Skip to main content

Stories from

Liberty Pumps names new CFO

By Howard B. Owens

Message from Charlie Cook, CEO of Liberty Pumps:

I am very pleased to announce that Dennis Burke has been promoted to the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Liberty Pumps effective October 1.

Dennis has been with the company for 21 years serving in a wide variety of roles. He is currently our Manager of Finance and Human Resources, which includes the management of our Accounting department. His new position and title more accurately encompass and acknowledge those responsibilities among several others. He is an essential member of the Liberty management team. A 1985 graduate of Byron-Bergen, Dennis has a bachelor’s degree in finance from St. John Fisher College and an MBA from the University of Buffalo. He also has his certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and is a member and past president of the GAPA Human Resources Association. Dennis is a 2001 graduate of Leadership Genesee and is very active and involved in the community.

County may need to exceed property tax cap to cover state-mandated expenses

By Howard B. Owens

In effort to keep pace with increased expense demands, the County Legislature may need to pass a budget resolution overriding the state's cap of a 2-percent increase on the tax levy, according to County Manager Jay Gsell.

Gsell is recommending an increase to $10.11 per thousand of assessed value, up from the current $9.89 and increasing the total levy by $527,000.

A property tax increase that keeps levy below the cap level would add only $353,000 in revenue.

The total county spending plan, including local and mandated expenses is $149,100,167.

Even though all county departments turned in discretionary budgets that hold the line on local spending, state mandates expenses continue to test the county's ability to generate sufficient revenue to balance the budget.

The big budget issues are the Genesee County Jail, with a state-mandated increase in corrections officers, and the County Nursing Home, with $18.5 million in "heavily mandated" expenses that continue to drain the county's general fund.

Since the state refuses to provide mandate relief or pay the expense of its mandates, a full 71 percent of the county's tax levy goes to these mandated programs.

One of the largest expenses is the $9.96 million in local share of Medicaid.

The county's revenue projections for 2014 includes an anticipated 9-percent increase in sales tax revenue.

To read the full budget message, click here.

Three Rochester men accused of brazen attempt to steal $1,900 in merchandise from Walmart

By Howard B. Owens
Michael Dawson Keith Brantley Eric Strong

Shoplifting at Walmart usually results in a petit larceny charge, but three men from Rochester yesterday allegedly tried to make off with so much loot they were arrested on felony grand larceny charges.

All three were arraigned in Batavia Town Court and ordered held without bail.

Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said store security informed the Sheriff's Office some time before noon that the three men had entered the store and had been identified as possible thieves at other Walmart locations.

Patrol cars pulled into the Walmart parking lot and waited.

"We waited to see if they were going to pay, or walk out without paying," Brewster said. "They decided they were going to walk out without paying."

The men allegedly pushed out a single shopping cart filled with totes that were filled with merchandise. The men were also accused of having stolen merchandise on them.

The total value of the merchandise was placed at $1,900.

Charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree, a Class E felony, were Keith Lamar Brantley, 43, of Adams Street, Rochester; Michael Joseph Dawson, 49, of Forbes Street Rochester; and Eric Lee Strong, 53, of Wellington Avenue, Rochester.

As brazen as the alleged theft attempt seems to be, Brewster said he believes this sort of crime is common. We just never hear about it.

"I believe this type of retail theft activity is pretty much going on all the time," Brewster said. "The amount of inventory going out of these stores without being paid for is unbelievable."

Law and Order: Two drivers involved in accidents charged with DWI

By Howard B. Owens

Robert Daniel Nowakowski, 38, of Bonnie Brae Drive, Darien, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Nowakowski was arrested following an investigation into a traffic accident on Route 20, Darien, at 6:39 p.m., Thursday. Nowakowski stated he swerved to avoid a deer and reportedly overcompensated. His car struck a National Grid utility pole, shearing the pole near ground level. The accident was investigated by Deputy Patrick Reeves. (Initial Report)

Richard Matthew Godlove, 35, of Main Street, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or higher, failure to obey traffic control device, moving from lane unsafely and failure to notify DMV of address change. Godlove was involved in a motor vehicle accident at 7:03 a.m., Sept. 14 on Route 237, Byron. Godlove reportedly drove his vehicle on a closed portion of Route 237 and struck a concrete barrier. Godlove was arrested following completion of a toxicology test.

Ellen Marie Martinez, 26, of Main Street, Batavia, is charged with falsifying business records, 1st, and grand larceny, 3rd. Martinez is accused of falsifying Section 8 records while receiving benefits through Pathstone, resulting in $10,054 in wrongfuly obtained benefits.

Batavia Downs shows off modern new casino room during grand reopening ceremony

By Howard B. Owens

This afternoon, Batavia Downs hosted a ribbon-cutting and grand reopening of its casino room expansion on the first floor of the historic facility.

The new gaming area has been open for a week and that first week of revenue exceeded by 20 percent the previous record week for Batavia Downs, said Ryan Hasenauer, marketing director for Batavia Downs.

The expanded casino area also includes a new sports bar called Rush 34, officially hosted by former Bills great Thurman Thomas.

Ribbon cutton: Assemblyman Steve Hawley, State Sen. Patrick Gallivan, State Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer and Maurice Gardner, representing the City of Buffalo.

Speaking is State Sen. Patrick Patrick Gallivan, who represents Erie and Wyoming counties, which are counties that also benefit from revenue generated by Batavia Downs.

Speaking, Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

Among the amenities in the expansion is a water fountain that drops water in sculpted form, be it letters spelling out Batavia Downs, symbols from slot machines or geometic patterns. Here's a video of the fountain:

Alleged attempt to avoid traffic stop leads to minor accident in trailer park

By Howard B. Owens

A driver's alleged attempt to avoid a traffic control device at Route 33 and Batavia Stafford Townline Road drew the attention of a trooper this morning and led to a short pursuit that ended when the car struck a mobile home.

The driver of the car and her passenger where both arrested.

Cailee A. Neiss, 19, of Byron, was charged with several traffic violations including reckless driving and avoiding a traffic control device.

Nickolas Sutherland, 23, of Byron, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Neiss allegedly drove through the Arrowmart parking lot in an effort to avoid the stoplight at the intersection.

According to State Police, "the operator, upon seeing the flashing lights of the patrol car, attempted to avoid being stopped, drove recklessly turned onto Gaslite Lane and subsequently struck a mobile home causing minor damage."

Nobody was home at the time and there were no injuries reported in the accident.

Neiss was issued a summons; Sutherland was issued an appearance ticket.

Mini-camp helps hoop players step up their game as season approaches

By Howard B. Owens

With the basketball season only six weeks out, some of the regions top hoops players have been heading over to the Batavia High School gym two days a week to drill on the game's fundamentals -- shooting and ball handling.

"It's a lot of skill work and a chance to get a ball in their hands," said Buddy Brasky, Batavia's boys varsity head coach and leader of the mini-camp, which he's been running for about six years.

Jeff Redband, a junior with Batavia, has been coming to the camp for five years, said his participation has definitely improved his game.

"This camp is based on the basics, so you don't learn new stuff, but it makes you better at the things you really need to know," Redband said.

Each session includes ball-handling exercises and shooting drills, but Brasky noted drilling just two days a week isn't going to cut it. The 45 players participating -- which range in age from eighth grade to high school seniors -- need to practice and play every day if they're going to improve.

"We tell them you can only do so much here," Brasky said. "You've got to take what we do here -- we're only here two days a week -- and go home and do it on your own at home."

One of the drills involves shooting 100 baskets from at least 12 feet out, but that's just a drop in the bucket for the amount of practice necessary to become a competent shooter.

"The games give them the opportunity transfer what they're learning in skills in a game situation," Brasky said.

"You've got to get a couple hundred shots in a day," Brasky said.

Following drills, the players break off into four-on-four games, which give the kids a chance to play against players from all over the region, not just Genesee County and not just their own schools.

All that drilling on fundamentals has really paid off for Elba's Haley Brown.

"It helps a lot," Brown said. "It's made me a lot better shooter and ball handler and it shows during the season."

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

Batavia resident receives Hispanic Heritage Award from Buffalo mayor

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

M. Fernanda Astiz, PhD, of Batavia, received the 2013 Hispanic Heritage Award from Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown on Tuesday, Oct. 15. The honor was part of the City of Buffalo’s observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated annually throughout the United States, from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, and pays homage to the culture, tradition and contributions of American citizens with Hispanic roots. Astiz was recognized for her work in the field of education.

“Buffalo is blessed by the influences of many talented people and Hispanic Heritage Month is a wonderful opportunity for us all to develop more meaningful relationships with the many neighbors and friends who help to make our city unique,” Mayor Brown said. “This year’s award recipients highlight the educational achievements and contributions of Buffalo’s Hispanic community, which is growing more every year.”

An Argentine native, Astiz is an associate professor of teacher education and director of the Latin American Studies Program at Canisius College. She has published numerous research articles and book chapters both in English and Spanish on education governance; citizenship and democratic education; and minority acculturation, national identity formation, and schooling. The 2002 article Astiz co-authored, entitled “Slouching towards Decentralization: Consequences of Globalization for Curricular Control in National Education Systems,” continues to be among the most cited articles of Comparative Education Review. She is currently working on a book on comparative education policy research.

Astiz received her master’s and doctorate degrees in educational theory and policy, and comparative and international education, with a comparative politics focus, from Pennsylvania State University. She also holds a political science degree from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Canisius is one of 28 Jesuit universities in the nation and the premier, private university in Western New York.

 

Car hits trailer in trailer park

By Howard B. Owens

A vehicle has reportedly hit a trial in a trailer park on Gaslite Lane, Batavia.

Two people were in the vehicle and both have been detained.

No injuries are reported.

UPDATE 10:43 a.m.: Reporter Alecia Kaus is on scene and reports that a State Trooper was attempting to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle and the vehicle didn't stop and the driver allegedly attempted to ditch the vehicle in the trailer park. Two people are being taken into custody. A trooper told dispatchers that at least one person faces a possible criminal possession of a controlled substance charge.

UPDATE 11:05 a.m.: The car struck the trailer in Lot #11. Nobody was home at the time.

Law and Order: A handful of warrent arrests announced

By Howard B. Owens

Heather E. Schramm, 33, of 110 Bank St., Batavia, is charged with failure to pay fine imposed by court. Schramm is accused of not paying a fine related to a second-degree harassment charge. Batavia PD Officer James DeFreze observed Schramm walking near Save-A-Lot and took her into custody on a City Court warrant.

Alicia M. Lyons, 33, of 120 State St., lower, was arrested on a bench warrant. Lyons is accused of not appearing on an alleged theft of services charge. Lyons is accused of not paying for food at a local restaurant.

Donna M. Kroft, 60, of 120 State St., lower, was arrested on a bench warrant. Kroft is accused of not appearing on a alleged theft of services charge. Kroft is accused of not paying for food at a local restaurant.

Travis L. Bartz, 18, of 11 Trumbull Parkway, Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant. Bartz is accused of failure to appear on a criminal mischief, 4th, charge. Bartz was located by Batavia PD Officer James DeFreze at Batavia HS and taken into custody. Bartz was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Nathan David Martina, 18, of Lisa Lane, East Amherst, and Christopher Mario Ossa, 18, of Harris Hill Road, Williamsville, are charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Martina and Ossa were found at 9:47 p.m., Wednesday, in a parked vehicle on Batavia Stafford Townline Road allegedly in possession of marijuana.

Clarence W. Odell, 45, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Odell was arrested on a warrant out of Town of Pembroke Court. Odell allegedly damaged the wall of an office building in the Town of Pembroke on July 17.

Power outage in Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

Nearly 40 National Grid customers are without power along Phelps Road, Indian Falls, after a power line was knocked down.

A fire chief who responded reports it appears that a semi-truck knocked the line down.

The area includes a trailer park that is without power.

National Grid estimates power will be restored by 11:45 a.m.

Batavia Downs announces grand reopening for this afternoon

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming will be celebrating it Grand Reopening Celebration with a ribbon cutting and reception beginning at 3 p.m. this afternoon.

Attending will be members of the Western New York legislative delegation including State Senators George Maziarz, Patrick Gallivan, Michael Ranzenhofer as well as other local dignitaries including Assemblyman Steven Hawley. Former Buffalo Bill Ruben Brown will also be in attendance.

Following the ribbon cutting at 3 p.m. in the lobby, attendees are invited for tours of the facility and of Thurman Thomas’ new Sports Bar; 34 Rush. Drawings for Free Play and other Grand Reopening giveaways will occur on the gaming floor.

As a public benefit corporation, all profits from Western OTB and Batavia Downs Gaming net expenses are contributed back to the 15 counties and two cities of Western New York.

Rep. Chris Collins explains vote on budget bill

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

“Tonight (last night), the House voted to increase our national debt by over $300 billion without achieving a single spending cut. I could not, in good faith, vote in favor of this legislation which only adds billions to the credit card bill our children will be left to pay.

America has a significant and dangerous spending problem that most of Washington is content to ignore. On behalf of my constituents, I will not ignore this fact. Kicking the can down the road is what caused this problem and Washington has to muster the political courage to deal with it for the future of our country.”

Multiple callers report the sound of a single gunshot on the Southside

By Howard B. Owens

Dispatchers report several callers say they heard the sound of a gunshot, possibly a shotgun, somewhere on the Southside of Batavia.

Calls have come in from Watson, Maple, Thorpe, Liberty and Otis streets.

Police officers are converging on the area.

UPDATE 12:05 a.m.: There's been nothing new to report on this. 

Legislature asked to consider water hook up for home in Darien that is outside development area

By Howard B. Owens

Some time prior to 2010, a family in Darien decided to build a new house on land outside of the county's defined development area.

Since then, they've had to pay a water district tax of about $400 a year even though they've twice been denied an application to hook up to the water system.

Yesterday at the Public Service Committee meeting, David Hagelberger, Town of Darien supervisor, appealed to the Legislature on the resident's behalf to allow a water hook-up for the home.

Rather than take action immediately, the committee asked County Planning Director Felipe Oltramari to find the minutes for the meetings where first the county's water committee and then the county's planning board denied the water hook-up applications.

In 2001, when the county's current water system was being developed, the state required the county to develop a plan to protect farmland, ensure development took place in already developed areas and encourage revitalization of existing industrial areas, business districts and residential neighborhoods in the City of Batavia and developed village areas.

So the county adopted a "Smart Growth Plan" that defines development areas and establishes procedures for revising the plan.

The subject of the house in Darien came up now, again, because the county is wrapping up an every-three-year review of the plan and revising it to allow for development of the WNY STAMP project in Alabama.

Part of Hagelberger's argument on behalf of his local resident is that if the county can revise the plan for STAMP, why not revise it for this family as well?

After the meeting, Oltramari explained a little further why the Smart Growth Plan exists.

It's very easy for new development to follow infrastructure. By putting in the water system, without a plan, the county could lose a lot of farmland along the paths of water mains.

The concern has never really been about big developments, but about farmland disappearing in a piecemeal fashion -- a house here, a new business there, a little strip shopping mall on this or that lot. The goal of the Smart Growth Plan is to try and prevent that sort of development.

Since it was adopted, there have been 40 applications for development outside of a designated development area, Oltramari said, and all but three have been approved.

"For the most part, people understand -- keep out of farm fields," Oltramari said. "Keep it in the woods or where there's already a lot of housing, but not in the middle of a field, not in good productive farmland."

Oltramari noted that farming and residential development sometimes don't mix well.

"Farmers will tell you when you have a neighbor who doesn't really like your operations, they can make your life a nightmare," Oltramari said.

The county has no idea how the homeowners are getting water now. The is no known well on the property.

One reason the homeowners still must pay the tax for the water district is that particular district isn't bill on a per-hook-up basis, but rather is taxed based on land assessment for each parcel.

Land that is in an agricultural district is exempt from the tax, but for some reason that isn't clear, the house in Darien is outside the nearest ag district. Oltramari said it will take more research to figure out what happened in that particular case.

"Somebody can make the point that they do benefit from the water district because there is a fire hydrant available," Oltramari said. "Somebody could make that case."

DOWNLOAD: Smart Growth Plan (pdf)

Niagara County officer admits to assault during concert at Darien Lake

By Howard B. Owens

A Niagara County police officer who was involved in an altercation at Darien Lake in 2012 admitted in county court today that her reckless conduct while intoxicated caused injuries to another concert goer.

Kelly L. Alcorn, 48, entered a guilty plea to third-degree assault, a Class A misdemeanor, with no condition on sentencing.

The Grand Island resident was originally arrested Aug. 25 and charged with harassment, 2nd, but after the victim in the case went to the media claiming serious injuries and drawing attention to Alcorn's law enforcement status, the District Attorney's Office took a closer look at the case.

In February, Alcorn was indicted on a single count of assault, 2nd.

As part of her plea today, Judge Robert C. Noonan asked Alcorn a series of questions, starting with whether she was at the concert and whether she was intoxicated, which Alcorn admitted.

When Noonan asked Alcorn if her body came into contact with the body of the victim, causing her to hit a cinder block wall, Alcorn conferred with her attorney.

Alcorn admitted to wrestling with the victim on the floor and hitting her and that those swings recklessly caused injury to the victim.

Section 120(7) of the NYS penal code defines one type of third-degree assault as recklessly causing injury to another person.

At time of sentencing, Alcorn will be seeking a relief from civil disabilities, which is a form Noonan can sign that would enable Alcorn to continue her law enforcement career, or take other government employment, or seek employment in certain state-licensed fields.

Sentencing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Jan. 9.

Latoya Jackson given five and a half years in prison on assault convictions

By Howard B. Owens

A Batavia woman whose name is well known to regular readers of local police blotters is going to prison for five and a half years after being sentenced in County Court on her first felony conviction.

Latoya D. Jackson, 27, who has a long list of arrests for alleged misdemeanors ranging from disorderly conduct, reckless endangerment, harassment, weapon possession, resisting arrest and petit larceny, was sentenced on two counts of assault, 2nd.

On Sept. 16, Jackson entered conditional guilty pleas to the assault charges in exchange for a guaranteed concurrent sentence on both counts. Jackson pled guilty, but did not admit to committing the crime, only that a jury would likely find her guilty (known as a Alford Plea).

One of Jackson's victims, a cousin, said she was glad to see that Jackson would receive justice today.

"When I tell people my cousin cut me (explaining a scar on her face), they look at me like I'm crazy," the young woman said.

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman asked Noonan to consider the maximum sentence available under the plea agreement, which would have been seven years in prison.

Larry Ader, Public Defender's Office, argued that Noonan's best option was to give Jackson a probation-based sentence. If Jackson has finally learned she needs to go in a different direction with her life, that would be best, Ader argued, but if Jackson hasn't learned her lesson and violates probation, Noonan would be able to send Jackson away for up to 14 years.

"I'm not going to stand up her and say my client is a stranger to the criminal justice system," Ader said. "She's not. But this is her first felony.

"I think that as you well know, we don't know what it will take to finally change somebody's behavior and Ms. Jackson is quite aware that she's been given chances in the past to change her behavior and it hasn't work," Ader added. "If she doesn't change at this point with two felonies hanging over her head, you could punish her with a longer sentence than is available today."

Noonan said he agreed with the recommendation of the DA and the Probation Department that Jackson be sent straight to prison.

"It appears you've had many an opportunity to wake up and see that your life is going in the wrong direction," Noonan said. "Now you stand here convicted of two serious crimes and you negotiated for yourself concurrent sentences, which was probably a wise thing for you to do."

Batavia Cheer squad finishes second at Brockport Spirit Fest

By Howard B. Owens

In their first competition of the year, the Batavia HS varsity cheerleading team took second place at the Brockport Spirit Fest over the weekend. Kayle Corp placed third in the individual competition. The sectional competition is Oct. 26. (Photo and information submitted by Justine Bonarigo.)

Authentically Local