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Oakfield

Pursuit of motorcycle rider in progress

By Howard B. Owens

A pursuit of a motorcycle rider is in progress. It began in Oakfield, came into the city briefly and now appears headed back toward Oakfield.

The original call was for a motorcycle rider on a "crotch rocket" apparently racing through the Village of Oakfield. The original caller suspected the rider was intoxicated.

Law enforcement units responded to Oakfield but didn't get there before he refueled at Wilson Farms.

The rider was spotted southbound on Route 63. When he reached West Main Street, he turned right and headed west. He took Kelsey to Galloway, then Downey, then Maple and is now heading back into the village and then 63.

The rider has allegedly ran multiple stop signs and "almost lost it on Maple."

He just "dumped it" on southbound Route 63.

The rider took off on foot, northbound.

UPDATE 6:34 a.m.: Suspect in custody.

UPDATE 6:37 a.m.: Medics requested to the scene to evaluate the suspect from being Tased and his tumble.

UPDATE 6:42 a.m.: Suspect is denying any injuries. Taser probes need to be removed from his legs.

Police Beat: Rape 2nd charge filed against visitor to Oakfield

By Howard B. Owens

Raymond Allard, 27, of Fall River, Mass., is charged with rape, 2nd. Allard is accused of having sexual relations with a person under 15 years of age on April 15 in Oakfield.

Duffy L. Starks, 18, of 1 Dawson Place, Batavia, is charged with violation of probation. Starks was arrested on a warrant issued out of Batavia City Court and jailed on $2,500 bail.

Nicholas A. Antonucci, 23, of 4192 Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and failure to stop for stop sign. Following a report of an erratic driver, in which the caller provided a license plate and direction of travel, Antonucci was observed by Officer Matt Fleming allegedly running a stop sign. Antonucci allegedly failed a field sobriety test. He was arrested and later released to a family member.

Jonathan James Langenfeld, 29, of Canandagua Street, Leicester, is charged with burglary, 1st. Langenfeld is accused of entering a residence illegally and remaining there and then allegedly assaulting the new boyfriend of his estranged girlfriend.

Jon J. Reynolds, 35, of Wood Road, Bergen, is charged with stalking, 4th, and endangering the welfare of a child. Reynolds was taken into custody by State Police for an alleged incident reported at 3:41 p.m., Sunday. No further details released.

Police Beat: Charges filed after children allegedly left in car at Walmart

By Howard B. Owens

Isaac Emmaneul Simmons, 24, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Simmons is accused of leaving a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old in a car outside Walmart with the motor running while he went into the store.

Michael J. Raphael, 22, 4 Noonan Drive, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 3rd. At about 1 a.m., Sunday, Batavia Police were notified that a person was in the area of Center Street attempting to fight with others. When police arrived, they were told the person had walked toward the Mancuso Bowling Center. When officers checked the area, they were advised by a witness that Raphael struck a parked car causing damage to the vehicle.

Brad Hilchey, 29, 43 Oak St., Oakfield, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI and moving from lane unsafely. Hilchey was stopped at 1:06 a.m., Saturday, on West Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Frank Klimjack.

Ryan James Sundown, 30, Meadville Road, Basom, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing. Sundown is accused of trying to choke a woman during an altercation at an address on Meadville Road.

Virginia Louise Miller, 46, Colony Run, Attica, is charged with assault 3rd and menacing 2nd. Miller is accused of threatening another person with a knife and of biting that person in the arm.

Robert Paul Leiser, 42, of Lockport Road, Oakfield, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, and aggravated harassment, 2nd. Leiser was arrested following an investigation into an alleged incident at 3 a.m., April 20.

Ryan S. Richards, 21, of Medina, is charged with petit larceny. Richards is accused of shoplifting $25.05 worth of merchandise from Kmart. Richards was also cited for alleged fictitious inspection sticker, aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, operating without a license, switched plates and unregistered motor vehicle.

Thomas J. Torres, 48, of Albion, is charged with DWI and aggravated DWI. Torres was taken into custody in the Town of Stafford at 10:35 p.m., Saturday, by State Police.

Christopher J. Nacca, 22, of Webster, and Taylor M. Shoemaker, 18, of Williamson, are charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Nacca and Shoemaker were stopped by State Police at 4:10 p.m., Friday, on Route 5 in Pembroke.

Woman taken to hospital following rollover accident on Hutton Road

By Howard B. Owens

A woman driving on Hutton Road early this morning lost control of her car and it overturned after striking a utility pole guide wire.

The cause of the accident was not included in the Sheriff's Office report and no citations were issued.

The woman, Hope M. Conibear, of Gibson Street, Oakfield, was conscious and alert when extricated from the vehicle and transported by ground ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Conibear was northbound on Hutton Road at 4 a.m. when her 1994 Chevy sedan crossed into the southbound lane, went off the west shoulder, striking an earthen embankment. The car continued northbound, striking the guide wire and becoming airborne. It landed on its roof on top of an old concrete bridge.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Eric Seppala.

(Initial Report)

Rollover accident on Hutton Road, Oakfield

By Howard B. Owens

The initial call reported a female driver either partially ejected from or underneath a vehicle which rolled over in the area of 7178 Hutton Road, Oakfield.

A first responder says there's one person trapped in the car, but appears uninjured. Another person is unaccounted for.

There are power lines down in the area, but power appears to on. National Grid requested to the scene as a precaution.

Oakfield Fire Department responding.

Mercy Flight is not available due to weather.

UPDATE 5:12 a.m.: A second ambulance requested to the scene, but apparently no more Mercy EMS rigs are available, so Medina is requested to the scene.  Mutual aid response from Town of Batavia Fire requested.

UPDATE 5:20 A.M.: Medina's response cancelled.

UPDATE 5:27 a.m.: It sounds like law enforcement thinks the driver has walked away from the accident. A search is in progress.

UPDATE 5:52 a.m.: The trapped person has been extricated. No word on the location of the driver.

UPDATE 6:41 a.m.: The road is reopened.

UPDATE 4:10 p.m.: Based on the accident report, there was only one person in the car, the driver. 


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Police Beat: Baby left on front porch leads to man's arrest

By Howard B. Owens

Timothy J. Wood, 28, of 4 N. Spruce St., Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Wood was arrested following an investigation at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, of a 1-year-old baby being left unattended on the front porch of a residence. Wood was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Joshua L. Baltz, 35, of 29 Tracy Ave., Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, criminal mischief, 4th, and harassment, 2nd. Baltz is accused of being involved in a domestic incident on Wednesday. Baltz was jailed on $2,000 bail.

A 16-year-old resident of West Avenue, Medina, is charged with petit larceny. The youth is accused of shoplifting from Kmart.

Habibah Tywell Caldwell, 19, of Batavia-Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with trespass. Caldwell is accused of trespassing at College Village after being banned from the property.

Robert Paul Leiser, 42, of Lockport Road, Oakfield, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, unlawful imprisonment and harassment, 2nd. Leiser allegedly became involved in a fight with a protected person while in the Town of Batavia. Leiser was jailed on $15,000 bail.

Benjamin Gove Evans, 22, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Evans allegedly stole property from Home Depot. Evans was located riding a bicycle on Washington Avenue and taken into custody. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Daniel J. Saeva, 31, of 6283 Sweetland Road, Stafford, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Saeva allegedly knocked another person down during an argument on April 10. Saeva turned himself in to Batavia Police after a warrant was issued.

Ricardo Brown, 21, of Cedar Avenue, Mount Vernon, is charged with assault, 2nd. Brown, originally from Jamaica, is a detainee at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility on Federal Drive, Batavia, where he allegedly got into a fight with another detainee. Brown allegedly kicked the other inmate in the head several times. Brown was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and returned to the detention facility.

Police Beat: Overnight accident results in DWI charge

By Howard B. Owens

Travis Michael Herold, 20, of Prospect Street, Attica, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Herold was taken into custody following the investigation by Deputy Jason Saile into a motor vehicle accident at 2:18 a.m. in the area of 9406 Alexander Road, Batavia.

Jason Jonathan Reed, 34, of South Pearl Street Road, Oakfield, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Reed is accused of violating an order of protection issued in Family Court by making a phone call to the protected party.

Connie Lynn King, 40, of South Main Street, Oakfield, is charged with harassment, 2nd. King is accused of punching, kicking, biting and pulling the hair of her boyfriend during an alleged domestic dispute at 12:45 a.m., Monday.

Dennis F. Walter, 53, of Clipnock Road, Stafford, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, and one count of criminal possession of a criminal weapon, 4th. Walter was arrested on a warrant out of Bethany Town Court and jailed on $20,000 bail.

Raymond Edmond Allard, 27, of South Main Street, Oakfield, is charged with trespass and harassment, 2nd. Allard allegedly had physical contact with another person and then refused to leave the property when told to do so by the property owner.

GCC today announced Dean's List students for Fall 2010

By Billie Owens

Today, Genesee Community College announced the Genesee County students who are among 612 on the Dean's List for the Fall 2010 semester. These students earned a quality point index (grade-point average) of 3.50-3.74.

The honorees, their hometowns and attendance status, are:

ALABAMA

Jake Nadolinski, full time

ALEXANDER

Daniel Dudek, part time

Sabrina Herman, full time

Clayton Miller, part time

Teresa Morris, full time

John Ognibene, full time

Laurie Schwab, part time

Cindy Schwartz, part time

Stacy Wirth, full time

Lacey Wolfley, full time

BASOM

Kassondra Conrad, full time

Andrew Greene, full time

Danielle Hirtzel, full time

Ely Winnie, part time

BATAVIA

Jenise Albert, part time

Valeria Antonetty, part time

Jessica Barone, full time

Christopher Blachowicz, full time

Ann Brade, part time

Alex Brasky, part time

Katherine Clemm, full time

Neil DeLillo, part time

Richard DelPlato, part time

Nicole DiSalvo, full time

Erin Dobbertin, full time

Melissa Dorman, full time

Ian Dries, full time

Delores Dyer, full time

Ashley Falcone, full time

Charles Ferraro, full time

Kaelie Grazioplene, full time

Rachel Guppenberger, full time

Kimberly Gutzmer, full time

Brett Hake, part time

Shauna Hutchinson, part time

Kimberly Ianita, full time

Jessica Jaszko, full time

Katie Kosciolek, part time

Gregory Kryman, full time

Jenna Lynn Leach, full time

Shelly Lopez, full time

Elizabeth Martin, full time

Emily Mott, full time

John Mullen, part time

Colleen O'Donnell, full time

Daniel Oquendo, full time

Joseph Pedro, full time

Theresa Pellegrino, part time

Joshua Que, full time

Meagan Roese, full time

Amy Roggow, part time

Erin Ruzzi, full time

Erin Schafer, part time

Joseph Schlossel, part time

James Schnellinger, part time

Amber Shea, full time

Trisha Smith, part time

Brian Sprague, full time

Kathryn Svensen, part time

Mark Temperato, part time

Wendy Walker, part time

Todd Warren, full time

Katelyn Wickson, part time

Caitlin Wilkinson, full time

Mercedes Wollek, full time

Cameron Wright, full time

BERGEN

Karen Beaney, part time

Ryan Chatham, full time

Carrie Cooper, part time

Samantha Elliott, full time

Amanda Heale, full time

Gary Heale, part time

Kelsey Hill, part time

Cynthia Mack, part time

Rebecca Mosher, full time

Tavy Shippers, part time

Ashley Spangenburg, part time

Miranda Tardy, full time

BYRON

Kevin Jackson, full time

Mark McLaughlin, full time

Timothy Nicholas, full time

CORFU

Eric Allen, full time

Shannon Bartlett, part time

John Bernardini, part time

Patrick Betz, full time

Stacy Brockway, part time

Joseph D'Amato, full time

Lisa Falkowski, part time

Melissa Gardner, full time

Jessica Gerould, full time

Ashley Ingram, full time

Jamie Johnson, full time

Tracy Kearney, full time

Victoria Rebmann, full time

Kara Rykert, full time

Ashlin Thuman, part time

Dana Wolbert, full time

DARIEN CENTER

Larissa DeMuth, part time

Abigail Engel, full time

Nadine McClurg, part time

Alexander Muench, full time

Rebecca Piechowiak, full time

Michelle Waldo, full time

EAST BETHANY

Sarah Baird, part time

Karen DeFelice, full time

Ian Lawson, part time

EAST PEMBROKE

Lucinda Barber, part time

ELBA

Michael Anauo, full time

Keenan Hughes, part time

Christopher Johnson, part time

Jeana Pfalzer, full time

Danyelle Scarborough, part time

LE ROY

Jennifer Beherns, part time

Joeylyn Berl, part time

Jacob Bortle, part time

Ashley Carney, part time

Jason Coniber, part time

Chad Cummings, part time

Margery Fitzsimmons, part time

Jamie Givens, part time

Bridget Grayson, part time

Anthony Macaluso, full time

Sharlene Majors, full time

Melissa Meadows, full time

Brenda Melton, full time

Caleb Nicodemus, full time

Joel Pitts, part time

Bethany Roth, full time

Katherine Stearns, part time

Jeremy Tiede, part time

Duane Weber, part time

Bradley Wight, part time

Sharon Wynn, full time

OAKFIELD

Kari Adams, full time

Amanda Bachorski, full time

Ariel Bentkowski, full time

Kristen Casper, full time

Julie Mendez, full time

Kendra Moak, full time

Sara Mooney, full time

Nathan Oaksford, part time

Veronica Rebert, full time

Maria Sanders, full time

Olivia Waldron, full time

PAVILION

Matthew Berkemeier, part time

Daniel Case, part time

Marie Hart, part time

Jeannie Kirch, part time

Brian Leach, full time

Emily Mess, full time

Julia Sallade, full time

Deborah Schroeder, full time

Peter Sherman, part time

James Smart, full time

STAFFORD

Amber Carmichael, part time

Jacob Cone, part time

Mark Williams, part time

Genesee Community College offers more than 60 academic programs and certificates, including the brand-new Veterinary Technology A.A.S. degree and Polysomnographic Technology A.A.S. degree, (the study of sleep disorders).

Genesee is accessible through seven campus locations throughout Western New York, as well as through online classes in the Distance Learning Program.

College housing is available at College Village, just a three-minute walk from the Batavia Campus. With small class sizes and state-of-the-art technology both inside and out of the classroom, Genesee Community College is known for being "high-tech" and "high-touch." Find out more at <http://www.genesee.edu >.

Oakfield author to sign new book at Present Tense

By Billie Owens

Oakfield resident Julie Caton will sign copies of her new book "White Heart" at Present Tense at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.

Based on the actual life of Madeleine de Roybon D'Allone, "White Heart" is a compelling story of faith, love, and recovery.

Trapped in the extravagance and the artifice of the French Court during the reign of the Sun King, Louis the XIV, Madeleine de Roybon D'Allone becomes desperate for an escape. When the king himself offers her the opportunity to flee to the New World, Madeleine eagerly accepts.

Madeleine soon embarks on a new life in Ontario, but the trials of her past are not so easily left behind. Life on the frontier is fraught with its own opportunities and danger. Madeleine explores roles such as teacher to the Hurons, lady voyageur, and proprietor of a fur-trading post on Lake Ontario. Yet when the Iroquois attack her homestead and take her captive, her life and spiritual faith change forever.

The book signing is free and open to the public. Present Tense, a locally owned, independent bookstore, is located at 101 Washington Ave., Batavia, NY. For more information or to reserve a copy of the book ahead of the event, call (585) 815-7640, or visit  <http://www.presenttensebooks.com>.

Caton is a licensed psychologist certified by the State of New York and has completed a doctoral program in Counseling Psychology at the University of Buffalo. Providing psychotherapy to children and adults is the primary focus of her Oakfield practice.

Oakfield revives Labor Daze, mixes old with new

By Brittany Baker

Joni Mitchell's line in the song "Big Yellow Taxi" was spot on: "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."

So it was last summer, when the 26th annual Labor Daze celebration had to be cancelled. The reason given was too few volunteers to put together the holiday festival.

The locals did host a small event last year at the Elroy D. Parkins Town Park (Little League Park) with hopes of improving next time around.

Now the Oakfield Betterment Committee has revived itself -- and fully aware that it's going to take a village -- and a town -- to get Labor Daze back on track -- the group is doing just that.

It has enlisted some new volunteers with fresh ideas.

So marks those calenders -- Labor Daze will be at the town park again on Sept. 4 and 5. The celebration has gotten a bit bigger, according to Town Clerk Melissa Haacke, co-chair of the new Oakfield Betterment Committee.

"Well, of course, we're going to still have food vendors and crafters like usual, but we have really expanded our kids activities for this year," Haacke said. "We have two bounce houses coming and a local family that will be bringing in animals for a petting zoo and we contacted Genesee and Orleans County 4-H groups to see if they want to bring in some animals, too."

Since horse and pony rides were popular last year, they'll be offered again. Kids can also play on the playground at the park so parents can worry less about children wandering into traffic.

"We liked the idea that we don't have to close any roads for this," Haacke said.

She gave credit to her Co-chair Kate Manges for taking initiative dring the planning phases, saying, "She really took the bull by the horns."

She explained that in an effort to "get back to their roots," members of the Betterment Committee tried to keep everything as local as possible to showcase the village and town.

To highlight the 60th anniversary of the Oakfield Lions Club, the group will be the Grand Marshal of the parade. Also, the new Oakfield Historical Museum on Maple Avenue will be open to encourage everyone to walk around and visit local businesses.

People can also expect a fireworks display, a car show, Chinese auction and some great raffle items. Prizes include $1,000 cash, a four-pack of season tickets to Darien Lake, a laptop computer from Millennium Computers, a Nook and many more items.

To donate to the Chinese auction or raffle prizes or for vendor information, call Town Clerk Melissa Haacke (948-5835, ext. 20) or e-mail celebration14125@yahoo.com.

Two students chosen to present research projects at Ithaca College conference

By Billie Owens

Two students from Genesee County were among 3,000 undergraduates nationwide who presented the results of their research projects at the 25th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research held at Ithaca College (March 31 to April 2).

Selection to the conference was competitive. Some 440 American colleges and universities were represented.

Megan Suttell, daughter of Oakfield residents John and Kathleen Suttell, presented "Privacy and Individual Rights to Freedom of Speech: A Battle in the Courtroom."

Allyce Barron, daughter of Le Roy residents Bruce and Marie Barron, presented "Chunking v. Immersion."

The undergraduate researchers presented work from a broad array of subject areas, including the humanities, social sciences and many professional fields as well as the fine and performing arts.

In addition to oral presentations and poster sessions, the conference included a visual arts component along with dance, drama/theater and music performances.

"The National Conference on Undergraduate Research is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study," said Thomas R. Rochon, president of Ithaca College.

"Welcoming presenters from all institutions of higher learning and from all corners of the academic curriculum, this annual conference celebrates undergraduate student achievement, provides models of exemplary research and scholarship, and helps improve the state of undergraduate education."

Pudgie puts the local into 'locally grown' produce and garden plants

By Howard B. Owens

This is the third in our series of stories about the 2010 Chamber of Commerce award winners. The awards will be presented at a dinner Saturday at the Clarion Hotel.

Like many small businesses, Triple P Farms in Oakfield started with a budding business owner seeing a need and believing he could start small and grow his enterprise.

Daniel "Pudgie" Riner, 52, was raised on a farm in Byron. After his father sold the family farm to the My T Acres, Riner spent 11 years working for the Call family.

He was pretty confident he could grow things. He had just never tried growing anything in a greenhouse before.

Shortly after marrying Patti Call more than 22 years ago, he opened Triple P Farms with a single 2,000-square-foot greenhouse.

Riner was encouraged by his brother and Craig Yunker of CY Farms to start with tomato seedlings.

"They were not happy with quality of transplants that they were buying out of the south and I thought I could grow something better," Riner recalled. "They gave me an opportunity to try and that’s what started the greenhouse business."

Today, Triple P Farms is comprised of more than two acres of greenhouses and he's adding on another 25,000 square feet. Triple P annually produces more than 12 million onion and cabbage plants for local farmers.

It's that kind of growth and contribution to the local agriculture community that led the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce to select Triple P Farms as 2010 Agriculture Business of the Year.

It's an award, Riner said, he finds humbling.

He credits his employees, his customers, his vendors and other members of the agriculture community, even his bank, for making the award possible.

"I always say, one of my biggest assets is the people around me who help make it work. I have the right team around me."

After more than 22 years in business, Riner said what gives him the biggest satisfaction are his employees. He keeps five full-time employees year around and employees 15 to 20 more people during the summer months.

"It feels pretty good that you’re doing something to help people survive."

He said people like his office manager, Debbie Lynch, who has been with Triple P almost from the beginning, and his retail store manager, Scott Fisher, are the ones who really get the work done.

"I don’t know how we could do it without the key people around that make it work."

In the summer, much of Triple P's staffing increase comes from Riner hiring young people.

Riner -- whose friends started calling him "Pudgie" when he was a teen and the nickname stuck -- said he likes new hires to be juniors in high school. It's hard, physical labor, but he enjoys working with youngsters, even mentoring them right through college.

"I always tell them, If you work for me you'll figure out why you don’t want to do this for the rest of your life. Go to college and get a brain."

About 11 years ago, Riner bought a retail nursery on West Main Street in the Town of Batavia from the Riegel family.  

He renamed it Pudgie's Lawn and Garden Center.

“They (the Riegel family) had a wonderful reputation and I’d like to think that we have continued that wonderful reputation of high quality plants that are locally grown. The lawn and garden store we call Pudgie's has been good to us and we try to add more and more to it every year. We have a very good customer base there."

All of the "bedding" plants sold at Pudgie's are grown at Triple P, giving gardeners a chance to buy locally grown plants from local plant experts (most of Pudgie's employees are master gardeners).

This year, Riner lost his pea-picking business as the frozen food industry has consolidated around just two harvesting companies (Riner said he's proud that his business was one of the final four out of a few dozen once upon a time), but he's already taking Triple P in a new, promising direction.

This winter, he and a partner, A.J. Wormuth, started growing cucumbers in the Triple P greenhouses to sell through area retail stores under the Fresh Harvest Farms brand.

The new line is off to a promising start and the time is right, Riner said, to expand into other winter-grown vegetables because of the strong consumer interest in locally grown produce.

"There’s a big push industry for local. The challenge is getting into the big box stores like Tops or Wegmans or Save-A-Lot, but with the impact of people pushing local, the door has opened a little more than in the past."

Riner and Patti have three children. One attends RIT, another is working on becoming a teacher and their oldest daughter lives and works in the Washington, D.C., area.

He said he and Patti keep most of their community involvement pretty low-key. They're active in Northgate Church and do what they can individually to help families and young people.

Patti supports the Cancer Society. She's twice survived cancer.

As he mentions her cancer battles, Pudgie chokes up.

“It still bugs me," he said, as his eyes moistened and his voice cracked. "You can tell. You can tell.”

Police Beat: Man accused of stealing computers and games from estranged wife

By Howard B. Owens

Christopher Jonathan Feidner, 25, Middle Road, Gowanda, is charged with burglary, 2nd. Feidner is accused of entering the Oakfield apartment of his estranged wife without consent on two occasions in June. During the first alleged incident, Feidner reportedly stole two Xbox game consoles and two PlayStation game consoles along with their controllers. During the second alleged incident, Feidner reportedly stole two laptop computers. Feidner is currently an inmate at Collins Correctional Facility in Gowanda serving time on an unrelated felony conviction.

Tice's Rangers give an authentic view of history at Oakfield museum spring opening

By Howard B. Owens

Tice's Rangers, a Revolutionary-era reenactment group was at the Oakfield Historical Museum, 7 Maple Ave., today for the museum's spring reopening.

Above, from left, are Bob Smith, of Batavia, John Dellapenna, of Batavia, Erick Michealsen, of Lockport, Paul Winnie, of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation, Derek Lindquist, of Williamsville, Mark Houseman, of Medina, Joe Bucolo, of Lockport, Steve Kruppenbacher and Jeff Harding, of Newfane.

More pictures after the jump:

Police Beat: Oakfield man accused of choking girlfriend

By Howard B. Owens

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

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

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

Reenactment of British soldiers and Native Americans at Oakfield museum

By Billie Owens

History buffs young and old are invited to the reopening of the Oakfield Historical Society Museum on Saturday. There will be a reenactment group there called "Tice's Rangers," who portray British soldiers and Native Americans.

They will also have a camp set up for the public to explore.

This free event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The museum is located at 7 Maple Ave. in the Village of Oakfield.

Event Date and Time
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Village of Oakfield in a stew over future water delivery plans

By Howard B. Owens

One of these days, Oakfield's 96-year-old water tower could just simply burst open. 

Everybody agrees, it needs to be replaced, and soon.

Village officials have been working toward that goal, but recent events have created a quagmire that had about 40 residents packing the village hall Monday night to sound off about how the situation is being handled.

At its March 14 meeting, the village board approved a purchase offer on a 10-acre parcel off Coe Avenue as a location for a new water tower.

That purchase has sparked accusations of secret meetings, overpayment for the property, poor legal advice and concern that the village board is heading in a direction that will cost village rate payers and taxpayers a lot more money in years to come.

"This would not have happened on my watch," said former Oakfield mayor and current county Legislator Ray Cianfrini, looking directly at Oakfield Mayor Rick Pastecki. "You did not do your due diligence. You owe it to the community to do your due diligence when you take on a project of this magnitude."

Pastecki opened the meeting with a written statement explaining the events of the past five weeks.

Problems started, he said, when the village learned that the Town of Oakfield said it would not take title to a piece of property next to Oakfield-Alabama Central School, owned by Lamb Farms, for a new water tower.

The village would have to take title. And if it did, village attorney David DiMatteo informed the board, the Town of Oakfield could levy taxes against the property, and so could the county and the school district. 

Those taxes, on a water tower worth more than $1 million, could exceed $37,000 annually.

Near the end of the meeting, Pastecki pointed to the City of Batavia's Country Mall as an example of bad decisions that leave people in the future shaking their heads, wondering, "What were they thinking?"

"What we have done, we have done in good faith, trying to avoid any tax liability that we have no control over," Pastecki said. "We didn't want to add that burden in addition to the burden of water rates going up."

Several times, Pastecki emphasized that he's really concerned about what the school district might do in regard to taxes, because schools are increasingly desperate for revenue.

With the fear of high taxes -- and the prospect of losing a $600,000 state grant if a tower location was not quickly identified -- the board voted, following a closed session, to purchase the Coe Avenue property for $139,000.

The real estate deal has set people off. It feeds a perception in the community that the purchase was made in secret. Also, some residents question the parcel's suitability for erecting a new water tower: because of potential environmental problems there; the specter of it being an eyesore; and its distance from any foreseeable growth in Oakfield's population.

Several residents, including real estate investor Jeremy Yasses, said the village overpaid for the property.

The assessed value is $79,000 and some village residents spoke about a local nonprofit group that once had a purchase offer in place for the property for less than that amount, but the deal fell through.

"We know what that purchase price was," Yasses said, "and it wasn't $139,000."

He estimated the village overpaid by about $100,000 and questioned whether the village would ever be able to get its money back if the tower isn't built there.

The village attorney was not at the meeting. According to Pastecki, DiMatteo made only one offer for the property, $139,000, and it was accepted.

The purchase agreement includes no contingencies that would allow the village to get out of the purchase if the tower cannot be built at that location.

Pastecki said nobody considered it necessary to include contingencies.

"That's where we're going to put the water tower," Pastecki said.

The land, however, has an old residence on it that may contain asbestos. The site is landlocked and there are questions about accessibility. There used to be a greenhouse on it, whose proprietors may have left behind a buried fuel tank.

And while Pastecki said U.S. Gypsum's old underground mine shafts don't extend that far west, Cianfrini said he isn't so sure (after U.S. Gypsum shut down in Oakfield, the village acquired mine maps, Cianfrini said after the meeting, but it isn't clear if the maps are 100-percent accurate).

"I think you bought a pig in a poke," Cianfrini said. "You really don't know what you've got here."

Yasses and others said the the village board got bad advice from its attorney on the purchase.

"He should either resign or be fired," Yasses said.

At a previous meeting, Town of Batavia Engineer Steve Mountain spoke to the board about the possibility of extending a 12-inch public water line up Route 63 into the village.

Such a line would meet the current water needs of the village and handle growth for up to 1,000 more people.

Even so, Mountain said, apparently, the village would still need to build a water tower at some point.

Pastecki said that statement is what convinced the board to move forward with purchase of the Coe Avenue property. And with the cost of steel going up, it didn't make sense to wait to build a water tower.

But board members also admitted that they weren't really clear on what Mountain meant by the statement that a 12-inch line would meet current village needs, be less expensive and handle modest population growth.

There has long been discussion about the Town of Alabama buying water from the village, but Alabama has backed away from helping to pay for a water tower.

A Coe Avenue site wouldn't have enough capacity to meet the needs of both communities, nor would a 12-inch public water line extension.

So if neither is wholly suitable, why not just go with the less expensive water line? This question was first raised by Town of Oakfield Board Member Mike Cianfrini. But it wasn't really dealt with until near the end of the meeting when it was revisited by Kevin Skelton.

"We need to take care of the immediate problem," Skelton said. "If we think there will be considerable growth around here, then we should think about a plan for the future. For now, we should find the quickest way to solve the problem."

Pastecki said the board will consider everything people at the meeting had to say about the issue and review its options again.

Police Beat: Rochester resident accused of stealing cartons of cigarettes from smoke shops

By Howard B. Owens

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grand Jury Report: Four people charged with DWI

By Howard B. Owens

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

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

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

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

Photos: Three for Thursday

By Howard B. Owens

Along Maltby Road, Elba.

Bliss Road, Oakfield.

Gorton Road, Alabama.

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