A male caller to dispatch reports having just been assaulted by three females at Austin Park. City police are responding.

Press release:

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge will offer for bid 139 acres of grassland hay in five different fields ranging in size from 58 to 81 acres. The refuge annually provides a total of 1,400 acres of grassland habitat for migratory birds and resident wildlife. Active management of these grasslands is necessary to provide the highest quality nesting and migration habitat. The refuge haying program helps in this management process by reducing encroachment of broad leaf weeds and shrubs.

Hay will be allocated on a highest bid per field basis for each field. Sealed bids will be accepted until 12 p.m., July 2. An official Bid Sheet, available from the refuge headquarters, is required to make a bid. Completed Bid Sheets can be mailed to, or dropped off at the refuge headquarters at 1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY 14013 and must contain all the information requested.

If you have any questions about the haying program or would like to see the fields, please call Madeline Prush at 585-948-5445, ext. 7036.

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is located midway between Rochester and Buffalo, and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Press release:

When it opens for the season June 9, Genesee Country Farmers' Market will be celebrating its 41st year of providing "Locally Grown" fresh fruits, vegetables, and specialty items to the Greater Batavia Area.

The Genesee Country Farmers' Market will take place in the Batavia Downs Parking lot located on Park Avenue. Market hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays with the season running from Tuesday, June 9th, through Friday, Oct. 30th.

Market Manager Mike Bakos says "This market is the original Farmers' Market in Genesee County and remains a Grow-Your-Own market featuring locally grown produce and specialty items. Many of last year's vendors will be returning along with some new additions."

Parties interested in joining the market to become a Seasonal Vendor or Day Vendor may contact Sharon Brent at (716)-560-0853 or by e-mail at sharon_brent@hotmail.com.

Qualifying charities, service-groups, or 501c3 organizations that would like to participate in the market may obtain a "FREE" market stall by contacting the market at (716) 866-4958 or by e-mail at mbakos@rochester.rr.com.

Press release:

The Batavia City School District is pleased to offer the free Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Program for students and will continue to operate the program in the 2015-2016 school year, pending New York State funding. UPK provides an opportunity for 4-year-old children, at no cost to their families, to be involved in developmentally appropriate educational classes that, following the regular school calendar, meet Monday through Friday during the school year.

Since its implementation, the District has provided a half-day program, with a choice of either morning or afternoon sessions. If new State regulations are passed and the District receives funding, a full-day UPK option also will be offered in the 2015-2016 school year.

(Note that if the YMCA is selected once again to be the community-based organization to provide UPK in 2015-2016, they offer additional “wrap around” programs consisting of Child Watch in the morning followed by UPK in the afternoon from12:30-3:00 p.m., then School Aged Child Care afterward. While there is no charge for UPK, there is a charge for the morning Child Watch and afternoon Child Care programs.)

Children who are residents of the District, are 4 years of age on or before Dec. 1, 2015, and who are not enrolled in a special education program with the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, are eligible to apply.

Letters/applications have been mailed to all known eligible families, but also are available at the District Business Office in the administrative wing of Batavia High School (260 State St.), or by calling 343-2480, ext. 1002. They can also be downloaded from the District’s Web site (www.bataviacsd.org) by using the pull-down menu at the top of the page labeled “District,” then clicking on the link for Student Registration.

Applications should be returned as soon as possible. If there are more applicants than openings, a lottery system will be used to place as many children as possible, with the rest being placed on a waiting list.

The Batavia Rotary Club has announced that its 2015 Fly-In Breakfast will be held from 7 a.m. to noon on Sunday, June 21 (Father's Day) at the Genesee County Airport, 4701 Saile Drive, Batavia. Rotarians will cook breakfast for more than 1,500 guests, as well as dozens of pilots who will fly their aircraft to the Batavia airport that morning.

Tickets are $8 for adults; $5 for children ages 4 to 12; and free for children under the age of 4. Tickets for the event may be obtained from any member of the Batavia Rotary Club or at the door.

Residents throughout Western New York are invited to enjoy breakfast, meet the pilots, and view their aircraft. The Fly-In Breakfast menu will feature sausage, eggs, pancakes and beverages. Over the years, the volunteer Rotarian-cooks have become known for their "any-way-you-want-them" omelets, which will once again be available.

All proceeds from the event benefit the Batavia Rotary Club's programs for youth and community programs. Last year, the Club donated more than $100,000 to charitable causes.

Fly-In Breakfast Co-Chair Edmund Leising said that more than 50 Rotarians have already volunteered to help with the event.

"Whether you like a great home-cooked breakfast, the thrill of watching airplanes land and meet the pilots, or just coming out on a Sunday morning and meeting friends, this is an event no one should miss," he said.

Saile Drive is located just north of the City of Batavia and the Batavia exit of the New York State Thruway, off Route 98.

Press release:

St. Joseph Catholic School's sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders participated in our annual Spelling Bee; below are those who placed in the top seven:

7th place: David Doan, of Batavia
6th place: Faith Falkowski, of Batavia
5th place: Rachel Nickerson, of Elba
4th Place: Spencer Misiti, of Batavia
3rd Place: Isabelle Cooper, of Pavillon
2nd Place: Bella March, of Batavia
1st Place: Adryona Miller, of Albion

The winning word was, "spaghetti."

Press release:

The Class-A Short-Season New York-Penn League and its member clubs are proud to announce that the league's philanthropic arm, the NYPL Charitable Foundation, will once again award over $10,000 in scholarships this summer to deserving high school graduates from the league's 14 markets.

Now in its seventh year, the 2015 NYPL Scholarship Contest is open to any graduating senior from a public or private high school within the league's footprint. Any student who has been accepted at a two or four-year college or university, vocational school, or technical education institution is eligible. Applicants will be judged based on academic performance, volunteer and extracurricular activities, and the impact their local NYPL club and Minor League Baseball have had on their lives.

The scholarship contest will consist of two stages -- a local round and a divisional round. In the local stage, students will apply directly to their local NYPL team, with one applicant chosen by each of the 14 teams to advance to the divisional/final round. The 14 finalists will then be separated by the division of the team they represent. The winning application from each of the NYPL's three divisions (McNamara, Pinckney and Stedler) will receive the top prize of a $2,500 scholarship. All other finalists will receive a $250 book award.

The deadline to submit applications to the nearest NYPL team is June 26.

“The New York-Penn League Charitable Foundation and our 14 member clubs are pleased to have the opportunity to assist outstanding high school seniors within our league’s footprint for the sixth consecutive season,” said Ben J. Hayes, president of the New York-Penn League. “This program will again recognize those seniors who not only meet and exceed traditional scholarship criteria, but demonstrate the positive community impact and lifelong memories fostered by their local NYPL clubs throughout the year.”

High school seniors interested in entering the 2015 Scholarship Contest can obtain the official application from their local NYPL club, or by visiting the league's official Web site, New York-Penn League.com.

Each club's winner, including the three $2,500 scholarship recipients, will be selected in late July and honored at a game in August.

The New York-Penn League and its 14 member clubs created the New York-Penn League Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, in 2003. The mission of the Foundation is to provide focus and support for the collective and individual charitable and community efforts of the New York-Penn League, its clubs, and their staff.

The Batavia City Church will host guest speaker Erin Kelly, oldest daughter of Buffalo Bill's former quarterback Jim and his wife, Jill, as part of their Life Night Service.

The service will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 4. The church's band will start the service and then Erin will share thoughts and personal experiences from her latest book "Kelly Tough." A question and answer session will follow.

The book is a story of love between a father and his daughter. In her book, she emphasizes how her faith in God and ability to find strength in weakness helped her to withstand the challenges of her father's and brother's illnesses. 

Marty Macdonald, senior pastor at The City Church, talked with Jill Kelly's brother, Jack Wagner, to set up having Kelly speak at The City Church. According to Macdonald, the church loves what the Kelly family stands for and everyone is looking forward to hearing her story of family love and the greater love of the heavenly Father.

"I hope it will really bring people home," Macdonald said. "There are so many people in our society that are facing challenges whether it's cancer or broken homes or loss of employment, so many things that bring pain and hurt to people. Our hope is that as Erin is sharing her story it will bring great encouragement and hope to let them know that, hey, you can make it. You can go on another day and you don't have to give up."

The City Church regularly invites guest speakers to share their stories at their weekly Life Night Service. The church will welcome their next guest, Pastor Tommy Reid, for their Sunday morning service at 8:30 a.m. on June 7.

Photo from The City Church's Facebook page.

Lower oil prices could hurt Batavia-based Graham Corp. in the coming fiscal year, company officials say, so they're looking to trim the company workforce by 10 percent through a retirement incentive program.

The workforce reduction announcement was coupled with news that the publicly traded company posted $4.2 million in profits, up 80 percent from a year ago.

For the fiscal year, company revenue was up 45 percent to $14.7 million.

For more on this story, visit the Buffalo News.

Press release:

The Board of Directors of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider three projects at its June 4, 2015 board meeting.

ADK Hospitality plans to build an 82-room hotel connected to Batavia Down’s Gaming facility which will serve as an important amenity to the gaming, restaurant, banquet and racing activities at Batavia Downs. The capital investment is approximately $5.49 million.

Manning, Squires Hennig Co., Inc., plans to expand its corporate office and maintenance facilities in the Town of Batavia to include a 5,000-square-foot shop and additions to its main office space. The capital investment is approximately $1.3 million. The project is expected to result in 88 retained jobs and the creation of five new jobs. 

O-AT-KA Milk Products plans to add 205,000 square feet of warehousing space to its manufacturing facility on the corner of Ellicott Street and Cedar Street in Batavia. The project will retain 334 jobs and create 21 new jobs. The capital investment is approximately $10.25 million.

The GCEDC Board meeting will take place at 4 p.m. and is open to the public.  Meetings are held at the Innovation Zone Conference Room at MedTech Centre -- 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia, on the first floor, across from Genesee Community College.

The controversy that erupted two weeks ago over a health department demand that the Batavia Little League secure the proper permits to sell hots and pizza was actually years in the making, department officials told members of the County Legislature yesterday.

At the request of the Human Services Committee, Paul Pettit, Public Health director, and David Whitcroft, Environmental Health director, attended the committee's meeting at the Old Courthouse and answered legislators' questions.

The fee schedule for various permits issued by the department changed in 2003 and that made it mandatory for most of the area nonprofit groups that hold events and serve food to acquire health permits. 

It was sticky issue when nonprofits were exempt because it isn't always clear what qualifies as a nonprofit, or what events should get exempted, Whitcroft said.

"It was an ethical problem," Whitcroft said. "It was entirely subjective. Who determines who doesn't have to pay? There was no standard to decide and that gives a lot of power to individuals to decide who gets waivers. I wasn't comfortable with that power."

In 2013, the county's Public Health Committee learned that for some reason, youth baseball had been exempted from the permit requirement, and nobody really knew why that was or how that happened.

"It seemed unfair because if I'm playing with a bat and ball, I don't have to pay, but if I'm playing with a soccer ball, then I have to pay," Pettit said.

Most of those bat-and-ball organizations complied with the new rules once it applied to them, Whitcroft said, and in many cases, the department was able to work with organizations to help better determine which permit was appropriate to the situation, or how food operations might be changed to lower permit costs.

The rules can be "interpreted generously" when organizations are cooperative, Whitcroft said.

Whitcroft implied that Batavia Little League was less than cooperative, telling officials that they refused to comply. That left the county with no option but to require a permit level with a $175 price tag.

Now, the league is more cooperative and the department is working with league leaders on what could be a lower cost option.

Permit fees barely even cover the costs of field inspections of food services, Pettit said. The department is not looking to turn a profit on permits, just cover the direct costs of inspections, he said.

Every business, group or organization that serves prepared food (rather than pre-packaged food) is required to obtain some level of Health Department permit. It's not just a piece of paper, Pettit said. It serves as notice to the county that food service is taking place and triggers an automatic inspection of the food service. There is an inspection with each and every permit issued.

There are some exceptions to the permit requirement. Churches with kitchens that serve only their own members need only obtain a letter of permission. There are about 60 letters of permission on file in the county.

Outside groups that use church kitchens for fundraisers or other public meals are required to get a temporary health permit.

Bake sales involving anything that doesn't need to be refrigerated are not required to get a permit.

Your kid's lemonade stand, however, is required to have a health permit.

"It's required under New York State law and I should enforce it, but I never have," Whitcroft said.

In all, various permits issued by the Health Department generate about $90,000 in revenue annually. Less than $8,000 of that revenue comes from groups that could be considered nonprofits.

Brockport State College hosted the section V Class B track championships this weekend and both Batavia teams walked away with new records, team bests and trophies.

The Batavia girls came in first place with a total of 87 points. Team photo above is with all of Batavia High School track coaches.

Highlights:

Pentathlon -- fourth -- Nicole Maltese Nicole Maltese 2109.00 points

100 Meter Hurdles -- first -- Marissa Dispenza 15.78

3200 Meter Relay -- third -- Zickl, Canale, Bromley, Cassidy, (Nichols, Wingate) 10:11.99

100 Meter -- third -- Kiaya Franklin 12.86

400 Meter -- second -- Kiaya Franklin 59.29; third -- Marissa Dispenza 1:00.66

400 Meter Relay -- fourth -- Cohen, Dinehart, Canale, Zickl,( Denise, Ross) 51.51

400 Meter Hurdles -- third -- Marissa Dispenza 1:09.00

800 Meter -- second -- Sophia Dinehart 2:30.65

200 Meter  -- second -- Kiaya Franklin 26.34

1600 Meter Relay -- second -- Dispenza, Dinehart, Canale, Franklin, (Freeman, Pitcher) 4:17.32 

The Batavia boys finished in second place for Section V. Both teams will send students to the state qualifier in Caledonia Mumford this Friday.

Results can be seen at   http://live.yentiming.com/#/results/meet/217

Bloomberg: Even Big Oil Wants a Carbon Tax
NPR Planet Money: Economists Have A One-Page Solution To Climate Change

Traci Turner will spend the next eight weeks interning for The Batavian. Her internship is possible through the generosity of the New York Press Association.

She will work full time covering news through the end of July.

Born and raised in Bergen, Turner is a 2013 graduate of Byron-Bergen High School and is a third-year journalism major (minor in advertising and public relations) at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Previously, she's been an intern for WBTA AM/FM and currently holds a studio producer position at the radio station. 

"I'm happy to be interning at The Batavian and I’m looking forward to serving its readers," Turner said. "I couldn’t imagine pursuing any other career but journalism."

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today called on the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to stop selling drivers’ personal information without their consent to for-profit companies. The DMV reportedly raked in $60 million from the practice last year. Hawley was appalled and astonished that this has been happening without the consent of citizens and called on the DMV and governor’s office to end the process immediately. 

“It’s appalling that in this day of technology and misuse of personal information that we would compromise New Yorkers, without their knowledge, in order to generate revenue,” Hawley said. “In an age where cyber crimes and identity theft are at an all-time high, it is unacceptable that our own state government would conduct a practice that increases residents’ susceptibility to these serious crimes. We have no idea exactly what information is being sold, to whom it is being sold, and what these for-profit companies are doing with the data. I plan to sponsor legislation that will stop this practice unless drivers consent and I will make this a priority during the last three weeks of session.”

Assembly Bill 2509, a bipartisan effort, addresses this issue and currently awaits action in the Assembly Committee on Transportation. To sign the petition against this practice, use the following link, http://bit.ly/1HuIK8P.

The Zonta Club of Batavia is making birthing kits to send to Third World countries in an effort to reduce the risk of infection in pregnant women and their babies. 

On Saturday, 20 Zonta Club members and Batavia High School Z Club members spent four hours putting together 1,085 birthing kits. The kits are composed of a square meter of plastic sheet, two umbilical cord clamps, five pieces of gauze, a pair of vinyl gloves, a small bar of soap and a razor blade. All of the contents are packed into a quart-size sandwich bag and sent to a holding facility in Pittsburgh.

(Photo of Lee Cummings)

"We were talking and, here, everyone wants to get the birthing suite at the hospital and that's our biggest concern," said Lee Cummings, chairperson of the Birthing Kit Committee and Zonta Board member. "There, women literally get a plastic bag with six items in it to give birth and reduce the rate of infection in these countries."

The kits are shipped to clinics in impoverished countries to help women who don't have access to medical facilities. The kits have been sent to rural areas in Kenya, South America and there are now recent requests from Nepal. Women walk for miles to reach clinics where the kits are given out. Due to limited resources, hospitals and clinics have also started to use the kits in their facilities.

Zonta is an international organization for the advancement and empowerment of women. The Birthing Kit Project was developed by Zonta's international governor six years ago.

The Batavia club started the district project five years ago. Over the years, the local club has assembled and sent three large shipments totaling 3,700 birthing kits. Every spring, the club collects items for the kits and assembles them. They also make a smaller amount of kits every autumn as well.

"Our goal started out years ago as 500 kits, and then it was 750, and now it's 1,000," Cummings said. "We try to do a 1,000 a year."

The project is a community-wide effort. The club gets most of the supplies for the kit from United Memorial Medical Center. The hospital donated umbilical cord clamps, gauze, vinyl gloves and razor blades. Local hotels also donated bars of soap. In past years, local doctor offices have sent checks to help with the cost of shipping.

Shipping costs to send the kits to those who need them most is a significant expense for the club, approximately $400 to $500, according to Cummings. The club is also pays for the plastic sheeting, which costs hundreds of dollars as well.

By 2016, the group plans to make 1,000 more kits to fulfill their two-year goal of 2,000 kits. The club is in the process of planning a date to use the rest of the supplies they have collected and make more kits. They plan to put together another 400 kits for Fall 2016.

Kelsey Anne Sanders, 28, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, was arrested May 30 for allegedly allowing her dog to habitually run at large in the neighborhood. She was issued an electronically generated appearance ticket and released from custody. She is to appear in City Court on June 9. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence.

Amanda M. Rumble, 27, of State Street, Batavia, was arrested May 27 after her dog was allegedly observed by law enforcement to be running at large on State Street. There have been previous complaints filed with regard to Rumble's dog running at large throughout the neighborhood, according to Officer Kevin DeFelice's police report. She was issued an appearance ticket and is to appear in City Court on June 9.

Tyrone L. Richardson, 39, of McKinley Ave., Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, fourth-degree criminal mischief for allegedly disabling equipment to prevent an emergency call, and criminal obstruction of breathing / blood circulation. Richardson was arrested May 29 following an investigation into a domestic incident on Evans Street in the City of Batavia. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Eric Foels, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Sean Douglas Lacy, 28, of West Bergen Road, Bergen, was arrested May 29 and charged with driving with a BAC above. .08, driving while intoxicated, and speeding (66 mph in a 55-mph zone). He was charged with DWI after being stopped for allegedly speeding in the Town of Stafford. He is scheduled to appear in Stafford Town Court on June 25. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Erion, assisted by Deputy Gregory Walker.

Jayson W. Dersham, 32, of Wortendyke Road, Batavia, is charged with second-degree burglary. He was arrested May 29 for the crime which he allegedly committed on Feb. 22 on Maple Street in the City of Batavia. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer James DeFreze, assisted by Officer Matthew Lutey.

Glenn H. Quintern, 56, of Central Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. He was arrested May 30 as the result of an incident on Central Avenue wherein he allegedly violated an order of protection. He was put in Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Chad Richards.

Tyler Austin Stoddard, 20, of Meiser Road, Pembroke, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested May 9 follwoing an incident wherein he allegedly contacted a person via phone, in violation of an order of protection issued by Genesee County Family Court. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Hale.

Benjamin D. Seekins, 26, of Woodrow Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon. He was arrested May 28 after he was allegedly found to be in possession of metal knuckles while officers were investigating a suspicious condition. He is scheduled to appear in Batavia Town Court on June 18. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Erion, assisted by Deputy Chad Minuto.

Celestino Barrera-Antunez, 34, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. An arrest warrant was executed and Barrera-Antunez was arrested May 30 after he allegedly failed to appear in court May 22 on a traffic ticket. He posted $210 bail and is to appear in City Court on June 9. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Chad Richards.

John M. Morton, 36, of North Canal Road, Lockport, is charged with failure to obey a stop / park sign. He had an active arrest warrant out of the City of Batavia for not answering a parking ticket. He turned himself in at Batavia Police Headquarters on May 31 and posted $25 bail. He is to appear in City Court on June 2. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police Officer James DeFreze.

Jason E. Waddington, 38, of Mount Read Boulevard, Greece, is charged with improper parking between 2 and 6 a.m. Waddington had an active arrest warrant out of the City of Batavia for allegedly failing to answer a parking ticket dated April 11, 2011. He was located by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and turned over to Batavia Police Officer James DeFreze. He posted $100 bail, was issued a computer-generated appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court on June 9.

The annual Jim Kelly Celebrity Golf Classic is underway at Terry Hills today. The entire Buffalo Bills team attended the morning's events, which included for the players a long-drive contest and a football throwing contest.

Above, head coach Rex Ryan wallops one during the long-drive contest.

Jim Kelly on the anniversary of the Bills' Super Bowl run and the prospect for the Rex Ryan era.

Jim Kelly on Rex Ryan.

Jim Kelly on tournament fun.

Jim Kelly on continuing the tournament.

Players react to a teammate's errant tee shot during the long-drive contest.

A player reacts to his own errant tee shot.

Players participate in the football throwing target contest.

Actor Dennis Haskins (TV show "Saved by the Bell") with Kathy Leffel. Leffel lives on Clinton Street Road and has for years on tournament day invited her friends over and served brownies from under a tent in her back yard to any celebrity golfers who stopped by. Most years, all the big stars do, such as Dan Marino and Jim Kelly himself. Leffel has sold the condo and will be moving, so this is probably the last year of the brownie party.