There are four primary elections in Genesee County today.
There are Republican primaries in Byron and Pembroke for town board seats.
In Darien, there's a three-way Democratic primary for two town board seats.
In Stafford, the Conservative Party will pick a candidate for Highway Superintendent.
Polls are open until 9 p.m.
Billy Joe Budziszewski, 18, no permanent address, is charged with rape in the second degree and endangering the welfare of a child. Budziszewski is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl in the Village of Corfu. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.
An 11-year-old boy from Harpersville is charged with rape, having sexual intercourse with a minor, a criminal sex act and sex abuse. According to a State Police blotter item, the victim appears to be 11-years-old or younger. The arrest was made in Elba. The case remains under investigation.
Genesee County Democratic Committee Chair Lorie Longhany had a chance this week to combine her love of art -- she's an art teacher and an artist -- with her commitment to politics when she attended an event in Rochester honoring Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, whom Longhany described as a long-time, steadfast supporter of the arts. Slaughter co-chairs the congressional arts caucus.
Caroline Kennedy was the keynote speaker and quoted her father, President John Kennedy, who said, "I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty, which commands respect, not only for its strength, but for its civilization, as well."
Attendees also enjoyed performances by the Tony Award winning the Garth Fagan dance troupe and jazz pianist Gap Mangione.
Pictured above, Teresa Martillotta, former Orleans County chair and 53-year state
committee member, current Orleans County chair Jeanne Crane, Slaughter and Longhany.
Apparently, officials at Batavia City School District feel they haven't adequately explained their consideration of new park facilities at the district's North Street property.
This past Saturday, Councilman Bill Cox held a community meeting on the proposal and tonight, Superintendent Margaret Puzio issued a press release detailing the district's position:
"The School District apologizes for not better advertising to the public, the presentation of this material at our September 1 School Board Meeting. At that meeting, we presented to the staff and elected officials from the City of Batavia, Towns of Batavia and Stafford and Genesee County. The consensus of those staff and elected representatives as well as the BOE was that the first step should be to investigate grant funding. This is just the first step in a very long process."
The district contends that there are insufficient youth facilities in the Batavia area and that it is seeking state or federal grants to improve the situation.
Read the full press Release (PDF)
UPDATE: Margaret Puzio spoke with WBTA this morning (mp3).
She said there will be a public meeting on the topic at 7 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Batavia High School.
Thanks to the Stafford Fire Department, the town will have a chance to expand Emery Park by nearly eight acres and add new ball fields for area residents.
The town board voted tonight to accept a donation of the land, which has already been graded and seeded.
Part of the motivation for accepting the donation, according to board members, is that the leach lines for the existing Emery Park restrooms need to be replaced and in order to do that, the donated property is essential.
"If that leach field goes out on us without us getting that land, then we're pretty much dead up there," Councilman Ron Panek said.
There will be a $350 fee to transfer the deed and the town could be on the hook for any additional upgrades.
But there was general agreement that if the town had additional playing fields, the fields would be used.
The four workers in the Stafford Highway Department have a new labor agreement with the town after months of negotiation.
The contract includes a standard pay raise of just over 5 percent over three years, but the main point of contention, health insurance, was resolved along the lines the Stafford Town Board sought.
Union members will be moved from the union insurance plan to a private plan, according to Councilman Bob Pacer.
The issue, according to Pacer, was that the union plan required every employee to be covered by the union plan, even if the employee chose to be covered by a spouse's plan.
With the private plan, union members can opt out and the town will save in the neighborhood of $7,000 to $8,000 per year.
The contract also supplies a safety clothing allowance for union members.
Without discussion, but with one dissenting vote, the Batavia City Council tonight approved a 2.8 percent pay raise for City Manager Jason Molino.
The vote came following a closed session and before the vote, Council President Charlie Mallow read a statement expressing the council's support for Molino.
Councilman Bill Cox voted no and said after the meeting his decision was based on a "personnel matter" and wouldn't reveal the reason for his no vote.
"I felt at this time a raise was not in order and that's all I want to say," Cox said.
Mallow characterized the pay increase as a cost-of-living raise that Molino wouldn't have gotten if he didn't deserve it.
Prior to the vote, Mallow said, each council member submitted a review of Molino's work.
“The city is in good shape and a lot of that has to do with our city manager," Mallow said. "The council supports the city manager and that’s the reason for the raise."
The motion passed 7-1, with Council Bob Bialkowski absent.
Molino was also not at the meeting.
UPDATE: Councilman Cox released this statement this morning:
"The primary reason that I voted against the raise for City Manager Molino is the same reason I voted against the raises for the other non-union staff previously, which is economics.
Our citizens and taxpayers have heavy burdens of property taxes, school taxes, and water/sewer taxes. We have property owners and citizens who have lost their jobs due to the economy. We have retired people on pensions that have been reduced and those same retired citizens have lost health benefits or had them reduced in many cases.
When you are in a position of senior management and leadership you should demonstrate to the people that you understand the dire circumstances many are under and forgo a raise until the economy turns around."
For five years, members of the Police Benevolent Association patrolled Batavia's streets without a labor contract with the city.
Recently, an arbitrator awarded back pay to the union members, which they probably would've received in cost-of-living increases if they had had a contract.
Tonight, the City Council approved unanimously, without discussion, transfer of $235,000 from the city's contingency fund to the police department budget to cover the arbitration award.
The city could have wound up owing the PBA members more than $288,000.
As part of the same resolution, the council approved transferring $23,000 to the fire department budget to repair the air-conditioning system at the Evans Street station.
Report of a no-injury auto accident on Ellicott Street between Swan and Otis.
The vehicles are blocking a portion of Ellicott currently.
Matty's Pizzeria, 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: Matty's is another Batavia favorite for pizza and wings. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.
South Main Country Gifts, 3356 Main St. Road, Batavia, N.Y.: Handcrafted items, gifts with a regional flair, candles, teas and spices -- South Main has a wide selection to please most any interest. We have a $20 gift certificate for $9.
Sport of Kings Family Restaurant, 419 W Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: A favorite locally owned family restaurant that is open 24 hours per day, seven days a week. We have a $15 gift card for $7.50.
Adam Miller Toy & Bicycles, 8 Center St., Batavia, N.Y.: Feel like a kid in a toy store again, or treat your kids to the greatest toy store they will ever see. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.
The Enchanted Florist, 202 E. Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: Brighten up your home or office with flowers! We have a $20 gift certificate for $8.50.
Jackson St. Grill, 9 Jackson St., Batavia, N.Y.: Try the fresh, skinless haddock fish fry on Fridays. We have a $10 gift certificate for $5.
NOTE: If you've never bought Deal of the Day before, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the rules and process, click here.
SOLD OUT
More people than ever distrust traditional news media, according to a new Pew study.
In this year’s survey, 63 percent of respondents said news articles were often inaccurate and only 29 percent said the media generally “get the facts straight” — the worst marks Pew has recorded — compared with 53 percent and 39 percent in 2007.
Seventy-four percent said news organizations favored one side or another in reporting on political and social issues, and the same percentage said the media were often influenced by powerful interests. Those, too, are the worst marks recorded in Pew surveys.
Of course, part of the problem is unbiased reporting is humanly impossible. We're all the products of our backgrounds, experiences and education that shapes our perceptions, our own sense of reality. News reporters make decisions every day based on their own perceptions. What is objectively true to one reporter is not necessarily true to another. Yet, news consumers have been educated to believe news reporting should be objective.
Because objectivity is impossible, people tend to believe the only objective news reporting is that which conforms with their own views. That's why so many Republicans believe Fox News is "fair and balanced," and on the left, only MSNBC tells the truth.
One of the enduring questions of the electronic-news era is this: are we deeper into an age of greater acrimony amongst partisan combatants because they see only one version of truth; or will the opportunity for more voices to be heard eventually lead to more open dialogue and a greater understanding of the issues of the day?
Every two years, the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce releases a map of the area that helps promote local businesses.
This year, The Batavian will handle the ad sales, which helps support the Chamber and pays for a valuable resource for travelers and residents alike.
As always, the up-to-date color map will be produced by Rochester-based Map Works, Inc.
More than 12,000 copies will be distributed throughout Genesee County in 2010 and 2011.
Local businesses interested in this promotional opportunity should contact Howard Owens at 585-260-6970.
A former Oakfield-Alabama bus driver who pled guilty in April to criminal sexual conduct in the second degree for inappropriately touching a 13-year-old student was back in court this morning to receive a new sentence in the case.
Alan D. Tidd, 50, of 3191 Galloway Road, Batavia, initially received a "determinant" prison term of seven years. Under sentencing rules, this means a defendant is not eligible for release for "good behavior" or because the defendant is believed rehabilitated.
But the determinant sentence statute was passed until 2007, and Tidd's crime was reportedly committed in 2004.
Today, Judge Robert Noonan issued the maximum sentence available under 2004 rules, which is seven years, but Tidd could be released after two-and-a-third years.
Meanwhile, Tidd's guilty plea is under appeal. His attorney, Timothy Murphy, said outside of court that Tidd, who entered his plea only days after his arrest, felt rushed and pressured to plead guilty because he wanted to get out of jail in a hurry to care for his wife, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and is confined to a wheelchair.
Tidd, who has three children and a grandchild, has no prior criminal record.
UPDATE: To clarify the time line:
Peter William Stapley, 19, of 3797 Piffard Circle, Piffard, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Stapley allegedly possessed a pipe with marijuana residue on it. He was arrested Friday at 3:39 a.m. in Pavilion.
Robert Lawrence Drozdowski, 27, of 14 W. Main St, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Drozdowski allegedly violated a court order which required him to have no contact of any kind with his ex-girlfriend. He allegedly sent a letter to her while incarcirated in Genesee County Jail. Drozdowski remains in jail.
William Dolose Hirsch, 22, of 10025 Buckman Road, Pavilion, is charged with two counts of harassment and stalking. Hirsch was arrested after allegedly calling his ex-girlfriend several times in June after he reportedly was told not to contact her again. He also sent her a picture for "no legitimate purpose," according to the Sheriff's Office press release. Hirsch was jailed on $2,000 bail.
A reader called to report that a train has stopped at the Seven Springs Road crossing and hasn't moved for more than five minutes.
I'm in court all morning. If anybody has any other information or update, please leave a comment.
The Notre Dame Cross Country Team opened up in great fashion over the weekend at the Pre-State Invitational held at SUNY Plattsburgh. The girls finished in a tie for 7th place, but lost the tie breaker to North Warren. Rachel Berggren finished in 33rd place on a great kick to the finish. Meghan Zickl set the pace for the Irish early on to hold on to a 36th place finish with 8th grader Bailee Welker just ahead in 34th. Kristen Antolos was just behind to finish 45th and Teresa Jackson rounded out the Irish top five in taking 66th.
The boy’s team also ended up in a tie for 8th place and won on the tie-breaker over Lake George. Kevin Pawlak led the Irish with a 20th place finish with Nate Flumerfeldt close behind in 23rd place. Andrew Fischer fought hard to finish 42nd, Nick Flumerfeldt held on to finish 56th and Luke Calla 59th. Jason Harasimowicz was the deciding factor in the meet for the Irish and won the tie breaker over the sixth runner of Lake George. Matt Sausner rounded out the top seven with a 77th place finish. In the JV race, Woody Clark was 46th and Conlan Edwards 50th.
The Irish Cross Country Team opens open its regular season tomorrow in Avon against Keshequa.
Le Roy firefighters are battling a grass fire in the area of 8195 Warner Road.
Stafford Fire Department brush truck has been asked to provide mutual aid.
UPDATE 2:55 p.m.: Bergen's brush truck just requested.
UPDATE 2:58 p.m.: Le Roy cancels Bergen request. Bergen standing down.
Universities have a reputation of being bastions of liberalism. Even in my private, evangelically oriented college, there was little evidence that the faculty considered conservatism to have much of an intellectual underpinning. Everything I learned about Edmund Burke I studied in a community college or after entering the work world.
And of course, the epicenter of liberalism is the University of California at Berkeley. So, would you be surprised to learn that Berkeley is adding a course on the study of "right wing movements."
Of course, "right wing" has become pejorative among progressives in the same way liberal has become "the L word." But a major university treating conservative intellectual thought with any amount of seriousness is a major step toward students being exposed to a broader range of ideas.
The diary (American Conservatism: Thinking It, Teaching It, by Paul Lyons) is fascinating and reassuring, at least about our students. Lyons's class was split almost evenly between liberal and conservative students, who had no trouble arguing with each other. They seemed to understand what thin-skinned professors wish to forget: that intellectual engagement is not for crybabies. The students had loud debates over Reagan's legacy, Bush's foreign policy, religious freedom, abortion, even the "war on Christmas" — and nobody broke into tears or ran to the dean to complain. And the more the students argued, the more they came to respect one another. According to Lyons, liberal students learned that that conservative guy was no longer just the predictable gun nut or religious fanatic. And the conservative students learned that they had to make real arguments, not rely on clichés and sound bites recycled from Fox News or Rush Limbaugh.
I think on The Batavian we've had some good debates on healthcare reform recently. Many people of various ideological perspectives have brought some thoughtful arguments and competing facts to the discussion. There has been little rancor. That's how policy should be debated in an open society.
I do think there needs to be a greater understanding among the politically minded of how broad and intellectually diverse the right side of the political spectrum is.
In his essay on the Berkeley course, Mark Lilla wonders how many liberal professors can distinguish between the American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and the Cato Institute -- three ideologically different think tanks. I wonder, too, how many self-identified conservatives know the difference?
Or that not all conservatism favors intrusions into bedrooms or into foreign countries.
I grew up in the Cold War era. The only thing I knew of conservatism was anti-Communism and "the domino effect." It took Bill Kauffman to expose me to pre-Cold War conservatism and I realized there was a sound conservative argument and tradition for non-interventionist, small military thinking. Lilla observes, too, that conservative thinking changed a lot in the 1950s:
"It is a convenient left-wing dodge to reduce 20th-century American conservatism to Cold-War politics, since it implies that conservative ideas are embedded in a world that no longer exists and never should have. In fact, in the 1930s American conservatives were far more obsessed with Franklin D. Roosevelt and his domestic legacy than with Joseph Stalin, and looked askance at all foreign entanglements, including the Second World War. The anti-Communist cause was first conceived by Cold-War liberals, not by conservatives."
I wonder if Kauffman will be taught at Berkeley?
(The quotes from this essay by Mark Lilla (also linked above). Read the whole thing. Pictured above, Edmund Burke and Robert Taft.)
Charges are pending against a driver involved in a one-car rollover accident that sent him to the hospital via Mercy Flight.
Harry L. Flatt, 64, of 3531 Fruit Ave., Medina, was driving on Lewiston Road north of Fisher Road in the Town of Oakfield on Friday at 10:41 p.m. when he apparently lost control of his car.
His car left the road on the east shoulder and then went into a ditch. Flatt apparently tried to steer back onto the roadway. The car struck a large concrete utility block, which caused the car to overturn.
No other information is available at this time. The nature of the pending charges were not specified in the Sheriff's Office press release.
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