elba

This weekend the Elba Jazz Ensemble brought home the gold from the 50th annual Gorham Pageant of Bands when they placed first in the Class C Jazz Band competition.

This was the jazz ensemble's third year participating in the pageant, having placed third and second in the past two festivals.

Elba, normally a Class DD school, was the smallest to partipate in the pageant and was therefore bumped up to the Class C level to compete against Naples, Dundee, Gananda and South Seneca.

The Elba Concert Band placed fifth in its category.

The jazz ensemble is directed by Phil Briatico. Its members are: Marissa Tomczak, Mark Hare, Dillon Hirsch, Dan Starowitz, Ann Marie Georgia, and Connor Rohan on saxophone; Emily Tomczak on clarinet; Dakota Hirsch, Alexandra Lacey and Dixie Hirsch on trumpet; Andrew Lacey, Steven Perez-Gangi, Becky Vlack and Christopher Vlack on trombone; Jenna Bird on French horn; Laura Accardi and Matt Anauo on guitar; Gretel Kauffman on keyboard; Alex Jasinski on bass guitar; and Liz White on drums.

Thomas Joseph Mitchell, 21, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance (oxycodone), unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd. Mitchell was arrested following a traffic stop at 5:45 p.m., Thursday, on State Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Brian Thompson.

Patrick Joseph Crawford, 17, of Bridge Road, Elba, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Patrick was allegedly found in possession of two firearms in his vehicle while on school grounds.

Ryan Christopher Riggi, 16, of Transit Road, Elba, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, menacing, 2nd, criminal mischief, 4th, and harassment, 2nd. Ryan is also accused of violating an order of protection. He was jailed on $1,000 bail. No further details were released.

Robert James Caplick III, 36, of E. Main St. Road, Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, unreasonable speed and failure to keep right. Caplick was taken into custody by Deputy Jason Saile following a report at 2:45 a.m., Thursday, of a vehicle stuck on the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks on Spring Road, Alexander.

Mark Shareiko Jr., 23, of 413 W. Bank St., Albion, is charged with six counts of making graffiti. Shareiko was taken into custody Wednesday and accused of tagging several downtown businesses on Feb. 15. Det. Todd Crossett requests any other downtown business owners who wish to press charges call him at 345-6353.

Francis Carr, 50, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with obstructing governmental administration. Carr was also arrested on a parole warrant. NYS Parole officers located Carr on Washington Avenue near Willow Street and allegedly observed Carr flee into a residence on Washington Avenue. Batavia PD and Deputy Chris Parker responded. As Parker arrived on scene, he observed the suspect attempting to exit from a second story window. Parker established a perimeter with the assistance of Officer Jay Andrews. After an extensive search of the residence by parole officers and Lt. Eugene Jankowski, Det. Todd Crossett and Det. Kevin Czora, Carr was located by Officer Dan Coffey hiding underneath the porch. Carr was jailed without bail.

Gregory Joseph Warfle, 41, of Chapel Street, lower, Elba, is charged with assault, 3rd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Warfle is accused of striking his 15-year-old son several times in the face with his open hand during a domestic dispute. The alleged incident took place in the presence of his 8-year-old daughter. Warfle was jailed on $1,000 bail.

A 16-year-old resident of Transit Road, Elba, is charged with harassment, 2nd. The youth allegedly threw a pair of glasses at another male striking that person on the side of the neck during an argument. 

John Terry Boyce Jr., 22, of Maple Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Boyce is accused of sending text messages to his estranged girlfriend in violation of an order of protection.

Justin Robert Dunn, 20, of Indian Falls Road, Akron, and Jennifer Marie Dauer, 36, of North Lake Street, Bergen, are charged with nine counts of grand larceny, 4th, and petit larceny. Dunn and Dauer are accused of purse snatching at 4133 Veterans Memorial Drive at 2:30 p.m., May 12. For Dunn, bail was set at $10,000 and bail for Dauer was set at $5,000.

Today, the Elba Historical Society held its 14th annual antiques and collectibles sales at the Elba Fire Hall and The Mill, Route 98 and Route 262.

Above, Jean Price, of Byron, demonstrates some old-fashioned loom weaving, while her daughter, Margy Hayes, in the background, spins yarn.

Below, Barb Toal, left, with Cheryl Kowalik, at the booth promoting the International Peace Garden.

Elba students were given today what firefighter Steve Hynesfisher called "shock camp" this morning, seeing firsthand what a fatal DWI accident scene is like, from the extrication, to Mercy Flight landing and the remains of a fellow student being placed in a body bag and carted away.

Hynsfisher drove the point home while narrating events. If this where a real accident, their fellow student was gone. All that was left was a body, no life, no person.

After the drill, Hynesfisher said he wanted the students to see that "one bad decision can ruin their lives and the life of somebody else."

"If we can change one person's mind," Hynesfisher added, "and keep them from drinking and driving, then we've done our job."

And Hynesfisher thinks the Elba Fire Department is getting through to students with the program. The department has been conducting these drills for four years and Hynesfisher said since they started, Elba has been fortunate to not have any serious, DWI-related accidents involving a Elba student since.

The drill provides students with a thorough dramatization of an accident scene, with all the power tools, medics and an actual Mercy Flight helicopter landing. Elba Superintendent Jerry Piwko said he believes the impact of a tragedy being portrayed in such a life-like performance really has an impact on students.

"We can call it a drill, but it's all there," Piwko said. "It looks real. It sounds real, but thank God the kids actually walk away."

ALSO: Elba is recruiting volunteers to join the fire deparment. Anybody interested in more information please call 757-9011. Support your local community: join your local volunteer fire deparment. All departments always have a variety of openings for people of just about all ages. A resource for potential volunteers is ReadyGenesee.com

Members of the Genesee County Harley Owners Group were out on Route 98 recently picking up trash as part of an ongoing effort to help keep local roadways clean.

The Harley club does clean-ups four times per year.  

The group is responsible for Route 98 from the Thruway to Elba.

Pictured are Paul Ballard, Bob Aiken and Fred Devore.

Photo submitted by Frank Capuano.

Michelle DiFalco, 22, no permanent address, is charged with unlawful imprisonment, 1st, reckless endangerment, 1st, strangulation, 2nd and criminal mischief, 4th. DiFalco is accused of being involved in an incident at 3 a.m., Saturday, in which she allegedly damaged personal property, choked another person and would not allow that person to leave the residence. DiFalco was jailed without bail.

A 16-year-old from Wyoming Road, Wyoming, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The youth, a student at Pavilion High School, was found allegedly in possession of marijuana while in the school.

David Walter Cook, 46, of Lockport Road, Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding and failure to keep right. Cook was stopped on Maltby Road, Elba, at 1:55 a.m., Saturday, by Deputy Jason Saile.

Ryan Eugene Davis, 27, of Mashall Road, Medina, is charged with felony DWI, aggravated driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, felony aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, driving without an interlock ignition. Davis was stopped at 3:48 p.m., Friday, on Park Road, by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello. Davis was allegedly driving an other person's car without the owner's permission. He was jailed on $15,000 bail.

Martin F. Jones, 40, of 4036 W. Main St. Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Jones is accused of stealing beer from Hess Mart at 12:30 a.m., Sunday. Following a complaint, Officer Frank Klimjack reportedly located Jones walking on West Main with beer in his possession.

Trevor M. Rich, 30, of 8943 Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment and criminal contempt. Rich is accused of sending annoying text messages to a person in violation of an order of protection. Rich was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Dashawn A. Butler, 30, of Batavia, is charged with four counts of acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17 years old. Butler was arrested by State Police and jailed on $5,000 bail. No further details released.

Jodi L. Teed, 43, of 6785 Creek Road, Mt. Morris, is charged with operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs, unlawful possession of marijuana and inadequate headlights. Teed was stopped at 10:24 p.m., Saturday, on South Jackson Street, Batavia, by Officer Matt Fleming.

It's a family tradition, and has been for 12 years.

On the first weekend in May, the Esten family hosts antique tractor enthusiasts for two days of plowing on land owned by Torrey Farms off Oak Orchard Road in Elba.

The tradition started one year when Louis Esten and one of his sons took out one of their old tractors for some plowing and Louis, who had heard of similar activities in other states, thought why not host a "plow days" event.

So Esten approached John Torrey about the idea.

"It's nice to have the Torreys let us use this land," Esten said.

Those who enjoy antique tractors come from towns throughout the region.

This year, though, not much plowing got done. After all the rain we've had, the fields were too soggy. At one point today, Esten said, it took two tractors to pull out another one that got stuck in the mud.

"Normally, this whole field is plowed by now," Esten said, pointing to a northern plot that shows only a few passes of a plow.

Esten said his wife, Ginger, sons Mike, 29, Nick, 27 and Matt, 24, are a big part of getting the weekend organized, which includes manning booths in a barn for local community groups.

Pictured above are, Louis, Ginger, Mandy, Ayden, Nick, Mary, and on the back of the tractor, Chuck (Louis's brother), Josh, Memphis and Nathan.

I discovered the antique tractor plow days yesterday afternoon, arriving at the farm when nobody was around. I took several pictures of tractors and then headed back today and met Louis and his family and took a few more pictures.

More pictures after the jump:

Late yesterday afternoon, I took a drive out through Elba, Oakfield and the Town of Batavia. Here's four photos from the drive.

Above, a horse at Macomber and Townline roads, Batavia.

A tree on Pekin Road, Elba.

I suspect this is an old outhouse, but I'm not sure. On Pekin Road, Elba.

Flowers by a pond on Slusser Road, Batavia.

More than 500 National Grid customers along the Route 98 corridor from Batavia to Elba are without power.

The power outage spreads like triangle from the City of Batavia, where the tip starts, up to the Village of Elba, where the base of the triangle stretches east and west.

Power is expected to be restored by 2:15 p.m.

The outage caused one person to become briefly trapped in an elevator at the Hampton Inn. (Back-up generators corrected the problem.)

Radio traffic indicted the problem is a power line that stretches under the Thruway.

In the past hour, calls for trees and utility poles down have subsided, and the wind seems to have died down a bit, but a strong wind warning remains in effect until 4 p.m.

There are about a dozen locations where power outages have been reported, most significantly in Elba, where 871 National Grid customers are without power. The power outage was reported at 8:48 a.m. and no ETA for when power will be restored.

Above, what's left of a tree that blew down on Lewiston Road in Oakfield. Below, a contractor saws off a large broken limb from a tree on Wortendyke Road, Town of Batavia, that was hanging precariously over the roadway.

A tree is partially blocking the roadway at 4695 Barrville Road in Elba. Elba Fire Department is en route.

The Town of Elba has a new phone system, according to Supervisor Lucine Kauffman. 

The new, automated phones at Elba Town Hall required the town to change its phone numbers.

Here are the new numbers:

Town Hall main number: 585-757-2762. Callers will receive a message with the extension menu for all of the Elba Town officials and departments.

Town Hall Fax number: 585-757-9921

Town Court Fax number: 585-757-9200

The changes took effect today.