A flood watch is in effect for much of WNY through today and tonight.
From one to two inches of rain could fall by this evening, with as much as three inches in localized areas.
Creeks will rise and roadway ponding in low-lying areas is possible. Motorists are advised to drive with caution.
Lamar Iteef Randall, 27, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal impersonation, aggravated unlicensed operation and speeding (71 in a 55 mph zone). Randall was stopped for allegedly speeding at 5:50 p.m., Wednesday, on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, by Deputy Joseph Corona.
Paul W. Zambito, 64, of Kendall Road, Pavilion, is charged with forged inspection. Zambito was stopped by a Wyoming County Sheriff's deputy in the Town of Covington for an alleged expired vehicle inspection and no front plate. His vehicle inspection was allegedly found to be forged.
Cassi Ann Schutt, 26, of West Crest Drive, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny and trespass. Schutt was allegedly observed by security at Walmart shoplifting $270 in merchandise. Schutt was charged with trespass because she has been allegedly banned from all Walmart stores because of a prior shoplifting accusation.
Terry Ann Fulmer, 60, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Fulmer is accused of stealing $32.03 in merchandise from Kmart.
Daniel P. Ingraham, 44, of 12 Fawn Ridge Road, Henrietta, is charged with obstructing governmental administration, 2nd, and open container. After Batavia PD was dispatched to Austin Park to investigate a report of an intoxicated male, Ingraham was allegedly observed driving a 1990 red Chevrolet Blazer through the back parking lot of the police station. Ingraham parked and got out of the vehicle. Officers reportedly attempted to escort Ingraham into the police building for further investigation when he allegedly fled, running through Austin Park. He was apprehended on Porter Avenue. Ingraham was ordered held without bail pending his next court appearance.
A car as reportedly struck a deer in the westbound lane of the I-490 near mile marker .06 and injuries are reported.
Le Roy fire and Bergen fire and ambulance dispatched.
UPDATE 7:20 a.m.: Minor injuries at most.
UPDATE 7:21 a.m.: Fire apparatus response cancelled. Le Roy Ambulance can handle. Only bruising from airbags reported.
Wanna box?
Now you can.
For the first time in a decade or more, Batavia has a gym with a boxing ring.
Hands Up MMA, like the name says, isn't just about the sweet science, but owner Joseph Bailey (top photo) said with his lifelong love of boxing and Batavia's once rich tradition of boxing, it was important to him to bring boxing back to the city.
Bailey is a fan of boxing, but his passion is for mixed martial arts and he believes that is a sport that will only grow locally and throughout the state.
"Some people view that sport as gruesome and violent -- those who don't have a full understanding of the sport, but it's just as competitive as rugby would be, or hockey or lacrosse," Bailey said.
The gym, which officially opened today in the Harvester Center, provides a well-rounded workout with bags, ropes, tires, climbing walls, for anybody interested in combat sports.
Several young fighters found the gym while Bailey was still building it and started working out with him. At least four of them are planning to compete for the first time in a MMA tournament in Rochester on Sept. 29.
"We offer training in kickboxing, jiu jitsu, wrestling, boxing and we try to incorporate it all together," Bailey said. "We'll also offer self-defense training and a course on knife and gun disarming that will be taught by a Green Beret."
The gym is already drawing a diverse group of people.
William Sutton is a Purple Heart-decorated Army veteran who honed his fighting skills by training to become an Army instructor in hand-to-hand combat.
During a tour of duty in Korea, he found boxing and MMA were big with the troops there. He was 13-0 as a boxer and 2-0 in MMA.
"Growing up in Batavia, it wasn't like it is nowadays," Sutton said. "Growing up in Batavia, a lot of times we would fight before school. We would fight after school. Fighting was a big part of Batavia. It's a tough town to grow up in. I've been fighting my whole life and I just continued that in the Army."
Sutton was wounded in Afghanistan and is now retired from military service. The injury and his commitment to the Veterans Administration prevents him from ever again fighting competitively and he's limited by military obligations in what he can teach, but working out in a gym of fighters appeals to him.
"Everybody who comes to an MMA gym seems to be just more humble," Sutton said. "People that go to a regular gym, you know, walk around trying to impress each other. At an MMA gym, all that BS is just put aside because we can put on the gloves and go in the ring. Put your hands up. Talking and stuff don't go here."
All his experience and success, though, puts Sutton in a position to help young fighters and he said he's always happy to train with them and answer questions and offer pointers to those willing to listen.
Bailey really hopes Hands Up becomes a vehicle for promoting boxing in Batavia. He plans to hold regular tournaments involving gym members that will be open to the public.
"Boxing used to have a big history in the City of Batavia," Bailey said. "The community is unaware of that and what I would like to do is get members of the gym to spare and promote boxing and hopefully get some viewers in to watch tournaments."
As we spoke, an older gentleman walked past the front windows and you could see his eyes light up as he looked inside.
There was little doubt, he was a boxer.
The first thing Robert Janes (top inset photo) did when he walked in was hit the speed bag. Later, he would say it was the first time in 13 years he punched a speed bag.
A native of Palm Springs, Calif., Janes was involved in Golden Gloves in the early 1970s.
Now living in Stafford and working pouring concrete, Janes was clearly thrilled to be in a boxing gym again and he said he can't wait to start working out there.
"I just want to stay healthy," Janes said. "I want to keep my head right. Any time I was ever in the gym, any time I was ever involved in any kind of organized boxing, I was good. Once I walked way from that, I was in big trouble. Now I'm 60 years old. I want to come back to it. I want to bring my granddaughter and my grandson into it."
NOTE: I want to do a story about the boxing in Batavia in the 20th Century. I have a copy of a book by Butch Zito, but I would like to find old pictures and other memorabilia. Few, if any, of the former boxers are still alive, but perhaps sons and daughters have memories about their boxing relatives to share. Write to me at howard@thebatavian.com.
William Sutton
Tim McCullough, from Batavia, and Sutton.
Also pictured in the slide show training is Josh McCarthy of Batavia (wearing yellow).
Wind and rain over the past few weeks are making muck farmers a little edgy about their onion crop for this season.
They know now they won't have a bumper crop, especially from fields planted with seed rather than transplants, but what happens with the weather over the next four weeks will be critical.
Following two-and-a-half inches of rain last week, they need some dry whether, but another inch of rain is forecast for tomorrow (Thursday).
"It would be nice if it were 80 degrees, sunny and a little bit of breeze," said Paul Mortellaro of G. Mortellaro & Sons.
On a tour of the muck today, Mortellaro pointed out the fields planted with transplants look pretty healthy. They're less susceptible to rain and the bigger plants are better equipped to respirate (pump off the water from the ground).
Fields planted with seedlings have been thinned out by wind -- wind can shear off an onion top -- or have been too saturated by water and there's been some die-off.
The right time for some rain would be when the onions start to bulb, which is three our four weeks from now.
"What determines the size of the onion is its size when it starts to bulb," Mortellaro said. "We need some good rain during that time."
Even with the slow start, the muckers could get perfect whether the rest of the season and enjoy a good harvest.
"Three or for weeks from now, this all could be forgotten," Mortellaro said.
"He's right," said Maureen Torrey of Torrey Farms. "We have a long way to go before our crops are made."
Beyond that, Torrey was hesitant to comment because she didn't want to jinx anything.
Christian Yunker at CY Farms said early indications are yields will be down this year, but how much depends on what happens with the weather the rest of the growing season.
Right now, he said, a lot of onions have "wet feet," and that inhibits their growth. Like other farmers of the muck, he's hoping tomorrow's storm doesn't do too much damage and then we get some dry weather.
"It's pretty early to tell, but we've taken a little bit of a hit," Yunker said. "They're not off to a great start, but it's too early to say your yield will be down to X."
Photo: A seeded muck field. The dead-looking plants in between the green rows of onions is barley, planted along side the onion seeds to act as a wind break. Once the onions reach a certain stage of grow, the barley is killed off.
When we e-mailed a series of questions to Steve Hyde seeking more details on the process by which tax subsidies were approved for COR Development to redevelop a portion of Batavia Towne Center, we also e-mailed five questions to Mary Pat Hancock, chairwoman of the Genesee County Legislature.
Under state law, in order for state sales tax abatements to be awarded to a retail development project, a finding must be made that meets a specified requirement. The finding must be made by the Genesee County Economic Development Center Board and confirmed by the chief executive -- in this case, Hancock -- of the government agency overseeing the IDA.
For the COR project, the GCEDC board passed a resolution finding that the proposed retail project would provide goods and services not readily available to Genesee County residents. The only confirmed tenant for the space at the time was -- and still is -- Dick's Sporting Goods.
Hancock said she was not available to respond within the deadline set by The Batavian. We received her answer today. Below are the questions we e-mailed and her e-mailed response.
Questons:
1. Did you conduct any independent research to substantiate the board's decision?
2. At the time you wrote the letter, what did you know about the proposed tenants for the retail space? Were the names of all the businesses communicated to you, and if so, was it your understanding that contracts had been signed or whether these businesses were just proposals?
3. On what factual basis did you base your decision to confirm the finding? What is it about the proposed businesses that caused you to reach the conclusion that they would provide goods and services not readily available in Genesee County?
4. What do you say to a comment such as Mike Barrett's, that tax incentives for retail are like "using your own tax money to put yourself out of business"?
5. Should the existing businesses in Genesee County that must now compete against subsidized national chains receive any tax breaks or other mitigation to level the playing field for them?
Hancock's Response:
Dear Howard;
I do appreciate your forthright and direct manner. It is refreshing. Howard, I am going to frame my reply by indicating how I proceeded to educate myself regarding the proposed project. I hope it covers the intent of your request.
The Legislature does appoint the GCEDC Board. We believe they are a group of outstanding citizens with very strong business sense…as demonstrated by their own careers. They are also committed to the economic health of our community, or they wouldn’t be spending hours of their valuable time volunteering on the GCEDC Board. Because they have a strong business sense, they also have a very strong respect for the law and carefully follow the latest and most accurate legislature and regulations guiding IDAs. I attended the meeting where they discussed the issue thoroughly. At a subsequent meeting they voted in favor of proceeding with the project.
The Legislature has an attorney. It would be foolhardy for me to sign an official letter without checking the legality of the document with our attorney. He is a careful attorney and checks out his information on many levels. He researched the law and provided me with a copy of the statute as recently amended. He also gave me his written opinion as to the requirements of the law and its application to this project. I was assured that we were acting within our legal rights.
The Genesee Economic Development Council (sic) was required to hold a public hearing and make specific findings of fact before awarding incentives, and did so on this matter. I did attend the hearing and heard a positive presentation and only six persons spoke against the development.
Howard, I remember how that area looked before the development. It was sad. The lack of development in that area did not result in a healthy Batavia downtown. It looks, and is, more vibrant now, not only in that Town of Batavia area, but downtown as well. We hope to keep it that way…and better. I am most hopeful and confident that each step we take to attract new and suitable businesses to our area…will benefit all of us. Howard, I know you and I share the same desire for a successful, livable, and economically healthy community. We may not agree on everything, but our goals are surely the same.
A second person has been accused of illegally growing marijuana in Le Roy following a raid Friday of a residence on East Main Street, across from Wolcott School.
Charged with unlawful growing of cannabis, a Class A misdemeanor, is 33-year-old Michael J. Penvose.
Penvose was in the news in April after he was accused of stealing a thermometer from Le Roy's Dollar General store. Penvose told officers he stole the thermometer because he had a sick infant daughter. A Le Roy police officer purchased the thermometer for Penvose.
Members of the the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force, assisted by Le Roy PD and Sheriff's deputies, executed a search warrant on the Penvose residence and because of the uncertainty of what might occur during a law enforcement raid, officials asked that students at Wolcott "shelter in place."
Penvose was also cited for alleged unlawful possession of marijuana and issued an appearance ticket on both charges.
Sara Schimley, 23, was home at the time of the raid and also charged with unlawful growing of cannabis, a Class A misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana.
A tractor-trailer fire is reported on the Thruway near mile marker 381 in the westbound lane.
At least one caller has reported the fire. It's not known what cargo the truck may be carrying.
Le Roy Fire Department is responding.
Mile marker 381 is just west of the West Bergen Road overpass.
UPDATE 5:09 p.m.: A chief on scene reports there is no fire. The truck driver is having mechanical trouble.
Local runners today carried the Special Olympics torch into Batavia down Route 98 from Elba.
First grade students from throughout Genesee County made a field trip today to Post Farms in Elba for the Farm Bureau's annual "Dairy Days" educational event.
The 645 students were able to meet cows, calves, goats and meats, sample honey, dairy products, play in different soils -- and with worms.
Dozens of parents along with teachers -- 125 adults total -- also participated in Dairy Days, which each June for Dairy Month.
Jeff Post said it's important to help children learn about where their food comes from.
If you don't educate children about farming early and often they just grow up not knowing and not caring about where their food comes from and that doesn’t coincide with what we’re trying to do on a daily basis," Post said. "We’re trying to create friends of agriculture and not people who don’t know why they need to follow a tractor slowly down the road on their way to work or why it might smell like manure outside."
To purchase prints of these photos, click here.
Phony "high-end" season passes for Darien Lake Amusement Park and the campsites, complete with wristbands, were allegedly being sold at the parking lot of the Flying J Travel Center in Pembroke some time today. They were said to be selling for $200 and, apparently, some people bought them.
A Sheriff's deputy is responding to the travel center after dispatch received a call from officials at Darien Lake. There is no description of the seller(s) or the vehicle, but the deputy is investigating the matter.
UPDATE 7:32 p.m.: Barbara Pierce, a spokeswoman for Darien Lake, offers the following clarifications. Darien Lake is not allegeding anything. Officials received a call that caused concern about wristbands being sold by an unauthorized seller and asked the Sheriff's Office to check it out. There was no concern about season passes, just wristbands that are provided to guests of the park's hotel and campgrounds to gain access to the theme park. The bands are color-coded daily and a caller contacted Darien Lake to try and find out what color was being used today. The park was closed today so there was no wristband for the park today.
Next week, Hollywood comes to Batavia.
GoArt!, in partnership with local author Bill Kauffman -- author of such books as "Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette" and "Look Homeward America" -- and filmmaker Ronald F. Maxwell -- director of the Civil War epics "Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals" -- will host a screening of the movie "Copperhead" on Thursday, June 13.
This will give locals a chance to see the film before its official release in theaters on June 28.
"Copperhead" takes place in Upstate New York during the Civil War. Kauffman wrote the screenplay, based the novel "The Copperhead" by Harold Frederic, and Maxwell directed it.
Both men will be at the screening, and the movie will be followed by a short presentation by Kauffman and a Q&A session with Kauffman and Maxwell.
In anticipation of the screening, they spoke with The Batavian about the project itself, their collaboration over the years, among other things.
(To Ron): I understand you have been a longtime fan of Bill Kauffman. So this is a two-part question:
A. When and how did you first discover his work?
B. When and how did you two come into contact?
Ron: Actually the second thing happened first. We both attended an event in Washington, D.C. --- at which he spoke -- sometime in the mid-1990s. I was impressed with his wit, with his use of language, his sense of humor, and his insight, and that started a long friendship. I subsequently read his writings, and we stayed in touch over the years.
Bill: “Copperhead” was actually my second screenplay. The first one was a project that Ron and I started developing several years ago. This was also an historical film, and it almost made it into development but didn't. We still hope it will someday. So "Copperhead" was my second screenplay, but it was the first to be produced.
(To both): What drew you to this material?
Bill: I probably first read the book 25 or more years ago. Harold Frederic was one of the great Upstate New York novelists. In fact his most well-known book, "The Damnation of Theron Ware," was hailed by F. Scott Fitzgerald as the best American novel before 1920.
Edmund Wilson, the great literary critic, praised Frederic's "Civil War Stories" for being unlike any other Civil War fiction. There's no Southern "moonlight and magnolias" romanticism, and there's no Northern "Battle Hymn of the Republic" righteousness; these are hard, unsentimental but very poignant stories of life in the North -- specifically Upstate New York -- on the home front during the war...the people left behind.
And this particular story, "The Copperhead," is about a farmer, a respected man, in a little hamlet in Upstate New York -- he's an old-fashioned Democrat who is against the war. And he is standing up, really, against his community on this. The community is torn apart, his family and the family of his chief rival are torn apart. So these people are casualties of the war in a different way.
The film is also, I think, about the resilience and resourcefulness of the people at home during wartime. It's a rich and complex story about our area, for one, and also about a fascinating time in American history.
Ron: As soon as I read it I thought, "Wow, this would be a terrific subject for a film." And I kind of ruminated for a while until about three and a half years ago, when it came up in conversation with Bill over dinner in Connecticut. I think he mentioned it first, but we both knew the novel and admired it. It was very interesting to me to explore the whole issue of the dissenters in society -- especially within the context of the Civil War, because I had already explored the reasons why good men chose to go to war in the other films, whether they wore blue or gray. Here was a film where you could explore why a good, ethical man chose not to go to war. It's the other side of the coin.
(To Bill): How was the screenwriting process different from the process of writing a book?
Bill: It’s a whole different style of writing. Writing a book is very much a solitary endeavor, although there is give-and-take with the editor. Movies are totally collaborative ventures. Even with the screenplay, Ron and I consulted throughout. Ron has a great sense for how to tell a story. So it was a very harmonious collaboration -- he's a great guy, and we work well together.
(To Ron): You wrote the scripts for both "Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals." Why did you choose to have Bill write this one?
Ron: Well, as I said, it came up over a dinner, and by that time he and I had collaborated on the earlier project that he wrote. So I knew that he could do it. And I think part of the dynamic there is that when you write a screenplay, you need to focus big time and stop doing everything else. At the time we started to talk about "Copperhead," I was totally immersed in something else, so I could not write the screenplay myself even if I wanted to. But I knew he could. So I worked with him, you know, in the way that a director-filmmaker works with a writer. We closely collaborated on it, but he in fact did the writing. A lot of times in Hollywood there are shared credits when a director works with the writer, but I'm a strong believer that the writer gets the credit. Because the writer is doing the work.
So, just as on the earlier screenplay, we collaborated but Bill adapted the novel. And I knew that his sensibilities would be very responsive to it. It takes place, as you know, in Upstate New York. And Bill was not only aware of this novel, but he had read other works of Harold Frederic.
In a sense, Bill is a regionalist. He's very aware of where he lives -- not just of how it is now, but of its history and literary traditions. So he was already connected to the history of this part of the world, and to Harold Frederic specifically. So of all the writers in the world, he was probably the most perfectly adapted to work out the screenplay.
If you know Bill's other work, one of his preoccupations is small town America. He has made the choice to live in small town America because he thinks that that's where American values are embodied and where the "simpler life" can be lived. That's a theme that runs through all of his nonfiction, and is certainly one of the themes of this particular story. One of the things ("Copperhead") explores is living in a rural community. I'm sure it was much more rural, with a much smaller population, back then than it is now. But again, Bill was predisposed to understanding and exploring the values of these people.
(To Bill): Were you a fan of Ron's films before this?
Oh yeah, absolutely. He's the great cinematic interpreter of the Civil War. This is his third Civil War film, but it's on a different scale. ("Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals") had scenes with thousands of extras colliding on the great battlefields -- they were Civil War films set behind the lines.
Were you intimidated by the prospect of writing a script for him after seeing the scope of his previous films?
Bill: Well, you know, I might have been, but we had known each other. We're friends, so in that sense it was comfortable. But it was a challenge. I like challenges, and I have over the years read a lot of screenplays in preparation for this film. I'd read a number of screenplays of films that I like very much -- everything from Paul Schrader's script for "Taxi Driver" to Graham Greene's screenplay for "The Third Man." So I had an idea of how to do it, and Ron was an invaluable guide to picking up the form and grammar of a screenplay.
(To Ron): Had you ever in your life heard of Batavia before meeting Bill?
Ron: No, and I wasn't even sure whether to say Bat-ah-via or Bat-ay-via. But I guess it's like that Cole Porter song, "You say tom-ay-to, I say tom-ah-to."
(To Bill): Are there any local connections in "Copperhead"?
Bill: There is one specifically Batavia reference -- it's a little bit of an inside joke -- early in the film. Some folks will pick up on it. But I can't tell you anymore.
Also, my daughter, Gretel, and the daughter of one of the producers have cameos in the film. It's during the barn dance scene -- look for the "giggling girls."
(To Bill): Did you have chance to visit the location shoots in Canada? If so, what was this like?
Bill: I was there for about four to seven weeks. I went up a couple different times. I got a real kick out of watching these characters that existed on paper become real. And it's funny, because some of the characters ended up looking very different from how I thought they'd look. But I think the actors really brought to life and enriched the story with their own contributions. They did a lot of studying, put a lot of thought into the roles, and I think it shows on the screen.
(On Ron as a director): You hear stories of these tyrannical, dictatorial directors, but Ron is nothing at all like that. He's very much in control, and the production is well run. But he listens to people, everyone gets along, and it's very harmonious. He does a lot of planning (before production), and that shows in that there's a real efficiency about it. It was shot over about seven weeks, and there were no wasted days. They worked from sunup to sundown. It was very impressive.
(To Bill): I understand the actors were instructed to study your Western New York accent. What was that experience like?
Bill: (Laughs) Yes, they had a dialect coach from Canada who did a great job with them. We don't have any tapes of what people in Upstate New York sounded like in 1862, so one of the things she did -- unbeknownst to me -- was send them videotapes of speeches of mine. So it was kind of fun on the set when actors would come up to me and ask, "How do you say 'apple'? How do you say 'orange'?" Of course, we're not aware of our accents. To us, we speak normally and everyone else has an accent. And when someone asks you to pronounce something, inevitably a little bit of self-consciousness creeps into you, you know? You exaggerate whatever little accent you might have. But yeah, that was a lot of fun. And fortunately, they do not all sound like me (laughs). They develop their own accents and styles of speaking.
(To Ron): Many of the actors in "Copperhead" are a bit less well-known than a lot of movie stars out there. Was this an artistic decision on your part?
Ron: Yes, very much so, insofar as you want (as a filmmaker) to be able to have the creative freedom to cast the way you want. We made a decision early on that we were not going to chase the movie stars. Because then you're always at the mercy of their schedules, their price tags, and competing for their time with the major studios. So suddenly you're not in control of your own movie. And I've played that game, so I know that game. We wanted to be independent and just cast the movie the best way we knew we could, make the movie we wanted to make, hope that it would stand on its own merits, and get it to the public.
The reason people get the big stars is because those stars will get the movie financed and distributed. It's a simple formula. So if you think you can have alternate ways of getting the movie financed and distributed, then that allows you artistic freedom.
(To both): How did the upcoming screening/fundraiser come about?
Ron: We thought, as part of our marketing and promotion of the movie, that it would behoove us to do a number of screenings across the country to help generate word of mouth and grassroots support of the film. And we thought, "What better way than to ally with charitable organizations?" So we looked for charitable organizations that we could feel comfortable supporting, and we have about 18 or 19 of these all across the country.
Bill: The producers asked me about having one of the screenings in Batavia, and I of course jumped at the chance. And I thought GoArt! would be a great organization (to support), and they were enthusiastic about sponsoring.
(To Ron): What interests you about the Civil War Era as a filmmaker?
RM: Well, you know, I was drawn to it so many years ago now...it took me 15 years from the time I read (Michael Shaara's) "The Killer Angels" (the book on which "Gettysburg" is based) until the time "Gettysburg" was released in the theaters. I didn't know it was going to take 15 years, and I certainly didn't know I would spend another 10 years making "God and Generals," and then another 10 years before I could make "Copperhead." That's a lot of years altogether -- it's a big chunk of anyone's life to spend on one historical period. It's not like I set out to do that, it just kind of happened that way.
But along the way I came to realize that it has been a deep and abiding interest. It's just endlessly fascinating, and these are stories that have been very compelling to me. I have other kinds of projects I've been working on -- I have a Western I've been working on, a project on Joan of Arc, contemporary films...I'm always juggling them and trying to get them financed like other filmmakers. But it's just kind of worked out that "Gettysburg" led to "Gods and Generals," which led to "Copperhead." A lot of that is my own focus and my own energy, but some of it is serendipitous.
(To Bill): What draws you to writing about small town America?
BK: Well, it's where I've spent most of my life -- it's where I am now. To me, Batavia was always a source of fascination. Every story you could tell was on its streets and in its buildings.
It's not that people in small towns are better than people in big cities. But I think because of the smallness and intimacy of the scale, it's a place where the individual can matter. In the anonymity of the big cities and suburbs, sometimes the individual can get lost in the crowd. To me, life in a small town seems more real, more immediate. I also think that small towns get the short shrift, both culturally and politically. It's unexplored territory.
(To both): Do you have any words of advice or encouragement for readers who might be aspiring toward successful careers in writing or filmmaking?
Bill: Words of advice for aspiring writers? I guess I'd say Read Read Read Read Read. Persevere. And don't get discouraged.
Ron: Well the most important thing is for aspiring filmmakers to develop and protect their own voice -- and not kind of mimic, copy, cater, pander or be what they think someone else wants them to be, what Hollywood wants them to be, or what any third party wants them to be. Because then they are wasting their own time and everyone else's. If they can hold onto that little voice inside them that is their unique voice, that's the most important thing. That's what we want to hear and watch.
The screening of "Copperhead" will take place at Genesee Community College's Stuart Steiner Theatre, at 1 College Road in Batavia, and start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for GoArt! members and $25 for non-members.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to www.goart.org/events.php#Copperhead or call 343-9313.
Supplemental: "Copperhead" trailer
Photo of Ronald F. Maxwell directing courtesy of George Nicholis.
Abigail Engel is looking for help locating her lost 4-year-old cat. The feline has been missing for several days now.
He usually just stays inside her Darien home and has never been outside for 24 hours before.
The cat belongs to Abby's brother, who is presently stationed in Japan.
Anybody with information can call (585) 813-5508.
The Bank of Castile celebrated 20 years in Batavia this afternoon with a community gathering at its East Main Street branch and by presenting a gift backpack with a $500 donation in it to the backpack program of United Way.
Above, Erik Fix with United Way of Genesee County accepts the basket from Diane Torcello, branch manager, and Jim Fulmer, president and CEO of the Bank of Castile.
Castile branches traditionally celebrate their anniversaries with gifts to the community, bank officials said.
Branch employees picked the backpack program for the 20th anniversary gift.
"At the Bank of Castile, we have always been a strong believer in the good that United Way does in our community," Torcello said. "We are proud to support the program with a contribution."
A former Oakfield resident admitted in County Court today that prior to his sentencing on burglary charges in March 2012, he violated his release under supervision agreement and fled the area.
Benjamin W. Muntz, 24, is currently in state prison on a burglary conviction, but the pre-sentence report done previously for his grand larceny conviction is now out of date and must be redone.
There also needs to be a new report done on his conviction for bail jumping prior to sentencing.
Sentencing on both charges was set for Sept. 4.
Muntz is currently serving three and half to seven years on his burglary, 3rd, conviction. He faces another three-plus years for burglary, which could be served either concurrently or consecutively, depending on Noonan's decision in the fall.
The sentence on the bail jumping charge, which could be from one and half to three years, must be served consecutive to any other sentence, according to state law.
Muntz was returned to Genesee County after serving a brief jail sentence in Arkansas and he is wanted in Georgia.
Rick Mancuso, left, was honored Saturday as the 2013 Genesee County Distinguished Citizen by the Iroquois Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America. He's pictured with BSA Council President Dr. Thomas Madejski
The award recognizes a local resident who has significantly advanced the cause of the greater good and has made this a better community by:
The honorees are selected by a group of community peers in each county, including several former honorees along with input from our Chairman Roger Triftshauser.
Keynote Speaker for the event was Congressman Chris Collins. An Eagle Scout, Collins spoke about his experiences as a youth and adult Scouting leader. He has taken the values of Scouting to the halls of Congress, where he displays a Scouting flag outside his Capitol Hill office. His congressional coin displays the Boy Scout motto ‘Be Prepared’ and the Cub Scout motto ‘Do Your Best’.
Other honorees included Dan Wilson (Lockport), Jim Miles (Lyndonville), Larry Rogers (Pike), and Matt Cole (Livonia).
Photos by Kevin Carlson of Carlson's Studio. Information provided by Jim McMullen.
Press release:
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) joined a bipartisan push to restore funding to programs and services for the developmentally disabled. Hawley voted against the cuts in this year’s budget and supported a budget amendment to prevent the reduction from ever occurring. As a cosponsor of bipartisan legislation to restore the funding, Hawley indicated that the issue transcended party politics.
“One of our greatest obligations as New Yorkers is to support and care for our vulnerable citizens,” Hawley said. “The organizations in our community that support the developmentally disabled are led by selfless individuals who give of themselves to provide world-class care.
"As someone who has opposed these cuts since the very beginning, it breaks my heart that these programs were ever in jeopardy. However, it is great news that we are able to come together across party lines and attempt to right this wrong in a bipartisan fashion. I will continue to advocate for the programs and services that developmentally disabled New Yorkers and their families rely on.”
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