Stories from

Benjamin W. Muntz, 22, of 6966 Knowlesville Road, Basom, is charged with burglary, 3rd. Muntz is accused of entering a barn on a residential property on Judge Road, Alabama, and stealing a small-sized, child's dirt bike.

Janet Rae Langer, 33, South Street, Pavilion, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Langer is accused of striking another woman in the head and pulling her hair. The alleged incident was reported at 7:20 p.m., Saturday.

Spencer J. Hilderbrant, 17, of South Street Road, Pavilion, and Jamie L. Gutowski, 18, of Alleghany Road, Corfu, are charged with trespass. Hilderbrandt and Gutowski are accused of being on the property of Rolling Hills Asylum, Bethany Center Road, Bethany, without permission of the owner.

Roy K. Way, 31, of 32 Brooklyn Ave., Batavia, is charged with felony DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle, speeding and no seat belt. Way was stopped at 12:06 p.m., Monday, on Brooklyn Avenue after allegedly being observed speeding on Pearl Street by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Jared L. Diehl, 23, of 4563 Chapel St., Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and operating without headlights. Diehl was stopped at 12:02 a.m., Tuesday, on Gateway Drive, by Officer Darryl Streeter.

Town of Batavia's volunteer firefighters got some live-fire training Monday night as vacant rooms at the condemned former Batavia Motel were set ablaze.

The fire department will be using the dilapidated motel on West Main Street Road for live-fire training in increments over the next several weeks. There's no current plan to burn it to the ground in one session.

Chief Randy Randy McIntire said such live-fire training is invaluable and gives volunteers a chance to work under conditions that are even a little more intense than what they face at the fire-training center.

"For some of these guys, it's the first time they've gotten into a room with fire rolling near their heads," McIntire said. "Some departments just get training that is hot and smoky. I want these guys to get experience with fire rolling over their heads."

At Monday's Batavia City Council meeting, council members Bill Cox and Bob Bialkowski welcomed recently appointed Economic Development Coordinator Julie Pacatte to her new job by presenting her with a "Treasures of Batavia" picture collection. It was purchased from St. James Episcopal Church, which is selling collections of pictures to raise money to help restore the church's bell tower. Cox said he saw the pictures and thought they would be a nice way to welcome Pacatte to her new position.

The Batavia City Council presented its annual community awards at the start of its Monday night meeting.

Above, Toni Funke, accompanied by her husband, accepts the City Employee of the Year award. Funke, who works for the Youth Bureau, has been employed by the city since 1987.

David and Rachel Fasano were named Homeowners of the Year. The Otis Street residents were honored for the upkeep of their residence showing "exceptional pride of ownership."

Gail Steven was named Community Volunteer of the Year. She was nominated because of her involvement with the Batavia City School Board, 12 years on the Youth Board and she's a current member of the Consolidation Charter Task Force.

Target was named the Business of the Year.

For the Week 1 contest, 17 people correctly picked Darren McFadden of the Oakland Raiders as the week's leader in rushing yards. After a random drawing from among those 17 people, Mark Potwora wins the sheet pizza.

A NYS audit of the Corfu Fire District released today (pdf) says that fire district board members have not completed proper annual audits and that such audits would have found unauthorized personal use of district credit cards.

The fire district collects taxes to help fund the Corfu Fire Department, but is a separate entity from the fire department.

Its annual budget is more than $112,000.

The NYS Office of the Comptroller examined the district's financial records for 2008 through 2011.

Among the findings was that allegedly the district treasurer and a former fire chief made personal purchases with district credit cards totalling $2,045.

The report states that the treasurer confirmed $601 in purchases made in June and July of 2009 were for personal items.

The former chief allegedly made purchases reportedly for $779 from July through December 2008. His January 2008 bill also included a balance due of $665, according to the report.

Neither the former chief nor the treasurer are named in the report, but the report states these charges were reimbursed to the district, though it's unclear when the reimbursements took place.

According to the comptroller's office, district credit card balances included $1,600 in interest and late fees.

The district paid $380 in fees and interest, but only authorized $142 of these payments, according to the report.

"If the board had properly reviewed the actual credit card monthly billing statement," the report reads, "it would have seen that the amount on the abstract was greater than the amount due for legitimate district purchases."

The report, issued to the district on Sept. 2, offers four recommendations, including that the board: formerly adopt a credit card policy; audit every claim before approving payment; require annual financial reports issued to the comptroller's office; and that the treasurer make payments directly to vendors as authorized by the board.

In a response letter, Board Chairman Robert Ammon says that the district will adopt a former credit card policy and that it adopted internal financial controls in 2009. He also says the district has sought and received assistance from the controller's office on filing proper reports, and that the board will document concerns and require further back up for any questionable expenditures.

The response letter states that reports were not filed with the state previously because of technical difficulties involved in meeting new requirements by the state.

The letter does not directly address the issue of unauthorized use of district credit cards for personal purchases.

A car was reportedly egged within the past hour to 90 minutes on Allen Street, Batavia.

City PD responding to take a criminal mischief complaint.

UPDATE: City PD received a report earlier on Jackson Street of a similar incident.

UPDATE: A reader on Cherry Street also reports having his car egged, but he didn't call police.

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An alleged drunken driver reportedly started a four-car accident at 2:04 p.m., Saturday, on Route 77 near Route 5 in Pembroke after she rear-ended a car in front of her.

The driver's car then continued forward -- after the first car it hit was pushed out of the way -- and struck a third car in the rear, which hit the car in front of it.

Charged with DWI was Heidi J. Berkes, 27, of North Madison Street, Rome.

Berkes was driving a 2005 Ford SUV when she came upon two cars stopped at the intersection of Route 77 and Route 5 and third car immediately in front of her slowing.

She reportedly struck a car driven by Justin C. Mahar, 19, of Rebecca Street, North Syracuse. Mahar's car was pushed off the road and then Berkes' SUV struck a car driven by Matthew F. Endres, 19, of Carrie Marie Lane, Hllton, which then struck a car driven by Michele Lillie, 39, of Buffalo Road, Erie.

Injured in the accident were Cory Delahunt, 26, a passenger in Berkes' SUV, Endres and Lillie. 

Berkes and Mahar were not injured, and the seven other passengers in the four vehicles were not injured.

Mahar was cited for alleged unlicensed operation.

The accident was investigated by Sgt. Greg Walker.

Press release from the Batavia PD:

The Batavia Police Department is investigating an incident of attempted fraud. A Tracy Avenue resident has reported being contacted by telephone by a male subject who identified himself as a lottery official. The local resident was informed that he or she had won a lottery and needed to forward an amount of cash in order to collect the winnings.

The male caller provided some legitimate lottery information, however, identified himself by different names during separate conversations.

The resident did not forward cash as requested and has been advised to cease any contact with the suspect.

Residents need to be on guard for this and similar incidents of fraud that are continuing and ongoing.

Linda Jean Desnatis, 42, Main Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of DWI with a child passenger under age 16, DWI, driving with a BAC of .10 or greater and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Following a complaint of a possible drunken driver, Desnatis's car was stopped at 7:45 p.m., Saturday, on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Graff.

Francis T. Lacko, 29, of Johnstown, Pa., is accused of being a fugitive from justice. Lacko was arrested in Le Roy on Friday. Lacko was stopped in the Village of Le Roy after police received reports of a suspicious person going door-to-door selling magazines without a permit. Upon investigation, police found outstanding warrants for Lacko from three different states, including Pennsylvania. Among the charges faced by Lacko is fraud. Lacko was jailed without bail.

Paul Konieczny, 47, of 144 Harvester Ave., Batavia, is charged with DWI and three counts of failure to keep right. Konieczny was involved in a motor-vehicle accident at 9:20 p.m., Friday. He is accused of striking a street sign and two parked cars. The vehicles reportedly sustained significant damage. Konieczny reportedly suffered cuts on his face and was transported to UMMC by Mercy EMS.

Thomas Tyrone Gantt, 54, of Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester, was arrested at 8:04 p.m., Friday, on Clinton Street Road, Batavia, on a bench warrant out of Town of Gates Court. Gantt is accused of petit larceny.

Kerry Michael Simpson, 49, of Getman Road, Alden, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving left of pavement markings in a no-passing zone and speeding. Simpson was stopped at 1:33 a.m., Saturday, on Erie Street, Darien, by Deputy Jason Saile.

Thomas Z. Wilson, 19, Michael A. Albini, 19, and Patrick W. Moran, 18, all of 113 S. Swan St., Batavia, are all charged with criminal nuisance and unlawful possession of alcohol under age 21. Wilson, Albini and Moran were arrested after allegedly hosting an underage drinking party at 12:22 a.m., Saturday.

Edward M. Davis Jr., 46, of 23 Oak St., lower, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass. Davis is accused of remaining unlawfully in the apartment of a female acquaintance.

Latoya D. Jackson, 25, of 112 State St., lower, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Jackson is accused of shoplifting $12.50 in merchandise from the Dollar Store on East Main Street.

A 17-year-old resident of State Street is charged with disorderly conduct. The youth is accused of shouting obscenities while attending a football game at Vendetta Stadium at 9:45 p.m., Friday.

In a service that recalled in detail the tragedy, fears and horror of Sept. 11, 2001, Pastor Marty Macdonald's Sunday morning message was really about hope.

"We have the power to hope," he said, "in something greater than ourselves."

Sept. 11, Macdonald said, wasn't something that God "allowed" to happen, nor was it, as some have said, God's revenge on a nation gone astray.

"God didn't have anything to do with it," Macdonald said. "It was the work of the enemy."

The Sunday service at City Church opened with the usual praise worship, but then shifted gears to vignettes related to 9/11 -- first, community residents recalling what that day was like, then a scene of a daughter at breakfast with her mother, unable to comprehend why 9/11 is important, so her mother opens her computer to show her newsreels from that tragic day.

On the projection screens, scenes of 9/11 played out as they did in 2001, followed by the Oval Office speech from President George W. Bush.

After the videotapes from Sept. 11, 2001, three church members portrayed different people effected by 9/11: the daughter who lost her father; the firefighter who contracted cancer from working in the rubble of the Twin Towers; and the wife of Todd Beamer, the passenger on Flight 93 who famously uttered "Let's Roll" before passengers attempted to retake the hijacked airplane.

Macdonald said that at a time when people are losing confidence in our government, it's important to remember where to place our hope.

"When you place your confidence in human beings, you will always be disappointed," Macdonald said. "But when you place your hope in a living God, you will never be disappointed."

Our world changed on Sept. 11, 2001, said Pastor Allen Werk. Things that we disagreed about on Monday, seemed unimportant on Tuesday. Things that annoyed us one day could be seen as a sign of God's grace the next day. As a nation, we came to see how important God is to our lives.

"We saw what life really meant and how fragile life could be," Werk said.

Werk delivered his sermon as part of a special 9/11 service at St. Paul Lutheran Church, which mixed patriot songs and prayer and a chance to honor first responders and military veterans (top picture).

"What we witnessed on that day of terror on our shores, when we saw people dying right in front of us, we recognized that we needed somebody who was bigger than us, more powerful than even the most powerful nation on Earth, who was on our side," Werk said.

Volunteers from at least four fire companies -- I saw Le Roy, Batavia, Stafford and South Byron while I was there -- were on hand Sunday at The Home Depot to raise a flag in honor of the 9/11 victims and give community members a chance to meet with local volunteers and learn about fire safety. Children could tour the firetrucks and receive hats and coloring books.

The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department during the Uproar Festival concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Saturday:

James R. Larson, 24, of Revere Place, Buffalo, is charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after allegedly causing a disturbance after being ejected from the venue. Larson allegedly resisted arrest by fighting with deputies.  Larson was jailed on $500 bail.

Daniel W. Krulikoski, 28, of Miller Crescent Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, is charged with trespass after allegedly entering a food stand without permission.  Krulikoski was released on $100 bail.

Michael J. Carlo, 31, of Pennington Court, Amherst, is charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly causing a disturbance in the venue parking lot by attempting to fight with other exiting patrons.

Philip A. Azzaretto, 41, of Exchange Street, Alden, is charged with harassment, 2nd, after allegedly striking another subject in the face while at the concert.

Keith A. Hinckley, 20, of West Avenue, Ext., Medina, is charged with disorderly conduct and possession of alcohol under 21 after allegedly yelling obscenities in the parking lot, causing a disturbance and found to possess an alcoholic beverage.

The following people received citations for alleged possession of alcohol under age 21:

Shelby R. Eck, 17, of County Route 31, Scio
Cecellia M. Wilson, 19, of Loring Avenue, Wellsville
Dustin M. Ford, 19, of Allen Street, Allentown
Danielle J. Armfield, 19, of Baker Street, Andover
Lindsay L. Harris, 17, of Riverside Drive, Wellsville
Rebecca A. Oliver, 17, of River Road, Phoenix
Geoff C. Hall, 20, of Drager Avenue, Syracuse
Tara M. Morabito, 16, of E. Main Street, Hamburg
Gary J. Dellaneve, 17, of Davis Road, West Falls
Julia J. Golaszewski, 20, of Center Street, East Aurora
Steven D. Jackson, 18, of Dutch Street, Wolcott
Rebecca M. Rotunno, 17, of Claremont Avenue, Tonawanda
Emily A. Dziuba, 17, of Blakeley Road, East Aurora
Joseph J. Crane, 19, of Shelby Basom Road, Medina
Brandon T. Fuller, 17, of Prospect Avenue, Medina
Gerald R. Soule Jr., 20, of East Main Street Road, Batavia
Raymond D. Wilson III, 18, of Herrick Street, Oswego
Amber L. Bonito, 20, of Drake Settlement Road, Burt
Seth P. Esskuchen, 20, of Autumn Street, Williamsville
Seth R. Reardon, 19, of Columbia Avenue, Depew
Jonathan D. Hitchcock, 20, of Otego

Kristi Queal sent in this picture from Sunday, 9/11, of her son, Deacon, who even at 2 knows how to salute a United States flag.