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Press Release

The City of Batavia Water Department will be repairing a 6” water main on South Main Street today.  The water will have to be shut down on South Main Street from Roosevelt Ave to Brooklyn Ave.

The length of time the water will be off is unknown.

Traffic will be closed in the area of South Main Street, from Orleans Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue while the repairs are being made.

As always, when the water is restored it may be discolored.  Please refrain from doing any laundry until the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated.

 

It’s countdown time for Genesee County’s Office For the Aging, Director Diana Fox says.

She estimates that the last of the Baby Boomers will be turning 65 by 2030, and that will mean more seniors to serve.

“So we're within seven years now, it’s just about here with all those boomers hitting 65. So now, more than ever, I would say ongoing in terms of the services that we have, they're just so important,” Fox said Monday during her annual report to the Human Services Committee. “You know, our OFA started here in Genesee County in 1974. But they're 50 years of service across the nation. So that's really kind of cool. And we all do a lot of the same kinds of things but we’re unique to our own communities. For the most part, we're all doing home delivered meals, we do the insurance counseling, we do legal services, in-home care, caregiver supports, things like that.”

Projections of an aging population on the rise put ages 60 and older at around 16,000 people in the county, to increase to nearly 20,000 by 2035, and ages 65 and older at a close second with some 16,000 to 17,000 by that same time period. Those age groups are prime candidates for OFA services and Medicare.

Fox gets frustrated to see flyers posted that promote misleading information. Her staff visits vendor fairs quarterly to try and educate older folks and guide them toward what may be the best insurance option for them, Fox said.

“So after they've met individually, or come to a group, rather, for Medicare one on one, and get some basic information, then they can be right there in a space with all the vendors at one spot, they can make appointments individually with our staff so that they're getting the right plan for them,” she said. “And we do this every single year because of open enrollment. So there's no pressure, we don't have any skin in the game, in terms of what they choose. And you know, there have been a couple of times when I've walked by my building, that I've had to take off flyers that people have just tacked up (that state) ‘call now we can save you money.’ So just a big shout out to my staff on that, because they are really well versed, and it's what they do.”

The caseload waitlist is close to last year’s at 11 more — 101 versus 90 last year — as people wait for caregiver support for an older loved one, she said, though there are no wait lists for meal deliveries, which are at about 165 active cases right now.

Arc GLOW prepares the meals, and that fee was raised 15 percent this year, “which I actually think is not bad at all,” Fox said. In the past, prices rose only 1 percent a year, so it was understandable for the larger leap this year, she said.

“And between the cost of food, minimum wage had gone up during that time, gas … I would not be surprised if it goes up again next year at some point, I don't know what that will look like,” she said. “In terms of next year, we'll be opening up another one of the congregate group meal sites, opening that backup, and we'll most likely be adding a third day at our Batavia site … so that'll increase the number of meals that we're asking for as well. They're able to do that for congregate without an issue.”

There’s not enough staff to add to the meal delivery sites, she said, but they do try to ensure that current recipients are taken care of even in times of bad weather. Called an “emergency meal,” those are delivered to recipients at some point before the weather is predicted to get nasty so that there will be extra food in their homes for when drivers can’t get out to them, she said.

“The staff has never missed a beat, they have worked so hard to make sure nothing fell through the cracks,” she said of changes in personnel, retirements, promotions, health and family issues. “The other thing I will say with that is that the majority or half, eight people, are now having to take their civil service exams. They've been there, some of them since 2018. And I can lose everyone. So it's interesting, we have a combination of things.”

Legislator Shelley Stein asked where the safe zone was, in terms of those between retirements and new staff. What happens if all of the potential retirees leave?

“That’s a really good question,” Fox said. “Because you just hope everybody doesn't go all at once. And these are estimates. I mean, we don't really know for sure … that would be tough.”

It’s not an uncommon melody, Legislator Gordon Dibble said.

“You realize you sound just like so many other employers. Not just in government,” he said. "I mean, it's the same song. Everybody's singing the same song. Where's all the help?”

It’s a dilemma only to grow more intense, according to U.S. Census Data, which states in 2018, 16 percent — or 52 million — Americans were 65 or older. With an estimated 10,000 people turning 65 each day, by 2030, an estimated 73 million — or one in five Americans — will be 65 or older, a full 20 percent of the population.

“Four short years later, in 2034, older adults are expected to outnumber children under 18 for the first time in history. The aging population is also becoming more diverse, with the proportion of non-white older adults significantly increasing in the next several decades,” it states. “Among this rapidly growing and increasingly diverse demographic cohort, there is an overwhelming desire to age at home rather than in institutional settings.”

What will that mean in the not-too-distant future? Homecare aide availability is currently "critically low nationwide," Fox said, and demand will only rise with those increasing numbers of older Americans.

"We’re fortunate to have the state 'Unmet Needs' funds to come up with creative solutions to address the aide shortage, but it’s not going to solve the overall problem of those who truly need in-home aides to help with personal care, toileting, etc.," she said in her report. "Our state and federal associations continue to advocate for better direct care worker funding and career packaging in order to hopefully entice individuals into this workforce."

Press Release

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will hold its Annual Meeting and Recognition Breakfast on Oct. 27, 2022, at 8 a.m. at Terry Hills Restaurant, 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

CCE of Genesee County cordially invites you to join us for breakfast and help us recognize employees and volunteers. Cornell Cooperative Extension friends, volunteers and members of the community are welcome to attend.

Volunteers of the Year Joanna Miller of 4-H, Eric Holliday of Leadership Genesee and Lori Gattie of the Master Gardener program, plus Friend of CCE 2022 Julia Garver will be recognized during this time. 

Please register by Oct. 20 by visiting CCE's website or contacting Yvonne Peck: ydp3@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040, Ext. 123.

Press Release

Richmond Memorial, Byron-Bergen and Haxton Memorial libraries are excited to announce they will eliminate late fees for a trial period from October 1 to December 31, 2022. They join the other Genesee County libraries – Corfu Public, Hollwedel Memorial, and Woodward Memorial libraries – that have and will continue to offer fine-free circulation.

These Nioga Library System libraries are joining public libraries nationwide that have eliminated late fees as a part of their library practice. The NIOGA trustees representing Genesee County have asked the three libraries located in Batavia, Pavilion and Oakfield to join the other three libraries that have already eliminated overdue fines.

What does going fine-free mean?
Along with the good news that overdue fines will be eliminated, there are still responsibilities for borrowers. Items belonging to the libraries in Genesee County that are checked out from Oct. 1 until Dec. 31, 2022 will not incur overdue fines, and any fines accruing or maximized to currently late or lost materials will be forgiven if returned during the trial. Other library charges for printing, replacement cards, lost and damaged materials, or unpaid fines on materials previously returned late, will still apply.

Materials will still have due dates and patrons are still expected to renew, if possible, or return materials on time. Patrons will receive two reminders to return their items if they are overdue. Materials that are 28 days overdue are assumed lost, and patrons will be charged replacement costs. Patrons with overdue materials will be blocked from library services until the items are returned, and/or bills are paid.

“The Genesee County libraries that have been fine-free have had great success with recovering lost books, and patrons with previous fines are coming back to the libraries to take advantage of our materials, programs, and services,” says Kristie Miller, a Nioga Trustee representing www.batavialibrary.org Genesee County. “This is why we have asked the other three Genesee County libraries to try a fine-free period from October to the end of December.”

Why would public libraries do this?
Because it works! In an article from "CNN," the New York Public Library reported a record number of library card sign-ups after announcing that they would be dropping all fines. Chicago Public Library indicated that they have seen an increase in the number of materials returned of almost 85 percent after going fine-free.

Anecdotal evidence from local parent groups indicates that many families avoid using the library for fear of accumulating fines and creating financial hardship during already economically trying times. Eliminating fines reduces barriers to access: many of the people that need libraries the most are often driven away by late fees and are a deterrent to returning to take part in other
programs or services.

“Some may have concerns that going fine-free will cause a deficit in the library’s operating budget. We do not collect anywhere near enough fines to significantly impact our budget. Most months, the amount of overdue fees we collect totals up to a fraction of 1% of our operating budget,” says Kim Gibson, Library Director at the Haxton Memorial Library in Oakfield. “Our goal is to keep the library as a community resource for as many people as possible, so we are eager to go fine-free,” she adds.

Those with questions can contact their local library’s director or manager!

• Byron Bergen Public Library: Nancy Bailey (585-494-1120)
• Corfu Public Library: Diana Reding (585-599-3321)
• Haxton Memorial Library (Oakfield): Kim Gibson (585-948-9900)
• Hollwedel Memorial Library (Pavilion): Josselyn Borowiec (585-584-8843)
• Richmond Memorial Library (Batavia): Bob Conrad (585-343-9550)
• Woodward Memorial Library (LeRoy): Betsy Halvorsen (585-768-8300)

The Nioga Library System is a non-profit cooperative library system serving the 21 public libraries in Niagara, Orleans and Genesee Counties. The system is one of 23 similar systems in New York State. More information is available on the library system’s website at www.Nioga.org.

Denise Glidden, Karen Reisdorf, Paula Bianchi, Lisa Ingalsbe and Michelle Woodward celebrate the expanded offerings Saturday at Blue Pearl Yoga on East Main Street in Batavia with an open house to introduce new bellydancing classes, sound baths and performances from GO Art! Photo submitted from Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Classes are live and can be found HERE. 

Once STAR ended its contract, Genesee County officials opted to fill in the gap by taking a STEP toward assisting at-risk youth.

Formerly the Student Transition And Recovery program, the county’s version will be similar, with the suggested name of Student Transition and Empowerment Program, which was outlined Monday by newly hired Social Services Department Commissioner Carla Mindler.

STAR had an ongoing contract for these services, and program leaders did not renew the contract, leaving a potential void that Social Services personnel was adamant to bypass. That will involve hiring full-time adolescent behavioral specialists I and II, and a full-time adolescent behavioral coordinator.

“As a behavioral specialist, one will be working directly with the at the at-risk youth in their homes and in their schools, mentoring, guiding them, assisting them, making sure that they're properly ready for school,” Mindler said to the county’s Human Services members in the Legislative Conference Room. “So we have money in the budget already this year for this work, we have an email out to the state to find out if we develop a program of our own, can we pay that under the same funding that we paid the STAR program … But with all the vacancies we've had this year, there's plenty of money in there to cover us for the rest of the year, unfortunately, because of the vacancies, but this will not affect the 2022 budget.”

There will be calisthenics in the morning and getting work done in the afternoon; a tutor, therapists and those behavioral specialists, if approved, she said. Staff will also have some administrative duties, including documented supervision of the specialist I if the coordinator is not present, and the coordinator would be responsible for complete oversight of the program.

Legislator John Deleo saw it as putting a youth back on track versus being derailed by the absence of such a hands-on program. There can be about 40 kids at any given time, Mindler said, with a total of close to 200 going through the program. The county would be employing many of the same people that ran STAR, which offers continuity for participants, Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said.

“It’s good for the children, good for the parents and good for us,” she said.

Clattenburg had asked how the program was categorized, and Mindler said it was a preventive program, within child welfare and prevention.

“I’m so happy you picked it up, it’s so valuable,” Clattenburg said.

Once the full county Legislature votes with an expected approval, the program will be submitted to the state for final approval and details about funding. Mindler was confident the program would soon be addressing at-risk youth.

“I think we’ll be up and running to a certain extent,” Mindler said.

Each county school district that wants to participate — and most have up to now — will pay a flat rate per student, signaling each district’s investment in at-risk behavioral work. Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein was impressed with what’s been done so far.

“You’ve done a lot of work guys,” she said.

The Human Services Committee voted to forward on the request for a salary amendment for the Social Services Department to add on the three positions, to be effective immediately upon Legislature approval.

Since the STAR contract no longer exists, the new position salaries will have no impact on the county’s budget, the resolution states. State and federal reimbursements are expected to be from 66 percent up to 100 percent as determined by case-specific eligibility.

Photo: Social Services Department Commissioner Carla Mindler reviews a program to replace STAR, which addressed behavioral issues of at-risk youth before ceasing its contract this year. Photo by Joanne Beck.

Press Release

City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants on Wednesday, October 5 and Thursday, October 6 from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area of south of West Main Street and west of Jackson Street. Homes and businesses nearby will be affected.

These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about five minutes or until clear.

This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities Class III Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification, and to assure that fire hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes.

Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city's water system, identifies weak areas in the system, and removes material that settle in the water lines. Checking each hydrant improves fire department personnel knowledge of the hydrant locations.

If you have any questions, or should notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the Fire Department at 585-345-6375.

A coral-hued sunset gets draped in clouds during a youth football game Saturday at Hartwood Park in Le Roy. Photo submitted by Jeff Freeman. 

Saturday was not just the beginning of a new month, but also a ‘fresh’ start for a new restaurant venture inside of Eli Fish Brewing Company.

Her nearly two decades of cooking, more than three years of catering, and popping up at various summer events have propelled Dannielle Lumpkin into her own niche as Mama Dee’z Kitchen at 109 Main St., Batavia.

“We did a test run yesterday where we did a soft opening, and that went very, very well. Just learning the ins and outs, from catering to being a restaurant owner, is a big, big difference. But we've had a lot of support from our kitchen staff here, the head chef here, Sam has been very helpful. Matty has been very helpful with anything that I needed to know. And it's just a learning experience. I'm very excited for what the future holds for us,” Lumpkin said during her grand opening Saturday.

“So right before COVID we had started the process of looking for a building, and then COVID was here. A lot of it was really rough. And so once things started getting better, it was that time, I felt, for me to try to find something to open up with. Batavia doesn't really have a lot of diversity when it comes to options for food, and I wanted to be able to bring that to Batavia. So I think that this is going to be a staple in Batavia, because we can offer a different choice of food from different cultures.”

As friends and family poured into the back area where Mama Dee’z is located at Eli Fish, Lumpkin and her staff of family members pulled golden brown fried chicken from a pan to serve. Her specialties are jerk-laced meats, homemade sauces, Caribbean and soul food flavors, but with an expansive menu that also includes a shaved ribeye steak, mixed cheeses, peppers and onion wrapped in an egg roll wrapper appetizer, Caribbean alfredo pasta with chicken or shrimp, macaroni and cheese, sweet bread, and a chicken wing dinner.

The Batavia resident had her eye on Eli Fish some time ago, since it has already served successfully as incubator space for three others, including Eden Cafe & Bakeshop, Eat Well Grill and Matty’s Pizza. The incubator concept was first developed in the late 1950s at Harvester Center in Batavia, and has been a more recent venture for downtown. Lumpkin had to purchase her inventory of food and supplies, however, the kitchen was ready to go with equipment and appliances.

It would have been much more cost prohibitive for her to do it all on her own, entrepreneur and Eli Fish co-owner Matt Gray said.

“It's a second generation restaurant coming in, she's coming into the spot that Eden cafe was in, and successfully transferred over into downtown Ellicott Street and Liberty. So it's great to also offer the same space again to another entrepreneur/restauranteur to add to the business here. Because of the menu, diversity always helps,” Gray said.

“For a very, very small amount of money upfront, they're able to come in and really go after their dream, where normally would cost upwards of more than six figures, to buy your equipment and everything that you need to get stocked up. Here, it's really very minimal," he said. "And they're able to come in for a shorter period of time, work out what their business plan is, work out what kind of food they really want to serve, what their guests are looking for, and hopefully make that leap to another brick and mortar location on their own.”

Lumpkin has signed a deal for six months, and will be open the same hours as Eli Fish: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

While preparing for the big day of ribbon-cutting and celebrating her dream come true, Lumpkin served her food to Eli Fish staff, which was “fantastic,” Gray said. It adds “another level of service” for the brewery, he said. And while the Lumpkin family, which includes husband Myron, continues to strengthen their business, Gray and other staff members are available for advice, suggestions and feedback.

“We work together as much as we can,” he said.

Business Improvement District Executive Director Shannon Maute and Chamber of  Commerce Interim Director Tom Turnbull were also on hand with congratulations and praise for adding another establishment downtown.

“This really evolved out of the Fresh Lab experiment they did a few years ago where we had a couple of successful restaurants come out of here … And this is just the next extension," Turnbull said. "I had a chance to meet with Dannielle and Myron, and the food looks fantastic. I can't wait to try it. It's something unique and I think that brings a different flavor, no pun intended, to downtown Batavia and Genesee County. It's great to see another restaurant open up. And it's such a great opportunity here to do it as an incubator restaurant where you don't have all the expenses of a full-blown restaurant, but you can learn, and under Matt Gray, take advantage of that.”

Maute has gotten to know Dannielle and has learned of her determination, energy and creative culinary skills. Not only has Dannielle now placed another restaurant on the downtown map, but she has joined BID committees and is “a great addition to BID,” Maute said.

“I’m just here to support Danny and her adventure … This is huge for BID, it is something so different. We've never had it before, and to have this quality of food and the style of food is going to do really well. Batavia really is changing, and this just goes with the times,” Maute said. “And now you can come downtown and get different food, and you're not getting the same cookie-cutter food. Eli Fish was one of the first people that did that with their different style of foods. So Mama Dee’z fits right in with the different style of foods. She's determined she's going to do well. I have no doubt that she's going to really do well here and then, eventually, we'll help her get into a brick and mortar.”

For prior coverage:

• Giving Italian Fest a little jerk  
• Eli Fish makes room for a little soul 

Top Photo: Dannielle Lumpkin, with husband Myron, and their family, celebrate the ribbon-cutting of Mama Dee'z Saturday inside Eli Fish Brewing Company at 109 Main St., Batavia; Dannielle gets ready to serve up some chicken; showing off the new Mama Dee'z logo. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Once again, the annual Wine Walk in Downtown Batavia, sponsored by the Business Improvement District, was a sellout.

This year the theme was "dead celebrities."

Which dead celebrities can you spot in the photos?

For more photos and to purchase prints, click here.

 

More than 420 people participated in this year's Walk to End Alzheimer's.

The walk's chairwoman Kim Arnold said when the final tally is completed, the walk will have raised more than $80,000, exceeding the goal of matching last year's total of $75,000.

The funds are used to support patients and caregivers locally as well as contribute to Alzheimer's Association research treatments and cures for Alzheimer's.

There are more than six million Alzheimer's patients in the country who are helped by more than 11 million unpaid caregivers.

The Friends of the Rink held a scrap drive fundraiser on Saturday as part of the Open House weekend for the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street.

Previously: New management hosts David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena open house this weekend

Top Photo: Steph Call, Pete Corbelli, Steve Pies, Bob Gray, and Sharon Gray.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Tarrence Williams

UPDATED at 3:43 p.m. with a quote from the police chief.

Batavia police officers have arrested a suspect in a shots-fired incident reported in the area of 200 Ellicott St. on Friday evening.

Tarrence Y. Williams, 22, of Batavia, has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon 2nd, a Class C felony, and criminal possession of a weapon 4th, a Class A misdemeanor.

He was arraigned in City Court and jailed on $50,000 bail.

There has been no report of anybody injured as a result of gunshots in the area.

Chief Shawn Heubusch praised the actions of his officers.

"Officers responded quickly to this incident and were able to almost immediately identify a suspect," Heubusch said. "Working in conjunction with our partner agencies, the officers were able to bring a swift resolution to this incident and keep our community safe.  They are commended for their brave actions in the face of what was a very dangerous situation."

The incident began with a report of gunshots at about 6 p.m.  Witnesses reported seeing a male walking nervously with what appeared to be a gun on his person.

A man matching the description provided was spotted by Sgt. Dan Coffey walking on the Ellicott Trail a short distance from the incident location. When Coffey attempted to stop the individual for an interview, the man fled on foot and Coffey chased him from Evans Street to Court Street.

In the Court Street parking lot, the man discarded identifiable clothing and officers believed he discarded a firearm in the area.

Additional officers responded, including deputies and a trooper.

Williams was located and taken into custody and then officers, with the assistance of Batavia firefighters, searched the area, including the roofs of nearby buildings.

A short time later, a weapon was located under a bush next to the walkway between the Key Bank drive-thru ATM and the M&T Bank branch.

Williams recently entered a guilty plea in County Court to a charge of attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd -- a charge that indicates prosecutors believe he possessed enough of a controlled substance that he intended to sell it.  He is awaiting sentencing on that conviction.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Detective Ivison at (585) 345-6312 or email JIvison@batavianewyork.com.

Previously: Man runs from police, gun found, and officers are seeking details about incident on Court Street

Top photo by Howard Owens.

On Aug. 10, business owner Rob Credi was happy and thankful to be celebrating the two-year anniversary of Pub Coffee Hub at Harvester Center.

That is, until he saw a road crew tearing up the street alongside of his thriving coffee shop. That date now marks the beginning of an agonizing blow to the clientele and successful business that Credi had built up those last two years. While other road projects have seemed to move along swiftly, Harvester Avenue has lagged behind as a bumpy, torn up hindrance to motorists and the businesses they're trying to visit, he says.

“Look at the other streets; they’re milled and ready to be paved. Our street is a graveyard of a street; it’s not drivable, there are potholes, lots of cement. On Aug. 10 they started digging, and three to four weeks later they never touched anything," Credi said during an interview with The Batavian. "I spoke to the contractors who dug it up, and they were going to come back. I’ve seen a significant drop in business. It’s the planning, execution and the quality of work that’s got my blood boiling.”

Slow work zone
It pains him to think about the lost revenue -- "you know, money that should have been coming in." 

"I'm gonna write that off, I'm never gonna see those dollars, it's just a lost cause. So really, my focus is just, however long this is gonna take, can we clean up the road and make it more serviceable for customers ... and maybe put a little fire under their butts to make it more of an urgent project to try to finish, kind of minimize the danger of moving forward."

After being patient for more than a month, Credi finally reached out to City Council and management.

“The purpose of this e-mail is to bring to your attention the devastating effect the current Harvester Ave. roadwork project is having on businesses, specifically Pub Coffee Hub. It is my understanding that this has been a project in the works for a couple of years. I have been a tenant in The Harvester Center since August of 2020 and from that date until August 10th of this year was not once invited into a conversation regarding the project and the inevitable consequences my business would suffer because of it,” Credi wrote in an email to council members and City Manager Rachael Tabelski. “If not for the good fortune of having a direct line to the new Director of Public Works, we would have been 100 percent in the dark about everything at that point. Let's not forget the 2-3 days where Harvester Ave. was completely blocked off at Main Street. How do you think businesses on our street did that day? Does anyone care? Yes, there was a surprise pipe issue needing immediate attention. What wasn't a surprise was, yet again, zero communication from the city and zero plan to address those that depend on the availability of traffic down the road while it was being repaired.”

When talking to The Batavian, Credi shared concerns about the business he has lost so far — a 42 percent dip in revenues, and that was after experiencing growth of nearly 35 percent this last year. A big sticking point for him is the seeming lack of thought about the actual entities on Harvester Avenue as plans were made for the road project itself. This week alone, contractors dug a ditch directly in front of a parking lot across the street, and posted a sign announcing the road was closed to all except local traffic.

“And at no point did anyone reach out to any of the businesses in the harvester center, or even a building manager to address 'hey, here's what's gonna be happening, here's what's happening.' Obviously, this is going to affect your businesses,” he said. “It would have been nice of them to be proactive and say, here's what we propose we can do to help alleviate some of that stress, or solicit feedback from us on ‘what we can do to make it less debilitating to businesses while it's going on.’ So that's the one issue that they had plenty of time to address. They never did.”

Untimely timelines
His plea reaped some sympathizers, as council members John Canale, who owns a drum studio at Harvester Center, Patti Pacino and Tammy Schmidt, who represents that area’s Sixth Ward, agreed that it wasn’t a good situation. Tabelski responded with an outline of work to be done in the city, including Harvester Avenue.

Tabelski had spoken to Department of Public Works Director Brett Frank, and “learned that he has been communicating with you and the owners of the Harvester Centre on a regular basis to keep you updated on the construction project,” she said in an email to Credi, adding that Frank will continue to provide updates and “we are hopeful that we can get the street project completed as soon as possible.”

She and others walked along Harvester recently and found deteriorated concrete base pavement that has turned to rubble, and the area will need to be replaced with concrete base pavement prior to any paving being done, she said to Credi.

The Batavian also reached out to council members and Tabelski. The city manager replied with a timeline and scope of the Harvester project. “The project continues to progress and the City is hopeful that the Harvester Ave. project will be finished by December 14th or sooner,” she said.

So that means it could be done anywhere from one to three months from now. Credi had not been given that date, however, he was told that contractors had up to six months to do the necessary work. But he certainly didn’t think it would take that long, he said.

“The City is not looking to put any undue burden on businesses or residents along Harvester Ave. and we are very optimistic that the new street will be a tremendous improvement,” Tabelski said. “We appreciate the patience across the city as we have been able to resurface many streets during this construction season.”

Schmidt responded to The Batavian's call for comment texting that she would send an email when she was able. Bialkowski's reply referred the matter to the city manager since it's "a contractual" issue. No other council members responded. As part of city protocol, council members approve resolutions, contracts and projects related to city business.

Undue burden
Credi and fellow Harvest Center business owner Sarah Jones understand that road work has to be done. But they both question the length of time it has taken so far, and especially the condition of the road while they wait for completion.

“People have been complaining, bigger groups that come in, they're just like ‘I couldn't find a place to park, I couldn't even get down the road at some point.’ It's impossible to get through,” said Jones, co-owner of Game of Throws. “And we came in one time, and we couldn't even figure out where to turn around and go back the other way to go on the back roads to the back of the building. It's really frustrating. And they said they have six months to do it in. Why can't  they do it in one month, or this is going to take up to six months? Our whole busiest season is the winter.”

Jones has observed work crews doing something one day, followed by three weeks of nothing. And when they have returned they “make it worse,” she said, and “dig a big hole.”

Paving the way
While Credi doesn’t want to be “that angry guy” who raises a fuss over this situation, he has felt pangs of anxiety and worry about how long he can sustain his business. He employs four people who only work for him. He doesn’t want to lay them off until conditions improve, and definitely doesn’t want to close his shop. He suspects that other areas of Batavia wouldn’t be dealing with this.

“Because I do often feel like, over on Harvester Avenue, we don't really get much attention. Obviously, we're off Main Street, so we don't get the main attraction,” Credi said. “But also in terms of the city's outlook, they really only seem to be concerned with the downtown district, understanding that's where the majority of the businesses are, that's where they get, you know, grants and funding for to improve.”

Credi appreciated the words of support from the three council members, and Schmidt’s comment that all businesses in the city should have equal importance, he said. He looks forward to the future development of Harvester Center and hopes that “we’ll still be around” when it gets going.

Tammy Hathaway, director of Batavia Development Corporation, enjoys spending time at the Center and drinking a Monica coffee at the Pub. She has tried to draw attention to the city’s eastern site through online postings, she said, and raise awareness of all that’s over there. The Center houses 75 businesses, including One World Projects, Vintage antiques, House of Bounce, The Brick Enrichment Center, Hodgin's Printing, Hitter's Hideaway, plus artists, a dental lab, environmental testing and several other ventures.

“I’ve been trying to really focus on the business piece of it; it’s one of my favorite spots,” she said Friday. “I’m trying to be a good steward for the businesses … giving every little bit of extra attention I can give. My biggest goal is to make people aware, and to say brave the storm and continue to visit those businesses.”

The Batavian asked if there was any type of financial recovery funding for the commerce lost so far, and didn’t believe there was anything available. Meanwhile, Credi will be playing “the numbers game,” he said, remaining open as long as he can cover payroll. When those numbers dip even lower, however, he’s not sure what he will do.

“I’m not the person who tries to complain, to make a big deal out of everything. But this project needs to be done,” he said, reflecting on how things had gone up to this summer. “It’s finally paying off, all the hard work, the business is thriving, we’re absolutely crushing it. I couldn't be happier. And I didn't expect the drop-off, obviously, once the construction came. We have established ourselves to what I believe is, you know, the pre-eminent independent shop in a town that's flooded with Dunkin Donuts, and Tim Hortons, and just another Starbucks coming, it's not easy. And I get why we're suffering because it's so much easier for all these customers to just hit up one of the other 10 coffee shops versus trying to navigate down Harvester Avenue.

“Traffic itself is almost nonexistent. We are getting primarily people from the building and our hardcore regulars. But honestly, what's carrying this right now, it’s just delivery. We do it through DoorDash … even before it was about 20 percent of our sales. Now, it's probably like closer to 25 to 30, which is great because it's bringing in revenue, but it also costs me a lot to pay their commissions to operate our delivery service,” he said. “Because we had such an amazing year up until that point, we've been able to kind of carry it through now. Right now we're not operating at a loss on a daily basis. If, in the next couple of weeks, we start to dip into the negatives, we're losing money … I’ll probably have to revisit what my plan is.”

Top Photo: Rob Credi, owner of Pub Coffee Hub at The Harvester Center in Batavia, would like contractors to speed up progress on Harvester Avenue, as construction so far has damaged his sales and related revenue; and above, a ditch in front of the auxiliary parking lot, rendering it useless for potential customers; and ongoing construction. Photos by Howard Owens.

Submitted by Paul Nichiporuk. Taken on Clinton Street Road

Submitted by Joanne Meiser

Press Release

The City of Batavia Water Department would like to inform residents to be on the lookout for a lead-related service flyer in the mail along with their water bill.  In accordance with the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revision, the City must develop an inventory of the material of both the public and private portions of each service line in the City’s water system.

The City wishes to reassure its residents that the water is safe to drink.  An effective corrosion control procedure is used to reduce the possibility of lead existence in City water.  Regular testing yields levels that are consistently lower than the EPA action threshold for lead. 

Residents’ participation in developing this inventory is greatly appreciated.

A copy of the flyer can be found on the City of Batavia’s website 

                                                                                

 

Press Release

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing / testing fire hydrants on Monday and Tuesday 10/3 10/4 from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area of North of Main Street and East of Bank Street.

Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about 5 minutes or until clear.

This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities class III Insurance Services Office (ISO) public
protection classification, and to assure that fire hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes.

Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city's water system, identifies weak areas in the system, and removes material that settle in the water lines. Checking each hydrant improves fire department personnel knowledge of the hydrant locations.

If you have any questions, or should notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the fire department at 585-345-6375.

Not too many criminal defendants have good things to say about the prosecutors who came down on them hard and recommended they be locked away for as long as possible. 

Isaac D. Abrams has only good things to say about Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini.

"She isn't God but she's right up next to him," Abrams said Thursday from inside a smokeshop he's opening on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. "She's up there. She's a force to be reckoned with. Don't (expletive) with her."

Cianfrini was the first assistant district attorney in early 2018 when Abrams was sent to prison as a 17-year-old for one-and-a-third to four years for making terroristic threats. That conviction has now been expunged, but Abrams had a track record at the time, as Cianfrini noted back then, that indicated he was a young man out of control.

In arguing against any kind of leniency for Abrams, Cianfrini told then County Court Judge Charles Zambito that Abrams had engaged in increasingly violent acts, shown a disregard for authority and human life, and violated his release under supervision contract numerous times.

"He's a high risk to the community," said Cianfrini, who is now the County Court judge. "Look at his statements. He seriously minimizes his conduct. He said that he gave people something to talk about at dinner. This is not somebody expressing remorse."

Abrams said he has no bitterness toward Cianfrini.  She was doing her job, and in doing her job, she put him in a position that forced him to look at the world differently.

"What she put me through," he said, "I honestly feel that if I hadn't gone through that, I would still be a bad little shit just like everybody else. I had an eye-opener. She gave me an eye-opener."

And life in prison isn't something he wants to repeat.

"I went through horrible experiences," Abrams said. "I have scars on my eyebrows now that are permanent. I have stab wounds on my back and on my shoulders. I went from prison to prison. It was a horrible, horrible experience."

Not that getting his life straightened out has been easy for Abrams.  He's had setbacks. He's made mistakes. He's had people set up roadblocks. But he says he's determined to be a successful businessman, to become wealthy, and at age 22, to be an example for younger kids on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation that success is possible and you can overcome life's errors.

He was in court on Wednesday, standing before Cianfrini on an attempted burglary conviction, prepared for the worst because of one of the mistakes he's made while on his path toward redemption (he carried to court a plastic grocery bag filled with toiletries and personal items in case he was sent back to prison).

The possibility of going back to prison
In August, Abrams admitted to attempted burglary in the second degree. The incident involved Abrams entering the residence of a man identified as his mother's boyfriend on Dec. 29 after the boyfriend reportedly abused her.

First Assistant District Attorney Joseph Robinson, on Wednesday, was just as certain as Cianfrini was in 2018, that Abrams deserved no leniency in sentencing.

The 2018 felony conviction was off limits for Robinson to cite since the record is sealed, but Robinson had plenty of material to draw from to try and make the case that Abrams deserved prison time.  He said Abrams has a history of misconduct going back to high school, that he had violated terms of a conditional discharge on another conviction, and that he had faced a criminal contempt charge in Erie County.

"Mr. Abrams is not a good fit for a community-based, probationary sentence," Robinson told Cianfrini. "He enters the house of another person and then strikes the victim and claims it was in defense of his mother because of prior abuse. He took the action of judge, jury and executioner. That is not the way society works."

Robinson recommended four years in prison (the statutory range on the conviction is 2-7 years) and three years post-release supervision (parole).

Defense Attorney Fred Rarick offered a very different take on his client's prospects for complying with the terms of a probationary sentence. He noted that Abrams has been in full compliance with the terms of his release-under-supervision contract while awaiting sentencing, that his client had been diagnosed with mental health issues that had never been treated, and that his client understands that he mishandled the situation in December that led to his arrest.

Rarick said his client's relationship with his father is non-existent, and when mental health treatment was recommended for Abrams as a teenager, his mother decided the trip to counseling was too far to drive, so Abrams never got the help he needed.

He said Abrams had previously witnessed his mother being abused and on the night of this incident, his mother, instead of calling the police, called her son to say she had been abused. Rarick suggested that she knew her son, who has anger management issues, would take matters into his own hands.

She should have called the police, Rarick said.

But once she called Abrams, the young man should have called police, he said.

Sending Abrams to prison, Rarick said, would disrupt the positive path the young man has been on -- a year ago, he opened a small smoke shop on the reservation and was getting ready to open a second.

When it was his turn to talk, Abrams told Cianfrini, "when I first met you, I didn't really like you. But then I went to prison and I realized you did a lot for me. You changed me. You changed the way I talk. You changed the way I walk." 

He said he wanted to lead the younger generation on the reservation out of trouble.

"I'm a changed man from when you first met me," he said.

He said he felt like he had let her down and that he understood if she was disappointed in him.

"I promise I will never be in a situation like this again," Abrams said.  "If something like this happens again, I'm calling 9-1-1.  I promise."

Call 9-1-1
That promise was put to the test on Thursday night.

On Thursday afternoon, a new pre-built building was delivered to 368 Martin Road in Basom, the site of Abram's new smokeshop and dispensary.

Shortly after he opened the doors for the first time, he met with The Batavian and discussed his future plans.

That night, at about 10:45 p.m., the Alabama Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to 368 Martin Road.  The Batavian sent a text message to Abrams, who responded that he had already been told of the fire by a family member, was on his way to the shop, and that he had called the police to report the crime.

As he promised Cianfrini, rather than get mad, he called 9-1-1.

The fire burned itself out before fire crews arrived on scene.  The fire was intentionally set, a fire investigator said, at the base of the building by the front door.  It caused some minor heat damage to the metal plates at the base of the door.  A Sheriff's deputy opened a criminal investigation.

Earlier in the day, Abrams said that many people on the reservation encourage him and are happy to see him turning his life around.  Others, he said, want to pull him back down.

When asked why he thought anybody would try to torch his new building, he said, "jealousy."

"This would  be the bad crowd," he said, "like the alcoholics, the drunks, the ones who like to stay out all night."

Rather than prison, an opportunity
Earlier in the day, Abrams was full of enthusiasm for his new business.

With only a few cartons of cigarettes and some jars of marijuana in the new building, Abrams said it was just a start.  He is funding the venture with profits from the Weeping Willow, his first smokeshop on Purdy Road.  

On his small plot of land, Abrams cleared trees and put down gravel.  As a reporter looked on, the excited young man paced off his expansion plans -- where the handicap-accessible ramp will go, leading to double doors and windows, and shelves filled with product.  Abrams sees it all in his mind.

"My dreams are progressing every day as every day I’m one step farther into becoming a new man, a man in new business and a man of new character," Abrams said. "My dreams and goals for the shop are just to succeed in an all-around aspect so I can help my customers, friends, and family succeed around me, too. I really would like for the business to succeed. It took a lot of community members to get this far, and a lot of trust, so there’s no going back now all I can say now is 'Hi. My name is Isaac Abrams. How may I help you and be at your service.'"

The fire, he said later, was a momentary setback, but just financially, not "mentally or spiritually, and tomorrow is a new day with lots of potential."

Abrams is getting the chance to pursue his dreams because the person who took a dim view of the young man's future in 2018 is now persuaded that he deserves a shot at building something better for himself.

On Wednesday, after Robinson, Rarick, and Abrams all spoke, Judge Cianfrini said she needed a few minutes to research something and adjourned the court.

When she returned from chambers, she asked Abrams whether, if given the opportunity to go through Mental Health Court -- which would mean no prison time if he successfully completes the program -- would he commit himself to follow through and do what he needed to do.

A beaming Abrams said he would. He turned around so he was speaking to the whole court and said, "if anybody was here and saw me here before, I'm a changed man.  I promise you I'm not the same person you saw here before."

Cianfrini explained that Abrams will be screened for Mental Health Court to ensure he's a good candidate for the program, and once the screening is done, she can place him in the program.

Embracing what Abrams said about being an example to younger people on the reservation, she told him he had a chance to show a younger generation that the justice system is a place to "get help and rehabilitation and that it's not just for punishment."

Robinson told Cianfrini that he wanted to place on the record his objection to giving Abrams an opportunity to go to Mental Health Court.

Inside his new shop on Thursday, Abrams was nothing but grateful to Cianfrini.

"She honestly changed my life around.  I thank her for helping me. She did a lot.  Honestly, I wouldn't be here in these shoes.  I wouldn't be free today," he said. "I wouldn't be thinking clearly. I would have done none of that. I would have nothing.  I'd probably still be that broken little shit."

Photos by Howard Owens. Top photo, Isaac Abrams outside his new smokeshop.  Inset photo, file photo of Melissa Cianfrini in 2018 at a press conference on an unrelated case.

The police have the gun.  They have a man in custody who was located in the area of the gun. 

He's a man who apparently ran from Sgt. Dan Coffey on Evans Street to Court Street after Coffey and other officers responded to a report of shots fired.

Everything else is a mystery.

"We got the gun. We've got the guy. Now we've got to work backward," Coffey said Friday evening while on Court Street.

As for the report of shots fired, Coffey said there is no specific location associated with the shots based on reports received by police.

It's unclear at this early stage of the investigation, Coffey said, if the man taken into custody will be charged with any crime.  The police are still gathering evidence.

Coffey chased the man from Evans to Court, where he was tackled and taken into custody.  Additional officers arrived on scene, including deputies and troopers, and they commenced a search of the area to try and locate a gun that may have been on the man.  

City Fire was requested to assist with ladders so that police officers could climb onto nearby rooftops to look for a possible gun.

An object believed to be a gun was located under a bush between the Key Bank ATM drive-thu and M&T Bank.  The object was left in place while officers waited for detectives to arrive on the scene.

Coffey said more information will be released when it is available.

Photos by Howard Owens