Skip to main content

Le Roy

Metal spikes reportedly placed at the bottom of slides at Le Roy playground

By Howard B. Owens

UPDATED 11:01 a.m. with information on origin of the spikes.

Parents who took their children yesterday to the Wildwood Park Playground in Le Roy discovered a potentially dangerous situation when they noticed four-inch metal spikes placed at the bottom of slides.

No children were reported injured by the spikes.

A total of three spikes, partially buried in the sand, were located, according to Le Roy PD.

The spikes appear to be the type used to anchor a rubber plate for a pitcher's mound and appear to have come from a nearby baseball field, Det. John Condidorio said.

"We do believe we know the origin of the spikes," Condidorio said. "We simply don't know who removed them and placed them in such a dangerous location."

The park is located on Munson Street Extension.

The mothers checked the rest of the playground and discovered no additional foreign objects.

Le Roy PD with the assistance of Village of Le Roy DPW used metal detectors to check all of the playgrounds in Le Roy and no other dangerous objects were found.

Investigators are looking for further information related to the incident and anyone with information is asked to call 345-6350.

Le Roy PD investigating burglary in the village

By Howard B. Owens

Le Roy PD is investigating a daytime residential burglary at the corner of Exchange Street and South Street some time on Aug. 3.

The victim stated that between 5:40 a.m. and 3:50 p.m., a person entered an attached garage, broke a window to the entry door and attempted entry into the residence.

Anyone with information that may assist the Le Roy PD in the investigation is asked to call (585) 343-5000.

Law and Order: Le Roy resident accused of choking victim

By Howard B. Owens

Raymond L. Leach Jr., 55, of 24 Munson St., Le Roy, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, criminal obstruction of breathing/blood circulation and endangering the welfare of a child. Leach is accused of using his hands to choke another person. An order of protection for the victim was in place at the time of the alleged incident. The alleged incident occurred in the presence of a child at a location on Thorpe Street, City of Batavia. Leach was jailed on $5,000 bail.

UPDATE: Leach entered a guilty plea in Genesee County Court this morning in satisfaction of all the charges against him to one count of criminal contempt, 1st. The plea deal allows for shock probation (six months in jail followed by probation). When Judge Robert Noonan asked Leach to admit to choking his victim, Leach held a private conversation with his attorney, who then spoke with District Attorney Lawrence Friedman and Friedman agreed to amend the language of the charge to pushing his victim on the bed and causing her to fear for her safety).

Jamie L. Broadbent, 29, of 62 Swan St., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Broadbent is accused of shoplifting $115 in merchandise from a West Main Street business.

Robert L. Van Buren, 51, of 3 Willow St., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Van Buren is accused of stealing a bicycle from outside a business in Court Street Plaza on July 23.

Karen L. Stone, 45, of Elm Street, Le Roy, is charged with burglary, 2nd, a Class C felony, and petit larceny. Stone is accused of forcing her way into a residence of an acquaintance and damaging numerous items inside. Stone also allegedly stole items from the home. Stone was released under supervision of Genesee Justice following arraignment.

David J. Reschke, 21, of Transit Road, Stafford, is charged with seven counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd. Reschke allegedly possessed seven forged checks of a friend and cashed the checks at different locations in the Village of Le Roy. Following arraignment, Reschke was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Car crash with injuries on Circular Hill Road, Le Roy

By Billie Owens

An injury accident is reported at 8411 Circular Hill Road near Gulf Road in Le Roy. A female is said to have a back injury. Le Roy Fire Department and Le Roy Ambulance Service are responding.

UPDATE 1:08 p.m.: Law enforcement is en route.

UPDATE 1:25 p.m.: The driver is being transported to Strong Memorial Hospital. The vehicle is totaled and will need a flatbed tow truck to remove it.

Report of body under bridge in Le Roy turns out to be highly intoxicated male

By Howard B. Owens

Sheriff's Officer personnel responded to Route 19 and the I-490 in the Town of Le Roy this morning for a report of a body found under the bridge.

It turned out the subject, who has not been identified, was unconscious and highly intoxicated, according to Sheriff Gary Maha.

The subject was from Rochester.

"We believe he had a domestic with his sister, who was en route to Cleveland, and she made him get out of the car," Maha said. "He had superficial injuries, probably from falling."

Maha said there was a cup of alcohol on the guard rail.

The subject was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Greetings from Knoxville!

By Bea McManis
August 5, 2012 Knoxville, TN Buffalo NY to Host 2014 Horseshoe World Tournament Lyle Dorler, President of the NYS Horseshoe Pitchers Association, announced that the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association (NHPA)2014 World Horseshoe Tournament will be held at the Erie County Fairgrounds Event Center. Buffalo, Wausau, Wisconsin and Charlotte, West Virginia presented bids to the NHPA delegates at the 2012 World Tournament in Knoxville, TN. Chuck Giglia, representing the Buffalo-Niagara Sports Commission and Frank Kwaitowski, Chairman of the Buffalo 2014 World Tournament Committee, made the presentation. They highlighted the onsite parking; onsite camping; the air conditioned event rooms. "I believe that we can offer the best tournament experience for both the pitchers and their families.", noted Giglia. The proximity of Niagara Falls; ample lodging; a wide variety of restaurant choices; the onsite casino; and other WNY attractions will offer much for the expected 1300 pitchers and their families.". Kwaitowski added, "There are many back yard pitchers and non sanctioned league pitchers in our area. We're hoping many of them consider joining the NYSHPA and playing in upcoming sanctioned tournaments to qualify for the Worlds. For more information on registering for the NYSHPA, please contact Bob Klock at 607 589 4122.

Suspect in series of residential burglaries faces at least one charge

By Howard B. Owens

A suspect in a series of burglaries in Le Roy and Batavia who was taken into custody during an alleged break-in a week ago has been charged with one count of burglary.

Russell P. Cessna, 24, of 18 Pleasant St., Le Roy, was arrested after being allegedly caught in the act on Summit Street, Batavia.

Investigators say Cessna made forcible entry into the residence and stole jewelry, cash and coins.

Following a series of similar burglaries in Le Roy, Batavia and other parts of Genesee County, the Le Roy PD, Batavia PD and Sheriff's Office cooperated on an investigation and set up a surveillance detail, which led to Cessna's arrest.

Cessna was taken into custody and held in jail on a warrant for alleged violation of parole.

Additional burglary charges are pending. He will be arraigned in Batavia City Court at 1 p.m., Tuesday.

Woman, 88, dies in accident in the Village of Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

An 88-year-old Le Roy resident, Marie Costa, died this morning in a single-car  accident in the Village of Le Roy.

Costa's vehicle reportedly jumped the curb in front of McDonald's Restaurant and traveled along the south sidewalk of Main Street and collided with the former Pontillo's Restaurant building.

The accident was reported at 7:46 a.m.

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the accident and Costa's death.

Le Roy fire, Le Roy ambulance, Le Roy DPW and the Sheriff's Office Crash Management Team assisted Le Roy PD at the scene.

Photo: Reader submitted photo.

Six local students named to Dean's List at Buffalo State

By Billie Owens

The following students were named to the Spring 2012 Dean's List at Buffalo State University.

  • Valerie Klug, a business administration major, from Corfu

 

  • David Dupre, a business studies major, from Corfu

 

  • Kimberly Schildwaster, a career and technical education major, Oakfield

 

  • Brittany Moose, a fashion and textile technology major, from Le Roy

 

  • Rachel Pettys, a hospitality administration major, from Darien Center

 

  • Stephanie Esten, a hospitality administration major, from Oakfield


To qualify, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours. Founded in 1871, Buffalo State is the largest comprehensive college in the SUNY system offering more than 165 undergraduate and 62 graduate programs in the arts, sciences, professions, and education.

GCC Spring 2012 President's List honorees

By Billie Owens

Genesee Community College proudly announces that the following students are among 540 students who were named to the President's List for the Spring 2012 semester. Students honored on the President's List have maintained full-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.75 (roughly equivalent to an A) or better. (The college also maintains a Dean's List comprised of students who earn a quality point index of 3.50 to 3.74. Genesee's Dean's List will be released in the next several weeks.)

This year's Genesee Community College Spring 2012 President's List honorees, with their hometowns, are listed below:
 

Basom

Danielle Hirtzel
Jessica Pfalzer
Theresa Rainey
Elias Seward
Leah Snyder

Batavia

Russell Jackson

Bergen

Elizabeth Jarnot
Charles Lee
Lindsay Stumpf

Byron

Tiffany Harrington
Richard Lucas
Stacy Maskell
Arlene Olmstead
Adrienne Payne
Danielle Thom

Corfu

Angel Alexander
Stacy Brockway
Rachel Doktor
Tracy Kearney
Michael Kraus
Kyle Maurer
Kayla Meyer
Alyssa Reeb
Dawn Roberto
Dawn Smith
Trevor Spiotta
Dana Wolbert

Darien Center

Shannon Bates
Kylynn Bank
James Erb
Matthew Herod
Hannah Zimmermann

East Bethany

Autumn Atkinson
Julliane Ingalls
Alec Kirch
Bryce Kirch
Sarah Lawson
Janet Gohlke

East Pembroke

Anthony Nati

Elba

Michael Anauo
Nicole Beardsley
Richard Dorf
Chapin Guthrie
Chelsie Pangrazio
Samantha Walker

Le Roy

Kevin Callahan
Andi DeBellis
Eric Hayes
Stephanie Heisler
Jeanice Howard
Gregory Humphrey
Donald Kahm
Mark McAvoy
Cody Niccloy
Willard Prevost
Michele Rast
Bethany Roth
Heather Schroeder
Brenda Sheflin
Denise Simcick
Michael Sullivan
Conor Tomaszewski

Linwood

Deena Hernandez

Oakfield

Della Balduf
Jonathon Cassiano
Lindsay Chatt
Benjamin Cherry
Angela Larmon
Laura Ostrowski
Sara Read
Joseph Sullivan

Meghan Vandersteur

Pavilion

Samantha Barclay
Patricia Brown
Wendy Edwards
Kaleigh Kingsley
Jonathan White

South Byron

Halle Davalos

Stafford

Michelle Jackson

 

Genesee Community College offers over 60 academic programs and certificates, including the new Veterinary Technology (Vet Tech) and Polysomnography (Sleep Tech) programs. Genesee is accessible through seven campus locations throughout Western New York, as well as through online classes in the Distance Learning program. College housing is available at College Village, just a three minute walk from the Batavia Campus. With small class sizes yet state-of-the-art technology both inside and out of the classroom, Genesee Community College is known for being "high-tech" and "high-touch."

Le Roy Army National Guard soldier promoted

By Billie Owens

Major General Patrick A. Murphy, the Adjutant General for the State of New York, announced the promotion of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their capability for additional responsibility and leadership.

Richard Purse, of Le Roy, serving with the Company A, 2-108th Infantry is promoted to the rank of Specialist.

Army National Guard promotions are based on overall performance, attitude, leadership ability, and development potential.

These promotions additionally recognize the best qualified soldiers and attract and retain the highest caliber citizen soldiers for a career in the New York Army National Guard.

For more information about the New York Army National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.gov or www.1800goguard.com.

On the Web: http://readabout.me/achievements/Richard-Pursel-Receives-New-Rank-New-Responsibility/4704600.

Car smashes into portion of former Pontillo's location in Le Roy

By Billie Owens

A serious injury accident is reported at 67 49 Main St. in the Village of Le Roy. A car reportedly struck a pole and the front of the McDonald's restaurant a building. The vehicle is smoking. Le Roy fire and ambulance are responding.

UPDATE 7:51 a.m.: A Le Roy police officer on scene says the driver is an elderly female who is not trapped in the vehicle, but needs help to be extricated.

UPDATE 7:54 a.m.: There is structural damage to the building and a code enforcement officer is called to the scene. (The car struck the former Pontillo's building at 49 Main St.)

UPDATE 7:59 a.m.: An officer inquires about the availability of a member of law enforcement's Crash Management Team to respond.

UPDATE 8:04 a.m.: "We've exhausted all our resources in contacting code enforcement and the building owner," says a dispatcher, but they are continuing to try and make contact. A code officer from Stafford is en route instead.

UPDATE 8:10 a.m.: "We are forcing entry into the building and making sure everything is shut off. Le Roy PD has been advised," says the fire chief on scene. The driver is being transported to UMMC.

UPDATE 10:33 a.m.: We confirmed with dispatch the building struck was the former Pontillo's location.

Bicyclist involved in accident in Village of Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

A car and bicycle accident is reported at the intersection of Clay Street and West Main Street, Village of Le Roy.

There is an injury.

The bike rider is out of the roadway.

Le Roy fire and ambulance responding.

UPDATE 5:11 p.m.: The car will need to be towed. "The window is just demolished and it's not driveable," an officer tells dispatch. 

UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: Route 19 is reopened. Le Roy fire back in service.

Ambulance requested to Le Roy to assist officer bit by raccoon

By Howard B. Owens

An ambulance is requested to Route 19 and West Bergen Road where a member of local law enforcement has been bit by a raccoon.

The officer informed dispatch that if they receive calls of a gunshot in the area, it was him killing the raccoon.

A dispatcher asked, "you didn't shoot it in the head did you?" 

Officer: "I don't think so."

The raccoon will need to be checked for rabies.

UPDATE 10:53 p.m.: The animal is being transported to the shelter.

Reader photos of the Flood of 2012

By Howard B. Owens

Almost as soon as the first reports of flooding came in I started getting texts and emails from readers of pictures they were taking. Of course, by this time, I was out taking my own photos, which I'll post later.

We also requested photos in our breaking news post on the storm.

Here are the photos we received so far. If you have any, email them to howard at the batavian dot com (of course, turn that into a properly formatted email address). If you have video, upload it to YouTube and email me the URL of the published video and we can post that, too. Get your photos in soon because we won't keep adding them indefinitely.

Above, photo of the Lehigh Avenue underpass from Greg Emerson.

Route 5 underpass, Le Roy, from Mary Margaret Ripley.

From Matt Hendershott, vehicle stuck under the bridge on Cedar Street.

From Tina Heartgrove, Spencer Court.

From Frank Bellucci, vehicle stuck under train bridge on Ellicott Street.

From Kyle Couchman, Swan Street.

Video from Jamie.

More photos after the jump (click on the headline):

From a reader on Vine Street.

From Janet, Liberty Street

From Robyn Silliman, backyard off Ellicott Street.

From Rita Towner, backyard canoeing.

From Kim Williams, canoeing on Ganson Avenue.

From Jennifer, Vine Street.

Lori Brickwood-Coles, Liberty Street. She included this note, "My sons Alex and Owen had fun in the flood, my Great Aunt told us the story of when Liberty flooded before in the '70s and people had actual boats on the streets because the water was so high."

Photo from County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens of the maintenance yard on Cedar Street.

Police ID suspect in burglaries and nab him at the scene of another alleged break-in

By Howard B. Owens

A suspect in a series of burglaries in Le Roy, Batavia and other parts of the county was taken into custody this morning after he allegedly broke into a home on Summit Street while being monitored by detectives.

Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said the suspect was identified thanks to alert citizens in the City of Batavia and detectives began to monitor the man's activities.

The name of the suspect, who is being questioned at Batavia PD headquarters, has not been released, but Brewster said he is on parole and had allegedly been out of contact with his parole officer.

After a couple of burglaries in Le Roy where a person entered homes during the day and stole jewelry and other small items such as coins, there were a couple of similar burglaries elsewhere in the county, and then similar burglaries in the City of Batavia.

"This is a suspect in those crimes and I’m fairly confident that we have him," Brewster said. "I think you’re going to see a sudden end to those (types of) crimes being reported."

Detectives from Le Roy, Batavia and the Sheriff's Office cooperated in the investigation.

"This would not have been possible without the cooperation of all agencies," Brewster said.

The suspect's truck was impounded and will be searched once a search warrant is secured.

His name and the charges against him will be released following his arraignment in the proper court or courts of jurisdiction.

Driver reports being unconscious for some time following rollover accident in Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

Somewhere in the Lake Street Road and Parmalee Road area a caller indicates he had a rollover accident and was unconscious for some period of time, perhaps as long as an hour.

He isn't sure of his location and said his vehicle is some distance off the road.

Le Roy fire and ambulance and law enforcement are in route.

UPDATE: While there was some chatter about this following our initial report, I never heard an ambulance transport (not saying there wasn't one, I just didn't hear it) nor did I hear Le Roy clear the scene.

Three local students set to attend SUNY Oswego

By Billie Owens

Two local residents have reserved places as freshmen at SUNY Oswego. Fall classes will begin Aug. 27. They are:

Olivia Griep, of South Street Road in Le Roy (Pavilion Central School).
Connor Clark, of Junction Road in Pavilion (Pavilion Central School).

Also, Katherine Hilburger, of Elba, who last studied at Niagara University, will begin her studies at SUNY Oswego.

Admission to SUNY Oswego is competitive. U.S. News named it among the "Top Public Regional Universities in the North" for 2012, the Princeton Review and USA Today named SUNY Oswego to their 2012 list of 150 "best value" colleges and universities in the nation, and the Princeton Review included Oswego in its 2012 college guidebook "The Best Northeastern Colleges."

A 151-year-old comprehensive college in the State University of New York system, Oswego enrolls more than 8,000 students in its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; School of Business; School of Communication, Media and the Arts; and School of Education.

American Legion Post 576 seeks nominees for Le Royan of the Year

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Le Roy American Legion Post 576 is asking that each club, church, society organization or individual submit a nominee to be considered as the 2012 Le Royan of the Year Award. Deadline is Aug. 22.

In Le Roy we have many outstanding events. It takes volunteers, hardworking individuals, many of them working behind the scenes that make each and every event a success.

The award recognizes people who demonstrate the following qualities:

  • A man or woman who exemplifies the true spirit of Americanism, its ideals, love of flag and country, regardless of race, color or creed.
  • Good citizenship by carrying out these principles, often beyond what is expected.
  • Service to the community, signified by excellence in life of purpose and accomplishments.

Applications can be picked up at the Legion Home 53 W. Main St. Le Roy, and any Le Roy Bank.
Mail application to:

American Legion Post 576

Attn: Catherine Stone

53 W. Main St. Le Roy, NY 14482

Hot circuit breaker reported inside apartment on West Main Street, Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

A hot circuit breaker has been reported inside an apartment at the Royal Apartments, 103 West Main St., Le Roy.

A Le Roy chief on scene reports, "we have a very hot circuit breaker."

He's requested a thermal camera into the building to see if it extends up the wall.

Bergen's ladder truck is requested to the scene mutual aid.

UPDATE 5:59 p.m.: A chief informs dispatch "we're all set here," just waiting on maintenance.

UPDATE 6:09 p.m.: Le Roy and Bergen back in service.

Authentically Local