James Christopher Francis, 45, of Falconer Street, North Tonawanda, is charged with menacing a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, menacing 1st, and criminal mischief. At 2:32 a.m. on Aug. 12, deputies responded to Buffalo Street, Bergen, for a report of a man threatening people with a knife. Deputies were able to disarm the suspect and take him into custody. James was held pending arraignment.
Matthew Aaron Howe, 34, of Country Route 64, Hornell, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and inadequate plate lamps. Jpw was stp[[ed at 10:57 p.m. on Aug. 1 on Broadway Road, Bethany, by Deputy Zachary Hoy. Howe was issued an appearance ticket and released.
Tahja Denise Allen, 22, of Schreck Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. At about 12:45 a.m. on Aug. 7, the Sheriff's Office received a report of a vehicle on a ditch at the Darien Lake campground. Deputy Zachary Hoy was dispatched to investigate. Allen was identified as the driver. Allen was issued an appearance ticket.
James Edward Brown, 43, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with sex offender failure to provide a photograph. Brown is accused of failing to provide his photograph to the NYS Sex Offender Registry while being classified as a Level 2 Sex Offender. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Brandon Roddy Brade, no age provided, no residence provided, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Brade is accused of violating an order of protection at 12:19 a.m. on Aug. 8 at a location on Phelps Road, Pembroke. He was held pending arraignment.
Tonya Roselynn Hadsell, 31, Clair Carrier Road, Friendship, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. At 3:46 p.m. on Aug. 8, Deputy Leah Bezon and Deputy Zachary Hoy were dispatched at the Dollar General on Route 63 in Pavilion to investigate a possible intoxicated driver. As a result of an investigation, Hadsell was allegedly found in possession of Fentanyl. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Cheryl Ann Maines, 55, of Chadlee Drive, Brockport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, improper left turn, and unsafe turn. Maines was stopped at 12:40 a.m. on Aug. 10 on Park Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Kipler was issued an appearance ticket.
Malik Isiah Ayala, 32, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Malik is accused of stealing merchandise from Walmart at 4:10 p.m. on Aug. 13. He was arraigned and released.
Brandi Nichole Arbia, 39, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th and offering a false instrument for filing 1st. Arbia is accused of stealing $2,372 in SNAP benefits. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Noah Stuart Smith, 19, of Chipman Place, North Tonawanda, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Smith is accused of intentionally damaging a mobile phone while at the Chris Stapleton Concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center at 10:45 on July 12. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Ahmire Dionzlyer Morgan, 19, of Delsan Court, Buffalo, and Raequan Ariz Reed, Sr., 28, of Delsan Court, Buffalo, are charged with grand larceny 4th. Morgan and Reed are accused of stealing merchandise from a retail store on Veterans Memorial Drive. The Sheriff's Office did not release the name of the store.
Chad J. Evans, 34, of Weever Street, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and three counts of aggravated unlicensed operation. Evans was stopped at 2:05 a.m. on Aug. 17 on East Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Evans was held pending arraignment.
Joseph Michael Flanagan, 39, of Lawrence Road, Hilton, is charged with DWI, failing to yield the right of way on a left turn, and failing to yield the right of way when entering a roadway. Flanagan was stopped at 2:22 a.m. on Aug. 17 on Park Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clo. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Brandon Michael Crawford, 22, no address listed, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Crawford was stopped at 1:41 a.m. on Aug. 10 on Route 5, Batavia, by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Route 20 through Bethany has been closed for three hours and remains closed at the time of this post because of an accident involving a car and a tractor-trailer.
Bethany Fire, with mutual aid from Pavilion along with Mercy EMS, responded to the accident.
One person was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital.
Bethany native Mike Porter with his dog Hank. Submitted Photo
As a former teacher, Alexander graduate Mike Porter liked to investigate particular issues, including science fiction, the paranormal, and aliens, and it led him to questions about if the universe is so vast, "where is everybody?"
“We should be seeing signs of everyone. And one of the hypotheses that is well known is what's called the great filter, which is civilizations will appear throughout the universe, but they don't last long because they succumb to various disasters, whether it's an asteroid impact or a pandemic or a nuclear war and things like that,” he said during an interview with The Batavian. “Being a social studies teacher talking about these types of issues with students, I think I kind of started thinking, 'geez, I really feel like humanity is coming to or is at a crossroads, where we can kind of come together, overcome our differences, and address some of these key issues. Inevitably, there's going to be a big rock that hits Earth at some point. Are we going to be prepared for that, the next big pandemic?”
It was that thinking and those questions, plus prior discussions with a colleague, that led him to write his first book, the science fiction thriller, “The Graveyard Relays.”
While working as a teacher in Wyndham, Porter was drawn to a fellow teacher named Daniel with colorful stories of adventure, including one that included his dog and a bear. Daniel had a van that he lived and traveled in with his dog. The dog decided to chase the bear one day until it dawned on the bear that he was bigger and it was silly for him to be running away, so he turned around and began to chase the dog back toward Daniel’s van.
It made for an exhilarating story. The owner anxiously waited for the dog to get into the van so he could close the door safely behind both of them, leaving the bear outside.
While that was a fun story, it served as the basis for Porter’s book, with the dog and bear as metaphors for space research: Porter began to see how pursuing life out in the universe could have the same potential effect.
“I thought, how incredible, in terms of interstellar exploration; what if that were to happen with an interstellar probe where we go out exploring and then accidentally bring something back?” he said. “So it was all these things kind of together that gave me the idea for the premise of the book. I didn't really have experience with the writing realm, like writing classes. Never been in a competition, never really practiced, but I just had this kind of urge to start writing these ideas down and see if it came to anything.”
Porter’s first book evolved in the way his off-grid home has: through a series of inspirations that pushed him on toward a final ending.
Just as he and his wife Nicole went from having no electricity, running water or internet connection at their Salisbury Center house to an abode with all the amenities, the 40-year-old Bethany native fine-tuned his science fiction work, which he began in 2016, from an outline of intergalactic premises to a full-fledged collection of researched characters and planets, a plot and enough action to keep readers turning the 338 pages for a debut in June of this year.
Throughout the process Porter was fueled by an undeniable passion for his favorite topic.
“I think since I was a kid, I’m naturally drawn to it. I loved 'Star Wars' when I was a kid. I think my favorite movie is 'Interstellar.' And I’ve always been fascinated by aliens,” he said. “That’s another thing that I was actually concerned about. Since 2017 there’s been this growing disclosure movement, and I thought, ‘great, I’m writing this book about discovering alien life and it’s going to get blown out of the water because the government’s gonna say there are already aliens here.’ That hasn’t happened yet, but I think that time is probably coming.”
He’s not certain what that looks like, exactly, but he feels confident that something — of intelligence life form — is out there, or here, with us.
And this book hinges on that belief that we aren’t alone.
“One possibility is what has become known as the great filter,” he writes. “This theory postulates that civilizations universally succumb to various apocalyptic events before humanity has the opportunity to detect them. Perhaps there are untold numbers of alien graveyards that are just waiting to be found and exhumed.”
The Graveyard Relays is a 25th-century documentary series that finds and investigates extinct alien wastelands for education and entertainment. A team led by Marshall Holst, based in the Catskill Mountains, employs ASIP, an interstellar probe leased from the United Nations to cruise the cosmos searching for intelligent life.
Meanwhile, Marshall likes to escape from the “technologically saturated world” and his own stressful occupation by backpacking into the woods of the Northeast with his dog Wadsworth. However, Porter suggests that, just as with the documentary series, there’s no telling what the pair might encounter in those woods, far from the safety of the interneural Net, a hyper-intelligent artificial intelligence.
“There are risks and dangers inherent with exploration,” he writes. “In the same way, as he and his team continue to send ASIP to strange new worlds, there’s no telling what the probe might find … and what it might bring back.”
Michael David Porter grew up in Bethany and graduated from Alexander High School in 2002. He was an athlete of sorts — playing for Batavia Ramparts hockey team from second through seventh grades before moving onto baseball, football, basketball and then track, winning sectionals as a senior.
He wasn’t particularly into writing, though did some acting in school — winning a Rochester Broadway Theater League Stars of Tomorrow honor for his role in “Oklahoma” and performing in a number of shows at Geneseo State College and Delaware Park. He moved south to Wyndham to become a teacher and also ended up doing a monthly radio show.
Suffice it to say Porter has some creative chops. His parents, Dave Porter, who plays trombone in the Genesee Symphony Orchestra, and Jill, a retired nurse, still live in the Genesee County area, along with other family members, while Porter has since moved to his off-grid place in the summer of 2023.
When he interviewed for his latest job as an instructional coach at the Hamilton Fulton Montgomery BOCES, Porter forewarned them that he might not be able to come right in on severe winter days. The local highway super helps out with plowing the homestead driveway, he said, but it could get harsh.
Why the move to such a modest existence? He and his wife are hikers and nature-lovers who, ironically met online, also like to disconnect from the online world, he said.
“I think it’s important for people to disconnect from technology and get back to nature. People are meant to be active outdoors and studies show that mental and physical health can be improved significantly when people spend time outside,” Porter said, emphasizing a moral for his book. “People should stick together, put down their phones, and go outside.”
He made purposeful decisions about his book along the way, such as making people vegetarians (though he is not) and using androgynous names with no specific pronouns so that readers could fill in their own details for certain characters.
“I envision a future that is international, you know, I think if we're going to get to this future where there's basically world peace, we're going to have to set aside a lot of our differences and learn to live together,” he said. “And I wanted to be inclusive in that way, so I looked up androgynous names from different nationalities and tried to put a lot of these people on the team, and I also, in my book, avoided using any pronouns for those people. (Readers) hadn't noticed that they didn't notice that I didn't use pronouns, which tells me that it's a very fluid, natural thing. And the great thing is the reader then has the freedom to apply and attribute whatever they want in terms of identity to these characters.”
He put the book on a shelf, so to speak, for a few years until he was hit with more inspiration. Then, “I hit it really hard three years ago.” That’s when he fleshed out those 56 chapters and scenarios.
The team has sent ASIP out into exploration and it encounters an unexpected obstacle.
The team watched from their workstations in horror, each individual feeling deep pangs of terror and guilt. “Yes sir,” ASIP replied. “Preparing to return to orbit.”
Without warning, Peace accelerated toward ASIP, having apparently transitioned to its jet turbines. The gray, conical beast was closing in fast. “ASIP, there’s no time, initiate your emergency return now!” Marshall yelled.
“But Marshall, my software is being corrupted and the gravity wake could potentially —“
“Now ASIP! Return to Earth now!”
ASIP engaged the gravity drive, and from within the Pool, Marshall saw the world go dark, but for a fraction of a second, the haunting image of Peace and ASIP alone together in the gravity bubble hung frozen in the air.
Another chapter describes a conversation between Marshall and his dog Wadsworth after a crisis occurs.
“Come on Wads, get your things put together. We have to got a trip.”
“A trip? But aren’t we going to have to …”
“I’ll explain on the way, Wads. Grab your food and some toys and anything else you might need for a few days.”
Marshall ran up the stairs to the bedroom to repack his bag with new clothes. He yawned at the sight of his bed as he considered a five-minute nap, but flashing thoughts of enslavement by an alien robot made him decide against it.
But Marshall, toys won’t be good for a camping trip, and I don’t think we should go camping right now.
“We aren’t going camping. We’re going to the moon.”
Porter hopes that readers give his genre a try and enjoy the stories woven through the book to an ending that he didn’t originally include until both his wife and mother said he needed one that was more conclusive. Though it’s science fiction, there are undoubtedly broader messages about society and a “sink or swim together” attitude.
“The people that do read it, I hope they enjoy it and get something out of it, and maybe at least have some fun conversations for them, and a different way to think about the world,” he said.
A Town of Bethany justice has resigned following a complaint and investigation into alleged sexual harassment of a court clerk.
Judge Joseph Nowakowski was accused of sending unwanted text messages that were unrelated to the clerk's duties, according to a statement issued by the NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct.
The commission statement did not provide details on the content of the messages.
After the clerk reportedly asked Nowakowski to stop sending messages, he allegedly retaliated by seeking her termination as a court employee.
The judge resigned on June 1 as part of an agreement with the commission. Under the agreement, Nowakowski is barred from ever again serving in any judicial capacity.
Nowakowski, who is not an attorney, became a judge in 2022, and his term was set to expire in 2025.
The commission received a complaint about Nowakowski in February.
Commission Administrator Robert H. Tembeckjian made the following statement: “There is no place for sexual harassment in the courts, particularly among the judiciary, who must set and exemplify the highest standards of conduct for all to emulate. The Commission considers such matters seriously and takes action as appropriate and necessary.”
The Genesee County Highway Department is announcing the commencement of the first round of NOVA Chip Paving on Monday. This project will enhance road surfaces across several vital routes, improving driving conditions and extending the life of local roadways.
Schedule and Locations:
Perry Road (Pavilion/LeRoy):
June 3 - 4: Route 20 to Route 19
June 5 - 6: Route 20 to Route 63
Linden Road (Bethany):
June 10 - 11: Bethany Center/Linden intersection to Silver/Linden intersection
Brookville Road (Alexander):
June 12 - 13: Brookville/Creek intersection to Brookville/Route 20 intersection
June 17 - 20: Dodgeson/Halstead intersection to Sumner/Harper intersection
Weather permitting, the entire project is expected to be completed by June 20.
Road Closures and Access:
During work hours (Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. - 4 p.m.), the affected roads will be closed to through traffic. Emergency responders will be able to pass through the work zones as needed.
Local schools, including Le Roy School, Pavilion School, Alexander School, and Pembroke School, have been notified to ensure school buses can still pick up and drop off students without disruption. Adjustments will be made to accommodate school transportation needs.
Residents and commuters are advised to plan alternate routes during this period.
Austin Malek, 22, of North Street, Le Roy, is charged with strangulation 2nd, assault 3rd, unlawful imprisonment, and obstructing governmental administration 2nd. Malek is accused of assaulting a female victim at about 2 a.m. on May 2 at a location on North Street in the village of Le Roy. Le Roy patrol officers responded. According to police, the victim displayed visible injuries, and the police describe the incident as "violent." Malek was transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing. He was arraigned and ordered held on $20,000 bail, $40,000 bond, or $80,000 partially secured bond.
Brandon March
Brandon J. March, 39, of Batavia, is charged with strangulation 2nd, criminal contempt 1st, assault 3rd, unlawful imprisonment 2nd, menacing 2nd, criminal contempt 2nd and criminal mischief 4th. March is accused of violating a stay-away order of protection during an altercation On May 8 on South Lyon Street by strangling the victim, not allowing the victim to leave the residence, and striking the victim multiple times, causing an injury. March is also accused on the previous day of damaging a car wind belonging to the same victim. He was arraigned and jailed on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $25,000 partially secured bond. March was arrested on similar charges in January.
Shawn Sloan
Shawn M. Sloan, 39, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, menacing 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, and harassment 2nd. Sloan is accused of breaking into a residence on Porter Avenue on April 24 while in possession of a pellet gun. He was arraigned and jailed.
Benito A. Gay, 36, of Batavia, is charged with robbery 2nd and menacing 2nd. Gay is accused of using force to steal money from another person on April 21 on Hutchins Street while giving the appearance of pointing a firearm. He was arraigned and jailed.
Benito Gay
Nathaniel R. Davis, 29, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, menacing 2nd, criminal obstruction of breathing, and harassment 2nd. Davis is accused of holding a knife to the throat of another person during an incident on Porter Avenue on April 17. He also is accused of grabbing the person around the neck. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held.
Adam T. Shipwash, 44, of Batavia, is charged with attempted robbery 2nd, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, menacing 2nd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Shipwash is accused of entering the Mobil gas station on East Main Street Batavia on April 15, brandishing a knife and demanding money from the clerk. Shipwash left the store after the clerk refused to give him any money. He was arraigned and released.
Nathaniel Davis
Sharon R. Boyer, 55, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Boyer was arrested on April 20 after she reportedly nearly struck two police officers on foot patrol in a crosswalk at Hutchins Street and Sumner Street. Boyer allegedly failed to yield to the pedestrians, and the officers told her to stop her vehicle. After speaking with her, they placed her under arrest on a charge of DWI. She was issued an appearance ticket and turned over to State Police on a warrant.
Fawn Dockstader, 37, of Batavia, is charged with arranging the welfare of a child. Dockstader is accused of digging her nails into a child's arm, grabbing the child by the hair and punching the child in the fact on April 16. Dockstader was arraigned in City Court and released.
Nicholas L. Stone, 25, of East Pembroke, is charged with DWI, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, criminal mischief and multiple traffic violations. On April 5, Batavia PD responded to a report of a fight involving several people at Copperhead Creek on West Main Street. As patrols arrived, a vehicle was observed leaving the area at a high rate of speed. The vehicle headed southbound on South Lyon Street and failed to negotiate a turn on South Main Street, driving off the road and through a yard, causing damage to the lawn. Stone was issued an appearance ticket.
Jason E. Carpenter, 45, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Carpenter is accused of damaging a toilet inside a residence on West Main Street, Batavia. After being issued an appearance ticket, he allegedly set the ticket aflame and threw an object through a window, leading to another appearance ticket.
Adam Shipwash
Johnathan M. Falk, 25, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Falk is accused of stealing merchandise from Tops on April 7. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Jeanna M. Hattaway, 37, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant on April 15. The warrant stems from a traffic stop in April 2023. She is accused of possessing a controlled substance during the traffic stop. She allegedly failed to appear in court on the charge. She was arraigned and released.
Lance D. Beals, 53, of Batavia, was arrested on two warrants on April 13. The first warrant stems from an incident on July 12 when Beals allegedly stole and damaged a cell phone from a residence on East Main Street. The second warrant stems from an incident on July 30 when Beals was accused of damaging property at the same residence. He was issued appearance tickets in both cases. He allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. He was arraigned and released.
Shane R. Reisman, 54, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Reisman is accused of stealing property from Tops. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Tiffany M. Macey, 32, of Batavia, was arrested on April 8 on a warrant. Macey was ordered to appear in court following a traffic stop on July 3. She allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. She was arraigned and released.
Ann M. Capuano, 39, of Batavia, is charged with menacing 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, and endangering the welfare of a child. Capuano is accused of damaging a neighbor's door and threatening the neighbor with a hammer while in the presence of a child on April 11. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Michael R. Ostrander, 59, of Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal contempt 2nd. Ostrander is accused of violating an order of protection on April 12 at the Genesee County Courthouse. When officers responded to his residence to arrest him, he was allegedly found with the protected party violating the court order, leading to the second criminal contempt charge. He was arraigned and ordered held.
Eric R Sawyer, 36, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Sawyer was charged following a traffic stop by Batavia PD on Bogue Avenue. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.
Tanisha N. Gibson, 39, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Gibson is accused of violating an order of protection on April 8 by engaging in a verbal argument. She was arraigned and released.
John H. Bush, Jr., 40, of Batavia, was arrested on April 7 on three warrants. He is also charged with resisting arrest and escape 3rd. A Batavia patrol officer located Bush at the Mobil gas station on East Main Street. The officer began to take Bush into custody on the warrants. Bush then pulled away from the officer and attempted to run. Police were able to stop him and successfully take him into custody. He was arraigned and released.
Trevor N. Christman, 33, of Batavia, is was arrested on April 24 on a warrant. Christman was initially arrested on March 14 for allegedly exposing himself in public. He allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. He was arraigned and released.
Ricky L. Miller, 42, and Ryan M. Arner (no age provided), both of Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Miller and Arner are accused of stealing merchandise from Tops on April 23. They were issued appearance tickets. Miller was turned over to the Sheriff's Office on an open warrant.
Mark A. Remington, 50, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Remington is accused of stealing merchandise from Qucklee's on Oak Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Robert B. Elliott, 50, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and obstructing government administration 2nd. On April 19, police responded to a report of a disturbance inside a residence on Hutchins Street. Elliott is accused of pushing another person and then resisting officers' attempts to detain him. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Shamond R. Adams, 27, of Batavia, was cited on April 21 for a barking dog violation. Adams is accused of allowing his dog to bark continuously. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Shawn T. Rushok, 25, of Batavia, is charged with failure to register within 10 days as a sex offender. Rushok is accused of failing to register a Snapchat account as required as a registered sex offender. He was also charged with offering a false instrument for filing 1st for allegedly submitting false payment records to probation as proof of employment. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Miyear M. White, 22, of Buffalo, was arrested on April 26 on two warrants. In one warrant he is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 4th. In the other, he is charged with petit larceny. He is accused of stealing a credit card on Feb. 12 and using the card in a local store. He was arraigned and released.
Nicholas J. Wright, 31, of Pavilion, is charged with DWI. He was stopped on April 28 for allegedly speeding on Ellicott Street. Following the traffic stop, he was arrested and issued an appearance ticket.
Julie L. Williams, 29, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Williams allegedly sent numerous text messages to another person for "no legitimate purpose." She was issued an appearance ticket.
Paul W. Zeches, 35, of Caledonia, is charged with failure to report a change of address as a sex offender. Zeches is reportedly a Level 2 sex offender and he allegedly failed to report a change of address. He was arraigned and released.
Thomas Predmore
Thomas L. Predmore, 71, of Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th and petit larceny. Predmore is accused of stealing a wallet from another customer at a business on East Main Street on May 7. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Justin M. Wotherspoon, 37, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd. Wortherspoon is accused of pushing another person and dragging her to the ground during a fight on Clifton Avenue, Batavia, on May 7. He was arraigned in City Court and released.
Jessica L. Maye, 30, of Riga, was arrested on May 5 on a warrant. Maye is accused of failure to appear on a misdemeanor traffic ticket thwas issued in February. She was arraigned and released.
Johnathan M. Falk, 25, of Batavia, was arrested on May 5 on a warrant. Falk was initially charged with petit larceny on April 23. He was accused of stealing merchandise from tops. He allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. He was arraigned and released.
Perrion T. Swan, 33, of Rochester, was arrested on April 27 on a warrant. He allegedly failed to appear on a traffic ticket that was issued in August. He was arraigned and released.
Nathan W. Campbell, 43, of Batavia, was arrested on May 2 on a warrant. He was initially charged with trespass on March 28. He allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. He was arraigned in City Court and released.
Ryan Christopher Cook, 46, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with failure to report a change of address within 10 days as a registered sex offender and failure to verify address every 90 calendar days as a Level 3 registered sex offender. Cook was arrested April 23, arraigned and released.
David Andrew Zwolinski, 70, of Broadway Road, Darien, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Deputies were dispatched to Zwolinski's home at 10:50 p.m. on April 23 to investigate a reported motor vehicle accident. As a result of the investigation, Deputy Jacob Kipler arrested Zwolinski. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Brian Meyers, 53, of Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with harassment 2nd. Meyers is accused of pushing another person to the ground at 6:45 p.m. on April 22 at a location on Bethany Center Road, Bethany. Meyer was held pending arraignment.
Jackie M. Shade, 34, of Le Roy, was arrested on May 6 on a warrant. Shade was issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket in March. She allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. She was arraigned and released.
Alexander James Young, 29, of East Main Street, Corfu, is charged with failure to stop at a stop sign; Young, along with David Michael Hawk, 39, of McKinley Avenue, Batavia, and Brandi Rose Hough, 29, of Bank Street, Elba, are each charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Young, Hawk, and Hough were charged following a traffic stop by Deputy Jacob Kipler on East Main Street, Batavia, at 1:52 a.m. on April 25. All three were processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Fernando Campos, 28, of Flamingo Road, Sunrise, Fla., is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding, and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Campos was stopped at 12:50 a.m. on April 29 on South Lake Road, Bergen, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. Compos was released on an appearance ticket.
Matthew Joel Sanchez-Sanquiche, 27, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, and criminal contempt, 2nd. Sanchez-Sanquiche is accused of possessing a handgun without a valid permit, also in violation of an order of protection, at 3:09 p.m. on April 23 at a location on West Main Street, Batavia. Sanchez-Sanquiche was arraigned and released.
Jason A. Armstrong, no age or residence released, is charged with an undisclosed crime. Armstrong is accused of damaging the windshield of a vehicle and punching a person in the face during a fight on Route 5 in the town of Pembroke on April 20. Armstrong was arraigned and held without bail.
Megan June Courtney, 28, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 3rd, grand larceny 4th, and criminal possession of a forged instrument 2nd. On April 4, Courtney is accused of possessing a forged check and of stealing a credit card. She allegedly withdrew $7,284.5 from a victim's bank account without permission. Courtney was arrested on May 1 and held pending arraignment. Courtney was also arrested on May 7 and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Courtney is accused of leaving a three-year-old child at home with no adult supervision at 6 p.m. on May 7. The child was found running outside near the residence by himself. Courtney was held pending arraignment.
Kenneth Dwright Robinson, 50, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, unlicensed driver, and unsafe turn. At 2:17 a.m. on May 5, deputies were dispatched to Batavia Downs on Park Road, Batavia, for a motor vehicle accident. Robinson was charged following an investigation by Deputy Zachary Hoy. Robinson was released on an appearance ticket.
Joseph Jonathan Kuzma, 44, of Byron Holley Road, Byron, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and aggravated unlicensed operation. Kuzma was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance by Deputy Jonathan Dimming during a traffic stop at 8:01 p.m. on April 29 on Cockram Road, Byron. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Thomas Shameek Taylor, 37, of Munger Street, Bergen, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Taylor is accused of violating an order of protection at 11:55 a.m. on May 6 by communicating with the protected party. He was held pending arraignment.
Yannott Kishickatigqua Lone, 33, of Council House Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with burglary 2nd and criminal mischief 4th. Lone is accused of entering a building on Bloomingdale Road without permission at 4:55 p.m. on April 22 and, in the process, damaged a door. Lone was arrested on May 5, transported to the Genesee County Jail, and held pending arraignment.
Ronald Paul Dixon, Jr., 45, of East Avenue, Batavia, is charged with assault 2nd. At 11:41 p.m. on May 4, Deputy Jacob Kipler observed a vehicle parked on the shoulder of West Main Street Road, Batavia, and upon investigation, determined there was evidence of assault that had just taken place inside the vehicle. Dixon was arrested, transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing and held pending arraignment. Kipler was assisted in the investigation by Sgt. Mathew Clor.
Hector Martinez, Jr., 20, of Long Wood Drive, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 3rd. Martinez was allegedly found in possession of a stolen four-wheeler at 4:45 p.m. on May 2 at 8400 Buffalo Road, Bergen, by Investigator Chad Minuto and Investigator Howard Carlson. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance.
Kathleen Melissa Pritchard, 45, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with harassment 2nd. Pritchard allegedly had physical contact with another person during a fight reported at 6:17 p.m. on May 10. Pritchard was held pending arraignment.
Todd Jeffrey Hodgins, 37, of East Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Hodgins was stopped at 9:45 p.m. on May 10 on Broadway Road, Bethany, by Deputy Joshua Brabon. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Zachery Greer, of East Bethany, is among the more than 670 students who graduated from the University of Mississippi in December 2023.
Greer, who majored in Criminal Justice, received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree in the School of Applied Sciences.
"Congratulations to our December 2023 graduates who are distinguished by their dedication to academic success," UM Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. "They accomplished so much during their years at the university. I applaud them and can't wait to see all the ways they will continue building their legacies that began here."
December 2023 graduates are invited to walk across the stage at the University of Mississippi 2024 Commencement exercises, which will be held May 8-12. Morning Convocation will be held on Saturday, May 11 at 9 a.m. in the Grove. In the case of inclement weather, Morning Convocation will be held at 9 a.m. in the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Genesee County Deputy Highway Superintendent Paul Osborn and Assistant Engineer Laura Wadhams discuss plans to deal with an expected surge in traffic and visitors for the April 8 eclipse. Photo by Joanne Beck
If you’re planning to visit Genesee County Parkto see the total solar eclipse on April 8, you might want to take some refreshments, a blanket, and for certain — Alexander Hamilton.
County Highway officials have suggested charging $10 per vehicle for parking that day due to the expected surge in visitors and the need for additional staffing, overtime, traffic control, and related additional expenses.
“So we're on the list with the Chamber of Commerce. We're also on the list with Rochester Museum and Science Center. We received a telescope from them, and then we also received eclipse glasses, 1,000 eclipse glasses to hand out, so we'll be doing that at the gate when we collect the fee to park,” Deputy Highway Superintendent Paul Osborn said during Tuesday’s Public Service meeting. “Since it's April 8, it's a month earlier than we normally would open the park, so we have to turn the water on ahead of time. Plus, we're going to have it at three o'clock when the actual event takes place. So we have staff that has to do traffic control and whatnot, so we're gonna have additional overtime.”
Parking will be directed to fill several lots, he said, and on Memory Lane, with no clearcut way to know just how many visitors will actually come to the park that day.
“There’s no perfect thing. I mean, we’re anticipating a quarter of a million people added to the county area, so we’re hoping that it could be less, it could be more,” he said.
Assistant County Engineer Laura Wadhams added that the Chamber of Commerce staff has said to expect the day to be busy.
“The Chamber of Commerce is telling us they are expected to come to this region that day, they’ll be split up between Rochester and Buffalo and all those places, but Genesee County is in the path of totality,” she said.
The path of totality — when the moon completely covers the sun, creating a total eclipse -- will provide a few minutes of eerie and atypical darkness for the region, given it will be around 3 p.m. in the afternoon.
The park’s path will be one-way in and out, from Bethany Center Road in and out the Raymond Road entrance, Osborn said. The parking fee is to generate $14,000 of revenue for the county park, which would offset that extra staffing expense, he said.
“So there has been a lengthy process with the Rochester Museum and Science Center and the Transportation Authority, looking at how many cars came into the one out west in 2017. And the traffic patterns in and the traffic patterns out, along with the fact that we are a day trip from the greatest population centers, and all of the hotels in Rochester and Buffalo are already booked out,” Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein said. “That kind of supports the math that has gone into their estimates.”
If you check out most charts of the path of totality for the impending eclipse, it travels from the southwest United States and hits nearby locales of Rochester and Buffalo, though Genesee County Chamber staffers have listed several local sites for viewing, including Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Corfu, East Bethany, Oakfield, Pembroke and Stafford.
For more information about the eclipse, additional viewing locations and related events, go HERE.
Dylan T. Jordan, 22, of Bliss, was arrested on a warrant on Jan. 29. The arrest stems from an incident reported on Jan. 15. Jordan is accused of engaging in a fight with police officers in the emergency room at UMMC. Jordan allegedly placed an officer in a headlock and attempted to strangle him. Jordan was charged with attempted assault 2nd, attempted strangulation 2nd, criminal obstruction of breathing, obstructing governmental administration 2nd, and harassment 2nd. Jordan was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Edmund Sobresky, 54, of North Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI/Drugs. Mathew Parker, 34, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th. Katelyn Jimenez, 30, of Eagle Street, Medina, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, and criminal impersonation. Deputies conducted a traffic stop at 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 8 at Route 33 and Route 5, Batavia. Deputies determined that Sobresky appeared to be driving while under the influence of drugs. During the traffic stop, found the occupants of the vehicle were allegedly in possession of a large quantity of narcotics, enough to lead to accusations of dealing drugs. Jimenez is also accused of providing deputies with a false name. All were held pending arraignment.
Tajhenne T. Walker, 28, of Buffalo, and Ericka K. McBride, 34, of Buffalo, are charged with grand larceny 4th, possession of burglar tools, and conspiracy 6th. Walker and McBride are accused of stealing merchandise from Ulta Beauty on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, at 7:28 p.m. on Feb. 3rd. They were released on appearance tickets.
Danny D. Williams, 35, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Williams is accused of violating an order of protection on Jan. 28. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held.
Olivia J. Patten, 26, of Oakfield, was arrested on Feb. 1 on a warrant issued by City Court. Patten was initially charged on Nov. 1 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle 3rd. She was accused of driving with a suspended license. A warrant was issued after she failed to appear in court. Patten was arraigned in City Court, where the case was settled.
Scott D. Murray, 38, is charged with criminal contempt. 2nd. Murray is accused of violating an order of protection on Jan. 31 by making contact with a protected party while at the Genesee County Courthouse. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed.
Jeanna M. Hattaway, 37, of Batavia, was arrested on Jan. 30 on a warrant issued by City Court. Hattaway was initially charged on Dec. 13 with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th in connection to an incident reported in April, 2023. A warrant was issued after Hattaway failed to appear in court. Hattaway was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Adrienne S. Bechtold, 28, of Batavia is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Bechtold was allegedly found in possession of narcotics and drug paraphernalia after police responded to a report on Jan. 27 of a suspicious vehicle on East Main Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.
John A. Cabrera, Sr., 56, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Cabrera is accused of stealing merchandise from Kwik Fill on Jackson Street, Batavia, on Jan. 26. He was issued an appearance ticket.
James W. Zurek, 20, of Batavia, was arrested on Jan. 29 on two warrants. The first warrant stems from an incident in August 2022 when Zurek was charged with strangulation 2nd, assault 3rd, and petit larceny after a disturbance on Cedar Street. The second warrant charged Zurek with bail jumping 3rd. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Andrew William Taylor, 36, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Taylor is accused of stealing $39.97 worth of merchandise from Walmart at 1:07 p.m. on Feb. 2. Taylor was released on an appearance ticket.
Richard Wayne Rumble Jr., 39, of Scribner Road, Pembroke, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation 1st, unlicensed operator, and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. At 12:27 a.m. on Jan. 16, a caller reported a vehicle swerving into oncoming traffic on Route 5 in Pembroke. The caller followed the vehicle to Crosby's in East Pembroke and stayed on scene until Deputy Carlos Ortiz Speed and Deputy Ryan Mullen arrived. The deputies reportedly found a driver asleep behind the wheel of the pickup truck. Rumble was released on appearance tickets.
Philip Stewart Mayberry, 52, of South Geddes Street, Syracuse, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Mayberry was arrested following an investigation into an incident at 8250 Park Road, Batavia, at 11:47 a.m. on Jan. 22. Mayberry was released on an appearance ticket. Also charged, Shandell Marie Lissow, 35, of Allen Road, Albion.
Ashton Lea Mohney, 33, of Ross Street, Batavia, is charged with promoting dangerous contraband in prison 1st. Mohney was arrested in connection with an incident reported a 8:15 a.m. on Feb. 5. The incident was investigated by Deputy James Stack. Mohney was arraigned in City Court and ordered held. No further details were released.
Jacob William Patterson, 28, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Patterson was arrested during a check-the-welfare call at a hotel on Park Road at 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 6. He was held pending arraignment.
Jacob William Patterson, 28, of East Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with introducing prison contraband 1st. Patterson was arrested in connection with an incident at the Best Western Hotel in Batavia and transported to the Genesee County Jail. He is accused of bringing dangerous prison contraband into the jail. He was held pending arraignment.
Mary Ann Virgilio, 48, of State Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal tampering 3rd. Virgilio is accused of entering a residence on State Street Road, Batavia, at 4 p.m. on Feb. 1, and then denying the resident of the property access to the home by locking an internal screen door. Virgilio was issued an appearance ticket.
Austin Chase Durham, 28, of Dewey Avenue, Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment 2nd. Durham is accused of repeatedly sending text messages on Feb. 6 to another person with the "intent to harass, annoy, or alarm, with no legitimate communication," after being warned by a police officer to cease communication with the person. Durham was ordered held pending arraignment.
Thomas Matthew Gang, 43, of Alleghany Road, Alabama, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Gang was stopped at 5:03 p.m. on Feb. 5 on Roberts Road, Alabama by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Kristan Rae Aquino, 40, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Aquino is accused of intentionally damaging a bed inside the Genesee County Jail at 4:46 a.m. on Dec. 3. Aquino was arrested on Feb. 6 and issued an appearance ticket.
Jeanna Marie Hathaway, 37, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Hathaway was stopped at 1:20 p.m. on Feb. 9 on South Main Street, Elba, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. She was allegedly found in possession of methamphetamine. Hathaway was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.
Jeanna Marie Hathaway, 37, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Hathaway is accused of stealing merchandise from Ulta Beauty at 3 p.m. on Jan. 30. She was released on an appearance ticket.
Stephanie Marie Hockenberry, 36, of Thomas Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, driving on a suspended registration, and no motor vehicle insurance. Hockenberry was stopped at 8:07 p.m. on Feb. 9, on Route 33, Stafford, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Hockenberry was issued an appearance ticket.
Luis Alexis Harloff, 41, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and unlicensed driver. Harloff was stopped at 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 10 in the parking lot of a location on South Main Street, Elba, by Deputy Jacob Kipler.
Rob Arthur Shuttleworth, 66, of Scotland Road, Akron, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operator 2nd, driving without an interlock device, and driving left of pavement markings. Shuttleworth was stopped at 2:13 am. on Feb. 10 on North Lake Road, Pembroke, by Sgt. Mathew Clor.
Janell Marie Sauer, 48, of Summit Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Sauer was charged following a traffic stop at 2:13 a.m. on Feb. 10 on North Lake Road, Pembroke, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. Sauer was a passenger in the vehicle.
Richard James Burdick, 46, of Coward Road, Byron, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle 3rd, unlicensed operation, and failure to keep light. Burdick was stopped at 6:20 p.m. on Feb. 12 on West Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Mason Schultz. Burdick was released on an appearance ticket.
Lisa Marie Fox, 52, of Crimson Heights, Albion, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and facilitating aggravated operation 3rd. Fox was allegedly in possession of narcotics while a passenger in a vehicle stopped at 6:20 p.m. on Feb. 12. She is accused of knowing the driver was driving on a suspended license. She was released on an appearance ticket.
Amy Susan Goodenow, 43, of East Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Goodenow is accused of stealing a person's car keys and refusing to return them in an incident reported at 12:22 a.m. on Jan. 20. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Christine M. Caplis, 43, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Caplis was arrested on Feb. 13 in connection with an alleged possession of a controlled substance on April 18 during a traffic stop in Corfu. She was arrested after police investigated a disturbance on Dellinger Avenue, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Erich Douglas Hildebrant, 45, of Batavia Bethany Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Hildebrant was charged after an incident reported at 9:20 a.m. on Feb. 2. He is accused of holding a firearm in his hands while making statements and conducting himself in a manner that was detrimental to three children in his presence at the time.
Eric Weiss, a consultant with Clark Patterson Lee, shows the proposed Water District #5 in Bethany on a map to residents attending a public hearing at Bethany Town Hall on Wednesday. Photo by Howard Owens.
All but a few of about 200 residents were on board with creating Water District #5 in the Town of Bethany, and after the Town Board approved a resolution for a revised water district Wednesday evening, those property owners have 30 days to challenge the move or let it ride into the next phase of development, Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. says.
The new Water District 5 is without Sweetland Road and a portion of Fargo Road that connects Clapsaddle Road to Stafford's existing water on Fargo Road because "Monroe County Water Authority will not allow us to hook up and run the water into their water system coming in from the west side of Bethany from the town of Batavia, which is a blend of Monroe County and water from the water treatment plant in Batavia," Hyde said.
“The town of Stafford is having a meeting on Monday,” he said, regarding the dozen homes removed from Bethany’s Water District 5. “They’re considered out-of-district users. They do not count for our water district.”
Wednesday’s meeting was to review all of those legal aspects and the important financial details of the plan — a $21,680,000 project funded with a $16 million 38-year low-interest loan (with annual debt service of $554,107), yearly payments from Genesee County and a $5 million state infrastructure improvement grant.
All of those numbers boil down to an estimated unit cost (unit = property) of $1,220. That cost doesn’t follow the property owner, as it remains at that property address.
What does this mean? Public water for 350 users, Hyde said. If none of them opposes or challenges this water district, then it goes on to the state Comptroller for review. After that, it would go to bid, “and then, hopefully, we should start digging in September,” Hyde said.
If someone opposes the plan, it will be brought to a vote, and 51 percent of the property owners must say yes in order for it to proceed. That opposition will also delay the process by 90 days.
“Now it’s just a waiting game; it’s all up to the residents. The board has done everything it can do,” he said. “I’m glad. The residents asked me to get the funding, and I got the funding.
“I do have some residents who have gotten a little bit of water back in their well. They were all excited because they could use their toilet twice a day. But I do still have a lot of people whose wells have not come back yet,” he said, sharing the worst news to come out of the drought so far. “One farm is no longer in the cattle business. Because the cost to haul water is not worth the price you pay for milk. He’ll be doing some crop farming but is retired from the cattle world. Dairy is Western New York’s largest commodity; when we start losing cattle farms, what else is there? The wells still aren’t recovered. After about 14 inches of snow, and it's gone, we've had no rain, and if we don't get snow, I am really afraid of what's going to happen this July and August.”
Hyde is especially worried about what to expect down the road once spring and then summer roll around again if winter continues to be this lackluster and rain still circumvents his town. The drought has been downgraded to moderate, which he thinks is “hooey.” And the long-range forecast in the Farmer's Almanac is "not good," he said, prompting him to make his own future plans.
“I’ve got residents still picking up water because they’ve got no water,” he said. “Hopefully, we can get the tanker back in the spring. Who’d have thought in the year 2024 in New York State that it’s a third-world country? Our homes may look a little better than theirs, but it’s a third-world country with no water.”
He’s counting on having made prior contacts with the state governor, Comptroller, and Office of Emergency Management, that there will be people to help out again later this year with a water tanker when possible. Emergency Management loaned a 6,700-gallon tanker to the town this past fall so that residents could fill their water totes for a month at Bethany Town Hall.
Meanwhile, at least 350 property owners can cling to another water district’s formation by this fall, once and if all gets approved, for a completion by 2026.That district would run down Townline Road north to Route 20 and be in the center of town. It has been a long time coming, with conception in 2017 and a USDA low-interest loan of $16.5 million. It was looking hopeful, and then COVID came along, and prices shot up for an escalated total project cost of $21.5 million. The town was turned down on its first attempt at a state $5 million grant to make up the difference, but fortunately received better news this past December, and now has the funding.
Property owners would be responsible for the pipe service to their homes, at about $15 to $25 per linear foot, which engineer Eric Weiss of Clark Patterson Lee estimated to be about $500 total, depending on the size of the property and circumstances. The cost of water would be about $6.48 per 1,000 gallons, for an estimated $388.80 per household. All of the debt service costs roll into the approximate yearly bill of $1,220 per property owner.
During the meeting, a resident asked what would happen to all of the trees along her property. The answer covered trees, flowers, driveways and other similar items on properties, and that was “we’re going to avoid as much destruction as possible,” Weiss said.
Contractors are given directions for how to navigate obstructions such as long tree roots. “They will excavate on either side and will push the pipe through it,” he said. As for other outdoor landscaping, “they will restore it to the way it was.”
A few folks didn’t like government-funded programs of any type, but by and large, the majority of attendees seemed in favor of proceeding with this water district.
"The residents are happy that it's moving forward," Hyde said.
Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. Photo by Howard Owens.
2023 File Photo of a Bethany resident filling up his water tote due to severe drought and dry residential wells, a situation that hasn't changed as we head into 2024. Photo by Howard Owens
Declaring a State of Emergency hasn’t produced a miracle in terms of water for the dehydrated town of Bethany, Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. says, but it has established the seriousness of what town residents are facing for their future needs.
“It lets the state and federal officials know the dire situation we are in, and when we file paperwork for Water District 5, that it is expedited,” Hyde said to The Batavian Thursday. “The DHES (Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services) is looking to figure out what else they can do to help out the residents. And when it comes time to review the paperwork, we have priority.”
As the declaration stated, there are 100 residential properties and two large farms without water due to empty wells. All of them are having to travel to fill water totes on a regular basis to meet their needs, including one farm that requires 60,000 gallons a day to sustain its operation.
“That means having drivers and trucks, some are paying to have it hauled, and the fuel expense,” he said. “There’s a lot of money tied up in this.”
Lack of precipitation has taken the blame for the severe drought in the area, and with little rain and snow yet to come, wells have not recharged and “we still have people that are running out of water,” Hyde said.
There have been a few bright spots in this section of Bethany desert: a state water tanker was sent to the town for a month so that citizens could get their water totes filled at town hall; private donations generously supplied residents with several pallets of bottled drinking water; and a second attempt for a state grant to shore up funding for Water District 5 was approved at the end of 2023.
Right now, it’s full steam ahead with the legalities for the water district, Hyde said. Since the original budget and related funding fell through due to COVID issues, a new budget and paperwork need to be drafted, and another public hearing will have to be scheduled, he said.
“The water district is still moving forward. We’re waiting to hear from the town’s attorney about the public hearing … that should be in the next two to three weeks. Because of the budget overrun, we have to take it back to the residents,” he said. “We have the full funding for the project, (the residents’) cost doesn’t go up, we have to make them aware of where we’re at in the process of doing the legal stuff.”
2023 File Photo of Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. reviewing the town's water districts, including the latest Water District 5, which will be a go, thanks to the $5 million WIIA grant awarded to the town. Photo by Howard Owens
Tuesday afternoon was unexpectedly busy and gleeful for Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr.
And while still being embroiled in town residents’ plight of dry wells and being in need of daily water supplies, he found something to smile about, he says.
“We’re on the list,” he said about the town’s placement on the state’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Award approvals. “My phone’s been ringing off the hook. I heard from Steve Hawley and J.W. Cook from the governor’s office. He called to say congratulations, you got your grant. I’m very happy.”
Bethany was approved for a $5 million WIIA grant for its Water District 5.
The town has been enduring dozens of dry wells for home, business and farm owners the last several weeks, with one large farm hauling 60,000 gallons of water a day and residents making weekly treks for water to sustain their household needs. A tanker from the state Office of Emergency Management and generous donations from private companies have helped fill the gap as the town anxiously waited for news about a second application for the grant.
The first application was denied, and town officials submitted a second one earlier this year, anticipating to hear back by the end of December. Water District 5 runs north to Route 20 and includes 440 residential properties.
Two-thirds of town residents will have public water by the time the district is completed, and then District 6 will be next. That will require a survey to find out if those residents are in favor of a water district, he said, because at least 51 percent will need to be on board with a yes for it to proceed.
“I’ve got a lot of paperwork to do before it goes out to bid. And they’ve got to review the bids when they come back. So, with any luck, our word, according to the engineers, my discussion with the engineering firm is our goal is to start digging by August … for a completion 16 to 18 months after that.
He notified board members, who were “ecstatic,” and let some businesses and farmers know about the grant.
“They understand it’s a long process, but at least it’s light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
The town has already received a low-interest (2 percent) USDA loan of $16.5 million to be paid back over 38 years by property owners, and the $5 million is a grant with no pay-back strings attached. There will have to be budget amendments due to the price adjustments of a previously lower-cost project before COVID came along and caused delays and price increases, he said.
But that won’t undermine his momentary good spirits and the news that residents should celebrate, he said.
“It’s a good thing, it’s a bright spot in our dark time here in this drought,” he said. “But it’s not gonna save us at the moment.”
Residents are still showing up at the town hall for twice-weekly water fills, at the rate of 2,000 gallons every two hours. Hyde estimated that the 6,700-gallon tanker might be empty again by Thursday, which will be the second time so far. Genesee County has been transporting the tanker for refills.
Two other Genesee County municipalities were also on the list for awards:
The Town of Le Roy was on the list for a $5 million WIIA grant for Water District 12. Town Supervisor Jim Farnholz was not available for comment late Tuesday afternoon.
Genesee County was also listed for a $30 million bond for its Phase 3 water project. County Manager Matt Landers was not available for comment late Tuesday afternoon.
A donation of four pallets of drinking water by Eric Santos, second from left, of Casella Waste Systems, arrives at Bethany Town Hall Friday morning for residents who have been struggling without water. Submitted Photo
As town officials and residents work through a water shortage brought on by drought, all of them have said it has been the worst they have ever seen since living in Bethany, many of them for decades. Fill dates are being scheduled week by week from a tanker that was provided by the state Office of Emergency Management.
Santa came early again for a visit Friday morning, in the form of a donation of four pallets of bottled water all ready to be distributed to residents, Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. said. Operations Manager Eric Santos of Casella Waste Systems had heard about Bethany's plight and showed up with his crew and the much-welcomed donation of water at town hall, Hyde said.
"The town of Bethany will start distributing these cases to the residents on the list whose wells have gone dry on Tuesday morning during normal office hours during the week and on Tuesday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. during tote fill time and Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m.," Hyde said.
Bethany residents in need who have not yet called the town hall for help are asked to call 585-343-1399, Ext. 202 to leave your name, phone number and address to be put on the list for the town supervisor.
At least 100 residents -- though some people have claimed it's far more than that through social media postings -- have been without water due to their wells being dry, and they have had to transport water from other areas up to the tanker being delivered this past week.
Hyde said that more dates will be scheduled soon, as the plan is to continue to fill residents’ totes until the tanker is empty, get that refilled by the county, and then repeat for as long as the town has the tanker.
Bethany Town Board member Timothy Embt helps out at the water tanker on Saturday at the town hall parking lot. Photo by Howard Owens
Jerry Kujawski had no trouble with Saturday’s rule of first-come, first-served to fill up his 300-gallon water tote. In fact, he made a return trip to fill it up a second time to help out a neighbor, and he was only the third or fourth person who had been at Bethany Town Hall to do so for the two-hour fill-up period.
When it seemed as though there would have been dozens of people clamoring for a go at the pump connected to a tanker of water to shore up their dried-up wells, the parking lot was empty most of the time.
Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. had put out the notice that anyone with no water could get their totes filled between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday at the town hall, and he and members of the Bethany town board and fire department stood at the tanker ready and waiting.
Kujawski, a resident of Bethany for the last 28 years, had never seen a drought this bad, he said, though it’s been steadily getting drier the last three years or so. He had a 300-gallon tote on a trailer and dumped that into his well to be used for necessities in the household and, through reverse osmosis, drinking water.
He then returned to fill it again for a neighbor who didn’t have the means to transport a tote.
“We've had just a little bit of a drought sometimes in the summertime, and then we wait about a week or two, but other than that, it's just the last three years have been the worst,” he said. “Since the end of July, I’ve been hauling water. I’ve been getting it at Stafford, at the highway department, it’s an 18-mile round trip, sometimes twice a week.”
By comparison, it’s only a couple of miles from his house to Town Hall, where he’ll be able to fill up for the next month while the town has possession of the tanker. New York State Office of Emergency Management drove it from the Albany area filled with 6,700 gallons of water and has loaned it to Bethany for 30 days. Genesee County personnel will transport it for refills, County Manager Matt Landers said Thursday.
“And I appreciate it, I don’t know what I’m gonna do in another month after this leaves, they’ll have to come up with another system, hopefully, for us,” Kujawski said. “This is the worst year that we’ve had, to haul all summer, probably into September or maybe when you get to July and somewhere in there in August … I never had to haul water this long, I’m gonna go towards Christmastime. So it’s kind of crazy.”
Hyde took the low turnout in stride, saying that he was “disappointed, but I’m not disappointed.”
“I have several residents who said they were going to come today and get water, they know we're going to be open 11 to one, they know we're doing this, those that show up and get water, get water and those that don't show up, they’re on their own. The town board is here making an honest effort to do something for the residents of Bethany. If they don't take advantage of it, there's nothing we can do about it,” he said. “We're gonna do it again Tuesday between 5 and 5:30 for two hours, and maybe Thursday or Friday, the same thing, we'll know more as we go. It all depends on how much we take out of the tank. Once we get the tank down to zero or close to it, I have to call the county. They're gracious enough to come and get the tanker, haul it into Batavia, fill it and then bring it back. So it all depends on how many show up. Or how many don’t. So when it's empty, it's empty. There's nothing I can do about it for two or three days.”
He has set two more days for fills: 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
Town Board member Diane Fowler is one of the lucky ones with water, but she understands what so many are going through, she said.
“The situation around us is really horrendous for people that have to live without water. And even the people that have water, it may not be drinkable, you know, or it's just eating up their pipes, their appliances, and different things like that. So, to get public water here, this is the biggest water district that we're trying to put in, District Five, and to get this water in will give the majority of Bethany public water, which will make such a difference to improve their lives,” she said. “And I mean, that's what we want to do. We want to make it healthy for people to live here. And people want to come here, that's the next thing. Some people may like the idea of being in a rural community and love the idea of Bethany, because it's what, seven miles to Batavia, seven miles to Le Roy, seven miles to Warsaw. And it's a great place. But when you hear these stories about not having water, then it keeps people away. “
The town applied for a state Water Infrastructure Improvement Assistance grant once and was denied. Another application has been submitted, and town officials are waiting to hear about that, hopefully by the end of the year, Hyde said. The grant would supplement another grant of $16.5 million already obtained to install District Five, which is geographically central to Bethany.
The other option would be to obtain a low-interest loan for the $5 million needed to complete the project, which would be paid for by district residents.
Meanwhile, town residents have been driving several miles roundtrip to fill totes with water. Firefighter Don Frank thought that perhaps residents hadn’t heard about the tanker and that it would take time for word to get around.
“We’re going to hit every household with a flyer,” he said. “This is just the beginning of what has to happen. This is going to be a big project.”
Another consideration is that not all residents have a 250- or 500-gallon tote handy, the trailer necessary to haul it behind their vehicle, he said, and the means to empty it into a well. Water is 8.34 pounds per gallon, so a filled 250-gallon tote weighs 2,087 pounds.
Jeff Fluker, a board member and chief of Bethany Volunteer Fire Department, said there’s a whole other issue that’s at stake with the ongoing drought situation: the potential for not having enough water to fight fires.
“There's a big, big water shortage. So in order to get water, the ponds have now dried up. The ponds are very low, there's hardly anything in the ponds at all,” Fluker said. “So now we’ve got to drive farther away to a hydrant across town to get water from there. Or if there's a creek, a spot in the creek where we can get something in there, maybe, but other than that, it's gonna be a tough goal.”
Fluker hopes that someone — perhaps Genesee County legislators — will have a plan to help out these areas of highest dehydration. Otherwise, there may come that moment of reality when flames are blazing, and the hose is dry.
“So that’s something that we need to get moving on, yesterday. I don’t know if anybody realizes what it’s like not to have water. I mean, they think they don’t have water for their homes. But what if something happened, a fire comes along, does anybody think about that?” he said. “What’s going to happen there? That’s even worse yet. Now you’re going to be homeless, just because we didn’t have water that probably could have been fixed awhile ago.”
He said that there are discussions happening, but it’s hard to get water with farther drives and “a long, drawn-out process trying to get something done in a short period of time.”
“And it’s, you know, it’s an uphill battle,” he said. “Even in the middle of the winter, you can cut a hole in a pond and get your water out that way. You can’t even do that. You don’t even have water to cut out to get.”
Town Board member Tim Embt feels “very fortunate” that he has water and a water system installed at his home, he said, but also understands that “everybody else here has been fighting this for years and years.”
“I mean, we arguably should have had municipal water here 30 years ago, through the county, but that never happened. So this is where we are today. All we can do in the short term is help people out as best we can and hopefully get the grants from theState to actually go through with the project as planned without having to bump their taxes up to a reasonable level,” he said. “Because that's the only thing that really concerns me is, I know we have a lot of retirees on fixed incomes in the town here, and that's a lot of money on top of what they're already paying. I understand you’ve gotta have water, I certainly understand that. But unfortunately, in this world, nothing is free.”
All of them said that they will most likely be there for water fills a few times a week, including Saturdays, for the next month. Hyde will issue public notices of future times and dates on The Batavian.
Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. explains a map of the Bethany water districts and how an acquifier runs all the way around the town property but not on it. Photo by Howard Owens
Bethany resident Jerry Kujawski fills up his tote with water Saturday morning at Bethany Town Hall. Photo by Howard Owens
Bethany firefighter Don Frank helps out with the water-filling process Saturday. Photo by Howard Owens
Joanna F. Larnder, 30, of Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Larnder was arrested by deputies on a sealed indictment. Larnder is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force. She was previously arrested on charges stemming from a warrant executed by the task force in late August in the City of Batavia. During the search, she was allegedly found in possession of cocaine with the intent to sell. She allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered on those charges. Larnder was released on her own recognizance in compliance with current bail laws on the drug charges. She is being held on bail-jumping charges.
Carrie Ann Stewart, 43, of West Avenue, Attica, is charged with petit larceny. Stewart is accused of shoplifting from Old Navy on Veterans Memorial Drive at 4:48 p.m. on Sept. 27. She was arrested on Nov. 11. She was processed at the Genesee County Jail and issued an appearance ticket.
Katherine Marie Fremgen, 35, of East Avenue, Clarence, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, failure to yield right of way, and moving from lane unsafely. Fremgen was stopped for alleged erratic operation at 10:29 p.m. on Sept. 27 on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, by Deputy Alexander Hadsall. Fremgen was arrested on Nov. 13 based on the results of a blood test. Fremgen was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Edward Ruckdeschel
Edward G. Ruckdeschel, 61, of Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 3rd and two counts of grand larceny 4th. Ruckdeschel was arrested on Nov. 14 by State Police on a theft reported at 9:07 a.m. on Oct. 19 in the Town of Batavia, on a theft reported at 5:55 p.m. on Oct. 19 in the Town of Bethany, and on a theft reported at 7:14 a.m. on Oct. 20 in the Town of Alexander. He was ordered held. The State Police, contrary to state law, did not release any further details of the cases. )See previously: Parolee with lengthy criminal record accused of multiple vehicle thefts in the county)
Richard W. Rumble, 38, of Corfu, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Rumble was arrested by State Police at 2:32 a.m. on Nov. 12 in the Town of Pembroke.
The fact that Jennifer Cobb's birthday and Halloween fall so close together may be why she has such an affinity for the holiday, Cobb conceded during a tour of the haunted house she, her husband, and children created on their property in Bethany.
"My mom always kind of combined them," she said.
For one of her birthdays in her 20s, her mom bought her a casket.
"Every year since I was a little kid, I've enjoyed Halloween," Cobb said. "I've always done big, extravagant things. This year, I decided to go super, super big. In the years past, I've built haunted houses out of my parent's garage and let the public in. I was on the news for that in Buffalo. Then we moved out here and did big huge parties, but I'm like, 'nobody's gonna come out here.' It's too much of a drive, and then we were like, we'll give it a shot, and I hope it's gonna be good. So we'll see. But I love Halloween. I love to scare people."
Her birthday is five days before Halloween.
If you visit the Leising Manor and Graveyard, you will start in the house's dining room, where you will gaze upon a rather macabre dining scene, then you will walk through a haunted kitchen and into the expansive back yard into the trails in the woods where you will find ghouls, goblins, witches, ghosts, cadavers and skeletons among the graveyards scattered among the trees.
Asked why she likes Halloween, Cobb said, "I don't know. I think it's just because it takes people out of their element. Sometimes it makes them really question, 'What drives me, what scares me, what are my fears?' I don't know. I like the gore and the creativity of it. It means something to everybody different. It's just one of them things that you don't have to be a certain religion to like Halloween. You can just like it, you can be young, or old. It doesn't matter. There's no age limit."
The attraction is free, but Cobb said she is asking for donations.
"I'm trying to raise money for a friend who just recently had a fire and lost everything in the fire," she said.
The haunted house is open from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Monday and on Halloween, which is Tuesday. If it rains, Cobb said, "we'll make the best of it." The address is 9772 Bethany Center Road, East Bethany.
