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Batavia Morning News

Dan Fischer — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:43:00 GMT

Pay raise approved for Batavia City Manager
Fatal chain reaction accident near Lima
Downs sign comes down

Batavia Morning News

Dan Fischer — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:17:00 GMT

Fire sweeps kitchen on Highland Park, $13,000 damage
Orleans County man dies from injuries suffered in October accident
Five say Good-bye on Batavia City Council

Rep. Lee to press FAA on pilot training

Dan Fischer — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:40:00 GMT

In response to crash of Flight 3407 in Clarence

Disabled Woman Dies in State Street Fire

Dan Fischer — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:38:00 GMT

Victim identified as: Mary E. Pawlukiewicz

Property Sale Nixed

Dan Fischer — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:47:00 GMT

If you want to buy one of those foreclosed properties the city auctions every once in a while, make sure your own house is in order.

The council last night voted 5 to 4, to deny the sale of a city property at 9 Willow Street to the high bidder.

Councilwoman Kathy Briggs was one of the no votes, Councilman Frank Ferrando voted in favor of the sale. Both explained their poistions:

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The high bidder for the Willow Street property was Michael Pullinzi.

Briggs said he had 13 previous housing code violations at other properties he owned in the city. Pullinzi could not be reached for comment today.

In the same bill, councilman approved the sale of a parcel of land near Ellicott Street to CSX Railroad for $1,000. The railroad had offered the city $1,600 for the same land late last year, but the council at the time rejected the offer as too low.

GCC Co-eds Injured in Early Morning Accident

Dan Fischer — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:45:00 GMT

Injuries not as serious as first feared

Batavia Missionaries Return Home

Dan Fischer — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:54:00 GMT

Sharon Wolf and Zach Ashley describe their exodus from Haiti

Morning Summary

Dan Fischer — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:43:00 GMT

Those two Batavia missionaries, in Haiti at the time of last week’s horrific earthquake, are safe at home this morning. Sharon Wolf and Zach Ashley arrived at the Buffalo Airport yesterday afternoon. Sharon and Zack were among a dozen other members of the Western New York Lutheran Church group who were working at an orphanage in Les Cayes, Haiti, about 120 miles from Port au Prince.

Read full story with pictures

A Buffalo man is dead after rolling his SUV on the Thruway in Pembroke over the weekend. Police say 53-year-old Mark Deacon was ejected from the vehicle just before 9 Saturday night. Investigators say Deacon was driving westbound when he crossed onto the left shoulder. Police say he over corrected the steering and flipped the SUV. Deacon was taken to Erie County Medical Center but died from serious head injuries.

Today is a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Junior Day. Schools and banks are closed today, along with government offices. There will be no mail delivery today.

The Batavia City Council is meeting tomorrow night in a work session to review next year’s proposed budget.

Council will meet at 7 tomorrow night at City Hall to begin a department by department review of the tentative budget. That spending plan, as it stands now, will increase the property tax rate in the city by 3 percent.

Assembly Republicans are hoping New Yorkers will help them find examples of government waste. A new website has been established called, "stopgovernmentwasteny.com."

Republicans say the site will seek the direct input of taxpayers and state workers, who can anonymously report waste they've either seen first hand or have learned about.

Morning Summary

Dan Fischer — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:37:00 GMT

A recent spate of underachievement has led Catholic Charities of Buffalo to lower its goals for 2010.
Bishop Edward Kmiec of the Diocese of Buffalo announced a $10.5-million goal, the lowest since 2004.
The bishop cites Western New York’s struggling economy as the primary challenge for fundraising.
The CEO of Catholic Charities, Dennis Walczyk, says the lower goal was designed so that the organization would be better assured of meeting it.
The official Catholic Charities Appeal 2010, a sort of “rush week” for donations, takes place March 21st through 28th in the Diocese of Buffalo, which includes Genesee County Catholic parishes. The appeal’s fiscal year ends in June.

A Special Senate Committee of Inquiry has recommended that Senator Hiram Monserrate resign from office; and now the Queens Democrat’s own political party has turned on him as well.
Edgar Santana, the Deputy Executive Director of the New York State Democratic Committee, says that Monserrate’s conviction has quote, “brought disrepute to the Senate Chamber, his colleagues and the Democratic party.”
Santana also says that if Monserrate does not resign, the Democratic party will call on the Senate for his immediate expulsion.

An Erie County man has been charged with stealing a firearm from a Corfu gun store.
28-year-old Jason Freeman has been charged with a felony count of grand larceny for allegedly stealing a gun from A and K Giun Sales in the Village of Corfu.
Freeman was given an appearance ticket and told to return to court next week.

A court appearance ticket was also given to 18-year-old Eric Halsey of Main Street Road, Batavia.
Halsey is accused of grabbing a woman by the face, threatening to harm her…and smash the windows of her car.

Today marks one year since US Airways flight 1549 splash landed in New York's Hudson River. Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger safely guided the plane into the water after it struck a flock of birds shortly after taking off from LaGuardia Airport en route to North Carolina. His actions saved the lives of 155 people on board the jet.

Morning Summary

Dan Fischer — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:23:00 GMT

Two Batavia missionaries in Haiti at the time of the devastating earthquake, are confirmed safe and in good health this morning.
The two, Sharon Wolf and Zach Ashley, are both members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Batavia.

An Oakfield driver facing a felony charge and DWI.
24-year-old Craig Meyer of Albion Road, Oakfield, was stopped on Route 63 in the Town of Batavia yesterday. Meyer was allegedly drunk and operating his vehicle with a suspended license.

A Stafford woman in trouble for snowmobiling.
30-year-old Melissa Quigley of Main Rd., Stafford, was stopped early this morning and charged with operating a snowmobile while intoxicated, operating it without a helmet and operating the snowmobile without the permission of the owner.

Another case of “sexting” in Livingston County.
18-year-old Donald Gleanson of Avon has been charged with having inappropriate contact with a child via a cellphone.
Gleanson was jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Last week a substitute teacher in Mount Morris turned himself in to State Police following a complaint that he was sexting a student.

In response to the Governor’s call for ethics reform, Albany lawmakers are unveiling bipartisan legislation that will revolutionize ethical and campaign finance practices.
The current Legislative Ethics Commission would be divided into investigative groups to review ethical practice in the Senate and Assembly. Another six-member panel would oversee the Governor’s office.
The legislation does not change ethics practices in the judicial branch of government.
If passed, it is expected to take effect in the second half of this year.

In nearby Clarence, a construction worker is the state lottery’s latest millionaire.
49-year-old Robert Baker turned a $5 instant ticket into a million bucks. He'll get $33,000 a year for the next 20 years.
Baker says he’ll help his daughter through college and fix up an old car.

Batavia Missionaries in Good Health

Dan Fischer — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:46:00 GMT

Communications Limited in Haiti

Morning Summary

Dan Fischer — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:43:00 GMT

Two Batavia residents on a humanitarian mission to Haiti are reported to be OK following yesterday’s devastating earthquakeSharon Wolf and Zach Ashley were in Les Cayes, Haiti, about 100 miles west of Port au Prince. Sharon and Zach are both members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Batavia. They were due to return home this Monday but those plans are now uncertain given the devastation in the country caused by the quake.

Junior State Senator Hiram Monserrate may be on his way out.

A Senate Committee has recommended his expulsion or censure following his misdemeanor conviction. The Queens Democrat was found guilty last month of assaulting his girlfriend.

Western New York Senator Mike Ranzenhofer, whose district includes Genesee County, says Monserrate should be expelled from the State Senate.

Monserrate has said he will fight any effort to make him leave office.

The check was in the mail, but where did it go? State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli today called on the House Committee on Oversight to investigate how the U.S. Postal Service "misplaced" tens of thousands of New York State pension checks.

Still need a flu shot?

Genesee County is holding a flu vaccine clinic today. Both the seasonal flu and H1-N1 vaccines will be available. Today’s clinic will be held at the health department in County Building 2 on West Main Street Road from Noon until 4pm.

Genesee Community College Board of Trustees has approved a two year degree program in Veterinary Technology.

The new program will begin this fall with an initial class of 15 students.

The school calls the field a high demand profession.

It will prepare students to work in partnership with licensed veterinarians at animal hospitals, clinics, research labs and zoos.

Two Batavia Residents in Haiti

Dan Fischer — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:28:00 GMT

Two Batavia residents on a humanitarian mission to Haiti are reported to be OK following yesterday’s devastating earthquake.

Sharon Wolf and Zach Ashley were in Les Cayes, Haiti, about 100 miles west of Port au Prince.

Sharon and Zach are both members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Batavia.

They were due to return home this Monday but those plans are now uncertain given the devastation in the country caused by the quake.

Saturday Summary

Dan Fischer — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:15:00 GMT

Two persons were injured during a shooting spree in Brockport yesterday. The suspected gunman, Scott Pescara, 41, is in custody after the shooting west of the SUNY Brockport College and the Brockport Central School campus, at 6963 4th Section Road. It happened around 12:50 pm Friday afternoon. Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputies say that 41-year-old Deputy, Jonathan Strong was shot in the leg. A neighbor of Pescara, 60-year-old Nellie Marshall of Fourth Section Road was shot in the shoulder. The Brockport and Elementary School along with the SUNY Brockport campus were both locked down and all reads in the area were blocked off. Sheriff’s negotiators were able to contact Pescara by phone and then talked him into surrendering. The situation was apparently the result of a domestic situation according to authorities. Pescara is reportedly originally from Albion. Both victims were treated at the hospital and released.

Two persons have been arrested by Wyoming County Sheriff’s Deputies after what’s been called a domestic incident in the Town of Gainesville.
18-year-old James Dieter has been charged with menacing and 17 year old Meaghan Schiavi has been charged with Criminal Mischief. Both will have a return appearance in Town of Gainesville court.

A Kent man has been charged with felony DWI following a one car accident at the intersection of South Holley Road and North Bergen Road in the Town of Byron late last night. He’s identified as 43-year-old Stuart Newbould of Bridge Road in Kent. He was also ticketed for unreasonable speed and failure to stop at a stop sign.

Harold Ford Junior is pushing back against top Democrats, pressuring him not to run against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand this fall. Ford says he will not be "bullied or intimidated" by "party bosses," in his strongest statements to date that he is considering a return to politics in a Democratic primary. A Ford spokesman issued a statement late Friday to defend his interest in running. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called Mayor Bloomberg to ask him not to back Ford, while former Bloomberg campaign staff held a strategy session with the transplanted New Yorker this week. But Queens Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez says Harold Ford is too conservative for New York Democrats and urges Mayor Bloomberg to stay out.
Congresswoman Velazquez, a one-time Gillibrand rival, says Ford has too moderate of a record on abortion, gun rights, and gay rights. Senator Gillibrand is running in her first statewide election this November. Ford is set to deliver the keynote address next month before the state Association of Black and Puerto Rican Lawmakers in Albany.

Proposed City Budget Released

Dan Fischer — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:55:00 GMT

Tentative tax rate increase 3-percent

Morning Summary

Dan Fischer — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:20:00 GMT

Another suspected drug dealer operating in Batavia is off the streets.
The Genesee County Local Drug Task Force has busted 24-year-old John Tillman of Buffalo.
Tillman is accused of selling crack cocaine in and around Batavia.
He’s locked up without bail.

An arrest has been made in a year and a half old case of stolen tools.
Genesee County Sheriff’s Investigators have arrested 24-year-old John Testa of Stafford and charged him with possession of stolen property.
Lawmen say they found Testa in possession of tools taken from the construction site of the Lowe’s Home Store during the summer of 2008.
At the time of the heist, authorities estimated the value of the stolen tools at over $7,000.

A Mount Morris Central School substitute teacher has been arrested for sexting a message to a student.
24-year-old Adam Steen turned himself in after the parent of the student
filed a complain with the State Police.

New York State may be forced to delay paying its bills for a second straight month.
Governor David Paterson warned today that without deep spending cuts from the Legislature, the state will have to delay March payments to school districts, service providers and state employees.
State officials estimate New York will owe a total of $19-billion in March, with not enough cash in the budget to cover the bills.

Senator Chuck Schumer says the Bills' owner has assured him the team is staying put in Western New York. This comes after rumors swirled that a Southern California real estate company was trying to lure the Bills to a possible new stadium on the West Coast. Schumer says he has spoken with team owner Ralph Wilson who told him he has not had any contact with that company and is not seeking offers to relocate.

Morning Summary

Dan Fischer — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:13:00 GMT

Investigators today continue to look for the cause of a fire that killed three horses in Orleans County.
Fire swept a horse barn at the Lone Oak Stables on Norway Road in Kendall early yesterday.
The horses were the only animals in the barn.
An off duty firemen spotted the flames from a distance but the blaze had been burning for some time.

A Genesee County Sheriff’s deputy, posing as a pizza deliveryman, has arrested a Byron woman for identity theft.
21-year-old Alisha Ballard of Byron Road is facing numerous charges for allegedly using a stolen credit card to make purchases at a Byron Pizzeria.
Deputies also allege Alisha stole credit card numbers from customers while employed at the Citgo gas station in Batavia.
Deputy Brad Mazur delivered the pie and after Alisha signed the suspect credit card slip, - he busted her – all in 30 minutes or less.

The Buffalo father accused of fatally beating his infant son has been denied bail. Prosecutors say 26-year-old Darnell Miller pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree murder. Miller is accused of savagely beating his eight-month-old last October. Miller could face a mandatory life term if convicted.

Bills fans will get one final look this season at quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in the starting lineup. Fitzpatrick is likely to get the start for the final game of the year against Indianapolis. He had been nursing an ankle injury but was taking practice on Wednesday with the stating team. Brian Brohm, who started in last week's embarrassing loss to Atlanta was taking reps with the second string team.

Morning Summary

Dan Fischer — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:52:00 GMT

A local snowmobile club should have their bridge re-installed in the Town of Alabama within a month.Back in September, the Oakfield Sno-Packers built a small bridge over a creek. Just one month later, the county took the bridge out claiming the club had not followed proper procedure.With snowmobile season now in full swing, County Manager Jay Gsell says the wheels of government are slowly turning to re-install the span: LISTEN The bridge, which was removed in one piece, is now back in the possession of the Oakfield Sno-Packers.

There was a whole lotta swearing going on at the Genesee County Courthouse.

The oaths of office were administered last night to all office holders who won election in November. This list included Batavia City Councilmen and women, Town Officials and county legislators. The Batavia City Council holds their organizational meeting for the new term next Monday. Former Ward Two Councilwoman Mary Ann Clattenburg is expected to be named council president. Her successor in Ward Two has yet to be announced.

Admitted embezzler Paul Ryan Tenney has his sentencing delayed, again.

Tenney skimmed over a hundred-thousand dollars from Batavia contractor Elcon Incorporated, while working as the company’s bookkeeper.

Tenney’s sentencing has been delayed several times before, as the court attempted to confirm that Tenney had entered a drug treatment program.

Tenney’s new sentencing date is next Monday.

The Genesee County Local Drug Task Force busts two at a Batavia hotel.

Police say they received a tip about drug sales at the Days Inn off Noonan Drive.

A search of one room at the hotel turned up a thousand-dollars worth of crack cocaine and two suspects:

25-year-old Taheed Moffett and 22-year-old Lekisha Avant, both of Rochester, face felony drug charges.

That Canadian woman who led local police on a high speed chase two weeks from one end of Genesee County to the other, is facing a slew of charges.

In Genesee County alone, 24 year old Crystal Pinnock has been slapped with 14 traffic violations in four Genesee County towns and the city of Batavia. She also faces charges in Orleans County.

Drug Bust in Batavia

Dan Fischer — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:12:00 GMT

Two arrested in drug raid at Batavia Days Inn

Morning Summary

Dan Fischer — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:22:00 GMT

Bitter cold wind chills greets Batavia commuters this morning, along with 4 to 6 inches of new overnight snow.
The temperature at 7:00am was 4-degrees and with winds out of the west at 5 to 10 miles an hour, the wind chill was 10-degreesbelow zero.
The weather instruments at the State School for the Blind recorded a peak wind gust early this morning of 27 miles an hour.
All of Western New York is under a Winter Weather Advisory.
There are no specific watches or warnings for Genesee or Orleans Counties.
A lake-effect snow warning has been posted until six tonight for southern Erie, Wyoming, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties.

Flags will fly at half-staff tomorrow across New York State in honor of Army Specialist Jason Johnston of Albion.
Johnston, a member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, was killed on Saturday when his unit was attacked with an IED, an improvised explosive device planted along a roadside.
Johnston’s parents, Brad and Jenny Johnston, wrote in a statement to <i>WBTA News</i> that Jason always wanted to be in the military. He felt a strong sense of duty to serve. His parents said Jason wanted to attend Syracuse University following his term in the army.

The State Police union is upset with Governor Paterson over the size of his security detail.
Officials with the state Troopers Police Benevolent Association say the governor now has over 200 officers assigned to his detail, yet the governor has ordered a hiring freeze for new state troopers.
The number of state troopers on patrol has declined from nearly three-thousand in 2006 to about 27-hundred this year.

Batavia Police have released the condition of boy struck by a vehicle on Washington Avenue last Wednesday. Buffalo Women’s and Children’s Hospital reports that 13-year-old James DiFalco’s condition has improved from guarded, to stable.