byron

Driving down Route 262 in Byron this morning, I spotted this old, snow-covered truck, in a yard off the roadway.

Press release:

If you are someone who is civic-minded, independent, ambitious, enjoy exploring creative solutions to problems, and want to make an impact in your community, we want to talk to you about running for local office.

If you are interested in getting involved politically in any capacity, please reach out to us at geneseenydemocrats@gmail.com or www.geneseedemocrats.net

The following local elected offices will be voted on this November.

• Genesee County -- Sheriff, Treasurer, Family Court Judge, Coroner -- two positions

• City of Batavia -- one City Council at Large -- unexpired term

• Town of Alabama -- one Town Council -- unexpired term

• Town of Alexander -- one Town Clerk -- unexpired term

• Town of Batavia -- one Town Justice

• Town of Bergen -- one Town Justice

• Town of Byron -- one Town Justice

• Town of Elba -- one Town Justice, one Town Council -- unexpired term

• Town of Le Roy -- one Town Council -- unexpired term

• Town of Oakfield -- Town Justice, one Town Supervisor -- unexpired term, 1 Town Council- unexpired term

• Town of Pavilion -- Highway Superintendent -- unexpired term

Jeff Starowitz was named Member of the Year by the South Byron Volunteer Fire Department during an awards and installation dinner Friday night at the South Byron Recreation Hall.

Jennie Starowitz was honored for her 65 years of service to the South Byron department. Pictured in the front row are: Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Theresa Hammer, Bob Fite, Jennie Starowitz and Jeff Starowitz.

Lt. Vito Muoio was named Firefighter of the Year. Chief Brian Hickey, Muoio, and President Dean Bates.

Allie Gurgel completed the most training hours -- while also being a new mother -- in 2019.

Capt. Any Konieczny made it to the scene of the most calls in 2019.

Administrative officers for 2020: Dean Bates, president; Reggie Macdonald, vice president; Theresa Hammer, secretary; Alfred Klycek, treasurer; Bob Fite, membership chair; Al Secash, is Bell Jar chair; Rev. Harold Coller, chaplain.

Firematic officers for 2020: Brian Hickey, chief; Jim McKenzie, deputy chief; Jacob Yasses, asst. chief; Andy Konieczny, captain; Vito Muoio, 1st lieutenant; Jeff Starowitz, 2nd lieutenant; Chase Cone, engineer; Matt Dougherty, fire police captain; Aaron Belluscio, fire police sergeant; and Allie Gurgel, fire police corporal.

Video: Members of the South Byron Volunteer Fire Department reflect on being a volunteer firefighter.

Last night somebody said to me, "I always say, 'If you want to know what's going on, read the paper. If you want to know what's going on now, read The Batavian." Help us keep bringing you the local news coverage you love most.  Become a patron. Click the support button below.

A telephone pole fell onto a house at 6281 Walker Corners Road in Byron. No word on injuries. Byron and South Byron fire departments are responding. "Residents are trapped," says a dispatcher. A Sheriff's deputy is heading there to check on residents.

Multiple power, phone and cable lines and signs and trees are down countywide and multiple alarms for fire and burglary have been called in due to strong winds during the early morning hours. Emergency responders have been very busy.

According to the National Weather Service, a powerful winter storm with snow, ice, heavy rain, severe thunderstorms and flash flooding hit much of the eastern United States Saturday and is expected to wind down today. Gusty winds are anticipated behind the storm which is why wind advisories are issued across a large portion of the eastern United States, including Genesee County.

UPDATE 6:47: "Sounds like (Byron and South Byron) fire's all set. Where do you want me to go next?" the deputy asks.

A one-vehicle rollover accident with unknown injuries is reported at 6557 Townline Road in Byron. Byron and South Byron fire departments and Mercy medics are responding. The location is between Ivison and Swamp roads.

Statement from David Bertola, spokesman for National Grid in WNY, about yesterday's power outage:

A faulty piece of equipment that caused a Le Roy area substation to fail yesterday at around 9:08 a.m.
As a result, around 5,500 customers lost power. Around 5,000 of those customers had power restored by 2 p.m.

The remaining were restored by around midnight.

Jeremy M. Fairbanks, 41, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree strangulation. Fairbanks was arrested following an investigation into a domestic dispute that occurred at 10:15 a.m. on Dec. 13 on Jackson Street in Batavia. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court at 3:03 p.m. on Dec. 18 and jailed without bail. He was due to return to court on Dec. 19. The case was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan.

Edward G. Ruckdeschel, 57, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with: unauthorized use of a vehicle in the second degree; grand larceny in the fourth degree; and criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree. Ruckdeschel was arrested following an investigation into a stolen vehicle complaint made at 4:47 a.m. on Dec. 7. It is alleged that the defendant stole a vehicle from a parking lot of a business in the city. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 17 and jailed without bail. He will return to court at a later date (unspecified). The case was investigated by Batavia Police Sgt. Matthew Lutey, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

David Michael Martin, 59, of Scott Crescent Drive, Scottsville, is charged with third-degree grand larceny. At 4:10 p.m. on Dec. 22, Martin was arrested following an investigation into a larceny complaint (unspecified). Martin was arraigned in Batavia City Court at 7:30 p.m. the same day, then released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court on Jan. 6. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jared Swimline.

Matthew Jacob Reid, 25, of Main Street, Warsaw, is charged with: driving while ability impaired by drugs; and unable to maintain lane. Reid was arrested following an investigation of a possible medical complaint reported at 12:27 a.m. on Oct. 12 on March Road in Bethany. He was released on appearance tickets and is due in Bethany Town Court on Jan. 7. The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack.

Jamie Valerie Hart, 21, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operation in the third degree; unlawful possession of marijuana; and speed exceeding 55 mph. On Dec. 21 at 3:57 p.m. Hart was arrested on Clinton Street Road in Byron. The defendant was released on appearance tickets and is due in Byron Town Court on Jan. 13. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy David Moore.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is $10,000 closer to its $50,000 fundraising goal for a second K-9 and handler to work alongside "Frankie" and Deputy Chris Erion after receiving a donation yesterday from NextEra Energy.

And the K-9 fund is getting pretty close to that $50,000 goal, said Sheriff William Sheron, thanks to generous community support.

NextEra is planning a 1,500- to 2,000-acre, 280-megawatt solar energy project in the Town of Byron.

Barbie Starowitz, Star Farms, one of the farms that will lease land to NextEra, helped arrange the donation.

Adding a new K-9 is expensive but the Sheriff's Office has long sought community donations to support the K-9 program rather than relying on taxpayer funds. Costs include purchasing the dog, training, and outfitting a car properly for a K-9 patrol.

“We strive to be a good community partner and are thrilled to have the opportunity to sponsor the county’s newest K-9,” said Keddy Chandran, project director for NextEra Energy Resources. “At NextEra Energy Resources, we believe in building strong partnerships and supporting the communities we serve with initiatives like this.

"We are honored to be part of the Genesee County community and look forward to continuing to work in partnership to develop the Excelsior Solar Energy Center which will bring significant economic benefits to the region, including good-paying jobs and increased revenue.”

Photo: Barbie Starowitz, Keddy Chandran, Deputy Chris Erion, "Frankie," Sheriff William Sheron, and Undersheriff Brad Mazur.

Photos and story by Pat Iamon, Byron Fire Department.

OXBO International of Byron stepped up to help the Town of Byron help others! The Byron Rescue Squad ambulance was showing its age. At 12 years old it was in dire need of some care.

“Our rescue squad has many dedicated members; we have, in this time of closing ambulance services, expanded ours," said EMT Captain Brad Nickerson. "Our team consists of some Advanced EMTs along with EMTs and regular firemen who happily pitch in when needed.

"Our team has dedicated over 1,000-man hours of their personal time answering calls, plus hundreds of hours in trainings to keep their skills current when every minute counts!”

Although the Byron Fire Department pays for the squad’s insurance, lodging and fuel which helps greatly; the squad runs on donations to keep up on education, supplies and maintenance. That maintenance is the costing the department more and more each year due to the aging of the ambulance.

“Our annual fund drive covers the bills only, but saving to replace our rig with donations seems unreachable, so for now we are just trying to keep it going,” Nickerson said.

This is where OXBO, Byron’s local industry, stepped in.

The running boards on the rig were hanging on by a thread; they were unsafe. Also, the back bumpers were in rough shape, one was being held in place with a bungee cord!

EMT Laura Platt thought she would ask her husband, Doug, who works at OXBO to ask his boss, Chris Chadborn, if OXBO could help. Chadborn did not hesitate, he said.

“Bring it down!” Assistant Chief John Durand and Platt drove the rig the couple miles to OXBO and a team immediately came out to access it.

The team determined that they could make new running boards and steps using the old ones as patterns.

Not wanting to keep the rig out of service, Steve Lockner, another Byron firefighter, along with Durand removed the parts and Platt’s husband took them to OXBO on his next work day.

When Platt asked Chadborn about the cost of replacing those parts, he said, "One hand washes the other."

“Our ambulance looked a little rough as we continued to answer calls while the parts were in the process of being replaced by OXBO,” Platt said. “But it wasn’t long before my husband, Doug, came home from work with the new shiny black running boards and bumpers.”

Both Lockner and Durand installed the new parts immediately.

“Our rig was safe once again, and how great it looks with the new parts made to perfection!” Platt said. “This Holiday Season the Byron Rescue Squad is very thankful to OXBO International for the gift of their expertise in metal works, which has allowed us to continue helping our little community.

"Next year’s wish is to somehow secure funding to start the process of replacing our 12-year-old ambulance. A new ambulance would cost $200,000 to $300,000, not including the equipment. A new ambulance would give our dedicated and willing volunteers even more ways to come to the aid of our community.”

Katty L. Jackson, 23, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with: second-degree harassment; fourth-degree criminal mischief; second-degree strangulation; and unlawful imprisonment in the second degree. Jackson was arrested at 10:15 p.m. on Dec. 7 on East Main Street, Batavia, following an investigation into a physical domestic incident. She was arrested and arraigned in Batavia City Court and put in jail. No bail specified. She was due to return to city court Dec. 9. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissigner, assisted by Officer Lindsay Christopher.

Nicole R. Griffin, 37, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact. She was arrested at 5:47 p.m. on Dec. 14 following a physical altercation inside Walmart in Batavia. Griffin was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia Town Court on Dec. 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Joshua Girvin, assisted by Officer Miah Stevens.

Bleyke Z. Culver, 23, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. Culver was arrested at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 10 on Walnut Steet after allegedly threatening to subject a person to unwanted physical contact during a domestic incident. Culver was issued a computer-generated appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Dec. 24. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Flanagan, assisted by Officer Stephen Quider.

Michelle L. Sahr, 52, of North Main Street, Albion, is charged with second-degree harassment. Sahr was arrested at 8:48 p.m. Dec. 8 on Prospect Avenue in Batavia after allegedly showing up repeatedly at a residence and being told each time she needed to leave. Sahr was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Dec. 17. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Joshua Girvin, assisted by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Thomas James Noce, 26, of North Lansing Circle, Rochester, is charged with: aggravated driving while intoxicated -- a BAC of .18 or more; DWI; reckless driving; failure to stop at stop sign; and operating a motor vehicle while using a portable electronic device. Noce was arrested on Dec. 16 on Clinton Street Road in Bergen at 10:50 p.m. on Dec. 16 following the investigation of a motor-vehicle accident. He was issued appearance tickets and released and is due in Bergen Town Court on Jan. 8. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack, assisted by Deputy Ryan Young.

Matthew G. Vandyne, 57, of Purdy Road, Canandaigua, is charged with: driving while intoxicated -- second offense; DWI with a BAC of .08 percent or more, with a prior conviction; and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Vandyne was arrested at 1:06 a.m. on Route 237 in Byron following an investigation. He is due in Byron Town Court on Jan. 6. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Nicholas Chamoun.

Linda Marie Doucette, 54, of Lake Road, Brockport, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; DWI -- with a BAC of .08 percent or more; and moving from lane unsafely. Doucette was arrest following an investigation of a motor-vehicle accident at 7:38 p.m. on Dec. 13 on Reuben Road on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. She was issued appearance tickets for Dec. 23 in Alabama Town Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor, assisted by Sgt. Michael Lute.

Baillie Marie Schwab, 20, of Maxim Road, Attica, is charged with: driving while intoxicated -- a BAC of .18 percent or more; DWI; and open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Schwab was arrested at 5:07 a.m. on Railroad Avenue in Alexander following a complaint of a female slumped over the wheel in a vehicle in the middle of the roadway in Alexander. She was released on appearance tickets and is due in Alexander Town Court on Dec. 17. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack.

Todd J. Pangrazio, 43, of Annamarie Terrace, Cheektowaga, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree and passing a red light. At 5:59 p.m. on Dec. 15, Pangrazio was allegedly observed passing a steady red light at the intersection of Main and Court streets in the City of Batavia. A traffic stop was conducted. It was determined that Pangrazio possessed a suspended NY non-driver ID with 10 or more scoffs on 10 or more dates. He was issued an appearance ticket and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court on Dec. 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissinger, assisted by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Eric J. McGill, 36, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with trespass. He was arrested at 5:37 p.m. on Dec. 14 in Walmart in Batavia after entering the business, from which he was previously banned. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia Town Court on Dec. 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Joshua Girvin, assisted by Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Vincent A. Sanfratello, 53, of Liberty Street, Batavia, was arrested on Dec. 10 on a bench warrant out of Batavia City Court. He was processed and arraigned in city court and is due back in court on Jan. 28. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins.

A car has struck a poll at Byron Road and Byron Elba Road, Byron.

Unknown injuries. Traffic is not blocked.

UPDATE 8:15 a.m.: Traffic control is being set up to reduce travel flow to one lane.

UPDATE 8:16 a.m.: A response by Mercy EMS has been canceled.

UPDATE 8:18 a.m.: No serious damage to the pole. It's still standing.

Poster above created by Grand Prize winner Zoey Shepard, a ninth-grader at Byron-Bergen Central School.

The Genesee County STOP-DWI Advisory Board announces the students and law enforcement officers who will be honored Thursday, Nov. 21 at its annual awards luncheon.

In September, the board invited local sixth- through 12th-grade students to submit a poster design that reflects the dangers of drinking and driving. The designs were to focus on the affects drinking and driving have on an individual, their family and the community.

The theme for the 2019 contest was: "Drinking and Driving is a gamble that you just can’t win.”

The sixth- through eighth-grade winners are:

• First Place -- Ciara Trigilio, seventh grade, Byron-Bergen Central School
• Second Place -- Jackson Lundfelt, seventh grade, Byron-Bergen Central School
• Third Place -- Oscar Staba, eighth grade, Alexander Central School

​The ninth- through 12th-grade winners are:

• First Place (tie) -- Brooke Jarkiewicz & Grace Shepard, 10th-graders at Byron-Bergen Central School
• Second Place -- Taylor Hutton, 10th grade, Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School
• Third Place -- Shannon Campbell, 10th grade, Pavilion Central School

The computer-generated art winner is Jade Wolff, seventh grade, Byron-Bergen Central School.

The Grand Prize winner is Zoey Shepard, ninth grade, Byron-Bergen Central School.

The Top Cop award will be given to Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen and Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor.

The luncheon will be held at Terry Hills Restaurant & Banquet Facility in Batavia.

Below is how the billboard incorporating Zoey's poster will appear:

Top seed Byron–Bergen Bees faced the number two Le Roy Knights in Section V Class C Girls Volleyball Championship in Avon Friday night.

In the first match, Le Roy seemed to dominate and was threatening to upset the perennial favorite Bees. As the match ended, with the teams swapping the lead with every position, the Bees came out on top.  

In the second match, the Bees controlled the Knights and led the entire match for a Bees' win.

In the third march, the Knights rallied back and won. 

The fourth Match was all Bees. They went to work and easily finished off the Knights to win the series. 

Byron–Bergen won 3 to1 for the sectional championship.  

Congratulations to both teams for terrific winning seasons. 

The Batavian's coverage of sectional play is authorized by Section V Athletics.