Braiden Tower won first place, and Bryar Biracree, second, in the 7th-grade spelling bee today at Le Roy Middle School.
Mr. Knisley was the moderator and Mrs. Cain was the judge.
Braiden correctly spelled Zeppelin in the round for the win and will now advance to the regional competition.
To watch a video of the entire spelling bee, click here.
Photos and information submitted by Tim McArdle.
Rae C. Cook is indicted on counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a Class D felony, and assault in the second degree, a Class D violent felony. Cook is accused of using scissors to cause a physical injury to another person on Oct. 2 in the City of Batavia.
Joshua L. Webster is indicted on counts of aggravated criminal contempt, a Class D felony, assault in the third degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and criminal contempt in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Webster is accused of violating an order of protection by intentionally or recklessly causing physical injury or serious physical injury to a person covered by an order of protection on Sept. 12 in the Town of Le Roy.
A rekenrek is a tool to help elementary-age children build a better sense of numbers, Stacie Wilson, the new numeracy coach in Le Roy Central Schools, explained to the Board of Education on Tuesday evening.
Students use it to help them grasp the concept of how numbers work together.
For example, take the number seven, if students are told to arrange the pieces on the rekenrek into groups that ad up into seven, they might move four pieces on one line and three on another, or two and five, or one and six, etc.
There is no wrong answer, said Wilson (top photo), which both helps students see how numbers work together and develop confidence in thinking about numbers.
The rekenrek, similar to an abacus but it is not based on place value columns, is just one tool to help students grasp a better concept of numbers.
Wilson also uses, for example, a jar filled with items -- changed regularly -- that encourages students to guess how many of those items are in a jar.
"(These things) help students generally understand numbers and how numbers work and connect," Wilson said. "They can place values on things and it weaves into so many connections they will make through the years."
Teachers engage students in math classes in "number talk," Wilson said, so they can better grasp the concepts of numbers. They can develop flexible thinking about numbers, especially through us of the rekenrek where numbers can be combined visually in multiple ways to create new numbers.
"Some students are more resistant to math and they fear the wrong answer," Wilson said. "This allows all kids into the experience and allows for them to really push their thinking about numbers."
Newly appointed trustee Jason Karcher.
Le Roy Central Schools will continue to keep doing what it's doing when it comes to COVID-19, Superintendent Merritt Holly told the Board of Education on Tuesday night, because it's been working.
That is, the district will continue to follow the protocols.
Holly said with a total of there are currently 25 more COVID-19 cases in the district this year than last at the same point, when there were 45, but by Dec. 24 last year, there were 81 cases.
The numbers, then, this year are looking pretty good, when you consider that this year, nearly all students are attending school daily and the world is dealing with varients that spread more easily than the version of SARS-CoV-2 that was in the air a year ago.
The data is clear, Holly said: The vaccines work. Most of the local infections are among the unvaccinated.
The other advantage for the vaccinated is they don't have to follow the same quarantine protocols if they become a close contact to an infected person and are asymptomatic.
The district, he said, with temperature checks, social distancing, masks, quarantines for the unvaccinated who get exposed to the disease, are one of the safest environments for staff and students.
"What we've put in place has allowed us to stay functional and stay in school," Holly said.
A fully involved tractor-trailer fire is reported on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 384 in the westbound lane.
Le Roy Fire is on scene.
The cargo is unknown at this time.
Dispatchers received multiple calls about the fire.
UPDATE 12:46 p.m.: Town of Batavia requested to the scene.
UPDATE 12:54 p.m: Batavia and Bergen can go back in service. Fire is knocked down.
The Le Roy HS boys cross country team did something no other cross country team has done in the history of the school this season: won a Section V title.
The team was honored at the start of the Le Roy Central Schools Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.
The team consisted of Erik Schwab, Aiden Soggs, Ian Kepple, James Blake, Cole Friedhaber, Kyle Northrup, and Andrew Greene.
Schwab had a fourth-place finish in the championship race and Soggs finished 8th.
In the girls' race, Charlotte Blake finished second overall, claiming her third sectional patch in the sport. She is one of the most decorated cross country runners in school history.
Erik Schwab, Andrew Greene, Ian Kepple, James Blake, and Charlotte Blake.
The Village of Le Roy Board of Trustees meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight has been rescheduled for 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 15, at the Village Hall.
Press Release:
On December 1st QuestBridge announced the results of its 2021 National College Match, a national program that pairs high-achieving, low-income high school seniors with full scholarships to the nation’s top colleges. From a pool of over 16,500 applicants, from which QuestBridge chose 6,312 as finalists, QuestBridge's 45 college partners matched with 1,674 Finalists, who are recognized as Match Scholarship Recipients. This is the highest number of Match Scholarship Recipients to date for QuestBridge. We are ecstatic to announce that one of the 1,674 recipients was Le Roy Jr.-Sr. High School's Emily Williams, who was awarded a full scholarship to Amherst College, one of the top liberal colleges in the country. Emily has accepted the offer and will attend majoring in Education Studies.
"Before I was introduced to QuestBridge, I wasn't even sure if college was a practical goal for me, but now it feels like all my hard work is finally paying off. I'm looking forward to getting the college experience without having to worry about the financial aspect." -Emily Williams, Le Roy Jr.-Sr. High School Senior
"Emily has worked incredibly hard to put herself in the driver's seat to be selected for such a prestigious opportunity at one of the most selective schools in the entire country. She has demonstrated to our entire student body that if you take full advantage of every opportunity that is presented you can achieve great things. Emily has excelled in a variety of our advanced placement courses along with being a major contributor to our music program. I truly cannot think of a more deserving person to be chosen for the QuestBridge National College Match Program than Emily. She has made me along with our entire school community proud." -Austin Dwyer, Le Roy Jr.-Sr. High School Counselor
"We are beyond proud for Emily to be awarded this incredible full scholarship to prestigious Amherst College. Emily's commitment to academic excellence coupled with a passion and immense talent in music and art has put her in a position to go toe to toe with top students in the country. Evidence of her success can be found all over our school from excelling in her AP courses to performing in our marching band and musical pit. Her top-notch character and work ethic go hand in hand with her compassion for others and kind heart. We are very excited for her and her family; this opportunity is truly life-changing, and we can't wait to see her soar in the next chapter of her life! I would like to thank QuestBridge for their commitment to college-bound students across the country." -Tim McArdle, Le Roy Jr.-Sr. High School Principal
From QuestBridge:
Match Scholarship Recipients are admitted early to QuestBridge college partners with full four-year scholarships that are provided by the colleges and universities, ensuring for these students and their families that an education at a top college can be affordable. QuestBridge’s 45 college partners include top liberal arts colleges such as Amherst, Pomona, and Williams and exceptional research universities such as Duke, Princeton, Stanford, UChicago, and Yale. The Match Scholarship is offered as part of a generous financial aid package provided by the college that covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, room and board, books and supplies, and travel expenses.
This year’s Match Scholarship Recipients come from 49 states, as well as the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.These outstanding high school seniors have an average unweighted GPA of 3.93, and 92% are in the top 10% of their graduating class. Financially, 95% come from a household with an annual income under $65,000, and 87% qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. The majority of these new QuestBridge Scholars — 81% — are among the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college in the United States.
Since 2003, the QuestBridge National College Match has successfully connected over 10,500 students with full scholarships at college partners. These 2021 Match Scholarship Recipients become the first QuestBridge Scholars for the Class of 2026. Based on previous years, it is estimated that approximately 2,000 Finalists will be admitted to QuestBridge college partners later in the year through Early and Regular Decision processes.
All Finalists who ulte thoughtful and broad-minded leaders, and we are honored and excited to help them pursue their dreams after college graduation.”
About QuestBridge:QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that connects the nation’s most exceptional, low-income youth with leading institutions of higher education and further life opportunities. By recruiting, developing, and motivating these students — beginning in high school through college to their early career — QuestBridge aims to help talented, low-income students attend the nation’s best colleges and to support them to achieve success in their respective careers and communities.
https://www.questbridge.org/
One of the tricky issues for the Le Roy Central School District in navigating protocols during the age of COVID is that neighboring jurisdictions often have different requirements than present in Genesee County, Superintendent Merritt Holly informed the Board of Education on Tuesday.
For example, at the start of the new year, RIT will require every person who comes on campus for any event to show proof of vaccination. That means every coach and athlete from Le Roy who participates in winter track and field will need to be vaccinated in order to compete in events at RIT, even though Le Roy doesn't have a vaccine requirement.
Any team that wins enough and reaches state championship athletic events will find every participant must be vaccinated to compete.
A memo Holly provided to school board members provides a timeline of shifting rules and guidance as knowledge of the pandemic has evolved and health leaders have sought to provide the best guidance as possible.
That has sometimes created confusion, Holly acknowledged.
"One piece of thought, again, schools from county to county, interpretations of what this course is, this space, this contact tracing, so on so forth, can be different," Holly said. "Therefore, it can cause issues, equity issues, questions of why. But I think the bottom line is the data should then show are these measures working to keep us in school."
The briefing, Holly said, was to enable board members to get a complete picture of what is going on so they can come to the board's December meeting with any questions they might have at that point.
To read the full memo, click here (pdf).
Le Roy High School's Section V champion volleyball team was presented with certificates from the Board of Education at the start of Tuesday's meeting honoring their accomplishment.
Photo submitted by Tim McArdle.
Eric A. Spikes, 44, no permanent address, is charged with assault 2nd, two counts of burglary 2nd, menacing 3rd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Spikes is accused of physically attacking and injuring another person during an incident on Aug. 26 at 12:17 a.m. on North Lyon Street, Batavia, where multiple children were present. He was arrested on a warrant. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed without bail.
Katherine Jessica Vail, 29, of Griswold Road, Bergen, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and reckless endangerment 2nd. Vail is accused of driving drunk and striking a pedestrian and his dog at 6:11 p.m., Saturday, on South Lake Road, Bergen. VAil was released on an appearance ticket.
Jeffery Michael Johnson, 33, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI Drugs and driving left of the pavement markings. Johnson was stopped at 3:46 a.m., Saturday, on Main Road, Stafford, by Deputy David Moore. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Jonathan Micahel Reed, 28, of Lake Street Road, Le Roy, is charged with two counts of sex offender failure to report a change of address/status within 10 days. Reed is accused of failure to register a new internet service provider and account within 10 days. He was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and jailed without bail.
Aaron Michael Reagan Hatt, 25, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, DWI, driving without a license, and failure to signal. Hatt was stopped at 2:13 a.m, Sept. 19, on Wortendyke Road, Batavia, by Deputy Morgan Ewert. Hatt was released on an appearance ticket.
Zachary James Chittenden, 34, of Boyce Road, Pembroke, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and no or inadequate plate lamps. Chittenden was stopped at 2:38 a.m., Sunday, on Hartshorn Road, Batavia, by Deputy Zachary Hoy.
Philip M. Escobar, 32, of Kirvin, Texas, was arrested on a bench warrant for alleged failure to appear in Batavia City Court. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Mark B. Havens, 59, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd, assault 3rd, and grand larceny 4th. Havens is accused of striking another person in the face causing injury and taking the person's mobile phone, and damaging a computer during an incident reported at 3:40 p.m., Nov. 7, at an address on Liberty Street, Batavia. Havens was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Jason L. Johnson, 39, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Johnson was reportedly involved in a physical altercation with another person at a business on East Main Street at 11:58 p.m., Nov. 5, and when police identified Johnson, they arrested him on charges from an unrelated incident. He was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine and a broken crack pipe in his jean pocket.
Jaequele M. Tomlin, 26, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Tomlin is accused of damaging property on Watson Street during an incident reported at 10:24 a.m., Nov. 4. She was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.
Paul A. Inostroza, 30, of Batavia, is accused of criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, reckless endangerment 2nd, attempted assault 2nd, and harassment 2nd. Inostroza allegedly attacked another person at 12:50 a.m., Sept. 5, at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Erik Pokornowski, 30, of Byron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08, failure to stop at a stop sign, and moving from lane unsafely. Pokornowski was stopped at 1 a.m., Oct. 30 on East Main Street, Batavia, by a Batavia police officer. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Gilberto N. Natal, 33, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Natal allegedly grabbed another person during an argument and threw the person to the ground in an incident reported at 3:45 p.m., Oct. 27, on South Lyon Street, Batavia. Natal was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Timothy M. Henry, 26, of Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Henry is accused of stealing $74.54 in merchandise from the Walmart in Warsaw. He was arrested by State Police and released on an appearance ticket.
Michael P. Jansma, 32, of Attica, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Jansma was stopped by State Police at 9:45 p.m., Saturday, in the Town of Pembroke. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Crystal S. Duncan, 36, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Duncan was stopped by State Police at 10:26 p.m., Friday, in the Town of Batavia. Duncan was released on an appearance ticket.
Allyson P. Lawrence, 27, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Lawrence was arrested by State Police in the Town of Batavia, at 4:48 p.m., Nov. 7. She was released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.
Valarie L. Mancini, 64, of Shortsville, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and driving while impaired by drugs. Mancini was stopped at 6:15 a.m., Nov. 10, by State Police, in the City of Batavia.
A 15-year-old resident of Batavia is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. The youth was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 10:50 p.m., July 24.
Sweet Betty’s grand opening was a long time in coming.
In fact, about 14 months long. Blame it on Covid-19, that insidious virus that closed a few businesses and left others short-staffed due to employee scarcity.
“We opened Aug. 3, 2020,” co-owner Gabby Keister said Wednesday at her Le Roy restaurant. “Because of Covid, we didn’t want to promote a crowd. We kept saying we’ll do it ‘next month,’ and we never did. We want people to know we’re open.”
That long-awaited grand opening finally happened today. The establishment actually was to open even earlier. Keister, whose nickname is Betty, and her husband Scott, bought the site at 15 Main St. in February 2020 and strategized a spring opening. It would be a sweets-themed shop of ice cream and candy. They were in the thick of Covid-19 at that point, so the couple kept working on the interior renovations while cleaning out most everything from the former diner.
Not exactly strangers to the restaurant field, the Keisters owned and operated Le Roy Country Club for three and a half years about 25 years ago. Children and the demands of raising a family prompted them to close, she said. Now that the kids are older, the couple decided to give it another try.
Bright yellow walls and a black-and-white checkered floor provide a welcoming, cozy greeting. There is seating for 75 diners, and take-out and delivery are also available. The menu morphed into lunch, dinner, and desserts.
“We kept getting bigger and better ideas … and it just flourished,” she said. “Our objective is to have something for everyone.”
For local patrons, it was apparently worth the wait. Regulars line up for burgers, pizza, chicken tenders, specialty desserts, and the Flying Betty sandwich, Keister said. The burgers are a trio blend of three different cuts of meat, which has made them a hit amongst customers, Mr. Keister said. He deals with a vendor that exclusively provides the meat combo to Sweet Betty’s in the Le Roy area.
Most of the meals are handmade from scratch, such as tenders of breaded chicken breast, a gooey salted caramel cheesecake individually sized, and seasonal desserts and cookies. The pumpkin flavor is the star of the show right now.
One of the most popular dishes is the Flying Betty, a fried chicken breast topped with homemade coleslaw and pickles. That “came from a mistake,” Mrs. Keister said. Staff sampled it and thought it was good enough to put on the menu.
Wraps, fruit and vegetable salads, brownies, and 27 flavors of Perry’s ice cream round out the menu, plus the homemade chocolate and vanilla waffle cones. And several varieties of draft and canned beer, red and white wine, frozen wine slushies, and — especially cool with the teenagers — bubble tea. Just as it sounds, a bubble is placed in the bottom of a glass, tea is added, and the bubble travels up the straw and pops.
Mrs. Keister feels good to know that parents are comfortable enough to drop off their kids for a burger at the place, she said. That’s an indication of what she wanted it to be: a “clean, safe, friendly atmosphere,” she said.
“In that respect, we’ve been very successful; we get a lot of compliments,” she said.
In its short existence thus far, Sweet Betty's has already become a gathering place for the Le Roy community, said Steven Falitico, membership development director of Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.
Falitico sees the restaurant as a great addition to Main Street, Le Roy.
“Small town charm is strong in Genesee County, and it's our local businesses, like Sweet Betty's, that make our communities more enjoyable places to live,” he said. “A special thank you from The Chamber goes out to Gabby Keister, the owner of the establishment. She was born and raised in Le Roy and wanted to make an impact on her hometown. Her entrepreneurial spirit and drive are what made this restaurant possible.”
Hours are 11:30 a.m to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, call 585-502-6084.
Photos by Howard Owens.
Top photo: Today's ribbon cutting.
Gabby Keister, her husband Scott Keister, and their son Scott (on left).
Not even a year into a new program at Le Roy High School that is focused on student success, Jen Bertrand reported to the Board of Trustees on Tuesday night that several students are already showing great improvement both socially and academically.
Bertrand, the Grade 9-12 Intervention Specialist for the district, is working with 52 students in the Student Success Center. Six are seniors, 10 juniors, 22 sophomores, and 14 freshmen.
Successes look like this:
All of the students in the program deal with anxiety or depression and several have been through traumatic experiences.
Bertrand said the success center essentially provides a "life coach" to troubled students, offering support on getting assignments done, helping with developing good work habits, organization, time management, painting social and mental health, ensuring these skills are transferable to other classes and situations.
"We try to capture those magic moments really showing the students they're not alone," Bertrand said.
Bertrand shared, without revealing names, the feedback she's received from her fellow teachers for the board to read. For example:
She also shared anonymous quotes from students:
Before taking on this new role at the school, Bertrand was the tech coach at the high school. At a board meeting in June, she heard High School Principal Tim McArdle discuss his desire to create an intervention program. The idea resonated with her.
"I thought, 'I want to do that,' she said. "There was just a light in me to do help these students."
Who knew what all goes on at Jam At The Ridge? We used to think that everyone knew all of the activities and events that Jam At The Ridge is famous for, but I keep hearing "I didn't know they did this or that". So we decided work with The Batavian, the one stop for what's going on in Genesee County!
This winter, we continue to be OPEN TO THE PUBLIC for our RESTAURANT / BAR and CAMPING. Join us, you'll be glad you did. We have a great little Restaurant and Bar that focuses on F.O.R.M (a Farm, Ocean, Ranch Menu) with some of the freshest ingredients around brought to your table. Our cook, Kellie, is awesome and creates food that is well worth the visit. Her, from scratch, baked pies, cakes, and cookies are the best around. Take a pie home if you like. Thursday is Family Supper Night. Two featured meals for just $10 each. Or try something from the full menu like our Twisted Chicken French, Fish Fry or Baked Fish, a Gourmet Burger, Pizza, or something else. Ask them to make it with Ridge Spice for a little Kick. This weeks featured items are: Chicken Picatta or Kellie's featured burger ... The Western. Restaurant Hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday 4PM to 9PM, Sunday 9AM 'till Noon, for Breakfast.
Like KARAOKE? We do too and host a Karaoke Night twice a month. Like live bands? We do too, and host a live band once a month.
The list of Summer activities and events we host goes on and on! The Giant Slip and Slide (350' of slippery fun), Watermelon eating contest, Getting proposed to at a concert, Lasagna - enough for two slices, Halloween Party with Costumes, A Big Party Sound "dance off" with DJ Josh. Professional Fireworks Display, A sample from Art and Crafts time, Live concert shows - Open to the public. An up and coming group that rocked the house. Whiskey Myers. O-at-Ka Festival Parade ... time for a Pirate Ship with Mermaids. First Responders Weekend Benefit - don those PPE's. How fast can you get dressed? These pro's get the job done in under 60 seconds!
To see what sort of magic we've been cooking up for Summer 2022, visit our Facebook Page. Jam At The Ridge - Recreation, Entertainment, Camping, and Exceptional Food - 8101 Conlon Road, Le Roy, NY 14482. Call 585-768-4883. or visit www.JATRNY.com. We're OPEN TO THE PUBLIC and OPEN ALL YEAR! We're right off the Caledonia Snowmobile Trail as it crosses Conlon Road. Stop in for a fill up, you'll be glad you did.
After what has been described as a “long hard” Election Day that began around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Board of Elections workers can’t relax just yet, Genesee County Elections Commissioner Lorie Longhany said.
“The write-ins are secured at our facility,” Longhany said today. “We haven’t decided how we’re going to count them. Do we start with the city or towns with more contested races? We have to look at the intent of the voter … the voter gets the vote.”
That’s no small order, with nearly 2,000 write-ins that require manual inspection to determine the voter’s “wishes and intent,” and to ensure there are no glitches on the ballot, Longhany said. For example, if someone wrote a candidate’s name that was already on the ballot, that voids the write-in vote, she said.
A breakdown of write-ins puts Le Roy at the top with 700, Bethany at 167 for town clerk and four for town justice, Alexander at 141, Oakfield with 137, Stafford 117 and one for Pembroke. Due to the large amount of outstanding write-ins yet to be counted for Le Roy, plus an unknown amount of absentee ballots, town justice candidates Carol DiFrancisco and Tom Feeley declined to make any definitive statement about an outcome.
“Until the election is officially over, all I would say is that no one should ever think that a single vote does not matter,” DiFrancisco said. “Every LeRoyan deserves to have their vote counted.”
As for those absentee ballots, not even half of the issued ballots have been returned so far, Longhany said. Those ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 2 and will be accepted up to next Tuesday, Nov 9.
The City of Batavia had 512 absentee ballots issued, with 192 returned; Bergen had 65 issued and 33 returned; Bethany had 19 issued and 12 returned; Byron had 44 issued and 24 returned; Le Roy had 178 issued, 99 returned; Pembroke had 69 issued, 32 returned; and Stafford had 28 and 10, respectively.
Board of Elections staff are to begin processing the absentees on Tuesday, and won’t be done until all ballots have been received by next Tuesday. The postmark will be checked and any envelopes that have Nov. 3 or later will not be counted, Longhany said.
The easier part, though, is to feed those ballots into a machine, which then tabulates a final total for the entire county, she said.
“It saves us time,” she said. “The machine is very accurate.”
She wasn’t certain when a final, official vote and related voter turnout would be announced, but believes it will be at least a few days beyond the final day to accept ballots. Veterans Day is Nov. 11, which may also slow down the process due to government offices being closed.
Click here for more info on 19 Dellinger Ave., Batavia.
Click here for more info on 7324 Selden Road, LeRoy.
Tell us something about yourself (where you grew up, your current general residence, family, interests, work history):
A: My name is Tom Feeley and I was born and raised in Le Roy and I am married with two children. I just retired with 25 years in law enforcement this past July.
As a newcomer, how will you get up to speed on the duties of town justice?
A: As a Field Officer Director with DHS, our authorities are very similar to Judges under 8 USC. I have signed Warrants of Arrest, examined evidence, set bond, made custody determinations, taken and heard sworn statements and testimony, and granted relief under the law. I have also testified in Federal Court as a Subject Matter Expert in different areas. New York State provides mandatory training, and I will have no issues transitioning over into this role.
What do you feel are the most important tenets of serving in this role?
A: Impartiality, compassion, and fairness.
What makes you qualified to be a town justice?
A: As I said above, as a Field Officer Director with DHS, our authorities are very similar to Judges under 8 USC. I have signed Warrants of Arrest, examined evidence, set bond, made custody determinations, taken and heard sworn statements and testimony, and granted relief under the law. At ICE’s National Academy, I taught Immigration Law, Nationality Law, 4th Amendment, and Criminal Law. I was one of only three Instructors certified by DHS to teach law.
Do you consider yourself unbiased in all aspects of ruling on cases?
A: Yes.
Would there be any situation that you would recuse yourself due to a conflict of interest?
A: As a Judge, it is my duty to disclose any potential conflict of interest in a case. If this does occur, there is a process to handle these instances.
What is your personal mantra for life?
A: No matter what you are doing, try to be the best at it.
Does your professional mantra differ, and if so, how?
A: Throughout my career, I have tried to do the best I can in every position I have held.
What does having ethics mean to you?
A: Believing in honesty, integrity, respect, loyalty, and responsibility. In its simplest form, knowing the difference between right and wrong.
How would you apply this as town justice?
A: A judge should not allow family, political, social, or other relationships to influence their decisions. I, as Judge, will not allow this to happen.
What does the community need to know about you before casting a vote?
A: I’ve been in public service my entire adult life. From the Marine Corps to volunteering in different areas of the communities I have lived in, to the highest levels of the Federal Government. This isn’t a decision I made on a whim or without serious consideration.
Why do you want to serve as Le Roy town justice?
A: I wanted to move back to this area after living all over the country to apply all the experience gained in 30 years of service to the town I grew up in. I want to give something back. Allowing me the opportunity to serve in this capacity, as Town Justice, will be an honor and I look forward to continuing to serve.
There are two candidates running for Le Roy town justice: the Democratic Committee endorsed Carol DiFrancisco, and Tom Feeley is contesting the race by running as a write-in candidate. The Batavian contacted both of them with questions.
Tell us something about yourself (where you grew up, your current general residence, family, interests, work history):
A: I am proud to say I am a lifelong LeRoyan. I retired in July of 2020 after 35 years of teaching at Le Roy High School. I always say that teaching there was not a job, it was a privilege. I actually spent my first year of retirement right back in the classroom as a substitute teacher. Many people thought I was crazy but I guess I was just not ready to walk away from the classroom yet. My son Alex and his wife Lisa reside in Clarence with my two grandsons, Gino and Sam, who are the greatest blessings in my life. Alex and Lisa are both in the healthcare field so it has been a crazy time for them as you can imagine since the pandemic started.
As a newcomer, how will you get up to speed on the duties of town justice?
A: New York State does not require any kind of criminal justice, law enforcement, or law degree in order to be a Town Justice. What they do require is that any newly elected judge be fully trained before taking the bench. There is an intensive seven-week training course (two weeks in Albany) provided by lawyers and judges through the Office of Justice Court Support. No one is allowed to take the bench without passing a comprehensive test at the end of this training. No one is allowed to take the bench unless fully competent and capable of doing so.
What do you feel are the most important tenets of serving in this role?
A: As Town Justice, you have to set aside your own personal views and follow the law to decide cases fairly, impartially, and free of political party or intimidation. No judicial candidate should make promises that they say they will keep if elected. No judicial candidate should announce their position on an issue during a campaign. The law has to be followed as it is written, not as you wish it was written. The law is the only opinion that matters.
What makes you qualified to be a town justice?
A: I believe I have the skills needed to fill the role of Town Justice. I am an effective communicator with the passion, commitment, diligence, and professionalism needed. But most important of all, I am able to set aside my own personal views and follow the law to decide cases fairly, impartially, free of a political party, ideology, or intimidation.
Do you consider yourself unbiased in all aspects of ruling on cases?
A: Canon #2 of the Code of Conduct for US judges addresses that question of outside influence. “A judge should not allow family, social, political, financial, or other relationships to influence judicial conduct or judgment.” Never will I use this office to advance my own interests or allow others to give the impression that they are in any way in some kind of special relationship that allows them to influence me. And anyone who says otherwise clearly knows nothing about me or what I stand for.
Would there be any situation that you would recuse yourself due to a conflict of interest?
A: Any judge in a small town is going to have times when recusal is necessary. A judge should disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned. Since this is a basic tenet of being a judge then I would of course recuse myself should a conflict of interest arise.
What is your personal mantra for life?
A: Show some respect. The world needs more of that.
Does your professional mantra differ, and if so, how?
A: I taught my students that you learn your worth from the way you are treated. I treated them the way they deserved to be treated. I talked to them the way they deserved to be talked to. Too many adults demand respect from kids without showing any respect in return. Doesn’t work. My respect was earned, not given.
What does having ethics mean to you?
A: Ethics to me has a very simple definition. It is the difference between right and wrong and the standard by which people ought to choose how to act. It embodies all the ideals I believe in: concern for the well-being of others, respect for others, trustworthiness and honesty.
How would you apply this as town justice?
A: Ethics is the very foundation of the criminal justice system. They are what helped us as a society develop the moral reasoning we use to define criminal activity and what is an acceptable punishment for such activity. Professional ethics for a judge are essential in order to maintain public confidence in his office.
What does the community need to know about you before casting a vote?
A: I am totally committed to this position, to this community, and to always doing what is right, not easy.
Why do you want to serve as Le Roy town justice?
A: I was honored when approached by the Democratic Committee to run for Town Justice. Like everyone else, I have always wanted to give back to my community in some way but, also like everyone else, family, work, and other commitments got in the way of being able to do so. Now that I was retired I had the time but did I have a good reason to run? I asked myself two simple questions. Am I passionate about it? Do I know I can do the job required? My answer to both questions was a resounding yes.
From gentle mists to powerful downpours, Le Roy town and village residents are in for some water fun come next year.
Town and Village boards hashed out the plan for a new spray park at Wildwood Park during a meeting earlier this month, Le Roy Town Supervisor Jim Farnholz says.
“We all decided on what we liked,” he said during an interview Tuesday with The Batavian. “It’s really something for the community and answers a lot of questions. Our real hope is to open by Memorial Day in 2022.”
Those answers include what to do with a defunct wading pool with several leaks. The spray park will be installed in that space for 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, and the park will be handicap accessible, he said.
A cooperative effort by both town and village boards, the project is estimated to cost $300,000 to be split by each municipality. The money is coming from the federal COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (See "Le Royans can move off the creek ..."). Based on each municipality’s assessed property value, these relief funds have a list of requirements for how the money can be spent, Farnholz said. Though the 100 or so pages of specifics were “one of the challenges for municipalities,” the town and village discovered that a spray park fit the scope of the funding.
“One of the very clear things was that it was designated for outdoor activities, parks, and green space,” he said.
The new park will have extended hours beyond when the swimming pool is open, will not require a lifeguard, and will provide benches, sidewalks, a flat surface, and an assortment of spray heights so that those in wheelchairs can enjoy it as well, he said. The idea was in discussion before the federal money was even received, he said.
The board members reviewed other spray parks in Genesee and Wyoming counties but landed on one in Brighton, Monroe County, as the best fit.
“We like it; it seemed to offer the most different kinds of … mister stations, a dump bucket, and little ones for smaller kids,” he said. “It addressed a lot of issues.”
Brighton’s spray park, amongst many others, was installed by Texas-based company Water Odyssey, he said. The town and village have agreed to move forward with the same company as “a lot of municipalities were very happy,” with it.
Town and village public works crews will perform the tear-out and site prep for the project to save some money, he said. Other work will include dealing with wastewater and electrical upgrades, he said.
“Once we decide on a specific plan, they can provide the site prep information,” he said. “I’m hoping for it to be in the next week or two.”
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