Two people are reportedly injured after a collision between a car and a motorcycle at Lewiston Road and Maltby Road, Oakfield.
Oakfield Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 3:19 p.m.: Mercy Flight is on standby.
UPDATE 3:21 p.m.: Elba Fire requested to the scene to set up landing zone for Mercy Flight.
UPDATE 3:35 p.m.: Mercy Flight is on scene. A second helicopter is requested to the scene with a 21-minute ETA.
Press release:
Genesee County is announcing its Cans for Careers drive to support hands-on career exploration for youth at annual GLOW With Your Hands events and other related youth-related workforce development programs. Residents can drop off bottles and cans at three Batavia locations between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17. Bottles and cans can be dropped off at the following locations:
- Department of Social Services: 5130 E. Main St Rd, Batavia, NY
- Job Development Bureau: 587 East Main St, Batavia, NY
- County Building 1 (St. Mary’s Parking Lot): 18 Ellicott St, Batavia, NY
“The annual GLOW With Your Hands and other career exploration events attract thousands of students throughout the GLOW region and within Genesee County and fundraising is an important component in conducting these events which are very volunteer intensive,” said Genesee County Manager Matt Landers.
Genesee County will host the one-day drive in conjunction with AQS Redemption Inc., a local New York State bottle and can redemption company. Residents can schedule free pick-ups or drop off their redeemable bottles and cans at the company’s location at 1 North Main Street in Elba, NY. Area businesses can also host a bottle and can drive at their workplace. Residents and businesses can call at 585-250-0870 or email aqsredemption@gmail.com to find out more information.
“We are once again fortunate that AQS is willing to commit its collection facility for a full day in order to support our efforts as we look to enhance our workforce events and programs for our youth,” said GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair and GLOW Workforce Development Board Executive Director Jay Lazarony. “Our partners in Genesee County government also recognize the importance of workforce development and we appreciate their partnership in this endeavor.”
For more information on how to be a part of Cans for Careers, please visit glowwithyourhands.com/cans-for-careers.
A lot of students pour through a school district's music program, but only a few of them put in the effort, show dedication and develop the skills necessary to carry on with their music education after graduation.
It's incredibly rewarding when a student follows that path, said Matthew Nordhausen, who teaches 5th and 6th-grade band in the Le Roy Central School District as well as serves as the district's primary percussion instructor.
"We obviously feel some pride in being able to help them build those skills to pass the auditions," Nordhausen said. "It's also incredibly rewarding, in about four years from now, when they graduate, and they go out into the workforce -- especially those that go into music education, because chances are, they'll come back to this area, and they might end up being our colleagues."
That's happened, he said. Nordhausen said he's been teaching long enough -- 20 years -- now that he has former students teaching in Batavia and Monroe County.
On Thursday, Le Roy recognized five graduating seniors who are continuing their music education.
They are:
Le Roy has a reputation in the region for quality music education, and Nordhausen said that comes down to the support the district gives to the Music Department and their ability to hire dedicated and talented teachers.
"The five of us -- Miss (Tasha) Dotts, Miss (Jessa) Dechant, myself, Mr. (Jeffrey) Fisher, and Miss (Jackie) McLean -- we do work tirelessly for these kids, it's a 24/7 life, not a job. We're helping the kids before school, after school, anything they need, we're always accessible."
The district has helped ensure teachers hired are also qualified on instruments to provide individual instructions, and that is something, Nordhausen said, that many districts can't offer.
"It allows somebody like myself, who is primarily at the elementary school, to still be able to come up here (the high school) and teach my primary instrument, percussion, which allows our kids to get private instruction all the way through their senior year. That level of instruction is just unheard of. In another school district, you're going to have to seek out outside-of-school private lessons, but these kids are getting specific instruction on percussion for me and brass from Miss Dechant and woodwinds from Miss Dotts."
Nordhausen is obviously enthusiastic about music education, and he encourages parents to get their children involved in music -- or any of the arts -- even if the parents have no background in music or art on their own.
Music is forever, he noted.
"Whether you have a musical family quote unquote or not, if you find a love of anything, whether that be music or art, then you should follow that passion through," Nordhausen said. "If you get involved in a great school district and a great program and a supportive one then you're going to be able to build those skills. I've often said, of myself, I am not the most talented musician, but I will be one of the hardest working ones. My colleagues are both talented and hardworking. And you can certainly overcome a quote-unquote a lack of talent if you're willing to put in the time and the effort."
A van has reportedly left the roadway and struck a tree in the area of mile marker 404.6 in the eastbound lane of the Thruway.
Unknown injuries.
Pembroke Fire, Indian Falls FIre, and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 1:50 a.m.: No injuries.
At Thursday's recognition luncheon held at Batavia Country Club, the Kiwanis Club of Batavia announced recipients of the 2023 Criminal Justice Awards.
The Kiwanis Club of Batavia Criminal Justice Award is presented to a member or members of the community, law enforcement, or a criminal justice agency serving the citizens of Genesee County whose exceptional career achievements and conscientiousness to citizenship have demonstrated a spirit of selfless public service or demonstrated an act of exceptional valor or heroism.
The 2023 Award Recipients are:
Investigator Erik B. Andre, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office
Investigator Erik B. Andre began his career with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office in November of 2017, when he was hired as a Deputy Sheriff. He brought with him prior law enforcement experience as he had previously worked as a Police Officer for the Village of Attica Police Department. Investigator Andre's work ethic and law enforcement knowledge were quickly evident and led to his selection as a Field Training Officer. Investigator Andre continued to perform his duties as a Deputy Sheriff to the highest standard, and in January 2022, he was promoted to the rank of Investigator.
Investigator Andre presents a calm demeanor and is a consistent example of professionalism. Investigator Andre is a member of the Crisis Negotiator Team, where his ability to remain composed in high-stress situations is a valued resource. Investigator Andre goes beyond the call of duty and shows a true commitment to the community. Among his investigative duties, Investigator Andre has proactively developed and pursued several investigations involving retail theft crimes, which have led to arrests and successful prosecutions. He takes pride in his work, he is an advocate for crime victims, and strives for an equitable outcome in his investigations. In addition to his investigative responsibilities, Investigator Andre acts as a departmental Firearms Instructor and an Electronic Control Device Instructor. He has been the recipient of a Sheriff’s Office Meritorious Service Award and a Commendation. Investigator Andre was nominated for this award by Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. and Chief Deputy Joseph Graff.
Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher John W. Spencer
Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher John W. Spencer has been a member of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office since 2007. For the past six years, John has supervised the afternoon shift of the Emergency Services Dispatch Center, a shift that receives a high-call volume and regularly deals with crisis situations. Senior Dispatcher Spencer's experience and knowledge are recognized during these high-stress calls for service. He makes sure the appropriate equipment and personnel are notified and dispatched, which is a valuable asset to first responders.
John has been the recipient of a Sheriff's Office Meritorious Service Award recognizing his excellent leadership and guidance for dispatchers, especially newer dispatchers. John has also received five Sheriff's Office Commendations which has proven his professionalism, compassion, and dedication to the citizens of Genesee County and Emergency Services. Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher John W. Spencer was nominated for this award by Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. and Undersheriff Bradley D. Mazur.
Officer Jason Ivison, City of Batavia Police Department
Police Officer Jason Ivison (top photo) has been employed by the City of Batavia for over 12 years. He has excelled as an officer on road patrol where he served as one of the department’s primary Field Training Officers and was then promoted to Detective in 2019. Since that time, Detective Ivison has developed into a key member of the Detective Bureau. Detective Ivison has worked many high-profile investigations which have led to numerous arrests. Detective Ivison is known for completing thorough casework, which ultimately contributes to successful prosecutions in court. Through his work, Detective Ivison has shown he is committed to seeking justice on behalf of the victims in his cases. In addition to working his caseload, Detective Ivison also manages the City of Batavia's Sex Offender Registry. Detective Ivison should be commended for his superior performance on behalf of the City of Batavia Police Department and the community in which he serves. Officer Davis was nominated for this award by City of Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch.
Trooper Bradley Maderer, New York State Police
On December 23, 2022, during the harshest conditions of Winter Storm Elliott, Trooper Bradley Maderer, along with Probationary Trooper Sean Ogden, responded to Judge Rd (SR 63) in the Town of Alabama for at least 25 occupied, disabled vehicles, both in and off the roadway. Time was a factor as plows were unable to clear the roadway, and some vehicles' gas levels were getting low. Trooper Maderer located a resident who allowed their heated garage to be used as a temporary shelter. Unable to effectively navigate the scene with his patrol vehicle, Trooper Maderer and Probationary Trooper Ogden patrolled on foot, checking the occupants of each vehicle. While experiencing below-freezing temperatures, extreme wind and snowfall, the Troopers guided the disabled vehicle occupants to the makeshift warming shelter or checked on them periodically if they wished to remain in their vehicles. Trooper Maderer remained on scene throughout the night at the shelter to ensure the safety of all citizens. Trooper Maderer’s relentless effort undoubtedly saved lives, and he should be commended for his actions. He played an integral part in the NYS Police response and was a big reason why there were no fatalities in Genesee County during Winter Storm Elliott. Trooper Maderer was nominated for this award by New York State Police Zone Sergeant Benjamin Fasano.
Deputy County Attorney Paula Campbell
Deputy County Attorney Paula Campbell’s dedication, professionalism, and knowledge of the law makes her a true asset to Genesee County. She is always willing to educate others about the law, including employees, school officials, workers at the Child Advocacy Center, etc. Ms. Campbell visited all the school districts in Genesee County to explain to staff the education requirements for abuse and neglect cases. She also educated school staff on PINS/JD requirements, Raise the Age and other laws. Recently, Ms. Campbell was made a supervisor within her department. She is professional, empathetic and is always available after hours for situations that arise. Paula Campbell was nominated for this award by Genesee County Department of Social Services Child Protection Supervisor Sandy Wojtaszczyk.
Charles L. Mancuso Mock Trial Award
The “Charles L. Mancuso Award” was presented to the members of the LeRoy High School Mock Trial Team as winners of the 2023 GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties) District Competition in the New York State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Tournament. The award reads “Dedicated to the Memory of an Outstanding Attorney-Citizen”, Mr. Mancuso, a Batavia lawyer, served as coordinator of the local competition until his untimely death 16 years ago.
The LeRoy High School team members honored at the luncheon include Jacqueline Arneth, Elaina Blake, Addison Burnside, Matthew Covert, Michael Covert, Katelynn Everett, Simeon Fisher, Andrew Greene, Meredith Ianni, Allie Ingles, Lyla Jones, Zachary Kirby, Maureen Klaiber, Ethan LaBabara, Daniel Mark, Molly Osterman, Anina Pabros, Emily Rigdon, Jack Tonzi, Carolyn Wujcik, Gabriella Zitz, Teacher-Coach Taylor Netchke. The coordinator of the local Mock Trial Program, Kristie DeFreze, presented the award.
Note: Our apologies to Paula Campbell, and the Le Roy Mock Trial team. Because of a photographer's error, we don't have pictures of Campbell or the team.
Storytime, games, crafts, and hot dogs were all part of the fun of Jackson Primary Reading Night on Wednesday evening, but the highlight of the night for hundreds of clapping, laughing, and screaming school children was Corey The Dribbler.
Corey The Dribbler (Corey Rich) is a former Harlem Globetrotter and eight-time Guinness World Record holder. After getting the attention of the children with his spectacular ball-handling skills, he shared a positive message about how the students can reach their goals and treat others with respect.
Photos by Howard Owens.
How did you celebrate May 4th, aka, Star Wars Day? At Foxprowl Collectables on Ellicott Street in Batavia, they celebrated with a visit from The Mandalorian and his fans.
Photo taken on Albion Road in Oakfield by Rob Ostrander.
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Town planners in Batavia heard from multiple Lewiston Road residents about potential traffic issues and a perceived lack of transparency before the board voted to approve a site plan for a new Tractor Supply location.
The site plan approval was the last step in a long process for developers, who are building a location at 8727 Lewiston Road, which will allow the company to close its smaller, older store on East Main Street Road in the Town of Batavia.
Lewiston Road residents expressed concern that the busy corridor already produces a significant number of accidents, a few deadly, and the town is planning too many projects for the area.
"We are not upset about potential growth in Batavia, the potential of people moving into the area, all of those things," said Tanni Bromley. "But these projects that you're bringing affect the people that have lived here for 30 years who are putting equity in the properties that will be affected by these things."
A proposed road that connects Lewiston Road with Veterans Memorial Drive, running behind The Home Depot, has been part of the master plan for decades. The Tractor Supply project will start to make the first part of that road a reality, with some other potential developer building out the remainder of the road for some future, as yet, unknown project.
The property behind The Home Depot is farmland owned by the Call family. It is earmarked in the master plan for commercial development.
So is the property on the other side of Lewiston Road, with another road proposal to connect Lewiston with Route 5.
There is also the potential of a solar farm going in near Lewiston Road and the Thruway.
"It doesn't seem transparent to the people affected, because you're not allowing us to know the information ahead of time," Bromley said. "I understand you have a process as far as lead agencies and all of those things that need to be approved. And you have to take it all into account at the same time. Otherwise, the traffic study that you paid for is totally obsolete. It doesn't make any sense to do one traffic study. And then another traffic study when something was already built, because it didn't take into account the other traffic study that might have to happen. It's all connected."
Terry Marshall said, "As everybody's talked about, you can't take each piece at a time. You have to look at the full plan when you're doing these things. This piece of a road here is going to go all the way up to Veterans. Now it's going to go all the way across the street, and it's obviously a very dangerous area. Right now, we're all very concerned."
Other residents raised similar issues.
Board member Steve Tanner noted that it isn't possible to do traffic studies for projects that don't exist.
"I think the issue is we haven't seen any of that, nor have there been any studies that say what that road would look like," Tanner said. "What would be the proposed businesses along the roadway? What kind of traffic? Would they connect to the roadway? What would it do to the traffic that would make improvements required or not required? We don't have any information. I can't show you something we don't have. Is there some sort of plan to put a road there? I don't know. It sounds like there is. It's in the plan, but it might be 10 years from now. How do I study so it might not even ever happen?"
Board Chair Kathy Jasinski said that the board has rules and laws it must follow that limited its ability to act in the way, perhaps, residents expected.
"If we were to turn a project down because we didn't like it, the town could be sued, and probably would be," Jasinski said. "We have to make sure it fits in the comprehensive plan, that it meets all the requirements of the town. And that's what we're here to do. We can't say who can buy land or sell land or any of those things. We're just here to review the projects."
Town Engineer Steve Mountain said that while these potential changes have been on the books for a while, there have also been studies, and there will be more done.
"There are a lot of accidents and the whole corridor of Lewiston Road," Mountain said. "As I mentioned, several meetings ago. We've done a traffic study for just Tractor Supply, but we also have in the works, a full corridor study, which will identify all of those future needs for all the future expansion."
After public comments, Peter Sorgi, attorney for the developers, made his planned presentation in advance on the board vote on the proposed site plan.
He noted the original application for the project was submitted seven months ago, on Oct. 4, and since then, the developers have gone through six required steps, with public meetings all along the way, to get to this final approval stage.
The project has been to the County Planning Board. It received an area variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals. It's been through the environmental review process. It had traffic studies completed. It's been approved for a water hook-up by the county in accordance with the county's Smart Growth plan.
After his presentation, the board approved the site plan by a unanimous roll-call vote with a contingency for final engineering review.
Three car accident with injuries is reported in the area of 61 South Lake Avenue, Bergen.
Bergen Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
Daniel L. Goodell is indicted on two counts of predatory sexual assault against a child, a Class A-II felony. Goodell is accused of committing rape in the first degree and of engaging in sexual intercourse as an adult, with a child of less than 13 years old, in the Town of Alexander sometime between Sept. 6 and Nov. 26, 2010.
Mone N. Wiggins is indicted on counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree, a Class E felony, conspiracy in the fifth degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and criminal impersonation in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Wiggins is accused of stealing property valued at more than $1,000 from Ulta Beauty, 4193 Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, on Jan. 6. Wiggins is accused of coordinating the crime with another person. Wiggins is also accused of falsely assuming the identity of another person.
Angela N. Bennett and Schamya I. Brown are indicted on a count of grand larceny in the fourth degree, a Class E felony. Bennett and Brown are accused of stealing merchandise valued at more than $1,000 from Dick's Sporting Goods, 4180 Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, on May 23.
Jacob A. Richards is indicted on counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree, a Class E felony, and of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, a Class D felony. Richards is accused of stealing property valued at more than $1,000 in the City of Batavia on Oct. 4. He is accused of possessing a forged check from Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union.
Lance M. Mercado Sr. is indicted on a count of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a Class D felony. Mercado is accused of possessing metal knuckles in the Town of Alexander on Dec. 29.
Ethan M. Conrad is indicated on DWI, a Class E felony. Conrad is accused of driving drunk in a 2013 Volkswagon on South Main Street Road, Town of Batavia, on Feb. 16. He was convicted of a previous DWI on April 28, 2021, in the CIty of Batavia.
Jonathan K. Banks is indicted on counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a Class D felony, tampering with physical evidence, a Class E felony, and obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Banks is accused of passing 500 milligrams or more of cocaine while in the City of Batavia on Jan. 31, and attempting to conceal or destroy the evidence.
Jason R. Anderson is indicted on counts of robbery in the first degree, a Class B violent felony, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, petit larceny, a Class A misdemeanor, and menacing in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Anderson is accused of stealing by threat of violence with a knife, bedsheets and a bottle from Walmart, 4133 Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, on Jan. 23.
Demetrius W. Richardson is indicted on eight counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the first degree, a Class C felony, and one count of petit larceny, a Class A misdemeanor. Richardson is accused of trying to pass two forged $20 bills at Quicklees in the City of Batavia at 1:43 a.m. on Sept. 7., and four more at 4:15 a.m., and again at 4:28 a.m., and at 12:29 a.m. on Sept. 8.
James R. Cooper is indicted on a count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the first degree, a Class C felony. Cooper is accused of possessing a forged $20 at Crosby's on Clinton Street Road, Batavia, on Dec. 27.
Anthony D. Rossi is indicted on counts of burglary in the third degree, a Class D felony, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Rossi is accused of knowingly and unlawfully entering a building, a shed on Oak Orchard Road, Elba, with the intent to commit a crime within the structure. He is also accused of possessing cocaine.
Raymond M. Hardy is indicted on counts of attempted grand larceny in the second degree, a Class D felony, and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Hardy is accused of attempting to steal property valued in excess of $50,000 in the Town of Elba on Sept. 16. He is accused of possessing a stolen motor vehicle certificate of title.
Gary E. Jackson is indicted on counts of assault in the second degree, a Class D violent felony, resisting arrest, a Class A misdemeanor, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and harassment in the second degree. Jackson is accused of causing physical injury to a police officer while resisting arrest in the City of Batavia on Aug. 14.
Shelby L. Hall is indicted on a count of grand larceny in the fourth degree, a Class E felony. Hall is accused of stealing a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado valued at more than $100 in the Town of Le Roy on Aug. 10.
Arthur L. Golden is indicted on a count of bail jumping in the second degree, a Class E felony. Golden is accused of not showing up in court as ordered on a felony charge in July.
Tuesday was graduation night in the Old Courthouse in Batavia for the seniors who have participated in Youth Court during their high school years.
Youth Court adjudicates actual cases involving youthful offenders. It's a voluntary alternative for young people facing disciplinary action. The young offenders are those who are willing to admit to wrongdoing and submit to a hearing before their peers, who will recommend a sentence based on facts presented at trial.
The goal of Youth Court, which began in Genesee County in 2008 and is coordinated by the Genesee County Youth Bureau, is to develop citizenship skills among students as well as help them develop decision-making tools and better understand the judicial process.
The graduation was timed to coincide with National Law Day.
Six of the nine school districts in Genesee County participate, and this year there were 23 students involved in Youth Court.
Youth Court proceedings are confidential.
"The youth who come before our members really learn from their mistakes, and they don't end up somewhere else in our criminal justice system," said Chelsea Elliott, youth program coordinator. "We hope they come here, they say, 'I don't want to get in trouble again,' and then they don't end up across the street at Family Court or anywhere else in our criminal justice system."
Following the brief graduation ceremony, the students performed a Mock Trial for the parents who attended to observe.
Ginger is a bit lost, and maybe this kitty belongs to you. David Austin said the feline had a red collar on when he first spotted the beauty in the area of State and MacArthur. The collar is gone, but the cat is still in the neighborhood. He would like to reunite the cat with its proper home. He can be reached at (585) 300-3441 or Christina can be reached at (585) 297-3082.
Tournament Director Tom Turnbull is sticking to "23rd Annual" for the 2023 Rotary Baseball Tournament, even though there have only been 18 champs actually crowned over the two-plus decades since the first game.
Rainouts and two seasons lost to COVID-19 have kept a few names off the championship trophy -- which is new this year (see photo above) after the former trophy filled up with the plaques of previous winners.
Notre Dame's coach, Rick Rapone, at Tuesday's Rotary Club meeting in Batavia, called it the premier tournament in the area that every local baseball player is excited to compete in.
The first pitch Saturday is at 11 a.m. with the battle of the Blue Devils, Batavia vs. Attica. Game 2 is at 2 p.m. when two hot teams face each other for the second time this season -- Oakfield-Alabama vs. Notre Dame. Notre Dame is a pitching powerhouse, and the Hornets pack a lot of offensive punch. The last time these two teams met, Notre Dame prevailed.
The championship game is tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday. However, if Attica beats Batavia, the game will be played at 2 p.m. on Sunday because Attica has its senior prom on Saturday night.
Admission is $5 for an adult all-day pass and $3 for a student or senior all-day pass. All proceeds from the tournament will help benefit Batavia Rotary Club charities.
Sign up for Early Access Pass by clicking here.
Jason W. Whitehead, 25, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, possession of a narcotic with the intent to sell, harassment 2nd, resisting arrest and use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Batavia patrol officers located Whitehead, who had an active warrant for his arrest, walking on Bank Street on April 16. Whitehead allegedly fled on foot when officers attempted to arrest him. A private citizen assisted Officer John Gombos and Sgt. Christopher Lindsay in stopping Whitehead. The officer took Whitehead into custody. Whitehead was allegedly found to be in possession of a quantity of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Whitehead was arraigned in City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on no bail.
Cassandra F. Smith, 37, of Manhattan Ave., Batavia, is charged with two counts of petit larceny. Smith is accused of stealing various items from a yard on Manhattan Avenue on April 8. Smith was released on an appearance ticket. On April 12, she was charged with criminal trespass 2nd. She is accused of entering and remaining unlawfully in an apartment on Washington Avenue, where she left a note for a resident to find when the person came home. She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court and released. She was charged with criminal mischief 4th on April 12. She is accused of spray-painting an apartment door, doorbell camera, and van in the driveway of a residence on Washington Avenue. She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and her release status is unknown.
Joseph C. Jeffords, 32, of Chestnut Street, Batavia, was arrested on two bench warrants issued by City Court. Jeffords is accused of failure to appear on two prior appearance tickets, one for alleged unauthorized use of a motor vehicle on Jan. 23, and the second for alleged criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th on Feb. 6. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and his release status is unknown. Jeffords was also arrested on April 9 and charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Jeffords was allegedly in possession of various narcotic drugs upon being arrested on multiple warrants. Jeffords was arraigned in City Court and custody remanded to the Genesee County Jail in lieu of bail.
Salvatore Dellapenna, 54, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief. Dellapenna is accused of damaging a neighbor's front door by kicking it in on April 8. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Patricia M. Anderson, 38, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny, operating a motor vehicle while the registration is suspended, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle third. Anderson is accused of filling a shopping cart with $139 in merchandise and leaving the business on East Main Street, Batavia, without paying. During the investigation, it was allegedly found that Anderson operated a motor vehicle with a suspended registration while her license was suspended. Anderson was released with an appearance ticket.
Modesto O. Cardenas, 29, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment in the second degree. Cardenas was arrested by Officer John Gombos following an investigation into a disturbance on April 1. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and his release status is unknown.
Linda L. Snyder, 40, of Creek Road, Batavia, was arrested for bench warrants issued by City Court and charged with bail jumping in the third degree. On April 5, Officer Peter Post arrested Snyder on bench warrants issued by City Court for harassment, criminal mischief, and animal cruelty charges. Additionally, Snyder was charged with bail jumping 3rd because she failed to appear in court as directed after being released on her own recognizance from a criminal proceeding. Snyder was arraigned in City Court and custody remanded to the Genesee County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail.
Josia G. Culver, 18, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with two counts of burglary 3rd, two counts of criminal mischief 4th and petit larceny. Culver is accused of breaking into a local restaurant on Ellicott Street on April 14. He is accused of breaking into another restaurant in the mall on April 16 and stealing money from the register. His release status is unknown.
Lori A. Wittkopp, 61, of Spencer Court, Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18% or greater. On April 14, Officer John Gombos stopped Wittkopp following a complaint that Wittkopp was driving while intoxicated. Wittkopp was issued appearance tickets.
Kendra Q. Thomas, 35, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and endangering the welfare of a child. Thomas is accused of a physical altercation with a juvenile on April 15. Thomas was issued an appearance ticket.
Luis J. Santiago Arroyo, 34, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal contempt 1st. Arroyo is accused of being involved in a physical incident during a custody exchange on April 23. Arroyo is accused of striking another person, unprovoked, who was covered by an order of protection while she was holding a child. Police say a Ring camera captured video of the incident. Arroyo was held in the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment. Release status unknown.
Aaron T. Hendershot, 26, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and aggravated family offense. Hendershot allegedly violated an order of protection on April 20 by calling, messaging, and writing letters to the protected party. He was additionally charged with aggravated family offense as he has been convicted of a specified offense within the immediately preceding 5 years, Feb. 6, 2023. Hendershot was arraigned in City Court and custody remanded to the Genesee County Jail without bail.
Alisha A. Soule, 26, of Route 237, Le Roy, is charged with harassment 2nd and criminal mischief 4th. Police responded to a reported disturbance on April 26. Soule is accused of kicking in a door to gain entry to a house and then striking one person while attempting to get to another person. Soule was arraigned in City Court and released.
Pamela L. Dickinson, 60, of Roosevelt Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, failure to comply, speeding, and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. At about 6:30 a.m. on April 24, Officer Joseph Weglarski reported observing a vehicle speeding on Pearl Street. The driver allegedly failed to stop until being blocked by patrols at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Bank Street in Batavia. Dickinson was released on traffic tickets.
Shelby L. Fryer, 27, of Prune Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal impersonation. Officer John Gombos stopped a vehicle reportedly driven by Fryer on April 22. She allegedly gave a false name to the officer in an attempt to avoid an arrest on a warrant. She was arrest on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. She was arraigned. Her release status is unknown.
Haley M. Larnder, 23, of North Street, Batavia, was arrested on a City Court arrest warrant. Officer Andrew Mruczek located Larnder on April 21 and took her into custody on a warrant. Larnder was originally arrested on March 19 on a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and issued an appearance ticket. Larnder was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.
Jacqulyn A. Dueppengieser, 39, on Page Road, Perry, is charged with petit larceny. Dueppengieser is accused of stealing from a business on East Main Street on April 20. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Natasha J. Durney, 29, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with nine counts of harboring an unlicensed dog. On April 21, Officer Stephen Quider responded to a report on Hutchins Street of dogs fighting on Hutchins Place. During the fight, a person was reportedly bitten. Durney is accused of owning nine unlicensed dogs. Durney was issued an appearance ticket.
Jessica Hernandez, 35, of Summit Street, Batavia, was arrested as a fugitive from justice. Police officers executed an arrest warrant on April 22 after being contacted by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office in Florida. The police department was informed that Volusia County had a warrant for Hernandez on the charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Hernandez was processed, arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Part Court and held at the Genesee County Jail to await extradition to Volusia County, Florida.
David A. Kendall, 50, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Kendall is accused of violating a stay-away order of protection on April 23. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Adam M. Zastrocky, 38, of Myrtle Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to stop at stop sign, driving left of pavement markings in no passing zone, and refusal to take breath test. Zastrocky was arrested by Sgt. Jason Saile following an investigation into a motor vehicle accident reported at 10 p.m. on April 20 on Cockram Road, Byron.
Joseph Earnest Marr, 44, of Nesbitt Road, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th. Marr is accused of stealing a phone while at Batavia Downs. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Nathan Paul Crawford, 27, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with two counts of petit larceny. Crawford is accused of shoplifting from 48 Deli Express at 5:04 p.m. on April 15. He was issued an appearance ticket. He is also accused of shoplifting from Kohls at 11:05 a.m. on April 19. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Heather Nicole Derooy, 33, of Keith Terrace, Chili, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, and improper plates. Derooy was stopped at 8:26 p.m. on April 8 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun and Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush. She was allegedly found in possession of methamphetamine. Derooy was released on an appearance ticket.
Robert E. Sacher, 53, of Kibbe Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI. Sacher was stopped at 3:11 p.m. on April 13 on Veterans Memorial Drive by Deputy Jonathan Dimming. Sacher was issued traffic tickets and released.
Jeenathan Rodeny Williams, 63, of Hazelwood Terrace, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed driver, side wings/side windows non-transparent, and plates covered by glass or plastic. Williams was stopped at 6:56 p.m. on April 25 on Byron Elba Road, Byron, by Deputy Zachary Hoy and issued an appearance ticket.
Scott Aaron Muntz, 25, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Muntz was stopped at 12:15 a.m. on April 16 on Knowlesville Road, Alabama, by Deputy Jonathan Dimming. He was issued traffic tickets.
Madison McKenzie, 18, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. McKenzie is accused of giving a letter to a child under age 17 that contained sexual content. McKenzie was arraigned and released.
Michelle Dawn Grover, 38, of Olean Road, South Wales, is charged with petit larceny. Grover is accused of shoplifting from Dollar General in Pavilion at 10 a.m. on March 5. Grover was issued an appearance ticket.
After the scheduled opponent for Elba/Oakfield-Alabama on Saturday for a golf match failed to show up with enough players, the team played a round anyway.
It turned out to be a momentous day for EOA's Jake Walczak, who aced Hole 7, a 177-yard Par 3, for his first career hole-in-one.
It's the first hole-in-one for the team since 2016.
Coach Mike Cintorino said, "Walczak felt as though he hit a great shot when it came off the face of his 7-iron. As it landed and went toward the hole, the excitement level in the group raised. The crescendo was hit when they all saw the ball disappear next to the flag. When the foursome of Walczak, Brayden Smith, Aiden Warner, and Eli Loysen walked up to the pin, their excitement was validated as Walczak reached down to pull his Titleist Pro-V1 out of the cup. This was Walczak’s first ever hole-in-one and quite a moment for the senior golfer who has been on the team since 7th grade."
The match against Keshequa will be rescheduled.
Photo by Kristin Smith.
Submitted photos and game report.
A three-run sixth for Alexander broke a 3-3 tie and propelled the Trojans to a 10-4 win over Notre Dame in Girls Softball on Saturday at GCC.
With a runner on, Madison Boyce tripled to make it 4-3. Makenna Boyce and Carley Shepard knocked in two more runs, and Alexander lead 6-3 going into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Notre Dame’s Kaydence Stehlar hit her second home run of the day over the centerfield fence to get the Irish back within two runs.
In the top of the seventh, a walk issued to Alexander’s Boyce loaded the bases for Emily Pietrzykowski. Pietrzykowski didn’t miss the second pitch of the at-bat. She blasted it deep over the centerfield fence for a grand slam making it 10-4.
It was Alexander's 100th team hit of the season.
Pietrzykowski (top photo) earned the win for Alexander, allowing four earned runs on seven hits over seven innings, walking three and striking out a trio of Irish.
Madison Boyce was 3-4 on the day with a triple, a double and two RBIs. Carley Shepard, Olivia Delelys, and Ava Yax had multiple hits in the contest.
As a team, Alexander collected 14 hits on the day.
For Notre Dame: Sonji Warner had a homerun to center and Kaydence Stehlar had two homeruns to center.
"We went into this game knowing that Notre Dame is a well-coached and talented team, so we had to play sound ball to win," said Alexander's head coach, John Goodenbury. "Pietrzykowski pitched well and kept us in the game on the rubber with excellent defensive support from all positions. Our team never got down on themselves despite losing the early lead. We have a very young team, but they showed today they are scrappy and won’t go down without a fight. Our motto this year is 'Go ahead, doubt us' because we like to feel like we are the underdog in every game. This keeps the girls humble and hungry. They play for each other instead of themselves, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Next up for Alexander is a 5 p.m. dual with Kendall at home on Monday.
Today marks two important events for The Batavian.
It is our 15th Anniversary. The Batavian’s official first day of publication was May 1, 2008.
We’ve come a long way from those early days when we were thrilled the first time 1,000 people checked out the site in a day to now reaching 10,000 to 14,000 people per day.
We’re also launching a new website. The look isn’t changing as much as the important steps we're taking to improve our community coverage and the overall efficiency of the site.
We’re also asking readers to take a more direct role in helping to fund local journalism by becoming supporters through our new Early Access Pass. Those who do sign up for Early Access will be able to read selected bylined stories as soon as they are published. Those who don’t will need to wait four hours before getting access to the full story.
New Logo
As part of our forward-looking effort, we’re introducing a new logo.
The Upton Monument is Genesee County’s most distinctive landmark, and the Eagle at its pinnacle is a symbol of ambition and freedom, so I’ve long wanted to incorporate the Eagle into our masthead. We also decided to go after a more modern, forward-looking design. The Batavian remains locally owned, and we steadfastly maintain our independence. We also are deeply rooted in our community.
The new logo (designed by Lisa Ace, our creative manager), we think, symbolizes our community and our independence, and with a clean, modern design and an eagle eye -- we can look forward and outward in an effort to be up on the latest in current and breaking news right here in Genesee County.
Site Design
The software The Batavian runs on was getting dated, so it was time for a significant upgrade. We saw that as a time to slightly tweak our design.
We know some people think our site design isn’t very sophisticated with full stories and all the ads on the home page. But here’s the thing: what we do works. We often hear from readers how easy our site is to use. Readers tell us they like all the ads of local businesses on the home page. It acts like a local business directory. Local business owners love it because they know their ad is being displayed to thousands of local residents every day.
Early Access Pass
I’ve been publishing The Batavian for 15 years. It’s been hard, grueling, and stressful work at times. I can’t charge forward with the same energy I once had. I rely more on people helping me, especially with recent changes in my life circumstances.
We now have three hard-working and talented full-time employees and some wonderful freelancers, and we need to be able to hire more help. We simply can’t cover all the news in Genesee County without your help.
Covering local news is time-consuming and that makes it expensive and difficult to get to everything of interest or importance. There is no cheap way to do it. News can’t remain free forever.
So, we’re going to ask our most loyal supporters to take a more direct role in funding local journalism.
We’ve come up with a unique, perhaps first-of-its-kind program in the news industry: The Early Access Pass. It’s unique in that it won’t force you to pay to read the news. It’s simply a reminder on freshly published stories that we need your help to continue to bring to you the news of your community. When you click a link for a story published within the previous four hours, you will be provided an option to sign up for Early Access, or you can come back four hours later to read it. The choice is yours.
The Batavian has long dominated Genesee County news by publishing most of the news of Genesee County first. That’s still our mission. With Early Access, you can become among the first to know about important news while everybody else waits. Early Access will apply only to original reporting, stories with a byline, and not to press releases, posts primarily of photos, or scanner reports.
We’ve kept the cost of Early Access extremely low, so all of our loyal supporters can afford to sign up -- $8 per month or $80 per year. If you're interested in a group rate, email me: howard@thebatavian.com.
Local news is essential to the health of a community, and we hope you value what we do enough to support us as we endeavor to do more of it. We work hard to cover our community, and we appreciate our readers. Please support our efforts by signing up for Early Access today.
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