batavia

Christopher S. Usselman is indicted on counts of assault on a police officer, a Class C violent felony, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and resisting arrest, a Class A misdemeanor. Usselman is accused of causing serious injury to an NYSP trooper during an attempted arrest on April 17 in the Town of Batavia while the trooper was performing his official duties.

Jason W. Whitehead, Jr., is indicted on counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a Class D felony, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a Class B felony, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Whitehead is accused of possession of 500 milligrams or more of cocaine on Dec. 1 in the Town of Batavia with the intent to sell it. He is also accused of unlawfully possessing amphetamine. He is also accused of possessing a metal knuckle knife.

Cordero L. Royes is indicted on counts of burglary in the second degree, a Class C violent felony, criminal contempt in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor, DWI, a misdemeanor, aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, a Class E felony, and promoting prison contraband in the first degree, a Class D felony.  Royes is accused of entering a residence on Maple Street, Batavia, on Feb. 8 with the intent to commit a crime in the dwelling. He is accused of violating an order of protection on that date. He is accused of driving drunk on Dec. 31 on Pringle Avenue in the City of Batavia. He is accused of possessing a lighter in the Genesee County Jail on Jan. 3.

Leonard A. Johnson, III, is indicted on counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th, a Class D felony, criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, a Class B felony, and tampering with physical evidence, a Class E felony. Johnson is accused of possession of 500 milligrams or more of cocaine on Jan. 13 in the Town of Batavia with the intent to sell it. While in custody, he is accused of trying to conceal narcotics in the seat of a patrol vehicle.

Press Release:

Genesee Community College is proud to announce the appointment of Gary A. Graber to a 7-year term on the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees effective August 16 through June 30, 2030. This appointment fills the vacancy left by Trustee Emeritus Laurie Miller.

Mr. Graber enlisted in the Naval Reserve (Seabees) shortly after graduating from Alexander Central School. During his seven years as a naval reservist, he began a forty-five-year career in the transportation industry as a driver and ended up as a terminal manager for a northeast freight carrier.

Mr. Graber was elected town justice for the Town of Darien, New York, taking office in January 1980. He is a past member of the Town and Village Court Education Curriculum Committee and has taught criminal and administrative courses for the New York State Judicial Institute and the New York State Office of Court Administration.

Justice Graber continues to be very active in the development and training of topics relating to commercial driver's licenses and commercial motor vehicles, including the development of sentencing charts which assist the New York courts in properly disposing cases that involve commercial motor vehicle equipment violations. As an alumnus and faculty member of the National Judicial College since 2008 he continually instructs judicial personnel both in their home states and virtually on all matters related to the commercial driver's license.

He is an honorary member and liaison of the New York State Magistrates Court Clerks Association. He is also a past president of the Genesee County Magistrates Association and has been a member of the New York State Magistrates Association for over 43 years, serving as a past president, vice president, and director in that association as well as continuing to serve on several committees. He retired from elected office in July 2023 after more than forty-two years of service. He now serves as a Judicial Ambassador, Alumnus, and Faculty Member for the National Judicial College, Reno Nevada; providing education to judicial stakeholders throughout the country.

Gary has received many awards, including the Leadership Award from the Genesee County Magistrates Association, the 2005 NYS Magistrate of the Year Award, the 2006 Criminal Justice Award from Genesee County Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and the 2013 Kevin E. Quinlan Award for Excellence in Traffic Safety in Washington DC.

Mr. Graber is also a proud graduate of Leadership Genesee Class of 2005 where he has since received the 2006 Outstanding Alumnus and Barry Miller Lifetime Achievement Awards.

For more information contact Vice President, Development and External Affairs Justin Johnston at (585) 345-6809, or via email: jmjohnston@genesee.edu.

Press Release:

Are you interested in learning more about 4-H or volunteering for 4-H? Join the Genesee County 4-H Program for our Open House on Thursday, September 28 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Building, Genesee County Fairgrounds, 5056 East Main Street Road, Batavia.

Join us to learn more about 4-H and some of our different 4-H Clubs. Meet a pen of goats that our 4-H Goat Club will have on display! Meet Club Leaders from over 12 of our different 4-H Clubs, including our Fur & Feather Club, Goat Club, Family Consumer Science Club, Cloverbud Club, Sheep Club, and Swine Club!

Interested in volunteering or starting a 4-H Club? We will have information about how to get started.

The Genesee County 4-H Program is a youth development program for youth ages 5-18. New youth members, adult volunteers, and clubs are always welcome to join.

RSVP’s are not necessary. For more information, contact the Genesee County 4-H Office at 585-343-3040 ext. 101 or genesee4h@cornell.edu. Or, visit our website http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu

Press Release:

The Batavia Cemetery Association is excited to announce that the annual Halloween Candlelight Ghost Walk will be held on Saturday, October 21. Join us for some spooky fun on a ghost walk through the Historic Batavia Cemetery on Harvester Avenue to meet the famous and infamous movers and shakers who not only shaped and influenced the City of Batavia, but the United States and the world.

The guided tour on candlelit paths will bring guests to hear men and women, who, for various reasons, held great power and exerted great influence in their day, were victims of tragic events, or both. Confederate Major Philemon Tracy, one of the few Confederate officers buried in the north; surveyor and land developer of western New York Joseph Ellicott, a man of great power and great flaws; and William Morgan, who disappeared and was allegedly murdered before he could reveal the secrets of the Masons, will tell their stories.

Listen to Utopian socialist Albert Brisbane; Mary Elizabeth Wood, the first librarian at the Richmond Memorial Library and founder of the first library school in China; and Dr. Martha Morgan, a compassionate doctor who spent most of her professional life working at the State Lunatic Hospital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  

Meet Civil War General John H. Martindale, and maltster and brewer Eli Fish. Shipping and railroad magnate Dean Richmond and his wife Mary will greet guests in their beautiful mausoleum on the last stop of the tour.

Tours begin at 7 p.m. and run every fifteen minutes until 8:45 p.m. Admission is $15. Reservations are required. Proceeds benefit the upkeep and restoration of the cemetery. For more information, or to make reservations, go to bataviacemetery.org.

Press Release:

On Saturday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Batavia Country Club, the Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the return of the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater with WNY Improv. This time they will be putting on "A Murderous Affair: The Truish Murder Mystery of Johnston L. Lynch".

Once a sanctuary of opulence and decorum, the Batavia Country Club becomes the eerie backdrop to the murder of Johnston L. Lynch, a lawyer whose gruesome end shattered the peace of this tight-knit community. 

"A Murderous Affair" isn't just another murder mystery—it's an immersive experience, an investigation into the shadows of Batavia's history, and a labyrinth of mysteries waiting to be solved. Put on your detective hat and be a part of this unforgettable event at the Batavia Country Club. Discover what truly happened in the enigmatic world of Johnston L. Lynch and make your own conclusion in this enthralling real-life whodunit.

Tickets are $75 per person. Museum members receive early sign-up. Choose from 4 different entrée options- Prime Rib, Chicken French, Crab Stuffed Fish, Pasta Primavera. Meal includes salad, roll, potato, vegetable, and beverage. A cash bar will be available.

Seats are limited. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com to reserve a spot. Please have your food preference ready with the reservation.

Press Release:

Genesee Community College students guided by Derek Maxfield, Associate Professor of History at GCC, will design a series of stations that guests are invited to tour during the exhibit from 6 - 8 p.m. each evening. To cap off the event, Maxfield will deliver a lecture on Victorians and Spiritualism on Wednesday, October 25 at 7 p.m. 

The exhibit and lecture are FREE and open to the public - though donations to the Morgan-Manning House are encouraged.

The Spiritualism movement in America began a decade before the American Civil War and seemed to seize the imagination of many into the twentieth century. The basic premise that it was possible for the living to communicate with the dead was popularized by two sisters from Hydesville, New York - the Fox Sisters. 

Spiritualism has a deep and complex origin story that reaches back to the 18th century with the work of Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish scientist-theologian. Once begun, the Spiritualism movement manifested itself in many forms - including seances, spirit writing, Mesmerism, and spirit camps. 

The diverse elements will be explored in a special exhibit at the Morgan-Manning House in Brockport October 23-25.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley's annual fall trip for veterans to Washington, D.C., the Patriot Trip, rolled out of the Batavia Downs parking lot early this morning.

Photos courtesy Steve Hawley.

Press Release:

Tim Bojarski, longtime writer, columnist, and racing publicist for Batavia Downs racetrack, has been elected to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame as a Communicator by the members of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA).

Bojarski began his contact with harness racing communications in 1986 at Batavia Downs by writing horsemen profiles and authoring a tip sheet. Since then the Akron, resident has written feature articles for renowned racing magazines Horseman And Fair World, Trot Magazine, and most notably Hoof Beats Magazine, where he is in his 23rd year of feature writing for the award-winning magazine of the United States Trotting Association.

Besides his current position with Batavia Downs, the busy Bojarski is also employed as a publicist by Plainridge Park near Boston, Massachusetts, the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Sire Stakes, the New York Sire Stakes, and the Goshen Standardbred Sales. 

Bojarski served two years as the National President of USHWA (2016 to 2017) and has been the president of the Upstate New York Chapter of USHWA since 2008. He was named USHWAN of the Year in 2007 and received the 2017 Clyde Hirt Memorial Media Award for excellence in harness racing reporting from Harness Horsemen International.

Also being inducted as a Communicator is the late Dave Brower, who worked for many years at the Meadowlands Racetrack and covered every major race in the sport, trainer Jim Campbell, owner/breeder David McDuffee, and driver Ed Lohmeyer (in the Veteran category) who will all be entering the Hall for their racing achievements.

Bojarski will be honored in two upcoming ceremonies. He will receive his first formal recognition at the Dan Patch Awards Banquet, presented by Caesars Entertainment, on Feb. 25, 2024, at the Rosen Centre Resort in Orlando, Fla. The second event will be the formal induction to the Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York on July 7, 2024. 

New Listing: 3184 Pearl Street Road, Batavia. What a house! This 6 bedroom, 3 bath home is situated on three pretty acres located in Town of Batavia and in the Pembroke school system! So much great space, but yet all the potential of cozy homestead! Layout is great from the minute you step in-all rooms are large - starting with the welcoming huge enclosed porch with windows galore! From there, you step into oversized living room with great woodwork and pretty stone fireplace leading to bright kitchen and dining area! There is also first floor half bath with laundry and two bedrooms-and this is all only on the first floor alone! Upstairs features 4 more bedrooms and two full baths-master bedroom suite is HUGE! There is plenty of great woodwork, many rooms with nice hardwood floors some with carpeting..this home is move in ready and waiting for someone’s updated ideas!! The 3 acres outside doesn’t disappoint either-home sits up off of road, is secluded by pretty trees, and opens up out back to wooded backdrop with room to roam and places to play and garden! Home has newer metal roof and recently connected to public water! This home has a lot to offer-easy to see, take a ride and enjoy the scenery! Delayed negotiation Monday Sept. 25th at 12:00

Press Release:

Artists, nonprofits, and municipalities seeking funding for arts-related projects, programming, and events in Genesee and Orleans Counties are encouraged to apply to the Statewide Community Regrant Program (SCR) through GO ART!. Applications are due by Nov 1st.

Applicants can apply for up to a total of $5000 in the categories of Community Arts and Arts Education, and $2500 for Individual Artist Commissions.

Eligibility:

Genesee and Orleans County nonprofit organizations, NYS incorporated nonprofits, agencies of local government (not New York State agencies), individual artists, groups or collectives, and unincorporated entities are eligible to apply.

• Individual artists, groups or collectives, and unincorporated entities applying for the Reach (Community) and Spark (Education) grants must have a Fiscal Sponsor or Community Partner
• Applicant, Community Partner, or Fiscal Sponsor must have a permanent address in the same county the project is taking place
• Applicants must be 18 years of age at the time of submission and may not be enrolled in a full-time degree program Applicants are required to attend an informational seminar prior to applying. 2023 grantees are exempt from the seminar requirement but are encouraged to attend.

Upcoming Seminars:

• Sept 18, Sept 25, Oct 2, & Oct 9 at 6:00pm, (virtual, Zoom)
• Oct 10 at 6pm, (in person, GO ART! 201 E Main St, Batavia)

Peer Review Panel:

Grantees are chosen by a peer review panel comprised of community members who live and/or work in Genesee or Orleans Counties and are familiar with the arts, local cultural activities, and the community.

For more information, to view guidelines, apply, sign up for a workshop, or nominate a panelist visit: www.goart.org/grants. For questions contact Mary Jo Whitman at mjwhitman@goart.org or Jodi Fisher at jfisher@goart.org.

Press Release:

The Cornell Cooperative Extension(CCE) of Genesee County Board of Directors meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on September 26. 

The meeting will be held at the Association at 420 E. Main St. Batavia and is open to the public. For more information, please contact Yvonne Peck at ydp3@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040 x123.

Russ Fitzgibbon knew he needed more space.  His flower shop, Beverly's, in an old house on West Main Street in Batavia, left staff tripping over each other and made it hard for him to maintain private conversations with customers.

"We were out of space, just dead out of space," Fitzgibbon said.

When the former Roxy's Music Store building at 228 West Main St., Batavia, came up for sale, he initially passed on the idea of buying the building and moving into it.

It's 14,000 square feet. That doesn't include the basement.

All that space means his five employees are no longer tripping over each other.

"I didn't want it originally," Fitzgibbon said. "It's just massive. But it just worked out. The numbers worked out. I figured, do it now or don't do it at all."

Beverly's is using only about 4,500 square feet of the building -- with a large portion of the downstairs (where music lesson rooms where located) sitting vacant, and a second floor that is completely clear and empty.

"We'll figure out what to do with the rest," Fitzgibbon said.

Fitzgibbon did the remodeling of the store himself, with a whole new decor in the space the shop is using.  There's a larger retail counter, more display space, tables for meeting with clients, and a side room for meetings with larger groups of customers.

"I like to talk to my customers, but in the old place, if somebody walked in, you had to shut up because there was no room," Fitzgibbon said. "There was only one three-foot counter.  This one is a little bigger, so I get to talk more."

Photos by Howard Owens.

Toni M. Drake, 42, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Drake is accused of striking another person in the face on Aug. 28 during an argument in the parking lot of the Mobile gas station on East Main Street, Batavia. Drake was issued an appearance ticket.

Rodrigo G. Vasquez, 26, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Vasquez was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on Sept. 2 at an undisclosed location following several citizen complaints of an erratic driver. Vasquez was issued traffic citations and released.

Danvor E. Hodgson-Aguilar, 34, of Silver Springs, Maryland, is charged with petit larceny. Hodgson-Aguilar was arrested after an investigation into a theft at Tops on Sept. 2. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Robbie C. Scheib, 21, of Rochester, was arrested on a warrant containing a charge of harassment 2nd. Scheib is accused of being involved in a disturbance on Aug. 30 in which he allegedly subjected another person to unwanted physical contact. Scheib was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Jon H. Bush, Jr., 40, of Batavia, was arrested on Sept. 1 on two arrest warrants. The first warrant is the result of a traffic stop on Washington Avenue on June 5, where Bush was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle 2nd. The warrant was issued after he allegedly failed to appear in court. The second warrant stems from an incident on Aug. 3, where police attempted to stop Bush for a traffic violation while he was riding a bicycle. Bush allegedly refused to stop and fled on the bike. Bush was arraigned in City Court and released. 

Bradley Robert Jordan, 30, of Silver Road, Bethany, is charged with petit larceny. Jordan is accused of a left from a store on Lewiston Road, Batavia (the Sheriff's Office withheld this public information). Jordan was issued an appearance ticket.

Yovani Hernandez, 28, of Melvin Hill Road, Geneva, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, obstructed view, and dirty or covered plate.  A passerby reportedly found Hernandez asleep and slumped over the wheel at a location on South Lake Road in Pavilion at 6:12 p.m. on Sept. 3. Hernandez was arrested by Deputy Jacob Kipler, issued traffic tickets, and released.

Alexis Joy Dugan, 22, of Miller Road, Albion, is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, inadequate headlamps, and moving from lane unsafely. Dugan was stopped on Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia at 8:20 p.m. on Sept. 9 by Deputy James Stack. Dugan was issued appearance tickets are leased.

Stephen Hunter Heil, 21, of Million Dollar Highway, Medina, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right, and moving from lane unsafely. Heil was stopped at 6:55 p.m. on Aug. 29, on Bloomingdale Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, by Deputy Alexander Hadsall.

Kevin Allan Knickerbocker, 52, of Mill Pond Road, Byron, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Knickerbocker is accused of violating a stay away order of protection at 6:50 p.m. on Sept. 12 at a location on West Main Street, Byron.

Jeremiah William Krupp, 45, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal contempt 1st. Krupp is accused of placing phone calls to a protected person in violation of an order of protection on Aug. 29. He was held pending arraignment.

George J. Budzinack, 43, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Budzinack is accused of a theft at 10:02 a.m. on Sept. 16 at an undisclosed location in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket. The NYSP did not release more information.

Robert G. Reiner, 37, of Akron, is charged with criminal mischief 4th, criminal tampering 3rd, and resisting arrest. Reiner was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 3 p.m. on Sept. 16. His release status is unknown. The NYSP did not release more information.

There's been a bit more color and visual appeal that connects the Batavia Peace Garden with a second garden along the Tonawanda Creek behind the Genesee County Court House.

Artist Michelle Cryer has painted a mural, commissioned by the Friends of the Peace Garden and paid for by a state grant administered by GO Art!, on a concrete water tank next to the creek.

The mural features the butterfly bench that once graced the garden and an overflow of water simulating a breach in the side of the tank.

Sherwin Williams donated the paint.  The city approved the project.

"Without our community, as usual, we wouldn't have this here today," said Barb Toal, who came to Cryer with the idea of paint a mural on the tank. Then they came up with the concept together.

"I wanted to bring more nature in, to cover up a cement eyesore with some nature," Cryer said. 

Press Release:

Western New York author Rob Thompson, after nearly two years of painstaking research has completed, what he declares as his most difficult of projects. 

The Sullivan Expedition is considered by many to be the most significant military campaign of the American Revolution. The expedition was seen by George Washington as a necessity for ridding the colonial frontier of the Indian threat, and from the assaults by the infamous Butler’s Rangers. Washington’s controversial method was to clear western New York of the Indians by destroying their crops and villages forcing thousands of Native Americans to seek refuge from the British at Fort Niagara. 

Under the leadership of Maj. Gen. John Sullivan and aided by Gens. Clinton, Maxwell, and Hand, nearly 5,000 men crossed the western Finger Lakes destroying over fifty Indian settlements and burning thousands of acres of crops, The most well-known event of Sullivan’s Expedition occurred near Conesus Lake: the capturing and horrific torture of two men Lt. Thomas Boyd and Sgt. Michael Parker. 

Chapters include the founding of the Iroquois Confederacy (the Huedensee), the life of Mary Jemison, the “White Woman of the Genesee,” the headaches endured by George Washington caused not only by Sullivan but others within the structure of the Army, and the controversial topic of genocide.

“Regrading genocide, I present the facts of the expedition, and though I express my personal view I encourage the reader to make their own determination based upon the facts I present. If one thing is learned it’s that at one time in all of human history regardless of race, ethnicity or religion all men have been victims of and perpetrators of hate.”

This compilation of archived material is greatly enhanced by in-depth research is a fine, easy-to-read book and one that will certainly encourage further study by all who read it. One point of enjoyment is the introduction of numerous historical tid-bits such as the life of riflemen Timothy Murphy, the legend behind the run of Adam Helmer, Daniel Shays of the Shays Rebellion (buried in Conesus New York) and the myth behind the lost cannon.

On Saturday, September 23, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Holland Land Office Museum there will be a signing of Behold and Blush-The Sullivan Expedition, The Linden Murders Solved, Twisted Tree Final Word on the Linden Murders, and Candles in the Rain (the story of the 1997 Genesee County Janet Rippel cold case).

Press Release:

The proposal reviewed by the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) for HP Hood’s $120 million expansion at its September 7, 2023 board meeting marks a significant milestone for the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in the town of Batavia. 

Since opening in 2011, the Ag Park and supporting infrastructure have generated investments of approximately $607 million by HP Hood, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Marktec Products, and O-AT-KA Milk Products that have resulted in a cluster with over 1.2 million sq. ft. of food and beverage facilities set to employ over 1,000 professionals in the food processing industry, which is the leading employment sector in Genesee County and GLOW region.

HP Hood’s investment also marks another $100+ million project in Genesee County, and the fifth largest in the county’s history, four of which have been announced in just the past year. 

These projects include Plug Power’s expansion announced by New York State Governor Kathy  Hochul in 2023 in which the company will be investing an additional $377 million on top of the $290 million investment Plug Power announced in 2021 at Western New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP). Also in 2023, Edwards announced a $319
million project at STAMP and Horizon Acres Associates announced a $142 million multi-phase development in the town of Pembroke. 

“Our success in regional economic development is the result of the collaboration with our public sector partners as we have worked through the years to prepare sites such as the Agri-Business Park and STAMP so that they are industry-ready with high-capacity utility infrastructure in order to market these assets to companies and in turn the new jobs and investment they are making in our community,” said Steve Hyde, GCEDC President and CEO. 

“Genesee County’s commitment to growth allows companies to start construction almost immediately which sets them up for sustained success as they expand operations, and we are witnessing that first-hand through HP Hood’s recent investment announcement.” 

HP Hood's expansion at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park includes the construction of a 32,500 sq ft building to accommodate the addition of new batching and processing systems, along with other upgrades that will allow the company to increase capacity and begin the production for a new product line. The expansion project will create 48 new full-time positions while retaining 455 employees. 

“From HP Hood’s initial investment of $205 million and 230 jobs announced in 2017, both of those numbers have nearly doubled; the food and beverage sector continues to grow and shows no signs of stopping,” added Hyde.

A 2019 SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government study reported the economic output of labor income and value added by businesses in Genesee County’s shovel-ready sites at $809 million – 16% of the total economic output of the county. The study projects that the existing shovel- ready sites could support an additional $4.9 billion of economic output at full capacity.

Genesee County’s shovel-ready sites have been designed and strategically located at key transportation routes with access to population centers across the Northeast and Midwest and infrastructure corridors, including access to low-cost hydropower.

There was a big crowd, frothy beers on tap, and plenty of "zicke zacke hoi hoi hoi" to go around in Jackson Square on Saturday as Eli Fish Brewing Co. hosted its now annual Oktoberfest.

Photos by Nick Serrata.