Students at Le Roy's Wolcott St. School spent the last two weeks raising money for those less fortunate. They did this as part of the Pennies for Peace campaign, a program of the Central Asia Institute.

It is designed to raise funds for community-based education and literacy programs -- esepcially for girls -- in remote, Central Asian mountain communities.

The grand total raised by Wolcott St. School -- calculated with the help of the Bank of Castile -- was $1,600. Here is a grade-by-grade count:

Pre K -- $52
K -- $149
Grade 1 -- $183
Grade 2 -- $210
Grade 3 -- $157
Grade 4 -- $325
Grade 5 -- $275
Grade 6 -- $241

Kids collected and brought in pennies over a two-week period. Pictured above are the graphed results as of Friday morning (each jar represents $10 in pennies).

What is particularly impressive about this is that the students were not rewarded for the number of pennies they brought in. From the very beginning, there was an understanding that the class that collected the most pennies would not get a pizza party or anything like that.

"What we're looking to do is help the students become intrinsically motivated," said Principal Casey Kosiorek.

He said the overall goal as it pertained to the kids was to help them grow into good citizens who will want to do the right thing without being rewarded.

"I never expected it to have such an impact," said Carol Messura, assistant principal and chair of the project. She said that the students were "extremely enthusiastic" about the whole deal.

"If you were here earlier this morning, you could hear little hoots and hollers with the sound of change being poured into the buckets (pictured at the top)."

Kosiorek said that the money will go toward supplies, teachers' salaries and the building of schools in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"They have pretty much nothing," he commented.

In a letter to parents, Kosiorek and Messura asked that the kids perform "an extra chore or two" in order "to make a meaningful connection to the money they bring in."

Each letter came with a pencil-shaped slip on which parents were to describe the chores their kids performed and (the kids') hopes for the children of Afghanistan and Pakistan. All "pencils" were returned to homeroom teachers and used in the display above.

"Pennies for Peace" was this year's service learning project for the students. The school does two projects every year: one in-school project, and one to benefit folks outside the school community.

This year's service project started when Cindy Frisch, the school librarian, read Greg Mortenson's "Listen to the Wind" to all of the students.

Mortenson, the founder of Pennies for Peace and author of The New York Times bestseller "Three Cups of Tea," wrote "Listen to the Wind" in order to relate his first building experience in Pakistan. At the end of the book, he talks about how far a penny can go in Pakistan/Afghanistan.

"(A penny) doesn't buy much in our community," Kosiorek and Messura said in their letter to parents. "However, in the villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan, a penny can buy a pencil, start an education, and transform a life." 

Examples of how much certain small amounts of money could buy for kids in those countries were included on this chart:

Kosiorek describes service learning as an "offshoot" of the school's Character Education Committee, of which Messura is the chair. It is part of an overall environment in which core values and qualities that will help make the students good citizens are nurtured.

"We want to make sure we're educating the whole child," Kosiorek said. "They're kind of desensitized (to certain things) because of the media and the 'age of rage' (reality TV, etc). If we teach them to be good citizens, the rest will follow."

Character education has been a big part of Wolcott St. School's mission for some time; in fact, they were recognized with an honorable mention by the Academy for Character Education at the Sage Colleges in January.

One of the major components of character education at Wolcott is "Words of the Month." Each month, teachers focus on a particular word describing a positive character trait (for example, the Word of the Month for March was honesty), and on how it is used in the classroom. Teachers keep an eye out for and nominate students who display that trait in class, and at the end of the month their names go under the "Good Character" tree near the school's entrance.

This is part of the school's "Catching Kids Being Good" policy.

And now, as Kosiorek and Messura said in their letter to parents, Wolcott students have joined "tens of thousands of students around the world . . . who are working together to become members of a global family dedicated to peace."

For more information on the Pennies for Peace program, visit their Web site: www.penniesforpeace.org.

The Statue of Liberty by Oatka Creek.

When I drove by the Batavia Police HQ this afternoon, I spotted a new sign out front.

Here's a news release sent Monday from the NY Farm Bureau.

Lawmakers have restored funding for agricultural programs in the state budget, and Dean Norton, president of the NY Farm Bureau, had this to say about the overall budget agreement.

"Just as we're about to roll our tractors into the fields for a new growing season, our allies in the senate and assembly have come through with a budget that will help ensure a brighter future for our farm families.

"Farmers are full of gratitude this morning for Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Skelos, Senate Ag Chair Patty Ritchie and Assembly Ag Chair Bill Magee. Our leaders in Albany have made an investment in rural New York by restoring funding to dozens of vital agricultural programs that will help grow our industry and create jobs.

"Not only were agricultural programs restored, but the overall budget did make a significant start at tackling our state’s larger fiscal problems, caused mainly by mandatory, nondiscretionary spending levels for labor, education and health care.

“I would particularly like to commend our Senate and Assembly Agriculture Committee chairs -- Senator Ritchie and Assemblyman Magee. Both the Senate and Assembly Majority budget proposals contained substantial investments in agriculture infrastructure programs, and Senator Ritchie and Assemblyman Magee worked very hard with members of their respective conferences to make sure that the budget was a fair one for the farm community.

"Programs such as the Integrated Pest Management, Pro-Dairy, New York FarmNet, and the New York Farm Viability Institute, as well as several promotion and agricultural education programs and others are crucial to the future success of our farm families throughout Upstate New York and the farm towns of Long Island.

"Other programs like Re-Charge NY will expand low-cost power to businesses, including farms. Re-Charge NY was one of New York Farm Bureau members' priority issues this year and we are very pleased with its accomplishment for our farmers and the food processing industry.

"We are equally excited about regional economic development councils that we expect to include stakeholders in agriculture and food processing.

Farm Bureau members lobbied hard for restoration of our agricultural programs with a message to the governor and legislature that if you want to revive the state economy, a great place to start is with agriculture. Our leaders listened.

"We have nearly 36,000 farms in New York, which means there are 36,000 small businesses employing New Yorkers, stimulating the economy and most importantly, producing food, fuel and fiber for our neighbors."

This information comes from Assemblyman Steve Hawley's office.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley recently applauded the return of the sales tax exemption on clothing and footwear.

In 2010, Assemblyman Hawley voted against a measure to enforce a 4 percent sales tax on clothing and footwear under $110.

As of April 1, clothing and footwear under $55 will be tax free until the exemption is extended in 2012 to include items under $110.

“I voted against this regressive tax last year because it served only to push consumers across state lines when they could have otherwise supported small businesses right here in our own community,” Hawley said. “Increasing taxes on clothing hurt those who could least afford it, like working families who are trying to feed and clothe their children.

"I encourage all Western New Yorkers to take advantage of this fee’s sunset by frequenting the locally owned and operated clothing stores that help build the regional economy.”

There's a horse on the loose in the area of 1467 Roanoke Road, near the junction of Route 63 in Pavilion. A person there is trying to keep it from going into the roadway.

A Sheriff's deputy is en route, but first must make a stop at the animal shelter for a rabies shot, presumably for an animal.

UPDATE 1:40 p.m.: The horse, which is brown, and possibly a second horse, are said to be contained behind a fence now. The owner could not be reached.

Police believe Justice D. Osborne, 15, of 104 Pearl St., Batavia, has run away from home and neither her parents nor police can locate her. They are asking for the public's help in finding her.

There is no indication of forcible abduction.

She is  5’2”, 140 pounds. At the present time her black hair has long straight extensions. She was last seen wearing a gray hoodie, blue jeans and purple skate sneakers.

Anyone with information or who has seen Justice since her disappearance is asked to please call the Batavia Police at 345-6350.     

The photo is the most recent picture of Justice showing her new hair extensions.

Also, a press release from Hochul's campaign:

“While America’s small businesses are doing everything they can to stay afloat and create jobs, one of our nation’s corporate giants has found the loopholes that help them avoid paying their fair share of taxes,” said Kathy Hochul, candidate in New York’s 26th Congressional District.

“Once elected, I will fight for our small businesses and work to ensure we close the corporate tax loopholes that allowed General Electric to report a 2010 worldwide profit of $14.2 billion, without paying a single dollar in American taxes. In fact, due to G.E.’s intense lobbying efforts and slick accounting, the company was able to claim a $3.2 billion tax benefit – money that could have been invested in small businesses that create jobs here at home.

“The fact that every taxpayer in the 26th District paid more in taxes last year than General Electric is plain wrong. It’s time we overhaul our tax code. Without many of their tax breaks, G.E. would currently have thousands and thousands of more jobs here in the U.S. So we must end the tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas and instead invest in local businesses that create jobs for hard working American families.”

Voters in Batavia today rejected a proposal to upgrade Van Detta Stadium and the athletic fields at John Kennedy School by a vote of 542 to 982.

With more than 1,500 voters, the turn out dwarfed what Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said is typical for a school district budget vote or board election. He said typically, turn out is about 600 people.

The proposal would have cost taxpayers about $110,000 more per year. It would have upgraded the stands at Van Detta as well as the locker rooms and showers, but most notably it would have converted the field to artificial turf.

The entire project was expected to cost $3.9 million.

A utility or electricity pole is on fire in the area of 8862 Route 98, near Rose Road, Batavia.

A deputy on scene says the fire is touching a high tension line that seems to be burning.

The pole looks like a newly installed pole, as recently as today.

Town of Batavia Fire is responding with Engine 24.

UPDATE 7:27 p.m.: The fire has burned itself out. National Grid has been notified, no ETA given, but it should easily be able to spot the charred pole, according to responders.

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The city's revenue from Falleti Ice Arena is expected to double under terms of a new lease negotiated with Firland Management.

Lease payments will jump from $7,000 a year to $15,000 a year and by the fourth year of the lease, reaching $20,000 per year.

Proceeds from the lease, Batavia City Manager Jason Molino said, are held in reserve.

“Those funds are to be put into a capital improvement fund for capital improvements that may need to be done to the facility that the city is responsible for at a later point in time," Molino said.

The city council is expected to approve the lease at its next business meeting.

(via WBTA)

Attorney Jerry Ader told a jury this afternoon that the case against his client rested on whether they believed the woman who claimed the defendant attacked her at knife point in her State Street apartment on Aug. 30.

After less than an hour of deliberation, the jury found Robert Thigpen III, 35, of 287 Flower City Park, Rochester, not guilty on all charges.

Thigpen was arrested in Batavia on Aug. 30 and charged with burglary, 2nd, menacing, 2nd, criminal mischief, 4th, and harassment, 2nd. 

"There are only certain things can all agree on," Ader said as he began his closing argument. "We can agree Thigpen is black and Morgan is white, and that’s the only thing we can agree on in this case. There is nothing (else) about this case that is black and white."

Ader said if the jury didn't believe Christy Morgan's version of events, there was no physical evidence supporting the case against Thigpen. There were no fingerprints on the knife allegedly used by Thigpen, which was put back in a knife rack in the kitchen, and no evidence Morgan was harmed. He also said that there was no evidence a car parked two blocks from the alleged crime scene belonged to Thigpen.

Thigpen also allegedly made threatening and harassing phone calls to Morgan after his arrest. Ader said there was no evidence to support those claims either.

In his closing arguments, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said police found Thigpen not far from the scene hot and sweaty -- perhaps he had been running, Friedman suggested -- after first being seen as he approached a car parked on Alva Place.

He suggested it isn't reasonable for there to be an answering-machine recording of mobile phone conservations and said, contrary to what Ader argued, that Morgan did not claim she received text messages.

Friedman also noted there was expert testimony explaining why that particular knife Thigpen was accused of using wouldn't have fingerprints on it.

What the defense was really trying to do, Friedman argued, was put the victim and the police on trial.

"People who lie have a reason to lie," Friedman said. "Why would she be making this up? This was her boyfriend a month earlier, so why would she make it up?"

Morgan testified that she went outside the evening of Aug. 30 to take her trash out and a man was hiding by the basement door of her apartment building. He then forced his way into her apartment, pushed her around, choked her, then grabbed a knife from the kitchen and threatened her with it for about a minute. He then put the knife back in its place in the kitchen and left.

Morgan testified that Thigpen was accusing her of being involved with another man.

She said didn't call 9-1-1 herself because a few days before she had dropped her phone in some Kool-Aid, so the buttons were stuck. She used the recent call list to call two friends and asked them to call 9-1-1.

The trial took only one day -- jury selection was Monday and opening arguments began shortly after 10 a.m., Tuesday.

Batavia High School continued its dominance in mock trial competition taking both of its matches in Geneseo on Monday, scoring 107 points.

Batavia will now face Warsaw tomorrow in Warsaw in the finals.

In the first round Monday, Batavia defeated Warsaw 56-54, and then defeated Byron-Bergen 51-44.  

Warsaw beat Pembroke 51-46.

Warsaw, Pembroke and Avon were all 1-1, but Warsaw made the finals on points with 105. Avon had 103 and Pembroke 93. Byron-Bergen was 0-2 with 98 points.

Points are based on a scoring system for the actions during the trial of the individual team members and are scored by the judge. The judge is not told what teams are involved in the competition.

More than a year after his arrest, a 33-year-old Warsaw man was told today that he will spend a year in prison for grand larceny for his part in a complicated scheme to steal from employers and customers at three different Batavia businesses.

As part of his plea agreement, Dustin Hurlburt paid $14,739.92 in restitution to his victims.

Hurlburt was accused of making more than $22,000 in purchases at Armor Building Supply, where he worked, using credit card numbers he obtained while employed as a full-service gas station attendant.

The purchases were made for a local building site, where Hurlburt acted as a contractor. He then billed the customers for the items he bought using the stolen credit card numbers.

The alleged purchases were made between October 2009 and December 2009. 

In connection with that case, Nicholas Salvador, 46, of 20 Park Ave., Batavia, owner of East Main Sunoco, was charged in federal court with fraud. Those charges were quickly dismissed.

Meanwhile, a Rochester law firm, Leclair Korona Giordano Cole, LLP, announced today that their client, Robert Burt, won a civil case in which he was being sued by victims of a "Ponzi scheme" centered in Perry and reportedly run by Hurlburt.

In connection to that case, Hurlburt entered a guilty to federal mail fraud charges charges in 2005. The scheme operated from 2001 through 2003.

One of these days, Oakfield's 96-year-old water tower could just simply burst open. 

Everybody agrees, it needs to be replaced, and soon.

Village officials have been working toward that goal, but recent events have created a quagmire that had about 40 residents packing the village hall Monday night to sound off about how the situation is being handled.

At its March 14 meeting, the village board approved a purchase offer on a 10-acre parcel off Coe Avenue as a location for a new water tower.

That purchase has sparked accusations of secret meetings, overpayment for the property, poor legal advice and concern that the village board is heading in a direction that will cost village rate payers and taxpayers a lot more money in years to come.

"This would not have happened on my watch," said former Oakfield mayor and current county Legislator Ray Cianfrini, looking directly at Oakfield Mayor Rick Pastecki. "You did not do your due diligence. You owe it to the community to do your due diligence when you take on a project of this magnitude."

Pastecki opened the meeting with a written statement explaining the events of the past five weeks.

Problems started, he said, when the village learned that the Town of Oakfield said it would not take title to a piece of property next to Oakfield-Alabama Central School, owned by Lamb Farms, for a new water tower.

The village would have to take title. And if it did, village attorney David DiMatteo informed the board, the Town of Oakfield could levy taxes against the property, and so could the county and the school district. 

Those taxes, on a water tower worth more than $1 million, could exceed $37,000 annually.

Near the end of the meeting, Pastecki pointed to the City of Batavia's Country Mall as an example of bad decisions that leave people in the future shaking their heads, wondering, "What were they thinking?"

"What we have done, we have done in good faith, trying to avoid any tax liability that we have no control over," Pastecki said. "We didn't want to add that burden in addition to the burden of water rates going up."

Several times, Pastecki emphasized that he's really concerned about what the school district might do in regard to taxes, because schools are increasingly desperate for revenue.

With the fear of high taxes -- and the prospect of losing a $600,000 state grant if a tower location was not quickly identified -- the board voted, following a closed session, to purchase the Coe Avenue property for $139,000.

The real estate deal has set people off. It feeds a perception in the community that the purchase was made in secret. Also, some residents question the parcel's suitability for erecting a new water tower: because of potential environmental problems there; the specter of it being an eyesore; and its distance from any foreseeable growth in Oakfield's population.

Several residents, including real estate investor Jeremy Yasses, said the village overpaid for the property.

The assessed value is $79,000 and some village residents spoke about a local nonprofit group that once had a purchase offer in place for the property for less than that amount, but the deal fell through.

"We know what that purchase price was," Yasses said, "and it wasn't $139,000."

He estimated the village overpaid by about $100,000 and questioned whether the village would ever be able to get its money back if the tower isn't built there.

The village attorney was not at the meeting. According to Pastecki, DiMatteo made only one offer for the property, $139,000, and it was accepted.

The purchase agreement includes no contingencies that would allow the village to get out of the purchase if the tower cannot be built at that location.

Pastecki said nobody considered it necessary to include contingencies.

"That's where we're going to put the water tower," Pastecki said.

The land, however, has an old residence on it that may contain asbestos. The site is landlocked and there are questions about accessibility. There used to be a greenhouse on it, whose proprietors may have left behind a buried fuel tank.

And while Pastecki said U.S. Gypsum's old underground mine shafts don't extend that far west, Cianfrini said he isn't so sure (after U.S. Gypsum shut down in Oakfield, the village acquired mine maps, Cianfrini said after the meeting, but it isn't clear if the maps are 100-percent accurate).

"I think you bought a pig in a poke," Cianfrini said. "You really don't know what you've got here."

Yasses and others said the the village board got bad advice from its attorney on the purchase.

"He should either resign or be fired," Yasses said.

At a previous meeting, Town of Batavia Engineer Steve Mountain spoke to the board about the possibility of extending a 12-inch public water line up Route 63 into the village.

Such a line would meet the current water needs of the village and handle growth for up to 1,000 more people.

Even so, Mountain said, apparently, the village would still need to build a water tower at some point.

Pastecki said that statement is what convinced the board to move forward with purchase of the Coe Avenue property. And with the cost of steel going up, it didn't make sense to wait to build a water tower.

But board members also admitted that they weren't really clear on what Mountain meant by the statement that a 12-inch line would meet current village needs, be less expensive and handle modest population growth.

There has long been discussion about the Town of Alabama buying water from the village, but Alabama has backed away from helping to pay for a water tower.

A Coe Avenue site wouldn't have enough capacity to meet the needs of both communities, nor would a 12-inch public water line extension.

So if neither is wholly suitable, why not just go with the less expensive water line? This question was first raised by Town of Oakfield Board Member Mike Cianfrini. But it wasn't really dealt with until near the end of the meeting when it was revisited by Kevin Skelton.

"We need to take care of the immediate problem," Skelton said. "If we think there will be considerable growth around here, then we should think about a plan for the future. For now, we should find the quickest way to solve the problem."

Pastecki said the board will consider everything people at the meeting had to say about the issue and review its options again.

A Rochester man, who was reportedly found in Batavia with 22 bags of crack cocaine when he was arrested in August, admitted to possessing a controlled substance in Genesee County Court this morning.

Willie J. Woods Jr., 36, entered a guilty plea of criminal possession and possession of a controlled substance, 5th. He faces up to two and a half years in state prison when he is sentenced June 20.

Woods was stopped in August by members of the Local Drug Task Force and uniformed deputies before pulling onto the Thruway. 

His arrest was the culmination of an investigation to the sale and distribution of cocaine in Batavia.

Woods was allegedly found with $2,000 cash on him at the time of his arrest.

One of Batavia's most historic landmarks, the Pontillo's sign on the pizzeria at the corner of East Main Street and Harvester Avenue, was removed this morning and replaced by a "Batavia's Original Pizzeria" sign.

Three investors from Rochester bought the former Pontillo's location and opened it as Pontillo's in early 2010, but they were served with a trademark infringement suit in September.

In early December, the name of the business was changed to Batavia's Original Pizzeria.

The new sign says Batavia's Original was established in 1947.

The original Pontillo's closed in the fall of 2008 and the property was eventually sold at a foreclosure auction. The Rochester investors purchased the property from the bank that bought it at auction. (Financial history covered in this story.)

Sam Pontillo, son of Salvatore and Elizabeth Pontillo, is manager of Batavia's Original.

The Le Roy Pontillo's location was closed a couple of months ago and Sam Pontillo reportedly removed all of the equipment. His brother, John Pontillo, may be planning to open another pizzeria at that location. John currently operates a pizzeria in Geneseo.

A tractor-trailer rollover accident is reported in the eastbound lane -- on-ramp 47 -- of the Thruway. The driver is conscious and talking but is possibly entrapped. Mercy Flight is on standby.

Le Roy Fire and Ambulance are responding and a crew from Bergen Fire Department is requested to standby in their quarters.

The rig is leaking fuel. It is on its side and the on-ramp is blocked.

UPDATE 12:51 p.m.: Medics are told to proceed in nonemergency mode. The rig is loaded with scrap metal.

UPDATE 12:55 p.m.: Mercy Flight is cancelled. Traffic is backing up. The driver has been extricated.

UPDATE 1:08 p.m.: State Police have completely shut down the eastbound on-ramp and it is expected to remain closed for some time. The Bergen crew, which was standing by in quarters, is put back in service. Le Roy medic is taking the victim to Strong Memorial Hospital. Le Roy fire is released from the scene by State Police.

A 35-year-old Byron resident is facing 101 charges related to possessing and receiving prescription drugs in four Genesee County jurisdictions.

Sege D. Kalmbacher Sr., was taken into custody by the Local Drug Task Force and arraigned in City of Batavia, Town of Batavia, Le Roy and Pembroke. He was jailed on $50,000 bail.

Kalmbacher was identified as a suspect during an investigation into the theft and use of prescription drug forms. The case began when Le Roy Police received a complaint from a pharmacy in the village of somebody using a forged prescription.

A computer was reportedly used to create the prescriptions.

Task force investigators allege that Kalmbacher was able to successfully fill several prescriptions for narcotics at area pharmacies using the forged forms going back to December.

Kalmbacher was charged as follows:

City of Batavia: Eight counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, for receiving narcotics on nine different occasions; eight counts of possession of a forged instrument, 2nd; eight counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th; eight counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument; and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly submitting nine stolen and forged prescription forms.

Town of Batavia: Nine counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, for allegedly receiving narcotic drugs on nine different occasions in the Town of Batavia; nine counts of possession of a forged instrument, 2nd; nine counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th; and nine counts criminal possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly submitting nine stolen and forged prescription forms.

Village of Le Roy: Three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, for allegedly receiving narcotic drugs on four different occasions in the Village of Le Roy; four counts of possession of a forged instrument, 2nd; four counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th; and four counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly submitting nine stolen and forged prescription forms.

Town of Pembroke: Four counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, for allegedly receiving narcotic drugs on four different occasions occasions occasions in the Town of Pembroke; four counts of possession of a forged instrument, 2nd; four counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th; and four counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly submitting nine stolen and forged prescription forms.

In Pembroke, Kalmbacher was also charged with 27 counts of computer trespass for using a computer he did not have permission to use to create prescription drug forms.

David Lee Brown, 19, no permenant address, is charged with uninspected motor vehicle, unregistered motor vehicle, uninsured motor vehicle, improper license plates and unlawful possession of marijuana, plus he was arrested on a felony warrant. Brown was stopped during a Buckle Up New York traffic detail. During the investigation, he was identied as wanted on a warrant out of Monroe County for alleged violation of probation. During a search of his vehicle, Sgt. Tom Sanfratello and Deputy Chris Parker reportedly found a glass pipe with marijuana in it.

Gregory John Campbell, 43, of Alexander, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Campbell was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Campbell was jailed on $500 bail.

Joshua M. Gaudiso, 22, of Fillmore Avenue, Caledonia, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and arrested on a warrant. Gaudiso was released after paying an outstanding fine.

Zoe Ann McClure, 41, of South Swan Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. McClure is accused of shoplifting from Kmart at 5:51 p.m., Monday.