Le Roy

A black bear has been seen on Vallance Road in LeRoy.

The first sighting was reported two weeks ago by a concerned LeRoy citizen but others say the bear has been in the area for at least a month.

"We first saw him in the field where there was corn being chopped, from there he went down Vallance Road," said the citizen who reported the incident.

Residents also noted that at a neighbor's house, the bear knocked over some garbage cans and had been attracted to, and damaged, both of their bird feeders. The citizen tells of other reports around town that the bear has been spotted near the Thruway exit.

Pat Flaherty, a Vallance Road resident, said, "The first time the bear came here was during the night when it knocked down bales of hay in our yard that were being used for archery."  She said that happened about a week ago.

"It completely took down a big birdhouse on a pole and had broken down a clothesline that (we found) lying on the ground," she said.

On Aug. 22, a LeRoy resident shot this photo of the bear in his yard enjoying yet another bird feeder. The incident was reported to DEC that same day. Below is a picture taken early in the morning on Sept. 28 of bear prints across the same resident's driveway.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 80 percent of bear sightings are related to bird feeders. The DEC says, "Although many people find it difficult to believe, an animal as large and powerful as black bear is readily attracted to bird feeders as a source of food."

It is important to break them of this habit because the bear will associate the areas with bird feeders as a good place to get food. Removing the feeders is the only sure way to avoid attracting bears. The DEC claims that "bears that learn to approach one house will approach other houses."

Other options include bringing the feeder in at night and removing excess seed. Without available food, the bear shouldn’t return to the area.

In the event of a black bear sighting, it is advised that you contact the DEC at 585-226-6335.

A dryer fire has been reported at 23 Lake St., Le Roy.  The Le Roy Fire Department has been dispatched.

UPDATE: First responder reports that the fire appears to be out.

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Just heard over the scanner: Leroy fire personal to thuway accident, reported as a tractor trailor and motorcyle, mile marker 375 east bound. Hennrietta also responding.

A Stafford man admitted this morning to brandishing a rifle in a threatening manner during a dispute on March 17.

Michael A. Nicometo, 24, also pleaded guilty to an unrelated misdemeanor DWI charge and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He was arrested on the DWI charge in Le Roy on Sept. 6.

As part of the plea arrangement, a handful of traffic tickets, some stemming from the Sept. 6 arrest and two others from other dates, were dismissed.

Nicometo will be released to an alcohol treatment facility and will come back at a later date for bail review and sentencing on the menacing and DWI pleas.

The maximum sentence imposed on Nicometo, primarily for the aggrevated unlicensed operation charge, could be four years in state prison. But if Nicometo follows the judge's orders, he could face a maximum sentence of 1 1/3 to 3 years. Regardless, the menancing charge would result in a concurrent sentence.

A Le Roy woman is accused of stealing jewelry, credit cards and checks from a friend and then forging the checks before cashing them at a local bank.

Olivia J. Paganin, 20, of Summit Street, allegedly took the items between June 3 and July 5.

She is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, two counts of grand larceny and one count of petit larceny.

Paganin is already in the custody of New York State Department of Corrections on an unrelated matter (not disclosed) and returned to the correctional facility following her arraignment yesterday.

An arrest has been made in a nine-month old burglary in Le Roy, and the suspect is a man already in Erie County Jail on unrelated attempted murder and weapons charges.

Albert J. Bauer, 40, of Akron, is accused of breaking into a Lake Street office on Nov. 11 and, along with an accomplice, damaging the property and stealing more than $1,000.

The burglary was interrupted in progress and Bauer allegedly fled by jumping out of a second-story window.

He was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court yesterday on charges of burglary in the third degree, grand larceny, criminal mischief and conspiracy.

Following his arraignment, Bauer was returned to Erie County Jail.

Det. John Condidorio of the Le Roy Police Department handled the investigation.

Le Roy residents are being given a chance to tell the Village Board what to do about the community swimming pool, which has been closed all summer.

The board will conduct a survey via the Le Roy PennySaver.

Mayor Ged Brady, in his "Mayor's Notes" column, wrote the board has decided to forgo a $6,700 professional survey in favor of the less expensive ($250) clip-and-mail-in questionnaire in the local shopper.

The options for Le Roy include repairs, filling in the hole, building a spray part or constructing a whole new facility at a cost of more than $3 million.

Basic repairs would cost $150,000, but full-scale maintenance's work would approach $400,000, according to the mayor.

An indoor pool would require a partnership with the school district, but give the town and village a place for year-round swimming.

Brady said a government grant could be sought for a new facility, and possibly for other options, but the main concern for taxpayers, he said, would be year-to-year maintenance expense.

"For the first option -- 'fill it in' -- the only substantial cost would be for bulldozing, hauling and filling, which would be reduced by Village and Town working together, sharing equipment and manpower," Grady wrote. "The ongoing costs would be practically nil."

A spray park would cost about $25,000 per year, and a swimming pool open to the public during the summer would cost local taxpayers about $60,000 per year. A year-round pool, including staffing, would cost more than $250,000 per year.

The mayor wrote that each 5-cent increase per $1,000 in assessed value on property taxes would raise about $30,000.

In 2007, there were more than 1,500 visits to the pool.

A driver who reportedly rear-ended another car on Route 19 in Le Roy at 10:14 p.m. on Saturday was cited for DWI.

The driver of the other vehicle was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital with a back injury.

Michael S. Dranichak, 47, of 8692 Lake Road, Le Roy, was stopped in the northbound lane of Route 19, just north of West Bergen Road, when his 1993 Ford SUV was struck from behind by a car reportedly driven by Samual Avila-Rijo, 37, of 830 Affinity Road, Rochester.

Avila-Rijo was reportedly driving a 1998 Kia. He was reportedly uninjured in the accident.

There were no passengers in either vehicle.

Deputy Bradly D. Mazur investigated the accident.

Traffic tickets were issued to both drivers involved in a two-car, minor-injury accident on Route 5 in Le Roy on Saturday at 3:16 p.m.

One driver is accused of failing to yield right-of-way while the other driver was cited for not properly restraining his children in child-safety seats.

The children, ages 2 and 5, were uninjured.

The accident blocked Route 5 in both directions for nearly a half-hour.

Timothy J. Beaumont, 44, of 103 W. Main St., Le Roy, reportedly drove his 2008 Toyota pick-up from a driveway onto Route 5 just west of the intersection with East Bethany-Le Roy Road.

Jason D. Burk, 36, of 9 North St., Apt. 1, Le Roy, was driving a 1995 Mitsubishi two-door sedan westbound on Route 5 when the car struck Beaumont's pick-up.

Burk reportedly suffered a minor burn on his elbow and was treated at the scene. Also treated at the scene for a minor burn on her face was Laurie J. Brady, 40.

Beaumont had no passengers.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Bradley D. Mazur.

First responders are requesting an immediate response of tow trucks to an accident on Route 5 at East Bethany-Leroy Road in Le Roy.

The cars involved are blocking traffic in both directions.

No serious injuries were reported as a result of the accident.

UPDATE 3:54 p.m.: Route 5 reopened.

This is a good news, bad news sort of thing:  The good news, Wal-Mart won't open in Le Roy until 2012. The bad news is, the mega-conglomerate still plans to open.

WBTA spoke with Le Roy Town Supervisor Tim McCulley, who learned of the delay after a conversation with Wal-Mart.

The store was originally slated to open by this Christmas.

Wal-Mart has otherwise cut back on openings during the economic downturn.

Statements made by a former Le Roy Fire Department chief can be used at his potential trial on nine counts of misappropriating fund from the department.

Stephen C. Smith, who served four years as chief and four as an assistant chief, was in court today for a pretrial hearing on a motion by his attorney, Thomas Burns, to suppress the statements as improperly obtained.

Judge Robert Noonan ruled that Smith did know he was talking with a police detective during his initial questioning and that once he was placed in custody and asked more questions, he had been read his Miranda warnings.

Smith is accused of misusing a department credit card, putting a personal cell phone on the department's mobile phone account and filling his personal vehicle with department gas.

The charges filed against Smith:

• Tampering with public records in the first degree: Smith is accused of altering an invoice for $896.49.
• Tampering with public records in first degree: Smith is accused of creating a false receipt in the amount of $390.
• Defrauding the government: Smith is accused of unlawful use of a government credit card, placing a personal cell phone on the account of the Le Roy Fire District, filing fraudulent records and stealing gasoline.
• Forgery in the second degree: Smith is accused of altering an invoice for $896.49.
• Forgery in the second degree: Smith is accused of creating a false receipt in the amount of $390.
• Falsifying business records in the first degree: Smith is accused of creating a false receipt in the amount of $390 in order to get the fire district to pay for personal purchases.
• Falsifying business records in the first degree: Smith is accused of altering an invoice for $896.49 in order to get the fire district to pay for personal purchases.
• Grand larceny in the fourth degree:  Smith is accused of unlawful use of a government credit card, placing a personal cell phone on the account of the Le Roy Fire District, filing fraudulent records and stealing gasoline.
• Official misconduct: Smith is accused of unlawful use of a government credit card, placing a personal cell phone on the account of the Le Roy Fire District, filing fraudulent records and stealing gasoline.

Genesee County Democratic Committee Chair Lorie Longhany had a chance this week to combine her love of art -- she's an art teacher and an artist -- with her commitment to politics when she attended an event in Rochester honoring Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, whom Longhany described as a long-time, steadfast supporter of the arts. Slaughter co-chairs the congressional arts caucus.

Caroline Kennedy was the keynote speaker and quoted her father, President John Kennedy, who said, "I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty, which commands respect, not only for its strength, but for its civilization, as well."

Attendees also enjoyed performances by the Tony Award winning the Garth Fagan dance troupe and jazz pianist Gap Mangione.

Pictured above, Teresa Martillotta, former Orleans County chair and 53-year state
committee member, current Orleans County chair Jeanne Crane, Slaughter and Longhany.

Le Roy firefighters are battling a grass fire in the area of 8195 Warner Road.

Stafford Fire Department brush truck has been asked to provide mutual aid.

UPDATE 2:55 p.m.: Bergen's brush truck just requested.

UPDATE 2:58 p.m.: Le Roy cancels Bergen request. Bergen standing down.

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This afternoon I stopped by Frost Ridge Campground just as the Le Roy Fire Department was setting up for its picnic. It's still going -- until 10 p.m. with live music, games, raffles and auctions.

John W. Brown, 29, of Le Roy, is going to prison for having sex with a 13-year-old boy in Livingston County.

Brown was sentenced to five years in prison by Livingston County Court Judge Dennis Cohen.

Once released, Brown will also be supervised for five years.

Brown was convicted of having sex with the boy in November, on his 29th birthday.

Source: Democrat and Chronicle.

Billie and I stopped at D & R Depot Restaurant for dinner last night and arrived just in time to see this train going by.