City fire responds to Porch fire on South Swan
City fire is on scene of a small porch fire at 202 S. Swan St., Batavia.
No information is available at this time on the cause of the fire.
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Batavia had plenty of mom-and-pop stores once upon a time
Memories have a way of making you shed the years and return to the times when you were young. Life was simple and uncomplicated then. It doesn't matter what decade; many of us share a similar memory of a corner grocery store in Genesee County.
They all were a little different in size but carried the same items. It depended on where you lived, and this determined which store was considered your grocery store. At one time, there was a mom-and-pop store on almost every corner.
We would load up the wagon with pop bottles that we could return for money. If we had 20 bottles, we could earn 40 cents, and that could buy a whole bag of candy!
The excitement was when you would ask to see the box of penny candy. You could choose from many sugary treats such as Chum Gum, Pixy Sticks, Tootsie Rolls, wax lips, Bazooka bubble gum, and Safety Pop suckers, to name only a few. For a nickel, you could also buy a giant chocolate bar.
When was the birth of the mom and pop stores? One advertisement for such a store dated back to 1841. The ad stated that G. Diamond had a store that sold groceries and liquor. In 1871 Dailey's store was located at 28 and 30 Main St. In 1877, Charles G. Huggins had a store at 64 Main St. called Choice Groceries. Combs and Kerslake had a meat market and grocery store in 1889. Another store, L.C. Lorish Store, was located at 21-23 Jackson St. in 1890.
The Oriental Company at 43 Main St. sold tea, coffee and baking powder. There was a Jones Central Market at 5 Jackson St., J.S. Callahan Grocery at 26 Main St., and Kellogg Grocery on Oak and West Main streets. The Phelps Store was located at 113 Main St. The Flatiron Cash Grocery building was moved from Pearl Street to another retail location on the same street.
Caito brothers had a store at 56 Main St.; they sold fruits and vegetables. John S. Brown of 18 Main St. served customers from 1890 to 1928. Casey Brothers store at 118 Main St. was the longest-running store. They were in business for 40 years.
The city directories for 1939 show there were 25 mom-and-pop stores operating that year. In 1940 there were 23 stores open. The figures jumped dramatically in 1947 to 42 stores. In 1959 there were 22 stores, and then in 1968, there were only 19 stores. By 1975 there were 21 stores, and in 1988 there were just five. Sadly in 1995, only two stores remained.
The names of the stores often changed, but the locations stayed the same for many years. An example would be the store on Oak Street. In 1939 it was called Burch's. Later it became Reinhardt's, then the Short Stop.
Do you remember going to a store on Washington Avenue that you had to walk downstairs to the basement to reach the store? In 1947 it was owned by Regina Murphy and was called Downy's. I remember the store when it was known as Quartley's. Guastaferro and Pelletteries owned a store at 103 Jackson at different times. Johnston Food Store was located at 106 W. Main St. Later this store was called Corrigans.
On Main St., there was Ashes Grocery and Peter's delicatessen. On the corner of Bank and North streets was Lambert's Northside Grocery. That was where my friend Cathy and I, on a snow day, walked in a blizzard to buy Beatles cards in the '60s.
There were two stores on Ross Street -- 13 Ross and 132 Ross. The latter store changed hands many times from John Lowe to Howard Lentz, Samuel Caito, Hart and Hart, Red and White, Cummings, and then to Say's Grocery. You can't forget Perk's Red and White on the corner of Hutchins and Ellicott. Scaffetta's was on the corner of Maple and Evans Street.
I remember Bill's Meat Market at 208 Swan St. Like many others, I would go in there and buy my meat in the '70s. Bill would let you charge your purchases, and his bookkeeping method was unique. He would use meat-wrapping paper to record what customers bought and owed. When you paid your bill, he would cross off your name. Previous owners were Casimer Krause and Edwin Kiebala.
The store at 162 Jackson also had many owners. Sara Brown and Charles McNall were owners of this store in the '60s.
On the corner of Liberty and Ellicott streets was a store that had many owners. In 1937 Rose Maniace was the owner; it later changed hands and was called Bennett's Grocery. It later became known as Pieo Grocers. Salvadore Marchese and later the Riccobonos owned it for many years. Another fond memory I have was going in there as a young girl and watching my father buy Italian cheese for our Sunday meals. Now known as Southside Deli, it has been a landmark in this area for many years.
The one store that was a constant was Granger and Company. That was the tall building located at 17-23 Evans St. This was where most of these mom-and-pop stores bought the food items to sell. Granger's was a wholesale grocer and served small grocery stores and restaurants. It was initially a mill where flour was made and also had two roundhouses on the property.
Today, the last roundhouse is a UR Medicine Primary Care office.
As with the birth of the mom-and-pop store, we also have their deaths. One by one, these little landmarks would close their doors, taking with them the memories of family-owned establishments. Inevitably the big stores came to Batavia. Loblaws, Super Duper, Star Market, Jubilee, and Tops were the big names in grocery stores.
Today we have Tops Friendly Market, Save-a-Lot, and Aldi for grocery shopping. We still have corner stores, but larger supermarkets usually own them, not individual families.
I was inspired to write this story about the early stores because my father-in-law worked at Granger's for 47 years. He knew where every mom-and-pop store was located and all of the former owners by name. He had wonderful stories to go along with each store; I only wish I had written them all down.
This article is dedicated to Henry F. Starowitz Sr., the wholesale grocer who kept the mom-and-pop stores' shelves filled with groceries.
Please note that this article only contains the names of the stores for the years: 1939, `40, `47, `59, `61, `68, `75, `88, `95, and 2000. This is just a sampling of the mom-and-pop stores that were in Batavia. I know that all of the hamlets, villages, and towns in Genesee County have their mom-and-pop store memories, too.
This article is from my book "Back In the Day, Snapshots of Local History, The Way I See it."
Photos from the Genesee County History Department and Holland Land Office Museum.
Editor's note: Slight changes have been made to reprint this article.
Two-car accident reported at Richmond and Bogue
A two-car accident is reported at Richmond Avenue and Bogue Avenue, Batavia.
One person is complaining of neck pain.
City fire and Mercy EMS responding.
Photos: Public Market opens in Downtown Batavia
Without any prior publicity, the Genesee Country Farmers' Market opened for the season today.
The public market is now located over by the former JC Penney building off of Alva Place.
We have no information on hours of operation this year.
Video: Sunscreen dispensers installed at DeWitt
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Press release:
Summer is quickly approaching and many children are eagerly waiting to hear the final school bell so they can enjoy a couple months of fun in the sun, including some family outings to the local park. New this year, families who forget to pack sunscreen at DeWitt Recreation Area won’t have to worry.
United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) and the Genesee County Parks Department are partnering to prevent park visitors from getting skin cancer. Through a grant provided to UMMC’s Healthy Living Program, five sunscreen dispensers have been installed throughout DeWitt Recreation Area for the 50,000 people who frequent it each year.
“Skin cancer rates are increasing every year,” said Laurie Thornley, UMMC’s Healthy Living manager. “It’s the country’s most commonly diagnosed cancer and it can be prevented. By putting these sunscreen dispensers in our local parks, we’re making sun protection more accessible. Sunscreen is a vital part of sun safety and we’ve put the solution right there for you in the park.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), five million people are treated for skin cancer in the United States every year; with 37 percent of U.S. adults reported having been sunburned in the past year.
“If you forget the sunscreen at home you don’t have to worry about burning your skin,” Paul Osborn, Deputy Highway superintendent. “We want the community to enjoy the many activities DeWitt Recreation Area has to offer, from fishing and kayaking to hiking and having a picnic, but to do so in a safe manner.”
This project is supported by Health Research Inc. and the New York State Department of Health with funds from the Centers for Disease Control.
Accident at Ellicott and Jackson in the city
An accident is reported at Ellicott and Jackson streets in the city. Unknown injuries. City fire, police and Mercy medics are responding.
UPDATE 11:39 a.m.: Two vehicles involved; two patients are being evaluated.
UPDATE 11:58 a.m.: A gold Chrysler minivan with Florida plates was southbound on Jackson and it appears to have missed the right turn lane when the driver decided to make a right anyway and go around the little turn island. At that point, the minivan was struck by a sedan. No injuries.
UPDATE AND CLARIFICATION (By Howard) 1:20 p.m.: Upon further investigation, police have determined the Chrysler van was southbound on Jackson and was not attempting a right turn. It was continuing straight. The van had a green light, according to Sgt. Mitch Cowen. The white vehicle was northbound (it might look like westbound on Ellicott Street but the state considers Route 63 a northbound/southbound roadway) and allegedly ran the red light. The driver of the Chrysler decided to be transported to UMMC for evaluation.
Dog is hanging out a second-story window on Hutchins Street in the city
A dog is reportedly hanging half out of a second-story window at 129 Hutchins St. in the city. The caller is concerned the dog will drop onto the roof, and/or slide off of it. City fire is dispatched.
Tops Markets award two scholarships in Genesee County
Press release:
Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in Upstate New York, Vermont, and Northern Pennsylvania, announced today that it has awarded $267,350 dollars to 238 Tops first-year and matriculated college associates, associate dependents, and associate grandchildren for the 2021-2022 academic year.
In Genesee County, Mary Caprio, of Oakfield, and Margaret Demare, of Batavia, were both awarded scholarships for $1,150 each.
Since the start of the scholarship program in 1989, Tops has awarded $21,700,000 dollars to more than 22,000 recipients.
“Each year, we are pleased to work with our Union partners to award Tops associates, their dependents and their grandchildren with college scholarships” said Frank Curci, president and CEO of Tops Markets. “We proudly support all associates and associates’ family members who choose to further their education by providing funding toward all four years of their educational journey.”
All Tops associates, union and nonunion, their dependents and grandchildren are eligible to apply for scholarship awards ranging from $1,000 to $1,500 annually over the course of four academic years.
Through partnership with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local One, Tops Markets makes an annual contribution to the UFCW health care fund. The funds are then disbursed by the Union to Tops Markets part-time and full-time union associates. Part time and full time associates who are not UFCW Local One members, their dependents and their grandchildren are eligible to apply for scholarships through the Tops Scholarship Program.
Applicants to both the UFCW health care fund and the Tops Scholarship Program must meet certain scholastic and work performance criteria in order to be considered eligible for an award.
Batavia's Margaret Cecere named to spring dean's list at Kutztown University
Nearly 2,300 students have been named to the Spring 2021 dean's list at Kutztown University, including Margaret R. Cecere, of Batavia.
To be eligible for the dean's list, an undergraduate student must be registered for at least 12 credits and have a minimum grade-point average of 3.60.
About Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Founded in 1866, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education located on 289 acres nestled in the beautiful East Penn Valley in Berks County, between Reading and Allentown, Pennsylvania. KU is just two hours from New York City; 90 minutes from Philadelphia.
As the region's center for excellence in academics, culture and public engagement, KU's programs and reputation for quality offer students the opportunity to discover lifelong avenues of learning and discovery. KU students select from more than 100 areas of study within four colleges in a diverse liberal arts academic environment. To complement their studies, KU's NCAA Division II athletics program with 21 varsity sports joins the more than 160 student clubs and organizations providing students with a variety of activities for learning and discovery.
Batavia's Paige Haile and Elba's Jacob Gangi named Presidential Scholars at Clarkson University
Two local students have been named Presidential Scholars for the Spring 2021 semester at Clarkson University.
- Paige Elizabeth Haile, of Batavia, a sophomore majoring in Biology, was named a Presidential Scholar.
- Jacob Perez Gangi, of Elba, a senior majoring in Civil Engineering, was named a Presidential Scholar.
Presidential Scholars must achieve a minimum 3.80 grade-point average and carry at least 14 credit hours.
As a private, national research university, Clarkson is a leader in technological education and sustainable economic development through teaching, scholarship, research and innovation. We ignite personal connections across academic fields and industries to create the entrepreneurial mindset, knowledge and intellectual curiosity needed to innovate world-relevant solutions and cultivate the leaders of tomorrow. With its main campus located in Potsdam and additional graduate program and research facilities in the New York Capital Region, Beacon, and New York City, Clarkson educates 4,300 students across 95 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, the arts, education, sciences and health professions. Our alumni earn salaries that are among the top 2.5 percent in the nation and realize accelerated career growth. One in five already leads as a CEO, senior executive or owner of a company.
Darrell the declawed cat is missing in the city
Missing from the Williams Street / Otis Street area in the City of Batavia is a beloved pet cat named Darrell.
Short hair, black, with a few white hairs on his chest.
No collar. Declawed and neutered male. Indoor cat.
Friendly, but may be afraid since he isn't used to being outside.
If you find him or even see him in your area, please call or text (585) 297-3009.
Video: Memorial Day Parade 2021 in Batavia
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Law and Order: Woman accused of subjecting victim to physical harm and yelling racial slurs at theme park
Haley Christine Keyser, 35, of Strasbourg Drive, Cheektowaga, is charged with aggravated harassment -- physical contact due to race, and disorderly conduct. Following a complaint at Six Flags Darien Lake at 5:28 p.m. May 30, Keyser was arrested. She allegedly subjected a victim to physical harm, yelled obscenities and racial slurs in a public place. She was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Darien Town Court on June 17. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, assisted by Sgt. Andrew Hale.
Matthew Jacob Zon, 39, of East Main Street, Byron, is charged with criminal contempt in the first degree and criminal obstruction of breathing. He was arrested at 6:35 p.m. May 29 after a disturbance on East Main Street in the Town of Byron. Zon was arraigned in Town of Stafford Court and put in Genesee County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash, $5,000 bond, or $15,000 partially secured bond. Zon is due in Genesee County Court on June 28. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jonathan Dimmig, assisted by Deputy Kyle Tower.
Tevin Bloom, 27, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing, second-degree harassment and criminal mischief. At 9 p.m. on May 20, Bloom was arrested after an investigation into a domestic incident where Bloom was allegedly involved in a physical altercation. He allegedly damaged property inside the victim's apartment. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and is due there June 23.
Dustin Wilcox, 36, was arrested on May 20 by Batavia Police Officer Peter Post and charged with disorderly conduct. It is alleged that he was involved in a fight on Washington Avenue. He was issued an appearance ticket to be in Batavia City Court today (June 1).
Lawrence Boone, 30, was arrested outside a Batavia residence after being located by police May 20; he is charged with disorderly conduct. It is alleged that he physically fought another male in the street. Boone was due in Batavia City Court on May 25.
Rachel Baehr, 34, was arrested May 21 and charged with second-degree harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. At 2:57 p.m. May 14 on Oak Street, it is alleged Baehr was involved in a physical altercation during a domestic incident. She was issued an appearance ticket for a future date in Batavia City Court.
Kevin Thomas, 32, turned himself in on numerous active warrants May 18 and was arraigned in Batavia City Court. He is charged with burglary in the second degree, criminal contempt in the second degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, criminal mischief in the third degree; endangering the welfare of a child; and first-degree criminal contempt. The charges stem from a domestic incident that occurred May 4 on Walnut Street. Bail was set at $1 and Thomas is due back in court June 22.
Ray Spencer-Lindqui Saile, 19, of Judge Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with second-degree menacing. On May 28 at 3:45 a.m., the dispatch center received a report of a domestic incident involving a knife on Bloomingdale Road in Alabama. An investigation at the scene allegedly revealed the defendant possessed a knife, which caused the victim to fear being injured. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin McCarthy, assisted by Sgt. Michael Lute.
Ernest Jerome Heineman, 40, of Old Creek Road, Alexander, is charged with aggravated harassment in the second-degree. At 3 a.m. on May 30, Heineman was arrested for an incident that occurred at 7:30 p.m. May 1 on Old Creek Road. It is alleged that he sent threatening text messages to a person, causing them to fear for their safety. He was arraigned in Alexander Town Court and he was served with an order of protection. He is due in Genesee County Court July 13. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Nicholas Chamoun, assisted by Deputy Jordan Alejandro.
Stephanie Lynn Salcido, 31, of Walden Creek Drive, Batavia, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of drugs and alcohol; driving a motor vehicle on a sidewalk; failure to stop at a stop sign; and failure to keep right. At 11 p.m. on May 30, Salcido was arrested on the charges. She was issued appearance tickets and is due in Batavia City Court on June 16. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Nicholas Chamoun, assisted by Sgt. Andrew Hale.
Zachari Morgan, 25, is charged with second-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree. He was arrested May 26 at DeWitt Recreation Area after he allegedly threw a rock at another person, striking them in the head during an altercation. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice. Then on May 27, Morgan was arrested and charged with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. It is alleged that at 5:11 p.m. on May 25, Morgan slapped and threw a person to the ground, causing injury, during a domestic incident at DeWitt Recreation Area. He was arraigned in city court and released on his own recognizance. Morgan is due back in court July 8.
Modesto Domingo-Cardenas, 27, is charged with unlawful imprisonment in the second degree and harassment in the second degree. He was arrested after a domestic incident at 1:15 p.m. May 25 on Pearl Street in Batavia. It is alleged that he slapped a person and then attempted to prevent them from leaving the residence. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court July 1.
Thomas Martin, 80, is charged with third-degree menacing following a dispute at 5:04 p.m. May 26 on McKinley Avenue. Martin allegedly threatened another male. He was issued an appearance ticket for June 1 in Batavia City Court.
Eric Gant Jemison, 48, of West Center Street, Medina, is charged with: operating a motor vehicle while having a BAC of .08 percent or more -- first offense; driving while intoxicated -- first offense; operating a motor vehicle without stop lights. At 9:05 p.m. on May 28, Jemison was arrested after deputies responded to Judge Road in Alabama for a complaint of a vehicle that struck a stop sign and drove away. Deputies located the vehicle a short time later. Jemison was released with appearance tickets for June 8 in Alabama Town Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush, assisted by Deputy Kyle Tower.
Timothy James Passage, 37, of Squire Court, Amherst, is charged with possession of a forged instrument in the first degree. At 12:22 p.m. on May 28, Passage was arrested on a warrant out of Town of Pembroke Court. He allegedly passed a fake U.S. $20 bill while at Tim Hortons in Pembroke. He was transported to Genesee County Jail to be arraigned virtually. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Kevin McCarthy, assisted by Deputy Chad Cummings.
Joseph Freeman, 38, and Lynn Homer, 48, were arrested on warrants out of Batavia City Court at 3:38 p.m. April 28. It is alleged that they stole while together at a local business. They were arraigned in city court then released under supervision of Genesee Justice. Freeman is due back in court June 23; Homer is due back in court June 24.
Kyle Shea, 26, was arrested May 20 on a warrant out of Batavia City Court for failure to appear after appearance tickets were served. It is alleged that Shea was driving a motor vehicle on Aug. 9 on Willow Street while his driver's license was suspended and so was the vehicle's registration. Shea turned himself in, was arraigned in city court, and the matter was resolved by plea. No further court proceedings are pending.
Paul Schwartzmeyer, 42, was arrested and charged with having a dog running at large. It is alleged that at 8:05 p.m. May 18 at an apartment complex parking lot, Schwartzmeyer allowed his dog to run at large and it attacked another dog. He was issued an appearance ticket to be in Batavia City Court on June 15.
Scanner: Goats in the road in Byron, car parked on wrong side of the street in the city
Goats are in the roadway at 7015 Townline Road, Byron, east of Tripp Road.
"The caller's trying to keep them out of the roadway," says the dispatcher.
Genesee County Sheriff's deputies are responding.
Meanwhile in the city, police are asked to respond to Summit Street near North Street for a report of a vehicle parked on the wrong side of the street.
UPDATE 11:09 a.m.: In the city, the responding officer says "All the vehicles are legally parked; I'll be clear."
