Demolition began on Wednesday the Town of Pembroke's Highway Department garage.
The town is building a new $7.2 million garage is funded by $1.5 million in reserves and $5.7 million in bonds.
CORRECTION: While the board approved a $7.2 million expenditure for the garage, the bids came in significantly lower than the anticipated cost. The garage will cost about $5 million, according to Supervisor Thomas C. Schneider Jr. Schneider said, "The new garage bays will be nearly twice the length of the old bays and the project includes new restroom and breakroom facilities for the Town Highway Crew."
New York State is sticking with a plan to require school districts to begin the conversation to electric buses in 2035.
Starting that year, school districts will be prohibited from purchasing gas or diesel buses.
Le Roy Central School District is working to delay buying its first electric bus as long as possible.
"Most communities are not in this category of wanting EV buses, and I think we're in that boat," Superintendent Merritt Holly said. "With our plan, we're trying to set ourselves up so that we don't have any pressure until prices come down and infrastructure is in place. We're buying ourselves time with our fleet that we have right now so that we're not forced into buying something until we're ready to do it."
District voters recently approved a plan, on a vote of 61-7, to purchase more buses at a cost not to exceed $700,000, with $200,000 from the 2019 capital reserve fund.
The district will purchase:
Two 65-passenger diesel buses
Two 35-passenger gas minibuses, one with a wheelchair lift
Two passenger hybrid vans (one will be used for taking students to events outside the district, and the other will be a utility van on campus)
Currently, electric school buses cost from $400,000 to $500,000 each.
Holly said the mandates are beyond the district's control.
"What we can control is waiting around with our fleet to make sure that when the time comes, when the infrastructure is there, and when costs are coming down -- because right now, these are not popular decisions inside many communities. It's not inside of Le Roy."
Le Roy Superintendent Merritt Holly. FIle photo by Howard Owens.
Increased costs, even with a dip in enrollment, is driving a $986,846 budget increase in the Le Roy Central School District, Superintendent Merritt Holly told the Board of Education at Tuesday's regular meeting.
"You get the rising cost of doing business and what I would call employee costs, (such as) health insurance," Holly said. "Just inflationary costs, again, of doing business, our buildings and the repairs. People sometimes forget that Woodwood Memorial Library is our responsibility and there's no aid back to that, and that falls on our budget to make that happen."
Business Administrator Brian Foeller said there will be six staff retirements and only two positions will be replaced.
Foeller also mentioned other cost pressures, including employment contract obligations, increased enrollment at BOCES and the P-Tech Academy, and repairs needed at the junior/senior high school parking lot.
The district plans to purchase choral risers, wrestling mats, musical instruments, and utility vehicles in 2025/26.
The total proposed spending plan is $32,055,588. The levy is expected to increase 1.7%, which is below the tax cap limit. The district won't calculate the new tax rate for property owners until assessments are settled in August.
The board will vote on the budget at its April meeting, with a public vote in early May.
After the meeting, Holly spoke with The Batavian about national and state issues that may or may not affect the school district.
A looming issue is the possible closure of the Department of Education. On March 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order eliminating the department, but even Republican members of Congress reminded him that Congressional approval is needed to eliminate the department, a point Trump has conceded.
Holly said the biggest issue the district might face is the potential loss of Title 1 funds. The executive order carved out Title 1 as a program to continue, but perhaps run by another agency. Title 1 assists schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families.
The funds can account for 10 to 15 percent of district spending each year, Holly said. That could mean a $3.5 to $5 million in lost revenue for the district if Title 1 is eliminated.
In the near term, Holly isn't worried about closing the DOE. So long as the Title 1 funds remain in place, the federal department has little to do with local schools.
"Yeah, I think the impact could be more down the road," Holly said. I think some of the movement by the Trump Administration, and what they're doing is, at face value, trying to look at costs, just like everybody else is trying to do to be efficient. I think the part that's most concerning for schools is, will those federal dollars come back to our schools, and to our states, then back to our schools. And I think that with that being said, that's the part of it that's the unpredictable nature of where we don't know where that's going to end."
Even though Congressional approval is uncertain, and there are lawsuits pending that attempt to block the executive order, and Trump has said Title 1 should continue, Holly thinks the district should ponder a future without the department and the funds.
"What will that impact mean if the federal dollars are not coming our way?" Holly said. "What's that going to mean for states? What are they going to do, and then what are we going do at the local level? So, I think we can start to gear up for some of those conversations."
Other than funding, most of the operations of the DOE -- collecting data on schools and education research, recommending education reforms, enforcing enforcing civil rights laws, and administering Pell Grants -- have little to no impact on local schools.
Some of the arguments about whether to keep the DOE is a two-sided coin. Elimination, theoretically, helps return control of schools to the state and local districts. On the other side, the DOE doesn't interfere with local schools.
"I think, listen, I want -- this is my opinion --I want to have local control," Holly said. "I think that's what originally started -- our Board of Education, our community. I want local control as much as possible on that always; it is hard because at the same time, we're asking for federal dollars back but again, the impact should be local, local decision-making is where I believe education should start and end."
Which brings up a natural question: how about state control of local school districts?
"I think the unfunded mandates place huge burdens on districts that they don't think about that sometimes," Holly said.
An example, he said, is the electric bus mandate.
"I still don't think it has been well thought out, though the other side would disagree," Holly said.
Another mandate Gov. Kathy Hochul is pushing is for a ban of mobile devices by students during school hours. Holly said that is another issue that should remain up to the local school districts.
"That shouldn't be handled at the state level," Holly said. "It should be handled at the local level where we know what is best for students."
At the end of the interview, Holly provided The Batavian with a list of 152 state and federal unfunded mandates.
Curriculum requirements include Conservation Day and programs for the Irish Potato Famine, Humane Treatment of Animals, Patriotism and Citizenship, and Care for the Flag.
Seat time requirements
Staffing ratios and class sizes
Costs for students attending state schools for the blind and deaf
A group of friends and I share music-related messages through e-mail fairly regularly and the other day one of them shared a newspaper article that mentioned the rock band The Byrds were going to play at Batavia High School.
The undated article is clear that the concert was at Batavia High School. It may have been sponsored by Genesee County College (a group member found another article mentioning the Bob Seger System playing the series, which is what started the discussion).
An article in the Buffalo Courier-Express, from the Batavia Bureau, mentioned that while students got band members' autographs after the show, one enterprising fan grabbed one of the auditorium's plastic chairs and then had band members sign it.
Then, police spotted the youth, not named in the article, running across the parking lot with the chair. He was charged with petit larceny and released on $25 bail.
So, who was this young fan? Do you know? Was it you? We want to solve this mystery and get the rest of the story. Email me, please, at howard@thebatavian.com
Local law enforcement officers were the first on scene on Monday afternoon for a house fire at 24 Lincoln Ave., Le Roy, and jumped into action with three fire extinguishers and a garden hose to help keep the fire under control until Le Roy Fire arrived on scene.
The responding officers were Officer Terrez Smith, Detective James Prusak, and Deputy Jenna Fernando.
The fire was reported at about 1:40 p.m. with smoke and flames showing.
Bergen Fire, Pavilion Fire, and Stafford Fire also responded.
Paul Marchese’s turn to computers came about in college when a professor suggested a new degree program might be right for him.
Before he even graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in computer science and mathematics, he had started -- in 1981 -- his own business in Batavia.
"I've always had a drive to try and help people to solve a problem and make technology work for them," Marchese said.
That passion has led Marchese to participate in the publication of a couple of books. The latest was released earlier this month, and Marchese contributed one of the essays in The Cyber Playbook (published by BigRedMedia), "The major cyber dangers that could topple your business."
Drawing on his own experience, Marchese writes about how employees -- and even owners -- can be duped through social engineering (using deception to get a person to divulge information they shouldn't) and phishing (a type of social engineering) to gain access to sensitive data.
We're busy, inattentive, not aware, and with a click, poof, critical data is gone, or maybe encrypted, in what's called a ransomware attack.
Marchese discusses some of the measures businesses can take to protect themselves from these attacks.
"The biggest point that I can stress to anyone I'm talking to, is cybersecurity is not a set and forget; doesn't work," Marchese said. "The old stalwarts today, the Macafees, the Nortons, all those anti-virus programs, none of them work. It's all essentially placebo based."
Marchese promotes managed services, layers of security and an AI-driven security program called Sentinel One.
"We've been using it for almost five years," Marchese said. "The tech is continually changing, and the way hackers come in is continually changing. It's a moving target. That's why I said it's not set and forget it."
Marchese's first book was self-published and written for the non-IT person to help him or her understand the computer technology and wired world.
"I think it was chapter 10 in that book that was terminology," Marchese said. "I armed them with all the nomenclature an IT person would normally make themselves look better because they'd use these terms that nobody understands."
Marchese’s first collaborative book project came out a year ago, "From Exposed to Secure" (published by Morgan James). The book also covers a range of cybersecurity issues. Marchese's chapter is "Your Workforce Is Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risk." It provides eight best practices to reduce the risk.
Over the past 44 years, Marchese Computers, 220 Ellicott St., Batavia, has grown from one employee to 10 employees. The mission has remained the same, Marchese said.
"My goal is to remove the stress, the worry from whoever I touch, as far as a client, so they can grow their business because it's symbiotic," Marchese said. "They grow, we grow, and it has worked very well for me."
By lasting more than four decades, Marchese has had plenty of opportunity to kid his uncle, Vic Marchese, owner of Main St. Pizza Company, about his decision not to invest in Paul's company early on.
"I said, 'How'd you like to buy half of my company for $1,500, and he goes, 'I don't know; no, I don’t think so. Computers are just a fad.' Computers are just a fad. I will never let him live that down. And I keep telling him, 'Oh, just a fad, huh?'"
Dean K. Houk, 55, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and multiple traffic violations. On March 7, a police officer reportedly observed Houk drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Houk allegedly led police on a pursuit through the city until stopped at West Main Street and Oak Street. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Jamie Stephen Vosburgh, 36, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and insufficient tail lamps. Vosburgh was stopped at 10:26 p.m. on March 16 on Cole Road, Le Roy, by Deputy Zachary Hoy. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Brandon Charles Dodd, 38, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dodd is accused of shoplifting from Target on Veterans Memorial Drive, Bataiva, at 11:56 a.m. on March 6. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.
Jennifer C. Moscicki, 48, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Moscicki is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on March 11. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Mercedes Ramon-Rodriguez, 31, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. She is accused of leaving a 3-year-old at home alone. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Kelly J. Mungo, 49, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Mungo is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on March 6. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Mary A Ingles, 70, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Ingles was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on March 5 on Richmond Avenue. She was issued traffic tickets and released.
Bill A. Thomas, 65, is charged with trespass. Thomas was found inside the City Centre Mall on March 7 in violation of a previous order to keep of the premises. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Jazmyn R. Bater, 20, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Bater is accused of striking another person in the head several times on March 7 while the other person was holding a child. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Jennifer N. Wilson, 38, of Auburndale, Fla., was arrested on March 9 on a warrant. She allegedly failed to appear on charges from Feb. 26, 2024, of criminal trespass 2nd, obstructing governmental administration, and resisting arrest. She was arraigned and released.
Photo by Howard Owens/The Batavian reprinted in the report from the department's Police Memorial Ceremony.
In 2024, Batavia PD handled big crimes, petit crimes, and no crimes and participated in multiple community events, according to the department's annual report.
In all, the department made 635 arrests, which included a murder, nine robberies, 23 felony assaults, 56 thefts, four kidnappings, 66 drug possessions, 44 DWIs, and four sex offenses.
The department did not release a report in 2024, so 2023's arrest data is unavailable.
The 2025 report does provide comparison data for total calls for service. There were 22,116 calls for service last year and 21,617 in 2022. During the COVID years, calls for service dropped. There were 21,264 calls for service in 2019.
Those calls included 1,120 domestic incidents, which is a slight increase from the previous year, as well as 802 disturbance calls. The police investigated 920 larcenies, which was down from 2023 and 2022, when larceny reports peaked over 1,000. Mental health calls were down from nearly a thousand in 2023 to 715 in 2024.
The number of domestic violence victims has steadily decreased since 2020, when there were 248 victims reported. There were 146 in 2024.
Officers responded to 371 alarm calls, 410 9-1-1 hang-up calls, and 508 animal complaints and conducted 641 welfare checks.
Patrols conducted 3,207 traffic stops and wrote 1,790 citations.
There were 493 motor vehicle crashes reported.
The department was involved in multiple community events, including Batavia Community Night, Shop with a Cop, Trunk-or-Treat, and Juneteenth, as well as department members participating in charity softball and hockey games.
The most significant case of the year was the death of Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello of the Sheriff's Office. He died while trying to deal with unruly patrons at Batavia Downs. Batavia's officers and detectives handled the investigation. Michael Elmore was eventually convicted of manslaughter in the case.
"The men and women of the City of Batavia Police Department go above and beyond each and every day to ensure the safest possible neighborhoods and streets," said Chief Shawn Heubusch in his opening message. "Our civilian staff makes sure that the department operates as efficiently as possible and are to be recognized for their hard work as well. I thank all the members of the Department for their service and sacrifice as we enter into a new year."
A 33-year-old Batavia man will serve up to 20 years in federal prison on a conviction of production and possession of child pornography, a U.S district judge ruled on Thursday.
Derek Hagen admitted to the child pornography charges on Sept. 7, 2022. He was arrested in November 2021.
Hagen's most recently known employment at the Brockport Childhood Development Center as an assistant teacher in the infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms.
According to Kyle P. Rossi, assistant U.S. attorney, the evidence compiled against Hagen showed that the former teacher engaged in a pattern of sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 4 and 8. Hagen photographed and videoed himself, subjecting the victim to sexual contact. Hagen then distributed the images to other people over the internet.
Rossi also said that Hagan, while employed in Brockport, produced and possessed sexually explicit images of children entrusted to his care. The children ranged in age from six months to five years. Hagen produced these images while changing diapers and assisting children who were learning to use the bathroom. Hagen distributed the images of these children to other individuals over the internet.
Hagen also possessed approximately 50,000 images and videos of child pornography that he received from others via the internet.
The case was investigated by the State Police, Homeland Security, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
If you have not heard of Henry Grace, that's OK; until a year ago, neither had Eric Zwieg.
Henry Grace, he said, is "a reinvention of yourself, right?"
So who is Henry Grace?
"He's someone who hasn't played music in like, almost 25 years, you know, on a regular basis, someone who hasn't written songs or played with other people (in a long time)."
That sounds a lot like Zwieg.
"The last time I legitimately played music was in Atlanta, with a couple of bands down there. Zwieg said. "We put records out. We played the scenes that were happening, played a lot of bars, did some great opening act type stuff."
Then Zwieg, originally from Jamestown, came back to Western New York. That was in 2003.
"Since then, I haven't done anything," Zwieg said. "I hardly picked up a guitar. In fact, I basically gave away all my gear over the years."
A little over a year ago, he showed up at the first Iburi Photography open mic and read from his thesis, and then he formed the musical duo Paris and Holly with Emily Crawford. They performed together at Iburi and GO Art! together for about six months.
During that time, Henry Grace started to emerge. Now, Grace is ready to release his first full-length album, "The Complete Disaster," at a release party at 8 p.m. on Saturday at GO Art!, 201 E. Main St., Batavia.
Music has been part of Zwieg since childhood.
"I was always around music when I was a kid," Zwieg said. "I was fortunate enough to grow up on the grounds of Chautauqua Institute. When I was a kid, in my early adolescence and teen years, I saw amazing artists there, including the symphony and ballet companies and opera, a lot of the big touring acts of the late 60s and 70s. It was a big influence on me and kind of just hurtled me into music."
He started out on trumpet, joined choir and before graduating from high school, he was involved in musical theater.
At 16, he became a drummer (self-taught) in a band. They played Southern Rock in the bards of Jamestown.
"That was a lot of fun," Zwieg said. "It taught me how to deal with bar owners and drunks and everything that goes along with what used to be the only place you could play."
He paused his pursuit of music when he became "domesticated." He became a father when he was 21 and went back to community college and majored in musical theater. During that time, he put his own band together for the first time, Common Man.
"I was writing songs right from the start, playing guitar and singing, and we had a great four-piece band," Zwieg said. "We stuck around for about five, six years, did some recordings, did a lot of regional touring, opening up for some smaller acts. It's a really small scene in Jamestown, but kind of the epicenter because of the fact that the 10,000 Maniacs had made it 10 years before, and so there were a lot of musicians around who were trying to put bands together."
His next band was called The Schmells but the gigs weren't happening, so he started doing solo acoustic work in college bars and coffee houses in Buffalo, Erie, Fredonia, Geneseo, and other college towns.
"It was a funky scene, and it was always better in the small college markets," he said.
In 2016, he came to Batavia and started formal writing programs, earning a bachelor's degree as well as an MFA.
He wrote fiction, plays, and poems and put together theatrical productions, poetry readings, and lectures.
Then the siren song of the musical muse started calling again.
"Music has definitely taken the upper hand because I find it easier to just play by myself and go out into a gig or set things up with other people, rather than putting together a full cast, Zwieg said.
When you put a production together, it is, well, a production. You need rehearsal space and a place to perform as well as the casting and directing."
"It's incredibly time-consuming and I don't want to be a producer," Zwieg said.
He said he would rather be an artist, and music was always central to his life.
All the formal education sparked an interest at working at the craft of songwriting.
"I just didn't have any purpose, really, and I wasn't connecting with people," Zwieg said. "And it's an easy way to connect with people, and even if you're just playing open mics and things like that there becomes a community. And I was trying to create a community at the same time. So yeah, I was definitely trying to motivate myself. Once you put things out in front of you that you know you want to accomplish, or things that you're expected to do ... you become committed to it."
He hosted a series of Henry Grace and Company coffee-house-like shows at GO Art! over the past several months, featuring not just Grace, but also other solo acoustic performers.
"The overall purpose is just to get singer-songwriters to come out of the closet," Zwieg said.
"We've created a bit of an audience there, and that's really the major thing I'd like to parlay that into -- I was hoping for a grant this year, but it didn't come through -- working towards the first Batavia Folk Festival to include all the local folks and local teachers."
So what does Henry Grace write and sing about?
The self, Zwieg said. Not necessarily the personal self but songs that are personal and about selves.
"There's a lot of storytelling in there," Zwieg said. "I like to tell stories. I have been fortunate enough to travel around the country and in Europe and really meet a lot of people. I love to sit and talk and bullshit. Once in a while, you extract something good."
Those conversations made it into journals, and those journals led to a stream-of-consciousness approach to songwriting, he said.
"I would most compare it to somebody like REM, who was a big influence on me when I first started writing songs. A lot of their music is a stream of consciousness, or it's just it's poetic. Things in Michael Stipe just strung together, and that's always stuck with me."
So, in Henry Grace, Zwieg has rediscovered his roots.
"Music has always been my go-to thing," Zwieg said. "I've played it throughout my life and a lot of different kinds of different approaches, but I'm back to the singer-songwriter type of thing now and just really simplifying it."
Spencer Efing, Kevin Partridge, Seth Coburn, Anthony Haitz Photo by Howard Owens.
This weekend, Batavia Players presents at the Main St. 56 Theater Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale."
The production is directed by Patrick D. Burk with a script adapted by Burk and Tess Uline.
The Players promise a play of romance that is filled with surprises, modern-day twists, and glam. The play is a tale of love, jealousy, and redemption, and staged by the Players in a contemporary way, bringing characters to life for today's world.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets are $22 for adults ($24 at the door) with discounts for students and seniors. Tickets are available at bataviaplayers.org.
CM Waide Photo by Howard Owens.
Cassandra O'Connell, Celeste Vescovi (seated), Sophie Houseman Photo by Howard Owens.
Anthony Haitz and Sophie Houseman Photo by Howard Owens.
Anthony Haitz and Sophie Houseman Photo by Howard Owens.
Robert Mruczek ended a seven-year run as chief of the Byron Voluneer Fire Department this year and on Saturday was honored for his service with a white chief's helmet. Photo by Howard Owens
There were laughs, hugs, and appreciation in the Byron Fire Hall on Saturday evening as the Byron Volunteer Fire Department recognized its dedicated members and those in other departments and the community who support it.
Robert Mruczek, who stepped into the chief's role seven years ago, was honored as he steps down to a deputy chief's role.
Assistant Chief Edward Sharp read a statement from the new chief, Dwane Weatherell, who was unable to attend the dinner.
"When Robert Mruczek took over this position," he said, "it was a time of transition following the sudden resignation of the previous fire chief halfway through the year. The challenges were great, but Chief Mruczek took those challenges head-on with a level of professionalism and dedication that set an example of true leadership. Chief Mruczek stepped into an uncertain and demanding situation. From day one, he demonstrated his ability to lead and inspire those around him. Under his leadership, our department has weathered many storms and flourished through countless emergencies, fires, and rescues. Chief Mruczek has ensured the safety and well-being of our community while continuing to build a strong department."
In 2024, the department responded to eight fire calls, 148 EMS calls, 11 hazardous condition calls, 25 good intent calls, and six false alarms. Department members went through 889 hours of fire training and 439 hours of EMS training.
The 2024 administrative officers are
Steve Lockner, president
Pete Lockner, vice president
Tammy Wells, treasurer
Laura Platt, assistant treasurer
John Durand, sunshine chair
Tim McKenrick, chairman of the board
Board of directors: Ken McKenrick, Kevin McKenrick, and Joe Wells
Kevin McKenrick, chaplain
Firematic officers:
Dwane Weatherell, chief
Robert Mruczek, deputy chief
Edward Sharp, assistant chief
Brandan Crossett, captain
Michael Alexander, lieutenant,
John Durand, safety officer
EMS:
Brad Nickerson, captain
Kylenna Smith, lieutenant
Dr. Erik Peterson medical director
Ladies Auxilary:
Laura Platt, president
Julia Hahn-Wasinger, vice president
Bethany Berggren, secretary
Morgan Leaton, treasurer
Barb Read, sunshine chair
Board of Directors: Eliane Barniak, Jayne Foose, and Christine Nickerson
Exempts:
Tim McKenrick, president
David Barringer, vice president
Ken McKenrick, secretary
Tony Barniak, treasurer
This year, Byron Fire honored its sponsors. Haitz Roofing, Arctic Refrigeration, Genesee Plumbing, and Ben's Appliance. Deputy Chief Robert Mruczek announced the awards. The honorees were not present at the dinner. Photo by Howard Owens
Julia Hahn Wasinger, right, was named the Ladies Auxiliary Member of the Year. Pictured with Laura Platt and Morgan Leaton. Photo by Howard Owens
Laura Platt and Tatum Higby, members of Byron’s Rescue Squad, finished first at the NYS Basic Life Support Competition at the EMS Games in Ocotber at the Riverside Convention Center in Rochester. Photo by Howard Owens
Edward Sharp, left, and Robert Mruczek, along with John Durand and Brandan Crossett, were the department's top responders in 2024. Photo by Howard Owens
For service and dedication, Tammy Wells (not at the dinner), Kyleena Smith-Neal, and Lori Mruczek received the Chief's Award. Photo by Howard Owens
East Pembroke's Robert Yungfleisch, an experienced EMT, camps in Byron during the summer months so he often responds to Byron medical calls to assist. He was recognized by the department for his service. Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
The Five Amigos. Robert Mruczek, Kevin Bruthon (Bergen's chief), Mike Heale (Elba's chief), Garrett Dean (Bergen deputy chief), and Fay Fuerch (Captain, Le Roy Fire and a DEC K-9 officer). Photo by Howard Owens
Vanessa's Lasting Legacy and Independent Living of the Genesee Region hosted Lucky Paws Vendor Show at Batavia's City Centre Mall on Saturday as a fundraiser.
Vanessa's Lasting Legacy provides assistance to veteran, disabled, elderly, and homeless cat and dog owners so they can keep and care for their pets.
There were 40+ baskets up for a raffle, along with more than 70 vendors.
Edmund Acres, LLC, a participant for the past 12 years with Genesee County Soil and Water and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, was honored on Saturday night in Alexander as Conservation Farm of the Year.
Located in Le Roy, Edmund Acres is owned by Nate Edmund. It is a grain crop farm that grows corn, soybeans, and wheat on over 1,000 acres.
Edmund has worked with Soil and Water on best management practices for soil health, with a focus on reducing tillage through strip-till and no-till practices and improving soil organic matter with cover cropping. Edmund also follows an integrated pest management plan and a nutrient management plan.
The Celebrate Ag Dinner was served at the Alexander Fire Hall and featured local products from:
Sherman came into the Class D Far West Regional Champion Game in Girls Basketball with a record of 21-1, among the best records in the state.
But not better than the undefeated Elba Lancers, who remain perfect on the season after Saturday's win, 54-48, propelling them to New York's Final Four Tournament at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy starting on Thursday.
The overtime win gives the #1 ranked Lancers a 23-0 record.
Near the end of the third quarter, Elba trailed Sherman by 10 points but charged back, carried by Brea Smith, who scored 13 points in the final 12 minutes.
Elba took a 42-39 lead, but Sherman hit a buzzer-beater to tie the game and send it to overtime.
Scoring for Elba:
Brea Smith, 20 points
Sydney Reilly, 14 points
Mariah Ognibene, 11 points
Maddie Hall, 8 points
This will be the Lancer's second consecutive Final Four appearance. They face Northville at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. With a win, they would play for the championship on Friday. This will be a chance for Elba to settle a score with Northville, who knocked Elba out of the Final Four last year, 42-34.
Lisa M. Fox, 53, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Fox allegedly caused an injury during a fight with another person on Feb. 6. While being processed at the Genesee County Jail, Fox was allegedly found in possession of narcotics. She was arraigned and held at the Genesee County Jail.
Donnie Armstrong, 52, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. Armstrong was stopped on Feb. 5 on Law Street by members of the Batavia Police NET Unit. A K-9 was deployed. Narcotics were allegedly located in the vehicle. Armstrong was arraigned in City Court and held.
Charles P. Stevens, 36, of Batavia, and Eric J. Flowers, 37, of Batavia, are charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Stevens and Flowers are accused of intentionally damaging another person's vehicle on an unspecified date. They were issued appearance tickets.
Eric J. Flowers, 37, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, possession of stolen property 3rd, and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Flowers was arrested on Feb. 5 following an investigation into a stolen utility trailer. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed without bail.
Mark W. McWethy, 57, of Batavia, is charged with DWAI Drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, and aggravated unlicensed operation 1st. McWethy was charged following a welfare check on Jan. 29 at a location on Ellicott Street, Batavia. He was arraigned and jailed.
Martin J. Rodgers, 40, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Rodgers allegedly violated an order of protection on Jan. 28. He was arraigned and released.
Tammy J. Lord, 48, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 3rd and grand larceny 3rd. Lord allegedly illegally entered a business on Liberty Street on Dec. 22 and stole properly. She was arrested on Jan. 21, arraigned in City Court, and released.
Carissa J. Visalli, 35, of Batavia, was arrested on Feb. 23 on a warrant. She allegedly failed to appear in court on a traffic ticket. She was arraigned and released.
Inge A. Stack, 55, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Stack is accused of hitting another person in the face during a fight on Pringle Avenue. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Julie L. Dutton, 29, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dutton was arrested on Feb. 2, accused of stealing merchandise from Dollar General. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Brandie M. Sumeriski, 29, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Sumeriski is accused of slapping another person during an argument on Feb. 17 on State Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Jamesha N. Wilson, 30, of Rochester, was arrested on Feb. 18 on a warrant. Wilson allegedly failed to appear in court on a traffic ticket. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
Guillermo Dediego-Reyes, 55, of Batavia, was arrested on Feb. 14 as a fugitive from justice. Dediego-Reyes was wanted on warrants out of Ohio. He was arraigned and held for extradition.
Curt A. Buchinger, 32, of Batavia, is charged with theft of services. Buchinger was arrested on Feb. 15, accused of running an extension cord from another property into his home. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Colleen M. Hutchinson, 50, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of controlled substance 7th. Hutchinson was stopped on Dec. 9 by a Batavia patrol officer and allegedly found in possession of narcotics. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Alicia M. Lyons, 45, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st and menacing 3rd. Lyons is accused of violating an order of protection on Feb. 3 by physically menacing another person. She was issued an appearance ticket. She was arrested again on Feb. 7 and charged with criminal contempt 1st and harassment 2nd.
Kim M Mobley, 62, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Mobley is accused of shoplifting on Feb. 11 from Aldi. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Richard J Burdick, 46, and Charles P. Stevens, 36, (no communities provided) are charged with assault 3rd. Burdick and Stevens are accused of injuring another person during a fight on South Main Street, Batavia. They were both issued appearance tickets.
Jena A. Defazio, 27, of Batavia, was arrested on Feb. 4 on a warrant. Defazio was issued a traffic ticket on Jan. 8 and allegedly failed to appear in court. Defazio was arraigned and released.
Courtney H. Kelley, 37, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Kelley is accused of shoplifting on Feb. 2 from Aldi. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Shawn M. Twardowski, 42, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Twardowski allegedly punched another person in the head on Feb. 2 during a fight on Highland Park. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Erin M. Klein, 38, of Cheektowaga, is charged with DWI. Klein was allegedly involved in a motor vehicle accident on Jan. 31 and an undisclosed location. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Roseann Cooper, 55, of Stafford, was arrested on Jan. 31 on a warrant. Cooper allegedly failed to appear on a traffic ticket issued on Jan. 4. She was arraigned and released.
Julie A. Earle, 50, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Earle is accused of shoplifting from Tops on Jan. 29. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Takari C. Blue, 23, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Blue was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on Jan. 31 at an undisclosed location. She was issued traffic tickets and released.
Tammy J. Dean, 54, of Alexander, is charged with DWAI drugs. Dean was reportedly involved in a single-vehicle accident on Sept. 20. He was arrested on Jan. 27, arraigned in City Court, and released.
Jaequele M. Tomlin, 30, of Batavia, turned himself in on a warrant issued following an investigation into an incident on March 26. Tomlin was allegedly found in possession of cocaine. He was arraigned and released.
Douglas G. Goodwin, Jr., 33, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Goodwin is accused of violating an order of protection. He was arrested on Jan. 7, issued an appearance ticket and released.
Brittany L. Froman, 34, of Rochester, was arrested on a warrant on Jan. 23. Froman allegedly failed to appear on narcotics charge stemming from a traffic stop on June 12. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
Kimberly S. Snyder, 48, of Geneseo, was arrested on a warrant and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Snyder was allegedly found in possession of narcotics on Oct. 29. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
John W. Clack, 66, of Batavia, is charged with criminal tampering 3rd. Clack is accused of overturning another person's motorized scooter. He was arrested on Jan. 22. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Troy W. Horton, 60, of Le Roy, is charged with DWI. Horton was stopped after employees at Taco Bell called police and reported a possible intoxicated driver. Horton was issued an appearance ticket.
Catherine R. Bater, 44, of Batavia, is charged with attempted petit larceny. Bater was arrested on Jan. 25, accused of attempting to transfer money from another person's account into her Cash App. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Ronnie J. Sumeriski, 42, of Batavia, is charged with criminal tampering 3rd. Sumeriski is accused of taking the license plate off of another person's vehicle and throwing it under another car. He was also arrested on two open warrants. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
David R. Bowen, 83, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Bowen is accused of hitting another person during a fight on Mill Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Bill A. Thomas, 65, of Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd. Thomas was found inside the City Centre Mall on Feb. 27 after previously being barred from the property. He was issued an appearance ticket. He was arrested again the next day and charged with trespass after allegedly being found in the mall again.
Shannon H. Dick, 43, and John W. Biaselli, 56, both of Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Dick and Biaselli are accused of stealing merchandise from Dollar General. They were issued appearance tickets.
Kimberly S. Snyder, 48, of Warsaw, was arrested on Feb. 27 on a warrant. Snyder allegedly failed to appear on a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
Tonisia R. Longhini, 32, of Alexander, is charged with DWI. Longhini was charged following a traffic stop on Feb. 22 on Walnut Street, Batavia, by a Batavia patrol officer. She was arraigned and released.
Rebecca Lee Harrington, 31, of Sweetland Road, Stafford, is charged with falsely reporting an incident. Harrington was arrested on March 11. She was released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.
Charles Phillp Stevens, 36, of Clinton Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell and criminal possession of a narcotic drug. Stevens was allegedly found in possession of cocaine during a traffic stop at 12:02 a.m. on March 7 on Lake Street Road, Le Roy. He was transported to the Genesee County Jail and held pending arraignment.
Clint Jeffery Towne, 44, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon 3rd. Towne was arrested at 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 28 on these charges following a prior on Feb. 21 on a separate incident. During a search of his property at a location on Phelps Road, Pembroke, he was allegedly found in possession of an assault weapon and multiple large-capacity magazines. He was incarcerated at the time and released back into the custody of the Genesee County Jail.
Justin A. Reisman, 36, of Water-Port Carlton Road, Carlton, is charged with tampering with physical evidence and obstructing governmental administration. Following a fatal motor vehicle accident on Tesnow Road at 8:04 p.m. on Feb. 23, Reisman allegedly entered the crime scene and remained unlawfully after being told to leave several times by sheriff's deputies. Reisman was transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing and released.
Jarad Michael Stalker, 40, of Indian Falls Road, Pembroke, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Stalker was arrested on Feb. 19 at 10:06 p.m. on a warrant and allegedly found with narcotics in a pocket of his clothing. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Tammy M. O'Shea, 53, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and improper or unsafe turn. O'Shea was stopped at 2:35 a.m. on Feb. 22 on East Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Ryan Mullen. O'Shea was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Thomas Cody Schell, 38, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with DWI and speeding. Schell was stopped at 2:34 a.m. on March 8 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Schell was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Bonnie Jane Moser, 52, of Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with petit larceny. Moser is accused of shoplifting from a store on Veterans Memorial Drive at 7:20 p.m. on March 8 (the Sheriff's Office did not disclose the name of the store in the arrest report). Moser allegedly tried to steal six items valued at $95.12. She was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Brandi Rose Hough, 29, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Hough was arrested following a Probation Department home visit at 10:15 a.m. on March 7. She was allegedly found in possession of methamphetamine.
Dale R. Williams, 41, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, and driving without insurance. Williams was stopped at 12:50 a.m. on March 1 on Richmond Avenue in Batavia by Deputy Ayrton Blankenberg. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Colleen Michell Hutchinson, 50, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, driving a vehicle without a stop lamp, and uninspected motor vehicle. Hutchinson was stopped at 4:48 p.m. on March 3 by Deputy Jeremy McClellan. She was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine and "narcotic equipment used to smoke crack cocaine." She was issued an appearance ticket and released.
Rashad Tariq Cordell, 25, of State Street Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 3rd and aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd. Cordell is accused of possessing a stolen vehicle at 10 p.m. on Feb. 27 on Park Road, Batavia. He was held pending arraignment.
Robert Paul Leiser, 56, of Lockport Road, Alabama, is charged with hindering prosecution 3rd. Leiser is accused of allowing Marc C. Cook to live on his property while knowing Cook had active felony warrants. Leiser was transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing and released.
Dana Lee Powers, 54, of Prestige Xing, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, and operating a vehicle without stop lamps. Powers was stopped at 12:21 a.m. on Feb. 28 on Ellicott Street, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Powers was transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing and released.
Raymond James Dick, 60, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Also arrested was Sandra L. Marsceill. They were allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance while in a parking lot on Veterans Memorial Drive at 3:48 p.m. on Feb. 25. They were transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing and released.
A year after his life was taken while on duty, the badge number of Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello, GS-09, was retired from service in a memorial on Monday outside the Sheriff's Office on Park Road, Batavia.
Also honored were three members of the department who also lost their lives in the line of duty: Constable William H. Johnson, March 15, 1895; Corections Officer Raymond F. Thompson, May 30, 2002; and, Deputy Frank Bordonaro, July 8, 2014.
"The badge we wear is more than just a piece of metal," said Sheriff Joseph Graff. "It represents commitment, sacrifice, courage, honor, unwavering dedication to protecting and serving our community. It's a reminder of the trust that is placed in those who wear it. We honor these men as they've been pillars of strength and mentors to many, true embodiments of integrity and professionalism. Through countless challenges and moments of triumph, they have worn the badge with honor, putting the needs of others aside for themselves. Their impact goes far beyond the uniform. They have touched lives, provided comfort in difficult times and made our community a better, safer place."
Brian Thompson, a retired deputy and brother of Raymond Thompson, delivered the closing prayer.
"Let the light of Your countenance, oh God, shine upon the families of our departed comrades," Thompson prayed at his closing. "May we go from your strength to your strength. Strengthen us all in resolve and keep faith with all patriots, servants, and shields by fearlessly maintaining our liberties so nobly won and paid for by those who have gone on before us. Grant us your help, oh God, that the families here today and the officers and members of the Sheriff's Office and local departments and jurisdictions may valiantly fulfill their role to our country, our state, our county and our home to serve towards your purpose of the establishment of justice and peace."
Photo by Howard Owens.
Sheriff Joseph Graff Photo by Howard Owens.
Retired Deputy Brian Thompson Photo by Howard Owens.
