Stories from

Stuart Steiner, Ed.D, longtime president of Genesee Community College, is retiring.

Steiner, who has overseen much of the growth of the college, served for 35 years. He was the college's third president and began his career at the college in 1968 as Dean of Students.

When Steiner first went to work for GCC, the college was located on West Main Street Road in what is now known as County Building #2. In 1972, GCC moved to its present location and Steiner oversaw its expansion into the multi-dimensional campus it is today.

At a recent board meeting, trustees remarked on the most recent successes of GCC -- a new Med-Tech building on campus, record enrollment and outstanding academic achievement, and Steiner said he realized now would be an appropriate time for him to step down.

Steiner said he plans to stay in the area and has no specific plans for retirement, except to spend more time with his grandchildren.

"Our academic programs, and our faculty and staff, are outstanding," he said. "We now have over 100 recipients of the SUNY Chancellor's Awards for Excellence. Enrollment is healthy, this year hitting record-high numbers in the fall, spring and summer sessions, and projected to grow again next year.

"Our financial situation is strong, and our facilities are in very good shape. We completed all of the targeted new construction and renovation projects that we planned ... I believe that Genesee is very well-poised for the future, and I am very comfortable leaving the challenges of leadership to a new president."

Full press release after the jump:

Genesee Community College President Stuart Steiner, Ed.D,  announced today that he plans to retire from his position effective Aug. 31, 2011. Steiner, 73, made the announcement this morning in an e-mail message to faculty, staff and students.

Steiner has served as president of Genesee since 1975, and as a member of the college's staff since its founding. He served as Genesee's Dean of Students from 1967 to 1968, and Dean of Instruction/Executive Dean from 1968 to 1975. He is believed to be the second-longest serving community college president in the United States.

Steiner is the third president of Genesee Community College. He was preceded by Alfred C. O'Connell, Ed.D, who served from 1967 to 1971, and Cornelius V. Robbins, Ed.D, who served from 1971 to 1975.

In a recent Board of Trustees retreat, board members characterized the past year as the most successful year in the history of the college. Steiner said that these successes and the excellent condition of the college were major factors in his decision.

"Our academic programs, and our faculty and staff, are outstanding," he said. "We now have over 100 recipients of the SUNY Chancellor's Awards for Excellence. Enrollment is healthy, this year hitting record-high numbers in the fall, spring, and summer sessions, and projected to grow again next year.

"Our financial situation is strong, and our facilities are in very good shape. We completed all of the targeted new construction and renovation projects that we planned."

These include: the installation of an artificial turf field; completely renovating the Zambito Gymnasium; providing new locker rooms; installing a new sound system in the gym; upgrading the theater lighting system; opening our new Lima Campus Center; and relocating!; our expanding School of Nursing to the new Med Tech Park; and breaking ground for a new art gallery, in addition to other work.

"We have all of our collective-bargaining agreements in place, and this year set a record for the number of graduates, exceeding 800 for the first time in our history," Steiner said. "Our reputation has never been better, and our reputation extends far beyond our local communities. I believe that Genesee is very well-poised for the future, and I am very comfortable leaving the challenges of leadership to a new president."

Steiner, a resident of Batavia, plans to remain in the community. He has no specific post-retirement plans, although he anticipates spending more time with his grandchildren.

Steiner notified trustees of his decision last week, and notified State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher yesterday.

Board Chair Charles R. Ruffino said that Steiner's contributions to local students and the Genesee-Livingston-Orleans-Wyoming region are historic. The length and accomplishments of Steiner's presidency have attracted the attention of community college leaders across the nation for many years, Ruffino noted.

"We thank and congratulate Stuart for completing what we believe is one of the most extraordinary community college presidencies in our nation's history," Ruffino said.

Ruffino said that trustees deeply appreciate the college's and Steiner's impact on the Genesee-Livingston-Orleans-Wyoming region.

"No other citizen has made education so accessible to so many, or made such a significant contribution to the well-being and economic vitality of our local communities," Ruffino said.

"Stuart has worked tirelessly to bring the transformative power of education to many thousands of our neighbors, and has done so while maintaining Genesee's reputation as one of the most affordable and cost-effective colleges within the State University system."

Stuart Steiner is a native of Baltimore, Md. He began his career as a social worker in 1959, working first as a caseworker and later as director of Juvenile Court Services for the City of Baltimore. He also served as director of Baltimore Information and Referral Services for the Health and Welfare Council of Metropolitan Baltimore. He also began serving as a member of the adjunct faculty of Community College of Baltimore County in 1963.

His administrative skills and passion for the needs of students attracted the attention of Alfred C. O'Connell, Ed.D,  who, at the time, was serving as president of nearby Harford Community College in Bel Air, Md.

O'Connell named Stuart Steiner as Harford's director of Admissions and Placement in 1965. After the newly-formed Board of Trustees of Genesee Community College named O'Connell as Genesee's founding president, one of O'Connell's first acts was to recruit Steiner for the position of Dean of Students at the new college in New York's Genesee County.

When Steiner arrived in 1967, about a year and a half after the college was founded by Genesee County voters, O'Connell and several staff members were working out of a small office in downtown Batavia.

Steiner was instrumental in identifying a location for Genesee's first classes – the old "Valu Tech" building on West Main Street Road, now a Genesee County building – and readying the structure for classes and activities.

As Dean of Students, he was instrumental in recruiting and orienting Genesee's first students, and 379 of them arrived for classes in September, 1967. After only one year, Steiner took on new responsibilities, assuming leadership of all academic programs as Dean of Instruction/Executive Dean.

The new college grew quickly and, with the support of the Genesee County Board of Supervisors, the county acquired property on the east side of Batavia for what is today the Batavia Campus. Steiner was instrumental in planning the new facility. Steiner recalled the sense of commitment and adventure present among the early faculty members and students.

"They were part of something innovative and important, and they knew it," he recalled. "The students, faculty, and staff bonded very quickly and became a true community. There was a deep commitment to excellence among this new community and, in large part, that commitment set the stage for the college's remarkable success in later years."

The original Batavia Campus structure, which opened in 1972, became the nucleus of a 300,000-plus square-foot comprehensive campus which grew under Steiner's leadership. The campus today encompasses the original buildings, the Genesee Center for the Arts (1991), the Conable Technology Building (2000), the Humphrey Student Union (2005), and a variety of exterior athletic fields.

Steiner made off-campus outreach a high priority and pioneered one of the first off-site campus centers, which opened in Albion in 1990. Additional campus centers followed in Warsaw, Lakeville (and later Lima), Arcade, Dansville and Medina. The new centers enabled almost all residents of the Genesee-Livingston-Orleans-Wyoming region to reach a Genesee location within a 20-minute drive.

In collaboration with the Genesee County Economic Development Center, the college transferred 32 acres of land on the south side of Hawley Drive for a new Med Tech business park, which earlier this month became home to the college's growing School of Nursing.

A new art gallery is presently under construction on the Batavia Campus. In recognition of Steiner's leadership and his commitment to high-quality facilities, the Board of Trustees in 1991 named the theater in the newly constructed Genesee Center for the Arts "The Stuart Steiner Theatre."

While Genesee's facilities grew over the last four decades, Steiner's highest priority was the development of strong academic programs and services to students and the community.

Today, the College offers 65 degree and certificate programs, which last fall served a record 7,208 students. More than 12,000 other area residents participated in business, professional, and personal development courses. More than 20,000 of the region's residents attended community events based at the Batavia Campus and campus centers last year.

Over the last 25 years, 105 members of Genesee's faculty and staff received the SUNY Chancellor's Awards for Excellence. He has mentored numerous college administrators and, at last count, 17 former Genesee vice presidents and deans have gone on to assume positions of significant leadership in higher education across the United States.

In a 2008 commencement address, Glenn DuBois, Ed.D, a former Genesee dean and current Chancellor of the Virginia Community College system, said that he knows of no community college in the United States that has produced more senior college leaders across the nation than Genesee Community College.

Many of President Steiner's initiatives have made higher education more accessible to the region's residents and attracted the attention of community college leaders across the nation.

These include: the development of a comprehensive distance-learning program, which enables more than 10 percent of Genesee students to participate in online courses; the Accelerated College Enrollment Program, which enables more than 2,700 Western New York high school students to participate in Genesee courses; andthe establishment of The BEST Center, which provides training and education to thousands of managers and employees of area business organizations each year.

Additional initiatives include: the establishment of educational programs in many correctional facilities; development of academic programs new to community colleges within SUNY -- such as Travel and Tourism and Teacher Education Transfer; and the transformation of Genesee into a "high-tech" environment complete with 83 "smart" classrooms, 33 computer labs and more than 1,000 personal computers.

Under Steiner's leadership, the college formed numerous co-curricular (outside-of-class) activities that now include almost 50 student clubs, organizations and athletic teams; and it instituted Genesee Promise Plus, a program that provides scholarships to all area high school graduates for one or two summer courses at Genesee.

Steiner called Genesee's success a "team effort," and praised the many individuals who have contributed to the college's success over the years.

"From the very first days of the college, our trustees have provided exceptional volunteer leadership," Steiner said. "The Genesee County Legislature, our sponsor, has been steadfast in its support for the college. We have an outstanding faculty and staff who go far beyond expectations in meeting the needs of students and the community."

Steiner also praised Genesee Community College Foundation board members, college alumni, and local business and civic leaders for their ongoing support.

The president said that, while he is proud of the programs and initiatives established under his leadership, his greatest source of satisfaction has been the college's impact on individual students.

Steiner is known as highly accessible among students. He regularly meets with the Student Government Association and has always maintained an "open door" policy for students who want to see him.

"At the end of the day, what happens to students is what counts," he said.

Steiner has received state and national recognition for his work. He is a recipient of: the New York State Phi Theta Kappa Service Award; New York State Community College Faculty Council Distinguished Service Award; and the Association of Community College Trustees Northeast Region Chief Executive Officer Award.

He also: was named a Transformational Leader in Higher Education by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation; received the University of Texas at Austin Community College Leadership Award; received a Kellogg Fellowship and various academic honors from Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Maryland, and University of Baltimore Law School. He was named a distinguished alumnus of Baltimore City Community College.

Steiner's service and record of innovation led to numerous requests to serve on a variety of regional, state, and national boards and committees over the years.

Locally, he has served as a board and committee member for: the Rochester Area Association of Colleges; Workforce Investment Board; Private Industry Council; and WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) consortium.

On the state level, he has served as a: member of the SUNY Task Force on Community College Code and Standards of Operations and Procedures; member of the SUNY Public Service Advisory Committee and SUNY Committee on Presidential Evaluation and Terms of Conditions of Employment; and chair of the State University Task Force on Distance Learning.

He also served as a: member of the New York State Education Commissioner's Advisory Council on Higher Education; chair and member of SUNY-West College President's Association; member, director, and president of the New York State Association of Presidents of Community Colleges; and board member of the Institute for Community College Development.

At the request of the SUNY Chancellor, he has taken on sensitive special assignments. These include: service as chair of the SUNY Chancellor's Special Commission on Rockland Community College (1992); acting deputy director to the SUNY Chancellor for Community Colleges (1985); and interim president of Fashion Institute of Technology (1997-1998).

At the request of the New York State Education Department, he accepted an appointment to the reorganized Board of Trustees of New York Chiropractic College. He also served on the Villa Maria College Board for a decade.

On the national level, Steiner has been active in the American Association of Community Colleges, and was a member of the AACC Commission on Learning and Communications Technology and a member of the AACC Commission on Global Education.

He has chaired or served as a member of more than 20 Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation teams, which make college accreditation recommendations. He has also consulted with and chaired teams and visits to educational institutions in Greece, Puerto Rico and China at the request of the Middle States Commission. He also served as a member of the Middle States Commission Board for six years.

For more than three decades, President Steiner served as an adjunct faculty member of the University at Buffalo Higher Education graduate program, where he taught a course on community colleges. He has also taught at the Community College of Baltimore, Catholic University, and the Rochester Institute of Technology.

He has served on numerous conference panels and is known nationally for his expertise in employee relations and collective bargaining.

Steiner's notable publications include: "The Pragmatic Presidency" (Community College Journal of Research and Practice); "The Community College Presidency" (Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education and Educational Planning); "SUNY – The 'Systemless' System" (Voices of Leadership); "Community Colleges of the Nineties: Living on the Fiscal Edge" (Higher Education in Turmoil: The Case of New York State and National Prospects for Change).

He also edited "Distance Learning: The Presidents' Task Force Report," published by the State University of New York.

Steiner is a graduate of a community college himself – Baltimore City Community College (formerly Baltimore Junior College). In addition to the Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree from BCCC, he holds a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland; Graduate Certificate in Social Work from Florida State University; a M.S.W. degree from the University of Pennsylvania; a J.D. degree from the University of Baltimore; a master's degree from Columbia University, Teachers College; and an Ed.D. degree from Columbia University, Teachers College.

Ruffino said that the Board of Trustees plans to conduct a national search for Genesee's fourth president. He said that, in the near future, he will appoint a Presidential Search Committee comprised of college stakeholders.

The Search Committee will guide the search, solicit views of college stakeholders, interview candidates, arrange for campus visits by finalist candidates, and recommend three to five highly qualified candidates to the Board of Trustees, which has the responsibility for appointing the college president.

"We are confident that the insight and wisdom of the college community and our many stakeholders will enable us to identify and select the individual who will serve with distinction as Genesee Community College's fourth president," Ruffino said.

When I got my new camera, one of the first barns I went out and photographed was on Griswold Road in Stafford.  

I was actually never really satisfied with the results, so I've been looking for a chance to try it again. Yesterday, with clouds in the sky and bales of hay on the ground, it seemed like a good time to give it another try. These two pictures are the result.

And after the jump, two other previously photographed subjects.

Genesee ARC sponsored what it dubbed a "Ginormous" garage sale at its new Woodrow Road community center. By the time I got there, the crowd had pretty much thinned out, but Trilateral Commissioner Sandy Konfederath said they had a big crowd this morning and the sale went well.

NOTE: The sale continues Saturday, July 31. Hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

David D. Homer (photo), 40, of 7 North St., Le Roy, is charged with disseminating indecent material to minors, 2nd, a Class E felony. Homer is accused of sending indecent photographs of himself using a mobile phone to a 17-year-old person. He was arraigned and released under the supervision of Genesee Justice.

Erik P. Roth, 40, of 7595 Bank St. Road, Elba, has been indicted by the Genesee Grand Jury on three felonies and two misdemeanors. Roth is charged with two counts of sexual abuse 1st, course sexual conduct against a child, 2nd, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Roth is accused of having sexual contact with a child under 11 years old. The alleged crimes occurred in Elba between November 2004 and March 2006.

Michael Patrick Tanner, 18, of Hopkins Road, Getzville, is charged with unlawful dealing with fireworks. Tanner is accused of possessing illegal fireworks and shooting them from a car traveling on West Main Street Road, Batavia, at 11:48 p.m., Thursday. Tanner was reportedly later located in East Pembroke.

A 16-year-old resident of Maple Street, Batavia, has been charged with criminal mischief. The youth is accused of punching a hole in the wall of the Department of Social Services at about 8:30 a.m., Thursday. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and jailed on $2,500 bail.

In second place, a game behind Williamsport, with a four-game winning streak and a 11-3 record so far in July, the Batavia Muckdogs return home tonight to face Auburn.

Fireworks will follow the game, which starts at 7:05.

The 22-16 Muckdogs beat Auburn (15-25) in Auburn last night, 8-3.

Hot-hitting Audris Perez doubled in three runs and Joey Bergman added two RBIs.

Fifth-round draft pick Nicholas Longmire is 6th in runs scored (27), 6th in triples (4), tied for second in home runs (7), tied for first in RBIs (36), 5th in total bases (74), 1st in slugging (.578)

Perez is third in RBIs with 31 and 6th batting average (.346).

The Muckdogs feature two starting pitchers among the league leaders in ERA (Justin Edwards, 2.04, and Nick McCully, 2.31). Edwards, in his second tour with Batavia, is 3-1 for the season.

Starter Andrew Moss, who tossed seven perfect innings earlier this month, has four wins, tying him for third in the league, with a 3.54 ERA. Edwards and Moss are tied for 10th in the league with 34 Ks each.

The Muckdogs take on Jamestown at Dwyer on Saturday, and then travel to Jamestown for a twi-night double-header against the Jammers, returning home Monday to face Mahoning Valley.

City Fire is responding to 7 Trumbull Parkway for a report of wires down.

Law enforcement is in route, too.

It's unknown if they are electrical.

UPDATE 10:55 a.m.: Telephone lines only. City Fire back in service.

View Larger Map

Delavan's Restaurant and Tavern, 107 Evans St., Batavia, NY: To me, Delavan's is one of those restaurants where you want to eat frequently until you try everything on the menu. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Larry's Steakhouse, 60 Main St., Batavia, NY: The name says it all -- Larry's is a great place for steak. Larry's has a fine dining atmosphere with a great menu and outstanding service. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Kravings, Valu Plaza, 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Kraving's offers soups, salads and sandwiches, fresh and flavorful; Monday through Saturday. We have $10 gift certificates for $5.

The Mane Attraction, 99 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: The Mane Attraction is a spa and salon offering pedicures, manicures, hair styling and massage. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Stafford Trading Post, 6173 Main Road, Stafford, NY: Lunch or dinner, Stafford Trading Post offers a variety of fresh, homemade meals, as well as snacks and drinks. Now in a new, expanded location. We have a $25 gift card for $12.50.

Alex's Place, 8322 Park Road, Batavia, NY: People come from all over the region for a fine dining experience at Alex's. It's best known for its ribs, of course, but Alex's seafood is also a favorite of the restaurant's diners. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, NY: Authentic Southern BBQ, from ribs to brisket with all the fixin's. We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Matty's Pizzeria, 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Matty's is another Batavia favorite for pizza and wings. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

T.F. Brown's, at 214 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: T.F. Brown's is a great place for a good meal, good friends and to catch up on what's going on in the sports world. "If it happens in sports, it happens at Brown's." We have a $20 gift card for $10.

The Daily Grind, 85 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: For Batavia's finest coffee, smoothies, as well as fast and convenient breakfasts and lunches, stop into The Daily Grind. We have a $10 gift card for $5.

Margarita's Mexican Restaurant, 15 Jackson St., Batavia, NY: When you're looking for an authentic Mexican meal, Margarita's is the place to go. The food and atmosphere are perfect and the service is always outstanding. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

The Mane Attraction, 99 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: The Mane Attraction is a spa and salon offering pedicures, manicures, hair styling and massage. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Herbly Wonderful, 3701 Pearl St., Batavia, NY: Unique specialties for your home and garden, from floral arrangements, to heirloom vegetables, herbs, teas and spices. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

NOTE: If you've never bought Deal of the Day before, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the rules and process, click here.

Herbly Wonderful

There is a rollover accident on Council House Road on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation.

There was initially a report of a serious injury and Mercy Flight was being dispatched.

There is also a report that a person has fled from the scene.

Alabama Fire and Mercy EMS are responding.

UPDATE: A first responder says there is nobody in the vehicle.

A gas dryer is reportedly on fire at 1325 Broadway, Darien Center.

There is no structure fire at this time.

Darien Fire and Alexander Fire have been dispatched.

UPDATE 4:42 p.m.: It is now a structure fire. Corfu is also responding. Flames reported on the outside of the building.

UPDATE 4:48 p.m.: Broadway and Route 77 are being shut down. Batavia's Fast team is being dispatched.

UPDATE 6:18 p.m.: Firefighters continue to battle hotspots inside the house. The amount of smoking billowing from out of the attic has subsided substantially, but there's clearly still fire burning in the interior. In addition to Darien, Corfu and Alexander, companies from Alexander, Alden and Bennington are on scene. Route 5 remains closed, though 77 is open.

UPDATE 8:39 p.m.: All units back in service.

UPDATE: More pictures after the jump.

View Larger Map

A man who admitted in July that he tried to steal a truck from a local car dealership will spend two to four years in prison.

He will also be given a chance at rehabilitation for substance abuse.

Carl Rivers, 41, apparently obtained a 2000 Chevy Silverado from an Oakfield car dealership, drove it until it broke down, and took some money that was supposed to go toward purchase of the vehicle and used it to buy drugs.

Rivers admitted on July 1 to attempted grand larceny, 4th.

For the purposes of sentencing, it was his second felony offense. The first was a burglary charge in Orleans County in 1996. That conviction falls within the 10-year limit for a predicate felony because of time Rivers spent in jail in the intervening years.

Assistant District Attorney Melissa Cianfrini told Judge Robert C. Noonan that Rivers had a lengthy criminal record with numerous arrests in several states, but Public Defender Gary Horton noted that Rivers' arrests in North Carolina and California did not lead to convictions.

Horton said all of Rivers' difficulties with the law can be traced to his substance abuse.

"Mr. Rivers has reached point in life where he knows he must change where he is going," Horton said. "He must address the substance abuse problem or he’s going to spend the rest of his life bouncing in and out of penal institutions, and he doesn’t want that to happen."

Prior to sentencing, Rivers acknowledged he had a substance abuse problem and said he wasn't interested in making excuses.

"I want to deal with my addiction," Rivers said. "I don't want to say being in jail is easy, but doing time isn't hard. Anybody can do it. Dealing with my addiction is what I’m ready to do."

Noonan said it was important to ensure Rivers, with his record, spend some time in prison, but he also ordered him to participate in a CASAT substance abuse program, if he is accepted.

When loyal Batavian Bea McManis visited Hornell for a horseshoe tournament she was impressed with what she found -- a city-sponsored, championship-caliber facility that brought in people from all over the state to stay in local hotels and eat in local restaurants.

In a comment on The Batavian, she also noted Hornell annually closes down Main Street for a basketball tournament.

"In my opinion, Batavia is shortsighted when it comes to utilizing its best asset," Bea wrote. "We are located in a perfect spot to make the city a mecca for recreational events such as Hornell had over the weekend."

Ted Hawley shares the vision.

A couple of years ago he approached Craig Yunker, owner of Batavia Turf, about letting him organize soccer tournaments on the grass he grows.

After ironing out some details with the Town of Batavia, Hawley and Yunker opened the Batavia Sports Park off Bank Street Road.

The Town of Batavia chipped in $41,000 to lease the land from Yunker and provide an entrance and gravel parking lot.

"We already know just on that first tournament, the pay back," said Town of Batavia Board Member John Gerace. "We don't know dollars yet but we'll be looking at some numbers on what the pay back is to the town and Genesee County and the city."

This spring, Hawley attracted two significant soccer events to the new sports park -- an Olympic team camp and an Empire United Soccer Academy event.

But Hawley's vision doesn't stop with soccer -- he sees no reason that the facility can't become a major stopping off point for tournaments, camps and clinics for lacrosse, baseball and softball and any other sport.

He would like to see expanded facilities and more fields.

"In my wildest dreams, this could really be a great product between Rochester and Buffalo," Hawley said.

And Yunker is certainly open to expansion. He pointed to a cornfield and said, "we could put another three soccer fields there and another three in the next field over."

"There's 74 acres here," Yunker added.

Nobody's yet talking about the dollars and cents to make it happen, but the town board visited the facility Wednesday to see what some of the immediate issues are, which include some sort of shelter for players and parents (protection during storms), expanded parking and a second access point to Bank Street Road, so there would be only one way in, and one way out for drivers.

Even as board members Hawley and Yunker expressed pleasure and awe at all of the families making use of the facility on Wednesday, Yunkers noted that the future of the Sports Park isn't a done deal.

"The town hasn’t committed past this year. I haven’t committed past this year," Yunker said. "This is sort of a see-how-it-develops and see-if-the-community-supports-it and see-if-it-makes-sense."

Max Louis Orr, 55, of Barrville Road, Elba, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Barr allegedly punched another person the chest during an argument.

Get ready to drive slower on Assemblyman R. Stephen Hawley Drive.

The Town of Batavia board approved a resolution Wednesday asking for a speed-limit reduction on the road that passes between Genesee Community College and the new Med-Tech Center.

The entire length of Hawley Drive will see a lower speed limit, if the proposal is approved by the County Highway Department and the Department of Transportation.

Directly between the college campus and the new facility, the speed limit will drop from 45 to 30 mph. From Bank Street Road to the college, the speed limit could be lowered from 55 to 40 mph.

The change was made at the request of GCC.

In a letter to the board, Kevin Hamilton, VP of Finance and Operations, said increased enrollment, the new nursing program at the Med-Tech Center, and more patients from UMMC going to the facility will be an increase in traffic.

The school is also concerned about students walking from the campus, across the road, to the center.

"Our overall goal is safety awareness and accident prevention to ultimately improve safety for all those who are driving, bicycling or walking near our college community," Hamilton wrote.

A letter to the board from Sheriff Gary Maha said the Genesee County Traffic Safety Board discussed the matter at its June 17 meeting and concluded that no new crosswalks or sidewalks were needed immediately, but a reduction in the speed limit might be advisable.

The town board recommended the speed-limit reduction in a unanimous vote.

A man who was a hero to his country and his community was laid to rest in Alabama this afternoon.

Thomas Alan Cortright, 56, of Basom, died Sunday at his residence after a lengthy illness.

Cortright received the the Distinguished Flying Cross while serving in Vietnam in 1972-73. He was also Fire Police captain for the Town of Alabama Volunteer Fire Department and worked as grounds keeper for the State Police barracks in Batavia.

"He may have been the most decorated veteran in Genesee County," said Ron Konieczny, commander of Batavia's American Legion post.

At least 100 people attended his burial shortly after noon in the Town of Alabama cemetery, including numerous members of Alabama Fire and volunteer firefighters from throughout the county. Friends, family and fellow veterans also attended.

Cortright was honored with a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps while his mother, Eleanor Sullivan Cortright, and his wife, Mary Ann Brodfuerer Cortright, sat beside his flag-draped casket.

For the full obituary, and a complete list of all his military honors, click here.

Kyle Christopher Monroe is facing a charge of grand larceny, 4th, but today he was in Genesee County Court on another matter -- alleged violation of probation.

Monroe, who was accused most recently of taking credit cards from parked cars on Gateway Drive and using them to buy merchandise at stores on Veteran's Memorial Drive, is accused of missing probation appointments and not providing probation with a correct home address.

Of course, the grand larceny charge is also an alleged violation of probation.

Monroe was convicted of possession of stolen property in an unrelated incident and was placed on probation.

In October, 2009, Monroe was found driving an allegedly stolen Caravan. The next month, County Manager Jay Gsell reportedly saw Monroe trying to evade capture after allegedly trying to steal a car.

Apparently Monroe had a pretty recognizable face once a picture of him leaving a local retailer, where he allegedly used stolen credit cards to make a purchase, was posted by The Batavian and WBTA1490.com. Batavia Police reportedly received a number of phone calls identifying Monroe as a suspect.

On the probation charge, bail was set at $10,000. Bail on the grand larceny charge, which is being heard in Batavia City Court, was previously set at $5,000.

Justin Amend, that man allegedly caught with his pants down in Farrall park, appeared in Batavia City Court today only to be told to reappear on Aug. 9.

There is no plea offer in the case yet.

Amend, an Oakfield resident, is charged with public lewdness, a Class B misdemeanor, for allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse with Suzanne Corona. Corona still faces adultery and public lewdness charges.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Zickl requested an evaluation of Amend by a counselor before he would make a plea offer.

Zickl has not had a chance to review the evaluation report yet, and he was unavailable for a court appearance today.

Peter Nasca will finally pay his debt to society.

For 26 years, the Florida resident has been tagged by Batavia City Court as a "scofflaw."

Since 1984, his New York license has been suspended and he's had an unpaid traffic ticket.

That hasn't stopped him from making his living as a truck driver, and even hauling loads through his former home state, but then he didn't know -- he says -- that he was a wanted man.

"All these years, nobody ever caught it," Nasca said after appearing in court. "Even when I do my FBI background check every year, they never caught it."

Apparently, law enforcement in Missouri is a little more on the ball. During a routine inspection of his rig, an officer said, "Oh, by the way, you can't drive in New York."

"What?" was Nasca's jaw-dropping response.

His Florida driver's license allowed him to drive in any state in the union, but New York wanted him to pay his fine, which is $180 for allegedly driving on a revoked driver's license in 1984.

Nasca, a native of Buffalo, was a Tonawanda resident at the time.

(Nasca is spelled like NASCAR, he said, "but without the money.")

Nasca did appear in City Court in 1984 and entered a not guilty plea. He eventually forgot about the charge and figured there was a statue of limitations on it. But there wasn't.

In 1984, Judge Robert Balbick was the prosecuting attorney in City Court, though he doesn't remember if he appeared on the Nasca case. Even so, he had to recuse himself, so Nasca's case was adjourned to Aug. 3, when Judge Michael Delplato can hear the matter.

As for his suspended license, he cleared that up today by filling out some paperwork. He didn't have to pay a fee because in 1984 there was no fee for a "Scoff."

City Court Clerk Linda Giambrone said there are scoff cases on file at City Court going back to the 1970s. They will never be purged and the scofflaws could still be hauled into court.