It's been a beautiful day for a picnic in Byron and residents went to the park for hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, live music, prizes and a parade of classic cars.
Above, the Ghost Riders perform, one of several live acts in the pavilion today.
More photos in the slide show below -- be sure to click on the "enlarge" button in the lower right.
I've driven down Route 262 in Byron dozens of times. I don't know why I noticed today for the first time a memorial set up to the victims of a May 2008 fire. The fire claimed the lives of four people, Sherri Reis, 51, along with her three children: Timothy Reis, 17; Emily Reis, 19; and Virginia Reis, 21.
An area resident told me, "the memorial just keeps growing year after year."
A resplendent peacock is reportedly in the roadway at Tower Hill and Cole Roads in Bergen. Law enforcement is investigating.
The officer was unable to locate the bird and is moving on to his next assignment.
UPDATE (by Howard): The peacock above may or may not be the same one reportedly seen in the Tower Hill area. This picture was taken by Laura Scarborough on on Cole Road near Route 19, Le Roy, not Bergen. A friend of Laura's describes the bird as very tame and has been knocking at her door for days. Laura said she's afraid the bird will get hit by a car. It stands right next to the roadway. Laura said the friend has called every agency she can think of and each says a tame, loose peacock isn't their issue.
A 29-year-old meth cook from South Byron accepted a plea bargain today that could lead to a three- to five-year prison sentence, rather than the maximum 10-year sentence he was facing.
Matthew Zon pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance, 2nd, for his part in the meth lab operation at 6319 E. Main St., South Byron (inset photo from the search).
His accomplice, Tricia Tundo, 24, of Byron, also entered a guilty plea, admitting to a lesser felony count of unlawful disposal of methamphetamine lab material.
Tundo faces a passible one and a half years in prison and a year of supervised release.
Zon and Tundo were were arrested April 14 during a traffic stop that was the culmination of a months long investigation by the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Lead investigator Sgt. Steve Mullen said at the time of the arrest that the trail that led to Zon and Tundo weaved its way back through a series of related meth lab busts starting with one -- the first one in Genesee County -- Nov. 12, 2009, in Alabama.
The South Byron raid uncovered a working meth lab and an amount of completed product.
Today, Zon satisfied multiple counts pending against him with his guilty plea. He is being held without bail and will remain in jail until his sentencing Aug. 24.
Tundo's guilty plea also satisfies a number of pending charges against her as well as charges that Asst. District Attorney David Gann said could have been filed against her. Gann indicated the Sheriff's Office has sufficient evidence to charge Tundo with all of the counts laid against Zon.
Tundo remains on release under supervision pending her sentencing Sept. 27.
Both Zon and Tundo face a possible $5,000 fine each as well as the suspension of their drivers' licenses.
Byron Heritage Festival Calendar of Events
July 30, 2011
Fishing Derby 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. (Ages 12 and under) (Sponsored by Byron Kiwanis) (sign-in begins at 7:30 a.m.)
5K Run 7:00 a.m. Registration (Sponsored by Boy Scout Troop #13) 8:00 a.m. Race Begins. 9:30 a.m. Race Results
Craft and Food Vendors 9:00 a.m. – ?
Garage Sales 9:00 a.m. – ?
Bounce House 10:00 a.m. - ? (Sponsored by Fullerinos)
Parade 11:00 a.m.
Cruise In 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Byron Museum Open to the public 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Raffles Winners announced starting at 3:00 p.m.
Horseshoe Tournament 4:00 p.m. (Sponsored by Sue Fuller)
Basketball Shootout 2:30 p.m. (Basketball Court)
Garden Contest Winners announced at 3:00 p.m.
Chicken BBQ 4:00 p.m. until Sold Out (Sponsored by Byron Kiwanis)
Ghostriders 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Brick Band 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Big Money Bob 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Fireworks 9:30 p.m.
Outdoor Worship at the Byron Presbyterian Church on Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 9:45 a.m. Please bring lawn chairs. For more information, please call 548-2800.
William R. Green, 52, of Batavia-Elba Townline Road, Elba, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Green was reportedly involved with a dispute at 10:15 p.m., Thursday and during the dispute, Green allegedly grabbed his neighbor by the neck and punched him. Green was jailed on $200 bail.
James R. Tydelski, 55, of 7800 Hewes Road, Bergen, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to stop at a stop sign. Tydelski was stopped at 1:06 a.m. at the intersection of Mill and Lake streets in the Village of Le Roy by a Le Roy Police officer.
Joshua Todd Fullmer, 18, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Fullmer is accused of shoplifting $34.98 worth of merchandise from Kmart.
Warren Walter McClure, 40, of Hamilton Road, Buffalo, is charged with burglary, 3rd. McClure is accused of entering a business in the Town of Batavia while it was closed on Feb. 6 and stealing money, checks and surveillance cameras.
Todd F. James, 48, of School Road, Byron, is charged with disorderly conduct. James allegedly refused to turn down his radio creating "unnecessary noise" in his neighborhood for more than three hours.
Kelsey Marie Davis, 19, of unreleased street address, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Davis was arrested following an investigation into a fight during the Tim McGraw concert at Darien Lake Theme Park on June 25.
Samuel Robert Thompson, 55, of Shady Lane, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Thompson is accused of stealing a bicycle from a parking lot.
Three suspected drug dealers were taken into custody in Byron on Wednesday after at least one of them was allegedly involved in a drug transaction with an undercover agent.
The undercover operation in Byron was the culmination of a two-month long investigation by the Genesee County Local Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force.
Arrested were Richard L. Conte, 19, of 723 S. Main St., Medina, Reynoldo Melendez Jr., 23, of 75 Arnett Blvd., Rochester, and Louis Staples, 17, of 75 Arnett Blvd., Rochester.
All three were transported to the Genesee County Jail and held on $50,000 bail each.
Following those three arrests, a fourth suspect was arrested in Clarendon.
Investigators executed a search warrant at 4955 Holley-Byron Road, Clarendon, where Kristina A. Brongo, 19, a resident of that address, was taken into custody.
The four alleged dealers are suspected of illegally selling mostly prescription drugs in both Orleans and Genesee counties.
Task force members seized a quantity of drugs, including oxymorphone, also known as opanas, oxycontin and morphine with a street value in excess of $3,000.
Also seized was a quantity of marijuana along with $1,000 in cash, scales, packaging and other drug paraphernalia.
Besides the four suspected drug dealers arrested, two teenage girls, whose names were not released, were apprehended during the investigation and cited for alleged unlawful possession of marijuana.
Conte, Melendez and Staples were all charged with one count each of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 4th.
Brongo was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, and criminal sale of marijuana.
Photos: Conti, top, Melendez and Staples.
Genesee County volunteer firefighters were called to the scene early this morning of a tanker truck fire that claimed the life of the truck's driver in Barre, Orleans County.
The tanker was carrying ethanol and the fire reportedly spread quickly into the wooded area around the accident.
To fight an ethanol fire, fire fighters must use foam, so Genesee County units that have foam cabability were called to the scene.
Units responded from Town of Batavia, Elba, Byron and Oakfield, along with Genesee County Emergency Services Unit and the county's hazmat team.
The fire is now out and clean up work along is in progress.
One Elba tanker along with the hazmat team and ESU remains on scene at this time. Emergency Coordinator Tim Yaeger said the remaining Genesee County personnel wlll be on scene yet for quite some time.
Byron resident Amber D. Thorman, 23, died early this morning at Strong Memorial Hospital, according to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.
Thorman was injured in a rollover accident at 4:05 p.m., Monday, on Freeman Road in Byron.
A 23-year-old Byron resident is in guarded condition at Strong Memorial Hospital after being involved in a rollover accident on Freeman Road at 4:05 p.m.
Speed is believed to be a factor in the accident, the Sheriff's Office reports.
Injured was Amber D. Thorman, who had to be extricated from the vehicle. She was airlifted to Strong by Mercy Flight.
Her 1999 Chevy Tahoe was eastbound on Freeman when the SUV went off the north shoulder and struck a tree. The Tahoe then struck the guide wire of a utility pole, causing the vehicle to over turn three times before coming to rest on its roof.
Thorman was wearing a seat belt.
Byron and South Byron fire departments responded to the scene and handled the extrication. Mercy EMS also assisted at the scene.
The accident investigation is being handled by Deputy Joseph Graff, Sgt. Greg Walker and Investigator Kristopher Kautz.
A pickup has rolled over and crashed into a tree at 6478 Freeman Road in South Byron. It landed on its roof.
Byron and South Byron fire departments are responding along with Mercy EMS.
Bergen fire's rescue equipment is called to the scene.
The location is between Ivison Road and Route 237.
UPDATE 4:22 p.m.: The availability of Mercy Flight is requested.
UPDATE 4:24 p.m.: A landing zone is set up and Mercy Flight out of Batavia is called to the scene. The driver has been extricated. Bergen is told to stand down.
UPDATE 4:36 p.m.: Mercy Flight landed several minutes ago. National Grid is called because a pole with a transformer was hit during the accident, tilting it at a 45-degree angle.
UPDATE 4:56 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne with the victim and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital. National Grid is expected at the crash site shortly.
The Town of Byron and community volunteers are working together and excited to promote the Byron Heritage Festival for the fifth year on July 30th. This year's events will be bigger and better than ever while continuing with some of the traditional activities.
Schedule of events:
7 a.m. -- Registration begins for 5K race, which starts at 8
8 a.m. -- Fishing Derby (12 and under)
5K Run / Race
9 a.m. -- Craft and Food Vendors
Townwide Garage Sales
11 a.m. -- Parade
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. -- Cruise In
1:30 to 4:30 p.m. -- Ghostriders perform
4 p.m. -- Horseshoe Tournament
Byron Garden Contest
4 p.m. until sold out -- Chicken BBQ
5 to 7:30 p.m. -- Brick Band
8 to 11 p.m. -- TBA
9:30 p.m. -- Fireworks
Contact Debra Buck Leaton 548-7123 or Donna Bobzin 750-3327
Four Genesee County students were the finalists for Outstanding Scholar Awards in Genesee Community College's Advanced Studies program. The awardees were honored at a ceremony and reception on Wednesday, June 1, in the Stuart Steiner Theatre at the Batavia campus.
Advanced Studies is part of the college's ACE program, or Accelerated College Enrollment, and allows high school students the opportunity to earn college credit from Genesee while attending class within their high school. High school teachers approved as Genesee adjunct faculty teach all Advanced Studies courses. Some of the most enterprising young students earn enough transferable Advanced Studies credit to enter their first year of college as sophomores.
"We're pleased we could make this a special evening for our Advanced Studies students and their families," said Ed Levinstein, associate dean of the ACE program. "The students honored are some of the best and brightest students in our local region."
A total of 21 finalists were selected from 163 nominations in the five subject areas of mathematics, science, social science, foreign language and English. As in years past, a committee of academic professionals from Genesee Community College selected the award winners, listed by subject area and high school:
In addition to the students being honored for their academic achievements, 18 faculty members were honored for having 10 years of service teaching in the ACE program. Listed below are the eight Genesee County teacher honorees and their high schools:
For more information about the Advanced Studies program at Genesee Community College, call 345-6801 or go to <http://www.genesee.edu/ACE.>
Jose Luis Morales, 17, of 10 Strathmore Circle, Apt. D, Rochester, is charged with burglary, 3rd. Jose is accused of entering the United Methodist Church, 27 South Lake St., Bergen, at 7:16 a.m. on Jan. 11 without permission and damaging property and stealing items. A warrant was issued out of Town of Bergen Court for Jose's arrest and he turned himself in. He was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.
Christopher Anthony Pilgrim, 35, of Weston Road, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of controlled substance, 7th, criminal possession of marijuana and speeding. Pilgrim was stopped for allegedly speeding at 1:20 p.m. Wednesday on Route 490 in Bergen by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.
Mark Laney, 31, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Laney is accused of violating an order of protection.
Brian Patrick Ogrady, 46, of Lyman Road, Bergen, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI, driving left of pavement markings, failed to yield right of way at stop sign and operating without insurance. Ogrady was stopped at 6:10 p.m. Wednesday on Route 237, Byron, by Sgt. Greg Walker.
Shawn Richard McGiveron, 22, of Back Street, Pembroke, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment, 2nd. During a domestic incident, McGiveron allegedly obstructed the breathing of a woman and allegedly pushed the woman to the ground. The incident is alleged to have occurred at 11:46 p.m. Wednesday at a residence on Back Street, Pembroke. McGiveron was jailed on $200 bail.
Memorial Day Celebrated in Byron
9:00 AM Plant Sale at Byron Presbyterian Church
11:00 AM Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony
11:00 - 1:30 PM Hot Dogs and more at the Byron Presbyterian Church, vendors also. (free table space available)
11:00 - 1:30 PM Games for children
12:00 PM Chris the magician (courtesy of the Byron-Bergen Public Library)
2:00 PM Duck Race, sponsored by the Byron Town Park Committee
On my way back from Bergen, I found myself at the intersection of Walkers Corner and Batavia-Byron Townline roads.
About a month ago, I was in this same area and noticed this old one-room schoolhouse. This time, I took the time to stop. It looks like some artist has converted it into a studio.
I'm a little envious.
The following local residents were among more than 555 graduate students from Nazareth College who received master's and doctoral degrees during the college's 84th Commencement Exercises held on May 8.
Laura Hungerford, of Bergen, received a BS degree in Nursing.
Sara George, of Byron, received a BS degree in Nursing.
Kristin Glazier, of Byron, received a MSW degree in Social Work.
Kimberly Barber, of Leroy, received a BA degree in History.
Kristine Wolcott, of Oakfield, received a MSE degree in Art Education.
Melissa Cutcliffe, of Pavilion, received a DPT degree in Physical Therapy.
Jessie Janes, of Pavilion, received a BA degree in Sociology.
Riley Carhart, of Stafford, received a BS degree in Accounting.
Sara Churchill, of Stafford, received a MSE degree in Inclusive Education.
Founded in 1924, Nazareth College is located on a close-knit, suburban campus in the dynamic, metropolitan region of Rochester. It offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional programs in health and human services, education, and management.
Millions of Americans wil unite in prayer at thousands of events from coast to coast to observe the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 5th. The theme for this year is "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" and is based on the verse from Psalm 91:2 which states " I will say to the Lord my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.
In 1 Timothy 2:1-6 the Apostle Paul says, "I urge then,first of all, that petitions prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
According to these verses, we are urged to pray for all those in authority. We are to pray so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This pleases God, and when you obey his word, it brings peace into your heart and life. The world in which we live may be in turmoil, but for those in Christ, there is peace, hope, and joy for the future. His word says that we should pray so that all people would come to a saving knowledge of the truth. The truth is that Jesus Christ gave his life as a ransom for all who call on him. He died on the cross for all so that we may be made holy and righteous in his sight.
In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God says, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray , and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Because of these verses in scripture and many more like them, I urge you to join us as we seek God in prayer.
The Batavia Assembly God Church will open its doors from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM. There will be a variety of prayer stations set up where you can join us in focusing on specific areas of prayer. You may also stop by the altar or take up a seat in a pew and pray for your own individual needs. If you need prayer, there will be people available to pray with you.
There will be a bible study with a prayer emphasis on Wednesday night, May 4th starting at 7:00 PM. We invite you to come and help us pray earnestly for our families , our communities , and our churches. Let us pray for our president and all our leaders who govern, that they will humble themselves and seek God's guidance. Everyone is welcome, and we look forward to seeing you there.
God is our mighty fortress in whom we can trust. May we trust him that through our prayers he will move upon our nation to bring healing, peace and his blessing. Let us pray that through our prayers people will come to know him and turn to him.
Sege D. Kalmbacher, 35, of 6666 Byron Holley Road, Byron, is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd. Kalmbacher is accused of stealing two personal checks from the home of a friend and then forging the checks in the amounts of $350 and $300. Kalmbacher allegedly deposited funds, on March 13 and March 16, from the forged checks into his personal account. Kalmbacher was also arrested in late March for allegedly forging prescription drug forms.
Matthew J. Butler, 23, of Clifton Street, Manchester, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th and criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument. After witnesses reported that a green four-door car was driving erratically and failing to maintain its lane, deputies responded responded to Route 63 in Batavia and initiated a traffic stop on a 1999 Honda Accord at 7:13 p.m., Thursday. Butler was identified as the driver. Butler was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, failure to keep right and driving left of pavement markings. The case was investigated by Sgt. Greg Walker with assistance from Deputy Matthew Butler and Deputy Joseph Graff.
A driver who allegedly fled the scene of an accident Wednesday night has been charged with felony DWI.
Two people were hospitalized as a result of the accident at 9:19 p.m. in the area of 6312 Townline Road, Byron.
Taken into custody after reportedly being located at the Byron Hotel was Chester Llewellyn Sherman, 52, of East Lee Road, Holley.
Injured in the accident were Mark J. Puma, 40, and Carlos M. Chavez, 29. Both were taken by Mercy EMS to UMMC. Puma lives on Creamery Road in Bergen. Chavez's residence was not contained in the accident report.
Besides the DWI charge, Sherman was charged with a felony count of driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and following too closely.
Sherman was driving a 1998 Chevy pickup eastbound when he reportedly rear-ended a 1999 Chevy sedan driven by Puma. Puma had just backed onto the roadway and was headed east when his car was struck by Sherman's. Puma's car was forced off the roadway into a mailbox and then the car hit the front porch of a residence.
The accident was investigated by Deputy Joseph Graff.
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