Le Roy

About a year ago, Selby Davis, a lifelong Le Roy resident, became aware of something -- one in four area school children were receiving free or reduced-priced lunches and breakfasts.

"I figured out there were a lot of hungry people who needed food," Davis said.

Davis sits on the board of the Le Roy Christian Community Project. LCCP runs a backpack program, which sends food home with needy children on Fridays to ensure they have something nutritious to eat over the weekend.

With seed money from The Backpack Club, Davis started Grace's Kitchen, a weekly dinner at the Le Roy United Methodist Church, 10 Trigon Park, Le Roy. The meal is from 5 to 7 p.m. and is free to anybody who walks through the door.

Donations are always welcome from anybody who can afford to make a cash contribution.

In the one year since the kitchen was opened, 4,832 people have been served meals. The largest turnouts have been 210 meals in a night.

Most of the people who show up are older residents.

People have told Davis that the weekly meal is something they look forward to not just because it's free, but it's a chance to socialize and share a community meal.

"I have one table of elderly women who come every week," Davis said. "They stay from 5-7. One of the women is 97. It’s such a Godsend."

There are children in the community who benefit from the charity, and some of them come in for meals but most of the children are served by volunteers who deliver the meals to their homes.

Davis said the volunteers have been key to the success of Grace's Kitchen. Her e-mail list of volunteers is too long to count, she said. On a typical night, eight or nine people show up to work in the dining room, five in the kitchen and a couple to handle deliveries.

"The volunteers have come out of the woodwork," Davis said. "They're devoted. They've been here. They're friendly."

For the volunteers, it's as much about being with friends as serving the community they said.

"It’s really become like a family here," Pavilion resident Debbie Lathan said. "We get to know all the people who come through and when they’re not here, we ask about them and we worry about them. It’s just like a great big family of people that come together every week."

David Mancuso, also of Pavilion, agreed.

"It’s just enjoyable each week," he said. "You kind of look forward to it. You have a lot of fun with the people here and each other, and you really feel like you’re doing something good."

Davis plans each meal and oversees the preparation. Volunteers describe her cooking as fabulous.

There's been tremendous support from the Le Roy community for the program, Davis said. Pastors from various churches stop in and lead prayers; Le Roy Rotary has made donations and Tops donates day-old bread each Tuesday.

There's always a need to feed the hungry of Le Roy, Davis said, and donations are always appreciated.

"I want to say thank you for the support of the community," Davis said. "I hope we're going in another year and in another 20 years."

The menu for each week's meal is posted on LCCP's Facebook page.

Nancy Baker, of Le Roy, mixes the salad.

Debbie Lathan, Dave Mancuso and Nancy Baker.

Summit Street in the Village of Le Roy is shut down after a report of the smell of natural gas coming from a residence there. Le Roy Fire Department is on scene and did detect natural gas with their equipment but are unable to shut off the meter. The fuel company has been notified.

UPDATE 12:22 p.m.: RG&E is on scene.

UPDATE 12:28 p.m.: The gas meter is being shut down at the curb now.

UPDATE 12:29 p.m.: Pavilion fire, which was also called to the scene, is released and back in service. RG&E asked Le Roy to stay there.

UPDATE 12:33 p.m.: There is no longer an odor of natural gas coming from the residence and the commander is sending someone inside to get a reading to be sure it is safe.

UPDATE 12:38 p.m.: A firefighter reports the air inside 51 Summit St. is clear and no natural gas is detected.

UPDATE 12:54 p.m.: RG&E has successfully disconnected the natural gas main line from the residence at the curb. Le Roy fire is back in service. The roadway is reopened.

Stephanie A. Hotchkiss, 36, of 335 Bank St., Batavia, is charged with three counts of forgery, 2nd. Hotchkiss is accused of stealing three checks from a person she knew. She allegedly drafted the checks for $3,000 each. She allegedly cashed one and attempted to cash the other two. Hotchkiss was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Jeane M. Hoar, 29, of 419 S. Shore Blvd., Lackawanna, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hoar was stopped by Le Roy PD for allegedly making a left turn onto Main Street without a turn signal.

Ronald K. Smythe, 46, of 38 Church St., Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and driving with a suspended license. Smythe was stopped by Le Roy PD after allegedly being observed turning onto Church Street at a high rate of speed and without a turn signal. Smythe was allegedly found to have a BAC of .16.

Nicholas K. Gray, 19, Robert J. Wheeler, 19, and Blair W. Berg, 20, of 2 Olyn Ave., Batavia, are all charged with criminal nuisance for allegedly maintaining a premise where unlawful conduct occurs. Gray is also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The three men are accused of hosting an underage drinking party Saturday night. Batavia PD reports that officers have been dispatched to the same address previously for similar complaints. Besides Gray, Wheeler and Berg, 15 other people where charged with possession of alcohol under age 21. The names of the other people charged were not released.

Anita J. Stiles, 38, of 2731 Galloway Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Stiles is accused of pushing another person.

Nicholas Guy Williams, 36, of Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, unlawful possession of marijuana and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Williams was stopped at 7:21 p.m., Saturday, on Kelsey Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Brett Adam Scheuerlein, 18, of Richmond Avenue, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Scheuerlein was stopped at 7:20 p.m., Saturday, on West Main Street Road by Deputy Patrick Reeves and allegedly found in possession of marijuana.

Jenna L. Josephite, 24, of West Main Street Road, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th. Josephite is accused of returning stolen items to Target and taking in exchange two gift cards. Josephite then allegedly pawned the gift cards at Pawn King. Deputy Christopher Parker is conducting an investigation and additional charges may be pending in connection with similar activity at other stores.

Ameer K. Walker, 19, of Buffalo, and Hugo D. Smith, 22, of Buffalo, are charged with petit larceny and false personation. Walker and Smith allegedly stole from Kmart on Friday. The case is being handled by the State Police. No further details released.

Yes, of course, I went for a drive this morning.

Above, barn on Black Road, Le Roy.

Train tracks off Circular Hill Road, Le Roy.

Gulf Road, Le Roy.

Rocks in quarry off Gulf Road, Le Roy.

Quarry, Gulf Road, Le Roy.

Old steam shovel, off quarry, Gulf Road, Le Roy.

Off Circular Hill Road, Le Roy.

Chapel in Machphlah Cemetery, Le Roy.

An accident with a minor injury is reported in the area of 7904 E. Main Road, Le Roy.

Fire police requested to the scene to shut down East Main at Asbury Road,

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched. The ambulance can respond non-emergency.

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Five Star Bank has reimbursed $6,600 to Austin's Army -- a fundraising effort to assist a Pembroke teen struck with a rare form of cancer -- after a local woman allegedly made unauthorized withdrawals from the charitable account.

The alleged theft was discovered by Jason Heineman on Nov. 27.

Jodi M. Coe, 37, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Oakfield, was arrested in connection with the alleged theft and charged with 41 counts of possessing a forged instrument.

According to court documents, Coe allegedly acquired blank checks, drafted the checks in her name and forged Jason Heineman's signature on the checks.

Heineman wrote in an affidavit that he never wrote checks to Coe out of the Austin Army's account and that she was never authorized to write checks to herself.

The checks were all allegedly cashed between Oct. 7 and Nov. 5, while Heineman was in New York City with his son, Austin, who was in NYC for surgery and treatment.

The bank balance discrepancy was discovered by Heineman when he visited a Five Star branch in Dansville and needed to transfer funds to another account.

Upon requesting an account summary, Heineman noticed checks being cashed out of sequence. 

When confronted with an accusation by Heineman, Coe allegedly said she had a problem and was in over her head.

Later she allegedly told Heineman that she had a gambling problem.

According to documents, Heineman gave Coe an opportunity to reimburse the account and when that allegedly did not happen by Dec. 5 he contacted the Sheriff's Office.

Coe faces 36 counts in Batavia City Court of possession of a forged instrument and another five counts in the Town of Le Roy.

She is jailed without bail.

If convicted, Coe would likely be required to pay restitution and that restitution would be paid to Five Star Bank.

Austin Heineman still has ongoing medical expenses and anybody wishing to make a donation can contact Five Star Bank.

Jodi M. Coe, 37, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, is charged with 36 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd, in the City of Batavia and five counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd, in the Town of Le Roy. Coe was allegedly in possession of numerous checks containing forged signatures. Coe allegedly possessed the checks while at various locations within the City of Batavia and Town of Le Roy. Following arraignment in city court, Coe was ordered jailed without bail. Town of Batavia Court set her bail at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond.

Cassi Ann Schutt, 25, of West Crest Drive, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny. Schutt is accused of stealing $328.23 in merchandise from Kmart. When confronted by Kmart security, Schutt allegedly fled on foot. She was apprehended in the Tops parking lot after a brief foot chase. State Police assisted in the arrest. Investigation by Deputy Tim Wescott.

Rodney Lowee McKenzie, 48, of Buffalo, is charged with inhalation of hazardous inhalants. McKenzie was allegedly observed snorting inhalants while seated in a car in the Flying J parking lot. McKenzie was arrested by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Casino's has been a Le Roy staple since 1940.

That is the year the O'Geen brothers opened the restaurant.

Current owner, Mark Schildwester, who acquired the business six years ago, said the establishment will close its doors for the last time Feb. 20.

Schildwester said he's been trying to sell the restaurant, and one deal did fall through, but it's come time for him to let it go.

He'll keep the fixtures and equipment in place for a couple of months in case a buyer comes along, but after that he plans to hold an auction and then convert the space -- on Mill Street -- into office or retail space.

This week St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Le Roy kicks off a 12-week fund drive to raise money for building repairs and restoration.

Over the next three years, the ultimate goal is to raise $100,000 for the work that needs to be done.

The current building dates to 1872. Necessary repairs include a new boiler system, the repointing and sealing of some exterior stone walls of the church and the bell tower and repair of the protective frames on the church’s stained glass windows.

“A successful campaign will enable us to strengthen our church for its ministry now, and in the future,” says Robert Giacumo, campaign chair.

St. Mark’s ministry to the Le Roy community extends well beyond its beautiful worship space. The Sunshine Nursery School, a nonprofit preschool, has called St. Mark’s home for more than 20 years. The church building also provides meeting space for AA groups, scouting troops, community events, free musical concerts, and more.

St. Mark’s also actively supports the Le Roy Christian Community Project, the Backpack Club, Grace’s Kitchen, a free summer lunch program for children and teens at Mill Street Park, the Le Roy Food Pantry, and the Salvation Army.

You are always warmly invited to join in regular Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m.

Your gift of support, no matter the size, will help insure that St. Mark’s remains a vital place for worship and ministry to the wider community for years to come.

For more information regarding St. Mark’s Restoration and Capital Fund Campaign, please call the church office at 768-7200.

Raymond L. Leach Jr., who in August entered a guilty plea to criminal contempt is facing a new 16-account indictment for his alleged treatment of a local woman and his alleged sexual assault on an inmate at the Genesee County Jail.

Leach, 55, who was the subject of arrest reports in 2012 that listed his home address as both 29 Montclaire Ave., Batavia, and Munson Street in Le Roy, is accused of committing crimes in August (just five days after his conviction in county court) and November, 2012.

The Grand Jury of Genesee County indicted him on five counts of criminal contempt, 1st, a Class E felony, four counts of aggravated criminal contempt, a Class D felony, two counts of harassment, 2nd, a violation, and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse, 1st, a Class B felony.

On Aug. 14, Leach allegedly called a woman and told her, "I will kill you if I find out otherwise." An order of protection had reportedly been issued prior to the call.

The alleged incident accounts for the first four charges in the indictment.

On Aug. 15, Leach allegedly had contact with the same woman, in violation of the order of protection.

On that same day, Leach allegedly either struck, shoved and kicked the woman, or threatened to physically attack her.

The alleged incidents of Aug. 15 account for seven counts of the indictment.

On Nov. 21, Leach allegedly forced a toothbrush up the anus of another inmate, causing physical injury to the person. The inmate was allegedly asleep at the time.

The alleged incident in the jail accounts for five charges on the indictment.

Our first arrest report on Leach was in 2008, when Leach was accused of making a threatening phone call.

Police have completed an investigation into a report of a shot being fired near a home on Keeney Road, Le Roy, on Jan. 11 and charged a resident of the street with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

Howard Clarence Schultz, 54, was also charged with two counts of illegal discharge of a weapon within 500 feet of a residence.

Deputies and state troopers responded the night of Jan. 11 after a Keeney Road resident reported a shot fired near his home and even thought a person with a gun had been on his porch.

Keeney Road was closed by officers and there were some tense moments as they observed a person in a house who they believed had a gun.

After several minutes the man came out and the situation was resolved without further incident.

Initially, Schultz was arrested on a warrant out of the Town of Greece.

Schultz reportedly has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

The two counts stem from the alleged Jan. 11 incident and from an allegation that Schultz possessed a firearm while hunting Dec. 5.

Schultz was issued an appearance ticket and is ordered to appear in Town of Le Roy Court on Feb. 19 for arraignment.

The incident and investigation were handled by Deputy Frank Bordonaro, Deputy Howard Butler, Deputy Joseph Graff, Deputy Eric Seppala, Sgt. Ron Meides, Trooper Holly Hanssel and Trooper Mark Catanzaro, Trooper Ryan Dulkiewicz and Environmental Conservation Officer Rick Rauscher.

Russell P. Cessna, 25, of 18 Pleasant St., Le Roy, will spend somewhere near the next 15 years in state prison.

Cessna was sentenced in county court this morning for burglarizing more than a dozen homes in Genesee County.

As District Attorney Lawrence Friedman told Judge Robert C. Noonan, if Cessna received the maximum sentence under his plea agreement, he would spend less than a year in jail for each of his crimes.

Three of Cessna's victims told Noonan how Cessna's burglaries had changed their lives forever.

"I don't like that I don't trust people anymore," said one victim. "I don't like that I don't like seeing cars parked in front of my house because I don't know if somebody is looking at my house because they want to take something from me."

The victim suggested that when Cessna gets out of prison, he be required to do 2,080 hours of community service to reimburse the government for all the resources used to investigate, prosecute and incarcerate him.

Another victim said Cessna stole her wedding ring (custom designed by her husband, which she wasn't wearing during her pregnancy) and her graduation ring.

"He took away the two things that meant the most me and something that can't be replaced," she said.

Another victim also said he has become more distrustful and worried about people coming onto his property.

"You're going to have a lot of time in the next 1,800 to 5,400 days of your life," the victim said. "You'll be able to think about why you did what you did and why you didn't just get a job."

Noonan also received letters from friends and family who support Cessna, but there was also a letter Cessna wrote to a former girlfriend and obtained by the District Attorney's Office that Noonan characterized as "vile."

The letter was discussed extensively by Friedman and defense attorney Jerry Ader.

The letter was written shortly after Cessna's arrest at a time, Ader said, when Cessna was coming down from a severe heroin addiction. Cessna was unhappy with his former girlfriend for something she did that was unrelated to his criminal case.

Ader argued that the letter shouldn't be used as evidence of Cessna's character, yet he couldn't deny that it's a part of who his client is. But he's also a person with friends and family who support him, the attorney said.

"The letters do not paint my client in some rainbow," Ader said. "He is somebody who is troubled, who, while he may not admit it, has mental health issues, issues that run in his family and a drug problem that runs in his family. I'm not saying that excuses him. It explains him."

Local law enforcement caught up with Cessna July 31 as part of an undercover operation that located Cessna in the act of burglarizing a home on Summit Street, Batavia. He accepted a guilty plea to two counts of burglary, 2nd, on Jan. 16.

According to Friedman, Cessna cooperated with investigators from four different law enforcement agencies, admitting to a string of burglaries. Friedman said that cooperation did more to help Cessna himself than it helped law enforcement, because by admitting to the crimes, Cessna avoids possible separate prosecution later on new charges.

Cessna read a handwritten statement to Noonan.

"I wish I could take it all back, but it's too late now," Cessna said, adding later that he knows his actions were selfish. "I'm sorry. I hope they (his victims) can forgive me."

Noonan said Cessna's statement was "a reasonable response for somebody who has committed terrible acts against strangers."

But then there is that letter to Cessna's former girlfriend.

"The letter submitted that was written to a former girlfriend is one of the most vile things I've ever read as part ofa pre-sentence package," Noonan said. "Whether it represents who Mr. Cessna is or, as his attorney said, a part of Cessna, that this man would write such a very, very disturbing letter tells me a lot about the person I am about to sentence."

Cessna was also ordered to pay $32,107.15 in restitution.

A man tried this week on a criminal contempt charge had to be restrained by deputies yesterday afternoon after a jury found him guilty.

Security measures were in place from the start of the trial of Jon Nelson Roblee, 37, of Linwood Road, Le Roy. He wore a weighted boot to inhibit his ability to flee and the defense table was angled toward the jury in such a way, with a skirt around it, that jurors would not be able to see any restraints that might have been placed on him (none where during the trial).

After he was pronounced guilty, Roblee became fixated on the two people who were the victims of his refusal to obey a court order, according to Deputy John Baiocco.

"He stood up and pointed and started yelling that it was a conspiracy to commit murder and took a step towards them," Baiocco said. "He had to be physically restrained."

Baiocco and Deputy Daniel Van Valkenburg grabbed Roblee, and with the assistance of Sgt. Bill Scott, Van Valkenburg cuffed Roblee. He was immediately returned to the Genesee County Jail.

Roblee was indicted on the criminal contempt, 1st, charge in June for calling a person protected by a court order and telling the victim, "I am going to get you and him, too, if it takes the rest of my life."

In October 2011, Roblee was arrested and charged with menacing, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. He was accused of throwing a coffee pot at a victim, cutting a victim's hand, and displaying two knives at a pair of victims and threatening to kill them.

Sentencing on yesterday's jury conviction is set for 1:30 p.m., March 19.

Thomas Ianello Jr., 27, of 8 St. Marks St., Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, 4th, and petit larceny. Ianello is accused of wrongfully possessing a debit card belonging to another person and then using that debit card to make withdrawals. Ianello was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Cara Leigh Skye, 24, of South Loop, Steamburg, is charged with a felony count of bail jumping. Skye allegedly failed to appear for a court case in Alabama Town Court. Bail was set at $6,000.