elba

Nicholas A. Cianciosi, 68, of 400 E. Main St., Apt. #429, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal mischief -- property damage greater than $1,500. The defendant is accused of intentionally knocking over a 2003 Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was parked in the 400 Towers apartment complex parking lot, causing $5,014.78 in damage to the motorcycle. The incident allegedly occurred at 6:15 p.m. on May 23. Cianciosi is due in Batavia City Court on June 21 to answer the charge. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Frank Klimjack.

Karissa K. Sardina, 34, of Needham Street, Perry, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and having an unattended motor vehicle. It is alleged that at 11:55 a.m. on June 1 on Main Street in Batavia that Sardina parked her vheicle in the parking lot of a local bank and left the vehicle running and unattended. She is accused of leaving her 3-year-old daughter in the car to go inside the bank and conduct personal banking business. She was due in City Court June 6 to answer the charges. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Frank Klimjack, assisted by Officer Kevin DeFelice.

Marshall R. Steffans, 38, of Condon Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child -- acting in a manner injurious to a child under age 17, criminal mischief -- intentionally damaging property, and third-degree criminal assault -- acting with intent to cause physical injury. Steffans was arrested on June 2 on an arrest warrant out of City Court on the charges, which followed his arrest on April 18 on Liberty Street in the city following a domestic incident. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis, assisted by Officer Arick Perkins.

Michael T. Coffey, 48, of South Main Street, Albion, is charged with third-degree burglary, criminal mischief -- intentionally damaging property, and petit larceny. Coffey was arrested at 6 p.m. on June 5 on East Main Street in Batavia after police responded to a reported burglary in progress. While officers were en route, the suspect was located in the area and detained. Coffey is accused of breaking a window and stealing property from inside the building. He was due in Batavia City Court on June 6. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Nicole McGinnis.

Brandon James March, 32, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with disabling equipment -- preventing communication with emergency services, and fourth-degree grand larceny -- taking property from another person. March was arrested on Cone Street in Batavia at 10:05 p.m. on June 2 following a domestic incident. March is accused of taking a cell phone belonging to another person while that person was attempting to call 9-1-1. He was jailed without bail and was due in City 
Court June 5. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison.

Andrew Charles Maier, 30, of Main Road, Corfu, is charged with aggravated DWI with a BAC of .18 percent or more with one prior conviction, DWI with a previous conviction within the last 10 years, and speeding over 55 mph. He was arrested at 8:29 p.m. on June 3 on Colby Road in Pembroke following a traffic stop. He was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Pembroke Court on July 18. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy McClellan, assisted by Deputy Eric Seppala.

Patrick D. Moore, 39, of Strouts Road, Elba, is charged with third-degree criminal mischief -- intentionally damaging another person's property in an amount greater than $250. Moore was arrested June 4 on an arrest warrant out of City Court. Batavia police were dispatched on March 1 to 13 Holland Ave., Batavia, for a disturbance. After an investigation, charges were levied and an arrest warrant was issued for Moore. He was due back in City Court on June 5. The case was handled by Batavia Nicole McGinnis, assisted by Officer Chad Richards.

Bennie Wright, 32, of Jay Street, Rochester, is charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and unlawful possession of marijuana. At 5 p.m. on June 3, Wright allegedly stole money from another person on Central Avenue in Batavia by taking the money out of the person's hand. Wright was allegedly found to possess marijuana during his arrest. The case has handled by Batavia Police Officer Jamie Givens, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Nichol L. Schutt, 29, of West Crest Drive, Gates, is charged with second-degree harassment. On June 3, Batavia police arrested Schutt on an arrest warrant -- stemming from an unspecified incident at 1:50 a.m. on June 1 on West Main Street in Batavia -- after Gates police detained her for a traffic stop. She posted $500 bail and was released. She is due in City Court on June 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Morgan L. Cox Jr., 25, of Xavier Street, Clarence, is charged with DWI, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and refusal to take a breath test. Cox was arrested after an investigation into a fight that occurred on Trumbull Parkway, Batavia, at 11:05 p.m. on June 3. Witnesses allegedly identified Cox as being involved in the fight and claimed he drove away from the scene. He was located in the area and subsequently arrested. He was jailed on $1,000 bail. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison, assisted by Officer Felicia DeGroot.

Travis Martin Klotzbach, 26, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with: moving from lane unsafely; drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle on a highway; DWI -- common law; and aggravated DWI -- per se -- with a BAC of .18 percent or more. Klotzbach was arrested following a traffic stop at 10:02 p.m. on June 3 on Pearl Street. Police pulled over his 1997 blue Ford Expedition after a complaint of erratic driving. He was allegedly found to be operating the vehicle while intoxicated with a BAC of .23 percent. He was issued traffic tickets and released. He is due in City Court on June 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Eric Bolles.

Aisha I. Culver, 18, of Willow Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact, and endangering the welfare of a child -- acting in a manner injurious to a child under age 17. She was arresred on May 26 on Willow Street. The charges are linked to a disturbance that police responded to at 8:05 p.m. on May 20 on Maple Street. She was released with an appearance ticket and was due in City Court on May 30. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis, assisted by Officer Arick Perkins.

David P. Grossman Sr., 34, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with obstructing governmental administration and unlawful possession of marijuana. The charges stem from an incident at 5:44 p.m. on March 1 on State Street, Batavia. Officers responded to a distrubance and it is alleged that Grossman Sr. was resistant with officers and tried to prevent the officers from taking him into custody. After his arrest, he was allegedly found to possess marijuana. He was due in City Court June 6. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards, assisted by Officer Frank Klimjack.

Dora L. Poodry, 23, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She was arrested on May 28 on East Main Street in Batavia after allegedly stealing multiple items from a convenience store. She was issused an appearance ticket and was due in City Court on June 6. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Lindsay Christopher.

Thomas A. Carson, 41, of Wood Street, Batavia, was arrested on June 5 on a Batavia City Court bench warrant issued May 5. He was jailed on $2,500 bail and was due back in court the same day as his arrest, June 5. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Patrick J. Dickinson, 48, of East Henrietta Road, Henrietta, is charged with second-degree harassment and unlawful possession of marijuana. He was arrested following the investigation into a road rage incident which occurred at 10:05 a.m. on June 3 on Main Street in Batavia. Dickinson is accused of chasing down the occupants of another vehicle and shoving one of them. At the time of his arrest, marijuana was allegedly located inside his vehicle. He was released on an appearance ticket was due in City Court on June 6. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison, assisted by Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Christopher M. Grant, 28, of Schaefer Drive, West Seneca, was arrested June 3 on a bench warrant out of City Court. The warrant was issued after Grant failed to appear on a misdemeanor traffic ticket. He posted $250 bail and was released. He is due back in City Court on June 20. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Press release:

This a reminder to all Village of Elba residents who have received easement notices for the new water project:

If you have received notice of a temporary easement for your property and have not signed and returned it yet, or if you have received notice of a permanent easement for your property that needs to be signed, notarized and returned, please plan to attend a meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, at the Town of Elba conference room at the town office on Maple Avenue.

The project engineer, Jason Foote from Clark Patterson, will be there to answer any questions. If you are unable to attend the meeting, you may call Jason at 402-7505.

Barry Flansburg, Elba's tax assessor, will also be in attendance for those who need to have their paperwork notarized. Original easements to be signed will be available Monday - Friday between 8 and 10 a.m. in Barry's office on Maple Avenue, Elba.

This is an important part of the process that needs to be completed in order for the Village of Elba to move forward in replacing the old water lines.

A car crashed into a pole and injuries are reported at Drake Street Road and Pekin Road, Elba. Elba Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 7:58 p.m.: Mercy Flight #5 out of Batavia is on ground standby. The telephone pole struck, and torn down, is at 3869 Drake Street Road. National Grid has a 20-minute ETA to repair the damaged pole. Power is out at the residence at that address.

The Elba Lancers Golf Team is the Class C Section V champion after scoring a 172 on Thursday at the Livingston Country Club, beating out seven other teams, including second-place Honeoye, which carded a 187.

In the rain-shortened championship, Henry Pflaumer shot a 40, while Joe Lane, Ben Pflaumer, and CJ Gottler all had 44. The Lancers added to their Genesee Region Division II Championship along with Ben Pflaumer's Individual Class C Sectional Title. Only three other golfers in the field shot 44 or lower.

The team is coached by Mike Cintorino.

Submitted photo and information.

Press release:

To all Village of Elba residents who have received easement notices for the new water project:

If you have received notice of a temporary easement for your property and have not signed and returned it yet, or if you have received notice of a permanent easement for your property that needs to be signed, notarized and returned, please plan to attend a meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, at the Town of Elba conference room at the town office on Maple Avenue.

The project engineer, Jason Foote from Clark Patterson, will be there to answer any questions. If you are unable to attend the meeting, you may call Jason at 402-7505.

Barry Flansburg, Elba's tax assessor, will also be in attendance for those who need to have their paperwork notarized. Original easements to be signed will be available Monday - Friday between 8 and 10 a.m. in Barry's office on Maple Avenue, Elba.

This is an important part of the process that needs to be completed in order for the Village of Elba to move forward in replacing the old water lines.

Press release:

"What is the biggest challenge you face in your business?" is a question often asked by the Agri-Business Academy students during tours of local agriculture businesses. The answer is almost always the same. "Labor."

The challenge of finding dependable, hardworking individuals for stable, well-paying careers in agriculture has been a constant battle for agriculturalists for years. As the instructor of the Agri-Business Academy, I've spoken with local agribusiness people from more than 100 local agribusinesses and the need for good employees is a common thread.

The common misconception is that these are not careers, but physically demanding jobs that do not require a college degree and involve a way of life that many would not willingly choose. Today, agribusinesses are usually seeking applicants with college degrees, technology and management experience, and business and communication skills. What is most important is that the compensation aligns with these requirements. In addition, the benefits and satisfaction that comes from working in the agriculture industry is unlike any other.

Agriculture continues to be the number one industry in Genesee County and the driving force of the local economy. When students of the Agri-Business Academy toured Torrey Farms, among the largest agribusinesses in New York state, they heard Maureen Torrey Marshall explain that Torrey Farms does not simply employ a few people in the surrounding community.

She described the multiplier effect, which means that other businesses, such as trucking companies, mechanic shops, equipment dealerships, transportation hubs, technology, fuel and fertilizer suppliers, and many others are all part of the agribusiness economy. Most people do not recognize the many different aspects of agriculture and the need for individuals with a broad array of interests and expertise. Animal and plant systems, food products and processing, agricultural mechanics, precision agriculture, agribusiness networks, international trade, environmental and conservation systems, and energy use are just a few of the trades under umbrella of agriculture.

To ensure that the agriculture community has the employees they need to thrive, and to continue to be the bedrock of our community the Agri-Business Academy is again seeking high school seniors to learn about careers in all aspects of agriculture. The Agri-Business Academy is a one-year partnership program between the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership and Genesee Community College.

Through this program, the students earn 15 college credits through the ACE program at Genesee Community College. They spend half the school day in the Agri-Business Academy enrolled in the following five college courses: Western New York Agriculture, Career and Educational Planning, Principles of Business, Principles of Biology and Public Speaking.

Throughout the year students tour area agribusinesses to learn and experience these businesses, job shadow professional producers and at the end of the year each student participates in a two-week internship. This year's Agri-business Academy students are working at their internships experiencing many different aspects of agribusiness -- from robotic and organic dairies to maple syrup and crop management and much more.

The following locations throughout Western New York are currently sponsoring student internships: DeLaval Dairy Services in Corfu, WBB Farm in Alden, Beaver Meadows Audubon Center in North Java, Merle Maple Farm in Attica, Cottonwood Farms in Pavilion, Cornell Cooperative Extension in Wyoming County, Schierberdale Holsteins, Perry and WNY Crop Management in Warsaw.

If you know of a current junior or underclassman who is interested in business or agriculture, or is unsure of a career path, please encourage them to apply for the Agri-Business Academy at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. Through the Agri-Business Academy, students explore the plethora of wonderful careers available to them -- locally, internationally or often it is a dynamic blend of both.

Whether they like working inside or outside, with their hands or crunching numbers, handling heavy equipment or studying the nuances of soil (agronomy), tending to livestock or discovering how technology can help feed the world-the "Ag Academy" is a career starter.

Jack Klapper, an Agri-Business Academy graduate and Cornell University assistant men's basketball coach, said, "I would recommend this academy to anyone, whether they are pursuing a career in agriculture or not. The life skills I developed in this program are some of the best skills I have ever learned."

Applications are available at http://www.genesee.edu/home/ace/career-pathways/agri-business-academy/.

The first 20 students to submit their application will receive a free Genesee Community College flash drive wristband.

Questions? Please do not hesitate to contact me at 585-344-7783 or kirchardson3@gvboces.org. Check out the Agri-Business Academy on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Agri-Business-Academy-680673051998953/

Top photo: Agri-business Academy student Cherie Glosser of Warsaw High School with calf at Post Dairy Farms.

Agri-Business Academy students at Torrey Farms, in Elba.

Agri-Business Academy students at Porter Farms in Elba.

Agri-Business Academy students at SJ Starowitz Farm, in Byron.

Robert R. Richmond, 53, of Wood Street, Batavia, is charged with possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child less than 16, and possessing a sexual performance by a child less than 16. Richmond was arrested following an investigation and he is accused of using a publicly accessible computer to view child pornography. The incident occured at 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 20 at an unspecified location in Batavia. Richmond was issued an appearance ticket for City Court at 1 p.m. next Tuesday, May 23. The case was investigated by Batavia Police Det. Eric Hill. (According to Batavia PD, no mug shot is available of the defendant.)

Charles Gregory Monacelli, 43, of West Bacon Road, Albion, is charged with petit larceny. On May 13 at 10:30 a.m., while attending Bontrager's Auction on Wortendyke Road in the Town of Batavia, he allegedly removed a tailgate from a pickup truck that was parked on the side of the road and drove off with it. He was arrested on May 14 and is due in Town of Batavia Court on June 13. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Chad Cummings.

Roy Derwood Hooten, 56, of South Main Street, Oakfield, is charged with promoting prison contraband. Hooten was jailed on May 16 at 3:40 p.m. for an unspecified reason and when he entered the jail he had a walking cane, according to the Sheriff's report. Allegedly later than evening, the cane was found to contain 10 cigarettes. Today, he was charged with promoting prison contraband. Hooten is due in City Court on May 30 to answer the charge. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Joseph Loftus.

Matthew Brian Starowitz, 28, of Whitney Mill Road, Elba, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and a muffler exhaust violation. Starowitz was stopped at 11:42 p.m. on May 12 on Byron-Holley Road, Stafford, following the observation of a vehicle and traffic violation. The defendant allegedly possessed a quantity of marijuana on his person at the time. He was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Stafford Court on June 16. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong, assisted by Deputy Howard Wilson.

Bryan Charles Greek, 31, of Electric Avenue, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. At 1:40 a.m. on May 13, the defendant was arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana following a traffic stop on Clinton Street Road in Stafford. He allegedly possessed a "rolled cigar" containing marijuana. Greek was issued an appearance ticket for June 16 in Town of Stafford Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong, assisted by Deputy Ryan Young.

Batavia City School District:

Budget - $49,870,585 (increase of $5,504,146 or 12.41%: $0.00 increase in tax levy)
Yes - 374 (81.84%)
No  - 83 (18.16%)

Establish $7.5 Million 10 Year Capital Reserve 2017 -
Yes -  370 (80.96%)
No -    87 (19.04%)

Board of Education positions (2):
Two terms from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2020 
Barbara Bowman, 293
Tanni Bromley, 279

Oakfield-Alabama Central School District
Proposition #1-Budget
Yes:  297
No: 53

Proposition #2-Buses
Yes: 290
No: 60

Proposition #3-Athletic Equipment
Yes:  258
No: 92

Proposition #4-Capital Reserve Fund
Yes:  288
No: 59

Board Members (Three Vacancies)
Chris Haacke, 208
Bonnie Woodward, 171
Jennifer Kirkum, 170
Tim Edgerton, 162
Andrew Merkel, 142
Bruce Pritchett      141

Elba Central School District

Proposition #1 Budget - $9,273,839
Yes: 136
No: 26

Proposition #2 – Authorization to establish the 2017 General Capital Reserve Fund 
Yes: 132
No: 29

Proposition #3 – Authorization to appropriate and expend from Transportation Vehicle and Equipment Capital Reserve to purchase one (1) 65 passenger school bus
Yes: 134
No: 28

Two Board of Education seats with two candidates running:
Travis Torrey, 149
Michael Augello, 134

Byron-Bergen Central School District

Proposition 1, Budget
Yes: 327
No: 153

Proposition 2:  Bus purchase
Yes: 340
No: 150

The Elba Central School Drama Club performs a Broadway musical review they've dubbed "Spotlight" at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 13, in the school's auditorium.

Drama Club members past and present were invited to audition for the show, performing show tunes of their choosing so long as they numbers hadn't been part of a past or an upcoming show.

After the performance, audience members will be invited to participate in a mega game of musical chairs in the gym.

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra performs in Elba Central School at 4 p.m., Sunday, in its final concert of the season.

The program is called "Escaping Gravity: A Journey Through the Stars," and features "And God Created Great Whales," by Hovhaness, "Music from Apollo 13," arranged by John Moss and featuring the String Workshop, "Suite from Close Encounters of the Third Kind," by John Williams, and "The Planets," by Holst.

Musical Director S. Shade Zajac conducts.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for students, $10 for seniors and families are $35. Tickets can be purchased online at GeneseeSymphony.com.

Photos are from Monday's rehearsal.

Press release:

The Elba Hall of Fame Foundation will be hosting a Beef on Weck Dinner Tuesday May 16th from 4-6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of the Elba Central School.  

Eat in or take out is available!

Dinner includes sandwich,  macaroni salad, salt potatoes, baked beans, dessert and beverage. Dinner costs $8. Pre-sale tickets are available at the Elba Central School District office and will be available at the door as well. Pre-sale ticket purchases are encouraged to guarantee a meal.

The Elba Hall of Fame Foundation is currently taking applications for this year inductees. Applications are available on the Elba Central school website, and in the Elba Central School District office, and during the dinner May 16th.

Elba Central School is located at 57 S. Main St., Elba.

Submitted photo: Batavia CTE Center FFA members, from left: Alex Morales (Batavia), Rebecca Meyers (Batavia), MacKenzie Fox (Byron-Bergen), Melissa Keller (Pembroke), Tracy Rudgers (Attica), Stella Glosser (Warsaw), Cherie Glosser (Warsaw), Rebecca Semmel (Warsaw), Elizabeth Jurs (Elba), Allison Pajda (Attica), Rachel Smith (Churchville-Chili), and Tyler Curbelo (Batavia).

Press release:

Two Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center students will be representing the Western Region at the New York State FFA Convention in Leadership Development Events on May 11-13 at the State University of New York at Morrisville.

While competing at the FFA sub-states competition on March 18 at Pioneer High School, Allison Pajda, an Attica High School junior in the Animal Science program, placed first in the People in Agriculture Leadership Development Competition, and Melissa Keller, a Pembroke High School senior in the Agri-Business Academy, placed second in the Employment Interview Skills competition.

In the Employment Interview Skills competition, students had to complete a phone interview, an in-person interview with three evaluators, and write a follow up letter. In addition, students’ resumes, cover letters, and applications were also evaluated. The judges’ scores in all of the above areas were averaged to determine the overall placing. For the People in Agriculture competition, Allison had to research and present on five different careers in agriculture and choose one career to write an essay about. Allison interviewed a local livestock producer and wrote her essay on his career.

New York State has three different sub-state regions and the top two students in each region move on to compete at the State Convention for the Leadership Development Competitions. Prior to the sub-states competition, 12 Batavia CTE Center students competed at the district competition, which was held at Springville High School on Feb. 28. Those 12 students scored high enough to advance to the sub-states competition.

The Batavia CTE Center FFA program focuses on premier leadership, personal growth and career success. The advisors are Holly Partridge, Animal Science instructor, and Kerri Richardson, Agri-Business Academy instructor.

Sub-states Competition Results:
Employment Interview Skills -- Melissa Keller (Pembroke), second
People in Agriculture -- Allison Pajda (Attica), first
People in Agriculture -- Tyler Curbelo (Batavia), third
Parliamentary Procedure Team -- third

District Competition Results:

Prepared Public Speaking -- Melissa Keller (Pembroke), first
Prepared Public Speaking -- Rebecca Meyers (Batavia), sixth
Extemporaneous Public Speaking -- Tracy Rudgers (Attica), fifth
Extemporaneous Public Speaking -- Cherie Glosser (Warsaw), ninth
FFA Creed -- Liz Jurs (Elba), third
FFA Creed -- Alex Morales (Batavia), fourth
Employment Interview -- Tracy Rudgers (Attica), second
Employment Interview -- Melissa Keller (Pembroke), third
Employment Interview -- Stella Glosser (Warsaw), fifth

People in Agriculture -- Allison Pajda (Attica), first
People in Agriculture -- Tyler Curbelo (Batavia), second
Agricultural Issues – MacKenzie Fox (Byron-Bergen), Rachel Smith (Churchville-Chili, and Rebecca Myers (Batavia), second
Parliamentary Procedure -- Rebecca Semmel (Warsaw), Melissa Keller (Pembroke), Tracy Rudgers (Attica), Cherie Glosser (Warsaw), Elizabeth Jurs (Elba), and Stella Glosser (Warsaw), second

About the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center

The Batavia Career and Technical Education Centeris a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services providing shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York.

Maureen Torrey, co-owner of Torrey Farms in Elba, was at the White House today along with other representatives of the country's farmers, for the signing by President Donald J. Trump of an executive order aimed at boosting agriculture and rural communities (Full text of the order).

Torrey said the farmers also met with the president and his staff and there was a productive, positive discussion about labor, infrastructure, research, trade, NAFTA, Canada and Western NY dairy.

Torrey is pictured on the far left, back row.

UPDATE: Here's a related press release from the NYS Farm Bureau:

New York dairy and vegetable farmer, Maureen Torrey from Genesee County, joined 13 other farmers from across the country for a roundtable discussion yesterday with President Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall was a part of the discussion as well on issues the White House believes are most pressing for American agriculture.

Following the roundtable, President Trump signed an executive order that acknowledges a reliable, safe, and affordable food, fiber and forestry supply is critical to America’s national security, stability and prosperity. The order also establishes an interagency task force, to be chaired by Secretary Perdue, charged with identifying legislative, regulatory and policy changes that would enhance American agriculture, rural economic development, job growth, infrastructure improvements, technological innovation, energy security and quality of life in rural America. The report from the task force is due within 180 days.

“It is an honor to have a representative of New York agriculture invited to play an integral role in the roundtable discussion at the White House,” said David Fisher, New York Farm Bureau President.  “Farm Bureau looks forward to working with the administration and Congress on issues like trade, farm labor and regulatory reform, with the goal of boosting American agriculture and increasing access to New York-grown food.”

The event is an historic occasion, as it is believed the last time a group of farmers met with a U.S. president this early in an administration was prior to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980.  

It followed the swearing-in of newly confirmed Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. New York Farm Bureau is supportive of Secretary Perdue and is pleased to see him finally in place as the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Secretary Perdue is one of us. He grew up on a dairy farm, raised row crops, and was an agri-business owner. It is important to have someone in this position who understands trade, immigration and a whole host of other issues that are vital to a farmer’s success. Secretary Perdue spoke about having the opportunity to visit New York during his confirmation hearing, and New York Farm Bureau would like to personally invite him to our great state to showcase the opportunities and challenges that exist for our diverse membership,” said Fisher.

A reader says this dog seems to be wandering the area of Batavia Elba Townline Road, near Plum Creek Driving Range, the past few days, apparently lost.

The dog is skittish and the reader hasn't been able to get close enough to check for tags.