Alexander

Joshua David Sumeriski, 33, of Buffalo Street, Alexander, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, uninspected motor vehicle, driver's view obstructed, and disorderly conduct. Sumeriski was charged after Deputy Mathew Clor responded at 3:21 a.m. Thursday to Transit Road, Bethany, to investigate a complaint of a man lying in the roadway.

Carrie A. Poray, 40, of Oatka Trail, Le Roy, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. Poray was located by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and taken into custody for failure to appear on two traffic tickets in City Court. Poray was ordered to pay a fine before her next court appearance and released.

Jordan S. Thomas, 19, of East Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant. Thomas is accused of failing to comply with conditions of supervised release. Thomas was arraigned and jailed.

Joseph D. Berry, 32, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with menacing, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Berry allegedly held a large rock and threatened to inflict bodily harm to a store clerk at 7-Eleven in Batavia at 8:15 p.m. on June 6. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Maya Samanta Wright, 23, of East Ridge Road, Rochester, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Wright allegedly struck a patron of a business on Park Road, Batavia.

Chelsea Lorraine McEwen, 19, of Fleetwood Drive, Brockport, is charged with harassment, 2nd. McEwen is accused of punching another person in the face during an argument reported at 8:53 p.m. Sunday at a location on Bloomingdale Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation.

Laura Jean Santiago, 55, of Hundredmark Road, Elba, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Santiago was stopped at 8:56 p.m. Friday on Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Mathew Clor.

William George Horner, 67, of Bank Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment, 2nd. Horner is accused of grabbing another person by the throat and applying pressure and pushing that person during an incident reported at 10 p.m. Friday on Bank Street Road, Batavia.

Todd A. Rich, 47, of Webster, and Justin T. Rich, 24, of Webster, are charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The two men were stopped by State Police at 1:15 a.m. this morning on Route 19 in Le Roy.

Alexander Central School hosted its second annual Jazz Invitational on Thursday night, which featured performances of Alexander's brass band, the Alexander Jazz Cadets (photos), and the Alexander Jazz Experience, along with a performance by the Warsaw Jazz Ensemble.

By the fall, three deputies with the Sheriff's Office will become school resource officers in Alexander, Pavilion and Pembroke, so the County Legislature is being asked to add three new positions to the Sheriff's Office staff.

Sheriff William Sheron said the three deputies who will become SROs have been interviewed by their respective school districts and approved. He plans to announce their names next week after the Legislature approves the new positions and the contracts with the school districts.

The deputies will join Deputy Matt Butler, serving Byron-Bergen, and Deputy Chad Cummings at BOCES.

Pavilion has budgeted for a deputy serving as SRO for 12 months. Alexander and Pembroke, for 10.

The members of the Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday had questions about what happens with the SROs when school is out of session.

For BOCES and Byron-Bergen, there are events, as well as summer school, where the deputies' presence is possible.

In Butler's case, Sheron said the deputy will also build up a lot of comp time over the course of a school year, primarily from covering sporting events, and that Butler will take his comp time and vacation time during the summer. He will also work some road patrol and assist with Darien Lake security.

This will be the first summer for Cummings since becoming SRO at BOCES.

Each deputy will decide how to balance ongoing school needs, vacation and comp time during the summer, Sheron said.

In the case of the district's with only 10-month contracts, those deputies are more likely to wind up back on road patrol during the summer.

"Historically, both these schools that have them now, started off with 10 months but went to a whole year," said Legislator Gordon Dibble, former chief deputy for the Sheriff's Office. "I don’t think there is any reason these other schools won’t experience the same thing and eventually absorb that cost. I think it’s getting your foot in the door. It’s a lot easier to get your foot in the door for 10 and then add 12 after, from what I've seen."

Patrick McGee, principal at Byron-Bergen High School, attended Wednesday's meeting to discuss his school's experience with an SRO. He said Butler is more than a cop on the beat. He's a mentor, a positive influence, and a deterrent.

"He was at the prom," McGee said. "That’s the ultimate thing — no kids are going to come to the prom under the influence when you have a drug recognition expert. They know he’s standing right there. It’s not to scare them but it is a deterrent to certain behavior."

There's no price you can put on the safety of children, Sheron said, and such deterrence is invaluable.

"That’s the thing with deterrence," Sheron said. "You don’t know what you’re stopping. You’ll never know."

A caller reports hearing a screech and looking out her window and saw a car off the road with steam coming from the engine on Hunn Road at Brookville Road, Alexander.

A deputy on scene reports a driver with a head injury but conscious and alert.

Alexander fire and ambulance responding. Units responding can respond non-emergency. Mercy EMS was dispatched but can go back in service.

UPDATE 1:22 p.m.: Alexander back in service. Patient sign off.

A man either had his arm run over or otherwise entangled in a vehicle in the area of 4116 Broadway, Alexander.

The vehicle is off the road and has a trailer attached that is now blocking Route 20, westbound.

Alexander Fire dispatched.

Law enforcement responded to Cookson Road in Alexander and the vicinity to look for a green or light blue van whose driver was reportedly poaching turtle eggs. They are with the vehicle now.

The call to dispatch came from Department of Environmental Conservation "Officer Wilson," whose office received a recorded phone message tip about the alleged poaching. He has a 30-minute ETA to the scene.

The van's data comes back to an address on Buffalo Street in Attica and the female license holder "has a history of violations."

UPDATE 10:30 a.m.: "We are out with her and she has a bucket of eggs," says an officer. "She is the registered owner of the vehicle."

• Alexander Jazz Experience
• Alexander Jazz Cadets
• Warsaw Jazz Band -- directed by Phil Briatico

• The Genesee Wyoming Music Educators Association All County Jazz Band

Today, Alexander students assisted local veterans in placing U.S. flags on the gravesites of deceased military personnel at the cemetary in Alexander.

Photos submitted by Eric Radder.

Brooke L. Brumber, 18, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass, 2nd. Brumber was arrested on a warrant. She allegedly entered a residence on Washington Avenue at 8:01 p.m. May 3 without permission after being told she was no longer welcome there.

Matthew James Cratsley, 42, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with failure to report a change of address and failure to complete verification form. Cratsley allegedly moved and failed to notify the NYS Sex Offender Registry. He is also accused of failing to complete the annual registration form. 

Jonathan Peter Smith, 40, of Little Canada Road, East Bethany, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and failure to signal. Smith was stopped at 1:28 a.m. May 13 on Main Street, Batavia, by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello.

Sammy Lee Domthongmivanh Jr., 29, of Halstead Road, Alexander, is charged with: DWI; driving with a BAC of .18 or greater; failure to keep right; moving from lane unsafely; failure to attach registration sticker to vehicle. Domthongmivanh was stopped at 11:49 p.m. Saturday on Main Road, Pembroke, following a complaint of traffic offenses, by Deputy Eric Meyer.

Riecha B. Morris, 34, of Hawks Nest Circle, Greece, is charged with operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs. Morris was stopped at 9:33 a.m. Friday on West Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Kevin DeFelice following a complaint of erratic operation.

David L. Castaneda Trejo, 19, of Byron, is charged with criminal trespass, 2nd, and making a false written statement. Castaneda was arrested on an incident reported at 11:22 a.m. Sunday in the Town of Byron by State Police. No further details released.

Matthew J. Lamkin, 36, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Lamkin was arrested in connection with an incident reported at 11 p.m. Sunday in the Town of Batavia by State Police. No further details released.

Alexandria C. Pisarek, 25, of Corfu, is charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child. Pisarek was arrested in connection with an incident reported at 11:50 a.m. May 9 in the Town of Bergen by State Police. No further details released.

There are few firefighters at age 23 who come into City Fire with a resume to match Ryan Hinz.

He's been a volunteer in Alexander since he was 16. He twice won Firefighter of the Year. He rose to the rank of EMS captain and won awards for his EMS work. He also won a chief's award.

Fire Chief Steve Napolitano said Hinz scored high on his civil service exam and his agility test and excelled at the fire academy.

Perhaps this isn't a surprise. He's the son of career firefighter Marty Hinz, currently a captain with City Fire, and the grandson of a firefighter who also served for several years as Genesee County's emergency coordinator.

Marty Hinz said he almost sees Ryan through his father's eyes.

"I remember when I joined the Alexander Fire Department and became chief down there and how proud my father was," Marty said. "And now I can empathize with his feelings, you know, just the look on his face -- now I understand where he was coming from and now I understand how proud he was. Now I'm just as proud of Ryan."

Napolitano was quick to emphasize that Ryan -- who is assigned to the First Platoon with Marty is assigned to the Third Platoon -- wasn't hired because he was Marty's son. He earned it.

"We're expecting big things from him," Napolitano said. "You know, he's got a good 30-year career out of here. We're expecting the same things that he's done from 16 to 23 to continue over the next 30 years."

Marty, understandably, but with good reason, thinks Ryan is qualified to be a career firefighter.

"Ryan has a certain pride, the intelligence, the humility that it takes to be a good firefighter," Marty said. "He's just a great kid."

Ryan said while he was inspired by his father to pursue a career in fire services, that isn't the only reason he took this career path.

"I like being able to help people," Ryan said. "I know that sounds like a cheesy response but it's just what I enjoy doing."

He said he is proud to follow in his father's footsteps and that serving an Alexander was a great experience that gave him a good idea what a career in firefighting might be like, plus, he said, he formed lasting friendships with his fellow volunteers.

Whatever inspired Ryan to become a career firefighter, Napolitano said it is what will make him an asset to the department.

"We're very fortunate in the fact that we have someone that has that internal desire to want to continue the family lineage and someone that it's not just a job for him," Napolitano said. "That is pretty much everyone in this department. It's a passion. It's not just a job. And that translates to the service delivery that we're able to provide. It's not just going through the motions. It's they live they breathe it and that they value the opportunity to work here. That translates to the service product that we're putting out there.

"To have Ryan, who, again, this is what he wants to do, this is where he comes from. It just enhances our service delivery."

Previously: 

• Photos: Alexander fire awards and officer installation​
• Alexander FD installs new officers, recognizes member accomplishments
• Photos: Alexander Fire's annual awards and installation dinner

Chief Steve Napolitano, Ryan Hinz, and Capt. Marty Hinz.

The first platoon: The new mentors for Ryan Hinz.

A 50-year-old Alexander resident who may not be in the country legally is accused of raping a coworker and then, when deputies showed up to investigate the rape report, he is accused of presenting them with forged documents.

Domingo Gomez-Gomez, 50, of Alexander Road, Alexander, is charged with rape in the first degree, possession of a forged instrument, and offering a false instrument for filing with intent to defraud. 

The alleged rape was reported about 1 a.m. on April 28 after Gomez-Gomez forced a female coworker to have sexual intercourse with him. 

When he was questioned by Deputy Investigator Joseph Loftus and Investigator Christopher Parker, Gomez-Gomez allegedly produced numerous false instruments to identify himself. 

He was arraigned Saturday and jailed on $100,000 bail or $200,000 bond.

ICE is investigating whether Gomez-Gomez is in the country legally.

Dylan James Perry, 36, of Kingsbury Avenue, Batavia, is charged with burglary, 3rd, and petit larceny. Perry is accused of entering a business on Route 20 in Darien on Dec. 4 and stealing money. He was located in Manchester, Tenn., and extradited to New York.

Michael Joseph Panepento, 21, of North Street, Le Roy, is charged with assault, 3rd. Panepento is accused of punching another man several times in the head causing substantial swelling, bruising, and a cut, during an argument at a home in the Town of Pavilion at midnight April 28.

Jennifer A. Noll, 38, of Harvester Avenue, Batavia, is charged with soliciting alms in violation of Batavia Municipal Code. Noll is accused of asking people for money near Kwik Fill at 99 Jackson St., Batavia, at 10:22 p.m. April 30.

Darien Leonard Rhodes, 25, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Rhodes was allegedly found in possession of marijuana at 5:10 p.m. May 1 at a location on Dellinger Avenue.

Steven M. Morales, 42, Lewiston Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Morales was charged following a traffic stop where he was allegedly found in possession of a glass crack pipe with residue. He was stopped at 1:21 p.m. May 3 on Central Avenue by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Erin M. George, 30, of Horseshoe Lake Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and speeding. George was stopped at 2:13 a.m. April 27 on Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Angela Reanee Bateman, 45, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminally using drug paraphernalia, 2nd. Bateman was charged following a report into a disturbance on Pringle Avenue at 4:11 a.m. May 1 by Sgt. Eric Bolles.

Miguel E. Alvarez, 23, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and unlawful possession of marijuana. Alvarez is accused of stealing the property of another person on Maple Avenue on April 25. He was allegedly found in possession of marijuana at the time of his arrest.

James C. Emerson, 56, of Church Street, East Pembroke, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. He was arrested in Wayne County and turned over to Batavia PD. He posted bail and was released.

Ahdeosun Richaud Aiken, 19, of Ellicott Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Aiken is accused of damaging property during an argument at 1:45 a.m. May 3 at a location on Hutchins Street, Batavia.

Nicholas Matthew Erway, 21, of East Robinson Road, North Tonawanda, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, stopping on a highway. Erway was allegedly found sleeping behind the wheel of his vehicle at 12:04 a.m. May 6 while it was stopped on Route 77 in Alabama by Deputy Howard Wilson.

June Ann Weinart, 28, of Freeman Road, Byron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding, moving from lane unsafely, and open container. Weinart was charged following a traffic stop at 3:23 a.m. Saturday on Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, by Deputy James Stack.

Bruce Kenneth Ames, 51, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and unnecessary smoke/vapors. Ames was stopped at 8:20 p.m. May 1 on Ellicott Avenue by Deputy Austin Heberlein. He was accused of having unnecessary smoke/vapors coming from his vehicle. Ames was allegedly found in possession of a green leafy substance that he identified as marijuana.

Kevin Wayne Napier, 34, of Kendall, is charged with bail jumping, 3rd, and aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd. 

Richardo Sampel, 48, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, and Emily D. Schramm, 32, of Alabama, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Sampel and Schramm were arrested together in Alabama by State Police on an incident reported at 10:17 p.m., April 24. Both were ordered held in jail. No further details released.

Sarah J. Ehrman, 38, of Scio, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled, 7th, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Ehrman was arrested May 3 in the Town of Alexander by State Police. No further details released.

The commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Alexander is on a mission to get the Alexander School District to reconsider implementing a tax exemption for Cold War veterans.

Eric Radder spoke at Wednesday's school board meeting.

"I notice we’ve got all four service flags up here, so obviously Alexander supports its veterans," Radder said. "I’m here to discuss and implement it and bring it back as a point of discussion."

Several tax jurisdictions in the county have adopted the exemption, including the Town of Alexander and the Village of Alexander. 

Qualified veterans who apply can get an exemption on a small portion of the assessed value of their property. The typical exemption is 10 percent off the accessed value with a maximum of $6,000 exempt from the jurisdiction's property tax. In Alexander, both the town and village adopted the higher tier exemption, which is 15 percent off the accessed value with a maximum exemption of $12,000.

More than two years ago, the school district held two public forums on the proposed exemption. The first forum, said Board President Reed Pettys, was lightly attended because of a snowstorm. The next forum had 30 to 40 people attend, Pettys said, and the public was evenly divided between support and opposition.

While the perception is that the Alexander School Board voted against the exemption, Pettys said since the community was divided on the topic, the board just never took the issue up again.

Pettys agreed Wednesday night to go with another board member to the VFW's board meeting Thursday to publicly discuss the proposal again.

He said a lot has changed since the board last considered the idea -- there are two or three new board members, including one -- John Slenker  -- who is a veteran and more jurisdictions, including other school districts, have passed it.

"I think we’ll discuss it at the next meeting and see if we can get a public forum," Pettys said.

The exemption, Radder said, would help keep veterans in the community.

"You could retain the veterans who bring a set of values that they learned in their military training experience and then in return benefit the community at large," Radder said.

A two-car accident with injuries is reported in the area of 10778 Alexander Road, Attica.

There is no entrapment.

The location is in front of Mooche's Auto Glass.

Alexander fire and ambulance responding along with Mercy EMS.

Traffic on Route 98 is being shut down in both directions.

UPDATE 5:50 p.m.: Correction: No Mercy ambulances available. Bethany's ambulance was dispatched. A chief on scene says Bethany can stand by in its hall.

A reduction in state aid for the Alexander Central School District is contributing to the district's need to raise property taxes by 38 cents per thousand of assessed value for 2018-19 even though overall spending will be reduced from this academic year.

Voters in the district will be asked to approve the proposed budget May 15.

The district is asking to spend $17,704,810 next fiscal year, a reduction in operational spending of $293,367.

State financial aid, which makes up more than half the district's budget, is being reduced by $193,685. Building aid is being reduced as well by $565,851.

The proposed tax levy, the total amount collected through property taxes, is $6,159,675, compared to $6,050,850 this year, an increase of $108,825.

That levy would put the property tax rate at $21.51, or 38 cents more than this year, per thousand of accessed value.

Catherine Huber, Ed.D., superintendent of schools, said the budget is responsible and meets the needs of students.

"We always, of course, focus on developing fiscally responsible budgets," Huber said. "To talk a little bit about a fiscally responsible budget and the things we were able to do with our last budget. With that budget, we were able to maintain staff and programs.

"With that budget we were able to build capacity in our school district by bringing on a school social worker, by bringing on an ESL teacher to build the capacity for when students come to us with varied needs their needs can be met."

With the proposed budget, the district will also be able to build capacity.

"If anybody was at our last board meeting, you heard about the expansion of our agriculture program," Huber said. "It's an exciting expansion for Alexander. We also are proposing the addition of an instrumental music teacher. Did you know that we have 300 students in grades four through 12 -- out of 800 students in the school system -- (who) participate in music?

"We just had a sampling tonight of what the quality of our programming is, so to expand that program is something we can sustain over time and something we're really proud of."

A key proposal in the budget is the addition of a school resource officer. An SRO is a member of law enforcement -- in this case, a deputy from the Sheriff's Office -- who is posted at a school full time throughout the school year.

Sheriff William Sheron attended Wednesday's public hearing and encouraged voters to approve the proposal.

He said in this day and age, an SRO isn't a "nice to have." It is a "must have."

"The officer protects the individuals here, the students, the faculty, the visitors that come in here," Sheron said. "He will interact with all the children. He will also be a mentor with the children in the school."

The SRO program has worked out very well at BOCES and Byron-Bergen Central School, Sheron said.

"The SRO is a resource for children go to when they don’t feel comfortable going to a teacher or an aide," Sheron said. "You create those relationships and those children will come to you. They’ll have faith in you. They’ll have confidence in you and they’ll share things with that officer that they wouldn’t share with anybody else."

Some budget highlights:

• Regular classroom spending increases from $4,829,106 to $4,977,365;
• Special education and vocational education spending is up from $2,868,973 to 2,920,888;
• Athletics increases from $436,585 to $532,316;
• Transportation increases from $776,134 to $818,087;
• Maintenance for building and grounds decreases from $321,575 to $278,058;
• Central administration spending will increase from $167,612 to $190,048;
• School administration will increase from $585,069 to $609,329.

Tim Batzel, the district's finance director, said at Wednesday's hearing that in June the district will make its final payment on a $17.9 million bond that was financed in 1998 primarily for addition of the Middle School. As a result, next year's budget reflects a 66-percent ($530,000) drop in bond payments and a 21-percent drop in interest payments ($23,303).

Lighting upgrades continue to reduce the cost of utilities, Batzel said, and for the second year in a row, the district is benefiting from a 9- to 10-percent reduction in workers' compensation insurance.

After the hearing, during what the board calls "the roundtable," Board Member John Slenker made a statement with an apparent reference to recent school board meetings where multiple parents used public comments to voice complaints and concerns about child safety issues and whether the Code of Conduct is fairly applied. The story was reported by The Batavian.

"I would just like to remind parents that the school board is a very important function," Slenker said. "It is also voluntary. We’re not paid. The people who sit up here take the safety and education of your children very seriously. We have 15 current, future and former children among us. The other part I would like to say, it’s been an absolute honor serving with Reed Pettys and working with Catie. They are some of the best people I have ever met."

Pettys, currently board president, is stepping down following the completion of his term in June.

• Besides the budget, there are four other ballot measures for voters to consider May 15:
• Proposition #2: Authorize the purchase of two school buses at a cost of $305,470.
• Proposition #3: Purchase a new marquee sign for the front of the school at a cost of $29,595.
• Proposition #4 and Proposition #5: Establish capital reserve funds.

There is also one open seat on the school board up for election and only one declared candidate. The candidate is Sara Fernaays. The Batavian attempted to interview Fernaays after Wednesday's meeting. We wanted to ask her thoughts on the budget, the SRO, and other issues and Fernaays declined. She said she feared granting an interview would cause trouble with the school district.

The school district has a policy that prohibits school board members from speaking individually with reporters.

There are more than 1,000 pieces of student artwork, from middle and high school students, on display in the foyer of the Alexander Central School Auditorium and Wednesday's school board meeting, Trustee Rich Guarino drew attention to it and to the jazz ensemble that performed prior to the meeting.

He said he's heard over the years how students who perform music and participate in fine arts do better academically and he said that may just be anecdotal but he tends to believe it.

"I see the kids who are in the music program or the visual fine arts program and those are often the kids I see in other activities that the school has and it’s great to see," Guarino said.

Actually, there is some evidence that students who play music tend to do better academically. That seems to apply across artistic disciplines.

According to Guarino, more than half the students in the elementary grades are learning to play a musical instrument.  

"That's a huge percentage and it's great," Guarino said.

Lynn M. Homer, 45, of Platten Road, Lyndonville, is charged with; aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd; criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th; driver's vision obstructed; and obstructed plate. Homer was stopped at 3:22 p.m. April 13 on West Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Christopher Lindsay. She was jailed on $1,000 bail or $2,000 bond.

Travis Lilbern Robert Bartz, 22, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bartz was allegedly found in possession of marijuana during an investigation into a complaint on Trumbull Parkway at 11:03 p.m. April 22 by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Jacob A. Kasmarek, 19, of Fargo Road, Stafford, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and speeding. Kasmarek was stopped at 9:15 p.m. April 23 on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Samuel McDonald III, 54, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. McDonald is accused of stealing two cans of beer from Tops at 6:39 p.m. Wednesday.

Matthew Frank Carney, 25, of Dodgeson Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Carney was stopped at 12:55 a.m. Friday on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Arick Perkins.

Jesse James Sasiadek, 24, of Cayuga Creek Road, Cheektowaga, is charged with: DWI; driving with a BAC of .08 or greater; driving while impaired by drugs; driving while ability impaired by drugs and alcohol combined; and unlawful possession of marijuana. Sasiadek was stopped at 4:26 p.m. Sunday on Route 19, Bergen, by Deputy Erik Andre.

Jay Kenneth Feitshans Jr., 23, of Alleghany Road, Darien, is charged with petit larceny. Feistshans is accused of stealing property and selling it at a local business.

Stefanie S. Kitanik, 33, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, refusal to take breath test, uninspected motor vehicle, and no plate lamps. Kitanik was stopped at 2:09 a.m. Saturday on Maple Avenue, Oakfield, by Deputy James Stack.

David Wayne King Jr., 36, of Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. King is accused of falling asleep due to a prescribed medication and as a result, his 2-year-old son left his residence and was alone for a period of time.

Nelson E. Figueroa, 29, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Figueroa was stopped at 10:40 p.m. Saturday on Route 33, Stafford, by State Police.

Icha R. Koirala, 28, a resident of the State of New York (exact town not provided), is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Koirala was stopped at 9:18 p.m. Friday on Route 33 in Bergen by State Police.

Laura D. Vazquez Coronado, 38, of Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to stay in lane. Coronado was stopped at 4:39 p.m. Thursday on North Byron Road, Elba, by State Police.

This afternoon, the Alexander Central School District released a statement to the community addressing concerns raised by parents in the district about school safety issues and how the Code of Conduct is enforced and implemented.

The statement also notifies the community that the district had already set aside money in the proposed 2018-19 school budget to hire a School Resource Officer (SRO).

The budget vote is May 15 and the district will hold a public hearing on the budget proposal next Wednesday, May 2.

Sheriff William Sheron has made it a priority to convince all local school districts to hire SROs.

"I'm very happy they made this decision," Sheron said. "It has been my position SROs should be in every school. There is no price we can put on our children's lives. I'm thrilled about the budget proposal and now we will let the voters decide."

The statement comes two days after publication of a story by The Batavian covering concerns raised by parents at two school board meetings about issues of concern.

Dear Alexander Community,

Student safety and well-being are top priorities at Alexander Central School District. Our work each day focuses on creating the conditions for students to thrive. We are committed to ensuring all of our students walk through their school days in a safe, structured, and caring environment as they strive to grow as confident, contributing learners. That commitment is our mission and drives our goals as a District.

Alexander is a wonderful community filled with caring families and remarkable children. The District provides outstanding opportunities in the classroom, in athletics, in the arts, and in clubs/organizations for all of our students. Our District is a great place for children to learn every day. Our community cares. Central to who we are as a community is our unwavering commitment to all of our students. As a District, we welcome feedback from students, parents, and community members on all matters relating to how we are meeting the needs of our students and how the District is functioning in alignment with our mission and our goals. When a student, parent, or community member reaches out to our teachers, administrators, and Board members, the concerns shared are taken seriously and acted upon as appropriate.

Recently, District administrators and our Board of Education have heard from parents regarding their concerns about the District’s commitment to student safety and well-being as well as how the District is applying the Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct provides a framework for our disciplinary processes when student conduct does not meet the expectations outlined in the Code. It is important to keep in mind that the details of any situation that may result in disciplinary consequences are complex, specific, and confidential. The District is not free to share the details related to specific student discipline or consequences - especially with parents and community members who are not the parent of the child involved. In fact, the District is legally bound to keep all of these matters confidential. We take that obligation seriously. Be assured, however, the fact that the District cannot provide the community with details relating to specific disciplinary consequences does not mean that the District is not taking action nor does it mean the District is not upholding the Code of Conduct. We work diligently to investigate all situations in which a student’s conduct is alleged to violate the Code and impose consequences consistent with our findings.

In responding to recent concerns expressed by parents and community members, the District’s unwavering commitment to confidentiality has put it at a bit of a disadvantage, particularly because others are not bound by the same legal requirements regarding confidentiality. In fact, some community members have questioned the District’s commitment to confidentiality and have even suggested the District was acting improperly by not sharing details of certain situations involving the District’s students. Our legal obligation and moral commitment to confidentiality should not be construed as the District being non-transparent or non-responsive. We are merely doing what we are legally and ethically obligated to do. While District administrators and our Board of Education are not at liberty to share the details of every situation that is brought to our attention, please know that does not mean that we are not committed to student safety and well-being. As a community, we must remember our commitment to each other and to our students, even when we disagree or question certain disciplinary consequences.

Our District administrators and our Board of Education have used the recent feedback from members of the community as an opportunity to reflect on our practices. In fact, conversations we started last spring with the Sheriff’s office regarding the possibility of adding a school resource officer (SRO) at Alexander CSD were reinforced by our current community conversation about student safety. The addition of an SRO is part of our 2018-19 budget proposal. We continue to welcome feedback. Through feedback, we continue to grow as a District.

As always, thank you for your support as we work to create the conditions for all students to thrive. Even when we disagree and even when all of the details of every situation cannot be shared, we always have our love for our District and our commitment to our students in common. Let's continue to work together to make sure our community remains strong and that we continue to move the work of our District forward.

With thanks~
Dr. Catherine Huber

From County Highway Superintendent Timothy J. Hens:

The County has hired LC Whitford from Wellsville to replace the Stroh Road bridge over the Tonawanda Creek in the Town of Alexander.

The contractor plans on closing the bridge to traffic starting at approximately 7 a.m. on Monday, May 7th. The bridge will be closed for approximately six months while it is replaced.

There will be no detour posted during construction. Maplewood Road will remain open during construction.