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Le Roy

Le Roy Dems pick candidates for village election in March

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

On Jan. 27th at the Le Roy Village Hall the Le Roy Democratic Party held a nominating caucus for two positions for the Village Board election to be voted on March 18th. Jennifer Keys won a nomination to run for a second term on the Board and newcomer Bill Kettle was the Party's choice for the second position.

Keys, who has been a strong advocate for the Le Roy Pool and Main Street Revitalization, looks forward to running for a second term. She is an active member of The Le Roy Business Council and the Le Roy Farmers Market. Her goals for a second term include updating the Comprehensive Plan, remediation of abandoned properties, continued support of small businesses (on and off Main Street) and economic development in the Village.

Kettle, a lifelong Le Royan, has a working knowledge of village government and has been participating in board meetings. Bill is also currently serving as one of the directors of The Le Roy Business Council and is an active member of the Main Street Revitalization group. Bill has a wealth of experience to bring from more than 20 years of his professional career as well as his knowledge as a small business and Main Street property owner/investor. Bill is currently employed as a Business & Development Manager for JMT, a manufacturers' representation agency based in Rochester, New York.


Le Royan earns high honors at University of New Hampshire

By Billie Owens

Sarah Ehrmentraut, of Leroy, has earned High Honors for the fall semester of the 2013-2014 academic year at the University of New Hampshire.

Students named to the Dean's List at the University of New Hampshire have earned recognition through their superior scholastic performance. Highest Honors are awarded to students who earn a semester grade-point average of 3.85 or better out of a possible 4.0. Students with a 3.65 to 3.84 average are awarded high honors and students whose grade-point average is 3.5 through 3.64 are awarded honors.

Brian Moran announces his 26th year coaching the Oatkan Knights will be his last

By Howard B. Owens

Brian Moran, with 194 career wins and 14 sectional titles, announced at Le Roy's annual football banquet Sunday evening that next year, his 26th leading the Oatkan Knights, will be his last as head coach.

"At the end of next year, I'll be 55 and I'll have either coached or played since I was 12," Moran said. "When we hired Brian Herdlein (left in photo), we had a conversation with him as a district about taking over for me. He's been in the program long enough and it just feels like it's time for him to take over the program."

Le Roy will return to the gridiron with a pretty talented team for the 2014 season, which should give Moran a great opportunity to notch his 200th career win, a milestone he said is in fact something he'd like to achieve.

"You think about it when you're young, getting to 200, but when you get here what you think about most are the memories," Moran said. "People don't realize as you get older, those are the things that are important. I've had a lot of great memories with a lot of great coaches and players and the support of our community, which just makes it a privilege to coach here."

Each senior player, such as Brandon Van Grol, above, received a small football helmet on a plaque. In each case, Moran shared a word of praise for each player.

Le Roy Fire Department honors its top volunteers for 2013

By Howard B. Owens

The Le Roy Fire Department held its annual installation dinner Saturday night and presented its annual awards.

Above, Chief Tom Woods, Mike Green (Fireman of the Year) and 2nd Assistant Chief Tim Hogle.

Christina Marinaccio and Mike Green received the Chief's Award for a boat rescue near Red Bridge.

The department's top responders for 2013.

Photos and information submitted by Chief Tom Woods.

Accident with injuries reported on Keeney Road, Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

A car has reportedly hit a tree in the area of 8786 Keeney Road, Le Roy.

Injuries are reported.

Le Roy fire and Mercy EMS responding. Le Roy Ambulance is tied up. Bergen's ambulance requested to stage in quarters.

UPDATE 10:45 p.m.: Dispatchers are informed everyone is out of the vehicle. A Le Roy chief has just arrived on scene.

UPDATE 10:46 p.m.: A chief on scene reports the assignment can be held to one Le Roy engine and Mercy EMS. He requests notification of Monroe County Water. The car is on the hydrant.

UPDATE 10:50 p.m.: A chief reports they won't know if the hydrant is damaged until the car is removed from on top of it.

UPDATE 10:52 p.m.: One person from the car reports neck pain. The other two occupants report no injuries.

UPDATE 11:19 p.m.: A chief has requested the Le Roy Ambulance respond in emergency mode for a victim from the accident with a head injury.

UPDATE 11:22 p.m.: The vehicle is off the hydrant. No apparent damage.

UPDATE 11:35 p.m.: Le Roy is back in service.


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Harlem Wizards coming to Le Roy for charity game against school faculty and staff

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Harlem Wizards are coming to Le Roy.

The world-famous Wizards will bring their brand of "Trick Hoops and Ally-Oops" to a fund-raising game against Le Roy school faculty and staff on Thursday, Jan. 30, at Le Roy Junior-Senior High School gymnasium. Proceeds will benefit students via the Le Roy Parent Teacher Service Organization.

Doors open at 6 p.m. The game will start at 7 p.m.

The Wizards have been delighting fans for more than 50 years with their magical display of tricks, coordinated ball handling, fancy passing and athleticism combined with high-energy comedy and audience participation. Throughout their history, the Wizards have played thousands of games across the United States and abroad, while helping raise millions of dollars for schools and non-profit organizations.

Proceeds from the Jan. 30 game will benefit the PTSO, which provides grants to support activities and projects that directly benefit all students at every grade level, pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade.

Refreshments and souvenirs will be sold at the game. A free autograph session will follow.

Student admission is $9 in advance and $10 at the gate. General admission is $10 in advance or $12 at the gate.

Tickets are available to the general public, and can be purchased in advance at the Junior-Senior High School main office, 9300 South Street Road, (585) 768-8131; or at the Wolcott Street School office, 2-6 Trigon Park, (585) 768-7115.

Law and Order: Man accused of stealing and selling video game system

By Howard B. Owens

James R. Kosiorek, 21, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny.  Kosiorek allegedly stole a Playstation 3, three controllers and 13 games from a location where he was residing on East Main Street and sold those items at a video game store in the city. Kosiorek is being held in the Genesee County Jail on a parole warrant.

Sath Paul Dhanda, 33, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass. Dhanda was arrested after allegedly showing up at T.F. Brown's and being informed that he was banned from the restaurant by management. Dhanda was reportedly informed by staff to leave the restaurant. Dhanda reportedly did leave, but returned a short time later and allegedly caused a disturbance. Dhanda was jailed on $500 bail.

Glenn E. McClurg, 46, of Summit Street Road, Le Roy, was arrested on a bench warrant out of City Court. McClurg posted bail and is scheduled to return to court Jan. 29.

Jerald Alfred Shuler III, 20, of Graham Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and unsafe start. Shuler's vehicle was stopped at 2:45 a.m. Jan. 18 at Porter Avenue and Washington Avenue by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Michael P. Beedham, 55, of Prospect Avenue, Attica, is charged with assault, 3rd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Beedham was allegedly involved in a domestic incident in a vehicle that was parked on Lewiston Road, Batavia. Beedham allegedly punched a juvenile victim in the ribs causing sweling and bruising.

Joshua A. Musielak, 27, of Alden, is charged with trespass and criminal mischief, 4th. Musielak was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident reported at 5:54 a.m. Jan. 15 on Seven Springs Road, Batavia. No further details released.

No injuries reported after car rear-ends school bus at Lake and Mill, Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

A car reportedly rear-ended a school bus at Lake and Mill streets, Le Roy, at about 6:50 a.m.

No injuries were reported.

There was air bag deployment on the passenger vehicle, but the driver claimed no injuries.

A Le Roy fire chief responded to the scene and determined that fire police could handle traffic and Le Roy's engine need not respond so traffic could be kept moving.

By 7:09 a.m., the vehicles were moved off the road and Le Roy fire was back in service.

Le Roy Ambulance reported no injuries to the school bus passengers either. A school official arrived on scene to take charge of the three passengers on the bus.

Le Roy rapist allegedly tried to get somebody to hurt corrections officer

By Howard B. Owens
Charles Johnson

A convicted rapist slated to spend 18 years in prison has been charged with a new crime: criminal solicitation, 4th.

Charles Daniel Johnson Jr., 29, allegedly tried to convince another person to harm a Genesee County Jail corrections officer.

Sgt. Greg Walker said not a lot of information about the case is available  tonight. 

He said Johnson apparently made no offer of money or other compensation to the person he contacted, but he did try to get another person to hurt a corrections officer.

It's not known at this time how serious of an injury Johnson allegedly wanted to inflict on this officer or why the officer was targeted.

The corrections officer allegedly targeted has not been publicly identified.

Judge Robert C. Noonan sent Johnson to prison for 18 years Jan. 17 for the home-invasion rape of a woman in Le Roy.

Johnson has been incarcerated at the county jail pending the NYS Department of Corrections accepting him into the DOCS system.

Servicemen’s Club Breakfast!

By Lisa Ace
Servicemen’s Club Breakfast!
On Sunday, February 16th, we will be hosting another breakfast from 8 AM – NOON
AMERICAN LEGION Post#576
53 WEST MAIN ST., LE ROY, NY
 
All you can eat only $6.00 per person.
Includes Eggs & Omelets cooked to order: Toast, Biscuits &
Gravy, Bacon, Sausage, Home Fries, Pancakes, French Toast, Waffles
& Syrup, Coffee & Juice
Event Date and Time
-

Head-on collision with serious injuries on Route 5, Stafford

By Billie Owens

A serious injury, head-on collision is reported at 6372 Route 5 in front of A.D. Call & Sons Trucking company. One victim has a compound leg fracture. Extrication will be needed. Two Mercy rigs are called. Route 5 is completely blocked in both directions and will be shut down at Route 237. Mercy Flight is in route. Stafford Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from Le Roy. Law enforcement is on scene.

UPDATE 6:55 a.m.: Stafford Fire Hall will be the landing zone.

UPDATE 6:57 a.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 7:09 a.m.: Town of Batavia's Engine 24 is at the Stafford Fire Hall. The state DOT is notified that a lot of salt will be needed on the roadway before Route 5 can be reopened.

UPDATE 7:17 a.m.: The victim has been extricated.

UPDATE 7:22 a.m.: An ambulance is transporting a patient to the landing zone at the fire hall.

UPDATE 7:30 a.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Erie County Medical Center.

UPDATE 7:34 a.m.: Le Roy is returning to service. The second ambulance called in is also back in service.

UPDATE 8:01 a.m.: The roadway is reopened. Stafford and mutual aid back in service.

UPDATE 9:20 a.m. (By Howard): One person suffered leg serious leg injuries in the accident. Because the Chevy sedan's airbags didn't deploy and the driver did not appear to be wearing a seat belt, there is concern of internal injuries. The patient was transported to ECMC by Mercy Flight. He had not yet been identified.

The driver of the pickup truck was Timothy Parmenter. Parmenter said he was westbound on Route 5 when he saw the sedan on the north shoulder heading eastbound. The sedan's driver tried to correct and get back into the eastbound lane.

"I was trying to head away from him, but he was kind of following me and I couldn't get away from him," Parmenter said.

Parmenter was not injured.

He said when he got out of his truck, another person was tending to the driver of the sedan, "trying to calm him down."

Deputy John Duyssen said it appeared that the front windshield of the sedan was completely iced over -- on the inside.

Duyssen said there were two uninvolved eastbound cars that were immediately behind the Chevy sedan. The drivers did not stop at the scene. He said it's very important the drivers in those cars contact investigators and provide witness statements. He's asking that the drivers immediately call either Investigator Kris Kautz or Deputy Chris Parker at (585) 343-5000.

UPDATE 5:19 p.m.: The driver of the sedan has been identified aas Robert C. Putney, 55, of Main Road, Stafford. Citations were issued for allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road and not wearing a seat belt. Putney reportedly told Deputy Chris Parker that his windshield was not defrosted and that he couldn't see clearly.

High voltage wire thief sent to prison, ordered to pay $86K in restitution

By Howard B. Owens
Michael Nicometo

When Michael Nicometo gets out of prison in three-and-a-half to seven years, if he's diligent he will finish repaying restitution to his victims in less than 29 years.

While sending Nicometo to prison, Judge Robert C. Noonan ordered restitution in the case of $86,017.57 at a rate of $250 a month, assuming Nicometo doesn't manage to repay the debt for his release.

Nicometo, a trained electrician, was the apparent mastermind behind a scheme to steal high voltage copper wire from industrial locations in and around Le Roy.

The total damage to Dolomite was nearly $33,000 and Troy Manufacturing suffered a loss of $53,000.

Noonan also levied a state-mandated surcharge of $4,300.

This was the third attempt in County Court to sentence Nicomento following his guilty plea Sept. 30 to burglary, 3rd, as a second felony offender.

The first sentencing was scheduled Jan. 2, but Nicometo was reportedly hospitalized for an undisclosed reason. He was then scheduled to be sentenced last week, but missed his morning appointment. He arrived in court later that afternoon, but a warrant had already been issued for his arrest.

From the bench today, Noonan said Nicometo appeared to be high on drugs when he showed up to court that day.

The 29-year-old Nicometo was taken into custody and appeared today dressed in Genesee County Jail orange.

His attorney, Brian Degnan, told Noonan that his client has a drug problem that he's never been able to shake.

"He has an untreated, severe substance abuse problem," Degan told Noonan. "He has failed at treatment every step of the way. I would ask that you consider his drug addiction as a mitigating factor, Judge. Mr. Nicometo needs treatment, Judge. He's never going to be better without treatment."

For his part, Nicometo told Noonan he was sorry and that he knew he did wrong.

An option for Noonan with some drug-addicted defendants is to require drug treatment prior to starting their prison term. That's known as a Willard Sentence.

Noonan said the first test imposed by the state on whether a Willard Sentence is appropriate is whether such a sentence would have no adverse effect on public safety or the public's confidence in the judicial system.

"I don't think I can make that finding in this case," Noonan said.

There are two co-defendants in the case, Jonathan D. Smeak, of Batavia, and Dustin C. Nicometo, but we don't have any current information on the status of those cases. Those co-defendants could be responsible for some of the restitution.

Law and Order: Le Roy man accused of stealing co-pays at doctor's office

By Howard B. Owens

James Mitchell, 35, of Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Mitchell was arrested following a months-long investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff's Office into reports of stolen co-payments at a doctor's office where Mitchell worked in Avon. The investigation took time, according to LCSO, because of lengthy billing cycles and victims coming forward. Mitchell was allegedly stealing co-pays as patients checked out at their physician's office. The investigation was conducted by Deputy Dan Rittenhouse, Deputy Ross Gerace, Deputy Steph Schroeder and Deputy Mike Yencer.

Kelly M. Zwolinski, 34, of Broadway Road, Darien, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, 4th, and resisting arrest. Zwolinski was identified as a suspect in possession of a stolen horse saddle that was taken from a farm in Niagara County and an arrest warrant was issued. When Deputy Kevin McCarthy and Investigator William Ferrando attempted to place Zwolinski under arrest, she allegedly resisted arrest.

Darlene Ann Kingdollar, 51, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny. Kingdollar is accused of entering the 7-Eleven store in Oakfield while intoxicated and after she was denied the purchase of alcohol, she allegedly left the store with a can of beer without paying for it.

Bruce J. Brade, 33, of Galloway Road, Batavia, is charged with stalking, 4th, and criminal contempt, 2nd. Brade allegedly violated an order of protection.

Mark J. Price, 37, Township Road, Ashland, Ohio, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear for an alleged traffic violation in Batavia City Court. Price was aprehended during a traffic stop in the Village of Attica. Price was issued an appearance ticket.

Jeffrey A. Pionessa, 32, of Glenwood Drive, Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding in zone. Pionessa was stopped at 2:30 a.m. Sunday on Law Street, Batavia, by Officer Arick Perkins. Pionessa allegedly had a BAC of .11.

A 17-year-old resident of Trumbull Parkway, Batavia is charged with criminal mischief, 4th, and harassment, 2nd. The youth is accused of damaging the mobile phone charger of another person by throwing it against a wall and grabbing the arm of the alleged victim and pushing the person's face.

John K. Rolls, 34, of Mill Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of forcible touching. Rolls is accused of forcibly touching a 17-year-old girl on Jan. 7. Rolls is incarcerated in the Genesee county Jail on an unrelated matter and was issued an appearance ticket.

Brad Strzelecki, 19, of Hunter Street, Bergen, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Strzelecki was reported at a location on Bank Street at 10:01 a.m. Jan. 13 when he was allegedly found in possession of marijuana by Officer Eric Foels.

Rodeny Lowell McKenzie, 49, of Weaver Street, Buffalo, is charged with petit larceny. McKenzie was located by Transit Police in Buffalo during a check-the-welfare interview and identified as a warrant suspect for allegedly stealing items from Kmart on Dec. 12.

Bryant William Hardtner, 28, of State Street Road, Batavia, is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Hardtner is accused of taking a vehicle Sunday without the owner's consent.

Kimberly Diane Ribbeck, 27, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving a vehicle with obstructed vision and no or inadequate plate light. Ribbeck was stopped at 2:33 a.m. Sunday on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Michael Gerald Pernicano, 21, of Lake Road, Holley, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to signal and no plate light. Pernicano was stopped at 2:29 a.m. Saturday on North Byron Road, Byron, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Lena Marie Evans, 26, of Ross Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument. Evans was arrested for allegedly shoplifting at Kmart by Deputy Andrew Hale.

Carey Anthony Bedell III, 18, of Lehigh Avenue, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bedell was arrested on Clinton Street Road, Byron, at 9:43 p.m. Friday.

Matthew R. Smith, 21, of Basom, is charged with forcible touching. Smith was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident reported at noon Thursday.

Mark A. Allison, 52, of Lockport, is charged with felony DWI and felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Allison was arrested by State Police following the report at 9:29 p.m. Thursday of a two-car accident at 372 Bloomingdale Road, Basom. One person was injured. The driver of the other vehicle was Alexander Shirira, 56, of Buffalo. No other details released.

Bright future likely for Le Roy company that sells LED lights to cities and villages in New York

By Howard B. Owens
Kristin Gomborone, front, Gabrielle Keister and Scott Keister

A small Le Roy company has put itself on the cusp of the next big thing in municipal lighting -- LED.

This week, GotToGo Electric, a six-person company on East Main Road, landed a $77,860 contract with Mayville to sell the village 350 LED street lights.

Last year, GotToGo provided the village with LED street lights as part of a pilot project and then was the lowest bidder to provide enough lights to illuminate the entire village.

Traditionally, cities and villages provide night light with either high-pressure sodium lights or metal-halide lamps, giving main streets either an eerie orange glow or a cold blue hue.

Modern LED lights provide a white light, which has its own benefits, but the main reason municipal governments are taking a closer look at LED these days is the cost savings.

LED lights can cut electric consumption by up to 65 percent and are virtually maintenance free.

A street light with LED bulbs has a 10-year warranty, but should continuing working for 15 to 20 years.

Sodium and halide lights must be replaced much more frequently.

"LED is the new way to go," said company President Scott Keister. "LED is gaining traction very quickly. I think what we'll see in the next few years is the Department of Energy change its requirements for energy consumption, and traditional lighting (sodium and metal-halide) won't be able to meet those requirements."

GotToGo Electric is a manufacturer rep for two of the companies in the U.S. that make municipal lighting and fixtures.

Established in 1990 as a company selling products for electric companies, it was forced less than a decade later to pivot into a firm that represents the manufacturers of products for municipal utilities after the electric companies in the Northeast merged.

It was an easy transition, said CEO Kristin Gomborone, because GotToGo had already established the relationships with the cities and villages in New York.

"Along with the relationships, we've been working with municipalities for about 24 years now, so we've built a rapport," Gomborone said.

The company is owned by Gomborone and her sister, Gabrielle Keister, who is VP of Finance, and GotToGo is a certified New York woman-owned business.

Both women were born and raised in Le Roy. Keister is from Alexander and attended Notre Dame High School.

Besides selling LED lights, GotToGo handles just about everything a municipality might need to provide utility service, from gas and electric meters, to cable and transformers for electricity and, of course, lighting.

Primarily, the company bids on behalf of the 25 manufacturers they represent for the sale and installation of utility products. But the company is also positioned to ensure ongoing maintenance needs, if any, are met.

Keister explained that manufacturers use product reps such as GotToGo because it's less expensive than maintaining a full-time staff in a territory.

GotToGo got into LED lighting as the demand began to grow.

Ten years ago, LED systems were expensive, provided a bluish light that consumers rejected (think of those district blue headlights that were common for awhile on some new model cars) and didn't provide as much illumination as traditional lighting.

Now the cost has come down, the light temperature has shifted to a neutral white (or a moonlight white) and systems can put out as much, if not more, light than sodium or metal-halide.

GotToGo's clients for LED lights include the City of Buffalo, Westfield, Jamestown, Springville and the company's first LED client, Auburn, which installed 450 new street lights.

And not just municipalities are in the market now for LED lights. Universities and colleges, malls, car dealers -- any place with the need to illuminate a large area -- is a potential customer for GotToGo's products.

"It's probably the most exciting thing we're doing now," Keister said. "It's up and coming. Like I said, it's been around 10 years, but it's really just starting to take a grasp."

The main thing holding back wider adoption of LED systems, Keister said, is the inability of Albany and the electric companies to come up with a plan on how the electric companies will serve municipalities.

There are about 42 cities and villages in New York, such as Mayville, that provide their own municipal electric service, so there aren't hoops to jump through to make the switch to LED.

But in all the others municipalities, the local governments contract with a big electric company to provide the lights, the electricity and the maintenance.

It's kind of a lease agreement paid for through a tariff.

"To charge people the current tariff rates for a fixture that is much more efficient and basically eliminates maintenance is not fair to the consumer," Keister said.

So, as the market changes -- new regulations requiring less energy consumption from street lights, and a new tariff scheme out of Albany -- GotToGo Electric, with its experience and connections, should be well positioned as the go-to company in WNY for municipal street lighting.

Click here for a story from an online news site in Chautauqua County about the Mayville purchase and to see a picture that shows the color temperature difference between LED and sodium lights.

County Court Report: Le Roy rapist given 18 years in prison

By Howard B. Owens
Charles Johnson

A 29-year-old man who broke into the apartment of a woman in Le Roy and raped her at knifepoint has been sent to prison for 18 years by Judge Robert C. Noonan.

Charles D. Johnson, 29, of 82 Gilbert St., Building #14, Apt. #6, Le Roy, will also be required to have 25 years of post-release supervision.

Johnson entered a guilty plea Nov. 26 in an agreement with prosecutors that he serve no more than 18 years in prison.  The minimum sentence available to Noonan, which he rejected, was eight years.

Johnson was indicted on counts of predatory sexual abuse, a Class A-II violent felony, burglary in the first degree, a Class B violent felony, and criminal possession of a weapon, a Class D felony.

He entered a guilty plea to a Class B violent felony. If convicted at trial, he would have faced 10 to 25 years in prison.

Johnson was identified as the suspect through DNA evidence, leading to his quick arrest following the May 9 rape.

Michael Nicometo

Also in Genesee County Court today: Michael A. Nicometo, 28, of 45 North St., Le Roy, who was scheduled for sentencing this morning on his conviction for burglary, 3rd. Nicometo was involved in the heist of high-voltage copper wire from industrial buildings in Le Roy. Nicometo missed his appearance time today and a warrant was issued for his arrest. In the afternoon, he voluntarily appeared in court and his sentencing has been rescheduled for 11:45 a.m., Monday. Earlier this month, Nicometo missed his scheduled sentencing appearance because he was reportedly hospitalized in Rochester. Police arrested Nicometo in March following an investigation into the theft of high-voltage wire from industrial complexes in the Le Roy area. He and an alleged accomplice were later accused of doing $32,000 in damage to the Dolomite facility in Le Roy.

Shane Bell

Yesterday in County Court, Shane M. Bell, 47, of 161 Jackson St., Batavia., charged with assault in the 2nd degree for allegedly hitting a man outside the Harvester bar on Harvester Avenue, was scheduled for a plea cut-off hearing. The plea cut-off date was extended to Jan. 23. If Bell and his attorney are unable to reach a plea agreement with the District Attorney's Office by that date, he will go to trial April 21.

Law and Order: Batavia man accused of identity theft

By Howard B. Owens

Bruce J. Brade, 33, of Galloway Road, Batavia, is charged with identify theft, 2nd, and grand larceny, 4th. Brade is accused of fraudulent use of a debit card. Brade allegedly used the card to purchase items over the Internet. Following arraignment in Batavia City Court, Brade was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Douglas Robert Brown, 45, of South Main Street, Elba, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Brown was arrested following an investigation into a complaint of an irate truck driver who made a delivery to Automotive Corp., Inc. Brown was allegedly found in possession of a billy club.

Thomas James Rose, 18, of Ford Road, Elba, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument, criminal use of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of marijuana. Rose was found to allegedly possess drugs and paraphernalia during an investigation by Deputy Joseph Corona and Deputy Howard Carlson of an incident at a residence in Byron at 2:30 a.m., Saturday.

Arthur Mack Osborne, 47, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Osborne is accused of violating a complete stay away order by going to the residence of the protected person and being in contact with that person.

Paul Joseph Kirch, 27, of Angling Road, Corfu, was arrested on a warrant out of the Town of Amherst related to a disorderly conduct charge. Kirch was located when a deputy checked on a vehicle parked on the shoulder of a roadway. Upon investigation, Kirch was identified as a suspect with an active arrest warrant.

Cynthia Louise Reschke, 50, of Transit Road, Stafford, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right, moving from lane unsafely. Reschke was stopped at 1:36 a.m. Sunday on Morganville Road, Stafford, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Stephen A. Getty, 43, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle on a highway. Getty was stopped at 5:11 p.m. Friday on Main Road, Pembroke, by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.

Louis Levon Wooden, 28, of Salina Street, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny. Wooden is accused of shoplifting at Walmart. Also charged with petit larceny is Tymekia T. Gaskin, 39, of Champlain Street, Rochester.

Ann Lee Cox, 42, of Main Street, Attica, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, driving while ability impaired by drugs, driving while ability impaired by combined drugs and moving from lane unsafely. Cox was arrested following an investigation by Deputy Kevin McCarthy into a single-car accident on Route 98, Alexander, at 4:22 a.m. on Oct. 20.

Emily Grace Lemen, 19, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and moving from lane unsafely. Lemen was allegedly driving a vehicle at 4 p.m. on Jan. 6 that went down an embankment at the 490 off-ramp at Route 19. The accident was investigated by Deputy Matthew Butler.

Northwoods in Le Roy among gun clubs joining in 'Shot Heard Round NY' protest

By Howard B. Owens

Whatever illusion Gov. Andrew Cuomo might have once had that opposition to the signature piece of legislation during his term would eventually fade away should be largely dispelled after a day like today.

Throughout New York today gun owners gathered at gun clubs to fire a single shot in protest at precisely noon in what was dubbed by organizers as "The Shot Heard Round New York."

More than 80 gun owners turned out at the Northwoods Sportsman Club on Gulf Road in Le Roy. There was also a protest in Batavia at Godfrey's Pond.

"I think it's huge that people took the time, in the rain, to come out and protest this," said Christina Marinaccio, who helped organize the event at Northwoods.

Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer and Assemblyman Steve Hawley participated in the protest.

"I thought it important to show solidarity with SCOPE and these hunting groups that are so opposed to the SAFE Act, as am I," Ranzenhofer said. "We're very dissatisfied, not only with the law itself, but the way it's been implemented."

Both Ranzenhofer and Hawley said Cuomo badly miscalculated when he rammed the unconstitutional gun control legislation through on the backs of support from Downstate interests. He clearly didn't understand how seriously the majority of Upstate New Yorkers take the U.S. Constitution.

"We're talking about the Constitution of the United States of America and as far as I know, New York is part of our country," Hawley said. "The SAFE Act was excuted last year under the cover of darkness and excluded every single New Yorker from having a discussion about the act. The papers were still hot off the presses when the Senate voted on it and we voted on it the next day.  We're run by New York City in this state and apparently those that are from Downstate choose to ignore the Constitution."

Ranzenhofer said his constituents find the legislation insulting.

"The comment I hear all the time is you're taking people who are law-abiding citizens and labeling them as criminals, and they're very offended by that," Ranzenhofer said. "These are people who have lived, and paid their taxes, here in Genesee County and across the state their whole lives. They're very upset."

One of the participants, John Marinaccio (Christina's brother), said the protest does send an important message to everybody in the state.

"We're able to unite all these people with a common interest and show everyone else out there why it's so important to us," Marinaccio said. "We feel that by rallying together like this we're proving that to people."

Christina said there is a direct problem with the SAFE Act that's going to hit the club.

"Our youth program is core of this club," Marinaccio said. "We're struggling right now because we won't be able to provide ammunition for our kids once the SAFE Act's provisions for background checks on ammunition goes through. It's really going to be a big hit for us because we really built up the program by offering the kids a chance to come down here and shoot for free."

Accident with injuries reported on Route 19 at Selden Road

By Howard B. Owens

A two-car motor vehicle accident is reported on Route 19 and Selden Road, Le Roy.

Le Roy fire and ambulance dispatched.

There are reportedly a number of cars off the road at Ford Hill.

UPDATE 6:54 a.m.: A chief on scene confirms multiple cars off the road. Route 19 is being shut down.

UPDATE 6:55 a.m.: DOT requested to the scene. Heavy ice conditions. More manpower requested to the scene.

UPDATE 7 a.m.: Another vehicle is reported off the road on Griswold Road, Le Roy, with significant damage. There's also a property damage accident, reported before the one on Route 19, on Perry Road. The travel ban for the county was only just lifted now.

UPDATE 7:06 a.m.: A deputy informs dispatch that unless DOT can get the road cleaned up, Route 19 is going to be shut down for a while.

UPDATE 7:11 a.m.: Le Roy's ambulance, with no patients to treat, is being repositioned at Selden Road so its emergency lights can be used to help control traffic. It's in service if needed for a medical call. A DOT plow just arrived on scene, but the truck doesn't have any salt. A chief says, "He can't help us. Don't send him through. I don't need that here."

UPDATE 7:56 a.m.: All vehicles have been removed. Le Roy fire is keeping the road shut down until it's salted. The DOT truck is expected back, with salt.

Closing in Genesee County for Wednesday

By Howard B. Owens

Here are the closings and cancellations we have so far for Wednesday in Genesee County:

  • Batavia City Schools
  • Oakfield-Alabama Central Schools
  • Elba Central Schools
  • Pavilion Central Schools
  • Le Roy Central Schools
  • Pembroke Central Schools
  • Alexander Central Schools
  • Notre Dame
  • Byron-Bergen Central Schools
  • Pembroke Family Medicine until noon
  • The Corfu Village Court is closed and court is cancelled.
  • The Genesee County YMCA will open at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 8th. No classes or programs will take place before noon.
  • P.W.Minor in Batavia will be closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 for all employees except Customer Service; Customer Service employees should contact their supervisor for instructions.
  • Sonshine Patch Child Care Center
  • From UMMC: All services of United Memorial will resume today with the following exceptions due to the weather: Jerome Center Diagnostics will delay opening until 8 a.m., Elective Surgery will be delayed one hour, and Pembroke Diagnostics will be closed this morning. Patients should not drive until the travel ban has been lifted. All staff should plan to report to work as scheduled for today unless notified by their manager.
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension Genesee County will delay start time today till 9 am.
  • Trash pick-up by Nu Way is delayed a day.

There is hope the travel ban currently in place for Genesee County will be lifted in the morning.

E-mail closings and cancellations to howard@thebatavian.com.

Weather-related incidents for Monday

By Howard B. Owens

This post will stick to the top of the home page today and we will keep it as updated as we possibly can with weather-related incidents. Other news stories, if any, will continue to be published as normal, so scroll down. Also, scroll down for our post listing cancellations that we know about.

UPDATE 4:20 p.m.: A vehicle skidded down a steep embankment after exiting the westbound Route 490 at the Le Roy exit at Vallance Road. The female driver is said to be in and out of consciousness, possibly due to a medical issue. Le Roy fire and ambulance service are responding.

UPDATE 4:42 p.m. (by Howard): Photo of what it looked like downtown about 10 minutes ago.

UPDATE 5:38 p.m. (by Howard): A blizzard warning is effect until 6 a.m., Wednesday. Snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches tonight, 9 to 17 inches Tuesday and 1 to 3 inches Tuesday night. Gusts up to 45 mph with visibility near zero. Wind chill below 30 degrees. Numerous roadways will be covered throughout Tuesday. Up to four inches of snowfall per hour are possible at times in the heaviest bands of lake effect snow. High winds will create drifting and blowing snow. Whiteout conditions are expected at times.

UPDATE 6:09 p.m. (by Billie): Route 98 is shut down at Lockport and Oak Orchard roads because of a motor-vehicle accident, unknown injuries, at Quaker Hill and Lockport roads. Elba fire is on scene, Mercy medics arrived non-emergency.

UPDATE 7:55 p.m.: There are three cars off the roadway in the area of Daws Corners. One is unoccupied. Civilians are on scene trying to help and a tow is in route. A trooper is on scene.

UPDATE 8 p.m.: There's a report of a car off the road on Route 77 with an unconscious driver. Darien fire dispatched.

UPDATE 8:02 p.m.: Town of Batavia is responding to a report of a truck off the Thruway. Unknown injuries.

UPDATE 8:05 p.m.: A milk truck half full of milk has overturned on Route 20 near Roanoke Road. The driver is uninjured but is unable to get out of the vehicle. Another car is reported off the road, Route 77, Darien.

UPDATE 8:13 p.m.: Route 20 being closed at Texaco Town and at Pavilion Center Road. A chief says, "it's a complete whiteout up here."

UPDATE 8:18 p.m.: A truck is off the road, partially blocking Route 20 between Smithley and Attica roads.

UPDATE 8:21 p.m.: Photo above of West Main Street, Batavia, at 7:15 p.m.. A Pembroke chief reports a lot of trucks backed up on the westbound Thruway.

UPDATE 8:27 p.m.: To keep up with the latest news on cancellations and closings, click here. We just added a closing for Wyoming County: grand jury postponed for a day.

UPDATE 8:43 p.m.: There's a wrecker coming for the milk truck. Route 20 should reopen in about five minutes. A deputy just cleared a call and asked if there were more calls. "Yeah, a lot of them. One at 20 and Harlow, 20 and 77, though a wrecker's coming for that one."

UPDATE 8:52 p.m.: The tow for the milk truck is coming from Farmington. It has another truck to pump out first. Pavilion is clearing the scene until the tow arrives and Route 20 is being reopened until the tow arrives.

UPDATE 8:56 p.m.: The tow from Farmington is now NOT coming. The Pavilion chief asks if there's a local tow. A dispatcher is checking. The truck (or its cargo) weighs 84,000 pounds.

UPDATE 8:58 p.m.: Genesee County Emergency Services has requested that all volunteer fire departments man their halls with a crew for at least one engine through the next 24 hours.

UPDATE 9:02 p.m.: A Pembroke chief advises dispatchers that truckers are lining up, parked, on the east side of Route 77 near the Flying J.

UPDATE 9:13 p.m.: A truck is off the road in the area of 471 Route 5, partially blocking.

UPDATE 9:23 p.m.: No local tow for the milk truck. When the boss gets their the driver and the boss will talk it over. They may just leave the truck for now.

UPDATE 9:28 p.m.: The on-again-off-again local tow for the milk truck may be on again in about 20 minutes.

UPDATE 9:31 p.m.: A car is in a ditch off Route 20 near Route 63. Two occupants. No injuries reported.

UPDATE 9:49 p.m.: Pavilion fire dispatched to Burley Hill for traffic control because a truck is disabled and blocking multiple lanes.

UPDATE 9:51 p.m.: A trooper trying to find the car in the ditch off Route 20 reported "it's complete whiteout conditions out here." 

UPDATE 9:52 p.m.: The driver of the car says she sees an SUV nearby in a ditch with its four-ways on. The trooper now on scene reports four cars off the road. The dispatcher reports, "she's excited to see you." The trooper replies, "and I'm excited to see them, too."

UPDATE 9:55 p.m.: The trooper reports the car isn't really in the ditch, but there's a lot of snow and no visibility, so the driver is just staying put for now. They do have a baby on board. The trooper is checking on the other cars.

UPDATE 9:59 p.m.: The trooper is giving a woman driver a ride home and picking up the two women with a child. "They're not going anywhere fast."

UPDATE 10:14 p.m.: There's much less activity now. Unless circumstances change, we're suspending updates to this post. (Time to try get some sleep and be ready for tomorrow.)

UPDATE 10:45 p.m.: There's a water main break on Ross Street. Route 63 is reopened. 

UPDATE 10:48 p.m.: They can't offload the milk. It's not leaking. The owner is considering just leaving it until the weather clears. A GCSO supervisor says that's fine if it isn't a hazard. The deputy and owner are going to discuss it some more. There are now two heavy wreckers and a service truck in route to that location from a another call.

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