After one resident of College Village in Batavia accused another resident Sept. 24 of sending a message via Facebook to her aunt, she and two other young women allegedly jumped the female victim.

The victim reported sustaining a head injury and bruised ribs.

The three suspects were all charged with assault in the second degree.

Town of Batavia fire is dispatched.

UPDATE 2:53 p.m.: The apartment requires ventilation.

The Genesee County Funding Corporation (GCFC) has approved tax-exempt bond financing for a $5.2 million project to upgrade and renovate residential facilities at College Village in the Town of Batavia.

Tax-exempt bond financing will assist projects by the Genesee Community College Foundation (GCC Foundation) Housing Services Inc. at five on-campus residential facilities owned and managed by the GCC Foundation.

The renovations will include updated technology, renovating several suites into modern communal living and learning spaces, updated facilities and amenities, safety improvements and upgrades for disability access. The work will be performed at Birch Hall, Pine Hall, Beech Hall, Oak Hall, and Cedar Hall.

About the Genesee County Funding Corporation (GCFC): GCFC’s mission is to assist local economic development efforts by serving in a conduit financing capacity enabling the issuance of taxable and non-taxable debt to benefit the growth, expansion, ongoing operations and continued viability of nonprofit business enterprises in Genesee County, thereby helping to maintain a sustainable long-term economy.

Photo and information provided by John Sisson and GCC.

A turkey was fried at College Village today to help demonstrate how to safely cook with oil for residents at the apartment complex at Genesee Community College.

Chief of Safety, Bob Guesno and College Village Director John Sisson are seen lowering the turkey into the oil.

"As many of our fire calls at College Village are related to cooking with oil, we thought that we would take this opportunity to give the residents not only a safe example but also a chance to share some tips for cooking with oil in their apartments as well," Sisson said.

The residents will be served a turkey dinner with all the fixings, including stuffing and mashed potatoes.

“This will be our 12th year holding this annual feast in honor of Thanksgiving,” said Mary-Clare Stokes, assistant director of Residence Life and Learning at College Village. “It’s a great way for our students and resident assistants to come together in a bonding experience. And, as the semester winds down, it certainly is a ‘de-stressor’ as well.”

Each resident assistant of College Village works throughout the day to prepare the meal, and are being charged with cooking one turkey apiece to share with residents. That usually is approximately 10 turkeys and will feed at least 150 student residents. For some students, this will be their only Thanksgiving celebration, and for some international students, it may be the first time they’ve experienced the holiday or tasted the traditional foods of an American Thanksgiving.

“The tradition is a great experience for everyone,” Stokes said. “Not only is it the first Thanksgiving experience for some of our residents, but it may also be the first experience for some of our resident assistants and staff at cooking a Thanksgiving meal. We look forward to a great turnout and a fun evening!” 

Zivko Kacurovski, 56, of Linden Tree Lane, Rochester, is charged with possession of more than 400 untaxed cigarettes. Kacurovski was stopped at 11:06 a.m. Thursday on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Patrick Reeves. Kacurovski was allegedly in possession of 3,200 untaxed cigarettes.

Joshua Lenair Webster, 28, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of attempted criminal contempt, 2nd. While incarcerated at the Genesee County Jail, Webster allegedly made two attempts to contact a person he is barred from contacting by court order.

Ryan Michael Bobzin, 26, of West Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Bobzin allegedly took a vehicle without permission. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Batavia fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

The call was first dispatched as an automatic alarm of fire. A minute later the dispatcher came on with "updated information" and said there is a confirmed kitchen fire, confirmed via the alarm company.

UPDATE 10:36 p.m.: Alexander's Fast Team dispatched to College Village.

UPDATE 10:38 p.m.: Security reports the fire may be out, but responding units asked to continue.

UPDATE 10:40 p.m.: Alexander can stand down.

Justin Elwell Jr., 31, of Miller Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on a parking between 2 and 6 a.m. ticket. Elwell turned himself in to Batavia PD. He posted $100 bail.

Adam Daniel Smart, 32, of Clinton Street Road, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on an endangering the welfare of a child charge. Smart allegedly failed to appear on for a pre-sentence interview with the Probation Department. Smart was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Jeffrey Cole Thompson, 19, of Swamp Road, Byron, is charged with unlawful possession. Thompson was charged following a traffic stop for an alleged traffic violation at 9:15 p.m. Thursday on Reed Road, Bergen, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

The College Village Student Residential community at Genesee Community College invites the community to an Open House at its two newest buildings on Tuesday, Nov. 11 from 4-6 p.m. The Village staff will show off Hemlock and Lilac halls, recently completed and now housing GCC students.

"Our family of trees is branching out," said John Sisson, director of College Village. "Our two new halls bring to 11 the number of residential buildings at College Village, all named after trees. We now have the ability to house 453 students."

Hemlock and Lilac halls together add nearly 11,000 square feet of living space at College Village. The new apartment units in each building feature single bedrooms and two bathrooms and can accommodate four students. In addition, the new buildings offer a common, multi-purpose meeting space that can be utilized for learning as well as social and recreational activities.

Residents of Hemlock and Lilac halls began the school year in temporary quarters at a Batavia hotel. Weather and other factors delayed construction over the summer. "We're very glad to have these projects completed and look forward to showing them off," said Sisson. "The construction crews did a fantastic job."

Matthew P. Lenhard, 28, of Corfu, has been charged with six counts of burglary, 2nd, a Class C felony, and one count of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th.

The NYSP criminal investigation unit took up the case after receiving a complaint through Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

State Police say several pieces of garments were recovered at Lenhard's residence in Corfu.

The press release contains the following statement attributed to the director of College Village: "We are assuring students that safety is our top priority. We are encouraging students to bring any concerns they might have to members of our staff, or to discuss safety issues with our staff."

Lenhard was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Mother Nature's record-breaking winter has impacted the construction plan and schedule of the two new buildings currently under way at College Village, the student residence community located adjacent to Genesee Community College in Batavia. At last week's monthly meeting, GCC's Board of Trustees learned that while cold weather and excessive snow has put the construction schedule approximately five weeks behind the original plan, it has also given way to an innovative building solution which will result in a small expansion of the space at the basement level.

Richard Ensman, director of GCC's Foundation which manages the property, reported that although the two new buildings were planned to be "carbon copies" of Hickory and Willow, the two buildings built in 2007, the recent excavation work revealed a different soil variation under one building necessitating an unplanned gravel base. Securing many tons of gravel in Upstate New York at this time of year is nearly impossible and trucking it in from a warmer climate would be costly, Ensman explained. Whitney East, the general contractor on the project recommended a different and innovative solution -- adding a concrete basement to the one building.

"The unsuitable soil conditions have put us behind schedule, but we are pleased that we have a plan to keep the project moving. We carefully calculated the cost variables and for less than the cost of acquiring the necessary gravel, one of the new residence halls will have a basement," Ensman said. "The auxiliary space offers potential for storage and possibly other student study space if properly built-out in the future."

The overall cost of College Village expansion project is $2.84 million and will provide the community with 64 additional beds for a total population of 451 student residents. Each of the two new facilities feature eight suites with four single bedrooms, and a shared common space will allow for more educational, social and instructional opportunities. The project is being financed by a private bond issue.

In other business at the meeting on March 10, the Board of Trustees:

More after the jump (click on the headline)

• Heard that two Genesee Community College Phi Theta Kappa students, Emmeline Vacanti (of Alexander) and Joseph Lubanski (of Macedon) were recognized in the USA TODAY's All-USA Community College Academic Team for exceptional efforts in academic rigor, growth and how well they use their education to benefit their schools and communities. The program is administered by Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. In addition, the following four students will be receiving the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence: Michelle Nagle (of Randolph), Yuki Sasao (of Batavia), Emmeline Vacanti (of Alexander), and Kelly Wetherby (of Olean). A full press release will be available soon.

• Heard Kathleen Schiefen, Ed.D, GCC provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs, report that Genesee Community College is continuing to review all college curricula to ensure compliance with required accreditation standards and also with the new State University of New York (SUNY) seamless transfer initiatives intended to encourage timely graduation. Since September, more than 106 curricula changes have been submitted to the GCC's Academic Senate for review. Twenty-two of GCC's academic progams have been registered as 50 percent or more complete-able online. Six courses have been submitted to SUNY for consideration as meeting general education criteria. In addition, 22 GCC faculty members have volunteered to participate in the statewide SUNY discussion group reviewing the seamless transfer program within the SUNY system.

• Heard introductions from following new faculty and staff members: Doreen Bortle, James Brooks, Terry George, Rosemary Jonientz, Juanita Lewis, Heidi Lockwood, Kristen Mruk, Derek Payne and Gail Whalen.

Genesee Community College's next Open House is scheduled Wednesday, March 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. at all of the following seven campus locations:

• Albion, 456 West Ave. / 585-589-4936

• Arcade, 25 Edward St. / 585-492-5265

• Batavia, One College Road / 585-345-6800

• Dansville, 31Clara Barton St. / 585-335-7820

• Lima, 7285 Gale Road / 585-582-1226

• Medina, 11470 Maple Ridge Road / 585-798-1688

• Warsaw, 115 Linwood Ave. / 585-786-3010