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Oakfield

CTE students inducted into National Tech Honor Society

By Billie Owens

Press release:

In March, the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) Chapters inducted 119 Career and Technical students from the Charles G. May Center and Batavia Campus. Evening candlelight ceremonies took place at the May Center and Elba High School.

These students met a rigorous criteria set forth by this national organization. The minimum grade-point average for acceptance is a 3.0. Students are also selected based upon credit hours completed, attendance, volunteer service, and membership in other student organizations.

Honorary memberships were presented to Michael Glover, Ph.D., district superintendent of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, and David O’Geen, Precision Machining instructor at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center.

Batavia Career and Technical Education Center

Alexander

William Burke                         Metal Trades

Miriah Gaudy                          Metal Trades

Christina Haniszewski            Health Careers Academy

Donald Ohlson                       Electronics & Comp Tech

Fleur Remington                    Legal Careers Academy

Matthew Szymanski               Metal Trades

Brittany Taylor                        Legal Careers Academy

 

Attica

Ashley Brotherton                  Health Careers Academy

Aleiah Brunner                       Animal Science

Nathan Burry                         Building Trades

Mitchell Cayea                       Metal Trades

Amber Holley                         Criminal Justice

Kellee Kibler                          Health Careers Academy

Angela LePrell                       Health Careers Academy

Nicole Strauchen                   Health Careers Academy

Batavia

Tyler Kuhn                             Conservation

Rebecca Meloon                   Cosmetology

Miranda Reed                       Animal Science

Louis Scafetta                       Building Trades

Ashley Stachowski                Animal Science

McKenzie Stevens                Legal Careers Academy

Byron Bergen

Nicole Fore                            Health Careers Academy

Kara Hall                                Health Careers Academy

Andrew McKenrick                 Conservation

Blake Snyder                         Conservation

Alexandra Walker                   Health Careers Academy

Caledonia Mumford

Devan Ayers                          Metal Trades

Andrew Carpino                     Auto Technology NATEF

Nichole Essig                         Health Careers Academy

Brittany Kerr                           Animal Science

Cody McGinnis                       Metal Trades

Ryan Sickles                          Metal Trades

Elba

Viviana Gaytan                      Human Services

Le Roy

Alexandra Beswick                Computer Information Academy

Christopher DeFelice             Legal Careers Academy

Emily Morrill                           Health Dimensions

Verneda Peete                       Legal Careers Academy

Brittany Shultz                       Culinary Arts

Oakfield Alabama

Brian Borkholder                    Electronics & Comp Tech

Paige Chatt                            Legal Careers Academy

Chelsea Cleveland                 Health Careers Academy

Brittany Denton                      Health Careers Academy

Jenifer Igoe                            Health Careers Academy

Casey McVay                         Computer Information Academy

Brennan Neidrauer                 Metal Trades

Sadie Schultz                         Legal Careers Academy

Haley Woodrich                      Human Services

Pavilion

Nicole Forti                             Health Careers Academy

Heather Yuhnke                     Cosmetology

Pembroke

Mitchell Allen                          Auto Technology NATEF

Kari Ammon                           Health Careers Academy

Nick Blackwell                        Graphic Arts

Austin Blaszak                       Graphic Arts

Brooke Keller                         Cosmetology

Tyler Lang                              Conservation

Law and Order: Trio of youths accused of breaking into residence, stealing bracelet

By Howard B. Owens

Joshua A. Stantos, 18, of 4585 Lake Ave., Rochester; Tyree A. Bradley, 20, of 1270 North St., Rochester; and, Skylynn D. Johnson, 16, of 110 Walnut St., Batavia, are charged with burglary, 2nd, and robbery, 2nd. The suspects are accused of entering a residence without permission and using force to steal a bracelet. The alleged incident was reported at 3:34 p.m., Thursday. All three were jailed without bail.

Darrin Todd Moreland, 47, of Telegraph Road, Medina, is charged with petit larceny. Moreland is accused of stealing snow fences and posts.The fences were rolled up and laying along the side of Lewiston Road waiting for the Town of Oakfield Highway Department to pick up.

Charles Rashad Foster, 26, of Carter Street, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Foster was a passenger in a vehicle stopped at 3:33 p.m. Sunday on Oak Street, Batavia, by Deputy Kevin McCarthy and found during the traffic stop to allegedly possess marijauna.

Brianna Elise McGrady, 24, of Campbell Street, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, driver's view obstructed and unlicensed operator. McGrady's vehicle was stopped at 3:33 p.m. Sunday on Oak Street, Batavia, by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.

Edward Thomas Zaremski, 62, of Lockport Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, failure to keep right, refused pre-screen device. Zaremski's vehicle was stopped by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello at 11:56 p.m. Saturday on Lockport Road, Oakfield, after a report of a vehicle in Elba being driven erratically. Zaremski was jailed on $100 bail.

Lauren Kay Pellegrino, 31, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, speeding, possession of an open container, unlicensed operator. Pellegrino's vehicle was stopped at 12:07 a.m. Saturday on Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Jessica Katherine Forrester, 21, of Erie Street, Albion, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Forrester was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Deputy Patrick Reeves on Route 77 in Pembroke.

Christopher Arron Saddler, 29, of West State Street, Albion, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd. Saddler was stopped at 6:17 p.m. Friday on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Emma Jean Brinkman, 57, of Sunset Parkway, Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny. Brinkman is accused of stealing $84.93 in merchandise from Kmart.

Lisa Sue Metcalf, 33, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Oakfield, was arrested on a bench warrant for alleged criminal possession of stolen property, 3rd. Metcalf is accused of failure to comply with Genesee Justice conditions. Metcalf was jailed on $250 bail.

Raymond Amaro, 26, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged violation of probation. Bail was set at $50,000.

Melanie Patricia Heidt, 21, of Elmgrove Road, Rochester, is charged with possession of more than 400 untaxed cigarettes. Heidt was stopped at 9:23 p.m. Thursday on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Francis J. Sheehan, 61, of 400 E. Main St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and criminal contempt, 1st. Sheehan is accused of punching a woman. There was allegedly an order of protection in place.

Ryan C. Riggi, 18, no permanent address, is charged with failure to appear. Riggi was turned over to Batavia PD on a warrant out of City Court and jailed on $5,000 bail.

Summer Ogden, 37, of 29 Central Ave., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd, and burglary, 2nd. Ogden was allegedly found in the apartment of a person she is barred from contacting after police were summoned to a Liberty Street location for a reported disturbance. Ogden allegedly entered the residence without permission. The criminal contempt charge is a felony because Ogden has a similar conviction in the past five years.

Kelvin B. Murphy, 40, of 319 Ellicott St., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and grand larceny, 4th. Murphy allegedly stole a wallet while at a business on East Main Street, Batavia. The wallet contained credit cards and cash.

Daniel L. Dioguardi, 31, of 4993 Upper Holley Road, Holley, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property and two counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument and two counts of petit larceny. Dioguardi turned himself in on warrants for the charges.

Rachael A. Baeher, 26, of 40 Church St., Le Roy, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, appearance in public under influence of a drug other than alcohol, unlawful possession of marijuana and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Baeher was arrested after police were summoned to the Days Inn at 11:16 p.m., Wednesday, for the report of a woman requesting assistance after ingesting drugs. Baeher allegedly had two small children with her. She was jailed on $1,500 cash bail.

Timothy A. Shay, 48, of Waterport, is charged with issuing a bad check. Shay was arrested by State Police in connection with an alleged incident in the City of Batavia reported at 1 p.m., March 19. No further details released.

Cory J. Trybushyn, 25, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Trybushyn is accused of stealing from Target at 9:56 p.m., Thursday. Trybushyn was arrested by State Police.

Ramel J. Askew, 19, of Bronx, is charged with petit larceny. Askew is accused of stealing from Target at 4:36 p.m., Friday. Askew was arrested by State Police.

Car crash with injuries on Maltby Road, Oakfield

By Billie Owens

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported in the area of 3396 Maltby Road. Oakfield Fire Department and Mercy Medic #2 are responding. The location is between Fox and North Pearl roads. Fire police are also en route.

UPDATE 9:03 p.m.: There is one vehicle, which is at the side of the road, and one victim. The location is just west of Fox Road.

UPDATE 9:21 p.m.: The female driver is conscious and alert. Her vehicle struck a power pole but did not cause serious damage to it. National Grid is notified. A flatbed tow truck is called to the scene.

UPDATE 9:25 p.m.: The patient is being taken by ambulance to Erie County Medical Center.

UPDATE 9:30 p.m.: The Oakfield assignment is back in service.

Do you need to be rescued?

By Tracy Byrnes

Do you need to be rescued?

Life stinks sometimes, even for a skunk! Last summer I discovered that we had five baby skunks living under our front porch without a mother. It was a puzzling situation…I did not know what to do because of the mighty punch that they pack! After a few hours of observing them, I decided they needed help, so I became their rescuer. They were not going to make it without the intercession of another, so I was it. Each day I would feed them and give them water, and I would just sit and observe their interaction with each other. What I witnessed would often bring a smile on my face or a tear to my eyes. One day while I was walking in the backyard, I looked over and saw that two of the babies had fallen into the garden pond. They were desperate and were struggling to get out. I had to reach down and rescue them from drowning. You can only imagine my apprehension of picking them out of the water. I did it, only after a quick prayer to their creator asking Him to keep their tails lowered. He answered that prayer and they were saved with no consequence to me, which put a smile on my face! Thank you Lord!

Another day while sitting on my front porch the babies were in a heap sleeping on the sidewalk. It was feeding time so I opened the front door and watched all the babies but one come over to me to be fed. That one baby skunk was gone. What I witnessed from the others brought tears to my eyes. They kept nudging that little still skunk as if to say, “come on, it’s time to eat…wake up”. They pushed and pulled on that baby skunk until he was safely under the front porch. They took him home where he could be close to them. Life does stink sometimes, even for a skunk!

Do you ever feel like your drowning in sorrow and lifes hardships?  Do you ever feel like you need to be rescued? Let me tell you of life’s greatest rescuer, His name if Jesus Christ. He came from heaven to earth so that those who call on Him as their savior may find hope, and one day be taken home to heaven to be eternally with Him (Romans 6:23). He rescued us by coming and dying on the cross at Calvary so that we may have our sins forgiven (Romans 5:8). How can He rescue you? Say a prayer asking Him to forgive you of all your sins, and ask Him to help you to live a life that is pleasing to Him. He will rescue you if call on Him (Romans 10:9-10).

Yes, life stinks “sometimes”, even for a Christian. But, when you decide to follow Him and make Him Lord of your life, He will work all things out for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). He promises to be with you and will never forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).

We are in the Easter season, a time to reflect on what Jesus did for us on the cross.  Allow Him to be your rescuer and become Lord of your life. Allow Him to forgive you and help you. Call out to Him in prayer and He will answer you. He will reach down and pick you up, He will intercede for you (Hebrew 7:25).

I was the baby skunks rescuer until they were mature enough to be safely transported to their new home called the woods. Jesus Christ became my rescuer thirty four years ago when I asked Him to forgive me and come into my life. I know He will come one day to safely take me home to be with Him forever, my eternal home called heaven (John 14:3).

If you would like someone to pray with you, please call Batavia Assembly of God at 343-8521. We would also like to invite you to a week of prayer April 22nd through the 28th beginning at 6pm to 7:30pm at the church located at 24 North Spruce Street, Batavia. You may also come for prayer any Sunday morning beginning at 8:30am. Someone would be glad to pray for you at anytime.

May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Tracy Byrnes
Prayer Coordinator
Batavia Assembly of God

Two-car crash on Lewiston Road

By Billie Owens

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at 7697 Lewiston Road. One person is said to have facial injuries and cuts, but is out of the vehicle. Oakfield Fire Department is responding, along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 12:27 p.m.: Responders have discovered this is actually two separate accidents, each involving only one vehicle. The location of the second accident is 7714 Lewiston Road and there are two people involved, both of whom will be sign-offs. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding. Fire police will shut down southbound Route 63 at Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road.

UPDATE 12:32 p.m.: Oakfield will handle both accidents. Town of Batavia can remain in quarters.

UPDATE 12:48 p.m.: Oakfield is back in service and the road is reopened.

Charge dropped against Oakfield firefighter accused of stealing water from village

By Howard B. Owens

A 42-year veteran of the Oakfield Volunteer Fire Department, who was accused earlier this month of stealing water from the Village of Oakfield, has been cleared of the charge.

Robert Augustus Hilchey, 60, of North Pearl Street, Oakfield, said that Town Justice Thomas Graham called him at 11 a.m. and informed him all charges have been dropped and that the court records on the case have been sealed.

Hilchey shared a copy of an e-mail sent by Assistant District Attorney Will Zickl to Graham asking that the charge be dismissed.

"Based upon information our office has received from the Village of Oakfield, the people request that the charge in the above captioned case be dismissed," Zickl wrote in the e-mail.

Hilchey was accused of theft of services on the belief that he had attached a new valve to the fire department's water system that allowed water to be diverted before it reached the water meter.

In a message sent to The Batavian today, Hilchey said he made repairs that were approved by the fire department board.

"I repaired two valves," he said. "At no time did I add an additional line before the meter. We had one garden hose bib and we still have one garden hose bib."

Last week, the fire department board shared an open letter to the village asking that the charges against Hilchey being dropped, saying that Hilchey had acted at the behest of the board.

Oakfield-Alabama School District announces board vacancies

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Board of Education of the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District will have two vacancies to be filled in this year's election. The new members will be elected to a three-year term commencing on July 1 and expiring on June 30, 2016.

All interested candidates are invited to pick up a Petition for Board Members Nomination form from the District Office, Monday through Friday, between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. All petitions must be filed with the Clerk of the District no later than 5 p.m. on April 22.

Qualifications for membership on a school board include:

  • Must be able to read and write;
  • Must be a qualified voter of the district; that is, a citizen of the U.S. at least 18 years of age or older;
  • Must be and have been a resident (but need not be a taxpayer) of the district for a continuous and uninterrupted period of at least one year;
  • May not have been removed from any school district office within the preceding year;
  • May not reside with another member of the same school board as a member of the same family;
  • May not be a current employee of the school board; and
  • May not simultaneously hold another incompatible public office.

Please include a short biography along with your Petition so that we may publish it in our upcoming budget brochure.

Law and Order: Batavia woman accused of shoplifting at Walmart in Warsaw

By Howard B. Owens

Stephanie A. Wixson, 26, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wixson was arrested by State Police at the Walmart in Warsaw for allegedly stealing a woman's purse that had also been stuffed with other merchandise. The value of the items was $292.76.

Stephen W. Thweatt, 32, of Alexander, is charged with criminal mischief 2nd, a Class D felony, Thweat is accused of causing more than $2,000 of damage in October to the interior of a residence where he previously lived. Thweatt was arrested by State Police, Warsaw, with the assistance of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. Thweatt was jailed in Wyoming County without bail.

Manuel L. Valdez, 35, of 2 Miller Ave., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Valdez was taken into custody on an arrest warrant out of Batavia City Court.

Robert L. Stanley, 53, of Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Stanley is accused of pushing a juvenile to the ground and then kicking the juvenile Saturday on Ganson Avenue. Stanley was located by Batavia PD on Sunday and taken into custody.

Kasean L. Shannon, 20, of 115 Jackson St., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Shannon allegedly went to the residence of a protected party. Because of a prior criminal contempt conviction in the previous five years, the charge is elevated to a felony. Shannon was jailed without bail.

Russell Lowther III, 55, of 541 E. Main St., Batavia, is charged with menacing, 2nd, and criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Lowther is accused of threatening another person with a knife.

Matthew James Cronin, 24, of Crushing Street, Fredonia, is charged with felony DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to keep right, driver's view obstructed and no or inadequate exhaust. Cronin was stopped at 12:14 a.m. on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Keith Andrew Hamilton, 46, of Scribner Road, Penfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Hamilton was stopped at 2:46 a.m. Sunday on Richmond Avenue, Batavia, by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello.

Joshua Paul Moore, 22, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Moore was a passenger in a vehicle stopped at 1:51 a.m. Sunday on Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Patrick Reeves. Moore was allegedly found to have a small quantity of marijuana concealed in his pants.

Jackson Ray Snow, 23, of Milestrip Road, Irving, was arrested on a bench warrant out of Pembroke Town Court. Snow was stopped for an alleged traffic infraction in Brant and turned over to the Sheriff's Office on an active warrant by Brant PD. Snow was jailed on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond.

Latisha Renee Woods, 25, of Syke Road, Rochester, was arrested on a bench warrant for alleged unlicensed operation. Woods was stopped on I-490 in Rochester for allegedly using her mobile phone while driving and was turned over to the Sheriff's Office on a bench warrant out of Town of Elba Court. She was jailed on $800 bail.

Gerald Earl Hensel, 57, of S. Pearl St., Oakfield, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hensel was arrested at 12:25 a.m., Friday, after a report of a sick or intoxicated driver heading into Batavia from Oakfield. Hensel was taken into custody at the Genesee County Jail, where he had reportedly gone to pick up an inmate scheduled for release.

Kristen Antwan Miller, 32, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with falsifying business records, 1st, and grand larceny, 4th. Miller allegedly stole money from Radio Shack in Batavia and falsified business records in an attempt to conceal the crime.

Law and Order: Man accused of firing shotgun at fox, stray BB hitting neighbor

By Howard B. Owens

Gregory Scott Snyder, 44, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with reckless endangerment, 2nd. Snyder allegedly shot toward the roadway at a fox he believed to be injured using a 12-gauge shotgun. A BB from the shell reportedly hit a neighbor. Deputy Joseph Corona and Deputy Tim Wescott handled the case. The State Police and the Department of Environmental Conservation assisted.

Crystal L. Kiebzak, 30, of 1359 Broadway Road, Darien, is charged with petit larceny, issuing a bad check in the Town of Batavia, and issuing a bad check in the Town of Darien. Kiebzak allegedly drafted checks to buy goods and services from businesses in Darien and Batavia from a nonexistent checking account.

Mindy Maria Miller, 23, of Clay Street, Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Miller is accused of shoplifting at Kmart.

Samantha Marie Kent, 19, of East Shelby Road, Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny. Kent is accused of shoplifting from Kmart.

Melissa M. Morton, 27, of 4802 W. Middlebury Road, Bethany, is charged with petit larceny. Morton is accused of stealing cupcakes valued at $9.99 from Tim Horton's.

Joseph A. Ferrando III, 45, of 5 Buell St., Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Ferrando was taken into custody by Officer Arick Perkins following an investigation after allegedly being found behind the wheel of his vehicle, which was still running, on Liberty Street at 10:30 p.m., Wednesday.

Timothy M. Pendleton, 27, of 4 Cedar St., Batavia, is charged with resisting arrest, criminal trespass, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Pendleton is accused of going to the residence of a person he knows on Wednesday and entering without permission and harassing that person. On Thursday, officers Jason Davis and Eric Hill attempted to arrest Pendleton and he allegedly resisted arrest. Pendleton was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Oakfield FD seeks to get charges against Robert Hilchey dropped

By Howard B. Owens

Statement from the Oakfield Fire Department:

The Oakfield Fire Department would like to make the following statement. We do this in an effort to eliminate and rescind the charges that were filed against Robert Hilchey.

We as a department understand and acknowledge the fact that altering a water service prior to the water meter without prior discussion with the water provider is fraudulent. When the Fire Department was initially questioned, it was our position that we did not give Mr. Hilchey the authority to make alterations to the fire department’s water service. Acting in the Village residents' best interests, this required the Village Board to prosecute Mr. Hilchey.

After Mr. Hilchey was charged, he informed the Fire Department that he had asked for and was approved to make changes to the plumbing. We as a department reviewed past meeting minutes and it was discovered that we did give Mr. Hilchey permission to perform minor plumbing changes at the fire hall.

Any misinformation by the fire department was not intentional. We were unsure that permission was granted because the request by Mr. Hilchey for modifications to the plumbing was unspecified. We regret this entire episode and look forward to a constructive relationship with the Village of Oakfield.

GCEDC approves incentives for five business expansions

By Howard B. Owens

Reed Batavia Properties, LLC, 39 Washington Ave., Batavia, has been approved for $140,861 in tax incentives for upgrades to its building. Reed purchased the building from Batavia City Schools. The 13,452-square-foot building is the former administration building. Reed will renovate the building for medical/office use. Genesee County is currently designated a Health Professional Shortage Area. The assessed value is $475,000. The property was formerly tax exempted and will become taxable at the current assessed value. Reed will receive a tax abatement PILOT on the increase in assessed value over the current assessed value, which is an anticipated tax savings for Reed of $76,361. Reed will also receive sales tax exemption on construction materials, furniture and fixtures of $52,000 along with a mortgage tax exemption of $12,500. Reed is investing $1.5 million in the project and expected to create six new jobs.

Yancey's Fancy, Inc./D&Y Cheeses, Inc., 857 Main Road, Pembroke, is planning a $10.2 million expansion. GCEDC has approved $980,000 in incentives. The expansion will increase capacity and create new flavors and cheese types. All packaging will be performed at the facility. The company will also build new offices. The current facility is 29,000 square feet. The expansion is 65,000 square feet plus a 25,000-square foot expansion of the second floor. The sales tax exemption is $320,000 with a mortgage tax exemption of $112,500 and PILOT of $547,533. Yancey's Fancy has pledged 50 new jobs within three years.

Darien Lake Theme Park, is investing $5.2 million in new rides and upgrades to the park and accommodations. The company will receive a $328,939 incentive package through GCEDC. The project includes construction of new cabins, a new "launch ride," and a laser light attraction. The upgrades are expected to take three years to complete. GCEDC has approved a sales tax exemption of $181,600 and a PILOT of $147,339. Darien Lake provides more 400 full-time equivalent jobs, including 2,000 seasonal workers. The expansion is expected to create six new jobs and retain 422 FTEs.

Fontrick Door, Inc., 9 Apollo Drive, Batavia, is expanding through acquisition of the building at 1 Treadeasy Ave., Batavia. Frontrick Door is investing $500,000 to purchase the $31,919-square-foot building, where it plans to develop a window manufacturing location in 2014. GCEDC has authorized a mortgage tax exemption of $6,250. 

Bonduelle is planning to make a $3.2 million capital investment in its plants in Oakfield, Bergen and Brockport. This is mainly a retention project to upgrade facilities, according to GCEDC. The majority of the investment will be made at the Oakfield plant, where a lima bean line will be installed. Bonduelle has secured contracts with farmers for 2,500 acres of lima bean production. The upgrades are expected to lead to 12 new seasonal -- five months -- jobs in Oakfield. Bonduelle is receiving a $250,000 grant for the project. Jobs retained: 305.

Five young women named to dean's list at Elmira College

By Billie Owens

Elmira College has released its dean's list for Academic Acievement for the Fall 2012 term. The dean's list recognizes students that have a grade-point average of 3.6 or higher.

Alicia Hough ('13) of Elba, is majoring in Business Administration.

Megan Lowe ('13), of Le Roy, is majoring in Adolescence Education: Mathematics.

Jessica Pcionek ('15), of Oakfield, is majoring in Childhood Education and Foreign Languages French.

Amy Schmidt ('15), of Batavia, is majoring in International Studies.

Brittany Schmidt ('15), of Corfu, is majoring in History and Classical Studies.

Elmira College, located in the Finger Lakes Region of beautiful, historic Upstate New York, is one of the great small colleges of the nation. To learn more about what Elmira College has to offer, navigate to www.elmira.edu or call 800-935-6472 to schedule your visit to Elmira College.
 

Oakfield Fire Department issues statement regarding water dispute with Village

By Howard B. Owens

John Igoe, president of Oakfield Volunteer Fire Department, issued the following statement, approved tonight by the board, regarding the arrest of Robert Hilchey for alleged "theft of services."

The members of the Oakfield Volunteer Fire Department would like to state that we disagree with the actions of the Village of Oakfield against Robert “Buck” Hilchey.  

The Oakfield Fire Department has always had the ability to use public water prior to the water meter. The fire hall is equipped with a 2” standpipe that is installed prior to village water meter. We have a cap for that line that is drilled out with a ¾” water hose adapter. Over the course of several years this fitting has leaked when used. This has caused damage to our fire hall. We have had to remove the door to the bathroom in the truck garage as a result of this water damage.  

The Fire Department accepted and passed a motion on 12/3/2012 to allow Mr. Hilchey to make minor modifications to the plumbing in the fire hall, as well as looking into the possibilities of purchasing and installing a tankless hot water heater.  

In no way did Mr. Hilchey profit personally or monetarily from the plumbing changes that were performed.  

The Oakfield Fire Department has stated that they would repair the water service back to original, but the village mayor and trustees are requiring the fire department to install plumbing changes that will cost the department a significant sum of money.  

The sole purpose of the installation of the garden hose fitting was so the Oakfield Fire Department could service and maintain the village property, which for several years was done with metered water.  

The Oakfield Fire Department has been paying water bills for years so that we could have the privilege of maintaining the village trucks. The toilets, kitchen and other services have never been supplied by unmetered water, and our water bill has always been paid.  

It was stated in a closed-door meeting with the mayor and village trustees that they are pursuing this action in this way because the village wants to change attitudes, behaviors, and to send a message to the Oakfield Fire Department and Robert Hilchey.

Robert “Buck” Hilchey has been an active member of the Oakfield Volunteer Fire Department for over 42 years of service. He has been one the most active volunteers in our department's history.  

It is the position of the Oakfield Volunteer Fire Department that Mr. Hilchey is not at fault for the charge of theft of services. We stand as a department behind Mr. Hilchey. It is deplorable that the village is willing to ruin a person’s reputation in the community, and possibly his livelihood because that village wants to send a message and change attitudes and behaviors.

Two local students earn degrees from RIT

By Billie Owens

The following local residents graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in the Fall 2012 quarter:

•     Brittany Boyce, of Oakfield, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration Accounting from RIT's E. Philip Saunders College of Business.

•     Brett Squire, of Batavia, earned a Master of Science degree in Health Systems Administration from RIT's College of Health Sciences and Technology.

Rochester Institute of Technology is internationally recognized for academic leadership in business, computing, engineering, imaging science, liberal arts, sustainability, and fine and applied arts. In addition, the university offers unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

Law and Order: Man accused of installing illegal water line

By Howard B. Owens

Robert Augustus Hilchey, 60, of North Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with theft of services. Hilchey is accused of installing a water supply line at the Oakfield Fire Department at a location prior to the Village of Oakfield water meter, allowing himself and others to use water before it could be measured.

Lisa Sue Metcalf, 33, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Oakfield, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property. Metcalf was arrested at her residence on a warrant out of Town of Oakfield Court. She was arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Bryan S. Harris, 30, of 50 Montclair Ave., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Harris is accused of pushing another person against a vehicle.

Michael L. Titus, 28, of 71 S. Main St., Batavia, is charged with strangulation, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Titus is accused of choking and punching a victim during an argument. Titus was jailed without bail.

John L. Taggert, 31, of 16 N. Lyon St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Taggert is accused of shoving a family member against a wall. Taggert was jailed on $1,500 bail.

O-A student named to All-WNY Academic Team

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

An Oakfield-Alabama Middle-High School senior has been named to Business First's 2013 All-Western New York Academic Team.

Jennifer Crossen (First Team) has qualified for this year's list of the 100 most outstanding high school seniors in the eight-county region.

Winners were chosen for their records of academic excellence, school leadership and community involvement. The top 25 were named to the First Team, 25 runners-up to the Second Team, and another 50 to the Special Mention list.

"This is an extremely exclusive award," said Jack Connors, president and publisher of Business First. "There are roughly 20,000 seniors in Western New York's high schools, and we've selected only 100 for this year's Academic Team. That's the upper one-half of 1 percent. They're truly the best and brightest students anywhere in our region."

Schools throughout the eight-county area were asked to nominate their smartest and most accomplished students for consideration by an eight-member committee, which included six admissions directors at area colleges and two Business First editors. A total of 121 schools responded with 437 nominees. (Each school was limited to four candidates.)

The complete list of 100 honorees -- along with their photos and profiles -- will be published in Business First's 2013-2014 Guide to Western New York Schools, which will hit newsstands on June 14.

Law and Order: Students accused of stealing XBox at College Village

By Howard B. Owens

Jihad Abdul Hakiim, 19, of W. 168th St., New York City, and William A. Hucks, 18, of State Road, Webster, are charged with burglary, 2nd. Hakiim and Hucks allegedly entered a dormitory suite at College Village through a window and took two XBox game consoles and games. Hakiim was jailed on $15,000 bail and Hucks was jailed on $5,000 bail. The case was investigated by Deputy Brian Thompson with K-9 Pharoah, Investigator William Ferrando, Deputy Patrick Reeves and Trooper Eric Daigler.

Jessie Marie Cramer, 27, of Bank Street, Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant. Cramer allegedly failed to appear in Town of Batavia Court on a petit larceny charge.

Justin Ryan Bidell, 38, of Meadville Road, Basom, was arrested on a bench warrant. Bidell turned himself in to the Sheriff's Office on a warrant for alleged failure to pay fine.

Andrew William Bruckman, of Robertson Road, Churchville, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bruckman was stopped on Route 33, Stafford, at 6:08 p.m. on Saturday by Deputy Kevin McCarthy, for allegedly pulling a trailer with switched plates and having an unregistered trailer. During the stop, Bruckman was allegedly found in possession of marijuana.

Steven Ronald Dennis, 23, of Maple Ridge Road, Medina, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding (94 in a 55 mph and 84 in a 30 mph), and unlawful possession of marijuana. Dennis was stopped at 1:21 a.m., Sunday, on Water Street, Oakfield, by Deputy James Diehl.

Eric Alexander Ion, 40, of Pike Road, Batavia, is charged with felony criminal contempt and assault, 3rd. Ion allegedly violated an order of protection by assaulting the protect party, causing injury. Ion was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Jon Hoyt Bush, 29, of Route 98, Elba, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd.  Bush was arrested on a warrant after being released from the Livingston County Jail. Bush was jailed in Genesee County on $1,000 bail.

Cazan Jayrryary Cummings, 20, of Avenue W, Brooklyn, is charged with trespassing. Cummings was allegedly at College Village after being banned from the property.

Nicole Lee Cramer, 23, of West Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Cramer was a passenger in a vehicle stopped on Route 5, City of Batavia, at 1:07 a.m. on Saturday by Deputy Patrick Reeves. Cramer was allegedly found in possession of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Upon further investigation, an amount of suspected cocaine was found concealed in an undergarment.

Car crash, with one minor injury, at Macomber and Batavia Oakfield TL Road

By Billie Owens

A motor-vehicle accident is reported at Macomber and Batavia Oakfield Town Line Road in Oakfield Alabama. There is one injury and the person is inside the vehicle, alert and conscious. Oakfield Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. Law enforcement is on scene.

UPDATE 4:17 p.m.: It's actually in Alabama's fire district. Oakfield was called first however, and asks for Alabama to provide fire police for traffic control.

UPDATE 4:19 p.m.: One patient will need transport to a hospital, two others will be sign-offs.

UPDATE 4:41 p.m.: Alabama is opening up the roadway and returning to service, along with Oakfield. One person is being taken to UMMC.

Burglary suspect arrested yesterday may be linked to other break-ins in the county

By Howard B. Owens

An observant resident may have helped the Sheriff's Office yesterday nab a suspect in a series of burglaries in the county.

So far, Jeffery James Leaton, 22, of Caswell Road, Byron, has only been charged with an alleged burglary on Griswold Road, Le Roy.

According to Deputy Chief Jerome Brewster, Leaton was caught in the act at the Griswold Road home after a person reported suspicious activity at the residence.

Brewster said investigators are looking at Leaton as a possible suspect in other burglaries. There have been strings of burglaries reported since early January in Elba, Oakfield, Byron, Bergen and Stafford.

Leaton has been charged with one count of burglary, 2nd, and is accused of making forced entry into the Griswold Road residence. He was allegedly in the process of stealing jewelry.

Following arraignment in Town of Le Roy Court, he was jailed on $20,000 bail.

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