Super charming great location and well maintained are just a few good reasons that you'll want to look at this great income property! This solid two family home is the perfect owner occupied investment property. The lower apartment features large room sizes, pretty hardwood floors and super open and spacious kitchen dining area for entertaining. The upper apartment is spacious and is 2, possible 3, bedrooms with laundry hookups. All separate utilities and large parking area and within yards of everyone's favorite coffee shop makes this an easy to live/rent property! $149,900. Call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today at 585-344-4663 or click here to view the full listing.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help to find a teenage girl missing from Oakfield. Aleesha Johnson is a 15-year-old African-American with brown eyes, brown hair, weighing 183 pounds. She is 5' 5" and may be accompanied by an adult male. They may travel to Rochester.

Anyone with information is asked to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or the Genesee County Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000. You can also contact Deputy John K. Dehm at (585) 345-3000, ext. 3575, or e-mail him at John.Dehm@co.genesee.ny.us

Austin Shipley, 17, of East Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with second-degree attempted sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. The subject was arrested on May 17 following an investigation into allegations that the subject had inappropriate physical contact with a 12-year-old at 5 p.m. on April 11 on East Main Road, Le Roy. In a separate case, Shipley is also charged with first-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child following an investigation into allegations that the subject had inappropriate physical contact with a 10-year-old at 5 p.m. on April 19 on East Main Road, Le Roy. After arraignment in Le Roy Town Court, Shipley was released under supervision of Genesee Justice. Both cases were handled by Sheriff's Deputy Joseph Graff, assisted by Deputy Rachel Diehl.

Theresa K. Beardsley, 52, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. She was arrested after allegedly striking a male at an apartment on Walnut Street at 6:53 p.m. on May 10. She was issued an appearance ticket for May 24 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Christopher Camp.

Ashlee S. Thomas, 19, of Liberty Street, was arrested at 7:30 p.m. on May 8 after police responded to a report of a large disturbance in the area of 121 Liberty St. in the city. She is charged with second-degree obstructing government administration and second-degree harassment. It is alleged that she interfered with Batavia police officers who were attempting to arrest another subject. She was issued an appearance ticket for May 24 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins.

Geoffrey M. Anderson, 50, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. He was arrested following a complaint that he approached a USPS mailman at 12:30 p.m. on May 16 and repeatedly threatened him. He is to appear in City Court on May 24. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison.

John M. Galit, 29, of Kyser Lake Road, Dolgeville, is charged with common law DWI, unlicensed driver, and DWI. On May 16, city police were notified that an accident occurred in the parking lot of Applebee's by a NYSP investigator who was following the vehicle at the time. Batavia PD stopped the vehicle at 6:25 p.m. on Oak Street. Galit was allegedly found to be operating the 2015 Ford F-250 while intoxicated and he was arrested. He was released on appearance tickets and is to be in City Court on June 8. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Jamie Givens.

Roy D. Hooten, 55, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with third-degree criminal mischief. He was arrested at 11:56 p.m. on May 15 as the result of a complaint from the staff at UMMC in which it is alleged that he damaged hospital property during an incident at 9:58 p.m. on May 15. He was jailed without bail and was due in City Court Monday. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Eric Foels, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

William B. Gorton, 21, of 8410 E. Main Road, Le Roy, was arrested and charged with one count of third-degree criminal mischief, an E felony. It is alleged that on or about May 17, Gorton damaged an electric door lock at an address on Lake Street in Le Roy when he intentionally struck the door numerous times. The cost to repair the locking mechanism is in excess of $250. Gorton was arraigned in the Le Roy Town Court, released on his own recognizance and is to reappear in town court at a later date.

David M. Pero, 64, of Trumbull Parkway, Batavia, is charged with open burning. At 2 p.m. on May 8, police and city firefighters responded to the area of 667 Ellicott St. for the reported unknown-type fire. Upon arrival, an open burn was located. A subsequent investigation was conducted and Pero was issued an appearance ticket for May 17 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kevin DeFelice, assisted by police Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Sara A. Howard, 21, of West Bergen Road, Le Roy, is charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument and second-degree criminal impersonation. At a traffic stop at 10:20 a.m. on Oak Street in the City of Batavia, Howard allegedly attempted to provide a false name to an officer. She was also allegedly found in possession of a hypodermic needle. She was arrested, arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice and is to appear in City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Devin P. Hofert, 20, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass. Hofert was arrested for trespass at 11:58 a.m., May 17, on East Main Street, Batavia, after allegedly being on a premise that he was previously advised to avoid. He is to be in City Court on May 24 to answer the charge. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Davis.

Andrew C. Webster, 23, of Gillette Road, Alexander, is charged with trespass. At 7:35 a.m. on May 13, Webster was located in a tent behind 269 State St. and was arrested for trespass and was to appear in City Court on Tuesday. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Lena M. Evans, 28, no permanent address, is charged with trespass. She was arrested at 7:35 a.m. on May 13 following an investigation of a tent that was found on private property on State Street in the city without the landowner's consent. She was issued an appearance ticket for May 17 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kevin DeFelice, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Sandra L. Longhini, 55, of South Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with unlicensed dog and dog running at large. On May 12 at 6:30 p.m., Longhini's dog was allegedly found running loose in backyards and on the street and it allegedly is not licensed with the City of Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket for May 17 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jamie Givens.

Matthew P. Parker, 26, East Center Street, Medina, was arrested on May 12 on an active warrant out of Batavia City Court for allegedly failing to pay a fine issued by that court for excessive noise on May 24, 2015, on Summit Street. Parker was due in court today. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards.

John Thomas Kingsley, 39, of Royce Road, Varysburg, was arrested on an active bench warrant out of Batavia City Court for allegedly failing to pay a fine for a traffic citation issued on Bank Street in July of 2014. At the time of his arrest, Kingsley was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Troopers in Rochester. He was subsequently picked up by Batavia PD. He posted bail and is to be in City Court on May 31 to resolve the matter. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards.

Press release:

The Genesee County Highway Department will conduct a Public Information Meeting to discuss the River Street over Tonawanda Creek Bridge Rehabilitation project in the City of Batavia. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on June 15 in the Council Board Room, 2^nd Floor City Hall, One Batavia City Centre in Batavia.

The project will involve the rehabilitation of the River Street Bridge over Tonawanda Creek. The preferred alternative is to replace the existing bridge superstructure while reusing the existing concrete abutments and pier. The rehabilitated structure will maintain the current 34-foot roadway width and the 5-foot wide sidewalk on the east side of the bridge. The project will include new bridge rail and minimal approach reconstruction.

The project is being progressed as Project Identification Number (PIN 4760.62), by the Genesee County Highway Department, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). At present, the project is in the preliminary design phase.  Representatives from the Genesee County Highway Department, NYSDOT, and Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C., will be available at the meeting to answer questions and obtain comments on the proposed project from individuals, groups, officials and local agencies.

Questions regarding this meeting may be addressed to Mr. Timothy Hens, P.E., Superintendent, Genesee County Highway Department at (585) 344-8508.

Press release from the city's Bureau of Maintenance:

Wood Street and Highland Park will be closed on May 24^th and 25^th, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. for paving operations. Wood Street will be paved first on May 24^th, and Highland Park will be paved on May 25^th.

Residents and businesses are not to park on the roadway during paving operations.

Highland Park and Wood Street will be closed to all through traffic. Residents and businesses of these streets, will have limited access to their properties and should expect delays when paving operations are ongoing. If work is postponed by weather, work will be rescheduled for the next calendar work day.

All other traffic is asked to avoid this area and seek alternative routes.

Press release:

U.S. News & World Report released its current rankings for high schools across the nation recently and several area schools earned spots in the top 225 of New York State.

Pembroke High School ranked 123 out of 1,272 public schools in the state. Elba was also in the top 15 percent, coming in at 172, with Le Roy right behind at 180. Medina (207) in Orleans County and Warsaw (213) in Wyoming County also ranked within the top 225.

The report’s criteria are based on overall performance of students on state tests, participation and performance on advanced placement exams and graduation rates. The goal of these rankings is to provide an unbiased picture of the top performing schools and how well those schools serve all of their students.

U.S. News & World Report has been releasing annual high school rankings since 2007.

US News & World Report New York State High School Rankings

Rank    School                  Student/Teacher Ratio                   College Readiness                  Math Proficiency            English Proficiency

123      Pembroke                    11:1                                                     38.4                                        92%                                   94%

172      Elba                              8:1                                                      29.1                                        95%                                    76%

180      Le Roy                         12:1                                                     27.6                                        86%                                    90%

207      Medina                              14:1                                                     23.0                                         88%                                    90%

213     Warsaw                              11:1                                                     22.1                                         88%                                    92%

*from usnews.com

Want to join a flag football league this summer? Join Batavia Varsity Football Head Coach Brennan Briggs in the "Rising Stars" Flag Football League on Sunday afternoons at 4:30 beginning June 5th.

The league is for current fifth-, sixth- and seventh-grade student-athletes from any district.

If you're interested contact Coach Briggs at 585-409-5557. Deadline for registration is Friday, May 27th so don't wait!

A tree and gravel road behind County Building #2, off West Main Street Road, Batavia.

Master Gardener Jane Grehlinger talks about container gardening during the annual joint meeting of the Genesee County Interagency Council at the ARC Community Center in Batavia.

The meeting focused on a "green thumb" theme and included the planting and growing of herbs along with a local chef discussing cooking with herbs.

Hundreds of Genesee County residents spread out throughout the community today to provide volunteer labor for organizations during United Way's annual Day of Caring.

Above, staff from Graham's manufacturing plant flowers for an elderly resident in Batavia. The flowers and mulch were donated by Pudgie's and the Home Depot.

We also have pictures of employees of Tompkins Financial at the Batavia Peace Garden, members of Kiwanis and Leadership Genesee 2011 at the Youth Center and the Community Garden, and the Lions Club at Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle fixing bikes for Genesee ARC.

Group photo by Kevin Carlson, owner of Carlson Studio.

From the Town of Batavia Planning Board's meeting last night:

• Jeff Price met with the board to discuss his plans for two or three off-road truck events at the Genesee County Fairgrounds this year. Called Flex Rock 4x4, Price organized two events last year and he said they went very well. The first event wasn't well publicized and the turnout was mostly local drivers and truck owners, but by the time the second event rolled around, word had gotten out and drivers came from as far away as North Carolina. He said neighboring residents attended the first event to see what it was about and he hasn't received any complaints. He said the fair board is happy with his events. He asked the planning board for a letter approving the events, which the board will provide.
• Chris Moiser, owner of Area 51, presented his plans for the 2016 season and received board support. He is planning races June 4-5, July 2-3, July 30-31, Sept. 3-4 and Nov. 13, with an MX race Oct. 29-30 and the Dirty Girl Mud Run on July 16.
• Dale Banfield presented plans for outdoor concerts at the Waggin Wheel restaurant on Park Road. He's planning on hosting a couple of concerts featuring country bands and '80s classic rock. The concerts will be in a fenced-in area with proceeds from food sales going to local volunteer fire departments. Ticket sales would cover the cost of the bands. He said he's already spoken with representatives fo Batavia Downs and COR Development about parking and traffic and he said both are willing to work with him. He said he plans to have the venue entrance behind the Waggin Wheel, along the property line with Batavia Towne Center. A special use permit is required and a public hearing was set for June 21, by which time the board expects Banfield to have more details worked out.
• The board approved a site plan review for Alpina Foods, which is planning a 3,360-square-foot expansion. No representatives of Alpina attended the meeting.

Here are Tuesday's available election results:

Batavia City Schools:
The Budget - $44,366,439 (increase of $1,258,066 or 2.92%: $0.00 increase in tax levy)

• Yes - 407  (85.86%)
• No - 67  (14.14%)

Student Ex-Officio Board Member (non-voting) 

• Yes -  436  (92.57%
• No - 35  (7.43%)

Board of Education positions: three positions, with top two votes terms are full term from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2019 ,and the lowest vote is a partial term from May 17, 2016 to June 30, 2018 

• Patrick Burk 385  (May 17, 2016 - June 30, 2018)
• Peter Cecere - 427  (July 1, 2016  -June 30, 2019)
• Karen Tomidy - 424   (July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2019)

Elba Central Schools:

Proposition #1 - 2016/2017 Budget - $9,260,316  --   Passed  (129 Yes/38 No)

Proposition #2 - Purchase of one (1) 65 Passenger Bus   --  Passed  (130 Yes/39 No)

One Board of Education Seat, One Candidate: Michael Hare (142 Votes)

Oakfield-Alabama Central School District:

Proposition #1: Budget:  Yes:   293 / No:  44

Proposition #2: Buses:   Yes:  280 /  No:  52

Board Members:  

• Jeff Hyde (Incumbent) 248
• Matt Lamb, 170

Holly Baxter was honored Tuesday during the Mental Health Association's annual luncheon at Terry Hills with the Constance E. Miller Award of Excellence for her work with the crisis hotline at the YWCA.

Members of the New York State Police, Troop A, honored their colleagues who died in the line of duty, serving their communities, in an annual memorial service at the Batavia Barracks.

Press release:

Barry G. Miller has been posthumously designated as a recipient of the New York State Senate Liberty Medal by State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer.  

The New York State Senate Liberty Medal is awarded to individuals who have merited special commendation for exceptional, heroic or humanitarian acts on behalf of their fellow New Yorkers. He was tragically killed last September in an ambulance accident on his way to a fire call in the performance of his duties as an emergency responder.

“As a first responder, Barry acted with bravery in many emergency situations. He was dedicated, loyal and compassionate to his family and our community,” Ranzenhofer said. “Barry made the ultimate sacrifice while faithfully executing his responsibilities as an emergency responder. It is so fitting for the State Senate to pause in its deliberations today to honor him and his family with a Liberty Medal.”

Senator Ranzenhofer joined members of the Miller Family earlier in the day for the New York State EMS Memorial Commemorative Ceremony. During the special ceremony, Miller’s name was placed on the memorial in remembrance of his ultimate sacrifice, along with the names of other EMS personnel from across the state.

“Our family is completely honored and in awe of the honor presented to my son,” said Miller’s father, Tracy Miller.

Miller held the title of Chief of Emergency Medical Services in Bergen. For more than three decades, he was a member of the Bergen Fire Department. Miller was also a member of Leadership Genesee Class of 2008. He was the owner of Miller’s Millworks in Bergen and the Beaver River Lodge in the Adirondacks. He also worked for several years at Rochester Eye and Tissue Bank.

Press release:

“Since the Red Wings took over operation of the Batavia Muckdogs in 2008 after the Muckdogs had endured  several years of financial hardship, there have been several serious out-of-town suitors, none which met our, or the Genesee County Baseball Club’s, criteria for selling.

"While we have made no secret of the fact that the team is for sale, we are not in a position to comment on the current status except to say that baseball will go on as expected in 2016. The Red Wings are very proud of the way we have operated the Batavia franchise and continue to enjoy extending our reach to Genesee County. We are looking forward to opening day in Batavia on June 22nd.”

The Town of Stafford contracted with an engineer to inspect the old Odd Fellows Building this morning and owner James Pontillo feared the goal of the inspection was to find a reason to condemn the building.

If that was the goal, that wasn't the result.

Engineer Dennis Halstead looked over nearly every inch of the building and told Pontillo at the end that he didn't see evidence of slipshod work.

Pontillo has been working on a restoration project with the building since he assumed ownership in 2010. It's been a lot of work, and there is a lot of work still to do, and Pontillo feels like the town has tried to impede his progress every step of the way.

Last year, Pontillo and the town fought over a fence he built along his western property line. The case eventually went to court and Pontillo prevailed.

Today's tour started in the first-floor business units, where once, most recently, there was a tattoo parlor, and the former location of the Stafford Trading Post (which, back in the day, was the town's post office, general store and armory.

Pontillo explained that he has installed a firewall around the kitchen, where one didn't exist before.

In the basement, Halstead looked at the electrical paneling, which has all been replaced, and the new heating units, which Halstead said looked like good, quality work.

The third-floor apartments all looked clean and well maintained, with a new heating system. Pontillo improved the ingress/egress to one of the apartments by removing a portion of the stage riser that partially blocked the entrance, a remnant of the Odd Fellows Temple days. 

That apartment has a raised floor (the old stage) for its living room.

The third apartment is a studio and Pontillo has nearly completed refurbishing it, with new walls, new door frames, new kitchenette and a completely renovated bathroom.  

In this room, one of the town inspector's, Gene Sinclair, told a reporter that it looked like Pontillo was doing a good job with the renovations.

"If only he would get permits for his work first," he said.

When told about the remark later, Pontillo chuckled and said, "If only it were that easy."

At the end of the tour, Halstead told Pontillo some of what would be in his report. Even though the building has had businesses, including a food business, on the first floor, and apartments on the second floor, for generations, it still needs some fire-code-related improvements. Either there needs to be a two-hour burn barrier between the second and third floors or Pontillo needs to install sprinklers, perhaps only over the kitchen part.

Pontillo said he intends to install sprinklers in the stairwell leading to the second-floor apartments, as well (if he does, he may no longer need the fire escape on the west side of the building).  

There are no other major issues that immediately stand out, Halstead said, but his report will be a series of recommendations with options for Pontillo to consider. He recommended Pontillo go over that with his engineer and that the engineer draw up a plan, put his seal on it, and supply it to the town. Halstead said he would also be happy to talk with Pontillo's engineer.

Previously:

• Fences, and more, divide business neighbors in Stafford
• Reward offered for illegal dumping of garbage bags in Stafford
• Owner of one of Stafford's historic buildings says neighbor preventing restoration work
• Pontillo needs to show some respect, and insurance, if he wants permission to go on property, owner's son says
• Stafford: The fence that divides a community
• Stafford ZBA to meet tonight on Pontillo fence issue
• The Sunlight Dialogues: Stafford ZBA denies variance for too-high fence
• Stafford ZBA's denial of fence variance reversed on appeal

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