Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Senator Mike Ranzenhofer held a dedication ceremony in Attica this morning for the designation of Route 98 as the Genesee and Orleans Veterans Memorial Highway. The designation, passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, covers the portion of Route 98 bisecting Hawley's 139th Assembly District, from the Genesee County/Wyoming County line to Point Breeze.
Two tractor-trailer trucks have collided on Ellicott Street at Cedar Street, Batavia, and a large diesel fuel leak is reported.
Large enough that the Fourth Platoon has been ordered to City Station to standby in quarters.
No injuries are reported.
UPDATE 3:09 a.m.: About 60 gallons of fuel have spilled. One truck is hauling an unknown cargo. The other truck is hauling milk. The location is west of Cedar Street. Both trucks are off the road and the road is open.
UPDATE 3:13 a.m.: The box truck is hauling banana puree. It's the truck with a damaged saddle tank. That company is sending an environmental clean-up crew. No fuel has leaked into the sewer. The spill is presently contained.
UPDATE 4:12 a.m.: The milk truck was hauling cream. It was parked due to a possible mechanical issue. The box truck sideswiped it. Fire and police expect to be on scene for some time yet. The westbound lane is blocked and traffic is being directed in both directions through the eastbound lane.
Ed and Leslie Carney rescued this Chihuahua on Vine Street. Leslie said not even animal control could catch the dog when it was running around in the street. Finally, it got tired and came to take a nap next to her cat on her back porch. The Carneys let it into the house and have had it for two days now. They're hoping the owners will contact them. The dog didn't have any tags. They are at 33 Vine St. or can be reached at (585) 343-0256.
UPDATE: Here's another lost dog, pictured below. This one was found on Genesee Street in Corfu by Rachel Doktor. She said, "she was walking in the middle of the road. Her fur is knotted and matted, looks like she's been without care for a few weeks." I've asked Mary to provide contact information we can share, but in the meantime, I wanted to get this posted.
UPDATE: Here's Rachel Doktor's number -- (585) 297-2241. If the owner isn't found, Mary is looking for a foster home for the dog. If interested, call her.
UPDATE Saturday, May 24: We called Rachel to see about getting the dog pictured below some badly needed grooming. She told us that the day after she found the dog she had it professionally groomed. Its fur was so matted and knotted and neglected for so long that it deformed the animal's paws. So now the toes curl upward. The good news is the dog is all spiffed up and has been adopted by a nice lady.
Press release:
The Iroquois Trail Council Boy Scouts of America recognized several distinguished citizens at the May 21 Annual Boypower Dinner held at Genesee Community College. The Boypower Distinguished Citizen’s Award recognizes positive countywide impact through community and professional service, and a long tenure of service both through business and personal involvement in community causes.
Event Chairman Dr. Roger Triftshauser and Scout Executive James McMullen are pleased to recognize the 2014 Honor Roll of Distinguished Citizens:
The annual Boypower Dinner is the premier event to raise funds to support scouting programs of the Iroquois Trail Council, which serves nearly 3,000 boys from 7-20 years of age and girls ages 14-21 in Genesee, Wyoming, Orleans, Eastern Niagara, and Livingston counties.
The event featured guest speaker Eagle Scout and NY State Supreme Court Justice Jeremiah J. Moriarty III, along with emcee and award presenter Daniel Fischer of WBTA 1490 radio.
The Boy Scouts of America is the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. The scouting organization is composed of 2.7 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 20, 1.1 million volunteers and nearly 300 local councils throughout the United States and its territories.
Press release:
Last week, the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $38.70 million budget for the 2014-2015 academic year. The budget increases expenses by 1.65 percent over last year's $38.07 million budget.
The budget now moves to the Genesee County Legislature's Ways and Means Committee, which will review the budget prior to its submission to the Genesee County Legislature, sponsor of the College.
The budget covers the fiscal year beginning Sept. 1. It is a carefully constructed, maintenance-of-effort budget, said President James M. Sunser. The budget provides for inflationary cost increases and maintains the quality of academic programs, but holds costs down wherever possible, Sunser said.
The 2014-2015 budget:
• Increases tuition for full-time students by $75 per semester, bringing tuition from $1,850 per semester to $1,925 per semester. Tuition for part-time students will increase by $5 per credit hour, from $150 to $155. The College's Technology fee will increase from $25 to $50 per semester for full-time students, and the new Academic Support Fee will be $25 per semester for full-time students. Both fees help the College maintain the quality of academic technology and instructional support services to students. The majority of Genesee students will see the increases covered by their financial assistance packages, and Genesee remains one of the most affordable colleges in the SUNY system, Sunser told trustees.
• Holds College staffing at current levels.
• Provides for anticipated increases in the cost of heating and lighting, other building-related costs, and contractually obligated salary and wage increases.
• Assumes New York State "base aid" at $2,497 per full-time-equivalent student. While the New York State Legislature and Governor approved this figure for 2014-2015, it is almost 7-percent less than the $2,675 the College received five years ago.
• Asks Genesee County to consider an increase in sponsorship support of $500,000, to $2.53 million. Sunser noted that there is increased interest throughout the SUNY system in creating "regional" community colleges instead of locally sponsored colleges, and that increasing sponsor support may help preserve local sponsorship as well as save Genesee County money over the long term.
Developing the 2014-2015 budget was one of the most challenging fiscal tasks facing GCC in recent years, Sunser said.
"We are committed to maintaining our position as one of the nation's great community colleges, but we face declining state support, increased inflation, and a tighter regulatory environment," he said. "Putting together a budget that combines programmatic excellence, fiscal conservatism, and affordability for students is indeed a challenge."
Trustees believed the College had met the challenge head-on. Trustee Benjamin J. Bonarigo called the 2014-2015 fiscal plan "a remarkable budget." He said that "building a budget with only a 1.65-percent increase is a great testament to the hard work of Dr. Sunser, Kevin Hamilton [vice president for Finance and Operations], and the entire administration."
In other business at the May meeting, the Board of Trustees:
• Approved the granting of degrees and certificates to 646 Genesee students this month, subject to their satisfactory completion of academic requirements. Eighteen students will receive the associate in arts (A.A.) degree; 273 students, the associate in science (A.S.) degree; 303 students, the associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree, and 52 students, certificates.
• Approved Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Kathleen (Kate) Schiefen membership of GCC's 25 Advisory Committees, and the introduction of the new Online Learning Advisory Committee. The refreshed roster of members in all 26 committees includes more than 330 GLOW-area professionals. Through their important work and their collective contribution, they ensure the consistent high quality programs that GCC students and the community have come to expect.
• Heard Chair Maureen T. Marshall propose the four-member Nominating Committee. Appointed were Laurie A. Miller, Chair; Benjamin J. Bonarigo, Peter R. Call and Donna M. Ferry.
• Heard the probationary appointment of David Johnson, Ph.D., as GCC's new biology instructor. Johnson has been a GCC adjunct instructor and advisor in biochemistry and molecular biology since 2006. He has taught at Finger Lakes Community College and Nazareth College, co-authored several science publications, and he also serves as a volunteer firefighter in Spencerport.
Cody D. Mayer, 21, of South Lake Road, Bergen, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Mayer was arrested following a traffic stop by members of the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force in the Town of Stafford. He was allegedly found in possession of heroin and 20 Xanax tablets.
Jennifer Lyn Stack, 28, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, 2nd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Stack was stopped at 8:42 p.m. Monday on Clinton Street Road by Deputy Joseph Corona. During the traffic stop, it was found there was an arrest warrant on file for Stack. Her arrest led to a search of her person.
Matthew Garrett Opitz, 29, of Hunting Spring, Rochester, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation, unlicensed operator, leaving the scene of an accident and unreasonable speed. Opitz was allegedly involved in a one-car accident at 5:03 a.m. on Angling Road, Pembroke. The accident was investigated by Deputy Joseph Corona.
Ronald D. Williams, 37, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny, trespass and endangering the welfare of a child. Williams is accused of stealing scrap metal from a location on Cedar Street. Williams allegedly enlisted the assistance of a child less than age 17.
Gregory M. Munroe II, 28, of Harvester Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Munroe is accused of pushing and striking a woman while in the presence of her children.
Danielle Marie Stevens, 37, of Ford Road, Elba, is charged with appearance in public under influence of drugs. Stevens was arrested following a report that she was seen consuming an unknown amount of pills and may have overdosed.
Casey T. Vaughn, 25, of Prune Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and menacing, 2nd. Vaughn allegedly had an altercation with a construction worker at his residence.
Robert D. Wood, 23, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Wood allegedly shut the door as a woman was attempted to enter her residence, striking her in the abdomen with the door. Wood was jailed on $250 bail.
Robert C. Paris, 24, of Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment, 2nd. Paris was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident reported at 12:18 p.m. May 20 in Batavia. Paris was jailed on bail. No further details released.
Stephen J. Holdaway, 62, of Corfu, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving an unregistered motorcycle. Holdaway was stopped at 6:07 p.m. Monday in the Town of Batavia by State Police.
Double L Rentals is a full-service tent and party rental company serving Western New York for the past 13 years. We offer FREE, on-time local delivery on all of our products. We're the only local tent rental company to list all of our prices on our Web site, making it easy and convenient to get an instant quote for your event. However, if you need some assistance, you can always call or e-mail our offices to discuss your event further. Minimum purchase required, some restrictions apply. Based on availability.
For a limited time, we're partnering with our parent company, D & R Depot Restaurant, to offer a special discount! Receive 10% off your tent & party rental order, and 10% off your catering order, when you book both companies for your event!
For more information, give us a call 585-344-0023 or click here to visit us online.
It was Agricultural Appreciation Day at Byron-Bergen High School. Senior students drove their tractors to school.
Photos submitted by Gayla Starowitz.
Connor Nesbitt
A group of preschoolers from the YMCA got a chance to tour city fire's headquarters this morning. The kids got to spray a fire hose and learn about fire safety and look at all the equipment on the fire trucks.
Reader Ivy Otto e-mailed us about her sighting of a black bear early Wednesday morning. Unfortunately we are not able to use the two photos she sent us. Otto says she saw the bear on Akron Road in the "Pembroke/Akron area...almost near the 5 Corners."
"Just wanted to give the neighborhood a heads up!"
The pictures show a full-grown bear coming out of a wooded area alongside a white house, with a white tool shed in back and a white pole in front (the top is not visable, may be a flagpole) with fieldstones around its base.
Trading in a dusty, cramped attic space for an open-windowed, well-lit studio was like free falling into the unknown for Jim Woodhams and Michael VanBuskirk -- as exciting as it was fearsome.
Woodhams is leaving a custodial position after nine years of service with the Spencerport School District; while VanBuskirk is leaving a laborer's position in the Batavia area. The pair are owners of JC Printing Company and recently relocated their business to the third floor of the industrial complex located at 56 Harvester Ave.
“The attic space became too small to accommodate the inventory and equipment necessary to expand the business,” Woodhams said.
Consequently, when VanBuskirk signed on he began looking into spaces to rent that would allow JC Printing Company to grow their business and have more of a presence downtown.
“I got into this business about a year ago,” VanBuskirk said. “It sounded exciting. It was something that interested me.”
On the other hand, Woodhams had taken a course on screen printing back in high school and enjoyed the class so much that he decided in 2009 to pursue it as a side job.
“The first heat press I bought is akin to an industrial iron,” he said.
From silk screening to embroidery on T-shirts, hats and other apparel; to foil wrap and photo prints on items such as, candles, coffee mugs or plates -- as well as other items -- are all produced in their new space.
“We don’t outsource any of our work,” said Woodhams, who graduated from Fairport High School. “We do all of our work on site. If we can’t do something, we will be honest about it.”
Consequently, the printing company is making an effort to partner with other companies that have the capabilities JC Printing Company does not have at this time. For example, they have had several requests for paper goods -- letterhead, business cards -- however, they are not set up for paper production.
“Pencils are our biggest sellers right now,” Woodhams said. “We are still using vintage machines of the '30s. I purchased my machine from Guthrie Thomas -- a well-renowned artist of custom made guitar picks.”
Although the editorial process may be time consuming, turnaround time for merchandise is about two weeks for large orders; while some individual orders can be finished in about 20 minutes to an hour.
The process begins with an image, idea or concept the customer has in mind, followed by prepping or “cleaning up” the artwork. Once the artwork and design are approved, the next step is completely dependent on what the customer orders. For shirts, hats and the like, the design is then printed on a clear sheet that is put into a machine to transfer the image onto a screen.
Quality, pricing, efficiency and up-to-date processes are key in the work VanBuskirk and Woodhams produce. The storefront enables the owners to do minimum orders that will cater to the individual who walks in off the street as well as schools, corporations, hospitals, construction companies and more that pre-order merchandise.
“We want to please our customer. When you walk out the door with your purchase, we want you to be happy with the product,” VanBuskirk said. “Reliability -- we deliver on time. We listen to our customers. Communication is essential."
Realizing that advertising is part of the formula for success, tried both the traditional and the most current methods of advertising; according to Woodhams, their greatest success has been word of mouth and creating a catalogue.
“Someone had once told me that catalogues were a poor choice for advertising. For us, it was the best marketing decision we made.”
According to Woodhams, this venture entire is a huge leap. “I am leaving a job that I have held for the past nine years. It’s kinda scary.”
Pricing and other information can be found by visiting www.JCPrintingCompany.com, or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jcprintingcompany. They can also be reached via phone at 800-918-2701 or e-mail at jim@JCPrintingCompany.com.
The Grand Opening of JC Printing Company is Saturday, May 24, all day. The first dozen customers who place an order will receive a free gift.
CORRECTIONS: Our reporter was never informed there was another partner in the business. Her name is Carrie Farley. Also, our reporter was given the wrong grand opening date. See comment below.
Via WBTA
A former Batavia resident and Level 3 sex offender will go to trial again in July on new child sex abuse charges.
Sean Vickers, 45, now of Geneva, turned down a plea deal in Genesee County Court today as the cutoff passed.
District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said the deal offered to Vickers was to plead guilty to two Class B violent felonies with 20-year caps on the sentences that could run consecutively. That would be in addition to pleading guilty to a felony in Niagara County where Vickers is also accused of sexually abusing children with another sentence capped at 20 years to run concurrent.
Vickers turned down a possible 40-year prison sentence to go to trial.
Jury selection begins July 28. Vickers continues to be locked up in the county jail in lieu of no bail.
Vickers was named in an 11-count indictment in November for sexually abusing five children in Batavia in the '90s and 2000s.
Genesee County's girls U-19 soccer team is off to a 2-0 start on the season after beating Chili 3-0 in a game played Wednesday evening at GCC.
Sunday, the team beat Corning 8-0 in a game played in Dansville.
Tonight, goals were scored by McKenna Marley-Hill, Emily Phillips and Kaylin Cicero.
Olivia Clark pitched a shutout in goal.
Legislators in Albany are apparently intent on changing the formula for how counties pay for their students to attend out-of-county community colleges and that has GCC President Jim Sunser a bit nervous.
To help hedge against the proposed change, he's asked county legislators to boost the county share of GCC funding from just over $2 million to slightly more than $2.5 million.
The proposal caught members of the Ways and Means Committee a little by surprise Wednesday and they asked for more time to study the request and have County Manager Jay Gsell report on any potential county budget impacts.
The committee will consider the proposal again at its June 4 meeting.
"Since we have until the end of June, rather than make a quick decision today, I think we need to see how this fits and how we can make it fit," said Ray Cianfrini, chairman of the County Legislature.
In New York, each community college has a sponsoring county and each sponsoring county supports the college by paying a "county share" for local students to attend.
Sunser said that while Genesee County is very support of GCC, the local county share is also among the lowest in the state.
When students from one county elect to attend a community college in another county, the home county pays that other community college a fee based on a state-mandated calculation.
For example, when a student in Perry decides to attend GCC, Wyoming County must pay a fee to GCC. When a Genesee County student decides to attention ECC, Genesee County must pay a fee to ECC.
The calculation of those out-of-county fees is based on how much per student the sponsor county gives to its own college.
In years past, that per-student fee could be calculated using revenue sources other than the county government's direct contribution. It could, for example, include revenue from facility rentals and revenue allocated from reserves.
Community colleges have been warned, Sunser said, to brace for a change in the formula. The new formula would eliminate all revenue sources from the calculation except the direct county contribution.
The proposal almost made it into the current state budget, but was set aside at the last minute for at least one more year.
If it had passed this year, GCC would have lost $1.7 million in revenue.
The proposed increase of $500,000 in county share would change the calculation so that neighboring counties would continue to pay what they have been paying.
Sunser said GCC serves a larger, more sparsely populated area than any other community college in the state. With campuses in Medina, Albion and Lima, there are college students throughout the GLOW region who are dependent on GCC for their education.
GCC's proposed $38.7 million for fiscal year 2014/15 includes a $75 per semester tuition increase for full-time students and a $5 per credit hour increase for part-time students.
The tuition at GCC would still be the most competive in WNY.
"We're a very frugal institution," Sunser said. "We have one of the lower budgets in New York."
It boggles the mind, according to attorney Brian Decarolis, that his client, John Laverne Robinson, has been charged with menacing in the second degree.
The 51-year-old Bergen resident is accused of pointing a shotgun out the window of his home on North Lake Road at another man who seconds earlier had been banging on his door.
"I think it's ridiculous," Decarolis said this afternoon after Robinson was arraigned in Town of Bergen Court, where he entered a not guilty plea. "I've never seen anything like it. I'm a former prosecutor. I do exclusively criminal defense work. I've never seen it, never heard of it. It's something I've never dealt with before."
The case is unusual, Decarolis said, because not only was Robinson defending himself against an intruder, the District Attorney's Office had declined in November to prosecute Robinson.
Robinson was arrested last month by a deputy after the man who did the door banging, 46-year-old Michael S. Crooks, of Salmon Road, Brockport, took his complaint to the Sheriff's Office when he couldn't convince a state trooper to arrest Robinson.
The charge should be dismissed, Decarolis said. Either the charge is dismissed outright or the case is going to trial, he said.
Decarolis noted Assistant District Attorney Kevin Finnell, who is handling the case, has the power to seek a dismissal, but in case that doesn't happen, Decarolis is preparing a motion to deliver to Justice Donald Kunego asking that the charge be dismissed "in the interest of justice."
The former Monroe County prosecutor said he's talked to a lot of people in and out of the criminal justice line of work since Robinson became his client and people are flabbergasted by the arrest.
"I've talked to people involved in the case who are surprised," Decarolis said. "I've talked to people not involved in the case who are surprised. I've talked to law enforcement contacts that I've built up over the years, relationships from being in the DA's office, being a defense attorney, I haven't heard one person who said this is right, this sounds like what should happen. Everyone is stunned. Everyone is surprised."
The charge stems from a Jan. 13 incident when Crooks went to the home of Robinson because he suspected Robinson of communicating with Mrs. Crooks.
In a statement to police, Crooks said he just wanted to talk, but he admitted to yelling at Robinson, who was inside his house, that he was a coward for not coming out.
"He was essentially beating down the front door in an attempt to get into the house," Decarolis said.
He hit it hard enough to damage it, which is why a trooper decided to arrest him on a criminal mischief charge.
After his apparent unsuccessful attempt to break down the door, Crooks walked around the house looking for another entry. When he peered into a window he found himself staring down the barrel of a shotgun.
That frightened him, he said.
"He goes to my client's house and is causing a rukus," Decarolis said. "He's a stranger to my client. The State Police come out and they investigate it and they determine that Mr. Crooks is the only person who should be arrested. That's normal. My client thinks he's a victim. He is."
Robinson was on the phone with 9-1-1 dispatchers, who had told him, according to reports, to warn Crooks that he had a shotgun.
Today, Kunego signed an order requiring the Sheriff's Office to turn over the 9-1-1 tapes to Decarolis. Finnell did not oppose the order.
According to Decarolis, his client thought the case is over with the arrest of Crooks, but after Crooks has the charge against him dismissed on an ACD (adjudication in contemplation of dismissal), Crooks starts making noise about having Robinson arrested.
"The State Police call him up and say this guy's crowing about charging you with a completely justifiable act," Decarolis said. "The State Police do a little more investigating, consult with the District Attorney's Office, the same office that is now prosecuting this case, and they say, we're not charging you. We're not doing anything. You shouldn't be charged. You were justified doing what you did on the day in question. Then out of nowhere, a different police agency that has never, ever been involved in this case, charges my client."
If the case does go to trial, the troopers involved in the arrest of Crooks will be expected to testify, Decarolis said.
"I think that would be on the defense witness list as opposed to the prosecution's, and you don't hear about that every day," Decarolis said.
The whole thing is unfortunate, Decarolis said.
"This guy's going through a heck of a stress," he said. "He's wasting time. He should be at work on a Wednesday afternoon, not coming to court for this kind of stuff."
Previously:
A 28-year-old Le Roy man has been accused of brandishing a knife at police officers in Le Roy after the officers tried to restrain him believing he was a threat to himself.
Timothy Niccloy is charged with two counts of menacing a police officer, a Class D felony, and counts of criminal possession of a weapon, obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest.
Officers responded to his residence May 16 on a request to check his welfare. During the check, the officers became concerned that he was a threat to himself.
Niccloy was taken into custody after a struggle and a taser was deployed to help subdue him.
Following arraignment, Niccloy was jailed on $10,000 bail.
Deputies and troopers assisted at the scene.
Genesee County's former congressional representative, Kathy Hochul, will be Gov. Andrew Cuomo's running mate in the upcoming gubernatorial race, reports the Buffalo News.
Cuomo needed to find a new lieutenant governor candidate after Rochester's Robert Duffy decided not to run for reelection.
Hochul won the local congressional seat in a special election after Chris Lee's resignation, then lost to current NY-27 representative Chris Collins in November 2012.
“I don’t want to want to be on the sidelines,” she said of her bid to re-join government service. “New York State is on the move, but our work is far from finished,” she added.
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