batavia

Henry Homelius was born in 1850 in Buffalo, New York, to an immigrant family from Germany.  His father was a carpenter and builder.  When Henry was six years old, his family moved to Batavia, an up-and-coming city with many possibilities. 

Henry attended Batavia High School, but no records show he graduated.  He may not have earned a high school diploma but what he had was a determination to succeed.  He spent his evenings studying books on drafting, architecture, and math.  During the daytime, he worked with his father and other craftsmen. 

With Henry W. Homelius's work ethic and hands-on experience, he would be remembered as one of the most talented architects of our time.

In 1874 Henry married Catherine Blenker, a beautiful statuesque daughter of a well-known tailor.  She gave birth to a son, Frank H. Homelius, in 1876.  That particular year seemed pivotal for Henry because he was commissioned to build a home on a new street in Batavia called Ellicott Avenue. 

Today that home can be seen in most of its original glory with a mansard roof tower and ocular dormer windows in the Second Empire Style.  It also features arches on the front porch and two-inch thick double-leaf entrance doors.  Henry and Ann Emmans are the proud owners of this home built by Henry H. Homelius at 32 Ellicott Avenue.

Another example of Homelius' architect is Joe Seidel's home on 30 Ellicott Avenue, next door to the Emmans' Homelius home. Both houses are very similar, just different exteriors.  Seidel's home was built in the Italianate style but had a "Victorian" Interior.  The use of old-growth chestnut, oak, and mahogany woods is prevalent throughout the home, and the original horsehair crown moldings and medallions are evident.   In addition, the floorplan layout reflects the era.

Henry's fame flourished, and he was in demand.  He built more than a dozen homes on Ellicott Avenue and Elba, Oakfield, and Corfu. Henry's homes were in a class of their own.  He created the onion-domed tower, large porches with three pillars on each porch corner.    He built palladium arches over smaller porches, bay windows, and often with pediments above the windows.  The windows in his unique homes would either be stained glass or leaded glass.  His homes often featured elaborate fireplaces and window seats.

Henry also built commercial buildings.  Many of his buildings were on Main and Jackson Street. In 1885 Henry built a small two-room brick shelter that housed pumps that forced water from the Tonawanda Creek into the water mains.  In 1893, he was hired to design a front for the Water Works building to house a power station.  The unique towers were added in 1906.  The Water Works was renamed the Municipal Building.  Over the years, the building has been used in various ways. First, it served as a fire hall, then as a restaurant, and for a time, it was the home of the Genesee County Historian.

In the late 1800s, Henry designed most of the schools in Batavia.  They were the East, West, Pringle, Lincoln, and Washington schools.  Today Reed Eye Associates occupies the historic building on Washington Avenue.

In the '60s and '70s, a new idea was presented to the city of Batavia.  Unfortunately, its attempt to renew the city destroyed our downtown history.  The historic buildings on Main Street were erased with a wrecking ball. Many of us remember these two words with sadness and regret, "Urban Renewal."  Fortunately, some of his buildings, such as the Daily News Building and The Batavia Times Building, survived.

No one would deny that Henry was a gifted architect.   His work was impeccable.  As a businessman, he was considered arrogant and aggressive.

Henry lived most of his life at 39 and 41 Walnut Street.   In 1889, Henry's brother Frank died, and in 1899 Henry's father drowned.  Henry's family is buried in the historical Batavia Cemetery.

Henry's son Frank did not stay in Batavia but traveled the country learning about different building methods and designs.  He also did not graduate from high school.  However, in 1905 Frank returned home, and Henry W. Homelius and Son was created with headquarters in the Dellinger building on Jackson Street.

Frank was considered very good-looking and charming. He fell in love with Maud Scoville Hugaboom, a married woman with a young daughter Eleanor.  The day after her divorce was final, Frank and Maud wed.  Eleanor Homelius went on to be a respected and loved teacher. As an English teacher, she taught many generations of young people at Batavia High School, an interesting fact considering her stepfather never graduated from high school.

In November 1917, Henry W. Homelius died of cancer and was buried in the Homelius Plot in the Batavia Cemetery.

Frank, like his father, was a gifted builder, but Frank also completed many home and building renovations.  His first project after his father's death was the renovation of the Brisbane Mansion into Batavia's City Hall.  He also remodeled the Dipson and Atwater homes.  He added an addition to the Richmond Mansion, used as the Children's Home.  Frank also built the addition to the Richmond Memorial Library by adding a children's room on the lower level of the original building.  This is not to be confused with the newer addition in the 1970s as the current children's room.

He also designed St. Anthony's Community Center.   Frank's father had 32 Ellicott Avenue as his proudest accomplishment; Frank would have 39 Ross Street as his.  Frank built the 6,000-square-foot home for Frank Thomas of the Thomas Coal Company. In 1926, it cost $125,000 to build the beautiful Thomas home.  Frank employed 50 craftsmen from the Batavia Woodworking Company to work on the construction of the house.  The Batavia Woodworking Company consisted of skilled carpenters, bricklayers, masons, and millwrights. These were the craftsmen that Frank used for his buildings.  When looking at this beautiful home today, you will note the red tile roof.  The horizontal lines of the house suggest the Prairie Style.  Frank built many Queen Anne-style homes throughout the city. You can still admire these homes on Summit Street and Lewis Avenue.

The Batavia Woodworking Company became skilled with the designs that constitute a Frank Homelius Home.  They borrowed his techniques and built homes that were called Homelius Design Homes.  These homes can be found on Kibbe Avenue, Morton Avenue, South Jackson St., and Ellicott Street.

Frank lived in a bungalow at 35 Richmond Street.  He was known for his kindness and for being the second Democrat to serve as mayor in the history of Batavia.

The construction of MacArthur Stadium's grandstand, bleachers, and press box in 1939 is considered the final design of Frank H. Homelius.

There was one project that Frank never had the opportunity to complete.  He wanted to build an annex to the Holland Land Office Museum.  This would include a library containing works of history about Batavia and Genesee County.

Frank died on November 20, 1941, ending the remarkable era of the talented craftsmen Henry W. Homelius and Frank W. Homelius.

Photos by Howard Owens. Top photo, 30 Ellicott Ave.; middle photo, 32 Ellicott Ave.

A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported in the area of Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, near Fotch Road.

There is entrapment, but injuries are believed to be minor.

Town of Batavia and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 1:41 a.m.: Engine 20 can respond non-emergency.  Engine 24 can return to quarters. One occupant out of the vehicle upon a chief's arrival.  

UPDATE 1:43 a.m.: Engine 20 can return to quarters. Assignment back in service. Mercy medics are out with the patient.

Halloween is quickly approaching, then it’s Thanksgiving, and before you know it, the annual Christmas in the City takes hold the first weekend in December.

As members of Batavia Business Improvement District and Batavia Players — led by Co-Chairpersons Pat Burk and Shannon Maute — strive to get things in place for the event, there are plenty of opportunities for others to participate, they say.

Christmas in the City
The main event runs from 1 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 3 Downtown, with a visit from Santa Claus from 1 to 5 p.m. inside the mall and a finale parade at 6 p.m. throughout downtown. Local groups, businesses, emergency services departments, kids, adults, and most anything in between are welcome to join the fun.

Maute has put out the call for not only organizations but also for departments with fire trucks, to sign up.

“You can walk, ride or enter a float,” a BID flyer states.

Mall events will run from 1 to 5 p.m. and include Santa’s Village, pictures with Santa, hot cocoa and cookies, crafts, cookie decorating, a kids’ zone, Santa’s workshop, shopping specials, Dickens Carolers, Scrooge, adult tastings and more, organizers said.

Our Hometown Christmas
Even earlier that day will be a craft and vendor fair that begins at 10 a.m. and runs to 8 p.m., Burk said.

“We already have 22 tables,” he said. “And there will be entertainment; our dance academy is performing, the small brass group from BHS signed up, and there’s Santa’s Village. We’re trying to get people in what used to be the mall, and our Christmas show will be happening Dec. 1, 2, 3 and 4.”

Burk, long-time executive director of Batavia Players, is learning how to juggle theater responsibilities with Board of Elections tasks and being president of the Genesee Valley School Boards Association, he said.

The theater in Batavia City Centre has been one of many projects delayed by the pandemic’s onslaught of labor, supply chain and social distancing issues.

With fingers crossed, Burk is hoping for a completed theater to open in May or June of 2023. There are grants involved, and though the Players are a pre-qualified status through Grants Gateway, there is more footwork to be done, and it is all falling at the same time as taxes being due Nov. 15, he said.

Despite the “bad timing,” he and group staff and members look forward to that day when a performance happens in the fully renovated theater.

“We had some pretty hefty demolition left to do with plumbing, electrical, all those old air conditioning units that were there for the X-ray machines and stuff. Yeah, huge. They're all gone. I mean, we're moving daily. And we're working hard,” he said. “So I don't know what time we're going to be completed. And a lot of it's depending on availability of our stuff, and when we get our reimbursements from the state.”

Grant funding is crucial, due to how — sounds like a broken record by now, he said — COVID affected pricing for everything.

“Our supplies went up by over $260,000. We’re in for $1.2 million already and have raised money. And all that money doesn't mean anything, because we have to come up with more money for it, just to complete everything," he said. "On top of that, we really want to do a good job of accessibility and maximizing use and having good lights and sound and all that other stuff. And all that stuff went up in money … it all went through the ceiling."

They should get word on the grant application in March or April next year, he said, and he has learned how meticulous all of that paperwork needs to be, especially given at least three grant-related changes taking place this year. If one number is off, it gets sent back, and then they wait another month or more for approval of a resubmission of the corrected material.

“You have to have people look over this stuff, over and over and over,” he said.

A Christmas Carole
Nonetheless, the show, as they say, must go on, and the Players will be presenting the seasonal Dickens’ favorite “A Christmas Carole” the weekend of Christmas in the City.  It is set for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1, 2, 3 and 2 p.m. Dec. 4 at Main St. 56 Theater in Batavia City Centre. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 students and seniors, and available at showtix4u.com.

The Players will also be sponsoring Our Hometown Christmas all day on Dec. 3 with an array of gift options at craft and vendor tables. There is still space available, and any interested crafts dealers, food trucks, vendors or antique dealers may want to grab a table NOW. 

Santa’s Village will be part of a festive display, and local schools are to be participating, Burk said. There are so many activities jam-packed into the schedule, that Burk would like to see a future two-day event, he said.

The Hometown event is a fundraiser for the Players, and will provide entertainment and fun for visitors, he said.

“We’re trying to keep the theater going with no theater and with no money,” Burk said. “We are literally scraping together money to pay to keep the lights on.”

Wreath Contest
The BID is also hosting its annual Wreath Contest for downtown Batavia “as a creative way to add some holiday spirit to downtown.” The contest is open to any business, group, organization, or family. For $20, each participant is provided with a 16-inch plain wreath to decorate. Participants may pick up their wreaths on Nov. 19 and have a week to decorate before dropping them back off to the BID for committee volunteers to place throughout downtown, Maute said in a recent press release.

Voting for the most creative will take place from Dec. 3 through 24. The first-place winner is to receive a $100 cash prize, second place $75 and third place $50.

To participate in the wreath contest or parade, contact Maute 

File photos of Christmas in the City 2021 by Howard Owens

Press Release

The City of Batavia invites residents to attend the opening of the forthcoming Mall Market.  Visit the Batavia City Centre Mall on Saturday for the first Mall Market day! 

On Oct. 29, Nov. 12, Nov. 19, Nov. 26, Dec. 10, and Dec. 17, the Mall Market will be open from 8 to 11:30 a.m.  Porter Farms, Garner Farms, and Tastefully Simple are among a few vendors at this time. 

Applications are still being accepted!  Anyone interested in endorsing their business or promoting their products is encouraged to apply.

 

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department is looking for public assistance in identifying the operator of the dirt bike in the photos. The individual has been operating in an unsafe manner throughout the city. Officers would like to speak to the individual to prevent future incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Pete Post at (585) 345-6350, the Batavia Police Department's confidential tip line at (585) 345-6370.

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department would like to advise the public that "rainbow fentanyl" pills have recently been located in the city of Batavia. The drugs were found in a local gas station bathroom and turned over to officers. The tablets are blue in color and stamped into the shape of a bear. There hasn't been any association between these pills and Halloween, but the department wants to remind parents to check their children's candy before consumption. If any candy is opened, appears to have been tampered with, or looks suspicious, throw it out. If any illegal drugs are located in Halloween candy, please contact the police department at (585) 345-6350. Have a safe and Happy Halloween.

 

Isaiah Lorenzo Poole, 22, of South Clinton Street, Albion, is charged with 16 counts of possession of a forged instrument and criminal contempt 2nd. Poole allegedly possessed 16 counterfeit $100 bills at 4:45 p.m., Oct. 23, at the Crosby's in Elba. He also is accused of violating an order of protection. 

Breanna Michelle Cragg, 29, of Richmond Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Cragg was charged following a roadside check at 1:19 a.m., Oct. 23, on Route 33, Stafford, by Sgt. Mathew Clor and Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Johnnie M. Waston, 39, of Dodge Street, Rochester, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment 2nd. Waston is accused of being involved in a disturbance reported at 7:04 a.m., Oct. 21, at a residence on Shady Lane, Batavia. He was arraigned in Town of Stafford Court and released.

Kevin P. Kage, 35, of West Avenue, Medina, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance 5th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th. Kage is accused of selling methamphetamine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force in Batavia on two separate occasions. He was arrested on a warrant stemming from a sealed indictment and jailed pending arraignment in County Court. He was arraigned on Oct. 20 and released.

Connie Rae Todd, 51, of Slayton Sett Road, Gasport, is charged with DWI and speeding. Todd was stopped at 1:12 a.m., Oct. 26, on Lewiston Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Margareta Tamasi, 75, of Le Roy, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child/alcohol. Tamasi was arrested by State Police on Oct.  24 in the Town of Batavia in relation to an incident reported at 7:04 p.m. on Oct. 21 in Le Roy. She was released on an appearance ticket. No further information released.

Press release:

The City of Batavia will recognize Halloween on Monday, Oct. 31 from 4 to 9 p.m. Trick-or-treaters should be off the streets by 9 p.m. on Halloween night.

The Batavia Lady Devils soccer team ended its sectional run Tuesday evening in Brockport against Aquinas in a semi-final matchup with a 3-0 loss. 

Aquinas had 15 shots on goal, Batavia five. 

Julia Petry had 15 saves for Batavia.  Aquinas had 3 corners, with goals scored twice by Emily Silverstein and one by Mya Kotsch.

Batavia finishes the year 11-3-4.

"This team worked for each other and played with their hearts," said Head Coach Roger Hume. "It was a hard finish to a fantastic season.  We congratulate our seniors on a job well done and are looking forward to the future."

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

This month may be October, but there are many people looking forward to OctoFUR this weekend.

It’s a Volunteers For Animals fundraiser (ahem, Furaiser), complete with oodles of baskets with a wide variety of items just waiting to be won. This event is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Pudgie’s Lawn and Garden, 3646 West Main St., Batavia.

Volunteer Shelley Falitico is part of the event committee, which also includes Angie Knisley, Marcy Colantonio and Becca Walters, who have been “committed, dedicated volunteers for several years,” she says.

Falitico has been impressed with all that the nonprofit does to help animals at Genesee County Animal Shelter, from providing much-needed medical care, vaccinations, fostering, walking, assisting with adoptions, to, of course, showering them with lots of TLC. All or at least some of these services have eased the temporary transition to shelter life for dogs, cats, and even a bird, Falitico said.

“I am a new volunteer and I have met so many long-time, dedicated volunteers since my introduction to the Volunteers for Animals mission,” she said. “They hold a couple of fundraisers each year.”

This event promises to be a good one, and includes an “extra special raffle” this year featuring a grand prize of two Buffalo Bills game tickets. The game pits local favorite Buffalo Bills against the New York Jets on Dec. 11. Get ready to watch from Section 118, Row 6 if you’re the lucky winner. Tickets are $10 each.

There’s free entry and several baskets in the “giant” basket raffle event, and all proceeds support animal care. Winners need not be present to win. Pudgie’s is also offering 10 percent off all pet-safe plants.

For those wanting to help out with the cause another way, donations of new items or themed baskets may be dropped off at the shelter during regular hours: 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, and 1 to 3 p.m. Friday at 3841 West Main Street Road, Batavia.

JJ, top, and Digger are just two of the shelter residents waiting to go to a loving forever home. Photos courtesy of VFA's website.

Former Batavians John and Joelle Lyman had just gotten settled into their new life at Fort Myers, Fla. by renovating portions of their home, making a sizable investment, and preparing to enjoy some sun, beach and relaxation.

After years of uprooting their lifestyles by downsizing and traveling to spend quality time with family, the Lymans had finally landed. Or so they thought. Toward the end of September, Hurricane Ian, with torrential winds and muddy waters, crashed into their serene world.

“We said, ‘OK, adventure time is over,’ it’s time to settle down,” John said during an interview from his current home in Naples, Fla. “We've been here for seven years, and we weathered Irma. And, you know, Irma gave us a false sense of security on the storm this time. I have been through a tremendous number of hurricanes … with this one, the warnings that came in came in fast. With Irma, it was really slow-moving. We had a lot of time to prepare and figure things out.

"Ian brought the fury," he said. "It looked like someone filled (the house) with water, shook it with all of the furniture, and left it as it laid,” he said.

Hurricane Ian was a large and destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane, cited as being the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since 1935. Ian caused widespread damage across western Cuba and the southeast United States, especially the states of Florida and South Carolina.

As a paramedic and responder to several smaller hurricanes over the years, John thought he had seen it all — and was fairly certain that he and his wife could ride out this September storm as well. As fate would have it — or luck or whatever you would call it — their son Philip planned to visit Florida for vacation, and attend a concert while he was there. When the worst of the storm hit, the Lyman family was at that concert in Orlando.

“So we stayed in Disney. Amazingly, we were able to find a hotel, everything really was kind of closed down. And we did get hit there with like category one-ish. We were on the 12th floor and it was still pretty scary as category one. All the while, you know you're thinking what's going on with the house,” Joelle said about their home nearby Sanibel Beach. “You know what's going on with the area because we're so close to the beach, and you know the storm is 400 miles across.”

After learning of the deadly touchdown by Ian, the Lymans weren’t able to contact any neighbors because “everybody left,” John said. Ian moved automobiles, boats, trailers and dumpsters, and knocked down trees, wires, buildings, homes, the Sanibel bridge, and power. Nearly 150 deaths, including 136 people in Florida, and an estimated $50 billion of damage and loss was left in Ian’s wake. Fort Myers and Naples have reportedly been the most hardest hit, and millions lost power.

When the Lymans returned, John’s first thought was that their home wasn’t that bad. From the outside, despite some missing windows, and the wreckage and debris all around them, their place looked fairly intact, he said. First, they had to drive through a lot of water just to get to their place, and it looked like “an absolute war zone,” John and Joelle said, each filling in details for one another. In addition to power outages, the sewer system broke as well.

“So on top of the surge, there's sewer water in our house. Everything was just absolutely ruined, windows blown out we had gotten on Monday, the Monday before the storm we just had the guy who sided our house a week and a half prior finish up by hanging the shutters. We just redid all the floors, furniture, a new wall, windows, doors. And the frightening thing is our insurance covers hurricanes, but a hurricane in their eyes doesn't include storm surge. And we got hit with between seven and nine feet of water in our house,” John said, as Joelle added “So our plumbing, our electrical system, all of our storage, all of my kids, you know, stuff when they were kids, is all gone. It's just devastating.”

The fridge was full of that dirty water, and furniture, appliances, clothing and other household items had been ruined by flood waters. But there were more emotional items, in particular, that got to Joelle.

“I can get another copy of a birth certificate, but there were baby books (in a storage container), and it was filled with water,” she said.

Recounting the danger of even fully inspecting their home, the Lymans said there could be unwelcomed visitors, such as alligators and water moccasins, and certainly, developing mold as the days go by. They aren’t allowed to begin any recovery and restoration until their insurance company and FEMA evaluate it and determine if, and how much, the Lymans will receive in compensation.

They’ve had to fill out paperwork, applications, and more paperwork, all in an effort to try and recoup some of their loss. But, in the face of seeing others living in tents, they feel grateful. A childhood friend of John’s has loaned them a fifth-wheel trailer in Naples until they can move on with their lives.

“There are so many people that don’t have that, there’s no lodging,” Joelle said. “I know that God’s got us. It’s like going through these phases of grief … like when I went to church yesterday, and the pastor told everyone because we're all in the same boat, he said, ‘It's okay to feel this way. It's okay to feel tired. It's okay to feel uncertain, but just know that God's got you.’ And we've known that all along. It's just, it was almost like he gave us permission to feel our feels.”

They have both managed to continue working — Joelle once worked in education at Genesee Valley BOCES and John had worked for Mercy EMS — and her current employer in Florida has set up a fundraiser for the couple to help offset some of the inescapable costs they will have. When they left for the concert in Orlando, Joelle had only brought a pair of flip-flops and some shorts and shirts. Their remaining world possessions stayed behind in their home, she said.

The couple isn’t certain just yet what they’re going to do. With the hope of getting some insurance and/or FEMA money, the Lymans haven’t made any solid plans. Their highest hope is to not have to use the Go Fund Me donations, and instead, they will pay it forward to someone else in need, they said. But right now, it’s hard to say what they’ll have and what they may need in the future.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to afford where we were,” Joelle said. “We don’t know what we’re going to do … You don’t feel rested. Your mind is always going.”

For more information about the fundraiser, go to John and Joelle Lyman. 

Photos submitted by the Lymans of their home and surrounding neighborhood. The car was parallel to the house before getting pushed up onto the lawn, and boats were carried by the storm surge from other parts of the city.

An accident involving a motorcycle is reported in the area of 3875 West Main Street Road, Batavia.

The motorcyclist is reportedly down in the road.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 1:51 p.m.: No collision, according to a deputy on scene. A motorcyclist tried to break quickly after a car in front of him slowed suddenly, and he lost control of the bike.  The motorcyclist sustained minor injuries and will be transported for evaluation. 

There is no definitive cause that fire investigators have determined for the fire Sunday at Baskin Livestock, 9778 Creek Road, Batavia., said Tim Yaeger, Genesee County emergency management coordinator.

Yaeger said the origin appears to be in a bay area of the facility where paper -- typically paper that contained waste food items being converted at the factory into cattle feed -- is stored prior to shipment to a landfill. 

If that is the origin of the fire, what could possibly have caused the ignition of the fire is undetermined at this time.  There is no obvious ignition source.

There were no employees in the building at the time of the fire, Yaeger said.

Because Baskin Livestock is self-insured, fire investigators are unlikely to return to the scene for further investigation unless requested by the company, Yaeger said.

There is a fire suppression system installed in the building, Yaeger said, and Baskin Livestock is going to investigate to try and determine why is seems to have malfunctioned.

Photos by Howard Owens

The Batavia Cemetery Association held its annual Ghost Walk on Saturday, which is both a fundraiser and a chance to provide area residents with an entertaining history lesson about the people who shaped the development of Western New York.

Photos by Howard Owens, Top photo, Michael Gosselin as Rev. John Yates.

Tim Buckman as Maj. Philemon Tracy.

Patrick Weissend as Joseph Ellicott.

Dan Snyder as Albert Brisbane.

The line for the Halloween trick-or-treat event at Dwyer Stadium on Saturday stretched from the front gate to State Street throughout most of the event.

Various businesses and organizations were spread out around the grandstands and onto the field handing out candy to costumed kiddies.  Many of the organizations had to send out members of their party to retrieve more candy from local stores after bringing only enough for 1,000 or 2,000 children.

The event was sponsored by the Batavia Muckdogs and the team's owners Robbie and Nellie Nichols. Robbie said that 2,100 kids and 5,000 families showed up this year. 

A caller in the area of Rite Aid on West Main Street and Lewiston reports an encounter with a man who may have had a gun who said he was a police officer chasing someone and was last seen heading toward Tops.

He is described as a thinner white male wearing jeans, a red windbreaker and a black of blue ball cap.

Troopers and deputies are responding with Batavia PD.

UPDATE 9:13 p.m.: A responding officer reports detaining a subject fitting the description behind Tops.

Mercy Flight/Mercy EMS hosted an open house at its facility on Call Parkway on Saturday, with Cub Scouts selling hot dogs, a craft room where kids could paint coupons, a basket raffle, a mum sale, games, and displays and apparatus from State Police, and fire departments from Town of Batavia, Stafford, Elba, Alabama, and Pavilion.

At 10 years old, throwing a baseball against the wall of a brick building, Brian Kemp never imagined he would someday own a 25-year-old business making custom T-shirts and that he would also own that building on Center Street, as well.

It's all very humbling, said Kemp, a Batavia HS graduate who spent much of his youth living in a house on School Street with a backyard that abuts the building that now houses T-Shirts Etc.

"To think like, I'm probably driving the people inside the building crazy," Kemp said during a 25th Anniversary celebration for T-Shirts Etc. on Thursday evening. "I'm not thinking of it as a kid like that but now if somebody started throwing a ball against my wall, I might say, 'Hey, what's going on?' you know. But I would have a little empathy for him because I did it, too."

Kemp and a partner, with the help of his girlfriend at the time, started T-Shirts Etc on the third floor of the Harvester Center three years after Kemp graduated from high school.  Soon they moved into a larger space on the first floor, then to the former WBTA building at Harvester and East Main, then to the former Newberry's building (now Eli Fish) on Main Street, and finally to his current location at 37 Center St.

A lot of people -- a whole community, really -- he said, helped him reach this milestone.  He gave credit to his former partner John, his former girlfriend, Heather, and to his ex-wife, Beth Kemp.

"Beth and I were married for seven or eight years," Kemp said. "We're not married anymore but it was a great time that helped me turn the business into where we are today. We moved the company three times, so she was a very integral part of the business."

Kemp also said he couldn't sustain any success without his employees.

"I have a great crew that has weathered the storm of the last few years," he said. "My current crew consists of my son Parker who runs the print production department, Melissa Flint, who runs the embroidery, shipping, and receiving departments and lastly, Mikah Burdic who is currently working as a production assistant.  I am truly honored to work daily with my crew that puts in the work on a daily basis, producing quality products for our customers.  I come here to the shop, hang out and make stuff, and these people make it enjoyable."

His younger sons, Myloh, 10, and Aslan, are also helping out in the shop these days, he said.

He noted that a lot of his customers were at the celebration.  

"All these relationships with our business are personal and have all impacted on my life," Kemp said. "I've got these great boys and this amazing business that we call home here in Batavia. We got our own little piece of Batavia. It's been fantastic."

Photos by Howard Owens.  Top photo, Kemp, left, with Tom Turnbull, Chamber of Commerce interim president.

Fire investigators believe, preliminarily, that a malfunction in a furnace at 8920 Batavia Stafford Townline Road is the source of a fire that destroyed the home this morning.

The structure was fully involved before firefighters were dispatched shortly before 8:40 a.m.

"(The furnace is) propane-powered and forced hot air," said Tim Yaeger, Genesee County Emergency Management Coordinator. "(The homeowner) had left to go and give assignments to her crews for the business that they run here. When they came back, she said she smelled something funny, something hot, and one of her employees saw smoke exiting from the garage. They entered the garage, opened the door into the house and there was heavy black smoke in the house itself. So right now we're leaning towards, based on an investigation, preliminarily, we're looking at the furnace that may have had a malfunction."

Nobody was injured as a result of the fire and an employee reportedly rescued two dogs from inside the house.

The initial dispatch for the fire reported that two people had entered the house and may be trapped but when a Stafford assistant chief was first on scene, he informed dispatchers that both people were out of the house and that it was believed nobody was in the house at that point.

Town of Batavia Chief Chris Strathearn said the heavy, tall column of black smoke from the fire was visible well before he arrived on scene. He called for a second alarm.

Companies dispatched included Town of Batavia, City Fire, Stafford, Le Roy, and Alexander's FAST Team. Mercy EMS, Sheriff's Office, and State Police assisted at the scene.

The ranch-style home was built in 2016 and is owned by William and Stacy Corcoran. The 2,387-square-foot house sits on a 3.7-acre parcel. The Corcorans also own other adjoining farm property. 

Photos by Howard Owens. For more photos, click here.