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Winners announced for Run for the ACORNS, proceeds benefit county parks

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The third annual “Run for the ACORNS” 10K and 5K Trail Run/Walk was held at the Genesee County Park & Forest in East Bethany on Oct. 11th. More than 200 participants enjoyed a picture-perfect fall morning as they made their way along a course that highlights the beauty of the park.

Holly Sharpe of Batavia, who ran the 5K race, said: "It's a great, well-planned event. As a runner, it is a nice change to have a trail run as opposed to running on the pavement. The trails are beautiful, well- marked, staffed appropriately and it's nice not to have to worry about cars and traffic! It's a beautiful park and a great event! It should be on everyone's calendar for next year!"

The course wound through the park on trails which feature hills, ponds, forests and Black Creek. A dozen environmental education signs entertained runners and walkers as they passed by some noteworthy park features. Post-race activities included an award ceremony and refreshments including yogurt provided by Muller Quaker Dairy, apples from Roanoke Apple Farm and nut butters from Once Again Nut Butter.

Race organizer Julia Garver said, “For the third year, I have heard nothing but accolades for this event. The runners love the course as it is quite unique. We hope the word spreads and there are even more participants next year.”

The race date for the fourth annual Run for the ACORNS is set for October 2, 2016.

Congratulations to all the winners in the race. The overall top finishers in the 10K run were Andrew Macmillan, of Rochester (41:32), and Beth Deciantis, of Rochester (48:41). In the 5K run the top male finisher for the third year in a row was Calvin Patten, of Alexander (18:56), and the top female was Kristina Martin, of Alden (21:06).

Each winner received a wooden medallion with the race logo and race category burned into the wood. Brothers-All-Natural sponsored the awards. First-place winners of the trail runs received a $50 gift certificate from Dick's Sporting Goods, and second-place winners received a fleece jacket from the Tompkins Bank of Castile.

Many thanks to the major sponsors of the race -- the Awards sponsor: Brothers-All-Natural; and the Corporate sponsors: Tompkins Bank of Castile, CC Environment & Planning, Carquest -- Batavia, and D&D Logging.

Also thanks to the volunteers who helped to make this an amazing event, especially members of ACORNS, the USN Sea Cadets and Bethany Volunteer Fire Department. Special thanks also go out to our other sponsors, all of whom helped make the Run for the ACORNS a great success!

For more information and full race results please go to: https://runfortheacorns.shutterfly.com/

City receives national Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Chicago--The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) is pleased to announce that the City of Batavia, NY, has received the GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its 2014/15 budget.

The award represents a significant achievement by the City of Batavia. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device.

Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories, and the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories, to receive the award. The award was presented yesterday to City Manager Jason Molino whose leadership in budgeting has resulted in an increasingly improved bond rating and financial position for the City of Batavia.

City Council President Brooks Hawley said, “This is an important accomplishment for the City of Batavia. It marks a high point in our efforts over the past decade to make our budgeting process effective, efficient and transparent. I commend the City Council, Manager and Staff for setting and accomplishing such high expectations for our City.”

For budgets beginning in 2013, 1,424 participants received the Award; although Batavia marks one of only three cities in New York among the recipients. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.

“We will continue to strive to excel in our budgeting process” commented Lisa Neary, deputy director of Finance for the City who shared project management with Assistant City Manager Gretchen DiFante. “It’s important that the taxpayers are assured of our commitment to excellence and transparency in budgeting.”

The Government Finance Officers Association is a major professional association servicing the needs of more than 18,000 appointed and elected local, state, and provincial-level government officials and other finance practitioners. It provides top quality publications, training programs, services, and products designed to enhance the skills and performance of those responsible for government finance policy and management.

The association is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in Washington, D.C. The GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting.

Sponsored Post: Vote for Wade Schwab on November 3!

By Lisa Ace

Town of Darien Justice Wade Schwab on November 3, 2015!

  • Justice should be “swift and appropriate."
  • Strongly supports local Law Enforcement.
  • Town residents should feel that the local justice system will work to serve and protect their peace and safety.
  • A lifetime of serving the public and working with people during their worst times and their best times.
  • Fair and tough on crime.
  • Keep “justice” in the justice system.
  • Strongly supports OUR constitutional rights.
  • A man of integrity.

It's easy to read and interpret the laws, the important part is listening to people and being fair and just!

  • NYTOA - New York Tactical Officers Assn.
  • NTOA - National Tactical Officers Assn.
  • NRA - National Rifle Assn.
  • G.C. Fish & Game Protective Assn.
  • Big Lakes Regional EMS Council
  • Genesee County EMS Council
  • 10 Years Fire Service
  • 25+ Years Volunteer EMS Service
  • Graduate of Alexander Central School

Law and Order: Mother accused of keeping children in 'deplorable' conditions

By Howard B. Owens

Tesla Renee Greck, 23, of Holland Avenue, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Greck was arrested after patrols responded to her residence on an unrelated matter. Officers Jame DeFreze and Marc Lawrence allegedly found living conditions there "deplorable." Greck's three children lived at the residence.

Clarence Arthur Johnson, 57, of Rose Road, Batavia, is charged with forcible touching and resisting arrest. Johnson is accused of touching the buttocks of a child at a location on Lewiston Road, Batavia. Following an interview, when Johnson learned he was going to be arrested, he allegedly resisted arrest verbally and physically. He was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Steven Erwin Crowell, 21, of Emily Court, Bergen, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, leaving the scene of a property damage accident and drinking in a motor vehicle. Crowell's vehicle allegedly left the roadway and struck another vehicle at 1:41 a.m. Sunday on Trisha Lane, Bergen. The accident was investigated by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Joshua Michael Pierce, 20, of Meadowbrook Terrace, Corfu, is charged with petit larceny. Pierce is accused of shoplifting from Walmart.

A 16-year-old resident of Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. The youth is accused of doing donuts in a vehicle on the soccer fields of Alexander School and damaging the fields. A 17-year-old resident of Pike Road, Batavia, was also charged.

Jared M. Wendt, 33, of County Road, Angelica, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, and aggravated family offense. Wendt was allegedly involved in a domestic incident in the Town of Bethany on Oct. 17 that involved damage to a vehicle and a violation of an order of protection.

Adama William David Brown, 31, of Wilder Road, Warsaw, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, moving from lane unsafely and open container. Brown allegedly was driving when his vehicle stuck a parked car at GCC at 9:50 a.m. Oct. 22.

Samuel C. Longhini, 22, of South Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to use headlights. Longhini was stopped at 2:40 a.m. Oct. 20 on Alexander Road, Attica, by an Attica PD patrol.

Jordan Matthew Brown, 23, of Central Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Brown allegedly violated a stay away order of protection.

Kristen M. Meeder, 30, of Rose Road, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny, 4th, and three counts of falsifying business records. Meeder is accused of stealing from her employer.

Michael T. Phelps, 44, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Phelps was arrested following an investigation into a complaint of two males drinking alcohol in a vehicle on Harvester Avenue at 7:03 p.m. Oct. 21. The vehicle was located on North Spruce Street by Officer Christopher Lindsay and Phelps was arrested.

Brian K. Laird, 21, of State Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant following a tip that he was located at a residence on State Street. Laird was jailed without bail.

Jessalyn A. Gates, 24, of Seneca Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Employees of McDonald's reported a possible drunken driver in the parking lot at 1 a.m. Oct. 22. Following an investigation by Officer Chad Richards, Gates was arrested.

Amy M. Carpenter, 40, of Exchange Street, Attica, is charged with felony DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, refusal to take breath test and inadequate stop lights. Carpenter was stopped at 2:43 a.m. Oct. 18 on State Street by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Photos: Annual John Gardner reading at the Pok-A-Dot

By Howard B. Owens

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Batavia's literary legend John Gardner was honored Saturday night by the John Gardner Society with the annual reading from passages of his work at his favorite restaurant, the Pok-A-Dot.

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Photos: Ghost walk through the Batavia Cemetery

By Howard B. Owens

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The Batavia Cemetery Association hosted its annual ghost walk last night, with local actors playing the roles of historic figures who are buried in (with the exception of William Morgan) the cemetery on Harvester Avenue.

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Gen. John Martindale, played by Derek Maxfield.

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Philemon Tracy, played Tim Buckman.

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Mary Elizabeth Wood, played by Anne Marie Starowitz.

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Dean and Mary Richmond, played by Charley and Connie Boyd.

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Patrick Weissend as Joseph Ellicott.

Photo Tour: Corfu's upgraded sewage treatment plant

By Howard B. Owens

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Officials in the Village of Corfu held an open house today to show off their wastewater treatment plant, which has undergone $1.8 million in renovations, increasing capacity while lowering energy consumption.

The plant takes in untreated sewage and runs it through three stages of treatment to remove the solids, with the clean water eventually flowing in to the Tonawanda Creek and the dried and composted sludge being shipped off to a local landfill.

The plant is currently treating 66,000 gallons of sewage per day and the electricity cost has been cut from $4,000 a month to $2,000 per month.

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Photos: Kiwanis Pancake Days

By Howard B. Owens

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Members of the Kiwanis Club of Batavia are serving pancakes this morning at the Community Center of ARC on Woodward Road, Batavia. The annual fundraiser continues until 2 p.m.

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Notre Dame falls in first round playoffs

By James Burns

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Notre Dame lost in first round playoffs to the Clyde-Savannah Golden Eagles by 41 to 20.

It was a cold night in Clyde but the Golden Eagles offense and defense were both red hot in the first half of the game, out scoring Notre Dame 28 to 0. Consistent ground drives by the Golden Eagles and two interceptions by their defense put Notre Dame behind.

The second half was a different story. Notre Dame scored 20 points to Clyde’s 13. The offense was able to move the ball on the ground and air, and ended the game with nearly twice as many offensive yards as Clyde, but a total of six interceptions made a come-from-behind win impossible.  

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More pictures of the game are here http://jimburns.org/p574779137#h5e40d0f5

Le Roy stuns Attica with come-from-behind victory, 20-19

By Howard B. Owens

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Attica scored on their first three possessions in their Class C Section V playoff match against Le Roy on Friday night in Attica, but then the Oatkan Knights defense tightened up, including stopping the Blue Devils twice in the red zone, so Attica never got past those initial 19 points.

In the end, Le Roy pulled out a 20-19 victory.

Nick Egeling gained 115 yards on 17 carries. He scored on a 41-yard run. Nate Flint also scored on the ground, while going for 31 total yards on five rushes.

Josh Laurie was 7-12 passing for 113 yards and TD. He gained 18 yards on the ground on seven rushes.

Reed Kacur hauled in that TD pass, one of three catches for 79 yards. Ryan Boyce had two receptions for 18 yards and Flint had two for 16 yards.

On defense, Benny Piazza, nine tackles, Anthony Natrigo, eight, Kacur, eight, and Egeling and Luke Hogle had six each.

Photos by David Boyce.

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Batavia dominates in first round of playoffs with 61-0 win over Midlakes

By Howard B. Owens

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Jim Nigro remembers well the night the Batavia Blue Devils scored 63 points. In was 1962 and he was a freshman on the squad that squared off against a team from the Syracuse area. The fans came into town with banners and shouting about beating the farmers, and the Blue Devils buried them 63-20.

The 2015 Blue Devils came two points shy Friday night of tying that school record in a 61-0 victory over Midlakes in the first round of the Section V Class B playoffs.

Batavia advances to the semi-finals against Hornell at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, at Cal-Mum.

QB Greg Mruczek was a perfect 10 for 10 passing for 144 yards and three touchdowns.  Dominick Mogavero ran for 79 yards and two TDs on four carries. Ryan Hogan had three TD receptions, gaining 60 yards. Malachi Chenault caught four passes for 44 yards.  Ray Leach gained 97 yards, returning two punts for touchdowns. John Garlock and Cody Dioguardi each scored. Terren Lovria and Leach had seven tackles, Mogavero six and Trenton McGraw, six with two sacks.

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To purchase prints of photos, click here.

Tufts show off progress of remodel on former WBTA building

By Howard B. Owens

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Dave and Robyn Tufts held an open house today in the former WBTA building on East Main Street that they are renovating into apartments and office space.  The restoration preserves and enhances the mid-century modern architecture and when completed will contain four apartments and office space. The exterior and one apartment are completed and a second apartment will be done soon. The downstairs office space is build-to-suit ready for a tenant.

Previously: Local developer announces plans to restore and preserve Mid-century building in city's central corridor

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Hay baler fire reported in Pavilion

By Howard B. Owens

A hay baler is on fire at 10162 Perry Road, Pavilion. It's next to a barn and attached to a tractor with diesel fuel in it.

Pavilion fire is dispatched.

Photos: Skid Loader Rodeo at Empire Tractor

By Howard B. Owens

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Pete Colantonio, of Empire Tractor, goes over some of the controls of a New Holland Skid Loader with Pete Kingston, of Geneseo, during Empire Tractor's Skid Loader Rodeo.

The most skilled entrants can win prizes.

The rodeo involves driving the skid loader through a timed obstacle course.

Empire Tractor, on East Main Street Road, Batavia, is hosting the event through this afternoon and then again tomorrow starting at 9 a.m.

Lunch is being served both days.

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Two Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football teams to play in NOFA championship games on Saturday in Medina

By Billie Owens

John Reigle says that two of the Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football teams will be playing in the NOFA championship games tomorrow in Medina. The Mini Team (8-9 year old division) will face off vs. Attica at 4 p.m. and our Varsity (12-13 year old division) will kick off at 8 p.m. vs. Newfane.

The games are held at Vets Park in Medina, located at 335 W. Oak Orchard St.

This is the first year two Bulldawgs teams out of the three divisions will represent the Batavia program and community in the championship games. The athletes, coaching staff, and parents are very excited about this opportunity. You are welcome to attend and show your Bulldawg pride!

Genesee SADD Council students offer timely reminder about evils of tobacco

By Billie Owens

(Photo submitted by Kevin J. Keenan, community engagement coordinator for Tobacco-Free GLOW)

Press release:

Genesee SADD Council students took part in an awareness activity at BOCES earlier this week centering around Halloween and tobacco-prevention initiatives. They want to advance tobacco-free communities.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute established a tobacco-free community outreach program in 1993 and today administers three programs in Western New York: Tobacco-Free Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany (CCA); Tobacco-Free Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming (GLOW) and Tobacco-Free Erie-Niagara (EN). Each locally based program is funded by the New York State Department of Health/Bureau of Tobacco Control.

Its goals are to prevent youth tobacco use through the Reality Check Youth program; raise awareness about tobacco control policies; and to reduce tobacco use among adults across this region and in New York State.

Reduce Tobacco Marketing Point of Sale: Product marketing and price promotion aimed at youth are proven causes of youth tobacco use. Much of this marketing occurs at the point of sale (POS) in the retail environment and may be largely unnoticed by adults.

Increase Tobacco-Free Outdoor Areas: Tobacco use in outdoor areas such as parks, playgrounds, beaches and workplaces is dangerous to the environment and presents a health risk to non-smoking adults and children.

Expand Tobacco-Free Multi-Unit Housing: Smoke-free housing protecting residents’ health by reducing exposure to secondhand smoke. Property managers benefit from reduced maintenance costs and decreased fire risks.

Decrease Tobacco Use Imagery: Research shows that smoking in movies and other media impacts teen perceptions of smoking norms and raises the likelihood of youth initiation.

Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in New York.

Adult Smoking Rates

  • Genesee: 18.7 percent
  • Livingston: 16.9 percent
  • Orleans: 29.9 percent
  • Wyoming: 22.3 percent

*Source:

New York State Department of Health – based on the most recent data (July 2009-June 2009)

http://bit.ly/13A3VEw

Law and Order: Federal detainee accused of strangulation

By Howard B. Owens

Kayode Ayodeji Animashaun, 30, no address provided, is charged with strangulation, 2nd. Animashaun is a detainee at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center on Federal Drive, Batavia, and was allegedly involved in an altercation with another detainee, which was reported Oct. 12. Animashaun allegedly struck the victim and placed the victim in a choke hold causing injury. Animashaun is scheduled to appear in Town of Batavia Court Nov. 30.

Top Items on Batavia's List

Part-Time Children's Library Clerk Haxton Memorial Public Library is seeking a Part-Time Children's Clerk 19 Hours a week $15.00/hr. Interested applicants please go to www.co.genesee.ny.us for an application or come to the library at 3 North Pearl Street, Oakfield. Any questions, please call at (585) 948-9900
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