Steuben County legislators to tackle road safety and high court costs Monday

BATH – Safety on the roads and dealing with the high cost of court reform top the agenda when the Steuben County Legislature meets at 10 a.m. Monday in the County Office Building, 3 Pulteney Sq., Bath. A proposed measure on Monday setting up a traffic diversion program would allow the county District Attorney’s office to give drivers charged with traffic violations and related misdemeanors the option of taking the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles’ approved driver education program. Supporters say the diversion program would allow drivers to improve their skills and increase road safety in the county. Those volunteering to take the DMV course would pay service charges set at $275 for alleged traffic violations and $350 for alleged traffic-related misdemeanors, potentially avoiding the higher costs tied in with court action on the allegations. The measure calls for the DA’s office to set guidelines for eligibility and applications for the diversion program, with the service charges collected by the county Finance Office. If the measure is approved by the county Legislature Monday, a public hearing will be held with a final vote by county lawmakers in October. The county Legislature also will be asked to approve additional expenses for unfunded state-mandated reforms to the court system through the state Criminal Justice Reform Act. The complex reform system is tailored for large municipal courts, but will require additional staff and related equipment to be in place in Steuben by Jan. 1, 2020. Meeting these new requirements will likely lead to additional costs next year, according to county District Attorney Brooks Baker and county Sheriff Jim Allard. Other agenda items Monday include accepting the 2019 State Homeland Security Program Grant of nearly $130,000. The grant will provide $32,500 to the Sheriff’s Office for terrorism prevention activities, with the remaining $97,500 used by the county Office of Emergency Services for emergency notification programs such as Ready Steuben and the volunteer responders’ service, “IamResponding.”

ROCHESTER MAN CHARGED WITH SEX TRAFFICKING OF A MINOR AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced Friday that Peter R. Kiwitt, 61, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking of a minor using force, fraud, and coercion, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in June 2017, the defendant was convicted in Monroe County, NY, of Possession of a Sexual Performance by a Child, and sentenced to serve 10 years’ probation, and designated as a Level 1 Sex Offender.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, on December 10, 2018, a vehicle the defendant was driving was pulled over by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Also, in the vehicle were two females, Adult Victim 1 (AV1) and Minor Victim 1 (MV1). The three individuals were questioned about drug related activity but released and later followed to a room at a motel in Penfield, NY. Officers went to the room and knocked on the door. Kiwitt indicated that he was dating AV1 but knew her to be a prostitute who belonged to another pimp known to law enforcement.  He denied any involvement in prostitution at that time. Officers did not make any arrests at the time.
On January 23, 2019, Rochester Police Department officers responded to a residence in the City of Rochester for the report of a fatal overdose involving MV1. The owner of the apartment found MV1 deceased on his living room floor and called 911. He told officers he met MV1 through AV1, and that the night before, he brought MV1 back to his residence to engage in commercial sex acts with her.
Subsequent cell phone and Facebook searches uncovered conversations between the defendant, AV1, and MV1 regarding prostitution activities. Investigators also uncovered naked photos, some of which depicted child pornography.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan W. Feldman and was detained. Kiwitt is due back in court on September 25, 2019, at 9:30 a.m.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter. 
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

New York State continues to screw Alfred Station Fire Department

On June 22, 2019, Wellsville Regional News (WRN) brought you a very disturbing story about the Alfred Station Fire Department. Earlier this year, the volunteer fire department purchased a new tanker. (Original story HERE).  The only way this small agency could afford to purchase the needed equipment was a promise of a $75,000 grant from then state senator Cathy Young. Not long after the promise, Young resigned. The grant was never processed and the volunteer fire department was forced to obtained a loan to cover the bill. According to the department, “this tanker would not have been purchased without the commitment of state funds – a commitment the New York State Senate is no longer standing by.” In an email sent to WRN Friday afternoon, the department said “its now three (3) months later and there has been no delivery of originally promised funding from New York State.”
It hasn’t helped that Young’s seat remains vacant. However, the candidates running for this seat (Geroge Borrello and Austin Morgan) should certainly pay a visit to the Alfred Station Fire Department and make something happen.

Obituary: Helen M. Crance, 93, of Scio

Helen M. Crance, 93, of Scio, NY, died Friday, September 20, 2019 in her home.  Born August 17, 1926, in Coudersport, PA, she was the daughter of Clarence and Gertrude Herrington MaCauley.  A graduate of Scio Central School, she was employed as a nurse’s aide by Highland Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Wellsville.  Surviving are:  three daughters, Sheila (Tom) Smith of Wellsville, Cindy Crance of Belmont, and Roxanne Clark of Scio; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.  She was predeceased by a brother; two sisters; and a granddaughter, Sonya Hurd.  Services will be private.  Memorials may be made to the Scio Volunteer Fire Co., 4359 CR 10, Scio, NY 14880 or Shriners Hospitals for Children at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.  Arrangements are entrusted to Mulholland-Crowell Funeral Home, Wellsville, NY.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.wellsvillefuneralhome.com.

Wellsville: Grand Theater cuts back on movie times

Facebook notice from the owner of Grand Theater on Main Street in Wellsville:

Listen up folks! 2 years ago, I came to you with regret that I was stopping the 9p.m. showtimes Sunday through Thursday due to lack of attendance and hoped that would help in lowering costs until business picked up again. Business has not picked up and due to rising costs more than what was faced 2 years ago I have no choice but to discontinue the 4pm matinees on the weekends. we will still offer the 2pm matinees Saturday and Sundays but effective immediately there will be no more 4pm weekend matinees again unless I see an increase in attendance. I hear every day how nice it is to have a local small town theatre here in Wellsville but it doesn’t stay here without good customer support and like any business you don’t want to see leave the area, it rely s on your continued and repeated patronage to cover overhead costs and make it worthwhile for an owner to put in his or her time. I hope this reaches many and sends a wakeup call because all I’m gonna end with is, imagine this town without this theatre lit up. Please support and we thank and appreciate everyone that does as always.

Belfast man arrested for Ischua theft

PRESS RELEASE

On September 20, 2019, SP Machias Troopers arrested Christopher Cometa, 60, of Belfast, NY for Petit Larceny.
Troopers investigating an August 19, 2019 theft of a wallet from the Seneca One-Stop store located on West Shore Road in the town of Ischua allege Cometa had taken the wallet. Cometa was arrested and issued an appearance ticket for Ischua Town Court, where he is due to appear in October.

Obituary: Harold William Burrows, 83, Anderson, SC and a former resident of Friendship

Anderson, SC – Harold William Burrows of Anderson, SC and a former resident of Friendship passed away Thursday, September 19, 2019 at Rainey Hospice House, Anderson, SC. He was born on October 17, 1935 in Friendship, a son of the late Myron A. and Gertrude I. Irish Burrows. He married Judith Ann Carlson who survives.

Harold was a graduate of Friendship Central School. After school he moved to Washington DC area where he managed marinas for over the 35+ years of his career, retiring from the Department of the Army after managing the Ft. Belvoir Marina for over 20 years. 
He was an ordained deacon with Belle View Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA. 
Some of the things he enjoyed were boating, fishing, traveling the east coast, exploring lighthouses and fishing spots and playing an occasional round of golf with his sons, brothers, and nephews when he could.  He achieved his first goal in retirement by building a house and settling on the Virginia shores of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay where he enjoyed fishing, boat rides, crabbing off his pier and long walks through the wooded lots along the river with his dog Crystal.  Harold later moved to South Carolina to be closer to his grandkids where he enjoyed summer afternoons swimming in the pool, boating on the lake and teaching them to play checkers and chess.
Surviving in addition to his wife are his sons, Troy D. (Dawn) Burrows of Anderson, SC, Alan C. Burrows of Woodbridge VA, his grandchildren: David and Haley Burrows both of Anderson, SC, a brother, Duane E. (Marge) Burrows of Morehead, KY and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by five brothers, Victor, Mike, Philip, Ralph, and Arvis Burrows and two sisters, Jean Burrows and Jesse Reese Emons.
A graveside service will be held on Friday, September 27, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Maple Grove Cemetery, Friendship. Kenneth Chroniger, pastor of the Alfred Station Seventh Day Baptist Church, will officiate.
 Memorials if desired to: Alzheimer’s Association, SC Chapter, 4124 Clemson Blvd., Suite L Anderson, SC, 29621 or Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Rd, Anderson, SC 29621.    
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