Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. and the union representing OTB branch employees have reached a new two-year bargaining agreement that will give the branch employees two 3% annual raises.
The OTB board approved the proposed contract on Thursday. The Public Service Employees Union local must also approve the agreement.
As part of the agreement, WROTB executives agreed not to close any branches during the first year of the agreement.
"That was a big concern with the branch employees. When we met with them, they were concerned about the future of the branches," said Steve Casey, chief of staff to the CEO.
Under the terms of the agreement, the union and OTB management will form a committee to investigate ways to cut costs, as some branches are losing money.
The goal of the committee would be to "make sure we can achieve long-term stability," Casey said.
Casey said negotiations for the new contract took about six months.
The PSEU also represents employees at Batavia Downs, and there are separate negotiations for a new bargaining agreement with them. In all, about 52 percent of the corporation's employees belong to the union.
"We had good discussions with the union and their labor representative, Antonella Rotilio," said Byron Brown, president and CEO of WROTB.
Expansion of healthcare services, the limited number of dialysis clinics in the region, Medicaid expenditures, and naturopathic medicine — healthcare topics were top of mind for many in the audience of Wednesday's Town Hall Meeting in Darien, hosted by State Senator George Borrello.
The first speaker was a man named Tim who said that when his kidneys failed, his wife donated one of her kidneys to him, and that required him to be on dialysis for 18 months. It was hard, he said, to access clinics in the area. There had been one in Mount Morris, he said, but when the doctor left, the clinic closed.
Borrello, representing the 57th Senate District, said he's discussed the clinic shortage with providers and the biggest issue isn't a lack of willingness to expand -- hiring doctors is a major issue, and Borrello blamed the state's arcane licensing system.
"We have this ridiculous, long process of actually licensing those folks as if somehow being a doctor in Pennsylvania is so much different than being a doctor in New York," Borrello said. "One time, it took us a year and a half to get a surgeon who wanted to move from Pennsylvania, who had been practicing for 16 years as a surgeon, to New York to go practice only. In general, it took a year and a half to get through the red tape of the state government. My point is that we make it more difficult for people who want to get into that profession to come here."
Chetna Chandrakala, chief financial officer for Oak Orchard Health, asked Borrello to support a proposal that is currently part of the state budget bill that is designed to increase federal Medicaid reimbursements by restructuring the tax on health insurance. Health insurance providers would be reimbursed for the tax from the increased federal funding, so the proposed tax would not affect premiums for Medicaid and Essential Plan programs. However, it could result in a small increase for private plans. The proposal could generate $50 million for Federally Qualified Health Centers, allowing for expanded services and fee schedule increases (more information).
Chandrakala acknowledged the people seeking an increase in services and said, "We want to be able to provide that help, that medical help, but health centers are not getting the rate increases."
Borrello expressed frustration that out of a $260 billion state budget, not enough is being done to assist the people in the state who most need help paying for healthcare.
"Some of the most vulnerable people in our communities -- senior citizens, those with chronic disease, people with mental health issues, and the developmentally disabled are not getting enough help," Borrello said. "So, where is all this money going if it's not going to those folks? Yes, we should --your reimbursement rates should be increased. And there is certainly money to do that."
Borrello said that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo cut Medicaid payments, and Gov. Kathy Hochul has tried addressing the issue, but it hasn't been enough to keep pace with inflation.
One issue plaguing Medicaid, Borrello said, is what an organization known as the Empire Center has identified as the "missing million."
Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the percentage of New Yorkers getting at least some of their healthcare coverage through Medicaid has increased to 37% of the population.
In 2022, Empire Center determined that there were 6.6 million people enrolled in Medicaid and another one million on the Essential Plan; however, Census Bureau data indicates only about 5.5 million New Yorkers are income eligible for any level of Medicaid assistance, so enrollment was two million higher than the demographic estimates would suggest, with about one million of that excess being attributed to Medicaid.
The Empire Center urged lawmakers to investigate the disparity to ensure Medicaid eligibility guidelines are being properly enforced. Some of the people in that missing million could be people who purchase health insurance through the Marketplace but pay the premiums without any Medicaid coverage.
"Empire Center FOILed the qualifications for all people on Medicaid, and the Department of Health, particularly the division of Medicaid, refused to respond to that full request for over a million people," Borrello said. "That means there are a million people in New York we can't prove actually exist that are qualified. If we cut that alone, we could give you all the money you needed."
A naturopathic medicine provider, who provided a first name of Michael, asked Borrello to support a bill that would provide licensing in New York for naturopathic doctors.
Borrello said that while he wasn't familiar with the current proposed legislation, he supports the idea in concept.
"On the surface, I would say I would support that. The more people who are providing more diverse medical health and advice, I think, is a good thing," Borrello said.
He acknowledged that there may be opposition from associations representing doctors and nurses, and they may have good reasons to lobby against the bill, but that doesn't mean there can't be negotiations and compromise.
"There's got to be a way to find a common ground there to see if there is some kind of modification that will allow it to happen," Borrello said.
While issued at the national level are outside of a state senator's job description, Borrello agreed to address questions about those issues, as well.
On other topics, one person asked how voters could help fight the "progressive movement" in the state.
"You know, I think the vast majority of New Yorkers all want the same thing," Borrello said. "They want to be able to live affordably and safely here in New York State. And there is definitely this far-left progressive movement that's based in New York City that is pushing back against that. And the best way to fight is to help educate your friends and neighbors across the state, people that you know."
He said nearly everybody belongs to some statewide association that enables them to interact with people around the state, and Upstate residents should use those networks to help inform others about the impact of progressive policies.
On the proliferation of solar farms in Upstate, Borrello called the initiative a "green energy scam."
"This is not about climate change," Borrello said. "This is about money. Some folks on Wall Street figured out about a decade ago, this is a guaranteed return on their investment. 'Why should we risk our money in the market when we're guaranteed a return on investment courtesy of the taxpayers?'"
He said none of these farms would get built anywhere in the nation without taxpayer subsidies because there is no profit in wind and solar.
The statement is partially true.
Warren Buffett has said, “We get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That’s the only reason to build them. They don’t make sense without the tax credit.”
However, recent analyses show that the cost of building new wind and solar farms is now competitive with, or even lower than, building new fossil fuel plants—even without subsidies. For example, Bloomberg New Energy Finance and Lazard both report that, on an unsubsidized basis, new wind and solar projects can be as cheap or even cheaper than new natural gas or coal plants in many regions of the United States.
The topic of guns came up, with one person complaining about the difficulty of getting a pistol and wondered why the state "caters" to people who oppose gun rights.
"You know, we live in a blue state, right? And even though, if you look at the map, most of the state is red, the high population centers are blue, and that's where most of the leadership comes from," Borrello said. "They absolutely cannot stand the Second Amendment."
He said the state's leadership is trying to kill gun rights by a thousand cuts.
"The most recent thing was background checks for ammunition purchases, all these ridiculous things that, in the end, really aren't stopping any crime," Borrello said. "If you could say, 'Yeah, look, crime is plummeting in New York State thanks to all these gun laws.' But that's just not true. Crime is up, so restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens is the goal."
The ammunition background check was initiated in 2023, and so far, only 0.55% of transactions have been denied.
In 2024, crime in New York City declined by 3%. Statewide, since the pandemic, homicides in the state have declined by 53%. Gun violence declined by more than 26% in 2024 compared to 2023. Those stats do not necessarily prove that any particular gun law is contributing to the reduction, as there may be other social and economic factors at play.
One person praised the effort of DOGE, the controversial Elon Musk-initiated effort to reduce the size of the federal government, and asked for a similar effort in New York.
Borrello said he is supporting a bill to create a Commission on Government Efficiency. He said it would operate differently from DOGE because it would be a commission that would investigate waste.
"It would be made up of folks who are already in the system," he said. "I think it's a good idea. Like I said, there is so much money being wasted."
To those who said they were unhappy about the elimination of the federal Department of Education, Borrello said he was a strong supporter of public schools and that it was his understanding that while the DOE was being closed, its essential funding, such as Title 1, would remain.
The Town Hall wrapped up on a friendly note with a self-professed socialist endorsing any potential run by George Borrello for Congress.
"My name is Sam, and I live in Genesee County," Sam said. "I grew up here. I am a card-carrying socialist, and I want to say that out loud in this room, because I own a gun. There's a gun under my bed. I hunt. My husband is going to a gun safety course on Saturday run by socialists. So I think it's important to close the divide a little bit. We are not the evil left, and you are not the evil right. In fact, if you were to run for Claudia Tenney's spot, who won't answer emails, who refuses (to attend) town halls, who will not hold town halls, I would vote for you."
Borrello said he appreciated the comment.
"Here's the thing, folks, and maybe we'll close on this, what divides us is so small compared to what unites us, and we've kind of forgotten that," he said. "I mean, we've got to try to figure out the things that separate us and how we can at least agree to disagree. We used to be able to agree to disagree. That was what made America different from every other country in the world, because in other countries, when you disagree, it's time to go to war. We had the ability to agree to disagree, and we've lost that. I'd love to see us try to get back to that. I'd love to have a friendly conversation and discuss the things that we agree on and disagree on, and then agree to disagree."
Photo by Howard Owens.
Chetna Chandrakala, CFO for Oak Orchard Health, front, and Ella Knack. Photo by Howard Owens.
Michael, a naturopathic medicine provider. Photo by Howard Owens.
Claudia Smigelski, a retired registered nurse with her anti-Trump sign (the only one on display). Borrello said he admired her sign while disagreeing with the message. He liked the colors and design, he said. Photo by Howard Owens.
A 40-year-old Le Roy woman is facing a reckless endangerment charge in connection with a house fire reported at 4 Union St., Le Roy, on Monday at 10:55 a.m.
Det. Kaden Vangalio and Officer William Riley, Le Roy PD, were the first on scene, and helped an elderly woman, the suspect's mother, from the burning building.
"Their actions, along with the efforts of LeRoy Fire, EMS, and all assisting agencies, ensured that all occupants were safely evacuated and no lives were lost," said Le Roy Chief Greg Kellogg.
The occupants of an adjoining unit, a mother and son, were also displaced by the fire.
According to Le Roy PD, Kelcia Storey admitted to smoking crack cocaine on Sunday night in a second-floor bedroom. In the morning, she allegedly attempted to light a cigarette using two broken lighters while sitting on her bed. Investigators believe this attempt ignited the mattress and surrounding materials, sparking the fire.
Storey allegedly left the residence and drove to Rochester to purchase more crack cocaine. She drove her mother's vehicle to Rochester. She allegedly admitted to using her purchase before driving back to Le Roy on a revoked driver's license.
Kellogg credited Vangalio and Riley for the investigation that led to Storey's arrest.
Red Cross is assisting the residents.
The department thanked Le Roy Fire, Genesee County Emergency Management, along with the mutual aid companies that responded to the scene for their teamwork and professionalism.
Adrienne S. Bechtold, 29, of Vine Street, Batavia, Jacob W. Patterson, 29, of Vine Street, Batavia, and Rebecca I. Patterson, 58, of Batavia, are charged with multiple crimes. (Note, the charges are not specified by person in the press release and it's unclear which charges apply to all and which might apply to only a single individual). The charges are, six counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, three counts of promoting prison contraband 1st, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, three counts of conspiracy 4th, two counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia, one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, moving from lane unsafely, and insufficient turn signal. On April 15, deputies conducted a traffic stop on the Thruway near mile marker 390.9 after observing alleged traffic violations. Deputies reportedly became suspicious of criminal activity after observing "several criminal indicators," so they requested the assistance of Batavia PD K9 Batu. As a result of the search, narcotics were allegedly located in the vehicle. After the search, one of the suspects produced more narcotics that the person had concealed on his or her person. The three people were transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing. At the jail, more narcotics were allegedly found on Bechtold and Jacob Patterson. They are accused of possessing two ounces of cocaine as well as fentanyl. Rebecca Patterson was released on an appearance ticket. Bechtold and Jacob Patterson were held pending arraignment. The investigation was conducted by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun, Deputy Alexander Hadsall, Deputy Jeremy McClellan, and Officer Stephen Quider, Batavia PD, handler of K-9 Batu.
Carrie Ann Stewart, 44, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with burglary 3rd and petit larceny. Stewart is accused of entering and remaining in Walmart with the intent to commit a crime at 8:31 p.m. on April 14.
Michael Anthony Fanizza, 31, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass 2nd. Fanizza is accused of entering another person's residence in Oakfield and remaining there without permission at 1:20 pm. on April 18. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Michaela Ruth Bohn, 25, of Clinton Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Bohn was stopped at 11:44 p.m. on April 19 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen by Deputy Jonathan Dimming. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Batavia police officers or seeking the public's assistance with an investigation into an incident in the parking lot of the East Main McDonald's on Easter Sunday that led to one man being stabbed.
When police arrived on scene, one male was located at that location.
The other male, who sustained a knife wound, was not at the scene when police officers responded to the report of a disturbance. He was latter located at a residence in the city. His injuries was not life-threatening. CIty Fire and Mercy EMS responded to the residence and the person was transported to a hospital in Rochester for further treatment.
All subjects believed to be involved in the incident have been identified and police say there is no ongoing risk to public safety.
Investigators are encouraging possible witnesses to come forward.
Tips can be provided by calling 585-345-6350, the confidential tip line at 585-345-6370 or by clicking here.
John Steward and Beth Burger. Photo by Howard Owens.
There are no microwaved meals at Kade's Scratch Kitchen, 15 Main St., Le Roy.
All meals are made to order. They're not reheated entrees. They're not made in a commercial kitchen in another state.
There isn't even a microwave in the kitchen. The only microwave is behind the dining counter.
"We use it to heat brownies," said co-owner Beth Burger. "That is the only reason we have it."
Burger's partner, John Steward (also her fiancé) describes the cuisine at Kade's as "classic family fare foods" that have been elevated. Every item fits into the "scratch kitchen" concept.
"We dedicated a whole month before we opened into research and development," Steward said. We went through trial periods for the burger alone. There were days when we would literally open up six or seven different burgers, try each one, compare and contrast, and then do another tasting. And same with the french fries. So, you know, I have a lot of this knowledge I carried over from my previous jobs, but we are trying to have an immersive team effort and a collaborative effort with our management team."
What might you find on the menu? Pizza, chicken French, chicken parm, spaghetti and meatballs, linguini and clams, steak frites, and burgers. And for dessert, cookies, cannoli, fudge brownies, cheesecake, and sundaes.
Burger and Steward discussed several food items, the process for selecting quality ingredients, and the development process.
One item that comes in frozen is the french fries, but even there, the team paid attention to the details, trying five different products before settling on the winning candidate.
"We do get the best on the market," Steward said. Our french fries are actually the same french fries that McDonald's uses, minus the preservatives."
For soft-serve ice cream, the couple did thorough research.
"We went and drove everywhere within a 15-mile radius to try the soft serve ice cream, to see what we liked the best," Burger said. "We found it. We were really happy about that, too. Our soft serve is delicious. It's dangerous. If you have an ounce of it, you're like, 'Okay, I'm done.' It's so rich It's actually custard.
The bread is a milk bread, which Burger describes as unique and special. It's baked in-house.
"Our bread is delicious. It's called milk bread - just so light, airy, and buttery," she said.
When you get a sandwich, it's coming on the milk bread and usually with a sauce developed at the restaurant.
"I'm particularly fond of our wicked smart hot sauce," Steward said. "It's really hot, but it's got a very good depth profile in flavors. So now you get the heat, but you don't get, like, the heat of straight capsaicin."
Burger described it as very layered.
"It’s quite pleasant, actually. So even someone who doesn't like, is afraid of spice, it's still likable. It's so flavorful," she said.
There is also a medium hot sauce and a mild sauce available
"We want families to be able to come in here with their kids, because we have our own children, and we want it to be a nice, a family-friendly place, but it's also a place that you can bring a date," Burger said. "We have some really nice wines. We really care about customer service and going the extra mile for our guests."
If you go to Kade's for dinner, you might want to cap off your meal with the cheesecake (your correspondent was provided with a slice).
The team tried out eight or nine house-made cheesecake recipes before hitting the right notes.
"I'll be honest," Burger said. "I was a little bummed about it, because I wanted the classic cheesecake, and they wanted to do their little thing where they just kind of changed the products around, and I was more annoyed that they were right. It's the best I've ever had. Yeah, it's really good."
Burger and John Steward both have extensive backgrounds in the restaurant business. They met when she was a bartender at Farmers Creekside and he was the sous chef. Burger, a lifelong Le Roy resident, was co-owner of Woody's Deli and a bar manager at Batavia Downs. From Creekside, Steward went to Terry Hills as executive chef, then returned to Creekside. COVID hit, and he worked at Sweet Betty's (the same location now occupied by Kade's). He was cook at the Lake House before helping to own a restaurant in Rochester.
That experience helped convince him it was time to reach for his end goal: to own a restaurant.
"It was always the end game," Steward said. "Throughout my career, I've compiled a lot of numbers in my head, data, and I got to the point, after opening up the steak house in Rochester, I looked at Beth, and I was like, 'I don't want to keep doing what I do for others. I want to do it for ourselves.' And so there was a lot of sacrifice leading up to that point, and a lot of missed times, a lot of missed firsts for me with our kids, and I didn't want that any more. Beth was on board immediately. Immediately after we talked about it -- it was funny -- when we talked it, Sweet Betty's literally dropped the news about closing permanently within 24."
Steward and Burger definitely have a mutual admiration society going.
"People (in Le Roy) know Johnny as a cook extremely well, and they don't even understand how good he is on the admin and in the back end," Burger said. "It's ridiculous how intelligent he is. Very, very smart and extremely talented. People have been waiting for him to do this. And so there's that excitement about it."
Steward said Burger's genius is at running the front of the house.
"She adds the layer with the best expertise in the front, and how she can handle talking with guests and training the staff appropriately," Steward said. "We both come from corporate backgrounds, too. So we also understand the importance of training. The importance of the good and the bad of corporate practices. Training is high emphasis for corporate. But then the other practices of corporate is really bad when it comes to the interpersonal, and so we want the best of both worlds."
It's all about balance, Burger said.
"As I was telling him, we want that nice balance where you have all the rules and regulations, but we want them (employees) to still be themselves, to be likable, approachable, kind, entertaining. That's what we're looking for here."
Tabu Thihele Gaines, Jr., 24, of Armstrong Place, Syracuse, and Sosa Stroman, 24, of Herkimer Street, Syracuse, are charged with grand larceny 4th, possession of burglar tools, and conspiracy 5th. Gaines and Stroman are accused of stealing from Dick's Sporting Goods at 5:36 p.m. on April 11. They were held pending arraignment.
Tyler J. Bull, 22, and Raymond L. Keffer, Jr., 48, are both charged with assault 2nd for allegedly causing physical injuries to each other during a fight at the Genesee County Jail on an unspecified date. They were arraigned and ordered held without bail.
Jason W. Alexander, 48, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, burglary 2nd, and criminal contempt 2nd. Alexander is accused of pushing and slapping a child on April 6 during an incident on East Main Street, Batavia. He was arraigned. An order of protection was issued. He was released. On April 7, Alexander is accused of entering a residence in violation of the order of protection. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed.
Michael A. Shetler, 34, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and aggravated family offense. Shelter is accused of violating an order of protection on March 5. He was arrested on March 3. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered jailed.
Lisa M. Fox, 53, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of controlled substance 7th, and tampering with physical evidence. On March 28, Fox was allegedly found in possession of narcotics while being arrested on an unrelated matter. She was arraigned and released.
Nathaniel R. Davis, 29, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd and criminal contempt 2nd. Davis was allegedly found inside of a residence on March 29 in violation of an order of protection while being arrested on a warrant. He was arraigned and released.
Kyler A. Boskat, 22, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, conspiracy 4th, and criminal facilitation 4th. Boskat is accused of being an accomplice in a burglary on Hutchines Street on Jan. 12. Boskat was arrested on March 28, processed at the Genesee County Jail, arraigned, and released.
Benjamin A. Rachow, 42, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd, criminal obstruction of breathing, obstructing governmental administration 2nd, and harassment 2nd. Rachow is accused of fighting on March 30 on Ellicott Street, allegedly punching one person and grabbing a second by the neck. He was arraigned and released.
David W. Rich, 74, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Rich is accused of damaging a vehicle on March 28 following an argument on West Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Jessica L. Culver, 35, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Culver is accused of shoplifting from Family Dollar in Batavia on March 29. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Curtis McCall, 38, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. McCall is accused of slamming another person's hand in a door during an incident on State Street on March 28. He was arraigned in City Court and released.
Lucas S Potrzebowski, 30, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Potrzebowski is accused of not returning property to a customer at UPS Store in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Raymond J. Dick, 60, of Batavia, is charged with DWAI/drugs. He was arrested on April 10 following an investigation into an allegation that he was driving while under the influence of drugs on Feb. 25. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Derrick L. Washington, 52, of Batavia, was arrested on April 8 on a warrant for petit larceny. He is accused of stealing merchandise from Dollar General on Dec. 27. He was arraigned and released.
Richard J. Burdick, 47, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. He was arrested on March 31. Burdick was allegedly found in possession of narcotics on Jan. 10 during a traffic stop on Ross Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Ali Arbai, 33, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Arbai was charged following a traffic stop on Main Street in April 6. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Michael A. Fanizza, 31, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and criminal mischief 4th. He is accused of damaging a door during an argument on April 6 in violation of an order of protection. He was arraigned and released.
Alisia L. Compton, 40, of Orlando, Fla., was arrested on April 2 on a warrant. Compton was charged with DWI on Nov. 22, 2022 and allegedly failed to meet the conditions of her conditional discharge. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
Winston A. Lockhart, 30, of Batavia, is charged with DWAI/Alcohol. Lockhart was charged following a motor vehicle accident on March 31 on March 31 on North Spruce Street, Batavia. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Sara A. Elliott, 39, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Ellicott was arrested on April 4 following an investigation into a traffic stop on Dec. 19. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Kevin A. Cole, 46, of Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Cole was arrested on April 4, accused of failing to properly supervise a child who had run away from home numerous times. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Timothy L. Corcoran, 61, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and operating an uninspected motor vehicle; Adrienne S. Bechtold, 29, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal possession of stolen property 5th; and, Nicholas E. Patterson, 31, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. On April 13 at 9:03 p.m., deputies stopped a vehicle in Le Roy on the suspicion of traffic violations. A quantity of cocaine was allegedly located in the vehicle. The three suspects were processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Steven Phillip Nasewtewa, 37, of Skye Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with reckless endangerment 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful imprisonment 2nd, and harassment 2nd. At noon on April 7, deputies responded to a report of a fight on Bloomingdale Road on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. Nasewtewa is accused of hitting another person in the face and dragging the person for a short distance when the person tried to exit a vehicle. There were allegedly children present during the incident. He was arraigned and released.
Cameron Jacob Sokowlski, 32, of Harshorn Road, Batavia, is charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer, aggravated unlicensed operation, reckless driving, driving without an ignition interlock, and disobeying traffic control devices. Sokowlski is accused of failing to stop for a traffic stop and attempting to flee on the Thruway at 4:26 p.m. on April 11 on Route 77 in Pembroke. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Jessica Leigh Culver, 35, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Culver is accused of shoplifting from Walmart at 6:21 p.m. on April 4. She was transported to the Genesee County Jail for processing and released.
David W. Fruster, 62, of Portland Avenue, Rochester, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd, aggravated unlicensed operation, unlicensed operation, and speeding. Fruster was stopped at 6:14 p.m. on April 7 on Clinton Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Ayrton Blankenberg. There was allegedly a court order in place prohibiting contact with the passenger in his vehicle. He was arraigned and released.
Russell Carl Dibble, 38, of Gabbey Road, Corfu, is charged with driving while impaired/alcohol. Dibble was stopped at 4:22 p.m. on April 4 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Alexander Hadsall. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.
Mary T. Strusz, 59, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal trespass 2nd. At 3:22 p.m. on April 14, deputies responded to a 9-1-1 hang-up call at a location on Main Road, Stafford. After an investigation, Strusz was accused of entering a residence in an apartment complex without permission. Strusz was arraigned and released.
JerryShearin, Joan Shearin, Howard Hetzel, Michaele White, Chris Humel, Lydia Zweirzynski, Steve Ernst. (Barbara Bennet cropped out by photographer error). Photo by Howard Owens.
Batavia resident Chris Humel completed teaching a six-week course on cartooning at the Senior Center on Bank Street on Thursday.
The students were instructed on drawing and telling stories through cartoon panels or hitting the punch line in a single panel.
"We go through corny jokes and illustrate them," Humel said. "I encourage them to think of funny stories in their everyday life, or, you know, everybody's got those stories in their life, in their family, where just something hilarious happens. So I try to get them to think about those stories and then look for things that make them smile throughout the week."
The class was funded through a $5,000 state grant administered through GO ART!
Humel is a musician, singer-songwriter, and visual artist who got started in cartooning in the 1990s while living in New Hampshire. He said a friend of his would send him illustrated letters that made him laugh, so he wrote back with "a little bit of artistic skill, not a lot really" with his own funny drawings. They combined on a small cartoon book that Humel put in a spinner rack at Ava Art Gallery in New Hampshire and that led to a chance to teach cartooning to a class of middle school students. Humel said he's taught cartooning several times over the years since.
"I like teaching. It's empowering for me to share my knowledge and skills, and I think (the students) benefit by just having fun," he said.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Joan Shearin. Her pannels are on the right. And Chris Humel. Photo by Howard Owens.
BID Executive Direcotor Shannon Maute looks on as WBTA owner Jim Ernst accepts the station's Business of the Year Award. Photo by Howard Owens.
WBTA, Batavia's hometown radio station, was honored on Thursday by the Business Improvement District as the BID's Business of the Year.
BID Director Shannon Maute praised station owner Jim Ernst for the innovations he's initiated that have helped keep Batavia residents engaged.
"They have really gone a long way with changing how things are done at this radio station," Maute said.
Ernst gave credit to his staff.
"I didn't do anything special except put a really great team together," Ernst said. He singled out staff member Marc Tillery as "the one who did all the work," especially with his efforts to get the station involved in the Box Car Derby, the Wine Walk, and the FeBREWary.
"I wouldn't have had this opportunity without Jim Ernst," Tillery said. "He's the one who brought me in nearly two years ago and I appreciate every chance he's given me."
Tillery was also recognized with the first-ever Supporter of the Year Award.
"Things have changed this year," Maute said before introducing Tillery. "New people are helping out and getting involved. And this person, I don't know if I could do as much as I have been doing without him. He's a huge supporter. He is always there to help. He helps promote. He comes up with all these new ideas."
Kelsey Dilcher, marketing and community coordinator at Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union, was named Volunteer of the Year.
“Kelsey is always the first to help with anything that the BID needs," Maute said. "You always see her with a smile on her face. So, I just want to say thank you for everything that you do. I greatly appreciate you. You are down for everything and so I want to present you with this amazing award."
The BID's annual meeting was held at Center Street Smokehouse.
Alexandra Ortiz, front left, Jim Ernst, Rachel Berardini Ernst; Nicole Johnson, Lorne Way, Mark Tillery and Mitchell Ernst Photo by Howard Owens
Amy Smith and David Scroger, the new owners of The Mog Bar & Grill on North Pembroke Road, Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
Amy Smith was as sad as anybody about the Mogadore Hillton closing with her mother's retirement.
The bar and restaurant had been part of her life for 45 years. So, after much discussion with her husband, David Scroger, she decided to take the business over herself, with Scroger's help.
"It's just been a very family-oriented community, and in December, my mom decided to retire, and the community was very depressed because people come in as customers, then become friends, and then they really become family. So I could not close the doors on everyone," Smith said.
Smith and Scoger opened the doors under their ownership for the first time on Wednesday. With the restaurant closed, the couple worked a few months to renovate the kitchen and bar.
The Mog Bar & Grill, as its now called, has a long history. The building is 168 years old. It was originally a hotel for farmers who brought their grain to the mill on the other side of North Pembroke Road.
Smith's grandfather, Albert Smith, bought the building in 1971 and opened a bar. His daughter, Amy's mother, Linda Smith (Albert's daughter-in-law), took it over 10 years later and five years later added the restaurant.
"I did grow up in this business," Amy said. "My mother moved all three of her kids into the attached apartment. So I've grown up with this for about 45 years now. I've been helping my mom as a waitress and bartender for the past 20 years."
Amy teaches English as a new language in Le Roy, and Scroger is a car hauler. They're both keeping their full-time jobs. Linda is working four days a week and Amy's niece, Hannah, is helping out on the day shift.
"We had to hire outside the family for the first time ever," Smith said. "We have a new cook."
The menu classic country road bar fare -- soups and salads, pizza, wings and things, hamburgers, and on Friday, haddock and shrimp are on the menu.
What will you find when you visit The Mog? Amy says, "When you come, everyone is just so friendly. It's very country, very cozy. We have really good bar food. On Fridays, we have fish fries, and my mother makes a homemade special every Friday. So it's about friendship and community and bringing everyone together."
That's what The Mog means to her, Amy said. Family."
"The Mog means just family to me, honestly, because growing up here and all these people have seen me grow up since I was five years old. So I mean, they're kind of like my extended family. So yeah, The Mog honestly means family and friendship to me. I'm just excited to welcome back familiar faces and a lot of new faces who have come in today."
The Mog's grand opening is April 19.
The Mog Bar and Grill is at 8100 North Pembroke Road, Batavia. The phone number is 585-762-9917. Its hours are Wednesday from noon to 9 p.m., Thursday from 1 to 8 p.m., Friday from noon to 9 p.m., and Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m.; it is closed on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
A citizen of Ecuador accused of re-entering the country after being deported was arrested in Elba on March 26 during a traffic stop following an investigation that began in Buffalo.
Luis Castro Mayancela, 24, is charged by criminal complaint with re-entry after prior removal, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
On the day of the arrest, agents of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement were conducting surveillance of a residence on Mill Street when a blue Chevrolet Silvarado pulled up to the house.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the arresting agent in federal court, the target of the surveillance was a person accused of entering the country illegally.
Two Hispanic males left the house and got into the vehicle.
Enforcement and Removal team members began a mobile surveillance.
Border Patrol agents conducted a vehicle stop on Ford Road, Elba, at 11:20 a.m. on March 26.
The complaint states that four people were in the vehicle, including Mayancela.
An immigration judge ordered Mayancela to leave the country on Dec. 13, 2019. He was placed on a flight to Ecuador, departing Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana, on Dec. 30, 2019.
The arresting agent stated that there was no evidence that Mayancela had been granted permission to be in the U.S. prior to his arrest.
He was processed at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia. A fingerprint scan indicated that his fingerprints matched those previously obtained for Mayancela.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer ordered that Mayancela be detained pending further court proceedings.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sasha Mascarenhas and Andrew J. Henning are prosecuting the case.
Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations, under the direction of Acting Field Office Director Steven Kurzdorfer, supervised the investigation.
A 45-year-old Le Roy resident has been charged in a 2023 burglary of Crocker's Ace Hardward.
Officer Matthew Nielson worked the cold case and identified the suspect, who allegedly stole thousands of dollars in merchandise in the overnight heist.
Nielson had few leads to work with, according to Chief Greg Kellogg.
"Through persistent follow-up, detailed investigative work, and strong attention to detail, he successfully identified the suspect and personally made the arrest," Kellogg said. "This arrest is the result of Nielson’s dedication and resolve, demonstrating the commitment of the LeRoy Police Department to holding offenders accountable — no matter how much time has passed. His work on this case reflects the professionalism and determination that the department strives to deliver every day."
Andrew J. Paladino was taken into custody. He is charged with burglary. No other charges were listed in the release. His release status is unknown
Trippany won the annual Batavia High School event on Friday night in front of a capacity crowd in the auditorium.
The event raised in the neighborhood of $5,400 (the final total hasn't been calculated yet). Half of the funds will go to Trippany's chosen charity, Rosewell Cancer Institute.
Will Fulton, representing Genesee Cancer Assistance, came in second, and Kahler Evans, representing Bella's Bumbas, came in third. Their charities will each receive 25% of the proceeds.
Since the first year of the competition in 2013, Mr. Batavia has raised $43,052 for charity.
The event is supported by the Batavia City School Foundation along with local businesses Charles Men Shop, Main St. Pizza, Zach Korzelius at Geico Insurance, LP Graphics in LeRoy, Extreme Streetwear, Beverly's Flowers and Gifts, along with the students and staff at BHS.
This year's contestants where:
The 2025 contestants are:
Cooper Banser: Crossroads House
Jeremiah Childs: The Neri Family through Reece's Rainbow
Kahler Evans: Bella's Bumbas
Greyson Fix: The Ricky Palermo Foundation
Will Fulton: Genesee Cancer Assistance
Cooper Konieczny: Volunteers for Animals
Anthony Kopper: Suicide Prevention of Genesee County
The Goose in Oakfield, 33 South Main St., is Genesee County's new live music venue, thanks to Oakfield resident Thom Jennings and a grant administered by GO ART!
Jennings, a musician himself, got the idea during his wife's surprise birthday party at the Goose last July. Bruce Wojick, a member of the Strictly Hip, played a couple of songs.
"I got to thinking, man, this would just be a really good space for an artist-centric music event," Jennings said. "Because one of the things that's always driven me crazy when I played a happy hour acoustic event, or even as I go to more shows now, the artist isn't necessarily the focus.
It's hard, he said, for a good singer-songwriter to find a place where the audience is there to hear the music more than they are to chat with their friends.
The other inspiration for the idea came from his son Trevor, a drummer in multiple bands. He mentioned playing a gig where audience members could bring their own beer or wine.
So, during the last round of grant applications for state grants for community art projects through GO ART!, Jennings pitched the idea and approved the grant.
Evan Anstey and James Robert Kibby played the inaugural show on Friday evening.
There are shows on May 2 (Steve Novak) and June 6 (Tyler Bagwell), and there is a Christmas concert planned for December.
The Goose is a community center in Oakfield run by Susan Zeliff, Jennings' niece.
Jamie Clark, assistant principal and athletic director at Le Roy Jr/Sr High School, has been named the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) Region 12 Secondary School Assistant Principal of the Year.
"What a great honor for all the work that Jamie does for our students each and every day," said Superintendent Merritt Holly. "Mr. Clark is student-centered and always prioritizes the success and well-being of every learner."
"Mr. Clark continually demonstrates a positive attitude and team-oriented approach, and his ability to connect with stakeholders and willingness to approach any challenging situation have helped contribute to the success of the Le Roy Central School District," said Dr. David Russell, principal at the high school.
Each year, SAANYS honors exceptional New York State administrators with a state awards program in their honor. This program was established to recognize educators who demonstrate outstanding leadership skills and have contributed exceptionally to the educational process.
Clark will be honored on Monday, May 5 at a SAANYS event in Cheektowaga.
