The Town of Alabama is looking for applicants for positions on the planning board (the chairman position is open) and zoning board (including chairman).
Interested town residents should send a letter to the Town Board, 2218 Judge Road, Oakfield, NY 14125; or drop them off at the Town Clerk’s Office. All letters must be received no later than Jan. 5.
A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported at Crosby Road and Lewiston Road, Alabama.
Unknown injuries.
Alabama fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
Patricia Guy, 68, of Yonkers, is charged with five counts of offering a false instrument for filing, 1st, and one count of grand larceny. The former Batavia resident is accused of claiming more people living in her residence than were actually living there, allowing her to collect more in food stamps than she was eligible to receive. The alleged falsified forms were filed between July 2012 and January 2015. She is accused of receiving benefits she wasn't entitled to of $1,474.47. She was arrested by Deputy James Diehl following an investigation by Michael Kowalczyk, principal fraud investigator for DSS.
A 16-year-old resident of Ridge Road, Albion, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and inadequate exhaust. The youth was stopped on Bloomingdale Road, Alabama, at 7:41 p.m. Friday by Deputy Eric Meyer.
At least three cars are reportedly involved in an accident in the area of 1130 Lewiston Road, Alabama.
There maybe injuries.
There maybe a drunken driver involved. A vehicle may have left the scene.
Traffic lanes may be blocked.
Alabama fire and Mercy EMS responding.
UPDATE: There may be only two vehicles. One hit a tree and a passenger was left behind.
UPDATE 7:33 p.m.: Passenger is a sign off.
A car vs. pole accident with people trapped inside is reported at 1182 Ledge Road. Alabama Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.
UPDATE 3:24 a.m.: Injuries are said to be minor.
Frederich Welch, 57, and Doncella Loyd, 53, both of Rochester, are charged with criminal possession of stolen property, 5th. Welch and Loyd are accused of making several trips in and out of Kohl's, taking merchandise worth $719.91. Troopers stopped the vehicle in the Batavia Towne Center parking lot. Welch was jailed on $2,500 bail and Loyd was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.
Jonathan Dylan Jacob, 23, of Meadville Road, Alabama, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Jacob was arrested following a report of an incident in the Town of Alabama. During law enforcement contact, he was allegedly found in possession of marijuana.
James Rosie Thomas, 20, of 367 West St., Lake George, is charged with resisting arrest, escape and he was arrested on a warrant out of Elba. Thomas allegedly ran and resisted arrest when Deputy John Dehm attempted to take him into custody on a warrant at a location on South Main Street, Oakfield.
Tracy L. Miller, 32, of South Lake Road, Pembroke, is charged with grand larceny, 4th. Miller is accused of stealing a purse, which contained several debit and credit cards.
Nicholas Price, 29, of Batavia, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs. Price was stopped by a trooper after a report of an erratic driver, including a witness reporting seeing the vehicle hit a mailbox and continue down the road. Price was stopped and administered a field sobriety test before being arrested. He was also charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th.
Daniel Hinca, 21, of Alexander, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and speeding. Hinca was stopped by State Police in Byron. A trooper administered a field sobriety test prior to his arrest.
Joshua Taro, 38, of Auburn, is charged with petit larceny. Taro is accused of shoplifting from a store in Pembroke. He was jailed on $500 bail.
Brandi Heidenreich, 26, of Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny. Heidenreich was arrested by State Police for allegedly stealing items from Walmart worth $45.18.
Alabama Volunteer Fire Department held its annual awards banquet and installation of officers.
Sid Eick achieved the rare distinction of winning both the Service Award, selected by the chief, and the Fireman of the Year Award, selected by the previous three winners of the award.
Eick has been active for 44 years and is currently a captain.
Several members were also honored for their years in service, including Gloria Abrams and Barbara Lee Hendershott for 15 years, Robert Eick for 20 years, Todd Thompson and Jeffrey Sage, for 30 years, and at 50 years -- Henry Brunea.
Brunea received a watch and a citation from Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
The installed fire officers are: Chief -- Gary Patnode; 1st Assistant Chief -- Nikkolas Bruner; 2nd Assistant Chief -- William Schutt; Captains -- Patrick Buczek & Sidney Eick; Lieutenants -- Aron Kehlenbeck & Ashley Covel; EMS Captain -- Richard Brunea; EMS Lieutenant -- Terry Thompson; Fire Police Captain -- Ryan Thompson; Health & Safety Officer -- David Kinney.
Service officers: President --Robert Crossen; Vice President -- Patrick Buczek; Treasurer -- Anthony Mudrzynski; Secretary -- Michelle Patnode; Financial Secretary --Rebecca Borkholder; Board of Directors -- Henry Mudrzynski, Rick Brunea, Edwin Schoenthal, Donald Sage, & Gary Patnode Sr.; Chaplain -- Ralph Bauer; Bell Jar Secretary -- Clayton Fry.
The theme of the event was "Prom," so of course, there were Prom King and Queen and their Court. Prom King -- Tony Mudrzynski; Prom Queen -- Jo Anna Benaquist; Prince -- Ryan Thompson; Princess -- Jenna Wozniak; Jester -- Chad Pratt.
Photos and info provided by Alison Thompson.
Press release:
The Genesee County Economic Development Center Board of Directors voted at its Oct. 27 meeting to accept Empire State Development’s $28 million Grant Disbursement Agreement (GDA) to start infrastructure work at the STAMP campus in order to achieve shovel-ready status.
The funding will be used to acquire some remaining acreage at the site and construction and inspection services for water lines, wastewater pump stations and sewer lines, road infrastructure and gas and electric connectivity. It is anticipated that the first bid for infrastructure work will be for the construction of a water system from Oakfield to the STAMP site.
“Based on the release of the funds, we expect that bids will be going out in the next couple of months,” said Mark Masse, CPA, Sr. VP of Operations for the GCEDC. “The other projects that the agency will be putting out to bid over the next few months include onsite construction of the roadway and associated stormwater management.”
Among other things, GCEDC staff is working with its engineering consultants and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as officials in Orleans County on the permitting for the sewer line to extend from the STAMP campus to the Medina wastewater treatment plant.
STAMP is New York State’s second mega-site designed to attract high-tech companies like semiconductor, solar, photonics, bio-pharmaceuticals, energy storage companies and other advanced manufacturing operations. The campus consists of 1,250 acres and planned development of more than 6 million square feet of manufacturing space.
Overall economic studies estimate that 10,000 employees could work directly on campus with up to 50,000 supply-type jobs created across Western New York and the Finger Lakes regions. The campus will also bring significant construction work to the region.
“STAMP has been validated by site selection community as a highly attractive greenfield site for large advanced manufacturers, and we continue to work with interested companies that are looking for a mega campus with the right infrastructure that includes large electric, gas, water and sewer capacity combined with our amazing workforce here in the Finger Lakes and Western New York regions,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.
“This is evidenced by securing the commitment of 1366 Technologies, a solar wafer manufacturing company which plans to locate its operations on the campus.”
Christopher J. Campbell, 38, of Chaddock Road in Bethany, is a registered sex offender who, on Oct. 18, was charged with failure to report a change of address as required by law. It is a felony. He formerly resided on West Main Street Road in Batavia. Campbell was arraigned in Bethany Town Court and jailed in lieu of $5,000 cah bail. He is due to return to court at 7 p.m. on Nov. 15. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Parker, assisted by Sheriff's Sgt. Jason Saile.
Teresa M. Bosdyk, 54, of Water Street, Perry, is charged with DWI, speeding lane violation and not wearing a seat belt. The defendant was involved in a motor-vehicle accident at 11:50 p.m. on Oct. 18 on Ellicott Street Road in Bethany. It appears she crossed into the oncoming lane and struck a tractor-trailer. Further investigation revealed she was allegedly driving while intoxicated. Bosdyk was transported via Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation of her injuries. She will return to Bethany Town Court at a later date. Additional charges are pending. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Howard Carlson, assisted by Deputy Andrew Hale.
Douglas Duane Brown Jr., 34, of Meadow Farm, North Chili, is charged with insufficient tail lamp, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree, aggravated DWI, per se, with a BAC of .18 or more, DWI. The defendant was stopped on Alexander Road in the Town of Alexander at 11:50 p.m. on Sept. 22 for an alleged equipment violation. Further investigation allegedly revealed that the defendant was driving while intoxicated. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy McClellan, assisted by Howard Carslon.
Adam Louis Zichitella, 18, of Cole Road, Colden, is charged with DWI, operation of a motor vehicle with a BAC of .08 percent or more, and stopping, standing or parking upon a highway. The defendant was found parked roadside in the southbound lane of Route 77 in the Town of Alabama at 12:43 a.m. on Sept. 25. An investigation allegedly revealed that the defendant was allegedly driving while intoxicated. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy McClellan, assisted by Deputy Howard Carlson.
Peter Stanley Hawkins, 49, of A Cayuga Village Street, Niagara Falls, is charged with third-degree assault. He was arraigned on the charged in Darien Town Court at 4:20 p.m. on Oct. 18. His arrest stems from an unspecified incident that occurred at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center at 9 p.m. on Aug. 31. Hawkins was released under supervision of Genesee Justice and is due back in Darien Town Court at 1 p.m. on Nov. 17. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Forsyth.
Guillermo Avila-Ramirez, 64, of Port Bay Road, Wolcott, is charged with: third degree criminal possession of a weapon; unlawful possession of marijuana; unsafe tire; and uninspected vehicle. The subject was arrested for allegedly possessing a dagger in his truck after it was involved in a motor-vehicle crash on Bloomingdale Road at the Tonawanda Indian Reservation at 8:03 a.m. on Oct. 16. The subject also allegedly possessed a bag of marijuana in his pocket at the time of his arrest. He is due in Town of Alabama Court on Nov. 3. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Parker, assisted by Sheriff's Sgt. Eric Seppala and NYS Trooper Mark Catanzaro.
Joshua John Dibble, 34, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. At 4:28 p.m. on Oct. 15, following the investigation of a shoplifting complaint on Lewiston Road in the Town of Batavia, Dibble was arrested. He allegedly stole merchandise from a department store by passing all points of purchase without paying. He was issued an appearance ticket for Oct. 27 in Batavia Town Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Robert Henning.
Press release:
State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has announced $55,000 in state funding to establish a new joint agriculture education program for Oakfield-Alabama Central and Elba Central School districts.
The mission of the new program is to encourage more high school students to explore agriculture and consider a career in the industry.
“This important program will serve as another tool for educators to cultivate student development and success, and I am proud to have been able to jump start this new program," Ranzenhofer said. "Now, our students will have better opportunities to learn more about agriculture and be inspired to start a career in the industry."
The start-up funding will cover equipment, field trip expenses, instructional resources and materials, and instructional salaries. Enrolled students, in grades nine through 12, will experience classroom instruction, hands-on projects and opportunities to visit local businesses with a connection to the agriculture industry. The program will be administered by and located at the Oakfield-Alabama School District.
“We appreciate the support of Senator Ranzenhofer in this new program. Our students are surrounded by agriculture and now have the opportunity to learn about the careers of the industry. We hope the program will motivate some of our graduates to remain in the area as well,” said Oakfield-Alabama Superintendent Mark A. Alexander.
Agriculture and its related industries are the number one economic driver for Genesee County and New York State, and industry demand for a properly trained workforce is greater than ever. According to the Land O' Lakes Foundation, food production in the next 50 years will need to be higher than the prior 500 years.
Senator Ranzenhofer’s office received letters of support from the local agriculture industry, including: Cornell University Cooperative Extension Genesee County; Lamb Farms Inc.; CY Farms LLC; East Pembroke Grange; Wayne E. Phelps Ent. Inc.; Offhaus Farms Inc.; and Z&M Ag and Turf.
The Oakfield-Alabama Board of Education will publicly recognize Senator Ranzenhofer for his efforts to establish the new program during tonight’s board meeting.
A pickup truck has reportedly hit a bridge in the area of 650 Bloomingdale Road, Basom.
If there are injuries, they are apparently minor. The driver is out of the vehicle and walking around.
Alabama fire and Mercy EMS responding.
UPDATE 8:12 a.m.: The vehicle is well off the road. It hit a guardrail.
UPDATE 8:15 a.m.: Ambulance can continue in, non-emergency.
UPDATE 8:27 a.m.: Two tow trucks will be needed to deal with the vehicle. A hook to pull it to the road, and a flatbed to haul it away. Bloomingdale will be shut down for a time during the operation.
A propane tank leak is reported on Skye Road, Basom.
Alabama fire, Indian Falls and a tanker from Oakfield are requested to the scene.
UPDATE 6:08 p.m.: All Alabama units back in service.
Press release:
Members of the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club will be at Denny’s Restaurant on Main Street in Batavia on Wednesday, Oct. 19, to raise funds as part of Denny’s Benefit Night. From 4 to 9 p.m., Denny’s will donate 20 percent of all pre-tax sales directly to the club. Funds will be used to support the Oakfield-Alabama Lions program for vision screening.
According to Bill Barbur, president of Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club, “Money raised on October 19 will allow Lions to meet pressing needs in our community including screening school children for visions problems and aid for furnishing eyeglasses and hearing aids to the needy.
"Lions members thank everyone who contributes to this important work. This year were able to purchase our own SPOT eye screener and to date have screened 265 students with 23 having been referred for further testing. You are truly helping Lions make a difference in our community.”
The Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club has 29 members and meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:45 p.m. at the Oakfield Hotel on South Pearl Street in Oakfield.
Lions clubs are a group of men and women who identify needs within the community and work together to fulfill those needs. For more information or to get involved with the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club, please contact Bill Barbur at 585-948-9882 or Bonnie Woodward at 585-739-2928.
Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.3 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world. For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit the website at www.lionsclubs.org.
A hunter has reportedly fallen and broken a leg on the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama.
The hunter is located in the woods about 300 yards east of the parking lot on Casey Road.
A caller is waiting in the parking lot for responders to guide them to the hunter's location.
Alabama fire and Mercy EMS responding.
A vehicle is reportedly rolled over in a ditch in the area of Feeder Road and Klossen Road, on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation.
Unknown injuries.
Alabama fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 7:47 a.m.: There were no occupants at the scene. The driver was subsequently located at a relative's house, reportedly uninjured. All units back in service.
A second person involved an attempted robbery of a smoke shop in May where the employees fought back and the suspects fled, leading to a regionwide manhunt, entered a felony guilty plea in County Court today.
Misty Dawn Souza, 26, of St. Johnsville, entered a guilty plea to the first count of a five-count grand jury indictment, for attempted robbery in the second degree.
Last week, Jeremy J. Reynolds, 34, of Johnstown, also accepted a plea deal.
The duo was arrested after the Genesee County Sheriff's Office sought leads on the suspects in a robbery of the Smoke Rings Smoke Shop on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. The man and woman entered the shop with what appeared to be guns, but only the man tried to continue with the robbery after his partner fled. He was confronted by an employee he didn't initially know was in the store and briefly detained in a back room before managing to escape through a window, dangling from the window, held by one leg by an employee, for a time.
Without a plea agreement for Souza, the Class D violent felony carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison. The plea deal caps Souza's possible sentence to three and a half years, provided she stays out of trouble between now and sentencing at 9:30 a.m., Jan. 4.
At sentencing, her attorney, Fred Rarick, will argue that Souza should receive a sentence of probation with no prison term. He said in court today that he believes he can make a convincing case.
As discussed in court today, and as Souza volunteered while sitting in a Town of Alabama courtroom following her arrest in May, Souza suffers from a series of mental health issues and is required to take multiple medications.
In court May 21, Souza was frazzled and disheveled and rambled on about her concerns, the crime itself and her mental health issues while sitting in court. She said she had been off her medication since prior to the robbery attempt.
Today, in court, she was a different person -- calm, well-spoken and polite as she answered questions from Interim Judge Micheal Pietruszka.
These factors will be part of Rarick's attempt to help Souza avoid a prison term.
Rarick will also need to make the case that the robbery attempt was really the idea of Reynolds and that Reynolds misled Souza into participating and that while she participated briefly, she fled the scene almost immediately.
Rarick will need to successfully argue that Souza does not present a danger to the community.
She has no prior criminal record -- in the Alabama court, she said she never even had a traffic ticket before. She also has no history of use or abuse of illicit drugs.
She also has five children.
Souza's mother was in court with her today. Rarick told Pietruszka that his client has been nothing but cooperative and timely in her communications and court appearances.
She is out of jail on $50,000 bond.
Pietruszka noted that it will be up to the new county judge, likely Charles Zambito, to decide on Souza's sentencing on Jan. 4.
Previously:
Press release:
For students, the junior and senior years of high school are filled with many critical decisions about the future. The College and Career Counseling Center at Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School is working hard to make preparing for life-beyond-school easier for students and their families.
This is the second year for the school’s dedicated Center, led by counselor Rob Kaercher. The Center is busy in the fall with a full schedule of visits and special presentations from a wide range of regional and national two- and four-year colleges, trade schools, and military branches.
(A Financial Aid Night is scheduled at 6:30 on Oct. 20 to help families from Byron-Bergen, Elba, and Oakfield-Alabama with the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application.It will be held in the Byron-Bergen High School auditorium.)
Jr./Sr. High School Principal Patrick McGee said, "Our goal is to provide a wide variety of opportunities for our students in the areas of college and/or career. I feel we are ahead of the curve in this area as our students now have a daily chance to identify a pathway and gain a much better sense of what their post-secondary plans will be."
Students at the school not only have access to extensive in-person and online resources in the Center; they also get invaluable hands-on, one-to-one guidance from college-and-career expert Kaercher.
“This is a small school, and I can really get to know our kids as individuals,” Kaercher said. “I start as early as possible with them, so they have more options. I can help them find educational and career directions that match up with their interests and values.
"I enjoy working with them and their parents on financial aid, exploring scholarships, and completing their college applications. The commitment our district has to this initiative is extraordinary—kids at B-B can have a similar support experience to what they might find at a private school or with a paid independent college counselor.”
The College and Career Center has greatly expanded its services this year:
“This can be a difficult and confusing time if you are trying to navigate it all by yourself,” Kaercher said. “We want to help make the process much easier. We are reaching out to parents and families—we hope they will contact the Jr./Sr. High School office to get more information.”
Misty Dawn Souza, AKA Misty Dawn Smith, is indicted for the crime attemped second-degree robbery, a Class D violent felony. She is accused of going into the Smoke Rings Smoke Shop, located at 449 Shanks Road, in the Town of Alabama, on May 20 with the intent of forcibly stealing property, engaging in conduct which "tended to effect the commission of such crime," while aided by another person who was present. In count two, she is accused of the same and in the comission of the crime or the flight from it, causing physical injury to a person who was not a participant in the crime. In count three, she is accused of the same, while displaying what appeared to be a pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, or other firearm. In count four, she is accused of second-degree assault, a Class D violent felony, for intending to cause physical injury to another person, causing such injury to such person or to a third person by means of a dangerous instrument. In count five, she is accused of the same crime as in count four, and in the course of and futherance of the commission or attempted commission of a felony or the immediate flight thereafter causing phsical injury to a person other than one of the participants.
Patrick D. Neaverth is indicted for the crime of second-degree burglary, a Class C violent felony. He is accused of knowingly entering or remaining unlawfully in a house on Kingsbury Avenue in the City of Batavia on Aug. 13 with the intent to commit a crime therein. (In July, he was indicted for the same crime at the same location, which occurred in March.)
The Oakfield Alabama Central School Alumni Hall of Fame Committee will honor the Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2016 at an induction dinner and ceremony Oct. 22 at the high school. It is located at 7001 Lewiston Road in Oakfield.
Tickets are on sale now and only available through Oct. 9. Cost is $15. You can buy them at the high school main office, Warner's flower shop on Main Street in Oakfield or by contacting committee member Jamie Disalvo at bak2good@hotmail.com or by sending payment to Disalvo at: 7604 S. Pearl Street Road, Oakfield, NY 14125.
Doors for the event open at 5:30 p.m. and it begins at 6 o'clock.
The Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding OACS alumni who have achieved distinction in their lives after high school through significant contributions to their career, community or through personal achievements.
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