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Two people sustained serious injuries in a three-vehicle accident, one of them a tractor-trailer, on Route 77 and McVean Road in Darien at 7:14 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Sheriff's Office said the investigation is ongoing but reports that a 2022 Subaru was attempting to make a left-hand turn off of McVean onto Route 77. The tractor-trailer was northbound on Route 77. It appears the Subaru failed to yield the right of way to the truck. 

As a result of the collision, one of the occupants of the Subaru was thrown from the vehicle and struck by a passing Ford Escape that was southbound.

The Subaru was driven by Brittany N. Smith, 30, of Macedon. She was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy EMS for treatment of her injuries.

The occupants were Kayleigh E. Williams, 30, of Rochester, who sustained serious injuries and was transported to Strong by Mercy EMS, and Ariana P. Dupra, 30, of Fairport, who sustained serious injuries and was transported to Strong by Mercy Flight.

Both Williams and Dupra are listed in critical condition.

The tractor-trailer was a 2002 Peterbilt with Ontario plates. The driver, Lyndord E. Yoder, 37, of Sebringville, Ontario, was not injured.

The 2018 Escape was driven by Brandon G. Schoener, 25, of Grand Island, and occupied by Allyson A. Schoener, 23, of Grand Island. Neither were injured and denied medical care at the scene.

Route 77 was crowded with concert traffic at the time of the accident, according to responders.

The investigation is ongoing and no charges, if any, were released. The Crash Management Team responded to the scene, which was closed to through traffic for several hours. Assisting at the scene were Darien Fire, Corfu Fire, Pembroke Fire, East Pembroke Fire, Mercy EMS, and the Corfu Police Department.  An off-duty City Fire officer assisted with the Mercy Flight landing zone.

Previously: Critical injuries reported on Route 77 in Darien

Arbor House, 350 Bank St., Batavia. We are a community of believers and disciples of Jesus Christ. Arbor House was founded to be a place of safety, refreshment, and renewal for all. Each week we gather to hear the spoken Word, eat from the Lord’s Table, and enjoy fellowship with all who come. If you have been hurt by a church before we want to be the place where you can find healing and hope. All are welcome! Service will be in person on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. and available live stream on Facebook. For more information about Arbor House visit arborhousefmc.com.

Alabama-Basom Methodist Church, 1392 Lewiston Road, Alabama. Join us for worship at 10:30 a.m. This week our sermon title is "3 in 1", led by Eric Phelps (CLM). 

Ascension Parish - Roman Catholic Church, 135 Swan St., Batavia. We are open for Mass in the Church on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. We hope to see you there! 

Assemblies of God-New Covenant Chapel, 6690 Oak Orchard Rd., Elba.14058. We welcome all seeking a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ through His finished work on The Cross with The Power of The Holy Spirit. John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you want a small, close-knit church family and a place to make a difference, please join us. Worship Service is Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Bible Study Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and Thursday at 7 p.m. Contact us at (585)-757-6651 (585)-969-1528 or visit us on Youtube.

Batavia Assembly of God, 24 North Spruce St, Batavia. Join us for coffee in our café before our Sunday morning service that begins at 10:30 a.m. We offer "Movement Kids" (age 4 - grade 5) at 10:30 a.m. and "MVMT YTH" (grades 6-12) meet on Sunday nights at 7 p.m.

Batavia First Baptist Church, 306 E. Main St., Pastor David Weidman, where "Christ the Center, Love for All" is very evident to all who enter. We invite you to our Full Gospel Sunday services at 10 a.m.; The Thrift Shoppe is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., come and browse in our beautifully renovated space. Donations are accepted during business hours. You can also enjoy a light lunch at Lydia's Kitchen while you shop. Questions? Email: firstbaptist2002@yahoo.com. Call us at (585)343-9002.

Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia, invites you to join us for in-person worship on Sundays at 9 a.m. (Arise-relaxed with band music) or 10:45 a.m. (Sanctuary -liturgical and organ) or on Livestream via Facebook Live for both times at: https://fpcbatavia.org/  or https://www.facebook.com/fpcbatavia/videos/.

Batavia First United Methodist Church, 8221 Lewiston Road, Batavia. Our mission & vision statement:  “To be disciples, we must listen, learn, lead, and love our way to God.” Reverend Wayne Mort leads our worship service every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. in the church sanctuary. Childcare is offered for children birth-3 years old and Sunday school is offered for children ages 4-14 years old. You can also find the service on Facebook. We invite you to learn more about Batavia First UMC by visiting our website at www.BataviaFirstumc.com.

Byron Presbyterian Church, 6293 W. Main St., Byron. Pastor: Rev. Michael Fry. Musical Director: Laurence Tallman. Service and Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. Scripture Reading: Romans 8:14-17 and Isaiah 6:1-8. Message: “You Are Called”. We will celebrate the sacrament of Baptism for Meredith Margaret Beckwith, and Communion. All are welcome.

Calvary Baptist Church of Le Roy, 8703 Lake Street Road, Le Roy.  If you do not already have a church that you attend regularly, we would like to invite you to give Calvary Baptist Church a try.  It would be a pleasure to have you join us for worship and fellowship on a Sunday morning or at one of our other mid-week events. As a multi-generational congregation that enjoys our time together, our Sunday worship service typically includes singing a mix of both traditional and contemporary songs and hymns, a children’s message, and a sermon from the Word of God. Our Sunday worship service begins at 10:15 a.m.

City Church, 210 E. Main St., Batavia, invites you for our Sunday morning services at 8:30 and 10 a.m. with Kids ministry at 10 a.m. and Thursday evenings at 7 p.m.  Everyone is welcome to join us for worship and a message. We believe in doing life together and would love to do life with YOU!  You can also connect with us online at www.thecitychurch.com, through our Facebook page, The City Church, or our YouTube channel.  We do life together.

Corfu United Presbyterian Church 63 Alleghany Road, Corfu. Corfu United Presbyterian Church welcomes all visitors to come to worship with us on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. in person or via our Facebook livestream led by Pastor Evan Wildhack. Our mission at CUPC is to connect with Christ, connect with others, and connect others with Christ. Weekly Bible study is held on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. CUPC's food pantry is open on the third Saturday of the month from 9 - 10 a.m. Contact the church office by phone at (585) 599-6414 or via email at office@corfuchurch.org Office hours are Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cornerstone Church of East Pembroke, part of American Baptist Churches USA, 2583 Main Road, East Pembroke. Our Sunday service is at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Glenn Bloom preaching. Bible Study is every Wednesday at 10 a.m. We are a small church and welcome new members. (585) 762-8721

Darien Disciples Church, 1951 Broadway (Route 20), worship at 9 a.m. on Sundays. Prayer requests to Jerry at: jeromedmorrison@yahoo.com.

Discovery Chapel, 315 West Main Street, Batavia. Pastor Ingrim Green's services are on Sundays at 10 a.m. "Let's Talk Real Talk the Gospel For Real Life." Visit our website letstalkrealtalk.org for more information.

East Bethany Presbyterian Church, 5735 Ellicott Street Road, East Bethany. Our Sunday morning worship service is held at 10:30 a.m. and is led by Rev. Dr. Shiela McCullough. Visitors are always welcome. You can find out more information on our Facebook page or by emailing us at ebpresbyterian@gmail.com.

Elba First Baptist Church, 31 S. Main St., Elba, is open for the main service in person at 10:45 a.m. on Sundays. For more information about our church go to www.fbcelba.net. The pastor is Michael Davis. Email: office@fbcelba.net / Phone (585) 757-2722

Emmanuel Baptist Church, 190 Oak St., Batavia. We would love to have you join us for our regular Sunday worship at 11 a.m. this weekend! We are trekking through the book of Acts and learning Don't Lie to God. There is also a bible study at 9:45 a.m. with free coffee and cookies. Unfortunately, if you still wanted a spot in the Community Garden and didn't call or email the church, they are all taken!  

EverPresent Church, 4 Batavia City Centre, Batavia(off of Bank Street). We welcome you to come to experience the Holy Spirit in a fresh way. Jesus wants to set you free from your bondages. Wednesday Service at 6 p.m. & Sunday Service at 10:30 a.m., Toddlers dismissed at 10:15 a.m., Children's Church dismissed after 2nd Worship Song. For more info visit www.everpresentchurch.com. 

Grace Baptist Church, 238 Vine St., Batavia. Sunday Morning Worship begins at 9:30 a.m. Grace Kids for ages nursery – 5th grade meets during the 9:30 hour. The service is live-streamed at www.gracebatavia.org. or view it on our Facebook page: Grace Baptist. Kid Zone & Grace Student Ministries meet on Sunday evenings from 6-7:30 p.m. Visit our website or our Facebook page for other events happening throughout the year. 

Indian Falls Methodist Church, 7908 Alleghany Road, Corfu. We have our worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings, led by Rev. Karen L. McCaffery.  This week's message is "The Faithful". To view our services online please go to our website https://indianfallsgmc.com/ for a link for Live Streaming. We offer Sunday School for all ages after the Worship Service at 11:30 a.m. Our Youth Group meets on the 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month from 6:30 - 8 p.m.  We offer a FREE Community Dinner on Thursday, May 23 at 6 p.m.

Le Roy First Presbyterian Church, 7 Clay St., Le Roy. Sunday morning in-person worship at 10 a.m. followed by coffee fellowship. We are an open and accepting church of all people.

Morganville United Church of Christ, 8466 Morganville Rd, Stafford. Are you looking to experience a traditional church service, visit us Sunday at 10 a.m. We are a “God is still speaking” church. Our own Maria Dentino will share her sermon “For God So Loved the World” based on John 3:16. Friend us on Facebook! 

North Darien Bible Church, 9768 Simonds Road, Corfu. We are open! Sunday worship service begins at 10 a.m. Children's Church classes are available for children ages birth through sixth grade, including a classroom for children with special needs. For more information, visit our website. You can also watch LIVE on our Facebook or YouTube channel. Join us from 9 a.m. to noon on the first Saturday of every month for our free community closet, full of clothing, coats, and shoes for all. (585) 547-9646.

Northgate Free Methodist Church, 8160 Bank Street Road (North Campus), Batavia. Would you like to hear some good news? We're going to hear a lot about the good news that God has for us in our next series based on the books of 1st and 2nd Timothy. We hope you'll join us for a series we're calling "No matter what: remaining true to the Gospel." Join us on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 9:30 and 11 a.m. For more information about Northgate Free Methodist Church and to watch our services online go to northgatefmc.com or facebook.com/northgatefmc.

Oakfield-Alabama Baptist Church, 2210 Judge Road., Oakfield. Join us for Sunday School for all ages at 9:45 a.m., followed by our worship service at 11 a.m. every Sunday! Visit our website (www.oabchurch.com) for additional information about our church, our beliefs, upcoming activities, and past messages. Men’s and Ladies’ Bible studies also meet on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. on the church grounds. We look forward to worshiping and fellowshipping with you! Questions? Email Pastor Matt Ervin at mervin@tyndale.edu.

Oakfield Community Bible Church, 82 North Main St. Oakfield. This Weeks (May 26) “Oakfield Community Bible Church” Memorial Day Weekend, Sunday Worship Service is at 11:15 a.m., with Praise & Worship Music by Keith Burroughs & Andrew Lacey. The morning message by Pastor, Timothy Young; entitled: “God's Armor: Part 5”.  With Scripture:  Ephesians 6:10-20 (NKJV). Our Adult Sunday School is at 10 a.m., along with “Sunday School through Age-16”.  There will be a Time of “Fellowship Together” following our Worship Service!  Bible Study is held on Thursday Morning at 10 a.m. Come out and Join Us. ALL ARE WELCOME!

Our Lady of Mercy (44 Lake St. LeRoy) & St. Brigid (18 Gibson St. Bergen) parishes; Parish Office - 44 Lake Street, Le Roy. Weekend Masses Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (livestreamed); Sunday at 7:15 a.m., 10:45 a.m. (livestreamed), and 5:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Mercy. Also, Sunday at 9 a.m. at St. Brigid. Daily Masses Monday-Friday at 7:30 a.m. (livestreamed) and Saturday at 9 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy and Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. at St. Brigid. View on YouTube and Facebook. Please visit the parish website (https://www.ourladyofmercyleroy.org/).

Resurrection Parish (St. Mary and St. Joseph churches in Batavia). St. Joseph’s Church masses are on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at noon. Confessions are held at St. Joe's on Saturdays from 3 - 3:30 p.m. St. Mary's Church mass is on Sundays at 7:30 a.m. Vigil & Holy Days to be announced.

St. James Episcopal Church, 405 E. Main St., Batavia. Join us on Sundays at 9 a.m. on zoom, 10 a.m. in the church building, and on Facebook Live. Links and the bulletin can be found on our website: https://www.sjecbataviany.org/

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1 E. Main St., Le Roy, is open for in-person services at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. Communion will be offered to people in their seats and will only include bread. We welcome you to join us -- either in person or online. For more information, visit our website.

St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, 18 W. Main St., Corfu. Weekend Masses are celebrated: Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at the Corfu Church Site; and at 9 a.m. Sunday at the East Pembroke Church site, 8656 Church St., East Pembroke. Weekday Masses are celebrated on: Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in East Pembroke and Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Corfu followed by Adoration. Corfu Masses are also available for viewing on our YouTube channel. All information is on the church website and on Facebook. Email: stmaxkolbe09@gmail.com (585)-599-4833.

St. Padre Pio Parish, St. Cecilia, 56 Maple Ave., Oakfield Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 10 a.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. OR Our Lady of Fatima Church, 65 S. Main St., Elba, Mass is celebrated on Saturdays at 5:45 p.m. and Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 6188 Main Road, Stafford. In-person service, including Holy Communion, is at 9 a.m. Sunday mornings. All  Are Welcome. 

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Batavia, 31 Washington Ave, Batavia. This coming Sunday (May 26) we will celebrate Holy Trinity/Pentecost 2 Sunday. The sermon theme: “Born Of The Spirit” is based on the scripture from John 3:3-8.   Adult Bible Class meets at 8:30 a.m. Our service begins at 10 a.m. or can be viewed 'live' on Facebook. Our Youth class meets at 9:30 a.m. Sunday School children will attend the service through the children's sermon and will then go to their Sunday school rooms for their studies. Communion is part of the service on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. Our Quilters group meets on Tuesdays from 9 - 11 a.m. God continues to bless us richly as we focus on Him and His plans for our congregation and community.

The Church In Alexander, 10540 Main St., Alexander. Join us for Sunday Worship at 10 a.m. weekly. For more information please visit our website at www.thechurchinalexander.com. We offer a Free Food Pantry for people in our community, please call ahead if you need items from our pantry. For more information on Programs and services please contact us at (585)591-1765 or by email at thechurchinalexander@gmail.com. Church office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:15 - 11:15 a.m.

Trinity United Methodist Church, 75 Main St. in Attica, worships together at 10:45 a.m. on Sundays. All are welcome! Contact Frank White at uncleferter@msn.com for a ZOOM link or for prayer requests.

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"Spiritual Connections" -- The Batavian will post updates to connect people with their places of worship, religious services, fellowship opportunities, and/or spiritual advisors, etc. There is no charge for this service.

If you have information to announce, please email: news@thebatavian.com

Now that the Batavia City Schools budget has been approved, district leaders will focus on certain portions of the financial plan, including how to proceed with changes in the Community Schools program, which will mean hiring a part-time coordinator, Superintendent Jason Smith says.

Once the change officially takes place on July 1, former full-time coordinator Julia Rogers will be reverting back to a former title as assistant principal at the district and a new coordinator will be hired, he said. The program, built upon a five-year $2.5 million grant, is designed to unite the Batavia community and its schools through “shared resources, working partnerships and open, collaborative communication.”

Part of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education program, also considered a “full-service” community schools program, includes a yearly evaluation review and related report, which is performed and posted by Brockport Research Institute. 

All of the measurable data and protocols for the program is collected by Molly Corey, executive director of curriculum and instruction for the district. 

There are 10 pillars of expectations for the program, each involving various goals, from accessibility of mental and behavioral health resources to equitable diversity ratios among the student and employee populations. 

In reviewing the first report, issued in October 2023, The Batavian asked several questions of Smith. 

Q: Given that it is a grant, how was that extra funding from the (coordinator) job reduction used?
A: Per the grant requirements, the District was required to match a portion of the Coordinator of Community School salary. As a result, general fund expenditures have been reduced, allowing us to prioritize other programming while being mindful of expenditures.

Q: One of the program objectives (10) seems to lean heavily on "community schools director and coordinators" that were hired in year one, and The Batavian was only aware of the one coordinator. Were or are there other such positions? 
A: We have hired one Coordinator of Community Schools, given the size of our District. As a note, we have a full-time aide assigned to the Community Schools team, who will remain in place with the hiring of the new part-time coordinator. 

Q: The next question cites a particular section: Train community schools directors and coordinators in trauma-informed care, restorative justice practices, and Multi-tiered Systems of Support. No evidence has been provided that these trainings have taken place. As of the writing of this report, only a System of Care training with eight participants was reported. It is unclear if there was additional training provided during Year 1 or not. 

Was this type of training done for this program? Or will it be incorporated at some point? 
A: The training requirements were met.

MTSS is essentially a system designed to provide academic support for students based on their needs. Several staff trainings have been provided, and future trainings are planned.

Trainings we have already provided include:

• Summer professional development offerings for restorative practices and MTSS (several sessions)
• Several sessions have taken place during the school year/school day
• Faculty meetings (per school)
• Social workers and counselors were part of a series from the University of Rochester
• Additional resources are available for self-paced training

We have approximately 20 staff members trained in Trauma Illness and Grief practices. 

Q: Another question based on a specific section of the protocol, based on the Year 2 target: By year two, BCSD expects to maintain a staff reflective of the student population, trained in a variety of evidence-based practices, and engaged in professional learning communities. 

Staff training and engagement with professional learning communities may very well happen by the end of Year 2. The concerning finding from the BEDS data, Brockport Research Institute states, is related to the goal of having a staff reflective of the student population. Currently 97% of BCSD staff are White, and 100% of the teachers are White. As only 70% of the student body is White, it is unclear how BCSD can meet its goal of a staff reflective of the student population by the end of Year 2 (December 31, 2024).

Based on the above percentages, the recommendation was to work with Human Resources, which prompts The Batavian to ask if you can also work with the teachers union to move toward hiring more teachers of color or otherwise affect the staffing ratio. Is this feasible? Does the district have a plan for this? 
A: Our teachers' union is not directly involved in the hiring of staff.

Additionally, the District believes it is important that our workforce reflects our student body and remains committed to diversity in hiring practices, while at the same, hiring highly skilled, qualified, and dedicated teachers and staff. We’re proud of our recent hires who helped us reach this goal, and we’re continuously exploring ways to attract, hire, and retain a diverse staff. 

Q: The researchers also said it was "unclear what percentage of students accessed any of the supports under this pillar (mental and behavioral health) or which of the supports were available during Year 1." Why is that? Do you feel that setting up this program has been working so far? Do you see room for improvement, and if so, can you be candid about some examples?
A: We are thrilled to see numerous students across BCSD access our support services.  We have dedicated staff to address these needs, as well as partnerships with several community agencies that work with our students (mental health and behavioral health) The students who need these services the most are accessing them—and we’re proud to have programs and staff available to help.

Q: This program is about far more than just one coordinator, but it seems, given some of this data, that reducing a full-time position to part-time doesn't seem a likely remedy to accomplish the findings and recommendations made by the BRI, so has the district revised or is revising its strategies moving forward? 
Q: We have systems in place to address student learning needs, as previously described regarding Multi-Tiered System Support.  

The best approach is to increase the resources closest to the students. Each school has a social worker and counseling team that integrates needed resources into their school by working closely with the principal. We have seen tremendous success with this model for our District. Having these resources embedded in each building where they get to know students, their families, and their needs has expanded our capacity to reach those who really need our support directly.

Q: Are you working toward the issues of racial disparity for discipline and absenteeism? According to the report, blacks are in a higher percentage than whites for both. Is there a plan to discover why more blacks are missing school and why more of them are being disciplined? 
A: We are currently providing support through My Brothers Keeper, a grant and program designed to address these issues.

Each school has an attendance team that strives to improve attendance for all students. The DEI committee completed a book study, “Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain,” by Zaretta Hammonds. We are in the process of integrating practical strategies outlined in the book into our attendance process.

Q: It was also discovered that less than half of the parents who completed the program’s needs assessment agreed that students were treated fairly, no matter their race or cultural background. What do you think that's about?
A: Our District's goal and top priority is to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all students, and our leadership team and Board of Education are 100 percent committed to this goal.

We appreciate the input from our parents who participated in the survey -- it provides a helpful perspective. With that being said, we are closely analyzing the results of the survey to help inform our practices, and we will certainly make adjustments as needed. 

Q: Can you elaborate at all about those “critical elements” that the current coordinator will be focusing on, and confirm if there are other coordinators and a director to be handling other components of the program?
A: The new Coordinator will partner with building and district leadership to target focus areas. A particular focus will be to leverage the work of our social workers to support Community School goals.

At least two critical injuries were reported in an accident on Route 77 at McVean Road in Darien at about 7:30 p.m.

The accident involved a semi-truck and two passenger vehicles. There is entrapment and a passenger injection.

Multiple ambulances and Mercy Flight dispatched.

There are also minor injuries and people in another vehicle not injured.

Darien Fire and Corfu Fire dispatched.

There's a concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center and traffic has slowed the emergency response.

Press Release:

The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Genesee and Leadership Genesee offices will close for the day at 2 p.m. on June 13. The offices will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, June 14.

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing/testing fire hydrants on Thursday May 23, from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area of North of Main Street and West of Bank Street. Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. 

These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about 5 minutes or until clear.

This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities class III Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification and to assure that fire hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes. 

Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city's water system, identifies weak areas in the system, and removes material that settles in the water lines. Checking each hydrant improves fire department personnel's knowledge of the hydrant locations. 

If you have any questions or should notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the fire department at 585-345-6375.

Press Release:

The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Genesee County Board of Directors meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on May 28.

The meeting will be held at the Association at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia and is open to the public. For more information, please contact Yvonne Peck at ydp3@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040 x123.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Parks Department is excited to announce the launch of a new e-reservation system for pavilions at the DeWitt Recreation Area and the Genesee County Park and Forest. The system is now available on the county website and can be accessed directly at this link.

With the introduction of the e-reservation system, residents can enjoy the convenience of booking a specific pavilion entirely online 24/7. The system offers real-time availability, ensuring users can quickly and easily see which pavilions are available for their preferred dates and times. 

“At Genesee County Parks, we are committed to modernizing our services to better meet the needs of residents," said Paul Osborn, Deputy Highway Superintendent. "The new e-reservation system is a testament to our dedication to providing convenient, user-friendly options for our community to enjoy our beautiful park facilities.”

For those who prefer the traditional method, pavilions can still be reserved by filling out a form at the Genesee County Highway Department, located at 153 Cedar St, Batavia, NY, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In-person reservations can be paid by check or cash. The new online system only accepts debit or credit card payments and charges a convenience fee of $3 for transactions up to $100 and 3% of the total if the amount is over $100. This fee is collected by the system provider, not the county.

For more information or assistance with the new e-reservation system, please contact the Genesee County Highway Department at (585) 344-8508.

Press release:

Officials from Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel presented 2,250 complimentary tickets to William Joyce, Director of the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency. The tickets included 250 Tickets from each of Batavia’s Rockin’ the Downs Summer Concerts.

“This marks the 6th year in a row that Batavia Downs supported our local Veterans with free tickets to our shows, “said Batavia Downs CEO and President Henry Wojtaszek.  “Giving back to our local Veterans for all they’ve done for our country is something we are proud of.”

Tickets for the concert series can be purchased at BataviaConcerts.com.  Performances include:

• June 21st       Smashmouth
• June 28th      Barracuda (Heart Tribute)
• July 5th          April Wine & Carl Dixon
• July 12th        Clay Walker
• July 19th        Peace Frog (Doors Tribute)
• July 26th       Bacon Brothers
• August 2nd   Rumours ATL & Practically Petty (Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty Tribute)
• August 9th    38 Special
• August 16th  Tommy DeCarlo/Jason Scheff and August Zadra (The Music of Boston, Chicago and Styx)

All eight public school district budgets in Genesee County and their related propositions — from vehicle purchases and walking distances to establishing capital reserves — were approved by voters Tuesday,  although that may not have signaled the same message for everyone.

While Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith offered gratitude for a positive outcome and “your support, especially during a challenging budget season,” outspoken opponent Mark Potwora, who encouraged folks on social media to vote no, was disappointed in a poor turnout of less than 500 voters for the day.

"The actual amount of people that came out to vote was terrible. I voted at Robert Morris around 8:30 and was number 224. That is awful out of, I believe, 8,000 eligible voters. I called a few people to go vote and many weren’t even aware there was a vote going on," Potwora told The Batavian. "Such low numbers tell me that, as I said, many didn’t realize there was a vote and that those that knew didn’t go vote because they felt that even if the vote gets turned down, they would revert back to the contingency budget. Which doesn’t solve the problem of spending issues that will keep increasing at least from the few people I heard from.

“Sadly, the school board will see this as a major win and a sign that the tax-paying public supports their increased spending. Which is not true. Instead they should be looking at more ways to get more people involved in voting. Perhaps mail-in ballots might help," he said. "My No vote was to send a message that they must work harder at cutting expenses. Busing would be a big one along with what exactly is the role of a government run school system. It’s to educate and not play social worker.”

Full disclosure: Potwora is often disgruntled with government spending and generous with his opinions. He gives some food for thought about those going to the polls, though, given that the city’s population is just under 15,000 people, which means a percentage of that is still far more than the 460 who showed up to vote on Tuesday. Are people unaware of the vote, or do they not care? Or are they content enough to leave it up to others to decide?

The proposed 2024-2025 budget for the Batavia City School District, totaling $60,294,755, was approved by a vote of 305 to 155. The three incumbent board members were reelected with votes of 325 for Jennifer Lendvay and John Reigle and 322 for Korinne Anderson, followed by 235 for Mike Bromley.

"On behalf of the entire Batavia City School District, we are deeply grateful to the members of our community for their participation in this year's budget vote. Your support, especially during a challenging budget season, underscores the strength and commitment of our Batavia community,” Smith said. “I also want to extend congratulations to Jennifer, John, and Korinne on their reelection to the Board of Education. I am enthusiastic about the unique perspectives they bring and look forward to collaborating with them as we strive to further enhance the quality of education across BCSD. Together, we will continue to make our school district a place of excellence and opportunity for all our students.” 

Alexander Central School’s budget was approved by 89 to 39, and purchases of two 64-passenger school buses and a small school bus to cost a maximum of $450,000 was also given the green light by 84 to 44. The district also approved expenditures of $127,910 for computer hardware, Chromebooks and a floor scrubbing machine by 92 to 36. The district will be establishing a $500,000 equipment capital reserve fund now that voters have approved it with an initial deposit of $50,000 by a vote of 78 to 46.

A school bus reserve fund was also approved by a vote of 74 to 52 for an ultimate amount of $900,000 with a deposit of $50,000. School board member Brian Paris was given 101 votes, and write-ins were cast for David Dunbar, 1; Richard Guarino, 2; John Slenker, 1; Jadriene Baldruf, 1; Dusty Williams, 1; and John Meier, 1.

Byron-Bergen Central School's Proposition #1 was the 2024-25 budget, which passed 255 yes to 105 no; Proposition #2, a school vehicle replacement, 267 yes to 92 no; Proposition #3, new repair reserve, 269 yes to 91 no; and Proposition #4 change walking distance for students was approved by 288 yes to 73 no. The Board of Education election was close, with Deb List receiving 296 votes and Lynn Smith coming in with 292.

Elba Central School's Proposition #1 for the budget of $11,950,150 was approved 113 to 13; Proposition #2 to establish a general capital reserve fund was approved 109 to 15;  and Prop. #3 to withdraw from the existing capital bus and vehicle replacement reserve to purchase school passenger vehicles passed 115 to 9, and two Board of Education seats went to Ryan Hoh, with 112, and Michael Zuber, with 110 votes. 

Oakfield-Alabama Central School’s budget was approved with a closer vote than most, 266 yes to 217 no.

Board member Maria Thompson was reelected to the Board of Education with 367 votes, and Malorie Benjamin received 312 votes for the second open seat.

Pavilion Central School’s budget was approved 201 yes to 55 no. School board seats went to Kirsten Galliford with 133 votes and Roxanne Holthaus with 126 votes. Rick Smith received 109 and Jack Clapper 110 votes. The library tax levy vote also passed by 191 to 65; and library trustees Kristi Jeffres, with 227, Cara Kingsley, 221, and Sharon Fuerch, 208, were voted in as library trustees. 

Pembroke Central School’s budget passed by 271 to 79; and Prop. #2 for the purchase of school buses passed 261 to 87. Proposition #3 for Corfu Public Library passed 255 to 91, and the election of a five-year term for a school board member went to Arthur Ianni with 290 votes and  an unexpired one-year term to Jessica Edwards with 294 votes.  

Corfu Public Library Board members Patrick Weissent, with 280, and Jason Long, 279, were elected, with write-in winner Matthew Steinberg.

Press Release:

Batavia-Bethany Townline Rd will be paved on May 21 and 22 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The roadway will be closed to all through traffic on Batavia/Bethany Townline Road between Shepard Road and Bethany Center Road while paving operations occur.  Through traffic is advised to seek alternate routes.

Residents and Property owners of Batavia/ Bethany Townline Road between Shepard Road and Bethany Center Road will have access to their property but should expect delays.

Emergency services will be permitted through. All other traffic is asked to seek alternate routes.

This work is weather-dependent.  If work is delayed it will be rescheduled for the next available date.

If there are any questions concerning this work, please contact The Town of Batavia Highway Department at 585-343-1729 Ext. 218.

A semi-truck rollover accident is reported on Route 262 near Chapel Road, Byron.

Fuel tanks are leaking.

Byron and South Byron fire departments dispatched.

UPDATE 1:45 a.m.: The driver would like to be evaluated by a medic.

Press Release:

The town of Alabama Volunteer Fire Department announced the arrival of a donated LUCAS Chest Compression System Product.

The Woodward Family of Oakfield donated the equipment in memory of their Husband and Father Michael Woodward, a lifetime resident who was known for his philanthropy and leadership in many different organizations. As stated in his obituary; “Big Mike/Woody’ went to the great duck blind in the sky on July 11, 2023.”

The LUCAS Chest Compression System, designed and developed by the Swedish company Jolife, is a pneumatic chest compression tool that delivers CPR to a patient while maintaining a fixed and steady rate of compression. It allows EMTs to focus on other lifesaving efforts while Lucas handles the CPR.

Founded in the year 1947, the Alabama Volunteer Fire Department is a 100% volunteer, non-profit Fire Department with a primary response area that includes but is not limited to: The Town of Alabama, Basom, the Tonawanda Indian Reservation, the Iroquois Wildlife Refuge, as well as mutual aid response provided to our surrounding communities. Annually, we respond to over 350 calls for service across our response area. 

Community contributions are crucial to sustaining and growing our exceptionally busy volunteer organization, which comprises highly trained and dedicated members.

The fire department will be hosting a dedication ceremony on June 29 at 10 a.m. with refreshments after. The Fire Department Recreation Hall is located at 2230 Judge Rd in the Town of Alabama. Local Government Dignitaries, State Government Dignitaries, and local Fire Departments are invited and encouraged to attend.

Press Release:

As he entered his first class at the Electro-Mechanical Trades program at the Batavia Career & Technical Education Center, Tommy Condidorio did not anticipate the depth of the education he would receive.

“I was expecting to learn wiring, but instead we learned wiring, robotics, pneumatics, mechanical drives,” Condidorio said of the career-ready coursework instructor Rich Monroe teaches. “I’ve learned a lot more than I thought I was going to learn.”

As his final classes near, Condidorio’s experiences in the Genesee Valley BOCES program have shown him a path forward. He and classmate Joseph Costa have been offered positions as electro-mechanical assemblers at Gorbel in Monroe County, where they have completed extensive co-ops this spring.

“I never thought I’d come out of BOCES with a job,” Condidorio said. Students like Condidorio and Costa in a fast-growing high school mechatronics program were celebrated Friday by educational, business, and training partners to mark a milestone for a training pathway supporting the growth of skilled trades and manufacturing in Genesee County and surrounding communities. 

The Electro-Mechanical Trades program at the Genesee Valley BOCES Batavia Career & Technical Education Center, now in its 4th year, has connected over 100 students to college and career pathways that include direct employment and apprenticeships in the skilled trades and manufacturing.

Instructor Rich Monroe told his electro-mechanical trades students that his current students shared the honor. 

“They’re all a part of it, and they’ve all been part of the success of this program,” Monroe said. “I am, very proud of all of them that have stood the test and have done what they've needed to do to be successful in this program.”

Students are trained in a state-of-the-art mechatronics lab and participate in youth apprenticeships and paid internships completed during students’ junior and senior years at employers.

"The success of the mechatronics program at Genesee Valley BOCES shows why Genesee County and our region are attracting major expansions and new companies," said Chris Suozzi, Vice President of Business & Workforce Development at the GCEDC. "These students are well trained and ready to jump directly into a career in manufacturing or the skilled trades, an apprenticeship, or additional training, and our employers are gaining a next-generation workforce to grow their operations."

In her first year in the electro-mechanical trades program, Emma Spink, a junior from Attica, completed job shadows at Koike in Wyoming County and Nortera in Genesee County.

“I saw all the different jobs that electricians could have in one building, which is very neat. This trade can take you multiple routes,” said Spink, who can progress to a more extensive co-op with a local company in her senior year with the goal of joining an apprenticeship program with an employer while also getting college credits.

“I’m really excited about this co-op opportunity,” Spink said. “I get to go to a company and they’re really excited and willing to have you, and then they actually pay you for your time there and you get to learn all about it and do electrical work for them.”

Friday’s program closed out a week of events marking National Youth Apprenticeship Week. The job shadows and co-ops Monroe’s students participate in are part of the successful Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association (RTMA) Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program (FLYAP). The program was created in 2018 and is the first youth apprenticeship program for students interested in manufacturing in New York State.

RTMA Director of Workforce Development Rich Turner praised the Genesee Valley BOCES program as the most active youth apprenticeship program in the region. 

“For a program to have 100 graduates in four years is a huge success,” Turner said. “It’s because of the culture that’s been built here by Mr. Monroe, Chris Suozzi and his team at the GCEDC, the partner businesses … and you, the students.”

For Costa, the FLYAP-sponsored co-op has been part of a busy calendar. He is competing in track and tennis, completing his coursework at LeRoy High School, and splitting his BOCES classes between Monroe’s classroom and Gorbel. He is excited to have a career lined up without college debt.

“It’s perfect, because I’m getting paid for it and I’m coming in with experience that I’ve already gained through BOCES,” Costa said. “It helps me a ton … they don’t have to explain every little thing to me, and the learning experience just goes so much faster.” 

Millwork on Jackson Street, both north and south of Ellicott Street, in Batavia, began on Monday in preparation for resurfacing the street.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Contractors, as they've did through most of the winter, continue to make progress on construction of the Ellicott Station apartment complex.

For prior coverage, click here.

Photos by Howard Owens.

The space left vacant by Valu Home Center for the last 20 months on the city's west side is under construction by its future occupant, Mike Conroy says.

The commercial broker for the property at 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, confirmed Monday that Ashley Home Furniture plans to move into the building at Valu Plaza that was emptied by the longtime hardware store in September 2022.

"Their target date was in June, but some things had to be addressed," Conroy told The Batavian. "It might be July."

Ashley sells room-to-room furnishings and has 37 store locations in New York, according to its website, with sites including Amherst and Henrietta.

Photos by Howard Owens

Walls came tumbling down, finally, on Monday as workers began to overhaul the silo entrances at Batavia City Centre. 

Work has been planned for several months, and equipment and crews arrived at the downtown site to begin the demolition process.

"Based on the timeline we received from the architect and project manager, we are looking at a 60 to 90 day timeline from today for completion," Assistant City Manager Erik Fix said Monday afternoon.  "The demo today was a welcome site as you can imagine.  We started with the Sunny’s entrance and will proceed with demolition to the three other Silo’d entrances estimated a 10 to 12 day demolition timeline for all four entrances.  

"Once demo is complete they will work on concrete work/foundations and then structured steel (estimated time is another 24 days). That will be followed up with framing, roofing, and installation of the glass and other materials for the storefront entrances."

That work is scheduled to take four to five weeks. Masonry, brick and interior finishes will follow all of that, and take about two to three additional weeks, Fix said.  

"Site work will wrap it up and we hope to be done by mid-August to early September. The plan is to keep contractors on and work on all four sites at one time," he said. "So rather than start one entrance, finish it and work on the next, we save time and money by doing each phase on all four pieces at the same time. Of course this is all tentative and dependent on materials and manpower, but that is the plan going forward."

Downtown Revitalization Initiative funding of about $1 million has been set aside for the silo project, with $120,000 for the design process and the remaining money for actually redesigning the silos.

Photos by Howard Owens

Genesee County's justice system took another step forward on Monday in the prosecution of Michael J. Elmore, implicated in the March 10 death of Sgt. line-of-duty death Thomas A. Sanfratello, and co-defendant Lyndsey J. Wilcox.

Both Elmore and Wilcox appeared in County Court before Judge Donald O'Geen for the first time and their attorneys, on their behalf, entered not-guilty pleas to the criminal indictments filed against each of them.

The hearing was standard procedure, with District Attorney Kevin Finnell affirming he had supplied the defense with all available discovery material, requesting an alibis demand, and stating that the people are ready for trial.

O'Geen then outlined the case's milestone dates, including trial dates if it reaches that far in the process.

The defense attorneys—Joseph A. Lobosco for Elmore and Daniel J. Dubois for Wilcox—have until July 12 to file motions. Defense attorneys typically file motions in criminal cases challenging the admissibility of evidence, the relevance of witnesses, and the possibility of constitutional violations (though every case is different, and there's been no public discussion of what motions the attorneys might make in this case).

The prosecution has until July 26 to file an answer to the motions.

Any hearing on the motions or other pre-trial issues will be held at 9:30 a.m. on July 31.

O'Geen provided each attorney with an anticipated schedule of proceedings after initial motions.

He set Aug. 23 at 9:30 a.m. for a hearing on any pre-trial motions, a follow-up hearing date of Sept. 20, a plea cutoff (the last day for defendants to accept any pending plea offer before trial) of Oct. 16 and a hearing date on any pending issues for Nov. 15.  Then, if there is a trial, jury selection on Jan. 21.  Opening arguments would begin on Jan. 23, with the trial scheduled to last until Feb. 11.

When Elmore and Wilcox were first arrested, they faced the same charges and both were ordered held on $100,000 bail.

On Monday, Dubois asked that his client, Wilcox, be released under supervision given the reduction of the top charges against her to burglary and assault.  Finnell argued that since the top charges include mandatory prison terms if convicted, Wilcox should be held on bail.  O'Geen reduced her bail to $20,000 cash, $50,000 bond, or $100,000 partially secured bond.

Elmore was indicted by the Grand Jury on counts of:

• Aggravated manslaughter in the first degree, a Class B felony. He is accused of intending to cause serious physical injury to a police officer and, as result, causing the death of a police officer;
• Aggravated criminally negligent homicide, a Class C violent felony. He is accused of causing the death of Sanfratello with criminal negligence;
• Assault in the first degree, a Class B violent felony. Elmore is accused of causing the death of Sanfratello while in the commission of another crime, burglary in the second degree;
• Burglary in the second degree, a Class C violent felony. He is accused of knowingly entering a building unlawfully with the intent to commit a crime in the building and threatening to use or did use a dangerous instrument.

Elmore and Wilcox are indicted on counts of:

• Burglary in the second degree, a Class C violent felony. Elmore and Wilcox are accused of remaining unlawfully in a building with the intent to commit a crime in the building and, while in the building, causing serious physical injury to another person;
• Assault in the second degree, a Class D violent felony. Elmore and Wilcox are accused of causing physical injury to a police officer who was in the act of performing his official duties;
• Obstruction of governmental administration in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor. The pair is accused of trying to intentionally prevent a police officer from performing his official duty by means of intimidation, physical force, or interference.

Wilcox is separately charged with resisting arrest, a Class A Misdemeanor. She is accused of intentionally trying to prevent her legal arrest.

The incident that led up to Sanfratello's death began at 12:43 a.m. on March 10, a Sunday morning following a pair of events at Batavia Downs on Saturday night, when Sanfratello and Batavia Downs security responded to the Rush 34 bar for a disturbance. There, Sanfratello confronted Wilcox, 39, of Batavia and ordered Wilcox to leave the building. While being escorted out, she allegedly became combative with Sanfratello. She is accused of hitting Sanfratello several times with the intent to injure him. 

As Wilcox was being arrested, Elmore became involved and was also ordered to leave. He reportedly walked out of the building and came back in with a chain in his hand (a chain he was apparently wearing that night).

During the struggle, which included assistance from Batavia Downs security, Sanfratello reportedly tried to deploy his taser in an attempt to subdue the person attacking him.

According to initial reports, Sanfratello suffered a medical emergency during the struggle and became unresponsive. There was extensive effort, according to witnesses, to revive him with CPR. He was later pronounced dead by a county coroner.

For complete prior coverage of the case and related articles, click here.