A strong thunderstorm is blowing in from Canada and is expected to hit Genesee County this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm system is located along a line extending 12 miles and is moving east at 55 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible.
The storm system may gain in intensity.
UPDATE 12:27 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued.
Students participating in the Holland Land Office Museum's History Heroes program this summer are learning about World War I.
Recently they visited the Richmond Memorial Library and Batavia Showtime Theaters. There are 40 children enrolled in the eight-day program.
Info and photos provided by Anne Marie Starowitz.
(Photo provided by Jake Pietrzykowski via GoFundMe.)
Jeremy Pietrzykowski thought he could save a little money if he repaired his own barn roof. That is what he was doing July 1 at his barn at 8953 Alexander Road, Batavia, when a gust of wind kicked up, caused him to lose his footing, and he fell 20 feet to the ground.
He landed on his side. Town of Batavia Fire was called, Mercy EMS and soon Mercy Flight was dispatched to the scene. He was airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital, where doctors discovered he had cracked vertebra, a punctured lung, broken ribs, and deep bruises.
“It was the most pain I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Pietrzykowski said. “I thought I was going to die.”
On July 2, Pietrzykowski underwent spinal fusion surgery, to fuse five vertebrae together, to eventually heal as one solid bone.
“I’ve been sleeping in the chair,” Pietrzykowski said. “I can’t help out with anything.”
Pietrzykowski grew up in Batavia and has lived here his entire life. He loves to be outdoors and enjoys running marathons. He had hoped to qualify for the Boston Marathon this year but had to scratch that plan.
“I love to run,” Pietrzykowski said. “I’ve run 13 marathons in Boston and New York [City], and others.”
As a hardworking father of three, Pietrzykowski has spent more than 20 years working for UPS. He is on a five-pound weight lifting restriction.
“I’m normally the guy that doesn’t stop moving and now I can’t do anything,” Pietrzykowski said. “I can walk around a little bit, but as far as the kids, I can’t pick them up.”
Pietrzykowski’s brother started a GoFundMe page, located here asking for donations to help get him back on his feet and support his family. His mother-in-law has been staying with him to help take care of the kids, but he said things have not been easy.
“She’s stepped right up and helped us out tremendously,” Pietrzykowski said.
His doctors said his recovery should be three to four months.
“There is always a light at the end of the tunnel,” Pietrzykowski said. “I’ll get back to where I need to be, it’s just going to be a long road.”
Press release:
Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today announced $92,994 in federal funding for the Alexander Fire Department. The grant was awarded through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, which is designed to help first responders improve their capability to respond to fires and emergencies of all types.
“Firefighters are selfless individuals and are essential to keeping our communities safe,” Congressman Collins said. “It is imperative that our fire departments have the resources necessary to keep their members safe while they are protecting others. I was proud to work with the Alexander Fire Department to secure this crucial $92,994 in AFG funding and thank them for their service.”
The Alexander Fire Department will use this $92,994 federal grant to purchase 15 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) air packs and 30 oxygen bottles. This will provide the Alexander volunteer firefighters with breathable air when responding to an emergency situation.
"This funding will help keep our firefighters safe and ensure they can properly respond to emergencies in the local community. We are strong supporters of the AFG grant program and will continue to work with Rep. Collins to support this important funding,” said Alexander Fire Chief Marshall Merle.
The AFG Grant Program provides direct funding assistance to fire departments, State Fire Training Academies, and non-affiliated EMS organizations to enhance their response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of both the public and emergency response personnel with respect to fire and all other hazards.
Press release:
Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today announced $84,191 in federal funding for the Corfu Fire Department. The grant was awarded through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, which is designed to help first responders improve their capability to respond to fires and emergencies of all types.
“Firefighters answer a noble calling to put the lives of others before their own,” Congressman Collins said. “It is imperative that our fire departments have the resources necessary to keep their members safe while they are protecting others. I was proud to work with the Corfu Fire Department to secure this crucial $84,191 in AFG funding and thank them for their service.”
The Corfu Fire Department will use this $84,191 federal grant to purchase 12 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) air packs. This will provide the Corfu Fire Department with breathable air when responding to an emergency situation.
"This funding will allow us to purchase necessary equipment that we might otherwise not have the resources to replace. The federal AFG program is an important funding source for rural departments like ours. We will continue to work with Congressman Collins regarding issues impacting local fire departments in our region," said Corfu Fire Chief Brian Schollard.
The AFG Grant Program provides direct funding assistance to fire departments, State Fire Training Academies, and non-affiliated EMS organizations to enhance their response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of both the public and emergency response personnel with respect to fire and all other hazards.
T.F. Brown's Blind Squirrels beat Wii Not Fit 12-11 last night to take the Co-Ed Softball Championship at Kibbe Park.
Mike Jamil provided the game summary:
Eddie Davis' big game was not enough as Wii Not Fit loses in the bottom of the seventh inning by one, as Lee hits walk-off opposite field single.
Everybody contributed for the T.F. Brown's Blind Squirrels, that's for certain.
Fava gets his first ever title in any league anywhere, breaking his mush curse.
Jamil finally breaks his coed curse.
Wii Not Fit, though they always look like they're overmatched and the underdogs, keep that grit, which got them to a #2 seed regular season although preseason picked to be no higher than the #5 seed.
An evenly matched game throughout with a muckyish outfield -- left by the flood at Kibbe Park not even a week prior -- wasn't keeping these two teams filled with non-prima donnas off the field.
Davis burned Jamil badly in the first, which led to his immediate benching, costing the team with pathetic fielding. Safe to say he redeemed himself at the plate, returning the favor by not being dead weight, thank God. (Corny third-person talk since I'm the one writing this.)
Over 10 hours of HAND rolling and almost 72 hours of sun made this night possible.
Couldn't believe the number of spectators tonight even.
Members of the winning team are Ronnie Sumeriski, Mike Jamil, Pat Fava, Jackie Janes, Jarad Lee, Heidi Dempsey, Mike Badami, Chester Harrington, Ariel Ford, Chelsey Ruzewski, Lacy Leto, as well as Kirsten Rowland and Jerry Dykstra, who were unable to participate in the title game but were vital cogs all season long for the T.F. Brown's Blind Squirrels.
For more pics go to: Visit Steve Ognibene's photography site.
Another great sunny day at the Genesee County Fair. You really need to come check it out, so many more events and activites to enjoy.
Highlight's of today's activities include the 4-H dairy cattle show, the 4-H livestock auction, Karaoke, and stock-car races at the Genesee Speedway. For a complete schedule, click here.
(Submitted photo: 2017 State Fair selections in the Kennedy Building at the Genesee County Fairgrounds.)
Press release:
The Genesee County 4-H Office would like to thank all of the local 4-H members who entered exhibits in the 2017 Genesee County Fair.
We would also like to thank all of our volunteers, judges, family and friends who came to support our youth; we could not do it without you!
There were so many great exhibits to choose from and they will be on display in the Kennedy Building on the Genesee County Fairgrounds now through Saturday, July 22.
Congratulations to the following Genesee County 4-H members whose exhibits have been selected to advance to the New York State Fair, which will take place in Syracuse Aug. 23- Sept. 4.
For more information about the New York State Fair visit: http://nysfair.org/
Section B – Educational Exhibits
Section C – Communications and Expressive Arts
Section DA – Food and Nutrition
Section DB – Fine Arts and Crafts
Section DC – Hobby Crafts and Home Environment
Section DE – Textiles & Clothing
Section E – Visual Arts and Photography
Section F – Horticulture
Section M – Veterinary Science
Cloverbuds – For Display Only
Submitted photos and press release:
Environmental Science Career Exploration Camp provided adventure and learning July 10th – 14th at Genesee County Park & Forest.
Eighth- through 11th-graders from six different local schools formed a class of elite Environmental Science trainees. Each day consisted of time in the forest and wetlands with hiking, identifying invasive insects, taking tree measurements, navigating, stream sampling, performing bird surveys and more.
Camp instruction was sponsored by Genesee County Parks, Recreation & Forestry, Genesee County Youth Bureau, NYSDEC, USDA APHIS, Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, NYSDEC ECO, Genesee ARC Trash & Recycling facility, GLOW Region Solid Waste, and CC Environment & Planning.
Presentations and hands-on activities were led by professionals in 10 different fields including Forestry, Conservation Law Enforcement, Wildlife Management, and Environmental Planning.
Campers learned a ton while enjoying lunch and snacks each day from camp sponsors: Alex’s Place, Subway, Mark’s Pizzeria, Batavia’s Original, D&R Depot, and Tops Friendly Markets of Le Roy.
Special thanks to all of the volunteers and sponsors for making this excellent experience possible for the next generation of conservation professionals!
The frame of a window fell onto two employees at the Creekside Inn on Main Street in Le Roy, causing minor injuries. Le Roy fire and ambulance are responding. Le Roy police are on scene.
UPDATE 4:18 p.m.: The patients are conscious and alert.
UPDATE 4:38 p.m.: There was no glass involved. It was just a frame. The impact caused minor injuries. First responders have cleared the scene. The business is open.
Press release:
Genesee Division, NY District Kiwanis will hold a Division Council Meeting to "Meet the Candidates" and dinner on Saturday, July 22, at BW Restaurant & Reception Center. It is located at 11070 Perry Road in Pavilion.
The event is hosted by Kiwanis from Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford & Pembroke, Corfu and Darien.
Cost is $30 per person. This is a "Take a Bite Out of Lyme" fundraiser.
Time is divided as follows:
Come and enjoy Kiwanis fellowship and year-end celebration!
Meet the candidates for Kiwanis Governor-Elect 2017-18:
RSVP to Penny Arnold (585) 356-3413 or pennyarnolddunigan@yahoo.com
Or to Charlene Schoenenberger (585) 584-3738 or schoenenberger50@gmail.com
Dwayne Bartholemau Spivey, 40, of Doran Street, Rochester, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st. At 10:45 a.m. Sunday on Lake Street Road, Le Roy, Le Roy PD, State Police and the Sheriff's Office were conducting a joint traffic checkpoint. Officers reported observing a vehicle driven by Spivey stop prior to the checkpoint, with Spivey exiting the driver's side and changing seats with the passenger, making the passenger the driver when the vehicle arrived at the checkpoint. Upon investigation by Deputy Chad Cummings and Deputy Chris Erion, Spivey was found to have 25 suspensions over the course of two decades. The other occupant, the passenger who became the driver, had a valid license. Spivey was jailed without bail.
Jesse Dean Parsons, 33, of Swamp Road, Byron, is charged with promoting prison contraband. Parsons is accused of entering the Genesee County Jail on an unrelated charge with a known banned item.
Press release:
New York State, as part of the Adopted 2017/18 State Budget, included another mandate on all local governments and possibly school districts to discuss and develop shared services ideas and plans for eventual submittal to the County Legislature in August/September 2017, and then submittal to the New York State Department of State by Oct. 15.
Part of the process for discussing and developing said public sector shared services plans is to have public meetings/opportunities for citizen input and to take suggestions on possible public sector shared services opportunities that have not already occurred and are in place.
In order to satisfy the public forum mandate, the Genesee County Legislature will hold an open comment period at the beginning of each of the next three Legislative body meetings on July 12, July 17, and Aug. 9 at approximately 5:30 p.m. in the Old Courthouse, 7 Main St., Batavia, in the third-floor Chambers.
The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during the Chicago concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Tuesday:
Jaqueline M. Walker, 48, of Wallace Drive, Grand Island, is charged with resisting arrest and two counts of harassment, 2nd, after allegedly kicking and striking several Live Nation security officers and then resisting arrest by kicking deputies while being taken into custody.
Mark P. Walker, 49, of Wallace Drive, Grand Island, is charged with harassment, 2nd, after allegedly punching a Live Nation security officer in the face.
Here are some of the sights from the second day of the Genesee County Fair.
Today's events:
UPDATED at 9:47 p.m.
Batavia PD investigators took less than a day to identify a suspect in a knife attack on a person overnight on East Main Street.
Arrested this afternoon was JW Hardy III, 30, of 216 Liberty St., Batavia.
He is charged with assault in the first degree and gang assault, 1st.
He was jailed without bail.
The investigation is ongoing.
Under NYS Penal Code, the charge of gang assault does not mean that the person charged is a member of an organized, ongoing, criminal enterprise. It does mean that the police suspect was aided by two or more other people in perpetrating an attack that caused serious physical injury.
Chief Shawn Heubusch said that right now police believe there was at least more than one person involved.
As for any possible actual gang membership for Hardy, Heubusch said, "There is no reason to believe he is involved in any organized criminal enterprise."
The attack was reported at 1 a.m. in the area of 318 E. Main St., Batavia.
Upon arrival, officers located a male victim who had a severe laceration to his upper arm, lying on the ground.
The victim was transported by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital. He reportedly had serious injuries.
Based on evidence and witness statements at the scene, police said earlier today that the victim had been beaten and slashed with a knife by at least one person.
Police reported at the time of the release that one person was being questioned in connection with the attack.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Batavia Police Department Detective Bureau at (585) 345-6350 or the Confidential Tip Line at (585) 345-6370.
Investigators have leads to track down and a person of interest in a home invasion assault in Bethany three nights ago, according to Investigator Chris Parker, who is leading the case.
The 73-year-old victim is in stable condition at Strong Memorial Hospital after initially being transported to UMMC the night of the attack.
Parker said he has interviewed someone who is not a suspect at this time, but truly a person of interest.
The crime was reported just before 9 p.m., Saturday at a residence in the Bethany Center Road, Paradise Road area of Bethany.
The victim called 9-1-1. He told deputies on scene that he was asleep and the intruder woke him. He said he had been hit with an unknown object, which caused facial wounds, and sprayed with an unknown substance.
Parker did not discuss what might have been used to hit the victim, but that all indications are, whatever the victim was sprayed with was likely nothing more than water. There is no evidence to indicate it was any other substance.
"I can allay any public fears that there is a person or persons out there coming into people's homes and assaulting them," Parker said. "That is not the case here. This was not a random act."
People with information that might be helpful to the case can call the Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000.
(Photo of HP Hood Chairman John A. Kaneb taken this afternoon at his company's new processing facility in Batavia's Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.)
With existing plants at capacity and demand growing, HP Hood was looking for a facility the company could get up and running quickly for long-shelf-life dairy and nondairy products, said its Chairman John A. Kaneb today in an exclusive interview with The Batavian at the company's new processing facility in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.
The plant was built in 2012 for $206 million as a joint venture between PepsiCo and Theo Muller Group and became known as the Quaker Muller Dairy plant.
Now, it's the HP Hood plant, which Hood acquired June 30 from Dairy Farmers of America for $54 million.
Kaneb said Hood knows Upstate New York well -- with four existing plants -- and knew the area had a good supply of raw milk, so when the plant became available, Hood took a keen interest.
"This plant happens to be located fairly well for us -- not ideally -- but fairly well," Kaneb said. "The availability of the plant, that overcame a lot of, let's say, whatever reluctance we would have because we have to do a lot of very expensive repurposing here. We're moving from a plant that was designed for mass production of lots of yogurt to two fluid products. So that there were some warts and such, but we're very happy to be here."
The staff at Genesee County Economic Development Center made the whole process easy, understood it needed to be expedited, and that added to Hood's interest in locating in Genesee County, Kaneb said.
"Your economic development people here are superb," Kaneb said. "I mean they really are good and they're knowledgeable and they're friendly to business. Hopefully, we will not disappoint them."
Scott Blake, senior vice president of operations for HP Hood, added that the GCEDC staff provided a wealth of information on the area, businesses, and people, which helped them get comfortable with the decision to open a plant here.
HP Hood has committed to creating 230 jobs at the plant. They will take on the original PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) agreement signed by Muller Quaker to receive $7 million in tax abatements over 10 years. The state is also providing a $2 million capital grant from the Upstate Revitalization Initiative.
If employment goals are met, Hood is also eligible for $5 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits.
The 170-year-old, Lynnfield, Mass.-based company is adding 100,000 square feet of refrigerated warehouse space to the plant, which is already 363,000 square feet. After the expansion, with retooling the plant, and the purchase price, Hood will have sunk nearly $200 million into the new facility by the time it goes into production in early 2019.
There has been a rumor recently that the Hood plant could eventually employ 500 people. That's too far down the road to think about, Kaneb said, and he doesn't want to promise that level of growth. He believes they will hit the 230 employee target, but in the first priority is hiring 140 people over the next 12 months.
"I think we're we're confident that it will be reached, but I don't want to get into when we get to 230 or 250 or whatever," Kaneb said. "As far as going beyond that, I hope so. I will tell you that the only other situation that's halfway comparable to this is a greenfield plant we built from the ground up in Winchester, Virginia. We built that in basically 2000 to 2001. Today, 17 years later, here it is employing about 600 people. This plant has the acreage and, et cetera, et cetera, to do something like that, but that took 17 years."
(For photos of the Winchester plant, click here.)
Kaneb is a former Navy man. He graduated from Harvard in 1956, before joining the Navy, with a bachelor's degree in Economics. He acquired a controlling interest in Gulf Oil, tripled its sales to $4.5 billion, and got out of the business in 2005.
The Kaneb family acquired HP Hood in 1985.
It was almost happenstance that the family got into the dairy business, Kaneb said. The only way to grow the oil business was through acquisition, and with growth opportunities limited, they were sitting on excess capital that needed to be put to work. Hood was a great brand and as a native New Englander, Kaneb grew up drinking HP Hood milk. So did his children. But the company had fallen on hard times.
"(Hood) was a company with a great reputation and a great name," Kaneb said. "It was in some difficulty. In fact, a lot of difficulty. As we looked at we thought it might benefit from management that was highly motivated and with energy, et cetera. We thought we could bring some money to the table. We said, 'you know this isn't the business we know but it doesn't look like a complex business. It looks like a basic blocking and tackling business.' "
Since the acquisition, HP Hood has grown to $2 billion in annual sales and has opened new facilities around the Northeast and around the country, such as Virginia, California and Minnesota.
Hood’s portfolio includes its own brands and licensed products. The familiar names include Crowley Foods, Simply Smart Milk, Heluva Good!, Lactaid, Baileys Coffee Creamers, Hershey's Milk and Milkshakes, and Blue Diamond Almond Breeze.
When the Kaneb family took over Hood, they replaced much of the management, though they also identified some bright young talent, such as Blake, Kaneb said. Since then, Hood's executive team has been stable.
"(Blake) is certainly one of those stars who could take on more responsibility," Kaneb said. "We found those who had the skills that have helped us build the company into what it is today," Kaneb said. "It's really common sense, frankly, having a true partnership with your employees. If you want to put a motto on it, how we as owners look at the business and the employees, is that 'You take care of us, we take care of you.' Very simple."
Kaneb said he thinks that approach has been good for the company and it's what potential employees can expect in Batavia.
"You take care of us, we take care of you," Kaneb repeated when asked about company culture. "I mean, do your job and do it well and then you'll find the company will appreciate it and take care of you. We prize low turnover and we have low turnover, I would say, very low turnover, at every level."
As for the kind of corporate citizen Hood will be in Batavia, Kaneb said getting involved in the community is something Hood will strive to do, but the first order of business is getting the plant into production.
"First of all, get our business set up," Kaneb said. "We need to get to the level of employees we need to get going. I would call that, from my Navy days, as the shakedown period. Then we can be open to being a reasonably active corporate citizen. I don't think it's a great idea for us to do anything but get ourselves comfortable here, with the employees we need, and get our production going and so on. That should be our sole activity for the foreseeable future."
Press release:
Officials at Genesee Community College would like to remind local citizens that the deadline for the New York State Excelsior Scholarship Program is this Friday, July 21, with all applications for the 2017-2018 academic year due.
Qualified students interested in taking advantage of the program for the upcoming fall semester must:
To apply, new or returning college students must have copies of their 2015 New York State income tax return(s), current unofficial academic transcript showing credits earned each year, and the most recent financial aid package and/or 2017-2018 Student Aid Report (SAR) available will aid in the application process.
When fully implemented, the Excelsior Scholarship, in combination with other aid programs, is expected to allow 200,000 students to attend a State University of New York (SUNY) college tuition free. Tuition-free college can begin this fall 2017 semester for students whose families make up to $100,000 annually and extend to those making $125,000 annually by 2019.
To apply for the Excelsior Scholarship or obtain further information, visit www.HESC.ny.gov.
Alternatively, the new Student Success Center at GCC's Batavia Campus is now OPEN! New students can also attend a START (Student Testing Advisement Registration Tuition) Day to take care of all of the necessary steps to gain admittance to GCC. Students can meet with one of the College's new success coaches who offer assistance every step of the way! Anyone in need of assistance filing for FAFSA should bring 2015 tax information.
START Days are scheduled every Monday and Wednesday through July 31, from 1 to 4 p.m. at all GCC campus locations. To schedule an appointment, call the Student Success Center at (585) 345-6805 or the campus location nearest to you.
The fall semester at GCC officially begins on Monday, Aug. 21! The full semester of courses runs for 16 weeks, and classes are available at all of GCC's seven campus locations, as well as online.
With GCC's extensive offering of class times and locations, students of all ages can pick the right time, day or place that meets their needs and suits their schedules.
To apply online for classes at any Genesee Community College campus location, students can go to the College's Admission Web page at http://www.genesee.edu/Admissions or call the Admissions office at 585-345-6800.
Press release from the City of Batavia Police Department:
On Tuesday, July 18th, at approximately 1 a.m., officers responded to 318 E. Main St. for the report of a subject outside who had been assaulted.
Upon arrival, officers located a male victim who had a severe laceration to his upper arm, lying on the ground.
Officers rendered aid by applying a tourniquet to the victim until EMS arrived.
The subject was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester with serious injuries.
Officers were able to obtain statements from witnesses and evidence that indicated the victim was stabbed by another male subject and beaten by at least one other person during the altercation.
It is not yet known how or why the altercation began and officers are currently interviewing witnesses and completing follow-up investigations.
The investigation into this incident is active with at least one person being interviewed at this time as a possible suspect.
The victim is listed in serious condition at Strong Memorial Hospital at this time.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Batavia Police Department Detective Bureau at (585) 345-6350 or the Confidential Tip Line at (585) 345-6370.
Information can also be submitted via the Police Department website by clicking here.
Further information will be released as it becomes available.
Lauren Brick says "Tucker" is just like part of the family and she's missing him terribly since he went missing yesterday in the Slusser Road area of East Pembroke.
He's super friendly, she said, and doesn't bark. He has a pizza collar. Call Lauren at (585) 300-8795 if you can help find Tucker.
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