Photo and information from reader Wyatt Gaus:

This Friday (Aug. 23), Wyatt Gaus (who's wearing the sash in the photo with all the badges on it), will hold a can and bottle drive at 11 a.m. to benefit the community.

The event is part of Wyatt's Eagle Scout project and he plans to use money raised to refurbish fire hydrants in the Town of Batavia.

They will start behind Denny's restaurant on Bogue Avenue in the City of Batavia; citizens are welcome to drop off cans or bottles at that location. Someone will be there to accept drop-offs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow.

He and fellow Boy Scouts will canvass Bogue Avenue, Redfield Parkway, then walk over to North Lyon Street. Depending on how much time they have and how many cans and bottles they collect, they may go on Prospect Avenue, too.

Over the years, Town of Batavia leaders have overseen significant economic development in their municipality and, with that, have had to add professional staff to handle all of the negotiations, inspections, engineering studies and paperwork that comes with it.

On Wednesday night, the Town Board -- realizing that its employees are in need of more space to perform their jobs in a most efficient manner -- voted to contract with a Batavia design firm to provide a floor plan and elevations for a building that would connect Town Hall to the adjacent Town Highway garage at 3833 W. Main Street Road.

“We’ve been looking at this since 2012; even back then we knew we were short of space,” said Town Supervisor Gregory Post following the meeting. “We have three times the staff that we had when the building was constructed (2001-2002) … and now we’re left with a situation where seven employees are working in a room not much bigger than my living room.”

Post said he is expecting to receive renderings from Design & Drafting by Gina LLC, of Seven Springs Road as part of the contract, which calls for the town to pay the firm $60 per hour up to a maximum of $2,500.

He explained that the current building was supposed to have a full basement – which didn’t happen – and “lost 50 percent of its anticipated floor space during construction.”

“This is turning out to be a different concept than originally thought of (a freestanding addition), but we realized that our efficiencies could be enhanced by connecting Town Hall with the highway garage,” he said. “We will save in energy costs and create new office space within the connecting building.”

In other action, the board:

-- Set a public hearing for 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at Town Hall to consider the establishment and construction of a proposed Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park Sewer Improvement Area on East Main Street Road and the vicinity.

Post said that if the sewer improvement area comes to pass, rates would be established fairly by usage, with businesses in the Agri-Business Park (such as HP Hood and Upstate Milk) along with residents within its boundaries sharing in the costs.

The resolution states that the engineering firm of Clark Patterson Lee has already prepared a preliminary map, plan and report for the project, which calls for the installation of larger sanitary sewer pumps, electrical upgrades, installation of a new generator and other improvements.

The Town plans to pay the $400,000 project cost by the issuance of serial bonds -- offset by any federal, state, county and/or local funds received.

-- Voted to pay an additional $37,626 to Keeler Construction for unanticipated work during the construction of a new pedestrian bridge over the Tonawanda Creek as part of the Ellicott Trail Project.

According to the resolution, it was discovered that driving steel piles for the bridge abutment would have required temporary relocation of the overhead electric lines at an estimated cost of approximately $90,000, according to National Grid.

Keeler, to avoid this charge, revised the design to allow the use of drilled king piles to support the bridge at the reduced cost.

Post said work continues on Ellicott Trail, which is expected to open by the end of October.

-- Reappointed Rhonda Saulsbury as the Town Assessor for another six-year term, beginning Oct. 1 and ending Sept. 30, 2025.

A two-vehicle accident is reported at Oak Street and Richmond Avenue in the city. No injuries. It is blocking traffic. City PD and fire responding.

From City of Batavia Department of Public Works:

On Thursday, Aug. 22, the water will be turned off on Walnut Street from number 101 to the city line and all of Law Street starting at 8 a.m. for a water line repair.

The work may result in a period of discolored water in this general area after service is restored. Residents should check to make sure water clarity has returned before resuming activities such as laundry which may be impacted.

An animal control officer for Batavia Police Departmart is called to the parking lot by the UMMC Emergency Room for a dog showing signs of heat stress.

An EMS technician removed the dog from the vehicle after finding it locked inside. The rescuer is out with the canine awaiting the officer's arrival.

According to the National Weather Service, it's mostly sunny and 79 degrees in Batavia.

File photo. Story by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.

TeeSean Ayala, 20, of Batavia, was sentenced this morning in Genesee County Court to five years in prison and five years post-release supervision.​ Ayala will also pay $9,987.98 in restitution to his victims.

Orders of Protection were issued for the families affected and Ayala is not allowed to possess any guns.​

In May, Ayala pled guilty to one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the second-degree, a plea which satisfies seven other residential burglary charges, one dating back to 2015.​

The weapons charge is a class C violent felony; Ayala faced three to 15 years in prison.​

Ayala's attorney, Richard Shaw, told the court that Ayala has been bounced around between his mom and dad and has had a tough upbringing. He has an older brother in prison and has a drug issue now after taking a year off after graduating from high school.

He once had a basketball scholarship to the University of Buffalo.​

"He wants to be a positive role model, he made poor decisions based on his older brother. He has no prior convictions," says Shaw.​

Before sentencing, Ayala thanked Judge Charles Zambito for the chance to see his baby being born and then apologized to the families that were affected in the burglaries.​

"I'm sorry and I apologize to the families I have hurt, I take responsibilty for my actions," Ayala said.​ "I know this looks bad, but I'm not a bad kid and I apologize for going through all this.

"Being in jail the last nine months, it has been hard for me, I just want to be with my son. Whatever you give me, you are not going to be dissappointed, I want to be a good member of the community."​

On Nov. 15, Ayala turned into a driveway on Washington Avenue, which coincidentally was the County Manager's residence, and according to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, a .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol was thrown from the vehicle.

Ayala was in possession of a stolen handgun that had a defaced serial number in the vehicle during the traffic stop. His 14-year-old brother was in the vehicle at the time.​

He was later charged in a series of burglaries that occurred in the towns of Batavia and Stafford last fall.

After reading the victim's statements they expressed concern, Zambito told Ayala that "they expressed concern for their sense of security, but the worst part is, it was you and they trusted you."​

"You had plenty of opportunities," Zambito reminded the young man. "You were placed on probation, people and schools have tried to help you, you had a great opportunity going to UB and playing basketball and getting an education, that didn't happen and I don't know why."

In an Aug. 1st court appearance, the judge allowed Ayala to go home to be around for the birth of his child in exchange for cooperating with prosecutors.

Ayala has been an inmate at the Genesee County Jail since his arrest last November.

After sentencing, Ayala kissed his fiancée and their newly born baby goodbye. After hugging his mom, he was taken into custody by court deputies.

Judge Zambito wished him luck as he exited the courtroom.​

Here's a photo sent in by reader Chris Drew of the new Pratt Road Bridge over Tonawanda Creek in Pembroke.

With much to be done before next week’s ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house, Tuesday was not the time for a photo shoot of the soon-to-be-ready Liberty Center for Youth at the corner of Liberty Street and Central Avenue.

But it was an appropriate time for the major players in the project – Jocelyn Sikorski, Jeff Townsend and Rachel Hale – to give this reporter an inside look at what kids can expect when school begins on Sept. 4.

“We’re about 40 to 50 percent done (with the extensive renovations),” said Sikorski, executive director of the City of Batavia Youth Bureau, admitting to being somewhat weary from taking part in the move from the old youth bureau building on MacArthur Drive.

Sikorski also shared her excitement as the partnership between the City of Batavia and the Genesee Area Family YMCA (which evolved under the working title of Teen City) is ready to bear fruit at the former St. Anthony’s School, property which is owned by City Church.

“We’re really pleased with the way things are going,” she said. “This is going to be great for the kids.”

She was joined on the tour by Townsend, district executive director of the GLOW YMCA Inc., and Rachel Hale, the YMCA’s community development director.

The Liberty Center for Youth has a lot to offer for students from the ages of 9-16. Hours will be 2:30 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday during the school year and 1 to 6 p.m. during the summer.

The first floor will feature a tech center, video gaming room, four square room, table game room, boys and girls bathrooms, and cafeteria -- with stairs to the second floor located on both sides of the cafeteria.

A lift (elevator) also has been added per the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is located in an area that used to be the school’s kitchen.

Other ADA-required modifications include the placement of 28 security cameras inside and outside, and new doors and a ramp on the Central Avenue side of the building.

-- The tech center (25-foot by 20-foot) will offer 10 computer stations – five of them donated by Marchese Computer Products – along with tables for work space in what used to be the St. Anthony’s School library.

A smart board will be attached to one of the walls and computer tablets will be available for use by students. The room also will support activities such as job/life skills seminars and is designed for youth to interact on a 1:1 basis with staff or to work quietly in small groups.

-- The cafeteria (70x60) has been completely gutted and renovated, and is equipped with round tables and chairs. It will function as a room for arts & crafts, board games and team building and where kids can have their snacks.

“You can call this the ‘Blue Room’,” Sikorski said, noting the couple shades of blue paint on the wall.

This is where all the children will reconvene at the end of each day, around 5:30 p.m., to make sure everyone is accounted for during cleanup time, Sikorski said.

-- The video gaming room (12x20) and four square room (20x20) are located behind the south wall of the cafeteria and provide further entertainment.

A flat screen TV and gaming systems will be available on a rotating basis for a predetermined amount of time, with the equipment under lock and key.

The four square room is ready to go, with the rules prominently displayed on one of the walls.

-- The carpeted table game room (20x27) is across the hall from the cafeteria. It will offer pool, ping-pong, air hockey, foosball and more.

The second floor holds the check-in station and a large gymnasium (basketball court) that can be used for volleyball, floor hockey and other group activities.

Hale, who during an internship donated hundreds of hours writing grants and setting up the curriculum, said the youth center received an abundance of sports equipment and games through the Ralph Wilson Legacy Fund and the Rochester Community Health Foundation.

Students will enter through the main doors on the Liberty Street side of the building and immediately be “checked-in” at the window of a small office, which also can be used for one-on-one discussion, parental meetings and as a space for those with additional social needs.

After check-in, kids go directly into the gymnasium and from there can go downstairs if they wish.

The Liberty Center for Youth project has been the beneficiary of numerous grants, led by a $100,000 pledge from the Genesee United Way. The City and YMCA have entered into a lease agreement with owner City Church.

Hale said the success of the joint venture is a proud achievement for the community.

“It’s encouraging to watch these two entities come together … to create that space for individuals,” she said. “I’m very excited to see what will become of this new youth center.”

In preparation for its opening, the Liberty Center for Youth staff has participated in team-building exercises and will undergo CPR and first-aid training, sensitivity training and child abuse indicator training, Sikorski said.

Both Sikorski and Townsend will address the public at the ribbon-cutting ceremony from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29, and will be there later that day (5 to 6:30 p.m.) to greet parents and grandparents at an open house.

Photo at top -- Ready to greet students at the check-in window of the Liberty Center for Youth (former St. Anthony's School) are these friendly faces -- Rachel Hale, left; Jeff Townsend and Jocelyn Sikorski. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Press release:

Don’t miss out! Spots for the GLOW’s 2019 Household Hazardous/Pharmaceutical Waste Collection Event are going fast. Residents who want to dispose of materials at the Saturday, Sept. 14 collection in Batavia must have an appointment in order to attend.

GLOW accepts a wide range of household chemicals, oil-base paint, propane tanks and canisters, vehicle batteries and other materials. For the ninth year, thanks to the assistance of the Genesee County Sheriff’s office, pharmaceuticals (unwanted, outdated, unusable and over-the-counter medicines) will be accepted. These materials are accepted FREE OF CHARGE.

There is a $5 charge for tires.

Funding is provided by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), GLOW’s County contributions and Covanta Energy.

Instead of accepting electronics at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection, as GLOW did for many years, for the second year in a row GLOW will hold a separate Electronics Collection one week later on Sept. 21, also in  Batavia, also by appointment. It will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Due to the cost of electronics disposal there will be a limit of four CRT (tube type) TVs and/or monitors. As long as it is from a household there is no limit on other electronic equipment. Contact the GLOW office for a complete list of acceptable items.

This is a great opportunity for residents to dispose of household chemicals and medicines they no longer want or need.

Past collections have resulted in the safe and legal disposal of thousands of tires, thousands of gallons of solvents, cleaning products and paint, not to mention vehicle batteries, propane tanks and computers.

Whenever possible materials collected are recycled.

The collections are open to residents in Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming counties. To make an appointment residents are asked to call the GLOW office at 585/815-7906 or 800/836-1154. Or email glow@co.genesee.ny.us

Photo and rider information submitted by reader Nancy Ewert.

SYRACUSE -- Katherine Ewert, 13, of Batavia, and her horse Seamus won Grand Champion for the Dressage Young Rider Division for both Training and First Level on Sunday at the New York State Fair.

This was a United States Dressage Federation Schooling Show.

Katherine has been competing in dressage for three years through Genesee County 4-H, two of them at the state level. Last year, she was Reserve Grand Champion in dressage at the NYS Fair.

The middle-schooler has been riding horses since age 10.

About Dressage

The word "dressage" is French, commonly translated to mean "training." It is a highly skilled form of horseback riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an "art" sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. In dressage, horse and rider are expected to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements.

At its best, the horse responds smoothly to a skilled rider's minimal aids. The rider is relaxed and appears effort-free while the horse willingly performs the requested movement.

Rules for it were first published in 1550 by Frederico Grisone, a thousand year after the first treatise "On Horsemanship" by Xenophone.

In modern dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of "tests" -- a prescribed series of movements ridden within a standard arena. Judges evaluate each movement on the basis of an objective standard appropriate to the level of the test and assign each movement a score from zero to 10.

To learn more about dressage, click here.

Submitted photo and press release:

When Lucy Minor stopped by Crossroads House to donate a power wheelchair used by her late husband, Travis, Executive Director Jeff Allen knew there was a value to it far greater than a resale price.

“Some donations are meant to be shared, not sold,” Allen said.

He then reached out to Genesee County Interagency Council, a network of local agencies, which immediately made use of their email network to spread the word.

LeeAnn Mullen contacted Crossroads House to put them in touch with 94-year-old Navy veteran Henry Kisiel, who is contemplating joining Assemblyman Steve Hawley on his 12th Annual Patriot Trip to Washington, D.C., next month.

Kisiel hopes the wheelchair will help overcome some of the logistical obstacles of making the trip.

Assemblyman Hawley joined members of the Minor family who delivered the wheelchair to Kisiel on Monday afternoon.

Kiesel noted that he and Steve’s father served on the Town of Batavia Board together many years ago.

Representative Hawley said that seats are still available for the Sept. 19-22 trip and any veterans interested can inquire by calling Hawley’s office at 585-589-5780.

Pictured are Henry Kisiel in his new chair, along with Steve Hawley, Maddie Minor, Jeff Allen and Mike Minor.

The county Highway Department announced that the Sumner Road bridge over Elevenmile Creek in Darien is now restricted to alternating one-way traffic with a temporary signal. The change took effect yesterday. This bridge is between Route 77 and Harlow Road.

The public will be notified when the road reopens to both lanes of traffic.

The Highway Department also announced that the Caswell Road Bridge between Walkers Corners Road and Cockram Road in Byron will be closed effective Thursday, Aug. 22nd through Oct. 4^th.

A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported at 945 Mammot Road in Darien. The occupants were entrapped, but are now out. Unknown injuries. The vehicle struck a transformer and power is out in the area. The transformer is reportedly on top of the vehicle.

Darien Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. The location is between Harlow and Warner roads.

UPDATE 9:09 a.m.: National Grid has been notified. No ETA.

UPDATE 9:12 a.m.: Pole #995 is intact, but the transformer that was on it was knocked down, a first responder confirms.

UPDATE 9:15 a.m.: A flatbed tow truck is called. A first responder says National Grid should be advised that the guy wires snapped that were attached to the utility pole. The power company has a 25-minute ETA.

UPDATE 9:19 a.m.: No injuries. Mercy medics are back in service.

UPDATE 10:15 a.m.: The Darien assignment is back in service.

Genesee County is becoming a home away from home for representatives of Borrego Solar System LLC, of Lowell, Mass., and the Erdman Anthony engineering firm of Rochester, as more and more requests to build ground-mounted solar farms in this area pop up.

Emilie Flanagan, project developer, and Steve Long, civil engineer, of Borrego were joined by Marc Kenward, engineer from Erdman Anthony, tonight to once again pitch an 8.99-megawatt, 20.45-acre solar farm at 5230 Batavia-Elba Townline Road – farm land owned by Dan Underhill.

Flanagan and Kenward, for the second time in a month, outlined the proposal during a public hearing in front of the Town of Batavia Planning Board. While about 20 people attended the meeting, no one from the public commented on the plan.

After Flanagan repeated her point that the community solar project “feeds electricity back into the grid” and can provide discounts on electric bills to those signing up for the program, Kenward talked about areas addressed by Borrego to meet code and setback requirements.

Kenward said the proposed solar farm will have more frontage than required, is environmentally friendly, includes a 7-foot high chain link fence and, upon completion, will be shielded on one side by 250 6- to 7-foot high trees, split into two rows. Previously, they said the other side will be out of sight since it will be built down slope.

“During construction, there will be about 50 vehicle trips per day,” Kenward said. “Afterward, (there will be) no noise, no traffic and no nighttime lighting.”

The planning board voted unanimously in favor of three items -- seeking lead agency for the State Environmental Quality Review (finding no significant impact on the surrounding area), a special use permit and the site plan.

Approval of the special use permit and site plan are contingent upon final review by town engineers, required plantings in front of the solar panels, filing of a decommissioning bond and addressing any glare issues, should they come up.

Underhill, who was present during the session, said that the solar farm enables him to “diversify a bit” by generating another source of income, but that he still has about 200 acres for farming.

The solar array will be placed on a 52-acre parcel, with 43,355 solar panels aligned in a fenced-in area of 19.94 acres with an additional half acre to be used for an access driveway. It also will include four utility poles.

In other action, the board approved, contingent upon final engineering review, a site plan for Provident Batavia LLC, doing business as SCP Distributors at 4430 W. Saile Drive, to build a 13,000-square-foot (160 by 82) addition, and a site plan for Mark Lewis to erect another freestanding sign at his State Farm Insurance agency at 8331 Lewiston Road.

Photo: Marc Kenward, engineer for Erdman Anthony, provides details of a solar farm project on Batavia-Elba Townline Road as Town of Batavia Planning Board members Lou Paganello, left, and Paul Marchese, and Town Building inspector Daniel Lang look on. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

The Genesee County Grand Jury today indicated a former Rochester parolee for second-degree murder stemming from the June 1 death of Good Samaritan Michael R. Paladino, who was fatally stabbed after coming to the aid of a woman allegedly being beaten on Ross Street by Quinton J. Edmonds (photo above).

The crime Edmonds is accused of is a Class A-1 felony. The indictment alleges that Edmonds intentionally caused Paladino's death.

Paladino, 43, was stabbed outside of his apartment after trying to come to the aid of the woman who was under attack.

Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said after the incident that their investigation indicated that Edmonds was in a vehicle in the City when an argument began between Edmonds and at least one of the two women in the vehicle with him. The vehicle stopped on Ross Street and the argument continued outside the vehicle.

Emergency dispatchers received a call of the disturbance at 5/7 Ross St. at 12:44 a.m.

Paladino suffered multiple stab and cut wounds to his upper torso and head and collapsed in the entryway of his apartment. He was transported by Mercy EMS to UMMC. He was pronounced dead at 5:05 a.m. by Coroner Don Coleman.

The women in the vehicle fled the scene right away and a police officer saw a vehicle driving erratically and stopped it in the parking lot just east of St. Joseph School.

Edmonds was well known to Batavia police, according to previous statements by Heubusch. 

State records indicate Edmonds was convicted in 2015 in Monroe County of criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, and sentenced to two and a half years in prison. His parole ended in April 2018.

For previous coverage about the Ross Street crime, click here.

Submitted photos and information:

BASOM -- Friends and family of Karen Brown -- a lifetime Western New Yorker, wife, mother, stepmother, and grandmother -- say she needs the community's help.

In a letter about a charity benefit planned Oct. 20 in Lancaster for her, they say that Karen is 47 years old and has lived in Basom for 20 years. She has struggled with colon cancer since January, 2017.

She has endured radiation, chemotherapy, and major surgery to remove it. In spite of these treatments, the cancer has not responded in her favor. She is now undergoing experimental cancer treatments at Roswell Cancer Institute in efforts to keep her cancer from spreading further.  

To help with the expenses of the experimental medical treatments and allow Karen to put her focus on her fight with cancer, her friends and family will be hosting a benefit in her honor.

There will be raffles, live music and food at the benefit to raise money.

The benefit will be held from 12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20^th at VFW Post #7275, located at 3741 Walden Ave. in Lancaster (NY 14086).

Your support is needed to help make Karen’s benefit a huge success. Any and all contributions are greatly appreciated, and can be arranged for pickup. 

"Please hold Karen and her family close to your hearts by keeping them in your thoughts. We are truly grateful."

Today, you can make an immediate difference by helping with a donation. Suggested donations include, but are not limited to, gift cards or certificates, raffle items, theme baskets and monetary donations.

Monetary gifts may be made in person at the benefit or by mail at the below address. Checks may be made payable to Karen M. Brown with the word “Fundraiser” written on the memo line.

Mail to:

Karen Brown Benefit c/o Kristine Fazio

11820 Boncliff Drive

Alden, NY 14004

Please direct any questions, comments and or concerns to benefit coordinators:

• Joanne Morrison 980-422-9109
• Kristine Fazio 716-553-5093