Le Roy

In Le Roy this afternoon, I took a turn down Gulf Road looking for the a steam shovel a reader told me about recently (see below) and I found this view of an old quarry.  

Driving around Le Roy this afternoon, I came across this interesting bit of local history on Summit Road -- a boulder with a historical plaque set in it in 1930.

The plaque reads: "This boulder marks the southern apex of the Triangle Tract, purchased from the Morris Reserve in 1783 by Herman Le Roy and William Bayard."

Le Roy has a new bridal boutique, Stella's, opened within the past month by Stella Collins, left, and Emily Allen. 

Collins said after gaining experience in the bridal business in Rochester, she saw an opportunity in Genesee County and picked a location on Main Street in Le Roy.

The boutique, Allen said, provides full service for bride and bridesmaids.

"We're with you from the day you first walk in to the day you say, 'I do,'" Allen said.

Collins added that the store features dresses by designers that are unique, including designers not available in Rochester.

For a couple of months I've wanted to drop in on Cafe Le Roy and see the new shop set up by Don and Reyhan Antinore.

When I dropped in today, Don showed me the cafe in the back, which the Beatest of the Beats of 60 years ago would find hep, man.

Then Don introduced me to his new ice cream counter. Don said he serves only three flavors -- vanilla, chocolate and strawberry -- just like, he said, ice cream shops when he was a kid. And from those three flavors he can make floats, banana splits and sundaes.

Don said it's the first ice cream shop on Main Street in Le Roy in years and years.

LeRoy Farmers’ Market is pleased to announce its fifth year of offering fresh, seasonal and local produce and products to the LeRoy community! Opening day is 8:30 a.m. Saturday, June 25, in the Bank Street parking lot behind McDonald’s.

There are 19 vendors this year to provide eggs, cheese, baked goods, coffee and tea, soap, honey, flowers, wine, BBQ pork sandwiches, herbs, maple syrup, nut butters, naturally grown frozen beef, made to order hot dogs and hamburgers, and fruits and vegetables. 

The market is happy to welcome back Mellander's Maple. Dennis Mellander returned from his sugar bush in Allegany County with a good supply of Maple syrup and maple products. In addition, he will be offering nut butters from Once Again Nut Butters from Nunda, including, sunflower butter, almond butter, cashew butter and organic butters. Stop in and have a sample!

New to the Market this year is D’s Franks, Gabby’s Pumpkin Patch from Oakfield, Stony Creek Flower Farm and Zantopeia Herb Garden, both from Caledonia.

Diane Strock of D’s Franks, has offered made to order hot dogs, hamburgers and sausage for three years at several locations from her mobile food trailer. She uses Zweigle hot dogs and locally made hot sauce. She also offers hot coffee and cold bottled water and soda.

Another addition to the many local farms at the Market is Gabby’s Pumpkin Patch from Oakfield. Patricia Gibsons’ family farm offers seasonal produce including kale, sugar snap peas, turnips, pumpkins, gourds, parsnips and fresh-cut herbs. 

Fresh-cut flowers from Linda Driscoll at Stony Creek Flower Farm in Caledonia are a beautiful addition to the LeRoy Farmers’ Market. Linda will also offer bouquets and dried flowers.

Drew Zantopf of Zantopeia Herb Farm in Caladonia, will be offering a variety of potted herbs and plants for the first market only. Come early for the best selection!

Every Saturday there will be entertainment. On opening day, June 25, the market will welcome back Bev Hess. She plays some of our favorite songs on her keyboard and is very entertaining!

The LeRoy Farmers’ Market is open from 8:30 to 12:30 every Saturday morning June 25 until mid-October. Our market participates in the New York Nutrition Program and some vendors participate with New York State WIC program. Please check our website www.leroyfarmersmarket.org for information, or our fan page on Facebook for weekly updates and special happenings.

(Thank you to my LFM advertising partner -- Catherine Rhoads -- for the content!)

A resident of 3 Orchard Drive, Le Roy, who suffered serious burns in a house fire early Monday morning, has reportedly told Le Roy Police that he started the fire.

Charges are pending against Paul F. Atkinson, 42, according to a statement from Le Roy Police.

Atkinson remains hospitalized at Strong Memorial Hospital where he is being treated for first-, second- and third-degree burns.

According to Le Roy Police, Atkinson said that he started the fire as a result of a disagreement he had with his father Sunday.

The release says that Atkinson made a full statement taking responsibility for the fire.

Several hours before the fire, Atkinson appears to have left a status update on his Facebook page that reads, "everyone can go to hell, tired of this life."

The fire was reported at 3:26 a.m. after the family dog alerted Atkinson's sister to the fire. Her husband, Richard Nelson climbed from a second-floor window to escape the flames and reportedly suffered an ankle injury in the fall. His wife was helped down an outside stairway by a Le Roy Police Officer.

The father, Thomas Atkinson, who owns the house, was not at home when the fire started. He was delivering newspapers.

Daniel William Tuerk, 25, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Tuerk was arrested after reportedly trying to proceed through an accident scene on East Main Street, Corfu, at 12:58 a.m., Saturday.

Earl Bryan Benson, 22, of Chestnut Street, Batavia, is charged with felony DWI and refusal to submit to breath test. Benson was reportedly found asleep in a vehicle at 2 a.m., Sunday, parked at 64 S. Main St., Elba. Sgt. Brian Friday made the arrest after an investigation revealed that Benson allegedly drove drunk to that location. Benson was jailed on $1,000 bail.

name redacted, 18, of 36 Dellinger Ave., Batavia and Jordon E. Terkel, 21, of 76 E. Main St., Corfu, are charged with unlawful dealing with a child, 1st, and endangering the welfare of a child. xxx and Terkel are accused of supplying alcohol to two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old on May 28.

Jason Warren Spencer, 25 of Church Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and harassment, 2nd. Spencer is accused of being involved in an unspecified incident alleged to have occurred early Saturday morning.

Eugeno Nunez-Gomez, 22, of Hundredmark Road, Elba, is charged with DWI, drving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right, unregistered motor vehicle, improper/switched plates. Nunez-Gomez was stopped at 1:12 a.m., Sunday, in the area of 5800 Transit Road, Elba, by Deputy Frank Bordonaro.

James Daniel Kavanagh, 21, of North Avenue, Le Roy, is charged with assault, 3rd. Kavanagh is accused of being involved in a fight at an address on Main Road, Stafford, in which he injured another person.  

Jason Paul Schaefer, 19, of Martin Road, Clarence Center, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Schaefer is accused at being at the Phish concert June 8 while another person he is barred from being near was also at the concert. Schaefer then allegedly got into a verbal altercation, allegedly violating the order of protection.

Matthew F. Vanbuskirk, 22, of 108 Myrtle St., Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and having non-transparent side windows. Vanbuskirk was stopped Saturday by a Le Roy Police patrol.

Lena Marie Evans, 23, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Evans was allegedly found in possession of narcotics during a check the welfare complaint at 8:32 p.m., Friday.

Ryan Christopher Riggi, 16, of Transit Road, Elba, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Riggi allegedly violated an order of protection after reportedly pushing a caseworker on a home visit. Riggi was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Kevin James Huston, 27, of Brooklyn Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Huston is accused of claiming rewards and discounts from Kmart he was not entitled to obtain.

Evan Charles Burstein, 24, of Sunset Hills Road, Reston, Va., is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Burstein was reportedly found by Darien Lake security wandering around the theme park in an intoxicated condition. Upon investigation by Deputy Chad Minuto, he was allegedly found in possession of Clonazepam tablets outside their original container and a quantity of marijuana. Burstein was jailed on $250 bail.

John Mitchell Irish, 29, of Dartmouth Street, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI. Irish was allegedly involved in a car vs. pedestrian accident on Sumner Road, Darien, at 12:26 a.m., June 9. Irish was jailed on $1,500 bail.

Jessica R. Johns, 28, of 120 Jackson St., Batavia, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, 3rd. Johns is accused of taking the car of an acquaintance without permission on June 9. Johns was located on June 10 and the car was returned reportedly undamaged.

Jason Schafer, 23, of Geneseo, is accused of evading cigarette taxes. Schafer was allegedly found in possession of 2,000 untaxed cigarettes.

UPDATE 10:49 a.m.: The family cat perished in the fire.

UPDATED 9:27 a.m. Updated at 2:32 p.m. with addtional information included.

One person suffered burns in an early morning house fire at 3 Orchard Drive, Le Roy, the that Le Roy police classify as suspicious.

No suspect has been named in the fire.

Two other people managed to escape the blaze, one by climbing out of a second floor window and the other being helped from a second floor deck by a Le Roy Police officer, who protected her from the flames as he helped her down an outside stairway.

The call came in at 3:26 a.m. after the family dog woke one of the residents and alerted her to the fire. She called 9-1-1.

The woman was then helped from the deck by Officer Rob Tygart. Her husband, Richard Nelson, climbed from a back window when his exit path was blocked by flames.

Paul Atkinson, 42, reportedly suffered 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns. He was taken by Le Roy Ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Nelson suffered an ankle injury, but initially declined treatment. Hours after the fire, he requested treatment for the injury as well as a complain of pain in his side.

The fourth occupant of the home, the owner, Thomas Atkinson, was out  delivering newspapers at the time the fire was called in.

Le Roy Chief of Police Chris Hayward said the investigation has not yet determined if smoke detectors sounded after the blaze started.

"The daughter was the one who called the fire in and the way it was going it probably would have been a total loss if she hadn’t heard the dog," Hayward said. "God only knows what the outcome would have been."

There are aspects of the fire scene, Hayward indicated, that lead investigators to suspect the fire could have been intentionally set.

Investigators are trying to determine who might have set the fire.

An aggressive response by the first Le Roy firefighters on scene, Bill Wood and Tom Carroll, was critical to containing the fire to two back rooms, said Le Roy Fire Chief Mike Sheflin, who also gave credit to the department's aerial crew.

"You can see where they cut the vent," Sheflin said. "It's in the perfect spot to keep the fire from extending."

Sheflin said the department quickly overcame a problem with water pressure in the neighborhood by calling in tankers from Stafford, Bergen, Pavilion and Caledonia.

The chief wouldn't speculate on the cause of the drop in water pressure and referred questions to the Monroe County Water Authority. There is water line construction currently taking place on East Avenue.

Also assisting at the scene were Genesee County Emergency Services and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. A Mercy EMS ambulance responded on standby in Le Roy while the local ambulance was tied up on the call.

No firefighters were injured.

A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported at 8364 Oatka Trail. The victim is still trapped inside.

Le Roy Fire and Ambulance are dispatched.

UPDATE 7:50 p.m. (by Howard). The vehicle "has uprighted itself" and left the scene. A first responder said, "I just passed it. It's all over the road." The vehicle was last seen on Circular Hill Road headed toward Route 5. The vehicle is a black and white Chevy S10 with three occupants. Le Roy unit responding to the scene of the original accident to deal with a small fuel spill. The other truck responding is back in service.

UPDATE 7:59 p.m. (by Howard): Le Roy fire back in service.

A Mt. Morris man with a prior criminal record was allegedly observed selling heroin in a Village of Le Roy parking lot, leading to his arrest on multiple drug dealing and possession charges.

Shaun M. Theriault, 30, of Parker Road, is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bail.

Theriault may also be wanted in Florida, but that hasn't been confirmed. He has prior convictions in New York for grand larceny, 4th, and robbery, 1st.

The Sheriff's Office reports that members of the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Le Roy Police Department observed Theriault allegedly conducting a drug transaction in a municipal parking lot in the village.

Upon approaching Theriault's car, officers allegedly found a quantity of suspected heroin, packaging baggies, a digital scale and $506 in U.S. currency. 

Theriault was arraigned in Town of Le Roy court for alleged attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, 4th, and criminal using drug paraphernalia, 2nd.

A web site out of Florida lists a Shaun M. Theriault with a birthdate of April 20, 1981 as wanted on a fugitive extradition warrant. Theriault is listed on the site as a Nunda resident. The mug shot on the site shows a blond man, but some facial features are similar. The warrant is from 2004, so may no longer be current.

Theriault was held in the state prision in Wyoming County from 2004 until Jan. 14, 2011, when he was released on parole. The crime was robbery, 1st, committed in Livingston County. He was previously in state prison in 2000 to 2001.

There is a report of a brush fire near the back of the cemetery, off North Street in Le Roy.

Le Roy Fire and Le Roy Ambulance responding.

UPDATE 8:48 p.m.: A chief reports, "It appears to be fairly decent size ... but we're not going to get it from here." He's recommending units repond to Church Street. Another chief requests law enforcement to the scene on the Church Street side.

UPDATE 8:57 p.m.: Fire knocked down.

UPDATED 3:26 p.m., with clarification of a quote.

In the interest of justice, the aggravated harassment in the second-degree charges filed against political activist Chris Charvella should be dropped, Charvella's attorney argued in Town of Batavia Court this morning.

The hearing was prompted by the defense's motion to dismiss the case.

"If you allow this case to go forward, what is the public going to think?" Charvella's attorney, E. Robert Fussell, told Justice Mike Cleveland. "Are they going to trust a system where a politician is allowed to call the police and have a political opponent silenced?"

Assistant District Attorney Melissa Cianfrini, representing the people, argued that the case against Charvella is neither political nor does it conflict with the First Amendment.

The case is entirely about Charvella's conduct, Cianfrini argued. The key question is whether that conduct violates the harassment, 2nd, statute against making phone calls with no legitimate purpose.

Charvella is accused of placing a phone call to Legislator Jay Grasso and leaving a message on his answering machine. The message said, "Thank you for reading my blog."

Cianfrini argued that the message had no legitimate purpose and taken within the context of comments made by Charvella on The Batavian and on his own blog, constitutes an attempt to threaten and intimidate Grasso.

"What Mr. Charvella did was serious," Cianfrini said. "It wasn't a light moment. He wasn't trying to be funny. It was serious and if you look at the whole body of conduct, it is serious."

In order for the case to be considered serious, Fussell argued, the conduct of Charvella would have to be seen by a reasonable person as intimidating. Just because the alleged victim, he argued, felt alarmed doesn't mean the conduct is in fact harassing.

"Mr. Grasso is either an exceptionally sensitive person who is easily frightened, or he is acting to shut out Mr. Charvella from the political process," Fussell said. 

A key fact disputed during the hearing was the timing of the phone message in relation to a post Charvella did with a picture of an Ewok with the caption, "Prepare your anus."

Cianfrini said the posting of the picture followed by the phone message was clear evidence that Charvella intended to intimidate Grasso.

Fussell countered that the Ewok picture was posted after the phone call, so Grasso could not have seen the picture before getting the phone message.  

To which Cianfrini replied that if that's the case, Charvella's conduct potentially constituted a threat.

Fussell quickly replied that Charvella hadn't been charged with such a crime.

"If those are the facts that come out at trial, the people reserve the right to file that charge," Cianfrini said. "He's on notice."

A few times during the oral arguments, Cianfrini made the point that Grasso wasn't acting in his capacity as a sitting legislator, so the First Amendment didn't apply to the case.

The events around the case were entirely personal, Cianfrini argued, and not about politics or anything Grasso did as a government official.

"That’s what the First Amendment deals with, the government not politics  the placement of a political sign or personal conflicts," Cianfrini said.*

And even if it is a political issue, Cianfrini said, the case isn't about the content of any postings or messages. It's about Charvella's conduct, which Cianfrini argued, was clearly intended to intimidate and harass Grasso, causing him to feel alarmed.

One key piece of evidence not available in the case, Fussell complained, is the phone message itself. The recording was not preserved.

Fussell said the recording would provide important context to the message -- what was Charvella's tone of voice? Was it threatening? Was it humorous? 

It's hard to believe, Fussell said, given Grasso's background in law enforcement, that he didn't know to preserve the evidence.

Cianfrini said Grasso's law enforcement training is irrelevant to the case and that the recording is not needed since Charvella doesn't dispute the fact that he left the message.

As the oral arguments before Justice Cleveland wore down, the tensions between the attorneys intensified.

A couple of times near the close, Fussell made the point that if the case goes forward, Charvella will incur significant legal expenses (Charvella has already spent $7,000 on the case) while Grasso is getting the services of Cianfrini for free.

"That's not accurate, you're honor," Cianfrini said. "I take exception to that remark, I represent the people of the State of New York and I can't stand here and let that go on the record."

*NOTE: Quote clarified after further discussion with Melissa Cianfrini. 

An 81-year-old Le Roy narrowly escaped death Monday after her car got stuck on train tracks in Steuben County and another person pulled her from the car just before a train struck it.

Angeline Pascucci was reportedly disoriented, driving on the tracks and refused to get out of her car. A passerby had to physically remove her from the vehicle.

Pascucci was not injured.

The hero was Laurie Eldridge.

Eldridged dragged Pascucci from the car just before a northbound train broadsided it at 40 mph.

(via YNN)

Ronald L. MacGregor, 42, of 66 Lake St., Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd. MacGregor was arrested following an investigation by Le Roy Police into an allegation that MacGregor entered a local pharmacy possessing a forged or altered prescription script and passed it to pharmacy staff. MacGregor was jailed on $3,000 bail.

Martin Fitzgerald Jones, 40, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Jones was arrested on a warrant out of city court.

Dwayne William Brown, 25, of North Main Street, Holley, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding (90 mph in a 55 mph zone), passing in a no passing zone, operating out of class. Brown was stopped at 2:53 a.m. Saturday on Route 33, Stafford, by Deputy Frank Bordonaro. Bordonaro allegedly observed Brown riding a motorcycle on Route 33 while going 90 mph.

Joseph Thomas Bortle, 39, of Knowlesville Road, Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Bortle is accused of trying to shoplift $26.97 in batteries from Kmart. During the investigation, Bortle was allegedly found in possession of a narcotic analgesic pill for which he didn't have a prescription.

Jordan Gerard Merica, 19, of Alleghany Road, Corfu, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Merica was stopped on Route 77, Darien, for alleged traffic violations at 4:40 p.m. Friday by Deputy Patrick Reeves. 

Brian Patrick O'Grady, 46, of Lyman Road, Bergen, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs and alcohol. O'Grady was allegedly involved in a property damage accident on Dublin Road, Bergen, at 11:45 p.m. Sunday. O'Grady allegedly left the scene of the accident and was located at his residence a short time later.

Elizabeth Ann Lindner, 24, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with forgery, 2nd. Lindner is accused of passing a forged check.