Le Roy

As Genesee County officials issued the first of what undoubtedly will be a string of reminders to folks to conserve water consumption during the hot summer months, there are a couple of areas also getting their attention.

Spray parks, in both Batavia and more newly installed in Le Roy, are for water what SUVs are for gasoline.

“Spray parks do consume a large amount of water, and we are working with municipalities to consider restricting usage of spray parks in times of low water supply or high water demands,” County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens said in response to The Batavian’s questions about the recent voluntary water-saving measure and spray parks. “It is a sensitive subject as the splash parks do provide significant community benefits, and they do offset similar water usage at home with pool-filling, sprinklers, slip and slides, etc.

“Both the City of Batavia and the Village of Le Roy operate splash pads and both are on activated timers, so they don’t run non-stop,” Hens said. “Even still, they are a topic of discussion as we look to ways to save water during peak demand times.”

 This past week county officials asked residents, businesses and institutions in Genesee County to voluntarily participate in reducing water consumption in a number of ways, including limiting outdoor watering of lawns and gardens, especially during the hottest parts of the days and in full sunshine, to maximize water absorption; consider using commercial car wash facilities that recycle water to reduce overall consumption; limit nonessential water in swimming pools, decorative fountains and other aesthetically pleasing but unnecessary water-consuming items.

Other suggestions included being aware of water leaks and fixing them promptly, installing efficient fixtures and using water-efficient appliances, officials said.

Some states have cycled through severe droughts for years, causing such water limitations to help stretch out their supply. California was one, and even in the mid-1980s, warnings were issued to residents about not watering lawns or washing their own vehicles.

In August 2022, the state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a drought warning for 21 New York counties including Genesee, and the agency was monitoring water conditions to help address any short-term issues and longer-term impacts of climate change.

As for right here in Genesee County, where there has been a three-phase water project in progress to enhance and strengthen the current water system, “it is important to note that these water restrictions are voluntary at this stage,” county officials said.

“Mandatory water restrictions may be implemented if public health and safety are put at risk,” officials said.

“By following these suggestions, each individual contribution will add up significantly.”

To read the entire press release, go HERE. 

A new spray park that was supposed to open in LeRoy more than a year ago is approaching its likely opening, although, as of Friday, that date is still undetermined.

This is according to LeRoy Town Supervisor James Farnholz.

Farnholz said this week that construction is done. Members of the Monroe County Water Authority pressure-tested the spray park this week.

“We did the pressure test, and it passed. The chlorine test was done, and it passed,” Farnholz said Friday.

“Because we are seasonal, Monroe County Water takes the water meters in and out every season. They don’t leave them there. The water meters are going in today. If all the water park gods shine on us, we may be able to have a test run this afternoon.”

Farnholz said, however, that due to 90-degree temperatures, “the chances of getting it tested today are probably a little slim.”

One of the delays over the past year, Farnholz said, was based on figuring out what to do with the water once it's sprayed and drained.

“You have two options. You can either recycle it — which requires an extensive system of chlorination and inspection — or continually use fresh water,” Farnholz said.

“When we looked at the dollar figures, it was more cost-effective to continually use fresh water. It has a timer on it. It’s not unlike a hotel hot tub. You hit the timer, and you get 20 minutes, so it doesn’t run continuously. The kids can just hit the button again, and off you go.”

The spray park is a cooperative venture between the town and the village. The village owns the pool, and the town runs it. American Rescue Plan money funded it. Farnholz said the contractor is based out of Texas.

The pressure coming from the water main from Monroe County into the lines that go to the spray park must hold a certain amount of pressure to ensure no leaks occur underground.

As reported in 2021, the spray park will have 2,000 square feet of misting stations, aqua arches, showers, spills, and water weaves of intertwining spouts from the base outward. Activities are geared for kids of all ages and sizes. The park is handicap accessible. 

Because it is technically not even gray water, the health department allows LeRoy to run it into the wetlands on the other side of the tracks and in the woods.

Rylee Burns started her art journey for fun when she was younger, and she intends to keep it that way.  Being an artist is not her career ambition.

After her graduation from Le Roy High School on June 24, she will head to SUNY Geneseo to major in chemistry.

"I really, really enjoy science, and I want to be a forensic scientist after college," Rylee said. "So, in thinking about starting that journey, I decided to start with chemistry."

She still may take an art class or two in college, she said, because she enjoys art, too.

It's not unusual for students, even ones as talented as Rylee, to follow career paths outside of art, said Ieon Koukides, a teacher Rylee said has inspired her to stretch herself artistically.

"Their interests are absolutely different from what they might be doing in the class, from science to music, to sports, or whatever it might be," said Koukides, who himself has interests outside of art -- he's also Le Roy's head baseball coach.  "So it's kind of nice that I get to have kids of all different interest levels, and what they go on to do is awesome to me because what I get to do is give them an avenue to appreciate art and hopefully produce some pretty neat stuff while they're in high school."

Rylee was among several seniors who prepared a wall of their paintings and drawings for Le Roy's annual art show on Wednesday, which also featured the work of underclass members.

As an artist, Rylee tends to be detail-oriented, preferring fine brush strokes.  As a sophomore, she painted a church door because she liked the detail of it, and in her junior year, Koukides encouraged her to find another church architecture theme, so she concentrated on a stained glass window.  To complete the cycle this year, she painted a church door key.

"I'm really fine with my brushes," Rylee said. "I used really tiny brushes for all three of these. I like things to go the way I want them to, so I felt really nice with these because I wanted the detail."

Koukides said he typically picks a project a student did in their sophomore year and encourages them each year to find a new approach to the same or similar subject.

"I knew she could excel at it because she's super confident in what she's doing," Koukides said. "Whether it's painting or colored pencil,  it's pretty easy to gear her towards that project and see her excel."

He said Rylee's confidence has "allowed her to soar on any project after she has learned the techniques."

The art show was moved to the auditorium stage this year (instead of the library) and the stage was filled with adults and students appreciating the works on display.  

Koukides said he's proud to see the school's art students get the recognition of an appreciative audience.

"I always say people get to see what I see every day," Koukides said. "That's what makes coming to work great for me every day. I know what's here, and I see it every day. But until we put it up like this and have everybody else view it, I don't think everybody truly appreciates what happens here in this small little community, and how talented the kids are."

Photos by Howard Owens.

A lot of well-meaning adults around Evan Williams' life have a bit of advice in the form of a question:  "What's his backup plan?" 

"What is he going to do if it doesn’t work out?" they ask.

Musical theater is going to be what Evan Williams does, says his mother, Laura.  He might wait tables while building his career, but singing and acting, or perhaps some other career role in or around Broadway, is what he is going to do with his life.

She doesn't have any doubt about it.

“People ask all the time about his fallback plan, but I can’t see him doing anything else,” Laura said.

One of his inspirations and mentors, John Bolton, a Le Roy graduate who has made a career in musical theater, TV and movies, said he hates the term "backup plan." 

"Back-up plan means this is what you're going to settle for if things don't work out," Bolton said. "You should always have something else that interests you in life, but a backup plan always sounds second-rate. It's not going for your dreams."

Williams has his best chance yet to go after that dream.  He's one of 100 students from around the nation who has won a place in the Jimmy Awards in New York City.

He secured his spot last week by winning -- along with Hope Galloway (Brighton High School) -- the Rochester Broadway Theatre League's "Stars of Tomorrow" competition.

Judges from the league visited the musicals of dozens of high schools in the Finger Lakes region and selected 40 students to compete in "Stars of Tomorrow."  After a first round, those 40 competitors became 20, then 10, and then the final two.

Last year, Williams also made the final 10.  This year, he won.

"Evan was prepared and focused," said Bolton, who was an early round judge and then coach throughout the competition.  "He's got an amazing voice. He took our notes and worked at it, as did the entire Top 40.  He took very slight adjustments because he's well prepared. He owned the night, as did Hope Galloway.  Everybody was wonderful. If it had taken place on another night, maybe someone else would have won, but that night, Evan claimed it. He owned it."

It was an incredible experience, Williams said.

He said the weeks leading up to the competition were anxious days.

"I had a lot of pressure to take on," Williams said. "Everyone had been telling me that I was gonna be the one, but I wasn’t gonna take anyone’s word for it other than my own."

He had grown up watching the Jimmys, hoping for even a regional consideration.  

"I never had really thought of it as a reality until it became a reality," Williams said. "I knew it was possible, but I didn’t want to allow myself to think I didn’t have to work for it. I never want to do that for anything. Nothing should be handed to anyone. I had said to Nate Yauchzee on the way to the event that I remembered watching kids get picked to compete at NYC Bound and just being astounded, so even the fact that I was lucky enough to be part of the competition, not once but three times is crazy. On top of that, I think sixth-grade Evan would be incredibly proud of the fact that he is the first person from Le Roy to represent Rochester at the Jimmy Awards. I hope that there are some little Evans in the world who watch those videos and are inspired just the way I was."

Jacqueline McLean has directed the recent high school musicals at Le Roy and recognizes that Williams is a special talent.

"Evan has a heart of gold," McLean said. "Often, he's not thinking about himself. He's thinking for the better of the group, about a better musical, a better performance from the team. He's a team leader, and I'm a big believer that you're not going to get anywhere if you're not kind.  He shows that often."

She said Williams is magnetic, that he connects with audiences in a way that's unique, that she hasn't seen other students be able to do.

"I have no doubt that he's going to go to college, and he's going to make a career out of this," McLean said. "I always joke with him, 'Don't forget the little people, don't forget where you came from because we're going to be cheering for you for years to come.'"

She's proud of Williams, but she's also proud of the entire Le Roy Music Department.  Le Roy was represented in Rochester by not just one but five students, and three of them made the final 20.

Le Roy's musical this year was Les Miserables.  The production was honored in every category of the theatre league's awards for 2023. Recognized as leading cast members from Le Roy were Ashlyn Puccio, Aubry Puccio, Cooper Terry, Jackson Cain, Maureen Klaiber, and Nathan Yauchzee.  Among large schools, it was recognized for excellence in overall musical production, excellence in vocal ensemble, excellence in dance ensemble, excellence in production crew, and excellence in student orchestra.

"When you see kids over the years," she added, "you pick out the ones who have the 'it' factor.  We've had a lot of them in Le Roy.  We joke about it a lot -- that it must be something in the water.  There is so much talent in this town."

After graduation, Williams, in pursuit of his musical theater ambitions, will attend Point Park University in Pittsburgh.

Attending college for music theater puts him on a very different career path than Bolton, who also grew up in love with theater, who started out in regional theater and then took a chance and moved to New York City and happened to make the right connections to build a career.

It helped that he, too, is a nice guy, but he recognizes he might be the best guide for Evan's career.  Bolton's partner is a theatrical agent, so was able to offer Williams advice on universities to target.

Other than that, he's just a big believer that Williams should focus on what he loves.

"All signs are saying that Evan Williams can do this," Bolton said. "He's diving into a situation in New York in a few weeks with 100 other students from all over the country, and he will form friendships that will last a lifetime. He will form connections that will last a lifetime."

Bolton has known Evan's mother, Laura, since they were very young.  Bolton's mother and Laura's mother, Lynn Belluscio, the Le Roy historian, have been good friends. Social media helped Bolton and Laura reconnect, and so he's been able to watch Evan's passion for theater blossom.

Laura said the main advice Bolton has ever given her son, because Evan is taking just a different path in his career, is to embrace his passion.

“John is always in Evan’s corner but more along the lines of, ‘follow your dreams, sing the songs that make you happy, be true to yourself,’” Laura said.

She's extremely proud of her son.

"Not only does Evan work hard, but he’s also genuine," Laura said. "He lifts people up and celebrates everybody’s success.  In this career, he’s learned quickly that if he’s going to go places, he has to help other people. It’s far more than a kill-or-be-killed arena. That’s what I’ve noticed. Clearly, that’s a parent's answer, but that is what makes me proudest, and I know that makes Justin proud as well."

Williams has heard those well-meaning words about having a fallback plan, but he agrees with his mother. He can't see himself doing anything else.

He said he's listened to interviews with stars like John Meyer, who said he didn't necessarily get the best grades in school in mathematics. He was always a music guy. Williams said he's tried to do his best in school, even in mathematics, but those academic subjects, or even sports, have never been his focus.

"Some kids grind at science or they grind at mathematics. They go home and do their science homework or their math homework.  When I'm not in school, I spend my time with voice lessons, music lessons, rehearsals, or something like that.  That's my form of success," Williams said.

"This is something I want. If I keep pushing for it, I believe it can happen.  I’m a big if you can dream it, you can do it. I'm that kind of guy."

Residents and veterans in Le Roy honored fallen heroes today with a parade down Main Street and a ceremony in Trigon Park at the Soldiers Memorial.

Photos by Nicholas Serrata.

A car has struck a bridge on Vallance Road at the Thruway overpass in Le Roy.

Unknown injuries.

Le Roy Fire and Le Roy Ambulance dispatched.

UPDATE 10:51 a.m.: Minor injuries. No need for fire service. Fire department is back in service.

Variety, choice, quality ovens, a modern menu system, and health options are helping the Le Roy Central School District deliver nutritious and popular breakfasts and lunches to students, Melissa Saunders told the Board of Education at its regular meeting on Tuesday night.

Saunders is the district's school lunch manager.

During her presentation, she ticked off a number of accomplishments for the cafeteria staff during the current academic school year.

Among the accomplishments was a switch in online menu distribution from PDFs to a database-driven menu platform called Nutrislice.

"This has made my job a lot easier," Saunders said. "It's given me a lot more flexibility with the menu. It allows me to make real-time changes to the menu that everyone can see instantly."

The system allows her to store all the different food items that can go into making up a school day's breakfast and lunch menus as well as add products.  When compiling a menu, she can include nutritional information along with allergens.

"It's a really big project, adding all that information for every single product," Saunders said. "I mean, just tracking down nutrient analysis for some of these products is this challenging, but it's something we've been working on. It's something that we will continue to work on through the summer."

A board member asked if she makes a menu change is a notification sent to parents. She said there is no automatic notification, but if it's a significant change, she does send out a notification.

A new purchase this year is combi-ovens.

"They can add a precise amount of steam or a precise amount of browning to any food product," Saunders said. "My cooks love them. It has the capability of cooking with steam or cooking with heat, or cooking with a combination of steam and heat to get a precise moisture and browning on food products."

The ovens the district purchased, she said, were manufactured in Germany and are the #1 combi-ovens on the market.

Saunders has also been trying to serve students more fresh fruit, a program partially funded by the federal government.

"We've been really scaling back on the amount of canned fruit we use," Saunders said. "It still has a place within the menu. There's still some products that the kids really like, and we will continue to use, so it's not that I'm not going to use it or the goal is to never use it but to really ensure that the majority of what they're getting is fresh. The reason for that is that during the canning process, food loses its nutrients. We've been using for fresh fruit this year -- we've used strawberries, we've used cantaloupe, leeks, honeydew, melon, watermelon, kiwi, clementines, blueberries, pears, oranges, apples, bananas. We've been trying to give them a really good variety."

Saunders is also working on scaling back the number of food items that include whey protein as filler.

"It's in a huge amount of products to use across the board," Saunders said. "Personally, from my interest in nutrition, I feel like it would be an improvement to our program to use less of (whey protein filler). Again, just like with the canned products, we won't necessarily be able to completely get rid of it, but can use some cleaner products without whey protein fillers."

She said she is now buying products like chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, and popcorn chicken, that doesn't use whey protein fillers.  She's also found a nearby New York company that makes meatballs without whey protein filler. They're also allergen-free meatballs. 

"That's a focus for next year," She said. "We were awarded some money from a local food and school cooperative grant that's going to allow us to purchase some more New York foods. I can put it towards things like the meatballs."

For breakfast, the staff had been serving prepackaged meals, but during the recent National Breakfast Week, the staff went in a different direction.

"It didn't allow for a lot of choice," Saunder said. "So during National School Breakfast Week, we discontinued using those, and they now have a variety of different cereals, cereal bars, and little snack options that they can create their own breakfast bag."

The number of meals the district served increased when meals were free during the pandemic, Saunders noted, but the district is still serving more meals than it did before the pandemic. 

Districtwide participation in breakfast is up 45 percent over the 2018/19 school year, and participation is up seven percent for lunch.

The variety of choices for students, which always includes warm foods and things like yogurt and fresh fruit, is helping to drive meal participation, she said.

In April, The Batavian reported about issues the district was facing with unpaid meal bills for some families. Superintendent Merritt Holly told the school board that staff was trying to work with families to handle the topic in a sensitive manner.  The district at the time was owed $2,751.58 for meals that had not been paid for at the time they were served (the district has a policy of providing a meal to every student who wants one, requiring students who don't have any money with them to pay for it).

The Batavian's story promoted two people to come forward and offer to make donations toward paying the unpaid bills.  This evening after the school board's regular meeting, Holly said the district has yet to work out how best to accept those donations, and he isn't sure how much those people are planning to donate.  He doesn't know, he said, if the donations will cover all of the unpaid bills, which have likely gone up in the past month, he said.

Vincent S. Kovach is indicted on five counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a Class D felony, and two counts unlawful purchase of body armor, a Class A misdemeanor. Kovach is accused of possessing an AR-15 pistol, serial number 21004302, on April 21 in the Town of Le Roy that was semiautomatic with the ability to accept a detachable magazine and the capacity to accept ammunition magazines that attach to the pistol outside the pistol grip. The pistol also allegedly had the capability to accept a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer, and a shroud that would allow a person to hold the barrel of the gun without being burned, that had a manufactured weight of fifty or more ounces while unloaded, and of being a version of an automatic rifle. He is accused of possessing two pieces of body armor, one from May 2022 to April and the other from January to April.

Andrew W. Taylor is indicted on counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, a Class E felony, and petit larceny, a Class A misdemeanor. Taylor is accused of filing a false business document at Pawn King in Batavia on Nov. 21.  He was allegedly attempting to pawn a an item he stole, an Oral B Pro 500 and WaterPik water flosser.

Members of the New Breed Motorcycle Club out of Rochester lead a funeral possession from Monroe County to Machpelah Cemetery on North Street in Le Roy on Saturday for Dustin Rich.

The 25-year-old Batavia resident was killed in an accident while driving his motorcycle in Brighton on May 1.  

A friend of Rich's, Gordon Montgomery, said the turnout of the motorcycle club demonstrated how motorcyclists treat their fallen.

He shared the quote, “Show me the manner in which a nation cares for its dead, and I will measure with mathematical exactness, the tender mercy of its people, their respect for the law of the land and their loyalty to high ideals.”

Photos by Nick Serreta.

Sean Valdes, an owner of D&R Depot in Le Roy, is ready to move on to the next phase of his life, and he’s decided to leave while he’s on top.

Valdes announced earlier this month on social media that he’s selling the restaurant. 

He started working for the restaurant in 1993, as a dishwasher. Valdes worked his way up through the restaurant staff and eventually bought it. His wife is a part-owner and head chef.

“I have never made a personal decision before that wasn't restaurant-first. This will be the first personal decision we have made as adults. We are just looking for something different,” Valdes said.

“My wife and I have been doing it for a long time. We met here. We got married here. Our kids work here now. They are teenagers. It’s just life changes. We are both in our mid-40s, and we are looking to do something different. We are still at our peak. We are busy. We are popular. We have a tremendous staff and a great system in place. This is the time to say, ‘We did it, and let’s go do something else.’”

Don and Nancy Nickerson opened the D&R Depot in September 1991 as a mid-scale restaurant that served homemade food. The restaurant is perhaps best known for its chicken pot pies.

Nancy passed away in September.

Valdes said no changes are immediately coming. Everything is the same as always. He said he doesn’t have to sell D&R Depot to the first person who comes along. Valdes wants to sell the restaurant to “someone who fits our culture.” He wants his replacement to successfully shepherd it through the next 20 to 30 years.

As Valdes prepares to leave, he can’t help but reflect on what he’s learned from 30 years in the business.

“I think that restaurants now are getting a bad rap. Yes, business is hard. Yes, prices are higher. All those things are true,” Valdes said. “But I think if you focus on your customer and focus on your staff and control your costs, the restaurant business could be quite profitable. The relationships you make from it are invaluable.”

Before sending him to prison for 10 years, Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini wondered at the criminal history of Arthur Brown, 45, of Le Roy, whom she observed is clearly intelligent, is well-spoken, and knows to advocate for himself.

Why, she wondered, why he keeps engaging in criminal activity when Brown could do so much more with his life.

Brown was sentenced on three separate criminal cases, the most notorious, an incident in September 2021 when he fled from a traffic stop after being seen driving erratically on Route 33 through Bergen and Stafford.  Brown ran into a cornfield, and Deputy Kevin Quackenbush started a foot pursuit but stopped when he apparently saw Brown pull a handgun from his waistband.  Quackenbush retreated, and then there was a loud bang.

Quackenbush reported to dispatch, "shots fired." This was the start of a several-hour, multi-department manhunt that eventually led to the arrest of Brown and the recovery of a handgun.  The loud bangs turned out to be from a wildlife scare cannon.

Brown has consistently maintained that the gun officers found was not his, and on Friday, he accused of Quckenbush of not telling the whole truth about the incident, such as, he said, Brown's DNA wasn't on the gun nor were his fingerprints.

ADA Joseph Robinson noted after Brown's statement that the gun wasn't checked for fingerprints.

After initially indicating he intended to take the charges against him to a jury, in February, he entered guilty pleas to multiple charges, including second-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon, a Class D violent offense, third-degree attempted criminal possession of a narcotic drug with intent to sell, a Class B felony, in connection with an arrest in January of this year in the City of Batavia, and to one count of violating the Sex Offender Registration Act, a Class E felony, for failing to register as a sex offender upon a change of address.

In arguing for the maximum possible sentence against Brown (the 10 years Cianfrini eventually imposed), Robinson said that Brown's long criminal history and habit of saying things that attempt to explain away or minimize his criminal activity made him a danger to society.

Robinson listed Brown's past criminal activity:

• In 1994, Brown was adjudicated a youthful offender in a criminal case and violated probation within a year.
• In 1995, he was sentenced to a year in jail.
• In 1998, he was sentenced to seven years in prison on a robbery 2nd conviction.
• In 2005, he was convicted of rape 3rd and sentenced to 18 months to three years in prison.
• In 2010 he as conflicted of criminal sale of a controlled substance 4th and sentenced to two years in prison.
• In 2015, he was convicted of two sexual offender registration violations.
• In was released from prison on that conviction in 2021 one, just weeks before the incident on Clinton Street Road.

The plea Brown accepted, Robinson said, satisfied not only the pending charges already filed against Brown but also four ongoing drug dealing investigations being conducted by the Local Drug Task Force that had not yet led to charges.

Robinson said Brown seems to spend more time in prison and free.

"If he's not serving time on a conviction, he's out committing more crimes," Robison said.

Robinson noted that Brown hasn't accepted responsibility for possessing a gun in September, and he said that when Brown was accused of possessing a bag of cocaine, Brown told probation officers during his pre-sentence interview that officers found the bag in a bush and not on his person.  That was an example, Robinson said, of the defendant minimizing his responsibility for his actions. 

Another dealt with Brown's SORA violation.  Brown said, according to Robinson, that he didn't think he needed to register a change of address because he merely moved from one room to another in a hotel complex.  

Defense attorney Joseph Lobosco said his client did accept responsibility for his actions and suggested that Robinson was mischaracterizing Brown's interview with probation officers. He said the interview took hours, and the report didn't include direct quotes from Brown but paraphrases from officers written after the interview.

Brown said it was unfair of the ADA to he didn't accept responsibility for his crimes. 

He said there was the DNA of three other people on the gun but not his.  He also complained that a confidential informant used in the drug sales investigation was facing six criminal charges, which wasn't disclosed, he said. 

"I take responsibility for what I've done, and I don't make excuses," Brown said. "But I don't take responsibility for what I didn't do." 

Cianfrini said she hopes Brown will use his time in prison to better his life, to learn new skills, and reflect on the direction his life has taken.

"You could do something worthwhile with your life," she said.

On the SORA violation, Cianfrini sentenced him to 2 to 4 years in prison. On the attempted criminal possession of a weapon conviction, seven years in prison. On the criminal possession of a controlled substance conviction, 10 years in prison.  All sentences are to be served concurrently.

Previously:

• Le Roy man in 'shots fired' case accepts plea deal
• County ADA offers seven-to-eight-year sentencing deal to LeRoyan facing numerous felony charges
• Criminal cases against Le Roy man, including 'shots fired' case, hinge on missing video evidence
• BREAKING NEWS: Shots fired after vehicle stopped on Route 33, near Mill Road

A lot of students pour through a school district's music program, but only a few of them put in the effort, show dedication and develop the skills necessary to carry on with their music education after graduation.

It's incredibly rewarding when a student follows that path, said Matthew Nordhausen, who teaches 5th and 6th-grade band in the Le Roy Central School District as well as serves as the district's primary percussion instructor.

"We obviously feel some pride in being able to help them build those skills to pass the auditions," Nordhausen said. "It's also incredibly rewarding, in about four years from now, when they graduate, and they go out into the workforce -- especially those that go into music education, because chances are, they'll come back to this area, and they might end up being our colleagues."

That's happened, he said.  Nordhausen said he's been teaching long enough -- 20 years -- now that he has former students teaching in Batavia and Monroe County.

On Thursday, Le Roy recognized five graduating seniors who are continuing their music education.

They are:

• Jackson Cain, SUNY Fredonia for Music Education
• Alexiana Clarke, SUNY Fredonia for Music Education
• Connor McGee, SUNY Fredonia for Music Education
• Evan Williams, Point Park for Music Theater
• Nathan Yauchzee, SUNY Potsdam Crane School of Music for Music Business

Le Roy has a reputation in the region for quality music education, and Nordhausen said that comes down to the support the district gives to the Music Department and their ability to hire dedicated and talented teachers.

"The five of us --  Miss (Tasha) Dotts, Miss (Jessa) Dechant,  myself, Mr. (Jeffrey) Fisher, and Miss (Jackie) McLean -- we do work tirelessly for these kids, it's a 24/7 life, not a job. We're helping the kids before school, after school, anything they need, we're always accessible."

The district has helped ensure teachers hired are also qualified on instruments to provide individual instructions, and that is something, Nordhausen said, that many districts can't offer.

"It allows somebody like myself, who is primarily at the elementary school, to still be able to come up here (the high school) and teach my primary instrument, percussion, which allows our kids to get private instruction all the way through their senior year. That level of instruction is just unheard of. In another school district, you're going to have to seek out outside-of-school private lessons, but these kids are getting specific instruction on percussion for me and brass from Miss Dechant and woodwinds from Miss Dotts." 

Nordhausen is obviously enthusiastic about music education, and he encourages parents to get their children involved in music -- or any of the arts -- even if the parents have no background in music or art on their own.

Music is forever, he noted.

"Whether you have a musical family quote unquote or not, if you find a love of anything, whether that be music or art, then you should follow that passion through," Nordhausen said. "If you get involved in a great school district and a great program and a supportive one then you're going to be able to build those skills. I've often said, of myself, I am not the most talented musician, but I will be one of the hardest working ones. My colleagues are both talented and hardworking. And you can certainly overcome a quote-unquote a lack of talent if you're willing to put in the time and the effort."

It wasn’t very long after Sweet Betty’s closed before the void was palpable to the Le Roy community, Kristen Beardsley says.

“I have a lot of friends and family in Le Roy and we could tell they were really missing this place. And it's kind of like, there's really not a lot of places to eat in Le Roy, to sit down and eat,” Beardsley said to The Batavian during Wednesday’s reopening of Sweet Betty’s. “People just like to come here. The kids like to come here after school. It was nice for kids that were in sports. 

"I see it as a mom of two kids that when kids are in sports, there's not a lot of time, and on weekends, there's not a lot of time to be making dinners. So it just makes it accessible,” she said.

Beardsley, head chef and partner Steven Kelso and silent partner Gabe Dean approached former owner Gabrielle (Gabby) Keister, who closed the Main Street restaurant in October 2022, in January of this year, closing on the purchase in February 2023.

Much of the menu will remain the same — chicken sandwiches, tenders and souvlaki wraps, Italian sausage hoagies, cajun popcorn shrimp and burgers a la cheddar bacon, jalapeño bacon jam, mushroom swiss, and other varieties; assorted salads, sides and homemade desserts.

One change is that pizza was removed from the menu, since the new owners figured that’s a food item that can be purchased elsewhere in lieu of their menu, which features specialty fare.

New offerings include Kelso’s mac & cheese creations, from the reuben with corned beef, sauerkraut and swiss cheese to the Betty Bomber with sliced steak, peppers and onion. Kelso also makes daily soups, such as Wednesday’s cream of broccoli and Italian wedding.

With more than 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, including several at O’Lacy’s, Kelso of Batavia adds the kitchen element to Beardsley’s front-of-the-shop serving experience as a waitress.

They have several employees, including at some point Beardsley’s children, Lily, 16, and 14-year-old Kaleb; and Jo Berl, whose smile is a natural behind the counter serving up hard and soft ice cream cones and meals in the bright dining area.

“It was a very popular place before that and Gabby and Scott set a high standard, so it's just being prepared to continue what they started,” Beardsley, of East Bethany, said. “So, we're all prepared.”

Sweet Betty’s is at 15 Main St., Le Roy. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday.

For more information, call 585-502-6084. or go HERE.

Jason W. Whitehead, 25, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, possession of a narcotic with the intent to sell, harassment 2nd, resisting arrest and use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Batavia patrol officers located Whitehead, who had an active warrant for his arrest, walking on Bank Street on April 16. Whitehead allegedly fled on foot when officers attempted to arrest him. A private citizen assisted Officer John Gombos and Sgt. Christopher Lindsay in stopping Whitehead. The officer took Whitehead into custody. Whitehead was allegedly found to be in possession of a quantity of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Whitehead was arraigned in  City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on no bail.

Cassandra F. Smith, 37, of Manhattan Ave.,  Batavia, is charged with two counts of petit larceny. Smith is accused of stealing various items from a yard on Manhattan Avenue on April 8. Smith was released on an appearance ticket.  On April 12, she was charged with criminal trespass 2nd. She is accused of entering and remaining unlawfully in an apartment on Washington Avenue, where she left a note for a resident to find when the person came home. She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court and released. She was charged with criminal mischief 4th on April 12. She is accused of spray-painting an apartment door, doorbell camera, and van in the driveway of a residence on Washington Avenue.  She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and her release status is unknown.

Joseph C. Jeffords, 32, of Chestnut Street, Batavia, was arrested on two bench warrants issued by City Court. Jeffords is accused of failure to appear on two prior appearance tickets, one for alleged unauthorized use of a motor vehicle on Jan. 23, and the second for alleged criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th on Feb. 6. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and his release status is unknown. Jeffords was also arrested on April 9 and charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Jeffords was allegedly in possession of various narcotic drugs upon being arrested on multiple warrants.  Jeffords was arraigned in  City Court and custody remanded to the Genesee County Jail in lieu of bail.  

Salvatore Dellapenna, 54, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief. Dellapenna is accused of damaging a neighbor's front door by kicking it in on April 8. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Patricia M. Anderson, 38, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny, operating a motor vehicle while the registration is suspended, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle third. Anderson is accused of filling a shopping cart with $139 in merchandise and leaving the business on East Main Street, Batavia, without paying. During the investigation, it was allegedly found that Anderson operated a motor vehicle with a suspended registration while her license was suspended. Anderson was released with an appearance ticket.

Modesto O. Cardenas, 29, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment in the second degree.  Cardenas was arrested by Officer John Gombos following an investigation into a disturbance on April 1. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and his release status is unknown.

Linda L. Snyder, 40, of Creek Road, Batavia, was arrested for bench warrants issued by City Court and charged with bail jumping in the third degree. On April 5, Officer Peter Post arrested Snyder on bench warrants issued by  City Court for harassment, criminal mischief, and animal cruelty charges.  Additionally, Snyder was charged with bail jumping 3rd because she failed to appear in court as directed after being released on her own recognizance from a criminal proceeding.  Snyder was arraigned in City Court and custody remanded to the Genesee County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail. 

Josia G. Culver, 18, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with two counts of burglary 3rd, two counts of criminal mischief 4th and petit larceny. Culver is accused of breaking into a local restaurant on Ellicott Street on April 14. He is accused of breaking into another restaurant in the mall on April 16 and stealing money from the register. His release status is unknown.

Lori A. Wittkopp, 61, of Spencer Court, Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18% or greater. On April 14, Officer John Gombos stopped Wittkopp following a complaint that Wittkopp was driving while intoxicated. Wittkopp was issued appearance tickets.

Kendra Q. Thomas, 35, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and endangering the welfare of a child. Thomas is accused of a physical altercation with a juvenile on April 15.  Thomas was issued an appearance ticket.

Luis J. Santiago Arroyo, 34, of Buell Street,  Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal contempt 1st. Arroyo is accused of being involved in a physical incident during a custody exchange on April 23. Arroyo is accused of striking another person, unprovoked, who was covered by an order of protection while she was holding a child.  Police say a Ring camera captured video of the incident. Arroyo was held in the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment. Release status unknown.

Aaron T. Hendershot, 26, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and aggravated family offense. Hendershot allegedly violated an order of protection on April 20 by calling, messaging, and writing letters to the protected party.  He was additionally charged with aggravated family offense as he has been convicted of a specified offense within the immediately preceding 5 years, Feb. 6, 2023.  Hendershot was arraigned in City Court and custody remanded to the Genesee County Jail without bail. 

Alisha A. Soule, 26, of Route 237, Le Roy, is charged with harassment 2nd and criminal mischief 4th. Police responded to a reported disturbance on April 26. Soule is accused of kicking in a door to gain entry to a house and then striking one person while attempting to get to another person. Soule was arraigned in City Court and released.

Pamela L. Dickinson, 60, of Roosevelt Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, failure to comply, speeding, and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. At about 6:30 a.m. on April 24, Officer Joseph Weglarski reported observing a vehicle speeding on Pearl Street. The driver allegedly failed to stop until being blocked by patrols at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Bank Street in Batavia. Dickinson was released on traffic tickets.

Shelby L. Fryer, 27, of Prune Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal impersonation.  Officer John Gombos stopped a vehicle reportedly driven by Fryer on April 22. She allegedly gave a false name to the officer in an attempt to avoid an arrest on a warrant. She was arrest on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. She was arraigned. Her release status is unknown.

Haley M. Larnder, 23, of North Street, Batavia, was arrested on a  City Court arrest warrant. Officer Andrew Mruczek located Larnder on April 21 and took her into custody on a warrant. Larnder was originally arrested on March 19 on a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and issued an appearance ticket. Larnder was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.

Jacqulyn A. Dueppengieser, 39, on Page Road, Perry, is charged with petit larceny. Dueppengieser is accused of stealing from a business on East Main Street on April 20. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Natasha J. Durney, 29, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with nine counts of harboring an unlicensed dog. On April 21, Officer Stephen Quider responded to a report on Hutchins Street of dogs fighting on Hutchins Place. During the fight, a person was reportedly bitten. Durney is accused of owning nine unlicensed dogs.  Durney was issued an appearance ticket.

Jessica Hernandez, 35, of Summit Street, Batavia, was arrested as a fugitive from justice. Police officers executed an arrest warrant on April 22 after being contacted by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office in Florida. The police department was informed that Volusia County had a warrant for Hernandez on the charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Hernandez was processed, arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Part Court and held at the Genesee County Jail to await extradition to Volusia County, Florida. 

David A. Kendall, 50, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Kendall is accused of violating a stay-away order of protection on April 23. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Adam M. Zastrocky, 38, of Myrtle Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to stop at stop sign, driving left of pavement markings in no passing zone, and refusal to take breath test. Zastrocky was arrested by Sgt. Jason Saile following an investigation into a motor vehicle accident reported at 10 p.m. on April 20 on Cockram Road, Byron.

Joseph Earnest Marr, 44, of Nesbitt Road, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th.  Marr is accused of stealing a phone while at Batavia Downs. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Nathan Paul Crawford, 27, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with two counts of petit larceny. Crawford is accused of shoplifting from 48 Deli Express at 5:04 p.m. on April 15. He was issued an appearance ticket. He is also accused of shoplifting from Kohls at 11:05 a.m. on April 19. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Heather Nicole Derooy, 33, of Keith Terrace, Chili, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, and improper plates. Derooy was stopped at 8:26 p.m. on April 8 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun and Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush. She was allegedly found in possession of methamphetamine. Derooy was released on an appearance ticket.

Robert E. Sacher, 53, of Kibbe Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI. Sacher was stopped at 3:11 p.m. on April 13 on Veterans Memorial Drive by Deputy Jonathan Dimming. Sacher was issued traffic tickets and released.

Jeenathan Rodeny Williams, 63, of Hazelwood Terrace, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed driver, side wings/side windows non-transparent, and plates covered by glass or plastic. Williams was stopped at 6:56 p.m. on April 25 on Byron Elba Road, Byron, by Deputy Zachary Hoy and issued an appearance ticket.

Scott Aaron Muntz, 25, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Muntz was stopped at 12:15 a.m. on April 16 on Knowlesville Road, Alabama, by Deputy Jonathan Dimming.  He was issued traffic tickets.

Madison McKenzie, 18, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. McKenzie is accused of giving a letter to a child under age 17 that contained sexual content. McKenzie was arraigned and released.

Michelle Dawn Grover, 38, of Olean Road, South Wales, is charged with petit larceny. Grover is accused of shoplifting from Dollar General in Pavilion at 10 a.m. on March 5. Grover was issued an appearance ticket.

Members of the Rochester-based Strength in Numbers nonprofit have scheduled a Youth Suicide Prevention Event from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on July 9 at Batavia Downs.
The theme: “You Are Not Alone.”

The evening will feature dinner and drinks, a silent auction, merchandise sales, and a motorcycle run. Ticket holders will receive Batavia Downs Casino Game Play Credit. Musician Joel Russlett is scheduled to perform.

If you want to participate, then you must act fast. 

Organizer Dan Clor said the event can only accommodate 200 guests. Tickets are $100 per person. People who wish to attend must email Clor at DanClor@strengthinnumbersorg.org

According to the Maryland-based Walden University, suicide is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 to 24 and takes 4,600 lives annually. 
Clor cited school bullying and sexual abuse as only some of the reasons why young people feel distraught and take their own lives.

“Generations in the past, if there was bullying at school, young people could go in their rooms or play in their backyards or be around their neighborhoods. But social media basically puts all of that on blast at a worldwide level. Young people are so connected all the time. Social media has added to the challenges,” Clor said. “Kids are disconnecting more. They are putting headsets on and playing in their rooms. There is that communication from human to human without devices [that they are not getting].”

Members of the riding group Bikers Against Child Abuse (B.A.C.A) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (ASFP) are scheduled to speak. 

Clor said the July 9 event will highlight Strength in Numbers’ Youth Mentorship Program. 

“The mentorships we have are creative avenues for these kids to have a healthy outlet through their struggles,” Clor said, adding the program includes fitness and martial arts training.

“On the flip side of that, we also have music and art outlets, yoga, that kind of thing.” 

The July 9 event will also honor the lives of Madeline Bartz and Makenna Dadey, who are no longer with us, said organizer Sara Betz.  

“Madeline was the type of girl who, if she saw you upset, she would do everything she could to make you happy. She was a cheerleader, outgoing, a dancer and loved to play music,” Betz said. 

“Makenna was into music, drawing, volleyball, and she also sang.”

Clor said he and his colleagues have held Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness gatherings in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Austin, Nashville, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Philadelphia. They will organize similar events elsewhere throughout the country and even internationally. 

“We are looking to build new relationships and move this initiative forward at a much larger scale,” Clor said.

For more information, visit https://strengthinnumbersorg.org

Submitted photo.