This year EMTs, Laura Platt and Tatum Higby from Byron Fire Department’s Rescue Squad, took first place in the NYS Basic Life Support competition.
The EMS Games held this year at the Riverside Convention Center in Rochester on October 16-20 brought together teams of EMTs and Paramedics from across New York State for an exciting competition sponsored by Aura Prep and the BMCC Paramedic Program. The event featured a series of challenging, real-world scenarios designed to test participants' clinical skills, quick thinking, and teamwork under pressure.
Teams demonstrated their expertise in emergency response, patient care, and problem-solving, vying for top honors and recognition. The sponsorship by BMCC and Aura Prep highlighted their commitment to advancing EMS education and fostering a robust and skilled community of first responders across the state.
The workshop is designed to help first responders hone their knowledge and collect CME credits to maintain their license with the state. The last one held in Rochester was in 2017.
Besides Platt and Higby, Brad Nickerson, Squad Captain attended. Higby is an energetic 17-year-old who recently completed her Basic EMT Training in March of this year while attending Byron-Bergen High School as a junior.
Higby currently has completed all her CME credits for recertification, which is 3 years away. Higby was so excited when she learned that Vital Signs was being held in Rochester; she was eager to learn even more.
This year the council added a new twist for all attending. The games were held at the Strong Museum of Play on Saturday, October 19 in the morning. Each company was encouraged to sign up a team that would then participate in a “real life scenario.” Higby urged her mentor, Platt, to team up and compete. Higby created the team’s name, “Lil Legs of Byron.”
Just before the “call” the teams consisting of two people were given a few minutes to familiarize themselves with the equipment available for them to use; and they were allowed 20 minutes to complete the call.
The scenario that the Byron team was in a restaurant setting where an employee was having trouble breathing. The team accessed the scene and the patient, who was alone in the restaurant. The team used all their skills as they treated the patient with oxygen, EpiPen and albuterol to keep the patient alive because they were notified that the ambulance was 40 minutes away.
The two teams that were in first place in both categories, EMT and Advanced, received medals. Both winners were also awarded a large trophy cup that they can keep and display for the year. It will eventually have their names and date engraved on it.
Team Lil Legs of Byron took the EMT first place. Second place went to Wayne County and third place to Madison County. The Byron Fire Department will proudly display their trophy in their hall.
Lazavia M. Price, 25, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful imprisonment 1st, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, strangulation 2nd, menacing 2nd, and assault 3rd. Price is accused of fighting with another person on Oct. 4. He allegedly strangled the other person and threatened him with a knife. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed.
Supreme R. Hines, no age nor address provided, is charged with tampering with physical evidence, attempted grand larceny 4th, criminal possession of stolen property 5th, obstructing governmental administration 2nd, unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle 3rd, and conspiracy 6th. Eric L. Ball, Jr., is charged with tampering with physical evidence, attempted grand larceny 4th, criminal possession of stolen property 5th, obstructing governmental administration, and conspiracy 6th. Hines and Ball are accused of attempting to steal a large amount of merchandise from Dick's Sporting Goods at 4:21 p.m. on Oct. 15. Hines was allegedly the driver of a Honda Accord that fled from the scene. Three deputies responded and spotted a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle and attempted a traffic stop at Oak Street and Park Road. The deputies pursued the Honda Accord onto the Thruway. During the pursuit, the suspects allegedly started discarding stolen property. The vehicle was eventually stopped by the combined efforts of deputies, troopers and officers with Le Roy PD on the I-490 in Le Roy. Hines was held for arraignment and Ball was issued an appearance ticket.
Jason Matthew Wood, 37, of Freeman Road, Byron, was arrested as a fugitive from another state on Oct. 11. The arrest warrant was issued by the Adams County Sheriff's Office in Colorado. Wood was wanted on two counts of sexual assault on a child, sexual assault on a child pattern of abuse, and two counts of sexual assault on a child from a position of trust. While deputies were at Wood's address, they noticed him pass the location on an eclectic bike. They were able to catch up with Wood and take him into custody without incident. He was jailed pending extradition to Colorado.
Raymond A. Amaro, 38, no street address, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd and criminal mischief 4th. Amaro is accused of entering a dwelling unlawfully at 5:40 p.m. on Oct. 6 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, and of damaging the property of another person. He was held pending arriagnment.
Phillip P. Heale, 46, of Batavia, and Jessica D. Delcour, 41, of Batavia, are charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and two counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Heale and Declour were allegedly found in possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia during a home probation search on Oct. 7. They were reached and issued appearance tickets.
Dean D. Root, 43, of Le Roy, was arrested on Oct. 8 on a warrant. The warrant was issued for Root when he allegedly failed to appear in court after being issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Hillary D. Russell, 31, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Russell is accused of shoplifting at Save-A-Lot in Batavia on Sept. 30. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Trace G. Brewer, 24, of Batavia, is charged with obstructing governmental administration 2nd and resisting arrest. Members of the Batavia Police NET Unit spotted Brewer on Watson Street on Oct. 4 and attempted to arrest him on an outstanding warrant. Brewer allegedly ran from officers but was eventually taken into custody. He was arraigned and released.
Terrance H. Riley, 36, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and endangering the welfare of a child. Riley is accused of fighting with another person in the presence of three children on Oct. 1. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Trevor N. Christman, 34, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant on Oct. 4. Christman allegedly failed to appear in court after being issued an appearance ticket for a misdemeanor crime. He was arraigned in City Court and released.
Morgan A. Schoonmaker, 28, of Perry, was arrested on Oct. 3 on a warrant. Schoonmaker allegedly failed to appear in court on a misdemeanor traffic ticket. She was arraigned in City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail.
Booker T. Ricks, 53, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd. Ricks is accused of punching another person several times on Sept. 28 causing injury. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Kevin Allan Knickerbocker, 53, of West Main Street, Byron, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Knickerbocker is accused of violating an order of protection at 3:32 a.m. on Oct. 12 at a location in Byron by placing the protect party in fear for his or her safety. Knickerbocker was issued an appearance ticket.
Lauren Cocilova, a volunteer at Mockingbird Farms in Bergen gives a kiss to Gilbert on Saturday while Annie sniffs to see if there is any feed left in her bucket during an open house event. Photo by Howard Owens.
Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary drew sunshine and visitors to its third annual fall farm festival Saturday in Byron. The event was a fundraiser to raise awareness about the farm's efforts to provide a safe haven for rescued animals and serve as a financial support for medical expenses and hay to feed the animals into the next cold winter season.
Sid the goat and Rem, his big beautiful best friend, snuggle in what began as survival and ended up as a nightly ritual of family bonding and true warmth at Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary in Byron. Photo courtesy Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary
As founder Jonell Chudyk and volunteers prepare for the annual Fall Festival at Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary this Saturday, they are doing so with eagerness for newcomers to visit the farm and 47 rescued occupants — from ducks and chickens to donkeys, cows and pigs — while also with heavy hearts about loss in the way any animal lover would.
“Mockingbird has suffered the loss of three beloved senior animals this fall; we are devastated,” Chudyk says. “We haven’t had a death all year, and then we had three. We’re really struggling.”
Although they were senior animals, the lives of Sid, Lucy and Ferris were treated with utmost care and respect. They were overseen by a veterinarian and tested, diagnosed and treated with the expertise of Cornell University and thousands of dollars as part of extraordinary measures taken within the guardianship that Mockingbird vows to provide for each and every creature under its roof.
In the end, they died of terminal cancer, an unbeatable foe. But this isn’t about the ending; it’s about how it all began for one of these characters — Sid the goat — who liked to hobnob with his furry friends as his personality and reputation grew ever more endearing on the farm.
How it all began Chudyk was alerted to Sophie, a Holstein cow found in a field all by herself a few years back, and went to get her and bring her back to the farm. While there, Chudyk saw another cow and a goat nearby and asked, “What about these guys?”
“The neighbors were like, well, the woman who lived next door and actually initially rescued these animals, she fell on hard times. Her home was a foreclosure and she was not allowed to come back onto the property. So the neighbors promised that they would do their best to take care of these three," Chudyk said. "But that turned into they had no shelter, no consistent food, no consistent water. So the neighbors really loved Rem and said they had plans of moving them onto their property. So we took Sophie that day in a blizzard. She was the first to get here. That was in 2018."
As time progressed “We stayed in contact with the neighbors and I said, I'd really love to reunite this family if and whenever there comes a time. So if you guys ever get to the point where Rem needs to move, we will always take them. We will always keep space,” she said. “So a couple years later, I think it was 2021, they called, and they said, unfortunately, we have to move. Will you take them? Absolutely. So we brought them home. And when Sophie saw, especially Sid, I sobbed. We all sobbed. It was Sid, at this point he was 15 or 16. He jumped like four feet in the air. I have a picture of it. He was so happy, and they were running around the pasture like, oh my God, my family, we’re back together.”
Sid and Rem in the pasture at Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary in June. Photo courtesy of Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary.
And for the next four years, they’ve been a family on the farm, especially Rem, the doe-eyed Jersey cow and Sid the Goat. Chudyk eventually learned that since those two had no stable shelter, Sid would wear Rem as his winter coat, in a manner of speaking, to keep warm. The two were inseparable buddies with a perceptible bond, she said.
Lessons of survival, sharing “Sid learned to survive by crawling next to Rem and pressing himself up next to Rem for body heat. He would walk right over, and he would press himself up against Rem and tuck his head under his neck and soak up all of his body heat, and then eventually lay down next to him every single night, especially in the winter,” she said. “So I started documenting this, just because it was adorable, and when Sid was (nearly) 18, things were not going well … and we knew it might not be long, so I made one video on TikTok (see video below) that explains this story, this love story, and it blew up.
“The next day I had hundreds of messages from social media influencers and everybody from animal rights organizations who wanted to share this story and they did,” she said. “And then we had this wild Rem and Sid following, and I would go live and would post videos of them snuggling at night with Rem’s or Sid’s coat on. Like every night they would just be, it’s precious. It’s just unbelievable.”
The two were super close, she said, and were never without one another. And that closeness translated through the video and across social media to viewers’ hearts. They had at least 10 million views and counting, from the United States and abroad, including England, Germany and the Netherlands.
Remembering a friend to the end Jonell and volunteers wanted to respect Sid’s life every step of the way, including when he entered palliative care. That meant allowing his best friend to be there with him, to touch noses when Sid was on an IV for his nutrition, and after he laid down for his final nap.
After Sid died, his fellow mates, cows River and Cici, visited him first in his bed, and Cici bellowed a knowing grief, Chudyk said. Rem came in next and sniffed at Sid and began to drool a lot, which, according to behavioral studies, indicates emotional distress, she said.
“Rem was just drooling and was just soaking it in, and he knew he was gone, and then he walked away, and then he came back,” she said.
“Sophie came in, and I’ve never seen that look on her face, and her eyes got huge, and she sniffed him from hoof to head, and then she looked in his little bedroom, like, is he in there? And then she was drooling and drooling and drooling, and she just stood there,” Chudyk, a licensed therapist, said. “The feeling in that barn was so palpable. I mean, you cannot deny the animals don’t feel these things. And we’ve all been worried about how Rem would do. Thank God he’s got the other cows and Sophie because they have not left each other’s side.
“Sid was a goat, he couldn’t be out in the beating sun with the cows laying, he had to take care of himself as an old man, so he would sometimes come into the barn to get some shade. And Rem would always kind of just check on him and make sure he was good. But now Rem lays out in the sunshine with the cows, and they’re all four of them just are together all the time,” Chudyk said. “And there is a very deep heaviness of loss on the farm, especially with all three being gone. But Sid was genuinely larger than life, he was the sweetest goat on the planet. He wouldn’t hurt a fly, he would come up to every single person and rub his head on you and he was so kind and gentle, but also so sassy. He was Houdini, he could break out of anything. But just never wanted to be without Rem.”
As hard as it was to talk about the mighty duo, she wanted to share not only their real life tale of survival and overcoming hardship together despite the obstacles, a separation and unlikely pairing, but also the message that shines through it all.
Grieve, and tell the happy stories “I guess I think that at a time when it feels like we as the human species, we're so polarized, and maybe feel like we have very little in common with one another like this, to this story of unlikely friends, like big and small and two different species have kind of, all on their own, shown the whole world how beautiful compassion for one another can be. And I think we really all need that right now,” she said. “And grief is a natural part of life, but supporting one another through that and reaching out to others and crying and telling happy stories, I mean, I still can't look at pictures of them, but yeah, I think at the end of the day, this is just one of a million stories we have here at the farm like this of these bonds. But this one in particular really hit the world.”
This year’s third annual Fall at the Farm Festival and Fundraiser is from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at 5978 Upper Holley Road, Byron. The farm’s goal is $10,000 to cover medical expenses and winter hay for what has been “the most unimaginable heartbreaking month,” she said, so everyone is pulling together for what they hope to be the biggest festival ever.
Visitors can see Rem and his friends, buy some fresh produce snacks for the animals, get a walking farm tour, and shop at the barnyard sale stocked with some “seriously amazing” items and 26 vendors. There will also be a pumpkin patch, raffle baskets, live music, lots of children’s games and activities, a scavenger hunt, three vegan food vendors and a coffee stand, giveaways, face painting, temporary tattoos and a kids craft table.
Suggested donation of $10 at the door includes 10 raffle tickets.
Marlarie Joanne Smart, 37, of Pembroke, and Melani Lynn Maloney, 43, of Pembroke, are both charged with petit larceny and conspiracy 6th. Smart and Maloney, sisters, are accused of working together to steal $112.90 in merchandise from Walmart by "skip scanning" while checking out. Both were issued appearance tickets.
Joni Marie Johnson, 49, of Millicent Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with resisting arrest and petit larceny. Johnson is accused of stealing merchandise from Dick's Sporting Goods at 6:20 p.m. on Oct. 4. She was held pending arraignment.
Timothy Dennis Clark, 54, of Charwood Circle, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny and conspiracy 6th. Clark is accused of working with another person to steal merchandise from Dollar General on Townline Road, Byron at 9:26 p.m. on Sept. 30. Also charged, Ryan Michael Bobzin, 35, of West Bergen Road, Bergen.
Oliver Thomas, 33, of Elba, is charged with DWI, driving on a restricted license, following too close, and consumption of alcohol in motor vehicle. Thomas was stopped at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 2 on Route 63 in Batavia by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell.
Edward Micahel Gorski, 42, of Genesee Street, Pembroke, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Gorski is accused of violating a stay-away order by going to the protected party's residence in Pembroke at 6:21 p.m. on Oct. 3.
John Robert Kormos, 55, of Parma, Ohio, is charged with DWI, drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle, and moving from lane unsafely. Kormos was stopped at 9:24 p.m. on Oct. 5 on Oak Orchard Road, Elba, by Deputy Zachary Hoy.
Morris Marquis Taylor, 34, West Barre Road, Albion, is charged with felony DWI, speeding, and drinking alcohol or using cannabis in a motor vehicle. Taylor was topped at 2:34 a.m. on Oct. 6 on West Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. He was held pending arraignment.
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Matthew R. Taylor, 41, of Batavia, is charged with assault 1st, robbery 1st, and menacing 3rd. Taylor is accused of engaging in violence with another person on East Main Street on Sept. 22. He is accused of demanding money and causing serious injury to the other person. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed.
Jeffrey A. Tyler, no age provided, of Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, criminal possession of stolen property, and multiple traffic offenses. Tyler was stopped at 12:17 p.m. on Sept. 6 by Officer T.J. Mummery of Le Roy PD. During an investigation, Mummery determined Tyler was a convicted felon and was allegedly in possession of an unregistered handgun, which was also loaded. Tyler was reportedly towing a trailer that contained a stolen ATV. Tyler was held pending arraignment.
Sugeiry Vazquez, 35, of Otis Street, Rochester, is charged with unlawful fleeing from a police officer in a motor vehicle 3rd, reckless endangerment 1st, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed drive, and speeding. Deputy Alexander Hadsall initiated a pursuit of a vehicle on Route 20 in Darien at 10:40 a.m. on Sept. 24 after learning that a vehicle had fled a T.J. Maxx in Erie County after the theft of clothing items. Hadsall attempted to stop the vehicle but the vehicle did not yield to emergency lights. The pursuit continued into the town of Byron, where it crashed into the front lawn of a residence. The occupants fled on foot and were later located in a cornfield by the Sheriff's Office K-9. The driver of the vehicle was arrested. Vazquez was arraigned and released under supervision.
Christina L. Riley, 36, of Batavia, is charged with attempted robbery 3rd, grand larceny 4th, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Riley is accused of fighting with another person on Sept. 21 at an unreleased location and of attempting to steal that person's child while several children were present. Raily was arraigned and released.
Jennifer A. Schellerer, 38, of Batavia, and Dennis J. Williamson, 42, of Rome, are charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Schellerer and Williamson were arrested on Sept. 20 after police received a report of two people passed out in a car at the Mobile gas station on East Main Street, Batavia. They were allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine. Williamson was also charged with criminal possession of stolen property 5th for allegedly possessing a stolen license plate. They were issued appearance tickets.
Michael J. Holler, 38, of Rochester, was arrested on a warrant on Sept. 22. Holler was initially arrested on a charge of petit larceny on Sept. 18. He allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. He was arraigned and released.
Gracien R. Ibambasi, 30, of Batavia, is charged with menacing 3rd and endangering the welfare of a child. Ibambasi is accused of threatening another person in the presence of two children. He was arrested on Sept. 22, arraigned in City Court and released.
Phillip P. Heale, 41, of Batavia, and Jessica D. Delcour, 41, of Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Heale and Delcour are accused of shoplifting at Aldi in Batavia on Sept. 14. Based on an investigation, they were charged with a second count of petit larceny. They are accused of shoplifting on Aug. 8 at the same store. They were issued an appearance ticket.
Patrick O. Spikes, 43, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Spikes is accused of hitting another person during an argument on Central Avenue on Sept. 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Jennifer L. Stack, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. She was arrested on an arrest warrant on Sept. 13. She was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine during a traffic stop on Jan. 18. She was arraigned and released.
Cylie Rose Gebo, 27, of Macedon Center Road, Palmyra, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Gebo was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine and a pipe by Deputy Robert Henning at 8:25 a.m. on Sept. 26 on West Bergen Road, Bergen. She was issued an appearance ticket.
David Allen Leach, 30, of Main Road, Pembroke, is charged with assault 3rd. Leach is accused of attacking two people during an argument at 10:19 p.m. on Sept. 25, at a location on Main Road, Pembroke. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and held pending arraignment.
Joseph Allen Hogan, 56, of Prairie Trail, West Henrietta, is charged with petit larceny. Hogan was arrested on Sept. 25, accused of stealing $494 from another person at Batavia Downs at 1:04 a.m. on Sept. 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Zachary James Pernick, 26, of Paradise Lane, Tonawanda, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Pernick is accused of damaging a wall inside Batavia Downs at 2:31 a.m. on Sept. 28. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Shaunda Lee Hill, 35, of South Street Road, Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Hill is accused of shoplifting at Walmart at 4:41 on Sept. 27. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Devin Ralph Zortman, 25, of Highland Avenue, McKees Rocks, Pa., is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or more, failure to signal, and drinking alcohol or consuming cannabis in a motor vehicle. Zortman was stopped at 12:29 on Sept. 29 on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, by Deputy Mason Schultz. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Christopher James Johnston, 48, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. The details of the alleged incident where not released other than it was reported 12:54 p.m. on Oct. 1. Johnston was held pending arraignment.
The Genesee County Highway Department will begin road paving projects on Transit Road in Elba and Byron Road in Byron next week. Work will begin on Tuesday, September 24.
Transit Road in Elba will be closed in sections during the day but will reopen fully overnight. Residents will have access to their homes and businesses, and emergency vehicles will be able to pass through.
Once Transit Road is complete, paving will shift to Byron Road in Byron, from State Route 262 to State Route 237. The road will be closed entirely during the project, with access for residents and emergency vehicles.
Both projects should be completed by Friday, September 27 weather permitting.
Jon H. Bush, Jr., 41, of Batavia, was arrested on two warrants and also charged with assault 2nd and obstructing governmental administration 2nd. On Aug. 5, Batavia patrol officers conducted a traffic stop on Park Road and observed Bush attempting to hide in the back seat. Officers were aware of warrants for Bush's arrest. He was ordered to exit the vehicle. After getting out, Bush allegedly attempted to flee on foot. He allegedly fought with officers and injured one of them before he was taken into custody. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed without bail.
Vinayek A. Graves, 20, of Kansas City, Kansas, is charged with possession of a forged instrument 2nd, identity theft 1st, and forgery 2nd. Graves was arrested on Aug. 8 following an investigation into a fraud complaint. He was arraigned and released.
Nicholas M. Ricigliano, 40, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Ricigliano is accused of stealing an umbrella stand from a business on Bank Street on Aug. 21. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Branco J. Blanco, 60, of Batavia, is charged with dog running at large and owning an unlicensed dog. It is alleged that Blanco allowed two dogs to run at large on State Street on Aug. 18. The dogs allegedly bit a person who was walking in the area. Blanco was issued an appearance ticket.
Jeffrey G. Ellinwood, 65, of Batavia, was charged with criminal trespass 2nd and criminal mischief 4th. It's alleged that Ellinwood broke into a residence on Porter Avenue on Aug. 15. He was arraigned and released.
Jerry T. Saddler, Jr., 48, is charged with criminal mischief 4th, criminal obstruction of breathing, and harassment 2nd. Saddler is accused of striking another person, grabbing that person by the neck, and taking the person's phone to keep the person from calling for help. He also faces charges from an Aug. 14 of criminal obstruction of breathing involving the same victim. He was arraigned in City Court and held in the Genesee County Jail.
Michael C. Smith, 32, of Batavia, was arrested on four warrants. The warrants were issued after Smith allegedly failed to appear in court on four separate criminal cases. He was arraigned in City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail.
Geoffrey M. Anderson, Jr., of Brockport, was arrested on Aug. 16 on two warrants, including a warrant alleging bail jumping 3rd. The warrants were issued after Anderson allegedly failed to appear in court on a trespassing charge from 2017. He was arraigned in City Court and released.
Aaron Joshua Anwar, 18, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Anwar is accused of stealing merchandise from Dick's Sporting Goods on July 31 at 3:03 p.m. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.
Leeanne Krull, 55, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Krull is accused of violating an order of protection at 12:43 p.m. on July 31 at a location on West Main Street Road, Batavia. The order of protection had been issued in Centralized Arraignment Part Court just hours earlier. Krull was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Justin Timothy Gladney Sr., 35, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with promoting prison contraband 1st and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Gladney is accused of bringing crack cocaine into the Genesee County Jail at 9 a.m. on Aug. 1. He was held for arraignment.
Tricia M. Blatt, 37, of East Main Street, Byron, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Deputies were dispatched at 1:40 a.m. Aug. 3, to Byron to investigate a complaint of a broken window, possible criminal mischief. Deputies located Blatt and determined she was allegedly too impaired to care for her child. There was no evidence of criminal mischief. Blatt was arraigned and released.
The following people were charged on Aug. 1 while attending the Kenny Chesney concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center:
Jonathon M. Morris, 19, of Rochester, was charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue following an ejection.
Avery J. Dieterle, 19, of Akron, is charged with trespass after allegedly reentering the concert venue following an ejection.
William A. McCray, 57, no permanent address, is charged with harassment 2nd after allegedly striking another person while inside the concert venue.
Supervisor Hensel has called a special meeting for the sole purpose of conducting an inspection of the condition of the highways and restoration of the areas which were disturbed during the construction of the water system. The Board will not take any action this meeting.
The meeting is July 24 at 1 p.m. (arrive by 12:45 p.m. if possible) at Byron Town Hall. 7028 Byron Holley Rd.
The Members of the Byron Town Board will be meeting at the Byron Town Hall to conduct a site inspection of Town of Byron Water Improvement Benefit Area #1. This Inspection is for informational purposes only.
Representatives for the contractors, engineers, County and State highways, have, along with local officials, been invited to participate.
One of Genesee County's most successful industrial manufacturers, Oxbo International, founded in Byron 50 years ago, is planning a new 195,000-square-foot facility in Bergen.
According to planning documents, the new factory will replace the existing plant at 7275 Byron Road, Byron.
The new location is part of the GCEDC-created industrial park, Apple Tree Acres, which already includes Liberty Pumps, Craft Cannery ), All Season Party Tent Rentals, GE Renewable Energy, Insurance Auto Auctions, and Leonard Bus Sales.
The 49.7-acre parcel is off South Lake Road, just south of Clinton Street Road.
The Genesee County Planning Board recommends project approval after a brief presentation on Thursday evening.
Oxb manufactures custom-built specialized farming equipment. Planning documents state that the new facility will allow the business to continue growing.
The new site will provide ample room for expansion, said project manager David Ciurzyski.
In response to a question about parking, Ciurzynski said there would be parking in the back for existing employees, with room to add more parking.
"Right now, they have 140 employees," Ciurzynski said. "They're expecting over the next five or six years to have another 140 employees. They'll have room there to expand that parking for those new employees as they come on board."
The company is applying for tax abatements on the project from the Genesee Economic Development Center.
Oxbo began in Byron as a pallet repair business and then became Byron Equipment after filing for a patent on a corn head -- a mechanism to attach to the front of a combine that picks ears of corn off of stalks, leaving the stock behind.
The company then grew through mergers and acquisitions.
In 1998, Byon Equipment acquired a competitor in Wisconsin, and the new management team settled on the name Oxbo, after an oxbow that yolks and ox team together, to symbolize the concept of the new two integrated teams pulling together.
Both plants stayed in production.
In 2003, Oxbo acquired a pea-picking combine company in Illinois and moved that manufacturing operation to Byron. Oxbo is the only manufacturer of a pea-picking combine in the U.S.
In 2004, Oxbo acquired a fruit company in Washington state, and this past June, the company acquired another company in Wisconsin.
However, one of the biggest mergers occurred in 2009, when Oxbo merged with its largest customer in Europe and moved its headquarters to the Netherlands.
The company also operates plants in Brazil, the United Kingdom, and France.
Oxbo employs about 1,200 people in total, 700 in the U.S. The company's gross annual revenue exceeds $400 million.
Architectural rendering from planning documents.
Location map from planning documents. The proposed location is the large brown field in the lower left of the map.
Nearly 800 graduates received the credits necessary to graduate from SUNY Canton.
"On behalf of the entire SUNY Canton community, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for your continued success," said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. "As you step into the next chapter of your life, remember that the skills and knowledge you've gained at SUNY Canton will serve you well in all your future endeavors. Embrace the challenges ahead with confidence and optimism. Always strive to make a positive impact in your communities and remember that SUNY Canton will always be there to assist you in your journey."
SUNY Canton Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the Canton College Foundation Tracey L. Thompson said that graduates were joining the extensive network of nearly 40,000 SUNY Canton alumni excelling in various career paths. "The Class of 2024 can make an immediate impact by sharing their enthusiasm about this achievement," she said.
The college's 116th Commencement Ceremony was held Saturday, May 11, in the Roos House Convocation, Athletic and Recreation Center. Students who graduated at any time in the past year are invited to participate in the ceremony, including summer, fall, winter, and spring graduates. A complete list of graduates is available on www.canton.edu.
Area graduates include:
Dawn Hunter of Batavia, earned their Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies.
Jared Barnum of Byron, earned their Bachelor of Technology degree in Criminal Investigation.
Zechariah Gowanlock of East Bethany, earned their Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Management.
Rochester Institute of Technology conferred nearly 4,500 degrees at all of its campuses in the 2023-2024 academic year.
RIT's academic convocation celebration was held in May and featured remarks by Patricia "Pattie" Moore, a distinguished designer and trailblazing alumna of the class of 1974.
The following local residents received degrees:
Alec Wagner of Batavia received a BS in electrical engineering technology.
Taylor Schofield of Pavilion received a BS in biomedical engineering and MS in science, technology, and public policy.
Isaac Ladley of Byron received a BS in supply chain management.
Lily Mercovich of Bergen received a BFA in film and animation.
Tanner Richardson of Batavia received a BS in electrical engineering.
James Wong of Batavia received an MBA in business administration-executive.
Jake Humes of Batavia received a BS in the individualized program.
Lexi Begin of Corfu received a BS in communication.
Derek Emrich of Bergen received a BS in biochemistry.
Daniel, Daysee, and Makenzie Burr. On June 11, Daysee was vomiting blood and stopped breathing. Friends and emergency responders worked together to save her life. Photo by Howard Owens.
As John Durand, safety officer for the Byron Fire Department, peeked in the window of a Mercy EMS ambulance in the early morning of June 11, he saw something that lifted his spirits.
"We can see her in the back of the ambulance, and I can see her little smile. Life got better real fast after that. It was the prettiest thing I've seen in a long time," Durand said.
Daysee Burr, who earlier hadn't been breathing and barely had a pulse, was alive and about to get a Mercy Flight ride to Strong Memorial Hospital, where she could get the emergency care she needed for complications from tonsil and adenoid surgery.
Anyone who heard the scanner call at 2 a.m. would have heard the concern and worry in the dispatcher's and responder's voices as the call escalated from "three-year-old child vomiting blood" to "child not breathing."
CPR instructions were being given, a dispatcher told first responders.
Byron Fire and Ambulance, along with State Police, responded.
Mercy Flight was called. Troopers set up a landing zone. Elba's fire chief also responded and acted as ground contact.
Daysee's father, Daniel Burr, tried breathing into his child's mouth but admitted during a gathering at Mercy EMS's Genesee County headquarters on Call Parkway in Batavia that he doesn't really know CPR. Long-time family friends Micheal and Cheyenne have been staying with the Burr's for the past month or so. They have military experience and stepped in to assist.
"They started taking control because we were panicking," Burr said. "We were, you know, we don't know CPR or nothing like that. We were really panicking and they just took control, calm, collected, and got stuff done the way it had to be done at that point.
Ashley Gurgel was the dispatcher providing instructions.
"They were listening to dispatch," said Makenzie Burr, Daysee's mother, "listening to everything that she was telling us to do -- make sure her head is tilted back, you know. If she starts coughing, turn her on her side and make sure her airway is clear. If she does cough anything up, we've got to get as much of it out as possible before lying her on her back."
Durand added, "The anatomy of three-year-olds, their airway are very small. It doesn't take too much to block it."
It was Makenzie who immediately called 9-1-1 when she recognized the severity of the situation.
"The first thing that came to my mind was we can't go through another child's funeral," Makenzie said. "We have already lost our oldest daughter. There was no way we could go through another funeral for one of our children. We were just praying to God that, you know, help her, help her stay with us until she can get the proper help and care that she needs."
Daysee had her tonsils and adenoids removed on June 4. After getting back home, according to Mackenzie said, she looked pale and she wasn't eating or drinking much. She coughed up blood the first time on June 10.
"Seeing your child cough up blood is absolutely terrifying," Makenzie said. "So we called, and the on-call doctor called us back, and said it's normal to last about two to three minutes. But if it happens again, something is wrong."
Makenzie said she and her husband monitored their little girl the rest of the day.
At about 2 a.m., she got up and asked for a popsicle.
"As she got up and moving, we were standing in our kitchen, and she projectile vomited," Makenzie said. "I called 911, and that started the process of telling me what to do, and she got everyone there."
Senior Dispatcher Michael Sheflin said it was clear quickly that if there is any such thing as a routine emergency call, this call wasn't routine.
Gurgel was giving instructions, but it was apparent something troubling and serious was going on.
"Ashley did a great job staying with mom and the people there," Sheflin said. "I just supported her by dispatching the fire departments and helicopter, and the State Police stepped up on their own and responded, which makes our life a little bit easier when people pitch in and do what they can."
Both troopers who responded have young children, said Trooper Mike Machniak.
"I've got a three-year-old, and he's got a six and a 10-year-old," Machniak said. "When you hear a call like that, it doesn't matter; you're going to get there, you know. At that time, speed and getting there (is important). We may all wear a different uniform but at that point, we care about the child, about the person. They're talking about being a big team. That's all it's about."
Durand was sleeping and happened to wake up just before the call came in.
"I looked at my clock and said, "It's been a long time since we've had a late night call, and my head hit the pillow," Durand said. "As I'm getting dressed and getting ready to go, it goes out with the breathing part, so we're trying to get there without hitting too many deer late at night."
Durand had forgotten, he said, that the State Police have their own helicopter, so troopers are trained to set up landing zones, and that is exactly what Machniak and his partner did for Mercy Flight.
They found a good spot and helped carry the litter back and forth," Durand said. "So it all worked, even though we were all different units. It worked very well together, the way it was designed to work."
Daysee is doing much better, Makenzie said. She spent most of three days in the hospital (three different trips) being monitored, ensuring she stayed hydrated, and was getting the medication she needed.
Asked at what point in the process, she and her husband felt relieved that her child was out of the woods.
"We still don't," Makenzie said. "Right now, she's going through trying to get her iron back up. Once she is able to run around and play like she normally is, that's when we'll feel great."
Photo by Howard Owens.
Many of the first responders who helped save Daysee's life with the Burr family. The Mercy Flight pilots, a state trooper, and others were unable to attend. Photo by Howard Owens.
Ashley Gurgel presents Daysee with a plush daisy. Photo by Howard Owens.
Oxbo is pleased to announce its newest dealer, Sapelo Equipment Company, in Georgia. The Sapleo team will be providing sales, parts, and service support for the full line of Oxbo blueberry harvesters.
“We are excited to bring a more energized approach for sales and service to our blueberry farmers—offering competitive pricing and service plans that cater to the times of year we are harvesting fruit,” said Dave Baxter, owner of Sapelo. “This is an exciting time for us and for our customer base. We look forward to providing a level of service that decreases downtime and keeps our machines doing what they were made to do: harvesting blueberries.”
Oxbo blueberry harvesters were designed to protect fruit quality and improve customer profitability. Technologies like Autosteer and EcoMode as well as Oxbo’s Orbirotor and Dynarotor picking heads were designed to help growers maximize their profit and to harvest Georgia blueberries at peak ripeness.
“Models like the Oxbo 7440 and 8040 are a great fit for Georgia blueberry growers,” commented Austin White, Sales Manager for Sapelo. “Our customers are able to pick fresh-market quality blueberries by machine, addressing the labor challenges during peak blueberry harvest. Machine harvest translates into profitability for farmers and fresh, Georgia fruit for customers.”
Oxbo blueberry harvesters have been hard at work in Georgia for decades, with new features and improvements year after year. As harvesting technology continues to improve and as growers face challenging market prices, more and more growers are turning to Oxbo harvesters.
The Oxbo 8040 and 8140 are single-drop harvester platforms designed for growers with lower tonnage varieties and for those with challenging field conditions, like mud and sand, where the traction package on the 8040 shines. The top-load 7440 and 7450 are the answer for growers with high tonnage varieties—with onboard fruit storage of up to 5,000 pounds.
With various decking, cleaning, and fruit-loading configurations, the 7440 is the best-fit harvester for many Georgia growers. Oxbo continues to work on new, integrated technologies designed to reduce labor costs and improve fruit quality for customers in the southeast.
In its fruit division, Oxbo supplies berry, coffee, grape, olive, pistachio, and tomato growers with harvesters and other specialty equipment.
For more information on the full line of Oxbo berry harvesters, please visit www.oxbo.com.
