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Leah R.H. Kelly, 35, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with: menacing with a weapon; criminal possession of a weapon; and endangering the welfare of a child. Kelly was arrested following an investigation into a domestic incident which occurred at 1:26 p.m. on Dec. 12 on Jackson Street. The defendant is accused of using a knife unlawfully against another person or persons. Kelly was issued a computer-generated appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan.

Michael Abdellah Jamil, 35, of Hart Street, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief. Jamil was arrested after allegedly damaging property at Williams Park on Pearl Street in Batavia at 1:45 p.m. on Sept. 30. He was issued an appearance ticket for Jan. 14 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Sgt. Christopher Camp.

Cheyne A. Hoerner, 35, of Chapel Street, Lockport, is charged with driving while intoxicated with a BAC of .08 percent or more, and DWI. At 12:04 a.m. on Dec. 29 on Clinton Street Road (Route 33) in Stafford, Hoerner was arrested on the charges following a dangerous condition complaint. It was reported that a rim on motor vehicle was creating sparks while the vehicle was being driven. Hoerner was released on appearance tickets and is due in Stafford Town Court on Jan. 14. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Nicholas Chamoun.

Thomas William McCabe, 42, of East Avenue, Attica, is charged with petit larceny. At 8:27 p.m. on  Jan. 1, deputies responded to Kohl's Department Store on Veterans Memorial Drive following a larceny complaint. Following an investigation, McCabe was arrested. He allegedly stole clothing from the store. He was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Batavia Court and is due there on Jan. 16. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Erik Andre, assisted by Deputy Joshua Brabon.

At about 1:30 p.m. today a Stafford resident thought he saw a dog fall through the ice at Horseshoe Lake and after the dog didn't reemerge from the water, he called emergency dispatch.

Stafford fire along with the water rescue team from City of Batavia fire responded but the prospects appeared grim. The dog was nowhere to be seen, there was no motion in the area where the dog reportedly went in, and 15 minutes may have already passed.

Still, the water rescue team went about its task of inflating its boats and slipping into cold water gear.

Then a call came over the radio, "tell them not to go into the water yet."

A second later, a deputy received a phone call, "It's not a dog?" he said to the person who called him.

It turns out, another resident has been aware of what was going on all along but wasn't aware emergency crews had been dispatched. Mike Mullen, a retired City firefighter, had seen the animal out on the frozen lake and spied it through his binoculars. His wife grabbed her camera and a long lens and took pictures. It was an otter eating a fish.

Every once in a while, the otter would dive back in the water with its giant catch of the day and then come back up on the ice to surface to feast some more.

"Without binoculars, it would look like a dog struggling," Mullen said.

When his wife had to leave the house a short time later, she spotted the police and fire response and Mullen came out with the camera, with its LCD screen on the back to show the pictures, and let everybody know, "it's just an otter."

(Initial Post) (Mobile App users, click here to view the video)

A trial date has been set for accused murderer Quinten Edmonds, who is accused of stabbing a Batavia man to death on Ross Street after the man tried to help protect a woman whom he apparently believed was being attacked by Edmonds.

The trial could begin May 20 if there is no plea agreement prior to the plea cutoff date of Feb. 19.

No plea offer was discussed in court and District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said outside of court that there is no plea offer on the table. He indicated, however, that he would listen to anything the defense might propose.

Edmonds is charged with second-degree murder, a Class A-1 felony. He is accused of killing Good Samaritan Michael R. Paladino outside Paladino's Ross Street home at 12:44 a.m., June 1.

Fred Rarick, appointed attorney, represented Edmonds, who once before refused to show up for court. During today's proceedings in front of Judge Charles Zambito in County Court, Rarick said that his client had requested a change of attorney, that Edmonds wanted to hire his own attorney, and wanted to address the court.

Then after Zambito said OK, Edmonds apparently told Rarick he didn't wish to speak. Rarick and Edmonds and a short, quiet exchange and then Rarick told Zambito that Edmonds didn't want to speak and there was no further discussion of a change of attorneys.

On Dec. 13, Edmonds appeared in court for a hearing on the admissibility of evidence at his trial, specifically the identification in a walk-by of Edmonds as the suspect by witnesses shortly after the stabbing. Zambito ruled against the motion in a written statement delivered to the attorneys prior to today's hearing.

Lisa Marie Fox, 48, of Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with third-degree menacing. Fox was arrested at 12:08 p.m. on Dec. 24 on Oak Street in Batavia following a road rage incident. It is alleged that she "displayed an object in a way to appear as to have a knife while engaged in a verbal dispute with another person." The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

James F. Perry, 34, of Central Avenue, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. Perry was arrested after a domestic incident. It is alleged that he damaged the front door to a female's apartment at 8:48 p.m. on Dec. 27 on State Street in Batavia "in full violation of an order of protection." Perry was located walking on Washington Avenue. He was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Sean Wilson, assisted by Officer Miah Stevens.

Randy K. Wilmet, 43, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful  imprisonment. He was arrested at 9:46 p.m. Dec. 26 on Bank Street after allegedly preventing a person from leaving their residence. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court then released on his own recognizance. He is due back in city court on Jan. 16. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissinger, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Victor Trejo, 32, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; speed not reasonable and prudent; and DWI with a BAC of .18 percent or higher. At 3:07 a.m. on Dec. 19, Trejo was arrested following a property damage accident on Ellicott Street Road in Pavilion. He was given appearance tickets and is due in Pavilion Town Court on Jan. 14. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jared Swimline, assisted by Deputy Jenna Ferrando.

Lillian A. Doll, 25, of Buffalo (no address provided), is charged with: driving while intoxicated with a BAC of .08 percent or more; DWI -- first offense; and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended registration. Doll was arrested at 12:23 a.m. on Dec. 29 after an investigation on Alleghany Road in Pembroke after the vehicle she was driving ran out of fuel. She is issued an appearance ticket and is due in Pembroke Town Court on Jan. 16. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Austin Heberlein.

Karen E. Scott, 51, of Thurston Road, Rochester, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree and speeding. At 2:48 a.m. on Dec. 29, Scott was allegedly observed driving in excess of the posted 30 mph speed limit on Main Street in Batavia. A traffic stop was conducted and it was determined that Scott possessed a revoked non-driver ID, with 10 or more scoffs on 10 or more dates. She was issued an appearance ticket and released on her own recognizance. She is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 15. The case was handled by Batavia City Police Officer Wesley Rissinger, assisted by Officer Adam Tucker.

Shawn Philip Stevens, 42, of York Road, Le Roy, is charged with disobeying a mandate. At 2:53 a.m. on Dec. 23, Stevens was arrested after the investigation of a suspicious condition. He allegedly violated a court order of protection. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Elba Town Court on Jan. 22. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jared Swimline, assisted by Deputy James Stack.

Thomas James Leonard, 36, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with: falsifying business records in the first degree; petit larceny; and sixth-degree conspiracy. He was arrested at 5:08 p.m on Dec. 30 following a larceny complaint at Walmart in Batavia. Leonard was processed at the Genesee County Jail and issued an appearance ticket and is due on Town of Batavia Court on Jan. 9. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, assisted by Deputy Joshua Brabon. While being processed at the jail, Leonard allegedly introduced contraband at the facility. He is therefore also charged with promoting prison contraband in the second degree. He is due in Batavia City Court to answer that charged on Jan. 7. Deputies Krzemien and Brabon handled that case, too.

Michelle Lynne May, 45, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with sixth-degree conspiracy and petit larceny. On Dec. 30, following a larceny complaint at Walmart in Batavia, May was arrested at 4:57 p.m. She was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Town of Batavia Court on Jan. 9. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Brabon, assisted by Deputy Kyle Krzemien.

Ernest D. Lane, 61, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with: criminal obstruction of breathing; unlawful imprisonment; aggravated family offense; and first-degree criminal contempt -- physical contact. Lane was arrested at 8:21 p.m. on Dec. 25 following a domestic incident on East Main Street. It is alleged that he prevented a person from leaving an apartment and had physical contact with that person, in violation of a stay away order of protection. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court on the morning of Dec. 26 and is to appear in court at later date (unspecified). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen, assisted by Officer Wesley Rissinger.

Zachary N. Knapp, 22, of East Avenue, Batavia, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; aggravated DWI with a BAC of .18 percent or higher. Knapp was arrested at 2:53 p.m. on Dec. 23 on East Avenue after allegedly operating a vehicle that had a flat tire. He was transported to Batavia Police Headquarters and issued appearance tickets. He is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 15. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Stormy Marie Watts, 22, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property -- a credit card. At 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 27, Watts was arrested following an investigation. It is alleged that Watts possessed and attempted to use a stolen Walmart credit card at 7:02 p.m. on Dec. 22 at the Batavia Walmart. She was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia Town Court on Jan. 9. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jordan Alejandro.

Brittney N. Rodriguez, 31, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She is accused of stealing fake nails from the Dollar General store on East Main Street in Batavia at 9:43 a.m. on Dec. 12. She was arrested and released on an appearance ticket. She is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 7. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis.

Daniel William Mosholder, 27, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested after a shoplifting incident was reported at Dollar General on East Main Street in Batavia at 8:22 p.m. on Dec. 23. He was processed on scene and released with an appearance ticket for Jan. 14 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Charles Elias Cooper (inset photo left), 36, of West Seneca Street, Lodi, is charged with: first-degree burglary -- the use or threatened use of a dangerous instrument, a Class D felony; first-degree robbery -- forcible theft with use of a dangerous instrument, a Class B felony; third-degree grand larceny -- of property value that exceeds $3,000, a Class D felony.

The charges stem from an alleged home-invasion robbery at 8:45 p.m. on Nov. 5 on Clinton Street Road.

Cooper is accused of forcing his way into a residence with a Crosman SNR357C02 dual ammo full-metal revolver pellet gun, a dangerous instrument. It is alleged that Cooper verbally threatened the lives of the homeowners with the dangerous instrument and then stole more than $3,000 in cash from them.

It is believed that Cooper was familiar with the residence and specifically targeted it.

Cooper was arraigned in Stafford Town Court at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 26 and then jailed on $50,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear again in Stafford Town Court at 9 a.m. on Jan. 7.

At 9:05 p.m. on the day of the incident, the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center received a call from a resident on Clinton Street Road in Stafford who reported that an unknown male suspect, later identified as Charles Elias Cooper, had forcibly entered their home with what appeared to be a pistol. The suspect threatened the homeowners and demanded money.

According to the preliminary investigation, the homeowner was able to retrieve his own long gun during the confrontation and he fired one round, which struck and incapacitated the suspect.

Shortly thereafter, Sheriff's deputies arrived and took the suspect into custody without further incident.

The suspect was treated at the scene and then transported via Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester for further treatment. He was subsequently listed in critical condition.

The two occupants of the home were not injured.

Because the investigation indicates this was not a random act and that the residence was specifically targeted, investigators believe there is no reason to have further concern for the public safety of residents in the vicinity. It is believed the suspect acted alone.

The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Investigator Joseph Loftus.

John Joseph Sadler Jr., 32, no permanent address, of Batavia, is charged with second-degree burglary of a dwelling and first-degree criminal contempt -- with a prior conviction of aggravated criminal contempt with the last five years. Saddler was arrested after police were called to Washington Avenue for a disturbance at 2:02 p.m.on Dec. 20. After an investigation, police found Saddler on location in violation of a stay away order of protection. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and jailed. He was due to return to court on Dec. 24. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis, assisted by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Matthew J. Reed, 35, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, 35, is charged with trespass. He was arrested after allegedly committing the violation at 10:22 p.m. on Dec. 14 at an address on Park Avenue in Batavia. Reed was arrested and arraigned in Batavia City Court on Dec. 24. He was released on an appearance ticket and was due back in court on Dec. 24. The case was handled by Bataiva Police Officer Nicole McGinnis, assisted by Officer Kevin DeFelice.

Flames are shooting from the second floor of a house at 16 Highland Park. Children reported on the second floor; there is entrapment. City fire is responding.

UPDATE 2:22 p.m.: Alexander's Fast Team is called to the scene along with Le Roy's rescue unit. Town of Batavia fire is asked to stand by in quarters.

UPDATE 2:23 p.m.: A second-alarm has activated. This is a working structure fire.

UPDATE 2:26 p.m.: "We have a report that everyone is out; we're doing a primary search," says fire command.

UPDATE 2:30 p.m.: "Heavy, heavy fire on the second floor," says fire command. "We have one (fire hose) line open. Heavy smoke and flames from B/C sides."

UPDATE 2:34 p.m.: Responders are told to access the scene via the Wood Street side.

UPDATE 3:43 p.m.: Video added. There's no interview in the video. The scene commander isn't likely to be available for at least another hour. The fire seems mostly contained though firefighters are working to get to hotspots in the walls and attic. We will seek an update from City fire later tonight.

Jeremy M. Fairbanks, 41, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree strangulation. Fairbanks was arrested following an investigation into a domestic dispute that occurred at 10:15 a.m. on Dec. 13 on Jackson Street in Batavia. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court at 3:03 p.m. on Dec. 18 and jailed without bail. He was due to return to court on Dec. 19. The case was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan.

Edward G. Ruckdeschel, 57, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with: unauthorized use of a vehicle in the second degree; grand larceny in the fourth degree; and criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree. Ruckdeschel was arrested following an investigation into a stolen vehicle complaint made at 4:47 a.m. on Dec. 7. It is alleged that the defendant stole a vehicle from a parking lot of a business in the city. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 17 and jailed without bail. He will return to court at a later date (unspecified). The case was investigated by Batavia Police Sgt. Matthew Lutey, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

David Michael Martin, 59, of Scott Crescent Drive, Scottsville, is charged with third-degree grand larceny. At 4:10 p.m. on Dec. 22, Martin was arrested following an investigation into a larceny complaint (unspecified). Martin was arraigned in Batavia City Court at 7:30 p.m. the same day, then released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court on Jan. 6. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jared Swimline.

Matthew Jacob Reid, 25, of Main Street, Warsaw, is charged with: driving while ability impaired by drugs; and unable to maintain lane. Reid was arrested following an investigation of a possible medical complaint reported at 12:27 a.m. on Oct. 12 on March Road in Bethany. He was released on appearance tickets and is due in Bethany Town Court on Jan. 7. The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack.

Jamie Valerie Hart, 21, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operation in the third degree; unlawful possession of marijuana; and speed exceeding 55 mph. On Dec. 21 at 3:57 p.m. Hart was arrested on Clinton Street Road in Byron. The defendant was released on appearance tickets and is due in Byron Town Court on Jan. 13. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy David Moore.

Melody J. McMaster, 48, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. McMaster was arrested on Dec. 9 on Chestnut Street in Batavia after allegedly violating an order of protection by being inside the protected party's residence at 11:17 a.m. that day. She was issued an appearance ticket for Dec. 24 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan, assisted by Officer Stephen Quider.

Jose Fuentes, 39, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. On Dec. 17, Batavia Police Officer Peter Post arrested Fuentes in connection with an incident that occurred at 9 p.m. Dec. 13 on Bank Street in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket for Dec. 24 in Batavia City Court.

Kyle Schroeder, 23, of Telephone Road, Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested at 9:09 a.m. on Dec. 8 on East Main Street in Batavia after he allegedly took an item out of the packaging while in a local business and then attempted to conceal the item. He is accused of placing the empty packaging on the shelf and continuing through the store. He was due in Batavia City Court on Dec. 17. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Today, the governor's office announced $761 million in economic development grants statewide, including $1.4 million for projects in Genesee County.

The local projects:

Press release:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that more than $761 million in economic and community development funding has been awarded through Round IX of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative. Since its inception in 2011, more than $6.9 billion has been awarded to more than 8,300 projects that are projected to create and retain more than 240,000 jobs statewide through the REDC process.

"Throughout the Regional Economic Development Council process over the past nine years, we have seen unprecedented regional investment focusing on a ground-up, strategic model that has spurred tremendous growth in every corner of this great state," Governor Cuomo said. "By bringing together local leaders and stakeholders who are invested in their communities we have replaced the 'one size fits all' approach to economic development with one that is unique to each community, creating opportunities for success all across the Empire State."

"By empowering local officials and stakeholders who know their communities best, we have transformed the state's economic development strategy into one that is not only successful, but is built to last," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, chair of the Regional Economic Development Councils.

"Together, we are revitalizing downtowns, supporting and attracting businesses, and welcoming new residents and visitors. Through the REDCs, we are advancing the strategic economic development strategies of each region and supporting growth as part of the Downtown and Upstate Revitalization Initiatives. With a focus on workforce development and growth of high-tech industries, we are adding new job opportunities and strengthening the economy of New York State."

Today, more than $761 million in economic and community development funding was awarded through Round IX of the REDC initiative:

• Western New York: Regional Council Awardee | $67.3 million supporting 109 projects
• Finger Lakes: Regional Council Awardee | $64.4 million supporting 94 projects
• Southern Tier: Top Performer | $88.9 million supporting 109 projects
• Central New York: Top Performer | $86.2 million supporting 93 projects
• Mohawk Valley: Top Performer | $82.7 million supporting 81 projects
• North Country: Regional Council Awardee | $67.9 million supporting 83 projects
• Capital Region: Top Performer | $84.1 million supporting 120 projects
• Mid-Hudson: Regional Council Awardee | $65.8 million supporting 105 projects
• New York City: Regional Council Awardee | $66.3 million supporting 109 projects
• Long Island: Top Performer | $87.9 million supporting 94 projects

More information on the 2019 Regional Economic Development Council Awards, including a full list of awardees, is available here.

Empire State Development Acting Commissioner and President and CEO-designate Eric Gertler said, "For nearly 10 years, the REDC process has been the driving force behind New York State's economic development decisions, and the model is a proven success. As the process enters the next decade, we are seeing the legacy of past projects being completed and excited about the new economic development opportunities our REDCs continue to identify." 

The REDC process has transformed New York State government's approach to economic development, creating a statewide framework for bottom-up, regional economic growth and streamlining the state funding application process. Established in 2011 as a centerpiece of the governor's strategy to jumpstart the economy and create jobs, the Regional Councils replaced the state's old top-down approach with one that is community-based and performance-driven.

This spring, Governor Cuomo launched Round IX of the REDC initiative and the fourth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. A full list of communities in which $10 million will be invested through the DRI, along with their applications, is available here.

In 2019, all 10 REDCs competed for up to $150 million in capital funds and $75 million in Excelsior Tax Credits for projects identified by the Regional Councils as priorities in their regions. All 10 regions competed for designation as a Top Performer with the five top performing regions being awarded a share of $100 million in ESD capital grants. The remaining five regions were awarded a share of $50 million in ESD capital grants. Each region was also awarded a share of $75 million in Excelsior Tax Credits to help attract and grow business in the region.

The Regional Council priorities this year included working with local businesses and communities to identify childcare needs and develop potential solutions; developing an economic and environmental justice strategy for the region; supporting community investment in place-making and downtown revitalization; and supporting the state's $175 million Workforce Development Initiative. Each council was asked to address these items in ways that complement each regional vision.

During Round IX, the Strategic Implementation Assessment Team (SIAT), comprised of state agency commissioners and members of the New York State Legislature, received presentations on this year's proposals from each of the 10 Regional Councils and assessed the implementation of the regions' strategic plans.

A potentially dangerous snow squall is moving through the region and is expected to hit Genesee County by 12:45 p.m., according to the the National Weather Service.

A weather warning has been issued.

The Weather Service warns of poor visibility, heavy and blowing snow, with wind gusts of 30 mph.

The warning is based on radar images. 

The Weather Service warns of "dangerous life-threatening travel" during the squall.

The Batavia City School District’s Board of Education (BOE) has named Anibal Soler Jr. as the district’s next superintendent. Soler Jr. is set to begin on Jan. 20.

Patrick Burk, Batavia City School District’s Board President stated, “The board is confident that Anibal Soler Jr. will lead our district as we work together to deliver the best education possible for our students. Our search process narrowed the field to three excellent candidates. We value all of the input from our stakeholders and community members.

"With his dedication, enthusiasm and knowledge, our board feels that Anibal has the educational capacity and attributes to move us forward. We are united in making Batavia City Schools the best district for our students and we feel that we are making the right decision in hiring Anibal.”

Soler Jr. is the associate superintendent of Strategic Alignment and Innovation for the Buffalo Public Schools, New York state’s second-largest school district, a position he has held since 2018. In this role, he oversees four areas: adult education, district athletics, the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, and the district school improvement strategy known as Strong Community Schools, which encompasses 11,000 students and 21 schools across the City of Buffalo. This Strong Community Schools effort has moved persistently struggling or failing schools to good-standing rating by the New York State Education Department.

From 2016 until 2018 Soler Jr. was the principal of North Park Academy, an elementary school in the Buffalo Public School District. In this role, he led a staff of more than 50 and 250 students and supervised all instructional and operational aspects of this Pre-K through 8 community school.

From 2009-2016, Soler Jr. was the principal of East High School, the largest comprehensive high school in the Rochester City School District, with between 1,500 to 2,000 students and a staff of almost 250. Through his leadership, the school was removed from the New York State Education Department’s Persistently Dangerous list in 2011.

Soler Jr. serves as an adjunct professor at Canisius College in Buffalo. He began teaching in 2000 as an art teacher at Thomas Middle School in the Rochester City School District.

“I wish to thank the Batavia Board of Education for offering me this exciting opportunity to be the next Superintendent of Batavia City Schools," Soler Jr. said. "I am deeply honored and humbled to be selected to lead your high-quality school system. I also look forward to joining and serving the amazing students, parents, talented staff, and community partners of the Batavia City Schools.

"Together, we will continue to make Batavia City Schools a premier district that effectively serves and supports all students and families.”

Soler Jr. holds a Bachelor of Science from Daemen College, a master’s degree from Nazareth College and Certification in School Administrator and School District Administration from St. John Fisher College. He also holds a certification as a New York State School Administration Supervisor. Soler Jr. is currently enrolled in the doctorate program in Educational Leadership at the University of Rochester.

Kevin MacDonald, district superintendent of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, acted as the search consultant and noted that the search process was a true collaboration between the Board of Education, district staff, and community.

Katty L. Jackson, 23, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with: second-degree harassment; fourth-degree criminal mischief; second-degree strangulation; and unlawful imprisonment in the second degree. Jackson was arrested at 10:15 p.m. on Dec. 7 on East Main Street, Batavia, following an investigation into a physical domestic incident. She was arrested and arraigned in Batavia City Court and put in jail. No bail specified. She was due to return to city court Dec. 9. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissigner, assisted by Officer Lindsay Christopher.

Nicole R. Griffin, 37, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact. She was arrested at 5:47 p.m. on Dec. 14 following a physical altercation inside Walmart in Batavia. Griffin was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia Town Court on Dec. 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Joshua Girvin, assisted by Officer Miah Stevens.

Bleyke Z. Culver, 23, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. Culver was arrested at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 10 on Walnut Steet after allegedly threatening to subject a person to unwanted physical contact during a domestic incident. Culver was issued a computer-generated appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Dec. 24. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan, assisted by Officer Stephen Quider.

Michelle L. Sahr, 52, of North Main Street, Albion, is charged with second-degree harassment. Sahr was arrested at 8:48 p.m. Dec. 8 on Prospect Avenue in Batavia after allegedly showing up repeatedly at a residence and being told each time she needed to leave. Sahr was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Dec. 17. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Joshua Girvin, assisted by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Thomas James Noce, 26, of North Lansing Circle, Rochester, is charged with: aggravated driving while intoxicated -- a BAC of .18 or more; DWI; reckless driving; failure to stop at stop sign; and operating a motor vehicle while using a portable electronic device. Noce was arrested on Dec. 16 on Clinton Street Road in Bergen at 10:50 p.m. on Dec. 16 following the investigation of a motor-vehicle accident. He was issued appearance tickets and released and is due in Bergen Town Court on Jan. 8. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack, assisted by Deputy Ryan Young.

Matthew G. Vandyne, 57, of Purdy Road, Canandaigua, is charged with: driving while intoxicated -- second offense; DWI with a BAC of .08 percent or more, with a prior conviction; and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Vandyne was arrested at 1:06 a.m. on Route 237 in Byron following an investigation. He is due in Byron Town Court on Jan. 6. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Nicholas Chamoun.

Linda Marie Doucette, 54, of Lake Road, Brockport, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; DWI -- with a BAC of .08 percent or more; and moving from lane unsafely. Doucette was arrest following an investigation of a motor-vehicle accident at 7:38 p.m. on Dec. 13 on Reuben Road on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. She was issued appearance tickets for Dec. 23 in Alabama Town Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor, assisted by Sgt. Michael Lute.

Baillie Marie Schwab, 20, of Maxim Road, Attica, is charged with: driving while intoxicated -- a BAC of .18 percent or more; DWI; and open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Schwab was arrested at 5:07 a.m. on Railroad Avenue in Alexander following a complaint of a female slumped over the wheel in a vehicle in the middle of the roadway in Alexander. She was released on appearance tickets and is due in Alexander Town Court on Dec. 17. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack.

Todd J. Pangrazio, 43, of Annamarie Terrace, Cheektowaga, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree and passing a red light. At 5:59 p.m. on Dec. 15, Pangrazio was allegedly observed passing a steady red light at the intersection of Main and Court streets in the City of Batavia. A traffic stop was conducted. It was determined that Pangrazio possessed a suspended NY non-driver ID with 10 or more scoffs on 10 or more dates. He was issued an appearance ticket and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court on Dec. 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissinger, assisted by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Eric J. McGill, 36, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with trespass. He was arrested at 5:37 p.m. on Dec. 14 in Walmart in Batavia after entering the business, from which he was previously banned. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia Town Court on Dec. 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Joshua Girvin, assisted by Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Vincent A. Sanfratello, 53, of Liberty Street, Batavia, was arrested on Dec. 10 on a bench warrant out of Batavia City Court. He was processed and arraigned in city court and is due back in court on Jan. 28. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins.

Press release:

Cold Case Tuesday

New York State Police in Batavia continue to investigate the 1983 homicide of a Florida woman found in Orleans County.

On Oct. 29, 1983, a body was found by a hunter off of Route 63 in the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, in the Town of Shelby. The victim was found several feet off the shoulder of the roadway, in a severely decomposed state, and is believed to have been there for several months.

In 1984, the Center of Human Identification was used by the New York State Police to make a facial reconstruction from the remains (pictured above). This was done to make a facial render to give the public a possible identity to compare and also render sketches.

In October of 2013, the body was exhumed and DNA testing was done. The victim was identified as Shari Lynne Ball.

Ball was reported missing by her family in June of 1983 to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. She had told her family that she was going to New York State with an unknown friend to pursue a modeling career.

At the time of her disappearance, Ball was living in Boca Raton, Fla., was a 20 year old white female, 5’ 4”, 100 pounds, with hazel eyes and blond hair. Ball was also known to use the last name of Timmerman.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Batavia by calling 585-344-6200. Please refer to SJS # 3032334.

A Batavia man awaiting trial on arson and attempted murder charges was arraigned on a new criminal complaint stemming from his alleged behavior while in custody since his arrest in June 2018.

Plush Dozier has been indicted on counts of criminal mischief in the second degree and criminal mischief in the third degree.

It's alleged that on Aug. 4, 2018, he kicked out a plate of glass in a holding cell at the Genesee County Jail, which caused more than $5,000 damage. He's also accused of causing more than $250 of damage to a Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle on Aug. 20, 2018.

Dozier is being held without bail for allegedly setting fire to a house on Maple Street in the city with the intent of killing his girlfriend on June 15, 2018.

While awaiting his criminal proceedings, Dozier has been housed at least some of the time in solitary confinement at Attica Correctional Facility.  

In September, the Commissioner of Mental Health determined that Dozier is mentally fit to stand trial. He is expected to go to trial the week of March 16.

See previous coverage:

• Man accused of arson and attempted murder will receive mental health treatment before case proceeds
• Law and Order: Rochester man accused of menacing officer and damaging door of Sheriff's Office vehicle
• Grand Jury Report: Man accused of arson and attempted murder in Maple Street fire
• Arson and attempted murder charged in Maple Street fire
• Man accused of arson and attempted murder deemed fit to stand trial

A 44-year-old State Street man admitted in court to stealing $344.50 from the Days Inn in Batavia in October, but as part of a plea deal may with have an opportunity to enter a judicial diversion program.

It will be up to Judge Charles Zambito to decide whether Thomas P. Moynihan can enter a substance abuse program following a report by probation officials to determine his potential eligibility for the program.

Moynihan is due back in court Jan. 3 to hear Zambito's decision.

If Moynihan successful completes the program, his felony charge could be reduced and he would be eligible for probation with no jail time.

If he doesn't successfully complete the program, he would be looking at a prison term of two to seven years.

Moynihan has no prior prison record.

He was arrested by Batavia PD after he went into an area designated for employees at the Days Inn, confronted an employee, demanded money, and then fought with the employee before fleeing.

The employee was not hurt in the incident.

Today he entered a guilty plea to robbery in the third degree.

A change in the law, called the "Green Light Law," that would allow people in the United States without legal permission to be here to obtain a driver's licenses is getting push back in Genesee County from local residents and the County Clerk.

A small group of residents staged a protest outside County Building #1 this morning. Also this morning, County Clerk Michael Cianfrini announced a moratorium on new driver's permits because he is concerned about the lack of training his staff has received about the new law.

"We're out here because we disagree with Gov. Cuomo about the law," said Carl Hyde, or organized the protest. "We're American citizens and we have a right to freedom of speech and to say the law is wrong and we disagree with it."

He expressed concern about DMV staff locally not receiving adequate training to inspect documents from other nations and decide if documents that are presented to determine identity are legitimate documents.

That's also the worry of Cianfrini, who has been hoping the governor would delay implementation of the law or a court would intervene to at least slow down its implementation.

"As it became obvious that none of these were going to happen, I consulted with county management and our county attorney and decided that this was the best course of action in the very short term," Cianfrini said. "As the state has changed many of the policies and procedures that we use to process new applications while providing minimal training and information on exactly how to handle various situations, we were uncomfortable with completing the transactions."

He said that if clerks were presented with documents they could not verify or authenticate, or if the clerks suspected fraud, they would be prohibited from contacting law enforcement and from keeping copies of the docuemnts. At the same time, he said the county DMV has been told to handle suspicious documents "as we always have."

"I am afraid that we will either take a copy of something or report something that we shouldn’t, and find ourselves in violation of the law, or accept and process something that we shouldn’t and likewise run afoul of the law," Cianfrini said. "As we do not discriminate against anyone based upon a suspicion of country of origin or suspected legal status, we felt it necessary to implement this blanket moratorium on new permits to protect ourselves and to be in a position to handle the transactions properly when we start issuing them again.  It is my sincere hope that we will be able to begin processing new permit transactions again within the next few days."

A 37-year-old transient with roots in Batavia will spend 12 and a half years in prison for his first-degree robbery of the Speedway at 204 W. Main St. in September.

Dustin Wayne Bogue was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of stolen property.

He entered the Speedway at 1:51 p.m. Sept. 14 and Batavia PD responded to a report of a robbery. He was later arrested following an investigation. 

Under terms of a previous plea agreement, the maximum sentence Bogue faced was 15 years. He could have gotten a minimum of 10 years. District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said Judge Charles Zambito decided to split in half the maximum statutory time of 25 years, which is how he arrived at 12 and a half years.

Bogue has previously served prison terms for unauthorized use of a vehicle, second-degree assault, and criminal contempt.

His father, Lewis W. Bogue Jr., was convicted in Genesee County Court in 1995 of rape and sodomy (Dustin Bogue was not the victim). Zambito, according to Friedman, said he realized Bogue had a rough childhood but he said that was no excuse before imposing the prison term.

A residential structure fire is reported in Pavilion in a house trailer that is believed to be unoccupied at 9887 S. Lake Road (Route 19). Flames are showing. Pavilion Fire Department is called to respond along with mutual aid from Le Roy and Stafford fire departments. The location is between Junction and Cole roads.