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By the fall, three deputies with the Sheriff's Office will become school resource officers in Alexander, Pavilion and Pembroke, so the County Legislature is being asked to add three new positions to the Sheriff's Office staff.

Sheriff William Sheron said the three deputies who will become SROs have been interviewed by their respective school districts and approved. He plans to announce their names next week after the Legislature approves the new positions and the contracts with the school districts.

The deputies will join Deputy Matt Butler, serving Byron-Bergen, and Deputy Chad Cummings at BOCES.

Pavilion has budgeted for a deputy serving as SRO for 12 months. Alexander and Pembroke, for 10.

The members of the Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday had questions about what happens with the SROs when school is out of session.

For BOCES and Byron-Bergen, there are events, as well as summer school, where the deputies' presence is possible.

In Butler's case, Sheron said the deputy will also build up a lot of comp time over the course of a school year, primarily from covering sporting events, and that Butler will take his comp time and vacation time during the summer. He will also work some road patrol and assist with Darien Lake security.

This will be the first summer for Cummings since becoming SRO at BOCES.

Each deputy will decide how to balance ongoing school needs, vacation and comp time during the summer, Sheron said.

In the case of the district's with only 10-month contracts, those deputies are more likely to wind up back on road patrol during the summer.

"Historically, both these schools that have them now, started off with 10 months but went to a whole year," said Legislator Gordon Dibble, former chief deputy for the Sheriff's Office. "I don’t think there is any reason these other schools won’t experience the same thing and eventually absorb that cost. I think it’s getting your foot in the door. It’s a lot easier to get your foot in the door for 10 and then add 12 after, from what I've seen."

Patrick McGee, principal at Byron-Bergen High School, attended Wednesday's meeting to discuss his school's experience with an SRO. He said Butler is more than a cop on the beat. He's a mentor, a positive influence, and a deterrent.

"He was at the prom," McGee said. "That’s the ultimate thing — no kids are going to come to the prom under the influence when you have a drug recognition expert. They know he’s standing right there. It’s not to scare them but it is a deterrent to certain behavior."

There's no price you can put on the safety of children, Sheron said, and such deterrence is invaluable.

"That’s the thing with deterrence," Sheron said. "You don’t know what you’re stopping. You’ll never know."

Jenn Martino-West shared this picture from early this morning of a deer helping herself to birdseed on South Pearl Street.

For the second year in a row, Reyncrest Farm held Genesee County's annual dairy days and yesterday 630 kindergarten students attended from various surrounding schools in the county. 

As technology changes, family farms adapt differently with land resources. Every two years a different farm gets rotated, said Shelly Stein of the Agricultural Farmland Protection Board for Genesee County. 

Family member Kelly Reynolds said the farm has 15 full-time employees plus six family members, who work with 1,200 milk cows plus 1,100 young stock consisting of calves and heffers around the clock seven days a week on the farm.  

On a Tuesday night, there is probably no place in Batavia with more positive energy flowing than St. Anthony's on Liberty Street.

The former Catholic Church property is now owned an operated by City Church and for more than a year, church leaders have been opening up the gym and community rooms for basketball, games, an art class, and dance lessons.

And everybody -- white, black, rich, poor, young, old -- is having a good time.

"We're just showing the love of Christ and reaching out in care and love," said Ryan Macdonald, who was running the events last night. 

Ryan is the son of Pastor Marty Macdonald of City Church.

When the doors open on Tuesday night, they're open to everybody, Macdonald said.

He's mindful of some of the issues faced by Southside residents, and some of the negative news about the community recently, including a recent murder on Central Avenue, just a block away, and he said that's why he and other volunteers are there.

"When you create a relationship with an open hand instead of a fist you can get a whole lot more done in a community," Macdonald said. "I think that we could all benefit from reaching out instead of demanding a certain set of rules, so that’s what we’re doing here."

At 7 p.m., all of the activities stop and everybody participating enters the gym for a short message and a prayer before food is served -- in this case, six giant sheet pizzas from Batavia's Original paid for by donations from local businesses.

After reading a Bible verse, MacDonald said, "Somebody asked me not long ago why do you do what you do on a Tuesday night. Here's my answer. The Lord said to those people who asked, 'we never fed you, we never clothed you, we never loved you.' He answered and said these similar words. 'When you did it for those other people, you did it for me.'

"That’s why we’re here tonight because I believe when I honor you, every person in this room, from the greatest among us to the least among us, when I’m honoring you, I honor God himself. That’s why I’m here tonight."

At that point, everybody in the room applauded.

A State trooper is out with a vehicle on Route 33 just outside of the city and reports there is a person there tying balloons to deer carcasses.

A dispatcher chimes in, "I've seen a lot of that on social media."

UPDATE 4:18 p.m.: The trooper asks that somebody come out and remove the carcasses. "These deer have become quite the spectacle," the trooper said. He said school buses have stopped and other cars stop and look. The person he talked to wasn't there placing balloons but taking pictures.

UPDATE 5:48 p.m.: Photos added.

Press release:

“Customer Service that Wins Sales” will be the subject of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Workshop on Wednesday, June 13.

“Customer Service is the driving force in all of our businesses that can mean the difference between winning a sale and losing one”, said Tom Turnbull, president of the Chamber. “Customers today are pickier than ever and have more reach via social media, so it is imperative we keep them happy. Attend this workshop to learn more about how to win more and repeat sales.”

Among the subjects to be covered include tips to better serve your customer, how to win new customers with customer service, how to increase loyalty and repeat purchases and he importance of online customer service. Greg Lindberg of the Small Business Administration will conduct the workshop.

This is the one of a series of business workshops held in conjunction with the United States Small Business Administration and the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce. The workshops are open to all Chamber and non-Chamber businesses and their employees and will offer expert advice from experienced professionals designed to help small businesses succeed and grow.

The workshop will be held at the Chamber of Commerce office, 8276 Park Road, Batavia. The session will run from 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. and includes a question-and-answer period.

Cost for non-Chamber members is $10 for each attendee. Chamber members and Batavia Business Improvement District members may attend all small business workshops free of charge but should make reservations to insure space.

To reserve a seat in any workshop or for more information, contact Kelly Bermingham at 585-343-7440 or by email at kbermingham@geneseeny.com.

Kelly Lyn Widzinski, 35, of Reddick Lane, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, 4th, criminal using drug paraphernalia, 2nd, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and petit larceny. Widzinski is accused of trying to steal a vacuum cleaner from Target. During the investigation, she was allegedly found in possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Widzinksi was allegedly found in possession of stolen property unrelated to Target. She was jailed on $2,000 bail or $4,000 bond.

David W. Weadon, 31, of Telephone Road, Le Roy, is charged with: driving while ability impaired by drugs; driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of drugs; reckless driving; criminal possession of a weapon, 4th; unlawful possession of marijuana; consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle; tailgating; failure to keep right; unsecured license plate; and unlawful stickers in windshield. Weadon was stopped by a Wyoming County deputy on Route 19, Covington, following a complaint about a vehicle being driven in an unsafe manner in the Town of Warsaw. Following the complaint and the deputy intercepted the vehicle and followed it. The deputy reported the driver was still operating in the same "aggressive" manner. During the traffic stop, Weadon was allegedly found to be drinking alcohol in the vehicle and in possession of an unlawful billy club. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test. He was evaluated for drug use and allegedly found to be impaired by multiple categories of drugs. 

Nicholas Peter Garbarini, 36, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with stalking, 4th. Garbarini was charged following a lengthy investigation into a series of incidents at Genesee County Mental Health. Garbarini was held without bail.

Jason Allen McFollins, of Union Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant. McFollins turned himself in. He is accused of failing to comply with a court-ordered program by missing a day of that program.

Ricky N. Porter Jr., 27, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. Porter was arrested on a warrant. He is accused of making alarming and threatening statements toward another person over the phone. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Raymond J. Radley, 52, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with nine counts of criminal contempt, 1st. Radley is accused of violating a full stay away order of protection between February and May by repeatedly communicating with the protected party. He was jailed without bail.

John M. Carr, 21, of Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Carr was stopped on the I-490 in Le Roy by State Police at 9:55 p.m. Monday.

Hannah S. Schreiber, 24, of Palmyra, is charged with obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct. Schreiber was arrested in connection with an incident reported at 7:22 p.m. Sunday on Alleghany Road in the Town of Darien by State Police. No further details released.

Members of local law enforcement held their annual torch run from Elba to Batavia in support of the Special Olympics today, with a path that took them down Richmond Avenue to the Genesee Orleans Arc Community Center on Woodrow Road, Batavia, on their way to the Arc building on Oak Street, Batavia.

A caller reports hearing a screech and looking out her window and saw a car off the road with steam coming from the engine on Hunn Road at Brookville Road, Alexander.

A deputy on scene reports a driver with a head injury but conscious and alert.

Alexander fire and ambulance responding. Units responding can respond non-emergency. Mercy EMS was dispatched but can go back in service.

UPDATE 1:22 p.m.: Alexander back in service. Patient sign off.

A former resident of Puerto Rico, Kentucky, and Indiana, with a pending serious felony charge in Indiana, who was just passing through Genesee County when he was caught with a stolen, loaded handgun, got little sympathy from Judge Charles Zambito yesterday.

The attorney for Alberto Santos, Michael Locicero, suggested his client might be a good candidate for a probationary sentence, but Zambito was skeptical that Santos would fulfill the terms of such an agreement.

He noted that on every one of the prior criminal cases for Santos in Kentucky and Indiana, a warrant had to be issued for Santos at some point when he failed to turn up in court at appointed times.

Santos pled guilty May 7 to charges of attempted criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, and criminal possession of stolen property, 4th, and yesterday Zambito sent Santos to state prison for two years followed by three years probation.

A trooper arrested Santos after stopping him Feb. 4 for speeding on the I-90. He found a Sig Sauer Model SP2022 in the vehicle.

"I don't believe you didn't know the gun was stolen," Zambito said. "The fact you were driving 91 miles per hour with a loaded handgun on the Thruway says something about your character and your danger to the community."

One of two men suspected of setting up drug-dealing operations in a residence at 133 State St., Batavia, entered a guilty plea yesterday and faces a maximum possible prison term of more than five years.

Keith R. "Sosa" Kendrick, 26, of Viola Drive, North Chili, an Army reserve veteran, entered a guilty plea to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd.

This is his first criminal conviction and he was released under supervision (RUS) of Genesee Justice. If he does well on RUS, he may be eligible for a probationary sentence and avoid prison if he continues to avoid arrests.

Kendrick was arrested along with Denzel T. Hall, 25, of Stenwick Drive, Rochester, and Donna M. Fidanza, 48, of State Street, Batavia, following an investigation by the Local Drug Task Force.

Hall is charged with two counts each of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd. 

Fidanza, the resident on State Street accused of allowing drug sales in her home, is charged with criminal nuisance in the first degree.

Yesterday, Batavia fourth-graders got a chance to try out various track and field events and demonstrate their athletic skills.

This is Nolan Ball.  He has a strong arm.  Three times he threw the softball at least 138 feet.

Last week on Memorial Day when she marched in her first parade with a boy lead troop, little did Emma McJury know she would get noticed and that the attention would have an impact on her new cub pack.

The 8-year-old (pictured above) is the first girl to register and join Cub Pack 6069 of Jackson School in Batavia. 

Emma was motivated by her sibling to come to meetings and learn more about Cub Scouts. She saw her brother participated in a meeting learning about police safety, building a pine wood derby car, overnight camping trips and will be attending summer resident camp in a couple months.

She’s really excited to do day camp and resident camp and being able to officially participate in activities, said her mom Justine McJury.

Her favorite activity is camping and outdoor-related activities such as hiking, fishing and nature observation.

Her goals are to introduce more girls to the program so they can enjoy scouts and all the great activities that are offered as much as she does. Since she found out that girls could join scouts, she has been asking her friends if they want to join with her and has been encouraging them to do so.

The pack meets on Mondays from 6:30-7:30 p.m., meetings run from September through May at Jackson School.

The pack is having a meet-and-greet activity, putt putt / ice cream social on Saturday June 16^th at noon at Terry Hills Golf Course, located at 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

Costs are minimal to attend. If interested in coming to the activity or to join the pack contact, Anthony Merica, cubmaster, at 813-7485.

A recent theft of cash, jewelry, and prescriptions from a home on Batavia Elba Townline Road and another attempted similar burglary on Indian Falls Road over the weekend has gotten the attention of the Sheriff's Office and Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster says local residents should be on the watch for Gypsy scammers in their neighborhoods.

In the Townline Road case, a dark-skinned man came to the front door of a 96-year-old resident and said he was there to investigate a problem with a telephone line behind the house.

When the resident and the visitor went behind the house, two other people, who had apparently been hiding in the car, entered the house and stole items.

In the case on Indian Falls Road, a person knocked on the door and said he was there to see about cutting down some trees behind the house.  Somehow, he talked the resident into walking behind the house. At which point, at least one person entered the residence. In that case, nothing was stolen.

In both cases, the visitors arrived in a white Kia. The Kia is missing a front plate and likely has an out-of-state back plate.

Brewster said the operation matches a well-known scam run by Gypsies who pass through the area occasionally. He said they are most likely staying at a motel in a neighboring county. They don't usually stay in the county where they are conducting their scams.

They will approach residents, usually elderly residents, with any number of stories to try and talk the resident into walking to the back of the house so confederates can enter the residence and make off with whatever valuables they can easily grab.

While there have been no reports of similar crimes in the city, he said city residents should be vigilant for people who try to talk their way into basements.

He said he isn't sure how the Gypsies select their victims -- whether they case neighborhoods beforehand to identify elderly residents or if they acquire names and addresses online.

Brewster said residents who observe suspicious activity at a neighbor's house, such as one person going to the door and then going into the backyard, followed by two more people getting out of a car and entering the front door -- call the police.

Mike Pribanich from NYMAT Machine Tool Corporation, works with William Hammond, a Precision Machining student from Caledonia-Mumford High School, on the Haas TM-1P control machine in the Precision Machining shop at the Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center.

Submitted photo and press release:

Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center Precision Machining and Welding students celebrated the end of the school year with a visit with representatives from area manufacturing businesses.

The goal of the event was to introduce students to potential employers and for students to learn of the many career opportunities available in the manufacturing industry.

Lars Christensen, from Autodesk, a multinational software corporation that makes software for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and entertainment industries, attended the event and spoke with students.

“I came to the United States in 1999 from Denmark and worked as a mold maker at a manufacturing facility in Rochester, New York," Christensen said. "I moved into the software industry and today I work for Autodesk, one of the biggest CAD-CAM companies in the world.

There are many prospects in this industry that students can pursue. I hope to encourage these students to do that.”

Erik Schwenzer works for NYMAT Machine Tool Corporation, a Haas Factory Outlet. He also attended and met with students.

“We are looking for summer employees as well as summer interns," Schwenzer said. "We like to be involved with the schools as much as possible because there is a real shortage of workers and many jobs are available in the manufacturing industry.

"Manufacturing is a great business that offers a host of opportunities. You make a very successful living and we need to show this to students.”

At the event, Christensen announced that he is funding a scholarship for Precision Machining and Welding students called the Master Manufacturing Scholarship. This scholarship will be presented tonight at the Batavia CTE Awards Night (June 5).

“This $500 scholarship will be presented to a student who is pursuing a career in the manufacturing industry or who is furthering his or her education.  It can be used by the student for educational purposes or to purchase tools or whatever the student might need to be prepared for work,” Christensen said.

About CTE

The Batavia Career and Technical Education Center is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York State.

Press release:

Greg Phillips -- AKA "Mr. Magic" -- has been performing since the age of 7.

He is a Le Roy High School graduate and is returning to his hometown for a FREE Libraries Rock! Magic Show!

It will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20, at Woodward Memorial Library.

Mr. Magic's unique and “FUNBELIEVABLE” style has come from years of real world experience in front of thousands of audiences of all kinds.

He has studied magic, clowning, mime and performance with some of the world’s greats to make his presentations the best they can be. You’ll be entertained with lots of styles of magic, comedy and storytelling. His infectious personality and style will draw you in!

Registration is appreciated by calling 768-8300. This program is for all ages!

Woodward library is located at 7 Wolcott St. in Le Roy.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley invites you to join him at a free electronics recycling event from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 23, at the parking lot of the East End Business Center, 5130 E. Main St., Batavia.

Enter off of Ag Park Drive; it's next to National Grid.

This E-waste event is in conjunction with Spectrum and Sunnking.

***There is a limit of four television tubes per vehicle.

Bring your old broken cell phones, computers, monitors, printers, audio and video equipment, small devices, other electronic equipment.

For more information, contact Hawley's office at (585) 589-5780 or email  hawleys@nyassembly.gov

Press release:

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease makes planning for the future a very important task for families. Concerns about care planning and programs that can help offset costs mean that families need accurate information about legal and financial matters specific to the disease.

"Legal and Financial Planning for Alzheimer’s Disease" is an opportunity to learn about important legal and financial issues to consider, how to put plans in place and how to access legal and financial resources in the community.

The Alzheimer’s Association WNY Chapter is offering the program at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13, at the The Manor House at 427 E. Main St. in Batavia, which is also providing an American Sign Language interpreter and a light meal.

Topics to be discussed during the 90-minute program include:

• Making legal plans that fit individual and family needs;
• Legal documents and what they mean;
• How to find legal and financial assistance;
• Practical strategies for making a long-term plan of care;
• Government programs that can help pay for care.

The program is free and open to the public, but seating reservations are requested by calling 1-800-272-3900.

Press release:

The Batavia Concert Band will be returning for their 93^rd season of public concerts in Batavia’s Centennial Park (rain venue is the Stuart Steiner Theater at Genesee Community College).

Concerts will be held at 7 p.m. on June 27, July 11, July 18, July 25, Aug. 1, and Aug. 8, as well as the ever-popular July 4^th Picnic in the Park sponsored by GO ART!

The July 25^th concert will feature percussionist Christopher Taylor, Alexander Central School District Music teacher, as part of the Pam Frisby Memorial Concert Series.

The band will also perform a special tribute concert on Aug. 1^st in memory of Neil Hartwick, made fully possible with memorial donations. Hartwick was a longtime and beloved music teacher at Batavia and Brockport whose former students have and continue to play in the Batavia Concert Band.  In addition, he was a good friend of the Batavia Concert Band, and his former students have been invited to join the band for this tribute concert.

The Batavia Concert Band’s repertoire has something for everyone: marches; Big Band and swing numbers; popular songs from musicals and movies; rock favorites; classical adaptations, and everything in-between.

The Band consists of 45-55 brass, woodwind and percussion players ranging from talented high school students to 60-year veterans. Many have professional experience, others are advanced amateur musicians, but one thing is for sure -- all love to play!

Returning for his sixth season as conductor is John Bailey, Instrumental Music teacher at Lyndonville Central School.

The July 4^th Picnic in the Park concert will be conducted by Joshua Pacino.

Founded in the early 1920s, the Batavia Concert Band has brought musical pleasure to the region every year except World War II.

Concerts are currently supported and funded in part by GO ART!, local businesses, program advertisers, and individual patrons. The City of Batavia graciously supplies chairs for musicians, while Genesee Community College generously donates rehearsal space and a rain venue.

The Band also sponsors 50-50 raffles at every concert, bake sales, and other fundraisers. Individuals or businesses interested in supporting the Band should contact a Board member at any concert.

The Batavia Concert Band is also excited to announce WBTA 1490 as the Official Media Sponsor for our 2018 summer concert series! Be on the lookout for appearance by band members on WBTA’s “Main & Center” program, where we will go into some depth about the band’s makeup and its history. Also be listening for weekly radio ads promoting the musical selections for the upcoming concerts, and announcing our weekly sponsors.

Downbeat for regular season concerts is 7 p.m., Wednesday evenings, in Centennial Park, Batavia. (* In the event of rain, concerts will move to Genesee Community College’s Stuart Steiner Theatre. Notices will be posted at the NW corner of Centennial Park, announced on WBTA radio AM1490, posted on http://TheBatavian.com, and on the Batavia Concert Band’s website http://bataviaconcertband.net.

All concerts are fully funded by local businesses and sponsors and are open to music lovers of all ages. Light refreshments are available. Bring your family and friends, lawn chairs or a blanket, and enjoy. We’ll meet you in the park!

This project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!

For more information on the Band, how to sponsor, etc. see http://bataviaconcertband.net