Andrea Licata, 29, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and conspiracy, 6th. Licata was allegedly observed with Kelly Marie Howell, 26, of Jackson Street, Batavia, who was allegedly stealing merchandise at Walmart with Licata's knowledge and agreement. Howell was allegedly hiding stolen merchandise in her infant's stroller. Howell was also charged with petit larceny, conspiracy, 6th, and endangering the welfare of a child.

A 16-year-old resident of State Street is charged with petit larceny. The suspect is accused of stealing a stereo cable from Walmart.

Randy J. Heslor, 18, of 2398 Pratt Road, Corfu, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Heslor allegedly visited a residence in the city where a woman lives that Heslor is barred from contacting by order of the Batavia City Court.

A totally "fully involved" car fire is reported at Main and Fargo roads in Stafford. Stafford Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 2:10 p.m.: The fire is out. No one was hurt. Stafford is back in service.

Craig Daniel Martin, 27, of Morton Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, unlawful possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance not in its original container, aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, and unlicensed operation. Martin was stopped on Jackson Street, Batavia, at 1:09 a.m. Saturday by Deputy Patrick Reeves for alleged traffic violations. Martin was allegedly found in possession of two types of controlled substances and a quantity of marijuana concealed in his vehicle.

Brittany Megan Hart, 24, of Warsaw Road, Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument. Hart was charged following a traffic stop for alleged violations at 11 p.m. Sunday on Jackson Street, Batavia, by Deputy Brad Mazur.

Daniel John Hickey, 33, of Sherwood Drive, Brockport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Hickey was stopped at 1:22 a.m., Saturday on Route 262 in Elba by Deputy James Diehl.

Nicholas Keith Thorne, 23, of Osborne Road, Mt. Sterling, is charged with criminal mischief, 2nd. Thorne allegedly smashed a glass door and window at the Econo Lodge on Route 77, Corfu. Thorne was jailed on an unspecified amount of bail.

Dennis P. Schroeder, 54, of Cotton Hill Road, Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and inadequate exhaust. Schroeder was stopped at 7:40 p.m. Dec. 15 on Tinkhem Road, Darien, by Deputy Jason Saile.

Nicholas M. Worrells, 24, of 10253 Roosevelt Highway, Lyndonville, is charged with criminal contempt. Worrells was allegedly found hiding under the rear deck of a residence on East Main Street, Le Roy, after police responded to a report of a disturbance. Worrells was allegedly with a person at the residence in violation of a complete stay-away order. Worrells was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Dayton G. Schultz, 52, Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of. 08 or greater and driving left of pavement markings. Schultz was stopped at 10:35 p.m. Friday on Route 262, Elba, by Sgt. Greg Walker.

Eric Matthew Kingsley, 24, of Perry Road, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and illegal parking on a highway. Kingsley was arrested by Deputy Jason Saile following a report of a vehicle fire at 4:48 a.m., Saturday, on Ellicott Street Road, Bethany.

Jeremy John Haynes, 35, of Church Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and speeding. Haynes was stopped at 11:27 p.m. Friday on East Main Street, Le Roy, by Deputy Eric Seppala.

Brent Michael Semmier, 36, of Cypress Street, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI, speeding (90 in 55 mph zone), alcohol consumption in a motor vehicle and improper right turn. Semmier was stopped at 4:29 p.m. Sunday on Route 19, Le Roy, by Deputy Brad Mazur.

Press release:

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has named local attorney Benjamin J. Bonarigo Sr. as a member of the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees. He will serve a seven-year term.

Bonarigo holds an associate degree from GCC and is a member of the college's Class of 1979. Earlier this year, he was inducted into the college's Alumni Hall of Fame in recognition of his professional accomplishments and service to the community.

He is also a cum laude graduate of the University at Buffalo (1979), and holds the Juris Doctorate degree (1982) from the University at Buffalo. He lives in Batavia.

Since 1983, he has practiced law in the community as a self-employed general practice attorney. He has also served as City of Batavia Law Department director (2002-2008); Oakfield Village attorney (2001-2010); and Oakfield Central School District attorney (2002-2009).

Bonarigo has a long history of public service. He is currently a member of the Appellate Division, 4th Department Grievance Committee; Secretary of the Genesee County Bar Association; and member of the boards of Batavia Youth Football and Literacy Genesee/Orleans.

He is a former member of the Notre Dame High School Board of Trustees and Notre Dame High School Foundation Board of Directors. He is also an active member of numerous community organizations.

The 10 members of the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees are volunteers. Five members are appointed by the Genesee County Legislature; four by the governor; and one, a student trustee, selected by the student body.

Press release:

The Batavia Area Jaycees were out driving around on December 18th looking at all the homes that had decorated for the holiday season. We didn’t get a chance to see every house, but what we did see made judging tough!

There are a lot of beautiful homes decorated throughout the community. These awards are meant to be given out as a friendly community project. If you have any questions about the contest, please leave the Jaycees a message at 343-5775.

Homes were judged on five different categories and the winners are:

• Most Traditional – 107 Grandview Terrace
• Simple & Elegant – 323 State Street
• Most Colorful – 237 Vine Street
• Most Commercial – 206 North Spruce Street
• Overall – 37 Union Street

The judging committee also had a few Honorable Mentions to give away:

Outside the City Limits:

• 8485 Stringham Drive & 3927 West Main Street
• 28 Roosevelt Avenue & 16 Vine Street

Some roads we thought did a great job: Redfield Parkway, Union Street, Elm Street, Stringham Drive & Violet Lane.

Today's poll is a little different. It's four poll questions. Vote once on each question.  The idea is, in a hypothetical race against the likely Democratic nominee, who would you vote for -- the current president, or one of the possible leading Republican challengers?

On my Sunday drive I took a turn down Brookville Road in Alexander and started to drive past a little craft store I've passed many times, but this time, I decided to stop.

It seemed like a good place to maybe find a present for my mother.

Once inside I met Barbara Richmond, the sweet and caring proprietor (she owns the shop with her husband, Hugh).

Barbara told me all about the store, which is stocked with handmade items from artisans and crafters from throughout Western New York.

A lifelong crafter herself, Barbara got to know many other knitters, quilters and seamstresses during her many years of attending craft shows.

Two years ago, a little weary of traveling to craft shows, Barbara decided to open Simply Homespun in a little shop next to her home at 10431 Brookville Road.

"As I got older, I found I wanted to have something closer to home and many of our vendors are also getting older and they find its easier to sell in one outlet rather than travel distances to put something up for sale," Richmond said.

The little shop is stuffed with what Barbara calls "needful things" -- dish towels, pillows, blankets, pot holders, scarves and hats, for example.

"This was the way I was raised," Richmond said. "We learned to make the things we needed and the things we wanted because you couldn't always afford to buy these things."

The shop is seasonal and is currently stocked with Christmas-themed items.

Store hours March through Dec. 31 are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The phone number is 591-0470, which is important to know because if an item you want isn't in stock, perhaps Barbara can find somebody to make it for you.

"If you need a special time or something special made, we have the people and the time for you," Richmond said.

The crafters who supply Simply Homespun are all located in Western New York, from Buffalo to Rochester, and several right in Genesee County.

"The general public needs to know, too, that there are still things out there that are handmade, that are needful things, that are available," Richmond said. "You don’t need to go to another country (to have things made)."

A meter box on the house at 6566 N. Lake Road, Bergen, is reportedly on fire.

There is smoke inside the residence.

Bergen Fire Department along with mutual aid from Churchville dispatched. Mercy EMS also dispatched.

Chief on scene reports fire coming from the meter box on the outside.

UPDATE 3:40 a.m.: Churchville requested to respond through the village. The crew will need to lay a line on the south side of the structure.

UPDATE 3:46 a.m.: Le Roy requested to Bergen's hall to fill in. Fire at the meter is out. Crews checking for extension. Ventilation in progress.

View Larger Map

A homeowner on Stringham Drive has created a light show at his house.

Here's the Christmas light photos I was able to shoot this evening.

I've not been down, necessarily, every street in Batavia, but over the past week I've been through every neighborhood. Time permitting, next week I'll try to get out to some of the villages.

Above, North Avenue.

Victorian Drive

North Spruce Street

Naramore Drive

Belvedere Drive

Garden Drive

Garden Drive

Fordham Drive

Grandview Terrace

Stringham Drive

A car accident with injuries is reported at Route 19 and North Road in Le Roy. There are three patients. Traffic police are called to shut down traffic on Route 19 at Parmalee and Route 19 and North Road.

Le Roy Fire and Ambulance Service is responding along with mutual aid from Mercy EMS.

UPDATE 6:01 p.m.: A third ambulance is requested as mutual aid from Caledonia.

UPDATE 6:02 p.m.: Caledonia's response has been cancelled.

UPDATE 6:28 p.m.: Two patients are being transported to United Memorial Medical Center.

UPDATE 6:33 p.m.: Tow trucks are on location. Two more patients are being taken to the hospital. Mercy EMS is taking one of them to Strong Memorial Hospital.

A landing zone for Mercy Flight out of Batavia is going to be set up in a pasture off Lockport Road in Oakfield to transport a possible stroke victim to the hospital. One fire engine out of Oakfield is responding to set up the landing site. Mercy EMS is also responding.

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

Jake Gerevics, of Erie County-based Apex Wildlife Education, holds an American alligator while at Neptune's Gardens for the pet store's 10th annual Christmas Party.

The party featured food and drinks and a chance to view a vareity of animals.

Gerevics brought along several exotic reptiles to talk about and show off.

Jake holds an African black-throated monitor.

In an era when it seems just about everything is going digital, Jennifer McAuley has taken her business in the opposite direction.

The former Buffalo resident -- she and her family moved to Corfu in August -- has made her living for years selling secondhand items on Ebay.

But as of Friday, McAuley's Bargain Bin is now a "brick and mortar" business. McAuley opened up shop in the Mortellaro building on Jackson Street.

“My Ebay fees were way over what I could pay for a store," McAuley said. "And with a store, I can actually  interact with customers and not worry about postage and ‘hey the post office broke it,’ or whatever.”

When McAuley held a garage sale in Corfu over the summer, the sale went so well, she started to think she needed to open a shop in Genesee County.

"With the economy and everything else going on, this is the best business to open up here,"  McAuley said.

McAuley gets most of her merchandise from storage unit auctions, store return merchandise and overstocks.

She prides herself on keeping prices low, "just like a garage sale."

"A little kid came in yesterday and he told my daugher he only had 50 cents," McAuley said. "I had a pair of Jordon sneakers for 50 cents. He said, ‘I need to get these so I have a new pair of sneakers just like my brother.’ He paid for them with his own money and he was so happy with them. It was absolutely unbelievable. To give somebody a good item at a discounted price is amazing.”

Santa was at Grace Baptist Church on Saturday afternoon for Don Carroll's Toys for Kids event. About 20 families attended, with the boys and girls getting pizza and cupcakes and then being entertained while their parents loaded their cars with the toys and gifts provided by the charity.

Bottom photo, Don Carroll, shaking hands with Santa, with the rest of the organizing committee, Beth Kemp, left, Brian Kemp and Jeff Bartz.

By 4 p.m., Friday, there was a three-hour wait for tattoos and piercings at High Voltage on Main Street, Batavia.

People were lining up for $25 tattoos and $15 piercings with all of the proceeds going to Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.

Owner Mark Fanara posted on Facebook this morning that the event raised more than $2,000 and the crowd didn't clear out until 11 p.m.

Tattoos and piercings were provided by Fanara, Kevin Lockwood, below, and Lisa Vokes.

Cassandra Pierce was among the dozens and dozens of people who showed up at The Laughing Buddha on Friday for half-price tattoos with the donation of a new toy for a family in need.

Owner Jason Lang said toys and gifts were provided to four families, including the Culver family, which recently lost its home in a fire.

In the early evening, Santa showed up at the shop and Lang said people were lining up outside the door waiting to make a donation, get a tattoo, see Santa or just be a part of the event.

Among the donors of food and gift cards were Alex's Place, Center Street Smoke House, Bourbon & Burger and Applebee's.

Pictured with Pierce is tattoo artist Martin Slaymaker.

Deputy Timothy G. Wescott was named Officer of the Year by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office during the department's annual awards luncheon at the office on Park Road, Batavia.

Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher James E. Tripp received the Distinguished Service Award.

During the luncheon, dozen of other honors were handed out for time in service, distinguished service and meritorious service.

For the complete press release along with more pictures, click on the headline.

Pictures from the event can be purchased by clicking here.

Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Announces 2011 Departmental Awards

OFFICER OF THE YEAR

DEPUTY SHERIFF TIMOTHY G. WESCOTT
Deputy Timothy G. Wescott has distinguished himself in the performance of service to the citizens of Genesee County and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during 2011. Over his 13-plus-year career, Deputy Wescott has forged a reputation for being a reliable, thorough and knowledgeable Deputy Sheriff. He has taken on additional responsibilities making presentations to the public and providing the Safe Child Program on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Wescott knows the citizens in his patrol area and is often the “go to guy” when another deputy is trying to locate someone. He provides a consistently high quality of police service every day and is dedicated to performing his duties with professionalism and motivation. Deputy Wescott has brought great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

SENIOR EMERGENCY SERVICES DISPATCHER – JAMES E. TRIPP
Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher James E. Tripp has distinguished himself as a member of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. As the lead Communications Training Officer, Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher Tripp has updated the training program to reflect changes to the position and successfully trained four new dispatchers during 2011 while maintaining the high standards of the office. He was a member of the Genesee County Telecommunications Emergency Response Team that deployed to Broome County in response to flooding following Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. As the Assistant Integrated Justice Portal (IJP) Terminal Agency Coordinator, he was instrumental to the implementation, training, and changeover from the legacy NYSPIN system to IJP.  He continues to go above and beyond the call of duty and reflects great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

LONGEVITY AWARDS - Years of Service

Correction Officer Anthony J. Ridder -- 10
Correction Officer Philip A. Mangefrida -- 10
Correction Officer Walter M. Kolmetz -- 10
Sr. Correction Officer Kevin D. Wolff -- 10
Deputy Patrick J. Reeves -- 15
Sgt. Brian M. Frieday -- 15
Deputy Eric K. Seppala -- 15
Dispatcher Larry J. Buck -- 15
Deputy Cory W. Mower -- 15

Deputy Ronald E. Meides -- 20
Deputy Sean W. Graney -- 20
Deputy John L. Baiocco -- 20
Sgt. Steven C. Mullen -- 20
Deputy Brian A. Thompson -- 20
Communications Coordinator
Russell L. Lang -- 25
Sgt. James M. Meier -- 25
Dispatcher Barbara J. Eddy -- 30

CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION

Jail Cook Manager William Cultrara
Jail Personnel   
Range Officers: Investigator Roger M. Stone, Deputy Joseph M. Graff, Deputy Patrick J. Reeves, Deputy Robert J. Zehler, Deputy Eric J. Koziarski Sr., Correction Officer William A. Zipfel, Katie Conley
 
COMMENDATION

Emergency Services Dispatcher Adam L. Miller
Deputy Christopher A. Parker 
Genesee Justice Financial Management Assistant & Victim Advocate Donna Harris
Principal Financial Clerk Mary Hecht
Animal Control Officer William J. Taylor 
Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher Daniel L. Rieks
Emergency Services Dispatcher Robert H. Tripp
Deputy Brian A. Thompson
Sergeant Thomas A. Sanfratello
Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher Gary D. Diegelman

MERITORIOUS

Deputy Jason E. Saile 
Youth Officer Christopher M. Erion 
Genesee Justice Case Manager Aimee Weierheiser
Deputy Joseph M. Graff
Animal Control Officer Aggie S. Jaroszewski 
Emergency Services Dispatcher Steven L. Robinson 
Deputy Lonnie A. Nati 
Youth Officer John K. Dehm 
Investigator Timothy J. Weis

An East Pembroke resident is charged with criminal trespass in Monroe County after allegedly entering a home in the Town of Sweden without permission.

WHEC reports that Mark Humel, 20, entered the home on West Avenue at 2 a.m., Friday, and made sufficient noise to wake the homeowner. The homeowner told deputies that he found Humel, appearing to be intoxicated, standing in his living room, not wearing shoes, asking for "Dave."

Humel reportedly became belligerent and ran off when police were called.

The suspect was located later leaving a wooded area near the home.