Le Roy

Sean Valdes, an owner of D&R Depot in Le Roy, is ready to move on to the next phase of his life, and he’s decided to leave while he’s on top.

Valdes announced earlier this month on social media that he’s selling the restaurant. 

He started working for the restaurant in 1993, as a dishwasher. Valdes worked his way up through the restaurant staff and eventually bought it. His wife is a part-owner and head chef.

“I have never made a personal decision before that wasn't restaurant-first. This will be the first personal decision we have made as adults. We are just looking for something different,” Valdes said.

“My wife and I have been doing it for a long time. We met here. We got married here. Our kids work here now. They are teenagers. It’s just life changes. We are both in our mid-40s, and we are looking to do something different. We are still at our peak. We are busy. We are popular. We have a tremendous staff and a great system in place. This is the time to say, ‘We did it, and let’s go do something else.’”

Don and Nancy Nickerson opened the D&R Depot in September 1991 as a mid-scale restaurant that served homemade food. The restaurant is perhaps best known for its chicken pot pies.

Nancy passed away in September.

Valdes said no changes are immediately coming. Everything is the same as always. He said he doesn’t have to sell D&R Depot to the first person who comes along. Valdes wants to sell the restaurant to “someone who fits our culture.” He wants his replacement to successfully shepherd it through the next 20 to 30 years.

As Valdes prepares to leave, he can’t help but reflect on what he’s learned from 30 years in the business.

“I think that restaurants now are getting a bad rap. Yes, business is hard. Yes, prices are higher. All those things are true,” Valdes said. “But I think if you focus on your customer and focus on your staff and control your costs, the restaurant business could be quite profitable. The relationships you make from it are invaluable.”

Before sending him to prison for 10 years, Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini wondered at the criminal history of Arthur Brown, 45, of Le Roy, whom she observed is clearly intelligent, is well-spoken, and knows to advocate for himself.

Why, she wondered, why he keeps engaging in criminal activity when Brown could do so much more with his life.

Brown was sentenced on three separate criminal cases, the most notorious, an incident in September 2021 when he fled from a traffic stop after being seen driving erratically on Route 33 through Bergen and Stafford.  Brown ran into a cornfield, and Deputy Kevin Quackenbush started a foot pursuit but stopped when he apparently saw Brown pull a handgun from his waistband.  Quackenbush retreated, and then there was a loud bang.

Quackenbush reported to dispatch, "shots fired." This was the start of a several-hour, multi-department manhunt that eventually led to the arrest of Brown and the recovery of a handgun.  The loud bangs turned out to be from a wildlife scare cannon.

Brown has consistently maintained that the gun officers found was not his, and on Friday, he accused of Quckenbush of not telling the whole truth about the incident, such as, he said, Brown's DNA wasn't on the gun nor were his fingerprints.

ADA Joseph Robinson noted after Brown's statement that the gun wasn't checked for fingerprints.

After initially indicating he intended to take the charges against him to a jury, in February, he entered guilty pleas to multiple charges, including second-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon, a Class D violent offense, third-degree attempted criminal possession of a narcotic drug with intent to sell, a Class B felony, in connection with an arrest in January of this year in the City of Batavia, and to one count of violating the Sex Offender Registration Act, a Class E felony, for failing to register as a sex offender upon a change of address.

In arguing for the maximum possible sentence against Brown (the 10 years Cianfrini eventually imposed), Robinson said that Brown's long criminal history and habit of saying things that attempt to explain away or minimize his criminal activity made him a danger to society.

Robinson listed Brown's past criminal activity:

• In 1994, Brown was adjudicated a youthful offender in a criminal case and violated probation within a year.
• In 1995, he was sentenced to a year in jail.
• In 1998, he was sentenced to seven years in prison on a robbery 2nd conviction.
• In 2005, he was convicted of rape 3rd and sentenced to 18 months to three years in prison.
• In 2010 he as conflicted of criminal sale of a controlled substance 4th and sentenced to two years in prison.
• In 2015, he was convicted of two sexual offender registration violations.
• In was released from prison on that conviction in 2021 one, just weeks before the incident on Clinton Street Road.

The plea Brown accepted, Robinson said, satisfied not only the pending charges already filed against Brown but also four ongoing drug dealing investigations being conducted by the Local Drug Task Force that had not yet led to charges.

Robinson said Brown seems to spend more time in prison and free.

"If he's not serving time on a conviction, he's out committing more crimes," Robison said.

Robinson noted that Brown hasn't accepted responsibility for possessing a gun in September, and he said that when Brown was accused of possessing a bag of cocaine, Brown told probation officers during his pre-sentence interview that officers found the bag in a bush and not on his person.  That was an example, Robinson said, of the defendant minimizing his responsibility for his actions. 

Another dealt with Brown's SORA violation.  Brown said, according to Robinson, that he didn't think he needed to register a change of address because he merely moved from one room to another in a hotel complex.  

Defense attorney Joseph Lobosco said his client did accept responsibility for his actions and suggested that Robinson was mischaracterizing Brown's interview with probation officers. He said the interview took hours, and the report didn't include direct quotes from Brown but paraphrases from officers written after the interview.

Brown said it was unfair of the ADA to he didn't accept responsibility for his crimes. 

He said there was the DNA of three other people on the gun but not his.  He also complained that a confidential informant used in the drug sales investigation was facing six criminal charges, which wasn't disclosed, he said. 

"I take responsibility for what I've done, and I don't make excuses," Brown said. "But I don't take responsibility for what I didn't do." 

Cianfrini said she hopes Brown will use his time in prison to better his life, to learn new skills, and reflect on the direction his life has taken.

"You could do something worthwhile with your life," she said.

On the SORA violation, Cianfrini sentenced him to 2 to 4 years in prison. On the attempted criminal possession of a weapon conviction, seven years in prison. On the criminal possession of a controlled substance conviction, 10 years in prison.  All sentences are to be served concurrently.

Previously:

• Le Roy man in 'shots fired' case accepts plea deal
• County ADA offers seven-to-eight-year sentencing deal to LeRoyan facing numerous felony charges
• Criminal cases against Le Roy man, including 'shots fired' case, hinge on missing video evidence
• BREAKING NEWS: Shots fired after vehicle stopped on Route 33, near Mill Road

A lot of students pour through a school district's music program, but only a few of them put in the effort, show dedication and develop the skills necessary to carry on with their music education after graduation.

It's incredibly rewarding when a student follows that path, said Matthew Nordhausen, who teaches 5th and 6th-grade band in the Le Roy Central School District as well as serves as the district's primary percussion instructor.

"We obviously feel some pride in being able to help them build those skills to pass the auditions," Nordhausen said. "It's also incredibly rewarding, in about four years from now, when they graduate, and they go out into the workforce -- especially those that go into music education, because chances are, they'll come back to this area, and they might end up being our colleagues."

That's happened, he said.  Nordhausen said he's been teaching long enough -- 20 years -- now that he has former students teaching in Batavia and Monroe County.

On Thursday, Le Roy recognized five graduating seniors who are continuing their music education.

They are:

• Jackson Cain, SUNY Fredonia for Music Education
• Alexiana Clarke, SUNY Fredonia for Music Education
• Connor McGee, SUNY Fredonia for Music Education
• Evan Williams, Point Park for Music Theater
• Nathan Yauchzee, SUNY Potsdam Crane School of Music for Music Business

Le Roy has a reputation in the region for quality music education, and Nordhausen said that comes down to the support the district gives to the Music Department and their ability to hire dedicated and talented teachers.

"The five of us --  Miss (Tasha) Dotts, Miss (Jessa) Dechant,  myself, Mr. (Jeffrey) Fisher, and Miss (Jackie) McLean -- we do work tirelessly for these kids, it's a 24/7 life, not a job. We're helping the kids before school, after school, anything they need, we're always accessible."

The district has helped ensure teachers hired are also qualified on instruments to provide individual instructions, and that is something, Nordhausen said, that many districts can't offer.

"It allows somebody like myself, who is primarily at the elementary school, to still be able to come up here (the high school) and teach my primary instrument, percussion, which allows our kids to get private instruction all the way through their senior year. That level of instruction is just unheard of. In another school district, you're going to have to seek out outside-of-school private lessons, but these kids are getting specific instruction on percussion for me and brass from Miss Dechant and woodwinds from Miss Dotts." 

Nordhausen is obviously enthusiastic about music education, and he encourages parents to get their children involved in music -- or any of the arts -- even if the parents have no background in music or art on their own.

Music is forever, he noted.

"Whether you have a musical family quote unquote or not, if you find a love of anything, whether that be music or art, then you should follow that passion through," Nordhausen said. "If you get involved in a great school district and a great program and a supportive one then you're going to be able to build those skills. I've often said, of myself, I am not the most talented musician, but I will be one of the hardest working ones. My colleagues are both talented and hardworking. And you can certainly overcome a quote-unquote a lack of talent if you're willing to put in the time and the effort."

It wasn’t very long after Sweet Betty’s closed before the void was palpable to the Le Roy community, Kristen Beardsley says.

“I have a lot of friends and family in Le Roy and we could tell they were really missing this place. And it's kind of like, there's really not a lot of places to eat in Le Roy, to sit down and eat,” Beardsley said to The Batavian during Wednesday’s reopening of Sweet Betty’s. “People just like to come here. The kids like to come here after school. It was nice for kids that were in sports. 

"I see it as a mom of two kids that when kids are in sports, there's not a lot of time, and on weekends, there's not a lot of time to be making dinners. So it just makes it accessible,” she said.

Beardsley, head chef and partner Steven Kelso and silent partner Gabe Dean approached former owner Gabrielle (Gabby) Keister, who closed the Main Street restaurant in October 2022, in January of this year, closing on the purchase in February 2023.

Much of the menu will remain the same — chicken sandwiches, tenders and souvlaki wraps, Italian sausage hoagies, cajun popcorn shrimp and burgers a la cheddar bacon, jalapeño bacon jam, mushroom swiss, and other varieties; assorted salads, sides and homemade desserts.

One change is that pizza was removed from the menu, since the new owners figured that’s a food item that can be purchased elsewhere in lieu of their menu, which features specialty fare.

New offerings include Kelso’s mac & cheese creations, from the reuben with corned beef, sauerkraut and swiss cheese to the Betty Bomber with sliced steak, peppers and onion. Kelso also makes daily soups, such as Wednesday’s cream of broccoli and Italian wedding.

With more than 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, including several at O’Lacy’s, Kelso of Batavia adds the kitchen element to Beardsley’s front-of-the-shop serving experience as a waitress.

They have several employees, including at some point Beardsley’s children, Lily, 16, and 14-year-old Kaleb; and Jo Berl, whose smile is a natural behind the counter serving up hard and soft ice cream cones and meals in the bright dining area.

“It was a very popular place before that and Gabby and Scott set a high standard, so it's just being prepared to continue what they started,” Beardsley, of East Bethany, said. “So, we're all prepared.”

Sweet Betty’s is at 15 Main St., Le Roy. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday.

For more information, call 585-502-6084. or go HERE.

Jason W. Whitehead, 25, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, possession of a narcotic with the intent to sell, harassment 2nd, resisting arrest and use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Batavia patrol officers located Whitehead, who had an active warrant for his arrest, walking on Bank Street on April 16. Whitehead allegedly fled on foot when officers attempted to arrest him. A private citizen assisted Officer John Gombos and Sgt. Christopher Lindsay in stopping Whitehead. The officer took Whitehead into custody. Whitehead was allegedly found to be in possession of a quantity of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Whitehead was arraigned in  City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on no bail.

Cassandra F. Smith, 37, of Manhattan Ave.,  Batavia, is charged with two counts of petit larceny. Smith is accused of stealing various items from a yard on Manhattan Avenue on April 8. Smith was released on an appearance ticket.  On April 12, she was charged with criminal trespass 2nd. She is accused of entering and remaining unlawfully in an apartment on Washington Avenue, where she left a note for a resident to find when the person came home. She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court and released. She was charged with criminal mischief 4th on April 12. She is accused of spray-painting an apartment door, doorbell camera, and van in the driveway of a residence on Washington Avenue.  She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and her release status is unknown.

Joseph C. Jeffords, 32, of Chestnut Street, Batavia, was arrested on two bench warrants issued by City Court. Jeffords is accused of failure to appear on two prior appearance tickets, one for alleged unauthorized use of a motor vehicle on Jan. 23, and the second for alleged criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th on Feb. 6. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and his release status is unknown. Jeffords was also arrested on April 9 and charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Jeffords was allegedly in possession of various narcotic drugs upon being arrested on multiple warrants.  Jeffords was arraigned in  City Court and custody remanded to the Genesee County Jail in lieu of bail.  

Salvatore Dellapenna, 54, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief. Dellapenna is accused of damaging a neighbor's front door by kicking it in on April 8. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Patricia M. Anderson, 38, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny, operating a motor vehicle while the registration is suspended, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle third. Anderson is accused of filling a shopping cart with $139 in merchandise and leaving the business on East Main Street, Batavia, without paying. During the investigation, it was allegedly found that Anderson operated a motor vehicle with a suspended registration while her license was suspended. Anderson was released with an appearance ticket.

Modesto O. Cardenas, 29, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment in the second degree.  Cardenas was arrested by Officer John Gombos following an investigation into a disturbance on April 1. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, and his release status is unknown.

Linda L. Snyder, 40, of Creek Road, Batavia, was arrested for bench warrants issued by City Court and charged with bail jumping in the third degree. On April 5, Officer Peter Post arrested Snyder on bench warrants issued by  City Court for harassment, criminal mischief, and animal cruelty charges.  Additionally, Snyder was charged with bail jumping 3rd because she failed to appear in court as directed after being released on her own recognizance from a criminal proceeding.  Snyder was arraigned in City Court and custody remanded to the Genesee County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail. 

Josia G. Culver, 18, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with two counts of burglary 3rd, two counts of criminal mischief 4th and petit larceny. Culver is accused of breaking into a local restaurant on Ellicott Street on April 14. He is accused of breaking into another restaurant in the mall on April 16 and stealing money from the register. His release status is unknown.

Lori A. Wittkopp, 61, of Spencer Court, Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18% or greater. On April 14, Officer John Gombos stopped Wittkopp following a complaint that Wittkopp was driving while intoxicated. Wittkopp was issued appearance tickets.

Kendra Q. Thomas, 35, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and endangering the welfare of a child. Thomas is accused of a physical altercation with a juvenile on April 15.  Thomas was issued an appearance ticket.

Luis J. Santiago Arroyo, 34, of Buell Street,  Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal contempt 1st. Arroyo is accused of being involved in a physical incident during a custody exchange on April 23. Arroyo is accused of striking another person, unprovoked, who was covered by an order of protection while she was holding a child.  Police say a Ring camera captured video of the incident. Arroyo was held in the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment. Release status unknown.

Aaron T. Hendershot, 26, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and aggravated family offense. Hendershot allegedly violated an order of protection on April 20 by calling, messaging, and writing letters to the protected party.  He was additionally charged with aggravated family offense as he has been convicted of a specified offense within the immediately preceding 5 years, Feb. 6, 2023.  Hendershot was arraigned in City Court and custody remanded to the Genesee County Jail without bail. 

Alisha A. Soule, 26, of Route 237, Le Roy, is charged with harassment 2nd and criminal mischief 4th. Police responded to a reported disturbance on April 26. Soule is accused of kicking in a door to gain entry to a house and then striking one person while attempting to get to another person. Soule was arraigned in City Court and released.

Pamela L. Dickinson, 60, of Roosevelt Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, failure to comply, speeding, and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. At about 6:30 a.m. on April 24, Officer Joseph Weglarski reported observing a vehicle speeding on Pearl Street. The driver allegedly failed to stop until being blocked by patrols at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Bank Street in Batavia. Dickinson was released on traffic tickets.

Shelby L. Fryer, 27, of Prune Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal impersonation.  Officer John Gombos stopped a vehicle reportedly driven by Fryer on April 22. She allegedly gave a false name to the officer in an attempt to avoid an arrest on a warrant. She was arrest on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. She was arraigned. Her release status is unknown.

Haley M. Larnder, 23, of North Street, Batavia, was arrested on a  City Court arrest warrant. Officer Andrew Mruczek located Larnder on April 21 and took her into custody on a warrant. Larnder was originally arrested on March 19 on a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and issued an appearance ticket. Larnder was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.

Jacqulyn A. Dueppengieser, 39, on Page Road, Perry, is charged with petit larceny. Dueppengieser is accused of stealing from a business on East Main Street on April 20. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Natasha J. Durney, 29, of Hutchins Place, Batavia, is charged with nine counts of harboring an unlicensed dog. On April 21, Officer Stephen Quider responded to a report on Hutchins Street of dogs fighting on Hutchins Place. During the fight, a person was reportedly bitten. Durney is accused of owning nine unlicensed dogs.  Durney was issued an appearance ticket.

Jessica Hernandez, 35, of Summit Street, Batavia, was arrested as a fugitive from justice. Police officers executed an arrest warrant on April 22 after being contacted by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office in Florida. The police department was informed that Volusia County had a warrant for Hernandez on the charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Hernandez was processed, arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Part Court and held at the Genesee County Jail to await extradition to Volusia County, Florida. 

David A. Kendall, 50, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Kendall is accused of violating a stay-away order of protection on April 23. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Adam M. Zastrocky, 38, of Myrtle Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to stop at stop sign, driving left of pavement markings in no passing zone, and refusal to take breath test. Zastrocky was arrested by Sgt. Jason Saile following an investigation into a motor vehicle accident reported at 10 p.m. on April 20 on Cockram Road, Byron.

Joseph Earnest Marr, 44, of Nesbitt Road, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th.  Marr is accused of stealing a phone while at Batavia Downs. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Nathan Paul Crawford, 27, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with two counts of petit larceny. Crawford is accused of shoplifting from 48 Deli Express at 5:04 p.m. on April 15. He was issued an appearance ticket. He is also accused of shoplifting from Kohls at 11:05 a.m. on April 19. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Heather Nicole Derooy, 33, of Keith Terrace, Chili, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, and improper plates. Derooy was stopped at 8:26 p.m. on April 8 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun and Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush. She was allegedly found in possession of methamphetamine. Derooy was released on an appearance ticket.

Robert E. Sacher, 53, of Kibbe Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI. Sacher was stopped at 3:11 p.m. on April 13 on Veterans Memorial Drive by Deputy Jonathan Dimming. Sacher was issued traffic tickets and released.

Jeenathan Rodeny Williams, 63, of Hazelwood Terrace, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed driver, side wings/side windows non-transparent, and plates covered by glass or plastic. Williams was stopped at 6:56 p.m. on April 25 on Byron Elba Road, Byron, by Deputy Zachary Hoy and issued an appearance ticket.

Scott Aaron Muntz, 25, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Muntz was stopped at 12:15 a.m. on April 16 on Knowlesville Road, Alabama, by Deputy Jonathan Dimming.  He was issued traffic tickets.

Madison McKenzie, 18, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. McKenzie is accused of giving a letter to a child under age 17 that contained sexual content. McKenzie was arraigned and released.

Michelle Dawn Grover, 38, of Olean Road, South Wales, is charged with petit larceny. Grover is accused of shoplifting from Dollar General in Pavilion at 10 a.m. on March 5. Grover was issued an appearance ticket.

Members of the Rochester-based Strength in Numbers nonprofit have scheduled a Youth Suicide Prevention Event from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on July 9 at Batavia Downs.
The theme: “You Are Not Alone.”

The evening will feature dinner and drinks, a silent auction, merchandise sales, and a motorcycle run. Ticket holders will receive Batavia Downs Casino Game Play Credit. Musician Joel Russlett is scheduled to perform.

If you want to participate, then you must act fast. 

Organizer Dan Clor said the event can only accommodate 200 guests. Tickets are $100 per person. People who wish to attend must email Clor at DanClor@strengthinnumbersorg.org

According to the Maryland-based Walden University, suicide is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 to 24 and takes 4,600 lives annually. 
Clor cited school bullying and sexual abuse as only some of the reasons why young people feel distraught and take their own lives.

“Generations in the past, if there was bullying at school, young people could go in their rooms or play in their backyards or be around their neighborhoods. But social media basically puts all of that on blast at a worldwide level. Young people are so connected all the time. Social media has added to the challenges,” Clor said. “Kids are disconnecting more. They are putting headsets on and playing in their rooms. There is that communication from human to human without devices [that they are not getting].”

Members of the riding group Bikers Against Child Abuse (B.A.C.A) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (ASFP) are scheduled to speak. 

Clor said the July 9 event will highlight Strength in Numbers’ Youth Mentorship Program. 

“The mentorships we have are creative avenues for these kids to have a healthy outlet through their struggles,” Clor said, adding the program includes fitness and martial arts training.

“On the flip side of that, we also have music and art outlets, yoga, that kind of thing.” 

The July 9 event will also honor the lives of Madeline Bartz and Makenna Dadey, who are no longer with us, said organizer Sara Betz.  

“Madeline was the type of girl who, if she saw you upset, she would do everything she could to make you happy. She was a cheerleader, outgoing, a dancer and loved to play music,” Betz said. 

“Makenna was into music, drawing, volleyball, and she also sang.”

Clor said he and his colleagues have held Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness gatherings in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Austin, Nashville, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Philadelphia. They will organize similar events elsewhere throughout the country and even internationally. 

“We are looking to build new relationships and move this initiative forward at a much larger scale,” Clor said.

For more information, visit https://strengthinnumbersorg.org

Submitted photo.

Motorists can expect a detour on Route 19 at the railroad crossing in Le Roy for a few days in May, a Rochester and Southern Railroad representative says.

Work is expected to begin May 11 for a “full rehab” of the railroad crossing, and that’s to last for about four to five days, the representative said to The Batavian Tuesday. Work includes tearing out the old rail ties and rebuilding with new ones, plus resurfacing a section of Route 19, he said.

“As far as the roadway, it will be a full new product,” the representative said. “This has all been approved by the state. There’s been significant state inspections at crossings all day, every day. 

"The state would only allow detours on the weekend. The brunt of the work is being done on Saturday and Sunday. It will be starting on probably midday Thursday and will go through Monday or Tuesday, weather permitting.”

The proposed budget for the Le Roy Central School District for 2023/24 is $30,227,508 in expenditures, and if the district receives the amount of state aid it anticipates, there will be no need to increase the tax levy, according to Superintendent Merritt Holly.

The Board of Education approved the spending plan on Tuesday.   The final levy tally and tax rate will become available after state aid is approved and the district knows exactly how much property values have changed, which will be some time before voters are asked to approve the budget in May.

The district expects to spend nearly $10 million on professional and teacher salaries. That's an increase of $324,906 dollars.  The increase is mostly driven by negotiated salary increases.  Six teachers are being replaced. There will be two new positions in special education, a new half position in elementary literacy, and a half position less in music.

Salaries for K-3 teachers will increase by $61,478, up $27,576 for grades 4-8, and up by $50,266 for grades 7-12.

The superintendent's salary will increase by $6,000, to $179,542.

Salaries for principals and assistants are going down by $33,117 to a total of $387,206.

Fees paid to BOCES are based on prior year charges and the district will pay BOCES $2,612,766, which is $240,930 more than the prior year.

Support staff salaries are up $194,462 to a total of $3,203,908.

The cost of health care is increasing by $53,544 to more than $2.9 million.

Retirement costs are up $53,544 to more than $1.3 million.

Contributions to the capital fund will increase by $563,369 to $663,369.  Contributions to the capital fund pay for small building projects that are eligible for NYS building aid.

The Le Roy football program is a program with a lot of wins, a lot of history, a lot of tradition, and Mike Humphrey has been a part of it.

This week, the Board of Education approved Humphrey's appointment to head coach of the Oatkan Knights, making him the first former player to be named head coach in the program's history.

Humphrey was a wide receiver and defensive back with the Knights through three championship seasons -- 2006, 2007, and 2008.  He's been part of the coaching staff, including head JV coach, for a decade, and has worked for the past five years at the elementary school as a physical education instructor.

"I'm excited," Humphrey said. "This is something I've been a part of for a long time, as a player and as a coach.

"This is something that has always kind of been on my mind, and so here we are," he added. "I'm excited to get the process going."

One of his assistants, Jim Bonaquisti, who was also once his coach at Le Roy, said Humphrey clearly has a plan and is already moving forward to get the team ready for the 2023 season. 

"He knows what he needs to do," Bonaquisti said.  "He knows what it's supposed to look like.  He's going to do a great job."

With Humphrey and assistants Pete Green and John Whiting, Bonaquisti will be working alongside three coaches he coached when they were high school players.

"Either I've been here a long time or I'm getting old," Bonaquisti quipped.

But that's all part of the tradition, said Bonaquisti, who serves as the team's historian.  

"He was a hell of a player," Bonaquisti said. "He was an all-state player.  He was a really good college player at Cortland. He's in the Top 10 among receivers in several categories at Cortland. He's young, and hopefully, he's going to stay a while."

Humphrey replaces Brian Herdlein, who has been head coach since 2015.  Herdlein, who previously served as an assistant under Brian Moran, lives in Batavia, and Bonquisti said Herdein's sons are coming of age in Batavia's football program, and he wants to be around to be part of their football careers.

"We all get it," Bonaquisti said. "When I was JV coach, I had to miss one of my son's Little League games, and I said, 'Never again.'  We love him.  I loved coaching with him, and I understand."

It's been a few years, however, since the Oatkan Knights claimed a sectional title.  There was even talk earlier this year, because of declining participation numbers in football, of merging the Le Roy program with Cal-Mum.  That isn't going to happen, and Bonaquisti thinks Humphrey has the experience, knowledge, and commitment to return Le Roy to championship football.

"It's time for another title," he said.

Humphrey said he feels good about the program.  He coached winning teams at the JV level for five years and said there are players coming up who can help the team win.

"We have a lot of skill position players coming back at the varsity level, and while we lost some on the lines, we've got great players coming," Humphrey said. "I'm confident in their skill and their ability.  I've got nothing but confidence and enthusiasm for our kids."

Photo: Mike Humphrey on left.  Photo by Ed Henry.

In the Le Roy Central School District, any student who wants to put forth the effort to graduate Summa Cum Laude, regardless of their academic or career interest, will have that opportunity, said David Russell, principal of the Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School, after the Board of Education approved a change to the Laude System at Tuesday's meeting.

"You can map that out with this system from your eighth-grade year," Russell told The Batavian after the meeting. "You just sit down with your counselor, and you say my goal is to be Summa because again, as I said in the previous meeting, maybe this means the world to you, right? Truthfully, maybe it does, and maybe it means nothing to you. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Either way, it gives you a chance to just compete against yourself."

The district changed from a Top 10 student achievement ranking system to a Laude System in 2018, but the Laude System replaced by the board on Tuesday should make it easier for students' parents to understand if they're on a path to graduation with distinction -- Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Summa Cum Laude.

Under the 2018 system, each year, administrators had to decide which courses were worth two points and which were only worth one.

This created some problems, Russell said.  It caused rifts between departments -- why was this course worth two credits and another course worth only one? And because each year, there are courses added and dropped, students and parents had to be informed each year of the changes, and whether a student was acquiring enough credits to achieve a Laude recognition had to be hand calculated.  The transcript for each student had to be counted against which courses were listed with which values in a particular year.

The big switch under the plan approved Tuesday is that a student need only look at his or her transcript and add up all the classes that provide credit toward graduation.  Every class with credit -- whether Advance Placement or Regents -- is weighted the same.   There's no worry about classes going away, new classes being added, or course credit values changing.

If that makes it sound easier for students to graduate with distinction, it's not, Russell said, because in order to get enough credits to graduate Summa Cum Laude -- currently 32 -- you will need to fill your schedule with credit-producing classes. To get that many credits, there simply aren't enough school hours in the day to allow a student to sit in study hall, and if you're going to get that many credits, you can't avoid more challenging classes, no matter what your career path or area of interest.

"It naturally pushes you towards challenging classes because in order to fill your schedule, there's only so many intro-level courses you want to take, right?" Russell said. "It's still going to mean something to get to Summa Cum Laude. I'm saying, in order to get to Summa, if you're going to fill your schedule every year, it's going to naturally push you to the higher levels."

That applies equally to students who are trying to get into top science and engineering universities, students on a skills and trade track, as well as students who are potential art, music, and athletics majors -- they all have a chance to achieve Summa Cum Laude, or one of the other Laude tiers without, first, competing for the top GPA in their class, and second, taking classes that are of less interest to them personally just because they are worth more credits.

"Now, there's nothing preventing you (from graduating Laude) because you're not worried about competing for the top 10 in a class that might be loaded with complete scholars," Russell said. "Then, you might say, 'I have no shot at ever getting there. So what's the point?' No, I'm competing against myself. And whatever matters to me, now I can build it into my schedule."

The maximum possible score for a student from 8th grade to 12th would be 36 total credits with a 100 GPA. To achieve Summa Cum Laude, a student would need at least 32 credits and a 95 GPA.  Magna Cum Laude would be 30 credits and a 90 GPA.  Cum Laude would be 28 total credits and an 85 GPA.

Cum Laude is Latin for "with distinction."  Magna Cum Laude means "with great distinction," and Summa Cum Laude means "with highest distinction."

The Class of 2023 will be the last class to graduate under the Top 10 system.  The classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026 are under the Laude system but will be eligible to move up to a higher Laude if they qualify for a higher Laude under the proposed revisions. The Class of 2027 would be the first class to graduate under this new Laude system.

The board approved the policy change on a 6-1 vote, with Trustee William MacKenzie voting no.

MacKenzie expressed concern that members of the Class of 2024 will find it more difficult to achieve Summa because of course restrictions during the COVID-19 years. 

"My biggest concern is just any student getting slighted," MacKenzie said. "I know of several who possibly could. So it's just how I feel."

Superintendent Merrit Holly said before the vote that what the board was being asked to approve was a policy -- primarily that change from weighted credits to a transcript-based count of credit-worthy classes -- and there was flexibility based on circumstances for each class to adjust credit totals.

Both Holly and Russell indicated there is room to consider changes for the Class of 2024, but there was no commitment by the administration or the board to make any immediate changes.

Russell said he hasn't spoken to the same families MacKenzie may be concerned about but that he believes there is still the opportunity, without making changes to the credit count, for any member who has been focused on achieving Summa to still do so.  Those students will need to make sure they fill their course schedule with the classes that help them reach that goal.

Also, members of the Class of 2024 have a chance to reach Summa either under the system approved in 2018, or the one approved Tuesday -- whichever one is most favorable to them in terms of credits or points.

"If there's a student who has a study hall going into their senior year, and they're a credit shy of Summa, then my contention would be, you still have an opportunity to reach Summa, that would be my response," Russell said. "If you have a student who's a credit or credit and a half shy of Summa, and they have more than one study hall their senior year, again, you have an opportunity to get to Summa. It might be more challenging, but again, that's part of what Laude is. It should mean something to get to Summa."

Previously:

• Proposed Laude system in Le Roy aimed at encouraging higher student achievement
• 2018: Le Roy CSD rolls out new graduation Laude System

Photo: File photo of Principal David Russell. Photo by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

As we edge closer to celebrating another Earth Day here at Tops we are excited to announce the advances we continue to make not only in our day to day efforts to adopt practices that help protect our environment, but also efforts that will make a lifelong impact.

It’s All in the Bag Tops prides itself on working with partners who share the same commitment to environmental
practices so it was a no brainer when Tops had the opportunity to employ BioFlex™ bags instead of traditional plastic bags for its potatoes.

“BioFlex™ ticked all the boxes for us” said Jeff Cady, director produce and floral for Tops Friendly Markets. “A quality product solution that is engineered to break down in landfills all while diverting greenhouse gas emissions. A win-win.” BioFlex™ is a sustainable technology that increases the natural microbial activity in modern landfills and contributes 19 times more energy than that of regular plastic. The packaging is FDA compliant and safe for food contact. Furthermore, BioFlex™ packaging can be designed to maintain recyclability.

“This new packaging is 100% recyclable and also biodegrades in landfills and converts into renewable methane gas,” said president, David Masser of Sterman Masser, Inc. “Tops was the first retail chain to adopt this technology and has the most distribution to date.”

Kinder Way to Clean

When you think earth day you think about what changes you can make to your daily routine to help mother earth. Recycling your plastic bottles and newspapers, but did you stop and think about the cleaning products you’re using also helping in these efforts?

Tops proudly provides you with products with mother nature in mind year round! Tops Full Circle line of products are non-toxic, plant-based, and free of dyes and fragrances which are not only better for you and your family but the environment. From detergent and ecofriendly paper towels, to all purpose cleaning sprays and bath tissue, a kinder way to clean-is simply that.

Let the Sunshine

In 2022 Tops continued to increase its use of solar energy by partnering with EDP Renewables to provide solar power to even more of our stores. Together with Convergent Power + Energy and now EDP, 82 stores will have energy saving solar power.

Tops originally teamed up with Convergent in 2021, the most dependable provider of energy storage solutions in North America, to deliver more renewable energy to upstate New Yorkers in the form of community solar paired with battery storage. The partnership allows Tops stores to be powered by solar farms, which reduces the stores’ carbon footprint. The solar-plus-storage projects developed by Convergent provide Tops and upstate New Yorkers access to solar energy whether or not the sun is shining and reduce the state’s reliance on power plants during peak demand hours.

“Convergent and EDP are dedicated to mitigating the impact of a warming planet on current and future generations by advancing the clean energy transition, so expanding a partnership of this nature seemed only fitting,” stated Sautter.

Running on Clean

In 2022 Tops further enhanced its fleet of trucks by converting over to 48 new CNG trucks with impressive sustainability benefits. Fueled with clean burning natural gas, opposed to diesel fuel, these new trucks will eliminate 3,246 MT of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by fueling 1,000,000 DGEs of RNG.

To put that into perspective that is equivalent to eliminating 33,389,607 miles driven by a passenger vehicle, 502,034 incandescent lamps switched to LED’s or 563,607 trash bags of waste recycled instead of being placed in a landfill.

“Our ongoing commitment to sustainability is met with enthusiasm and resolve every day, as we work to ensure we leave our communities—and our planet—better for the next generation,” said John Persons, president, Tops Friendly Markets. “We are excited to be working with so many business partners whose values align with our environmental conservation vision."

To learn more about all of Tops sustainability efforts, visit https://www.topsmarkets.com/sustainability

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that it has updated and expanded the Barn Quilt Trail of Le Roy, in cooperation with Le Roy Historian Lynne Belluscio and the Le Roy Historical Society, by launching a new website and new self-guided trail brochure.

The original 2012 Barn Quilt Trail began as a bicentennial project for the Town of Le Roy, with the first being painted in 2011 at the annual Oatka Festival. In the following 10 months, the trail surpassed its goal of 25, with over 70 barn quilts being painted and erected.

Today, the trail features a collection of over 100 hand-painted barn quilts along four driving tours in and around LeR oy. Explore the scenic countryside while spotting each unique barn quilt that’s displayed on an array of barns, garages, homes and other outbuildings. Each quilt pattern has a story to tell, and these stories, along with full size images, can be found on the new LeRoyBarnQuilt.org website.

Barn Quilts are known to drive heritage tourism for rural communities as visitors search out authentic experiences that represent the stories and people, past and present, of the area. For Genesee County, the barn quilts have come to represent the pride shared by the people of LeRoy, a town with a rich agricultural heritage, deep appreciation of its history and immense pride in family heritage.

The Barn Quilt Trail expansion is supported through the Tourism Matching Funds program, administered by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State's Division of Tourism. 

The Chamber invites everyone to explore the trail and discover the beauty and history of the area. The brochure can be requested online at LeRoyBarnQuilt.org or picked up at the Chamber’s Visitor Center at 8276 Park Road in Batavia. This, and other local brochures, can be found in our vestibule, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will also be available in LeRoy this spring at the Town Hall, Village Hall, McDonald’s, The D&R Depot Restaurant, JELL-O Gallery Museum and the Woodward Memorial Library. Watch for special Barn Quilts programming at the Woodward Memorial Library this spring.

In 2018, Le Roy started phasing out the traditional ranking of top students based on GPA, instituting instead a system that would also take into account challenging coursework.

A senior could no longer skate by on easy electives or study hall to preserve a high GPA.  In the new system, students would need to acquire points in Advance Placement classes, for example, to achieve Summa Cum Laude.

High School Principal David Russell, who was hired after the 2018 revisions, introduced modifications to the Laude System to the Board of Education at its last meeting that would further encourage students to aim for high achievement instead of competing with classmates.

"We want to push students to make sure they're pushing themselves," Russell said.

The proposed revisions would be based on the total number of credits a student takes and a cumulative GPA.  Each course would be valued the same as the number of credits the course is worth on a transcript. Students taking AP courses and CTE courses that have college credit would continue to receive an additional five points added to their average for that course. 

The maximum possible score would be 36 total credits with a 100 GPA. To achieve Summa Cum Laude, a student would need at least 32 credits and a 95 GPA.  Magna Cum Laude would be 30 credits and a 90 GPA.  Cum Laude would be 28 total credits and an 85 GPA.

Cum Laude is Latin for "with distinction."  Magna Cum Laude means "with great distinction," and Summa Cum Laude means "with highest distinction."

The Class of 2023 will be the last class to graduate under the Top 10 system.  The classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026 are under the Laude system but will be eligible to move up to a higher Laude if they qualify for a higher Laude under the proposed revisions. If the revisions are approved, the Class of 2027 would be the first class to graduate under this new Laude system.

The goal of the Laude system is to give every student who makes the effort, regardless of life or career goals -- whether in a STEM field, the arts, or athletics -- to graduate with a Laude distinction.  Every pathway, Russell explained, gives students who work hard to achieve distinction for the effort.

"One of our fundamental pillars as a public school is to create opportunities for whatever pathway students take on, we're helping prepare them for whatever future they want to go into," Russell said.

The Laude system, Superintendent Merritt Holly noted, is the antidote for "senioritis."

"When we look at the class rank, what we're in right now, that one ends at the end of the first semester," Holly said. "So in January, the Top 10 is really set and done at that point. One of the things you'll hear from the committee and our teachers always is 'senioritis' sets in. As Dave mentioned, what I like about this is it can run all the way up to the end of the school year."

The class rank system does require some hand calculation, Holly said, which is why the class rank is set after the first system.  And Russell noted that the class rank is made public, which encourages students to compete against each other.

In the Laude system, only the student, his or her parents, and school counselors will know if a student is headed toward a Laude tier.  There is no competition.

"That (competition) can really be unhealthy at times," Russell said.

The rank system also produces the graduation speakers -- the valedictorian and salutatorian.  In the new system, students can nominate themselves or others to speak at graduation.  School administrators will review those nominations to ensure those truly worthy of speaking will be given the opportunity to be selected as class speakers in a vote of their peers.

The Board of Education will vote at its April 11 meeting on whether or not to accept the proposed revisions.

Photo: Principal David Russell. Photo by Howard Owens.

By policy, every student in the Le Roy Central School District has an opportunity to be served a lunch or breakfast every school day that is healthy and meets established nutritional guidelines.

If they can't pay for it, there's no shame.

These two policies sometimes contradict each other. In circumstances where a child isn't eligible for a free or reduced-price meal but doesn't have any money -- even if they haven't paid for previous meals -- they get served if they step into the meal line.  No staff member is allowed to remind a student of past-due bills.  That's the district's "no shaming" policy.

However, the district is now in the red on unpaid meal bills this school year to the tune of $2,751.58, Superintendent Merritt Holly informed the Board of Education at this past week's meeting.

Currently, staff members are contacting families with unpaid bills.  If a family reports back, "geez, we're really going through a rough time right now," the parents are encouraged to apply for the free or reduced-priced meal program.

"Many times, family situations change," Holly said. "Our job is to help families and bring them in through it."

There are families who aren't paying the bill but don't qualify for the program, so they're expected to pay their past bills. 

"Right now, there's no conversation or take anybody in small claims court are doing those type of things," Holly said. "We're trying to generate, 'Hey, are you aware?' Then if we can, we will work out a payment plan for those families. Sometimes, they're not aware that their child has racked up that bill."

If a parent or guardian doesn't want to keep running up the tab, they can inform the school in writing not to serve a meal to their children.

Even for students not getting free or reduced-priced meals, breakfast and lunch in the cafeterias on each campus are inexpensive. 

At the elementary school, breakfast is $1.70.  At the middle/high school, it is $1.75.  Lunch is $2.25 to $2.40.

Holly said the district tries to be as nice as it can be about approaching parents with bills for unpaid meals, but even so, they've had at least one parent indicate she was offended by the debit letter.

The district has been helped at times by community members making donations to pay meal balances for families, Holly said.

The current no-shaming policy was approved by the Board of Education in 2022 and prohibits students from being stigmatized while in line to get a meal, and students can't be required to wear wristbands, hand stamps or other identification to indicate they have an unpaid meal bill. 

Parents are supposed to be notified when a student has reached five unpaid meals and informed they can apply for the free or reduced-price meal program.

Any student from a home receiving government food assistance or aid for needy families automatically qualifies for the free or reduced-price program.  Other families may qualify but must submit an application and be approved by the district.

The district also has a policy that states, "The Le Roy Central School District wishes to establish a school environment that promotes wellness awareness and is conducive to healthy eating and physical activity for all." The policy is aligned with state and federal guidelines.

Press release:

Press Release:

The American Legion Auxiliary Unit #576 of Le Roy has selected a local High School Junior girl to attend this year's Empire Girls State the week of July 3rd at SUNY Brockport.

Victoria Rogoyski of Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School has been selected to attend. As part of the premier ALA program, citizens of the New York Girls State will study local, county, and state government processes during this five-day nonpartisan political learning experience.

Victoria was selected to attend Girls State based on selection criteria through the Auxiliary unit and/or high school, which includes being in the top 1/3 of her class, along with consideration given to scholastic achievements, leadership, character, honesty and physical fitness. Her mother, Brandie Rogoyski, works for Le Roy Central School District. The Botts-Fiorito unit is happy to be sponsoring a girl with a local connection.

ALA Girls State attendees, known as “citizens,” receive special instruction in parliamentary procedure and organize themselves into two mock political parties. The young women then campaign, hold rallies, debate, and ultimately vote to elect city, county, and state officials. Once elected to office, delegates are sworn in and perform their prescribed duties. Attendees not elected to office are given appointments and visit the offices of those elected to share their viewpoints as citizens.

Every spring, approximately 25,000 young women across the country are selected to attend ALA Girls State programs in their respective states. Two outstanding citizens from each of the 50 ALA Girls State programs are then chosen to represent their state as “senators” at ALA Girls Nation held in Washington, D.C. in July.

Jessica L. Holtz, 39, of Austin Street, Rochester, was arrested on two bench warrants out of City Court. The first bench warrant stems from a petit larceny charge at Kwik Fill, 99 Jackson St., on Nov. 18, 2021. She was issued an appearance ticket at the time of her arrest on Nov. 27, 2021. She was subsequently arrested for alleged failure to appear on Feb. 2, 2022. She was arraigned in City Court and released. She was subsequently arrested on May 1 for alleged failure to appear. She was arrested again on Jan. 29 for alleged failure to appear and arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court, release status unknown.   The second warrant stems from a petit larceny from a church on South Swan Street on Nov. 27, 2021. She was arrested on a warrant on Feb. 2, 2022, arraigned in City Court and released. She was arrested on May 1 and on Jan. 29 for alleged failure to appear on that charge. She was again arrested on March 11 on both warrants. She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court. Her release status is unknown.

Alexandro Rodriguez, 26,  of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Rodriguez allegedly violated an order of protection during a disturbance at a location on East Main Street on March 9 at an undisclosed time. He was arraigned in City Court on his own recognizance.

James N. Laurich, 37, of Buffalo Road, East Aurora, is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed driver, and open alcohol container in a motor vehicle. Laurich was arrested by Officer John Gombos on March 11 following an investigation into a disturbance at an undisclosed location and an undisclosed time. Laurich was stopped on Washington Avenue. He allegedly failed a field sobriety test. He was processed at Batavia PD and issued traffic tickets.

Carolyn L. Kurek, 80, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Kurek is accused of shoving another person during a disturbance on State Street at an undisclosed time on March 10. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Shawn Lewis Anderson, 42, of Linwood Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, unregistered motor vehicle, unlicensed operation, uninspected motor vehicle, and moving from lane unsafely.  Anderson was arrested following an investigation by Deputy Travis Demuth into a single-vehicle rollover accident on Linwood Road at 1:51 p.m. on March 14. Anderson was issued traffic tickets.

Steven Andrew Wasielewski, 39, of Phelps Road, Pembroke, is charged with criminal contempt 1st and assault 3rd. Wasielewski is accused of violating an order of protection and hitting another person, causing an injury at 10:07 p.m. on March 19 at a location on Phelps Road in Pembroke. His release status was not provided.

Mark Samuel Robbins, 41, of South Lake Avenue, Bergen, is charged with two counts of harassment 2nd.  Robbins is accused of shoving one person and striking another during a disturbance reported at 9:44 p.m. on March 16 at a location on South Lake Avenue, Bergen.  Robbins was issued an appearance ticket.

Press release:

The American Legion Auxiliary will be displaying artwork by Wolcott Street School 4th through 6th graders during the Botts-Fiorito American Legion Post #576 open house.

It will be the kick off to our Poppy Program and the center of the auxiliary's outreach to the public to see what the Legion has to offer.

The posters will be on display at the Legion from March 25 until Memorial Day.

A two-car motor vehicle accident is reported at Vallance Road and Route 19 in Le Roy.;

Injuries are reported.

It is partially b;ockijg

Le Roy Fire and Le Roy Ambulance responding. 

 UPDATE 8:26 a.m.: Stella's towing both pickup trucks. Law enforcement is clearing the scene. 

Le Roy lost its Class B2 championship game to Wellsville at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester on Saturday, 52-43.

There are no game statistics available. 

Maveric McKenzie received the sportsmanship award, while Merritt Holley and Andrew Pocock were named to the all-tournament team.

Photos by Jason Coniber.