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Darien

Law and Order: Complaint of excessive marijuana smoke leads to arrest

By Howard B. Owens

Jerard L. Wilson, 18, of Roycroft Drive, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Wilson was charged following a complaint of excessive marijuana smoke coming from a vehicle in the parking lot of 337 Bank St., Batavia.

A 17-year-old resident of Shanley Street, Cheektowaga, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, inadequate exhaust, uninspected motor vehicle and unlicensed operator. The youth was stopped at 1:43 a.m. Saturday on Route 77, Darien, by Deputy Eric Meyer. Also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana was Megan Lynn Murby, 18, of Aurora Street, Lancaster.

Shawn P. Burns, 38, of Oak Orchard Street, Albion, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Burns was charged after police responded to a disturbance complaint at 12:17 a.m., Nov. 10 at 301 North St. Burns is accused of having driven to that location while intoxicated. The incident was investigated by Officer Nicole Salamone.

Reginald C. Sampson, 50, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny, 4th. Sampson allegedly stole a purse containing credit cards.

Brian J. Miller, 35, of Ellicott Street Road, Bethany, is charged with assault, 3rd, unlawful imprisonment and criminal obstruction of breathing. Miller was arrested following an investigation into an incident reported at 1 a.m. Saturday on Edward Street, Batavia.

Jordan R. Bradley, 23, of Colby Road, Corfu, is charged with petit larceny. Jordan is accused of shoplifting from Tops. Bradley was held on an alleged parole violation.

Bernard Thomas, 57, of Whitney Avenue, Pittsburgh, is charged with sex offender failure to report an address change. Thomas, a Level One sex offender, reportedly moved to Pittsburgh without notifying officials of his address change within 10 days. After speaking with investigators, he returned to Batavia and was charged. He was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Brandon D. Delelys, 18, of Hartshorn Road, Corfu, is charged with burglary, 2nd, conspiracy, 4th, and petit larceny. Delelys is accused of committing a burglary on Hutchins Street in August. He was released under supervision of Genesee Justice. Also charged was Michael E. Welchman, 21, of West Main Street, Batavia.

Patricia A. Sand, 59, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny, 4th, and conspiracy, 5th. Also charged, Michael R. Ostrander. Sand and Ostrander are accused of stealing a wallet while at Aldi's. Sand was issued an appearance ticket. Ostrander was jailed without bail.

Cheryl M. Lyons, 51, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with menacing, 1st, criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, and criminal contempt, 1st.

Fawn Lynn Marie Kaczmarek, 28, of Thorpe Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Kaczmarek allegedly stole the tip cup of a waitress at Batavia Downs.

Williams T. Gibbs, 61, of West Main Street, Corfu, was arrested on a a warrant for alleged failure to appear. Gibbs allegedly failed to appear in City Court on traffic tickets. 

Kenneth W. Cook III, of Galloway Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Cook allegedly violated an order of protection.

Jacklyn M. Ganzhorn, 29, of Central Avenue, Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. Ganzhorn was located by a Sheriff's deputy and transported to Batavia PD. He was jailed on $1,000 bail or $2,000 bond.

Pole struck by vehicle on Route 20, Darien

By Howard B. Owens

There are no injuries in an accident in the area of 2276 Broadway Road, but the vehicle struck a utility pole and the utility pole snapped in half.

Darien fire is dispatched.

UPDATE 2:09 p.m.: Alexander fire requested to Route 20 and Alexander Darien Townline Road to shut down westbound traffic.

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Car and deer accident reported on Kelsey Road, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A car has struck a deer on Kelsey Road near Harloff in Batavia.

There was airbag deployment and the woman passenger is pregnant.

A Mercy EMS ambulance is requested to the scene for evaluation.

A minor injury is reported.

Batavia fire responding.

Drug Task Force announces three arrests in Batavia, Darien and Pembroke

By Howard B. Owens
    Dawn Piasta
    Jessica Reddy
    Michael Saeli

Dawn M. Piasta, 61, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd. Piasta was arrested on a sealed indictment. She is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force while in the City of Batavia. She was held on the warrant pending arraignment in Genesee County Court.

Jessica R. Reddy, 24, of McVean Road, Darien, is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd. Reddy is accused of selling hydrocodone to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force while in the Town of Pembroke and in the Town of Alexander. Reddy was held pending arraignment in Genesee County Court.

Michael A. Saeli, 47, of Scribner Road, Pembroke, is charged with criminal possession of marijuana, 3rd, and unlawful growing of cannabis. Saeli is accused of having 87 marijuana plants growing on his property with an aggregate weight of more than eight ounces. He was issued an appearance ticket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darien Lake team to remain if sale of park goes through

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

 CNL Lifestyle Properties has entered into a purchase and sale agreement with Kansas City-based EPR Properties for the sale of its portfolio of water parks and amusement parks. 

Kieran Burke, CEO of Premier Parks, LLC, which manages the day to day operations of Darien Lake for CNL, and would continue to do so under a long-term lease agreement with EPR if the sale closes, stated “Even though the park may be sold, it’s really business as usual at the park. There will be no changes in park staff or operations.” commented Burke.

Premier Parks, which operates 8 parks for CNL throughout the US, took over management of Darien Lake after the 2014 season. During Premier Parks’ management of the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Darien Lake added several new rides to the park including the addition of Rolling Thunder, Brain Drain, and RipCurl Racer, as well as more concerts and increased value for season pass holders. In that time, the park has experienced meaningful increases in attendance and revenue.

“As the park operator, we are extremely excited about this sale and the positive impact we believe it will have on Darien Lake and our entire company in the future,” Burke commented.

EPR Properties is a New York Stock Exchange publicly traded REIT with substantial resources, more than $5 billion in investments, and a proven track record in the entertainment industry.

“We look forward to supporting the efforts of both CNL Lifestyle Properties and EPR Properties as they advance the sale process, and we remain focused on continuing to grow Darien Lake’s position as a place families love to visit and vacation,” added Chris Thorpe, Darien Lake General Manager.

Town of Darien's approved preliminary budget holds the line on special district taxes for 2017

By Mike Pettinella

The Darien Town Board on Wednesday night approved a $3 million preliminary budget that keeps tax rates for its sewer and water districts in check and also renewed a contract with the Darien Chemical Volunteer Fire Company that keeps the tax rate the same as last year.

"I'm pleased to say that we will not need a public hearing to override the tax cap," Supervisor David Hagelberger said as about a dozen people looked on at the Town Hall. "The tax rate for fire protection will be held to this year's cap adjusted value of .68 percent."

Town residents will pay $1.05 per $1,000 of assessed valuation ($105 per year on a home assessed at $100,000) per terms of the $267,713 one-year pact with the fire company.  The town is obligated to pay $253,160 to the fire company by March 15. The additional $14,553 will be derived from revenues generated by Genesee County's revamping of its workers compensation program from assessment based to employee based.

Once again, there is no town tax in the general fund or the highway fund, while taxes to residents in the sewer district and various water districts either remain the same or decrease for 2017.

In sewer district No. 1, which takes in the hamlet of Darien Center, the levy is $395 per unit -- down 1.8 percent from last year.

In water district No. 3, the rate is $1.60 per $1,000 of assessed valuation -- down 9 percent -- and in water district No. 5, the rate is $284 per unit -- down 11 percent, Hagelberger said.

All told, the budget is $3,057,479, with the town contributing $539,249 from its unexpended fund balance and the residents contributing $346,857 hrough taxes.

"Last year, we used $4,000 short of $800,000 to put on a highway garage addition, wilth four new bays," the supervisor said. "Even with this year's amount, we're OK, having about $1.9 million in reserves (accumulated through savings and sales tax surplus)."

Hagelberger said Darien, like most towns and villages, is "heavily dependent upon sharing sales tax revenue with Genesee County" -- funds that enable the town to operate.  

The budget reflects minimal (1-2 percent) increases to elected officials.  The highest paid is the full-time highway superintendent at $58,687, one of seven full-time town employees who receive health insurance through the town.

On another front, Hagelberger reported that 482 of 869 postcards sent out by the town to gauge the community's feelings about a proposed new water district have been returned. The early results show that most property owners are against the measure.

Thus far, the tally has 294 opposed, 183 in favor, five undecided and 387 not yet returned.

While 60 percent of the cards returned reflect opposition to the water district -- which would cost property owners around $1,275 annually in debt service and water usage -- Hagelberger said it's too early to make a valid determination of the outcome.

"We're still collecting information from property owners," he said, adding that the board doesn't want to put a deadline on returning the postcards. "It's not a vote. The real purpose is to find out if we should proceed or not. If we had a tremendous amount opposed, we wouldn't proceed. If we had a lot for it, then we would. Right now, I would say it's a mixture."

He did acknowledge that a town resident, Trina Goodman, is circulating a petition seeking signatures from those opposed to creating the water district. The project to deliver public water to those who currently have wells calls for taking out an $18 million loan for 38 years to cover the debt service, with the overall cost being reduced by a $6.8 million grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.

"She has the right to circulate the petition, but I don't see how that provides any more information than we will get from the postcards," he said.

Goodman contends that the project is "simply too expensive" and that Genesee County could be putting pressure on the town to make this happen, which Hagelberger emphatically denied.

Law and Order: Niagara Falls man charged with assault in August incident at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

By Billie Owens

Peter Stanley Hawkins, 49, of A Cayuga Village Street, Niagara Falls, is charged with third-degree assault. He was arraigned on the charged in Darien Town Court at 4:20 p.m. on Oct. 18. His arrest stems from an unspecified incident that occurred at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center at 9 p.m. on Aug. 31. Hawkins was released under supervision of Genesee Justice and is due back in Darien Town Court at 1 p.m. on Nov. 17. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Forsyth.

Guillermo Avila-Ramirez, 64, of Port Bay Road, Wolcott, is charged with: third degree criminal possession of a weapon; unlawful possession of marijuana; unsafe tire; and uninspected vehicle. The subject was arrested for allegedly possessing a dagger in his truck after it was involved in a motor-vehicle crash on Bloomingdale Road at the Tonawanda Indian Reservation at 8:03 a.m. on Oct. 16. The subject also allegedly possessed a bag of marijuana in his pocket at the time of his arrest. He is due in Town of Alabama Court on Nov. 3. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Parker, assisted by Sheriff's Sgt. Eric Seppala and NYS Trooper Mark Catanzaro.

Joshua John Dibble, 34, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. At 4:28 p.m. on Oct. 15, following the investigation of a shoplifting complaint on Lewiston Road in the Town of Batavia, Dibble was arrested. He allegedly stole merchandise from a department store by passing all points of purchase without paying. He was issued an appearance ticket for Oct. 27 in Batavia Town Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Robert Henning.

Man accused of sexual act with teen at religious festival pleads guilty

By Howard B. Owens

A Canisteo man who was arrested at the Kingdom Bound festival in Darien after an investigation into a complaint that he engaged in oral sex with a teenage boy entered a guilty plea in Genesee County Court today to a single count of criminal sex act in the third degree.

The maximum possible penalty for the Class E felony is four years in prison, but Joel Bert Shorts, 55, reached a plea deal with the District Attorney's Office that will likely mean 10 years probation. He will also become a registered sex offender in the State of New York.

Shorts reportedly attended Kingdom Bound at Darien Lake Theme Park as part of a religious group as a chaperone.

No details about the victim have been released, but in court today, while discussing a stay away order of protection, Shorts' attorney warned him that even if the victim makes contact with him, he is not to respond to any message.

Shorts, dressed in a white polo shirt and gray slacks, was reminded a few times to speak up while the judge asked him a series of questions about his plea, and while the judge asked the questions designed to ensure he was mentally alert and aware enough to enter a plea, Shorts started to choke up briefly.

Sentencing, and a SORA hearing (to determine his sex offender status), was set for 9:30 a.m., Jan. 10.

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Residents consider whether Darien water district idea is 'well' worth the $1,275 annual cost

By Mike Pettinella

If an informal show of hands lines up with the results of a post card survey of residents and the Darien Town Board holds true to its pledge of neutrality, then it looks as though a proposed $24.8 million project to supply public water to two-thirds of the population in the Town of Darien will not come to fruition.

About 40 of the estimated 65 people who attended an informational meeting this morning (and into the early afternoon) at the Darien Fire Hall lifted their hands in opposition, while only 10 indicated they were for the proposal, which estimates show would cost property owners, at the outset, $1,275 annually in debt service and water usage costs.

At a similar meeting attended by about 230 people on Wednesday night, Town Supervisor David Hagelberger said the show of hands indicated a 60 percent against, 40 percent in favor outcome.

Hagelberger said that the current opportunity to get public water to the 2,095 town residents who have well water is probably a "go or no go" situation.

"We've been working for 10 years at this, and today we're at a point where it is much less expensive than any of the previous alternatives," Hagelberger said. "If this doesn't go through ... it could be another 20 to 30 years."

The supervisor said the board has been working with the Monroe County Water Authority for the water supply and the USDA Rural Development to get funding for what would be called Town of Darien Water District No. 6, noting that the USDA's approval of a $6.8 million grant is necessary to bring the costs to an affordable level.

He also stressed that the board wants to carry out the wishes of its residents.

"This is an issue of whether you want this to go forward or not," he said. "People have asked us over the past couple years to get water, and we've spent a lot of effort and a lot of time to get to that point. Now, we're in line for funding, but it only works if you want it."

The board contracted wilth Steve Mountain, of Mountain Engineering, to gather pertinent cost, funding and water supply data to present to property owners in order for them to make an informed decision.

Mountain (in top photo) shared for about an hour from a PowerPoint presentation, reinforcing Hagelberger's view that now is an opportune time to create the water district because of low interest rates (currently 2.25 percent on an $18 million loan paid over 38 years), an abundant supply of water (coming from Lake Erie and administered by Monroe County), and the willingness of USDA Rural Development to offer the grant.

The projected $1,275 annual cost to the typical household to be served is broken into two parts -- $914 for the project debt distribution ($712,850 per year divided by 780 household units) and $361 for water supply and operations and maintenance cost based on current water rates. Mountain said the figure could go down, depending upon an increase in the number of units or additional grants, or up as water rates increase.

Darien residents would pay slightly more than those in recently formed water districts in Stafford, Pavilion, Oakfield and the Town of Batavia due to the need to build two water towers and a pump station.

"The topography in Darien and having to build the pump stations drives up the cost," he said.

He also informed residents that costs of the initial connection, such as meter charges, account setup fees, service lines to the residence, and well abandonment and/or separation fees, would be at least $2,000.

Businesses would be treated in the same manner as homes in computing costs, while farms would be given special consideration when it comes to usage, Mountain said.

Questions from the residents primarily dealt with costs, with some worried that the expense would ulitimately be higher than anticipated. 

Tim Hack, who moved with his family to the town last year from Kenmore, said his taxes went up by $1,000 this year and he could see them increasing to $7,000 or more should this go through.

"We have a well with a filtration system, and the water is good," Hack said. "If I want taxes this high, I could live in Clarence Center, Williamsville or Amherst. And how can you guarantee that the $914 won't go up, with delays, cost increases in materials and the bidding process?"

Mountain responded by saying that the $914 is a fixed price -- "If it goes higher than that, then the project stops," he added -- and that contingencies have been included in the project budget.

Mammot Road neighbors Darrin Wojna and Dan Janis agreed wilth Hack.

"Taxes are high enough and there is nothing wrong with the well water," Wojna said.

"When I moved out here my taxes were $1,800. Now they're up to six grand," Janis said. "Now they want to tack on $1,275 a year in taxes plus two grand to hook into it?"

Tony Mateszewski, who moved back to the town after a 30-year absence, said he calculated the cost over 38 years at $50,000.

"I can put in several deep wells for $50,000," he said. "And what about maintenance fees and inspection of my well? I have a perfectly good well and I don't need Erie County water."

The Goodmans -- Eric and Trina -- questioned the town board's process of paying for engineering and other services before coming to the residents, and also the sending post cards (requesting a yes or no vote) to property owners. Hagelberger responded by saying the board needed to get cost estimates because "you would have asked us 'how much does it cost?' " and will validate all post cards returned to the town clerk. 

Trina Goodman said she believes the board is leaning toward passage of the proposal, and said she will go "house to house" to find out what residents really want.

Again, Hagelberger said the board has no preference.

"If you have a preconceived notion that the board is in favor of this, then if so, why are we spending all this time and are here today?" he asked in reply.

In the end, tabulations from the 868 post cards that were mailed out will give the board clear direction. At least, that's what Hagelberger is hoping for.

"The last thing we want is a 50-50 split," he said. "We're doing this for the residents. We're not doing this to the residents. We're looking for a majority, (understanding) that some people are going to be unhappy no matter what."

Mountain said should the district be formed -- after either legal petitions by property owners or a vote of the town board, a public hearing and passage of a resolution -- it would take up to another three years before construction is complete.

Law and Order: Canadian arrested for DWI in parking lot at Darien Lake, allegedly almost struck several pedestrians

By Billie Owens

Christopher James Borsella, 23, of Beaver Street, Thorold, Ontario, Canada, is charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated driving while intoxicated -- with a BAC of .18 percent or higher. On Sept. 23, Borsella was arrested following a driving complaint at 11:46 p.m. on Sept. 22 at Darien Lake Theme Park, 9993 Alleghany Road, Darien. Borsella allegedly was driving in the parking lot and almost struck several pedestrians. He was issued an appearance ticket for Darien Town Court on Oct. 18. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Sgt. Jason Saile.

Joseph R. Powell,  29, of Rochester,  was arrested by State Troopers in Batavia for driving while intoxicated following a traffic stop on Route 33 in the Town of Batavia. He allegedy crossed the pavement markings into oncoming traffic. Powell was transported to the Batavia barracks where he allegedly submitted to a positive breath test resulting in a BAC of .10-percent. Powell was processed for DWI and released with traffic tickets returnable to the Town of Batavia Court on a later date.

Thomas Joseph Gravanda Jr., 23, of Holley Street, Brockport, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and speed in excess of 55 MPH. Following a traffic stop at 8 a.m. on Sept. 22 on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, Gravanda was found to allegedly be in possession of marijuana. He was arrested for that and also cited for speeding. He is due in Stafford Town Court on Oct. 20. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Eric Meyer.

Three arrests made at Jason Aldean concert

By Howard B. Owens

The following arrests were made by the Sheriff's Office during the Jason Aldean concert at Darien Lake on Thursday:

Ashley M. Riber, 23, of Walnut Street, Perry, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Sydney A. Wilson, 18, of Eastham Court, Webster, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Steven M. Campbell Jr., 29, of Walnut Street, Perry, is charged with trespass for allegedly entering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

'Tap Takeover' at Chestnut Hill Country Club on Monday will benefit Crossroads House

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The taps at the Chestnut Hill Country Club will be taken over by the Hamburg Brewing Company from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26th. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Crossroads House in Batavia. In addition to the various craft beers created by the Hamburg Brewing Company, there will be putting, long drive and closest-to-the-pin contests.

“We thought this was a great way to end our golf season and to thank our customers throughout the year for all of their support, plus we are partnering with a great brewery for a great cause,” said Michael Protos, owner of Chestnut Hill.

Among the craft beers that the Hamburg Brewing Company will serve on tap at the takeover event include:

  • IPA – The breweries' four IPA style varieties includes -- ahtanum, palisade, chinook and magnum. This British-American hybrid also plays host to four different types of malted barley creating a unique orange hue. Additional hops added throughout the brewing process contribute to the floral and piney aromas that mingle well with the distinct malty character.
  • Small Town -- British-American hybrid also plays host to four different types of malted barley creating a unique orange hue. Additional hops added throughout the brewing process contribute to the floral and piney aromas that mingle well with the distinct malty character.
  • Hoppenstance -- an American Double India Pale Ale featuring cascade, centennial, simcoe and magnum hops. Honey malt and North American pilsner malts round out this well-balanced brew to make it so approachable and full flavored.
  • Oktoberfest -- Nothing pairs better with the great fall season than a traditional German-style Marzen lager. With its roots stemming from traditional Bavarian culture, this Oktoberfest is brewed with tons of Vienna-style malts that bring about BIG malty flavor. That big malty flavor then fades away to a clean hop bitterness provided by the Perle hops for a full-flavored and balanced experience.

“The rolling hills of Genesee County and the Chestnut Hill Country Club is a perfect setting to enjoy these great beers,” said John Russo, Jr. the president of Hamburg Brewing Company. “We also are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Chestnut Hill and their efforts to support Crossroads House.”

Crossroads House is a comfort care home located on Liberty Street in the City of Batavia. It is a home to provide care for those who have a terminal illness and is an alternative to a hospital or nursing home when care can no longer be provided in the patient’s home. Crossroads House serves residents in Genesee, Wyoming and surrounding counties at no cost. For more information about Crossroads House please visit http://crossroadshouse.com/.

Chestnut Hill Country Club is an 18-hole championship golf course based in Darien Center. The Club is known for hosting a number of tournaments throughout the golf season because of its many amenities, including large covered patios overlooking the 9th and 18th holes and a dining capacity for up to 275 people. For more information please visit http://www.chestnuthillgolf.com/.

Car vs. pedestrian accident with injuries reported on Erie Street in Darien

By Billie Owens

A car vs. pedestrian accident with injuries is reported in the area of 1600 Erie St. in Darien. The location is between Tinkham Road and Route 77. Darien fire and ambulance are called to respond.

UPDATE 8:02 p.m.: Darien Ambulance Service is at Erie County Medical Center with one patient.

Free hands-on driver's training course for teens offered at Darien Lake

By Billie Owens

Press release:

On Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 1 and 2, Darien Lake will host an award-winning teen safe driving program called Ford Driving Skills For Life. Schools across the region have been receiving an open invitation for their students to participate in free training for driving-aged students. 

Darien Lake is centrally located for a number of surrounding communities and it is hoped that about 400 teen drivers will go through the program that weekend.

Teens with a driving permit or a driver's license are eligible. Registration is required and limited.

Here is a link to the website that has video, information for parents and testimonials from past participants. https://www.drivingskillsforlife.com/

The course is offered both days in two time-slot options, for a total of four scheduling choices: Session 1 runs from 7:30 to noon Saturday and Sunday; and Session 2 runs from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Each four-and-a-half-hour time slot covers the same skills; select the ONE that fits YOUR availability.

The Ford Driving Skills For Life program was developed in 2003 to address the leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States: vehicle crashes. Teens enrolled in this course will drive vehicles on a closed course under the supervision of professional instructors, thereby improving their skills in these key areas:

  • Hazard Recognition
  • Vehicle Handling
  • Space Management
  • Speed Management
  • Reaction Time
  • Braking and Stopping Distances
  • Avoiding the Dangers of Distracted and Impaired Driving

Darien Lake Theme Park is located at 9993 Alleghany Road in Darien Center.

Town of Darien seeks USDA aid for $24 million water infrastructure project

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Town Board of the Town of Darien has filed an application for grant and loan assistance with USDA Rural Development for a Water District #6.

This application has been accepted and has been moved to the funding process. The total cost of the project is estimated at $24,880,000. The Town anticipates receiving a grant of approximately $6,800,000 and the balance in the form of a low-interest loan from the USDA Rural Development Agency. 

The project will involve:

  • The installation of approximately 375,000 linear feet of water main along all Town roadways not currently provided with public water service;
  • The erection of a 300,000-gallon water storage tank, and a 500,000-gallon storage tank;
  • The installation of a pumping station;
  • and the upgrading an existing pumping station.

The project will serve 776 residential households within the Town. Consistent with Town Law and the procedures of Rural Development, the Darien Town Board will conduct public information meetings prior to making a commitment to undertake the proposed project.

Due to anticipated large attendance, the Public Information Meetings will be held at the Darien Volunteer Fire Department at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28 and at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. It is located at 10537 Allegheny Road, Darien Center.

David Hagelberger

Supervisor

Town of Darien

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As the summer heat begins to fade, Western New York welcomes the comfortable temperatures of Autumn and the breathtaking beauty of Fall foliage. Sugar maple trees in flaming red are contrasted with a symphony of yellow, gold, evergreen and purple. The Grand Canyon of the East at Letchworth State Park is surrounded by a forest full of striking Fall colors as people come from all over the world to explore this natural wonder arrayed in Autumn splendor.

In October the Letchworth Arts and Crafts Show draws its largest crowds. As travelers enjoy the scenic beauty, new vintages of wine can be sampled on the Lake Erie and Niagara wine trails of New York. Even the majestic Niagara is more stunning with the backdrop of trees in all their Fall colors. In the Village of Wyoming the end of summer is celebrated with the AppleUmpkin Fall Arts Festival.

This year Carolyn and I will be welcoming guests to Western New York’s premier boutique hotel and dining destination -- River Spring Lodge. Our country estate is surrounded by 100 acres of woods and the Fall foliage on site is breathtaking. Enjoy the view from your balcony, sitting by the shore of the trout pond or at a table on our patio as you sip a glass of wine. After a day of sightseeing, enjoy a country gourmet dinner in our Bistro Tuesday through Saturday, or experience a truly exceptional five-course fine-dining experience, with or without wine pairings, each Friday and Saturday at The Chef’s Table.

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Law and Order: Batavia man charged with two counts of burglary, allegedly stole items on Harper Road, Darien

By Billie Owens

Erik Robert Motquin, 34, of Route 5, Batavia, is charged with one count of second-degree burglary and two counts of third-degree burglary.  Motquin was arrested following an investigation in the Town of Darien regarding an incident which occurred at 9 a.m. on Aug. 15 on Harper Road. Motquin allegedly entered a residence and a storage shed on the property on Harper Road and stole several items. He was jailed in lieu of $25,000 cash bail. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Bradley Mazur

Oliver Thomas, 25, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. He was arrested at 10:38 a.m. on Sept. 4 on Summit Street after allegedly sending threatening / alarming text messages to another person. He was jailed on $500 cash bail or bond. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Rebecca E. Hershey, 18, of East Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny and unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21. Hershey was arrested at 2:15 a.m. on Sept. 3 on Park Road in Batavia after she allegedly stole alcohol from a business while in an intoxicated condition. Hershey was issued an appearance ticket for City Court on Sept. 6. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

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