Bergen

Bergen held its annual Easter Egg hunt today.

Press release:

The NYS Principles of Instructions course is an introductory course for individuals who will be conducting training at the fire company level.  This 15-hour course was recently offered at the Genesee County Fire Training Center and is designed for fire service training officers and company officers. 

Participants reviewed the qualities of a good instructor, job performance requirements, components of a lesson plan, cognitive and psychomotor lesson plans, dealing with adult learners, meeting individual learning needs, factors that affect learning, the instructor’s role in safety, new technologies in course delivery, and learning characteristics of different generations. 

Volunteer and career firefighters regularly attend training courses to continually develop and refresh skills making the job of quality instructors even more valuable.

Ten firefighters representing five county fire companies completed the program held March 16 through March 21, 2022.

ALABAMA

• Ryan M. Thompson

 ALEXANDER

• Anthony R. Johnston

BERGEN

• Jared Hicks 

ELBA

• Jennifer A. Cardinali   
• Nicholas J. Esten        
• Michael Heale
• Michael J. Pfendler
• Michael J. Schad
• Nathan J. Tabor          

LE ROY

• Fay Fuerch  

Visit your local fire department to find out more about volunteer opportunities

One vehicle is off the road in the area of 7381 Clinton Street Road, Bergen, and minor injuries are reported.

Bergen Fire and ambulance responding.

Bergen, NY - Read all about Genesee County's newest maple producer by clicking HERE (https://visitgeneseeny.com/blog/genesee-countys-newest-maple-producer). A small quantity will be made this year, and will be available for sale (while supplies last) at The Harford House Barn & Livery, as well as GO ART! in 8 and 12 ounce glass bottles with the label paying homage to the man that started it all.

March Madness Bergen Historical Society Membership Drive. The Bergen Historical Society’s membership drive is underway! For the month of March, all memberships are just $10! Wether it’s single or family, you pay just $10! And when you renew or sign up for your membership, you’re automatically entered in a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to the D&R Depot in LeRoy. Memberships must be postmarked by 3/31 to enter. When you’re a member, you stay informed about yearly programs and guest speakers the Historical Society presents throughout the year. So, take advantage of this March Madness event while it lasts! Make checks payable to: Bergen Historical Society and mailed to P.O. Box 281, Bergen, NY. 14416.

 

Daniel James Loster, 38, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, and menacing 3rd. Le Roy patrol officers received a complaint at 6:55 a.m. on March 4 of a man waving a knife at traffic on Lake Street in the Village of Le Roy.  He was arrested and jailed without bail.

Daniel James Loster, 38, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with attempted petit larceny. Loster was arrested after Le Roy patrol officers responded to a call on Lake Street at 11:09 p.m., Feb. 26, of an attempted petit larceny. Loster was allegedly attempting to enter a vehicle in the driveway of a residence after being told multiple times the vehicle was not his. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Samantha Marie Neal, 31, of West Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with harassment 2nd. Neal is accused of striking another person with a collapsible dog training device during an incident reported at 3:06 p.m., Feb. 28, on West Main Street, Le Roy. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Sean Griffith Johnson, 53, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with assault 3rd degree. Johnson was arrested by Le Roy PD following a report of a disturbance at an apartment building on Lake Street, Le Roy, at 8:07 p.m., March 7. Johnson was issued an appearance ticket.

Alexander L. Baldwin, 33, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Baldwin is accused of stealing merchandise from a department store on Veterans Memorial Drive at 12:47 p.m., Dec. 9.  He was issued an appearance ticket.  See previously: Man suspected of shoplifting seen fleeing Walmart

Jayson Lee Chamberlain, 37, no address provided, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Chamberlain is accused of violating an order of protection by placing a phone call to the protected party at 2:34 p.m., March 2. He was arraigned in Town of Oakfield Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Angelica Marie Stanley, 33, no permanent address, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.  Stanley was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine and adderal that wasn't prescribed to her at 11:10 p.m., March 8, on Liberty Street, Batavia, and arrested by Deputy Andrew Mullen with assistance from Deputy James Stack and K-9 "Rayzor."

Andrew Anh Sczepanski, 24, of South Lake Road, Bergen, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving to left of pavement markings, and moving from lane unsafely. Sczepanski was stopped at 11:44 p.m., March 8, on Route 33 in Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor.

Michael E. Main, 38, no address provided, Oakfield, is charged with offering a false instrument for filing.  Main is accused of signing a supporting deposition in an ongoing investigation knowing the information was false at 10:30 a.m., Dec. 23, on Maple Avenue in Oakfield.

Cameron J. Sokolowski, 29, of Batavia, is charged with theft of services. Sokolowski is accused of refusing to pay cab fare at 10:03 a.m., Feb. 20.  It's alleged that Sokolowski accepted a ride from a taxi driver and when he reached his destination, went inside and refused to come back out and pay the driver. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Benito A. Gay, 33, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Gay is accused of stealing beer from the cooler at the Kwik Fill on Jackson Street, Batavia, at 8 p.m., Feb. 20. He allegedly took three beers and exited the store without paying for the beer. He was arrested and issued an appearance ticket.

Kenneth T. Marrocco, 29, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd and criminal contempt 1st. Marrocco allegedly violated a stay-away order of protection by being inside the residence of the protected party at 1:54 p.m., Feb. 25, on Montclair Avenue. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.

Angie C. Maniace, 40, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and criminal contempt 1st. Maniace is accused of violating an order of protection and striking the protected party at 7:35 p.m., March 2 at a location on Chandler Avenue, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Laura R. Mroz, 32, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and criminal contempt 1st. Morz is accused of violating an order of protection during a disturbance reported at 7:53 p.m., March 2. on Chandler Avenue, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Julius L. Sanford, 29, of Buffalo, is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument 2nd, failure to stop for a stop sign, unregistered motor vehicle, and uninsured motor vehicle. Sanford was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on East Main Street, Batavia, at 1:14 a.m., Feb. 13. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Derrick M. Williams, 32, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Williams was arrested on a warrant stemming from an incident reported at 4:18 a.m., Sept. 25. He was arraigned in City Court and released.

Michelle D. Ulickey, 45, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Ulickey was allegedly found in possession of cocaine during a traffic stop by a Batavia patrol officer for allegedly driving with no headlights at 3:15 a.m., March 2, on East Main Street, Batavia. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Tonya M. Weber, 38, of Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant. Weber is charged with petit larceny in connection with an incident reported on Ellicott Street, Batavia, at 6:01 p.m., Dec. 7. Weber was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Antwoine Kush, 19, of Rhulman Road, Lockport, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Kush allegedly violated a complete stay-away order of protection by contacting the protected party at 2 p.m., Jan. 8. Kush was issued an appearance ticket.

David Michael Milillo, 63, of Rochester, is charged with menacing 2nd. Miller is accused of displaying a pistol during a business transaction at 12:30 p.m., Sept. 2, at a location on Byron Holley Road, Byron, causing the victim to fear physical injury or death. Milillo was arrested following an investigation by Investigator Joseph Loftus and was issued an appearance ticket.

Nicholas Adam Pietrzykowski, 45, of East Road, Middlebury, is charged with DWAI/Drugs and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Pietrzykowski was stopped at 7:25 p.m., July 25, on East Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. He was arrested on March 3 following an investigation and issued an appearance ticket.

(name redacted upon request), 47, of Alexander, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. xxxx allegedly violated a stay-away order on eight different locations. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Deanna Rae Lynn Couchman, 27, of Chili Avenue, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, failure to keep right, and failure to signal. Couchman was stopped at 3:12 a.m., March 5, on Route 33 in Bergen by Sgt. Mathew Clor. She was issued appearance tickets.

Andrew Luis Coffey, 33, of South Goodman Avenue, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property.  Coffey was allegedly found in possession of property previously reported stolen from Kohl's Department Store at 2:32 p.m., March 1. Coffey was issued an appearance ticket.

Jonah Ty Luplow, 19, of Pearl Street Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to use designated lane. Luplow was stopped at 1:44 a.m., March 6, on Bank Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joshua Brabon. He was issued appearance tickets.

Amanda Beth Hopkins, 42, of Bethany, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI, endangering the welfare of a child, and moving from lane unsafely. Hopkins was reportedly involved in accident at 5:15 p.m., Jan. 21, on Ellicott Street Road, Pavilion.  Her BAC was allegedly greater than .08. Their was allegedly a child in the vehicle. She was arrested on March 5 by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun.  Hopkins was issued an appearance ticket.

Sandra L. Berrios, 62, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Berrios was stopped by State Police at 10:58 p.m., March 5, in the Town of Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket. No other information released.

(Name redacted upon request), 20, of Byron, is charged with petit larceny. xxxx was arrested by State Police in the Town of Batavia for an incident reported at 1:30 p.m., March 2. He was released on an appearance ticket. No other information released.

Gerald L. Arnett, 49, of Rochester, is charged with felony DWI, felony aggravated DWI, and driving without an interlock device. Arnett was stopped by State Police at 3:54 p.m., Feb. 28, in the Town of Byron. There was allegedly a child in the vehicle. He was released on an appearance ticket. No other information released.

A 61-year-old man walking in the woods off Sackett Road in Bergen during yesterday's windstorm was killed when a tree fell and struck him in the head.

Dispatchers received a report of an unresponsive male pinned under a tree at 5:58 p.m.

The victim is identified as Steven K. Reber.

Lifesaving measures were attempted at the scene by family and emergency personnel but Reber was pronounced dead at the scene.

Foul play is not suspected.

Photo by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.

One of the most historic buildings in the village of Bergen is the focus of a new project by Mayor Anna Marie Barclay.

Obtaining a grant to restore the Tulley Building at the corner of Lake Street and Buffalo Road is one in a string of many grants Barclay has obtained since becoming mayor in 2014.

The brick on the Tulley Building is in need of repair and Barclay is working with the Western New York Landmark Society to complete the application for a Genesee Valley Rural Revitalization Grant in the amount of $50,000. That would pay for 90 percent of the project, Barclay said.

“Tulley is the cornerstone of the village of Bergen Lake Street Historic District,” Barclay said. “It is the village-owned building which houses the village offices, public, commercial and residential space.”

Throughout the years, the Tulley building, built-in 1886, has been home to Tulley’s Hardware, Best’s Furniture Store, a Flour and Feed Store, Edgerton Dry Goods Store, Palace of Sweets, saloon and bowling alley, Gregory's Bakery and Cafe, Kevin Russell Hardware and Plumbing, Treasured Images and an ice cream shop. The second floor has been used as a dance hall, millinery shop, barbershop, firemen’s meeting hall, telephone office, office of the Bergen herald, dentist’s office, and apartments.

The village purchased the building in 2006 in the hopes that restoring and repurposing it would decrease the calls to “tear down and replace the obsolete building,” Barclay said. It was their hope the building would serve as an inspirational cornerstone.

A year later as a village board member, Barclay chaired the Tulley Building Restoration Committee, which was formed in 2007 to develop a renovation plan that would ensure the historic integrity of the building would be maintained, and that the building would encourage increased community activity in the village business district, increase a sense of pride within the community, attract new businesses and act as a catalyst to the restoration of other buildings.

Since then, structural restoration has been completed, a new roof installed and first floor commercial area behind the village office space has been restored. Both the east and south facades have been restored and painted, and a mural reflecting Bergen’s history has been added to the south façade.

Slowly, but surely other building owners have followed suit and enhanced the appearance of their buildings. This was accomplished in part by another grant Barclay secured, after several years of applying.

“Others bought buildings with restoration in mind and signed on to participate in the Main Street Grant program,” Barclay said. “The initial Tulley Building was a catalyst to revitalize the historic district. Now the cornerstone building is once again in danger. The proposed Tulley project will help keep our historic downtown economically viable. Our growing sense of place and pride and positive community identity is evident as our buildings are renovated. The Tulley project will enhance this. The project complements place-based economic growth and will add to the architectural and visual richness of the community. The economic value to the village of the Tulley project is immeasurable, as it enhances the work completed on other historic buildings through the Main Street Grant projects.”

Barclay continues to say there is positive economic development momentum which has already drawn several new businesses, walkers and tourists who patronize those businesses, new residents to downtown, and increased property values as these renovations progress. As stated in the 2016 Comprehensive Plan, restoration and preservation of village historic buildings will encourage the development of new businesses, bring more patrons to existing businesses and invite renters to renovated apartments.

The Tulley Building is brick-faced and covered with porous brick produced in Bergen in the late 1800s. Many bricks are loose and deteriorating, causing pieces and dust to fall to the sidewalk, leaving areas of the historic brickwork damaged, Barclay said. Birds are nesting in areas of broken or missing brick, increasing the damage. The domino effect of missing brick exposing other brick to water damage is causing large cracks to occur in the wall. The brick pattern work under the roof edge is noticeably crumbling, and sections of mortar are missing leaving the bricks open to further damage and continued loss of the Victorian brick features. Sections of brick surrounding the windows are equally damaged. This deterioration of the brick surface is allowing for water to seep through to the interior surfaces, which have needed to be replaced.

The Tulley Block project will include the replacing of missing and damaged bricks and repointing of mortar on the east and south walls of the building. A schematic drawing of the painting design of historic features of the building will be done by an architect, and paint and supplies will be purchased through the grant opportunity. Village staff will paint the building according to the drawings. Specifics of the masonry work by accredited historic masons will include removal and replacement of approximately 30 damaged bricks, tuck pointing at damaged locations of 515 linear feet, all mortar joints cleaned and filled, all dust and debris cleaned from the work area, stain removal completed in all portions of the walls and preservation of the bricks to stop further deterioration and prevent water seepage.

The village has had to replace interior walls on the south side of the building and mitigate mold due to water seepage, Barclay said. Painting of the non-brick historic features of the south and east walls will be a complement to the work completed on the historic buildings involved in the Main Street grant project.

Part two of this work is to update and expand the Lake Street Historic District, Barclay said.

“We have just completed the Main Street Project funded through the New York State Main Street Funding Program, which allows the village to move forward with this process without an extensive cultural resource survey. This will broaden opportunities for homeowners in the expanded district.”

Barclay said Bergen is a very small community and in the past was often passed over for grants which were available to larger communities.

“To show we are deserving and ready for support that grants provide, I initiated the comprehensive plan in 2016,” Barclay said. “I also initiated the Park Committee and Tree Board, which gave credibility to our grant applications.”

She also stressed the village no longer pays the exorbitant fees for a grant writer, as she has written 90 percent of the grant applications they have submitted and secured.

“Through my work, the village has secured more than $1.6 million in grants,” Barclay said.

These include $778,843 for Infrastructure; $527,750 for Historic Restoration; $161,940 for Parks and Recreation; $83,200 for Community; and $60,000 for Engineering Planning (written by Clarke, Patterson and Lee).

While the Tulley Building restoration is a priority, it is not the only thing Barclay is hoping to accomplish. She has a bucket list of additional projects to benefit the village, which includes improvements at the Waste Water Treatment Plant, new restrooms in Hickory Park, a Historic Resource survey for New York state/Federal tax credits to homeowners, sponsoring an internship for historic documents and hiring of a village historian.

Photos courtesy of Anna Marie Barclay

Cracks in the mortar and missing bricks are evident in this photo of the Tulley Building. Mayor Anna Marie Barclay is working to secure a grant to pay for restoration work.

Marlon Hibbert

Following a traffic stop on Thursday, Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush had reason to believe "criminal activity was afoot" and requested backup, which came from the K-9 unit, Deputy James Stack and "Rayzor."

The team reportedly found in the vehicle, stopped at Route 33 and West Bergen Road in Bergen, a quantity of crack cocaine and a firearm.

Arrested at the scene was Marlon O. Hibbert, 35, of Rochester.  His passengers were released without charges.

Hibbert is charged with:

• Criminal possession of a narcotic drug, a Class B felony;
• Criminal possession of a narcotic drug with intent to sell, a Class B felony;
• Criminal possession of a weapon 2nd, a Class C felony;
• Aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd;
• Unlicensed operator;
• Failure to yield the right of way at a stop sign.

Hibbert was arraigned in Town of Bergen Court and ordered held on bail of $5,000 or $10,000 bond.

Assisting in the investigation were Sgt. Andrew Hale, Deputy Nate Chamound, members of the Local Drug Task Force, and the District Attorney's Office.

A one-vehicle accident with the driver possibly slumped over in the driver's seat is reported on the I-490 in Bergen in the area of mile marker 1.6.

The vehicle is off the roadway of the westbound lane.

Bergen Fire and Le Roy Fire along with Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 4:16 p.m.: The vehicle was apparently unoccupied. Mercy EMS is back in service with no patient to transport.  

UPDATE 4:17 p.m.: Law enforcement is checking on multiple vehicles that are off the road.

Matthew Zakrzewski

Matthew Zakrzewski, 42, of Batavia, is charged with arson 3rd and criminal mischief 3rd. Zakrzewski, already in custody on unrelated charges, was arrested on new charges stemming from an incident reported at 9:30 p.m., Jan 16, on Bank Street, Batavia. He was jailed on nominal bail. Previously: Batavia man accused of setting fire in Washington Towers, stealing a bike

Laura Lee Pacer, 36, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Pacer is accused of harassing a neighbor at 10 a.m., Jan. 24, on Jackson Street. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Bleyke Z. Culver, 25, is charged with harassment 2nd. Culver is accused of hitting another person in the face during a fight on Pringle Avenue at 5:31 p.m., Jan. 11. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Heather Nicole Holbrook, 36, of Ellsworth Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Holbrook is accused of stealing merchandise from Walmart in Batavia at 3:49 p.m., Jan. 28.  She was released on an appearance ticket.

Michael David Hazzard, 31, of Morgan Road, Scottsville, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, driving with an open alcohol container. Hazzard was stopped at 4:11 a.m., Jan. 23, on Dublin Road, Bergen, following a complaint of a disturbance by Deputy Trevor Sherwood.

Joshua M. Bratcher, 31, of Pavilion, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs. Bratcher was stopped at 5:24 p.m., Jan. 30, by State Police in the Town of Bergen. He was issued an appearance ticket. No further information released.

Alonzo A. Dillard, 29, of Medina, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Dillard was stopped at 2:46 a.m., Jan. 30, by State Police in the Town of Alabama. He was issued an appearance ticket.  No further information released.

Jordan E. Brodie, 32, of Le Roy, is charged with possession of sexual performance of a child. Brodie was arrested in connection with an investigation that started on Jan. 13, 2020 by State Police. He was arrested on Jan. 29 and released on an appearance ticket.  No further details released.

Bobbi M. Bane, 45, of Batavia, is charged with welfare fraud 3rd and three counts of filing a false instrument 1st. Bane was arrested by State Police in connection with an investigation that began Jan. 25 in the Town of Albion.

John M. Toal, 46, of Oakfield, and Andrea L. Osborne, 37, of Oakfield, are charged with petit larceny.  Toal and Osborne were arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 4 p.m., Jan. 28, in Albion. They were issued appearance tickets. No further details released.

Kenneth Harris, 26, of Tonawanda, is charged with two counts of grand larceny 4th. Harris was arrested in Cheektowaga by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 10:24 a.m., Oct. 23 in the City of Batavia. No further details released.

Jordan R. Rose, 21, of Oakfield, is charged with criminal contempt  1st. Rose was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 3:10 p.m., Jan. 25, in the Town of Royalton. He was ordered held. No further details released.

Michael David Hazzard, 31, of Morgan Road, Scottsville, is charged with assault 3rd.  Hazzard allegedly hit a person 15 times in the face with a closed fist while at a location on Dublin Road, Bergen, at 2:30 a.m., Jan. 23. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Siavaija Treyevionna Lewis, 20, of Clifford Avenue, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny. Lewis is accused of stealing merchandise from the Target Store in Batavia at 5:11 p.m., Jan. 25. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Jeryn Chanel Boggs, 28, of Clifford Avenue, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny. Boggs is accused of stealing merchandise from the Target Store in Batavia at 5 p.m., Jan. 25. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Jerome Dwane Hightower, 22, of Princeton Street, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny. Hightower is accused of stealing merchandise from the Target Store in Batavia at 5:11 p.m., Jan. 25. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Todd Alan Brumber, 57, of Sumner Road, Darien, is charged with DWI, moving from lane unsafely, speed not reasonable and prudent, and failure to keep right. Brumber was reportedly involved in a property damage accident at 8:31 p.m., Jan. 23, at 9434 Alexander Road, Batavia. He was arrested by Deputy Trevor Sherwood.

Wesley Thigpen
(2019 photo)

Wesley N. Thigpen is indicted on four counts of predatory sexual assault against a child. Thigpen is accused of engaging in oral sexual conduct with a person less than 13 years old while he was at least 18 years old or older between the dates of June 1, 2014, and August 31, 2014.  He is accused of engaging in two or more acts of sexual conduct with a child less than 13 years old over a period of time not less than three months.  He is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse with a person less than 13 years old. Previously: Batavia man pleads guilty to sex abuse charge while calling statements against him a lie

Joshua D. Quaintance is indicated on counts of burglary in the second degree and sexual abuse in the third degree.  Quaintance is accused of entering a dwelling in the Town of Alexander on July 11 with the intent to commit a crime in that dwelling.  He is accused of subjecting a person to sexual contact without that person's consent.

Cody A. Bush is indicted on counts of burglary in the second degree, criminal contempt in the second degree, resisting arrest, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 7th degree. Bush is accused of entering a dwelling on Walnut Street, City of Batavia, on Oct. 11 with the intent to commit a crime in that dwelling. He is accused of violating an order of protection that day. He is accused of intentionally trying to prevent police officers from placing him in custody. He is accused of illegally possessing Clonazepam and Alprazolam.

Brandon C. Dodd is indicted on three counts of criminal contempt in the first degree, two counts of burglary in the second degree, criminal trespass in the third degree, criminal contempt in the second degree, and three counts of petit larceny. Dodd is accused of violating three orders of protection covering three different individuals on June 29 while in the City of Batavia. He is accused of entering a dwelling on Highland Park on that date with the intention of committing a crime in that dwelling. He is accused of being at that property without the permission of the property owner. He is accused of violating an order of protection on June 14. He is accused of shoplifting from Mr. Wine and Liquore on June 23. He is accused of stealing an air conditioner from a residence on Jackson Street on June 28. He is accused of entering a dwelling on Highland Park on June 23 with the intent of committing a crime in that dwelling. He is accused of stealing a bicycle from a residence on Highland Park.

Christopher J. Wiegman is indicted on counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree. Wiegman is accused of knowingly and illegally possessing cocaine, fentanyl, amphetamine, and dextroamphetamine on April 21 in the City of Batavia.

Kerwin R. Vega is indicted on counts of felony aggravated DWI, felony DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, circumvention of an interlock device, and endangering the welfare of a child. Vega is accused of driving a 2008 Toyota while drunk on Route 33 in the Town of Bergen on April 4 while a child less than 15 years old was in the vehicle. Due to a prior DWI conviction, Vega is required to use an interlock device on any vehicle he operates.

Rebecca Lynn Martin, 27, of Brick Schoolhouse Road, Hamlin, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, reckless in the endangerment, leaving the scene of an injury accident, and reckless driving. Martin is accused of being a driver involved in a motor vehicle accident at 7:02 p.m., Jan. 14, on Lake Street Road, Le Roy, and leaving the scene of the accident.  Martin allegedly failed to stop for a stop sign causing her vehicle to strike another vehicle.  Martin's vehicle was located in the Le Roy Park and Ride and while deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, her vehicle allegedly struck a Village of Le Roy patrol car.  Martin was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on appearance tickets.

Rebecca L. Harrington, 28, of Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, driving left of pavement markings, speeding, and failure to stop at stop sign.  Harrington was stopped at 10:07 p.m., Jan. 6, by a Batavia police officer. She was issued tickets and released.

James R. Cooper, 39, of Batavia, is charged with unreasonable noise, a  violation of the Batavia Municipal Code. Cooper is accused of playing rock music at a loud volume for an extended period of time at a location on Buell Street on Jan. 11. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jolene Y. Stevens, 33, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Stevens is accused of using a piece of wood to hit another person in the back during an incident reported at 8 a.m., Jan. 22, on East Main Street, Batavia. Stevens was arraigned in City Court and released.

Lyndsay T. Young, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Young is accused of violating an order of protection at 3:57 p.m., Dec. 30. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Sean D. Roczen, 38, of Rochester, is charged with aggravated harassment 2nd. Roczen turned himself on an arrest warrant in relation to an incident reported at 9:26 p.m., Jan. 7, on Kingsbury Avenue. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

Jeffrey P. Schneider, 51, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Schneider was arrested following a three-vehicle property-damage accident at 7:09 p.m., Dec. 27, on East Main Street, Batavia. Schneider was processed Batavia PD headquarters and released on tickets.

Montell L. Cunningham, 28, of Lockport, is charged with criminal contempt. Cunningham is accused of violating an order of protection at 11:55 p.m., Jan. 9, in the parking lot on Alva Place. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Daniel Thomas Henning, 41, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with falsifying business records 1st. Henning is accused of falsifying business records at Pawn King, on Veterans Memorial Drive, at 12:11, Dec. 22. The case was investigated by Investigator Erik Andre and Deputy James Stack. Henning was issued an appearance ticket.

Nicholas Scott Warriner, 24, DWI, refusal to take a breath test, speed not reasonable and prudent, and following too close. Warriner is accused of driving too fast for conditions and too close to a marketed Sheriff's patrol vehicle at 12:15 a.m., Jan. 16, on Clinton Street Road, Bergen. When the deputy slowed his vehicle while a lead vehicle was turning, Warriner's vehicle allegedly hit the rear of the patrol vehicle. Warriner allegedly failed a field sobriety test.  He was issued an appearance ticket. The investigating officer was Deputy Jacob Gauthier.

Brianna Nicole Greene, 34, of Parkridge Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with grand larceny 4th.  Greene is accused of stealing more than $1,000 in clothing from Dick's Sporting Goods at 1:51 p.m., Jan. 8.  Greene was issued an appearance ticket.

Qumane James Santiago, 23, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Santiago is accused of striking another inmate at the Genesee County Jail at 7:21 a.m., Jan. 7. 

Rachel A. Keene, 26, of Pembroke, is charged with DWI. Keene was stopped by a trooper out of SP Clarence on south Newstead Road, Newstead, on Jan. 8. She was allegedly driving with a BAC of .10. She was released on an appearance ticket.

A vehicle has reportedly fled the scene following a two-vehicle accident at South Lake Road and Buffalo Road in Bergen.

One person reports a back injury.  

One vehicle is in a ditch.

Bergen Fire and Le Roy Ambulance responding. A second ambulance was dispatched but has been canceled.

A possible suspect vehicle has been located on Route 19 near North Road.

UPDATE 7:30 p.m.: One person transported to Strong.

Shannon Lee Marvin, 30, of West Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with grand larceny. Marvin is accused of stealing a credit card from a person in Bergen in November and making several purchases with the card. Marvin was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.

Abigail M. Russell, 19, of Hamburg, is charged with petit larceny. Russell is accused of shoplifting a bag full of groceries from a local store at 12:01 p.m., Jan. 4. After receiving a report of the larceny, Russell was located by a Batavia patrol officer, identified as the suspect, and arrested.  She was released on an appearance ticket.

Walter M. Rhynes, 30, of Rochester, is charged with harassment 2nd. Rhynes is accused of trying to strike an employee of a local hotel at 1:29 p.m., Jan. 1. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Brittany N. Leach, 28, of Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal mischief 4th. Leach is accused of damaging a door and a vehicle on State Street at 11:10 p.m., Jan. 4. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Marcus T. Hill, 29, of East Rochester, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. The warrant stems from an incident reported at 9:45 p.m., April 25 (no details released) and was issued July 28 after Hill allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. He was released under the supervision of Genesee Justice.

Hailee N. Callicutt, 21, of Batavia, is charged with obstruction of governmental administration, resisting arrest, driving without insurance, driving on a suspended registration, and driving a vehicle with an obstructed view. Callicutt was stopped by Officer Peter Post at 10:02 p.m., Jan. 1, on Liberty Street.  She was issued an appearance ticket.

Brian Graziaplena, 70, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Graziaplena reportedly drove his car into a tree at 4:23 p.m., Jan. 1, on North Lyon Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket and released to a sober third party.

Dean C. Siminski, 32, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Siminski allegedly sent a letter to a person covered by an order of protection. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Eric Tyler McGrain, 29, of Donlin Drive, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI, speeding, refusal to take breath test, failure to keep right, and moving from lane unsafely. McGrain was stopped at 1:21 p.m., Jan. 8, on College Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor.

Trisha R. Santora, 39, of Batavia, is charged with eight counts of petit larceny and eight counts of falsifying business records 1st. Santora was arrested by State Police for an alleged crime reported in November. She was issued an appearance ticket. No further details were released.

Kyle A. Hillyard, 29, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hillyard was stopped at 1:35 a.m., Jan. 9, by State Police in the Town of Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Brian P. Demko, 44, of Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment 2nd. Demko was arrested by State Police following an investigation in an incident reported at 7:42 p.m., Dec. 26, in the Town of Batavia. He allegedly made a threat toward another person. He was released on his own recognizance. No further details released.

When Bergen Assistant Chief Garrett Dean arrived on the scene of a structure fire at 84 Woodside Lane, in the Hidden Valley Meadow Park, Thursday night, he observed a mobile home with flames shooting out of one corner of the residence and was informed by a neighbor that a woman may be trapped inside.

The neighbor said he had tried kicking in the front door but the door was blocked, possibly by the woman who lived there.

Dean said he was able to reach around the door, grab her and carry her to safety with the help of the neighbor.

"They said they talked to the neighbors and the neighbors said they were pounding on the door, but couldn't get a reply," Dean said. "I believe the neighbor that was pounding on the door was the one that actually kicked the door in and when I got on location helped me get her out."

At first, the woman wasn't breathing, Dean said. With the assistance of the neighbor, he used first-aid techniques to get her breathing again.

It felt like minutes but was probably only about 30 seconds, he said.

The resident, whose name has not been released, was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital but Dean said he's been informed she may be transferred to Syracuse for a higher level of treatment for her smoke inhalation.

"She was very lucky," Dean said. "It's a good thing this is a very tight-knit community. They're all older adults that live here and they take very good care of each other."

Departments from three counties responded to the fire.

The cause and origin of the fire is under investigation.

A firefighter at the scene also needed treatment at the scene for minor smoke inhalation but remained on scene following treatment.

Top photo: Reader-submitted.  Bottom photos, Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.

Alecia Kaus/Video News Service contributed to this story.

There’s a joke at Bergen’s Craft Cannery about the necessity to document even the most minute details.

Except that it’s not so much a joke as it is a principle for owner Paul Guglielmo. And it was just that type of meticulous business practice that earned the Bergen businessman a coveted Safe Quality Food certification.

“Let's say it's required to have a bachelor's degree to do food safety. This would be like getting a doctorate, Ok? It's really rigorous in the sense that the joke is, you know, if you sneeze, there's a procedure and a form to fill out. But the truth is, it's just a really, really dedicated paper trail on everything you do and everything that comes in and out of your building,” Guglielmo said during an interview with The Batavian. “I’m an entrepreneur flying by the seat of my pants, and I don't necessarily have the time or the wherewithal or even the intelligence to put all these systems in place. And this puts systems in place for you and essentially forces you into a system that is used by some of the most successful plants in the world.”

Graduating from that Safe Quality Food program — similar to obtaining a doctorate degree — has meant more and higher-level opportunities, including acquiring the business of “bigger, regional brands,” he said. 

About the cannery ...
It may help to put this into perspective by knowing more about Craft Cannery, a Genesee County hidden secret tucked behind Liberty Pumps at 7100 Appletree Lane in Bergen. Craft Cannery specializes in taking recipes from individuals, restaurants or food production brands, and adjusting them for large production. The cannery then takes those more voluminous recipes and produces, bottles, labels, and ships the final goods for companies across the region.

Guglielmo branded his family name for a tomato sauce seven years ago and had been producing it at a nearby site in Bergen. That has morphed into specializing in sauces, dressings, oils, marinades, teas, soups, meat sauces, meal-in-jars and other items under other local labels, including Uncle Tony’s, Sticky Lips BBQ, Uncle Ralph’s, Old Pueblo Grill, Red Osier and dozens of other “high profile” brands, he said. 

The cannery is one of six USDA-certified manufacturing canneries in New York State, which allows the company to produce meat-based products. Led by Guglielmo, with the support and input from his wife Ryann, and a team of seven employees, the cannery most recently earned Safe Quality Food certification through Safe Quality Foods Institute. That entailed a two-day audit after what Guglielmo describes as a “year in-the-making” preparation with the help of a quality assurance consultant and SQF practitioner. 

The Audit …
So what exactly is a Safe Quality Food certificate? It’s a methodical system of checking all aspects of the cannery’s business practices to ensure that all ingredients, operations, documentation and canning/bottling processes are noted and verified as meeting the guidelines of being safe, quality food. The auditor takes a randomly selected batch of product and tests it based on things like the ingredients, where they’re from, when they were shipped to the site, how they were prepared, the temperature at which they were cooked, and the backup paperwork on all of it. 

“In late July they did the audit; it was two days going through everything with a fine-tooth comb. Now that we have (SQF status) it’s a big deal,” Guglielmo said.  “It unlocked the door for us … it took us to the next level.” 

From the airwaves to bottling …
Guglielmo started out in media as a radio host for 15 years. A budding entrepreneur, he took his childhood experience of canning tomatoes with his grandfather and decided to bottle and sell his elder’s tomato sauce under the label Guglielmo’s. He was doing that in a manufacturing plant in Bergen before discovering that “I can do bottling for a living,” he said. That was a “pinch yourself moment."

“I was loving running this little sauce business. I’m more of a bull in a china shop, full-speed ahead. (The SQF process) forces you to slow down,” he said. “If you want to work with big brands, then you need to have this certification. And it allowed us to start to work with some big brands. And so it has really been a breakthrough moment for us.”

Through a connection with "Coach" Tony Perry, the founder of Permac, and who was planning to soon retire, Guglielmo drove out at 4:30 in the morning to meet with the early riser about buying his Bergen-based operation. A deal was made, and Guglielmo’s grew into Craft Cannery. He started Guglielmo's sauce with 20 cases of marinara sauce in the summer of 2014, and today the product is available in over 500 stores, including Wegmans, Tops, and Whole Foods, and hundreds of locally owned small businesses across the Northeast.  The operation moved into 5,000 square feet behind Liberty Pumps. That move included going more automated, which, contrary to popular belief, required more employees and not less, he said. He and partners Tom Riggio and Jay Perry, the son of Coach Tony, are hoping to expand the current site in the near future.

Guglielmo, who lives in Rochester with his wife Ryann and their 3-year-old son Leo, believes in giving back to the community. He is a Rochester Business Journal Forty Under 40 award recipient, serves on the Board of Directors for Rochester Rotary and Big Brothers Big Sisters, has spoken to culinary arts students as a member of Genesee Valley BOCES Culinary Board, and is heavily involved and active in the community.

His wife is in marketing, and she helped with Guglielmo’s logo and public relations efforts. She has enjoyed watching her husband navigate the entrepreneurial world. He admittedly has had some tough lessons, and learned that it’s ok to oversee employees and direct them on what to do, he said. In fact, he learned that his employees welcomed the idea and were looking for guidance versus ample latitude to figure things out on their own. He credits his and the team’s resilience to keep going even on the hard days, because the good ones will come around again. 

It has been that kind of education that has strengthened his business skills, Ryann said. 

“It’s been such a journey to see Paul become a leader … as the sauce came around, it was just him and I working every festival. Now he’s leading a team of nine people,” she said. “He takes such pride and taking care of his team, he takes that so seriously. He is really becoming a great leader and he cares about his team.”

His next big goal is to triple the size of his current plant and break ground by 2023.

“I like Bergen. Genesee County has been really, really great,” the 38-year-old said.

Recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), the SQF family of food safety and quality codes are designed to meet industry, customer, and regulatory requirements for all sectors of the food supply chain – from the farm all the way to the retail stores. Audits will be conducted once a year to maintain the SQF status, with the first two being scheduled in advance, followed by surprise, unannounced visits beginning in year three. The time, effort and tracking have been worthwhile for his bottom line, Guglielmo said. 

“I want nothing more than to produce safe, quality products for my customers,” Guglielmo said. “The thing I am most proud of is how hard every single team member has worked towards this SQF certification. The approval of our SQF program is a testament to this Craft Cannery team. We’ll always be committed to food safety, and we’re ready to keep working and making products our clients – and their customers – love.”

Top photo: Craft Cannery owner Paul Guglielmo shows some labels for his own product, Guglielmo's tomato sauce, at the company site in Bergen. Labels are just a portion of his business that also includes recipe creation, cooking, bottling and shipping of several local and regional brands. Cannery partner James Perry is shown pouring product into bottles and employee Steven Coakley watches a line of labeled product move along an assembly line. Photos by Howard Owens.

A mobile home fire is reported at 84 Woodside Lane, in the Hidden Valley Meadow Park, Bergen.

One person has been taken from the residence by a firefighter.

Bergen Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched

UPDATE 8:04 p.m.: This is a working structure fire.  Byron, South Byron, Stafford, responding.