Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) voted to approve incentives for the construction of two 2MW community solar farms for a combined total of 4MW at 2901 Pearl Street Road. The developer, Pearl Solar LLC will invest approximately $6 million investment and will receive incentives of approximately $472,000 in sales and property tax exemptions.

“While we were concerned about the fact that the project will only create one job, there are other temporary economic impacts such as construction and installation jobs as well as benefits to the local community in approving a renewable energy project of this nature,” said GCEDC Board Chairman Paul Battaglia. 

Among the benefits of the project include: an enhanced property tax payment through a 15-year PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) resulting in approximately $311,000 in property tax payments to Genesee County and the Pembroke school district; energy discounts of 10 percent for local residents who sign an agreement with the company to purchase solar energy from the project(s); and, a community benefit agreement in which Pearl Solar will make a $50,000 donation to the Genesee County STEM2 STAMP workforce development program when the two projects are completed.

“This project fits into our local economic development strategy and marketing alignment as we are finding that renewable energy is becoming a preference item for site selectors or companies conducting site location searches,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. “The project also will have no carbon footprint, providing environmental benefits to local residents and just as important it aligns with Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative.”

It’s possible to fly an airplane while never leaving the ground, and for the 20 members of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club, that is their preferred method of flight.

The club dates back to the mid-1970s, founded by Gary Bobzin and the late Bill Rudd, Lloyd Mowers and Don Moynihan.

Until 1999 they flew from the front lawn of Genesee Community College.

The group incorporated in 1980 and moved to several locations until setting up camp 14 years ago on the late Ray Heddon’s field on Randall Road. The field is now owned by Aaron and Colleen Garner, who allow the club to continue to meet and fly there in exchange for maintaining the grounds.

The club meets at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month during the summer months. Members fly their models on weekends and evenings when weather permits, and spectators and interested individuals are always welcome.

For prospective members interested in joining the club, there is no cost to join until they can safely “solo,” then annual dues are $25.

Cost of a radio control aircraft can start at $100, and many come ready to fly. Many members prefer to buy a kit and build their own aircraft, like Joe Palmer, of Batavia.

A member since 1999, Palmer scratch-built his Extra 300. He said he does his building in the winter and flies in the summer.

A radio control aircraft is the perfect answer to someone who is interested in aviation, but can’t afford the cost of flying a real airplane.

“I always wanted to fly a real one, but it is too expensive,” said Bob Walters, of Le Roy. “I have a son in aviation who works for Calspan, so I’ve always been interested in airplanes.”

He has been a member of the flying club for at least 15 years, he said.

Palmer first joined the club in 1966, then dropped out for 10 years, but got back involved and has been a member ever since.

Board Member Gary Bobzin got interested in aircraft after his wife bought him an hour flight in a warbird at the Geneseo Airshow.

For club president Bob Ray, of Bergen, flying radio control airplanes is a wonderful way to spend quality time with his grandson Ethan, 16.

“The fact I can come out here and fly a plane and I don’t need a license is kind of cool,” Ethan said.

Jay Fisher, treasurer, also got involved to introduce his 14-year-old son to aviation. That was in 1986 and he bought a kit and built the plane in their cellar.

A majority of the members fly fixed wing models, but all types of aircraft are welcome, such as helicopters and new-to-the-market quadcopters. Jet models are also welcome but must fly under specific safety rules. The club also shares its field with drones.

Most models have gasoline engines, but some are all-electric, such as Ken Beach’s Maule, and another uses glow fuel.

Flight instruction is free and the club owns a trainer to teach new pilots.

To become a member of the club, however, a member must have insurance through the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

The club also participates in special activities, such as a hotdog sale fundraiser today, Saturday and Sunday at Batavia Walmart.

On Aug. 18, they will host a fun-fly, in which clubs from throughout the region will be invited. The public is also invited and as many as 100 models could be participating.

Officers of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club are Bob Ray, president; Jay Ezard, vice president; Dave Swift, secretary; Jay Fisher, treasurer; and Gary Bobzin, board member.

Top photo: Joe Palmer, left, talks with Gary Bobzin during a meeting of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club Thursday at their field on the land of Aaron and Colleen Garner, formerly Ray Heddon’s field at 6684 Randall Road. All photos by Virginia Kropf.

Bob Walters, of Le Roy, puts a wing on his radio control airplane as he prepares to fly it during a meeting of the Batavia Remote Control Flying Club.

Richard Smith, of Morganville, flies his RV4 radio control airplane at the former Ray Heddon field on Randall Road.

A Chipmunk radio control airplane piloted by Joe Palmer, of Batavia, lands during a meeting Thursday night of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club.

Bob Ray, president of the Batavia Radio Control Flying Club, starts his Yak 54 with help from his grandson Ethan Thursday night at the former Ray Heddon’s field on Randall Road. The plane has a wingspan of 110 inches and weighs nearly 29 pounds.

As time winds down for the 2018 Jenny Kuzma 5K race, organizers are fearful this could be the last year for the race, which has earned the reputation as one of the most competitive races in Western and Central New York.

Started more than 25 years ago as the Bergen Swamp Race, it was renamed the Jenny Kuzma Memorial 5K race to honor the Byron-Bergen eighth-grader who died of leukemia in June 1990 at the age of 13.

Eric Boyce has chaired the race for the last 12 years, assisted by Joe Chimino, a senior lineman with the Village of Bergen until his retirement in May.

Boyce, however, has moved to Canandaigua, and since Chimino’s retirement, he doesn’t have access to the village equipment needed to set up for the race and handle traffic control. Because of these factors, both men have decided this will be their last year chairing the event.

Both Boyce and Chimino are hoping someone else will come forward to chair and organize the race, which has drawn some pretty impressive participants.

Boyce, who used to run the race and won it several times, became involved in organizing it when Paul Thomas, his former cross-country coach at Byron-Bergen High School, was chairman. Boyce was eventually instrumental in raising the race to the status of a USA Track and Field qualifying race 10 years ago.

“If you look at race statistics in Western New York, this one sticks out,” Boyce said. “Besides promoting healthy lifestyles and community involvement, we’ve had some pretty neat highlights along the way. Several people got engaged at the finish line; the second fastest 5K run by a woman was at this race in 2014, and a man from Kenya set a course record here after riding on a bus all night from Nyack to get here.”

The race begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday on Parkview Drive in Hickory Park.

Early registration ended Wednesday, but racers can still register for $30 from up until 6:15 p.m. today at Medved Running and Walking Outfitters, 3400 Monroe Ave., Rochester; or they can register the day of the race up until 8:30 a.m. for $35.

Proceeds from the race fund a scholarship for an eighth-grader at Byron-Bergen School and Camp Good Days.

Boyce said he doesn’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but he hopes someone will take over.

“We’ve been contacted by several groups who are interested, but most don’t realize how much is involved behind the scenes,” he said. “This event is good for the village and the community.”

If someone is willing to take it over, Boyce said he might possibly be able to help.

Top photo: Hundreds of racers hit the street in last year’s Jenny Kuzma 5K race in Bergen. This could be the last year for the race if new organizers don’t step up.

The annual Jenny Kuzma 5K race in Bergen has earned a reputation as one of the most competitive races in all of Western and Central New York. Here, a runner from Kenya sets the course record after riding all night on a bus from Nyack to reach Bergen in a race several years ago.

Hannah Davidson, of Saratoga Springs, accepts her check in 2014 after posting the second fastest time by a woman in a 5K race in the Rochester area at the Jenny Kuzma 5K race.

A trooper was pursuing two individuals on the Thruway and one rider dumped his bike at the I-490.

At some point, the individual wrestled with the trooper but it's not clear when or where.

He is a black male wearing jeans and a multi-colored jacket.

The other motorcycle exited the Thruway at the 490 and fled in an unknown direction of travel. It's unknown if he circled back and picked up the rider.

Troopers and deputies heading to the area.

A K-9 is requested.

UPDATE 12:03 a.m.: All responding units have switched to L.E. Secure. We won't hear any more about this incident.

Local library directors are asking Genesee County to provide $48,000 in funding in its 2019 budget, which would restore the county's share of funding to 2011 levels.

Without committing, either way, several members of county's Human Services Committee on Monday questioned why towns in the county that don't have libraries aren't doing more to assist funding libraries since their residents certainly use libraries, whether it's the Richmond, Haxton, Corfu, Woodward, or Hollwedel libraries.

"You need to make a presentation to GAM (Genesee Association of Municipalities) because there are still significant portions of the county that are not contributing to the libraries," said Robert Bausch, chairman of the County Legislature. "I hate to say that certain people in certain towns are dumber than other people so, therefore, they don’t need libraries. I don’t think that’s true but the bottom line is, this has gone on now since approximately 1986, so this has gone on for 30 years and these other towns have not stepped up."

Suzanne Schauf, director of the Hollwedel Memorial Library in Pavilion, suggested that because of towns without libraries -- such as Bethany, Alabama, Alexander, and Elba -- aren't legally obligated to pay for libraries, any funding that comes from the towns could be precarious and subject to political whim.

Bethany, she said, used to make a contribution to the Pavilion library, but then somebody said the wrong thing to somebody, somebody else got mad, she said, and the funding was cut.

To secure more funding from these towns, libraries would need to recharter to incorporate these towns either in a library district or as part of an appropriate school budget.

That can be a lengthy process, though the Corfu Free Library rechartered as a school district library and became the Corfu Public Library in 2016.

Bausch was actually part of the committee 30 years ago that came up with the formula for the county to provide financial support to all of the libraries. The original plan was for the county share to be $60,000, or $1 per resident.

Over time, that share was reduced and is now less than $48,000, though the county's population is 58,000.

More than half the money goes to the Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia and though that is the largest piece of the funding pie, said Director Robert Conrad, it is the smallest portion of the library's revenue stream.

The county share is generally used for the purchase and upkeep of technology and purchasing new books.

The Legislature is asking that the topic be placed on the next GAM agenda.

About half the Village of Le Roy will lose power for up to a half hour while crews work on downed power lines along Lake Street Road near Orcon Industries.

About 35 minutes ago, a Waste Management truck coming through the area hit power lines and pulled them down. Before crews could get in place to shut down traffic, more trucks came through the area and pulled down more lines, according to Le Roy Police Chief Chris Hayward.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy PD along with National Grid are on scene.

UPDATE 4:59 p.m.: National Grid has control of the scene now. Le Roy fire is back in service.

Press release:

Batavia -- The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County Board of Directors will meet at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 28.  The meeting will be held at the Extension Center at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia and is open to the public.

Any questions should be directed to Yvonne Peck at 585-343-3040, ext. 123.

The next 2018 CCE Board of Directors meeting will be at the same time/place on Nov. 20.

Ryan Duffy is 18 months into his job as director of the Holland Land Office Museum and members of the Genesee County Legislature have taken notice of the improvements he's made to the local history destination.

Several members praised him Monday after he give his annual review report to the Human Services Committee.

"Two years ago or three years ago there was significant activity and concern about the museum," said Robert Bausch, chairman of the legislature. "I just want to compliment you. The issues that we raised are being addressed and addressed in a positive way. I just want to congratulate you."

During his presentation, Duffy laid out some of the activities at the museum, which include continuing the just-completed History Heroes summer camp, cataloging more than 8,000 items at the museum, bringing in more groups to use space at the museum for meetings, bringing in more guest speakers, and starting a Java with Joe morning speakers series.

Duffy also brought back the annual antique show at Batavia Downs, which this year had vendors from as far away as Syracuse and Binghampton and brought in 450 visitors.

The museum also continues to grow as a tourist destination. Duffy said in 2017, nearly half of all people who visited the museum were from outside Genesee County.

Duffy also suggested people start thinking about their Wonderland of Trees decorations. This year's theme will be "favorite holiday movies."

"You’ve done fantastic," said Legislator John Deleo. "You’ve energized everybody including the board."

During his presentation Monday, Duffy also mentioned two recent acquisitions by the museum.  

Top photo: Six pictures of Gen. Emory Upton. The larger picture on the left is from the West Point yearbook when Upton was an instructor at the academy. The other five are of Upton during the Civil War, showing Upton as a young lieutenant fresh out of West Point through the end of the war when he was a brevet major general (brevet means a temporary promotion usually awarded for valor or exceptionalism; Upton was a brigadier general prior to the brevet promotion).

The photos were obtained from a private collector.

"The pictures show not only the change in himself over time but also his change in rank," Duffy said. "We didn’t have anything like that before. We had later things of him but not something tracing his career. We had the beginning and the end but not the middle."

Bottom photo: A painting of Henry Glowacki on a piece of ivory. Glowacki was a prominent citizen of Batavia in the second half of the 19th century and he had a pretty fascinating biography. Born in 1816, the son of a Polish general, Glowacki was promoted to major in the Polish Army at age 17. He was probably part of the November Uprising, when a group of young officers rebelled against Russian rule of part of their homeland (source). The officers were banished from Poland. He intended to make exile in Illinois but he came into contact with David Ellicott Evans, then manager of the Holland Land Office. Evans hired Glowacki, though he was still only 19 and didn't speak or read English. Within four years, he mastered the language and studied law under H. J. Redfield and he married Mary Redfield. He passed the New York State Bar in 1840 and became a prominent local attorney. He was chairman of the local Democratic Party, a recruiter during the Civil War, a Village of Batavia trustee, an original trustee of the NYS Blind School, and he donated land for the first hospital in Batavia.

Prior to obtaining the painting -- about the size of an egg -- the only pictures HLOM had of Glowacki were as an old man with mutton chops, Duffy said.

Museum staff located the painting while attending an antique show. It is etched on the back with Glowacki's name and his date of birth and death.

The museum already possessed his Polish army uniform and a paperweight he used while employed at the land office.

A car vs. tree accident is reported in the area of 9509 Fargo Road, Bethany.

Unknown injuries.

Bethany fire and Stafford and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 4:15 p.m.: Units can respond non-emergency.

UPDATE 4:58 p.m.: The Fargo Road assignment is back in service. One person transported to UMMC.

Photos by Timothy Chugg.

A car has hit a pole in the parking lot of Valu Plaza, behind McDonald's.

The pole is down on the ground.

No serious injuries reported.

City fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Deborah Rodriguez, age not provided, residence not provided, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and alcohol, unlicensed operation, 1st, and unsafe backing. Rodriguez was reportedly backing out of a driveway in the Village of Oakfield when her vehicle struck a pedestrian who was walking on the sidewalk. The patient was transported to UMMC for treatment of minor injuries.

Brenna Elizabeth Decillis, 24, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and leaving the scene of a property-damage accident. Decillis was charged following an investigation into an accident at 7:18 a.m. Wednesday on Park Road. Decillis is accused of driving a vehicle that struck two parked cars and a building. The investigation was conducted by deputies Ryan DeLong, Richard Schildwaster, and Jeremy McClellan.

Latashia M. Sanchez, 25, of Central Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to dim headlights. Sanchez was stopped at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday on East Main Street, Village of Le Roy, by a Le Roy police officer.

Seth Ryan Kronewetter, 25, of Indian Creek, Eldred, Pa., is charged with making terroristic threats and aggravated harassment, 2nd. Kronewetter is accused of making threats to harm patrons of a concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. Kronewetter was arraigned in Darien Town Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Andres A. Arteaga, 20, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Arteaga was stopped at 9:29 p.m. Monday on Route 33, Stafford, by State Police.

Nicholas J. Heschke, 31, of Medina, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Heschke was topped at 1:58 a.m. Monday on Route 77, Town of Alabama, by State Police.

A man has reportedly been trampled by a bull and is not breathing at a location on Simmons Road in the Town of Covington.

The location is in Pavilion's fire district and Pavilion fire is responding, along with Mercy EMS.

Dispatchers are checking on the availability of Mercy Flight.

Last week, in the Town of Covington, a man suffered rib and abdominal injuries after being gored by a bull.  

UPDATE 11:52 a.m.: CPR in progress. Mercy Flight dispatched.

UPDATE 1:56 p.m.: A reporter for 13WHAM is at the location and a State trooper confirmed there is a fatality.

UPDATE 2:40 p.m.: Via our news partner, 13WHAM, the victim is 72 years old from Perry. He was an employee. 

UPDATE 2:43 p.m.: Press release from State Police in Warsaw: 

On Aug. 2 at 11:40 a.m., Troopers responded to Simmons Road in the Town of Covington for a man struck by a bull. Further investigation reveals that Roy C Bell, 72, of Perry, was moving cattle around the farm.

A family member located Bell after being struck by the 1-year-old bull. Lifesaving measures were administered to Bell who was unresponsive. Bell succumbed to his injuries and was taken to Monroe County Medical Examiners Office for an autopsy.
 

The Muckdogs picked up their third win in five days on Wednesday afternoon in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park by topping the State College Spikes 5-4. The game in University City, Pa., didn’t pick up at its expected time of noon due to rains that pushed first pitch all the way back to 2:20 p.m.

Once the game finally got underway, Batavia did not waste any time getting on the board. Sean Reynolds went deep to left field and got the Muckdogs their first lead of the game, making it 1-0 going to the bottom of the first.

The lead doubled with an RBI double from Luke Jarvis, his first extra-base hit as a pro. His shot off the right-field wall scored Igor Baez and put Batavia up by a pair.

State College halved the lead in the bottom of the second as a result of a Brady Whalen home run. Whalen, a switch-hitter batting from the left side, hit the fifth home run Humberto Mejia has given up this season. All five of those home runs had been from left-handed batters.

A pair of errors from the Spikes in the top of the fifth opened another scoring window in the top of the fifth. Lars Nootbaar dropped a Brayan Hernandez fly ball in left field that he lost in the sun, and then Stanley Espinal airmailed a throw from the hole on the left side to put Demetius Sims on. Hernandez came in to score on a ball that squeaked away from the catcher Alexis Wilson. Immediately after, Sean Reynolds smacked an RBI double to score Sims and cash in on both of the Spikes’ errors.

Tyler Kolek came on in relief of Mejia, Kolek ended up as the winning pitcher in the ballgame in his three innings of relief. He retired his first six batters and gave up just one run in the seventh. When he came out of the game, Batavia still held a 4-2 lead.

Once again, Batavia answered with a run of their own, JD Osborne slugged a double to the left-center gap to score Jerar Encarnacion. Encarnacion was the third run to score that reached on an error.

CJ Carter and Elkin Alcala closed out the game for the final six outs. Nick Dunn drove in his second and third runs in the game with a two-run shot into the right-field bleachers. In a 5-4 game, Alcala got the final out after giving up the homer to give the Muckdogs the win.

The Muckdogs return home for a three-game series with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Dwyer Stadium. The first pitch for all three games is 7:05 p.m.

A car struck a tree at 7618 Sand Hill Road and the driver is injured. He is out of the vehicle, which is on its side, well off the roadway. Alabama Fire Department is responding along with Mercy medics.

The location is midway between Hopkins and Shanks roads on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation.

David M. Howard is indicted for the crime of assault in the second degree, a Class D violent felony. It is alleged that on May 19 in the Town of Pavilion that Howard, with intent to cause physical injury to a person age 65 or older, caused such injury and the defendant is more than 10 years younger than the victim. In count two, Howard is accused of third-degree assault, a Class A misdemeanor, for allegedly recklessly causing physical injury to another person May 19 in Pavilion.

Larry A. Hubler is indicted for the crime of driving while intoxicated, as a Class E felony. It is alleged that on July 20 in the Town of Stafford that Hubler drove a 2006 Chevrolet on East Main Street Road (Route 5) while in an intoxicated condition. In count two, he is accused of DWI, per se, as a Class E felony. It is alleged in count two that he had a BAC of .08 percent or more at the time. In Special Information filed by the Genesee County District Attorney's Office, Hubler is accused of having been convicted of DWI, as a Class E felony, on Nov. 21, 2007, in Genesee County Court, and the conviction was within 10 years of the crimes alleged in the current indictment.

Brett N. Magoffin is indicted for the crime of driving while intoxicated, as a Class E felony. It is alleged that on March 15 in the Town of Darien that Magoffin drove a 2003 Chevrolet on Simonds Road while in an intoxicated condition. In count two, he is accused of DWI, per se, as a Class E felony. It is alleged in count two that he had a BAC of .18 percent or more at the time. In Special Information filed by the Genesee County District Attorney's Office, Magoffin is accused of having been convicted of DWI, as a misdemeanor, on March 31, 2015, in City of Batavia Court, and the conviction was within 10 years of the crimes alleged in the current indictment.