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After more than 18 months with three “key phases,” and input from dozens of administrators, teachers, staff, parents, students and community members, Batavia City School District is ready to launch its five-year strategic plan.

Such a plan isn’t required by New York State, but is a recommended “best practice” for any school district, said Dr. Molly Corey, director of curriculum and instruction.

“Our intention is to bring parents, community members, students, and staff together to plan and prioritize student success in every classroom,” Corey said in a press release Monday. “We’re still evaluating and discovering the depths of learning loss our students experienced due to the pandemic. A Strategic Plan like this will be a beacon grounding us during uncertain times, and it will allow us to comprehensively think, discuss, and prioritize the needs of our students.” 

A main portion of the report, referred to by staff as “a curriculum and instructional roadmap” for reaching each student’s goals, involves a family component, which undoubtedly is a valuable piece. That part of the plan is to ensure “Our families will: make education a priority in the household, support the school in promoting a good work ethic and personal responsibility, as well as encouraging health and wellness and provide the necessary time, space, and supplies at home for homework and studies to be completed.”

The Batavian asked Superintendent Jason Smith how the district plans to get families on board with the wellness aspect, given their busy lives, technology and such easy access to fast meals and sedentary lifestyles. Smith said that promoting health and wellness has become even more important post-COVID.

“And we learned that loud and clear coming out of this pandemic,” he said. “We have Social Emotional Learning teams at each school that promote health and wellness among both our students and staff. Good nutrition and exercise are reinforced in our Phys Ed and health curriculum, and is a key part of the New York State learning standards.”

He also emphasized that family engagement will continue to be “an integral part of our mission at BCSD.” Therefore, two-way communication between schools and families is critical, he said.

“We encourage our families to reach out to us with comments, suggestions, and questions as we implement this plan,” Smith said. “Additionally, each school partners with our parent groups, and just this year we have added a parent representative component to our newly formed shared-decision making teams at each school.  We will also consider tools such as surveys and other feedback mechanisms.”

Even before COVID — about 26 years prior, to be exact — Smith said that he focused his teaching on individual ownership in one’s own behavior and contributions.

“Since I first began teaching in 1994, teaching students personal responsibility and work ethic has been a core mission of schools,” he said. “While it may be explicitly taught at times, teachers, coaches, and advisors continually reinforce this important message through high expectations and accountability, coupled with support and guidance.”

That’s how he expects to reach families, and therefore equip students to fulfill plan goals to: contribute to creating a safe and respectful environment; put forth their best effort; and be independent learners and competent problem-solvers who seek help when needed.

Four components of the plan include:

• A safe and orderly school environment
• A collaborative culture
• Clear and accessible curriculum
• Effective teaching in every classroom

There are benchmarks for every objective, such as planning for communication across all district groups, developing a schedule for progress checks, and creating an efficacy report by asking “how are buildings in the district doing?”

The Board of Education has approved the plan, which will begin to unfold this fall. While BCSD developed this plan to cover a five-year period from 2022-2027, school staff will continue to review and refine it to “achieve success for years to come.”

Even though Smith began in January at the tail end of the planning process, he has enjoyed the catch-up process of all that has been done, he said.

“I’ve been thrilled at the work Dr. Corey and all of our stakeholders have done in preparing this guide,” he said. “It shows a solid understanding of our students’ diverse needs and will certainly set every child up for success going forward.” 

Newly elected Board President John Marucci concurred, adding that Corey and her team “have been well ahead of the curve” by initiating the strategic plan in 2019.

“The Board of Education has been actively discussing learning loss with the administration since the height of the pandemic,” Marucci said. “We’re confident that they’re addressing the concerns that parents have expressed and will continue to evaluate their systems going forward to ensure BCSD continues to strive for academic excellence in every grade and every classroom.” 

The complete Strategic Plan, which runs from 2022 to 2027,  can be found on the Batavia City School District website here. 

Genesee County’s Planning Department is ready to review and discuss a draft 2022 Smart Growth Plan report that’s available to the public.

The Department will be conducting three online Zoom meetings over the next two weeks for anyone interested in signing up for one of them. The report can be viewed HERE.

Meetings are scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday, and 6:30 p.m. Thursday, and 6:30 p.m. Aug. 31. They may count for one hour of land use training credits for planning and zoning board members. To register and obtain the Zoom link, email your name, desired date, and if you would like a training certificate to: Felipe.Oltramari@co.genesee.ny.us

What’s the Smart Growth Plan?
On May 9, 2001, Genesee County Legislature adopted the Smart Growth Plan, which is "a mitigating action of potential significant environmental impacts of the Genesee County Water Supply Project upon the viability of agriculture in Genesee County," according to the County Planning Department Director Felipe Oltramari.

Smart Growth Development Areas were designated throughout the county based on their access to transportation, minimal conflict with County Agricultural Districts, and state-regulated wetlands, feasibility of extending public water service, and the potential for extending public infrastructure to support development, Oltramari said.

The Plan requires that it be reviewed every three years by the Legislature and that recommendations for its revision be made at that time.

2022 Review Highlights 
During this review, the Towns of Byron and Pembroke proposed changes to the Smart Growth Development Area Boundaries. One substantive text change is also being proposed as part of this review. The meeting will focus on the modifications being recommended to the County Legislature by the County Planning Department.

According to the Smart Growth report, Phase 1 of the County Water Supply project has been completed, and Phase 2 work is ongoing. Map 1 in the report shows the existing waterlines and the Smart Growth Development Areas prior to the revisions recommended in this report. The majority of water hookups that have been made to the system have occurred mainly along major state highways and county highways.

Although some have been made in agricultural production areas, they have complied with the Smart Growth Plan’s objectives by hooking up only existing structures to public water. The majority of the hookups made were located within the Smart Growth Development Areas designated by the Legislature.

Since 2019, there have been 15 additional requests for hookups outside of the Development Areas to structures built after the adoption of the Smart Growth Plan. This brings the total number of these special requests to 68. After careful consideration given to their potential adverse impacts on agriculture and farming in the area, the Administrative Review Committee approved 12 of the 15, denied two, and tabled one of the requests that was later withdrawn by the applicant.

As a result of this review, and based upon existing comprehensive plans, local planning initiatives, and comments received during the public review process, it is recommended that the boundary of the Priority Development Area be amended in the hamlets of Byron, South Byron and North Byron and a new Priority Development Area be created on Lyman and Beaver Meadow roads in the Town of Byron.

No other changes are recommended in the development areas of the other municipalities in Genesee County (see Map 2). This review also amends the Policies and Procedures for Managing Water Hookups section of the plan by recommending that the Genesee County Legislature pass a local law that when any purchase and sale contract is presented for "the sale, purchase, or exchange of real property located in any town outside of a village (or the City) within the Genesee County, a Smart Growth disclosure notice is required to be signed by both the seller(s) and the buyer(s) acknowledging that Smart Growth is in effect and that new construction may not have the guaranteed right to public water."

This notice will help educate buyers of land about the Smart Growth Plan impacts on access to public water for new non-agricultural development. the report states.

The objectives of the Smart Growth Plan are to:

• Focus County resources to support economic development opportunities in the most promising locations; 
• Encourage the revitalization of existing industrial areas, business districts, and residential neighborhoods in the City of Batavia and developed village areas; and
• Protect farmland and the rural character of the countryside, and maintain the viability of agriculture.

These objectives are consistent with the general principles of Smart Growth to promote the efficient use of land resources and infrastructure; maximize the benefit of existing infrastructure; promote economic development in appropriate areas; encourage revitalization within the City of Batavia, villages and other developed areas, focusing on residential neighborhoods, downtown redevelopment, and the re-use of environmentally damaged lands; protect prime agricultural soils and other natural resources and encourage the continued viability of agriculture according to the Smart Growth America Building Better Budgets Report from May 2013.

In general, smart growth development costs one-third less for upfront infrastructure, saving an average of 38 percent on upfront costs for new construction of roads, sewers, water lines and other infrastructure. Many studies have concluded that this number is as high as 50 percent.

Priority Development Areas include areas with significant potential for economic development as well as areas that are already relatively densely developed with housing, commercial or industrial uses. These areas were identified based upon the following criteria:

• Access to transportation, including the Interstate Highway System, the State highway network, and the Genesee County Airport;
• Feasibility of extending or enhancing public water service;
• Availability or potential for extending other public infrastructure and services to support development;
• Minimal conflict with land in County Agricultural Districts and State regulated wetlands; and
• Minimal conflict with land identified as an Ecological Network or Natural Asset Core by the Green Genesee Smart Genesee Project.

Designated Priority Development Areas include land in and surrounding the City of Batavia, Village of LeRoy and Village of Bergen, and other villages and hamlets in Genesee County.

To learn more about the report and future of Genesee County’s water project, click HERE for the report.

Press Release

Arc GLOW, a chapter of Arc, NY, that provides innovative supports and services to people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties announced that it has sold its trash collection and transfer station to Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (Casella) a regional vertically integrated solid waste, recycling and resource management company headquartered in Rutland, Vermont.

More than 20 years ago, the Arc of Genesee opened its trash center to fill a need for theCity of Batavia, help create jobs, and produce a positive revenue stream for the organization. Now, to position itself better for the future and focus on its core mission, Arc GLOW has decided to move away from the waste and recycling industry.

“We’ve truly appreciated having the citizens of Batavia as our customers. They have been amazing advocates for our organization and the people we support, and we believe that this new partnership with Casella will help Arc GLOW focus on its core values and allow our organization to meet the needs of the people we serve in a financially sustainable way,” said Martin Miskell, Arc GLOW CEO. Casella will  continue operations utilizing the existing Arc GLOW property and staff on West Main Street in Batavia, including the Transfer Station which will be operated by an Arc GLOW work enclave with the same familiar faces that customers have been accustomed to.

Casella, which has successfully implemented similar innovative employment programs through partnerships with other organizations such as Goodwill Northern New England, has a strong presence in Batavia, providing sustainability services including trash and recycling collection to area residents and businesses.

“We’re proud to be a strong community partner in Batavia and believe that the work that has been done by Arc GLOW over the years is inspirational and aligns well with our core values,” said Casella Chairman and CEO, John W. Casella. “Casella was established nearly 50 years ago, and we believe that growing and supporting our people so that they can provide outstanding service to our customers and their communities is central to everything we do.”

Arc GLOW intends to use the funding from the acquisition to invest in its programs and services to help meet the needs of the people and families they support. According to Miskell, this has become a challenge in recent years.

“In a field where our funding is consistently being squeezed, this injection of capital will position our organization for the future. We are evaluating every program and service we provide to ensure we are meeting the needs of the people in our community. I encourage every parent, family member, or community member to reach out if there is a specific need that we need to reach.”

Current Arc GLOW customers will be contacted directly with more information on what the acquisition means for them, and both organizations feel that customers will experience very little, if any change in their current service.

As first reported by The Batavian in May, prior coverage can be found HERE

UPDATE: Statement from Martin Miskell, chief executive officer, Arc Glow

I am excited to tell you that we have sold our trash and recycling business along with the West Main Street property to Casella.

For many of you, this has been the worst-kept secret in Batavia.

We could not acknowledge anything until the deal was finalized as Casella is a publicly traded company and has to abide by the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

I know change can be hard and many citizens of Batavia and the surrounding area have been great supporters of the Agency but, this will help the Agency move forward into the future.
 

Why did we sell?

• The number of jobs provided to individuals we support has shrunk dramatically over the years.
• Our fleet was very old and would have been very costly to replace.
• We have been losing money for quite some time.
• The competition has increased dramatically in the last 10 years. The larger companies have greater economies of scale and can charge less than we can for the same service.
• We were able to sell the business when it was still valuable.
• We will be able to use this money to reinvest in our fleet, facilities, and our IT. This in turn will help us provide a higher quality of service to those we support.
• Casella has agreed to hire all staff who want to stay on with them.
• Casella has agreed to keep the transfer station open to the public and has signed a contract with us to have an Arc GLOW work enclave along with a job coach run the transfer station.
• Casella has given us the last three and a half years of their lease on Apollo Drive in Batavia as part of the deal.
• Casella has become a valuable corporate partner and will continue to help us with our annual membership drive and be a financial supporter of the Agency.

What’s happening next?

• We have six months to move out of the West Main Street location.
• Transportation will be moving to Apollo Drive, which is a great facility.
• Genesee Data Management (GDM) is also moving to Apollo Drive.
• Facility Maintenance will be moving to Walnut Street.

How about some oysters, libations, and a little exercise to liven up your Thursday?

Boxing and Brews will provide just that for $5 at Farmer's Creekside Tavern. Anyone can participate in the event hosted by the Le Roy restaurant and Beyondriven Fitness and Performance’s BeyondBoxing program, co-owner Casey Mehlenbacher says.

The event is set to begin at 6 p.m. Thursday at the tavern, 1 Main St., Le Roy.

“You do not need to be a Beyondriven member to sign up. No previous boxing experience is required,” Mehlenbacher said.

“Boxing gloves will also be provided if you do not have your own. BeyondBoxing is an eight-round, 45-minute workout that incorporates boxing combined with accessory movements designed to burn fat and help tone muscle.”

Class will be “upbeat, high energy, and most importantly, fun,” Mehlenbacher said.

“We constantly hear from attendees how the time ‘flew by' and how much they enjoyed the class,” he said.

This is a first-time Boxing and Brews event at Creekside. All attendees will receive a free drink token that can be redeemed at the bar after the workout. Creekside will also be running specials for buy-one-get-one-free drinks and $1 oysters after the class.

Participants are asked to show up by 5:50 p.m. to get ready for class on the south deck of the tavern. The rain date will be Sept. 1.

Why offer a boxing fitness class at a restaurant? To build muscle and burn fat, of course, in an upbeat, fast-paced environment, Mehlenbacher said.

“We also are strong believers in supporting local businesses and engaging in positive community-building events. We are certain that this Boxing and Brews event will meet all of the above criteria,” he said.

Register HERE.

Photo from farmerscreekside.com

Dean Gardner

Dean Gardner, Jr., 45, no street address provided, Pavilion, is charged with menacing 2nd, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, attempted arson 2nd, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, and criminal possession of a weapon 4th. Gardner is accused of attacking a victim in a car on Warsaw Road at 3:16 p.m. on Aug. 20. According to Le Roy PD, Gardner is accused of choking the victim until she was no longer able to breathe.  He then allegedly grabbed a gas can from the back of his truck and poured gas on the driver's seat of the vehicle and attempted to light it on fire with the woman still in the passenger seat.  She attempted to call 9-1-1 but was too afraid that Gardner may have heard her talking with dispatchers. She hung up the phone and sent a text message to dispatchers requesting help. Officers John Ceneviva and Jordan Wolcott responded to the call.  Gardner was placed under arrest. He was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and released on his own recognizance, set to return to court on Sept. 15.

Kevin Weber

Kevin J. Weber, 51, of Batavia, is charged with assault 2nd. Weber is accused of beating a housemate during an argument over a beer at 7:31 p.m. Aug. 13. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held in jail on an unspecified amount of bail.

Nakita N. Shook, 36, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Shook is accused of hitting another person in the face during a disturbance at a rooming house on East Main Street, Batavia, at 6:51 a.m. Aug. 13. Shook was arraigned in City Court and ordered to return Sept. 1.

Kenneth S. Griffin Jr., 24, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and aggravated unlicensed operation. Griffin was stopped at 3:30 a.m. Aug. 13, on Jefferson Avenue by a Batavia patrol officer. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kimberly J. Grover, 56, of Perry, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, DWAI-Drugs, inadequate exhaust system, and broken windshield. Grover was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer at 12:30 a.m., Aug. 9, on East Avenue. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kimberly A. Fox, 44, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Fox was arrested on a warrant. She is accused of physically harassing another tenant in her multi-unit dwelling. She was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance. 

Adam B. Thomas, 33, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. At 4:35 p.m. on Aug. 14, police responded to a location on West Main Street to investigate a trespass complaint. While on scene, officers were informed that Thomas was suspected of ripping off the toilet seat in the women's bathroom and refused to exit the building. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Alicia M. Lyons, 42, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Lyons is accused of kicking another person in the leg causing a minor injury at 11:38 a.m. Aug. 14. 

Eric P. Doleman, 52, of Corfu, is charged with petit larceny. Doleman is accused of stealing a Reese's snack cake from a gas station on West Main Street, Batavia, at 3:40 a.m. Aug. 13. Doleman was issued an appearance ticket.

Andrew A. Searight, 35, of Niagara Falls, is charged with failure to appear. Searight is accused of failing to appear in City Court as ordered on June 21. Searight was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear on Sept. 7.

Justin Mark Davis, 31, of Chili Avenue, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, insufficient tail lamps, and driving without a court-mandated interlock device. Davis was stopped at 11:45 p.m. Aug. 11 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Trevor Sherwood. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.

Jay Michael Blatchley, 49, of Bank Street Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Blatchley is accused of stealing $82.06 in merchandise from a retail store on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, at 7:01 p.m. on Aug. 16. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and ordered to appear in court on Aug. 23.  NOTE: The Sheriff's Office withheld the name and address of the retail store.

Jamie Aaron Dutton, 30, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with burglary 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and petit larceny.  Dutton is accused of entering Walmart in Batavia at 7:55 p.m. on Aug. 18 with the intent to commit a crime. He was located at a different location by Deputy Andrew Mullen and K-9 Frankie.  He was arraigned in Genesee County Court and ordered to appear in Town of Batavia Court on Sept. 13. Deputy Zachary Hoy investigated the case.

Jonah Lee Epps, 20, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs. Epps was arrested on Aug. 20 and charged in connection with a property damage accident reported at 9:21 p.m. on June 16 following the return of laboratory results.  The case was investigated by Deputy David Moore and Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. Epps was issued an appearance ticket. 

Danielle Katherine Kellogg, 24, of Pembroke, is charged with harassment 2nd.  Kellogg is accused of hitting another person causing a minor injury at 2:49 a.m. on Aug. 18, at a location in Pembroke. She was arraigned in Pembroke Town Court.  

Rachael Anne Gillespie, 31, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with felony DWI and felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater.  Gillespie was stopped at 8:14 p.m. on Aug. 19 on Sharrick Road, Darien, by Deputy Alexander Hadsall. She was issued traffic tickets and released.

Sandra Lynn Shifley, 39, of Bird Road, Byron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to keep right. Shifley was arrested following a report of a property damage accident, a vehicle had struck a road sign, at 7:17 p.m. on Aug. 20 on North Bergen Road, Byron. Shifley was transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing and issued appearance tickets. The accident was investigated by Deputy Jacob Kipler.

Fidel Vargas-Sondoval, 46, of Glenbrook, Rochester, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Vargas-Sondoval is accused of slashing tires on Washington Street in Le Roy on Aug. 15.  Vargas-Sondoval was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court, an order of protection was issued, and he was released pending a future court appearance. 

Austin J. Kettle, 28, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Kettle was stopped at 11:58 p.m. on Aug. 19 in the Town of Pembroke by State Police. He was issued an appearance ticket.  No further information released.

Blake R. Johnson, 37, of Canandaigua, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Johnson was stopped at 3:20 a.m. on Aug. 20 in the Town of Batavia by State Police. Johnson was released on an appearance ticket. No further information released.

Jarrett Coniglio

A 29-yar-old Basom man has been indicted by a Genesee County Grand Jury of attempted murder in the second degree, a Class B violent felony.

Jarrett C. Coniglio, a Bloomingdale Road resident, is accused of attempting to stab another Basom resident to death.

He is also indicted on counts of assault in the first degree, a Class B violent felony, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, intimidating a victim or witness in the third degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, and menacing in the third degree.

The victim was a witness in another criminal matter, according to the indictment, and Coniglio was attempting to prevent that person from communicating a witness statement to authorities.

The incident took place on April 11 at a residence on Sandhill Road in the Town of Alabama.

On June 1, Coniglio was sentenced to five years in prison on an assault in the second-degree conviction. 

That charge stemmed from a July 23, 2021 incident on Bloomingdale Road in which Coniglio snuck up behind a neighbor and hit him over the head with a bottle.

Coniglio's brother, Justice C. Coniglio, was also charged with assault in the second degree. Both were also accused of fighting with deputies when officers attempted to arrest them. A K-9 handler was injured during the scuffle.

On June 7, Justice Coniglio entered a guilty plea to the assault charge.

Previously:

• Law and Order: K-9s in Batavia and Alabama assist in arresting violent suspects
• Basom man accused of attempted murder after knife attack reported
• Basom man involved in scuffle with deputies pleads guilty to assault
• Claims of being 'family-centered' no help for Basom man's sentence

Raul Cruz

One of two men indicted by a Genesee County Grand Jury of murder in a double homicide in March was arraigned on those counts in Genesee County Court this morning.

The arraignment of Raul Cruz, 18, of Warsaw, went through standard court procedure -- ensuring all evidence that is available (discovery material) has been turned over to the defense, ensuring the prosecution is ready for trial, setting dates for motions, and reviewing the defendant's bail status.

Cruz entered a not-guilty plea for the murders that occurred in Alexander earlier this year.

There will be more evidence in the case coming from the crime lab, District Attorney Kevin Finnell told Judge Melissa Cianfrini Lightcap.  He indicated there is still a substantial amount of evidence in the case for the lab to process, however, upon questioning by Lightcap, Finnell said he has sufficient evidence already to prosecute the case and is ready to proceed to trial.

Before a trial date is set, the defense has the right to file motions in the case challenging evidence and witness statements, and the prosecution is given time to prepare counterarguments before the court holds a hearing on those motions.

Defense motions are due on Oct. 6, with answers due on Oct. 13.  A hearing on motions is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Oct. 17.

Cruz is being held without bail, but Genesee Justice has yet to conduct a bail scoring worksheet, which is normally part of the bail review process and provides the judge with information on a defendant's flight risk. Defense Attorney Fred Rarick asked that the worksheet be completed before he makes a motion on his client's bail status.  In the interim, Lightcap ordered Cruz to continue to be held in the Genesee County Jail without bail.

Both Prince N.K. Wilson, 23, of Albion, and Cruz are accused of killing Elibander "Ivan" Morales and Marcelino Gomez Hernandez at 10216 Alexander Road, Alexander on March 11.

Morales was 30 and Hernandez, 29.  Both were born in Mexico and had been employed in the U.S. for an unspecified amount of time.

They were indicted last week by a Genesee County Grand Jury on counts of murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, arson in the second degree, and petit larceny.

Cruz and Wilson are accused of killing Morales and Hernandez, of setting the fire, and of stealing cash, a suitcase, a laptop, and other personal property.

Wilson is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.

Previously:

• Two men in custody in Alexander double homicide
• Victims in Alexander double homicide identified
• Defendant in double murder claims he's not getting along with his attorney
• Two men indicted on murder counts in deaths of two men at Alexander dairy farm

Two people were killed in a motor vehicle accident on the New York State Thruway on Sunday evening when a truck they were in left the roadway and struck the Slusser Road Bridge in the Town of Pembroke.

Pronounced dead at the scene were Thomas T. Cartmel, 64, of Crossville, Ala., and Deborah J. Burelli, 67, of Rochester. 

The accident was reported before 6 p.m.

According to State Police Cartmel and Burelli were in a 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 truck pulling a trailer in the westbound lane of the I-90.  The truck left the roadway on the right shoulder and drove through a grassy area and then struck the bridge.  The trailer became detached and came to rest vertically against the overpass.

A Genesee County coroner pronounced both occupants dead at the scene. Their bodies were transported to the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office.

The investigation into the accident is ongoing and being conducted by the NYSP Collision Reconstruction Unit and the Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service

You could say that Don Antinore took his job seriously Saturday on School Street in Batavia.

He was one of three volunteer judges for the first-ever Italian Fest sauce contest. Antinore, Jay Steinbrenner and Paul Figlow carefully tasted, observed, and dripped each sauce off the spoon during their deliberations of the top three winners.

After they reviewed each type and style of sauce, the judges were ready with their selections. That is after they conferred with one another for several minutes. The Batavian remarked how soberly they were approaching the task.

Antinore, whose business card lists him as an American Academy of Chef's Culinary Hall of Famer, and an educator and coach for Hospitality Solutions, said they were giving the job due diligence for the eight contestants.

“We're doing this because these people took the time to make these sauces,” he said.

The contestants were mostly made up of home chefs with family recipes. The contest was a first for Stephanee Surabian of Batavia. She didn’t exactly have a choice in entering, she said.

“My kids decided to push me toward it,” she said, watching her three pots of varied sauces. “They think mom’s is the best.”

She had a pesto alla trapanese, made with tomatoes and freshly ground almonds; fra diavolo, whose name translates to the devil’s mouth, and includes a spicy concoction with red pepper and red chili flakes; and a parma rosa, featuring a creamy base of tomatoes with melted cheese.

Lucie Griffis of Le Roy entered her Nanny’s Italian sauce, made with canned tomatoes, sausage, pork, homemade meatballs and fresh basil. The secret to a good sauce? “Not burning your garlic and onion at the start,” she said, “is key.”

To her left was Ken Kline from Oakfield. His recipe is cooked down from fresh roma tomatoes for three days on low heat, he said. He uses fresh parsley, oregano, basil, Italian sausage, homemade meatballs, stew beef and hard-boiled eggs.

“It’s thick and not runny,” he said. “You gotta love the sauce, you gotta love the family recipe.”

The recipe comes out during special occasions and, at times, just when the mood strikes him and his family, Kline said. Handed down from great-grandma from Palermo, Sicily, it’s a favorite that depends heavily on fresh roma tomatoes, he said.

Home chef, but with a background of working in the family restaurant in Denver, Colo., Sam Prinzi of Batavia believed in slow-cooking his ingredients, many of which are home-grown in his Batavia yard.

“Slow cooking, good seasoning and cooking it down,” are keys to a winning sauce, he said. He spent 90 minutes preparing everything, and then letting it cook on low for three to four hours.

He had a display of fresh ingredients on his table: green peppers, tomatoes and garlic, with some potential accompaniments of crunchy breadsticks, a small loaf of bread and pasta.

The recipe came from his grandparents in Sicily, both who have passed away, leaving their grandson to take up the spoon and continue on with the family tradition.

Prinzi liked the event, and plans to come back next year, he said.

“They’ve got great potential if they just keep adding to it,” he said. “I think this is great for the community.”

The contest was put on a brief hold as former county manager Jay Gsell was making his way downtown with his big pot of sauce from yet another family recipe.

His wife Ann Marie and her mother, Fannie Varone, are die-hard Italians with a recipe to be proud of, he said. So proud, in fact, that his mom-in-law threatened to put the “evil eye” on him if he didn’t learn the concoction before moving with his wife out of state.

“It’s a staple, in a big pot,” he said. “We have it for one or two meals, and then freeze the rest. We call it gravy, not sauce.”

After all of the tastings and whispering amongst the three judges, it was time for the big announcement. But first, Antinore offered some tips for authentic Italian sauce: oregano doesn’t belong in an Italian kitchen, he said, suggesting instead to use rosemary; don’t use too much spice as to take away from the overall taste; and consider how much oil you use, and its source (cooking meat in the sauce, for example); and herbs are not spices, he said.

Third place went to Griffis, second to Gsell and first prize of $100 and an engraved wooden spoon went to Prinzi.

Photos by Howard Owens

Meanwhile, The Formula entertained with classic Italian songs to a mixed audience of standing and seated spectators, while others gravitated to the beer and wine tent or shopped vendors along Jackson Street.

The event was hosted by Batavia's Business Improvement District. BID Executive Director Shannon Maute said that, despite some competition from other events on the same day, "I felt it went pretty well." It drew more than 1,000 people, she said, and vendors "were happy and said they would love to come back next year."

Maute stressed the short lead time of having about four months to plan and pull this event together, when it typically takes a year to organize one. She was thankful to have the support that she had for the festival, she said.

"Events are a huge undertaking, and I am grateful for all the help and support from City Council, the city manager, my board, committee members and volunteers," she said. "I was very excited to bring this event to downtown. It was the first year, and we have some adjusting to do, and hope to grow it every year." 

Top photo: Judges Don Antinore, left, Jay Steinbrenner and Paul Figlow make their way through eight sauces to find the top three winners at Saturday's Italian Fest in downtown Batavia; Sam Prinzi won first place and the commemorative wooden spoon; Jay Gsell, second place, congratulates third and first place winners, Lucie Griffis and Sam Prinzi; visitors to the event on School, Center and Jackson streets.

Jeremy Ives

Two attempted assault 1st charge has been lodged against a man accused of firing a shotgun and wounding two people on Aug. 12 at 2 Elm St., Batavia.

Jeremy Ives, no address or age provided, was also charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon 2nd, kidnapping 2nd, criminal use of a firearm 1st and 2nd, and menacing 2nd. 

Detectives believe the weapon used was a shotgun and that Ives possessed it unlawfully. 

They say Ives fired one shot.

One person was transported to an area hospital and released after treatment.  Another person was treated at the scene and released.

Police say that after the shooting, Ives fled in a vehicle with other passengers and that one of the passengers attempted to exit the vehicle multiple towns and that Ives threatened the passenger.

The motive for the shooting is still under investigation.

Ives and a victim may have known each other.

Following arraignment in City Court, Ives was ordered jailed without bail.

The statement from Batavia PD reads: "The Batavia Police Detective Bureau would like to thank the public for their assistance in providing information regarding the shooting. The Batavia Police Department would also like to thank the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center, the City of Batavia Fire Department, and Mercy EMS for their assistance on scene as well as the Erie County Crime Analysis Center and Unified Court Security personnel."

The investigation is on-going and anyone else with information is asked to contact Batavia Police Detective Jason Ivison at (585) 345-6312. 

The Sheriff's Office is asking people not to leave purses and other valuable items in vehicles because they become targets of a criminal gang that is roaming the region.

The Felony Lane Gang is believed to be behind a rash of smash-and-grab purse thefts from vehicles at hiking areas, bike trails, county parks, local parks and other parking lots.

The Sheriff's Office describes the gang as "well organized" and based in Flordia but is known to operate in the North East.

Gang members are believed to be responsible for these types of thefts in Erie, Monroe, and Genesee County in recent weeks.

Once the purse is stolen, they use the victim's ID, credit cards, and checks to commit identity theft and related crimes.

"The Sheriff's Office is advising the public not to leave anything of value inside your vehicle while unoccupied," according to a news release. "Any suspicious activity should be reported to the police immediately."

The Felony Lane Gang first made news in Genesee County in January 2020 when a man believed to be associated with the gang was killed in an accident while fleeing from law enforcement in Alexander.

Danielle Tooley

A Batavia woman, who applied for and received unemployment benefits connected to COVID-19 relief programs that she was not entitled to, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison.

Danielle Tooley, 37, must also pay $18,000 in restitution to the federal government.

Tooley's scheme was uncovered by local law enforcement during a traffic stop on Nov. 24, when she was arrested for alleged criminal possession of a controlled substance following a traffic stop on Clinton Street Road in Bergen.

As officers prepared to tow Tooley's vehicle, they recovered six NYS unemployment benefit cards issued to people other than Tooley. They turned the cards over to the Department of Labor. 

An investigation by the Inspector General revealed that Tooley had consistently withdrawn money from bank accounts associated with the cards.

She was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.

Booking Photo: From an unrelated arrest in Genesee County and obtained by The Batavian through a Freedom of Information Law request.

There is no new information to share in the ongoing investigation of a shooting reported on Elm Street on Aug. 12, said Batavia PD Chief Shawn Heubusch.

Heubusch said detectives are working on active leads and that there is no further info to release to the public at this time.

According to the initial report from police, two people were shot at 4:14 p.m. last Friday in the area of Elm Street and East Main Street.  

Both victims were treated on the scene by City Fire and Mercy EMS.  One person was transported to UMMC with non-life-threatening injuries and the other one was treated and released at the scene.

Police have yet to release any information on possible suspects, such as how many people might be involved, the type or types of weapons involved, how many shots were fired, or any descriptions of the suspects.

There is no information available on any possible motive.

There are kids in every high school who, when it comes time to make that serious decision after graduation, just don’t know what they want to do, Molly Haungs says.

And the GLOW With Your Hands program is a way to introduce kids early on to many career options that don't necessarily require a costly college degree.

“I am a marketing manager, I have a college degree. It took me seven and a half years to get there. That's an expensive mistake, and that was a long time ago. It's an even more expensive mistake now. And I think if we can kind of get some of these kiddos that just aren't really sure what they want to do, in front of businesses and in front of occupations, where they can feel a sense of fulfillment and know that they're gonna make a good honest living. There's just so much pride in that,” Haungs said during a GLOW celebration Wednesday at the site of her employer, Land Pro Equipment. “And this community offers a ton of opportunities. So that's really what the GLOW With Your Hands project is about, it’s aligning potential students with the businesses that have careers that can make it all happen and come together.”

Haungs and several other partners in the four-county effort (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming) got together to announce the program’s success in attracting those students, and area businesses, to participate.

This year 1,000 students will be learning various skills that are in demand in the workforce, from high-tech construction equipment operators and advanced manufacturing to food production and jobs in the agricultural market.

Land Pro Equipment, in progress with a project at its site at Saile Drive and Call Parkway, was one of the founders of the program and therefore has been a participating business for interested students. Haungs said this kick-off event couldn’t have happened at a better time “as we continue with the construction of our 50,000 square-foot regional training center with sales, service, and training facilities,” she said.

“In order to repair and maintain a large portfolio of John Deere equipment, we need workers with a specific set of skills because these machines use highly sophisticated electronics and other high-end controls. We are finding that GLOW With Your Hands is truly making a difference … I mean, you'll see kids that are driving nails. I got to see some things last year that, you just see a spark in their eye and interest created, and it's just such a good feeling when you see that light in one kid.”

Her company first saw such an initiative at a Finger Lakes Career Fair, and everyone agreed that it should be replicated here, Haungs said. One by one, key players joined in the effort, from Co-Chairmen Jay Lazarony and Chris Suozzi, GLOW With Your Hands School Coordinator Angela Grouse and Melinda Mack, New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals executive director, to marketing committee co-chairman Jim Krencik.

And a win-win became evident: employers provided opportunities for students to learn hands-on skills, students and their families could eliminate college debt, and more trained workers are becoming available for employers seeking people to fill positions.

As Suozzi said, “The GLOW region has become a hub for workforce development because of events such as GLOW With Your Hands, which provides hands-on experiences in growing and emerging fields that can lead to good paying career opportunities without students having to incur the cost of a college education.”

Students from eighth to 12th grades will come from all four counties for a career boot camp of sorts, learning hands-on skills and trades and having the opportunity to dip their toes in several occupational pools, so to speak.

More than 45 vendors have already committed to participate in hands-on activities and simulations in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, skilled trades sectors, and various branches of the military.

Mack said the efforts of GLOW With Your Hands represent the impact that workforce development partnerships are having for the next generation of talent.

“GLOW With Your Hands is a model of how regional stakeholders are collaborating on workforce development initiatives that provide industries across many sectors with a pipeline of prospective skilled workers,” she said. “We are very passionate about workforce development, it is our goal to provide voice, knowledge, and accelerating progress in this field through events and initiatives like GLOW With Your Hands.”

The student participants will converge on Genesee County Fairgrounds on Sept. 27, and, as a result of this program, local residents have “many options for good-paying, family-sustaining jobs,” Lazarony said.

“But the job is not done. We need to focus on the next generation of workers because of the immediate need for skilled workers due to the rate of retiring laborers. It's important to note, that a number of these jobs do not require a four-year college degree. Graduating students can start their careers without incurring or letting their parents incur the cost of college education,” he said.

“There was a time not too long ago that you didn't have a college degree and you couldn't get a good paying job, a family-sustaining job. That's not the case any longer,” he said. “Simply put, employers that report skilled workers now, especially those that can grow within their companies in the coming decades, through our collaboration with the business sector, and stakeholders in government events like GLOW With Your Hands, are helping meet this demand. The future for our regional economy depends on us meeting this demand.”

Haungs also credits Karen Winters of Genesee County’s Business Education Alliance as the one who “kind of got in front of the right people to make this happen.” From there, it snowballed into a much larger territory of workforce development opportunities for students, she said.

“And it was just a trickle-down effect of people, just knowing that we need this, and knowing that this is going to make a difference,” Haungs said.

Top photo from left, Jay Lazarony, Angela Grouse, Molly Haungs, Melinda Mack, Chris Suozzi, and Jim Krencik celebrate the GLOW With Your Hands program, which will involve 1,000 students from Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties at a hands-on training Sept. 27 at Genesee County Fairgrounds. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Prince Wilson Raul Cruz

A Genesee County Grand Jury has indicted two men of murder for the death of two dairy farm workers in Alexander in March.

Raul Cruz, 18, of Warsaw, and Prince Wilson, 23, of Albion, are both charged with murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, arson in the second degree, and petit larceny.

They both face a minimum prison sentence of 15 to 40 years in prison if convicted.

They are accused of killing Elibander "Ivan" Morales and Marcelino Gomez Hernandez at 10216 Alexander Road, Alexander on March 11.

Morales was 30 and Hernandez, 29.  Both were born in Mexico and had been employed in the U.S. for an unspecified amount of time.

Deputies responded to the dairy farm at 9:59 p.m. March 11, when dispatchers received a report of a disturbance in a bunk house. A short time after deputies responded, smoke was seen coming from the bunkhouse and Alexander Fire was dispatched. The fire was quickly extinguished. 

Deputies found two victims dead inside the bunkhouse.

 Cruz and Wilson are accused of killing Morales and Hernandez, of setting the fire, and of stealing cash, a suitcase, a laptop, and other personal property.

Previously:

• Two men in custody in Alexander double homicide
• Victims in Alexander double homicide identified
• Defendant in double murder claims he's not getting along with his attorney

Apparently Batavia is the only area in Genesee County with a reported power outage that occurred at 1:47 p.m. Wednesday, according to National Grid. The outage has affected 2,455 customers, including those on the city's north side, and specific reasons for the outage were not available from National Grid staff at 2:14 p.m.

National Grid has estimated that the outage is expected to be restored by 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Terrance Leon Dandridge, II, 26, of Brisco Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with falsely reporting an incident.  Dandridge was arrested following an investigation into an incident at 4:38 p.m., Aug. 6, on Route 98 in Elba. Deputies investigated a claim by Dandridge that he had been kidnapped from his residence in Buffalo and driven to Elba and left tied up in his vehicle before he was able to escape and was discovered in the roadway.  Dandridge suffered no apparent injury but was transported to an area hospital for evaluation. Dandridge is accused of making up his claims of being kidnapped and tied up.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Eric Peter Doleman, 52, of Kilian Road, Pembroke, is charged with petit larceny. Doleman is accused of shoplifting at Price Shopper on Lewiston Road, Batavia, at 2:45 p.m., Aug. 3. Doleman allegedly placed an item of merchandise in his pants prior to walking out of the store without paying for the item. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Geovanny Lopez, 33, no address provided, is charged with felony DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, circumventing an interlock device, and speeding.  Lopez was stopped at 12:32 a.m., Aug. 4 on I-490 in Le Roy by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell.  Lopez was released on an appearance ticket.

(Name redacted upon request), 47, of Alexander Road, Alexander, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. xxxx is accused of using text messages, Facebook Messenger, and voice mail to contact a person he was barred from contacting by court order on July 16. xxxx was arraigned Bethany Town Court on Aug. 7 and ordered held in the Genesee County Jail on $2,500 bail, or $5,000 bond, or $10,000 partially secured bond.

Adam Mark Kopper, 35, of Slusser Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Kopper is accused of stealing $737 from his employer, an unnamed retail store on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, between July 13 and July 16. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Christine Marie Caplis, 42, of Clinton Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Caplis was arrested on a warrant after being observed on a bicycle in the City of Batavaia at 8:34 p.m., Aug 13. At the time of her arrest she was allegedly found in possession of a narcotic. She was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear again on Aug. 18.

Robert Drewry, 56, of Sycamore Street, Buffalo, is charged with petit larceny. Drewry is accused of stealing money from a vehicle on Harloff Road, Batavia, at 6 p.m., June 8.

Anthony S. Brooks, 32, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, unlawful imprisonment 2nd, and criminal mischief 4th. Brooks was arrested after a report of a disturbane on Highland Park at 6;10 p.m., July 31. He was jailed on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.

Brian M. Clark, 45, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Clark is accused of stealing alcohol from his employer and consuming iit while at work at 4 a.m., July 23, on Ellicott Street.. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Leonard E. Aguayo, 35, of Rochester, is charged with criminal trespass 2nd.  Aguay0 is accused of opening a window of a residence on Ellicott Street at 3 a.m., July 28, and throwing an object at a person inside. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Katherine J. Briggs, 43, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Briggs is accused of contacting a person in violation of a court order. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Karrie A. Morrow, 39, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Morrow was arrested on Aug. 5 on a warrant related to an incident reported at 12:30 p.m., July 12 at a location on West Main Street, Batavia. Morrow was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision. No further details released.

Dustyn W. Wilcox, 37, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Wilcox is accused of threatening a neighbor during a dispute reported at 7:07 p.m., Aug. 10, at a location on Wood Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Gregory W. Houseknecht, 31, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and menacing 3rd. Houseknecht is accused of threatening to harm people and menacing them during an argument reported at 5:09 p.m., Aug. 8, at a location on Oak Street, Batavia. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered to return to court on Aug. 18. Houseknecht was arrested again at 12:30 a.m., on Aug. 9, on East Avenue, and charged with criminal contempt 2nd for allegedly violating an order of protection stemming from the earlier incident. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on bail.

Timmy J. Frazier, 65, of Tonawanda, is charged with trespass. Frazier was allegedly at a business on East Main Street, Batavia, at 11:48 a.m., Aug. 8, and refusing to leave. When police arrived on scene, he was again advised to leave the property and refused to do so.  He was arrested. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Benjamin A. Boyce, 41 of Batavia, is charged with dog running at large. Boyce is accused of failing to maintain control of his dog and letting it run loose in a neighbor's yard at 4:34 p.m., Aug. 3. He was ordered to appear in City Court on Aug. 23.

Jason H. Freeman, 40, of Batavia, is charged with obstruction of governmental administration. Freeman is accused of failure to appear in court on the charge, which stems from an incident reported at 5:56 p.m., May 22. Freeman was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Zac Condidorio presented a project to expand the offerings, seating and view at Eli Fish Brewing Company during Tuesday’s city Planning and Development meeting.

There would be a wood frame deck, two levels, a patio furnace, brand new canopy to replace the old one, catenary lighting and a brick veneer, said Condidorio of Whitney East Inc. in Rochester. There was only one question neither he nor any committee members knew: was the building on the National Register of Historic Places?

Gray had originally proposed a more elaborate — and costly — “rock cage enclosure as a bench, with some wooden seating” that turned out to be too expensive, Condidorio said.

“He’s eliminated that thought process,” the contractor said. “To make the barrier between the public and the brewery is to have movable planter boxes, and basically, you can move them so that the city can maintain the space in the wintertime.”

There would also be a gate system for people to enter and exit between Jackson Square and the brewery at 109 Main St., Batavia.

Committee Chairman Duane Preston asked about the fire pit that is in the blueprint. That’s “not in my contract,” Condidorio said, “I don’t know what Matt is doing with that.”

Gray, operating under AGRV Properties, Inc. applied for the permit and approval for the approximately $140,000 addition to be built onto the back of Eli Fish and facing Jackson Square. He has also applied for a $20,000 grant from Batavia Development Corp. from its Revolving Loan Fund monies.

BDC’s board and City Council approved the request. Aid from grant funding will allow the applicant to replace the rear, exterior stairs and doors and assist in the cost of adding a large two-level patio attached to the rear of the building.

Condidorio’s building permit application is to construct a wood frame deck with steel frame wall mounted canopy and permanently installed patio furniture with a barrier at the rear of the property. The canopy will be clear roofing material so that the canopy stands out with the decking. There will be some ground level seating, which extends out to the property line, he said, pointing to the enlarged blueprint he displayed for committee members.

Modern catenary lighting, he said, which forms a curve with lights hanging freely from a wire, rope, or chain from two points that are not in the same vertical line, will be featured. Lighting is to flow downward, with no uplighting mapped into the project, he said, emphasizing that it’s to be an industrial style vibe.

Since there are apartments in and around the square, a committee member asked about disturbing neighbors and hours of operation. Condidorio believed Eli was open to 11 p.m., he said, and reviewed the lighting again. According to the company’s online hours, they go to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 9 p.m. on other days.

Gray, who was not able to make the meeting, was relieved to receive a thumbs-up on the project, except for the historic register question. Turns out he knew the answer.

“Yes it is. It was added to the registry in 2018,” Gray said. “We are excited to be able to move forward with Eli's beer garden in Jackson Square. It is a project that's three years in the making, and (he and partners are happy) to finally get to this point in the project. It will seat up to 60 guests on two levels, half which will be covered.”

Condidorio was anxious and ready to begin work on the patio as soon as possible, he said. Eli Fish should be ready before the next Jackson Square concert series, Gray said. 

“We are expecting a May 2023 grand opening on the space,” Gray said.

The Batavian left messages with Preston and Code Enforcement Officer Douglas Randall regarding if and how being on the National Register will alter any of the construction plans or process.

To view the project, click here.

Top photo: Contractor Zac Condidorio shows one of the blueprints of the Eli Fish patio project; the rear space at present to be converted. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Attention all chili aficionados: cooks and tasters are invited to participate in the first-ever Smoke-off and Chili Cook-off Saturday at Jam at the Ridge.

Campers at the Le Roy site are organizing the contest, and anyone from the public can join the culinary fun by showing up with your own equipment and ingredients, and cook. Said to be first documented in an 1828 journal, according to allrecipes.com, chili varies from sweet to hot peppers, beans or no beans, rice, pasta, meat or vegetarian style, and assorted types of tomato sauce.

Organizers plan to begin offering samples around 2 p.m. for $1 donation, and judging is set for 4 p.m.

Besides the satisfaction of being named as the best chili chef in the area, participants will also help to raise funds — all proceeds, including the $20 entry fee, are going — for American Legion and local veterans.

There will also be raffle and silent auctions, with sports memorabilia and tickets to local sporting events as some of the items.

It’s free to enter the park and event for spectators, and $20 for anyone outside of the camp who wants to participate in the cook-off. Bring your own coolers and chairs, or visit the full bar and restaurant on site at 8101 Conlon Road, Le Roy. The Jam’s renaissance event will also be happening this weekend.

For more information about events, go to jamattheridge.com or call  (585) 768-4883.

 

DSP Jazz Trio is offering two opportunities to enjoy the last weeks of summer with some "laid back, easy listenin' jazz favorites" in Genesee County.

The trio is Derek Reiss, trumpet and flugelhorn, Skip Taylor on an electronic drum set, and Pete Mark, trombone and vocals. They will be playing from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at TF Brown's, 214 East Main St., Batavia, and beginning at 6 p.m. Aug. 25 in Elba Village Park on Route 98, Elba.

The group will also jazz things up from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Bent's Harvest Restaurant, Medina.