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Thorpe Street

Police responding to report of people fighting on Thorpe Street, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

Dispatchers have received a report of people fighting outside a residence on Thorpe Street, Batavia.

Batavia PD responding.

UPDATE 1:17 a.m.: A police officer reports nobody on scene on Thorpe Street. The officer suspects the caller heard firefighters shouting back and forth at the 109 Evans St. fire rekindle and mistook the commotion for a fight.

Thorpe to become one-way street next week

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, the traffic pattern on Thorpe Street between Maple Street and Watson Street will change from two-way to one-way southbound, in accordance with City Council Resolution #95-2018 and Traffic Order 1 of the year 2019.

On this date all motorist are to obey the new traffic law and signage once posted. Motorists shall enter Thorpe Street (portion between Watson Street and Maple Street from Watson Street and exit onto Maple Street. On-street parking shall be permitted as signed on the westside on the roadway.

Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

Briggs walks Southside neighborhood to investigate proposal to make Thorpe one-way

By Howard B. Owens

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Fifth Ward City Council Representative Kathy Briggs was with John Roach this afternoon walking the area around Thorpe Street to better see for herself, she said, what a proposal to make Thorpe one-way would mean for the neighborhood.

Briggs said she stopped to talk with local residents, especially those living on Thorpe, about the idea.

The plan is to make Thorpe one-way for southbound traffic and allow parking on one side of the street. Thorpe was apparently one-way many years ago and nobody knows how or when it changed, Briggs said.

There will be a public hearing on the proposal Nov. 26 and Briggs hopes for a City Council vote on the change at its Dec. 10 meeting.

"The folks on Thorpe (she spoke to today) like it a lot," Briggs said. "At my ward meetings they've been complaining about traffic that zooms down Thorpe Street and it’s so narrow and kids are out playing so they’re excited about this."

Family on Thorpe Street hosts carnival for kids in the neighborhood

By Howard B. Owens

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Dan Eberly and his wife, Sarah, hosted a carnival in their backyard yesterday for the children living on and around Thorpe Street in Batavia.

"This is a busy neighborhood and there are lots of kids and we just wanted to get to know them," Dan Eberly said.

The carnival had various games that allowed the children to earn tickets that could be redeemed for prizes. There were also hotdogs, snacks and drinks.

It was all free.

Most of the year Eberly, who is originally from Baltimore, works overseas but with an extended stay at his home in Batavia, he thought it was a good time to do something for the neighborhood kids.

"I had carnivals in my neighborhood when I was growing up and they were the highlight of my fall," he said.

The Eberlys also host Nerf gun games every Wednesday evening in their backyard. If kids show up and don't have their own Nerf guns, the Eberlys supply them.

Eberly is also mindful that Thorpe has a reputation for being a troubled neighborhood.

"We had the shooting — it was literally out my front window -- a couple of weeks ago, and we just figure this would be a good way to start changing the community by getting to know everybody," Eberly said.

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Maple Street resident charged with attempted murder after shooting on Thorpe Street

By Howard B. Owens

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A suspect has been arrested and charged with attempted murder in the shooting yesterday on Thorpe Street in Batavia.

Being held without bail is Tyshawn King 24, of Maple Street, Batavia.

King is also charged with assault in the first degree.

The shooting was discovered by Batavia police officers after receiving a complaint around 4:50 p.m. of a fight on Thorpe Street.

Upon arrival, officers learned that there had been a shooting and the victim had gone to a house on Evans Street to seek medical attention.

Assistant Chief Todd Crossett said investigators still don't know what started the fight.

Two other people were detained yesterday and after being questioned were released.

The victim, who was shot in the hand and abdomen, is in stable condition at ECMC after surgery last night and is alert and able to talk, Crossett said.

Batavia PD thanked community members for assisting in the investigation.

People in the area of Thorpe and Maple pointed police to the residence where the suspect fled, at the corner of Thorpe and Maple, and shared information about what they saw.

"To them, it is very generic information, but in the big scope of things, when we put the pieces together, it really helps us," Crossett said.

Batavia man charged with animal abuse in Wyoming County case involving 44 chihuahuas

By Howard B. Owens

A 77-year-old Thorpe Street resident has been arrested by the Wyoming County Sheriff's Office and charged with animal abuse.

His son, a Middlebury resident, was also arrested.

The arrests follow an April 28 report in Middlebury of 50 chihuahuas being dropped off on a property in Middlebury.

Joseph Wenzel Jr., of Bank Road, Middlebury, allegedly made the 9-1-1 call.

The day before, according to the WCSO, a Batavia PD officer responded to a residence on Thorpe after receiving a barking dog complaint. The officer reportedly observed eight dogs at the residence, but the homeowner did not come to the door.

The officer left a contact card and information was passed on to the city's animal control officer.

When Wenzel Jr., contacted law enforcement, he said he had fed the dogs and the dogs were contained.

An animal control officer and a deputy responded to the residence and decided to leave the dogs in place until the next morning.

Upon further investigation, Investigator Mayer and Deputy Ficarella determined that Wenzel Sr. allegedly dropped off the dogs after the visit to his residence in Batavia.

He reportedly told officers that he could not take care of the animals any longer.

Wenzel Sr. was subsequently arrested and charged with 44 counts of animal abuse and is being held in Wyoming County pending arraignment.

Wenzel Jr. was charged with 44 counts of animal abuse and falsely reporting an incident. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Group fight reported on Thorpe Street

By Howard B. Owens

Several individuals are reportedly on Thorpe Street, Batavia, fighting.

Batavia PD just arrived on scene.

UPDATE 10:15 p.m.: Police are looking for a couple of named individuals.

Police respond to disturbance on Thorpe Street

By Howard B. Owens

Police have responded to a disturbance on Thorpe Street. About 20 or more people were in the street yelling at each other, swinging at each other and making threatening gestures toward each other just before four Batavia police cruisers arrived on scene.

Within seconds, the street was nearly empty.

Earlier this evening, Batavia PD responded to a disturbance on Thorpe. The supervisor assigned a patrol to stick close to the area for the evening. That officer would have gone off duty just about the time the disturbance broke out.

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