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Batavia City Council took less than 30 minutes Monday night to decide to pursue a state Community Development Block Grant for $50,000 -- and commit another $50,000 in matching city funds -- for a Citywide Stormwater Capital Improvement Plan study, and to approve 10-year cable television franchise agreements with Community Cable Corp. and Empire Video Services Corp., and appoint numerous city residents to a trio of committees.

City Manager Jason Molino said his proposal to Council regarding the CDBG deals with a project that "best aligns" with the city's strategic plan, and follows up on the city's commitment to investiing in its infrastructure, which has resulted in a state-recognized water and sewer capital plan.

"The grant will help us to study the flood plain, which has about 1,400 properties, in an effort to prevent future flooding, and it also will take into account the 'Big Ditch' -- the massive stormwater culvert that runs from Walden Estates on Bank Street to Ken Barrett's (auto dealership, and out to the Tonawanda Creek)," Molino said. "The mapping of it and determining the status of it will be incorporated into part (of the study)."

Molino said the city has previously capitalized on CDBG money in the form of housing rehabilitation, microenterprise (small business) grants and infrastructure funding. He said planning -- in this case, preliminary engineering reports -- is a fourth component of the program administered by the NYS Office of Community Renewal.

He estimated the entire stormwater study would cost about $100,000, which is why he urged Council to include a $50,000 match -- an amount well above the required 5 percent local match. Molino said he believes the increased city contribution would enhance Batavia's chances of getting the grant.

Council voted unanimously to schedule a public hearing for July 20, as required by law, and also to submit an application for the grant by the July 29 deadline. In order for the city to be eligible to apply for the grant, it has to show that at least 51 percent of the persons who would benefit from implemention of the plan are low- to moderate-income persons.

"Because this is a citywide project that impacts all residents, we would be able to use all the census tracts (thus meeting the criteria)," Molino noted.

He said notification of the grant would come around December.

In other action, Council:

-- Approved cable television franchise contracts with North Penn Video and Empire Video Services of Prattsburg, which in reality is one company with two DBAs (Doing Business As). The resolution stated that the city believes the company has the "financial, legal and technical ability to provide these services" and "can reasonably meet the future cable-related community needs and interests."

As a result of this action, Empire Video Services now will be competing with Time Warner Cable, another city franchisee, for residents' cable TV business.

-- Appointed the following to city committees/boards -- Youth Board, Page Wasilewski, Councilperson Brooks Hawley; Audit Advisory Board: Marc Staley, Nicholas Harris, David Leone and Councilpersons Adam Tabelski and Paul Viele; Deer Management Committee: Kenneth Alfes, Gus Galliford, Mike Freeman, Dann Neale, Joe Rowbottom, Al Hemer, Ryan Whitcombe and Councilperson Paul Viele.

-- Moved to the Aug. 8 Business meeting a proposal to accept a supplemental agreement, called Marchiselli funding, that would reimburse the city for the cost of the design aspects of the Summit Street Reconstruction Project.

This is a program that offers a 15 percent funding grant to the project through New York State, in addition to the 80 percent funding already approved through the Federal Highway program, Molino said. Public Works Director Matthew Worth said he expects "double digit" numbers of supplemental agreements as the project progresses.

-- Moved to the Aug. 8 Business meeting a request by the city firefighters' union to open a one-year window for entrance into a more lucrative state retirement benefit plan. Molino said the one-time past service cost will be $27,441 and the estimated annual cost for this fiscal year will be $5,485.

Press release:

Batavia Police along with the Batavia Fire Department and the Batavia Lions Club are presenting a bicycle safety program to the City of Batavia Parks programs.

Each Wednesday during the summer the police and fire departments will be visiting a park in the City of Batavia where the Batavia Youth Bureau hosts children recreation programs. Remaining dates are: July 13, 20, 27 and Aug. 3.

Officers will instruct the children on the proper rules of the road for riding a bike and then supervise them through a simulated road course. The fire department inspects bikes and advises the children on the proper care of their bikes.

Along with training, helmets are offered to children who register their bikes or are in need of a helmet. The bike helmets are provided by a grant from the Batavia Lions Club as well as a NYS Grant received by the Batavia Fire Department. The Helmets were purchased by Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, of Batavia, at a reduced rate. Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle has also donated its time to help fit children’s helmets for this program.

To find out times and specific parks and dates call the Batavia Youth Bureau at 345-6421.

City Bureau of Maintenance press release:

Pringle Avenue will be closed on Tuesday, July 12, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. for paving operations. Residents and businesses are not to park on the roadway during paving operations. Please park on neighboring side streets until work is completed.

This street will be closed to all through traffic. Residents and businesses of this street will have limited access to their properties and should expect delays when paving operations are ongoing. If work is postponed by weather, work will be rescheduled for the next calendar work day.

All other traffic is asked to avoid this area and seek alternative routes.

Press release:

Genesee County Department of Parks, Recreation & Forestry will be closing the DeWitt Recreation Area (DeWitt Park) Main Gate all day on Monday, July 11, 2016 and Tuesday, July 12, due to major construction within the park. Pavilion reservations will not be taken for either of the two days.

The main roadway inside the park will not be accessible due to sewer and waterline installations on those days. The walking track in the center of the lawn area will not be available either. Construction vehicles will only be allowed access through the main gate.

The South Entrance parking lot will be available for vehicles to park. Pedestrian access from the South parking lot will be limited to various areas within the park throughout the week due to the construction. The playground will still be accessible throughout the entire construction period.

Construction is anticipated to last the entire week.

For further information, please contact the Parks office at (585) 344-8508 or the Parks Supervisor at posborn@co.genesee.ny.us

Photo By Jim Burns.

A barn fire is reported in Stafford at 8225 Prole Road Extension. Stafford Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 5:18 p.m.: This was a garage fire next to a barn. Le Roy is requested to send one engine to stand by in Stafford's fire hall.

UPDATE 7:44 p.m.: The address is actually  8219 Prole Road Extension. Stafford firefighters are called to respond to a rekindle of this fire.

Roger J. Grazioplene, 41, of Summit Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. He was arrested on July 5 following an investigation into an incident which occurred at 4:29 p.m. on June 24 on Summit Street wherein he allegedly flicked a cigarette at another person and the cigarette struck the person in the neck during an argument. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in City Court on July 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins.

Martha I. Grazioplene, 40, of Summit Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. She was arrested on July 5 following an investigation into an incident which occurred at 4:29 p.m. on June 24 on Summit Street wherein Grazioplene allegedly subjected another person to unwanted physical contact by grabbing and pulling on the person's arm during an argument. She was issued an appearance ticket and is due in City Court on July 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins.

Samuel R. Giglia, 25, of Ledge Lane, Williamsville, is charged with second-degree harassment. He was arrested on July 5 following an investigation into an incident which occurred at 4:29 p.m. on June 24 on Summit Street wherein Giglia allegedly pushed a female during an argument with the female and her husband. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in City Court on July 12. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins.

Steven James Scott, 25, of Thorpe Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree menacing. He was arrested on Watson Street following an investigation into a reported disturbance on Thorpe Street at 11:38 p.m. on July 8. It is alleged that Scott displayed a knife during the incident. He was jailed in lieu of an unspecified amount of bail and is due in City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan, assisted by Officer Matthew Lutey.

Jose Gomez-Chavez, 43, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, is charged with: second-degree burglary -- illegal entry into dwelling; first-degree criminal contempt -- violation of order of protection; and fourth-degree criminal mischief -- intent to damage property. At 12:10 a.m. on July 10, Gomez-Chavez allegedly broke into the residence of a person for whom there was an order of protection. During the course of breaking into the residence, a window was allegedly damaged. Gomez-Chavez was put in jail and bail was set at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond. He is due in Town of Elba Court on July 13. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy James Diehl, assisted by Deputy Chad Cummings. UPDATE (by Howard Owens): We have a little more information on this case. Deputy Chris Erion was just clearing a concert detail at Darien Lake at 1 a.m. when this call came in. He responded with his K-9 "Destro." Destro picked up the track and began to follow it for about a half-mile into several fields, a large storage building, across a road and into a thick, brushy hedgerow and a bed of poison ivy.  Destro located the subject. In the midst of the search, Erion lost his cell phone. Destro located that, too, the next day, in the middle of a field.

Alex P. Wells, 27, of Pembroke, was arrested on July 8 on Route on 33 in the Town of Pembroke after being stopped for speeding -- going 70 in a 55-mph zone. SP Batavia Trooper Eric Daigler stopped Wells at about 11:45 p.m. and the vehicle Wells was driving struck a mailbox as it was pulling over. Wells was allegedly found to be intoxicated, with a BAC of .23 percent. He was issued tickets for aggravated DWI and speeding and is to appear in Town of Pembroke Court at a later date to answer the charges.

Dylan Nathan Willett, 22, of Murphy Road, Gainesville, is charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated driving while intoxicated for allegedly having a BAC of .18 percent or more at the time. Willett was arrested following a traffic stop on Sumner Road in the Town of Darien at 11:49 p.m. on July 8. He was allegedly found to have a BAC more than two tines the legal limit and was arrested. He is due in Town of Darien Court on July 19. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Patrick Reeves, assisted by Deputy Kevin Forsyth.

Lindsay Patricia Kenyon, 21, of Christ Road, Warsaw, is charged with second-degree obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest. She was arrested at 11:51 a.m. on July 8 following an incident on Sumner Road in Darien wherein she allegedly became verbally and physically offensive toward a deputy while a friend was being investigated for a possible DWI violation. Kenyon allegedly refused to cooperate and physically obstructed the deputy during her friend's subsequent arrest, thus she was also arrested. Kenyon allegedly continued to be verbally abusive and physically resisted arrest and had to be subdued to avoid injuries. She is due in Darien Town Court on July 19. The case was handled by Deputy Patrick Reeves, assisted by Deputy Kevin Forsyth.

Martha L. Munson, 63, of River Street, Batavia, is charged with moving from lane unsafely and driving while intoxicated. Munson was westbound on West Main Street in Batavia at 4:11 p.m. on July 2 when she was allegedly observed swerving into the passing lane twice, both times without a signal or other indication she was about to make a lane change. She subsequently submitted to a blood draw to determine her BAC and those results are pending. Additional charges may be forthcoming. She was released on an appearance ticket and in due in City Court on July 20. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards, assisted by Officer Stephen Cronmiller.

Martin Fitzgerald Jones Sr., 45, of Mill Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested at 8:57 p.m. on July 9 after allegedly stealing a bicycle out of a yard on Pringle Avenue in the city. He was jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond. He is due in City Court today to answer the charge. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Arick Perkins. Following his arrest on the petit larceny charge, Jones was charged with promoting prison contraband in the second degree. Jones allegedly introduced contraband into the Genesee County Jail at 10:35 p.m. on July 9. He is due in City Court on July 27 to answer that charge. The contraband case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Robert Henning, assisted by Deputy Christopher Parker.

Lenard Tyshon Jones, 23, of Lux Street, Rochester, is charged with: unlawful possession of marijuana; second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation; unlicensed operator; speeding over 55 mph; and driver's view obstructed. Jones was stopped at 6:54 p.m. on July 2 on Route 77 in Pembroke for allegedly speeding. An investigation revealed that the defendant was allegedly unlicensed to drive, was driving on a suspended license and in possession of marijuana. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Kevin McCarthy.

Photos by Rich Engelbrecht of Journey, the Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Saturday night.

A field fire is reported behind the former Gravel Pit on East Main Street Road, Town of Batavia.

The address is 5191 E. Main Street Road.

That's next property east of the Genesee Valley Ag Park.

Town of Batavia Fire Department responding.

UPDATE 10:02 p.m.: A resident on Haven Lane reported the possible fire. A chief is investigating.

UPDATE 10:03 p.m.: A responder reports, "the fire was visible from north Ag Park Road, leading into Cedar Street."

UPDATE 10:18 p.m.: The location is now given as 5056 E. Main Street Road, the Genesee County Fairgrounds. Stafford's tanker is requested to the scene, non-emergency.

A car has reportedly hit a utility pole at Warboys Road and South Byron Road, Byron.

Unknown injuries.

Byron and South Byron fire departments along with Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 4 p.m.: Southbound traffic being shut down.

Tim and Sabrina Walton got married today in the same spot where they first met.

That would be in the produce section of the Save-A-Lot in Batavia.

Then, Tim was an assistant manager and Sabrina was a just-hired cashier.

“He just looked at me," Sabrina said of that first meeting. "He just gave me this look and not long after that he said he would marry me some day.”

Yes, Tim, said, he was smitten, but it was something more than that.

“I’d never seen anybody like her," Tim said. "It was just one of those feelings where you just know.” 

Judge Robert Balbick performed the ceremony.

The idea of getting married in the grocery store started out as a joke, Sabrina said, but Tim credits his father with promoting the idea that they should do a small, inexpensive service.

"He was the one who talked with us about doing something small and instead of spending thousands of dollars on a wedding, we could take that money and put that toward our family and still have it have meaning in what we did," Tim said.

Speaking a family, it's immediately a big one. Sabrina's four children are Dominick, 17, Cody, 14, Tyler, 12 and Emma, 11. Tim's two children are Caylin, 15, and Olivia, 11.

They recently moved into a six-bedroom house in the City of Batavia.

Sabrina now works at a local dental clinic and Tim is manager of the Save-A-Lot in Le Roy.

Tim said his bosses were gracious in the support of the idea.

Sabrina beamed and said, "We did it."

The following person was arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during the Journey concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Saturday.

Anthony M. Stanton, 38, of Hayden Street, Buffalo, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of a quantity of marijuana.

Rep. Chris Collins was in town today for a meeting at the VFW and we caught up with him afterward at the Pok-A-Dot. Collins often stops at the Dot for breakfast, but hadn't tried the Dot's famous beef-on-weck before today*.

We asked Collins for his thoughts on the tragic events of the past week and what Congress might be able to do about events like these.

He said these are complex issues that, unfortunately, too many people want to politicize or try to solve with simplistic suggestions.

"If you’re going to talk about tragedies, the shootings, the murders, what we need to do is come together as a nation, address the root cause of our problems and hope people can come together," Collins said. "That doesn’t mean it's solved overnight, but that’s the direction we go, with a conversation together, identifying root causes, finding the solutions."

Collins, who is supporting Donald Trump for president, doesn't think the present administration is up to the task.

"The biggest problem we have is we have is a president who isn’t interested in that (finding common ground)," Collins said. "He politicizes every tragedy. He tries to make political points out of every tragedy, and in doing so he’s divided our country like it’s never been divided before."

Collins hopes the next administration will do better.

“The next president, whoever that is, has to bring our nation together," Collins said.

As for root causes, there are many, Collins said, such as mental health, terrorism and racism.

"Unfortunately, the country is just not working together," Collins said. "We’re finger pointing. We’re pointing fingers where maybe they don’t belong and very simplistically and very shamefully, suggesting simplistic insulting solutions as if that’s the solution when it’s not. This is tough stuff, whether it’s mental health, whether there are racial issues or not in that police department or not or this individual situation or another. It’s not simplistic, broad-brush stuff. It’s hard work."

CORRECTION: An aide says I'm wrong about the beef-on-weck. All three of us, he said, had a beef-on-weck together on the day of the primary election in 2012 and they've been "hooked" ever since. 

Photos: Local businessman Louis Andolora snaps a picture of Collins to add to his "Cyber Pok-A-Dot" page and then poses for a picture with the congressman.

More than 100 riders came through Batavia today, with a police escort, as part of the sixth Annual Jerry “Rat” Cone Memorial Run to Benefit Crossroads House.

The ride took them down Main Street, with a turn down a driveway that brought them around the Crossroads House and back onto Liberty Street.

The journey for the old awning on the former Wiss Hotel to the Smokin' Eagle was a lot longer than a trip across the street and down the block. It involved a $1 auction purchase, some BOCES students, the chance discovering of a historic photo and a lost cat.

Once the decision was made to tear down the Wiss, the Eagle's co-owner, Jay Beaumont, asked Bob Lathan if the village could save the awning. Beaumont had some vague idea that he might want to install it somewhere on the Eagle building at some point.

Once saved, it was added to the Village's surplus property auction, and with no other buyers, Beaumont was able to purchase it for $1.

Then it sat in the DPW lot for eight months because the awning was in pretty bad shape and Beaumont had no real idea what to do with it or how to restore it. Then through a chance meeting with a BOCES official at his daughter's volleyball game, he found out there was a group of students at BOCES who would love to take on just such a restoration project.

Once those wheels were in motion, Beaumont began to wonder what words once appeared on the awning. There was blank spot for the sign, but no sign.

He called one of the building's former owners, Don Pangrazio, and he had no idea. The next day, Pangrazio saw a post on the website Le Roy Then and Now. It was of the Wiss in the 1930s and included the awning.

The sign read, "Tap Room."

Mystery solved.

And Beaumont acquired a copy of that photo. The photo now hangs on the wall of the Eagle, next to an enlargement of the portion of the hotel with the awning. 

When Beaumont got the enlargement back, he looked it over carefully just to see what he might see, and he saw a sign in the window that read "John Hepps."

About this time, Beaumont's cat went missing. He loves his cat and he was pretty upset. The cat went missing on Father's Day. He had us post about the missing cat on The Batavian and he put up fliers around Le Roy.

On Monday, July 4, still missing his cat, Beaumont went down the Eagle in the morning to hang the pictures. His partner Jon Marcello stopped by and Beaumont said, "hey, look at this," pointing the sign with "John Hepps" on it.

Marcello did a quick Google search and found he had been a contractor in Le Roy.

That evening, Beaumont gets a call from a woman, Rose Marie Betts, who thinks she found Beaumont's lost cat. Beaumont drove over to her house thinking, "this is another false lead."

But it wasn't.

Overjoyed, he took his cat home. She was home. She was safe and she was in good health.

"My couldn’t believe that cat came out of the woods that day," Beaumont said.

Beaumont drove back to Bett's house to give her a reward. She refused the money. He decided, well, maybe he could give her a gift certificate to the Eagle.

He told her he was co-owner of the Smokin' Eagle, "but before I could go any further, she goes, 'My grandfather used to own the Wiss and his name is John Hepps.' I was on a high with the cat, but that took me to the next level. My mouth dropped. I couldn’t believe it."

So Betts and her daughter, Christine, were guests of honor last night at the official unveiling of the restored owning inside the Eagle, which also served as the fourth anniversary of the business and a customer appreciation night.

Top photo: Jon Marcello pulls the string releasing the balloon-filled cover on the Wiss awning for its official unveiling.

Beaumont, with the mic, speaks after the unveiling.

The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during the Brantley Gilbert concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Friday

Timothy S. Jankowiak, 36, of Chestnut Street, Franklinville, is charged with third-degree assault after allegedly striking another person and fracturing that person’s nose.

Justin P. Schmid, 19, of Fletcher Road, Akron, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of a quantity of marijuana.

Jacob W. Grier, 18, of Chestnut Street, Medina, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of a quantity of marijuana.

Jamison A. Mandile, 30, of West Elm Street, East Rochester, is charged with second-degree harassment after allegedly punching a security officer in the face with a closed fist.

Jordan M. Bucci, 20, of County Route 26, Parish, is charged with is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of a quantity of marijuana.

A 17-year-old, of Derby Road, Derby, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Justine Daniels, 24, of McKinstry Street, Albion, is charged with third-degree assault after allegedly striking another person and causing loss of consciousness.

Evan D. Magierski, 26, of Prospect Street, Forrestville, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

James E. Mussaw Jr., 31, of State Road, Webster, is charged with third-degree criminal trespass after allegedly entering the back stage area and then entering the stage.

There is a report of smoking coming out around the chimney at 16 Bank St., Batavia.

Maintenance crews tried putting it out but were unsuccessful.

City fire dispatched.

UPDATE 10:25 a.m.: Fire is out. Overhauling now.

UPDATE 10:41 a.m.: Code enforcement requested to the scene.

UPDATE 10:42 a.m.: First Platoon requested to headquarters.

A possible structure fire is reported in an abandoned white building on West Main Street Road at Kelsey Road, Batavia.

There is smoke coming from the roof and through a window.

East Pembroke fire and Town of Batavia fire dispatched.

The fire is going to a second alarm.

UPDATE 10:19 a.m.: It's a BBQ. Town of Batavia response canceled; second alarm canceled.

I was in Guy Pellegrino's office late this afternoon and Guy and I even talked briefly about events in Dallas and he didn't mention this at all, but Batavia PD posted a thank you on their Facebook page: A thank you for a surprise lunch delivery to the police station from Pellegrino Auto Sales and City Church.

On the Pellegrino page, Pellegrino acknowledged the thank you and said, "Thank you Batavia Police Department for all you do!"

Batavia PD is asking for the public's assistance in identifying the driver of this car.

The driver is suspected of leaving two cats in a cage in the parking lot of Batavia Middle School on June 18.

The police are investigating the incident as a possible animal cruelty case.

Two black and white cats were left there in the cage on a hot day with no food or water. 

If you have information to share, contact Officer Lindsay at (585) 345-6350