batavia

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel announced the official opening of its new Gatsby bar with a ribbon cutting on Friday at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel. The Gatsby bar is located just outside Fortune’s restaurant and will feature high-end bourbons, gins and other spirits along with other handcrafted cocktails. 

“We’re excited for guests to check out the Gatsby Bar for quick drink or appetizer before dinner in Fortune’s,“ said Vice President of Operations Scott Kiedrowski. “Alternatively it’s a nice place to get a quiet drink if 34 Rush is busy with sports or live entertainment.”

The bar will also feature New York State Lottery Games like Quickdraw and will have a self-service terminal to place horse wagers.

“This is the first phase to open of our new expansion,“ said Henry Wojtaszek, president and CEO. “This and those that follow will better serve our valued guests.”

Expansions for more seating at Thurman’s 34 Rush and Fortunes are due to open in the following months. A new look inside the “Park Place,” formerly known as the Paddock Room, is near completion.

“This is another banner day in the history of our facility,“ said COO Michael Nolan. “We pride ourselves on customer service and giving our guests what they want. Our expansions continue to make the facility a premier entertainment destination.”

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at Park Road and Oak Street, Batavia.

City fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 7:33 p.m.: Two cars, three patients, one possible transport at this time, according to a first responder.

The Batavia Police Department is looking to identify the person in this photo. We believe he might be able to assist us with a found wallet complaint.

If anyone knows who he is, please contact Officer Jamie Givens at 585-345-6350.

UPDATE 6:20 p.m.: The person has been identified and located by Batavia PD.

Press release: 

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) voted to accept applications for incentives from Graham Manufacturing and Gateway GS, LLC at the agency’s Feb. 7 board meeting. 

Graham Manufacturing is investing $1.075 million for capital improvements to expand various properties at its campus in the City of Batavia. The company will renovate an existing 8,000 square feet of buildings, including an expansion and renovation of its 4,000-square-foot welding school to meet market demand for welders. 

An existing 4,000-square-foot manufacturing building also will be repurposed and the company will build a new 5,000-square-foot warehouse for storage needs. The capital investments will help Graham retain 291 jobs in the City of Batavia.

The company is seeking sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions totaling approximately $130,000. For every $1 of public benefit offered, Graham Manufacturing is investing and helping generate an economic contribution/ impact of approximately $5.90 into the economy. 

Gateway GS, LLC is investing $450,000 to build out the interior of an existing 27,000-square-foot speculative building the company constructed in 2018 at the Gateway II Corporate Park in Batavia. The project would create five new jobs.

Gateway GS, LLC intends to lease the space where tenants would provide input to the final buildout. Among the various uses that the building offers includes space for warehouse, distribution, light manufacturing, technology and commercial operations.

The company is seeking sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions totaling approximately $206,000. For every $1 of public benefit offered, Gateway GS, LLC is investing and helping generate an economic contribution/ impact of approximately $12.60 into the economy. 

“We are very excited to support two great projects that will have significant economic impacts for Genesee County and Batavia,” said GCEDC Board Chairman Paul Battaglia.

“These projects demonstrate the importance of assisting companies such as Graham Manufacturing that are retaining jobs and in the instance of Gateway GS creating new jobs and hopefully even more new jobs as they bring in tenants to their spec building.”

Heidi L. Harder, of Montclair Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She was arrested following a shoplifting investigation into an incident at 2:19 a.m. on Feb. 6 at Tops Friendly Market in Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket to be in Batavia City Court on Feb. 12. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan.

Paul Kittisack, 53, of South Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 after he allegedly shoplifted from Tops Friendly Market on West Main Street in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket to be in Batavia City Court on Feb. 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller.

Above is just a sampling of the nice things available for auction at St. Paul Lutheran School on Saturday. Photo courtesy of St. Paul's.

St. Paul Lutheran School is holding their annual auction on Saturday, Feb. 9th. The doors open at 3:30 p.m. and bidding begins at 4 o'clock.

The auction is to be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church and School located at 31 Washington Ave., Batavia.

Items to be auctioned are theme baskets, handmade items, craft items and certificates. There is also a bake sale. The Snack Shack will be open!

The proceeds will benefit the school's tuition fund.

As part of National Grid's preparations, the company is postponing a planned power outage in a portion of Batavia on Friday night and early Saturday morning, said spokesman David Bertola. Assuming the forecast holds, the outage, which will affect about 600 customers along the West Main Street corridor, will take place Feb. 15 and 16. Bertola said based on the forecast, National Grid's personnel will be deployed to storm coverage.

Press release:

With strong winds carrying gusts of up to 60 mph in the forecast for Western New York, National Grid is increasing its evening and overnight staffing and will have line crews report for duty earlier than normal tomorrow morning. The company is prepared for the upcoming weather and provides the following safety tips so customers can be prepared as well.

Electricity & Generator Safety

• If a power outage occurs, customers can notify National Grid online to expedite restoration.
• Never touch downed power lines; always assume they are carrying live electricity.
• Downed lines should be immediately reported to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 or to your local emergency response organization.
• Generators used to supply power during an outage must be operated outdoors to prevent the buildup of deadly carbon monoxide. Before operating a generator, be sure to disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker, located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could endanger our crews and your neighbors.
• Customers who depend on electrically powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should register as a life support customer by calling National Grid at 1-800-642- 4272. (In a medical emergency, always dial 9-1-1.)
• Keep a number of working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices.
• Please drive carefully and use caution when driving near any crews working to restore power.
• Be sure to check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage.
• Click here for a video of National Grid’s storm preparation and restoration process. 

A power line is reportedly on fire on Otis Street in the City of Batavia.

City fire responding. 

UPDATE 1:31 p.m.: City fire on location. Smoke showing. It's a high-tension line against a tree, arcing and burning.

Press release:

Batavia Girls Fastpitch Softball (BGFS) recently received a very generous grant from the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation for $1,000. BGFS is actively fundraising to be able to purchase and install a new scoreboard at Lions Park, home field of the Batavia Stingers, and this grant will definitely help in the effort.

BGFS fields teams, known as the Batavia Stingers, at the 10u, 12u and 15u level in a Genesee Region Fastpitch Softball League.  While only in our third year of existence, BGFS has seen continued growth and has big plans for improving the field at Lions Park over the next couple of years. 

BGFS is very grateful to the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation for not only this generous grant but for the partnership that the Batavia Dick’s Sporting Goods Store has formed with the Stingers the past two seasons. The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation and Batavia Dick’s Sporting Goods Store see the important role BGFS plays in providing young ladies a healthy and fun outlet in the community and has pledged to help BGFS reach its full potential.

There will be an in-person registration at the Batavia Dick’s Sporting Goods Store on Saturday, Feb. 9^th, from 10 a.m..- 2 p.m.  Parents interested in signing up their daughters and learning about our program are encouraged to attend. More information about BGFS can be found by checking out our Facebook page, Batavia Girls Fastpitch Softball, which has a link to our online registration site. 

Thank you to the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation and our Batavia Dick’s Sporting Goods Store not only for the generous grant but for promoting and supporting youth sports in our community.

Icy covered trees throughout the region today, including behind the Upton Monument at Main and Ellicott in Batavia.

There's a weather advisory for tonight. Expect more ice through the morning.

Our very own marketing expert and graphic artist Lisa Ace, who lives in Batavia, sent us this photo of her backyard table this afternoon, festooned with a skirt of icicles.

With today's freezing rain, emergency responders were busy countywide with reports of frozen trees and wires down, and vehicles off the roadway. Fortunately, no serious injuries reported thus far.

A driver who was westbound on North Street in the city was unscathed after a frozen tree fell onto his Pontiac Grand Am windshield.

Police at the scene said he was lucky because if he had been headed eastbound at the same location when the tree fell, the heaviest part of the trunk and its branches would probably have been more dangerous. The tree fell on North Street east of Vine shortly after 5:30 p.m., blocking the roadway.