For many years Gene and Peggy Bontrager were owners of Ringneck Hunting Preserve in Darien, NY. Now in retirement, they have sold their property and are moving to Tennessee. This auction will include their personal property. Please join us on June 29th at 5 p.m. at 2407 Broadway in Darien.

Local governments in Genesee County stand to lose $8 million in sales tax revenue for 2018 because the State Legislature has failed to pass legislation that would allow the county to collect an extra 1 percent in sales tax.

Every two years, the Senate and Assembly must pass legislation that allows Genesee County, along with 52 other counties in the state, to collect that extra 1 percent.

This session, that didn't happen, because of a tussle in Albany over extending mayoral control of New York City schools. The sales tax extension, along with extensions related to mortgage tax and bed tax, got caught in the crossfire.

County Manager Jay Gsell informed members of the County Legislature yesterday of the bad news, but this morning he said he was feeling hopeful after Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered legislators to return to Albany for an extraordinary session.

The governor has the authority to order senators and assembly members to return to session, but he can't require them to take up the agenda he requests. It is Cuomo's wish, however, that legislators take up the NYC schools issue.

The hang up over the legislation appears to be in the Senate. This morning, we requested a comment from Sen. Micheal Ranzenhofer and have yet to receive a response.

In New York, the state has an across-the-board 4 percent sales tax. In the 1980s, the State Legislature allowed counties to impose a local 3 percent sales tax, in part, according to Gsell, to offset the new Medicaid mandate. Counties then had the option to tack on another 1 percent sales tax, but that tax must be reauthorized every two years.

Until this year, that reauthorization has been pretty much automatic.

In Genesee County, under current agreements, the county keeps half of the 4 percent in local sales tax, and the other half is divided between the city, villages and towns.

Prior to this morning's announcement by the governor, it didn't look like the Legislature would take up the extension issue until the fall, which Gsell said would be too late for the county's 2018 budgeting timeline, with a requirement for a completed budget by Thanksgiving for the County Legislature to approve.

UPDATE 11:58 a.m.: Daniel Aikin, spokesman for Sen. Ranzenhofer, provided this statement:

The New York State Senate approved legislation to extend Genesee County's sales tax on June 8th. It passed by a vote of 58 to 3. The existing sales tax extension expires November 30th of this year. The bill was delivered to the New York State Assembly on June 8th. Weeks later, the Assembly still has not taken action on the bill.

Unfortunately, the New York City dominated State Assembly failed to act, causing an unnecessary and avoidable budget issue for municipalities. If the State Assembly does not pass this legislation, then the budgets of cities, towns, and villages across Genesee County will be negatively impacted. Senator Ranzenhofer is hopeful that the State Assembly will take action before it is too late.

Press release:

Verona Avenue will close on Wednesday, June 28, between the hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

While work is being performed in this area, the roadway will be closed to all through traffic. Local traffic will be permitted to and from their residence/property but should plan accordingly for delays.

All residents within the work area are asked not to park on the roadway during the day.

This is weather-dependent work. If work is postponed it will progress on the next work day.

Please, plan accordingly and contact the Bureau of Maintenance with any questions.

Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

It wasn't really an overdose that killed Jason Lang, said his father Rick, but Jason's five-year battle with the dragon of drug addiction came to an end about 6:30 p.m., Saturday, when the 33-year-old local businessman stuck a needle in his arm and shot who knows what into his bloodstream.

Until State Police investigators receive lab results or the Medical Examiner produces an autopsy report, we won't know what substance Jason Lang injected in the final minutes of his life.

"Whoever gave that to Jason, whoever sold that to Jason, murdered him," Rick Lang said. "They plain out murdered him. I want that in the paper. They killed my son."

Rick and Jason both returned to their house in Batavia about 6 p.m., Saturday, Rick said. They grabbed the mail, and each took their portion and Jason said he was going downstairs and would be right back up. Rick said he sorted through his mail, opened a couple of bills, and then a friend stopped by and they chatted for a few minutes, then Rick started cooking supper.

He heard what sounded like the toilet flushing a few times, or the water going off and on, so he called down to Jason, and there was no answer. He went down the stairs a bit, called again, no answer. He went down into the bathroom and Jason was slumped over the bathroom vanity.

"He already looked a little bit, not the right color," Rick said. "I grabbed him and I shook him. He was still warm. I said, 'Jason Jason,' and I tried to wake him. He didn't respond. So I cradled him under his arms and lowered to the floor. I could see it in his eyes. They were blank looking. I said, 'my God, Jason, you're gone.' You know that's what I thought right away, 'you're gone. Buddy, what did you do?' "

Rick stood up and called 9-1-1.

"I see a syringe laying in the sink with the cap more than three-fourths full," Rick said. "It was like maybe a smidgen (used). Even the investigator said, 'My God, he didn't get hardly anything into him.'"

For years, Jason Lang ran a successful cab company in Batavia, Batavia Cab. He thought he was doing pretty good for himself, so he decided to expand his business interests, so he opened a smoke shop and tattoo parlor, the Laughing Buddha, on Ellicott Street.

This was right about the time synthetic marijuana and another class of synthetic drugs, often known as bath salts, were hitting the market. The drugs fell into a legal gray area, where they weren't controlled substances, but might be considered analogs to hard drugs including methamphetamine and cocaine. 

Seeing a business opportunity, Lang started selling the compounds in his shop.

At that time, he said in an interview last August, he had never used hard drugs.

After the State Police raided his store, he said, the store closed down and he lost $200,000 in inventory. He said he became depressed and bath salts, such as Amped, were easy to get at a new store that opened at 400 Ellicott St., the 420 Emporium.

In the spring and summer of 2012, synthetic drugs were a big story in Batavia. There were multiple reports of users engaging in bizarre behavior while high on bath salts. Jason was one of the users making the news, not just in Batavia, but throughout the region. His paranoia led to false reports of gunshots at a local hotel, of confrontations with law enforcement, and tales he told to local reporters of government conspiracies against him.

The mess her son was in drove Nicole Lang and her supporters to stage protests outside the 420 Emporium, which was part of a Rochester chain that was eventually raided and shut down by federal authorities.

Those law enforcement actions seem to have come too late for Jason Lang.

He switched to heroin. 

To support his habit, he started shoplifting. He hit big chain stores. When he reached the point where he had been banned from all the stores in Genesee County, he branched out to Erie County, Orleans County, and Ontario County, in an effort to never get charged with anything more than a petit larceny.

It wasn't long though before he had run out of stores to hit in the neighboring counties, and desperate, he returned to Ontario County.

Rick said local authorities have told him the District Attorney and judges there are particularly tough on petty criminals, that they often sentence people to 90 days in jail for petit larceny.

Jason returned to stores where he was previously banned, stole merchandise, and was charged with felony burglaries. He was sentenced to more than three years in prison.

That's just wrong, Rick said. He pointed to court clerks who stole more than $100,000; attorneys who embezzled more than $75,000; an official in Le Roy who took tens of thousands of dollars from his organization.  

They all got off with probation, what Rick considers a "slap on the wrist."

Yet, Jason, whom Rick said never got away with more than $5,000 aggregate in all his thefts, was given a multiyear prison term.

The justice system, he said, isn't treating drug addiction for what it is, a disease, but it's the users -- not the dealers, he said, not the embezzlers -- who are getting the harshest sentences.

"These people (the embezzlers) are not sick," Rick said. "These people are mentally alert, have no illness and they know exactly what they're doing. You know, it's greed. The justice system is wrong in the way they handle these cases."

While Rick is unhappy with how a local parole officer handled his son's case, contributing, he thinks, to the difficulty of Jason's recovery, he has nothing but praise for the State Police and Sheriff's Office.

Both troopers and deputies have been to the Lang household a couple of times in recent months. The first time, after Jason overdosed on, probably, cocaine, and then again a few weeks ago when he was hallucinating on bath salts.

The troopers and deputies helped save Jason's life those times, and on Saturday, it was a trooper who took over CPR from Rick once he arrived on scene.

"The state troopers, they are very gentleman-like, very professional, and the deputies, too," Rick said. "Very professional."

Rick Lang knows his son was an addict and he struggled with his addiction. Both father and son knew how dangerous that was.

On Father's Day, Jason wrote in his diary, "A great Father's Day. Feeling very blessed. Life has thrown me a lot of curve balls and I've survived through many storms. I recently had another drug overdose. I shouldn't be alive. But somehow I am still here."

Rick doesn't want people to remember his son as the drug addict. He wants Jason to be remembered as a small businessman who cared about his community and cared about people.

"He had a heart of gold," Rick said. "He loved all types of people. He loved law enforcement. He respected law enforcement. He respected people that were down and out and he'd run to help them. Like I said before, when he had Batavia Cab, many times some of his employees were low-income people, didn't have anything, and he'd buy the Christmas gifts and give them to the parents as a gift to each other for Christmas. He was that kind of guy."

In prison, Jason came to the aid of a young black prisoner who was being bullied by a white supremacist gang member. 

"He (the gang member) told him to get on his knees and that's when Jason stepped in and said, 'hey, knock it off,'" Rick said. "'Leave him alone. You know he's scared to death and that he's only a kid.'"

The white supremacist accused Jason of not sufficiently loving his own race, of being an (expletive deleted) lover. Jason said he didn't care about race, but mostly he didn't believe in picking on people and hurting them.

When the prisoners were back in line to head back to their cells, the gang member stabbed Jason in the leg with a pencil, breaking it off in his leg. There was a tussle, and the gang member ended up getting hauled off by the guards.

Jason Lang will receive a Mass of Christian burial at Resurrection Parish, 18 Ellicott St., Batavia, at 9:30 a.m., Friday. Calling Hours are Thursday (full obituary).

His family announced on Facebook today that Grab-A-Cab, the new cab company Jason started after he was released from prison, is being shut down.

Rick is sure Jason didn't want to die. His addiction scared him. He had recently started attending church and was moving toward a deeper spiritual bond with Jesus, Rick said. He said he told Jason if he wanted to save himself from his addiction, he needed to turn to Jesus. He's convinced Jason was headed in that direction. He said that if Jason had known what was in that needle, whatever it was, he never would have shot up knowing it would kill him.

Jason loved his family, Rick said. He loved his son, Lathan. Rick, Jason, and Lathan had been enjoying the spring and summer together fishing.

"He was just a damn good guy," Rick said. "You know, the addiction, that didn't make him a bad guy. He was a very good father. He loved his kid and his kid loved him."

Rick said he was mainly willing to talk about his son's death because he hopes maybe it will save some other parent the heartbreak he's been through. Something has got to be done about the drug epidemic hitting hard both in Genesee County and nationally, he said, but maybe if people know the story of people like Jason, it will help.

It was only near the end of our conversation that Rick Lang started to tear up.

"I hope to get my life back trying to find happiness," Rick said. "It's hard to find happiness when you lose someone that close to your heart. I'm proud of my son. I want to put that in the paper. I'm proud of him. He was one of my best friends. Ever. Now I don't have him. So, I hope. I hope."

Below, a poem Jason Lang wrote about heroin and a copy of his Father's Day diary entry.

A former Batavia High School student, a 2000 graduate, who joined the Marines and then returned to Western New York to become a Rochester police officer, is home with his family tonight, recovering from a wound sustained from a gunshot near his face.

Jeremy Nash was driving when a gunshot came flying into an unmarked patrol car on North Street near Clifford Avenue. 

He served in the Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom operations, is an 11-year veteran of RPD, and the father of a baby girl.

(Video by our news partner, 13WHAM.)

Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo and the Toronto Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation will be the beneficiaries of the sixth annual "Arnie Abramowitz" Memorial CALEO Alumni Charity Golf Tournament on Tuesday at Chestnut Ridge County Club in Darien.

CALEO (Canadian American Law Enforcement Organization) alumni from both countries will be participating in the event, which gets under way with a shotgun tee off at 10 a.m. All players will receive lunch at the turn, a steak dinner afterward and the chances to win numerous prizes.

Procees will be donated to the aforementioned charities in the name of Abramowitz, a former member police officer.

CALEO was established in 1978 to provide intelligence support for a series of marine enforcement operations planned for Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The original group included senior intelligence officers, investigators and enforcement officers from the U.S. Coast Guard, R.C.M.P., U.S. Customs, U.S. Border Patrol, Canada Customs, Ontario Provincial Police, Niagara Regional Police and U.S. Immigration.

For more information, contact Doug Knorr at knorr.douglas@gmail.com.

With a Spanish language translator assisting him, a man who violently slashed a woman with a knife on Wood Street in Batavia in March entered guilty pleas in County Court today to charges of second-degree assault, attempted robbery, and attempted escape.

Reynoldo Diaz-Ruiz will be sentenced to five years in state prison on July 27 under terms of the plea deal he accepted.

Meanwhile, he is being held without bail. The Department of Homeland Security has also placed a detainer on Diaz-Ruiz, who is a Mexican citizen and may be in the country illegally. He faces possible deportation once his prison term is completed. 

Diaz-Ruiz was arrested in late March after Batavia police responded to 8 Wood St. for a physical domestic incident and found a female victim with a laceration to her neck.

In acknowledging his guilt, Diaz-Ruiz admitted that his attack could have caused death to another person and caused serious physical injury. 

After being located, Diaz-Ruiz resisted arrested and was subdued with a Taser. 

When he was taken to Batavia PD headquarters, he attempted to take the sidearm from the transporting officer.

A hazardous weather outlook was issued today for portions of Western New York, including Genesee County, by the National Weather Service.

It says "An anomalously cold upper level trough crossing the region combined with warm lake temperatures will result in the development of lake effect rains tonight and into Tuesday, potentially resulting in localized flooding, particularly across low-lying flood-prone areas."

Charming Batavia classic tucked away on quiet street in great City location! This elegant home boasts amazing space with over 3,000 square feet, which does not include finished walk-out basement, but still manages to convey a very homey and comforting space. First floor has everything you need with double living rooms and formal dining area to eat-in kitchen, first-floor laundry, small den and the most serene enclosed porch area overlooking an amazing private back yard!

Upstairs has five bedrooms if needed with two full baths and access to fenced walkout upper porch for bird's eye views! The home has been maintained well and has new tear off roof with transferable warranty! There is much to see here with amazing opportunities for those who love decorating! Schedule your showing today!

Call Lynn Bezon today to see this listing or click here to see full listing details.

Per a judge's order, two horses that were illegally stabled at a home in the Village of Elba were moved to another undisclosed location Saturday afternoon.

At court proceedings last Wednesday, Elba Town Justice E. Douglas King ruled that the young colts would have to be moved from the South Main Street residence of Mark and Bunny Stoneham by Saturday or else he would impose monetary fines for each day after that.

It is unlawful, according to Elba's zoning laws, to stable farm animals or store manure, fertilizer, etc., in a Residential district.

Reportedly, the horses were at the Stonehams for nearly three months.

When contacted by phone on Saturday, Bunny Stoneham -- who had indicated they took the horses in because they needed special care -- said she did not want to comment.

Dwayne Pearsall, 26, a Batavia resident with no permanent address, entered a guilty plea to sexual abuse in the first degree and criminal sexual act in the second degree in County Court this morning.

Pearsall was scheduled to appear for an evidentiary hearing in advance of a potential trial but decided to enter a guilty plea.

He admitted to abusing a child under age 14 in 2012 and a child under age 11 in 2015.

Pearsall was arrested in April and charged then with second-degree attempted rape, and two counts each of criminal sexual act and sexual abuse.

The potential prison term for Pearsall is seven years followed by 10 years on parole.

(Via our news partner, WBTA)

The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office during the Zac Brown Band concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Sunday:

A 17-year-old, of Sunset Court, Hamburg, is charged with trespass and disorderly conduct after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return and then causing a disturbance while exiting the venue. He was arraigned in Darien Court and jailed in lieu of $250 bail.

Brett J. Gill, 57, of South Plymouth Street, Rochester, is charged with harassment, 2nd, after allegedly slapping another patron in the face.

Brian R. Kelly, 26, of East Street, Pittsford, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Heather M. Skeels, 35, of Fairmont Avenue, Salamanca, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Zachary J. Corey, 23, of Griener Road, Clarence, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Nicholas J. Luciano, 18, of West Combe Park, West Henrietta, is charged with trespass (two counts) after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Holly T. Zimmerman, 24, of North Creek Road, Evans, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Kristen B Baumer, 18, of Hidden Meadow, Penfield, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Lindsey J. Gamer, 20, of Fiddlers Hollow, Penfield, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Walter W. Roman, 55, of Silkwood Circle, Spencerport, is charged with harassment, 2nd, after allegedly pushing a Live Nation employee.

Edward B. Schmitt, 20, of Autumn Trail, Clarence, is charged with harassment, 2nd, after allegedly pushing a Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputy.

Press release:

State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has announced today $54,000 in state funding for public libraries throughout Genesee County.  

“From summer reading programs to job searching tools, public libraries enrich our communities by providing invaluable services to residents. Local libraries operate with a limited budget, and this state funding will help to offer more services to their patrons,” Ranzenhofer said.

The total funding will be distributed among Genesee County’s six public libraries:

• Byron-Bergen Library, $9,000;
• Corfu Free Library, $9,000;
• Haxton Memorial Library; $9,000;
• Hollwedel Memorial Library, $9,000;
• Richmond Memorial Library, $9,000; and
• Woodward Memorial Library, $9,000.

The funding can be used for a variety of purposes, including capital improvements, new books, learning materials, software, programming and computers. The funding is part of the 2017-18 State Budget. The funding is administered by the New York State Education Department.

Bailey A. Kennedy, 20, of 85 Wolcott St., Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, unlawful possession of marijuana, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. Bailey was stopped by Le Roy PD at 1:42 a.m. Sunday for an alleged traffic violation on Myrtle Street. During the stop, Kennedy was allegedly found in possession of 13 small baggies of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Kennedy was jailed on $2,500 bail or $5,000 bond.

Timothy Fredrick Hughes, 55, of Burbank Drive, Orchard Park, is charged with DWI, refusal to take breath test, speeding, failure to signal, and unsafe passing. Hughes was stopped at 11 p.m. Sunday on Bennet Road, Darien, by Deputy Jeremy McClellan.

Nicholas Ryan Dorson, 30, of Reed Road, Olean, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Dorson is accused of driving drunk in the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center at 6:32 p.m. Sunday prior to the Zac Brown concert, when Dorson's vehicle struck another vehicle. Dorson allegedly registered a BAC of .13 percent.  The incident was investigated by Deputy Travis DeMuth.

Brian J. Hart, 33, of Lakeshore Road, Kent, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 percent or greater, and moved from lane unsafely. Hart was arrested after an investigation into a report of a vehicle off the roadway on Richley Road at 12:57 a.m. today by Deputy Howard Wilson.

Justin C. Holtfoth, 43, of South Main Street, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Holtfoth was stopped at 6:25 p.m. Friday on Lewiston Road, Alabama, by Deputy Jeremy McClellan.

Keith Adam Lowery, 47, of Clipnock Road, Bethany, is charged with assault, 2nd, and criminal mischief, 4th. Lowery is accused of kicking another person, breaking one of her ribs. He also allegedly through the victim's phone out of the trailer window when she wanted to call 9-1-1. Lowery was jailed without bail.

Carlene Victoria Santiago, 28, of Cherry Street, Batavia, is charged with falsifying business records, 1st, and petit larceny. Santiago is accused of making fraudulent gift cards at Walmart and using them at the store.

Timothy Micheal Weinstein, 45, of Alleghany Road, Darien, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Weinstein allegedly violated at stay away order by sending text messages to the protected party. He was jailed on $7,500 bail or $15,000 bond.

Tyler William Reeves, 19, of Main Road, Pembroke, is charged with petit larceny. Reeves allegedly stole property while at a residence in Pembroke. He is accused of stealing two camera lenses and a stereo with a total value of $475. He was jailed on $750 bail.

A graduating class of 170 students received their diplomas from Batavia High School yesterday in a ceremony held at Genesee Community College.

Superintendent Chris Dailey said 72 percent of the class is pursuing higher education, including 46 going directly to four-year colleges, 11 will attend a post-secondary school, 75 will go to a community college and 21 students are entering the workforce already with jobs, plus 11 students are going into the military.

Of the 170 graduates, 159 are receiving regent’s diplomas, 39 of them with various advanced honors.

To view and purchase photos click here: http://steveognibenephotography.zenfolio.com/p681207694

Principal Scott Wilson opening the ceremony.

Batavia High School Spanish teacher Jennifer Korpanty delivers the keynote speech.

Valedictorian Campbell Anderson

Salutatorian Maggie Cecere

Batavia City School District Superintendent​ Christopher Dailey #takecareofbcsd

Batavia Board President Patrick Burk

Sam Bartz receiving his diploma from Batavia City School District Superintendent​ Christopher Dailey.

Batavia Board of Education Member Peter Cecere giving his daughter Salutatorian Maggie Cecere her diploma.

Top two photos are by Dan Kemp in Le Roy. Bottom photo by Frank Capuano in Batavia. 

Batavia Muckdogs played a doubleheader this afternoon and split the wins with West Virginia, losing the first game 6-4 and winning the second game 4-1.

Muckdogs led 3-1 after the fifth inning until the eighth when the Black Bears had two men on base. Then Deon Stafford gave West Virginia a 5-4 lead and capped a three-run inning for the team. They added another run in the ninth to finish the game that was suspended yesterday.

In the second game, during the first inning both teams scored a run and remained tied. Bottom of the ninth bases loaded for Batavia, Marcos Rivera hit a walk-off three-run homer as the Batavia Muckdogs beat the West Virginia Black Bears 4-1.

Muckdogs' record improves to 4-3 and they are in a three-way tie for second place in the Pinckney Division with Mahoney and State College.

Next game is tomorrow night to finish the series with West Virginia, game time is 7:05 at Dwyer Stadium. There is a pre-game chicken wing eating contest sponsored by Batavia’s Original Pizza. Email Travis Sick at tsick@muckdogs.com before 4 p.m.

Molly Ann Chatley, 20, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. Chatley allegedly sent messages through Facebook to another person that were threatening in nature. 

Charlene Marie Poole, 46, of Donahue Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Poole is accused of shoplifting from Walmart. 

Mary Winifred McGowan, 49, of Terry Street, Byron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and driving left of the pavement markings. McGowan was stopped at 8:17 p.m. Wednesday on Terry Street, Byron, by Deputy Ryan Delong. 

Qumane James Santiago, 18, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal trespass. Santiago was allegedly trespassing at a residence on Main Road, Stafford, at 8:38 p.m. Friday.  

Adam W. Hildebrant, 26, of Highland Park, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd. Hildebrant was allegedly found in possession of brass knuckles during a parole check.

A reader sent in this picture from this afternoon suggesting the cloud looked pretty ominous with a ball game scheduled. 

The Muckdogs did get the game underway, but it was later suspended and will be resumed on Sunday. 

The Class of 1967 led the Class of 2017 into the auditorium Thursday for Le Roy High School's Honors Night.

More than $65,000 in awards were handed out to graduating seniors  

"We are fortunate to have many individuals and organizations in this community that dedicate efforts to raise funds for our students," Principal Tim McArdle said. "A highlight of the night was hosting members of the Class of 1967."

Jerry Howe gave a special greeting and message to the Class of 2017.

"It was awesome to have them with us last night!" McArdle said. "I would like to congratulate our seniors who received an award and were recognized for their efforts!"

Photos and info submitted by Tim McArdle.