Brendan David Curry, 38, of Batavia Elba Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with: DWI with a previous conviction within the last 10 years; refusal to take a breath test; operator leaving the scene of a property damage accident; moving from lane unsafely; and second-degree burglary -- illegal entry of a dwelling. Batavia police were called to an address on Ellicott Street for a burglary in progress at 12:08 a.m. on Oct. 24. They were advised that Curry had fled the scene in a vehicle and had also struck a guard rail. NYS Police located Curry and his vehicle at the intersection of Webster Avenue and Howard Street. Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis interviewed Curry and allegedly found him to be intoxicated and he was arrested. Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot investigated the burglary and arrested him on the charge of second-degree burglary. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and bail was set at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond for the DWI; he was released on his own recognizance on the burglary charge. He was to return to city court the same day, Oct. 24. Batavia Police officers McGinnis and DeGroot handled this case.

A 17-year-old who lives on Oak Street in Batavia is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact. The defendant was arrested following a report that the defendant punched and pushed a juvenile near Dwyer Stadium at 7:40 a.m. on Oct. 17. The defendant was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Nov. 13. Then on Oct. 28, the same teenager and a codefendant, no age given, were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and fighting in public. They allegedly entered the scene of a car accident at 2:13 p.m. on Oct. 28 on West Main Street, Batavia, while it was actively being investigated by police and engaged in a violent public fight. Neither defendant was connected to the accident in any way. They were processed and released on appearance tickets and are due in city court on Nov. 13. Both cases were handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison.

Lindsay JR Goins Jr., 62, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact. He was arrested Oct. 24 for an incident that occurred at 4:46 p.m. on Oct. 23 on State Street during which he allegedly had physical contact with another person. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Oct. 30. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kyle Krtanik, assisted by Officer Catherine Mucha.

Annie G. Stanley, 65, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact. She was arrested Oct. 24 for an incident that occurred at 4:46 p.m. on Oct. 23 on State Street during which she allegedly had physical contact with another person. She was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Oct. 30. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kyle Krtanik, assisted by Officer Catherine Mucha.

Raymond Charles Cook, 48, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with: DWI -- first offense; operating a motor vehicle while having a BAC of .08 percent or more; third-degree aggravated unlicensed operator; failure to use designated lane; and driving left of pavement markings. At 12:41 a.m. while on patrol, Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis observed a vehicle traveling westbound on Main Street in Batavia committing numerous traffic infractions. After a roadside investigation, Cook was arrested. He was release on appearance tickets and is due in city court on Oct. 31. Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay assisted Officer McGinnis with the case.

Jordan Edenholm, 30, of Gabbey Road, Pembroke, is charged with: driving while intoxicated with a BAC of .08 percent or more; DWI; speeding; and making an improper left turn. He was arrested following a traffic stop on Route 63 in Batavia at 11:35 p.m. on Oct. 27. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack, assisted by Deputy Andrew Mullen.

Brandon Michael Burgess, 31, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with: DWI; DWI with a BAC of .08 percent or more; inadequate exhaust; and following too closely. Following a traffic stop on Lewiston Road in Batavia at 8 p.m. on Oct. 26, Burgess was arrested on these charges. He is due in Town of Batavia Court on Nov. 15. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Eric Meyer, assisted by Deputy James Stack.

Kimberly A. Showler, 53, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She was arrested after it was discovered she was allegedly shoplifting at Tops Friendly Market in Batavia at 4:35 p.m. on Oct. 22. She is due in city court on Oct. 30. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Thomas Allan Torrens Jr., 23, of Overlook Drive, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and speeding. On Oct. 28 following a traffic stop at 10:23 p.m. on Main Street Road in Batavia, Torrens was arrrested on these charges. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Town of Batavia Court on Nov. 12. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy McClellan.

Brandon C. Smart, 41, of North Pembroke Road, Batavia, was arrested Oct. 26 on a Batavia City Court warrant for failure to appear on unnecessary noise charges he incurred on March 21 on Central Avenue in Batavia. The case was handled by Batavia Police Offier Stephen Quider, assisted by Jason Davis.

A kitchen fire is reported at 627 E. Main St., Batavia.

City fire is arriving on scene reporting light black smoke coming out of Apt. 3.

UPDATE 3:33 p.m.: Scene commander reports, "sounds like food on the stove. Making entry now."

UPDATE 3:35 p.m.: Fire is out. Ventilating. 

Press release:

Nate McMurray, Democrat and Working Families Party candidate, today released a new poll showing that he is ahead by 4 points, with 47 percent of the respondents saying they will support McMurray against indicted incumbent Chris Collins.

Since the indictment in early August, McMurray has surged in the polls, earned endorsements from both the Buffalo News and conservative New York Post, and the race has been added to the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” list.

"The people of Western New York are done with the embarrassment Chris Collins has brought on our region," McMurray said. "Republicans, Democrats and independents know that it’s time to put country before party and reject a Congressman who’s out on bail. There is no stopping this movement, and we are ready to win on Election Day."

The poll also showed that Collins has a 51 percent unfavorability, while McMurray’s name recognition has surged -- 74 percent of respondents know about McMurray.

The poll was conducted by Tulchin Research from Oct. 25th to Oct. 28th and had a sample size of 400 people. The results showed that 47 percent supporting McMurray, 43 percent for Collins, and 4 percent for Reform Party candidate Larry Piegza. The margin of error is ±4 percent.

The polling memo can be viewed here.

NOTE: The FiveThirtyEight poll, with results through Oct. 26, shows Collins with a slim margin. The New York Times poll also gives Collins a small edge. It also carries this disclaimer (true of all polling): "It’s just one poll, and we’ve talked to only 486 people. Each candidate’s total could easily be five points different if we polled everyone in the district. And having a small sample is only one possible source of error."

Batavia's Original Pizzeria hosted fun and games yesterday afternoon following the Halloween Parade in Batavia. Several children along with parents, grandparents started walking from Dan's Tire and Auto down side streets in the cool wet weather to the pizzeria.

In addition to Batavia's Original, the event was sponsored by Kiwanis Club of Batavia and Roanoke Apple Farms.

A costume contest was judged by City Church members and Assemblyman Stephen Hawley. Music was entertained by DJ Tom Mazerbo. There were various prizes for the costume contest along with pizza and cider.

The Alexander Fire Department will be hosting its annual Fall Gun Raffle at the rec hall from 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3rd.

Tickets are $25, which will include 25 guns and four cash prizes.

Also, floor raffles with eight guns, 50/50, pull tabs and door raffles will be included throughout the evening. Only 975 tickets will be sold.

Ticket admits one person.

Tickets are available at the Alexander Country Deli, Sunnyside Cycle or by calling 585-507-9930.

Alexander Fire Department Rec Hall is located at 10708 Route 98, Attica.

Press release from the City of Batavia Police Department:

The City of Batavia will observe Halloween activities from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 31st, only. Below are some safety tips for the big night.
Have a safe and happy Halloween!

• If you plan on going door to door, make sure you are properly supervised by a parent or responsible adult;
• Do not go to homes where the porch lights are off;
• Use a flashlight to let drivers see you, and see where you are going;
• To avoid tripping or injury don't wear costumes that are loose fitting and too long;
• Don't wear masks that obscure your vision; makeup is a good alternative to masks;
• Wear reflective, bright colors to be seen by drivers after dark;
• Walk on the sidewalks, or as near to the curb as possible if there are no sidewalks;
• Observe safety rules when crossing or walking on the streets, and stay clear of traffic;
• Parents should inspect any treats before you eat them!
• The Batavia Police Department highly recommends as an alternative to going door to door, attending one of the Halloween events sponsored by local businesses;
• Choose costumes that are marked flame retardant;
• Make props such as magic wands and swords out of cardboard, rather than metal or wood;
• Give and accept wrapped or packed candy only;
• Go out in daylight and carry a flashlight in case of delay;
• Have children stay within their neighborhood; only visit homes you know;
• All trick or treating shall be completed by 9 p.m.

Press release: 

Leaders from Batavia Downs Gaming offer their congratulations to Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas on his very special #34 jersey retirement tonight at New Era Field in Buffalo.

“It has been and is a pleasure working with Thurman at Batavia Downs Gaming, he is not only a work colleague but has become a good friend,” said Henry F. Wojtaszek, president/CEO of Batavia Downs Gaming WROTB. “Along with our entire Batavia Downs family, I want to congratulate Thurman and his family on this well-deserved accomplishment.”

Thurman Thomas has been associated with Batavia Downs as its Ambassador since 2012. He helped design the 34 Rush Sports Bar that is named after the Hall of Famer and opened in 2013. 

“What really makes this relationship special is Thurman’s wife, Patti Thomas, enjoyed many times at the Downs as a child as her family has been involved in (horse) racing since the 1970s,” said Michael Nolan, chief operation officer of Batavia Downs Gaming WROTB. “Since his football days Thurman has become a great friend and there is nobody more deserving of this great recognition.”

Thomas is widely considered to be the Buffalo Bills' greatest running back, having finished his career as the team's all-time leading rusher, an honor he still holds. Throughout his 12 years with Buffalo, Thomas rushed for 11,938 and 65 touchdowns.

The Buffalo Bills play the New England Patriots at 8:15 p.m.

The pins were flying at Perry Bowling Center last Thursday night as four bowlers -- including a husband and wife -- registered 700 series in the Thursday Night League.

Vincent Mack led the way with a 278 opening game en route to a 761 series, while Jason Hurlburt had 723 and his wife, Diane, 711, each with three solid games. Brady Weber started with 266 and finished with a 727 series.

Elsewhere around the Genesee Region:

-- Rich Wagner strung 10 in a row in a middle game 289 and finished with 761 while James Townsend recorded his first 700 series as an adult USBC member (704) in the Toyota of Batavia Thursday Night League at Mancuso Bowling Center;

-- Matt Balduf finsihed with 268 for a 732 series in the Le Roy Moose League at Legion Lanes;

-- Jason Nickerson rolled a 280 game and 714 series in the Sneezy's Monday Night League at Oak Orchard Bowl.

Click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page for more high scores from last week, and watch for Mike Pettinella's Pin Points column this Thursday.

Batavia Ramparts Squirt III travel team traveled to Jamestown yesterday and picked up a 7-2 win.

• #15 Will Stevens, assisted by #26 Luke Staley
• #26 Luke Staley, assisted by #15 Will Stevens
• #16 Preston Viele, unassisted
• #15 Will Stevens, assisted by #88 Coleman Hiczewski
• #16 Preston Viele, unassisted
• #15 Will Stevens, unassisted (Hat Trick)
• #88 Coleman Hiczewski, assisted by #15 Will Stevens

Photos and info submitted by Teresa Pfendler.

Photos and write up provided by Mike Cintorino, OA-Elba head coach:

The OAE Football team defeated the CG Finney/Northstar Falcons 55-2 on Saturday night at St. John Fisher College to win the first ever Section V 8-Man Football Championship.

OAE wasted no time, scoring on the first play from scrimmage with a 60-yard run by sophomore Ty Mott, his first of two scores on the night on his way to 160 rushing on only seven carries. Colton Dillon continued his dominance, with 4 rushing touchdowns, all in the first half, on his way to 132 yards rushing on just seven carries. Sophomore Jayden Hughes also had a big night with 104 yards rushing on just four carries, including an 82-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Ty Kropelin added the other score for the OAE Football team who remains undefeated for the season and are ranked #4 in New York State.  

The defense once again held strong holding the Falcons out of the endzone, with their only points coming on a safety late in the game. Sophomores Ty Mott and Peyton Yasses each had 15 tackles while Nick Munger, Jayden Hughes, and Nick Wissinger all had interceptions. Gage Dieterle had four tackles for a loss including two sacks on the night. The OAE team had six total sacks total and forced four turnovers on the cold rainy night.  

Maalik Thomas led the way for the Falcons with 186 yards on 29 carries.  

The Weedsport Warriors will face off against Altmar-Parish-Williamstown in the Section III Championship game next Saturday at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. OAE will now face off against the winner of that game for the first ever Upstate New York Championship game on Saturday, Nov. 12th, at 12 p.m. at Pittsford Sutherland High School.

Deputy Chris Erion talks with security staff from Genesee Community College during a community tribute gathering for his late partner, K-9 "Destro," who succumbed unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago from complications from a cancer surgery.

Erion plans to continue as a K-9 handler for the Sheriff's Office and plans are in place for the department to acquire another dog, hopefully by March so Erion and his new partner can begin training.

A number of fundraisers are planned around the community to help defray the costs of acquiring and training a new police dog. We will provide updates as details become available.

Photos submitted of Deputy Erion because I went to the tribute without realizing I didn't have any SD cards in my camera.

K-9 "Kye" from Medina PD.

Erion with a Genesee County dispatcher.

You know you're in an authentic taqueria when you spot a sign next to the salsa roja warning the gringos, "Danger!"

Not every dish in a Mexican restaurant is spicy, of course, but if the discerning diner doesn't have the option to bite into something that bites back, then it's just not the real deal.

A bottle of Frank's Hot Sauce on the counter doesn't cut it.

"I think we are very very authentic," said Jose Castañeda, owner of the brand new Los Compadres at 40 Oak St., Batavia. "We serve tacos and pretty much that's what we do. We will be getting a liquor license, of course, in the near future.

(The U.S. colloquial translation of Los Compadres is "The Buddies.")

"We do try to be as authentic as we can. We have very good people, very good cooks and they take a lot of pride in what they do. I think that helps us to be successful."

During the first week of business, local residents have had no trouble finding Los Compadres, keeping the lunch and dinner hours busy, often with repeat customers, Castañeda said.

"Many people that we've served since we opened had come back three days in a row," Castañeda said.

The success isn't unexpected for Castañeda. This is the 10th Upstate Mexican restaurant the Batavia-resident has opened, including another Los Compadres in Evans Mills, near Ft. Drum, with the same menu, that has done very well.

"I would say that 90 percent of our customer base is military (at Los Compadres in Evans Mills)," Castañeda said. "They are very happy with the food there. We are a five-star restaurant there and we have a thousand reviews. Being that I'm a resident in Batavia and I wanted to do it here, too."

For those of us with experience eating at authentic taquerias, there are other good signs when you walk into Los Compadres, starting with the straightforward menu above the front counter, the Mexican pottery and artwork displayed in the dining area, a salsa bar so you can garnish your own tacos, and the drink dispenser serving Mexican favorites, the refreshing agua frescas -- horchata, tamarindo and jamaica.

On the menu, tacos, tortas, quesadillas, and tamales, with meat choices including pollo (chicken), carne asada (the main ingredient in an authentic Tijuana street taco), molida (ground beef), barbacoa (brisket), al pastor (pork with pineapple), chorizo (Mexican pork sausage), cesina (dry salted steak), lengua (tongue), camarones (shrimp), tripa (gut), taco baja (fried fish), taco compadres (fried shrimp).

One of the best things about Mexican food is it is inexpensive. Tacos range in price from $2.50 to $4.

Rice and refried beans on the side are only $1 each.

The tacos are served with corn tortillas, which is as it should be; though, if you want to go gringo with your tacos, you can order flour tortillas.

Castañeda staff takes the time with new customers who may have little experience with Mexican food to explain the difference between tacos, torts, quesadillas and tamales.

The secret to a restaurant's success, Castañeda said, isn't just the food, it's the customer service. Restaurants that fail often miss the mark with customer service, so he said he makes sure his staff provides great service.

Castañeda was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, which is in the north central area of the country, south of Monterrey, north of Guadalajara. His parents immigrated when he was a young child and their first jobs were picking cotton in Texas.

While he was still a child, they moved to Western New York for farm work. Near the end of his 10th-grade year, Castañeda dropped out of high school and took a job on a farm in Brockport.

When he was 16, he went to work for Craig Yunker at CY Farms.

"I've worked ever since," Castañeda said. "I worked for the farms and any farm work I did, I did with pride in everything I did. It didn't matter what I was doing, whether I was sweeping the floor or if I was operating a tractor, I put pride in my work. That's that was how I was raised."

Castañeda started in the cabbage fields at CY Farms, he said. It wasn't long before the Yunkers took notice of his worth ethic. He was made a tractor operator and then moved to pesticide management for Batavia Turf. By 2006, after learning every job of the operation, he became manager of Batavia Turf, a position he held until 2016 when he quit to give his full attention to his burgeoning restaurant empire.

Castañeda started in the food business after visiting a cabbage operation for CY Farms in Florida and spotting a food trailer serving migrant workers on the farm there.

"I was down there and I saw people coming to the farms and bringing the food to the migrant workers so I thought it's a great idea," Castañeda said. "At that time here in Genesee County there was none of that going on, so I went to Indiana and bought a trailer."

His wife, Karina, pretty much ran that business until six years ago when she became pregnant with their now 5-year-old son.

In 2014, he opened his first restaurant in Lockport.

He was working at this point more than 100 hours a week, starting at Batavia Turf at 4 a.m. and working until the early evening and then doing the books and paperwork for his restaurants at night.

"It was busy working on the farm and trying to manage the restaurant," Castañeda said. "I felt there was a good business. It was a lot of work but it was a good business."

Leaving CY Farms wasn't an easy decision, though Castañeda said it proved to be the right decision.

"My wife was opposed to it because I guess, we got so used to working on the farm and making a living," Castañeda said. "I was pretty much my own boss."

Castañeda and Karina have three children, Brenda, 24, Jocelyn, 17, and Jose Sebastian, 5. The family bought a home in the City of Batavia 15 years ago.

"My parents were migrant workers," said Castañeda, whose mother has returned to Mexico and whose father died 12 years ago. "They started picking cotton in Texas. We grew up very poor. Even when I got married to my wife back in 1993, we were very, very poor.

"I worked many hours on the farm. Still, we were barely getting by. But I think through years of hard work and persistence, I always had a dream to give my kids what I wasn't given."

The John Gardner Society gathered at the Pok-A-Dot on Saturday night for the group's annual reading of works by John Gardner.

A Batavia-native, Gardner is an internationally acclaimed novelist and literary critic who died in a motorcycle accident in 1982.

Readers this year were Steve Lewandowski, Byron Hoot, Beth Bucchler (top photo), Richard Beatty, Bill Kauffman, David Lampe, Chris De Pasquale, Helen Maier, Terry Abrams, John Maier and Eric Zwieg.

Byron Hoot

Bill Kauffman

Terry Abrams

A 325-yard ground game helped Alexander dominate Perry/Mt. Morris in the Class D semifinal playoff game played at Cal-Mum on Saturday, leading to a 45-8 victory.

Chris McClinic rushed 19 times for 108 yards and three TDs. Terrez Smith added another 142 yards and two TDs on 10 carries. Hayden Walton gained 66 yards on nine attempts. Dylan Busch was 3-8 passing for 66 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted twice.

Alexander's first score came on its second possession in the first quarter when Busch hit Ty Woods over the middle for a 37-yard TD. 

Perry scored on a Cameron Petrie 62-yard kickoff return.

In the top photo, Smith breaks free for a 76-yard touchdown run (scoring on the second photo).

On defense, Jake Jasen had six tackles. J.J. Goodenbury and Ty Woods had five tackles each. Ty Woods forced a fumble and had an interception. Nick Kramer and Nello Paolucci each contributed a sack.

Defense was stellar all night. Jake Jasen led the Trojans with six tackles. JJ Goodenbury and Ty Woods each had five tackles for the Trojans. Ty Woods forced a fumble and had a big interception on the night. Freshmen linebacker Nick Kramer and SR. DE Nello Paolucci each has QB sacks for the Trojans! Trojans will play the winner of the York /Canisteo game. -- Tim Sawyer

York/Pavilion, the #6 seed, beat Canisteo-Greenwood, the #2 seed, 12-7. Alexander and York/Pavilion will face off for the Class D championship at 7 p.m., Saturday at Alfred State University.

To purchase prints, click here.

The trouble with averaging over 40 points per game, with the majority of those points usually coming in the first half, is people get nervous when you lead at half time by only 7 points. Even if you made big stops on defense and move the ball on offense better than the other team.

The buzz at the half, in the stands and with those huddled in the concession area trying to stay dry, was one of worry for the Blue Devils. What did they have to worry about? Absolutely nothing. 

Why were the fans worried? Well, at the half there was a little kerfuffle in which both teams stormed the field then stopped short of each other. Then Batavia calmly went off to their own end zone for a quick halftime meeting.

Honeoye Falls-Lima seemed to feel that keeping favored Batavia to only 7 points in the first half was a victory in itself and HF-L celebrated a bit before heading off to the locker room.

To many of the Batavia fans, who expected another trademark Batavia rout by halftime, it seemed HF-L had the momentum and was poised to control the second half. It never happened. Batavia controlled the game as they did in the first half in the second; the difference being they also scored 22 points.

Ethan Biscaro led the team as QB going 4 for 5 with two TDs and a big interception on defense.

Ray Leach wore the HF-L defense down and started the second half with an 84-yard run for a TD that killed any psychological advantage HF-L may have had. Leach had a 175-yard game.

Alex Rood and Taiyo Iburi-Bethel each had receptions for TDs.

Final score Batavia 29, HF-L 0. Batavia moves on in the playoffs to face Wayne.

To see more pictues from the game click here

Celloist Marza Merophi Wilks will be the featured soloist tomorrow in a concert by the Genesee Symphony Orchestra at Genesee Community College.

The concert starts at 4 p.m. and tickets are available at the door.

Wilks, born in Peru, started playing cello when she was 5 years old and is a master student at the Julliard School. She has previously been a guest soloist for the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes and The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra. 

Wilks will perform with the orchestra Samuel Barber's "Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra," a piece in three movements.

Also on the program, "Electric Dream for Acoustic Orchestra," a world premiere performance, which was written by S. Shade Zajac, the GSO's musical director and conductor. 

The orchestra will close with "Symphony No. 2 in B minor" by Alexander Borodin.