A tractor-trailer rollover accident is reported on the eastbound Thruway at mile marker 386. No injuries, but fuel is leaking. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.
UPDATE 3:16 p.m.: The Department of Environmental Conservation is contacted as required because of the fuel spill. Wind is reported as 7 mph from the southeast.
UPDATE: Photo submitted by a reader.
A caller to dispatch reports that two black males about 17 or 18 years old are creating problems on Pearl Street in the city. The caller said that they broke a window at a residence, kicked in someone's back door and are entering the house. In addition, they were said to be causing a ruckus and disturbing neighbors in the area. City police are responding. A red Dodge Intrepid may be involved.
A caller to dispatch reports that a father was yelling at his young child at Williams Park, then left without the child. Batavia Police are responding.
Spencer Hubbard, 2014 Mr. Batavia, presented a $2,200 check today to Jess Tomidy, CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Genesee County. The Mr. Batavia competition at Batavia High School raises money for the winner's charity of choice. After winning the competition last month, Hubbard said he picked Habitat because, "I feel like it's a basic need, that people need homes. A lot of people are homeless who don't deserve to be. They really need that help."
Police were dispatched to a parking lot after receiving a complaint that a white male, shirtless, with tattoos and on a skateboard was spitting on parked vehicles. He is now said to be skating down East Main Street.
A caller to dispatch reports a little girl about about 4 is wandering up and down Thomas Avenue in hot pink PJs and appears to be unsupervised. Police are responding.
UPDATE 1:36 p.m.: Issue resolved.
Federal agents, including ATF agents, showed up at a residence on Jackson Street, Batavia, this morning to execute a search warrant.
An agent said the residence, 152 Jackson St., is the home of James D. Holstein, who is under federal indictment and out on bail. He's accused of violating the terms of his release, leading to the search this morning.
The indictment, according to the agent, is related to an arrest by State Police reported by The Batavian in 2010. We've requested a copy of the indictment from the office of William Hochul, U.S. Attorney for WNY.
UPDATE: Holstein is facing a three-count federal indictment issued by a federal grand jury Oct. 3, 2013. The counts are aiding and abetting wire fraud, money laundering and making a false statement.
It's alleged that between Jan. 2006 and Jan. 2012, Holstein would agree to purchase items from online sellers and then issue the sellers counterfeit checks for amounts greater than the purchase price. Holstein allegedly asked the sellers to wire back the balance of the overpayment. After wiring the money order, the sellers would learn the deposited check was counterfeit and the amount of the check would be charged against their bank account.
Holstein then allegedly kept a portion of the overage for himself and wired the balance to unknown persons throughout the world by way of Western Union and MoneyGram.
Once Holstein was informed by Western Union in January 2009 that he was engaged in fraudulent activity, and then advised again by local law enforcement in April and June 2010, Holstein allegedly continued to wire money to people in Ghana, Nigeria and Great Britain.
For those transactions, Holstein allegedly used the name of his son.
The indictment lists three domestic victims: J.S., a resident of Golden, Colo., $2,910; V.K., a resident of Greenwood, S.C., $2,370; and, A.H., a resident of Elkhart Lake, Wis., $1,500.
The indictment lists nearly 60 transactions in amounts ranging from $40 to $300 to people in Ghana, Nigeria and Great Britain.
Holstein is accused of using these transactions for the purpose of money laundering.
He is also accused of making a false statement to a federal agent. He allegedly told the agent in 2010 that he had stopped wiring money to a woman in Lagos Island, Nigeria, when in fact he continued to wire money to her.
Medina, Notre Dame and Batavia softball teams played a scrimmage today at John Kennedy School. It's the first scrimmage of the year. Batavia HS student Zachary Lee submitted these photos.
Press release:
Five Genesee Community College students will be heading to Albany on April 25 to represent the Finger Lakes Region in the Social Entrepreneurship / Nonprofit category for the fifth annual New York Business Plan Competition. They will be joined by the "Imajine Soap" team of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in this category. The competition invites students from colleges around the state to submit innovative ideas designed to address a currently unmet need in one of six categories. The GCC team's "Batavia Loop Trail and Bordering Business Development" will be competing for more than $500,000 in cash and in-kind prizes.
The SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), University at Albany's School of Business, and Syracuse University will host the competition, which has become the premier collegiate contest, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship throughout New York's colleges and universities.
The GCC students, who are members of the CEO and Earth Clubs on campus, envision developing an 11-mile loop trail that skirts around the edge of the City and Town of Batavia connecting a wide array of businesses and regional resources -- from ice cream shops and restaurants to Batavia's treasure trove of city and county parks. The Batavia Loop Trail (BLT) would also maximize the idyllic views of Tonawanda Creek and provide safer walking and bicycling pathways to GCC and College Village.
Their business plan was first vetted against 67 other two-page business proposals submitted into the Finger Lakes Region of the statewide competition. Wednesday night, students presented the plan to judges at the University of Rochester, where it was greeted with great enthusiasm. Should they succeed in the next round of the competition the winnings will secure seed money to help fund a feasibility study -- the first major step in their "transformative idea."
In their presentation, the students pointed out that bicycling is a growing tourist attraction and with the NYS Thruway cutting across Batavia's northern border, a huge market awaits city and county planners. BLT would also link into the new Ellicott Trail, which was recently awarded $1.5 million through NYSDOT Transportation Enhancement Fund. In addition, they have researched state and federal funding resources and the concept potentially meets many of the criteria listed for support from the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), Consolidated Funding Application (CFA), NYSERDA's Cleaner Greener Communities, and Transportation Alternatives Program.
Lastly, and most importantly to the students – the long-term vision poses excellent hands-on learning opportunities not only for GCC students but for the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP/BOCES). In the near future, students hope to present a plan to GCC's Board of Trustees sharing their idea of creating a small campus Recreational Rental Center giving both students and the general public the opportunity to rent bicycles for the trail and potentially tennis rackets or soccer equipment. This new micro business gives GCC students enrolled in Travel & Tourism, Business Administration, Accounting, Sport Management, Web Design, Digital Arts and Physical Education excellent co-op, internship and work study opportunities. Equally dynamic is providing GVEP/BOCES students enrolled in Conservation, Welding and Automotive Technology programs the chance to help develop and maintain the trail.
The students' BLT plan extends out 11 years, but it is broken down into multiple phases with the most realistic, easily implemented segments of the trail opening in 2018.
"They are calling it Vision 2025 and although they realize they will be long graduated during the later phases and challenges of the project, they believe that making Batavia a bicycle-friendly community is an excellent opportunity for everyone," said Donna Rae Sutherland, GCC's staff advisor for the project. "They not only hope to pass the torch of the plan along to their peers – they also hope they will be able to use the trail with their future children a decade or two from now."
The BLT team presenters include Tara Beckens, of Clifton Springs, Danielle Cannella, Richard DelPlato, and Maryssa Peirick, all from Batavia, and Adrienne Payne, of Byron.
They will be joined by several other colleges and universities in representing the Finger Lakes Region against winners from each of the nine other New York Regional Economic Development Council zones which include: Capital Region, Central New York, North Country, Mohawk Valley, Western New York, Southern Tier, Mid-Hudson, New York City and Long Island.
These are the latest indictments issued by the Genesee County Grand Jury.
Steven D. Crandall is accused of burglary in the third degree, a Class D felony. It is alleged that on Oct. 2 he knowingly entered or remained unlawfully in a barn in the Town of Pavilion with the intent of committing a crime. In count two, he is accused of third-degree grand larceny, also a Class D felony, for allegedly stealing property there with a value in excess of $3,000. The stolen items included electronic and hydraulic motors, lathes, an International front-loader frame, a commercial mixer and other items having a value of about $12,930. In count three, he is accused of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, a Class E felony. He allegedly knew he had stolen property with the intent of benefitting himself or another person other than the owner and that the property's value exceeded $1,000.
Lawerence (sic) R. Laude is accused of driving while ability impaired by drugs, a Class E felony. On Nov. 7, he operated a 1997 Chevrolet on West Main Street Road in the Town of Batavia while he was allegedly impaired by drugs. Also, a special information indictment was issued because he was convicted of the same crime as now alleged within the past 10 years. That stemmed from an incident on March 10, 2009 in the Town of Pembroke.
Press release:
Just as the National MS Society invests $29 million in new research to support an expected 83 MS research projects to stop multiple sclerosis, local MS researchers will be updating the community on “MS Research: The Progress, The Promise,” at the Clarion Hotel in Batavia tonight (Thursday, April 10). The free event is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public and hosted by the National MS Society Upstate New York Chapter. The Clarion is located at 8250 Park Road.
Researcher Fraser Sim, Ph.D, assistant professor at the University at Buffalo, will be presenting. Dr. Sim specializes in neurodegenerative disorders. He was recently awarded a three year, $554,973 grant from The National MS Society to study myelin-forming cells. Dr. Sim and his fellow University of Buffalo researchers are investigating the ability of an FDA-approved drug to improve myelin synthesis and repair in mice.
Also presenting is Brandon Yehl, Pa., who has lived half of his life with MS. He graduated from the RIT physician’s assistant program in 2006. For four years he worked in a neuro-ophthalmology clinic playing a role in the care of more than 750 patients with MS. He now works in a private neurology clinic.
The National MS Society has already invested more than $50 million in 2014 to support 380 new and ongoing studies around the world. The 83 new projects are part of a comprehensive research strategy aimed at stopping MS, restoring function that has been lost, and ending the disease forever ̶ for every single person with MS.
Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. The rate of diagnosis in Upstate New York is about double the national average. MS affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide and more than 12,800 people in the 50-county region served by the Upstate New York Chapter. For more information, visit <http://www.MSupstateny.org>
“MS research is a priority, and we strive to pursue all promising research paths and collaborate worldwide to drive progress toward a cure,” says Stephanie Kunes-Mincer, president and CEO of the National MS Society Upstate New York Chapter. “The Society has fueled many advances in understanding and managing MS, and we will keep moving forward until we can say goodbye to MS forever."
The following topics will be discussed in an Open Community / Town Hall Forum:
Date: Friday, April 11
Registration: 8 a.m.; Continental Breakfast 8:15-8:45
Seminar: 8:45-10 a.m.
Location: Homestead Event Center in the City Centre.
Please RSVP to Tina Wilcox via e-mail at tinawilcox@insourcehealth.com or by phone 585-750-2794
Press release:
Culinary Arts students from the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center brought home the Culinary Cup for the third consecutive year!
These students took first place in the eighth Annual Taste of Culinary Competition hosted by the American Culinary Federation of Greater Buffalo, New York. This event was held at Erie Community College’s City Campus.
Chef Nathan Koscielski's culinary team of 14 students consisted of morning and afternoon juniors and seniors. The team competed against other student teams from other colleges, high schools and BOCES.
Last year, the team brought home the Culinary Cup; two years ago, the team tied for second place; and three years ago, the team took third place.
Jarrod Wall is a first year Culinary Arts student from Notre Dame Academy.
“This was an awesome experience and it’s the third year in a row that our school has won first place. We got to work as a team and see firsthand how professional chefs work, ” Jarrod said.
Chef Koscielski described his students as talented and skilled.
“Our score was only two points away from being a perfect score and was higher than scores earned by teams that entered the professional division including restaurants and country clubs. The competition was a tremendous educational experience for our students. It was exciting for our team to compete and win for the third time,” he said.
The team served guinea hen confit with Parisienne gnocchi, roasted red and yellow pepper coulis and pignoli gremolata served with a punch made of black currant and pineapple juices, coconut milk, and fresh mint.
Decodie Tanner Adams, 22, of Lake Street, Ogdensburg, is charged with criminal mischief, 3rd, a felony, resisting arrest, harassment, 2nd, disorderly conduct, public lewdness and indecent exposure. Adams is accused of causing a disturbance and urinating on the carpet at the Red Roof Inn in Batavia at 10:28 p.m. Monday, causing property damage. Adams was reportedly intoxicated at the time and allegedly resisted arrest.
Luke William Ritzenthaler, 31, of Byron Holley Road, Byron, is charged with two counts of criminal contempt, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Ritzenthaler is accused of violating an order of protection twice by calling the protected person twice shortly after being served the order. Earlier, Ritzenthaler was arrested and accused of grabbing another person by the arms and pushing that person to the floor and allegedly striking the victim's head against the floor. On the criminal contempt charges, bail was set at $250.
A couple dozen people, including members of local law enforcement, attended a three-hour seminar this evening on human trafficking at the Generations Center on Center Street.
Above, FBI Special Agent Jennifer Amo talks about prostitution, providing information on how pimps recruit teenage girls and how family members might recognize if a girl has entered into prostitution.
She said pimps typically look for victims at malls, coffee shops and on social media.
Signs that a teenager might be involved in prostitution include changes in behavior, clothing; absences from school, dropping extracurricular activities; changes in lifestyle; having more money, new clothes and material possessions; changes in friends or peers; a secret boyfriend or girlfriend.
Pimps will often require those working for them to get tattoos that serve the same function as branding cattle.
It's been years and years since there's been a prostitution arrest in Batavia, said Det. Pat Corona when we spoke with him after Amo's presentation.
"In my career we haven't had any (arrests)," Corona said. "There have been very few reports or complaints or investigations. It occurs, but complaints are rare."
Still, it's important for local law enforcement officers to stay abreast of information about human trafficking and prostitution, Corona said.
Corona has worked a few human trafficking cases in the city.
The first involved employees of a Chinese restaurant many years ago. It began as a home-invasion burglary report, but when police responded, they found people at the residence who were bound and gagged. They were being held against their will and being forced to work, but Corona said it was very difficult to get them to cooperate with law enforcement because they were afraid. No arrest was made in that case.
There also a case involving door-to-door magazine sales reps. The workers were involved in burglaries and larcenies. When Corona interviewed two of the women involved, he learned they felt trapped with the sales company because they were earning very little money and had no way to get home.
The human-trafficking seminar is part of the Genesee County Crime Victim's Week.
Here are the remaining events:
In another sign it's spring (really, it is), city crews were downtown this morning installing the park benches for the season.
Crew members are Shawn Easton, Shawn McAllister and Rick Reeves.
BTW: It's might snow tonight.
David Michael Mancuso, 56, of Putnam Road, Batavia, is charged with burglary, 3rd, criminal contempt, 2nd, and petit larceny. Mancuso allegedly entered a business in the Town of Le Roy after being served with a court order barring him from the property. Mancuso allegedly removed property owned by the business. Following arraignment, Mancuso was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.
Wendy Ann George, 49, of Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and moving from lane unsafely. George was allegedly involved in a one-car accident at 9:48 p.m. April 1 on Attica Road, Alexander. The accident was investigated by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.
Adam R. Clark, 23, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with unnecessary noise/excessive noise. Clark is accused of causing a disturbance, creating unnecessary noise for his neighbors, at 11:21 p.m. Monday. Clark was charged under Batavia Muncipal Code and issued an appearance ticket.
Patricia R. Walker-Mosely, 56, of Wellington Avenue, Rochester, is charged with grand larceny, 4th, and forgery, 2nd. Walker-Mosely was arrested by Batavia PD. No further details released.
A "house fire" is reported at 10 Edgewood Drive, a "new build," but a Town of Batavia chief is on scene reports "nothing showing."
City of Batavia fire and Town of Batavia fire dispatched.
UPDATE 8:57 p.m.: There is a propane heater burning inside.
UPDATE 9 p.m.: City fire and Town of Batavia are back in service.
Bradley R. Jordan, 21, of East Bethany, and Amber L. Reinisch, 18, of Castile, are charged with burglary, 3rd, petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, 5th.
The investigation that led to the charges against Jordan and Reinisch began with a resident in the Village of Silver Springs reporting that she observed a male and female break glass in an overhead door and enter the garage attached to her apartment. State Police responded, but the suspects fled before they arrived on scene. Suspect and vehicle descriptions were provided to law enforcement officers in Wyoming County.
Police also received a complaint of a male and female fitting the description of the burglary suspects causing a disturbance at the McDonald's in Warsaw. The vehicle description for the two individuals also fit the burglary description. The vehicle was reportedly seen heading toward Save-A-Lot in Warsaw.
A short time later, a customer at Save-A-Lot reported seeing a male customer in possession of a handgun. The person had not threatened anybody with the weapon, but had removed it from his waistband as he walked through the store and then put it back in his waistband.
Village of Warsaw police officers, Wyoming County Sheriff's deputies and troopers all responded to the area. The suspect vehicle was located and Jordan and Reinisch were taken into custody.
Both suspects are accused of stealing merchandise from Walmart and Olympia Sports in North Warsaw, along with the burglary in Silver Springs. The alleged theft from Walmart was of a compact C02 pistol, which State Police say was the weapon later observed by a customer at Save-A-Lot. State Police alleged that when Jordan observed troopers at the front of the store, he ducked into a bathroom and discarded the weapons in a wastebasket. The weapon was later recovered and secured as evidence.
Jordan and Reinisch were arraigned and jailed on $5,000 bail each.
Tilar B. Clark, 22, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Clark's vehicle was stopped by State Police in the Town of Attica, Wyoming County, for an alleged equipment violation. He was allegedly found in possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Paul D. Barth Jr., 23, of Cohocton Road, Pembroke, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Barth was allegedly sending text messages to a person he was ordered by a judge not to contact.
Desiree Michelle Hutchinson, 18, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Hutchinson allegedly admitted to Officer James DeFreze that she was hold her baby while in same room with a friend who was smoking marijuana.
Scott P. Rodon, 48, of Garfield Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Rodon was allegedly involved in a domestic incident at 1 a.m. Thursday.
Oliver Thomas, 22, of Chestnut Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Thomas allegedly hit a person in the face during an argument, which was reported at 3:45 a.m. Friday.
Taylor M. Andrews, 20, of McKenzie Road, Caledonia, is charged with menacing, 2nd. endangering the welfare of a child and conspiracy, 5th. Andrews is accused of encouraging a juvenile to use a crowbar against another person during an argument. The victim was not struck with the crowbar. The alleged incident was reported at 2 a.m. Friday at 21 Wood St., Batavia.
Robi Liam Terziani, 19, of Route 19A, Portageville, is charged with petit larceny. Terziani is accused of stealing hydrocodine pills from a residence in Byron where he was hired to do service work.
Billy Joe Budziszewski Jr., 22, of Route 77, Corfu, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, and bail jumping, 2nd. Budziszewski was arrested on warrants out of Village of Corfu Court. He is also allegedly the subject of warrants out of Erie County on burglary, 2nd, and petit larceny charges and out of Wyoming County for failure to pay fine. Budziszewski was jailed on $25,000 bail or $50,000 bond.
Chance Robert Cooley, 19, of Route 5 & 20, Canandaigua, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Cooley was allegedly found in possession of marijuana in a medicine container and a glass smoking pipe with marijuana in it. Cooley was the passenger in a vehicle stopped for an alleged traffic violation at 12 :15 a.m. Sunday on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Chris Parker. Also charged was Anthony Lee Irish, 22, of Terri Drive, Farmington, who was also issued traffic summons for no front plate and no insurance.
Christopher C. Berg, 27, of Pavilion, is charged with a misdemeanor under the vehicle and traffic law. Berg was stopped by State Police at 8:36 p.m. Wednesday on Veterans Memorial Drive. No further details released.
Adam J. Bobzin, 43, of Byron, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Bozin was stopped at 9:42 a.m. Thursday on West Sweden Road, Bergen, by State Police.
A 15-year-old called dispatch and asked that an officer respond to her home in the city where she is being punished and she is not happy about it. She stayed out past curfew and her mother confiscated her cell phone as a result. She thinks this is unreasonable parenting.
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