Monday News Brief

Felony Drug, Weapon, and Theft Arrests in Genesee County

A Batavia man faces multiple felony drug charges following a sealed indictment arrest by the Genesee County Drug Task Force.
Howard “Chaz” DeCarlis, 43, is charged with four Class B felonies for criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance. Investigators say DeCarlis sold crack cocaine to a task force agent on multiple occasions. He was taken into custody Jan. 6 in the Town of Greece with assistance from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and a K9 unit. DeCarlis was also tied to a 2025 search warrant in Stafford and Batavia involving large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl. He was arraigned and released.
Justine Denae Wood, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon and a controlled substance after deputies allegedly found drugs, paraphernalia, and a stun gun during a search incident to arrest on Montclair Avenue. She is being held pending arraignment.
Three Batavia residents were also arrested following a reported theft at Home Depot in December. Trace Brewer and Brandon Dodd face multiple charges including burglary, petit larceny, drug possession, and conspiracy. Brewer and Wood were issued appearance tickets, while Dodd was already in custody on unrelated charges.
The Genesee County Drug Task Force and Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigations.

ELBA POST OFFICE CLOSED INDEFINITELY AFTER ROOF DAMAGE

Elba residents are without a local post office after wind damage earlier this month forced the facility to close until further notice.
A notice posted January 12 says the building was deemed unsafe. Until repairs are made, all Elba mail is being handled through the Oakfield Post Office. Home delivery will continue, but PO Box customers must travel to Oakfield to pick up their mail.
Residents say the closure has created major problems, especially during winter weather, and they’re frustrated by the lack of communication. Town officials say they’re waiting on further information from postal authorities.

DEMOCRATS CALL FOR FEDERAL AGENTS TO LEAVE MINNESOTA AFTER FATAL SHOOTING

Democrats are demanding federal immigration officers withdraw from Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man during a confrontation with protesters in Minneapolis, triggering unrest and a legal battle over the investigation.
Federal officials say agents fired in self-defense Saturday after 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti intervened during an encounter between officers and a woman. Authorities claim Pretti was armed, but bystander video does not appear to show him holding a weapon. Police confirmed Pretti had a legal permit to carry.
Pretti’s family says he was unarmed and trying to protect someone when he was shot, calling federal officials’ statements false. A federal judge has ordered evidence preserved as state officials sue for control of the investigation.
The shooting has renewed protests and intensified criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge, with Democratic leaders warning the situation could lead to a government funding standoff later this month.

BATAVIA PROPOSES LOWER TAX RATE AS PROPERTY VALUES CLIMB

Batavia’s proposed 2026–27 city budget includes a slight property tax rate cut, but rising assessments may still mean higher bills for many homeowners.
City officials say total assessed property value jumped by $42 million, about a 5% increase, driven by a strong housing market. To offset that, the tax rate is proposed to drop 12 cents, from $8.46 to $8.34 per $1,000 of assessed value. That’s a $12 savings on a $100,000 home — but a $50,000 increase in assessed value would raise a tax bill by about $405.
Property taxes account for roughly 30% of the city’s general fund, supported by about 5,700 parcels. The total proposed budget is $37.2 million.
The plan also includes higher water costs — up 10 cents per 1,000 gallons plus a $2 meter fee — while sewer rates would remain unchanged.
City officials say the budget focuses on reinvestment, quality of life, and long-term growth. Public budget sessions begin today after the 5 p.m. City Council meeting at City Hall.

STREAM DATA CENTERS INFO SESSION POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER

The Stream Data Centers public information session scheduled for tonight (Monday) at 6 p.m. has been postponed because of severe weather in the forecast.
Officials say a new date will be announced soon, with enough advance notice for residents to plan to attend.
In the meantime, Stream has launched a project website addressing frequently raised questions and concerns. More information is available at streamwny.com.

TRUMP’S GREENLAND PUSH SPLITS MAGA AND EUROPE’S FAR RIGHT

Plans by President Donald Trump to assert U.S. control over Greenland are cracking what was once a tight alliance between MAGA and Europe’s far-right parties.
Nationalist leaders in France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. — many of whom openly celebrated Trump’s return to power — are now pushing back, calling the move a threat to sovereignty. Even longtime Trump ally Nigel Farage labeled it “a very hostile act.”
That backlash spilled into the European Parliament this week, where far-right lawmakers backed freezing an EU–U.S. trade pact, citing coercion and interference.
The divide is notable: far-right parties now hold about a quarter of all seats in the European Parliament after major gains last year. But Greenland, along with Trump’s actions in Venezuela and Iran, has forced some to choose nationalism over loyalty to Trump.
France’s National Rally and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni have both criticized Trump’s tactics, while Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and several Eastern European leaders have avoided confrontation, tying their political futures to Trump’s favor.
Analysts say the rift could deepen if Trump continues pressuring European sovereignty — potentially reshaping the continent’s far-right alliances.

GENESEE COUNTY GIRLS BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

It was a busy weekend on the hardwood across Genesee County.
Oakfield-Alabama stayed perfect, using stifling defense to beat Byron-Bergen 41–24 Saturday. The Hornets shut out the Bees in the first quarter and rolled to their 11th straight win behind Hadley Hicks’ 13 points. O-A also crushed Holley 66–31 Friday and now sits at 11–0.
Notre Dame handled Kendall 66–33, getting balanced scoring from Sofia Falletti and Shirley Thompson with 14 points apiece. The Irish improved to 8–3.
Elba powered past Pembroke 71–56, led by Brooklyn Jachimowitz’s 20 points, while Wheatland-Chili edged Byron-Bergen 38–34 behind 18 from Whitney Thrush.
Alexander squeaked by Attica 30–26, Brockport beat Batavia 55–48, and Le Roy completed a comeback to top rival Caledonia-Mumford 29–24.

Genesee County Boys Basketball Scores from the Weekend

Elba edged Jasper-Troupsburg 49-48 on Saturday as Nick Scott hit a game-winning three-pointer with one second remaining. Ryan Marsceill led Elba with 16 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, while Brady Werth added 14. The Lancers improve to 8-3 and host Wheatland-Chili Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Pembroke dominated Royalton-Hartland 59-29, with Nolan Peterson scoring 14 and Owen Shultz 13 points. Luca Baker contributed seven points and five assists. The Dragons move to 8-2 and play Holley on the road Wednesday at 7.
Le Roy overcame Caledonia-Mumford 53-44, outscoring the Raiders 31-19 in the second half. Brayden Chase had 19 points, 13 in the second half, and Grady Gilligan recorded a double-double. Le Roy is now 9-5, Cal-Mum falls to 6-5.
Batavia defeated Honeoye Falls-Lima 55-54 on a last-second basket by Gavin White. White finished with 21 points and Grady Hemer added 18. Batavia improves to 8-4, while HF-L drops to 6-7.