Alexander

There was a car with a small fire in the car -- the fire may be out -- in the area of 1098 W. Bethany Road, Bethany.

An Alexander fire chief is on scene.

A man is down in a driveway.

Mercy Flight, with a 20-minute ETA out of Buffalo, is in route.

Photos below were submitted by a reader:

To purchase prints, click here.

The Alexander Fire Department's annual carnival and tractor pull is back this weekend.

Today, the grounds open at 4 p.m. The kiddie parade is at 4 p.m. and pulls start at 7 p.m.

There will be music in the beer tent, starting at 9 p.m., with Red Creek.

The grounds close at 2 a.m.

The annual carnival dates back to 1938 and more than 22 years ago, the department added tractor pulls.

Top Photo: File photo.

Below, a photo by Nate Fix from the pull last night:

A Special Weather Statement was issued a few minutes ago by the National Weather Service stating: "An area of strong thunderstorms will bring torrential rains to Northern Wyoming and Southern Genesee counties. 

"Strong thunderstorms were clustered near Attica, or eight miles south of Batavia, moving east at 15 mph.

"These storms will bring very heavy rainfall to Attica and nearby locations with more than an inch of rain possible in an hour or less. Locations impacted include... Darien Lakes State Park, Le Roy, Bennington, Attica, Pavilion, Stafford, Covington, Alexander, Wyoming and East Bethany. This includes Interstate 90 near exit 47. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways."

These conditions are expected until 2 p.m.

Rachel Ann Baehr, 30, of Linwood Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, moving from lane unsafely, and speed not reasonable and prudent. Baehr's vehicle reportedly struck a utility pole on Main Street, Alexander, at 5:42 a.m. Tuesday. When deputies arrived on the scene, there was smoke coming from the vehicle and the pole was broken. Baehr was located walking around the vehicle. She was arrested following a field sobriety test. (Initial Report).

Tara Lynn Thurley, 38, of Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with grand larceny, 3rd, and falsifying business records, 1st. Thurley is accused of stealing money from her employer in Pavilion and making false entries into business records of the company in an effort to conceal the theft. She was arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

A car has reportedly hit a pole in the area of 10532 Main St., Alexander.

The car is smoking.

Unknown injuries.

Alexander fire and ambulance dispatched.

UPDATE 5:53 a.m.: The pole is broken but upright.

UPDATE 6:02 a.m.: A field sobriety test is being conducted.

UPDATE 6:25 a.m.: The vehicle also struck a sign on Route 98 in front of the fire hall. There is no tow yet for the vehicle because firefighters are concerned about electrical lines on the vehicle. National Grid is in route, no ETA.

"There's a loose dog killing his neighbor's chickens -- occuring now," says a dispatcher about a call just received. The incident is at 2414 Walker Road, Alexander. Sheriff's deputies are responding.

UPDATE 12:05 p.m.: An officer at the scene reports the dog has tags, but he can't get close to the dog (to read them). An animal control officer is responding.

UPDATE 12:08 p.m.: The officer is able to read the phone number of the dog's owner on a tag and provides it to the dispatcher.

Kiha Samuel McNear, 19, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct, obstruction of governmental administration, and resisting arrest.On May 27, Batavia PD responded to an address on Jackson Street for a reported disturbance. While on location, police allegedly observed McNear acting in a "violent and tumultuous way." McNear was taken into custody after a brief physical altercation. The defendant was arraigned and jailed on $1,000 cash or bond. McNear is due back in City Court this afternoon. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Eric Foels.

Michael Bryan German, 34, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI with a BAC of .18 percent or higher, and moving from lane unsafely. At about 1 a.m. on May 27, Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Young was traveling east on Route 5 in the City of Batavia when a Ford pickup truck allegedly moved from its lane unsafely, almost striking Deputy Young's vehicle. Deputy Young initiated a traffic stop on the pickup truck. After a brief investigation of the driver, German was taken into custody and charged as noted. German was issued appearance tickets and released. The defendant is due in City Court on June 21 to answer the charges.

Darazian "Willie Paul" Williams, 23, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 7th degree and failure to keep right. At 7:29 p.m. on May 25 on Alexander Road, Alexander, Williams was arrested following a property damage accident. He allegedly possessed amphetamine pills at the time. He was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Alexander Court on June 27. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Lute, assisted by Sgt. Jason Saile.

Chris Kaboingo Mukendi, 28, of Mill Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree. Mukendi was arrested at 7:29 p.m. on May 25 on Alexander Road in Alexander followinf a property damage accident. Mukendi allegedly possessed amphetamine pills at the time. The defendant was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Alexander Court on June 27. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Lute, assisted by Sgt. Jason Saile.

Alan P. Ellis, 36, of Woodstock Gardens, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt in the second degree -- violating a valid order of protection. Ellis allegedly sent text messages to a protected party on Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, in violation of a duly served order of protection out of Batavia City Court. He was subsequently arrested and jailed in lieu of $1,000 bail. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence, assisted by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Philip S. Pompey, 28, of Lark Street, Buffalo, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, 3rd. He was arrested May 27 on a warrant out of City Court and is due in City Court this afternoon. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis, assisted by Officer Darryle Street.

Katrina L. Thigpen, 34, of Thrope Street, Batavia, is charged with offering to file a false instrument in the first degree and issuring a false financial statement with intent to defraud. Thigpen was arrested at her residence after she allegedly provided GC Probation Department with false NYS and Federal tax return information on May 15. She was issued an apearance ticket and released. She is due in Batavia City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence.

Paul E. Tenney, 71, of East Morganville Road, Stafford, responded to Batavia Police Department Headquarters on his own accord after a bench warrant was issued. He was subsequently arrested for NYS Fire Code violations, which allegedly occured at 198 Ellicott St. at 1:30 p.m. on May 19. He is due in City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence.

A 17-year-old who lives on Slocum Road, Perry, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Following a complaint on May 28 at 9:54 p.m. on Veterans Menmorial Drive, the defendant was arrested for allegedly possessing a small quantity of marijuana and issued an appearance ticket for Town of Batavia Court on June 26. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, assisted by Deputy Ryan DeLong.

Within a two-hour period, three serious injury accidents in Genesee County, in Alexander, Oakfield and Pavilion.  

At this point, there is no additional information about these accidents beyond what is in our initial posts (links below).

Alexander:

Three people were injured, including one who needed to be airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight, when a car veered off Dodgeson Road and landed on its roof in a creek in a deep ravine. A state trooper at the scene said the cause of the accident had not been determined at that time. This accident was reported at about 5:40 p.m. (Initial post)

Oakfield:

One person was taken by Mercy Flight to ECMC following a single-car accident on Maltby Road, Oakfield. The Sheriff's Crash Management Team responded to this accident to conduct the investigation. The car appears to have veered off the road, struck and tree and spun back into the roadway. This accident was reported just before 6 p.m. (Initial post)

Pavilion:

In Pavilion, a car that was northbound on Perry Road apparently failed to see a stop sign crossing Route 20 and drove into the rear wheel of a tractor-trailer. The car spun around and came to rest pointing south on the north side of Route 20. Two people were transported by ground ambulance to Strong. The truck driver continued south for more than a quarter mile, dragging a wheel broken off its axel, while he tried to maintain control and bring the vehicle to a safe stop on the shoulder of the road. This accident was reported just before 7 p.m. (Initial post)

A rollover accident is reported at 3213 Dodgeson Road in Alexander. A car went into a creek. Unknown injuries. Alexander Fire Department and medics are responding. Mercy Flight is on ground standby in Batavia.

UPDATE 5:46 p.m.: The patient "self-extricated" from the vehicle.

UPDATE 5:53 p.m.: Darien Fire Police are called to shut down all eastbound traffic at Dodgeson and Seward roads.

UPDATE 6:01 p.m.: Mercy Flight is called to the scene and a landing zone will be established in the roadway, west of the accident.

UPDATE 6:36 p.m.: There are three patients, all of whom "self-extricated." Two are going to Strong Memorial Hospital via ground ambulances; one is going to Strong aboard Mercy Flight #5, which is airborne. The vehicle landed upside down, deep in a ravine with a creek at the bottom of it.

A two-car accident with two possible injuries, one of them minor, is reported at 1116 Route 98, Alexander. It is blocking traffic. Alexander fire and medics are responding.

David L. Handley Jr. is indicted for the crime of third-degree burglary, a Class D felony. On Feb. 12, it is alleged that the defendant entered a convenience store on Telephone Road in the Town of Pavilion with the intent to commit a crime. In count two, it is alleged that on the same day, Handley commited the same crime at a construction company on Route 237 in the Town of Stafford. In count three, Handley is accused of petit larceny, a Class A misdemeanor, for allegedly stealing "a white trash can and tools" from the construction company in Stafford.

Tracy A. Hilton is indicted for the crime of first-degree criminal contempt, a Class E felony. On Feb. 18 in the Town of Alexander, the defendant allegedly violated a duly served order of protection to stay away from a certain person. In Special Information filed with the indictment, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman accuses Hilton of having been convicted of the same crime within the previous five years, on June 2, 2014.

Jeffery M. Brodsky, 45, of Morrow Road, Hilltop Acres, Covington, is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd. Brodsky is accused of providing cocaine in both Genesee and Wyoming counties. He is accused of selling cocaine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force in Genesee County on two occasions. He was jailed pending a bail review.

Travis L. Bartz, 21, of Trumbull Parkway, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant while being held in the Genesee County Jail on unrelated charges.

Devon D. Rogers, 30, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Rogers was allegedly involved in an incident reported at 1:50 a.m., May 2, on Pearl Street, Batavia.

Amanda L. Dixon, 31, of Oak Orchard Road, Albion, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. Dixon allegedly failed to appear in City Court on a traffic violation. She was arrested by Medina PD and turned over to Batavia PD. Dixon posted $500 bail and was released.

Kimberly M. Douglas, 35, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. Douglas allegedly failed to appear for a previous court date.

Michael Adam Jude Salter, 36, of North Service Road, Beamsville, Ontario, Canada, is charged with petit larceny and harassment, 2nd. Salter was allegedly involved in a domestic incident at 2:19 a.m. on May 1.

Garrett A. Jurewicz, 19, of Crittenden Road, Akron, is charged with DWI, driving while ability impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana, and driving left of pavement marketings. Jurewicz was stopped at 2:30 a.m. on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Howard Wilson.

Jacob Anthony Hazzard, 22, of Hudson Avenue, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, aggravated unlicensed operation, unauthorized stickers on rear window, insufficient tail lamps, and unlicensed operator. Hazzard was stopped at 9:59 p.m. Saturday on Drake Street, Oakfield, by Deputy Micheal Lute.

Brett Nelson Magoffin, 41, of Genesee Street, Pembroke, is charged with assault, 3rd. Magoffin is accused of assaulting another person during a dispute at 5:01 p.m., Thursday.

Michael Evan Wilson, 23, of Macedon Center Road, Palmyra, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, unlawful possession of marijuana, speeding, and unregistered motor vehicle. Wilson was stopped at 3:06 a.m. Friday on Lake Street Road, Le Roy, by Deputy Ryan Young.

A 17-year-old resident of Telephone Road, Pavilion, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The youth was charged following an investigation into a reported suspicious condition in the parking lot of Alexander Deli in the Village of Alexander by Deputy Eric Meyer.

Linda Eileen Grimes, 52, of Transit Road, Elba, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful imprisonment, 2nd. Grimes is accused of physically preventing a 13-year-old from leaving a room in a residence in Byron and of allegedly touching the youth inappropriately.

Darrel T. Wilder, 29, of Bates Road, Medina, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, failure to notify DMV of address change, drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle on a highway. Wilder was stopped at 11:45 p.m. April 29 on Route 33, Stafford, by Deputy Kyle Krzemien.

"These two Great Danes are lost and hanging out in Alexander on Gillate (Road) next to the steam show grounds," according to reader Michele Czekala, who contacted us late this morning.

UPDATE 7:48 p.m.: About 15 minutes ago, an animal control officer was dispatched to 10273 Gillate Road in Alexander to pick up two loose, but friendly Great Danes from the yard. They will be taken to the Genesee County Animal Shelter so their owner(s), hopefully, can retrieve them.

Stephen Edward Edmonds, 53, of Dodgeson Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI -- driving with a BAC of .08 percent or higher, and failure to keep right. Edmonds was arrested at 1:34 a.m. on April 15 on Wilkinson Road, Batavia, for allegedly going over the center line of the roadway. He was allegedly intoxicated at the time. The defendant was released with appearance tickets for Batavia Town Court on May 4. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Parker.

Kayla A. Ladue, 21, of Barry Road, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and speeding in a 55-mph zone. Ladue  was arrested at 7:54 p.m. on April 27 on Clinton Street Road, Bergen. Following a traffic stop for allegedly speeding, it is alleged that Ladue had marijuana in her possession. She was issued an appearance ticket for Bergen Town Court on May 3. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor, assisted by Deputy Ryan DeLong.

Adam Stephen Terhaar, 23, of Torrey Pine Drive, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Terhaar was arrested at 9:09 p.m. on April 28 on Judge Road in Alabama following a traffic stop. The stop was made after a complaint of traffic offenses that had occurred. He was allegedly found to be in possession of a quantity of marijuana, a glass smoking pipe and a grinder. He was released on an appearance ticket for Alabama Town Court on May 30. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Howard Wilson, assisted by Deputy Michael Lute.

Elizabeth Ann Hicks, 34, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with promoting prison contraband, 1st, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and possession of a hypodermic instrument. Hicks was allegedly found in possession of a needle and syringe with Suboxone while being booked on an unrelated charge. She was jailed on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond.

David Henry Luther, 56, of Cider Mill Court, Lancaster, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. Luther was charged following a "check the welfare" call on Bloomingdale Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, at 7:43 p.m. Sunday by Deputy Michael Lute.

Alicia Brandi Clark, 41, of Halstead Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful possession of marijuana, mobile phone use on highway and misuse of dealer plates. Clark was stopped at 4:35 p.m. Saturday on Lewiston Road, Batavia, by Deputy Michael Lute.

Timothy McCarthy, 47, of Alexander, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. McCarthy was stopped by State Police.

Shawn Matthew Szczcygiel, 39, of Tinkham Road, Darien, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, unsafe tires, and inadequate exhaust. Szczcygiel was stopped at 4:54 a.m. Saturday on Tinkham Road by Deputy Eric Meyer.

Hector Maximilliano Vidal, 22, of Eggert Road, Tonawanda, is charged with petit larceny and unlawful possession of marijuana. Vidal is accused of shoplifting at Kohl's.

Dustin W. Bogue, 35, no permanent address, is charged with trespass. Bogue allegedly entered property owned by another person after being advised to stay off the property. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Ashley N. Ziccardi, 24, of Brooklyn Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear.

Tiffany M. Brown, 25, of Maple Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. Brown was arrested by Sheriff's deputies and turned over to Batavia PD on a City Court warrant.

Russell R. Miles, 48, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Miles allegedly violated an order of protection. He was allegedly found at the residence of the protected party in violation of the order. He is accused of violating the same order at least twice in five years. He was jailed without bail.

Brian J. Hawkins, 37, of Pries Avenue, Buffalo, was arrested on warrant for alleged failure to appear. He was taken into custody at the Erie County Holding Center on the warrant. He was jailed on $300 bail.

The event last night was billed as a "town hall," a chance for all constituents in New York's 27th Congressional District to come to the Alexander Fire Hall and voice their issues, raise their concerns and ask questions of Rep. Chris Collins.

If Collins bothered to show up.

Of course, he didn't.

In his place on the dais was an empty chair.

If he had filled that chair, he would have found himself on a panel of people billed as experts in various topic areas who, rather than represent the range of political ideology in the 27th District, seemed to largely hold liberal and progressive viewpoints.

The more than 400 people who attended were all given 8 1/2 x 11 colored pieces of paper -- raise green when you agreed with a speaker's point and red when you disagreed. Rather than showcase a diversity of opinions, green cards tended to go up in unison for points favored by the audience and red cards raised altogether when audience members wished to jeer a negative point made about Collins or the current presidential administration.

This, though Michelle Schoeneman in her opening remarks, suggested the audience might represent a range of political views and party affiliations.

"Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, whether you are conservative or liberal, whether you voted for Collins or not, you are all here because you care enough about democracy to take time out of your busy lives to make your voices heard," Schoeneman said.

The town hall took on the feel of a partisan political rally when Schoeneman concluded her remarks and said Collins might have a rough go of it in the next election.

"Mr. Collins, if you’re watching this right now, I’m here to tell you that this is your last term," Schoeneman said. "Come 2018, we will have a new representative. It may be a Republican. It may be a Democrat, but it will not be you. We will vote into office a person who does not consider it unreasonable to want to talk with you. We will listen and weigh every decision that is made."

That was the loudest applause line of her opening remarks and the room was filled with green cards held high.

The expert panel included a 22-year-old organic farmer from East Aurora who runs a 24-member CSA (Community Supported Agriculture group) and an educator who runs I Am Syria and is the founder of the Summer Institute for Human Rights and Genocide, even though a couple of the nation's top experts on agriculture and immigration live right in Genesee County.

Dean Norton, former president of the New York Farm Bureau who helped draft comprehensive immigration reform in 2013 (it didn't pass, though Collins supported the bill), said he got an invitation through Instant Messanger that he didn't see until after the event was over, though he didn't specify if the invite was to speak or just attend.

Maureen Torrey, who runs with her family one of the largest produce farms in the region, and has been to Washington, D.C., and traveled the nation in support of immigration reform, said she was invited to attend but was not invited to be on the panel.

Even though economics and trade, as well as foreign policy and criminal justice, were all big topics in the recent presidential campaign, there were no experts on the panel in those subject areas, even though in the county and in the region there are available experts.

Comprising the expert panel were:

• Healthcare: Gary A. Giovino, professor, and chair, Department of Community Health and Health Behavior at UB;
• Great Lakes and Rivers: Barry Boyer, who taught environmental law and administrative law at UB;
• Small business: Ginine Capozzi, owner of KnowledgeForce Consulting LLC in East Amherst;
• Local environment, fish, and wildlife: Dick Thomas, retired from a 33-year career with NY Department of Environmental Conservation;
• Education: Chris Cerrone, cofounder of WNY for Public Education;
• Diversity and social justice: Jeremy Besch, head of Upper School at the Park School in Buffalo;
• Immigration: Andrew Beiter, director of I Am Syria and is founder of the Summer Institute for Human Rights and Genocide;
• Climate change: Sandra Chelnov, who is "deeply concerned" about climate change and has attended several conferences;
• Laura Colligan, owner of Dirt Rich Farm in East Aurora.

The town hall was sponsored by several progressive organizations: GLOW Progressives, WNY Peace Center, Buffalo Resists, Sister District of WNY, Invisible NY 27th, Turning Emotion into Action, ACTion Buffalo, and Citizens Against Collins.

As part of each expert's introduction, the speakers were invited to say a word about why they were there. Some speakers gave just a brief introduction, others used the time to share stronger opinions.

Giovino said the current healthcare system is not designed to help you get well, rather it's designed to ensure you keep coming back.

"My concern about healthcare is that it’s for profit," Giovino said. "In every other country, every other rich country, it’s not for profit. I think capitalism is a great thing, but when it comes to health, we need a catalytic converter on that engine."

Thomas said the environment is his passion.

"I think it’s everybody’s passion whether we know it or not," Thomas said. "Elections are guided by politics and not so much guided by science. Environmental protection suffers from the ebb and flow of global leadership changes and at the same time, that environment is generally not working in many cases. Under our current federal government leadership, the divide between economic interests and the environment is wider than it ever has been."

Besch got a laugh with his introduction.

"I’m a white guy who does diversity work," Besch said.

He added later, "For a long time this country has had a political environment that has sort of secretly and quietly marginalized already-marginalized groups to drive a culture of fear to push its agenda. What I’ve seen in recent years is that action is no longer quiet and secret. Preservation of wealth and privilege is coming at the expense of those who don’t have either of them.

"If we don’t find ways stand up and stop that then a situation that is already pretty precarious and getting worse is going to get a heck of a lot worse and a heck of a lot more quickly than I think any of us care for."

Capozzi said she's tried to talk with Collins many times about a range of issues that affect small business owners, from healthcare to immigration to tax policy to education to workforce readiness and manufacturing.

"There isn’t a part of our communities that is not impacted by the small business community and he doesn’t have anything to say," Capozzi said. "Literally, nothing to say, since May of 2014. I’m really concerned about our opportunities, or lack thereof, to talk to the congressman across all spectrums and all areas of business and all the impacts that affect us."

Cerrone slammed support for school choice.

"Chris Collins supports the Trump-Betsy DeVos privatization schemes that will devastate our local, public schools," Cerrone said. "If this raised achievement, I would be all behind it, but studies show that school choice sounds good, but choice does not work. It does not raise achievement, which is our number one concern, but also it’s a boon to those who want to privatize and profit off our tax dollars with no accountability." (Fact Check: the studies are not as one-sided as Cerrone states, but decidedly more mixed.)

Beiter said he came to the event to talk about the refugee ban and the "war on immigrants." He was critical of the Trump Administration's position on immigration.

"His policies are wrong and xenophobic," Beiter said. "They also hurt the economy, our agricultural development and who we are as a people."

Walter Eckert, of Mendon, asked the first question and it was on immigration, so it went to Beiter.

"It's the businesses that employ illegal immigrants who are breaking the law," Eckert said. "Why do we not charge the employers of illegal immigrants?"

Beiter said that was a good question and he blamed greed.

He said agriculture in New York is a $3.5 billion industry and farmers fear with a clamp down in illegal immigration they will not be able to fill vital positions. He said in Niagara County, there are 1,200 migrant workers between May and November. He said these workers are exploited by farm owners.

"On one level this is a human tragedy," Beiter said. "It's slave labor that lowers the prices of our groceries, so the answer to this is comprehensive immigration reform. I think what you’re going to see as to why these businesses and corporations are not prosecuted is because they’re profiting from it." (Fact Check: The average migrant farm worker makes $12 an hour in the United States, with some earning as much as $15 an hour, and migrants are also provided housing at no cost on many New York farms.)

He said during the George W. Bush administration and the first part of Barack Obama's two terms, there were attempts at immigration reform, but that greed prevented these reforms.

"These issues tried to get on the table, but they were put down because corporate America makes too much money from our brown-skinned brothers and sisters who are here in our communities," he said.

Actually, there was comprehensive immigration reform bill considered in 2013. Dean Norton helped draft it and Collins supported it. It didn't pass.

Collins has said many times that never in his political career does he participate in town hall meetings because he doesn't find them productive. He would rather meet with small groups of people around specific topics. He has said he will talk with any constituents who ask for a meeting.

Maureen Torrey, for example, has said she and other farmers have had a productive relationship with Collins. 

"Since the election, Congressman Collins and his staff have been working with the agriculture community in his district with all the family farms and agribusinesses in his district weekly," Torrey said. "He has held bipartisan meetings on trade, immigration, and the economy of agriculture. He has been working hard to arrange meetings and educate people on what our needs are.

"He knows our issues and hasn't been afraid to speak them. He talked about our needs on national TV. He has opened doors for us. For the first time in many years, I feel we are making progress on issues."

There were also people at the event who let reporters know that they've requested meetings with Collins, but they haven't gotten a response.

The Batavian has been trying to arrange an in-person, hour-long, multi-topic interview with the congressman since late January. We've made at least a dozen requests and despite assurances that such an interview will take place -- and statements by Collins himself that he will sit down for an interview and that he enjoys being interviewed by The Batavian and would be happy to talk -- we have yet been able to secure a date for such an interview.

UPDATE/CLARIFICATION & DISCLOSURE: One of the organizers, Jane Cameron, has said I was invited to be a speaker at the town hall. I honestly didn't remember the invitation. I found the email from March 30 where she said she wanted to talk with me about "your possible participation in a Town Hall ..." I wasn't sure what she meant by this, but I said I would cover the event but that I don't participate in partisan politics. She also said there were two conservatives on the panel without specifying who those individuals are.

Michelle Schoeneman

Jeremy Besch

Laura Colligan

Andrew Beiter

Walter Eckert, of Mendon