An accident with possible injuries is reported in the westbound lane of the Thruway in the area of mile marker 384.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance along with Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 9:37 a.m.: A first responder reports a pickup truck with severe damage to the passenger side. There's a semi-truck involved, too. No word on injuries.  

UPDATE 9:42 a.m.: Landing zone being set up on the Thruway for Mercy Flight. The Thruway will be closed for the landing. Once the helicopter has left, firefighters will clean up the roadway of accident debris and then open one lane.

UPDATE 10 a.m.: Mercy Flight is in the air. One lane being reopened. Mercy Flight is headed to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 10:11 a.m.: Both lanes open. State Police and Thruway Authority responsible for traffic. Le Roy fire back in service.

A caller reports an ashtray on fire or smoking was removed from a home and is now smoldering on the sidewalk at 2879 Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road. Oakfield Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 8:20 p.m.: Oakfield assignment back in service.

Press release:

The Santa Rosa Labyrinth -- a winding path in which participants walk from beginning to end -- will be set up at Blue Pearl Yoga on Saturday Feb. 13. It takes approximately 20 minutes to walk the labyrinth.

This seven-circuit labyrinth is divided into four quadrants and includes a unique space on the fourth circuit in line with the labyrinth’s “mouth” or center. Called the “heart space” this area is not walked by serves as a sacred vessel for holding symbols of one’s issues, needs, or celebrations. Looking at the path, walkers realize that this heart space is approached from all four directions, allowing the participant to view his/her symbols from various points of view.

There are many examples of the Santa Rosa Labyrinth in the United States but the one at Blue Pearl Yoga is on loan from the First Unitarian Church in Rochester and will be hosted by Harriette Royer. Harriette will be offering a brief introduction to the Labyrinth Quest throughout the afternoon so participants can deepen their experience as they proceed through the labyrinth.

Marianne Skye, owner of Blue Pearl Yoga says, “Walking the Santa Rosa Labyrinth is a beautiful experience and one that I am happy to share with our Blue Pearl Yoga community.”

Anyone interested may visit the labyrinth between 12:30 and 3 p.m. on Feb. 13. There is no cost but donations will be given to the Spay Our Strays program at the Batavia Animal Shelter. For more information visit www.bp-yoga.com.

Adam M. Kruetz, 27, of Ross Street, Batavia, is charged with strangulation, 2nd, petit larceny and criminal mischief, 4th. Kruetz allegedly grabbed the throat of another person at 10:20 a.m. Sunday at 5 Ross St., Batavia, and caused that person to nearly lose consciousness, then stole property and broke an item belonging to that person. Kruetz was jailed without bail.

Elizabeth A. Wortman, 28, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and driver's view obstructed. A witness reported a vehicle driving erratically on Lake Street Road, Le Roy, on Monday. A Le Roy PD patrol stopped Wortman's vehicle on Lake Street and Wortman was allegedly found to be intoxicated.

Michael J. Elmore, 25, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal impersonation. Elmore was located in the parking lot of 305 E. Main St., Batavia, and Elmore allegedly provided false identification to a Batavia police officer in an attempt to avoid arrest on a warrant.

Joseph A. Auricchio, 25, of Broadway Road, Darien, is charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument. Auricchio was allegedly found in possession of a needle at 4:53 p.m. Monday at a location on South Main Street, Batavia.

Brant Gordon Matthews, 21, of Maple Avenue, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Matthews allegedly showed up to a probation meeting at 2:08 p.m. Monday with marijuana in his pocket.

Tyler D. Price, 23, of East Main Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to meet conditions of sentencing.

Todd Patrick Galen, 53, of Merrill Road, Byron, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Galen allegedly violated a court order by failing to comply with animal control regulations.

Tyler J. Penepent, 21, of Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny. He allegedly stole a car lighting bar worth $12.96 from WalMart. 

Kristen E. Dwyer, 23, of Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Dwyer was stopped on Judge Road by State Police for an alleged expired registration. She was allegedly found in possession of 3.5 grams of marijuana in a baggie, a glass pipe containing burnt marijuana and a multicolored glass pipe containing burnt marijuana residue.

Press release:

On Tuesday, Feb. 16, a representative from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will be at the Corfu Free Library from 2 to 8 p.m. to assist residents in learning how to file their income tax returns online for free. Anyone interested in signing up for this assistance should contact the library to schedule a time slot.

The Facilitated Self Assistance (FSA) program, coordinated by Assemblyman Steve Hawley, will be held at the Corfu Library, 7 Maple Ave., Corfu, will focus on showing how residents can file their taxes electronically. 

According to Hawley, “Filing taxes electronically saves residents time and money and also yields a considerably quicker refund.”

This FSA assistance at the Corfu Free Library is free service for taxpayers. When residents come to the library for help completing their tax return, they’ve potentially saved hundreds of dollars in preparer fees, and can learn how to prepare them on their own next season.

In addition to the Feb. 16 date, this free tax help can be scheduled for other Tuesdays if needed. Patrons need to call the library sign up. Materials with everything needed to bring to an appointment in order to file online can be picked up at the library.

Residents are encouraged to call to schedule a timeslot. They can also learn more about e-filing online at www.tax.ny.gov. For more information about this program, call the Corfu Free Library at (585) 599-3321.

Press release:

Western New York is not lacking women who deserve recognition, and the community at large has an opportunity to appreciate distinguished women through the 2016 Women of Distinction Awards hosted by Girl Scouts of Western New York. Nominations are being accepted now through April 30.

Women of Distinction Award recipients have achieved success both professionally and philanthropically through giving back to the community, whether through time, money or another way. Through their life’s work, they have proven their character, have demonstrated a commitment to encouraging young girls and women and have served as positive role models for girls and women throughout Western New York.

Those selected to be 2016 Women of Distinction will develop a mentoring relationship with a Girl Scout, meeting with her to share insights and advice. The Girl Scout will then present the recipient with her award during a ceremony Sept. 15. Past recipients have worked in a variety of jobs – sports coaches, bank managers, news anchors and nuclear engineers – and nominees from any field can be honored with a Woman of Distinction Award.

To qualify, nominees must live or work in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, or Wyoming counties. She does not need to have been a Girl Scout, and anyone in the community can nominate someone for a Woman of Distinction Award.

Sponsors help make the 2016 Women of Distinction Awards program possible, and sponsorship opportunities are available.

For more information about the Women of Distinction Awards, the award guidelines and nomination form, or sponsorship opportunities, visit http://www.gswny.org/women-of-distinction.

A possible serious injury rollover accident with entrapment is reported at Telephone and Perry roads. Pavilion Fire Department and Mercy medic #1 are called to respond.

UPDATE 2:08 p.m.: Minor injuries, but subject is unable to exit vehicle.

Batavia PD is asked to check on a loud rooster on Vernon Avenue, Batavia.

The caller wishes to remain anonymous at this time.

The rooster is believed to belong to a resident on Vernon Avenue.

An East Rochester man, whom federal authorities say has ties to the Hells Angels, has associates in Genesee County and was arrested in 2009 in Corfu as part of reported scrap metal heist, has been sentenced to 12 months in federal prison on a racketeering charge.

Timothy M. Stone, 36, was convicted of being an accessory after the fact to an assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity.

Stone was convicted of participating in a May 31, 2006 baseball bat attack on a male patron at Spenders Bar in Rochester. Surveillance cameras recorded the attack and the video was stored on a computer hard drive. Stone forcibly removed the hard drive and took the hard drive from the bar and later destroyed the hard drive and the baseball bat used in the attack.

The case is part of a larger investigation that stretches from Monterey, Calif., to Oakfield, with Oakfield residents James H. McAuley Jr. and Donna Boon being charged, along with others, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.  

Gordon L. Montgomery, of Batavia, has already been convicted on the charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 3.

Robert W. Moran Jr., of Rochester, and Gina Tata, of Rochester, are charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity; and McAuley is charged with conspiracy.

A jury trial for Richard W. Mar, of Monterey, McAuley, Moran, Boon, Jeffrey A. Tyler, of Rochester, and Tata, is scheduled to begin March 7.

Some of the prior related stories:

• Alleged heist of scrap metal thwarted by Sheriff's deputies
• Five suspected meth dealers busted in early morning raids
• FBI agent's affidavit reveals some details of alleged meth ring investigation
• Le Roy meth dealer given time in federal prison
• Batavia woman proclaims her innocence after meth dealing case dropped by feds
• Three Genesee County residents accused of being part of Hells Angels meth distribution ring
• Men caught stealing tons of scrap metal convicted in federal court

High school student-athletes interested in playing sports in college are invited to a discussion tonight in the library of Batavia High School starting at 6:30 p.m. The workshop is open to student-athletes grades eight through 12 and their parents and will provide information on NCAA rules and requirements, eligibility, scholarships and recruiting. Kelly Cruttenden, an associate athletic director at University at Buffalo, will lead the discussion.

Lionel J. Anderson Sr., 44, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Anderson allegedly tried to enter a residence on Dellinger Avenue at 10:55 p.m. Sunday after being told to leave. He allegedly pushed one of the residents. He was jailed on $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond.  (UPDATE: Though the reported times are different, Det. Eric Hill confirms this arrest is related to this report last night).

Adrian P. Morris, 36, of South Street, Le Roy, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and inadequate headlights. Morris was stopped by Le Roy PD on West Main Street, Le Roy.

William J. Hixenbaugh, 26, of Le Roy, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Hixenbaugh was allegedly involved in a fight in the Village of Le Roy on Friday.

Lisa M. Volk, 21, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Volk is accused of shoplifting at Walmart. She allegedly took $40 worth of nail polish.

Jessie Benedict Joy, 20, of Telephone Road, Pavilion, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle, driving while using a mobile phone, driving left of pavement markings. Joy was stopped at 3:43 a.m. on Telephone Road, Pavilion, by Deputy Ryan Young.

Richard Andrew Germony, 30, of Wildwood Place, Buffalo, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to pay fine. Germony is being held in the Genesee County Jail pending his next court appearance.

Andrew C. Webster, 22, of Gillete Road, Alexander, was arrested on a warrant for allegedly failure to comply with court-ordered treatment. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Kathryn M. Yark, 18, of Harlem Road, of West Seneca, is charged with criminal possession property, 5th, and unlawful possession of a personal ID, 3rd. Yark was arrested on a warrant and released back to a treatment program.

Jennifer L. Stack, 29, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Stack was allegedly involved in an incident Feb. 4 on West Main Street, Batavia, where she threatened another person and violated an order of protection. Stack was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Yolanda E. Johnson, 29, is charged with West Main Street Road, Batavia, turned herself in on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on a traffic citation.

Maggie S. Dipilato, 21, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief. Dipilato was arrested following an investigation into a domestic incident. Dipilato allegedly struck a male in his face damaging his eyeglasses. She was jailed on $500 bail.

Gerard H. Altenburg, 21, of Main Road, Corfu, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Altenburg was arrested following an investigation into a motor-vehicle accident on Gilmore Street, Pembroke, reported at 9:04 p.m. Friday. The accident was investigated by Deputy Ryan DeLong. Altenburg was jailed on $1,500 bail.

Robert C. Paris, 26, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to stop at stop sign. Paris allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign on Redfield Parkway, Batavia, at 2:14 a.m. Saturday and was stopped by Deputy Ryan DeLong.

Jacqueline Jane Kurcoba, 38, of Pittsford Mendon Road, Mendon, is charged with DWI and insufficient tail lamps. Kurcoba was stopped at 1:14 a.m. Sunday on Lewiston Road, Alabama, by Deputy Eric Meyer.

Kyle Lee-Maddison Michaels, 18, of Overlook Drive, Batavia, is charged with trespass. Michaels allegedly refused to leave the BOCES campus on State Street Road, Batavia.

Ann Marie Schiegel, 38, of Porter Road, Medina, was arrested on a warrant stemming from two counts of petit larceny. Schiegel was jailed on $250 bail.

A 17-year-old resident of Byron is charged with unlawful surveillance, 2nd. The youth is accused of using a mobile phone to view a female victim in a woman's bathroom stall.

Coty Lee Kimmel, 22, of Alleghany Road, Corfu, is charged with criminal possession of a stolen property, 4th. Kimmel allegedly possessed a credit card belonging to another person without permission.

Troopers are dispatched to Kmart to investigate an individual in a black pickup truck who is at the side of the building loading wooden pallets into the vehicle.

The individual was told to stop and leave, but reportedly has stayed and continued to load pallets.

UPDATE 10:25 a.m.: The subject has left on Lewiston Road. He is described as a white male with a beard and glasses.

UPDATE 10:31 a.m.: It sounds like the person was located and the deputy is returning to Kmart. He said, "no charges."

A caller believes as many as eight people are trying to break into her residence on Dellinger Avenue.

She reports at least some of them having baseball bats.

Batavia PD just arrived on scene.

A deputy reports some sort of "commotion" on the Walnut Street bridge.

A suspect may have left in a gold van.

UPDATE 9:06 p.m.: Police are searching for a suspect.

UPDATE 9:08 p.m.: A second suspect is described as a Jamaican and wearing a red T-shirt.

UPDATE: For a related arrest, see today's Law and Order.

The 20th Annual Betty Ellison Memorial “Strike Out” for Crossroads House Bowling Tournament will kick off Friday night, Feb. 12th, at 6 p.m. at the Mancuso Bowling Center. Rick Mancuso and Mike Sputore teamed up with organizers Cindy and Tara Lowder to make this the biggest tournament yet. This year we are offering an extra Friday night shift, live bands, more raffle prizes and as always at Mancuso’s, a top-notch bowling experience. 

The Betty Ellison Memorial Tournament is the oldest running annual fundraiser for Crossroads House. The first two tournaments took place before the house opened its doors in 1998 and was instrumental in funding the launch of this area’s only 24-hour comfort care home for the dying. 

Shifts are available: Friday Feb. 12th at 6 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 19th at 6 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 20, at 3 and 6 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 21st, at 1 p.m.

Five-person teams are $100. Registration forms are available at Crossroads House: 11 Liberty St., Mancuso Bowling Center: 214 E. Main St., or online at www.crossroadshouse.com where you can pay securely with PayPal.

In addition to the bowling will be live bands at T.F. Brown's. On Friday night, Feb.12th, M.A.C. will perform at T.F. Brown's starting at 10 p.m. and the following Friday the 19th, Savage Cabbage will play. Both bands will be available for a $2 cover charge with proceeds going to Crossroads House.

Sign up to bowl or just come out on either Friday night for great music, drinks and food.
For more information call Cindy (585) 993‐0584 or Tara (585) 409‐0136

A panel of legislators and an audience of school board members and administrators who gathered in Pavilion on Saturday morning all seemed to agree that cuts in state aid to schools, mandates, and a restrictive property tax cap are hurting school districts.

School districts are in financial dire straights and can't continue to tap into reserves to provide the same level of services to students and their families was the general message of the discussion.

"What we would like to see, because we know the property tax cap is so low, what we would like to see in the Senate Republican Caucus, is eliminate the GA (Gap Elimination Adjustment) fully this year and add to the Foundation Aid so that we can fund our schools," said Sen. Cathy Young, who represents Cattaraugus County and is chair of the State Senate's Finance Committee.

Gap Elimination Adjustments were a prime target during the panel discussion. The program is a product of 2010-11 fiscal year when state funds were tight and Foundation Aid was being cut. While the word "gap" might imply the program was meant to replace what was being lost in Foundation Aid, for most school districts in the state, the program just meant fewer dollars to fund programs.

For the region, GA has cost school districts more than $140 million over the past five years. For the current fiscal year, those school districts are underfunded, officials say, by $21,447,597.

Meanwhile, the complicated tax cap formula limits any increase in school district revenue to .12 percent.

David Little, executive director of NYS Rural Schools, said there are districts that a year ago didn't need a voter-approved tax cap override, but this year, with the exact same budget, will need to go to voters for approval.

Until 2010-11, school districts were kept on a level playing field across the state through Foundation Aid. It's a complex formula but accounts for publication, household income, district size and cost of living to arrive at the size of an annual grant to school districts to ensure they have enough operational revenue.

Over the past five years, as the figures above indicate, Foundation Aid has been slashed drastically, and GA hasn't closed the gap.

The issue of mandate relief was raised early in the discussion by Paul Alioto, superintendent in Dansville, and several of the panel members responded.

Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer said he was on a task force that came up with a list of 51 mandates that could be targeted for elimination, but as soon as you start to dig into them one-by-one, you find each has their constituency, people who will fight tooth and nail to keep it alive.

One of his pet mandates to eliminate is one that requires a third audit of district financial records. It costs districts from $10,000 to $100,000 annually and in Ranzenhofer's view, it's unnecessary. He was able to get a bill through that exempted the state's smallest school districts, but subsequent attempts to exempt more districts have been stymied.

"We have to be able to get (a reform) through both houses," Ranzenhofer said. "It seems like common sense to me, but there is somebody in the Assembly majority who feels it is a good idea to have these audits."

Young said mandates around special needs students are particularly contentious. Many of the mandates could be shifted to a federal budget responsibility, but at the local level, people fear change. At the local level, it's often easy to see how mandated spending on even one special needs child might lead to the elimination of an advanced placement class, which creates local conflicts, but it's difficult to shift expense responsibility to the federal government.

David Little said New York's funding formula is backward compared to just about every other state in the Union. In New York, the state picks up only about 40 percent of the cost of education; in other states, the school district is on the hook for less than 40 percent and the state covers the rest of the expense.

And that's something that could be fixed easily, Little said, at least in theory, though the politics of it are much more tricky. The state mandates a pension program that is state run, but the school districts pay into the program. If the state covered pension expense, Little said, that 40/60 split would flip. It would lift a huge expense burden from school districts.

Assemblyman Bill Nojay took aim at standardized testing. He said children need a broad range of experience and the ability to think critically. The system, he said, is forcing children at a younger and younger age into silos -- "you're going to be a doctor, you're going to be an engineer ... "

He said he was in China recently and their standardized testing is even more rigorous, and people there complain about it.

"For what purpose?" Nojay said. "No matter how good the standards, we are teaching to the test, for lack of a better term, and the obsession with testing, in my judgment, and the Chinese experience, it's not good for child development. It is immensely counterproductive to the development of a society."

Assemblyman Steve Hawley said the drift in education is being driven by a progressive agenda that is hurting America in a lot of ways, and he spoke at length about increases in the minimum wage and problems with the healthcare system.

He shared a story about a call from a restaurant owner who employs 27 servers. An increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour will cost that restaurant owner an additional $105,000 a year.

The owner also recently had a waitress and cook who fell in love and she became pregnant. The waitress did have health insurance, so the owner set her up with an appointment with a health insurance navigator. he waitress reported back that the good news was, she was going to get health insurance. The bad news was that in order to qualify, she couldn't work more than two days a week, and the child's father, a full-time cook at the restaurant, couldn't work more than three days a week.

"We've lost our way in this state with hands out instead of hands on, actually working," Hawley said. "This is not the America we grew up in. It's not the free enterprise system we all prospered under, or tried to prosper under, and that movement over the last seven years across this state is going the wrong way and it's hurting education."

The call initially came in as heavy black smoke coming from a vent at a residence at 111 Myrtle St., Le Roy, indicating a possible structure fire.

A first responder reported smoke coming from a vent for a heater and another reported smoke in the residence.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched. Bergen fire initially dispatched, but now told to stand down.

A 73-year-old man faces criminal charges following an incident during student mass at St. Joe's this morning, after the man allegedly took a student by his arm who was in line for Holy Communion and led him through it and then back to his seat in a pew.

Police did not indicate what the man's motivation might have been or what statements he may have made while inside the church, but said the man has no prior relationship with the church nor the student involved in the incident.

Daniel S. Kuczka, 73, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and criminal trespass, 3rd.

According to police, Kuczka entered the church during a private Mass for students of St. Joe's and Notre Dame. He made "inappropriate" comments to staff and was asked to leave.

During Communion, Kuczka reportedly returned to the Mass and grabbed a juvenile who was in line, saying, "Come with me."

Police were called and when patrols arrived, Kuczka was taken into custody without incident.

Police say that investigators found there was no attempt by Kuczka to remove the student from the service.