Press release:

Proving that a minute can matter, Tompkins Bank of Castile is launching the fourth and final round of the quarterly Community Minute Challenge. Each quarterly winner is awarded $2,500; by the end of the contest, a total of $10,000 will have been provided in much-needed funds to local not-for-profit organizations.

“In each of the first three rounds, the support for the Community Minute Challenge has been impressive, with thousands of votes cast for the participating organizations,” said John McKenna, bank president and CEO.

“As proud members of the communities where we operate, we’re thankful for the important services that are provided by non-for-profit organizations in our area. We’re thrilled to be able to bring attention to their positive work through the Community Minute Challenge.”

The fourth round started on July 24 and runs through Aug. 7. The winning organization is determined by public voting on the Bank of Castile Facebook page, where visitors can watch the one-minute videos produced by participating nonprofits and then vote for their favorite. Each video explains how the non-profit would use the awarded funds. The six organizations competing in this round are:

• Delphi Drug and Alcohol Council Inc. (Monroe County)
• Friends of Letchworth State Park (Wyoming County)
• Friends of the Richmond Memorial Library (Genesee County)
• Genesee Cancer Assistance (Genesee County)
• Geneseo Parish Outreach Center (Livingston County)
• Gilda's Club Rochester (Monroe County)

To show support for the initiative and cast a vote, participants should “like” the Tompkins Bank of Castile Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TompkinsBankofCastile and click on the Community Minute Challenge app. They can then select their favorite nonprofit after watching the one-minute videos. Individuals can vote once per day during the contest period.

Launched in August 2016, the Community Minute Challenge has awarded $7,500 to date. The first-round winner was Going to the Dogs Rescue in Wyoming County, an organization dedicated to helping homeless pets find loving forever homes. The second-round winner was ARC of Genesee Orleans, a resource of choice for people with disabilities and their families in both Genesee and Orleans counties. The third-round winner was Community Action for Wyoming County, an organization that seeks to improve the quality of life of all people they serve by focusing on their needs, and encouraging them to realize their goals and become self-sufficient.

The Bergen Town Board is looking to earn a Clean Energy Community designation through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, NYSERDA, which would qualify Bergen to apply for grant funding.

The Clean Energy Communities Program is a $16 million initiative to help local governments across the state reduce energy consumption and drive clean energy use in their communities.

Hanna Quigley, from the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, said there are a total of 11 grants left.

In order to be eligible, Bergen must make changes to the community, in areas such as solar energy, LED technology and energy usage.  

Donald Cunningham, the supervisor of the Bergen Town Board, said the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council reached out directly to offer their services.

“They can do a study to see [which High Impact Actions] might be beneficial for us,” Cunningham said. “The study is of no charge.”

According to the NYSERDA website, local governments in New York State can use the Clean Energy Communities program to implement clean energy actions, save energy costs, create jobs and improve the environment. The program also recognizes and rewards leadership for the completion of clean energy projects.

If the town board decides to earn the Clean Energy Community designation, Bergen must complete four of the 10 High Impact Actions. These are, reporting the energy use of buildings, clean energy upgrades to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, converting street lights to LED technology, installing vehicle charging stations, increasing the number of solar rooftops, streamlining the approval process for solar, energy code enforcement training, a Climate Smart Communities Certification, offer energy upgrade financing to businesses and nonprofits, and community choice aggregation.

Cunningham said being a Clean Energy Community could lead to more requirements throughout the community.

“Basically, they still have grants available that they’re trying to use up,” Cunningham said. “It can’t hurt to try.”

The town board has until Sept. 30, 2019, or until the grant funds run out, to apply for the grants.

July 31 is the last chance for youths, ages 14 to 19, to apply for summer jobs through the Genesee County Career Center in Batavia.

This state-funded program offers 42 positions for youths to work 100 hours, approximately 20 hours a week, for minimum wage.

Lisa Smith, the employment and training counselor, said this is a great opportunity to get job experience.

“This gets them out into the community and building relationships,” Smith said.

Each youth will attend a three-day training, where they learn about how to interview, how to create a resume and cover letter, and how to interact with coworkers.

The Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union came to the last training, Smith said.

“They taught them how to balance a checkbook, how to write a check, and how to start saving money,” Smith said.

Once each person is placed, Smith visits once a week to check on the employee and employer.

This program has been around since 1980, serving Genesee County youths. They have worked at places such as the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District, rec programs, the Genesee County Animal Shelter, and public libraries in the area.

For those interested, they can contact Smith at 344-2042, ext. 4237, or by email at Lisa.Smith@co.genesee.ny.us, or stop by the Genesee County Career Center located at 587 E. Main St., Suite 100.

Reasons to hire an attorney for a workers’ compensation claim: 

• 1. The workers’ compensation system is complex, confusing, and often difficult to navigate. 2. We will look out for your best interests, fight on your behalf against the insurance carrier to maximize your benefits, and make sure your questions are answered. 
• 3. In some cases, you may be entitled to a financial award, even if you did not miss any time from work as a result of your work-related injury. 4. The insurance carrier will have a team of attorneys working on their behalf, having an attorney fighting on your behalf helps to level the playing field. 

Please call Kristin Allen at 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs. 

It's time once again for the big annual garage sale benefiting the Crossroads House. As always, there will be a large selection of items under the tents off of School Street. The sale begins tomorrow and runs through Saturday.

There is no separating the Christian faith of Deputy Brian Thompson and his work over the past 25 years with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

From his positive spirit, ready encouraging words for everybody he comes across and his gentle reminders that "life is temporary but eternity is forever," Thompson makes it clear he doesn't do one thing on Sunday and live his life differently.

"Sometimes we think we can compartmentalize things and say, 'Well I can have faith on Sunday but the rest of the time I'm just going to be like the world and be harsh,' and we can't be that. I tried not to compartmentalize who I am in God. And I think that's made me who I am as a police officer on the scene."

Thompson retired today and he said he can look back on a career where he thinks he's made a difference in people's lives, even people he's arrested.

"A lot of those citizens on that side of the law have become my friends over the years," Thompson said. "That's very rewarding to see people that are hating law enforcement, hating authority more or less -- and then to become great citizens in the community, and loving God or loving the Lord, or just maybe even having a wake-up call and change your life, and then reaching back and saying that they love me and care about me is very humbling."

Thompson said people have reminded him over the years that it wasn't his job to be a preacher or pastor while on the job, but that didn't mean he couldn't keep seeing each person he met someone special.

"Each individual person I run into is special and unique and made in God's image," Thompson said. "When we do that and we put them first in God's eyes, it makes you have more of a compassion for them. I haven't always perfectly done that, but I would say for the most part God has given me the courage and the patience and the endurance to be that for most of those persons over the years."

Thompson grew up in Genesee County. He attended Pavilion High School and then transferred to Oakfield-Alabama, where he graduated in 1986.

Thompson accepted Christ when he was 18.

At the time, from the outside people might have thought he had things together. He was an athlete and among the top 10 academically in his class, but inside, he said there was more anger than love.

"Alcohol was taking over my life," Thompson said.

Jesus, he said, "changed my life for eternity."

After graduation, Thompson joined the Army, which is where he got involved with K-9s.

He returned home in 1990, already a married man.

He met his wife, Amy, while in high school and through the first two years of his Army hitch, they stayed in touch through letters and phone calls and were married in 1988.

Brian and Amy have four children, Ethan, 23, Olivia, 20, Sophia, 16, and Gideon, 9.

In 1991, Thompson went to went to work for the Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer. After 18 months in the jail, he was transferred to road patrol. After road patrol and a sent on the Local Drug Task Force, he was offered a chance to become a K-9 handler again. He worked with three dogs over the course of his 14-year K-9 career: Yentl, Jay, and Pharoah.

One of the most dramatic events of Thompson's career occurred in Corfu in January 2014. The incident began when Thompson was dispatched to check on a car off the road. When he arrived, he recognized the subject in the car as Scott A. Kopper, who was wanted on a parole warrant. When Thompson attempted to get Kopper out of his vehicle, Kopper tried to drive off, dragging Thompson, whose arm was caught in the car door. A nearby truck driver intervened, possibly saving Thompson's life.

Kopper is currently serving a seven-year prison term for the assault.

"I love Scott," Thompson said. "I haven't had an opportunity to touch his life in jail yet but I'm hoping to, as I retire, to be able to reach out to Scott and continue that love. This started at the sentencing time to say 'I forgive you and I love you and you mean something.' But we all have to be held accountable for our actions. And he did something that almost cost me my life and almost cost other people's lives.

"But his life was spared. And I think it was spared for a reason. So I do pray that Scott comes to know the Lord and turns his life over to him. I have no control over that. All I can do is extend my hand to him and say 'I love you and I care about you and I hope your life is more fulfilled than it was before.' "

Top Photo: Thompson, middle, with Undersheriff Greg Walker and Sheriff Bill Sheron.

Press release:

Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer's bill (S5064) to permanently allow the use of rifles for big game hunting in Genesee County has been signed into law by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. 

Senator Ranzenhofer has issued the following statement:

“I am pleased to report that a new law will allow sportsmen in Genesee County to continue using rifles for big game hunting for years to come. The practice has proven to be successful since first enacted in 2015. Without action, the existing law would have expired later this year. That is why I worked throughout the 2017 Legislative Session to make the existing law permanent. Now, Genesee County will join other rural communities across New York State with a permanent provision.”

Press release:

In his continuing quest for bipartisanship, rare in today’s political climate, Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) will be hosting Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Staten Island) in his Assembly district to demonstrate the concerns and needs of Western New Yorkers. In return, Hawley will visit Cusick’s home, Staten Island, at some point in the future.

“I am excited to host Assemblyman Cusick and show him how our lives are different in another region of the state,” Hawley said. “I am pleased that he accepted my invitation to travel the many miles to our area and his acceptance illustrates the bipartisanship and common bond we all have as state lawmakers despite the quarreling and vigorous policy debates we have in Albany. I hope other lawmakers follow our lead and remember that our common goal is to make all of New York a better place to live.”

"Although I have long represented a district in one of New York City's greenest boroughs known fondly as 'The Borough of Parks,' I believe my trip to Genesee and Orleans may challenge what I have always thought of as 'green space,' " said Assemblyman Cusick. "Very much looking forward to taking up Assemblyman Hawley on his kind offer to tour these beautiful counties."

Batavia High School's Tee Sean Ayala, one of the Blue Devils' stars on the court, posted some big games in the national AAU D1 championships in Florida this week.

Playing in the senior division, though he's coming into his junior year, Ayala scored in double digits in four of the six games he played in as his team, the Rap Stars, went 4-3, made the Elight Eight, and finished sixth in the tournament.

(Ayala, back row, far right, in uniform.)

New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II has appointed Major Edward J. Kennedy, of Buffalo, as the 24^th Troop Commander of Troop A. Major Kennedy began his career in the State Police on Oct. 2, 1989 when he entered the New York State Police Academy. Major Kennedy has served most of his career in the Western New York area.
 
In 1999, he was promoted to Investigator and worked out of SP Wellsville. In October 2002, he was promoted to Senior Investigator and assigned to SP Jamestown.
 
In March of 2007, he was promoted to Lieutenant of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations and assigned to SP Farmingdale, Long Island. After seven months in Long Island he was reassigned to Professional Standards Bureau Western region, which covers Troops A, E. After a few months he was reassigned to SP Jamestown as the Uniform Lieutenant. In April of 2009, he was assigned to SP Batavia as the Lieutenant of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
 
In September of 2012, he was reassigned to acting Zone 3 Commander (Jamestown area) and in March of 2013 promoted to Captain of Zone 3, Troop A. In February 2014, he was reassigned to Troop T, SP Buffalo as Captain, which covers the Thruway from Rochester to the Erie, Pa., line.
 
Major Kennedy’s appointment to Troop A Commander was effective July 13, 2017. He replaces Major Steven Nigrelli who was promoted to Staff Inspector of Professional Standards Bureau - Western region. 
 
As the Troop A Commander, Kennedy will oversee the State Police operations in the eight counties of Western New York including Niagara, Orleans, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany. More than 430 civilian and sworn members are under Major Kennedy’s command.
 
Major Kennedy grew up in the Buffalo area and is a 1985 graduate of Buffalo State College.  He is married and has three children.

A  motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported on the area of 8015 Hopkins Road, Pembroke.

Pembroke fire and Indian Falls fire, with Mercy EMS, dispatched.

The roadway is blocked.

One patient is on the ground, on the lawn. A chief is asking for the availability of Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 8:28 a.m.: Mercy Flight requested to the scene.

While Genesee County's unemployment rate remains lower than state and national averages, it still was slightly higher in this past June than it was 12 months before.

The June rate was 4.2 percent, up from 3.9 percent a year ago.

The rate for the state and nation is 4.5 percent, which in both cases is an improvement over a year ago when the rates were 4.7 and 5.1.

Genesee County also didn't add any new jobs year over year, with 24,000 jobs reported in the county for June 2016 and June 2017.

The Rochester-area unemployment rate is 4.8 and in the Buffalo area it is 5.1.

There are 29,000 people with jobs in Genesee County. A year ago, there was 29,500. There are 1,300 people without jobs who are considered part of the labor force. Last year, that number was 1,200.

Press release:

The City of Batavia received notification this week from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) that it will be recognized for its performance management efforts with a Certificate of Achievement from the ICMA Center for Performance Analytics™.

The Center encourages the use and public reporting of comparative performance in order to foster organizational cultures that deliver results that matter.

Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said, “It is wonderful to be recognized for solid transparent decision making. Making sure the public has access to information we use to make decisions allows everyone to monitor how the City does its business.”

The City regularly updates its Strategic Plan outcomes and performance management system on the City’s website at: http://www.batavianewyork.com/sites/bataviany/files/u151/2016-17_final.pdf.

In addition to being recognized, the City of Batavia’s Employee Engagement Survey is highlighted as a leading practice among certificate recipients.

According to Assistant City Manager Gretchen DiFante, who led the employee survey efforts, “The survey for which we got an 86-percent return rate served as the foundation of our formal leadership initiative, which kicked off in 2015. Trust is at the foundation of leadership, and we are proud that our employees from every department participated in sharing their perceptions of Leadership across the organization.

“We’ll be re-surveying every three years to gauge improvement and stay on track.”

The survey can be found on the ICMA website https://icma.org/node/93855.

“Performance management is a bedrock principle of professional local government management,” ICMA Executive Director Marc A. Ott said. “By recognizing these leaders, ICMA hopes to encourage others to make a commitment to collect and analyze data, report it transparently, and use it to continuously engage their communities and improve their organizations.”

Performance management aids in cost reduction, program prioritization, and quality improvement. It also encourages accountability and transparency. Certificates are based on established criteria and are awarded at three levels: Achievement, Distinction, and the highest level of recognition, Excellence.

Recipients at all levels collect and verify data to ensure reliability, train staff in performance measurement, and report data to the public through budgets, newsletters, and/or information provided to elected officials. Batavia is among 19 jurisdictions receiving the Certificate of Achievement, and one of 57 recognized overall, and only the second in the State of New York to receive this type of recognition. 

Sasha, the Crossroads House dog, was test driving one of the peddle cars we will be selling at The Annual Crossroads House Garage Sale this weekend. This year features more than 6,000 square feet of covered tent and garage space loaded with merchandise.

We have furniture for every budget and taste. Housewares galore, collectibles, glassware, antiques, small appliances, brand new items and more. Items will be replenished throughout the sale so plan to come each day on School Street behind Ficarella's Pizzeria. We will have a preview day again this year on Wednesday July 26th from 9am to noon. There is a $10 admission for that day only and prices will be firm.

New this year will be expanded, later hours on Thursday and Friday where we will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday we will have special one price bag and box sales from 9 a.m. to noon.

As always, hot dogs and drinks will be available for purchase Thursday and Friday, courtesy of the First Baptist Church There are bargains and buys for everyone and 100 percent of the proceeds will help us continue to be a gift TO the community made possible BY the community. For more information on the sale, please click here to visit us online.

Photo submitted by Jason Ball. Article by Jason Ball.

Champions!!!! Is the new title for a group of Pembroke baseball players who won the annual 10U Nunda baseball tournament this Sunday in Nunda.

The tournament was composed of seven teams Pembroke, Arkport, Campbell, Nunda, Letchworth, Perry and Wayland.

The tournament started on Tuesday night with Pembroke facing off against Nunda.  

Nunda took the first game 16-10.

"It was a good tough fought game, our team grinded back but we came up short," said Jason Ball, head coach of the Dragons. "My assistants Jason Hootman, Jeff Abbatiello and I made a few changes stayed positive with our players and kept at it. Our team is resilient, and we believe we work harder than anyone out there and it shows on days like this."

The Dragons went on to beat Letchworth 8-4 in the next round and tied with them for first place in their pool.

Nunda, Letchworth, and Pembroke were all tied 1-1.

Nunda had 26 runs against Letchworth and Pembroke each had 20 runs against; a coin flip would decide the #1 seed and Pembroke won.

Ready to battle into the semifinals, Pembroke would take on #2 seed Campbell and come out victorious in a 6-3 final.

The Championship game would be decided Sunday between Pembroke and Perry.

"It was a fantastic game," Ball said. "Our boys came right out in the first inning and put two runs on the board and never looked back."

The Dragons won the matchup 10-4 to take the trophy back to their hometown.

"As a tournament coach, you have to ask yourself 'what is our goal?' Ours originally was to just get experience, then we were competitive, then we won. What more can you ask for from 9- and 10-year-old kids? These are a fantastic group of kids and the great thing about this team is there is only three 10-year-olds so our team is young and hungry for the game. Two of our 10-year-olds were the ace pitchers of the tournament."

Owen Hootman and Evan Schwerthoffer each pitched 12 innings in the tournament and combined for an impressive total of 55 strikeouts.

"These two boys have been our pitchers for the last two years and have worked very hard at their craft to be this successful," Bell said.

Kylan Ball led the way at the plate with eight hits .667 average, five RBIs, seven stolen bases, eight runs scored and four doubles.

"Our boys brought out the bats," Ball said.

Trey Newton had three extra base hits and hit .600. Anthony Abbatiello had seven hits, for a .467 average. Aiden Baldulf, Owen Hootman, and Evan Schwerthoffer all hit over .400.

The Pembroke team: Head Coach Jason Ball, assistant coaches Jason Hootman and Jeff Abbatiello, Players: Trey Newton, Kylan Ball, Owen Hootman, Evan Schwerthoffer, Anthony Abbatiello, Nolan Ball, Owen Shultz, Aiden Balduf, Brien Tyoe, Jayden Bridge, Landen Santini and Dylan Vaughn. 

A motor-vehicle accident is reported at the intersection of Ellicott Street and Liberty Street, Batavia.

One person has a complaint of chest pain.

City fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Lights along Park Road: The white light in the top of the frame is in the Town of Batavia and one of the new LED lights installed by National Grid. The two yellow streetlights in the background are in the City of Batavia.

Press release:

National Grid has converted 72 streetlights to LEDs in the Town of Batavia, which should reap the rewards of long-term cost and energy savings. The streetlight changeover represents the largest such LED streetlight conversion completed by National Grid in Western New York.

The streetlights were retrofitted as part of National Grid’s Outdoor Street Lighting Conversion Program, which enables communities to switch from high-pressure sodium lights to high-efficiency LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting. The conversion was completed in May.

The Outdoor Street Lighting Conversion Program is open to all of National Grid’s Upstate New York municipal and governmental streetlighting customers with roadway style fixtures and promotes the adoption of energy-efficient LED technology through the transition of company-owned streetlights.

“We converted the streetlights for long-term cost savings for our residents, which could total around $2,000 annually,” said Town of Batavia highway superintendent Tom Lichtenthal.

“Working with National Grid, there was a little bit of a learning curve in the beginning of this process. But in the end, everything went very smoothly and the installation procedures were completed quickly.”

In the Town of Batavia, the streetlights were converted at a cost of $9 per month over a 10- year period. An incentive that the town received from New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) was built into the streetlighting program that translates to energy savings over time.

LEDs have no filament, produce less heat, and should require less maintenance over time. They require no warmup period to reach full brightness and make it easier for motorists and pedestrians to recognize objects.

“Visually, LEDs produce a distinctly whiter, brighter light compared to the yellow hue cast by traditional high-pressure sodium lights,” said National Grid regional manager Ken Kujawa.

“When working with us, municipalities often consider this difference when specifying which lights to convert, particularly in situations where LED and high-pressure sodium streetlights may be on the same street or in close proximity.”

For LED conversion, NYSERDA offers grant incentives to local governments through its Clean Energy Communities program. More information is available at www.nyserda.ny.gov.

National Grid encourages customers considering LED streetlight conversion to seek additional information from knowledgeable lighting professionals in order to make fully informed decisions. 

A motor-vehicle accident(s) occurred on the eastbound Thruway in the area of mile marker 379.9. Le Roy Fire Department is on scene and there's one ambulance there. Three more ambulances are called in to two sites in the vicinity of the crash. Caledonia ambulance is secured along with two Mercy rigs.

"A fawn is in the backyard and confused about how to get over the fence," says a dispatcher. Le Roy Police are responding to the area of 18 Gilbert St. to see if they can be of help.