himself in his apartment on Liberty Street, made a routine follow-up appearance in Batavia City Court this morning.

Wolfe had previously pled not guilty at his initial appearance to charges of first-degree criminal contempt, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, menacing, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd.

Today he was represented by public defender Jerry Ader.

Ader preserved his client's right to a felony hearing at a later date, and said his office is still investigating the case so he has no motions to make at this time. He asked that the case be continued in City Court until Dec. 12.

Judge Robert Balbick granted all of Ader's requests.

Wolfe, shackled and in an orange jail jumpsuit, said nothing while standing before Balbick.

About a dozen people turned out Wednesday night for a local observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance.

The event is observed nationally every Nov. 20 but this is the first time a candlelight vigil has been held in Batavia.

Lauren Berger, who organized the event on behalf of Restore Sexual Assault Services, said the holding an event in Batavia was intended to raise awareness, remember transgender people who have been victims of violence, and support GLOW Out and the pride parade held in Batavia this past summer.

"We just wanted to bring that here so that folks come out, see what was going on, possibly get them connected with local efforts and let them know that even when we're out here and that we might be small, we're aware of what's going on," Berger said. "We support folks in our lives who we care about who might be at risk."

A caller reports that two females are fighting in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven in Oakfield.

The caller reports they appear to be intoxicated.

One is slinging a jar of pickles at the other.

"Copy, pickles," the responding deputy tells dispatch.

Press release:

On Monday, Nov. 18 at approximately 1:18 p.m., the Genesee County Dispatch Center received a domestic call at 209 Liberty St.

The caller reported that an intoxicated male struck a female and the male was in possession of a sword. It was also reported that the female was able to escape the residence.

Officers from the Batavia Police Department arrived on scene and encountered the male, who had barricaded himself inside the residence. The female was located and found safe at a neighbor’s home.

The suspect, who remained inside the house, began shooting at officers with a BB rifle.

Immediately, the Batavia Police Department set up a perimeter around the residence and neighbors were told to shelter in place. The Batavia City School District was informed of the incident so appropriate measures could be taken to ensure the safety of the students, including students attending the Jackson Primary School, located a few blocks away.

Batavia Police negotiators were called to the scene along with the Batavia Police Emergency Response Team (ERT), the New York State Police, and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office / K-9 Unit and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation K-9 Unit.

Negotiators were able to make verbal contact with the suspect who was identified as Daniel Wolfe, 45, who resided at 209 Liberty St. in the upstairs apartment. Wolfe repeatedly told negotiators that he wanted officers to kill him. He refused officers' commands to come out of the house.  

The Genesee County Sheriff’s K-9 handler attempted to send "Frankie" inside to safely take Wolfe into custody. Wolfe then attempted to slash Frankie with a knife, and the handler pulled Frankie back to safety.

Wolfe continued to tell officers throughout the incident that he wanted officers to kill him, and he threatened to shoot officers.

Several options were tried to get Wolfe to surrender that included the launching of chemical agents into the residence and the use of robots/drones to determine where he was in the residence. Other negotiating and swat teams were called in to assist.

After approximately 20 hours, Wolfe exited the residence and surrendered to Detective Sargent Kevin Czora of the Batavia Police Department.

Wolfe was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for injuries he sustained during the incident. These injuries were self-inflicted. All officers on the scene and civilians in the neighborhood were unharmed during this incident.

Wolfe was later released from Strong hospital, at which time he was arrested by Batavia Police Department on charges of first-degree criminal contempt, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, menacing, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd.

Wolfe was arraigned in Batavia City Court on Nov. 19 and is being held without bail at the Genesee County Jail.  He will reappear in Batavia City Court at 11 a.m. tomorrow (Nov. 21). Additional charges are pending.

The Batavia Police Department would like to thank: the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Orleans County SWAT; New York State Police troopers; negotiators; drone unit; K-9 unit; and SORT teams; the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation K-9 Unit; Monroe County Crisis Negotiating Team; Genesee County Emergency Management; Genesee County Dispatch Center; City of Batavia Fire Department; Mercy EMS; and the numerous citizens who supported the efforts, both on the scene and in the days following this incident.

Photos: Top photo: still from the video shot yesterday of Wolfe and Det. Kevin Czora and an unidentified plainclothes State Trooper slowly walking Wolfe from the apartment where he had been barricaded to a waiting ambulance. Bottom photo, still from a previously unreleased portion of the video where Wolfe turned to look down the street, and pulled back slightly, as Czora and the trooper tried to coax him into the ambulance.