Le Roy

Residents of LeRoy are asked to attend a community forum tonight to discuss the issue of teenage alcohol abuse.

The meeting will be held at LeRoy Village Fitness, according to WBTA.

Over the past six years, there has been a 250 percent increase in incidents involving under-age drinking. Most recently, a 21-year-old man was found in the Village so intoxicated, allegedly, that he had to taken to the hospital. He allegedly bought and served alcohol to an 18-year-old in the Village.

WBTA posted an audio quote from Cindy Herzog, superintendent of LeRoy Central Schools.

The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m..

Two Rochester residents and a Batavia man are in custody after an investigation last night by Drug Enforcement Task Force members into the sale of crack cocaine in Batavia.

Arrested where Mark H. Gissendanner, 24, or Rochester, Aileen Nieves, 21, of Rochester and Shawn M.Walburn, 35, of Batavia.

Gissendanner was arrested in the parking lot of 21 Liberty Street, while Nieves and Walburn were picked up in the parking lot of Van Detta Stadium on Union Street.

All three suspects were arraigned in Batavia City Court and are being held without bail.

Gissendanner reportedly sold a quantity of crack cocaine to task force members on two occasions and then was allegedly in possession of more of the drug when he was arrested. He is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance  in the third degree.

Nieves reportedly sold crack cocaine to an undercover office while in Batavia and was allegedly in possession of more crack when she was picked up. She is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance  in the third degree.

Walburn was allegedly in possession of crack when his vehicle was stopped by task force members in Batavia. He is charged with criminal possession of a controled substance in the forth degree.

Participating in the investigation were members of the Genesee County Sheriff's Department, the Batavia Police Department and the LeRoy Police Department.

Pictured above in order are Gissendanner, Nieves and Walburn.

Michael J. McCauley, 19, of North Chili, is charged with one count of unlawfully dealing with a child and one count of sexual misconduct. The investigation began in November 2008 when the mother of a Village youth came home to find McCauley allegedly in the house with her underage daughter. The daughter was allegedly served alcohol.  It was later alleged that McCauley and the daughter had been involved in a sexual relationship over the previous year. McCauley was arraigned and released on an order of protection.

Kyle W. Nash, 21, of LeRoy, was arrested early Monday morning for allegedly supplying a minor with alcohol. Nash was reportedly observed with an 18-year-old on Lincoln Avenue. Nash was found to be so intoxicated that police had him transported via ambulance to a hospital. Police believe Nash purchased and supplied his 18-year-old companion with alcohol. He is charged with unlawfully dealing with a child.

Sheldon Wetmore, 19, of Wyoming, was arrested in Alexander on Sunday afternoon for alleged unlawful possession of marijuana. The reported marijuana was found after Wetmore was stopped for an alleged unsafe lane change.

Jerrod J. Cramer, 31, of Alabama, was charged with a DWI Saturday afternoon after being stopped for an alleged traffic violation. Sheriff's Deputies report an open contain was found in Cramer's vehicle. He is charged with a DWI with a BAC of more than .08 percent. He was also cited for hauling an unlicensed, uninspected trailer.

Rodney McKenzie, 44, of Alden, was charged with criminal contempt for allegedly violating an order of protection out of the Town of Alabama court. McKenzie allegedly placed several harassing phone calls to an individual he was ordered not to contact.

Amanda L. King, 27, of LeRoy, was arrested Friday by LeRoy police officers on a charge of harassment in the second degree, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. King allegedly bit a 12-year-old child during a domestic incident, leaving a bruise. King was arraigned and released on an order of protection.

Jeffery L. Bowker, 44, of Bergen, is charged with DWI out of the Village of LeRoy, after Det. John Condidorio reportedly observed Bowker make a wide right turn at routes 5 and 19, almost striking another vehicle. The subsequent investigation found that Bowker reportedly had a BAC of .18 or higher.

Dale R. Williams, 25, of LeRoy, was arrested in Bergen Saturday morning for an alleged DWI. Wiliams is reported to have had a BAC of .08 or greater. He is also charged with unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Old Barn and Tractor on North Road, LeRoy: Driving down North Road in LeRoy today, I came across this old barn and broken down tractor.

Jell-O, the jiggly treat that has delighted billions of happy childhood days, is the number one thing that helped put Genesee County on the map, according to historian and Holland Land Office Museum direct Pat Weissand.

Americans love Jell-O. In fact, Americans eat more than 300 million boxes of Jell-O every year and about 160 products are sold under the Jell-O name.   Jell-O is as much a part of Americana as baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet. By proclamation of the state governor, it is the official state snack of Utah. Residents of Utah eat more Jell-O per capita than anyone else.

Jell-O is an American icon. Since the early days of the company, Jell-O has mastered the technique of successful advertising campaigns. They used well-known artists such as Rose O'Neil, Maxfield Parrish, Cole Philips and Norman Rockwell in their print advertising; Jack Benny, Lucille Ball and Kate Smith in radio advertising and Bill Cosby in their television marketing campaigns.

Wikipedia says powered gelatin was patented 40 years before it was dubbed Jell-O in LeRoy, N.Y.

Gelatin has been well known and used for many years. It was popularized in the Victorian era with spectacular and complex "jelly moulds". Gelatin was sold in sheets and had to be purified, which was very time-consuming. It also made gelatin desserts the province of the relatively well-to-do. In 1845, industrialist Peter Cooper (who built the first American steam-powered locomotive, the Tom Thumb), obtained a patent (US Patent 4084) for powdered gelatin.

Forty years later the patent was sold to a LeRoy, New York-based carpenter and cough syrup manufacturer, Pearle B. Wait. He and his wife May added strawberry, raspberry, orange and lemon flavoring to the powder and gave the product its present name in 1897.

Whether invented in LeRoy or LeRoy was merely the launching pad for one of America's most commercially successful food products, Jell-O has contributed much to life and fame for Genesee County.

Tim Rivers disagrees.

Maybe Jell-O is famous, cute and conjures warm fuzzies about childhood (especially when dolloped with whipped cream). But Jell-O hasn't had the same long-lasting local impact as the muckland in Elba and Byron.

The muck is listed No. 21 in things that made Genesee County famous. The 7,000 acres of muck stretches into Orleans County in Barre and Clarendon. The dark, highly organic soil brought hundreds of hard-working immigrants to the community in the 1920s and 1930s.

...

Unlike Jell-O, the muck is still here, still producing crops, still creating jobs, still unleashing human potential. There are 10 farms today working the muck and those farms continue as community cornerstons. Torrey, Bezon, Yunker, Halat, Starowitz, Vigneri, Mortellaro, Panek, Smith and Shuknecht remain, tilling the soil, planting seeds and harvesting crops.

Well, nothing like a little controversy to close out a months-long instructive and entertain journey through Genesee County history. 

Though, Tom left out another key point: The local ball club ain't called the Jell-O Dogs!

If you've never visited the Jell-O Museum, it's worth the time. Here's the museum's Web site.

A few months ago, Philip produced this video:

Property taxes in New York are outrageously high. In that context, it's kind of amazing that Gov. Paterson would suggest the STAR rebate checks be discontinued.

Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer held a press conference in LeRoy yesterday to call on Paterson to rescind his plan elimination of the checks. It's not surprising that I was the only reporter to show up, but as a property owner (for now) in New York, I think those checks are kind of important.

Further, when you consider, as Ranzhofer points out, that the checks return $8 million a year in cash flow to Genesee County, the rebate program is exceptionally important to the local economy.  It is ironic that at a time when the Federal government is spending trillions of dollars under what the president and Congress label a "stimulus" program, Gov. Paterson would take money out of the economy as fast as he can.

However, I think weakest among Ranzenhofer's arguments against elimination of the checks is the notion that elimination of the checks could cause people to lose their homes.  This sounds more like a play on emotion rather than reason. According to Ranzenhofer's own press release, the average check is for $335 and $420.  At $420, that's $35 per month. I just wonder how many property owners are gazing at the precipice over $35 per month? Yes, I can imagine a retired person on fixed income finding $35 very hard to muster, but when the alternative is losing your life-long home, you're probably going to find some way to make sure that tax is paid.

That said, the effort shouldn't even be necessary. Property taxes in New York or too high and the last thing Gov. Paterson should be doing is essentially increasing those taxes.

Brian Coffta, 36, of Sanford, Maine, was arrested in Batavia last night, on a charge of aggravated DWI. Coffta was allegedly observed driving in an erratic manner. Police say his BAT was .18 or higher.

Beth A. Brugger, 26, of LeRoy, is charged with aggravated DWI and leaving the scene of an accident. Brugger was allegedly spotted by another motorist driving erratically on Main Street in Batavia. A police officer subsequently observed her swerving on the road and then side-swipe a parked vehicle. Police say her BAT was .18 or higher. She was taken into custody this morning at about 1:20 a.m.

Candy R. Coleman, 53, of LeRoy, who is already serving time in the state corrections facility in Albion, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 90 days incarceration.

Coleman was facing other charges stemming from a December 2007 investigation.

The sentence for the guilty plea to the single charge will run concurrent to her current sentence, which stems from a conviction in Monroe County.

Detective John Condidorio, who arrested Coleman yesterday at the prison, said the other charge included alleged possession of stolen property.

In 2007, a search warrant of Coleman's Genesee Street apartment led to the discovery of alleged cocaine and paraphernalia along with items reportedly stolen from a neighbor, Condidorio said.

The investigation was delayed while Coleman went through the legal system in Monroe County on unrelated charges.

People curious how many votes Scott Doll might get in the Corfu mayoral election will wait until tomorrow to find out.

Doll is charged with second-degree murder in the bludgeoning death of his business partner, Joseph A. Benaquist.

The unusual election made the CBS national news on WBTA this afternoon.

Village elections are usually held on Tuesdays, but Corfu, which has the only village election this year in Genesee County, delayed its election until Wednesday this year because of St. Patrick's Day.

In other news:

• Construction on a $5 million roundabout, the first in Batavia, on Walnut Street, begins tomorrow. WBTA posted an interview with Asst. City Manger Sally Kuzon.
• There will be no curb-side pick up of yard waste in Batavia this year and residents are asked to bring their waste, beginning April 1, to the Law Street collection station.
• The municipal pools in LeRoy will not open this year due to lack of funds for needed repairs.

For more details on these and other stories, visit the WBTA news page.

Joann M. Rusby, 50, of LeRoy, is in custody, accused of dealing drugs.

The LeRoy Police Department identified Rusby as a suspect after a 53-year-old woman in LeRoy was found dead in her apartment. During the investigation of her death, LeRoy police learned that Rusby may have been dealing Fentanyl, a narcotic pain reliever.

Police conducted an undercover operation, which resulted in Rusby's arrest.

Rusby is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. 

After arraignment, Rusby is being held on $7,500 bail.

Harvey J. Lockhart, a.k.a. "Man,"  26, of Batavia, is in custody, accused of dealing crack cocaine.

Lockhart was arrested following an investigation by the Genesee County Local Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Police say Lockhart sold a quantity of crack to an undercover officer in late 2008. The Grand Jury issued a sealed indictment for his arrest. Lockhart was spotted in Batavia yesterday and taken into custody.

He is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.

Lockhart is being held pending arraignment.

Brian Tracy, 21, of Attica, was arrested in Corfu yesterday for allegedly taking another person's car for a joy ride.  Tracy is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle.

"They've been around forever. It's just another sign of things in the past," (Police Chief Christopher) Hayward said.

Hayward was talking about the once bright red fire alarm boxes along LeRoy village streets that will soon be removed by an electrician.

Must everything old eventually be replaced, or might preserving the past be a community value worth keeping?

Daily News staff writer Scott DeSmit includes these interesting details:

The first boxes were made in 1852 and used the telegraph system. When the box was triggered, a spring-loaded wheel spun and tapped out a signal, which was telegraphed to a fire station.

Eventually, the boxes were linked to fire stations or dispatch centers using phone lines, about the only advance in technology the boxes ever underwent.

Of course, in these tight times, saving money is a virtue.

Each box has its own phone line, meaning the village will cut its phone bill by almost half by discontinuing the lines, Hayward said. The nine boxes, plus two fire sirens, accounted for $239 of the village's $650 monthly bill. The two sirens will remain.

DeSmit reports that none of the boxes have been used for a real incident in two years.

WBTA will report on its 12:30 newscast that Lapp Industries Corp. in LeRoy is concerned about a proposed environmental clean up, which VP and COO Robert Johnson tells WBTA would cost more than it should.

If forced to pay for a $3.4 million price tag for the proposed clean up on the 80=acre site, the survival of the company would be put in jeopardy.

Johnson says 140 local jobs could be lost. He maintains the job can be done just as well for $1.4 million, which the company can afford and is willing to pay.

This morning, the Daily reports on "earth-friendly" plans for the new Wal-Mart in LeRoy.

Le Roy's store also will include what is known as "daylight harvesting," he said.

A sensor on the floor determines how much sunlight is entering the store. If it's a significant amount, the sensor automatically turns the lights down "so we don't use that energy," Serghini said.

Of course, not all environmentalist buy into a Green Wal-Mart.

This cannot be dismissed as greenwashing. It's actually far more dangerous than that. Wal-Mart's initiatives have just enough meat to have distracted much of the environmental movement, along with most journalists and many ordinary people, from the fundamental fact that, as a system of distributing goods to people, big-box retailing is as intrinsically unsustainable as clear-cut logging is as a method of harvesting trees.

Here's the key issue. Wal-Mart's carbon estimate omits a massive source of CO2 that is inherent to its operations and amounts to more than all of its other greenhouse-gas emissions combined: the CO2 produced by customers driving to its stores.

The post asserts that big box stores encourage us to drive further -- an average two miles longer each trip -- to do our shopping.

People often debate the benefit of big box stores moving into "hometown" neighborhoods. Books have been published on the subject of Wal-Mart, in particular, running locally-owned shops out of business and replacing what may have been well-paying jobs with minimum wage, "exploitation" labor.

Whether or not you believe Wal-Mart is a malignant or beneficial force in a community, it is too much of a presence not to alter the overall figure. With a 111,000-square-foot Wal-Mart store expected to be up and running by June, LeRoy will soon learn what it's like to have the retail megalith in town.

From an article in the Democrat & Chronicle this morning:

A spokesman for Wal-Mart said the Genesee County store, which could open in spring 2010, would create 200 new jobs, plus another 100 jobs during construction.

The store will be a smaller version of a Wal-Mart Supercenter, with the same variety of products but smaller quantities.

The standalone building will feature a full retail section, groceries, an optical center, a pharmacy and a garden center, said the spokesman, Philip Serghini.

McCulley said he believes most residents support the project. "There was some dissent against it, but it was a small minority," he said.

"People are looking for options of shopping locally. People don't want to travel too far to do their shopping."

The FAA's Aviaition Improvement Program has awarded $2.1 million in federal funding for the LeRoy Airport so that it may complete its runway extension project, Rep. Chris Lee announced today.

From the press release:

The airport intends to use the grant to complete its runway extension project, which will take roughly three months and will occur in two phases. The eastern end of the runway and parallel taxiway will be extended from 2,640 to 3,855 ft., the runway will be sealcoated, and the runway and taxiway will be restriped.

“Improving transportation links in Western New York creates jobs and promote economic growth. I am pleased to see that LeRoy Airport has been recognized for its potential to grow and become a more integral part of the community and the region,” Congressman Lee said.

Raymond S. Detor Jr., president of LeRoy Aviation Services, commented on the grant announcement: “We appreciate Congressman Lee’s support for our efforts to ensure LeRoy has a state-of-the-airport that creates local jobs and meets the needs of the region. Through this grant, our airport will be better able to accommodate the aircraft it was designed for and provide support for Rochester International Airport.”

AIP grants are awarded competitively based on strict eligibility requirements, including an obligation to maintain the airport in a safe and serviceable condition, mitigate hazards to airspace, and use revenue properly. Funds for the program are drawn largely from a trust fund supported by user fees and fuel taxes.

You can visit the airport's Web site for more information on the facility which "is a designated general aviation reliever airport for the The Greater Rochester International Airport."

We've received reports of a car fire on Munson Street in downtown LeRoy near Genesee Valley BOCES. Emergency crews have been dispatched, but I would steer clear of driving through that area for the next hour or so.

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