Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today announced that Genesee County Airport will receive $498,750 for construction of a new storage hanger as part of the Aviation Capital Grant Program. $10 million was awarded to 20 applicants across the state through a competitive application process.

“I am pleased to announce that Genesee County Airport will receive nearly $500,000 for upgrades to its infrastructure,” Hawley said. “The airport is an economic and commercial hub for Western New York and very important to the residents of Genesee County.

"I will support any measure that increases airport safety and allows patrons more efficient and comfortable travel. We still have many upstate infrastructure projects that deserve attention and I will be fighting to make sure we receive our fair share.”

Additional grants will be distributed through the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization competition after the application and selection process has been completed.

Submitted photo: Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia)  greets a veteran in the Assembly Chamber Wednesday.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) on Wednesday met with service women and female veterans in Albany for the Assembly’s annual Women Veterans’ Recognition Day. Hawley is Ranking Member of the Assembly’s Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and served in the Ohio Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves.

“I was honored to meet and congratulate these female veterans today in Albany,” Hawley said. “Dating back to the Revolutionary War, women have played a pivotal role in our nation’s military, often serving in combat situations and putting themselves in harm’s way to help us achieve victory.

"Even on the home front, as in World War II, women were paramount in bolstering the workforce and filling positions left by men who were serving in the military abroad. The role of women in our nation’s military is worthy of many accolades and their service will never be forgotten.”

(File photos of last year's Penny Carnival held during the Holland Land Office Museum's History Summer Heroes program.)

Press release:

The theme for the 2016 History Heroes Summer Program is "Carnival Days" at the Holland Land Office Museum. This year the children will work together to create a Penny Carnival.

Each day of the summer program is packed with exciting and educational activities, field trips, games, crafts,and more!

The program ends with the carnival and a multimedia musical production showcasing our local history with the children taking on the persona of a famous Batavian.

The program begins on Tuesday, July 19^th and runs for eight week days (Tues.-Fri.), ending on Friday, July 29^th.  Time is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A snack is provided each day, but children must bring their own lunches.

The cost is $25 per day for non-members and $20 a day for museum members. The program is open to children ages 7-12.

Please call the museum at 343-4727 for more information and to save a place for your child.

Press release:

The Batavia Business Improvement District (BID) is pleased to host the Second Annual Beertavia Craft Beer Festival, with major sponsorship by Alex’s Place, on Saturday, June 18th from 3-6 p.m. in the Bank & Alva parking lot (27 Bank St.) in Downtown Batavia.

Advanced purchase tickets are $10 for designated drivers (must be 21 to enter festival), $25 for regular admission and $35 for VIPs. (Tickets on the day of increase to $30 and $40, respectively.) All designated drivers receive complimentary drink and food. A regular ticket holder receives a sampler 5 oz. glass. VIPs receive a 16 oz. pint glass and earlier admission at 2 p.m.

Sixteen breweries will be on hand to serve samples of their craft creations including 42 North Brewing, 810 Meadworks, Abandon Brewing, Amber Lantern Brewing, Bandwagon Brewery, Big Ditch Brewing Co., Community Beer Works, CB Craft Brewers, Ellicottville, Four Mile Brewing, Hamburg Brewing, Ommegang, Resurgence, RG Brewery, Rohrbach Brewing Co., and Southern Tier Brewing Company.

In addition to the breweries, the festival will have a temporary parklet/ biergarten; food from Alex’s Place and other local vendors, and music provided by The Bluesy Band. All persons must be 21 to enter the festival.

Leah J. Wimmer, 23, of Broadway Road, Darien, is charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, speeding (45 in a 30-mph zone) and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Batavia PD received multiple reports from concerned citizens about a vehicle driving erratically on Clinton Street from the Bergen area shortly after 11 a.m. on June 3. No GC Sheriff deputies or NYS troopers were available. Batavia police located Wimmer driving on Clinton Street heading into the city. A traffic stop was conducted by Det. Sgt. Todd Crossett, assisted by Officer Marc Lawrence. Through the investigation it was discovered that Wimmer's driver's license was revoked. She was arrested and issued tickets. She posted police bail and was released. She is scheduled to appear in City Court at a later date.

Travis Domonic Brooks, 32, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing. He was arrested at 8:07 a.m. on June 6 following an investigation into a domestic incident wherein he allegedly choked another person. He was arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice. He is to return to City Court on July 7. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Jamie L. Soto, 41, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. She was arrested at 11:04 a.m. on June 8 after allegedly striking an adult male in the face while at a residence on Liberty Street in the city. She is to be in City Court on June 21 to answer the charge. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Frank Klimjack, assisted by Officer Jamie Givens.

Freddie L. Cunningham Jr., 54, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. He was arrested at 8:10 p.m. on June 4 following an incident wherein he allegedly made verbal threats toward another person. He was arraigned in City Court and then released and is due back in court on July 7. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Regina M. Iannello, 56, of Platt Avenue, Le Roy, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. She was arrested at 1:25 p.m. on May 13 after allegedly entering the residence on East Main Street in Batavia of a protected party of a stay away order. She is to return to City Court on June 21. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jamie Givens.

Cody R. Moore, 27, of Clinton Street, Batavia, turned himself in on a bench warrant issued after he failed to appear and failed to pay a fine on a charge of aggravated unlicensed operation in the third degree issued Feb. 18 on West Main Street in the city. He was put in jail on $1,000 bail or $2,500 bond. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison.

Isaiah Munroe, 26, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. He was arrested after failing to appear in City Court on April 13 to answer a charge after he allegedly drove his vehicle with suspended registration in March. He was processed and released after posting bail and is due in City Court on June 22. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

This is our new bumper sticker. If you would like one, they're free, but we do need a self-addressed, stamped envelope to send it to you.

Mail your envelope to The Batavian, 200 E. Main St., #5, Batavia, NY 14020.

If you are a local business owner and would like a few of these bumper stickers to hand out to your customers, e-mail howard@thebatavian.com.

City firefighters have two new buildings that they can use for training because they are scheduled to be demolished.

Today, a crew practiced a second-floor window escape. The scenario is that a fire has expanded and blocked the stairwell, so the only way out is through a window. A few years ago, the state required fire departments to acquire the necessary equipment to make such escapes possible after a tragedy in NYC where firefighters had to jump from the upper story windows of a burning building.

The new Ladder 15 was used in the training, but only as a safety backup. Typically, the urgency of the situation and the fact Ladder 15 would be tied up on other tasks at the fire scene would mean it wouldn't be available to hoist a backup rope to safety.  

In this scenario, firefighters knocked a hole in a bedroom wall to expose a beam they could use as an anchor for a rope.

The two former houses are on West Main Street, just west of Castilone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. The dealership acquired the property to further expand its new car lot. Demolition is scheduled to begin June 20.

Before then, Batavia's Emergency Response Team will also use the houses for training and drills.

Castilone also just signed a contract to acquire the property at the corner of West Main and Vernon Avenue. That property was once proposed as a new location for an Arby's Restaurant, but the plan met stiff opposition from Vernon Avenue residents. Steve Castilone said he also already met with neighborhood representatives and discussed his plans with them.

"I sat down with them and I told them all, ‘whatever is going to make you people happy, I’ll do,' " he said. " 'If I do something that makes you unhappy, I’ll change it. If I put a light up and it shines in your windows, I’ll move it.’ They asked me to not put a driveway on their street and I said when I’m done I’ll close the driveway off. They were delighted. What would you rather have, a drive-thru Arby’s on the corner or stationary parked cars?”

Philip R. Ayala accepted a plea deal today in Genesee County Court to a Class B non-violent felony of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. He will be sentenced at a later date this summer.

The former crack cocaine dealer and felon who once lived on Summit Street in the City of Batavia is now serving eight years in prison on other drugs charges prosecuted in Orleans County.

Acting Judge Michael F. Pietruszka can impose a sentence of anywhere from two to 12 years on the new charge, with one and a half to three years post-release supervision. Whatever sentence the judge decides will run concurrently with the defendant's existing sentence, under terms of the plea bargain. Ayala waived his right to any appeal.

Pietruszka ordered a pre-sentence report for Ayala, who is about 5'8" and slightly built.

When asked by the judge this morning, Ayala admitted to possessing (crack) cocaine with the intent to sell it last July in the city. That was while he was living on Vine Street in Batavia.

He was arrested on a sealed warrant out of Orleans County and had 62 bags of crack cocaine in his possession when they found him.

Ayala was out on bail awaiting sentencing in August. He had pled guilty to a Class C felony for fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance stemming from a raid by law enforcement in Orleans County in December 2014. He was to get no more than five years in prison IF he didn't break the law prior to his sentencing.

As it stands, if he gets the maximum of 12 years, in addition to the eight he's already serving, that's four more years.

As was the case in April when today's plea cut-off date was set, there were several friends and family members in the gallery, tots to middle age, pointing, smiling and silently mouthing words. When his case ended, they stood and again said "Love you bro' " "Keep your head up!"

Local law enforcement officers -- including troopers, deputies and police officers, carried the Special Olympic torch in a run from Elba to Batavia, finishing at the ARC center on Oak Street.

Last evening, England’s rock band Bad Company opened the 2016 Darien Lake summer concert series.

The 43-year-old band has a 28-city U.S. tour planned before heading overseas to the United Kingdom this fall. They played some hits like “Ready for Love,” “Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy” and “Feel Like Makin' Love."

Singer Paul Rodgers captured the standing crowd grooving to their classic hits one after another.

Joe Walsh is a seasoned veteran of the music scene, having played in five successful bands, one of which was The Eagles. He did not disappoint on Tuesday night with his band, which opened for Bad Company. 

The 68-year-old performed some hits from previous bands including “Life in the Fast Lane," "Take it to the Limit” by The Eagles. From the band James Gang he performed “Walk Away” and "Funk #49."

Joe. also known as “The Clown Prince of Rock,” entertained the crowd with fascinating facial expressions through his 80-minute set, readying them for headliner Bad Company.

Country music star Miranda Lambert will be coming up later this month for the next concert at Darien Lake. 

For the complete summer lineup visit: https://www.darienlake.com/concerts

Joe Walsh and his band:

That last community fundraiser you went to with a chance auction (often called a Chinese auction) and a 50-50 raffle, it probably violated state law.

These common fundraising tactics used frequently by groups coming together for a sudden and unexpected hardship or tragedy that hits a member of our community are not allowed by state law, according to Rich Kaczynski, from the New York State Gaming Commission, who spoke Tuesday night at the South Byron Fire Hall.

The event, hosted by the South Byron Volunteer Fire Department, was prompted by the recent discovery by several local volunteer departments that their longtime fundraising events may have, at best, skirted the edge of state law.

This year, Stafford fire canceled its Corvette raffle and Town of Batavia fire canceled its annual Harley raffle. In both cases, the departments are looking to better understand the law.

Kaczynski's department regulates four types of games of chance -- bingos, raffles, bell jar tickets and casino night type of games.

The state allows certain types of nonprofit groups to use these games as fundraisers, including volunteer fire departments, service organizations, fraternal groups, veterans groups and religious organizations.

For bingos, the group need only have existed one year before applying for a license, but for all other games of chance allowed by the state, the organization must have existed for at least three years.

It's that last provision that may most frequently put community fundraisers for victims of hardship into legally questionable territory. Often these efforts are created by ad hoc groups of people who are friends of the family and are not legally established groups in existence for at least three years. 

Sometimes, these raffles are organized by established nonprofits, but if the fundraising isn't for the legally defined purpose of the group, then it also runs afoul of state regulation, according to Kaczynski. For example, a volunteer fire department can't hold a raffle to raise money for a member stricken by cancer.

To assist that cancer victim, there would need to be a three-year-old organization with the express mission of raising money for cancer victims, or similar hardships.

For the sake of extending the example, then, Genesee Cancer Assistance could host such a raffle, but only members of Genesee Cancer Assistance could conduct the raffle, and to be a member eligible to conduct the raffle, you must be a member for a least a year prior to the raffle.

The good news, perhaps, is that for small organizations, the bureaucracy of fundraising through games of chance isn't quite as cumbersome as it is for groups raising larger sums of money.

Groups that will hold raffles that generate a profit of more than $5,000 on a single raffle, or whose total profit for the year on raffles exceeds $20,000 in profit fall into Category 2 of New York gaming law and have more paperwork to deal with. Groups that reach Category 1 have more paperwork and pay a 2-percent tax on profits over $30,000 in a calendar year.

If your raffle efforts fall in Category 3 (below $5,000 in profit on a single auction, less than $20,000 profit in a year), you can self-define your group as meeting state requirements for existing for three years (or a year for bingo), not meeting the profit thresholds, falling within the proper categories for games of chance, and managing your funds within state guidelines.

Groups in categories 2 and 3 must register with the state and once they receive a state ID number, apply for a license from the town, village or city clerk where the group is organized.

In all three categories, if they want to sell raffle tickets outside of their home jurisdictions, they can sell only within jurisdictions within their same county and in the municipalities in counties contiguous with their home county. They cannot venture outside of that group of contiguous boundaries to sell tickets. For example, no selling tickets to your cousin in California. If your cousin from California wants a raffle ticket for your gun raffle in South Byron, he must fly to Buffalo, drive to South Bryon, enter your fire hall and buy a ticket with cash, and only cash.

In order for a group in any of the three categories to sell in a contiguous jurisdiction, they must request a letter of authorization the municipality's clerk. For example, if you're a volunteer with the South Byron Fire Department and you work at Graham Manufacturing, your department needs authorization from the City Clerk of Batavia in order for you to sell raffle tickets to your coworkers.

That applies to every single possible contiguous jurisdiction. If there are 20 contiguous municipalities, the organization needs 20 different letters of authorization.

If you're a business owner and a volunteer with South Byron and your business is located in the Town of Byron, you can sell raffle tickets at your business, but your employees can't sell raffle tickets unless they're related to you by blood or marriage.

A volunteer fire department can get a license to fund raise through a game of chance, but in order for the Ladie's Auxillary to help with that fundraiser, it must get its own state ID, and the same applies for the "Sons of" organizations. With all three groups properly licensed, and duly noted on the proper paperwork, they can assist each other in games-of-chance fundraisers, but otherwise, only members with at least a year of membership can participate.

If you want to hold a casino night, the gaming implements must be owned by the organization or rented from a licensed company, or, if approved, borrowed from an organization that owns the tables and wheels and cards and dice. Only members of the organization can deal cards or spin roulette wheels.  

Even if your casino night doesn't have a buy in, if it's based on chance and has prizes, it's regulated by the state.

If you're running a game that isn't authorized by the gaming commission regulation -- such as a Texas hold 'em tournament -- you're likely violating state antigambling laws.

Your blackjack tournament? It's allowed, but it must be run precisely according to state regulations.

Repeatedly during the presentation, Kaczynski had to remind audience members he was just repeating state law. He doesn't make state law or control state law. That's up to the Legislature, or up to the gaming commission's attorneys to interpret. 

There is legislation pending, supported by Assemblyman Steve Hawley, to help take away some of the difficulties being faced by local groups that have long relied on raffles as primary fund-raising tools.

There are local car dealers upset about a dealer from Dunkirk setting up a temporary sales lot in Batavia this weekend, not because they fear the competition, but because the Dunkirk dealer is taking advantage of a loophole in state law to unfairly compete with their established businesses.

The law isn't just about protecting existing dealers, they say, it's also meant to protect consumers from fly-by-night used car salesmen who don't stick around to service what they sell.

"They move into a small market where they can clobber people over the head and then they leave," said Steve Castilone, co-owner of Castilone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram on West Main Street, Batavia. "That’s what they do. They ram them into a car and then they leave."

Just a few years ago, tent-sale dealers would come to town with their temporary lots, blanket the community with mailers, make a few sales and leave, but the law was changed to require a fixed and physical location before the dealer could receive a license. The Dunkirk dealer, Larry Spacc, has leased office space at 4152 W. Main Street Road, in the Valu Plaza.

Castilone thinks the operation is a sham. He's complained to the Niagara Frontier Automobile Dealers Association, supplying a video taken shortly after Spacc's last sale five months ago. It shows a lot once filled with used cars, by then filled with only potholes, and shots through the windows of Spacc's strip mall office space filled with nothing but promotional posters on the wall and a lone motorcycle. There wasn't a single desk or phone line anywhere in sight.

Greg Strauss, Castilone's business partner, calls these operations, "ghost dealers." He'd like to see them shut down.

When The Batavian attempted to contact the local dealership Tuesday afternoon for comment, a man named Nick answered the phone. We identified ourselves and said we were writing a story about the dealership. There was muffled talk over the earpiece and then Nick came back on the line and said his two managers had just left to get a bite to eat and one of them would return the reporter's call when they returned. No call was returned.

Pending legislation wouldn't close up such temporary dealerships completely, but it would make it harder for them to operate. It would require temporary lots to be set up only within 20 miles of the main dealership. In Spacc's case, Dunkirk is 87 miles from Batavia.

"We do these sales," said Castilone pointing to Spacc's latest mailer, "but I’m not trying to whack you over the head. I’m not trying to sell you a bill of goods. I’m trying to sell you a car. It costs us millions of dollars to be here every year, millions in overhead, and then you have some fly-by-night come in with an $800 storefront and sells you a car and you buy because you think it’s cheaper. It’s not cheaper. It’s more money and the interest rate is going to be higher. I wouldn’t mind if they were doing this sale and they were still down at the end of the street next week."

Guy Pellegrino, Pellegrino Auto Sales of Batavia, shares the concerns of Castillone and Strauss. He's put a lot of money into his business, pays property taxes, employs a local staff and is concerned that a "fly-by-night" operation isn't there to provide support after the sale.

"Competition is a good thing and we all get along well (in town)," Pellegrino said. "We all survive together. But when somebody comes in and sets up a tent, tries to push cars, I don’t agree with that. I don’t like it and I don’t agree with it."

Pellegrino employs 12 people, all local residents, and he recently completed a $300,000 expansion of his facility. That's an investment Spacc hasn't made in our community, he said, nor is Spacc out donating to local charities, sponsoring youth sport teams or showing up at community events.

"We’re here making an investment in the community and doing the best we can for our people and they’re going to sell you an overpriced car with all the gimmicks, and you will likely have issues and where are you going to go?" Pellegrino said. "There’s nothing there.” 

The sales people at these temporary lots are rarely local residents. The temporary lots most often hire experienced used car sales reps from all over the country, people with experience in the hard sell, both Pellegrino and Castilone noted.

The flier you get in the mail may say "sale," and proclaim limited availability, but don't be fooled, the local dealers say, the temporary dealer is out to maximize profits. Putting the right deal together for the customer is the furthest thing from the sales rep's mind.

“You spend all that money and do you really want to deal with a guy who is going to be gone? Here today, gone tomorrow?" Castilone said. "But not everyone understands that when they get one of these fliers in the mail.”

If you walk onto the lot, Pellegrino said, expect the hard sell. Yeah, the local dealers, like any small business, are out to make a buck, but Pellegrino said that at the end of the day, he knows if he sells you a car, he might see you at the next community event he attends. He wants to be able to look you in the eye and be proud of the business he conducted with you.

"(The tent sale) is a circus show," Pellegrino said. "They take the slickest, sharpest sales people and they’re going to make the most money they can on you and they will never see you again and you’ll never see them again. For us, we’re here, we’re in your community, we’re at all of your community events, we sponsor you and support you. Support us and forget the circus show, because that’s all this is is a circus show. "

Castilone employs more than 35 people and Castilone and Strauss have invested more than $2.5 million in remodeling and expanding their business, with another expansion just starting that will raise the total investment to more than $3 million. They pay local taxes on all that property.

Asked about the support Castilone provides to local charity, Steve said they don't normally seek publicity for their contributions, but they support local youth sports teams, sponsor four local charity golf tournaments and recently made a $5,000 contribution to the YMCA for the Y's youth camp. That donation will probably send 20 kids to camp this summer, Strauss said.

"When we did it, my sales manager said we should call the media, get some publicity for it," Castilone said. "I told him, 'no, we know we did it, that's all we need.' We didn't do it for the publicity. We did it because we care about our community."

Yes, Spacc is a fellow auto dealer and yes, Castilone said, his quotes in the media about his practices might upset him, but he said he wasn't worried about that.

“I want him to know that he’s in my backyard and this is our area, so go to Dunkirk and sell your cars to your own community, or open up a legitimate business and stay open 365 days a year where people can call you and come back to you again, and open a shop so you can fix these people’s cars," Castilone said. "Then you know what, it’s all fair competition.” 

Along Route 33 in Stafford this evening.

This pup was lost in Stafford and found by Marrianne Newmark. She called the Sheriff's Office and the dog is being taken to the Genesee County Animal Shelter on West Main Street Road. If you lost your friendly and playful dog, that's where it is.

Submitted Photo -- Carl, Colleen and James representing Genesee ARC and Special Olympics are pictured with Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence and Sheriff's Deputy Chris Parker.

Press release:

Local law enforcement officers are taking their support of Special Olympics to area roadways this week. The Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run kicks off Wednesday morning (June 8) at the Genesee ARC Day Habilitation Center in Elba.

Officers from several local agencies will carry the Special Olympics torch down Route 98 to Batavia. The route includes a swing through the parking lot at the Genesee ARC Community Center on Woodrow Road, and concludes with a celebration picnic at the Genesee ARC Work Center on Walnut Street.

Deputy Chris Parker is on tap to participate in this year’s event.

“This is the 30^th anniversary of the Torch Run and the 50^th for Genesee ARC,” Parker said. “We are running to show our support of ARC and their decades of involvement in the Special Olympics Program."

Two individuals served by Genesee ARC will help carry the torch with the officers at the beginning and end of the run. Genesee ARC has participated in several Special Olympics sports including track & field, swimming, snowshoeing and softball.

According to event coordinator, Sheriff’s Investigator Chad Minuto, the Torch Run is a real team effort, for a great cause.

“Throughout the seven-mile run, our focus will be on what the Olympics mean to our local athletes with special needs.”

Officers representing local, state and federal facilities in Genesee County have been invited to take part in the event.

Submitted photo and press release:

On the heels of a press conference held in Albany Monday by Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C-Canandaigua), Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) called for an end to unspecified spending of tax dollars and the autonomous control of taxpayer funds that continue to support botched economic development programs.

New York was once again ranked near dead last in economic outlook this year, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

“The main issue with our economic development spending is that it’s riddled with pay-to-play, unilaterally controlled by the governor, and is essentially devoid of transparency in many respects,” Hawley said. “We were promised a job report on START-UP NY on April 1, 2016 and have yet to see one, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars of our citizens’ money on advertising and tax breaks.

"On another note, the longer the Buffalo Billion project goes on, the more problems come to light and the more intricate the web of inefficiency and shady political and businesses deals becomes. Taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going and that’s why this legislation is important.”

Hawley and his colleagues today introduced legislation that would mandate full transparency in spending allocations, penalties for failing to meet reporting deadlines (such as the case with START-Up NY), and auditing of all state economic development programs, among other provisions.

Chase J. Francis-Whipset, 27, of Caledonia, was arrested on June 4 by the Le Roy Police Department and charged with: one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 5th degree with the intent to sell, a Class D felony; aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree, a Class E felony; unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation; speed in zone, a violation; unlicensed operator, a violation; and driver's view obstructed, a violation. Francis-Whipset was stopped by the Le Roy Police after allegedly operating a motor vehicle on East Main Street speeding. After a brief investigation, it was found that Francis-Whipset had a suspended driver’s license. Further investigation revealed that Francis-Whipset allegedly possessed a quantity of cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Francis-Whipset was arraigned in the Town of Le Roy Court and put in Genesee County Jail in lieu of $3,000 cash bail or $6,000.00 bond. Francis-Whipset is to appear in court on June 8.

Blake Riley Pahuta, 18, of Alleghany Road, Pembroke, is charged with petit larceny, sixth-degree conspiracy, third-degree tampering, and unlawful possession of marijuana. A 17-year-old-female from Pembroke is charged in the same incident for petit larceny, sixth-degree conspiracy and third-degree tampering. The charges for both individuals stem from a shoplifting complainant from Kmart. Pahuta was operating the suspect vehicle from a larceny; the female was a passenger in that vehicle. Pahuta was observed northbound on Route 77 at 3:50 p.m. on June 6. As a State Police patrol attempted to stop the vehicle, a large black bag was thrown from the suspect vehicle. The vehicle was later stopped on Cohocton Road in the Town of Pembroke and at the end of the investigation, Pahuta and the female were arrested on the charges. They were taken to jail for processing, then released on appearance tickets for Town of Batavia Court and Pembroke Court at a later date(s). The cases were handled by Sheriff's Deputy Richard Schildwaster, assisted by Deputy Michael Lute.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) criticizes Assembly leadership for voting to give taxpayer-funded tuition to illegal aliens.

“Once again, New York City liberals have passed the DREAM Act, which allows illegal aliens access to taxpayer-funded tuition assistance programs on par with legal citizens. At a time when middle-class families are struggling to send their children to college, Assembly leadership prioritizes giving freebies to illegal aliens instead of passing initiatives that help hard-working legal citizens.

“This is yet another in the long line of disgraceful and unconscionable acts that are completely out of line with New Yorkers’ values. Upstate infrastructure is crumbling, the heroin epidemic is ripping apart our families, businesses are leaving the state in droves, and Assembly leadership would rather approve freebies for people who aren’t supposed to be here in the first place.”