A caller on East Main Street in Batavia reports the padlock on his bicycle is broken and "he's insisting that police have the tools to remove it," says a dispatcher. "He won't take no for an answer."
Batavia police just arrived at his location.
A three-vehicle accident is reported on the eastbound Thruway at mile marker 383.9. All occupants are said to be out of the vehicles. Unknown injuries.
Le Roy Fire Department and Ambulance Service are responding and Bergen fire is called for mutual aid.
UPDATE 12:04 p.m.: The assignment is back in service.
Under ideal weather conditions, as part of a national campaign, there was a walk this morning in Batavia to end Alzheimer’s.
The event started and ended at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, which hosted the event.
Individuals and families came together to rally around friends and relatives effected by the disease. They wore colorful shirts and carried flowers that signified how Alzheimer’s affected them or their loved ones. Purple, the predominate color, signified they had lost a loved one to the disease.
Proceeds from the walk go to the Alzheimer’s Association Western New York Chapter so they can continue to provide supportive services and education at no cost, while raising awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and Association services all across the Genesee Valley.
Solid ranch on quiet pretty country road!
This 3 bedroom, one and a half bath home has a lot to offer for someone looking for country living. The yard is park-like with small outbuilding that has electric and water run to it and what used to be four kennels and large fenced in area for all your animals. Also a small shed and a cute gazebo!
Inside features three good size bedrooms, kitchen with slider leading to outside deck and an awesome extra living/den/man cave with wet bar! Downstairs could be finished and also has pellet stove for supplemental heating if wanted.
Great home and great location! For more information on 6556 Miller Road in Elba, click here.
Photos and information from reader Brian Fose:
Darien Center -- The Buffalo-based Zuut Belly Dancers will perform at Six Flags Darien Lake tomorrow (Sept. 21), the last weekend of Harvest Festival.
See them from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Showplace Stage at the park's Beaver Brothers Lakeside Cafe area (next to the Boomerang Roller Coaster). The amusement park is located at 9993 Alleghany Road, Darien Center.
Zuut was founded in 2006. The name of the group combines their mutual love for Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Peter Shaffer's "Equus," and the French language.
They currently have fivedancers in the troupe (Mandy, Andrea, Yumi, Sandy & Cassie).
Mandy said they love all of their dances, but think they are especially fond of the "La Résistance" piece in which they wear Guy Fawkes masks and belly dance with double revolvers to the song "Uprising" by Muse.
They offer dance classes at House of Hips at 1863 Clinton St., Buffalo.
Experienced dancers who like to push the boundaries of what belly dance can be and who support and encourage our collective geekiness, silliness, spookiness, and "that what she said" jokes are accepted into their troupe as new members.
They perform mostly at local WNY bars, festivals and events. Their website is here.
In the Six Flags Darien Lake map below, the area where the belly dancers will be performing is circled in red.
It's been another busy year for the County Highway Department, Superintendent Tim Hens told members of the Legislature during his annual department review at the Public Service Committee meeting on Thursday.
In 2019, the county received $1.7 million from the state for roads, bridges, and culverts, plus another $382,183 for road paving.
There are 92 bridges in the county with a span of greater than 20 feet. The condition rating is 5.16, up from 5.11 last year.
There are currently nine bridges in the county posted to warn away drivers with heavy loads. This year, three of those bridges are being replaced. They are: Caswell Road, Searls Road, and Pratt Road bridges.
Taking into account all bridges greater than five feet long, much progress has been made over the past three years, Hens said.
“We did an inventory and assessment study in 2016 and identified our top 30 worst bridges,” Hens said. “We have replaced 18 of those. That’s better than half, which is pretty good. With three of them currently being replaced by the end of the year, that number will go up by three by the end of the year.”
Those state programs are going to be dependent in future years on what the federal government does, which Hens said is a concern. He's uncertain about congressional approval and whether the bill will be passed before the 2020 election.
There are 260 centerline miles of highway the county maintains. The average condition rating is now 5.69, an improvement from the previous year.
Paving projects completed in 2019:
Another project completed in 2019 is the EMS training ground and new firing range at the Emergency Services office location on Bank Street Road.
There are currently 61 employees in the department, for a total of 56.75 full-time equivalents, up by two from 2018.
The proposed budget for 2020 us $5,527,130, which is an increase over 2019 because of the rising cost of salt for snow and ice removal, and increased health care costs.
Salt prices are going up about 5 percent.
Gas prices and asphalt prices have remained stable, Hens said.
Obviously we have some funding concerns going forward, Hens said.
There is at least $125 million in capital projects pending in the county over the next 10 years.
"That’s not the jail. That’s not water. That’s other stuff," Hens said. "We’re going to need federal aid. I hoping that this new federal authorization has some money in it for roads for counties, some relief for counties.”
(Above: "Cowboy Mouth.")
Submitted photos and information from Genesee Community College.
At Roz Steiner Gallery at Genesee Community College artist Nigel Maister's tight. word. lit. will be on display Oct. 1 - 31.
There's an Artist Talk at the gallery Oct. 10 at 12:30 p.m., with receptions at 1 and also 5 p.m.
tight. word. lit. -- Through the pairing of unrelated photographic images, Maister creates a narrative both implied and explicit and manifested in emotional, formal, aesthetic, intuitive and intellectual expression, and an evocation of action.
About Nigel Maister
He is a South African born, Rochester-based photographic artist, using found, appropriated and original imagery in his work.
His work has been a finalist in Klompching Gallery’s Fresh 2016 (New York), and seen, most recently, at Gallery Q (Rochester), Main Street Arts (Clifton Springs), and at the Cleveland Print Room.
A work from the series "tight. word. lit." as chosen by SaveArtSpace for public art exhibition during August 2018 on a billboard in the Neighborhood of the Arts in Rochester. He was a MacDowell Colony Fellow in 2018.
Maister is also a collector of 19th century and vernacular/functional photography, as well as a director, writer and designer of theater. He currently serves as the Russell and Ruth Peck Artistic Director of the University of Rochester International Theatre Program.
(Below: "Drag.")
Here's Maister's statement about his exhibit tight. word. lit.
This work explores narrative both implied and explicit; and narrative in the form of a past photographic action that, through a contemporary recontextualization and dialogic combination, is brought into the present.
The raw material for tight. word. lit. is snapshot photography. These images, from the 1980s onward — the last gasp of the analog snapshot — are overlooked in the current vogue for vernacular photography, which fetishizes the snapshot as art object (albeit an inadvertent one).
These "late" snapshots frequently betray little of the charm that characterize the genre at its zenith. I was drawn to images that might have been discarded by the picture-taker: those that are out of focus, inexpertly composed, blanched by a too-close flash, etc. In others, content or composition might be considered banal in their simplicity or apparent “artlessness.”
And in yet other selections, the performative nature of the subject matter — divorced from its context and rendered enigmatic, perplexing, or disturbing—was my departure point. But in all these variants, the series recontextualizes the nature and meaning of the snapshot: that object that serves as a commemorative artifact with a distinct function in the world.
It discards that function and meaning and allows the image to transform and to evoke a potential narrative event far from the intent of the original maker. The title of the series, tight. word. lit. similarly refers to recontextualization, but this time of vernacular language and slang, repurposing adjectives, nouns and verbs for utterances of approbation, enthusiasm, and affirmation.
Thus this work undermines the notion of the primacy of the individual image as a valuable artifact in and of itself, or even of the image as a signifier of a particular meaning or referent fixed in an identifiable past. Rather, it looks at the combination of photographic artifacts in dialogue with each other for its worth.
It is this that serves my goal: to rewrite these visual histories, making the viewer an active participant, forcing them to forge connections and create personal narratives that are compelling, mysterious and durable.
The world portrayed in these works is decidedly not our world. I hope they speak to us viscerally on some other level. They are intended to present us with a "third reality": not a document of their time, nor a document of ours.
These works are evocations of that interstitial space where past and present intersect and create an emotional, imaginative bridge into the subconscious, which should feel immediate yet also prescient.
www.nigelmaister.com
Above, Byron-Bergen Girls Varsity Soccer Team.
Submitted photos and press release:
Bergen -- On Saturday, Sept. 14, the Byron-Bergen and Attica soccer teams joined forces to raise money for good causes.
Modified, JV, and varsity girls and boys faced off for a full day of competition at the Byron-Bergen Soccer Stadium.
All the teams played hard, but the ultimate winners were the Wilmont Cancer Institute and Crossroads House. The two organizations will split the more than $2,300 in proceeds.
“We all love being part of the charity event, the whole team does,” said Byron-Bergen senior and varsity co-captain Miriam Tardy. “Honestly, the hardest part is choosing which type of cancer to support. That’s why this year we chose to support all cancer research.”
The student-led event began at 9:30 a.m. and continued until the close of the last game, which began nine hours later.
The annual fundraiser to support cancer research was launched almost a decade ago by the varsity girls soccer team in support of a teammates’ loved one.
Although those players have long since left the Byron-Bergen soccer fields, the event has grown into a community tradition, raising thousands of dollars annually and more than $12,000 since its inception. Free and open to the public, money is raised through donations, T-shirt and food sales, and vendors.
“I love this fundraiser,” said senior and co-captain Kelsey Fuller. “It’s a great opportunity to show who we are as people and really give back to the community.”
“This is my sixth year participating,” said senior and co-captain Melissa MacCowan. “It’s about raising money, but also about raising awareness.”
This year, the teams decided to expand their philanthropic efforts to include Crossroads House in Batavia. The organization provides hospice services to residents of Genesee and Wyoming counties free of charge.
“We have been supporting cancer research for years and really wanted to find ways to support differentparts of the community,” Fuller. said
“Our athletes take great pride in giving back to the community,” said Athletic Director Richard Hannan. “These are both wonderful organizations and I’m always impressed by the teams’ dedication.”
Below, Byron-Bergen Girls Junior Varsity Soccer Team.
The Buffalo Bills #1 draft pick, rookie defensive tackle Ed Oliver, will be at T.F. Brown's Restaurant from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday (Sept. 24).
The first 100 kids age 12 and under will receive a free Ed Oliver commemorative T-shirt.
Photo: Rick Mancuso and Dominic Grazioplene.
A larceny of several coats is reported at Dick's Sporting Goods in Towne Center at Batavia. A black female and male reportedly left the store with the merchandise, got into an unknown make vehicle, and left the parking lot in an unknown direction of travel.
Law enforcement is responding. The store employees are trying to get more information from the customer who allegedly spotted the larceny.
UPDATE 1:28 p.m.: The getaway car is reportedly a black four-door sedan; another person allegedly was driving the vehicle -- so there are three people involved. No clothing descriptions provided.
Heavy equipment to start shaping the land east of Route 77 and south of Indian Falls Road in Pembroke into a veterans cemetery has arrived at the work site.
Natalie Helen Brown, 25, of Weber Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with: Driving while intoxicated, with a BAC of .08 percent or more; DWI; insufficient stop lamp; speeding in a 55-mph zone; and moving from lane unsafely. Brown was arrested at 1:45 a.m. this morning (Sept. 20) on Route 63 in Alabama following a traffic stop. She was released on appearance tickets and is due in Alabama Town Court on Oct. 9. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jordan Alejandro, assisted by Deputy Ryan Young.
Geoffrey Paul Jamele, 25, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, unlawful possession of marijuana, and having an obstructed driver's view. On Sept. 19 Jamele was arrested at 4:18 p.m. at Genesee Community College after a traffic stop on 1 College Road in the Town of Batavia. He allegedly possessed two THC oil cartridges (THC -- tetrahydrocannabinol -- is the principle psychoactive compound in marijuana.). He was issued an appearance ticket to be in Town of Batavia Court on Oct. 10. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush, assisted by Deputy Mathew Clor.
From the NYS Sheriff's Association:
Governor Andrew Cuomo has proclaimed Sept. 22 – 28 to be Sheriffs Week in New York State. Sheriffs Week celebrates the significant contributions made by the Office of Sheriff in county government and in the statewide criminal justice system.
Fifty-five of New York's 58 sheriffs are elected officials, accountable to the citizen voter every four years and responsible for the complex operations of a Sheriff’s Office, which can include criminal law enforcement, traffic patrol, emergency rescue operations, homeland security programs, SWAT operations, civil emergency response, jail operations, correctional alternative management, courtroom security, and civil litigation process, among others.
William A. Sheron Jr., who has worked for the Genesee County Sheriff's Office since age 18 and was elected Sheriff in 2017, currently serves as one of three trustees for the New York State Sheriff's Association.
To mark Sheriffs Week, the New York State Sheriffs’ Association is sharing the public service announcement above, designed to inform the public about all the public safety services provided by their Sheriff.
The New York State Sheriffs’ Association Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation formed in 1934 to assist all 58 of New York’s sheriffs in serving and protecting the citizenry through training programs, accreditation programs, governmental advocacy, and safety programs for the public. Visit www.nysheriffs.org.
A larceny of tomatoes from a stand at the Downtown Batavia Public Market is reported.
A caller to dispatch reports the alleged tomato nabber is driving a silver SUV that is now in the drive-thru at Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union, adjacent to the outdoor market on Alva Place. Batavia police responding.
UPDATE 11:52 a.m.: It is said that the complainant is "not interested in pursuing (charges); they just want him advised that he's not welcome back here."
For the 30th year in a row, the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, along with Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Genesee County Farm Bureau, and the Soil & Water Conservation District conducted the Decision Makers Ag Tour.
The tour started off at the fairgrounds with a talk by Bill Schreiber, CEO of O-AT-KA Milk Products Co-Operative Inc. Then the group visited Autumn Moon Farm Winery, Black Creek Cidery, and Sweet Life Country Store, which included representatives from Circle B Winery.
While coming to terms with entering a guilty plea to a sexual abuse charge, Wesley Thigpen told his attorney the statements attributed to a young girl were "(expletive) lies" after hearing the evidence the people would present against Thigpen if the case went to trial.
Thigpen was entering his plea on an Alford basis, which means that he pleads guilty without admitting the accusations against him are true.
The defendant himself told Judge Charles Zambito, "it's a strategic decision."
By accepting a plea deal, Thigpen guarantees he will spend no more than four years in prison, instead of more than a decade if he were convicted at trial of sexual abuse in the first degree, two counts of burglary, and criminal contempt in the first degree.
As part of the Alford plea process, First Assistant District Attorney Melissa Cianfrini summarized the case that would be made against Thigpen if he turned down the plea offer and went to trial on the sexual abuse charge.
According to Cianfrini, Thigpen was alone with a girl less than 13 years old in her room when he engaged in a series of sexually related actions, including but not limited to showing her pictures on his phone of body parts.
Cianfrini said in a recorded interview later, Thigpen admitted that he had been alone with the girl and that she may have somehow gotten access to his mobile phone.
Throughout the legal process of this case, Thigpen has denied the sexual abuse allegations while admitting to the criminal contempt charge.
Today, Thigpen did plead guilty to criminal contempt after Zambito recited the specific actions of Thigpen's that led to the charge. Thigpen slapped food out of the hands of a person who was the subject of an order of protection and raised a fist as if threatening to hit that person.
Dressed in jail orange, Thigpen wasn't afraid to speak up for himself during the proceedings. Bright and articulate, Thigpen made it clear why he was pleading guilty and on key points asked Zambito to clarify the law and the terms of the deal.
He conferred more than once with his attorney Mark Lewis about the charges and the plea deal, most of the time speaking in hushed tones. But after Cianfrini recited the evidence against him, he spoke with Lewis in a more agitated manner, raising his voice slightly at one point to call the statements against him a lie.
At that point, Zambito explained very clearly that he understood that Thigpen wasn't admitting to the allegations but pleading guilty because he accepted the fact he was at substantial risk of being found guilty at trial and facing a potentially harsher prison term.
Thigpen also spoke up for himself when it came time to discuss his bail status while awaiting sentencing. He argued for lower bail because he has several financial matters to clear up, including taking care of penalities for use of his 401(K) during these proceedings to support his family, as well as collecting his final paycheck from his former employer.
Lewis said before his arrest, Thigpen, a lifelong Batavia resident, worked for five years at a major corporation in Genesee County.
Despite all this, Zambito kept his bail at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond while he awaits sentencing.
Volunteers for Animals (VFA) is preparing for the 16th annual Fur Ball to be held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. The event has been moved to a larger venue this year – Slomba Hall at Ascension Parish (17 Sumner St., Batavia).
The Fur Ball is the largest fundraiser for the VFA with proceeds going toward spays/neuters, medicine and the health care of the animals.
In addition, a portion of this year’s proceeds will be donated to an animal rescue program in the Bahamas. Parts of the Bahamas were devastated by Hurricane Dorian earlier this month with animal care shelters also bearing significant damage and loss.
The Fur Ball will feature food catered by Main Street Pizza Co. There will be 200+ baskets along with a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. Ticket are $25. each (children 12 and under $15).
The volunteers will give a review of the past year’s work and programs as well as an update on the canine "graduates" from the Path to Home prison-based dog-training program.
Tickets are available for purchase at the Genesee County Animal Shelter. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.
The VFA is a nonprofit group that works in partnership with the Genesee County Animal Shelter. For more information about Volunteers for Animals and the work they do please go to: www.vol4animals.org/
This morning, for the 12th time in as many years, a group of veterans departed with Assemblyman Steve Hawley from the parking lot of Batavia Downs for Hawley's annual Patriot Trip to Washington, D.C.
The veterans will visit historic monuments in Washington.
Pictured with Hawley are Jim Freas, of Medina, and George Bakeman, of Albion.
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