A car has gone into the woods in the area of 3953 Batavia Elba Townline Road, Elba.
Mercy Flight is requested to the scene.
Elba Fire dispatched along with Mercy EMS and mutual aid from Town of Batavia.
NEW!! 2419 Main Road, Pembroke. Super solid and well cared for home that has so much more to offer than you can see from a driveby!! Home is really well laid out and square footage doesn't begin to show all the extra usable space there is, like the finished attic space that could easily be third bedroom or rec room, or the awesome partially finished high and dry basement that gives you tons of bonus space for additional living space or workshop area!! The kitchen, dining, living room is all connected and open for entertaining purposes and there is a lovely enclosed front porch that serves as a great morning room or TV watching on game days!! Two bedrooms and full bath on main floor make this the perfect home for someone that needs all one floor living! The location of home is perfect for easy access to shopping schools and thruway but the yard is where its at-it is fantastic!! Must walk to appreciate , it has a little something for everyone, deep-almost 2.5 acres-partially wooded with a path that allows you to sit and overlook creek-its great! Delayed negotiations so you can see for yourself Tuesday September 26 @12:00.
NEW!! 5484 Horseshoe Lake Road, Stafford. Solid and well maintained country ranch! Located on pretty rural road but close to everything you need- shopping, restaurants, and quick access to all major routes for quick commutes! Also located in Batavia School System and minutes from College. This 3 bedroom, 2 bath, brick ranch will sure to please and surprise you with its spacious layout and great hominess! The kitchen is updated with great cupboard space, first floor laundry at your fingertips and large but cozy family room with fireplace overlooking private pretty backyard. There is also an enclosed 3 season back porch for peaceful evenings as well as sunny and welcoming front porch with trex decking to welcome your guests! There is a deep attached garage as well as 8x10 back shed for all your extra storage needs. This home is ready for immediate occupancy and is easy to slip in and see! Delayed negotiations so you can get your opportunity until Monday September 25th at 7:00 p.m.
The Batavia Town Planning Board met for 4 ½ minutes on Tuesday night, just enough time to unanimously pass a site plan from Country Line Electrical Distributors, Inc. to construct an accessory building on its East Main Street Road property.
William Massett, business owner, submitted the proposal to build a 12- by 84-foot open air pipe storage building in the Commercial district at 5065 East Main St. Rd. The plan previously was recommended for approval by the Genesee County Planning Board.
Initially, the project calls for the construction of a roof in case of rain to make it easier for loading and unloading, said Jennifer Massett, who was at the meeting. She said that owners eventually will fence it in for safety and security.
That was the only item on the board’s agenda.
Click here to shop Oliver's Candies or The Sweet Life Country Store
A nice single-family residence? Check. Renovated properties for market rate apartments? Sure. A new development project that comes to fruition with affordable condominiums? Why not.
The newly announced Batavia Home Fund was purposely generic in nature to open the door and possibilities for any of those and other options, Assistant City Manager Erik Fix says.
“We really wrote it up so that it's going to really come down to the individual applicants and what they're wanting and trying to do. Obviously, for us, any type of renovations that we get in the city, when it comes to housing, is a bonus,” Fix said to The Batavian. “But a lot of times, a lot of these grants, what we found in the past is if you put too many guidelines and parameters on it, you're narrowing your audience, and you're narrowing the applicant pool. And then it becomes very difficult to find enough folks that actually want to apply for the funding.
“So we wanted to make sure that we weren't doing that this time around,” he said. “We wanted to make sure not to be too specific.”
A collaboration of the city and town of Batavia and Genesee County Economic Development Center, which is kicking in $100,000 of seed money to get the fund going, this initiative offers grants of up to 40 percent of the total project cost, to be reimbursed upon completion of the work.
It’s not a complete free-for-all, as there are guidelines, such as properties have to be in the city of Batavia, must be currently paid up with municipal property, water and sewer taxes, and the applicant will obtain a building permit prior to construction, have the ability to finance the entire project and be able to provide proof of readiness with a deed, purchase agreement and/or similar documents indicating proof that 100 percent of the financing is in place.
Also, quotes should come from a licensed contractor for a project of visual improvement to a property, whether it be a rehabilitation of an existing site or a new build.
For the first time in several years, owner-occupied city homes have slipped behind rentals, at 49 percent to 51 percent, respectively — a trend first noted in 2020, Fix said.
For some time now, city officials have talked about owner-occupied homes as typically having more of a vested interest, more accountability, and a deeper regard for the neighborhood, since a homeowner is in it for the longer haul than someone renting on a shorter-term basis.
To be clear, Fix said "that's not a terrible thing" having a strong rental base, but the city would like to have more owner-occupied homes and other types of projects throughout the city.
“We have a situation right now where one of our local developers is taking an existing multifamily home that's currently in bad shape, and is trying to turn it back into market rate housing, with a few less apartments in it, but really making it higher end. And that's the kind of stuff that we're looking for,” he said. “I think it was something along the lines of eight out of the last nine developments in the city, from a larger standpoint, have been for low income, and we need to start balancing that out with some market rate and some things like that.”
City priorities for the Batavia Home Fund is to advance the Brownfield Opportunity Area strategy, focusing on Wards Three and Six, and in the flood zone, all of which are eligible for additional points.
Yes, projects are awarded based on a scoring system. For example, projects that are “aesthetically pleasing” to the surrounding neighborhood and designed to eliminate blight can earn up to 40 points.
Eligible “activities” include:
A committee made up of representatives from city, town and GCEDC folks will review, assess and grade projects for viability and choose and award them accordingly.
Awards will most likely range from $20,000 to $50,000, he said. They might go to an individual homeowner or to a developer. One caveat, though, is that someone can’t just do some work on his or her home and expect a check.
“You have to have a contractor actually do the work,” Fix said. “I’d like to see three or four projects and, hopefully, in the next year or two, see the fund grow.”
There is also a five-year compliance period, meaning that if the property owner sells the property within five years of receiving the grant, repayment may be required based on a timetable of when the property was sold. If it was sold within a year, the recipient would have to repay 100 percent of the funds, versus 49 months later, when repayment would be 20 percent of the total.
There is also a $250 non-refundable application fee.
For more information, go to Batavia Home Fund.
Press Release:
Senator George Borrello has joined a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of New York State’s newly implemented ammunition registration law which requires that purchasers submit to and pay for a background check for ammunition transactions.
“My office has been flooded with calls from law-abiding gun owners, sporting goods dealers, and gun clubs who are upset about this latest assault on our Second Amendment rights,” said Senator Borrello. “Requiring a background check and fees for each ammunition purchase is unconstitutional and has already proven to be a technological and administrative failure.”
“Since the system launched on Wednesday, retailers who sell firearms and ammunition across the state have reported that attempts to use New York’s new online system either failed completely or took so long to complete, the potential purchasers had already left their stores,” said Borrello. “The end result is that the state is blatantly denying New Yorkers the ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights. That represents a violation of the U.S. Constitution, which is the basis for our lawsuit.”
Along with Senator Borrello, plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the New York State Firearms Association, Assemblyman David DiPietro, William Ortman and Aaron Dorr. The defendant is Steven A. Nigrelli, Acting Superintendent of the New York State Police.
The new requirements are part of Executive Law 228 and include the following:
Shifts New York State from a jurisdiction in which the FBI conducts firearms-related National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background checks, to one in which the New York State Police (NYSP) are the “point of contact” for background checks;
- Requires the NYSP to conduct background checks on all firearm and ammunition purchases in the state;
- Authorizes NYSP to charge fees for each background check on purchases and transfers. Those fees have been set at $9 for firearms and $2.50 for ammunition; and
- Requires the NYSP to create and maintain a statewide firearms license and records database to be used for ammunition sales as well as for the certification and recertification of permits and assault weapon registration.
While the establishment of an ammunition database and background check requirements were part of the 2013 SAFE Act, implementation was put on hold because of legal and operational concerns.
“The governor and her allies in the Legislature are pushing the false narrative that public safety will be achieved by making it harder for law-abiding gun owners to purchase firearms and ammunition. Meanwhile, they are tripping over themselves in their rush to pass laws that keep dangerous criminals -- including criminals caught with illegally possessed firearms -- on the streets instead of behind bars where they belong,” said Senator Borrello.
“Law-abiding gun owners shouldn’t be punished for New York’s crime problems by having their Second Amendment rights taken away. These latest restrictions won’t accomplish anything other than driving more residents out of the state and diverting the hard-earned tax dollars of New Yorkers to our courts as the state is forced to try to defend its indefensible actions,” said Senator Borrello. “New Yorkers deserve better.”
The lawsuit filing can be viewed at:
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.newyorkstatefirearmsassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023.09.13-NYSFA-v-Nigrelli-Complaint.pdf
New Listing: 3184 Pearl Street Road, Batavia. What a house! This 6 bedroom, 3 bath home is situated on three pretty acres located in Town of Batavia and in the Pembroke school system! So much great space, but yet all the potential of cozy homestead! Layout is great from the minute you step in-all rooms are large - starting with the welcoming huge enclosed porch with windows galore! From there, you step into oversized living room with great woodwork and pretty stone fireplace leading to bright kitchen and dining area! There is also first floor half bath with laundry and two bedrooms-and this is all only on the first floor alone! Upstairs features 4 more bedrooms and two full baths-master bedroom suite is HUGE! There is plenty of great woodwork, many rooms with nice hardwood floors some with carpeting..this home is move in ready and waiting for someone’s updated ideas!! The 3 acres outside doesn’t disappoint either-home sits up off of road, is secluded by pretty trees, and opens up out back to wooded backdrop with room to roam and places to play and garden! Home has newer metal roof and recently connected to public water! This home has a lot to offer-easy to see, take a ride and enjoy the scenery! Delayed negotiation Monday Sept. 25th at 12:00
Two new art projects at the GOOSE Community Center in Oakfield are not just visual embellishments to the Main Street property, founder Susan Zeliff says.
They are embodiments of what the center stands for and has become.
One is a mural based on a quote that Zeliff chose: “This I have learned from the shadow of a tree, that my influence may fall where I will never be.”
“It spoke to me a lot about our community center and the people that support it,” Zeliff said. “They’re helping people that they may never come into contact with.”
She commissioned artist David Burke, thanks to a grant through GO Art!, to paint the mural on an exterior wall of the center. It features a large grassy area with a tree’s shadow and the quote.
The easy part was knowing what to do, Burke said. He used a scaffold for the piece measuring about 10 feet high and 40 feet wide. It took about 35 hours over the course of three or four trips to complete it with rollers and brushes.
What’s it like to have pedestrians and motorists going by observing your handiwork?
“It’s great, I love it. Several people in Batavia have been doing murals and all over the country,” he said. “Murals are coming back. It’s exposing people to art. I just like the idea of teaching and art. I really kind of enjoy turning people onto the idea that anybody can make art; anyone has the capacity for making any kind of art or music.”
Zeliff plans to apply for a GO Art! grant to bring in some art teachers, including Burke, for lessons, hopefully at the beginning of 2024, she said.
Those lessons will complement a host of activities, including chair yoga, which has doubled or tripled in attendance since first offered; a Family Fun Bingo night on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, drawing some 60 participants of all ages; a continuously growing food pantry that serves 80 to 90 families each month; a farm market that operates separately in the back of the building on Saturdays; and community room space that is rented out for special events.
Zeliff has been turning to GO Art! more regularly with applications for grants, last year providing “different styles of art, an expressive kind of art,” she said, which featured Burke and Bill Shutt, who returned this year to provide the second latest piece of exterior artwork for the GOOSE at 33 South Main St.
He and Zeliff loosely talked about how his piece could somehow represent the site, and the symbol of hands came to him.
“I asked her the reason for the GOOSE, and she said to connect the GOOSE to the community and to resources and to connect businesses, connect organizations, etc. So that kind of led me to thinking about handshakes, and we’ve seen some of the logos of the four interconnected hands, so that was where the thought process for this piece came from,” he said. “The shapes came from recycled material … so all the hands are different. The material is all different, again, trying to show that we’re all made up of different pieces, and different parts, and we can all connect together.
“Connecting hands, connecting communities is what the GOOSE is all about,” Shutt said.
A mechanic and welder fabricator for many years, Shutt was used to “making stuff” from the odds and ends of motorcycle parts and other materials that were the remains from an old farm, he said.
“A lot of it was stuff around the house or around the shop. I've tinkered with cars and motorcycles. Probably five or six years ago was the first time that I really made something that was an art piece, per se. And that started off with old pieces, parts, motorcycle parts and car parts that I made into some musical instrument-inspired pieces,” he said.
He has crafted stringed musical instruments and other creations — including some metal sculptures on boxes depicting the inequity of humanity outside of the GO Art! site in Batavia.
For the Oakfield project, he used galvanized tubing, stainless steel, chrome steel, motorcycle parts, and an old, high-pressure gas cylinder tubing. He appreciates using recycled materials and will be working on a project using part of an old Erie Canal lift bridge.
Connecting hands is freshly tagged, so he hasn’t gotten a whole lot of feedback just yet, but “hopefully, the main message got across,” Shutt said.
“If they see something positive out of it, it was a success,” he said. “It took about three months to complete. It was a lot of trial and error, a lot of R and D time, how I was going to make the hands, positions he hands. Sometimes the material dictates what you’re doing.”
Zeliff is pleased with both projects as an extension of yet continuing growth of the GOOSE center, which falls under the Warrior House program. Shutt’s artwork depicts one person standing with a “whole lot of hands behind them, and that’s my everyday,” she said.
“I am very excited about all the activity that’s been happening within the community and just building relationships,” Zeliff said. “We do coffee hour on Wednesdays, and one year ago, it was me and one person, and now it’s two dozen people. It’s exciting to see the room become full.”
Press Release:
Artists, nonprofits, and municipalities seeking funding for arts-related projects, programming, and events in Genesee and Orleans Counties are encouraged to apply to the Statewide Community Regrant Program (SCR) through GO ART!. Applications are due by Nov 1st.
Applicants can apply for up to a total of $5000 in the categories of Community Arts and Arts Education, and $2500 for Individual Artist Commissions.
Eligibility:
Genesee and Orleans County nonprofit organizations, NYS incorporated nonprofits, agencies of local government (not New York State agencies), individual artists, groups or collectives, and unincorporated entities are eligible to apply.
- Individual artists, groups or collectives, and unincorporated entities applying for the Reach (Community) and Spark (Education) grants must have a Fiscal Sponsor or Community Partner
- Applicant, Community Partner, or Fiscal Sponsor must have a permanent address in the same county the project is taking place
- Applicants must be 18 years of age at the time of submission and may not be enrolled in a full-time degree program Applicants are required to attend an informational seminar prior to applying. 2023 grantees are exempt from the seminar requirement but are encouraged to attend.
Upcoming Seminars:
- Sept 18, Sept 25, Oct 2, & Oct 9 at 6:00pm, (virtual, Zoom)
- Oct 10 at 6pm, (in person, GO ART! 201 E Main St, Batavia)
Peer Review Panel:
Grantees are chosen by a peer review panel comprised of community members who live and/or work in Genesee or Orleans Counties and are familiar with the arts, local cultural activities, and the community.
For more information, to view guidelines, apply, sign up for a workshop, or nominate a panelist visit: www.goart.org/grants. For questions contact Mary Jo Whitman at mjwhitman@goart.org or Jodi Fisher at jfisher@goart.org.
Press Release:
The Cornell Cooperative Extension(CCE) of Genesee County Board of Directors meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on September 26.
The meeting will be held at the Association at 420 E. Main St. Batavia and is open to the public. For more information, please contact Yvonne Peck at ydp3@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040 x123.
With numbers tallied, it looks like a fair amount of overtime for Genesee County highway and airport employees due to the Wings Over Batavia Air Show: approximately $6,308.
But county Highway Superintendent Tim Hens had another number to counter that during his annual department report Monday: the 5,513.50 gallons of aviation fuel sold at the airport during the two-day show more than made up for the overtime cost, he said. Fuel sales totaled $6,599.
Despite that boon in sales, fuel sales remained flat overall this past year, he said, trying to recover from an operating loss of $23,000 after Mercy Flight suffered the loss of a helicopter in 2022, coupled with rising fuel prices.
Quiet was an interesting word for Hens to use about the airport, given this year’s two-day air show extravaganza. He was referring to construction at the Saile Drive facility, and for that, “it has been a quiet year at the airport,” he said.
“It’s one of the first seasons in many years where there hasn’t been major construction in progress on the airfield,” he said during a report rundown to legislators on the Public Service Committee.
“It was one of the first years that I can remember in a long time where we haven't had a project going out there that's disrupted the runway or the fencing or the lighting or an apron. It was kind of nice to have that,” Hens said.
That won’t be for long, as a future project for 2024 includes the replacement of many incandescent runway and taxiway lights to LED versions that will generate future savings on electrical use, he said.
In other ways, the airport has been quite busy in planning for and implementing Wings Over Batavia Air Show, he said. Drawing nearly 9,000 people during Labor Day weekend, the event seems destined to be a repeater, as organizers have said they’re discussing plans for bringing it back again next year.
“We had our air show … I think the feedback that I'm seeing in the community is overwhelmingly positive. A lot of great comments. People enjoyed it. They're all asking if it's going to happen again next year,” Hens said. “I can tell you from internal, of the things that I was worried about, traffic was not an issue. Parking was not an issue. Safety-wise, we only had two very minor medical issues all weekend; it was both scraped knees where kids were running around chasing each other and fell on the asphalt with scuffed knees; that was the biggest thing we had.
“We sold 5,500 gallons of aviation fuel over the weekend to the show that covered our overtime, more than covered the overtime, tied to the weekend relative to the sweeping of the runway and the overtime for the airport guys and the facility guys to open up the fence and things like that,” he said. “So I think from a county perspective, I'm happy with how it went down and went smoothly. Again, great community feedback and a great community event.
"And there's obviously things I think we can do better in the future and have even less county involvement than we had this year. But being a first-year show, there were some things we had to get squared away," he said. "So I know there's already a move afoot to have another event next year. And again, hopefully, it goes smoother than we had this year.”
Public Service Committee members passed along a grant of $7,000 for final approval Monday for the purchase of additional kayaks and accessories for the Youth Bureau’s kayaking program at DeWitt Recreation Area in Batavia.
Genesee County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens reviewed the program and grant during the committee’s meeting and said that although it’s an Interpretive Center/Youth Bureau grant award, it also “supports kayaking at the park.”
Kayaking is an activity that has been steady at DeWitt Lake, made even more popular with lessons offered twice a year by Conservation Education Program Coordinator Shannon Lyaski.
Hens shared that his department will be seeking a replacement for Lyaski, whose last full-time day will be Oct. 14. The committee approved Hens’ request for a part-time, temporary position to allow her to remain until the vacancy is filled.
It will be a loss for sure, Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said.
“She grew so much in that job and really changed it,” Clattenburg said.
The request was to create one temporary, less than full-time (19 1/2 hours per week) Conservation Education Program Coordinator position to allow the current employee to assist with the transition.
Salary for Conservation Education Program Coordinator, Management, Grade 112, Step 7, would be at the rate of $29.48, effective October 7, 2023, through December 31, for a total cost of $8,308.69.
Another reason for the increase in kayaking is a kiosk rental that took a bit longer than expected to arrive since first reported in The Batavian in May but is finally at DeWitt.
The set-up provides everything for someone to get a kayak, life jacket and paddle and get out on the water for some fun.
“The feedback from the community has been positive,” Hens said.
The agreement between the county and the rental company is for a period of five years, at a total cost of $16,000, for the installation and activation of smart lockers, fully equipped with kayaks/lifejackets and locker signage. Kayak users would then pay a rental fee through the use of the kiosk that would go back to the county.
This park amenity expense will come out of the Capital Project DeWitt Improvements Phase IV, with $6,000 of this cost offset by a donation from the Association for the Conservation of Recreational and Natural Spaces (ACORNS), for a total cost of $10,000 to the county.
This latest grant that Hens reviewed on Monday is from the Youth Sports Education Funding, and once officially approved by the county Legislature, will increase the County Park Program Expense in the amount of $7,000 to be offset by an increase in Revenue in a like amount.
Russ Fitzgibbon knew he needed more space. His flower shop, Beverly's, in an old house on West Main Street in Batavia, left staff tripping over each other and made it hard for him to maintain private conversations with customers.
"We were out of space, just dead out of space," Fitzgibbon said.
When the former Roxy's Music Store building at 228 West Main St., Batavia, came up for sale, he initially passed on the idea of buying the building and moving into it.
It's 14,000 square feet. That doesn't include the basement.
All that space means his five employees are no longer tripping over each other.
"I didn't want it originally," Fitzgibbon said. "It's just massive. But it just worked out. The numbers worked out. I figured, do it now or don't do it at all."
Beverly's is using only about 4,500 square feet of the building -- with a large portion of the downstairs (where music lesson rooms where located) sitting vacant, and a second floor that is completely clear and empty.
"We'll figure out what to do with the rest," Fitzgibbon said.
Fitzgibbon did the remodeling of the store himself, with a whole new decor in the space the shop is using. There's a larger retail counter, more display space, tables for meeting with clients, and a side room for meetings with larger groups of customers.
"I like to talk to my customers, but in the old place, if somebody walked in, you had to shut up because there was no room," Fitzgibbon said. "There was only one three-foot counter. This one is a little bigger, so I get to talk more."
Photos by Howard Owens.
Toni M. Drake, 42, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Drake is accused of striking another person in the face on Aug. 28 during an argument in the parking lot of the Mobile gas station on East Main Street, Batavia. Drake was issued an appearance ticket.
Rodrigo G. Vasquez, 26, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Vasquez was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on Sept. 2 at an undisclosed location following several citizen complaints of an erratic driver. Vasquez was issued traffic citations and released.
Danvor E. Hodgson-Aguilar, 34, of Silver Springs, Maryland, is charged with petit larceny. Hodgson-Aguilar was arrested after an investigation into a theft at Tops on Sept. 2. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Robbie C. Scheib, 21, of Rochester, was arrested on a warrant containing a charge of harassment 2nd. Scheib is accused of being involved in a disturbance on Aug. 30 in which he allegedly subjected another person to unwanted physical contact. Scheib was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Jon H. Bush, Jr., 40, of Batavia, was arrested on Sept. 1 on two arrest warrants. The first warrant is the result of a traffic stop on Washington Avenue on June 5, where Bush was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle 2nd. The warrant was issued after he allegedly failed to appear in court. The second warrant stems from an incident on Aug. 3, where police attempted to stop Bush for a traffic violation while he was riding a bicycle. Bush allegedly refused to stop and fled on the bike. Bush was arraigned in City Court and released.
Bradley Robert Jordan, 30, of Silver Road, Bethany, is charged with petit larceny. Jordan is accused of a left from a store on Lewiston Road, Batavia (the Sheriff's Office withheld this public information). Jordan was issued an appearance ticket.
Yovani Hernandez, 28, of Melvin Hill Road, Geneva, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, obstructed view, and dirty or covered plate. A passerby reportedly found Hernandez asleep and slumped over the wheel at a location on South Lake Road in Pavilion at 6:12 p.m. on Sept. 3. Hernandez was arrested by Deputy Jacob Kipler, issued traffic tickets, and released.
Alexis Joy Dugan, 22, of Miller Road, Albion, is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, inadequate headlamps, and moving from lane unsafely. Dugan was stopped on Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia at 8:20 p.m. on Sept. 9 by Deputy James Stack. Dugan was issued appearance tickets are leased.
Stephen Hunter Heil, 21, of Million Dollar Highway, Medina, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right, and moving from lane unsafely. Heil was stopped at 6:55 p.m. on Aug. 29, on Bloomingdale Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, by Deputy Alexander Hadsall.
Kevin Allan Knickerbocker, 52, of Mill Pond Road, Byron, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Knickerbocker is accused of violating a stay away order of protection at 6:50 p.m. on Sept. 12 at a location on West Main Street, Byron.
Jeremiah William Krupp, 45, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal contempt 1st. Krupp is accused of placing phone calls to a protected person in violation of an order of protection on Aug. 29. He was held pending arraignment.
George J. Budzinack, 43, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Budzinack is accused of a theft at 10:02 a.m. on Sept. 16 at an undisclosed location in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket. The NYSP did not release more information.
Robert G. Reiner, 37, of Akron, is charged with criminal mischief 4th, criminal tampering 3rd, and resisting arrest. Reiner was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 3 p.m. on Sept. 16. His release status is unknown. The NYSP did not release more information.
Press Release:
On Monday, September 18, upon recommendation from Superintendent Jason Smith, the Batavia City School District Board of Education approved the appointment of Ryan Winchip as Director of Health, Physical Education & Athletics, effective October 19, 2023.
Winchip most recently served as the Warsaw Central School Middle and High School Assistant Principal and Athletic Director. He also served as the Coordinator of Physical Education, Health, Athletics, and Dean of Students at the Pembroke Central School District. He began his career as a teacher, obtaining K-12 physical education and health teaching experience in New York and North Carolina.
He has extensive coaching experience throughout his career, having led teams from the modified to varsity levels since 2013. In 2015, he was awarded two “Coach of the Year” accolades in North Carolina.
Winchip has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education and Coaching from St. Bonaventure University. His advanced degrees include a Masters in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education and a Certificate of Administration & Study from Broome Community College.
"We're thrilled to welcome Ryan as our new Director of Health, Physical Education & Athletics. He brings an exceptional blend of expertise and enthusiasm that will invigorate our programs. With a strong commitment to both athletic excellence and holistic well-being, we're certain Ryan will help elevate the experience of our students in significant ways. Thank you to our staff, parents, and students who participated in the interview process. Welcome to the Blue Devils, Ryan!” Said Superintendent of Schools Jason Smith.
“I am extremely excited to be joining the Batavia Blue Devils family as the new Director of Health, Physical Education & Athletics,” said Ryan Winchip. “I have always admired Batavia's program, and I feel lucky to have the opportunity to join in the district’s tradition of excellence. I hope to build upon all the great things that Mr. Mike Bromley has put in place over his illustrious career. Moving forward, I can't wait to immerse myself into the role and get to know all the amazing members of the BCSD community.”
Batavia Middle School Physical Education teacher Brennan Briggs will continue to serve as the BCSD Athletics Program Assistant.
There's been a bit more color and visual appeal that connects the Batavia Peace Garden with a second garden along the Tonawanda Creek behind the Genesee County Court House.
Artist Michelle Cryer has painted a mural, commissioned by the Friends of the Peace Garden and paid for by a state grant administered by GO Art!, on a concrete water tank next to the creek.
The mural features the butterfly bench that once graced the garden and an overflow of water simulating a breach in the side of the tank.
Sherwin Williams donated the paint. The city approved the project.
"Without our community, as usual, we wouldn't have this here today," said Barb Toal, who came to Cryer with the idea of paint a mural on the tank. Then they came up with the concept together.
"I wanted to bring more nature in, to cover up a cement eyesore with some nature," Cryer said.
Press release:
As the result of a remarkable expansion of services over the years, the leadership at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse has decided to give the nonprofit agency a new name that reflects its mission of “person-centered care.”
Effective Sept. 18, GCASA will be known as UConnectCare Behavioral Health Services – a title, according to Chief Executive Officer John Bennett, “that captures the full scope of what we do and who we are, providing a full spectrum of substance use disorder services, while also supporting the mental and physical health needs of the people we serve.”
“Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse is a mouthful to say, and it’s old and uses outdated and stigmatizing language,” Bennett said. “While the acronym GCASA is well known and has served us well, we are long overdue for a rebrand.”
Serving both counties for 48 years, GCASA – now UConnectCare – offers a continuum of care, including prevention, treatment, recovery, residential and detox services as well as an in-house employee assistance program. The staff has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years to more than 150.
“We believe UConnectCare will be a brand that can grow with us and will embody our philosophy that the path to recovery begins with U,” Bennett added.
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