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Leslie R. Parris III, 33, of Lewis Place, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt in the second degree, criminal contempt in the first degree with physical contact, and an arrest warrant and probation warrant were executed. At 10:12 a.m. on April 1, Parris was arrested on multiple charges following a probation check at 9 Lewis Place in the City of Batavia. He was located hiding in an upstairs bedroom closet contrary to a complete stay away order of protection barring him from the residence. For this he was charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He also had a bench warrant issued by Batavia City Court for failing to appear in court after being charged with first-degree criminal contempt, second-degree criminal contempt, and second-degree harassment stemming from a reported physical domestic incident at the same residence on Aug. 2. Parris was also arrested on a Batavia City Court arrest warrant charging criminal contempt, 1st, stemming from a reported physical domestic incident at the same residence on Oct. 21. Finally, Parris was arrested on a probation warrant for allegedly violating the terms of his probation. He is in Genesee County Jail without bail and is to be in City Court at 11 a.m. on Thursday. The case was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison, assisted by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Emily D. Schramm, 29, of Holland Avenue, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct. She was arrested April 4 at 8 a.m. after several neighbors complained to Batavia PD. She was allegedly yelling obscenities for an extended period of time, which disturbed the neighborhood. She was issued an appearance ticket to appear in Batavia City Court on April 12. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Davis, assisted by Officer Jason Ivison.

William B. McCarrick, 86, of Gateway Drive, Batavia, was arrested for harassment in the second degree following a domestic distrubance on Gateway Drive at 11:30 p.m. on April 1. He was released on his own recognizance and ordered to be in Batavia City Court on April 4. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk, assisted by Officer Felicia DeGroot.

Jammie L. Brown, 24, of East Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with second-degree harassment. He was arrested on April 5 after allegedly making threats of bodily harm to a female who was watching his child while at the GC Courts Facility at 9:40 a.m. on March 31. He was to appear in City Court on April 5. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Davis, assisted by Officer Matthew Lutey.

Nathaniel D. Wilson Jr., 28, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd. He was arrested on a warrant issued out of Batavia City Court for criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, on Oct. 11. He was jailed without bail and was to be in City Court this morning. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Cory N. Smeltzer, 24, of Oak Orchard Estates, Albion, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon -- metal knuckles. He was allegedly found to be in possession of metal knuckles at 12:32 a.m. on March 26 when police investigated a distrubance on Liberty Street in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket and is to appear in City Court on April 12. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Christopher M. Smith, 21, of School Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested at 12:36 a.m. on March 31 as the result of an investigation into an incident which occurred on Masse Place a short time earlier. He was issued an appearance ticket and is to be in City Court on April 12. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Eric Foels, assisted by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Daniel S. Gangi, 34, of Alexander Road, Batavia, was arrested on March 31 after turning himself in at Batavia PD Headquarters on a bench warrant stemming from an incident on July 24. He posted $100 bail, was released, and is to return to City Court Thursday. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kevin DeFelice.

Passiona C. Culver, 38, of Willow Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant issued out of Batavia City Court following her alleged failure to appear to answer traffic tickets that she had been issued on March 1 following a traffic stop. She was released after posting bail and is to appear in City Copurt on April 13. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Kenneth Michael Gray, 24, of Lake Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property. He was arrested on April 5 following a traffic stop in the City of Batavia. He had a warrant for his arrest out of the Town of Batavia Court. He was put in jail on $1,000 bail and is to be in Town of Batavia Court on May 10. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Rachel Diehl.

Press release:

St. Joe’s Reunion Brass Ensemble of Batavia will be hosting “A Cabaret for Crossroads” at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, at City Church, 210 E. Main St., Batavia.

One group being featured is “The DSP Trio” -- Derek Reiss, Skip Taylor, Pete Marks (the Big Band and Swing Era). The other featured singer is Michael Noce singing the best of the crooners -- Sinatra, Bennett, Martin, Armstrong & others. If you like the musicians along with the singers from the Big Band Era, you will love this music.

The admission is FREE. Donations gratefully accepted to benefit Crossroads House, a comfort home for the terminally ill serving the residents of Genesee & Wyoming counties.

There may possibly be some surprise performers stopping by to share their talent also. Come on out for a great afternoon of music. 

Press release:

There will be an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 7^th at 109 Walnut St. in anticipation of the upcoming property auction at the same location at 10  9 a.m. on Saturday, April 16^th. Come out and view this renovated city-owned property!

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact:

Heidi Parker

Office of the City Clerk

One Batavia City Centre

Batavia, New York 14020

Phone:   (585) 345-6305, option 5, option 1

Fax:     (585) 343-9221

E-mail:   hparker@batavianewyork.com

Press release:

Anita Strollo, the coordinator for Batavia High School’s College and Career Center, is “casting a wide net” to find more local businesses that may be interested in being part of the school’s first Hiring Fair on Thursday, April 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at BHS, 260 State St.

“We have about a dozen so far and we’re thrilled with those businesses, but of course we’d like more,” says Strollo.

She anticipates at least 100 students will take advantage of the opportunity to meet with potential employers, providing those business representatives with the chance to meet face-to-face with a large pool of possible employees under one roof. To facilitate the process, there will be computers/laptops and Wi-Fi access for online applications, as well as quiet zones for on-the-spot interviews.

For more information, contact Anita Strollo at amstrollo@bataviacsd.org, or 343-2480, ext. 2012.

Police are out with a tractor trailer that has broken down on Walnut Street in the right turn lane onto Law Street.

The rear ties are locked up.

No ETA when the obstruction will be clear.

Press release:

The Batavia Business Improvement District (BID) is proud to once again sponsor the Third Annual Uganda Water Walk this Friday, April 8^th from 3 to 5 p.m. from the Batavia High School to Downtown Batavia.

Individuals, separately or as part of a group, have found or are finding sponsors for walking ($5/mile or a one-time donation).

This fundraiser helps bring safe, clean, accessible water to communities in Uganda. Walkers are encouraged to carry water jugs as a great symbolic act. Proceeds go to the Ugandan Water Project, is sponsored by the Batavia High School Z-Club.

A two-car accident with unknown injuries is reported at the intersection of Route 77 and Ledge Road. Alabama Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. There was air-bag deployment.

The Genesee County Business/Education Alliance continues to grow and gain momentum.

In an agency review before the Human Service Committee on Monday, BEA Coordinator and local businesswoman Beth Kemp highlighted the many avenues the partnership uses to prepare students for the world of work.

• MST -- Math, Science and Technology
• All About Dogs
• Culinary I
• Culinary II
• Animal Science/Vet 
• Medical ($75)
• Hard Hat
• WNY Aviation Adventure (This camp costs more. It's $350 and includes week-long room and board.)

(File photo of the Upton house on Upton Road from Landmark Society of Genesee County.) 

There ought to be a historical marker on the site of the boyhood home of swashbuckling Civil War-era Major General Emory Upton.

That's what Genesee County Historian Michael Eula thinks, and it's why he asked members of the Human Service Committee on Monday for permission to apply for grant funds to pay for a marker at 9244 Upton Road in the Town of Batavia. Members unanimously agreed to grant permission.

Eula plans to apply for the Historic Roadside Marker Grant Program offered by The William G. Pomeroy Foundation, which since 2006 has funded more than 282 markers in 46 New York counties. If awarded, the grant will provide $1,000 for a standard historical marker, mounting pole and shipping costs.

The Upton Road house which features stunning, leaded windows of stained glass and beleved crystal, was built in 1823 by Emory's parents, Daniel and Electa Upton. His sister, Sarah Upton Edwards, updated the house in 1890 to the shingle style it is now. (In 2011, the Landmark Society of Genesee County presented current owners Joan Bird and William Steininger with awards for Interior Renovation and Stained Glass Window Restoration.)

Emory was Daniel and Electa's 10th child, their sixth son. After growing up on the farm, he studied at Oberlin College under famed evangelist Charles Finney and was then admitted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1856. (He had his face slashed there in a sword fight in cadet barracks, said to have begun over offensive remarks made about his relationship with African-American girls at Oberlin College.)

His patinated likeness in full regalia looms large at the monument on the city's westside where Main Street and Ellicott Street join. But there's actually little heft to his biographical record, according to Eula, who told the committee that outside of a thin and rather superficial biography written by Stephen E. Ambrose, "Upton and the Army," little has been written about the man himself.

His brilliant and impactful career as an influential Army reformer, war tactician, military strategist and policy maker is well documented in compendiums, magazine articles, and through his own authorship.

This includes a book called "The Life and Letters of Emory Upton," which includes the meticulously deciphered and transcribed letters that Emory wrote during his worldwide travels to Persia, Turkey, India, China and Russia where he feasted opulently with royalty, how else, and met with great leaders at the behest in 1875 of General William Tecumseh Sherman.

Both the book of letters and the Ambrose book are out of stock currently at the Holland Land Office Museum, but they were reordered a week or so ago and should be back on the shelves soon.

If the Pomeroy Foundation approves the grant, there would be a ceremony featuring veterans groups at the dedication ceremony, Eula said.

With all the documentation about Upton available in Genesee County, and given the lack of a meaty tome about his life, will a book be forthcoming? That's the question Committee Chair Rochelle Stein asked Eula.

"I don't want to promise something I can't deliver," Eula replied, not altogether convincingly. He did acknowledge talking about the prospect with other local historians, and it's clear he deems the subject worthy of the effort.

See more about Emory Upton here.

Submitted photo. Front row: Teacher Peter Spence, Maya Benda, teacher Tiffany Lucksh, Melanie MacCowan, Mackenzie Fox, Kitana Maher, Clare Fraser, Kerri Bates. Middle row: Morgan Fuller, Will Kennett, Dominick Andres, Zach Swapceinski, Olivia Audsley, Dana VanValkenburg, Isabell Bliss. Back row: Russell Flaherty, parent Michelle Geiger.

Press release:

After a year of planning, 14 students from Byron-Bergen Sr. High School traveled to Costa Rica to explore the country’s incredibly diverse habitats of rainforests, volcanoes, waterfalls and pristine ocean coastline.

Accompanied by Byron-Bergen teachers Peter Spence, who teaches Earth Science, Biology, and Chemistry, and Tiffany Luksch, who teaches Math, the young explorers arrived at the capital of San José on March 18 for an exciting seven-day expedition.

The group spent two days in Sarapiquí, a small village in the Caribbean lowlands located in the heart of the rainforest, surrounded by surreal sounds of howler monkeys, tree frogs, birds, and insects. They visited the largest active crater in the world at the Poás volcano, and experienced the cloud forest environment. A cloud forest receives little rain during the year; plants receive their moisture from the clouds that constantly shroud the volcano.

The stay in Sarapiquí also included white-water rafting (where students found tiny poison dart frogs with bright orange bodies and deep blue hind legs), and zip lining in the rainforest.

The trip continued to La Fortuna, where they visited the Mount Arenal Volcano, studied the ecological succession of plants and orchids on the once-barren lava slope, and kayaked on the man-made Lake Arenal. Students hiked to the La Fortuna waterfall and explored the Baldi hot springs.

Moving on to Guanacaste, the group saw the second-largest dry forest in the world and visited Rincòn de la Vieja Volcano. They learned how Costa Rica uses the steam generated by the thermal vents to create electricity. A riverboat ride at Palo Verde National Park offered views of crocodiles, iguanas, red macaws, and white-faced capuchin monkeys. Snorkeling in the Pacific Ocean ended the extraordinary trip.

For many of the students, this amazing educational experience was the first time they had flown or been outside the United States. It was a great opportunity to not only learn about geology, ecosystems, and biology, but also gain practical fluency in Spanish.

“All of our kids have taken Spanish and a couple of them used Spanish a lot,” Spence said. “I did rely on them to communicate when I could not.”

Upon their return, student Clare Fraser summed up the feelings of her traveling companions.

“This has been an amazing experience that I will always remember. The trip was better than I had ever expected, and it has encouraged me to travel more in the future.”

Tickets are on sale now for the fourth annual Casablanca Casino Night Fundraiser on Friday, April 29, to benefit abused and neglected children served by Genesee County CASA for Children.

The fun starts are 6:30 p.m. at the Terry Hills Banquet Facility, located at 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

Tickets are $75 per person or $125 per couple and can be purchased at the door or at the CASA for Children office. It is located in the Genesee County Courts Facility Bldg., 1 W. Main St., Batavia. Hours there are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Price includes $500 in casino chips, foodm beer, wine and $10 free play at Batavia Downs Casino. Cash in your "winnings" for tickets in the Chinese auction and a chance to win valuable prizes.

The event is sponsored by Main St. Pizza Company, Batavia Downs Gaming, Terry Hills and CASA for Children.

The City of Batavia is holding an online NetAuction for heavy equipment starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6. It ends on April 13. 

All equipment sells AS IS and buyers must rely upon their own inspection prior to bidding. The auction is being run by RTI Auctions, Roy Teitsworth, Inc., phone is (585) 243-1563.

Here's the link with photos and information about the items to be auctioned:

They are:

• 2005 Chevrolet 4WD Tahoe, odometer reads 123,691 miles, gas engine, automatic transmission, power windows, locks and mirrors, air conditioning, center console missing, vinyl seats and floors, some scratches, paint chips, dents and rust.
• 1998 Chevrolet 2500 4WD regular cab pickup, odometer reads 87,824 miles, gas engine, automatic transmission, sells with Meyer plow, currently not working, vehicle runs and drives but has significant rust.
• 2001 Jeep Cherokee 4WD Sport, odometer reads 63,498 miles, 6-cylinder gas engine, automatic transmission, power windows and locks, power mirrors, air conditioning, truck runs and drives, some rust and scratches.
• 1992 IH 2674 Tandem Axle dump, odometer not working, true mileage unknown, estimated 100,000 miles, hour meter reads 8,599, Cummins N14, 330 HP, Fuller 8LL transmission, cracks in cross members, one flat inner dual tire, sells with plow and wing.
• 1990 IH Paystar 5000 equipped with Galbreath 50,000-lb. roll-off body, odometer reads 76,527 miles, Cummins NTC 350 diesel engine, Fuller 8LL transmission, needs batteries, brakes, air compressor problem -- won't build air, truck does run.
• 1999 Homemade tandem-axle trailer. Homemade trailer.
• 100 hydraulic reel and electric hydraulic pump for Hurst hydraulics. No tools, working condition.

Press release from Le Roy Police Department:

An investigation of a daytime residential burglary which occurred on March 17 on Lake Street in the Village of Le Roy resulted in the arrest of 23-year-old James R. Kosiorek, who has no reported permanent address.

The investigation started when the homeowner returned home interrupting the burglary and finding a male subject inside of the residence. The burglar had damaged a gun case and was attempting to steal guns and cash from the residence. The burglar fled and the homeowner called 9-1-1.

The burglar was not initially located but a subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Kosiorek on April 4. It is alleged that Kosiorek unlawfully entered the residence with the intent to commit a crime therein, and in doing so damaged the gun safe and removed three guns, attempting to steal them and also stole about $30 in coins and a pellet rifle.

Kosiorek was arrested by the Le Roy Police Department and charged with one count of the Class C felony of burglary in the 2nd degree, three counts of the A-misdemeanor of attempted grand larceny in the 4^th degree, one count of the A-misdemeanor of criminal mischief in the 4^th degree, one count of the A-misdemeanor of petit larceny and one count of the A-misdemeanor of criminal possession of stolen property in the 5^th degree.

Kosiorek was arraigned before the Hon. Michael Welsh of the Le Roy Town Court and committed to the Genesee County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.

(Submitted photo) 2016 General District 4-H Public Presentations – From left, back row: Becky Kron, Melissa Keller, Teagan Mathes; front row: Colton Tarbell, Clare Mathes, Torrance Tillery.

Press release:

Congratulations to the Genesee County 4-H youth who competed in the 2016 District 4-H Public Presentations and the Region 2 Horse Communications Event at Mid Lakes High School in Phelps on Saturday, April 2.

4-H youth from across the region came together to compete at the district level and gave presentations in front of a panel of volunteer judges. 

Representing Genesee County at the 4-H District Presentations event were:

Melissa Keller – score 97, Blue Ribbon

Becky Kron – score 97, Blue Ribbon

Clare Mathes – score 94, Blue Ribbon

Teagan Mathes – score 94, Blue Ribbon

Colton Tarbell – score 93, Blue Ribbon

Torrance Tillery – score 82, Red Ribbon

All public presentation competitors worked very hard and did a great job! Eligible Blue Ribbon participants are still under consideration and have yet to be announced for the state event to be held May 14^th at Cornell University.

(Submitted photo) 2016 General Region 2 Horse Communications: Alexandria Tarbell, left, and Alianna Baris.

Representing  Genesee County at the Region 2 Horse Communications Event were:

Alexandria Tarbell – 1^st Place in the Junior Division

Alianna Baris – 4^th Place in the Junior Division  

Both girls worked very hard and were well prepared for the event, they are both eligible to attend the State Communication Contest on May 14th at Cornell University.

For more information regarding local opportunities in 4-H Youth Development call Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County at 585-343-3040, ext. 101 or e-mailgenesee4h@cornell.edu. Our staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have about our program or about joining 4-H!

"Immigration and the Southside of Batavia" is an event being sponsored by the Holland Land Office Museum featuring a genuine ethnic food buffet and traditional music from Poland and Italy.

It will be held starting at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 10, at Ascension Parish Hall, 15 Sumner St., Batavia. Cost is $20 per person. Tickets on sale now at HLOM. Reservation deadline is NOON Wednesday April 6. Call 343-4727.

Come celebrate immigration from Europe to Western New York. Guest speaker is local historian and teacher Gregory Kinal.

The buffet will include: golumpki, polish sausage, spaghetti, Italian sausage and more!

Live music will include traditional polkas, tarantellas, and other ethnic music!

Batavia Photography Club member Don Fryling talking to Club President Scott Neumann about his photo display.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

Don’t be afraid to show some photographs 'cause you never know, you might have some good ones, said Batavia Photography Club President Scott Neumann on the opening gala night for its month-long exhibit at the Richmond Memorial Library.

The club holds this annual event so local photographers can showcase various prints of people, landscapes, animals and more, for the public to view and enjoy.

This year, three studio nights were offered instead of two, Neumann said. Some club members show off their expertise by teaching things like fantastic photography, neutral density filters along with guests from various clubs in the vicinity, too.

The Batavia club meets the first and third Monday of each month -- September through May -- starting at 7 p.m. at the Northgate Free Methodist Church, located at 8160 Bank Street Road in Batavia. Come as a guest and to learn more go to http://batavia.photoclubservices.com/

Girls on the Run is an after-school group at Batavia Middle School that inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum, which creatively integrates running.

Every session, Coach Sarah Gahagan incorporates a guest speaker from the community to inspire girls. Kristen Dispenza and Carrie Richards both directors for the Mary Kay Independant Beauty Business, had quite an inspirational message to share last week: "Change your mind, change your actions, change your world."

Dispenza spoke about the power of positive thinking -- really honing in on the fact that anything is possible. She gave real world examples from her own life and created examples that middle-school girls would experience as part of their life as well.

Another part of her presentation focused on "inner beauty" and how you do NOT need a lot of makeup to look and feel good. She talked briefly about skin care and each young lady was offered the opportunity to wash her face and apply a moisturizer afterward. There were lots of laughs and questions about the importance of good hygiene, (especially your face) especially after running!

Dispenza has quite an inspiring story on how she became a senior sales director with Mary Kay. She graduated from Batavia High School in 2005 and later started her career as a Special Education teacher but quickly felt a need to do more for women, specifically women in need.

She was raised in a single-parent home where confidence and money were not abundant. One of her biggest goals is to not only show women -- ALL women -- how special they are, but to teach them the skills necessary to build a successful business. After only two years with Mary Kay, through perseverance, determination, and heart, Dispenza earned the area's FIRST EVER pink Cadillac...pretty impressive!

Senior Sales Director Carrie Richards worked full time as a caseworker for the Department of Social Services and pursued her master's degree in Social Work part time. She spoke to the girls about how she got into the business and really owed a huge "pay it forward" to her "partner in crime," Dispenza, who inspired her to begin with Mary Kay, which changed her life.

Richards became a part of Mary Kay to surround herself with positive, empowering women and provide herself the opportunity to become a business owner. Her favorite part of her job is giving other women the opportunity to take charge and create a lifestyle that many only dream of. She is extremely thankful to have the opportunity to enrich and empower other women and thinks giving young girls the "Girls on the Run" experience is an AMAZING thing.

Girls on the Run (grades 5-8) meets at Batavia Middle School on Tuedays and Thursdays from 3:30-5 p.m.; this is their third session. The first ever third- and fourth-grade group also just started this spring at John Kennedy School.

More than seven years in the making, and nearly a year under construction, the new Oakfield Town Hall at 3219 Drake St. will be open for touring from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 10.

A dedication ceremony is planned at 2:30 with Oakfield Town Supervisor Carol Glor, and guests Genesee County Legislature Chairman Ray Cianfrini and Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

Light refreshments will be served.

The facility has been completely refurbished and 5,000 square feet was added on the back side. It includes a new bay for the Highway Department, new offices, including one for law enforcement (Sheriff's deputies/Troopers), a courtroom shared by Oakfield and Elba, the Town Hall and meeting rooms. The space can accommodate 300 people and be partitioned with an optional center divide.

"It can be used in the event of a disaster," said Town Assessor Barry Flansburg. "It's all up to code, with a handicap accessible entrance and new bathrooms."

He said $2.6 million of the total $3 million cost came from borrowing the money from a bank, which voters permitted passively. Once announced, no referendum for a vote materialized, thus the expenditure was approved de facto.

"This was done as part of our normal operations," Flansburg said. "There was no tax impact."

The remainder was funded with reserves and grant money, which typically trickles in well after the fact.

In addition to residents and the general public, businesses, highway departments, contractors, and "everyone we worked with over the years" are invited to attend this Sunday, says Flansburg.