news

A two-car accident with unknown injuries is reported on Route 98 at Lockport Road, Elba.

Elba fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 8:17 p.m.: There are injuries. Elba is responding from Alexander, where crews were in training. Barre is being put on standby.

UPDATE 8:26 p.m.: Fire police requested to shut down Route 98 at Old Orchard Road.

As County Health Director Paul Pettit anticipated, there are a few more cases of flu reported locally after a sharp decline from the peak of the season in February.

It's too soon to tell, Petit said, how strong this second wave of cases will be.

"Until we get the next report, we're not sure if it's going to go back down or back up," Petit said.

For the week ending March 31, there were 23 reported flu cases in Genesee County, up from just 13 the week before.

Statewide, the trend is also toward a second wave of flu cases.

"It’s very typical in most seasons, have a peak and then numbers will tail off but then usually there is a second wave," Petit said. "It's usually not expected to be as prevalent."

In total for Genesee County, there have been 683 flu cases reported this season. Petit said typically we would have from 150 to 200 flu cases.

"It's never too late to get a (flu) shot," Petit said; however, he urged people who start to have flu-like symptoms to try and avoid contact with other people and if they take an antiviral medication such as Tamiflu, that will help.

Press release:

Once again, the Western New York Independent Living Inc. Family of Agencies (WNYIL) is gathering nominations of members of the disability community who have made ongoing, significant contributions, such as support, assistance and inspiration to others.

Deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Friday, April 13.

The winner will be honored with WNYIL's Independent Citizen Award at its Fifth Annual “Night for Independence" Gala on Saturday, May 12^th at the Classics V Banquet & Conference Center, 2425 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst.

Ideally, the nominee should meet the five core values of this award: 

• Exemplifying independence in the community, such as: by beginning a special project; by spearheading an awareness effort; or by gaining the support of decision-makers, for the benefit of others with disabilities or the general community;
• Going above and beyond what would be expected to assist others, by offering personal experience or expertise, organizing individuals around an issue, enlisting partnerships, and/or revealing self-sacrificing work;
• Remaining active in the community over an extended period, even after an initial success with an activity or major project;
•  Rejecting others’ criticism or doubt, that potentially could have deterred the individual from striving to reach and achieve personal goals;
•  Showing the world the value of one person’s actions by encouraging others to have a contributing, encouraging, and positive attitude about making the community a better place for all. 

If you are aware of an individual who has served those with disabilities, and who, you feel, would meet all these criteria, please contact Marykate Waringa of WNYIL’s Office of Community Engagement at (716) 836-0822, ext. 146; or email her with the candidate’s name, a paragraph about his/her qualifications and contact information, as well as YOUR name and contact information, to mwaringa@wnyil.org.

Thank you for your willingness to help acknowledge deserving members of our community! 

WNYIL is Western New York's largest cross-disability, consumer-directed, non-residential organization for persons with disabilities. At WNYIL, individuals of all ages and all types of disabilities learn to exercise their freedom of choice to take control of their own lives, in order to live more productively in, and contribute to, the community.

Press release:

Chapin International will be hosting its 11^th Annual Chapin Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 11, at Terry Hills Golf Course in Batavia.

Chapin has proudly selected Justice for Children as its charity to support this year. As in the past all funds collected will go directly to the charity.

Please join us this year supporting Justice for Children by a donation, sponsorship or participation. The tournament provides everyone an opportunity to contribute to this truly amazing charity.

Justice for Children was selected out of several other local charities by Chapin's Golf Committee. Many of you may not even know or have heard of Justice for Children. That is a good thing that you never have had a reason to need the services provided. The services are every discreet, provided to protect the privacy of the children in need. All services are free.

The golf tournament is modestly priced at $75 and includes 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch, and dinner. Shotgun start is at 1 p.m.

Every person will receive a prize. Opportunities will be available for chances to win a car in the Hole-in-One contest.

Three local car dealerships -- Ken Barrett, Castilone, and Toyota of Batavia -- offer cars for the contest. All participants will have two opportunities during the tournament to win.

Max Pies Furniture in Batavia will be again offering a lounge chair to the winner of the putting contest held during registration hours before the tournament starts.

Longest drive, closest to pin, and closest to the line will also be available for all during the event. Everyone at all skill levels will have a chance to win. Mulligans and Skins will be offered as well.

Please go to www.chapincharitygolf.com for registration or sponsorship opportunities.

Early registration is advised to avoid missing out, our event fills to capacity quickly.

For any questions or information contact Norm Hubbard, tournament director at nhubbard@chapincharitygolf.com or call/text 409-7575.

About Justice for Children

The Justice for Children GLOW Foundation is honored to be the beneficiary of the 11^th annual Chapin Charity Golf Tournament. The mission of the Justice for Children GLOW Foundation Inc. is to provide philanthropic support to enhance the work of the Justice for Children Advocacy Center and multidisciplinary team throughout Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming (GLOW) counties.

The support provided by Chapin will assist us in meeting our goal of ensuring that every child who comes to the Justice for Children Advocacy Center receives the care and support necessary to begin their journey toward healing.

Since opening in 1998, the Justice for Children Advocacy Center has served more than 2,500 children and their families who have been impacted by physical or sexual abuse. In 2018 alone, 287 children and their families benefitted from the services available at the Justice for Children Advocacy Center. These services include victim advocacy, forensic interviewing, mental health counseling, medical exams, and multidisciplinary case review.

The proceeds from the Charity Golf Tournament will be used to replace existing, outdated medical equipment with a state-of-the-art imaging system to be used on site at the Justice for Children Advocacy Center’s Batavia office. This equipment will improve our highly skilled medical providers’ ability to identify, diagnose, and document injuries that have been inflicted upon children who have been physically or sexually abused.

Additionally, this system will create opportunities for continuing education and peer review for our medical providers, allowing them to keep their skills sharp and up to date with current best practices. The welcome addition of this equipment will aid us in our goal of ensuring that all the children we help receive the highest quality care possible.

Press release:

The Downtown Batavia Business Improvement District will hold its Annual Meeting & Awards Breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 27^th at City Church Generation Center, 15 Center St., Batavia. Registration opens at 8 a.m.

There will be an overview of this year’s goals, announcement of newly elected board members, and presentation of “Spirit of Downtown” Awards.

Cost is $20 to attend. All BID Members are invited. RSVP by Monday, April 16^th to the Downtown Batavia BID office at 200 E. Main St., Suite 12, Batavia, NY 14020 or at www.DowntownBataviaNY.com.

This Year’s Spirit of Downtown Business Award winners are Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle and Genesee Valley PennySaver. Spirit of Downtown Volunteer Award winners are Jeff Gillard and Derik Kane.

For further information contact Beth Kemp at 585-344-0900 or bkemp@DowntownBataviaNY.com.

Jonathan P. Balaz, 41, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with falsely reporting an incident, 2nd. Balaz is accused of pulling the fire alarm at DePaul Properties, 555 E. Main St., Batavia, at 4:37 p.m. Friday when there was no fire or another emergency. (Balaz was recently arrested on two similar accusations.)

Rachael Marie Lochner, 23, of Janice Drive, Rochester, is charged with: felony DWI (driving drunk with a child less than 16 in the vehicle); driving with a BAC of .18 or greater; failure to keep right; and moving from lane unsafely. Lochner was involved in an accident on South Street Road, Pavilion, at 1:41 p.m., April 4. Her vehicle reportedly left the roadway and struck two fences, causing property damage, to two other vehicles and a building. The accident was investigated by deputies Andrew Mullen and Kevin McCarthy.

Rueben O. Walker, 33, of Ellicott Street, Rochester, is accused of criminal possession of stolen property, 4th, and criminal impersonation, 2nd. Walker is accused of using a debit card belonging to another person, claiming he knew the person but did not have permission to possess or use the card. He was jailed without bail.

Shaquille Levon Davis, 25, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Davis allegedly damaged a door during an argument at a residence on Highland Park at 2:45 p.m., Thursday. He was ordered held on bail.

Robert D. Griffin Sr., 39, no listed address, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Griffin is accused of violating an order of protection at a location on Manhattan Avenue at 7:50 p.m. Saturday.

Antonio M. McKinney, 43, of Gibson Street, Buffalo, is charged with DWI. McKinney was arrested after Officer Christopher Lindsay responded to Speedway at 4:24 p.m. Saturday to investigate a report of a larceny. Upon investigation, it was determined that McKinney allegedly drove to Speedway in an intoxicated condition. He was jailed without bail.

Kevin Angel Rivera, 23, of Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Rivera is accused of pushing another person and punching that person in the face during an argument at College Village at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Smoke in the house is reported at 8272 E. Main Road, Le Roy. The caller says you can smell the smoke and smoke detectors have activated. First responders on scene report nothing is showing.

Le Roy Fire Department and Le Roy Ambulance Service are responding. The location is between Church and Linwood roads.

UPDATE 3:29 a.m.: Mumford's Fast Team is called to provide mutual aid to the scene.

UPDATE 3:31 a.m.: Traffic is being shut down on Route 5 at Linwood Road and at Church Road by Le Roy Fire Police.

UPDATE 3:37 a.m.: Stafford Fire Department is called to provide one engine to the scene and Pavilion is asked to fill in at Le Roy's Fire Station on Clay Street.

UPDATE 4:13 a.m.: Command says the furnace was malfunctioning. Three responding units will remain on scene for a few more minutes, he says, and others can pick up and return to service.

Press release:

On Monday, businessman Nick Stankevich suspended his grassroots Congressional campaign against Chris Collins.

"Eight months ago, I announced my candidacy to represent our community in Congress," Stankevich said, "standing for issues that put people first has always been the heart and soul of my campaign: healthcare for a healthier society, good education for our children’s future, job creation by investing in rural infrastructure and a renewable economy.

"Growing up in Western New York, learning from this great country, and seeing our communities for what they could be, there is a need to push for a new direction with fresh ideas. I ran for Congress out of an obligation to give back to a community that gave me so much. I have been the beneficiary of some of the hardest working people in Western New York and thank them for the time and effort they put into this campaign.

"My family, friends and everyone who supported me have shown me, once again, that we live in a unique place. Having traveled throughout our rural towns to meet with farmers, veterans and small business owners, I am reminded that we live in a place where it does not matter where you have been, what you look like, or how much money you make. It only matters that the contents of your character are pure and that you long for a future where our children are better off than we are.

“After careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I am suspending my campaign for Congress. I’m proud of the campaign I ran and proud of my team. I will take the lessons learned and the warmth from our neighbors who yearn for a better tomorrow, to continue fighting to make our community better. As always, I encourage every decision you make to have people at the heart of it, along with humility, compassion and kindness. The people of Western New York deserve that in their representative.

“I want to remind everyone, Republican or Democrat, of the strength that you hold in your hands. Your vote won’t just affect change for two years, but it will be a symbol of hope for generations to come. The promise of America is not only that your vote will count, but also that it will mean something. It assures you that we are a part of something bigger than right now.

"Our decision at the ballot box will be judged in the history books, and our children and grandchildren count on us to give them a better future than we could ever imagine. May God bless the United States of America."

Batavia's rich art history doesn't get a lot of attention, except, maybe, from Ryan Gaebler, who was among the vendors this year with a booth at the Holland Land Office Museum's annual antique show and sale at Batavia Downs this weekend.

About six years ago, Gaebler bought a couple of paintings from Dave Thompson at the flea market at the Genesee County Fairgrounds and Thompson started talking with him about local artists he enjoyed and collected. So Gaebler started keeping an eye out for works by local artists at estate sales, auctions and online.

For Gaebler, collecting works by local artists has become a passion.

"There is great art history in Genesee County, more specifically, Batavia —  the Masons, Roy, Max, Nina Mason Booth, Pat Burr, Rose Pontillo Dicarlo, Virginia Carr Mumford, R.W. Ware, I just love them all," he said. "It’s a lot of great history and a lot of great art."

Gaebler buys pictures to collect them but generally, his collection is for sale.

"I buy them because I love them and I collect them but they’re also for sale," Gaebler said. "I don’t sell a lot. I love to collect them until they sell but if they don’t sell, well, it’s not a big deal if I don’t sell them."

For those interested in buying local art, Gaebler can be reached at ryjon88@yahoo.com.

An oil painting, a watercolor, and a sketch by Roy Mason, perhaps Batavia's most renowned artist. The oil painting, Gaebler said, is, he thinks, Mason's finest work in oil.

There is a letter from Mason that goes with the watercolor that talks about the piece, adding to its value.

Michael Welch, co-owner of Welch and Craine in Batavia, with a pastel portrait of Gen. Henry Warner Slocum, who was originally from Central New York, served in the Civil War and served two terms in Congress.

A car is reported upside down in the water in the area of 7186 Meadville Road, Alabama.

It's unknown if it's occupied or if anybody is in the area.

A caller is roadside awaiting emergency responders.

Alabama fire and Mercy EMS responding. Law enforcement in route.

UPDATE 6:36 p.m.: Residents in the area told a trooper that the vehicle was stuck and all of the occupants were out before it went into the water. It's in water that is reportedly "moving pretty fast."

UPDATE 6:45 p.m.: Confirmed, the vehicle is empty. Reader submitted photo.

UPDATE 8:55 p.m.: The vehicle has been removed from the water. Alabama fire is back in service.

The annual Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home Show is underway at Falleti Ice Arena.

Hours for Saturday and Sunday, respectively, are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

GO ART! hosted a grand opening party for members tonight of the wine and beer bar now open in Seymore Place, which is the former location of the old Batavia Club.

Press release from Brian Graz:

Press release:

As Cornell Cooperative Extension Genesee County launches its search for an Executive Director, it provides an opportunity to stop and reflect on successes, challenges, and goals. We are inviting different stakeholders to participate in a short survey to be able to advise the Association and the Executive Director search committee as they move forward.

We invite our volunteers, programming partners, and all community members to take a few moments to complete our Volunteer and Community Partner Survey here.  

The results will be shared at the leadership level, with opportunities for further discussion within committees or teams.

Thank you in advance for your willingness to share your perspective on CCE of Genesee County to help guide the future of its success!

Any questions may be directed to Samantha Stryker at sls428@cornell.edu.

The survey will close on Friday, April 20. Paper copies of the survey will be available at the CCE Genesee office at 420 E Main St., Batavia until close of business April 20 and must be submitted by that time. Our hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The results of the survey are anonymous and we look forward to your feedback!

Press release:

The GENESEE IT, SAY IT initiative continues at Genesee Community College with a special performance of "The Script" by Tim Collins on Thursday, April 12, at 12:30 p.m. in the Batavia Campus gymnasium.

GENESEE IT, SAY IT is a powerful campaign the College launched to encourage and empower individuals to speak up if or when they witness, or learn of, a sexual assault.

One of the key components of this initiative includes opportunities to educate students, faculty and staff on the power of reporting incidents they are aware of. The initiative is jointly sponsored by GCC's Dean of Students Office, Human Resources Office and the Title IX Coordinator.

Tim Collins will perform his award-winning one-man show entitled "The Script" about sexual assault prevention, toxic masculinity and bystander intervention.

"It is crucial that we continually encourage students, staff and faculty to speak up and report incidents of sexual assault," said Dean of Students Patricia Chaya. "One of the ways to empower individuals is to teach them bystander intervention strategies and to reiterate the avenues of support available to not only victims of these kinds of assaults, but to those reporting it as well."

This event is free and open to the public. Bleacher seating is available on a first come, first served basis.

File photo from 2016 by Raymond Coniglio, when the event was held at Le Roy's Living Waters Church. Mikayla Radecki is shown on left with Denise Parmenter.

Press release:

The Hope Center of Le Roy, a newly established nonprofit charity, is undertaking the eighth annual “Girls Helping Girls” prom dress giveaway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 14^th. Girls from all over the region are welcome.

Several hundred dresses, some gently used but many brand new have been donated and will be on display at the Hope Center of Le Roy at 42 Main St. in Le Roy.

Girls can find their size and color and try them on, according to Hope Center Director Rev. Henry Moore, whose wife Valerie was inspired to start this give away to relieve families from the pressure of buying a dress for a one-time event, precious as it is. The dresses have come from individuals and stores around the area and are checked for condition and cleanliness.

Volunteers from the local community staff this event to help girls sort through the displays, find matches to their tastes, and guide them to dressing rooms.

“Sometimes people can’t believe that these dresses are really free,” Rev. Moore said, “but there really are no strings attached. This is a gift to the young girls of this region.

"We want them to know that they are loved by God, that He made them beautifully, and that their lives deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.”

The facility is decorated exquisitely and loaded with loving encouragement for the April 14^th giveaway.

The Hope Center spreads the benefit of this even beyond American shores.

“From the beginning, we wanted to provide these dresses strictly as an act of kindness, but some people insist on wanting to make cash donations out of appreciation,” Valerie Moore said. “So we decided to keep the ‘Girls Helping Girls’ theme going and pay it forward.

"The dresses are free, and we mean that; but if anyone really wants to make a donation out of gratitude, we will pass on any donations to Tanzania’s House of Hope in the City of Moshi.

"The House of Hope is a large home being built to rescue girls from a life of certain sex slavery; it will be a place where the girls can be equipped and trained for a life of meaning and purpose beyond their wildest dreams. It’s a Win-Win!”

But again, the emphasis is that these dresses are given freely.

The Hope Center was established with a vision to provide spiritual and material support to area citizens and, through the message of hope, call the community to reach its God-given destiny.

Dealing with active threats is the focus of two weeks of training hosted by Batavia PD in a vacant building at the NYS School for the Blind.

Officers from Batavia PD, the Sheriff's Office, State Police, and Probation are participating.

It's unfortunate, said Chief Shawn Heubusch, that these days, officers have to be ever ready, either on their own or as part of a team, to deal with somebody who is threatening the lives of other people.

"We learned a lot from the situation at Columbine," Heubusch said. "It used to be, surround, create a perimeter, wait for the cavalry to arrive, and then go in. That is no longer the norm. If there is an active shooter or active threat going on, you may be the first officer there, you may be the only officer there, but you’re going in and you’re going to take care of that threat to the best of your ability.

"That thinking has changed dramatically from the early or late '90s when these situations, unfortunately, became more prevalent."

The purpose of multi-agency training is to ensure all officers who respond to an active threat situation have gone through the same training because in a small county where law enforcement resources are limited, officers from agencies will be working together.

"We’re not a big huge department," Heubusch said. "We don’t have a 100 cops on the force. We don’t have 50 cops on the street at any given time. There may not be even 50 officers in the county, or less than that, at any given time, so you’re going to get what shows up."

In the training scenarios, officers from different agencies are working side by side as much as possible so they're learning the same tactics at the same pace.

"You just never know who is going to be available in a given situation and you’ve got to be familiar with tactics and on the same page," said Officer Marc Lawrence.

The training consists of classroom instruction followed by walk-throughs of techniques using simulated weapons and then "force-on-force" training, where offices are using weapons with clips filled with paintballs.

That's perhaps the most valuable training both Heubusch and Lawrence said and something officers don't get often through the normal course of training.

"When you go through the academy or you go to the range, it’s kind of a static environment," Heubusch said. "You’re shooting for the seven-yard line or the 15-yard line or something like that. This puts you in a real-life scenario situation where your energy is up, your adrenaline might be pumping a little bit. (Force-on-force) gives you more of a real-life look at things."

There's a price to pay, which keeps you on an edge, when there are real projectiles flying, Lawrence said.

"You may get shot with a simulation round," Lawrence said. "They hurt. They leave welts. And you get shot if you don’t do your job as a police officer. If you don’t clear a room properly, you may get shot."

Patrick S. Rumble, 31, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with harassmen,t 2nd, unlawful imprisonment, 2nd, and criminal mischief, 4th. Rumble allegedly pushed another person multiple times and prevented that person from leaving a residence and from contacting emergency dispatch during an incident at 4:11 p.m. Wednesday at a location on Hutchins Place, Batavia.

A 17-year-old resident of Hutchins Place is charged with trespass. The youth allegedly entered a residence on Hutchins Place at about 4 p.m. Wednesday after being told to stay away from that residence.

Arnold John Oberlander Jr., 54, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd. Oberlander was stopped at 8:29 a.m. Thursday on the I-490 in Le Roy by Deputy Matthew Bailey.