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Bergen man's hopes for lenient sentence dashed by judge

By Howard B. Owens

Defense Attorney Michael T. Dwan admitted in County Court Wednesday that after 20 years of practice, he's become pretty cynical, catching clients in lies, and finding out disappointing things he didn't know about them from pre-sentence investigations, but that hasn't been the case with Kaleb Bobzien, he said.

Kaleb, he said, is different. He's smart. He's articulate.  He graduated with honors from Byron-Bergen High School. He was captain of the football team. 

"This kid has a ton of potential," Dwan told Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini. "I think he's a good kid. I think he's going to turn out just fine."

He argued that Bobzien should get credit for time served, and those 115 days in jail was punishment enough.

Cianfrini didn't see it that way.  In weighing a potential sentence for Bobzien, the things she needed to look at, she said, were the crimes he admitted to, his criminal history, his past tendency to disobey court orders, and whether he could be dissuaded from repeating his crimes.

In December, Bobzien entered a guilty plea to two misdemeanors – on an Alford basis, meaning he doesn’t admit to the factual assertions of the charges, he just acknowledges the likelihood of conviction at trial  -- to criminal contempt and to an obstruction breathing/blood circulation.

Cianfrini was particularly concerned about the obstruction of breathing charge. He's been charged with that before, and that's the kind of action, she said, that could lead him, even unintentionally, to killing somebody.

"You do need some additional time to sit and think about what you can do to keep this from happening again," Cianfrini said.

On both convictions, she sentenced him to 364 days in jail on each count, with the sentences served concurrently.

After his guilty plea in December, Bobzien and Dwan sat down with The Batavian for an interview in a courthouse meeting room. The most serious allegations against Bobzien -- what is commonly known as statutory rape -- had been dropped.  Even though Bobzien maintained his innocence -- hence the Alford plea -- and Dwan believed his client, it was still Dwan's advice that Bobzien accept the plea offer because of the color of Bobzien's skin.

"Because we walked into this with extraordinarily high risk," Dwan said at the time. "Let's be real, Kaleb is a young black man who is facing sex allegations, so as an attorney, I begged Kaleb to accept the plea that was put before him, not because I don't think that we would have succeeded at trial, but because the risk of going to trial would have been extraordinary."

Today, in court, Dwan explained at length to Cianfrini why he believed his client is innocent.  

On the contempt charges, of disobeying a stay-away order, Dwan said it was his view that the language on the order of protection allowed Bobzien to return to the residence where the teenage girl was living so he could pick up his personal belongings. 

As for the seven counts of rape in the third degree and criminal sexual act in the third degree, those charges wouldn't have stood up because the dates and times conflicted with periods of time when Bobzien was out of the country.  He also said there was sensitive medical evidence that indicated Kaleb didn't have sexual contact with the teenager who made the complaint against Bobzien. 

The victim had been arrested previously on a complaint by Bobzien on a criminal mischief charge. She then told a State Police investigator, Dwan said, "He turned me in to get me arrested. I'm going to put his butt in jail" (or words to that effect, Dwan explained, because he didn't have the exact quote in front of him).

He faulted the State Police investigator for not probing the girl's statements more thoroughly.

"I don't think the investigation was fair," Dwan said. "If it was (the investigator's) son facing these charges, I'm sure he would want the investigator serious, pointed questions put to the victim." 

Dwan said, "the assumption was that the complainant was being honest, and he should have had plenty of reason to believe she was being dishonest.  That assumption colored the entire investigation. That led to very serious charges that were in the media.  If you Google 'Kaleb Bobzien,' the results are not favorable.  That is going to be there forever."

He said at the time of the event that led to the obstruction of breathing charge came up, the complainant and another teenager were living with Bobzien and his child in a tiny apartment that wasn't suitable for them.  Dwan expressed some wonder at the girl's mother allowing her to live there.

"The whole thing didn't make any sense."

On the night of the incident, Bobzien came home from work and found the two girls and the young child in a room filled with marijuana smoke.  That upset Bobzien, and he took away their vape pipes, which they weren't even old enough to possess legally. 

"The girls freaked out," Dwan said.

Bobzien went to bed, but the two girls started going after him. 

"Whether he handled it perfectly or not, I don't know," Dwan said.

"I firmly believe that if this case went to trial, it would have unraveled quickly," Dwan said. "I think any thread you pulled on this sweater, you could have quickly had no sweater."

He said Bobzien does have issues with authority. In that way, he isn't much different from a lot of young men, especially if you consider his background -- he's one of 45 biological children of his father's, and his father was killed by police officers.  Bobzien was adopted as a child by a couple living in Bergen.

Dwan has been mentoring his client, he said. They watched body camera footage of Bobzien's interactions with police officers, and Dwan pointed out all the ways Bobzien mishandled the interaction and how he was disrespectful to the officers. 

"Most of the trouble he's had is because he runs his mouth," Dwan said. "That's not an unusual response for a young man of his age, and in that respect, especially one with his background.  I hope he's learned he needs to be respectful toward authority."

Assistant District Attorney Robert Zickl said he favored the maximum available sentence under the plea bargain -- a year in jail -- because of the seriousness of the charges and because of Bobzien's history of disobeying court orders and previous criminal acts.

Bobzien's statement to the court was filled with thank-yous.

He thanked his family for standing with him. 

"I know it wasn't easy for them to read the things said about me, and yet somehow they still loved me and supported me, and that's what I needed," he said. "When this happened, there were some really dark, dark days.

He thanked his attorney for not only believing in him but "also encouraging me to be a better person.  He has opened my eyes to things." 

He thanked the people of Batavia, whom he said have shown him a lot of support.

He thanked Robert Zickl for his professionalism, both for his willingness to listen and drop the rape charges also for his toughness in upholding the law. 

"I knew if my child was a victim, I would want those accusations to be taken seriously," Bobzien said. "Our only job is to protect kids, protect our future. He made it tough to prove my innocence, but he did the right thing."

He then apologized to one of the court officers.  

At Bobzien's previous appearance, while he was waiting for his case to be called, Bobzien was looking at his phone while another case was proceeding, and the officer told him to put the phone down.  Apparently, Bobzien spoke back to the officer.  An exchange Cianfrini later reprimanded him for.

"I disrespected you last time I was here," Bobzien told the officer. "That wasn't right. I don't want this to be about race, but as a black man doing what you do, I should respect you.  Black excellence is a hard thing to achieve, and I know that is my goal in life."

Previously: Bergen resident feels vindicated, can move forward with life, after felony rape charges dropped

Photo: File photo of attorney Michael T. Dwan and Kaleb Bobzien after Bobzien's court appearance in December. 

Grand Jury Report: Motorcyclist charged with manslaughter in death of teenager

By Howard B. Owens

Christopher R. Scinta is indicted on counts of manslaughter in the second degree, a Class C felony, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, a Class C felony, reckless driving, a Class A misdemeanor, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a Class A misdemeanor, two counts of obstructing governmental administration, a Class A misdemeanor, obstructing emergency medical personal, a Class misdemeanor, and speeding, a violation. Scinta is accused of causing the death of Jasmyne Rubel at the roundabout in the City of Batavia on Nov. 4. He is accused of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident without notifying police of the accident. He is accused of driving a 2006 Kawasaki in a reckless manner. He's accused of intentionally damaging window blinds in interview room #2 at the Batavia Police Department. He is accused of attempting to interfere with a government official's lawful duty. He is accused of interfering with the medical treatment of Jasmyne Rubel by a qualified first responder. 

Cindy L. Bush is indicted on a felony count of DWI and of aggravated unlicensed operation. Bush is accused of driving drunk on April 24 in the City of Batavia on Ross Street in a 2004 Chevrolet. The indictment alleges a prior conviction within the past 10 years for DWI in February 2015 in the City of Batavia.

David J. Leroy is indicted on a count of criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, a Class D felony. Leroy is accused of knowingly possessing a switchblade knife in the Town of Pembroke on July 25.

Geovanny Lopez is indicated a felony count of DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, a Class E felony, and circumventing an interlock device, a Class A misdemeanor. Lopez is accused of driving a 2009 Ford on the I-490 on Aug. 4 in the Town of Le Roy. The indictment alleges that Lopez was convicted of DWI with the past 10 years, on Dec. 12, 2016, in Yonkers.

Shannon L. Marvin is indicted on a count of grand larceny in the fourth degree, a Class E felony. Marvin is accused of stealing a Discover card belonging to another person in the Town of Bergen during the month of October in 2021.

Fire extinguished at auto auction business in Bergen

By Joanne Beck

A fire that involved several vehicles Saturday afternoon on Appletree Avenue was "under control fairly quickly, especially with the wind we had today," Bergen Fire Department reports.

The fire was reported to be at Insurance Auto Auction, 7149 Appletree Ave., Bergen.  

Responding fire departments included Bergen, Le Roy, Churchville and Byron. The International Association of Arson Investigators became involved with the incident.

"IAA management was on scene minutes after the 911 call was received, and worked with our department to form a game plan," Bergen Fire Department said. "They assisted us with anything we needed and provided two loaders to move vehicles. There were no EV cars involved in the fire. Thank you for everyone’s support and kind words, all first responders returned home safely."

Grand Jury Report: Man accused of attempted murder in Jackson Street knife attack

By Howard B. Owens

Tyshon L. Taylor is indicted on counts of attempted murder in the second degree, a Class B violent felony, assault in the first degree, a Class B violent felony, and criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a Class D felony. Taylor is accused of stabbing a victim with a knife with the intent to kill the victim on Oct. 18 in the City of Batavia. Previously: Man accused of attempted murder in stabbing on Jackson Street

Adam M. Kreutz is indicted on two counts of burglary in the second degree, a Class C violent felony, a count of assault in the second degree, a Class D violent felony, assault in the third degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and attempted coercion in the first degree, a Class E felony, On Sept. 6, Kreutz allegedly twice entered a dwelling on Ellicott Street, Batavia, with the intent to commit a crime. He allegedly caused injury to a person using steel-toed boots. He allegedly told the victim he needed to vacate the apartment that was the victim's legal residence. 

Christian I. Andrzejek is indicted on counts of burglary in the third degree, a Class D felony, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and petit larceny. Andrzejek is accused of entering a shed on Washington Avenue, Batavia, on Sept. 6 with the intent to commit a crime inside the shed. He is accused of possessing methamphetamine on Sept. 6. He is accused of stealing clothes on Sept. 6.

Tammy L. Cicatello is indicted on a count of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a Class D felony. Cicatello is accused of possessing a firearm on July 30 in the City of Batavia.

Chaz T. Brandon, Jr., is indicted on counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a Class B felony, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, a Class C felony, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a Class A misdemeanor. On Aug. 11, 2020, while in the Town of Bergen, Brandon was allegedly found in possession of 67 red plastic containers, each containing cocaine, with the intent to sell it. The aggregate weight was allegedly more than one-eight of an ounce. He is also accused of possessing Oxycodone.

Bergen company CEO took his shot and won in Grow-NY competition

By Joanne Beck

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After two days of enjoying himself at a Grow-NY convention, Paul Guglielmo knew it was time to get serious. He was approaching his time to be on stage pitching for up to a million bucks to expand his Craft Cannery business.

Enter Alexander Hamilton. Or at least the soundtrack of the famed Broadway musical about America’s founding father. No wonder Guglielmo chose this piece of music to pump him up before his turn came: “I’m not throwing away my shot,” begins one of the tunes in a spunky rap-sung style.

And he certainly didn't. He just learned Wednesday that his pitch won a $500,000 prize. 

“It really worked. By the time I stepped on stage I was really psyched,” Guglielmo said Thursday about giving his pitch during the Grow-NY competition in Syracuse. “There was so much energy.”

The news was embargoed until Thursday, but Guglielmo figured there’s always the “mom rule,” so he confided in her before the news became public.

“She screamed at the top of her lungs,” he said. “We did a lot of practice, I’d say at least 50 times; it was well-rehearsed, but not memorized. There were six judges, sort of six disciplines all related to the food and agriculture business. The $500,000 is a really, really big deal, of course, but also having six people at the absolute tops of their field in food and agriculture give you that kind of validation, hearing your plan and say ‘we believe in that plan,’ that’s a big deal too. It really is a big deal.”

He received the award Wednesday night on behalf of the Bergen-based company. The top three priorities he pitched involved job creation, expansion of the building on Appletree Avenue, and the purchase of needed equipment. Most likely, it won’t happen in that order, though, as a building expansion needs to be done first in order to fit more equipment and then hire additional people to help operate everything.

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Guglielmo (inset photo left), has been supported throughout his entrepreneurial journey by his wife Ryann, who assists with the company’s marketing, and partner Tom Riggio (inset photo, right). For more, go to the company website.

First up on the task list is to hire an architect and move forward with an expansion, Guglielmo said. That should be happening during the next several months, he said.

“Monday, we’ll have our first set of meetings, and have a goal of that being done in a year,” he said. “We have the land to do 10,000 square feet."

With a personality that tends to be “all over the place,” one big lesson he has learned from this experience is to focus. The judges homed in on various elements of his pitch, and pointed out an area he hadn’t really thought about, he said: the diversity of his staff. While clients and the advisory board are diverse groups, his staff looks like Bergen, he said: nine white people. He has attempted to recruit temp workers from an Afghan-based employee pool, but workers didn’t have transportation. He appreciated the panel’s point.

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“The efforts have been made. And there's barriers that need to be broken down, specifically with the transportation, because I've heard a couple of times, well, where's the nearest bus stop, and we don't have one. And so that's a barrier,” he said. “So it's something that I would like to pay a lot more attention to and do a better job of.”

Once expansion and new equipment purchases happen, then Craft Cannery will be looking to hire “realistically between two and five people,” the Brighton resident said. Although the “B2B” company produces well-known products, it sells to businesses versus directly to the public. As a result, it hasn’t garnered a whole lot of attention — until now. Guglielmo knows how challenging it can be to pursue a business dream, and he wants entrepreneurs to know that Craft Cannery is there to help.

“The first thing I ever thought when I wanted to start my pasta sauce business was that it was almost for sure that the answer I would get would be that it was impossible. And I couldn't believe it when I finally started to have some people take me seriously, like the people at Cornell University and their food venture center,” he said. “When they took me seriously, I was like, ‘Oh my God, somebody's actually taking me seriously that I want to bottle this sauce. This is so cool.’”

State recognition
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the winners of the Grow-NY business competition Thursday, including the top prize recipient ProAgni of Lavington, Australia, for the $1 million grand prize.

Now in its fourth year, the program once again attracted exceptional startups and entrepreneurial talent from around the globe to compete in its business development accelerator and two-day pitch competition at the Grow-NY Summit, Hochul’s press release stated.

ProAgni and Craft Cannery were two of eight finalists to take home prize money. The winning teams must commit to operating in the Central New York, Finger Lakes, or Southern Tier regions for at least one year while providing Grow-NY with a small equity investment stake in their entity. Funding for the competition, which is administered by Cornell University's Center for Regional Economic Advancement, is provided through the state's Upstate Revitalization Initiative. 

"Congratulations to all of the forward-thinking entrepreneurs that took part in the fourth round of the Grow-NY competition," Hochul said. "This competition not only helps these companies continue to innovate, but it further supports New York State's regional economies by drawing even more worldwide attention to our globally renowned food and agriculture industry.”

In all, 390 startups applied from 52 countries, including Singapore, Australia, and Sri Lanka. In the U.S., 25 states were represented, including 92 entries from New York. The 20 finalists, including Craft Cannery, received dedicated mentorship from hand-selected regional business advisors leading up to the competition.

Those selected as winners will now immediately get to work executing their business plans in New York state, leveraging the connections made and regional knowledge gained from the competition, the release stated. 

More than 1,200 people registered for the fourth annual Grow-NY Summit. The 20 finalists gave highly-anticipated business pitches to a panel of six judges reflecting a depth and breadth of agriculture, food production, and venture development expertise, who listened to each pitch and asked probing questions, before deliberating to determine the top winners, it stated.

"Grow-NY has become one of New York's finest annual traditions, shining a spotlight on the many diverse, innovative, exciting agricultural and food businesses across the State,” Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said. “I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support of the Grow-NY competition and send my congratulations to all of the winners and participants this year. I look forward to seeing you create the technologies and jobs of the future while continuing to provide a boost to our local farmers." 

Craft Cannery promotes itself as taking cherished recipes from your kitchen to the shelves of grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets and beyond, specializing in the contract manufacturing of sauces, dressings, marinades, and more. 

Grow-NY judges based award decisions on the following criteria: 

  • The viability of the startup's business model 
  • The diversity, quality, readiness, and completeness of the startup team  
  • The value that the startup offers customers 
  • The agrifood innovation that that the startup has invented

Prior coverage includes:

Top photo submitted of Paul Guglielmo, center, celebrating his win Wednesday in Syracuse. 

 

 

Law and Order: Jail inmate accused of violating order of protection five times

By Howard B. Owens

John Sumlin, III, 43, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with five counts of criminal contempt 1st. Sumlin is accused of violating an order of protection by contacting the protected party by telephone while being held in the Genesee County Jail.

Ronnie K. Johnson, 52, no permanent address, is charged with grand larceny 4th and burglary 3rd. Johnson was arrested on a warrant stemming from a criminal complaint reported at 7:15 a.m. Aug. 2 at a location on East Main Street. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held in the Genesee County Jail. He is also charged with grand larceny 4th and conspiracy 5th, charges that stem from a criminal complaint filed on Aug. 19 at a location on East Main Street.

Nicholas J. Mruczek, 39, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. On Nov. 6 at 9:45 p.m., Mruczek allegedly physically harassed a woman during a dispute. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Benjamin A. Boyce, 41, of Batavia, is charged with dog running at large. Boyce is accused of allowing his dog to run at large at 8:35 p.m. Oct. 31 on Woodrow Road, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

William J. Galliford, 62, of Bergen, is charged with failure to appear.  Galliford was arrested on a warrant and arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

George J. Budzinack, 42, of Rochester, was arrested on a bench warrant after allegedly failing to appear in court as ordered. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

Johnnie M. Waston, 39, of Dodge Street, Rochester, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment 2nd. Waston is arrested in connection with a disturbance reported at 7:04 a.m. on Oct. 21 on Shady Lane in the Town of Batavia.

Connor Jenkins Rombault, 25, of West Avenue, Brockport, is charged with DWI, moving from lane unsafely, and speed not reasonable nor prudent. Rombault was stopped at 10:09 p.m. on Nov. 11 on Lake Street Road, Le Roy by Deputy Mason Schultz. Rombault was processed at the Genesee County Jail and issued an appearance ticket.

Halloween photo op for trick or treaters in Bergen

By Press Release

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Press release:

Monday, Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Harford Livery Museum and the Historian's Office invite you to stop in for a photo while you are out Trick or Treating on Monday night. We have designed a fall-themed backdrop for you to get a quick picture of your ghosts and goblins or have us take a family picture. There is no charge for this opportunity. We hope to see you there!!

Town supervisors appeal to county for more revenue

By Joanne Beck

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Ernie Haywards’s words were humble and to the point Wednesday in regard to his town’s need for additional revenue.

With a depleting fund balance and shrinking sales tax, Hayward turned to the people he believed were responsible for some help.

“I am  here tonight on behalf of the Genese County taxpayers who live in the town of Bergen to plead with the Legislature to consider additional aid to the town of Bergen,” the Bergen supervisor said during the county meeting in legislature chambers. “The loss of sales tax/voluntary contributions from the county has meant a cut in revenue of $211,147 per year since 2018.”

Given his total budget of $2.3 million, a loss of that amount year after year “is having a major impact,” Hayward said.

He highlighted the reduced and capped level of sales tax going back to the town, which, with a modest inflation rate of 3 percent, means the town “will have exhausted the fund balance,” he said, plus raise taxes from $2.35 per $1,000 assessed value to more than $10 per thousand.

“The Genesee County taxpayers who live in Bergen are suffering from the economy and have just been hit with an assessment increase,” he said. “We have cut services to try and balance the budget, we have closed our transfer station and cut funding to the library, to name a few items. There is nothing left to cut, and at this rate, we might have to consider workforce reductions, which would mean a suspension of provision of snowplowing for the county.”

He referred to Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein, and how she “often speaks of the strong partnership between the county and their local town and village partners.” However, a partnership implies a give and take and sharing of good and bad, he said.

The municipalities shared in the financial pain of a new county jail by accepting a significant reduction in sales tax so that the county could build a reserve for jail expenses.

They also agreed with the county’s adoption of water contracts, and believed it when Stein “made a promise to keep county funding to municipalities at 2018 levels, he said. Yet, since 2020, municipalities have received “roughly $3 million less,” than was promised, he said.

“Now I am asking the county to be a partner and demonstrate concern for the Genesee County taxpayers in Bergen and share in the good times by increasing funding,” he said.

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County Manager Matt Landers had recently announced that the county budget would include a 2 percent tax levy increase that, due to increased property assessments would mean a slightly lower tax rate. Fellow Town Supervisor Thomas Schneider Jr. said that the county gets to be the hero with its proposed budget, while his town of Pembroke and the others struggle with decreased revenues.

“The sales tax agreement is really taking a bite out of all the budgets,” Schneider said.

His predecessor dealt with the water contracts, which meant Schneider “ate a pretty good crap sandwich” from that deal. He surmised that it may be too late for serious discussions at this point in time, but asked for the county to consider a future review of the water and sales tax agreements.

Stein thanked both of them for their input, and said “we hear you.”

After the meeting, she said that yes, it was too late in the season to do anything about the county’s budget now. Stein also said that each county municipality had ample opportunity to share concerns, including during the monthly Genesee Association of Municipalities meetings.

"We have liaisons that attend the Association of Municipalities meetings every month that they are called in, and our county manager Matt is there almost every single meeting, and that is a committee that is on that agenda. And there is always the opportunity for conversation at that point in that forum," Stein said. "Before the sales tax agreement was put into place, I hosted a meeting here a while ago, as they both noted, it was in July when we talked about the necessity ... to change the sales tax sharing agreement, because of the unknown cost of the jail.

"And as I said to the supervisors at that time, it will be at some point in the future when we can share more, but now is not the time. (Collecting water funds to improve the distribution system) helps every single person in our community, even people like me, who don't have water, who don't have access to public water yet, but that change out of that distribution system becomes our first paramount project and obligation to the county's taxpayers. We are doing the business of the county, and we absolutely respect the fact that the supervisors are doing hard work, and they're being responsible to their taxpayers as well."

Landers expects to release his budget message on Thursday. The proposed 2023 budget is $162,567,180, and the tax rate is to decrease by 75-cents due to higher property assessments. The Batavian will have a more detailed budget article in the near future.

Top photo: Bergen Town Supervisor Ernie Hayward speaks to Genesee County legislators during their meeting Wednesday at the Old Courthouse, and Pembroke Town Supervisor Thomas Schneider Jr. also shares his concerns regarding decreased sales tax revenues. Photos by Joanne Beck.

Liberty Pumps gets a brief moment of screen time on Better Call Saul

By Howard B. Owens

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Bergen-based Liberty Pumps -- well, at least a binder with the company's logo on it -- had a cameo appearance in the final season of one of television's most highly regarded series in history -- "Better Call Saul." 

In the penultimate episode, the camera briefly captures a set of binders on a bookshelf with a framed copy of lizards and the word "friends" on the frame.

Everything in Better Call Saul, as with "Breaking Bad" before it, that appears on the screen, or is heard in the soundtrack, is symbolic. We will let regular viewers work out for themselves what this frame means in the context of the story.  No spoilers here except to say the scene involves a recurring character who has taken a job with a company that makes sprinkler heads in Florida.  The binder and lizards appear at a crucial turning point in the story.

Liberty Pumps CEO Robyn Brookhart said the binder scene hadn't gone unnoticed at the company. 

It was cool, she said. 

"What is really fantastic is the buzz and energy it created when we emailed the screenshot around to the entire company!  Totally unexpected, and a really fun surprise," she said.

Bergen entrepreneur a Top 20 for Grow-NY competition, to compete in November for $1 million

By Joanne Beck

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Paul Guglielmo was sitting at his desk chatting with wife Ryann while he multi-tasked with emails, and spotted one message in particular.

He apologized for the expletive.

“I think I literally went ‘holy s—, I think we got selected for Grow New York,” Guglielmo said during an interview with The Batavian. “The realistic future of the next five years or so … this would accelerate it from a five-year plan to become a two-year plan.”

Earlier this summer, at the end of June, Guglielmo, CEO of Craft Cannery in Bergen, submitted an application for the 2022 Grow-NY competition. He was one of 390 entries. Touted as one of the biggest food and agriculture business competitions in the world targeting companies in the Finger Lakes, Central New York and the Southern Tier, Grow-NY provides opportunities for business owners to go on to a final competition with prizes of $250,000 up to $1 million for business investments.

Guglielmo attended last year’s event and ended up watching every single one of the 20 finalists. They each gave a 10-minute pitch, followed by five minutes of questions from the judges. Think: Shark Tank minus Mark Cuban.

He was impressed, to say the least, with those contenders, and thought ‘how smart’ they all were. It didn’t seriously cross his mind to enter until after a trusted friend and mentor suggested that he go for it. Tom Riggio, who is also his business partner for Craft Cannery, helped Guglielmo with the application.

“We sat down together and went through the application, and kind of punched it up,” Guglielmo said. “There was an option to add a video.”

As it turns out, a prospective company asked for some help to make a batch of new sauces at Craft Cannery. The company had someone who could shoot videos, so they bartered to make some sauce and record a video for the competition.

Guglielmo, who is also founder and CEO of Guglielmo Sauce, said he felt pretty confident going into it at that point. He had the two-minute promo and his own experience and knowledge of what he has — a two-year-old company that began with three employees and now has 10 — and the potential for so much more to double his staff, he said.

He will attend an orientation and get a mentor and a coach to prepare until the final competition on Nov. 16 in Syracuse. His pitch, not quite yet fully fleshed out, is three-pronged:

1. Funding us means funding the creation of other businesses.

“What I love about us is you’re funding all of these other businesses too, at least a few a month,” the 39-year-old said.

2. In order to service our bigger customers, we need the equipment.

3. Sustainability: Craft Cannery takes tomatoes deemed inappropriate for the retail market (they don’t look perfect) and uses them to make “perfect” sauce. By working with Intergrow Greenhouses, there is a potential to process 500,000 pounds of tomatoes that otherwise get tossed due to aesthetics.

“We rescue a couple tons a week of tomatoes headed to the dump … they’re undersized, oversized, and didn’t look good,” he said. “If we were operating in pure perfection, we could do about 200,000 pounds a year. I want to do all 500,000 pounds.”

Right now the company is doing much of the prep work by hand — scrubbing tomatoes, for example — and larger processing equipment would streamline that for more efficiency and ability to take on more product, he said.

Guglielmo’s vision is to create an entire line of New York State grown tomato products, with a full slate of crushed, chopped, diced and sauced versions of the red fruits. All of these plans need an infusion of money to expand the physical footprint of the business and fill a production room with equipment, such as large high-pressure hot water containers that spin tomatoes on metal wheels to peel off their skins and remove the seeds for puree and other similar seedless items.

He could easily spend the top $1 million award, Guglielmo said, but would be grateful for any amount, and is going into the final competition an optimist.

“I’m literally speaking out loud, talking to myself in my car. I want to bring some energy to the room, being energetic and enthusiastic without being corny,” he said. “Worst-case scenario, we come out of it with a really fine-tuned plan.”

Empire State Development is funding the competition through its Upstate Revitalization Initiative connected with the three regions—Finger Lakes Forward, CNY Rising and Southern Tier Soaring. Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement is administering the competition.

Craft Cannery specializes in taking recipes from individuals, restaurants or food production brands, and adjusting it for large production. Customers range from marinara sauces to oils to hot sauces and BBQ sauces to salsas for brands across the region. It’s the exclusive production facility for Guglielmo Sauce, Sticky Lips BBQ, Old Pueblo Grill, Coach Tony’s, Uncle Ralph’s, Red Osier and dozens of other high-profile food brands.

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File Photo of Paul Guglielmo, CEO of Craft Cannery in Bergen, by Howard Owens.

Law and Order: Rochester resident accused of fleeing from deputies in Bergen

By Howard B. Owens

Anthony Louis Liberi, 50, of Burrow Street, Rochester, is charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle 3rd, reckless endangerment 2nd, obstructing governmental administration 2nd, reckless driving, and failure right of way to an emergency vehicle.  Liberi is accused of fleeing from deputies attempting to make a traffic stop at 12:33 a.m., Aug. 27, on Buffalo Road in Bergen. The pursuit ended when Liberi's vehicle struck a median and his vehicle become disabled in the Town of Gates.  Gates PD assisted in the pursuit.  He was arrested by Deputy David Moore and Deputy Nicholas Chamoun.

Thea Mauritia Irons, 29, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Irons is accused of shoplifting at Walmart on Aug. 29 at 5:02 p.m. and was arrested by Deputy Zachary Hoy. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Donald S. Lewandowski, 44, of Pembroke, is charged with DWI. Lewandowski was stopped by State Police on Main Road, Newstead, on Aug. 23. According to State Police, Lewandowski failed a field sobriety test. He was processed at SP Clarence following his arrest where he allegedly refused a chemical test.  He was released on an appearance ticket.

Stanley F. Piasecki, 61, of Alexander, is charged with DWI. Piasecki was stopped at  DWI checkpoint on Broadway in the Village of Alden. State Police say he failed a field sobriety test.  He was arrested and transported to SP Clarence for processing where he allegedly recorded a .11 BAC. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Alfred A Wasielewski, 63, of Pembroke, is charged with DWI and refusal to submit to a breath test. Wasielewski was stopped at a DWI checkpoint on Aug. 25 on Route 33 in the Town of Alden.  He allegedly failed a field sobriety test. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Law and Order: Le Roy resident charged with DWI after accident on Wolcott Street

By Howard B. Owens

Raymond Stanley, Jr., 46, of Trigon Park, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Stanley was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run accident reported at 10:04 p.m. July 23, at 71 Wolcott St., Le Roy.  Stanley was arrested by Emmalee Stawicki.  He was released on traffic tickets.

Benjamin Rachow, 39, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with harassment 2nd. Rachow was arrested by Le Roy PD Officer Emmalee Stawicki at Strong Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for an injury sustained in an alleged incident reported at 1:40 p.m. July 22, on Gilbert Street, Le Roy. He was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and released on his own recognizance. A stay-away order of protection was issued.

Jeffrey Ellinwood, 63, of Genesee Street, Le Roy, is charged with harassment 2nd. Ellinwood is accused of continuing to contact a person on July 24 after being told to cease all communications with the individual.  He was arrested by Officer Curtis Miller. He was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and released on his own recognizance.  An order of protection was issued.

Name redacted upon request, 29, of Dewey Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. xxxx is accused of shoplifting $76.84 in merchandise from a store on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia. xxxx was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

James Robert Cooper, 39, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument 1st. Cooper is accused of passing a fraudulent $20 bill at a location at Harrington's Produce on Clinton Street Road, Batavia, at 12:29 p.m. Dec. 27. He was arrested on July 22. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on his own recognizance.

Shannon Lee Guiste, 51, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with burglary 3rd and petit larceny.  Guiste is accused of skip-scanning items at Walmart at 4:21 p.m. July 21. In 2015, Guiste was reportedly banned from entering Walmart. Guiste was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released.  

Eric Charles Dockstader, 37, no address provided, is charged with strangulation 2nd. Dockstader was allegedly involved in a disturbance at 4:55 a.m. July 24 at a location on Council House Road, Alabama. He was arraigned in Town of Alabama Court and released under supervision.

Antionette A. Pierre, 24, of Nassau Bahamas, is charged with petit larceny. Piere is accused of stealing in the Town of Batavia at 2:27 p.m., July 23. She was arrested by State Police and released on an appearance ticket. No further information was released.

Joshua D. Quaintance, 33, of Byron, is charged with criminal trespass. Quaintance was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at noon July 17 in the Town of Bergen.  No further details released.

Local business owner witnesses apparent attack on Lee Zeldin at rally in Fairport

By Howard B. Owens

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Local business owner Brandon Lewis was at a campaign rally today live streaming governor candidate Lee Zeldin's speech, when a man grabbed Zeldin and apparently attacked him during the event in Fairport.

In another post on social media, Lewis characterized the attack as an "assassination," but in an interview with The Batavian he said that post was kind of "heat of the moment."  He doesn't know for sure that the person intended to kill Zeldin.

Lewis, who owns The Firing Pin in Bergen, said that at one point, after the man was wrestled to the ground, somebody yelled "He has a knife. He has a knife."  But Lewis said he never saw a knife.

The man yelled at Zeldin before grabbing him, claiming "You're done, Lee. You're done, Lee."  Lewis said the man sounded drunk.

"It seemed when he grabbed him he wasn't letting go," Lewis said. "He wasn't going in for a hug, let's put it that way.  He didn't have good intentions."

Shortly after the attack, somebody asked for a first-aid kit, and Lewis went to his truck to retrieve his kit.  He shot the picture above when he returned a minute or so later, he said.  He said the first-aid kit was apparently to assist Alison Esposito, Zeldin's running mate, for her scraped knuckles from the incident.

Top Photo: By Brandon Lewis of a man on the ground after a man apparently grabbed Lee Zeldin during a campaign rally in Fairport.

Photos: Bergen Park Festival Parade 2022

By Howard B. Owens

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As part of its annual park festival, Bergen held its Main Street parade on Saturday.

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Photos by Howard Owens

More photos after the jump.  Click on the headline to see more photos.

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Photos: Freedom Weekend at The Firing Pin in Bergen

By Howard B. Owens

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The Firing Pin in Bergen celebrated Freedom Weekend on Saturday with food, beer, raffles, a Vietnam War commemoration ceremony, along with several vendors displaying their wares.

Veterans who attended received tickets for free pizza and a beer.

A contingent from the Firing Pin also participated in the Bergen Festival Parade.

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Law and Order: Batavia man accused of assaulting neighbor, stealing neighbor's bike

By Howard B. Owens

Arthur L. Golden, 63, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Golden is accused of stealing a bicycle from a neighbor on East Main Street at 6:36 p.m., May 20. The bicycle was recovered and returned to its owner. Golden was issued an appearance ticket.

Arthur L. Golden, 63, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd. Golden is accused of attempting to assault one of his neighbors in an apartment complex at 4:15 a.m., May 26.  Golden was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. He was issued an order of protection and ordered to return to court on June 16.

Luis Gilbert Torres, 42, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with assault 2nd, menacing 2nd, and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd.  Torres was arrested on June 1 in the Village of Le Roy. Information on his alleged offense was not released. he was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and ordered jailed on $20,000, $40,000 bond, or $80,000 partially secured bond.  

Julious "Fatboy" Murphy, 69, of Jerome Place, Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance 3rd, and criminal possession of controlled substance 3rd. Murphy was arrested Sunday on a sealed Grand Jury indictment during a traffic stop by Batavia PD. Murphy is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agency of the Local Drug Task Force while in Batavia.  Murphy was arraigned in Genesee County Court and released under supervision.

Delonta Rashid Sharif Curry, 21, of Thomas Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Curry was stopped at 12:06 a.m., June 1, on Route 33 in Bergen, by Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush. He was released on appearance tickets.

Logan Michael Biedrzycki, 19, Sunridge Drive, Rochester, is charged with three counts of reckless endangerment 1st, unlawful fleeing a police officer, acting in a manner injurious to a child, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless driving. Biedrzycki is accused of fleeing from Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush after the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop at 4:03 p.m., June 5, on Biedrzycki's vehicle. It's alleged there was a juvenile in the vehicle.  Biedrzycki was arraigned in Stafford Town Court and ordered to reappear on July 12.

Andrew Joseph Draper, 43, of Miller Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving while impaired by drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed driver, and inadequate headlights.  Draper was stopped at 11:26 p.m., Dec. 21, on West Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Morgan Ewert.  Draper was arrested on June 6.  He was arraigned in City Court and ordered to reappear on June 29.

Jacqueline Patrice Olsen, 60, no address released, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding.  Olsen was stopped at 10:12 p.m., June 1, on Ellicott Street Road, Bethany, by Deputy Trevor Sherwood. Olsen was ordered to appear in court on July 27.

Tarrence Y. Williams, 22, of Porter Avenue, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd and two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance 3rd. Williams was arrested on June 9 as the result of an investigation by the Local Drug Task Force into the transportation, sale, and possession of crack cocaine in the City of Batavia. Williams was arraigned in Genesee County Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Kimberly Ann Brodsky, 30, of County Complex Drive, Canandaigua, is charged with petit larceny and conspiracy 6th.  Brodsky is accused of stealing, in conjunction with an unidentified white male, merchandise from Kohl's Department Store at 7:46 p.m., May 25.  Brodsky was arrested by Deputy Andrew Mullen.  Brodsky is scheduled to appear in Town of Batavia Court on July 5.

Nikita N. Shook, 36, of Perry, is charged with petit larceny. Shook was arrested on a warrant in Wyoming Couty by State Police. The warrant was issued after an investigation by Batavia PD into an alleged theft on April 23. Shook is accused of stealing property from another person. Shook was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.

Mary I. Flick, 51, of Batavia, is charged with DWI/drugs, unlicensed operation, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Flick was arrested on a warrant by Batavia in relation to an incident on June 2. She was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Erica M. Raphael, 37, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant.  Raphael was sentenced on the charges contained in the warrant. The charges were not specified in the release by Batavia. The sentence issued was not released by Batavia PD.

Alicia M. Lyons, 42 of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Lyons is accused of entering a business she had previously been told not to enter at 12:46 p.m., May 28. Lyons was issued an appearance ticket.

Yasier A. Castro Rivera, 34, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal impersonation, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd.  Castro Rivera was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer at 9:48 p.m., May 25, on Oak Street. Castro Rivera was issued an appearance ticket.

Dajuandrick C. Gardner, 45, of Batavia, is charged with bail jumping 2nd. Gardner is accused of failing to appear in court.  He was jailed without bail and ordered to return to court on June 16.

Robert J. Ritchey, 58, of Oakfield, is charged with forcible touching, sex abuse of a victim less than 13 years old, and acting in a manner injurious to a child. The alleged incident was reported at 10:04 a.m., April 5. This is a pending investigation.  Ritchey was arrested by State Police on June 8. He was ordered held.  No further details were released.

Dustin M. Locicero, 37, of Boliver, is charged with burglary and petit larceny. Locicero was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 8:56 p.m., June 5, in the Town of Darien.  He is also charged with criminal possession of stolen property 5th and falsifying business records in connection with an incident reported at 11:47 a.m., June 6 at a location in the Town of Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.  No further information was released.

Joshua P. Martin, 38, of Basom, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd, two counts of criminal contempt 1st, and endangering the welfare of a child. Martin was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 7:27 p.m., June 8, in the Town of Batavia.  His release status is "cash bail."  No further details released.

Alexander Dean of Bergen, NY named to Mansfield University Spring 2022 Dean's List

By Press Release

Press Release:

MANSFIELD, PA -- Alexander Dean of Bergen, NY has been named to the Spring 2022 Dean's List at Mansfield University.

Alexander is a student in the Bachelor of Science - Business Administration: Management program.

To be named to the Dean's List, a student must be attending the university full-time and attain at least a 3.5 GPA for the semester.

Mansfield University is a member of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). For more information visit mansfield.edu.

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania is a public, regional university committed to providing affordable and accessible education that fosters positive social mobility for a diverse population. The university offers personalized and transformative degree programs, taught by accomplished faculty, that meet the needs of regional, state and global economies. By developing talented graduates who influence industry and enrich communities, Mansfield's impact begins in Northcentral Pennsylvania and extends around the world. Founded in 1857, Mansfield University is one of 14 institutions that comprise Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Learn more at mansfield.edu.

Photo: Sunrise in Bergen

By Howard B. Owens

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Brandan Smith submitted this photo of this morning's sunrise in Bergen by his uncle Dan Maher.

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