Stories from

Press release:

A group of Batavia High School alumni are creating a BHS football alumni club. The Blue Devils Gridiron Club is an organization of current and former players, parents, families, coaches, and friends who provide financial support and volunteer services for a wide variety of functions in coordination with the Batavia High School football program.

This year’s Gridiron Club events will be held on Saturday, Aug. 3 and Sunday, Aug. 4. The events will include a golf tournament, an open house and a family day at VanDetta Stadium. There will be several levels of membership available. The primary goals of the club are to foster a positive atmosphere for current players, provide financial support to the football program, provide networking opportunities for alumni, and create connections to keep the Blue Devil spirit alive. 

For more information or to obtain a membership application please contact the Head Varsity Coach Brennan Briggs at Bataviafootballalumni@yahoo.com or Class of 1982 Alumni Pat Salvador at (315) 317-6365. You can also visit us on face book by searching Batavia Blue Devils.

New York Times: Chemicals Would Be ‘Game Changer’ in Syria, Obama Says

Batavia High School beat Alexander on Wednesday evening in a Mock Trial competition held in the Livingston County Courthouse and will move on to the area final competition Monday in Warsaw.

Batavia will face Pembroke, who beat Byron-Bergen.

The four teams squared off in two-round competitions, with each side trying a case once as the plaintiff and once as the defense.

Batavia won both rounds against Alexander, scoring 114 points to Alexander's 105.

Pembroke also won both sides, with a score of 90 points against 82 for Byron-Bergen.

The case this year is a civil suit between a computer student who feels a private college offering programing degrees misled him about the quality of education he/she would receive and the prospects for employment post-graduation.

The cases were presided over by Livingston County Court judges Robert Wiggins and Thomas Moran.

The photos are from the first round between Batavia and Alexander, with Batavia in the plaintiff role and Alexander on defense.

Batavia's plaintiff team: Kaitlin Logsdon, Matt Gabriele and Beth Bennon as attorneys and Brandon Smart, Dylan Beckman and Chelsea Jensen as witnesses. Alexander's defense attorneys were Kaeleigh Bean, Felicia Rynkowski and Deven Blowers, with witnesses Audrey Browne, Evelyn Aubrey, Katie Wolfley and Karl Kunze (on both sides).

On defense for Batavia were Trey Abdella, McKenzie Stevens and Danielle Quinn, with witnesses Eric Dilaura, Katie Keiser and Cara Randall. Alexander's plaintiff attorneys were Russell Brinkman, Justin Zito and Samantha James.

\

To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

City fire has responded to a CO detector alarm on Chestnut Street where residents are reporting ill effects.

Mercy EMS is responding.

National Fuel is on scene.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos and info from Aaron Brown:

Today the Pembroke Intermediate School's SADD Club celebrated Kick Butts Day! It's a day when schools and communities across the country take a stand against Big Tobacco and pledge to not to use tobacco.

Rob Hellford Hoag, 26, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with failure to register Internet accounts. Hoag is a registered sex offender and required to register all Internet, social media and e-mail accounts within 10 days of any change. Hoag allegedly failed to register his accounts.

Ryan F. Schumacher, 23, of 384 Starr Road, Pavilion, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to signal for a turn. Schumacher was stopped at 11:48 p.m., Tuesday, in the Village of Le Roy after Le Roy PD received a reported of a possibly intoxicated driver going through the McDonald's drive-thru. Schumacher was allegedly observed exiting the McDonald's parking lot without using a turn signal.

Welcome to spring, now please enjoy the snow.

That's the message, apparently from Mother Nature in WNY.

Most of WNY is under a lake effect snow watch today, but not Genesee County. 

We can, however, expect some snow today, tonight and tomorrow. Winds will be less than 20 mph.

There's no specific hazardous weather statement for Genesee County, just a forecast of cold and snow.

Politico: After 10 years, jury still out on invasion of Iraq

A pair of tractor-trailers is involved in a collision on Route 20 at Sandpit Road, Alexander.

There are believed to be no injuries, though there is a fuel spill.

Alexander Fire Department is responding. Fire police are requested to the scene to shut down at least one lane of traffic.

UPDATE 6:51 a.m.: Pavilion requested to respond and stop all westbound tractor-trailer traffic at route 20 and 63.

UPDATE 7:56 a.m.: Route 20 is reopened and Alexander is back in service.

By two votes, Ralph Peterson has won the mayoral election in the Village of Corfu over incumbent Todd Skeet.

Peterson and Skeet have clashed for more than a year over administration of the village court and operation of the village police department.

Peterson garnered 99 votes today and Skeet received 97 votes.

Incumbent Al Graham lost his bid for reelection as a trustee with 82 votes. David Bielec got 121 votes and Keith Busch 115.

Both Peterson, Bielec and Busch ran on the Corfu United Party. Busch also had the Democratic endorsement.

Skeet was endorsed by both Republicans and Democrats, Graham was on the GOP line.

The two incumbents were often aligned on disputes with Peterson over administration of the court and police department.

David O’Connor ran unopposed for village justice and received 136 votes.

UPDATE: Elba's results.

It should come as no surprise that Notre Dame, the state's Class D champion in girls basketball has been ranked #1 in the final state rankings by the New York Sprotswriters Association.

What may be surprising is the team the Fighting Irish beat in the first round of sectional play is ranked #5.

The Elba Lady Lancers made the top five despite being knocked out in the first round of post-season play.

Elba finished with a 19-2 record and came into the post season as the reigning state champions.

Notre Dame, with 21 wins, suffered only two losses on the season, both to Elba.  The case could be made that Elba should be ranked #2.

Ranked ahead of Elba was Oriskany (22-1) at #2, the team Notre Dame beat in the state finals, and Ford Edward (22-1), who lost to ND in the semi-finals is #3. The #4 team is Hammond (21-3), which lost to Fort Edward in regional play.

Sherman, whose coach Mel Swason, complained about Notre Dame being a private school, was ranked #8 with a 18-3 record.

Mt. Morris (16-6), which lost a Class D Section V consolidation game to Notre Dame, is ranked #11.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

High school students from throughout the area were in the Genesee County Courthouse on Monday evening for the annual Mock Trial competition.

The results of the quarter-final round are not yet available because Dansville and Hornell were on travel restrictions because of weather. Those two schools are expected to meet at another location today.

Participating last night were Attica, Byron-Bergen, Batavia, Alexander, Pembroke and Le Roy.

The photos here are from Pembroke vs. Le Roy's first match (each team runs through the mock case as both the plaintiff and defense, scoring points on each side).

For Pembroke on Monday, the team was Erik Schoenecker, Brandon Kohorst and Ben Reiner as plaintiff attorneys. Their witnesses were Bryan Cox, Sabrina Sanner and Karen Glomb. In the second round, the defense was Christian Burns, Eva Reda-Kendrick and Jutsin Sformo. Their witnesses were Kayla Underwood, Jenna Lawson and Alison Reiner.

For Le Roy, on the defense side were Chris Trend, Danielle Branton and Sydney Chester as attorneys, and Sam Platt, Bailey Kennedy and Meghan Slocum as witnesses. The plaintiff attorneys were Emily Henderson, Dan Matthews and Verneeda Peete with witnesses Chris Trand, Eliza Harvey and Danielle Branton.

The case this year involves a student who enrolled in a technical community college and claims the school misrepresented the qualifications of the professors, the quality of the instruction, the availability of internships, the ability to find qualified employment and the nature of employment graduates actually obtained. The school is also affiliated with a student loan company that is apparently not fully disclosed and other financing options are not offered to students (though others are available). 

The semi-final rounds will be in Geneseo on Wednesday and the finals in Warsaw next Monday.

The regional finals, as happens every four years, will be in Batavia this year.

Parents, to purchase prints of these photos to ensure you have them for years to come, click here.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) recently joined his legislative colleagues and members of the business community at a press conference in opposition to a hidden utility tax. The 18-A Utility Assessment was enacted in 2009 and was set to expire this year, although the governor’s Executive Budget includes an extension of the tax. Hawley sponsored Assembly Bill 382 to repeal the tax as soon as it was enacted, receiving 17 bipartisan cosponsors, and noted the strain the surcharge puts on both families and businesses.

“This tax hurts every family, senior and job creator who pays utility bills in New York State,” Hawley said. “It was a bad idea when it was passed and it’s an even worse idea to extend it. This is an example of state government saying one thing and doing the exact opposite. That’s why I have sponsored legislation to repeal the tax, and that’s why I was proud to stand with my fellow Assembly members and business leaders urging that this tax expire as promised.”

In attendance at the press conference were representatives from the Business Council of New York State, Inc., Manufacturers Association of Central New York, National Federation of Independent Business, Unshackle Upstate and the New York Farm Bureau.

Cuomo to strapped towns, schools: Merge

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

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

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

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

The National Weather Service is warning of possible hazardous weather in Western New York over the next few days.

Snow is expected, followed quickly by rain with slick spots on untreated roads.

Winds are expected to gust at 40 to 45 mph through Tuesday.

There is rain, sleet and snow in the forecast through the week.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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