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Four people treated for injuries following accident in Elba

By Howard B. Owens

Limited visibility because of snow apparently contributed to an accident in Elba yesterday that sent four people to UMMC for treatment of minor injuries.

Marth G. Horton, 48, of East Branch, stopped at the intersection of Route 262 and Norton Road and then proceeded to cross 262. Her car reportedly struck a vehicle driven by Kathleen M. Kowalczyk, 35, of 30 Farnsworth Ave., Oakfield.

Horton was cited for alleged failure to yield right-of-way.

Also transported to UMMC were 77-year-old Catherine M. Horton and three-year-old Erin C. Lincoln.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Chad Minuto.

(Initial Report)

A dispute over marijuana leads to fight, according to Le Roy Police

By Howard B. Owens

A Le Roy man allegedly stole marijuana from a suspected drug dealer, who then brought friends back from Batavia, leading to a fight at 31 Myrtle St., Le Roy, on Jan. 23.

Sought in connection with the fight is James J. Santiago Jr., 30, of 31 Myrtle St., Le Roy. The arrest warrant charges him with robbery 3rd (stealing the marijuana), assault 2nd and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd. (Santiago is pictured left.)

Already in custody is Ronald G. Carney, 21, of 1990 Genesee Street Road, Corfu. Carney, who reportedly suffered a three-inch cut to his neck in the fight, is charged with burglary 2nd. Carney is accused of entering Santiago's home with the intent to commit a crime. He was jailed on $1,000 bail. (Carney is pictured below.)

According to Le Roy Police Det. John Condidorio, two Le Roy residents ordered two ounces of marijuana from a dealer in Batavia. The deal was to take place around 10 p.m. in a parking lot on Lake Street. As the deal went down, Santiago allegedly stole the marijuana and fled with two other men.

The person who had the marijuana stolen called friends in Batavia. He then returned to Batavia and met up with five other people, and all six reportedly returned to Le Roy with the intent of recovering the marijuana.

The six individuals arrived in Le Roy and walked into Santiago's home and reportedly confronted Santiago. Santiago allegedly refused to return the marijuana, and the confrontation reportedly became physical.

Police say the weapons used in the fight included a knife and golf clubs.

There were initially reports of shots fired, but Le Roy Police have been unable to corroborate the use of a gun in the incident.

A total of nine people were involved in the alleged melee.

The six people who attempted to retrieve the marijuana fled the scene without it, according to police.

A total of three people, including Carney, suffered knife cuts and were treated and released at area hospitals, according to police.

The investigation is continuing and further arrests are pending.

The Le Roy Police are seeking the public's help in locating Santiago.

Ambulance dispatched to Oak Street exit of Thruway for accident injury

By Howard B. Owens

Mercy EMS is being dispatched to the toll both at the Oak Street exit of the Thruway to attend to a woman with a head injury from a motor vehicle accident.

The car is in the parking lot at the exit.

No word on where the accident occurred.

UPDATE 9:49 p.m. Town of Batavia Fire just dispatched.

Superbowl Pizza

By Mackenzie Reynolds

My name is Mackenzie Reynolds and I am the Genesee County Dairy Princess. Superbowl Sunday is right around the corner and it is the second food consumption event behind Thanksgiving Day. While you are rooting for your favorite football team, you will probably be enjoying food with all your friends. A great and easy recipe to take to the party you're attending is a cheese pizza. Along with ease, pizza includes one of the 3-A-Day of dairy you should consume everyday. Getting 3-A-Day of milk, cheese, and yogurt everyday will help you maintain a healthy body. I hope everyone has a safe Superbowl Sunday!

All My Cheeses Four Cheese Pizza

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil

2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic

1/2 tablespoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 prepared 12 inch pizza crust

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup diced tomato

Additional fresh basil, chopped for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

2. Place pizza crust on a cookie sheet and top evenly with mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

3. Bake pizza until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly; spinkle with tomatoes, and additional chopped basil.

OATKA School of Glass one of Batavia's best-kept secrets

By Daniel Crofts

Did you know that people come to Batavia to make landscapes out of glass?

Well, sort of...

A student of Amanda Taylor's four-day "Painting Images and Landscapes in Glass" course gets her creative groove on at the Oatka School of Glass on Harvester Avenue...

...while (left to right) Tessa, Sheba and Shiloh look on.

This is only one of many classes offered by Le Roy native Lance Taylor and his Canadian-born wife, Amanda. They both run the OATKA School of Glass and Glass Studio out of their work-and-home space in the Harvester Center. In these classes -- open to all ages -- they teach people how to paint using glass powder and "frits" (ground-up glass) as well as various other ways of turning glass materials into works of art (including bowls, cups and glass mosaics).

Lance and Amanda teach many of these classes themselves -- together and individually -- but for some of them, they bring in internationally renowned artists to teach.

"Some of our instructors have an international following," Lance said, "so we're able to attract people from all over the United States and from different countries. Soon we'll be offering a class taught by an Italian artist named Mirriam de Fiore. This is the only place she'll be coming to teach here in the U.S."

Many of the courses are for beginners. However,  a lot of people have said that their expectations for what a beginners' course should be were far surpassed by the Taylors' teaching styles.

"All too often you see a 'shotgun' approach taken in teaching beginners' courses," Lance said. "In other words, students do a little of this, a little of that, and they don't really learn anything. We do hands-on activities where, for example, instead of doing many different things, people learn to do one particular thing very well."

Lance and Amanda are the perfect team when it comes to coordinating these classes. Lance approaches glassmaking from a technical standpoint, Amanda from an artistic one.

"The great thing about glass is that it's both artistic and technical," Lance said.

This week's class -- which began on Tuesday and extends through Saturday -- focuses on replicating photographed landscapes in the form of glass art. It is being taught, appropriately enough, by Amanda, who often looks to nature for artistic inspiration.

"A lot of times when I go for walks, I'll collect things like tree branches, rocks, etc.," she said. "I also try to be attentive to things that most people don't notice because they don't take the time to slow down and really see it."

Lance and Amanda are always interested in doing classes based on special interests, provided that requests come far enough in advance. For more information and to see a schedule of upcoming classes, please visit the OATKA Glass website at: www.oatkaglass.com.

Weather: plenty of more lake effect snow tonight

By Howard B. Owens

Expect three to five inches of lake effect snow tonight.

The National Weather Service has issued a lake effect snow advisory for the region from 9 p.m. until 10 a.m.

And other one or two inches of snow could fall in the morning.

The Weather Service says to, "expect patchy lake effect snow bands to cross the region overnight into Friday morning. While the bands will be localized, expect heavier bands to produce snowfall rates of an inch an hour or greater, with visibility below a half mile."

Drivers should expect shifting snow patterns as they travel as well as driving and blowing snow.

Police Beat: woman accused of hitting another person with broomstick

By Howard B. Owens

Tiffany A. Kent, 21, of 18 East Ave., Batavia, is charged with menacing 2nd and harassment 2nd. Kent allegedly struck another person in the face with a broomstick. She was jailed on $500 bail.

Joseph Martin Blatchley, 31, of 3233 Pratt Road, Lot 26B, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Blatchley was arrested by Deputy Christopher Parker following a complaint by his ex-girlfriend, who reported seeing marijuana or a pipe in his sunroom during a visit with their child.

Accidents from the State Police blotter:

9:12 a.m., Jan 27, Galloway Road, Batavia, two vehicles; Driver 1: Timothy R. Battaglia, 29, of Batavia; Driver 2: Bernadine Lindquist, 74, of Basom. No injuries. No citations reported.

3:04 p.m., Jan. 27, Oakfield, one vehicle; Driver 1: Juan C. Villegasmora, 24, of Batavia. No injuries. No citations reported.

Girl Scouts deliver 114 pillows to Crossroads

By Ethan Thompson

Yesterday afternoon several Girl Scouts from the Oakfield/Elba area visited Crossroads House to deliver 114 handmade pillows. The girls made the pillows in November planning to give them to Hospice, but Hospice can no longer accept the pillows.  

Tracine Lundmark of Oakfield made some calls and found out that Crossroads House could use the pillows. The girls enjoyed seeing Lois Folger receive several they had made. 

Crossroads will use the pillows to help future residents become more comfortable. If your group or organization would like to make a donation to Crossroads, you can find their contact information on their website. http://crossroadshouse.com

 

Overheard on the scanner: the only bare spots...

By Howard B. Owens

What sounds like two county highway workers out with snowplows:

"We're getting goose pond lake effect out here."

"Roger that. The only bare spots out here are on our heads."

Driver in accident on Route 98 hit snowdrift

By Howard B. Owens

A driver who spun out after hitting a patch of snow on Route 98 in Alexander yesterday was transported to UMMC complaining of neck pain.

Thomas R. Hakes, 17, of 2680 Merkle Road, Attica, was northbound on Route 98 near Cookson Road in a 1996 Ford pickup when he hit a snowdrift on the roadway. His car spun out and hit an embankment.

The accident occurred at 12:08 p.m.

No other vehicles were involved.

No citations were issued.

Deputy Brian Thompson investigated the accident.

(Initial Report)

Woman suffered head injury in accident on Route 20

By Howard B. Owens

A 40-year-old woman from Wyoming suffered a concussion in an automobile accident yesterday on Route 20 in Alexander.

Her infant was uninjured.

Eleen M. Campbell, of 11005 East Road, Wyoming, was taken by ground ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital following the 9:24 a.m. accident.

Campbell reportedly lost control of her vehicle and it spun around several times before entering the eastbound lane of Route 20 where it was struck by a tractor-trailer. Her estimated speed prior to losing control was 45 mph. She was cited for unsafe speed for conditions.

The driver of the truck was Donald E. Patton of Willis, Texas. He was not injured in the accident.

Deputy Brian Thompson investigated the accident.

(Initial Report)

Four people with minor injuries in accident on Route 262, Elba

By Howard B. Owens

Elba Fire is on scene of a two-car accident at the intersection of Norton and Ford roads.

Four minor injuries, including an infant's, are reported.

Mercy EMS is in route.

UPDATE 3:12 p.m.: More manpower requested. An extrication will be required. A first responder warned others coming to scene to be careful coming over the hill on Route 262. "Complete white-out conditions," he said.

UPDATE 3:30 p.m.: All victims extricated.


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Work of area artists featured in gallery at GCC

By Howard B. Owens

The work of artists Len Rusin (pictured above) and George Graham are now on display in the Lobby Art Gallery at Genesee Community College.

Rusin, from North Tonawanda, and Graham, from Oakfield, were at a reception this afternoon for the opening of their show, which runs through Feb. 22.

Rusin (Web site) specializes in paintings from America's national parks and Graham (Web site) is a sculptor working in glacial stones.

 

Weather: lake effect snow warning remains, but accumulation may decrease

By Howard B. Owens

Expect blowing snow the rest of the day, making travel conditions difficult.

The National Weather Service has kept the lake effect snow warning in place through 6 p.m., but said the bands may drop only about an inch of accumulation.

Winds, however, of up to 35 mph will hamper visibility and cause drifts, potentially into roadways. Temperatures will drop into the teens by tonight, with a windchill factor of zero or colder.

More pictures from late this morning after the jump:

 

Jeep hits tree on Council House Road, Alabama

By Howard B. Owens

A Jeep has struck a tree at Meadville and Council House roads in Alabama.

A woman in the Jeep was reported unconscious. She has been extracted from the Jeep and is in a passerby's car. She is semi-unconscious but responsive to stimulus.

Mercy Flight is grounded due to weather.

Alabama Fire has been dispatched.

UPDATE 8:15 a.m.: There are reportedly three children who were in the Jeep and have minor injuries.


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Alleged burglars caught during daring daylight break-in

By Howard B. Owens

"Fulge and Giesy" doesn't quite have the poetic ring of "Bonnie and Clyde," but the Rochester couple are allegedly partners in crime.

The duo was reportedly caught in the act this afternoon of allegedly burglarizing a home on Griswold Circle in Le Roy.

Operating on a tip from the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, members of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, the Le Roy Police Department and the Genesee County Local Drug Enforcement Task Force were quickly on scene at 2:50 p.m. after Benjimin Giesy, 31, allegedly entered the a home at 7878 Griswald Circle.

Lindsey M. Fulge, 27, reportedly sat in the getaway car waiting for Giesy.

Giesy had allegedly broken down the front door of the house to gain entry and had already allegedly stolen jewelry, silver and coins from the residence.

When law enforcement officers arrived, they took Fulge in custody first and then entered the house to apprehend Giesy.

Giesy reportedly tried escaping by jumping from a first-floor window. He was quickly apprehended without further incident.

Fulge and GIesy were also allegedly found in possession of a small amount of heroin, hypodermic needles and marijuana.

Both were charged with burglary 2nd, grand larceny 4th, criminal mischief 3rd, possession of a hypodermic instrument, criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Monroe investigators have been working on a string of burglaries involving Rochester residents hitting Genesee, Ontario and Wyoming counties.

All items allegedly taken from today's burglary were recovered.

Fulge's bail was set at $50,000 and bail for Giesy is $100,000.

County OKs agreement for snowmobile bridge, but Alabama approval uncertain

By Howard B. Owens

From the county's perspective, the Sno-Packers have the A-OK to reinstall their bridge on Sour Springs Road, but the agreement to make it happen is far from a done deal.

The Town of Alabama atttorney is recommending to town board members that they not approve an agreement that passed the County Legislature 9-0 tonight.

According to Councilman Max Maerten, who attended the Legislature meeting, Alabama's attorney doesn't believe the agreement has language allowing the town to assign its duties to a third party. Maerten said he's voting for the agreement anyway.

"Our insurance company that's going to carry the policy for the town does not have an issue with it," Maerten said. "I'm not one to wear the liability of everything every day on his sleeve. If our insurance company is willing to back us and the snowmobile club insurance is going to back us, I would probably vote yes."

Kevin Fischer (pictured), president of the Genesee Sno-Packers said he's not concerned about the situation with the Alabama Town Board.

"I believe that they all know and understand what we're all about," Fisher said. "They know what our intentions have been all along. They were the people who who said a year ago the issue isn't with the Town of Alabama it's with the county. I believe we'll be able to work something out."

County officials say that although there's nothing explicitly allowing it, there is nothing in the agreement that prevents the Town of Alabama from reaching a separate agreement with the Sno-Packers.

Top Items on Batavia's List

Town Court Clerk Below are two lists: one details the myriad responsibilities that fall within the purview of the court clerk; the other summarizes the knowledge and abilities that court clerks possess or acquire through training. These lists are provided so that a judge and municipality can intelligently discuss the benefits that a court clerk can provide. The items below can also form the basis for a list of job duties should a municipality need to fill a vacancy in a court clerk position. Primary Responsibilities A. Maintain confidentiality of records and information when required to do so B. Prepare court calendar C. Collect monies, reconcile daily receipts, deposit receipts, prepare reports for monthly disbursements, reconcile bank accounts, and prepare administrative reports D. Enter convictions on drivers' licenses and prepare conviction reports electronically transmitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles E. Enter criminal conviction on NCIC reports and electronically send same to Division of Criminal Justice Services F. Respond to inquiries-in person, by phone, by e-mail and by mail-and provide assistance to lawyers, litigants, media, and members of the public G. Prepare monthly reports that are electronically sent to the Office of the State Comptroller H. Prepare orders, summonses, warrants and other court forms i. Communicate with outside agencies in order to coordinate the Court's activities and provide services to litigants. Such agencies include: ii. Law enforcement agencies, such as local police departments, New York State Police, Sheriffs office, FBI and CIA, US Armed Forces, and the Office of the District Attorney; I. Other courts, including superior courts and other local town and village courts; and i. Miscellaneous county agencies, such as Community Service, Community Dispute Resolution Center, Pre-trial Release, Probation, Stop DWI program, Victim Impact Panel, and Youth Court. ii. State agencies that require periodic reporting, including the New York State Unified Court System, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Office of the State Comptroller, the Division of Criminal Justice Services, and the Office of Court Record Retention. J. Examine court documents to ensure their accuracy and completeness K. Receive and file summonses, traffic tickets and other documents for court proceedings i. Assist the Justice at the bench during all Court proceedings Knowledge of: 1. The functions and organization of the Unified Court System ii. Basic legal terminology, codes and abbreviations iii. Court forms, practices and procedures, including those set forth in the Uniform Justice Court Act and the Uniform Civil Rules for the Justice Courts (22 NYCRR Part 214) 2. Ability to: i. Prepare judicial orders and decisions ii. Effectively communicate information orally and in writing iii. File and retrieve materials, extract data from various sources for entry onto court form iv. Research and interpret laws outlined in court documents and litigants' motions and other papers v. Perform mathematical tasks in order to compile court activity reports, total receipts, accept payments, and verify bills vi. Refer to appropriate documents, statutes, citations or other sources in order to respond to specific questions from attorneys, litigants and members of the general public vii. Interpret policies, statutes, rules and regulations and apply them in specific contexts viii. Establish work priorities ix. Constructively manage conflict with court users Qualifications: Highschool diploma recognized by the NYS Dept of Education or appropriate equivalent. Along with 4 years of college, specialization in criminal justice, law, business administration or related field. -OR- 2 years college with specialization in Business Administration or related field. Please email your resume to abrownell@townofbatavia.com no later than 12/16/2024. Pay is based on experience.
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