Local News

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I- Batavia) today reminded residents and business owners affected by Lake Ontario’s historic flooding this past spring of the upcoming federal and state application deadlines to receive financial assistance relating to damages they may have.

“Lake Ontario’s devastating flooding has caused a great deal of hardship, both emotional and financial, for many residents and business owners along the shoreline,” Hawley said. “Fortunately, there are many resources available to aid in recovery, and I encourage all residents and business owners to keep a close eye on the upcoming deadlines and submit their applications accordingly. As always throughout this difficult time, my office is available to assist in this process so please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.”

Applications for New York’s Small Business Recovery Fund through Empire State Development are due on December 29, 2017 and more information can be found here. Eligible Private Non-Profit organizations can also receive funding through the U.S. Small Business Administration. Applications are due by January 16, 2018 and more information can be found here.

Posted by Tompkins County Government:

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

The Legislature, by unanimous vote, confirmed the appointment of Jason Molino, currently City Manager of the City of Batavia, NY, as Tompkins County Administrator, effective January 29, 2018. In a second unanimous vote, the Legislature approved an annual salary for the position of $130,000 for 2018, which falls above the position’s current salary range. The action also indicates that the County Administrator will be eligible to receive the same fringe benefits and annual salary adjustments as those provided other management staff as negotiated and upon ratification of the County’s CSEA White Collar union.

A credentialed local government management professional by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) with diversified experience in public administration, Mr. Molino has served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Fiscal Officer of the City of Batavia since 2006 and for two years before that as Assistant to the Village Manager for the Village of Port Chester, New York.

Legislature Chair Michael Lane congratulated Mr. Molino on behalf of the Legislature, and said that, among the things that had impressed the Legislature was that, after applying, he had taken the time to attend some of the meetings of the Legislature and its committees. “This is a feather in his cap,” Lane said.

“Thank you for the warm welcome,” the new Administrator said. “It’s an honor to be selected.” Molino added that he has watched Tompkins County government from afar over the years, and that “it’s a pleasure to be part of this team.”

Budget, Capital, and Personnel Committee Chair Jim Dennis, who chaired the search committee, remarked, “I’m pleased with the work of the committee and the people involved in it—another good process that the County has had to pick people for very important jobs.”

####

Click here for a link to the original posting.

Press Release:

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The 2017 Batavia Downs summer-fall meet that ended on Saturday (Dec. 16) left track management feeling good after setting records for total betting and purse money paid out during the year.

The track’s export signal drew an increased handle of 15.9% over 2016 and total betting was up 8.1% (over $600,000) with 17 less races than last year. That produced $8.2 million dollars wagered on the live harness racing product which was the most ever handled at Batavia Downs during a meet since Western Regional OTB purchased and reopened the track in 2002.

The Downs also set a record handle in their Pick-5 wager when the pool reached $25,312 as a result of being part of the USTA Strategic Wagering Program on Wednesday (Nov. 22).

Total purses paid out including New York Sire Stakes were $6,072,800, the first time ever the track distributed in excess of $6 million in purse money.

The 2017 meet was also the first time Batavia Downs adopted a new 5 p.m. post time on Wednesdays and that seemed to contribute to the better numbers witnessed from the off-track outlets as handle was up 25% from the export signal mid-week. It was also a big reason the track eclipsed the $8 million mark in total handle.

A quality product on the track drove those numbers along with a closely contested driver’s race that saw three reinsmen with a shot at the title all year.

When the dust had cleared, Larry Stalbaum won his first ever Batavia Downs driving title with 134 wins. Second was Ray Fisher Jr. with 124 and just one back in third was Drew Monti with 123.

On the conditioner side, Kim Asher also won her first Batavia Downs training title in a romp with 94 wins, 52 ahead of JD Perrin who was second with 42. Maria Rice was third with 40 victories.

Post one won 201 out of the 808 races run followed by post four with 135 and post three with 123.

Favorites won 45% of the time during the course of the meet.

“When the lights went down for the last time this year and we looked at the numbers, we were very happy with the results we saw” said Todd Haight, Director/General Manager of Live Racing at Batavia Downs. “We had great action on the track with competitive, bettable races and the money wagered through the windows shows our customers felt the same way.”

Upon approval of the New York State Gaming Commission, live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Monday, July 23, 2018.

Peter Arras convinced his fellow Lions Club members in Batavia Thirty-five years ago to start a Christmas basketball tournament.

Arras then ran the tournament for more than three decades.

Arras was honored at the tournament’s annual kick-off dinner this week,  and the tournament was officially renamed The Peter Arras GCC Basketball Tournament.

Lions member Ross Fanara,

Arras passed away in October at age 77.

His family was in attendance for the dinner, including his widow Nancy Arras, who received a memorial clock from the club.

For more on the story check the article by our news partner The Batavian.

Hawley hails victory for local non-profit fundraising.
New Legislation has passed that will make Not for profit fundraising through raffles less stressful.
A few years ago the Stafford Fire Department was singled out for conducting an illegal car raffle, discouraging many other non-profits from hosting similar functions.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley of Batavia championed the issue and sponsored the Charitable Gaming Act which has now been signed into law.

The rule only applies to tickets sold by organizations within their own county or a contiguous county.
The States Gaming Commission will review and possibly tweak the legislation and the new law will take effect in six months.

Oak Street man Indicted on 17 counts for rash of Batavia burglaries.
19 year old Davon St. John of Batavia was indicted on felony counts including Grand Larceny and Criminal Possession of a Firearm following a slew of Batavia burglaries that occurred in this fall.
St. John allegedly burglarized three residences on Ellicott Avenue, Montclair Avenue and Union Avenue on multiple occasions.
He is accused of taking a variety of expensive items including numerous electronic devices, jewelry, a .357 revolver a 2004 Jeep.
St John has been arrested multiple times this past year and was most recently apprehended last Thursday for petit larceny at T.F Browns in Batavia.

Jail without bail for a Walnut Place resident accused of dealing drugs.
32 year old Lamar Randall Also known as “L-Boog” of Batavia was arrested by the Genesee County Local Drug Task Force following investigation into crack cocaine sales around the City.
He was charged with four Class B Felony Counts for sale and possession of a controlled substance.
Randall was accused of selling crack to a Task Force agent on two separate occasions.
He was committed to the County Jail without bail.

For the first time in over a decade Batavia will need to appoint a new city manager.
The Tompkins County Legislature has unanimously approved Jason Molino to become the administrator in Ithaca, with an effective start date of January 29th.
Since last summer, Batavia has been accepting applications for the vacant assistant city manager position.
Council President Gene Jankowski tells us the search for an assistant manager will likely be put on hold.

Jankowski says the city will probably name an interim manager to handle day to day operations until a permanent manager is hired.

News Release: The Jerome Foundation

Cora Ivison, a graduating senior from Byron-Bergen Central School, has been selected as the 2017 recipient of the William F. Brown Memorial Scholarship. She will receive a $1000 scholarship sponsored by The Jerome Foundation.

The William F. Brown Memorial Scholarship is an annual scholarship given to a deserving graduating senior boy or girl in Genesee County, and graduating from a high school in Genesee County, whose intention is to pursue a degree in the field of Journalism, Communications, or Public Relations (in print, radio, television, or digital media).

The award is given in memory of the late William F. Brown, Jr., a noted author, broadcaster, and journalist who contributed greatly to the quality of life in Genesee County through his writing, and as a member of numerous community and civic organizations.

Miss Ivison is attending Canisius College and pursuing a degree in communications.

Not for profit organizations can breathe a little easier when raising money through raffles.
A chill was sent through the non-profit community a couple of years ago when the Stafford Fire Department was singled out for conducting an illegal raffle.
The fire department, like many non-profits, conducted raffles as a means of raising funds for various good causes.
Now, Governor Cuomo has signed a measure sponsored by Batavia Assemblyman Steve Hawley, easing the rules on not-for-profit raffles. Hawley telling WBTA News:

The rule only applies to tickets sold by organizations within their own or contiguous counties. The new law takes effect in six months.

For the first time in 12 years, Batavia is looking for a new city manager.
Jason Molino is leaving to become the administrator for Tompkins County in Ithaca, a position he is expected to assume by the middle of next month.
Batavia has been accepting applications for the post of assistant city manager since last summer. Council President Gene Jankowski tells us the search for an assistant manager will likely be put on hold:

Jankowski says the city will probably name an interim manager to handle day to day operations until a permanent manager is hired:

One culprit in a battery cable caper in Genesee County has admitted his guilt.
Jordan Prentice was recently picked up in Arizona.
He has pled guilty to his role in the 2014 theft of copper cables from at least 50 buses at Lutz Sales in Oakfield.
He has been promised a sentence of no more than one year of shock probation.

An Orleans County man is accused of raping a teenage girl.
Deputies say they arrested 22-year-old Nicholas Preston of Albion.
He’s accused of having unlawful sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl in Ridgeway.
Preston is being held in the Orleans County in lieu of 25-hundred-dollars bail.

A Wind Advisory remains in effect for Genesee County until 7 tonight.
Unofficial wind gusts over 45 miles per hour have been recorded.
A wind gust is suspected of blowing out the front window of the Travelore Travel Agency on East Main Street earlier today.

32 year old Denise Busiere of Townline Road in Byron was stopped on Route 19 in Bergen after she allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign.

Busiere was taken into custody for Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs and following investigation she was additionally charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance along with vehicle and traffic infractions.

She was released with an appearance ticket for Bergen Town Court on January 10th.

Jordan Prentice was indicted in 2014 on a count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property as the accomplice in a battery cable larceny in Oakfield.

Prentice was charged along with Jeremy Dean Lyons for stealing the heavy copper wires from 50 different buses at Lutz Sales on Judge Road.

Prentice was recently apprehended in Arizona and appeared in Genesee County Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny with the promise of no more than a sentence of shock probation.

He was released under supervision of Genesee Justice to await sentencing next month.

For more on the story check the article by our news partner The Batavian.

News Release

A Statement from Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia)

“This is a tremendous victory and crucial first step toward reforming our gaming laws for the tens of thousands of non-profits, fire departments, churches, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs and charitable organizations throughout the state.

“After a long uphill climb, and with much help from my colleagues in the Assembly and Senate, we have made important changes to New York’s gaming laws that open the conversation and serve as a catapult to tackle more changes this year.

“I would like to personally thank Assemblyman Robin Schimminger (D-Buffalo) for carrying this bill in our house and Senators Patrick Gallivan (R-Elma), Michael Ranzenhofer (R-Amherst) and Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) for championing this cause in the Senate. I would also like to thank all the constituents and local groups who contacted my office and the governor’s office expressing their support for this bill.

“The law will take effect in 180 days and the New York State Gaming Commission will make any necessary tweaks. I am so proud of the work we have done and I am hopeful that moving forward we continue to advocate for our charitable and non-profit organizations and make more changes to the state’s gaming laws.”