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Press release:

Petty, party-line politics have halted business in Washington D.C., leaving many Americans with a distrust and disinterest in government at all levels. It is truly disheartening to see such issues casting a pall on the institution of public service, and it will take time to rebuild the trust that is eroding as we speak. There is an aspect of the federal government shutdown where no time can be wasted, however: the reopening of the monuments and memorials dedicated to the honorable men and women who have sacrificed for our country.

Over the last six years, I have had the honor of leading an annual Patriot Trip with local veterans to Washington, D.C., visiting the sites and venues dedicated to their service. Throughout the course of the trip, more than 650 veterans and family members have embarked on this emotional journey, which has featured many of the monuments and memorials currently shut down due to gridlock within the federal government. This year’s trip included veterans from the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War eras who put their lives on the line in defense of our freedom and way of life. I cannot imagine showing up with my bus full of veterans and having to tell them their government would not allow them to experience the structures specifically meant to recognize their personal sacrifice.

The mere fact that open-air venues would be closed off to the public illustrates just how far the government has gone astray. While departments, employees and entities have been deemed “non-essential” and had their operations put on hold, it’s actually taking effort to keep veterans away from these destinations. Conversely, the groups of veterans who have broken through the barricades at the World War II memorial show the indomitable spirit of our servicemen and women. As always, these veterans have shown that strength in one’s convictions and a willingness to let actions speak louder than words will always win the day. This is a lesson from which many of the people responsible for the government shutdown could stand to learn.

As Ranking Minority Member on the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs, I understand that government must step up to the plate to recognize and honor the sacrifice made by our courageous heroes. If government can’t get that right, then I can’t blame the American public for being disheartened. I urge the National Park Service to right this wrong and reopen these monuments and memorials at once, not only to honor our veterans, but to show that government is capable of fulfilling its most basic and essential duties.

Sarah Della Penna sent in this photo she took of a button buck in the Genesee County Park.

Melissa A. Williams, 43, of Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Williams is accused of shoplifting at Tops in Le Roy.

Jerry Lee Eleczko, 25, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operator, failure to keep right and driving without insurance. Eleczko was stopped at 1:15 a.m. Sunday on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Karl Edward Vattes, 39, of Habgood Road, Black Creek, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and promoting prison contraband. Vattes was allegedly found in possession of suboxone while incarcerated at the Genesee County Jail.

Richard Blaine Nichols IV, 19, of Townline Road, North Tonawanda, is charged with petit larceny and trespass. Nichols is accused of stealing scrap metal from Batavia Driving Academy property.

Donald Eugene Campbell, 55, of Church Street, Dansville, is charged with petit larceny. Campbell is accused of stealing $24.98 in merchandise from Kmart.

Patrick John Coffey, 48, of Beck Road, Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving left of pavement markings in no passing zone, uninspected motor vehicle and insufficient tail lights. Coffey was stopped at 1:38 a.m. Saturday on Chick Road, Darien, by Deputy Jason Saile.

Justin Virgil Easterbrook, 31, of Gray Road, Albion, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Easterbrook was stopped at 4:23 a.m. Saturday on Fisher Road, Oakfield, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Douglas G. Goodwin Jr., 22, of 130 Bank St., Batavia, is charged with reckless endangerment, 2nd. Goodwin is accused of pushing a woman out of a moving vehicle during an argument over property. The woman suffered an injury.

Patricia A. Dulmage, 19, of 20 1/2 Dellinger Ave., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dulmage is accused of shoplifting at Dollar Tree.

Gerald E. Nicholson, 46, of 128 1/2 State St., Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing/blood circulation. Nicholson was arrested following an alleged domestic incident. He was jailed on $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond.

Joseph G. Sumeriski, 21, of Warsaw, and Justin M. Johnson, 23, no permenant address, are charged with petit larceny. Sumeriski and Johnson were arrested by State Police for an alleged crime reported at 7:07 p.m. Aug. 22 in the Town of Pavilion. No further details released.

Press release:

As the leaves begin to fall and gardens/ yards are cleaned, city residents are provided the opportunity to bring yard waste – “green” matter (i.e. grass, leaves, branches) to the yard waste station on Law Street. The yard waste station is open from April 15th till the beginning of December. This year the yard waste station is scheduled to close Saturday, Dec. 7 for the season. The normal hours of operation are Monday – Saturday, noon till 6 p.m. (April 15 – Oct. 19) and when the days get shorter we are open Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. (Oct. 21 – Dec. 7).

Unfortunately we cannot accept other refuse such as garbage, fill or building materials.

In addition to the yard waste station, the City will begin citywide leaf collection on Oct. 28. Residents of most city streets can rake their leaves to the curbline on this date.

Residents of the following streets can rake to the parkway but do not place in the street; these streets are: Clinton Street, Oak Street, Main Street (including East and West Main Street), Pearl Street, South Main Street (between Oak and Walnut),Walnut Street Richmond Avenue (between Oak St and Prospect Avenue. If your street has a route number (i.e. Route 5, Route 33, Route 63 and Route 98), then please keep leaves out of the roadway.

Leaf operations typically start with one crew on River Street moving east in areas south of Main Street and a second crew will begin on Grandview Terrace moving west north of Main Street. It takes about a week and half to go through the entire city. Leaf collection operations will end Nov. 27. Any resident with leaves after this date can bring them to the yard waste station until it closes for the season.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT LEAF COLLECTION

• Leaf piles must be clear of sticks and other debris. 
• Leaves should not block traffic.
• Leaves should not be piled near intersection corners. This causes sight issues for motorists/ bicyclists/ pedestrians.
• Keep leaf piles clear of drainage ways and catch basins. Blocked drainage leads to localized flooding.  
• Leaves should not be piled around mailboxes, power poles, fences, fire hydrants or other obstacles.  
• Do not park on leaf piles. The heat from a vehicle exhaust system could start a fire.
• Do not wait to get your leaves out. We will normally collect leaves twice within the month of leaf collection.
• If it is snowing, we plow first.
• There is no leaf pickup in the spring.

Christian Science Monitor: Are prayers before public meetings OK? Supreme Court to decide.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) was recently named to the Farm Bureau’s 2013 Circle of Friends list, which recognizes members of the state legislature for their support of New York’s farming industry. The honor is based upon each legislator’s voting record on issues of agricultural importance, sponsorship of bills that New York Farm Bureau supports, and opposition to policies that the organization has deemed harmful to farming.

“Farming is both the engine that drives our economy and an integral part of our way of life in Western New York,” Hawley said. “Providing our family farms with the support they need to stay competitive and prosperous in our global economy has been a top priority of mine throughout my time in the Assembly, and I remain committed to strengthening our proud, agricultural heritage. I have worked with the Farm Bureau on many critical issues over the years and I look forward to partnering with them in the future.”

Hawley is a member of the Assembly Committee on Agriculture. He is a past president of the Farm Bureau and former owner and operator of Hawley Farms.

Press release:

United Memorial Medical Center honored the years of service of more than 100 employees at its annual recognition dinner on Oct. 2 at Terry Hills Restaurant in Batavia. Employees were recognized for their years of employment at five-year milestones.

Aida Nogueira and Laurentina Rosa, both Environmental Services technicians, achieved the 45-year milestone. Pamela Boshart-Lynch RN BSN, director of Education, Healthy Living and Cardiac Rehab Services was honored for 40 years of dedicated service along with Elizabeth Brian of the Emergency Department and Judy Yager, RN of the Ambulatory Surgery Unit. Celebrating 35 years were Ann Arent and Julie Kelsey from Medical Records, Mary Bibler and Marie Lawrence of the Laboratory Department, and Pamela Kader of Environmental Services.

Honored for 30 years of service included Linda Buckel RN and Nancy Johnson RN, Emergency Department; Mary Gerych RN, Intensive Care Unit; Kathleen Green RN and Lori Hebdon RN, Obstetrics; Cheryl LoVerdi, Finance manager; Ed Nogueira, Facilities Management; and Susan Reed, Radiology.

Achieving 25 years were Donna Clark, Central Supply; Alanna Dailey RN and Debra Langford, Nursery; Lori Donley, 2nd Floor Medical/Telemetry Unit; Vicki Downs and Deborah Johnson, Supply Chain Management; Donna Keough RN, Ambulatory Surgery Unit; Hope Knapp and Todd Wilkes RN, Surgery; Mary Lama RN BSN, 3rd Floor Medical/ Surgical Unit Clinical Care Coordinator; Rebecca Schrader, Intensive Care Unit; Joann Shaffer, Medical Records; Peggy Stevens, Environmental Services; Anna Sunderland, Food Services; and Donna Weibel, Risk Management.


Those celebrating 20 years of service include Bonnie Bezon RN, Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department; Sandra Boryczka, Laboratory; Chad Caccamise, Information Services; Louis Schrauger, Environmental Services; Susan Wlazlak, Human Resources; and Cindy Zarcone RN; 2nd Floor Medical/Telemetry Unit.

There were 32 employees who received recognition for five, 10 and 15 years of service. Each employee received dinner for themselves and a guest, flowers and a gift certificate. Employees with 25 years or more of service were honored individually by their manager and senior leader with a presentation highlighting their contributions.

John Corey Wolcott, 27, of Day Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08, refusal to take pre-screen breath test, failure to change address on license. Wolcott was stopped at 8:14 a.m., Tuesday, on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Shaina Denise Heeks, 22, Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Heeks is accused of shoplifting at Walmart.

Victoria Ann Sumlin, 26, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Sumlin is accused of shoplifting at Walmart. Sumlin was also arrested on a warrant out of City Court related to an unreasonable noise charge.

Brandon L. Doward, 28, of 12 Gray Birch Court, East Amherst, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Doward was arrested on a warrant out of City Court.

Michael F. Geer, 22, of 11 Willow St., Batavia, was arrested on a warrant out of Drug Court and jailed on $100,000 bail.

Robert D. Griffin Sr., 35, of 319 E. Main St., lower, Batavia, is charged with felony DWI and failure to take breath test. Griffin was arrested following a motor vehicle accident at 5:37 p.m., Wednesday, in the area of 38 Vine St., Batavia.

Press release:

The City of Batavia hosted its first-ever Real Estate Developers' Forum on Tuesday Oct. 1, showcasing redevelopment opportunities in the Batavia’s Opportunity Area (BOA). The Forum was well attended, with more than 60 guests from across Western New York interested in learning more about the City of Batavia and surrounding areas. Potential investors and developers were invited to look at infill and redevelopment sites that have proven to be lucrative development projects statewide.

“The response we received from this Forum has been very encouraging” said Jason Molino, city manager. “Not only was there excitement and interest from what the City has been working on in recent years, but there was an overwhelming reception to the positive activity within Genesee County overall. Investors throughout Western New York are realizing Batavia has a vibrant future ahead.”

Included in the Forum were stats and figures related to the continued growth projected for the area along with presentations demonstrating successful redevelopment projects in Batavia, Genesee County and Buffalo suburbs. The speakers highlighted numerous incentive programs and creative financing measures to demonstrate how underutilized properties can be transformed or restored into high-value real estate for the community. The half-day Forum concluded with a bus tour of the City of Batavia’s Downtown, BOA priority redevelopment sites and the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

“This event was intended to put Batavia on the radar for investment, we believe it worked,” said Julie Pacatte, Batavia Development Corporation. “Everyone left knowing we are getting ready for growth in the next 10 years.”

Pacatte made reference to Moody’s analytics economy.com projections that Genesee County will outpace the employment growth projected for the Finger Lakes Region in the next 10 years. Using Moody’s growth rates by industry and New York State’s 2012 employment by industry data, this translates into approximately 2,600 new jobs by 2022.

“We need to be sure the City is ready to capitalize on this anticipated growth,” she emphasized.

"The Developers' Forum related to inner-connectivity about redevelopment, re-utilization and infill projects in the City of Batavia. It was another example of the collaboration between the City, Genesee County, various economic development entities and the private sector needed to grow our economy," said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

We are excited to see the continuation of adaptive reuse and redevelopment projects in the City and we are confident that this will compel developers to explore additional opportunities for investment now and in the future."

Vincent Esposito, Empire State Development, regional director for the Finger Lakes Region and presenter at the program commented, “Today’s Developer Forum was a terrific chance to learn about the Batavia Opportunity Area. The strategic and coordinated efforts of the BOA will greatly enhance the continued redevelopment prospects of Batavia’s historical and economic assets.”

About the Batavia Opportunity Area (BOA) Program: In 2011, the City of Batavia was awarded $266,508 from the NYS Department of State to determine the best opportunities for redevelopment within a 350-acre area downtown. The objectives of the program include redevelopment of underutilized, vacant and Brownfield properties, clean-up of select contaminated sites, continue revitalization of downtown and advance neighborhood stabilization.

Over the past 12 months the steering committee has developed priority reinvestment opportunities with conceptual renderings, preliminary engineering, solid market data and outlined incentive packages for motivating owners and developers to begin new projects within the City. This information was shared with the public at a July 29th meeting.

The Developers' Forum was intended to connect with developers interested in future investment within the City. For more information see HYPERLINK "http://www.bataviaopportunity.com" www.bataviaopportunity.com.

Press release:

“Tonight (last night - ed.), the House continued to work and offer reasonable and commonsense solutions to the partial government shutdown by passing bills to fully fund the National Institute of Health for critical research and open all national parks and museums.

The American people should not be shortchanged because Washington can’t get its act together.

Unfortunately, Senate Democrats continue to slam the door on our efforts to reopen the government by refusing to talk to House Republicans and negotiate a responsible budget solution.

Congress must stop putting itself ahead of the American people. I continue to encourage my colleagues to voluntarily suspend or donate their pay, as I have, during a shutdown and refuse the special Obamacare exemptions for Congress, its staff and the White House.”

Press release:

The Board of Directors of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider at its Oct. 3 board meeting final resolutions for tax exemptions related to Yancey’s Fancy’s new processing facility and an expansion project proposed by Alpina Foods.

Yancey’s Fancy is seeking sales tax and mortgage tax exemptions and a property tax abatement to build a new facility within the Buffalo East Technology Park (BETP) located in Pembroke. Yancey’s Fancy plans to purchase approximately 12 acres within the BETP and build a 112,000-square-foot facility. The company plans to keep its artisan cheese operation and retail store in the current location on 857 Main Road in Corfu, while operating the new processing facility for its other product lines.

Yancey’s Fancy currently has 108 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees and expects to add 50 more over three years after the certificate of occupancy is obtained for the new facility.

Alpina Foods is seeking approval of a final resolution for sales tax exemption valued at $40,000 related to its proposed expansion plan. Alpina is planning a $2.5 million investment in new production equipment and $500,000 in interior construction (furniture, fixtures, and non-manufacturing equipment). Associated with this expansion plan, Alpina has committed to adding an additional 15 full-time equivalent employees to its workforce over the next three years after completion of the expansion project.  

A leading South American dairy products company, Alpina Foods constructed its first U.S. manufacturing facility in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in 2011. The facility employs 50 full-time workers on site and has met initial job creation commitments ahead of schedule.

The GCEDC Board meeting will take place at 4 p.m. and is open to the public. Meetings are held at the Dr. Bruce A. Holm Upstate Med & Tech Park -- 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia, second floor, across from Genesee Community College.

Buffalo News: Buffalo police website set to post mug shots of johns arrested in stings

Today starts a round of travel for me. I'm heading off to Syracuse this morning where I'll visit the S.I. Newhouse School of Communication at Syracuse University. I'm looking forward to meeting with a group of students in a news start-up class. I'll also get to see some of the forward-thinking projects news business students are working on. It's been about six years since I visited the school, so I'm looking forward to dropping in again.

Tomorrow, I'm flying to Chicago. Each of the past three Octobers I've gone to Chicago for what was known as the Block-by-Block conference. It was sponsored by academic foundations interested in promoting local online news. That funding was of a limited duration, but what BxB spawned was the formation of an association known as Local Independent Online News Publishers (LION for short). I'm a board member. We have more than 100 members. We've managed to pull off organizing our own first-ever LION conference. So I'll be at that.

I don't return until Saturday night. I'll miss the Wine Walk. The Batavian is participating in the Wine Walk. Lisa Ace and Dee Neilans, as last year (and as Dee has done for us the past three years), are going to be pouring wine at our location in the foyer of the Masonic Temple building. I just won't be there.

Coverage, of course, during the next few days, will be limited, but not missing. Billie will still be here posting items as they come along. I'll also be able to do what I can do from a distance and within my time constraints.

While I was out and about on this beautiful day, I did take a few pictures.

Above, Sweetland Road, Stafford.

A tree full of fall color on Bernd Road, Pavilion.

What was once a barn on Junction Road, Pavilion.

What scares you? Spiders? Clowns? Body parts? Drills and saws? Dark shadows reverberating with terrified screams? How about a crazy Archie Bunker?

Jason Beaumont and Jeff Koch have teamed up to create a massive haunted house filled with just about every terror you could imagine on the second and third floors of the old Eagle Hotel in Le Roy.

Staffed by 40 actors playing ghouls, ghosts and monsters, the haunted house makes its debut Friday.

"After we bought this building a year and a half ago, we found we had lots of space but no practical use for it," said Beaumont, who is co-owner of the Smokin' Eagle, the restaurant and bar on the first floor. "Me and my buddy Jeff had talked at one point years ago about opening a haunted house and one day it hit me, this would be a great place."

Koch is an experienced haunted house builder. He's been doing one staffed by 25 volunteers at his house for 10 years. He said it took more than a month to build each year and was open only one night, Halloween.

The Smokin' Eagle haunted house will be open every Friday and Saturday through Oct. 26 from 8 p.m. until midnight.

The cost of a night of fright is $12. Outside the hotel is a ticket booth. The restaurant will be open, of course, and the ticket booth will also sell popcorn and candied apples.

The hotel space was perfect because it's rundown and was already filled with worn and haggard beds, chairs and dressers, Beaumont said. From there, it was just a matter of the two friends combining their creative energies to come up with a plan.

"This will be a unique experience, especially for people who have never been upstairs in this place," Beaumont said. "We want people to get that genuine experience with a real scare behind it and kind of get a flavor of this old building."

The original hotel was built early in the 1800s.

There's little doubt based on today's tour, the haunted house will deliver several jolts of terror, and Beaumont said the experience should be considered PG-13.

"That's a rough estimate," Beaumont said. "If a kid likes this kind of thing and is 11 or 12, and if the parents are OK with it, we're OK with it."

The tour of about two dozen themed rooms is not, Beaumont said, "for the weak."

Koch said he really hopes people who come through the haunted house will find it thoroughly entertaining.

"I want people to have fun," Koch said. "A lot of people have fun when they get scared. It puts a big smile on their face. They scream for a minute and they laugh the next three. I really get a big kick out that."

It's taken a year to get the proper permits, said engineer Steve Mountain, but some time this month, crews should start dredging Horseshoe Lake in Stafford.

The lake is part of a private recreational and residential community.

Approximately 1,500 cubic yards of silty lake bed will be removed from an existing 4,000-square-foot swimming area and a new boat launch area on the northeast cove of the lake. 

The swimming area will be back-filled with four inches of pea gravel and four inches of sand.

To help fight an aquatic weed problem, the lake level will be lowered about eight feet for the winter, which should kill off weeds along the shore.

"It was an extremely long permitting process," Mountain said.

While working on a story we published earlier, we asked Sheriff Gary Maha for his position on the SAFE Act. Here's what he e-mailed to The Batavian:

I have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York. I am sworn to uphold the laws whether I agree with them or not. It is up to the Courts to determine if a law is unconstitutional or not, and it is up to our State Legislature to pass, not pass, amend or repeal any laws. Unfortunately, the Safe Act is the law of the land, but we are not going to go out and actively enforce it. However, if we receive a complaint with regard to a violation of the Safe Act, we are obligated to investigate it and take appropriate police action, which could be arrest.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) has asked House leadership to suspend his own pay during the duration of the partial shutdown of the federal government. Late last night, Collins sent a letter to House administration requesting that his pay be withheld for the length of the shutdown.

This comes after Collins announced growing support for his bill that would suspend pay for all Members of Congress during a government shutdown. Eighteen members of the House have signed onto the Government Shutdown Fairness Act.

“The American people sent us to Washington to do a job,” Congressman Collins said. “If we cannot live up to that obligation, we should not be taking a pay check, a paycheck that is funded by the taxes paid by our fellow hardworking Americans. If the federal government is shut down Members of Congress should not get paid, and we should not be held to a different standard when it comes to Obamacare, either.”

Last night, Collins voted for a measure that fully funds the government and eliminates any special treatment and exemptions from Obamacare for Congress and its staff, as well as the President and his appointees. The Senate refused to act on the proposal.

“The American people deserve more from their Congress and it is time, as Members of Congress, that we put ourselves at the back of the line and put our constituents first,” Congressman Collins said.