Still looking for the perfect Christmas gift? The Batavia Rotary Club is now selling its annual Chevrolet Corvette Raffle tickets.
“We are pleased to bring back our popular Corvette Raffle,” said Susie Ott, this year’s Batavia Rotary Club president. “Every dollar raised stays in our community and supports Rotary’s many charitable causes including high school scholarships, major contributions to local non-profits including our hospital, the YMCA and YWCA, and many more worthy local charities.”
Tickets are $50 each or 3 for $100 with donations fully tax-deductible. The first prize is a new 2024 Chevrolet Corvette or $50,000 cash with ten additional prizes of $500 also being awarded. Only 4,500 tickets will be sold. The drawing will be held on January 19, 2024.
Tickets can be purchased from any Batavia Rotarian or online at www.bataviarotaryraffle.com.
“The Corvette Raffle allows the Batavia Rotary Club to do what we do best – support our community,” Ott said.
After two public hearings with only a few Batavia City School District residents in attendance, the majority made their opinions known Thursday by a vote of 315 to 97 in favor of the $45 million capital project, district officials said.
The vote means that the capital project will proceed in 2024 to install two synthetic turf fields for the high school, a baseball and softball field each, and upgrades for every school building within the city school district.
District officials applauded the support, including school board Vice President John Reigle, who said that he was “very pleased and proud” about the results of the district’s Reimagined capital project vote.
“Our leadership team did a great job promoting the project and explaining the many benefits of the project to our community,” Reigle said to The Batavian Thursday night. “This is a great step towards ensuring our district keeps the high standards that our district students and community expect and deserve. I’d like to thank the community for their support in voting to approve this capital project for our district.”
Likewise, board member Alice Ann Benedict was also pleased with the results and thanked the community for its demonstration of support for the project.
“I am thrilled with the overwhelming support of the BCSD Capital Project. The project was well-advertised and explained to the community over the last number of weeks. We’ve had a lot of feedback, mostly positive, from the community,” Benedict said to The Batavian. “I am always pleased when the voting community supports the recommendations of the Superintendent and administrators. Keeping our buildings safe and up-to-date is the most important part of this project because our students and staff are the most important users of these buildings. There are numerous safety improvements included for all of the schools.
“With most of the questions coming because of the artificial turf cost on two fields, our athletes can be out on the fields a lot earlier because this project will improve the drainage issues our district fields suffer with,” she said. “We have also heard positive feedback about the moving of the grades, especially fifth grade back to John Kennedy.”
The BCSD Reimagined Project's next phase will include engaging in the contractor bid process over the next 12 months, and the district expects the first phase of construction to begin in the spring of 2025. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2027 calendar year. BCSD will provide additional updates and project details to the Batavia community as they become available, officials said in a press release issued Thursday night.
“Thank you to the Batavia community for your steadfast support in passing our BCSD Reimagined Capital Improvement Project,” Superintendent Jason Smith said in the release. “With this initiative, we will address essential infrastructure needs across all of our buildings. These funds will also help us convert Robert Morris into a modern early childhood education center and enhance our athletic fields for year-round use. Your vote reflects a deep commitment to our students and schools' ongoing improvement and future success.”
Board President John Marucci added, “We are profoundly grateful to the Batavia community for their support, to our Batavia City School District leadership for their visionary guidance in spearheading this important project, and to our collaborative construction partners and Buildings and Grounds Committee, who played an integral role in its conception.”
“It's a remarkable achievement to bring this project to fruition with a zero percent tax increase, reflecting our shared commitment to fiscal responsibility and educational excellence,” Marucci said. “This collective support and collaboration are invaluable in shaping a brighter future for the Batavia City School District students.”
While finding no malfeasance or misuse of public funds, a NYS Comptroller's Audit is critical of the Board of Directors of the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department for its handling of financial planning.
The comptroller's key findings include inadequate revenue estimates for 2021, 2022, and 2023, a lack of realistic budgets, and no written multiyear financial or capital plan to help guide budget development.
The lack of proper revenue estimates meant the district had extra revenue that could have been better allocated to capital projects, particularly fire truck replacements, the report states.
In the three audit years, the board failed to include in its revenue estimates funds from farmland leasing, interest income, fire insurance tax proceeds, donations, and fire hall rental. In 2022, that amounted to $36,577 in revenue that wasn't included in financial planning.
"We compared the budget with actual expenses for 2021 and 2022. The operating budget was underestimated by $29,667 (10 percent) in 2021 and $33,298 (11 percent) in 202," the report states.
In response to the audit, Board President James Call said the district treasurer did share more than once the district's truck replacement plan, the comptroller's auditors determined the report was outdated.
The budget for 2023 also did not include a line item for buildings and ground maintenance, which in prior years exceeded $50,000.
"The Treasurer told us," the report states, "these were errors in the budget and that she corrected them after we brought the omissions to her attention. The Treasurer also provided us with a corrected copy of the 2023 budget. The corrected budget increased the amount budgeted for building and grounds maintenance to $40,000 and decreased the amount budgeted for insurance to $40,000, and further decreased the firematic budgeted amount by $20,000."
Auditors determined that board members were not adequately involved in the budgeting process and oversight of monthly expenses.
The auditors issued these recommendations, which Call, in his letter, said the board will implement.
Review and adopt structurally balanced budgets that contain realistic revenue and expense estimates.
Present the budget to the membership for a vote, as required by the bylaws.
Review the monthly financial reports provided by the treasurer and actively monitor the department’s spending.
Consider having Department officers attend applicable and beneficial training sessions to obtain a better understanding of their duties.
Develop a written multiyear financial and capital plan to establish long-term goals and objectives for funding and long-term capital needs. This plan should be monitored and updated on an ongoing basis, and any funds already set aside for capital assets should be designated as such by board action.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board Safety Board found no mechanical issues with a Bell helicopter operated by Mercy Flight that crashed during training in Elba on April 26, 2022.
The available evidence suggests, according to a final NTSB report, that an instructor did not provide adequate information to the pilot of the craft to recover from a maneuver, causing the Bell 429 to break apart mid-air.
The actions the pilot did take likely caused the main rotor blades to contact the tail boom, which caused the tail boom to separate from the body of the helicopter.
The pilot and trainer were working on dealing with a "vortex ring state," or VRS, which is a dangerous airflow condition that a pilot might encounter during flight.
Pilot James E. Sauer, 60, of Churchville, was being trained that day by Stewart M. Dietrick, 60, of Prosper, Texas. Sauer was the second pilot of the day to embark on a training mission with Dietrick.
The first pilot of the day told investigators he didn't think the VRS training went well.
"While in VRS, the pilot stated that he didn’t know why they were going so deep into VRS and that the instructor was just sitting there, 'hands on his lap,'" the report states. "So, the pilot, feeling uncomfortable at that point, had to exit this very high descent rate on his own rather than waiting for further guidance from the instructor pilot."
The report states that flight recorder data indicates that prior to the crash near Norton Road in Elba, there were multiple abrupt control inputs. That data, combined with contact evidence found on the main rotor blades and tail boom after the accident, indicates the rotor blades hit the tail boom during the flight just prior to the crash.
"The parametric data and physical evidence observed during a postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter that would have precluded recovery from VRS," the report states.
A raise for all Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. employees, a plan to expand The Hotel at Batavia Downs and an application to add more terminals to the gaming floor.
Those items and the passage of about 65 resolutions that had been in the hopper for up to three months gave WROTB directors plenty of activity at this morning’s board meeting at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road.
Directors voted in favor of a resolution granting all employees of the public benefit company a 4 ½ percent raise, effective Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2024.
“The organization is only as good as the people who support the organization,” said Temporary Chair Dennis Bassett (City of Rochester). “… It a step in the right direction for us as a board.”
The pay increase extends to all employees, union and non-union, including senior management, who were given a three-year contract last spring.
WROTB President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek said the (United Professional & Service Employees) Union signed a contract “that gives those workers the same raise as the entire corporation.”
“In the old days, they had a separate clause in there where they would have a raise depending upon what they negotiated that year,” he said. “But the latest contract that they signed, they get the same as every other employee at WROTB.”
The resolutions stated that Batavia Downs Gaming’s net win (money left in the gaming machines after payouts to customers) rose by $7.2 million from 2022 to 2023 and attendance increased by more than 58,000 during that same period. Additionally, food and beverage, and hotel room sales increased by 14 percent.
Update: Antonella Rotilio, UPSEU labor relations representative, said that the union is "very pleased that the board acknowledges the success of the corporation because of the members and the employees. Those are big steps."
HOTEL FEASIBILITY STUDY APPROVED
The board passed two resolutions pertaining to The Hotel at Batavia Downs – one to extend its contract with Hart Hotel Inc. to manage the 84-room facility for three more years at a cost not to exceed $9,000 per month and the other to authorize spending up to $100,000 for a feasibility study to determine if expansion is warranted.
Wojtaszek said that Dave Hart, owner of Hart Hotel Inc., will “take the lead on looking for an architect to do the drawing and for a company to study how an expansion would affect our business.”
He said the board will not make a decision until the feasibility study is complete and submitted for review. He said adding 40 rooms has been talked about but “nothing is definite at this point.”
MORE GAMES ON THE FLOOR?
Vice President/Operations Sean Schiano has applied to the New York State Gaming Commission for the right to add 18 more Video Lottery Terminals to the gaming floor.
Wojtaszek said the addition of 18 games would max out the floor, increasing the total number to 928.
“After that (approval) we probably will not have much more room to expand on the current floor, so we’d have to take a different approach,” he said. “But those 18 will fit on our current makeup.”
In other action, the board voted to approve the 2024 Operating Plan that was submitted by Chief Financial Officer Jacquelyne Leach and her staff.
The makeup of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board of directors is changing once again.
As a result of a New York State law prohibiting political party officials from obtaining a license from the state Gaming Commission to serve on the WROTB board, Jennifer Hibit, who was appointed to represent Erie County in June, has resigned.
Hibit is the secretary of the Erie County Democratic Committee.
WROTB President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek today confirmed that Hibit is no longer on the 17-member board and has been replaced by Deputy County Comptroller Timothy Callan.
Callan was not at this morning’s directors’ meeting at Batavia Downs Gaming because he has yet to receive his license from the Gaming Commission.
Following the meeting, Wojtaszek told The Batavian that the law covers two areas – someone who is a party officer and someone who is a public officer that potentially could have a conflict of interest.
“The law defines a party officer as someone with a national, state or county political committee, and that applies to Hibit as well as Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney (City of Buffalo representative),” he said.
Wojtaszek noted that Rodriguez-Dabney, who is the vice chair of the Erie County Democratic Committee, has not indicated whether she will be resigning yet.
Continuing, he said the when looking at the public officer portion of the law, it defines someone that could be ineligible as an elected or appointed official “who has a conflict due to dealing with the pari-mutuel betting process or taxation thereof.”
When exploring that section of the law, there are five current WROTB directors that fall into that category:
-- Terrance Baxter, Moravia (Cayuga County) town supervisor; -- Edward Morgan, Orleans County legislator; -- Paul Bartow, Schuyler County planning commission and historical society board member; -- Michael Horton, Savona (Steuben County) Village Court judge; -- Susan Way, member of the Wyoming County Board of Supervisors.
Wojtaszek said those five were required to sign a form indicating there was no conflict of interest, action that was confirmed by Morgan during a break in today’s meeting.
“They can stay on the board as long as they certify that there is no conflict and that the prohibition does not apply to them,” Wojtaszek added.
With Hibit not there because of her resignation and Rodriguez-Dabney also absent, the board needed the presence of Monroe County director James A. Wilmot to be in attendance – and he was -- to have a quorum. Erie County has 24 votes and Buffalo has 10 out of the 100 votes in the weighted voting system; Monroe County has 20 votes.
Hibit’s replacement, Callan, works for County Comptroller Kevin Hardwick, who has publicly spoken out against WROTB’s policies and practices.
In a report from a Buffalo-based publication, Hibit said she had disclosed her role with the Democratic Committee when she applied for the position, and a Gaming Commission official stated that it was an oversight until recently.
In a related matter, the board is scheduled to vote on a new permanent chairperson at its January meeting. Dennis Bassett (City of Rochester) has been serving as the temporary chair.
The season of joy sometimes carries notes of sadness for those who miss loved ones, whether those close to them passed recently or many years ago, and with that in mind, Le Roy First Baptist Church held a "Blue Christmas" service on Wednesday evening.
The service called on those in attendance at the annual service to remember those whom they miss and recall God's comforting love.
"We invite you to reflect on the pain, the loneliness, and the sadness; you may feel an offer to God or healing and transformation,' said Pastor Edris Hitchcock. "We pray that you will find hope and comfort to know that you are not alone."
After a service of Bible verses, poetry, responsive texts, and hymns, people were invited to light candles in remembrance of those dear to them who have passed.
If you are or know of a Batavia City School alum or retired music educator with musical accomplishments, applications are now being accepted for the Musicians of Note awards.
Recipients need to have been an active performer or music educator, be at least 10 years out of high school, and have had a successful musical career in either performance, composition, education, theater or audio recording.
Nominations may be done posthumously to honor deceased musicians and educators from BCSD as well.
Complete and submit the application by March 28, 2024.
Many teams have already played four or five games in the 2023/24 season, but the Pembroke Dragons didn't hit the hardwood for the first time until Wednesday night to take on an undefeated Byron-Bergen team led by early season hot shot Braedyn Chambry.
Chambry set a school record in a game this season by scoring 41 points. A couple of times, he's topped 20 points.
On Wednesday, the Dragons held him to nine points, sending the Bees (4-1) to their first defeat, 61-50.
For Pembroke, Tyson Totten scored 31 points, and Sean Pustulka scored nine.
Colin Martin led Byron-Bergen with 16 points. Noah Clare scored nine, and Brody Baubie scored eight.
"I was pleased with how we played defensively tonight, meeting our defensive goal 3/4 quarters," said Pembroke coach Matthew Shay. "I was also pleased with Jayden Bridge and Sam Pfeiffer and how they battled tonight defending Chambry along with our team defense limiting his touches. Roxanne always does a nice job with her squad, and I feel fortunate to come out of there with the win. Obviously, Tyson played really tough and controlled the game for us."
During her 4 ½ years as an employee at UConnectCare (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse), Amy Kabel has worn several hats, and she has worn them well.
Hired as a peer recovery advocate in April 2019 to assist those in recovery from substance use disorder, the Batavia resident has been promoted to the director of Grant Management position – a job that is vital to the nonprofit agency’s mission to provide a wide variety of services to those in need.
“We’re excited to announce that Amy has accepted the position of director of Grant Management,” said UConnectCare Chief Executive Officer John Bennett. “Amy has excelled at every level, and the skills she has gained will make her a great addition to the management team.”
Kabel (photo at right) served as the lead peer at The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road, a supervisory role, before accepting coordinator positions for The Recovery Station, which is under the auspices of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports and for the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.
In 2021, she was promoted to assistant director of Grants & Projects, working closely with Rosalie Mangino-Crandall, the former director of Project Innovations and Expansion.
As director of Grant Management, she will oversee a team of about 10 grant-funded employees while searching for and writing grants to fund key programs.
“Fortunately, I was able to learn from Rosalie, who was a fantastic mentor,” Kabel said. “She set a high bar, and I will do my best to keep these programs going.”
Before joining UConnectCare, Kabel was employed as an aide on the surgical floor at United Memorial Medical Center and at Hope Haven, the hospital’s inpatient agency for those struggling with substance use.
She earned an associate’s degree from Genesee Community College and went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Community & Health Services from SUNY Empire State College. Kabel has a daughter, Madison, a social worker in the Buffalo area.
Notre Dame beat Alexander in Girls Basketball on Wednesday, 48-39.
The Irish trailed until the fourth quarter, when they pushed ahead and held on for the win.
Freshman Sofia Falleti led the scoring with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four steals. Senior Emma Sisson dominated with a double-double 17 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
“Tonight was a phenomenal win for the Lady Irish over a talented, veteran team, Alexander," said Head Coach Vinny Falleti. ”Our team did not take the lead until the fourth quarter and never gave up. I am so proud of how well they played.”
On the road against Albion, Elba picked up another win in Girls Basketball, 77-33.
Sydney Reilly came on strong again, scoring 29 points. Lydia Ross scored 21 points, and Mariah Ognibene had 10 points with 6 rebounds.
"The team is really playing solid team defense," said coach Charlie Pangrazio. "We got 27 steals tonight as a team. Ross had 12, and Ava Buczek had five."
Genesee County Legislator Marianne Clattenburg holding the state letter of certification she just received for her reelected four-year position. Photo by Joanne Beck
Bills that were passed in the Senate this year are now headed to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk, and Genesee County legislators made one more impassioned plea for her to veto the legislation, though perhaps in vain, during Wednesday’s legislature meeting.
One act is to amend the town, village, county and municipal home rule law that would revise certain offices to have three-year terms and elections to be on the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year is one of the bills proceeding for Hochul’s vote.
Legislator Marianne Clattenburg, who just received her state certification letter in the mail acknowledging her legislative status, takes issue with the possibility that her four years might just get cut short a year.
“And the governor has called that up, and she has till the end of the year to sign it. If she doesn't sign it, then it goes away. If she signs it, then it becomes law. And I just wanted to state my opposition; first, the way it was done. And second, it will not save any money as far as elections go. And third, it was only concentrated on certain counties, not New York City people. And so I'm totally opposed to it,” Clattenburg said. “It'll skew everyone's terms. I was just reelected to a four-year term. If this goes through, my term turns to three. And I just think it's wrong because we put this to the voters, the voters decided our terms. And now they want to take that home rule away.”
She also opposes the bill because the state legislators passed it during budget negotiations, she said. The entire Genesee County Legislature sent its own letter as well as joining the state Association of Counties in passing a resolution to oppose the measure in a bipartisan effort, she said.
Wednesday’s public appeal was one more attempt at reminding the state where this county stood, Clattenburg said.
Because today was the day (Hochul) called it up, we received an alert that we should make our sentiments known again,” she said. “So (Legislature Chair Shelley Stein) just wanted one of us to, you know, speak up and reiterate what we had said previously. And it just so happens that I got my certification in the mail today. I thought it was ironic that it says I have a four-year term. But if the governor signs the paper, it negates that.”
Legislator Christian Yunker also spoke up about the Birds and Bees Protection Act, which he — and Stein, per her prior public comments — are against.
This Act is a measure to prohibit the “sale, distribution or purchase by any person within the state of corn, soybean or wheat seeds coated or treated with pesticides with the active ingredients clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, or acetamiprid,” as of Jan. 1, 2027.
Stein, of Stein Dairy Farm in Le Roy, previously wrote an opinion piece for The Times Union explaining her rationale that: "New York farmers have only one shot each year to grow a crop of corn or soybeans, and waiting under the soil are insects like the seed corn maggot that love to gobble up seedlings before they emerge," she said in her opinion piece. "Coating minute amounts of neonic pesticides on corn and soybean seeds is a proven practice to keep the maggots away and assure a successful crop — but legislation passed this year would take this tool out of New York farmers’ toolbox."
Yunker helps run CY Farms, Batavia Turf, and CY Heifer Farm. He said that New York would be the only state to enact this prohibition of seeds treated with the particular pesticides, which he considers to be promoted by “environmental radicals.”
“This would have devastating effects for farmers in New York State. Not only would we be able to see this as an unfair advantage … it will also have devastating environmental impacts that I don’t think most realize. These seed treatments are a critical tool for farmers … it’s a safe and effective tool; it’s been proven all around the world, and New York State wants to get rid of this critical technology,” Yunker said. “So, this is legislation that makes no sense. As rural residents and farmers, it just doesn't make sense, and I just wanted a strong urge against this bill.”
Tanner Bernard Wiley, 35, of Bennington Hills, Conn., is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle 3rd, obstructing governmental administration. Kimberly Ann Brodsky, 32, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd. When officers attempted to stop a vehicle reportedly driven by Wiley at 1:09 a.m. on Dec. 7, Wiley allegedly fled from the traffic stop, leading to a pursuit of the vehicle from the City of Batavia into the Town of Pembroke, where Wiley allegedly attempted to flee on foot. Wiley and Brodsky were held pending arraignment.
Robert Alva Wright, 64, of Brooklyn Street, Warsaw, Rick William Reed, 42, of Maiden Lane, North Java, and Jesse James Schmidt, are each charged with assault 2nd. The three men are accused of participating in an assault at 11:11 p.m. on Sept. 8 at 2630 Attica Road, Alexander, the location of the Hillside Tavern. All three men were arraigned on Dec. 4 and released on their own recognizance. The incident was investigated by deputies Erik Andre and Kevin McCarthy.
Talia F. Joubert, 21, of Le Roy, is charged with DWAI Drugs, speeding, and two counts of harassment 2nd. Joubert was arrested on Dec. 5 in connection with a traffic stop conducted by a Batavia patrol officer on Dec. 5 at an undisclosed time and location. Joubert is accused of striking two police officers while at the police station. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Brian C. Johnson, 26, of Cheektowaga, is charged with harassment 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd. Johnson allegedly engaged in a physical altercation with staff at UMMC while being treated in ER. He allegedly tried to flee police when officers attempted to take him into custody. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Wayne D. Potter, 40, of Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment 2nd. He was arrested on Dec. 2 after an investigation by Batavia PD into an incident reported on Nov. 4 at an undisclosed time and undisclosed location where Potter allegedly fought with another person. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Cornelius Welch, 44, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Welch was allegedly found in possession of narcotics during a traffic stop by Batavia PD while Welch was riding his bicycle at an undisclosed location and at an undisclosed time. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Lisa Ann Centi, undisclosed age, undisclosed residential street, of Chili, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminal possession of a weapon 4th, false personation, insufficient signal, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Centi was arrested following a traffic stop by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell at 9:58 p.m. on Dec. 1 on Forest Edge Drive, Batavia. She was released on an appearance ticket.
Kenniva Sharee Imoni Couser, 23, of Finch Street, Rochester, and Rickia Leshay Bryant, 25, of Clifford Avenue, Rochester, are charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and Bryant is charged with petit larceny. Couser and Bryant are accused of parking in a fire lane on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, at 2:51 p.m. on Dec. 6. There were reportedly children in the vehicle when the exterior temperature was 30 degrees. The information related to the petit larceny charge was not released. Both were issued an appearance ticket. "Rickia Leshay Bryant" seems to be a name or a phrase.
Stacy Ramon Moss, 34, of Bates Road, Medina, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th, aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd, seeding, and driving without a license. Moss was charged following a traffic stop by Deputy Stephen Smith at 2:03 a.m. on Dec. 4 on Lewiston Road, Batavia. Moss was processed at the Genesee County Jail, issued tickets, and released.
Taylor Marie Goodenow, 21, of Route 5, Le Roy, is charged with burglary 2nd, menacing 3rd, and conspiracy 4th. Riley Lucas Semaj Robinson, 19, of Route 5, Le Roy, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, criminal mischief 3rd, and criminal possession of a weapon 4th. Goodenow and Robinson are accused of entering an apartment in Pavilion by force at 3:43 a.m. on Dec. 3, menacing the occupants and causing property damage.
Matthew Ryan Bankes, 36, of Mayflower Street, Rochester, is charged with DWI and speeding. Bankes was stopped at 2:52 a.m. on Dec. 10 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Ryan Mullen. Bankes was issued an appearance ticket.
Sasha O. Wilson, 37, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wilson was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 4:15 p.m. on Dec. 11 in the Town of Batavia. Wilson was issued an appearance ticket. Troopers did not release further information.
Jeanie L. Graham, 38, of Rochester, is charged with bail jumping 3rd. Graham was arrested by State Police on Dec. 11 and ordered held on cash bail. Troopers did not release further information.
A fire truck lit up with Christmas lights in front of the Scofield Rolloff offices on Route 5 in Stafford. The truck appears to be retired apparatus. There are no department decals on it. Photo by Howard Owens.
A Le Roy Central School District has resigned, and his conduct is being investigated by Le Roy Police, according to Superintendent Merritt Holly.
Holly issued a statement to The Batavian following an inquiry about the status of a possible investigation involving a teacher.
According to Holly, John Beckler resigned his teaching position on Tuesday following an investigation by the district. Holly said the district determined that Beckler violated the district's staff-student relations (fraternization) policy by communicating with students via text message and social media on matters unrelated to school.
"The District also referred the matter to the Le Roy Police Department, which is conducting a separate investigation," Holly said. "The district is cooperating fully with that investigation. Because that investigation is ongoing, we will not provide any further comment. The District’s top priority is ensuring a safe learning environment for our students."
Holly invited anyone with additional information to contact Detective James Prusak at (585) 768 - 2527 ext. 2024 or via email - jprusak@leroypolice.org.
In a brisk sub-30 wind, about 30 volunteers gathered in the St. Anthony’s parking lot Wednesday morning taking care of business as usual for those folks in need lined up ready andwaiting along Liberty Street.
Despite the city’s request to find an alternate location for its twice-monthly food distribution, City Church instead cautiously continued on, but with more emphatic reminders for participants to be mindful of where they parked as the line slowly moved its way toward the distribution center in the parking lot. A city vehicle was spotted leaving the scene, and Pastor Ryan Macdonald confirmed that a city official had visited the lot.
“I’m just thankful that they’re allowing us to continue,” he said.
A week prior, City Manager Rachael Tabelski confirmed that the city requested that City Church find another location for its distribution due to neighborhood and school complaints about traffic issues as a result of participants that line up on the street for the distribution early in the morning.
Macdonald objected to the request for reasons including Becca Albrecht and Mattie Cooper. The women have no vehicles and have walked to get their food rations ever since the distribution began during COVID, they said. Both agreed they don’t know what they would do without the extra help.
“Me and my husband are on disability and have nine grandkids that we help out. One nine-year-old stays with me,” she said. “I get juices and vegetables. And sometimes we have cleaning products that they gave out this weekend. And it's just a big help in the community. We’re seniors, and we don't get enough for Social Security, you know. Even though we have two incomes coming in, it's so hard, because with all the medication and all, so you figure this here is a big help from the grocery store because the price of groceries is just outrageous.
“And I just love this church, the stuff they do. So I rent from the church,” she said. “So it’s really nice, it would be a blessing if they leave this here. Oh, we need it. We walk here every week.”
Albrecht’s husband works 40 hours a week, and they can still use all the help they can get, she said, to offset rising food costs for their family, which includes two little ones.
“Ryan, he’s great, he does so much for this community. And, you know, to take it away, it would be heartbreaking, because us families need it in this time, it’s everything. It definitely helps with the food costs,” she said.
She could understand that for residents on the street, there may be some issues with traffic congestion, but added another viewpoint.
“I mean, I'm sure for some people that live on Liberty, it’s a hassle. But, you know, if you think about it, we need to help one another and just be kind to each other, especially those, you know, Ryan and Pastor Marty are trying to help the community to get through to the needy families that need it,” she said.
They each had a small child’s wagon to haul the food back to their apartments, as did others who walked to the pick-up. Megan Little doesn’t have a vehicle either, and she walks everywhere, including to her job at a nearby restaurant.
“I’ve come to the food distribution twice, but I've been coming to City Church, the service at 10 o'clock down at City Church, for about a year now. And because my stepson’s grandma is big in the City Church, andworks with Ryan and stuff, and I got sober last year, and so I’m just trying to do this new way of life,” she said. “This is amazing how many people they help every every week. Like hundreds, if not thousands. It means a lot because right now my husband is not with us right now. He's gonna be away for a year, and so this is gonna help me a lot, especially around the holidays, and you get all kinds of stuff. They have fresh fruit, canned stuff. It's amazing.”
Some 100 vehicles had lined up along Liberty Street by 9 a.m. Most of them appeared to be parked in between driveways as instructed.A woman who was parked toward the front of the line couldn’t understand the city’s reaction to the distribution.
“I’m really shocked that they said that,” she said, asking that her name not be used. “I go to the church. I like it here, I don’t see why they would have to move; it seems like it’s organized to me.”
A big part of the organization system can be attributed to the volunteers that show up to stack the food in a long row, bag the loose items and prepare everything so that people can simply drive up and get their allotment and go so as not to create a disruption in the flow.
Volunteer Sandy Wojtasczyk walked the line to get names and mark how many adults and children were in each.
“And reminding them not to be parked in driveways or crosswalks,” she said. “And I help to give food out.”
Some vehicles had two families, and some participants will also distribute the food to the Little Free Pantry at First Presbyterian Church and to other organizations and neighbors in need, she said.
Fellow volunteer Jennifer Reed has been helping out for about a year and a half and has been attending the church for 18 years.
“I’ve observed all types of things: I've seen people crying, I've seen people overjoyed that they're getting assistance, with help getting food. I mean, it's just been a blessing to me as well as the people that come through the line,” Reed said. “I’ve never seen an issue with traffic, I mean, I've done everything from walking the streets, taking people's names that are going through the line, just observing, that nobody has been blocking driveways or blocking streets.
“And with the rise of food costs, this has been a blessing to the community. I mean, I have friends myself that come from Le Roy, and Wyoming. I've had people come as far as Attica. So people are coming from all over the region to get help with food.”
Former City Councilwoman Rosemary Christian, who represented that neighborhood’s Ward Six, reached out to The Batavian to voice her dismay about the city’s request to move the distribution. She has suffered somehealth issues and could not attend a council meeting in person, but wanted to urge others to consider doing so.
“The city streets belong to everyone who pays taxes, and those people all pay taxes too. The problem is, they can’t give up two and a half hours to help give people food?” Christian said. “It’s ridiculous, and they ought to be ashamed of themselves. I hope people will be there to protest this council so people will be able to get food.”
The Batavian has contacted Tabelski for an update on the city’s request and will add that to this article once received.
The food for the distribution is funded by “the City Church family, USDA, Foodlink and other financial partners,” Macdonald said.
Photos by Howard Owens
City Church pastors Ryan Macdonald and Marty Macdonald during a morning prayer at the start of Wednesday's food distribution at St. Anthony's on Liberty Street, Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
Ryan Macdonald and Mattie Cooper. Photo by Howard Owens
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