The 2017-18 budget for the Richmond Memorial Library, with a $25,044 in spending, was approved by voters with 87 percent, or 211 people, voting yes.
Rebecca Long was elected to a five-year term to the Board of Trustees, filling a vacancy to be left by Beth Stich, whose term expires in June.
Ninth-graders from throughout the GLOW region were at GCC today for the 2nd Annual Precision Agriculture Day. The series of lectures and demonstrations were an opportunity for students to learn about career options in agriculture that involve technology. It was a chance for them to see how technology is changing farming to increase yields and reduce costs, whether it be GPS-guided plows and seeders, or drones that use aerial photography to determine the level of nutrients in soil so farmers know better how to manage fertilizing their crops.
The demonstrations included soil fertility, crop management, drones, GPS/GIS mapping, data analysis, animal technologies and auto steering.
"We would really like to see our youth return to the field of agriculture," said Jennifer Wakefield, program coordinator with the BEST Center. "It’s our area. It’s where we live. We need young people to work in these fields."
The Elba Central School Drama Club performs a Broadway musical review they've dubbed "Spotlight" at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 13, in the school's auditorium.
Drama Club members past and present were invited to audition for the show, performing show tunes of their choosing so long as they numbers hadn't been part of a past or an upcoming show.
After the performance, audience members will be invited to participate in a mega game of musical chairs in the gym.
Some of the students and staff at Genesee Community College came together today on the lawn outside the north side of the forum for an aerial photo of them forming a human number 50 as part of the college's year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary.
Photos courtesy Genesee Community College.
Morgan Eastlack, owner of Morgan Joanna Films in Albion, was the drone operator for the event.
Cindy Hegelberger, assistant professor and reference services librarian, was a participant.
With the GCC Cougar, Kristen Murk, student activities and organizer of the event, and Cliff Scutella, director of student activities.
The latest mandate on county governments isn't all bad, the way at least one local legislator and County Manager Jay Gsell see it.
It's not a bad thing, they say, to look at opportunities to institute new shared services agreements among local agencies.
The difficulty may come in finding where those cost savings can be realized when the county has already consolidated many operations with other government agencies.
To meet Gov. Andrew Cuomo's requirement, the county must convene a committee of people representing the other government agencies in the county -- the city, schools, towns, villages -- and explore options for consolidation of agencies or shared services among agencies. The committee's work will result in a report approved by the County Legislature and delivered to the governor's office within two years.
There's no requirement that any of the ideas generated by the process actually be implemented.
That's certainly the governor's goal, Gsell said, but right now he just wants to push along the process of local agencies talking along these lines.
"In the initial year this is more (about) dialogue and discussion, (to) gauge whether there is interest in doing some of the things we’ve talked about," Gsell said.
Legislator Andrew Young said he thinks it's a good idea to have these discussions anyway.
"It helps get the discussion started," Young said during yesterday's Ways and Means Committee meeting. "I’m not saying it’s going to be easy because when mandates come down on us from the almighty it bothers us, but we should try to embrace this.”
Going back to the 1990s, the county has been involved in finding opportunities for shared services, Gsell said, starting with the Highway Department and its arrangement with town highway departments. The county has also been involved in creating shared services for emergency dispatch, consolidating the youth bureaus, including combining with Orleans County, and the health departments between Genesee and Orleans counties.
None of that will help the county with this report, though. The participating local governments must look for new opportunities.
Those might include a consolidated assessors office (right now, three assessors are shared among multiple agencies), or the creation of a centralized procurement office, consolidating code enforcement and zoning.
Right now, those are just examples and all come with their own challenges. Identifying those challenges will be part of the reporting process for the governor.
There may be ideas for consolidation or shared services that require the approval of legislators in Albany, and big projects, such as a shared jail between Genesee and Orleans counties, come with an array of challenges and potential legal complications.
The fact, though, that the county has completed so many shared services projects bodes well for officials to find more opportunities to cooperate, Gsell said.
"All of that stuff is behind us, but the fact that we’ve done this is an indication to me that we can do more," Gsell said. "We just have to put it on the table and get people to put on the table what are their issues, what are their constraints, and how do we get past them."
A Level 3 sex offender facing multiple indictments on sexual assault and other charges entered a guilty plea today to attempted criminal sexual act in the first degree.
That's a Class C violent felony.
The plea means there will be no trial next week for Marlek Holmes, 42, who if he had been convicted at trial of the Class A felonies of predatory sexual assault and predatory sexual assault against a child would have faced a possible life term in state prison.
District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said Holmes said it was just "common sense" to enter the plea today.
Jury selection was to begin tomorrow in the trial of Holmes, who had not been scheduled to appear in County Court today until he decided to plea to the lesser included charge.
By pleading guilty, even as a second violent felony offender, Holmes reduces his possible life sentence to a maximum mandatory sentence of somewhere between seven and 15 years.
He will be sentenced at 9:30 a.m., May 30.
There are still four pending indictments against Holmes, with the most serious remaining charge being second-degree assault, a Class D violent felony.
"We will have to figure out later where we are going on the remaining cases," Friedman said.
Press release:
U.S. Representative Chris Collins (NY-27) today voted to repeal Obamacare and replace it with the American Health Care Act, which will improve access, reduce costs, and provide Americans with the health care system they deserve.
“This puts us even closer to ending the Obamacare nightmare that has plagued Americans for the last seven years,” Congressman Collins said. “The legislation passed today increases competition and gives people the power to make their own choices with their own health care. The American Health Care Act is a drastic improvement over the failing health care system Obamacare has left us with.”
For Western New Yorkers, the bill also includes the largest property tax reduction ever to be enacted. The legislation includes an amendment Congressman Collins introduced that would bar federal reimbursements for New York State Medicaid funds raised from local governments.
“My commonsense proposal will fix the finances of counties across New York for decades to come and most importantly keep money in the pockets of hardworking Western New Yorkers,” Congressman Collins said. “This puts a stop to this massive unfunded mandate coming out of Albany once and for all.”
For residents in New York’s 27th Congressional District, it would result in more than $470 million in property tax savings. The proposal would only apply to the $2.3 billion being raised from counties outside of New York City to pay for the state’s Medicaid share. New York State currently raises $7 billion from its local governments to fund its $27 billion Medicaid liability, which is the largest such mandate in the nation.
Beyond the property tax savings for New Yorkers, the legislation improves access and affordability, and removes more than $800 billion in onerous taxes and fees that have been stifling the economy and eliminating job growth.
Congressman Collins indicated these improvements are absolutely necessary because the current health care system has completely failed. In 2017, 33 percent of counties nationwide only have one insurer on their exchange, and many counties are being left without any insurance providers.
He also noted that Obamacare has unsustainably raised insurance premiums by nearly 40 percent in the last three years. Recently, thousands of New Yorkers experienced the pain of Obamacare when they were kicked off their insurance plans because their provider, Health Republic, collapsed.
The American Health Care Act:
- Eliminates the individual and employer mandate, which forced millions of workers, families, and job creators into government-mandated plans that did not work for their needs;
- Guarantees protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions by prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage on the basis of a pre-existing condition, banning insurers from rescinding coverage based on a pre-existing condition, and preventing insurers from raising premiums on individuals with pre-existing conditions who maintain continuous coverage. Additionally, New York state law fully protects individuals with pre-existing conditions;
- Modernizes and strengthens Medicaid by implementing a “per capita allotment,” which provides more flexibility for states and results in the largest entitlement reform in decades;
- Provides Americans access to affordable care that works for their needs by delivering monthly tax credits of $2,000-$14,000 a year, which individuals and families can use to purchase private insurance of their choice.
The American Health Care Act now heads to the Senate where it will need to be approved before heading to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
The Genesee Symphony Orchestra performs in Elba Central School at 4 p.m., Sunday, in its final concert of the season.
The program is called "Escaping Gravity: A Journey Through the Stars," and features "And God Created Great Whales," by Hovhaness, "Music from Apollo 13," arranged by John Moss and featuring the String Workshop, "Suite from Close Encounters of the Third Kind," by John Williams, and "The Planets," by Holst.
Musical Director S. Shade Zajac conducts.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for students, $10 for seniors and families are $35. Tickets can be purchased online at GeneseeSymphony.com.
Photos are from Monday's rehearsal.
Are you ready for a resurgence in Batavia? It's coming.
Well, at least Resurgence Brewing Company of Buffalo is coming.
The popular Buffalo-based brewery is going to be part of the revitalized and rebuilt Ellicott Station (the former Della Penna property) on Ellicott Street on the edge of Downtown Batavia.
"We're obviously ecstatic about the project and seeing it come to fruition," said City Manager Jason Molino. "We're incredibly excited about Resurgence, a reputable brewery coming to the community and bringing a new, kind of niche beer, sour beer. I think it's going to help complement what we're trying to do downtown, bringing in more dining and entertainment options for people."
We've known for a long time that Ellicott Station would include a brewery and brew pub. What we didn't learn until today is that the company moving into the space would be a brand that has rapidly grown in popularity in Buffalo.
Resurgence will open a restaurant, a brew pub and beer garden that will serve their full line of beers, and a brewery that will produce sour beer, a kind of beer that has only recently started to reach the East Coast market.
Because its brew process is different and the yeasts involved can't mix with the other brews, Resurgence was looking for a location separate from their current Buffalo location.
In fact, Batavia had been on the map for Resurgence owners Chris and Jeff Ware for a long time, according to developer Sam Savarino. Savarino said he had heard the Wares had been looking at Batavia as a possible location for a brewery if not a restaurant and pub. After his company won the RFP for the Ellicott Station project, he contacted them and a deal came together very quickly, he said.
"They’re good people," Savarino said. "They’re dedicated to their craft and they care about the product they produce. That’s evident to anybody who has bought their products or visited their premises in Buffalo. As far as a brewer or retail tenant, they are a very good bet."
The Resurgence name comes from the founders' own belief in the resurgence and renaissance of Buffalo, which they've been a part of over the past several years.
Jeff Ware, company president, sent over a statement about how pleased the company is to find a location in Batavia.
"Resurgence Brewing Company is excited to announce their new brewing and biergarten location in Batavia," Ware said. "The brewery will anchor Savarino's Ellicott Station Development and help with the revitalization of downtown Batavia. With the help from New York State from Homes and Community Renewal (state pass-through of the Community Block Development Grant money mentioned below), we will be able to move project one step closer to reality."
Savarino got involved in the project after a third party told him about Batavia looking for proposals to redevelop the Della Penna property and that Savarino Companies might be a good fit.
The company has been involved in a number of revitalization projects in Buffalo. They redeveloped several buildings in the Cobblestone District of Buffalo, renovating buildings and developing mixed-use projects. They redeveloped 500 Seneca Street, a large factory converted to mixed use. They also redeveloped River Landing in Buffalo, which was a brownfield project.
Savarino said when he looked at the Della Penna property, he checked off the qualifications: A distressed property with possible environmental contamination; a distressed census tract with 35 percent unemployment; a median income that is 50 percent of the area's median income; on the edge of a downtrodden downtown.
"I joked with my friends that it had several strikes against it, so it's just the kind of project we like to take on," Savarino said.
The project will be more than just a restaurant and brewery. There will also be office space -- Savarino said he's in negotiations with possible tenants that he can't disclose yet -- and a 47-unit, four-story apartment complex.
The apartments will be especially great for Downtown, Molino said. Not only will tenants be just steps from Resurgence, within a block's walk are dining and drinking options such as City Slickers, Bourbon & Burger Co., O'Lacy's Irish Pub and Center Street Smoke House, Main Street Pizza Co., and T.F. Brown's.
"Those 47 market-rate apartments fit the demand we're seeing for living downtown," Molino said. "People want to live in downtown areas, whether it's Millennials, seniors or empty-nesters. They have overlapping interests."
Much of what we see on the Della Penna property will be demolished, Savarino said. The front of the Della Penna main building is too far gone to save and the garage to the east of the main building isn't structurally sound and is beyond repair. The main production area of the Della Penna will be restored, and that area is a perfect fit for what Resurgence plans to do, both for its size and design characteristics.
"It's important to have some link to the past," Savarino said. "It wouldn't be the same without that link. It makes the site unique to have a little bit of Batavia's past as a part of it."
Resurgence, combined with the new food establishments, brewery, and apartments going into the former Newberry building, he said, hit key redevelopment goals for Batavia.
"It really completes the project of living in a revived downtown," Molino said.
To help move the project along, Genesee County Economic Development Center is using money from the federal CDBG program. The $15 million project will receive $210,000 that will be half loan and half grant if project requirements are met. The restaurant and brewery are expected to create 15 full-time equivalent jobs, three-quarters of which will go to low- and moderate-income residents.
Getting the project to this point has been a long haul, said Julie Pacatte, coordinator of the Batavia Development Corporation.
"We've been talking about this project for a long time and people have been waiting for some movement," Pacatte said. "I think it just shows how long it takes to get things lined up before we can go public with an announcement."
Financing for the project is coming from several sources, Savarino said, and he expects financing to close in July. Construction should begin by August and Resurgence should open its doors during the first quarter of 2018.
The way the project came together, Molino said, with the involvement of the City School District, GCEDC, the county, BDC, and the City, it's really a model for how revitalization projects can be handled when everybody works together for a common goal.
"It was great work from everybody involved with great support from Resurgence," Molino said. "When you talk about how projects come together, it's really a model for best practices of the collaboration of the different entities involved.
The "heartfelt dedication" local officials had for the project was notable, Savarino said.
"I can’t say enough about working with the City of Batavia and the Batavia Development Corporation," Savarino said. "It’s quite unusual to have that level cooperation and to be working on the same side of the table with people like that."
Molino was pleased to hear the praise.
"That's what we're trying to say with the '$100 Million I'm All In' initiative," Molino said. "We want to give people the experience of great service. We want people to say, 'I can't imagine doing business anyplace other than the City of Batavia. His comment just reinforces what we're trying to say and do to make the experience great for people."
Four-year-old Layla Holbrook, with her mother Amanda, talks with a nurse about the care of her stuffed companion during the Teddy Bear Clinic at UMMC's Cary Hall facility today.
Preschool, kindergarteners and first-graders were able to attend the event with their favorite stuffed toy and learn about medical care through several interactive stations. After registration, the children went through the clinic set up to resemble hospital departments such as the emergency room, radiology and dietary. If necessary the “patient” received a bandage, cast or stitches.
Many of the doctors and nurses were high school seniors from throughout the county enrolled in the Health Career Academy, a college-credit program that gives the seniors a chance to learn about every aspect of the healthcare career field.
Also participating were staff from UMMC, members of the United Memorial League, United Memorial Guild and Mercy EMS.
Logan McAndrews was watching a doctor give stitches to a friend's stuffed dinosaur.
Amy Miller talks about a hospital bed and a stay at a hospital.
Automotive techs are in demand and the demand is growing, according to Peter DeLacy, owner of DeLacy Ford in East Aurora, which is why the WNY Ford Dealers started a program three years ago to donate cars with "real world" experience to local high schools.
The goal is to help and encourage high school students with an interest in auto repair to stick with it as a career choice and gain valuable experience working on cars with some of the last technological advancements.
"They're often working on 15-year-old cars and there isn't much interest in working on cars that don't have the latest technology," DeLacy said.
Yesterday, the dealers donated at 2014 Ford Fusion to the automotive shop at BOCES.
"We rely on donations like this in order for our kids to get the best training possible so that when they leave school, they can go right out to the workforce and do the best they can," said BOCES in Batavia Principal Jon Sanfratello (speaking at the podium in the photo above).
The dealers pool their resources to acquire cars from Ford Credit that have come out of the lease program. Delacy said auto teachers want cars with some mileage on them and in need of some maintenance, not brand-new cars, for their students to work on. Once the dealers have ensured all auto shop programs in the region have cars, they will start a three- or four-year rotation process of providing newer slightly used vehicles to the schools so students always have close to the latest technology at their fingertips.
There isn't much about a Ford or a GM or a Toyota that is so proprietary that a student can't learn a broad range of applicable skills, regardless of which car it is, Delacy said. Many car components, and the technology today that enables and manages them, are built to government-mandated specifications, so when a tech hooks up a diagnostic computer to a car, the readout is the same regardless of the make or model.
"The diagnostic codes, how you access the primary powertrain control module, how you do all of these things is pretty much the same for all manufacturers," Delacy said.
The goal for the Ford dealers, of course, is to ensure as many young techs come out of high school and two years of college with an interest in working at Ford dealerships, but as long as there are more techs in the market, it's better for everybody.
"The technicians we have now, they’ve put their time in and they want to retire," Delacy said. "There’s not a big pool of talent to choose from, so knowing that the Ford dealers of Western New York, including myself, decided to ask, ‘where do we get technicians? How do we get them interested?’ Because a lot of people don’t want to get into that. They want to be other things and this is a very good pay program when you get into the dealership level."
It's a good career choice, Delacy said, because it's stable, it pays well and dealership jobs are good jobs, and since the only college required is couple of years at a community college, so the career makes sense financially.
"The great part is it's not a huge investment," Delacy said. "They don't have student loans to pay for five or 10 years. They’re out in the real world, earning real money, keeping their money and investing it, so we’re on the ground floor of great opportunity, allowing students to get a good education and they’re ready to go when they get out of college and they don’t have a huge debt load, so it’s a win-win-win for everybody."
Jury selection will take place Friday for the trial of a convicted child predator who is facing possible life in prison if convicted of new sexual assault charges.
Marlek E. Holmes will be tried on several charges, including two Class A felonies, predatory sexual assault and predatory sexual assault against a child.
The 42-year-old Holmes was arrested in the fall and has been held without bail because of the potential life term and his five prior felony convictions, including two violent felonies, and five prior violations of terms of probation.
While in custody, he also allegedly damaged jail property and was charged with criminal mischief.
The Level 3 sex offender, who has also been accused of failure to register a change of address, was in court today for a pre-trial hearing where Judge Charles Zambito discussed with the attorneys a motion by defense attorney Fred Rarick to gain access to documents from another court proceeding. The documents are sealed by court order.
Zambito said he isn't convinced that Rarick has a legal right to the documents, especially to use them in the manner he intends to use them.
Rarick said he doesn't intend to introduce any of the actual documents as evidence, but would use the information gleaned from them during cross-examination of a witness.
Rarick also moved to have two charges dismissed since they are included and concurrent with other charges. Zambito said he motion was premature and he would reserve judgment until the appropriate time during the proceedings.
The trial is expected to begin Monday with witnesses being called through Wednesday.
Press release:
State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has introduced legislation (S5814) today in the State Senate to quicken access to ride-sharing services for residents and tourists in Western New York for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Senator Ranzenhofer has been a strong supporter of bringing this new transportation option to Upstate New York.
"While ride-sharing services have been given a green light, arriving days after the Fourth of July is too little, too late. Every year, we read about accidents and deaths caused by motorists who should not be driving. This safe, reliable transportation option can help to make our roadways safer," Ranzenhofer said.
The new bill amends the effective date for the ride-sharing legislation -- Part AAA of Chapter 59 of the laws of 2017 approved as part of the recent state budget -- from 90 to 80 days. If enacted, transportation network companies would be available as soon as June 29th. Under existing law, it would not be available until July 9th.
Senator Ranzenhofer noted the positive benefits for the community from an earlier start to ride-sharing.
"As thousands visit Niagara Falls and area attractions from Buffalo to Rochester, it would be a missed opportunity for our region if ride-sharing services were still not available. Allowing these companies to operate sooner is an opportunity for our region to shine. It will help to drive additional spending by tourists at small businesses and restaurants," Ranzenhofer said.
Press release:
Congressman Chris Collins has received the “Award for Conservative Achievement” from the American Conservative Union Foundation. Congressman Collins was given the highest rating of any member in the New York Delegation for the 114th Congress.
“I am honored to receive this recognition from the American Conservative Union Foundation,” Congressman Collins said. “When I first ran for Congress I promised to bring a commonsense, conservative voice to Washington, and this award is recognition of my commitment to those principles. I share the ACUF’s philosophy of smaller government and personal responsibility and will continue to support policies that achieve that vision.”
“The 2016 ACUF Award for Conservative Achievement is given to those Members of Congress who receive an 80 percent or above score in our annual ACU Ratings,” said ACUF Chairman Matt Schlapp. “We applaud Congressman Collins for his continued support of conservative values, and working to achieve commonsense conservative solutions for the people of New York.”
The “Award for Conservative Achievement” is based on 25 key votes that demonstrate an adherence to conservative principles. More information on the award is available here.
Press release:
The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) and the Gateway Local Development Corporation (GGLDC) Board of Directors will consider taking action on three projects at its meeting on May 4 in the Innovation Zone board room on 99 Medtech Drive, Batavia, starting at 4 p.m.
The Board will vote on whether to approve incentives to Genesee Valley Transportation for the proposed expansion of the company’s cross dock facility. The $1 million capital investment will expand the facility from 25,000 square feet to 37,160 square feet in order to meet increased customer demand. The estimated amount of incentives is $142,138 and for every $1 of public benefit the company is investing $4 into the local and regional economy.
Two companies are seeking to tap into the GGLDC’s revolving loan program. Batavia Brewing Company, located in the renovated Newberry building in Downtown Batavia, is requesting a $150,000 loan to rehabilitate the second and third floors for high-end apartments as part of a $2.6 million project. The basement will be converted into a brewing room and a bar and restaurant and space for FreshLAB tenants are planned for the first floor.
Liberti, Valvo & Associate LLC, a manufacturers' sales representative agency that specializes in quality safety and utility products in markets in New York, New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Ontario, Canada, is seeking a $50,000 loan for a $275,000 business project.
The GCEDC Board meeting is open to the public.
Press release:
State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has announced today that the 2017-18 State Budget restores $10 million in funding reductions, proposed by Governor Cuomo, for agriculture programs and makes a total state investment of $51 million.
“I opposed cuts for agriculture programs from day one. That is why I successfully advocated and delivered major investment for these important programs,” Ranzenhofer said. “Agriculture is New York State’s number one industry and it is also the backbone of our rural communities. Investing in agriculture will help to strengthen the industry and our local economy.”
The new budget also includes $100,000 for the Genesee County Agriculture Academy. Over the last five years, Senator Ranzenhofer has secured a total of $500,000 in state funding to support the Agri-Business Academy at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.
“The Agri-Business Academy is a valuable learning experience for high school seniors from school districts across Genesee County. The one-year program helps to develop and grow the next generation of family farmers by offering students exciting educational opportunities to explore careers in the agribusiness industry,” Ranzenhofer said.
Major programs in cutting-edge research for family farms, environmental stewardship, and protections for plant, animal and public health will receive significant increases:
• $1.5 million (for a total of $1.9 million) for the Farm Viability Institute;
• $1 million (for a total of $9.3 million) for Agribusiness Child Development;
• $1 million (for a total of $5.4 million) for the Cornell Diagnostic Lab;
• $544,000 (for a total of $750,000) for the Apple Growers Association;
• $560,000 (for a total of $610,000) for Cornell Rabies;
• $416,000 (for a total of $800,000) for FarmNet, Farm Family Assistance;
• $378,000 (for a total of $1.2 million) for Pro-Dairy;
• $307,000 (for a total of $1.5 million) for the Wine and Grape Foundation;
• $300,000 (for a total of $842,000) for Future Farmers of America;
• $160,000 (for a total of $200,000) for Cornell Hops and Barley;
Other programs funded in the 2017-18 State Budget include:
• $160,000 for Local Fair Assistance
• $500,000 for the Apple Research and Development Board
• $500,000 for the State’s Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
• $260,000 for Cornell Berry Research
• $250,000 for Tractor Rollover Prevention Program
• $220,000 for Farm Viability Dairy Profit Teams
• $215,000 for Maple Producers Association
• $200,000 for a “Seeds of Success” award to promote school gardens
• $150,000 for Turfgrass Association
• $125,000 for Christmas Tree Growers
• $125,000 for Cornell Maple Research
• $115,000 for Cornell Veterans to Farms
• $100,000 for Future Agriculture Readiness Marketing (FARM) Camps
• $100,000 for Cornell Vegetable Research
• $75,000 for Corn and Soybean Growers Association
• $60,000 for Berry Growers Association
• $50,000 for Honeybee research at Cornell
• $50,000 for Cornell Onion Research
• $25,000 for Low-Cost Vaccine Program
• $10,000 for NYS Brewers Association
• $10,000 for NYS Cider Association
• $10,000 for NYS Distillers Guild
• $10,000 for Cornell Sheep Farming
Story and photos courtesy Tom Rivers, Orleans Hub.
Joe Bezon, a third-generation muck farmer, had just headed home after a hard day’s work on Monday afternoon when it started raining. A sprinkle soon turned into a deluge.
Bezon’s home in Byron was pounded by the rain. He drove to the muck and saw water, everywhere. Bezon was about 75 percent done planting onions for the season. Now there was standing water in the fields.
Bezon said about an inch of rain fell at his house, and 2 inches in the muck.
Bezon and the muck farmers were able to pump lots of the water off the muck on Tuesday, leaving them optimistic the plants and seeds would survive. But he is nervous about the forecast for Thursday, which says another inch to 2 inches is headed our way.
“The water has gone down a lot,” he said Tuesday evening on the muck. “It all depends on Thursday and the through the weekend. It’s wait and see what happens next. It looks like another 10 days of poor weather.”
Another big rain and farmers will struggle to get rid of the water. Bezon said the ground is saturated and the drainage ditches at near capacity.
For the full story, visit Orleans Hub.
One of the four men accused of a home invasion burglary on Central Avenue in October was sentenced to five years in prison this morning by County Court Judge Charles Zambito.
Marquis Saddler entered a guilty plea March 31 to attempted burglary, 2nd, a class D violent felony, and admitted to being a second felony offender.
As a second felony offender, he faced a maximum prison term of from three to seven years.
District Attorney Lawrence Friedman sought the maximum and defense attorney Fred Rarick requested a three-year term.
After Saddler's five-year stint he will be placed on parole for five years.
Cases are still pending for Daniel Gilbert, Adante Davis and Oliver Thomas.
One of four men allegedly involved in a home-invasion burglary in October on Central Avenue, Batavia, was supposed to be sentenced on a guilty plea in that case, but it turns out there is a disagreement between the attorneys in the case on what exactly was in the plea deal given to Daniel J. Gilbert.
At the start of the hearing, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman told Judge Charles Zambito that the agreed upon sentence was a straight-up five years in prison (a determinate sentence).
Zambito turned to defense attorney Thomas Burns and asked, "is that your understanding?"
"That's not accurate," Burns said. "That's not our position at all."
Zambito asked if Burns wished to discuss the plea on the record and Burns said he did not, so Zambito called for a recess and met with the attorneys in chambers.
When he returned he said that Burns would be able to file a position paper with supporting citations, and Friedman would be given a chance to answer. Because of trial schedules and vacation schedules, Gilbert won't be back in county court for a hearing on the plea, and possible sentencing, until 11 a.m. on June 20.
Asked for more information outside of court on the particulars of the dispute, Friedman said he couldn't discuss it.
The cases for the other defendants, Oliver Thomas, Marquis Saddler and Adante Davis, are still pending.
A letter from the Sheriff's Office said the activities of Jeffery D. Torrey Sr., give indications that he has been dealing drugs recently and a letter from Torrey's wife said he travels around with a bodyguard.
"This is not a favorable PSI," Zambito told Torrey, before saying he did consider rejecting his prior guilty plea.
Instead, Zambito sentenced Torrey to six months in jail and five years probation.
Torrey had previously entered guilty pleas to criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony, and criminal possession of a weapon, 4th, a misdemeanor.
The Local Drug Task Force executed the warrant on Torrey's home in October. Agents found a grow operation inside his residence, a quantity of marijuana and cocaine, a set of metal knuckles, a gravity knife and U.S. currency.
Torrey made no statement when asked, prior to sentencing.
Undersheriff Greg Walker was head of the task force at the time and wrote the letter in the pre-sentence report expressing concern about Torrey's activities.
Zambito said he took the letter seriously.
"The Sheriff's Department doesn't often take a stand," Zambito said.
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