Students at Batavia Middle School made their annual civil rights presentations today for fellow students, teachers and parents.
Terry Hills hosted the 33rd Annual Jim Kelly Celebrity Golf Classic.
Featured in the video, QB Josh Allen, Jim Kelly, Chris Berman, Thruman Thomas, Eric Wood, and Commissioner Roger Goodell, who makes it clear, if Buffalo taxpayers want to keep the Bills, they're going to need to pony up for a new stadium.
Distracted driving is being blamed for a two-car collision this morning that sent two people to Strong Memorial Hospital, one by Mercy Flight.
Both patients are listed as "under evaluation."
The accident was reported at 11:10 a.m. in the area of 3646 West Main Street Road, Batavia.
According to the accident report by Deputy Kevin McCarthy, the driver of a 2011 Ford sedan was eastbound on Route 5 when the driver "became distracted by moving his phone" and crossed into the westbound lane.
His vehicle struck a 2012 Chevy SUV driven by Patricia G. Bunk, 35, of Graham Road, Elba. She was transported by Mercy EMS to Strong.
The driver of the Ford sedan is identified in the report as William T. Gibbs, 63, of West Main Street Road, Corfu; however, the hospital doesn't have a patient under that name. They do have a patient under a different name who is the same age and lives at the same address as Gibbs but the hospital spokesman said he couldn't disclose the name being used by the patient.
Gibbs was transported by Mercy Flight to Strong and was conscious at the time of transport.
That driver was cited for allegedly crossing over into traffic, driving left of centerline markings.
A man involved in an ATV accident at 8:30 a.m., Sunday, is in guarded condition at Strong Memorial Hospital.
A patient listed as "guarded" at Strong is in the Intensive Care Unit.
The Sheriff's Office identified the rider as Angel L. Claudio Lopez, 43, no address listed.
According to the accident report, Lopez was riding an ATV up a sand hill on property at 2750 Maple Avenue Road, Oakfield, when the vehicle overturned, ejecting Lopez, and then landed on him.
Lopez suffered a head injury but was described as conscious at the time he was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong.
The accident was investigated by Deputy Travis DeMuth.
Le Roy beat Wellsville 7-1 on Sunday to win the Class B2 Section V Championship.
Video and photo by Tim McArdle.
A male and female physical altercation has resulted in a request for two ambulances in the area of 344 W. Main St., Batavia.
The first ambulance was requested for the female victim of an assault. The second ambulance was requested for a person having either a panic attack or seizure.
The male suspect ran from the scene and was later located near Denny's.
Benjamin Santiago Jr.
A suspect in last night's assault on Ellicott Street was arrested in Rochester and the allegedly stolen vehicle he was driving was recovered.
Benjamin J. Santiago Jr., 30, of Batavia, is accused of going to the home of Mark E. Collier, 35, at 9:15 p.m. to demand money of Collier, who has previously given charitable donations to Santiago, according to Batavia PD.
Collier denied Santiago's request and Santiago became upset, police say. He is accused of striking Collier several times with a blunt instrument causing significant injuries.
Santiago then allegedly stole items from the home and fled.
Collier was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital, alert and conscious, and is currently in stable condition.
Police say Santiago stole a bicycle after fleeing the scene and then stealing a vehicle from a residence in the Town of Batavia. Santiago apparently made it to Rochester where he was apprehended by Rochester PD.
Santiago is charged with first-degree assault and first-degree robbery.
Santiago has been arrested previously in and around Batavia, including a case involving problems at a local hotel that led to a multi-agency manhunt 2011. The two brothers in the case were later accused of trying to hire somebody to kill Santiago. Eventually, that case led to a prison term for Santiago. He was most recently accused of stealing $800 in tools from Crocker's Ace Hardware in Le Roy.
Police say:
This is an ongoing investigation. Members of the Batavia Police Department will be in the area between State St. and Ross St. attempting to locate additional evidence. If anyone observes any items that appear suspicious or may be of evidentiary value, please do not touch or move them. Contact the Batavia Police Department at (585) 345- 6350 to inform them of the item. A member of our Department will respond to investigate the item.
Assisting Batavia PD were City fire, the Sheriff's Office, Rochester PD, State police, and Mercy EMS.
Previously: Person reportedly assaulted on Ellicott Street in the city
On Saturday, Assemblyman Steve Hawley hosted his annual e-waste recycling event, and as usual, there was a long line of cars going through the parking lot at 5130 E. Main St. all morning.
You may have noticed, since last fall, we've been ramping up our video production.
Last month, The Batavian published 46 videos.
In the past week, I've received several favorable comments about our videos. It's always helpful to get feedback so I appreciate hearing what people think.
I hope you've been enjoying them, though I know not all of you have been watching them, which is kind of the point of this post.
Longtime readers know I worked hard over the years to become a better photographer. I'm taking the same approach with video. I'm working hard to learn how to shoot and edit videos that don't waste your time, that are worth your time to watch.
My concern is that many people who consume online news have come across, over the years, a lot of poorly produced video from local news sites. My concern is that you associate local online news video with something that isn't worth your time so you don't even bother with it now.
I hope to convince you that the videos we're publishing on The Batavian are worth your time. And I do believe I've gotten better -- though I still have a lot to learn -- over the past several months; heck, even over just the past month.
So, please, if you haven't been inclined to watch our videos until now, give them a little time.
Here are four videos from May that you might have missed.
A vehicle has flipped over a guardrail and into the water at 852 Bloomingdale Road, Basom.
Both occupants are out of the vehicle and have only minor injuries.
Alabama fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 4:54 p.m.: Reader submitted photo. According to a source at the scene, the location was at Judge Road and Feeder Road. The occupants self-extricated and obtained a ride to Two Eagles Smoke Shop where they were able to call 9-1-1 because of poor mobile reception at the location of the accident. Both patients signed off with minor injuries.
Red Osier Landmark Restaurant is the biggest sponsor of the American Warrior Festival series of concerts and so Dan Clor has held an annual party at Red Osier to thank Steve Foster and Tim Adams for their support.
This year, the party was a BBQ using the new smoker acquired by Red Osier.
The appreciation is mutual. The dinner was Friday evening.
Today we spoke with neighbors of Michael Paladino Jr., and a childhood friend who stopped by his apartment on Ross Street in her grief over learning the news of Paladino's death.
Paladino, 43, was stabbed to death last night while coming to the aid of a woman who was allegedly being attacked by Quinton Edmonds.
Edmonds has been charged with murder.
Previously: Batavia man killed while trying to assist woman being attacked on Ross Street
The Batavia Blue Devils beat Geneva 9-0 behind an Alex Hale one-hitter at Wayland-Cohocton today to win the school's first sectional title in baseball since 1998.
Submitted photo.
A Ross Street man was stabbed to death last night outside of his apartment after trying to come to the aid of a woman who was under attack.
Police have identified the victim as Michael R. Paladino, 43. The suspect is Quinton Edmonds (above photo), a former parolee from Rochester who is well known to police, said Chief Shawn Heubusch.
Heubusch said the investigation at this time indicates that Edmonds was in a vehicle in the City when an argument began between Edmonds and at least one of the two women in the vehicle with him. The vehicle stopped on Ross Street and the argument continued outside the vehicle.
"Edmonds exited the vehicle and began striking one of the female subjects from the vehicle," Heubusch said. "Michael Paladino, who was in his apartment, heard the altercation taking place and went outside to intervene and assist the females. Edmonds and Paladino got into a physical altercation and Edmonds either stabbed or cut Paladino several times with a sharp instrument causing his injuries. Edmonds then fled the scene on foot."
The weapon has not yet been recovered.
Emergency dispatchers received a call of a disturbance at 5/7 Ross St. at 12:44 a.m.
Paladino suffered multiple stab and cut wounds to his upper torso and head.
"Paladino collapsed in the entryway of his apartment," Heubusch said.
The women in the vehicle fled the scene right away and a police officer saw a vehicle driving erratically and stopped it in the parking lot just east of St. Joseph School.
"At the time that the officer observed the vehicle driving erratically, he thought that he possibly had a DWI situation, so he pulled the vehicle over and at the exact same time dispatch was receiving phone calls of this disturbance that took place on Ross Street, Heubusch said.
"The officer was in the right place at the right time," the chief said. "The people from the vehicle identified Edmunds as he was approaching the traffic stop as the person that was involved in the disturbance. The officer did a remarkable job and taking him into custody all by himself and securing him for further investigation."
Edmonds is being charged with murder in the second degree and will be arraigned in City Court this morning while the investigation continues.
"We have interviewed multiple witnesses from that 5/7 Ross Street apartment," Heubusch said. "There were some other people within that apartment that did witness or heard what happened, so they are cooperating with us. We've taken statements from them.
"The officers are out today canvassing the area to see if there are any other witnesses that can come forward or any other potential video evidence that may be available from a home surveillance system or whatever it may be. They're also going to be working with the state police today."
Police are also actively searching for the weapon.
"This happened at one o'clock in the morning and the officers who were processing the scene, walking the area did the best they could to try and locate the weapon in question," Heubusch said. "But you know it is a very large area. There are officers out there now continuing the investigation looking for more physical evidence as well as, like I said, trying to find any video in the area and/or interviewing more witnesses and re-interviewing witnesses that may have been there last night."
Edmonds has asked for an attorney and is not providing information to police, Heubusch said.
Batavia police are well-acquainted with Edmonds, who is a frequent visitor from Rochester to Batavia, Heubusch said. While confirming that Edmonds was at one time on parole and has a criminal history, with at least one arrest outside of the county, Heubusch would not provide information on why Edmonds was on police radar prior to this incident.
State records indicate Edmonds was convicted in 2015 in Monroe County of criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, and sentenced to two and a half years in prison. His parole ended in April 2018.
Paladino was transported by Mercy EMS to UMMC. He was pronounced dead at 5:05 a.m. by Coroner Don Coleman.
Heubusch said a family member was with Paladino when he died.
"It appears that Michael Palladino was trying to do the right thing and help somebody out," Heubusch said.
Before last year, Batavia had gone years without a murder in city limits, then there were two last year and now one in 2019. Heubusch said, though, he wouldn't call that a trend.
"Well, again in this particular case, we had a Good Samaritan that appeared to be trying to intervene in another physical altercation," Heubusch said. So as far as this one goes, this person was not from the City of Batavia. That's my understanding. His last known address is in Rochester. We do have that influence from Rochester that comes out here so I can't really speak to a trend."
The one common theme, Heubusch noted, is the murder suspects are all on, or were on, parole.
"There are a lot of people on parole in Genesee County," Heubusch said. "We've had good fruitful meetings with the parole officers and the administrators of the area, this parole area out of Rochester. There is a large caseload for the parole officers not just for Genesee County but across the state.
"And I think that is one of the issues that need to be addressed at the state level is the general caseload of parole officers. With the closing of prisons and the decriminalization of marijuana, potentially, I think the state, the governor's office, is setting up local jurisdictions for more violence, quite honestly."
Video from the scene last night:
There were 87 graduates in the Class 2019 at the Le Roy HS commencement ceremony on Saturday, including Emma Lawrence, who was joined on stage by her father, Board of Education member Rich Lawrence, as she posed with her diploma with Principal Tim McArdle.
Miranda Keaton
Assistant Principal Lynda Lowe and Joshua Hamilton
Abigail Cacioppo was the valedictorian and Calvin Herrick the salutatorian.
Xachary Carr
Alex Cole
Branson Jeanotte, Scott Keister, Jakob Ashley, Andrew Ayers, and Scott Bollin-Shggarts.
Batavia police responded to Ross Street for a report of a disturbance involving a person with a knife.
The subject is at large and said to be armed with a knife. He is described as a black male.
The victim reportedly has a significant stab wound in his side.
Mercy EMS and City fire responding.
UPDATE 12:51 a.m.: The suspect may have been located by the Richmond library.
UPDATE 1:52 a.m.: The victim suffered multiple serious stab wounds and was transported to UMMC, according to Sgt. Dan Coffey, Batavia PD. Coffey said that he doesn't have an update on the condition of the patient.
On Friday, the students in the Culinary Arts Program prepared their final projects for a group of judges. I happened to arrive in time for the last student of the day, Jose Vanegas, who made tacos and flan.
Jarett J. Locicero, 29, of West Main Street, Batavia, has been arrested following an investigation by the Local Drug Task Force and accused of selling fentanyl in and around the City of Batavia.
Locicero is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, criminally using drug paraphernalia, 2nd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th.
Locicero is accused of selling fentanyl to an agent of the task force.
At the time of his arrest, he was allegedly found in possession of an illegal knife, a crack cocaine smoking device, and suboxone.
He was transported to the Genesee County Jail and held on a warrant.
Batavia PD and the District Attorney's Office assisted in the arrest and investigation.
Batavia has a new Mexican food truck, Over the Border, from the Bender family -- Todd, Evan, and Ryan.
Evan said he hopes this is one of many different food trucks they plan to operate out of Batavia.
One of the area's largest construction firms, owned by Darien Center resident John Zoladz, lost a $435,692 contract for a project in Hamburg this week, after being the low bidder, and is blaming what the company describes as a pro-union front group for the change of direction.
Meanwhile, an organization calling itself The New York Foundation for Fair Contracting sent out a press release celebrating the decision by unnamed Erie County leaders, who squashed the Zoladz contract under the state's "Lowest Responsible Bidder" law.
The law allows government agencies to reject low bids from contractors not deemed qualified. Generally, that means the company placing the lowest bid has the capability to fully and reliably perform the contract requirements.
NYFFC's press release suggests Zoladz is not qualified because of two work-related deaths in the past couple of years and was accused of falsely claiming it was a small business owned by a service-disabled veteran.
The NYFFC press release says that Zoladz paid a $3 million fine, which is not entirely accurate. The company was required to pay a portion of that fine and there as no finding of liability.
While NYFFC portrays itself as a "watchdog" group, Zoladz, which is a non-union shop, alleges that the trustees of the nonprofit have strong ties to International Union of Operating Engineers Local 17.
"The entities share the same address and likely share services," Zoladz said in its press release. "The trustees also appear to include at least one apparent operator of a company that directly competes with Zoladz.
"Finally, the 'Foundation' appears to be funded, at least in part, by union-employer contributions from collective-bargaining agreements. It is clear that, even without the 'Foundation’s' previous history with Zoladz as explained below, it is a motivated competitor of open-shop Zoladz."
It is true that Zoladz was fined by the OSHA over work-related deaths of employees. In August of 2016, Aaron L. Wellman died when a piece of construction equipment rolled off a trailer on Route 20 in Darien Center. The fine in that case was $8,000. On April 5, 2018, an employee was caught in a conveyor belt and suffocated. Zoladz was fined $43,000.
"To the NYFFC’s understanding, this is the first instance of Erie County using its lawful responsible bidder authority," the NYFFC said in its statement. "This enforcement ensures responsible contractors who abide by the law and deliver a high-quality product have a fair shot at public works contracts."
In the Hamburg project, Zoladz bid on just a portion of the $3 million job. The company blames competitors for lobbying against the company receiving the contract.
From the press release:
"Zoladz Construction disagrees strongly with the county’s sudden reversal, coming as it does in the wake of governmental pressure from competitors," said Jennifer K. Harvey, attorney for Zoladz.
"While we certainly agree with DPW that the settlement at issue in this matter does not result in a negative finding, we vigorously dispute the legal and factual reasons DPW cited as a basis for finding Zoladz’ bid incomplete and subject to rejection.
"We are requesting a hearing to exhaust our administrative remedies, and we remain confident and hopeful that Zoladz will be able to start work soon on this long-promised project that’s so critical to the safety and peace of mind of county taxpayers driving in Hamburg."
The press release states the NYFFC issued a letter May objecting to the award of the contract and said the group has mounted a similar "attack" in Niagara County but that the County Legislature there investigated and found the complaints without merit before awarding the company a $1.8 million contract for work on the county landfill.
Zoladz, based in Alden, employes 175 people and was founded by cousins John Zoladz and Tom Dougherty in 1985, when they had only a tractor and a backhoe. Now they have offices in Charlotte, N.C., Avon, and Lackawanna.
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