Oakfield

Cold enough for you today?  When I arrived at the scene of the Merrill Road fire this morning, my truck thermometer told me it was 13 degrees. It was so cold that even normally stoic firefighters made comments about it.

Well, it should be a little warmer tomorrow -- all the way up to 20 degrees.

There's a 50-percent chance of more snow tonight and a 40 percent chance of light snow tomorrow afternoon.

By Monday, we get into some "partly sunny" weather with a high of 23 degrees.

The next real prediction for snow comes on Thursday, and a high of 27 that day.

Stay warm. Only six more weeks of winter.

Above, a picture from this morning of the vacant Sunny Brook Acres building on Drake Avenue in Oakfield.

It's ready to go and a club member told me this morning that Sno-Packers are feeling pretty confident that the Town of Alabama Board is going to approve the agreement with Genesee County this week that will enable the club to reinstall its bridge on Sour Springs Road.

Members of Genesee ARC's Challenger program had a chance to ride snowmobiles and all-terrain winter vehicles today, courtesy the Genesee Sno-Packers snowmobile club.  The annual event was held at the Sno-Packers facility on Pearl Street Road in Oakfield.

More pictures after the jump:

Five people were injured Friday morning in an accident at the intersection of Route 63 and Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road when the driver of one car reportedly "forgot the stop sign was there."

Charles F. Monnen III, 24, of 1720 Hyde Park Blvd., lower, was reportedly driving westbound on Batavia-Oakefield when he allegedly failed to yield the right of way at Route 63.

His 2005 Ford sedan struck a car driven by Carmela A. Cling, 56, of 4528 Mack Road, Gasport.

The accident occurred at 7:13 a.m.

The drivers and all occupants of both cars were injured.

Susan M. Rozanski, 19, was transported by ground ambulance to Erie County Medical Center.

The other four patients were taken to UMMC.

Also reportedly injured were Kelsey McGill, 18, and Celena M. Grossman, 18.

Rozanski, McGill and Grossman were all passengers in Monnen's car.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Brad Mazur.

Todd James Pangrazio, 34, of 8032 E. Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with coercion 1st, criminal mischief 4th, endangering the welfare of a child and harassment 2nd. Pangrazio allegedly got into a fight with his girlfriend and "instilled fear in her," and damaged her mobile phone, preventing her from calling for help. He also allegedly had physical contact with her and two children under age 17. The case was investigated by Deputy Frank Bordonaro.

Eslie James Worthington III, 20, of 2609 Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road, is charged with harassment 2nd. Worthington is accused of striking another person in the face at about 2 a.m. on Dec. 20. (Worthington was also involved in a one-vehicle accident Dec. 27 in which he suffered a head injury.)

A 17-year-old boy from Oakfield has been charged with forcible touch. The alleged incident occurred in December. He is accused of inappropriately touching a female who was at his residence. The case was investigated by Kristopher Kautz.

Last night in Oakfield, the Oakfield-Alabama boys basketball team beat Elba 65-43.

A.J. Kehlenbeck had 27 points and 15 rebounds for O-A and Sam McCracken scored 18 points.

Zack Beechler scored 16 points for Elba. Matthew Ramsey, 11.

Both teams are now 6-5

More pictures after the jump:

An 85-year-old driver damaged several mailboxes and other property Wednesday when he apparently lost control of his car in the area of 7575 Pearl St. Road, Oakfield.

Earl S. Smith Jr., of 15 Sunrise Parkway in Oakfield, was not seriously injured in the 4:20 p.m. accident.

Property damage was reported to mailboxes, trees and the yards of five different homes.

After reportedly driving off the right shoulder, striking a mailbox, a bush and a tree, Smith reportedly tried to drive back onto the roadway before his car became stuck on the opposite shoulder.

Smith was cited for failure to stay in his lane of travel.

It should be no surprise to anyone -- putting together Oakfield's annual Labor Daze celebration is a lot of work.

Too much work for only five people to handle, according Donna Dwyer, last year's co-chair for the event.

That's why there will be no Labor Daze in 2010.

"We considered lots of options and people suggested ideas, but we've been at this long enough to know it was going to be just too tough for a small group of people," Dwyer said.

The event has been a 25-year tradition in Oakfield and is an important part of the fundraising calendar for many local charities, but Dwyer said with some key people stepping away for either health reasons or other personal commitments and the lack of new volunteers stepping forward, putting on the event for 2010 just wasn't realistic.

The Oakfield Betterment Committee will continue to try and recruit volunteers for 2011, but even if several people stepped forward now, it's just too late for 2010, Dwyer said. There is just too much work that has not been completed yet that should be done by this point.

"We would already be behind the eight ball," Dwyer said. "For example, we have to have all of the entertainment booked by the beginning of February."

Mark Colopy, another organizer who oversees the food booths said he was out of town Monday when the committee met and made its decision, but that it makes sense. The group just needs more help.

"We're looking forward with optimism," Colopy said. "This is an important event for the community. It's an important fundraiser for a lot of non-profit groups in the community and it's a great time to get out and see your friends and neighbors. We just didn't have the necessary support to carry it through for 2010."

Six Oakfield residents found out recently that they have a sister in Bowling Green, Ky., whom they never knew anything about until the woman's daughter connected the siblings through Facebook.

The Bowling Green Daily News has a story.

Philip Semar, Sandy Berrios and Cindy Kline all made the drive this week from Oakfield to Bowling Green to meet 61-year-old Linda Richardson.

Richardson never knew her real father, William Semar, and didn't find out about him until she was 15. She then spent the following decades searching for him and hoping she would find out she had brothers and sisters.

On the day her mother died, her daughter told her about finding the Semar family in Oakfield.

Her other three half brothers are John, David and Willy Semar, all of Oakfield, but they couldn't make the trip to Bowling Green.

“It’s pretty neat,” said Richardson’s son, Teddy Freeman, of Bowling Green, “I had two aunts and now I have four.”

After warm embraces all around, the new family stood misty-eyed and chatting together for the first time in Walker’s front yard, the resemblance unmistakable.

“You all look so much alike, each in a different way,” Walker said, “the eyes especially.”

About a dozen Fox Road residents showed up to the Genesee County Planning Board meeting last night to express opposition to a proposed RV campground in their neighborhood.

The board listened and went against the original recommendation to OK the project and voted to recommend disapproval of the application.

That means the Oakfield Town Board will need a majority-plus-1 vote to approve a special-use permit for the project to go forward.

Mike Dilcher wants to build a campground that will eventually hold 268 sites on 30 acres.

Opponents said such a dense campground will spoil their idyllic neighborhood, as well as run the risk of causing wells to run dry, potentially polluting the area creek and groundwater as well as greatly increase traffic on Fox Road.

"I think our main concern is the water because on Fox Road, we're all on wells, obviously," Fred Oaksford said. "Even though the town has applied for a water district, that's at least three years away."

After expressing concern about potential dramatic increase in traffic and decrease in property values, Bob Chamberlain said the development would totally change the character of the neighborhood.

"This will destroy a residential neighborhood that is really a very beautiful neighborhood," Chamberlain said.

Dilcher presented the board with letters from five Oakfield businesses that support the campground, saying the RV resort would be a much needed boost to the local economy.

Before the vote, Board Member Berney Staats said the board should take no action on the application.

"I wouldn't feel comfortable voting for it and I wouldn't feel comfortable not voting for it," Staats said. "I believe people have a right to do what they want with their property. I think people have property rights, but I don't feel comfortable with it."

County Planner Jim Duval pointed out, however, that if the board didn't take action, the Town of Oakfield board could approve the permit with no modifications.

At that point, Bob Bennett made a motion for disapproval, which passed 8-0.

The attorney for an Oakfield man accused of burglary and larceny at Holland High Lift in Bethany withdrew a series of motions today and set his client's case for trial.

Unless a plea agreement is reached before Feb. 26, the case of Michael L. Jackson will go to trial April 19.

Jackson is accused of burglary 3rd, two counts of grand larceny 3rd, and two counts criminal mischief 2nd.

The case was set for a hearing today on Public Defender Gary Horton's motions to suppress Jackson's post arrest statements, but Horton withdrew those motions, according to Assistant District Attorney Will Zickl, and instead asked that a trial be scheduled.

For previous coverage, click here.

Melissa Ellen Quigley, 30, of 6535 Main Road, Stafford, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, operating a snowmobile while intoxicated and operating a snowmobile without a helmet. Quigley was arrested at 1:45 this morning by Deputy Frank Bordonaro on the listed charges.

Craig M. Meyer, 24, of 6611 Albion Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and aggravated unlicensed operation. Meyer was stopped by Deputy Tim Wescott for allegedly driving 78 mph in a 55 mph zone on Route 63 in the Town of Batavia on Wednesday.

Cory R. Markidis, 20, of 2 Beechwood St., Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and unlicensed operation. Markidis was stopped by Deputy Matthew Butler on Route 33, Town of Stafford on Jan. 3.

A 17-year-old resident of Oakfield is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The youth was arrested at his home after allegedly being found in possession of a small quantity of marijuana.

A 17-year-old from Alexander is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The youth was arrested by State Police on Jan. 6. No further details available.

Jeffery R. Muntz, 26, of Bergen, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and false personation. Muntz was arrested by State Police at 3:10 p.m. Tuesday on Irving Parkway in Oakfield. He was jailed on an unspecified bail amount.

The following accidents were included on the State Police blotter:

9:03 a.m., Jan. 6, Town of Bergen, one vehicle; Driver: Mary E. West, 37, of Pallmetto, Fla. No injuries.

2:08 p.m., Jan 6, Fargo Road and Harlow Road, Town of Darien, two vehicles; Driver 1: Derek R. Long, 18, of Akron; Driver 2: James J. Lis, 22, of Darien Center. One reported injury.

2:55 p.m., Jan. 12, Brown Road, Town of Batavia, two vehicles; Driver 1: Timothy M. Zielinski, 40, of Attica; Driver 2: James J. Diabo, 59, of Batavia. No injuries.

3:59 p.m., Jan 12, Byron Holley Townline Road, Byron, one vehicle; Driver 1: Racheal J. Millspaugh, 26, of Bergen. No injuries.

(NOTE: One of the consistent bits of feedback from our survey is that we don't always follow up on accidents and other incidents we initially report off the scanner. We don't always get the reports in order to follow up. The State Police blotter includes some information about any accidents Troopers investigate. Rather than try to tie one particular blotter entry to something we may or may not have reported before, we thought we would start including all of the accidents from the blotter in Police Beat.)

Kerry Hoffmann, the 27-year-old former band teacher from Oakfield-Alabama accused of sexually abusing a student, will take his case to trial, according to his attorney.

Hoffman appeared in Oakfield Town Court this evening to set a trial date.

"People will be surprised," said his attorney, Thomas D. Calandra. "We will be bringing up issues that will surprise people."

Hoffman turned down a plea offer this evening, according to Assistant District Attorney Kevin Finnell.

"We talked about a plea, but it didn't come to fruition," Finnell said. "I don't know how close it was, but it was being considered up until tonight and then it was rejected."

Hoffman has until 24 hours before the scheduled trial date, 9:30 a.m. March 23, to accept any plea offer.

All six charges against Hoffman, five counts of sexual abuse and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, are misdemeanors.

UPDATE: 13WHAM reporter Sean Carroll says that Finnell told him Hoffman faces a 7th charge -- this one, official misconduct.

Photo: Kerry Hoffman outside of court this evening. Photo courtesy 13WHAM.

An accident with injuries has been reported in the area of 2687 Judge Road, Oakfield.

UPDATE 4:36 p.m.: A first responder, likely law enforcement, reports no injuries and suggested that Oakfield Fire not respond because of road conditions.

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I was in Oakfield yesterday and walked past this red fire hydrant in a vacant lot of snow and thought -- I should take a picture of that, so I did.