There is a report of heavy smoking showing from an apartment at 103 W. Main St., Building 1, Apt. #5, Le Roy, the Royal Apartments.
Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance along with Bergen, Pavilion and Town of Batavia's Fast Team are dispatched.
UPDATE 3:24 p.m.: Second alarm responders can stage in quarters.
Bill Moon came home to his house on Bank Street, City of Batavia, Saturday evening to find a bullet hole in a family room window. A neighbor said he heard the shot ring out between 4 and 5 p.m.
Fortunately, Moon said, nobody was home at the time, but he blames the county's new law allowing long rifles to be used during deer season.
He said Batavia PD, a Sheriff's deputy and a Department of Environmental Conservation officer responded and agreed the shot likely came from a .30-caliber rifle, such as a .30-30 or .30-06.
The bullet passed through the family room and into the kitchen.
A spokesman for Batavia PD confirmed a complaint was filed and law enforcement responded, but said the investigation is being handled by the DEC. We were unable to reach the DEC for further information.
Photo submitted by Bill Moon.
Diana Zinni, second from left, a Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter who grew up in Le Roy, returned to her hometown Wednesday night for a performance at Smokin’ Eagle BBQ & Brew.
The show was in support of an Indiegogo fundraising campaign for her debut album (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/diana-zinni-s-debut-album#/). She is pictured before Wednesday’s show with, from left, her mother Cathy Zinni and friends Ken Plossl and Kelly Nichols. They’re being photobombed by Zinni’s father, Rick.
A mattress that was on fire was pulled outside at 2 Valley View Drive, Batavia, and the fire is now believed to be out and contained.
Town of Batavia fire responding.
The Kiwanis Club of Batavia will host its annual free Thanksgiving Day skate at the Falleti Ice Arena starting at 9 a.m.
The event ends at 11 a.m.
Free skate rentals while supplies last, and free hot chocolate.
A motor-vehicle accident is reported in the area 7639 Batavia Stafford Townline, unknown injuries.
Elba fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 10:05 p.m.: A first responder reports no injuries.
Genesee County workers have something to be thankful for this season.
The unemployment rate — and the number of county residents without jobs — are both down, thanks in part, perhaps, to robust job creation in the Buffalo and Rochester regions.
Genesee County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.6 percent to 4.2 percent from October 2014 to October 2015, according to the New York State Department of Labor.
The Labor Department said there were 29,000 people with jobs in Genesee County, an increase of .2 percent from the 28,800 reported in 2014.
A total of 1,300 county residents are without jobs. That represents a decrease of .1 percent, or 100 people, between October 2014 and this year, the Labor Department said.
Jobless numbers were reported down in every county statewide. Unemployment in the Buffalo-Niagara region was 4.8 percent (down from 5.4 percent in October 2014), while the five-county Rochester region rate was 4.5 percent (down from 5.1 percent).
Unemployment rate figures are not seasonally adjusted, the Labor Department cautioned, meaning they do not reflect hiring related to holidays or the weather. Year-to-year comparisons are considered valid.
Between September and October 2015, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 5.1 percent to 4.8 percent, its lowest level since 2007.
Meanwhile, the Labor Department on Tuesday said the state’s private sector job count increased by 168,600 from October 2014 to October 2015. The number of private sector jobs in New York state was a record 7,859,000.
The Buffalo-Niagara Falls and Rochester metro areas were among the top five in the state for private sector job growth.
Rochester added 8,400 private sector jobs between October 2015 and October 2014, an increase of 1.9 percent. Buffalo-Niagara falls added 8,700, an increase of 1.8 percent.
At the same time, Genesee County lost 200 private sector and government jobs, according to the Labor Department. That represents a decrease of .9 percent.
New York’s strengthening economy reflects the national outlook. U.S. economic growth during the third quarter was revised up to 2.1 percent, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
The U.S. Commerce Department had previously reported a rate of 1.5 percent, the Times said.
The news pleased economists:
For all of 2015, the rate of economic growth is expected to be about 2.5 percent, not much different from the 2.4 percent rate in 2014.
The tepid pace prompted Jan Hatzius, chief economist at Goldman Sachs, to call this the “tortoise recovery” in a recent note to clients. But that sobriquet does not mean the economy has been uniformly lackluster.
“While this expansion may go uncelebrated, growth in fact has been good enough to achieve a great deal of cumulative progress in the labor market,” he added. “We now expect that the U.S. economy will reach full employment within the next 12 months — the ‘tortoise recovery’ looks to be approaching the finishing line.”
Tom McGinnis loves Thanksgiving. It’s his favorite day of the year.
And what’s love if it isn’t shared?
So once again on Thursday, McGinnis will open the doors of the “party barn” on his town of Le Roy property, for a community Thanksgiving dinner.
“Thanksgiving is my favorite day,” McGinnis said. “No matter what goes on for the rest of the year, on one day you take time to be thankful for what you have — or what you’ve been able to keep.
“Even as a kid, I liked Thanksgiving,” he added. “There are no presents to buy, you have friends around and you can help somebody who is less fortunate.”
McGinnis, who owns McGinnis Excavating, has been doing just that for 14 years. His invitation is extended to anyone in the Le Roy and surrounding communities who is in need, or just doesn’t want to sit home alone this year.
Typically, about 40 or 50 people stop in at some point every year.
Service begins about 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.
(Rides and deliveries are also available, but reservations are requested by 5 p.m. today. For information McGinnis Excavating at (585) 768-6769.)
“Last year we had some people from Mumford (and) Caledonia,” he said. “And we probably delivered a dozen dinners.
“I never know how many people we’re going to have, but we always have enough food,” McGinnis said.
This year, he’s stocked 50 pounds of turkey, two large hams, a pair of big pork roasts, plenty of squash and all the trimmings.
It’ll be cooked up and served in the “party barn” behind the McGinnis home on Gully Road.
There’s a joke about why so many men love Thanksgiving: They enjoy a feast while the women are stuck doing all the work.
Not so for McGinnis. A few friends always arrive early to pitch in, but he will probably take care of about 90 percent of the preparation and cleanup himself.
“That’s my hobby, cooking,” McGinnis said. “So I share it with people and hope they enjoy.”
A worker is preparing the foundation for a sundial so it can be permanently placed in the plaza in front of Batavia City Hall.
The Batavia Centennial Committee and its Legacy Sponsors are going to present the sundial as a gift to the city.
The sculpture, designed by local architect Ed Smart, is made of steel and teak, with stainless steel lettering, and is said to be virtually maintenance free. It costs $15,000 to $20,000 and is being paid for by the contributions several local businesses made to the Centennial Celebration as "Legacy Sponsors."
There's no expense to the city. The City Council has already approve placement of the sculpture on city property.
Michael A. Hahn is indicted for the crime of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a Class D felony. It is alleged that on Aug. 25, 2014, in the Town of Darien, that Hahn knowingly and unlawfully sold a controlled substance, methamphetamine. In count two, Hahn is accused of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, also a Class D felony, for allegedly knowingly and unlawfully possessing methamphetamine with the intent to sell it.
Jequan D. Patterson is accused of driving while intoxicated, as a Class E Felony. It is alleged that on July 8 in Le Roy, Patterson drove a 2015 Kia on I-90 while intoxicated. In count two, he is accused of driving while intoxicated, per se, as a Class E felony, for allegedly having a BAC of .08 percent or more at the time. In count three, he accused of aggravated driving while intoxicated, as a Class E felony, for having a child age 15 or less as a passenger. In count four, Patterson is accused of aggravated driving while intoxicated for allegedly having a BAC of .08 percent or more while a child age 15 or less was a passenger. In count five, Patterson is accused of the crime of endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly knowlingly acting in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than 17 years old. Also, Special Information is filed for this indictment by District Attorney. It accuses Patterson of having been convicted of the crime of DWI, as a misdemeanor, on Feb. 27, 2006, in City of Rochester Court and that was within 10 years of the commission of the crimes now alleged.
David M. Heschke is accused of the crime of driving while intoxicated, as a Class E felony. It is alleged that on May 3 in the Town of Pavilion that Heschke drove a 2006 Nissan on Route 20 while intoxicated. In count two, he is accused of driving while intoxicated, per se, as a Class E felony, for having a BAC of .18 percent or more at the time. In count three, he is accused of first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a Class E felony, for driving while allegedly knowing, or having reason to know, that his driver's license was suspended, revoked or otherwise withdrawn by authorities, and doing so while allegedly intoxicated. Also, Special Information is filed for this indictment by District Attorney. It accuses Heschke of having been convicted of the crime of DWI on Sept. 5, 2012, in Town of Batavia Court and that conviction forms the basis of the revocation referred to in count three of this indictment.
James J. Spivey, 17, of Child Street, Rochester, is charged with burglary, attempted second-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. The youth is accused of entering Batavia High School without permission with the intent to fight a student there. The defendant did allegedly engage in a fight with the student, who is under age 17, and during the fight used a dangerous instrument in an attempt to injure the student.
Erica Michelle Raphael, 30, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Raphael is accused of stealing merchandise from the Rite Aid on West Main Street Road, Batavia.
Tyler Austin Stoddard, 21, of Meiser Road, Corfu, is charged with making graffiti. Stoddard was arrested on a warrant. He is accused of drawing a picture of a penis on the wall of the ATM at the M&T Bank branch in Corfu.
Michael F. Geer, 24, no permanent address, is charged with burglary, 2nd, petit larceny, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and criminal mischief, 4th. Geer allegedly entered a residence on Trumbull Parkway, took the keys to a vehicle that was parked in the driveway, and unlawfully moved the vehicle, striking the back porch. He was jailed on no bail.
Amber N. Wallace, 26, of Swan Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wallace is accused of drinking a "5-hour ENERGY" drink without paying for it while at work at a business on Jackson Street.
Michael A. Wroten, 48, of Highland Parkway, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant. Wroten was located by probation officers and turned over to Batavia PD. He was jailed on $2,500 cash bail.
Nikayla C. Jackson, 18, of Slusser Road, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment and fourth-degree criminal mischief. Jackson allegedly pushed another person and damaged property while inside that person's apartment at 8:25 p.m., Nov. 9.
Jessica L. Ford, 24, of Perry Road, Le Roy, is charged with violation of probation. Ford was arrested on warrants issued by City Court.
Deborah R. Blatt, 54, of East Main Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant. She was jailed on $5,000 bail.
Chercal A. Smith, 20, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with violation of probation. Smith was observed by Officer James DeFreze, who was aware of a warrant for Smith's arrest, on Court Street. Smith was taken into custody without incident.
Cody N. Proefrock, 23, of West Court Street, Warsaw, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation. Proefrock was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on the listed charges.
Sara A. Weaver, 46, of Watson Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear in court and for aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd. Weaver was arrested following a traffic stop by Officer Mitchell Cowen.
Nicholas G. Serret, 19, of 15 Dewain St., Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation. The subject was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Corfu Police for speeding on Route 77 at 2:34 p.m. on Nov. 24. The subject was allegedly found to have a plastic baggie containing about three grams of marijuana. The case was investigated by Corfu PD Officer Michael Petritz.
A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported on the Thruway near mile marker 397.5, eastbound. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.
A month ago, council members, while discussing the proposed new police station, said the last thing they wanted to do was "kick the can down the road."
Monday, after hearing from a half dozen public speakers who had nothing good to say about the proposal, the sound of tin rattling on pavement could be heard quite distinctly in City Hall.
"I'm suggesting that we put a task force together to see if it is possible for a merger or consolidation between the police department and the sheriff's," said Council President Brooks Hawley. "Before we can move forward with spending any money at all, we need to do our due diligence before we spend taxpayers' money."
We've been down this road before, and it got the city nowhere, said Councilman Eugene Jankowski, a former Batavia police officer.
"I've been involved in several projects where the Police Department and Sheriff's Office were going to merge and unfortunately for the Sheriff, the city caused so many delays that the Sheriff was delayed in building (a new building) at least five years, maybe longer," Jankowski said. "Every time the project came up, someone suggested merger and that would scare everyone off, things would go away. To get things done, the Sheriff, who was waiting and waiting, finally out of frustration, he couldn't wait any longer, he had his new building built.
"There were many opportunities for this to happen and it was passed by for whatever reason," Jankowski added.
Then Jankowski endorsed the idea of a feasibility study being completed on a possible merger of departments.
Most of the anti-police-station speakers called for a merger or elimination of the city police force.
"Spending $10 to $14 million on a new police station is an awful waste of money," said Peter Garlock, who served on the police facilities task force that met more than a dozen times over a seven-month period and came up with the recommendation for a new police station on Swan Street.
Dave Olsen, president of the Genesee County Libertarian Party (top photo), suggested the city's law enforcement needs could be met through private security, volunteers in homeowners and business associations and citizens with the legal right to carry firearms.
"More government means more taxation and it makes citizens less free by taking a portion of their income and choice away," Olsen said.
While under current circumstances (which delays could change), it's likely the new police station could be built without the city increasing its current debt load or raising taxes (see the financing memo in the council's Oct. 26 agenda (pdf), several speakers objected to the proposal based on assumptions of increased debt and higher taxes.
In contrast, David Lone (bottom photo), who served on the police facilities task force, said the council should consider the cost of kicking the can down the road.
"Interest on borrowing rates are right now at historic lows," Lone said. "That's one factor the council should take into consideration. If the decision is postponed for five or 10 years, interest rates may go up two, three, four times what they are now. On a 20-year bond, you're talking of adding hundreds of thousands, if not millions, to the whole project by not taking full advantage of these historic low rates that are available."
While the council waits on a study -- which it didn't even explicitly authorize Monday night -- city staff is unable to move forward on the project. Purchase of the land can't be negotiated, which leaves it vulnerable to purchase by a commercial interest; nor can environmental studies be conducted to ensure it should be purchased or what it might cost to remediate; design work can't begin and financing can't get locked in. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is looking at the first interest rate hike in nearly a decade when it meets in December.
Not all the speakers were against building a new police station on Swan Street. Local businesswoman Diane Kastenbaum endorsed the idea.
"We do need a new station and the time to move on it is now," said Kastenbaum, who said she's recently added 10 employees to her company's workforce and plans to hire more. "Our population is not in decline. I see signs of hope, signs of growth, and I think there will be more of a demand for a state-of-the-art police station in our community."
There was some talk of exploring shared services with the Sheriff's Office to eliminate duplicate work and reduce costs and perhaps eliminate the need for a new police station.
Rosenbeck noted that city property owners pay for both the Batavia PD, through city taxes, and the Sheriff's Office, through county taxes.
"One good question we should be asking -- what are we currently getting from the county in return for our funding the city police and the county sheriff's services," Rosenbeck said. "Are there ways we can get greater value from a city-county partnership, with smart sharing of costs, services and possible facilities?"
Jankowski had the answer:
In addition, Jankowski said, the Sheriff is very generous with Homeland Security grants. The Sheriff's Office purchased the city's ERT vehicle, trains the ERT team, provides it with body armor and provides a third of the personnel in the ERT team. The Sheriff's Office also manages the drug task force.
"How much more can we dump on the Sheriff?" Jankowski said. "He's pretty much already doing everything for us except patrol. At some point, the city has to take responsibility and patrol it's own backyard."
John Roach noted that any discussion of shared services really just means elimination of the police department, and that's the central question the council needs to answer. Is it willing to eliminate Batavia PD? If not, then move on and select Swan Street for the new police station.
It's a better option, he said, than trying to once again renovate the Brisbane Mansion.
"Building new is cheaper," he said.
Councilwoman Patti Pacino is in favor of Swan Street, but said she is willing to go along with a feasibility study if it doesn't cost a lot of money.
"I don't want a study that's just another study that gives us an answer," Pacino said. "If we do a study, fine, but I don't want to pay $30,000 for it. I don't want someone else to come in and look at it. People of Batavia know more about what we want in Batavia than anybody we could get to come in and do a study."
Several council members suggested that the county should pay half the cost of a feasability study.
Reached today, County Manager Jay Gsell said the county would be happy to the help the city in a grant application to the state to fund a study, but the county's budget for 2016 is set.
"I haven't had a discussion with Jason yet about how far they would want to go in terms of further discussion before they start looking at just building a separate and discreet police facility," Gsell said. "The county is open and amenable to having further dialogue and getting real serious about what the future holds for law enforcement in Genesee County. Certainly, we can go to the state to get the funding for further analysis."
Gsell noted, the city and county have been down this road before. There was talk of moving both departments into what is now the court facility, with a third and fourth floor atop the structure we know now, and when the Sheriff's Office built its new facility on Park Road. He understands, he said, the council's desire to do the same due diligence now.
"Whenever you get ready to spend between $10 to $17 million, you don't do that based on thinking not everything has been examined fully, and I think that's all they're looking at doing right now," Gsell said.
Merging departments is a complex consideration said Sheriff Gary Maha. A fully funded study would be necessary to determine potential cost savings, if any, and the impact on both departments.
There's certainly high near-term expense for new uniforms, car decals, equipment and training, Maha said.
Such a feasibility study was undertaken for Jamestown PD and the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office in 2009, and that potential merger is still pending, Maha noted (The state issued a $400,000 grant for the study.)
"It's not a simple issue, but worth looking at if that's want they want to do," Maha said.
There's been too much bad news in the world recently, so Brenden Mullen, co-owner of Larry's Steakhouse, on Main Street, Batavia, decided he wanted to do something good.
Larry's will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day serving free meals to "anybody and everybody" who wants to stop in.
The meals will include turkey, mash potatoes and gravy, stuffing, squash and cranberry sauce along with a slice of pumpkin pie.
All for free.
"Somebody very dear to me, touched my life, had a positive impact and made me want to better myself in any way I can," Mullen said. "I thought it might be a step in the right direction."
Word has spread quickly on social media, Mullen said, and just today he got a touching call from an administrator at Batavia High School who said a student who had been wondering what he would do on Thanksgiving, with no place else to go, heard about the community meal and now he plans on being at Larry's.
That really touched Mullen, he said. It's hard to believe in this day and age a high school student would need some place to go on Thanksgiving Day, but there are people in our community with all kinds of needs, he said, and perhaps his gesture will help a few people out.
He just came up with the idea Saturday, enlisted the chef to help, and started getting things organized. He doesn't know what to expect and said additional volunteers to help are welcome.
"I thought it would be a good way to do something good for the community," Mullen said. "Like I said, I just get sick of reading the news, turning on the TV, and it's nothing but bad news anymore, so I wanted to give people a reason to smile and feel good about something."
The Genesee Chorale held a rehearsal Monday night in preparation for its show at 7 p.m., Dec. 4, at St. James Episcopal Church.
Directed by Ric Jones, the show is Christmas-themed and the performance is titled "Our Hope is a Child." Tickets are $8 presale and $10 at the door, and can be purchased online at geneseechorale.com.
The show will include what is billed as an "energetic" version of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" with four-handed piano accompaniment, with Doug Hansen and guest pianist Henry Emmans. The Genesee Children's Chorus will also be featured on a number of pieces. Fran Thomas also performs a solo.
Restoration work on the "Rocket Car," originally built in Batavia in 1938 by Charles D. Thomas and Norman Richardson, is under way at Dick McClurg's garage.
Top photo shows, the motor and a damaged fender have been removed.
McClurg found a 1938 or '39 flathead, so it's period-correct, in Lockport. The original engine (which wasn't in the car when it was purchased, having probably been replaced in the 1950s) was a 1934 or '35 flathead. The "new" engine is "turnkey ready," McClurg said. It just needs to be dropped into place.
McClurg has started removing the interior. The seats and windows are out. Next, and it will be tough, possibly, the dashboard.
The hood is off.
The seats are out. They will be sent to another shop to be reupholstered.
This picture may not show it well, but McClurg found an interesting innovation in the front "bench seat." Typically, a bench seat is one piece across the width of the car, that's why it's called a bench seat. The Thomas car is a two-door but had a rear passenger seat. McClurg figured Thomas designed the car with a rear seat, but not much thought that anybody would actually ride in it because it would be too hard to get to the back with the bench seat in place. What Thomas designed, however, was a partially hinged bench seat. On each end of the seat is a side wing that can be folded down or locked in place.
Previously:
The Village Board is taking a wait-and-see approach to the future of Le Roy’s Zoning Board of Appeals, Mayor Greg Rogers said.
The wait, is for a public hearing scheduled next month.
Everyone will see what happens after that, Rogers said.
The Town Board voted unanimously Nov. 12 to withdraw from the joint town/village ZBA, and to consider a local law that would establish a new, three-member board next year.
The proposal will be the subject of a public hearing during the Town Board meeting on Dec. 10.
The Village Board discussed the issue in executive session last week, but took no action.
Rogers said he generally favors consolidation. Reestablishing a village ZBA after a decade without is “not the direction we really wanted to go,” he said.
“If they decide to go that route, we’re going to have to have our own Zoning Board of Appeals,” Rogers said. “But we’ll wait until they finalize it before we come up with a plan of action.”
At the very least, a new ZBA would add a line to the village budget.
Town Supervisor Steve Barbeau said depending on what the Town Board ultimately decides, separate ZBAs could cost less money overall.
The Le Roy ZBA generally meets once a month. Each of its five members is paid $45 for each meeting, and the chairperson is paid $10 extra.
The secretary, who does not vote, is paid $65 a meeting.
The cost is currently part of the town budget, paid out of the town-wide “A” fund. A separate town ZBA would be paid out of the “B” fund, which is supported only by taxpayers of the town outside the village.
Barbeau said town and village ZBAs may be able to meet only alternate months. Ultimately, that would slightly reduce costs to both the town and village residents.
Signs posted in store windows along Le Roy’s Main Street — like this one in the Townsend Energy building — congratulate Wolcott Street School’s designation as a 2015 National School of Character.
The school provided nearly four dozen signs to local businesses.
The elementary school was named a National School of Character in May by Character.org. Wolcott Street School is among only 64 schools and three districts honored this year.
Students and faculty celebrated the award with a rally and assembly on Nov. 6.
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