Le Roy

This is the first in our series on the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce award winners. Today, we feature Robert Bennett, winner of Wolcott “Jay” Humphrey III Excellence in Community Leadership Award. The awards will be presented at a dinner Saturday at the Clarion Hotel.

It takes a truly selfless man to find ways to go above and beyond to volunteer in his community for more than 20 years but Robert Bennett swears that his countless hours of community service have rewarded him just as much in return.

He has served on a number of boards and organizations in Le Roy and Genesee County just because he likes the feeling of being productive and doing good things for good people.

“I’ve made some great friendships and relationships,” Bennett said.

“The kind where if they need something, they call you and if you need something, you call them.”

When he heard he was to receive the Jay Humphrey III Excellence in Leadership Award at the annual Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet, Bennett said he certainly felt humbled.

“What a great award. I was close friends with Jay – he and I worked on many different boards together. We’re old friends.”

Bennett used to work with Humphrey’s family at Wyoming County Bank. Although he’s remained in the banking industry, Bennett now manages the Le Roy Bank of Castile.

“My job at the Bank of Castile encourages everyone to get involved with the community,” he shrugged.

“Banking promotes getting involved…and there’s a lot of things that need your help but it’s not always the money. Anyone can write a check but sometimes it’s expertise, it’s running the projects or helping to guide these organizations.”

Bennett dedicates his time to the Genesee Community College Foundation and the college’s housing board. He’s been involved with United Way, the American Red Cross and he even helped develop the Le Roy Business Council. He is an active Le Roy Rotarian and a past president. He has coached sports teams, helped with Easter egg hunts, appliance raffles and various fundraisers for a number of different causes.

He plans to continue to make service to his community a priority and is currently looking forward to the annual Easter celebration in Le Roy, helping to choose which deserving graduating seniors will be awarded scholarships through the Le Roy Rotary, and working with the GCC foundation.

“If I get involved, I’m usually trying to just do something,” Bennett said.

“It’s not to be a member or a board director…I’m a people person. I just try to make a difference.”

Photos by Howard Owens

Kathy Hochul, Democratic candidate in the NY-26 special election to replace Chris Lee, stopped at Kati's Place in Le Roy this morning to talk with voters.

The stop is part of a weekend effort by Hochul to visit all seven counties in the NY-26 on Saturday and Sunday. Yesterday, she stopped at Seaman's Hardware in East Pembroke. 

Her Republican opponent, Jane Corwin, also appears to be out on the campaign trail. She was in Genesee County yesterday but didn't notify the local media.

Yesterday, around noon, Corwin posted to Facebook:

Busy day meeting with folks in the community! Just left the Annual SCOPE Membership Meeting in Alabama and now on my way to the Wyoming County Hospital's 100th Anniversary Celebration in Warsaw. More on the schedule for later today.

No status updates from her since.

Walk into Kati’s Place on Main Street in Le Roy and chances are, you’ll see Kati Mancuso ready to seat you or take your order or maybe just shoot the breeze for a while.

The 27-year-old leased the building and fixed up what was formerly Tyler’s Restaurant (closed in 2006) without having to take out any loans or rely on anyone else.

“Nothing worked when I got here,” she shrugged. “The lights didn’t even work when I agreed to take it, but I said yes anyway.”

Mancuso said that although her broker told her the former restaurant was “turnkey ready,” it ended up needing a lot of elbow grease but she was determined.

“Let me tell you about ‘turnkey’ anything,” she joked. “If one more pipe exploded in my face or gas line blew up or anything else had gone wrong, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Odds are, even if she had encountered another disaster, she would have managed to get the restaurant open for business on the designated date – March 14.

“I don’t know why but I set that date...I said, ‘You have one month. Now go.’”

Remarkably, Mancuso and all her supporters did just that. Once she leased the building, she and her family and friends managed to get everything ready so the doors could open for business in four weeks.

“Everybody rallied behind me,” she said. “They got together and, I don’t know, it all fell into place. It was just like people were coming in all the time asking what I needed. I went so long without sleeping and eating to clean this place and get it ready by March 14.”

But at one point, Mancuso had some health issues which put her in the hospital for awhile. When she recovered, she “began making phone calls,” calling up vacant places in Le Roy with her vision in mind. She wanted a place of her own where her regular customers could come to eat and enjoy themselves.

“Truthfully, I did it for them,” she said, gesturing toward a few tables of diners. “These people are family and it’s like I’ve been waiting on them all forever.”

Kati’s Place is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

“Every day we’re open, things just get better and better around here,” Mancuso said. “We’re doing just fine.”

(This story originally contained information referring to another individual of a personal nature that upon reflection should have been removed prior to publication. The information and comments referring to it have been removed.)

John Terry Boyce, 22, of Maple Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with unlawful imprisonment, 2nd, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, 2nd. Boyce is accused of choking his girlfriend during an argument at 10:50 a.m., Thursday. He allegedly refused to let her leave the bedroom while holding their 1-year-old son in his arms.

Matthew L. Nagle, 22, of 34 Parkway Drive, North Chili, is charged with petit larceny. Nagle is accused of shoplifting from a supermarket in Le Roy.

Jason H. Freeman, 29, of Alden, is charged with petit larceny. The alleged crime took place in Alabama at 3:57 p.m., March 16. Freeman was arrested at the Genesee County Jail by State Police. No further details released.

A Rochester man, who was reportedly found in Batavia with 22 bags of crack cocaine when he was arrested in August, admitted to possessing a controlled substance in Genesee County Court this morning.

Willie J. Woods Jr., 36, entered a guilty plea of criminal possession and possession of a controlled substance, 5th. He faces up to two and a half years in state prison when he is sentenced June 20.

Woods was stopped in August by members of the Local Drug Task Force and uniformed deputies before pulling onto the Thruway. 

His arrest was the culmination of an investigation to the sale and distribution of cocaine in Batavia.

Woods was allegedly found with $2,000 cash on him at the time of his arrest.

A tractor-trailer rollover accident is reported in the eastbound lane -- on-ramp 47 -- of the Thruway. The driver is conscious and talking but is possibly entrapped. Mercy Flight is on standby.

Le Roy Fire and Ambulance are responding and a crew from Bergen Fire Department is requested to standby in their quarters.

The rig is leaking fuel. It is on its side and the on-ramp is blocked.

UPDATE 12:51 p.m.: Medics are told to proceed in nonemergency mode. The rig is loaded with scrap metal.

UPDATE 12:55 p.m.: Mercy Flight is cancelled. Traffic is backing up. The driver has been extricated.

UPDATE 1:08 p.m.: State Police have completely shut down the eastbound on-ramp and it is expected to remain closed for some time. The Bergen crew, which was standing by in quarters, is put back in service. Le Roy medic is taking the victim to Strong Memorial Hospital. Le Roy fire is released from the scene by State Police.

A 35-year-old Byron resident is facing 101 charges related to possessing and receiving prescription drugs in four Genesee County jurisdictions.

Sege D. Kalmbacher Sr., was taken into custody by the Local Drug Task Force and arraigned in City of Batavia, Town of Batavia, Le Roy and Pembroke. He was jailed on $50,000 bail.

Kalmbacher was identified as a suspect during an investigation into the theft and use of prescription drug forms. The case began when Le Roy Police received a complaint from a pharmacy in the village of somebody using a forged prescription.

A computer was reportedly used to create the prescriptions.

Task force investigators allege that Kalmbacher was able to successfully fill several prescriptions for narcotics at area pharmacies using the forged forms going back to December.

Kalmbacher was charged as follows:

City of Batavia: Eight counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, for receiving narcotics on nine different occasions; eight counts of possession of a forged instrument, 2nd; eight counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th; eight counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument; and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly submitting nine stolen and forged prescription forms.

Town of Batavia: Nine counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, for allegedly receiving narcotic drugs on nine different occasions in the Town of Batavia; nine counts of possession of a forged instrument, 2nd; nine counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th; and nine counts criminal possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly submitting nine stolen and forged prescription forms.

Village of Le Roy: Three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, for allegedly receiving narcotic drugs on four different occasions in the Village of Le Roy; four counts of possession of a forged instrument, 2nd; four counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th; and four counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly submitting nine stolen and forged prescription forms.

Town of Pembroke: Four counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, for allegedly receiving narcotic drugs on four different occasions occasions occasions in the Town of Pembroke; four counts of possession of a forged instrument, 2nd; four counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th; and four counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly submitting nine stolen and forged prescription forms.

In Pembroke, Kalmbacher was also charged with 27 counts of computer trespass for using a computer he did not have permission to use to create prescription drug forms.

After much talk about the need to locate a new veterans' cemetery close to Batavia, only two potential sites announced today by Sen. Charles Schumer are in Genesee County.

Three sites are in Alden and one is in Akron.

The two potential sites in Genesee County are in Le Roy and East Bethany.

Schumer was in Batavia on March 7 to announce his plans to fast track the construction of a cemetery, ideally close to Batavia since it's centrally located between Rochester and Buffalo.

Currently, the closest veterans' cemetery to either city is in Bath.

Officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs are expected to visit the six potential sites this week.

The exact locations were not released.

The sites were identified after the VA solicited proposals from area landowners willing to sell at least 200 acres of land to the government

“I have long fought for this veterans' cemetery in Western New York to become a reality, and today’s news that the VA will be visiting six potential cemetery sites in Western New York is an important step towards finally finding a suitable resting place for Western New York vets,” Schumer said in a statement.

Full press release after the jump:

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plans to visit six potential veterans cemetery sites this week in Western New York: three sites in Alden, one site in Akron, one site in Leroy, and one site in East Bethany.  The six sites were generated from the VA’s Expression of Interest solicitation which was issued earlier this year.  Earlier this month, Schumer wrote a letter to Secretary Shinseki of the VA, urging that the VA establish a firm timeline for completion of the long overdue veterans’ cemetery in Western New York, specifically in choosing the cemetery site. The VA has yet to acquire the necessary land for the cemetery, further delaying the design and building phase that will ultimately lead to a suitable resting place for Western New York veterans. Today’s announcement marks a step in the right direction towards bringing a long overdue cemetery to over 200,000 veterans in Western New York.

“I have long fought for this veterans cemetery in Western New York to become a reality, and today’s news that the VA will be visiting six potential cemetery sites in Western New York is an important step towards finally finding a suitable resting place for Western New York vets,” Schumer said. “After everything the many thousands of veterans in this region have done for us, it is imperative that they have a local resting place where they can receive the honor they deserve.”
VA National Cemetery officials announced that they will be in Buffalo on Wednesday, March 30th,  to conduct site visits at 6 potential cemetery sites within the VA’s target area in WNY. This target area is the area 7 miles to the North and south of the Thruway, and about 20 miles to the East and West of the Town of Pembroke in Genesee County. The six locations being assessed are three sites in Alden, one site in Akron, one site in Leroy, and one site in East Bethany.  These six potential sites were generated from the VA’s Expression of Interest solicitation which was issued in January 2011.

In a March 7th letter to Secretary Shinseki of the VA, Schumer wrote, “There are some 200,000 veterans in the Buffalo-Rochester region who are not served by a national cemetery.  They have waited too long for this important project and they have been disturbed by a lack of information and communications with the VA.  I urge you to ensure timely progress in selecting and developing a site, and I request that a firm schedule for the project be established and shared with the community.” In today’s announcement, the VA outlined the firm schedule that Schumer had strongly lobbied for. During the VA’s visits to each location,  the officials will assess which sites best fit the VA’s criteria, which includes factors such as the site’s topography, access to highways, proximity to wetlands, and the impact of neighboring facilities. After this assessment is complete, the VA will rank and score each site as part of its evaluation process.  The VA will then narrow the field of candidate sites to the top two and will  proceed with a more detailed due diligence analysis.  The VA anticipates that this review will continue for most of this year.  If it proceeds accordingly, the VA would then be on track to acquire the 200-acres of property by the end of this year or the Spring of 2012.  The VA will then hire an architectural/engineering firm to help develop the master plan for the site, clearing the way for construction.

There are currently six National Cemeteries in New York State, but the facility in Bath is the only one in all of Central New York, Western New York, the Southern Tier and the Rochester Finger Lakes Region.  Current VA regulations allow for establishment of a new cemetery when it would serve 80,000 or more veterans within a 75 mile area. In Western New York alone there are approximately 125,000 veterans. Combined with the Rochester area, which is also more than 75 miles away from the nearest national cemetery in Bath, there are more than 200,000 veterans without appropriate access to a cemetery. A cemetery location in Western New York not only makes sense, but would fulfill an urgent need of these veterans.

Veterans Affairs began seeking a cemetery site in August 2010, with the effort focused within a 50 mile diameter area which included parts of Ontario, Canada, Lake Erie, Erie County, Orleans County, Niagara County and Genesee county. In January 2011, the VA announced that they were starting over and had moved the area under consideration to the east and would center it in Genesee County. Today’s announcement means that these milestones in the process will not continued to be pushed back.

Schumer has long argued that it is critical for the veterans cemetery location to be decided on and for building to begin immediately.  Half of New York Veterans are 65 years of age or older, and now is the time to start planning for the future of those veterans, and ensuring that they are treated with the honor they deserve.  Schumer has heard from local veterans groups that veterans in Western New York desperately want to be buried in a national shrine, but don’t want to force their families to travel long distances to visit, potentially at great hardship to do so.

Today, there are more than 22 million veterans who are eligible for the honor of burial in a National Cemetery. Veterans with discharges other than dishonorable, their spouses and dependent children may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. Those who die on active duty may also be buried in a national cemetery.

Frank James Davis, 31, of East Rochester, is charged with petit larceny. Davis is accused of entering the Totem Pole Smoke Shop at 10:50 a.m., March 3, loading 15 cartons of cigarettes into a basket, then walking past cashiers and then running out of the store without paying for the cigarettes. The cigarettes are valued at $502 and the basket is valued at $10.

Davis is also accused of stealing $204 worth of Winston Lights on the same date from Arrow Hawk Smoke Shop. Davis was charged with petit larceny for that alleged crime.

Jennifer L. Coombs, 27, of 103 West Main St., Le Roy, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Coombs is accused of slashing three tires on a car in November.

Andrew Paul Dentinger, 20, of Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child. Dentinger is accused of hosting an underage drinking party. Deputies responded to an address on Broadway Road, Alexander, at 12:58 a.m., Saturday to investigate the party.

David A. Burr, 23, of Elba, is charged with criminal mischief, 3rd. Burr is accused of intentionally damaging the front door of T.F. Brown's restaurant at 1:40 a.m., Sunday. Burr was jailed without bail.

Janie B. Burgess, 57, of 7 Maureen Drive, Rochester, is charged with DWI, unsafe turn. Burgess was stopped at 10:13 p.m., Saturday, on Oak Street by Officer Chris Camp. Burgess was jailed on $500 bail.

Daniel G. Crane, 34, of 9395 Upton Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and inadequate lights. Crane was stopped at 12:52 a.m., Sunday, on Main Street by Officer Dan Coffey.

Mark D. Hoerbelt , 42, of 152 State St., Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and inadequate headlights. Hoerbelt was stopped at 12:43 a.m., Friday, on West Main Street by Officer Matthew Fleming.

A 16-year-old resident of Wood Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. The youth is accused of stealing an iPod in January while at Batavia High School. The youth was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Jennifer L. Stack, 25, of 12 Oak St., is accused of failing to pay a fine. Stack was convicted in May on an unnecessary noise charge. She was released on $100 bail but allegedly failed to appear at her next court appointment.

Scott C. Brown, 22, and Ashley M. Yunke, 31, of 11 1/2 Wood St., are charged with criminal nuisance. Brown and Yunke are accused of hosting a party where people under 21 were allowed to drink. They were arrested at 12:20 a.m., Sunday. They were jailed on $500 each bail.

Amanda A. Barclay, 23, of Oakfield, is charged with false report of an incident, 3rd. The alleged incident occurred at 4:27 a.m., March 18, in the City of Batavia. Barclay was arrested by State Police on Thursday. No further details were released.

Jared C. Reese, 31, of Stafford, is charged with controlled substance not in original container and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Reese was stopped by State Police at 6:09 p.m., Thursday, on Route 33, Stafford. No further details were released.

Joanna M. Morgan is indicted on charges of DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, endangering the welfare of a child and a felony count of DWI (DWI with a child in the car, or "Leandra's Law"). Morgan is accused of driving drunk with a child under 15 in the car on Dec. 12 in the Town of Le Roy.

Ricky D. Newbould is indicted on charges of felony DWI and felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Newbould is accused of driving drunk on Dec. 18 while in the Town of Elba.

Tamara L. Butler is indicted on charges of  DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st. Butler is accused of driving drunk on Aug. 7 in the Town of Oakfield.

Charles W. Wilder is indicted on charges of felony DWI and felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Wilder is accused of driving drunk on Oct. 24 in the Town of Oakfield.

Philip M. Niccloy, 24, of 75 Summit St., Le Roy, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, 3rd. Niccloy allegedly took a GMC truck belonging to another person without permission. That night, Niccloy was allegedly involved in a single-vehicle accident on North Street Road. He was previously charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Niccloy was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

William Gordon Schultz, 37, of Evans Street, Batavia, is charged with failure to pay a fine.

David Richard Beedham, 43, of Randall Road, Le Roy, is charged with sexual abuse, 1st. Beedham is accused of touching the private area of a girl under age 11.

Mark Bryon Livingston, 53, of Wake Robin Terrace, West Henrietta, was arrested in Genesee County on a bench warrant for allegedly operating a car with a suspended registration.

Eric T. Weis, 28, of 9 N. Lyon St., Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Weis allegedly grabbed another person around the throat in front of three children while on MacArthur Drive. The alleged incident happened on Tuesday, Weis turned himself in on Wednesday.

Benjamin G. Evans, age unknown, of 8204 Park Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Evans was arrested on a  bench warrant issued out of city court for alleged failure to comply with conditions set by the court. Evans was jailed on $50,000 bail.

A dryer fire is reported inside a house at 25 W. Main St. in the Village of Le Roy.

Le Roy fire is responding, along with mutual aid from Pavilion and Churchville.

Le Roy medics are also going to the scene.

Firefighters on scene in Le Roy say it is "a working fire."

UPDATE 1:12 p.m.: The fire is knocked down and crews are working to check  extentions.

UPDATE 1:13 p.m.: There's a natural gas leak inside the structure.

UPDATE 1:18 p.m.: Rochester Gas & Electric is requested to the scene.

A gas-hauling tractor-trailer and multiple vehicles have been involved in an accident on Route 33 at West Bergen Road, according to scanner reports.

A dispatch says "we believe at least three or four vehicles involved."

There are no specifics on injuries, but two ambulances have been started and Mercy Flight is on standby.

Bergen Fire Department is responding as well as multiple law enforcement units. Byron and South Byron fire asked to respond mutual aid.

The tractor-trailer has rolled with a vehicle pinned underneath.

There is fluid leaking. It's unknown if the fluid is from the tanker or side tanks.

UPDATE 7:57 a.m.: Both directions of traffic on Route 33 are shut to traffic, from West Bergen and Lyman roads. State Police have taken command of the scene. A county Hazmat team is to report to the training center on Bank St. Road in Batavia to gather equipment to go to the scene. The tractor-trailer is leaking fuel "at a pretty good rate." The triage center for victims is going to be south of the West Bergen Road/Route 33 intersection. A tanker from Churchville is called along with LeRoy. All "civilians" are going to be "removed from the scene." One victim, who is conscious and alert, is trapped in the vehicle under the truck. Extrication will be needed.

UPDATE 8:07 a.m.: Town of Batavia rescue unit is called along with Jim's Service to lift the truck so the victim can be extricated. Mercy Flight will be landing at the intersection. The leak "appears to be contained at this point."

UPDATE 8:10 a.m.: Fire police will be stationed at Griswold Road and Route 33. Stafford Fire Department is called to the scene. The tractor-trailer was hauling 9,500 gallons of fuel oil.

UPDATE 8:25 a.m.: The section of Route 33 closed to traffic has been extended from Griswold to Dublin roads.

UPDATE 8:37 a.m.: Pavilion firefighters are asked to stand in at Le Roy's fire hall.

UPDATE 8:49 a.m.: The county Highway Department in Stafford is called to the scene to provide a load of sand to absorb fuel oil in a ditch.

UPDATE 8:52 a.m.: The state has jursidiction of Route 33, so the county Highway Department may not be able to provide the sand. But officials will try to override that since this is an emergency situation. Otherwise, a state highway truck will need to be called in.

UPDATE 8:57 a.m.: A fire chief on scene says the fuel leak has been stopped and berms are in place to contain it. A state Department of Transportation truck is en route to the scene with sand. The victims trapped under the truck has been extricated.

UPDATE 9:16 a.m.: A representative from the state Department of Environmental Conservation is en route and asked about about the fuel spill and was told "There is an unknown, large amount in a ditch area."

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Traditional printmaking is on display at the Senior Center on Bank Street through April 29.

The prints were created by high-school students from Batavia and Le Roy.

These aren't digital, computer-generated prints, but handcrafted original images using silkscreen, linoleum, wood block, collography and stencils to create new works of art.

UPDATED 4:59 p.m.

After losing his home in a county tax-lien foreclosure, Paul Ray Hogle apparently decided he couldn't do without his kitchen cabinets.

Hogle is accused of stealing the cabinets from 103 Lake St., Le Roy, after Genesee County took possession of the house.

He's been charged with grand larceny, 4th.

According to County Treasurer Scott German, Hogle asked for permission to re-enter the house after the county took possession of the property to retrieve a few more personal items.

Personal items didn't include anything attached to the house, such as the cabinets, according to German.

The cabinets were discovered missing shortly after the auction, when the winning bidder, Jason Shue, went by the house and looked in the windows and noticed the cabinets missing.

The value of the cabinets, which have been recovered, was put at $1,600.

The house sold at auction for $49,000. It was assessed at $72,000 and nearly $13,000 in taxes were owed on it.

After the sale, the new owner discovered the cabinets missing and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries has been reported at Main and Clay streets in the Village of Le Roy.

No word on the seriousness of the injuries.

Le Roy Fire Department and law enforcement are on scene. Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 11:41 a.m: Accident has been cleared. Roadway reopened.

Also, Darien Fire Department is working a minor injury accident on Countyline Road.

I've driven down Munson Street in Le Roy a couple of times. Somehow, I never before noticed these falls right by the BOCES campus.

On Cole Road.

Route 5 near Nelesville Nilesville Road, Stafford.

Morganville Road, Stafford.

Lights were dimming for the beginning of dress rehearsal when I took this picture -- it's of the poster for Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School's 2011 musical production, "Little Shop of Horrors."

Based on the Broadway rock musical by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, "Little Shop" is the story of a shy, nervous store clerk who dreams of finding a way out of the lousy job and circumstances he's stuck in, a young girl with low self-worth and an abusive boyfriend, and a plant that talks, sings and eats people.

This is the latest performance in a district known for its high standards for school musicals. Le Roy has been selected as one of the top 100 communities for music education in the country on multiple occasions, according to Bradley Meholick, director of music for the district.

He attributes this honor to the high level of dedication on the part of students, staff, administrators and parents, all working together in support of music in the schools.

Directed by Batavia High School graduate Jackie McLean, who teaches general music and chorus in the Le Roy schools, "Little Shop" stars students in grades nine through 12, with seventh- through 12th-graders in the crew and in the orchestra (aka "the pit").

Meholick, who is also the orchestra director for the show, describes it as witty and having a "soul feel to it (as far as the music goes)."

"The music is '50's style, but in this version it's freshened up a bit," he said. "The general style resembles '50's doo-wop, but there's a little bit of everything -- even some rock and R&B."

Senior Stephen Rudman, who plays Seymour, says this is a "real upbeat, great show."

"It has plenty of fun interaction between the characters that people of all ages will love," he said. "And the plants are just great."

The "plants" he referred to are part of a unique and innovative feature of this performance. Four puppets will be used to portray Seymour's man-eating plant, which grows with each person it eats. Meholick said that the puppets being used are of the same make and type as those used in the original Broadway performance.

The first and smallest of the "plant puppets" is pictured below. In the first picture, Seymour (Rudman) begs it to grow so that he can finally attract customers to the store in which he works; in the next two photos, the plant sprouts up and opens its mouth, in that order.

All four puppets are operated by puppeteer Kaleb Miller, a student at Le Roy Jr./Sr. High whom McLean describes as "very talented."

"We always try to give the audience something big to look forward to," Meholick said. "A couple years ago we did 'Beauty and the Beast' (which had scenes where the characters flew), and we hired a company to come in and fly the actors around the stage. Last year we did 'Curtains,' and we actually had one of the leads from the Broadway performance come and work with the kids."

Not only does "Little Shop" have yet another "something big" to give to its audience, it also presents some unique challenges and opportunities to the actors -- perhaps especially to Jake Bortle, who provides the voice of the plant.

Bortle, a senior, has been in Le Roy Jr./Sr. High musicals since seventh grade, and this is the first time he has done something like this.

"It's a complete change for me as an actor," Bortle said. "It's been a challenge having to act without using my body and to coordinate what I'm saying with what Kaleb is doing. But we work well together." 

In spite of the challenges, these young actors have been able to deliver what Meholick called "the cleanest performance to date."

"The kids have been prepared earlier than ever before, and they've been very motivated. And I think the result is going to be one of our finest productions."

McLean, who has been heavily involved in school and community theater for years, agreed totally with this assessment.

"The kids are awesome," she said. "With two weeks to develop their characters, they've been very professional -- more so than most young people with whom I've worked in the past. It's phenomenal."

"I'm hoping people in the audience forget it's kids putting on this show once it's over," Meholick said.

Senior Brogan O'Halloran, student conductor of the show's orchestra, echoed this sentiment.

"I think the community will be proud of its students and the hard work and talent they show," she said. "We're happy to be part of this musical."

Here are a couple more photos of the actors on stage:

PICS FROM THE PIT

Showtimes for "Little Shop" are tonight at 7:30 p.m., and tomorrow (March 19) at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. All performances are in the high school auditorium, at 9300 South St. Road in Le Roy. Tickets are $10 (flat fee) at the door and $8 presale.

For more information on tickets, click here.

A 26-year-old Le Roy resident is accused of leaving the scene of a fatal accident in Rochester, the Democrat & Chronicle reports.

Matthew Norstrand is facing a felony charge charged of leaving the scene of a fatal accident and falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor.

Norstrand is accused of striking and killing Richard Strapp, 41, of Rochester, at the intersection of Alexander and East Main streets at 10:45 p.m., Saturday.

Strapp, who was walking in a crosswalk, died at Strong Memorial Hospital.

Later that night, Norstrand allegedly flagged down a police officer outside Johnny's Pub on Culver Road and claimed his car was stolen.

The car was later found on Stunz Street.

Norstrand was jailed on $20,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Rochester City Court on March 23.