The Batavia Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in locating Lewis Hyde. Hyde is described as being 5’10”, 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a tan coat, jeans and black boots. Hyde was last seen on March 11th, 2022 at approximately 2:00 a.m. on West Main Street in Batavia. Anyone with any information is asked to please contact the Batavia Police Department at (585) 345-6350.
Two men from outside Genesee County are in custody and charged with murder in the second degree in the double homicide in Alexander on Friday night.
The suspects are Raul Cruz, 18, of Warsaw, and Prince N.K. Wilson, 23, of Albion.
The men are accused of stabbing and killing two men in a bunkhouse at a dairy farm at 10216 Alexander Road, Alexander.
The names of the victims have not been released pending notification of next-of-kin.
Both Cruz and Wilson are being held without bail.
Wilson was located in Batavia a short time after the incident and taken into custody.
Cruz was the subject of a manhunt in Warsaw on Saturday and located in the afternoon in the Warsaw area.
The incident began at 9:59 p.m., Friday, when dispatchers received a report of a disturbance in the bunkhouse at the dairy farm. A short time later, after deputies responded, smoke was seen coming from the bunkhouse and Alexander Fire was dispatched. The fire was quickly extinguished. The Sheriff's Office release states the fire was set but doesn't clarify whether it was set for heat/cooking or another reason.
The Sheriff's Office reports that the two victims were found dead inside the dwelling upon arrival of patrols.
Investigators believe this was an isolated incident and there was no threat to public safety.
This is an ongoing investigation. Assisting are State Police, Warsaw PD, the Wyoming County Sheriff's Office, Albion PD, the Orleans County Sheriff's Office, and DEC. Assisting at the scene were Emergency Management and Alexander Fire.
In a hard-fought girls basketball game in which neither team ever managed more than a four-point lead until the closing seconds, Notre Dame fell to Sherman in the Far West Regional Championship for Class D.
The final score: 35-29.
Judah Macdonald scored nine points, Avelin Tomidy, eight, and Emma Sisson, five. Maylee Green scored three points and had eight rebounds.
For Sherman, sophomore Paige Grotto led the way, scoring 24 points and being a strong defensive presence.
For more photos, click here.
Notre Dame hosted a 5K race along with a run and walk for families this morning with proceeds raised going to the school's athletic programs and GLOW Arc.
Press release:
The deadlines for paid entries for the 15th annual Genesee Region USBC Association Tournament at Mancuso Bowling Center this month have been extended.
GRUSBC directors agreed to move the deadlines as follows:
-- Tuesday, March 15, for competition on the weekend of March 18-20;
-- Tuesday, March 22, for competition on the weekend of March 25-27.
All of the handicap tournament’s events – Four-Person Team, Doubles, Singles and All-Events – will take place at Mancuso’s, the 24-lane center on East Main Street.
Reservations will be taken by contacting Mike Pettinella, GRUSBC association manager, at 585-861-0404 or sending an email to mikep@bowlgr.com.
Entries must be paid in full and received by the GRUSBC office at 55 Edgewood Drive, Batavia, NY, 14020, by the dates above.
First prize in the Open Team event is $1,000 guaranteed. Prizes in all categories in both the Open and Women’s Divisions will be paid on a 1:5 ratio.
Openings exist on all squads but some are close to being full.
The entry fee is $30 per person per event. The All-Events fee (Team, Doubles and Singles scores combined) is $10.
To download an entry form, go to www.bowlgr.com.
BARDOL, LANDERS TRIUMPH
Chris Bardol and Caycee Landers captured their second King & Queen bowling tournament title last weekend, defeating Brad Weber and Kelsey Ayers in the finals at Mancuso Bowling Center. The victory was worth $500.
The duo also won the event in 2019.
Fifty-seven couples competed this year, with Rochester’s Roger Thaine and Chey Landers earning the top qualifying spot with 1,420. Bardol and Landers qualified in seventh with 1,351.
The top 16 teams advanced to the finals.
Genesee County cashers were Jim Pursel/Kathy Allen, Mike and Heather Johnson, Rich Mortellaro/Cherie Bender, Scott Culp/Kim Starken, and Nate Cordes/Mary Meyer.
SCRATCH TOURNAMENT TODAY
Mancuso’s is hosting the T.F. Brown’s Scratch Eliminator today, with squads at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The finals will follow.
Bowlers will roll four games with one in five per squad advancing to the eliminator finals.
First prize is $1,200.
Sheriff's investigators are in the early stages of a homicide investigation at 10216 Alexander Road, Alexander, according to Chief Deputy Joseph Graff.
Late tonight, deputies responded to the Blumer Dairy Farm for a report of a disturbance. At about 10:20 p.m., Alexander Fire was dispatched for smoke coming from an employee bunkhouse and dispatchers informed responding units that the fire could be related to the disturbance. They were also informed that a person may have been stabbed at that location.
Graff declined to discuss the incident further while at the scene and said there will be a press release at some point with more information.
The bunkhouse is at the back of the farm property.
UPDATE: This is a double homicide, according to a statement from the Sheriff's Office. The statement says this was an isolated incident and there is no threat to public safety. There was no further information released.
Press release:
The Bureau of Inspection will be closed Monday, March 14th through Wednesday, March 16th. Documents may be dropped off at the Department of Public Works. The Bureau of Inspection will reopen on Thursday, March 17th at 8:30 a.m.
There may be a fire in an employee bunkhouse at the rear of a farm on Alexander Road in Alexander.
There is smoke coming from the structure.
It may be related to an ongoing law enforcement incident at that location where a person may have a knife injury.
Alexander Fire and Town of Batavia's ladder truck dispatched along with Mercy EMS.
UPDATE 10:24 p.m.: A chief on scene reports "smoke showing."
UPDATE 10:25 p.m.: Town of Batavia's response is canceled.
A senior corrections officer at the Genesee County Jail has been arrested and terminated after being accused of stealing more than $50,000 from the Sheriff's Employee Association.
Kevin D. Wolff, 51, of Stafford, is charged with grand larceny 2nd, a Class C felony.
Wolff worked for the Sheriff's Office for more than 20 years.
The association membership consists of corrections officers, emergency dispatchers, dog control officers, and jail cooks.
Wolff was arraigned in City Court today and released on his own recognizance.
The investigation into the alleged theft is being conducted by the Sheriff's criminal investigation division and is ongoing.
Looking to cut out a bureaucratic level, streamline the zoning code process and save money, the Genesee County Planning Board has come up with a list of “local only” referral items that would be exempt from its review.
“What we have done is take a look at the smaller projects that would just get our standard approval with no comments from us,” County Planning Director Felipe Oltramari said today. “If you consider our meeting last night, two of the referrals would have been eliminated from the agenda – one that came in from a homeowner for a shed variance and one for a downtown (Batavia) design review.”
The planning department has drafted a template that includes 14 exemptions that would have to be adopted by town or village boards or the Batavia City Council.
Oltramari said the agreement is based on General Municipal Law, Article 12-B, Section 239-m.3. (c) which allows for the planning board to enter into an agreement with a city, town or village planning board, zoning board of appeals or municipal board to eliminate the referral requirement of certain land use actions deemed to be of local, rather than intercommunity or countywide concern.
“A referral for those actions would be optional, but no longer mandatory,” he said, adding that the county attorney has reviewed the proposal, which would be the same for all municipalities. “We have taken care to include all of the routine referrals types that usually do not result in any comments from the county planning board and where approval is almost always a recommendation.”
He said that he has already received a signed agreement from the Town of Pavilion.
Oltramari said code enforcement officers at the municipal level will determine whether an item needs to be referred to the planning board – using the list as their guide.
“This could save a significant amount of time in the process of getting a project through,” he said. “I think it's a benefit to both the communities and their constituents because they may not have to travel to the planning board meeting. It will save time and money.”
He also said all applications to the county planning board become permanent paper records that have to be stored, meaning more time and expense.
The 14 planning and zoning actions that have been determined to be typically of a local rather than intercommunity or countywide concern that are exempt from review by the Genesee County Planning Board are as follows:
As a baseball player for the Batavia High Blue Devils, Batavia Muckdogs and Erie Community College Kats, Vincent Grazioplene anticipates that he’ll be spending a lot of time behind home plate over the next several months.
The 5-foot-8, 165-pound 12th-grader has signed a letter of intent to attend Erie Community College in the fall and play baseball for the Division III Kats, a perennial National Junior College Athletic Association Region 3 powerhouse under longtime Coach Joe Bauth.
Erie CC plays in the competitive Western New York Athletic Conference that also includes Genesee Community College.
Grazioplene, who has played baseball – from T-ball to varsity -- for 12 of his 17 years, also has been recruited by the Batavia Muckdogs to play in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League this summer before the hometown fans at Dwyer Stadium.
After that, it’s on to Erie CC for a short fall league and then a 50-game collegiate schedule in the spring of 2023.
Making it to this point is quite an accomplishment as just 7 percent of high school athletes go on to play sports in college.
“We are very excited for Vincent. This is something that he’s wanted for a very long time and has worked very hard for,” said his mom, Erica, who took part in the photo session this afternoon at Batavia High.
Vincent’s father, Phil, was unable to attend due to work commitments.
Grazioplene, an honor student, says he plans to major in Business Administration at the two-year junior college.
Batavia High Coach James Patric said Grazioplene was the team’s defensive MVP last season.
“Vincent came off a tough football season – was banged up a bit and it took a little time to get back in the swing of things,” Patric said. “But once he was fully healthy, he was the rock behind the plate.”
Patric said Grazioplene had to catch an inexperienced pitching staff, with two pitchers moving up from Modified A ball to varsity and standout Alex Hale being unable to pitch.
“So, he had to create a chemistry with all the pitchers that were new – who spent a lot of time in the dirt. Graz saved us probably two to three runs a game; he really kept us in a lot of games that could have gotten away from us.”
As a hitter, Grazioplene batted .261 in 46 at-bats with seven runs scored and seven runs batted in. He drove in the team’s only run in a 2-1 sectional tournament loss to Hornell.
For his part, Grazioplene said his goal is to work hard and improve each and every time out.
“I hope to do great … get better and try my best,” he said, noting he has been taking part in “open gym” workouts. “I can’t wait to play.”
Batavia’s first official practice is on Monday and its first scheduled game is April 1 at Pittsford Mendon.
Photo: Batavia High Coach James Patric, Vincent Grazioplene and Erica Grazioplene at today's announcement that Vincent will attend Erie CC in the fall and play baseball for the Buffalo junior college. Photo by Mike Pettinella.
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While acknowledging that the solar project proposed by BW Solar on behalf of a Batavia Stafford Townline Road couple was well-thought-out, the Genesee County Planning Board on Thursday night voted to recommend disapproval due to concerns over setback variance requests.
The board’s action, taken during its monthly meeting via Zoom videoconferencing, sends the referral back to the Stafford Town Board for final determination.
Robert and Michelle Wood of 8244 Batavia Stafford Townline Rd. are hoping to place two 5-megawatt, ground-mounted solar systems on their farmland. One will cover 31.08 acres and the other will cover 28.32 acres.
The couple, along with Dan Huntington, project developer for BW Solar, were on the Zoom call last night.
They came into the meeting knowing that the Genesee County Planning Department staff had issued a recommendation of disapproval due to the setback variances being requested “grossly exceed the requirements of the Town of Stafford’s Zoning Law.”
Stafford’s solar zoning regulations are much more restrictive in terms of the distance from neighboring properties than most others in the county, said Planning Director Felipe Oltramari, adding that a request for a variance from the Real Property Value Protection clause of the law may not be permissible.
A SOLID CASE FOR APPROVAL
Still, Huntington presented a solid case for approval of the site plan, special use permit and area variances for the project – earning praise on the layout from planners and convincing one member, John Deleo, to make a motion for approval (which died from a lack of a second).
BW Solar’s proposal calls for setbacks of 75 feet from residential property lines, where a minimum required per the Stafford law is 1,000 feet, and it also asks for reduction of setbacks along nonresidential property lines from 200 feet to 100 feet, 50 feet and zero feet depending upon the location on the map.
The area is zoned as an Industrial Park (IP) District, which is appropriate for such a project.
Huntington emphasized that the Town of Stafford has some “unique solar laws in place that far exceed what you’re typically seeing throughout the county.”
He said he has been involved in previous projects in the county – one in Elba and one in Pavilion – that were approved by county planners.
“And the two projects we have here are two separate 5-megawatt projects because that's what NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research & Development Authority) guidelines require us to do for community distributed generation projects,” he said. “We do kind of talk about them as one project, but they are two separate LLCs and two separate projects. They are co-located on two parcels of land that Bob and Michelle Wood own.”
SETBACK DISTANCES QUESTIONED
Stating that he understood the challenges posed by the Stafford solar ordinance and the Real Property Value Protection clause, Huntington pointed out that the 1,000-foot setback “is a stipulation that is not required for any other portion of industry throughout Stafford solar zoning laws and the 2,500-foot setback is also very unique to solar specific and would actually stretch over the highway into a large portion of Batavia as well.”
“So, those are two larger elements that we are looking at for a variance. We applied for those variances based on the guidance of our attorneys at Harris Beach, and also with communication with the town attorney. That was direction that he gave us as to first steps -- to apply for a variance for those two pieces.”
Huntington went on to say that he believed Stafford officials didn’t want solar farms encroaching upon neighboring homes, but that the Woods’ proposal is different in that it is shielded by farmland on one side and railroad tracks on another.
Sharing a visual of the layout as he spoke, Huntington said he, working with engineers at LaBella Associates, strived to make efficient use of the space – in one instance asking for a property setback to be at zero to utilize space for a shared fence for the two solar systems.
“If we were to follow the solar law and have a 200-foot setback on either side of this property line, it would create a 400-foot dead zone that not only we couldn't use, but it would be extremely inefficient for Bob and Michelle to continue their farming operation,” he said.
Huntington said the preference is to share a road entrance “so we're not building additional roads to each 5-megawatt array because they are legally required to be individually fenced.”
“By reducing the setback, we could put the gravel road right down the middle, share a fence and again reduce the amount of impact we have to the farmable land.”
SEEKING TO HONOR INTENT OF LAW
In summary, he said that while the variance difference “may be a little bit higher than what the board is comfortable with in the past, we are just trying to find a way to accommodate this project and still honor the intent of the law when it comes to some of the setbacks.”
“So, my request of the board would be to look at the project as a whole within the county and potentially vote to support the project and allow the zoning board and the town board to make the decision as to whether or not these variances are acceptable to them in their town,” he said. “Because a negative vote could potentially cause additional stresses for them in terms of whether or not they're going to approve or deny something.”
The Woods noted that the solar farms will sit back in their field – protected by a lot of trees.
“You won’t be able to really see it from (Route) 33,” Michelle said. “It’s set way up back. If we can get those variances in place, then we can continue to farm all around the front of it, which would be protected by corn because we grow a lot of corn.”
Planner Tom Schubmehl advised everyone that the planning board’s role “is to gauge intercommunity impacts and to make sure that towns are following their law.”
“That's our role -- not to decide what the towns want or should have or whether it's applicable to the rest of the county,” he said. “Our job is to make sure they're following their law, and that there's no intercommunity impacts. So, from that perspective … it's a nicely designed solar project compared to some of the other ones we have seen. But that's not our role to decided what Stafford wants.”
Planning Board Chair Laraine Caton said she agreed.
“Right. And ultimately, they have the final say, anyway,” she said.
A vote was taken on both projects separately. The outcome was 5-1 each time for disapproval with Deleo -- who thought the 2,500-foot setback was “a little extreme" -- in opposition of that action.
Drawing of BW Solar proposal showing College Road (notch in green section at left) coming into Batavia Stafford Townline Road. Solar panels are in gray; setbacks are in green. Courtesy of Genesee County Planning Department.
Previously: Genesee County Planning Department finds fault with Stafford solar project proposal
From Chad, 33, to Harriett, 92, the Klotzbach clan knows the meaning of running a family business.
They each do their part to push Alleghany Farm Services into higher levels of success, from Chad’s role as managing partner with his dad Drew to his grandmother’s promotional skills.
“We send out mailers, and she sent out 6,000 of them. She puts labels and stamps on them, it keeps her busy,” her grandson said during an interview with The Batavian. “She calls to ask if we heard from anyone about the mailer. It’s a total family business.”
It’s that close-knit personal touch that has earned Alleghany Farm Services a nod of approval with the 2021 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Business of the Year Award. The company was founded in 1983 by Drew Klotzbach, Chad’s father, and a company partner, and is comprised of multiple companies led by Alleghany Farm Services and Alleghany Construction as the two largest ones.
Although Chad has been literally out in the field since he was about 8 years old, he later wondered — “like every kid” — whether the local business world was for him.
“You leave and go off to college, and I wondered ‘do I want to stay with the family business? I always thought it as more of a challenge to stay than to leave,” he said.
A native of Basom, he graduated from Oakfield-Alabama High School and went to Clarkson University for civil engineering, followed by obtaining a Master’s in Business Administration at Canisius College. He joined the family business in 2010 and has worked his way up to managing partner with an eye toward serving the community. He also has a seat on Genesee County Legislature.
His age has belied his experience at times, Chad said, and prompted some prospective customers to question his expertise.
“You know, I'm 33 years old. So a lot of times, I'll have customers see me pull up on-site, and they're like, oh, boy, who is this kid?” he said. “It's like, you know, I've been out here since you know, 8 or 10 years old doing this. So I may be young, but that's kind of what I grew up doing.”
Listening to him explain the complexity of field drainage and soil type, how much the industry has become data-driven, and how it’s a multi-year investment rather than a quick payoff, it seems clear he knows what he’s talking about. Still, it has made for “a tough elevator pitch,” he said.
Alleghany Farm Services has 30 employees and millions of dollars in specialized and computerized equipment. The company has installed 20 million feet of pipe over the past 10 years — up to four million feet a year now — and has more than doubled its size in the past five years.
Chad said it is the largest business of its kind in the Northeast and was the first to incorporate Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology in drainage design and installation in the same region. Primarily three machines are used for field drainage work — a tile plow, excavator, and a challenger tractor — and used together can install pipe in the ground using GPS to design it out ahead of time. It’s all about water management and configuring the pipe system to ensure maximum crop production, Chad said.
”You know, I think one of the things I said before is, it's way more complex than just putting pipe in the ground. You have to know the soil types, you have to know the correct pipe, the grades, the spacing, how the water flows through the soil,” he said. “I went to school for civil engineering. And even with that background, there's stuff that we see pretty much in every project that's unique. When you install subsurface drainage in a grid pattern, you’re controlling pretty much the water table, You’re dealing with surface saturation so you can get on the crops earlier in the spring and same thing in the fall.”
The process begins with the company’s sales team, he said, followed by data collection and extensive research “in order to create the proper design.” An average of 15,000 feet a day per machine can be installed, and “we stand by our work and remain in contact after projects are completed to make sure everything is performing correctly.”
Their business protocols have not only pushed the company into its sixth state but have garnered the attention of Jeanna Clark of M&T Bank and Farm Credit East. Clark’s nomination cited several reasons, including how the company has:
Farm Credit East also cited the company’s impressive expansion statistics and lauded it for its remaining loyalty to Genesee County with headquarters in Basom.
With all of that pipe laid down, what lies ahead for Alleghany Farm Services? They have no plans to slow down now, Chad said.
“We’re right down the road from the STAMP project, and, you know, just seeing the community grow, we have new opportunities with that. We just want to continue with employing local people, keeping people interested in agriculture,” he said. "And we love supporting (initiatives such as) Cooperative Extension doing Ag in the Classroom stuff that’s coming up. It's all about that education. I do a lot of education, and I think that's the biggest thing that we want to try to bring to the community.”
Top photo: Chad Klotzbach, left, and father/partner Drew have no plans to slow down their ever-growing success with Alleghany Farm Services in Basom. The company earned a 2021 Agricultural Business of the Year Award, which is to be presented with other chamber awards this Saturday at Batavia Downs Gaming. Photo by Howard Owens.
This is the fourth of four articles highlighting the 50th Annual Chamber of Commerce Awards. The annual dinner is Saturday at Batavia Downs, with hor d’oeuvres at 5 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. For more information about the dinner, call the Genesee County Chamber at (585) 343-7440.
Daniel James Loster, 38, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, and menacing 3rd. Le Roy patrol officers received a complaint at 6:55 a.m. on March 4 of a man waving a knife at traffic on Lake Street in the Village of Le Roy. He was arrested and jailed without bail.
Daniel James Loster, 38, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with attempted petit larceny. Loster was arrested after Le Roy patrol officers responded to a call on Lake Street at 11:09 p.m., Feb. 26, of an attempted petit larceny. Loster was allegedly attempting to enter a vehicle in the driveway of a residence after being told multiple times the vehicle was not his. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Samantha Marie Neal, 31, of West Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with harassment 2nd. Neal is accused of striking another person with a collapsible dog training device during an incident reported at 3:06 p.m., Feb. 28, on West Main Street, Le Roy. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Sean Griffith Johnson, 53, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with assault 3rd degree. Johnson was arrested by Le Roy PD following a report of a disturbance at an apartment building on Lake Street, Le Roy, at 8:07 p.m., March 7. Johnson was issued an appearance ticket.
Alexander L. Baldwin, 33, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Baldwin is accused of stealing merchandise from a department store on Veterans Memorial Drive at 12:47 p.m., Dec. 9. He was issued an appearance ticket. See previously: Man suspected of shoplifting seen fleeing Walmart
Jayson Lee Chamberlain, 37, no address provided, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Chamberlain is accused of violating an order of protection by placing a phone call to the protected party at 2:34 p.m., March 2. He was arraigned in Town of Oakfield Court and released on his own recognizance.
Angelica Marie Stanley, 33, no permanent address, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Stanley was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine and adderal that wasn't prescribed to her at 11:10 p.m., March 8, on Liberty Street, Batavia, and arrested by Deputy Andrew Mullen with assistance from Deputy James Stack and K-9 "Rayzor."
Andrew Anh Sczepanski, 24, of South Lake Road, Bergen, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving to left of pavement markings, and moving from lane unsafely. Sczepanski was stopped at 11:44 p.m., March 8, on Route 33 in Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor.
Michael E. Main, 38, no address provided, Oakfield, is charged with offering a false instrument for filing. Main is accused of signing a supporting deposition in an ongoing investigation knowing the information was false at 10:30 a.m., Dec. 23, on Maple Avenue in Oakfield.
Press release:
With the passing of last night’s two-bill omnibus package in the House of Representatives, Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) has secured critical funds for district projects. Jacobs released the following statement on the votes.
“I voted for the defense portions of the omnibus, which included funding for our national security agencies, military aid for Ukraine, and expanded funding for CBP and ICE – a need I heard directly when at the border last week. However, I voted against the non-defense portion of the omnibus because it contained partisan policies that erode the Second Amendment and grow domestic spending at a time when we are still grappling with 40-year record inflation,” Jacobs said.
“This year, each member was afforded the opportunity to submit community project funding requests to support critical projects in their district. We held an extensive search to locate projects of importance in this district and secure federal funds for them,” Jacobs said. “My community project requests focused heavily on a priority I have had since taking office – supporting rural communities in NY-27 and ensuring they every resource to prosper now, and generations into the future. Whether building out high-speed broadband infrastructure, educating the next generation of Western New York farmers, or improving emergency services – these goals and initiatives are reflected in the funding I secured for my district.”
Specifically, Jacobs was able to secure funding for several projects including:
- Niagara Orleans Wireless Broadband Initiative - $3,877,500
- Lockport Memorial Hospital Campus of Mount St. Mary's Hospital - $2,000,000
- GLOW YMCA Healthy Living Campus - $900,000
- Dansville YMCA Branch - $105,000
- Cornell Cooperative Extension Ag/Tech Community Response & Learning Center - $379,432
- Royalton-Hartland Agriculture Center for Excellence Outdoor Learning - $515,685
- Wyoming County Fire Training Center - $597,289
Press release:
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) joined his colleagues in the Assembly Minority today, as well as Americans Veterans (AMVETS) National Executive Director Joseph R. Chenelly, who the assemblyman had invited to speak, for a press conference proposing a much-needed pandemic relief package known as “Invest in Vets.” The proposal would invest $500 million within the New York State Budget to support services for veterans and veterans’ organizations, including $250 million in operational funding from the COVID-19 Public Health Response Fund and $250 million in capital funding for the State and Municipal Facilities (SAM) Program.
This package would support the Dwyer Peer Support Program for returning veterans, suicide prevention efforts, PTSD treatment and research, and many other endeavors in support of active duty and former military members. Notably, it would make funds available that could be used by veterans’ organizations like Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion to maintain their facilities. VFW Halls, American Legion Posts, and similar gathering places are incredibly valuable community resources for veterans, providing them a chance to connect with other former service members who can provide them insight into their experiences transitioning to civilian life as well as the resources available to veterans locally.
“If our state budget is going to be one of the largest in the nation, the support we offer our veterans should be among the most comprehensive in the country, but unfortunately that is not the case,” said Hawley. “Today I call on my partners across the aisle in the Legislature and Gov. Hochul to include this critical funding package within this year’s final budget to better support our veterans and help connect them to local resources in their communities.”
Three BOCES culinary arts students -- Liliana Espinoza, Tristan DiLaura, and Alexa Wolcott -- have had their heads in the clouds the past few months, dreaming up a meal that NASA astronauts might find comforting while they wait in quarantine before their next flight into space.
Their idea: Something with a Tex-Mex flair to suit the cuisine of Houston, where astronauts spend a lot of time.
The challenge: The meal must be low in calories, sugar, fat, and sodium.
Here's what they cooked up: A shrimp fajita with red lentil tortillas and a creamy avocado sauce; a side of cilantro lime cauliflower rice, and a Mexican chocolate brownie.
If they met the challenge, they could be among the final 10 teams to fly to Houston to prepare their meal for another panel of judges and the chance for a top-three finish, which comes with college scholarships.
Watch the video to see how they put their meal together and what they have to say about it.
Genesee County planners tonight debated the need for a sidewalk extension on Lake Street (Route 19) before recommending approval with modifications of a special use permit for Batavia businessman Eric Biscaro to construct a 60-unit patio home development in the Village of Le Roy.
Biscaro did not attend the Zoom meeting as he recused himself since he also is a member of the Genesee County Planning Board. He was represented by Megan Hensel, a project manager.
County Planning Director Felipe Oltramari said he saw no problems with issuing a special use permit for Biscaro to build 30 duplex homes on 16 acres off Route 19 in an area already zoned R-3 (Residential) other than requiring the applicant to work with the village to provide a sidewalk extension to the south (toward downtown Le Roy) on the west side of the state highway.
Other modifications including completing a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, obtaining a Stormwater Permit for Construction Activity from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and adhering to guidelines of the State Historic Preservation Office.
Hensel said Biscaro wasn’t on board with the sidewalk provision as he didn’t want to be “digging across people’s brand new driveways.”
“We don’t think the development will impact the sidewalks,” she said.
Oltramari said he wanted to give residents of the development – it’s for people 50 years of age and older – the option to have sidewalks if they wished to walk south toward the Le Roy business section.
“But, I guess there is a little more wiggle room on this recommendation because there is a sidewalk across the street,” he said. “The only problem is that it is State Route 19 and we probably necessarily don’t want people crossing a state highway and walk somewhere to get to the sidewalk.”
He mentioned that there are several churches down the street and other amenities, and that people like to walk their dogs as well.
Hensel replied, “For our clientele, that’s quite a hike from our property into the village to even get to a church.”
Planning Board member Tom Schubmehl agreed.
“Knowing several people in patio homes, they're going to patio homes because they can’t pick their foot up to get in the door,” he said. “Thinking they’re going to hike from there to downtown Le Roy. I know we’re pushing as much as we can the walkability of communities, but that’s a tough … As long as you don’t have it as a requirement, I’m OK with it.”
It then was suggested to change the modification to read that Biscaro should work with the village “to determine if a sidewalk extension is warranted.”
At that point, the special use permit was approved – forwarding the site plan to the Le Roy Planning Board for review.
Previously: Biscaro is back. Batavia businessman looks to develop 30 duplex homes off Lake Street in Village of Le Roy
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