Le Roy

In separate press releases today, the Environmental Protection Agency and federal lawmakers moved to assure the public that every possible safety measure is being taken to deal with a toxic plume in Le Roy.

The EPA announced that ongoing testing has confirmed earlier results about the concentration levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) in ground water and the location of the plume. 

Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Kathy Hochul hailed the EPA for agreeing to further testing to see if the plume has moved into Livingston County.

It was created in a 1970 train derailment and came to renewed public light this winter when environmentalists with renowned environmental litigator Erin Brockovich visited Le Roy in response to local health concerns.

While even members of Brockovich's team ruled out a connection with the TCE plume and an outbreak of movement disorders among a few students at Le Roy High School, it appeared that the EPA had made no real progress at the Superfund clean-up site.

Both press releases are available after the jump (click on the headline to read more):

From the EPA:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made available today the results of ground water sampling taken in December 2011 at the Lehigh Valley Railroad Derailment Superfund site in Le Roy, New York. This sampling is part of an ongoing investigation of the nature and extent of the contamination from that site.

The results, currently available online, are consistent with previous results from quarterly sampling. These results continue to show that the heaviest contamination is in the western end of the plume area, the source area, with concentrations tailing off as the area moves to the east toward Spring Creek.

In previous work, the EPA installed granulated-activated carbon treatment systems on 35 private wells affected by the contamination. The EPA also sampled for contaminated vapors in nearby homes and installed vapor intrusion mitigation systems in eleven homes that needed them based on the testing. The mitigation systems have been effective in controlling the vapors.

This sampling data, along with previous data already publicly available, is being analyzed as part of an overall investigation that will allow the EPA to determine the extent and concentration of contamination and what actions may be needed to control or cleanup the contamination.

A report detailing all of the testing and summarizing all of the results is expected this summer. As part of the ongoing investigation, the EPA is working to develop plans to conduct further sampling to more specifically identify the eastern edge of the contamination to ensure that the contamination is not impacting areas east of Spring Creek.

“Protecting the health of people who live and work near the Lehigh Valley Superfund site is our highest priority,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA regional administrator. “We are working with local residents and business owners to ensure that the contamination is not entering their homes and businesses.

"The work at the Lehigh Valley site is being done under the Superfund law, which operates on the principle that polluters bear the full costs of hazardous waste cleanups, rather than passing the expenses to taxpayers."

Levels of trichloroethene (TCE) in the ground water range from 6,000 parts per billion in the immediate spill area on the western end of the plume to 14 parts per billion toward the eastern edge. The EPA continues its work to ensure that the vapors from this contamination are not seeping into homes or buildings, similar to the way that radon gas can, and causing vapors at unacceptable levels.

The Lehigh Valley Derailment Superfund site is the location of a Dec. 6, 1970 train derailment, where approximately one ton of cyanide crystals and approximately 30,000 to 35,000 gallons of TCE spilled on to the railroad right-of-way. The spilled TCE contaminated soil and the ground water beneath the site. The plume of contaminated ground water extends approximately four miles to the east and southeast of the site. Exposure to TCE can have serious health impacts, including liver damage and increased risk of cancer. The Lehigh Valley Railroad will pay the cost of the cleanup, not taxpayers.

For the ground water sampling results, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/lehighvalley/relateddocs.htm.

For more information about the site, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/lehighvalley/.

From the office of Kathy Hochul:

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Congresswoman Kathy Hochul (NY-26) today announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct further testing to confirm that the eastern boundary of an underground TCE contaminated plume, caused by a Lehigh Valley Train derailment in 1970, does not extend beyond Spring Creek near Caledonia-Mumford Central School, located only a quarter of a mile east of Spring Creek on North Street.

“This testing should bring relief to Western New York homeowners who worried for decades about what this derailment might mean for the health and safety of their families,” Schumer said. "We’re pleased that the EPA is stepping up to the plate to get some answers once and for all, and will continue to do everything we can to ensure that the areas impacted by the Lehigh Valley spill are safe and secure.”

“For over 40 years, the residents of Livingston, Monroe and Genesee counties have worried about the effects of the train derailment at the Lehigh Valley site,” Congresswoman Hochul saod. “Senator Schumer and I hope that today’s announcement by the EPA to continue testing will bring reassurance to these communities that everything is being done on the federal level to ensure that the health and safety of Western New Yorkers is our top priority.

"And the release of the December 2011 report today will hopefully provide residents with the answers they need to know that this area is a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.”

After hearing from local officials in the Town of Caledonia in Livingston County, Hochul and Schumer urged the EPA to conduct additional soil gas sampling in Caledonia, east of Spring Creek. The sampling will help the EPA determine if the plume is spreading eastward beyond Spring Creek toward the Caledonia-Mumford Central School by assessing whether there is evidence of TCE vapors in the subsurface area over the underground water table. If TCE vapor is detected, the sampling results will then help the EPA determine where to place permanent underground monitoring wells. The EPA expects to begin the soil gas sampling within the next few months, and may begin as soon as May.

The EPA also announced today that in response to a letter from Congresswoman Hochul, Senator Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand earlier this year, they will publicly release the results of ground water sampling taken last December at the Lehigh Valley Railroad Derailment Superfund site in Le Roy, New York. A copy of the letter can be found here.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad Derailment federal Superfund site is the location of a train derailment in 1970 that spilled one ton of cyanide crystals and approximately 30,000 gallons of TCE along portions of Gulf Road, the former railroad bed, and the properties next to the railroad crossing in the Town of Le Roy. The TCE leached into the underground water table, creating an underground TCE contaminated plume that covers approximately 4.5 square miles. EPA ground water testing reveals the underground TCE plume extends approximately four miles to the east, toward the Town of Caledonia. The site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List in 1999.

A second man involved in a "particularly dangerous" type of methamphetamine production has entered a guilty plea in federal court.

Christopher L. Williams, 33, of 8 Erie St., Le Roy, faces up to a year in prison or a fine of $100,000 or both after his guilty plea to unlawful possession of methamphetamine.

His apparent partner, Nicholas P. Sadwick, 24, of Le Roy, entered a guilty plea on charges stemming from the same case last month.

Both men were arrested a year ago after a residence they were using was raided by members of the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force.

The manufacturing method used involved batteries -- a method unique among all of the other meth lab busts in 2010 -- which Deputy Chief Jerome Brewster described at the time as "particularly dangerous."

In a press release today, the U.S. Attorney's Office said investigators found a baggie and a Mason jar, both containing clear liquid that was found to contain methamphetamine.

Outside the residence, investigators found an Icy Hot pack that had been ripped open.

"These items are common materials used in the production and clandestine manufacture of methamphetamine," the release said.

Williams admitted to possessing methamphetamine for personal use.

Sentencing is set for 11 a.m., July 11, in federal court in Buffalo.

A two-car accident with two minor injuries is reported at 9367 Warsaw Road, just south of the Village of Le Roy and north of Perry Road. The accident is blocking and there was air-bag deployment. Le Roy Fire and Ambulance Service is responding along with Le Roy police. The mildly injured persons are refusing treatment.

UPDATE 7:43 p.m.: Le Roy firefighters are returning to service. Tow trucks are en route.

Heavy black smoke is spewing from a vacant structure at 6553 Ellicott St. Road in Pavilion. They are not sure whether it's coming from the first or second story. Pavilion Fire Department is responding and so is Le Roy's.

UPDATE 12:34 p.m.: A responder on scene reports this is a "controlled burn" -- a rubbish fire, which includes tires, and it's behind the house. The second-alarm responders are told to stand by in quarters-- they include Alexander, Bethany, Stafford and the City of Batavia's Fast Team.

UPDATE 12:37 p.m.: They anticipate being able to "knock this out quickly."

UPDATE 12:43 p.m.: Bethany's tanker is en route, non-emergency mode. Stafford is cancelled. (We presume the city and Alexander are also standing down.) They are going to shut the road to traffic.

UPDATE 12:45 p.m.: "We've got it pretty well knocked down for the most part."

UPDATE 12:54 p.m.: The fire is out.

UPDATE 12:57 p.m.: Le Roy is returning to service.

UPDATE 1:12 p.m.: The road is reopened.

UPDATE 1:16 p.m.: Bethany and Pavilion are back in service. A representative of the Department of Environmental Conservation responded to the scene to investigate and is now leaving.

Some time between Thursday and Monday burglars broke into the former Jell-O building in Le Roy and stole electrical items, according to the Le Roy Police Department.

Investigators are seeking the public's assistance in uncovering leads to help solve the crime.

The building is located at 57 North St.

According to investigators, a person or persons forced entry into the building some time over the long holiday weekend.

Anyone with information related to the crime or who may have seen people lingering in the area of Myrtle Street are asked to contact the Le Roy PD at 768-2527.

Milton H. Simmons III, 29, of 75 Franklin St., Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, and attempted escape, 1st. Simmons was arrested after police responded at 11:53 p.m., Friday, to a report of a fight involving a knife in the parking lot of a business on West Main Street, Batavia. Police conducted a search of a vehicle reportedly belonging to Simmons and allegedly found 44 glassine bags of crack cocaine. Simmons was arraigned in Batavia City Court and ordered held on no bail. As police transported Simmons from the courthouse to the jail, Simmons allegedly tried to escape and had to be restrained with the assistance of deputies at the court facility.

Zachary Jordan Ayres, 18, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny, 4th. Ayres is accused of stealing approximately $1,300 in jewelry from a woman in Byron and selling the items to a business in Batavia.

Anthony C. Privitera, 19, of Mill Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving BAC of .08 or greater, unsafe start, failure to keep right, open container in a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under age 21. Privitera was stopped Sunday in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD.

Kimberlin D. Lester-Benjamin, 49, of Carl Street, Buffalo, is charged with petit larceny. Lester-Benjamin is accused of stealing $89.95 in merchandise from Target.

Kenneth Merville Nobles, 66, of Genesee Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding (72 mph in a 55 mph zone). Nobles was stopped at 6:13 p.m. Saturday on Route 19, Le Roy, by Deputy Brad Mazur.

Jamie Scott Scholonski, 39, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Scholonski is accused of stealing $632 in quarters from a residence in Pavilion.

Nicholas M. Lyons, 31, of 112 State St., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Police responded to a report of a domestic disturbance on State Street at 11:40 p.m., Friday, and found Lyons allegedly in violation of a "stay away" order involving another person. Lyons was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Daniel F. Orlando, 29, of 555 E. Main St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and obstructing governmental administration. Orlando is accused of physically obstructing police while officers were investigating an incident at Orlando's residence. Orlando was jailed on $3,000 bail.

Timothy L. Taylor, 37, of 655 Ellicott St., Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd. Taylor is accused of assaulting another person following an argument. Taylor was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Daniel Lee Ward, 25, of Oak Orchard Road, Albion, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and moving from lane unsafely. Ward was arrested following investigation into a motor-vehicle accident on Fisher Road, Oakfield, at 1:48 a.m. March 3.

Adam C. Hegge, 31, of 14 Overlook Drive, Batavia, is charged with felony DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hegge was arrested Friday by Officer Dan Coffey following a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Batavia Cemetery.

A robbery just occurred at the Five Star Bank on Cato Street in Pavilion. The suspect is described as a black male, 5'6" tall, slim build, wearing a blue and white striped shirt, jeans, a red ball cap and sunglasses. He told the teller he had a gun, but one was not shown. He fled the bank on foot and his direction of travel is unknown. Several law enforcement units are on their way to the scene.

UPDATE 3:43 p.m.: They are going to set up a perimeter to scour for the suspect. Patrols on the interstate highways are alerted as well as those traveling other routes, so are Wyoming and Livingston counties.

UPDATE 3:47 p.m.: They are going to ask Livingston County to send in its canine unit and are also checking the availability of the one in Genesee County. Officers are now interviewing neighbors to determine whether the suspect got into a vehicle and, if so, to provide a description of it.

UPDATE 3:50 p.m.: The canine unit from Livingston County is en route. A neighbor told officers that she saw the suspect get into a vehicle parked at the adjacent St. Mary's Church and there was another black male driving the car. The car's wheels squeeled out of the parking lot and the witness "was so shocked she doesn't remember anything (else)." They are going to check all the streets in the vicinity of the church and along Route 63. A pizzeria in the area had a security camera on and they are going to check it.

UPDATE 3:56 p.m.: "It appears they took off in the car pretty quickly." The suspects are estimated to be in their mid- to late 20s. The canine unit from Genesee County is not available.

UPDATE 3:59 p.m.: The camera by a nearby ATM machine is being screened to glean possible information.

UPDATE 4:04 p.m.: After speaking with a woman in the area, they are looking for a full-sized, silver-colored pickup truck with a regular cab. The witness saw it shortly before she was telephoned about the robbery and it was parked by the basketball courts by St. Mary's.

UPDATE 4:31 p.m.: Wyoming County authorities are reporting that they found a green car roadside (didn't catch which road) and the engine is still running, but no one is around it. They are checking the plates. It is unknown if this is related to the robbery or just an odd circumstance.

UPDATE 4:35 p.m.: They are saying the abandoned vehicle found with its motor running is a green pickup truck car. It's in the vicinity of Crossman and Starr roads, "by a trestle" in Wyoming County. 

UPDATE 4:38 p.m.: The license plates come back to a Le Roy resident, born in 1934, and there's no (telephone) answer at the owner's residence. Again, this may be completely unrelated to the robbery.

UPDATE 4:53 p.m.: Now they are checking on another matter, saying it's unknown whether related to the robbery. A person is going door to door in the area of 10982 S. Lake Road (Route 19) in Pavilion asking for gasoline. The caller could not provide a description of the person because of poor vision.

The Local Drug Enforcement Task Force announced the arrest of 11 people on various drug-related charges stemming from three different enforcment actions by task force members.

Curtis M. Gallagher, 27, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of marijuana and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Gallagher was arrested following the execution of a search warrant March 30 on his vehicle and residence. Gallagher was allegedly found in possession of a quantity of marijuana and a quantity of hydrocodone along with some drug paraphernalia. Gallagher was issued an appearance ticket.

On Saturday, the task force arrested five people who were allegedly using a hotel room "for the purpose of abusing crack cocaine," according to the press release. Upon raiding the room, investigators allegedly found a quantity of crack cocaine and buprenorphine hydrochloride. Taken into custody and jailed on $1,000 bail each were Pamela A. Adamski, 28, of Walnut Street, Batavia; Jodi L. Reed, 40, of South Pearl Street Road, Oakfield; Heather J. Nadolny, 28, of East Main Street, Batavia; Nicholas J. Volpe, 40, of Edwards Street, Batavia; and, Timothy J. Walsh, 44, of Redfield Parkway, Batavia.

Over a two-day period, March 21 and March 22, members of the task force along with uniformed deputies and police officers from Batavia and Le Roy, conducted a number of traffic stops. Along with citations issued, the following people were charged with drug-related offenses:

• Nick Hawkins, 28, of Market Street, Brockport, and Seth Fisher, 24, of Asbury Road, Le Roy, were charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.
• Alex Cordero, 24, of Avenue D, Rochester, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.
• Phillip Ayala, 27, of Melville Street, Rochester, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.
• Douglas Brown, 29, of East Main Street, Corfu, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.
• Pamela A. Adamski, 28, of Walnut Street, Batavia, and Dajuandrick Gardner, 35, of East Avenue, Batavia, are both charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th.  Adamski and Gardner were allegedly found in possession of cocaine. Gardner was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Press release:

A last-minute trip to the grocery store for a package of hoagie rolls proved to be a life-changing moment for Carol Pursel of Le Roy. On the way out of store, the 57-year-old mother of two caught a glimpse of the new The Color of Money scratch-off ticket in the store’s lottery vending machine. Pursel, the officer manager at her husband’s auto repair shop in Limerock, decided to try her luck on the new ticket.

“I scratched it in my car and saw that I had a match on the Jackpot amount,” recalled Pursel. “I ignored it thinking maybe it was a mistake, but then I figured I should go back in the store and check.”

Pursel took her ticket to the Customer Service counter where they verified it was a $1,000,000 winner.

“I asked them, “So what do I do now?’ ”

Pursel matched the number 29 on the upper and lower sections of her The Color of Money scratch-off game, making the working mom the first lottery player statewide to win the $1,000,000 top prize. The $5 game went on sale March 6.

Pursel purchased her winning ticket on March 12 at the Tops Markets on West Main Street in Le Roy. She claimed it at the lottery’s Customer Service Center in Rochester on March 15.

“I put off claiming it until I had a chance to talk to my accountant to prioritize where the money will go.”

The top prize on the lottery’s The Color of Money scratch-off is paid as $50,000 a year for 20 years. Pursel will receive a net check totaling $33,090 through 2031.

“My daughter is getting married this summer, so some will go toward that,” said Pursel when asked about her plans for the prize. “It will certainly come in handy all around.”

Amy Lynne Koch, 37, of Route 98, Alexander, is charged with grand larceny, 3rd, and petit larceny. Koch is accused of using information of her estranged boyfriend, who is incarcerated in state prison, to file both state and federal income tax forms. Koch allegedly created a bank account in both of their names so any tax refund money could be deposited in the account. Once the money was deposited, Koch allegedly withdrew the funds.

Timothy S. DiSalvo, 51, of 106 North St., Batavia, is charged with strangulation, 2nd, and two counts of harassment, 2nd. DiSalvo was allegedly involved in a fight with a family member at their business location on Harvester Avenue, Batavia. DiSalvo is accused of choking another person and shoving a female employee who tried to intervene to stop the fight.

Cheryl Lynn Vanelli, 52, of 2101 Main Road, Pembroke, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 and failure to keep right. Vanelli was stopped at 2:42 a.m, Jan. 21, on Boyce Road, by Deputy Kevin McCarthy. Vanelli will be arraigned in Pembroke Town Court on April 17.

Veshaun D. Thomas Sr., 34, of 110 Bank St., Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, and suspended registration. Thomas was stopped at 2:40 a.m. Sunday by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Kyle David McNutt, 21, of Route 238, Warsaw, is charged with petit larceny. McNutt is accused of shoplifting $24.99 in merchandise from Kmart.

Gina Marie Glor, 18, of Route 238, Warsaw, is charged with petit larceny. Glor is accused of shoplifting $24.99 in merchandise from Kmart.

Sandra Lynn Cassford, 29, of South Main Street, Castile, is charged with petit larceny and unlawful possession of marijuana. Cassford was arrested on a warrant stemming from alleged events on Dec. 22. She was jailed on $200 bail.

Peter Joseph Gravante, 23, of Townline Road, Byron, was arrested on a warrant for driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Gravante was taken into custody on a warrant out of Town of Batavia Court by NYSP in Monroe County and turned over to the Sheriff's Office.

Ryan Douglas Woodward, 22, of Vallance Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to reduce speed for a curve, moving from lane unsafely and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Woodward was allegedly involved in a motor vehicle accident while intoxicated on Route 19, Bergen, at 2:45 a.m. on Feb. 26.

The move from San Diego to Le Roy has been a good one for David Luetticke and Greg Luetticke.

More than four years ago, they bought the Frost Ridge Campground and have been slowly making improvements, all the while, feeling they made the right choice in moving to Genesee County.

"I think it's beautiful," Greg said. "I like the people, the scenery, the change of seasons. It's everything I wanted."

While David and Greg have made changes in the campground -- upgrading infrastructure, adding an annual pumpkin patch and a summertime slippery slide on one of the hills, for example -- the biggest change has been booking more than a half-dozen big-name music acts into their outdoor amphitheater.

The summer concert season kicks off June 9 with one of the biggest names in country music, Aaron Tippin.

The line up (all shows and dates -- and tickets purchased -- can be found on frostridge.com) includes the Little River Band, Restless Heart, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Blackberry Smoke, James Wesley and Connie Smith.

It's the third year of concerts -- one of the highlights last summer was Marty Stuart -- and besides the seven name acts coming to Frost Ridge, 45 bands from throughout Western New York will perform there is summer.

Greg admitted he never heard of Blackberry Smoke before (neither had I, videos embedded below), but he said it's been the fastest selling show so far and after selling out of VIP tickets, they pulled back the promo VIP tickets given to radio stations and have just six left to offer to the public.

The current arrangement of the amphitheater accommodates 5,000 people, but three's a high hill behind the seating area and maybe, just maybe, that offers some expansion room. The sound of the music on the hill is every bit as good as down lower, Greg and David agreed.

As Greg and David get settled into Le Roy, they're getting more involved in the community. For a couple of years now, Frost Ridge has hosted a fundraiser for the Le Roy Volunteer Fire Department.  This year, some of the proceeds of the Aaron Tippin concert will be donated to the VA facility in Batavia.

"We see it as good business when when you're involved in the community and everybody supports one another, and that's how we would like to live our lives," David said.

I'm looking forward to the The Dirt Band in August.

In Le Roy this afternoon, the line of trees with their white flowers looked particularly nice against the backdrop of the buildings of the village business district.

Nearly two years after the alleged events, a Brockport man is being accused of stealing an SUV and some credit cards.

Frank Edward Finnin, 45, of Vindale Drive, Brockport, was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court on Thursday on charges of grand larceny, 3rd, and grand larceny, 4th.

Finnin is accused of stealing a 2004 Ford Escape from a location on Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Stafford, on June 20.

He is also accused of taking a purse containing credit cards from a vehicle that was parked in a residential driveway on East Main Road, Batavia, on the same date.

The Escape was recovered in Le Roy, not far from Finnin's residence at the time.

Following arraignment, Finnin was jailed on $10,000 bail.

The case was conducted by investigators William Ferrando and John Dehm.

Amanda Marie Putnam, 25, of Selden Road, Le Roy, is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Putnam is accused of using her landlord's vehicle without permission and then being involved in a motor vehicle accident while driving the vehicle.

Jonathan Paul Bouter, 28, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd. Bouter was arrested on a warrant for the charge out of Corfu Village Court. He was jailed on $500 cash or $5,000 bond.

With supportive friends and family in the courtroom, and a letter of support from an officer of the law he assaulted, 22-year-old Craig A. Tiberio-Shepherd, was given a second chance in county court today.

Tiberio-Shepherd, facing up to four years in prison, was sentenced to five years probation by Judge Robert C. Noonan.

Previously, Tiberio-Shepherd admitted to assault, 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 4th, and felony DWI.

Twice -- in July and in November -- Tiberio-Shepherd appeared before the judge with Noonan prepared to send the Le Roy resident to state prison. But those sentencing hearings were delayed and Tiberio-Shepherd continued on in substance-abuse programs, enrolled in college and held down a job.

"The significance in not sending you to state prison tells me that you've climbed a very, very high hurdle to be here today and be in a position to get probation," Noonan said.

A member of the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force who suffered minor injuries in a scuffle with Tiberio-Shepherd in April initially told the court the young man should be sent to prison, but after meeting with Tiberio-Shepherd the detective wrote to Noonan and said he supported the recommendation for probation.

Tiberio-Shepherd has been attending Genesee Community College and getting good grades. He plans to enroll at Buffalo State University in the fall.

Noonan also received letters of support from several people in the community and the pre-sentence report by Genesee Justice recommended probation.

In all, Tiberio-Shepherd was sentenced to five years probation each on the drug charge and the DWI conviction, and  three years probation on the assault.

He faces repayment of fines and restitution, plus his driver's license was revoked.

"I've noticed he hasn't gotten all cocky about his treatment progress and he seems to accept the fact that this is something he is going to have to work hard doing for a long period of time, which is not only sobriety, but criminal-free living, which he intends to do," said his attorney, Thomas Burns.

In a brief statement to the court, Tiberio-Shepherd, thanked Noonan for the chance to turn his life around.

A Le Roy man accused in March 2010 of manufacturing methamphetamine using a potentially dangerous process is facing up to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty Monday.

Nicholas P. Sadwick, 24, of 345 Sandybrook Drive, Le Roy, entered a guilty plea in federal court to unlawful possession of materials which may be used to unlawfully manufacture a controlled substance.

At the time of his arrest, Sadwick admitted to police that he was attempting to manufacture crystal methamphetamine via a “one pot” method.

Investigators, after executing a search warrant on his home and vehicle, found a baggie and mason jar which contained a clear liquid that was found to contain methamphetamine.

Outside the residence, officers seized discarded lithium batteries, old cold medicine boxes and “Icy Hot” packs which had been ripped open.

Federal authorities said these items are common materials used in the production and clandestine manufacture of methamphetamine.

Additionally officers seized a “Mountain Dew” bottle with a hole in the cap with plastic tubing coming out of the hole likely used as a gas generator and is used in an essential step in making meth.

A year ago, Deputy Chief Jerome Brewster characterized the method being used by Sadwick and his alleged partner was "particularly danagerous."

Sentencing is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., July 2, in Buffalo.

Stafford Fire Department is extinguishing an apparent controlled burn at 6505 Prentice Road, Le Roy.

A first responder reported, "It looks like somebody went to lunch," and reported finding a can of oil, matches and a rake.

The call came in as a grass fire. First responders reported finding a hedgerow fire.

A chief informs dispatch that the homeowner has been advised of the open burn law.

UPDATE 1:29 p.m.: A chief tells dispatch, "The homeowner is arguing with us that agriculture is exempt from burning laws." The fire is out except for a couple of smoldering spots. Stafford is back in service.

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