Wednesday News Brief
Written by Pete Zehler on July 1, 2026
BERGEN COMFORT CARE HOME PROJECT MOVES FORWARD
A proposed comfort care home in Bergen is taking another step forward as Genesee Valley Regional Community Cares prepares to seek construction bids for the renovation project.
The nonprofit plans to convert the rear portion of Stone Church Presbyterian Church on South Lake Road into a two-bedroom comfort care home for terminally ill residents with a life expectancy of less than three months. The home would provide housing and caregiving at no cost to residents, while medical care would be provided through outside hospice agencies.
Bids for the renovation project are expected to go out this week, with contractors having about four weeks to submit proposals. The organization is also working through building and special use permits with the Town of Bergen.
Once renovation costs are known, the group says fundraising efforts will ramp up to help make the project a reality. If completed, the facility would become only the second comfort care home in Genesee County, joining Crossroads House in Batavia.
SHERIFF’S OFFICE MAKES SEVERAL ARRESTS
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office has announced several recent arrests.
Twenty-eight-year-old Kiha McNear of Batavia is charged with attempted second-degree assault after allegedly punching another inmate in the back of the head multiple times at the Genesee County Jail.
Fifty-two-year-old Tara Stoffer of Clarence is charged with third-degree grand larceny after deputies say she stole more than $3,000 from Batavia Downs Casino while employed there. She was released following arraignment and is due back in Batavia Town Court on July 21st.
Thirty-one-year-old Ashlee Drock of Elba faces assault and endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly striking a victim multiple times in the face during an incident in Elba.
And 37-year-old Steven Binder of Batavia is charged with criminal contempt and resisting arrest after allegedly violating an order of protection and resisting deputies attempting to take him into custody. He was held pending arraignment in CAP Court.
COOLING CENTER OPEN IN BATAVIA
With extreme heat in the forecast, Batavia First Presbyterian Church is opening its Cold Night Café as a cooling center through Friday.
The cooling center will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the church, located at 300 East Main Street in Batavia.
Anyone needing a cool, safe place to escape the heat is welcome. Volunteers will be on hand throughout the day, and community members are encouraged to spread the word to help keep others safe during the heat wave.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR VETERANS TO BE HONORED
The Batavia Cemetery Association will celebrate America’s 250th birthday by honoring the eight Revolutionary War veterans buried at Batavia Cemetery on Harvester Avenue.
The free event is set for Saturday, July 5, and will feature guided tours of the veterans’ graves at 1 and 3 p.m., along with a patriotic performance by the Batavia Concert Band at 2 p.m.
Visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets for the event, which is sponsored in part by the New York State 250th Commemoration Commission.
SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld birthright citizenship, ruling that children born in the United States are citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment, even if their parents are in the country illegally or only temporarily.
In a 5-4 decision, the court rejected an executive order from President Donald Trump that sought to end automatic citizenship for those children. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that birth on U.S. soil, while subject to U.S. law, is enough to qualify for citizenship.
The ruling exposed sharp divisions among the justices. Justice Clarence Thomas argued that citizenship should depend on a stronger political connection to the United States, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the Fourteenth Amendment was intended to guarantee equal citizenship and reject systems of discrimination established before the Civil War.
EGG PRODUCERS SETTLE PRICE-FIXING CASE
Three of the nation’s largest egg producers have agreed to settle allegations they illegally worked together to drive up egg prices.
The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states accused Cal-Maine Foods, Versova and Hickman’s Egg Ranch of coordinating pricing between 2022 and 2025, contributing to record-high egg prices during last year’s bird flu outbreak. The companies deny any wrongdoing but agreed to provide $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs to food banks and nonprofit organizations. They also agreed to strengthen antitrust compliance and stop communicating with competitors about pricing and bidding strategies.
The settlement still requires court approval. Officials say the agreement is aimed at protecting consumers from future price manipulation.
MUCKDOGS STAY ATOP STANDINGS WITH ROAD WIN
The Batavia Muckdogs stayed in first place Tuesday night with an 8-6 road victory over the Niagara Ironbacks.
The win improves Batavia to 16-6 on the season as the Muckdogs continue to lead the league standings.
Batavia returns to Dwyer Stadium tonight to host the Jamestown Tarp Skunks. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 as the Muckdogs look to keep their momentum going and strengthen their hold on first place.
