batavia

Three volunteer firefighters, including one from Genesee County, will be joining the City of Batavia Fire Department as soon as they complete training.

In all, four new firefighters are expected to join the force after their July 3 graduation from the academy in Utica.

Christina Marinaccio (inset photo, file photo), a captain with the Le Roy Volunteer Fire Department, becomes the second local volunteer to join the department in the past year. Last summer Jamie Call, a Stafford volunteer, joined the department.

Marinaccio becomes the department's second female firefighter, joining Anne Stefaniak.

Also expected to go through the academy starting April 1 and join the department after graduation are Ryan Barber, a volunteer in Henrietta, and Nathan Kinne, a volunteer from Niagara County.

Barber and his wife recently purchased a home in Bergen and Kinne will move to Genesee County.

The fourth new department recruit is Ryan Whitcombe, who has no prior firefighting experience. His brother is currently with the department.

Chief Jim Maxwell also told WBTA he is expecting a firefighter making a lateral transfer from Canandaigua to join the department.

Vacancies have been created in the department recently by retirements and the resignations of Brian Bordinaro and Gregory Phillips, who were forced to give up their jobs as part of a plea bargain for engaging in bookmaking. Maxwell said more positions will open up this summer as a result of more retirements.

Whether all of those positions are filled could be a point of negotiation between the city and the union representing firefighters as the City of Batavia looks for more ways to reduce expenses.

Two women, descriptions not provided, received salon services at JCPenney and then decided not to pay for the work and they walked out into the mall. They are now sitting in a chair near the salon entrance and "the caller believes they may be under the influence." A police officer just arrived on scene.

The annual student art show by GCC's fine arts students opens at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery, GCC campus, March 25 and runs through April 25.

The opening reception is at 12:30 p.m., Thursday.

Photo, from left: Holly Hosmar, from Pike; Sarah Bosa, Buffalo; Petra Dietrich, Batavia; Josh Coughlin, Churchville; and, Nicole Crossett, Batavia.

If you're under age and want to buy booze in Batavia, good luck finding a server or clerk who will sell it to you.

Recently, Batavia PD spearheaded a compliance check at 10 local establishments that sell alcohol.

All 10 businesses carded the underage buyers and refused to sell liquor to them.

"The fact that all the establishments involved in the compliance check requested identification and refused to sell alcohol is a tribute to our local establishments, their management and employees," the PD said in a statement.

The program was conducted in conjunction with the GCASA Drug Free Communities Coalition and Genesee Community College’s Criminal Justice Program.

The students at Jackson School took a trip to Candyland today, guided by teachers, staff and City Schools Superintendent Chris Dailey, who played King Candy in the play written by two Jackson teachers.

The play -- "Reading is a Sweet Treat" -- was all about the adventures of reading and honoring the students who did the best in reading recently.

Candy was distributed to teachers for the kids at the end of the play CORRECTION: The bags contained books.

The children seemed to have a blast throughout the whole performance.

Stephanie A. Wixson, 26, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wixson was arrested by State Police at the Walmart in Warsaw for allegedly stealing a woman's purse that had also been stuffed with other merchandise. The value of the items was $292.76.

Stephen W. Thweatt, 32, of Alexander, is charged with criminal mischief 2nd, a Class D felony, Thweat is accused of causing more than $2,000 of damage in October to the interior of a residence where he previously lived. Thweatt was arrested by State Police, Warsaw, with the assistance of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. Thweatt was jailed in Wyoming County without bail.

Manuel L. Valdez, 35, of 2 Miller Ave., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Valdez was taken into custody on an arrest warrant out of Batavia City Court.

Robert L. Stanley, 53, of Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Stanley is accused of pushing a juvenile to the ground and then kicking the juvenile Saturday on Ganson Avenue. Stanley was located by Batavia PD on Sunday and taken into custody.

Kasean L. Shannon, 20, of 115 Jackson St., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Shannon allegedly went to the residence of a protected party. Because of a prior criminal contempt conviction in the previous five years, the charge is elevated to a felony. Shannon was jailed without bail.

Russell Lowther III, 55, of 541 E. Main St., Batavia, is charged with menacing, 2nd, and criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Lowther is accused of threatening another person with a knife.

Matthew James Cronin, 24, of Crushing Street, Fredonia, is charged with felony DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to keep right, driver's view obstructed and no or inadequate exhaust. Cronin was stopped at 12:14 a.m. on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Keith Andrew Hamilton, 46, of Scribner Road, Penfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Hamilton was stopped at 2:46 a.m. Sunday on Richmond Avenue, Batavia, by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello.

Joshua Paul Moore, 22, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Moore was a passenger in a vehicle stopped at 1:51 a.m. Sunday on Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Patrick Reeves. Moore was allegedly found to have a small quantity of marijuana concealed in his pants.

Jackson Ray Snow, 23, of Milestrip Road, Irving, was arrested on a bench warrant out of Pembroke Town Court. Snow was stopped for an alleged traffic infraction in Brant and turned over to the Sheriff's Office on an active warrant by Brant PD. Snow was jailed on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond.

Latisha Renee Woods, 25, of Syke Road, Rochester, was arrested on a bench warrant for alleged unlicensed operation. Woods was stopped on I-490 in Rochester for allegedly using her mobile phone while driving and was turned over to the Sheriff's Office on a bench warrant out of Town of Elba Court. She was jailed on $800 bail.

Gerald Earl Hensel, 57, of S. Pearl St., Oakfield, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hensel was arrested at 12:25 a.m., Friday, after a report of a sick or intoxicated driver heading into Batavia from Oakfield. Hensel was taken into custody at the Genesee County Jail, where he had reportedly gone to pick up an inmate scheduled for release.

Kristen Antwan Miller, 32, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with falsifying business records, 1st, and grand larceny, 4th. Miller allegedly stole money from Radio Shack in Batavia and falsified business records in an attempt to conceal the crime.

Spring Story Times at the Richmond Memorial Library start Tuesday March 19th and run until May 23rd.

• Tuesday Toddler Time: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. (walkers – 3 years)
• Early Toddler Time: Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. (walkers – 3 years)
• Wednesday Toddler Time: Wednesdays 10:30 a.m. (walkers -- 3 years)
• Preschool Story Time: Thursdays at 10 a.m. (ages 3-5 years)
• PJ Story Time: Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. (all ages)

To register or for more information call the Library  343-9550, ext. 4, or stop in at the Children's Room desk during Library hours: Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Parents may also register online: www.batavialibrary.org

Register early, as group size is limited. Spring registration is not required for those already registered for the Winter Story Time Session.

This was just sent in by a reader:

"We have lost a smooth coat Chihuahua. She got loose late Sunday (this) morning. The dog was last seen around the corner of Main and River. If you see her please call Wendy at 585-409-4617."

Thank you so much,

Wendy

UPDATE 3:25 p.m.: A lost dog was found in Valu Plaza and is at the Mexican food store. Not sure if it's the chihuahua or not, but an officer is called to the location.

UPDATE: The tiny canine is still missing. Wendy posted this in comments yesterday afternoon:

"It was not the dog. We are still looking for her. If you see her, she probably won't come to you. Please call with any sightings. Owner's number is 993-1050. She is about 5 lbs, reddish tan with white around her neck."

Buddy Brasky said it before the game, the key to a Blue Devils win in the semi-final of the Class B state championship basketball game would be slowing the attack of Watervliet's two Division I guards.

That didn't happen.

"We knew we had to try and keep those two guards combined in the 30s and they got 43," Brasky said after Batavia's 60-53 loss at Glens Falls. "It seems to me they seemed like they were shooting from 30 feet out and making them. I don’t know what to say. I mean we hung in there, we battled and they answered every time."

Three times, the Canoneers built 10 and 12 point leads, and for extended periods, Watervliet would maintain a nine-point lead, and then Batavia would pull close enough that a single basket -- three or two -- would tie the score.

But that one shot wouldn't drop and Jordan Gleason, Tyler McLeod or freshman Ty'jon Gilmore would pour in a three-point jumper on the return. Gleason finished with 25 points, McLeod, 18 and Gilmore, 11. Gleason hit six three-pointers and McLeod and Gilmore had two apiece.

"We knew they were hard workers," Batavia's Jalen Smith said. "We knew they could shoot the ball. We knew they had an athletic guard. That was the game plan, stop their guards and their guards caught fire. There wasn’t much we could do about it. We played as tough as we can."

Smith finished with a team high 21 points. Justin Washington added 14 and Jamesson Etienne, 12.

Throughout Batavia's post-season run, the team has proven there's no quit in their approach to the game. Saturday night was no exception.

"They’ve got a lot of heart," Brasky said. "Jalen made some big shots. We kept crawling back. We would get it within two. We’d get it within three. We had the ball a couple of times with a chance to tie and we’d get good lucks but we could never get the final one to drop."

It was a special season for Batavia and even though the season ends a game sooner than anybody would like, there's no reason not to be proud of three championship wins.

"I told them it doesn't take away from their league championship, their sectional championship, their regional championship," Brasky said. "They're a great team. What stinks about the state tournament is only one team goes home with a win. Everybody else goes home with a loss and you feel horrible."

After the game in the locker room, Brasky hugged each of his senior players.

"They mean so much (to me)," Brasky said. "They're the ones who led us this year. They’ve been with me since third, fourth, fifth grade most of them, so we’ve got a bond that’s hard to explain. It’s going to be hard to see them go."

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We'll have complete coverage as soon as possible.

A female has fallen in the parking lot of Billy Goats at 345 W. Main St. in Batavia. She was unconscious but is now conscious. Law enforcement and Mercy medics are responding.

Gregory Scott Snyder, 44, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with reckless endangerment, 2nd. Snyder allegedly shot toward the roadway at a fox he believed to be injured using a 12-gauge shotgun. A BB from the shell reportedly hit a neighbor. Deputy Joseph Corona and Deputy Tim Wescott handled the case. The State Police and the Department of Environmental Conservation assisted.

Crystal L. Kiebzak, 30, of 1359 Broadway Road, Darien, is charged with petit larceny, issuing a bad check in the Town of Batavia, and issuing a bad check in the Town of Darien. Kiebzak allegedly drafted checks to buy goods and services from businesses in Darien and Batavia from a nonexistent checking account.

Mindy Maria Miller, 23, of Clay Street, Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Miller is accused of shoplifting at Kmart.

Samantha Marie Kent, 19, of East Shelby Road, Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny. Kent is accused of shoplifting from Kmart.

Melissa M. Morton, 27, of 4802 W. Middlebury Road, Bethany, is charged with petit larceny. Morton is accused of stealing cupcakes valued at $9.99 from Tim Horton's.

Joseph A. Ferrando III, 45, of 5 Buell St., Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Ferrando was taken into custody by Officer Arick Perkins following an investigation after allegedly being found behind the wheel of his vehicle, which was still running, on Liberty Street at 10:30 p.m., Wednesday.

Timothy M. Pendleton, 27, of 4 Cedar St., Batavia, is charged with resisting arrest, criminal trespass, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Pendleton is accused of going to the residence of a person he knows on Wednesday and entering without permission and harassing that person. On Thursday, officers Jason Davis and Eric Hill attempted to arrest Pendleton and he allegedly resisted arrest. Pendleton was jailed on $2,500 bail.

A fixture in local prep sports for decades, Bill Wade, who has led the Lady Blue Devils for five years, announced last night that he's retiring from basketball coaching.

Wade made his announcement during the annual girls banquet at Bohn's Restaurant.

Besides Batavia, Wade has coached at Byron-Bergen, Notre Dame and SUNY Brockport.

In 1984, he led Byron-Bergen to the state's final four, and did it three more times with Notre Dame.

“When I took the job at Batavia five years ago," he told WBTA, "I took it over with the challenge of building the program. I felt that we’ve been very successful in that because I’ve had Marty Hein and John McClellan to help me and the kids have been great. I just reached a point where it’s time to step aside. You have to do the off season work and the off season work takes a lot of time. I want to spend more time with my wife and actually head into a retirement.”

Wade has seen a lot change in prep sports since the 1980s.

"When I first coached at Byron-Bergen, there was no three-point line and the girls played with a guy’s ball," Wade said. "What I’ve always loved about the girls game is that I find it a very pure game of basketball. I think girls basketball is how James Naismith planned it to be when he came up with the game years and years ago and that it to be played below the rim.”

Wade led Batavia to the program’s first-ever appearance in the Section Five finals this year. He plans on following the girls' basketball careers.

“I told the girls, I am no longer yelling at you, I will only be yelling for you because I will be in the crowd for several of their games – as many games as my wife and I can make," he said. "I’ve been a coach of this game for so long, I’m really looking forward to becoming a fan of the game.”

Wade's successor has not yet been named.

Photo: File photo

Press release:

The Genesee County Youth Conference Coalition sponsored its 25th Annual Youth Conference at Genesee Community College this week.

This conference is offered on an annual basis to local seventh- and eighth-grade students in an effort to address pertinent social issues of interest to youngsters of middle-school age.

This year we also invited a select group of students from Orleans County. There were approximately 500 seventh- and eighth-grade students in attendance.

This year’s theme of the conference was “Illusions … To Lead or to be Mis-Led.” 

The keynote speaker, nationally known Illusionist Tom Coverly, addressed the kids in the areas of bullying, respect and positive decision-making. 

After the keynote, students attended two morning workshops, were provided lunch and then attended an interactive afternoon workshop. Professionals from the community volunteered their time to provide information to the students in their respective fields of expertise.

Workshops were provided in the areas of…Communication, Yoga, Nutrition, Careers, Pet Therapy, Zumba, Triple D-Dodgeball (Drug and Alcohol Awareness Game), Conflict Resolution, Dance, Getting Active with GPS, Creating Artist Trading Cards, Assuring a Positive Future and many others.  

Members of the Youth Conference Committee are extremely grateful to the workshop presenters who volunteered their time to educate our area seventh and eighth graders. We are also grateful to the following businesses/organizations that provided discounts or donations for the conference…Genesee County Stop DWI Program, Upstate Milk and Subway.

The Genesee County Youth Conference Committee is comprised of representatives from the following agencies: Batavia Youth Bureau, Genesee County Youth Bureau, Genesee Community College, GCASA and YMCA.  

For more information on this year’s Genesee County Youth Conference or to find out how you can participate in the next event, call the Batavia Youth Bureau at 585-345-6420 or the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 585-344-3960.

Submitted photo: Pictured are the 500 seventh and eighth graders and their school chaperones who attended the 2013 Genesee County Youth Conference held at GCC on March 12, being addressed by Tom Coverly, “The Illusionist,” and Keynote Speaker.

A full auditorium of Batavia High School students cheered on the varsity basketball team as it gets ready to head off to Glens Falls for the state championship basketball tournament.

The Blue Devils made the final four when sophomore Jeff Redband nailed a buzzer beater Saturday to beat Olean 63-62 in the Far West Regional championship game.

The shot was replayed during the pep rally and as the ball went in, the auditorium exploded in cheers, including from Redband's teammates (above).

Batavia takes on Watervliet at 8:30 p.m., Friday.

The Cannoneers come into the tournament with a seemingly unimpressive 16-8 record, but five of those losses were the result of a forefeit early in the season after officials discovered the team had an ineligible player on its roster.

The team has one three straight sectional championships and last year lost the state championship Class B game by one point to Bishop Ludden.

They’re a really good team," said Batavia Head Coach Buddy Brasky after the pep rally.

Like Olean, Watervliet features two high-scoring guards. Both seniors are headed to NCAA Division I schools next season.

"They’re probably going to be the two best players combined that we’ve faced all year," Brasky said. "They average about 45 points between them."

Jordan Gleason, wearing #1, is 6'1" and is heading to Sacred Heart. He averages 24 points a game and is a good three-point shooter, Brasky said.

Tyler McLeod, wearing #10, is 6'3" and is being recruited by La Salle in the Atlantic 10. He averages 21 points a game and is a "pull-up jumper" type of guard, Brasky said.

"Just like Olean had two kids who averaged about 40 points a game, our goal is to keep them in the low 30s," Brasky said. "If we can do that, we can be right there."

According to a Times-Union article, the Cannoneers will bring a freshman guard who has been a key part of the team's success this season. Ty'Jon Gilmore averaged 23 points in Watervliet's regional championship game.

Gilmore enters Friday's contest averaging 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

DiBacco says Gilmore's ability to be disruptive defensively has strengthened the Cannoneers' ability to press and trap the opposition.

"It gives me the chance to put Jordan and Tyler in the back of a lot of our traps and use our length and speed," DiBacco said. "Ty'Jon is a big reason why we're (in the state semifinals)."

Brasky likes to pressure opponents and get them out of rhythm.

"They try to make up and down, high tempo game," Brasky said. "Our challenge is to handle their pressure, try to get it to a half-court game where we can get into our half-court sets. If we can get them into half court, I think we can be successful defensively."

After Redband's big shot and the national attention it gained, it was a bit of a challenge to bring the Blue Devil players down from the excitement, Brasky said, and he kind of let them ride the high through Monday's practice, but on Tuesday, they came in focused and have remained focused since.

"They believe they can win and that's half the battle," Brasky said.

The senior leaders of the team's boosters give the players a pep talk.

After the rally, a team picture.

The senior players.

Two cars hit head on shortly after 1:15 p.m. at Main and Bank streets. Both drivers appeared a little shaken up but not seriously injured.

Batavia PD, city fire and Mercy EMS were on scene quickly and the intersection was cleared by 1:45 p.m.

For Father Ivan R. Trujillo, today's election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, had a special meaning and brought Trujillo a special joy.

Bergoglio, now known as Pope Francis I, is the first pope from South America, and though Bergoglio is from Argentina and Trujillo is from Bolivia, it is a good thing for the church that a new pope was selected from the 455 million Catholics in South America, home to 42 percent of all Roman Catholics in the world.

"I'm very happy that they elected somebody from South America because most South Americans, most Latin American people, are Catholics, I'd say 80 percent" Trujillo said. "They are very happy. I'm very happy."

Trujillo is pastor of Resurrection Parish, which includes Batavia's St. Joseph's and St. Mary's. He was ordained in Jamestown in 1990 and became an assistant at St. Mary's in 1995. Four years ago, when St. Joe's and St. Mary's merged to form Resurrection Parish, Father Ivan was appointed pastor of the parish.

It was a Jesuit, like Pope Francis, who inspired Trujillo to become a priest. In Bolivia, while studying philosophy, the rector of the school was a Jesuit. The priest had a passion, as most Jesuits do, for working with the poor.

A good deal of Father Ivan's work in Western New York is with the poor and less fortunate. He works with the poor and sick in his own perish, ministers to inmates at Attica and Wyoming correctional facilities, and works with migrant workers in Genesee, Orleans and Niagara counties.

Pope Francis -- taking the name of St. Francis Xavier -- has a reputation for humility and caring for the poor, living an austere life in Buenos Aires. For a time, Bergoglio gave up riding in a limo and instead took public transportation around the city, but had to give up the practice for security reasons.

"I believe it is a great sign that he will be a pope for the poor and everybody else," Father Ivan said. "I’m pretty sure he’ll be trying to reach the most needy people."

Trujillo believes that Francis, coming out of the Jesuit Order, will be a capable administrator as well as a spiritual leader, which is something, he said, the church needs now.

"It's a good time to celebrate," Trujillo said. "I know there are many problems with the church, but knowing about Jesuits, I'm sure he's well organized and he'll be a good asset for our universal church."

Trujillo was returning from Wyoming when church staff called him to say that a new pope had been elected. He returned to St. Joe's in time to see Pope Francis introduced to the crowd in Vatican City and a worldwide television audience.

It was an thrilling moment, he said.

"At the moment I’m a little bit shocked and so glad," Father Ivan said. "I wish the best for the pope and the whole church. One thing that impressed me with him was that he asked first to be blessed by the people in Rome and after that he blessed the people. After he was blessed by the people, he blessed them. That was a very nice symbolism that he will be a pope for the people and at the same time he brings some order that we need."

The Batavia Ramparts are presenting the Collin Crane Memorial ice skating event on Saturday, March 16, at the Falleti Ice Arena on Evans Street in the City of Batavia.

Schedule:

• 1 to 2:20 p.m. -- Open Memorial Skate -- with free skating and skate rentals
• 2:30 p.m. -- Mite Tournament (Mite sponsors are Max Pies, West Main Wine and Spirits, Cornerstone Abstract, South Side Deli)
• 4:40 p.m. -- Midget A Rampart Exhibition Game vs. MOHL

Food from Clor's Meat Market will be available, including pulled pork, turkey, and beef sandwiches.

There will be raffles and gift baskets. All proceeds will be used to establish a hockey scholarship in Collin's name.

Raffles include:

• $400 gift certificate to Adam Miller Toys
• $150 gift card to Alex's Place
• $100 gift card to Valle Jewelers
• $50 dinner and free play at Batavia Downs
• Autographed Ryan Miller Jersey
• Autographed Americans' Jersey

Seventeen-year-old Collin Crane, of Batavia, died in a two-car head-on collision on Dec. 8 on Route 33 in the Town of Stafford. A 49-year-old woman was seriously injured in the accident.