Le Roy

Arthur L. Golden, 63, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Golden is accused of stealing a bicycle from a neighbor on East Main Street at 6:36 p.m., May 20. The bicycle was recovered and returned to its owner. Golden was issued an appearance ticket.

Arthur L. Golden, 63, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd. Golden is accused of attempting to assault one of his neighbors in an apartment complex at 4:15 a.m., May 26.  Golden was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. He was issued an order of protection and ordered to return to court on June 16.

Luis Gilbert Torres, 42, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with assault 2nd, menacing 2nd, and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd.  Torres was arrested on June 1 in the Village of Le Roy. Information on his alleged offense was not released. he was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and ordered jailed on $20,000, $40,000 bond, or $80,000 partially secured bond.  

Julious "Fatboy" Murphy, 69, of Jerome Place, Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance 3rd, and criminal possession of controlled substance 3rd. Murphy was arrested Sunday on a sealed Grand Jury indictment during a traffic stop by Batavia PD. Murphy is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agency of the Local Drug Task Force while in Batavia.  Murphy was arraigned in Genesee County Court and released under supervision.

Delonta Rashid Sharif Curry, 21, of Thomas Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Curry was stopped at 12:06 a.m., June 1, on Route 33 in Bergen, by Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush. He was released on appearance tickets.

Logan Michael Biedrzycki, 19, Sunridge Drive, Rochester, is charged with three counts of reckless endangerment 1st, unlawful fleeing a police officer, acting in a manner injurious to a child, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless driving. Biedrzycki is accused of fleeing from Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush after the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop at 4:03 p.m., June 5, on Biedrzycki's vehicle. It's alleged there was a juvenile in the vehicle.  Biedrzycki was arraigned in Stafford Town Court and ordered to reappear on July 12.

Andrew Joseph Draper, 43, of Miller Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving while impaired by drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd, unlicensed driver, and inadequate headlights.  Draper was stopped at 11:26 p.m., Dec. 21, on West Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Morgan Ewert.  Draper was arrested on June 6.  He was arraigned in City Court and ordered to reappear on June 29.

Jacqueline Patrice Olsen, 60, no address released, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding.  Olsen was stopped at 10:12 p.m., June 1, on Ellicott Street Road, Bethany, by Deputy Trevor Sherwood. Olsen was ordered to appear in court on July 27.

Tarrence Y. Williams, 22, of Porter Avenue, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd and two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance 3rd. Williams was arrested on June 9 as the result of an investigation by the Local Drug Task Force into the transportation, sale, and possession of crack cocaine in the City of Batavia. Williams was arraigned in Genesee County Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Kimberly Ann Brodsky, 30, of County Complex Drive, Canandaigua, is charged with petit larceny and conspiracy 6th.  Brodsky is accused of stealing, in conjunction with an unidentified white male, merchandise from Kohl's Department Store at 7:46 p.m., May 25.  Brodsky was arrested by Deputy Andrew Mullen.  Brodsky is scheduled to appear in Town of Batavia Court on July 5.

Nikita N. Shook, 36, of Perry, is charged with petit larceny. Shook was arrested on a warrant in Wyoming Couty by State Police. The warrant was issued after an investigation by Batavia PD into an alleged theft on April 23. Shook is accused of stealing property from another person. Shook was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.

Mary I. Flick, 51, of Batavia, is charged with DWI/drugs, unlicensed operation, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Flick was arrested on a warrant by Batavia in relation to an incident on June 2. She was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Erica M. Raphael, 37, of Batavia, was arrested on a warrant.  Raphael was sentenced on the charges contained in the warrant. The charges were not specified in the release by Batavia. The sentence issued was not released by Batavia PD.

Alicia M. Lyons, 42 of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Lyons is accused of entering a business she had previously been told not to enter at 12:46 p.m., May 28. Lyons was issued an appearance ticket.

Yasier A. Castro Rivera, 34, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal impersonation, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd.  Castro Rivera was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer at 9:48 p.m., May 25, on Oak Street. Castro Rivera was issued an appearance ticket.

Dajuandrick C. Gardner, 45, of Batavia, is charged with bail jumping 2nd. Gardner is accused of failing to appear in court.  He was jailed without bail and ordered to return to court on June 16.

Robert J. Ritchey, 58, of Oakfield, is charged with forcible touching, sex abuse of a victim less than 13 years old, and acting in a manner injurious to a child. The alleged incident was reported at 10:04 a.m., April 5. This is a pending investigation.  Ritchey was arrested by State Police on June 8. He was ordered held.  No further details were released.

Dustin M. Locicero, 37, of Boliver, is charged with burglary and petit larceny. Locicero was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 8:56 p.m., June 5, in the Town of Darien.  He is also charged with criminal possession of stolen property 5th and falsifying business records in connection with an incident reported at 11:47 a.m., June 6 at a location in the Town of Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.  No further information was released.

Joshua P. Martin, 38, of Basom, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd, two counts of criminal contempt 1st, and endangering the welfare of a child. Martin was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 7:27 p.m., June 8, in the Town of Batavia.  His release status is "cash bail."  No further details released.

Christina Woodrow gravitated toward art because it's what she grew up with.  Both of her parents are artists.

"I was just always coloring and drawing, always having supplies around, so art was very intriguing," Woodrow said. "I just grew up doing this. I always wanted to be good at art."

Woodrow was one of several seniors with featured displays, along with works by underclassmen, Wednesday night at Le Roy's Fine Arts night, which included live music from students.

The senior wants to use her drawing skills to use people's bodies as a canvas, becoming a tattoo artist. She will soon start an apprenticeship with Mark Fanara at High Voltage Tattoo in Batavia.  Eventually, she plans to earn a business degree because she would like to own her own tattoo shop.

Top Photo: Christina Woodrow and her mother Nicole Boyce.

Photos by Howard Owens

Jonathan P. “Bless”  Little, 32, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th, resisting arrest, and criminal impersonation 2nd. During a traffic stop in the City of Batavia on May 12, officers determined that the passenger of the vehicle was proving a false name. Batavia patrol officers identified the passenger as Little and that Little had several Genesee County warrants.  During a search, Little was allegedly found in personal possession of several bags of cocaine. Little was booked into the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment. Batavia PD was assisted by the Local Drug Task Force.

Carl T. Amesbury, 29, of School Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Amesbury was arrested by Batavia PD while dealing with an unrelated matter on a warrant stemming from a sealed indictment. It's alleged that Amesbury sold crack cocaine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force. Amesbury was arraigned and released under supervision.

Richard Alan Steen, 53, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 2nd, criminal mischief 2nd, and menacing 2nd. Steen was arrested by deputies Morgan Ewert and Ryan Young after they responded to a call of a disturbance at 8:54 p.m., May 27, at a residence on Cole Road, Le Roy. Steen allegedly displayed a long gun in a threatening manner and allegedly shot a camper causing damage to it. He was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and released.

Tammy O'Shea, 50, of Stafford, is charged with grand larceny 3rd and filing a false instrument 1st. O'Shea is accused of marrying in 2019 and failing to report her husband or his income to Social Services. She allegedly received $5,265 in SNAP benefits she was not qualified to receive. O'Shea was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on her own recognizance.

Angela Mueller, 49, of Corfu, is charged with grand larceny 3rd, grand larceny 4th and filing a false instrument 1st. Muller allegedly failed to report income and as a result, received $1,454 in SNAP benefits she should not have received.  She was issued an appearance ticket.

Chandah Sundown, 30, of Batavia, is charged with 11 counts of filing a false instrument 1st and one count of grand larceny 3rd. Sundown is accused of failing to report that the father of her children was residing in her residence and earning income. As a result, Sundown allegedly received $8,353 in SNAP benefits she should not have received. She was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on her own recognizance. 

Megan Courtney, 26, of Batavia is charged with grand larceny and three counts of filing a false instrument. Courtney is accused of failing to report that the father of her children was residing in her home and earning income. As a result, Courtney allegedly received $6,830 in SNAP benefits she was not eligible to receive.

Matthew Edward Schultz, 32, of Park Avenue, Lockport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, speeding, and uninspected motor vehicle. Schultz was stopped at 12:23 a.m., May 29, on Lewiston Road,  Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor.

Jacquelyn Mary Siverling, 41, of South Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding, improper signal, and moving from lane unsafely. Siverling was stopped at 7:47 p.m., May 20, on South Main Road, Pembroke, by Deputy Trevor Sherwood. 

Riann Ledford, 27, of West Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with harassment 2nd and criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation. Ledford was arrested by Officer Zachary Klafehn following the report of a dispute at 6 p.m., May 24, at a location on West Main Street, Le Roy.  Ledford was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court for the purpose of issuing an order of protection and released on her own recognizance.

Thomas J. Wolcott, 38 of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st. Wolcott is accused of violating an order of protection. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $10,000 bail.

John L. Smith, 47 of Batavia, is charged with Felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and speeding. Smith was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer at 1:14 a.m., May 13, in the City of Batavia. He was released on appearance tickets.

Katrina M. Mana, 37, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Mana was arrested by State Police on a complaint reported at 3:30 p.m., May 28, on the Town of Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket. No further information released.

Le Roy Town Board is planning to make a splash this summer— but not without navigating a few pitfalls. 

At their biweekly meeting this Thursday, board members discussed issues concerning the anticipated opening of a splash pad near Wildwood Park. 

“The completion date is now closer to the end of June,” Supervisor James Farnholz said during the board meeting at Le Roy Town Hall. “We’re having some Monroe County water issues; they’re continually changing how they want the water brought in.”

The presiding members, including Farnholz, expressed some confusion with the changes, as the park was initially intended to open on Memorial Day weekend. 

“Why, all of a sudden, is it an issue where the backflow is?” Councilperson Bill Fox said. “They had to know where it was to start out with.”

Members offered nods of agreement with Fox as Farnholz provided clarification. 

“The original intent with the spray park was that the water would go into the storm drains, and then the fresh water would go into the Oatka,” Farnholz said “Unfortunately, there are no storm drains that run from Wildwood to the Oatka. It just runs out into the woods.”

At the project’s consequential standstill, members discussed several options to responsibly commandeer backflow from the park.

“There were three options the mayor and I discussed,” Farnholz said. “The first was to let it continue to drain the way it is now, and see what kind of impact that has on that property. If it makes too much water, we can remediate that with some kind of irrigation containers in the softball fields. I am opposed to a concrete cistern— I think that’s a ridiculous thing. The other option, that I think would be horrifically expensive, would be to trench from Wildwood to Gilbert street and hook into the storm drains.”

The board acknowledged that the village would have the final say, and projected the direction of their decision in light of their conversation. 

“As it stands now, I believe the village is going to go with the first option, and see what happens,” Farnholz said. 

In other actions, the board:
● Agreed to allow local municipalities to allot their preferred number of court justices, rather than requiring two.
● Approved four 10-hour workdays for the local highway department.
● Discussed a move to compel voter registration reform, considering the 2020 Election, with a draft of such changes to return to the next meeting. The board will meet again at 7 p.m. June 9 at the Le Roy Town Hall Building, 48 Main St., Le Roy.

Photo: Le Roy Town Board members grapple with details of a new waterpark that was originally planned to open on Memorial Day. Photo by Tate Fonda.

Andrew A. Searight, 35, of Batavia, and Jerrtonia A. Scarbrough, 24, of Batavia, are charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. Searight and Scarbrough are accused of abandoning an animal in a cage for an extended period of time at a residence on Bank Street.  The incident was reported at 9:18 a.m., May 10. They were both issued an appearance ticket.

Angela N. Bennett, 24, of Strathmore Circle, Rochester, and Shamya I. Brown, 22, of Verona Street, Rochester, are charged with grand larceny 4th.  Bennett and Brown are accused of stealing $1,726.28 in merchandise from Dick's Sporting Goods in Batavia at 1:10 p.m., May 23.  Deputies responded to a report of a larceny in progress and later located the suspect vehicle on River Street in the City of Batavia. Both were issued appearance tickets.  The case was handled by Investigator Erik Andre and Deputy Trevor Sherwood.

Brandon Charles Dodd, 35, of Montclair Avenue, Batavia, and Trace Garrett Brewer, 21, of Montclair Avenue, Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Dodd and Brewer are accused of stealing air conditioner units from Walmart at 3:38 p.m., May 22. Dodd was also arrested by Batavia PD on petit larceny and conspiracy charges. He is accused of stealing several cans of Red Bull from a business on West Main Street at 10:52 p.m., May 5. Brewer is charged with conspiracy related to the same incident.

Jamian J. "Jay" Edwards, 38, of Lake Avenue, Rochester, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd.  Edwards is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the Drug Task Force in the City of Batavia. He was taken into custody on an arrest warrant while checking in with Monroe County Probation and turned over the Sheriff's Office.

Timothy Robert Nurmi, 30, of West Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and harassment 2nd.  The alleged incident was reported at 11:15 a.m., May 24, at a location on West Main Street, Le Roy. The charges are a misdemeanor and a violation. Nurmi was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court for the purpose of issuing an order of protection and released on his own recognizance.

Alexis Rae Kenyon, 28, of Church Street, Le Roy, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. The alleged incident was reported at 12:59 p.m., May 26, at a location on Church Street, Le Roy. Kenyon was released on her own recognizance.

Anthony Wade Travis, 59, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with bail jumping 2nd. Travis is accused of failing to appear as ordered in County Court on a felony charge. Travis was issued an appearance ticket.

Thomas William McCabe, III, 44, of Scio (no street address provided), is charged with attempt grand larceny 3rd, criminal mischief, aggravated unlicensed operation, and driver's view obstructed.  McCabe is accused of trying to steal Diamond C. equipment trailer in the Town of Darien at 1:15 a.m., May 21. He was arrested by Deputy Austin Heberlein.  He was released on an appearance ticket.

Marie Rachael Brown, 44, of Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and speeding. Brown was stopped at 2:26 a.m., May 22, on Route 237, Stafford, by Sgt. Mathew Clor. She was released on traffic tickets.

David Carl Stephens, 56, of Prole Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd, obstructing governmental administration, and harassment 2nd.  Stephens is accused of violating an order of protection and of attempting to fight with deputies when they responded to a complaint at a residence at Prole Road, Stafford, at 3:48 p.m., May 23.

Terrence T. Freeman, 31, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Freeman is accused of refusing to leave a residence on Liberty Street at 10:16 p.m., May 14. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Anthony D. Underwood, 22, of Buffalo, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd, unlawful imprisonment 2nd and criminal mischief 4th. Underwood was arrested by Batavia PD following an investigation into a disturbance reported at 6 p.m., May 16, on South Main Street, Batavia. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond.

Zoro D. Reisman, 18, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Reisman is accused of stealing sausages from a business on Ellicott Street at 1:37 p.m., May 15. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Garrett L. Strickland, 30, of Medina, criminal contempt 2nd. Strickland was arrested on a warrant.

Crystal A. Mounts, 44, of Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. Mounts was wanted on six warrants out of City Court related to a series of crimes she is accused of committing within the calendar year. Mounts is accused of failing to appear on the charges on April 29. Mounts was arraigned in City Court and released.

The Le Roy High School tennis team beat Avon today 4-1 to win a Class C2 Section V championship.

Photo submitted by David Russell.

Bruce Scofield, owner of Scofield Rolloff, presented a check for $3,825 to the Le Roy Ambulance Service to assist the agency with its effort to raise money to purchase a new ambulance.

The funds were proceeds from a scrap metal drive two weeks ago. 

Accepting the check were Chief Christopher Scopano and LAS Vice President Christopher Stella.

Le Roy Ambulance has raised $18,000 so far.

A 60-unit housing development in a R-3 zoned area off of Lake Road in Le Roy received unanimous approval on Wednesday.

Eric Biscaro, who built and operates Clinton Crossings in Batavia, has said the complex will consist of  30 duplex homes on 16 acres off Route 19. The complex will be open only to people aged 50 and older.

Of the 16 acres, only about five acres will be developed.

Even though the property is zoned R-3, Biscaro did need to seek a one-time special use permit from the planning board, which the board approved 5-0.

Previously: Housing community in Le Roy will be neighborly, developer tells nearby residents

Stephen S. Bogle, 35, of Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 3rd and falsifying business records 1st. Bogle is accused of going to his place of employment on Bank Street, Batavia, and punching in, then leaving for eight to 12 hours, then punching out, without ever physically being present at work. He is accused of stealing $13,148.63 as a result of this scheme.  He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Gerald Brinson Jr., 33, of Rochester, is charged with burglary 2nd, grand larceny 4th, criminal mischief 3rd, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, endangering the welfare of a child, falsely reporting an incident 3rd, and menacing 2nd. At 9:30 a.m., May 17, Emergency Dispatch received a call of a disturbance and burglary in progress at a residence on Oak Street. Brinson is accused of entering the residence of a woman he knew and attacking her. According to Batavia PD, he was wanted on a gun case in Monroe County.  When patrols arrived, officers determined the victim and her year-old son had escaped from the residence but Brinson was still inside, refusing to exit. Officers from the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, NYS Police, and NYS Environmental Conservation arrived to assist. While Brinson Jr was inside the residence, he allegedly called in a fake report of gunfire on Ellicott Avenue. Eventually, Brinson Jr came out of the residence and was taken into custody. Brinson was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $25,0000 bail, $50,000 bond, or $100,000 partially secured bond.

Tonya M. Weber, 38, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Weber is accused of leaving a business on West Main Street, Batavia, at 5:40 p.m., April 13, with a bag of groceries without paying for them. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Steven M. Lindner, 49, of Albion, was arrested on a bench warrant. Lindner was wanted on a warrant out of City Court.  Linder was arraigned and the case was disposed by the judge. Lindner was released and does not need to return.

Dierdre A. Louchren, 56 of Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. Louchren was arrested on a warrant. She was originally arrested in 2020 on an abandonment of animals charge. Louchren was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear on May 19.

Cheryl M. Figoura, 42, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Figoura is accused of stealing money from her employer on Oak Street at 5 a.m., May 5.  She was issued an appearance ticket.

Christopher P. Thomas, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Thomas is accused of damaging another person's property on State Street, Batavia, at 1:22 p.m., April 23.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Cynthia C. Richardson, 42, of Batavia, is charged with failing obligation of parent or guardian. On 12:59 a.m., May 5, Richardson allegedly failed to stop her child from going outside without a parent or guardian past curfew. Richardson was issued an appearance ticket.

Ashley M. Davis, 33, of Batavia, is charged with failing obligation of parent or guardian. On 12:59 a.m., May 5, Davis allegedly failed to stop her child from going outside without a parent or guardian past curfew. Davis was issued an appearance ticket.

Ronnie J. Flinchum, 63, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Flinchum is accused of threatening physical contact with another person during a dispute reported at 8 p.m., April 28, on Bant Street, Batavia. Flinchum was issued an appearance ticket.

Jonathan Chisler, 31, of Bacon Street, Le Roy, is charged with aggravated harassment 2nd. Chisler was arrested following a complaint regarding an incident reported at 9:38 a.m., May 13, at a location on Union Street, Le Roy. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Ethan Thomas Cifeill, 24, of Bernd Road, Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Cifeill is accused of stealing something from a location on South Street, Le Roy, at 8:02 p.m., May 14.

Latoya Denise Jackson, 36, of State Street, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, and criminal trespass 2nd. Jackson was allegedly at a property on West Main Street Road at 10:11 a.m., May 17, and refusing to leave. Jackson was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on her own recognizance.

Michael David Wiedrich, 52, of Boyd Road, Pavilion, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and driving left of pavement markings. Wiedrich was stopped at 1:45 a.m., May 18, on North Street, Le Roy, by Deputy David Moore. He was released on appearance tickets.

Suzanne Marie Kennelly, 32, no address specified, Batavia, is charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer 3rd, DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding, and moving from lane unsafely. Kennelly is accused of failing to pull over at 7:14 p.m., May 6, when Deputy Trevor Sherwood attempted to stop her on Wight Road, Alabama.  She is scheduled to reappear in Town of Alabama Court at 6 p.m., July 5.

Michael James Fox, 37, of Park Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with forcible touching. Fox was arrested following a complaint lodged at 5 p.m., May 9, on Park Avenue, Oakfield. An order of protection was issued and he was released on his own recognizance.

Maria Lynn Dimartino, 56, of Rollin Circle, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dimartino is accused of using the bar code on a 32-inch TV to purchase a 50-inch TV at BJ's Wholesale Club at 7:25 p.m., April 21.  She was issued an appearance ticket.

Groveland Station will perform an array of original music and personalized covers tonight at 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1 East Main St., Le Roy.

The show is the last in a series of four free concerts offered at the church, and made possible with funds from the Restart NY Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts.

The band is comprised of four members: Jeremy Grace of Geneseo contributes vocals, guitar and songwriting; Dan Fitzpatrick, a bass player who is also from the Geneseo area, works the chapman stick, a guitar-like instrument rare to the modern music scene; Chris Murphy of Livonia partners with the songwriting and vocal duties, but acts as the distinctive fiddle player; and drummer Brett Schultz of Richmond.

“My longest running musical relationship is with the bassist, Dan Fitzpatrick. I played with him in several different bands over the last 15 years,” Grace said during an interview with The Batavian. “Then we met the drummer Brett Schultz, and we started jamming with him. I met Chris Murphy, the fiddle player, at an open mic in Rochester. I immediately thought that he was the best musician I’d ever heard.” 

Thursday’s performance will introduce guest vocalist Piper Wadsworth of the Livingston County group Valley Rising. Wadsworth will contribute harmonies to Grace's and Murphy’s vocals, and perform a lead song planned by the group. 

Groveland Station will offer a blend of original music and covers. Their classic and contemporary covers will include but are not limited to the multi-genre works of the Grateful Dead, John Prime and Merle Haggard. On Groveland Station’s personal adaptations of these songs, Grace offered that they are musical experiences novel to the fanatic listener. 

“When we take this material, we adapt it to our style,” said Grace. “Sometimes we try to surprise people. For instance, if you hear a Grateful Dead song and it's not Jerry Garcia’s guitar, but Chris Murphy on the fiddle, it’s a whole new experience.” 

Fro more information, call (585) 768-7200.

Press Release:

The American Legion Post 576 Memorial Day Monday, May 30 Parade forms at 9:45 a.m. in the Legion parking lot. The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. and proceeds to Trigon Park.

Refreshments at the Legion after the ceremony. Hot dogs and soda

Photo: File photo by Rob Radley from 2917

Four people are each vying for one of three trustee seats on Le Roy Central School's Board of Education during Tuesday's school budget vote.

The two candidates with the most votes will be elected to the two three-year terms that are open, and the candidate to come in third will fill the remaining two years on the other available seat.

The four candidates are Peter W. Loftus, Randa Williams, Jason Karcher, and Rachael Greene.

Also on the ballot is the district's $27,708,988 spending plan.  Voters are being asked to approve a $10,663,025 tax levy.  In-district property owners in Pavilion, Bergen, and Caledonia are looking at a projected tax rate of $19. Property owners in the Town of Le Roy pay the same rate they did this year, $24.14. For further explanation of the tax rates and budget, see The Batavian's previous coverage: Le Roy trustees support $66,000 tax levy increase, still lowering tax rate for property owners with assessment adjustments

During the May 10 school board meeting, the four candidates were given time to introduce themselves:

Peter W. Loftus
Loftus has served on the school district board for six years and is seeking a third term.  He is married to Tammy and they have two children.   

He is an engineering manager at RL Kistler Inc.

"Kistler places a real high value on their employees giving back to the community and providing service wherever they can," Loftus said. "This has allowed me a lot of flexibility to get out of work when I need to, to get back here for any committee meeting, interview negotiations, anything like that that takes place in the normal working hours. My work is really understanding about that and provides me with that opportunity."

He said he learned two things when he first started on the school board. 

"The first thing that I learned is that it's just a massive operation," he said. "The running of this district is all the fast-moving parts. Everything's changing all the time. People are leaving. It's a natural path for people to come and go. So you're always filling slots. It's just the way it is.

"And the other thing that I learned -- and this is the biggie -- that they care; the education, and the life preparation of every student in this district, is what drives everybody here."

Six years ago, when he showed up at the Jr./Sr high school to participate in his own children's educations, he picked up a positive vibe just walking around the hallways. Loftus said, and he decided he wanted to be a part of it, so he decided to run for a seat on the board.

"Now, I do understand a lot of the challenges, and there are many things we need to do to be better," Loftus said. "It's not just a happy place where that vibe is going all the time. There are underlying issues. There are things that we need to improve."

And Loftus wants to help guide that improvement, he said, and his experience will prove to be an asset.

"My six years on the board equips me with some experience and some tools to be a more effective, more impactful board member," Loftus said. "I really look forward to putting that experience to use in a third term."

Randa Williams
Williams, a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother of Le Roy students, started her involvement with the Le Roy Central School District when her daughter entered kindergarten in 1976. She served on the PTSO and helped get the first playground built, and then a second.

She's been involved with Girl Scouts for 66 years.

"I think that the most important thing is to be involved in your community," Williams said. "I think that's what brought me here."

She thinks more people should get involved with their local schools.

"In a case like this, if you're involved, you know what's going on in your school. And it's very important what's going on here," she said.

Williams said she is excited to get more involved with the district through a seat on the school board.

"I'm very interested in what's going on and I would like to be involved in it," she said.

Jason Karcher
Part of what brought Karcher to Le Roy is that he married a young lady from the community and they both wanted a place with a strong sense of community and family.

The Buffalo native arrived four years ago and immediately got involved.  He joined the Le Roy Rotary Club and is now set to become president-elect in July. He's also been involved with the PTSO.

"One of the big things for me was about (finding) some place that I could actually dig in, get my hands dirty, and be a part of something that was larger than myself," Karcher said. "When we made the decision, it wasn't a foregone conclusion about where we would go, but it presented itself really quickly that, with family here, and with all the opportunities that are available here, to be able to come back here and (get involved)."

He and his wife Shannon have a daughter and it was his daughter's love of softball that got him even more involved in the community. 

"About two years ago, we had a huge opportunity where there was going to be no softball, there's gonna be no community of girls softball," he said. "That was a big thing for our daughter to make sure that ( girls softball) could continue on. So Shanna and I jumped in and we formed a 501(C)(3) and got it off the ground, and in two years. Now we have over 100 girls playing softball again here in the community, which we think is fantastic, and we're really excited about it."

The level of involvement led to Karcher being appointed to a vacant seat on the school board.

He works for Apple as an employee relations specialist.

"For me, it's about involvement," he said. "One of the things I would call out is, this is our budget meeting, this is where people could come in and actually get to know our candidates. And this is what we have to write (motion it the largely empty auditorium). And I'll call out, why aren't there more people here? That bothers me. So that's one of the big things, if ever voted on to the school board, is wanting to make a commitment that we need more people here."

Rachael Greene

Greene enters the race with more than two decades of experience in education. She started her career as a teacher in her hometown of Warsaw before becoming a principal in Mount Morris.  She was an instructional coordinator for BOCES (a position her husband, Peter, now holds) before becoming superintendent of the Stanley G. Falk School, which is a NYS-approved special day school that provides educational programming for students aged five to 21 who have special learning, social, and emotional needs.

"We have 600 students," Greene said. "We're the largest special education school in New York State -- seven locations and (there are) 44 different districts that we collaborate with. So when I think about what I could bring to the board, I think there's some insight and perspective in the fact that I've been able to sit in many of your positions within the district, not this district, specifically, but in a school system, and understand the roles that each of you plays to make decisions on what's best for kids. But also the perspective of being able to say, wow, you know, 44 districts, what are they doing with this?"

She said she wouldn't see her role as another superintendent in the district, a role Merrit Holly currently fills. 

"I think there's some value in being a thought partner at the table with the board," said Greene, a life-long resident of Le Roy. "In my experience, the other piece I think I would bring to the board is I'm a huge advocate for underrepresented students. When I look at our community of Le Roy and youth, and look at where we were 20 years ago, our poverty levels amongst our families and our students coming through our doors hovered around 10 percent. That trend line has done nothing but grow, where we are at almost 40 percent of our students that come into our school buildings living in poverty every day."

The Greenes have three children going to Le Roy schools, including Andrew, a ninth-grader who attended the meeting with his mother.

"I have a lot of confidence that he also will be in some form of leadership because he's class president, and now president of the Junior Honor Society," she said. "So I'm super proud of that. I think it's important for me as a parent to also model that when you're passionate about something, you want to have a seat at the table. So I'm super proud. He's here to support me."

 Greene said she would serve to support educators and see that both instructors and students -- especially those coming from poor families -- get what they need to succeed.

"I can tell you that our teachers in this district and our staff work so hard to do what's best for kids every day," Greene said. "So, as a board member, I'd want to think about what can we do, not just instructionally, but structurally to provide for what every kid needs in this district. Because the sad part is that two-thirds of those 40 percent don't pass the state exams. That tells me that there's a big gap there and it's our obligation, my duty, I would feel as the board member, and all of ours, to really look at what can we do to break down those barriers for kids every day."

Photos by Howard Owens.

Le Roy High School held its annual Mom Prom on Wednesday night at Red Osier in Stafford.

The event was put on hold for a couple of years due to the pandemic, but Le Roy Superintendent Merritt Holly said organizer Samantha Vagg "made it a priority to get this event back up and running this year for our students and families."

The event is a chance for seniors to invite a mother or other special person who provided support and guidance over the years as they worked their way toward graduation.  The event is usually held around Mother's Day.

Holly said 101 students and moms or special guests attended, which was held for the first time at Red Osier.   The event included a buffet dinner, music, games, and prizes. 

Photos submitted by David Russell.

A 55-year-old male has reportedly fallen 15 feet down an Oatka Creek embankment behind the post office in Le Roy. Genesee County dispatch has requested emergency response.

UPDATE 10:21 p.m.: The patient is conscious and alert. Rope rescue is not needed.

When the mask mandate was first lifted for students in public schools, the number of COVID cases reported amount the Le Roy Central Schools population was low to non-existent, Superintendent Merritt Holly told school board members at Tuesday's meeting.

But like the rest of the community, case numbers have been rising, he said.

"It's just something that is just hanging here as we get into the spring," Holly said. "I think as you've seen, flu numbers are still up. The two haven't gone away. We had a good stretch where we went a couple of weeks with no cases at all and since we've come back from break, we've had three or four (cases), five on a day. So they're up a little bit from where we were."

What Le Roy is seeing in cases mirrors what is being reported in the county as a whole, though in the past week, the number of new cases has leveled off.

There were 283 new cases reported in Genesee County for the week ending May 10, which is down slightly from the 286 cases reported the week before.

As for flu, there were 14 cases reported in Genesee County in the last week of April, according to the state's flu tracker web site.  There were 19 flu cases reported the week before and five the week before that.

Cast members of the Le Roy production of the Musical Newsies competed recently in a "Stars of Tomorrow" competition hosted by the Rochester Broadway Theater League and two of them are still in the running for a possible trip to New York City, Principal David Russell told the Board of Education on Tuesday.

Stars of Tomorrow is a workshop and competition open to high school musical performers from throughout the Greater Rochester Area.

Evan Williams and Nate Yauchzee were selected to participate in the next round, which broadway professionals judge at RBTL on May 26.

"If they are moved on from there, they actually win a trip to New York City, where they will have a great experience with the Broadway performances that go on down there," Russell said.

For more on the competition, click here, where you can also cast your vote for "fan favorite."

Photos: File photos by Howard Owens.

Nate Yauchzee

Evan Williams

Le Roy PD is looking for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in multiple car break-ins that occurred in the early morning hours today,

Surveillance video obtained by Le Roy PD from local residents and shared with The Batavian shows a male subject in a white hoodie and wearing a black backpack attempting to open the doors of vehicles parked in residential driveways.

Chief Greg Kellogg said investigators are asking area residents to check their own camera video to see if they captured any suspicious activity and share the footage with Le Roy PD.

There may be more than one person involved.

The suspected criminal activity took place between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity, has video or can identify the suspect in the home surveillance camera footage is asked to contact the LeRoy Police Department at (585) 345-6350 or info@leroypolice.org

Bria Chaquan Carson, 30, no street address provided, Rochester, Chas Westley Burgess, 36, street address redacted, Rochester, and Robert Earl Wyche, 49, street address redacted, Rochester, are each charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Each was allegedly found in possession of fentanyl and cocaine at a location on Oak Street in Batavia at 3 a.m. on May 7. The case was investigated by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell and Deputy Morgan Ewert. All three were arraigned in City Court. Carson was released on his own recognizance. Burgess and Wyche were ordered held on no bail.

Mikhail Eric Lundberg, 32, of State Street, Blasdell, is charged with DWAI/combined drugs and alcohol. Lundberg was arrested on a warrant stemming from an incident at 9 a.m., Dec. 29, on Main Street in Corfu. He was arraigned in Town of Pembroke Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Kevin Brown Goodenough, 65, of Stone Road, Rochester, is charged with sexual abuse 1st. Goodenough was arrested in connection with an incident reported at noon on Oct. 8, 2017, on Lincoln Avenue in Le Roy. He was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court and ordered held on $10,000 bail, $15,000 bond, or $40,000 partially secured bond.

Kayla Jean Nicolucci, 30, of Ridge Road, Elba, is charged with petit larceny. Nicolucci is accused of shoplifting from Walmart at 4:59 p.m. on May 7.  She was released on an appearance ticket.

Jerome Wayne Amesbury, 56, of Gilbert Road, Bergen, is charged with harassment 1st and stalking 4th. Amesbury is accused of stalking and harassing a victim on Gilbert Road in Bergen at 9:52 p.m. on May 7. He was arraigned in Bergen Town Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Jimmy L Moore, 45, of Oakfield, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. He was stopped by state police at 4:34 p.m. on May 7 in the city of Batavia. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Le Roy Ambulance held a scrap metal drive today with the assistance of Scofield Rolloff to help raise money for the agency.  The drive started at 9 a.m. and by 10 a.m. they had already filled five Dumpsters with donated scrap metal.