Monday News Brief

Corfu Motel Drug Sting Leads to 14-Year Federal Prison Sentence

A Mexican national has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his role in a large, multi-state cocaine trafficking operation that included a controlled delivery at a Corfu motel.
Fifty-seven-year-old Gilberto Alarcon-Holguin, also known as “Beto,” was sentenced to 168 months in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Federal investigators say the case began in October of 2017, when Homeland Security Investigations seized 10 kilograms of cocaine from a co-conspirator. That led to a controlled delivery of fake cocaine to a motel parking lot in Corfu.
Following the delivery, New York State Police stopped the vehicle involved and seized more than 259-thousand dollars in cash.
Investigators later uncovered cocaine shipments tied to Alarcon-Holguin in Buffalo, West Seneca, Kentucky, and Chicago. In total, authorities seized approximately 2-point-6 million dollars during the investigation.
The case was led by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Rotary Grant Expands Pool Access for Arc GLOW Participants

Thanks to a grant from the Rotary Club of Batavia, individuals supported by Arc GLOW now have safe access to aquatic recreation.
The funding was used to purchase a new pool lift, allowing people of all abilities to enjoy swimming while enabling staff to safely assist participants.
Occupational therapist Sara James says the lift removes a physical barrier and gives individuals access to an activity they previously couldn’t enjoy.
Arc GLOW is a nonprofit supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. More information is available at ArcGLOW dot org.

Genesee County Boys Basketball: Pavilion, Le Roy, Batavia Earn Weekend Wins

Pavilion picked up a 61–28 win over Keshequa.
Le Roy dominated Avon at home, cruising to a 70–32 victory Friday night. Brayden Chase led the Oatkan Knights with 22 points, while Grady Gilligan posted a double-double as Le Roy improved to 4-1.
Batavia also impressed, pulling away after the first quarter to defeat Greece Olympia 74–41. Gavin White scored 19 points to lead the Blue Devils, who are now 3-1 and advance to the Pete Arras Christmas Tournament at GCC.

Byron-Bergen Faculty Association Spreads Holiday Cheer to Local Families

The Byron-Bergen Faculty Association brought holiday cheer to dozens of local families earlier this month through its annual Holiday Giving Project.
On December 13th, volunteers delivered bags of presents — and plenty of holiday spirit — to families across the Byron-Bergen community. Faculty, staff, administrators, and community members worked together to purchase more than 9-thousand dollars worth of gifts.
This year, donations helped provide holiday presents for 133 children from 50 local families. In addition, community groups stepped up to “adopt” families, expanding the project’s reach to a total of 115 children.
BBFA President Ken Gropp says the success of the project reflects the compassion that defines the Byron-Bergen community, thanking everyone who donated time, money, or support to ensure students had a brighter holiday season.
After several days of shopping, wrapping, and organizing, volunteers distributed the gifts through the high school bus loop, delivering directly to families’ vehicles.

Basom Woman, Child Seriously Injured in Alabama Crash

A Basom woman and a child were seriously injured Thursday night after being ejected from a vehicle during a crash on Bloomingdale Road in the Town of Alabama.
Genesee County dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call just before 11 p.m. reporting the personal-injury accident. Deputies say the driver, 22-year-old Joliee John of Basom, lost control while traveling northbound, left the roadway, and struck a tree.
John and one juvenile passenger were ejected from the vehicle and taken to Buffalo-area hospitals with serious injuries.
The crash remains under investigation by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Crash Management Team.

Genesee County Girls Basketball: Keshequa, Byron-Bergen, Avon, O-A, Notre Dame Win

Keshequa rolled past Pavilion 64–27, led by Alicia Woof’s 20 points as the Wildcats improved to 4-0.
Byron-Bergen bounced back with a 42–17 win over Holley, improving to 5-1.
Avon edged Le Roy in a defensive battle, 38–34. Maria Geary scored 20 points as Avon moved to 3-3.
Oakfield-Alabama stayed unbeaten, knocking off Pembroke 60–47 to move to 4-0.
And Notre Dame cruised to a 69–20 win over Wheatland-Chili behind 22 points from Shirley Thompson.