Attention voters! There will be a demonstration of the new electronic voting machines, which will be used in the 2010 elections, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 29 in Pembroke Town Hall.
It is located at 1145 Main Road in Corfu.
(Note: this date was changed from the previously scheduled date of Wednesday, July 28 in Pembroke. The Genesee County Board of Elections apologizes for any inconvenience.)
There has been a change of date for the voter outreach program demonstrating how to use the new electronic voting machines which was scheduled on Wednesday, July 28.
It will still take place in Pembroke Town Hall, but the date has been changed to Thursday, July 29 instead. Hours are the same, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The Pembroke Town Hall is located at 1145 Main Road in Corfu.
The Genesee County Board of Elections apologizes for any inconvenience.
A car has rolled over on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 403.3, eastbound.
Pembroke and Indian Falls and Mercy EMS dispatched.
A caller saw a vehicle on the shoulder on its roof.
Unknown injuries.
UPDATE 10:27 p.m.: First responders are not finding any signs of an accident.
UPDATE 10:29 p.m.: There is a trailer parked off the side of the Thruway and responders are thinking that the caller may have mistaken it for a rollover. Emergency responders being put back in service.
Scott F. Doll, 48, convicted by a jury of his peers of murdering his friend, 66-year-old Joseph Benaquist, has been transferred to the maximum security prison in Fishkill, Dutchess County.
The Downstate Correctional Facility, 320 miles from Corfu, is a transfer facility. Doll will likely be held there for a few weeks before being transferred to the prison where he will likely serve out his 15-years-to-life term.
Doll arrived at Downstate on July 7.
Officials told me after Doll's conviction that he would be sent to a prison a good distance from Attica and Wende, two facilities Doll worked at during his nearly 25-year career in corrections.
Prison officials would not want Doll mingling with either former co-workers or the men he guarded, so they would want to get him out of Western New York.
Doll's Department Identification Number is 10B1993.
He is eligible for parole April 17, 2024.
Doll is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court again on July 27 for a hearing related to a charge of promoting prison contraband. His attorney says he plans to challenge the charge.
A truck has hit a utility pole in the area of 1550 Indian Falls Road, Corfu.
Power has been knocked out to several homes in the area.
It's in East Pembroke's district, but Indian Falls and Pembroke fire departments were initially dispatched.
No injuries are reported.
The pole was completely sheared off.
"The truck is pretty much demolished," a chief reports.
A portion of the pole is on top of the truck.
The road is not blocked.
UPDATE: The alleged driver, Jason Edward Schanley, 33, of Indian Falls Road, Corfu, was arrested and charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and moving from the lane unsafely.
A rollover accident on the Thruway at 2:48 p.m., yesterday, sent all five people in the GMC Jimmy to Erie County hospitals, two by Mercy Flight, with one person still listed in critical condition at ECMC.
The SUV was driven by Lorriann Mingle, 44, of Depew. Mingle apparently swerved to avoid an unidentified car coming into her lane of travel. When she tried to move back into her lane, she over corrected, according to State Police, and when her tires hit the soft shoulder, the car flipped over.
Her front seat passenger, Dawn Hess, 40, of Palmyra, suffered a head injury, broken ribs and a broken arm.
Hess is listed in critical condition.
Mingle suffered cuts and abrasions and was treated and released at ECMC.
The Thruway was closed in both directions for 30 minutes while Mingle and Hess were picked up by Mercy Flight.
Three children in the back seat were transported to Women's and Children's Hospital in Buffalo for evaluation of minor injuries. Their names were not released.
All five people were wearing their seat belts properly, according to State Police.
The driver of the other vehicle has not been identified and no charges are pending.
A motor-vehicle rollover accident is reported on the Thruway, westbound at mile marker 403.5.
The vehicle is in the median. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding along with Mercy EMS.
UPDATE (2:58 p.m.): Mercy Flight is called. An engine from East Pembroke is called to stage the landing zone. More medics are called. There are serious injuries. Two young children are involved but are "walking around and seem to be OK."
UPDATE (3:02 p.m.): The westbound lanes are blocked to through traffic. Authorities are setting up the landing zone on the roadway. More manpower requested.
UPDATE (3:05 p.m.): Mercy Flight #6 is en route with a five-minute ETA. Mercy Flight #7 is on standby in Buffalo.
UPDATE (3:08 p.m.): Both Mercy Flights are traveling to the scene. The landing zone is ready.
UPDATE (3:23 p.m.): Both Mercy Flights are on the ground. Additional ambulance requested to proceed in emergency mode, and another from Erie County. Three children, ages 1, 6 and 7 are backboarded and collared, with cuts and bruises, and will be transported to the hospital by ambulance.
UPDATE (3:30 p.m.): Pembroke Fire command asks for hydration for the firefighters and others at the scene.
UPDATE (3:42 p.m.): The children are en route to Children's Hospital. The last ambulance requested was cancelled. Mercy Flights are in air. Roadway is to be opened back up ASAP.
Reader submitted photo.
Melissa C. Kent, 18, of 131 State St., Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, 4th. Kent is accused of being with Kyle Monroe when he made purchases at a local store using an allegedly stolen credit card. Monroe is accused of stealing a credit card from a car on Gateway Drive on June 14.
Juanita Jackson, 53, of 214 Ellicott St., Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. While investigating a report of two children fighting, Officer Kevin DeFelice found that a 9-year-old had allegedly been left to care for a 3-year-old. The 3-year-old was reportedly left alone in the house. Jackson was located and arrested.
Annette C. Eleczko, 50, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to dim headlights. Eleczko was stopped at 11:20 p.m., Saturday, on Route 77 in Pembroke by Deputy Patrick Reeves.
Lisa Marie Elmore, 45, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to dim headlights. Elmore was stopped at 2:37 a.m., Sunday, on Route 33, Batavia, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.
Jamie Lynn Haseley, 25, of 30th Street, Niagara Falls, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and driving left of pavement markings. Haseley was stopped at 11:06 p.m. on Harlow Road, Darien, by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.
Cheryl Adele Vagg, 53, of Warsaw, is charged with promoting prison contraband and unlawful possession of marijuana. Vagg was arrested at 3 a.m., Sunday. She was allegedly found to have marijuana in her purse while in Genesee County Jail.
Abram W. Harrison, 21, of Pratt Road, Batavia, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs. Harrison was stopped at 9:57 p.m., Friday, in the Walmart parking lot by Deputy Chad Minuto.
Jarrett Tyler Pietrowski, 21, of Broadway Road, Lancaster, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, criminal possession of a controlled substance, improper right turn, failure to keep right. Pietrowski was stopped at 1:40 a.m., Saturday, on Route 20 in Darien by Deputy Patrick Reeves.
Tashara Moore, 28, of Andrews Avenue, Cheektowaga, is charged with petit larceny. Moore and James Alfred Hicks, 40, of Andrews Avenue, Cheektowaga, were detained by loss prevention officers at Kmart, where they were accused of trying to steal more than $450 in merchandise.
Adam James Robertson, 23, of Pennels Drive, Rochester, is charged with assault, 3rd. Robertson is accused of breaking the arm of another person while attending the Dave Matthews concert at Darien Lake on June 2.
Justin Mathew Forrester, 29, of Evergreen Circle, Fairport, was arrested in Monroe County on a family court warrant and turned over to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.
Robert J. VanPelt, 33, of Council House Road, Alabama, is charged with vehicular assault, 1st, DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. VanPelt's arrest stems from an investigation into a motor vehicle accident May 2 at 7605 Sandhill Road.
Somebody reportedly forgot to put down the bed of a dump truck after it dumped its load at a construction site on the Thruway in Pembroke last night, according to State Police.
The driver of the truck, Sandra Palmer, 43, of Tonawanda, then proceeded West on the Thruway. Two miles later, the open bed of the truck struck the overpass of Route 77, causing the truck to rollover.
An emergency responder described the truck shortly after the 10:30 p.m. accident as "pretty well demolished."
The eastbound lane was shut down to set up a landing zone for Mercy Flight and Palmer was airlifted to Erie County Medical Center, where she is listed in fair condition this morning.
The truck was owned by Mallarie Entprises, Inc., out of Amherst.
An I-beam of the bridge was damaged, but a damage estimate was not available this morning.
A tractor-trailer rollover accident has been reported on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 400 in the westbound lane.
Pembroke and Indian Falls Fire and Mercy EMS are being dispatched.
UPDATE 10:33 p.m.: The tractor-trailer is upside down, "pretty well demolished," under the Route 77 overpass. No other vehicles apparently involved. There is road construction in the area and construction workers were attempting to make contact with the driver.
UPDATE 10:36 p.m.: It's not a tractor-trailer. It's a dump truck. Mercy Flight requested to the scene. Dispatch reports Mercy Flight was started as soon as the call came in. A fire chief reports smoke coming from the engine.
UPDATE 10:39 p.m.: The westbound lane is being shut down to create a landing zone for Mercy Flight.
UPDATE 10:50 p.m.: Mercy Flight landed.
UPDATE 11:06 p.m.: Mercy Flight is in the air.
A vacant house is reportedly on fire at 2881 Pratt Road.
East Pembroke Fire was initially dispatched.
Tankers from Batavia, Corfu and Oakfield requested to the scene.
UPDATE 9:18 p.m.: Fire police requested to shut down Pratt at Powers and Miller roads.
UPDATE 9:48 p.m.: Alabama tanker requested to the scene.
UPDATE 9:52 p.m.: Alabama tanker not available. Pembroke and Indian Falls tankers requested to the scene.
The Sheriff's Office is investigating a series of car break-ins on Gabby Road, Town of Pembroke that occurred Thursday night between 10:30 and midnight.
Four cars were entered at two residences and one credit card was taken.
The card was used or attempted to be used at several stores in Erie County.
Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said not all of the charges were available as of yesterday, but the total is likely only a few hundred dollars.
The value of other items stolen likely exceeds $1,400 (GPS units, purses, sunglasses, etc.).
Brewster said these break-ins do not appear related to the credit card thefts from cars reported earlier in the week.
There's no new information available on that case.
Pembroke teacher Gregory Kinal and his daughter, Brooklyn teacher Tracy Kinal, began a pen-pal program so that their respective seventh-grade classes could get a taste of the other’s way of life.
Six years later, the program continues to thrive.
Last Friday, 40 seventh-graders from Shallow Intermediate School in Brooklyn finally met their Genesee County pen pals after corresponding with them throughout the school year.
Arriving in a bus at Pembroke Junior/Senior High School, the teachers paired up everyone for a brief meet-and-greet before enjoying special games run by the physical education department.
Their weekend activities included marching in the Stafford parade and traveling to Niagara Falls for a day of hiking and fun.
According to Gregory Kinal, who has taught at Pembroke for 40 years, the pen-pal program serves mainly as an examination of city vs. country culture, the similarities and differences between the two.
This sometimes leads to interesting revelations. One year, the Shallow students were noticeably surprised to see an area in Pembroke without sidewalks. Another year, one student asked, “How do you get a cab out here?”
The program, funded by businesses in Buffalo, Binghamton and Brooklyn, has also led to long-lasting friendships.
"Even after six years,” Kinal says, “some pen pals still keep in contact with one another.”
Both father and daughter decided a possible reversal of the program, sending the Pembroke kids to Brooklyn, would be both expensive and distracting.
"Pembroke has a lot to offer,” Gregory Kinal says, pointing out his students would eventually get the chance to go on their school trip to Washington the following year.
After playing variations of team tag, charades and musical chairs, the students spent the rest of the afternoon eating pizza and chatting.
Tracy Kinal, who has taught English-as-a-second-language for eight years, said that her class of new and former immigrants would discuss the pluses and minuses of their Pembroke experience once they returned to Brooklyn. Her father would similarly talk about the Brooklyn students with his class.
“Not everything looks like NYC,” Tracy Kinal explains.
“We live in a multi-cultural society,” Gregory Kinal says. “There’s a world outside of Genesee County.”
For a year-end project, I thought it would be cool to take some video and pictures of music- and arts-related activities -- respectively -- in the Genesee County schools.
The following video is 20 minutes long and divided into two parts (Youtube limits most users to about 10 minutes per video). It features concert footage from various schools in the county.
PART 1
PART 2
I have to make a quick apology for the poor video quality in a couple of instances. I had to be very careful to protect the identity of the kids (the ones photographed without parental approval), so I made sure none of the students' faces appeared too clearly on camera; plus, to be honest, the first camera I used turned out to be pretty awful when it came to taking video (even while taking decent pictures).
I also feel bad that I couldn't include every group I filmed in the video. My selections were based on a combination of different criteria, including:
So there's the music part. Here are some pictures I was able to take of art work done by Elba and Leroy students:
ELBA ELEMENTARY ART
Kindergartener Cody Soules stands in front of his drawing of a tree branch (top right).
First-grader Taylor Augello stands with her rendition of Van Gogh's "The Starry Night" (right above her head).
ELBA HIGH SCHOOL ART
Both of the following pictures were submitted by Dan Carnevale. Sophomore Sydney Gallup (top photo) and two unidentified students stand with their drawings.
LEROY JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (art and artists)
Also, see the May 27 announcement on the winners of the Architectural Drawing contest for fourth-graders.
Congratulations all of the students for a job well done!
Lucinda Dawn Barber, 40, of 141 Tracy Ave., Batavia, is charged with grand larceny, 4th. Barber is accused of stealing another person's wallet while in a check-out line at Walmart. Barber was jailed on $10,000 bail.
Robert J. Eppolito, 27, of 41 Maple St., Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harrassment, 2nd. Eppolito allegedly pushed a person while that person was holding an infant. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.
Gregory Robert Lyons, 21, of Dry Bridge Road, Alexander, is charged with trespass. Lyons was allegedly operating an all-terrain vehicle on the old railroad bridge over Creek Road.
Kevin J. Compton, 48, of 9791 Clipnock Road, East Bethany, is charged with DWI. Compton was stopped at 2:10 a.m., Sunday, on Lake Street for alleged failure to use a turn signal.
Adam M. Kreutz, 21, of Byron-Holley Road, Byron, is charged with a felony count of DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and felony unlicensed operation. Kreutz was stopped at 2:04 a.m., Saturday, by Sgt. Greg Walker on Route 237, Stafford.
Stacey Jean Donahue, 36, of Cook Road, Byron, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Donahue is accused of striking another person in the face.
Michael S. Miller, 24, of East Eden Road, Eden, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right and moving from lane unsafely. Miller was stopped at 1:05 a.m., Saturday, by Deputy Chris Parker on Route 5, Pembroke.
Thomas M. Cromey, Jr., 33, of Chili-Riga Center Road, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Cromey was stopped at 12:07 a.m., Saturday, by Deputy Chris Parker, on Route 237, Stafford.
Ashleigh Lynn Daniels, 22, of Kent Road, Kent, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Daniels was stopped at 12:36 a.m., Saturday, by Deputy James Diehl on Route 33, Pembroke.
A van fire has been reported in the area of mile marker 396.1 of the Thruway.
Several callers reported the fire.
East Pembroke and Town of Batavia have been dispatched.
A chief reports the fire was knocked down with available fire extinguishers while awaiting fire truck response, but the fire is starting to go again.
UPDATE 3:56 p.m.: Traffic is stopped in the westbound direction.
UPDATE 5:27 p.m.: Fire units cleared the scene some time ago and traffic is starting to flow again. Photo by Destin Danser.
A car fire is reported at mile marker 400 in the eastbound lanes of the Thruway. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire department are responding.
Responders on scene report flames showing.
Thomas M. Rastelli, 26, of Dewhirst Road, Gasport, is charged with a felony count of DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, aggravated unlicensed operation, failure to stop at a stop sign and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Rastelli is accused of being involved in a one-car accident at 1:12 a.m. today on Route 5 in Pembroke. The incident was investigated by Deputy Jason Saile. Rastelli was jailed on $20,000 bail.
Shawn Michael Irish, 39, of Lake Street, Perry, is charged with illegal possession of a hypodermic instrument and unlawful possession of marijuana. Irish was stopped on May 16 by Deputy Brian Thompson in the area of 16 Bank St. for an alleged traffic violation. Thompson's K-9 reportedly alerted on Irish's vehicle.
Ronald Lewis MacGregor, 41, of Cole Road, Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. MacGregor was stopped on May 16 by Deputy Brian Thompson in the area of 16 Bank St. for an alleged traffic violation. Thompson's K-9 reportedly alerted on Irish's vehicle.
Kenneth M. Gray, 18, of 77 Myrtle St., Le Roy is charged with criminal mischief and robbery, 3rd. Gray is accused of forcibly taking property from a friend and then damaging the property during an alleged domestic incident on Sunday. Gray was jailed on an unspecified bail.
Jason M. Brooks, 32, of 98 Wilmont St., Rochester is charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Brooks is accused of being involved in a fight on Mill Street on Monday. Det. John Condidorio responded to the scene. During the investigation, Brooks allegedly used profane language numerous times in public and after being advised he was under arrest, allegedly physically resisted causing a minor struggle to ensue. Brooks was jailed on $3,000 bail.
Michael L. Ruth, 42, of Stafford, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Ruth was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident at 1:12 p.m., May 17, in Bergen. No further details were released.
Jonathan Martinez, 22, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, operation impaired by drugs, unlawful possession of marijuana, speeding and driving without a license. Martinez was stopped 10:15 p.m., Monday on Route 33 in Bergen by State Police.
Accidents reported in the State Police blotter:
8:54 a.m., June 6, Genesee Street, Pembroke, one vehicle; Driver 1: Steven F. Marra, 17, of Corfu. No injuries reported.
10: a.m., June 6, Court Street, Batavia, two vehicles; Driver 1: Mary A. Luce, 72, of Corfu; Heidi Whelan, 42, of Batavia. No injuries reported.
12:54 p.m., June 6, Route 63 and Route 20, Pavilion, three vehicles; Driver 1: Yanely Mencia, 22, Corona; Driver 2: Gerald C. Burch, 41, Le Roy; Driver 3: Steven J. Morore, 50, East Bethany. No injuries reported.
Richard John Abramski, 22, of Main Road, East Pembroke, is charged with disorderly conduct. Abramski is accused of obstructing traffic in the area of 1993 Genesee Street, East Pembroke, by standing in the drive lane, causing traffic to move to avoid hitting him. Abramski was allegedly drunk at the time. The alleged incident occurred at 11:23 p.m., Saturday.
Danny J. Torok, 23, of 12 Elm St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Torok is accused of slapping, pushing and pulling the hair of his girlfriend while holding his 4-month-old daughter. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.
Jeremy Dean Lyons, 25, of Judge Road, Oakfield, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, unsafe lane change and speeding. Lyons was stopped by Deputy Thomas Sanfratello at 5:25 p.m., June 1, at 14 Weber St., Oakfield.
Joseph Stephen Vernaccini, 34, of Clipnock Road, Stafford, is charged with DWI, failure to keep right and refusal to take breath test. Vernaccini was reportedly involved in a one-car accident 12:44 a.m., Saturday, in the area of 7000 Route 5, Le Roy. Vernaccini was jailed on $500 bail.
Justino Sanchez, 50, of West Ridge Road, Brockport, is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, failure to keep right, improper right turn. Sanchez was stopped by Deputy James Diehl at 10:47 p.m., Friday, in the area of Route 98 and Edgerton Road, Elba. He was jailed on $1,800 bail.
A 17-year-old from Clarence was arrested by State Police in Darien at 8:05 p.m., Wednesday. She is charged with DWI, failure to keep right, crossing road hazard markings and unlawful possession of marijuana.
A 16-year-old from Williamsville was arrested by State Police at 8:05 p.m., Wednesday, in Batavia for unlawful possession of alcohol.
John J. Smalley, 47, of Oakfield, is charged with harassment and criminal mischief. Smalley was arrested by State Police at 12:50 a.m., Sunday, in the area of 7020 Macumber Road, Oakfield. No further details were released.
Accidents from the State Police blotter:
4:57 p.m., June 5, Bernd Road, Pavilion, two vehicles; Driver 1: Laurie Jean Lerkins, 33, of Le Roy; Driver 2: Heather M. Coates, 24, of Rochester. One injury reported.
4:46 p.m., June 3, Genesee Street, Pembroke, one vehicle: Driver 1: Jennifer L. Mroz, 49, of Batavia. One injury reported.
10:32 p.m., June 3, Lewiston Road, Batavia, two vehicles: Driver 1: Robert M. Laskowski, 24, of Chaffee; Driver 2: Matthew J. Quinn, 25, of Attica. No injuries reported.
Convicted murderer Scott Doll allegedly tried to smuggle aspirin into the Genesee County Jail.
Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said that lab results came back this morning on the white powder reportedly found hidden on Doll's body.
Brewster said the green balloon containing the aspirin was taped to Doll's inner buttocks.
"I have no idea why (he hid aspirin on his body), Brewster said.
Doll still faces a count of promoting prison contraband, because even aspirin can't be snuck into the jail.
If the substance had turned out to be any kind of more serious drug, the charges would have been elevated, Brewster said.
Doll was allegedly found with the balloon on his body during a routine jail processing search after he was convicted May 21 of killing 66-year-old Joseph Benaquist by bludgeoning him to death outside his Pembroke home on Feb. 16, 2009.
Doll is scheduled to appear on June 29 in City Court to answer the charge of promoting prison contraband.
He will be sentenced on the murder charge on July 2. He faces a sentence of either 15 years to life or 25 years to life.
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