elba

The Elba Youth Baseball Lancers won a U-12 Division Championship by beating Hamlin 9-3 on Saturday. They beat out eight other teams in the tournament to take the 018 Westside House Baseball Majors League Title.

Back row: Tyler Bedard, Coach Trevor Horzempa, Elijah Horzempa, Hunter Gaylord, Ashton Beazon, Alex Marks, Angelo Penna. Front row: Aydn Horzempa, Brendan Wyder, Coy Betts, Isaac Volpe.

Photo and info submitted by Lauren Zuber.

Cynthia L. Gardner, 33, of 1/2 Swan St., Batavia, was arrested after she allegedly left her 3-year-old daughter in the care and custody of a defendant at 14 1/2 Swan St., Batavia, at 8 a.m. on June 18. The defendant is named in a court order with a directive to specifically stay away from Lardner's 3-year-old daughter. Lardner was issued an appearance ticket and released, and is due in City Court at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26. Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence handled the case.

Adam D. Smart, 35, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with first-degree aggravated criminal contempt, with a previous conviction. He was located at 8 a.m. on June 18 on Swan Street at the address of a protected party, whom he has an active court order to stay away from. He was jailed without bail and is due in City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence, assisted by Officer Christopher Camp.

Gerald A. Mattison, 25, of Cary Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with: DWI -- common law; speeding; aggravated unlicensed operation; unlicensed operation; and open alcohol container in a motor vehicle. He was arrested at 1:16 a.m. June 16 on North Street in Batavia following a traffic stop. He was allegedly speeding on Richmond Avenue and found to be intoxicated at the time of the stop. He was arraigned and jailed and was due in City Court on June 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Jeremy C. Goodell, 44, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is chraged with fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was arrested following an investigation into an allegation that he damaged the side of a vehicle that was driving past him in the Batavia Commons parking lot (444 W. Main St., Batavia) by striking it at 4:56 p.m. on June 3. Goodell was transported to GC Jail and processed and released with an appearance ticket for June 19 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kevin DeFelice, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Carlton L. Beardsley, 23, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was arrested after a domestic incident shortly after midnight on June 21, wherein he allegedly damaged a vehicle. Beardsley initially fled the scene prior to Batavia PD's arrival but was located at the residence a couple hours later and was arrested. He is jailed on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond and was due in City Court this morning (June 21). The incident was handles by Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot, assisted by Officer Arick Perkins.

Donald Wills Stahl Jr., 37, of Knowlesville Road, Alabama, is charged with petit larceny and sixth-degree conspiracy. At 3:50 p.m. on June 1, Genesee County Sheriff's deputies responded to a larceny complaint at Walmart in Batavia. Following an investigation, the defendant was arrested on June 17. He allegedly stole a pair of headphones and assisted a female suspect with stealing additional property at the store. He was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Batavia Court on July 9, then he was turned over to the Wyoming County Sheriff's Office for a pending larceny case in Warsaw. GC Sheriff's Deputy Erik Andre handed the case.

Leon W. Johnson, 34, of South Main Street, Albion, is charged with second-degree criminal trespass -- dwelling. He was arrested June 19. The domestic incident related to his arrest allegedly occurred at 6 a.m. on March 4 on Edward Street in Batavia. He is due in City Court at a later date. Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence handled the case.

Janet L. Grossman, 51, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny following a shoplifting investigation a local business. The incident occurred at 9:13 a.m. June 15 at Tops Market, 390 Main St., Batavia. She was processed at the Genesee County Jail, then released. She was issued a computer-generated appearance ticket and is due in court on June 26. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kevin DeFelice.

Nancy L. Lawrence, 66, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, was arrested at 9:44 a.m. on June 14 and charged with trespass. Following an investigation, she was found on property she was previously banned from. She was released and due in City Court on June 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Frank Klimjack, assisted by Officer Kevin DeFelice.

Alexis R. Chavez, 19, of Transit Road, Elba, is charged with failure to appear. Chavez was arrested June 20 on a warrant out of Batavia City Court. He faile to appear in court after being issued an appearance ticker for driving while impaired by drugs. He was jailed in lieu of $2,500 cash or bond and was due back in court today (June 21). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer James DeFreze.

Ian J. Blake, 31, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. He was arrested at 4:15 p.m. on June 19 on Liberty Street after allegedly being found in possession of marijuana at a residence. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in City Court on June 26. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller.

Timothy J. Corke II, 31, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. He was arrested at 4:15 p.m. on June 19 on Liberty Street after allegedly being found in possession of marijuana at a residence. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in City Court on June 26. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller.

Oscar Lee Brewer, 18, of St. Paul Street, Rochester, was arrested on a bench warrant June 18 for failure to appear in court as directed on April 19. He pled guilty to fourth-degree criminal mischief and was released on his own recognizance. He is due in court on Sept. 20. Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison handled the case.

Brooke L. Brumber was arrested at 5:49 p.m. on June 14 on West Main Street, Batavia, on a bench warrant issued for failure to appear in court as ordered. The defendant was released and ordered to return to court on June 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jamie Givens.

Oliver's Candies is poised to triple its confectionary manufacturing capacity as it begins operating its kitchen in a newly acquired Elba facility, located at 100 S. Main St. (Route 98).

By this time tomorrow, all the stoves there will be fired up and cooking. It also has a 1,000-square-foot retail store at the front of the property that sells candy, ice cream, coffee and country-style Americana crafts.

The move is a seismic shift for the 80-year-old, renowned local chocolatier and purveyor of colorful ribbon candy, unique sponge candy, and other award-winning sweets.

The entire factory will be based in Elba. The iconic Swiss-chalet-style Batavia store on West Main Street will expand its food service and retail space into the former candy-making areas at the back of the store.

"We've been busting at the seams in Batavia for a couple of years now and we've talked about building onto the existing building (in Batavia)," said Oliver's co-owner and Vice President Jeremy Liles this morning. "We looked at expanding here, but the Tonawanda Creek was problematic and the option was just too expensive."

As it turns out, "We didn't choose Elba, Elba chose us."

He explained that his company owns commercial properties in several locations in Genesee County. They looked at property in Le Roy and Corfu, but the drive time didn't work. The Elba option was only a six-minute commute from Batavia, and although it required an extensive overhaul, Liles said they acted quickly to seize the opportunity.

That was in November.

"It called to us, and we acted fast," he said. "It had a cute barn for the store, loading docks, smooth concrete. We converted the inside; insulated it; added central heat and air-conditioning, put in steel walls that are easy to clean, new hoods for the ovens. Redid the roofs, which were pretty worn. It's nice."

The structure was built as a warehouse; it has served as a produce stand and an ice cream stand and a barn sale site.

The remodeling, relocation of cooking operations, and overall expansion plans will cost Liles "more than I ever wanted to pay" but the growth potential is enormous; it is a shrewdly calculated risk.

"It's very scary -- I've got to sell a lot of candy now," Liles said. "It's a huge change, huge growth, but a lot of opportunity there."

A groundswell of corporate and wholesale customers is driving the expansion. Liles said they are providing a large catalog company with private-label candies and are growing sales in Virginia, North and South Carolina, and are looking at an opportunity in Georgia.

While they are concentrating on manufacturing for the foreseeable future, Liles' vision for the Batavia store is that it keeps its rustic charm and expands the ice cream and coffee customers' seating areas, with great big picture windows overlooking the Tonawanda Creek, with a beautiful roaring fireplace, too.

About a month ago, Oliver's started offering its own custom-roasted coffees. Liles would like to partner with a bakery to sell pastries to go with that coffee in Batavia and Elba. Liles' wife, Sandy, operates the Elba retail store.

"My big dream is to have a drive-thru at both stores," he said.

Liles said now is the company's "quiet time" but by late fall he expects to hire at least two people. And "if Elba takes off," possibly more in both the manufacturing and retail operations.

Meanwhile, there are some cosmetic finishes still needed in Elba, including staining and painting on the outside, and landscaping.

"We've come a long way; it's not 100 percent yet, but we'll get there," he said. "The upstairs is not being used yet. But we have some ideas for the space, like at Christmastime.

"I love doing all this. It's fun, exciting but also very scary."

Top photo: Master candymaker Doug Pastecki and Jeremy Liles.

Joshua David Sumeriski, 33, of Buffalo Street, Alexander, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, uninspected motor vehicle, driver's view obstructed, and disorderly conduct. Sumeriski was charged after Deputy Mathew Clor responded at 3:21 a.m. Thursday to Transit Road, Bethany, to investigate a complaint of a man lying in the roadway.

Carrie A. Poray, 40, of Oatka Trail, Le Roy, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. Poray was located by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and taken into custody for failure to appear on two traffic tickets in City Court. Poray was ordered to pay a fine before her next court appearance and released.

Jordan S. Thomas, 19, of East Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant. Thomas is accused of failing to comply with conditions of supervised release. Thomas was arraigned and jailed.

Joseph D. Berry, 32, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with menacing, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Berry allegedly held a large rock and threatened to inflict bodily harm to a store clerk at 7-Eleven in Batavia at 8:15 p.m. on June 6. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Maya Samanta Wright, 23, of East Ridge Road, Rochester, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Wright allegedly struck a patron of a business on Park Road, Batavia.

Chelsea Lorraine McEwen, 19, of Fleetwood Drive, Brockport, is charged with harassment, 2nd. McEwen is accused of punching another person in the face during an argument reported at 8:53 p.m. Sunday at a location on Bloomingdale Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation.

Laura Jean Santiago, 55, of Hundredmark Road, Elba, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Santiago was stopped at 8:56 p.m. Friday on Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Mathew Clor.

William George Horner, 67, of Bank Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment, 2nd. Horner is accused of grabbing another person by the throat and applying pressure and pushing that person during an incident reported at 10 p.m. Friday on Bank Street Road, Batavia.

Todd A. Rich, 47, of Webster, and Justin T. Rich, 24, of Webster, are charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The two men were stopped by State Police at 1:15 a.m. this morning on Route 19 in Le Roy.

The Elba Central School Drama Club presents "Spotlight: A Night at the Movies" tomorrow at 7 p.m. The show is a review of music associated with Hollywood and the movies.

A rollover accident is reported in the area of 7578 Oak Orchard Road, Elba, which is just north of Daws Corners.

Minor injuries reported but extrication needed.

A first responder says the vehicle is on its tires.

Elba fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 7:33 a.m.: Patient extricated.

Bright and spacious this home has great layout with 2 bedrooms and full bath downstairs as well as 3 bedrooms and full bath up, they don't build them like this anymore! Custom oak kitchen with cupboards galore and large family/dining area. Basement is high and dry -- amazing extra space, storage, or hobby/work area!

Sitting on 2+ acres outside features awesome 24x32 outbuilding currently farm market-with all utilities and 8x16 cooler as well! Already established location the possibilities are endless all you have to do is move in and start living!

A lot to see here-call today! Call Lynn Bezon at 585-344-HOME today or click here for more information on this listing.

4243 W. Ave., Elba -- Super opportunity to own this beautifully remodeled from top to bottom country home! Literally from the studs up, this home has been done -- electrical, drywall, furnace, central air, flooring, bathrooms, kitchen, windows and siding!

The layout is spacious and open with cathedral ceilings and the bedrooms are large with huge closets -- the master bedroom suite is every girl's dream! Master bedroom bath and laundry hookups all on main floor for no stairs convenience!

The location is on quiet country road within five-minute drive of Thruway and shopping. Home has public water as well -- all the pluses of country living with amenities!

Definitely one to check out -- why build when you can buy this beautiful home at almost half the cost! Call Lynn Bezon at 585-344-HOME today or click here for more information on this listing.

A motor-vehicle accident, with one person said to be unconscious, is reported in Elba at Route 98 and Lockport Road. Elba Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

James Michael Edwards, 23, of Upper Holley Road, Holley, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, unlawful possession of marijuana, driving left of pavement markings, no seat belt. Edwards was the alleged driver in a personal-injury accident on Lockport Road, Elba, at 2:32 p.m. Wednesday. Edwards was arrested by Deputy Michael Lute.

Kenneth T. Parker, 34, of Phyllis Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with DWI, unlawful possession of marijuana, uninspected vehicle, loud exhaust, and refusal to submit to breath test. Parker was stopped at 11:20 p.m. Thursday on Highland Park, Batavia, by Deputy James Stack.

Jason Patrick Wickson, 36, of Searls Road, Byron, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and trespass. Wickson is accused of being involved in a physical altercation with two people on private property on Rose Road, Batavia, at 9:39 p.m. Sunday.

David Michael Howard, 36, of Wolcott Street, Le Roy, is charged with assault, 3rd. Howard is accused of pushing another patron of the Clover Leaf in Pavilion at 6:30 p.m. Saturday causing the person to fall, leading to head and elbow injuries.

An accident is reported in the area of 3962 Lockport Road, Elba.

Elba fire and Mercy EMS on scene.

A landing zone is being established for Mercy Flight.

UPDATE: Mercy Flight canceled. 

UPDATE  4:12 p.m.: The driver is being charged with DWI. Potential additional charges are pending. There were four people in the car. The two backseat passengers suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and one of those passengers was walking around at the scene. One was transported to ECMC and the other to Strong.

Above is the poster created by Elba Central School fifth-grader Jason Rowe. It won Second Place in the statewide Missing Children's Day Poster Contest.

Information from Missing Persons Clearinghouse, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services:

A fifth-grader at Elba Central School named Jason Rowe took Second Place in the statewide Missing Children's Day Poster Contest, sponsored by Missing Persons Clearinghouse, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services. 

There will be an award ceremony honoring Jason's achievement at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, at the school, located at 57 S. Main St., Elba.

There were a total of 302 entries from 49 school districts throughout New York.

Clearinghouse staff narrowed the entries to the top 60 for review by a panel of three judges, who made their selections independently without knowing the students’ names or schools they attend.

Judging the entries were DCJS Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael C. Green; Ellen DeChiro, an investigator with the special victim’s unit of the New York State Police; and Matt Frear, whose teenage brother Craig disappeared from Schenectady County in 2004.

“This year’s contest, more than any before it, was very difficult to judge due to the thought, creativity and high quality of work these students put into their posters,” Commissioner Green said. “In the end, this was a very difficult choice to make and all of these young students deserve recognition for their effort to raise awareness for missing children.”

The winning New York poster was created by Saranika Chakrabortty of PS 877 51st Avenue Academy in Queens. Hannah Hollenbeck from Howard A. Hanlon Elementary School in the Schuyler County Town of Odessa, was third.

All state entries are being displayed this month at the Empire State Plaza Concourse in Albany to mark this week's National Missing Children’s Day on Friday, May 25.

The winner of the National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest, sponsored annually by the U.S. Department of Justice, is chosen from among all the states' first-place posters.

History of National Missing Children's Day

May 25 was designated National Missing Children’s Day in 1983. On that date four years earlier, 6-year-old Etan Patz vanished in New York City. The boy’s disappearance gained wide publicity and created a groundswell of attention to the plight of missing children. Last year, a New Jersey man was convicted in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Patz and sentenced to life in prison.

Missing Children in New York

There were 17,114 children reported missing across New York State in 2017, with the vast majority of them reported by police as runaways. The overwhelming majority of these children returned home last year, but more than 2,000 missing children cases remain unresolved.

The Missing Persons Clearinghouse assists law enforcement agencies by providing training, case management guidance and investigative support, such as publicizing missing children cases. It also administers the state’s Missing Child Alerts, which are activated when a case involving a missing child under the age of 21 doesn’t meet AMBER Alert criteria.

Cindy Morgan, as she's done in past years for the Elba Senior Prom Drill, played the distraught mother who arrives at an accident scene to find her daughter is dead.

The prom drill is organized by the Elba Volunteer Fire Department with an eye toward making the accident response appear as realistic as possible so students get a stronger impression of the dangers of distracted driving or drinking and driving.

Morgan plays her part well, screaming things like, "She's still breathing," "Nobody performed CPR. How come nobody is performing CPR?", "My daughter is going to college."

Edward F. Perdue, 57, of Rome, is charged with burglary, 3rd, conspiracy, 5th, and petit larceny in connection with his arrest as the suspected burglar of Plaza Spirits in November. He is also charged with identify theft, 3rd, and petit larceny because he is accused of using a using a stolen credit card. In a third set of charges, Perdue is charged with burglary, 3rd, grand larceny, 4th, conspiracy, 5th, and petit larceny for his suspected role in the burglary of Mr. Wine & Liquor in August. Perdue is currently confined to the Mohawk Correctional Facility and following arraignment was released back into the custody of DOCs. (Previously: Arrest made in thefts from two local liquor stores.)

Morgan L. Cox Jr., 26, of Central Avenue, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on traffic tickets. He had been cited for alleged unlicensed operation involving alcohol and speeding and driving without a license. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Rae C. Cook, 29, of Central  Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear in City Court. She was held on $250 bail.

Thomas E. Brenkus, 50, East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Brenkus was stopped at 7:20 p.m. Saturday on Clinton Street by Officer Arick Perkins.

Tatiana C. Lugo, 23, no permanent address, is charged with criminal trespass, 2nd, and resisting arrest. Lugo allegedly refused to leave a residence on North Spruce Street, Batavia, at 10:40 p.m. Friday. She was jailed on $2,000 bail or $4,000 bond.

Paul C. Ferro, 23, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, possession of a hypodermic instrument, and aggravated unlicensed operation. Ferro was located on Central Avenue at 1:37 p.m. May 3 and allegedly found in possession of heroin and a hypodermic needle.

Michelle L. Misiak, 52,  was arrested on a warrant out of City Court. She was jailed on $250 bail.

Carolann Hyde, 61, of Burke Drive, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Hyde is accused of stealing from her employer, a business on East Main Street, Batavia.

Brian Anthony Knox, 34, of Quaker Road, Scottsville, is charged with DWI, driving while impaired by drugs, possession of a hypodermic instrument, and inadequate plate lamp. Knox was stopped at 10:22 p.m. Thursday on Townline Road, Bergen, by Deputy Austin Heberlein.

James Carl Davis, 28, of Eagle Harbor Road, Albion, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, improper right turn, failure to obey traffic control device, and speeding. Davis was stopped at 2:39 a.m. Sunday on Lewiston Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joshua Brabon.

Christopher James Doxy, 33, of East Center Street, Medina, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing, criminal mischief, 4th (preventing an emergency call), harassment, 2nd, and unlawful imprisonment, 2nd. Doxy was arrested following an investigation by Deputy Erik Andre reported at 11 a.m. Thursday at a location on Lewiston Road, Alabama.

John Paul Emilio Dougherty, 23, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speed unreasonable, moved from lane unsafely, and driving left of pavement markings. Dougherty was arrested following an investigation by Deputy Jeremy McClellan into a vehicle accident on West Sweden Road, Bergen, at 2:20 a.m. Friday.

Michael John Romanowski, 45, of Green Leaf Meadow, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, refusal to take a breath test, and open container. Romanowski was stopped at a checkpoint on Lewiston Road, Alabama, at 8:07 p.m. Thursday by Deputy Jeremy McClellan.

Lovelle William Ince, 20, of 106th Avenue, Queens Village, is charged with two counts of criminal mischief, 4th. Ince allegedly punched a large hole in a wall and damaged a door at College Village in an incident reported at 4:21 p.m. on May 6.

Joseph Jonathan Kuzma, 38, of Byron Holley Road, Byron, is charged with grand larceny, 3rd, trespass, and criminal possession of stolen property, 5th. Kuzma was arrested by Deputy Ryan DeLong following an investigation into stolen property on Byron Elba Road. He allegedly stole property valued at more than $3,000. He was previously charged with petit larceny. He was also charged with trespass for knowingly and unlawfully entering and remaining on the premises. He allegedly knowingly possessed stolen property with intent to benefit himself in June 2016.

David W. Hockenberry, 30, of Tonawanda, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, license plate violation, and moving from lane unsafely. Hockenberry was stopped at 5:40 p.m. Nov. 30, in Darien by State Police. He was arrested Friday. No further details released.

Mark A. Stoneham, 57, of Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, and moving from the lane unsafely. Stoneman was stopped at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Town of Pembroke, by State Police.

Terrence S. Morgan, 23, of Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving while impaired by drugs, unlawful possession of marijuana, driving without a license, aggravated unlicensed operation, and speeding. Morgan was stopped at 2:30 a.m. Saturday on Route 33, Byron, by State Police. As part of the traffic stop, Asiana I. Wedlow, 21, of Rochester, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th.

Statement from a spokeswoman for M&T Bank:

We are closing the Elba branch at 7133 Oak Orchard Road effective on Aug. 7, 2018, as we continue to optimize our branch network in order to best meet the evolving needs of our customers. All employees have been offered positions at other nearby M&T branches.

Customers who utilized the Elba branch can bank at the nearby Oakfield branch (which is 5 minutes away) or at any other M&T branch or ATM, via our Telephone Banking Center (1-800-724-2440), online at www.mtb.com and our via our Apple and Android mobile apps. We will have a digital ambassador at the branch for 90 days to assist customers to enroll and learn how to use our digital products and services, so they can bank with us at their convenience.

Technology continues to change how people bank. Although branches are still critically important to customers, the entire industry is faced with declining traffic due to the increase in banking conveniently online and in the mobile channels. Customers expect to be able to access financial services when, where and how is most convenient for them. We look to continue to grow and enhance our relationships with customers by further investing in these banking solutions.

We have consistently made investments in ways to enhance the customer experience across all of our platforms. This year, we are investing in several enhancements designed to meet the changing needs of our customers, so they can bank with us when, where and how they want to. These include:

·         Improved Mobile Banking capabilities, with Insta-Balance and Alerts that allow you to customize and more closely monitor your accounts

·         Easy account openings using a mobile device

·         Zelle P-to-P payments – receive and send money to millions of Zelle users through the M&T app

When the Esten family of Elba decided to organize a plow day 17 years ago in honor of their late father, they couldn’t have imagined how popular the event would become.

On Saturday and Sunday, the 18th annual Plow Days took place at the farm of John Torrey of Route 98, Elba, with close to 60 old tractors.

It was Louis Esten who came up with the idea for Plow Days, and in recent years his son and daughter-in-law Nick and Mandy Esten have done much of the work. It takes the better part of a week to move all of Torrey’s tractors out of the barn and set up for the event.

“We think it’s important for people, especially the younger ones, to see how things were done in the old days,” Louis said.

The lineup of red tractors on the front lawn attracted passersby each day, even someone from Erie, Pa., and Syracuse. Antique tractor collectors came from Genesee and several neighboring counties.

One of the oldest tractors to take part was Louis’s 1938 W30 McCormick Deering.

The Estens estimate they plowed nearly 75 acres of ground with the old tractors.

Top photo: Chuck Esten, of Albion, sits on one of his antique tractors with his grandsons, Benjamin, 5, and Joshua, 16, during Plow Days Saturday and Sunday. Esten’s brother Louis, of Elba, was instrumental in starting Plow Days 17 years ago.

Photos by Virginia Kropf.

Growing grapes and making wines is probably the last thing Bob and Ingrid Bowen expected to be doing after retirement.

Even Bob can’t believe the turn of events.

He and his wife both worked at Xerox, but after their four boys went to college, Ingrid announced she wanted a horse.

That started the search for a farm in the country.

“John Mortellaro of Batavia was a family friend and he said he knew about a place near Elba,” Bob said. “The farm had been abandoned, the house was a mess and the place was overgrown, but my wife loved it.”

“It was pretty dilapidated,” Ingrid said.

The Bowens retired in 2011 and bought the farm, renovated the house, cleared the land and built a barn.

Then Bob started thinking about what to do with the land, and he has always liked wine and had made wine as a hobby. He realized Genesee County doesn’t have the kind of weather needed for grapes, but he went to Cornell, where they have a grape research facility and took a course on becoming a vintner.

“In 2012, we planted the vineyards with three grapes from Cornell with code names,” Bob said. “They were developed to grow in cold country. Our weather here is colder, because we don’t have hills and lakes to keep the temperature moderate.”

The first year, temperatures were down to zero, with a wind chill of minus 30, Bob said.

“We lost 120 vines and there was nothing we could do,” he said.

The Bowens already knew they didn’t want to rely solely on grapes, and had planted acres of apple, cherry, peach and apricot trees, along with blueberries and raspberries.

They hired Augie Katrencik, of Macedon, as winemaker. He has 10 years of experience in the business and has been a longtime friend of the Bowens.

On Sunday, the Bowen’s officially opened their winery at 6870 Norton Road with an open house.                   

The Bowens specialize in fruit wines, with apricot, peach, peach and honey, pear, pumpkin and spice, and Traminette* available now.

In June, they will have available blueberry, Dechaunac, Diamond, spiced apple and even tomato wine.

“If you’ve never tried tomato wine, you’re in for a surprise,” Bob said. “It doesn’t look like V8.”

Kim Shay, of Victor, said she loved it.

“It’s very good,” she said.

The idea came from Katrencik, who said his grandparents used to make tomato wine.

Later in the year, the winery will have red raspberry and blueberry.

The Bowens are thrilled to be the first winery in Genesee County and are purchasing everything they can for the business locally. This includes contracting with Hodgins Printing to make their labels.

Bob said they will be at the Downtown Batavia Public Market this summer and at the Genesee County Fair. He is in discussions with local retail liquor stores to carry their wines.

Circle B Winery will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. They can be contacted on Facebook, online atCircleB6870@gmail.com or by calling (585) 773-4473.

Top photo: Ingrid and Bob Bowen stand in their vineyard at 6870 Norton Road, Elba, where they estabished Genesee County's second winery. They held their premier open house on Sunday.

(*To find out more about Traminette the cold-hardy, fungal resistant, hybrid white grape developed by Cornell University, click here.)

CORRECTION: This story originally said the Bowen's winery is the first winery in Genesee County. Autumn Moon Winery in Bergen opened a couple of years ago.

Visitors from throughout the area attended an open house on Sunday at Circle B Winery, the second in Genesee County. From left, Ken Winburn, of Phelps, Kim Shay, of Victor, Linda Wester, of Farmington and Joe Attinello, of Farmington, sample the wines.

Photos by Virginia Kropf.

After working for the then-fledgling Genesee Community College District for more than 46 years, Maxine Koberg (nee Palmer) retired in 2016, leaving campus as an employee for the last time on Jan. 29th two years ago.

On Sunday, April 29th, the 72-year-old Batavia native and longtime Elba resident died at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

In an article written about her in The Batavian upon her retirement, she said she worked steadily after graduating from high school, later passing a Civil Service exam then landing a clerk's job at the GCC. She planned from the get-go to stick with it; she said felt competant in her duties and liked her work.

By all accounts, Koberg was a true team player and got along well her coworkers.

The kind of dedication she embodied certainly seems increasingly hard to come by; long-term "institutional knowledge" spanning decades in any field, more rare.

For her full obituary, click here.

For the article about her retirement published Jan. 30, 2016, click here.

Lynn M. Homer, 45, of Platten Road, Lyndonville, is charged with; aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd; criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th; driver's vision obstructed; and obstructed plate. Homer was stopped at 3:22 p.m. April 13 on West Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Christopher Lindsay. She was jailed on $1,000 bail or $2,000 bond.

Travis Lilbern Robert Bartz, 22, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bartz was allegedly found in possession of marijuana during an investigation into a complaint on Trumbull Parkway at 11:03 p.m. April 22 by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Jacob A. Kasmarek, 19, of Fargo Road, Stafford, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and speeding. Kasmarek was stopped at 9:15 p.m. April 23 on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Samuel McDonald III, 54, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. McDonald is accused of stealing two cans of beer from Tops at 6:39 p.m. Wednesday.

Matthew Frank Carney, 25, of Dodgeson Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Carney was stopped at 12:55 a.m. Friday on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Arick Perkins.

Jesse James Sasiadek, 24, of Cayuga Creek Road, Cheektowaga, is charged with: DWI; driving with a BAC of .08 or greater; driving while impaired by drugs; driving while ability impaired by drugs and alcohol combined; and unlawful possession of marijuana. Sasiadek was stopped at 4:26 p.m. Sunday on Route 19, Bergen, by Deputy Erik Andre.

Jay Kenneth Feitshans Jr., 23, of Alleghany Road, Darien, is charged with petit larceny. Feistshans is accused of stealing property and selling it at a local business.

Stefanie S. Kitanik, 33, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, refusal to take breath test, uninspected motor vehicle, and no plate lamps. Kitanik was stopped at 2:09 a.m. Saturday on Maple Avenue, Oakfield, by Deputy James Stack.

David Wayne King Jr., 36, of Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. King is accused of falling asleep due to a prescribed medication and as a result, his 2-year-old son left his residence and was alone for a period of time.

Nelson E. Figueroa, 29, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Figueroa was stopped at 10:40 p.m. Saturday on Route 33, Stafford, by State Police.

Icha R. Koirala, 28, a resident of the State of New York (exact town not provided), is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Koirala was stopped at 9:18 p.m. Friday on Route 33 in Bergen by State Police.

Laura D. Vazquez Coronado, 38, of Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to stay in lane. Coronado was stopped at 4:39 p.m. Thursday on North Byron Road, Elba, by State Police.

In a close non-league golf matchup Batavia Blue Devils beat Elba Central Lancers 263-270 at Batavia Country Club yesterday. Teagan Monahan and Bryce Reigel scored a 49 to lead the Devils, while Elba's Ben Pflaumer scored a 44 for Elba.

Resolutions to help advance three bridge projects scheduled for this summer were approved by the Public Service Committee of the County Legislature on Monday.

The project fund for replacement of the Searls Road Bridge over Spring Creek was increased by $16,500, with all but $825 of that coming from federal grant funds.

The money is necessary to acquire additional right-of-way on the roads leading up to the bridge.

The bridge will be widened from 22 feet to 30 feet -- the new federal standard -- but most of the additional right-of-way is needed during construction, County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens said.

Elba Farms has donated the land for the right of way on the west side of the road but the land on the east side is tied up in an estate and there is a Federal income tax lien on the property, so much of that additional $16,000 is going to a consult to help navigate the legal tangles.

The total cost of the Searls Road Bridge is $870,000, funded through federal grants.

The Pratt Road Bridge project over the Tonawanda Creek is also getting a budget bump of $13,300, all but $650 from federal grants, for right-of-way acquisition. Again, a consultant is needed to assist with the process. The total cost of the project is $2.082 million.

Three resolutions were passed in support of the project replacing the Stroh Road Bridge. Two of them accept a state grant of $100,000 in support of "multimodal" transportation (which means car, pedestrian, bike). The third resolution awards a $1.423 million construction contract to L.C. Whitford Co. Inc., of Wellsville.

The project is a complete replacement, including the stacked-stone abutments, put there in 1910.