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Law and Order: Batavia woman accused of falsely reporting sexual assault

By Howard B. Owens

Kaila S. Smith, 27, of Batavia, is charged with filing a false written statement and falsely reporting an incident. Smith is accused of falsely reporting a sexual assault on Jan. 5. She was arrested on Jan. 13 and issued an appearance ticket.

Michael A. Sweet, 37, of Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th. Sweet is accused of taking payment to complete renovations on a residence in Batavia and then never completing the work. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Maverick X. Cook, 18, and Patrick J. Peters, 18, both of Batavia, are charged with open burning. Cook and Peters are accused of starting several fires on sidewalks and parking lots in the area of Ellicott Street and Liberty Street, Batavia, in December. Both were issued appearance tickets.

Darrell Laverne McFadden, 53, of Clinton Street Road, Batavia, is charged with assault 2nd. McFadden is accused of causing serious physical injury during a fight at 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 19, at a location on Clinton Street Road. He was jailed pending arraignment.

Jessica B. Eschenlauer, 34, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal contempt 2nd, and aggravated family offense. Eschenlauer is accused of being inside a residence in violation of an order of protection. She was arraigned and released.

Roger M. Hofmeier, 22, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 3rd. In July 2022, Hofmeir was allegedly found in illegal possession of a firearm. He was arrested on Jan. 11, arraigned in City Court, and released under supervision.

Nikkia M. Blackshear, 26, of Batavia, is charged with trespassing. Blackshear is accused of refusing to leave 7-Eleven on Jan. 20. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Adrienne S. Bechtold, 28, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Bechtold was charged following a traffic stop on Jan. 18 on Ross Street, Batavia. She was allegedly found in possession of narcotics and a scale. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Vincent J. Disalvo, 48, of Webster, is charged with harassment 2nd and trespassing. Disalvo is accused of kicking another person during a fight in the 7-Eleven Parking lot. He then allegedly entered the store after being told he wasn't allowed in the store. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Anthony A. Bomasuto, 29, of Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing. Bomasuto is accused of being involved in an incident on Jan. 15 on Ellicott Street, Batavia. He was arraigned and released.

Trace G. Brewer, 23, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant. Brewer was wanted on charges of petit larceny and conspiracy 6h.  She was allegedly involved in a theft with another person of merchandise from 7-Eleven. She was arraigned and released.

Lorrie Beth Fischer, 45, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with misapplication of property. Fischer is accused of possessing another person's property on Dec. 29 and, rather than returning it, selling it. She was arrested by Deputy Mason Schultz on Jan. 22. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Nicole K. Dell, 38, of Silver Springs, was arrested on a warrant on Jan. 25. Dell was initially arrested on May 23, 2022, and charged with DWI. The warrant was issued after she allegedly failed to appear in court. Dell was arraigned and released. 

Jacob J. Frayne, 26, of Darien, is charged with aggravated DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation. Frayne was charged following a traffic stop on Jan. 26 on Pearl Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Takari G. Lang-Smith, 22, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Lang-Smith was stopped on Jan. 28 at an undisclosed location by Batavia PD. He was issued tickets and released.

Richard M. Fuhry, 42, of Brockport, is charged with DWI. On Jan. 20, Batavia patrol offices were dispatched to North Park and Ross Street for a report of a fight in the street. Fuhry was accused of being involved in the fight and then located driving on Seneca Avenue. He was issued several tickets.

Brian J. Hawkins, 44, of Olean, was arrested on Jan. 22 on two warrants issued by City Court. The first was a bench warrant related to an incident in 2019 where he allegedly provided alcohol to a person under the age of 21. The second warrant was an arrest warrant for Bail Jumping 3rd. Hawkins was arraigned and released.

Tanika N. Avant, 22, of Batavia, was arrested on Jan. 22 on a warrant issued by City Court. The warrant stemmed from an incident in April of 2023 where she was charged with two counts of harassment 2nd and one count of endangering the welfare of a child after a disturbance call on Bank Street. Avant was arraigned in City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail. 

Johnny Burton Koonce, Jr., 33, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, and failure to stop at a stop sign.  Koonce was stopped at 1:53 a.m. Jan. 20 by Sgt. Mathew Clor.  The passenger in the vehicle was somebody Koonce was allegedly supposed to not contact by court order. He was held pending arraignment.

Shanaya Nichole Brooks, 22, of Route 438, Gowanda, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Brooks is accused of striking the side of a house on Jan. 19 on East Road, Batavia, causing damage. She is also accused of trying to force her way into the house, causing damage. She was held pending arraignment.

Samantha Rae Balduf, 31, of Grant Street, Depew, is charged with petit larceny.  Balduf is accused of switching the price tag on a piece of merchandise at a retail store on Veterans Memorial Drive (the name and location of the store was withheld by the Sheriff's Office) at 1:03 p.m. on Jan. 19. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Isaac Floyd, Jr., 59, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and illegal signal. Floyd was stopped at 12:07 a.m. on Jan. 24 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Floyd was released on tickets.

Joel David Proudy, 37, of Rochester Street, Bergen, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Proudy is accused of violating a full stay-away order of protection at 10:50 a.m. on Jan. 17 at a location on West Main Street, Batavia. He also had multiple outstanding warrants. He was held pending arraignment.

Joseph Peter Mancuso, 35, of Deerfield Drive, North Tonawanda, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Mancuso is charged with violating a stay-away order of protection at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 at a location on Roberts Road, Alabama. He was arraigned and released under supervision.

Steven James Dunham, 35, of Main Street, Corfu, is charged with failure to verify address within 90 days as a Level 3 sex offender. Dunham was arrested in January and held for arraignment.

Steven Kenneth Maskell, 31, of North Byron Road, Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and driving while using a portable electronic device. Maskell was stopped at 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 21 on Lockport Road, Oakfield, by Deputy Morgan Ewert. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Robert Paul Gerspach, 67, no specified address, Buffalo, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation, driver's view obstructed, failure to keep right, and moving from lane unsafely.  Gerspach was observed by an off-duty deputy driving in an alleged unsafe manner at 11:22 a.m. on Jan. 24.  He was stopped and arrested by Deputy Austin Heberlein. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Guillermo Guadalupe-Vasques, 44, of Crimson Drive, Canandaigua, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, and moving from lane unsafely. Guadalupe-Vasques was stopped at 8:44 p.m. on Jan. 24 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Stephen Smith. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Mckenzie Leigh Stogsdill, 32, of East Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, no headlights, and no tail lamps. Stogsdill was stopped at 1:44 a.m. on Jan. 27 on Park Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. Stogsdill was released on appearance tickets.

Jessica R. Parker-Sharkey, 30, of South Butler Road, Savanah, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 4th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Parker-Sharkey was arrested in Virginia Beach, Va., and extricated back to Genesee County. She was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released. The charges stem from allegations in April 2023 that she was in possession of a stolen car and a controlled substance. Following her release, she was turned over to Rochester PD on warrants.

Michael Curtis Smith Jr., 31, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Smith is accused of stealing an electric scooter from Walmart at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 24. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.

Joseph Michael Petix, 66, of Shorecliff Drive, Rochester, is charged with DWI, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, stop sign violation, breath test refusal, and consumption of alcohol while driving. Petix was stopped at 9:53 p.m. on Jan. 28 on Clinton Street, Batavia, by Deputy Travis DeMuth.  He was allegedly found in possession of cocaine. His release status was not reported.

SUNY Cortland announces its fall 2023 dean's list

By Press Release

Press Release:

More than 2,800 students earned recognition for academic excellence on the SUNY Cortland Dean's List for the Fall 2023 semester. 

The Dean's List is the highest ranking for undergraduate students in their respective academic areas of the university. Students must earn a minimum 3.3 grade point average for the semester to make the list.

Among those honored were:

  • Gaige Armbrewster of Batavia - Physical Education K-12
  • Ethan Beswick of Le Roy - Healthcare Management
  • Jocelyn Coburn of Batavia - Musical Theatre BFA
  • Emma Efing of Le Roy - Adoles Educ-Social Studies
  • Olivia Halpin of Batavia - Inclusive Childhood Education
  • Kaylie Kratz of Batavia - Inclusive Early Childhood Education
  • Allie Schwerthoffer of Batavia - Healthcare Management
  • Karlee Zinkievich of Pavilion - Physical Education K-12

Samuel Zerillo of Le Roy named to fall 2023 dean's list at John Carroll University

By Press Release

Press Release:

Samuel Zerillo of Le Roy has been named to the Dean's List at John Carroll University for the Fall 2023 semester.

Students eligible for the Dean's List must have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours within one semester and have a quality grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

SUNY GCC announces their fall 2023 president's list

By Press Release

Press Release:

198 students from Genesee Community College were named to the President's List. Students honored on the President's List have maintained full-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.75 (roughly equivalent to an A) or better.

  • Phyllissa Mitzel of Alexander
  • Julia Lennon of Alexander
  • Kristian Natalizia of Alexander
  • Christian Haller of Alexander
  • Brendan Burgess of Batavia 
  • Rachel Gelabale of Batavia 
  • Alexandra Christopher of Batavia
  • Ryan Bowen of Batavia
  • Alexander Hunt of Batavia
  • Michelle Witherow of Batavia
  • Elizabeth Clark of Batavia 
  • Danielle Clark of Batavia
  • Allison Dent of Batavia
  • Christian DeSantis of Batavia 
  • Aden Chua of Batavia
  • Paul Daniszewski of Batavia
  • Duane Kross of Batavia
  • Ashley Hightower of Batavia 
  • Clara Wood of Batavia
  • Amanda Audelo of Batavia
  • Stacie Stein of Batavia 
  • Joseph Perl of Batavia 
  • Hailey Smith of Batavia
  • Blake Pahuta of Corfu 
  • Alec Skeet of Corfu 
  • Isabella Wheeler of Darien Center
  • Julia Yax of Darien Center 
  • Michael Miller of East Bethany 
  • Kyra Rhodes of Oakfield 
  • Heidi Burdick of Oakfield
  • Tyhler Wood of Oakfield
  • Kenneth Kline of Oakfield
  • Athena Mitchell of Oakfield 
  • Erica Scott of Stafford
  • Joan-Marie Gabalski of Byron 
  • Sean Whiting of Le Roy 
  • Mia Hampton of Le Roy 
  • Maverick Blachowicz of Le Roy 
  • Makayla Grant of Le Roy 
  • Willard Prevost of Le Roy 
  • Morgan Beverly of Le Roy 
  • Shaun Graham of Le Roy
  • Bryn Luckey of Le Roy 
  • Matthew Bolton of Le Roy 
  • Ian Kepple of Le Roy 
  • Colton Dziekan of Pavilion 
  • Dylan Wiedrich of Pavilion 
  • Lauren Russell of Pavilion
  • Alaina Rowe of Pavilion

Students named to SUNY Morrisville dean's list

By Press Release

Press Release:

SUNY Morrisville recently announced those students who were named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2023 semester. To be named to the Dean's List, a student must achieve a 3.0 to 3.99 grade-point average for the semester and complete 12 credit hours.

  • Cameron Clark of Batavia
  • Grayson Erion of Byron 
  • Ayden Riggi of Le Roy

Three students named to SUNY Morrisville dean's list

By Press Release

Press Release:

SUNY Morrisville recently announced those students who were named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2023 semester. To be named to the Dean's List, a student must achieve a 3.0 to 3.99 grade-point average for the semester and complete 12 credit hours.

  • Stenyah Pierre-Louis of Batavia
  • Wittlinger Bates of Byron
  • Stephen Hughes of Le Roy

 

Le Roy resident named to James Madison University president's list

By Press Release

Press Release:

Ellie Dambra of Le Roy has been named to the president's list at James Madison University for the fall 2023 semester. 

Students who earn president's list honors must carry at least 12 graded credit hours and earn a GPA of 3.900 or above. Dambra is majoring in Public Administration - BS.

Woodward Memorial Library forced to close during cold snap because of inefficient heat pumps after upgrade

By Howard B. Owens
woodward memorial library no heat le roy
Woodward Memorial Library in Le Roy on Monday evening.
Photo by Howard Owens.

UPDATE: The Woodward Memorial Library is open today (Tuesday, Jan. 23).

CLARIFICATION: The term "heat pump" was not used in the discussion, just "pumps."  In non-boiler, home heating, "heat pump" refers to the heating system itself.  The school district uses a boiler system with a pump that pumps heat to the library. In the story, we didn't use the term "heat pump" but for the sake of a shorter headline, used it in the headline.

Libraries should be a quiet place.

But you shouldn't need to bundle up to read a book or a magazine, surf the net, or browse through the stacks.

For five-and-half-days, the Woodward Memorial Library in Le Roy has been quiet, frigid, and, as a result, closed. 

The lack of heat is the result of an apparent miscommunication between a vendor, a designer, and an installer who last year was tasked with upgrades to the boiler systems that delivers heat to Wolcott Street School and the library.  The upgrades were an add-on to the Le Roy Central School District 2022-23, $12.1 million capital improvement project, which was possible after other expenses came in lower than estimated.

The district owns the library building but does not operate the library. The boilers for the library's heating system are in the elementary school.

The failure of the heating system wasn't apparent in the spring when the work was completed, over the summer, or during the unusually warm weather in the first part of this winter.

Now that temperatures have dropped drastically, district officials have discovered the boilers used to generate heat for Woodward have pumps on them that are incapable of pushing enough heat from Wolcott Street School to the library building.

Superintendent Merritt Holly told the Board of Education on Monday that there was an issue with the design specifications, an issue with the installer not communicating the proper information about the system back to the designer, and there is concern about the pumps themselves and whether they are working at specification.

The pumps are supposed to provide enough heat -- leaving Wolcott Street School at 140 degrees -- to heat the building, the loading dock, and the pedestrian sidewalk leading up to the building.

Holly said he anticipated a question from board members: Who is going to pay for the mistake?

"If everything checks out (on the design and installation), then we go back to really what should be a warranty issue, the motor not being right or if there's a defect," Holly said. "That's a very small percentage. If that's the case, I think it's going to come down to how the communication between the designer and the installer designer."

In other words, Holly expects either a manufacturer's warranty to cover the cost of both a temporary fix and a long-term solution, or for the designer or installer, or both, to pay those costs.

New motors for the pumps -- which would provide only a temporary fix -- are in stock in Buffalo, Holly said he was told Monday morning, so it's a matter of getting a crew from the installer to Wolcott Street School to replace the motors.  That should be soon, but Holly doesn't have a firm commitment yet on a date.

"Remember, this is a band-aid fix until we get off heating season (so a longer-term replacement system can be installed)," Holly said.

In the meantime, he's hoping temperatures rise a bit for a few days, which would enable the current system to get the library's interior temperature up to 65 degrees so the library could reopen.

The ineffective pumps are only on the boilers for the library. The school is not affected. Those boilers have new, appropriate pumps and motors.

"The best case scenario is that tomorrow, I get an answer that our installer has a crew within the next couple of days, and the motors for the pumps are where they say they are in Buffalo," Holly said. "When we get our hands on that, we can put together a timetable because, remember, (the library) is going to be closed down on that day."

Nate Yauchzee of Le Roy named to SUNY Potsdam president's list

By Press Release

Press Release:

Nate Yauchzee of Le Roy was recently named to the President's List at The State University of New York at Potsdam.

Yauchzee, majoring in Music Business, was among 809 students honored for academic excellence in the Fall 2023 semester. SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Suzanne Smith recognized the students for earning top marks.

To be on the President's List, each student must have satisfactorily completed 12 numerically graded semester hours, with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

SUNY Cortland announces Fall 2023 president's list

By Press Release

Press Release:

A total of 814 SUNY Cortland students earned President's List honors for the Fall 2023 semester. To qualify for the President's List, students must earn a grade of A- or better in each of their classes while carrying a course load of 12 hours or more.

Among those honored were:

  • Emma Efing of Le Roy (Adoles Educ-Social Studies)
  • Kaylie Kratz of Batavia (Incl Early Child Edu(B-2) WAIT)
  • Allie Schwerthoffer of Batavia (Healthcare Management)

Holly scores more than 40 points for third time this season in Le Roy win

By Staff Writer
le roy basketball
Adam Woodworth.
Photo by Carter Fix.

For the second straight game, Merritt Holly scored more than 40 points, leading Le Roy to a 70-53 win over Geneseo in Boys Basketball.

With 44 points, it's the third time this season that Holly scored more than 40 points in a game.

Holly also had 14 rebounds and was 21-28 from the field.

Jean Agosto also notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, adding four assists and two steals.

Adam Woodworth, six points and eight assists, Matthew Hockey, six points.

Jackson Willis scored 32 points for Geneseo, hitting four three-pointers.

le roy basketball
Alexander Spezzano.
Photo by Carter Fix.
le roy basketball
Merritt Holly.
Photo by Carter Fix.
le roy basketball
Photo by Carter Fix.
le roy basketball
Photo by Carter Fix.

Le Roy's Holly scored 27 against Perry

By Howard B. Owens
le roy basktball

Le Roy's Merritt Holly celebrated a birthday on Wednesday by scoring 28 points to lead the Knights to a 59-32 win over Perry.

Holly also had eight rebounds, two blocked shots, and a steal. She shot 13 of 16 from the field.

The Knights jumped out to a 17-0 lead to start the game before Perry scored late in the quarter.

Jean Agosto scored 10 points and Matthew Hockey scored 10 points.

 Le Roy improves to 6-2 while Perry falls to 0-7.

Photos and video by Carter Fix.

le roy basktball
le roy basktball
le roy basktball
le roy basktball
Remote video URL

Lighting up the sky on New Year's Eve in Le Roy

By Joanne Beck
Le Roy New Year's Eve 2023

Spectators enjoyed the annual fireworks display Sunday evening for a New Year's Eve "First Night" celebration in Le Roy. People lined the street and gathered near Farmer's Creekside Tavern and Inn to view the show along the banks of Oatka Creek. 

Photos by Nick Serrata

Le Roy NYE 2023
Le Roy NYE 2023-1
Spectators at Le Roy NYE fireworks
Le Roy NYE 2023-2
Le Roy fireworks outside of Creekside
Le Roy fireworks on NYE 2023
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The Barn Quilt Tree

By Lynne Belluscio
Barn Quilt
Photo submitted by Lynne Belluscio of her barn quilt tree

In the fall, when the LeRoy Music Boosters posted that they would be raising money by having businesses or families decorate trees on Trigon Park, I thought it would be a neat opportunity to include the Le Roy Barn Quilt Trail. 

After 10 years, since we first started the Le Roy Barn Quilt project to commemorate Le Roy’s Bicentennial, the project has been revitalized with the help of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Tourism Office. In fact,
the Barn Quilt Trail just received a prestigious award from the New York State Tourism Alliance.

So, I signed up for a tree and started painting small wooden squares with the Le Roy Barn Quilt designs. I knew that I wanted to include the Genesee Solar Eclipse design, and I made a couple of those with the 6-inch squares. And then I measured off the “Railroad Crossing” design from Crocker’s Hardware, and the new barn quilt that’s on No Finer Diner.

That was followed by “Jell-O Jigglers” and “Nancy’s Fancy” from the D and R Depot Restaurant. I also included the beautiful blue and purple design that was on Ruth Harvie’s garage. Some designs were just too small to transfer to the 6-inch squares, but I included “Dash Churn” from the Stein Farm, and a great apple design. I also wanted to include the design that is on the former home of Nancy and Bruce Baker on East Main Street. That wood square is only 4 inches square, and hangs from the top of the tree. I included the barn quilt that’s on the outside of the Stafford Town Hall and the “Women’s Rights” pattern that hangs in the Le Roy Village Hall. I loved including the new barn quilt design that hangs in the window of Mama Chavez’s Taqueria on Mill Street.

I was painting the red, white, and blue barn quilt that hangs on Irene’s Walter’s barn when I heard of her passing, so like some of the other trees on Trigon Park, this tree is a memorial tree. Just before I put back the paints, I decided to include the “Ingham Rose” barn quilt that is on Candy Bower’s house in Le Roy – an important part of Le Roy’s history. The wood squares had to be varnished and then drilled so they could be attached to the tree. That turned out to be a
bit more challenging than I hoped, but I had enough wood squares painted and varnished in time to hang on the tree.

As I was taking this photo, with the tree in the rain, I thought that this is a great
opportunity for folks who are looking for something to do with their families in the rain. Pick up a barn quilt map at Crocker’s Ace Hardware on Lake Street in Le Roy, or at the Woodward Memorial Library or the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Tourism office and go on a scavenger hunt to look for the big barn quilts. There are over 100 of them just in Le Roy and Stafford. And with the map, you can go up on line and learn all about the stories of the barns and the people and the barn quilts.

Lynne Belluscio is the historian for the town and village of Le Roy.

Totten leads Pembroke to Holiday Classic crown; Mendon tops Batavia, Avon defeats Le Roy

By Mike Pettinella

Sparked by Tyson Totten’s 25 points, Pembroke defeated host Akron, 50-47, on Wednesday night in the championship game of the Jack & Joyce Silvernail Holiday Classic boys’ basketball tournament.

Totten tallied 22 of his points in the second half to earn most valuable player honors. He also added six assists.

He was joined on the all-tournament team by fellow senior Avery Ferreira, who had eight points. Jayden Bridge chipped in with seven points and seven rebounds for the Dragons,

“We played solid on the defensive end … and needed to be good on that end because we struggled offensively in the first half,” Coach Matt Shay said. “And Tyson and Avery came alive though in the second half.

“I was very pleased with how the team handled adversity and especially with how my seniors stepped up.”

In other high school action last night:

-- Host Pittsford Mendon rode the outside shooting of Amari Coleman and Cayden Rathnam to a 66-46 boys’ basketball victory over Batavia.

Coleman connected for five three-point shots and Rathnam had four for Mendon, which led 31-23 at half and 50-37 after three quarters.

Justin Smith and Carter Mullen each scored 11 points for the Blue Devils.

-- Avon held Le Roy without a basket for the first six minutes of the fourth quarter and went on to a 42-34 win at Avon.

It was the first loss of the season for Le Roy, which trailed by just 31-29 entering the final period.

Merritt Holly Jr. led the Knights with 13 points while Matthew Hockey had nine points. Michael Rowland led Avon with 17 points.

Le Roy blows past Dansville in Boys Basketball

By Howard B. Owens

Le Roy entered the second quarter in their Friday night Boys Basketball matchup against Dansville down 12-10 and then Aaric Luce got hot, Le Roy took the lead and never looked back.

Luce scored 11 points in the second quarter, hitting a trio of three-pointers to give the Knights a 30-21 halftime lead.

Le Roy went on to win 61-43.

Luce finished with 11 points.  Merrit Holly scored 28 points and had 11 rebounds.  Matthew Hockey scored nine points and had three assists.

The Knights are now 4-0 on the year.

Le Roy First Baptist Church holds 'Blue Christmas' service

By Howard B. Owens
le roy First Baptist Church blue christmas

The season of joy sometimes carries notes of sadness for those who miss loved ones, whether those close to them passed recently or many years ago, and with that in mind, Le Roy First Baptist Church held a "Blue Christmas" service on Wednesday evening.

The service called on those in attendance at the annual service to remember those whom they miss and recall God's comforting love.

"We invite you to reflect on the pain, the loneliness, and the sadness; you may feel an offer to God or healing and transformation,' said Pastor Edris Hitchcock. "We pray that you will find hope and comfort to know that you are not alone."

After a service of Bible verses, poetry, responsive texts, and hymns, people were invited to light candles in remembrance of those dear to them who have passed.

Photos by Howard Owens.

le roy First Baptist Church blue christmas
le roy First Baptist Church blue christmas
le roy First Baptist Church blue christmas
le roy First Baptist Church blue christmas

Law and Order: Pair accused of leading officers on chase face drug and weapons charges

By Howard B. Owens

Tanner Bernard Wiley, 35, of Bennington Hills, Conn., is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle 3rd, obstructing governmental administration. Kimberly Ann Brodsky, 32, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd. When officers attempted to stop a vehicle reportedly driven by Wiley at 1:09 a.m. on Dec. 7, Wiley allegedly fled from the traffic stop, leading to a pursuit of the vehicle from the City of Batavia into the Town of Pembroke, where Wiley allegedly attempted to flee on foot. Wiley and Brodsky were held pending arraignment.

Robert Alva Wright, 64, of Brooklyn Street, Warsaw, Rick William Reed, 42, of Maiden Lane, North Java, and Jesse James Schmidt, are each charged with assault 2nd. The three men are accused of participating in an assault at 11:11 p.m. on Sept. 8 at 2630 Attica Road, Alexander, the location of the Hillside Tavern.  All three men were arraigned on Dec. 4 and released on their own recognizance. The incident was investigated by deputies Erik Andre and Kevin McCarthy.

Talia F. Joubert, 21, of Le Roy, is charged with DWAI Drugs, speeding, and two counts of harassment 2nd.  Joubert was arrested on Dec. 5 in connection with a traffic stop conducted by a Batavia patrol officer on Dec. 5 at an undisclosed time and location. Joubert is accused of striking two police officers while at the police station. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Brian C. Johnson, 26, of Cheektowaga, is charged with harassment 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd. Johnson allegedly engaged in a physical altercation with staff at UMMC while being treated in ER. He allegedly tried to flee police when officers attempted to take him into custody. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Wayne D. Potter, 40, of Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and harassment 2nd. He was arrested on Dec. 2 after an investigation by Batavia PD into an incident reported on Nov. 4 at an undisclosed time and undisclosed location where Potter allegedly fought with another person. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Cornelius Welch, 44, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Welch was allegedly found in possession of narcotics during a traffic stop by Batavia PD while Welch was riding his bicycle at an undisclosed location and at an undisclosed time. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Lisa Ann Centi, undisclosed age, undisclosed residential street, of Chili, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminal possession of a weapon 4th, false personation, insufficient signal, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd.  Centi was arrested following a traffic stop by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell at 9:58 p.m. on Dec. 1 on Forest Edge Drive, Batavia. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Kenniva Sharee Imoni Couser, 23, of Finch Street, Rochester, and Rickia Leshay Bryant, 25, of Clifford Avenue, Rochester, are charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and Bryant is charged with petit larceny. Couser and Bryant are accused of parking in a fire lane on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, at 2:51 p.m. on Dec. 6. There were reportedly children in the vehicle when the exterior temperature was 30 degrees.  The information related to the petit larceny charge was not released. Both were issued an appearance ticket. "Rickia Leshay Bryant" seems to be a name or a phrase.

Stacy Ramon Moss, 34, of Bates Road, Medina, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th, aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd, seeding, and driving without a license. Moss was charged following a traffic stop by Deputy Stephen Smith at 2:03 a.m. on Dec. 4 on Lewiston Road, Batavia. Moss was processed at the Genesee County Jail, issued tickets, and released.

Taylor Marie Goodenow, 21, of Route 5, Le Roy, is charged with burglary 2nd, menacing 3rd, and conspiracy 4th. Riley Lucas Semaj Robinson, 19, of Route 5, Le Roy, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal mischief 4th, criminal mischief 3rd, and criminal possession of a weapon 4th. Goodenow and Robinson are accused of entering an apartment in Pavilion by force at 3:43 a.m. on Dec. 3, menacing the occupants and causing property damage.

Matthew Ryan Bankes, 36, of Mayflower Street, Rochester, is charged with DWI and speeding. Bankes was stopped at 2:52 a.m. on Dec. 10 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen, by Deputy Ryan Mullen.  Bankes was issued an appearance ticket.

Sasha O. Wilson, 37, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wilson was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 4:15 p.m. on Dec. 11 in the Town of Batavia. Wilson was issued an appearance ticket. Troopers did not release further information.

Jeanie L. Graham, 38, of Rochester, is charged with bail jumping 3rd. Graham was arrested by State Police on Dec. 11 and ordered held on cash bail. Troopers did not release further information.

Le Roy teacher resigns, under police investigation, accused of violating fraternization policy

By Howard B. Owens

A Le Roy Central School District has resigned, and his conduct is being investigated by Le Roy Police, according to Superintendent Merritt Holly.

Holly issued a statement to The Batavian following an inquiry about the status of a possible investigation involving a teacher.

According to Holly, John Beckler resigned his teaching position on Tuesday following an investigation by the district.  Holly said the district determined that Beckler violated the district's staff-student relations (fraternization) policy by communicating with students via text message and social media on matters unrelated to school.

"The District also referred the matter to the Le Roy Police Department, which is conducting a separate investigation," Holly said. "The district is cooperating fully with that investigation.  Because that investigation is ongoing, we will not provide any further comment.  The District’s top priority is ensuring a safe learning environment for our students."

Holly invited anyone with additional information to contact Detective James Prusak at (585) 768 - 2527 ext. 2024 or via email - jprusak@leroypolice.org.

Le Roy voters approve $12.5 million in capital spending on facilities repairs and new sports field

By Howard B. Owens

Le Roy voters on Tuesday approved a $12.5 million capital improvement project that will fund facilities repairs and a new multipurpose sports field.

There were 517 residents who turned out for the vote, passing the measure 323 to 194.

Superintendent Merritt Holly said, "Thank you to all district residents who came out to vote."

Previously: Le Roy Central Schools reviewing $12.5 million capital project for facilities repairs, multipurpose sports field

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