corfu

A chimney fire is reported at 2286 Walker Road, Alexander. The location is between Smithley and Hickox roads.

Alexander, Darien and Corfu fire departments are responding, along with Mercy medic #3.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) approved incentives for two projects that would result in $1.3 million in capital investment, the creation of 10 new jobs and retention of 29 jobs at its March 29th board meeting.

The GCEDC also accepted an application for assistance that would result in a capital investment of approximately $800,000 that would create six new jobs and retain 14 jobs.

Genesee Lumber Company was approved to receive approximately $57,000 in sales and mortgage tax exemptions. The company plans to demolish an existing structure to make way for a new 7,158-square-foot warehouse in the City of Batavia.

The new warehouse will store lumber and other building products to better serve customers in Genesee County and surrounding regions.

Genesee Lumber will make a $300,000 capital investment creating three new jobs and retaining 29 jobs. The project in turn will contribute to the Batavia to Prosperity (B2P) and Reinvestment Fund.

Town Center Plaza LLC was approved for approximately $77,000 in sales, property and mortgage tax exemptions in order to build a new grocery store in the Village of Corfu on a site that was a former grocery store that has been closed for several years. The new 20,000-square-foot facility is a $1 million investment that will create seven new jobs.

While the grocery store is a retail project, it qualified for financial incentives because the store will be located adjacent to a highly distressed census tract. Both the Village of Corfu and Town of Pembroke passed resolutions supporting the project.

The GCEDC board also voted to accept an application from Xylem (formerly Godwin Pumps). The company is proposing to expand its existing facility of 18,282 to 26,382 square feet. The expansion would result in a capital investment of approximately $800,000.

Total incentives being sought are approximately $100,000 and as such would require a public hearing. Xylem is planning to consolidate Rochester operations into Batavia as well. It is estimated that for every one dollar of public benefit, that Xylem will invest $63.80 into the local economy.

“These projects are the foundation for our local economy and just some of the many local business success stories across Genesee County,” said Chris Suozzi, vice president of Business Development, GCEDC.

Kyle Carretto, of Corfu, is in the back row, third from the right.

Submitted photo and press release:

A team of Rochester Institute of Technology students, including Kyle Carretto, of Corfu, took second place at the annual Northeast Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition held March 16-18 in New Hampshire.

University at Buffalo took first at the 2018 regional competition. RIT placed second and Northeastern University placed third.

The annual event is part of the nation's largest college-level cyber defense competition, an extracurricular event that helps to train the next generation of cybersecurity experts. The competition gives student teams the opportunity to assume responsibility for the information technology operations of a simulated organization, allowing them to apply cyber defense skills in a real-world scenario.

For the competition, a group of industry professionals from government and companies-called the red team-is assigned to break into computer networks to exploit information from a mock company. Teams of students are "hired" by the company to prevent that information theft from occurring.

In this year's scenario, teams were brought into a fictitious security company called "Wild Eagle" and were expected to secure the network after members of their previous team left the company. Students had the opportunity to test their skills securing and defending widely deployed technologies, including Windows and Linux servers and workstations, next-generation firewalls, and cloud services.

Teams were scored on their ability to detect and respond to outside threats, maintain existing services, respond to business requests such as the addition or removal of services and balance security needs with business needs.

Rochester Institute of Technology is home to leading creators, entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers. Founded in 1829, RIT enrolls about 19,000 students in more than 200 career-oriented and professional programs, making it among the largest private universities in the U.S.

The university is internationally recognized and ranked for academic leadership in business, computing, engineering, imaging science, liberal arts, sustainability, and fine and applied arts. RIT also offers unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation. Global partnerships include campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai and Kosovo.

David T. Neauaus, 31, of Fisher Park, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged obstruction of governmental administration, 2nd, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal trespass. He was jailed on $5,000 bail. He was also arrested on charges of assault, 3rd, and unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle. The alleged incidents occurred March 10. Bail on these charges was set at $10,000.

Rebecca V. Flanagan, 41, of Sliker Hill Road, Conesus, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Flanagan was stopped at 4:48 p.m. Wednesday on Ellicott Street, Batavia, by Officer Cowen Mitchell.

Elliot Lee Lyons, 27, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief. Lyons was charged after surveillance video revealed he allegedly damaged a wall inside a residential facility on State Street.

Paula G. Pierce, 26, of Lewis Place, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to comply with a court-ordered program as part of a previous sentence on a criminal conviction. Pierce was released on her own recognizance.

Katty L. Jackson, 22, of Summer Street, Buffalo, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Jackson was arrested after police were dispatched to Central Avenue, Batavia, at 8:21 p.m. Tuesday to investigate an incident and located Jackson, who was allegedly violating an order of protection.

Johnny Dinh, 40, of Clinton Street, Batavia, is charged with forcible touching. Dinh is accused of touching another person inappropriately without consent or invitation at a location on Clinton Street Road, Batavia, on Feb. 28.

Brett Nelson Magoffin, 42, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Magoffin was arrested following an investigation at 11:16 p.m. Thursday into a physical altercation at a location on Simonds Road, Darien, by Deputy Andrew Mullen and Deputy Ryan Young.

Jonathan Christopher Elleman, 26, of Exchange Street, Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and driver's view obstructed. At 2:40 a.m., dispatchers received a report of an erratic driver in the Town of Darien. Deputies Ryan Young and Eric Meyer responded and located a vehicle matching the description of the one reported by a caller parked on the side of Sharrick Road. Upon further investigation, Elleman was charged.

Lou Ann Lindsley, 62, of Medina, is charged with DWI and refusal to take breath test. Lindsley was stopped at 8:50 p.m. Sunday on Route 77, Alabama, by State Police.

Jacob J. Szumigala, 24, of Oakfield, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Szumigala was stopped at 2:52 a.m. Sunday on Lockport Road, Alabama, by State Police.

It's Maple Weekend this weekend and next weekend with open houses at:

• Randall's Maple Products, located at 10307 Smithley Road in Alexander;
• Sweet Dream Maple Farm, located at 1116 Reynolds Road in Corfu.

The open houses run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow and next Saturday and Sunday.

Sweet Time Farms, at 5680 Webster Road, Wyoming, is also hosting an open house this weekend.

Above, Matthew Stein, at Sweet Dream Maple Farm, explains during a tour how trees are tapped.

Al Stein at Sweet Dream Maple Farm with an evaporator.

Eric Randall at Randall's Maple Products.

Otto, a German Shorthair Pointer, doesn't like the cold, but he may be out there somewhere or holed up in a nice cozy home if somebody had taken him in, but his owner, Katie Grant, is devastated that he's missing.

He was last seen in the area of Genesee Street near Ellenwood Road in Corfu.

He has an orange collar.

Katie can be reached at 585 297 0721 or 716 939 0330

She said he will seek out people and try to get inside homes to escape the cold.

"Bring my baby home," she said. "He's never been lost before."

UPDATE March 19: Reader Rick Hensel informs all that the dog is home safe and sound.

Information provided by the Western New York Maple Producers Association.

This weekend and next weekend (March 17-18 & 24-25) is Maple Weekend as the sweet tradition continues. Two of the many maple producers in the region are in Genesee County and will be participating from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. They are:

• Randall's Maple Products, located at 10307 Smithley Road in Alexander;
• Sweet Dream Maple Farm, located at 1116 Reynolds Road in Corfu.

According to the Maple Producers Association, maple syrup has become a powerhouse crop for New York State farmers. In the last decade, production of syrup has tripled, while the crop value has quadrupled.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, NY Maple Producers manufactured 760,000 gallons of maple syrup last year, the highest production rate ever. It's an increase of 7.5 percent from the previous year.

The 2016 crop in New York was valued at $31.3 million, with an estimated economic impact of almost $141 million. The value for the 2017 crop will be released in June.

There's plenty of room to expand production because the U.S. Forestry Service data shows that more tappable maple trees are in New York than any other state in America.

The 22nd annual Maple Weekend is family friendly and free to the public. Take a tour and learn about tree tapping and boiling, see displays and best of all -- taste some of America's greatest maple syrup.

A complete list of participating sugarhouses, site maps and more information about Maple Weekend can be found here.

How Sap Becomes Syrup

Syrup is produced as the sugar maple holds starches in storage during the winter, which change to sugars as spring approaches. These sugars are released into the tree sap.

When a tree is tapped, a clear liquid runs out. When that liquid is boiled down, approximately 44 gallons of the sap produces a gallon of maple syrup.

Techniques vary from producer to producer -- some use state-of-the-art methods while others are traditionalists.

During Maple Weekend, many maple producers also offer additional activities including horse and wagon rides, snowshoeing, guided walks in the woods and kids' corners. And across Western New York, all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts will abound over the next two consecutive weekends.

Did You Know?

Also, there's more to maple syrup than its delicious taste. University of Rhode Island researchers recently found 20 compounds in maple syrup that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which have been shown to help fight cancer, diabetes and bacterial illnesses. Other established health benefits of pure maple syrup include its calcium and potassium content -- a quarter cup of maple syrup has more calcium that the same amount of milk and more potassium than a banana.

New York is the second-largest maple producing state in the nation, with 2.65 million taps, producing 760,000 gallons of syrup, and accounting for 18 percent of the maple syrup in the United States in 2017.

Besides pure maple syrup, products that contain maple syrup include: maple cream, maple sugar, maple candy, maple jelly, maple mustard, maple tea, maple coffee, maple cotton candy, maple oatmeal bread, maple apple butter, maple walnut fudge, maple suckers and maple butter.

Amy M. Page, 32, of North Road, Scottsville, is charged with felony DWI and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Page was stopped by Le Roy PD on March 4 after a caller, who followed a vehicle on Route 5 from Stafford, reported a vehicle almost hit two vehicles, drove in the wrong lane and went off the road numerous times. Page is accused of driving with a BAC of .18 or greater with three children in the vehicle. She was jailed on $2,500 bail and issued a full stay away order of protection for the children.

Jeffrey Ellinwood, 58, of East Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI and other traffic offenses. Ellinwood was stopped Feb. 26 in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD. He is accused of driving with BAC of .18 or greater.

Danielle Derenzo, 53, of Hartshorn Road, Corfu, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, suspended registration, and driving without insurance. Derenzo was stopped Feb. 27 in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD.

Chad Giesler, 34, of Barks Road, Caledonia, is charged with DWI, and other traffic offenses. Giesler was stopped March 1 in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD.

Phoenix Webb, 18, of County Route 37, Central Square, is charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of marijuana, 4th. During a traffic stop in the the Village of Le Roy on March 3 a police officer smelled the odor of burnt marijuana. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, Webb was found in possession of more than two ounces of marijuana. He was jailed on $500 bail.

Felix Cabreralopez, 65, of Emerson Street, Rochester, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, and uninspected vehicle. Cabreralopez was stopped at 8:51 p.m. Tuesday on South Lake Avenue, Bergen, by Deputy James Stack. He allegedly had his privileges revoked or suspended 10 times on 10 different dates. He was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Danielle Renee Tooley, 33, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with bail jumping, 3rd. Tooley is accused of missing a scheduled court appearance.

Jacqueline M. Saeli, 52, of North Lake Road, Corfu, is charged with two counts of third-degree arson and one count of second-degree criminal mischief. Saeli is accused of starting a fire at 5:33 a.m. Jan. 6 at 8455 North Lake Road, Pembroke. The fire destroyed a shed and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Investigators say the shed and motorcycle were the property of her ex-boyfriend. The incident was investigated by Deputy Ryan Young, Investigator Christopher Parker, with assistance from the Pembroke Volunteer Fire Department and the Emergency Management Office. Saeli was arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Darcia Marie Golda, 46, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with third-degree grand larceny. Golda is accused of stealing more than $31,000 from her employer, Rite Aid, at 4155 W. Main St., Batavia, between October 2016 and September 2017.

David Allen Gurgir, 56, of Hulberton Road, Holley, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, 4th, and four counts of conspiracy, 5th. Gurgir is accused of working with two accomplices to purchase a truck and complete all of the associated paperwork under false pretenses.

Daniel L. Schmiegel, 32, of Basom, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd. Schmiegel is accused of possession of an assault rifle and an ammo clip. Schmiegel was arrested by State Police. No further details released.

Maurice G. Leach, 41, of Batavia, is charged with resisting arrest, unlawful possession of marijuana, endangering the welfare of a child, fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, 3rd, aggravated unlicensed operation, using a vehicle without an interlock device, reckless driving. Leach was arrested by State Police in relation to an incident reported at 8:42 p.m. Thursday. No further details released.

Brandi Ann Watts, 37, of Indian Falls Road, Corfu, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, inadequate stop lamp, and possession of an open container in a motor vehicle. Watts was stopped at 2:42 p.m. Sunday on Washington Avenue, Batavia, by Deputy Richard Schildwaster.

Timothy Jon Montesano, 30, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, unlawful possession of marijuana, muffler violation, and failure to stop for stop sign. Montesano was stopped at 10:28 p.m. Thursday on Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Andrew Mullen.

Matthew Ian Thomas Diers, 34, of West Main Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear in City Court.

David P. Grossman Sr., 34, of State Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear in City Court. He was jailed on an unspecified amount of bail.

Brad Lee Ohlson, 40, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd. Ohlson allegedly drove to Genesee County probation on a revoked license.

Kirk Anthony Breemes, 29, of Main Street Road, Le Roy, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Breemes allegedly shook a woman causing fear in violation of a court order.

Brandi Elizabeth Schmiedicker, 24, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with DWI, speed not reasonable and prudent, moving from lane unsafely. Schmiedicker was charged following an investigation into a motor-vehicle accident by Deputy Mathew Clor that was reported at 1:14 a.m. today on Genesee Street, Darien.

Corfu Volunteer Fire Department held it's annual awards and installation dinner on Saturday night.

Bernie Fix, top photo, received the Firefighter of the Year Award from Chief Brian Schollard.

The firematic officers for 2018 are: Brian Schollard, chief; Greg Lang, deputy chief; Brian McMartin, 2nd assistant chief; Dean Eck, senior captain; captains Ben Trapani, Mitch Bates, and Dan Smith; Dan Smith; fire police captian, Matt Lenard; fire police lieutenant; lieutenants, Glenn Eck, Steve Rodland, and Tyler Lang; Dean Eck, safety officer.

Executive officers are: Steve Rodland, president; Tyler Lang, VP; Paula Trapani, secretary; Jen Eck, treasurer; Allan Starkweather, sargeant at arms; Brad Lang, chaplain; and trustees, Bernie Fix, Justin Rodland, and Ed Fauth.

EMTs, Kristen Gaik, LoriAnn Santini, Karen Lang and Cathy Skeet. 

Corfu Fire District officers: Bruce Fauth, chairman; Jim Mallory, deputy chairman; Jenny McMartin-Eck, commssioner; Jim Hale, commissioner; Paula Trapani, secretary; and Michelle Sformo, treasurer. 

Paula Trapani received the Service Person of the Year Award from President Steve Rodland.

Linda Tucker was honored for 45 years of service.

Kristen Gaik put in more than 300 hours of training.

Ed Fauth was recognized for responding to the most calls.

Bruce Fauth was recognized for his effort to help the department secure a federal grant.

The impetus behind the update is the addition of a K-9 officer to the Corfu force.

Sheriff William Sheron told the Public Safety Committee yesterday that an additional K-9 officer is a good resource for the county.

Officer Anthony Bartucca joined the Corfu PD after his prior department in Lyons was disbanded when the village was dissolved. He came with two dogs; one who specializes in drugs and tracking and another who specializes in explosives. Because he was already trained and had two dogs there was no additional cost to the Village of Corfu to hire him as another part-time officer on the force.

"(The updated agreement) is more for them to respond out in our jurisdiction than for us to respond to Corfu, since we already have jurisdiction throughout the county," Sheron told the committee.

Genesee County has become well covered by K-9s in recent years. Besides Deputy Chris Erion and "Destro" with the Sheriff's Office, DEC and State Police K-9 officers are regularly in Genesee County.

That's a great capability to have locally, Sheron said.

"In today's day and age when you're dealing with narcotic detection, tracking, explosives, you know, explosives is a very unfortunate thing these days, so I think we’re not overly staffed with K-9s by any means," Sheron said.

The addition of Bartucca with "King" and "Rocco" will also help reduce response times when Erion isn't available.

"I don’t want to rely on just Monroe or Erie County to bring out a K-9," Sheron said. "If we can have one local when time is critical, that’s the best you can do."