Pavilion

Information provided by Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Pavilion Central School.

Students at Pavilion Central School are being treated to a delicious BBQ beef lunch on Wednesday, May 23, in recognition of their achievements in the recent Top Cut Beef Contest.

The catered lunch is being provided by the New York State Beef Council and New York Agriculture in the Classroom.

Ag in the Classroom is co-hosting the lunch later this month because Pavilion students established three Tower Gardens (aeroponic systems) thanks to a Grow with Us grant from Ag in the Classroom. They are growing strawberries, lettuce, Swiss chard, tomatoes, basil and cucumbers.

Pavilion's eighth-grade Family Consumer Science students placed first in the Middle School Division of the Top Cut Beef Contest for their product, "Grab-A-Bull's Beefy Sliders."

It was the only school in Genesee County to place in the top five of the Middle School Division.

In the High School Division, Pavilion's 12th-grade Family Consumer Science class placed second for their "Gourmet Beef and Tatar Bites."

Both classes are taught by Catherine Johnston.

Pavilion won a total of $350, thus purchasing a Weber grill for their Family Consumer Science classroom.

A class taught by Kerri Richardson at the Agri-Business Academy at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center received an Honorable Mention in the High School Division for their "Texas Beef Chili -- Chili con Carne."

About the Top Cut Beef Contest

Slow-roasted beef brisket sandwiches, flaming maple beef jerky, and a Texas chuck roast chili were just a few of the delicious recipes developed, tested, and tasted in the debut of the Top Cut Beef Contest for middle and high school students.

Students and teachers in grades six through 12 were exposed to beef production and nutrition with this experiential learning competition by developing a marketing strategy for a food product of their choice and design.

Every classroom was equipped with a "True Beef: From Pasture to Plate" DVD, the True Beef Educator Guide, lesson plans, and consumer guides to better understand the many cuts of beef and their best uses.

Schools were paired with a local beef producer who mentored the students through the process of beef production or supplied the beef necessary for the project. In this hands-on experience, students were exposed to careers in the beef industry and learned about safe food-handling practices.

Participants created beef-centric recipes which they made and tested with their target audience. Submissions included sandwiches, stews, meatballs, and even jerky.

The creativity with this contest was unlimited as students filmed their own commercials and designed websites to market their products.

One of the judges, Ken Krutz, manager of Empire Livestock and board member of New York Beef Council, said of the entries, "I was amazed at the talent and innovation our youth put into their projects. It was an honor to be a judge for the Top Cut Beef Contest."

A total of 30 entries were submitted for judging by a panel of beef producers and industry experts. Each entry was scored based on the product, the market analysis, the marketing plan, and the beef nutrition analysis.

The first-place classroom in each division received $250, second place earned $100, and third place earned $50; all receive a banner to display their achievement, and the first-place teams, like Pavilion's eighth-graders, are also receiving a catered barbeque lunch from the New York Beef Council.

New York State Beef Council thanked participating schools for increasing the agricultural literacy of their students. "It is our hope that they will grow an appreciation of New York’s food system and gain exposure to the many careers available in agriculture," the council stated.

(To enter your classroom in a future contest, or to volunteer your time as a mentor, please contact nyaitc@cornell.edu.)

Grow With Us Grant

Below is the letter Pavilion Central School teacher Catherine Johnston received from Katie Carpenter, director, New York Agriculture in the Classroom, regarding the Grow with Us Grant.

"Congratulations! You have been selected as a recipient of the Grow with Us Grant from New York Agriculture in the Classroom. Your grant application communicated your school’s need, interest, and commitment to providing healthy food and food system education to your students. The applicant pool for this program was deep and competitive; less than 25 percent of the submitted proposals were funded. You should be proud of your achievement in this difficult selection process.

You have been awarded three Tower Garden aeroponic systems.

Within the next week you will be receiving an emailed link. It will be important for you to thoroughly read the information about accepting the grow system, provide an accurate shipping address, and confirm your contact information. This will be essential to ensuring your grow system is shipped and received in a timely manner. Once this information is received, you will be provided additional information about the shipment of your grow system.

We are excited to work with you and your school as you extend your growing season throughout the entire school year. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Again, congratulations on your success in the Grow with Us Grant program."

Press release:

New York State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has announced today $325,000 in state funding to support a Water Storage Tank Improvement Project in the Town of Pavilion. 

“Clean drinking water isn’t a luxury for our families, it’s essential. I am pleased to secure state funding to ensure safe drinking water for residents in the Town of Pavilion. This landmark investment will make it possible to extend water services to over 200 households that don’t have access now,” Ranzenhofer said. 

The project will expand access to public water for 232 households in the Town of Pavilion. The project will also provide additional water storage tank protection during emergency conditions to 90 homes already connected to public water along Asbury, Walker, York, Perry, and South Street Roads in the Town of Pavilion.

“Senator Ranzenhofer is working to make water service possible for many homes desperately in need of a safe, reliable water supply, and this state funding will help to make our Town’s water improvement project a reality,” said Town of Pavilion Supervisor Dean Davis. 

The Town of Pavilion Water Storage Tank Improvement Project consists of replacing and relocating an existing water storage tank that has deteriorated beyond repair. The new water storage tank will have an estimated capacity of approximately 300,000 gallons. It will be located on York Road in the Town of Pavilion. 

The Town of Pavilion will host a public hearing today at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 1 Woodrow Drive, to provide more information about the project to residents.

A fire is reported at 6875 Ellicott Street Road, Pavilion.

The fire reportedly started with an ATV in a shop. A house is 20 feet from the shop.

Ellicott Street Road is being closed.

Pavilion fire, Stafford fire, Bethany fire, Le Roy fire, and Alexander's Fast Team dispatched.

UPDATE 10:20 p.m.: The fire started with a four-wheeler in the shop and the first unit on scene reported a fully involved structure fire, according to Pavilion Chief Dewey Murrock. "It was pretty intense heat," Murrock said. "The first truck in, we watered down the house and then watering down the garage." (The siding of the house sustained heat damage.)

In addition to the ATV, two tractors and another piece of farm equipment were lost.  

UPDATE 10:35 p.m.: Route 63 is being reopened.

UPDATE: Photos submitted by Judy Johnson

A passerby reports a large brush fire in the area of 9779 South Street Road, near Black Street Road, Pavilion.

The fire is reportedly heading toward a barn.

Pavilion fire dispatched.

Jerod Matthew Baltz, 38, of Sparks Road, Pavilion, is charged with rape, 1st, and criminal sexual act, 1st. Sparks is accused of sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion on March 18 at a location on Sparks Road, Pavilion.

He was arraigned in Town of Pavilion Court and put in Genesee County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail. 

A school bus was reportedly rear-ended by a vehicle at the railroad crossing on Route 63 in Pavilion.

Minor injuries are reported.

Pavilion fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 8:12 a.m.: Mercy EMS can respond non-emergency. One Mercy rig is back in service.

UPDATE 8:33 a.m.: Pavilion is back in service. Mercy EMS is transporting patients to Strong hospital.

Jonathan P. Balaz, 41, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with falsely reporting an incident, 2nd. Balaz is accused of pulling the fire alarm at DePaul Properties, 555 E. Main St., Batavia, at 4:37 p.m. Friday when there was no fire or another emergency. (Balaz was recently arrested on two similar accusations.)

Rachael Marie Lochner, 23, of Janice Drive, Rochester, is charged with: felony DWI (driving drunk with a child less than 16 in the vehicle); driving with a BAC of .18 or greater; failure to keep right; and moving from lane unsafely. Lochner was involved in an accident on South Street Road, Pavilion, at 1:41 p.m., April 4. Her vehicle reportedly left the roadway and struck two fences, causing property damage, to two other vehicles and a building. The accident was investigated by deputies Andrew Mullen and Kevin McCarthy.

Rueben O. Walker, 33, of Ellicott Street, Rochester, is accused of criminal possession of stolen property, 4th, and criminal impersonation, 2nd. Walker is accused of using a debit card belonging to another person, claiming he knew the person but did not have permission to possess or use the card. He was jailed without bail.

Shaquille Levon Davis, 25, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Davis allegedly damaged a door during an argument at a residence on Highland Park at 2:45 p.m., Thursday. He was ordered held on bail.

Robert D. Griffin Sr., 39, no listed address, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Griffin is accused of violating an order of protection at a location on Manhattan Avenue at 7:50 p.m. Saturday.

Antonio M. McKinney, 43, of Gibson Street, Buffalo, is charged with DWI. McKinney was arrested after Officer Christopher Lindsay responded to Speedway at 4:24 p.m. Saturday to investigate a report of a larceny. Upon investigation, it was determined that McKinney allegedly drove to Speedway in an intoxicated condition. He was jailed without bail.

Kevin Angel Rivera, 23, of Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Rivera is accused of pushing another person and punching that person in the face during an argument at College Village at 4 p.m. Sunday.

NOTE: Readers, if you have weather-related photos, photos related to anything in this post, email them to howard@thebatavian.com

A tree is down, partially blocking the roadway at 10840 Bowen Road in Alexander. Alexander firefighters are responding with a chainsaw to cut the tree and remove it.

In the area of the Log Cabin Restaurant, a transformer and three or four power lines are down in the roadway. The location is 1227 Gilmore Road. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding. National Grid is notified; no ETA -- "They're obviously are dealing with multiple issues."

Wires and/or tree branches are reported down on Whitney Mill Road in Elba.

UPDATE 10:41 a.m.: A tree and wires are down and entangled at 3583 Batavia Oakfield Townline Road.

UPDATE 10:43 a.m.: Tree down across the roadway at 9555 Beaver Road, Alexander.

UPDATE 10:44 a.m.: Tree and/or wires down on Francis Road, between Brown Road and Route 20, Bethany.

UPDATE 10:46 a.m.: Tree and wires down at 2781 Shelby Road. Oakfield Fire Department responding.

UPDATE 10:50 a.m.: DPW requested by City Fire to Cherry and Pringle for a large limb down blocking the roadway.

UPDATE 10:54 a.m.: National Grid is reporting 10 areas in Genesee County with power outages. The largest, 41 customers, is in Pavilion, in the area of Texaco Town. In Elba, Townline Road is being shut down at Pekin Road for a tree down.

UPDATE 10:59 a.m.: A tree has fallen into a residence at 3189 W. Main Street Road, Batavia. East Pembroke Fire dispatched.

UPDATE 11 a.m.: A semi-truck rollover accident is reported on Route 77 in front of Darien Lake Theme Park. Unknown injuries. Unknown cargo. Darien Fire dispatched.

UPDATE 11:04 a.m.: A large pine tree is reportedly down across the road in the area of 3525 Rose Road, Batavia. On Darien truck accident, truck is empty, no injuries, no fuel spill. Darien Fire can respond non-emergency.

UPDATE 11:08 a.m.: There is a power outage in East Pembroke with 40 customers without service. In Pembroke, a poll with a transformer is leaning with low hanging wires in front of Yancys Fancys.

UPDATE 11:23 a.m.: A box truck rollover accident is reported on Route 77 at McGregor Road, Darien. Injuries are reported. There are reportedly two occupants in the truck. Darien Fire dispatched. A chief is requesting that Route 77 be shut down to truck traffic.

UPDATE 11:27 a.m.: Route 5 is being shut down for westbound traffic at Route 77.

UPDATE 11:30 a.m.: Wires in trees with flames is reported on Dodgeson Road and Seward Road, Alexander. Alexander Fire responding.

UPDATE 11:35 a.m.: A tree and wires down, no fire, in the area of 2257 Countyline Road, Darien.

UPDATE 11:46 a.m. There is reportedly a car on tree branches and wires with a fuel leak in the area of 2023 Indian Falls Road, Pembroke. There are occupants in the vehicle. East Pembroke fire responding. No sparks are flames. Wires down at 118 E. Main St., Le Roy. A tree is down and blocking at Circular Hill Road and Wilcox Road, Byron.

UPDATE 12:10 p.m.: A tree is down on a house on Union Street. No structural damage. No wires down but it looks like the rest of the tree might come down soon.

UPDATE 12:13 p.m. A tree has come down on a gray Toyota Avalon at the McDonald's in Le Roy. It's unoccupied. Unknown owner at this time.

UPDATE 12:15 p.m.: In Alabama, 90 National Grid customers are without power.

UPDATE 12:20 p.m.: If we've got the right call here, occupants extricated at incident on Indian Falls Road.

UPDATE 12:24 p.m.: A dispatcher informs a Sheriff's patrol supervisor that there is a long list of pending hazardous conditions calls.

UPDATE 12:28 p.m.: A tractor-trailer rollover is reported in Pavilion on Route 63 at Court Road. Pavilion fire dispatched. Unknown injuries. Unknown cargo.

UPDATE 12:35 p.m.: Route 63 is being shut down. The driver can't be located. A pole with transformer is broken. The location is in Wyoming County. A Wyoming County deputy is in route. There is a fuel leak.

UPDATE 12:37 p.m.: The driver is in a pickup truck parked roadside.

UPDATE 12:38 p.m.: Oakfield fire is dispatched to 7001 Lewiston Road, the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District, bus garage, for a fire alarm in the gas island.

UPDATE 12:41 p.m.: On Pavilion truck accident, Mercy ambulance can continue non-emergency. Probably a sign-off. The trailer is empty. Small fuel spill to clean up.

UPDATE 12:46 p.m.: Westbound Route 5 in Le Roy is being shut down by Le Roy fire at York Road. We didn't catch the reason.

UPDATE 12:50 p.m.: Limb down on Pringle Avenue, Batavia. No electrical lines involved.

UPDATE 1:01 p.m.: A two-car accident is reported at Buffalo Street and Attica Road, Alexander. Alexander fire dispatched. Unknown injuries. A large tree is down on South Main Street. South Main is being closed at River and at Dewey.

UPDATE 1:13 p.m.: Wires arcing, 8503 Lover's Lane Road. East Pembroke fire dispatched.

UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: Tree down blocking on Gilbert Street, Batavia. Also, State Street is being blocked.

UPDATE 1:22 p.m.: Photo submitted by Cherie Chatt of a tree down on a house in Oakfield.

There is also a tree down on wires at 2781 E. Shelby Road. Oakfield Fire Police on scene.

UPDATE 1:25 p.m.: Tractor-trailer rollover accident reported at 6744 Quaker Hill Road, Elba. Unknown injuries. Unknown cargo. Elba fire dispatched.

UPDATE 1:28 p.m.: Reader-submitted photo of tree down on South Main Steet, Batavia.

UPDATE 1:31 p.m.: Power outage in Elba, 316 customers without power. 

UPDATE 1:37 p.m.: Tree down on Fisher Road, Oakfield.

UPDATE 1:44 p.m.: Law enforcement dispatched to Lewiston Road in the area of the Thruway overpass for a report of a person in black pants and a black jacket with red hat looking in mailboxes.

UPDATE 2:23 p.m.: Traffic lights are out in the city at Main and Oak streets.

UPDATE 2:54 p.m.: Photo of Lewiston and Main, Batavia, about 30 minutes ago. There were strong winds and heavy snow for a short period. Every traffic light on West Main is out of service.

UPDATE 3:52 p.m.: It was a very busy day for emergency dispatchers. Sheriff William Sheron shared the photos below from one of the busy times. The call rate has slowed considerably over the past hour or so.

UPDATE 6:21 p.m.: Photo submitted by a reader, 40 Church St., Le Roy.

UPDATE 6:39 p.m.: Mari Egloff submitted these photos of trees down in her yard in Alexander.

UPDATE: Dayne Burroughs and Pamela Reinhardt shared the pictures below of damage at St. Joe's Cemetery.

The case of Beniluis Ruiz, the former Pavilion resident whose sex abuse conviction was overturned on appeal, was continued until April 27 in Genesee County Court this morning. The continuation will give Ruiz time to decide whether he will hire a private attorney to represent him or ask the Public Defender's Office to handle his case.

Ruiz's 2015 conviction was overturned and a new trial ordered after an appeals court found that some parts of an expert witness's testimony was used in a way that implied guilt rather than simply explained the typical actions and responses of child sex abuse victims and perpetrators. 

Assistant District Attorney Kevin Finnell, who prosecuted Ruiz the first time around, told Judge Charles Zambito that if the case were to go to trial, the people are ready for trial.

When the appeals court overturned Ruiz's conviction, the court also ordered Ruiz be released from prison. He was serving the final few months of a four-year term imposed by then-Judge Robert C. Noonan. 

Prior to sentencing in 2015, Ruiz was out of jail under supervision of Genesee Justice. Today, Zambito returned Ruiz to the supervision of the agency and issued a new order of protection for the alleged victim in the case.

At his 2015 sentencing, Ruiz maintained he did not commit a crime.

Inductees in the 2018 Batavia Career and Technical Center's National Technical Honor Society.

Submitted photo and press release:

This month, the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) Chapters inducted 49 career and technical students from Batavia Career and Technical Education Center.

Evening candlelight ceremonies took place at Elba High School.

These students met the rigorous criteria set forth by this national organization. The minimum grade point average for acceptance is a 3.0. Students are also selected based upon credit hours completed, attendance, volunteer service, and membership in other student organizations.

The Batavia Career and Technical Education Center is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York State. 

The 2018 Batavia Career and Technical Education Center NTHS Inductees:

Agri-Business Academy

Almadelia Salinas Guzman          Pavilion

Jade Vogel                                   Pavilion

Animal Science

Sarah Murray                               Caledonia-Mumford

Auto Technology

Hannah Tiede                              Batavia

Building Trades

Nicholas Bonamici                      Attica

Christian Bradt                            Oakfield-Alabama

Zachary Heaton                          Attica

Dylan Lang                                 Pembroke

Anthony Leitten                          Le Roy

Eric Lewis                                   Pavilion

Jordon Ludwig                            Pembroke

Breanna Montford                       Attica

Julius Ohlson                              Oakfield-Alabama

Karl Steffenilla                            Pavilion

Lucas Stucchio                           Byron-Bergen

Cosmetology

Hayle Conte                                Le Roy

Kayla Heinlein                            Pembroke

Emma Hopfinger                        Attica

Elizabeth Kowalski                     Elba

Shelby Ulm                                 Attica

Criminal Justice

Shawn Busch                              Attica

Cyle Felski                                  Pembroke

Amanda Knauss                         Pembroke

Electronics

Cole Ackert                                 Attica

Benjamin Bowman                     Byron-Bergen

Dwight Czworka                         Attica

Dominic Donley                          Batavia

Seth George                               Alexander

Thomas Pattridge                       Alexander

Chase Roth                                Alexander

Joshua Schulik                           Caledonia-Mumford

Mary Snyder                               Pavilion

Graphic Arts

Caleb Cottone                            Pembroke

Hannah Stockschlaeder             Attica

Health Careers Academy

Kaitlin Ange                               Batavia

Brionna DeMichel                      Byron-Bergen

Kaitlyn Freeman                        Pembroke

Melissa Jarnot                           Attica

Health Dimensions

Summer Anderson                    Caledonia-Mumford

Taylore Dorman                        Pembroke

Samantha Feldmann                Alexander

Nicole Welka                             Byron-Bergen

Justice Academy

Tyler Wood                               Pembroke

Metal Trades

Matthew Kurowski                    Attica

Anthony McMaster                   Batavia

Andrey Musiyevich                   Caledonia-Mumford

Anthony True                            Pavilion

Programming and Interactive Media

Donovan Kelley                        Caledonia-Mumford

Taylor Tyczka                           Attica​

The 2015 conviction of a Pavilion man on sexual abuse charges has been thrown out on an appeal because of what the court deemed the improper use of testimony by an expert witness.

The State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department, ordered that Beniluis Ruiz receive a new trial on counts of first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of criminal sexual act in the third degree, as well as five other counts in his original indictment.

The court ordered Ruiz released from prison last week, about nine months shy of his scheduled release on his four-year prison term. He's scheduled to appear in Genesee County Court on March 30 for further proceedings in his case.

Ruiz was convicted following a jury trial in 2015. At his sentencing before Judge Robert C. Noonan, now retired, Ruiz maintained he was innocent.

In the trial, Assistant District Attorney Kevin Finnell called on an expert witness to testify about the symptoms commonly exhibited by children who have been sexually abused.

That testimony would explain to a jury some of the seemingly contradictory behavior of a child who has been sexually abused. For example, they won't necessarily tell a mother immediately, or they might recant statements later -- what the court referred to as admissible evidence regarding a "pattern of secrecy, helplessness, entrapment [and] accommodation."

This expert, however, also testified about a perpetrator's conduct, which the court found was used to point to the defendant's guilt rather than as just an explanation of conduct.

"The expert explained 'grooming' and other behaviors associated with perpetrators of child sexual abuse," the court stated in its ruling. "Her detailed description of a typical perpetrator’s modus operandi, moreover, closely tracked the victim’s testimony concerning defendant’s conduct, and the prosecutor on summation urged the jury to conclude that defendant’s interactions with the victim fit the description of a typical perpetrator’s conduct as described by the expert.

"In sum, that part of the testimony of the expert describing the conduct of a typical perpetrator was not directed at explaining the victim’s behavior. Rather, it was presented 'for the purpose of proving that the [victim] was sexually abused.' "

Chad Freeman was named Pavilion fire's Firefighter of the Year, but he's on vacation so he couldn't be at the award's ceremony and dinner on Saturday night, so he got a picture of Chief Dewey Murrock and emcee Josh Finler, from Le Roy fire, holding his award.

Doug Logsdon became the fourth current member of the Pavilion Fire Department to reach the milestone of 50 active years of service. The awards were presented by Doug Wright, also a 50-year active member.

Kathleen Wright received the Life Member Award, presented by David Wright.

The department also installed its 2018 officers.

Department officers are: Dewey Murrock, chief; John Weis, 1st assistant chief; DR Roblee, 2nd assistant chief; captains Tyler Schiski, Mike Wright, Chad Freeman, Josh Mess, and Bryen Murrock; lieutenants Kelly Kraft, Nick Saravullo, Jason True, and Nick Taylor; Gerald Feurch, fire police captain; and Bill Kegler and Nick Wright are safety officers.

The social officers are: Donna Davis, president; Paul Dougherty, vice president; Bill Carrigan, treasurer; Kathy Wright, recording secretary; and Kelly Kraft, financial secretary.

A former Pavilion resident held a press conference in Buffalo today and said that he was abused by a priest at St. Mary's in Pavilion when he was 16 years old in 1980.

Wayne Bortles said that Father Robert P. Conlin, who was appointed pastor of St. Mary's in 1977, abused him in a basement of the rectory recreation room where youth gatherings were sometimes held, according to WBEN.

"He touched me all over, and he wouldn't stop," Bortles said.

Conlin died in 1997 and is one of at least four Catholic priests with ties to Genesee County who have been accused of sexual misconduct.

This week the Diocese of Buffalo released a list of 42 priests who served in Western New York who have been accused of sexual misconduct.

Included on the list were Father Donald W. Becker, who served two terms at St. Mary's and has denied any wrongdoing, Father Fred Ingalls, who served at St. Joseph's from 1974 to 1982 and from 1990 to 1996, and Father Richard Keppeler, who was appointed to St. Brigid in Bergen in 1973, became pastor there in 1974 and served until his retirement in 2003. He died in 2011.

Ingalls admitted in Federal Court in 2004 to the acquisition of child pornography.

Conlin's name is not on the list released by the Diocese, which only includes names of those who were removed from the ministry as a result of allegations, were retired or left the ministry after being accused of sexual misconduct. It also includes the names of priests who died with two or more allegations against them.

Before today, Bortles had not made a public allegation against Conlin.

Today, Bishop Richard J. Malone issued a videotaped apology for the sexual misconduct of priests in the diocese (embedded below).

Bortles said an apology wasn't enough.

 "I don't know how an apology would impact me," Bortles said. "I mean, the sentiment is nice, but there is more, obviously, that needs to be done." 

Bortles said the parish social hall in Pavilion is named after Conlin and there is a large picture of him in the hall. He thinks the hall should be renamed and the picture removed.

He believes there were other victims of Conlin in Pavilion and that they should come forward.

Here's a PDF of the list released by the Diocese.

Phillips S. Muzzy Jr. is indicted for the crime of third-degree burglary, a Class D felony. It is alleged that on Oct. 22 at about 12:45 a.m. that he knowingly unlawfully entered  the Pavilion Farms gas station on South Lake Road in Pavilion with the intent to commit a crime. In count two, he is accused of second-degree criminal mischief, also a Class D felony, for allegedly intentionally damaging property belonging to others. Muzzy allegedly damaged a glass door, computerized cash register system and cash drawer, in an amount exceeding $1,500. In count three, the defendant is accused of petit larceny, a Class A misdemeanor, for allegedly stealing property from Pavilion Farms. In count four, Muzzy is accused of another count of third-degree burglary on the same day. He is accused of knowingly and unlawfully entering another gas station, Crosby's on Telephone Road in Pavilion, with the intent to commit a crime. In count five, he is accused of third-degree criminal mischief, a Class E felony, for allegedly intentionally damaging the property belonging to another. He is accused of damaging a glass door in an amount exceeding $250. In count six, Muzzy is accused of fourth-degree grand larceny, another Class E felony, for allegedly stealing property from Crosby's having a value exceeding $1,000.

Karaya D. Cummings is indicted for the crime of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a Class B felony. It is alleged that on Oct. 8 in the Town of Le Roy that Cummings knowingly and unlawfully possessed a narcotic drug -- heroin -- with the intent to sell it. In count two, she is accused of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree, a Class E felony, for operating a 2006 Hyundai on Route 490 while her privilege to drive in New York was revoked by authorities. The indictment states the defendant had 10 or more suspensions in effect, imposed on at least 10 different dates, for failure to answer, appear or pay a fine in Monroe County in the City of Rochester from Feb. 4, 2014 through Oct. 23, 2016, and on Christmas Day (Dec. 25) 2013 in the Town of Ogden.

Pavilion lost a Section V D1 championship game Saturday to Wheatland-Chili, 45-20. Pavilion was seeded #6 in the tournament and Wheatland was the #1 seed.

Kim Davis had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Golden Gophers. Lindsay Lowe was named to the all-tournament team. The game was played at Cal-Mum.

This is the fifth in a series of five stories about the honorees at this Saturday's annual Chamber of Commerce Awards Ceremony. The ceremony is being held at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

Pouring concrete is a young man's game, said Tom Baltz, co-owner of Baltz Concrete Construction in Pavilion.

"We have a lot of knowledge and ability to keep (the business) running, but I certainly couldn't go out and do concrete anymore," said the 64-year-old Baltz. "We have a lot of tough guys. You have to be tough to do concrete work."

Baltz employs between 40 and 50 people regularly, usually more in the summer. They have to work in all kinds of conditions. This isn't school where you can count on a few snow days during the winter. A Baltz construction worker works in the hot and the cold, the wind and the rain, the snow and the bright light of an August afternoon.

"They're working outdoors in all possible conditions," Baltz said. "We only took one weather day off this winter. They're out there in the mud and the water and they still have to think clearly and get a job done, and get a job done in a manner that it's going to stand up. It really is an amazing thing what these guys are capable of doing and what they're willing to do to get the job done."

It's been 45 years since Tom's dad, Robert Baltz, started the company, which his three sons eventually took over. Since then it's continued to grow and increasingly become a bedrock business of the community.

That's why Baltz Construction was selected by the Chamber of Commerce at the business of the year.

"I was only 19 when I started," Baltz said. "I came home from college and got out in the sun and got working, I just put my head down and did it. To be honest with you, I just never looked back. I just loved the physical work of it."

Baltz Construction specializes cast-in-place concrete. In other words, Baltz workers go to a construction site and fill casts with concrete, rather than bring in pre-poured castings. 

Clients include schools and factories.

"If it's concrete, we do it," Baltz said. "We don't do a lot of residential work because that's kind of a different gear than what we're set up to do. We have bigger equipment with more overhead, so we don't do a lot of residential unless it's a large job."

Robert Batlz was working for the B.R. DeWitt Corp. driving a cement truck when it struck him that maybe that was the kind of work he could do for himself.

"He saw a lot of concrete being poured and thought it looked like an opportunity so he decided to give it a try."

He started out with small jobs on the side but by 1973, Baltz Concrete became his full-time job.

That's when Tom went to work for him.

In a couple of years, Robert Baltz bought the Howard Brown Precast Company and Tom's brothers went to work for him there and Tom ran Baltz Concrete.

When the precast company was sold to Kistner, Baltz Concrete became the business of Tom and his two brothers.  

When one of the brothers wanted out, Tom and his brother Nicholas decided to make James Logdson a partner.

"James was looking for a summer job when he came to work for Baltz Concrete," Baltz said. "He worked one summer, he graduated, but he impressed us a lot. I talked my brothers into chasing him down and making him an offer to come to work for us. That was in the 1980s. He's been with us ever since."

Baltz said the company has always valued its employees and they try to treat them right.

"We take jobs that are anywhere within an hour-and-a-half of Pavilion," Baltz said. "We don't go much further than that because we need our people to be home every night. We hire family men. It's important that we get them home every night to be with their families."

They also support some of their after-work hobbies. They might sponsor stockcar or go-kart or some other activity.

"You get involved with the people you work with in a ton of different ways," Baltz said. 

There's a lot of charity support flowing out of Baltz Concrete. They sponsor youth baseball, soccer, softball, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, the Pavilion Community Chest and the Arc of Genesee Orleans.

"Being part of the town and being in a position to do something, you feel like you have the opportunity to help and helping always makes you feel better," Bartz said.

Both Tom and Nicholas are married. Tom and his wife don't have children. Nicholas is a stepfather to the children of his wife, but he and his wife are also parents to three foster children they plan to adopt. 

"So he has many children," Baltz said. "He lives and breathes for them, that's for sure."

What makes the company successful, Baltz acknowledged, is its people.

"We're not like a factory," Baltz said. "There's not a lot of equity in equipment. Most of the equipment we use has little or no market value. When all is said and done, with this place, if we shut it down, there's more worth in the building and the driveway then there is in the equipment.

"With our company, it is the people who are the only real value."

That's why some of the best employees in the company, such as Logsdon, have become partners.

The two new junior partners are Jaret Geitner and Jeremy Trzieceski.

The best workers, Baltz said, are the ones who have a dedication to their job and take pride in what they do. Those are the people who get promoted.

"When you have pride, you do something right for its own sake," Baltz said. "You don't do it for your boss or for your company. You do it for your own pride. You can teach a guy to do a job right but you can't teach a guy to care about his job."

The guys who care are easy to spot, Baltz said. They're the ones who see the boss working with estimating software, so they go home and play with it just to see if they can figure it out. 

"You know who the ones are that wake up in the middle of the night and think, 'Wow, did I get that measurement right?'"

That's why those employees get a shot at being a partner.

"There is a self-motivation in certain people that you have to recognize because if you don't recognize those people, they will go someplace else quick enough."

A single-vehicle accident is reported on Ellicott Street Road just south of Route 20 with three minor head injuries reported.

Pavilion Fire and Alexander's ambulance dispatched.

Fire police from Pavilion fire have been requested to Route 19 and Route 63 to shut down northbound traffic due to weather conditions.