SoleTurn to Kick Off Summer Concert Series At the Family Friendly Blueberry Treehouse Cafe

By Tony Farina

Even as the long-awaited expansion of the legendary music venue Sportsmen’s Tavern on Amherst St. in Buffalo nears completion, the ongoing work did not pose any problem for music lovers as Scott Celani’s new group Too Yacht to Handle played to a sold-out house last Saturday, May 25, at Sportsmen’s supported by several local musicians including two members of the high-energy group SoleTurn.

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<p>by Frank Parlato</p>
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<h2 Class="wp-block-heading"><strong>complaint Names Judges Prior Professional Ties to Former Da</strong></h2>
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<p>on January 7 2026 John Rendina Filed a Formal Ethics Complaint with the Rochester Office of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct Against Judge J Mark Gruber of the Town of Tonawanda Court</p>
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<p>the Complaint Asks for the Judges Removal from the Bench</p>
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<p>rendina is the Uncle of Ryan Flynn Who Has Been Held Without Bail at the Erie County Holding Center Since October 21 2025more Than Eleven Weeksafter Accusing His Cousin Former Erie County District Attorney John Flynn of Sexually Molesting Him As a Child</p>
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<p>the Complaint Asks Why Gruber Did Not Recuse Himself Given That He and John Flynn Spent Six Years in the Same Small town Governmentflynn As Town Attorney Gruber As Town Justice</p>
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<h2 Class="wp-block-heading"><strong>the Two Men</strong></h2>
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<figure Class="wp-block-image" Id="attachment_236087"><img Src="https://i0.wp.com/frankreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/john-flynn-1.png?resize=250%2c205&ssl=1" Alt="" Class="wp-image-236087" Title="john Flynn 1 - Frank Report"/><figcaption Class="wp-element-caption">john Flynn</figcaption></figure>
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<p>john J Flynn Served Two Terms As Erie Countys 41st District Attorney Holding the Office from 2017 Until His Resignation in March 2024 when He Left Government Service for the Law Firm Lippes Mathias</p>
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<p>before That He Was a Navy Jag Officer an Assistant District Attorney in Erie Countys Homicide Bureau and a Personal Injury Attorney He Became President of Both the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York and the National District Attorneys Association</p>
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<p>but His Roots Were in the Town of Tonawandaa Suburban Community in Erie County with a Population of About 80000 Located North of Buffalo and South of Niagara Falls Along the Niagara River</p>
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<p>the Voters Elected Flynn to the Town Board in 2003 in 2006 the Town Council Appointed Him Town Justice and Later Voters Elected Him to a Full Term in 2010 He Left the Bench and Became Town Attorney He Held That Job Until He Left for the District Attorneys Office in 2017</p>
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<p>he Continues to Reside in the Town of Tonawanda with His Wife Debra</p>
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<p>mark Gruber Has Spent 30 Years As a Medical Malpractice Defense Attorney at Roach Brown Mccarthy Gruber in Buffalo but He Has Spent Even Longer on the Bench He Served As Acting Village Justice in Kenmore from 1983 to 1993 then As Elected Village Justice from 1993 to 2008 in 2008 He Became Town Justice for the Town of Tonawandathe Position He Holds Today</p>
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<p>the Town of Tonawanda Justice Position is a Part time Locally Paid Judicial Post with a Salary Set by the Town Board and Typically Falling in the Roughly 000000 Per Year Range Allowing the Judge to Maintain a Separate Legal Practice</p>
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<h2 Class="wp-block-heading"><strong>the Overlap</strong></h2>
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<p>from 2010 to 2016 John Flynn Served As Town Attorney for the Town of Tonawanda J Mark Gruber Served As Town Justice in That Same Municipality Starting in 2008</p>
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<p>for Six Years They Worked Together in the Same Small town Governmentflynn As the Attorney Gruber on the Bench</p>
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<p>when Flynn Became District Attorney in 2017 His Office Prosecuted Cases in Courts Across Erie Countyincluding Grubers</p>
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<p>now Gruber is the Judge Holding Flynns Accuser Without Bail in Effect a Former Town Colleague of John Flynn is Deciding Whether Flynns Accuser Sleeps in a Cell or in His Own Bed</p>
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<h2 Class="wp-block-heading"><strong>the Timeline</strong></h2>
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<p>on September 8 2025 Two Forensic Psychologists Evaluated Ryan Flynn Both Concluded He Was Not Competent to Stand Trial Nine Days Later Christina Scott Director of the Erie County Forensic Mental Health Service Formally Notified Judge Gruber in Writing ryan Flynn Does Not Have the Capacity to Proceed</p>
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<p>twenty four Hours Later Judge Gruber Issued an Order of Protection Barring Ryan Flynn from Contact with John Flynn and His Wife Debra Flynn</p>
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<p>five Weeks Later Tonawanda Police Arrested Ryan for Allegedly Violating the Order the Evidence a Screenshot of an Anonymous Twitter Post No Ip Address No Device Records No Metadata Connecting Ryan to the Account</p>
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<p>judge Gruber Remanded Him Without Bail</p>
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<figure Class="wp-block-image" Id="attachment_261426"><img Src="https://i0.wp.com/frankreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/9adee7d8-7126-4643-b194-f3a30127fafd.jpeg?resize=300%2c159&ssl=1" Alt="" Class="wp-image-261426" Title="ryan Flynn Alleged Tweet - Frank Report"/><figcaption Class="wp-element-caption">the Alleged Social Media Post No Evidence Has Been Presented That Shows This Was Posted by Ryan Flynn Yet It is Enough to Warrant His Arrest and Remand in Custody</figcaption></figure>
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<h2 Class="wp-block-heading"> <strong>the Legal Trap</strong></h2>
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<p>in Practice Once Evaluators Determine That a Defendant is Unfit to Proceed the Judge Suspends the Criminal Case at the Same Time the Court Remands the Defendant to a State Psychiatric Facility for Restorationnot Warehouses Him in a County Lockup</p>
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<p>cpl 18080 Gives Prosecutors 144 Hours After Arraignment to Hold a Preliminary Hearing Obtain an Indictment or Secure a Waiver if They Fail the Court Must Release the Defendant</p>
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<p>ryans Attorney Nicholas Texido Cited Three Appellate Decisionsincluding <em>people Ex Rel Molinaro V Warden Rikers Island</em> 2022holding That Pending Competency Evaluations Do Not Toll the 18080 Clock the Prosecution Must Still Meet the Deadline or Release the Defendant</p>
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<figure Class="wp-block-image" Id="attachment_261867"><img Src="https://i0.wp.com/frankreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/screen-shot-2026-01-12-at-82852-pm.png?resize=212%2c204&ssl=1" Alt="" Class="wp-image-261867" Title="screen Shot 2026-01-12 at 82852 Pm - Frank Report"/><figcaption Class="wp-element-caption">attorney Nicholas Texido</figcaption></figure>
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<p>prosecutors Never Held the Hearing the Court Never Released Ryan</p>
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<p>instead of a Psychiatric Facility Ryan Flynn Remains in the Erie County Holding Center for More Than Twenty Days His Cell Had No Running Waternothing to Drink or Wash With He Stayed There Through Thanksgiving Christmas and New Years</p>
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<h2 Class="wp-block-heading">the Competency Question</h2>
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<p>ryan Flynn Told This Reporter That He Has Undergone Two Additional Competency Evaluations Since September and Has Passed Both</p>
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<p>i Also Passed the Mental Health Competency Exams Until They Falsified Just This One but Ive Passed All the Other Evaluations He Said During a Recorded Call from the Holding Center i Dont Want It to Seem As if Im Some Not Competent Person Because I Have a 125 Iq I Own My Own House Thats Paid Off</p>
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<p>this Claim Could Not Be Independently Verified</p>
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<p>flynn Appears to Remain in Custody Despite the Absence of Evidence Typically Required for Bail less Detention Under New York Law</p>
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<h2 Class="wp-block-heading">the Complaint</h2>
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<p>rendinas Complaint to the Commission States</p>
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<p>on October 21 2025 Judge J Mark Gruber Town of Tonawanda Ny Ordered My Nephew to Be Incarcerated Without His Attorney Present the Charge Was for Threatening allegedly to Kill Former Erie County District Attorney John Flynn This Charge Was Placed After Ryan Accused the Former Da of Molesting Him As a Child Ryan is a Cousin of the Former Da</p>
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<p>the Complaint Continues</p>
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<p>judge Gruber Ordered a Psych Exam While Holding Him on a Felony and Never Proceeded to the Grand Jury His Next Court Date Was December 15 2025 Judge Gruber then Announced the Docket Was Delayed and Therefore He Would Be Held Until January 15 2026 Which Was Past Christmas and Past New Years</p>
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<p>since Rendina Filed the Complaint Judge Gruber Has Delayed the Docket a Third Time Ryan Flynns Next Court Date is Now March 5 2026 Meaning Flynn Will Have Spent by then More Than Four and a half Months in Custody</p>
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<p>rendina Alleges Gruber Violated Constitutional Rights Conducted an Illegal Arrest and Incarceration Failed to Provide Release and Used Coercive Language and Threats</p>
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<p>his Conclusion</p>
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<p>he Held My Nephew Ryan Flynn in Custody to Silence Him for Speaking out Against the Former Da</p>
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<p>the Complaint Names the Conflict Directly</p>
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<p>john Flynn the Former Da and Judge Gruber Maintain a Long standing Professional Relationship</p>
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<p>rendina Requests That Gruber Be Censured or Removed from Office</p>
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<h2 Class="wp-block-heading">what Happens Next</h2>
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<p>grubers Professional Overlap with Flynnwhile Realis the Kind of Entanglement That Exists Throughout Small county Legal Systems</p>
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<p>the Likelihood That the Commission Will Act is Low It is Not a Transparent Body It Rarely Explains Its Decisions It Routinely Dismisses Complaints Against Judges Unless Misconduct is Extreme and Undeniable the Commission is Unlikely to Find It Disqualifying</p>
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<p>still the Complaint Now Exists It Identifies the Judge the Conflict the Dates and the Decisions</p>
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<p>ryan Flynn Reports That He Was Assaulted Once in Custody Sustaining a Head Injury He Describes As a Concussion a Second Inmate Told This Reporter He Personally Heard a Guard Offer Commissary Incentives to Inmates Who Would Attack Flynn</p>
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<p>the Erie County Sheriffs Office Which Operates the Facility Assigned Flynn to the Delta Unit the Most Restrictive Section of the Erie County Holding Centera Facility So Antiquated That County Officials Acknowledge It Would Be Illegal to Build Today</p>
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<figure Class="wp-block-image Aligncenter"><img Src="https://i0.wp.com/frankreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/9e94b7de-55d5-42a7-aaaf-60c0654f58ca_4_5005_c.jpeg?resize=300%2c156&ssl=1" Alt="" Class="wp-image-261503" Title="erie County Holding Center Jail Prison - Frank Report"/></figure>
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<p>if Something Happens to Ryan Flynnif an Inmate Attacks Him Again or Worsethis Complaint Becomes Evidence That Someone Asked the State to Intervene</p>
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<p>ryan Flynns Next Court Date is March 5 2026 jail Maintenance Finally Fixed His Sink After 20 Days</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --> — Matt Young on Keys Vik Bhargava on Lead Vocals a Dreadnought 6 String Cave Wilson on Drums

As Celani, a Buffalo Music Hall of Famer explained in an advance piece on the program, Yacht music is in full bloom, playing soft rock from the ‘70s and ‘80s and the packed house enjoyed the entire program, according to Sportsmen’s excited owner, Dwane Hall, who is looking forward to the completion of the expansion work at Sportsmen’s by the end of June.

“It was a terrific night and everybody seemed to enjoy all the great musicians on stage who put on quite a show,” said Hall, who said work on the expansion of Sportsmen’s should be completed shortly, promising to double the space for one of the area’s premiere music venues.

There’s also a great deal of music excitement in the air for Vik Bhargava and Zachary Michael, two of the SoleTurn group who took part by invitation in Saturday’s program as they look forward to more packed houses in their upcoming Summer Lake concern series.

the Futures Looking Bright for Zachary Michael and Vik Bhargava of Soleturn

Bhargava, lead vocalist of Sole Turn, said the group is very enthusiastic about what’s on tap for the group this summer as they prepare to release their debut album “The Soundtrack of our Youth” which, says Bhargava, “will have five original compositions written by me and Zachary as well as a couple of choice covers we believe will leave our fans wanting more.”

Vik says he’s always used reel-to-reel tape (analog), which they also did in the album, “but it was much more using modern technologies, thanks to Zachary, without deadening the soul of the song. As I’ve said before, in the end, what matters is the song, man. And we’ve got some solid tracks on this LP.

As for SoleTurn’s Summer Lake Concert series that will begin Friday, June 21 at the Blueberry Treehouse Café, the rock band will have all hands on deck as Rob Helms (drums/vocals) and Patrick Mudd (keyboard/vocals) join Bhargava, lead vocalist, and Zachary Michael (bass/vocals) for the concert series that has several events planned.

The Blueberry Café, located at 1897 Davis Rd., West Falls, offers everything for visitors including fire pits, nature trails, a children’s play area, and many fine musical groups, most notably the up-and-coming rock band SoleTurn that is garnering a lot of attention with their performances and excitement about their upcoming debut album.

SoleTurn’s emergence has made their booking agent, Jerry Meyers, a happy camper these days as the band has a lot of folks interested in their musical fare, especially after they sold out Sportsmen’s back in March to get things rolling in super fashion.

“We are very excited about our summer series and the new album,” said Vik Bhargava, “and we look forward to giving our fans lots to enjoy this summer and we will get a terrific head start as we begin June 21 at the amazing Blueberry Treehouse Café in West Falls, a place that has something for everyone to enjoy.”

SoleTurn won’t rest long after that opening concert as they are scheduled to perform the next day, June 22, at Marge’s Lakeside Inn on Lake Ontario, a vintage watering hole featuring an old-time juke box and a scenic beachfront patio on Culver Rd., in Rochester; followed by a concert at the Public House in Hamburg on Saturday, June 29; followed by a private party on Saturday, July 6, in Lake Erie (more later); and the final stop in the series, Cuba Rock the Dock at Cuba Lake on Saturday, Aug. 3.

It shapes up as a rockin’ good musical summer for the red hot SoleTurn, a group that people are starting to notice big time.

For some samples of their performances, check out these video clips:

Till There Was You

Dance Hall Days

And follow the band on Facebook for the latest updates!

Artvoice Staff

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SoleTurn to Kick Off Summer Concert Series At the Family Friendly Blueberry Treehouse Cafe

By Tony Farina

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SoleTurn to Kick Off Summer Concert Series At the Family Friendly Blueberry Treehouse Cafe

By Tony Farina

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