Press release:
City Bureau of Maintenance crews have started picking up Christmas trees. They will continue to do so through Jan. 29.
City residents are asked to place their trees in the parkway without bags, stands, or decorations, as these can damage equipment. Please keep trees free of snow and ice so they are visible.
Dale Breitwieser, who served with the Darien Volunteer Fire Department for 42 years and is a past chief, has passed away.
There will be calling hours Thursday and Friday at the Darien Center Fire Hall, 5 to 9 p.m., and a funeral service at 10 a.m. Saturday at the fire hall.
A possible rekindle of last night's house fire at 1137 Molasses Hill Road is reported. That's at the corner of Chaddock Road in Bethany. Bethany Fire Department is responding.
UPDATE 4:10 p.m.: A responder to the scene determined there was no rekindle. The assignment is back in service.
Press release:
Tompkins Financial Corporation has announced the acquisition of Shepard, Maxwell & Hale Insurance by Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc., an affiliate of the financial corporation. The acquisition was effective Jan. 1.
“We are happy to continue to grow our business in Batavia and serve our neighbors through this expansion,” said David S. Boyce, president and CEO of Tompkins Insurance.
The change is a win-win for customers, Boyce said.
“In addition to continuing to receive personal attention from local insurance professionals who place a high value on customer service, customers will have 'one-stop shopping' access to the comprehensive array of financial solutions offered by our affiliation with Tompkins Bank of Castile and Tompkins Financial Advisors,” Boyce said.
According to Boyce, Daniel G. Hale and Stephen S. Maxwell, will remain with the agency. Most current employees will be retained in the merger and will continue to service accounts. The Batavia location of Shepard, Maxwell & Hale will close and move operations to the Tompkins Financial Center at 90 Main St. on or about Feb. 1. The Hamlin office will continue to operate at its current location for the time being.
Effective Feb. 1, clients of Shepard, Maxell & Hale may receive service at any of the 28 locations throughout New York and Pennsylvania, including the 16 locations in Western New York.
Tompkins Insurance serves 30,000 personal insurance customers and 7,600 commercial insurance customers, making it the third largest commercial insurance firm in the Rochester area and the 82nd largest agency in the country. The acquisition will add the approximately 4,000 Shepard, Maxwell and Hale accounts to its customer base.
Established in 1957, Shepard, Maxwell & Hale has a long history of serving western New York through its two offices in Batavia and Hamlin. The merger with Tompkins Insurance makes sense for customers, according to Hale.
“Along with continuing to receive top-notch service, our customers will see additional benefits like access to 24/7 claims service 365 days a year, and more price and product options offered through Tompkins’ relationship with 50+ leading insurance companies,“ Hale said.
Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc., operates 16 offices in Western New York, six offices in Central New York and six offices in Southeast Pennsylvania. A part of Tompkins Financial Corporation, (trading as TMP on the NYSE - MKT), the agency is affiliated with Tompkins Bank of Castile, Tompkins Trust Company, Tompkins VIST Bank and Tompkins Financial Advisors. It is an independent insurance agency offering personal and business insurance and employee benefits services through more than 50 different companies. Further information is available at www.tompkinsins.com.
Edward Jordan White, 20, of Michigan Street, Lockport, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd. White was stopped by members of the Local Drug Task Force on Dec. 30 for allegedly driving on a suspended driver's license. White was allegedly found in possession of a quantity of marijuana and cocaine. White was also allegedly in violation of probation.
William Guadalupe Potter, 62, of North Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Potter allegedly pushed a woman into a wall causing her to fall over.
Brian Eric Dagger, 30, of Batavia Street, Holley, is charged with petit larceny. Dagger allegedly stole a bottle of Robitussin tablets from Kmart. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.
Seth Ryan Doster, 24, of Alleghany Road, Darien, is charged with petit larceny. Doster allegedly stole $102.20 in merchandise from Walmart. Also charged, Sarah Dianne Lazarus, 24, of Alleghany Road, Darien.
Kim Marie Spencer, 56, of Chick Road, Darien, is charged with DWI. Spencer was arrested by Deputy Michael Lute in connection into an investigation into an incident reported at 6:49 p.m. Thursday on Chick Road, Darien. The investigation is continuing and additional charges are pending.
Jeffrey Lynn Shultz, 21, of Walkers Corner Road, Byron, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Shultz allegedly engaged in an unsupervised visit in violation of a court order.
Kenneth Fred McGiveron, 25, of Route 78, South Wales, is charged with no stop lights, open container, DWAI drugs and alcohol combined and DWAI drugs. McGiveron was stopped at 12:58 p.m. Saturday on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Lonnie Nati.
Leonard Alfred Johnson, 23, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia, 2nd. Johnson was a passenger in a car stopped by Officer Chad Richards at 5:23 p.m. in the parking lot of Horizon Health Services, 31 Ellicott St., Batavia. Johnson allegedly fled on foot following the traffic stop, but returned on his own a short time later. Police allegedly found a bag containing a dozen smaller bags of cocaine, which Johnson indicated belonged to him. Johnson was jailed without bail.
Coretta M. Pitts, 47, of Williams Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. Pitts allegedly scratched the face of another person during an argument reported at 4:50 a.m., Saturday. Pitts was jailed on $400 bail.
Jason A. Armstrong Sr., 43, of Main Road, East Pembroke, is charged with first-degree criminal sexual act and criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation. Armstrong allegedly choked and had unwanted sexual contact with another person during an alleged domestic incident reported at 10 p.m. Nov. 6 on South Main Street, Batavia. Armstrong was jailed without bail. Armstrong was also charged with strangulation, 2nd, and assault, 2nd, for an alleged incident reported at 6 a.m. Dec. 22 at a location on South Main Street, Batavia.
Robert W. Blankenberg, 31, of Union Street, Le Roy, was arrested on a warrant. Blankenberg was stopped for an alleged traffic violation and arrested on the warrant.
Robert D. Kendall, 55, of Jamaica Lane, Cheektowaga, is charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident, moving from lane unsafely, driving a motor vehicle on sidewalk, driving through safety zone and unlawful possession of marijuana. Kendall was charged after an investigation into an accident reported at 12:03 p.m. Dec. 29 on Oak Street, Batavia. Kendall was located by police in the parking lot of a business on West Main Street following a tip from a witness.
Michael J. Henry, 48, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct. Henry is accused of continuously using obscene language outside his home on State Street while police officers were there investigating a complaint.
Michael J. Antonucci, 33, of Alexander Road, Attica, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Antonucci allegedly violated a complete stay away order by sending a text to the protected party.
Jason W. Wolf, 39, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, and driving without interlock device. Wolf was stopped at 5:04 p.m. Dec. 29 on Brooklyn Avenue, Batavia, by Officer Mitchell Cowen.
Kenneth J. Wolter, 45, of Watson Street, Batavia, is charged with unreasonable noise. Wolter was allegedly playing music an unreasonable level at 10:37 p.m. Dec. 30 and he refused repeated requests to turn it down.
Robert Ernest Saari, 34, of Meiser Road, Corfu, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. Saari allegedly failed to appear in City Court on a traffic violation. Saari posted cash bail and was released.
Melvin J. Swanson, 60, of Main Road, Pembroke, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to obey traffic control device and open container. Swanson was stopped at 1:58 a.m. Friday on South Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Mitchell Cowen.
Press release:
United Memorial Medical Center is pleased to congratulate Gregory and Odilia Rebeca Coffta on the birth of their daughter, Emilia Noemi, the first baby to be born in Genesee County in 2016. Emilia was born at 8:03 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 1. She weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces and was 19 ¾ inches in length. Emilia is the couple’s first child. She was delivered by certified midwife, Kim Danser, CNM, of the Women’s Care Center at United Memorial.
Emilia’s parents recently purchased a new family home in the City of Batavia where they are residing. Mr. Coffta is a teacher of English as a New Language (ESL) in the Williamsville Central School District. Mrs. Coffta is the statewide data coordinator for Migrant Education.
Emilia is the first grandchild for Jim and Christine Coffta. of Oakfield, and the first granddaughter for Hector and Lety Recinos, of Guatemala City, Guatemala.
The happy parents stated that their birth experience at United Memorial was, “Just fantastic. We want to thank the nurses Bonnie, Natalie, Janet, -- really everyone. We received so much support throughout everything, especially with breastfeeding.”
“As a new mother, it’s nice to know we can trust our care providers,” continued Mrs. Coffta.
As the New Year’s baby, Emilia and her parents received a $200 gift card from United Memorial.
A one-car accident is reported in the area of 2224 Lewiston Road, Alabama.
A person reportedly suffered a back injury.
Alabama Fire and Mercy EMS responding.
UPDATE 11:03 a.m.: Alabama is back in service.
A fire is reported at an unoccupied house (People live there, but they aren't home.) at 1137 Molasses Hill Road at the corner of Chaddock Road. Flames are showing. It has gone to a second alarm. Alexander Fire Department is responding, along with mutual aid from the Town of Batavia, Town of Batavia's FAST Team, Bethany, Darien and Pavilion. Darien is also asked to fill in at Alexander's fire hall.
UPDATE 6:23 p.m.: A first responder on scene reports the location is probably in Bethany's fire district.
UPDATE 6:26 p.m.: Attica is also called to respond. A propane tank is exposed to the fire.
UPDATE 6:37 p.m.: Stafford is asked to fill in at Bethany's fire hall. Command says the flames have gone through the second floor of the structure.
UPDATE 6:40 p.m.: All tankers responding are told to come to the scene via Silver Road. That's Silver Road to Chaddock.
UPDATE 7:33 p.m.: Fire is out. Overhauling. Wyoming Correctional Facility requested to provide inmates for assistance. Mercy medics on scene in case needed.
UPDATE 7:43 p.m.: The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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UPDATE: Two additional photos submitted by Glenn Adams.
Up until recently it has not felt at all like winter. It has just seemed like an extended fall season. But as you know, shortly after Christmas the cold and snow returned.
Well it is now officially winter, by the calendar, by the feel of the ice and snow and by the return of the snowy owls to the Genesee County Airport. The owls have not been seen here this season until the last couple days. Their arrival is two months later than last year's visit. One can assume that they also did not feel winter was upon us until recently either.
Pictured below, a female snowy owl.
A 29-year-old parolee in Le Roy was hospitalized early Saturday morning after being stabbed, according to Le Roy PD.
No arrest has been made in the case and it's currently under investigation.
The stabbing was reported at 1:19 a.m. on Lake Street in the Village.
Investigators are trying to determine the circumstances of the stabbing.
The parolee suffered a stab wound to his or her abdomen.
No further information is available at this time.
A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported at 10764 East Road, Bethany. There are believed to be no injuries, but a person is trapped on the passenger side. Bethany fire and medics are responding.
UPDATE 2:01 p.m.: The patient was a sign off. The assignment is back in service.
Darien Fire Department is called to respond to the possible rekindle of the trailer fire at 9590 Simonds Road, on the Miller dairy farm.
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The bear story also became the most viewed story in the history of The Batavian.
We served up 9.4 million page views in 2015 across 5.86 million user sessions (site visits).
News and feature photos from 2015. To purchase prints, click here.
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Photo from last night's fireworks show in Le Roy submitted by Dylan Brew.
Woodward Memorial Library clerks Samantha Bortle, left, and Trisha Riggi, center, are pictured at the circulation desk with Children and Teen Librarian Betsy Halvorsen.
If you have an overdue library book or DVD, then Woodward Memorial Library has a deal for you.
The Le Roy library will begin the new year with back-to-back fine forgiveness weeks.
During the first week — from Monday through this Saturday, Jan. 9 — patrons will not be fined for returning overdue Woodward Library materials.
The library cannot waive fines on books from other libraries, or outstanding fines on previously returned books.
But anyone with an existing fine on their account, should be patient — because the library will trade “Food for Fines” during the second week of January. The library will forgive $1 in previously existing fines for every nonperishable food item donated to the library from Jan. 11-16.
The library will trade up to $20 in fines per account.
Patrons are advised to bring donated food to the library circulation desk, rather than the outdoor drop-off box, to receive credit.
Of course, food donations are welcome even if no fines are owed. All the donated food will be given to the Le Roy Food Pantry.
This is the second year the library has offered a fine-forgiveness week.
Betsy Halvorsen, children and teen librarian, said she’s not sure exactly how many long-overdue library items have worked their way into private collections over the years.
“But it’s a lot,” Halvorsen said. “There are things that have been gone so long they’re assumed lost.”
When that happens, usually after three months, the replacement cost is charged to the patron’s account.
“It’s easy for stuff to get mixed into your own collection, especially DVDs,” said Samantha Bortle, library clerk. “Then there’s this mindset, ‘It would cost me as much to buy it, as it would to return it.’ ”
So beginning Monday, getting back in the library’s good graces will make good financial sense.
Woodward Memorial Library, 7 Wolcott St., is open from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays; and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. For information call (585) 768-8300.
A two-car accident with injuries is reported at Oak Orchard Road and North Byron Road, Elba.
Elba fire, Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 4:03 p.m.: Extrication is required.
UPDATE 4:25 p.m.: A second ambulance is requested to the scene.
An 11-year-old child apparently suffered a broken leg in a snowmobile accident in the area of Smithley Road, Darien.
Darien fire and ambulance responding. Alexander fire requested mutual aid with its Gator.
UPDATE 2:44 p.m.: A landing zone has been established for Mercy Flight.
UPDATE 3:10 p.m.: Mercy Flight in route to Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo.
The new year kicked off with something that looked a bit like winter this morning as Batavia got hit by a mild lake effect snowstorm.
A two-car, head-on collision, is reported at Lewiston and Galloway roads. Injuries are minor. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. (This was originally dispatched as being at Lewiston and Fisher roads, Oakfield.)
UPDATE 5:30 p.m.: The accident report has been released. Vehicle 1 was driving by James Carl Malone, 18, of Varysburg. Vehicle 2 was driving by Andrew K. Hollfelder, 18, of Oakfield. Malone was southbound and lost control of vehicle 1, a 2005 Chevy sedan, and spun in his lane of traffic. Vehicle 2, a 2011 chevy sedan, hit vehicle 1 head on. Both vehicles are owned by Malone. Stacy Hollfelder, 18, was injured in the crash and transported to UMMC. Malone was cited for alleged speed not reasonable and prudent. Andrew Hollfelder was cited for allegedly following too closely.
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