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Press release:

​​Data Update – Covering May 14 -- May 18

• Genesee County reporting 36 new positive cases of COVID-19. 
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. 
  • Nine of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
  • Twenty-six of the previous positive individuals have completed their 10-day isolation and have been removed from mandatory isolation.

Orleans County reporting 20 new positive cases of COVID-19.  

• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
• One of the current positive individuals is hospitalized.
• Thirty-eight of the previous positive individuals have completed their 10-day isolation and have been removed from mandatory isolation.

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Masking

As of May 19, New York State will be following the CDC guidance which has determined it is safe for the majority of those who are fully vaccinated (two weeks after final vaccination) to not have to wear masks in most cases indoors and outside.

Those who are not fully vaccinated, choose not to be vaccinated and/or are immunocompromised, work or attend Pre-K to 12 schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes and healthcare settings will continue to follow the State’s existing COVID-19 health guidelines regarding masking until more New Yorkers are fully vaccinated.

The Department of Health strongly recommends masks in indoor settings where vaccination status of individuals is unknown. Mask requirements by businesses must adhere to all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

This recommendation will apply across commercial settings, including retail, food services, offices, gyms and fitness centers, amusement and family entertainment, hair salons, barber shops and other personal care services, among other settings.

Vaccine Update

Anyone 12 and older is now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Currently only the Pfizer vaccine is allowed for those who are 12-17 years old.

All vaccination clinics are for both first and second doses for Moderna and Pfizer brands on a "First Come, First Served" basis. Some clinics have walk-in (generally Moderna and Johnson & Johnson) and some are by appointment only (generally Pfizer).

Please note making an appointment for any of the clinics will help save you time and make sure there is vaccine available for you.

For GO Health Department-run clinics use this link for updated clinics:  https://bit.ly/GOHealthVaccination

For general clinic locations, including pharmacies use the www.vaccines.gov link.

Press release:

The Little Free Pantry could use your help in our fight against food insecurity in our neighborhoods! Once again, we will be planting a community garden to grow farm fresh produce for the Little Free Pantry in Batavia this summer.

Thanks to the generosity of Tom Ryan of Ryan's Rose Organic Farm and Blue Pearl Yoga, we have a plot the size of a football field to grow nutritious veggies to help ease food insecurity in our neighborhoods.

Please consider joining us for the Big Planting on Sunday, May 23 (Rain Date: Sunday, May 30) and help us plant the seeds and plants that will turn into free farm fresh organic produce for those in need in our community this summer.

The organic farm and community garden plot is located at 3417 Rose Road in Batavia.

We have two time slots available: 10 a.m. to noon, or 3 to 5 p.m. We hope to see you there! 

The Pantry will also be hosting a plant sale and open house at the Farm on May 23 (Rain Date: May 30) from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Donations of plants welcome and can be dropped off at 124 State St. prior to sale, or bring them with you to the Plant Sale at the Farm.

To register to volunteer, and for more information: https://www.lfpbatavia.org or #littlefreepantry#spring2021#volunteersneeded

Press release:

The GLOW Region Solid Waste Management Committee is pleased to announce that it will hold a Shred-a-thon for person documents. The program will be held Saturday, June 12 at the Town of Pavilion office/highway facility, located at 1 Woodrow Road (off Route 63 by the railroad tracks) in Pavilion.

The program will run from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., on first come, first served basis, without appointments. This is a free event and residents from Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming counties are eligible to bring materials.

Materials accepted include presorted documents such as medical, bank, tax and other records containing account numbers and/or private information.

Unacceptable materials include: magazines, newspaper clippings and manila folders and CANNOT include metal clips or bindings. There is a limit of five (5) boxes per vehicle. Box size should be no larger than 10” x 12” x 15” (banker’s box size). GLOW’s vendor, Genesee Data Management (Arcgo) will be securing materials in locked 95 gallon totes on site and taking them to their Batavia facility for shredding and recycling.

The program is made possible by a generous donation from Tompkins Bank of Castile, GLOW’s county contributions and a DEC MWRR grant. For questions on this and other GLOW programs contact the GLOW office at (585) 815-7906 or 800-836-1154 or (585) 344-2580, ext. 5463.  

At the Bonduelle USA Inc. plant on Stevens Street in Oakfield, the produce of local farmers is processed and shipped frozen in totes weighing 1,500 pounds to cold storages throughout the nation.

While making sure Americans get their vegetables is the worldwide company’s primary focus, embracing the concept of “corporate social responsibility” also plays a vital part in Bonduelle’s philosophy.

That’s where the company’s beekeeping project, which has been restarted after being placed on hold due to COVID-19, comes in.

Steve Buerman, Bonduelle’s New York State Regional Engineer, initiated the program – building it on his experiences growing up on an apple farm in Wayne County that featured 35 beehives.

“Honeybees are critical for the pollination of more than 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables in the United States, creating an agricultural value of 20 billion dollars annually,” he said. “We identified that honeybees could use our help and the beekeeping project was started.”

Buerman said about 15 plant employees are working with the bees, which currently populate two hives, with about 20,000 bees – the queen, of course, along with worker bees and drones – in each hive.

“This is being done for educational purposes,” said Pascal Leduc, director of U.S. Operations. “Our company has a strong vested interest in the environment and the communities in which serve. Employees are encouraged to find ways to help the environment and develop action plans.”

Employees with backgrounds in horticulture and fruit farming, such as Buerman, are teaching others the basics of beekeeping – exposing them firsthand (while sufficiently protected) to honeybees – and encouraging them to start their own backyard beekeeping projects.

Plant Manager Eric Phelps said about 10 to 12 employees participated in 2019 and several started their own hives.

“Bees are vital,” he said. “We’re pleased to report that we’ve acquired two new swarms of bees and have installed them into their new hives. We expect the bees to be busy pollinating throughout the summer and, hopefully, making some honey, too.”

Buerman added that bees need “everyone’s help.”

“The advancement of monoculture agriculture, elimination of honeybee habitats and new pests and diseases have cut deeply into the bee population,” he advised. “Really, it’s a fun project which teaches people about bees and their importance. Our daily diet would be very boring without the fruits and vegetables that bees make possible.”

Bonduelle originated in France about 175 years ago and now has 56 plants around the globe, including 11 in the United States and nine in Canada. For more information, go to www.bonduelle.com.

Top photo: Bonduelle employees, upon receiving the nucleus colonies of bees, transfer the frames of honey, pollen, eggs and bees from the delivery boxes to their permanent hives.

Middle photo: Handlers gently puff smoke on the bees to keep them calm during the transfer.

Bottom photo: The transfer is complete, enabling workers to adjust the hive covers and install hive front feeders to provide the bees with food until they become settled in their hives.

Submitted photos.

Empire Access, a service provider for many customers in Batavia is experiencing a service outage that seems to be affecting more than just local customers.

The outage has also been reported in Elmira.

The company issued the following statement on Twitter.

Internet service update - we’re currently experiencing an internet service interruption, which may effect your connection. Our technicians are working to restore service. We apologize for the inconvenience.

— Empire Access (@EmpireAccess) May 18, 2021

We've attempted to reach a company spokesman for more information and have not yet received a response.

UPDATE 12:58 p.m.: Service has been restored, per Empire Access.

Internet service is now restored. If you are still experiencing issues with connecting to the Internet, please call our office at 800-338-3300.

Press release:

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia and Genesee County Bar Association's 2021 Law Day Observance and Criminal Justice Award ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Old County Courthouse.

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions in place, the typical annual awards dinner was unable to be held this year, however, Kiwanis Club President Bob Conrad and Genesee County Bar Association President Jake Whiting will be announcing the awards at a Zoom presentation. Everyone is welcome to join the Zoom meeting.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88912737332?pwd=K3d5NjNXd1Y5YjBISkdqYlRNZmdSZz09

Meeting ID: 889 1273 7332

Passcode: 640375

The following awards will be presented:

Kiwanis Criminal Justice Award

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia Criminal Justice Award is presented to a member or members of the community, law enforcement, or a criminal justice agency serving the citizens of Genesee County whose exceptional career achievements and conscientiousness to citizenship have demonstrated a spirit of selfless public service or demonstrated an act of exceptional valor or heroism.

The 2021 Award Recipients are:

Genesee County Sheriff’s Office -- Sgt. Andrew B. Hale; Deputies David D. Moore, Kyle D. Krzemien, Howard O. Wilson, V., Andrew Z. Mullen, Joshua A. Brabon; Brock D. Cummins; and Investigator Christopher A. Parker.

Le Roy Police Department Sgt. Gregory Kellogg and Officers Jordan Wolcott and Austin Steinbrenner.

On May 27, 2020, at about 2037 hours (8:37 p.m.), what began as a typical traffic stop in Le Roy, turned into a multiagency pursuit of a tractor trailer through multiple counties at speeds up to 70+ mph. The tractor trailer recklessly swerved into oncoming traffic, putting innocent drivers at risk; made multiple U-turns; attempted to strike patrol vehicles, and shot at officers several times. Four different patrol vehicles were struck by bullets, one vehicle with at least eight rounds. One of the bullets went through the windshield and struck the rear partition over a Deputy’s head rest. Fortunately, the Deputy had been leaning to his right at the time. The pursuit came to an end when the tractor trailer, heading toward the Village of Geneseo, was fired upon by officers and it exited the roadway. The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene and the reign of terror ended. 

The ensuing investigation revealed that the driver was on the FBI watch list. Searches at his residence and rental property revealed bomb-making instructions, improvised explosive devices, multiple weapons and large amounts of ammunition. These findings, along with his social media posts, revealed that he was an anti-police extremist and was planning violence on a larger scale.

The pursuit that night lasted approximately an hour and 15 minutes. The amount of lives that were endangered is countless. Patrols from multiple jurisdictions placed themselves in danger to protect the public for the entire duration of the incident. They cleared roadways and intersections while their patrol cars were in danger of being rammed by the tractor trailer and in the line of fire while the driver was shooting at them. They coordinated over jurisdictional lines to remove a threat to the public, not only for that night, but certainly for a future time. 

These officers were nominated for this award by Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. and Le Roy Police Chief Gregory Kellogg.

City of Batavia Retired Police Officer Jason Davis

Police Officer Jason Davis has served many roles within the department during his nearly 22 years of service to the community. He has served as an Officer-in-Charge, Instructor, Field Training Officer and Emergency Response Team member, to name a few. Officer Davis served as the department's de-escalation instructor and, most recently, he was assigned as the School Resource Officer to the Batavia City School District where he immediately made an impact in the lives of students and staff in the District. He was able to successfully de-escalate incidents with students, act as a role model and mentor to many, and served as an invaluable resource to the staff. Throughout his career, Officer Davis handled all of his duties with professionalism and pride for the uniform he wears and the department he represents.

Officer Davis was nominated for this award by City of Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch.

Village of Le Roy Retired Chief of Police Christopher Hayward

Retired Chief of Police Christopher Hayward has served the Village of Le Roy since his teenage years. He began his career as an Officer and rose to the position of Chief of Police through years of dedication, commitment, and compassion to all of the members of the community. Chris was instrumental in the consolidation of the local village and town courts, seeking to provide an efficient and effective court operation. He is a man of high integrity and fostered many relationships with community members of all ages. He supported and worked hard to partner in the County’s shared E-9-1-1 Emergency Services Dispatch Center.

Chief Hayward was nominated for this award by Genesee County Legislator (District #5, Le Roy) Rochelle Stein. 

Charles L. Mancuso Mock Trial Award

The “Charles L. Mancuso Award” was presented to the members of the Alexander High School Mock Trial Team as winners of the 2021 GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties) District Competition in the New York State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Tournament. The award reads “Dedicated to the Memory of an Outstanding Attorney-Citizen,” Mr. Mancuso, a Batavia lawyer, served as coordinator of the local competition until his untimely death 14 years ago.

The Alexander High School team members honored include: Erin Hess, Annie Slenker, Shawn Calmes, Katarina Luker, Imogene Plitt, Dana Morelli, Olivia Burkhardt, Holly Bykowski, Maia Saile, and teacher coach Johnny Lucas. Coordinator of the local Mock Trial Program, Kristie DeFreze, presented the award.

Genesee County Bar Association Special Honors

The Genesee County Bar Association is honoring the lives of two longstanding attorneys who passed away in 2020.

Theron “Ted” Howard passed away on June 11, 2020, after practicing law in Genesee County since 1978. Ted spent most of his legal career in his own private practice but fulfilled several public roles as well. Ted worked as an Assistant District Attorney, served the Town of Pavilion as Town Justice and Town Supervisor, and prosecuted traffic matters in the towns of Pavilion and Batavia. Ted also volunteered generously in the community – on the Pavilion School Board, the Le Roy Historical Society Board, and the Genesee Community College Foundation Board.

David Saleh passed away on Oct. 29, 2020. Dave spent many years in private practice before becoming in-house counsel at Enlighten. Dave is a past president of the Genesee County Bar Association and acted as a delegate to the State Judicial Nominating Committee for more than 35 years. During the year leading up to his death, Dave served as a part-time City Court Judge in Batavia. Beyond his professional endeavors, Dave donated his time and energy to his community – at his church, as a volunteer firefighter, as a member of the Lions Club, and as a board member of the Corfu Free Library and St. Jerome Hospital Foundation.

The lawyer who coordinates the Assigned Counsel Department for Genesee County said she believes that virtual court appearances will continue in one form or another even as society pulls out of the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kristie DeFreze, (photo at right), an attorney with the Bonarigo & McCutcheon law firm in Batavia, made that observation this afternoon as she presented a review of the indigent legal services unit during the Genesee County Legislature’s Public Service Committee meeting.

“I think that, in some form, it is here to stay – at least in Family Court,” said DeFreze, noting that she see positives and negatives to conducting court proceedings remotely via Zoom or other type of videoconferencing. “For certain court appearances, they will keep it around.”

DeFreze said that virtual sessions seem to have cut down on court time and waiting time – as well as expenses – but have led to an increase in time spent communicating with clients and other parties.

County Attorney Kevin Earl agreed, stating that virtual meetings are good for routine appearances, such as traffic court cases, but “when it comes to hearing and trials, it’s very difficult to know ahead of time what exhibits you need, (which can lead to delays).”

The decision to continue remote proceedings rests with the administrative judge of the judicial district, she said. That position in this area – the 8^th Judicial District – currently is held by Paula L. Feroleto.

In reporting the makeup of the panel attorneys in Genesee County, DeFreze said that most of the lawyers practice outside of Genesee County.

On the criminal panel, nine of 13 are from outside the county; on the family panel, eight of 12 are from outside the county; and on the appeal panel, five of six are from outside the county.

When asked why this was, she said it is a matter of dollars and cents.

“We have a smaller pool here when compared to Erie and Monroe counties, plus the pay rate is very low,” she said.

While attorneys may normally charge $150 to $300 an hour for their services, they receive only $60 an hour for criminal cases, and $75 an hour for felony or family court cases in which they are called upon to step in for the county public defender’s office.

“We’re working to increase that rate … which would give local attorneys more incentive to get on the panel,” she said.

DeFreze said that referrals are up in family court from 117 in 2020 to 151 so far this year, and down in criminal court from 120 in 2020 to 110 this year. She pointed out that the time frame for the 2020 referrals was from Jan. 1 through June 15.

She reported that the assignment backlog due to COVID shutdowns has mostly caught up in family court because the court has been accepting filings and scheduling appearances for the second half of 2020 through the present. On the criminal side, she said there is a backlog because justice courts have just starting scheduling sessions on appearance tickets in the last month.

Going forward, DeFreze, who contracts with the county as the Assigned Counsel administrator, said she is looking into establishing an electronic voucher system for attorneys’ clock hours/reimbursement along with a resource office outside of the courthouse for lawyers to meet with clients and potential witnesses and have access to equipment such as a printer and scanner.

She said that additional expenses incurred would be paid out of a state grant specifically to enhance delivery of public defense services in four key areas: counsel at arraignment; caseload relief; initiatives to improve the quality of indigent defense; and eligibility standards for representation.

“I will work with the county attorney on the appropriate process for review and comment on these updates,” she reported. “This will allow us to ensure quality representation for our indigent defendants and family court parties, and more efficiently track the statistics required for annual reporting.”

From the county Highway Department:

Meadville Road between Lewiston Road and Owen Road in the Town of Alabama will be closed beginning Monday, May 24^th  through approximately Aug. 30^th, for a bridge replacement project.

The road will not be passable to regular traffic or emergency vehicles.

The public will be notified when it reopens.

Press release:

Today, Senator Ed Rath called on the Department of Budget (DOB) to release critical funding grants for emergency services. Senator Rath was joined by Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Genesee County Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein, Undersheriff Brad Mazur, Genesee County Director of Emergency Communications Steven Sharpe, members of the Genesee County Legislature and members of the 911 Advisory Board.

“The delay in the release of this funding for our communities is extremely damaging," Senator Rath said. "As ranking member on the Senate Local Government’s Committee, I know the extreme duress many of our counties are under as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the State to be delaying the release of this funding, with no end in sight, is completely unacceptable.

"We need to be working with our counties and local governments, not adding unnecessary burdens. Unfortunately, this seems to be all too typical for our State. I am calling on the Department of Budget to release these grants (2020-21) and inform our counties when they will be able to apply for the current fiscal year’s grants (2021-22)."

Assemblyman Hawley said: "Our heroes of healthcare have been working dutifully throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure emergency services were not overwhelmed or interrupted during the highly contested time. To see that our 9-1-1 services are now under threat of being underfunded is unacceptable, and the State needs to take immediate action to ensure that our emergency telecommunications are not stifled."

"County governments must work alongside the State to ensure the funding needs are met for these important emergency services," said Genesee County Legislator Gregg Torrey, Human Services chair. “I want to thank Senator Rath and Assemblyman Hawley for fighting to secure our fair share of critical 9-1-1 funding which is needed to support our County Public Safety operations."

Genesee County Legislator Gary Maha, Public Service chair, said: "We have been fighting this battle for years through the New York State Sheriffs’ Association, the New York State 911 Coordinators Association and the New York State Association of Counties. It is time the Governor stops using these funds for other purposes than 9-1-1 services."

"The delay in releasing already collected 9-1-1 surcharge revenue money could cost Genesee County over $500k in the 2021 budget," said L. Matthew Landers, Genesee County manager, budget officer. "While we have long been advocating that a greater share of the collected surcharge go to the intended recipients, namely emergency communications operations such as the Genesee County Dispatch Center, this recent delay in funding is unexplainable and undermines emergency communications operations across the State."

Emergency Communications Director Sharpe, of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, and NYS 911 Coordinators Legislative Committee chair, said: “Over the past year, our first responder community needed to address the pandemic while continuing to provide emergency services to the public.

"Our friends at the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Interoperable and Emergency Communications (DHSES/OIEC) have been excellent partners by assisting local communities setting up communications for testing sites, emergency clinics, and now mass vaccination sites. DHSES/OIEC also hosted teleconferences for local and county partners to discuss best practices during the pandemic.

"Unfortunately, the State of New York has not honored their commitments regarding grant funding. Counties provide a majority of public safety answering point (9-1-1 center) services throughout the State and also administer a majority of public safety communications systems. During this pandemic, the State has inexplicably halted and delayed grant funding despite the funding stream for those grants increasing during the pandemic. 

"We are asking our partners at the State to honor their words, obey the laws of the State of New York, execute the law in a timely manner, and release the grant funding that is now above a year overdue."

The State has yet to release the 2020-21 grant funding or the application information for 2021-22.

Press release:

HOPE Day, the annual 24-hour match challenge day of giving to benefit Appeal 2021, brought in $260,016 on May 14.

Matching funds of $57,212 added to this total increase HOPE Day’s grand total to $317,228, toward the annual Appeal’s $10 million goal in support of Catholic Charities and the Fund for the Faith. 

“The goal of HOPE Day is to inspire first-time donors and those who already gave to go above and beyond to help those most in need, in addition to rallying Catholic Charities’ supporters,” said Rick Cronin, Appeal 2021 chair. “Thank you, thank you to individuals and corporate donors who participated in HOPE Day 2021.

"Your contributions directly bring hope in the form of emergency assistance, mental health counseling, youth and family support services and more to our neighbors most in need throughout all eight counties of Western New York.”

To date, more than $8,017,161 or 80 percent of Appeal 2021’s $10 million goal has been raised.

The annual Appeal helps fund 57 programs and services administered by Catholic Charities across Western New York, along with several ministries that benefit all parishes through the Diocese of Buffalo’s Fund for the Faith. Last year, Catholic Charities’ programs and services helped more than 149,000 individuals of all faiths, ages and ethnicities. 

Donations to Appeal 2021 can continue to be made at ccwny.org/donation through June 30.

The president of the Genesee County Agricultural Society said she is cautiously optimistic following today’s announcement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo that county fairs across New York State will be able to take place under six-foot social distancing guidelines.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves as we continue to consult with County Manager Matt Landers and the health department” regarding what will be necessary for area residents to enjoy the Genesee County Fair this summer, Amanda Gallo said.

The fair is scheduled for July 24-31 at the county fairgrounds on East Main Street Road. It was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gallo said tentative plans call for the organization to host the North American Classic Six-Horse Hitch Series on July 23-24 and the Empire Classic Youth Sheep Show on July 24.

The draft horse show is the biggest in the state (except for the New York State Fair) and the sheep show draws participants from throughout Western New York. The open beef and open swine shows are set for July 25, with Genesee County 4-H-only shows scheduled throughout the week.

Earlier this month, the Genesee County Legislature allocated $11,000 for 4-H judging expenses and 4-H premiums associated with the fair.

“We’re hoping to have all of our attractions and livestock shows this year,” Gallo said. “We will release more details as we get further guidance.”

Landers said he is “very happy” to know the fair will be held this year.

“I have enjoyed going to the fair many times and hope to take my kids to the demolition derby this year,” he said.

Gallo said the demolition derby is the feature event on July 30.

Fully Vaccinated Equals No Mask

In another development, Cuomo announced that New York will adopt the Center for Disease Control’s new indoor mask and social distancing guidelines effective this Wednesday.

The governor's statement came four days after the CDC ruled that fully vaccinated people could get rid of their masks indoors in most instances.

Masks reportedly continue to be necessary on public transit, in nursing homes, in homeless shelters, correctional facilities, schools and healthcare facilities across the state in accordance with the new federal guidelines, Cuomo said.

He added that those who have compromised immune systems or have yet to be vaccinated are required to wear masks and to socially distance.

Joseph David Ayer, 39, of Smith Street, Buffalo, and Maris Lynn Lenk, 32, of Nancy Place, Cheektowaga, are charged with second-degree burglary -- illegal entry into a dwelling; and fourth-degree grand larceny -- of property with a value greater that $1,000. Both defendants were arrested at 4:23 p.m. on River Road in Pavilion. It is alleged that Ayer and Lenk unlawfully entered a house by forcing the door open and then they stole items with a total value estimated at more than $1,000. They were virtually arraigned in Pavilion Town Court. Lenk was released on her own recognizance and is to appear in Genesee County Court June 3. Ayer was put in jail without bail and is due in county court June 9. Both cases were handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush, assisted by Deputy Jacob Gauthier.

Jessica Thomas-Heizyk, 33, was arrested at 3:28 p.m. May 10 on Davis Avenue in the City of Batavia. It is alleged that she threatened the victim with a screwdriver while in the presence of several juveniles. She was arraigned in Batavia City Court then released on her own recognizance. The defendant is due to reappear in city court June 17.

Kyle Samuel Barnhart, 30, of North Road, Le Roy, is a registered Level 2 sex offender charged with failure to register internet accounts as part of his conditions from a prior charge. He was issued an appearance ticket returnable to Le Roy Town Court on June 15. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jenna Ferrando.

Adam Altobelli, 40, was arrested on West Main Street in the city on a Batavia City Court bench warrant at 11:25 a.m. May 6, arraigned in city court, then released under supervision of Genesee Justice. He is charged with: criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree; endangering the welfare of a child; and second-degree menacing. Altobelli is due back in city court on June 17.

Thomas Tacito, 61, was arrested at 2:04 p.m. May 7 on a warrant for aggravated harassment and fourth-degree stalking. It is alleged that Tacito repeatedly called a person without having a legitimate purpose to do so and despite being advised to stop multiple times. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court via Skype and released on his own recognizance. Tacito is due to return to city court June 17.

Jonathan Golden, 34, was arrested at 10:35 a.m., May 10, on West Main Street in the city after turning himself in on an active arrest warrant out of Batavia City Court. It is alleged that while employed at a local car dealership, Golden took a vehicle and kept it for an extended period of time without the vehicle owners' knowledge or consent. He was arraigned in city court, then released on his own recognizance.

Graffiti at Lambert Park, located at 100 Verona Ave. on the north end of the city, was reported this morning.

Besides this and one confirmed at Farrall Park on Otis Street on the Southside, we are not aware of other instances of graffiti being reported recently.

UPDATE 11:25 a.m. (By Howard): Batavia City Council President and retired City of Batavia Police Lt. Eugene Jankowski Jr. reacts to the discoveries -- "I'm very disappointed that someone took it upon themselves to destroy our beautiful parks with that graffiti. It's very, very terrible to see that happen. ... It's going to take public input. Hopefully somebody saw something and then maybe can provide some information to police and help them resolve it. I haven't talked to anyone on city staff about it yet -- hopefully there's a way to clean that up and get it back to the condition it was prior to the damage done to it."

Photo by Howard Owens.

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.05, up eight cents from last Monday. One year ago, the price was $1.88. The New York State average is $3.06 – up six cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.16. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia -- $2.96 (up 2 cents since last week)
• Buffalo -- $2.96 (up 3 cents since last week)
• Ithaca -- $2.98 (up 3 cents since last week)
• Rochester - $2.99 (up 2 cents since last week)
• Rome -- $3.07 (up 4 cents since last week)
• Syracuse -- $3 (up 6 cents since last week)
• Watertown -- $3.07 (up 4 cents since last week)

The Colonial Pipeline shutdown lead to an increase in gas prices at the national level at a time when prices were already rising due to higher crude prices and demand ahead of Memorial Day. The national average is now topping $3 per gallon.

States that have been experiencing supply strain should get relief with a decline in prices in coming days. Yet Memorial Day typically brings some of the highest prices of the year. AAA does not expect the recent rise in prices to deter Memorial Day travelers.

From GasBuddy:

"The national average gas price surged last week thanks to big price jumps in Southeastern states due to the previously shut down Colonial Pipeline, but most areas outside that region saw smaller fluctuations," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "With the pipeline now back in service, I expect prices to come down in the hardest hit states, specifically the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Virginia.

"The drops should lead the national average to soon fall back under the $3 per gallon mark, but motorists shouldn't get too excited- prices may start to head higher in a few weeks should Memorial Day gasoline demand be red hot. In addition, motorists in the affected areas should see outage numbers continue to decline this week, especially early in the week when gasoline demand tends to be lowest. I'm optimistic that there will be enough recovery by Memorial Day for motorists in these states to fill up without having to search for gasoline."

Playground equipment at Farrall Park (101-111 Otis St.) has been vandalized and Batavia PD has opened an investigation into the criminal activity after being contacted about it by The Batavian.

Last night, a reader emailed these photos to The Batavian to alert us to the vandalism. We contacted Sgt. Marc Lawrence and he said he wasn't aware of the incident.

After looking into it today, he he confirmed playground equipment was spray-painted but there had been no prior complaint or notification to Batavia PD of the vandalism. 

He said it appeared that the paint was relatively fresh, probably spray within the past couple of days.

He indicated there is no further information available on the case at this time.

Anybody with information that might assist in the investigation can contact Batavia PD at (585) 345-6350, the confidential tip line at (585) 345-6370

Reader-submitted photos.

OAKFIELD – In spite of more than a year of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Village of Oakfield is blooming, in more ways than one.

In the spring newsletter, Oakfield Mayor Dave Boyle stated, “Social and economic renewal seem to be on the horizon.”

This week, village’s Clerk Treasurer Kim Staniszewski, Bill Barber from Oakfield/Alabama Lions Club, Oakfield Historical Society President Laurie Nanni, owner of The Goose, Sue Zeliff and mayor Boyle’s wife Judy shared news of many upcoming programs.

A big new project designed to brighten the town’s Main Street is the placement last week of colorful pots of flowers. Judy Boyle said she has often driven through the neighboring villages of Medina and Albion and seen their flowering pots and wondered why Oakfield couldn’t do the same.

Staniszewski agreed to organize efforts to raise money for pots and flowers, and after a plea for donations, the Department of Public Works, volunteers and students from Oakfield/Alabama Central School Future Farners of America chapter met to fill 37 pots with dirt and flowers. The DPW will maintain them throughout the summer.

Staniszewski said they were shocked how many people and churches contributed to the flower project. 

The village also sponsored a coloring contest on Earth Day in April, and winners were posted in the village office windows.

Another project being undertaken by the village is acquiring a bike rack. The village is seeking someone to build decorative ones with the village logo on them. They are pursuing the necessary funding and hope to see the racks materialize in the near future.

“Our village is so walkable, and the sidewalks are so wide,” Judy Boyle said. “Everything is just coming alive.”

Boyle also noted the village’s Memorial Park on Main Street, behind Warner’s Flowers. Residents can buy bricks to memorialize friends and loved ones.

The park also boasts a sensory path. During the coronavirus pandemic, the village was approached by special needs staff at Oakfield/Alabama School, where they have a sensory path painted in the school. Individuals don’t touch anything as they walk along, but rather imitate the motions depicted by the paintings. The special needs department came and painted the sensory path in the park.

The Memorial Park is about an acre in size and is a nice, quiet little park, Boyle said. 

The next big event is the Oakfield Community-Wide Garage Sale, sponsored by Oakfield/Alabama Lions Club. Lions Member Bill Barber is organizing the sale scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 12. It will encompass homes on streets within the village, as well as Roberts Road, Lewiston Road, Lockport Road and Albion Road. 

As part of the day, the Oakfield Community Bible Church will have water available and will sponsor a bottle and can drive. The Oakfield Methodist Church will have a pie sale. In Triangle Park, the Lions will have a tent selling sausage, hot dogs and beverages; Pack 19 Cub Scouts will have a birdhouse sale; and the Oakfield Betterment Committee will sell tickets for their Labor Day raffle.

They are planning to have Labor Daze back this year. The Betterment Committee is also undertaking a tree-planting renewal project, under leadership of Jamie Lindsley.

Big things are happening at the Oakfield Historical Society. Because it was closed for a year during the pandemic, volunteers have been working on projects in the museum. Nanni said they are expanding the War Room, focusing on Italian immigrants, and catching up on reorganizing their files.

Because families were shut in during the pandemic, many took advantage of the time to research their ancestors. As a result, the Historical Society has received numerous calls asking for information on ancestors.

On May 22, the Historical Society will work with the town to clean up in Cary Cemetery. They alternate years between Cary and Reed cemeteries. 

The Historical Society has paid for 15 Home Town Banners to honor the town’s deceased veterans. They printed brochures, which were distributed to the village office, Historical Society, Haxton Memorial Library and the town building on Drake Street, asking residents for names of veterans.

The Historical Society decided to pay for the banners because they had money, which was previously raised, but couldn’t be used for the intended projects because of COVID-19. They also said they realized many of these veterans no longer had family in the area to pay for a banner.

In July or August, the Historical Society will sponsor a walking tour on “Main Street Ablaze.” The tour, based on the Historical Society’s book, tells of the six times Main Street in Oakfield has burned in past centuries.

Sept. 3 will be a cemetery tour titled “History Comes Alive,” sponsored by the Historical Society. 

Other books by the Historical Society are in the works. Nenni is planning one titled “More Mayhem,” a sequel to “Murder, Mysteries and Mayhem.” Several volunteers are working on a book about Oakfield’s cemeteries, and Bill Chase, who wrote “The Bone Fort,” is expanding his book on the Indian Woods, titled “Digging Deeper.”

Exciting news in the village is the repurposing of the former Yellow Goose market on Main Street. The building, which has been purchased by Peter Jr. and Sue Zeliff, has been turned into a community center.

A food pantry has been operating out of there, but on a limited basis during the pandemic. It has also become a community clothing center and Sue said they hope to have a Farmer’s Market there with a coop. Several local groups have been holding their meetings in the building.

“There are a lot of bakers in Oakfield and we’d love to see them sell their treats at a Farmer’s Market,” she said.

Sue also added the building needs a new roof and bathrooms, something they hope to accomplish soon.

During the Community Yard Sale, a local resident who started a stamping group will sell their greeting cards at The Goose. Crafters meet there.

The Lions Club managed to sponsor many of their projects during the pandemic. They packed and delivered dinners to shut-ins once a week during the winter. In November, they packed and delivered nearly 100 sunshine baskets to the elderly and those living alone.

In December, their Christmas in the Park and Breakfast with Santa were scaled down and featured a drive-by Santa visit and Santa talking and giving candy to about 75 kids.

The Lions were able to give out 95 chocolate rabbits in April at the Oakfield Town Park, during an Easter egg hunt.

In addition to the Community Garage Sale in June, the Lions will help the town with cemetery cleanup and sponsor a fishing contest in DeWitt Recreation Area in the City of Batavia. They are also planning to have a barbecued rib dinner in the Town Park in August. 

Other regular projects throughout the year include vision screening, maintaining a medical loan closet, collection of eye glasses and hearing aids (they’ve collected more than 100 pair of glasses this year), and their plastic recycling challenge has resulted in enough plastic to receive four benches.

Finally, Haxton Memorial Library will restart its Monday morning story time at 10:30 a.m., according to library manager Kim Gibson. They have also added an afternoon story time at 2 p.m. on Thursdays. Preregistration is required for both. Monday’s story time will continue to be live on Facebook. 

The library’s six-week Summer Reading Program will kick off on June 28. Children from Pre-K to sixth grade can participate in the program by checking out books and keeping track of their reading minutes. Prizes and incentives will be given out throughout the six-week program. Children can also participate in the weekly Thursday night Craft Time sessions. Preregistration is also required for this activity. For adults and teens, check-out tickets are being offered to enter them in a basket raffle. 

The Haxton Book Club meets every six weeks on a Wednesday afternoon at the library. Anyone interested in joining or wishing more information can call the library. 

“This all is a great representation of our community and our businesses,” Staniszewski said.

Top photo: Several active citizens from the Village of Oakfield are involved in a variety of events and projects to promote interest and encourage people to get out and show their support. Discussing their projects are, from left, Bill Barber, organizer of the Oakfield/Alabama Lions Community Yard Sale; Sue Zeliff, who with her husband, Peter Jr., have purchased the former Yellow Goose on Main Street and turned it into a community center; Kim Staniszewski, village clerk/treasurer; Judy Boyle, wife of Mayor Dave Boyle; and Laurie Nanni, president of the Oakfield Historical Society (with her 3-year-old granddaughter, Emma). Photo by Virginia Kropf.

Below: Sue Zeliff stands in front of “The Goose." Photo by Virginia Kropf.

Bottom two photos: Students from Oakfield/Alabama Central School FFA chapter who recently helped fill 37 pots with dirt and flowers for display on Main Street in Downtown Oakfield, which the DPW will maintain this summer. Photos courtesy of Judy Boyle.

From Pauli Miano:

The Elba Betterment Committee will hold a chicken BBQ at the Village Park on Sunday, June 13 to earn money for a trio of concerts this summer at the park.

Tickets for the chicken BBQ are $12 and limited in number. Some will be sold the day of the BBQ, but the bulk must be ordered by June 1.

You can order tickets via the committee's Facebook page or they can be bought at:

• Chap's Elba Diner, 5 S. Main St., Elba
• Sweet Life Country Store, 100 S. Main St., Elba
• The Village Office, 4 S. Main St., Elba
• The Town Office, 7 Maple Ave., Elba
• Elba Central School District Office, 57 S. Main St., Elba

The three music "festivals" will feature EBS Music and More 2.0. Details for that will be coming soon.

Contact Pauli Miano at pmiano@rochester.rr.com with questions or to order tickets.

(Photos by Howard Owens.)

A motorcycle crash is reported on the westbound I-90 in the area of mile marker 388.4.

One motorcycle is on fire but a total of three motorcycles may be involved, along with a passenger vehicle. CPR is in progress.

Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding along with Mercy medics and NYS Police.

UPDATE 1:11 p.m.: The westbound Thruway is shut down; eastbound traffic is moving slowly. The passsenger vehicle that is involved is on fire. Mercy Flight is called to the scene.

UPDATE 1:13 p.m.: Fires are knocked down.

UPDATE 1:35 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 1:42 p.m.: Town of Batavia fire assignment is back in service.

For the second time in seven months, a fire has been extinquished at the site of an apparently unoccupied construction trailer on Liberty Street in the City of Batavia.

This time, City firefighters saw the smoke filling the sky east of their fire hall and were en route before the call was dispatched.

The trailer was fully involved when firefighters arrived on scene.

Because the fire is suspicious in nature, Sgt. Marc Lawrence said there will be an investigation to see if any criminal activity is associated with the fire.

Previously: Brush fire on Liberty Street under investigation

Photo submitted by Tristine Vanice.

Photo submitted by Frank Capuano.

Photo submitted by Frank Capuano.

Photo submitted by Chris Crocker.