Why do you think we have so many abandonned houses in LeRoy?

What do you think should be done with the houses?

I'm very curious to know your thoughts on sidewalks.

What do you think about sidewalks? What do sidewalks say about a community? Are some sidewalks more important than others? What is your favorite kind of a sidewalk (slate, brick, cement, dirt path...)?

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate my opponent for Le Roy Town Council, 2-year term, Kelly Lathan, on her win this evening. I will be calling you tomorrow (thought it kind of rude to call this late as your daughter might be sleeping).

Thank you so much to every one who helped and supported me with my campaign. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet so many new people and hear their concerns. This has been a wonderful experience and I look forward to many more.

I'm sure you've heard the joke that in Western New York there are only two seasons - winter and construction. Around this time of year, the road work wraps up and we are able to enjoy the results of our paid taxes. Unfortunately, not all taxpayers are pleased.

This was the first topic of discussion at the LeRoy Town Board meeting Thursday night. Randall Road resident Paul Mooney brought attention to concerns he had about the work done in his and his neighbors' front yards.

"They did the water project out there much to the dissatisfaction of almost all of the folks on that short strip," he complained.

"I think my driveway is the biggest problem that I have. Installing the pipe along the road required that the construction company dig up a good portion of residents' lawns and driveways to complete the project. When they finished, the way they repaired the lawns and driveways were not up to everyone's standards.

Mooney was left asking, "...where do we go from here?" The board assured him that they would have the work reviewed again, but other residents have taken repairs into their own hands. Another Randall Road resident spent over $1,000 of her own money to have her damaged driveway repaired to its pre-construction condition.

While the building process was a temporary nuisance, the scars are here to stay. The driveways show apparent damage that no homeowner wouldn't appreciate. When does improvement become damage? 

This driveway shows a wide strip that was taken out along with a concrete patch placed there to repair damage. There are no plans to bring the property back to its original state.

NOTE: Randall Road is a county road and the construction was carried out with the Genesee County Highway Department, not the Town of LeRoy Highway Department.

It's been a rough couple of months for the Hawkins family of Le Roy.

Lori Hawkins, after 32 years working for area dairy farmers hasn't been unable to find a job. On Sept. 5, her second-oldest son, Mike Burrs, died at age 31 after a lifetime battle with a congenital heart disorder.

Now her 25-year-old son, Nick A. Hawkins, is charged with robbery, accused of handing a demand note to the cashier at the Five Star Bank branch in Pavilion last Monday. He is in Genesee County jail being held on $25,000 bail.

We first met Lori Hawkins at a dairy rally at Dale Stein's farm organized by Assemblyman Steve Hawley. She showed up with a cardboard sandwich sign that read "Exp. milker 4-hire. Unemployment benefits denied. Labor dept. not much help. Can you afford to hire me? I want to work!"

So far, Hawkin's efforts to land a job haven't panned out.

Hawkins said she knows how to milk cows, care for calves, administer medication and do any of the tasks associated with being a dairy farm hand. But her experience doesn't seem to matter much these days.

"Now they're hiring Mexicans," Hawkins said. "I'm 50 years old. They look at me and I think they think I'm too old. I don't know what they are thinking."

Hawkins is the mother of four children, but she said Nick is always the one she had trouble with. School counselors advised her when he was young that Nick might be borderline ADD (Attention-deficit disordered). She said he's never been properly checked out, but wonders if he might be bipolar or have obsessive-compulsive disorder.

"When he was younger, he would always act out and then regret it later," Hawkins said.

Nick Hawkins has a criminal history that Lori said started when he was a teenager. At 14 or 15, he he was accused of stealing a bike.

She said Nick was on probation from 2002 to 2007 for stealing a four-wheeler, plus she's heard of various petty crimes.

"I'm sure he's done stuff that I don't even know about," she said.

Lori said she last saw her son one evening last week and they watched TV together.

"It (news of the bank robbery) was a shock to me," she said. "I didn't even know about it."

She said Nick has no stable work history. He learned welding at BOCES and has some dairy farm experience ("I taught him how to milk cows," she said), but he never seems to be able to hold a job.

"I don't know if he develops an attitude problem or what," she said.

The death of Mike Burrs has been hard on the entire family, Hawkins said, and there's been some dispute over what to do with Mike's belongings, which includes a snowmobile and a dirt bike. Nick didn't want his grandmother to sell those items, Lori said, and the issue upset him.

"Since his brother died five weeks ago, I've been telling him he should go to counseling," Lori said. "But he's 25 years old. He's not going to listen to what his mother tells him to do."

The odor of something burning in a structure at LeRoy High School has been reported and a Pavilion pumper truck and a ladder truck have been requested. It's at 9300 S. Street Road.

A three-man crew is now at the scene. A LeRoy ladder truck is in route. Wyoming County is also ready to respond.

UPDATE: heard on scanner: "They can get to (the smoke) from inside -- they don't need a ladder. Response: "I don't want them inside now."

Ladder truck now on scene.

UPDATE: Smoke is definately coming from the building, which has been evacuated.

UPDATE (12:07 p.m.): Bergen's fire truck is being returned to service. Pavilion is staying on standby. Students are being let back into the school. Things are under control.

UPDATE: (12:18 p.m.): All units are back in service.

The First Seventh Day Baptist Church of Genesee is holding a bible study , the Helping Hand, at Calvary Baptist Church Lake Road in LeRoy. Anyone interested please come on over. It is the first and third Saturday of each month at 4:00 p.m.. As we grow so will the dates we meet. We are a Baptist group with a difference; we recognize the biblical Sabbath ( 4th commandment - Saturday) as a day of worship in obedience of our God and King. For more info call me at 259-2989. Hope to see you there...

Earlier this week, the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee announced 150 winners of its 2009 Campaign Grants and Endorsements. Three are from Genesee County.

This information is from a press release:

The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee was designed to build a new generation of pro-choice Democratic women candidates, informed voters and activists in New York State. It was founded in 2001 by former New York State Democratic Committee Chair Judith Hope.

This year, the ERLC awarded Sara Burk-Balbi of Batavia an endorsement in her race for Batavia City Council-at-Large, Alice Burkhardt-Calmes of Darien an endorsement in her race for Town Clerk of Darien and Jennifer Keys of LeRoy an endorsement in her race for LeRoy Town Council.

Genesee County Democratic Chair Lorie Longhany said: "The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee’s endorsement is very important support for their campaigns and demonstrates confidence in their ability to win these offices. All three wonderful women are proud to be a part of Eleanor’s Legacy."

“To receive such an important endorsement is really an honor,” says Sara Burk-Balbi.  “Eleanor Roosevelt was not only an active First Lady of the United States, she was a front runner on the importance of women in our political system. Her support of women’s issues as well as the issues of children and families was astounding and life-long. I am proud to be one of three women in Genesee County to receive this honor.”

Keys stated: “This shows the commitment that the ERLC has in helping to elect women candidates across New York State. I accept their support with gratitude."

Alice Burkhardt-Calmes said: “I am pleased that this organization realizes the importance of women in local races. It shows their support of grassroots campaigns at the local level."

Since its founding, the ERLC has elected over 400 women to state and local office across New York State and equipped over 600 women with the skills they need to run and win. The ERLC endorses progressive women candidates with a demonstrated commitment to upholding a woman’s right to choose and to promoting the values of the Democratic Party. To be eligible, a candidate must be pro-choice, female, and an enrolled Democrat running for state or local office in the state of New York.

The ERLC will celebrate this year’s grantees at their Annual Fall Luncheon with special guests Abby Disney, Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. This year’s luncheon honors Geraldine Ferraro with the Pioneer in Politics – Lifetime Achievement Award.

A black bear has been seen on Vallance Road in LeRoy.

The first sighting was reported two weeks ago by a concerned LeRoy citizen but others say the bear has been in the area for at least a month.

"We first saw him in the field where there was corn being chopped, from there he went down Vallance Road," said the citizen who reported the incident.

Residents also noted that at a neighbor's house, the bear knocked over some garbage cans and had been attracted to, and damaged, both of their bird feeders. The citizen tells of other reports around town that the bear has been spotted near the Thruway exit.

Pat Flaherty, a Vallance Road resident, said, "The first time the bear came here was during the night when it knocked down bales of hay in our yard that were being used for archery."  She said that happened about a week ago.

"It completely took down a big birdhouse on a pole and had broken down a clothesline that (we found) lying on the ground," she said.

On Aug. 22, a LeRoy resident shot this photo of the bear in his yard enjoying yet another bird feeder. The incident was reported to DEC that same day. Below is a picture taken early in the morning on Sept. 28 of bear prints across the same resident's driveway.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 80 percent of bear sightings are related to bird feeders. The DEC says, "Although many people find it difficult to believe, an animal as large and powerful as black bear is readily attracted to bird feeders as a source of food."

It is important to break them of this habit because the bear will associate the areas with bird feeders as a good place to get food. Removing the feeders is the only sure way to avoid attracting bears. The DEC claims that "bears that learn to approach one house will approach other houses."

Other options include bringing the feeder in at night and removing excess seed. Without available food, the bear shouldn’t return to the area.

In the event of a black bear sighting, it is advised that you contact the DEC at 585-226-6335.

Just heard over the scanner: Leroy fire personal to thuway accident, reported as a tractor trailor and motorcyle, mile marker 375 east bound. Hennrietta also responding.

Home Care Helpers is here to help you and your family if you  are in need of  home nursing care or help.

Top Quality Nurses and Aides

Experienced, Dependable, Reasonable Rates

References

They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Please call Joan Barnett

585-219-4377

585-329-2182

This past Saturday, the Sons of God Motocycle Club of Leroy  held a Chicken Barbeque Dinner fundraiser.

At the end of day, they had 100 extra  dinners. They made a call to Paul and Bridget Ohlson of Care-A-Van Ministries here in Batavia. They wanted to donate the dinners.

Paul and Bridget fired up the bus to head out to Leroy to pick up the dinners. The bus headed back to Batavia, first stopping in Stafford to bless a family there.

A quick stop was done at Aldi's to pick up this PR director, so I could join in on the blessing ride.

It was an amazing evening as we drove around the city passing the dinners out to those in need.

We thank the Sons of God for their awesome donation for the hungry here in this community. The folks were so appreciative of the dinners they received. May God Bless this organization for seeing a need and helpiing fulfull that need.

A LeRoy woman spent her 51st birthday this morning pleading guilty to criminally negligent homicide and the criminal sale of a controlled substance.

The case stems from the March 10 death of Yvonne Hart, who used a skin patch containing the narcotic Fentanyl given to her by Joann M. Rusby, of 92 Lake St.

Rusby is scheduled to be sentenced concurrently for the felonies at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 6.

She waived the right to a jury trial by the "factual admission" of the "sale" of Fentanyl to Hart. Under state law, even though the drug was given to the victim and not sold for money it is still considered a sale because the giver knew it would be used illegally by the victim.

In explaining this, Judge Robert C. Noonan asked Rusby if she gave the transdermal patch to the 53-year-old knowing Hart would apply it to herself.

"Yes, sir," Rusby said softly.

The act resulted in the "unjustifiable death" of Hart, the judge said.

Fentanyl is one of the most widely prescribed synthetic opioids used to treat chronic pain. It is a Schedule II narcotic because of its potential for abuse and is 100 times stronger than morphine.

Rusby, who shuffled into court in shackles, appeared tearful, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. She sat with her shoulders slumped and took deep breaths from time to time.

She originally was charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, third-degree drug possession and second-degree manslaughter, which could have resulted in up to 15 years in prison.

The indictment was waived and charges were reduced under a plea deal between Rusby's Batavia attorney Thomas Burns and District Attorney Lawrence Friedman.

As a first-time offender, she faces a maximum of nine years in state prison for the drug sale and one to four years for Hart's death, which will be served concurrently.

In addition, she can be fined up to $5,000. She must pay the justice system a mandatory surcharge of $350 for her crimes, a $50 fee for processing her DNA into the criminal justice data bank, and a 10-percent surcharge of any monetary damages awarded to the victim's family in a civil suit.

After she's released from prison, she'll be on parole for two years.

She remains in Orleans County jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

In addition, Rusby was ordered to stay away from two women in connection with the case. The one-year order of protection was issued to Jessica Dempsey and Stephanie Arnold.

The courtroom was nearly empty at the hearing, except for myself and two women sitting on the prosecution's side, whom the defendant paid no attention to.

Two Churchville men were arrested and charged in LeRoy with petit larceny by Sargeant Michael J. Hare at 1:39 a.m. today (July 3).

The arrests were made after police noticed a suspicious vehicle in LeRoy Village at the Department of Public Works on North Street.

Daniel J. Gray, 28, of 5839 Chili Riga Center Road and 25-year-old Nathaniel M. Dean of 5 Willowbrook Drive allegedly loaded their car with various kinds of scrap metal, sewer grates and new sign posts, all property of the DPW.

Both men were arraigned in Town Court by Justice Charles Dusen and put in Genesee County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail. They were scheduled to appear again in court at 1 p.m. Aug. 3.

I am not sure if you are aware of this Howard, but the LeRoy Democratic Committee jumped all over the issue concering Jay Grasso and his posting on your sight under assumed names.

In this past week's Pennysaver, the LDC added a flyer describing what happened several months ago, even using the "sock puppet" definition. I just found it interesting that the LDC realizes the Batavian is a legitamite and viable news source for Batavia and Genesee county. No longer does the "Daily Snooze" hold the title of Genesee's only news.

WNY Gold Prospectors is sponsoring a Metal Detecting Hunt on Saturday June 13, 2009 in Bergen, NY.  $50 entry fee includes entrance in two hunts (10:30 and 1:30). 
Over fifty prizes for each hunt.  Lunch will be available as well as chances on a lottery tree and 50/50 drawing.  Hunt will be at 6681 North Lake Road (accross from Bergen Fire Hall).  Sign in starts at 9 am.  email Shari for more information or for registration form.

sloewke@yahoo.com

Seventeen people, including 11 children, managed to avoid injury after a tractor ride went wrong Sunday night when the trailer hitch broke on the tractor pulling them down Conlon Road.

Gregory J. Luetticke, 46, of Le Roy, who was driving the tractor, did report an injury. He complained of neck pain.

Luetticke was reportedly pulling the wagon down a grass laneway on Conlon when the hitch broke. Luetticke said when the hitch broke, he steered to the west and lost control of the tractor, causing the tractor to overturn. Luetticke was ejected from the tractor and came to rest to the northwest. The wagon stopped moving.

In the wagon were Billie J. Kennedy, 31, Alexa M. Kennedy, 6, Madailein M. Blonski, 5, Ashley Bottonfield, 10, Erica Ulrich, 15, Amber A. Williams, 8, Dominque M. Williams, 14, Mariah A. Williams, 12, Teresa Annecharicle, 35, Tyler M. Annecharicle, 35, Isabell Annecharicle, 10, Nicholas Rogers, 6, Zachary M. Rogers, 10, Colleen M. Rogowski, 39, Allison M. Rogowski, 8 and Lauren E. Wood, 8.

Bradley Brooks, 25, of Spencerport, failed to negotiate a turn on South Lake Road in Bergen Sunday afternoon and drove his motorcycle into a ditch. Brooks was ejected from the bike. He was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Brian D. Whitmore, 25, of Darien Center, suffered a fracture in his arm and collar bone after striking a deer while driving his motorcycle eastbound on Conway Road in Darien. The accident occurred Wednesday about 9 p.m.

No injuries were reported in a single-vehicle accident last night at 11:30 p.m. on Quinlan Road in Le Roy.

The 1996 Dodge coupe was driven by Matthew Derooy, 20, of LeRoy. Deborah J. Derooy, 24, was a passenger.

Derooy reportedly driving the car westbound on Quinlan Road when he drove off the north shoulder and hit a support wire to a National Grid utility pole. The vehicle then continued through a field and landed in a ditch.

No apparent cause is cited in the accident report.

In the wee hours of Thursday morning, a terrible fire gutted the modest two-story home at 8489 East Main Street Road in LeRoy. And the loud and urgent barks of "Rocket" may have helped alert people, thereby saving lives.

As it was, Daniel Bovee, 46, sustained burns to his face and feet when he tried to re-enter the house to grab his car keys. Rita Teeter, 54, and, Jennifer Coombs, 25, along with Bovee also suffered smoke inhalation.

But Rocket, who lives across the street at 8484, was on to something amiss from the get-go. He barked, neighbors said, and yelped, and though no one has proof, probably did back flips and Tarzan yells to get someone to pay attention.

The residents made it out alive. Obviously, this was no canine crying wolf. The alert, solid, light-brown dog, with one blue eye and one green, was simply responding to an emergency -- smoke, fire, ashes -- and then people scurrying and yelling as emergency crews responded.

Incredibly, 79-year-old Minnie Cory who lives next door to the gutted home, heard nothing as terror was rampaging next door. Her sister called to tell her about the mayhem and she later learned about the sounding alarm of Rocket.

"Isn't that something," she said. "It's a good thing he was barking."

He barked some more at a picture taker later that day, tail wagging all the while, tethered to a long leash at the rear of the property owned by Gary Dempsey. He's friendly, but he's no bench warmer. Rocket dog's on duty in his neighborhood and no one seems bothered by his barking.

In addition to our breaking news post this morning, Chief Tom "Woody" Woods e-mail this report this afternoon:

Call came in at 12:01 a.m. first chief of location in about 5 minutes. Reported heavy with everyone out of the structure. An additional alarm was transmitted bringing Pavilion Caledonia and Bergen to the scene. Town of Batavia dispatched as the Fast Team.  It took about 45 minutes to get the fire under control. Three residents were transported to Strong with one having some second-degree burns.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, I, C – Batavia) today announced that he is hosting a local food drive throughout the 139th Assembly District in order to help those hit hardest in these tough economic times.

“The generosity and kindness of Western New York residents never ceases to amaze me and while many of our friends and neighbors are struggling right now, there are many of us that know how fortunate we are and grateful that we can help those less fortunate. I am sure that the residents of the 139th Assembly District will show their generous spirit yet again with this food drive that will be benefiting our local food pantries in order to help families, seniors and individuals in need,” said Hawley.

The Assemblyman has posted drop boxes in a variety of locations throughout Genesee, Monroe, Niagara and Orleans counties within the 139th Assembly District where residents can leave non-perishable food donations. The donations will be given to local charities, shelters, and food pantries, including the Salvation Army, Life Solutions, Hilton Food Shelf, Brockport Food Shelf, and Orleans Community Action, among others.

To find out more information or to find the donation drop-off location closest to you, please call Assemblyman Hawley’s office at (585) 589-5780.

Attention parents and kids in the LeRoy Central School District: there's no holiday on Friday, May 8. That's VE Day -- as in Victory in Europe -- in honor of the unconditional surrender of the Nazis in World War II.

As of 4:30 p.m. May 5, VE Day was still cited on the district's website calender as an official school hoilday.

Oops! It was some sort of administrative error and it's certainly no school holiday.

But it was practically a world holiday in 1945. Millions of people poured into the streets of London, Chicago, Paris, Los Angeles, New York City and elsewhere. Light had overtaken darkness and its synonym, the Third Reich.

On the balcony of Buckingham Palace, King George VI, Princess Elizabeth and Prime Minister Winston Churchill waved to jubilant Londoners. It was also President Harry S Truman's 61st birthday and he dedicated the victory to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, our president who died less than a month earlier, on April 12.

VJ Day -- Victory over Japan -- was still to come, on Aug. 14, 1945 (North American Time). When it was announced, another wave of gleeful hysteria broke out in American streets and the sailor bent over the nurse in Times Square and gave her a big smooch.

(The kissers in the famous Alfred "Eisie" Eisenstadt photo were later determined to be, although there's still debate about this, Carl Muscarello and Edith Cullen Shain. The photo was probably shot with a Leica 250 "Reporter," which used 10 mm film and offered 250 shots before having to reload. The photojournalist's work was featured in the first one-man exhibit offered by the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House Museum in Rochester.)

These days, VE Day is a holiday commemorated in the former East Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. But, again, not in the LeRoy Central School District where Friday will simply be another opportunity to teach and to learn.