Stories from

The Batavia Blue Devils have been selected to play a game the opening weekend of the high school football season in the Carrier Dome Classic, an annual event that brings in football teams from all over the state, Head Coach Brennan Briggs said this morning.

The exact time and date of the game -- either Sept. 1 or Sept 2 -- has not been determined yet, nor has an opponent for the Blue Devils been selected yet. It will likely be a Class B or Class A team out of Section IV, Briggs said.

Batavia was selected after Briggs applied for a slot in the classic a year ago.

"I'm excited for the kids," Briggs said. "It should be a blast. It's exciting for them."

The Carrier Dome Classic also puts the Batavia program on a bigger statewide stage, Briggs said. It will give people from all over the state a chance to see what Batavia football is all about.

Many of this year's team members were able to play a regional championship game in 2016 in New Era in Buffalo, home of the Buffalo Bills, so a game in the Carrier Dome is another nice highlight to their high school football careers.

"There are not too many times you get a chance to play both at New Era and the Carrier Dome," Briggs said. "It's pretty sweet."

The Carrier Dome also hosts the state championships, so Briggs said, that yes, indeed, at some point during the year he can use "get back to the Carrier Dome" to help motivate his team. It might inspire the players to dream big.

But the 2017 season is going present challenges each week, Briggs said. Besides what will certainly be a tough opponent in week one, week two is a home game against perennial Monroe County powerhouse Aquinas. The whole schedule for the three-peat Section V champions is likely to be stacked with tough opponents, Briggs said. Honeoye Falls-Lima has been moved to Class B and schools such as Geneva, Hornell and Livonia are always tough.  

"It will be a stacked deck," Briggs said.

Possible injuries are reported in a two-car crash in the area of 3757 Pearl Street Road, Batavia.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS responding

UPDATE 6:33 p.m.: One of the engines responding is told to come in non-emergency.

UPDATE 6:36 p.m.: Engine 20 can go back in service.

Terrance Johnson appeared for sentencing in Genesee County Court this afternoon on a robbery conviction.

Johnson was arrested last May for first-degree robbery after being released from a four-month term in the Genesee County Jail for a gang assault in Batavia.

Neither the district attorney nor Johnson’s defense took the opportunity to speak before sentencing; however, Johnson took the chance to casually express that he was “happy to get this out of the way,” but never taking responsibility or expressing an apology to the victim for his actions.

Johnson was smiling for most of the appearance, glancing and mouthing things to members of the gallery and even laughed to himself several times.

He was sentenced to two years in state prison to be followed by three years post-release supervision and was issued orders of protection for two individuals.

Via our news partner, WBTA.

Pictured at the Jr./Sr. High School (front, l-r) National Geographic Bee are winner Andrew Parnapy and runner-up Richard Denson, with (back, l-r) Social Studies teachers Aaron Clark, Nick Muhlenkamp and Ken Gropp.

Press release:

The local levels of the National Geographic Society's Geographic Bee were held in Byron-Bergen schools on Jan. 5. At the Jr./Sr. High School, 25 Byron-Bergen seventh- and eighth-grade students were invited to participate, based on the results of a written test taken in December. They all took part in the preliminary rounds, with the winners — Sadie Cook, Richard Denson, Josh Flemming, Colby Leggo, Andrew Parnapy, Josh Swapceinski, Corden Zimmerman, and Matthew Zwerka — competing in the finals.

The top two contestants, eighth-graders Andrew Parnapy and last year’s winner Richard Denson, went on to match wits in the Championship Round. After answering three challenging questions correctly, Parnapy was declared the 2017 National Geographic Bee champion. He received a medal and a $35 Amazon.com gift card. Runner-up Denson also received a $20 gift card.

The next step for geography expert Parnapy is another written test. If his score is among the highest in the State, he will be invited to the New York State-level Bee. The winner from each state competes in the National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., hosted by Alex Trebek.

At the Elementary School, students from grades 4-6 qualified for the Bee by achieving the highest scores on a written test taken in December. Student participants were: Jack Benstead, Dayanara Caballero, Cameron Carlson, Caris Carlson, Braedyn Chambry, Noah Clare, Evan Cuba, Kendan Dressler, Gianni Ferrara, Emily Henry, Frank Hersom, Eli Kupfer, Jackson Lundfelt, Stephanie Onderdonk, Elizabeth Piper, Brilyn Rebisz, Quintin Rich, Zoey Shepard, Andrew Zimmerman and Nicholas Zwerka.

The Elementary School’s 2017 National Geographic Bee champion is sixth-grader Nicholas Zwerka. The runner-up is fellow sixth-grader Cameron Carlson. Zwerka, like Parnapy, also moves forward in the competition.

The National Geographic Bee is an annual competition organized by the National Geographic Society, designed to inspire and reward students' curiosity about the world. Each year, thousands of schools across the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee, competing for college scholarships and the glory of being the National Geographic Bee Champion.

National Geographic Bee champion at the Elementary School is Nicholas Zwerka, with runner-up Cameron Carlson.

Press release:

Seven recent graduates returned to the Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School in January to give current seniors a glimpse of life beyond graduation. The alumni met with school administrators and favorite teachers, but the greater portion of their day was spent speaking directly with students to help them prepare for the future.

Graduates Kristen Bailey (2014), Celeste Brownell (2016), Bethany Ezard (2016), Allison Kropf (2016), Ashley Montgomery (2016), Brittany Merrell (2014), and Jake Prospero (2016) were honored guests at a special luncheon, and then took part in an Alumni Panel presentation. The panel faced questions about their first year at college and away from home: how to adapt; the perils of being independent; and how to balance college and a job. Students wondered what alumni wished they had learned in high school, like managing time and money, study skills, and balancing work with play.

The visitors all agreed that the first year after high school was a reality check that made them appreciate their parents more. They advised students to learn the requirements for their career majors, and to listen to teachers “because they actually know what they are talking about.” They encouraged students to really put themselves out there, using all the support opportunities and participating in all the activities their colleges have to offer.

They credited AP classes, along with many of their teachers and counselors, with helping them prepare for life after high school. They also agreed strongly that the District’s expansion of technology and business courses will be a great benefit to future grads.

At the conclusion of the presentation, High School Principal Patrick McGee announced a new Byron-Bergen tradition: The Commitment to Graduation Gown. Each senior signed the maroon graduation gown as a promise to graduate. At the end of the year, students will choose the teacher who had the strongest influence on helping them graduate and will present the gown to that teacher.

Press release:

The “Batavia Pathway to Prosperity” (BP2), the program created through an inter-municipal agreement between the City of Batavia, Genesee County, the Batavia City School District, the Batavia Development Corporation (BDC) and the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) was showcased at the annual conference of the New York State Economic Development Council in Albany on Jan. 18.

Batavia City Manager Jason Molino, GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde, GCEDC Vice President Chris Suozzi and GCEDC Marketing Director Rachel Tabelski participated in the presentation at the conference to economic development officials from across New York State.

BP2 was conceived to pool resources in order to invest in distressed areas in the City of Batavia. The BP2 program will be implemented though PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) increment financing (PIF), referred to as the “BP2 fund,” the first of its kind in New York State where all local taxing jurisdictions are participating. B2P is supported by the redirection of 50 percent of new project PILOT payments.  

“This was a great opportunity to showcase what is really a unique economic development partnership that we hope other cities like Batavia could implement in partnership with their respective economic development agencies,” Molino said. “The Batavia Development Corporation is playing a key role in leading economic development efforts for the city and as a liaison with the GCEDC and others involved in this partnership.”

“The B2P initiative demonstrates the continued collaboration between the public and private sectors in Genesee County,” said Julie Pacatte, B2P economic coordinator. “It’s extraordinary that all levels of government in Genesee County recognize the importance and priority for the economic well-being of the city of Batavia. It’s a partnership that has already shown early returns.”

The first project to be supported by the B2P program is the $15 million redevelopment of the Ellicott Station site in Batavia. The development will include mixed-use residential, office and retail spaces; a brewery; small beverage warehouse and hops processing facility; entertainment and event area; outside seating; and integration of the new Ellicott Trail pedestrian pathway. The development is expected to create up to approximately 60 – 120 new jobs and approximately 120 jobs during construction. The developer is Savarino Companies in Buffalo.

 “The B2P will help our agency market and attract investment to the most economically distressed areas of the city,” Hyde said. “Through the Ellicott Station development, we have a tangible project to demonstrate the benefits of the B2P program to others interested in development opportunities in Batavia and Genesee County.”

To learn more about the City of Batavia’s Brownfield Opportunity Area, visit www.bataviaopportunity.com.

The newly implemented pistol permit recertification process in New York has guns owners worried about what the state is up to and more than a dozen gun owners attended Tuesday's Public Service Committee Meeting to hear County Clerk Michael Cianfrini update the legislature on the county's role in the process.

In short, the county has no role.

This is a State Police process, Cianfrini said.

Recertification requires gun owners with pistol permits acquired before Jan. 15, 2013 to fill out a form with information about themselves and their pistols and submit it to the NYSP (there is an online form for this). For those gun owners required to recertify, they must complete the application before the end of January, 2018.

The recertification requirement was part of the SAFE Act and it's taken the state these past couple of years to come up with a system for implementing it.

Gun owners don't trust the state or the process, said Bill Fox, president of Genesee County SCOPE (Shooters Commitee on Political Education).

"I don't trust them for the simple reason there is no reason to trust them," Fox said.

For one thing, Fox said it doesn't seem like the state is entirely transparent about the recertification process. He alleges there is a secret mental health database the state isn't disclosing that can be used to deny recertification.

The other criteria the state might use to deny recertification isn't clear, he said.

And if a gun owner is denied recertification, he said, the state can use that denial as an excuse to take all of a person's long guns as well.

"That's written right into the law," Fox said.

Fox indicated it would actually be better if recertificate was handled at the county level.

"That way, if there was a problem, I could just go into Mike and straighten it out," he said.

The process is easier and more transparent in Pennsylvania, Fox said.

Cianfrini said the only role for the county is in assisting gun owners in obtaining records and making sure they're accurate to help make the recertification process easier for the gun owner.

A Batavia man with no permanent residence has been arrested in connection with a burglary this week of the Rancho Viejo restaurant at 12 Ellicott St., Batavia.

Andrew Kosiorek, 44, has been charged with burglary, 3rd.

Police allege that Kosiorek broke into the business twice in the early morning hours of Saturday.

No information has been released on what if anything was stolen.

Kosiorek was arraigned in City Court and jailed without bail.

The investigation was handled by Det. Thad Mart.

The death of Kyeongseop Woodhams, the South Korean man living in Batavia whose body was found in the water at DeWitt Recreational Area in September, has been ruled a suicide.

Batavia PD released the result of the Erie County Medical Examiner's report this morning and said given the nature of the death it would not be offering further information or commenting on the case.

Press release:

The Holland Purchase Historical Society & Holland Land Office Museum are proud to announce the hiring of the new full-time Executive Director, Ryan Duffy, formerly of Eden, New York.

Ryan received his BA in History from St. Bonaventure University. He received a master's degree in History from Bowling Green University and a Master's Certificate in Museum Studies from SUNY Buffalo State College. His museum experience will advance the quality of the Holland Land Office’s exhibits, collection and programs.

While at Bowling Green, he was the assistant editor of The Northwest Ohio History Journal. Publications include, “Trouble Along The Border: U.S. & Mexican Relations In The Nineteenth Century.”

Duffy worked at The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Museum in Buffalo, was a tour guide at Canal Side for Buffalo History Tours, and has been a substitute teacher at Eden Junior High and Bishop Timon /St. Jude High School.

As a volunteer, Ryan organized the collections for the Eden Town Historian and the Eden Historical Society and served as a board member on the Town of Eden Historic Review Board. His other interests include studying the American Civil War and the Gilded Age.

The Board of Directors looks forward to Ryan’s leadership and expertise taking Genesee County’s history museum into the future. A Meet & Greet will be announced and HLOM members and the community will be invited to meet the new director.

Eric Keith Ricks, 38, of Ellicott Street Road, Batavia, is charged with obstructing governmental administration, 2nd, aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, driving on a suspended registration and driving without insurance. Ricks was stopped at 5:22 p.m. Jan. 11 on Swan Street, Batavia, by Officer Chad Richards. During the traffic stop, Ricks allegedly became confrontational with police and refused to obey verbal commands. He was then taken into custody without further incident.

Sadie D. Waala, 25, of Colonial Boulevard, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding and failure to yield right of way to an emergency vehicle. Waala was stopped at 2:25 a.m. Sunday on West Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Dustin W. Bogue, 34, of Sunset Parkway, Oakfield, is charged with trespass, 2nd. Bogue is accused of refusing to leave a residence at 10:55 p.m., Sunday.

Timothy J. Wood Sr., 27, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Wood allegedly struck another person during an argument reported at 5 p.m., Jan. 9.

Shane K. Borton, 44, of Chase Park, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Borton is accused of hitting another person during an argument, reported at 2:31 p.m., Friday.

James M. Spangler II, 40, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Spangler allegedly violated an order of protection by mailing a letter to the protected party.

Jonathan S. Cassidy, 45, of Highland Park, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear.

Rorbert L. Jordan, 70, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Jordan allegedly stole a King Size Reese's Cup from the Kwik Fill at 99 Jackson St. at 6:19 p.m., Jan. 1.

Adam L. Rumley, 26, of Batavia, is charged with aggravated DWI and multiple traffic violations. Rumley was stopped by State Police on the Thruway at 10:22 p.m., Sunday. He allegedly had a BAC of .22.

Linda Ann Martin, 64, of McKinley Avenue, Batavia, is charged with offering a false instrument for filing, 2nd. Martin is accused of claiming she did not make a bank transaction in August 2015.

Ryan James Emery, 19, of Main Street, Oakfield, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Emery was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for an equipment violation at 8:35 p.m., Saturday. He was allegedly found in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia by Deputy Richard Schildwaster.

An Oakfield resident spent a couple of cold hours in his crashed car in a field off Maple Road in Alabama early Saturday morning when a friend who went looking for him couldn't find him.

It's unclear at what point he called 9-1-1, but at that point, emergency dispatchers were able to locate him based on his mobile phone signal.

The driver's friend and State Police were already on scene when Alabama fire and Mercy EMS arrived, said Chief Gary Patnode.

The driver is identified by State Police as Jerald E. Bliemeister, 46. He was driving a 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser when he suffered a medical emergency. The accident was reported at 12:20 a.m.

His car was westbound on Townline Road and he drove through the T-intersection at Maple Road and came to rest about 300 feet in a farm field. State Police said the vehicle struck a mailbox, fence and snow fence.

The car apparently became airborne at some point, Patnode said.

The ground was frozen, which made rescue operations a little easier, Patnode said.

"It was frozen enough to support a pickup, so I drove my pickup out there with a Stokes basket, so we were able to get him out," Patnode said. "We thought about calling in East Pembroke's new gator, but the medics were eager to get him out because he had been out there so long. He might have suffered a little exposure."

Bliemeister apparently suffered broken ankles but was otherwise believed to be OK.

Press release:

The Genesee Community College’s Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) Program and Genesee County Youth Bureau are partnering to offer Genesee County sophomores, juniors and seniors the Genesee County Youth Lead Program. 

We are currently recruiting our fifth class and are looking for 15 youth representing our nine high schools who would like to improve their leadership skills and expand their knowledge of the community and resources therein. Genesee Youth Lead is designed to help our youth assess their strengths, weaknesses and potential for personal and intellectual growth. We provide the opportunity for students to develop their leadership skills by being a part of a team, the community and by hands-on learning within the county. This fall students were able to take field trips, speak directly with government officials, and so much more.

The Youth Lead Program will take place at Genesee Community College & Genesee County Youth Bureau beginning March 18th at GCC with a Meet & Greet and then class to follow. The class sessions are 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturdays; March 18, 25 and April 1, 8, 22, 29, and May 6 and 13. The program will cost $55 and the students will earn one college credit through Genesee Community College. The areas of the community to be explored during the fall program are Government & Law Enforcement, Health & Human Services, and Agriculture. If there is an economic hardship please contact the Genesee County Youth Bureau. 

Applications for the program will only be accepted until Feb. 24th and can be found at:http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/youthbureau/. Please contact Chelsea at the Genesee County Youth Bureau with questions at (585)344-3960 or at Chelsea.Elliott@co.genesee.ny.us.

The Business of the Year for Genesee County is Liberty Pumps, the Chamber of Commerce has announced.

Other award winners in the 45th annual slate of top local businesses and community members are:

• Foxprowl Collectables, Entrepreneurial Business of the Year
• Stein Farms, Agricultural Business of the Year
• Red Osier Restaurant, Special Service Recognition
• Steve and Lisa Grice, Geneseeans of the Year

The awards will be presented March 4 at a dinner and ceremony at Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road, Batavia. The evening begins at 4:30 with hors d'oeuvres, entree tables and a cash bar. The awards program starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person or $450 for a table of 10.

File photo

UPDATED 8:50 p.m.

A plane owned by Zeliff Aviation skidded off a runway while trying to land at an airport in Livingston County, Mich., today and according to news reports from the area, the pilot suffered only minor injuries.

The pilot was Pete Zeliff, owner of p.w. minor and a member of the Genesee County Economic Development Center Board of Directors. Zeliff is avid about aviation and owns planes and a helicopter, which are located at the Genesee County Airport. He annually sponsors an aviation summer camp at the airport for young people.

According to patient information at the University of Michigan Hospital, Zeliff is undergoing treatment but has not been admitted. A source said he was being kept for observation but is OK.

According to reports, Zeliff was attempting to land a Cessna 525C Citation at Howell-Livingston County Airport just before noon. The plane was unable to stop on the runway and it crashed through a barrier and across a roadway. The wings were torn off and the fuselage came to rest upside down.

One of the witnesses and first on the scene was a local mayor, Nick Proctor, who said he talked with the pilot and was told Zeliff had not been alerted to icy conditions on the runway before attempting to land.

Zeliff is active in the community on several fronts and rescued p.w. minor from almost certain closure a couple of years ago. He's invested heavily in the company since, created dozens of new jobs, returned manufacturing from China, and is helping to get a new retail shoe store open downtown. He also developed a subdivision of homes on the east end of Town of Batavia off of Route 5 called Oakmont.

Jennifer Lynn Greck, 47, of Seven Springs Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 3rd. Greck allegedly damaged a room door of a motel on West Main Street Road, Batavia, at 6:53 a.m. Saturday. The case was investigated by Deputy Jenna Ferrando.

Joshua Miguel Laureano, 26, of Cumberland Avenue, South Buffalo, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, driving while on a mobile phone, aggravated unlicensed operation and unsafe tires. Laureano was stopped at 7:07 p.m. Saturday on Bloomingdale Road, Alabama, by Deputy Eric Meyer.

Hannah Marie Zuppa, 19, of Main Road, Pembroke, is charged with two counts of petit larceny. Zuppa is accused of thefts from a location on Judge Road, Alabama.

In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, groups all over are engaging in MLK Day of Service activities, and in Batavia, Americorps and Zonta Club of Batavia came together in the Senior Center this morning to work on a couple of charitable projects.

Volunteers created birthing kits to be shipped to women in Africa and they created book bundles to give to needy children.

Conditions were just right this afternoon for a group of young hockey players to get some practice time in at the outdoor skating rink at DeWitt Recreation Area.

Marc Marcello, Jay Beaumont and Jon Marcello, owners of the Smokin' Eagle BBQ & Brew in Le Roy were at the bridal show at Terry Hills today with their microbrew, Rogers Beer.

The story of Rogers Beer begins about seven years ago with Al Rogers, a brewer in Rochester who started his own brewery, eventually selling his beer in 12 Wegmans and 30 bars and restaurants in the region.

After the birth of a second child, he needed to give up his sideline business and he walked into 58 Main in Brockport and told Marc Marcello he was giving up the business.

"He delivered the news he was walking away from it and my brother wouldn’t take that for an answer," Jon Marcello said. "We got together and over a few lunch sessions with Jay and Marc, we put an offer in and he accepted. A few days later he called and asked if he could stay on a brewmaster and we told him, 'we don’t know how to make the beer, so that’s perfect.' "

Rogers Beer is now based in Le Roy, though the beer is currently brewed at a facility in Honeoye Falls, but Jon said the goal is to build up the business enough to open a brewery in Le Roy.

The beer is made with 20-percent New York ingredients with the goal of achieving 100-percent New York-grown ingredients within five years.

The five flavors of beer are all on tap on the Smokin' Eagle and at 58 Main and 22-ounce bottles can be purchased for carryout. 

The dog icons on the menu below were all drawn by a local artist featuring dogs from Le Roy.

There will be a kickoff party sometime in February at the Smokin' Eagle for the newly based in Le Roy Rogers Beer. Watch The Batavian for details.