batavia

There's a pizza joint in town that calls itself "Batavia's Original" and claims it was established in 1947, but whatever claim the shop has to a once legendary local pizzeria was lost three weeks ago when the company fired its manager, Sam Pontillo.

Pontillo helped a group of Rochester investors open the pizzeria at 500 E. Main St., Batavia, in a building that was once home to a Pontillo's restaurant owned and operated by Sam's parents, Sal and Betty Pontillo. 

Sal, more commonly known as Sam, with his brother Anthony, opened the original Pontillo's at the corner of Liberty and Ellicott streets in 1947. The original Pontillo's was the first pizzeria in Batavia and helped create a new pizzeria industry in Western New York.

Sam Pontillo says it's time for the Rochester-based owners to stop trading on his family's name.

Besides the claim to being established in 1947, the restaurant's menu also has a picture of Sal Pontillo right in the middle of it (pictured above).

"It (the menu picture) should come off now," Sam said. "There's no Pontillo involved and we’re not getting residual from it. They're going to milk it for as long as they can, but they should do the stand-up thing and remove it."

"As for the 1947," Sam added, "how can they really use it? There’s a family attachment to 1947. I’m sure some lawyer will say it’s just a number, but it’s a significant number to my family."

Batavia's Original is a DBA of Batavia Pizza, LLC, a creation of Thomas Masaschi, Jeffrey Reddish and Jason Teller.

The Rochester-based group acquired the 500 E. Main St. location in 2009 after a bank foreclosed on the property.

The owners then hired Sam, who still operated the Pontillo's location in Le Roy, as the new shop's general manager and opened as Pontillo's in April 2010.

A few months later, Anthony Pontillo's heirs (Anthony filed for a federal trademark on "Pontillo's" in the 1980s) filed a trademark infringement suit against Batavia Pizza, LLC.

The suit was settled out of court and and the name of the restaurant was changed.

Local sources who have followed the Pontillo's saga immediately speculated that without the ability to use the Pontillo's name, Sam Pontillo wouldn't be long for employment at Batavia's Original.

It's a bit of speculation that Sam, now out of Batavia's Original, doesn't argue against.

"I make no bones about it," Sam said. "I told our management staff that when the owners felt they could do it on their own, they wouldn't need me anymore because there was no longer a Pontillo's name on the sign."

Sam said he was let go three weeks ago because, he said he was told, he wasn't bringing in enough money.

"Of course, at some point about this time, I was due for a pay increase," Pontillo said. "It's a corporate thing. It's a story that's repeated all the time. They're hardcore businessmen."

The Batavian called the real estate investment office of Thomas Masaschi this afternoon and requested an interview. We were told he wasn't available and left a message. The call has not yet been returned.

Sam Pontillo said he isn't rooting against Batavia's Original at all. He said he's proud of the people he hired and trained and believes they will do a great job with the business.

"I think it will go on as long as everybody gets their noses to the grindstone and does what I taught them to do," Sam said. "It will continue to be a great place that employs a lot of kids from the community and continues to serve the community as it has always done." 

Sam Pontillo isn't the only Pontillo who takes issue with Batavia's Original trying to trade on the Pontillo's name. Sam's brother John was quite pointed in his remarks this morning.

"They're using my father's face on their menu and it's not right," John said. "I don't think it's very respectful to use a picture of a man who is dead. He hasn't endorsed their business."

John currently operates a pizzeria -- Gio Vanna's -- in Geneseo and was planning to open a shop in the former Pontillo's location in Le Roy.

After paying off back taxes on the property, John said he was planning to buy the building from the estate of Betty Pontillo, but he claims Sam removed the furnace and the hot water heater.

"The building we agreed to buy is not the same building the estate has for sale," John said.

Sam disagrees.

"If he would just look on the roof, there's a practically brand new heating system there," Sam said.

As for hot water, there's still hot water available in the building, Sam said.

He added that he thinks the Le Roy location is a fine building that he cared for meticulously.

"I hope somebody buys it," he said. "It's a great location."

As for Sam's future, it's wide open, he said.

He's looking at options for new businesses from Brooklyn to Albany and even Dubai.

"I'm 52," Sam said. "I figure I'll ride out the next project out until retire. Hopefully it will be rewarding, so I’m just being careful before I move on. 

"I'll tell you," he added. "I'm not missing working seven days a week."

Whatever the future, Sam said he doesn't see himself going back in business with his brothers John and Paul. There's just too much water under the bridge after a few years of disagreements.

"It's unfortunate how things worked out," Sam said. "We were all great buddies growing up, but business got in the way and killed those relationships."

But none of what has happened means there won't be a Pontillo's in Genesee County again some day.

"If I could swing it some time and open a Pontillo’s and show the neon sign again in Batavia, it would be a big hit," Sam said.

Even if isn't owned by Sam, he said he's got at least one son, now studying hospitality in college, who might want to operate a Pontillo's some day.

"If that’s what he wants, I'll absolutely go to it and get it done for him," Sam said.

He said he feels he still owns the rights to a Pontillo's business in Genesee County.

Asked if there was anything he wanted to add, Sam thanked his staff and customers.

"You're only as good as people around you," Sam said. "I had a great staff around me. I also just need to thank people of Batavia and Le Roy, where I think I still have a following. It was a pleasure to serve them, it was a ball, it was riot. I will miss the customers. Maybe someday I'll throw a party somewhere and invite them all over." 

For previous coverage of Pontillo's, click here.

Ryan M. Shrauger, 41, of 6 Hull Park, Batavia, is charged with forgery, 2nd, possession of a forged instrument, 2nd, and petit larceny. Shrauger is being held in the Genesee County Jail on unrelated charges. Shrauger allegedly forged checks and asked an acquaintance to cash them for him at a local financial institution.

Nicholas F. Donoghue, 21, of 206 Callan Road, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child, 1st. Donoghue is accused of providing alcohol to a person under age 21 while in the park on Munson Street, Le Roy.

Duffy L. Starks, 19, of 20 N. Spruce St., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, assault, 3rd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Starks was arrested on a warrant issued following an investigation into an incident in the city June 6. Starks was taken into custody without incident when he was found in a vacant apartment at 1 Dawson. Starks is being held without bail.

Ryan Michael Carr, 23, of Filner Avenue, North Tonawanda, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. Carr is accused of making more than 140 phone calls to known persons in the Town of Alexander. The calls were allegedly harassing in nature. Carr was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Pamela Lynn McKenzie, 36, of Covell Road, Pavilion, is charged with petit larceny. McKenzie is accused of stealing jewelry from a store at Darien Lake Theme Park.

Batavia Soccer Club U19 girls soccer team finished off an undefeated season Tuesday with a championship win over Spencerport, 4-2.

The team finishes the year with a 12-0 record in the Monroe United Recreational Soccer League.

Scoring for Batavia were Randi Zakes, Kaeleigh DiSalvo and Haley Tangeman. Goalie Brooke Ranney had 11 saves.

Batavia was able to pull out a victory despite having only enough players Tuesday to cover the field. There were no substitutes available.

Players on the team, which is sponsored by Genesee Orthopedics, range in age from 14 to 19, and include four pairs of sisters.

"This year this team of old and young players really meshed," Coach Gary DiSalvo said.

The roster consisted of (players in bold participated in Tuesday's game): Kaitlyn Allen, Allison Bartholomew, Raven Bentkowski, Brenda Castaneda, Chelsea Cleveland, Kaeleigh DiSalvo, Nicole DiSalvo, Taylor Dziuba, Andrea Easton, Taylor Grazioplene, Erin Hale, Michaela Hale, Cady Hume, Jenna Hume, Jenifer Igoe, Savannah Matteson, Katie Newton, Brooke Ranney, Emily Sallome, Haley Tangeman, Bittany Wall, Morgan Zakes and Randi Zakes.

Over the course of the season, Batavia beat teams from Gates; Irondequoit; Churchville, Chili, Spencerport, Le Roy/Pavilion and Rush/Henrietta.

Slide show of more photos from the game below. To purchase photographic prints from this event, click here.

City officials, local law enforcement, firefighters and community groups were at Birchwood Village this evening for the second in a series of three "National Night Out" events in the city.

The goal of National Night Out is to foster community understanding of city services and build relationships between city officials, especially law enforcement, and the community.

A fire behind a stove is reported at the Sportsman's Coonhunters Association, an archery club, located at 8776 Hopkins Road in East Pembroke. The flames are out but firefighters are called to check for extensions into the walls.

East Pembroke and Town of Batavia fire departments are responding. A firefighter on scene says extensions are unlikely. An infrared camera is requested to be sure.

Get ready to rock and roll at Dwyer Stadium Friday night with Batavia's own "In Plain View."

Pictured above in the band's poster are lead guitarist Joe Lambert (top left), drummer Mark Assenato (top right), bass player Mike Burns (bottom left) and singer Pete Cecere.

"In Plain View" has roots in the players' high school days, but officially got its name last year -- during 4th of July weekend, to be exact.

Burns, a graduate of Batavia High School, said his class celebrated its 26-year reunion -- that's right, 26-year reunion -- at that time, and the band got back together to play for the occasion. They were asked to play again the following night at a private party, which was held at Haul 4 Less.

"(And we thought,) 'Here's four guys who haven't played in 26 years,'" Cecere said, "'and what people see is what they get, in plain view.'"

Included in the group's repertoire are rock songs from almost every era, from the '60s to the present. They play songs that multiple generations will know and appreciate, as evidenced by the fact that Cecere has received positive comments from his daugthers and from some of his aunts and uncles.

"(We'll play) anything from The Kinks to Jimmy Eat World," he said. "We like to pick songs that are interesting and out of the ordinary, but still popular."

"Our goal is not to be the typical bar band," Burns said.

Dedication is a key ingredient in the work that "In Plain View" does. Lambert, who lives in New York City, flies into Batavia for every gig, which is followed by a good five, six or seven hours of rehearsal.

Cecere and Burns, for their parts, have been able to manage this while working full-time jobs. Cecere works in sales at Diamond Packaging. Burns is a manager of client services at the Rochester Institute of Technology -- and coaches a girls soccer team through a season of near total victory.

When asked how they found the time for rehearsals, Cecere replied: "Very carefully."

If you're going to be part of this band, he added, "You've got to do your homework."

"In Plain View's" pre-game concert will start at 5:30 p.m. and last about 45 minutes.

Anyone who purchases tickets to the Muckdogs game will get to see Friday's show at no extra cost.

The band's expenses are being covered by the Juliano Allstate Agency, but they themselves are not getting paid for the concert. As huge Muckdogs fans, all four members are more than happy to donate their time.

"We are extremely blessed to have the Muckdogs," Cecere said. "It's cheap (price-wise) family fun."

"We went by (Dwyer Stadium)," Burns said, "and Joe said, 'This is where we've got to play.'"

For more information on "In Plain View" and their upcoming concerts, visit www.inplainviewband.com.

Bottom two photos taken by Stephen Ognibene.

Batavia's 11-year-old All Stars run at a championship season came to an end Monday with an 12-2 loss to Tonawanda.

Tonawanda moves on to the state championship next week in Pinebush.

Batavia made it to the District 1 regional championship game after beating Seneca Falls and Oleans.

Batavia’s Casey Radka turned a double play for the team, with Jerry Reinhart who pitched well in the loss to Tonawanda. Nick Bezinque and Evan Bender had the hits for Batavia in a well-played game by both teams. 

The 2011 11-year-old All Star roster included: Evan Bender, Alex Jones, Jerry Rinehart, Philip Koziol, Taylor Stefaniak, Nick Bezinque, AJ Marcello, Casey Radka, Griffen Moore, Michael Calderon and Cameron Ells.

The coaches were James Soggs, Dave Hall and Todd Bender

The team was coached by James Soggs, Dave Hall and Todd Bender.

Slide show of more photos below (be sure to click on the button in the lower right for full screen version).

Pictures from this event can be purchased by clicking here.

The clouds after the storm late yesterday were pretty spectacular. I was tied up on something else, so didn't have much time drive around for pictures. But as soon as I was free, I went out to one of my favorite spots along Creek Road and took this picture.

Scott Eric Hodgins, 43, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd. Hodgins is accused of punching another person in the head several times causing a concussion.

Latoya Yalonda Stanley, 23, of State Street, is charged with petit larceny. Stanley is accused of shoplifting about $96 worth of merchandise from Kmart.

Nicholas A. Clark, 21, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Clark was stopped late Friday by Le Roy Police after reportedly being observed vomiting from his vehicle while on Munson Street.

Sherry L. Demmer, 39, of 20 Ross St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Demmer is accused of kicking a neighbor in the chest during an incident at 10:30 p.m., Friday.

Joseph H. Schenk, 19, of Route 33, Bergen, is charged with menacing, 2nd. Schenk is accused of displaying and swinging a hammer toward family members during a dispute at 9:35 p.m., Friday. Schenk was jailed on $1,500 bail.

Smoke is reportedly coming from the basement of a house at 312 Eillicott St. in Batavia. City firefighters are en route. The landlord says the smoke is coming out of the cinder blocks.

UPDATE 1:51 p.m.: Fire command reports the smoke is coming from a crawl space and they have limited access to it. They are going to get at it through a breach they made in the wall.

UPDATE 2:15 p.m.: City fire has cleared the scene.

Photos submitted by Frank Capuano.

When you try to put together a youth sports team here in Batavia, you're usually lucky to get more than 30 kids on board -- let alone 30 of the most most athletic kids, like in the larger districts near Buffalo and Rochester.

That's why it's all the more impressive that Batavia's U12 (under 12) soccer team won 11 out of 12 games and suffered no losses -- the exception to the winning streak being a tied game, which was played on a 92-degree evening -- during the 2011 season.

Led by Head Coach Pete Cecere, along with assistant coaches Mike Burns and Steve Moore, the team of 11- and 12-year-olds competed against several Rochester area teams, including: Penfield, Victor, Webster, Churchville-Caledonia, Livonia and Bloomfield (that was the tied game).

On Friday night, Cecere and Burns -- who, in addition to coaching the team, are also on the board of directors for Genesee Amateur Soccer Association (GASA) -- took time to answer some questions for The Batavian at Cecere's home, where the team had a pool party to celebrate their successful season.

Cecere gave a lot of credit to the girls for the effort they put into the games.

"A good core of the team played with me year-round (in preparation)," he said. "We had tremendous defense, great goalies," including Paige Hamiester, Courtney Burns and Maggie Cecere.

"Pete has taken the girls a long way," Burns said.

Up until now, U12 was more of a recreational league than anything else. Cecere, along with other GASA board members, wanted to take it up a notch.

As an assistant coach for the Batavia High School varsity team, he understood the challenge that awaited these girls as they approached the age where they would get into modified sports. Soon, they will match athletic prowess with top-notch athletes from some of the region's bigger districts, where coaches have a much larger pool of players from which to draw.

For that reason, the board wanted to take this "rec" program and make it more competitive.

"About half the girls on this team are going to be playing modified in the fall," Cecere said. "And we (the GASA board) decided that the only way they were going to get better was by swimming with the sharks."

Passionate as he was about this prospect, he was also realistic.

"I said, 'Rochester teams have 150 girls when we're beggin' to get 30, so we probably won't do very well. But the girls (our kids) will be playing now are the same girls they'll be playing in modified, and the only way they're going to be prepared is if they actually get out there and play."

To him, it was about how to make the kids better players rather than how to get more kids on the team.

So what did he and the other coaches do to guide these young ladies through this surprising streak of impressive games? Basically, the strategy involved getting them excited about the game of soccer -- including the whys and wherefores of the game's rules and mechanics.

According to Burns, "you could definitely see the spark in their eyes" as they grew in their knowledge of the game.

"One of the beauties of soccer is that it's a game that teaches itself," Cecere said. The girls were able to "learn by doing," as they say.

Cecere, for his part, made sure that there was always activity on the fields during practices.

"I'm a firm believer that there shouldn't be a lot of standing around at practice," he said. "I try to keep them moving, change up activities so they don't get bored, and be supportive. (It's important to) accentuate the positive."

And whenever he does point out any given player's mistake, he phrases it in the form of a question (for instance, "Can you tell me where you went wrong here?")

"And nine times out of 10, they know the answer."

You could say he's a tough coach. He had his girls play the tough teams, and he definitely kept them movin' during those practices. But as a coach, he is also encouraging and fun.

"He has a great rapport with the girls," Burns said. "It's fun to watch someone who can connect with them, both on a game level and on a fun level -- whether it's goofing around on the sidelines or teaching them about how the game works."

For Cecere, it's all about passion for what he does.

"There is literally nothing I like better than coaching these girls," he said.

For more information on GASA, visit www.gasabatavia.org.

Photo taken by Barbara Paserk

It was a party all night long at the Town of Batavia Fire Hall on Lewiston Road on Saturday.

The annual shindig is held to announce the winner of the fire department's Harley raffle.

This year's winner was Eric Anderson from Bronxville.

Entertainment was provided by 7th Heaven, and Alex's Place was the caterer.  

It was the first time in a couple of years there was no rain during the event and everybody seemed to be having a good time.

To purchase photographic prints from this event, click here.

The Manor House hosted a summer picnic for residents today. CEO Gordon Davis said there was a big turnout of friends and family joining the residents for lunch and live music.

Music was performed by Just for Fun, a group from Riga.

A tractor-trailer has reportedly taken down a pole and wires at the Batavia Mobile Home Park, 3322 W. Main Street Road.

The wires are reportedly on the trailer.

It's unclear if any wires or portion of the pole is on West Main Street Road.

East Pembroke Fire Department is dispatched.

UPDATE 4:17 p.m.: Live wires reported on the truck.

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The coaches of the Batavia Bulldawgs hosted a youth football clinic at Kibbe Park over Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

It wasn't the Beatles, but an area band known as Monkey in a Bottle, put on a good grove atop the roof of Glass Roots on Friday evening.

The band started playing shortly after the end of the Jackson Square concert, with Glass Roots providing some refreshments to guests and a parking lot cleared of cars, giving plenty of room to enjoy the music.

When classes begin at Genesee Community College in the fall, the name of one assistant professor will be new to many students, but the teacher won't be.

Candice Faulring, entering her fifth year of teaching at GCC, will be known as Ms. Vacin from now on.

On Monday, Candice, 37, and her partner Sara Vacin, 35, became among the first 1,600 same-sex couples in New York to enter into a legal marriage.

"It's really exciting," Faulring said.

Now in the third year and fourth month of their relationship, Candice and Sara have been talking about marriage since their first anniversary. Sara proposed on New Year's Eve 2008.

They expected the Marriage Equality Act to pass in 2009 and had planned a big ceremony for last summer.  

After they got over the disappointment of the legislation failing in the Senate, they went to Canada to get married.

But that still wasn't the same as having a legally recognized marriage in New York, said Candice, who is originally from Lewiston. 

"When we told people we were married, it always seemed like they were thinking we were like kids having a tea party, or kids doing something that only adults do for real," Candice said. "This is a legal marriage with all the rights and responsibilities that go with marriage, so it's much more significant."

The Vacins, who live in North Buffalo, took part in a group wedding at Niagara Falls where 45 same-sex couples were married on Monday.

When the Marriage Equality Act came before the Senate again this year, Candice said she was live blogging and tweeting developments for four days. When the vote finally came, she was with a group of friends.

"We got together to watch the vote," Candice said. "It was very emotional (that day), as was our arrival at Niagara Falls on Monday. I didn't think it would be as emotional as it was."

Legalized same-sex marriage has had a tremendous impact on her outlook on life, Candice said.

"After the vote, I walked around feeling different," Candice said. "I walked around feeling validated and that I didn’t have to hide anymore."

Photo: Submitted by Candice Vacin (left) and Sara Vacin (right).

A 23-year-old East Main Street resident has been charged with assault in the first degree for allegedly running down a pedestrian June 6 while on Central Avenue.

The pedestrian suffered serious injuries and was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Jailed on $10,000 bail following arraignment in Genesee County Court today was Brandon K. Macioszek, of 519 E. Main St., Batavia.

Macioszek was indicted by the Genesee County Grand Jury on the assault charge, which was sought following an investigation into the incident.

On June 7, Macioszek was issued traffic citations by Darryl Streeter for alleged aggravated unlicensed operation and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

A Batavia resident wanted on a warrant out of city court was arrested Thursday and allegedly found in possession of a quantity of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

Members of the Local Drug Enforcement Task force went to the home of Ryan M. Shrauger, 42, of Hull Park, Batavia, to arrest him on the warrant.

While inside Shrauger's home, investigators allegedly found drugs and drug-related items.

Shrauger was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia, 2nd.

Following court arraignment, he was jailed on $2,500 bail.