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Photos: Public Market opens in Downtown Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

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Without any prior publicity, the Genesee Country Farmers' Market opened for the season today.

The public market is now located over by the former JC Penney building off of Alva Place. 

We have no information on hours of operation this year.

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Video: Memorial Day Parade 2021 in Batavia

By Howard B. Owens
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Photos: Memorial Day Ceremony in Elba

By Howard B. Owens

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Elba Central School along with the Elba Betterment Committee held a Memorial Day Ceremony today at Maple Lawn Cemetery.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

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Photos: Memorial Day in Batavia 2021

By Howard B. Owens

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Here are photos from the Memorial Day Ceremonies at the Veterans Hospital, the NYS Vets Home, the Upton Monument, and the War Memorial at Jerome Center.

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Memorial Day parades and ceremonies in Genesee County

By Howard B. Owens

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Councilman Bob Bialkowski shared this Memorial Day photo of the front of his house. Bialkowski has organized today's Memorial Day Parade in Batavia, which starts in Eastown Plaza at 9:45 a.m.

Other events in the county today: 

  • Alexander: Ceremony in the Alexander Village Cemetery at 11 a.m.
  • Bergen: Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. in Hickory Park.
  • Byron: Ceremony in the Byron Cemetery at 11 a.m.
  • Corfu: Parade at noon from the Corfu Fire Hall to the Intermediate School. Ceremony to follow.
  • Elba: Ceremony at Maple Lawn Cemetery at 10 a.m.  
  • Le Roy: Parade at 10:30 a.m. starting at the American Legion Hall and ending at Trigon Park with a ceremony to follow.
  • Memorial services at the VA Center at 8:30 a.m., the NYS Vets Home at 8:45 a.m., Harvester Avenue at 9:30 a.m., Upton Monument at 10 a.m., the War Memorial at Jerome Center at 10:30  a.m., Glenn S. Loomis Grave, Elmwood Cemetery, 11:30 a.m., Hanson Brothers Grave, Grandview, at noon.

Birdhouses reportedly stolen on Vallance Road

By Howard B. Owens

A caller reports that somebody stole four birdhouses from her residence on Vallance Road in Le Roy.

Her husband is following the suspect vehicle, perhaps a red pickup truck.

Law enforcement is responding.

UPDATE 6:28 p.m.: The suspect vehicle was last seen on North Road, apparently heading into Monroe County.  Monroe County deputies being alerted and the husband is returning home.

UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: A person in the vehicle threw the birdhouses into the roadway.

Photos: Yesterday's sunset

By Howard B. Owens

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Bryan Bartholomew submitted this photo of sunset over Lehigh Avenue, Batavia.

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JoAnne Meiser submitted this photo of sunset in Indian Falls.

Grass fire reported near roadway on Clinton Street Road, Stafford

By Howard B. Owens

A "large" grass fire is reported in the area of Clinton Street Road and Horseshoe Lake Road, Stafford, near the roadway.

Stafford fire is responding.

UPDATE 11:15 a.m.: The fire is an attended controlled burn. Stafford is standing down.

Motorcycle accident with injuries reported on Thruway in Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

A caller reports that a motorcyclist rear-ended her car on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 384 in the eastbound lane.

The rider is down in the roadway.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched. Mercy Flight is on in-air standby.

UPDATE 10:47 a.m.: One patient transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight.

101-year-old WWII veteran will be with Lions Club in Batavia's Memorial Day Parade

By Howard B. Owens

Sure, serving in the Army during World War II was the patriotic thing to do, says Batavia resident Harry Boyer, but he's also humble about his service to his country.

"I figured I was one of the lucky ones who didn't have to carry a rifle," Boyer said. "I was in the Signal Corps. I just did what I was supposed to do."

At 101, Boyer is likely to be the oldest veteran taking part in the City of Batavia's Memorial Day Parade on Monday. He will be part of the veterans contingent marching and riding with the Batavia Lions Club.

Boyer served in the Army Signal Corps, first in Italy, and then after the war ended in Europe, he was shipped off to the Philippines, arriving there the Friday before the war in the Pacific ended. He then participated in the occupation of Japan until his service time ended.

He said there was nothing remarkable about his time in the Army, repeating, "I just did what I was told to do."

The parade starts at Eastown Plaza at 9:45 a.m. and will proceed down Main Street to Bank Street before wrapping up at Alva Place. The current forecast for Monday is partly cloudy and a high of 70 degrees.

Submitted photo.

Video: Ice Devils and Fighting Irish players react to proposed hockey merger

By Howard B. Owens
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At Falleti Ice Arena last night we were able to talk with seven members of the Genesee Ice Devils and Notre Dame Fighting Irish hockey teams about the proposal to merge the two teams. We also spoke with Mike Rapone, ND's athletic director since we hadn't spoken with him yet about the proposal.

Structure fire reported on Lockport Road, Elba

By Howard B. Owens

A structure fire is reported at 4092 Lockport Road, Elba.

Elba fire dispatched.

A first responder reports smoke showing.

Fire police are blocking Lockport Road at Route 98.

UPDATE 5:53 p.m.: Oakfield fire requested to the scene.

UPDATE 6:21 p.m.: Byron to stand by at Elba's hall.

Driver, passenger arrested after pursuit and search that started in Oakfield, ended at Walmart

By Howard B. Owens
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      Jason Fitzpatrick       Samantha Makar

A chase, a search, and a tip led to the arrest of two people Tuesday night after they were located at Walmart in Batavia.

The incident began with a chase on Route 63 in Oakfield.

A deputy on patrol spotted a Pontiac sedan traveling north at a high rate of speed, so the deputy turned around and attempted to catch the vehicle.

The deputy observed the sedan continue at a high rate of speed and pass a vehicle by crossing into the southbound lane. At that point, the deputy, in his marked patrol vehicle, initiated a pursuit with lights and siren.

The vehicle failed to stop and continued east on Route 262 and then north on Fox Road. At Fox and Maltby roads, the vehicle allegedly ran a stop sign and went into the air off the north shoulder of Maltby Road into a field.

The vehicle struck a tree and then continued northwest through the field. A backseat passenger jumped from the vehicle and complied with a deputy's commands.

The sedan continued northwest and entered a neighboring crop field. It allegedly damaged about $1,000 in crops.

The driver stopped the vehicle and the driver and remaining passenger fled on foot.

A vehicle search allegedly led to deputies finding scales with residue and an illegal weapon in the vehicle.

A K-9 was dispatched to assist in the search. That search led to a nearby residence.

Deputies received a tip that two people matching the suspects were given a ride to the Batavia Walmart.

Police responded to Walmart and located the suspects in the Walmart parking lot.

The driver was identified as Jason M. Fitzpatrick, 38, of Sweet Road, Howell, Mich., and the passenger as Samantha R. Makar, 22, of West Madison Street, York, S.C.

Fitzpatrick is charged with: criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd; unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle; criminal mischief, 4th; obstructing governmental administration, 2nd; and aggravated unlicensed operation. There was also a warrant for Fitzpatrick out of Michigan as a parole absconder.

Makar is charged with obstructing governmental administration and criminal possession of a weapon, 4th.

The weapon recovered was not described in the press release.

The third occupant of the vehicle complied with deputies' orders and was charged.

Assisting the in the incident were NY State Police, The Department of Environmental Conservation's K-9 unit, and Batavia PD.

Deputies involved in the incident included Jacob Gauthier and Jordan Alejandro.

Police chief issues statement on inability of justice system to hold repeat offender in custody

By Howard B. Owens

While working on the recent story about Devon Wright, the Batavia man who has been arrested multiple times but because of current state law can't be held in custody while awaiting trial, we asked Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch for comment on the case. Heubusch wasn't able to comment immediately. Today he issued the following statement:

Bail reform, a measure recently passed into law by the state legislature and the Governor, is seriously flawed. In this particular case, we get a front-row seat of the unintended consequences of so-called bail reform playing out across our State. Bail reform is putting the safety of our officers and our citizens at risk. I, along with my colleagues in law enforcement, implore the State Legislature to examine the current bail reforms and restore protections for the citizens of New York against violent criminals who are brazenly flaunting the law, knowing they will be back out on the street in a matter of hours.

Photos: Last night's 'Super Blood Moon'

By Howard B. Owens

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Last night, Kevin Brusie waited up for the clouds to clear and then took these photos of the "Super Flower Blood Moon," aka Super Lunar Eclipse, over Western New York.

"I wanted to share them for anyone who was unable to see it and thought it was pretty neat, educational, and interesting!" Brusie said.

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Pole fire reported in East Main Street parking lot, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

There is reportedly smoke and flames coming from wires and pole in the parking lot next to City Church on East Main Street, Batavia, across from Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle.

City fire dispatched.

UPDATE 12:16 p.m.: National Grid will need to cut power to the utility pole. This could cause the traffic light at Main and Center to go dark. Batavia PD requested to provide traffic control.

UPDATE 12:22 p.m.: Power is out in the area.

UPDATE 1:01 p.m.: The traffic signal is "back up and running." 

GO ART! announces cancellation of Picnic in the Park for 2021

By Howard B. Owens

Statement from Gregory Hallock, executive director of GO ART!:

"It is with great remorse that we must announce that Picnic in the Park, on July fourth, at Centennial Park in Batavia, will be cancelled this year due to COVID. Beyond the issues of COVID regulations, sponsors of the event have had to pull their funding, as a result of the restraints COVID put on their budgets."

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