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County legislators dealt with two law enforcement-related contracts at Monday's Public Service Committee meeting that, as one member put it, are "mysteries" because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

It is unknown whether there will be on-campus learning at county schools this fall, but the Sheriff's Office is expected to provide School Resources Officers to six campuses if students return to classrooms, so that contract needs to be in place.

Right now, it doesn't look like Live Nation will host any concerts at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center but in case they do, the contract for the Sheriff's Office needs to be in place.

The committee recommended both contracts be approved.

For SROs, three school districts -- Alexander, Byron-Bergen, and Pavilion -- employ deputies year-round and reimburse the county for that expense. Those SROs remain employed by their respective districts.

Pembroke, Oakfield-Alabama, and BOCES use SROs for only 10 months during the year, so the Sheriff's Office gets reimbursed for those deputies' salaries for only those 10 months.

The year-around school districts have continued to use their SROs even during the lockdown, even during the summer, but it's uncertain what will happen with the partial-year SROs if students don't return to campus in the fall.

Currently, the Sheriff's Office has three open road patrol positions. Rather than hire and train new officers, the three deputies who are SROs in Pembroke, O-A, and BOCES are fulfilling those duties, so the cost to the county of not getting those salaries covered by the school districts is a wash.

As for Darien Lake, there's no expense to the county if there are no concerts and Live Nation pays for any deputies put on duty at concerts.

However, discussion of the concert season had legislators asking about the impact that closure of Darien Lake -- the theme park, concert venue, and hotel -- would have on county revenue. The county derives significant revenue from sales tax at the theme park as well as gas tax for people who travel into Genesee County for the park and subsequently buy gas here. The bed tax from the hotel is about a third of the bed tax revenue for the county, said County Manager Jay Gsell.

Chairwoman Rochelle Stein told the committee that based on her communication with industry and state officials, Darien Lake is part of an amusement park lobbying group trying to get the governor's office to authorize theme parks to reopen.

She said Darien Lake has drafted a thick binder of guidelines the park would follow if it reopened.

"They've put their safety plan in front of the governor's office," Stein said. "There is a whole lobbying arm of the amusement park industry that as a group is trying to convince the governor to let them reopen. So far, that has fallen on deaf ears."

Photo: The socially distanced Public Service Committee meeting.

When Rob Credi got back in the coffee business -- he had previously co-owned and ran Main Street Coffee for years -- he didn't expect to be back in the come-in-and-sit-down coffee business anytime soon.

He was satisfied with his truck for Pub Coffee Hub, setting up at locations around Batavia and Western New York selling lattes, espressos, and sandwiches. 

Then Renee Smart, owner for nine years of Moonjava Cafe let him know she was ready for a change in her life and was looking to sell her business in the Harvester Center.

Credi looked at the assets, the location, the lease agreement, and decided it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

"I said, 'I would be foolish to say no to it,' " Credi said.

He will rechristen Moonjava as Pub Coffee Hub, change the color scheme inside but otherwise keep the same atmosphere -- including local art -- and hopes to open by Aug. 1.

He's surprised, he said, at how smoothly things have gone.

"At this moment, I’m apprehensive," Credit said. "It’s been too easy so far. It’s been super uncomplicated. I’m cautiously optimistic because it’s a great opportunity. Something will go wrong at some point, but I’m kind of crossing my fingers thinking maybe it will be this easy.”

Easy includes keeping on Smart's assistant Anthony Siedlecki. Siedlecki will run the Harvester Avenue location full time allowing Credi to operate the food truck full time. 

Credi said he always felt bad when he took the truck to Buffalo because loyal customers in his home base of Batavia couldn't get their Pub Coffee fix.

"That was an added benefit to know that if the truck isn’t in Batavia, people can come in and still get the same things," Credi said.

While Pub Coffee Hub's shop will serve a menu to match what's on the truck, one thing being retained from the Moonjava menu by popular demand is the soups, Credi said.

Smart said he's decided to re-enter her previous career as a cytotechnologist -- a laboratory professionals who study cells and cellular anomalies -- and was thinking about the change even before the pandemic hit.

After shutting the cafe as part of the state's coronavirus response, now seemed like a good time to make the transition. She also said the changes necessary to comply with social distancing measures dampened her excitement for the business. 

"I felt that it was time to let Moonjava go and hopefully find somebody with their own dream and ideas to open a place that would provide for the community in a new way," Smart said. "Enter Rob. It all flowed together for both of us.

"I really would like to say," she added, "that it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life to be able to serve that community for nine years and although it was a difficult decision to close the business, it was very reassuring to be selling it to another creative and community-conscientious person. I am excited for Rob and can’t wait to experience his take on the local coffee hub!"

An off-duty deputy in route to work has called in an accident on Route 5 just outside the Village of Le Roy that he said he witnessed.

He's requested an ambulance to the scene and said there is airbag deployment.

The Le Roy fire chief was also immediately on scene. The chief reports one person is trapped in a vehicle, alert and conscious.

UPDATE 8:27 a.m.: Le Roy fire is responding. Le Roy Ambulance is on scene.

Police were in pursuit of a white Chevy Impala or similar vehicle with "SECURITY" on the side.

The car apparently pulled out of the Red Roof Inn with no lights. It fled toward BJ's Wholesale Club and around the building back on to Veterans Memorial Drive. It crashed in the area of Aspen Dental and headed back toward BJ's.

It then headed back toward the Thruway and was driving on Thruway property behind the Hershey's Ice Cream building where it stopped or became stuck.

There are at least three individuals in the vehicle.

UPDATE 2:54 a.m.: Police communication indicates the car was stolen out of Rochester. Mercy EMS responded to the scene for the evaluation of at least two individuals. Troopers at the scene were unable to speak to media and referred questions to the Public Information Officer during business hours. We were able to confirm that chase started when a trooper spotted the vehicle leaving the vicinity of Red Roof Inn without headlights and before the trooper attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle drove off the roadway on Park Road. That section of Park Road had a large amount of gravel on it and tire tracks were visible along the shoulder. Once the trooper tried to initiate a traffic stop, the driver fled. The spot where the car initially went off the road is also the same spot where the car exited Park Road in an apparent attempt to gain access to the Thruway. The sedan became stuck in a ditch next to the Thruway.

Press release:

• Genesee County received one new positive case of COVID-19, for a total of 234 positive cases.
  • The positive individual resides in Oakfield.
  • The positive individual is in their 20s.
  • The positive individual was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • One of the previous community positive cases has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
  • No new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • No individuals are hospitalized.
• Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19, for a total of 269 positive cases.
  • The positive individual resides in Yates.
  • The positive individual is in their 20s.
  • The positive individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • One of the previous positive individuals has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Three new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • Seven of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or a state-regulated facility. We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.

On Saturday, we paid a visit to the Farmers Market in Le Roy in part to catch up with what's been going with the Woodward Memorial Library as well as check in on the market. The market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon in Trigon Park.

A two-car accident, with one vehicle overturned in a field, is reported in the area of 10891 East Road, Pavilion.

Unknown injuries. One person reportedly is trapped in the overturned car because of damage to the door.

Traffic is not blocked.

Pavilion fire along with Bethany fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Press release:

Genesee Community College has made the decision to suspend its fall athletic season to protect the health and safety of the students and community in light of the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This decision will affect men's and women's soccer, basketball, swimming and diving, and women's volleyball, which is in line with the majority of Region III decisions.

GCC coaches have communicated this news to their teams, and are maintaining continual engagement with the College's student-athletes, as well as providing opportunities for safe athletic conditioning activities where possible.

"This decision, although not without its disappointments, is the best path for us to ensure the safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches and training staff," said Assistant Vice President of Student Engagement & Inclusion Kristen Schuth.

"While we are eager to move forward with such an important part of the student and campus experience, the landscape of this semester just does not allow us to do so in a method that would have been convincingly without associated risks. I look forward to the day when it is safe for the fields and floors of GCC to hold competitions again."

GCC will honor all signed scholarship agreements for incoming student-athletes and for those returning. At this time, the length of the fall sports suspension is unknown, and decisions regarding winter and spring sports have not yet been made. Sport-specific updates will be shared as they become available at geneseeathletics.com.

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.20, which is two cents higher than a week ago. One year ago, the price was $2.79. The New York State average is $2.26 – a penny higher than last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.89.

AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia -- $2.23 (down 2 cents since last week)
• Buffalo -- $2.19 (no change since last week)
• Ithaca -- $2.17 (up 2 cents since last week)
• Rochester -- $2.21 (no change since last week)
• Rome -- $2.28 (up 1 cent since last week)
• Syracuse -- $2.16 (up 1 cent since last week)
• Watertown -- $2.28 (no change cent since last week)

Demand for gasoline is slowly increasing according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) as motorists enjoy summer road trips, malls reopen, and people head back to work.

Gas prices remain relatively cheap compared to past years. While the national average is up two cents in the past week, it is 59 cents less than last year while the New York State average is 63 cents cheaper than last summer.

AAA continues to see motorists requesting maps and tour books for summer road trips as cars are the most popular form of travel this summer.

GasBuddy:

"According to GasBuddy data, gasoline demand continues to struggle as of late, hitting some mid-summer blues as coronavirus cases continue to see upward movement in more states, but it hasn't been a sharp enough drop to push gas prices lower last week," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

"While prices for this time of year remain the lowest in over 15 years, it's still easy to spend more than you need to on gas by letting your guard down, especially now with several states raising gasoline taxes in the midst of summer. For now, I continue to expect gas prices to move sideways -- that is -- the lack of a clear national trend for now, some will rise, some will fall, as we remain in a COVID-19 holding pattern."

Press release:

The City Water Department is on location of a water main break in front of 108 River St. The water will be shut off on River Street from Pearl to South Main. The surrounding area may experience low pressure or rusty water, please do not attempt to do laundry at this time.

Traffic will be limited so please avoid the area if possible.

We appreciate your understanding while repairs are being made, the city will make every attempt to have water restored as soon as possible.

UPDATE 11:45 a.m.:

The water main has been repaired and the water has been restored. The water may still be discolored, please avoid doing laundry until water is clear.

It will take a little while for the crew to make the repairs to the pavement, so if traffic can avoid the area it will be appreciated.

 

A caller reports a white male who isn't wearing pants has been knocking on the door of an upstairs apartment on East Main Street attempting to gain entry.

The subject is now behind the residence. 

Batavia PD responding.

Two teenagers were seriously injured in a 5 a.m. accident on West Bergen Road, Bergen, after the 17-year-old driver reportedly fell asleep, according to a Sheriff's Office accident report.

Sierra Raye Kast, of Albion, was driving a 2008 Ford sedan southbound on West Bergen Road when the car veered off the south shoulder and ran over the top of a cement culvert before heading further into the embankment. Kast was apparently able to steer the car back onto the pavement but overcorrected, according to Sgt. Jason Saile, of the Crash Management Team, causing the car to exit the roadway on the south shoulder again, where it overturned, struck a tree that spun it around, before it struck another tree and came to rest on its roof.

Driver-side back seat passenger Arianna N. McGurn, 17, was ejected from the vehicle and was trapped in the drainage ditch under the trunk portion of the car.

Bergen volunteer firefighters used airbags to life the car off of McGurn so she could be extricated. She was flown to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight with a leg injury. Her injuries were not considered life-threatening. 

Kast was also injured in the crash and transported to Strong by Mercy EMS.

The other two passengers were Cory Wallace, 15, and Alonso Storey, 17.

Only Kast, the driver, was wearing a seatbelt, Saile said.

No citations have been issued.

Asked if there is anything teenagers in the community can learn this accident, Saile said: “As a young driver, how much experience do you have as a 17-year-old driving at five o’clock in the morning? Unless you’re going to work or have a good reason, there really isn’t a reason to be out and about. Five o’clock in the morning as a 17-year-old, if you’re not going to work or doing something important, you should be home in bed.”

Press release:

• Genesee County received two new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 233 positive cases.
  • The positive individuals reside in Batavia.
  • One of the positive individuals is in their 20s and one of the positive individuals is in their 60s.
  • One of the positive individuals was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Three of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • No new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • No individuals are hospitalized.
• Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19, for a total of 268 positive cases.
  • The positive individual resides in Carlton.
  • The positive individual is in their 30s.
  • The positive individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Three new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • Six of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or a state-regulated facility. We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.

While doing renovation work in his home, Batavia PD Chief Shawn Heubusch found under his old flooring layers old newspapers, all from 1927. 

The headlines help tell a story of at least one case that should be of interest to a lawman: The escape, escapades, and eventual capture of Floyd Wilcox.

Wilcox, of Oakfield, escaped from Genesee County Jail, presumably to avoid a possible sentence of life in prison after his fourth felony arrest, this time for grand larceny, under the recently enacted Baumes Law.

According to the articles, Wilcox (aka Floyd Gill), and an associate convinced a farmer to give them gas with a promise to pay once they were fueled up. When the duo drove back by the farm and didn't stop to pay, the farmer pulled out his pistol and started firing at the fleeing vehicle. The farmer jumped in his own truck and gave chase. A short time later, he found the abandoned vehicle with a flat tire from a bullet and spotted the two men running over a hill.

Later, Wilcox was a suspect in a safe-crack job in Hornell and a stealing a vehicle in Rochester. He was eventually apprehended by a Batavia PD officer on a street in the city. A subhead in the Batavia Daily News reads, "Did Not Try Very Hard to Keep Out of Reach of the Authorities."

Chief Heubusch isn't the only person finding old newspapers in old homes these days. The 1942 edition of the Batavia Daily News was found by our contractor in a wall of our house, which is undergoing renovations following our fire in April.

One of the stories is about an Army officer accused of sedition for distributing "America First" literature. It turns out, the publication of this story by Associated Press was controversial because the Army released the information to a reporter on a stipulation that no newspapers in the nation run it with only a one-column headline. Many editors found this AP requirement an unethical bargain giving the government power to dictate the nature of coverage. You can read about it in this book on Google Books.

CORRECTION 7:27 p.m.: We published the wrong tally of votes for NY-27 district special election candidate Duane Whitmer. It is 159, not 1,059. The Batavian regrets the error.

Unofficial ballot counts are done for Genesee County in the Democratic primary for the 61st State Senate and the NY-27 special election, according to Lorie Longhany, Democratic commissioner for the Board of Elections.

In the primary:

• Kim Smith: 1,083
• Joan Seamans: 796
• Jacqualine Berger: 769

In the NY-27 special election:

• Chris Jacobs: 6,127
• Nate McMurray: 3,848
• Duane Whitmer: 1,059  159
• Michael Gammariello: 71
• Write-ins for Beth Parlato: 188

The count of the NY-27 GOP primary has not yet been completed.

Longhany said that count along with official results should be released on Monday.

Myrtle Burrell worked for 34 years keeping the children of Le Roy safe as a crossing guard working for the Le Roy Police Department after her retirement from Sylvania. 

She was even on duty in the middle of winter on her 90th birthday.

Five days ago, Burrell, at the age of 92, passed away.

Burrell rarely missed a shift and said in 2017, "I don’t believe in missing time unless something is really wrong. I guess I'm too dedicated."

Her dedication made her a community icon and a treasure.  It was common for members of the community to volunteer to do spring cleanup in her yard for her, as they did in 2015.

Click here to read her full obituary.

Staff at the Le Roy Village Green prepared hot dog drive-thru meals for Le Roy residents on Thursday evening to thank them for the community's support of the senior residential health care facility during the pandemic.

Residents also made signs to display at the Green's entrance expressing their thanks. Residents were kept inside during the event because of the heat.

Above, Director Samantha Vagg delivers two meals to a Le Roy couple.

Sam Vagg, Sue Diflippo, Kate Flint, John Gagnon, and Kellie Kreiley.

The Batavia Business & Professional Women's Club Inc. honored seven local nonprofit organizations in Genesee County with monetary awards in recognition of their service to our community this week.

Recipients included: Genesee Cancer Assistance, Bethany Fire Department, Project Stork, Crossroads House, Alzheimer's Association, Lake Plains Community Network and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County. 

Several students also received scholarship checks, including: Wyatt Gaus and Paige Haile of Batavia High School and Madison Heaney of Leroy High School along with Sarah Adams, Lydia Geiger, Andrew Lin, Morgan Reimer of Batavia High School, Ally Flint of Leroy High School, Montana Weidman of Notre Dame High School and Evan Whitmore of Alexander High School. (Not pictured: Ally Flint, Lydia Geiger, Madison Heaney).

The funds awarded will be used to further their education in the field of their choice.

For more information about the club, visit the club's Facebook page.

Information and photos submitted by Joy Hume.

Press release from the campaign of Ed Rath, candidate for 61 State Senate:

New York State and the Department of Health's failure to protect our most vulnerable citizens is extremely troubling. That is why, I launched a petition demanding a transparent investigation into the State’s handling of COVID in nursing homes. Dozens of residents signed my petition and shared their concerns with me. I will continue to call for an independent investigation and work everyday to protect our seniors and keep our community safe. To sign my petition, you can do so here https://edrathforsenate.com/2020/06/03/our-seniors-deserve-justice/.

A pedestrian has reportedly been hit by a car at West Main Street and Oak Street in the City of Batavia.

The patient is said to have a head injury but is conscious and alert.

City fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 8:49 a.m.: The patient is being transported to UMMC for evaluation and has a small laceration above his eye.